This is it! The last chapter… Kelly's part time job is finally ending! But how worth it - he got a little Linseride love, right? Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think.
"Drop it, now!" yelled Erin, first aiming directly at the face of Luis, still holding a gun to Kelly's head, but then shifting her aim to Carlos Solano… right between the eyes.
Jay was at her side, taking aim back at the guy with the gun on the fireman. Voight was in between the two pointing his firearm at Daniel who now had his weapon drawn, moving it from one cop to the next in a rhythmic pattern. Olinsky stood in the door frame, filling it up, while Antonio and Ruzek were stationed in the hallway barking directions at a whole other team heading up to the room now.
Dr. Fleming cowered beside the mini bar, smug look and confidence finally gone.
Carlos Solano was the one with the smug look now. He was smiling from ear to ear, still sipping from his almost empty glass. He rattled off something in Spanish to his man on top of Kelly.
"I said drop it!" screamed Erin, eyes wide now, knowing that the slightest movement on that trigger finger would mean certain death to the fireman. The fireman she just started something with. What that was, she wasn't sure. She was determined to find out.
Luis yanked back mercilessly on Severide's arm, pulling it until Kelly felt something give in his shoulder. The pain stomped him to the floor, falling flat on his chest and stomach, trying not to call out.
Voight stepped forward slowly, both arms up, making a motion he was puttin' his gun on the coffee table. "Let's all put 'em down. Solano, we can work somethin' out." Hank wanted to walk up to the drug dealer and plant a bullet to this brain, but he couldn't risk a blood bath. Those two expressionless fucks were killers, good at their jobs he imagined. He'd calculated the Carlos take down in his mind, Erin would shoot the thug on the fireman, leaving herself vulnerable to goon #2, Jay would try to protect her, probably would. But that would still leave a dead Severide and she would never go for that collateral damage.
He'd have to play it this other way. Felt like he was cuttin' off his balls and puttin' them on the table by his gun. No choice, he decided.
Solano let a string of Spanish fly at such a rapid speed, sounded more like the pounding on a keyboard rather than a recognizable language.
Luis, still expressionless, pulled back harder on the arm. Kelly felt a new wave of hot burn into his shoulder, seeing white in front of him and losing eye contact with Erin. He clenched his jaw shut determined not to be that guy crying on the floor, a helpless pile… realizing he was that guy.
"Put it down now, Solano, and maybe we let you live!" Erin screamed out, Voight turning around to give her a simmer down look.
"Ha, ha! I like that one! She has spirit… and such a big gun for such a tiny thing." Carlos drained the last of his drink, dropping it next to Voight's gun with a loud clank. "Put down your guns now. Then maybe you live." The smile was gone replaced with the thing that had gotten Solano to where he was… the CEO of a multi-million dollar operation. Ruthlessness.
"Down, now!" commanded Voight in his usual rasp. Erin just shook her head.
She decided she was knocking that condescending look off Solano's face, with a bullet or her hand. Preferably a bullet so he could see just how big the gun really was.
"As you wish," Carlos waved his arm dismissively, sending Luis into motion, picking Kelly up to his feet, getting little help from the fireman.
How a pain in your shoulder could render your legs powerless, like overcooked spaghetti, flitted through Kelly's mind as he was launched on those jello limbs. That damn gun shifting to his neck now.
Erin let out a slight gasp, heard by all. "Okay, okay," she said holding up both hands, depositing her gun next to Hank's. Halstead was waiting for her cue, knowing he didn't want to do anything that would lead to a dead Severide. Erin was leading this one in Jay's eyes even though Voight thought he was callin' the shots. Olinksy slowly placed his gun on the floor at his feet.
"We will leave now. Kelly Severide, I can say it was my pleasure," Solano said turning to the fireman, now being held up by Luis. "Maybe we will meet again," he added turning his attention to Erin.
"The doc stays," Voight commanded, his hands clenched at his side. He wanted nothing more than to arrest this scumbag and send him away for many, many years. Wasn't happenin.' The slimy drug lord hadn't mentioned word one about drugs or anything illegal all night. Not one damn word.
"Of course," said Carlos, waving that hand again. Luis let go of Kelly, dropping him to the floor.
Solano and his henchmen walked slowly out of the suite… the smile back on the kingpin's face saying more than any words could convey.
"We will definitely meet again," grumbled Erin having to say something, not wanting to let him go, walk right by her free as a bird.
