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𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐤𝐲
 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠.

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BEBOT IS CALLING!

ANSWER | DECLINE

"Hey, mahal (love)."

"Hi, babes. Just wanted to ask how the house hunting is going."

"I've been to four houses and I feel like this is the one."

"That's the one, huh? You said that with the two other houses."

"I know! But, this. . .it just feels like home, Kelly."

"Whatever you say, Mads."

"Oh! By the way, before I forget. Remember when we did a Skype with my mom and Ophelia?"

"Uh-huh. Your sister didn't look too pleased."

"It's whatever. I honestly don't care anymore. But anyway! There might possibly be a mini-van waiting for us at our apartment when we get home."

"A mini-van? Are you serious?"

"I argued with mama not to give us one but she insisted. Said there was a car seat and a crib inside too. We'll need to assemble the crib though."

"We?"

"You'll assemble the crib."

"Wow. . .just. . ."

"I know. I was pretty overwhelmed too when I read her text."

"But, everything must go Helen Cojuangco's way."

"Exactly. I'm sorry."

"No, no. Don't be. At least we won't need to look for a crib and car seat anymore."

"There's always an upside to everything!"

". . ."

"Is my dad taking care of you?"

"He is. Benny is like you in some ways. He asks me every thirty minutes if I need to sit down or drink water."

"Huh. I wish he was like that when my mom was pregnant."

"Kelly. . ."

"Sorry, sorry."

"Your dad has done some pretty bad things in the past but he's making up for it. He even took that job at the Fire Academy."

"He told me about that. Apparently, he wants to see his grandchild grow up."

"Mhmmm. . ."

"Hey, we got call. I'll see you in the morning, babes."

"Okay. I love you. Be careful, Lieutenant, okay? I mean it."

"Looks like someone's proud of me getting my title back."

"Of course, I am!"

"Okay, Mads. I love you too."

CALL ENDED!

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

She sighed as she slowly lowered herself to sit down on the front porch step, shoving her cellphone into her purse. Maddie wasn't kidding when she said the place felt like home. As an architect, she often spotted minuscule flaws in the previous houses. The doors were too close together or the ceiling was too low. But, this one, this felt like she could watch her children run around the yard and enjoy a quiet night with her husband as they danced around the kitchen. Not to mention that the price was just within their budget. 

Benny sat next to her, handing her a water bottle. "I saw the backyard. It's not too big but I think we can build a tree-house or make campfires with it."

"I think this is it, Benny." Maddie took a sip from the bottle, "There's a basement where I can do my paint. I think I'll need it for my own sanity."

"Make sure to put a smoke detector in that room. Don't wanna get the irony of having a fireman's house getting burned down."

Maddie smiled. Benny was really like Kelly in some ways. She saw it in the way his smile formed or the way the corners of his eyes would crinkle when he laughed or even the dry humor. She arched her back, feeling the familiar movement in her abdomen ─ the movement of tiny muscle twitches or gas bubbles erupting.

"You okay, Maddie?" Benny asked, concern washing over his features.

"I'm fine." Maddie answered, a hand on her round lower abdomen. "You wanna feel something really amazing, Benny?" Without waiting for his answer, she gently grabs his hand and places it on her stomach. 

Benny's eyebrows shot up once he feels the little kicks. "Oh. . .that's amazing, Maddie."

She leaned back, her hands on the floor to steady her as she observed the sunset. "I felt it this morning too. I can't wait until Kelly feels it himself." 

"I was terrified what he would be like when he grew up." Benny stated which made her look at him with her head tipped to the side in curiosity. "I was never there for my boy; I was the deadbeat parent. He mostly grew up with his mother ─ Isabella ─ and that's where his compassion and heart comes from. I know I'm not one to give advice on relationships but may I just. . ." 

When she nodded, Benny took a deep breath and continued. "Us Severide men, we're not really the ones to talk about our feelings or ask for help. So, when the going gets tough, please don't walk away." 

Maddie hummed, her eyes settling on a mom and her toddler walking by; that would be her in a few years time. With a soft smile on her face, she replied. "If either of us walks away, the other is bound to follow and we just always end up running into each other again."

Benny nudged her shoulders with his, "My boy is lucky to have you. You made him a better man."

"I like to think Kelly and I both lucked out." 

Maddie laid her head on his shoulder and Benny didn't seem to mind. She admired the sunset she was seeing when there weren't any skyscrapers to wreck the alluring view. The sky was a mixture of purple and pink and orange; maybe she'd paint it on her canvas when she and her father-in-law would arrive back to their apartment full of boxes. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Hey! This is Maddie. I'm probably daydreaming about lechon right now or hungover or both. But, feel free to leave a message after the beep!

Beep!

