Title: Chicago Fire, Holiday Heartache, Unseen Tears Aching Heart.
Summary: It is the Christmas Season and Kelly Severide is missing his Best Friend Leslie Shay whom he lost Nineteen months ago. Erin Lindsay, is missing Nadia DeCotis whom she lost eight months ago. The two come together and talk to each other after months apart.
Disclaimers: The show is property of Dick Wolfe, and NBC. I don't own anything. Just borrowing the characters to practice my writing. Only thing I own is Season 1 DVDs and they are getting well worn. LOL
A/N: Thank you if you have read this. Okay I admit, I like Erin Lindsay with Kelly Severide or Jay Halstead. I'll post In Chicago Fire if she is with Kelly and if it is Jay I'll post in Chicago PD. Right now my writing is helping deal with something in my life. :D
The city of Chicago, has some snow on the ground from a winter storm that has moved through the area. Some areas of the United States it is unseasonably warmer than usual and other areas are colder and rainy and some snowy. Thanks to and El-Nino autumn and winter.
It is soon Christmas day. The Carols having been playing in the stores since after Halloween seeming to rush over Thanksgiving. People are rushing to and fro searching for the perfect gifts for their loved ones this Christmas season.
Christmas lights shine from houses all over, lighting up the darkness with a little bit of holiday cheer. If some people even felt cheerful . A hard time of year for ones that have lost loved ones. The ache that never really goes away. Memory, that lingers and brings some relief to those left behind.
Molly's is a friendly little bar/pub, that local Firefighters, Police Officers, and Doctors hang out with one another seeing a side of life that normal people that work nine to five don't see. They each can relate to one another in life's good moments and bad moments. Dark moments also happen, that is when they become even a tighter knit group of people. A brother/sisterhood that no one else can understand. Always there for one another no matter what.
Kelly Severide sits at the bar, Chris Herrmann one of the three owners of the bar is wiping it down. He is keeping his eyes on Kelly whom is a lady-killer with his dark good looks and his blue eyes that change with whatever mood he is in.
It is the second Christmas season that, Kelly is going through without his best friend, Leslie Shay by his side. The two were close as could be. The ache never really goes away. Herrmann, slides' a beer down to Kelly. He looks up and nods his thanks to the father of five, whom has a wife Cindy whom is a wonderful lady.
The door opens, and cold air slips through making some shiver until the door closes and shuts it out. Matt Casey, comes inside with a small group behind him. He sees his friend and waves as he walks over and takes a seat beside him.
The group find a high table and take a seat there, all but one. Erin Lindsay. A beautiful woman without even trying. Shoulder length brown hair, hardly any make-up and a husky voice that makes a man swoon.
Kelly, looks over his shoulder and sees, his ex-girlfriend, sensing her sadness because he feels it too. The loss of someone important that touched your life everyday. He waves his hand to get her attention.
Erin, spots movement and sees that it is, Kelly and heads over to him and takes a seat on his right side. "Hey." Erin whispers. Kelly, nods his head, as he takes a sip of beer. "Hey, welcome to Molly's." Herrmann smiles at Erin and slides her kind of bottled beer toward her after making sure to remove the bottle top.
It is nice and chilled, as Erin takes hold of the bottle and takes a sip. Erin, takes a look at Kelly and he seems well on the surface but she can sense a sadness that surrounds him. So much joyous cheer of the season that plays about everyone but for some that cheer isn't felt as much. It is bitter-sweet. Grief and loss are felt. Life moves forward but the ache never really goes away.
"Does it ever get any better, Kelly?" Erin takes a swig of her beer. " I'm still dealing Just take it moment to moment. Just enjoy life and keep the memories in your heart." Kelly takes a sip of his beer.
"Yeah. I'm still dealing too. This is the first Christmas without her. At times it is so hard to deal. For awhile I haven't been dealing with it. My partner, Jay made sure to come after me. Now I'm dealing with other stuff." Erin tells Severide whom just sits and listens letting her talk.
"Yeah, I know what you mean. I ran off to Las Vegas and I got married for a short time." Kelly remembers his short marriage now part of his past with some fondness. Just two people reaching out to one another and helping heal from the pain of loss. Now each of them on their own path again.
Slowly Erin, leans toward, Kelly and puts her head on his shoulder and Kelly puts his right arm around her and just rubs her back as she relaxes onto him. No words are needed for the two. Each seem to know what the other is feeling. Understanding each other in a way that is part of their jobs.
The rest of the night they just sit by one another just hanging out, sometimes talking when needed. Erin Lindsay stands up and heads over to Herrmann to pay her tab. "Keep it. Merry Christmas." Herrmann smiles at Erin. "Thanks." Erin puts her unused money away as Kelly comes up behind her.
"Hey, Erin you want to go on a date sometime in the New Year?" Kelly gives her one of his slow smiles sure to win her over. Erin, looks back at, Kelly and nods her head. "Yeah that would be great." Erin likes the idea a lot.
