Long wait, but this one's extra long, so all's good, right? Thank you for the amazing reviews! I truly love reading them all and appreciate the many who follow this one. Hope you're still enjoying Linseride!
Erin flinched when she saw the name Leslie Shay on her phone. Her body tensed, and she thought for a split second about not answering. If you closed your eyes tight enough, it would make all the bad stuff go away, right?
"Shay," Erin breathed out, her gruff voice breaking with emotion.
"Boden said to meet him at Lakeshore. Kelly hurt his leg, ankle, that's all I know."
"I'm on my way."
Leg. Not bad. Nothing serious.
But the gnawing in her stomach told her that if Kelly could've called her he would have. He couldn't.
Shay rushed to hug the detective, bringing her in for one of those hugs that said they were in this together. Chief was in the seat next to her easing up out of his chair with a groan brought on by years of firefighting, those knees creaking and cracking like a wooden floor.
"Chief, how is he?" Erin's eyes were full and her heart was hurting. She swore she could feel it ache, needing to see her fireman, hear his voice.
"Damn stairs gave way. He fell a ways, but he was stable when they brought him in." Boden hesitated from giving too many details... he didn't know what his lieutenant's condition was and resisted leaning in one direction or the other. Better to wait for a doctor, a nurse, someone. He rubbed the back of his neck wearily. No one said a chief's job would be like this, worrying about his guys 24/7, like a damn mother hen. He thought wistfully of the good old days when his biggest concern was rushing into a burning building.
Erin replayed the last time she saw Kelly over and over in her mind. The waiting was excruciating, a kind of mental torture that could drive a person mad with regret. She heard her words, "I don't have or want any part of that" echoing in her brain. The look on Kelly's face, just the look I was going for, my words meant to hurt.
My verbal slap said, "I don't want to get married or have kids...with you." She knew she didn't want children. After her childhood...really? No, no point in bringing kids into this world that was sometimes too ugly even for a grown up, for her.
The marriage thing? Who needed a piece of paper? You were either committed to one another or not. There was no legal document that made any relationship solid or real or more loving.
But then there was Kelly.
She'd never had a Kelly before. As much as he'd escaped an "I do" in his thirty five years, she knew he was a traditionalist at heart. That damn big heart. He was ready to tie the knot at just twenty three only to have that heart shattered.
Then Royce and the baby Severide that wasn't. He never admitted that he wanted to marry her, but Erin conceded he would've put a ring on that finger. You only had to listen to him talk about the baby for thirty seconds to know he wanted kids. Shay told her how excited he was, how he wouldn't listen to her timetable discrepancy...and how devastated he ended up.
He brushed over the Shay 'baby try' barely mentioning it a couple of times. Leslie filled her in on that one too.
Erin was pissed when he brought up Jules...it said all the things he wouldn't say straight out. He wanted kids, he wanted a marriage, he wanted that white picket fence. All the things that didn't enter the sphere of Lindsay reality, and he wanted them.
She tried to push those thoughts out of her mind, deciding that the waiting was making her crazy. Crazier. Her mind wouldn't relent... she was brought to the words she hadn't said. "I love you," Kelly muttered before he hung up the phone. He always did. She answered with a curt, "We'll talk later." Would they? Why do I have to bitch it up when I'm mad?
Erin checked her phone as she sat down next to Shay verifying for the third time that she'd sent the "love you too" text. Too mad to say it, but couldn't resist sending it by text. Thank God, she thought. Had he even seen it?
Dr. Montgomery came in to be greeted by familiar faces...too familiar.
He was smiling widely, or as wide as the doctor could manage, immediately lessening the worry coming from the lieutenant's friends.
"Well, let's not make this a habit," he said extending his hand to shake Shay's.
"Monty, your smile means?" the blonde asked before he had a chance to shake Erin's hand.
"Good things. Kelly's doing well. His ankle's seen better days, stairs tried to take a chunk out of it. He dropped a good distance, so I'm running some tests."
