And another chapter, hope you all like it, even though it's a bit shorter again then the last one. I also want to thank SweetKittyCat and bruna for their reviews as well as itsgretchx for following my story. Hope you all enjoy the chapter, let me know what you think. I also put a link in my profile to the outfits of Nora in the chapters.

Chapter 4

About two weeks after Herrmann's accident, Nora and Michael decided to try and go steady with their relationship. The blonde was happy finally having found someone that was so different from the guys she had met before.

Even her uncle approved of him, although it was only due to the fact that he didn't run headlong into fires for a living. Her aunt Cindy was just happy that her niece was happy, knowing she had tough luck with men and her husband always looking out for Nora.

Michael helped her out a lot, trying to get her a good deal for her own cafe, so that she finally could make her dream come true, but finding the right spot for it was very tiring.

But when they didn't talk about business, the CEO and Herrmann's niece tried to be like every couple, doing date nights and just laying on the couch, cuddling up.

The only one, who didn't like the fact that Nora was dating, was Kelly. He had always tried to make a move, asking her out. But knowing that Christopher was very protective of his niece had him back down, leaving her alone.

So the lieutenant threw himself into his old scheme, hooking up with random women all over Chicago and trying to forget about the one he really wanted.

Nora had visited Heather and the kids that day, taking them out. They walked by their usual cafe as both Ben and Griffin wanted to get some sweets.

"Okay, guys. I'll get you whatever you want, okay?" Heather said as they went inside.

The blonde looked up and saw Kelly coming down the stairs with a coffee-to-go.

"Heather. Nora." saying their names, Herrmann's niece heard the surprise in his voice, but it was hastily forgotten as the two boys jumped at him.

"Hi Kelly!" Ben said throwing his arms around the lieutenants middle.

Nora saw the smile on his face, knowing he hadn't been able to get in touch with Heather, as she still mostly blamed him for Andy's death.

"Hey! Hey, guys!" he said, ruffling Griffin's hair with his free hand, but already saw the forced smile on Andy's wife's face.

"Okay. Okay, kids, let's get in." she said pulling her children softly out of his embrace and the started to walk up the stairs to the cafe, all the while feeling Nora's eyes on her.

Kelly, too, wanted to be there for Heather and the kids, but it was a tough place to be with her. "Hey, how you doing?"

"I'm good, Kelly." she said, the fake smile still evident. "I gotta go in."

Andy's wife turned around, just wanting to get away from the Squad Lieutenant and Nora shot her a look that said, she should let him talk.

"Uh. Hey, wait..." Kelly clearly stumbled over his words, not sure what to say. "I've been meaning to come by..."

Shaking her head, Heather cut him off. "Save it. Really."

She never really liked Kelly, only tolerating him, because he was friends with her husband and for the sake of her kids, as they were clearly taken by the dark haired lieutenant.

"Come on. Andy and I were..." he started, but the mother of two would have none of it.

"Stop. Right there. Andy never even would have been a firefighter if it weren't for you." Swallowing the tears that were building up, she left Nora and Kelly standing at the entry way of the small cafe.

"Heather!" the blonde called after her friend.

Sighing, she turned to Severide, seeing the hurt look on his face as he was shot down yet again by someone he tried so hard to get to like him. "I'm sorry Kelly, she is still having a tough time. She is even avoiding me at times."

A sarcastic laugh left his lips as he turned towards the doorway. "Yeah? Well, she always liked you more than me."

Nora opened her mouth to say something, but he already left in a rush to get out of the cafe. Shaking her head at the scene that just happened in front of her eyes, the blonde went over to where the woman she considered a friend stood with her children, looking at the desserts that were displayed at the counter.

"Heather! You really need to give him a chance. He wasn't the only one at the house that day. And don't start with 'If it weren't for him'." she said taking the slightly older woman a few feet away from Ben and Griffin to give her a piece of her mind. "Kelly has his moments, true. But he would never willingly let one member of the Firehouse get hurt. We both know that Andy would have been a firefighter regardless if Kelly went to become one or not."

Without waiting for her to answer Nora went over to the boys and watched the display with them, giving them both her opinion on the desserts they wanted.

"You did what?" she asked as they all were together in the break room after the members of Truck 81 just got back from a call.

Casey smiled leaning back in his chair and looking over at Nora, who casually leaned against the kitchen counter. "Yeah, I mean this guy pleaded with us, telling us he couldn't get out of the house or he would have to move out. So I just went up to the lady and told her that it was her microwave that caught on fire and that that guy made sure that the house wouldn't have the same fate."

"Wow, I think you should have gone to acting classes instead of the Academy. But it was very sweet of you." the blonde said smiling.

"So are you and your banker boyfriend coming to the barbecue?" Matt asked as he saw Nora fiddling with her phone.

She smiled over at him, putting her mobile on the counter. "How'd you know he is my boyfriend?" she asked with a grin on her face.

Snorting the dark blonde lieutenant threw his hands up and returned her grin. "It's the fact that you are always on your phone either calling him or texting with that Michael fellow and that he is getting you every day from the firehouse and taking you over to work at the diner."

Sighing, Nora sat down next to Casey, the smile still evident on her features. "Yeah, I asked him and he said he would come by, at least for a bit. Uncle C approves of him, so please don't sick the guys on him."

The lieutenant gave her a look, but didn't say anything in return. Just then Cruz and Otis entered the break room, grinning as they saw the poster of the 'Friends of Firemen Barbecue'.

"Hey, hey. Check it out." Cruz said.

Otis grinned, rubbing his hands together. "Oh, yeah."

"Best benefit all year, boys."

