When Kelly sees a certain blonde sitting slouched in a waiting room chair he has to shove down his anger. He stomps over to her and tries not to scream at her. "I have a wife!"
"But-"she stutters.
"But nothing I have a wife, I'm sorry to have mislead you but I love my wife. You are clearly having problems but I'm not the man to help you. I got drunk and kissed you, but I have a wife whom I adore and a baby who needs me two actually, I have a life and if you keep infringing on it? I will have you arrested. Leave now, please." He orders sternly turning back to Klaire's room.
She looks stricken but leaves.
-/-/-
"I'm taking the Fed Gig." Erin's says as she cuddles Klaire. She watches Liv close knowing she will struggle with this bit of news. "You're the first to know. " Liv stays quiet. "Please be happy for me."She pled.
She gave Erin a bright smile. It doesn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm more than happy. I'm proud of you."
"Then what does that look mean?"
Liv groaned. "It means I've never gone more than week without seeing you. It means you have always had my back and I selfishly don't want you to go."
Erin kissed Klaire's head before replying. "You've got Kelly now, I trust him."
"And I love him…more than anything but in some regards he's not you."
Erin rolled her eyes. "So he'll learn which tampons to buy."
Liv huffed out a laugh. "You goofy bitch that's not what I meant."
"I know, made ya smile though. No matter the distance or timespan it will always be me and you Livvy." Erin retorted in a serious low tone.
"Help me get Klaire out of the woods before you go?"
"Where else would I be Liv?"
"Banging Halsted? It's a free pass." Liv retorted this time with a real grin.
"Liv Lou!"
She shrugged. "Sorry I blame Kelly. He has eroded my brain to mouth filter with his perversions."
"Eh, you're right though…totally on my to do list." Erin plopped down in the chair beside her still holding Klaire.
"To do…" Liv laughed hysterically. "Sleep deprivation always makes me giddy."
Kelly return and stood leaning into the glass door way. "What's so funny Babe?"
Liv looked to Erin while pointing at Kelly. "Wait he's always on my to do list. Does that make Kelly a chore?"
"Nope, you're just married." Erin retorted and Liv laughed.
"Baby you should go back to sleep. You are doing the scary laugh."
She cocked her head up at him entirely ignoring his statement. "I'm going to win the bet."
"Which one we have many?" He clarified.
"The Halsted one. The terms of said bet were material not sexual."
"Shit I owe you Gucci."
"Yes, you will you never learn don't bet against the wife Kelly.
-/-/-/-
Kelly makes Liv go sleep in the bed that is kept for her in the on call room. As it is better for Baby Cinder. Its early enough the morning sky is still an indigo blue color. The sun is still down. He hasn't slept because every time Klaire's heart monitor beeps even a half measure off cadence he jumps out of his skin.
Hospitals are busy even at this hour he thinks stupidly to himself. He misses Liv. He toys with the idea of paging her for company as Klaire sleeps in the crib just behind him. This place is Liv's sanctuary; she loves the hustle and bustle of the hospital. The noise, the chaos, the saves, it keeps her going.
"Do I wake up Liv? Or do I not wake up Liv?" He muttered to himself.
He decides to text her as a middle ground to actually waking her up. "Hi! I love you!"
"LOL! Don't tell me you can't sleep my dearest Douchey."
"Hey! I am not douchey! Well I am but I'm not."
After a few seconds his phone buzzes again. "I could use Owen's nickname which is Dickhead. I'm on my way. I need to pee. You better have fucking coffee."
"Coffee is bad for the baby." He texted back.
"Fuck off you try being pregnant and sleep deprived and constantly sick and deal with a sick baby and see if you let some well-meaning asshat take your coffee away."
He laughed as he typed his message. "You're foul mouthed this morning' I dig it."
"UGH! Whatever. Get coffee."
"I love you."
"Not the point but Okay. I love you more."
-/-/-
She's sitting facing the window when he returns with the coffee. "Some dude at the coffee kiosk named Stevie made your coffee just the way you like it on days like today black and nasty. He also says he's pulling for Klaire."
She groaned. "It's made the rounds."
"It did but they aren't pitying Liv just supportive."
"I know I just can't do anything Kelly!"
"You aren't meant to do anything today Livvy." He handed her the coffee cup and kissed her. "Today you're just meant to be her Mom."
"It's getting close to time. I should go give Daddy my parking pass."
"He texted me, Grady is having an episode they may be late. Benny called though he should be here in ten or twenty minutes."
"This is really minor Kelly." Liv points out.
