Hi! How are you guys are doing? Sorry for taking so long to update, I've been feeling very tired lately : (
So, we'll have a few time jumps here, it's the right time for a little advance in the story.
Note 1: Otis is alive in my story.
Please, leave a review. Thank you for reading my stories. Thank you, swimmingclara
...
After two rough calls in the earlier hours, the firefighters and paramedics of Firehouse 51 were in the common room filling in their empty stomachs with some food. Casey was sat at the head of the large table eating some soup while he was reading the newspaper.
His girlfriend has sat a few seats ahead of him as she was chatting with Foster who was across her.
Mouch, Cruz, and Otis were sharing the couch as they were watching some TV show. Cruz had made to them some popcorn, waiting for Chief Boden finish their lunch, it was his turn and Herrmann was helping him with the salad.
Severide and Kidd were playing some cards at the round table as Capp and Tony were doing some crosswords.
"... When you guys are moving together?" asked Foster.
"I don't know... I-I tried to bring the subject many times... I'm tired...", Brett responded upset.
"What? Are you giving up just like that?" Foster sipped her coffee.
"No, no... ", Brett shifted on her seat looking briefly at Casey who was oblivious to their conversation, "... of course not. It's just...", she sighed, "... I want him excited about it as well... When I showed him how our life would be easier if we live together,
he gave me a stoic face... you know".
"Yeah...", Foster said avoiding Brett's eyes. "After your accident two months ago, I thought you two living at his apartment for three weeks would change that...", Foster uttered as looked at her mug.
"Me too... my time there was really nice... things went pretty smooth between us... I don't know what is holding him back...", Brett ran a hand through her hair.
"Hmmm... I think you know...", Foster suggested as raised her eyebrows at her.
Brett shook her head, "He's over her... I'm sure...", Brett took another look at her boyfriend who was still concentrated on the newspaper
"If you say so... Let's hope he changes his mind soon..." Foster smiled at Brett. "I can't wait for you two host a party at your apartment".
"Oh... it's the only thing you care about?" Brett laughed at her.
"I'm a party girl... don't forget", Foster winked at her and got up from her seat, leaving Brett alone with her own thoughts.
"Come on... lunch is ready!", Chief announced 30 minutes later.
Orderly they made a line to get their plates to fill in with roast beef, mashed potatoes, and salad.
Within minutes were everyone sat eating their food...
"Herrmann, you haven't told us where are you going in your furlough..." Cruz said sat next to him at the main table.
"Two weeks, right, Herm?" Foster recalled it.
"You think you are going to survive two weeks without our beautiful faces?" Mouch asked as his mouth was full of food.
"Don't do that, Mouch!", Herrmann voiced across him and Mouch shrugged.
"He's going to be with his family, he'll be fine", Boden told them.
"So, since Herrmann is being secretive about his trip...", Cruz took a sip of his water, "... I need to know who's going to replace you at Molly's... I'm saying this because that person needs to know I have a discount every time I go there...".
Herrmann gave Cruz a death look, then Cruz raised his hands defensively.
"Don't worry, Cruz", Herrmann wiped his mouth with a cloth, "Kidd and I are working on it, okay?"
Brett and Foster laughed at their back and forth as Herrmann exchanged a look with his Captain. Their eyes locked for a few seconds before Casey takes another bite at his food.
"Okay...", Cruz conceded. "Now tell us where are you going..."
"You guys, don't give up...", Herrmann said annoyed.
"If you don't tell them, I'll will", Kidd threatened as she squeezed his shoulder lightly.
"You're supposed to be on my side..." Herrmann spoke up.
"Not this time", Kidd patted his shoulder before getting up to place more food on her plate.
Herrmann looked around and sighed, "Okay... we're going to-", Severide cut him off.
"Florida", he shut out from across the room, he was sat at the round table.
"Hey...", Herrmann turned on his seat as pointed a finger at him.
"I knew it, I knew it...", Cruz exclaimed standing up. "I won the bet...", he smiled at his co-workers.
"Wait, my guess was Florida too...", Otis interjected.
"Who didn't guess the same?" Casey questioned. Firehouse 51 has known how Herrmann's kids wanted to go to Disney for a long time.
Slowly Brett raised a hand and everybody laughed at her.
...
Matt turned his head when he heard a soft knock at his office door. Herrmann was standing outside. Then Casey made a sign to him get in. Walking into the office, Herrmann felt a little nervous.
"Everything okay?" Casey inquired as he was facing his friend and co-worker.
"Yeah... yeah, there is just a thing I want to run by you...", Herrmann looked everywhere in the room but Casey.
Matt stood up and tucked his hands in his front pockets. "Okay... go on".
"Gabby, she's the one who's going to replace me at Molly's for two weeks...", Herrmann blurted out.
"Oh... I-I", Casey swallowed, "It seems appropriate... she's a former owner... knows how the business work..."
"She's the right person... Kidd and I agree with that...".
Matt pressed his lips together as listening to Herrmann.
"Gabby hesitated for a minute... it took a lot for Kidd to talk her into it, though she asked me to let you know... if it's problem for you-", Matt cut in.
"It's not, Herrmann. Gabby shouldn't be afraid of me going there and it shouldn't be a matter to me seeing her as well. At any point that would happen, right?" Casey mustered a smile.
"Right, Captain...", he replied unsurely. "You both are my friends and I want to see you happy... together or not...", Herrmann added.
"I appreciate your gesture... letting me know... I'll always support you...".
"Thanks... so I'll get out of your way...", Herrmann gazed at the reports on Casey's table.
"Yeah...", Casey watched him leaving, turning around he stood up in front of the window. His heart was racing in his chest... seeing her again in a few days would be overwhelmed or he could avoid all the hurt not going there.
He didn't know what to do.
...
"Please, two more beers", a customer requested as he leaned against the counter.
"One second...", Kidd responded as she worked her way behind the counter. Severide was sat at the bar watching the game on TV while nursing his beer.
"Here you go", said Kidd a few seconds later, then the customer sidled through the crowd toward his table.
It was Friday night and the bar was full with people. A night like that was good to the business, though one of their waiters called sick tonight. So Gabby, Kidd, and Otis were busier than ever.
Otis was somewhere in the crowd of the customers gathering the empties bottles and taking more orders.
Gabby was in the back of the bar washing some glasses while dealing with their cup machine rinse that had chosen tonight's overall nights to not work.
"Come on... why are you doing this to me?", Gabby murmured. "I don't have time...", she exclaimed frustrated.
Trying one more time she realized she should rest it for now and go wash the glass cups manually. She had at least 20 to wash which would give her a good time to calm her nerves thinking about Casey might show up tonight. Since she was on her second week working at Molly's and he hasn't gone there or Brett neither. However, there was another person on her mind, someone from her past that had come to her life again and she didn't know what to make of it...
"Hey, why are you taking so long?" Kidd questioned as she had the door open.
"Don't ask...", she sighed, "I'm coming...", answering without turning around. "Anything happened?"
"Kind of... your boo is here and your ex-boo and Brett are here as well".
Gabby whipped her head around, her eyes widened.
"Are kidding me?" Gabby stopping was she doing, turning her body completely to face Kidd as she wiped her hands on the apron wrapped around her waist.
"No, I'm not...", Stella leaned against the doorframe.
"What I am going to do?", Gabby waved her hands around, "...I can't deal with them today when everything is a mess here", she stepped forward.
"Look, don't panic... okay... your bae is talking to Severide, and Brett and Casey are sat at a table from a good distance. Otis and I have your back... Severide also...".
"Okay", Gabby took a deep breath as her eyes wandered around.
"So…... you are coming?"
"Yeah... Oh, our cup machine rinse is broken, I think...", Gabby gazed at it briefly.
"We ask Otis to check it tomorrow... I called an old friend to help us tonight... Don't worry...", Stella informed Gabby.
"Alright... help me with theses glasses, pleases...".
...
"... Stella and I were thinking of going to Wisconsin... you and Gabby should go with us...", Severide sipped his beer.
"I'd love to go... I just have to check my schedule...", he sipped his beer. "We're going by car or-", Severide cut him off.
"No way... motorcycle for sure...", he looked up and saw Kidd and Gabby coming and standing at end of the counter.
"Great... I hope Gabby agrees with it...", he said before turning to have a better look at the girls.
Gabby caught his eyes and smiled softly at him and he smiled back.
" She will...", Severide spoke as he turned his eyes to watch the game.
"I will say hi to Casey and Brett...", they had arrived two minutes later after Gabby's guy entered into Molly's.
Severide turned his head, "... don't say anything... you know...".
"Don't worry... she asked me to keep quiet about what's going on between us... I'm following her lead on this...", he patted Severide's shoulder.
The bar was packed, everyone was having a good time...
"Good evening...", approaching the table where was Casey, Brett, Cruz, and Chloe.
"Hey, man... How have you been, Cordova?" Cruz worded.
All seemed genuinely happy to see him after a long time.
They chatted for a few minutes, then Jake went back to the counter, sitting at the end of the counter, where he could speak with Gabby, who was busy with the cashier.
"Hey...".
"Hey, you... I saw you before... everything okay?" Gabby inquired hesitantly not looking at him in the eyes.
"All fine", his eyes stayed on her as she was writing something on a tab. "You good?" he was holding his beer with both hands over the counter.
She lifted her head to look at him, "I'm, thank you for asking...", then she extended her arm and touched his cheek, he turned slightly to kiss inside her hand.
Oblivious to the person watching them, Casey, who was chatting with Severide. Abruptly, he stopped in the middle of a sentence...
"When that happened?"
"What?", Severide voiced.
"That", Casey made a gesture with his head.
Severide saw Cordova and Gabby laughing as Cordova was holding Gabby's hand.
Casey's eyes hardened with each second... "I'm leaving... please...", Casey slid money on the counter, "... pay them for me...".
"Casey... you know that would happen... you're with Brett...", Severide tried to reason with him.
"Good night...", Casey spoke, seconds later he left with Brett.
...