This Is Just The Beginning

Chapter 9

~Stella's POV~
"Don't worry, we're gonna help you..." Voight told me.

I nodded my head.
"What-What are you guys gonna do?" I asked.
Jay looked like he was thinking about something.
"Would you... be up to seeing him again?" Jay asked me.

I was surprised and afraid once he said that.
"What?.. W-what do you mean?" I asked him.
Jay looked at his fellow detectives.

"We could tape a wire and earpiece to you. Monitor everything through there. And you could go to your house and see him. Everything that he says or does gives us the evidence we need to arrest him." Jay explained.
"Yea, that would work." Atwater said.

I looked at Severide. Now I was nervous.
"I-... do I have to be the one? Can't someone else?" I asked them.
They looked at me with sympathy.
"I don't think so, Stella... you're the only one who would be able to get the evidence we need. The first we hear of any physical abuse, we'll come right in. Ok?" Kim explained.

I thought about it for a moment.
"Um... o-ok..." I said.

We were at the district for about 2 hours, making a whole plan for me going back to the house.
We all got in the police cars and went. We were outside of the house now.
I looked at Severide, absolutely terrified.

"You ok?" He asked me.
I was shaking, I shook my head.
"I can't.. I can't do this..." I cried.
He wrapped his arms around me.
"It's ok.. it's ok... you can do this, Stella. You're wearing an earpiece and a wire. We'll hear everything, you'll be ok..." he told me.

"Ok, Stella, everything is set up. Are you ready?" Voight asked me.
Severide rubbed my shoulder.
"You'll be ok.. don't worry." He told me.
I took a deep breath and nodded my head.

I got out of the van and went to the house. Grant's car is here, so that means he's here. I got my keys and opened the door.
I didn't hear anything. But being back in the house was making me anxious.

"Stella, do you see him anywhere?" I could hear Antonio in my earpiece.
"No." I whispered.
"Go to somewhere else in the house. Maybe a bedroom." I heard him say.

I made my way to what was going to be Bella's nursery.
I started looking through what was there. It was a couple pieces of clothing and the box for her crib, still unbuilt. I looked up to stop myself from crying and took some deep breaths.

I felt Bella kicking me in my side. I put my hand on where she was kicking. I put my other hand on my head. My breathing was shaky.

"Stella, breathe... it's ok... do you hear anything? Have you seen Grant?" I heard Severide.
"No.." I whispered.
"Keep looking around the house. If he isn't home, then just gather as much stuff as you can into one of the cars to start clearing out the stuff you want to keep." I heard Antonio.

I left the nursery and kept looking around the house. I couldn't find Grant anywhere.
"I don't think he's here..." I said.
"Ok then... start packing some clothes... we'll keep a lookout." I heard Ruzeck.

I went into the bedroom and grabbed duffle bags and started stuffing everything I could that I wanted to keep. I had 2 big duffle bags stuffed with almost all my stuff. I grabbed a third one and packed the rest of it and then packed all of Bella's stuff in it too.

Then I went to the kitchen to the get all my medicine. Then I heard the back door open. I froze.
Grant walked in and didn't know what to say at first. Then he just started yelling.

"Where the hell have you been?" He yelled at the top of his lungs.
I thought for a moment what to say. Then I just decide to say the truth.
"I'm done with you." I told him.

"What did you just say?" He yelled and went to my face.
"I'm not bringing my daughter home here or to you. You don't even care about our daughter! You'd rather just been drunk and abuse me all day!" I yelled.

He grabbed my arm tight.
"There is no way in hell that you are leaving. You are mine. That baby is mine. You really just don't come home for 2 days and decide you're leaving? Oh I don't think so.." he chuckled.

He grabbed my face hard.
"I'm gonna make you regret ever trying to even leave..." he whispered.
I looked at him with tears in my eyes. Then he finally let go of my face.

He yanked my arm harder.
"Let go of my arm." I told him.
"No, you're not leaving me." He said.
He pushed me up against the wall and got right in my face.

"You really think you could leave me that easily?!" He yelled.
I didn't say anything.
"Let go of me!" I yelled at him.
He let go of me and started walking away from me. Then all of a sudden he ran up and punched me right in the jaw.

I fell down to the floor. Grant got on-top of me. I didn't even try to move his hands away from my neck. I just kept my arms tightly around my stomach, protecting me daughter.

Then I saw Intelligence break down the door.
"Chicago PD! Put your hands where I can see them!" Erin yelled.
Grant looked at me.
"Really? You called the cops?" He yelled at me.

He ripped my arms off my stomach. But before he could do anything, Ruzeck jumped him.
Severide came running over to me.
He came right over to the floor next to me.

I was crying.
"Hey, hey it's ok... you're safe now..." he took me in his arms.
He cupped my face in his hands and looked at my face.

"Your nose is bleeding... did he break it?" He asked me.
I shook my head.
"No, but he punched me in the jaw.." I sniffled.

Severide lifted my sleeves and saw the hands marks and bruises on my arms. Same with my neck and face.
He hugged me and let me bury my face in his chest.
"You're ok... let's get you home..." he said.

He carried me out of the house I once called "home". Never again. While this was the place I lived in for 8 years, it was never a home to me. Just the place I would get beaten and bruised everyday of my life, by the man I used to call my husband.

They got Grant arrested and Antonio, Jay, and Erin got all the stuff out of the house that I wanted. Including the crib.

Severide and I went back to the apartment.
I looked at the bags and crib box that was in the living room.
Severide came over with a glass with something in it.
He gave it to me.

"What is this?" I asked him, taking the glass.
"Iced tea with extra sugar. I remember you used to love it when we were in the academy." He chuckled.
I smiled.
"Thanks.." I smiled.

I looked at the stuff on the floor of the living room.
"I promise I'll get that stuff organized and out of there by tomorrow." I told him. He shook his head.
"Don't worry... take your time." He told me.

I looked at him, stared at him, and smiled.
"What?" He laughed.
I hesitated for a moment, but I went closer to him and kissed him.

Once I pulled away, he looked shocked, but happy.
"Um... wow..." he chuckled.
Then all of a sudden, I felt embarrassed. What did I just do?

"Oh my god I'm so sorry! I-" I was saying, but he stopped me by grabbing my chin and kissing me again.
"No, it's ok..." He whispered.

I smiled at him and grabbed his face as we passionately kissed each other.

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