"His body's been through hell over the past year, thought he'd used all his lives..." Monty shook his head. He didn't think he'd see the firefighter for a long, long time, maybe never. Torn up ankles were not his specialty, but the nurse on duty paged him the minute Severide showed up knowing how hard the doctor had worked to save his life after the bombing.
He'd also raised hell when he wasn't called after the concussion. Brain trauma also not his specialty, but you'd think someone would've filled him in. No one made that mistake again.
"Not exactly a safe profession," muttered Erin. "Can we see him?"
"Yes. He's complaining about staying overnight, so I need some backup on this one."
"Consider yourself backed up," said Boden in his not messin' around booming voice.
"What tests are you running?" asked Shay, worries not quelled until she saw Kelly in one piece.
"Precautionary stuff. We'll talk in a few minutes. After you," Dr. Montgomery held open the door for the three.
"I'm good, I'm good," Kelly was propping himself up in the bed, trying to get comfortable, ankle on two pillows. Shay's face was lined with worry and Erin's was...what?
"I think you did this on purpose so I'd be the bigger asshole," said Erin going to his side running her hand across his hair, down his cheek.
"No one's takin' that title away from me," he laughed grabbing her hand, bringing it to his lips.
"That's for sure," snorted Shay moving to the other side for a hug.
"Aahh, easy. I'm a little sore," Kelly groaned as his best friend squeezed tightly around his body.
"Where do you hurt?"asked Shay pulling away, grabbing the top of the sheet.
"Hey! I don't got much on under here!" He protested yanking the covering back up.
"We've all seen what you've got. Now let me see." Shay was back at the sheet, pulling it down forcefully.
"Looks like you've got more than you can handle. I'm gonna get out of here. Kelly, don't pull this shit again." Boden gave his lieutenant a light hug and quick squeeze of the hand.
He had phone calls to make. None of the guys were on duty, no one else subbing in on Red shift.
"Casey, it's Boden."
No kidding, like his voice needed any introductions. "Chief, what's up?" It was early, too early to be a routine call about some issue with 51.
"Kelly tweaked his ankle on Red shift. He's okay, nothing to get worked up about, getting out today or tomorrow." Boden heard the heavy sigh of his lieutenant. "Wanted to keep you up to speed. You'll let Dawson know? Shay will need her."
Casey wrestled with his dilemma, call Gabby at her new fire house or wait till she was off shift? She'd been the candidate, the newbie, for three shifts, settling in better than any of the guys thought possible. Her ass of a lieutenant decided her paramedic skills were a plus after she treated two of his guys while waiting for EMTs to finish up with some victims. The way she hustled, held her own, and didn't take any shit also helped with the whole bonding experience. He reluctantly let the possibility sink into his thick skull that the bad seed female they'd been saddled with before had nothing to so with the new girl. Gabby Dawson was okay.
"Hey Gabby," said Casey gently.
"Oh hell, what happened Matt?" When her lieutenant said she had a phone call, her thoughts flew to Antonio, to Casey, Shay...
"Severide hurt his ankle. Shay's gonna need you." I need you, he wanted to add.
"How bad? What happened?"
"Boden said 'tweaked,' didn't sound too serious. Might miss a couple of shifts."
"I can't really do anything right now, Matt. I'm on shift till tomorrow."
"Thought you could call Shay, check on her. I know you're not running to Severide's side. Sorry, thought you'd want to know."
"Don't put this on me. You know damn good and well I can't just take off to the hospital. Yes, I wanna know, just can't do anything."
"So I shouldn't have called you?" Matt asked exasperated. Every damn thing I say and do is somehow wrong.
"No. I'm sorry. Frustrated. I'll see you tomorrow, okay? We'll check on Kelly, cheer up Shay?"
"Sounds like a plan," answered Casey expectantly. He hadn't seen Gabby in a week, both of them at each other's throats when they were together.
"I want to see you, Matt. I miss you."