"He's not lying." Vargas chimed from his seat behind Mouch, who gave his two cents, too. "We're there when you feed us."

Peter was helping Nora now, cleaning the dishes from lunch, when Otis addressed him, too.

"Hey, you know about fire fans, Peter Mills?"

The candidate turned to look at the two, while Nora just rolled her eyes, knowing where Cruz and Otis were going with this.

"They're chicks who follow firemen like flies to honey."

"Bees, Otis. Bees to honey." Joe corrected him, earning a snort from Herrmann's niece.

"Whatever. We're still the honey."

"Oh and you both would know that, right? You got two on each finger, yeah?" the blonde asked grinning, knowing they both weren't too good with the ladies. Peter did the same, taking the large pot to the sink and proceeding with washing the dishes.

Both Otis and Cruz opened their mouths to say something, but then turned to Casey shaking their heads.

"Hey, Lieutenant, why do we have a goat on the truck?" Otis asked the dark blonde.

He turned to him and started explaining. "Years ago, Truck 81's first fire was at a goat farm in Little Italy."

Brian shot him an disbelieving look as he watched his lieutenant munch on one of the cookies Nora made for the firehouse.

"Really?" he asked and Casey nodded his head.

Herrmann's niece couldn't help but snort at that, knowing everyone was trying to make up a story as to why Truck 81 had a goat as their symbol.

"Nah. They used to have a goat at the station, so they didn't have to mow the grass." Mouch said, confusing poor Otis even more.

"Huh. I thought that's what candidates are for." he said leaning against the counter with Cruz sitting up on it, next to him, looking back at Mills with a chuckle.

Having had enough of the two trying to get a rise out of their new candidate, Nora hit them both with the wet dish towel, making them stop instantly.

"And if you both don't stop, I'll see to it personally that you have to mow the yard at the station again, Otis. And that's a promise, I have my ways." she threatened with mirth shining in her eyes.

And then the alarm buzzed.

At first Nora thought they had to get out, but it was just announcing a visitor.

"Smoke-eater in the house." was the phrase coming from the intercom.

Everyone left the break room in a haste to greet their fellow mate. The only one taking it slowly was Nora, as she already knew her uncle was going to visit today.

As they were outside in the bay, everyone clapped and cheered, seeing Herrmann walking inside, leaning heavily on a crutch.

"Welcome back." Cruz greeted him, but looked down as he finally saw his fellow team mate in the full. "Jesus, man..." It was the reaction her uncle had wanted to get, as he limped over to then.

"They ticked a nerve in my leg, I may not walk straight again." Christopher said with a heavy look on his face.

After everyone's initial shock, Kelly was the first to recover calling out to Mills to get Herrmann a chair. From behind Casey and Severide, Nora shot her uncle a disapproving look, knowing full well he was joking around again.

Peter brought one over for Christopher to sit down to which he thanked him, letting himself fall into the seat groaning loudly.

"Oh, whoa, whoa. Wait a second, fellas, um..." Herrmann rubbed his forehead. "Are any of my kids around here, or my wife or her parents?"

They were all confused, shaking their heads as Otis told him 'No'.

"What the hell?" Nora's uncle said, moving his leg up and down before he jumped out of his seat yelling "I'm healed! Oh, I'm healed!"

Shaking her head, the blonde went over to hug her uncle tightly as he grinned from ear to ear. "Must have been living with my damn in-laws that was breaking me down!"

"Stop it Uncle C." she reprimanded him, hitting his shoulder lightly.

Once she let go of him, Otis ran at Herrmann making him gasp and cry out softly. "All right. Not that healed."

"Ready to get back?" Casey asked him, smiling at the older firefighter.

"Yeah..."

Chief Boden walked over, smiling at Nora's uncle. "Glad you're back Herrmann. We're a better house with you here."

"Thanks. Chief." he answered, putting his arm around his niece, smiling at his comrades.

"Uh, later on we're going to have a white board session about what happened in the Darden incident last month. I expect you all to be there."

Nora could see Kelly's and Matt's face falling at the mention of Andy's name.

Boden then turned and welcomed Nicki Rutkowski, who was helping out with the payroll for the next month. That was one thing Nora didn't want to know, so she left the bay walking out to see Michael standing there.

Just as she met him halfway leaning up to kiss his lips, the alarms buzzed calling for the trucks.

"What's going on?" he asked, putting his arms around her waist.

"Accident, they all need to leave."

The CEO nodded his head, pulling her closer. "How about we get out and go drink a coffee?"

Smiling, Nora laid her arms around his neck, nodding her head in approval. "Sure, I'd love to."

As the trucks left the bay, Kelly could see Nora standing there with her boyfriend and he felt the green eyed monster rise it's head.

"Are they going to be at the barbecue?" Tony asked him has he saw the sour look on his lieutenant.

"How should I know? It's her business." he snapped leaning back in his seat.

The driver of Squad 3 was taken aback, but shut up, knowing that whatever was bothering him would be his own undoing and no one could help him, if he didn't open up about it.

"So have you decided? About the barbecue I mean." Nora asked as they sat across from each other at the same cafe they were at that first night.

"Well if it's all right with you I need to check in with some clients and would meet you at the park." Michael said, softly stroking the back of her hand, which lay on the table in front of him.

Smiling softly Herrmann's niece nodded her head. "That sounds wonderful. I can't wait to show you off."

The dark haired CEO laughed, pulling on her hand to reach her lips, so he could kiss them. "Shouldn't I say something like this?"

"No. Not this time. At the barbecue I want to boast with my boyfriend." the blonde said, a grin steadily growing on her features.