Title: Till Death do us Part
Chapter 9 – Watch your back!
For a few moments Kelly wonders if Erin will have time to show up, or if they should wait for another night to make the big announcement. But just before he can call her, he watches the door open and his beautiful wife enter; flashing him that smile that always makes him go weak in the knees.
"Ready?"
"Ready," she agrees as they slowly clasp hands and then walk toward the common area of Firehouse 51. Kelly pushes the doors open and spies Matt in the corner who offers a supportive smile and nod the rest of the crews instantly turning around to look at the couple in silent wonder.
"I guess most of you heard the announcement…by my father so…just making it official, Erin and I are married," Kelly gently stammers as he offers a flashy smile to the curious onlookers. He looks down and offers Erin a shrug while silence starts to build.
"In Vegas…which is why no one knew," she adds in haste as Kelly nods in agreement.
For a few seconds no one says anything until Matt walks up to them and gives them both a big hug, officially welcoming Erin to the 51 family and then stepping back to let others do the same.
"Drinks all around!" Herrmann declares as Boden's dark brows arch in his direction. "Coffee….drinks," he adds sheepishly as he heads for Kelly. "So…would hosting a little after wedding party at Molly's be out of line?"
"Sure," Kelly quickly agrees as Herrmann shakes his head. "What? I think that's a great idea."
"Newbie. You gotta ask the wife first," Herrmann retorts in sarcasm.
"Right," Kelly replies dryly as Herrmann walks away shaking his head. "Apparently…I have a lot to learn."
"Coulda told you that," Matt retorts with a chuckle as Mills nears them.
"So…Herrmann said something about a party at Molly's? Anyone making a cake?"
"Okay so let me check with my social Director and get back to you all," Kelly tosses back dryly as Mills and Matt laugh. "And the first one to bet on…"
"Oh you know this place," Matt interjects. "I'm sure they've already started to place some bets," he adds in an undertone as Kelly's brow furrows. "But in any event you've given Dawson and Mills another opportunity for a cook-off."
"It's a cake off!" Cruz reminds them loudly as Dawson nods.
"Cake off," Matt repeats in sarcasm as he slaps his friend on the back. "Enjoy."
"Right," Kelly retorts dryly as he looks over at Erin just as someone asks about a ring. Oh damn…right…rings…who has those again? I think I do…what did…damn did I keep them or throw them away?
Few moments later both Benny and Voight walk in at the same time and an instant hush falls over the merriment.
"Was it something we said?" Benny pipes up as Boden nears them.
"Heard this is where the party was," Voight adds as he shakes Boden's hand.
Kelly looks at his father as he nears and then gestures to him for a quiet moment in private; Erin watching in wonder as she nears Voight.
"What's going on?"
"Making amends," Voight answers her quietly. "So…it's official now?"
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Benny looks at his son with a strained expression as Kelly's expression slightly droops. "I wish you all the best Kelly you know that right? Maybe I haven't said enough of the right things. Certainly have said enough of the wrong stuff," Benny pauses with a groan.
"Think that's both of us," Kelly quickly qualifies. "Didn't mean to yell the other day. All this…Shay's death…it's all still so messed up and now…" he pauses as he looks over at Erin laughing with Brett and Dawson. "I don't regret her," he turns back to his father to admit.
"Official huh?"
"People keep asking and…and we wanted to make if official. Last night a woman…"
"Ah…" Benny smirks as Kelly shakes his head. "Few women can resist the Severide charm."
"Yeah yeah…don't say that around Erin, she'll kick your ass."
"See why you like her. Who was asking last night?"
"No one really," Kelly shrugs as his brow furrows. "Marriage…it's so…so serious and I just don't want to let her down….any of them," he comments as they hear a happy chorus of laughter behind them.
"This is about you and Erin…but no matter what happens, this House is your family and will always have your back."
"Matt said the same thing."
"He's a good friend," Benny smiles as Kelly nods in agreement. "You know…speaking of Shay…"
"Dad…" Kelly warns.
"I'm not wanting to get into a fight here I'm just saying…you need…you and I are the same and sitting down with some stuffed shirt, pouring out my feelings was never something I liked. You know that."
"But?"
"But…most of the guys I've lost…I've never cared for any of them as much as you cared for Lesley."
When his father uses her first name the emotional tide inside his soul starts to change and he can only softly curse his own name as he looks down.
"I can't…maybe I'm just not ready yet. But yeah sitting down one on one with some stuff shirted isn't what I want to do either. Would probably punch the guy out…then I'd feel better."
"Trust me I've thought the same. But just…keep your options open."
