Hang on tight for the latest Linseride installment. Here's the third part of Just What I Needed and Still What I Need. Truly hope you enjoy this one… been working on it for quite a while. When all I need is… encouragement and input, I turn to NY, Robigna, and all you wonderful reviewers - thank you friends.
Two weeks. It took two weeks for Shay to speak to her best friend after he returned hitched to the woman of his dreams. Not much of a wedding gift, thought Kelly.
"Give her some space," advised Erin, stroking Kelly's shoulders softly, seeing the pain in his eyes. Yes, the silent treatment was the way to truly punish him. A screaming match he could take, but this…
"Don't think she's ever forgivin' me," he mumbled, shoving a foot roughly into a boot. "She doesn't even look at me," he complained, putting on the other boot not bothering to tie either one.
"She loves you. She'll remember that soon enough. Give her some time. She's mad," Erin pushed down a small smile forming on her lips knowing Kelly wouldn't see any humor in the situation. She thought of how manipulative Shay could be and how easily her man fell into it. She knew he was being tortured, and she knew damn well Shay was aware of that fact.
"Give me a kiss, Mrs. Severide," he said rising to face Erin, pulling her body in close to his. He knew she didn't deserve this grumpy old man in front of her.
"Mmmm, I love the sound of that," she smiled, bringing both hands to his stubble covered face. "Plan on shaving that any time soon?" she teased running her lips along the short hairs like a finger on the teeth of a comb.
"Nah. I'm married now, can let myself go," Kelly brushed Erin's hair out of her face, taking in those soft eyes, the face that challenged him to find any flaw. It was perfect.
"Get out of here before you're late, you end up making me late, Voight has my ass… vicious cycle." Erin started for her boots with Kelly grabbing a hand, pulling her back in.
"To hell with Voight," he challenged.
"You're gonna get sick of me," Erin laughed, tugging her T-shirt off. "Hell, Severide, slow down. Let me text him so I don't get fired."
"Yeah, Shay, go for it," Kelly said, excited his best friend was speaking to him, not so excited about the plan she was concocting.
It was a big idea that had the markings of getting bigger, spiraling out of control and transforming into something that Kelly wanted no part of.
But instead of voicing any hesitation … "Really, Shay. Go for it." His goofy smile was matched by his friend's goofy smile and Kelly knew she needed this.
"Don't worry about a thing. You and Erin are not gonna lift one finger. Got it?" she enthused, grabbing a legal pad out of Mouch's hands and beginning to scribble furiously on it. "Hey, I needed that!" Shay arched one eyebrow so high it shut the older fireman up.
"Molly's, of course. Right?" she asked, interrupting herself with …"Snacks, duh. But don't worry, we'll have guy snacks too like those little sausage things, not my thing really," she snorted. "…and dip, lots of dip…" She was writing again.
Kelly just watched her, his hands propping up his head, cupping his chin. A smile couldn't help but cross his face. His breath let out two weeks of pent up frustrations, hands tied by a certain blonde who gave him the I'm ignoring you because I'm pissed treatment. He'd felt her wrath before but never for so long.
"It's going to be tricky, but I think I can pull it off," Shay said not glancing up from her pad. "Your dad, Katie… I'll need to check everyone's schedules."
"It doesn't have to be a big thing, Shay," Kelly suggested lightly, knowing he should keep his mouth shut. Shay ignored the comment, laser focused on her celebration. His celebration, she corrected in her mind.
He blinked and a week had gone by, Erin's small hand in his as they entered Molly's. Before they walked through the door, he stopped her.
"Thanks for takin' all of this. Shay felt like she missed out on somethin' and…"
"Hey. Don't apologize for this. It's sweet. I'm looking forward to it," Erin interrupted.
"Now you're lyin." Kelly inhaled deeply, holding the door open for his wife. "After you," he said gesturing with his hand.
"Asshole," Erin whispered as she took a step into the small bar.
The place looked pretty much the same, no fancy decorations, no paper wedding bells hanging from any light fixture. The only thing different, all the faces in the place. The couple knew every one, loved every one. Katie had made it and was arm in arm with Otis. God, Kelly hadn't seen him in forever. Erin saw almost every day since he was up at PD now. She'd been working on getting him as a permanent fixture in Intelligence, Voight not sure he could handle more of a 51 connection.
