Me: I want to keep this consistent, let's aim for about 4.5K words per chapter.

Also me: Decides to make the chapter 5.2K words long because god damnit why is Sylverasey so fluffy?

Buck has a question, TK gets interrogated, the boys get chaotic in the chat, and Squad 3 and Ambulance 61 come home.

Enjoy!

***

"Can I ask you a question that might sound a little . . . stupid?"

Maddie looked up from the piece of cake she was eating when she saw Buck walk over, looking at her intently. "Of course you can, Buck," she smiled at her younger brother. "You can ask me anything, and I'm sure it won't be stupid." She stepped away from the cake table to a quieter spot. "What is it?"

"So, at the train derailment the other night, I met a few new friends," he began.

"Great!" Maddie beamed.

"Well, it just made me realize there aren't that many firefighters I know as well as I know my shift at the 118," Buck said. "I really want to get to know these two first responders, but it just made me realize my circle of friends is . . . pretty much limited to the 118."

"Is that a bad thing?" Maddie tilted her head.

"No!" Buck quickly shook his head. "No, not at all. I love being at the 118, I love the crew . . . I just know that outside the 118, the only friend I have who isn't a first responder is Carla, and even then, I met her through Abby. Josh isn't a firefighter or a cop, but he's a dispatcher, which is arguably just as important. Everyone who is a friend or family I've met through the 118, and . . . " He huffed. "I don't know what I'm trying to ask."

Maddie smiled. "You're asking if it's normal for someone to be friends only with people in their occupational circle, or if they branched out to others."

Buck paused. "Kind of?"

Maddie grinned. "When I was a practicing nurse, most of my friends were at the hospital I worked at, yes. But there were several meetings or conferences or conventions I went to that put me in contact with nurses from all over, whether they were from hospitals in the same state or states over. Those contacts died out as I finished practicing, but they were people I enjoyed talking to. They were people I didn't share what seemed like every waking moment with."

Buck relaxed. "That helps a lot, Maddie. Thank you."

"Of course," she smiled brilliantly. "You said they're first responders?"

"Uh, yeah," Buck nodded.

"I like the sound of them already," Maddie grinned. "Where are they from?"

"TK was born and raised in New York, but he's in Austin now," Buck answered. "Sylvie's a paramedic based in Chicago."

Maddie blinked rapidly. "What were Austin and Chicago first responders doing in Los Angeles?"

"Santa Monica, actually," Buck shrugged. "They were there for the same conference, apparently. When the train derailment call came in, they were called to help. I met TK right after I climbed through the train, and he called Sylvie to check me over."

Maddie paused midchew, then narrowed her eyes. "Buck, I swear, if you've been hiding an injury . . . "

"I was cleared!" he held up both hands, eyes wide. "I was just fine! She was the top paramedic at her house!"

"OK," Maddie nodded, holding up her other hand to stop him in his protest. "I believe you, Buck." He sighed, slumping in relief. "Got any pictures?" she grinned.

"We actually didn't get many," Buck admitted, pulling out his phone and scrolling. "I mean, other than the train derailment, we went out one night for drinks, and they took off this afternoon back for their houses . . . aha!" He grinned victoriously. "We did ask our waiter to take a picture before we left the bar."

He twisted his phone towards Maddie, and she beamed when she saw how happy Buck looked in the picture. He was in the middle of the two first responders, intentionally or not balancing them out perfectly: he was in a heather grey sweater, the dark-haired, green-eyed man on his left was in a white button-up, and the blonde, blue-eyed woman leaning into and linking arms with Buck without hesitation wore a black high-necked, sleeveless blouse. In fact, Buck looked like he was having the time of his life with them. "And this was your first time meeting with them?" she asked.

"This was technically the second," Buck amended.

"And you look this comfortable with them," Maddie marveled, shaking her head. "That's incredible."

"They're amazing," Buck smiled. "TK seems just as danger friendly as me, and Sylvie . . . well, she knows how to deal with danger friendly firefighters."

"Does she?" Maddie asked, internally worrying.

"Her captain and her lieutenant."

