Questions And Answers...

At Last

"Too late to change your mind now, Lieutenant. Though strictly speaking, you could still anul it, as you haven't....you know....,....but I guess you know all about annulments from the last time you got marr......"

" Shut up, Capp." Tony dug him in the ribs.

Capp turned around, bemused. "What?! I'm only saying!"

But today, even Kelly laughed at his subordinate's inherent but harmless tactlessness, putting one arm around him in a man hug.

"Capp, I love you." Kelly kissed the bald head of the firefighter, who for once was rendered into silence.

♡♡♡♡♡

The party started, with the sun shining down as the guardian of their day as corks were popped, and beer caps pulled,
The late afternoon sky was still warm with sunlight, as the boat sailed along the Chicago river, passing the famous skyline, tourists walking along the walkway casting curious looks their way, drawn by the color and outpouring of noise and happiness coming from the vessel. And as the afternoon sun dipped into evening, and the skyline lit up their route, the likes of Beyonce, Rhianna,and Bruno Mars got shift two rocking.
Everyone on that boat knew there truly could not have been a better wedding venue for Severide and Kidd.
In their city and with their people.

Wallace Boden couldn't have been prouder, as he surveyed his house celebrating, his face wearing the beam of a proud parent. Breaking all the CFD rules, two of his people from the same shift were married, and he wasn't going to do a damn thing about it. Hell, he didn't have a daughter, but if he had one, he would have chosen Stella Kidd and chosen Severide to be her husband.

"Take care of her, Kelly. She's a special girl." Obsidian eyes spoke with genuine affection, as his Squad 3 Lieutenant handed him a glass of the Chief's favorite whisky.

The younger man's response was simple and honest.

"That is something I will promise you, Chief. Till my last breath."

There was a mutual respect between them, but more than that, years of Kelly growing up under the older man's tutelage, which had fostered a relationship that was bigger than that of a mentor or a supervisory one.
Kelly had told his own dad that Boden had been more of a father to him than he ever had. It had been the truth.

The Chief held up his glass in salute and took a sip of the whisky, knowing nothing more needed to be said.

Clearing his throat, Kelly inclined his head to where Capp and Tony were retelling Stella how it was them and not strictly Casey, who had saved the wedding, by bringing the chairs.

"I think I need to go rescue my wife before she helps Capp go overboard."

Both men laughed, knowing Stella wasn't beyond doing what Kelly had just said.

En route back to Stella, Sylvie intercepted him.

"Severide, you are needed for the cake cutting and your first dance...come on! And try not to tread on Stella's toes!"

Kelly opened his mouth to object at her inference that he couldn't dance! And then saw the wink she threw over her shoulder, and Kelly started to laugh, amused that today even the normally serious Sylvie was in a playful mood.

Sensing his approach, Stella's focus automatically switched from Capp to Kelly, her face mirroring the light of a full moon, and right then, if the whole world had disappeared, Kelly wouldn't have noticed.

The wedding cake, two firefighters perched on the top, was cut with more cheering as the two fed each other a sliver, and Stella managed to accidentally on purpose, smear it all over his mouth, screaming when he grabbed her face and kissed her thoroughly, so that she was as covered with it as him but Sylvie was on hand with a packet of Kleenex to save the day, and as Eta Jame's soulful voice broke into the night, Kelly held out his hand to her...