Title: Fathers & Sons

Summary: Casey watches Severide with his father, hears his praise and tells himself to lie to his friend – he was fine and there was nothing wrong. Kelly would believe him right? Based parts from eppy 1.17 Better to Lie, Contains some spoilers (missing scene)

Disclaimer: Chicago Fire and its characters are the property of Dick Wolfe, NBC and….well sadly not me

Note: Words in "double quotes and italics taken from the eppy"

"Came to see my boy…so proud of you Kelly."

He hears the words and watches father and son embrace and then pulls back deeper into the shadowed alcove, telling himself he'd just paste on a smile and not audibly lament the fact that he had longed to hear those words from his own father…'Matthew…I'm proud of you…'. He'd never hear those words now and he knows he can't fault Kelly for the fact that his father was still alive and his wasn't; it wasn't fair to his friend and he knows if he voices his resentment, he could just strain their friendship. Besides I said what I had to that night at the lake…I don't need to deal with this now.

Casey hears a few more voices enter the area and then slips back through the exit doors and heads into the main part of the Firehouse opposite the end where the Severide's were lingering. Not fair to Kelly…

"You're in a chipper mood this morning," Capp slaps Severide on the back as the two of them near the kitchen counter to get their breakfast.

"Yeah nice surprise visit from dad," Severide offers a smile in return.

"How long's he in town for?"

"Not sure…he uh…didn't tell me," Severide nods as he takes his food from Mills and then gives Casey a small nod.

"Well having you in a good mood can only mean good things for the team right Casey?" Capp engages Casey into a conversation he was hoping to avoid.

"Sure," Casey replies with a strained smile as he takes his plate and then heads for Hermann and Cruz, plunking himself down and not daring to look up and meet Severide's wondering gaze.

"Last time you handed out cigars."

"Ah so there is an ulterior motive," Severide chuckles as he watches his father and Hadley enter the common area.

"So steak and eggs for breakfast?" Benny grins at his son.

"Steak and eggs…you hear that Mills? Now I could go for that," Mouch pipes up.

"Would be just like old times eh Kelly," Benny continues as the rest of the teams start to pepper him with questions about his son; wanting some inside scoop on the Squad 3 team leader. The only ones not fully engaging, was an obviously absent Chief Boden and a very silent Matt Casey.

"Boy when he gets started…" Severide's voice trails off as he enters the quiet truck area sometime after their early breakfast, spying Casey at the end of his truck and slowly heading toward him.

"All the embarrassing stuff comes out," Casey mentions, but keeps his eyes fixed on his task. "Nice that he could come…here…you know to whatever."

"Yup…" Severide huffs as he leans back on the cool metal door of Truck 81; a few seconds later glancing over to watch what Casey was doing. "You're pushing that too hard."

"It'll hold," Casey lightly argues back.

"It'll break," Severide gently teases.

"It'll hold…" Casey merely repeats and continues his futile task.

"Matt…."

"Kelly, it'll hold now drop it," Casey softly hisses as Severide arches his brows in surprise; Casey hoping that Severide would just take the hint and leave. However, that doesn't happen. And to add insult to his already mounting emotional injury, he hears a familiar voice and looks up to see Benny heading toward them.

"Ah there's the two partners in crime," Benny smiles at them; Severide looking up with a warm smile; Casey a strained one.

"So Casey…it's just the three of us…you can tell me…you secretly wanna join squad right?" Benny teases as Casey looks at Severide who grins and then offers a small shrug and smile.

"And report to him? No way."

"You know I've always wanted a personal assistant," Severide jokes as he looks at Casey once more. But as he notices the slightly hardened jaw and tightly curled fingers, his brow slightly furrows and he wonders what's going on with his friend.

"Truck's where it's at."

"Ah don't listen to him Kelly…" Benny chuckles as he shuffles down onto the end of the truck beside his son and Casey on the end. "You know when I was here…" his voice trails off into another story; Casey leaning back but keeping a tight lipped smile in place and actually praying for a professional intervention. He gets it just not as he would have expected.

