It looks like the show is going to pair up Severide with Detective Erin Lindsay from CPD. It could be interesting, seems like they have some chemistry. Here's my take on that pairing. Hope you enjoy.
"I'm happy to say that we only had to say goodbye to four recruits," said Kelly as he passed back the last major exam at the Fire Academy. "Some of you barely made it, but you did it. Congratulations." He gave Dawson a quick pat on the back as he gave her the test. He said "good job" to Jones as he handed her the most important paper test they would take. Yes, a 98 was amazing, better than everyone else. Maybe he had made a mistake wanting to get rid of her.
"Thank you, Instructor Severide," she said huge smile across her face obviously proud of her 98.
"No time to bask in the glory of passing. We're headed outside. Suit up. You've got five minutes."
Kelly headed to the smoking training building, stopwatch in hand. All the recruits were in position well within the five minutes. He'd paired them up the previous day and all were ready, lined up in order. Dawson was one of the first to go. What the hell is taking Jones and Dawson so long, he thought looking nervously at the seconds ticking by. They finally made it out, and he could breathe again.
Last pairing was Hanson and Diggs. Hanson was the guy Jones threw under the bus. Yes, he was overly nervous, but Kelly couldn't help but think of another nervous recruit named Darden who turned out to be one helluva firefighter.
"Go," he instructed watching Hanson already messing with his mask.
Five minutes in, Severide knew things weren't going well. Just how bad things were going to get, he had no idea. Hanson fell for the third time, but this time, his mask fell off. When Diggs tried to help him up, Hanson immediately went for his mask in full out panic mode. They struggled for a few seconds before Diggs called out.
"Mayday! Mayday!" he choked out.
"Shit!" Kelly passed off his clipboard and stopwatch to Dawson, threw on a turnout coat, grabbed a mask and headed up.
He found Hanson and Diggs both fighting for one mask. The other mask lay on the floor a few feet away. Kelly grabbed it and pressed it into Hanson's face, hard. The fallen recruit was still struggling, desperately taking deep inhales, eyes wide with fear. Severide signaled Diggs to start heading out while he practically carried Hanson out.
Dawson ran over to the three as soon as they exited the training facility.
"You okay?" she asked Kelly first. He nodded pointing at Diggs. Gabby checked the two other men. They'd sucked in a fair share of smoke, but they'd be okay.
"We're done for today," Kelly announced. "You two upstairs."
Back in the training room, Diggs told of how Hanson panicked, lost his mask, and grabbed for his.
Kelly took a deep breath. He knew what he had to do. He wished the man well, and sent him on his way, definitely not cut out for this line of work.
Jones and Dawson were still outside talking pretty seriously about something.
"Hey, Jones. You gotta minute?" called Kelly.
"Yes, sir," she said running over, hoping he wasn't going to bust her balls about something else.
"I wanted to apologize. You called it on Hanson. He wasn't cut out for this. Sorry I didn't listen." Kelly knew he had to say this, but he still didn't think Rebecca Jones was any less of a weasel for throwing a fellow recruit under the bus.
You would've thought he'd just asked her to prom. She skipped back to Dawson.
"He said he was sorry! I called it on Hanson!"
"I wouldn't read too much into this," warned Dawson knowing Kelly was just doing the stand up thing, admitting he was wrong. If he knew about the cheating, that would be a different story. "You can roll that tongue back in your mouth."
"Mark my words, I'm getting some of that when this class is over," said Jones watching Severide's car leave the parking lot.
"I wouldn't count on it," said Dawson to herself once she drove off.
Five texts from Shay, all with the same theme...come to Molly's, now. He texted her back saying he was dead to the world, just going home, shower and bed sounding so good.
Please. We haven't hung out in so long. I'm buying.
He knew that was true. They hadn't talked in a while, hadn't had fun in far too long. Since the Devon debacle, Shay spiraled out of control only recently coming back. He took a deep breath and texted he was on the way.
Kelly walked into the bar smiling at how crowded it was. It was becoming a favorite of firefighters around the city and the PD had started showing up as well. With any luck, this place was gonna make it. He scanned the tables, saw Antonio Dawson with some other cops, Gabby behind the bar with Hermann, Shay at the bar chatting it up with a pretty little blonde. Great. No one else from 51 there. No Cruz, Otis, Clarke. Nope, just Shay. At the bar. Obviously busy. He decided to say a quick hello then make his way home.
He nodded at Antonio as he passed the table, surprised when the cop grabbed his arm stopping him mid stride.
"Severide, let me buy you a beer. Gabby said you've been more than supportive. I can't thank you enough," he said pulling out a chair for Kelly to join him.
"No need for that. Your sister's a badass," laughed the lieutenant. "I think she could take on half the guys at the academy. She's gonna be a helluva firefighter."
