Chapter 3-New Neighbors

The shift from hell was finally over…Severide couldn't remember the last time he had gone out on eight calls in one shift. It seemed every time he was about to lay his head on the pillow…the bells were going off. A car accident…a warehouse accident…a window washer stuck twenty stories up…an apartment fire. He was tired and sore and hungry…

As he drove home he prayed that Maggie would have a quiet day…

She really was a good baby. She smiled a lot…and she didn't cry unless she had a good reason. But "good reason" to a two month old and "good reason" to a tired dad were sometimes two very different things.

Who was he kidding? All she had to do was look at him with those big blue eyes and he was ready to give her the world on a silver platter.

He walked in his back door…and the scene that greeted him reminded him what it was all about. Alyssa was just coming from upstairs, carrying the baby, fresh from her bath, smelling of powder and baby shampoo. As soon as Maggie saw Kelly she smiled a big toothless smile and kicked her little feet.

Kelly couldn't help but smile.

While he fed Maggie her bottle Alyssa made him a big breakfast of blueberry pancakes and bacon.

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That afternoon…after he had had a long nap and a shower…and lunch…he felt like a human being again. So he and Lyssa put Maggie in the stroller and walked the three blocks to school.

As they walked down their block, Kelly couldn't help thinking how much everything had changed in the last year. Mr. and Mrs. Garibaldi were both gone…Mrs. Garibaldi just over a year now, and Mr. Garibaldi had passed a few months later…in September. Their house still stood empty…despite the renovations and the upgrades the daughters had put into it…the housing market was in a slump and nothing was moving.

The Murdoch's house was empty too…that one probably qualified as a "fixer-upper". Murdoch had spent too much time at the bottom of a bottle to bother with home improvements. That and the house just felt ominous…at least to Kelly. He shuddered every time he walked past it.

The Riordan's house across the street was probably the saddest one. The Severides had really liked the neighbors that had only been there about a year. Kyle Riordan was a cop in charge of a SWAT team. He and Kelly were so much alike…a couple of adrenaline junkies, Amy Riordan used to say. Danny and Kevin had been just a little older than Andy and Jesse…and had become fast friends. They, along with Nicky's youngest son Connor were inseparable from almost the moment the Riordans moved in.

He was lost in his thoughts as he pushed the stroller until he felt Alyssa's hand rest lightly in the small of his back.

"What're you thinkin' 'bout, Kelly?" she asked.

He gave her a little smile.

"Nothin'…I'm still tired…and my knee's bothering me a little…"

She was about to ask why he hadn't stayed home…but she knew the answer. As long as he could get himself there under his own power, nothing was going to keep Kelly from picking the boys up from school.

So Alyssa just got a little closer to her husband…and they listened to Maggie making her latest sound…a gurgling noise that for some reason fascinated her. And they continued on their walk through the neighborhood toward St. Pasqual's.

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The boys were so excited to see their mom and their dad…but most of all, their baby sister. A group of about a dozen first graders crowded around the stroller to make faces and funny noises at Maggie, trying to get her to laugh and smile.

The family finally tore themselves away from the crowd and turned back toward home, with Jesse and Andy taking turns pushing the stroller. Kelly draped his arm around Lyssa and listened to the boys talking about their day. They only had about a month of school…and every day was a different theme.

Tomorrow was "Proud to be an American" Day…and they didn't have to wear their uniforms…so that in itself was exciting. They were having a massive cookout for lunch with hot dogs and potato chips and watermelon. And the Jesse White Tumblers were coming to put on a show!

It actually sounded like a lot of fun. Maybe Kelly would have to take a walk by…the school was always looking for parent volunteers.

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As they turned onto their street they saw the moving trucks in front of the Riordan's old house.

"Hey…Dad!" Andy said. "New neighbors!"

"I can see that…"

"Are there any kids?" Jesse asked.

"Don't know…we'll have to find out." Kelly told them.

