╔═══*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*═══╗

𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞 & 𝐊𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞
𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫
𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬
𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐚
𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦
𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫
𝐰𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞.

╚═══*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*═══╝

𝐰𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡. 𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐠𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝟏𝟖𝟕𝟏. 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝𝐲. 𝐢 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡 ─ 𝐚 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝐚 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐭𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞.
─ chicago fire, light things up

2024

"Why do we even have to do this?"

"Maddie, stay still!"

"This whole wedding ceremony is pointless, Sylvie. Kelly and I are too old for this."

"If you stay put, I can finish faster with your dress!"

"We should have just rented out Molly's ─ ow! Tangina (motherfucker)!"

"All done!"

Maddie grumbled under her breath as she rubbed the side where her best friend had just poked her with a safety pin. She turned around to check herself in the mirror and was rendered speechless at the work her good friends had done with her; she'd have to thank Sylvie, Bri, Stella, and Chloe once this was all over.

Her wedding dress was simple and a classic ─ she didn't want any of those grand dresses since it looked like they were too stuffy to wear. The silk white dress gave her an open V-neckline that showed her structured upper body beautifully and had a little belt that accented her waistline (which had remained flattering after three kids ─ thank God). The skirt flowed out into a mermaid cut as to her daughter's adherence that it was absolutely perfect. Maddie's favorite part? The dress had pockets!

Maddie patted her dark hair which was styled into a lax chignon bun that was adorned with a floral headpiece her mother lent ─ her something borrowed ─ while her wedding dress was her something new. Immediately, her hand was smacked by Sylvie who gave her a glare.

"If you mess up your hair, Maddie, I swear ─ "

Chuckling, Maddie's hands re-directed themselves to her dress to smooth out any ruffles. "Okay, okay. I have a feeling that this whole wedding is just an excuse for you to make me your Barbie doll."

Sylvie winked at her. "Nonsense."

The door opened and a patter of footsteps followed suit. Little Shay came barreling to her mother, her hands full with the bride's wedding bouquet of blue and white hydrangea flowers ─ something blue ─ and a note.

"Mama, I have a delivery for you!" She announced, stopping mid-step with her blue eyes wide as she took in her mother's attire. "You look like a princess, mama, and daddy looks like a prince!"

"You saw daddy, Shay?" Maddie asked. She hadn't seen her husband yesterday and the whole morning.

The little girl nodded excitedly. "Yes! Kuya (big brother) Benjie and MJ snuck me in the boys' room. Daddy told me to give you these." She shoved the bouquet and note to her mother, receiving a kiss on her cheek as Maddie accepted the tokens.

"Can I wear that dress too, mama?" She asked, wide blue eyes blinking up at her.

"Soon, Shay, when you find your prince and have a wedding."

"Can it be tomorrow?"

"Hmmm. . ." Maddie tapped her finger on her chin, pretending to be deep in thought. "Who are you marrying, langga (dear)?"

"My boyfriend, mama!"

"Oooh. Severide is not going to like that." Brett teased, the whole room erupting in laughter.

"Your husband is such a romantic, Maddie." Her little sister ─ Ophelia ─ commented, her words dripping with sarcasm as she strode into the room. Their mother was hot on her tail as she moved with much swiftness and urgency.

As Helen Cojuangco ran around the hotel room like a mother hen gathering her chicks and shoving them out of the door, Maddie smiled as she read the note splayed with Kelly's handwriting.

𝘏𝘦𝘺, 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘦𝘴. 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩? 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘏𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘈𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘺. -𝘉𝘦𝘣𝘰𝘵

"Maddie!" Nigel hollered from the door, tapping his watch. "We're running late! Let's get you hitched!"

Maddie gathered her dress and took hold of Shay's hand as they went out the door. "I've been married to Kelly for years, Nigel."

Nigel did a run over his friend's attire. "I know. But this is the first time you and Kelly do things like normal people would. Have you heard what Jill did?"

"Oh my god. Spill."

Shay was giggling, hiding her smile behind her hand. "Tita (Aunt) Jill shouted at the boys."

Maddie's eyebrows shot up. "Oh, did she?"

"Yep." Nigel answered her, opening the car door that would take them to the Holy Family Catholic Church. "Apparently, they were running late too and there was a mix-up with the tuxes."

Shay climbed in the car first and was soon followed by Maddie.

The best aspect about this whole wedding was that their kids got to be a part of it with Shay as a flower girl and their boys being part of the groomsmen. Maddie's heart melted more and more as she thought about her little family being present with them as witnesses to the love she and Kelly had managed to keep alive after all these years. So, maybe, there were still missing pieces that would have made this day a little better like her father walking her down the aisle or JJ's calming presence.

But, time had healed wounds. Maddie could laugh heartily as her mother would recall memories of her father and she smiled fondly as she looked at the way her new assistant would look after her just like how JJ would.

"Mama, can we sing the chapel song?" Shay asked, bouncing excitedly in her seat with her basket full of blue flower petals.

"Sure, langga (dear/love)." Maddie told her, hand cupping her daughter's rosy cheek. "Do you remember how it goes?"

Shay nodded and started to sing the song, her mother joining in as she looked out the window to a sunny August day.

Goin' to the chapel and we're
Gonna get married
Goin' to the chapel and we're
Gonna get married

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Gee, I really love you and we're
Gonna get married
Goin' to the chapel of love

Matt Casey's teasing voice sang from behind him as Kelly faces the sea of people setting themselves in their respective pews.

