Chapter 20: Rooms on Fire
"Don't you have someplace to be, cupcake?" Voight asked, giving Callahan a look as she hunched over her desk, deep in a report, adjusting the bowtie on his tux.
She followed his finger to the clock on the wall and took in his attire. "Damn! Is that what Erin meant about heading to the locker room?" She realized what Voight had called her and took in the smirk on his face, "Freaking, Lindsay, I am going to kill her!"
Voight let out a chuckle as the blonde tried to shut down her computer and gather up her things while simultaneously trying to text her fellow detective, a pile of files and her phone falling to the floor. He picked up her phone and waved her off. "See you there, Callahan," he said, still laughing.
Cailin looked at him, wondering where this kinder, gentler Hank Voight was coming from and debated if there was a woman involved; but she didn't have time to ponder such mysteries considering she was supposed to be at the Palmer House in formal wear in 28 minutes.
"Crap, crap, crap!" Cailin swore, storming into the locker room, already tearing off her clothes.
"Everything okay?" Kim Burgess asked, stripping out of her uniform and into street clothes, about to meet Adam for another on the DL date.
Cailin grumbled, "yeah except I have like ten minutes to turn into freaking Cinderella and-" she broke off taking in her fellow detective. "Really, Lindsay, I have to compete with that?" she growled gesturing to her gorgeous friend in the custom fit, sheer green gown from Valentina.
"I told you it was time to hit it, Callahan," Erin remarked, pausing to gloss her lips.
"Next time be more specific," Cailin retorted, shoving her clothes into her locker and yanking her dress over her head.
Erin shook her head, "you were just at the City Hall ceremony seven hours ago!"
"And 2 CIs and 4 gangbangers ago," Cailin shot back, pulling her hair back into a messy chignon. "Looks like I'll be doing my makeup in the cab," she sighed.
Burgess shook her head, "give me five minutes." True to her word, the former flight attendant had the detective fully made up in five minutes, a look of satisfaction on her face.
"You are a miracle worker, Burgess!" Cally exclaimed taking in her handiwork.
"Stare at yourself later, Callahan, or we are going to be late," Erin quipped, as Cailin followed her out, struggling to put on her heels.
Clarke was waiting for her next to the gilded peacock doors, looking down at his watch. "Worried I would stand you up, cowboy?" Cailin teased.
Clarke was about to make a joke when he caught sight of her in the midnight blue dress that hugged her curves perfectly, the sheer lace panels leaving just enough to the imagination; though his insider knowledge made him wish he could just sweep her away to a room upstairs. "And here I thought you looked gorgeous at City Hall earlier today," he said, smiling down at her and kissing her on the cheek.
"Nice try. No woman actually looks good in their dress blues, but thanks," she said taking his offered arm as the porter held the door open for them. "You're looking very 007 yourself this evening, sir. You sure we gotta show up to this?"
Clarke nodded, despite desperately wanting to hail a cab directly home, their people were all gathered upstairs and they both knew how important these moments were, awards ceremony or not. "Yeah, but remind me that you and me need to do this more often without having to meet up with a bunch of lugs," he said, trailing his hand down her back, sending shivers up her spine.
The scene in the State Ballroom was as much a reunion as it was an awards dinner, despite having seen each other at City Hall earlier in the day. That affair was much more staid, the men of 51 alongside Clarke and Dowling receiving the prestigious Carter Harrison award from the mayor; while Antonio and Cally received Blue Star honorable mentions, though Voight loudly complained they should have received the actual award.
The Hundred Club event, while still black tie, was definitely a celebration. Everyone was dressed for the occasion, though Cally was pretty sure Otis' powder blue tux had come from a 1970's thrift store; Katie Severide didn't seem to mind, dressed in a matching gown. Kelly Severide was less amused, making a face that detracted from the otherwise handsome figure he cut in his tux, but a swat from Shay set him on the straight and narrow quick enough. Though it didn't stop Kelly from glaring at Peter Mill's laughter, an empty seat between him and the more traditionally attired Joe Cruz, who was already lost in deep conversation with his first, and by the looks of it, last, love. Capp and Tony and their wives, who were busy exchanging babysitter info while the guys talked sports, rounded out their table.
Clarke pointed out their seats at the next table, where Hermann and Mouch were seated, looked uncomfortable. Already tugging at their ties, as Cindy gently chastised them both, with the amused patience that only a mother of Hermann's brood could possess. Cally did a second double take at the gussied up Trudy Platt in the seat next to Mouch. Apparently the pair was, in fact a pair. She and Erin exchanged a brief look as they took their seats next to Matt, Gabby and Antonio.
