Forbidden (Kelly Severide)

Chapter 9

Kelly Severide sat by Ivy's bedside, the sterile scent of the hospital lingering around him. The reality of how close he had come to losing Ivy was still too fresh, too raw. Her steady breathing was the only thing keeping him grounded, reminding him that she was still with him, still fighting.

It had been a couple of days since she woke up, and though she was far from fully recovered, the doctors were optimistic about her prognosis. Kelly couldn't remember the last time he had felt this level of relief. The weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders when Ivy opened her eyes, and all the fear and helplessness he had been feeling started to melt away.

Today, Kelly had made a promise to himself. He would be there for Ivy, no matter what. It was time to take a break from the chaos of the firehouse, to give both of them a chance to heal—physically and emotionally. He had cleared it with Boden, who understood the gravity of what had happened and supported Kelly's decision.

As Ivy slowly opened her eyes again, Kelly smiled, leaning forward to gently brush a strand of hair away from her face. "Hey, you," he said softly, his voice filled with warmth.

Ivy's lips curved into a faint smile. "Hey yourself," she whispered, her voice still weak.

"Feeling any better today?" Kelly asked, his thumb brushing lightly over her hand.

"A little," Ivy replied, her smile growing a bit stronger. "But I could definitely use some fresh air."

Kelly chuckled softly. "How about we get out of here for a bit, then? The doctors said you could leave the hospital for a few hours, as long as you take it easy."

Ivy's eyes brightened at the idea. "I'd love that."

A couple of hours later, Kelly had Ivy settled in his truck, driving away from the hospital with no particular destination in mind. He wanted to take her somewhere peaceful, somewhere they could both relax and just enjoy each other's company without the constant noise and stress that had been their lives for so long.

They ended up at a quiet park by the lake, the gentle waves lapping against the shore as they walked slowly along the path. Kelly had one arm around Ivy's waist, supporting her as they strolled, while Ivy leaned into him, grateful for his presence.

The sun was setting, casting a warm golden glow over the water, and Kelly could feel the tension slowly leaving his body. It was the first time in what felt like forever that he could just be with Ivy without worrying about what might happen next.

"This is nice," Ivy murmured, looking up at him with a soft smile.

"Yeah, it is," Kelly agreed, pulling her a little closer. "We should do this more often."

Ivy nodded, resting her head on his shoulder as they continued to walk. "I'm sorry, Kelly," she said after a moment, her voice tinged with guilt.

"For what?" Kelly asked, frowning slightly as he looked down at her.

"For scaring you," Ivy admitted, her gaze dropping to the ground. "I didn't mean to...I didn't want to put you through that."

Kelly stopped walking, turning to face Ivy and gently cupping her face in his hands. "Hey, none of this is your fault. You hear me? What happened...it wasn't your fault, and you don't have to apologize for it."

Ivy bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes. "But I—"

"No buts," Kelly interrupted, his voice firm but gentle. "You're here. You're alive. That's all that matters to me."

A tear slipped down Ivy's cheek, and Kelly quickly wiped it away with his thumb. "I love you, Ivy," he said softly, his eyes locking with hers. "Nothing else matters."

Ivy's breath hitched, and she leaned into his touch, closing her eyes as she tried to keep the tears at bay. "I love you too, Kelly," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.

For a moment, they just stood there, holding each other, letting the world around them fade away. Kelly could feel his heart swell with love for Ivy, and he knew that no matter what happened, he would never let her go.

After a while, they continued their walk, the silence between them comfortable and filled with unspoken understanding. When they reached a bench overlooking the lake, Kelly gently guided Ivy to sit down, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as they watched the sun dip below the horizon.

The sky was painted in hues of pink, orange, and purple, and the calmness of the scene seeped into Kelly's bones. He hadn't realized how much he needed this—just a quiet moment with Ivy, away from everything else.

"I don't want to go back to the firehouse just yet," Ivy said softly, breaking the silence.

Kelly nodded in agreement. "We don't have to. We can take all the time we need."

Ivy looked up at him, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Kelly. For everything."

He smiled, leaning down to press a tender kiss to her forehead. "There's nothing I wouldn't do for you, Ivy."

As the last rays of sunlight disappeared, Kelly held Ivy close, the two of them soaking in the peacefulness of the moment. The world could wait, they both decided. For now, all that mattered was each other.

Eventually, as the sky turned to twilight, they decided it was time to head back. The drive home was quiet, both of them lost in their thoughts. But this time, the silence wasn't heavy with worry or fear. Instead, it was filled with a sense of contentment—a feeling that they were exactly where they needed to be.

When they reached Ivy's apartment, Kelly helped her inside, making sure she was comfortable before sitting down beside her on the couch. They sat in the dim light, their hands intertwined, neither of them feeling the need to speak.

Finally, Ivy broke the silence. "Kelly...when this is all over, when I'm better...what happens then?"

Kelly turned to face her, his expression serious. "Then we keep going. We figure out what this is between us, and we make it work. I'm not letting you go, Ivy."

Ivy smiled, leaning in to press a soft kiss to his lips. "I'm not letting you go either."

They stayed like that for a long time, wrapped up in each other, finding comfort and strength in their shared love. For the first time in a long time, Kelly felt hopeful—hopeful for the future, for their relationship, and for whatever challenges they might face together.

As they finally drifted off to sleep, tangled in each other's arms, Kelly knew one thing for certain: no matter what happened next, they would face it together, and that was all that mattered.