I Thought This Only Happened on TV

Chapter 1

Gabby Dawson mopped the sweat off of her forehead for at least the tenth time that night. She wondered if anyone would believe her if she said that shifts at Molly's were usually more tiring than shifts at 51. They were. At least for her. Managing all of the noisy people asking her questions, trying to remember who wanted which drink, and cleaning up the inevitable drunk guys catcalling and falling all over the floor exhausted her. Sometimes she questioned the wisdom of agreeing to own the place with Herrmann and Otis. The bar had been nothing but a headache for her, but the happiness and relaxation it brought Chicago's firefighters and cops made it hard to resent the place.

She glanced up as her brother, Antonio, leaned against the bar in front of her. He looked like hell. "Hey Bro. You taking off?" She tried to keep her tone light.

He eyed her dully. "Yeah. Wouldn't want Laura to use my hanging out at a bar all night against me in the…divorce…"

So he was finally able to use the "D" word. Gabby narrowed her eyes at the mention of Laura's name. What a bitch. Who left their husband after he'd been shot because he wanted to keep working? Any woman who married a cop should know what they're signing on for. Gabby forced a smile and flicked her bar towel at her brother. "Tonio, you have nothing to worry about. You're a great dad."

"Yeah, thanks," he said morosely. He shifted his weight before muttering, "I'll see you."

"Do you need a ride home? Casey is right over at 51, he could come by…"

Antonio interrupted her, "No, no. I'm fine. Olinsky is gonna drop me off. Us divorcee's have to stick together—though his wife seems to have forgiven him."

"Hey, you said that it took her ages to come around. Laura might still cool off." Gabby hated saying that. She hoped Laura was out of their lives for good.

"Right. Maybe she will." Antonio didn't sound like he believed it.

Gabby smirked. "Just don't move into her garage okay Bro? That's a little creepy." She was gratified to see Antonio smile a little. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"No, garages aren't really for me," he said. Antonio started to move toward the door where Olinksy was waiting. He paused and lowered his voice, "Hey, Gab. Can you do something about him please?" He inclined his head toward Jay Halstead, who was slumped against the bar pulling a napkin into a million soggy pieces. He looked worse than Antonio, which was really saying something.

Gabby hesitated. "I don't know…whatever he needs I don't think I'm the one to help him." Her raised eyebrows were intended to remind her brother of her past with Jay.

Antonio gave a dry chuckle, "No. I'm sure you aren't what—or should I say who—he needs. But you've always been good at listening to people and offering advice. Besides, you're the bartender tonight so it's kind of your job. I'm sure you'll be able to help him better than Herrmann tomorrow night, and I don't think the rest of us in Intelligence can take him moping around another day."

With that her brother walked out. Gabby groaned and glanced back at Jay. He wasn't even drunk. A drunk guy railing about the world and crying over a nonsensical slight she could've handled. Jay had only had about half a beer and he looked like he needed an in-depth conversation about his problems. Gabby suspected she knew exactly who the problem happened to be. She peeked across the room to where a few firefighters were hanging out, Severide among them. Sitting with them was Erin Lindsay, Halstead's partner and Severide's girlfriend. Gabby bit her lip. Really? Another love triangle in Chicago? I thought these things only happened on TV.

It really wasn't even her business. Antonio had forgotten to mention that while she was good at listening and offering advice, she was even better at sticking her nose where it wasn't wanted or needed. But she had been stuck between two guys twice in the past year. Maybe she could help. First Pete and Casey, then Casey and…Jay…maybe not. This could get way too awkward.

Gabby snuck a look back at Jay. He looked like a neglected puppy. Damn it. Why had she always had a soft spot for puppies? Striding across the room she snatched the decimated napkin away from him and swept it into the trash.

"Unless you're planning on helping me clean up later I suggest you let the napkins remain intact," she said.

Jay grimaced. "Sorry." He took a halfhearted sip of his beer.

"Would you like a refill? Or something stronger?" Gabby offered, hoping he'd say yes and that he also wanted to be left alone.

"No thanks."

When he didn't offer anything else Gabby nearly groaned. Let it go Gabby. But she couldn't. "Good thing I'm not relying solely on your business tonight. We wouldn't be able to pay the electricity for a single lightbulb."

