Forbidden (Kelly Severide)

Chapter 16

Ivy leaned back in the passenger seat of Kelly's truck, her hand resting comfortably in his as they drove through the quiet streets of Chicago. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm golden glow over the city. They had decided to spend some time together after a long and grueling shift at Firehouse 51, and the idea of grabbing dinner and driving through the city seemed like the perfect way to unwind.

"I think we've earned a night off, don't you?" Kelly said with a soft smile, glancing over at Ivy.

She chuckled, squeezing his hand. "Definitely. It's been a long week, and I could use a break from being teased by everyone at the firehouse."

Kelly laughed, remembering the endless jokes and comments from the team about their relationship. It was all in good fun, but they were both happy to have a little time to themselves for once.

As they drove, the comfortable silence between them allowed Ivy to reflect on how much things had changed since they first started dating. It had been a whirlwind—balancing their work at Firehouse 51 with their budding relationship—but they were making it work. Kelly was her rock, always there for her, and she couldn't imagine facing the challenges of her job without him by her side.

Just as Ivy was about to say something, flashing lights appeared in the rearview mirror.

Kelly frowned, glancing back at the patrol car behind them. "What the hell?"

"Maybe it's just a random check?" Ivy offered, though the pit in her stomach said otherwise.

Kelly slowed the truck and pulled over to the side of the road, the police car following suit. They both waited in tense silence as the officer stepped out of the car and approached. Ivy's unease grew as she recognized the figure.

It was Hank Voight.

Kelly's jaw tightened, clearly not thrilled to see the notoriously hard-edged detective. Ivy knew about the long-standing feud between Voight and Matt Casey. Though Matt had never shared the details, Ivy had picked up enough to know there was bad blood between them. And now, here Voight was, approaching her and Kelly's car with an expression that screamed trouble.

Voight walked up to the driver's side window, his gaze cold and calculated. "Severide," he greeted tersely, his voice rough as gravel. "Mind stepping out of the car?"

Kelly sighed but complied, knowing better than to provoke Voight. He glanced over at Ivy, his expression apologetic, as if silently promising that he'd handle it.

Voight's eyes then turned to Ivy, narrowing. "You too, Casey."

Ivy blinked in surprise. "Me?"

"Yeah, you." Voight's tone was flat, offering no room for argument.

She exchanged a worried glance with Kelly before stepping out of the truck. Voight's presence was intimidating, and she could feel the tension in the air. He wasn't here for a casual traffic stop. This was personal.

"What's this about, Voight?" Kelly asked, crossing his arms as he stood next to Ivy.

Voight ignored Kelly's question and instead focused on Ivy, his eyes scanning her up and down in a way that made her feel uneasy.

"Got a report of suspicious activity," Voight said, though Ivy doubted it. "You wouldn't happen to be carrying anything you shouldn't, would you?"

Ivy's stomach dropped. This was about Matt—Voight's way of trying to mess with him. She'd heard the stories about Voight's tactics, and now she was experiencing them firsthand.

"I don't have anything," Ivy said firmly, standing her ground.

But Voight wasn't convinced. "I'm going to need to search you," he said, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

Kelly stepped forward, his protective instincts kicking in. "Voight, that's enough. You can't just harass her like this."

Voight raised an eyebrow. "Harass? This is just procedure, Severide. If she's clean, there's no problem, right?"

Ivy felt her heart pounding in her chest. She wasn't scared of what he might find—she had nothing to hide—but the whole situation felt wrong. She could see Kelly growing angrier by the second, and she didn't want him to make things worse.

"It's fine, Kelly," Ivy said softly, placing a hand on his arm to calm him. "Let's just get this over with."

Kelly clenched his jaw, clearly furious, but he nodded reluctantly. Ivy stepped aside as Voight made a show of patting her down, taking his time as if he expected to find something incriminating.

"See? Nothing," Ivy said once Voight was finished, her voice edged with frustration.

Voight took a step back, his expression unreadable. "Looks like you're clear." His tone was cold, but Ivy could tell he wasn't satisfied. This was just another way to mess with Matt—by targeting her.

Kelly glared at Voight, barely holding back his anger. "This is about Casey, isn't it? You've got a problem with him, so you come after Ivy?"

Voight shrugged, his eyes flashing with something dark. "If Matt Casey has enemies, that's his problem. Maybe you should think about who you're associating with."

Ivy's blood boiled, but she stayed quiet, knowing that arguing with Voight would get them nowhere. Instead, she took a deep breath and turned back toward Kelly's truck.

"Are we done here, Detective?" Ivy asked sharply.

Voight held her gaze for a moment longer before finally stepping back. "Yeah, we're done."

Without another word, Ivy and Kelly got back into the truck. The tension was palpable as they pulled away from the curb, and Ivy could feel her hands trembling slightly from the adrenaline.

Kelly was silent for a long moment, gripping the steering wheel tightly. His knuckles were white, and Ivy could see how hard he was trying to keep his anger in check.

"Kelly..." she began softly, but he shook his head.

"That was bullshit," Kelly muttered, his voice low and angry. "He had no right to do that."

Ivy sighed, reaching over to gently place her hand on his arm. "He's just trying to get to Matt. Voight knows how close we all are—he probably thinks it'll rattle Matt if he messes with me."

"It's not right," Kelly growled, his jaw still clenched. "I won't let him get away with treating you like that."

Ivy squeezed his arm gently, trying to soothe him. "I'm fine, Kelly. Really. It was just a scare tactic."

But she could see the anger simmering beneath the surface, and she knew it wouldn't be the last time Voight tried something like this. They both knew that Matt and Voight's feud ran deep, and now Ivy was caught in the crossfire.

After a few minutes of tense silence, Kelly finally spoke again, his voice quieter this time. "I won't let anyone hurt you, Ivy. Not Voight, not anyone. You're too important to me."

Ivy felt a warmth spread through her chest at his words. She smiled softly, leaning over to rest her head against his shoulder. "I know, Kelly. And I'm lucky to have you."

They drove in silence for a while longer, the city lights flickering by as they left the encounter with Voight behind them. But Ivy knew that this was just the beginning. If Voight was willing to go this far, who knew what he'd try next?

But as long as she had Kelly by her side, Ivy knew she could face whatever was coming.