"truck 81…squad 3…ambulance 61…hazardous…"

"Mind if I tag along…would love to see my boy in action?" Benny asks with a proud smile; Casey looking at Severide and just shrugging.

"Sure dad…that'd be great."

"Great!" Benny slaps Kelly on the back as they rush toward their perspective trucks.

"You're quieter than usual," Cruz mentions as they near the site of the rave.

"Lost in thought I guess," Casey looks over with a tight smile. "It's all good."

"Alright man…whatever you say," Cruz tosses back in a tone that makes Casey feel he's not as convincing as he hopes he sounds.

How long is Benny staying? Casey's mind groans as they near the site of their call. But as soon as he jumps out of the truck, it's all hands on deck and he forces his mind into his task, telling himself lives are at stake and he has to get his head back in the game. Something he more than welcomes.

"Casey…it's pepper spray…" Otis tells him as he shows Casey the canister that set the partygoers into a panicked frenzy.

"Chief…it's Casey. Cancel Hazmat…its pepper spray."

Truck 81 pulls back into its bay and it's all Casey can do to just paste on his smile and slowly head past the chatty squad group, smiling at Severide as his father boasts about his son's heroics in rushing to save the young girl who nearly fell from the window and how he'd have done the same thing in his day and how amazing it was to watch his son in action.

"Man can he talk…" Severide jokes as he enters the quiet locker room and looks at Casey standing in front of his open locker door; his eyes fixed on something Severide can't see. But when Casey only replies with a small smirk, Severide pulls away from his locker and nears his friend; his eyes peering around the open door to see the same small item Casey was struggling with earlier.

"You are going to break that damn thing," Severide huffs as he snatches the object from Casey's grasp.

"Then you fix it!" Casey growls in frustration as he turns back to his locker.

"It's not broken. You obviously had a bad night. Thought things were better since mom moved out?"

"They are!... they are," Casey's tone lowers as he dares to look up at his friend. "It's nothing," he adds with a small, fake smile. You already told him once…he doesn't need to hear that seeing and hearing their father/son interaction makes you miss yours even more and curse the fact that you left the key out in the open – ultimately killing your father. Nothing's wrong.

"Mills keeps asking about his father."

"And?" Casey retorts.

"I told him to talk to the Chief but no one seems to want to talk about it."

"Seems to be a few issues with fathers and sons as of late," Casey mentions somewhat flippantly before he closes his locker door and pulls away; Severide watching in complete wonder.

"What the hell is up with him?" Severide mutters to himself as he heads back to his locker, changes in to a dry undershirt and rejoins his father and his team in the common area. But as he listens to funny stories, mostly at his expense by his father's word, he can't help but glance over at Casey now and again…noticing the stiffness as he sits quietly with his own team and wondering what he's hiding. I know Matt said he resents the fact that I still have my father…and maybe him here…laughing and joking…saying he's proud…but he said it was no big deal anymore…was he lying?

"Everything okay?" Benny asks his son as he walks up to him; both of them watching Casey walk toward the common area.

"Yeah I guess. I asked and he said it was nothing but…"

"But you can tell when he's lying?" Benny looks at his son in wonder.

"He's just been…snappy you know what…it's nothing," Severide turns to his father with a less than enthusiastic smile. "Let me get one thing from Shay and then…some wings and beer?"

"First rounds on me," Benny suggests. "Meet you out front."

Casey pulls his phone and reads the message from Christie with a heavy frown.

'Mom was asking about a whole family dinner but if she could bring her latest love whatever... Ugh. Thoughts?'

"Whole family…with some stranger…and without dad…yeah…no," Casey mutters as he hears shuffling and looks up to see Benny Severide heading toward him.

"Quite the exciting day for you boys," Benny comments as Casey pastes on a firm smile and nods; shoving his phone into his pocket.

"Yeah…it was tense for a few moments there."

