Title: Growing Pains
Chapter 13 – Actions and Consequences

"Hey guys why don't we…" Severide starts as he turns around to see Casey missing. "Matt? Hey Matt!"

"Where's Uncle Matt?"

"I'm sure he's…okay."

Oh damn no! Severide's mind races with a small amount of panic as he looks down at Griffin. "Hold Ben's hand and wait here. Do not move!" Severide's voice gently growls as he pushes back through the curtain only to slightly stumble; looking down with a small gasp as Casey's body gently writhes on the floor.

"Hadley," Casey whispers as his lungs gasp for fresh air.

"What?"

"He…was here."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah…just a bit…dazed."

"I'm going aft…" is all Severide manages before fate intervenes, allowing Hadley to escape.

"What happened to Uncle Matt?" Griffin asks as both boys poke through the curtain and look down in wonder.

"It was scary in there," Ben tells Severide with a small frown.

"Tripped…"

"Uncle Matt's okay," Severide states firmly as he grasps Casey's forearm and helps him stand up.

"Uncle Matt are you really okay?" Ben asks in concern.

"Yes boys…I just tripped and…bumped my head," Casey looks down with a tense smile. "I'm okay. Is this thing almost over yet?"

"Yeah," Severide lightly huffs as he ushers the boys ahead, keeping his grip on Casey's forearm.

"Kelly…"

"Just walk…I know what he wants and if I'm helping you, it means I'm not chasing him down and kicking his ass right here!" Severide's tone rises to a small hiss so that both boys look up in wonder. "Let's just find the entrance now."

"Okay," they both mutter at once, slowly shuffling for the exit doors and then back outside into the mid-afternoon air. Once outside, Severide turns and looks at Casey before his eyes start to scan the area for any sign of Hadley or his accomplice. Nothing.

"I'm okay."

"What'd he say?"

"Same stuff."

"Matt!" Severide states sharply as both young boys stop and turn back in wonder once again; their small minds not liking the current agitation between their two adult guardians.

"Not here," Casey pushes past with a set jaw, leaving Severide to glance back at the amusement attraction and narrow his eyes; hearing Hadley's mocking laughter but not being able to see his nemesis. It's coming Hadley…a showdown is coming!

"Adult talk you guys…nothing to worry about."

"We don't like when you and Uncle Kelly fight," Ben mentions in a morose tone.

"We're not fighting," Severide assures them as he catches up and then offers Ben's shoulders a small squeeze. "In fact I'll even honor Uncle Matt's request about making dinner."

"Really?"

"After he agrees to a wrestling match," he grins at Casey who merely purses his lips and shakes his head; both boys cheering and jumping up and down. The four of them head toward Severide's waiting car, Casey glancing back but seeing nothing; turning back and locking eyes with Severide for a few seconds before they both get into the car and head for home.

"How about a fun game of…soccer," Casey suggests as he looks down at his bandaged hand and then up with a small frown.

"You have those old hockey nets in the shed right?"

"Hey yeah we can use those!" Ben pipes up from the back seat; the three nodding in agreement as the plan for ending the day with a fun game is confirmed. But as soon as they get home, Severide sends the boys to put their stuff away and then meet outside; a few moments later taking Casey aside to ask exactly what happened.

"He jumped me from behind and he said…"

"What? Tell me Matt," Severide firmly demands.

"He said we two would die for what we learned," Casey resigns heavily as he leans against the fridge and looks up at Severide in concern.

"Well we knew he was watching. Maybe he didn't see us at Jason Cooper's but he sure saw us coming out of the legion. He knows his father told us."

"The threat was real, we need to go to the authorities," Casey wisely suggests.

"He needs to be taken out back and have his ass kicked one on one!" Severide growls as he looks at Casey in concern.

"I'm okay. Aside from a bit of ego bruising from him getting the jump on me in that damn place. Last time I go into one of those rides."

"I guess you have a valid compliant this time."

"You can't go after him like that Kelly. That's what he wants," Casey implores.

"So I'll give him his damn fight already!"

"No!" Casey grabs Severide's arm and turns him back. "You made a promise to me to help look after those boys until Heather was out of jail. Talk to your father before you make a big mistake!"