"Don't worry, ladies, I am off the clock. No rank here," Trudy said, misinterpreting the look the woman had given each other.
"Good to know," Erin and Cally quipped in unison, garnering laughter from everyone else.
"Doesn't Donna look wonderful, she is glowing. I don't think I looked like that with a single one of my pregnancies, do you Christopher?" Cindy Hermann remarked, catching sight of the Chief and his heavily pregnant wife making their way to one of the tables up front, where Newhouse's family were guests of honor.
"You looked better, sweetie," Hermann shot back without missing a beat, the younger men at the table working hard to hide their snickers and snorts. "If you boys were wise, you'd be taking notes," he said, glaring at them.
Cally leaned in a whispered in Clarke's ear, "please don't take any notes from Hermann."
"Babe, I passed my Lieutenants' exam on the first try, remember," he shot back, squeezing her thigh under the table, removing his palm only as the salad course was served.
"Speaking of off-the-clock and no ranks," Erin said, "I'm glad he is not sitting at our table."
Cally followed her finger to a table full of mainly CPD brass, watching as their boss shook hands. She nodded in agreement, knowing that even if they had slightly warmed to the head of IU, neither Casey nor Clarke would want to share a table with them.
Cally had just taken a large bite of prime rib when she heard her and Antonio's names being echoed over the A/V system. She started sputtering and choking as she looked around to figure out what was going on, both Casey and Clarke looking ready to do the Heimlich as they simultaneously reached over to thump her on the back. She ducked out of their reach, pushing her chair back and grumbling, "damn show offs," as she followed Antonio up to the makeshift stage to accept their Valor Award.
"Did you know about this?" she asked through a gritted teeth smile as they posed for a photograph.
"Not a clue, just thought it was a pity invite for our participation trophy earlier today," Antonio shot back, looking equally uncomfortable and stunned.
"It is wrong to kill your boss, right?" Cally quipped, the CEO looking a little disturbed.
Antonio nodded, turning to the CEO and saying, "she's just joking."
Luckily the MC was already moving on to the next awards and they were ushered back toward their seats. "I think they all knew," Cally remarked, realizing there were tables full of people standing, clapping and generally causing a ruckus.
"Just think of this as a primer for your wedding, Callahan."
"And exactly why I am damn glad I eloped the first time," she shot back, trying unsuccessfully to slink back to her seat.
Cailin was beet red by the time she got back to her table, everyone still standing. "So I got shot, big deal, I don't run into burning buildings everyday, so sit down, the lot of you!" she admonished.
They complied, while still giving their well wishes. "You can't blame 'em for being proud of you, babe, they're family," Clarke remarked as she tugged him back into his chair.
"Yeah, well," she stammered, not able to handle the spotlight on her and more than a little overwhelmed, the look he was giving her not helping. They got lost in their own world for a moment until the words 'South State Street' caught their attention at the same time.
"Looks like it is someone else's turn, huh?" she said, giving him a look and a small smile that grew broader as all their names were called out
Cally pulled Clarke in by his tux jacket as soon as he was within arms reach, ignoring his bashful expression as she landed a kiss on him teasing, "you can't blame us for being proud of you, Jeff."
Chapter 21: Lighting Fires
"You know we could probably get faster service if Shay wasn't making out with the other bartender in the bathroom," Cally remarked next to Severide waiting in the long line at the bar.
He let out a laugh, "it wouldn't surprise me."
"It shouldn't, it's true, I walked in on them and she just texted me to apologize. I don't feel like it was very sincere. But good for her, I know she's been struggling since Devon skipped out. I kinda feel bad," Cally admitted.
Kelly shrugged, "don't, Leslie will be fine, she always is. She creates more drama than is needed half the time, any girl that is worth anything she insists is boring or not a challenge, but the crazy ones…she practically invites them to move in."
They stood in silence for a while, the line not moving much until Cally started in with, "So about you and Erin…"
"I am not talking about it, Callahan," Kelly replied, his blue eyes narrowing.
"I'm not prying, Kelly. I just want to make sure it is really done between the two of you, it seemed like you were pretty great for each other. And I am not picking sides."
"Nobody is asking you to pick sides, Cal," Kelly said, relieved that they were next in line to get drinks, there was something about the seriousness in her blue eyes that reminded him a little too much of the last time Leslie had pinned him down to give him a piece of her mind about messing things up with Erin, as well as his cohorting with coeds and his drinking and…well just about everything.
"You keep looking like that, Kel, and maybe we should make it a double," Cally said, giving him pat on the cheek, "cheer up, buttercup, you're far too pretty to glower."
"Hilarious, Callahan, now if you don't mind, I think I am going to go over there," he said, draining most of his whiskey as he made a beeline for a group of seemingly unattached women.
