Liv steps into the mostly silent Firehouse and waves to Connie who is sitting at her desk. "Hey sweetheart quick morning debrief and PIC introduction and Kelly will be right out."
"I'll just wait in the common area. "She replies as she sits and waits running Kelly's St. Florian Medal through her fingers.
He had taken the necklace off so she could clean it. It had come up missing days ago. Having just found it she brought it to him. The superstitious fire wife in her was taking over. She flinches at the sound of some getting reamed by Chief.
The new Paramedic rounds the corner. "Jess Chillton!" She squeals at the sight of the bubbly brunette.
"Doc Grayne! I heard you transferred hospitals! 114 used Lakeside!" The other woman hugged Liv quickly.
"Transferred is the polite word yes. You will really love it here Chilly. 51 is a great house and I'm not just saying that because it is my husband's house."
"You're chief's wife?"
"Nope. "
"What's up baby?" Kelly said from behind Chilly.
Liv held his necklace up. "I found your necklace in the shiny addict's car seat. I asked her why she had it and I quote "Daddy no has mine shiny." Liv smiled at him. "As I pried it out of the care seat side I thought she was going to Gollum out on me. And chant my precious all the way to daycare." Liv joked.
He gave a half shrug. "She coulda kept it. I've been meaning to give it to her anyway."
"When she's older and understands the value besides its pretty shininess then yes she can have it but for now you'll keep it and let your patron saint do his job okay. I know it's hokey and stupidly superstitious but I need you to wear it."
"Okay. You alright baby?" he asked putting it on.
"Fine, we have an appointment with Holmby tomorrow to make sure Klaire's infection hasn't traveled from her ear to her heart valves."
"I remember." The fire tone goes off announces a house fire. He kissed her quickly. "See you at home Livvy." And he was off.
"I love you Kell, be careful."
"Always baby. Love you back." He grins at her over shoulder/
-/-/-
When Kelly comes home he finds Vivi dancing with Klaire to a cover of "I wanna dance with somebody." He smiles watching Klaire kick up one of her feet in some spastic semblance of a dance move. "Where's Liv?" He asks Vivi.
"Daddy! Daddy! Hello. Klaire chatters giving him a toothy grin.
He laughs to himself. "Hello is a new one, Hello my jewelry thief."
Vivi turns down the music. "Oh she's up stairs blowing up balloons for Erin's birthday party. She's in the bedroom."
He picks Klaire up and covers her face in kisses before putting her back down. "Be back baby, gotta say hi to Mama and kiss the brother."
He finds Liv listening to Matchbox Twenty on her phone as she uses a giant canister of helium to blow up the balloons. Aaron sits in the center of the bed in his bouncy seat. "Babe, that thing is bigger than you are even in standing position." He comments.
She turns at the sound of his voice and tears mist her eyes and for a second he can see her shoving back the emotions. "Liv what is it?"
She shakes her head forcing the tears back. "A mayday? Your second shift back? Really?""
"I'm fine, fell half way through a floor. The guys got me and the victim."
"I know I just…Never mind."
"I can't let it go when you look like you're going to cry Liv." He said as she watches him intently as he moves to grab up Aaron for his off shift ritual of immediately kissing the kids.
"I'm not crying I'm fine, I got scared for a second that's all." She replied primly.
He kissed Aaron on the top of his head. "I've seen you get scared and keep moving. You cleaned up Shay's body before your sister saw her so I know what you pushing through looks like and what it looks like when something is on your mind. Out with it." He orders bouncing Aaron.
She affixes a balloon and hits it with a shot of helium. "Do you know what makes me a good doctor? I can look at the trauma from every angle and I can find a solution. I can find the answer because they're drilled into me like the alphabet or my connection with the kids. It's second nature like breathing…."
"Okay…" He said in confusion.
"I'm getting there I promise. When anything happens to you I freeze. I can't think, I don't breathe. I know the fire can take you from me and I've made peace with it. What I don't have the answer to is what you want done… What should I do if you don't die but aren't alive by any real measure."
"Baby…" He says it softly. He hurts for her because of course her mind goes there.
"No don't look at me like that or I really will cry."
"Not all fire fighters die in the line of duty." He points out.