"Kelly is quite the acrobat," Benny modestly brags; Casey's stomach instantly tightening as he gives Benny a smile, praying the elder Severide would quickly take his leave. Benny, however, makes no move to leave, so Casey opts to do so first.

"Well…I gotta run."

"I'm taking Kelly out for a round…you wanna join us?" Benny asks; neither of them aware of Severide watching from the shadows.

"I really can't…but…thanks."

"Heard your mom made parole. How's that going?"

"Fine…strained…different," Casey stammers nervously. "It's um…a big adjustment for us all but we're managing. I really gotta get goi…"

"Hey Matt."

"Yeah?"

"Kelly said you two are friends…I know you've had your differences in the past, especially with Andy's death and all but that you worked past that. So I gotta ask…is everything okay? Things just seem more tense than friendly between you two," Benny states directly; never one to mince words.

Dad…what the hell? Severide's mind growls from the shadows. Leave him alone.

"Everything's fine," Casey answers in haste, not wanting to explain that first Mills had come to him, talking about how much he missed his father and how seeing Benny and Kelly together brought back memories; and then Christie had broached the subject about that night – wondering if maybe it was something she might have done to contribute to his ill-fated actions on leaving the key lying out and then it was himself being forced to witness a happy reunion between father and son; hearing warranted praise he knows he'll never get from a man he has missed every single day for the past fifteen years.

"Because you know…with your dad gone…if you ever wanna just talk or…"

"No I'm fine thanks…everything's fine…" Casey interrupts with an agitated glare. "Enjoy your night," he adds in haste as he pulls away and heads back inside, his mind now racing about what to tell his sister about having their mother there with some other man and hoping Kelly wouldn't push the issue about his despondency and he could escape unnoticed. It doesn't happen. Just as he nears the room where the uniforms are stored; Severide steps into his path with a curious expression.

"Your dad's outside," Casey informs him as he stops; his hands nervously shoved into his pockets.

"Yeah I know. Is he giving you a tough time?" Severide lightly jokes.

"Nothing I can't handle. Enjoy drinks with your dad."

"Right…" Severide sighs as he looks at Casey with a less than amused expression. "Been around you long enough to know when you're lying. My dad…"

"Is proud and happy and that's how it should be right?" Casey retorts as Severide purses his lips and sighs. "Just go and have a good time. Is he sticking around for the academy dinner on Friday?"

"He is. Look why don't you come with us tonight? Have a drink on the old man."

"I have stuff to do."

"Damn you're a bad liar. You can fool most of the guys out there but I've worked with you long enough to know when you're lying."

"Sometimes it's better to lie."

"Not to a friend. Matt…"

"Especially to a friend if it…"

"Trust me I know what happens if…"

"Kelly, don't push me okay?"

"You called me on me needing surgery…I'm calling you on this. What is going on?"

Casey looks at Severide and then mutters under his breath as he turns away. "You want to know what one of the last talks my father and I had before he died? About him one day coming to see me at work when I made Lieutenant and joining me for a ride along. You know what I did that night? I stupidly went home to calculate how long that might be. I was so happy and excited and maybe…distracted…I left the key on the counter and that night he died!" Casey's voice raises; drawing a small raised brow from Mouch as he passes.

Not caring about a protest, Severide gently directs Casey into the cloakroom and closes the door, sealing them inside to preserve privacy; something he's always valued.

"Seeing your dad here…I know I'm not the only one affected by the displays between father and son but I can't…" Casey turns away as his right hand rubs his forehead. "I can't hold it against you and I don't want our friendship affected because of it. I envy it…I have since that night. Everyone I see with their fathers…fathers and sons…father's day…whatever, I envy it. I remember going to the hospital with Christie that night…and I stood beside my father's dead body and I got angry at him…I said you promised…you promised…" Casey's voice dies out as he turns away. "He was dead…and yet here I was angry at him for not being able to keep a promise to come and…see me…at work. I've wanted that since I was a boy. To be able to say to my dad…this is my truck and my team…and to hear him say he's proud of me. That's my boy…" Casey stops as he swallows back a small sniffle, "like yours did, but now…now I'll never have that. Never. And it just…"

"Sorry…I didn't know," Severide whispers as his hand gives Casey's shoulder a small comforting squeeze.