"Manny!" Kelly rushed to his friend, slapping him on the back, leaving Erin with her people. "Been a long time, buddy," he laughed as Manny got up to give him a tight hug.
"I gotta hear you're married from the jarhead? That's how it is, bro?" Manny joked, nothing but good thoughts in his heart.
"Hey, I'm sorry. It was spur 'o the moment, we didn't…" Kelly backtracked, hands up defensively.
"Nah, I'm jokin.' It's all good, happy for you," Manny gave the fireman another pat on the back.
"Can I cut in?" Clarke asked, getting up to share in the bromance. Cailin, the blonde detective at his side, always at his side, cut him off before he could do the actual cutting in.
"Congrats, Kelly. You got a good one there," she said giving him an awkward hug before sidestepping the group of firemen to take off in the direction of Erin. "I wanna take you both out soon to celebrate the, uh, marriage thing, thank Erin. She's been…" she continued fumbling for the right words.
"Anytime, Cally," Kelly jumped in looking at Clarke raise both eyebrows. "Erin loves havin' you onboard." He gave her a huge squeeze this time, turning her face a slight shade of pink. Kelly was thankful of the cop who was slowly becoming a part of IU, a part of his girl's inner circle. Erin had a bona fide girl she could talk to, one she picked. Shay and Dawson were chosen because of him; they'd grown to love each other, but this new friendship had the makings of slumber parties, guy talk, and bottles of wine.
"I think your girl just asked me out," Kelly baited watching Cailin join Erin at the PD table, not having to wait long for the light punch to the gut coming from Clarke.
"She only puts up with you because she likes your, uh, wife." Jeff took his friend in a quick hug, adding… "Happy for you both."
Erin had made a straight line for Voight, whose team surrounded him, almost shielding him from the glares of some of the guys at 51. Hank was exuding proud papa bear, the look Erin wished her own father would have … if he'd stuck around. No sad thoughts, she admonished herself, giving him a squeeze. A mix of embarrassment but mostly pride showing on the old cop's face.
"You did good kid," he graveled out, happy that the paramedic arranged this shindig, feeling slighted himself at the abrupt "we're married" announcement.
Erin shifted from one cop to the next, all giving her the love she missed out on as a child.
"This is kind of perfect, Lindsay," Cailin said taking her friend in a hug. "That one," she added nodding her head toward Shay, "did it right. This is all you and Severide."
Erin felt the corners of her eyes filling a little, somehow those words striking a chord. "Thanks for coming, means a lot," she managed to rasp out, rubbing her face on the back of her sleeve quickly.
Cally gave Erin's hand a quick squeeze, knowing another hug might bring on a real waterworks display.
Erin's last stop … Jay.
"Hey," she said simply, much implied with the one word. She knew the rekindled romance with his high school sweetheart had flamed out about two months after it began. They say you can never go back, and Halstead agreed. "We've got nothin' to talk about now. Just memories," he'd complained before they both agreed it "wasn't working out."
"Hey," he answered taking her in a long hug. "You happy?" he asked pulling her away, knowing the answer. Also knowing a pair of piercing blue eyes followed his every move.
"Yep," she answered softly, not wanting to hurt him. So much left unsaid between the two cops, sometimes partners, always friends.
"You know you promised me my shot," he said not caring who heard, the small smile on his face holding no joy. His words fighting their way out into the open after being pushed down for so long. The pull of beer aiding in their escape.
"Jay…" Erin began. "Not here, not tonight," she whispered shaking her head.
"It's never been the right time for us, has it? You said 'someday' but it never came did it?" he emptied the beer he was working on, Erin wondering how many that was.
"No, you know what? Go have a good time. Forget I said anything," he mumbled, motioning for another to Hermann.
"We'll talk about this at work, okay?" asked Erin seeing him in pain, knowing she was the cause. Also knowing there wasn't a thing she could do about it. Nothing she wanted to change.
