Conquering Chicago (Chicago Fire 1)

Can you sleep in my room tonight?

Two days Later

Emily was released from hospital earlier in the day, and Will had driven her home after finishing her shift. That is how she was left sitting on her couch, still feeling the pain of her broken ribs. For a while, she just sat there - not to sure that she ever wanted to move again. But that night, the night they came into her home and attacked her - seemed to be flashing through her mind constantly, like a bad dream. Looking down at the floor, she realised that there was still small bits of dried blood - staining her carpet. As she looked down at the blood stained carpet, everything felt different. She had killed before, shooting killers as they ran away or ran towards her was something she had done before. But, killing two people in her own home was different. Something about all of this made her feel vulnerable. What if they had other people working for them? What is they came back?

Before she could think about it anymore, Emily pulled out her phone and dialled the phone number of someone she knew would look out for her. "Hello" Kelly Severide's voice rang out though the phone, she would have smiled if it wouldn't cause her pain. 

"Hey, it's Halstead" Emily spoke, not to sure if he had her number saved or anything. But from the moment she heard his voice, Emily wished she had never called him at all. 

"Em, what's up?" Severide asked, starting to wonder why Emily called him. But then it hit him, tonight was her first night back in her house. 

"I ... You know, it's nothing. Bye" Emily said, quickly hanging up her phone and throwing it onto the nearby armchair. Even though she wouldn't admit it, Emily was terrified to be her house alone. She sat for a moment, just listening. Listening to the sound of the silence that seemed to engulf her house. A knock at her front door, knocked her out of her thoughts. Without a second thought, Emily picked up her gun - holding it so she was ready to shoot. Looking through her peep hole, she saw that Severide was standing there - leather jacket and all. 

"Emily, I know your in there" Severide said, knocking on the front door again. Reluctantly, Emily opened the door - showing herself to Severide. He noticed the gun in her hand, and watched as Emily placed it back into a draw near where she was standing. "Are you okay?" He asked her, his eyes filled with concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm great" Emily said, and at this point she wasn't sure who she was trying to convince. "Perfect" Emily finished. 

"Okay, let's do that again. Are you okay?" Severide asked Emily, watching her carefully. 

"No, no. I'm not okay, Kelly" Emily said, shaking her head. "There's blood in my carpet that I can't get out. And I still don't know how they all got in and it's starting to drive me crazy. What if they come back? What if ...." She started, only to be cut off by Severide pulling her into a hug. 

"Your not crazy, I get it. Your freaked out, but you can't let that control your life. Listen, how about I stay over tonight, just to make sure you're okay" Severide said, still holding Emily in a hug. When she didn't reply, he released her from his grasp. "I mean, if you want me to go - I will" Severide said, not to sure what else he should say.

 "Can you stay over tonight?" Emily questioned, knowing that Severide would anyway - but she wanted to ask. Just so he knew that Emily needed him. She needed someone she trusted. 

"Yes" 

"Thank you" Emily replied. For a while, Severide just wondered around the house - just making sure he knew the house incase he needed anything.

"When are you coming back?" Severide asked, trying to make some small talk between the two. 

"I've got one more shift off, then I come back to Squad" Emily said, sending him a small smile. 

"What are you doing tomorrow? I mean I'll be on shift, so you'll be one your own here" Severide said to her, wanting to make sure that she would be okay on her own. 

"I'll cope" Emily said to him, not wanting to admit that she was dreading the next night. Just knowing that she would be home alone. The fact that she would be vulnerable worried her, incase they came back again. 

"You could always come and stay in my office if you want to" Severide said to her, leaving Emily to think for a moment. A part of her wanted to agree to stay in his office, and she knew that she would be safe. But the idea of listening to the tannoy going off during the night, and then being left alone - worried her. At least in her home, she would be able to lock the doors - but that wouldn't be the case if she stayed in the firehouse. So, Emily respectfully declined. 

"I think I'll stay with Jay tomorrow" Emily said to Severide. "I haven't really spent any time with Jay since I got out of hospital. I might even pop into Med to see Will" She told Severide, watching as he smiled at her. 

"Are you going to visit us at all then?" Severide smirked.

"How about I come in and make lunch for everyone tomorrow?" Emily offered, just as she finished speaking - Severide turned and looked at her. One thing that she noticed, was that he was looking pretty worried. "What? Do you have problems with my cooking?" Emily questioned.  

"I just didn't know you could cook" Severide said laughing. 

"I'm a great cook" Emily said, feigning seriousness before she laughed along with him. "You'll see when I make breakfast in the morning" She continued, watching as Severide raised his eyebrows and looked at her. 

"What if I left during the night?" Severide questioned. 

"Then you'd never taste my breakfast" Emily laughed, smirking a little as she spoke. "Right, I'm off to bed" She announced, picking up the glass of water that had been sitting on her coffee table for a while. "Goodnight" She said. 

"Night" Severide said to Emily. 

"Severide?" 

"Yeah" He answered.

"Can you sleep in my room tonight?" Emily asked, stopping on the stairs. Before turning to look at him.

"Yeah, of course I can" Severide said, as he started to walk up the stairs behind Emily as she wandered into her bedroom. Without thinking, the moment she entered the room - she started to pull off her shirt. But before the shirt left her body completely, she stopped - remembering that Kelly was standing behind her. Lowering her shirt back down onto her body, Emily walked over to her nightstand, pulling out an old FBI Academy Training shirt. 

"Have you maybe got some old clothes I can wear?" Severide asked her, looking around her bedroom. Noticing that the room was bare, no photos around the room. 

"Are you wanting to wear an old bra or something? I didn't know you were into that kind of stuff, but hey - I'm not here to judge" Emily said, laughing a little as she looked in her wardrobe for anything that she still had from her ex boyfriend. 

"Your funny" Severide spoke as he removed his shirt and draped it over the bed frame. After a minute or two, Emily found some old pyjama bottoms and a shirt. Without turning around, Emily threw the clothes to Severide, before walking into her bathroom and putting on some sorts to sleep in. Without thinking, she looked in the mirror - doing this she saw all the bruises that were all over her body. Sighing, Emily wondered out of her bedroom - but the moment she entered the room, Severide noticed the bruises. Leaving Emily feeling very exposed. 

"I'm so sorry that this happened to you" Severide said to her, still looking over her body at the different colours that painted her. "I shouldn't have let you come in alone. I should have come in with you, I could have done something" He finished, finding himself become upset. On that day, Severide had planned on carrying her bag into the house for her - and all he could think about  was what would have happened if he had been there. Maybe Emily wouldn't have suffered as much. Emily on the other hand knew what would have happened if he had been there. Most likely, they would have killed him.

"There was nothing, you or anyone else could have done to help me at all. They wanted to get in, and there was no stopping them" Emily said, noticing the look in Severide's eye's - one she knew as disappointment in himself. "You're here helping me now and that's all that matters" She told him, sending him a small smile before getting into her bed. Severide followed her, lying down beside her. That night Emily fell asleep rather quickly, knowing that she was safe.