A/N: Three chapters after this and an epilogue! Getting close to the end! Hope you guys enjoy!
Happy Reading!
angellwings
CHAPTER TWENTY NINE: You Get the Horns
The morning briefing descends into excited chaos after Boden lets Brett stand up and say a few words. Matt knew it would happen, but the fall out is still amusing. 51 is so excited to meet Brett's parents that you'd think celebrities were paying them a visit. Though, with the amount Fowlerton stories they've all heard, maybe that's what The Bretts actually are.
"Guys! Seriously!" Sylvie begs. "Just don't tell any stories that have to do with me and danger, okay?"
"Like the time you were kidnapped by the mob?" Capp asks, seemingly innocently.
"Yes," she replies with a dry glance. She looks as if she can't believe he's even asking. To be fair, no one can. But then…it's Capp. "Especially, that one!"
"Wait," Foster says with wide intrigued eyes. "When did this happen? Because this is the kind of stuff I want you guys to tell me. Unlike that story of the time Tony nearly lost his pants during a drill."
"I can tell you all about it after my parents leave," Sylvie answers with a chuckle.
"What about the time you tried to save a girl and nearly fell into an industrial pit in a building with no central heat in the middle of the coldest Chicago winter on record?" Cruz asks with a teasing smirk.
"Keep talking. It's not like I talked sense into your fiancé or anything," Sylvie says with a playful glare. Her sarcasm has never been more blatant. "You owe me nothing."
Matt covers an amused grin by casually swiping a hand across his chin. God, she's adorable. But as the chatter and the teasing picks up again, he decides to help her out.
"We've got it under control, Sylvie. They won't leave here traumatized," he promises, tossing a stern look around the room. "Isn't that right, guys?"
The room mumbles a general agreement and then Boden dismisses them.
Sylvie lets everyone clear out and then approaches him once they're alone. She beams at him and presses a quick kiss to his lips.
"Thank you for the back up," she tells him with a light laugh. "I needed it."
"Happy to help," he replies. "Did they say when they're arriving?"
"No, but dad never leaves a hotel one minute before check out so probably after 11," she replies with a fond roll of her eyes.
She starts to walk away but he hooks a finger through the belt loops on her trousers and reels her back in. She gives him an expectant look.
"Yes?"
"Just to clarify, I shouldn't tell your parents about the time you sedated a high as a kite bodybuilder type that was trying to strangle your partner?"
"Matt!" She admonishes as she punches his bicep, hard. "Don't you dare!"
He winces and laughs loudly — holding his arm where she hit it. "Jesus! That hurt!"
"In addition to spin classes, I take a little kickboxing. I'm sorry, did I not tell you that?" She asks as she blinks her big blue eyes at him in false innocence.
"No. You did not," he answers with a delighted smirk. He shouldn't enjoy provoking her this much. "How convenient."
She shrugs and then spins out of his reach. "Well, now you know," she calls, tossing a flirtatious grin over her shoulder as she walks away.
He chuckles to himself and then sets off for his quarters. As he passes Severide's quarters he emerges with a sideways smirk.
"Today's the day you meet the parents, huh?" Kelly asks. "You have an interesting way of 'stepping back'."
He rolls his eyes at the teasing and shrugs. "It's not intentional. They came to town and wanted to see the Firehouse. What am I supposed to do? Hide until they leave?"
"No, I'm just saying, the timing's pretty funny," Severide observes with a chuckle.
"Yeah, that's me, the guy with the weird timing," Casey replies with a sigh. "Sylvie said she talked them down from following her to the loft. She arranged today - saying it would be 'less pressure'."
Severide looks impressed and nods. "She's smart. There's a lot to show them here and you should just be a brief stop on the tour instead of the main event. She's looking out for you, man."
The bells ring out and cut their conversation short. He doesn't have much time to mull over Kelly's very correct observation. Sylvie is truly looking out for him and he loves her even more for it. The call turns out to be a large blaze and it takes up a few hours of their time when it's all said and done. They arrive back at the house and get cleaned up. When they emerge from the locker room later, they're greeted by loud laughter and booming voices. Gallo and Ritter were among the first to leave to start lunch but as Casey crosses into the common area he finds them leaning against the counter in the kitchen. He starts to ask about lunch when he notices three large catering trays full of sandwiches laid out next to a stack of plates and a selection of condiments.
