#stella kidd x reader

[deanstead]

she's alright, i guess

Pairing: Stellaride x SeverideDaughter!Reader

Requested: yes, by anon

Summary: Y/N hasn’t been very welcoming towards having Stella in their lives, but when she’s faced with a situation, Stella proves to Y/N that she’s in her corner.

Word Count: 2.2K+

Tags/Warnings: Dad!Kelly, mentions of attempted assault, single parent, victim shaming

A/N: This is a different kind of request/fic from what I've written for OC so far but I was pretty intrigued by it so I decided to give it a go. Not opening requests for daughter fics at the moment still because I’m not sure how this turned out yet so let me know what you guys think!

STELLARIDE MASTERLIST

You looked up from where you’d been playing with the food on your plate, only to catch Stella smile at your father who was sitting next to you.

Resisting the urge to make a face, you turned to look at him. “Can I be excused?”

Kelly gave a small sigh and turned to look at you, looking like he wanted to say something and then deciding against it, merely nodding. “Yeah, go on.”

You gave his girlfriend a last withering look before you took your plate back into the kitchen.

Kelly suppressed an audible sigh before he looked back at Stella. “Sorry.”

Stella smiled and shook her head. “She just needs some time.”

You rolled your eyes and headed back to your room, plopping yourself down on your bed and staring up at your ceiling.

It wasn’t really that you didn’t like Stella. Hell, you’d been okay with her before you found out she was dating your father.

As far as daughters went, you were sure that you were at least three times more protective over your father than your classmates were about their own parents.

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that you only ever had Kelly growing up. You’d overheard countless discussions about people telling him that it was hard being a single parent especially with his job but whatever anyone said, and however Kelly had felt from the first time he’d found out he’d had a daughter and come to get you, Kelly had stuck it out with you.

Over the years, especially once you were older, you’d seen many girlfriends come and go - some didn’t want commitment, some ran the moment they found out about you, some just… didn’t make it. It didn’t matter that Kelly had seemed fine with everything. You were not, so all that had done was make you even more protective over him.

So when you’d found out about Stella, you’d felt your hackles raise.

Logically, you knew Stella had done nothing to deserve this but your 15 year old brain couldn’t seem to override the emotion with logic.

You lay there for a while more until there was a knock on your door and Kelly poked his head in.

“Hey kiddo. Can we talk?”

You sat up but didn’t give him an answer because you knew very well what he wanted to talk about and you weren’t sure you wanted to hear it.

Kelly came in anyway, pulling out the chair at your desk and sitting across from you.

“Will you give Stella a break?”

You looked up with a look of protest and Kelly held up a hand.

“I know.” Kelly said in a low voice, giving you a small smile to show you he wasn’t mad. “Just lighten up a little and give her a chance. That’s all I’m asking.”

You didn’t say anything but Kelly let out a chuckle as you pursed your lips. “Go easy.”

He pressed a kiss to the top of your head before patting your hair affectionately and leaving the room.

You pulled your jacket tighter around you, glancing behind you.

You hadn’t meant to let it get so late but you’d gotten a little too immersed in your notes and lost track of time. Other than the wind blowing against your back and making you shiver, you hadn’t realized how quiet the road from your friend’s house was.

You kind of regretted not calling Kelly to come and get you, but you also didn’t relish the idea of waiting here so you’d forged on, telling yourself you’d walked this street thousands of times.

But now, you were pretty sure someone was following you, hearing the echoing footsteps behind you.

Damn it.

Your hands that were jammed into your pockets closed around your phone but you were also worried things would escalate so you picked up your pace instead.

You heard the footsteps behind you match the increase in your speed and just as you thought you should break into a run, you were yanked backwards and unable to maintain your balance, you tumbled onto the concrete pavement, feeling the concrete scrape against your skin.

Your head snapped upwards, feeling your heart fall straight into your gut when you looked back into the face of the man that now towered over you.

It was a stranger, not a face you remembered seeing, but his lips ticked upwards in a smile that flipped your stomach over and your gut feeling as well as every nerve in your body was screaming at you to get up and run.

Flight.

You scrambled to your feet, slowly moving backwards as he now stepped towards you. His movements had slowed, like a predator that had just cornered his prey.

He took another step towards you and with well chosen timing, you brought your knee up swiftly, just like how Kelly had taught you.

Winded, the man bent over but not before letting out a growl.

You didn’t stick around long enough to find out what he had to say, your legs already moving before your brain realized you were running.

The wind blowing against you was painful but you didn’t dare stop because you weren’t sure if he was on your heels.

You turned the corner, sparing a glance back and collided straight into someone.

“Sorry.” You panted, glancing up.

“Y/N?” Stella looked surprised to see you before her expression switched to one of concern. “What’s wrong?”

Stella glanced up at the empty street behind you and then looked back at you. “You okay?”

You really didn’t have the energy for anything else. You just really needed an adult. You glanced up at her without talking and Stella reached for your hand.

When you didn’t pull away, Stella squeezed. “Do you want me to take you home?”

You shook your head quickly. “No. Wait. I just… I don’t want Dad to see me like this.”

Stella studied you for just a second more before she nodded. “My apartment’s just around the corner. Why don’t you come and have something at my place and we can talk? If you want to.”

You hesitated for just a second but you were still kind of spooked so you nodded, letting her lead you back down from where she came from, not even realizing your hand was still in hers.

Stella wasn’t exaggerating when she said her apartment was around the corner.

Within five minutes, you were seated on Stella’s couch, a cup of hot tea in your hands while you found yourself telling her what happened.

It was weird - you’d expected Stella to maybe pat your shoulders a little to reassure you that things would be fine before trying to convince you to call Kelly so he could come and get you. She wouldn't be the first girlfriend to hand you back over to your father as soon as she could.

But the emotions on Stella’s face as you told her were new to you - looks of concern, before outrage and then… if you didn’t know any better, you’d think she was upset.

You fell quiet after a while and Stella scooted a little closer to you.

“Alright, Y/N, listen.” Stella said and you looked up at her. “We have to report this.”

You looked back down again, your index fingers twirling together even though you were still holding the mug.

“I’ll come with you.” Stella paused. “If you’ll let me.”

You looked up again and nodded quietly. "You… You’d do that?”

You registered a look of surprise on Stella’s face before she next spoke. “Of course, Y/N.”

“Can we not call my dad yet?”

There was a small silence and you held back a sigh. You knew what would happen if your father found out about this. Other than the fact that you hated making him worry and that you knew things might get blown up out of proportion with practically everyone getting involved, it was kind of awkward talking to him about some stuff.

Stella glanced at you. “How about we take things one step at a time?”

You bit your lip and Stella nodded encouragingly at you. “Let’s go to the district and then when you’re ready, we can call Kelly alright?”

You nodded quietly, taking another sip of tea before Stella smiled. “Ready?”

You got up and Stella grabbed an extra coat off her coat hanger, draping it around your shoulders.

Stella had been told to wait outside while you gave your statement to the uniformed police officer sitting across from you but you were regretting this with each question the officer asked you.

“What were you doing out so late?”

“Is this what you normally wear to school?

You were done with the insinuations in his voice and tone. You were 15, not an idiot. You knew exactly where this was going and you’d been around your father’s friends long enough to pick some stuff up.

You stood all of a sudden, the nails digging into your palms in an effort not to let the angry tears out. “I’m not answering any more questions.”

“What do you…”

You didn’t let him finish his sentence, opening the door and stalking out.

As promised, Stella was right outside, glancing up as you walked out, reading the expression on your face instantly.

“You okay?”

You pulled Stella’s jacket tighter around yourself. “I just want to go home.”

Stella frowned, glancing up at the officer that was now outside the room as well. “You still have to answer a few questions. You can’t just…”

You didn’t move and Stella looked back down at you. “Y/N?”

“He hasn’t asked me a single question about what happened.” You said in a low voice, focusing only on Stella now. “No questions about how the man looked, what street this took place on, how he sounded.”

Stella frowned. Those were enough for her to put together a few pieces of the puzzle.

“Those are necessary questions. We need to know if…”

“Kidd. Y/N.”

You glanced up at a familiar face and Stella patted your back. “Told you I got you.” She whispered in a low voice so only you could hear.

Stella nodded with a smile at Hailey.

Telling the officer she’d take over, Hailey led you back into the room and smiled encouragingly at you.

“Stella called me. Will you tell me what happened?”

It was easier than you’d expected to talk to Hailey but even as you told her what happen, you found yourself internally steeling yourself for a lecture of some sort and you suddenly just really wished Kelly was here.

But Hailey offered no lecture or talking-to. Instead, she treated you like an adult, taking down the information you offered, her questions only revolving around important information she obviously needed, before she closed the book.

“Thank you, Y/N. Here.” Hailey handed you a small bottle and a small device. “Pepper spray and a small panic button.”

You looked up a little surprised and Hailey smiled. “If nothing, maybe it’ll help you feel safer.”

You nodded, keeping the things she handed you and Hailey came around and squeezed your shoulder before taking you out of the room again where Stella was waiting.

“Dad must be worried, I…”

Stella shook her head with a smile. “I told him you’re with me so he wouldn’t. I can call him if you’re ready.”

You felt involuntary tears well up in your eyes before you nodded. "Can you? I... I think I really need him."

Kelly was here in record time, running up the steps of the district as if he’d been waiting nearby in the first place but you didn’t care. The rush of relief and safety when you saw him made you wonder why you hadn’t gone to him immediately anyway.

“Y/N!”

You didn’t say anything, merely shooting off your seat to dive into your father’s arms like you were a child once again.

“You okay? Let me see.” Kelly pulled away just a little to look at you but other than remnants of the startled look in your eyes and new tears ready to spill over, you weren’t really hurt.

Kelly gently pulled you back into his arms and exhaled. “Thank god.”

He was never one for long verbal communications of how much he loved you but you didn’t really need him to tell you. This was even more apparent now as you were huddled in your father’s arms in the middle of a police district.

“You must be starving.” Kelly said after a while, looking down at you to wipe a stray tear off your face. “Why don’t we go get something to eat, hmm?”

You gave a small crooked smile and Kelly looked up, meeting Stella’s eyes.

“I’ll call you tomorrow.” Kelly said with a small apologetic smile at Stella. “Thank you.”

Stella nodded, but you interrupted them. “You’re not coming to eat with us?”

Kelly raised his eyebrows.

“Thought I’d give you two some private time.” Stella said, although she seemed to be weighing the look in your eyes now.

You shrugged. “You can come eat with us, too.”

Kelly glanced between his girlfriend and daughter. “Did something happen?”

You shrugged, lowering your voice. “She’s alright I guess.”

Kelly chuckled, swinging an arm around your shoulders as he led you out of the district. Stella fell into step on your other side and you smiled up at her. “Thank you.” You whispered, fully aware your father could hear you.

Stella smiled. “Thank you, too.”

Kelly just smiled at both his girls as the three of you walked down the empty streets. Together.

THANK YOU FOR READING!! PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU THOUGHT OF THIS!!

If you want to support me, buy me a coffee!

[cloveroctobers]

UPSIDE DOWN — [October Randoms!] 🧡

A/N: just a few little blurbs basically inspired by this TikTok trend. S/o to Jacob Scipio & Madelaine Petsch’s video being the first I’ve seen! Thought it be would cute to write something real quick surrounding a few characters I’m loving rn 😜

WARNINGS: if you don’t know me by now, language! + suggestive themes, & wlw!

꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷

ARMANDO:

You’d bug him about doing it but he wouldn’t budge. He just didn’t see the point until you started to challenge his strength. Once you did that, that undermining shit that’s when you pushed a nerve. He’ll plot against you, and catch you off guard, maybe when you’re in the bathroom doing a night or morning routine.

He’ll sneak right up behind you, crouching before he pops up, making you gasp and flail around as he flips you upside down in your PJ’s. He’ll hold you there for a second, smirking down at you but you can’t see that since he’s pulling your ass up over his left shoulder, holding onto your ribcage and providing you with a nice stretch.

“Arman!” You yell, hands reaching out to the floor—just in case—with your lip balm now rolling against the tile floor, “okay we get it, you’re Hercules. Put me down now.”

“Talk to me nice from now on, okay mami?”

“Yeah, yeah.” You mutter, “who needs Pilates when I got you?”

He snorts as he spins you around the back of his neck, taking careful hold of your hips before setting you back down on your own feet. You hold onto his hand that’s resting on your right hip and with a huff you say, “now we need to do that again for the camera.”

Armando lightly pushes you back to the sink, “nope. I’m getting in bed to watch the game, sorry not sorry the world missed out on these guns…but at least you didn’t, huh?” He winks at you before kissing his bare muscles.

ANGEL:

You’re on the thicker side so when you showed these videos to your man one night when you’re lounging in bed, finding how cute and fun they were Angel says with a scoff, “I can do that shit. They ain’t special.”

With a sigh and a nod you say, “I’m sure you can. Most of the ones they always show at the top makes it seem like it’s for the petites though.”

Angel, who’s been lounging on his elbow, furrows his brows at your words from over your shoulder, “Whatchu mean by that?”

Then his phone is ringing off the hook and he has to meet the rest of his brothers in the middle of the night but a kiss to your lips and a promise that this, “conversation ain’t over,” is said to you before he leaves.

Honestly you forgot about that conversation as a week went by. When you show up to the club to drop something off for Angel that he left at home, he’s outside getting ready to head over to his bike until he spots your car.

He greets you with a scratchy kiss to your cheek, thanking you for the item he left behind this morning. Angel then tells you to get your camera out, much to your confusion.

“We’re gonna film that cutesy shit you were talking about last week before you get outta here. C’mon.” He waves you back to his bike, while you’re still frowning, “I don’t got all day, querida. Get your sexy ass over here.”

You get the extra tripod that’s in your backseat and set it up a nice distance from his bike. Of course Angel wanted a shot of the bike in the frame as he stood off to the side of it, hands clasped right in front of him as you back up towards him.

The countdown is heard and just in time, Angel’s tatted hands are right on your waist flipping you and walking around with you a bit with his middle finger raised towards the camera. You’re laughing just as he’s bringing you upright and you spin around to hold onto his chest, catching your breath.

“Let me know when we go, viral.” He smirks, hands slipping down to squeeze your backside and kisses your lips.

CANE:

“Oh, okay now I’m really not doin’ that shit,” Cane replies with a side eye, after you cut whatever game he was playing off.

Your hands are on your hips, “and why the hell not? Scared you’re gonna drop me on my head?”

Cane chuckles, “nah, I’m convinced somebody in your family already did.”

“Fuck you and your bug eyes.”

“word? So now I’m ugly?”

You shrug as you step out of the living room in the penthouse, annoyance was heavy in your tone, “you said it, not me.”

Cane rolled his eyes, tossing the controller onto the couch, “aight don’t tell me you’re about to have a funky ass attitude with me now all because I said I don’t want to do this dumbass challenge?”

You’re in the kitchen, continuing to fix yourself something to eat, “you think it’s dumb, fine. I’ll just find another man who can do the job properly anyway.”

“…what?” Cane turns his eyes into slits, “another who?” He pressed, pushing off the couch to meet you in the kitchen.

You bit back a smirk as you put your back to Cane with a sigh and pushed off the counter to open the fridge back up, “you heard me. Maybe you don’t want to do it because you can’t…I know you don’t like seeming weak in front of me and I accept that—

“Fuck all that.” Cane sucks his teeth, “get over here, you’re not about to play in my face tonight.”

You flirt, “I thought you liked it when i put it in your face?”

“Cute,” Cane licks his bottom lip before waving you over with one hand, “Now show me what I need to do.”

