I know it's been a slow build up to the Erin/Severide moments we love, but I really wanted to set the scene/tragedy of the bombing in this one. Thanks for hanging in there! Also thanks for the reviews and follows...makes us fanfic writers happy. Hope you enjoy.

Erin was surrounded by people but felt alone, almost like she didn't belong in the cramped waiting room. These were Kelly's people, not really hers. Her team was on the hunt for a twenty five-year-old, apparently a home grown terrorist who'd spent some time in Syria and at an Al-Qaeda training facility. His computer was seized, and they all felt certain this was their guy. He'd searched every online source for making homemade bombs, settling on the pressure cooker variety. They were in a desperate search to catch the man before more Americans ended up dead.

Commotion was a buzz on the entire floor, but everyone from 51 was silent. The words of the doctor echoing in their minds. No one having a damn thing to say.

Hermann broke the silence.

"Well I'd say that's about the biggest load o' crap I ever heard. Severide ain't lettin' this asshole, terrorist bomber stop him. No, he's gonna be fine."

Shay nodded her head up and down, sniffling while tears flowed into a soaking wet Kleenex she pressed against her cheek. Dawson had an arm around her friend, smiling at her anytime she glanced her way. The smile hid the fear underneath. She knew Casey's silence meant it was bad. Kelly might not be fine.

"I'm going to have to agree with you," said Boden looking at the family around him, taking in the love from these men all directed at one of their own. It had to count for something. "There is no way that the Kelly Severide I know, that you know, is going to succumb to this."

Shay's glance caught Erin's eyes, and she knew instantly that they were feeling the same thing, caught in a moment in time together. They both had a love for this man that couldn't be touched or really felt in the identical way by anyone else in the room. Shay walked to the detective a little hesitantly.

They weren't close by any stretch. They respected the love each had for Kelly, but they weren't meeting for lunch, shopping on the weekends, sharing secrets.

"She's... okay," said Shay to Kelly a few months back. "I like her swagger and that voice is sexy as hell, but I don't know if she's 'the one' for you, Kel," she'd told her roommate.

"I don't know that either. Does anyone ever find 'the one' really?" he began thinking about both Renee's. "But, Shay, she's the one for now. Can you just deal with that? Help me out a little?" He looked at his best friend in frustration. It was hard enough tackling a relationship, but when the person you trusted more than anyone else wasn't behind it...well, that spelled doom in his mind.

That was a turning point. Shay made an effort from that moment on. Kelly hadn't said word one when she returned to Clarice to get her heart ripped out for the hundredth time. He'd supported her, loved her, been so kind to Clarice. She could do this. She called Erin anytime the house was having a family gathering, anytime they were all getting together, a barbecue, whatever.

Erin also tried to be more receptive to accepting what Shay was giving. She didn't know how to take a peace offering, a hand extended in friendship. She could barely wrap her brain around the love of her CPD family, but adding another one to the mix...it made her uncomfortable.

"Kelly, why can't we stay in for two days?" she asked as he showered before a big gathering at the Hermann's.

"It's Kenny's second birthday, Erin. He's my godson. I can't really miss it. I don't wanna miss it," Kelly said soaping up hurriedly.

"I'm sorry. I just had something else in mind," she said slipping into the shower.

"Whoa, I thought you were gettin' dressed not undressed," he said laughing and turning her around to lather her back. The way she liked so much, starting at the neck, working slowly down, down.

"Mmmmm," she said softly wishing they could be alone for the two days off like a little island, isolated from the real world.

"Hell, we might be a little late, but I'm not missin' it," Kelly insisted turning her back around kissing her on her delicate neck.

"Now you're talkin' lieutenant. My hero," she smiled taking in his beautiful face, blue eyes, crinkled a little with a smile that didn't fade even with the kisses. He groaned and protested every time she called him that, but he did like the way it was sort of a pet name. Erin Lindsay had a cute name for him. Tough cop. Cute name. Kinda funny, he thought.

They'd showed up a few minutes late facing the angry glare of Shay. Kelly showered Kenny with attention all night, giving Cindy and Christopher a little break from their youngest. Kelly followed the two year old around ready to catch him at the slightest bobble when he tried to run and keep up with his older brothers. Erin and Shay joined the game watching their guy toddle around after a toddler. They looked at each other, eyes meeting, thinking the same thing...he's gonna be a great father someday.

Now, their eyes locked again but with something much darker and somber underneath. The nagging thought that Kelly may never get the chance to be a father, to hold Kenny again, to hold either woman one more time.

Shay put her arm around the detective with Erin able to accept it. Fully. She hugged Shay back with her whole body. They clung to each other, both crying now.

Doctor Montgomery arrived five long hours later. He was tired, cranky really, and just wanted to go home. He expected accolades and maybe even applause with what he'd just accomplished.

"He made it through the surgery," he started. Hell, the idea that he wasn't going to "make it" hadn't entered their minds. Was that even a damn possibility, thought Casey looking at Shay and Erin.

"And we saved the leg."

Everyone let out a collective sigh with Mills high fiving Clarke. Smiles were on all the faces with Hermann declaring he was practically a psychic.

"I hate to say I told ya so, but I told ya so," he said loudly. "Yeah, the Long Island medium's got nuthin' on me."

"Oh yeah, we know how intuitive you are. And humble," said Mouch with raised eyebrows with everyone laughing a little, tension dissipating.

"When can we see him?" asked Erin tears flowing now with relief, Shay joining her. The women were holding hands, their grip tightening a little with the good news.

"Mr. Severide is in critical condition. I think it's best that we keep him heavily sedated and you all come back tomorrow. This is the first step in a long journey ahead," continued Dr. Montgomery. "It's a great first step, don't get me wrong, but there will be more surgeries ahead."

