CHAPTER 18
Brett and Casey were having so much fun at Herrmann and Cindy's house for Christmas. They played Dirty Santa, which no one really wanted the gifts but Brett and Casey decided to be nice and keep their Dirty Santa gifts as to not hurt the family's feelings. After playing Dirty Santa, Cindy walked over to the Christmas tree and grabbed two small gift boxes, walked over to the couch where Brett and Casey were sitting, handed them the boxes, and then sat down in the reclining chair beside the couch.
"What's this?" Casey asked.
"It's just a little something from us for Christmas." Cindy smiled.
"Aw, you guys didn't have to do that." Brett said.
"I know we didn't have to but we wanted you guys to have a great Christmas. You both have been through so much. This is just our way of saying put the past behind you and move forward. Stay positive and everything will work itself out." Cindy cheerfully said.
"Thank you. Both of you." Brett smiled.
"Well, go on. Open them!" Herrmann said.
Casey went first. He pulled out a firefighter ornament with his name on it.
"Cindy made that. There's literally nothing that she can't make." Herrmann said.
"Oh don't listen to him. There's a lot of things I can't make but I try." Cindy laughed.
"I love it. Thank you guys." Casey said with a smile.
"Sylvie, your turn." Cindy smiled.
Sylvie pulled out an ambulance ornament with her name on it.
"I love it." Brett said with tears forming in her eyes.
"Every year, it's tradition in our family that we make personalized ornaments. Now, you are officially part of our family." Cindy smiled.
"Thank you." Brett smiled.
After chatting for a little while, Brett and Casey walked back to their apartment. It had truly been a great Christmas for the both of them. When they got home, they changed into their pajamas and went to bed. The next morning, Severide called and he and Casey made plans to hang out, while Stella and Foster had a girls day with Brett. There was a knock on the door and it was Severide, Stella, and Foster.
"Come on in." Casey said as he stepped away from the doorway to let the three of them in.
"You ready, buddy?" Severide smirked.
"Let's go." Casey said.
Casey gave Brett a kiss.
"I love you." Casey said.
"I love you, too." Brett said.
Severide gave Stella a kiss as well and then the two men headed out to do their thing while the ladies had their much needed girl's day.
"Someone's glowing and it's not from Christmas. Spill it." Stella said.
Brett smiled.
"Spill what?" Brett asked with a smile.
"Girl, your face is glowing." Foster teased.
"I'm just happy." Brett deflected.
"Yeah we see that, but there's something else going on." Foster replied.
"I'm just happy." Brett commented.
"Sylvie Brett, you haven't been this happy in months. The only time you have been happy lately is when you're with Casey." Stella explained.
Foster and Stella stopped for a minute and realized why Brett was so happy.
"Wait a minute, you and Casey slept together!" Foster exclaimed.
"Shh...not so loud." Brett interjected.
"So, how was it?" Stella asked with a smile.
"It was so amazing. It was by far the best I have ever had but in a good way. It was special and romantic. It was everything that I have ever wanted and the fact that it was with Matt, well, I've never been so happy." Brett explained.
"Good for you. You deserve to be happy." Stella said.
"I am." Brett grinned.
"What did Casey get you for Christmas?" Stella asked.
Brett showed them the necklace.
"That's the necklace you got at the party." Foster said.
Brett nodded her head.
"Casey was your Secret Santa? That's so sweet." Foster said.
"He's the best. I don't know how anyone could have ever hurt him. He's the most amazing man that I have ever known." Brett smiled.
"Our girl has got it bad." Stella joked.
"Wait, what?" Brett asked.
"You know you do." Foster teased.
Brett kept smiling.
"I do." Brett laughed.
"So, what's the plan for today? The guys have their own thing they are doing." Stella said.
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm down to just binge watch some Grey's Anatomy and eat pizza." Foster joked.
"I'm down with that." Stella said.
"Me too. Let's do it." Brett said as she turned on the DVR and TV.
Brett scrolled through the DVR until she found the Grey's Anatomy season that she had been currently recording while she and Casey were at work. She pressed play on the remote and the first episode of the season played. She placed an order for three pizzas for delivery and the ladies were doing their own thing.
Meanwhile, Severide and Casey were doing their thing.
"Kelly, why in the world did you talk me into this?" Casey asked as he and Severide were working on Severide's truck in the cold.
"Because I have to get this fixed and I miss my best friend." Severide joked.
"I'm not anywhere." Casey laughed.
"I know. It's just ever since the whole OFI thing and you moving out, I just miss my best friend." Severide said.
Casey stopped working on Severide's truck and gave Severide a puzzling look.
"Dude, what's going on? You're acting very strange." Casey said.
Severide looked nervous.
"Truth?" Severide asked.
"Yeah, the truth. Don't give me none of that 'I haven't seen you in a while crap' because I know better than that." Casey replied.
"Truth is that I want your opinion on something. Cruz is getting married and asked me to be his best man, which I accepted but how would you feel about being my best man?" Severide cleverly asked.
Casey was taken aback.
"Wait, what?" Casey asked,
"Yeah, I'm thinking about proposing to Stella tonight and I would like for you and Brett to be there when I do." Severide said.
"Absolutely. Count me in." Casey added.
"Text Brett and tell her to get dressed up tonight that you are taking her to a romantic dinner. You know if she finds out that I'm gonna propose, she'll tell Stella and well, that will ruin everything." Severide said.
