Author's Notes: We're finally getting to Vegas! I definitely took some liberties with this chapter but considering this is my Linseride take on the two shows, I think all is fair in love and war. I am in no way a gambler or a Vegas expert so I did the best that I could with the research that I did. And yes, that is me shaming the one and only Brittany Baker at the end of the chapter.
Thank you for continuing to read and giving me your thoughts! It keeps the motivation to write alive.
Chapter Six
Armed with a very good mood, Erin went out the apartment's kitchen and began cooking for an army. She whipped up eggs, bacon and pancakes for everyone knowing that she owed Gabby big time for last night's verbal kick in the butt. When a pot of coffee was nearly done brewing, one of the inhabitants of the master bedroom emerged.
"Something smells amazing," Matt said as he wandered into the kitchen, his blonde hair awry from his pillow. Erin placed a plate in front of him along with coffee. "This looks great. Thanks so much."
"Not a problem," Erin responded with a smile. She rarely cooked, more often than not because of work in one form or another. But Hank had taught her well and it showed when she did spend time in the kitchen.
"Everything good with you two?" he asked adding milk to his coffee and looking up at her.
"Yes, things are very okay with us." Erin noted the impish grin on Matt's face and she could feel the heat rising in her face. "Why? How much did you hear?"
"I have no clue what you're talking about. Last night, I just watched Pulp Fiction at near top volume."
Erin groaned, absolutely mortified at his obvious hearing of hers and Kelly's exploits. As much as she didn't care in the moment, she knew that details would be all over the firehouse by the end of the next shift despite any pleading with Casey.
"I'm so sorry that you had to hear that," she responded looking anywhere but Matt's face. "I'm so embarrassed."
"Embarrassed about what?" Gabby asked, ruffling her short wavy brunette hair and walking into the middle of their conversation in the kitchen.
Erin winced waiting for the ever-colorful description to come from Casey's mouth.
"Oh, just Severide and Erin humping like bunnies last night."
"Bunnies or gorillas?" Gabby corrected adding to Matt's teasing with a smirk.
"You guys are killing me," Erin responded, looking up at the ceiling dramatically. The couple looked at her with wide innocent eyes as if to ask who she was referring to. She knew that the ribbing was all in good fun. And truthfully, a little playful banter couldn't ruin her good mood.
Erin gave Gabby a prepared plate of food and the firefighter extended her appreciation before grabbing her trusty bottle of hot sauce for the eggs.
"Thank you again Gabby. You were a huge catalyst in getting me here last night. I could honestly kiss you."
Gabby didn't have the opportunity to respond as a sleepy eyed Kelly had emerged from his bedroom and wanted to know who was kissing whom.
"Oh, Gabby and I were just planning to make out," Erin teased wrapping her arms around his torso when he was close enough to her, "You good with that?"
"Hell no," he responded, with a shake of his head which drifted into a yawn. Both Matt and Gabby smirked at the obviously worn out lieutenant. Erin ignored the couple and scratched his back lightly, looking up at him with a big smile.
"There's plenty of food," she told him. His blue eyes twinkled like she hadn't seen in quite some time and it made her extremely happy.
"Listen if you want to cook like this, you can take my key anytime," Dawson commented, her hands curled around a mug of hot coffee.
"No can do next weekend Dawson. I'm kidnapping this one for some time away," Kelly told his friend, roommate and colleague cheerfully.
"You guys going up to the cabin?" Casey questioned, munching on a piece of bacon.
"Even better – Vegas!"
Dawson coughed and immediately reached for OJ to relieve her discomfort. "Vegas? Seriously?"
Erin knew what Dawson was thinking considering the fight that the two had just gotten over. "We're thinking it's some away from the cold, some gambling and time by the pool. Not so much the booze."
The engaged couple nodded at the explanation that the detective gave. Erin didn't care what anybody else thought about the choice. There would be serious temptation in Miami or anywhere that they went.
"Just don't come back married," Casey teased.
"Keep dreaming," Erin retorted. She let go of Kelly to fix him a plate.
By the time that Erin met Kelly outside 51 to go to O'Hare, it had been a hell of a week for the two of them. She knew that the house had had a heck of save for a little boy outside of an apartment building and along with Brett, Kelly had worked to reunite the boy and his mother after the obviously broken child protective system had split them up. She had been fielding the murder of a ten year old with Ruzek and Atwater undercover in a local prison. Stressful didn't begin to cover it. Getting away couldn't have come at a better time.
She knew that Kelly would be too exhausted to get behind the wheel after getting off shift and she could think of nothing that she wanted to do less than combat with other drivers headed into the airport. So she had let Platt give her a recommendation for a town car service that she actually had no complaints with. And the look on Kelly's face was priceless. He had his duffel slung across his body and a giant smile on his face, hands out wide while walking towards the car in disbelief.
