Every Breath You Take
Chapter Eight Lovefool
**Notes** Thank you for all of the feedback. That last chapter, I wasn't sure of, but from the sounds of it, all of you loved it.
I am hoping to have this finished in two more chapters or so. Okay, so I don't own Chicago Fire and all mistakes are mine.
I am so sorry it has been so long since the last chapter. The weekend celebration of my birthday got in the way, then add that to life with a full house. **
By two o'clock they were off towards the old Victorian house that Casey was renovating this week. Brett entered the house with a front parlor on the left and a study on the right.
"Wow, Casey, this house is beautiful. The woodwork is amazing especially around the crown molding," Brett commented as she stood in the parlor.
There was a ladder with some tools against the fireplace and four paint gallons next to the ladder.
"I need to finish painting this room in the palladian blue and put up the new cupboards in the kitchen," Casey stated. "Do you want to help me paint?"
"Well, I did come dressed to help," she said with a sweep of her hand. She had on torn blue jeans and a red tank top that fit perfectly on her.
"I did, notice," he replied with a sheepish grin. He pointed towards the kitchen. "I'll be in there if you need be."
Brett opened the can of paint, poured into the paint tray and grabbed the brush. She went to start painting the wall when she heard something crash. Brett turned around with the paintbrush covered in paint and smeared it all over Casey who was suddenly appeared before her. The paint was now all over Casey's gray t-shirt.
"I'm so sorry," she muttered with a shark intake of breath. "I was shocked by the noise and jumped. Umm… I didn't realize you were behind me."
She swept a piece of hair behind her ear. Brett noticed the paint across his chest and couldn't help but chuckle.
"Do you think it's funny," Matt asked as he reached over to the paint can and dipped his index finger into it. He smeared some paint on her nose and looked amused.
Brett put her hands on her hips and couldn't believe that Matt Casey smudged paint on her nose. The game was on.
"Thank you," she said, turning around and grabbing the paint tray. "This means war."
"Sylvie," Matt begged, noticing what she was reaching for. He stepped back as she stepped towards him, he then reached for her arm as the played tug of war with the paint tray. "You don't want to do this."
With their arms tangled together, reaching and pulling away, the paint tray became too much for Sylvie to hold up. The paint tray suddenly fell upon both of their heads covering them in the blue hue paint. They looked at each other and began chuckling at each other.
"You look like a Smurf," Sylvie stated between her laughter as she bent over trying to catch her breath.
"You look a little blue," Matt howled leaning against the wall. "I came in here to tell you that I had dropped a cupboard."
"And you were making sure that I was okay," she replied, looking genuine at him, "I coated you in palladian blue."
"We make a good pair, the two of us," Matt commented, as he straightened up and picked up the tray. "I'll come back on my next day off and finish this."
"Matt, I told you, I want to help. You have been helping me through so much, I need to do this," Sylvie responded, walking over to him, and putting her hand on his arm. "You have been my closest, I mean, my best friend, the past few months. The one I confide in the most. I want to do something for you."
He stood there in awe of the petite paramedic in front of him. She was stunningly beautiful, resilient, and covered in paint. She wanted to do something for him and she didn't know how much she did to him every day.
"Sylvie, spending time with you like this," he explained with his heart on his sleeve, "is enough. You don't realize how you have filled my life with joy the past few months and even the past year. This isn't a competition on who can help the other more."
"I know, Matt," she stumbled, realizing she overstepped. Maybe helping, Matt wasn't the best idea. "I just thought you needed some help. I didn't mean anything by it."
She pulled away from him and swept her hand through her hair - her blue and dirty hair.
"You know what, Casey," she said, moving her watch back and forth.
He knew her well enough that when she played with her watch she was nervous. He didn't want her to feel uncomfortable, even with him. He didn't know what to say, how to make her feel less uncomfortable. Last night as they slept, it was amazing, even though the only thing they did was sleep. At one point in the middle of the night, Casey had ended on his back, and Brett wrapped herself around him. They woke up in each other's arms and for a few minutes, he had just watched her sleep.
"Sylvie, we can come back here and work on this house another day, if you would like to. Now, how about we lock up, go back to the loft, clean up, and then maybe head to Molly's for a drink," Matt interrupted, knowing that both of them could use a shower and a drink after what they had been through recently.
"Sounds like a plan. I like the color, but not in my hair," she replied before she sealed up the can of paint.
They locked up the house after putting things away and headed back to the loft-like Casey had suggested. When they entered the loft Stella and Severide were sitting at the island in the kitchen talking.
"What happened to the two of you," Kidd wondered trying not to laugh at them covered in blue.
"Looks like they had a fight with some paint and the paint won," Severide laughed seeing his best friend, Matt Casey, his blond hair and gray shirt covered in paint.