Behind the couple comes two others ready to leave for the night. Randy "Mouch McHolland and Trudy Platt. Both of them overhear the young couple making plans. "We both could go with you also. That would be fun. That is if you don't mind the two of us tagging along with you." Randy smiles at the younger couple.
Severide shares a sideway glance at Erin and sees her slight nod before he answers. "Yeah that would be great. I'll let you know my plans." Kelly takes Erin's hand in his and leads her away. Both smile at one another and think of their upcoming "date"
"If you need to talk on, Christmas day or anything just give me a call and I'll listen or whatever." Kelly places a kiss on, Erin's cheek before he heads out into the Chicago cold.
CF~~~~~~CF
Christmas comes and goes. Erin and Kelly each dealing with their feelings in their own way at their loss. Just being with family and friends help. The week between Christmas and New year is a busy one filled with work and seeing in the New Year. Also everyone is thankful that Herrmann is okay from his ordeal. Glad to still have him with them. Also in that short time, Randy and Trudy engaged to be married.
Finally things slow down and Kelly gives Erin a call. "Hey, Kelly. How are you?" Erin's husky voice sounds in his ear from his cell. "Better now that I'm talking to you." Kelly smiles glad to be talking to Erin.
"It was a rough day at work. I'm glad it is over." Erin tells Kelly. "The reason I'm calling is that date I promised you. Are you ready for it?" Kelly asks Erin. "Yeah. I'm looking toward some down time soon. I have to let Trudy know. So she and Mouch can come with us like they wanted." Erin tells Kelly.
"Yeah I told Mouch that it was time to take two lovely ladies out for a night on the town." Kelly smiles just thinking of what he has planned. "I look forward to it." Erin smiles ready to live life just a little. To move forward one step at a time. Both hang up after awhile and both think of one another.
CF~~~~~~CF
A few days later, Erin hears a knock on her apartment door. She is dressed and ready for her date. Kelly told her to dress warmly. So she did. In blue jeans, a white turtle neck shirt with a red fannel shirt over top.
Erin opens the door and smiles as she sees Kelly. He gives her a quick peck on the cheek and hands her a gift. She opens it and unshed tears fill her eyes. A silver locket with, Nadia's picture inside of it. Her hands shake as she takes it out of the box. Kelly holds her shaking hands in his to study them as he takes the locket and puts it on her.
"Thank you, Kelly." Erin whispers as the two give each other a friendly hug. Both head outside to, Kelly's car. Mouch and Trudy are in the backseat. Ready to live life and have a little fun.
CF~~~~~~CF
An hour and a half later, Kelly pulls into a parking lot of a iceskating rink away from the city, a lake that has frozen over. Lakeside Fun Rink. Kelly pays for his and Erin's skates and the two get on the ice. Ttudy and Mouch get on their skates after, Mouch pays for their's. The two have been engaged for about two weeks. The two are having a good time.
Erin, is laughing as she skates along with Kelly. The two watch Mouch and Trudy together and the pair make a lovely couple. Two puzzle pieces finally finding each other and fitting together.
For the next two hours everyone is having fun and having a good time. "Thank you, Kelly." Erin smiles at Kelly. Kelly just holds Erin in his arms as he watches others come off of the frozen lake. They take off their skates and hand them in as does, Trudy and Mouch.
The four of them get into the car and head for dinner at the lakeside restaurant not far from the Iceskating rink. Kelly parks his car a few moments later and everyone gets out. The four head inside.
The hostess greets them and seats them at a table near a fireplace. "Hello, Welcome to Lakeside Restaurant. What would you like to drink?" the waitress askes. Erin orders a hot chocolate with whip cream along with Kelly. Trudy and Mouch orders some Irish Coffee with whip cream.
Erin takes a sip of her hot chocolate and it leaves a white mustache on her upper lip. Kelly laughs as his does the same thing. Each laughing at one another. "Kelly this has been fun. Thank you for this day." Erin tells Kelly whom smiles at Erin.
The four order their food and just enjoy the moment each of them are sharing with one another. The food comes and each enjoy what they ordered. They all finish their meal and, Kelly and Mouch pay for their dates and their own meal.
The four head out to the car and get in and head back to the city. The date is soon over. For Mouch and Trudy there will be more dates to follow. Will Kelly and Erin have more to follpw? Will they find that spark they lost and will it reunite the two?
CF~~~~~~CF
Mouch and Trudy head home in Mouch's car as Kelly walks Erin up to her apartment door. "I've had a lot of fun. Call me if you want to do it again or if you just need to talk." Kelly gives Erin his drop dead smile.
"Thank you Kelly. I've had a wonderful time. Just to live life again. To know that it goes on. Even if those we love aren't here to share with us; their memories are forever in our hearts." Erin gives Kelly a hug. He hugs her back.
The two sit on the sofa and hold each other as the look out the window at the city lights. Just comforting one another each in their own path of grief. Nice to know that one or the other has their back when they need it.
The End or is it?