And he always learned fast, holding you up in the air with one arm and shoots a grin at the camera before talking his shit down at you, then hides his face behind your body again. In cane fashion, he shook his face against your ass before walking over to cut the camera, so he can show you just what no other man couldn’t do.

TERRY:

You’re out biking together and decided to take a break, surrounded by trees that were bigger than the man of your dreams. Thankfully Terry was down for a water break because the heat was still rising—even though it was October— y’all lived in the south and didn’t need either of you to pass out from the heat.

Terry was usually calm cool and collected but he liked to flex every now and then, plus he already agreed to doing the, “challenge,” he spun you to face him, sharp green eyes already set on you. Before your eyebrow could lift at what he was thinking in that strong willed brain of his, the count down was started and he bends while not taking his eyes off you.

At the last minute he spins you back by the hips before trailing his hands up your sides first, then yanks you upside down, lifting you above his shoulder instead of just at his torso, which meant work for you to keep your legs straight, then he starts to lower you by your waist and then up again as if you’re his own personal bench press. Letting him have his moment, grunts and all being heard as he stares at the camera straight-faced, you’re the one to tap out just before the video finishes.

Once you’re back on your feet, you meet Terry’s eyes with a roll of yours followed by a pant, “show off.”

“Now it’s my turn.” His lips twitch as you glanced behind yourself because…who was he talking to?

“I love you but I’m not about to break my arms for you.” You say, while Terry leans forward to kiss your forehead with a chuckle.

Then with a slap to your backside, which definitely stung, he nods his head towards your bikes and says calmly, “You’re gonna have to put those legs and arms to work still. I just saw a brown bear five miles back and some feces about a mile back so…i think break time is over.”

Snatching up your tripod with the swiftness, you lowered it and shoved it in your bag as you side eyed Terry who’s waiting for you on his bike, earphone already in one ear, “I hate your calmness so much at times and one of those times happens to be right now, if i wasn’t scared, I’d kick your ass.”

“That doesn’t sound like a thank you,” Terry says leaning over his bike, “I just gave you a little happiness and now here you are, threatening me.”

It was giving, “help the bear!” And you weren’t with it!

You nod your head vigorously, “Yeah that’s right because we could have done this at home!” You kick off and start peddling, “so now I’m gonna have to kick your ass on this bike and beat you home. So you better keep up, Richmond!”

“Yes ma’am, i will,” he says easily keeping pace and following behind you as you take the lead down the bumpy pathway, “you know i got your back, front, and all sides.”

Scoffing over your shoulder at Terry’s attempt to flirt with you right now, you work hard checking every angle just like you were trained to do and always watch your back, not because you had doubts that Terry couldn’t keep up with you, you always wanted to watch his back as well—especially if a damn grizzly bear had the potential to knock you both upside down.

…later when you both made it safely home and were lounging after a shared shower, Terry rolls his head to press against your temple after placing a few kisses against your skin, “you know there wasn’t a bear right?”

“Excuse me?” You feel your eye twitch.

“You never know though.” Terry states, “best to be prepared.”

Too exhausted you reply, “you know what…I’m not going on anymore survivor bullshit adventures with you!”

Terry pulls back to stare at you until you meet his eyes, “yes you are.”

“Want to bet?” You sit up a little while there’s that glint of amusement that appears in Terry’s green hues.

He gets right in your personal space, forehead brushing right against yours, “do you?”

You gulp.

STELLA:

Having your own following, you had your supporters control what you did today. It was a Saturday, you just left the cafe with them picking your choice of drink and pastry while doing some work at the cafe for about an hour almost two, which gave them enough time to decide what you were to do next. Smiling to yourself after seeing which challenge was selected, you texted your girlfriend to see if she was down at the station before ordering her a cold brew to go.

You weren’t a cold brew kinda person but Stella had the strongest of stomach’s, which made sense considering she was a whole ass firefighter and you knew your girlfriend would be thrilled to see you and coffee—not just depending on what kind of day it was at 51.

“There she is!” Stella’s all grins while the rest of her team are running drills.

You wave at Gallo, Mouch, and Carver who return the action with a pant and hold out the beverage to the dark haired woman, who had her lips out first before her hands. Laughing a little you meet her lips, pecking them multiple times until she deemed that as satisfactory before she takes the drink into her hands.

“And what the hell are you drinking?” Her nose crinkles.

This wasn’t unfamiliar, sometimes the both of you would budge and try the other’s just to hate it.

“Want to try?”

“Uh uh,” Stella winces, then sighs as she brings the drink to her lips and with a pop of her tongue she says, “my girl, always gonna get me right every time! You been busy today, huh?”

“Yeah had a meeting about the next direction i want to take my blog in after the last poll i posted and needed a little pick me up to get through the rest of this Saturday,” you inform, “you’re the pick me up.”

Stella teases as she points at herself, “Little ‘Ol me?”

“Yes you.” You joke back as you peer up at her.

“I’m flattered!”

“I know you are.”

Stella reached to cup your face, staring at you lovingly before her eyes go into slits, “what do you want?”

You laugh, “wooow! Can’t i just come say hi?”

“Sure but we’ve both been busy lately and usually don’t have the time to pop in and say hey so…what do they want?”

You push your lips out, looking away before looking back shyly at Stella who scoffs out a laugh. “Spit it out!”

“It won’t take long, but it’s a trend going on right now.”

“‘Course it is.” She nods.

You’re already pulling out your phone for her, she moves to stand behind you, still sipping on her drink before lowering her face towards your shoulder, burying her nose there for a second before you bring up one of the videos from your likes.

“So…you want me to do that?” Stella questions after getting the gist of it.

You nod, “you did always say you wanted to try new positions…”

“Whew! Stella, looks like you found somebody to match your freak?” Gallo calls out, making Stella raise her brows and whip to face the younger man.

Carver playfully shoves the dark haired man while Mouch looks confused on that terminology.

“Did I tell you to stop? Just for that, Blake! You’re all going to run it five more times.”

“Five?!” Carver calls out, “what the hell, gallo?”

Mouch slaps a gloved hand to his head in irritation.

Gallo appears sheepish at his team mates, mumbling sorries while you send a wink his way, making him quirk up a small smile at you, since you found it funny.

Stella pulls you further away from her truck, “did your supporters tell you, I couldn’t do it or somethin’?”

“I actually haven’t checked my DM’s but who gives a shit what they have to say? I just thought it would not only be cute but sexy to see you do it in your work attire.” You run a hand down Stella’s long torso.

She takes a big swish of cold brew before placing it on the floor near Squad three’s truck. Stella clasps her hands together, cracks them, and then rubs them together. “Let’s do this, babe! I gotcha, you don’t have to worry about a thing.”

“Oh, I’m not worried.” You place your drink by her’s on the ground, “I know my woman’s strength.”

Stella’s always been competitive, it’s one of the things you loved about her and one of the things she did to get your attention.

“Damn straight!” Stella runs her teeth over her bottom lip, “let’s show these douchebags what I’m made of.”

You laugh, “babe, there’s no one challenging you remember?”

“Not yet. We’re about to set the standard, let’s go before I get snatched away on call!”

You stand in front of her, staring at her over your shoulder hard and she can read your mind. She fans her hand for you to turn back around, “I’ve got no plans on letting you slip through my fingers, don’t doubt me.”

“How many times do I have to tell you I’m not—

It’s like you forgot that you turned the timer on and Stella’s listening while the rest of her team are being nosy and watching. You’re cut off, letting out a scream as she turns your feet up into the air, holding you there as your hands clasp your mouth, hiding your giggles before she switches you into the position where your legs are around her hips.

“Yeah!” She yells at the camera over your shoulder, holding onto you before you’re moving her face by the chin to meet your lips.

Mouch let’s out a wolf whistle with Gallo and Carver clap it up.

“Knew you had it in you, baby.” You breathe as Stella puts you down.

Stella grins, “my biggest cheerleader. You’re alright though?”

“Course!”

Gallo calls out, “I want to try next!”

“No!” Stella points at Gallo who deflates.

“Try what?” Hermann’s nasally tone is heard, followed by Ritter, Cruz, and Capp who came out behind him.

Doing what Gallo does, he tells them what you came here for and even grabs your phone to show what you two just did.

Hermann frowns, “I can do that!”

“Hundred bucks says Cindy won’t let you do it.” Stella points at the older man who scoffs at the woman.

Ritter adds, “wouldn’t it just be easier to continue on our subject right here?”

Cruz laughs, “way to make them sound like a science experiment!”

“I definitely did not mean it that way.” Ritter is apologetic while you just brush it off, knowing that the guy means no harm as you walk over trying to get your phone back from Gallo who’s showing the video to Capp now.

Capp says, “what’s so hard about that?!”

“Says the guy who got a boot stuck on his head.” Joe mutters to you.

“Exactly!” Hermann roars referring to Capp’s first response, “and Cindy would let me do that if I provided enough of those little videos you got inspired by!”

“Okay then shake my hand on it!” Stella orders already in disbelief, while Hermann huffs, slapping his hand right into Stella’s.

“Hey, I heard that.” Capp points at Joe, “and it was one time! What do you think? I’m going to drop her into the ground and they’ll get stuck?”

Your eyes go wide as Gallo hands back your phone, “um…I’m gonna go now. Plenty of work to get back to, just like you first responders!”

Quickly you turn and head back to Stella to peck her cheek before running off to pick up your drink.

“Look what you did, Capp. Scaring them off!” Mouch yells at the bald man who frowns.

Stella tries to call out to you but you just chuck up the deuces and turn around to kiss at your fingers multiple times, before throwing them towards the woman but made no motion of slowing down.

When Stella gets back to her office after a very long call, she texts you to let you know she won’t be back home until the morning so don’t wait up for her. With that she also sends a final text: you’re right, I am looking forward to something new…especially after today 🤸‍♂️🫦

It only takes you a minute to send a risqué photo right back, you in one of Stella’s favorite thong’s that made your backside look out of this world and you were doing exactly that, in a hand stand with you saying: like this? See you when you get home 😉💋

You knew just how to drive her crazy because before Stella can find the words to say, she’s placed on do not disturb—not for the rest of the night—you wouldn’t dare, not with the kind of job she does but just enough to make her sweat it out.

That Stella did as she bit down on her knuckle, burning the image of you in her mind before she locked her phone and turned it over face down on her desk. 

꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷

Continue with my October anthology prompts here.

[sevasey51]

Hello again love!! Can you do another little sister of Matt Casey imagine. One where she is home alone waiting for him to come pick her up, since Jay is undercover on a case. While she has a seizure and isn’t able to turn on your side and aspirates either on a bitten tongue or saliva. That he comes home and finds her, calling Will panicking who then tries to get ahold of Jay. Include Stella and Kelly being some of the responding members, before Connor being her doctor and helping her get out of the woods. Maybe have it be touch and go for a whole in the trauma room well?

Thank you so much lovely!

Close Call

Summary: Matt Casey’s little sister, Y/N, is strong, independent, and rarely asks for help—even as she quietly battles epilepsy. With Jay Halstead undercover and Matt running late to pick her up, she’s home alone when the worst happens: a seizure hits hard, and this time, she can’t turn on her side. She aspirates and is unconscious when Matt finds her, triggering a desperate call to Will. With Squad 3 and Ambo 61—including Kelly and Stella—racing to the scene, and Connor Rhodes waiting in the trauma bay, the fight to save her life begins. It’s touch and go, and for a moment, everyone fears they may lose her.

Y/N Casey curled up on the couch, phone in hand, trying to focus on the TV instead of the flickering warning signs dancing at the edge of her vision. She hadn’t said anything to Matt about the aura she’d felt earlier—she didn’t want to worry him. He was just a few minutes out anyway, coming straight from shift to pick her up and bring her to the firehouse for a quick dinner with Stella and Kelly.

Jay was still deep undercover—radio silent for days now—and she’d been doing her best to hold it together.

She blinked, the world tilting.

Then her body stiffened.

Her phone slipped from her fingers, landing facedown on the carpet.

She hit the floor hard.

Her body convulsed violently, the seizure wrenching every muscle at once. But this time, no one was there to turn her onto her side. Her jaw clenched with the intensity of the seizure, and her tongue caught between her teeth. Saliva pooled in her throat. Her chest heaved—but no air came in.

She began to choke.

And then, everything went terrifyingly still.

Matt pulled up to the curb, yawning as he grabbed his keys. He hadn’t texted—he figured he’d just run in, grab his sister, and head out. But when he stepped through the door and called out

“Y/N? You ready?”

Silence.

Something in him instantly shifted. “Y/N?”

He moved through the house faster now. Past the kitchen. Into the living room.

And then his world stopped.

She was on the floor. Pale. Eyes rolled back. Blood and saliva around her mouth. Her body completely unresponsive.

“Y/N!” Matt dropped to his knees, hands shaking as he turned her onto her side. “No no no no no—God—come on, come on, breathe.”

He fumbled for his phone, hands slick with sweat. “Will. Answer. Come on—answer.”

Will picked up on the second ring. “Matt?”

“She seized—she’s not breathing—she’s aspirated or something—I just found her. Please, Will—tell me what to do!”

“Get her on her side—tilt her head—clear her mouth if you can. We’re sending Ambo right now. I’ll call Jay. Stay with her, Matt.”

Ambo 61 and Squad 3 arrived within minutes—lights, sirens, chaos. Stella was out of the rig before it fully stopped, her face going pale when she saw Y/N.

“Is she breathing?” she asked Matt sharply.

“Barely!” he choked out. “She seized—bit her tongue or—God, there was blood—she wasn’t breathing—I don’t know how long!”

Kelly helped lift her gently onto the stretcher while Sylvie started suctioning her airway. “She’s got shallow breath sounds, possible aspiration—BP is crashing!”

“Go!” Stella snapped. “Let’s go—Trauma 1, Connor’s on standby!”

Connor Rhodes met them at the doors of Med, already gowned and gloved.

“She’s post-ictal with hypoxia and suspected aspiration,” Sylvie reported quickly as they rolled in. “Was seizing alone—unknown downtime.”

“She’s bradying down—O2 sat dropping!” April shouted from the monitor.

“Get a tube in now!” Connor ordered. “Suction again—let’s go, people!”

Matt stood outside the trauma room, frozen, shaking, with blood on his sleeves. Will arrived seconds later, eyes darting to his friend and then into the chaos of the trauma bay.

“Connor’s got her,” Will said quietly, trying to anchor him. “He’s the best shot she’s got.”

Matt nodded, barely breathing. “I should’ve been here sooner.”

Inside, Connor worked fast—intubating, stabilizing, suctioning the blood and secretions from her lungs while April managed meds and April kept vitals from bottoming out. For a while, it was touch and go—her blood pressure dangerously low, O2 levels barely climbing. Her heart even stuttered once, requiring a brief round of chest compressions.

But slowly, painfully—she began to stabilize.

Her color returned. Her oxygen climbed. The rhythm on the monitor evened out.

Connor finally stepped back, chest rising and falling, sweat on his brow. “She’s stable. We got her back.”

Matt let out a breath that turned into a sob. Will caught him as he slumped against the wall, the adrenaline finally crashing.

A few hours later, Y/N was in the ICU, still intubated but sedated and peaceful. Her stats were improving, her lungs responding to treatment. Connor stood with Matt at her bedside, explaining everything they’d done, everything to watch for.

“She’s not out of the woods yet,” he said honestly. “But she’s strong. And she’s got a hell of a team.”

Matt swallowed hard, gripping her hand. “She shouldn’t have been alone.”

“She won’t be again,” Will said firmly, stepping in. “Not now. We’ll figure out a better plan.”