Severide looks at Casey's almost frustrated expression and feels his lips utter a low growl as he shakes his head and looks away momentarily before turning back. "You…"

"Are you guys coming or what?" Griffin's voice interrupts before Severide can offer his agitated retort.

"We are…yes…we are," Casey nods as he offers Griffin a small smile as he slaps Severide on the shoulder and the two of them follow after Griffin into the back yard. For the next two hours, the four of them play soccer, trading teams so that each of them got to play with the other, laughed, joked, teased and bonded; the tension from earlier all but forgotten.

They all finally head inside to just unwind and then get ready for supper; the boys upstairs, washing up and Casey heading down into the kitchen to help with dinner.

"What's on the menu?" Casey asks as Severide looks up from the fridge. "I don't mind helping."

"If I confront him and tell him we know…damn it Matt he threatened your life! He threatened both of us!" Severide growls as he slams the block of cheese down the counter and sighs. "Dad will tell me to back off and let the hot words remain as that – hot words. I to go to Hadley and I have your anger to deal with. And those boys…damn…who the hell do we blame for all this? Hadley! Why not confront him?"

"Talk to your father and see where they're at in the investigation," Casey offers in a lower tone. "What are you going to make for dinner?" Casey purposely changes the subject.

"Mac and cheese?" Severide offers weakly as Casey gently smirks. "Hey I'm not the cook…you are but…"

"But what?" Casey presses.

"But…if you had said yes to the wrestling match," Severide snickers as he tosses Casey the bag of noodles. "How good are you at boiling water?"

"Give me, that Chef Boyardee," Casey teases back as he purposely nudges Severide out of the way and reaches for the large pot. "I'll be the chef…and you be the maid. I'll cook and you clean."

"Fine," Severide retorts as he snatches the apron from Casey's grasp and then picks up the cheese and looks for the shredder. Ben and Griffin appear about five minutes later and pretty soon it's all hands on deck.

"Look at my big mound of cheese!" Ben exclaims as both Casey and Severide look at him and then at each other and laugh. "What?"

"That's too much cheese dope!" Griffin slaps his brother on the arm.

"Is not!" Ben argues back as Casey steps into the middle to intervene as Severide grabs the large bowl of cheese.

"Is to dope!"

"Hey hey…no names," Severide looks at both boys with a stern expression.

"But he used all the cheese!"

"It's okay," Casey tells them in haste. "We'll just put the excess in a bag and use it tomorrow."

"On hotdogs?" Griffin dares to ask as Casey offers a grin and both boys smile.

"Okay no more sad faces," Casey mentions as he stirs the cheese into the pot of pasta and then pours into a casserole dish and sprinkles the breadcrumbs onto the top and then puts it into the oven to finish baking.

"I thought Uncle Kelly was gonna make supper?" Ben asks as he places a hearty spoonful on his plate.

"Uncle Kelly's gonna clean the dishes," Casey replies with a wide grin as Severide shakes his head in resignation. After supper, as much as the boys had wanted to play a game, the exciting day had tired them both out and there were actually no arguments when it came time to climb into bed.

"What were you and Uncle Matt fighting about?" Ben asks as Severide looks down with a small frown.

"Just stuff about work."

"Are you gonna leave us?"

"What? No…hey come here a sec," Severide gathers up the small boy in his strong grasp and gives him a warm squeeze. "Uncle Matt and I have a few issues at work that…"

"You fight about?"

"We don't…I'm sorry if it sounds like we're fighting. Two people can have a difference of opinion and still be friends. On this matter Uncle Matt and I agree on some things and disagree on others. His way is probably right and I just have to accept it. But we are still friends. What the tension is about won't ever change that between us okay."

"So you're gonna stay?"

"As long as you want me to. Okay?" Severide asks as Ben smiles and then wraps his arms around Severide's neck.

"I love you Uncle Kelly."

"I love you too kid," Severide whispers as he kisses Ben on the forehead and then places him back in his bed and pulls the covers up to his shoulders. "Sleep now."

Severide turns off the light and then heads into the darkened hallway and then downstairs. He spies Casey in the living room putting away a few more of the boy's things and heads toward him, stopping at the entranceway and leaning on the wooden frame.

"Ben okay?"

"Yeah he just asked why we were fighting. Griffin ask about it."

