Surprise! This chapter just wouldn't get out of my head these past few days which I suppose is a good thing for you guys because you're getting a bonus chapter but it has made concentrating on the Saving Stella update due Thursday difficult. So yeah here's the next one :)

Don't lie to me, I won't lie to you.

Kelly pushed open the front door to their apartment the firefighter rolling out his aching limbs. It hadn't been an overly busy shift but with Stella being dismissed at the beginning of it, it had dragged. The man not getting much rest even if he hadn't been running in and out of burning buildings all day. His day and evening filled with versions of the conversation they needed to have.

"Stella" he called out, placing his keys in the bowl by the door and shrugging his jacket off. The man going through his regular routine of making sure everything was put it it's rightful place before moving further into the apartment. "Stella" he called again when he got no response.

Figuring she was still asleep he made his way towards their bedroom, his eyebrows furrowing when he saw her sitting on the bed crossed legged awake but not the slightest bit with it.

"Stella." He spoke carefully, unsure of why she was sitting there and not responding to him. "Are you okay?"

Still nothing, she was just staring blankly ahead. Kelly could feel fear washing over him, the only time he'd ever seen her like this before was when she was coming down from a high and he was praying that wasn't what this was. After everything that had occurred at the beginning of shift yesterday he was seriously hoping that she hadn't gone and got wasted. Hoping that their conversation in the locker room had at least had some effect in stopping her from following that path again.

Thinking back over the day he could see that his radio silence with her had probably been a poor choice on his part. His need for space and time to think having maybe had a much bigger effect on her than he was expecting.

Gently he reached out grabbing her chin between his thumb and forefinger while slowly moving it towards him. "Stella?"

"Kelly.." she muttered, her glazed eyes landing on his face. "I'm sorry."

"Stella what did you take?" He asked panic creeping up the back of his neck.

"I'm sorry" she repeated tears filling her eyes. Her lack of response to his question was worrying him. Why wasn't she answering his question, why did she keep apologising?

"Stella I'm not mad but I need to know now did you take something?"

She shook her head, "I didn't" she confirmed.

Tracing her face for any signs of deceit he waited a few beats. Kelly needing to be absolutely sure she wasn't lying to him, when he found nothing he finally responded "Okay I believe you. Slowly he moved to sit beside her on the bed. "What's going on then?"

"I.. I.." he could see that she was struggling that whatever had happened between her leaving shift and now hadn't been good.

"It's okay" he told her giving her a reassuring squeeze. "You can tell me anything, anything that's happened we will deal with it."

Stella paused for a beat, the woman taking slow, deep breaths before attempting to continue. "When I left shift I was embarrassed. I know chief said he wouldn't tell anyone why I was leaving but it was like everyone knew anyway. I'm pretty sure Dawson did at least and she looked at me with such disappointment in her eyes. After the conversation we'd had that morning it hurt to see her looking at me like that again. It's the way she looked at me the day we started this, and that mixed with everything that had happened in the chiefs office it was too much, so I.. " she cut herself off unsure how he was going to react to her next few words.

It had been stupid she knew that, if anything her behaviour and actions after leaving the firehouse had been nothing short of reckless. She knew he was going to be mad, more then mad, he was going to be downright furious with her when he heard where she'd gone, and who she'd gone to.

"Stella straight home you understand?" Kelly asked walking her out to her car.

"Yes sir."

"I mean it Stella until I get home tomorrow you can count yourself grounded. We need to talk, but we both need time to calm down before that can happen." He kissed her forehead gently. "I love you, I'll see you in the morning and then we'll talk."

"I love you too" she told him leaning in to rest her head on his. "I'm sorry about all this."

Kelly placed another gentle kiss to his head before turning her towards her car. "Go, sleep and think. I'll see you in morning."

