Forbidden (Kelly Severide)

Chapter 27

It was a typical day at Firehouse 51. The hum of the morning activity was punctuated by the clang of tools being prepped and the crew making jokes while they got ready for the next call. Ivy stood by the coffee machine, pouring herself a cup, feeling the baby's soft kicks as if reminding her of its presence. She smiled to herself, content in the warm atmosphere of the firehouse, surrounded by her second family.

Kelly, standing nearby, was talking to Chief Boden about an upcoming training session. They were both in high spirits, especially with the relatively quiet morning. As Kelly finished his report, Chief Boden's face split into a grin.

"You know," Boden said, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow at Kelly and Ivy, "you two have been the talk of the firehouse lately. Seems like everywhere I go, I hear about this 'power couple' making waves. What's next? A little firefighter in the making?" He nodded towards Ivy's growing belly with a playful wink.

Ivy laughed, her hand instinctively resting on her stomach. "Well, Chief, considering the baby kicks harder every day, I'd say they're already preparing for the academy."

Kelly smirked, reaching over to place a gentle hand on Ivy's back. "Just don't expect them to take it easy on you, Chief."

Boden chuckled, shaking his head. "I wouldn't expect anything less from a Severide-Casey baby."

Cruz, who had been eavesdropping on the conversation, sauntered over, grinning widely. "Man, I still can't believe it. Kelly Severide, settling down? You two make the rest of us look bad," he teased, giving Kelly a light shove.

Kelly shot him a mock glare. "I'll take that as a compliment, Cruz."

The banter carried on for a few moments before Matt Casey entered the room. He smiled warmly at the sight of his sister and walked over, wrapping her in a tight hug. "Hey, sis. How are you holding up?"

Ivy leaned into the hug, appreciating the rare quiet moment with her brother. "I'm doing good, Matt. Just counting down the days until I can put my feet up without feeling like I'm missing out."

Matt stepped back, his hands resting on her shoulders. "You know, I don't say this enough, but I'm proud of you. For everything. For being so strong through all of this." His voice softened, sincerity laced in every word. "And I love you, Ivy. Always."

Ivy felt her throat tighten, a wave of emotion hitting her unexpectedly. "I love you too, Matt."

Before the moment could stretch any further, the familiar tones of the alarm rang out, signaling a call. The firefighters jumped into action, the mood in the room shifting from lightheartedness to focused urgency.

Ivy, of course, was sidelined from responding to the calls due to her pregnancy. She hated it, but she knew it was for the best. Instead, she stayed behind, often helping with the logistics from the firehouse, monitoring the radios, and offering whatever support she could from a distance.

Kelly gave Ivy a quick kiss on the forehead before rushing to gear up. "We'll be back soon," he assured her.

"Be careful," Ivy said, watching him and the rest of the crew prepare to head out.

The crew, minus Ivy, loaded into the trucks, with Matt leading the charge as they rolled out to respond to a building fire reported downtown. The radio crackled with updates from dispatch, and Ivy sat by the monitor, her hands absently resting on her belly. She always felt a small pang of worry every time they went out, but today, for some reason, the feeling was stronger than usual.

The fire was worse than they had anticipated. A five-story apartment building was fully engulfed in flames, thick smoke billowing into the sky. Residents were screaming from the windows, desperate to escape the inferno. The crew moved with precision and speed, splitting off into their teams to begin the rescue operations.