In Another Life

Team Severide (33)

Stella's POV

Here, We stand in the same clothes we put on that same morning, in a tiny courthouse room that smells like old paper and lemon cleaner, the kind of place people breeze through every day without realizing someone's whole life is about to shift inside it.

My heart is thudding hard enough I'm sure the officiant can hear it over her own voice, but she keeps reading like this is any other Tuesday.

Kelly keeps looking at me. Not sneaking glances, full-on staring, like he's memorizing my face, Like he's trying to carve this exact second into his bones, every time his eyes meet mine, I feel my throat close up, because, God. This is real.

This is happening.

I feel his thumb brush the back of my hand, slow and steady grounding me. Reminding me this isn't a dream or some impulsive thought he'll suddenly now back away from. He's here, with me, choosing me.

"...and by the power vested in me by the State of Illinois" the officiant says, lifting her eyes with a small, warm smile, "I now pronounce you husband and wife." She continues as my breath leaves me in a soft, shaky rush.

Kelly's thumb brushing over the the ring on my finger that his mom kindly offered up as he grins and stepping closer to me, close enough that his forehead nearly touches mine and the world narrows to his smile, the heat in his eyes, the way his hand squeezes mine like he's anchoring both of us.

"You may kiss..." the officiant adds lightly, but we're already moving. As Kelly cups my face with both hands, and plants his lips to mine.

Miley's cheers echoing around the room as she claps along with Jennifer.

As we both pull back, his forehead resting against mine.

"Mrs. Severide" he murmurs, and I swear the room tilts a little as I laugh, breathless. "Yeah," I say, gripping his shirt to steady myself and looking down at the rings on my left hand "Guess I really am now" I continue before pecking his lips once more.

And then, tiny footsteps.
Fast. Determined.

I feel Miley hit my leg first, full of enthusiasm and zero braking ability. Kelly and I both look down at the same time to see her staring up at us with the biggest grin her little face can hold.

Before I can even react, Kelly bends down and scoops her up, her little arms flinging around his neck in a tight squeeze.

"We're all team Severide now monkey" he tells her as she giggles and I stroke her back softly, feeling my heart practically swell out of my chest.

"Team sevyide" she repeats in her own little way louder this time, as though announcing it to every room in the courthouse.

Jennifer now start to approach us holding Elyssa in one arm and wiping her eye with a tissue with the other.

Her smile growing as she approach closer, Elyssa starts giggling too as she to realises shes getting closer, a soft bubbling sound, shaking her tiny rattle with all the strength her four month old body can muster.

I hold my arms out to take hold of her as she gently passes her over to me.

Jennifers gaze soon turns towards Kelly, and her expression shifts as she really looks at him like she's seeing her little boy and the man he's become all at once. "Oh, sweetheart" she breathes, cupping his cheek. "It's about time. You finally made her my daughter-in-law" she says before turning to look at me and her expression shifts once again into something just as loving but with a dash of mischief.

"And Stella, thank you. Truly. I've been praying for years for a miracle that someone would be brave enough to marry this man" She says as we both laugh