Kelly lay holding onto the woman in his arms, her body weight resting against his chest as her breaths tickled his skin. They'd been like this for around an hour now, Stella falling asleep soon after their love making. And although he knew he could do with a nap himself, he had never felt more awake. Their time together having opened his eyes to just how much she meant to him. Of course he'd always known that she did but something about connecting with her in the way he had, had sparked something deep inside him, a feeling he wasn't sure he hadn't ever felt before.
He was surprised no one had come looking for them but figured that the three friends they'd abandoned at breakfast sensed they needed some time alone and although they probably didn't know what they had done within their time together he could bet that at least one of them could take an educated guess. Gabby had been probing them about their relationship all week. And he could almost hear her teasing voice when they did finally emerge from this room.
Stella was scared he knew that much but he just hoped that they hadn't rushed things, that their moment of passion wouldn't be something she was regretting once she woke from her slumber. He wasn't sure he could deal with the guilt that would give him if she woke up and regretted what they'd just done.
The feeling of her stirring in his arms snapped him from his thoughts as he laid as still as possible, hoping that she was just adjusting herself against him. She hadn't been sleeping well and if anything was true of her this morning it was that she look exhausted emotionally and physically. If he could help her sleep just a little longer he would, even if that meant he'd lost all feeling in the arm she was currently sleeping on.
To his delight she seemed to settle back down after a few minutes, her head tucked tightly into his neck, a low groan leaving her lips as she slipped back into her deep slumber. Her hand settling against his bare chest, her legs intertwined between his. He took a moment to take her in, in all her glory. He couldn't help but soak in the absolute beauty of her lying here with him as bare as day. She was absolutely stunning and he would make it his life's mission to make her see herself the way he did.
Gentle knocking on the door brought him back to the room, the man reaching down for the sheet to cover them both before speaking up.
"Come in."
"Hi" Gabby said, poking her head round the door. "Sorry were you sleeping?"
"No, we err... Stella is, but I was just lying here. What's up?"
"I was just checking in on you guys." She replied her eyes darting towards the pile of clothes thrown across the room. "You doing okay?"
"I'm perfect" he responded a small grin coming to his face.
Gabby smiled back a knowing look crossing her face. "It's about time" she whispered.
"Yeah" he murmured back, his eyes darting down to the woman in his arms again.
"I'll leave you to it, I just wanted to make sure you were good." She told him backing away from the door.
"Gabby" he called softly, his voice stopping her actions.
"Yea?"
"I.. Erm.. we haven't spoken about this. Not really. So please don't bring it up with her unless she says something."
"Mums the word" she said, pulling her hand across her lips as if she were zipping them up.
"Thanks."
"No worries. Get some sleep Kelly you look shattered."
"Stella" he murmured in the air, the feeling of lips on his bare skin pulling him out of the slumber he'd managed to fall into.
"Yes" she whispered her lips pressed against his lower belly.
"What'd ya doing?"
"Waking you up." She whispered, placing sloppy open mouthed kisses against his skin again. Her hand moving south towards his painful need for her.
"God" he pushed out as her hand gripped loosely around his shaft, her touch barely there as she ghosted up and down. Her kisses getting closer and closer to him as she disappeared under the covers, his head falling back on to the pillow, his mind focused only on what she was doing and the burning desire that was building.
A harsh gasp left his lips when her mouth wrapped around him, the sudden change in pressure taking him by surprise. Her tongue slowly running up and down his length while her hand moved to help her movements. The woman completely devoted to making him as happy as he had her.
Her steady speed making him crazy as he forced his hips to stay still, the man desperately needing more friction as she worked him up.
"Stella please" he begged. He felt her smirk against him as she pulled right back, her movements all but halting, her mouth still holding his tip before she slammed back down onto him. His length brushing the back of her throat, her hand pumping him into her mouth, her speed increasing to a blinding pace as he lost all control underneath her. His hips thrusting upwards as his release came, Stella continued her movements until she was completely sure he was spent. Placing gentle kisses to his tender area before slipping her body back up his snuggling herself into him.
Kelly lay lazily running his hand up and down her bare back, the two of them content in each others arms. He couldn't believe how lucky he was. It was no secret to anyone how much Stella meant to him, the two having had an inseparable bond almost from the day they met and when she got transferred to fifty one that bond had only increased. But he had never imagined that he would one day be lying with her in his arms, it almost felt like he was dreaming. If it wasn't for the feel of her bare chest against his and her warm breath against his neck he would swear he was dreaming.