"He just said he didn't like when we fight. He also said that…the day Andy died, him and Heather had been having a tense discussion that morning. He said they'd talk about it after work and…"

"And that time never came and the boys now figure if we fight and something happens they'll be stuck with one sad or angry guardian."

"Something like that," Casey huffs as he slumps into the small easy chair and looks at his bandaged hand. "But it does make you think."

"Did that happen between your parents?"

"They separated because they were always arguing toward the end. I try to remember the happy times but they are mostly drowned out by the fights, the harsh words…the uncalled for comments and just the overall tension. I remember Christie asking me if it was her fault at first and then both of us wondering if we could have done anything differently to keep them from separating."

"And then you realized it was them and not you," Severide exhales heavily as he slumps down into the couch opposite Casey and looks at him in remorse. "I feel for Hadley…I do but this has to stop and you know that."

"I know," Casey agrees softly. "Even if that incident with Hadley hadn't happened today I still wouldn't like that ride."

"Okay so you literally go into scarier places at work. And this was a ride that…what is it about them?"

"The truth?"

"Scouts honor, it stays here," Severide grins as he raises his hand.

"Wrong hand," Casey groans as Severide frowns and raises the other hand.

"Okay so I was never in the scouts. But come on…time to fess up."

"Or what? We can't wrestle."

"Why not?"

"I have a bad hand," Casey grins as he holds up his bandaged limb. "Pity vote?"

"Yeah," Severide chides as he leans back in the couch. "Pity vote."

"Ah today was fine…aside from getting jumped. I just want this to end Kelly. It has to end."

"It will…it will."

The two of them sit and talk a bit more about the day they had just before both calling it a night and then heading in their separate directions; the house going dark a few minutes later.

XXXXXXXX

Severide awakens early the next morning, listening to the silence in the house around him and wondering if he indeed was the first one up and why. He looks over at his phone and then at the word 'draft' on his phone and opens the message.

'Dad…'

And that's as far as it had gotten before agitation took over and the rest of the words that followed were quickly deleted and the idea discarded for a time when his anger wasn't dictating his words. But the boys were starting to feel their own agitation between him and Matt and that would lead to more questions and tension and that wasn't fair to any of them. This has to end…and I have to end it. But how can I find him?

"Maybe…I'll just…" Severide starts just as his phone buzzes to life. He reaches for hi phone, giving the number a half glance as he presses the talk button. "Yeah."

"Did you like asking a drunk for the truth Severide?"

Hadley! Severide's mind hisses as he feels his jaw automatically tighten. "I learned from your father part of why you're so pissed," Severide replies firmly. "But this vendetta against me and Matt has to stop!"

"You're not in charge of me anymore Kelly. And you don't know why I'm pissed!"

"I…" Severide pauses as his ears pick up the sound of firehouse sirens going off. He's close to a firehouse! "Hadley…look what your dad told us…it stays with us okay?"

"You're right about that Kelly…and you'll take it to your grave! Both of you!"

"Let's meet and discuss this."

"Discuss what? There's nothing to say. You two will pay for what you did and learned! I was just calling to ask if you wanted Matt to be first?"

"Listen to me to you son of a bi…" Severide's angry curse is cuff of by the phone going dead. He quickly presses redial only to get empty rings in return. "Damn you Hadley!" Severide growls as he slams his phone down on the table. Check where the sirens came from…which House…find the House find Hadley! Act now! His brain demands.

Severide quickly reaches for his phone and dials dispatch; asking which houses just responded to a call. "Thanks," he offers in haste as he quickly hangs up and then pushes himself out of bed. He leaves his sweatpants and tee on, grabbing a hoodie and then his car keys and rushing for the front door.

"Kelly?" Casey's quiet voice asks as he descends.

"Hey…yeah…morning, I gotta run for a bit. Be right ba…"

"Go where?"

"To the um…the store," Severide tries to lie.

"I heard raised voices. What's going on?" Casey asks firmly; not believing his words.

"This is personal."

"Hadley isn't personal."

"Oh so now you're listening at the door like a spy?"

"Pardon?" Casey retorts sharply. "I heard you through the heater grate but if I did the boys did too. What is going on? He asked you to meet him?"

"No and that's the truth."