"Miss you too, babe."
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"So what tests? What are you thinking?" demanded Shay cornering Monty outside Kelly's room.
"I'm thinking I need to be cautious. Want to make sure the hip is okay, no internal damage, make sure that neck's holding up. Do I expect any issues? No, but I want to be one hundred percent sure before I send him on his way."
Dr. Montgomery's explanation sounded logical, made sense. Shay hadn't thought about any of that, just happy with seeing him up and being a pain in the ass.
"Doc, you think it's all good though, right?" she asked again needing some reassurance.
"I do."
Shay looked in the room seeing Erin right next to Kelly, rubbing his arm, his face. And he was eating it up. She knew they'd had some kind of argument but he clammed up on Shay, not one to bad mouth his girl, no matter how mad.
Leslie took a deep breath and resisted the urge to go back in. Kelly deserved all the happiness in the world, but the girlfriend, relationship thing definitely cut into the best friend time. She sighed again reluctantly heading toward the cafeteria. She knew it would happen sooner or later. Kelly had himself a grown up relationship. For better or for worse.
I should try one, she thought cracking herself up.
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"Do you need ice chips or something?" Erin asked fluffing Kelly's pillow, trying to make him more comfortable which ended up making him more uncomfortable.
"Not havin' a baby," he mumbled, the pain in the ankle and the thought of days off lessening the high of the morphine he got in the ambo. "Sorry. I'm glad you're here with me. Just don't need to be missin' any more days." He cupped Erin's tiny hand in his, it's strength a comfort to the detective.
"I'm glad I'm here. Didn't want to wait till our shifts were over with the way we left it. The way I left it." Erin breached the subject softly. "I am sorry. My damn mouth..."
"Yeah, that damn mouth. I love that damn mouth, I could use that mouth on me right about..."
Erin slapped him in the arm, "I'm trying to be serious here."
"Ahh, I'm a little sore over here," he protested smile on his face, knitted brow gone. "And I was bein' serious too. Your mouth on me right now..." he continued again.
"Severide, you are seriously thinking of that now? You just got your ass hauled in here, and you're thinking of..."
"Your mouth, your ass."
"So you're not going to let me say I'm sorry, are you?"
"Nah, I know you are. I know you didn't mean any of it."
"You know that, huh?"
The back and forth was good. Kelly giving her hell was what she needed to take a breath and let go of some of that tension in the pit of her stomach. That tight ball that formed when they argued, that wound tighter when she was at work, that was unbearable when she got the call from Shay.
She realized she could never get used to phone calls like that. The call from someone at 51 saying there had been an accident, Kelly was hurt, come right away. Never.
Looking at his dirty face, imagining the bruises under the covers, seeing his leg elevated and wrapped so heavily it appeared three times its normal size, Erin could understand for the first time what Kelly had fought her so hard on. How he didn't want her to go back to her work, her dangerous job.
"I know you can't stay mad at me for long." Kelly closed his eyes, small smile on his lips. His ankle was throbbing but no way in hell he was lettin' on. He'd seen that look when Erin rushed in. The same look found on his face every time he worried about his girl. The worry leading to an argument. He needed to fix that, he decided.
"I think I've proven I can stay mad a long time. Too long. I'm sorry Kelly for everything..." Erin tried again.
"Everything is a helluva lot to be sorry for. Why don't you just kiss me and break me out of this place?"
Erin placed her hands on both sides of Kelly's face, looking into his eyes, and thanking God that she was looking at them right now. She leaned in kissing his cheek first, so softly in that way she knew drove him crazy. She kissed his other cheek letting her hot breath linger for a few seconds before meeting his lips with hers. So soft, like his hands...definitely not fireman hands.
She moved in harder, "I could stay like this forever" she whispered between kisses.
"You got it."
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"Spill it, Monty. What tests, specifically?" Shay demanded.
"Did I mention how much I've missed you?" teased the old doctor, kind smile on his face.
