Title: Till Death do us Part
Chapter 4 – Facing Reality?

"Divorce," Erin states softly as Kelly's lips purse.

"Yeah that seems so…so final," he huffs as his fingers slowly slide toward hers and then gently intertwines his fingers with hers. "We could uh…" he pauses as his heart rate starts to pick up pace as his mind wondered if she'd even want to try to get to know him better. "Get to know each other better?"

"Yes!" She answers in haste as his grin widens. "I'd like that. No pressure right?"

"None," he agrees with a nod. "If at any time…"

"How about we take it a day at a time?" She suggests as he looks at her with adoration. He would have to admit that he was attracted to her – even now, maybe more so, but didn't want to scare her off in any way and so told himself, taking it slow, a day at a time would be best – for both of them.

"I gotta get back."

"Yeah…me to," Kelly replies as they both stand up. "I work at Firehouse 51."

"I know," she retorts with a grin as his brows arch.

"So…I guess I can't keep any secrets from my wife," he blurts out; his words catching them both by surprise. "Sorry I shouldn't….well, I guess technically you are," he confirms as the two of them walk toward the diner's entrance and then back outside. "I'd like to see you again. Just…you know something casual and…share stuff I guess."

"I'd like that. When are you back on shift?"

"Tomorrow. Are you…free tonight?"

They make plans and then both pause outside the precinct as he looks at her with a somewhat nervous smile. "See you later," he whispers as he gives her a brief hug and then lets her head back inside.

Erin turns and gives him a half wave before she walks into Precinct 21 and looks at Platt who watches her with amusement.

"How was the…date?" Platt grins as Erin slightly smirks. "You found him in Vegas? Did he have any friends?"

Erin can only laugh as she gives Platt a high five and then heads back up the stairs to the Intelligence unit; walking past her partner's desk and his wondering eyes and right into her boss's office.

"What happened?"

"What do you know about him? You know his father?"

"If he's Benny's kid then I know the name. Benny's a solid guy. Firefighter for as long as I can remember and he now works for the arson squad. His kid…followed his old man's path and became a firefighter."

"Kelly works at Firehouse 51. I didn't ask about his father."

"Could be him. What happened?"

"We talked about…well a divorce but…we're gonna…try to get to know each other a bit first before we make another rash decision. Divorces are expensive, even the simple ones so…ugh I'm probably making another mistake."

"Makes sense. You obviously are attracted to him in some way," Voight suggests as Erin's lips can't help but twist upward and Voight offers her a small smile. "Well it's obvious to anyone when you saw him and his face when he saw you…well it was obvious. But I worry that this will distract you."

"In what way? Am I the first cop to get married? Even if it was a…Vegas wedding," she counters as Voight nods in agreement. "It's gonna be fine. No more gossip right?"

"You're married. Congratulations," Voight offers with a warm smile as she lightly laughs. "Honeymoon's over. Back to work."

Erin exits Voight's office and heads for her desk and slumps down into the chair beside her partner and looks at the file in his hand. "I'm still married. What's our next case?"

XXXXXXXX

"So…how'd it go?" Matt asks as Kelly gets back into the car with a perplexed expression. "I take it…you found out something?"

"I found her. She's a cop and works at 21 with Antonio," Kelly explains as Matt's eyes slightly widen.

"Wait…Voight's precinct?"

"I think he's her boss," Kelly huffs as Matt's lips purse. "Walked into the lion's den there. But we're gonna see each other tonight and then…I still think she's hot and…and we're gonna try to get to know each other and if it doesn't work then…"

"Divorce."

"Damn," Kelly lightly grumbles as they head toward Matt's construction job. "Hate that word. I remember dad…" Kelly stopped as Matt looked at him in wonder. "We're gonna try and see what happens."

"Did you tell him?"

"No, and neither are you," Kelly looks at Matt with a mock threatening expression as Matt chuckles and nods in compliance.

Matt gives him a nod as he pulls up to the site and then stops, the two of them getting out in contemplative silence. Things were going to change – at least in the short term, but neither of them could anticipate in what way. But during the next two hours that follow, with their chatter to a minimum, Matt knows his friend is thinking about the ramifications of his Vegas 'I do'. Getting married was serious. At least Kelly was still attracted to Erin and from his words, she was too. He could only hope the best for his friend in finding happiness after so many dark events in his life, especially with Shay's recent and horrific passing.

