Me Plus You

Let's Rock Chicago...

Everyone around the table looked up when Stella sat down for breakfast. Damn her big mouth! Now the whole firehouse knew that she and Severide had slept together! She couldn't help stealing a look across at him but he didn't seem particularly phased by all the smirks and and was nonchantly eating his eggs ignoring the grinning around him. Casey was sitting next to him inwardly shaking his head. Wait till Boden found out! Capp walked into the common room whistling 'Love is in the air.'
Cruz sniggered and Mouch choked back a laugh behind his newspaper.
51 were having a ball with this one!

Kylie came up to the table and stood next to Severide.

"Lieutenant? Chief would like a word."
Even Kylie had a little smirk on her face!

Severide sighed pushed his plate away and headed for Boden's office.

************

Emily and Brett had organised tickets to the annual Grant park music festival. The weather was good and the group were in high spirits when they met up on the Saturday afternoon.

Stella loved Lollapalooza. She had been a few times to the event but never with her firehouse. At her last house she could barely stand to be with some of them during shift let alone spend her off time with them.
In her short time at 51 she had already been integrated into the firehouse family and despite her less than sensible decision making with Severide, she felt part of something special.

The firefighters partners had accompanied them, Donna Boden, Cindi Hermann and Chloe Cruz, and Ritter had brought along his boyfriend Eric which all added to the family vibe. Trudy Platt was in full rock festival gear of a Rolling Stones T shirt, jeans and big sunglasses. She looked fabulous!

Emily linked one arm in Stella's and the other one in Sylvie's calling out with an excited squeal.

"Hey 51! Let's rock Chicago!"

The girls were in shorts and T shirts total festival chicks, giggling, their smiles as bright as the July sunshine.

Severide hiding behind shades and a baseball cap sauntered behind them with Casey, relaxed and looking foward to a day of music and beer a welcome change from his usual Saturday off existence, clubs, nameless girls and hangovers.

The music and beers flowed all afternoon and evening and Grant Park was rocking.
Stella, Emily, Ritter and Eric were dancing to a cover of Stevie Wonder's higher ground. The rest of the firehouse clapped and whooped as the two girls sandwiched Ritter and Eric between them, their bodies sliding against them in playful abandon. They were superb dancers, owning the song and drawing applause from people around them. Cruz pulled a laughing Chloe towards the quartet and joined them. 51 partied.

Boden had his arms around his wife Donna from behind swaying in time to the beat. It was a rare and precious day of no pressure for the battalion chief.

Severide was sitting on the grass enthralled by Stella. Her face radiated, her sense of fun contagious. She had blown his mind that night he had gone back to her place and despite his carefully controlled aloofness since, he hadnt been able to get her out of his mind or from wanting more.

"Hey, Kidd....Still calling yourself a firefighter?! "

The sneering voice cut into the revelry and the group all turned towards the intruder.

Stella heard the familiar cutting voice and saw Fletcher from her last house standing leering at her. Her face stiffened with dislike. Since Auburn had been shut down she had never seen any of them again having left without saying her goodbyes to anyone. He was with Engine Lieutenant Starmer, swaying more from alcohol than the music.