"What's this?" Kelly asks as he grabs a plate.
"Mr. and Mrs. Brett brought it," Ritter tells them. "They're with the Chief and Sylvie now in the bullpen."
"Nice," Severide says with a smirk. "I like them already."
Not surprising. 51 seems to like anyone who brings them food. Matt makes himself a plate and then sits down at the round table with a stack of paperwork. He'd retreat to his quarters but with the Bretts here that feels rude. He's finished with lunch and focused fully on his reports when Sylvie finally leads her parents into the common area.
He knows she's adopted but that doesn't stop him from seeing the family resemblance. It's just more of a resemblance of personality rather than looks. Mrs. Brett makes a beeline for Cruz.
She beams at him and grabs his face — patting his cheeks in a parental fashion.
"I have been looking at you through a screen for so long, young man, it is good to finally meet you," she says as pats his cheeks one more time. "So handsome. How's your Chloe? How many more weeks until the wedding?"
The rest of the room exchanges fond grins. Sylvie's a little less exuberant but just as caring.
"Martha," Mr. Brett says with a chuckle as he peels his wife's hands away from Joe's face. "Let the man breathe." He shakes Cruz's hand and then steps back — content to let Joe and Martha carry the conversation.
Just like that, it's instantly clear where Sylvie inherited her cool head.
Severide fills the empty seat next to him while Sylvie introduces her parents around the room. Mr. Brett seems to find Mouch and Herrmann delightful while his wife dotes on Gallo and Ritter.
"Too skinny," she tells them as Sylvie pulls her away. "Eat more of those sandwiches, you two. We brought plenty."
Both men grin and nod in thanks, but walk away without grabbing another sandwich. Matt smiles while fighting off a chuckle. Oh, yes, these are definitely the people who raised Sylvie Brett.
Finally, it seems to be his turn. He nudges Kelly with his elbow as he stands to indicate Severide should follow his lead. Severide nudges him back with a glare as if to say he didn't need the reminder. He was gonna stand anyway.
"And you two must be Severide and Casey," Martha announces. "I can tell by the brotherly glaring. Now, which is which?"
Severide lets loose a snorting chuckle and then gently shakes Martha Brett's hand. "Kelly Severide, ma'am. It's great to actually meet you. We've heard a lot about Brett's family."
Mr. Brett's eyes breeze over Kelly and then land on Matt with a shrewd narrowed glance.
Sylvie clears her throat as she comes to stand by her father's side. She motions between them.
"Dad, this is Captain Casey. Matt, this is my dad, Samuel," Sylvie states before nervously taking in and holding a breath.
"So, you're the Captain we hear so much about?" Samuel asks as he offers his hand for a shake.
"I suppose so," Casey replies modestly. "But, please, call me Matt. I only make these slackers call me Captain." He nods to the rest of the firefighters in the room and smirks as he shakes Samuel's hand. "We're glad you could make it out to see us."
"Well, Matt," Martha says as she steps in front of Samuel and sticks her hand in his. She barely shakes his hand before letting go. It's more of a soft squeeze than a shake. "We're glad we could make it out here too. Sylvie's with all of you more than she's with us. It's heartening to see she's so well taken care of around here."
"She does just as much to take care of us, Mrs. Brett. Trust me on that," Matt tells her. "You've got an amazing daughter and 51 wouldn't be the same without her."
"It's true," Kelly adds. "She's saved my hide at least once before." He grins and then points at Brett as he begins to reminisce. "Remember that time the guy was tangled in a cable and there was another guy holding it over the side of the building? That was a crazy call."
Severide either misunderstands Sylvie's responding glare or ignores it. Given the way Severide's eyes alight with mischief, Matt has a feeling it's the latter.
"She pulled a stellar slide maneuver and caught my guys when we all almost fell off the roof. Held them there with basically nothing but grit and determination," Kelly informs them. "Almost asked to make her an honorary member of Squad that day because I was so impressed."
If looks could kill Severide wouldn't just be dead; he'd be obliterated in the afterlife too. Matt's never seen Sylvie look so lethal before.
"You did what?" Her mother screeches.
Sylvie's face transforms at the drop of a hat. The glare she pointed at Severide turns wide and innocent with a bright comforting smile.
