Title: Needles, Nerves & New Beginnings
Chapter 3 – Downs & Ups of Withdrawals

But just before she can delve any further into emotional despair and call Shay and tell her she lost Kelly, she watches as the exit door opens and his confused expression appears. She hurries toward him and takes him by the arm and starts to lead him back to her apartment.

"Kelly!"

"There's a spiral staircase in there," he comments as she shakes her head and tries to get him to remain upright long enough to get him back into her apartment. "Coulda been fun."

"You could have fallen to the bottom and broken something."

"Would you nurse me back to health?" Kelly slightly slurs and wags his brows. "Wear one of those…you know white spandex mini-dresses."

"Not when you're in this condition," she replies flatly as she locks her apartment door and leads him back to her couch.

"When I'm in a better condition?" He asks in confusion as he slightly stumbles. But in doing so he takes her with him and both end up on the couch in a jumble of arms and legs. Within seconds, his lips are on hers, devouring her with warm, hungry kisses.

As much as she had dreamt of a heavy make-out session with him, the current situation with him coming down off a drug-induced high wasn't it. So she manages to wrestle her way out, plunk onto the floor and then get back up before he had a chance to pursue.

"Don't think so."

"Why not?" Kelly grins. "Wanna frisk me?" Kelly asks with a grin before it turns to a frown. "Just…stop the room from moving!"

"Just relax now. The next few hours when it starts to wear off won't be very fun," she states softly as she pulls the blanket back over him and then looks down in concern.

"Why?"

"Sweats, chills, dizziness, nausea and maybe some vomiting."

"Doesn't sound…like fun," he grumbles as he rolls onto his side and closes his eyes to make the spinning in the room stop.

"Yeah…not really good conditions to make out in."

"Maybe…later," he mutters as her hand rests on his shoulder and gives it a small squeeze.

"Rest now," she whispers as she plants a soft kiss on the top of his ear. She hears him muttering a few things but just as she turns to leave, wanting to go back and resume her previous actions of putting a few things away, his few soft spoken words stop her in her tracks.

"Don't…leave."

Kelly looks up with a somewhat defeated gaze as she offers him a small frown as she gives his hand a comforting squeeze. "I'll be right here the whole time."

"…kay."

With that he closes his eyes and tries to settle back into some form of normal rest. But his mind won't have it. He keeps seeing tormented images of Andy's death; heated arguments with his father to happy but distorted images of meeting Renee and seeing Erin for the first time at the Firehouse.

She hears him mutter an angry curse from the kitchen as she texts Shay an update about his condition. 'So far just…restless sleep. I have a bowl on hand if he wants to throw up and have removed anything breakable that was within arms reach. Sweats and then chills. Usual withdrawal stuff.'

'Knew he'd be in good hands.' Shay texts back which offers her a bit of comfort but that is short lived as Erin looks up in horror as Kelly gets entangled in the blanket and crashes to the floor on all fours.

"You should stay lying down."

"Wanna…cuff me?" He tosses back with a snicker as he tries to get himself back up onto the couch. "This…sucks."

"What's hurting?"

"Head…stomach…pride," he concludes as he looks up with pursed lips and a boyish frown. "I can go…home."

"Not in this state," she reminds him as his arms wrap around his stomach. "When did you eat last?"

"Don't…remember," he frowns as she nods in sympathy. "Can't remember…is that normal?"

"Yes. Short term side effect," she offers in truth as he just grumbles. "Do you feel like throwing up?"

"Feel dizzy…head's pounding. I might…I don't know," he stammers as he tries to lie back down. "Don't want to throw up…on your couch."

"I don't own rubber sheets," she adds lightly as he looks up with a small smile. "Apparently they make those things."

"Good…to know…" he manages before a cramp grabs his stomach and forces him to double over with an angry gasp. "Can I take…something for this?"

She wishes she could say yes and offer him some kind of medicinal remedy, but she knows she can't. He has to work through all the withdrawals and clean his system before introducing anything more. Even water she fears right now he'd just throw up. "You can't," she whispers as her hand rests on his forehead and then cheek. "You're hot."

"I…know," he tries to offer a grin which turns into a grimace. "I think I need…" Kelly pauses as he reaches for the bowl. All that comes out is a bit of watery bile but the action leaves his stomach in tight knots to which Erin instantly feels remorse about.

"Sorry," he states lamely.

