Buckle in guys it's a long one. Once again thank you for the feedback on the last chapter please keep it coming, I love hearing what you all have to say. :)
The cold air swept around them as they walked hand in hand down the pathway towards Lakeshore hospital, the two firefighters moving as quickly as possible to get away from the harsh March bitterness that was surrounding them, the heavy rain fall making the temperature feel much cooler than the five degrees it was supposed to be. It had been four days since Stella had gotten drunk and kissed Kelly, four days since they had been forced to talk about their feelings for each other and four days since she'd revealed everything that had happened in her marriage to him and since then everything had felt easier, it felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, like she wasn't constantly living a lie.
The two of them had spoken at length about what that night meant for them, for their relationship or lack of and as much as they both knew they wanted to be together they also knew that right now wasn't the time. It wouldn't be right for Stella to jump headfirst into another relationship so soon after getting out of her marriage, even if that marriage hadn't been toxic and abusive, it wouldn't be right not until she was free from Grant, not before those divorce papers were signed and he couldn't use it against her to contest her reasoning. So two days ago she'd gone alongside Dawson and had the papers drawn up, her divorce attorney having organised to have them sent to him the same day. Stella knowing that within the next few days he would be served. And although she felt nervous and anxious about the day that happened she couldn't help feel slightly relieved, relieved that soon she would have no more ties to the man that had caused her to suffer so much over the past few years, she would be free to live her life and do what she wanted to do. But despite that feeling she also had this fear that she couldn't shake, the fear that Grant wasn't quite finished in attempting to ruin her life. Ever since the phone call she'd been a little jumpy, a little on edge, as far as she knew he didn't know where she was and with Kelly almost permanently by her side she was almost certain he wouldn't try anything. And apart from a few hang up calls from withheld numbers that she was positive was his attempt at playing with her she hadn't heard anymore from him. Something she was increasingly happy about. She hadn't told anyone about the phone call that night, the firefighter choosing to keep it to herself when she figured it was just empty threats being hauled about by a scared man, she just hoped that her silence didn't come back to bite her.
"You ok?" Kelly asked, the man looking at her with concern filling his features.
"Yea I'm good" she said smiling at him.
"You sure you seemed like you were somewhere else just then."
"I was just thinking" she said, her lip settling between her teeth.
"Care to share?"
"It wasn't anything really.."
"Stella?" Kelly said raising his brow at her, he'd noticed her tense way over the past few days. It had started when he got back from the store the other night, the man sensing that there was something bothering her, but he had only had to ask a couple of times before she'd completely shut him down, the man deciding that it was better to leave her to come to him.
She sighed deeply, she knew he'd been patient with her, he'd been more than patient if anyone asked her he'd been saint like but she knew he was worrying about her, and was trying to work out what had gotten her so on edge. "I was just thinking the papers should be served either today or tomorrow. The attorney said it would only be a few days and I'm a little worried about how he's going to react when he gets them. I mean everything I put as my reasoning is the truth but well we all know he's likely to contest it. And I supposed I'm just a little scared..." Her words trailed off, she wasn't sure how to express why she was scared without revealing the phone call to him and then she knew he'd only be more worried about her and that he'd make her go to Antonio and tell him. "I don't know why, but something just tells me he hasn't finished with me just yet."
"Stella" he said stopping in front of her, his hand coming up to caress her cheek, "Look at me" he waited for her eyes to meet his before speaking again, "No matter what happens Grant is not coming near you ever again ok? He doesn't know where we live, sure he knows where we work and drink but in both those places there are people that will go to bat for you, they'd take a bullet for you and there is absolutely no way he is getting anywhere near you ok?" She nodded, an uncertain feeling surrounding them. "Did something happen?"
"What? No" she insisted shaking her head vigorously.
"Are you sure?"
"Uh huh" she nodded, although it wasn't the most convincing gesture in the world and usually Severide would know better than to push it but where Grant was concerned he needed to be absolutely certain before he'd let the subject drop.
"Are you sure? Because if he's done something.."
"Kelly nothing happened" she said forcefully, the sound of her own voice shocking her. "I'd tell you ok? I'm good it's just me and my fear of him. He hasn't done anything."
"Ok." He said moving back to her side and leading them in through the double doors. "How about after we've finished here we go do something?"
"Like what?"
"I don't know my catch a movie or something?"
"You mean like a date?" she said raising her own brow at him.
"Well yeah why not?"
"Kelly we agreed..."
"We agreed we wouldn't become official you said nothing about me taking you out and spoiling you like you deserve. And plus it's only a movie not like I've booked us the honeymoon suite at the ritz.." he teased, his light tone eliciting a shy giggle from the woman next to him. "Come on it'll be fun and it'll keep your mind off Grant for a little bit. What'd you say, we can catch a movie and then go get some dinner. Let me wine and dine you?"
"I think I did enough whining the other night." she joked back, the soft smile never leaving her face. The smile that he had come to love, the smile he'd fallen in love with. She was absolutely beautiful there was no doubting it but when she smiled it was like she just lit up and the sight of her in those moments made his heart race.
"Nah you were fine" he said lightly, the heavy feeling from earlier long gone as the two of them fell into a familiar pattern of back of forth together something that had become second nature in the two weeks they'd been living together. "So is that a yes?"
"Oh go on then you twisted my arm" she said playfully pushing his shoulder, the two laughing together all the way up to the desk. "Stella Kidd" she told the nurse in front of her "I'm here to see Dr Johnson."