Connor looked down at Y/N, then back at Matt. “This was close, Matt. If you’d been five minutes later…”

“I know,” Matt whispered. “I know.”

Outside the room, Jay finally arrived—sweaty, breathless, still half in disguise from the case he’d just abandoned the second Will’s message got through. He saw her through the glass and froze.

“She’s alive,” Will said gently. “But it was bad.”

Jay stepped inside, taking her other hand. “I’m here now. I’m not going anywhere.”

And none of them would. Not anymore.

Not after that.

[witchygagirlwrites]

Stella Kidd x Reader

Everyone wants the new Paramedic at 51. She wants one person and sets out to get her

The new paramedic at fifty one caught quite a lot of attention when she first started, among those was Stella Kidd. It wasn’t that she was beautiful or well, it wasn't just that she was beautiful, she was full of life and sarcastic and not afraid of much. She was sweet as sugar when the situation called for it but the devil himself would cower when her temper flared. 

Everyone wanted just a bit of her attention, she seemed unaware for the longest until about four months in. It was a Friday night at Molly’s. She was at the bar, chatting with Hailey and Kim while she sipped a beer. Stella’s eyes tracked the movement, finding herself jealous of the damn glass bottle getting to taste the lips she desperately wanted to. “Kidd!” She heard Herrman call her name and shook herself out of her stupor to go back to work.

__________________

You watched Stella move around the bar, a smile on her face as she passed drinks out. She was so damn gorgeous. Hailey assured you she was single, that she had been since a bad marriage ended but how the hell were you supposed to approach someone like her? She was directly under Matt and Kelly in the hierarchy of the house, brilliant, brave and well everything you had ever wanted.

You took another swig of your beer as Stella glanced back your way, a smile playing on her lips. Damn she was gorgeous. You raised the bottle and she walked over “Does my favorite medic need another drink?” you raised an eyebrow “Favorite medic huh? I think Brett may get jealous” she shrugged “It’ll be ok” you felt your cheeks warm and shook your head “Actually I was wondering what you were doing tomorrow night” 

A grin split her face “Why do you ask?” you rolled your eyes but smiled “I was going to take my favorite firefighter to dinner” she grinned further “Kelly?” and you shook your head “Dammit Kidd, quit teasing me!” she laughed lightly “I’m free” you grinned “Good, I’ll pick you up around seven?” she nodded “Seven is good”

Did seeing you and Stella together shake up the firehouse a bit? Maybe. Did either of you care? Not in the slightest. She was everything you’d ever wanted and you would be damned before you’d let her go now. Seeing her geared up heading into a fire scared the shit out of you but seeing her come out of a fire? Yeah that did something completely different to you.

You knew that you were already head over heels about a month in. You had it bad for Stella Kidd and just hoped she felt the same. 

__________________

Stella watched you in the bay, helping Sylvie restock your rig. The two of you had been together for a few months now and she’d never been happier. From the first time you kissed her she was addicted to the feeling of your lips on hers. You were everything she’d never experienced in past relationships. You supported her when she needed support and let her do her own thing when she needed it. You never made her doubt herself and would always be watching when she walked out of a fire and she’d see the little breath of relief you’d take when you saw she was unharmed.

She was already in love with you, it just felt so damn right being with you. She was yours well and thoroughly.

You were sitting at the bar in Mollys next to Matt as Stella worked the bar. She cut her eyes at you every now and then, a smile slipping onto her face. Once she cleared the drink orders she walked back over in front of you and leaned on the bar “Hey beautiful, what can I get you?”

You leaned over and tugged her into a kiss. When she pulled away you smiled “That was all I needed. I love you” a smile split her face because that was the first time you said that. Your eyes widened when you realized but she just winked at you “You can order however many of those you want. I love you too” then headed down the bar when a couple people from the twenty first were waiting to order.

[natti-ice]

I updated who I write for, I’m now writing for Chicago fire and 9-1-1!

Though my fic requests are closed, my asks are always open for concepts & fandom talk!!

[samrsgyi]

Stella Kidd with a fem!firefighter!reader

Samrsgyi: Our beauty queen. Ms. Stella Kidd. To be honest I've always fantasized if Stella would actually fuck us in her uniform, would she hesitate? Hmm, I guess not😮‍💨.

If you're under 16 get out my swamp

- Hope you're in luck, she will love you to death

- When you were first introduced to truck 81 it was the first time you also ran into Stella Kidd, a gorgeous lieutenant

- The first time she laid her eyes on you, she fell for you

- You were flustered about her and her always the type of person to say kiss me, miss me, love me, date me

- You had confessed your love to Stella after the first four couple of days and she accepted cuz she liked you too

- On occasions she would tell you how she loves you so much and is lucky to have you

- You were the firefighter with long black hair but sometimes put it up in a ponytail

- Sometimes Stella would tackle you from behind just to feel your hair and asked you how you got it like this

- You would ask her, " Y'know how to do science." She would reply with a, " Yes! Ofcourse! You think I didn't pay attention in 5th grade."

- You just laughed at her response, helped her up and gave her a kiss on the cheek

- You would never have to worry about missing Stella because you both work 24( One day )-48( Two days )-96 hours ( Four days ) because you're always with her

- When you guys are home for four days, you and Stella would play pillow fights with each other

- You and Stella do each others hair. You do it in a messy bun for her and she does yours in braids

- One time you made her a flower necklace and gave it to her as a gift

- You guys do have arguments but, make it up with either cuddling or " Passionate Love-Making

- So technically the gf Stella could ever ask for is you

That's all, hope you enjoyed!!!!

[spexialvixtimxunit]

A Special Moment

500 Follower Special

Part 2 from - Eating out

Warnings: Top!Stella Kidd x Black!Afab!Female!Reader,

Masterlist

Note: It's been a while since I posted and I forgot I had this in my drafts and was supposed to post this a while ago, I hope you enjoy this.

*there are writing mistakes in my works, I don’t proofread!*

。　♡ 。　　♡。　　♡. 。　♡ 。　　♡。　　♡ 。

“Tonight is all about you.” You whispered as you examined her body. Her hair was spread out all over the bed, her body hugged a black dress tightly to her figure.

You began your hunt, pushing her dress up to her waist, spreading her legs as you pulled off her underwear. She studied you, watching your every move.

You found what you were looking for, going down on her, devouring her wet area. She let out a moan as she grabbed onto your head, pushing you close. You moved her hands and grabbed onto her wrist.

You shook your head no as you could hear how frustrated she was. “If you move, you can’t cum.” You said while removing your mouth from her area.

She let out another whine, wanting you to touch her, having you to touch her. You could tell she was getting slightly angry as you continued to tease her by edging her, ever so slightly.

Stella let out a moan, figuring that she was about to cum, you pulled away, edging her once more. “Baby stop, please. Please let me cum. I need, I need to cum baby please.” She mewled.

You chuckled, "Only because today is about, I'll give you what you want only for today." You continued to devour her, savoring every feeling and flavor spilling out of her.

You allowed her to pull your face close to her as she came all over your face. You giggled as you could hear her soft panting as she whined in pleasure. "Oh fuck, baby." She whispered.

You got up and pulled up your dress to straddle her waist, leaning in to plant soft kisses on her flushed cheeks. Nothing could compare to the feeling you had felt every time you made her cum.

Naturally, her hands placed themselves on your waist. "How was that for a birthday gift?" She laughed at your comment. "I guess that was surely a surprise for me and I definitely enjoyed myself." She flirted.

"If you think that was the rest of your gift, you are wrong." You readjusted yourself, lining both of your clits up, pushing your hips together. "I want us to cum together." You whispered, letting out a moan as you could feel the wetness of your area slip all over her.

Soon enough all the excitement spilled over your bodies and you both came. "Oh my god, that was something else." Stella said sheepishly. YOu smiled, "Happy birthday Stella, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself tonight."

。　♡ 。　　♡。　　♡. 。　♡ 。　　♡。　　♡ 。

[chicago-pd-is-weird]

Hank Voight x Fem!Reader - Pt. 1

Request for @maximeseveridecasey - I hope you like it! Part 2 coming soon.

Synopsis: Reader is a bartender at Molly's with a boyfriend who is bad news. Hank Voight is investigating the case, but soon becomes smitten with her.

TW: Reader is victim of abuse

You were tending the bar at 2PM on a Friday. You weren’t sure why the bar was open that early, seeing as the only customers you had were the old men and day drinkers who had nothing better to do. Herman, however, seemed convinced that it was bringing in enough revenue. You didn’t mind, so long as you got a paycheck. You were saving money so you could leave Chicago, and moreover, leave your boyfriend.

It was getting hard to hide the bruises from Herman, Otis, and Gabby. You often wore long sleeves despite it being summertime, and the makeup had on often sweat off in the middle of rush hour, revealing the bruises on your neck and face. If anyone asked, you quickly made up an excuse and changed the subject.

Your thoughts were broken by the little bell ringing as the door opened. A man in his mid-fifties walked in and looked around. You figured it was another day drinker, or one of those people who stopped in because they were meeting up with someone. Nevertheless, you walked over as he sat at the bar. “Hey there, what can I get you?” You smiled.

He hummed, looking you over, then set something on the bar. “Guess.” He pulled his hand away, leaving a badge in its wake.

You looked at him when you heard his unique voice. He sounded like he smoked eight packs a day, yet he didn’t smell like smoke. You glanced at the badge, then sighed, turning and grabbing two shot glasses, putting one in front of him, and one in front of you. Then, you grabbed your liquor of choice and poured two shots. “On the house.” You took your glass and held it up. The man seemed intrigued, but matched you, clinking your glasses together before you both took a shot. “What can I do for you, sergeant?”

He laughed, looking at you as he set the glass back down. “Do you know me or something?”

You shook your head, putting one finger on the star still sitting on the bar. “It says so on your badge. Dead giveaway. Should’ve used someone else’s.” You shrugged and took care of the glasses and liquor before leaning down on the counter, a cocked eyebrow. “What do you need?”

“Do you know Gregory Sanders?”

You stopped at the name of your boyfriend. You sighed deeply, standing straight again and grabbing a cloth to wipe off the bar. It wasn’t dirty, but you wanted to busy yourself. “I don’t think you’d be here if I didn’t.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“You still haven’t introduced yourself, Sergeant.”

A corner of his mouth pulled him to smile. “Hank Voight.”

“(Y/N) (L/N),” you replied, not looking up as you obsessively found something to do with your hands.

“So, tell me about Greg.”

“What do you want to know?”

Hank watched you struggle to find something to do, seemingly amused. “What does he do for work?”

You scoffed. Considering your boyfriend was a full-time gun dealer, it almost made you laugh. “Nothing. I bring the paychecks.”

“Yeah? That might be true to an extent, but you should see his bank statements.”

“I have nothing to do with that.”

“That’s not what I asked… Besides, it’s not you I want. But I could arrest you and bring you in for drinking on the job.”

You scoffed again, rolling your eyes and leaning down on the bar again to look into his eyes. “You could. But you can’t charge me with anything. Go ahead, I’m sure my bosses will be ecstatic that I have to close the bar because of you. Just make sure your house doesn’t catch on fire anytime soon if you do take me in.”

“Right, because this is the firefighter bar?” Hank hummed. “I know those firefighters. I’m sure I could smooth things over.”

“You said your name is… Voight?” You laughed softly when he nodded. “I doubt that. They kind of hate you.”

Hank matched your amusement, chuckling as he pulled a card out of his jacket. “Maybe that’s true too. You’re pretty smart, I’ll give you that.” He slid the card over to you on the bar, then grabbed his badge and clipped it back to his belt. “Find me if you feel like talking.”

With that, he got up and left the bar. You looked down at the card, which was his business card. Taking it, you put it in your jeans pocket just as someone else came up to the bar. You looked up, but frowned when you saw it was Greg himself. You walked over and grabbed his beer of choice. You hated it when he drank, since his tab usually came out of your paycheck. You set it in front of him after opening it. “Hey baby,” you said softly. “What’s going on?”

“Who was that?” He asked. “Travis told me a cop was here.”

“Yeah he was a cop,” you replied with a shrug. “A lot of cops hang out at this bar. It’s owned by firefighters. First responders are all a club.”

“A sergeant?”

You scoffed. “So? Just means he’s allowed to day drink more than the foot patrols.”

He grabbed your arm, squeezing it tightly, right where he had left bruises previously. You gasped and let out a small yelp in pain but couldn’t escape his strong grip. “Shit, that hurts, Greg,” you whispered as your body contorted in an effort to escape him.

“What the hell did you tell him?”

“Nothing, I swear! He came in, asked about you, and I told him I have nothing to do with whatever you do on a daily basis. That I work to support us both!”

Greg squeezed harder, then finally let go, making you recoil and rub your aching arm. You bit your lip as tears brimmed your eyes.

“You better not talk to the cops. You know what will happen.”

“I know,” you whispered.

Greg took a deep swig of his beer before getting up and leaving, Travis leaving with him. You sighed, grabbing the still-full beer and swigging some yourself before putting it below the counter to drink later.

—

When work got out, things really ramped up at the bar. You got busy. Greg didn’t hang out when the bar was busy, because there were so many cops around. You started to sweat again, especially due to the long sleeve and pants you were wearing, rolling up your sleeves to reveal the fresh bruises in an attempt to cool yourself. Nevertheless, your makeup betrayed you and once again showed off the bruises on your neck and your cheeks. You wanted to get to the bathroom to touch it up, but not before Sylvie and Stella caught you. The two looked you over with a frown.

“(Y/N), who does this to you?” Sylvie asked.

“Nobody,” you replied quickly. “I’m just clumsy, you know?” You quickly poured them another shot of whatever they were drinking.

“Come on, (Y/N), there’s twenty cops in this bar who would be happy to help you,” Stella protested.

You sighed and shook your head. “Stella, Sylvie, I appreciate your concern, but I’m fine.”

“Whoever you’re protecting isn’t worth it if they do this to you. They won’t hurt you if you tell us,” Stella protested.

You scoffed. Of course, Greg would hurt you if he ever found out. He would probably kill you. You shook your head and walked away from them to tend to someone else at the bar.

“Hey, (Y/N),” Erin said with a smile as she walked up with Jay. You knew the two pretty well, as they were there with the normal crowd most nights.

“Hey Erin, Jay,” you nodded to each of them. “What’s the choice tonight?”

“Just beer,” Jay said with a smile.

“Coming right up.” You grabbed two beers and popped them open, setting them in front of the two. “Let me know if you need anything else.”

“Actually,” Erin said, reaching out to take your hand. She didn’t want to touch your bruises, so she pulled you gently by the hand to come closer. “You okay?”

You sighed. “Yes, I’m fine. We have this conversation a lot, don’t we?”

“You have new bruises a lot,” Jay replied softly. “We’re just making sure you’re alright.”

“I’m clumsy,” you said with a shrug. “Besides, one of your cop buddies came around today.”

“Yeah?” Erin asked.

“A sergeant,” you replied. “Voight, I think was his name. I guess he’s investigating someone. Thought I had something to do with it. Threatened to arrest me, too.”

Jay and Erin looked at one another, then Jay swigged his beer. Erin hummed and looked back at you. “Voight is our boss. He’s the guy who practically raised me.”

You took a sharp breath. You’d just wanted to change the subject. Now you didn’t want to talk at all. “Sorry I said anything,” you said softly. “I don’t want to get in the way of your investigation.”

“(Y/N), we’re investigating Greg Sanders. You were identified as someone on his contacts list.”

You sighed. “Like I told Voight, he’s my boyfriend, but I don’t have anything to do with whatever he does. All I know is I work when the bar is open, and sleep most of the other time. Greg comes home sometimes to get his… fill. We have sex, I fall asleep then get up for work. That’s it.”

