Title: Chasing the Future
Chapter 6 – Whispers & Lies


"I need your help. I'm in trouble."

"You sure you're okay?"

"You look worse than me."

"Soot washes off," Kelly replied with a small frown. "Erin…"

"Trust me…this is nothing. What's going on?"

"You asked if I was in trouble. Why…what do you know?" Kelly pressed anxiously as both of them remained in the small hospital room inside busy Chicago Med's ER area.

Erin looked at him a few seconds before her hand dared to reach up and gently brush a piece of charred debris off his slightly stubbled cheek. His dark lashes brushed against the fleshy parts of his eyes a few seconds as he delighted in her touch and then snapped himself back to reality.

"Okay so…" she started with a deep breath. "That day in the library…the young man that helped you. He's a cop. Mouse."

"A what?" Kelly said with a small huff. "Course…were you…"

"Wait! You were so jumpy that…Kelly you have to forgive me for being suspicious. I'm not good with…just okay so…"

"Not good with what?" He pressed in haste; worried that she'd say something about not being good with kids.

"It's not important. He said you asked for help with an email that you sent but…"

"He read it."

"And after that he re-routed the IP address to make it seem like it came from another state."

"He…can do that?"

"Yeah…he's pretty good," Erin smiled proudly as she pulled her phone. But when her smile suddenly disappeared, his did too and his agitation rose.

"What?"

"You got a response."

"I did? Wait, what the hell? Why didn't you tell me!" Kelly asked sharply before his tone suddenly dropped. "Erin…I'm sorry."

"You have right to be mad but…but I was hoping you'd just ask and I guess I didn't make myself…approachable. Here. I was going to show you."

Kelly read the email and then looked up at her with a heavy frown.

"What's going on Kelly?"

"My father was mixed up in something. I don't know what exactly…I think it might be related to the death of my…one of my team in Philly. Lesley Shay. He couldn't prove it but he kept at it. Then…toward the end he got involved…at least I think so…" Kelly paused as he rubbed his face and pulled back a few steps and then shook his head. "I think he owed some guys some money and they came after him for it. He died in my arms but not before he told u…me to leave town."

"Kelly…I'm so sorry," Erin stated in soft misery as her hand went slack and slipped into his and gave it a squeeze. "Were you…close?"

"No…that's what pisses me off so much!" He cursed as he turned back to face her with a heavy frown. "I wish we were but…Benny he…it just wasn't him. Long story."

"For another time."

"You sure?"

"Kelly…I'm not scared off."

"Erin…you don't know me or my…" he stopped as they heard shuffling outside the room and Will Halstead's head popped in.

"Everything…okay in here?"

"Yeah Will. Jay out there?"

"Yeah. Do you two need…a minute?"

"No…I gotta get back," Kelly told them as Will gave them a nod and ducked back out.

"Kelly…when you left Philly…what happened?"

"Just after dad died, a cop that we both knew and trusted and who worked a few cases with us, Detective Mackenzie Lester. Mac, took on the case. He's the only guy dad trusted and he's the guy I emailed. The guy who emailed back."

"And the Fire Department out there…"

"I gave the admin a fake location. Told them I was going out west. LA. I didn't even tell Mac where w…I ended up. I know that dad found out something and now…"

"Now they're after you?"

"I don't know."

"Did anyone see you after the death?"

"They…they came after u…dad was dead, they came to his apartment and I left just in time. Went to my place, packed a bag and…and never looked back. But I don't know what Mac found or who he told. Someone else knew. So…"

"So it makes sense why you were so jumpy around the cops when we first met."

"A bit about you being a cop and the other…" he paused with a smile for a few seconds. "Look I just…I just need a few answers. I wanted to handle this on my own but…but I don't know how to keep things secure and I'm done running. I want a new start here but…damn I'm rambling," he huffed as she leaned in closer and gave him a brief kiss on the lips. "That works."

"Let me see what I can find. I have my own case to work but I want to help you. That's why I offered. Thank you for trusting me."

"Can I?"

"Yes," she stated firmly as they finally emerged from the small room and headed for the ER entrance.

"Erin!"

"I'm fine," she said in haste as Jay gave Kelly a nod. A few seconds later two other familiar faces emerged and headed toward them.

"Erin! You okay?"

"Fine. What are you two doing here?"

"One of our CI's tried to roll on Johnson, he rolled back on them," Hailey groaned as she looked at Kelly with a friendly nod.

"Kelly you know our two resident bad ass vice ladies, Kim Ruzek and Hailey Halstead."

"Yeah…hey…okay I gotta run. Talk later."

"Okay."

Erin watched Kelly leave and then looked back at her two friends who looked at her with wondering glances. "Don't…start."

"Hey we gotta run," Jay interjected as Hailey arched her brows at her husband. "Later Mrs. Halstead."

"Later Detective Upton!" Hailey called out as her and Kim headed for the CI's room and Erin and Jay took their leave; Jay just shaking his head as Erin laughed.

"So Kelly…what's going on with you two?"

"Just…getting to know each other. So…what happened to our perp?"

XXXXXXXX

"You okay?" Matt asked Kelly as he entered Firehouse 51 about a half hour later.

"Yeah. I just uh…checked on Erin. She's okay too."

"That's…good," Matt said slowly as Kelly's lips pursed.

"What?"

"Nothing," Matt grinned as Kelly shook his head. "She's a great girl."

"Outta my league right?"

"Aren't they all?" Matt retorted with a chuckle.

"Good point."

"Casey, Severide…my office," Boden stated as both of them traded wondering glances but then followed their chief. As he walked toward Boden's office, Kelly couldn't help but wonder if he had done the right thing in telling Erin so much. But he reminded himself that he needed help and he wasn't sure he could trust anyone else. he would try to keep his feelings at bay but knew the more time they spent together, the stronger those feelings would grow.

