A teeny bit crickety after the maybe too long update? Hope you like this new one. Thanks to those sticking with me and writing those epic reviews - so fun to read. :) Been in somewhat of a writing funk lately, so thank you to 2NY, Roby & SD for the encouragement.
"So how'd it go?" asked Kelly from the treadmill. When Dr. Stinson gave the greenlight to some PT, he'd taken that as a call to action. He jumped on the piece of exercise equipment he formerly ridiculed, giving Erin hell for using it … "It's a damn human hamster wheel," he insisted. Now he was jog/running on the dreadmill, feeling human for the first time in two weeks.
"Good," answered Javi quietly, hanging his new backpack on a dining room chair. He unzipped it taking out a load of books and folders.
Kid's not one for talkin' thought Kelly with a smile.
"Good," the fireman echoed.
"So you can work out?" the little boy asked, eyeing the treadmill suspiciously wondering if Miss Erin knew about this.
"Yep," Kelly replied, huge grin on his face. "Hey, get me some water, will ya?"
Javi took off to the fridge grabbing a bottle for Severide and one for himself.
"Thanks," Kelly said stopping for a minute, contemplating the whole walking only command of the doc. He took in half the bottle with a couple of gulps.
"Well, tell me what went down," he said walking over to the kitchen table.
Javi started slowly but built up speed as he talked about making a friend at lunch, a girl named Isabelle who liked baseball as much as he did.
"Wait, hold up. You like baseball?" Kelly asked, draining his bottle. He grabbed another two adding a couple of bananas and yogurts to his load. He plopped the snacks on the table nodding his head at them, "Help yourself. So who's your team?"
"Cubbies," Javi replied as if waiting to see if that was the right answer.
"Ah hell no!" Severide yelled out. "You are in for a lifetime of pain and misery, my friend! I speak from experience!" Kelly went on to outline each and every disappointment his team had laid out for him, expertly building up expectations only to crush every fan's dreams at just the right moment.
"Do you play?" asked Kelly, wheels spinning, remembering some of his best times when he was Javi's age were with his peewee football team.
The boy shook his head no, looking down at some imaginary spot on the table.
"You wanna play?" Severide asked, already on his phone looking up leagues for kids. He had to admit, the boy had grown on him. He was a good kid who'd had some hard knocks. No reason a little happiness couldn't come his way.
Javi shrugged his shoulders, noncommittally.
"You wanna play or not, kid?" Kelly asked finding several teams for seven-year-olds starting up in the Spring.
"Yes," he said hesitantly.
"Done," the fireman responded, knocking his water bottle against Javi's, smiles wider than Lake Michigan on both faces.
Weeks ran by with Erin and Kelly chasing after them, both focused on getting a fireman back to work, getting themselves back to each other. Each day saw a few more smiles, an unexpected burst of laughter, a carefree moment of pure joy … all of it healing. Erin had felt like a kite barely connected to Kelly with a long, long string. That string was shortening each day and the two were almost back to the couple they were before the tragic loss that threatened to rip them apart.
Javi played a part in the healing, helping the two focus on something other than themselves. Kelly signed him up for junior spring training at Kilbourn Park Little League before they were officially taking registrations, working his magic on the phone.
"You sure that's a good idea, Kel?" Erin began, not wanting to damper the two boys' spirits but also thinking her man needed a reality check. "What if his new home is far away? How are you going to get over there, drag him to the practices?"
"When I can barely drag myself in and out of the shower?" asked Kelly, taking the conversation where she did not want it to go.
"That's not what I said," Erin answered. "You're doing great, you are, but signing Javi up for little league is such a huge thing. Not something you can back out on."
"Because that's what I'd do?"
Not going the way I want, thought Erin determined to not let this turn into a fight. She'd been the supportive wife in a way she would never have imagined possible. The two made their way back to each other and she was not letting this turn things frigid again.
"You would never do that," she said, smiling at her husband. She kissed him on the cheek before heading in. Erin knew it was killing him to watch her head to IU every day, to have him sitting most of his waking hours, the PT moving at a snail's pace.
Despite Dr. Stinson's warnings, both had secretly hoped for a miracle, for Kelly to be the one to break records in recovery. It wasn't happening. He did feel like a hamster, spinning a wheel, but getting nowhere.
"Be good. Don't overdo. And I think it's a good idea, sign him up." Erin hurried out the door after another quick peck on the cheek. Voight texted that something big was brewing. He needed them all at the precinct like yesterday.
"Listen up," barked Voight, as if anyone would dare do anything else. "We've got a high profile, maybe murder we're all on, as of now."
"Maybe murder? Someone's maybe dead?" asked Ruzek with Jay slapping him on the side of the head.
"Yeah professor, someone's dead," Hank responded, shooting Adam a look. "The someone is the kid of Senator Traviani. And this is all under the radar."
"When is it not under the radar," muttered Halstead with Ruzek swatting him on the head. Olinsky gave Adam another swat.
"Ladies, can we quit playing grab ass and focus. Chase was a junior at U of C, ME's office is ruling it a suicide, but Grace ain't buyin' it."