"I know but he hardly ever wants to be present for me so I'm not stopping him."
"Good. You okay?"
He smiled at her. "I'm…nervous but okay. You?"
"Don't know really…" She confessed. She looked at her feet.
He tipped her chin up and saw tears in her eyes/"I know the unknown freaks you out but it is perfectly alright to not know how you feel about what we have to do today. You aren't being a bad mother or doctor."
"Stand up." He commanded.
"Why?"
"I want to hold you properly. Stand." He said sternly.
She does as he as asks and he wraps her into a hug, "It's going to be fine, put all the bad stuff that can happen away because it's not going to happen to us. She's going to be up and running and playing and fighting with her brother or sister in no time and this it is just going to be distance memory of a scary time."
She hugs him tight in return. "I love you. Thank you." She kissed him on the cheek to avoid morning breath.
"Am I late? Can kiss my sweet pea before she goes in?" Erin said bursting in. sometimes Liv thanked God above for Erin.
"You aren't late E, we haven't even prepped."
Erin stepped into hug Liv and kisses her cheek. "Mornin' bitchface! I brought cinnamon rolls."
"Slutbucket…" Liv retorted as she hugged her and Kelly laughed while digging into the food.
"Your friendship entertains me." Kelly said biting into the cinnamon rolled he'd snatched up.
-/-/-
Hank and Benny show up together just after they have woken Klaire to start surgery prep.
"Hiya Princess." Benny said she waves at hum but stays in Kelly's arms. She rubbed her eyes with the hand not waving.
"Hey there Ladybug. You ready to fight today?" Voight Said.
She yawned and cuddled more closely to Kelly.
They let those present kiss and cuddle Klaire before they go back to the pre-op holding room. Erin is close to tears. "Hey sunshine you got this." She said kissing Klaire's crown of curls.
A nurse leads them back just as Liv phone rings in Erin's hand. "I got it. It's Rainey." Liv doesn't turn she just keeps rolling.
-/-
Kelly watches as Liv calmly changes Klaire's diaper. "Good you peed! Good girl." She talks mostly nonsense. Kelly knows she's trying to just hold up. She changes her into the tiniest hospital gown Kelly has ever seen. It made him feel like crying. "Skin a rabbit!" Liv said pulling the onesie over the girl's head and Klaire smiles.
"You can come closer Baby." Liv said watching him stand at the end of the bed entirely too large for his baby. He stays put. "Kelly just come stand by her I gotta go get the versed dose to relax her."
He said lowly. "It's real now Livvy."
"I know and I'm sorry." She slips off her wedding rings as Kelly moves up by Klaire's head. "Hold those for a second."
-/-/-
"You are my sunshine my only sunshine…" Kelly brushed his fingers through her curls. "Yeah you just go back to sleep, you make me happy…" emotions he can't describe and has never felt bubble up in him.
"Hey Kell… just keep singing she's distracted." Liv held up IV flush and the versed.
"When skies are gray…what is that?"
"It's just to mellow her out. Its fine I use it every day in the ER. He nods at her.
"So please, don't take my sunshine away." He finished trying not cry.
"And done! Thank you Daddy."
She doesn't fall fully back to sleep. Instead just doses in and out. A nurse comes and gets Liv to scrub up when she returns Kelly realizes he's never seen Liv in full surgical gear for some odd reason it makes him relax.
She pulls down the mask and makes sure Klaire sees her. "I'm still Mommy, Klaire."
"Grayne…It's time Holmby said coming around the corner.
"Okay…Well baby, this is where we leave you. You can go no farther than this door." She nodded back at the huge double doors. "You should give her sleep tight kisses."
"Right okay… can I just-"He felt jumbled up. He didn't know how to do this.
"You can hand her to me at the door babe."
"Thank you."
"Hey none of that now, I'm your wife first a doctor second." Liv reminded him gently.
He nods and picks up Klaire. "Okay Klairey, you be an extra big girl for the doctor okay? I know he will take good care of you. You just need to concentrate on your little baby dreams and when you wake up and it'll all be fixed. We'll eat ice cream and I'll even bring your buddy pouch by okay? Just wake up for Daddy. You just- you do that okay? For me okay?" he kissed her. "Okay. I love you."
He hands her to Liv. "I need a blanket from the warmer please." They bring one and she wraps Klaire up. "Can you push? I need to focus on her." Liv asked the scrub nurse.
Kelly watches until they're out of sight. He can see Klaire clutching on to Liv and Liv saying things he can't hear. There is a pause when he can no longer see them and then he can hear Klaire wailing for "Mama" even three rooms away.