He had already told her one secret…but now he had to worry how she'd react to the second? His son.

XXXXXXXX

"You okay?" Voight asked as they walked back into Intelligence.

"Yeah fine. Johnson got away right?"

"It wasn't Johnson," Antonio stated as he neared. "You okay?"

"Yeah fine. Who was it?"

"A kid named Seth Ryland. He's in interrogation right now with Kevin and Adam," Voight informed her as her brow furrowed.

"Related?"

"More like a stooge," Antonio huffed as he handed Jay a printout to review. "But…he has a brother who we might be able to roll."

"Jay go with Antonio to pick him up."

"On it."

"I'm fine," Erin groaned as she looked back at Voight with a small eye roll. "Told you not to baby me."

"Erin…"

"I'm fine. I just need to follow up a lead with Mouse."

"Kelly Severide?"

His words stopped her cold in her tracks before she slowly turned around and cocked her head to one side. "Thought I wouldn't find out?"

"There was nothing to find out…until today. Mouse rolled on me?"

"No. I saw a printout on his desk. What's going on?"

"I actually don't know. Kelly's dad was killed by someone. He doesn't know but thinks it's related to a case that killed another of his coworkers at the House. Thinks it could be an insider but…but they came after him and he came out here."

"What do you have so far?"

"That's it. Mouse helped him send an email and the day before he got a reply back."

"Who's he working with?"

"Detective Mackenzie Lester. Know him?"

"Not yet," Voight replied heavily as he pulled away and headed back into his office.

"Know anyone in Philly?"

"Actually…I do."

Erin looked at her boss with a small frown as he looked back in concern. "I should have been up front with him from the start. I didn't exactly come off as…inviting."

"You didn't know him."

"Always the voice of reason," she smiled. "I just wanted to keep this on the down low."

"Jay know?"

"Just mouse."

"Okay, we'll not involve the others unless we have to. This could be just an issue with the Philly PD and we'll let them handle it. But…if there are a couple of trigger happy clowns on their way out here, then I want to be ready."

"I'll check with mouse and see if any new emails have come in."

"Okay."

Erin pulled away and headed back toward the young computer tech's desk, her stomach a bit tight from nervous knots. But they connected and she held out hope that perhaps something more could grow between them.

"No more secrets," she whispered.

XXXXXXXX

"Well glad they ruled out arson," Kelly pinched the bridge of his nose as he and Matt left Boden's office. "Those cases can be messy."

"Did you work a lot of arson cases back in Philly?"

"Yeah a few with my old ma…" he started and then stopped as he looked at Matt with a heavy frown.

"What's going on?"

"My dad was in arson. He uh…he ran one of the Arson Investigation teams."

"Was?"

"Yeah he died."

"Sorry."

"Yeah no worries," Kelly nodded.

"So Gabby's making some of her famous chili tonight. You…want to join us?"

"Oh I'd love to but uh…gotta keep apartment hunting. Rain check?"

"Course. Any luck?"

"Just waiting for the first paycheck to come in. Then I'll see what I have to play with, you know?"

"Did you talk to Trudy?"

"I uh…no not yet. But I will. Thanks."

Kelly grabbed his jacket and headed for the entrance to Firehouse 51 and then outside into the cool night air. When it was just him, he didn't mind the long days, but now as George was getting older, he missed being there for him during the day. And with Lesley dead, he regretted George being with strangers for even one day.

"There's my boy! How was he?"

"He's always a good boy."

"Mrs. Morris…"

"Please call me Mama Morris. All my friends do."

"Okay…mama Morris," Kelly smiled. "I really do appreciate this."

"Wallace Boden is a good friend. You can stay here as long as you want. You among friends here."

"Really do appreciate that."

"I know you are just getting back on your feet, so right now at the 3rd street drop in center they are giving out some handouts. Clothes and stuff for men. You and the boy might want to go and get some fresh air. Just around the corner and down a block."

"Thanks. We'll be back."

"Take your time."

"Come on buddy. Let's go for a walk."

Kelly took George by the hand and the two of them headed back outside into the cool night air. As they walked along the quiet sidewalk, Kelly told George about his day and then listened as his son rambled on about his day with Joe's kids and the yummy cookies they helped mama Morris make.

As they neared the shelter, Kelly's mind started to race with what news Erin might find on his father and suddenly he found himself wishing he hadn't told her as much as he did. But his mind countered with the reminder that he had to start trusting her at some point, and early was better than later.

"Welcome," the front desk clerk greeted Kelly as he and George entered the quiet building.

"Hi. So I was told that you have some items that…that we might be able to…have?"

"Yes we just got a few new donations boxes in. In fact…the person who dropped them off can help you pick out some of the newer items for you and…your son?"

"Yes. Thanks. That'd be great. So…who do we ask?"

"Me."

Kelly turned around to see Trudy looking at him in wide-eyed shock.

"Who's that daddy?" George asked as Trudy's shocked gaze dropped from Kelly to his beloved son's wondering expression.

Kelly stood speechless for a few moments as he knew he wanted to be the one to tell Erin first but now it seemed his secret was out of the bag.

But Trudy handed him a small lifeline as she neared.

"I'm a friend."

"Trudy…"

"It's your secret to tell her. But come, let's get you both a few new items. I have a few things that just came that are practically brand new."

What will Erin think when she finds out I have a son? And…when should I tell her?


A/N: oh Kelly…how long will Trudy have to keep the secret? What will Voight find out about Benny's death and how will our couple connect next? Please do review before you go and thanks so much!