"And Grace is?" questioned Cally scribbling everything in a small notepad. Erin giving her a "you're such a school girl look."
"Senator Traviani. Try to keep up cupcake. We're gonna take a look, check out every angle and see if Grace is right."
"Hank, which side are we on? Suicide or murder?" asked Erin knowing he'd already fine tooth combed the whole thing.
"Neither. A woman's son is dead. We're not on either side." Voight rolled out the assignments. Alvin and Ruzek paired up, Jay and Erin. Antonio had called in some comp time, a problem with his ex and his son rising to the top of his priority list.
"Let's roll out," he said needlessly. "Lindsay, in my office before you take off."
She knew before she entered what was up. "Hank, I'm fine with Halstead." Erin stated flatly. They hadn't been partnered up in ages, but it was time.
"You sure?" he rasped out, looking at her hazel eyes for any indication otherwise.
"I'm sure."
Jay was already outside the precinct, on his phone, texting with a small smile on his face.
"Everything okay?" he asked as Erin headed to the driver's side.
"All good," she said with a dimpled smile.
They shuffled through three friends of Chase, all signs pointing to a troubled young man with failing grades and a famous mom. No one had a bad thing to say about the college student, they all liked him, but happy-go-lucky would never be used to describe him.
"Looks like it's a suicide," Jay said as they got back in the car.
"Looks that way," agreed Erin, looking down at her phone, making sure Kelly was okay, didn't need anything.
"How's Severide doing?" Halstead asked sheepishly. He'd wanted to know, the bones of his friendship with Erin still in place even if he did everything he could to chunk away at all the flesh.
"Better. Slow going. Thanks for asking," the brunette answered. "So where to now?" she asked.
"Lunch. I'm starved."
The strained friendship made a reappearance, time healing all old wounds. Erin had to admit it felt good to have her old partner back. He was back in a way that involved no wanting glances, no undertones of thinking there could ever be something more.
They made it back to IU bullshitting like old times and Hank reminded himself to pat his own back that night. He needed his fractured unit whole again. Cally was back to her not quite so feral self, Erin was back to thinking about work, and now his team looked like they were going to be a team once more.
The day Kelly paid the dues for the league was the day Javi left their home.
"You ready for this?" Severide asked while handing over his card to the teenage girl at the little league office.
"Heck yeah," Javi said smile taking over his face.
Clarke laughed at the two, rattling his keys in his hand. Playing chauffeur for the day, he'd been shanghaied into lunch, a batting session where Kelly just barked orders from the side, and now a trip to Kilbourne Park. He was worn out, darn kid was wearing him out. He knew his friend was feeling it.
Jeff had been the relief lieutenant at 51 for just over a week now, finally acquiescing when the relief at 5 was put on permanent disability. The other possibility was a rotating relief lieutenant at 22 who'd managed to break his collarbone at home walking to his truck on an ice slicked driveway. The FD was scrambling with the top brass calling 102 to ask Clarke's chief if his lieutenant could fill in for the skeleton crew on Squad 3. A replacement for Newhouse had never been found and now with Kelly out, the team needed a capable leader. Chief strong-armed into the move, Jeff agreed also. If he were honest with himself, he was lookin' forward to being back with family, but the reality was he would eventually return to his house and the building of respect and trust would begin again.
"The shelf life on you guys doesn't seem to be that long," Cally commented after hearing the shuffling of men due to injury and disability.
Jeff gave a "hrmmphh" but Cailin knew those wheels were turning, making little mentions of promotions and not being on squad forever. She knew Erin longed for those words, but would probably never hear them. As similar as their men were in many ways, there were miles separating the two in other areas. Cally was thankful for those miles, lending an ear to Erin's worries over Kelly's rehab, his recovery, his career.
Now, Clarke was wiping the sweat off his face as Severide paid for Javi's first foray into the world of organized sports. God help 'em, he thought.
Kelly's smile faded quickly as he pocketed his card, taking a look at his phone.
"Hey, who's up to celebrate? Beers all around?" Severide grinned, erasing the clouds from a second ago.
"I'm too young to drink, Mr. Kelly," Javi replied, eyes flashing with the excitement of the day.
"Mr. Kelly can't drink either," Clarke piped in, "How 'bout ice cream instead?"
"I can live with that," Severide said, looking at the little boy for agreement.
"I can live with that," he replied.
Javi hunkered down into a booth with a sundae almost as big as him, ending up with half of it down his face and shirt. He took off to the bathroom and Clarke took his turn at a little prying.
"So, what gives," asked Jeff.
"Hmm?" Kelly replied sucking down his chocolate shake. When Clarke didn't answer, still looking at him questioningly, Severide added, "What?"
"Your phone, the message."
"Jesus, you and your wife, couple of damn detectives. Well, she is an actual detective, but you…" he rambled on. Another silence with Jeff waiting.
"Uh, Erin texted, said they found a family for Javi. So, uh, it's good news," Kelly slurped some more of his shake.
"Is it?" asked Clarke.
"Yes. We knew this was comin.' Now it's here. Erin swung by the house, met the mom, real nice lady. Dad was at work, so a mom and a dad. It's all good," Kelly said convincing himself it was all good. He was all good.