Cally sipped on her drink, heading back to the now mostly empty tables, everyone having scattered now that the party portion of the evening was in full swing.
She looked around, catching sight of Clarke, Hermann and Mouch in the Casino area that had been set up at one end of the ballroom. She thought about heading over, but decided against it, not wanting to break up the bonding.
She waved goodbye to Capp, Tony and their wives as they hastily left, saying something about needing to get babysitters home since it was a school night. She wondered if that was where Cindy had disappeared to as well, when she spied her and Trudy conspiring over near a dessert table.
Everyone else seemed to have taken to the dance floor, with the exception of Mills, who was being fawned over by a gorgeous woman with tawny colored skin that Cally thought she recognized as an ADA. She suddenly felt a bit out of place; almost going over to talk to Voight, who was now sitting with Boden and Donna, Newhouse's family having made an early exit. She debated her next course of action as she looked out at the city lights stretched out around them.
"You aren't thinking about sneaking out, are you, Cal, these windows don't open, you know."
"I didn't sneak out that often, Matty-boy, wasn't I usually sneaking you in?" she shot back, turning to her oldest friend with a smile on her face.
He smiled, slightly bitterly, at the memory, trying to ignore his reasons for sneaking into the Callahan house growing up. "Yeah, except your entire family knew what you were doing, why do you think they never replaced the lock on your window?"
"We never were as good as we thought we were, huh?"
Matt shook his head, "nope. Mostly because your brothers had already done it all and then some." He paused, looking at her for a long beat. "Congratulations, Cal."
Cally shrugged, "you got the same award, better by the city and you should have. I barely got zinged, it was nothing."
"On getting engaged, Cally. I'm happy for you. Jeff's a solid guy, he'll treat you right." Matt looked slightly uncomfortable, shuffling his feet before saying, "seeing as 'Tonio is trying to make me look bad, wanna dance, Gabby says I need lots of practice before the wedding." He gestured to where Gabby and her brother were out cutting a rug on the dance floor, alongside Katie and Otis, Joe and Taylor and now Cindy and Trudy.
Cally laughed, taking his offered hand, "while that is probably true, you have eight months, Matt!"
"Tell that to her or her mother," Matt grumbled as he led her out to the floor.
"You had her the first however many years, Casey, hand her over," Clarke remarked behind them a couple of songs later.
"I thought you didn't really dance, cowboy," Cally remarked, nestling effortlessly and happily in his arms.
"As I said, you bring out the best in me," he replied, spinning her with equal effortlessness.
"Back at you, Jeff," she said, her lips greedily meeting his as he pulled her tighter against him.
The night was growing late and long, the guys having disappeared to the game tables again. Gabby, Shay and Cally sat at a table, catching up like old times.
They noticed a pair making their way over, Cally motioning to Shay and Gabby, "good thing you two are here, I'm was worried Donna's was gonna pop that baby out before the dessert course."
"Well that kid would have had to wait until after I got my Bertha Brownie," Shay shot back, to peals of laughter.
"It is nice to see everyone having a good time, just be safe getting home," Boden said, with a smile as he wrapped his arm around Donna and they made their way toward the door.
"Okay, now that the boys are finally all gone, let's talk wedding, Callahan," Shay said moving next to Cailin, propping her chin on her fist, looking at her friend with wide blue eyes.
"Er, what about it? I've been engaged for all of a week, Leslie!"
"Then you better get cracking, because if you listen to Gabby, it is quiet the undertaking." Gabby peered around from the other side of Cally to glare at her friend. "Oh, don't give me that look, Gabriela! But surely you and old Clarke have talked about it!"
Cally let out a snort before saying, "yeah, we've sort of talked about it. Mostly all the months we don't want to get married. February and May are out for me because bad luck central, September is out for him because Lisa. June because Gabby and Matt, we already ditched January because you know how much I love winter," she rolled her eyes, "it can suck it except the holidays, it's the only time of year snow seems worth the hassle. So that's nearly half the year already. Maybe we should just elope, it wasn't so horrible doing the courthouse thing the first time."
"That's exactly why you can't this time, Cailin!" Shay admonished.
"Isn't helping Gabby plan her wedding more than enough for you, Leslie?" Cally shot back, "besides," she looked sheepish, "I kind of just want to be done with it. Wait, that doesn't sound right. I love Jeff, I have since the first moment I laid eyes on him. I just realize how precious having a second chance is and I don't want to wait. I also don't want to steal any of your thunder, Gabs," she said, looking at her friend with a furrowed brow.
"Please, girl, you aren't stealing anything, not to mention with the wedding my mother is planning I don't think Zeus could steal my thunder. Get married whenever you want."