Stella climbed into her car taking a moment to calm herself before starting the engine up, with one last wave to her boyfriend she pulled away from the curb starting her journey home. She was furious with Gail, after everything they'd been through together over the years she'd literally thrown her under the bus for something she had nothing to do with. She couldn't help but think that the reasoning behind it was a lot more obvious than she had originally thought, that Gail had been pissed at her for ducking out of their weekend plans and this was her way of getting back at her. If that were true, if that was what all this was about, Stella couldn't even fathom how angry it made her. They had been friends for years and over those years Stella had taken the rap far too many times already, Gail had this tendency to act upon impulse without a thought or care to what the consequences would be and for as long as she could remember she'd gone along with it. She'd even enjoyed the free life, the life of not having to answer for her crappy decisions, to begin with but now it wasn't like that, now she had entered this agreement with Kelly she was facing them, but she was the only one facing them and that thought made her blood boil.

Pulling up alongside the curb she looked up at the familiar building, the building that she had spent so many nights in, the building in which her so called best friend lived. She wasn't sure at what point she'd changed her direction from going home to going here but she had. And now here she sat staring at the outside of the apartment block trying to figure out what she wanted to say. She knew she wanted answers, no she didn't just want them, she needed them. She need an explanation from her friend, without it she couldn't decided what to do. At the minute the last thing she wanted to do was see her, the anger she felt more than likely going to cause this to go horribly wrong but she needed to confront her and she didn't see any other time she'd be able to. There was absolutely no way that Kelly would let her come here, hell if he knew she was here right now. Her butt tingled at the thought of what he would do, her body reacting to the thought in the only way it knew how. She knew she was breaking her word, that she had been told to do something and she had defied him, that right there would be strike one against her but right now she couldn't think about that. Not if she was going to see this through, she had to do what she had done before they'd started this and shut herself off from how he or anyone would feel about her being here, she needed to get out of this car and go confront the woman that was threatening to tear her entire life apart.

Her hands shook as she exited her vehicle, shoving them into her pocket to try and mask the nerves she made sure to lock the car and headed inside. The elevator up to Gail's floor seemed to take forever, Stella tapping her fingers inside pockets while the numbers slowly ticked by. Finally she arrived on the right floor the woman moving out and down the corridor she had so often walked, stopping outside of her friends door while she took one last calming breath she prayed she wasn't going to regret this before bringing her hand up and knocking.

Kelly watched as she lost herself in her head, he could see she was battling with herself, that whatever it was she needed to say was playing fury with her emotions and her need to protect herself but he stayed silent, the man knowing better than to push her before she was ready just gently squeezed her hand for reassurance.

"I'm sorry" she whispered, her eyes darting down to their conjoined hands. Stella slowly released her grip on him, moving her hands into her lap before she mumbled something. Something Kelly thought he caught but was hoping he'd heard wrong.

"What did you just say?" he asked trying his best to keep a lid on the rage cursing through him.

"I went to Gail's.."

"Why?" he asked, his voice deathly quiet, "why would you do that after everything Voight said? After I had banned you from going anywhere but home. Why would you go anywhere near her?"

"I needed to hear her lies from her, I needed to understand why she was trying to blame me." she tried to explain although by the look on his face she could tell she wasn't doing a very good job of it.

"Stella you were told to stay away from her! I told you to stay away!"

"I know.." she squirmed.

"And still the first thing you did was go straight over there?"

"Yes" she said a little bit too much attitude in her tone for his liking.

Before she knew what was happening she was face first over his knee with her thin pyjama pants pushed down to her knees, a flurry of slaps raining down hard against her now bare skin. "Ouch Kelly please stop" she begged.

"You want to answer my question again?" he asked pausing his onslaught.

"No" she responded, a loud gasp leaving her lips as he tipped her forwards and continued his rain on her sit spots.

"You sure about that?" he asked again, landing the sharpest blows yet.

"Yes sir" she spat, the woman soon realising her mistake when she felt the all to familiar cold wood of her hair brush resting on her warm butt cheeks. Shit where did he pull that from.

"Lose the attitude" he told her, tapping the brush against her flaming behind in warning.

"Sorry sir" she responded, the previous discontent long gone from her voice.

"Better" he told her holding her in place across his knee. "Now what happened while you were there?"

"We got into a fight" she admitted quietly.

"Verbal or physical?"

"A bit of both" she told him not willing to risk lying to him when she was in such a vulnerable position.

