Grace stumbled into the house as quietly as possible but of course, you are most loud when you are trying to be quiet. She was trying to navigate the dark rooms and debated what she was going to do. She was deciding between carefully creeping up the stairs, sleeping on the couch or attempting to make food. Thankfully, Jake was with her and he had been in this situation more than once.

The twins had been at a party. Like any other high school party it was full of alcohol, drugs and bad choices. Usually Grace wasn't the party type, but she had changed a lot since moving to Chicago and she wanted to experience high school life. With everything going on in their lives she needed a night to let loose and have fun. They all needed a night like that.

She was drunk, no doubt about it. She had never drank before and she may have gone a little overboard. She was trying to hold it together and not go too far and she was doing well. She didn't get sick, she didn't pass out and she didn't do or say anything she would regret. She just had a few drinks, was feeling good and let herself have some much deserved fun.

The only problem was that they had broken curfew and that they were both drunk. Not to mention Grace was pretty sure Jake was high. She never touched the stuff, she was never interested, but Jake was the more rebellious twin. Grace was glad that Tyler passed on it too, even though she understood that teenagers experimented.

They didn't make it very far down the hall before the kitchen light was turned on. Casey and Severide were sitting at the table and waiting for them. Grace wasn't sure why they chose to sit in the dark but she figured they were trying to create a dramatic effect. They probably saw them get dropped off and then come up with this plan. Grace tried to stifle a laugh as she watch them both sit at the table, arms crossed and with serious expressions on their faces.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Casey said.

Grace turned and looked at the clock on the stove. "I believe it is one forty five."

Casey stared at her for a moment before turning to Severide. "Is she drunk?" He asked, his voice beginning to rise. "Is my fifteen year old niece drunk right now, with an attitude after she broke curfew? Please tell me I am hearing and seeing things."

Severide was staring Jake down. "Jake," He said calmly. "What did you take?"

"What?" Casey snapped his attention to his nephew as Grace smirked.

"What are you laughing about, little girl?" Severide asked.

"I am drunk," She began to giggle. "I don't even care, guys. I'm so drunk, I can barely walk and I'm starving. I had a great night and even if you ground me for life Uncle Matt, I won't care because for a few hours I got to escape all the pain and misery that life just keeps throwing at us. So I'm going to make some food and enjoy this bliss before it wears off, and when it wears off, then you can yell at me."

Severide and Casey were both stunned as they listened to her. Even Jake was a little surprised, but he decided to push his luck. "Yeah, what she said. And I'm high. It's only weed though."

Casey just shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Sit down, both of you."

"Uncle Matt I'm seriously hungry." Grace whined as she opened the fridge.

"And I'm seriously losing my patience." He said firmly. "Sit down."

"Can we make food first before you start yelling?" She continued as she opened the freezer.

"Grace, sit down now." He said, punctuating each syllable. She continued to ignore him as she pulled a pizza out from the freezer. "If you don't get over here in five seconds, I'm going to take a page out of Benny Severide's parenting book and put you over my knee."

Grace stared at him with a look between confusion and bewilderment. "What?"

"One, Two, Three," He began but only got that far before she came and sat down at the table. He looked between the twins and wondered what was going on. He admitted that he hadn't been the best role model lately, but he was trying his best. "Who drove you home?"

"Rachel," Jake said. "She hasn't drank since that night she got alcohol poisoning here."

Casey nodded, not wanting to think about that night. "How much did you drink?"

Jake shrugged. "I only had a few beers and I only took a few hits."

Casey turned to Grace. "And you?"

"I didn't do drugs."

Casey was beginning to get annoyed with his niece. "What did you drink Grace and how much?"

"Oh, I don't know."

"Grace," Severide warned.

"I don't really remember."

"She was drinking coolers with all the other girls," Jake said. "She maybe had four or five. She's never drank before and she's like a hundred and ten pounds so it's a lot for her."

"I'm fine." She insisted. "Other than being hungry."