He turned to the other cops at the table, both young. He recognized the guy as the one who brought down the thug trying to pinch Molly's. The other he didn't know, had never seen. A beautiful brunette with a face he would definitely remember. No, he'd never met her.
"Kelly Severide," he said, ever the gentleman, holding out his hand to the gorgeous female.
"Erin Lindsay," she said with a voice far too raspy for the angelic mouth that the words came from.
"Jay Halstead," said the other officer breaking the spell Kelly was under. Shit, was there anyone else even at the table?
"Uh, yeah, Gabby said you helped bust the loser who was squeezing some extra bucks out of this place."
Jay just shook his head not really liking the way this guy was looking at his partner. Worse yet, the way she was looking at him.
"Hey, I'm really sorry about Officer Willhite, was it?" said Kelly remembering the blonde who'd helped bring down Hallie's killer. He'd seen the reports on the news, the kids she'd left behind. He couldn't imagine. Gabby had taken up a collection at the house and mentioned how torn up Antonio was.
"Yes, Jules," said Erin quietly dropping her head. Jay shot him a look that said "way to bring down the room, asshole."
"Yeah, that's been a hard one," Antonio said patting Erin on the back. "Thanks for the collection from 51. We bought them enough groceries for the week."
Kelly didn't know what to say. They all looked like tears were coming any minute.
"I was actually heading home," he said finally, ready to get out of the uncomfortable situation.
"Well, nice to see ya," said Jay, just barely holding back the "don't let the door hit you on the way out" he was thinking.
"Nope. I'm buyin' you a beer," insisted Antonio getting up to fetch the drink.
As soon as Antonio plopped down Kelly's beer, he said he was leaving.
"When mama calls, daddy answers," he said laughing. "The missus said I better get my ass home, so I better do it. Thanks again, Severide."
"And then there were three," said Erin looking sadly at her empty beer bottle.
"Make that two, or one," said Jay getting up to leave. "I've watched Antonio's sister avoid eye contact with me long enough. Let's go, Linds."
"No, you go ahead. I wanna drink some more. I'll take a cab," Erin was going nowhere and Jay knew her well enough to figure there was no arguing.
Kelly nodded his head at Jay. "She'll get home safe, I'll make sure."
Jay looked skeptically at the fireman thinking that was what he was afraid of.
"Man, ya mention a dead cop's name and you clear a room quick," said Erin sadly.
"I'm sorry about that. Hey, can I get you another?" asked Kelly motioning to her empty bottle.
"Please."
When Kelly returned, the previously silent detective was nonstop talking. She'd wanted to talk about Jules for days, wanted to tell stories about her, wanted to stop pretending it hadn't happened, but no one she worked with would even mention her name.
Erin started with a story about how Jules didn't talk to her for a month when Lindsay joined their team. She only opened up when Erin told her to quit being such a bitch. Friends ever since. She talked about her kids left behind, her husband who she truly loved. Kelly couldn't help but think of Andy Darden, his boys.
"I know you don't wanna hear this, but it does get easier. Each day, a little easier." Kelly launched into his own stories of Darden, his goofy ways, how he made them all a little better. How much he missed him.
Before the pair knew it, the bar was closing. Shay was long gone, telling Kelly not to wait up.
"Call me a cab. Will you?" asked Erin playfully.
"I'm driving you home. Don't argue."
"My hero," she teased.
Kelly helped her out to his car not quite believing that this little thing was a cop. She shot at bad guys. Soaking wet she couldn't weigh more than 110. He laughed at the thought.
"What's so funny, hero?" Erin had a sneaking suspicion she was the brunt of his amusement, but too drunk to do anything about it.
She directed him to her house, a cute little brownstone with a whole lotta steps leading to the front door.
"This is my stop," she said trying to open the door.
"I'm walkin' you in," said Kelly running around to her side, opening her door and grabbing her firmly by the arm.
They navigated the steps, and she simply handed over her keys giving into the warm dizziness she felt throughout her body. He got her inside where she threw off her leather jacket and plopped on the couch. Nice place, he noted. Spotless, but somehow homey, a bookshelf jam packed, worn leather furniture that had a feminine touch, if that was even possible with leather.
He deposited her keys on the dining room table and made his way to the couch to say a quick goodbye.
"Help me with my boots," slurred the detective kicking out a leg toward Kelly.
He looked at those eyes and felt a stirring deep within. One he hadn't felt since Renee left. The sex he had with Zoya had been hot but purely physical. No deep conversations; she'd always had the look of a woman wanting something Kelly wasn't ready to give. The look this woman was giving him was different. I must be drunk, he thought laughing at himself.
He pulled her boots off gently as she leaned over to one side of the couch stretching her legs across the length of it. She grabbed his arm and pulled him toward her.
"Thanks for listening to me tonight, for letting me talk about Jules. Thanks for bringing me home," Erin pulled him closer, gently taking his face in her hands.
"Stay," she whispered closing her eyes.