"So I'm guessing you aren't regretting your decision earlier" he asked, placing soft kisses to her head.
"Absolutely not" she confirmed her eyes looking up at him through her eyelashes. "You?"
"Not a chance" he replied firmly.
The two falling back into the comfortable silence once more knowing that there really wasn't anything else to be said.
Stella sat in the small waiting room, her hands in her lap as she tried to keep herself calm. After a long discussion between herself and her friends, mainly Gabby if she was ruthlessly honest about it, she had agreed to come see the physiologist that Dr Johnson had suggested for her.
It had seemed like the right decision when she made the call just two days ago, the woman wanting to have a meeting before she went in for her surgery next week. She knew it was time, past it really but up until a few days ago she wasn't ready. She still wasn't sure if she was completely ready, not really. But she knew she had to take this step, if she was truly going to move on with her life she needed to make this step in her recovery.
She couldn't keep her feelings locked away any longer she knew that, she did. Even when it seemed she didn't, she did. And with a little gentle pressure from Gabby and Kelly she'd agreed to this but now she was sat here in this office, the small space occupied by only two other people besides her and Severide. Her boyfriend sat next to her holding tightly to her hand for support.
"You okay" he whispered in her ear.
"I'm good" she said trying to conjure the energy to smile at him, it was weak but it was there. She hoped he couldn't read her insecurities about this but in reality she knew he could. Kelly had always been able to read her, even before all of this and now they were together it was near impossible to hide her true emotions from him.
"You sure?"
"I'm nervous, but I'm okay" she admitted, leaning her head into his shoulder. "I have to take this step, if I don't it's only going to keep holding me back."
"Yes but if you aren't ready.."
"Kelly I love you but honestly I'm okay."
He took a few minutes to take her in, the man making sure she wasn't lying to him before giving her a short nod. "Alright then, and I'll be right here the entire time. If you need me just come get me."
They had spoken at length about how she wanted to work this, if she wanted Kelly or even Dawson to go into the first session with her. After a lot of back and forth she'd decided she wanted to do it herself or as she'd put it she needed to "put on my big girl panties and do this myself." Kelly had ducked out of shift to be with her regardless, chief more than happy to let him when he heard what he needed the time for.
Now here they sat waiting to go in for her appointment and Kelly just hoped that they hadn't pushed her too hard in this direction. He knew she was worried and truthfully he knew she had every reason to be, if the few short conversations they had, had were anything to go by, this was going to be tough on her. Not so much the talking, usually once she could break through the first few barriers and open up she surprisingly found it quite easy, no it wasn't that, that worried him. It was the after effects. If history told him anything it was that the next few nights would be difficult for her.
Anytime they had spoken about Grant and what he had done her nights had been restless at best. Stella staying awake long into the night, and when she did let herself drift off her dreams were haunted by her mind. The memories of what had happened replaying over and over as she tried to rest. And although they both knew it was part of the process, he just hoped that after seeking professional help she'd at least be able to deal with those memories slightly better than she had been.
"Stella Kidd?" A woman's voice pulled him out of his thoughts, his head snapping up towards the direction it had come from. Stella was already moving, the woman pushing up from him with a reassuring squeeze to his arm.
"You sure you don't want me to come in?" He asked one last time.
"I'm good." She told him.
"Okay then, I'll be right here."
"Thanks" she said, placing a soft kiss to his lips before heading towards the doorway. Kelly watching until she was out of sight.
Stella followed the woman wordlessly through the door and into another little waiting area, the two passing straight through there and into another room where the man she assumed to be who she was here to see was sat waiting. After a short hand off from the woman who'd brought her through the two parted ways. Stella stood in the doorway waiting to make a move.
"Good morning Ms Kidd" The doctor said standing up and moving towards her, he reached out to shake her hand, "I'm Dr Kinny, would you like to come in and sit down?"
She didn't know what to say so she just nodded as she walked past him, heading for the couch on the far side before turning round and facing him again.
"Take a seat, make yourself comfortable. Do you want some water?" he offered, pointing to the small kitchen tucked away in the corner, it wasn't much, a little fridge and a few shelves with snacks on but Stella couldn't help think it was a little outta place in this fairly cushioned room. Each of the furnishing choices made within this room were soft, down to the chairs they sat on. Instead of the normal hard backed hospital seats she was so used to, the room had two armchairs and a couch. She couldn't help but think it was to prevent any injury to the patient or doctor should a patient get emotional and try to hurt themselves.
"I'm okay thank you" she said, sitting down.