Maddie snorted. "Oh, no."

"Yeah, it was entertaining hearing about the arsonist hunts," Buck nodded.

" . . . arsonist hunts?"

"That was basically my reaction. Apparently, the lieutenant dragged them into them."

Maddie's shoulders shook as she laughed. "You have met your soulmates."

"See, I'd think that, too," Buck nodded. "But TK has a boyfriend and Sylvie already has her eye away from me. Alas, still single."

Maddie smiled. "You'll find your person, Buck."

Buck smiled back. "I know I will."

***

"I'm starting to worry about what happened in Santa Monica."

TK's head shot up from his phone and looked around the table they sat at only a few minutes from the Austin 126, seeing Nancy staring at him. "What?" he asked defensively. "Nothing happened in Santa Monica!"

"Right," she raised an eyebrow. "And you constantly being on your phone is supposed to convince me of that?"

"She is right," Tim admitted. "I don't think I've ever seen you on your phone that much in the entire time I've known you."

TK huffed. "And that means something happened?"

"He met people," Mateo piped up from down the bench.

"Mateo!" TK glared.

"People?" Michelle raised an eyebrow. "I thought it was just one."

"Oh, my God, it's not like that," TK dropped his head onto his arm.

"It really isn't," Owen supported his son. "I met one of them, and while I would love to steal her for our house, I don't think she's TK's type."

Nancy blushed, and Michelle laughed. "No, I don't think she is, either."

"I didn't meet the other one, though," Owen looked at TK.

"Because Buck was basically on shift whenever we were at the conference," TK nodded. "But since the conference seemed determined to keep us away from Sylvie's house all the time . . . I might just be unlucky." He looked up, narrowing his eyes at a mischievous Nancy. "And before you ask, no, I'm not cheating on Carlos . . . though if I wasn't head over heels for him, I might have taken Buck's offer of a date."

"So they're both firefighters?" Tim asked.

"You said one was a paramedic, right?" Marjan asked.

"Sylvie's a paramedic," TK confirmed.

"I actually worked with her battalion chief at Ground Zero," Owen added.

"What are the chances of that?" Judd grinned.

"I know!" TK nodded enthusiastically. "I swear, she was ready to hug attack my dad when he confirmed that in person."

"And what about Buck?" Mateo asked.

"Los Angeles firefighter," TK answered.

"Hang on," Marjan pulled out her phone. "I think that name sounds familiar . . . "

"Wait," Paul leaned forward. "You said Buck was from Los Angeles . . . where's Sylvie from?"

"Chicago," TK answered.

"Aha!" Marjan straightened triumphantly as Paul, too, started looking on his phone. "I thought that's who it was!" She turned her phone around. "This guy is amazing, TK!"

TK looked at the video Marjan pulled up, and his eyes widened when he saw familiar footage of a ladder truck in the aftermath of a bombing. "Buck was trapped under that?!" his jaw dropped. "We saw that report in New York!"

"Not just trapped," Marjan grinned. "He broke records in how quickly he was recertified to return to work. He's such a badass."

"Oh, you want badass?" Paul looked up. "Did this paramedic's name happen to be Sylvie Brett?"

TK resembled a fish out of water as he gaped at Paul. "Uh . . . "

"Oh, my God," Owen facepalmed. "Of course, we should have asked the firefighter from Chicago if he knew the paramedic from Chicago."

TK blinked. "Oops."

Marjan threw back her head and cackled as Paul shook his head, grinning. "Oh, man, I wish you had. I would have loved to talk to her. If you want a badass firefighting power trio . . . "

He turned his phone around, and TK peered at the photo displayed. Sylvie was the first face he saw, the paramedic in dress blues. The other two men with her, also in dress blues, were frankly gorgeous. They were also ranking officers, one a lieutenant, the other a captain. "Matt Casey and Kelly Severide?" he guessed.

"Yep," Paul confirmed. "This was the commendation ceremony after the three worked together to catch a serial arsonist whose case went cold."

"Sylvie told me that story," TK nodded. "Lieutenant Severide dragged her and Captain Casey into it."