Casey sighed and glared heavily at his nice. Grace shrugged and gave him her best puppy dog eyes accompanied with an innocent smile. Casey turned to Severide and shook his head. "Is it even worth trying to talk to them right now?"

"Nope," Severide said as he got up to turn on the oven. "But we can lecture and yell tomorrow when they are hung over, and that will probably be more fun."

"I read online that if you drink lots of water, take aspirin and eat food before you go to sleep, you won't be hung over the next day." Grace said.

Severide looked at her and tried not to laugh, but a smile slipped through. "What, did you Google that?"

"Maybe," Grace shrugged. "I was trying to be responsible."

"Responsible is not drinking at fifteen." Casey said firmly. "And not breaking curfew."

"I should get a pass!" Grace argued. "This is the first time I broke curfew or got drunk, or even drank!"

"You don't ever get a pass on those things," Casey continued with a stern voice. "You don't learn anything that way so let me make myself clear; tomorrow we will be having a long discussion, you will be grounded and this better never happen again."

Grace frowned, crossed her arms and huffed like a little kid. "Why are you being so mean to me?"

Casey looked at her and shook his head. "What?"

"You have a double standard." She mumbled. "You haven't even said anything to Jake and he's drunk and high! And he's done this before."

"He's not the one arguing with me." Casey said as he glanced at Jake. "He knows I am not happy with him and he will be grounded too."

"Don't even bother, Uncle Matt." Jake said. "She's an attention seeking drunk. No matter what you say, you are always the bad guy."

"Well that was just rude." Grace said as she got up to leave.

They watched her walk out of the room and heard the front door open and close. They looked around at each other before Severide spoke up. "I'll go."

Casey watched him leave the room before turning to Jake. "How many times have you smoked weed?"

Jake squirmed under his gaze. "A few."

"Define a few."

"Maybe three or four times." Jake admitted. "But I've never bought it or done it at or near school."

"If you come home high ever again or I hear or even suspect that you were doing drugs," Casey shook his head and let the threat hang.

"Let me guess," Jake said. "You'll take page out of Benny Severide's parenting book?"

Casey nodded. "I just might, Jake. I am completely against all drug use, especially with my own kids." Jake smirked and Casey frowned. "What's funny?"

"You said "my kids"," Jake explained. "I've pretty much always considered you a father figure, and now especially since we live with you. It's just cool that you feel the same way."

"Well, of course I do you knuckle head." Casey grinned as he messed up Jake's hair and pulled him into a one armed hug. "I love you, kid."

"I know, I love you too. You should tell Grace that." Jake said. "Even if you think she knows, you have to tell her, multiple times. Grace is pretty messed up from my parents. She's basically got herself convinced that nothing will ever work out and that everyone will end up leaving her."

"Why is that?"

Jake shrugged. "Kind of hard to believe in happy endings when you've never had one."

"Well we're going to have one." Casey said.

"I know that, and you know that but she doesn't know that. Or she doubts it. Why do you think she's out there?" He asked. "She just wanted to see if anyone would follow her."

"Well I'll go fix that right now." Casey nodded. "Put the pizza in the oven."

Severide found Grace sitting on the front steps with her arms wrapped around her knees that were pulled tightly to her chest. He was expecting her to be crying, but she wasn't, she was just looking up at the sky. "What are you doing, huh?" Severide nudged her as he sat down. "Drinking, breaking curfew, arguing with Matt?"

"I can't see any stars," She mumbled. "Matt used to take us camping somewhere around here and the stars lit up the sky like candles in a dark room when the power goes out."

"Grace," Severide called softly. "What's wrong?"

Severide watched her gaze drop from the sky to the tree tops and her forehead crease. "Is he okay?"

"Matt?" Severide asked. "Yeah he's fine."

"No he isn't." She shook her head. "He's trying to be fine, but he isn't. And I'm just waiting for him to realize that he doesn't want to do this anymore."

"Do what?"

"Be a parent to teenage kids that aren't even his." She sighed. "My parents are going to get out of rehab soon and I don't think he has the strength to fight for custody. And maybe he doesn't want to."