"Stella?" Gail said the moment the door was opened. "What are you doing here so early?"

"We need to talk" Stella answered pushing her way past her stunned friend.

"Look if this is about.."

"Gail stop, I don't want to hear whatever lame excuse it is you've come up with to justify this. I just need to know are you going to tell them the truth?"

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"I'll go to prison Stella, this isn't my first ran in with CPD."

"I could lose my job" Stella yelled. "I've been suspended while they clear this whole mess up, I should be at work right now but I'm not, I'm here trying to work out why my best friend threw me under the bus to save her own ass!"

Gail looked at her friend, the woman stunned to silence by the outburst, in all her years of knowing Stella Kidd she'd seen her temper flare only a few times but never in the history of their friendship had that anger been directed at her.

"Do you have any reason why you would tell the police that I introduced you to the man they suspect of selling shitty gear, that has probably sold us shitty gear. And why on earth would you ever tell them I brought it? I'm a Chicago firefighter do you not realise what this kinda accusation could do to me? To my career? Do you even care?"

"Stella I'm sorry, I am... "

"Why Gail?"

"I panicked, the cops they came by and they were asking me all these questions about Mocha and us and I panicked. I thought if I told them it was you that introduced us they'd leave it at that, that maybe you'd get a slap on the wrist but that your job would protect you. I mean people look up to firefighters."

"It doesn't mean we are above the law Gail. I could do time over this, and you lying to them is only going to make it look like you have something to hide. That what they suspected is true!"

"Wait what?" Gail asked seemingly not understanding what her friend was implying.

"Have you been introducing people to Mocha?"

Gail didn't say a word, her silence speaking volumes above the quietness. "Gail! Have. You. Been. Introducing. Him. To. People." Stella yelled taking a step towards her friend her hands coming up to rest on her shoulders. "Answer me!" she shouted shaking her friend not at all gently.

"Ouch Stella, you're hurting me" Gail cried.

"Answer the question" she repeated not loosening her grip.

"Yes" Gail near whispered. Stella shoving her backwards forcefully, the woman having to put her hands out to stop herself from falling.

"For crying out loud Gail! How long has this been going on? Is that why you introduced him to me?"

"Stella you've got to understand.."

"I don't understand! Not one bit I don't!"

"No you never have.. Saint Stella can do no wrong, Stella the firefighter that everyone looks up to, the best in her class. You've always thought you were so much better than everyone else and I for one am sick of it. I'm sick of having to live in your shadow. I told the police it was you that introduced me because I thought maybe then you'd get it. That maybe you getting in trouble instead of me would bring you down and peg or two."

Stella didn't know where it came from but the next minute she was launching across the room her fist making contact with Gail's face as they both fell to the floor. Punches landing all over the bodies of the two woman as they fought, both screaming at each other. Before Stella realised what she'd done and pulled back, retreating towards the door.

"Do I even need to begin to explain why what you did was wrong?"

"No sir."

"Okay so you got into it and then what?"

"I told her she was no friend of mine, not if she could lie about something so big it could cost me everything. I told her we were done and then I stormed out." "We're over Gail, our friendship just hit a point of never being able to come back from this." And with that she left the apartment slamming the door behind her.

She conveniently left out a major part of the story, how when she was leaving the apartment the one man that had caused all this had approached her, how she had spat some vile and less than appropriate words at him. How she'd pinned him up against the wall and threatened him, or how she had found herself pinned against the pairing wall the moment she had let go while he threatened to make her pay for that, and how if he saw her again she was a dead girl. He didn't need to know about those things, the things that would probably result in her never sitting comfortably again.

"Is that everything?" He asked, sensing from her abrupt end that she was leaving something out.

"Yes sir." she responded instantly praying he couldn't sense her lying.

"Are you sure?"

She nodded her head slightly unwilling to trust herself to speak again, knowing that if she had to respond verbally her voice would undoubtedly give her away.

"Stella Kidd you best not be lying to me" he warned.

"No sir" she managed to speak, her voice faltering slightly but she managed to cover it well.

