"Take me with you; I'd start to miss you." Marianas Trench sings out from Kelly's bedside clock radio alarm. She turns over to cuddle him a few more minutes. "Slap the-"Kelly's side of the bed is empty on his pillow is a blue post it note.
Livvy,
I had stuff I needed to check out at work I'll meet you at end of shift. I love you! - Kell
She groans but gets up.
The music and a feeling of dread follow her into the shower. Showers and the whole time the foreboding feeling won't let her go. She gets dressed in neon pink scrubs.
She dials a number and waits as it rings.
"What up Deuce?" Owen answers.
"If I think my fiancée is about to fly off the handle and do something monumentally stupid how do I save him without him knowing I'm trying to do it?" She holds the phone in one hand and applies foundation with the other.
"You don't Sis. Are you sure this isn't just because you're marrying the single most pigheaded firefighter in all of Chicago?" Owen says teasingly.
Olivia is quiet a second and Owen thinks she might of hung up on him but then she speaks. "Keeler raped and beat the shit out of his only sister and that's not even mentioning that he kidnapped her just to fuck with Kelly's mind! So no, Owen I don't think I'm being paranoid. I think I know my guy." She growls in frustration.
"Look, I'll have Erin yank his leash and if he thinks it was you she'll set him straight." He said calmly.
-/-/-/-
"Grayne chief of staff needs you." The head of the ER Doctor Toliver said.
Her guts twist up. "Why?"
"Didn't ask." Is his short reply.
-/-/-/-
She sits before Doctor Shelton and listens but at "It pains me to do this…" she zones out only half hearing things when her head goes fuzzy.
Severance package, benefits it all goes in one ear and out the other.
-/-/-/-
It's hard to believe everything that makes her a doctor can fit into two boxes. Saying goodbye to her kiddos had nearly killed her. She hasn't called Kelly simply because she wants to be alone with it for a bit.
That's when Shay walks up with genuine concern in her eyes. "Liv where are you going?"
She looks up at Shay eyes red from crying. "They fired me. Cut backs, my head injury, and being out of action and being with Kelly during the Katie thing made me expendable. I am longer a doctor here. I'm going home even if no one's there at least I belong there."
"Livvy-"Shay tries but they're just now getting friendly and Liv doesn't bite.
"Shay, you're being sweet but I just need time."
When Shay walks in she finds Kelly at the squad table talking to Casey She waits until Casey leaves takes his vacated seat. "You need to call your girl." She leans her elbows on her knees.
"Why? Head injury sneaking up on her?"
"No. they fired her Kelly." She whispers.
"What?" he said loudly honestly shocked.
"Cutbacks. Lakeside's a small hospital and she was out of commission quite a bit."
He walks back to his quarters dialing her number. It rings but she doesn't pick up. He tries again.
"Shay told you didn't she?" She said dryly.
"Yeah, where are you? Are you okay?"
"I'm at Navy Pier." She sniffles in his ear.
"Don't cry babe, I'll be there in five. Clarke can cover for me."
"I'm alright Kelly; I just don't know what to do. No one wants a doctor with a semi-permanent head injury."
"You're selling yourself short Liv. Honey, you're compassionate and driven and you love people. You're the best damn doctor I know. Someone's going to want you on their team." He said vehemently.
"I'm the only doctor you know." She smirked.
"Beside the point, you're a good doctor."
"I'm going to miss my kiddos." She said quietly getting to the thing that bothers her most.
Kelly sighs. He hadn't even thought of that. "We'll find you work baby there a ton of hospitals that'd be lucky to have you. I think you need to look at the ones that specialize in children. Your skills were held back at lakeside anyway."
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"Never doubting me. I love you."
"I know I love me too!" he teased and made her laugh.
"Cocky."
"I prefer comfortably confident."
"I'm bored, and if I eat this whole funnel cake I'll be the Michelin man on wheels a fucking parade float!"
Kelly smiled "You'd be way hotter than him. Come by the fire house, I can always look at you adoringly, or we can do something dirty. You can death stare Jones. It'll be fun."
"Maybe…I love you. Stay safe and don't do anything stupid."
"Me? Never! I love you!"
-/-/-/-
When Benny knocks on the door of Kelly's place he's not expecting to see Liv on the other side in jeans and an emerald green v necked long sleeved shirt. 'Oh you're home I thought Kelly'd be here."
"Nope Kell's workin' come on in."
When she shoves the door back he sees a very sparkly diamond ring on a particular finger.
"I think there's something Kelly forgot to tell me."
"Um, this is awkward. Yeah we're engaged, a few months now." Liv smiles and grabs the keys its Kelly's Dad Kelly can deal with him.