"Why do you always have him with one foot out the door?" Severide frowned.

"Because everyone in my life is never in it for long." She said. "Things go good for a few months and then all hell breaks loose. Hallie's death opened the flood gates and now I'm just waiting for the storm. We're passed our expiration date."

"Okay, Grace you don't have a shelf life and Matt has definitely been the one constant thing in your life." Severide said. "He's having a rough time, yeah, but he will be okay, it just takes time. But he's not going to give you two up. You are his life now and as far as he is concerned, you two are his kids."

"You don't know that." She mumbled.

"Yeah he does," Casey called from behind her. "Because I told him that."

Severide squeezed her shoulder before he got up and nodded at Casey. "Time to switch."

Casey smirked before he sat down beside Grace. "So were you trying to get my attention or see if I'd care?"

Grace shrugged. "I was just trying to feel better."

"Do you?"

"Yeah," She nodded. "Or I did until I came home. It was nice to get my mind off of things for a while."

"You don't need alcohol to do that and I don't like that you drank."

She sighed. "I know."

"I'm not going to leave, Grace." He said as he watched her stare off into the night. "I'm not going to let you go back without a fight. I'm not going to let them take you away from me. I'm not going to emotionally disconnect from you because of Hallie's death. I'm not going to get tired of being a parent to you. I'm not going to stop loving you, no matter what you do or say. I'm always going to be here Grace, so whatever fear you have locked up, let it go because it's not going to become reality. I don't know why we always end up here with me having to reassure you that I'm not going anywhere, but I'll keep doing it until you believe me."

Grace turned to look at him. "Promise?"

He smirked. "I promise."

Grace followed her uncle back into the kitchen and sat down at the table with Jake and Severide. Casey cut the pizza and placed it on the table. "Enjoy your last meal." Severide joked as he grabbed a slice.

"So, if we're grounded," Jake said. "Does that mean that we don't have to go to the dinner tomorrow?"

"Oh, you're going." Casey said.

Jake sighed. "Fine, there's beer there right?"

Casey stared at his nephew. "You're not funny."

"Oh come on, I'm a little funny." Jake grinned and Casey couldn't help but crack a smile as he shook his head.

"Tomorrow is going to be quiet the interesting night." Severide added.

"It's a couple's dinner," Grace said. "It's going to be boring."

"It's not a couple's dinner." Casey frowned.

"Oh please," Grace rolled her eyes. "Dawson and you and Kelly and Renee. I don't even understand why Jake and I have to go."

"It's a family dinner," Severide corrected. "I want you guys to meet Renee. Casey is basically my brother, which makes you two my niece and nephew. And you forgot that Shay is going."

"Right," Grace nodded, drawing out the word. "So how does Dawson fit into this family dinner?"

"She's a really good friend of mine." Severide shrugged. "And a good friend of Shay's."

"And a good friend of Matt's," Jake mumbled.

"Not you too." Casey said. "Dawson and I are just friends."

"You can't be just friends with a girl." Jake said.

"Yes you can," Severide said. "Shay and I are the best example."

"Shay is gay!" Jake and Grace said at the same time before they started to laugh.

"She doesn't count because she will never be attracted to you." Jake explained.

"Well with that logic, Shay can be attracted to Dawson and they're still good friends."

"Yeah but they're both girls." Grace said. "We're talking about a guy and a girl who can't be just friends."

"Oh my God," Casey as he ran a hand over his face. "Dawson and I are just friends."

"For now." Grace said with a grin. "It's going to happen and you know it!"

"If it happens, it happens but listen up Gracie," Casey said as he put his arm across the back of his chair and leaned in slightly. "Do not try to play matchmaker."

"I said it before and I'll say it again, you don't have to play matchmaker when the chemistry is already there."

"Go to bed before I strangle you." Casey joked.

"You love me!" Grace said as she wrapped her arms around his neck tightly for a quick hug.

"Yes, I do." Casey said as he pulled her back in for a longer hug. "But remember, you have a boyfriend and I have many embarrassing stories and the pictures to prove it."