"Options?" Kelly questions as Benny offers a cryptic smile. But before he can get any kind of answer Cruz and Otis accidentally bust into the area after a botched wrestling move.
"Oh sorry…" Otis offer sheepishly.
"Sorry? It was your fault…" Cruz tosses back with a laugh.
"Go enjoy the rest of the night," Benny tells his son in a friendly tone. "I just wanted us to make amends."
Kelly watches his father slowly leave the area and then disappear into the fray; the area quickly replaced by Erin. "Hey…"
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah…it was…did Voight say anything? Like why they came together?"
"No. Is that…odd?" Erin asks in wonder.
"No. Yeah…ah, I think I'm just tired," Kelly sighs as he rubs his face and looks at her with a small frown.
"What? Too much tonight?"
"No I…you wanna spend the night? Can you?" He stops and then chuckles. "Asking my wife permission or for approval. Seems…"
"Yeah I'd like that. And…Matt?"
"Apparently he didn't hear a thing last time," Kelly playfully wags his brows, making her laugh. "Oh and apparently I'm supposed to ask if we're open to attend a party in our honor at Molly's."
"And…who told you to ask?"
"Hermann."
"Smart man," Erin states seriously as she loops her arm in his and laughs as both reenter the happy eating area and linger with the members of 51 a while longer. But a few hours later, when it's still dark a car pulls up outside Firehouse 51 and parks in the shadows.
"Remember…we wait until he's alone and then finish him off. If he's seen the safe House then he's the easier target to remove."
But when Kelly Severide exits Firehouse 51 a few hours later he's not alone; instead he enters the parking lot flanked by a few of his fellow team members; forcing them to wait for another opportunity.
"Follow him…find out where he lives."
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"Did Matt…go somewhere else?"
"Think he stopped by to see Christie and Violet. He sometimes stays in their spare bedroom and then has breakfast with them in the morning….just to keep things tight with them. But I don't mind the extra privacy," he grins as he nears her, his hands resting on her forearms and then leaning in close and kissing her on the lips.
But as soon as her hands roughly claw at his wounded arm, his lips utter a painful gasp and he advertently pulls back in pain.
"What…Kelly? What…happened?" Erin asks in haste as she gently pulls his shirt all the way off and then looks at the thick bandage that she had half pulled away. "Oh damn…I did that?"
"I don't mind it rough," he grins as he leans in closer once more.
"What happened?"
"Ah bunch of punks at work…drunk…outside the House…nothing major."
"You fought with them?"
"No…they tried to run me over," he retorts with a slight smirk as her expression turns slightly cross. "They were drunk and missed the car and it was no big deal. Just a scratch. Wanna make the other arm look the same?"
"So not funny."
"Oh really?" He grins as he scoops her up in his arms and then playfully tosses her on the bed; Erin's lips uttering a happy squeal as he pounces. Kelly's lips emit a husky growl as he looks down with an almost primal glint in his sapphires.
"Mmm come here handsome."
"With pleasure."
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The next morning Erin's eyes slowly open and rest on her husband's bandaged arm. 'Two punks…drunk…swiped the car. It was nothing…' but something inside starts to stir up a bit of uneasiness.
"I have something for you," Kelly's whisper breaks her from her thoughts, prompting her hazel-Green eyes to look up and lock with his.
"Mmm more of you?" She playfully retorts as he smirks but rolls over, pulls the drawer open and then pulls out a small packet and looks at her serious frown. Erin watches as he slowly pulls out a single band of gold and then holds it up. "Oh." She simply states as she hesitates for a few seconds and then holds up her left hand.
"Only if you want."
"I do," he whispers as her heart melts. He pushes the ring all the way up her sender finger and then hands her his ring.
"I do too," she whispers in return as she pushes the ring onto his left finger and pulls his lips to hers and kisses them firmly. "Now it's official."
"You're okay with this right?"
She holds up her hand and looks at the band of gold and then slowly nods. But a few seconds later a distressed look crosses her brow and he's quick to call her on it. "Just remember something Nadia had said," she starts as her eyes threaten to water. "Did um…did Shay ever want you to get married?"
"She did," Kelly admits softly as his fingers gently trace her jaw and then up to her cheek. "She said she'd uh…arm wrestle Matt for the role of best man," he ends with a slight smirk. "Matt woulda conceded defeat and then she would have said…oh you have that role but I'm walking the bride down the aisle. I would say what if she has a father? And she'd say…how old is the woman you're marrying?" He ends with a small chuckle as Erin slightly smirks. "Or she'd say she's walking me down the aisle. Yeah…she um…she'd want me to be happy."
