Title: Zero Degrees
Chapter 10 – The Truth Always Hurts

*Sunday night*

'Luke what's up? You seem…off your game today.'

'After you're back from the scouting we need to talk.'

'You seem upset and worried. What is it? Talk to me now.'

'Can't. Show and tell tonight. Just promise you'll come back in one piece.'

'Give you my word as always.'

"You dare to point a gun at me?" Don hissed at Josh, whose gaze narrowed a few seconds later.

"I remember that morning. Luke found out something didn't he? On you right? And you had him killed for it!" Josh growls angrily.

"Luke found out something on General Tasis."

"That is a bold faced lie! Nick always had our backs."

"Ah always a friend who hates you most right?"

"Lying bastard! I want proof and I want it now. I will only count to three."

"Lower the gun or the truth dies with me," Don counters.

"One."

The two ex-soldiers lock eyes, neither backing down or giving in.

"Two," Josh continues as he cocks the trigger. "I can be a ghost if I want to be. I want the truth and I want it now. Who killed my brother? It was you right? That's how come we lost Saul. He walked into that enemy trap because they knew he'd be there. You told them! Luke found out "someone" was talking to the enemy and told you in confidence and you…you sick son of a bitch made him step in front of my scope. You gave me the order to fire! You said it was an enemy combatant only he found out it was you selling us out and you killed him for it! You forced me to kill my own brother!"

"You can't prov…"

"And why did you want me to kill…Benny…oh wait…you know him somehow right? Is Benson even your real last name? If I dig will I find that it's really Donald Severide? You told him about your past misdeeds and he what…threatened to tell on you? Get you dishonorably removed from service? Cut off your damn pension! And you had me…"

"I don't know where you are getting all these delusions of grandeur Joshua but I can assure you that Nick is your man. Luke when to him and he's the one that arranged the hit. It wasn't my voice over the conn it was Nick's."

"Then why would you have me kill Benny Severide? He's a retired fire fighter. Never been in the military!"

"Guess you should have asked that question before you took the job."

"Why did you want him dead?"

"I don't answer to you!"

"You will right now! What did he do? Steal your wife? Your job? Your money? Your pet rattlesnake?" Josh demands in anger; his tactic to force Don to confess was about to pay off. "Why did you want him dead?"

"Because I hated him all my life. Do I need a better reason then pure hatred? Not all brothers get along you know!" Don hisses, mistakenly confessing, as he takes a step backward. "The truth hurts! There happy you heard it?"

"Might hurt you more than your brother."

"Why you arrogant little bastard. Take your damn money and get the hell out of my house!"

But josh had already settled in his mind to take Don out for good and the few seconds it takes for Don to drop his eyes, Josh's free hand reveals a small hidden needle. He lunges forward, forces the end into Don's neck and pulls back with a triumphant smile.

"For the record, Benny Severide is still alive."

"What?"

"Now you'll tell me what I want to know."

"What…what did you…just give me?"

"A drug…a mixture of a powerful relaxant and a natural toxin; oh and some truth serum. The beauty of this is you'll be alive long enough to give me the correct answers to whatever I ask and then you'll die from natural causes. At least that's what it'll show on your death certificate."

"You bastard."

"I am but at least I'll still be breathing at the end of this. Guess you're not the only one with friends in low places," Josh snickers as he shoves Don backward into his favorite chair. "Now let's try this again. Who set me up to murder my brother Luke?"

XXXXXXXX

*Monday morning*

"As long as I can remember there was always animosity between my dad and his brother Don," Severide starts as he starts to slowly roll the hose around the two end hooks; Casey noticing the strained expression and now wondering if maybe he shouldn't have even asked.

"Kelly, look if it's a tough subject I can drop it. I was just curious."

"I'm closer to the guys here than I ever was to my real family," Severide admits with a heavy sigh. "Uncle Don is about seven years older than dad and joined the army just out of school. Remained there until he retired a few months back as a general. Was always a bit of a loud mouth when he did come around but then you've met Benny right?" Severide pauses with a nervous chuckle. "Guess being brash loud mouths runs in the family."

"Your Uncle Don ever get into it like Benny has?"

"Even more so. I'm surprised he didn't meet his end sooner by someone he actually pissed off."

"He ever get married?"

"Oh yeah he led the way with a million broken hearts behind him. No kids though and he died alone," Severide shakes his head as he looks away. "The Severide men have a great track record. Why do you think I'm so gun-shy?"

"Sorry."

"Nah don't be. He liked my mom for a bit. My real mom Rose. Got kinda ugly between Don and my dad when they'd get to drinking; one time even came to blows."

"Really?"

