Stella was woken by the rays of morning sun peeking through the half-closed blinds. Blinking against the sudden brightness, she took in her surroundings. She had no idea what time they had fallen asleep last night, only that sleep had won its battle sometime after they made their way to Kelly's sofa, his head cradled in her arms.

And that was the scene she witnessed after her eyes adjusted to the harsh light of the morning; Kelly's head nestled into the crook of her neck while she lay along the couch. They had somehow manoeuvred themselves in their sleep so that the rest of their bodies pressed up against each other in an unconscious attempt to find comfort in the other.

An involuntary smile pulled at the corners of her mouth as she lay there, admiring the man next to her. He looked like a different person when he was sleeping; he was calm, almost peaceful even. It was as if the demons that chipped away at him when he was awake were also sleeping, finally allowing him a moment of calm.

She ran her hands through his hair as he stirred next to her. It was longer than he usually let it get, it was even starting to curl around his ears. It suited him.

The silence was broken by a content sigh and Kelly turning so he could face her. "Morning," he greeted, smiling up at her. It was the first real smile she had seen on him since the night Benny died.

"I forgot how peaceful you look when you sleep," she replied, returning his smile.

He pushed his elbow into the cushions beneath him, lifting himself so their faces were level with each other. "I can't remember the last time I slept that well," he told her. "Hell, I can't even remember the last time I slept without drinking so much I passed out."

The thought of Kelly alone on his couch surrounded by empty bottles of beer was enough to make her heart hurt and tears sting the back of her eyes.

Kelly placed his hand on her cheek, rubbing his thumb in against the soft skin. "Thank you for coming, Stella." He whispered, just loud enough for her to hear the sincerity in his voice.

Stella could feel his breath on her skin as he spoke, "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

The space between them was so small that all one of them had to do to close the gap was lean towards the other; so that's what the lieutenant did. He knew the look in Stella's eyes mirrored his own, the look of wanting, of needing to be close to the other. He leaned into her, his hand still cupping her cheek; and pressed his lips against hers in a kiss that was not one of lust, but one of love, of hope, of comfort.

She kissed him back, showing him that her feelings echoed his. In each other's arms they were safe, nothing and no one could harm them. No flame, no bullet could tear them apart from each other again. So that's how they stayed, long after their lips had parted; sitting on Kelly Severide's sofa with their foreheads pressed against the other's, staring into each other's eyes.

He took a deep breath, readying himself to speak, "after all this time, you came looking for me in this pit of darkness I buried myself in..."

"I never stopped looking for you. For a way to pull you back out." She whispered back. It was the truest thing she ever spoke. She hadn't ever given up on him, on finding him in whatever emotional cave he had lost himself in.