Chapter Two: Awkward Adventures- I'd like to thank everyone who's read, reviewed, favourited and followed this story thus far. I hope everyone has a great weekend- Alisabeth
Disclaimer: I do not own anything beside Adrian, Daelyn and Rowan. The characters of NBC's Chicago Fire belong to Dick Wolf and the movies mentioned belong to their rightful owners.
Idly shuffling a deck of cards as he lounged in a rather destroyed chair, Kelly Severide listened halfheartedly to the conversations surrounding him, paying little attention but making sounds of agreement as he laid the cards out, organizing them by number and then suit. His head in the clouds, it felt as if he fell back to Earth the moment that Eric Whaley, his once nemesis, saw fit to bring up the stations most recent visitors. For some unexplainable reason his stomach tightened, jaw clenching as the members of Squad talked about Daelyn Conway's looks and awkwardness as if she were an exhibit in a museum. Slightly disgusted by both his reaction and how they were discussing her he piped up, glancing over his shoulder at Matt Casey.
"So Casey, what was up with your sister in law? She was acting like an awkward teenager or something," he grinned, drawing the cards together in a pile and shuffling them once more.
Matt shrugged from where he stood behind the counter, preparing a mug of coffee. "Daelyn's always been shy, I guess. Give her a chance to get comfortable in Chicago and she'll come around."
Kelly nodded. "How long's she here for?"
Matt grinned. "She's crashing in our guest room until the wedding." His smile widened. "It'll be like having a wedding planner, babysitter and baker all in one."
That caught Mouch's attention. "She bakes?"
Matt's eyes widened as he nodded seriously. "The best baked goods you'll ever have."
Everyone's attention was suddenly on Matt as he raved about how delicious the birthday cake she'd made for him was and how, if he had his way, she'd be making the reception cake. His mouth watering at every vivid description of food, Kelly blushed slightly when his stomach rumbled, pushing himself to his feet in order to search the fridge for some of the left overs Mills had made. Sidling up next to Casey, he poured himself a mug of coffee to go along with his reheated baked ziti.
"Are you watching the game after shift?" he asked, referring to the baseball game, which would be starting mere hours after they'd be leaving the stationhouse.
"I believe so. Why, are you looking to be invited over to watch it at our place?' Matt teased, chuckling when Kelly protested.
"Okay, so I am, but dude, Ro makes the best nachos ever," Kelly asserted, trying to play it cool.
Laughing Matt nodded, stopping to listen when the alarm rang. Springing into action as he was dispatched, he turned back to Kelly briefly. "Six o'clock?"
Flashing a thumbs up as Matt and the members of Truck 81 raced off, Kelly shoveled another bite of food into his mouth. Perhaps the sister in law would make cookies or something for the game.
Pulling up before the Casey residence a little before six o'clock, Kelly fought a yawn as he reached across the front seat of his car for the six-pack of beer he'd picked up en route, making sure to lock the doors behind him as he climbed out. Rotating his sore shoulder as he climbed the few stone steps to the front door he knocked, waiting patiently while gazing around at the wind chimes and the sun catcher that he knew Adrian had painted. Turning quickly to greet whoever had opened the door he stopped short when a confused looking Daelyn stood, watching him with furrowed brows.
"Can I help you Lieutenant?" she asked, her voice pitched an octave higher than it had been earlier and a flush coloring her prettily.
"I'm here to watch the Cubs game? Matt invited me earlier," he said in ways of explanation, holding up the six-pack as a peace offering.
Giving a snort of amusement, Daelyn brought a hand up to tinker with the small, silver pendant she wore around her neck, grinning cheekily as she shook her head. "Matt and Rowan went out for date night. I offered to babysit Adrian and they high tailed it out the door. In all honesty, I think you've been stood up," she smirked.
Baffled Kelly's brows furrowed. Huh, he'd really been stood up. That'd never happened to him before and it felt… odd. Blinking twice rather owlishly, he watched Daelyn glance over her shoulder, inching aside as both her niece and the family dog, a lumbering German shepherd named Thor, wandered over. Eyes lighting up Adrian squeezed through the gap and hugged him around his waist whereas Daelyn darted forward to catch Thor as he attempted to follow.
"What're you doing here, Uncle Kelly?" Adrian beamed, dark eyes twinkling in the porch lights. Her dark hair done up in careful braids, her Paul Frank pajamas doing little to shield her from the growing cold.
Setting the beer aside, Kelly wrapped his arms around her and picked her up, carefully wrapping her in his leather jacket. "I stopped by to see your dad, but I guess I just missed him. Hey Addie, can you do me a favor and go put a hoodie on? I don't want you to get sick," he said softly, swaying slightly with her.
Watching the way that the apparently rough and tumble lieutenant interacted with her niece, Daelyn felt a surge of warmth shoot through her, sending tingles from the top of her head to the red painted tips of her toes. Pondering her next move she acted merely in an attempt to get her niece inside and the door closed.
"Since you came all the way out here, would you like to come in for a little while? We're ordering pizza for dinner and I'm sure Matt would be fine with you here," she suggested, shivering slightly.
Shocked seemed like a good way to describe his mood. "Oh, uh sure. Thanks," Kelly grinned, carrying Adrian inside and nudging past Thor with a roll of his eyes as the dog barked once, bounding a few feet ahead before glancing back. Hearing Daelyn close the door and lock it behind them, he traced his way along the familiar path to the living room, depositing his pseudo niece on the couch. Wiggling his fingers in the threat of tickling her he laughed when she shrieked, dodging a flying foot as Daelyn came into the room from the kitchen.
" I put the beer in the fridge and was just going to call the pizzeria, is there anything specific you usually order?" she asked softly, eyes unwilling to meet his.
Catching a little ankle in hand he held it to keep Adrian from swinging while he shook his head. "Anything's fine."
Nodding she disappeared back into the kitchen, her shoulders and back obviously tense. Following the subtle sway of her hips as she walked away Kelly shook himself. Occupying his attention with conversation with Adrian and flipping through the channels to land on Cheaper by The Dozen, he allowed himself to get comfortable. Spending some time watching the movie he glanced up when Daelyn returned and sat herself in Matt's recliner, curling up and drawing her legs to her chest. The three of them were silent for a good twenty minutes, the only words being little comments on the characters in the movie. Near bolting when the doorbell rang, Daelyn stumbled, kept from banging her head on the wall by a strong, calloused hand catching her beneath the elbow. Blushing she uttered a thank you and speed walked to the front door, extracting a crumpled bill from the pocket of her hoodie.
Returning a moment later with a large cardboard box and a slightly smaller one balanced atop it, she was followed by the scent of greasy, cheesy pizza and cinnamon. "I come bearing dinner," she sing-songed as she set the two atop the coffee table. "Adrian can you…"
"Plates, napkins and soda. On it!" the six year old chimed, somersaulting off the couch and to her feet easily.
Watching her go Daelyn shook her head. "Children, they're so damn resilient."
Kelly laughed heartily, agreeing. "She near gave me a heartache when she jumped from the branches of a tree. She had to be about twelve feet up."
Daelyn's jaw dropped, accepting the plates. "Adrian sweetheart, you're freakin' insane."
Shrugging innocently Adrian accepted a slice of pepperoni and black olive, biting into it and spitting a chunk back onto her plate. Fanning her tongue she scowled at her dinner. "It's hot."
Both adults laughed. Moving her seat to the couch in order to continuously distribute pizza, Daelyn settled on the opposite side of Adrian, putting her niece between she and their handsome visitor. Making idle talk as they paused " A Cinderella Story" so that Adrian could run to the rest room, Daelyn forced herself to admit that Kelly Severide wasn't as bad as she'd expected. Fighting a yawn as what little jetlag remained caught up with her she shuffled about to clean up, jumping slightly when Kelly brushed against her for the plastic bags to store the left over pizza.
"Sorry," he apologized, setting the leftovers in the fridge.
"No problem," she squeaked, rolling her eyes and mentally cursing herself. Scuttling back to the living room, she curled up on the couch, tugging a blanket over her and burying her face in it. Feeling Adrian curl against her she curled her arms around the child, holding her close. Pressing play when Kelly came back in she yawned once more. Feeling her eyes beginning to droop she leaned into the arm of her couch, stretching out.
Turning his key in the lock of his house, Matthew Casey chuckled, keeping one arm looped around his fiance who was pressed close, her arms wrapped around his waist for warmth. Toeing his shoes off and holding his fingers to his lips as Thor trotted forward he padded in sock covered feet through the hallway, his ears picking up on the utter silence. With Rowan following close behind, he peered into the living room where a single light glowed, stopping short in the door way with what he found. Grunting as she bumped into her fiancé from behind, Rowan poked her head over Matt's shoulder and 'awed.'
Spread out over the couch was the trio consisting of firefighter, author and child. Stretched out with her feet in Kelly's lap and her head on the arm of the couch, Daelyn was covered by the warm throw that Rowan had pulled from the cedar chest beneath the bay window, Adrian laying atop her over the blanket with her head on her aunts shoulder. On the side of the couch with the recliner, Kelly was asleep sitting up, legs elevated and his head on the back of the couch. His hand secure around Daelyn's ankle he snored slightly, jaw slack and features angelic. Unable to help herself Rowan reached into her purse, pulling out her always present digital camera. Snapping a picture of the scene she re-pocketed the device, stepping forward and carefully picking her daughter up. Balancing her child, she carried her carefully up the stairs as Matt carried Daelyn.
Leaving Kelly on the couch as he locked up for the night after coming back down, Matt shook his head, covering his friend and coworker with a blanket and tugging him around until he laid on the couch rather than reclining. Chuckling to himself as he turned out the light Matt grinned.
Having seen the looks the single members of Firehouse 51 had shot Daelyn when she'd visited he had one thought; If she ended up getting with anyone from the station, he hoped it would be Kelly. Despite his womanizer ways and aversion to commitment, he knew the other lieutenant would be a good match for the shy, hesitant woman he'd met nearly a year ago; who, once he said those vows, would be his sister.