"It was Platt's doing. She got me a deal and I couldn't pass it up." She made him give her his bag and the driver put it into the trunk. Erin slid into the backseat, followed by Kelly and the driver headed towards O'Hare.
As they checked their bags at curbside, Erin couldn't help but wrap her arms around Kelly's arm and rest her head on him. She had never been the type of girl that partook in public displays of affection but with him it okay. She didn't hate that he had her changing some of her ways.
"You two are adorable," the older woman who was checking them in said. Her nametag read Joyce and Erin smiled at her. "Can I see your IDs?"
Kelly slipped his wallet out of his jeans and handed over his ID and Erin pulled her wallet out of her bag. She laid it open on the countertop to pull out her license and Joyce took note of her secondary badge that she kept on her person at all times.
"You're a police officer?" she questioned.
"Yes ma'm. Intelligence for CPD," Erin answered handing over her driver's license.
"My husband John was on the force for 30 years. Didn't want to let it up but a herniated disc forced his hand."
She tapped at some keys before giving them a smile. "Here are your tickets."
Handing them to Kelly, the firefighter's eyes doubled in size. Erin grabbed them out of his hand seeing that the top of the ticket now said first class instead of the coach that she had purchased.
"Enjoy your flight you two and thank you for what you do for our city."
Both stuttered out their thanks and they walked into the airport unsure of what had just taken place at the ticket counter.
"What just happened?" Erin asked as they navigated to security.
"A little bit of luck, which is a good omen for our time in Vegas," Kelly answered and grabbed one of the bins for his belongs to go through the x-ray machine.
They moved through security with no problem before they were whisked off to the first class waiting area. There were plush couches, fresh fruit, areas to charge mobile devices and soft jazz music piping through overhead speakers.
"So this is how the other half lives," Erin said aloud taking it all in. Kelly took her hand and gave it a squeeze as a reassurance that all was good. She wouldn't deny that it was.
They took a seat on one of the couches, watching the businessmen and women flit about through the lounge obviously not on the same timetable as the couple.
"This was a great idea," he mused, lifting her hand to kiss her knuckles.
"I wouldn't disagree. I've never been to Vegas."
Kelly looked at her in disbelief. She knew that she was amongst a small number of thirty-somethings that had never traveled to Sin City before but the opportunity had presented itself. She rarely traveled probably because it was something that she grew up without. There had been no trips to Disney World in her childhood.
"You've never been to Vegas? Vegas is just…Vegas."
With work, she still didn't travel much. She had had a weekend in Miami to herself a year or two back for some R&R and when she had was in college, she had gone on ill-fated trip with Justin and his friends to Cancun. He had been obliterated the entire trip and instead of having fun in the sun, she had been like a mother hen to ensure that he didn't die in a gutter.
"What? I've been to Atlantic City. Isn't it similar? Casinos, shows, drinks..."
She could tell by the look in his eye that it was in no way similar and she was in for a rude awakening.
Their flight was called not too long after they got to the waiting area and as first class passengers, they were allowed to board the plane first. The front of the plane was a stark difference than the cramped coach cabin that they had planned to be in. First class featured large, luxurious seats that fully reclined with TVs at each place. A cheery flight attendant welcomed them aboard and offered them complimentary champagne or even a mimosa. Both opted for the latter. When their drinks arrived in real glasses, they toasted.
"To a good time," Erin offered up and he nodded, clinking the rim of her glass with his.
During the flight, Erin actually got to read part of a book, which was a novelty. She rarely had time to do anything like that at home. But every so often when there was break in a scene or chapter, she looked over to make sure that Kelly was okay, as he had drifted off to sleep not long after takeoff. She didn't blame him – for seats on a plane, they were damn comfortable.
After a smooth landing at McCarran, they grabbed their bags off the luggage claim turnstile before sliding into one of the many taxicabs anxiously awaiting another pickup from arriving flights.
"Where to?" the driver asked, starting the meter.
"Bellagio," Kelly answered.
With Erin having taken care of the flights, he had done the research on where to stay and had chosen the Bellagio as it had everything they could want - casino, spa, plenty of restaurants and a beautiful pool for daytime relaxation. Plus, with the room he had booked over the phone the couple was supposed to have a great view of the strip and the famous hotel fountains.
The gentleman at the front desk got them into their room with no issue and the couple took the elevator to the 22, to find their room and let Kelly get some additional sleep.
The room was gorgeous with a large king bed, gossamer white linens and supple looking pillows. From across the room, Erin knew that the view was incredible and it was only daytime. She couldn't imagine how it could get any better once the sun went down. She put her bag down and wrapped her arms around his neck and she felt his arms go around her back.