"Okay then, shall we get started?"
"I don't really know what to say or do here" Stella admitted quietly.
"There is no right or wrong way to do this, we don't have to dive right in if you don't want to. Why don't you start by telling me a bit about yourself and then we can go from there?"
"Okay" she nodded, "I'm Stella, which you already knew." She looked up to see if the doctor thought she was as silly as she felt, sitting here talking about herself was harder than she ever thought it was going to be. The doctor nodded at her, a smile small resting on his lips as he waited for her to continue. "I'm a firefighter, well I was, I may still be, I'm not sure. It's all a bit still up in arms at the minute."
"Why's that?"
"I have an injury that may not heal, I've got to go in for surgery to see if they can fix it but if they can't I may not get cleared for duty."
"I see. And how does that make you feel, the possibility that you may not be able to continue?"
"I don't know" she shrugged softly, "pissed off."
"Why?"
"Because it was my husband, well ex husband that caused the damage and he's already taken so much from me already."
"Oh" Dr Kinny said, flipping his pad open "do you want to talk about that?"
"Maybe.. It's difficult for me to open up about it all."
"Okay we don't have to talk about that if you don't want to."
Stella went quiet for a few moments, this is why she'd come here, she'd come to talk about what Grant had put her through. Talk about how she was dealing with everything that had happened to her and she needed to try at least otherwise this whole thing was a waste of everyone's time.
"We didn't have the best relationship" she began, "he was an addict, well he wasn't always but he was the last few years."
"That must have been difficult."
"It was. At first I thought I could get him to get help but that didn't work out too well and before long we had drug dealers in our life. He changed, maybe all the signs had been there before that but it wasn't until his problem escalated that things got really bad between us. At first it was little things, like him calling me some names, mainly stupid and a bitch."
"But it didn't stay like that for long?" he questioned.
"No it didn't, he would slap me or hold on too tight sometimes. But on a few occasions he caused more damage."
"He'd beat you?"
"Yes" she whispered, it had been difficult enough to admit that to people she knew but to admit it to a stranger was surprisingly easier, there were no presumptions of how he would react to the knowledge and there was no risk of him looking at her any differently because he didn't know her. To him she was just another patient he was there to help and somehow that knowledge made admitting it that little bit easier.
"I see." he said sitting forwards in his seat, "how many times did it happen?"
"A few, I'm not sure of the number maybe ten times in the past two years where it had gotten really really bad. He broke my wrist several times over, that's the injury I mentioned earlier that could lose me my medical clearance. I've already had two surgeries on it, and I'm due a third. If this doesn't help then he'll have taken everything from me."
"Stella you keep saying he's taken things from you. What do you mean?"
"He took my sense of safety, before I left him and before everything that brought me here today he'd taken that from me. I'd got some of it back but recently he has managed to do it again."
"He's been contacting you?" The doctor asked, shocked that this man was allowed anywhere near her. From what he'd read in her file she been through the ringer with him, the man having left her for dead the last time he'd had her alone. He couldn't see a world in which he would be allowed to openly kept communicating with his victim.
"Well no.. I don't know." She wasn't sure this was going at all in the direction she thought it would and she certainly didn't know if it was clearing anything up. Her own thoughts so jumbled that she struggled to make sense of them, she hadn't got a clue how anyone else was expected to. "He broke into my friends apartment, the friend I'm staying with. He wrote some horrible things on the walls and tore the place up. Then a couple of weeks ago he.. we don't actually know if it was him or not, but his car was found in the lake. The police think he did it to make us think he was dead, lure me into a false sense of security so he could get at me."
"To do what?"
"He always told me if I told anyone he'd kill me. So when his car appeared in the lake, we think he was trying to convince everyone he had driven it in there. But the thing is Grant is afraid of water, if he was going to kill himself he would OD, he wouldn't drive his car into a lake. It makes no sense for him to do that. And then twice since then someone has appeared at the back door of our friends apartment. We moved in with them while our, well his place was a crime scene and we haven't been able to go home yet."
"You know that everything you're telling me sounds like you know exactly what he is trying to do."
"I do" She confirmed, her eyes meeting his for the first time in the entire meeting. "He's trying to scare me, he's trying to still control me through all of this and stop me from moving on with my life."
"And is it working?"
"It was.. I mean sometimes it is. I.. the friend I moved in with.. it's complicated but we've always had stronger feeling for each other than friends but up until a few days ago I was too scared to admit it. If I'm completely honest with you I'm still petrified, if Grant knew that I had so much as thought about moving on.. I just know it wouldn't end well."