His heart breaks for Liv. That this had to be the very first time Klaire called her Mama. She rolls out of the room and stopped for a second in the middle of the hall. She sits facing the wall her head and arms braced on a support beam as she stared at the floor. He's not sure if she's praying or trying to gather her emotions but before he can slip through the door she turns and gives him a glittering smile and thumbs up.
She is tough as nails his LIvvy and man does he love her and her unstoppable optimism.
-/-/-
The Elevator ride to the cardiac surgery waiting area is silent. Kelly knows that in this moment the doctor who knows what must be done is at war with the mother who just wants a healthy child. A conflicted Liv is rare. She has always been solid, this is shaking her.
The elevator doors open. Cole and Mara stand there and something is silently communicated between mother and daughter. "Mom…" Liv whispered trying to hold back her sobs by placing the back of her hand over mouth. It doesn't work as Liv breaks down. Kelly leans down to kiss the top of her head as Mara hugged her. "How do you do this? She screamed Mommy, she's screamed so loud calling my name and I just wanted to take her home. I almost couldn't do it; I almost couldn't lay her there. I can't do that again, I can't… how do you do this Mom? Me? Lang is going to die and Grady and Hadley are going to have hard lives and Rainey… I just never thought about all you do until today? What if I'm not meant to do this…?" She rambled still crying hard.
"Baby you are meant for this if you weren't? You wouldn't be so wrecked right now. You are wrecked because she is your baby and you'll do it the same way I do, with faith and because you have too. You will carry her into operating room after operating room to and from expensive doctors or yes even accept that she may die before you are ever ready to say goodbye because that's the cards ya got baby and who better to love her than you huh? Who better because I don't see anyone else here half as worthy of the privilege of being Klaire's mother than you. So you just do it. That's how." Her mother confided
She sucked back her tears with a wet sniffle. "Right you're totally right I'm sorry."
"What for?"
"Kelly and I promised each other no crying."
He pulled on her ponytail. "Stupid promise neither of us were ever capable of keeping. You cry as much as you need too." He kissed her. "Upside down ones hurt your neck. Sorry. You good baby?" he wiped her fallen tears with his shirt sleeve.
"I'm good." She smiled at him before turning back to her mom. "Is Grady okay?"
"He's fine… just overstimulation and school stress."
-/-/-
When Matt comes in he suggests a walk and Kelly takes him up on it after checking with Livvy that he won't miss anything, When Gabby is not with Matt it strikes Kelly as odd but he just keeps his mouth shut.
"How ya holding up?"
Kelly paused in thought. "Well enough I guess I have to be. Liv she loves with every fiber of her body it's just who she is. It's part of why I love her honestly. The thing is though when you are the smartest person in the room and you have to trust the life of the person you love most to someone else? It shakes you. She's shaken and terrified. It's my turn to hang on and keep her going. It's my turn to be strong,"
"If you need to not be… strong I'll listen."
Kelly shook his head. He's shocked by the sudden tears stinging his eyes. "No one teaches you how to do this. Parenting? Even the mundane choices scare me because…" He choked on his tears. He cleared his throat. "Because I don't want to screw her up. I don't want to screw them up and one has a heart condition and the other it's not even here yet and the odds are stacked."
"Stacked how?" Matt pushed walking a step behind him.
"Livvy's pregnancy won't be without complication. She thinks I don't know but you knock up a paralyzed girl you google shit real fast. I just never thought I'd be a dad much less one who makes the big choices." He wiped at his face. "Benny left the hard things for my mom." Kelly stopped walking for a moment
Casey stayed quiet. "I'm afraid this isn't going to work Matt. He stared out the window of the little walk way they stood in. "And I can't tell her that I don't think I'll make it through losing someone I love again. Not Olivia or Klaire."
"Sometimes the hard choice is the only one you have Severide. You'd be doing Klaire a disservice if you chose the easy thing. Liv is stronger than you think; she'd have to be to put up with your shit! We just have to think positive for Klaire."
Liv rolled up. "Erin cheats at Candy land. Our friendship will survive but I don't think she can survive cheating Tess out of fair game."
"Your friendship with Erin and cockroaches will be the only thing to survive an apocalypse. "Kelly quips.
"And us…" She stopped in front of Kelly and stood. "Matt, Benny was asking after you. Shop talk I guess." Liv said.
-/-/-
"Olivia Blair you cheeky little woman you just got rid of him."
"I did yes." She admitted with a proud nod.
"Naughty."