"Best plan ever," she told him sincerely and kissed him. Being out of Chicago for a few days, no matter the locale was crucial for the couple. Everything around them at home reminded them of lost friends, hard times and the constant danger that their jobs put them in. Being in Las Vegas felt like they were sheltered from that life if only for a little while.
She broke the kiss and leaned her forehead against his. Kelly cursed softly and she knew that although he wanted to continue things on the impressive bed, but he needed some sleep after his shift the day prior. Erin closed the blinds so that the room was dark and let him get comfortable.
"I'm sorry babe. I feel like I'm abandoning you."
Erin sat on the edge of the bed. "Hey, none of that. You need a couple hours of sleep so we can enjoy later on. I'm a big girl. I'm going to go explore, check out the spa and maybe sit by the pool." She kissed away the concerned creases in his forehead. "I'll see you later on okay?"
He cupped her cheek and kissed her again, telling her that he loved her. Despite the troubled past that she had had and the lack of role models in the relationship department, she knew that this was by far the best relationship of her adult life.
"I love you too."
He rolled over and Erin quietly moved around the room to change into her swimsuit and cover up. She wasn't letting time out in the sunshine slip by.
"Stop!" a girl squealed and ran around the edge of the pool away from her tormenter. The shriek caught Erin's attention, her body on alert at the noise but she just shook her head when she saw that it was just a couple horsing around. The girl wore a bathing suit that had "Bride" stamped on the bottom in crystals and from the way that the two very publicly displayed affection in the pool area, Erin figured that the two had just gotten hitched in one of the many chapels in Vegas.
Her phone ringing pulled her attention away from the couple and she answered, seeing Kelly's face on her screen.
"You got enough sleep already?"
"I don't know about that one but the promise of you in a bikini got me motivated."
She smiled at his shameless flirting. Although there were many things that Kelly Severide was good at, flirting and flattering her hovered near the top of the list.
"Who said anything about a bikini?" she teased before giving up her location. "I'm sitting on the side closest to the bar."
Erin saw him walk in her direction and her mouth went dry at the sight of him. Sure, him naked was the ultimate and he looked damn good in any version of his CFD uniform but in that moment, he looked sexy as sin in his black swim trunks and sunglasses.
She knew that he was appraising her swimsuit choice from behind his sunglasses and it made her blush.
"I don't know if I should just consider myself lucky that you're mine or be annoyed because I'm sure every guy here has been looking at you." She got up off her chair and wrapped her arms around his torso to soothe his envy.
"Good thing I've only got eyes for you."
She walked away from him, prepared to take a swim. She tossed a look over her shoulder and saw his reaction to her bikini's bottom half. Erin worked hard to stay in shape and she celebrated that fact with the geniuses at Victoria's Secret.
He dropped his sunglasses onto her chair and quickly followed her, making her laugh and jump in before he could grab her. Kelly wasn't far behind and pulled her into his arms in the water so they could float around together.
"Where's the other part of your bottoms? Seems like part is missing."
"It's all there," Erin responded cheekily.
It felt surreal to be in Vegas with him. They had done enough talking about the trip that the fact that it had actually happened was only just hitting her.
"I can't believe we actually got out of Chicago without some crazy work emergency stopping us."
"I know. Feels too good to be true."
There another squeal from the Vegas bride and a giant splash which informed Erin that she had finally gotten thrown into the pool by her new husband. It made Erin blurt out a question that she immediately regretted.
"Do you think about getting married?" He gave her a puzzled look, telling her that he wondered why she brought it up. She pointed at the couple that was now making out in the pool and also explained her question. "I mean thinking about what Casey said to us, don't come back married. Is that something you think about a lot?"
Erin wasn't sure what she wanted to hear from him. On the one hand, if he said that he didn't think about getting married, she knew that she would wonder if that was because of her or something else. He seemed thoughtful over her question before he finally answered her.
"I think about getting married. Being married would be phenomenal. It's the first step to starting a family. But I've come close twice, both ending in disaster."
Erin frowned. She knew he wouldn't rehash the past but she had heard enough from Gabby, Casey and Hermann to know that both Renee Whaley and Renee Royce had done a number on him. It amazed her that he remained such an amazing person despite how his past relationships had treated him.
"But despite knockouts one and two, I'm still in the match. I'm not down for the count yet."
"A sports metaphor…typical male," she joked with a little splash.
"And what do you think about marriage Detective Lindsay?"
Truthfully, growing up marriage had been on her blacklist. She saw the relationship her parents had had and it had terminated any association between love and the institution for her. But moving into Hank's house and seeing him and Camille had been the turning point. There just had been no man to ever live up to the standard. But it appeared that there was one that was beginning to show her that he could.
