To Protect and Serve (Chicago PD / Antonio Dawson Fanfic)

Matt

I'm sitting at the bar, talking to Severide and Lacey when I notice a new face. She's stunning with her blonde hair and bright green eyes that keep making stabs at me from across the bar.

"Are you gonna go talk to her?" Severide asks, breaking me out of my trance.

I look at him. Lacey's cheek is on his forearm and she's staring at me, grinning. "Go do it!" She says. "She's gorgeous!"

I laugh. "There are a lot of gorgeous girls in Chicago. It doesn't mean I have to pick up the first one I see."

"Come on, man." Kelly encourages and slaps me on the back.

I roll my eyes. "Herman!" I yell, grabbing Herman's attention. He makes his way from their group to ours.

"What's up, Casey?" He asks, drying his hands with a dish towel.

"Did you hear anything about that girl that's with Antonio and Halstead?"

"Oh come on!" Severide scoffs from beside me. "Go find out yourself. She probably can talk!" He laughs.

"Come on, Herman. Anything?" I feel like I'm basically pleading.

Herman shrugs. "She's a new detective down at the 21st. I assume the Intelligence Unit since she's with all them."

"Thanks man." I nod at him. "And can I get another beer?"

He smiles at pours me another draft.

I take it and turn my stool around to Severide and Lacey. "I guess I'll go over."

"That a boy!" Lacey says happily and gives me a high five.

"No, Lace." I push her hand down. "Not tonight." I turn to Severide. "Maybe it's time to cut her off. We all know she's getting pretty tipsy when she starts high fiving." I laugh.

Severide nods and kisses her on the top of her head. "Good idea." He grins at me. "Now go talk to mystery girl!"

I roll my eyes again, get up and walk over towards 'Mystery Girl'. I sit down next to her in an empty seat. Lucky for me, it's 1 am and everyone but Antonio has left.

"Hey, Antonio." I call, leaning on the bar, Mystery Girl is in between us.

"Hi, Matt, what brings you over here?" He asks suspiciously.

I shrug and take a drink of my beer. "I hear that you made a great bust today. Now Kelly and Lacey are going to be alright."

He nods and doesn't say anything else.

"Look, Antonio, you're the one who left Lacey to try to make things work with your wife." I tell him. I hate this coldness between them. Antonio needs to get over the fact that Lacey is done with him and is with Severide for good.

"Yeah, something like that." Antonio says sheepishly before throwing a twenty on the bar. "I'll see you tomorrow, Arbor." He tells Mystery Girl then nods at me and walks out.

"Sorry about that." I say to Arbor? Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's what Antonio called her.

She shrugs and takes a drink of her drink. It looks like a vodka and cranberry juice.

"I'm Matt by the way." I hold out my hand for her to shake it.

She takes it. "I'm Arbor."

"Arbor?" I ask, making sure I'm saying he name right.

She nods. "Like harbor without the H." She confirms.

I smile. "I think that's a beautiful name."

"Thank you." She cracks a smile at me. "So what's your story?" She asks, diving right in.

I look at my beer. The carbonation bubbles slowly rise to the top. "I'm a fire fighter." I tell her and take a drink of my beer.

"Ah, a smoke swallower." She grins at me.

I grin back. "That's right, and how about you?"

"I'm a cop." Is all she says.

"That's cool." I reply, not knowing what else to say.

"So is that the 'Lacey and Severide' that everyone at the 21st talks about?" She asks me, pointing a skinny finger at Lacey and Kelly.

I nod. "That's them. Why do people talk about them?" I ask curiously.

"They're pretty much the whole reason why we're so concerned about Ferlon's gang, but they officially don't have to worry anymore because we got Ferlon's cousin in custody. No one will try to pursue them now."

I smile. "That's great! They're going to be so relieved when I tell them!"

"Yeah," she agrees. "So what happened with Lacey and Antonio?"

"They kinda dated for a couple of months. They broke up about three months ago." I say.

"And Antonio is married?" She asks, taking a sip of her cocktail.

I shrug. "He was. Laura and him divorced after Antonio's son, Diego, got kidnapped by some bangers. Laura couldn't deal with the stress of having a husband who's a cop."

Arbor looks at me. "A lot of people can't handle it." She finishes the rest of her drink. "Thanks for the chat, Matt, but I gotta get home." She stands up and puts a twenty down.

"Here." I tell her, picking up her money and throwing my own twenty down. "Have a good night."

She blushes. She actually blushes. "Thank you. I will." She bites her lip then turns around and walks out the door.

I can't help but stare at her perfect figure as she walks out. I look over at Kelly and Lacey as soon as she walks out. Lacey is grinning from ear to ear, and she motions for a high five. I can't help but laugh as I get up and walk over to them.

"I thought you were going to cut her off?" I ask Kelly while I give the drunken Lacey a high five.

He laughs too. "I've got her under control."

"If you say so." I chuckle. "I'll see you next shift, guys." I tell them as I pay Herman then walk out the door into the chilly September night. I walk to my truck and catch myself thinking about Arbor, the beautiful, mysterious cop. I smile to myself then drive home.