"Sorry," he mumbled again.

Feeling increasingly uncomfortable, Gabby took the towel off of her shoulder and started wiping the bar. That's what bartenders did in this kind of situation in movies, so she figured it couldn't hurt. She watched Jay from the corner of her eye. His eyes were drawn to the firefighters' corner like he was being compelled by a higher power. He didn't seem to be able to help himself and he seemed to be making himself more miserable with every glance. The regret lining his features didn't suit him.

Jay was a good-looking guy. Gabby had noticed the first time she'd seen him here at Molly's. His easy smile and intelligent eyes were a devastating combination. Her relationship with Jay had been unusual, but she couldn't say she regretted it. She was happy with Casey of course, but she had to confess that Jay had been fun and unpredictable and—why not just admit it—sexy as hell. It was nearly unfair to the other men in the room. A hot, witty cop? He could have had his pick of the women in the bar and beyond. But he didn't want some random woman. He wanted his partner, and it was abundantly clear. Gabby had been watching this train wreck in the making for several months. Before Erin had started dating Severide, Gabby had been convinced that the partners had something going on. The unresolved sexual tension had made her shifts at Molly's far more interesting. Then something had gone terribly wrong. Gabby wasn't stupid or uninformed about the happenings in Chicago. After Jay had been accused of killing the child molester nothing had been the same between him and Erin. There was no way Erin could think he was guilty, could she? Gabby had mulled over the idea, but it didn't make any sense. Nearly simultaneously Erin and Severide had started showing up at Molly's together. Not much surprised Gabby. That relationship had. She knew Erin had helped with Severide's sister, but dating? The two just didn't work as far as Gabby was concerned. Not that she was concerned. Not my business, she reminded herself.

What had been so interesting about the Erin/Jay train wreck was the unevenness of the wreckage. Erin seemed content with Severide and happy to keep Jay as a friend. Jay did not seem content or happy about anything. He followed his partner to the bar each night and gazed longingly at her and then left early. Gabby had started losing interest, assuming she'd been reading too far into the partners' feelings for each other and that Jay would start dating someone else too. But he didn't. He'd brought a blonde to Molly's once, but he'd seemed to be faking interest; his detachment towards her blatant. Gabby had finally had to stop monitoring him because it was so damned depressing.

"Oh for God's sake," Gabby finally ground out. "Drink this." She poured him a shot of the first bottle she could reach, which happened to be tequila. She shoved the glass into his hand.

Jay's words were startled, "What? Why?"

Gabby inclined her head towards the corner. "Let's just skip to the fact that I'm not blind so that you can stop playing dumb."

With a groan Jay poured the tequila into his mouth and slammed the glass back down. He gestured for her to pour another. Now they were getting somewhere.

"Why don't you just tell her?" Gabby asked bluntly. There had to be a reason.

Jay looked horrified. "Are you insane?"

"No." Gabby watched him expectantly.

"We work together," Jay offered halfheartedly.

She rolled her eyes. "So? Casey and I work together. Workplace romances can be hot."

Jay colored slightly. "Not under Voight they can't." He hesitated before asking, "Isn't this kind of weird? Us discussing this?"

"So you're just going to let that manipulative asshole dictate who you can be with?" she snapped, completely ignoring his question and briefly forgetting that she'd decided to forgive Voight.

Jay coughed a laugh and for a minute he was the grinning, easygoing guy she remembered. "Still holding a grudge against Voight? I thought you were past that."

"Don't change the subject Halstead. I saw how you and Erin used to look at each other. What happened?"

The amusement left Jay's face and his mouth quirked down at the corners. "Nothing."

Gabby huffed her annoyance. "Jesus, Jay! I'm your bartender! I'm supposed to help you with your problems. You're making that awfully difficult."

"You're also my ex. That changes things. Conflict of interest or something," he countered.

She waggled her left hand in his face. "Your very engaged ex. Unless you still hold a torch for me…" she trailed off.

Jay mumbled something under his breath that sounded an awful lot like 'I wish' before saying, "I don't."

"Perfect. Conflict gone. Now, if you're going to deflect my first questions, answer one thing for me." Gabby paused to make sure he was paying attention. When his blue—both literally and figuratively—gaze met hers, she continued, "Do you act like this at work?"