"Stop flirting with me and talk." Liv said standing up.
"Livvy-"
"We can be scared together you know." She said brushing the hair on his forehead back into place.
He pulls her into a hug. "Okay. I'm probably going to melt down once she is perfectly fine you know?"
"I know." She held him as close as the chair would allow. The noise from the waiting room behind them draws Kelly's attention but when he goes to pull away she stops him. "Can we stay like this for a bit? The only time I feel safe in all this is next to you."
"For as long as you want baby." He replied.
-/-/-
Mara tells Vivi the last place she saw her sister when she finds her she hurries back to her Mom.
"Mommy, they're asleep its cutest thing." She pulls her mother too her feet while grabbing her cell phone.
There has always been a good deal of medical drama surrounding the Grayne family they've learned to take humor where they can find it and sure enough seeing Kelly and Liv standing all cuddled up in hug asleep in the tiny waiting room corner is as sweet as it is funny. Kelly is resting his chin on Liv's head and his mouth is hanging open. Liv is clutched on to him with her face half hidden in his neck and chest. As where Kelly seems to be dosing Liv is out.
Vivi snaps a picture with her phone and the flash wakes them both with a start. They jerk awake Liv nearly loses her balance when Kelly pulls away.
"I drooled on you Kell." She points to the offending drool patch on his grey Henley.
"How long were we out and who saw?" Kelly said looking around a bit frantically.
"About twenty minutes and everyone. Vivi has photographs." Mara answered.
"I won't tell anyone you know how to cuddle Severide." Matt teased.
"Hey I'll cuddle anyone who will have sex with me." Kelly retorted and Liv smacked his arm.
"And there is no denying you're my boy." Benny added.
After a few seconds Liv notices a drastic change in Vivi's appearance. "Viv! Your hair I love it!" gone were the long blonde locks in its place is a sleek edgy bob that totally fit the angles of Vivi's face.
"Really? Leslie, she liked my hair long but the therapist mom recommended told me that a fresh look might help in finding the new me." Vivi said chewing her lip nervously.
"You look gorgeous!" Liv assured her.
Kelly and Liv spend the remainder of the waiting period sitting together Kelly talking to Bowden who'd showed up with Hermann and Cindy. Liv sits in Kelly's lap reading a medical journal. Kelly runs his hand up and down her back occasionally rubbing her neck when she looks exceptionally tense.
Bowden laughs when Kelly can read Liv's expression and finds her something to write on without saying a word.
"She's got the look…find something useful baby?"
"Maybe…clinical trial…" she murmured to him distractedly.
"Grayne!" Holmby calls out and their heads snap up even as Kelly bites down on the urge to tell him her last name again.
"Please say good things Jason." Liv replied a little breathlessly but Kelly isn't breathing much either.
"She did beautifully. You got a fighter on your hands Livvy. Come on back both of you. She's in recovery and babies come out of antistethic fussy. Mom and Dad's presence tends to help with that."
-/-/-
Once Klaire is back in her room standing in her crib jabbering and playing something in Kelly breaks loose and the fear he's held in releases in the form of tears.
"Aw baby she's okay. Liv said gently as she reached out and wrapped him in a hug. "We're all okay." She said. She kissed his cheeks and he tried to suck all of his emotions back in knowing the guys are watching him.
"I know I'm just relieved I guess." He sighed scrubbing at his face. "Life just keeps hitting us ya know."
"Well just tell life she hits like a bitch and keep going."
Kelly laughs. "I love you Livvy. I mean that."
"I know you'd be lost and having indiscriminate wholly unsatisfying sex with half the city without me." She joked still holding on to him.
He shrugged. "Pretty much." He leaned over and kissed her. Her stomach growling broke the moment. "Is that you?"
"I'm hungry…I just didn't want Cafe food."
"I'll see the family out. The ones that'll go anyway and order us a pizza."
"Perfect."
-/-/-/=
"You cheat! Who fucking cheats at Go Fish!" Liv laments.
"I do!" Kelly said smiling at a perturbed Liv. She scowls deeply at him and he just eats his pizza.
"I'm pregnant with your baby and cheating is wrong now gimmie your threes."
"What does being pregnant have to do with anything?" He faked her out as she lunged for his cards.
"Give them!" She said tersely.
"You're very competitive. It's cute." He smirks at her and leans further away.
"Yeah don't play "Life." With her no matter how boring nightshift is." Jason said from behind them.
"You ditched your peg person wife on the bridge Jason." Liv said dryly.
"She talked too much." He retorted.