"No but a lot do and you almost did and… I love you." She counters looking at him for a beat before continuing. "I don't think you fully understand how much. All of the things I know as a doctor are going to go out the window and I will keep you alive hoping for a miracle. I love you and I want do the right thing for you. I need the organization and the rules I need an answer… because I'm not sure I'll ever be okay without you but I know I'll need a starting point. So….just please tell me what to do. I won't want too but I'll do what you want." She finishes heaving out a breath/
He puts the baby down and crosses to her. He kisses her. Her face held gently in his hands. "I'll let you die first… and we'll totally be old and senile so you won't be mad when I hit on nurses in the home." He said moving to press a kiss into her forehead.
"Kelly…" She tries to sound stern but laughs despite herself.
"I'll write out a living will and leave it where you can find it that way you don't have to deal with until it's an absolute okay?" He said seriously/
"Okay. And Kelly, unplug me and donate anything useable. No graves either I don't want our babies to visit empty boxes and stones." She said evenly.
"Alright." He kissed her again. "So how'd you hear about it?"
"Hospitals are like high school with scrubs. One of the nurses overheard Brett and Chilly. The nurse told me."
"Can I steal a balloon and take it to Klairey?"
"You're the one who gets to catch it for her when she lets it go."
He has to stand on the bed to get one down from where they have floated up to the vaulted section of their ceiling. "How do you plan to get these down?"
"That's why God made Owen six feet four." She said with a sly smirk.
"And to get them to the surprise party?"
"You mean the one she'll hate because she hates being the center of attention? Well that's why Chevy made my truck bed cover thingy."
"What are we getting her?"
Liv retorted dryly. "I'm getting her flowers and something off her amazon wish list. As for what you're getting her I have no clue."
"We're married it's called communal gift giving." He returned.
"It's called being lazy and putting shit off on your wife but you can sign the card if you really want too." She bargained.
She held out her sound wave pendant. "You are not a shitty gift giver. This is one of my favorite things ever. Like go back into a burning building for it level of like it." She grinned proudly.
"Please don't ever do that. I'll replace it." He said. "Besides, it took me a month and help from Erin to figure it out." He confessed.
"Were you honor bound by your fire man code thingy to inform of that?" She pouted.
"Things are replaceable you are not. Given your history with flames, near fires, building collapses, and being shot at the only thing you should ever go back for is our children." He countered grabbing a balloon and jumping down.
Aaron laughed at the balloons over his head. "Did you hear that? Livvy he laughed."
"He likes the colors don't you big man." Liv said looking down at him tenderly.
"I thought babies were color blind."
"Only the first few weeks until the retinal cones can translate what it sees to the brain."
He scowled at her. "But why would colors be funny?"
"Kelly, I'm a doctor not telepathic. He's three months old; he thinks fountains made of his own pee are funny. I have no clue why purple balloons are hilarious."
"Pee fountains are kind of awesome. Wait until he figures out how to write his name in the snow!" He scoops Aaron up on his way out.
"You will not teach him to write his name with urine that is disgusting! We are not teaching him that!" Liv calls chasing after him until he took the stairs. "Taking the stairs to avoid me is cheating! It's cheating Kelly!"
"Love you baby."
"Whatever."
=/-
"Brett…Chilly could you come into my quarters a moment? "Kelly asked ask he walked past them in the common area.
When they step in and close the door he takes a moment to gather his thoughts and choose his words carefully. "My wife literally just had a baby and I almost died on her a few weeks ago so…I have a rule, not unless I am dead or dying is my wife to know by any means at all that I might have faced real danger as I did last shift."
Brett and Chilly just look at each other. "Dude, no disrespect but your wife is my friend has been since I was a rookie dodging skitzed out junkie's punches in Lakeside ER. So, if you happen to almost die on the job and I am concerned for your health or general safety you should expect that I can and will tell her as I see fit. I didn't this time but I will if it is warranted." Chilly said.
"You don't understand I have the rule for a reason."
"Oh I'm willing to bet it's a dumb one." Brett jabbed teasingly.
Kelly sighed in irritation. "She is a devoted, organized, intelligent, and incredibly talented doctor. She's also a very neurotic fire wife with a hair trigger because of all the shit that's gone down. It's because of said shit I avoid scaring her. If I told her every little thing she'd never let me leave the house and I'd be forced into the kind of conversation I had last night. "Hey baby, what should I do if you're one day a vegetable? So no, Brett it's not a dumb reason. I'm trying to spare her." He snapped at her.
"Fine we will leave all you related conversation outside the hospital. I stand by my statement though and if after all you've been through you still manage to see neurosis instead of strength may be the issue has to do with you." Chilly said gently.
