So another one, for all those you want to know what Michael looks like, I pictured him to be portrayed by Jamie Dornan. If you want to see the outfits Nora wears go to www . polyvore cgi/collection?id =4329968&.locale =de (just delete the spaces in the web address)

Thank you also to Ronnie22211 for following the story and to SweetKittyCat and Asher Knight for your reviews. I'm always happy to hear about your opinion on the chapters.

Now have fun reading and enjoy.

Chapter 3

As usual, Nora was at the firehouse. She had heard about Kelly antagonizing Casey about the false alarm for his Squad team. Having taken sympathy on Mouch, she sat down on the couch next to him, folding her legs under the material of her turquoise maxi skirt.

"Hey, don't worry about Kelly. He's just his usual A-hole self, so don't be to hard on yourself, yeah?"

Randy put his newspaper down, sighing as he looked at Herrmann's niece. "You don't understand honey. I really thought that he was there, the signs were clear that someone was thrown out of the car."

Smiling softly, the blonde laid her head on his shoulder and put her arms around Mouch, cuddling him tightly. "No matter what, you're still one of the best firefighters I know, don't let Severide's pissy moods change that."

Just then the Squad Lieutenant entered the break room, having heard the last bits of their conversation.

"Hey, if you got to talk bad about someone, at least do it to his face." he said walking over to the fridge and peering inside.

Closing her eyes and breathing deeply, Nora stood from her seat next to Randy and stormed over to Kelly.

"Now listen here, just because you lost a friend a month ago, you don't need to be a prick to everyone. We all lost a friend, it wasn't just you, Severide." she said, jabbing her finger in his shoulder.

The dark haired lieutenant winced slightly, fighting the urge to rub the spot on his right shoulder.

"I'm so sick and tired of your constant rivalry. You guys should be a team and not work against each other." Nora finished, walking around Kelly and starting with lunch for the station.

Opening his mouth, he turned to talk to her, but saw that she didn't even chance a glance at him. Sighing, Severide raked his hand through his hair and walked out of the break room. Once he was out of sight, he rubbed the ache out of his shoulder, having injured it the day, that Andy died.

Jamming his hands in his pants pockets he walked down the hallways of the firehouse, wanting to get to the locker rooms. He thought about going back to the kitchen and talking to Nora, letting her know what was bothering him, but decided against it, knowing there would be one big mess all together.

Shaking his head and scratching the back, Kelly continued on his way. Leslie Shay had just gotten back from another call, when she saw him walking down the corridor. "Kelly."

"Yeah." he turned slightly as she came to walk beside him.

She nodded her head, indicating him to follow her to a quiet corner. They stood there for a few seconds, Leslie watching her friend and roommate closely, before she put her hand up.

Ever since Kelly's accident, Leslie brought him pain killers in private, so he would be able to work without his injury to bother him.

"Here." she said, giving the lieutenant a small flask.

Swallowing, he looked down at his best friend, not really sure what to tell her. "Thanks."

"Okay." Shay nodded and left him.

Once he reached the locker room he took his small toiletry kit and went into one of the empty toilet stalls. Looking around Kelly made sure that no one was around to see him, before he entered. Taking out a needle and the flask he started his usual routine. Drawing up the syringe, pressing against the sore spot, because the pain was worsening day by day and then taking the shot.

As soon as the pain killer was in his system, Severide felt the throbbing in his shoulder lessen and he could move his hand again, opening and closing.

When he was done, the lieutenant exited the stall, walking over to the sink, making it look like any regular visit to the toilet. But this time Matt was standing there, doing the same.

Having washed his hands Kelly walked by Casey to dry them with a paper towel, when the dark blonde lieutenant turned to him.

"Nora called, lunch is done, if you want something, too." he said and watched his once close friend exiting the bathroom without so much as a word.

"Hey guys, come on, lunch is done." Nora said, walking into the truck bay.

She saw a small group gathered around as they all watched Peter talking to Shay. Dawson and her uncle grinned over at her. Nora already had a feeling that they did their own kind of initiation for their new candidate.

"Oh Uncle C, you didn't." his niece said, coming to stand next to the members of 81 and Gabby Dawson.

Herrmann put his arms around her shoulders

"Peter Mills, are you gay?" Leslie asked smirking down at the dark skinned male, who was clearly taken aback.

"Me? No!"

"Because I am."

Everyone in the bay let out a loud snort as they heard her declaration and Nora just shook her head, pushing her uncle's shoulder hard. "You guys are so mean."

"Shay! Dawson!" Chief Boden's voice sounded from behind them, making everyone turn to him. "Which one of you put a needle in the girl's heart?"

Both Gabby and Leslie had a feeling that it wasn't the last they heard about the girl yesterday and now it was like they predicted. Following their chief, the two paramedics walked out of the bay.