"Ok, take a seat and I'll get you all book in."
"Thank you."
The two of them moved towards some empty seats, Kelly immediately pulling out his phone as he sat down.
"What you doing?"
"Seeing what movies are on" he replied with a small grin. "Let's see we've got a choice of Tomb Raider, The chamber or Hurricane heist? Your choice babe?"
"Are they the only options?" She said furrowing her brow, taking his phone out of his hand.
"What's wrong with those options?"
"Nothing I just don't fancy any of them." She continued to swipe through the options, "no, no, nope, definitely not... I don't like any of these options. How about the navy pier?"
"Stella it's like five degrees outside."
"Yeah but we have coats, and besides it'll be fun. Ah come on it's been forever since I got the chance to go."
Kelly scoffed slightly, the man overly amused by her sudden excitement "oh go on then, but if I get ill I'm blaming you."
Placing a soft kiss to his cheek she said "thank you."
"No need to thank me, we can do anything you want today. You deserve a day of everything you want."
"You're such a charmer has anyone ever told you" Stella replied teasingly.
"I believe I've been told a few times."
"Oh really" she chuckled "by who?"
"This absolutely stunner of a woman that I get to call my best friend and hopefully one day my girlfriend..."
Stella's cheeks blushed red at his words, a warm feeling settling in her chest as she lost herself in his eyes. His eyes that were as deep blue as the ocean, the love and warmth shining back at her through them. "Such a sweet talker" she chuckled again leaning in to place another kiss on his cheek, But he moved his head, his lips locking with hers as his hand moving to the back of her neck to keep her close, the man deepening the kiss while they both lost themselves in the feeling of each other.
Pulling back from each other slowly, their eyes still locked together. "Sorry" Kelly said when he saw a uncertain look in her eyes.
"What for?"
"I know we said... I couldn't help myself."
"I'm never going to complain about you kissing me Kelly. Just because we can't be together doesn't mean we can't share a few moments."
He nodded his head, her words only confusing him but he said nothing. He understood why she didn't want to be in a relationship right now, and he even agreed with her but he didn't understand the way they were together. He wasn't complaining and he never would but it was so confusing, they acted like a couple, they've acted like one from the minute they had first discussed it. Stella even sleeping in his bed the past few nights, it was like they were a couple without the title or the physical aspect of what that relationship status would allow them to cross into. And as much as he respected her decision, however much he would do everything she asked it was confusing as hell for him.
The past four days they'd shared more than their fair share of kisses and cuddles, a few times they'd got carried away and almost crossed that line but each and every time he'd made himself pull back. The man not wanting to overstep what she was comfortable with, not wanting to take advantage of her when her guard was down. He wouldn't do anything to ruin what he had with her and if that meant he had to have a few cold showers then so be it. She meant the world to him and he would do everything in his power to make sure she knew that. He'd do everything he could to protect her and help her through this time.
"Earth to Kelly" her soft voice pulled him out of his head. The look on her face telling him she'd been trying to get his attention for a while.
"Sorry what did you say?"
"They just called me I asked if you were coming in with me." She said frowning slightly, he'd got lost in his own head she could see that but she wasn't sure what had got him so lost, she also knew now wasn't the time to ask.
"Errr yea if you want me to?"
"I don't mind, if you'd rather stay out here?" She offered.
"No, no I'll come in" he assured her standing up, collecting their belongings as he did before following Stella and Dr Johnson through the double doors and into the examination room.
"How are you doing?" Dr Johnson asked while they got themselves situated in the room. Stella on the bed, Kelly sat in the chair next to her and Dr Johnson on the chair the other side.
"I'm good, getting annoyed with these chunky things but my pain is good. And I've been dealing with everything else slowly."
"That's good. And any headaches or blurred vision?"
Stella pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth, the firefighter unsure of how her next words were going to be received. The woman having kept to herself the almost consistent pounding deep within her skull. Kelly watched her fidget on the bed, an uneasy feeling settling in his gut.
"Babe?"
"I've Erm... yea headaches." She admitted, Severide taking in a deep breath as he shook his head.
"You didn't say anything?"
"I know, I'm sorry." She whispered reaching her hand out for his, the man taking it insistently.
"How long do they last?" Dr Johnson asked.
"Erm... I've kinda had a constant one since leaving the hospital. At first I just thought it was stress but I can't seem to shake it."
Dr Johnson nodded, the woman tapping on her iPad as she made notes. "I see, and where are they? Can you show me where they feel like they are coming from?"
Stella pointed time the area just beside her eyes, the woman tracing along her face slowly as she told the doctor how it felt like it spread from her temple and around her eyes and up into her forehead. "It feels kinda like pressure, it's not a normal headache, almost migraine like."
"Ok, well we will probably need to get you a CT scan to be sure but I think it is likely to be caused by stress. Your final scans before leaving weren't showing anything that would be causing you to have headaches so we will just check to make sure nothing has changed. And then maybe we can talk about some management plans for them, maybe even get you into see our psychologist."
"That's not necessary, I'm fine." Stella said quickly, the last thing she wanted to do was talk to someone else about what she'd been through and then have them ask her how she feels about it all. She felt stupid and dumb and insecure. She felt like it was all her fault and she didn't want to have to explain that to some shrink.