-/-
Liv has a shit ton of things to do before Klaire's appointment, Preparing for Erin's party and figuring out how to get the balloons off her ceiling her kitchen needs moping and she needs a haircut all before next shift.
Despite the packed schedule Kelly wants to have breakfast. Have some time where it is just the two of them and she agrees more or less… because pancakes taste good and Kelly's a hot date.
When Gabi strides up to the passenger side of her truck to talk to Kelly she suppresses a sigh. "Can I borrow your eyes for a minute? To check over that house fire…I believe the guy and I just…"
Kelly looks to Liv. "Where to Miss Daisy?" She grumbles setting the truck in gear.
He laughs. "Thank you baby, Taft and court."
"Yeah you're moping the floors."
=/=
Liv stays in the truck cuddled into Kelly's jacket wearing her shades to hide her tired eyes as she munches on left over candied pecans from the last mall trip with Rainey.
-/-/-
Gabi laughs as she passes by Liv's truck to join Kelly on the sidewalk. "What?" He asked.
"Your wife looks like something out of a kid friendly biker bar." He looks at her wearing his leather jacket and blue lensed aviators with Sophia the first scrubs finishing off her look. Her hair is down and messy as she tilts her head back to stuff her face.
"Be nice my baby is tired and apparently hungry. Those things are a day and half old at least."
"Your baby…" Gabi laughed. "Let's get this done so you can get your baby the pancakes she was promised before I hijacked your date."
-/-/-
When they're finished and they've talked to witness to the arson he opens the truck door. Liv is asleep arms crossed over her chest. Head hung down making her into a red headed cousin IT. God does he love her.
"Baby…" She jerks awake comically. "We need to drop by 21."
She whined. "Pancakes Kelly, you promised."
"You have a little drool…" he wiped her chin and she swatted his hand away.
"You are mean! A pancake Indian giving meanie." She pouted.
-/-/-
"Here you're making the husband killing face. You are not made for prison." Erin hands Liv her coffee cup.
"He promised food and alluded to sex and I found child care for wild morning sex but… bringing the doofus who doesn't know the word for scrubs is going to save lives right?" She gestures over at the guy.
"Let's hope… he does look a bit like he dropped too much acid in high school and now his eggs are fried." Erin responds as Liv uses her boobs as pillow as she stands behind her.
Liv yawns and gulps down too hot coffee. "Hey Dude? Did the guy have creds?" she holds hers up from the lanyard hanging around her neck.
"Why?" Ruzek asked.
"About the only thing you can do in the hospital without them is eating in the food court. If he's posing he'll be harder to find if he's the real deal he's in the system of whichever hospital he works at."
"Can you forge them?" Halstead asked.
"It'd be a bitch to do. They are finger print coded and serially numbered via encryption to prevent things like drug theft and kidnapping. Changing my name was a pain in the ass."
"How much of a pain the ass Kitten?" Voight asked.
"To change my name I had to go through HR and the security firm the hospital uses. I had to bring proof of who I was, proof I was married to the guy I said I was. They finger print everyone. Klaire and Aaron are on record. Anytime we have turn over the system erases your credibility within twenty four hours. Since the explosion it's kinda like Fort Knox. Like I said it's a bitch to fake when you can lurk in the caf." She shrugged.
"So smart money is him slipping in as though he belongs there." Erin mused.
"It's scary good strategy. Doctors, nurses, see scrubs and we think hey you're one of us a healer you must be trust worthy." Liv adds.
"Not at all horribly terrifying Livvy." Kelly mutters.
"So we check all surrounding medical supply stores and clothing stores for anyone matching the criteria for purchases." Voight says.
"Check online vendors too Hank." Liv says.
"Fuck me." He whispered.
"You're welcome." Liv smirked. "Happy scumbag hunting coppers." She finished. She turned to face Erin she kisses her cheek. "See you later almost birthday girl."
She hands Erin back her coffee cup. "We done here?" She looks to Kelly who nods. "Breakfast?"
"Yes, my princess." He retorts and she looks at him in confusion.
"Scrub top." He points out holding out his hand. "Breakfast club & grill?"
"All the way to the west side for breakfast someone's trying to get laid." Erin joked.
"He doesn't really have to try." Liv quipped. Erin choked on her coffee trying to stifle her laugh.
