Fire Meet Gasoline

Chapter Eleven.

My first shift back had gone better than I expected. Rather than the pitying looks, and everyone being on edge, it felt like it always did, like home.

As usual, Id been invited to hang out at Molly's after shift, and everything was slowly getting better, and returning to normality.

I walked into the bar and saw everyone was already there. Kelly, Matt, and Sylvie were sat at a booth, whilst the PD were in a booth with some of the people from med.

I made my way over to the bar, to be greeted by Gabby.

"Hey! Len! Good to see you! What can I get ya?" She asked.

I smiled and pondered for a minute.
"Triple Vodka And Coke." I replied.
Gabby pulled a face before she began pouring it.
"Hey, don't be like that, I deserve it." I say with a smile.
"Of course you do. There you go." She said, and I got my purse out and Gabby shook her head.
"No, this one is on the house."
I smiled and thanked Gabby, before I felt someone appear beside me.

"I didn't think you'd show up." Kelly said and I turned to look at him.
"You doubted me? I'm shocked Kelly." I said and dipped my drink.

Kelly chuckled, before inviting me over to the booth with him, Sylvie and Matt. I took a seat beside Sylvie, and swirled my straw around the drink.
"Stupid question I know, but what are you guys on about?" I asked, and they all laughed.
"Football." Matt said and I frowned.
"You need to clarify if you mean proper football as in soccer or your American football which is quite frankly a load of rubbish." I told them and I downed the remaining liquid in my glass.

Wow, look who's come out of her she'll."

"I can't contribute any useful comments to this situation so I think another drink is in order. Same again?" I ask them.

I approach the bar again, and I see Halstead at the bar.
"Hey. How's it going?" I say and he smiles.

"I'm good, How are you?" He asks.
I shrugged and glanced back over at the booth.

"I'm getting there. It's hard, but I'm beginning to get used to not having her around." I told him and smiled.
"Thank you, I heard you're the one who shot him. Thank you for killing the bastard." I said and Jay sighed, nodding his head.
"You don't have to thank me for that Len. It's my job."

"I know, but it gives me piece of mind knowing the bastard can't hurt anyone else the way he hurt Amelia. I don't think I can ever return a gesture as big as that, but the next round is on me." I said and place a twenty down in front of him, before ordering drinks for us at the booth.

Jay thanked me, but objected to the money.

"Herrmann, his next round is on me." I said and Jay smiled, before I returned to the booth with our drinks.

"I haven't drank alcohol in a longtime so I'm not sure how much longer I'll be sober." I said and laughed.

I shrugged my jacket off, and ran a hand through my hair.

"It's so good to be back, to have some form of normality you know? I've never lived. I didn't get to travel, I didn't get to party, I didn't get to do what most other people my age were doing. I was at home caring for my daughter and working to ensure she had the childhood I didn't. I'm twenty three years of age and really.. I've just always had Amelia to care for. Is that bad? That I wanna live the life I never got to have?"

Sylvie shakes her head.
"It's more than understandable. You didn't have any help. It was just you, and you did an incredible job. You do you."

A smile grew on my face and I noticed Kelly looking across at me.

"We just want the Len back that lights up the room when she walks into it." Kelly said and I chuckled.