Me Plus You

Beginners Luck...

The trial is looming and Stella needs some distraction from coming face to face with her nemesis....
51 comes up with a competitive plan to help take her mind of things....and Kelly has his own distraction plans...

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Stella was reflecting on her meeting with the district attorney this morning. He had wanted to see her and talk her through what to expect. He was confident it was a cut-and-dried case but it would be hard to sit through he had warned.
It was all so real now. The trial, the scrutiny, coming face to face with Starmer. Last night she had even had another nightmare. First one in a while. Staring out of the loft windows, she was for once oblivious to the panoramic view of the river and bridge, her mood tense.

A knock on the door pulled her out of her reverie.

"Hey, Severide...is Kidd at home?"

Hermann stood outside the loft door wearing a lame expression, an equally apologetic Cindy standing next to him holding his arm in case he decided to bolt.

Kelly raised a brow, and Hermann shuffled uncomfortably under his steady regard.

"Depends Hermann..... on what you want with her." Kelly didn't want Stella upset, his protective instincts ready to do battle even if with a friend.

"Christopher has something he would like to say to Stella, Kelly." Cindy nudged her husband. " Don't you, Christopher."

Hermann winced. "Yeah...... I wanna apologize to Kidd. I ........was outta order at the firehouse yesterday, you know......"

"No shit." Kelly's steely blue regard was uncompromising. "Sorry, Cindy, no offence."

"None taken. I know my husband has a habit of engaging his mouth before his brain, Kelly. "

After a long moment of silence, when Kelly made sure Hermann knew exactly how much he had stepped out of line, he moved aside to let the Hermanns in.

Stella was surprised to see them, her fingers automatically beginning to fidget nervously. But Cindy immediately hurried towards her and wrapped her in a hug.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered to the younger woman. "I couldn't believe it when he told me what he had said to you."

"It's o.k Cindy...it really is. I understand why he got upset. You have kids."
Her relief was palpable in the room.

"It was very brave of you to share it, Stella. You're wonderful, and all our kids think so too! You were Anabelle's hero already! She's started plaiting her hair just like you!" Cindy chuckled, adding in a low voice, " and I think Lee Henry has a crush on you!"

"Cindy! Lee Henry won't thank you for sharing that with Kidd!" Hermann was shaking his head at his wife, giving Kidd an embarrassed and cagey look, trying to gauge her reaction to him. He was really fond of Kidd and had spent all day regretting his big mouth. Plus, he had got a ton of grief from Cindy for good measure. Even his wingman Mouch had given him a look that had shown his displeasure.

"Hey, sorry, Kidd.... I"m a real douche sometimes....."

There was a moment of silence before Stella started to laugh at his miserable expression and pulled him towards her into a hug, hugely relieved that they were o.k.

"So...Kidd? We were all thinking at the house.... with everything going on at the moment... it would be a good time for our annual Whirlyball contest this Friday night?" Hermann addressed them both.

Kelly spun around from grabbing some beers for them all. "Yes!" His enthusiasm immediate and needing no prompting.

"Sorry, do what?" Stella noticed with interest that Kelly's fiercely competitive face had appeared.