"Yes, I have that effect on people. Now tell me Kelly's good, he's indestructible and he's getting the hell out of here tomorrow."
"He's indestructible, and he's getting out of here soon, maybe late tomorrow. I want to get an MRI on the leg, the hip. His ortho spine specialist, the one who did the neck surgery, is comin' in too. It's all precautionary." Monty watched Shay's blue eyes well with pools of concern. He held her hand gently. "Now, none of that. He fell and hurt his ankle. That's all we're dealin' with right now."
Shay nodded yes those tears flowing down her cheeks. "I love him, you know," she managed to get out.
Monty squeezed her hand tightly. "I know. Let's see if we can't get one of those tests out of the way tonight. Confirm that all's on the up and up."
"Thank you," Shay managed to get out, knowing that the last thing her best friend wanted right now was to be sucked into a clanging tube for over thirty minutes.
"You have got to be kiddin' me! Now?" Kelly asked disbelieving.
"Less to do tomorrow. Get you outta here earlier," tempted Monty.
"Let's get it over with." Kelly hobbled to the waiting wheelchair, not accepting any help. "I can do it," he grumbled.
The ordeal took almost two hours, and he couldn't wait to get back in that hospital bed. Monty'd promised a morphine drip that the lieutenant waved off earlier. It was soundin' like the best idea right about now. Rest, some serious pain meds, wakin' up to Erin's face...that was all Kelly wanted.
The MRI showed no damage to the hip, Monty's major concern. Now it was up to spine guy to tell everyone the neck was fine tomorrow.
That's exactly what he did. He complimented his own handiwork saying that the neck was perfect, the surgery holding up.
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Kelly wasn't holding up as well. "Three shifts! My ankle's fine! I have a bruise! A damn bruise, and Boden's makin' me sit on the sidelines for three shifts."
Erin had listened to him rant for thirty minutes outwardly agreeing, but inwardly glad Boden put his foot down. His ankle was not fine and "the bruise" encompassed his entire back and side...such a dark blue that made her hurt just looking at it.
"I wish I could take off more days," she said trying to calm him down a little. Wrong thing to say.
"Like I have the days! I don't. Probably gonna dock me or fire my ass."
"No one's getting fired. Look on the bright side. Your ass will be all better for that big firefighter's banquet thing. Shay said Casey's getting that award." Wrong words again.
"I hate those things. Happy for Matt, but I have no desire to sit through hours of kissin' ass all in a monkey suit."
"Well, I can't wait to see you in your suit. So handsome," Erin kissed the fireman hard on the lips trying to force a smile. "I'm getting a new dress too."
Kelly perked up considerably. New dress sounded like it could be good. He did like showing her off...to a certain degree. Excessive salivating by the guys was not needed and he was pretty sure half the men were undressing her with their eyes. But seeing her all dolled up and then getting to take each piece of it off, slowly, deliberately, almost made it worth getting stuck in a suit and tie.
"Think I need a new suit?" Kelly asked, thinking he had nothin' but time although shopping not high on his list.
"Nope. You look perfect in the one you have." Erin kissed him on the forehead wondering herself how he was going to handle one shift off let alone three.
Hours before the banquet, Kelly showered, gave himself a close shave, and blow dried his hair a little, making it go the way Erin liked, or he thought Erin liked. He looked in the mirror surveying the bluish purple running down his back, side and the length of his leg. Damn bruise still hurt like hell and it'd been a week.
He wrapped a towel around his waist and headed to the kitchen, water and ibuprofen calling his name. He was getting ready in the spare bedroom, Erin commandeering theirs. He wanted to peek in, but had strict instructions to stay out. Women and their getting ready rituals.
He'd had a few years of this with Shay, but the results were always...wow. He remembered the first time he took his best friend to the banquet, how he'd prayed she wasn't one hundred percent lesbian. He laughed now at how stupid he'd been. Hell, they probably wouldn't even be friends today if anything had happened.
