Chicago Fire: Burning Bright

Sweet Fire of Love

Chapter 41 We Didn't Start the Fire

"Stop right there, Callahan," came a commanding voice from behind the desk.

"Crap," Cailin swore, "what the hell have I done now, Sergeant Platt?" she asked, frowning at the other woman.

"I am under strict orders to not let you got up there today."

"Strict orders, from whom?" Cally asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Detectives Lindsay, Dawson and Olinsky, Sergeant Voight and that bossy paramedic from 51. She left you this lovely little note," Platt replied, waving a piece of paper in Cally's direction. "And even if they hadn't decided I was the darn telegraph company, I would be ordering you to, I repeat, stop right there. In case you forgot how to read a calendar, today is December 26th."

Cally crossed her arms over her chest, staring the other woman down. "I am acutely aware of what day it is, Sergeant. Now if you don't mind, I am trying to hide from my family and I have some paperwork to catch up on before I leave for five days."

"I am not letting you up there. Don't make me come around from this desk, Callahan. IU doesn't revolve around you, cupcake, it will go on just fine for five days," Pllatt warned, seeing a familiar pair coming by. "Burgess, Roman, cuff her if you need to, but get her out of my district, now!"

Cally threw up her hands, "I'm going, going. Call off the hounds, Trudy! Get your hand away from that taser, Officer Roman. You still up for helping me with my makeup, Kim?" she asked looking at the other uniformed officer who was yanking on her partner's arm before he did tase the detective.

"I'll be there, Callahan. 4:30pm, even if I have to leave this one on the side of the road."

"Speaking of which, don't you two have a gun buyback to get to, try to not make it as interesting as the last one," Platt said, giving the two officers a warning look.

She turned, ready to make her way to the door when Erin appeared on the stairs, Hank at her side.

"Detective Lindsay, please escort Detective Callahan to wherever she is supposed to be, which I am positive is not here," Voight said, neither his tone nor expression leaving any room for argument.

Erin gave a smirk to both her boss and friend. "Yes, sir, Detective Callahan, this way please," she said, leading the way with her arm.

"You're enjoying this a little too much, Erin."

"What did you do, wait for us to fall asleep and sneak out?" Shay admonished as Erin shoved her not so gently back into Shay and Severide's loft, where she and Erin had spent the night, Shay and Gabby joining them as soon as they got off shift.

"Sorta," Cally admitted. Erin had waited until the other two women arrived from their shifts before ducking over to the district to 'check on things'. She had informed Cally to sit tight while Leslie and Gabby caught power naps. It took less than three hours for her to become bored and slightly worried that her family would figure out where she was.

Her mother had been irrationally insistent that she not see Jeff before the wedding, including not sleeping at their place the night before, despite his being on shift. Cailin was sure her mother was attempting to get her to spend the night at Coleman's, but luckily Shay intervened and offered up her place for both Cally to stay and for them all to get ready.

Christmas Eve turned into an impromptu pseudo-bachelorette slumber party, with a side stop at Midnight Mass to appease Cally and Gabby. Erin, Lindsay, Nadia and Sylvie were all good sports, happy to spend the night with friends, as opposed to mopeing over ice cream and sappy Christmas movies. Erin and Cailin had gladly volunteered to hold down the fort Christmas day, alongside a sullen Halstead, so everyone else could spend the day with loved ones. Fortunately, it was fairly quiet, with the exception of the guilt calls from the Callahan clan. Voight stopped by more than once, and Cally wasn't quite sure if he was checking up on them or just didn't have anything better to do.