Paul snorted loudly. "Sounds like Severide." He paused, tilting his head. "Actually, it kind of sounds like Casey, too."

Owen paused in eating his lunch. "They're that crazy?"

"They jumped off the roof of a building into water to escape an explosion once," Paul deadpanned. "Casey's idea, and Severide just went with it."

"Oh, my God," Mateo stared as Judd shook his head. "They sound insane!"

"I'm pretty sure they are," Paul admitted, looking at the picture fondly. "I just know that by the time I left Chicago, if you couldn't find one of them, you just had to look for the other two. Casey, Severide, and Brett were basically inseparable . . . especially after Casey and Severide personally went to bring Brett back to Chicago after she accepted the CFD chaplain's proposal."

TK smiled, thinking of how Sylvie had looked when she excitedly shared the stories about her, Matt, and Kelly. "That's the impression I got."

"Man," Owen huffed. "So I really can't steal her from Wallace."

"Please let me see that square-off if it happens," Paul grinned widely. "Chief Boden is well-known in the department for being a real papa wolf to his house, especially to Casey and Severide. That'll extend to Brett, too."

"I'd rather not lose our captain right after we got him," Judd shook his head.

"Aw, Judd," Owen grinned. "I didn't know you cared."

TK just shook his head, laughing as the two senior firefighters started bickering back and forth. He finished following Sylvie on her social media pages, then switched to look up Buck. He was pretty easy to find, especially when TK realized just how many disasters Buck had gotten himself into. There was the train derailment, of course, and the ladder explosion Marjan had pointed out. There were also posts regarding the Santa Monica tsunami, and TK had to shake his head. Buck had to somehow be invincible to survive all that.

But what spoke the most about Buck was that most of his posts were with his family – specifically, his firehouse family. If it wasn't a picture with a woman named Maddie Buckley, it was a picture with two women Buck labeled "the most awesome lesbian paramedic and her awesome rocket scientist wife" or with a teenager with a wide smile Buck called "my surrogate younger sister who's just as badass as her police sergeant mother" and even more.

TK, however, didn't find himself as invested in those pictures as he did when he really started scrolling through posts and images . . . because there were definitely two he saw with Buck more than others. He grinned devilishly, popping open the group chat. Sylvie was going to love this.

***

"Hey, Brett?"

Sylvie started awake from where she was leaning against the window of the ambulance, blinking sleep from her eyes. She reached up and pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to adjust to the lights of the streets of Chicago. "Yeah?" she mumbled, turning to look at Emily.

"Uh, we're not that far from 51," she said, chancing a look at her before refocusing on following Squad 3. "But your phone's been blowing up like crazy."

Sylvie sighed, reaching over and picking it up. She shot upright, staring at the amount of unread messages in shock. "What the hell, guys?" she hissed, unlocking her phone.

"Your new friends?" Emily guessed dryly.

"Yeah," Sylvie nodded absently. "But I don't know what they're talking about . . . "

TK: Sylvie, you really should have mentioned how hot your captain and lieutenant are.

Buck: Where did that come from?

TK: We're having lunch before we get to the firehouse.

TK: And I'm being interrogated.

Buck: I'm so sorry.

TK: Turns out my dad and I should have asked the firefighter from Chicago if he knew the paramedic from Chicago.

Buck: You have a Chicago firefighter on your team?

TK: Dad got the best from all over the country.

TK: And yes, he got Paul from Chicago.

TK: Anyway, he vouched for Casey and Severide's craziness.

TK: Including a picture of all three of them in dress blues after they were commended for catching the serial arsonist.

Buck: SEND IT

TK: {Image: Sylvie in dress blues standing arm in arm between Matt and Kelly, all three smiling for the camera.}

Buck: Hot damn.

TK: That was my reaction.

TK: Those men are gorgeous.

Buck: This is why I'm not straight.

TK: How do you align?

Buck: I'm not much of a labels person, but I think the closest I could say is bi.

TK: So you would date all three of them in this picture.

Buck: Precisely.

Buck: But Sylvie called dibs, so I'm out of luck.

TK: Says the man who has a son he didn't think to tell us about.