-/-
She's cuddled up next to him in the booth eating bananas foster French toast and she can feel him scowling "Alright out with it. You're thinking extremely loud and your omelet is going to get cold."
"Huh?"
"Your hamster wheel squeaks baby." She quipped.
"Livvy!" he tries to sound offended but ends up dissolving in laughter. "That was a good one, thanks I needed a laugh."
"Why're you making the scary brooding TV heart throb face?"
"Do what?"
"You brood like those vampires on the weird show Rainey likes. I may have watched her Hulu queue on maternity leave…. Don't judge! Will you make this face the first time Klairey dates? The kid will shit himself. Anyway what ya thinkin' baby?" She pushed.
"Otis thinks Rice ducked on me." He said lowly.
"I don't speak your lingo."
"When the fire gets hairy and you find an excuse to bail."
"And when was this?"
"My may day you got so freaked on."
"Kelly!" She chastises him before she can stop herself.
"He didn't do it baby! He wouldn't, we're friends and I have kids! There is a code and he wouldn't I know that."
"Ok then, if he wouldn't tell Otis to drop his shit and forget it."
"You're right."
"I love those words almost as much as the gravelly way you say my name right before you…" She popped her lips hands making a boom gesture. She cuddled into him again.
"Liv!"
"Selfie?" He leaned in kissing the crown of her head as she snapped the picture. She captions it and posts it his phone dings with the notification he's been tagged.
They look tired and slightly bedraggled but happy. Liv grins into the camera face make up free and shades pushed onto her head.
The caption reads. "Breakfast with my one and only." #mondayisourfunday.
When Liv goes to the bathroom he scrawls through her Instagram. There are a lot of him and the kids he hadn't even known she'd taken.
Him bent down to Klaire's level giving her a kiss. It's captioned "The only other woman he's allowed to kiss."
One of him scratching Klaire's head after she'd walked up to him said. "Itch!" the caption makes him laugh. "Love means scratching your baby's head without checking for daycare lice." #dryscalpnotliceIchecked
One of him giving Aaron a bath, one where's helping Klaire brush her teeth.
There's a black and white one of three of them sleeping on a big pallet in the floor. Aaron is lying on his chest and Klaire is curled up facing him using his out stretched arm as a pillow.
That nap with them had been the best sleep he'd had in about a month.
Liv's caption catches him off guard.
"Sometimes I joke with Erin that getting to look at you is proof God loves me. It's the truth though. You are proof God loves me. And I don't mean how handsome you are though that's nice. I mean it the way that in this moment my heart has never been fuller. This moment I just so happened to roll up too was the clearest answer to every prayer I have ever sent up in hopes of happiness. It is my entire world all in a single frame. I couldn't ask more. Thank you for putting up with me when I'm moody or mean. Thank you for being patient in my struggle, for loving me as I am not for what the world thinks I should be. Thank you for proving God listens and he loves me."
He really doesn't like Instagram but this one deserves a reply. "I am the lucky one God gave me you. In you and because of you I have everything I need. You almost made me cry in public. So… I kinda fucking hate you right now! Haha! Joking…Cole if you see this hate thing is a joke.
Seconds after he hits send she replies "Ha! You're afraid of my pacifist Dad. That is awesome."
He switches to text messages on his phone. "Did you just text from the toilet?"
"Maybe…"
-/-/-
Kelly watches as Klaire climbs as lithely up onto the padded and clothe covered cubes dotting the Pediatric Cardio waiting room as her short chunky little limbs will allow.
"It climbs…" He whispers.
Liv agrees. "It does… you may soon have to be my arms and my legs."
"Why?"
"It jumps…she's a jumper."
They get called back and she literally jumps into Liv's arms and Liv gives"Oomph." That makes Kelly smile.
"Nice catch." He comments.
"I do try."
-/-/-/-
After all of the testing they sit in Hamby's office. Klaire is sitting in Kelly's lap turned around playing with the zippers on his jacket. She may or may not be looking for gum but he isn't going to say that aloud.
"I thought heard more swishing when I listened yesterday. The valve is malfunctioning faster than anticipated isn't it? I should have caught this sooner." Liv says all rambly and nervous.
"Look there is nothing you did or didn't do to worsen this. She was born this way Liv every patient is different. Yes, hers seems to be getting worse but all we can do is up her meds and pray until she weighs enough to fix it or it becomes clearly emergent."
"Clearly emergent means what?" He asked as Klaire kissed his cheek. "Thank you Baby." He said softly acknowledging her.