Liv rolled her eyes. "In your not so humble opinion can I take Klaire home?"
"Yeah. You got a portable defibrillator at home?"
"That doesn't sound good." Kelly said lowly he suddenly felt the need to whisper for some odd reason. Like saying it loudly made it real.
"The WPW can reoccur your wife knows that and if it does? You will want the crash cart on hand." Holmby advised seriously.
"I will buy one." Liv said.
"Are all of her caregivers CPR certified? I know you both use those skills frequently but your baby sister not so much." Holmby asked.
"Vivianne is it's something Shay thought might come in handy. I'll take Rain to the firehouse to have Mills teach her," Liv said.
"I'll steal the pediatric and infant dummies and teach her." Kelly added.
-/-/-
They take her home and sleep for maybe six hours and then they have to leave for their shifts. When Matt asks Kelly if he wants to go for a drink at end of shift he has to suppress his laughter. "I can't believe I'm about to say this but can I check with Olivia first? It's just that Klaire literally just got released from the hospital and Liv and are finally in a good place again I can't be out pickling my liver every night."
Matt sighed. "It's Livvy's world and you're just living in it huh?" He gave Kelly a half smile.
"I'm happy to do so. You and Gab are going to figure this out. "Kelly returned.
"Gab?"
"Liv again, sorry."
-/-/-
Liv's phone rings out Kelly's tone. "Burning Love."
"Sup Kelly."
He kicked back in the bed looking up at the ceiling. "Ha! Did you really just use "Sup" in a greeting?"
"Busy my love." She said shortly.
"Oh okay, I need an excuse not to go for beers with Matt got one handy?"
"You could just say your mean wife needs you for husbandy stuff."
"Such as…"
She sighed. "You have take out the trash? I don't know make something up. You really don't want to go huh?"
"Not really, I'd rather be with you."
"Then just say that."
"I can't!"
"Why not? "She asked,
"I think he and Gabi are on the verge of breaking up."
"Then the bar is the last place he needs. Listen baby, I gotta run. I have multi trauma rolling up. Love you!"
He stares at his phone. She hung up on him. "Love you too Livvy." He muttered to himself.
"She makes you really happy huh?" Brett said while poking her head in.
"She does. Need something?"
"Dinner's ready."
-/-/-/-/-
After shift he politely turns down a flabbergasted looking Matt. "I like my wife and I actually really like having a wife and she's been on me about putting together Cinder's crib for two weeks. Preparedness is next to godliness in Livvy's nook."
"It's cool man."
"Alright, make sure you get home safe. No driving that is what Uber is for according to every woman in the Grayne family adopted cop included. "Kelly clapped him on the back.
"They're all adopted." Matt points out.
-/-/-
"Holy Mother Fucker Kelly!" Liv swore while looking at the laptop.
"What you find my porn? I told you to stay out of the file marked "Not Liv but doable."
"No and eww. This defib is 1200 dollars."
He shrugged. "She's on both of our insurance plans they can't claim preexistence because her condition is congenital let the city pick up the tab."
"And if insurance refuses to cover the model I want because it's the one I'm familiar with?" she counters looking at him intensely.
"I'll buy the fucker. Baby don't sweat it. Click buy and come to bed."
"Right… Gonna make it worth my time?"
"Uh I'm hurt… Did you really ask me that? Race you to the elevator."
-/-/-
"You with your long working legs!" Liv pouted as she lost the race.
"Elevator Sex as consolation?" he said pushing the button to stop between floors. He leaned down to kiss her as she sat frozen. "Baby…"
"Kelly I have trouble with small enclosed spaces since the building collapse please release that button…I can't breathe…" She said carefully.
"Liv honey…"
"Fine I'll do it!" she reached past him to yank the button free.
When the elevator finally lands she scurries off of it and takes a few steadying breaths in the hallway.
"Liv, what's happening here?" He said utterly confused.
"A building fell on me and I have lingering claustrophobia. That's what's happening… just please I'm fine but please don't do that again."
"Liv you shut us in there once." He reminds her
She finally draws a deep breath. "That was before the nightmares returned."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"You were not dealing well with the Shay thing and I just didn't want to add more to your plate. Then we were having problems and it wasn't the time."
"Olivia, you always talk to me."
"I know I do. It's just tiny closed up places nothing big. Closets, elevators, certain exam rooms things like that I'm working on it."
"Umm hmm. This is totally working for you!" He said sarcastically.
"Kelly…"
"LIvvy you're on the edge of a panic attack." He tries not to shout at her. It's doubtful it'd help anything.