Buck: Wait, what?!

Sylvie shot upright when she read the end of the train, leaning over her phone and texting quickly.

Sylvie: What's this about a son?

Buck: Of course THAT'S what she focuses on!

Sylvie: You idiots made Foster wake me up to check why my phone buzzed like crazy.

Sylvie: Yes, I guess I called dibs, and yes, they are crazy.

Sylvie: Now when did Buck get a son?

Buck: I do NOT have a son!

TK: Buck, most of your posts on social media are with your best friend and his kid.

TK: If he's not your son, you're at least helping your best friend raise him.

TK: Which would still technically make you a parent.

Sylvie: Buck's co-parenting with his best friend?

Buck: Listen, Christopher is the best kid in the world.

Buck: And Eddie's my best friend, so it works out perfectly.

TK: On the topic of you being bi.

TK: Are you sure that's all Eddie is?

Buck: YES

TK: Sylvie, I think the man doth protest too much.

Sylvie: Pics, TK.

TK: {Image: Buck with a dark-haired, dark-eyed man, their arms around each other's shoulders smiling widely for the camera, Buck's other arm around a boy with curly hair, bright red glasses, blue crutches, and a megawatt smile.}

TK: As the princess commands.

Buck: Oh, my God, did May post that already?

Sylvie: Oh, Buck, he's adorable!

Buck: Christopher always looks on the bright side of things.

Buck: He's an amazing kid.

Buck: He gets it from his dad.

TK: "He gets it from his dad."

TK: Buck, you have it bad.

TK: And Eddie is hot.

Sylvie: I'm more inclined to say beautiful.

TK: If Sylvie is crushing on two firefighter officers and is able to say that, the guy's a catch.

Buck: He also still isn't into dating after his wife was killed in a hit and run last year.

TK: Shit.

TK: Buck, I'm sorry.

Buck: It's OK, you didn't know.

TK: I just keep sticking my foot in my mouth.

Buck: Honestly, it's something I like about you.

Sylvie: I'm sorry, too, Buck.

Sylvie: Are Eddie and Christopher OK?

Buck: It's not a topic we get into that often.

Buck: But I think they're doing better.

TK: That's good.

TK: I still apologize.

Buck: Thank you, TK.

Buck: I forgive you.

Buck: But you're right, Eddie is a catch.

Buck: And that's all I will say on this topic right now.

Buck: Because I have a night shift that I need to be wide awake for, so that means coffee.

TK: How much have you had?

Buck: No one needs to know I have more caffeine in my veins than blood.

TK: That's concerning.

"No wonder Squad was so interested in the conversations you have on your phone," Emily snorted as Sylvie giggled. "You're buried in that for a long time."

"How long's it been?" Sylvie looked up

Emily snorted. "51's just a few blocks away."

Sylvie checked her watch, eyes wide. "Holy crap."

"Yeah," Emily laughed. "I'd be worried if I didn't see you smile so much while you talked to them."

Sylvie smiled bashfully. "It's really nice having firefighting friends that aren't from Chicago."

"I'm happy you have them," Emily smiled at her.

The blonde beamed, settling back in her seat as Emily spun the wheel, turning the corner and driving up to Firehouse 51. It was pitch black, and Sylvie could see one of the rigs was missing inside the garages. However, she was able to recognize the three firefighters and one dog standing in the drive waiting for them.

When the rigs were parked, Sylvie opened her door and hopped out, smiling as a very happy Dalmatian scampered up to her, tail wagging a mile a minute. "Hi, Tuesday," she giggled, scratching the dog's ears and letting her lick her face. "Oh, it's good to be back, baby."

"It's good to see you back," Herrmann walked up with a smile. "How was the trip?"

"Long," Sylvie gratefully accepted his hug.

"And boring," Joe griped, dropping down from the Squad rig.

"Well, everything between the derailment and the pier was boring," Emily agreed.

"We saw that on the news," Ritter nodded. "You guys were called to help with it?"

"Yeah, we weren't that far from Santa Monica," Kelly walked over from his spot. "We dropped in to help, and that was really all." He smiled in greeting. "Hey, Chief."