"I was able to see Hank and Camille together for many years and it always seemed like they kept falling deeper in love with each other all the time. If I can have a marriage like that, I'd be okay with it."
"Do you miss her?" Kelly asked.
"I do. I mean, she didn't have to agree to take me in but she did and she changed my life. Hank and Camille got me into St. Ignatius, put me on the right path. Can't imagine where I'd be today if it wasn't for the two of them."
Erin knew that was a dangerous what if to think about. She was just lucky that she didn't have to put much thought into it.
"Saving you was the best choice that Hank has ever made," Kelly said. Lowering his head, he pressed his lips to her neck.
His statement brought tears to her eyes but she willed them away before they could fall.
"You ready to get out?" he asked her and she nodded her agreement.
They went to the side of the pool and climbed out. Kelly wrapped a towel around her shoulders before grabbing his own. He gave her an adorable grin as rubbed her arms with the towel in an attempt to make the transition from water to land not too unbearable.
"So what's the plan for tonight?" She was up for anything but wanted him to make the plans as this trip had originally had been his.
"Got a reservation at Michael Mina for tonight through the concierge."
"You went to the concierge with no shirt on?" she questioned, eyebrow quirked in interrogation. It had bad enough that he had taken the elevator down to the pool shirtless. She was a jealous woman through and through. His laugh told her that it was not the case.
"Hell no, I called from the room," he told her.
She pulled on her cover up and slipped into her sandals. He took her by the hand and they went back upstairs to get ready for dinner.
It was miracle that they weren't late for their reservation thanks to the activities that had gone on in the shower. The sound of Kelly's hand smacking the tile of the shower stall and his guttural moan as she took him deeper in her throat would be burned into her brain for eternity. And the fact that he had been ready to go again after washing her from head to toe with a loofah had shocked her. It was amazing that they didn't kill themselves as the water rushed over them with Erin's legs wrapped around Kelly's waist as he nearly drilled her into the shower wall.
Clean and sated, the blissful couple went down to Michael Mina for dinner. They talked a little bit about work but mostly it about the two of them. Kelly mentioned starting to look for a place on his own, maybe a one bedroom that was in the same area as Casey and Dawson but something that was solely his. Erin mentioned that when Justin and Olive came back for another visit that she wanted him to meet him, seeing as how she had spent many years growing up with him. The food was fantastic and for Erin, the company was even better.
Whatever Erin had thought of a Vegas casino was wiped away when they stepped out onto the floor, chips in hand. Tons of people were crowded around different tables for dealer led games and the rows of slot machines were constantly lighting up and creating a great deal of sound in the large room.
"So what's your game Lieutenant?" Erin asked as they walked through the crowds.
"Craps," he said nodding to the table in front of them. "You?"
"More of a blackjack girl myself."
Cupping his face, she gave him a kiss and wished him luck.
"Bring home the bacon," Kelly told her and kissed the tip of her nose.
Erin knew that the tight red dress that she wore made her seem like an easy mark for other well-seasoned gamblers to take advantage of but Hank had taught her blackjack at 18, mostly so that she could be the dealer on nights when he had friends over for card games. He had gotten her to be so good that soon she was no longer the dealer but a bona fide player. Erin said a table with three other gentlemen and a minimum bet of $50. The dealer sent her a look of pity to which she simply smiled.
It didn't take her long to turn the game in her favor, quickly racking up a sizable take of nearly $700. When she was pleased with her success and felt that she proved herself, she winked at the dealer and took her winnings to go find Kelly.
Erin saw the girl before Kelly did - tall, blonde and with her eyes locked on Kelly as he shot the die. The jealous part of her wanted to throw her chips to the ground and challenge the girl but she knew that that sort of action would get them thrown out of the casino. She saw the serious stacks of chips that Kelly had amassed through and knew that she couldn't risk acting like an idiot.
Instead, she sidled up to her boyfriend hoping that she made it very clear to the blonde that he was hers. Claws out. Kelly shot the die and received another eight, which made the entire table go crazy, Erin included.
At the win, she leapt into his arms and he hugged her tightly. Erin knew that what he had said at the airport that morning was seemingly coming true.
"Did you see that?" he asked enthusiastically and he kissed her cheek. Seeing the girl still lingering, Erin pulled out her phone and asked her to take picture of the two of them. The girl made a face but took the picture as requested.
"Thanks so much," Erin said, with a sugary smile. She didn't have time to gloat Kelly picked her up and spun her around a little excitedly. Together they had made just under $1,600 between their respective games.
Kelly picked up his chips and hers so that they could go convert them into cash. Erin took her phone and sent the picture to Gabby and Casey, typing a quick message underneath.
Wish you were here! - E