It's Complicated - Chicago Fire Severide Fanfic

Stick to Ponytails

8:15 am, May 18th

"But Daddy, you haven't heard the whole story!" Kelly heard as he drove home.

"Hannah, I got a phone call yesterday from your principal. She told me you punched a kid in the mouth. True or false?" Kelly asked as he stopped at a red light.

"Well, it's true, but you don't know the reason I did it."

"Please, tell me the reason."

"We were at recess and Michael came up to me and said something mean."

"What did he say?"

"He told me that I was unplanned and ugly and that's why mom left me on your doorstep."

Kelly sighed. "I wanna punch Michael in the mouth, too. Tell you what, we'll go get breakfast at IHOP, deal?"

Hannah's eyes lit up. "Deal!"

As the two ate pancakes together in IHOP, Hannah looked at her dad.

"What're you looking at, syrup-mouth?" Kelly teased her.

"Is he telling the truth?"

"Huh?"

"Michael. Is he right? Was I unplanned and ugly?"

Kelly's heart broke at the question. "Sweetheart, you weren't planned, that much is true. You're my miracle and my best surprise. Your mother was just not responsible enough to take care of you, so she gave you to me and signed away her right to ever be your mom. But you were not and will never be ugly, you got that? You're always going to be my beautiful baby girl."

Hannah smiled and nodded. They were silent for a minute before she looked up at him and laughed.

"What? What'd I miss?" Kelly asked her.

"You have food on your face."

"Where?"

"Right there." Hannah told him, pointing to the side of his mouth.

"You knew I had food on my face and you didn't tell me?" Kelly teased as he wiped his face.

"Maybe."

"What am I going to do with you?"

"Love me, feed me, never leave me." Hannah giggled, reciting the line from the Garfield movie.

The two laughed before Kelly saw what time it was. "We gotta go."

"Why?"

"I told Matt, Otis, Cruz, and Capp to come over to our house today to help me install a new ceiling fan in your room and then watch the Cubs game."

"Is Gabby coming?" Hannah asked as she led the way to the car.

"She better be coming."

"Good. She knows how to braid hair." Hannah said, giving Kelly a sassy look as he opened her door.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Kelly asked, putting his hands on his hips dramatically.

"Every single time you try to braid my hair, you just end up putting knots in it. Gabby, Sylvie, and Stella all know how to not put knots in my hair. Even Matt can do it!"

"You think I should have Matty give me hair braiding lessons? Think that'd work?"

"You better just stick to ponytails."