They crossed the street and the boys hung back a little as they neared the house.

Suddenly it wasn't Kevin and Danny's house anymore.

Kelly grinned as he saw some men he recognized unloading the three U Hauls parked in front.

They were all firefighters.

"Hey!" he called out… "Who let you guys in here?!"

Four guys turned at the sound of his voice.

"Kelly Severide! What the hell are you doin here?"

"I live right across the street…" he said.

Then he introduced his family.

"This is my wife Alyssa…our boys, Andy and Jesse…and our newest addition, Maggie Grace."

And he went down the line…

"Skip Harding…Ryan Walton…Trent Reid…and Steve Glass…They're all out of Station 34."

A couple more men came to the end of the drive to see what was going on.

Walton made the rest of the introductions.

"Tom Gaines…Stan Rodgers…and this here's your new neighbor…Rafe Michelotti."

Kelly held out his hand.

"Kelly Severide…welcome to the neighborhood."

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Rafe introduced his wife Maria…and his two daughters, Hannah and Leah. Hannah was three…and Leah was three months.

Maggie was going to have a friend…when she got a little bigger.

Andy and Jesse lost interest once they found out there were no little boys…and Connor and Aiden were just coming down the street…so the twins went to play with their cousins.

"Alyssa's brother lives over there." Kelly nodded in the direction of Nick's house. "He's a cop…but don't hold it against him."

Rafe laughed a hearty laugh.

Alyssa excused herself to go put Maggie down for a nap…and as she crossed the street, Kelly just knew she was going to go whip up an Italian Sponge cake…

Standard house warming gift…she could probably make it in her sleep.

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As Kelly was talking to his new neighbor…an Engineer on Engine 34 and a ten year veteran of the department…one of the guys opened up the last truck…and the first thing to come off was a motorcycle.

"Oh…that is sweet!" Kelly exclaimed as he walked around the ten year old Honda street bike.

It was like new…in mint condition.

"You like?" Rafe asked, folding his arms across his chest.

"Like?" Kelly asked. "It's gorgeous!"

He knelt down…ignoring the protests from his right knee…and looked over the bike.

"Is that a 1400cc?" he asked, as he checked out the engine.

"Yep…"

"Five speed transmission?"

"Yep…" Rafe replied. "You know your bikes. You ride?"

"I haven't in years…I keep lookin' to get back into it. But my wife's not too hot on the idea."

"I hear ya, man." Rafe said. "Maria's been naggin' me to get rid of the thing for a year now."

"How come?"

Rafe gave Kelly a rueful grin.

"I got caught in the rain about a year…year and a half ago. I skidded and had to lay the bike down…broke my collar bone. I was out for about six months…and Maria's been after me to sell it ever since."

"No one's bit? I can't believe that." Kelly said, still in awe of the gorgeous piece of machinery in front of him.

"Haven't found the right fit…can't sell her to just anybody."

"I'll buy it. How much you want for it?"

"You serious?" Rafe asked.

"As a heart attack…" Kelly replied.

Rafe shrugged.

"Seventy-five hundred…but only if I get visitation rights."

Kelly stood up and held out his hand.

"You got a deal…I'll even let ya ride it."

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He came in the back door…and surprise, surprise…Alyssa was just putting the cake into the oven.

Did he know his wife…or what?

He went to the drawer where they kept their checkbook and their papers…

"What are you doing, Kelly?" Lyssa asked as he took the checkbook out.

"I'm gonna buy the new neighbor's bike…he only wants seven grand for it. It's a steal."

"You're buying a motorcycle? I assume you're talking about a motorcycle…" she said.

"Yeah…it's a Honda CB1100…it's ten years old, but it's in mint condition. Like I said, it's a bargain."

"Were you…planning…to discuss it with me? Before you made this decision?"

"What? You know I've wanted a bike for years. This is like…fate or something."