"Severide," Boden nodded, giving Kelly a one-armed hug. "Welcome back to Chicago."

"Thanks."

"81's out?" Tony looked at the empty space in the garage.

"They're giving Firehouse 20 an assist," Boden nodded. "Delaney asked for them specifically."

"It's a little concerning how quickly they got along after last winter," Herrmann muttered.

"I think whatever Brett did to show up Captain Leone helped," Ritter grinned.

"Oh, that was easy," Sylvie blushed.

"It was kind of funny, actually," Kelly snickered.

"For you, maybe," Emily glared. "You weren't the ones she was trying to get back at!"

"No," Kelly shook his head. "But we were back-up and more than willing to help out."

***

"Ladies!" Leone grinned as Stella, Emily, and Sylvie walked into the kitchen where she was cutting lasagna. "I saved you each a corner piece from the first batch."

Sylvie blinked, taken aback. "Wow!"

"Wow, uh . . . " Emily stammered. "Yeah. You really didn't have to."

"Smells delicious," Stella sniffed her lasagna curiously. Leone smiled at them, and the three women cautiously returned to their couches. "These are poisoned, right?" Stella hissed.

"One hundred percent," Emily nodded rapidly, dropping her plate on the table.

"Or maybe she's genuinely trying to connect with us," Sylvie played the devil's advocate."

Stella raised an eyebrow challengingly. "Go ahead," she dared. "Take a bite, then." Sylvie fidgeted, picking up her fork. "Take a bite!"

Sylvie looked at her lasagna, then heard familiar voices enter the kitchen. She looked at Leone, who seemed far too interested in the three women, then narrowed her eyes. She stood up and walked over to the counter, picking up two additional forks. "Brett?" Emily asked in confusion.

"Hey, guys!" Sylvie bounded up to Kelly and Matt with a smile.

"Hey," Kelly nodded.

"Lasagna looks good," Matt whistled, looking at the piece Sylvie had on a plate.

"I think so, too," Sylvie nodded. "But can you do me a favor real quick?"

"Uh, sure," Matt checked the time. "Whatcha need?"

Sylvie smiled sheepishly, holding out the extra forks. "Taste test for me?"

Kelly's eyebrows shot up. "You're that worried about it?"

Matt, however, looked past her. "Is that why Captain Leone looks like she smelled rotten eggs?"

"Probably," Sylvie blushed. "Kidd and Foster are insisting she's trying to poison us."

Matt snorted. "Why anyone would want to poison you, I'll never understand."

"But if it means we get an extra bite," Kelly shrugged, plucking one of the forks from Sylvie's hand.

"Oh, what the hell," Matt sighed, taking the other one.

Both men took a bite of the lasagna piece, and Sylvie practically heard Stella's jaw hit the ground. "It's good," Kelly finally nodded.

"And we're not dead, so no poison," Matt determined.

"Thank you!" Sylvie sang, digging in herself.

"Hang on," Kelly frowned, pointing at her with the fork. "Does Captain Leone's face have anything to do with why you look dead on your feet?"

Sylvie paused midchew. "Maybe," she said slowly.

"Sylvie," Matt sighed.

"OK, she gave us a private space in the house and Stella and Emily insist that she did something to the beds," she slumped. "So they had this idea to sleep in shifts . . . "

Matt chuckled. "81 isn't such a bad place to catch a few hours or so."

"Yeah, Squad isn't so bad, either," Kelly nodded. "Hell, just find me, I'll scare her off for you."

"So will the rest of Squad," Matt raised an eyebrow at the three men lingering by the door, looking torn between waiting for their lieutenant and wanting to eavesdrop.

Sylvie smiled. "Thanks, guys."

"Any time," Matt smiled. "Enjoy the lasagna."

"Oh, I will," she grinned, taking another bite.

***

"That was fun," Capp grinned.

"Probably the only fun part at 20," Joe grumbled.

"Alright, we can chat about that later," Boden checked his watch. "It is late, and I don't want any of you to get on the road exhausted. Squad, Ambo, sleep through the rest of the night here. Your rigs are still off until the next shift starts, so you have until this shift ends."

