If You Met Me First

Chapter 15

3 months since the trip to New York

Shelby and Kelly were walking out of 51 after an exhausting shift. They climbed into Kelly's car and headed towards home. "You coming to Molly's tonight?"

"I don't know Kelly. I think I would like to just stay in. But you can go if you want."

"Maybe." Kelly was focused on the road ahead of him. "You haven't been going out much. I can't even remember the last time you went to Molly's. Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine Kelly. I just enjoy the quiet."

"Okay." The rest of the drive home was silent. Kelly parked his car on the curb and they headed inside. They dropped their bags off just inside their front door.

"I'm gonna go shower and lay down." Kelly nodded in response. Shelby then headed towards their room to shower and sleep.

Kelly went and grabbed a beer out of the fridge. He popped the top off and went and took a seat on the couch. He couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. Shelby had been so closed off since they got back from New York.

He thought it was because of the trial but it's been several months. They haven't even had sex since they got back. She always seemed to be asleep or wasn't in the mood. Kelly sighed and laid down on the couch. Feeling defeated.

8 PM that night

Kelly woke up on the couch after sleeping most of the day. He rubbed the sleepers out of his eyes. He got up and went to their room to get dressed and see if Shelby wanted to go out.

He opened the door to their bedroom. Shelby was laying in bed with the covers on. Kelly walked over and took a seat next to her on the edge of the bed. He moved a piece of her hair from her face to behind her ear.

Shelby stirred. "Kelly?"

"Hey Sleeping beauty." Kelly leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Im getting ready to head to Molly's. You sure you don't want to come?"

"Yeah I'm sure Kelly. I'm exhausted."

"Alright." Kelly leaned over to give her a kiss on the lips. Their lips connected but the kiss felt so dead. Kelly tried to deepen the kiss but Shelby pushed him away. "Come on Shelby."

"Kelly no. I'm not on the mood" Shelby rolled away from Kelly.

Kelly couldn't take it anymore. "You are never in the mood! All you do is sleep! You barely go to work and when you do you lay in your bunk all day!"

"So what?! I'm sorry that I am tired all the time!" Shelby had sat up to face Kelly who was now standing up.

"You need to go see someone! Clearly there is something wrong. You shouldn't be sleeping this much!"

"I'm fine Kelly."

"No your not! Stop lying to yourself! Stop lying to me!"

"I'm not lying Kelly!"

"Bullshit! Are you not happy here? Do you not want to be with me me?"

"Kelly that's ridiculous!"

"How so!? You will barely look at me let alone touch me!"

"If your so damn unhappy Kelly then why haven't you kicked me out?!?!"

Kelly thought about it for a moment. "You know what fine. I'm done. Find somewhere else to live. I can't do this any longer." Kelly grabbed his jacket, wallet, and Keys and stormed out of their apartment.

The tears started to flow down Shelbys face as soon as the front door slammed. She reached into her nightstand table and pulled out the little orange bottle that was running her life. She dumped out 5 pills and took them.

She then got up and started to gather her belongings. Stuffing them into bags and boxes that were laying around the house. She loaded the items into her car. She left Kelly a note telling him she was gone and left the key.

She closed the apartment door and headed downstairs. She got in her car and just started driving not knowing where she was going to go.
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Kelly Severide stormed into Molly's and through himself down onto one of the bar stools.

"Woah Severide. What's wrong?"

"I need a whisky." Herman pour Kelly his drink. Kelly downed it and pushed the glass towards Herman who then refilled it.

"You want to talk about it?"

"There's nothing to talk about Herman. I told her to get out."

"You what??" Herman supported his body by putting both his hands on the bar.

"She would barely look at me. She has been sleeping all the time and never wants to leave the apartment."

"Kelly..."

"No Herman. I do not want one of your pep talks. Hopefully she's gone when I get home." Kelly finished his second drink and pushed the glass towards Herman who filled it.

Herman then left the lieutenant to let him think. He walked down to the other end of the bar where Casey was sitting and talking to Gabby. "Casey you may want to talk to Kelly."

"What happened?"

"Shelby and him broke up."

Casey and Gabby exchanged looks. "Um yeah I'll go talk to him." Casey got up to walk towards Kelly but then he saw Kelly talking to a blonde chick. Kelly made his move to leave.

Casey quickly walked over and grabbed Kelly's arm. "Let go Casey."

"Severide you do not want to do whatever it is you are thinking about doing." Severide yanked his arm out of Casey's grasp.

"I'll do whatever the hell I want." Kelly stormed out of the bar with the blonde girl on his arm. Casey turned around to face Gabby and Hermann. No one knew what to do.

2 days later

Kelly was sitting at the squad table talking to his men. Casey came out onto the apparatus floor.  "Severide, can I talk too you?"

"What's up Casey?"

"Can I talk to you alone."

"Whatever you have to say can be said right here."

"Fine. Do you know where Shelby is? She's 2 hours late and no ones heard from her."

"I'm not her keeper Casey. Maybe she went back to New York. Fuck if I know." Casey turned around left not wanting to get into it with Severide.

"What was that about?"

"Don't worry about it Capp. Just deal." The squad team went back to playing poker.