"I have a better idea." Casey said as he reached for his phone.
Casey pulled out his phone and called Brett. She saw the number on the phone and immediately answered it.
"Hello?" Brett asked.
"Hey beautiful, I was wondering if you wanted to get dressed up and go out on a romantic date tonight." Casey told Brett with a nervous tone.
Casey caught her off guard.
"Uh, yeah. Um, are you coming home or should I get ready before you come home?" Brett asked.
"Get ready before I come home. I forgot I still had some clothes at Severide's that I need to get, but I'll see you later tonight, beautiful." Casey smiled.
"I love you." Brett quickly replied.
"I love you, too." Casey added.
After they hung up the phone, Severide gave Casey a look.
"What?" Casey joked.
"You should see your face light up whenever you talk to her." Severide pointed out.
"Same could be said about you and Stella." Casey retorted.
"True but I love Stella and I want to ask her to marry me, but man, I'm nervous." Severide said.
"I know but I was nervous when I asked Brett out on a date for the first time." Casey said.
"That's different. You're not asking her to marry you in front of your two best friends." Severide nervously grinned.
"Dude, you're gonna be fine. Just remember to breathe." Casey laughed.
They continued to work on Severide's truck. When they were finished, they headed to Molly's for a drink. Meanwhile, the ladies were having their own fun in Brett's apartment.
"I don't know why, but I never get sick of watching this show." Foster said.
"You know I only watch it for the hot guys." Stella said.
"You're not the only one." Brett agreed.
"The women aren't so bad either." Foster chimed in.
Everyone at Firehouse 51 knows that Emily Foster is bisexual and that didn't bother any of them. In fact, they embraced her for who she was, which was something that she didn't have before.
"Which character is your favorite?" Stella asked Foster.
"It just might shock you, but I'm very fond of Alex." Foster said.
"I love Meredith and DeLuca's relationship but is it so bad that I secretly want her with Alex?" Brett giggled.
"Not at all. I think we all want her and Alex to be together. I want DeLuca with Jo. I think they have more chemistry." Stella said.
They continued to binge watch Grey's Anatomy and gossip.
"So, what did Casey want when he called earlier?" Foster asked.
"He wants me to wear a dress because he's taking me out on a romantic date." Brett smiled.
"Girl, why didn't you say something? We have to fix your hair and do your makeup." Stella said.
Before Brett could answer, Stella's phone rang.
"Hello?" Stella asked.
"Hey, it's me. I have a question for you." Severide asked.
"What's up?" Stella asked.
"I heard Casey asking Brett out on a date earlier when he was helping me with my truck and it got me thinking. When was the last time you and I had a romantic date out? Just the two of us?" Severide asked.
"Uh, you know. I don't remember. It's been a while." Stella replied.
"Would you wanna go on a romantic date with me tonight?" Severide asked nervously.
"Of course." Stella smiled.
"Casey's getting ready over here tonight before he picks up Brett." Severide explained.
"That's no problem. I can get ready with Brett." Stella replied.
"Alright. See you tonight. I'll pick you up at Brett's. I love you." Severide said.
"Love you too." Stella replied.
Stella and Severide hung up the phone.
"That was weird." Stella said.
"What is?" Brett asked.
"Kelly wants me to get ready with you because he wants to take me out on a romantic date with just the two of us. Funny thing is, Casey asked you out on one just a few hours ago." Stella explained.
"That is a little weird." Brett said.
"You know what this means, don't you?" Foster said.
"No, what?" Stella asked.
"You two are going on a double date with your men." Foster said.
Stella and Brett gave each other a knowing look.
"I wonder what those two are up too. They only do something like this when they are up to something." Brett said.
"That's true. The last time I went on a date with Kelly, he took me to the theater for my birthday." Stella replied.
As they continued to chat, Foster suggested that they get ready together. It was already 4:00 p.m. and Casey told Brett he would pick her up at 7:00. Brett changed into a black strapless dress that came down to her knees and her black flats. Brett went through her closet and found one of Stella's dresses that she left there one night after her and Severide had gotten into a huge fight about something.
"Stella, I found your blue dress from that gala thing we went too a few months before I left with Kyle." Brett said as she gave Stella the dress.
"Oh yeah. That's when Kelly and I were fighting about my job and I took off. You and Foster followed me and we somehow ended up here." Stella laughed.
"Oh yeah, I forgot about that." Brett frowned.
Stella took the dress and put it on. Brett and Stella still had to do their hair and makeup. Lucky for them, Foster was great at fixing hair. She pulled Brett's hair into a fancy bun and left two pieces of hair hanging in front of her face. Foster curled those pieces and then worked on Brett's makeup. Foster put a little bit of eyeliner on Brett's eyes and then to finish, she gave Brett a nude color eye shadow, enough to brighten her eyes. Next was Stella's turn. Foster straightened Stella's hair and then did a half up, half down hair do. She put some eyeliner on Stella and then put on some eye shadow that matched Stella's skin tone to bring out Stella's big brown eyes. All that was left to do was find Stella some dress shoes. There was a pair of dress shoes that Brett had bought online but were too big for her, even though it was in her size. Stella tried on the the small heels and they fit perfectly. Both ladies were ready for an evening with their men, but neither of them knew what was about to happen.