"Tug of war with the paint tray," Casey announced. "You can take the shower, first," he told Brett. He headed towards Severide and Stella in the kitchen and grabbed a beer our of the fridge.
"Or you can always share," Kidd proposed before covering her mouth.
Brett stood there glaring at Kidd and her suggestive ways. Kidd knew how Brett felt about Casey, but right now wasn't the time. Kidd looked over at Casey and caught the same look that Brett was giving her.
"I'll be back in a few minutes," Brett retorted before heading to Casey's room to grab some clean clothes and her bathroom bag.
Casey twisted his beer open, guzzled his beer, then leaned over the island.
"Man, you look horrible," Severide stated before taking a bite of his pizza that was on his plate.
"Thanks," Casey replied, grabbing a slice of pizza out of the box.
"Are you okay," Kidd wondered, noticing the slight tension in his shoulders.
"I told Sylvie how I felt about her yesterday and she is acting as nothing happened. I want to take things slow, but I don't want her to think it is a competition on who can help the other one out more," Casey admitted, taking a bite of the pizza. "I thought I was done with who can outdo the other when Dawson left."
"You want to be there for her, but not be her knight in shining armor," Kidd explained, "because you know she can take care of herself."
"Exactly. I don't want to see her hurting after everything she has been through, although I know she can handle anything that is thrown at her," Casey justified, as he sat down on one of the stools surrounding the island.
"But, you are who you are, and Matt Casey, can't help but try to save someone he cares about," Severide pointed out, "even when they don't want it."
"Exactly," Casey admitted, taking another swing of his beer.
"Tell her you will be there for her, no matter what," Kidd advised, grabbing another slice of pizza, "I know you don't want to lose her and she feels the same way. Don't spend so much time thinking about it 'what could have been' and just do it. With that, said, I think I am going to go get ready to work."
Kidd left the two men at the kitchen island and headed towards Severide's bedroom. She had a shift at Molly's and needed to get ready.
"Tell her what you told us," Severide said to Casey, "you won't know where you stand unless you talk to her."
"Thanks," Casey responded.
Severide stood up from the island as Brett walked back into the kitchen after her shower. Her hair was wet and she was dressed in a light pink sweater and dark jeans.
"Shower is all yours," Brett said as she grabbed the last slice of pizza.
"I'll be back in a few," Casey announced, walking away.
Brett sat down on the stool that Casey had occupied. She sat there in silence as Severide watched her devour the pizza.
"What is going on in that head of yours," Severide asked, noticing how quiet Sylvie was.
"Matt is acting all weird when I told him I wanted to help with his construction work," Brett admitted. "I don't get him sometimes. I thought he would like the help."
"He does. The year before you arrived all of us at 51 built a library for one of the elementary schools near the firehouse. He showed all of us what he wanted to do and on our days off, we would go work on it. Since then, we haven't had any of us work on a construction site with him," Severide reminisced about the 51 library. "I think he likes spending time with you. But a construction site isn't the most romantic place to be for a date."
"First, I love the home improvement shows on HGTV, but I never really worked on them. I wanted to learn how to transform a home instead of just watch it. Second, I enjoy spending time with Matt, and not just because I have romantic feelings for him. He is a friend, a close friend, I feel safe when I am around him. You should have seen us play tug of war with the paint. It was light and fun with him. I can be myself with him," Brett explained putting her elbows down on the island.
"Talk to him about how you feel. I told him the same thing, I learned from Kidd that you have to communicate to each other what you want or nothing will come of it. Dawson and Casey didn't communicate, she would just do things, without telling him, and he would find out after the fact. He can't go through that type of relationship again," Severide told her as he finished off his beer. "And neither can you."
"I want my life to get back to normal before I start anything serious with Matt. I was going to talk to Kidd about helping me catch this guy," Brett declared, playing with her watch. "I am tired of being a damsel in distress. I need to stop waiting for Guthrie to make a move, and be proactive in catching him."
"Have you told Casey any of this," Severide wondered, suddenly worried about his girlfriend and his friend.
"No, and neither are you," Brett retorted, looking straight into his eyes. "I texted Upton and Burgess and we are going to set a trap for Guthrie."
"You are going to use Girl Power on this guy. No men allowed I get it," Severide commented. "Just be careful. Casey would never forgive me, if something happened to you, and I could have done something to stop it. And I would never forgive you if Stella got hurt."
"No one will get hurt, other than, maybe, Guthrie and his ego," Brett indicated before grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator. "Upton and Burgess are going to meet me at Molly's later and we are going through the plan. Then tomorrow, hopefully, this will be over, and I can get back to my apartment."
Brett had thought of the perfect plan on catching Oliver Guthrie. She needed back-up, of course, so who else to call than two of the toughest detectives in Chicago to help her. Stella Kidd was another tough cookie, who could handle herself. All they had to do was get Guthrie out in a public place with a large crowd and Sylvie Brett was the bait.