Yes, I'm not a medical professional and yes I'm taking some liberties with perfect reality, but I believe it's the emotional content I'm going for.. if someone wants to be my medical researcher PLEASE message me, I could use one :D… also if you leave a review but as a guest, I have NO WAY to respond… sorry

11

Antonio knocked on the doorframe and waited for Kelly to look up. "Hey, is this a good time?"

Kelly lifted a hand and rubbed at his temples. "What do you need, Antonio?"

Clearing his throat, Antonio looked over at Stella and shook his head. "What's wrong?"

Gabby got up from her chair and stretched her legs. "She's been unconscious for a few hours. They found an infection in her blood. I sent word to Intelligence."

Antonio nodded. "We got it and the techs went over to 36 and swabbed the Turnout Room and other surfaces," he tried to keep his tone as 'matter-of-fact' as possible. "We're hoping you some answers on that, but I didn't realize that she was… unable to answer questions."

"What kind of questions?" Kelly was up as well, moving across the room toward the door.

Antonio shared a look with his sister and saw Gabby's tentative nod. "We questioned the two and a few other men, hoping to get some information, some new information to help with the case, but we didn't get much to help us. They did have one point in their narrative, they're trying to say that Stella initiated sex with them. That she was the one who intended to-"

"How?"

Antonio blew out a nervous breath. "Kelly, maybe we should just wait-" he looked down at the hand Kelly had wrapped around his wrist. White knuckles told Antonio that waiting wasn't going to happen.

"Was this just something they said she said? Or did? How are they going to prove this?"

Shaking his head, Antonio didn't even have to look down at his notes, he remembered what the men had said to him. "They said she brought the condoms to the stationhouse. That she was the one that offered to-"

"Wait, what?" Kelly's hand closed even tighter around Antonio's wrist. The Dawsons locked their gazes over Kelly's shoulder in concern. "What about the condoms?"

Gabby answered. "They said she brought them to the firehouse."

"What brand?"

Even Matt turned to look at his friend. "Severide, you don't think that Stella-"

"I know she wouldn't, but if I'm right, I know why she's sick."

Antonio looked back at Kelly and then at his notes. "I didn't get a brand, but I can go back to the firehouse and ask."

"No," Kelly shook his head. "I'll go. I want to ask them face to face."

"That's not a good idea-"

"Go with him, 'Tonio." Gabby's suggestion was more of an order. "I'll stay with Stella."

Matt pushed away from the wall. "I'll go with you two." He brushed a kiss on Gabby's forehead. "Sit with Stella. Tell her we're waiting for her to heal, okay?"

She nodded. "Just watch Kelly's back."

"We got it." Antonio walked up in front of Kelly. "I'll drive."

#

Kelly called ahead and got Grissom on the phone. And in turn, Grissom brought Caldwell and Kellan back to the firehouse. When they arrived, nearly everyone on third shift was standing on the Equipment floor putting up a barrier between Kelly and the three men from their house.

It was Grissom that broke the tension. "Come on, men… step aside. Kelly's an old friend."

No one missed it when Caldwell rolled his eyes. "A good enough friend that you dragged me in here?"

Kellan gave his friend a side-glance. "They called both of us in, Caldwell."

"Kelly, why don't we take this up to my office."

"No." Kelly shook his head. "I need an answer and then I'm out of here."

Caldwell's look was cold. "You want to know which one of us she liked better?"

Matt's worried look fell on Kelly, but his friend didn't move.

"I want to know what kind of condoms you used."

The statement reverberated through the assembled group like a seismic wave.

Grissom was the first one to speak. "This isn't the kind of conversation we should have in public-"

"I just need the answer. And if they don't come clean, you're going to make them."

Caldwell looked at Grissom. "This is the guy you wanted to bring here? The guy you were going to give my job to? No wonder you told me to-"

Grissom hissed at him. "Shut up, Caldwell."

"But he," gesturing at Kelly, Caldwell grinned like an asshole, "your pet rock wants me to talk."

Kelly swore under his breath. "I want you to answer a single question and then we're gone."

"You want to know what kind of condom? Why… your brand not doing it for your girlfriend?"

Antonio had just about as much as he could take. "Answer the question, Caldwell, or I'm dragging you back in."

By the looks of it, Kellan was beginning to wise up, but Caldwell was interested in digging himself a big hole in the cement of the equipment floor. "Well, I don't know why you're asking us. Why don't you ask Kidd. She's the one that brought the condoms to the party."

Kelly looked straight at Caldwell. "That's what you're saying on the record in front of all of these people."

Caldwell shrugged. "It's what happened."

"So, go head," Antonio prompted him, "what brand did she bring?"

"What the hell do I know? I wasn't exactly looking at the name on the wrapper, I was waiting on my turn."

Matt put a hand on Kelly's shoulder.

Kelly didn't lift his eyes off of Caldwell. "Griss?"

Grissom poked Caldwell in the back. "Answer him. That's an order."

"The one with the soldier's helmet on it… red & gold… with lubricant. Not that we needed it once we had her-"

Caldwell stopped short as Kelly reached into his pocket and both men looked for cover. Kelly didn't pull out a gun, he pulled out his wallet. Pulling a wrapper out of it he handed it to Antonio. "Here's your proof that it wasn't consensual."

Antonio looked at the condom he was holding and watched as Kelly pointed out a line of text.

"Stella's allergic to latex."

Matt was confused. "She uses the gloves at the House and on the Ambo."

Kelly turned to look at Matt, a haunted look in his eyes. "It's fine on her hands, but she's known for years that she can't use latex. Not for a condom."

Pulling out his phone, Matt used #1 on his speed dial, stepping away. "Gabby, tell the doctor-"

Caldwell was slow to pick up the meaning. "So? Maybe she was in a rush and-"

Grissom gave him a shove. "Shut up, Caldwell." He started across the floor and the third shift stepped out of the way. More than a few of them giving Caldwell and Kellan dirty looks. "Kelly, what difference does this make?"

"Stella's really sick, Grissom. I hope that with the information we know now, we can fix this. I don't know what I'm going to do if-" He shook off the thought and turned his head to the men. "You better think long and hard about your statements. From here on out it's going to be who can save their ass the fastest. Me? I hope you both turn yourselves in before I find you."

He turned to Antonio. "Take me back."

"Yeah, sure… whatever you want, Severide."