Jay looked up at you. He had those puppy dog eyes that could make the hardest person melt in an instant. “We think he’s pretty rough with you, considering the bruises. We just want to help you, especially if you don’t have anything to do with his… dealings.”

You shrugged and turned away as someone else came up to the bar, letting the conversation end there. You got busy again, filling and re-filling drinks, running and paying tabs, and keeping it as clean as possible.

.

When the bar finally closed for the night, you swept the floor and made sure everything was clean for the next day. It was Saturday, your day off. Christopher walked out from the back, handing you an envelope. You opened it and counted out enough to cover the tab your boyfriend had run up that week, which had been more than half of your paycheck. You sighed as you handed it to him. “For Greg’s tab.”

“You know, he should pay for his own drinks,” Chris said softly. “Is there a reason you’re still with this guy?”

You shrugged as you continued to sweep the floor. You knew he’d kill you if you ever broke up with him. That’s why you had to leave Chicago. You knew this week’s paycheck wouldn’t contribute much to your sad savings for the trip away. You had barely $100 saved up and you’d been saving for three months.

Chris sighed. He tried multiple times, like many others, to reach you. You simply wanted to leave Chicago and go somewhere nobody could find you. “Alright, just let me know if you need anything. All I’m saying is you deserve better.”

—

The next day, you woke up in the afternoon, due to being up until last call. What really annoyed you, though, was an obsessive knocking at your front door. You groaned and threw on some clothes, yelling down to the door. “I’m coming, I’m coming!” You rolled your eyes and muttered under your breath a curse at whoever was on the other side of the door. When you finally opened it, you were shocked to see Travis, who pushed himself past you and inside. “Travis? What the hell is going on?”

“(Y/N), it’s not my fault, I swear it.”

“What? What’s not?”

“There’s a cop and he’s pissed.”

“What cop? Where?” You looked back to the door, which was still open, seeing Hank Voight standing on your porch now. You hadn’t seen him before because of Travis’s frantic nature. “Sergeant Voight, what’s going on?”

Voight pushed into the house with you, shutting the door behind him. “You’re both going to come with me. Either we can do this quietly, or I can bring three squads down and make a big show of it with the cuffs.”

Your eyes landed on Travis. “What the hell did you do? Does Greg know?”

“It’s not my fault! He threatened me!”

You scoffed and looked back to Voight. “I know my rights.”

“That’s the wrong answer, (Y/N). I’m trying to help you.”

“I don’t need your damn help or anybody’s. I’m not going anywhere, so go ahead and drag me out in cuffs. I’d like to see the warrant for my arrest.”

Voight looked you over, then turned his gaze to Travis. “Come on, big boy.”

“I-I didn’t do anything! I brought you here! What more do you want from me, man?!”

“You have a warrant, Travis. Failure to appear in court for your weed possession.” Voight walked over and grabbed Travis, pushing him against the wall with his hands behind his back. “I’m taking you to the station and booking you.”

You rolled your eyes. “What’s the deal, Voight? Cops always make a deal when they try to threaten people with petty things like this. Especially when they’re of your rank and position.”

“Deal is, you both come quietly, or I force you both with me.”

“Why?” You crossed your arms. You hadn’t realized it until then, but you were wearing a short sleeve shirt and a pair of shorts, which showed off all of the bruises on your body. You also didn’t have any makeup on.

Voight brought Travis over, then leaned in to very quietly whisper in your ear. “There’s bugs all over your house. Can’t talk here.”

You let out a breath. “Cameras too,” you muttered before recoiling away from him. “You’re going to have to arrest me, then!”

“So be it,” Voight said with a nod, then took out a radio to call for squad backup. He put cuffs on Travis and led you out to the front porch with him. A single squad came for backup, the two cops taking Travis and cuffing you. Voight put you in his own car, the others taking Travis in theirs.

As you rode with Voight, you looked up at him from the back. “What is this?”

“I know he hurts you,” Voight said. “Erin and Jay are concerned. They wanted me to get you out of there. From the looks of your body, I’m glad I did.”

You blushed, suddenly feeling exposed as you tried to cover yourself, which was impossible due to your cuffs and choice of clothing. “I’ve never told anyone what he does. They don’t know what's going on.”

Voight sighed, glancing to the rear-view mirror. “Plus, your boyfriend is a felon. Drug running across state lines? I’ve heard that he even took a few loads to Canada.”

“Look, I don’t have anything to do with what he spends his time doing.”

“That’s why I have to protect you. For all he knows, you were arrested. In reality, you’re in protective custody until I put the cuffs on him and put him away for life.”

You scoffed. “Yeah, right… If you really wanted to help me, you’d get me out of the state instead.”

Voight didn’t say anything back, driving you to the district as you looked out the window, wishing you could just start over.

--

2 Weeks Later

--

You were put into protective custody by Hank and the others. Erin often came to check up on you, sometimes with Jay. You always brushed it off and made snide remarks, but it was only because you were afraid he would find you. You were confined to a safehouse on the outskirts of the city for over two weeks before a firm knock came to your door. It wasn't Erin, seeing as she usually brought her key and knocked softly. You were terrified, grabbing a knife from the kitchen and trying to peek through the front window. You could tell it was a man by the way he was standing and the firmness of the knock. You couldn't see his face, though, and that terrified you. You took a breath and positioned yourself behind the door, holding the knife up, then unlocking it and opening it, peeking around to stab whoever may have walked through.

His reflexes were faster than yours. He grabbed your wrist which was holding the knife, but his voice made you stop when you began to struggle. "(Y/N), (Y/N), hey, it's just me, it's Hank."

You let out a breath, dropping the knife as you trembled. You pulled your hand away, panting as your adrenaline pumped. "I-I'm sorry, I thought you were-"

"Don't worry about it," he replied. "I didn't mean to scare you." He gently laid a hand on your shoulder, then pulled you a little closer to him. It was subconscious, but you followed him without protest. He shut the front door and led you to the small sofa, sitting beside you and rubbing your back to calm you, one hand on your knee.

You looked down. Again, you'd been wearing shorts due to the heat of the Chicago summer. Your skin looked much better, still pale, but at least the bruises were fading. You gently set one hand on top of his on your knee. You looked up at him as you finally calmed down. "Why are you here?"

"I came to tell you that you're safe now," he said softly, still rubbing your back with his free hand. "I put Greg in jail, along with everyone in his crew."

You looked into Hank's eyes. The chocolate orbs surrounded you, comforting you. You couldn't quite explain it, but they made your soul feel warm, like how hot chocolate feels on a cold winter's night. You blinked once, then looked down. Tears welled in your eyes. "Is it... really over? He won't get me if I leave here?"

"That's right," Hank replied. "He won't." You took a breath, nodding as the tears threatened to spill. Hank gently reached his hand up to cup your chin with his fingers, making you look up at him. "Hey, don't worry. I said I'd protect you and I still mean it."

You smiled softly, looking over his face. He was an attractive man, something you hadn't quite noticed until then. He matched your smile, bringing his other hand up to stroke a piece of hair from your face. "Let's get dinner to celebrate. Tonight."

You blushed. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, then I'll help you move your bags from here to wherever you want to go. I hope you're not still planning on leaving Chicago."

You hiked your shoulders, sighing softly. "I don't know anymore. I just want to start over and put all of this behind me."

"I'll set you up in my guest room."

.

Suffice to say, you didn't spend the night in the guest room. The spark you and Hank had over dinner was enough to light an entire forest on fire all at once. You found that you came from similar backgrounds, born and raised in Chicago. You even went to the same school, albeit you were several years younger than him at the time. When Hank got you to his house, the night ended with some bourbon and a lot of gentle kisses. You weren't drunk by any means and Hank had taken his sweet time with you. He made you feel truly loved for the first time in your life. After years of abuse, Hank's love was refreshing.

--

The morning came all too soon when Hank's alarm went off at 5:45. You whimpered softly, Hank groaning and rolling over to shut it off, leaving you cold for a moment before he came back to embrace you. You hummed as you pressed backward into him, loving how his strong arms wrapped you up. He chuckled softly, pressing kisses to your neck as he rubbed your waist. "Good morning," he muttered into your skin.

"It is with you holding me," you replied softly, smiling. The time you'd spent with Hank was some of the best time you'd ever had on Earth. He made you happy.

"Mmn, too bad I have to get to work," he said softly.

"You have some time, don't you?" you asked, turning around in his arms. "Work doesn't start until eight."

"Yeah, but I have ComStat at seven in the Ivory Tower. The life of a Sergeant." He shrugged, nuzzling his nose softly against yours with a gentle smile.

You matched his smile, even giggling a little. You pushed yourself closer to him, connecting your lips with his in a gentle kiss. The passion and love flowed from both of you as he pulled your waist closer.

"Mmn, I think it's going to be a good day, seeing as I'm waking up like this," Hank said, one hand reaching up to cup your face, stroking his thumb over the apple of your cheek.

"I think so too," you replied, still smiling, wider and brighter than ever as you rubbed his chest.

[spncrscasey]

Mine (m.c.)

Fandom/Characters: Chicago Fire - Matt Casey x Fem!Reader, Sylvie Brett, Stella Kidd, Kelly Severide, Blake Gallo, Wallace Boden, Christopher Herrmann, Joe Cruz, Darren Ritter

Word Count: 3.5k

Summary: You and Matt Casey had been secretly dating for a while, and it had gone smoothly since you worked at different firehouses. However, you were offered a job at 51 which despite seeming like a great idea, only made everything complicated.

Warnings: hurt/comfort, a bit of angst, a bunch of fluff, pet names, mention of anxiety, protective matt, kissing, happy ending

a/n: my first fic!!!!! (on tumblr that is lol) i used to write a lot on another platforms but haven't written for fun in forever (other than for school, ew lol.) so i might be a bit rusty so just yk excuse that until i get back into my flow :) anyways i hope you guys like it <3

For the last three years, you've been working as a paramedic at Firehouse 20 alongside Violet Mikami. During that time, you've come to know Blake Gallo as a result of his on-and-off relationship with her. Although he's a great guy, what made him even greater is the person he introduced you to about a year ago— your boyfriend, Captain Matthew Casey of Firehouse 51.

Where could you possibly start? His mesmerizing, smile and his charming personality drew you in in an instant. You never realized how the occasional encounters, transformed into intimate late-night conversations. And before you knew it, those late-night talks grew into romantic dinners and memorable dates.

After months of both of you dancing around one another, he finally masked up the courage to ask you to be his girlfriend. Without a moment's hesitation, you instantly said yes.

Six months have passed since then. Both of you had mutually decided to keep it private for some time in order to prevent any interference with your jobs. The only individuals who had known were your respective Chiefs, just in case something happened.

Your Chief also knew you could handle a busier station such as 51. So, he had just offered you the vacant paramedic position that was left after Foster left for Med School.

Initially, you were excited about the offer because it meant working with your boyfriend. However, now you're uncertain about accepting it as you're not sure how he’d react. While you believe he'd be as thrilled as you are, there's this nagging feeling that it would complicate things.

So you decided to call him.

"Hey Matt," You said once he picked up.

"Hi babe, everything okay? You rarely call me during shift." He replied, voice laced with concern.

"Yeah, yeah, everything's fine." You assure him before nervously adding, "It's just... I have something to run by you...”

"Go ahead sweetheart, what's up?"

"You know how Foster left and ever since then there's been an open paramedic spot at 51 for a while now?"

He hums encouraging you to continue.

"Well, my Chief spoke to Boden and they both agreed that I could fill that spot if I wanted to."

"That's fantastic news!" He said excitedly. "Do you want to?"

You sighed. "I do want to. I think it would be nice to work with you and the experience of working at a busier station? That would benefit me, by a lot. I’d be able to learn so much."

"Then what's there to run by me? This is your decision Y/N." Matt questioned.

"It's your house! I don't want to interfere with the little family you all have built and make things complicated considering we'd be working together while dating and what if they take it the wrong way thinking I only got the spot because I'm with you-"

"Hey! Y/N, sweetheart, breathe." He says cutting off your rambling, trying to calm you down.

"What?" you ask, voice exasperated.

"Baby, no one's going to think anything like that. You're an amazing paramedic and you earned your spot because you're good at your job. Also, no one knows that we're together so they won't suspect a thing. We don't even have to tell them yet if you don't want to.” He said reassuringly before continuing, “And you wouldn't be interfering with anything, I can assure you that we'd all love to have you at 51. This is completely your choice though, so whether you want to transfer over here or not, you have my full support, regardless of what you decide."

You smile at Matt's words. "Thank you." You pause for a moment before resuming happily, "Okay I'm going to go tell Chief that I'm accepting the position! I'll talk to you later Matt."

"That's my girl." He says smiling before hanging up.

You swiftly head to your Chief's office and let him know that you completed the transfer paperwork and are ready to begin at 51 as soon as possible. He nods, smiling, and assures you that he will push the request forward.

It was now Monday. Which also happened to be the same day you started your first shift as the new paramedic of Firehouse 51.

God were you nervous.

You had spoken to Matt multiple times and he continuously reassured you that you had no reason to feel anxious because everyone would adore you. So why were you still panicking?

Matt liked you, Gallo liked you, and so did Boden after the short interview you two had.

You had also heard a lot about each of them through Matt, and they all sounded like wonderful people. So the odds of your new coworkers welcoming you with open arms were pretty high.

Yet despite your best efforts, you couldn't shake the feeling of anxiety that was coursing through your veins, leaving you a nervous wreck.

You let out a sigh, trying to calm your nerves as you approached the Firehouse. You bumped into Gallo on the way which instantly relieved your worries. Seeing a familiar face put your mind at ease, melting your fears away, even if it’s only for a moment.

The two of you engaged in an easy conversation as you walked into the building together.

Upon entering, you spotted a table near the rigs with several individuals seated around it. Gallo eagerly ushered you towards them, quickly introducing everyone.

"Squad, this is Y/N Y/L/N, our new paramedic!" He said as you smiled, waving at them.

Gallo then pointed at a tan, blue-eyed man who was sitting at the head of the table. "That's Lieutenant Kelly Severide. Head of Squad and those are his Squad members."

He quickly got up and shook your hand. "Nice to meet you Y/L/N."

You recognized him now. He was Matt's best friend, they'd been through thick and thin together. It was sweet actually, finally getting to put a face to the name you've been hearing so much about.

Gallo took his time introducing you to the other members of Squad, all of whom greeted you with kindness and respect.

As he slipped into conversation with them, you took the opportunity to excuse yourself and find your partner, Sylvie Brett, who you’d be spending most of your time with.

She stood out easily, being one of only two women in the house. You spotted her in the kitchen, chatting with another girl who you figured must be Stella, Severide's girlfriend. Matt had spoken to you about how amazing they were as a couple, and it always made you happy to hear about them. With a deep breath, you made your way over to them.

"Hi!" You smiled. "I'm the new paramedic here working with... Sylvie Brett?" You ask unsurly, turning your head to glance at the blonde hoping you're right.

"Yes, that's me! Hi!" She answered enthusiastically, hugging you. Matt had mentioned how sweet she was but the embrace still caught you by surprise. Regardless, you hugged her back, accepting the kind gesture. Once you pulled away you waved at the other woman who smiled back at you, introducing herself as Stella Kidd.

After conversing with them for some time and getting to know one another, you headed off to the officer quarters with the hope of seeing your boyfriend.

Once you approached the office that was referred to Matt Casey, you knocked.

"Come in." You heard so you stepped inside, closing the door behind you.

"Hi baby," You said, smiling at him. He looked up from his desk, features softening as he noticed you.

"How's my favorite girl doing?" He asked standing up to give you a brief kiss on the cheek.

"I'm great! Everyone here is so nice and fun to talk to. They've all been so welcoming." You answered excitedly.

"See, I told you everyone would love you. What's there not to?" He asked rhetorically, making you smile as he placed his hands on your waist pulling you in closer. Matt's inability to keep his hands to himself never fails to make you laugh. It was all quickly forgotten though when he drew you in for a more passionate kiss when he noticed that there weren't any prying eyes on you.

As time passed, days turned into weeks, and before you knew it, you had seamlessly become a part of them. Each member of the group welcomed you with open arms, and it felt like you had found your place within the close-knit family they had formed at 51. It seemed like you had found a lasting bond and a sense of belonging with everyone there, envisioning a permanent future among them.

You became good friends with Sylvie and Stella, established a nice mentorship with Hermann, and created a sibling-like bond with Severide.

Most importantly though, to your knowledge, no one had suspected your relationship with Matt.

You wanted to say something, you really did. You didn't want him to think you were ashamed of being with him. But you didn't want the people you had grown so close to to think that you were only offered the position because of your relationship with him; even if you were confident that they weren't the type of people to believe that.

It was an ordinary day. You and Sylvie had just returned from responding to a call— nothing too serious, just tending to a man who had been cut by a broken mirror. Together with Sylvie, you bandaged him up and sent him to Med for stitches, wishing him a speedy recovery.

You were restocking the ambulance when Sylvie spoke up, "So, did you see the way that guy looked at you?"

You almost choked on your spit at her statement, not expecting it. "How did he look at me?"

"Oh c'mon- there were literally hearts in his eyes every time you spoke up while bandaging him!" She exclaimed a bit too loudly making you shush her.

"Who had hearts in his eyes?" Matt chimed in as he walked up to you and Brett, joining your conversation.

"No one," You say brushing him off but Sylvie interjects. "This guy we were helping earlier, he totally had the hots for our new paramedic over here." She said, nudging you with her arm in a teasing manner.

"Oh, did he?" Matt asked in a tone that sounded like he was joking but you could see the way his body tensed.

"It's whatever, nothing serious. It's not like I'm going to go on a date with him." You roll your eyes trying to dismiss the situation.

"You should!" Sylvie replies happily, "You're pretty and single. He wasn't bad on the eyes either, if you know what I mean. Go have some fun girl! Who knows, he could be the love of your life." She adds, winking.

Matt gave a half-hearted smile and walked away without acknowledging Brett, leaving her looking up in confusion. "What was that about?" She asked.

"No idea," You say shortly, despite knowing exactly what was going on.

Matthew Casey was jealous.

It was quite surprising because he had never shown signs of being the jealous type. In the past, if another man approached you in his presence, he would politely ask them to leave you alone, making it clear that you were already taken. Or he’d simply put his arm around you in a protective, not-so-friendly manner, letting everyone know that you were his. It never bothered you. You found it cute, actually.

But this? This was different. He had never acted this way, which concerned you.

After you were done restocking the ambo you made your way to his office, hoping to ease the tension.

You sighed as you knocked, hearing a quick come-in before stepping inside. You noticed he had his head buried in paperwork, not even acknowledging you as you came in.

"Matt, honey, what's wrong?" You asked, worried when he still didn't look up at you. You waited for a moment before continuing once he didn't reply, "Baby talk to me."

He sighs before finally looking into your eyes. His ocean blues never failed to make you weak in the knees. So intimidating but beautiful nevertheless.

"I don't want to keep this a secret any longer." He eventually replied, motioning between the two of you.

"I don't want to either but you know we can't."

"Why can't we?" He said, tone a bit sharp, causing you to flinch for a second.

"Because-" you were cut off by a knock on Matt's door making you straighten up.

"Sorry to interrupt, but there's someone here to see you Y/N." Said Severide as he poked his head into Casey's office letting you know before heading out.

You quickly glance at Matt sighing before leaving his office, silently apologizing. You hated leaving mid conversation but this could be important. You noticed him trailing behind you as you walked out but chose not to comment on it.

Once you were outside, you recognized him as the man you had sent to Med earlier. The same man who had 'the hots' for you apparently, according to Brett.

This was going to be a long conversation.

"Hello!" He said, way too ecstatic for someone who had just been discharged from a hospital.

"Hi there, how are you feeling?" You asked, keeping the conversation polite.

"Better thanks to you, you saved my life."

"Oh, you know, no big deal! Just doing my job."

"Well, I was hoping to take you out on a date as a way of saying thank you." He said with confidence, catching you off guard.

"I'm very flattered sir but you don't need to thank me, let alone take me out on a date. I'm happy to help, love what I do." You say, hoping that gets rid of him.

By now, you were fully aware that most of the members of the firehouse were watching the interaction occur from behind you. Hence why you were aiming to wrap it up as soon as possible.

"No, no, I insist. We'll have a great time together!" He pushes.

"Like I said, thanks for the offer but I'm going to have to decline. Feel better." You say, turning around.

Before you had a chance to walk away, he grabbed your wrist harshly. Pulling you backward, making you lose your balance, and almost causing you to fall.

"Woah woah woah-" "Back off!" You hear the men hurriedly interject pushing him away from you before Matt yells, in a tone that sends shivers down your spine. "Get your hands off of my paramedic before I call the authorities. You have no right to touch her, especially after she said no."

Boden hears the commotion and steps out of his office. "What's going on over here?"

"This man put his hands on Y/N after she rejected him Chief. He was just leaving though weren't, you?" Matt replies, glaring at the man making him quickly walk away.

The second that he was out of sight, everyone turned to you. Stella speaks up, "Are you okay?"

"Don't worry guys, I'm fine." You say looking around at all of them, reassuring them that you're okay. "Thanks for the help. I'm sure he won't be coming back any time soon, especially after the way Casey glared at him." You add chuckling, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere around you.

"You'd almost think you guys were dating with the way he attacked him to defend you," Severide commented casually, using a tone that sounded like he knew something. Which you decided to ignore for the time being.

At the mention of your boyfriend though, you looked up hoping to catch a glimpse of him but noticed he was nowhere to be found which alarmed you.

As the crowd dispersed and engaged in their own conversations, you discreetly slipped away and made your way to visit Matt in his quarters, marking this as your second visit there in the last half hour.

This time though, you didn't even bother knocking and simply walked in.

When he noticed it was you, he quickly stood up concerned, “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

“Oh, I'm alright. Don't worry, it was nothing I hadn't dealt with before in this line of duty, you know how men can be sometimes.” You answered, nonchalantly.

You both stayed quiet for a moment, not knowing what to say. Finally, you decided to break the silence, “I'm sorry, Matt. I don't want to argue with you, so if it'll make you happy, we can go tell them right now.”

He sighed, turning around in his chair to look at you, “Y/N, this isn't just up to me, we’re in this relationship together. We have to make decisions like these as a team. I love you and I want everyone to know that but if you're not taking this seriously and want to go on that date instead then-”

“No! This is serious to me Matt, I love you and you know that.” You cut him off before he's able to finish the sentence. “I have eyes for you and only you, no one else matters to me but you, Matthew Casey.” You add firmly, making sure he understands that.

“Then what’s the issue here?” He asks, tired of the constant back and forth you've been having today.

You sigh and sit down on the edge of his bed before replying, “I just- I've become so close to everyone here in the last few weeks and I don't want their opinion of me to change after they find out that you and I are together. I don't want them to think that I'm only here because of you.”

“Baby…” He says in a softer tone, getting out of his seat to come sit next to you.

You don't look at him once he's sat beside you, opting to look at the floor instead.

“Hey, look at me.” He gently says taking your hands in his, grabbing your attention.

You hum as you bring your eyes up to meet his.

When he's sure you're not going to look away, he starts speaking, “Listen to me, everyone here? They're the most amazing and supportive group of people you'll ever meet. They won't dare say anything of the sort because they'd be beyond happy for us. And if they slightly even think about it, I won't hesitate to go all ‘Captain’ on them.” He says, making you chuckle.

“Besides, I don't want idiots like that guy who can't take no for an answer, hurting you again for a nonexistent chance of taking you out.” He adds.

You lean forward, pressing your forehead against his, and after a moment passes, you mutter a simple, “Okay.”

“Okay?” Matt questions.

“Yeah, okay, let’s tell them.” You reply, nodding enthusiastically.

“I want everyone to know that this handsome man right here,” You say pointing at his chest with a teasing tone, “Is of the market and mine only.”

“Yeah?” He grins.

“Mhm,” You say with an even bigger smile, before leaning in to press your lips against his.

As your lips finally touch, a wave of stillness washes over you. It feels as though the entire world has come to a halt and all that exists is the shared connection between the two of you. At that moment, nothing else matters except for the feeling of his lips against yours.

His delicate hand caresses your face, making you smile into the kiss as you pull him in closer, wrapping your arms around his neck. There's no need to hide your love for each other anymore, allowing your affection for one another to be expressed freely without the fear of secrecy. The rush of emotion flowing through you is intoxicating and God, it is an exhilarating feeling, one that you had never felt before.

Before the kiss could progress any further, you heard cheering outside making you pull away. You glance out the window to understand what the fuss is about when you notice that the blinds were left open, meaning that all of 51 just saw you kissing Matt.

Your cheeks flush with warmth, causing you to bury your face in Matt's shoulder as he laughs at your reaction. He wraps his arm around you, pulling you closer in a tight embrace.

You look up at him, mouthing an ‘I love you,’

He whispers back, “I love you too.”

He quickly leans in for one more peck against your lips, before bracing himself for all the questions you're about to receive once you head outside.

“You guys were betting on us?” You asked amused, raising your eyebrows at the exchange of money happening right in front of your eyes.

“Well, what were we supposed to do!?” Cruz exclaimed defensively, earning a giggle from you.

“I mean, we all knew you guys were head over heels for each other, that was obvious. We just didn't realize you had been together prior to all of this.” Added Ritter, shrugging.

“I can speak for everyone though when I say that we are all very happy for you two.” Said Herrmann, making everyone nod in agreement.

As soon as the initial stage of shock died down, Stella and Sylvie rushed over to you, enveloping you in a group hug, requesting all the juicy details. While Kelly simply gave Matt a supportive pat on the back, smiling at his best friend.

Soon, the questions regarding your relationship began pouring in. Matt drew you closer, wrapping his arm around your waist as he answered each of them one by one. You rested your head on his shoulder, closing your eyes briefly, basking in the serenity.

And at last, you found yourself finally feeling at ease. Your family knew, and they were happy for you. Which is all you could ask for.

[logansargeantsbabymom]

None Of This Is Your Fault.

Brian "Otis" Zvonecek x Fem!Firefighter!Reader

A/N: Sorry that I've been so inactive, I know this is no excuse but I school started and my job is starting to get into it's busy season and to my luck I managed to tear my meniscus and I've been in so much pain so writing has been the least of my concerns. I am getting surgery on Thursday so I will be writing more soon. For now, please enjoy my new fic.

This is a 20 chapter story and I've put 10 chapters in one fic. It's a lot but this is my apology for being inactive.

Chapter 1:

Five years. That’s how long I’ve been with Brian. It feels like a lifetime and just a blink at the same time. We met in the most unconventional of ways—running into each other during a late-night call, both of us soaked in sweat, soot smeared across our faces, the smell of smoke thick in the air. It wasn’t the most romantic setting, but maybe that’s why it worked. There was no need for pretenses between us. We were both drawn to the fire, the adrenaline, the chaotic beauty of our work. And somehow, through the chaos, I found him.

Brian “Otis” Zvonecek—my partner in every sense of the word. He’s not the guy who sweeps you off your feet with grand gestures or sweet talk. No, Brian is the guy who shows up every single day. He’s steady. Kind. Funny in the way that only he can be, with those ridiculous puns and the way his face lights up when he thinks he’s landed a good one. It’s impossible not to laugh when he’s around, and God, that’s what I love most about him—he makes everything lighter, even when the world feels heavy.

But these days, the world is feeling a little heavier than usual.

We’ve both been working nonstop—Firehouse 51 is like a second home, though lately, it feels more like a first. There’s something comforting about the firehouse, the constant hum of activity, the sound of the trucks rumbling to life, the distant chatter of my crew—no, my family. And Brian? He’s always been at the center of it all. Our relationship bloomed in this place, surrounded by the people who understand what we go through every day.

I remember the early days with him so clearly. It started as a few casual glances across the engine bay, nothing serious at first. Just an awareness of him. His laugh was what caught me. The way he threw his head back, completely unguarded, while the rest of us were tense and wired after a tough call. He had this way of letting it all roll off his back, and I admired that.

It wasn’t long before we were partnered on every shift, making excuses to grab dinner after. One night, after a particularly tough rescue, he suggested we go for wings. I was exhausted, drained, and covered in soot, but something in his voice made me agree. I needed that—something normal, something grounding. We sat in that little corner booth, devouring spicy wings, laughing about the ridiculousness of our lives. It was simple, but it was the first time I felt like I had found something real. Something worth holding onto.

That’s how we’ve always been—just us, grounded in the simplicity of being together. No grand romantic gestures, no pressure to be anything other than who we are.

And for five years, it worked. I always felt secure with Brian. Sure, we’ve had our share of arguments—what couple doesn’t?—but they were always small, petty things. We’d bicker about who forgot to fill the gas tank or who left the towels on the floor, but those disagreements never lasted long. We were always able to laugh it off, make a joke, and move forward.

Lately, though, I’ve been different. Not us—me. I feel it deep inside, like there’s something pulling me away, pulling us apart. I don’t know why, but these past few months, things that shouldn’t bother me do. Things that used to make me laugh now irritate me. And sometimes, when the irritation boils over, I lose control in a way I never have before.

Brian doesn’t say it, but I can tell he’s worried. He’s always watching me now, his brown eyes searching for some sign that I’m still the same Y/N he fell in love with. But the truth is, I don’t feel like the same person anymore, and that scares me more than I care to admit. The outbursts come out of nowhere—sudden, violent flashes of anger—and then, just as quickly, they’re gone, like they never happened. And the worst part? I can’t remember them.

It’s terrifying.

It started small. A broken plate here, a slammed door there. I chalked it up to stress. Firefighting is a tough job, and we’re no strangers to pressure. But as the weeks turned into months, the episodes became harder to ignore. They were no longer just occasional moments of frustration—they were frequent, and sometimes, I wouldn’t even realize something was wrong until I saw the look in Brian’s eyes. That look of concern, like he didn’t know how to help me, like he was afraid to say the wrong thing. I hated that look. It made me feel like I was losing him, losing us.

But I kept telling myself it was fine. I was fine. If I just pushed through, if I worked harder, the episodes would stop. I thought if I ignored it, I could outrun it.

I was wrong.

Tonight, as I lie in bed next to Brian, listening to his soft breathing, I can’t shake the feeling that something big is coming. Something we won’t be able to ignore. I stare at the ceiling, the weight of it pressing down on me, my chest tightening. The love I have for him is overwhelming, and I don’t know how to protect it anymore.

Brian stirs beside me, his arm draping across my waist as he pulls me closer in his sleep. I close my eyes, taking in the warmth of his body, the familiar scent of him. He feels like home. But the fear of losing that—of losing him—is more than I can bear.

Tomorrow is another shift. Another 48-hour stretch. I tell myself things will get better, that I just need to push through. But deep down, I know something has to give.

And I’m terrified that when it does, it’ll be too late to save what we’ve built.

Chapter 2:

The first time it happened, I barely noticed it. Looking back, that should have been my first clue. It was such a small thing—a flash of frustration that I thought was just stress from work. We were off-duty, Brian and I, sitting at the kitchen table after a long day. We’d been talking about the usual—our shifts, the next firehouse event, Cruz’s latest terrible joke. Brian had a way of making everything feel easy. Comfortable.

But that night, something was different.

I don’t even remember what set me off. One minute, we were laughing, and the next, I felt this surge of anger bubbling up inside me. It wasn’t anything Brian said or did, not really. It was more like a wave crashing over me, completely out of my control. I felt like I was drowning in it, and the next thing I knew, I was standing over the kitchen sink, my hands trembling as I stared at the shattered remains of a glass I didn’t even remember throwing.

Brian was standing a few feet away, his face pale, his eyes wide with shock.

“Y/N… what just happened?” His voice was quiet, careful.

I blinked, trying to piece together the moment, but it was like a fog had settled over my mind. “I—I don’t know.” My voice sounded distant, unfamiliar. “I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s okay,” he said quickly, stepping forward. He placed his hand gently on my arm, his touch grounding me. “It’s okay. It was just a glass.”

But it wasn’t just the glass, and we both knew it. Something had shifted inside me, something dark and uncontrollable. And the worst part was, I couldn’t explain it. I couldn’t tell Brian what was wrong because I didn’t know.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my throat tight. “I don’t know what happened.”

Brian smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “It’s fine. We’re both tired. It was just a glass.”

I nodded, but as I swept up the broken shards, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had broken inside me, too. And it wasn’t going to be as easy to put back together.

Chapter 3:

Weeks passed, and the tension in the air between Brian and me seemed to grow with each passing day. It wasn’t just at home anymore—my outbursts were starting to creep into our shifts at the firehouse. It wasn’t anything major at first, just little moments where I’d snap at someone or lose my temper more easily than usual. Everyone chalked it up to the stress of the job, and I let them. It was easier than admitting something was wrong.

But inside, I could feel it building—this pressure, like a balloon swelling inside my chest, ready to burst. I thought I could handle it. I thought if I kept myself busy, if I focused on the work, I could push it down. But firefighting isn’t a job where you can afford to lose control.

I remember one call in particular. It was a standard house fire, nothing we hadn’t seen a thousand times before. The flames were manageable, but there was a lot of smoke. We went in as a team, each of us with a role, moving in sync like we always did. Brian was with me, like he usually was, our movements so familiar we didn’t even need to talk to communicate.

But something was off that day. The smoke felt heavier than usual, the heat more oppressive. My helmet felt like it was pressing down on my skull, making my head throb. I tried to push through it, focusing on the task at hand, but my mind was racing. Every sound—the crackle of flames, the muffled voices over the radio, even my own breathing in the mask—felt like it was closing in on me.

“Y/N, you good?” Brian’s voice crackled through my radio.

“I’m fine,” I muttered, though my vision was starting to blur at the edges. We were almost done, just a few more minutes. I could make it. I had to.

But then, out of nowhere, the frustration hit me. I don’t know why—it wasn’t a particularly stressful call—but something inside me snapped. I felt a surge of anger, irrational and uncontrollable. I swung my axe harder than I needed to, cutting through debris with more force than was necessary. I heard Brian call my name again, concern clear in his voice, but I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. I was too focused on the pounding in my head, the rage bubbling just beneath the surface.

When we finally exited the building, I ripped off my helmet and tossed it to the ground, breathing heavily. My heart was racing, my hands trembling.

“What the hell, Y/N?” Brian was at my side, his voice sharp. “You could’ve hurt yourself in there.”

“I’m fine,” I snapped, my voice harsher than I intended. “It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing,” he said, his brow furrowing as he looked at me. “You’ve been off lately. This isn’t like you.”

I turned away, not wanting to hear the concern in his voice. I didn’t want to admit that he was right—that something was wrong with me. “I told you, I’m fine.”

But I wasn’t. I knew it, and Brian knew it, too.

Chapter 4:

The firehouse had always been a place of comfort for me. It was where I felt in control, where I knew I could make a difference. But lately, even that had started to feel like a burden. My outbursts were becoming more frequent, and I could see the strain it was putting on everyone—especially Brian.

At home, things were getting harder. Brian tried to be patient, but I could see the frustration in his eyes whenever I lost my temper. He’d always been the calm one, the one who could smooth things over with a joke or a smile. But even he couldn’t keep pretending that everything was fine.

We had one of our worst fights a few nights after that call. I don’t even remember what started it—something small, something stupid. But it spiraled out of control so fast. One minute, we were sitting on the couch, watching a movie, and the next, I was yelling at him, accusing him of things that didn’t even make sense.

“You don’t even care about me anymore!” I shouted, the words spilling out of my mouth before I could stop them. “You’re always at work, or with Cruz, or doing anything but being here with me!”

Brian looked at me like I’d just slapped him. “Y/N, what are you talking about? I’m always with you! We work together, we live together—how much closer can we get?”

“That’s not what I mean!” I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes, but I didn’t care. “You’re here, but you’re not really here. You don’t look at me the same way anymore. You don’t—”

“Stop,” he cut me off, his voice calm but firm. “That’s not true, and you know it. I love you. I’ve always loved you.”

His words should have soothed me. They should have made me feel safe. But instead, they only made the anger flare hotter. “Then why do I feel so alone?” I whispered, my voice breaking.

Brian’s face softened, and he took a step closer, reaching for my hand. “Y/N, I’m right here. You’re not alone. But something’s going on with you, and you won’t talk to me about it.”

I yanked my hand away, refusing to meet his eyes. “I’m fine,” I muttered for what felt like the hundredth time.

But I wasn’t. I wasn’t fine, and I was pushing him away without even meaning to. I could see it in his eyes—the worry, the frustration, the helplessness. He didn’t know how to fix this, and neither did I.

That night, we went to bed without saying another word. Brian turned his back to me, and I lay there, staring at the ceiling, feeling the weight of my own silence pressing down on me. I wanted to reach out to him, to tell him I was scared, that I didn’t know what was happening to me. But the words wouldn’t come.

All I could do was lie there and wonder how much longer we could keep pretending that everything was okay.

Chapter 5:

The firehouse was unusually quiet that night. It was the kind of quiet that crept into your bones, making you restless. We were on the second day of a 48-hour shift, and exhaustion hung in the air. Normally, a shift like this didn’t faze me—adrenaline and routine kept me going. But tonight, my head felt like it was being squeezed in a vice. The migraine was pounding behind my eyes, a dull, throbbing pain that no amount of coffee could fix.

I rubbed my temples, trying to will the headache away. Brian had noticed it earlier in the shift and offered me some Tylenol, but I turned him down. There was something about this headache that felt different, heavier. And I was already on edge—there was no way I wanted to dull my senses while on duty.

I kept my distance from the crew tonight, choosing to sit quietly at the kitchen table, nursing my coffee and staring blankly at the TV. Normally, I’d be laughing with the rest of them, especially Brian and Cruz, who were busy trading ridiculous jokes and stories. But I couldn’t focus on any of it. The migraine had lodged itself deep in my skull, making every sound feel like nails on a chalkboard.

I was counting down the hours. Only eight more hours of this shift. And then, finally, Brian and I could go home, grab food from the new Wingstop, and just unwind. It had been a long week, and I was craving something normal, something that would remind me of the simplicity of us. I clung to the thought of getting those wings together. It was the one thing keeping me grounded, the one thing I was looking forward to after the chaos of the last two days.

As if on cue, Brian wandered over to me, his smile easy as always, though I could see the concern lingering in his eyes.

“Hey,” he said softly, sitting down across from me. “How’s your head?”

I forced a small smile, though I knew it didn’t reach my eyes. “Still there, but it’ll pass. Just need to get through these last few hours.”

“We’re almost done,” Brian said, his hand reaching out to gently brush mine. “And then it’s Wingstop time, right? I’m starving.”

I nodded, feeling a small flicker of relief. “Yeah, can’t wait. Been thinking about it all day.”

Brian paused, his brow furrowing slightly. “Actually… about that. I just grabbed Wingstop with Cruz an hour ago. Didn’t realize you’d still want it tonight. You cool with grabbing something else?”

The words barely registered at first. They came out so casually, so matter-of-fact. But as they sank in, I felt a sharp, searing heat rise in my chest. My fingers tightened around the coffee mug in my hand as the rage swelled, unbidden and uncontrollable. I blinked, my vision blurring for a moment as my heart pounded in my ears.

“Wait, what?” I could hear the edge in my voice, sharp and venomous, even as I tried to keep it together. “You just had Wingstop? You knew we were supposed to get it together after shift.”

Brian’s eyes widened, taken aback by the sudden shift in my tone. “I didn’t think it’d be a big deal. We can still get it if you want. I’ll eat it with you, no problem.”

“No,” I snapped, the word flying out before I could stop it. “I don’t want it anymore.”

Brian frowned, confusion and concern mingling on his face. “Y/N, what’s going on? It’s just food. If you want Wingstop, we’ll get Wingstop. It’s not a big deal.”

But to me, it was a big deal. It felt like everything—the headache, the exhaustion, the tension between us—was boiling over, and this one tiny thing had pushed me over the edge. I could feel it happening, the anger building into something unstoppable, and I hated it. I hated that I couldn’t control it, couldn’t stop the words from tumbling out.

“You always do this!” I shouted, my voice breaking as the room seemed to close in around me. “You say one thing and then turn around and do whatever you want! Do you even care about what I want anymore? All I wanted was this shift to end so we could finally go home and have a normal night together. But no—of course you couldn’t even wait for me to get the food we talked about!”

“Y/N,” Brian said softly, reaching out to touch my arm, “I didn’t mean—”

“DON’T TOUCH ME!” I jerked away from him, my heart racing as the room fell silent. Everyone was staring now—Cruz, Mouch, Sylvie, Herrmann. Even Chief Boden, who had been standing by the door, was watching with furrowed brows.

I could feel my hands shaking, my vision blurring as tears welled up in my eyes. “All I wanted,” I choked out, my voice trembling, “was a little quality time with my boyfriend. But instead, I get stuck on this miserable shift with a migraine and a boyfriend who only cares about himself.”

The words hung in the air like poison, and as soon as they left my mouth, I felt something inside me shatter. My heart was pounding, my breath coming in ragged gasps, and before I knew it, tears were streaming down my face. I didn’t even recognize myself in that moment. This wasn’t me.

Brian stood there, frozen, his face pale with shock and hurt. “Y/N, I…”

But before he could say anything else, it was like a switch had flipped. The anger drained out of me as quickly as it had come, leaving me feeling hollow and confused. I blinked, wiping my tear-streaked face as I straightened my posture, suddenly aware of the silence in the room.

“Why… why am I crying?” I asked, my voice soft, bewildered. I looked around at everyone’s faces—confusion, concern, shock—all eyes on me. The pressure in my head eased slightly, the migraine fading as quickly as it had come.

Without another word, I turned and walked to the bathroom, the weight of everyone’s stares pressing down on me like a heavy fog.

Chapter 6:

I spent a long time in the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face and staring at my reflection in the mirror. My face was flushed, my eyes red from crying, but it wasn’t the physical exhaustion that scared me. It was the blank space in my mind, the way the anger had flared so hot and fast, only to disappear without a trace. I didn’t remember half of what I’d said, and what I did remember felt like it had come from someone else’s mouth, not mine.

I leaned against the sink, gripping the edge of the counter so hard my knuckles turned white. I didn’t know what was happening to me, but it was getting worse. And I was terrified.

When I finally stepped out of the bathroom, I saw Brian waiting for me by the door. His face was etched with worry, but his voice was calm and steady when he spoke. “Chief wants to see us in his office.”

My stomach dropped. I nodded silently and followed him down the hall, my footsteps heavy, my heart pounding in my chest. Chief Boden rarely called anyone into his office unless it was serious. And this? This was definitely serious.

When we stepped into the office, Chief was sitting behind his desk, his expression unreadable. He gestured for us to sit, and the tension in the room was thick as we did. Brian sat next to me, close but not touching, his hands resting tensely in his lap.

“Y/N,” Chief Boden began, his deep voice gentle but firm. “Brian explained what’s been going on with you lately. I need you to listen carefully to what I’m about to say.”

I nodded, my throat tight.

“I’ve seen my share of stress in this job. I’ve seen how it can affect people—physically, mentally, emotionally. But what happened out there today wasn’t normal, and it wasn’t safe. For you or for anyone else. You’ve been one of the best firefighters on this team, but I can’t have you putting yourself or others at risk.”

I swallowed hard, the weight of his words settling over me like a cold blanket.

“I’m not asking,” Chief continued, his eyes locking onto mine. “I’m ordering you to go to Chicago Med. You’re not coming back on shift until the doctors clear you.”

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. “Chief, I—”

“This isn’t up for discussion,” he said, his voice softening but still firm. “You need to get checked out. Something’s going on, and you can’t ignore it anymore.”

I felt Brian’s hand brush against mine, a silent show of support, but I couldn’t look at him. I couldn’t face the disappointment in his eyes. All I could do was nod again, feeling a wave of helplessness crash over me.

“Take the rest of the day,” Chief said. “Go to Med. We’ll be here for whatever you need, but you’re not coming back until you get answers.”

Brian stood up, helping me to my feet as we left the office in silence. I could barely process what had just happened—how quickly everything had spiraled out of control. As we walked out of the firehouse and towards the car

Chapter 7:

The ride to Chicago Med was eerily quiet. Brian drove, his hands gripping the steering wheel a little too tight, his gaze focused on the road. I sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window, my mind a blur of confusion, guilt, and fear. Every bump in the road sent a fresh wave of pain through my skull, but it wasn’t just the migraine anymore—it was the uncertainty gnawing at my insides. Something was wrong with me. Deep down, I knew that now. But the thought of facing it, of having a doctor tell me what was happening… I wasn’t sure I was ready for that.

Brian didn’t say much during the drive, and I was grateful for that. I wasn’t sure what I would have said if he’d asked me how I was feeling. How was I supposed to explain the emptiness inside me, the way I felt like a stranger in my own body?

As we pulled into the parking lot of Chicago Med, Brian finally spoke, his voice soft but steady. “I’m coming in with you.”

I nodded, unable to find the words to argue. I didn’t want to do this alone. I didn’t want to walk into that hospital and face whatever it was that had been slowly unraveling me. And as much as I hated feeling vulnerable, I needed him with me.

The bright lights of the hospital stung my eyes as we walked through the automatic doors, the sterile smell of antiseptic hitting me like a wall. Brian led the way, his hand resting on the small of my back, guiding me through the bustling halls. We didn’t have to wait long before we were ushered into an exam room by a nurse, who took my vitals and asked the standard questions.

Then, there was more waiting.

I sat on the exam table, swinging my legs back and forth, my hands folded tightly in my lap. Brian stood next to me, close enough that our arms brushed every now and then, but he didn’t speak. He didn’t need to. His presence was enough—steady, calming, even though I knew he was as scared as I was.

After what felt like an eternity, the door swung open, and Dr. Will Halstead walked in. I knew him well—he’d treated me a few times before, and he was a friend of ours outside of work. But today, he didn’t greet me with the usual smile or lighthearted joke. His expression was serious, concerned.

“Hey, Y/N,” he said, glancing between me and Brian as he took a seat on the stool across from us. “I hear you’ve been having some… unusual symptoms.”

I nodded, my throat tight. “Yeah. I guess you could say that.”

Will frowned, his brow furrowing as he flipped through my chart. “Brian filled me in on what’s been going on. The headaches, the mood swings, the memory loss… we’re going to run a few tests to get a clearer picture. I know it’s scary, but we need to figure out what’s causing all of this.”

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest. “Do you have any idea what it could be?”