"It's okay," she offers as she returns to the living room with a cool pack and then lets him put it first on his forehead and then on his neck. "Hope this helps a little."

His hand remains wrapped around hers as she holds the cold pack on his forehead for a few seconds as he offers her a sleepy smile. "This helps…a lot," he tells her in truth as his brow furrows once more. "How long…damn how long does this last?" He manages with a painful gasp.

"It's different for everyone."

"Course," he huffs bitterly as his heart starts to pound a bit heavier in his chest. "Got in a fight…wasn't my fault."

"I know," she assures him as he tries to curl up once more. Erin notices him slightly shiver and then pulls the blanket up over his shoulders and puts the cold pack in the now dry bowl on the coffee table. She contemplates getting another blanket but if he switches from a cold chill to a hot sweat, he'll just be in a mad panic to toss if off.

And that's what happens about twenty minutes later. He grabs the cold pack and puts it on his neck as he tries to roll onto his other side; lying on his stomach out of the question with the painful withdrawal cramps seizing them something fierce. About ten minutes later Erin returns to the living room to see Kelly on his face, not moving with a somewhat placid expression on his face. Her eyes quickly dart down to his chest to make sure he's still breathing before her brain settles that he is still alive and her gaze returns to his face. Even with the slight scuff marks on his cheek and the dark shadow under his eye where he was hit, his handsome exterior and vulnerable situation, make him even more appealing to her than she thought possible.

"I'm not…dead, but I feel….it," he groans as his weary eyes open and look up in remorse. "Head…is pounding."

"How many fingers champ?"

"Ten," Kelly replies in sarcasm as she wags three in the air. "Three. At least the room…has stopped spinning and the lights don't have that damn purple halo around them."

"Well…you sound pretty normal to me. You wanna chance eating something? Course…my cooking might make you sicker than the drugs," she offers lightly as he remains in a horizontal position. "Or do you just want to sleep it off a bit?"

"Sleep…it off…a bit," he mumbles in a sleepy tone as he rolls back onto his side and closes his eyes. "Don't…go," he adds once more as he looks up to see her offer him a sympathetic gaze.

"I'll be here to make you breakfast."

A smile adorns his face as he finally falls into darkness, there to remain for a few more hours. After about a half hour, Erin texts Shay and then heads into her bedroom, to try to get some rest also; hoping that he'd get at least a few hours solid rest. About a half hour later, she hears him loudly gasp, curse for waking her up and then tell her he just needs some water.

"Let me…I don't have too many quality glasses left," she teases as he remains seated on her couch, while she gets him some cold water in a plastic cup.

"Can't imagine anyone…wanting to feel like this on purpose," he huffs as he takes a sip of water and then offers his thanks.

"That's why they stay high…to keep that euphoric feeling going."

"Wasn't that great either," he admits in truth. "Things were so…distorted," he groans as he leans forward, clutching his stomach. "Still…hurts."

"Will for a while yet. Take a few deep breaths and sip slowly."

He does just that and feels himself starting to relax a bit more, his frame sagging a bit further back into the couch as she leans in a bit closer; the warmth between them instantly intensifying. "Not exactly how I wanted to spend…the first night in your apartment," he offers lightly as her cheeks gently flush. "When do the lame come on lines go away?"

"Kelly…"

"Just happy I don't have to face this…alone," he admits with a small huff. "If I was alone…I might just look for another. That's morbid."

"But true and why so many do it. But when they do it alone…they usually OD. Heavy talk," she concludes with a friendly smile as he nods in agreement. "How's your stomach?"

"Tight. Think I just want to try to get some sleep," Kelly answers with a small yawn; his brain leery of putting any food into his stomach for fears of just throwing it back up.

"Okay," she agrees as she helps him lie back down and pull the blanket over him. "If you need anything just call," she whispers as she offers a tender kiss on flushed forehead.

"Erin…"

"I know…don't go," she retorts with a friendly smile.

"That and…thank you."

"Get some rest," she reiterates as she turns off the light, bathing him in darkness as she wanders down the hallway and into her bedroom. She leaves the door open a few inches so that if he ends up in some kind of distress, she'd hear and be prompt to help.

'He's feeling better and going to try to sleep now. Threw up some water once but that was it. I'll send him home in the morning.'

'Or…when you want (smiley face)-Shay.'

XXXXXXXX

"You look like you just won a bet or something," Dawson comments on Shay's broad grin.

