Our Scars

Feel It Still

2

Feel It Still (Title by Portugal. The Man)

"Hello beautiful! Glad you could make it," Stella Kidd was really glad to finally welcome her friend at Molly's tonight, wondering what had taken her so long this time.

Finally someone she could vent to about how stressed out she was due to the leader's conference Chief Boden of Firehouse 51 had told her he wanted to send her to. And there certainly was some new gossip all around that Rianne hadn't been brought up to speed on.

Stella leaned over the bar and affectionately kissed the leggy, curly haired female behind it on both cheeks and let her slump down on her favorite barstool. Rianne usually sat at the end of the bar, where she could chat with Stella when she wasn't busy working and where she could watch the entrance. Another plus of this place was that it was nearest to the restrooms, which came in handy when she'd had a little too much to drink. Stella loved that the other woman was so into her practical habits.

Sometimes Rianne also helped out Stella and her friend Hermann by occasionally covering bar-shifts. She was blessed with many talents and customers always liked a fresh face pouring them some drinks. As she was a trained social worker and almost-therapist they also loved her listening skills and advice.

Without asking what she wanted to order, Stella placed a shot of Tequila in front of Rianne, accompanied by a full glass of beer fresh from the tap. Rianne blew her a thankful kiss:

"Kelly coming out tonight?" she asked.

Stella just waved her hand and laughed: "No, he's down with the flu."

Rianne rolled her eyes and looked at her with pity, knowing fully well that Stella's long-term boyfriend was insufferable when sick.

Although being a kickass fireman and Captain of Squad at 51, who handled every injury on the job as if it was nothing and without complaining, a simple cough would get to Severide and finally on Stella's nerves.

"Yeah, tell me about it! You can't imagine how much I looked forward to working this shift. I even switched the next two nights with Hermann."

They fell about laughing.

Stella talked and served drinks and had a laugh with some other friends and took a moment to admire the crowd that had come in as usual on a Friday night.

Most of them were first responders, so almost everybody here was faced with little and bigger catastrophes everyday.

They knew the hardships of the citizens of Chicago and tried managing their private lives on the side. It was healthy to come together and let loose after dayshifts / nightshifts / 24 hour shifts, to drink, laugh, flirt, talk or just sit here in silence.

Unlike with people in other businesses there were fewer things to explain. Everybody had an understanding of what the other went through day to day.

Stella had met Rianne four years ago. They had had a shared case involving two homeless boys 51 had picked up on a call and Rianne had come to pick them up for the group home she had been working in at the time. They got to talking about the fate of children in this town and the rest as they say was history.

Although coming from very different backgrounds the two of them had just clicked instantly, sharing a passion for going out dancing every once in a while or meeting up for cook-offs and relaxing with beers and a movie in their respective homes.

In the past years there had been several family-, men- and general dramas that had only added to the strong bond of their friendship. Stella loved Rianne's honesty, direct approach and pragmatism, as well as her level-headedness. It complimented her own impulsiveness pretty well. And under her tough outer shell her friend had a heart as soft and big as one could imagine.