Title: The City Between Us
Chapter 11 – Setting 'Some' Matters Straight

"I realized just what I nearly lost. Erin…I want a second chance. Will you…marry me?"

Kelly remained fixed in place a few moments while his heart sunk and then started to beat faster a few seconds later. Erin had told him that it was over with Jake and back in the woods he believed her but now…now he was back at her side professing his undying love and reminding her of the history they shared…Kelly reminded himself that he had only shared a week with her. It was an intense week and two people couldn't help but bond and feel a connection over what they had been through but he wondered if that would last now that they were back in the real world.

"Erin I need you in my life…"

"Jake…" she replied with a small sigh. He could hear the pain in her tone and it made him want to spring to her defense but at the same time he had to know how she felt. However, before he could continue his silent vigil in the hallway, Hank Voight rounded the corner and called out to him.

"Kelly."

Erin heard Hank's voice call out and instantly felt her core warm and her heart skip a few beats; her reaction not lost on the man beside her who instantly stiffened. "Kelly?" She called out somewhat weakly as he nodded to Hank as he neared and then both converged on the door to Erin's room at the same time.

"Didn't get to thank you formally for saving her life," Hank offered his hand as Kelly extended his and the older man clasped it tightly for a few seconds. "Forever indebted."

"Well she helped save mine also," Kelly replied with a warm smile as Jake's gaze gently narrowed.

"Yes we really are thankful for what you did…" Jake stated in a begrudging tone as he stepped up and neared the two men.

"Yeah well…we both needed each other," Kelly said modestly as he looked past Jake to see Erin who offered him a friendly wave and smile. "Just came to see Erin but I can come back later."

"Nonsense. Jake and I were just going for coffee," Hank told Jake as his hand rested on his shoulder and he fairly urged him out of the room. Jake, knowing Hank Voight all too well, was unable to refuse.

"Yeah right…good to meet you Kelly," Jake slightly sneered.

"Likewise," Kelly mumbled as he watched them leave and then turned back to Erin and slowly limped toward her bed.

"Aren't we quite the pair," she huffed as she pointed to her crutches. "How are you?"

"I'm fine…Jake?" Kelly asked in as she looked at his perplexed expression.

"Jake," she replied flatly as he tried to ease himself down at the foot of her bed. "Kelly…"

"I'm fine," he tried to brush if off once more. "Hurts when I laugh."

"Then comedies are off the menu. Where's Buddy?"

"He's with Boden at the house. Wanted to bring him here but he's not an actual service dog so…you know those pesky health rules," he gently joked as her expression softened. "You okay?"

"Had a few other little issues I wasn't aware of but on the mend now. Were your ribs…broken?" Erin inquiring, having finally seen the bandages when his hospital shirt shifted from his movements. "Kelly…what?"

"No just cracked. Thankfully they held during all that," he replied with a small sigh.

"I'm glad they brought us back here. Med…feels like home."

"Yeah…met Will…Jay's brother?"

"Small world right?"

"Very," Kelly answered as some awkward silence started to gain momentum. "Can't believe we were out there for a week."

"Yeah…put a few things into perspective," she replied as he looked down at his fingers and fidgeted with the tie of his bathrobe. "Are we going to talk about the elephant in the room?"

"Jake?" Kelly replied as he looked up and she nodded. "I don't blame him for coming back…nearly losing someone he cares…" he started only to have her reach out and rest her hand on his.

"He only ever cared about himself. That's why I left him. I don't love Jake."

"You told him that?"

"We were interrupted…"

"By me," Kelly huffed as he looked at her with a small frown. "Guess I should have waited huh?"

"Can we blame Hank?"

"Will he let us?" Kelly retorted with a small chuckle as they heard voices returning and both traded a small frown. "Speak of the devil…" his voice trailed off with a small sigh as Jake rushed back into the room with two travel cups of coffee; Hank entering behind him with a frown on his face and an exasperated expression.

"Hope I'm interrupting something," Jake said in sarcasm as Kelly's lips slightly pursed.

"Actually…you are," Kelly replied firmly as Jake's gaze slightly narrowed before he offered him a brief head shake and then neared Erin's bed.

"You had a week to talk to him," Jake shot back in sarcasm as Kelly's anger got heated.

"Hey pal!" Kelly growled as he sprang off the bed and Voight hurried toward them.

"Whoa big guy. We're all happy you helped save her life but hey…chill out."

"Jake…it's been a long day and I'm not done talking to Kelly," Erin told him plainly as he gaze narrowed at Kelly.