-/-/-/-/-
"Severide… your future wife and Benny are here." Mills calls out.
"Both?" his eye brows raise but he gets to his feet.
"Both. In your quarters Liv looks stressed out be careful."
-/-/-/-
Liv and Benny sit and stand respectively next to each other looking at the photos covering his cabinet in the quarters.
"Hey Pop, Livvy."
"Where the hell did you get my short hair picture? I demanded they be burned, I look fat from surviving on Twinkies cranberry juice and cafeteria food." She said not looking at him
"Your Mama, and I like it. It's cute you look happy and it's always a plus when there's cleavage."
"Remind me to make sure her Mother of the Bride dress is super ugly." She said looking over her shoulder.
He laughed. "That's mean baby." She shrugged and he turned her to face him. "You okay?"
"Been better, and worse." He leans on her arms rests crowding into her space watching her closely for a second ignoring Benny's presence for a moment. "Alright!" he kissed her. "I'm glad you're here I was totally serious about the staring at you in adoration…and the other stuff too!" Liv chokes on a laugh.
Benny stares at a picture of Kelly and Katie from her Chef's school graduation. Then he lingers on a group shot of a Grayne Family dinner where Liv sits in his lap and everyone's crammed together into the frame.
He realizes in that moment how and why Kelly is so happy with Liv. She had grounded him and given him something he hadn't had since his mother. Family and confidence in his feelings. Kelly sits on the end of the bed next to Liv. He picks up her hand and holds it. It's odd he can't remember his son ever being an affectionate kid, or man.
Benny clears his throat. "So, this Keeler dude gets off scot free after doing everything he did to Katie?"
Liv answers. "My best friend is the best cop in the city and she's on it, they will catch the guy. I got some physical evidence from the rape kit so…" Benny literally jerks as if she'd hit him.
Benny's face pales. "Oh god, I just assumed you knew."
"Where's your sister?" He demands of Kelly. He paces restlessly.
"She's in Colorado. You care now?" He retorts.
"Kelly Honey," Liv tries to make peace.
"Her mother asked I stay away so I did but something needs to be done."
"And it will be by the CPD I need you to go home Pop! Go back to Kenosha and the boys." Kelly said firmly.
Liv took a deep breath and used her big sister voice. "Listen, calm down both of you. There's nothing you can do Benny."
"She gave me this keychain it's a saint Christopher medal I'm the parent and she was looking out for me." He said softly.
"The older we get the more we do that." Liv said gently.
"Well before I head back can I take my future daughter in law to lunch?"
"I'd like that!" her phone rang. "And my mom just heard I got fired."
"Let me Livvy." Kelly takes her phone and answers.
"Hello, no I know, it's Kelly, hi Mom, she did yes but we're not freaking out because it had nothing to do with her skills."
"Yeah we'll be there." He holds out the phone "Say hi Mama!"
"Hi mama!' She repeats.
"Bye!" they say in unison. "We're on entrée this week." Kelly said.
The fire alarm goes off and intercom lady interrupts them. Liv groans. "I know sorry baby." He kissed her. "Don't steal my girl Pop!" He smiled leaving them.
-/=/-/=/=
Erin walks up on Kelly's squad gathered and whispering. "Kelly I just came by to tell you we're not giving up on Katie's case. We're trying to figure out who and what he's hooked into. We're on it, I need you to trust that because if I catch one hint of vengeance? I will toss you in jail, not despite Liv, But because of her. You are the love of her life; if you do something irrational that you can't take back and end up paying for? She will be shattered. No one shatters the people I love, not even you! So if bringing you in is the only way I can protect you from yourself to protect her I'll do it."
"I have no clue what you mean." He said easily.
"Of course you don't." She retorts dryly.
She begins walking away. "OH and Erin? If you loved my girl half as much as you claimed? You'd pick up the phone and call her she just got let go from the hospital she's spent her entire medical career at."
She stares at him a second to decide if he's telling the truth. "Oh and I'm sure she'd be overjoyed that you just broadcast that tidbit to your entire fire house. Way to go stud." She spits back at him.
-/-/-/-/
Liv rolls in with a big cast iron pan in her lap. "Hey guys and girls. I was bored and idle hands and all that…So I decided to make dinner and always make too much. So, there's chicken spaghetti, vegetarian casserole, salad… "She sees Kelly walk in chewing a tooth pick. "Hey Kelly, I made your sliders and a black forest cake! Enjoy!"
"If he dumps you will you marry me?" Cruz asked.
"He's not going to dump me; he's too smart for that. You can take the spaghetti off my hands." She replied smiling up at him
"Shay? ViviAnne is getting the rest of the stuff." She rolls over to Kelly who leans down to kiss the back of her neck.