"That cop Atwater who worked Shay's case…I saw him today. He's in Erin's unit," Kelly mentions as they sit side by side an hour later enjoying a cold drink during a short break. "She uh…if she was here…none of this would be happening."

"You don't know that. You might have met Erin or gone to Vegas with Shay and…did Erin say why she was in Vegas?"

"I haven't even told her why I was in Vegas," Kelly retorts with a small groan. "A cop…dangerous job."

"Yeah," Matt agrees as he takes another swig of his cold energy drink and then hops off the cement bulkhead and looks at Kelly thoughtfully. "Good thing yours is safe."

Kelly tosses his friend a sarcastic curse as Matt walks back to finish up a few things before they called it a day. But he was right; he couldn't fault Erin for her job when he was just as dangerous. Wish Shay was here…she'd make it all right, his mind ponders somewhat sourly as he heads back to finish up the job and then wonder about how his evening would go.

Matt looks at Kelly in concern and wonders how his friend is really faring. After Kelly had watched Shay die before his eyes, or at least he thought she did, because she was dead when they found her under the rubble, he never faced his inner darkness. Then he tried to wash it away with drinking and some light merriment. Then he went to Vegas got even more drunk and…got married. Now he was dealing with that instead of working through his grief for his best friend and worries that one day…Kelly Severide will snap. He wouldn't be wrong.

XXXXXXXX

"Damn…first date with…well my husband and I'm late," Erin grumbles as she rushes from the back seat of the cab toward the entrance to the cozy little restaurant. She took a cab mainly because it was more convenient; telling herself getting drunk tonight wasn't an option.

Erin quickly scans the faces before her and her heart starts to sink Kelly's when face isn't readily visible. He probably got tired of waiting! She mentally berates herself for being late; despite the fact it couldn't be helped or was on purpose. But a few seconds later, a few heads move and she spies the person she's looking for – her husband.

Wow husband…seems so permanent and yet comforting at the same time. As she nears, she feels her heart starting to beat faster and sexual warmth inside starts to churn. Damn he has that effect on me even now.

"Sorry I'm late," she whispers as she gives him a hug, happily accepting a kiss on the cheek. "Work."

"I get it," he casually replies. Of course he didn't want to admit that part of him worried she actually might not show up or would make an excuse to find something better to do. After all their marriage wasn't based on much substance. However, as soon as she offers one of those dimpled smiles, his knees, despite sitting down, go weak. "So…how was work?"

At first she wanted to balk and ask him if he wanted to talk about something else but then reminded herself this was how he was getting to know her? Her job. Her coworkers. Her…routine. So she tells him about her day, the details about the call that she was allowed to share and her partnership with Jay. In return she asks him about his routine, to which he tells her about helping Matt with some construction gigs at times, helping his father on arson calls when allowed and the comradery at Firehouse 51.

Then…the big question both of them were dreading but expecting.

"Why were you in Vegas? You said you wanted to forget…?" Erin gently prods. "Am I allowed to ask?"

Instantly she notices him seize up and can tell she struck a nerve; invisible guilt starting to assault her from all sides. She watches as his jaw tenses and lips purse before he takes another sip of his coffee and then looks at her with a small frown.

"Tough subject," she qualifies as he nods.

"Very but…one you should know about. Atwater…he's your guy right? I think that was him in the corner of the room earlier."

"Yeah, he's part of the unit. Why?"

"He worked the case where uh…where my best friend was killed in the line of duty. Lesley Shay."

"The warehouse…fire," she states slowly as he nods and then quickly sucks back some growing fluid emotion. "Kelly…I'm so sorry."

"Yeah…me too," he agrees with a somber tone as he looks up with a tight lipped smile. For a few seconds he had the urge to tell her exactly how he was feeling but reminded himself this was a first date…of sorts and didn't want to bog her down with all his emotional ails. "So…how about you? Your reason for being in Vegas?"

This time it was his turn to wonder if he overstepped something as her expression of concern turned dark and his heart started to feel nervous.

"A friend…she uh…she was killed while doing something for me. For my birthday and…and I blame myself."

"Why?"

"I didn't want anything and she wanted to surprise me but…she died for me, so I was running away and wanted to forget," Erin admits as her lips draw tightly. "Thank you for helping me forget my pain for a few days."

"Me…and don't forget Elvis," Kelly retorts lightly.

"Speaking of Elvis," Erin pauses as her endearing smile returns. "It was him that tipped me off you know. The guy."

"What? The actual guy from Vegas?"

"Small world right? He and his neighbor were working on a place where we were doing a call and he…he recognized me from the chapel. Asked how my husband was."