He started. "What? No!" he said indignantly.

Gabby shook her head. "I'd love to believe you, but I don't. Especially not with what I've heard from Tonio."

"I'm not doing this. If there's a problem with my work just tell Antonio to say the word and I'll start looking for a new job." Jay began pushing away from the bar.

"Jay, please!" Gabby grabbed his arm. "Just talk to me. What do you have to lose? It might even help you feel better."

He dropped back into his chair. "Fine. But this better not get spread throughout 51."

"Of course not," she said, a little offended. "Bartender, remember? There's a code. Bartender/customer confidentiality."

"I'm pretty sure that's doctors and patients," Jay said dryly.

"Same thing." She waved him off. "Now. Why didn't you and Erin really get together?"

Jay rubbed a hand over his face. "This is ridiculous. I feel like a hormonal teenage girl."

Gabby just raised an eyebrow and waited.

"Fine. Voight really was a big factor. Erin takes his opinion seriously, and if it hadn't worked out between us she knew that it would mess with the dynamic of the team. So, when she outright said that she thought we should keep it professional I went along with her wishes. That's it. The whole story."

Gabby snorted. "Okay…Just because you agreed being professional was best doesn't mean the feelings went away. I mean, yours certainly haven't. And, what? She just started dating Severide and forgot all about you?"

Jay winced. "You aren't very good at this making me feel better thing."

Gabby blushed. Way to go Genius. "Sorry."

Jay cast her a contemplative look. "Maybe her feelings did. Go away that is. Maybe she just liked the idea of using me to piss of Voight and didn't care all along. I don't know. All I know is she didn't believe me about Lonny and I was furious with her. The next thing I knew there was a Severide in the picture." He swallowed. "We can still be really good partners. Whatever Antonio has seen, I haven't let all this affect my work. Erin and I are fine. It's just—lately I come here, and—"

"Can't stand seeing her happy with Severide?" Gabby finished helpfully.

Jay glowered at her. "Yeah. I thought, I thought he was a womanizer, you know? That their thing would be over quickly. But it's been months and she talks about him all the time…" his words died and he shrugged helplessly.

Gabby bit her lip. Poor Jay. He really cared for Erin and she was just throwing it back in his face. Could she actually be oblivious to his misery? Or did she just truly not care because she didn't share his feelings? Gabby barely knew Erin, but from her own observations and from what she'd heard from Tonio, Erin seemed okay. In fact, Gabby had liked her. But something had to be done about this whole debacle.

Shit. Shit, shit, shit! There was no way she could disengage herself from this now. She was invested and morbidly fascinated. It was like how pedestrians slowed to gawk as they passed a gruesome car crash—their eyes open wide with horror, but sparkling with curiosity. As a paramedic who saw injuries and pain every day she'd never understood the phenomenon. Now she did.

She jumped as Jay barked, "For God's sake Gabby, say something! Don't just look at me like that!"

"He is!" she blurted the first thing that came to her mind. At Jay's baffled look she added, "A womanizer. Or he has been in the past. But he seems to care for Erin."

Jay paled. "Great."

Gabby wanted to slap herself. "He won't hurt her, Jay." Oh for Heaven's sake. This was coming out all wrong. But wouldn't Jay want to know that Severide wouldn't hurt the woman they both loved? Maybe not. Maybe Jay would actually like to think that he would hurt her. Make Severide the bad guy so that Jay could comfort her later. This was all so confusing.

She opened her mouth again, but she was saved from making everything even worse by a noisy patron yelling for more shots. "I have to—"

Jay waved her away. "I know, go. Do your job. Thanks for listening."

Gabby smiled wanly. "Not sure I really helped. Good luck. I, uh, I'm rooting for you." She winked and scurried around the bar to give him a hug.

With a soft laugh, Jay returned the hug. "Thanks Gabby," he murmured.

He smells good too. Better add that to the list of his admirable qualities, she thought distractedly. She started heading to the loud customer who was now banging his feet on the bar. Yes, his feet. For Christ's sake. She scowled in the customer's direction. Jay stiffened beside her as Erin's deep laugh rang throughout the room. Gabby cringed and grabbed for the bottle of tequila.

Jay stopped her. "You'd better leave that."