"But it's your life Stella, you can't let that fear stop you from living it."
She nodded in understanding, she knew in her heart and soul that it was true. That she needed to stop letting this all hold her back from being happy but it wasn't as easy as just waking up one day and saying she wasn't going to let it control her anymore. Everything she'd been told for as long as she could remember indicated that no one would ever put up with her, that she was too difficult, too stubborn to live with. That the only way for her to be in a relationship is if the man took on his role 'properly'. And she couldn't help but think at least some of what he had told her was true, after all every since she left him she'd caused nothing but trouble for anyone around her. Her closest friends having to live under a shadow of police protection because of her.
"Stella what's going on up there?" The doctor asked after five minutes of silence between them.
"Grant he always used to tell me that I was the one that made things difficult, that everything he did to me was my fault, that I'd pushed him to it." Taking a deep breath she tried to calm herself, her emotions beginning to win out against her will to keep her tears in, "but.. but ever since I left him. Ever since he put me in the hospital last time I've caused nothing but issues for my friends. None of them had any worries before this and now my three closest friends are having to live under the shadow of police protection, my best friends apartment was ripped apart and he was suspended for thirty days for standing up for me. He almost faced criminal charges for assault. All because of me."
"Was there anything other than you linking all of those things?" Dr Kinny asked, the man already knowing the answer before she answered.
"Well yeah."
"What was it?"
"Grant.." she could see what he was trying to do. He was trying to get her to see that although she was a factor in all of the troubles recently so was her husband. But she couldn't see it like that, even if it were true she'd still brought it to their doorstep, that was her not Grant. She had brought them into it by not staying quiet, by being stupid enough to think that anyone could help her.
"Stella I know you think you brought this to them, that for whatever reason what is happening, what has happened to you is your fault but I'm here to tell you it isn't. Okay? Nothing you did has brought this to you, nobody deserves what you have been through, and I know I don't know much apart from what we have discussed today and what is in your file, but I know that there is more to come. We need to get you over this fear of speaking to people, of confiding in them. You need to trust that the people in your life have chosen to be there, they have chosen to stick around regardless of how difficult things are at the moment. You've got doors open for you. And you need to lean on those that are offering you their shoulders. I'm going to recommend you see me twice a week for the time being, and we will assess again in a month."
"Okay."
"Now before you go I do want you to do something for me."
"I can try?"
"Speak with your friends, tell them how you are feeling. Tell them what you just told me and listen to them, I'm sure they will tell you exactly what I just did. That they wouldn't change being there for you, not now and not ever. It sounds like you have a good circle around you Stella, trust in that, trust in yourself."
"Okay, I'll try."
"It won't be easy I know that, but its the only way for you to move past this fear."
With that they said their goodbyes and Stella left, the woman making her way back through the building and to the desk to make her next appointment before heading towards Kelly.
"You good?" he asked when he saw her, her red and puffy eyes letting him know she had been crying without even having to ask.
"I'm good, tired now but it went well."
Kelly wrapped his arms around her pulling her into his body for a hug. "I'm proud of you."
"Thank you" she whispered into his chest, "for everything. I mean it thank you."
"Nothing to thank me for babe." he told her placing a gentle kiss to the top of her head. The two waiting a few moments before exiting the office and heading for the car.
"Do you need a lift back to the station?"
"Please." Kelly answered, the two climbing in and driving in relative silence. Kelly could see that she was exhausted, that whatever had been discussed in the room had taken it out of her and it worried him. He didn't like the fact he was going back to shift and she was heading home especially when he could see she needed nothing more than to curl up with him. Her hand having sat on his knee the entire drive back so far, the woman navigating the streets of Chicago with one hand until they were outside the station.
"You good?" he asked once more, his body turning in his seat.
"I'm good."
"You sure, because I can take the rest of shift off, I can go in there right now and tell chief you need me."
"Kelly" she said, pulling him closer to her, "I love you for caring so much but I'm good. I just want to go home and shower and maybe nap. If anything changes I promise I'll phone you, but you can't keep missing work because of me. You're already taking two shifts off next week for my surgery."
"I'll take as much time as you need me too, but if you're sure than I'll let you get home" he kissed her gently the two melting together at the contact, after all their time resisting each other it felt nice to just be able to kiss her when he felt like it. Even if they weren't telling people just yet, it was nice to be able to do this in their private moments together.
With one final kiss Kelly pulled back opening his door and stepping out on to the road. "Text me when you get in?" he asked ducking down so he could see her.
