Questions And Answers...

Take My Breath Away

S7 Ep 2 " Going To War.'

There's one thing that guarantees Kelly Severide 'losing his shit.'  When Stella Kidd is at risk or hurt.......
We all know that in the episode 'Going to War,' Stella ran out of air whilst trying to help Kelly.  But did he ever talk to her about what she did for him...?

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"She was trying to save you.!"

Hermann's words rang around his head on a loop constantly.  Kelly couldn't sleep at night, reliving her on that gurney, cutting open her T so they could get the electrodes on her chest and then in the trauma room at Med while the docs worked on her, trying to save her life while he stood by helplessly.
Kelly's hand was still bruised from where he had smashed it into the wall in anger and frustration after Hermann had told him why she had run out of air. What the hell had she been thinking?! He didn't know who he was more pissed with, her for risking her life or himself for putting her in that position.

Now driving her home from Med a week later he was split between tearing into her for putting herself in jeopardy or picking her up and wrapping her in his arms and never letting her go.

"You know I don't need nursing so you don't have to stay with me." Stella broke the silence in the car.  She turned to look at him, her teeth worrying her bottom lip.   Kelly had been virtually monotone for days and it was unsettling her. Other than when he first saw her in the post-op recovery room,  when he had been teasing, gentle and loving all at the same time, he had subsequently retreated from her.  She had been trying to make eye contact with him for the dozenth time just today but failing. He had become adept at avoiding her eyes and any meaningful conversation.

"Kelly?"

"Yeah?  Sorry I was miles away."

" I can see that.  I was saying you don't have to stay and nurse me.  I know you don't like my apartment much!"

What?.. he glanced across at her.  "That's not true.." He denied, cursing at a truck that had pulled out in front of him.  "Fucks sake!"
He was frowning, face set in hard lines.

Stella sighed. He didn't seem like he was in the best mood.  "Hermann's apartment isn't the Loft...  it's easier for me to stay there as all my things are there. But I don't expect you to stay with me." Stella was allowing him the opportunity to escape back to his own home, thinking maybe he needed some space. There was definitely something off with him. Kelly Severide didn't have the ability to camouflage angst.

"I'll survive." He replied wryly. "Anyway, I want to take care of you."

Smiling absently he took her hand and squeezed it.  She thought he meant to reassure her but had failed. Inwardly she sighed wondering if they were returning to the Kelly who shut down and pushed up the barriers. He had done the same thing after the house fire when Otis had got shot and her radio had taken a bullet, effectively saving her life. It was only after she had confronted him about continuously dodging her that he had let her in, and showed her how he really felt about her.

Later on that evening, Kelly cooked her dinner while Stella rested on the bed, refusing to let her do anything despite her arguments.

"Babe, I return to work soon so I need to get used to looking after myself. " She got off the bed to wander over to him.

"Dr Rhodes said you need to take it easy." Kelly glanced over from where he was trying to make himself comfortable on the second-hand couch that was just a bit too lumpy to be anything other than a 'make-do,', t.v remote in one hand getting ready for the Black Hawks game. Stella prayed that Hermann's dodgy cable package would play ball so to speak and not let her down which it invariably did every few days.