When Universes Collide

I must have fallen asleep

Once they were both seated and their orders had been taken Stella and Kelly began talking about what their lives would look like if it was up to them, their kids, families, and their jobs. Their conversation about their kids started from their respective pregnancies. Stella told Kelly about how hard of a time she had with heartburn, how she was nauseous her whole first trimester, how she almost lost him at 31 weeks so they had to stitch her up so he wouldn't come out then and hopefully stay in until 38 - 40 weeks, he was healthy and happily born at 39 by some miracle because it didn't seem likely at 31 weeks when it first went down. Kelly told her how overall Brittany didn't have a tough pregnancy except for the first trimester because she also had some morning sickness most of it.

They then moved into the family conversation about how they grew up. Stella had told Kelly that her mom and dad had divorced when she was 6 before reconciling when she was 13 and died in a fire together when she was 16 that she was able to escape by some miracle and that's what inspired her to consider being a first responder. She then got with Grant and got addicted to drugs before becoming pregnant with Billy Grant got more and more abusive until she finally left him when she was 4 months pregnant she hadn't touched drugs since becoming pregnant. Kelly was in awe hearing her telling her story.. not because she had to go through it but because of how she grew through it and just kept becoming better instead of continuing to drown in it. Kelly also went on to tell her how his dad was in and out of his and his mom's life as a child and most of their marriage until his mom finally got the courage to leave when he was 17. Most of the time when he was in he loved to guilt trip and play the power card. Kelly got with Brittany when he was 19 and so was she. They didn't have a bad relationship they just had a really "young love" relationship and as they began to get older and especially after TJ was born they quickly realized they would be better friends and co parents then they would be lovers as their priorities had just changed over time and interests had too so they finally split when TJ was 2 and have just remained firmly co parents and friends.

  They then began to talk about work and what got them to finally go into Firefighting. Kelly told Stella how with his dad being Benny he was always destined to be in the position he is in but he didn't fully want to be one until he was 19 when he finally admitted he just couldn't scratch the itch off to be one. The only honest reason he has for not wanting to be one to start with is because people would even more begin their comparisons of Kelly and Benny which Kelly hated. Stella had told the part that lit the spark but not the part that finally sparked it into motion. She was in a bad wreck when Billy was 3 months old and got saved by a firefighting squad and once she got saved from that she decided she wanted to save people the same way she got saved that day.

  They finished eating and Kelly paid as they headed to Kelly's car. He was also going to surprise Stella by taking her to get her nails and hair down before going to get a massage then heading to dinner before heading back to the loft

As they finished their day plans up and headed to dinner since it was getting late Stella thanked Kelly and repeatedly told him how much she appreciated it but didn't deserve it and she wishes he wouldn't have to do that because now she owes him an endless debt. Kelly constantly reassured her she did deserve it and he wasn't owed absolutely anything from her and never would be as far as he was concerned about that. In his eyes he was just doing what he thought a man should and to Stella she was mind blown that a man would ever treat her like that.

  They finished dinner and headed back to the loft and upon arrival realized both boys were asleep in TJs room and Kelly's mom had fallen asleep already too in his bed where she's been sleeping so Kelly went to go grab his covers and pillows and pulled out the pull out couch where he has been sleeping and laid down on it. He asked Stella what she wanted to do and she said that she would stay for awhile and watch a movie with Kelly if he was up for it and to which he said of course. She was planning to watch a movie then get TJ and head back to their house. Kelly told her he was going to take a shower and get in his sweatpants and a t shirt real quick before watching the movie and if she wanted he had another bathroom down the hall by TJ's room if she wanted to clean up before watching the movie. She told him she would but it's not like she has any clothes over there Kelly went into his room and came back out to throw her a pair of shorts just in case she needed or wanted them and a t shirt of his and told her she could wear that if she would like which she kindly responded thank you and that she would love to. They both headed off to get showers.