"What's going on?" Nora asked looking after the two women, still standing beside her uncle.

"The girl from the accident yesterday had internal injuries and Dawson went against rules to safe her life." Herrmann said putting his hand on her arm.

Sighing the blonde gave him a shocked look. "But they won't suspend her, will they. I mean she did what she had to do."

"I'm not sure, honey. These people are ruthless when it comes to going against rules."

Nora nodded her head, eying the doorway her two friends left through with caution.

"But now tell me why you're dressed so nice today."

Clearing her throat Herrmann's niece watched him for any kind of bad reaction as she told him about Michael.

"I met him yesterday at the diner, he basically rescued me from a group of rude teenage males who didn't understand the word 'No', so I gave him one of our desserts on the house and he asked me to meet him after lunch today."

Christopher knew his niece was old enough to get out and meet and date, but to him she was like his own daughter, always fearing that something terrible would happen to her. "Oh, alright. Well I heard something about lunch being served."

He didn't want to disappoint her with his own reaction to her news, knowing it would break her heart, if he told her the true feelings he had about her date.

"So I made Saturday corned beef. I hope you guys are alright with that." Nora said, pulling the beef out of the oven making her uncle and Cruz grin with satisfaction.

"Ah look at that." Herrmann said an they all heard Mouch giving his input on her food from his seat on the couch.

"She made the best chicken parmigiana I ever put in my mouth." he said.

Shaking her head with a soft smile Nora finished arranging the dish, then turned to Joe, telling him to get the teams in for the food.

Soon all members of Truck 81 were seated and Kelly and his team came inside from the bay. They walked up to the counter where Casey helped Nora dishing out the food.

"Have at it." he said as Severide looked down at the beef plate.

It felt like an eternity as the two lieutenants stared at each other, and the background chatter having died down, before the leader of Squad took and orange and left the break room. Nora watched the display between the two of them, before throwing her towel down and looking at Matt.

The dark blonde lieutenant followed the man he used to call a friend a month ago and Herrmann's niece knew it would escalate if not someone did something soon.

"What the hell's going on? You okay?" Casey asked as he walked up to the dark haired lieutenant sitting outside on the Squad truck, smoking his cigar. "Because if you're not, maybe you need to take"

"You think I need your help?" Kelly interrupted him, finally looking at his former friend.

Sighing, Matt shrugged his shoulders, hoping to get him to talk about what has been bothering him for the time since Andy's death. "I'm trying here, Severide."

"Keep on."

Nora breathed deeply, looking over at the two men.

"I cleaned out Darden's locker."

They swallowed hard and both men stood and sat up straighter at the mention of their friends name.

"You should have vented the back." Casey finally started, saying what had been nagging him all the time.

Kelly turned to look at his fellow lieutenant and Nora saw his eyes harden. "We're called the Rescue Squad, Casey. We don't vent. You shouldn't have put Andy through the window."

Matt wanted to say something, but the dark haired man sitting in front of him continued without missing a beat. "I don't have to explain myself to you. I sleep like a baby."

Hearing those words, the blonde knew that Kelly was lying, otherwise the two men wouldn't be at each others throat all the time. She crossed her arms over her chest feeling a slight chill as she listened to the argument.

"You?" Severide asked, looking at Casey and waiting for an answer.

The Truck lieutenant couldn't find one and before it escalated, he left to get back to the break room, walking by Nora with out looking at her.

"Why can't you both stop?" she finally asked, as she made her way over to the Squad truck.

"What do you want? That we kiss and make up?" Kelly asked getting up and stubbing out the rest of his cigar.

"No, I just want you guys to get back to the way you were before this mess with Andy." the blonde argued and wanted to continue, but she was interrupted by someone shouting her name.

"Nora!"

Turning around, Herrmann's niece could see Michael coming up the drive way to the firehouse.

"Michael, hey. I didn't know you were coming over." she said meeting him half way up, all the while feeling Kelly's eyes burning into her back. "I thought we would meet Downtown. Or was I wrong?"

Her date smiled putting his hands on her waist, not bothering to check if she was okay with it. "I just couldn't wait til then. You have been on my mind since last night and I wanted to see you as soon as possible."

Smiling softly, Nora grabbed his hand and pulled him after her. They walked past Severide, who eyed them both with a hint of disdain in his eyes. Once inside the break room, she found her uncle, letting him know that she was leaving with her date, but Herrmann wanted to meet that guy, that had so unwittingly captured his brother's daughter's heart.

Michael pulled a hand through his dark, short cut hair when he saw all the firefighters looking at him. He watched Nora giving one of the older ones a kiss on his cheek before she joined him again.

"Nora, honey, wait a sec." Herrmann got up and followed her, leading them both out to the bay, which was unoccupied at the moment.

