A/N: Thanks so much for your kind reviews! Also thanks to everyone who favorited, followed, or just dropped in to read! This story has been really fun to write, and I'm just getting started. I can't wait for you all to see all of it! For now, though, enjoy chapter two, and let me know what you think!

"Wait," Dawson said. "Sylvie Brett, are you with Matt?"

Sylvie spoke timidly, "If, by 'with,' you mean 'engaged to,' then yes, I am."

"Oh my God," Dawson said. "I can't believe it."

Sylvie was holding her breath, too scared to say anything. After a minute with no response, though, she found her voice. "Gabby?"

Gabby let out a long breath. "Are you happy?" she asked, finally.

"Very," Sylvie replied.

"Then I'm happy for you," Gabby said, assuredly, "Now that I think about it, I can't think of anyone else I'd rather see him with."

Sylvie breathed a sigh of relief. "So you're not mad?"

"Mad? God, no. Sylvie, the news came as a shock, is all. I'm happy for the two of you!"

"It is so good to hear you say that." Sylvie never thought that telling your best friend that you were marrying her ex-husband could go over well, but somehow it did.

"So when's the big day?" Gabby asked, excitement evident in her tone.

"Depends. When can you get away from saving the world for a week?"

"I'd have to check with some people. Why?"

"Because getting married would suck if I couldn't have my best friend by my side."

"Aww, Brett," Gabby said, hearing the small pout in her friend's voice. "Does Matt know you're asking me about this?"

"Yeah. We talked about it, and he's totally behind it. He's asking Severide to be his best man. Theoretically, I should ask Kidd to be my maid of honor so the two of them can be paired up, but I can't pick her or you or Foster over each other. I love all three of you the same, so I'm asking all three of you and Matt and I will figure out how that works later."

Gabby laughed at Sylvie's babbling. "You have a heart of gold, Sylvie. Never change."

Sylvie smiled and, in a teasing manner, replied, "Coming from the one who gave up a career with the CFD to live in a disaster area."

Just then, Matt walked in. He spotted Sylvie on the counter. "There you are," he said.

Sylvie pointed at the phone. To Gabby, she said, "Hey, do you want to talk to him?"

"If he's right there, I'd love to," Gabby replied.

"Oh, and Stella's here. Make sure to leave some time for her or she'll never forgive you," Sylvie said.

"Okay," Dawson laughed. "I love you, partner. Always will."

"Love you, too," Brett said, smiling. "Here's Matt."

Before she handed it off, she held the phone to her chest.

"How'd she take it?" Matt whispered.

"She's going to see if she can get a week off to come be my bridesmaid," Sylvie whispered back, beaming.

Matt smiled and took the phone from her. "Hey, stranger," he said into the phone.

"I know it's not my place anymore, but I still never thought I'd be happy hearing you were getting married again, especially when the person you're getting married to is one of my best friends."

Matt chuckled. Gabby always had been blunt. "At least I don't have to wonder what you think."

Gabby laughed. "Congratulations, Matt, really. You two deserve each other."

"Thanks, Gabby. It means a lot."

"You're welcome," she replied. "Make sure you take good care of her. Just because there's 2000 miles between us doesn't mean that I won't come kick your ass if you hurt her."

"Don't worry, Kidd and Foster are keeping a close eye on me," he joked. Then, more seriously, "You know I'd never do anything to hurt someone I love."

"I know," Gabby replied quietly, sincerely. After a beat, she said, "So Kidd's there?"

"And Severide and Foster."

"Can I talk to them?"

"Of course," Matt said, and he walked out to the living room, tapping the icon for speaker phone. "You've got them."

"Hey, guys," Gabby's voice projected.

"Oh. My. God." Stella squealed. "Gabriela Dawson, is that you?"

Matt came up behind Brett, placing his hands on her shoulders. "You didn't tell her?" he whispered in her ear, referring to Kidd.

Sylvie angled herself to face him. "I wanted to give you two time to talk without her coming in and tackling you," she whispered back, "because you know that's what would have happened."

Matt laughed and leaned in to kiss her, then asked Severide if he wanted to step outside for a cigar.

Severide said bye to Dawson, then hopped up to join his friend.

Once they were outside and had gotten their cigars lit, Severide leaned against the wall next to Casey. "So," he asked, "How much does Dawson know?"

"All of it," Casey replied. "Sylvie asked her to come be a bridesmaid."

"And you're okay with that?" Severide asked incredulously.

