Lost Soul

Part 12 : i heard you

He kept Stella's hand in his hand, it felt good because that way he knew she was still here. Like this he could convince himself that she was still alive, and that was making him less paranoid.
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It had been so many emotions that Kelly ended up falling asleep all while holding onto Stella's hand.

And after a little while, he felt a gentle touch on his back.

"Hey" Gabby said softly to him.

"Hi" he said as he sat up "what time is it"

"It's five in the morning"

"And you guys stayed that long?" He didn't want them to be exhausted.

"We couldn't leave you alone like that, you know that"

"It's ok" he got up to tell Gabby she could leave "you-"

But he felt a tension, like something was holding him back. And as he saw Gabby's face illuminate in a way, he turned to look at Stella who was slowly opening her eyes. So he sat again next to her, and held her hand closer to him.

"Stella" he softly calling her name "hey"

But she wasn't fully opening her eyes yet, and in a spend of seconds Stella was seizing. Kelly wasn't sure of what was happening. Gabby called in the doctor and nurses, they came rushing in. They pushed both Gabby and Severide out of the room, but before being left out entirely, they heard.

"Her heart stopped beating"

And to him those were the worst words, he started asking for her to be ok. She needed to be ok, she couldn't leave the world like this. Not after making it once again alive from Grant's hands. He was stressed and moments of her came flashing back, so he left and went a bit further since they had close the room's door on them. So Gabby quietly followed until he sat on the chair that was not too far from Stella's room.

"What if she doesn't make it"

"It's a possibility" Gabby couldn't lie to him.

Sure Stella was strong but sometimes that's how life was, and if that was her fate no one could change that not even with some positive thinking. So they looked at each other, they had to face the truth. If she were to make it, there's probably no chance she'd be a hundred percent again. What Grant had done to her was horrendous, and it would probably mean she'd have to go to therapy for the rest of her days.

"I just" he looked at Gabby his eyes watery "i love her" and as he finally confessed to Gabby his voice broke down.

"I know, i am just sad it took you so long to finally tell me. But moreso to finally acknowledge it yourself" she started saying as she offered him a pat on the back "i learned how to know her, and i know you."

"But what if now she doesn't make it?" He asked a bit overwhelmed.

"Well" she paused "even if she doesn't make it, i feel like you did your part at protecting her and trying to bring her the happiness she needed"

"Did i? I wasn't able to stay with her in that hospital room and that's why Grant was able to get to her" he said angry.

"You both were going through it, it's ok. You can't blame yourself for that, you can only blame Grant" she reassured him "now, onto something more serious. Ava!"

"What about it?"

He had already forgot that they still hadn't decided on what they'd do with their daughter. But one thing he knew was that he wanted Stella to decide, that was not his place.

"I will wait for Stella to wake up, and if she doesn't well. Then i'll do something about it" he told Gabby.

But as Gabby was about to reply back to him, Rhodes interrupted them.