"I did win a bet…with myself," Shay retorts with a firm nod as Dawson's brows arch. "Call me cupid. Twisted…cupid."

"Twisted…cupid?"

"Twisted cupid," Shay grins as she texts Erin back and then puts her phone down; her mind a mixture of relief and joy; Dawson pressing for further details. It wasn't exactly how she wanted her best friend to get close to or work up the nerve to ask out the attractive detective but if it works, she'll take it and hope he does too.

XXXXXXXX

A few hours later, Erin awakens with a small groan as she looks at the clock with a frown; rolling over onto her back in an attempt to possibly get a few more hours of rest. However, that wasn't to be. For as soon as she does, she instantly becomes aware of the fresh smell of percolating coffee in the kitchen. She looks over at the clock once more and realizes that despite it only been a few hours since she went to bed, it was in reality the next morning – they had been up most of the night working through his withdrawals.

"Morn…ing," Erin greets with a sleepy smile as she enters the kitchen and looks at Kelly who turns around to greet her with a steaming mug of coffee. She can't help but offer an appreciative smile as she takes the mug; her lips twitching a little at his mussed hair and slightly disheveled appearance.

"Felt bad just sleeping on the couch and not doing anything so…I make breakfast," he admits as he too takes a few seconds to admire her early morning look. As much as he feels the urge to take her into his arms and kiss her passionately, he reminds himself she just helped him endure the night and to play it cool.

"You…really?" Erin asks in surprise as she wanders over to the cupboard and gets two plates and then sets the table for them to eat at. "Sorry, didn't mean to sound so surprised. But you know your way around the kitchen pretty good. My kitchen. Okay I'll stop now," she nervously stammers as his grin widens.

"I uh…snooped a bit," Kelly admits somewhat sheepishly as he dishes out some of the hash onto each plate and then sits down opposite her. "Wanted to show a bit of appreciation for last night…hope you don't mind."

"Don't mind at all. I disposed of all the skeletons yesterday," she quips as he lightly chuckles. "How are you feeling?"

"Head is pounding and I'm hungry but otherwise…I feel better. We've taken training on what to look for when it comes to needles or addicts; what to watch for, how to be careful not to get stuck. We checked him for needles but…but I guess he had one hidden. Sure didn't expect it. Damn…hope I never feel this again."

"Well just don't rush okay? Don't want you throwing up all this delicious hash. What's in it anyways?"

"Whatever I could find," Kelly lightly snickers in reply. "Mushrooms, bacon, onions, cheese…"

"I had all that?" Erin grins as he nods. "Famous Severide hash?" She suggests as he grins. "Well…it's a delicious breakfast."

And you can make it again for breakfast … her mind offers but the words don't quite make it to her lips as she reminds herself that he only mentioned asking her out while he was under the influence. On the flip side, her brain also reminds her that she's never been that old fashioned and if she wants to ask him out, just do it.

However, she finally reasons that the morning after him coming off a hallucinogenic high isn't the time to even bring up the subject of a date and so just settles in to enjoy her breakfast with no added pressure. And that's exactly what happens – for both of them. The conversation is kept light, Kelly mostly telling her what he could remember and the homeless man that helped him and then the fight that brought him back into the street, just in time for them to find him.

XXXXXXXXX

"Thanks again for letting…me crash and then, for breakfast."

"Which you made," she reminds him as they linger in her doorway about an hour later.

"Right," he adds with a brief chuckle. Just…ask! But much like her reasoning, he reminds himself he just spent the night coming down off a hallucinogenic high and it would be in poor taste after he barfed on her couch to see if she wanted to go out with him. "Well…thanks again," he states slowly as he leans in and gives her a quick peck on the cheek and pulls back with a smile.

"Bye."

She watches him go, offering a friendly wave as he disappears into the elevator and from her view before she turns back inside her apartment, locks the door and then heads for the bathroom. "That was…" she huffs as she reaches for her phone and texts Shay.

'Kelly is okay and on his way home. Mission accomplished.'

With that she turns on the hot water and prepares to get her day officially started.

About twenty minutes later, Kelly enters the firehouse, needing his personal things before he hits the showers and cleans up and heads home to rest up properly.

"Don't ever do that to me again!" Shay tells Kelly as she marches up to him and then gives him a big, friendly hug. "I was so damn worried!"

