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00:32 Incoming message. From: Severide: Matt, I'm outside. Open your door, don't tell Gabby.
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"Sev?" Matt says as he opens the door to a crack a few minutes later, his eyes groggy, indicating he's been woken up. Severide stands outside the door, fully dressed, a small duffle bag in his hands.
"Matt," Kelly whispers in relief.
"What's going on, Sev? Everything ok?" Matt opens the door further, leaning against it, his body half hidden behind it as he's just in a t-shirt and boxers. "Come in,"
"No, Matt, listen. I don't have time." Kelly whispers hurriedly, his voice dropping even lower. "Chicago PD approached me. I'm going undercover for a while to help them. I've come to say goodbye."
"What? Where?" Matt hardly follows, trying to string Kelly's words to make sense.
"I don't know. And I can't tell you. I'm not even supposed to be here, but I couldn't leave without letting you know."
"When?"
"Tonight. Now. I'm meeting Olinsky in twenty. You cannot tell anyone. Anyone, Matt."
"For How long?"
"Don't know. A couple of weeks? A month? Maybe two?"
"What? Kel?" Matt almost whimpers in confusion.
"Matt, I need to go," Kelly says relentingly, frustrated that their limited time is wasted on dry explanations rather than what's important. Then his hand comes up to Matt's shoulder, squeezing tightly, "Stay safe." He turns to go before Matt can even fathom what's going on.
"Kelly, wait. Wait." Matt insists, stepping out from behind the door, grabbing at Kelly's jacket. He pulls him into a hug, wrapping his arms around Kelly's shoulders. "YOU be safe." He whispers. "I mean it, Kel, no brazen heroics. Stay safe and come back. You hear me, come back. Promise me." He doesn't care it sound weak and needy and out-of-character. A horrible feeling develops in his gut, and he can't quite fathom how his routinely calm night suddenly flipped so abruptly, threatening to take away his best friend, the man he cannot imagine his life without.
"Matt,"
"Promise me." Matt cuts in, jolting him with force.
Kelly's head sinks into the curve of Matt's neck, his arms wrap tighter around him. "I promise."