"Are you…happy?"
"I have…happy days. I know that might sound stupid but…its true."
"No…I get it. There are cases now…or things we'll do at lunch…maybe something Jay or one of the others says…and it brings back all the tough memories. But there are days…like today when life is…great."
Kelly plants a soft kiss on her forehead as his arms encircle her once more. "Very happy….right now."
"Mmmm me too."
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'Kelly…I have what you need…-Alex.'
"Oh really?" Erin huffs as she can't help but read the text alert as it pops up on Kelly's phone before it disappears.
"So did you want…waffles or…" Kelly pauses in the bedroom doorway as he watches her look at his phone and then hand it to him. "What's…going on?"
"You tell me," she replies pointedly as he reads the message in haste and then looks at her with a perplexed expression. "Thought…you were done with her…the case?"
"I was it was…I think it's for the statement that I…" he starts and then stops as her brows arch. "She came on to me twice but…but I said no. I told you about it."
"Guess she doesn't take no for an answer," Erin states with a small sour note in her tone. "Waffles sound…good."
"She asked me to sign the affidavit for my part of the case and it…it was too vague and I said I wasn't going to sign it unless I knew more details about what I was putting my name on. That was it. It wasn't a come or something to let her think I was…okay so listen it was…"
"I believe you…I just don't trust her."
"I'll text her back and tell her to bring the form to the House. I'll sign it and that'll be it."
"Okay."
"Erin…"
"No…now I kinda get the feeling that you had, when you saw Jay and I holding hands in the hospital. It wasn't anything to us but…"
"More to onlookers in the wrong place at the wrong time," Kelly interjects as he eases himself down on the edge of the bed and then kisses her on the lips. "I'm done with Alex Ward okay? I know you worry…but it's nothing."
"The last two civilians she asked for help didn't fare so well. One ended up dead and the other…he'll never walk again. So yeah I worry," she finally tells him as her hand intertwines with his.
"I'm gonna sign the form and be done with it," he tells her in truth as his hand gently squeezes his. "I'm not on board with all this cloak and dagger stuff Government stuff. She can come on to me all she wants. I'm not interested."
"Well if you need me to send her a more…permanent hint," Erin states seriously as he chuckles and nods.
"Think I'd like to see that…cat fight," he wags his brows as she playfully slaps his bare forearm. "After I take care of that…wanna do some…stuff."
"Stuff."
"Stuff," he repeats as he pulls back and waves the waffle mix at her. "Waffles it is."
Erin watches him leave and then quickly gets dressed to join him for breakfast. But at the same time she can't help but feel that Alex won't give up on pursuing her husband after the forms are signed and Kelly's part in whatever case she's working is over.
But as Kelly starts to get things ready for breakfast, he can't help but think on what Erin had told him about Alex's track record for those that help her. 'Of the last two one guy is dead and the other will never walk again…kidnapped…tortured…killed…end your role in this case and fast.'
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"Those were great," Erin praises an hour later as the two of them prepare to leave the apartment, go their separate ways for a few hours and then reconvene in the park for a late lunch and to just…bond.
"Well…don't they say the way to a woman's heart is through her stomach?" Kelly chuckles as he locks the door.
"No, but it should be," she replies with a laugh as they head down the hallway hand in hand. "So…is Matt seeing anyone?"
Their conversation remains light and friendly as they head outside and onto the street; Kelly telling her he'd take a cab and then head to the park or precinct if she wasn't done – whichever worked out better.
"Just watch your back this morning," Erin warns one more time as Kelly nods in agreement and then plans a brief kiss on her lips.
"I'll see you soon."
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But a few hours later, Erin looks at her watch as she sits at the park waiting for her husband as a small pang of anxiety starts to creep into her system. She texts Kelly again and then looks around the wide open area as panic starts to build and she slowly stands up and then looks around; her hand quickly putting her phone to her ear as she dials his number.
She gets only empty rings in response and the feeling inside starts to escalate; especially after what she learned about Alex Ward.
"Something's happened…something's wrong. Kelly…where are you?"
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"We got him. Now…what do we do with him?"
"Hurt him…and then…kill him."
A/N: eeks! Ah well you knew the danger/whump was coming b/c mmm who doesn't love some Kelly whump hehe but hmm what did Erin learn? Who really has Kelly? But hope you all liked the little couple moments and some fun broments and had to make Kelly and Benny make up. Please do review before you go and thanks so much!
PS: for those that want some more Kelly angst please check out this week's OS 'Friend or Foe' up now thanks!