Kelly stationed himself next to Casey who had a huge smile across his face, but everyone knew he couldn't be feelin' the love with the sergeant of IU just a few feet away. Dawson was smiling too, but looked dog tired. Kelly couldn't help chuckling a little remembering his first weeks as a candidate. He'd never worked as hard.
Shay was on the other side of her best friend, clamping a vice grip on his arm. She watched as his jaw clenched tighter and tighter as he studied the darkening expression on his girl's face, deep in conversation with Halstead.
"Jesus, are they curin' cancer over there or what?" Kelly snarled taking in about all he could stand.
"Let her finish," said Leslie sternly, giving him a don't do anything stupid look.
"I am. Just takin' her a beer," Kelly said with a tight smile, breaking free of the Shay arm trap, sweeping up two bottles and barreling over to his wife and her partner.
"Here you go," he enthused, holding out the beers, smile still plastered across his face. He handed one to Jay, the other to Erin.
"Thanks," muttered Jay, looking at the two beers before him.
"We'll talk day after tomorrow, okay?" tried Erin. Jay nodded his head turning to give the two glass ladies his full attention. He downed half of one before Erin could give him a pat on the shoulder.
"I love you," Kelly reminded her before settling in with Casey and Dawson at the table right by the door.
"I needed that. I need you," Erin admitted, taking his face in her hands, planting a big wet kiss on him as he tried to feel for a chair and sit.
"Get a room!" yelled Hermann from the bar, causing Jay to flinch with the boom of the fireman's voice going right through him.
"Gonna call it a night," said Halstead throwing two 20's on the bar and heading out. No goodbye to his unit, and no goodbye to Erin.
Around 1:00, only a small group remained. Kelly, Erin, Gabby, Casey, and Shay were circled around a table with Hermann popping in to add his two cents every few minutes. Boden had left hours ago, Donna in the last stages of pregnancy, home alone. He made his obligatory appearance but was gone once he'd shared a beer with his lieutenant.
Katie and Otis were oblivious to anyone else in the bar, making plans for a long film fest weekend held in some no-name town showing a bunch of no-name movies only they'd heard of.
"They're gonna be next big brother. You ready for that," teased Gabby throwing a glance at Kelly's sister.
"Damn, that's just mean Dawson. You know how mean she is?" Kelly asked. elbowing Matt in the arm. "And I thought you two were next. What's the hold up? Bein' a candidate not all it's cracked up to be?"
"You know you married a dick?" asked Gabby, ignoring Severide, looking straight at the Mrs.
"Aw, he's a bit more than that," said Erin. "He's got those pretty blues," she added looking at Kelly.
"I'm right here, babe. Right here." Kelly got up, grabbing all the empties.
"Let me help you," Shay insisted reaching for a couple of bottles, heading to the bar. The night had been all she'd wanted for her friend, all she needed. Once Dawson put the nix on decorating the place, she got to business on the thing she knew her friend would love… getting everyone there on one night. Only no show – Benny Severide.
"Hey, Pops, it's okay. You take care of business there, send me pictures of Jordan's game, and we'll go fishin' soon," Kelly assured him the party was more for Shay than anyone else.
Now, Shay was staring at her best friend looking happier than she'd ever seen him. Her married best friend. Still hard to wrap the brain around that one. How many had made the walk of shame out of their place? Too many to count. All that over now. She smiled like a proud mom who realizes her baby's all grown up.
"Did I thank you for all of this?" asked Kelly, taking one of Leslie's hands in his, making her stop her impromptu cleaning of the bar she started.
"About a hundred times," she answered, a huge smile on her face. Kelly wondered if it would ever leave. He hoped not.
"This doesn't change anything, you know?" Kelly said gently.
"It changes everything, Kel." Shay took a deep breath, smile still there. A good sign. "For the better. I'm happy for you. I love you."
"I love you too, Shay." Kelly draped an arm around his best friend in their familiar way, with the blonde resting her head on his shoulder. He kissed her head like he had a hundred times. "Always," he said pulling her in tighter, not letting go. Never letting go.
Shay, Shay, Shay... I miss you so! You will live on in my fanfic. Always. Thoughts?