"Casey, I don't even know who half these people are." He whispered discreetly to his best man. "Is that the Fire Commissioner?"

Matt clapped him on the shoulder. "You betcha'. Battalion Chief Severide's wedding is the event of the season." Hearing this, Kelly snorted and shook his head.

When his daughter was born, Kelly had took the job OFI offered him and eventually landed himself a position as battalion chief in Springfield. He decided that his family came first above all and the least he could do was be there for them as long as he could. His sons ─ Benjie & MJ ─ ran up to the duo with beaming smiles.

"She's here! She's here!" Benjie exclaimed.

The instrumental of that Bruno Mars marriage song played throughout the church and Kelly took a deep breath. Benjie and MJ went to their positions right behind their father, bouncing excitedly.

"How does she look, boys?" He asked them.

"Beautiful, papa!" Benjie answered.

"Like a princess!"

Time seemed to pass by as their wedding entourage made their way down the carpet and to the altar. Of course, the highlight of the entourage was Shay skipping down the aisle and throwing flower petals like there was no tomorrow. Instead of going to the bride's side, Shay had skipped her way to where her brothers and father were standing with MJ holding her hand.

And time had seemed to slow down as he settled his gaze on her ─ a goddess dressed in white. She was walking towards him with the loveliest smile on her face and Kelly wondered if it was possible to fall in love with someone all over again.

Maddie had a glimmer in her eyes ─ one that was solely reserved for him ─ as she walked down the aisle in an effortless manner. He felt his breath hitched once she came nearer and wanted to know: how on Earth was he so fortunate to spend the rest of his life with the sweetest creature who never failed to to place a smile on his face each day?

"Hi." Kelly greeted her once she had reached him, blue eyes sparkling as he took in her attire.

Maddie snickered at the awe-struck look on his face. "Hello." She bit her bottom lip, soaking up how her husband looked extra dashing in his tux. "Did you hear that Shay wants to get married tomorrow?"

Laughing, he shook his head and took her hand as they faced the altar. "Our little girl isn't going to get married until she's at least 40."

She hummed, smirking. "I don't know, mahal (love). She's pretty stubborn."

"Gee. I wonder where she gets it from."

"From you. No doubt."

Kelly raised his brows challengingly. "Sure."

Unbeknownst to the couple, the priest was already standing in front of them, quite unamused with their banter. The priest cleared his throat and the couple had failed to hide their snickers at his pointed look. 

To the bride and groom, the ceremony was a bore though they wouldn't admit it out loud to their friends and family who had spent so much time and effort for the day. Kelly and Maddie had each other to amuse themselves with throughout the priest's sermon, stealing scheming glances to the other and holding hands in a relaxed manner. 

Then came the vows. 

Maddie saw her husband's breath hitch just as hers did. 

It was cheesy to think that ─ after a decade of being together, three kids, multiple visits to the hospitals, and countless petty arguments later ─ their gazes still softened at the sight of the other and their touch was still magnetic as ever. 

"Kelly Benjamin," She spoke, her voice steady. "You cannot posses me for I belong to myself, but, while we both wish it, I give to you which is mine to give. You cannot command me for I am a free person, but, I shall serve you in ways you require, and the honeycomb will taste sweeter coming from my hand." 

Maddie slid the wedding band across her husband's finger and smiled. This was the moment that mattered the most to both of them: their declaration to love one another.

She spontaneously raised his hand up to her lips and pressed a loving kiss to his knuckles, declaring. "This is my promise to you. This is a marriage of equals."

It was Kelly's turn to pledge his vow to her. He was having tunnel vision and at the end of the said tunnel was her: bright, full of warmth, and his little chunk of happiness.

He smiled at her. "Madeline, I pledge to you that yours will be the name I cry aloud in the night and the eyes into which I smile in the morning. I pledge to you my living and dying, equally in your care, and tell no strangers of our grievances." Kelly mimicked her actions, kissing her hand with his eyes never straying away from hers. "This is my promise to you. This is a marriage of equals." 

A buzz of excitement could be felt in the air. The wedding guests were both smiling and tearing up at the sweet gestures the couple had displayed. The Severide children were bouncing on the balls of their feet. To them, they were living inside a fairytale where their father was a prince and their mother a princess. 

"Now that Kelly and Madeline have given themselves to each other by the promises they have exchanged, you may now kiss the ─ " 

The priest didn't even get to finish his speech before Kelly was leaning into her and kissing her, cupping Maddie's face in his hands. He felt her smile into the kiss as she encircled her arms around his neck. Foreheads pressed together, they broke away but kept each other close. 

Maddie placed a soothing hand on his cheek, her thumb rubbing the little patch of stubble. "Hi." She said shyly. 

"Hey." Kelly kissed her palm. "Ready for newly wed life?"

"Does that mean a honeymoon next week?"

"Well ─ "

"Mama, papa!" It was Shay. She and her brothers had managed to run up to the altar and go in between their parents. "Smile for the pictures!" 

Kelly swooped the little girl in his arms as his hand held MJ's and Maddie held Benjie's hand. The three children were already smiling brightly at the photographer. Their parents, however, took one last look at the other and knew. 

They were both contented with their lives and ready for the next adventure. . .as long as they had each other. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE
not me hung up
on kelly and
maddie 🤧

anyway, i just
published a law
& order: svu fic!!
check it out and
don't be afraid
to comment
and vote ❤

its called: