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𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞: 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐲
𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨.

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𝐲𝐞𝐬, 𝐢 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮
𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭, 𝐠𝐨𝐝 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮
𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞
𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲

SIXTY YEARS LATER. . .

Kelly Severide got what he prayed for. Having his wife of sixty years in his arms after a night spent with their grandchildren was truly a good way to go.

Maddie's frail fingers traced over the brown casket as people around her shuffled to their places to prepare for the sacred ceremony of the fireman's last call. The whole Chicago Fire Department had basically showed up for her husband's funeral. How couldn't they?

A throng of men and woman and firehouse companies would be parading through the city of Chicago ─ Maddie would be marching behind Kelly's casket too much to her children's dismay.

"Ma, you can't march the walk the whole way to the cemetery with us." Benjie told her as gently as he could, rubbing a tired hand over his face.

"And, why not?!"

"Because, you're old!"

"Your father is the love of my life! Old age and this friggin' Chicago winter isn't going to stop me." Maddie said dismissively and added, "Don't worry, langga (dear). Your brother is going to be with me the whole time while you and your sister carry on with your CFD duties or whatever it is you two do."

Maddie smiled fondly at the memory of the argument that happened almost a week ago. "You don't have to worry about me, mahal (love)." Her hand rested on top of the casket and she felt her heart break a little more as she bent down to press a gentle kiss on it, "Sleep well, Kelly. I'll see you soon."

Maddie blinked, trying to bring herself back to the present; back to her husband's funeral. But, it was so damn hard. Everywhere she looked all she could see was him: her children and grandchildren, the men and women surrounding her in their CFD dress blues, their 51 family. She could still remember how blue his eyes were, his arms that often felt like home, and every touch he gave her that took her to paradise.

"You alright there, ma?" Her second son asked as he placed a hand on her lower back.

Nonetheless, Maddie managed to give him a tight smile, crinkles forming by the sides of her eyes due to the old age. She squeezed his shoulder, "I'm fine, MJ. Just trying to go through this day little by little, you know?"

MJ cleared his throat. "Uh ─ ma, do you think dad was proud of me?" Maddie furrowed her brows in confusion so he continued, "It's just that. . .I'm the only one of his children that didn't go into the CFD. He also didn't talk to me for a day when I told the both of you that I was gay. And, I think ─ ow! Ma!" She had pinched the skin on his shoulder.

"You stop talking nonsense right now, Matteo Joseph!" She chided in a low voice, "Your father is proud of you either way. He took a day to process the fact that his son was gay ─ we both did. But, we decided that we wanted you to be happy and comfortable in your own skin. When we were in bed that day ─ "

MJ wrinkled his nose. "Gross."

"When we were preparing for bed, he concluded that just because one of his sons liked boys, it shouldn't mean we would love him any less. You forget that your father and I have best friends who were gay too, you know. We did our best to make sure you feel loved after that; we wanted to make sure all our children felt loved because ─ let's face it ─ none of you were little angels as you grew up."

MJ discreetly wiped a stray tear on his cheek. Maddie had caught this and placed her hand on the crook of his elbow. "Benjie was way over his head and wanted to join the freaking Army at sixteen. You, my sweet MJ, spent all day in your room during weekends. We thought you'd actually sneak out but that was more of Shay's forte." Maddie smiled at the mention of their daughter, "Your little sister gave your dad more gray hairs to be honest."

"It started when Shay started hanging out with boys, right?"

"Especially when Shay started hanging out with boys." Maddie laughed, "Kelly and your Uncle Matt would start questioning her whenever a name that even sounded remotely masculine entered the conversation."

"Can we really blame Dad and Uncle Matt though? Shay was quite a flirt."

"I guess we can't. In their eyes, those ladies who go on dates and go off to college are still their little princesses." Maddie smiled when she saw one of Matt Casey's daughters wave at her.

The people around her started to move forward. She knew it was almost time.

"Where's your brother and sister?" Maddie asked, eyes scanning the crowd of firefighters in front of them. MJ pointed to a firefighter in his dress blues where Maddie could still make out the blue of his eyes because they were so similar to Kelly's. Another firefighter (also clad in dress blues) approached him and this time Maddie could tell it was their daughter due to her black hair and similar striking blue eyes. It seemed like MJ was the only one of her children to inherit her onyx eyes and love for art.

Shay had spotted the mother-son duo first and waved at them, her older brother following suit.

"God, he looks so much like Kelly." Maddie bit her lip, another wave of tears threatening to fall as her eyes landed on Benjie's boyish smile.

"I know, ma." MJ replied, "It's time."

It was time to say goodbye.

As the church doors opened, Maddie felt the cold Chicago air whip past her face. But, that wouldn't matter. Nothing was going to stop her from walking with her husband ─ her Kelly ─ one last time. 

Battalion Chief Kelly Severide has returned to quarters. He is cleared from all his duties. He is gone but never forgotten. May he rest in peace with his brothers and sisters above.