The Lieutenant's Candidate

Chapter X

The next day was a shift day. And, for some reason, Jasmine Medina was nervous to face her lieutenant again. This seemed common now for the woman.

Her family had loved the man and that seemed to frighten her. She was thinking too far ahead, especially after she ended the romantic part of their relationship. But that morning, as she helped Elijah make breakfast for the kids before she headed out, the most discussed topic at the table was when they'd be able to see Kelly again.

The younger siblings had loved when the man had gone to the swings and pushed them or played hide-and-seek around the large playground. The older siblings had enjoyed their conversations with the Squad lieutenant about colleges and the best high school classes to take for whatever they wanted to go to college for. It was amazing how much Kelly had bonded with that family in such little time. Adrianna had even confessed the want to be a firefighter to Kelly - something that she had been thinking about for a while but hadn't told to any of her siblings.

Since Layla, one of the youngest in the family, was having her birthday party in a week, she had requested that Kelly be there. Jasmine had shared a glance with Elijah, not quite sure if she really wanted to invite the man. Granted, she had wanted to do things that would boost their platonic relationship but all of the things that she thought of doing felt like they would end romantically. So maybe a family event would be good for them to bond through.

But the entire Medina family would be there. That included extended family - cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. And some of her family only spoke Spanish. There would definitely be a language barrier between Kelly and some of her family.

"I can see if he wants to come," Jasmine finally said when Layla requested once more that Kelly be there on Saturday.

The girl had cheered, a wide smile on her face at the idea of the man being able to play with her again. During the firefighter picnic, it was as if Layla had attached herself to Kelly's hip. She was constantly being carried by the man but the way that he was able to multitask while holding the girl told Jasmine that he definitely had some experience with children and she didn't know if that was from his work or from personal matters. But he had said that he was an only child.

When Jasmine had entered the firehouse via the apparatus floor, her eyes met Kelly Severide's instantly and she made her way over to him, adjusting the strap on her shoulder that held her duffle bag.

"Hey," she says, a small smile on her face. She hadn't needed to get the man's attention, he was already looking at her. "So ..." she let out an awkward chuckle as she tried to figure out how to invite the man. "Layla is turning six on the nineteenth and she's having her party this Saturday. And she seems very adamant about you being there - as do the rest of my siblings. It's at two if you wanted to come, I'll text the address."

A smile had bloomed on the man's face as the woman had spoken. He had truly enjoyed being around her siblings, they were wonderful kids and seemed so full of energy - something that he noticed definitely had to have come from Jasmine.

"I will be there," he nods with a smile which the woman returned before walking past him and into the firehouse, heading to the locker room to put her bag away and get changed.

Throughout her entire conversation with the man, she had been worried that he had actually hated her family and was going to reject her invitation at any time. But he surprisingly accepted the offer with a wide smile because, in reality, he loved her family. They were absolutely amazing, incredibly kind, and all had very distinct personalities even at the young age that some of them were. And Kelly could tell that Jasmine definitely had a hand in that.

The lieutenant could feel the looks that the rest of the Squad guys were giving him. Obviously, they had heard the entire conversation and saw the hidden aspects in their expression that neither of them could see in the other.