"I won't make you do anything you don't want to but I can give you the details of a friend of mine. He's amazing at what he does and has dealt with many many cases like yours. It could be something to think about." The doctor offered sensing the reasoning behind Stella's insistence of not wanting to see anyone. "And it may help with the headaches, I suspecting you have a lot going on up there at the minute and having someone to talk to may help you find some quietness through all the noise."
Kelly took the pamphlet from the doctor, the man tucking it into his coat as he thanked her and assured her that they'd talk about it at a later date.
"So let's have a look at these repairs shall we?" Dr Johnson asked after a short time.
"That would be good" Stella replied.
"Ok, well we need to take you for a X-ray and while we're down there we'll get you the CT as well. Kelly are you ok to stay here for a little while?"
"Sure, I may go get a coffee and then come back I know how long this can take." The man was right, he was more aware of how long the CT alone could take when it was already booked in, if Stella had to wait for a gap in the schedule it could take a lot longer.
"That's fine, you can leave your stuff in here. No one else will be using this room at the moment."
"Thanks doc" Kelly said appreciatively, bending down to place a soft kiss to Stella's temple "you good?"
"Yeah, can you bring me some water back up with you please?"
"Sure, I'll see you in a bit." He smiled moving towards the door and back out into the hallway.
Before long he'd found himself in the cafeteria of the hospital, the familiar surroundings bringing up a million different memories for the man as he made his way towards the usual counter. He ordered himself a coffee and Stella a bottle of water before making his way slowly back upstairs, stopping by the hospital store to grab a paper. He couldn't help but smile at how he'd just done the very thing he'd do every single morning for several weeks when this building had become their home. His smile fading when he thought back to how small and broken she'd looked in the bed in front of him. The man silently promising himself that no matter what happened from here on out, Stella was all that mattered to him.
He was so lost in his own head that he didn't even notice where he was until he walked head first into a body. His coffee cup emptying on the floor between his body and the body of the person he'd just crashed into. "Oh shit, I'm sorry" he said quickly his eyes darting up to find Dawson stood in front of him.
"Kelly you ok? What are you doing here? Is Stella ok? She asked a frantic tone in her voice.
"We're both fine Gabby" he said strongly, his voice insistently calming her, "Stella has her check up today remember she told you the other night."
"Oh yea sorry, it's just been one of those days you know?"
Kelly's eyebrow raised at that "everything ok Dawson?"
"Yeah it's fine we've just had some pretty rough calls and erm.. well..."
"What is it?"
"Capp kinda got injured on our last call, he's fine just some minor burns but it was a close one. It just shook us all a bit.."
Kelly wrapped his arms around his friend, the man understanding more than anyone how difficult it was for her to watch her friends and family get hurt in the line of duty, it had been something that had hit her harder ever since they lost Shay. And it was something he understood because he felt exactly the same, firehouse fifty one had, had far more than their fair share of tragedies over the years, Darden and Shay being the two most recent loses but there had been many other close calls, the factory fire only a few months ago being one of the closest. That fire had almost lost them the entire house, had almost lost Dawson her husband and he knew she hadn't fully healed from that yet. "You ok?"
"I'm good, I'll be good" She corrected, the woman knowing that her friend knew she wasn't ok, but she meant it, she'd be ok once she got back to the house and cleaned up she'd be ok. As long as she could see her husbands twinkling blue eyes and get some time with him all the tension she was currently holding in her body would slowly disappear and she'd be ok.
"You know where I am if you need anything ok?"
"Thanks Kel." She smiled, "so what's happening with Stella?"
"I'm not sure they've taken her to get some X-rays and a CT."
"Why does she need a CT?" Gabby asked confused, "everything ok?"
Kelly sighed deeply, the man shrugging his shoulders slightly, "I'm not really sure. Did you know she was having headaches?"
"No"
"Yea me either."
"Does Dr Johnson think it's something to be worried about?" Gabby asked the concerned tone in her voice returning.
"She thinks it may be stress related, there was nothing on her discharge scans to indicate it being more. She's only doing the CT to be sure but I don't understand why Stella wouldn't say anything, she knows that constant headaches are never a good sign and she didn't say a word to either of us." Gabby could tell Kelly was frustrated and confused, even a little mad about the fact she'd kept them in the dark about something so serious and while she agreed and mirrored those feelings she also knew Stella and she knew that the firefighter would only keep it under wraps if she truly didn't think it was anything to worry about.
"Kel I'm sure she didn't realize it was anything more than a headache. And I'm sure it isn't, like you said the CT was clear before and they are only doing one today because it's sensible to rule out any potential missed trauma."
"I know, I know and I don't mean to sound like I'm mad with her" he said the man understanding the signs Gabby had read from his body and tone. "I just wish she'd stop shutting me out..."
Gabby raised a brow at his words, the paramedic not understanding what he meant, "Has something happened?" she asked carefully.
"I don't know" he replied shaking his head "she's just off. I don't even know if it's anything or not, maybe I'm reading to much into things but she's acting like she would when something had happened between her and Grant and I don't know... I think.. argh." he pushed out another frustrated breath the man, swiping his hand across his face as he thought over his next words. "That day she got drunk in Molly's and I had to come get her.."
"I remember."
"Grant called her, that's why she hit the bottle. He left a voice mail asked her to come home."
"He what" Dawson exclaimed, "you didn't say anything! Does Antonio know?"
"No" Severide said shaking his head at her "she didn't want to report it and although I thought she should I let her take the lead."
"She needs to tell my brother. There are procedures in place, has he tried to make contact since?"