"I was at Erin's," Kelly replies in a matter-of-factly tone as she folds her arms across her chest and nods. "I'm okay."

"She just texted me. I guess she knows how paranoid I am."

"Or she found out," Kelly snickers as Matt walks up to them. "Hey."

"Hey buddy…glad you're okay. Was about to issue an amber alert," Matt greets with a brief hug and then looks at Kelly's roughed up appearance; Boden walking up to the small group.

"Severide."

"Chief…it wasn't…my fault."

"No one's putting any blame on you. You look like hell. You are you feeling?"

"Like…hell," Kelly retorts with a weary huff. "Tired. Didn't sleep much last night. At least…no one got hurt and I wasn't driving."

"We can all be grateful for that. Go home, clean up, get some sleep and we'll see you tomorrow," Boden directs before he turns and leaves the room.

"We got it here," Matt tells him confidently. "Just go rest."

"So did you two…you know breakfast?" Shay inquires.

"Coffee and the famous Severide hash."

"What is…Severide hash?" Shay counters with arched brows.

"No clue," he snickers as he gathers his stuff and then pulls on his jacket. "Erin called it that."

"You two are so getting together."

"I barfed on her couch," he retorts weakly as he heads for the front door with his car keys in hand.

"Well….it can only get better from there right?" Shay shrugs.

"See you tomorrow."

With that Kelly heads for the parking lot of Firehouse 51 and slides into the front seat of his car and rests a few minutes before his body just wants to have a hot shower, clean up and then get as many hours of solid rest as possible before he's back on shift tomorrow.

"Damn…good to be home," Kelly whispers as drops his jacket and personal effects on his kitchen table and then trudges to the bathroom and turns on the hot water. As he stands under the streams, he tells himself that it could have been much worse; he could have hurt himself a lot more than he did or someone else. But having Erin look after him was the one upside to his whole horrible ordeal.

It doesn't take much for his body to pull him into the darkness, for as soon as he's done his shower, changed and crawls into bed – the darkness consumes him until the evening.

XXXXXXXX

"Hey…you could have come back tomorrow," Matt greets Kelly later that same night; Shay looking up as he enters the quiet truck interior of Firehouse 51.

"Was bored," he replies with a smirk. "I'll make the guys dinner or…actually I have a few reports to finish up. Any tense calls?"

"Just one," Matt replies as they head for the kitchen area.

But just before they enter the area, Kelly hears a familiar voice and turns in haste.

"You're back early."

Shay's head snaps up as she watches Erin enter Firehouse 51 and instantly elbows Dawson, who shakes her head and goes back to her task.

"Hey…yeah I was bored," he retorts lightly. "Did I forget something at your place?" He asks slowly as she shakes her head.

"I actually came here yesterday to talk to Chief Boden about something but plans changed when you were missing."

"Ah. He's in his office."

"'kay thanks."

He watches her start to walk past him and can almost feel Shay's gaze burning into the back of his head. "Erin…"

"Yeah?" She stops just before she pulls the door open to go inside.

"Have you been to that new steakhouse? Opened a few blocks from here."

"I…haven't," she answers in haste as her grin instantly widens.

"Okay so…I have a few more days on shift but then…Thursday night?"

"I'll be ready at six."

"Okay," he smiles as her phone buzzes. "See you then."

"See you then."

He watches her finally disappear through the door and then turns to see Shay watching him with a wide grin.

"What?"

"Told you she'd say yes!" Shay states triumphantly as her and Dawson high five.

Kelly tosses back a cheeky grin to Shay before he heads inside and then watches Erin walking down the hallway toward Boden's office. She pauses and then turns back and looks at him with an adoring smile; something he instantly returns.

"New beginnings," he whispers as their gazes remain locked a few seconds longer before reality sets back in. Save it for Thursday. And he would and it would be welcomed and returned just as someone close to him predicted.

At the same time, her heart starts to race faster and her brain has to snap her back to reality and that she'd have time to flirt with him on their first official date.

The first…of many.

THE END!

A/N: Ah yeah poor Kelly and those withdrawals! At least he managed with Erin's help and….yeah didn't wander too far! But wanted to have some Erin comfort and then Kelly making breakfast hehe and then the promise of a new start for both! I had thought about making it longer but with real life just don't have time for another really long story. So hope you all liked this little ficlet for our fave couple and please do review before you go (could be persuaded to write a few more little ficlets)