Will hesitated, and that hesitation sent a chill down my spine. “There are a few possibilities,” he said carefully, “but I don’t want to jump to conclusions until we have more information. We’re going to start with a CT scan to get a look at what’s going on inside your brain.”

Inside my brain.

The words echoed in my head, sending a fresh wave of panic through me. I glanced at Brian, who was watching me closely, his expression unreadable. He reached out, taking my hand in his, and I squeezed it tightly, my pulse racing beneath my skin.

“Okay,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “Let’s do it.”

Chapter 8:

The waiting was the worst part.

After the CT scan, they sent me back to the exam room to wait while the results were processed. Every second that ticked by felt like an hour. I sat there, nervously tapping my foot on the floor, while Brian paced back and forth in front of me. His anxiety was palpable, and it mirrored the panic building in my chest. I didn’t know what was worse—the not knowing, or the fear of what we were about to find out.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Will came back into the room, holding a manila folder in his hand. His expression was serious—too serious. My stomach twisted into knots as I watched him sit down again, the air between us heavy with tension.

“Y/N,” he began, his voice low, “I’m not going to sugarcoat this. The CT scan showed something concerning.”

I felt Brian’s hand tighten around mine, his grip almost painfully strong. I couldn’t breathe. My chest felt tight, my heart pounding in my ears. “What is it?” I managed to ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

Will took a deep breath, his eyes soft with sympathy. “You have a tumor in your brain. It’s located in the frontal lobe, which explains the mood swings and memory lapses you’ve been experiencing. It’s putting pressure on the surrounding areas, which is likely causing the migraines as well.”

A tumor. The word hit me like a freight train, knocking the air from my lungs. I stared at Will, uncomprehending, as if he’d just spoken a foreign language.

A tumor. In my brain.

I felt the world tilt beneath me, everything spinning out of control. My heart pounded in my chest, and I was suddenly aware of every sound, every breath, every sensation. Brian’s hand in mine, Will’s steady gaze, the sterile scent of the hospital—all of it felt too real, too overwhelming.

“I—I don’t understand,” I stammered, shaking my head. “A tumor? How…?”

Will nodded gently, leaning forward, his tone careful but honest. “It’s a lot to process, I know. But the good news is that we caught it early. It’s operable, which means we can remove it. We’re going to need to schedule surgery as soon as possible.”

Surgery. Tumor. The words swirled in my head, but none of them made sense. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I was healthy. I was a firefighter—I fought through flames, saved lives. I wasn’t supposed to be the one lying in a hospital bed, waiting for a doctor to cut into my skull.

I felt my hands start to tremble, and suddenly, the weight of everything came crashing down on me. The months of mood swings, the fights with Brian, the outbursts I couldn’t control—it all made sense now. There was a tumor inside me, something foreign and dangerous, controlling me from the inside out.

“Oh my God,” I whispered, my voice breaking as the tears started to fall. “Brian… I’m so sorry.”

Brian’s arms were around me in an instant, pulling me close as I sobbed into his chest. “No,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. “You don’t have anything to apologize for, Y/N. None of this is your fault.”

“But I—” I tried to speak, but the words were lost in the sobs that shook my body. All the anger, the fear, the guilt—I couldn’t hold it back anymore. “I’ve been awful to you. I didn’t know…”

Brian held me tighter, his hand running through my hair as he pressed his cheek to the top of my head. “It doesn’t matter,” he whispered. “None of it matters. We’re going to get through this. You’re going to be okay.”

I wanted to believe him, but all I could think about was the word that Will had said: tumor.

Chapter 9:

We left Chicago Med in a daze. The world outside felt too normal, too calm, compared to the storm raging inside me. The sky was still a brilliant blue, people walked down the street, completely oblivious to the fact that my life had just been turned upside down. Brian drove in silence, his hand resting on mine, squeezing gently every so often as if he was reminding himself I was still there. I couldn’t get the word out of my head—tumor.

It felt like some terrible nightmare, one that I hadn’t woken up from yet. Except this wasn’t a nightmare. This was real, and no amount of blinking or pinching myself would make it go away.

We pulled into the firehouse parking lot. I didn’t want to be here, didn’t want to face the crew and see their reactions when they found out. But we had to. They were my family—they deserved to know.

As soon as we stepped inside, I could feel the weight of everyone’s stares. They knew something was wrong. Cruz and Mouch were sitting on the couch, glancing at us with concern. Herrmann, sitting at the table, stood up as soon as he saw us, his brow furrowed.

“Everything okay?” he asked, his voice cautious.

I looked at Brian, but the words got stuck in my throat. How was I supposed to tell them? How was I supposed to explain that everything I’d been through over the past few months wasn’t just stress or exhaustion, but something far more terrifying?

Brian took a deep breath, his voice low and steady. “We went to Chicago Med. Will Halstead ran some tests on Y/N.” He paused, his grip on my hand tightening. “They found a tumor. In her brain.”

The room went silent.

It was like the air had been sucked out of the firehouse. I could see the shock ripple across their faces, the confusion, the fear. Cruz’s mouth opened as if to say something, but no words came out. Boden stepped forward, his eyes filled with quiet understanding.

“A tumor?” Herrmann repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. “What does that mean? Is it… is it serious?”

I took a shaky breath, trying to keep the tears at bay. “It’s operable,” I said, the words sounding distant, as if someone else were speaking them. “They’re scheduling the surgery soon. I’ll… I’ll be okay. That’s what Will said.”

But as I said it, I wasn’t sure if I believed it. The fear gnawed at my insides, making it hard to breathe, hard to think. How could I be sure everything would be okay when nothing felt okay right now?

There was a long, heavy pause before Boden spoke. “We’re going to be here for you, Y/N,” he said softly, his voice steady and full of quiet authority. “Whatever you need—whether it’s before, during, or after the surgery—you’re not going through this alone.”

The words should have brought me comfort, but instead, they only made the knot in my chest tighten. I didn’t want to be the one who needed help. I didn’t want to be the one who was weak, who was sick. I was a firefighter. I was supposed to be strong, to take care of others. Not the other way around.

But now, everything had changed.

I couldn’t hold it back any longer. The sobs broke through, my chest heaving as I tried to breathe, to speak. “I’m sorry,” I choked out, my voice breaking. “I’m so sorry.”

Boden stepped closer, his hand resting gently on my shoulder. “You have nothing to be sorry for,” he said softly.

But I did. I was sorry for everything—for the outbursts, for the way I’d lashed out at Brian, for the times I’d scared the crew with my unpredictability. I felt like I was falling apart, unraveling at the seams, and I couldn’t stop it.

Brian pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly as the tears streamed down my face. I felt everyone’s eyes on us, but it didn’t matter. I couldn’t hold anything back anymore. I cried for everything—the fear, the uncertainty, the guilt.

“I don’t know how to do this,” I whispered into Brian’s chest, my voice trembling. “I don’t know how to be this person. I don’t know how to… how to be weak.”

Brian’s voice cracked as he held me even closer. “You’re not weak,” he whispered fiercely. “You’ve never been weak, Y/N. You’re the strongest person I know. And you don’t have to go through this alone. We’re all here for you—for whatever you need.”

I shook my head, pulling back just enough to look up at him, my eyes red and swollen. “But I’ve been so awful to you. I pushed you away. I didn’t know what was wrong with me, but I—”

“Stop,” he cut me off, his voice thick with emotion. “None of that matters now. None of it. You were scared, and you didn’t know why. But we know now. And we’re going to fix it. Together.”

I wanted to believe him. I wanted so badly to believe that everything would be okay. But the fear was still there, lurking in the background, whispering that things might never be the same again.

The crew stepped forward one by one, each offering words of support, hugs, and quiet reassurances. It was overwhelming—feeling so much love and care when all I felt inside was fear. I wanted to tell them how much it meant to me, how grateful I was, but the words got stuck in my throat.

Finally, Boden spoke again, his voice gentle but firm. “You need to rest, Y/N. Go home, get some sleep, and prepare for the surgery. We’ll be with you every step of the way.”

I nodded, though I wasn’t sure I’d be able to sleep with everything swirling inside me. But I appreciated the sentiment. I appreciated all of them.

Brian took my hand, and we started to leave. As we walked out of the firehouse, I looked back at the crew—my family—standing there, watching us with worried eyes. They believed in me. They believed I could get through this.

I just wished I could believe it too.

Chapter 10:

The night before the surgery was the longest night of my life.

Brian and I went back to our apartment, and for the first time in what felt like forever, the silence between us wasn’t filled with tension or misunderstanding. It was just… heavy. There was nothing more to say, nothing more to do but wait. I could see the worry etched into Brian’s face every time I caught him glancing at me. He tried to hide it, but I knew him too well.

We made dinner, but I could barely eat. The thought of surgery, of having someone cut into my brain, was too much to bear. I pushed the food around on my plate, my stomach churning with anxiety.

Brian eventually took my hand, pulling me into the living room. We sat on the couch, and I rested my head on his shoulder, closing my eyes as he gently stroked my hair. His touch was soothing, grounding me when my mind started to spiral.

“I’m scared,” I admitted quietly, my voice barely above a whisper.

“I know,” Brian whispered back, his voice soft and full of love. “I’m scared too. But you’re going to get through this. We’re going to get through this.”

I wanted to believe him. I wanted to hold onto his words like a lifeline. But the fear, the uncertainty—it was all-consuming. I couldn’t shake the thought that something could go wrong, that I might not wake up after the surgery, that everything could change in a matter of hours.

“What if…” I started, my voice trembling. “What if something happens? What if I’m not the same after?”

Brian’s hand stilled in my hair, and he pulled back just enough to look at me. His eyes were filled with so much love, so much emotion, that it took my breath away.

“No matter what happens,” he said softly, “I’m here. I love you, Y/N. Nothing’s going to change that.”

The tears welled up again, and I blinked them away, trying to stay strong. But Brian’s words broke something inside me, and before I knew it, I was sobbing, my whole body shaking as I clung to him.

“I don’t want to lose myself,” I cried. “I don’t want to lose you.”

“You won’t,” Brian whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “You won’t lose me. You’re not going anywhere, Y/N. You’re stronger than this. We’ll face whatever comes next together.”

I buried my face in his chest, feeling the warmth of his arms around me, and for the first time that night, I allowed myself to believe him.

[cloveroctobers]

🎶 𝔴𝔥𝔢𝔫 𝔶𝔬𝔲’𝔯𝔢 𝔰𝔱𝔯𝔞𝔫𝔤𝔢! 🎶

~PART IV!~

Here are all works written during the superior SPOOKY season of 2024 🍁📜 🖤 💀

FAR FETCHED > Roman Reigns

SWEET DREAM > Terry Richmond

UPSIDE DOWN > [Multi] Armando Aretas, Angel Reyes, Cane Tejada, Terry Richmond, & Stella Kidd

SAVE YOUR BREATH > Armando Aretas

FEEL LIKE HOME > Dante Torres

FIRST LOVE > Jimmy Holiday

SYMPHONY > Boone

LITTLE DARK AGE > Bode Leone x reader x Fire Country

.𖥔 ݁ ˖🍁๋࣭ ⭑🍂༘⋆ .𖥔 ݁ ˖🍁๋࣭ ⭑🍂༘⋆ .𖥔 ݁ ˖🍁๋࣭ ⭑🍂༘⋆

A NOVEMBER EP 🧦 — SEPARATE FALL SLICES!

U CANT REMEMBER > Jimmy Holiday

CUT TIES > Terry Richmond

NO STRESS > Armando Aretas

OUTTA LUCK > Javi Rivera

~RANDOM FALL COLLECTION~

SWEETENER > [Multi] : Roman Reigns, Jey Uso, Terry Richmond, Cane Tejada, & Barry (OBX)

| OTHER WORKS… |

FREE FALL > Dante Torres x oc x Manny Castillo

[sevasey51]

The night before Jay goes back to work everyone’s joins at all Mollys to celebrate. Connor, Y/N, Will and intelligence. Y/N has been uneasy the whole night and Connor obviously notices but doesn’t say anything. Once they leave and head to the car she starts slowly letting the tears slip overwhelmed with anxiety. By the time they get to car she is sobbing and inconsolable with a panic attack. Connor can’t calm her down and is worried that she will send herself into a pots spiral. He rushes home and does whatever he can to calm buteven meds isn’t working. Finally he calls Jay hoping talking to him will call her.

Not Ready Yet

Summary: On the night everyone gathers at Molly’s to celebrate Jay returning to work, Y/N can’t shake the dread in her chest. She smiles. She laughs. She cheers for her brother like everyone else. But it’s all surface. And Connor sees it. Later, when they leave the bar, her anxiety finally breaks free. What begins as a few quiet tears turns into a full-blown panic attack, one Connor can’t soothe—not with words, not with meds. As she spirals into shallow breath and shaking limbs, Connor makes one desperate call to the only person who might reach her: Jay.

The whole night felt off.

To everyone else, it was a celebration. Jay was cleared for duty, and all of Intelligence showed up at Molly’s to raise a glass. Will brought drinks. Hailey stuck to his side, glowing with quiet pride. Stella and Kelly dropped by. The bar buzzed with laughter and stories and relief.

Y/N smiled. She hugged Jay so tightly he lifted her off the ground. She laughed when Trudy made some wildly inappropriate toast. She even took a few sips of champagne.

But Connor watched her too closely to miss the signs.

The way her hand trembled when she lifted her glass. The way she kept shifting in her seat. Her smile too wide, her eyes a little too glossy. Her legs bouncing beneath the table like she was bracing for something no one else could feel.

He didn’t press. Not there. Not with everyone watching.

But he never left her side.

When they finally stepped out into the cool night air, she let out a sharp breath and wrapped her arms around herself.

Connor unlocked the car, watching her out of the corner of his eye.

“Sweetheart?”

She didn’t answer.

Her steps slowed, and when they reached the car, she stopped altogether—standing on the sidewalk, shaking.

And then the tears started.

Not quiet ones.

Not controllable ones.

The kind that slipped out fast, unspoken and frantic, too quick for her to wipe away.

“Hey—hey.” He dropped the keys and turned toward her. “Look at me. What’s going on?”

But she couldn’t.

She shook her head, gasping, her breath catching between sobs that only grew louder.

“I can’t—I can’t—I don’t know what’s wrong—” Her hands gripped her hoodie like she was trying to hold herself together. “I’m happy for him but I’m terrified and I feel so stupid—”

“You’re not stupid,” Connor said instantly, trying to ground her. “You’re overwhelmed. And that’s okay.”

But her chest was rising too fast. Her knees buckled slightly.

“Okay—okay, no,” he said, catching her just in time. “We’re not doing this here. Come on.”

He helped her into the car, buckled her in, and started driving—not fast, but steady. One hand stayed tight around hers on the center console, even as she cried into her sleeve.

By the time they reached home, she was still hyperventilating—borderline incoherent.

Connor lifted her from the car and carried her straight into the apartment, setting her gently on the couch.

He moved like muscle memory—grabbing her emergency kit, placing a cold cloth on her neck, checking her heart rate.

Tachy. BP falling.

Shit.

He tried the fast-acting oral med. Nothing. He gave her the anti-anxiety dose they kept for situations like this. Still, her panic didn’t slow. Her body kept spiraling.

And for the first time in a long time, Connor felt helpless.

She wasn’t hearing him. His voice wasn’t reaching her.

So he pulled out his phone and hit the name he didn’t hesitate to call.

Jay.

He picked up almost immediately.

“Connor?”

“She’s panicking,” Connor said, his voice rough. “I’ve tried everything. Meds. Fluids. She’s not coming back down. I think it’s about you going back to work. She held it in all night, and now it’s just—she’s gone, Jay. I can’t reach her.”

Jay was quiet for half a second.

“Put me on speaker.”

Connor did, placing the phone gently near her ear as she curled into the couch, shaking and sobbing.

“Hey, kid,” Jay’s voice came through, soft but solid.

Her sobs caught. Her body jerked a little, like she wasn’t sure she’d heard right.

“Bug,” Jay said again. “It’s just me.”

She turned slowly toward the phone, her breath hitching.

“I’m okay,” Jay said. “I’m really okay. I’m ready to go back. I wouldn’t do it if I wasn’t. You know me.”

She clutched at the blanket Connor draped over her, her breathing still shallow, but her eyes finding the phone.

“You’re not losing me,” Jay said, softer now. “You never have to carry that fear alone. I’ve got me. Connor’s got you. And we’ve all got each other. Okay?”

Her sobs turned into hiccups. Her eyes squeezed shut—but she nodded.

Connor let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.

“I love you,” Jay added. “Always. And you can call me anytime. Even from the bathroom floor. Especially from the bathroom floor.”

That got a half-laugh, half-sob from her—and finally, finally, her breathing started to slow.

Connor wiped the tears from her cheeks gently.

She whispered, “Sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Connor said, voice thick. “You were scared. You care. That’s not a weakness.”

After she fell asleep, curled in Connor’s arms with her body finally settling, he texted Jay.

Thank you.

Jay replied:

Anytime. I love her too.

Because sometimes the fear was too big to name.

Sometimes it needed a brother’s voice, a husband’s arms,

and the kind of love that didn’t ask her to be strong—

just let her fall

and caught her anyway.

[witchygagirlwrites]

Stella could tell you weren’t having a great day just from the tone of your messages so she decided to try and cheer you up by getting stuff delivered to you at your office.

What did your bestie send to you?

Stella read your text, rolling her bottom lip between her teeth. "Uh oh, what's wrong?" Kelly asked, looking over her shoulder. "Something's up with her. She's not feeling herself today" he nodded "You're gonna do something about that, aren't ya?" she grinned "You bet your ass I am"

Trudy called you down to the front desk, you sighed and trudged down the stairs. Your eyes widened when she pointed to the corner of the desk "That's for you" you walked over and almost cried when you read the note "I don't know what's up but I know you'll tell me when you feel like it. For now, here's this. Love, Stel"

The basket was your favorite color and when you looked in it, there was some of your favorite chocolate, a bottle of the lotion you and her both loved, her old CFD shirt that was worn in and so soft that you stole every time you stayed at the loft for any reason, a couple of your favorite drinks and a pair of fluffy socks.

You puleld your phone out of your pocket and texted her "I love you, so damn much" she texted back "I love you too, now enjoy and call me when you want to vent about it"

[cas-kingdom]

I think

“I didn’t know they were weed brownies!” And “I swear, it’s the truth!”

Would be really funny with Chicago Fire if you’d be so kind 🥰🥰🥰

Matt Casey liked to think that every return he made back to Chicago was a breath of fresh air. Not that looking after the boys was difficult and he didn't enjoy it, but a reminder of his old life was often exactly what he needed in his new one. Of course, seeing you was the primary reason he came home, but his 51 family was more than a bonus.

Matt had decided to make for the station before the hotel. There were only a couple hours left of shift and he was ready for the placid atmosphere typical after twenty-two hours already on the job.

“I didn’t know they were weed brownies!"

The bounce in his step waned slightly as he let the door shut behind him. He could tell his sister's voice from a mile away, but the tone of it was one he wasn't used to.

"I swear, it’s the truth. These little kids were selling them, I thought they were sweet kids—they seriously looked like sweet kids."

“I, yeah—" There was a snort of laughter. Sylvie. "We believe you, Y/N.”

"Don’t doubt it, girl!" Stella sounded as enthusiastic as possible, but that same hint of amusement was evident in her voice.

Matt couldn't help his concern, quickening his pace and rounding the engine truck. The ambulance back doors were open, and you were sat at the edge, terror written all over your face. Stella was sat on her haunches in front of you, hands on your knees. Sylvie was on one side, a blood pressure monitor in her hands, and Violet was rummaging through a bag on the other.

Your wide eyes—wide, groggy eyes—met his the moment he made himself visible.

“Matty!” You made to jump up, but the girls stopped you before you could, blurting all kinds about slowing down and blood and heart.

Matt could tell you were on the verge of tears, could see the quivering of your lips and the watering of your already watering eyes. Quickly, he dropped his bag on the floor and rushed across to envelop you in a hug, cupping the back of your head to his chest. "Hey, there," he said. He met Stella's eyes, the captain having stood up, and mouthed a "what happened?" over your head.

Stella mouthed a simple "brownies" back, as though that answered the question perfectly. Luckily, you helped out.

“Matt, I took drugs," you spoke quietly. Matt's frown deepened.

The girls jumped to attention. "Not on purpose!" Sylvie said.

"Not on purpose," Stella confirmed. "Some douche was giving his kids weed brownies to sell outside his garage. Either that or someone got their recipes seriously mixed up. Boden’s sent CPD down there.”

You twirled a lock of your brother's hair around a finger, still clinging to him. “CPD’s gonna beat someone's ass," you said pointedly, "I paid eight dollars for those brownies.”

Violet crossed her arms over her chest. “Hey, Y/N, how many did you eat again?”

“Four.” Your voice was muffled, yiur face buried in Matt's chest, but everyone heard it.

Sylvie. "Rough."

"They were so good," you said.

There was a general silence, something concern probably should have filled, but after a moment the amusement of the situation set in, and smiles broke out.

"Can I assume she's gonna be fine?" Matt asked. He gently pulled away from you and guided you to sit back down on the truck.

Sylvie nodded, crossing her arms. "She's got an elevated heart rate and she'll be loopy for a bit longer but yeah, she'll be okay."

"What if the kids come after me?" You let your head drop against Matt's shoulder.

"What's that, sweetheart?" Matt asked.

"What if the brownie kids come back because I sent the cops on them?"

Sylvie put a fist to her mouth

"That's not gonna happen," Matt assured you, "don't worry."

Stella clapped her hands together after Kylie's voice asking for her echoed throughout the station. "Okay, crazy, I'm gonna take you off duty for the rest of shift, okay?"

You face fell. "Oh, but—can I still stay at the firehouse?"

"Probably best," Stella agreed.

Matt stood up. "Hey, Lieutenant, you need someone to fill in?"

Stella grinned, pointing a finger towards him as she backed out of the room. "Luckily for you, ex-Lieutenant, a spot just opened up. Go get a drink, Y/N, and stay where we can keep an eye on you. Hey, hey, Hermann, can you escort her into the common room? Don't leave her."

Hermann, who'd been passing by with an apple in hand, didn't have much of a choice as Matt passed his sister onto him with a kiss to your hot forehead before running off to change. Hermann took your arm in his when you went to fall.

"The hell's up with you? You sick?"

"I took drugs."

"What?"

Chicago Fire Masterpost

[samantha-chicago]

Soft Launch B.Gallo

Summary : You and your boyfriend decide to soft launch your relationship on social media.

Pairing : Blake Gallo x Reader

Warning/s : Probably a really bad attempt at a Social Media AU

A/N : I just decided to give this a shot. So enjoy?

Y/NUSERNAME Posted A Picture

Liked By: BlakeGallo, SKIDD and others 

Y/NUSERNAME February was good to me :) 

View All Comments 

BlakeGallo :)

VioletMi Excuse me? Who is that? 

SKIDD We need to have a word about this @Y/NUSERNAME  Y/NUSERNAME Do we? About what? 

DRIDDER Gallo commented. Gallo doesn’t even comment on my posts?!?! 

VioletMi OMG I DIDN’T NOTICE THAT?!?! 

JHalstead Someone get those UNO cards. I’ll run prints 

DRIDDER On it!

BlakeGallo Posted a Picture

Liked By JHalstead, Y/NUSERNAME and others 

BlakeGallo Slaving away tying these shoes 🙄

View All Comments 

Matt.Casey Gallo we need a word about this 

Y/NUSERNAME Oh no. Blakie did something wrong 😉 BlakeGallo Oh shush 

VioletMi “Blakie”?!?!?! 

DRIDDER One of my guesses. What did I say! 

Y/NUSERNAME Nice shoes those 😉

Y/NUSERNAME Posted A Picture 

Liked By BlakeGallo, JHalstead and others 

Y/NUSERNAME I want goats. He says no :( 

View All Comments 

SKIDD Who says no? Tell us!!! 

Y/NUSERNAME He says no. 

BlakeGallo You’re not having goats. No. I’m not sitting in truck next to you with goats living in your home

Y/NUSERNAME They’d be in the garden. Not inside my home 

S.Carver I agree with Gallo on this one 

Y/NUSERNAME :( 

Y/NUSERNAME Posted A Story

Y/NUSERNAME Posted A Picture 

Liked By BlakeGallo, JHalstead, SylvieBret and others 

Y/NUSERNAME I love you so much baby. Thank you for making the past year so memorable. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us and I’m sure it’ll be great whatever it is. 

View All Comments 

SKIDD A year?! What?! 

DRIDDER I KNOW WHO IT IS!! 

BlakeGallo Cute 

Y/NUSERNAME Says you! 

BlakeGallo Posted A Picture 

Liked By Y/NUSERNAME, SylvieBret, SKIDD and Others 

BlakeGallo Thank you for the past year making all the challenges we’ve faced better. 

Comments Are Limited 

Y/NUSERNAME Aww. This picture is so cute 

[sevcasejay1chicago]

Welcome home- Matt Casey x Darden!Sister

Authors note: Sorry that it’s been so long since I posted!!! It’s been a crazy few weeks and I honestly just haven’t had the motivation. This is a continuation to a story I wrote a while ago containing these two love birds.

Summary: Kelly and Stella finally bring you back home.

Warnings: NONE; possible spoilers maybe.

———————

You and Matt Casey kept your relationship going even through your move to Portland to be with your nephews, the Darden boys. When Matt had the weekend off, he would often fly over to Portland and help you out with whatever you needed. Sometimes, all you needed was him.

About three years later, Stella called you and told you about her engagement to Kelly. You were thrilled. You always knew that they would get married. You never knew Kelly to love someone and to be so devoted to them like he was to Stella Kidd. That woman had Kelly Severide wrapped around her finger.

When you got a call from Matt later on in the night, you were surprised to find that this FaceTime was filled with many familiar faces.

“Hey Darden!” Kelly yelled over Matt’s shoulder.

Clamoring could be heard as Jay Halstead, Mouch, Hermann, Sylvie, and a few others from intelligence and 51 tried to get in the frame to say hi. You giggled as you watched Kelly take Jay in a headlock and demand your attention. Everyone was clearly VERY drunk.

Matt chuckled as he watched the scene unfold on his end, but most of his attention was on you and your giggling self. He has never heard a sound more beautiful than your laugh or seen anything brighter than your smile.

Once Matt was able to break away, he stepped outside and sat at a picnic table far from the outdoor bar. He stared at you for a moment as you wrote something down, biting your lower lip in concentration. All he wanted in that moment was to rub the knots, that he knew were on your shoulders from stress, away and catch your bottom lip in his.

You noticed him staring after a minute or two and immediately blushed, hiding behind the sleeves of the hoodie Matt left you the last time he came out to Portland. “What?” You giggled, pushing your reading glasses up while you hid behind your hands.

Matt shook his head and chuckled. “Nothing. Nothing. You are just too damn adorable.” Matt smiled shyly at being caught, but he was also doing his best to hide what you were doing to him just by being you. “God. I miss you.” Matt breathed, leaning against the picnic table and setting his phone against the napkin dispenser to rub his hands together in an effort to warm them back up.

You smiled sweetly back at him. “I miss you too honey.” You whispered, flopping back into your pillows. “Sooooo, did Kelly ask you to be his best man?” You asked, wiggling your eyebrows.

Matt chuckled, missing your antics. “Of course he did! Who else would be able to deal with Groomzilla?!” Matt joked, causing you to burst out laughing.

“True. True.” You said, struggling to catch your breath. “Stella asked me to be a bridesmaid, but I don’t know what things will look like around the time of the wedding, so I had to decline.” You explained, pouting slightly.

Matt hummed. “Well, I’m sure it’ll all work out. We have time.”

You nodded in thought before flipping onto your side and settling in for the night. You placed your phone on its upright charging port as you stared at Matt. “If you can, leave me on. It’ll be like I’m part of the fun.” You whispered, hiding a yawn behind your sleeve.

Matt knew you wouldn’t last much longer, so he easily agreed, standing up and carrying his phone around as he re-entered the crowded bar filled with your family.

———————

The day was here. Stella and Kelly were finally getting married. As far as Matt knew, you had to stay in Portland because Ben got himself into some trouble. Matt was kinda thankful for you not being here in this moment as everything seemed to be falling apart and he just knew you would be frantically trying to fix everything if you were here.

“Hey guys! A party boat just opened up and we can have the wedding there!” Cruz yelled from halfway down the block.

The wedding party all went running, eager to get there and get everything arranged. Once they arrived, Matt was pleasantly surprised and confused with how nicely the boat was decorated in line with Kelly and Stella’s wedding theme. That was, until you popped up behind him.

“Hey handsome.” You whispered, wrapping your arms loosely around his waist.

He knew those hands and that voice anywhere. He immediately turned in your arms and lifted you into his own, twirling you around. “Oh my God!” Matt yelled, chuckling as he spun you around. Once he sat you down, he swooped in to kiss you deeply. He only pulled back when he was desperately in need of air. “Wha- how?!” Matt asked, still trying to understand how you were here.

“Welllll.” You drawled out, leaning back slightly to get a better look at him. “I was really busy moving my stuff back into your apartment while you were at Kelly’s last night. Stella held her bachelorette party there while we unpacked my stuff.” You smiled, proud to have pulled one over on him.

Matt gawked at you, absolutely speechless.

“Then, when I went to start decorating this morning, I realized that the church was double booked and had this set up. Everyone helped get you here. We figured you deserved some good news after the tough year you’ve had.” You explained, smiling as everyone around you agreed.

“Plus, this is like the best wedding gift EVER. THE BAND IS BACK TOGETHER!” Stella yelled, pumping her fist in the air.

Everyone chuckled and immediately agreed.

Matt wrapped his arms tighter around your waist, burying his face in your hair. After a few moments, Matt pulled back and kissed you on the forehead before shouting, “LETS GET KIDD AND SEVERIDE HITCHED!”

As everyone began to walk to their seats or to their places, Matt pulled you into his side and gave you one more kiss. “Welcome home baby.”

———————

At the reception, Matt has you sitting in his lap with his arms wrapped around you. “So, where are Griffin and Ben?” Matt asked, kissing the side of your head.

“So, here’s the thing.” You began, turning in his lap to look Matt in the eyes. “Griffin got accepted into Northwestern and Ben was okay with moving home with you, so I brought Ben with me and Griffin is staying on campus.” You explained, toying with your necklace as you spoke.

“Wait, so Ben is here?!” Matt asked, immediately ecstatic.

You chuckled, calming down now that the biggest secret was out. “Yeah. Griffin is at the apartment with him now. He will be staying for the night before going back to his dorm so that we can have the night out. He expects Uncle Matt’s famous eggs in a basket tomorrow morning.” You chuckle, shaking your head at the fact that Griffin remembered his favorite meal that Matt made him as a kid.

Matt beamed, kissing you on the temple. “He can have anything he wants.” Matt assured, smiling proudly at the fact that Griffin remembered things from their time together. For the first time since you left, Matt was finally content.