"So, uh, you are Michael?" he asked, seeing the younger man swallow hard.

He nodded his head and held out his hand for Nora's uncle to shake. "Michael Banner, a pleasure to meet you, sir."

Christopher didn't bother with taking it, knowing it wouldn't change much, only that he'd probably hate him more, if he hurt his niece. "All right, listen here. You take out my niece on a nice date, be sure to make all her wishes come true and treat her like she should be treated. If you don't, just know that I'm not the only one to come after your hide."

The dark haired man standing next to the blonde was taken aback, but still nodded his head. "I understand sir."

Her uncle smiled and kissed her cheek. "Well then, off you go."

With that he left them standing in the bay, Michael with his mouth agape and Nora blushing like a tomato.

"I'm really sorry about him, he isn't used to me bringing male company by the station, but he only means well."

Laughing softly, he pulled her closer to his body, walking out of the bay. "Well if my daughter would look anything like you, I'd do the same with the men she brought by."

"So what are you working as?" Nora asked sitting across from Michael in a small cafe that over looked one of the Great Lakes.

He smiled, sipping his coffee, before he leaned back in his seat. "I work as the assistant CEO of an esteemed financial firm in New York, but they widened the office and I came here to be closer to home."

Nodding her head, she smiled over at him, studying his features. Her eyes moved down from the dark brown hair, his blue eyes, over his slim pointy nose and kissable lips to the square jaw covered with a light stubble. To her he looked very delectable right now, the way he sat in the chair across from her, dressed in a pristine gray tailored suit.

"And what are you doing? Why would someone as nice as you work at such a shabby place?"

Sighing Herrmann's niece looked down at her hands folded in her lap. "I wanted to open my own cafe, but my last boyfriend took the money I put on the side and left, dealing drugs and using it to get himself off."

"Oh wow, I'm sorry to hear that. Has the police been able to get him?"

Nora shook her head, not wanting to get back to the gritty details of her past relationship.

"Maybe I could help you out with the money part. Get you a good deal for your cafe."

She smiled, her hazel eyes shining as she looked back at Michael. "Thank you."

Looking outside the blonde saw, that it was already dark. They had been at the cafe for nearly four hours and it still felt like only minutes had gone by since they arrived. Just as Michael was about to say something her phone chimed in her bag.

Nora took it out and frowned as she saw Casey's name on the display. "I'm sorry I have to take this."

Getting up, she went outside and breathed in the fresh air, standing in front of the cafe.

Reading Matt's name, she had a feeling of dread surge through her. The Truck lieutenant would only call her if something had happened to her uncle.

Feeling her hands shake as she finally answered his call, the fear of loosing another loved one made her eyes shine with tears.

"Matt, what's going on?" Nora asked, nearly choking as she heard his soft uttered apology.

"It's Herrmann."

"No! Please don't tell me..." her voice broke at the thought of her uncle being dead. "Say that he is okay."

"The fire came up to the floor we were at. We fell...You...Nora just come to the hospital." Matt said, his voice sounding strained.

Without missing a beat, the blonde ran inside the cafe and grabbed her bag, shooting Michael an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, my uncle, he was injured. I need to get to the hospital. Rain check on dinner?"

Michael stood up with her, hearing her rambling as she packed her things and ran out of the cafe. "Nora!"

"Michael."

"Come on, I'll get you to the hospital."

Nora ran inside the building as they all sat and waited on news of her uncle. While Michael was driving, the blonde felt the tears flowing endlessly. She prayed to not have to go to another funeral in such a short time, hoping that whatever god would hear her, that Herrmann would survive.

Inside she found Casey and the rest in the waiting area, having had the time to change out of their dirty bunkers.

"Do you know what's going on?" she asked as Matt took her into his arms.

"I just came back, too." he said and then turned to Cruz. "Any update on him?"

"He's in surgery, trying to find the bleed." Joe answered and everyone else just sat there, not sure what to do or say. "We know nothing."

Nora closed her eyes sitting down on one of the free chairs. Michael sat next to her and held her hand tightly in his own.

"What happened?" she asked looking at the teammates of her uncle.

"Vargas and me were up on the fifth floor and Herrmann and Casey were on the fourth. We wanted to get out but the floor broke and both fell down. Kelly and Squad came and got them both out."

Casey had gone out to make a phone call after he asked the doctor about the girl, Madeline, that Dawson had saved the day before.

Everyone waited for any update on Herrmann, not wanting to move in case there were news about him.

Later on Kelly entered and sat on the other side of Nora, giving her a tight smile.

None talked, say just sat there. As Casey reentered again, he sat down next to Chief Boden, looking over at Kelly, giving him a slight nod in thanks, which the Squad Lieutenant retürned.