Chapter 3

Thank you guys for sticking with me, I loved every review in the previous chapter.

Monday

"Any word about Gabby?" Stella asked after walking into Severide's office. He was lying on his bunk, hands behind his head looking at the ceiling.

"No…"

"How many messages have you sent to her?" she sat down next to his feet.

"Countless, I'm bit worried right now," he said staring at her.

"Me too. I know she is usually busy and it takes a couple of hours or a day for us hearing from her, but it's almost four weeks since we had any contact with her". Stella wondered what was happening in Puerto Rico.

"I have an idea", he sat down, putting a hand on Stella's thigh. "I'm gonna talk to Chief Hatcher, maybe he knows".

"Yeah, of course… who better than him?" she agreed, satisfied with his suggestion.

"I'm not calling him, though…, it's better a conversation face to face, tomorrow morning I'm going to see him if he has bad news-" he was a bit apprehensive.

"He won't... You know, another blackout could have happened…" she guessed.

"It's possible, but it's weird the whole silence radio from her" he furrowed his brow.

"Would you like some company...?" she offered him a smile.

"Yes, yet I think you should go straight home, you have class in the afternoon…" he wanted her rested for the sake of not wanting to see her going through another accident.

"Yeah, you're right… Hopefully Gabby is fine and we'll speak to her soon".

He nodded looking ahead. She kissed him on the lips and hugged him as she rested her head on his right shoulder while he looked pensive.

Tuesday

Severide was walking down the aisle of the Chicago Fire Department searching for Chief Hatcher's Office. When he got there he asked for a meeting with him, before he explained the situation to Hatcher's secretary.

Within 30 minutes he stood before Hatcher. Didn't take too long to Severide found out Gabby was in Chicago and she was pretty fine; the only question he hadn't got a response was the reason behind Gabby's silence. Why she decided to not tell him or Stella she was back and working in the Training Division and because of that, he was ready to give her a piece of his mind.

He quickly discovered where her office was. She was coming from one of her early meetings when she saw him standing next to the entering of her office.

"What are you doing here, Severide?" she was holding a mug and carrying folders under her other arm; she didn't have a chance to have breakfast in her apartment; she was quite late when she woke up that morning.

"Good morning to you too" he spoke harshly. Gabby rolled her eyes to him.

She entered the room and he followed her steps. Without asking he sat down, his behavior annoyed her. She took her place behind the desk. "What do you want?" Gabby asked as she put her mug down and the folders.

"It's pretty clear, isn't it? We are still friends or not, Gabby?" he joined his hands together.

He didn't get a response from her, she just shrugged her shoulders; his reaction was to shake his head.

He huffed, "what is this game you are playing?" he asked upset.

"You want to know?" she crossed her arms. "Okay, the name is Casey and Brett dating and you and Stella keeping your mouths shut about it…" her stern face showing disapproval.

"Gabby-" he stood up.

"Don't, Severide. I expected more from you, really… All this time we've been in touch and you've never hunted they were together".

"I didn't because it wouldn't be my place to tell you, Gabby. Matt should do that since the beginning, I asked him to call and tell you everything was going on between them, he promised me he would…".

"They are together for six months, right? And you still believe he'll call me? Come on, Severide!" she turned her back to him as an attempted to calm herself down.

"Who spilled the beans to you?" Severide was eager to know.

"It doesn't matter, but I am thankful for this person, if it wasn't for him I would still think that Matt and I stand up a chance of getting together… Look, I don't care about Casey and Brett, my best regards to them…"

"Don't lie to me, if it bothers me it bothers you as well…"

She turned around to look at him.

"What do you want me to do? Go after them yelling and throwing all my frustration? Or you want me suffering for him one more day, week…"

"Of course not, all I want you to be okay and it will take time... time to heal…", he sympathized with her. "…You two have a long story, it doesn't vanish because he has a new girlfriend or you want to be over them…"

"Brett, you can say her name… when I think she was my best friend, dated my brother, she had been in great moments of our life together…" she stopped and closed her eyes. "It's over, Kelly… Matt chose to be with her despite our story… I need it to be over, I can't handle anymore… I'm afraid that any time I'll be hearing they are having a baby together, something I couldn't give to him…" she had teary eyes.

"Hey…" he got closer to her, "… don't torture yourself, please don't do that", he pulled her to him and hugged her, she encircled him with her arms as she wept.

"I'm going nuts", she whispered.

"Shsh" he murmured. Severide rubbed her back. Two minutes later she pulled back. "I need to get back to work". Gabby wiped the tears on her cheeks

"Who else knows you are in Chicago?" he inquired her.

"Chief Boden, Herrmann and you. I hope it stays this way…" she narrowed her eyes to him emphasizing her last sentence.

"I can't share the news with Stella?" he raised his eyebrows.

Gabby sat down on her chair while Severide stood before her desk. "I'm not going ask you to lie for me, so…"

"Okay, she's gonna love to see you…" he smiled at her.

"Let's wait, cowboy… First things first, Chief Boden invited me to a welcoming dinner on Friday, I'll go through it first, then we talk…" she sighed.

"Can I come in?" he got excited with the possibility.

"No!" she looked serious at him, "… he already invited Herrmann and Cindy… there are enough guests for one night".

"Two more wouldn't hurt" he laughed.

"You're gonna make jokes at my expense? Get out. I don't want you there", unable to hide her grin.

He raised his hands; he had a goofy grin on his face making her smiled at him.

"It was great to see, Gabby" he gave a kiss on her cheek, "… see you soon".

"Bye", she said pointing a finger indicating the door and waved at him, and then he left.

Friday

One later in Boden's home, Gabby started to look more relaxed; she had to admit that she was having a great time. Getting acquainted with her 'old' friends was the easiest thing in the world, it felt nice and right. Hearing what's going on in their lives, how it had changed as much as hers, it was the most natural thing of life.

Boden called her on Thursday and asked her to bring some photos and videos of her journey in Puerto Rico, to share some of her experiences and that made her happy. She told them stories from the people she met and came to love, stories of overcoming adversity and breaking down barriers. She got emotional a couple of times, they could tell she had loved to help those people and it was somehow still connected to them.

Three hours later she called it a night, said goodbye to everyone and decided to wait for her cab in front of Boden's house. While she was descending the stairs she was oblivious to the person close to the curb.

"Gabby?" Brett called her weakly.

What do you think Brett is going to say to Gabby? What will be Gabby's reaction? I'm be waiting for your reviews... Thank you.