"So what about the holidays?" Shay suggested.
"That's over a year away, did you miss where I said I didn't-"
"These holidays, Cal."
"Like in a few of months from now?" Cally replied, looking confused.
"It is soon, but luckily Gabby's mother has already planned like 14 weddings on Pinterest," Shay teased.
"I mean maybe…" Cal replied, trailing off, her head swirling, knowing this would be the only winter break Clarke would get during his accelerated med program. But that was crazy, she couldn't get married that soon, she had just gotten engaged!
"Whoop whoop," Shay grinned as she drew both Cally and Gabby friends into a hug.
"Um, shouldn't we maybe loop the groom into this?" Cailin retorted, feeling both excited and panicked.
Chapter 22: Fire in the Morning
"Wait so Shay suggested what now?" Clarke asked in the back of the cab on the way home. Cally had managed to shush her overly excited friend up, even if the women had dissolved into laughter when Clarke walked up a couple of moments after the wedding date discussion as though his ears were burning.
Cailin shrugged, picking at the manicure she had foolishly let Erin talk her into Saturday afternoon. "That we should get married in a couple of months over the holidays," she said, more to her window than to her fiancée. She worked to ignore the butterflies in her stomach, to deny that she actually liked Shay's idea. Sure it was crazy and impulsive, much like Leslie herself, but she had a point. And she knew her two friends well.
"I mean if the schedules work and we can find someplace…" Clarke said, "it is my only winter break."
"Are you seriously contemplating this, Jeff?" she asked incredulously.
"You should have heard some of the ideas Shay had for proposing to you, planning a wedding in a couple of months is incredibly tame and possible compared to those."
Cally let out a combined laugh and a sigh, "we really need to get her a girlfriend and a new career."
"Can we focus on one miracle at a time, babe? And more importantly can we get home first?" The look he gave her was enough for Cally to tell the drive to step on it.
Waking up in Jeff's arms the next morning made her never want to leave their warm and mussed bed. She just wished she could remember when he had class.
"Morning," he said barely opening one eye, a lazy smile on his face as he felt Cally stir.
"A very good one, I would say," she replied, moving up for a kiss.
He eagerly returned it, heat growing between them immediately. "You aren't going to have to jump up and rush into the precinct, right?" he asked, eyes clouded with lust.
"Not a snowball's chance, cowboy," she retorted, trailing down his body.
"We should talk about setting a wedding date more often," Clarke remarked with a satisfied grin while making breakfast a while later.
Cally let out a small laugh, perched on a stool at the breakfast bar clad only in a truck 25 t-shirt, lazily flipping through the paper; her phone blessedly silent beside her. "That had nothing to do with Shay's insane idea and everything to do with how hot you looked in your tux last night."
"What was last night about then, Cal?"
"Still the tux."
Clarke smiled, putting a plate of food in front of her. "Gotta keep your strength up, then. And as I said, we really need to do that more often without shit having to go sideways first."
"I don't need fancy, Jeff, you know that," she retorted, digging happily into her food.
He smirked, "good thing, considering how you just attacked that food." He made his own plate, sliding beside her, pausing with his fork hovering over his plate.
He had stayed awake the night before, after a satiated Cailin practically passed out next to him, thinking about Shay's suggestion. He meant what he had said before, he would marry Cally in a heartbeat, but she should have a wedding. And he wanted more than just a piece of paper; he wanted their relationship cemented in the eyes of the law, their people, and God.
Except for the tiny issue of his divorce and not being Catholic, something Mary Margaret had cornered him about when he carried a stack of dishes into the kitchen after the big Callahan family dinner. He neglected to tell Cally about this, she already isolated herself from her family far more than needed. She still seemed slightly hung up on the idea that she was a bit of an unwanted mistake, even if anybody else could tell in a second around her family that couldn't be further from the truth.
Cailin's mother had firmly informed him her only daughter was going to have at least one wedding in a Catholic Church, regardless of the groom; while kindly reminding him to not worry, because they had an in with the big guy. He still hadn't figured out if she meant God or the Archbishop; but in this town, those weren't that far apart.
"You gonna eat or just stare at your food? It is clear you didn't grow up with a bunch of older brothers, Clarke," Cally teased.
He made a face. "No, I was just thinking Shay's idea isn't so insane. There's no reason to wait other than planning, but we know people who know people, so how hard can it be?"
"You are in med school and doing weekend shifts for one. Finding a church that is free and convincing them to waive the six month wait period without me being knocked-up for another," Cally grumbled.
"Holy Family," Clarke countered.