"Kelly…"

"Look, Hadley was on my team and I feel responsible for this."

"He wants this and you giving him what he wants will only make it worse! I told you his threat."

"I have to end this."

"This isn't your fault! Kelly don't…don't do whatever you think is going to make things better because it will only make things worse!" Casey implores.

"I need to talk to him and tell him that it's over and then I'm going to see my father."

"See him first! Get a second opinion."

"Much like you, he'll tell me to stop and I have to do this."

"Kelly, don't do this."

"I gotta do this."

Casey can only watch with his mouth slightly agape as Severide hurries out the door and closes it firmly behind him, Casey slumping down in the middle of the stairs and resting his head in his hands and grumbling under his breath. Neither of them knowing that two small faces were watching in misery. The promise that had been made to them the night before might be broken after all.

Not caring that he'd probably incur Kelly's wrath, Casey pushes aside his own morbid thoughts and hurries down the stairs and reaches for the phone. I'll deal with his wrath later.

"Matt?"

"Hey Benny…sorry if it's too early."

"No…that's fine. Everything okay? What's going on?"

"It's Kelly…he went after Hadley."

"What? Why? Ah don't tell me…just tell me where the hell they're meeting?"

"I don't know…can you call him and try to talk some sense into him?"

"I told him…you both to stay away from Kevin Hadley. What's changed Matt? What's going on?"

Casey looks at the phone and then feels his stomach tighten. "Look I just need you to call him." Benny hangs up and Casey's ear listens to the empty phone rings for a few seconds before he disconnects the call and then leans back on the easy chair in the living room. "Damn it Kelly…" Casey curses as he hits the end of the chair with his bandaged hand; foolishly forgetting it was bandaged until it was throbbing and he was cradling it against his chest for a few seconds.

He hears the boy's voices upstairs and can only hope that Benny will have gotten through to Kelly in time. That request would be futile.

XXXXXXXX

Severide finally stops his car just outside the industrial area where House 16 was situated; the House that had responded to the call while he was on the phone with Hadley. He gets out of his car and slowly creeps toward the building he sees Hadley's car parked in front of.

With the GPS already armed on his phone he tapes it to the bottom of his car and then tosses the roll aside, heading into the dilapidated building with a head full of steam.

"HADLEY!" Severide yells as he slams the front door to the building shut and stands in the entranceway of the two story abandoned apartment.

"How the hell…did you find me!" Hadley shouts back as he hurries to the second floor veranda and glares down in contempt.

"It doesn't matter. Come and face me and let's clear this up right now!"

"You're not the boss of me Severide! You never were."

"What is going on? Look I'm sorry about…"

"About what? Not defending me to Boden for a stupid prank?"

"A stupid prank that was racially motivated. I learned a few things about you man. Your best friend was black and yet you made racial slurs against Mills? Why? Because he tried to earn his way on our team?"

"Earned?" Hadley snickers. "He earned NOTHING! You didn't even ask us what we wanted!"

"Capp and Tony had no issue with Mills. Capp might have laughed at your lame jokes but he never sided with you. All you had to do was say sorry and you'd still be there!"

"You and that do-gooder Casey were…"

"No! You're pissed at me fine! But leave Matt out of this!" Severide growls as Hadley slowly descends the stairs.

"He knows what you know?"

"Look your father told us about Heather…man okay that sucks. I…I can't even imagine what you were thinking…both of you when he finally told you the truth. I'd be pissed at my father for that also."

"I slept with my half-sister!" Hadley shouts. "And he…he knew and he…"

"But he didn't know you two were dating until he confronted you with the truth. Both of you. If you had seen him…"

"Oh right…so now it's my fault again!" Hadley retorts as Severide shakes his head.

"The only one to blame for that is your father. You have an issue with him, go to him. Damn, my father and I have had many issues but we've always talked them through."

"You ever done that?"

"Not…that I know of…look it isn't too late to end this feud."

"It messes you up for life!"

"I'm sorry. Okay? I am! But AI is coming for you. It's only a matter of time before they find the hard evidence to put you away for good! Don't you want to make things right with Heather? And the boys?"

"Why so I can see the only relatives that don't know my past in the hands of two traitors!"

"Hadley…"

"I won't hurt Ben and Griffin…I…" Hadley slightly falters. "It's not fair to them."

"You can still make this right."

"You're just trying to stall!"

"Stall what?"

"Yours and Casey's demise."

"Is that what Graham would have wanted?"

"You never knew him so shu…"

"No he would not! He would have wanted you to make peace. You talked to Heather in jail so maybe there's still hope. Stop this now. Graham would have…"

"You shut up about him!" Hadley shouts as he charges Severide, slamming into his frame and forcing both of them to slam backward into the rotten wall a few feet behind Severide. The two solid frames offer angry grunts as their bodies connect with each other and the wood before faltering in their stance.

Hadley lands an angry punch to Severide's jaw, Severide pulling back with a bitter curse before he punches Hadley in the stomach; both pulling back and breathing hard.

"He wouldn't have wanted this!" Severide calls out as he steps a few feet further backward, his right hand rising to touch his throbbing jaw. "You know that!"

"He's dead!"

"Your claim has no basis and whatever you do could be counted against you as attempted murder!"

"Attempted? What makes you think I'll fail?" Hadley growls back as the two of them square off, standing locked in a heated stance; neither blinking nor backing down.

"Look we know you stole from Jason Cooper but I came here without cops or my father in the hopes of getting through to you!"

"Time for you to come down off your self-righteous horse and face reality!"

"What reality?" Severide begs in exasperation. "What is this really about? Just tell me! You hate your father…your half-sister…your nephews? What? If this is family business…"

"I HATE YOU!" Hadley shouts as Severide stops and looks at him in shock. "You…you ousted me from 51! I lost the only home and family I've ever really known thanks to! That's the reality. We were family…us! Mills was the outsider and you chose him over me!"

"I chose ethics over a prank!"

"How noble!" Hadley spits in return.

"All you had to do was say sorry and you would have still been there…with the family! Blamed the stress of the job or something lame ass like that but you were the one that got yourself ousted. Not me and not Matt!"

"Matt stood beside you…against me! He always sided with you, no matter what."

"Matt sides with the truth!"

"Well then you're both a bunch of noble sissies! 51 was my home…and now…now I have…well as you can see I have nothing!"

"I could have helped you get another job if y…" Severide starts as Hadley shakes his head.

"It's over!"

"It doesn't have to be. Stop this damn feud and do the right thing. Turn yourself in and…" is all Severide manages before Hadley quickly interjects.

"NO!" Hadley shouts as Severide slightly steps back. "You two have to pay for putting me here! For taking away my family!"

"Neither of us wanted that, especially after what your father told us."

"Oh so now you pity me?" Hadley sneers.

"I feel sorry for all that you learned and then had to go through. I feel sorry for Heather too. Yes! But it's not too late."

"Yes it is. It's too late...it's over."

"Hadley...y…"

This time Hadley pulls a gun and Severide can only recoil as he aims the gun at him.

"Don't do this," Severide begs weakly. "Graham wouldn't want this."

"Get out Kelly."

"He…"

"GET OUT NOW!" Hadley shouts as he cocks the trigger. "I know you think of yourself as many things but I doubt you think of yourself as bulletproof. But if you want to test me you try it. I'm done talking to you! DONE!"

And before Severide can get another word in, Hadley fires off a shot that nearly misses Severide and embeds itself into the rotting wood behind his right shoulder. He gives Hadley a nod before he slowly starts to back out. "It's never too late," Severide offers before he leaves an utterly defeated looking Hadley standing in the middle of the rundown building pondering his next move. But as Severide heads toward his car with a grumble, Hadley hurries to the door and watches Severide's tense frame hurry across the street.

The gun in his right hand is slowly put away; traded for another object to occupy the space. He looks at the name on the phone and then dials.

"Where are you?"

"Right outside Matt Casey's home. You sure about this?"

"Take him. This ends tonight."

A/N: uh oh….well you knew Hadley's final move was coming. Had to get a few lighter broments in there but the young boys are catching on. Will they ever learn the whole truth? Will Severide go and see his father? Will he feel guilt if anything happens to Casey after they parted on heated terms? Will Hadley's helper succeed in kidnapping Matt? What about the boys? And what happens when a few worlds collide? Who ends up on the losing side? Please do review with your thoughts and thanks so much!