Voight couldn't wait to take out his frustrations on Dr. Fleming, almost salivating at the prospect of getting this smug fuck down in the the cage. It would definitely be a solo "interrogation" this time around.
The cops were all frozen in place, their feet seemingly in quicksand, until Carlos Solano was out of the suite. Then a rush of activity… everyone addressing their priority. Voight grabbed the doctor by the scruff of his neck, throwing him against the bar, Olinsky already having the cuffs out. Erin ran to Kelly who was sitting up now, no longer face planted in the floor.
"I'm good. I'm good," Kelly declared not wanting this fuss, trying to push himself up… he could always do it, cut through any exhaustion, any pain. Not this time.
"Call for a bus," Erin instructed with Jay radioing it in.
"No, no ambo. Shay'll take me to OH tomorrow…"
"Tomorrow? No! Call it in!" Erin looked at Jay who had no intentions of canceling the request.
"This our first fight?" asked Kelly, trying to break her down with the small grin on his face.
"It's not a fight because you agree with me. Let's get you up so you don't have to get wheeled out of here. See, I can compromise." Erin said smiling, helping Kelly to his feet.
She tried to get under his good shoulder to bolster him up a little. "It ain't my leg, Lindsay," Kelly said pushing her off. "I can walk."
"Sure you can," she agreed. "Maybe I just like having your arm around me." Her worried smile back. She couldn't help looking at those blues, feeling happy, relieved. The big one had gotten away, but the operation was done. Kelly as bait was over.
"I'm bettin' you ain't compromised on one damn thing. In your life," mumbled Kelly, reluctantly letting his arm slip around her for support. Not one damn thing.
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Kelly checked himself in the mirror, thinking it was too much.
"You look handsome. Perfect," said Shay admiring her roommate. She'd insisted on khakis and a button up crisp, royal blue shirt bypassing his usual jeans, T-shirt and boots.
"I dunno. Not gettin' married, Shay." Kelly looked at himself doubtfully, tugging at the collar.
"Don't fight me on this. I know of what I speak," she gave him a pat on the back. He could only laugh looking at the plaid shirt and legging combination she had going on.
It felt good to have her back where she belonged at their place and not angry-rooming with Dawson. She was a slow thaw in warming back up to him when he broke the news of what'd been going on… the fake drug dealing, working with the PD, confiding in Boden and not her.
"So you tell Chief and not me?" she'd asked hesitantly, letting it all sink in, so much to process.
"And your only question is how you weren't the first to know?" Kelly shook his head... with all he unloaded, that was the thing to piss her off.
She was mad at the deception saying she might need to stay a few more days to cool off with Dawson but backed out when she noticed the sling. When she pried it out of him that he wasn't "all good," she grabbed her crap from Gabby's and settled back into her room that night.
Shay was now "all good" with all of it; her capacity to forgive everyone of everything proving to her roommate that her heart was the size of Chicago. It was part of what made her so damn lovable, but also what drove him crazy when she let her heart get stomped on. Time after time.
Tonight she was in rare form.
"You do know Erin's comin' over to take me out, not you," he teased as she kept messing with his hair, trying to make it go to the side a little. "Stop it," he swatted her hand away saying this was the way he looked, she could take it or leave it.
"You're so tough," she ribbed, smiling giving his hair one more firm smooth over.
The doorbell rang and the blonde let out a small squeal. Kelly prayed Erin hadn't heard.
"She's here!" Shay took off to the door before Kelly could even get up. Her footsteps pounding so rapidly down the stairs you'd think it was three kids heading down on Christmas morning.
No shit, he thought. "Be careful!" he called after her.
When Kelly saw Erin at the bottom of the stairs, his breath literally caught in his chest. She had on a simple, black jersey dress that held onto every gorgeous curve, her hair curled more than usual, and she definitely had on more makeup, red lips that made him want to kiss that color right off.
He gave an appreciative glance to Shay… thank God he'd cleaned up a little. Was she wiping her eye? Aw shit, he thought. You're kiddin' me.
"You look beautiful," he said honestly, drawing a huge smile from the brunette.
"You clean up pretty good yourself, Severide," countered Erin in her sexy rasp.
Kelly gave her a quick hug and kiss on the cheek before turning to his blonde best friend.
"You okay?" he asked, noticing the emotion, the maybe tear.
"Fine. Fine. You two kids have fun," answered Shay waving her hands in the air. "I'm just glad you're okay."
