The Fear of the Past

A Glimpse Into Her Past

Severide's POV:

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and saw that Rebecca had texted me again. "HELLO KELLY! Is Stella okay? I heard she was in the hospital. What happened?" I quickly texted her back summarizing what had happened and that Stella was okay.

I looked over to Stella. She was staring off into space, she looked focused on whatever she was thinking about. I couldn't read her. Her face was void of any expression.

"Penny for your thoughts?" I asked her. She looked up at me blankly. I saw a brief emotion flicker across her face but I couldn't determine what it was. Fear maybe? I don't know.

Stella's POV:

"I can't believe my sister is really going back to the life we ran from even if she's going undercover." I thought to myself.

I am thrown back into my memory. I am in my childhood home. My mother is sitting on the couch staring blankly ahead whatever pill she popped taking its effect. My father storms into the room. "STELLA!" He yells glaring at me. "Why aren't you ready yet?! Our family has to make an appearance at a corporate event. Go put on the dress I had made for you and make sure your sister is presentable too. Do not fuck this up for our family Stella. GO!" I make my way up to my childhood bedroom. I never realized how empty it was before. Just a plain white room with light wood furniture, no pictures or art hung on the walls. Everything neatly organized and in its place. I look over to my bed to see a garment bag layer out on my bed. "Let's see what dad puts me in this time." I look at myself in the mirror I can't be any older than 14? 15 maybe? I unzip the bag and pull out a long red satin gown. It has thin straps and the fabric gathers in certain places slightly. As I put it on I realize how fitted it is and notice the slit that goes up just a little too high. "The older CEOs will certainly enjoy that." I murmur to myself. My voice laced with sadness and fear. I turn back to my mirror and unpin my hair so it falls delicately around my shoulders.

I leave my room to go find my sister. sWhen I get to her room she is wearing a similar gown to mine, hers in a blush color. I'd forgotten that we always dressed like this for events. "My sister is what? 10? 11? Why did he make her wear such a revealing dress?" I thought to myself. But I already knew the answer. People who have the status that my father does don't have kids because they want them, they have them to create an idealized image for themselves. A perfect, well groomed family, always presentable. The image of a successful CEO and family man. Oh but how images lie.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Kelly's voice pulls me out of my memory. Out of that house. Away from the drugs, dresses and images.