Kelly pulled her to her feet spinning her round so he could get a better look at her, the man trying to determine if she was telling the truth or not. "Look at me" he ordered when she hadn't lifted her eyes from the ground. Slowly she brought her eyes up through her lashes to look at him, her head still hanging low as her guilt formed a tight ball in the pit of her stomach. "Is that everything?" he asked, his words coming out slow and deliberately, the man chopping at the end to emphasise his patience wearing.

"Yes sir" she said trying to mask her fear.

"It better be Stella because I swear if you are lying to me.."

"I'm not" she cut across him, hoping her insistence would convince him but the only thing it resulted in was her being pulled back across his lap, the brush coming down hard against her still bare butt several times over before he righted her again.

"Do. Not. Interrupt. Me." he told her waiting a beat before continuing his previous thought. "If I find out you have just lied to me, sitting down is going to be an issue for a long while. You think the brush hurts? You haven't felt my belt yet."

She stared at him, trying to decide whether coming clean now would help her. If she told him, he'd be pissed. No two ways about it, she'd be in trouble. But if she remained quiet and he heard it some other way, or god forbid something happened that resulted in her getting hurt and he found out that way, she was going to pay for it. Either way she was doomed.

"I... I'm not lying" she whispered.

"Yeah you better hope that's true" he warned. "Sit" he told her pointing to the chair that sat in the corner of their room.

"I'd rather stand."

"I said sit" he told her dragging her to the chair and pushing her into the seat. "We are going to talk about what happened at the house, and we are going to talk about the presence of coke in your life."

"I never did it!" she defended.

"That may be, but you were still around it when you know you shouldn't be. You still neglected to tell me that when we had our previous drug conversation."

"I didn't mention it because I never did it!"

"Stella, I'm warning you.."

"Whatever, it's not like you're going to believe me anyway. Why don't you do what you want to and then we can get on with our day." she spat, anger dripping from her voice.

"Corner now!" he ordered, dragging her to her feet. "Take the pants off you won't be needing them for the rest of this morning."

"What?"

"Take. Your. Pants off. And go and stand in the corner."

"You can't be serious?" she asked flabbergasted at the suggestion of this punishment lasting all morning.

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

"No sir" she said after a beat, her eyes trailing across his furious looking face.

"Well then I suggest you don't make this any worse and get your nose in the corner before I put my belt across your backside."

"Yes sir" she replied rapidly moving to remove her pants from the knot they'd got bunched into around her ankles and heading towards the corner in the living space. The corner she'd become more than acquainted with over the past week and a half.

She knew he was mad at her when he hadn't responded to her text last night, the woman unable to keep the radio silence going any longer as she'd pulled back the covers to their bed and climbed in between the cold sheets. She'd known he was mad the minute he'd stood up in the chiefs office and she knew from that moment on that she was going to face his wrath for everything. That she wasn't getting out of this without a long discussion and a probable even longer punishment. She cursed herself for getting into it with him already, because she knew that no matter how hot her butt felt right now it was nothing in comparison to what it was going to be once he'd finished with her.

Why couldn't she keep her nose clean? Why did she ever have to start hanging out with Gail so much again? She couldn't just blame her friend though not when she was just as much to blame, after all she'd been the one to seek her out originally. The two hadn't really seen each other for months and then after Otis, she just needed someone to hang with that wasn't connected to the firehouse. That wouldn't remind her of him every time she looked at them. Man was she regretting that person being Gail now though. Of all of her friends why had she picked the one that always got her into trouble?

Why after several years of being clean and sober had she allowed herself to start smoking again? Granted she'd managed to control her urge and had only had a few pulls of weed here and there. But still it was all drugs and she knew better. Kelly was right she definitely knew better than to allow herself to be around the one thing she had battled so hard to get away from. She'd never been a full blown addict, not like some of her college friends, but she did find herself using more often than not during her younger days. It hadn't been until she was accepted into the academy that she'd turned a corner in that respect. The woman completely cutting herself off from that world. That was until Otis.

Everything came back to losing him. Everything she had done recently, it all came back to her fallen friend. Even yesterday's events had somewhat been influenced by her feelings about it.