"Kelly I'd rather not fight as satisfying the makeup sex is I'm too tired to put in a fight."
"I wish you'd told me."He said softly.
"Making going bed worth my while? You took it as a personal challenge just a minute ago."
He picked her up and slung her over his shoulder to carry her to the bedroom. "Is it safe for the baby to carry you like this? It keeps my skills sharp but…"
"It's fine."
-/-
At three am there is pounding on the door and Kelly puts on his pajama bottoms on. "Who the fuck is it?" he muttered walking out of their bedroom. Liv woke up enough to transfer into her chair to watch his back from the landing.
"One of our neighbors better be on fucking fire." She groused back. "I've got you covered if it's a burglar and not a flaming human. I will try not to fall asleep. No promises."
Kelly opens the door to find Matt weaving drunkenly in his doorway. "I'm so drunk I forgot where I live."
"But you somehow remembered my address?" Kelly said dryly.
"Please tell me you didn't drive yourself?" Liv said from the stairs.
"Uber…" he shrugged. "Don't act like you've never been there Kelly."
"Nope never forgot where I lived."
"Just that you were married." He retorted smartly.
He
"Okay Matty is a mean drunk. Kelly go upstairs. I got it." Kelly just looked at her. "I have brothers, I got this."
"Liv…"
"Only I can be mean to you about that. Now go upstairs." He goes upstairs but only to trade places on the landing. He wants to stay close in case Matt falls on top of her or something.
"Go to the couch." She grabs the stuff from the closet to make out the couch. Then she takes off Matt's shoes. "How do you sleep Matty? Can you get undressed yourself?" She said gently.
"I- I messed up. He mutters he stands to strip out of his shirt and jeans.
She averts her eyes for Matt's privacy and out of respect for Kelly, Though you seen one body you seen em all as doctor. "Boxers stay on you hear me Matty?"
"Yes ma'am. I love her you know?" he mumbled.
"Yes, I do know. You are engaged I should hope you love her."
"What made me think we could work together and be together? You and Kelly do fine."
"I'd kill Kelly if I had to work with him." She said with a smile.
'I should call her. Can I borrow your cell mine died." He plops back on the couch.
"No woman wants drunken text at three am filled with misspelled and messy apologies, call her when you're sober. Just trust me… lay back matt." He does and she covers him up.
"You got nice curves hiding under the lab coat Doc."
"Thank you Matt." She laughed lightly.
"Don't tell Kelly I said that."
"Go to sleep Matt."
"Sometimes I see Hallie when I look at you."
"Thought you might…" she tucks him in a little. "There's water and aspirin on the table and your phone's charging."
"You're a good woman Liv."
"Goodnight Matt."
-/-/-
"He was flirting with you!" Kelly accuses when she reached the landing.
His half hidden jealousy makes her smile. "He's drunk Kelly I could tell him you were revirginized by order of the pope right now and he'd believe me. Do not wake Klaire or you stay up with her."
"He's right you know? You're a pretty good girl Livvy. Curves don't hurt either though." He said walking behind her to the bedroom.
She stops in their doorway. "Trying to get laid again are we?"
He shrugs. "I'm awake you're awake. Thank you for protecting my honor earlier."
"Anytime. Morning sex? I'm too tired now. "She offered.
-/-/-
Matt wakes to a slobber laden hand smacking him in the face. He cracks an eye open only to be smacked again by a gleeful looking Klaire. "Mornin' Klairey Kate. "
"Dada!"
"Not Daddy." He muttered.
"You're a man and you're in Kelly's spot. You're Dada until real Dada takes that spot. Must be a bad hang over I can almost see your headache. You want breakfast?" Liv said with a kind smile.
Matt rubbed his hands down his face. "How'd Kelly snap you up?" He picked up Klaire.
"He was first up the ladder." She quipped.
"Real funny Babe." Kelly said descending the stairs. "Wanna ride together to work? I'll fry the bacon if you wanna make toast. "Kelly offered.
"I need to mash up some bananas for Klaire but sure."
"You guys still do that even though you have to turn around and go back the other way?"
"It's a way to spend a piece of our day together." Klaire squirms to be let down and races over to Kelly on all fours.
"She ditched me."
"Welcome to my life." Liv muttered as Kelly picked up Klaire. "And it's not even Kelly I'm always ditched for. Sometimes it's Owen or my Dad, Benny, even got ditched in favor of petting Grady's hair once." Liv laments.
