7 |

Two hours later, there's a knock on the door. Three singular knocks followed by three quick subsequent knocks; their secret knock with Andy: three singles make a trio. That was their motto, their bond, even if and when they had girlfriends, or fiancées or wives. Matt moves quickly to open the door.

"Kelly," he sighs in relief as he lays eyes on him.

"Matt," Kelly pushes the door open and enters, hurriedly closing the door behind him before wrapping his arms around Matt.

"What are you doing here, Matt?" "I'm so glad you're ok, What going on?" they speak over each other.

"I can't tell you," Kelly says as he's pulled away. "it's too dangerous. What are you doing here? Is it really a conference?"

"Yes."

"So, no one sent you? You don't have a message or anything for me?" Kelly asks, his eyes searching Matt's and Matt can see the urgency behind them.

"No. Kel? Who? What?-" he stops himself from asking any further when he sees Kelly's determination set in. They stand in silence for a moment, assessing each other, questions running through their mind. Matt can see dark circles under Kelly's eyes as if he's not been sleeping. If Matt isn't mistaking, he's also lost some weight. Worry etched into his features.

"How's Kidd?" Kelly asks finally, distracting Matt from his inquisition, setting their conversation on a safer path.

"Worried," Matt answer frankly, "upset that you've disappeared, that she's out of the loop."

"You haven't told her anything, have you? That I've contacted you? that you've found me?"

"No, I haven't. but it wasn't easy."

"I know and I'm sorry, but you can't Matt. Everything here is so fucking explosive, and complicated. These guys that I'm dealing with here, they're the real deal, and if they find out… it's safer that you don't know. For all of us."

"Are you ok, Kelly?"

Matt's question goes without an answer, as Kelly looks at him silently before changing the subject again, "How's 51? Tell me everything. Did Cruz close that deal on the Slamigan?"

Matt reluctantly yields, giving up on getting any information of out Kelly, happy for the opportunity to just see him, talk to him, he begins to recall firehouse stories from the last weeks Kelly had missed. Soon they're sitting on the bed, laughing calmly as if it were any other night in Chicago.

..

"No!" Kelly wakes up with a shout. It takes him a moment to see where he's at, Matt's figure coming into focus beside him on the bed. He pants in relief as he realizes he's safe, his conscious playing tricks on him in his sleep.

"You okay?" Matt asks worriedly from his spot on the bed. Both of them having fallen asleep on the covers.

"I'm next," Kelly mumbles in realization, his calm, accepting voice sends a shiver down Matt's spine.

"Next?"

"That guy you saw today, George," Kelly begins, yielding to his fatigue and Matt's curiosity. His voice so low, Matt can barely hear him, but h doesn't dare to move in case Kelly stops talking. "His brother's a firefighter at the house where I'm stationed. Two firefighters from the house were killed on duty in the past 3 months, and two more from other houses. George has a contract with the Springfield fire department, and the police suspect he and his brother are causing these deaths to get George the business. It's creepy and dark and cynical. And I think I'm next on their list."

"But what are you actually doing here, Kelly, why you?" Matt asks carefully, the pieces not yet falling together. Kelly turns his head, looking at Matt as if he's surprised to see him there.

"They need my expertise on arson. To prove those men died in fires that were started through arson, and to connect them to George and Gary. See if I can get close and find something incriminating on them. but if they suspect anything, anything…" Kelly's features grow dark as he follows his thought through.

"Who's keeping you safe? Who's got your back?" Matt asks worriedly, the precarity of Kelly's situation dawning on him.

"I am," Kelly says, determination setting back on his face.

"That's not enough." Matt's hand moves to lay on Kelly's chest, grabbing at his shirt, as if to keep him safe by mere contact. Make sure he doesn't leave. "How'd you agree to this, somebody should be making sure you're safe. What if something happens?"

Kelly's hand moves slowly, to cover Matt's on his chest, comforted by the contact. "I have a contact at the Springfield police, the apartment and my cell are tapped. They're supposed to be on top of everything, without being seen."

"But?" Matt can feel there's something playing on Kelly's mind.

"But I have a really bad feeling. And my contact has not been in contact for a while."

"Kel?" Matt says, his voice small and unsure. But Kelly just sighs heavily, worry covering his face, before he turns onto his side, pulling on Matt's arm, to bring him closer, making him the bigger spoon.

Matt doesn't dare breathe, not knowing what to do or what it means.

"You don't mind, do you?" Kelly asks finally, his voice portraying fear – not of the future or what's going to happen but of being rejected, of being denied the solace of Matt's proximity and safety, of being alone.

"No," Matt whispers, adjusting himself to envelop Kelly as much as possible, tightening his arms around him. "I don't mind."

..

At 5:15, Kelly gets up, waking Matt as he peels himself from Matt's embrace. "I have to go," he whispers, "sorry."

Matt blinks up at him momentarily before coming to his bearings, watching as Kelly goes into the bathroom, getting up to face when he comes out. But Kelly doesn't meet his eye, moving to the chair where his jacket is laying, putting it on.

"Kel," Matt comes to stand before him, "take of yourself. You have to eat to keep up your strength," he says, letting Kelly know it hadn't gone unnoticed. "Stay safe. You're smarter than them. And if things become dangerous, walk away. You don't owe them anything," Matt almost pleads, knowing there is very little chance of Kelly ever leaving something unfinished. Especially if lives are a risk and he can do something about it.

"You wouldn't," Kelly answers, looking Matt in the eye, both of them knowing he's right. He then pulls Matt for one last hug, "Go home, Matt. It's too dangerous for you to stay here. Go home so I can relax, that at least you're not at risk. Please. I'll see you soon at home." With that, he lets go, opens the door and disappears through it.