"Yeah some promotional dinner for Don at one of the bases. Benny shows up with my mom, Don was drunk and they duked it out. I just hung back and told everyone my last name was Smith before I snuck out and hitched a ride back home. Mom was pissed I didn't tell her I was leaving as I was only a teen but I didn't care. I didn't want to be there and always sided with dad over Uncle Don. But as much as they hated each other over the years, every so often Don would call and they'd go for a drink, talk about whatever and then that was it. Dad always thought it was odd but he never said no."

"When's the last time your father and Don had that drink?"

"A few weeks back. Ended really nasty too from what dad told me."

"What was it about this time?"

"Usually he never tells me but this time he said it was beyond personal and that was it," Severide lightly groans. "Bartender said there were raised voices and a very angry discussion that ended with my father saying something along the lines of you tell or else and that was it."

"And now Don's dead," Casey gently reminds him as Severide nods and tosses the rolled hose onto the top of the pile and reaches for another tangled mass. "Ever say what the or else was about?"

"Nope and I didn't ask. But now I won't have to worry about being on standby for going to pick up my drunken father," Severide states as he tosses Casey another tangled mass.

"So if they hated each other so much why did they meet up?"

"Ask my father, he's always the one that said to keep your friends close and enemies closer," he slightly smirks. "I don't know really. One less thing to worry about right? So…that's the whole sordid story or most of it. Sorry you asked?"

"No. Sorry you told me?"

"Has it changed anything between us?"

"No," Casey shrugs as he starts to wind the new mass of hose.

"Make sure you roll those hoses nice and tight now," Benny jokes as he heads toward them.

"Hey got a sec?" Severide catches up to his father as they head toward the large exit doors.

"Always, what's up?"

"The last time you and Uncle Don met, what happened? You only said it came to blows but was personal. How personal?"

"You mean did we make up before he died? No. Hadn't talked to him since that night. Figured he'd sleep off his drunken stupor like he does every time and then call me when he needs to vent."

"How personal was it dad?" Severide presses as Benny looks at his son with a heavy frown, his mind thinking back to that fateful night a few weeks back.

'First off…look I don't answer to you and why the hell did he…you were snooping around the base again weren't you?'

'I don't have time to meddle in your affairs; I have my own issues to deal with. But this is serious. Did you turn traitor?'

'How dare you.'

'Answer me Don!'

'Is that why you asked me here? To browbeat me when you're drunk?'

'This is my first and I'm asking a straight up question. What are you mixed up in?'

'It was Morse right? He's had it in for me since I got my General stripes. Look I'm retired and done.'

'You retired only a few months ago. This must be pretty serious for them to come to me!'

'This is none of your damn business Benny! Don't make me your enemy.'

'Yeah or what? You'll hit me? You always hit like a girl.'

'You better…'

'What did you do? You did something didn't you? Damn it Don you better tell me or I will go to your superior and tell them you're the no good traitor they think you are.'

'You'd turn me in?'

'What the hell happened? You tell me or else!'

'Or else what?'

"Dad?" Severide presses, his tone snapping Benny back to reality.

"It was work related."

"Don's retired," Severide argues back.

"This was between me and Donny. It was words spoken in the heat of the moment and I left it with him. I never heard back from anyone so I dropped it. And that's what I want to do now, drop it. He's dead and that's it."

"Okay," Severide replies with a firm nod as Benny gives him a pat on the shoulder and then turns and leaves; Casey walking up behind him.

"What is it? I know that look," Casey comments softly as Severide turns to him with a heavy frown.

"I don't know. Just something not right about it but maybe I'm just reading into his tension more than I should and should just drop it."

"Yup because you're good at that," Casey retorts in return as Severide just shakes his head. "Come on let's finish up and get into the kitchen."

"Yeah because cooking always makes things better," Severide huffs as he reaches for the last hose.

"So you think there will be a funeral?"

"Think dad will pay the cremation guys to let him push the button," Severide replies with a heavy sigh. The two of them finish with the hoses and then head inside, Casey wondering what else Severide wasn't sharing about his father's stormy past and Severide wondering if there was more to what his father had told him, especially since he hinted that it might have followed his Uncle even after his retirement.

"You're awfully quiet," Casey mentions about an hour later as they both take a break from making the lunch fare for the teams after they got back from their latest call. "I didn't mean to ruin the afternoon."

"Just thinking about something dad had hinted at. I know most military guys are hard core lifers and Don was one of the worst. Guess that's what he and dad really had in common – they loved their jobs more than anything, even family."

"Kelly…"

"What's that they always say? Truth always hurts?" Severide tosses with a small nervous smirk before his expression clouds again. "Guess I should just drop it. So the cabin…"

"Camp Sleepaway," Casey smiles and nods. But as he studies Severide's clenched jaw he knows that this whole situation wasn't sitting right with his friend and maybe there was something deeper that he didn't want to confess, less the whole Severide family be judged by one man's callous actions.

