good/right/real

Chapter 14: On the Line

They're on their way back from the DCFS offices, where they likely utterly failed at helping The Keanes, and feeling a bit disheartened. Sylvie decides they need a topic that might lift their spirits -- or at least hers.

"So," She says, pausing to chew on her bottom lip for a moment. She's not sure she should ask but she's dying to know. "What's with you and Kidd?"

"What? Nothing," he replies urgently. "Why would you ask that?"

"Because you leave any room she's in and won't look her in the eye," Sylvie replies with a knowing grin. "Obviously you've met her before."

"Yeah, at the Academy. I instructed there last year--"

"Uh, no, don't give me that," Sylvie says, cutting off his lie before he can finish it. "I'm not buying it."

He blows out an exhausted breath and narrows his eyes on her. "It wasn't what you're thinking."

"I'm not thinking anything," she says honestly. "Except that whatever happened is awkward for you."

"Before I tell you this," Severide starts with a resigned sigh. "You cannot tell anyone else. I'm only telling you because Shay and Casey trust you and they're the best judges of character that I know. But this is a secret you will have to take to your grave."

"My grave?" She asks with raised brows. Damn, this must be truly serious if he wants her to take it to her grave. He glares at her when she questions him and she draws an 'x' over her heart with her finger in response. "Cross my heart."

"I didn't know she was married," he prefaces. "I saw her. I thought she was...attractive, and she was bad ass at everything at the Academy. It was a two month long training course and she impressed me, you know? A lot."

Sylvie smiles warmly at him and nods. "You liked her."

He gulps and nods. "Yeah, I liked her. And I got a little overserved one night. I knew her address from her paperwork and I...I ended up letting myself in her back door with flowers and champagne." He winces as he finishes telling her the story and doesn't look her way even once.

She presses her lips together to keep from laughing at him. When she feels composed enough, she nods. "You let yourself into her house?"

"I was drunk!" He says defensively. "And there was a key under the mat!"

"I'm not sure that makes it better," she replies, still trying not to laugh at his humiliated expression.

"Trust me, I know. Anyway, her husband came at me with both barrels -- well technically a banjo or something that looked like a banjo? And what am I supposed to do? Just stand there and take it? Hell no! So I punched him back. But I guess our scuffle bothered the neighbors and they called the cops. Had to get Shay to come and bail me out," Kelly explains with a grimace. "Not my finest hour."

"How did no one at the house find out?" Brett asks in shock. She is completely entertained by this story.

"Kidd got her husband to drop the charges and Shay somehow convinced everyone at the precinct to keep their mouths shut. To this day, I don't know how she did it and I don't wanna know how. I just want to forget it ever happened. You got that?"

"I crossed my heart, didn't I?" She asks with an amused grin. "Can I offer you a little advice, though? Speaking as someone who got herself into an awkward situation with a Lieutenant at 51."

He gives her a sideways glance but nods reluctantly. "Go ahead."

"I know you want to forget it, but you should at least talk it out with Kidd," Brett suggests. "I think she's self conscious about it because you can't seem to be around her unless there's a rescue or a fire underway. I think it'd go a long way toward helping her get settled into the house. Plus, wouldn't you like to not have to hide in your own Firehouse?"