"Good memory," Kelly snickers as she nods in agreement. "Talk about a shock."

"I looked at him as if he just told me the world was gonna explode. My partner…was shocked. Our computer guy was able to confirm it and then…yeah, here we are."

"Here…we are," he agrees slowly.

The two of them talk a bit longer before both agree it was getting late and time to part ways – regrettably.

"Do you live close by?" Kelly asks as they step outside into the chilly night air.

"Not too far. You?"

"Ten mins by car. I'm over here."

Suddenly the two of them stiffen up a bit as they near the car and some awkward silence starts to develop.

"Seems weird for me to be driving…well my wife to her home," Kelly mentions lightly as they near her apartment building. "I just thought I'd toss that out there," he quickly qualifies, not wanting her to feel obligated for him to come up for something. The chemical pull between them was undeniable and both knew that if they weren't going to be serious in the long run, it would be best to break it off. But neither had the desire to voice that right now.

"Here it is…drop by anytime you want," she whispers as she leans over, gives him a quick but searing peck on the lips before she gets out of the car and hurries toward the front door, pausing only once inside and then disappearing from view.

Go up with her…you know you want to…his brain urges as he tries to see which side would win the inner emotional battle. On the one side, he tells himself that they were taking it slow, and an intimate connection would speed up that process and maybe she wasn't ready for that right now. But the other side of his brain reminds him that he's attracted to her and should act on his feelings and just…go to her! and that's what he does.

He puts the car in Park, locks the door and hurries after another tenant, slipping in behind him and then heading up to her door.

Erin hears a soft knock on the door and then opens it slowly, looking at the face looking back at her in surprise. "Kelly?"

"Wanted to properly say goodnight," he whispers as he leans in, pulling her close and pressing his lips to hers.

"Stay," she whispers as her senses drink in his husky cologne; the heat between them already blazing.

"For how long?" He whispers back as they slowly walk into her apartment, still locked in each other's arms.

"Forever," she utters breathlessly as she closes the door behind them.

XXXXXXXX

An hour before dawn breaks the next morning, Kelly's mind starts to stir him awake, reminding him that he's on shift and he has a few things to do at home first. He feels Erin stirring beside him and gives her a warm kiss on her cheek.

"I gotta go."

"Okay," she offers in a sleepy tone as her hand lingers for a few seconds on his bare back and then slides lower.

"Mmm," he mumbles with a happy groan as her grin widens. "Not playing fair."

"Never do," she retorts as he gets out of their warm bed and looks down with a happy smile. "Be safe."

Always…for a few seconds he stiffens and once again she's quick to notice.

"Kelly?"

"I will. You too, gotta run," he offers in haste as she hears the clipped tone in his voice and can't help but wonder. She didn't want to make him late so wasn't going to push the issue but now wonders if that little bit of tension might cause a rift between them.

Kelly steps out into the cool, early morning air, his mind racing with images of himself and Shay sharing that final moment – 'be safe….' 'love you…' 'always.'

He nearly said that word…'always'. The one that would remind him of what he lost and his mind races with anxiety. He races for home, telling himself that today he'd immerse himself in work and try to forget…what my wife said…? Damn!

"Hey…" Matt greets as Kelly rushes into his shared apartment and past Matt in the kitchen.

"Hey!" Kelly calls back as he disappears into his bedroom to change and then rejoins his friend for a light breakfast before they are out the door and heading to the fire hall.

"You prepared to tell the guys? Because if Antonio knows…you can be sure Gabby knows."

"Sure," Kelly replies with a tight lipped smile as Matt's brows arch. "It's…nothing," he qualifies in haste. "Tell you later."

But later would have to be put on hold for as soon as they both enter the large bay doors of Fire House 51, the overhead paging system goes off and it's all hands on deck.

"Today's gonna be a good day!" Kelly states as he slaps Matt on the back.

However, those words would be put to the test a few hours later, by a phone call from someone that was about to become an integral part of his life.

"Kelly? Hank Voight."

"Hey…Hank," Kelly replies as he stands in Matt's office with a perplexed expression; Matt looking up in wonder. "What's…going on?"

"There's been an accident on the job…Erin's in the hospital."

"What!"

A/N: eeks! Of course you know I had to toss in some emotional angst for them during the "talk" but hmm will their plan work? Will their dangerous jobs pull them apart? And what outside forces might try to destroy their happy union? Would love your thoughts so please do review before you go and thanks so much!