It's Complicated - Chicago Fire Severide Fanfic

Call in Reinforcements

July 4th, 9:30 pm

"Hannah is finally asleep and I just checked on Lila and Nathan; they're out like a light," Stella told Kelly as she sat next to him on their bed, where he was holding Ryder. "How's Ryder?"

"He's still hot and sweaty, but it's probably just a flu." Kelly said, wiping sweat off of his son's face. "I'm still mad at Benny."

"Why? What did he do?"

"When I told him we had to go because my kid was sick, he asked if we couldn't stick around for fireworks. He didn't ask if everything was okay, he asked if we could stick around for fireworks. He just makes me mad sometimes."

Stella wrapped her arm around Kelly's shoulders. "You know how he is. And you are nothing like him. You aren't Benny, don't even make yourself think that."

"How did you..?"

"I can see right through you, honey. I know exactly what you are thinking at every time of the day. I even know what you dreamt about last night."

"What did I dream about?"

"You dreamt about finally getting around to changing the oil in the van." The two laughed, knowing Kelly had been saying he'd change the oil for a month.

"I love you."

"I love you too. Hey, have you taken Ryder's temperature lately?"

"Not since we got home. The thermometer is on your nightstand."

Stella grabbed it and ran it across Ryder's forehead, the thermometer immediately giving his temperature.

"What is it?" Kelly asked, not able to see the reading.

"102.5. Hey, what are his symptoms? When I was holding him earlier, I noticed he held his head and his throat. Maybe it's strep? Or it could be an ear infection. I don't know."

"It could be either of those two, that's my best guess. We can call the doctor tomorrow. But for now, I'll just hold him in his diaper as he drools on my shirt. God, this kid is cute." Kelly said, kissing Ryder's head.

"So is my husband." Stella said, kissing Kelly.

-/-/-/

July 5th, 4:30 am

"Mom!" Stella woke up to Hannah calling for her.

She carefully sat up and got out of bed, careful not to wake up Kelly or Ryder, who was asleep in the middle of his parents' bed.

Stella followed her daughter's voice to the bathroom, where Hannah was sitting on the floor in front of the toilet.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Stella asked.

"I'm sick." She said sadly, "I threw up twice."

"Aw, sweetie, let's get you some medicine and then back to bed."

Stella gave her medicine and got her back in bed, with a trash bin beside her bed.

A couple hours later, Stella was woken up by Lila and Nathan crying. She walked into their room to see that Nathan had thrown up and Lila looked feverish, much like Ryder.

She got them cleaned up, gave them medicine, and eventually got them back to sleep before going back into her room.

She carefully picked up Ryder and took him to the nursery and placed him in his crib before going back and lying down beside Kelly.

"Hey, Kel, honey, all the kids are sick. Lila and Ryder with either strep or eat infections and Hannah and Nathan with stomach flu. We need to call the doctor today." She told Kelly.

Kelly groaned and kicked off the blankets. "I can believe it, I feel awful."

"What's wrong?" Stella asked, dreading the idea of taking care of everybody when they were sick with no help.

"My stomach feels like somebody punched me with a brick and my throat is killing me."

"I'm gonna go call in reinforcements."