"Yes, we've clarified my family is crazy Catholic," she grumbled again, stabbing at her food.
Clarke shook his head, "the church, babe, on Roosevelt. 51 stopped it from burning down during their renovations last fall, so we're kind of a big deal to them. Not to mention your brother." He gave her a look before digging into his own food.
"Why do I have a feeling you're going to have an answer for everything?"
"Because while you were sawing logs last night, I was doing some thinking."
"I do not snore, Jeff Clarke!"
"Sure you don't, babe," he smiled, kissing the look of horror off her face.
"Afternoon, cupcake," Voight remarked with a wink when she arrived up in IU.
"I really am going to kill Erin for that," Cally growled, thinking there just had to be a new woman in Voight's life. She looked around, Antonio and Erin either still not in or out on a case, Jay & Atwater's desks also empty, while Alvin and Adam were deep into files.
Voight quickly switch back into buttoned up mode. "While you were getting your beauty rest or whatever, a case came in, I want you and Halstead on it. Files are on your desk, brief him when he gets back with Atwater."
Cally looked at him a long beat, surprised he wasn't pairing up Erin and Jay like he normally did. Maybe more was going on between the two than she knew, she vowed to have a chat with him at some point on this case.
"We have to do what?" Cally exclaimed as she finished reading through the file, storming into Voight's office.
"Your Marine isn't going to have a problem with this, is he, Callahan?" Voight replied, not budging from his spot behind his desk, legs thrown up on its top.
Cailin narrowed her eyes, "Clarke is not my keeper, he knows this is my job. You consider I might have a problem with this, sir?"
"As you said, this is your job and nobody else wanted you from downstairs, so get cracking."
"Is this a low girl on the totem thing?"
Voight shook his head, "not specifically…"
"So why me and not Erin? I just did the UC Krok job and we both know how that turned out!" she exclaimed. Voight shook his head with a sigh, finally rising and walking towards her. "I think you know exactly why you and not Erin," he said with finality.
"It doesn't have to be Halstead!" she protested.
"Who, who else? Me and Olinsky are too old, Atwater's too green, both of you two would eat Ruzek for breakfast after an hour and Dawson has a lot on his plate right now. That leaves Halstead."
Cailin looked like she wanted to argue but the very person they were talking about appeared at the top of the stairs.
Voight all but pushed her out of the office. "Oh good, you're back. Halstead, Callahan, I know pronounce you unhappily married."
"Come again?" Jay asked, looking puzzled, the rest of IU staring at them equally confused.
Cally rolled her eyes, "I'll catch you up, but we're going to Molly's to do so, we both will need a drink."
"You weren't kidding about needing a drink, where you Callahan?" Halstead said, shaking his head in disbelief.
Cailin raised her eyebrows, topping off his glass from the bottle she had Shay pull out for them. "I never kid about drinking, Jay."
"Why us?" he asked, still looking a little taken aback.
"Because I have to prove to a contract killer that I don't like you, and apparently Voight doesn't think Erin would be able to do that for some reason," she stressed, giving him a look.
"Oh that," Halstead replied, draining his glass.
Cailin mirrored his actions saying, "yeah, that, though let's put that on the back burner and figure out how quickly we can play unhappily ever after and almost get you killed."
"It's a good thing there aren't normal customers around," Shay said, wiping down the bar and giving them a look.
"It's 3pm, Shay, any customers in here would be drunks and wouldn't remember what they heard."
Shay put her hands up, "I'm just saying. You tell Clarke about this," she gestured between the two of them, "shotgun wedding yet?"
"No, Leslie, I have not. I haven't seen him since I left this morning talking about our, thanks to you, own practical shotgun wedding," Cally retorted.
"Hold up, you aren't saying what I think you're saying," Halstead interrupted, looking panicked.
Cally shook her head, "no, Jay, I am not with child. You just saw me plow through a glass of whiskey! Shay here had the brilliant idea last night that Jeff and I should get married around the holidays and for some reason he actually thought this insane idea was a good one."
"He did, oh good!" Shay replied, her eyes glimmering with excitement.
"Yeah, he did, I'm glad you are both so into this. Maybe you two can plan the whole damn thing while Halstead and I are playing house over in Lincoln Park."
Shay practically bounced, "really?"
"No, not really. Aren't you helping Gabby with her wedding extravaganza? Why are you so into this?" Cally asked, feeling a bit incredulous. Shay had become increasingly anti-wedding with each day that passed toward Gabby and Matt's wedding, so it was weird to see her so on-board, in fact, almost over-board with her and Jeff's.
Shay shrugged, "I don't know, Clarke's just like my lesbro, you know? He's been there for me when I needed him to be, even when I didn't know I needed him to be."