"So if I'm lying…" Casey starts.

"It's to protect yourself," Severide finishes as Casey turns back and nods; remorse filling his warm blue eyes as he nods in confirmation.

"I don't want to resent you. We worked past Andy's death but to see that…the two of you…it's not fair. So you…" he swallows and puts on a tight lipped smile, "you go and have a good time…and I'll see you tomorrow."

"Can I get someone else to jo…" Severide quickly starts; noticing Casey's hesitation before Casey shakes his head and offers a sad tight lipped smile.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

With that Casey brushes past Severide, pulling open the door to the cloakroom only to see Shay look at them in suspect before Severide emerges and walks up to her with a heavy frown.

"What was that all about?"

"Can you do me a favor?"

"Does it involve Mr. Cheery?" Shay slightly smirks.

"Yeah it does. What are you doing tonight?"

"Nothing…why? Thought you and your dad were going for drinks?"

"We are."

"Kelly…what do you want?" Shay asks pointedly.

XXXXXXXX

Casey finishes his file and then looks up to see the teams laughing together and smiling as they head for the exit doors; taking turns bugging Hermann about something he wants to buy for the bar and of course watching as Benny puts his arm around Severide's shoulders and smiles at him proudly. He reminds himself to let go of his inner resentment, finish the file and head for home and get some rest.

"You…need a ride?" Casey asks in wonder as he approaches his truck to see Shay waiting for him.

"Sure. You going to Flannigans?"

"I wasn't planning on it. But if you nee…"

"Well you are now because we need a ride."

"We?"

"We," Casey hears from behind and turns to see Otis walking up to them.

"We?" Casey looks at Otis in wonder.

"Lost my bus pass," Otis teases. "Shay's in the middle," he suggests; neither of them giving Casey a chance to protest.

"Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I'm automatically in the middle."

"Yeah but two guys sitting together is so…"

"Gay?" She retorts flatly as Otis's face flushes and Casey snickers. "Really?"

"Uh…lame?" Otis stammers as Shay turns to Casey.

"He'll ride in the back."

"Funny," Otis deadpans as they both climb into the truck; Shay in the middle. They head for the bar and at first Casey finds himself protesting about going in but as soon as his truck comes to a halt, he finds himself automatically getting out and heading into the bustling establishment without much verbal protest. Shay directs them to the back where a small table of friendly faces had already gathered.

"First rounds on Casey…now we can get started!" Otis announces as Casey looks at him and then offers a small laugh as the rest at the table shout his name with happy voices.

"Fair enough…" Casey smiles and nods.

"Hey you made it," Severide grins as Casey plunks himself down beside the other 51 Lieutenant; the rest filing in where there were open seats.

"You did this?" Casey asks in a low tone.

"Nope."

"Liar," Casey retorts with a small smirk.

"First round should be on Hermann," Casey pulls away from Severide and looks at Otis in wonder.

"Why me?" Hermann asks Otis.

"Well…you're like the oldest working one here."

"Benny works," Hermann objects; the small amount of laughter starting to gain momentum.

"Retired," Benny grins.

"How about we get the prettiest to pay?"

"I'm broke remember?" Shay counters.

"How do you know he didn't mean me?" Cruz tosses at her with a wag of his brows as the rest of the table laughs. "'sides Hermann you look like papa bear."

"Really. Gotta get some new hair dye," Hermann frowns as the first round of beers arrives; soda for Shay. "Well then…let's raise a glass…to fathers and sons," he states firmly.

Severide feels his back stiffen as he hears Hermann's toast and looks over at Casey in concern. But Casey merely nods as he whispers, "fathers and sons," and raises his glass with a small but genuine smile.

"Family," Severide whispers back as he clinks the glass in return. And they know that no matter the biological arrangement; those at the table would always have that one thing that would bond them, Firehouse 51 was their home; they were family.

THE END!