But I'd Have Had to Miss The Dance (Sylverasey Collection)

Vd ~ Nolan II, Matt II

When a lieutenant's career is on the line, friends divide and conquer to do what they can to help, and when the culprit takes a step too far, the CFD learns someone's bite is far, far worse than his bark.

***

Nolan had seen enough of the FDNY brass at his time in Manhattan to recognize that if the man walking into 51 wasn't a member of the CFD's he was close to getting there. He was followed by three others in CFD uniforms, all with lieutenant bugles on their collars, the woman with her dark hair in a jaw-length bob cut wearing a jacket proclaiming her a member of the Office of Fire Investigation.

It was the woman that made Kelly sigh in mock annoyance. "And I was just starting to have a really nice day."

"Easy, Severide," she smirked at him. "I know you're Casey and Brett's favorite lieutenant. I get my favorite lieutenants today."

The lieutenant in grey laughed. "Glad I'm someone's favorite!"

"Oh, my God," Sylvie buried her face in her arms, very clearly blushing as Violet, Gallo, and Ritter laughed behind her. "I'm never gonna hear the end of that."

"Hey, I took a shot, and when I gracefully bowed out, I got some great friends," the lieutenant smirked at Matt, who playfully saluted in return. "I still won."

"And it was another voice of reason for the chief," the lieutenant in navy, his uniform a match for Kelly's, smirked.

That meant the man in the lead was Sylvie's paramedic field chief, Evan Hawkins, and he rolled his eyes. "Why the hell am I friends with you?"

"The academy," came the prompt answer. "Greg thought you were worth keeping around."

The lieutenant in grey snorted. "Figures."

Nolan turned to look at Sylvie, taking pity on her. "Chief Hawkins?" he guessed.

"Yeah," she nodded, collecting herself and standing from her seat. "Chief Evan Hawkins, this is my older brother, Nolan Price."

Evan blinked in surprise. "I think I know that name somewhere," he remarked, holding out his hand.

"Possibly," Nolan shrugged, shaking his hand. "I'm the Executive Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan."

The lieutenant in grey choked. "What?" the lieutenant in navy balked.

"Brett!" the woman grinned widely. "How did that never come up?"

"It's a long story," Sylvie sighed. "I say that so many times. Nolan, the other lieutenants here are Greg Grainger, who runs Engine 40 at Firehouse 40; Jason Pelham, the current sitting lieutenant of Squad 5 at the same house; and Wendy Seager, who works in the Office of Fire Investigation. She likes to steal Kelly from us when a big case comes up."

Wendy smirked. "Like I have to twist his arm."

"You have these two now," Matt pointed out, pointing between Greg and Jason.

"Yeah, they're my best friends," Wendy shrugged. "But Severide is the go-to arson chaser."

"She's got you there, boss," Cruz grinned.

Kelly sighed. "One day, OFI will stop trying to poach me. One day."

"Not while I'm working there," Wendy smiled prettily.

Matt snorted. "He's ours, Seager. Hands off."

Wendy made a show of holding up her empty hands. "Yes, sir."

"Alright," Evan sighed. "Enough of these troublemakers." He sat down across from Sylvie, ignoring the protests behind him. "You said you had something to run by me?"