Kelly only knew the beginning of her bad day. The man yet to find the empty bottle of tequila in the trash, or the half bottle of vodka she'd hidden in the back of the cupboard. She knew she needed to admit to him that she'd got blind drunk. That the way he had found her on the bed this morning was more to do with the guilt from that than anything else. But she also knew the consequences for excessive drinking. He'd already told her what would happen if she continued on that path. He'd asked her to promise yesterday morning that she wouldn't let her emotions derail her and the minute she'd been out of his sight that's exactly what had happened.

She knew she needed to come clean, that to continue to hide things from him would never end well. But at the same time she didn't want to face the music on it. She'd disappointed him enough, she didn't want to lose any more of his trust.

"Stella come here" his voice cut through her thoughts, the woman turning to see him stood in the kitchen. His gaze focused on the trash can.

Her feet shuffled slowly across the room, her eyes never leaving the side of his head.

"Care to explain?" He asked pointing into the trash can. Stella following his gaze towards the tequila bottle sticking out from under the paper she'd tried to cover it with.

"I think an empty bottle is self explanatory" she said rolling her eyes.

"Stella"

"What? It was a full bottle, now it's not. Simple enough."

"That's strike two Stella don't make me reach three."

"I drank it okay, I was upset and you were blanking me. So I drank."

"Not okay Stella, never okay! Especially when you've drunk enough to empty an entire bottle."

"Technically it was only a third full when I started drinking." She said quickly not thinking before the words slipped right from her mouth.

"That's three Stella. Back to the corner and when you come out we will deal with this!"

"I've just been in the corner" she argued.

"Yes and you owe me another ten minutes for the attitude. Now go!"

She huffed across the room, the woman stomping her feet as she went. Kelly following close behind her and waiting until she was in position before landing several stinging swats against her bare butt.

"Lose the attitude or what happens next is going to be much worse than it already is."

She didn't need telling twice, the sting in her behind already squashing all thoughts of pushing anymore. "Yes sir" she responded respectfully, her hands moving towards her sore behind.

"Hands on your head if you can't keep them away from your butt." He told her moving them up and on to her head. "Ten minutes and then we'll deal with everything we need to." He landed one final swat before walking away.

Kelly busied himself tidying up the kitchen while she served out her time. The man trying his best to keep his anger at bay while he glanced occasionally towards his girlfriend, her bottom glowing red as she stood there with it on display.

After ten minutes he called her over, indicating for her to sit on the stool across from him. It took her a few minutes but she complied, sitting down slowly trying her best not to reignite the flame she was feeling.

"You okay?" Kelly asked once she was finally seated.

"Just a bit sore sir" she replied, a knowing look flashing in his eyes.

"I bet" he mused, "but I'm afraid that is going to feel like nothing by the time we are finished today."

"Do you really have to spank me again?" she asked pouting slightly, "I mean its hard enough to sit as it is, I'm not sure I'll ever sit again if you give me much more."

"Yes I have to, and you know why I have to. What rules did you break?"

"I didn't disclose the entire truth when we first talked about the drugs."

"So you?" he asked indicating he wanted a deeper answer to the one she'd just given.

"Lied by omission?" she responded in a questioning tone.

"Is that a question Stella or a statement?"

"A statement sir. I lied by omission which is just as bad, if not worse than outright lying because I knew I wasn't telling you the whole truth and I tried to hide it."

"Better. And do I need to explain once again why you don't lie to me?"

"No sir" Stella responded, her eyes beginning to dart around the room. She knew she still hadn't disclosed everything and she knew he had a pretty good idea that she hadn't. The only thing stopping her from admitting it was the fear of getting another spanking on top of the one she already had coming.

"Look at me" he ordered sensing something was on her mind. She damned him for being able to read her so well, she'd give anything to not be so transparent in this moment. "Is there something weighing on your mind?"

"I.. erm" gulping down her fear she figured it was better just to rip the band aid off and get it all out there. At least then she wouldn't be hiding anything else from him and whatever punishment he rained down on her could be dealt with. "I lied earlier."

"Okay" he said nodding.

"You knew?"