Hey, Mads. Tried calling you but I guess you're still in a meeting, huh? Just checking up on you. Are you feeling okay? Is Porkchop giving you a hard time? Call me back when you can. Love you!

Kelly Severide pocketed his phone and joined his fellow firefighters in the common area where Dawson and Hermann were arguing about Molly's and breakfast was being served. He nodded to those who greeted him and joined Casey at the dining table. He rolled the tenseness around his neck, eager for the shift to end so he could go home and ask Maddie to put some of her magic bath bombs for a bubble bath. Kelly smiled to himself, thinking that his friends would probably cackle over the fact the he liked to take bubble baths that smelled like coconut and strawberries.

"Uh-oh." Dawson said, "Severide's got that stupid grin on his face again."

"How the hell do you manage to still smile after putting out a fire a few hours ago?" Cruz grumbled from beside his lieutenant, "I'm ready to take a hot shower and collapse on my bed."

Brett slid in the seat beside him, stirring her coffee. "Have you thought of names yet?"

He had. After Maddie declared that none of the names stuck out from the baby book that Briana had gifted them, she gave the task to him to find a name that they both liked it. Kelly didn't need a book for him to name his own child. He just needed the Internet to search for traditional Filipino names. He bounced a few names off from his head and came up with a few combinations that he liked.

 Benjie Florian or Matteo Joseph. 

Isobel Shay or Tala Isabella.

However, Kelly had failed to mention his suggestions to Maddie so he answered with a simple: "No, not yet."

"Otis sounds like a pretty good name." Otis himself prompted and flashed a suggestive smile to the Squad lieutenant. 

Kelly laughed, a sarcastic reply already on the tip of his tongue. Before he could do so, a call rang through and a collective groan erupted from most of the firefighters' mouths.

Station 51. Building Fire. 35 Washington Avenue. 

He felt Sylvie's hand grip his bicep tightly. They shared a worried look before she asked, "Isn't that Ma ─ "

"Yep." He bolted out from his seat, "Let's move it!" Kelly roared, changing into his bunker gear in a matter of seconds.

"What's up with him?" Jimmy queried, surprised by the squad lieutenant's tenacious tone.

From the front seat, Casey answered with his own bundle of nerves. "That's where his girl works."

"Oh."

As a firefighter, Kelly was trained to expect the worse and, in situations when worse came to worst, he always went with what his gut was telling him and his gut usually was right. His mind pictured the building that Maddie went to work every day in flames and smoke coming out. There were mornings that ended with a quick kiss (and maybe even a playful squeeze on her ass) because she was running late or the afternoons where Kelly would wait for her in the lobby and she would beam once her gaze settled on him. All those moments seemed to slip through his fingers as he squared his jaw in the front seat of the Squad truck, Cruz sparing a glance to his Lieutenant every once in awhile to make sure Severide wouldn't jump out and run to the building with his own two feet. 

Unconsciously, Kelly's fingers go underneath his shirt and fiddled with the charm Maddie had gifted him a few months before with the St. Florian pendant and his wedding ring resting right next to it. For once, Kelly Severide prayed that what his gut was telling him was wrong.

Jumping out from the Rescue Squad Truck before it had even halted to a stop, Kelly looked up at the building, his eyes searching for smoke. 

Matt had stepped up next to him  and immediately placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "You wanna sit this on out, Kelly?" He suggested, "You're mind is ─ "

"The hell I'm sitting this one out." He interrupted gruffly and was already barking orders to his crew as he placed his mask over his face. 

Kelly was ready to run into the building with Casey watching his six when popping sounds ricocheted through his ears. It was from a distance but the sounds definitely came from inside the building. Their radios cackled that it had been a false fire alarm. Instead: 

51, be advised there's an active shooter inside the building. Police units and SWAT are already en route. 

Clenching his jaw, Kelly tore off his helmet and mask. He marched up to the entrance of the building, adrenaline pumping in his veins and his shoulders squared. 

"Severide, calm down!" Casey ordered as he stepped in front of him, a firm hand on his chest. Chief Boden was already mimicking the truck lieutenant's actions from Kelly's other side. 

"I can't!" Kelly fired back, pleading eyes darting between his best friend and his Chief. "Maddie's in there! What would you do if you were in my place, huh?! What if it was Dawson in there?!" 

"Kelly." Swallowing thickly, Chief Boden met his eyes ─ a moment between a father and a son.  "I know. But, we can't go in running into gunfire. We have to wait for SWAT."

Heaving a deep breath, Kelly's eyes settled on the building, his mind wondering and praying that she was safe. He couldn't take another heartbreak; not when his days felt fulfilled and his life was seemingly perfect. 

The color of the sky was bright blue with clouds passing by yet Kelly could feel the unbearable weight of the situation on his shoulders. It was as if the sky was falling. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE
soooo. . .how we
feeling about the
cliff-hanger ending? ((: