AnnaBeth followed Gabby through into her kitchen and leant against the island.
"You have a beautiful home" She said as Gabby took out the blender to make margaritas.
"It is lovely" Lemon agreed taking a seat "Thank you for inviting me"
"Of course," Gabby said taking the ice from the freezer "I'm just sorry you're going home soon, we need a good girl's night before you leave"
They had all gone out for brunch the day before. AnnaBeth had gone for dinner with Jonah and Lemon and then they had spent the day together. Gabby had called to see if they wanted to come over for drinks and then maybe head over to Molly's after.
"I didn't picture you as a margarita girl" Gabby told Lemon as she handed her a drink.
"Well it's not all sweet tea" Lemon replied "It is 2015 and a woman can go out and have a good time if she wants to"
"Speaking of being a modern-day woman, you came back to Bluebell with two boyfriends?" AnnaBeth asked
"It's exhausting" Lemon sighed "I fainted last week"
"Oh honey" She laughed "You're on a bachelor date that never ends, of course you're worn out, you need to pick one"
"Two boyfriends?" Gabby asked "You keep surprising me, tell us about them and maybe we can help"
"I already made a list, they have 256 pro's each" Lemon replied taking a sip of her drink "There's Carter Covington he's a true Southern Gentleman and treats me like a lady, but then there's Enrique who's just so passionate and artistic"
"256 reasons to date someone?" Gabby asked in disbelief "I don't know if I could come up with that many reasons to be with Matt, and Carter Covington sounds like a name from some romance novel"
"Of the Birmingham Covington's" AnnaBeth added with a smirk "Number 9 on Southern Livings most eligible bachelors"
"I just don't want to make the wrong choice" Lemon said looking down "After Lavon and George and…Meatball"
AnnaBeth could see that Gabby was about to question Lemon on Meatball so she shook her head as a warning and took her friends hand.
"Maybe you should let the universe take over" She suggested "Take Lavon up on his offer of having them duel it out at the renaissance fair"
"I do kind of like having two men fight over me" Lemon admitted
"Please, please film it and send it to us if that happens" Gabby pleaded.
They took their glasses and a jug full of Margarita through into the Living room and Gabby put on the stereo. Lemon filled her in on all of the drama from back home like Magnolia being sent off to boarding school and Tansy and George getting back together again. Lemon tried to wrap her head around the fact that Gabby couldn't marry her fiancé Matt so she could be a candidate at the same firehouse.
"I kind of like things how they are" Gabby admitted "I'm not sure I want things to change"
"Well we have failed engagements and marriages between us" AnnaBeth shrugged "As long as two people are on the same page then that's what matters"
"Don't talk about failed relationships" Lemon said feeling the effects of the almost finished jug of cocktail "We are strong southern Belle's and we will rise again"
"I do not get that Belle thing, but I'll drink to that" Gabby said raising her glass.
"You can be an honorary Belle" AnnaBeth smiled clinking her glass in cheers.
"Aww thanks you guys" Gabby said putting her hand to her heart as she laughed.
"If you're being initiated you need to learn the saying" Lemon said standing up "Come on AnnaBeth"
AnnaBeth laughed joining her so they could say it together.
"I'm a belle, a southern belle, a Dixie belle, a 'bama belle, and I have secrets I won't tell. If y'all don't like it, go to hello soldier, what's your pleasure" They recited together before collapsing into giggles.
It was nice having a friend there who she had so much in common with and history and she was glad Gabby was there too, she was really becoming a close friend.
"Sounds like I'm missing a party in here" Kelly said walking through from the bedroom to the kitchen "How are you ladies?"
"Sorry if we disturbed you" AnnaBeth said brushing her hair behind her ear.
She had completely forgot that Kelly lived with Gabby and Matt.
"You remember AnnaBeth's friend Lemon from the firehouse?" Gabby asked.
"Sure" He said grabbing a beer "Nice to see you again"
"Nice meeting you too" Lemon said eyeing AnnaBeth who was avoiding her gaze.
"Is Matt at Molly's already?" He asked taking a seat.
"Yeah, I think we're going to head there soon" Gabby replied, "Are you coming?"
"I think so" He nodded.
"I don't know how you do it" Gabby said "I guess we should get going"
AnnaBeth and Lemon helped her clear away the glasses. Lemon grabbed AnnaBeth's arm when they got into the kitchen.
"AnnaBeth Nass do you like him?" Lemon asked under her breath.
"What, no, we work together" She replied quietly.
"What are you two whispering about?" Gabby asked raising an eyebrow.
"Nothing" AnnaBeth replied with a smile.
Kelly walked through to put his empty can in the trash. Gabby smirked knowingly as she noticed AnnaBeth getting slightly more flustered.
"Are you coming with us Severide?" Gabby asked.
"Sure" He replied "Just let me get my jacket"
Gabby waited until he was out of the room before turning to AnnaBeth with a grin on her face.
"Another one falls for Severide?" Gabby asked.
"No" She insisted "He just seems like a nice guy sometimes and he's obviously gorgeous, but we work together, he's dealing with things, I'm sure I'm not his type and I'm still not over Lavon"
"Dating where you work is hard" Gabby agreed.
"But maybe going on a date with someone will be good for you" Lemon suggested.
"Maybe" she agreed "But not Jonah before you go and start scheming"
"I would never…"Lemon started
"Yes, you would" She interrupted "You're always plotting"
"I just want you to be happy AB" Lemon told her.
AnnaBeth just smiled. She knew Lemon always had her best interests at heart but her constant meddling did drive her slightly insane.
When they got to Molly's it seemed like everyone was there. Jonah was sat at the bar talking to a beautiful woman she hadn't met before. Matt waved at them from the bar. Gabby kissed his cheek as she sat down.
"Hello" Matt said kissing Gabby back "Hey AnnaBeth"
"Hi Matt, this is my friend Lemon" She said introducing them.
"What are you ladies drinking?" Matt asked as Christopher came over.
AnnaBeth gratefully accepted a glass of wine. Lemon excused herself to insert herself into Jonah's conversation and find out who he was with. AnnaBeth was hardly surprised, Lemon was protective over her cousin. She might have made him eat carpet growing up, but he was her favorite cousin and she wanted to know what women were in his life.
"So, Miss Dawson" She said turning her attention back to Gabby "You've got a fair few shifts under your belt now, is it everything you thought it would be?"
"I know I was supposed to do this" Gabby replied
"Well then we should cheers to you" She said raising her glass
"I'll drink to that" Matt agreed
"What are we drinking to?" Peter asked putting a hand on AnnaBeth's shoulder.
"Well Peter Mills we are congratulating Gabby on doing an amazing job" She replied.
"How come everyone else goes by their last name and I get the full thing?" He laughed taking a seat.
"Just special I guess" She shrugged.
"Thanks Nass" He said clinking his beer to her wine glass.
"You really should change that" Lemon said joining her "I heard he's been calling asking about you"
Peter stood up to let Lemon sit back down next to AnnaBeth.
"Who?" Gabby asked
Peter was the only person she had fully confided in about her past, or at least rambled out of first day nerves and blurted it all out.
"Jake my ex-husband" She sighed "My Mom said he'd called her a while back"
"Oh, so your marriage and Lemon's engagement" Gabby said catching up with the story.
"What happened?" Matt asked earning himself a glare from Gabby and Lemon.
"He started working away in Baton Rouge" She replied playing with the stem of her glass "Met a waitress, fell in love"
"Well it's his loss" Peter said squeezing her shoulders.
"Thanks" She said standing up "Excuse me I just need to go to the ladies' room"
AnnaBeth was over Jake but it still wasn't nice to talk about all her experience being unlucky in love. Never being the woman, they truly loved.
"You are unbelievably stupid" She heard Lemon chastising Matt.
Lemon had really been the one to start the conversation but there would be no point in bringing that up. She loved Lemon but usually the easiest way to be her friend was to not get into any confrontations. She had stood up to her a grand total of twice and both times Lemon hadn't been able to handle it.
"Hey AB, are you ok?" Kelly asked noticing she wasn't looking as happy as she had earlier.
"Oh, I'm fine" She replied putting on a bright smile.
"I haven't even known you that long and I can tell you're lying" He told her with a half-smile.
"Just questions about my ex-husband" She sighed "I'm over him but it's never a fun conversation, my husband left me for a waitress he met working away on business"
"How long were you together?" He asked
"We were high school sweethearts, married after college, we must have broken up going on 2 years now" She replied
"You must have really loved him then" He said "That's a long time"
"You know I thought I did" She admitted "But if I'm really honest with myself I was scared of change, I just did what I was supposed to, got married, moved into my husbands house and became a house wife. And there were some happy times, but he used to talk about the defensive line in the bedroom and had all the touch of a plumber trying to unclog a sink"
AnnaBeth put her hand to her mouth in disbelief.
"Well you got more than you bargained for" She said as he laughed "I don't know what is wrong with me, I just start rambling and then lord knows what comes out, I am so sorry"
"It sounds like you're better off out of it" He replied with a grin.
"I should go" She said biting her lip "I'll see you later"
AnnaBeth went to the bathroom scolding herself internally. She hated blurting out such stupid things or that he made her nervous. When she came back out Jonah had left with his date and Lemon was discussing the hardships of running a bar with Herrmann and Gabby.
