Martini Glass (Kelly Severide Love Story)

The Solution to Everything

"I'M HARD TO LOVE, NO I DON'T MAKE IT EASY, I COULDN'T DO IT IF I STOOD WHERE YOU STOOD" 

*One Week later*

"So how's Severide?" Brett asks as we get our breakfast, "I wish I knew" I sigh, "these past two weeks, he's been distant" I fill her in. "Distant?" Brett questions as we sit down, "he just doesn't talk to me about anything that involves his emotions" I answer. 

"And every time I try to turn the conversation to something deeper" I continue, "he just shuts down" it's getting quite infuriating now.

The way he just keeps switching up on me.

"I mean one minute he is confiding in me and then the next minute, I might as well be a stranger" I bite into my donut, "so what I am hearing is Severide is being Severide" Brett infers. 

"Exactly" I confirm, "and I'm more patient this time because I know he is going through hell but I feel useless because I don't know how to help him" I admit. 

"You know by you simply being here, you are helping him" Brett reassures me. 

"I just don't feel like it's enough anymore" I sigh, "hey" Brett reaches over, "trust me when I say it's enough" she makes sure I believe her words. "He knows you are here for him when he needs you, just give him a little longer to come to his senses" she advises.

"You're right" I agree.

"I know" she smirks, "plus I was also right when I said that you guys were going to get back together and look at you guys now" I choke on my donut. "What?" I cough, "you're back together" she repeats, "no we are not" I shake my head.

"But the kiss at the funeral" she brings up.

"He just got swept up in the moment" I explain, "it was a thank you kiss" I add, "and it's nothing more than that because we aren't together" I state.

"But-" Brett tries again.

"He's going through a hard time and I want to be there for him but that's it" I interject, "I already told you, we are done for good" I state.

"I just don't believe it" Brett shrugs, "you guys have too much going on to ever be done" she mentions. 

"Did you not here the part about him shutting me out once again?" I remind her, "it's just in his nature at this point and I can't handle this forever so, friends is all we are ever going to be" I state but Brett doesn't believe me.

"Guess your time as acting Lieutenant has come to an end" Capp and Cruz join our conversation, "no, I am still acting Lieutenant" I clarify, knowing that it is way too early for Kelly to be coming back to work.

"I don't think so" Cruz smirks, "I just saw Severide walking up the app floor with Casey" he informs me. "What?" I can't believe he didn't tell me he was coming back, probably because he knew I would have had something to say about it.

"Yup, he's back" Capp chimes in just as Boden and an unfamiliar guy comes into the living area.

"51!" He commands our attention, "say hello to one of the toughest firefighters I ever had the honour of working with, Bill Hacker" he introduces us to his friend. "Hey Bill" we all greet him, "one of the toughest?" Bill jokes. 

"When I started out in the academy" he starts, "they threw you into the smoke box without a mask" he tells us. "Learned real quick that the good air was on the floor" it reminds me of my training and how much things have changed for the better.

"We called that class, smoke appreciation" we laugh at his pun.

"Listen to your Chief, he's a celebrity after all" this sparks our intrigue, "Mr September 1990" it takes a second for us to realise that he is talking about a firefighter calendar. Chief in a firefighter calendar, I need to see it.