"Of course I knew, I was giving you a chance to come clean before I found out for myself. So what did you leave out about your visit to Gail's? Try something you shouldn't have?"

"No nothing like that. What happened inside the apartment I told you. That was the entire truth, what I didn't tell you was that when I was leaving I bumped into Mocha."

"Stella", Kelly breathed out his mind suddenly going to the worst case possible.

"I was mad and I may or may not of used some foul language on him. I may have pinned him against the wall and threatened him which may or may not have resulted in him doing the same to me and telling me I was a dead girl if he ever saw me again."

"And you didn't tell me this why?"

"I thought you'd be mad" she shrugged.

"Mad?" he yelled standing up, the sharpness causing her to flinch, "Mad Stella, I'm furious, I'm distraught! Your actions were beyond reckless and now you have a target on your back."

"I know" that's why I didn't say anything.

"You're grounded Stella, don't even think about leaving this apartment until I tell you otherwise."

"Yes sir."

"As for everything else that's happened this is what is going to happen now. We are going to finish discussing your behaviour, your involvement with drugs, your drinking yesterday and your reckless actions. Then I am going to spank you so hard you're going to wish every surface in this apartment was padded, once I am satisfied your backside is sore enough you are going to sit at this counter and write me a three page essay on why everything you've done was stupid and dangerous and what you could have done differently. After that you're going to write five hundred times 'I will not lie to Kelly and I will never again keep important details from him.' When you have finished with that I'm going to give you a taste of my belt for lying to me this morning."

"No" she near shouted, fear flashing across her face.

"Yes Stella, it's happening so don't even attempt to argue about it."

"Kelly please.."

"It's sir and one more word about it, you'll be getting more licks than I'm already planning on."

"Yes sir" She replied, the woman not at all looking forward to the day ahead.

It was a long few day's for Stella, the rest of the week going by with her still suspended and locked in the apartment. Kelly had gone to shift as normal on Thursday telling her she best not dare leave the apartment if she knew what was good for her. It was a warning that only needed to be given once, there was absolutely no way she was getting herself into more trouble and she was sure the few licks she'd received of his belt on Tuesday morning would be nothing compared to if he found out she'd snuck out. So she stayed put, opting to tidy up the apartment and then settling on reading for the most part.

By Friday she was over joyed by the chance to go to the Casey's for Bella's birthday tea. That joy was soon depleted when Kelly sat her down and laid out the rules for the night.

"There will be no drinking for you tonight Stella." He told her as she groaned, in all honesty she knew it was coming. She was still grounded and with that came a long list of things she wasn't allowed to do and drinking was right up on the top of them.

"If Bella wants to watch a film then you may have a reprieve on the no TV rule but do not encourage or ask her to request as much as a TV program. I will know if you do and if you do, you won't be watching with us, you'll be standing in the corner. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal sir" Stella responded in the only way she could. She knew forgetting to be respectful would earn her a swat or two but even those would hurt like hell when her bottom was still wearing the strips from his belt and it wasn't a risk she was willing to take.

"And last but not least, we will not be staying late. You have a bedtime at the moment and just because we are going over there does not mean you get out of that. We will be leaving at nine and you will be in bed by ten. Any arguments about it and you'll find yourself.."

"In the corner" she muttered not at all quietly enough.

"Stand up." He ordered.

"What? Why?"

"Stella do NOT make me tell you again."

"But you didn't give me any warnings" she argued. Usually she got three strikes before he moved to a spanking she didn't understand why he was skipping those steps now.

"Yes you do, but if I'm not much mistaken your butt is still baring marks from the last time you disrespected me."

"So?"

"So that should count as all three warnings in advance. Now stand up or these swats won't be with my hand."

Silently Stella rose from her chair, her bottom already tingling from the thought of the fire that he was about to ignite in it.

The minute she'd started to open her mouth again to argue the lack of warnings, she had found herself face first across his lap. His hand landing several blows to her already tender tushy. "Kelly please.. Ow.. Kelly.". But as quickly as it started it was over, Stella lying limply, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"You going to mutter under your breath again?" He asked pulling her back up to her feet.