"What about Kelly?" Cally pointed out, noticing how the second mention of the fireman's name brought a glower to Jay's face.
Shay rolled her eyes, "puh-lease, girl, even if Kelly ever got married, you know he would never let me plan a single thing. Except maybe the bachelor party," she grinned wickedly, "and more likely he would just stroll all casual into work one day and be all, hey guys, you catch the game last night, oh no, I missed it, because I was too busy tying the knot."
Cally couldn't help but laugh at Shay's impression and Halstead's increasing discomfort. "Enough, enough. Cool your jets, Leslie Shay, and I promise you'll be the first person I call when I need help. Now, Jay, darling, what is it that you have done to me that makes me what to have you whacked?"
"You better not get any ideas, Halstead," Clarke said, menacingly, glaring at the other man later that evening, having met them at Molly's after class. Halstead tightened his jaw, going into Ranger mode, facing off with the jarhead until Cally burst out laughing.
"He's messing with you, Jay, jeez," she said, "but your face is kind of priceless."
"Yeah, hilarious, except for that time I had to fit him for an ELMO after Dawson arrested him for murder," Halstead grumbled. "Seriously though, we're cool, right, man?" he asked, sticking his hand out.
Clarke shook it readily, "yeah, we're cool." He was trying to not worry about this assignment, especially after how the Krok turned out. At least this time someone else would be in with her, and they would be wired-in the entire time. He also sensed something of a kindred spirit in Jay Halstead, and knew he would have Cally's six. "Just make sure she has coffee in the mornings, otherwise she'll kill you long before some hired gun can try to."
"Thanks a lot, love you too," she replied, playfully swatting at him.
He caught her arm, pulling her next to him, wrapping his arm around her waist. "So just when do you two start shacking up?"
"Voight's working out the details," Halstead replied, clearing his throat, suddenly feeling very much like a third wheel. "Think I'm going to go check in with him on that."
Cally let out a small laugh as soon as he left. "I am pretty sure if he hadn't seen combat, he would have pissed his skinny jeans, babe."
"Yeah, well, I wanted to make it clear he knew he better make sure nothing happened to you." He saw her expression change. "I know you can take care of yourself, Cal, but you're my girl, you're going to be my wife and I'm not ever going to stop worrying about you."
The look of concern on his face was enough to melt Cailin's burst of anger away. She turned and looked up at him, a small smile on her face as she laid a palm against his face, "still planning on coming home to you for a long time yet, Jeff."
Chapter 23: Strange Fire
"You seem oddly calm about this, unless you're doing that simmering rage thing again," Cailin said, looking at Clarke lying on the bed studying as she packed a suitcase at the foot of it.
Clarke shrugged, "it's your job, gotta go better than the last one. Besides, it's Halstead's head on the chopping block, not yours."
Cailin smiled, though it was slightly hollow. "I suppose you have a point." She caught sight of the price tag hanging from the new pair of designer duds that Voight had sent over as part of their cover. "Who the hell pays $100 for something that is going to be covered in butt sweat?" She remarked, holding up the pair of yoga shorts.
Clarke let out a snort. "Idiots, but you might want to keep that to yourself while you are trying to get in good with the Richie Riches."
"You saying I'm not classy, babe?" she teased, shaking her head at another price tag. This suitcase probably contained the down payment to a house.
"Not touching that with a bangor," he replied, stretching before he rose from the bed and came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her. "Now would you finish throwing all that crap in there so I can send you off properly?"
"Consider me packed," she replied, hastily dumping the pile of clothing in and shoving the bag off the bed so they could fall into it.
Cailin burst out laughing as Jay climbed out of the fully loaded SUV Voight had assigned to them. He glared at her, looking acutely uncomfortable. "Sorry, Jay, I can't help it. You look like a douche," she said taking in his salmon colored pants and carefully layered shirt, sweater vest and popped-collar polo.
"Yeah, yuk it up, because you look like a basic bitch," he shot back, thinking he would much rather be shot at than going on this assignment. Not that he didn't want to work with Callahan, but having to rub elbows with the élite gave him nightmares.
Cally raised an eyebrow before sliding her giant sunglasses back up her nose. "Good, then we will fit in perfectly. Let's roll."
They both whistled upon entering the massive penthouse overlooking the lake. Little above our pay grades, huh? Cally remarked, taking in the view.
"This place is bigger than my building! That TV is bigger than my apartment," Jay retorted, "maybe you can go to the thing at the club without me and I can catch the game?"
Cal glared at him, "not a chance, Halstead."
"Keep glaring at me like that and we will be able to wrap this up real quick."
