╔═══*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*═══╗

𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐭𝐰𝐨: 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐤
𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐝.

╚═══*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*═══╝

"I'm not pressing charges."

"And why the hell not?"

"Because, he just had too much drink. He has a so──"

"I don't care if he has twelve children, Madeline! Scott Rice attacked you and caused us a miscarriage!"

"We don't know that yet!" 

She had the last say or yell rather. 

Maddie squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. 

This wasn't happening right now. 

This couldn't be happening right now. 

She focused on her hands which were neatly perched on her lap as they waited for the test results. Kelly sat across from her on the plastic chair, his jaw tense and brows furrowed. It was ten in the evening and they were inside Dr. Corden's office determining if they still had a baby when they should have been laughing with their friends instead. 

Maddie bit her bottom lip and muttered, "I didn't fall that hard. I promise." 

Before Kelly could fire back a reply, Dr. Corden came in and gave the couple a smile. "I come with good news, rabbits!" She announced, her blonde ponytail swinging as she looked between the two. "So, Maddie, the female body is designed to protect the fetus during pregnancy through the thick uterus walls, the amniotic fluid which serves as a cushion, and the strong muscles. Your uterus is safe──the baby is safe──because it's tucked behind the pelvic bone during the first trimester so there is nothing to worry about." 

Maddie could feel the fear leave her body as she leaned back and sighed in relief. She hopped off the examination table and placed her civilian clothes back. After thanking Dr. Corden, they made their way through the hospital and back to Kelly's Mustang in silence. 

It was surreal how they were scared to death then overjoyed then scared to death all over again in the span of two days. Maddie was scared for two reasons:

1. She had almost lost their baby.

2. She hadn't seen Kelly so violent and ready to beat someone to a pulp until tonight. 

"I guess knocking on wood works, huh?"

"Maddie."

"I know, I know. It was a close call."

The couple heavily sighed both in relief and exhaustion from their unexpected long night. Kelly weaved his fingers through hers and kissed the back of her hand. 

Their eyes met as he confessed, "I don't which made me sicker: my childhood friend with his hands all over you or our baby almost slipping through our fingers." 

"You had me so scared, Kelly."

"Me?"

Maddie bit her bottom lip and nodded. "Yes. You. I haven't seen you punch someone, you know? And──and my mind just went to this place where I thought you would actually kill him and you'd end up in jail then I'll have to raise our baby all by myself."

"Oh, Mads. I'm so sorry."

"I──I can't do this alone, Kelly. I need you."

Kelly's eyes softened. Everything about Maddie always made his defenses crumble──her brown doe eyes, her caring and motherly nature, the way her voice shook when she was scared. He liked to think that the day he met her in that loud Vegas bar was the day he was a better man. Unlike his past lovers, Maddie didn't want to or intend to change him. She simply loved him because that was innate to her──she was just sweet and loving (but also not afraid to call him out on his crazy antics during a call) Maddie. 

He leaned over and engulfed her in a hug, running his hands down her back until they rested on her stomach. Kissing her deeply, he said. "You're not alone, Mads. I'm here. I'm here." 

Kelly didn't change because he was told to; he found the reason to change when he met Madeline Cojuangco-Severide. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

When Maddie came back from the restroom, Sylvie was laughing. 

"That's the tenth time you needed to pee, Mads!" 

"Don't judge, Brett." 

They walked around the mall for a few more minutes and aimlessly chatted about the happenings of their lives. Window shopping was one of their favorite pastimes. While Sylvie went on about how worried she was because of last night, Maddie planted a forced smile on her face, nodded along, and told her she and Kelly were past Scott Rice. It pained her not to tell Sylvie her little six weeks old secret. 

After thirty minutes of walking around, Maddie settled herself on a bench. She fished the water bottle out of her bag and practically chugged it down her throat. 

"Whoa. You're thirsty, aye?" Sylvie joked as she took the seat beside her. 

"Yeah. Just a little dehydrated." Maddie replied, "Chicago has one of the hottest summers after-all."

"Sylvie?"

"Hm?"

"You had something to tell me last night. Something that happened during my birthday party?"

"O──oh, yeah. Right. Uh. . ."

"Is everything okay?"

"BryanaandIkissed."

"What?" Maddie giggled, "Slow down. I can't understand a word you're saying."

"Your friend and I kissed."

"Oh. Which friend?"

"You know. . .your friend from work."

"JJ? He's a little too old for you, Sylvia, don't you think?"

"No! Not him, Mads!"

"Oh. Oh. Okay." Maddie said, "So, you two are dating? Oh, hey! We can finally do that double date we've been talking about."

Sylvie shook her head, running her fingers through her blonde hair. "No. I don't think we're dating. Bry and I are just going to. . .test the waters for a bit. It's a first for both of us, you know." 

"I see. Okay." Maddie hugged her and kissed her cheek, "Whatever happens, I'm happy for the two of you, Sylvie."

"Thank you, Maddie." Slyvie's eyes drifted to her lap, "You're the first person I told about all this."

She didn't know why but Maddie felt tears spring into her eyes and her heart soften by her friend's statement. 

"It's just. . .it's hard, you know? My whole life I thought I liked men but she makes me feel──what the──Maddie, are you crying?" 

"No." 

"You are!"

"I'm just so──" Maddie wiped her tear-stained cheeks with the back of her hand, "I'm just so touched that I'm the first person you told. Thank you, Sylvie." 

"Hey." Sylvie said, softly, though tears were threatening to fall in her eyes too. She pried Maddie's hands away from her face, "Don't do that, Mads. Your eyes are going to get irritated and you'll get rashes. Here."

She took the handkerchief Sylvie offered and laughed. "I'm sorry. I'm not going to cry in the middle of the mall. I promise. Let's get something to eat, yeah?"

"But, you just a burger thirty minutes ago." 

The statement fell on deaf ears as Maddie was already dragging the blonde paramedic to the restaurant with the best Caesar salad of Chicago. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Over the next few weeks, Maddie had found out that the morning sickness she often saw in movies and TV shows didn't necessarily limit to only in the morning. It happened almost every few hours. Luckily, Kelly had bought a shitload of crackers that she could snack on when she woke up and before she would go to bed. Hunched over a toilet while throwing up seemed easier when Kelly was by her side and soothingly rubbing her back. He would often call in the middle of the night just to check up on her when he was on shift. 

Acne also started to appear on Maddie's face. It was when she had just finished taking shower one morning and was on her way to apply some make-up when she saw the two zits on her forehead. In surprise, she let out a sharp yelp. 

"What? What?" Kelly had practically sprinted to the bathroom and he looked like he had just rolled out of his bed. "Babes, are you okay?"

Maddie simply frowned and pointed to her forehead. 

"Awe." Chuckling lightly, He pecked her lips, "You poor, gorgeous thing." 

Aside from her raging pregnancy hormones, Maddie didn't feel as comfortable in her work pants and jeans due to her growing uterus. Since Sylvie was still in the dark about her pregnancy, she enlisted the help of her husband who was no help at all because Kelly agreed with every piece of clothing she tried on. His replied were mostly composed of:

"You look stunning, babes."

"Oooh, I like that blouse."

"Aren't those the same pants you tried on a few minutes ago?"

There was a point when the couple were strolling hand in hand that they passed by a baby store. On a whim, they went inside and picked out some knick knacks for baby Severide: a teddy bear, a brightly-colored rattle, and a children's book. 

Maddie grew up Catholic as did Kelly and both attended Sunday mass when they could. However, she liked to think that the universe was on her side the night she met him. Maybe knocking on wood did help.