"Not that I know. But she's been off and I don't know why, I just feel like something has happened, that she'd keeping something from me, from all of us."
"Do you want me to talk to her, see if I can get her to tell me?" Gabby asked, her face softening at the sight of the tears welling in the usually tough lieutenant's eyes. The brunette wrapping her arms around him and pulling him in for a hug. "It's going to be ok Kelly, she's strong."
"I know but you can't tell her I told you about this. She was adamant that she didn't want him to think he'd gotten to her." His strong arms giving her body a slight squeeze as he spoke. "We're going to the navy pier after here and then I'm taking her for dinner later, I'm just hoping that she'll relax enough to open up about whatever it is that's bothering her, because something is defiantly bothering her."
"Ok" Gabby said pulling back slightly "I won't say anything to her but you do need to. Whatever is bothering her has something to do with Grant, it has to. He is the only person that can get her to shut down like this."
"I will, that's my plan for today. That and just giving her some time to let loose and have some fun."
Gabby laughed loudly the paramedic understanding the hidden meaning behind his words. "Sure Kel, nothing to do with you having one too many cold showers?"
"Absolutely not" he defended, "I literally mean what I say, she's been holding on to so much tension recently and I just want her to be able to be herself for a little while. And the navy pier was her idea not mine."
"I believe you" Dawson teased, the paramedic's radio cutting her off as they heard sixty one be called to a patient. "Sorry Kel, duty calls but let me know what happens here and if you find out whats going on with our girl."
"I will" he smiled, "stay safe out there."
"Will do" She said as she ran off, Brett coming round the corner to met her. The blonde paramedic throwing him a quick smile and wave as she headed towards the rig.
"Everything looks great" Dr Johnson assured several hours later, the doctor returning to the room with her ipad in her hands. "We can get these casts off and put some lighter splints on. You'll have to wear those for another couple of weeks but the bones are repairing really well. I don't see any reason for them to not be fully healed by the next time I see you."
"Brilliant" Stella said, the joy in her voice evident. Kelly smiling softly at how over joyed she was at the news. "What about the CT?"
"Everything looks great, nothing different to what we saw before. If anything there's been improvement, as you know you had a brain bleed when you were in the coma and that looks completely clear now, no sign of any lasting effects from it. And certainly nothing that would be causing the headaches, I am confident in saying that they are stress related."
"Thank you" Stella said, the news bringing a sense of calmness to the air around them.
"Now it won't take long to change these over and then you just need to book yourself a follow up appointment."
It was little over a hour later that Kelly and Stella walked out of the hospital doors, the two of them holding hands once again, the action made easier now Stella was only supporting splints instead of casts.
"So where to first" Kelly asked opening the passenger door open.
"To the navy pier" Kidd chuckled, the woman's smile infectious as a similar look settled on the mans face.
"As you wish my lady" he teased, closing the door and jogging round to his side.
The drive to the pier was slow one, the couple getting stuck in the midday traffic as they tried to get across town. "I bumped into Dawson earlier." Kelly said, looking sideways at her.
"Was she dropping a patient off?"
"Yeah, she'd just come from a rough call. Capp got injured, just some minor burns" he added quickly when he saw the concerned look in her eyes.
"That's good, well not that he got injured but that it wasn't much more than some minor burns. Was she ok?"
"She was a bit shaken but you know Dawson she isn't one to let on to her true feelings. A bit like someone else I know..."
Stella rolled her eyes at his words, a slight scoff escaping as she spoke "yeah but you're getting better."
"Funny" he said.
"Seriously Kelly I'm ok, I know I've been a bit quiet the past few days but I'm ok."
Her insistence that she was 'ok' as she put it only threw up more red flags for the man, he knew she wasn't and he knew she was putting on a front. What he didn't know was why and he was determined to find out. "Stella are you sure nothing happened?"
"Kel I told you, nothings happened I'm fine."
"You are not fine" he said huffing out a breath as he parked up, the couple finally reaching their destination. "The way you've been these past few days it reminds me of all those times something would happen... all those times I'd suspected something had happened and you'd shut down. And if you don't want to talk about it that's fine, just tell me and I'll drop it I promise. But also remember you can talk to me, you can tell me anything and I won't judge you for it. Ever."
"I know" she said softly turning in her own seat to face him, her hand resting on his knee. "But I'm good, nothing happened, nothings been said or done to me. I've just been working through some stuff in my head and I'm sorry that it's worried you, and that I've kinda shut you out. I didn't mean to do that but this, what's going on with me it's something I've got to figure out myself before I can talk about it."
"Ok."
She placed a soft kiss to his cheek, she wasn't sure if he believed what she'd told him or not, she hoped he did. If anything she hoped it would buy her some time, some time to understand what it was that Grant wanted from her, and why he had relentlessly called her to deliver what had turned out to be nothing but an empty threat. If he'd wanted to scare her it had worked, she knew that and she also knew that if he really wanted to do something to her he could. Despite what everyone around her kept telling her she knew her husband well and she knew that he could find ways around people to get to her if he wanted to. He just had to wait and chose his moment, and maybe that's why he hadn't done anything yet maybe the reason he hadn't come and got her like he'd threaten was because he couldn't get to her alone and he didn't want to have a confrontation with Kelly again. Truly she didn't want that to happen either, Kelly had been lucky last time, both the CPD and CFD had gone easy on him. As much as she had hated the fact he'd got a formal warning and fine, and she thought the suspension was completely unnecessary, she knew it could have been worse. He could have lost his rank, hell he could have lost his job altogether but he didn't and she wanted to make sure he was never put in a position that could jeopardize that ever again.
After grabbing a quick lunch they made their way towards some benches to sit and eat. Kelly wanting to work out what exactly Stella wanted to do, the options open to them endless.
"So where do you wanna head first, the arcade, shops?"
"I was thinking maybe we could just sit here for a while and enjoy the peace and quiet." She said smiling at him softly.
"We can do that" he said opening his arm up for her to slip under, their bodies inching closer together as she relaxed into him.
"This is nice" she said ten minutes later, the two of them having devoured their lunch in a comfortable silence, apparently they'd both been more hungry then they had realized. With them being in the hospital a lot longer than originally planned it had been quite late before they ate.
"It is." Kelly agreed squeezing her side slightly "you ready to go do something?"
"Let's go wander for a bit, I'm not in the mood to really do anything per say. I just want to enjoy the afternoon with you."
So that's what they did, they wandered around the shops a little, spent a little time in the arcade, Kelly commenting on the fact that Stella was extremely competitive and he should have known. The afternoon filled with lots of laughter and easy conversation.
"Where would you like to eat tonight?" Kelly asked as the late afternoon sun faded, the Chicago skyline being lit up by the fluorescent lights from the pier. The huge Ferris wheel flashing different colors in the center of it all.
"I was just hoping we could get take out and some beers, snuggle up on the couch and maybe binge watch something on Netflix?" Stella said as the walked towards the end of the pier and towards Kelly's car.
"We can do that. Any preference on which take out you want?"
"Thai food!" She exclaimed, the excitement in her voice causing him to chuckle lightly.
"Ok then, do you wanna call it in from that place down the road from us and we can collect it on the way back."
"Sure, what do you want?" She asked, climbing into the car and pulling a pen and pad out of her purse.
"Tom yum goong please" Kelly replied pushing her door closed and jogging round to the drivers side.
His phone rang just as he started the engine, the man pulling it out of his pocket and glancing at the screen. "It's our landlord." He said his eyebrows furrowing and he clicked to answer. "Hello. What.. when?"
Stella watched him his face turning from confusion to anger and everything in between. The woman wondering what had happened, while knowing that whatever it was it wasn't good.
"Ok, we're at the navy pier we're going to be at least an hour. I'll call someone don't worry. Yes thank you I'll see you soon." He clicked the phone off the man staring off into the distance, his hands clutching the steering wheel with a death type grip.
"Kelly what happened?" Stella asked reaching out to place her hand on his shoulder, the action snapping his attention back to her. Anger covering his face as he shook his head. "What is it?"
"Someone broke into the apartment and trashed the place, the landlord says everything is broken. Whoever did this wanted to cause maximum damage."
"What? Why would someone do that?"
Kelly gave her a look, a look she didn't quite understand until he started talking again. "Stella think about it, who would want to trash our home, who would want to make you feel unsafe and uncomfortable in my apartment. Our apartment." He quickly corrected seeing the hurt look flash across her face at his terminology.
"Grant..." her words trailed off the woman's face falling as she realized he indeed may have done this, "but how, Kelly he doesn't know where you live and he doesn't know where I'm staying, none of that information is available to him. No I know the timings iffy but I don't think he'd do something like this.." she said pulling her lips between her teeth nervously. He'd threaten that he'd come and get her, she'd thought maybe he'd found out where she was but she'd brushed it off thinking it was impossible. But was it, really, was it impossible for him to work it out, what did it take really for him to find her. She's guessing not much. It wouldn't take much, tracking her phone, she knew he had friends that were capable of doing it. And he'd found out her new number easily enough, she had never really given that much thought, how had he gotten her number? She gotten a new phone and number shortly after leaving the hospital, her old phone being smashed to pieces in the attack, and when he started calling her she hadn't really thought much about it. But now she was wondering all of those things she should have wondered from the beginning, asking all the questions she should have asked and more than anything she was regretting not telling anyone about the phone call she'd got four days ago.
"Kelly" she whispered, the man having yet to say anything in answer to her statement. "I need to tell you something."
Severide sat up straight at that, the man hearing the concern laced in her words, the fear that what she was about to say was going to cause him to have a negative reaction to her. "What is it?" he asked gently, turning his body towards hers his hands immediately pulling hers into his lap, the grip he had upon them strong and firm, while remaining reassuring and grounding to her.
"The other night, after we kissed. When you went to the store, something, erm... I said nothing had happened but it did." she said quickly, her voice so quiet he had to strain to hear her properly. The truth of the situation washing over him as he caught the fear in her eyes.
Squeezing her hands gently in his he said "What happen?"
"Grant called, I didn't check to see who it was otherwise I wouldn't have answered. I thought it was you calling, that maybe you had forgotten the list or something but it wasn't it was him and he was yelling. He yelled at me, told me I had till the next day to come home or he was coming to get me. I just thought it was an empty threat, I really did. I didn't think he knew where I was, but now I think about it. He got my new number and I never gave that any thought either, but he managed it somehow. He's either tracking me or he has someone doing it for him, what if he's found me. What if he broke in hoping to find me and..." Her words trailed off, a lone tear racing down her cheek as she took deep breaths trying to form her next words. "What if.. what if he came to finish the job. He didn't manage to silence me before what if he came to our apartment in the hopes he could silence me once and for all."
Kelly didn't know what to say, the man having a million different reactions to her words, to her confession hit him all at once. Letting go of her hands slowly he wiped his hand across his brow, the man pulling his phone out once more and calling someone. Who she didn't know, but one thing was clear he didn't want to speak to her at the moment, he didn't want to even touch her. The woman missing the contact of his skin on hers almost as soon as he'd taken his hands away, her attention focused on the side of his head, while he tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. His eyes focused out the front window.
"Antonio hey, are you at work?", there was a moments beat while Stella assumed the man on the end of the phone answered. "Good, great, can you get over to my apartment please. Someone broke in and I've got reason to believe it was Grant, he may be waiting somewhere for us to get back. Yeah we're at the pier but we are on our way home now, I'll explain everything when I get there but could you just go clear the area please make sure if it was him we aren't walking into any surprised. Thanks man, I'll see you soon." He hung up, silence once again filling the small space inside the car. Without saying a word he started the engine and began to drive in the direction of their apartment, a tense feeling sitting between the two of them.
Stella had messed up, she knew she had. She should have told him, she should have said something, anything about what had happened. He'd asked her several times if something was bothering her, if something had happened. Today alone he'd asked that question twice and she'd lied straight to his face, she'd kept something vital from him and she wasn't really sure how he felt about that. All she did know was that in the half an hour since she'd told him he hadn't looked at her not even once. He'd just driven, in complete silence towards the apartment, even when they got held up in traffic he hadn't uttered a word. And the silence was suffocating to her, the longer they went without speaking the tighter the feeling in her chest got. Her body feeling like it had been completely starved of oxygen, her head foggy as she tried to calm herself down, thick tears falling down her cheeks as she once more glanced towards the furious man beside her. She wasn't used to seeing him this angry, this tense not towards her anyway, and she didn't know how to deal with it. Did she beg for forgiveness? That sometimes worked with Grant. But Kelly wasn't Grant, he wasn't going to slap her about because she'd made a mistake, because she'd had a lapse in judgement. No she didn't need to beg him, once he'd calmed down they'd talk about it and hopefully be able to work through it. She couldn't bare thinking about not having him in her life. God what if he kicked her out. What if he decided he didn't need her bullshit in his life. That thought didn't even sit well with her, if he kicked her out she'd have nowhere else to go. She'd be out on the street and she'd have ruined whatever chance she ever had with him. All because she had kept that bloody phone call to herself. She could kick herself for being so stupid, so naive to think that Grant didn't have ways of finding her. That he hadn't done this to scare her, or worse to hurt her.
Her tears wouldn't stop, her body shaking as small sharp sobs escaped from her lips. Her eye-line directed out of her window, staring at the passing buildings, she didn't even know where they were. She had been so lost within her own mind that she didn't see which way they had gone back to the apartment, the streets and buildings looking unfamiliar to her.
Just when she thought she couldn't take anymore silence she heard him speak, his voice seeming like it was miles away despite him sitting inches away from her.
"Stella" he said again, this time slightly louder. The woman guessing he'd tried to get her attention a few times before she'd heard him.
"Huh sorry did you say something?" she asked snapping her head round to face him, her watery brown eyes meeting with his concerned blue ones.
"I asked if you were ok?" he repeated the question he'd asked her a few minutes ago, "you were shaking and sobbing and I was concerned."
"I... erm... I.. Are you mad at me?" she asked nervously.
"What no! I'm not mad at you. Why would you think I was mad?" she saw the exact moment he realized what he'd done, how she would have gotten that impression. "I'm sorry, I am mad but not at you. I'm mad at Grant but I shouldn't have ignored you.. I was lost in my own head and my own furry at the man who I think did this. Who I'm almost positive did this to our home and if I had to guess I'd say this was to scare you into retracting your statement more than anything else. But I'm not mad at you, I could never be mad at you." He reassured her, his hand reaching out for hers as he continued to drive. The warmth of his palm against hers calming her down immediately.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before."
"No need to apologize babe, what's done is done we can't change that. Just..." he swallowed thickly, the man turning his head slightly to face her as they came to a stop light. "Don't keep things like this from me again please, I'm not mad. But if this becomes a habit between us then we're going to start having an issue, we have got to be honest with each other."
"Ok" she nodded, a weak smile settling on her lips, "so erm Antonio, is he going to be there when we get in?"
"Yeah he said he'd take some of the team with him and check out the surrounding area, make sure if it was Grant that he isn't hiding somewhere waiting for us. Waiting for you."
Stella gave a short nod, both of them aware nothing else needed to be said at the moment, the air around them slightly less tense to the previous half of their journey home.
As they pulled into their street the were met with several police cars, two officers standing outside the entrance way as many others bundled around the area. Stella shocked to see just how much man power the older Dawson had brought with him. She could see from the amount of them outside their building that this was being taken seriously, that what had happened tonight was no small feat.
Parking the car in its usual spot Kelly turned once more to Stella, the man wanting to once more reassure her that he wasn't mad at her, that this wasn't her fault. "Babe, you ok?"
"Yeah I just wasn't expecting so many police."
"Well Grant is dangerous, he left you for dead once before who's to say that it wouldn't be worse if he got to you again."
"You're right I know you are, but this seems a little OTT for just one person."
"Babe, if Antonio doesn't protect you with his life. If I don't protect you with my life do you really think Gabby isn't going to kick our butts" he said his teasing tone to his voice an attempt at masking his own fears but it didn't work she saw right through it, she saw right through him.
Scoffing slightly she nodded her head, the brunette reaching out to open her door and climb out. Kelly matching her movements, quickly making his way to her side and taking her hand in his before they moved towards the building.
Neither of the recognized the officers on the door, Kelly having to flash them his drivers license before they would let them into the building. He was expecting a mess when he rounded the corner of his apartment but he wasn't expecting the amount of mess he was met with. The landlord had said it was bad and that everything had been smashed, but he hadn't realized he'd meant everything in the literal sense. Not only were the TV, stereo smashed to pieces, the couch had, had all the cushions slashed, the filling scattered across the room. All their kitchen appliances scattered in a similar way, all of them smashed to pieces. As he stepped carefully into the apartment, he noticed their shift bags had been ripped open, all their shift clothes had holes cut into them, and across the back wall was spray paint. Giant red X's littering the once white painted walls.
Stella stood frozen in the doorway, the sight in front of her causing her to think of the state her apartment with Grant had looked like on several occasions, a bitter taste in her mouth as she looked at every possession of hers and Kelly's broken into pieces and scattered about like they were nothing.
"Try not to look at it" Antonio said coming up to stand in front of her.
"It's kinda hard not to" Stella said bitterly.
"I know but trust me we will get who did this."
"It was Grant, it has to have been. He told me he was coming for me and I would bet he thought I was at home, this" she said waving her hand around the room to make her point, "all of this, this is just his reaction to not being able to get to me, to me ignoring him, to me ignoring his phone calls and threats and me not being here. He trashed the place because he couldn't trash me."
"Wait what?" Antonio said, the man not expecting to hear Stella say she'd had contact with her husband. "When did he contact you? He threatened you? You never said anything."
"It was four nights ago." She admitted, the woman glancing towards Severide who was now inspecting the damage to their bedrooms. "He called me four nights ago, well actually he'd called a few times before that but I'd ignored him, I don't know how he got my number but he did. He called and left a message while I was at Molly's and well I got drunk after hearing it."
"What did it say?"
"Nothing much, just him asking me to come home. I still have it."
"We'll need that, and a screenshot of your call logs." Stella nodded her head in understanding, the older Dawson continuing to talk as he asked her what had happened four nights ago.
"He called me, and I wouldn't have answered but I didn't look at the caller ID. I just assumed it was Kelly." she explained, the firefighter repeating what she had told Kelly earlier on that evening. ".. so I didn't think anything of it. I text him back after he sent me a message and told him to leave me alone. I don't know how he found me."
"Stella this isn't your fault" Kelly said returning to her side.
"How bad is it?"
"It's not great" he said shaking his head, "the beds and everything have been slashed, but it's nothing we can't fix. We can replace it all and the insurance should cover the most part. But whoever did this, it was defiantly personal." He continued rubbing his hand along her back gently.
"What makes you say that?" she asked noticing the way Antonio and Kelly kept glancing at each other, "Kelly?"
"Show her" Antonio said nodding his head to Severide's silent question.
"Come with me" Kelly said holding his hand out to her and leading her towards her room.
A sharp gasp escaped her lips as she looked at the destruction of what was once her neat and tidy bedroom, the fresh bedding she placed on the bed only yesterday shredded, spray paint all over the sheets, and in big letters on the wall the words 'WHORE' were written. Her hand came up to her mouth as she looked around the room. "This was him wasn't it?"
"We think so." Antonio nodded. "It's the only explanation that would make sense."
Stella nodded her head, thick tears once again falling down her cheeks. "Where are we going to sleep, we can't stay here it's an active crime scene."
"Let me worry about that" Kelly said reassuringly. "You go with Antonio and tell him everything."
"I already have" she said back, her eyes tracing across to the detective who was nodding his head in agreement.
"We just need the data from her phone and we'll have everything we need. Do you want me to call a hotel or something?"
"No" Kelly said shaking his head "It's ok, I've got an idea, I just need to make a call. You good here for a moment" He asked Stella, the woman nodding her head before he stepped away from her and out to the corridor.
It took a further twenty minutes for the team to get the data they needed, Kelly returning in that time to tell Stella he'd spoken to Matt and they were going to stay there for the night while they worked something out. It had only taken the couple ten further minutes to pack some clothes up and make their way back to Kelly's car, the man driving them to the firehouse to collect Casey's keys.
"Do you want to stay in the car?" Kelly asked as they pulled up outside fifty one.
"No" Stella said immediately, Severide seeing the fear in her eyes. She hadn't said it out loud but tonight had shaken her, having her home broken into and her belongings trashed in such a violent way, it had taken its toll. Kelly could see it in her eyes, and in the silence that had been between them ever since they left the apartment.
"Ok, come on then" he smiled, climbing out of the car and moving to the sidewalk to meet her.
They walked hand in hand up the driveway of the firehouse that was like their second home, the two absent members of the family soon setting eyes on some familiar faces when the squad table came into view.
"Hey Lieutenant" Cruz said the minute he saw him, "everything ok? Hey Kidd?"
"Hey guys, yeah we're good. Have you seen Casey or Dawson?"
"I think they were in his office last I saw." Cruz said, his eyes tracing up and down the female firefighter before him. "You sure everything's ok?" he asked again, his eyes flickering over the woman's tired looking features.
"We're good Cruz, just need to talk with Casey and then we'll be on our way."
