Lost Souls (Agent Severide Serie Book 5)

Chapter 9

Molly's Bar, Bucktown Chicago 

It didn't take everyone long to head over to the local neighbourhood bar, Jay drove Zoey over to the bar in his truck while Kelly took his own car and the team took the government-issued SUV. "You good?" Jay asked earning a look from the blonde who went to say something, "And don't tell me you're good or you're fine, 'cause I can see your not." the detective said looking at his girlfriend. "What do you want me to say? because you know the answer everyone does." Severide said with a sigh. "Then stop lying to yourself and everyone around you. we only wanna help just talk to me please," Jay said. 

"There's nothing to talk about Jay, shit happened. It's done and over with now, no big deal" She said climbing out of the truck not wanting to go into this conversation here or now. "Zo, we gotta talk about this, I can see it's eating away at you. Just talk to me, let me in so I can help you," he said done with constantly being shut down anytime he tried to get her to talk. "You can't help what happened Jay, don't you get that? The assaults the beatings, I don't wanna think about it I don't wanna talk about it. Liz Shay is dead to me and I want the memories dead and gone too but they're burned in my damn head. I can't sleep, I force myself to eat I can't close my eyes without reliving shit." Severide said in a hushed voice as she shook. 

"I can't even get hugged without flinching away, I don't wanna tell you half the shit they did to me. I don't want that guilty pity look that everyone's been giving me I don't want you to look at me like that." she choked out through tears. The detective pulled her into his arms holding her, "Your not broken babe, you've been through Hell and back and I wouldn't look at you with pity Zo. When I look at you I see the strongest, bravest most badass woman I've ever met in my life that's been dealt way too much, You gotta let me in when things get too much Zo" Jay said playing a kiss on her forehead. 

"I don't really know how to do this and I'm really bad at letting people in when things get hard but I wanna try. I don't wanna be without you like that again," Zoey said letting out a shaky breath. "Hey, you don't ever have to, I've known for years I want it to be you and me. Always," Jay told her looking into her eyes as he went silent. "Marry me?" he asked her as she stood shocked for a moment and crashed her lips on his. "Yes," she said taking a breath as the detective smiled at her before he pulled out the engagement ring and placed it back on her ring finger before the two walked hand and into the bar. 

Everyone was already inside by the time Jay and Severide walked in being greeted by a welcome home party Kelly, Gabby and Herrman insisted on throwing for her now that she was free from Med. "WELCOME HOME ZOEY!" The room yelled when she walked in the door with Jay taking her by surprise. "No way! you guys didn't have to do this" Severide said with a smile on her face. She pulled Gabby into a hug before handing her a glass, "It's iced tea," she said with a smile as the blonde graciously accepted the drink. "Thanks, Gabby," she said with a smile as she looked around the crowded bar full of all the most important people in the agent's life. 

Severide turned around as her gaze fell on a table of her team, the blonde smiled and walked over taking a seat in the empty chair next to Reid. "How are you doing Superwoman?" Morgan asked as she sat down. "Good," she replied with a smile on her face as she looked across the bar to the detective that was talking to his younger brother. "What's got you all googly-eyed?" Prentiss asked as Garcia followed the agent's eye line landing on the detective. "Figures it's lover boy," Morgan said looking behind him. "Who's that with him?" Garcia asked sipping on her drink eye stalking the ginger from across the bar. "That's Jay's younger brother Will," Severide said looking at Garcia before noticing that Prentiss was also looking in the direction. "Wait who's that?" Prentiss asked as another tall dark-haired man walked over to Jay and Will. 

Severide went to answer when Reid took Zoey's left hand looking at the ring that was back on her finger. "Zoey Marie Severide, what is this?" the agent asked a bit shocked causing everyone at the table to turn to look at Reid who was staring at the ring. "Your engagements back on?" JJ asked with a smile as Zoey nodded with a huge smile on her face. "Congratulations!" they all said happy for her. "There's gotta be something in the water here, why are there so many hotties?" Garcia said gocking at the attractive people throughout the bar while Severide was on her phone looking into resorts in Honolulu that were right on the beach. 

She was serious when she told Jay she wanted a vacation, she wanted to take some time and remember what it was like to enjoy life; drinking on the beach and watching the sunset was definitely where she wanted to start. It wasn't until after she booked the restort for 2 weeks next month and began looking into flights before Reid noticed what she was doing. "You were serious about going to Hawaii?" he asked her as Severide nodded her head yes as she booked the tickets ad set her phone down. 

Everyone at the table was looking at her now, "Yea, I've always wanted to go. Maybe learn how to surf and spend every night drinking on the beach watching the sunset, I'm excited" Severide said. "Whose drinking on a beach and watching the sunset?" Will asked walking over to the table with Jay. "Your brother and I are next month," the blonde said as she took a drink of her iced tea. "That's if you still wanted to go," she added, "Hawaii?" Jay asked remembering the conversation they had last week. Zoey nodded her head, "Of course, I still wanna go plus I've never seen you in a bikini." he said causing her to scoff and smack his arm. 

"You can keep dreaming," the blonde said with a laugh, "Hey Will, good job today. Zoey good to see you're recovering well" The dark-haired man that Prentiss was gocking at said walking over to the ginger-haired doctor. "Um, thanks. I'm sorry I'm horrible with names lately" The blonde said holding out her hand. "Dr. Connor Rhodes, I work with Will at Med. I did your gunshot surgery," The man said. "Thanks for not letting me dye," Zoey said as he shook her hand causing a sharp pain to shoot up into her wrist. 

The blonde grit her teeth trying not to show the pain but failed pulling her hand back suddenly. Both Will and Connor looked at her then down to her hand that Severide pulled into the sleeve of her flannel. "You okay?" Will asked as she just nodded, "Yea, I'm good," she said even though the ginger wasn't buying it. "Can I see your hand?" the ginger asked catching the table's attention. The blonde lifted her left hand to show him it was fine as Reid pulled her sleeve down to show her black and blue knuckles that were clearly out of place. 

Will and Connor got closer to get a better look, "What happened?" Jay asked her confused. "I tripped into the wall?" she said earning a look from her team basically saying cut the crap. "Okay I may have punched a wall but it had it coming I swear," she said trying to make light of the situation. "You broke a couple of knuckles for sure and possibly your wrist, if you don't want it to get reset you should head over to Med," Connor told her. "But you just let me go," she complained looking at the ginger. 

"We can have this fixed up within an hour and you'll be free to go again, but you should really get some x-rays," Will said. Zoey finished her iced tea with her left hand before she stood up knowing she could go to the hospital willingly or she'd get taken there anyways.