Disclaimer: I own nothing
AN:so after a lot of though have decided to handle Mills departure as something he did in the past with his mom and sister,that he left Chicago for a long time and came back once Elise was married. I had Elsie written in as being in the city but I'm going to go with the idea that her home was north Carolina and they had a place in Chicago they would visit for long periods of time and the same for Pete's mom. Earlier chapters of this story say florida but I'm going to go back and change it eventually to say North Carolina.
"So dad what made you not stay in Wilmington" Shay asked.
"I was there for 7 years Shay, came back when Leslie was 7 and then I had you"Pete said.
"Have you ever thought about moving back" Shay questioned.
"Multiple times Shay but your life is here your family is here and besides that Aunt Leese and I are not that close anymore, a lot has happened in the last 10 years" Pete said.
"I know that but do you miss it at all" Shay asked.
"Of course I do Monkey" Pete said.
"That's how you met my mom right" Pete asked.
"Yeah Shay that's how I met your mom" Pete replied.
"How'd you end up back here" Shay asked.
"Her job,and because of you I wasn't going to stay in Wilmmington" Pete said.
"so for 7 years you spent your life there and then boom out of the blue you met this women and fell in love with her and she said she was moving here of all places so you followed" Shay questioned.
"I did,and I was welcomed back with open arms" Pete said.
"so why go back to the fire house" Shay asked.
Pete sighed, "it felt right"
"I'm glad you decided to come with mom because if you hadn't then I wouldn't have you or my 51 family" Shay said hugging Pete
Pete smiled, "Shay I wasn't going anywhere but where your mom went ,it's unfortunate that things didn't work out for her and I feel bad about that everyday"
"Dad don't,if anything I want you to be happy with someone" Shay said with a smile.
"Shay sometimes we can't be happy with the person we want to be happy with because they are with someone else" Pete muttered.
Shay raised an eyebrow, "who on earth are you talking about"
"It doesn't matter Monkey,go brush your teeth and climb in bed,I'll come say good night in a second"Pete added as there was a knock on the front door.
Pete opened the door to find Gabby standing on the other side, her face stained with tears, and a bag over her shoulder, "I decided to whistle"
Pete nodded and let her in knowing that something had been going on with her and Matt.
Gabby dropped her bag and collapsed into Pete's open arms, "he doesn't love me anymore
"What" pete questioned.
"Matt said he doesn't love me anymore" Gabby cried.
"Oh Gabby" Pete said pulling her into a tighter hug, "take a seat on the couch,I'm going to go make sure Shay is in bed"
Gabby nodded, "Lizzy is at the Severide's I droped her off on my way here"Gabby said.
After checking on Shay pete came back downstairs to talk to Gabby. "so what happened"
"Matt finally told me he doesn't love me anymore,he wants to walk away"Gabby said through tears.
"I'm so sorry,is there anything I can do for you"Pete asked.
"I just need a place to stay for now,I told him I would leave the house"Gabby said.
"My bed is yours"Pete said.
"Are you sure"Gabby asked.
"Absoloutly,I'll sleep in shay's room on the top bunk"Pete said.
Gabby breathed a sigh of relief, "thanks so much for this"
Pete nodded, "I said Whistle if you ever need me and you whistled"
Gabby smiled and wiped her tears she hadn't heard that in nearly 20 years, "I finally whistled"
"you did but it's getting late and I have to be up to drop Shay at Before care in the morning before work,you are more than welcome to stay here as long as you need to"Pete said.
"Thanks again"Gabby said as they both headed upstairs.
The next morning at the fire house
"Casey can we talk"Mills asked knocking on Matt's office door.
"What's up"Matt asked.
"You are my least favorite person right now"Pete grumbled.
Casey sighed, "you can't help how you feel Mills you know that"
"I do know that but now I'm picking up the shattered pieces and I'm not a fan of that"Pete replied.
Matt shrugged, "you didn't have to do that"
Pete rolled his eyes, "I wasn't going to leave your wife on my door step"
Matt nodded, "thanks for that"
Pete nodded, "of course,but I think it's best you don't come sniffing around my place right now"
Matt rolled his eyes, and pointed toward his office door having nothing else to say to Pete whom he felt had butted into his personal life.