The evening was torture to them both, but they hobnobbed well enough with their cover story (Cally as trust fund girl from back East with Jay as the poor tennis instructor she fell in love with, her family shipping them to Chicago until she wised up) to get invited to another event the next evening.
They both had spent the day kissing up to the pretty people, trying to get in on the fast track of the unhappily wed, which really appeared to be the majority. Both were in foul moods by the time the charity event rolled around that evening.
"I look ridiculous, this is ridiculous, why can't these people just have long, drawn, out expensive divorces on reality shows like normal rich people?" Cailin said, circulating through crowd, garnering laughter over the comm Mouse had whipped up for them.
"At least you aren't wearing plaid pants," Jay shot back, feeling even more ridiculous.
"True, you win…or lose, now come on, let's stage a hissed whisper fight over by the bar, because I think I see our targets," Cally said, spying the guns for hire across the room.
Dominic Scalise and Petra Alfaro made for a striking pair, more easily settling into the well-heeled crowd than the detectives trying to take them down. They had already made their way down the East Coast, from Boston to Miami, leaving a wake of not so grieving widow and widowers behind. Both were hired guns for the mob for years, but they found a lot more bang for their buck in the niche market that found burying a spouse far cheaper and less messy than a divorce. The couple was frighteningly good at staging tragic accidents, which is why nobody caught on until they rolled up in the Windy City and one of Olinksy's CIs informed them of an "insurance scam".
"You are the reason we are stuck in this hell hole, if you hadn't embarrassed Daddy in front of his friends, we would be living in Greenwich right now!" Cally hissed as soon as Dom and Petra were in earshot.
"Like those jerks matter. They're just an ATM to me."
"And apparently so I am I. Don't think I'm just going to keep filling your bank account so you can go get cozy with skanks, Jason!"
"Whatever, sweetheart, you wanted to piss daddy off, well mission freaking accomplished, now pay up."
"Go to hell, you miserable leech."
"I already told you what it would take to get me to disappear."
"Oh I'll make you disappear," Cally muttered, making sure she made eye contact with Dominic.
It must have worked because after Jay walked away and started making flirtatious rounds, Dominic approached Cally as she stood at a cocktail table in the corner, nursing a glass of wine. Just being around all these high-rent, shallow people made her want to down several glasses, but she knew she was on the job.
"You're too pretty to be standing all alone and frowning," he said, giving her a long once over.
Cailin forced herself to smile, even though she really wanted to tell him he was being insulting and sexist. But she had to get him to offer to whack her fake husband, and telling him off wasn't going to get this job done any faster so she could get home to her real soon-to-be husband. "Better?" she said, keeping her tone light and hopefully playful.
"Much. Leo Giovanni, nice to meet you," Dominic smoothly lied.
"Catherine Johnson, pleasure," Cally lied right back, putting out her hand daintily.
Dominic moved in closer, sitting his drink on the table, settling right in. "I haven't been here very long myself, but I don't think I've seen you around here before. Are you a new member?"
"Just visiting, hopefully, I'm from back East. I've been put in time out," she smiled, trying to look slightly flirtatious, hoping it was working.
"Whatever ever for, Miss Johnson?" he smiled, with a look that told Cally it was, in fact, working. She spun a lock of hair around her finger, being careful to not dislodge the scarf that hid her scars, which could potentially ruin the poor little rich girl look. "It's Mrs. Harper, actually, and that's the problem. Daddy wasn't so found of me running off with my tennis instructor. I suppose after mother took off with her Pilates instructor, it is a bit of a sore subject, but…true love and all that," she shrugged.
He looked at her carefully, before his eyes wandered to where Jay was easily chatting it up with a striking redhead. "Is that so?" he said, a slight teasing tone.
"Or too much tequila after finding out my newest step-monster is barely older than I am. Seemed like a good idea at the time."
"I hear that a lot," Dominic said, unable to hide his grin.
"I don't know what you are moaning about, Halstead, you've spent the past couple of weeks flirting and being fawned over," Cally said, barely looking up from her phone while Halstead complained about them having to go to another event that night.
He pursed his lips, "I just don't see how there can possibly be this many things to raise money for. And those women are all ridiculous airheads who just want to gossip about who has had plastic surgery or whine about how many calories are in everything. One of them actually asked me if air has calories. Air, Callahan!"
"You poor thing, I'll say a novena for you."
Jay sneered at her, "Your sympathy is overwhelming. Remind me to thank Voight for bringing you on to IU."
"Yeah, well sorry you didn't get to play house with Erin," she snapped, feeling slightly guilty about it until she saw the look cross Jay's face. She put down her phone, now was a good a time as any for that chat she had meant to have. "Okay, sorry I snapped, but," she paused not knowing if she should continue.