Kelly looked at Jake with a heated expression but also knew that he wanted Erin to tell Jake that it was over and not have him come back another day.

"We weren't done either," Jake reminded her firmly.

"I'm gonna check in with Doc H and you two finish that conversation," Kelly told Erin which not even looking at Jake who merely regarded the firefighter with not so veiled disdain. He still didn't know the full extent of their future plans together but he believed her when she said she was done with Jake but he did owe to her to tell Jake herself. Otherwise, Jake might think he bullied her into saying something she didn't mean.

As much as she hated to see him go, Erin knew inside that Kelly wanted her to tell Jake it was over and deep inside, she had to tell him also. She wasn't in love with him and even coming close to dying didn't renew any romantic feelings for her former fiancé – they only strengthened for the handsome firefighter a few feet away.

"I'll see you later."

"Okay."

"I'll walk you back," Hank told Kelly with a pat on his back; the friendly gesture not lost on Jake who narrowed his gaze at the senior Intelligence Sargent's back.

"So…how's your girlfriend?"

"Who?" Hank retorted as they slowly headed down the hallway.

"Olivia."

"What exactly did you two talk about?" Hank smiled as they neared Kelly's room.

"How is she?" Benny asked as Kelly slowly limped toward his bed.

"She's with her fiancé," Kelly retorted sourly as Hank shook his head.

"What?" Benny countered in shock.

"She's done with Jake. He just is a bit daft when it comes to taking a hint. But trust me, I'll make sure he doesn't leave Med without it being crystal clear," Hank groaned as Matt and Gabby returned with two bags of yummy smelling food.

"He better take it or else…"

"Who are we or-elsing on?" Gabby asked as she arranged the small table in the middle of the room for them and Matt pulled the bedside table for Kelly.

"Going to go all Gabby Dawson on him?" Matt teased.

"If I have to," she grinned proudly.

"Erin's ex-fiancé," Hank replied with a sigh."

"Oh the d-bag that was fawning all over her when I went in there?" Gabby shook her head as Matt offered his wife a small smirk.

"Surprised you didn't toss him out the window," Matt chuckled as Kelly's brows gently lifted.

"Can still do that," Kelly retorted as he slowly at his food. "Damn…real food tastes good," he mentioned which earned a few laughs. But as Kelly looked up he noticed the strained expression upon his father's face but said nothing.

"So…tell us more about the week in the mountains," Gabby urged as Kelly offered them a tight lipped smile and launched into another sordid near-death tale. But at the same time he couldn't help but wonder how Erin was faring in telling Jake where to go. Well if he's still there when I go by later, I will toss him out the window!

XXXXXXXX

Erin lay back in her bed as she heard footsteps approach and lifted herself as Hank Voight entered her room. She greeted him with a smile as she nodded toward the table of flowers.

"From the team?"

"I think mostly from Trudy. Did you see them all just now?"

"Yeah, said I'd see them all tomorrow. Jake's gone? Or he is coming back? Everything resolved? Need me to talk to him?"

"Sent him packing before the team arrived," she replied with a tired smile as he neared. "Think he got the hint."

"Hungry? We have some real leftovers that Gabby picked up."

"Maybe for breakfast. My stomach is still a bit in recovery mode. How's Kelly?"

"Having a heart to heart with Benny."

"Uh oh….sounds serious."

"It's good for them," Voight stated as he eased himself down at the foot of his bed. "Olivia sends her love."

"Just to me?" She replied as his expression softened. "Always knew."

"Knew nothing," he rebutted as she arched her brows. "It was good to see her again."

"Uh uh…"

"So you told Jake for good right?" He quickly changed the subject.

'Jake, I'm sorry I don't want to marry you. I meant no when I said it a few months ago.'

'But you nearly died. Doesn't that make you reflect on what's important?'

'I don't love you Jake,' she stated simply, in a kind but firm tone. 'I don't want to get married.'

'Erin…'

'I don't want to argue about this. Don't you want to be with someone who will love you back?'

'Ouch.'

'I'm happy to be alive and back home Jake but I'm don't want to get married to you. I'm sorry.'

'Yeah…me too. Goodbye Erin.'

'Bye.'

"I did and I think he got it now," she replied as she leaned back on the pillow and looked at Hank thoughtfully. "I care about Kelly but I don't know if it's real, you know? Or was it just the whole, we're in this together and might die so…" her voice trailed off as his hand gave hers a squeeze. "I almost told him I loved him," she admitted with a deft whisper.