He frowned slightly thinking about Shay's date for the night...Devon, that piece of work who ripped them off while ripping out the blonde's heart. He wanted her gone, but Shay wasn't listening. Erin tried to play peacemaker telling Kelly that Leslie was a big girl and was gonna do exactly what she wanted. Didn't make it any easier.
Kelly was dressed and waiting. And waiting. He flipped on the TV to try to get his mind off of having to see Devon tonight, sitting at the same table probably.
Erin cleared her throat loudly, putting a hand on one hip waiting for Kelly's reaction.
He jumped up, mouth falling open a little, words becoming something he'd apparently forgotten how to form.
A silverish gray gown hugged Erin's body, skimming it lightly, showing off every curve. Flecks of crystal flitted along the platinum dress catching the light in such a way Kelly swore she was glowing.
Erin waited for something to come out of her guy's mouth, switching the hand on her hip, smile so huge it trailed to her eyes, nose slightly crinkled. Those dimples. Kelly knew he was done for with those dimples...they said cute innocence even when the rest of her said something entirely different.
He walked to her, smile matching hers, just shaking his head, disbelieving what he was lookIn' at was his girl.
"You are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I will ever see. Uh, I think I need to lock you up tonight." Kelly grabbed the back of her neck so softly, not disturbing her hair hanging in loose curls. Another thing he learned from Shay...don't mess with the hair, the makeup.
Erin hadn't gotten that memo. She grabbed Kelly roughly, so strong and demanding, kissing him boldly, biting his lower lip as she pulled away. That's all it took. Yeah, we're gonna be a little late, thought Kelly unzipping her dress in one deft move, throwing his suit jacket on the couch.
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"I thought you weren't coming," Shay commented nervously, grabbing Kelly's arm conspiratorially. "Well, because of...me, or, uh ... her," she added throwing her glance at Devon, sitting at the 51 table, plopping an olive in her mouth, chewing slowly and seductively, allowing Cruz to take it all in.
"Looks like she's not feelin' any pain," Kelly responded, scowl forming, noticing the tightened grip of Erin.
"Be nice. Please." Shay's big eyes looked up at her best friend's face, pleading in the way he couldn't say no to.
"Devon! Great to see you!" he said over exuberantly, heading to her with large strides, stretching his hand in a greeting. No way in hell a hug is happening, he thought, smile plastered on his face.
"Uh, yeah, whatever," she replied throwing another olive in her mouth, offering Kelly the same hand.
"Nice," he muttered. "Well, you have fun with your olives," he added taking Erin's arm and making his way to the bar. "Whaddya lookIn' at?" he asked a couple of gawking firefighters.
"Hey! I thought we were going to have fun. Remember?" Erin pulled his ear playfully, then landed a quick peck on his cheek.
Kelly couldn't help but laugh now, not noticing the stares the two were garnering. This was most eligible bachelor number one acting like he didn't see anyone but the gorgeous woman on his arm. Most of the firemen who'd known Severide over the years couldn't wrap their brains around this man.
Erin worked her magic and it was the two of them alone in the huge banquet room. He ordered her a glass of white wine and a beer for himself settling in for the fifteen minutes they had before the drone of awards started rolling out. Kelly was back, lost in those dimples...hanging on every word.
The pair reluctantly came back to the reality of the crowded, noisy room, pushing their way to join their friends.
"Erin. Glad you could slum it with us bucket heads tonight," Boden greeted the detective for the first time that night. "You look beautiful," he added.
"Chief, thank you for having me. Kelly and I wouldn't have missed this for the world."
Chief chuckled, "Yeah, right," extending his hand toward his lieutenant.
Kelly gripped it firmly, perhaps a tad too firmly in an effort to prove to his chief that he was ready to join his crew.
As the night wore on, the sitting was taking its toll...his back and leg screaming at him to get up for a few minutes.