"But what?" he snapped.
Cally waited a long beat, moving across the large room and perching on the edge of a chair next to the couch he was sitting on. "What is the deal with the two of you? You sort of act like you two have history, but I didn't think you did and you definitely acted like a jealous ex around Severide and now that they aren't together…"
"I was not jealous! Jay protested, his voice raising.
"Your face turned red every time Kelly's name came up and god forbid you had to share the same air space as him, I worried you are going to break a molar. All I know is I went into UC and they were together and then they weren't because he stood her up a couple of times. Like we don't have to do that all the time. Maybe it is none of my business, but I can't help but wonder who fed her that line about not being the girl waiting in the restaurant because it sure as hell doesn't sound like her!"
"You're right, Callahan, it is none of your business, so stay out of it," he growled.
Cally leaned back, "except I think it is my business, Jay. I want to know what is going on between the two of you or what you want to be going on between the two of you because we can't have that kind of tension at work. We are a family up in IU, we have to have each other's backs, always!"
Jay looked at Cally for a moment, knowing she was calling him out. He did have feelings for Erin and they didn't go away when Severide had swooped in with this chiseled everything and stolen his person. When the other man wasn't treating her right, he did encourage her to remember she had options and was worth more. Now that the pair had broken up, he knew he had been following after the brunette detective like a lost puppy. But that wasn't Cal's did have a point about the team, and he knew she knew first hand how difficult it could be to work with someone you were in love with.
"Even if you are trying to put a target on my back?" he finally joked.
"Fake target, Halstead. Speaking of which, Dominic told me he might have a solution to my problems, and I don't think he is going to give me the number of a divorce attorney. We're supposed to meet for drinks after this event." Cally hoped she had laid enough breadcrumbs for Dominic and Petra to follow, because two weeks in and she was missing Jeff more than she cared to admit.
It didn't help that they had traded voice mails and that he picked up an extra shift over at 51 since he had managed to get ahead on his coursework. At least on the Krok case she still got to curl up next to him for a few hours, instead of tossing and turning alone in a ridiculously oversized King bed that cost more than a car. She wondered what he was up to and if she had time to try to call him, when her phone started to ring with Voight calling to remind her that Perry expected quick solutions to complex cases.
"Come on, Clarke, it is perfect!" Shay pleaded, scrolling through the images on her iPad.
Clarke closed his eyes and shook his head. Somehow in even hinting that he and Cally weren't against the idea of trying the knot over the holidays, he had created a bridezilla…out of his lesbian friend. "It is something, Shay, and that something is expensive."
"Maybe they'll cut us a break since you two are keeping the city safe and stuff," she shot back, looking slightly dejected.
"I am not picking out a place to have a reception without Cailin," he protested, firmly, taking a long drink of beer. Cally was right, they needed to get Shay a girlfriend. He looked around for someone to back him up, but everyone else was focused on something else.
"Fine, but you're no fun," Shay replied, pouting.
He smiled, placing a couple of bills on the bar, "extra no fun, because I'm heading out." The good thing about Cally being on back-to-back undercover assignments was that he was getting an exorbitant amount of studying done, even if it was getting harder to hide his med school life from his CFD life.
Shay rolled her eyes but went back to her iPad. "I'm gonna keep looking though," she called after him.
"No, I understand completely, and that is a small price to pay and I would much rather pay you than let that leech get one more dime of my family's money. But you're sure it will look like an accident?" Cally said, after Dominic had finally taken the bait. She prayed the comms were working as well as Mouse had promised, considering they were in Dominic's car, parked under an overpass in a less than desirable part of town. Jay seemed to trust his former Army buddy wholeheartedly, and she hoped that was enough.
"Just get me the money and the only thing you need to worry about is what to wear to his funeral," Dominic replied with a smile.
"Then Leo, you have a deal. Now how about we go get a drink to celebrate me being one step closer to being a free woman?" Cally suggested with a laugh.
She quickly escaped to the ladies room as soon as they arrived at the upscale nightclub Dominic brought them to. As soon as the door shut behind her, she let out a heavy sigh before saying, "tell me you got that."
"We did," came Voight's voice over the comm, "and you may have been a little too good, I might need to let Clarke know."
Cally rolled her eyes, "very funny, Voight, now just get me the cash so we can get this job done and get home."
Voight chuckled, "what, you aren't enjoying married life?"
"Not to freaking Halstead!"
"Hey!" Jay's voice joined in.
"Damn Mouse," she grumbled.
"Just doing my job, Callahan," the tech genius retorted.
"I really do need that drink now," she said, glaring at the bathroom attendant who thought she was talking to herself.