"It means that her life is on the line and we have no options left but to operate and construct the valve in its correct place." Liv explains.
"And how close is that?"
"It all depends on your daughter. We can get her to maybe 2 before it flares up if the meds hold but if the WPW recurs…. It just depends Kelly."
"That's comforting," He growled.
"I wished I had easier answers."
"I'm sure…We'll be in the car Livvy."
-/-/-/-
Liv watches Kelly stare out the window as she drives. "Kelly?"
He clears his throat and sighs. "What?"
"We've got this. She will be fine. She will because I refuse to think differently. Healthy and happy is the only choice we're giving her and that's that."
"I know…"
"Trust me that I know what I'm doing okay?"
"Okay." He reached for her hand and intertwined their fingers.
"And Kelly?"
"I know, give you your hand back you need it for the brakes." He kissed the back of her hand before releasing it.
"I was going to say stop giving Klaire gum before she eats too much and can't poop. Or she god forbid puts it in her hair." She gives him a knowing half smile.
-/-/-
"Car accident… paralysis apparent on scene." The medic gives Liv the run down.
"Get me x-rays and call Jodi in ortho for a consult please." She orders without looking up she stands in her chair .She looks down on her patient. "Hi sweetheart I'm Livvy. Can you tell me your name?"
"Elise…I can't feel my legs."
"Okay, I will try to fix it okay." She said sitting back down and rolling to the other end of the bed. She checks for reflex using her pinwheel and gets nothing. She curses in her head.
"Get me the makings for a halo and the decompression weights please." She orders whoever is closest.
"I'm scared." Elise confesses and as Liv rolls back up to her head as they roll her for x-rays Liv has a flash of a pretty grey haired nurse looming over her using comforting tones as she had cried for her mother….or her Daddy… just somebody.
"Liv…" Jodi calls her name and she snaps out of it. "What we got?"
"Possible SCI…I'm waiting on X-ray to see if it's compressed or a severed." She turns back to her patient. "Fear is normal its human…but it will be okay and I'll stay for as long as you need me Elise."
"I want my mom. I was driving… I shouldn't have been how's my friend Poppy."
"How old are you Elise?"
"Fourteen ma'am."
"Alright… I'll see what I can do."
Jodi calls her over to the light box. Liv knows exactly what she's looking at if only because her films had looked the exact same. "Well shit…" Liv murmured.
"I know you alright?"
"Yeah… just… these are never easy for me. I'll see if I can get a bead on the parents if you wanna go to OR."
-/-/-/-
Liv locates the parents and waits with them through parts of the surgery then tells them the news backed up by Jodi that their daughter will never walk again.
When they leave the parents for a moment to themselves Jodi speaks up. "Go see your husband. I'll cover you."
"I'm-"
"It shows on your face Liv." She gives her a halfhearted smile. "Go see Kelly or Erin okay."
-/-/-
Kelly sees Liv weaving through the guys' basketball game and coming toward him at the false wall they're doing drills on. As she gets close he can see she has been crying.
"Klaire's fine." She says quickly.
"Then what?"
"Bad…just a bad day is all." She said. "I can see you're busy. I'll go… I need to leave those balloons with Nadia anyway." Her breath hitches as she tries not to cry in front of everyone." She says as a rogue basketball hits the wheel of her chair.
"Really guys. She's sitting right here in plain view and you know we're doing drills." Kelly complains.
"Kelly it was an accident."
"Dude… she's crying. We'll just break for a bit." Rice says.
"Look at that… Rice finding excuses to slack again. Did he plan that with you Liv?" Otis asked.
"No, Otis I didn't plan on having the single most traumatic moment in my life triggered just so Rice could bail. Are you being asshole for the fun of it or because you haven't gotten any since Katie left." Liv fires back.
He blinks at her. "Oh I'm sorry did that sting? At least I shit talk to your face."
Otis opens his mouth to retort. "Don't!" Kelly commands steel in his voice. He waits for Liv to stand and then wraps her into a hug. "What happened?"
"I had a spinal cord injury patient." She replies haltingly into the quilted fabric of his jacket.
"Okay…"
"Her injury is nearly identical to mine… and she was so scared…." She stops fighting back another wave of tears.
"Slow deep breaths baby." He soothes rubbing a hand down her back.