"No sir" she replied bouncing on the balls of her feet. Her ass hurt, a lot. She daren't rub knowing that wouldn't end well for her either. Why had no one ever told her a spanking on top of a spanking hurt this much? Usually the ten swats he'd just given her would in no way ignite the flame that was her backside right now. Usually she'd be able to take them without much issue but today, today they hurt like hell.

"Good. Now sit!" It wasn't a suggestion, it was an order, one she knew better than to disobey. "Good girl" he told her was she planted herself on the couch.

"Now like I was saying we will be leaving early, and when we get home you will be going straight to bed."

"Yes sir."

"Good, now go get changed we're leaving soon."

"Can't I wear these?" She asked pointing to her loose sweatpants.

"You could but do you want everyone to know you're sitting on a blistered bottom?"

Stella sighed "I'm sure they probably already know."

"What was that?"

"No sir." She corrected, pushing herself upwards and heading into the bedroom. Her first port of call was to the mirror to inspect the damage done by his hand. Flinching slightly as she pushed her sweats off she was surprised to see just how red her behind was. Apparently not only did a spanking on top of a spanking hurt more but it left more physically signs too. She grazed her hand gently across the warm skin a grimace crossing her face when her fingers touched the remaining signs of the belt. The last few marks sitting on her most sensitive spots, the spots Kelly had taken care to aim his entire reminder tonight.

"I bet that's sore." He mused from his position in the doorway, the man leaning against the frame with his arm raised above his head slightly. His eyes locked on the reflection of her glowing buttocks.

"Jesus Kelly", Stella exclaimed jumping a mile "are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"Watch it!" He warned not appreciating her tone. "You've got ten minutes to sort yourself out then we're leaving. Do not make me come back here to get you."

"Yes sir."

"Remember the rules Stella", Kelly warned as they pulled up outside the friends house, the couple arriving fifteen minutes ahead of the original time they were expected.

"I won't forget I promise. And if I do my butt sure will remind me before I do anything drastic." She joked weakly, the look she received from him letting her know he was no where near ready to joke about this yet. "Sorry, I'll behave I promise. I don't want to do anything that will spoil Bella Boos birthday."

"Good" he said placing a kiss to her lips. "I love you, you know that don't you?"

"Always."

Placing another soft kiss to her lips, Kelly moved to exit the car, the man grabbing Bella's birthday present from the back seat before jogging round to the curb to meet Stella. The two of them walking up the front path and steps to the Casey's front door. Severide knocking three times, flashing his girlfriend a soft smile. He could see she was nervous about seeing them, she hadn't seen either her friend or Captain since leaving shift at the beginning of the week, and it was no secret to him that she was worrying about the reaction she was going to receive when the door opened in a few minutes.

Squeezing her hand gently he spoke once more, "They love you Stella, and Dawson knows Matt's version of events so she knows you didn't do anything wrong."

"I wish your belt had seen it that way" she replied rubbing her still sore backside thoughtfully.

"Yeah well you earn't each and everyone of those licks. For lying to me! I gave you fair warning of what would happen if you lied."

"I know.." she began, movement behind the door abruptly ending their conversation, as the figure of their friend came into view. The couple hearing the door unlock spared one last glance towards each other before it swung open. Gabby greeted them with a wide smile.

"Hey guys, come in."

"Hey Gabby" Kelly said placing a quick kiss to her cheek before heading straight for the couches where Matt and Bella were sat playing. "Hi Bella."

"Uncle Kelly" the little girl squealed jumping up and down on the spot. "Where Auntie Stewa?"

"She's here baby" he told her pointing to the two women still stood in the doorway, "see she's just with Mama."

"Auntie Stewa!" Bella shouted running towards her.

The sound of her little voice paused the conversation between her aunt and mother. "Hey baby girl" Stella said bending down to pick her up. "Happy birthday."

"It's not for one more sleep!" Bella told her waging her little finger at her.

"Oh" Stella replied, "does that mean you can't open this then?" she asked pulling out a small box from her pocket.

"Mama!" Bella said looking at Gabby with pleading eyes.