"Rest up…get out of here and then give it a few days. Kelly's a solid guy and you know I don't say that about too many," Voight told her as Erin's hopeful gaze lifted to his. "But…it has to be your decision and you have to make sure."

His words made sense. It could have been the whole life in danger you just saved me euphoria that she experienced and now back to reality, with a regular daily routine and ordinary events to occupy her time, the luster might have faded a little.

"I'm gonna say goodnight and see you in the morning," he got up and planted a kiss on her forehead and then slowly took his leave. Voight paused at the doorway and then turned back and offered her a kind smile before he too took his leave.

She leaned back in her bed and tried to close her eyes. But an odd feeling started to cover over her and her eyes quickly snapped open again. What is wrong with me? She pondered in the stillness of the room as she started to realize what it was. For the past week, she had been at Kelly's side and despite their crummy situation it comforted her. Now she felt alone and it was odd…unwelcomed…disconcerting. But Voight's right…what if it was just the situation and now that real life is back things won't be as…

Her thoughts trailed off and within a few seconds, despite the dull ache in her leg, she was off her bed, propped on her crutch and in the hallway, slowing heading toward one destination.

It had been a long day, visiting with Erin, his father, Voight, Matt and Gabby and then the whole house. But just before he drifted off into sleep, he heard footsteps and looked up to see Erin appear in the doorway and quickly got himself upright.

"Hey…" he welcomed as he swung his legs over but she held up her hand for him to stay put. "You okay?"

"Yeah fine…but it's time for you to rest," she told him with a warm smile as she neared. "Antonio showed me the bed they made for Buddy."

"You can come and take him any time you want," he told her in haste as she lightly laughed. "What?"

"You sounded worried. What did Hank tell you about my pet care abilities?"

"Nothing," he told her in truth as he noticed her expression start to strain. "What's wrong Erin? Did you talk to Jake?"

"Keep forgetting you had a week to get to know a few looks," she admitted in a soft tone as he nodded to her in truth. "I told Jake it was over, for good."

"Think he believed it?"

"I hope so. If not…I'll send Hank to pay him a house call," she teased. "It's not that."

"What's wrong?"

She looked up at him with pursed lips before a nervous giggle escaped them. "For the past week…I've just…I've had you at my side at night…you and Buddy and now…it just seems…odd. Sorry. Silly right?"

"No…makes sense," Kelly tried to reassure her as she looked up at him in wonder. "Being here alone feels odd but I don't want you to feel obligated in any way. You just told Jake and now…"

"We're back to reality," she concluded as in quiet tone as he nodded agreement. "Guess we should let real life sink in a bit and then…go from there?"

"Sounds like a good plan," he told her as he held out his hand for her to take. "Very…solid."

"And usually I'm impulsive," she smiled as he gently pulled her closer and offered her a warm hug before he planted a soft kiss on her cheek and then pulled back with a small frown.

"Is that bad?"

"Can be," she whispered a bit breathlessly.

"Breakfast?"

"Sounds like a good plan," she echoed as he offered her a warm smile. Then without warning she leaned in and kissed him on the lips. But before she could pull away, his hands quickly cupped her face and held her in place a few seconds longer. "Wow…" she whispered as she pulled back with a flushed expression and his smile widened. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

He watched her take her head for the door and into the hallway but as soon as she was gone, his melancholy returned. A few seconds later he pushed his call bell and then asked to see Will Halstead.

About a half hour later, Erin heard some shuffling and looked up to see a bed being wheeled into her room with Kelly on top of it.

"Seems we suffer from the same separation anxiety," he lightly joked as the transfer bed was pushed close to hers and locked in place.

She felt her eyes water slightly but this time with happy tears and could only offer him a tender smile until the orderly was gone. She reached her hand out for his which he took and held it fast in his; the warmth instantly flooding both their bodies but more importantly giving each of them the comforting peace of mind they longed for.

Darkness consumed them and they closed their eyes with happy thoughts in their minds. But at the same time they had to silently ponder the same conundrum – when they left the hospital and their regular routine, real life set in, would they still feel the same way they did tonight? Would they draw closer? Or would real life force them apart?

A/N: bye bye Jake (right?) oh after all that they deserved their happy time together but…is reality going to set in? So yes if you have seen the movie I have deviated from it and hope that's okay b/c it seems by your amazing reviews (which have kept me writing longer) that you want some more so I hope you all liked this a bit and please keep the reviews coming and thanks so much!