"I still can't even believe you owned that bar" She said sitting back down "But I was so proud of you"
"I'm thinking of buying Fancies" Lemon confided in her.
"You should absolutely do that" She said excitedly giving her a hug "You would be amazing, and I doubt you would be as mean to the customers"
"I am not mean to customers" Lemon huffed "It's not my fault some people didn't recognize my vision"
AnnaBeth just smiled, she was really going to miss having Lemon around, but she really felt like she had made a home for herself.
They stayed out a little longer, but they decided to leave after another hour or so. Lemon had an early flight the next morning, so they said their goodbyes and AnnaBeth made her way home.
AnnaBeth got her key out ready as she walked up to the front door. She paused seeing the door was slightly open and she knew she had locked it. She pushed the door open slightly and peeked inside. The whole place was trashed. Boxes and draws all pulled out. Her TV was gone, jewelry and money. Anything valuable.
She could feel her chest getting tight and she tried to keep it together. She decided to call Gabby.
"Hey AB, everything ok?" Gabby asked picking up the phone.
"Someone broke into my apartment" She replied shakily "The door was open but I know I locked it, and they've taken everything, I…"
"I'll call my brother" Gabby told her "He's a cop, you just sit tight and I'm coming to get you ok"
AnnaBeth just nodded not thinking about being on the phone and hung up. She knew the chances of getting anything back would be slim to none, but she tried not to touch anything anyway. She went through to her bedroom. Her pictures of her family and friends were all knocked to the ground. She picked up the picture of her and Lemon at their senior prom and put it back on her dresser. She had seen her jewelry box tossed in the living room, but she checked the box of pictures she kept under her bed. Her wedding band and engagement ring were still in there.
She wiped her eyes as she heard someone in the front room announcing themselves as the police. She walked out of the bedroom. A man just a little taller than her with dark hair and a brown leather jacket was stood in the doorway with another officer in a uniform.
"AnnaBeth?" He asked
"Antonio" Gabby said walking through the door before turning to AnnaBeth "Are you ok?"
"I'm not hurt" She replied
"Pack a bag you can stay with us tonight and we're finding you a new place to stay" Gabby told her "It's just the sofa but…"
"Thanks Gabby" She said giving a small smile.
Antonio took her statement and the officer took down a list of the missing items. She was given a case number, but she knew they weren't likely to catch whoever it was, so she wasn't holding out much hope. Gabby helped her pack up her things. All she really had left was her clothes and her furniture plus a box of old pictures. She hadn't had much to start with but everything else was gone.
When they got back to Gabby's apartment AnnaBeth set her bag down by the door. She was sure she must look a complete mess. Gabby squeezed her arm and went to make her some tea to calm her nerves. Part of her wanted to call Lemon but she knew it would just set her off again about how Chicago was the wrong place for her.
She jumped as the door opened behind her as Matt and Kelly came in.
"I thought you went home?" Matt asked confused.
AnnaBeth started crying instantly. Gabby came through holding the tea.
"Someone broke into AnnaBeth's apartment" Gabby said setting the cup down on the coffee table "I told her she could stay here tonight"
"Of course," Matt said
"Kelly can I just go into your room to get some sheets to make up the couch?" Gabby asked
"Sure" He replied putting an arm around AnnaBeth "Are you ok?"
"I'll be fine" She nodded wiping her eyes "I need to change"
Matt showed her where the bathroom was and handed her a set of towels. AnnaBeth washed her face to get rid of the smudged mascara and pulled on an old t-shirt and leggings to sleep in. She felt completely drained. She sat down with the tea that was still warm and sipped it gratefully.
"Thank you so much for letting me stay tonight" She told Gabby "I don't know where I would have gone, I'll find somewhere in the morning"
"I wouldn't let you stay anywhere else" Gabby said "And we'll help you find somewhere else and move everything over"
Gabby checked that she had everything she needed before her and Matt said goodnight. AnnaBeth looked up as Kelly came out of the bathroom shirtless. If she hadn't been so upset, she might have been flustered when he came and sat on the chair next to her.
"You should take my bed" He offered "I'll take the couch"
"I can't let you do that" She said with a smile "I'm fine here honestly"
"I'm not taking no for an answer" He insisted 'You've already had a rough night you shouldn't be spending it on the couch"
"I didn't know you were such a gentleman Kelly Severide" She said cocking her head to the side.
"Well don't tell anyone" He smirked.
"Your secrets safe" She nodded.
She thanked him again and said goodnight. She was fighting to keep her eyes open. She was asleep the second her head hit the pillow.