He couldn't believe she was getting so worked up over this. It's not like they were hurting for money these days. He had the money from the TV show…from the "consulting"…from the story…and then from working as an extra. That and the show got picked up…so there was the possibility of more work there. "Hollywood" would surely want him back.

"So if this bike's such a prize, why's he selling?" Lyssa asked.

"His wife's making him…he got in an accident and she's all paranoid about him riding it."

Lyssa's eyes went wide.

"So you…the man who practically took my car apart before we bought it…checking everything out…wants to buy a motorcycle that you know's been in an accident?" she asked incredulously.

Kelly was getting frustrated.

"It's been fixed! I looked the whole thing over. It's good as new…better than new!"

The two just glared at one another. They were coming from two totally opposite places on this.

She was looking at this logically…and there was nothing logical about a man wanting a bike like this. It was a gut emotion. He couldn't explain it…he just wanted it.

Alyssa took a deep breath…and let it out slowly…trying to keep her temper in check.

"Don't you think I'm at least entitled to a conversation before you agree to drop almost a month's pay on a single purchase?"

"It's my money, Lyssa. I worked hard for it…I should be able to spend it on something I want!"

As soon as the words left his mouth he knew he'd gone too far. Alyssa looked like he'd just slapped her. She actually took a step back.

"Your money?" she said softly.

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"Lyssa…I didn't mean that…I'm sorry…" he stammered.

But Alyssa held up her hand.

He could see the tears welling up in her eyes…and that made him hurt.

He took a step closer to her, to reach out and comfort her. To tell her again how sorry he was, how he didn't mean what he'd just said. But Alyssa backed away from him.

"Not now, Kelly. I'm gonna call a 'time out' here."

That was something they'd learned from Dr. Paxton…when they'd gone for marriage counseling. When there was an emotionally charged topic, take a step back…and set a time to talk about it later. After they'd had time to calm down.

Kelly just nodded. He didn't have a choice.

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The timer going off behind him scared the shit out of him.

Alyssa circled wide…so he couldn't reach out and pull her close…and grabbed the oven mitts. She took the cake out of the oven and set it on the stove to cool.

Any other time, the smell of a fresh baked Italian Sponge cake would have made his mouth water…but now he felt sick to his stomach.

Alyssa walked out of the kitchen and ran up the stairs. Seconds later Kelly heard their bedroom door close. If he'd been right there he'd probably have heard the lock click as well.

He knew she wouldn't talk to him until after the kids were in bed…so that gave him a good five…hours to kick himself and curse his stupid mouth.

Suddenly, the house felt suffocating…like the walls were closing in on him. He grabbed his keys and his gym bag and went and jumped in the car.

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When he got home it was dark.

Alyssa had already fed the kids…and Maggie was in her crib. The boys were getting ready for bed…Kelly could hear the shower running upstairs.

He checked the oven…at least Alyssa had left him a plate. That had to be a good sign.

He sat down to eat…but the food tasted like cardboard to him. It had to be him…Lyssa's cooking was good…even reheated. But he couldn't swallow. His stomach was all tied up in knots.

He had really stepped in it…big time. How could he say that it was his money…that Alyssa had no part of it? If there was one thing he had learned in the fourteen…fifteen months they had worked with Dr. Paxton, it was that Alyssa couldn't stand being taken for granted. She had to know that her efforts to keep their family running mattered…that they mattered to him. That even if she wasn't bringing in a paycheck that she worked hard to make a good life for him and the kids.

And three little words… "it's my money"…had just sent all that down the toilet.

He'd have kicked himself in the ass if his knee wasn't killing him after a three and a half hour workout.

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Kelly climbed the stairs slowly…with a sense of nervousness he hadn't felt in a long time.

Andy and Jesse were getting into their pj's.

"Daddy! Where did you go?" Andy asked.

Both boys ran to him…but he stopped them before they got too close.

"Don't, guys…I'm all sweaty." He told them.

"Where were you?" Jesse said. "You weren't here for dinner!"