He kissed her on the forehead before opening the door for Erin.
"Don't be too late," Shay called after them.
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Erin drove her car proving once again that compromise was not a language she spoke.
"Shay said you're not supposed to drive for two weeks," she stated simply.
"And Shay has a big mouth," Kelly muttered, not believing he was being chauffeured on a date, not the one in charge. She's enjoyin' this he mused.
They pulled up to La Gondola, those familiar smells wafting all the way to the parking lot.
"I like your style, Lindsay."
Erin decided that was her favorite little Kelly-ism. For now. She hoped to uncover more. Many more.
Inside Nonna encircled Erin in her large arms, love coming off of the two like the fragrance of basil and garlic from the kitchen.
"Kelly Severide, work friend. So good to see you again with piccolina!" she went in for a careful, side hug, making Kelly miss that full on squishy one he remembered the last time he was there. "What did you get yourself into?" she asked pointing at the sling.
"Nothing I can't handle," answered Kelly smiling at the older woman with the kind eyes.
"He's out for three shifts, more if he doesn't take care of it," Erin added with Kelly feeling like he'd just been tattled on.
He couldn't believe it would be three shifts. When the orthopedic broke the news to him, he'd complained that he hadn't missed that much work with a broken neck. Shay had quickly corrected him on that one too, saying it'd been five.
"You will have to take care of il tuo bel uomo," Nonna said gently to Erin, raising an eyebrow.
"I will feed you so good, you will feel all better," she added, turning to Kelly.
"I already feel better, Bella Nonna," flirted Severide, feeling that familiar putty in his hand.
She giggled before shuffling off to get a "special" dinner started for her favorite girl and favorite fireman.
"Do I even want to know where you learned your little lines of Italian?" queried Erin propping her chin in her hands, looking across the booth at the devilish grin meeting her.
"Uh, probably not," admitted Kelly laughing.
"Seriously though, we cannot thank you enough for all you've done," said Erin growing somber, flashes of the Solano night appearing in her mind. The worry over this guy had consumed her for months. She was liking this new feeling.
"We?"
"Don't push it."
After what felt like a twenty course meal, Nonna insisted on sending dessert home, giving Erin a huge goodbye hug. She turned to Kelly to give him another light hug, kissing him on both cheeks.
"Kelly Severide, work friend. You listen to the doctors. Do what they say," she looked at Erin again as if to say "you make sure."
"Not a work friend, Nonna" admitted Erin a little reluctantly. She knew this was a smart woman with a sixth sense when it came to the emotional, so she was sure she'd guessed as much. But for some reason, Erin wanted to say it.
"Really?" asked Kelly, pleased with the words comin' out of the detective's mouth. He was lookin' forward to more dates like this one… no side job, no Voight, no Halstead, no drugs. It would just be him and her.
Nonna looked at her young friend, waiting for more. "So, if no work, then…" she prodded, at an age where she could ask anything and not get denied.
"How about Kelly Severide, friend?" asked Erin, not enjoying the heat creeping into her cheeks and the looks from the two standing in front of her.
"Maybe fidanzato?" suggested Nonna, grabbing Erin's hands in hers.
The drive back was a little quiet, Kelly wondering if he'd done something wrong.
"Hey, Nonna didn't call me an asshole, did she?" he asked trying to break that shield that Erin had put up.
"Ha, no, nothing like that," she said quietly, eyes still ahead on the road.
"So am I gonna have to guess?"
"You mean your Italian doesn't extend that far?" Erin teased having a pretty good idea where the charming words came from.
"Nah, just enough to get by with," he laughed sliding his hand on her thigh.
"Let's just say it's something meaning more than friends." Erin gave Kelly's hand a warning look.
He slid it back down in the direction of her knee. "Where we headed?" he asked looking at the dessert bag at his feet.
"Your place? We could share all that with Shay," suggested Erin, both of them not all in with that idea.
"Hopin' for some alone time," said Kelly carefully navigating his words and his hand.
"You got it, Severide. My place it is."
"I like your style Lindsay. I definitely like your style," Kelly repeated letting his hand slide a bit farther up north with no protest this time.
Hope y'all enjoyed this one; it was fun to write the ridiculousness of Kelly working with the PD. Ah, gotta love the drama. Haha!
Please leave us your thoughts. This one was slow to catch on, but it seems to have a following now. Thank you for all the reviews - love hearing from all of you!