IN THIS SKIN -- CHICAGO FIRE

42;

-I have decided to progress with this story a time shift is necessary. This will take place in series 5, episode 1. Stella is around and her and Kelly are as they are from this episode. I just felt it was going to go nowhere and was set too far back to be worth reading. So, my own plot is still the exact same- just shifted up a little while. Hope nobody minds this!-

The next few weeks were spent by Marley, Kelly, Stella, Casey and Dawson (who had demanded to be let into the loop upon discovering their secret meetings) planning how they were to make it possible. The six of them all knew that they were to act quickly, however, as Herrmann had been getting especially irate about their current living situation and they all knew he was saving and looking for a house himself. They had decided that the best and most convenient way of sorting the situation was to find a house that was built and large enough, then use Casey and his abilities to make the house a home for the family.

Marley had been at the firehouse, as she usually was, when they were all called out to a school bus accident. Marley saw that each member of the firehouse left with even more urgency than usual. Even those who didn't have children felt their hearts clench at the prospect of injured children. Marley stood by the doors as she watched them leave before adjusting her jeans on her hips. She always felt a little lost when everyone was out on a call, and as much as she enjoyed Connie's company, sometimes she wasn't the easiest person to talk to.

Instead, she sat at the table and pulled her laptop out of her backpack and began searching more. She was almost thankful that she had this project, even merely as just a distraction. She still had scars and bruises from the damage that had been caused to her, and being able to put all of her energy into doing something positive for Herrmann and his family.

After twenty minutes of searching for more possible houses, Marley closed her laptop with a heavy sigh. It was harder than she had anticipated to find a house, and each offer that they had made so far had been swiftly rejected, bar one.

Another few moments passed and she decided that she would make everyone breakfast for when they returned knowing they would more than likely need a large breakfast. Looking through the fridges for food, she decided a large traditional cooked breakfast would do, and set off cooking the various foods she found.

As she was putting the finishing touches to the food and reaching in the cupboards to get plates, her phone began to ring. Almost knocking a tray with bacon on it in her hurry, she reached her phone from the side, answering despite it being an unknown number.
"Hello," Marley began, a frown on her face.
"Yes, good morning Miss Severide, it is Hannah Ary. I'm calling with regards to an offer you placed on a house with the Anthony Harrows company earlier this week?" The woman on the phone responded, and Marley felt her heart skip a beat. Instantaneously, the sound of trucks entering the firehouse began and Marley cursed silently, stuck between watching the cooking food and not wanting to ruin the surprise.
"Ah, okay, hi, how are you?" Marley asked politely, smiling at Jimmy who was the first person to enter. She mouthed a quick 'watch the food' to him, to which he nodded with a confused smile but didn't question her.
"Yes, yes, Miss Severide, I am fine," the woman said as Marley rushed past the incoming firefighters quietly.
"Please, you can just call me Marley."
"Okay, Marley. Now, I'm sure you're eager to know why I called."
"If they want an offer increase, I can push a little bit more. It's the most perfect house, Hannah, it's the best one we've seen and-"
"Marley, sweetheart," Hannah cut her off with a laugh, "I just called to say congratulations! They have accepted your first offer and due to their urgency to leave, given that you can pay up front, I will deliver the keys later today!"

It took Marley a few minutes after finishing the call to process what she had just been told. She placed her phone down on the desk in Kelly's office she had found herself in and split the blinds open carefully. Stella, who had seen the teenager run past them earlier, had been looking for Marley when she was pulled into Kelly's office by the arm. Stella took in Marley's face with a raised eyebrow, her expression unreadable.