Chapter 3
As Adam stormed out of the kitchen area Casey ran after him. "Adam wait up." He shouted and Adam turned round to face him. "What's going on man?"
" How can she of done that too them? How could she leave them on purpose, I mean they are her kids for fuck sake." He practically yelled at Matt. " And you struggle enough to cope with me and Chloe, and now you're going to have two younger kids with you. What if you don't want us anymore what if you leave us like mum and dad did?"
"Adam I'm not going to leave you just because Ben and Griffin are coming to stay, you've met them before when Andy was still alive they look to you and Chloe like extended family, I'm not going to lie its going to be tough and I'm going to need your help and I hope you'll rise to the challenge like any potential fire-fighter would." Casey said smiling.
At the mention of him being a potential fire-fighter Adams face lit up, for as long as he could remember he wanted to be a fire-fighter. "Of course I'll help!" Adam said a little to eagerly. Matt chuckled and ruffled his godsons hair.
"C'mon lets go back inside, we can try to wind up Severide." Matt said to Adam with a smile on his face, happy that he had solved his first problem with the 15 year old teenager.
CFD
The morning that the kids were all due to start school came all too soon for Matt Casey, to say it was manic was beyond belief. Chloe wanted to spend hours in the bathroom getting ready for school and Adam was getting increasing annoyed at her. Downstairs Matt was on the phone to Heathers attorney trying to get information on when she was going to be released.
"Come on guys I'll do you lunch, but you need to go and get ready or we'll be really late." Matt said as he hung up the phone.
"We've not had breakfast yet." Griffin deadpanned.
"Breakfast right." Casey heard the door and in came Gabby. "Gabby, hi."
"Hi, Adam let me in hope you don't mind." She greeted matt. "Right then guys get dressed and if you're supper quick I might even let you have one of these." She waved pop tarts under Ben and Griffin's noses. And they ran off upstairs " Wow that was easier than I thought." She remarked to Casey.
" Yeah thanks, I've got some lunches to make and I don't even know where to start I mean it was easy thinking about two teenagers lunch they're easy, Ben and Griffin well they're what you might call fussy." Casey moaned.
"You go and make sure a riot isn't going to break out between Ben, Griffin and Chloe when I came in Chloe had just come out of the bathroom so Adam went in but now its sound like she has gone back into the bathroom and the two boys want to get in there."
"Right, thanks why are teenage girls so difficult to have around." He remarked on the way out.
"Yeah don't let her hear you say that!" Gabby called after him.
CFD
After dropping the kids of at school in the morning the rest of morning was uneventful, the crews were just getting lunch that Peter Mills had cooked.
"Any word on Heather?" Severide asked Matt with genuine concern on his face.
"No just waiting to hear from the attorney but he's confidant she'll get off." Matt replied.
When the all too familiar sound of the alarm went off, "Truck 81, Squad 3, Ambulance 61 Battalion 25 multi car pileup."
The guys all rushed into action heading for the trucks, they were out for a couple of hours when they got back Chloe and Adam we're waiting at the house, this stunned Casey as he was sure he'd asked Chloe and Adam to get Ben and Griffin if he was on a call come home time.
"Adam where's Ben and Griffin?" Matt asked panic setting in, in case he had only thought about asking the older two to meet up with Ben and Griffin.
"They're outside on the bench, Griffin doesn't want to come inside something about the fire house is bugging him." Adam stated before going over to sit with the guys on squad.
"Guys get your homework done, I'm going to find Ben and Griffin." Matt stepped into his parental role as he walked out the firehouse down to the bench just at the end of the drive.
"Ben, Griffin what's going on? Come inside we'll give you guys the VIP tour." Casey said
"Ben can go inside if he wants to I'm just going to sit out here or walk home it doesn't matter." Griffin replied.
"Oh hey Dawson," Ben shouted, Matt turned his head and sure enough Dawson was walking down the drive towards them. Matt offered her a small smile. But what surprised him most was Adam came out with her and sat down on the bench in the space that Ben had just vacated.
"Hey guys, I'll take Ben inside, get him some food." Dawson said. Matt nodded at her in approval and thanks he knew they were going to have to have a tough chat with Griffin.
"Ben's and idiot for acting like this place is so cool" Griffin said coolly
"Your father loved it here" Matt replied with hurt in his voice
"I just want to go home okay?" Griffin state
"How about this I'll cancel my construction job and after my shift we'll go down to the pier and you can grab whatever you want for lunch." Matt said to Griffin he just turned his head and ignored him.
"Matt you go back inside I'll talk to Griffin." Adam said, Matt looked doubtful it would work but he got up and went back inside. Adam put one leg up on the bench and turned so he was facing Griffin, "You can act up and play up all you want heaven knows I wanted to when I first got here but Matt doesn't deserve that."
"Shut up Adam you don't have a clue what you're talking about." Griffin replied angrily
"No your right I don't know because I was never close to my mum because she died when I was born, and my dad's dead as well so all I have is Matt. But you know who does know what he's talking about? Matt does he knows exactly what you're going through so you can act up all you want but the bottom line is he's always going to be there for us because that's the kind of guy he is, and I'm telling you know you won't push him away." Adam replied, He let Griffin think about what he had said before getting up and walking back to the firehouse. Sure enough Griffin followed in behind him.
CFD
After Matt's shift he took the Chloe and Adam back to his house with Gabriela following in her car with Griffin and Ben because Matt's truck wasn't big enough to fit all of the kids in.
"Thanks for coming over I appreciate the help," Matt thanked Gabby as they cleaned the table from dinner.
"No Problem they're great kids" Gabby remarked
"Griffin hardly ate anything again."
"Well I can't blame him, he's old enough to know when grownups are hiding something from him. He'll be happy to get home you know?" Gabby replied profoundly.
"There's a chance Friday is my last night with Ben and Griffin." Matt said sadly "Wanna come over for dinner? Griffin seems to be happier when you're around. We could order Chinese food, get a movie. We'd be like a proper little family."
Gabby smiled with the faintest hint of a blush on her cheeks she'd fancied Casey for years now and Shay grilled her about it nearly every day. But she wasn't sure if he wanted her or just his help with the kids not that she minded either way because she enjoyed being around the kids. " I can't, I can't stay for a movie I have a... erm... dinner thing."
"Oh, well" Matt nodded before adding, "somebody has a hot date, I understand who'd want to hang around with little old me and my troop anyway." He laughed
"No its just a thing." Gabby replied taking a gulp of her red wine she had left from dinner. She was saved from further teasing by Matt's door bell from the conversation she overheard Heather's friend had died and Heather was facing a man slaughter charge.
CFD
After Matt had dropped the kids off at school and phoned the Chief to ask Hermann to cover the start of his shift he headed for the prison to see Heather were she told him that she had accepted a plea deal for 15months and Matt would have to keep custody of the boys for that time. He understood the reasons for her accepting the plea deal but he was still frustrated at her. To him it seemed like she was giving up to easy and she should have tried fighting for the boys sake. But when you weighed up 15months to 5 to 10years he knew which he would of chosen.
He got back to the fire house for around 10o'clock and after he had changed into the work gear headed for the kitchen where everyone was sitting having coffee. "Guys can I have your attention for a minute its an update on the Darden boys. Looks like they'll be staying with me, well for the next 15months anyway. The thing is im going to need some help I ermm.."
"Say no more." Hermann said as he stood up "We're there." Everyone nodded in agreement with him all rallying together to help their fellow lieutenant.
"Whatever you need, our boys too." Chief Boden stated from the door way, this cause Matt to jump he hadn't realised that Boden was standing there.
"Thanks" Matt replied before heading back to his quarters to fill out some paper work for McLeod's system.
CFD
The next night after Matt's shift he picked up Chloe and Adam from school and then headed to Ben and Griffin's school. "Guys I have some bad news, this afternoon Mills Family dinner burned down, it was targeted by the same arsonist that got the apartment on your first day here and also Severide's car."
"On my god Matt, is Mrs Mills and Elise ok?" Adam asked with genuine concern. Casey smirked he knew Adam had a crush on the older girl.
"They're just fine Adam so don't you worry you wont need to give Elise mouth to mouth." Casey smirked as they pulled up to Ben and Griffin's school. " On a more serious note, I need to talk to you both when we get home, I'll send Ben and Griffin to get changed and I need to talk to you in the kitchen."
"Okay, I need to run something past you anyway" Chloe replied and Matt gave her a quizzical look. "I'll tell you at home." She said as Ben and Griffin climbed into the car that Matt had picked up earlier in the day.
The drive back to Matt's house was filled with idol chatter about how their days went Ben was proud he got an A grade for his maths test and Adam was telling Casey about an amazing goal he'd scored during his hockey match in Gym class. As Matt told Chloe and Adam he sent the two younger boys upstairs to get changed out of the clothes they had worn to school.
"Right, I best go first in case they come back down I'm sure it won't matter if they over hear what you say Chloe." Matt said and Chloe nodded her head in agreement before he carried on. "I received some very bad news last night Heather's friend didn't make it, which means that Griffin and Ben are going to be staying with us for the next 15 months. Heather has taken a plea deal, which I understand, it means that if she keeps her head down she'll be out in 15months. Adam I've not told the boys yet could you come with me for Griffin because I don't know how he'd react and he seemed to listen to you the other day at the fire house."
"Uncle Matt that's fine I like to help with them, in fact I'm glad they're going to be with us for a while longer I'm just starting to connect with them both." Adam said. "Anyway I best let Chloe tell you her news or she'll burst." Matt chuckled at him and sure enough his goddaughter was sitting on the chair physically bobbing.
"Uncle Matt I was just wondering if you let me go out on Friday night, a boy from school has asked me out on a date he wants to go bowling and then grab some food after. Would that be ok?" Chloe burst out just as Adam finished talking.
"Oh, well, yeah I suppose that's ok, just don't let him treat you like dirt and if there's going to be a second date I want him over here for dinner beforehand." Matt replied
"Uncle Matt" Chloe whined " you cant scare him off I really like him and he's a good boy, good grades on the football team and he makes me happy, the happiest I've been since Dad died."
"Well I can promise that I wont scare him off but I cant promise that Severide won't, you know he sees you as a little sister right?" Matt chuckled as Chloe walked out of the room to text her boyfriend.
"So you ready to go break the bad news?" Matt asked Adam, who nodded in reply." What's this kids name anyway?"
"His names Terry Dalton Junior or TJ for short." Adam stated as they started to climb the stairs to the boys room. As they got to the door way they could see them both in their longue clothes sitting on the bed.
"Hey guys, it looks like your going to be living here for a while. Okay? " Matt said as he walked into the room and squatted down in front of the two young boys, Adam stayed in the door way leaving against the frame watching the two lads ready to interject if necessary. Matt and Adam ha decided to do it this way because Matt needed to be the parent figure and if they needed a friend or an older brother to comfort them as well Adam was ready to step in.
" But you promised we were going home soon" Griffin said with his arms wrapped across his chest.
" Thats right I thought you were but things have changed, and ermm... it's going to be this way for a while." Matt said trying to be put to finer point on the subject.
"Why cant we go home?" Ben sobbed, at this point Adam came into the room and put his arm around Ben.
"Because your mum isn't there buddy and she's not going to be for quite a while" Casey directed this comment at the younger of the two boys.
" The kids at school said she's in jail
" She is and I should of told you that sooner." Matt replied and at this Ben broke down into tears with Adam still comforting him, practically holding him at this point.
"I want to go live in the jail, I want to see my mum!" Ben sobbed
" Listen Ben," Casey said putting his hands on Bens small knees, "You cant live there but you can visit, you guys can handle this" Matt got up onto the bed between Griffin and Ben, Adam staying on the end with his arm around the younger lad. "Listen those Fire-fighters and Paramedics at firehouse 51 they're your family too. Along with Chloe, Adam and Myself and they're going to help me take good care of you guys." Matt embraced Ben in a hug and Griffin rolled over onto his side.
The door bell rang and Matt had to get up. "Can you stay with these two for a while." Matt asked Adam before leaving the room to answer the door. The sight that greeted him wasn't one he expected.
Kelly Severide, the bad ass lieutenant of Firehouse 51 was standing on his porch with tears running down his face and a create of beer under one arm. "The baby isn't mine Matt, Renee has left me and I don't know what to do."
A/N: Next chapter is where the Casey/Severide Bromance will kick in. Please review guys