Matt shrugged. "Gabby and I didn't work. She had to do her thing and I had to do mine, but I have no reason to interfere in her and Sylvie's friendship." He took another long drag off his cigar. "In fact, I'm glad that this isn't going to change things between the two of them."

Severide shook his head. "You're a better man than I am, Casey."

Casey elbowed his friend playfully. "That's the goal, isn't it?"

Severide smiled. "Don't tell Stella. I don't need you stealing my girl from me."

"I don't plan on it," Casey replied. "But I would steal you from her for the wedding."

Severide choked on the puff he'd just taken. "What?" he choked out before dissolving into a coughing fit.

"Sorry," Casey said, grimacing. When Severide's coughing had subsided, he continued, "That came out wrong."

"Yeah, no shit!" Severide exclaimed. "It sounded like you're asking me to go gay with you."

"What I meant to ask was this," Casey said, turning to face his friend. "Will you be my best man?"

"Of course," Severide replied. "You got a date you're looking at yet?"

Matt shook his head. "We're waiting to see when Gabby can get a week off to come back."

There was a break in their conversation, and they just watched traffic go by.

"Hey, Casey," Severide broke the silence.

"Yeah?"

"Could I steal Brett after next shift?"

"Why?" Casey joked, "Did I inspire you to finally make an honest woman out of Kidd?"

Severide chuckled. "Actually, yes."

"Took you long enough."

"I know." Severide took one last drag off of his cigar, then put it out, grinding it on the sidewalk and tossing it in a nearby trash can.

Casey followed suit, and slapped his friend on the shoulder. "Good for you, man."

"Thanks," Severide replied, and the men went back inside.

When the guys came back in from smoking their cigars, the women were just wrapping up the call with Dawson. They all promised to talk again soon.

The friends spent the next few hours watching videos and conversing. Shortly after midnight, Foster split to go to use the toilet, and Sylvie took her phone to the bedroom to charge. Stella followed her.

Inside the bedroom, Stella cleared her throat, and Sylvie jumped.

"Jeez, I didn't know you were following me."

"Sorry," Stella said. "I wanted to talk to you away from everyone else."

"Sure, what's up?" Sylvie asked, then turned to look at her friend, whose earlier celebratory spirit had taken a nosedive, seemingly instantaneously, and she was now in tears. Sylvie plopped on the bed and patted next to her. "Stella?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

"I'm sorry," Stella choked out, as she took a seat on the bed. "I didn't want to ruin tonight." She dropped her head into her hands.

Sylvie enveloped her friend in a tight hug and let her cry for a couple minutes. When the sobbing subsided, Stella leaned her head on Sylvie's shoulder.

Sylvie left one arm around her friend's shoulders, and let the other one fall to her knee. "Talk to me, Stella," she said softly.

"You remember how I was freaking out last week because I was late?"

Sylvie nodded.

"I went to run errands after work today and Kelly didn't want to go, so I bought a test while I was out, and I slipped into the bathroom at the market before I came home -" she trailed off.

"Longest two minutes of your life, am I right?" Sylvie asked, trying to lighten the mood a little.

"It was positive," Stella blurted.

"Oh," Sylvie said. "Have you told Severide?"

Stella shook her head, tearing up again. "He's so great with kids, but he and I - we've talked about this, and we've always said that it was something for other people. I'm - I'm afraid that, if I tell him, I'm going to lose him. I'm afraid he's gonna leave, and I can't handle that. I j-just don't know what to do. Tonight, I cracked open a beer with the rest of you, but - you remember when I took Kelly's first empty bottle to the kitchen?" She watched as Sylvie nodded, then continued, "I dumped it and filled it up with water. Every time I went to 'get a new one,' I was just refilling the bottle I had with more water, and I've just been trying to keep myself together, but I can't anymore."

"I'm glad you're telling me this, Stella. That's a lot to carry, even for just a few hours," she said, rubbing Stella's back. "Severide loves you. He wouldn't leave you over something so small, comparatively. You two have survived so much. You've gone through so many crappy situations, and you're still together. Just tell him. You two will find a way through this, I promise."

Stella nestled into her friend for a few minutes, until they heard footsteps in the hall. Foster popped her head around the corner. "The guys said you two came back here," she said, then taking in the situation, "but it looks like I'm interrupting something. Is everything okay?"

"It will be." Kidd said, extending her arm, "Come, join us."

Foster shot Sylvie a questioning look, but the look on her face said not to press it, so she sidled in by Stella and wrapped her arms around her friend. While she felt a little left out, she knew one of them would tell her soon, and she focused on just being there until they did.