"Ok lieutenant, well it was good to see you both. We've missed you."
"We miss you guys too. We'll be back soon." Kelly said before heading towards the door, Stella by his side.
The house was relatively quiet, all it's members spread out in their usual places, Kelly happy to see not much had changed while he was gone. The couple making their way quickly through the corridors and into the bunk room. Casey and Dawson were sat in his office the two seemingly deep in discussion about something. Kelly knocked on the door before open it up, both their friends welcoming them with huge smiles.
"Hey guys." Casey said, pulling Stella in for a hug. "You ok Kidd?"
"I'm alright lieutenant just tired now, it's been kind of a long day."
"Well why don't you wait here with Gabby and me and Sev can go get you the keys, let you go get some rest yea?"
"Sounds good to me" She said stepping further into the room so that he could get out of the doorway.
"You ok?" Gabby asked her again once the guys had left.
Stella shrugged her shoulders, "I suppose."
"Come on Stella talk to me, tell me the truth." She said raising her eyebrows at her.
"I don't know." she sighed, "it was defiantly Grant, no one else would have caused that much damage. Or written 'WHORE' above my bed. But I don't know how he found me and it scares me. If he found me once what's to say he won't again."
"Stella, my brother's on the case. Grant broke he bail conditions he's going to jail until trail after this, there's no way any judge is going to let him walk around free after this."
"I know that, but they've got to find him first and he's clever Gabs, really clever."
"Just have a little faith in my brothers team, they found him once they'll find him again."
"I hope so." Stella agreed. "And Gabby thank you, for letting us crash at yours it's.. it means a lot that you and Casey have my back, that you have our back."
"Always."
What seemed like hours later Kelly and Stella walked into the dark apartment that was their friends home. The two of them spending longer at the firehouse than they were planning on, everyone wanting to see them after word got out that they were there. The two firefighters ending up staying for dinner with their friends, and chatting happily until all companies got called out. Severide saying they'd take that as their leave, while they watched everyone run off to answer the call.
"Man I'm tired" Stella said rolling out her neck.
"Me too" Kelly agreed, making his way towards the kitchen, "Do you need anything?"
"Just some water and then I'm going to wash up and get ready for bed."
"Ok then, erm how do you wanna work this? I can take the couch if you like?" He offered. Matt and Gabby only had one spare room, and bed and after the days events he wasn't sure if she'd want to share a bed with him. He knew they had the past few nights but that was before their home had been ransacked, before Grant had left a clear message to her that he hadn't finished with her. And he wasn't entirely sure where her head was at.
"Why would you take the couch" she said, confusion filling her features, "we've shared a bed for the past four nights, why would it be different now?"
"I just wasn't sure that was all. I didn't know if..." his words trailed off but she understood his reasoning, she knew what he was saying without him even having to speak the words.
"I don't care what Grant wants anymore Kelly. I don't care if he's trying to scare me, I'm not giving you up, what we have up because of him."
"Ok then, well you go get a shower or whatever and I'll check in with Antonio, let him know we got here safely and see if there is an update."
Stella nodded, placing a soft kiss to his lips before heading in the direction of the guest bathroom. The woman knowing her way around Gabby and Matt's apartment almost as well as she had her own.
Kelly pulled his phone out, noticing he'd got some missed calls and a text.
Kelly give me a call when you get this - Antonio
Clicking on his contact, he called the man straight back. "Antonio hey."
"Hey Kelly, are you at my sisters yet?"
"Yeah we not long arrived, Stella is just showering and then we're going to have an early night. Have you got any update?"
"I have, it was defiantly Grant who broke in, his finger prints are all over the place."
"Well that's good isn't it, that bangs him to rights?"
"It does, but we have a problem."
"What?" Kelly asked, a feeling of dread sweeping over him at the detectives words.
"He's done a runner, his place had been turned upside down. Looks like he grabbed what he could and ran probably when he realized we'd link the break in to him. His cell is off and he isn't in any of his usual hangouts. Best we can guess is he's hiding somewhere and someone is helping him."
"So what now?"
"Well for now we are detailing a car to sit on your place and outside Gabby's, they will go with you and Stella wherever you go until we've found him. We don't know what he wants and that's what is worrying us. He's dangerous and pissed, so who knows what might happen if he gets to her."
"So we're prisoners at our friends home all because he's a pyscio?" Kelly spat, the man even more angry now than he had been when he heard they'd been broken into.
"I'm sorry Kel, I wish there was something more I could do."
"Find him Antonio, before I do because so help me if I find him first..."
"Kelly" Antonio said firmly, "you can't do anything man. Just let us handle this, we will keep you safe I promise. We'll keep Stella safe."
"You better." He spat, the man's frustrations coming out towards the detective even though he knew it wasn't his fault. Antonio was doing everything he could, and it wasn't his fault, but the person who's fault it was he couldn't get to, he couldn't direct his anger at that person and unfortunately for Dawson's brother, he was the next best thing.
"You just try and get some rest ok, we'll talk in the morning."
"Thanks Antonio, I'll speak to you tomorrow." Kelly said hanging up the phone, he rubbed his hand tiredly across his face. How was everything so messed up, how had it got to this point? He shook his head, trying to clear the pent up anger he could feel over taking his tense body. He couldn't keep stay this mad, not around Stella, he needed to suck it up, he needed to be strong for her. To keep his head level for her because if he fell apart, he sure as hell knew she would too.
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