Forbidden (Kelly Severide)

Chapter 23

The firehouse was unusually quiet the morning after the building collapse. The air felt heavier, filled with grief and tension as everyone tried to process the devastating loss of one of their own—Leslie Shay. The call had come in fast and fierce—a building engulfed in flames, with multiple people trapped inside. Shay had gone in to help evacuate, but none of them had expected the building to come down as quickly as it did. By the time they pulled her out, it was too late.

Ivy hadn't let herself cry yet. Not in front of the team. Not in front of Kelly. She had to stay strong for them, for him, and for everyone else who relied on her. But inside, her heart was breaking. Shay had been more than just a colleague—she had been family.

As Ivy and Kelly sat together in his apartment on their day off, the silence between them was deafening. Kelly had barely spoken since they returned from the firehouse. He had retreated into himself, his grief building a wall between them that Ivy didn't know how to break.

Ivy sat across from him on the couch, her eyes flicking between him and the window, the weight of their recent loss making every moment feel more oppressive.

"Kelly," she finally said, her voice soft, unsure. "You know Shay wouldn't want us to—"

"Don't," Kelly cut her off, his voice thick with emotion. He hadn't looked at her since they sat down, and now his hands clenched into fists as he stared at the floor. "I can't talk about it. Not yet."

Ivy swallowed hard, feeling the sting of tears she hadn't yet shed. She didn't want to push him, but she couldn't keep pretending like everything was okay. "You're not in this alone, you know."

Kelly's jaw clenched, but he didn't respond. He didn't need to. The silence was enough to tell Ivy that grief was consuming him.

They sat there for what felt like hours, neither speaking, neither moving. It wasn't until Ivy shifted slightly on the couch, an odd feeling washing over her, that she realized something was off.

Her body felt different, and not just from the emotional exhaustion. She had noticed small signs over the past few weeks—nausea, fatigue, her clothes feeling tighter—but she had brushed them off. After all, her life had been chaotic, and stress could do strange things to the body. But now, sitting here, she felt something more...definite.

"Kelly," Ivy said, her voice trembling slightly, "I need to go to the drugstore."

He looked up at her, confused. "What? Why?"

"I just... I need to go, okay?"

Kelly frowned, but he didn't argue. "Fine. I'll drive you."

The short ride to the drugstore was filled with the same oppressive silence, though this time it wasn't just grief weighing down on Ivy. It was something else—something that scared her more than any fire she'd ever faced.

When they returned to Kelly's apartment, Ivy hurried to the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She sat on the edge of the tub, her heart pounding in her chest as she waited for the result of the pregnancy test.

The seconds stretched into what felt like an eternity, but when she looked down at the result, her breath caught in her throat.

Two pink lines.

Pregnant.

Ivy stared at the test, her mind racing. This was supposed to be a day off, a day to process their loss and try to move forward. But now... everything had changed.

She stepped out of the bathroom, the test still clutched in her hand. Kelly was sitting on the couch, his head in his hands. He didn't notice her at first, but when she cleared her throat, he looked up.

"Ivy?" His voice was rough, tired. "What's going on?"

Ivy couldn't find the words at first. She simply held up the test, her hands shaking. "I'm pregnant."

Kelly's eyes widened, and for a moment, all the grief and exhaustion disappeared from his face. He stood, crossing the room to her in just a few strides. "Are you serious?"

She nodded, tears spilling over her cheeks now. "I... I didn't know until just now."

Kelly stared at her for a moment, processing the news. Then, without another word, he pulled her into his arms, holding her tight. "We're going to be okay," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I promise you, we're going to be okay."

The next few days were a whirlwind. Ivy had to make the hardest decision of her life: stepping down from Squad 3. It wasn't an easy choice, but there was no way she could continue in such a dangerous role while pregnant. Kelly supported her completely, though she knew it wasn't easy for him either. He had grown used to having her by his side on the frontlines.

Instead, Ivy would take on a new role at the academy, training the next generation of firefighters. It was a bittersweet transition, but one that felt right—especially with the baby on the way.

Returning to Firehouse 51 for her last shift as part of Squad 3 was emotional. The entire team had been hit hard by Shay's death, and Ivy wasn't sure how they would take the news of her pregnancy and decision to leave the team. But before she could break the news, there was another surprise waiting for her.

As she walked into the briefing room, she saw a new face—Sylvie Brett. The new paramedic who would be stepping in to fill Shay's shoes.

Kelly wasn't happy about it. He had barely spoken to Sylvie since her arrival, and Ivy could see the pain in his eyes every time he passed Shay's locker. But Ivy welcomed Sylvie with open arms, knowing that the firehouse needed someone like her now more than ever.

"Hey, I'm Ivy," she introduced herself, giving Sylvie a warm smile.

"I've heard a lot about you," Sylvie replied, a bit of nervousness in her voice.

"All good things, I hope," Ivy joked, trying to lighten the mood. "Welcome to the team."

The shift passed in a blur. Ivy spent most of the day avoiding telling anyone about her pregnancy, but that changed when Matt cornered her in the locker room after overhearing a conversation between her and Kelly.

"You're pregnant?" Matt asked, his voice a mixture of shock and concern.

Ivy sighed, leaning against the locker. "Yeah. I just found out a few days ago."

Matt blinked, processing the news. "And you're leaving Squad 3?"

"I have to," Ivy said softly. "I can't risk it."

Matt nodded, understanding but clearly conflicted. "You know, Gabby and I are...dating."

Ivy's smile faltered. She hadn't seen that coming. "Oh."

Matt frowned, sensing her discomfort. "You don't like it?"

"It's not that," Ivy lied, forcing a smile. "It's just...a lot to process."

Before Matt could respond, the alarm rang, signaling a call. The team sprang into action, and as Ivy suited up for what would be her last fire as part of Squad 3, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness.

The fire itself was nothing out of the ordinary—just another structure fire. But for Ivy, it was significant. As she and Kelly worked together to get the flames under control, she knew it was the last time they would be side by side in the field like this.

When the fire was out, and everyone had returned safely to the firehouse, Ivy pulled Kelly aside. "I'm stepping down," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kelly looked at her, his eyes searching hers for a moment before nodding. "I know."

They stood there in silence for a moment, the weight of everything they had been through together settling between them. Then, without another word, Kelly pulled her into his arms, holding her tight.

And for the first time in days, Ivy felt like everything might just be okay after all.