Gabby chuckled, "go sit with daddy and uncle Kelly baby and maybe if you eat all your vegetables with dinner you can open it?"

"Yuck not vegetables" she said sticking her tongue out.

"No vegetables, no presents" Gabby said raising her eyebrow at her daughter.

Stella stroked her head down the back of the little girls head, "seems a fair deal to me little one."

Bella looked between the two women clearly trying to make her mind up. "Okay."

"Good girl" Gabby said taking her from her friend, "now go sit with daddy, mummy needs to talk to auntie Stella."

"Okay mama." She replied allowing herself to be placed back on the ground.

Stella stood watching as Bella climbed up into Kelly's lap, dragging with her the book that contained her favourite story, the little girl content for the moment.

"Come on" Gabby said pulling her towards the stairs in front of them.

Kidd didn't know what her friend wanted to discuss but she was sure it was to do with what had got her suspended. Stella positive that Dawson hadn't only heard Casey's version of events, but those of the detectives of the twenty first. Having a brother in the unit would have given her a certain amount of privileges to the information and although she knew that Antonio would never disclose everything, he would certainly reveal just enough for his baby sister to have many questions of her own. Since Stella wasn't allowed access to her phone at the moment she had no idea if this was the first time Gabby had tried to communicate with her about it and if she knew about her grounding. Her face flushed bright red at the thought of anyone other than her and Kelly knowing that little detail.

Following her friend up the stairs they moved swiftly towards the study, Gabby entering first as she held the door open for the younger woman and instructed her to take a seat.

"I'd rather stand" Stella said her face flushing bright red once more when it dawned on her Dawson knew exactly what reasoning she had behind her statement.

"Yeah I bet you do, but I asked you to sit and unless you want me to go get Kelly..."

"I'll sit" she said quickly moving towards one of the desk chairs.

"That's what I thought" Gabby mused watching as she gingerly sat herself down. The paramedic not missing the flash of pain that spread across her face when she finally got situated. "Tell me everything, do not leave anything out."

"Okay, well I don't know what you already know."

"It doesn't matter what I do and do not know, what I want is your version."

Stella proceeded to explain the entire thing in great detail, where she'd meet Mocha and through who, and how Gail had tried to blame her. Something that was quickly cleared up once the CPD got the CCTV footage from Two Shoes. She explained how the chiefs hands had been tied and that was why she'd had to miss two shifts, she added that she had it on good authority that she could return next shift, now that she was cleared of wrong doing. Gabby listened closely, the woman remaining quiet until her friend had finished before speaking up.

"And Kelly?" Gabby asked.

"What about him?"

"Well Matt said he was pis.. not happy" she corrected quickly, not wanting to join her friend in sitting on a sore butt. "And the way you didn't want to sit tells me that he was correct."

"Yeah well it wouldn't have been that bad at all if I hadn't pushed it."

"What do you mean?" She asked with a raised brow.

"I kinda went to Gail's after being dismissed from shift and after being told in no uncertain terms to stay away."

"Yeah that probably wasn't a wise move.."

"It was not" Stella confirmed. "And then when I was leaving something happen that I didn't disclose to Kelly even after he warned me of the consequences and gave me several opportunities to come clean."

Gabby nodded the woman not quite sure how to respond to her friend's reckless behaviour.

"Look I know I messed up again.." Stella began when it became clear Dawson wasn't going to say anything. But she was met with a hand being held up at her.

"You did, you quite royally messed up but it's been dealt with. And it didn't affect me or my family directly so I'm not mad. I just wanted to hear the truth from you, so that I was sure I could trust you."

"You can, and I swear I'm never seeing Gail again."

"That's not my business but seen as I'm sure Kelly's probably banned you from seeing her or that crew again. I'm inclined to believe you."

"So this is done?" Stella asked timidly.

"It's done. Just don't ever mess up like this again, the consequences could have been so much worse."

"Yeah I guess you're right but right now my ass disagrees." She said standing up and enveloping her friend in a hug.

"You ready to go enjoy our evening together?"

"More than ready, I've been looking forward to this all week."

Thank again for reading guys, please leave me a comment and let me know what you think :)