They dropped Javi off that night. Kelly argued he should stay one more night but Erin said the family was expecting him. And just like that they shuffled the little boy out of their house and into another.
"He's got school tomorrow," Kelly tried.
"And they'll enroll him in his new school tomorrow. The sooner the better," Erin insisted, a resolve forming across her face.
"He probably wants to say bye to his friends," Kelly grumbled.
"Please, Kel," and with that there was no argument. They were taking him that night. It was done.
"Miss Erin," Javi said wrapping his arms around her neck so tightly, the wetness in his huge brown eyes soaking her shirt. She finally pulled away, eyes glistening, but forcing back the sobs that would come in the car. "Your family is so lucky to have you," she whispered in the boy's ear. Javi's arms were back around her neck. She swallowed hard … "say bye to Kelly."
"Hey bud. I'll pick you up in two weeks but you better be practicin' a shit load in the meantime," the fireman said as Javi pulled an instant replay of his cry on Erin's shoulder.
"I w-will. I p-promise," the boy stuttered out. Kelly pulled him away at arm's length, so he could look him in the face.
"This ain't the last time you're seein' us. I promise. Two weeks," Kelly didn't know how to make Javi believe. He knew the disappointment of empty promises. He knew the boy had nothing but those in his life.
Javi nodded his head yes, tears dropping to the floor. He wanted to say so much, too much for a seven-year-old. Tell them they'd been better parents in a couple of weeks than his mom had in seven years. Tell Kelly not to stay on that "dreadmill" too much, not to drink any beer. Tell Erin she smelled like heaven and she gave the best hugs he'd ever felt. But a seven-year-old didn't say those things he decided, so he kept his mouth shut letting his tears do the talking.
They moved to the door with Erin taking the suitcase from Kelly's hands. Javi was rolling in another one.
Erin didn't argue when Kelly grabbed the keys from her, no mention of the fact he wasn't cleared for driving. She dropped her face in her hands once out of sight of the little white house now holding their little roommate.
"It's not like we're never seein' him again, babe," Kelly said, rubbing his hand along her thigh as he drove. "This is what we want, right? He gets a new home."
Erin shook her head yes, but those tears would not stop.
"Come to bed," Kelly asked for the third time. Each instance met with a nod of the head or small grunt, but Erin would get caught back up in Chase Traviani's case file.
He realized burying her face in the paperwork was helping to bury those Lindsay feelings, but he had another idea to make her feel better.
When she jumped into bed five minutes later, he was just dozing off thinking it would be another night of soft touches, light kisses and pent up frustrations. The devilish grin on Erin's face said he might have been wrong.
"You up?" she asked.
He rolled over throwing his arm along her shoulder, her bare shoulder.
"That was fast," he commented, a matching grin affixed on his face as he peeked at her naked body.
"Done for the night. Need some cheering up," she whispered, just inches separating their faces. Her breath hot against his mouth.
"I'm practically a damn cheerleader," he whispered back.
"Are you sure you're up for it?" Erin asked, sick of treating him with kid gloves, knowing he was more than sick of it.
"Yeah, I'm up for it," he said slyly looking down the length of his body.
Erin's hoarse laugh rang out, and Kelly let loose a part laugh part growl that sent a shiver down her spine. She wanted him to attack her, to go at her with such force she would forget that anything else existed in the world but the two of them. Forget the items not lining up in a dead college student's file, forget her husband's injury, forget a little boy dropped off on a doorstep.
"I love you," Kelly whispered, crawling up the length of Erin's body as she lay on her back, chest rising and falling rapidly. His mouth began at her mouth not staying long, his tongue found her neck, softly trailing to the little crevice at her throat.
She let out a low moan and Kelly didn't let up, he didn't let up until both of them were drained, spent, done. The two lying in drenched sheets, more than a sheen of sweat covering their bodies.
"You okay?" he asked not opening his eyes.
"I'm good," she whispered, barely breathing out the words, that rise and fall of her chest showing how out of breath she was. "All good," she added with a hoarse laugh.
"Funny, babe, funny," Kelly said, rolling over on his side, feeling sore, sore all over, neck stiffer than it had been in two weeks. Get up, walk it out, he told himself.
Jeff woke up to the buzzing of Cally's phone.
"Cally," he said gently, touching her shoulder lightly. "Cally."
"Hmmm," she mumbled, before jumping upright. Nothing good came at this hour.
She grabbed at the source of the buzzing on her nightstand… "Erin," she mouthed to Jeff, "probably upset about the boy."
Cailin listened intently, "What?" she finally snapped, turning on the light.
Clarke was up now, the brightness shining in his face.
Cally hung up, throwing the remaining sheet off her, feet moving before they hit the floor. "Gotta go," she said, hastily shoving a pair of jeans on, still processing Erin's words. "She said she broke her fireman," Cailin answered the wordless question Jeff was offering up with his expression.
Clarke didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Instead, he slipped on his jeans. "I'm going with you."
So, what do you think? Is this the last we've seen of Javi? Erin broke Kelly? It's gonna take more than hot sex and a ladder fall to break him, right?