Kelly is dressed for work and standing at the island counter with Klaire on his hip. "Hey the boy has got good hair and he didn't flinch away when she touched him so there is that? Baby how do I turn on the electric skillet?"
"The on button." Liv said in a dry tone.
"You sure you wanna make babies with that?" Matt teased.
"Too late."
-/-/-
Kelly and Liv get into her truck and she starts the engine "Grind with me." By Pretty Ricky blares out. Kelly looked at Liv utterly confused. "Who are you and what did you do with my wife?"
"Erin was last in the car she got radio control so we went a little old school for old time's sake." She replied and took to the road.
"Not dealing with prospect of her leaving well are you?"
"I'd rather not talk about it." Liv said primly adjusting her rearview mirror at the nearest stoplight.
"Why?"
"Because if I talk about her moving to DC I'm going to cry."
"She may stay at the satellite office and commute when she needs too. Baby I don't think this means your friendship will change at all. That uncomfortable sexual tension to between her and your brother at family dinners is here to stay Liv."
Her laughter fills the truck cab. "Thank you Kelly."
"I'll be your reality check with dirty humor any day my baby." He retorted.
When the radio switches to "California Love by Tupac." And Liv raps along perfectly it flat out makes Kelly's day. He slyly video as she drives to the firehouse.
"I just want you to know that something about the fact that you know the lyrics to this is a major turn on." She turns to find him taping her.
"Kelly!"
"Not Sorry."
They arrive at the firehouse quickly. He helps her to pin her rings to her scrub top. She can do it herself he knows that but he likes doing it. Carrying forward their little routine. He leans across the console and kisses her quickly but firmly knowing as tempted as he is to linger and kiss her again she'll be late to work. "I love you."
"Love you too! As always be careful Kell."
"You know it baby." He gets out of the truck and goes around to Klaire's side he opens the door and leans into kiss her goodbye too. Landing a quick kiss on her forehead. "Bye Klairey Katherine…Daddy loves you."
"Same goes for Cinder." He says just see Liv grit her teeth.
"That is not the name!" She screeches at him in mock frustration.
He closes Klaire's door and goes over to Liv's window leaning in to kiss her again. "Then we need to find out the sex so we can name it properly." He says kissing her again. "You should go."
She kissed him this time. "I should. Love you best of all Kell." She starts up the truck again and rolls off rap blaring.
If the guys notice him humming along to "California Love." All day they don't mention it.
-/-/-
Sometime later He hears Gabi and Casey screaming at each other. "Did you sleep with her?" Gabi screams.
Kelly sticks his head out of his personal quarters. "What's going on…?" He watches a blonde girl he remember s as "Nat" She's one of Liv's favorite students. "That's Liv's intern. He didn't sleep with anyone he hit on my wife and slept on the couch and then he forgot his phone. Vivi brought it too Liv. Liv had a trauma and sent the little doctor instead I just got off the phone with her."
"Oh so now you hot on my married pregnant friends?" Gabi countered
"Gabi you're being unreasona-forget it." Kelly said when she shoots him a dirty look and went back to his room.
"When did Kelly get so freaking secure." She snarls.
"When I figured out if anyone tried to steal her they'd give her back. She'd break her poor little Matty." He called from his quarters.
-/-/-
"Severide, talk to me." Liv says into the phone.
"Hey Baby…Donna's having her baby in the back of the rig,"
"Cool…"She doesn't even try to hide her doctor-ish glee.
"You're on speaker Liv." Kelly said trying not to laugh.
"Shit sorry! Do you need me to walk you through it?"
"When was the last time you delivered a baby Olivia?" Chief Boden interjected.
"Lakeside Emergency Room, Twins about six months before I met Kelly. Delia and Delilah Stockton. Do you need help Chief?" She said rotely.
"I got it."
"I'll meet you outside what's your ETA."
"Bout five minutes we're stuck in traffic." Kelly answered.
"Consider this your practice run Kell."
"You are not funny. I don't want to deliver it."
-/-
When they pull up Kelly jumps out to greet her with a wide smile "Hey beautiful." He said before turning to help Chief gingerly move Donna from the rig.
"
Hey Donna, lay on the gurney for me…this is Natasha my intern on rotation today can you hand her …" Liv paused not knowing the baby boy's name. Donna laid down.
"Terrance." She provided handing the baby over begrudgingly,
"Terrance for a little look see…Good."
"How're you feeling?" Liv asked the other woman with a bright smile.
"Uh Doc Sev?" Natasha says wearily.
"Yup,"
"He's not breathing, Meconium aspiration?" Liv rushed over.