"Get me another wine, please," asked Erin chatting with Gabby and Matt about the soon to be announced award. He nodded giving her a quick peck and a thankful look. Kelly tried to keep it steady as he ambled to the mini bar, willing a measured walk with no limp. He knew watchful eyes were on him...he was gonna be back next shift he vowed.
He turned around ready to make the long walk back, sort of ready, cursing 51's table location, way up front. They always sat houses with guys getting an honor right near the podium.
"Hey, handsome. You want some company?" garbled Erin, maybe one or two wines too many.
"Thanks for the stall, detective. You're a devious little thing aren't ya?" Kelly teased knowing the two of them talking wouldn't arouse any suspicions of a delaying tactic.
"You have no idea," she slurred out, a small line of saliva escaping the corner of her mouth. "I have three ibuprofen in my mouth, so kiss me, now."
Kelly obliged, letting the pills go down his throat in what must've passed as some serious tongue action. Her throaty laugh could be heard tables away as her guy took a huge swig of water.
"That's about the sexiest thing you've ever done for me," Kelly whispered in her ear knowing in about fifteen minutes the sharp pain would dull to an ache.
"That's the sexiest thing? Really? We're gonna have to fix that when we get home," Erin teased running her hand down his chest past his belt buckle, grazing lower, barely touching his zipper so fast he thought he may have imagined it.
"Ah, hell, I ain't gonna make it till we get home," he complained holding his hands back with a control he didn't know he possessed.
"But are you gonna make it to the table?" she asked genuine concern marring the serene look on her face.
"Let's do this," he answered holding out his arm in the fashion of a time gone by.
"Jesus, get a room you two. We'll send ya a picture of Casey with his shiny 'I saved a baby' award," said Hermann only half joking.
"Christopher!" admonished Cindy crushing her husband's hand within her own, the equivalent to the not so secret pinches she gave the boys when they acted up in public. "I am so happy you finally found someone, Kelly," she began. "The love you two radiate is just..." Cindy continued, getting a little hot and bothered herself.
"Alright now," Hermann interrupted wishing for a muzzle.
"Don't you shut me up." She turned her attention to her favorite fireman she wasn't married to at 51, "I can tell this is the real deal, Kelly. The way you two look at each other...oh, it's the cutest thing." Cindy was fanning herself with the night's program.
"That's enough, Cindy," Hermann tried again wondering what kinda hell was gonna land in his lap when Kelly got back.
"I am not finished, Christopher. I am so happy for you two. I can tell it's just a matter of time before we're going to a Severide wedding, and it won't be Benny this time." She laughed too loudly feeling the effects of three glasses of wine and a night away from the hellions. "Then the pitter patter of little feet...pitter patter, pitter patter." Her fingers trailing across the table, everyone watching in stunned silence.
Kelly loosened his tie swearing the damn thing was choking him, had a vice grip on his neck. He snuck a glance at Erin who looked like she was going to throw up, right there. He hoped it would be on Cindy Hermann, God love her.
"... 51's Lieutenant Matthew Casey." A roar of applause boomed throughout the packed hall, Kelly and Erin joining the clapping, realizing their friend was being introduced during Cindy's dissertation of Kelly's love life.
"She's drunk... and a little crazy," Severide whispered in his girl's ear, watching Casey make his way to the front. "You okay?" he inquired afraid of what her answer would be.
"She's not that drunk. I like her," Erin whispered back, the applause continuing as Casey stood in the front embarrassed. "You think she's crazy?"
"Maybe a little. She married Hermann, didn't she?" Kelly sighed, a relief sweeping over him, Erin's nauseous look gone.
"I don't think she's crazy." Erin grinned letting Cindy's words sink in. She squeezed Kelly's hand tighter, kissing him on the cheek. "Not crazy at all."
Hmmm, what's up with Erin's words at the end? Will Kelly's tie be the death of him? Haha! I wish they would go to the fireman's banquet together next season on CF. Can you imagine? Hotness, personified.
Well, what did you think of this one?