The teams finally return and soon the banter turns to the call they just completed and what Casey and Severide missed out on by pretending to be Iron Chef's.

"Now all we need are some ice cubes for this…" Otis starts.

"No more ice cubes!" A myriad of voices is heard as Hermann picks up the remnants of his and tosses it at Otis, who offers as chuckle before he ducks.

"Hey maybe you could take one of those up to the cabin?" Casey suggests within Otis's earshot.

"Really? You want one?"

"No," Severide drawls as he looks over at Casey with an unimpressed look. Severide leaves Casey to haggle over the cost of one of the lame refrigerators as he pulls away and seeks out Boden.

"Hey Chief got a sec?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"How did you know Don?" Severide asks in a low tone as he enters the Chief's office.

"Met him the night your father got his first commendation. You might have been too young to remember it. Bit of a loud mouth but that seems to run in the family," Boden answers lightly. "I'm sorry to hear he passed."

"So aside from being a loud mouth you know anything about his job?"

"Military General and that's about it. I know he worked on a lot of classified stuff because he liked to brag about it."

"That runs in the family also," Severide groans.

"What's on your mind Kelly?" Boden asks directly. "Am sure your father knows more about this than I would. He just came by to tell me Don died, because he knows I might have asked if I had seen it in the paper."

"It just feels like he's hiding something."

"Maybe some things need to remain as they are."

"Yeah, maybe," Severide nods as he turns and heads back into the common area, seeking out Casey as the two of them work on tightening the ladder knobs on Engine 51. The two of them keep busy for the next few hours until Casey disappears shortly before its time to leave.

"Figured things weren't all you made them out to be," Severide closes the door to the small infirmary later that afternoon as he happens upon Casey trying to get his leg up on the table. "What happened?"

"Nothing really," Casey offers in haste as he pulls it back down.

"So you came in here to read? Liar. Let's see."

"Banged the damn thing on the ladder," Casey groans as he pulls back the bandage at the top and curses at the small but fresh smattering of blood.

"Stitches break?"

"No, just a part of the skin near the top of the cut."

"Leg up before you offer me that face."

"For the record I don't have a face. Ouch."

"That's your mad face," Severide teases as he cleans away the blood.

"Next time you want to see it, just ask. I can give it to you without you havint to torture me," Casey retorts as he frowns.

"Yeah but this is more fun," Severide chuckles.

"Your Uncle…was he honorably discharged?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Just wondering," Casey shrugs as he watches Severide apply a thick bandage and then pull his jeans leg down.

"You thinking…"

"No…no I'm not thinking anything. I was just asking," Casey offers in haste. "Okay, time to call it a day."

"I'm going home to the bubblewrap queen," Severide jokes as he opens the door and both of them stop to see Shay look at them with an unimpressed expression. "If you don't see me tomorrow, check the storage locker," he teases his roommate as the three of them slowly head for the front door to go into the parking lot and head for home; the two of them knowing they'd have a somewhat strained night ahead pondering the day's events.

XXXXXXXX

"So you did survive," Casey mentions to Severide the following morning.

"I am going out of my mind. We have four more days of this?"

"Bored of my company already?" Casey chuckles as he shoves his jacket into his locker and then closes the door.

"If they find you buried out back you'll have your answer," Severide retorts with a small groan.

"You talk to your dad last night?"

"Am I that easy to read?"

"Figured you left here with it on your mind and you're not the type to sit and stew. That's my family," Casey adds lightly.

"We went by Don's place last night."

"How'd that go?"

"Odd," Severide shrugs as they enter the quiet common area. "Dad would make comments now and again but mostly it was me talking to myself. Sure had nothing in his house worth stealing."

"Not even a big screen TV?"

"Still had the old boxed type," Severide answers with a small snicker. "Found a few old photographs and the typical stuff I guess. Hey you would you mind helping me to fix two of the windows in the back? Dad wants to put it up for sale as soon as possible."

"He left the house to your father?"

"Miracle right?" Severide shakes his head. "My dad was surprised also. Found out when a lawyer called him last night. Guess they had to rule out all the ex Mrs. Severide's. Although he didn't have much money so it wasn't like they killed him for the life insurance."

"No policy?"

"Under Severide? No."

"What other name would he have?"

"Benson. He changed it for the military."

"Why?"

"Why does my family do anything. They want to, they're nuts...he only ever said for protection and it always sounded normal," Severide shakes his head. "So anyways he had cancelled the life insurance policy and the military policy was willed to charity. But…"

"But what?"

"Nothing."

"Okay," Casey acknowledges softly.

"Look we got into it last night about wills and taking care of families and stuff and I asked him about his and he…told me to drop it."

