If You Met Me First

Chapter 18

"What do you mean?"

"Cut the bullshit. You didn't trip."

"And so what if I didn't?! It's none of your business Severide."

"Shelby please. I'm tired of fighting with you. Everyone is worried about you. You haven't been eating. You just lay on your bed when you are not out on a call. We don't see you outside of the firehouse."

"I can take care of myself."

"I have no doubt you can. But you don't have too. We are all here for you." Kelly stood up and walked over to sit next to her. He placed a hand on her knee. "I'm here for you. I love you."

"Then why did you kick me out?"

"Because I needed you too see how many people care about you and want the old you back. You kept shutting everyone out."

"I just don't want to get hurt again."

"Your hurting yourself. None of us here would hurt you. I wanted to spend my life with you." Shelby looked up to meet Kelly's eyes. "Hell I still want to spend my life with you."

Shelby started crying. Kelly wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "I need help Kelly."

"What do you need from me? From us?"

"I slipped Kelly."

Kelly held her out at arms length and looked into her eyes. Really looked. He notices they were fixed and dilated. "Shelby." Kelly had this sad look on his face.

"I didn't know where to go. So I went to Mikes and that's where I've been staying."

"Alright 1st your coming home, 2nd I am going to talk to Chief and get us both a relief for today. 3rd I will help you through this. You beat it once before. You can do it again."

"Thank you Kelly."

Kelly gave her a quick kiss and then stood up. "Stay here. I'll be right back." Kelly left his office and went and knocked on Casey's.

"Hey man can you come with me to the Chiefs office?"

"Sure. what's up?"

"I'll explain in Chiefs office." Casey followed Kelly to Chief Boden's office. The door was opened so they walked in and closed the door behind them. They took a seat in front of the Chiefs desk.

Chief Boden looked up at his two lieutenants "Yes?"

Casey looked over at Severide. "Can you get a relief lieutenant for me and then a relief paramedic for Shelby?"

"Uh why?"

"She slipped Chief. It's my fault I wasn't there for her like I should of been."

Chief nodded his head. "Alright but you two will need to take furlough."

"Not a problem."

"Alright I'll have Capp step in till I can get someone in here. Casey can we put Dawnson on 61 till I can get a replacement?"

"Not a problem chief."

"Thank you Chief." Casey and Severide stood up to leave.

"Severide?" Kelly stopped and looked at the Chief. "Take care of her. She's been through Hell."

"Don't worry Chief I've got her."

"Good." The two Lieutenants walked out of the chiefs office.

"Kelly your sure she's using again?"

"Yeah she told me and her eyes were fixed and dilated earlier.

"Alright well let me know if there is anything you two need."

"Thanks man."  Casey headed to find Dawson and Capp. Kelly headed but to his office.

When he opened the door Shelby was laying on his bunk trying to sleep. Kelly closed the door and walked over and sat down next to her. "Hey."

Shelby opened her eyes. "Hey Kelly."

"Come on let's go. Chief cleared us. Let's go home." Shelby gave Kelly a nod. They both stood up. Kelly grabbed his bag and Shelby grabbed hers. They then headed out of the firehouse and to their cars.

Shelby followed Kelly back home. Kelly took her upstairs. "Alright I'm gonna get your stuff out of your car."

"Thanks Kelly."

"Always." Kelly went back downstairs and started taking her stuff out of the car. He carried everything back upstairs. When he entered the apartment Shelby wasn't around.

Kelly sat her stuff down and walked through the apartment. He opened his bedroom door. She was curled up in his bed fast asleep. Kelly quietly closed the door.

He went back out to the living room and started going through her stuff looking to see if she had any pills in her bag. He found a couple bottles. He didn't want her to just quit cold turkey this time.

Kelly picked up his phone and called his childhood best friend April.

"Hey Kelly."

"Hey April. I have a question."

"What's up?"

"How do you tapper down on narcotics?"

"Kelly?"

"It's not me. It's Shelby. She slipped."

"Okay you need to find out how many she was taking at a time. And slowly back off reducing the dose each time till she's down to zero. But Kelly it is going to be rough."

"I know. But I have to help her."

"Alright well he call me if you need anything."

"Thanks April." The two of them hung up the phone. Kelly went and hid the pills where only he had access to them.

Kelly then started to scroll through his contacts till he came to Erin Lindsey's name. He hesitated for a moment but they he pressed the call button.

"Hello?"

"Erin? It's Kelly."

"Oh hey Kelly."

"I need a favor."

"I'm listening."

"Can you look into this guy named Mike. He's someone Shelby bought pills off of."

"Kelly, that's a very common name. Do you have anymore information?"

"Not at the moment. But maybe when Shelby wakes up I could get some more info." Kelly took a breath. "Erin I need this guy off the street. Shelby slipped."

There was a quiet pause. "I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you Erin."

"Kelly I make no promises."

"I know. I understand."  The two of them hung up the phone. Kelly andy back to his room and decided to take a nap with Shelby. He knew the coming days were going to be mentally and physically exhausting.

When Kelly crawled into bed, Shelby shifted and curled up to him and put her head on his chest. Kelly wrapped an arm around her and held her close. How could he ever of let this women get away? He wasn't going to make that mistake again.