"And I remember that feeling." She squeezes him tighter. "So, I stayed calm… and kept her calm. It was severed not contused. So Jodi realigned the spine and cleaned up the crush injuries but when we told the parents she'd never walk again…" Kelly can feel her tears seeping onto his jacket. "They looked at me like I was this horrible apparition of her future …I just can't get the sound of her mother screaming out of my head Kelly. Then there's me like some twisted welcome wagon."
"I'm sure they're just in shock…"
"I still feel like a crap doctor…"
"You aren't honey. If you could rebuild people's spines you'd do it but you can't."
"I just needed to see you… because sucky day."
He pushed back slightly and wiped her tears away. "I'm sorry your day has sucked." He kissed her. "How can I make it better?"
"What you're doing works." She said returning the hug
He kissed her temple. "I'm not doing anything."
"Well we don't have time for you to put your back into it so to speak." He laughs a deep chuckle in her ear that warms her insides.
"You know me too well." He drops a kiss on neck where her scrub top meets skin.
Her phone rings and she shoves the chair back to sit down in case she has to move. "Doctor Severide…um…I'm with Kelly why? Uh, I guess back to the hospital. Erin, I'm not ditching my shift because some fire happy perv has a hard on for female nurses. If I don't fit M.O. I don't need it…fine send Roman and Burgess if you gotta. I'm heading back now."
"What?" Kelly asked as she hung up.
"We were right. There's a guy faking his way into hospitals to find his victims. He likes brunette nurses and has left a slew of unsolved rapes and murders from New York City and Louisiana to here. Apparently he likes short brunettes. If they don't end up missing they die in fires. Erin wants me guarded."
"I second that as you're tiny, female, and disabled." He said fighting the urge to squirm knowing she'd fight him.
"I can defend myself. I have my gun in the truck." She reminds him.
"Ok so I'm not going to tell you otherwise because I don't want to get my ass handed to me in front of my guys but can I just say it puts my mind at ease knowing you're guarded."
She gives in. "Fine but only brcause Hank ordered it. And I can totally handle myself."
"I'm sure you're a crack shot Calamity Jane."
"Let's hope you never have to find out Hubs McFireballs."
"McFireballs?" Rice asked laughingly as Kelly watched her go.
"Lock yourself in until you see Roman or Burgess Okay?"
"Can't gotta give the balloons to Nadia. I'll catch them there. Love you! Be careful!"
"Same to you." He turned to find Rice staring at him. "What?"
"McFireballs?"
"My sister-in-law nicknamed me Douchey McFireballs. It stuck."
"Married you? Is really surprising."
"Married me is happy."
Liv turned back. "Oh Scott! Can I have Logan for Benihana's date with Kelly Saturday?"
"If you're you can handle him its fine."
I handle him." She points to Kelly. "I'm one of twelve and I'm a doctor to all things tiny teenaged and human I got this."
"We should bring Hads so it's a double date." Kelly said.
"She'll think her date is Keely not Logan." She says with a grin. "I'm leaving for real this time! Bye!"
"Bye!"
"Who's Hads?" Rice asked.
"Hadley is my five year old and very favorite sister in law. Don't tell the others I said that though."
-/-/-
Liv is dressed and has her make up on as she's finishing her hair she calls Erin. "Did I leave my sock bun at your place? I think I left it on your sink last girl's night. I have to run by Molly's for Jess Chilton's business promo thing then I'll be by for the party you're not supposed to know about… round out with drinks just you and me? Erin speak girlfriend."
"Have you seen Nadia?" Erin asked slowly.
"No why?"
"I gotta go, I love you. Do me a favor do not leave Kelly's side tonight okay?" She orders sternly sounding so much like Voight it's scary.
"Erin…"
"I need to know you'll stay safe. Party is off we can't find Nadia."
"Keep me posted and be careful." Liv said and the dial tone bleats in her ear.
She decides to go with the easiest style big curls like Kelly likes. She's curling the front section of her hair when she hears Kelly yelling from below. "Goddamn Klaire I said stop it! Stop it now!" Kelly never yells most of his parenting style is saying her name sternly and giving her reprimanding looks.
Liv rolls to the landing. "Babe what the hell?" she asked as Klaire wails at her feet.
"Don't pick her up." Kelly demands.
"Excuse me? You just cursed at our sixteen month I'll pick her up if I want."
"I've pulled her down off the entertainment center four times. She's in trouble."
"She doesn't understand the concept of punishment Kelly's a baby still." Liv picked her up soothing her.
"I know, I just I lost my temper…"
"I noticed."