"And Maggie didn't get all her stories!" Andy added.

Way to make Dad feel even more guilty, kids…

"We only read her one each!" Jesse told him. "Mommy wouldn't let us do more!"

"I went to the gym…that's all. I went to work out." Kelly said.

"But why were you gone so long?" Andy asked.

"I just was. Now…it's time for bed…"

He hustled the twins up into their loft beds…and he and Alyssa tucked them in.

"'Night, guys…" he said.

Alyssa kissed Jesse…then moved over to Andy.

"Go to sleep, boys." She whispered. "I love you…"

"Love you too…" Andy said.

He was nervous. He could tell something was wrong with Mommy and Daddy.

"G'night…" Jesse said.

He knew something was wrong too…

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Alyssa turned off the light on the dresser between their beds…and she and Kelly looked at them once more before they shut the door behind them.

"I'm gonna take a shower…" he told her.

Alyssa just nodded, and went back down the stairs.

Kelly let the hot water pummel his aching muscles. He was gonna be a mess in the morning…but he just had to get out of his head for a while.

He rehearsed in his mind what he was going to say to Lyssa. He had to tell her how sorry he was…that he hadn't meant the words that had come out of his mouth…that he did appreciate all the things she did for him…for the kids…and that he loved her more than anything in the world.

He pulled on a t-shirt and shorts…and slowly made his way down the stairs.

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Lyssa was waiting for him in the family room.

She looked so small…curled up in a ball in the center of the sectional couch. He sank down beside her…but he still felt like they were miles apart.

Alyssa held out two envelopes.

He looked at her quizzically as he opened the first one.

That was another thing they had learned with Dr. Paxton. When they wanted to express something important…something where there were a lot of complex emotions…it was best to write it down. Kelly was terrible at it, but Alyssa really embraced the idea.

His eyes teared up as he read the words his wife had written.

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Alyssa wrote how hurt she had been when he said that he should be able to do what he wanted to with his money…how she felt so small and so insignificant. It bothered her that she never went back to work, first because she couldn't…because of her injuries after Brad had nearly killed her…then because they had two babies. So she threw herself into being a wife and a mother…and when Kelly acted so proud of their home and their family, every time people came over, she knew she was doing a good job. But three little words stripped all that away in a heartbeat.

He couldn't have hurt her worse if he had hit her.

Then she handed him the second envelope.

It was a list…a list of all the things she did for him and the kids on a daily basis. Cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping…taking the kids to the doctor, the dentist…being the room mom at school…

And she listed all the times she had nursed him through some injury he'd gotten at work…all the times she dropped everything to run to the ER when she got a call. All the times she went with him to the doctor or to rehab and stayed right by his side to support him and encourage him…and to comfort him when he was scared and in pain.

"I don't know if you can put a dollar value on all that, Kelly…" she whispered. "But I always thought we were a team…that we were in this together. You're not the only one who gets out of bed every day to keep this family going. And there are days I don't feel like it either…sometimes I'm tired, or I don't feel well…but I do it…because you and the kids need me."

Kelly put the papers down beside him and moved closer to Alyssa.

He took her hand in his…

"We do need you, Lyssa…I need you. I don't even want to think what my life would be like without you and the kids…but especially you. I love you more than I ever knew it was possible to love somebody. You're my life, Baby. I'm so…so sorry I hurt you."

He put his arm around her tiny frame and pulled her into his lap so he could be as close to her as humanly possible.

"I love you, Alyssa…please…please believe me."

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The next morning Kelly trudged across the street to the new neighbors'.

"Hey…" Rafe said. "I wondered what happened to you yesterday."

"Yeah…" Kelly started. "Listen…about the bike…I, uh, spoke too soon. I shouldn't have said I'd buy it without talking to my wife first."

Rafe gave a smirk.

"I get it. It's okay." He told Kelly. "I really don't wanna sell it anyway."