"I will, now go."
"Okay, I love you."
"You too."
"You ready?" Kelly asked glancing over to his girlfriend. He smiled at himself, the man having been walking around since they had finally become a couple with the same stupid grin on his face.
"I'm ready." She confirmed giving him a small smile. They were currently sat outside Kelly's loft, the two deciding earlier today that they would start fixing the damage caused by her ex now that the police had released it as a crime scene. And although they hadn't made a firm decision about when they would be moving back in, Kelly had suggested that it may help for them to spend some time there.
He hoped that by having Stella help him fix it up, the woman would be more open to his suggestion of making her mark on the place. He knew it was early in their relationship but he also knew that they both had strong feelings for the other. And for now at least he wanted her to consider his home as being hers.
She was in no position to have her own place just yet, the woman being left with next to nothing since she had refused the transfer of accounts. She hadn't said out loud why but it was pretty obvious to everyone that her main reason was not wanting Grant to have any hold over her anymore. But that left her with little to no money at present, her sick pay barely covering the essentials let alone rent and bills on top.
No until she was back on her feet she was staying right here with him. And as far as he was concerned there was never a question about it.
"Let's go fix our apartment." He told her gently.
"Our apartment?" She repeated raising her eyebrow at him.
"Yes! Our apartment. As far as I'm concerned this is your home as much as mine for as long as you need or want it to be."
Stella blushed under his gaze, the serenity to his words mixed with the gentle way he was watching her causing that odd feeling of warmth and butterflies in her belly.
"Kelly, I can't even pay rent."
"I don't care." He told her firmly, turning his body in his seat so that he was facing her properly. "Stella I just want you to be with me from the moment I wake to the moment I go to sleep. I don't care if we're at Matt and Gabby's or if we're here, or somewhere else entirely. I just want you. I don't care about you paying rent, or your share of the food bill. It doesn't matter to me, the only thing that does is you."
Stella didn't know what to say, so she said nothing the woman allowing the tender kiss she placed to his lips to do all the speaking for her. Their tender movements soon deepening, the near desperate need for each other almost preventing them from leaving the car. They pulled back only when air became an issue, the two panting as they sucked in the air their lungs so desperately craved.
"We should get in there" Kidd suggested, her lip falling between her teeth as she watched him.
"I don't know I was kinda liking where this was heading" he teased.
"You mister have already had enough this morning.." she told him tapping her hand lightly against his cheek.
"I will never get enough of you" he told her capturing her lips once more before she could respond.
"Such a sweet talker."
"You love me though" he told her over his shoulder as he exited the car.
"Never said I didn't." She shot back, making her way out of the car and onto the side walk.
The apartment looked worst than she had remembered, their possessions still scattered across the large open plan space. The reminder that their place had been ransacked hit Stella like a rock in the face, the sight of just how much damage had been done momentarily knocking her backwards. If it wasn't for the tight grip her boyfriend had around her waist she was certain her legs would have given out underneath her.
"I'm so sorry Kel" Stella muttered, tears beginning to curse down her cheeks.
"Hey look at me" he said, his hand coming up to turn her face towards him gently. "This, all of this, it's just stuff. None of this matters, I meant what I said in the car and it goes for this too. We can fix a lot of this anyway, Casey said he'd pop by once he finished his construction job later and see what he can help with and what needs completely replacing but even if it all needs replacing I don't care."
"But if I hadn't come here..."
"Stella" he said firmly the man knowing he needed to get her to understand him before she could let go of the guilt she was feeling. "This was Grant, not you! Do you understand that? You didn't do anything wrong and you need to stop blaming yourself for his decisions."
It had been a conversation they'd touched on a few times over the days since her appointment. Stella deciding that she would begin with dealing with her guilt towards Kelly first, seen as he was the one that had been affected the most by the turmoil that was her life.
"Okay" she replied timidly, "I know you're right, honestly I do.. It's just.."
"Difficult?" he finished for her.
Stella nodded her head, Kelly wrapping her up in his arms, the two stood in the doorway together while she gathered herself.
"I know, and I know we've spoken a little bit about it. I just wish you'd believe me when I tell you, you are worth every ounce of trouble and more. But more importantly that this isn't your fault." His words were soft but firm, his eyes holding contact with her so that he could see her reaction. He knew it wasn't as simple as her being told those things, that a small part of her may always doubt what he told her but he would tell her forever if he needed to. He meant every word he said. He would do everything again if he had to. He would help her always, especially when she was struggling to help herself.