"You brought her? Thank you!" Shay smiled brightly. Vivi wasn't the most public of girlfriends.
"Wasn't for you I needed someone to make sure the food stayed put on the drive but you're welcome!"
Kelly sits next to Liv, Vivi sits next to her and Shay sits on the end. Everyone sits in a large group. Shay wipes whipped cream from Viv's bottom lip.
Jones rolls her eyes and it grates on Liv. She goes on to hassle Hermann and Kelly's shoulders set tensely.
"I thought you were a doctor?" Jones asked.
"I am, I'm just between facilities at the moment." She forked up some spaghetti.
"I don't really see how someone in your condition could do the job." Kelly's eyes snap up and catch Liv's she sniffs back tears and a fire lights inside him.
"You Bitch!" Vivi launches across the table and Shay has to hold her back.
"It's okay, she's entitled to her opinion even if it's a wrong one. She may feel differently should her child's life need to be saved one day, though who would reproduce with that… that's just desperation." Liv snaps back. Erin had taught her how to out catty any bitch.
"She's not entitled to anything she's a candidate get up and come with me Jones." Kelly demanded.
-/-/-
Even in the common area they can hear Kelly screaming at Jones, "There are two rules candidates live by in this house. Do as you're told and keep your mouth shut."
"You're still talking, again shut your mouth, be quiet! I said shut up!" He shouts.
He just ramps up more. "There it is atta girl, now you are not to speak to Olivia, unless spoken to first and when you respond its Ma'am or Mrs. Severide. You will earn the right to speak her name is that clear? Right now? Don't look at her, don't breathe the same air, don't even blink in her direction because you're this close to getting booted from 51 your precious Daddy can't stop me from making you someone else's a problem! Are we clear? You may answer in a single one word answer."
"Yes." Is the soft nearly inaudible reply.
"Is this the wrong time to pint out we're not yet married?" Olivia asked the table.
"I'd just go with it Mrs. Severide." Hermann advises laughing.
"Besides by the time "Light Me on Fire Barbie" is allowed to speak to you. You will be married." ViviAnne said.
As they return to the table the alarm goes off. Liv scoops up his last bite of food. "Here bite!" she said feeding him. "Thanks bye love you!" he said mouth full. He kissed her and ran. "Dessert and left overs will be in the fridge!" She Hollers.
"Thank you!" they all chorus.
"Be careful!"
"We will." Every single man parrots.
Vivi kisses Shay on the cheek as she runs past.
"How do you get used to it?" her sister asks as her girlfriend's ambulance rolls out.
"That they run head on into danger? I mostly ignore it."
-/-/-/-
When he comes in the next morning at the end of shift she's sitting on his couch in a Northwestern t-shirt laptop balanced on her long skinny legs. He never really noticed the muscle atrophy anymore all he saw was his girl.
"Hey there Doc Livvy," he takes off his coat and toes off his sneakers.
"Hey McFireballs, good shift?" She said not looking up.
"Fought a high rise fire it was awesome." He leaned over and kissed her and looked at her laptop. It shows the University Of Chicago Hospital's pediatrics branch.
"There's something very wrong with you Kelly, very brave and very wrong." She said about him being so amped by a fire.
He plops down on the other end of the couch. "But you love me anyway. The University Hospital huh? "
"It has its own trauma level one ER for children only! But I'm applying at the Lurie too!" She smiles s at him. He knows she's faking it.
"Talk to me." He said quietly holding her gaze.
"We can't catch a break. I love my job Kelly I don't know who I am without it. I love you but being a housewife would drive me to drink. I need my work." She changes the subject. "Erin said she came by your firehouse."
"Something tells me you sent her." He cocks his head at her in question.
"I'm not above begging you to let her handle it Kelly; if I thought what I wanted made any difference but it doesn't I just want you. I want you safe and not in jail please, I need you to promise me you aren't going to do anything. I can't take another bad thing. Please, I really can't." her face crumples as she cries.
"Okay baby, Okay I'm sorry." He moves the laptop and pulls her into his arms. "I promise, okay. What you want matters. I promise nothing stupid." He rubs her back.
-/-/-/-
Liv sits and watches as Kelly and the rest of the smoke eaters drink while she sips a root beer. When Erin walks in she's genuinely glad to see her friend. "E, sit with me I'm the DD." She pats a bar stool.
"Hey O, I can't I'm on duty. They found Keeler's car abandoned and his cell phone dumped but no Keeler anyone got any clue why?"
Liv's stomach drops because she can't read Kelly's expression one way or the other and she hopes he hasn't broken his promise to her.
AN: I own nothing but my characters and ideas. Please review if you liked it and thanks for reading thus far! - Meghan!