Forbidden (Kelly Severide)

Chapter 22

Kelly Severide had been out sick for the past couple of days, and Ivy had been thrust into his role as the acting Lieutenant of Squad 3. It wasn't the first time she'd been in charge, but it was the first time she felt the full weight of the responsibility, especially given the reputation Squad 3 carried. Kelly had insisted she take the reins, trusting her entirely, and while Ivy felt honored, the pressure gnawed at her.

Still, she wasn't one to back down from a challenge. As the morning briefing began, she stood at the front of the room, the eyes of her fellow firefighters on her. She could feel the weight of their expectations, but she also felt their support. Except for one.

Adams.

He had made it clear from day one that he didn't respect her authority. Whether it was because she was a woman, or because she was Matt Casey's sister, Ivy wasn't sure. But she didn't let his snide comments get to her—not today. She had too much to focus on.

"You ready to lead, Casey?" Adams called out from the back, his arms crossed and a smug grin on his face.

Ivy shot him a calm, steady look. "I'm always ready. Let's hope you can keep up, Adams."

The room went quiet for a moment before one of the other squad members chuckled, breaking the tension. Ivy gave a small, confident smile before continuing with the briefing. She had no time for Adams' games, and she wasn't about to let him undermine her leadership.

The briefing was interrupted by the shrill sound of the firehouse alarm. A massive structure fire had broken out in a commercial building downtown. Multiple people were trapped inside, and Squad 3 was needed urgently.

As they geared up, Ivy couldn't help but feel a mixture of excitement and nerves. This was a big one—a call that would test her and the team. But as they pulled up to the scene, all those nerves faded. The building was fully engulfed in flames, thick black smoke pouring into the sky. Firefighters from another house were already working, but it was clear they needed more hands.

Ivy quickly barked orders, directing Squad 3 to where they were needed most. They broke into teams, searching for survivors and working to contain the fire.

"Casey, you sure you know what you're doing?" Adams sneered as they made their way into the building.

"Shut up and do your job," Ivy snapped back, her focus entirely on the task at hand. She wasn't about to let his arrogance slow them down.

Inside the building, the heat was unbearable, and the flames licked dangerously close as they moved from room to room, pulling people out. Ivy was in her element, leading her team with precision. Every decision she made was calculated, and it showed. The crew trusted her, following her every command without hesitation.

As they made their way deeper into the building, Ivy heard a faint cry for help. She signaled to the others and made her way toward the sound. There, trapped under debris, was a young woman. Without hesitation, Ivy worked with her team to free the woman, all while the fire raged around them.

"Got her!" Ivy yelled, pulling the woman free and guiding her out of the building.

By the time they returned to the firehouse, exhausted but relieved, Ivy could feel the weight of what she'd just accomplished. She had led Squad 3 through a tough call, and they had come out of it with all lives saved. Even Adams, for all his snark and arrogance, was forced to acknowledge that she had done an incredible job.

As she made her way into Kelly's office to unwind, she was surprised to find him sitting behind his desk, a proud smile on his face.

"What are you doing here?" Ivy asked, her eyes widening.

Kelly leaned back in his chair, looking better than he had in days. "I wasn't going to miss your first big call as acting Lieutenant. I had to see for myself how amazing you'd be."

Ivy blushed, taking a seat across from him. "I don't know about amazing, but it went well. We got everyone out."

"That's because you are amazing," Kelly said, standing and crossing the room to stand in front of her. "You led them. You handled it perfectly. Even with Adams being a jackass."

She laughed softly, feeling the tension from the day finally start to melt away. "I couldn't let him get to me. Not when there was work to be done."

Kelly nodded, his eyes softening as he looked at her. "That's why you're going to be an incredible leader someday, Ivy. You don't let anyone stop you from doing your job." He reached down and took her hand. "I'm proud of you."

Ivy smiled, but her heart raced when she noticed how close Kelly was standing now. The way he was looking at her made her forget everything—except him. His thumb brushed over her knuckles, sending a shiver down her spine.

"You know," Kelly said, his voice dropping lower, "I think one day, I'd love to give you my last name."

Her heart skipped a beat, her breath catching in her throat. "Kelly..."

Before she could respond, his lips were on hers, soft but insistent. She melted into the kiss, all the exhaustion and stress from the day forgotten as she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer. Kelly's hands moved to her waist, and for a moment, nothing else existed—just them.

They pulled apart only when they heard the door creak open. Ivy quickly pushed Kelly back, her face turning red as Matt and Shay walked into the office.

"Am I interrupting something?" Matt asked, his brow raised in amusement.

Ivy could feel her cheeks burning, but before she could come up with an excuse, Shay smirked, crossing her arms. "Oh, come on, don't stop on our account. You two were just getting to the good part."

Kelly chuckled, wrapping an arm around Ivy's shoulders as he faced them both. "We were just... debriefing."

Matt rolled his eyes, but there was a small smile on his face. He tossed a couple of cigars onto Kelly's desk. "You both deserve these after today. Heard about the call. Ivy, you were impressive out there."

Ivy smiled, grateful for the support from her brother. "Thanks, Matt."

Shay nudged Matt playfully. "Guess you're not the only Casey who knows how to run things around here."

They all shared a laugh, the tension from the day officially behind them. Ivy leaned into Kelly's side, feeling more confident than ever. They had made it through another tough call, and no matter what Adams or anyone else said, she had proven herself capable.

As they lit their cigars and discussed the details of the call, Ivy couldn't help but glance up at Kelly. His earlier words echoed in her mind—I'd love to give you my last name—and she realized that maybe, just maybe, she was ready for that next step too.

But for now, they had their team, their firehouse, and each other—and that was enough.