Finally after a few minutes her tears subsided and she began to pull back slightly, "Feel better?" He asked.
"A little, it's just going to take me a while to believe you when you say you don't blame me. I'm not used to that." he looked at her with sadness in his eyes, it broke his heart to hear her say those words. "It was always my fault with him, I guess it's just not something you just stop believing once you're free of them."
"I love you" he whispered into her hair, kissing her crown gently. "You ready to get to work."
"Yeah. Shall I start in the kitchen or where do you want to start?"
"Let's clean up anything that looks like it is completely done for and go from there."
"Okay."
The two worked tirelessly for several hours, starting in the kitchen. Kelly taking to clearing up the shattered glass that lined the surfaces and floors, while Stella picked up all their shredded paperwork. By the time Matt and Gabby arrived they had manged to get a lot of the main living area cleaned up, the items they had picked up being sorted into trash bags if beyond repair, anything that maybe could be fixed was put in one pile and everything that was safe was put in another. Their sofa was pretty done for the cushions having been slashed within a inch of their life. The stuffing completely discarded into one of the many trash bags.
"Looks like you two have made good work on this place" Gabby said stepping in through the open front door.
"Yeah we kinda started and haven't stopped since." Kelly said looking up from his position beside the now righted coffee table.
"I thought that was the case that's why we brought supplies and help" she told them holding up some grocery bags and stepping to the side, the entire fifty one family stepping in through the front door after her.
"Guys" Stella said as she walked out of the main bedroom "what are you all doing here?"
"We heard you guys had a bit of a wreckage on your hands so we came to offer our services" Hermann told them, the older man stepping over the trash bags and making a beeline for her. His arms wrapping around her back and squeezing gently "how you doing Kid?"
"I'm doing okay Hermann" she told him hugging him back. "I'm not perfect but I'm getting there."
"Glad to hear it" he said pulling back as everyone else filed over to her, everyone wanting to get a cuddle in with the woman they hadn't seen properly in weeks.
Kelly stood watching as their firehouse family embraced her with welcoming arms, not one of them looking at her any differently than they had before everything, a fact of which he was eternally grateful for. Even though she hadn't admitted to it, he knew that it was her biggest fear, that once everyone found out what she had been put through they wouldn't treat her the same. That they would always look at her with sorrow and sympathy in their eyes but from what he was seeing nobody was doing that to her, at least not right now. He wasn't sure if maybe Dawson had said something to them, if she too had sensed the uneasiness from the mutual friend, he didn't really mind why they weren't looking at her differently he was just happy to see that they weren't.
It had been a rough few weeks for them, for her especially and after the news of her needing more surgery he was happy to see that she was at least in good spirits, he knew that at some point she would probably wobble a bit. Kelly fully expecting the tears to begin at some point soon, when the reality and weight of what she'd been told hit he was sure there would be a conversation to be had. For now though he was trying not to dwell on it, and he was damned if he was going to let his deepest thoughts ruin what appeared to be a family occasion.
"Where do you want us then?" Hermann asked, Kelly's focus snapping back into the present.
"We're pretty much done in here, the most damage was done to Stella's room."
"I can show them" Gabby offered, seeing how her friend flinched at the thought of going back in there.
"It's okay I can do it" she said, her voice remaining steady despite the nerves she felt. She really didn't want to go back in that room and see the words written on the wall. Her reaction to the main part of the apartment earlier today playing over in her head as she willed herself not to let anyone see how much it affected her.
"You sure?" Dawson asked quietly, pulling her closer to her.
"I'm good, promise."
"Okay then" she said turning to the group, "How about Sev, Matt, Hermann, Otis and Cruz you get to seeing to that wall?" she pointed to the back wall the one that looked like it had been taken to with a sledge hammer. "Me, Stella, and Brett can go and see the damage in the bedroom and see what we can do about it."
There were murmurs of agreement throughout the small group followed by movement. The lads attending to the wall as the women made their way into the bedroom. It was the first time either Brett or Dawson had seen the words spray painted on the wall, both of the faltering slightly when they first entered the room. Sylvie gave Stella a small smile, her eyes wandering around the destruction of the room.
"Where do you want to start?" Gabby asked, breaking up the thick tension in the air.
"Lets clear the bed sheets first, I don't think they are salvageable. Brett could you grab one of those bags please."
So there we have it. Stella has gone into therapy and hopefully she'll be able to move forward. She still has that surgery looming over her and who knows where Grant is currently or what he is up-to...