"It wasn't that dramatic," Sylvie fibs as she walks around her parents to face Severide. Matt notices the toe of her shoe lands on Kelly's before she offers further explanation. "Severide's just trying to make me look good in front of my parents." She leans her weight into the balls of her feet and then presses down hard on Kelly's foot. "Aren't you, Severide?"
He winces almost imperceptibly before he answers her. "Yep, that's...that's exactly what I'm doing."
Sylvie's foot leaves Severide's once he's played along. "He's sweet like that." She glances down at her watch and then waves politely at both him and Kelly. "If you guys are planning to be home by tonight then we should wrap this up. Come on, I'll show you my rig— oh and you can meet Foster! We'll make that our last stop."
Matt presses his lips together in a stern line to keep from guffawing loudly. Meanwhile, Kelly is keeping completely still and barely breathing. The minute all three of the Bretts are out of earshot, Kelly deflates and Matt lets his laugh fill the air around him.
"Shit! For someone who looks like such a lightweight that fucking hurt," Severide exclaims.
Matt laughs harder at Kelly's surprise and then shrugs. "You play with the bull, you get the horns. How's your foot?"
"Possibly broken," he pouts.
Matt lifts a shoulder carelessly and flashes him a smug grin. "Next time I guess you'll know better, huh?"
"Fuck you," Severide replies with a begrudging laugh. "That was brutal."
They both retreat back to their quarters. Once alone, Matt breezes through the rest of his paperwork. The nerves over meeting Mr. & Mrs. Brett no longer distracts him and neither does the constant disruptions from the gang at 51. Just as he finishes up, Brett knocks on his open door.
He looks up with an apologetic smile. "Severide didn't get you in too much trouble, did he?"
"I managed to walk it back with mom, but I got the impression dad was playing along to keep mom from worrying," she tells him with a dry chuckle and a shrug. "We'll see what they say when they call me tonight. I won't know either of their actual opinions until then."
She steps into his quarters and sits down on his lap. He feels her hands on his shoulders before they trail up to rest on either side of his jaw. "I got a definite opinion on you, though."
He quirks a brow anxiously. "Do I want to know?"
She chuckles and meets his eyes with a fond gaze. "Mom thought you were cute. Dad thought you seemed reliable."
"Cute and reliable," he repeats. "I've definitely had worse reviews from a girlfriend's parents before so I'll take it."
"Sorry if my mom was a little pushy," Sylvie apologizes with a wince.
"Please," he says with a dismissive shake of his head. "She was just a bit excited, that's all. Your parents seem great. It was nice of them to bring lunch."
"Well, I'm glad you think so," she says, looking relieved. "They've been known to be a bit intimidating."
"Known by who?" He asks with a furrowed brow. "Because they just seemed like caring and involved people to me."
She glances away from his face with a small wry grin. "I've been told they're too involved. So, just...be prepared for that now that they've met you."
"I think all families are too involved. I mean just look at 51," Casey replies with a grin and a light laugh. "Besides, if it helps, Christie made me promise to schedule a dinner with you and me and her and Violet whenever we're ready for that. That probably won't be as quick and painless as the meet and greet with your parents."
That earns him a soft smile and a quick kiss. "That does help, actually. Thank you. Oh! And I just wanted to remind you I leave in a couple of hours for my doctor's appointment."
Matt's stomach sours along with his mood. He'd almost forgotten about that. "I still think I could get away with bringing in a relief Captain for the rest of shift and go with you-"
"No, Matt," Sylvie interrupts with an affectionate yet exasperated grin. "We talked about this. It's just a final follow up. I can drive myself there and drive myself home. I'll be fine."
That's all true and he knows it's a simple appointment, but something about it still feels unsettling. "You'll call me after?"
"Of course," she promises. "Don't worry about me. Focus on the rest of shift. You're the one who's literally running into burning buildings."
"Yeah," He replies with a scoff. "It's not really that simple, Sylvie."
"I know," she agrees with a stern glare. She sounds frustrated but not angry. The minute she elaborates he understands why. "Why do you think I've been camping out at Tower every time you leave for a call? If I can deal with the worry every shift for a month then you can deal with it for an afternoon."
He sighs in resignation and cups the side of her face, running his thumb along her cheekbone. "Fair enough," he says repentantly. "You're right." He pulls her lips down to his and risks a lingering kiss despite the door to his quarters being wide open. When he pulls away he rests his forehead against hers. "Just be careful. Okay?"
"Always," she swears. "I promise."