Me Plus You

No one saw anything....

Stella spluttered in her beer, coughing, her startled eyes flying to his to see if he was serious. Severide took in her shocked face enjoying her discomfit in a perverse way.

Stella searched his face.

" I can't decide if you are serious?"

"Yeah...we were serious about it. Shay wanted a baby and she asked me if I would be the father. And I thought why not... " Kelly shrugged his shoulders as if it were the most natural thing in the world to have a baby with your best friend. He didnt mention that their plans had been thwarted by Renee an ex girlfriend telling him she was pregnant.

Stella's eyes widened. She really wanted to ask him more but she wondered maybe it would be too intrusive, acutely aware of his initial coolness when she had mentioned Shay. Then a terrible thought crossed her mind...Had Shay been pregnant when she had died? Is that why Emily had referred to Kelly as 'broken?' No that couldn't be right. He had just said 'planning to have a baby....'

Before she could grill him anymore a group of late night drinkers arrived in a barrel of noise and laughter. Kelly's eyes drifted to them in what Stella thought was almost a territorial way. It was a '51 looking out for his team mates bar' kind of look.

"Hey barman! Give us your most expensive champagne! "

Four men had seated themselves at the bar all laughing and prodding each other like college students. They looked really out of place in their collared shirts and expensive suits. Stella frowned. Sam! What the hell was he doing here?! Hermann gave them a sour look but reached for a bottle of champagne from the wine cooler.

Sam took the bottle and studied the label and started to chuckle loudly.

"I don't think this is champagne barman..." he passed the bottle to the other men in his group who seemed to find it equally amusing.

"This is cheap piss!" One of them complained passing it to another of the men.

They were clearly drunk.

Hermann held his hand out.
"I'll take it back then if its not good enough for you gents."

But Sam kept it out out of Hermanns reach. Other customers looked across at the rising temperature around the bar. Severide got up. So did Stella.

"Hey... cool it down boys." Severide called over. Everyone's attention turned towards him.

Sam turned around and slid of his stool. He face turned a little red and he didn't seem surprised to see Stella.

"Barman, why don't you send the bottle over to the lady and her companion over there. It will be plenty good enough for them." There was a thinly veiled insult in his voice.

Hermann looked over at Stella with a 'what's going on here?'

Beside her Severide swore and started to move. Stella hastily put a restraining hand on his arm.

"No! Leave it...Sam's clearly drunk."

Severide halted in mid step.

"..isn't he your date from the other night at Tony's?" Briefly he turned to her.

" Yeah.... it's him....I don't know what he's doing here." She was apologetic and embarrassed. How had he even known she was here?

"You still dating him?"

"No.. ..no....I ended it earlier. I just don't know how he knew I was here."

Sam walked over a little unsteadily still holding the champagne. Severide had him fixed with an unflinching stare daring him to come closer.