"She's going to hurt herself."
"Might be the only way she learns but this isn't about Klaire's sudden desire to climb on everything in the house. Something else is on your mind and we're going to talk about it as soon as we get back."
-/-
Liv sits next to the bar by Kelly whose up on a stool nursing a beer and holding her hand. When Chilly asks them to move closer she tosses back her rum and coke rolls forward Kelly walking behind her their hands still joined just slightly above her head.
She pulls up beside one of the high tables and Capp who is beside her sits his jacket down on the table where Otis is sitting. "This is truck's table find your own." He says and the hair on the back of Liv's neck rise as Kelly's hand tenses in hers. He very calmly let her go and angled her away from him.
"Really Otis? It's like that?" Capp said
"Yeah, it's like that as long as Severide chooses to ignore Rice being a ducker."
"I told you shut your mouth!" Kelly snarls.
"He's a ducker plain and simple."
"Fine I'll shut it for you." He takes a swing and the guys catch him before it can connect and drag him back.
"Go on punch me it won't change the truth." Otis needles him further and Kelly bows up again Liv literally rolls herself between Kelly and the table where Otis sits. She may or may not roll over Kelly's toes. She plants her hand in the center of his chest and shoves him hard enough to knock him back into the men who'd held him back. He is suddenly reminded of her strength and wonders just how many brawls she's stopped her brothers from having. "Stop it right now! I will not say it again Kelly. You done?" Her voice is cold as stone and if he weren't in public he might be more afraid than he'd let on.
"Yeah I'm done. There are other places in town to get a drink."
"Yeah there are." Gabi said.
"Really Gab?" Liv said rolling her eyes. "We're going home Kelly. " She looked to Chilly. "Sorry about your investor's thing Chill."
-/-/-
The ride home is silent and after he helps her unload he walks in without her. When she rolls in behind him her sister remarks from the second floor. "That was fast?"
"Don't ask." Liv mumbled morosely.
"Okay, the A Man is in his crib Klaire is in your bed watching "Kifford."
"God! Kifford, whoever created that ugly ass red dog is going to receive hate mail from me one day." She replied heading for the elevator.
"What happened?"
"I'm not really sure Rain…You can take the guest room if you don't wanna drive out to the boonies to get home. "She opened the elevator and rolled in.
"Alright if you need me..."
"I got it Rainey. Love you though." She pressed the up button and the door closed.
-/-
She's stripping out of her long sleeved silver sequined dress. It had a deep Vee neckline and was rather short. She'd thought Kelly would like it. She tosses her hair up and ditches her bra.
She sees Klaire fighting her sleep as she turns to slip one of Kelly's shirt's over her head. She puts it on as she lifts herself up with one hand and pulls off her underwear with the other She feels eyes on her she doesn't have to look up to know it's Kelly's eyes.
"What?" she asked turning to face him. He's towel clad and fresh from the shower and her stomach does a flip flop thing that only happens when she's in Kelly's orbit.
"You looked pretty tonight. I forgot to tell you."
"Thank you."
"Are you mad at me? Because it feels like you are." He asked.
Klaire interrupted. "Daddy! Kiss!"
"Hey Klairey Girl!" He dropped a kiss on her little puckered lips. "Daddy is sorry he lost his cool with you but you gotta go back to your bed."
"I'm not mad. I'm confused." Liv answers.
"Kifford." Klaire points.
"End of this one then back to your room." Liv says and watches as Kelly disappears back into the bathroom to dress.
When Kelly returns to the bedroom he knows Klaire won't be back in her bed. She's curled up beside Liv. Holding the same hand he'd held earlier.
"She doesn't cuddle me anymore… can we just let her sleep here for tonight?"
"She can stay… because I like her and at some point she'll roll over and cuddle me." Kelly returned reaching over to brush Klaire's hair back before settling himself on his side of the bed.
Liv lay on her side looking up at him as he sat up against the headboard. Wanna tell me why you almost decked Otis? Your sisters ex Otis. the one who is the human equivalent of like I don't know a fucking golden retriever? You basically kicked a puppy for being what it is?"
"Rice wouldn't do that and he just keeps it up!"Kelly says in a semi certain tone.
"Okay so he's gone about things the wrong way but…can I tell you what I think? Just as your wife? No jumping down my throat, promise me."
"Tell me." He said calmly.
