In Another Life

The set up (12)

Stella POV

"He wants to take my baby from me, he's filed for full custody of Miley, he can't do this, she's my baby girl, he never even wanted her" I say feeling my chest get tight as I struggle to breath.

"H...he can't...h...he" I say struggling to get my words out

Kelly comes over and grabs me as he lowers me to sit on the stool "Stella, Breathe, I think you're having a panic attack, you're okay, I'm here...take slow deep breaths, follow me" he says as I copy him and I take a deep breath in through my nose and out through my mouth keeping my eyes on his until I feel calmer.

"We will sort this, I won't let him take her from us, she belongs with you, with us" Kelly says holding the top of my arms before pulling me into a hug. "She's not going anywhere" Kelly whispers as he rubs my back.

"Now how about the 3 of us go an have a cuddle in bed and shut out the world for a while" Kelly says as I nod, he runs my arm before going over to pick up Miley, I head towards Kelly's room instead as I look back at him, he looks at me confused and points down the corridor about to say something but he doesn't as he just shrugs and walks over to his room.

His room just feels cosier, maybe because it's smaller  and has his scent on everything. I get into his bed as he gets in next ti me, lying Miley in the middle of us, I wrap my arm round miley as Kelly wraps his arm around me as we both get comfy.

"I won't let anyone ruin this for us" I hear Kelly say as he kisses the top of my head and pulls me in tighter with one arm as his other hand holds Mileys hand.

I smile down at his hand then look up at him "I know everything is going to be okay, because I have you" I say as I lean up and kiss him. "Goodnight" he whispers against my lips as I kiss him once more "goodnight Kelly" I say resting my head on his shoulder as I close my eyes

...

The morning soon rolled around with us being rudely awoken to a knock on the apartment door, my eyes flutter open to silence, thinking the knock was in my dream. I look down at Miley wide awake playing with her hands as she holds them up.

Knock! Knock! knock!

I guess I wasn't dreaming it, this time kelly wakes up and looks at me "was that the door" he asks as I nod "yeah, I'll get it" I say handing miley to him as she looks up at him and smiles and tries to grab his face.

I walk over to the door and look through the peep hole, I see a man in a suit holding a briefcase, I open the door as the man looks at me. "Hi, I'm Michael Anderson, I work for the Chicago city council as a family lawyer, Im looking for..." he looks down at his file reading from it "a Mrs Stella Kidd-Smith" he says looking back up at me

"That's me, what's this about ?" I ask confused as he flicks through the papers in his file and hands me the same letter from last night "I came by yesterday to deliver one in person, but you was out so had to slide it under the door, I came by today to try catch you in person again as I need to record that one was hand delivered to you and you were made aware" he says as I take the letter from him "I will be representing your husband Mr Grant Smith, in the case against yourself, as he files for full custody of his biological daughter Miley Rae Smith, I need you to sign here to say you understand the reason for my visit today" he says turning round his file and handing out a pen for me to sign on the letter.

"No I'm not signing anything, not without a lawyer, he's not taking my baby away" I say as I feel a hand on my back and the door widen "what's going on here" I hear Kelly say as the lawyer looks at Kelly "and you are?" The lawyer says as Kelly holds his hand out "Kelly Severide, I'm her boyfriend" he says as I look at him and the lawyer shake hands