"It's likely… Someone tell Neo we're coming straight up. You continue CPR. Someone get me suction and an ET Tube! Now! Lay him there Nat." She takes over CPR for a bit. Until someone brings the ET Tube. It's in before any of them can blink "Ambo Bag." She hooks it on "Take over Go! I'm right behind you!"
She rolls past all of them faster than Kelly has ever seen. "Babe?" Kelly calls out.
"I'll let you know!" and she's inside and on the elevator.
Chief is running behind them and is stopped at the Neonatal doors. "Chief she's the very best at what she does and that's not me being biased its just fact." Kelly says once He's caught up to him.
Liv hands him off to the neonatal team and goes to fill in the boys. "Whoa this is a bit like facing a firing squad."
" She takes a breath. "Okay Wallace public or private?"
"We're a family." Chief says firmly.
"Right! Neonatal isn't my specialty but I can tell you what the initial treatment for Meconium Aspiration is, right now we breathe for him and clear his lungs of the bacteria, Meconium it's sticky and hard to clear but not impossible. Just hang on for a bit okay? And Donna's fine I had her sedated and sent up to L&D."
"Dr. Severide to pediatric ER trauma one." Comes over the intercom.
"Shit! Do you have any questions Wallace?"
"No."
"Okay! " She took a breath. "Shit!"
"We're alright babe. Compartmentalize and go." Kelly said gently.
"Right. I'll keep you updated. I love you! Do not bug Klaire it messes up her day!"
-/-
At the end of shift Kelly rides with Casey to visit Boden and grab Liv so they can go home. Liv rolls up to him looking half dead and really tired. She took her hair down and put her rings back on. "Please no doctor-is questions okay y'all I've literally had the worst shift I've had in ages." She said to the group.
"Stand.
"No I hurt so bad you can squat to hug me."
Kelly leans down and hugs her she hugs back and he kissed her forehead. "Doctor Severide to Pediatric ER Multi-Level Trauma." Comes from above.
"I'm going to cry." She whined. She released him and slide her rings off again and put them in his palm. "Get one of the guys to drop you and Klaire off I'll be awhile." She pulled her hair up.
"Nah I'd rather wait on you. I can make sure ER Gods return you to me in one piece." He kissed her. "You got it baby, you always do. Don't cry."
She fought back tears of exhaustion. "See you in a bit."
He turned to Hermann exhaling noisily. "That always makes me feel so useless."
"It's the hormones and the tough job my man. Not you."
"Not used to that are you?" Gabi said.
"Oh Liv'll cry at the drop of a hat but never at work."
-/-
The lights are out and they're in bed when Kelly speaks looking at the ceiling. "I need to tell you something but I don't want to add to your bad day?"
"As long as you didn't fuck anyone who isn't me you can't make it any worse Kelly today was awful. I had three losses today and that was before Terrance Bowden. The multi-level? A man went after his children with a machete. No reason besides being fucking nuts. So I honestly don't think it can get worse babe."
"We fought a warehouse fire today I bit it pretty hard but got it put out. Turns out it was an arsonist's rat hole stock pile…"
"Okay color me stupid baby but I don't understand." She said softly.
"He had an article the one from the sun I think…it was the one they ran on Shay."
"Kelly…What're you-"Leans up on her elbow to look at him.
"It was tacked up like a trophy. I think Shay's fire was arson."
"I was wrong. That's definitely worse…" She said as she broke down in tears.
He pulled her into his side. "Baby come here… Shhh…it's alright Liv."
"I can't tell Vivi someone killed the person she loved."
"I'll do it if he needs to be done." He replied plainly.
"Kelly I feel like a horrible person because I could have tried harder with Shay I just I didn't because she didn't like me and now because I didn't try I feel like I have no right to have feelings about it or to help you and Viv properly." He words fall into the skin of his chest.
"You guys were coming around; I always knew it'd take time because you two were a lot alike actually. Only differences being you were hot for me." She laughed and it made him smile. "So you feel whatever you need to babe because you help. Every day… you will never know how many times you've saved me these past few months Livvy." He confessed.
"How did this turn into you comforting me Kelly?"
He kissed her temple. "Knocked you up, it's my job to be nice when you cry."
AN: As always I own only the ocs. I know I'm a few episodes behind just please be patient I promise I'll get there. If you liked it please review. This horrendous edit was helped along by Red Velvet Oreo's and Taylor Kinney. Seriously they deserve thank you notes because this shit was hell to edit! Lol! Thanks again for your faithful readership, review, likes, and favorites!-MM