"I think he did it." Kelly opened his mouth to speak. "Let me finish I think Logan is all he's got and he's all Logan's got and he got scared and he bailed. I think that's what you think too but you don't want to think it."
"I have a family too Liv! I have Klaire and Aaron and you. I'm happy and if he did this he tried to take that from me." He said calmly but rage swelled in his eyes. "Why would he do that?"
"What would you do for Klaire and Aaron? There's nothing you wouldn't do." Liv countered.
"I'd find a different damn job Liv! I wouldn't run from…shit I don't know."
"I know." She said quietly.
"I doubt one of my guys. That's never happened before. What should I do?"
"Call Benny and get his take but my take? Just be upfront and ask."
"And if I lose the friendship?"
"Then it wasn't a true friendship to begin with."
"Okay quit hogging her!"
Liv laughed a bubbly happy sound that settled his mind, "I love you, and you really got no clue Livvy."
-/-/-
They're making breakfast when the doorbell rings. He lets Liv get it and focuses on not burning the eggs as he's prone to do.
"Severide." He hears Matt say.
He looks over. "Hey man, have a seat. Stay for breakfast." He said He'd gesture to the stool but he's holding Aaron and scrambling eggs. Klaire has attached herself to his right pant leg and is sitting on his foot.
"Did you really take a swing at Otis last night?" Matt gets right to the point.
"I'd have taken more than one. You should thank little miss strong arm over there." He points behind Matt with a spatula at Liv.
"Kelly! You had no right!"
"Maybe but he had it coming I told him to lay off more than once so maybe you should get your guys in line and I'll do the same."
"Yeah, like you deciding squad doesn't vent before Darden went up in flames." There's a beat and he doesn't reply. Liv having returned to the kitchen does it for him.
"Get outta my house Matt." He orders with no inflection totally seriously.
"Liv I didn't-"
She spoke measuredly. "I don't give shit how you meant it or how it came out. You do not get to throw out Andy like some I got you ghost at my husband so you're going to get out of my house. Get out before I show you out."
After the door closed behind Matt. "Livvy you didn't have to do that."
"Yes, I did no gets to do that to you. No one." She goes back to her bacon frying.
"Hey?" She looks back at him. "Will you show me out? Sounded fun."
She laughs at that. "God you're seriously unbelievable. Besides you wouldn't like it, it involves guns and nut punches. Don't look at me like that I'm disabled and lived in the dorms in college. Owen taught me how to deter unwanted affections."
-/-/-
Kelly loves days like this lounging on the couch with Liv in sweats. She leans her head on his shoulder and Klaire curls in his lap nudging his hand with her head every time he stops "Itching" it. While Aaron sits on the ottoman in his bouncy seat being entranced by the ceiling fan.
"This show is trashy like worse than Laguna Beach trashy." He comments.
"But I like it."
"The princess looks like your sister and it's freaking me out."
"Really?"
He nods. "I'd totally bang the queen and the mean ass blonde chick."
"Why am I not surprised. You have slept with half of Chicago by your own admittance."
"I'd only do it once theoretically you're the only one I want do overs with."
She kissed his cheek. "Aw baby I think that was intended to be romantic thank you."
Her phone rings and he pauses the TV so she can answer. "Hey E! How's it going you find- Erin, slow down…What?! I can't understand you, Erin give Hank the phone! Jay then! I need to understand- Okay, Okay, I'm here breathe babe… just breathe… I'm on my way alright?"
When she hangs up Kelly is afraid to ask but has to. "What's going on?"
"They found Nadia. She's dead. Erin is a wreck I've got to get to her." Liv starts to get off the couch. She looks like she may cry.
He pulls her back into him. "Baby, I need you to listen to me okay? By the time you get everything situated here and grab a flight she'll be headed home and they are not going to let you anywhere near Erin while they're working the case."
"But she was sobbing really sobbing and I have to help her Kelly."
He keeps his hold on her. "Your default is to help and heal. I get that, but you can't do that right now. Right now you can call Hank and tell him to watch over her but she has got to catch that guy and if she is distracted because and this is no knock on Erin's protégé but you are a huge piece of Erin's life what if he got a hold of you too. She'd really be fucked and so would I. So, you wait for her here and do what you can when you can because she will need you."
"I just sit here?"
"Yes, with me and you finish this awful fucking show you made me start." He presses play. "Don't think."
AN: I own nothing but my characters! I hope you enjoyed! If you feel so inclined please leave a review. They do fire up my muse!-MM