"But you are expecting a full recovery now, correct?" asked chief. There really was no other option.

"Let's address that tomorrow when Mr. Severide wakes up," began the doctor in his condescending tone they were trying to ignore.

"Lieutenant," boomed Chief Boden.

"Pardon me?" asked Dr. Montgomery known as Monty to his colleagues and friends.

"It's Lieutenant Severide. He's leader of squad. He's one of the best firefighters I've ever had the pleasure to work with. He's one of the best men I've had the privilege..." Boden's voice broke and he was forced to stop.

The men were so quiet it felt like they could hear chief's heartbeat.

"I'm sorry," said the doctor. "I forget that you've been through hell. That you woke up this morning like me, thinking it was going to be a great day and then all this. Our city, under attack, your friend..." Monty had to stop.

"I'll let you go in to take a quick look at Lieutenant Severide. Then everyone's heading home. You're going to need your strength for the days ahead. Can we agree on this plan?" Monty had done surgery after surgery. They were all stringing together, each patient a faceless victim with something needing fixing. That wasn't the way medicine was supposed to be. A bomber had done all this.

"We can live with that," said Boden shaking the doctor's hand. "Who's up first?" he asked turning to his crew.

Matt raised his hand smiling at his men, at Shay and Erin. He needed to make sure Kelly was alive. Not that he doubted Dr. Montgomery, he needed to see that the Severide scooped from under the house was breathing.

Erin was being as patient as she could. Shay said they were going in last and she nodded knowing that they would have longer, they'd have to be kicked out.

Casey walked to the small hospital bed with Gabby holding his hand tightly. They both drew in a sharp breath seeing Kelly looking as white as their dress uniforms. Gabby was stunned to see the change in her friend from what she saw the night before. He always had a healthy glow, looking like one of those guys who spray tanned. He'd scoffed when Shay and Dawson teased him about it. He was outside constantly, running, fixing boats...if the weather was promising, he was in it.

"What the hell is a spray tan?" he'd asked knowing he was the brunt of some joke. "Yeah, the day I do that you can officially have my man card, Shay."

Matt and Gabby went to opposite sides, the beeping of machines the only sound in the quiet room. Casey was a little surprised when his girlfriend's hand went to Kelly's head smoothing back his short hair. He knew they'd gotten close with her training, confirmation coming in the way she was looking at him now.

He touched Kelly's hand. "You're waking up tomorrow and we're going to have a long talk about rushing into buildings without backup. Okay?"

The men saw the huge smile spreading across Casey's face as he walked toward them. That was more reassurance than any doctor could give. Boden popped in for a minute to whisper some encouraging words to his lieutenant...the rest of the guys would wait until tomorrow. Erin and Shay would not.

"Shay, now don't suffocate him with all your motherin'," teased Hermann, with her extending a not so nice finger in reply. "Take it easy on him too detective," the firefighter continued not knowing when to stop. Erin used the Shay reply and all the guys chuckled shaking their heads, feeling like it might be alright.

That night was a restless, sleepless, molasses-slow turning of hours with two women trying not to wake up their injured man, heeding the doctor's wishes to let him rest. The urge to rouse him, see those eyes open, hear that voice say he was fine, was an urge they almost fulfilled. But they didn't.

The morning came with Monty making his rounds.

"Did he wake up at all last night?" asked the doctor knowing they'd spent the night.

"No. Slept all night. Seemed peaceful," answered Shay wiping her eyes, wishing for a cup of coffee.

"What do you say we wake him up?" Monty dialed down the morphine. "Now we wait."

A watched pot never boils. Apparently a watched patient doesn't wake up.

"Ladies, go get some coffee, a little breakfast, and I bet he's fully awake by the time you get back."

Erin and Shay took off to the cafeteria not wanting to leave, knowing that the minute they got in that elevator Kelly would come to with some stranger in his room, confused, maybe scared.

"Let's make this quick," said Erin.

"Yeah, coffee. To go."

Of course, Kelly chose to join the land of the conscious as soon as they left with no familiar face in the room. He was confused...the last thing he remembered was talking to Casey in the dark, under the house.

"Lieutenant. Glad to see you've joined us. You're in the hospital. Do you remember what happened to you?"

Kelly nodded his head. His eyes were trying to push themselves shut and his leg was throbbing, feeling like it was on the edge of turning into something far worse. Summoning a voice was not happening at that second.

"Your leg was badly damaged, but we managed to save it."

Kelly felt his breathing pick up. He almost lost his leg? What the hell... He looked down trying to see it, prove to himself it was still attached. A white sheet covered his body. He moved his uninjured arm to feel his wounded limb. A mix of relief and pain shot through his body. Hurt like hell, but that was a good thing he decided. It also helped him become more aware and lucid.

Monty didn't have time to waste...so many victims, all with families waiting to hear from him. He didn't want to go over options with the lieutenant without his family there, but these weren't ideal times.

Kelly felt like he'd been toppled by another house by the time the doctor left his room.

Maybe no limp someday, too early to think about running, returning to a desk job, a chance of light duty, more surgeries. Yes, he'd been crushed by another house, a house named Monty.

When Erin and Shay made their way to Kelly's floor, they were stopped by a nurse on duty.

"Mr. Severide has asked for no visitors."

"He's awake? What?" Shay rushed in the direction of his room with Erin on her heels.

"Doctor Montgomery just left, and Mr. Severide requested no visitors. Under ANY circumstances." The heavyset nurse blocked the door.

Oh, you're gonna need a lot more than one nurse to stop me, thought Detective Lindsay meeting the woman's scowl.

I pity the nurse right now. Can you imagine Erin and Shay being denied entry to his room?