"Sorry."

"I don't expect anything because I never have. I learned what he was like when I was a kid but sometimes I wonder about mom and if he would care enough to leave her something because she was my mother and not just his wife like the others," Severide's voice stammers in agitation.

Casey listens to Severide talk a bit more about his father; his own mind flashing back to himself and Christie in the police station, awaiting word on their mother after she was arrested and then talking with a lawyer about what would happen next. But when Severide finishes talking he notices Casey's faraway look and gently touches his shoulder.

"Matt?"

"Guess all this family talk brought back memories for all of us."

"Hey man I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I was thinking back to that night when the lawyer was telling us about dad's will. The house and his life insurance would have gone to mom but since she was being arrested for murder it went to me. I was just a kid. I didn't know the first thing about probating a will or what went along with it. Christie and I were close then…well closer than we are now. Guess dysfunction runs in both our families."

"But we both have great family here right? And…each other."

"Brothers?" Casey grins.

"Trust me sometimes you irritate me as if you were my little brother."

"Look for the record I'm not that much youn…" is all Casey manages before Severide's arm playfully loops around his neck and his free hand ruffles the top of his hair.

"Very funny," Casey deadpans as he finally pulls back with a flushed face and small curse; Boden entering the common area and looking at the two of them in wonder.

"Four more days, you two think you can handle this?"

"You willing to put us back on shift Chief?" Severide asks with a wide grin as Boden gives them both a small smile but shakes his head.

"Not on your life. However, we do need some new fundraising ideas."

"It's the dead of winter," Casey interjects with a small moan.

"Spring isn't too far away," Boden retorts as he turns and heads for the garage area.

"Is he serious?" Severide turns to Casey who nods and gets back to making breakfast.

"Maybe we can raffle off one of those lame ice cube makers."

"You want to raffle one off?" Otis overhears and asks with a wide grin as Casey snickers.

"No," Severide quickly answers as Otis's smile fades. "Unless they'd pay us to take it away?"

"Or we could pay them to take it away?"

"Okay am not feeling the love here," Otis groans as the rest of the teams enter the eating area. The two of them finish up feeding the teams and then head out back with two large garbage bags.

"That thing really is an eye sore," Severide comments as they both stand in the cold looking down at the small refrigerator with a goat painted on it. "And why the mascot?"

"At least Boden talked him out of adding a real bullet hole," Casey groans as he looks up and past Severide. His eyes rest on what he thinks is the familiar burgundy sedan he had seen a few weeks back. "I think…what?"

"You okay?" Severide asks in concern.

"Yeah," Casey snaps back to attention as he looks at Severide and offers him a small nod. "Let's get back inside, it's freezing out here."

"Don't have to ask me twice."

Casey follows after Severide, turning to look at the car once more but frowning when he stares at empty space. It was nothing, his mind states as the door closes behind him. But inside he can't quite shake the nagging feeling that somehow the person in the burgundy car watching them was related to their elusive hunter. The same person? Stalking them once again? But why?

"Hey Casey!" Hermann calls out and his mind quickly comes back to the present. They finish up the day with no more talk of Don's passing and the strained discussion Severide had with his father; both men not wanting to rock the boat about being disappointed with their personal family lives and feeling more like brothers every day than even they wanted to admit. And when they were leaving the burgundy was nowhere in sight. That was the pattern for the next few days.

"So apparently there will be a small service," Severide remarks with a small huff as he slumps down by Casey on the ledge of Truck 3 Friday afternoon a few days later. The two of them had rested up and were told by Boden to take the weekend and then report on Monday with an update on their condition to see if they'd be back where they belong – at the helm of their respective teams.

"When?"

"Next Saturday. Guess they had to get word to all the ex Mrs.'s," Severide answers with a small smile. "It'll be at the cemetery beside the base."

"You going?"

"Guess I should," Severide replies as he looks down at the ground, his shoulder slumping.

"Want some company?"

"Sure. The beer afterward is on me."

"Deal," Casey gives Severide a firm nod and smile. "How are…" Casey starts only to stop as both of them hear someone asking for Kelly Severide. The two of them stand up as Capp heads toward them with someone behind him.

"Here he is."

"Who's asking?" Severide inquires just as Capp steps out of the way and their visitor comes into view.

"I am," Josh replies.

A/N: *grin* okay so hope you liked the insight into the backstory and you'll see a few more snippets as we work to wrap things up in a couple more chaps (well not sure how much longer haha sorry!). So hopefully you liked the downtime/bonding time for our boys. Think Kelly will try to uncover the truth? Will he actually find it? And will that cause tension between him and his father? And what about the surprise visit from Josh? So thoughts as to how that will work out? Please do review before you go and thanks so much.