"Oh, thank God," Sylvie sighed in relief, grabbing her bag and heading into the house.

"You slept the entire time I drove!" Emily protested.

"Doesn't make me any less exhausted!" Sylvie called back, beelining for her bunk in the bunkroom.

She heard Kelly say something as she closed the door to the common area, then trudged to her bunk and dropped onto it. She had barely closed her eyes before she was out like a light.

***

He had often heard from people about how they got so close to someone, or someones, in their lifetime, and when they split up for any period of time, it was as if part of their heart was completely gone.

Matt had never truly believed that until Squad 3 and Ambulance 61 were chosen to attend the Santa Monica conference, leaving Truck 81 and Engine 51 behind. He had rarely been as miserable as he had been in his life with both Kelly and Sylvie gone, and they had only been gone less than a week.

He sat back in the front seat of 81 as Stella drove down the streets back to the house, trying to think about how soon his best friends would be back. He missed hearing Kelly in the loft in the mornings, Sylvie dropping into his office to make sure he ate, Kelly boasting about what his crew accomplished on a call, Sylvie taking over the kitchen to bake a new recipe, Sylvie pressed against his side while Kelly's arm was around both their shoulders as they shared a drink at Molly's . . . so much of his day to day life included them, and he was ready for them to be back.

"Whoa!" Gallo suddenly perked up in the back. "Guys! They're back!"

Stella swerved a bit as she pulled up to 51, and Matt shot upright in his seat. Sure enough, Gallo pointed to the now almost full garage at 51, the familiar red and black of Squad 3 and the white, red, and blue of Ambulance 61 illuminated inside. "Oh, finally," Mouch sighed in relief. "Is it just me or have the last shifts without them been – ?"

"Hell?" Matt finished for him.

"Well, that's one way to put it."

"Yes," Matt nodded, a grin spreading across his face when he recognized the man leaning against the squad rig. "Yes, it has been." Stella smoothly parked the truck, and before she fully stopped it, Matt was jumping down from his seat, his smile splitting his face. "God, man, you are a sight for sore eyes."

"You have no idea, Case," Kelly pushed off the rig and strode forward, engulfing Matt in a tight hug. "Missed you."

Matt smiled into Kelly's shoulder, squeezing him back. "Missed you more."

"Doubtful."

Matt snorted. "You had Sylvie. I definitely missed you more."

Kelly grinned. "It was obvious we had someone missing, though."

"Good to see you back, Severide," Mouch grinned.

"Yeah, how was California?" Gallo asked, a note of jealousy in his tone.

"We were almost to Santa Monica when we got called in for a train derailment," Kelly smirked.

"Seriously?" Matt's eyebrows shot up. "I think we saw that on the news here."

"Yeah, we were there," Kelly nodded. "We weren't needed for much, and Los Angeles didn't need us for cleaning up. From there it was just conferences and one night on the pier before we packed up and headed home. Not much happened other than that. Pretty boring on Squad's end."

"That makes it sound like Ambo had a good time," Stella folded her arms.

Matt wasn't certain he liked his driver's tone. "Not sure about all Foster did, but I think she found someone to hook up with the second night we were there," Kelly shrugged. "Brett met a few firefighters while at the scene of the derailment, I know she was out with them when Foster was gone. Other than that, we were pretty much all at the conference."

"And how interesting was it?" Mouch raised an eyebrow.

"81 and 51 get the short straws next time," Kelly deadpanned.

Matt snorted loudly. "Deal." He looked around, following Kelly into the common room. "How long have you been back?"

"Less than an hour," Kelly checked his watch. "Most of us got to sleep on the drive back, so I know Squad is filling everyone in on what happened."

"Glad you're back, Lieutenant!" Gallo grinned before bounding over to join Ritter and Tuesday with Capp.

Mouch joined Herrmann and Joe, leaving Stella to slink towards the coffee. "And Ambo is out in the bunkroom?" Matt guessed quietly.

"Yeah," Kelly nodded. "I told you Sylvie went out with those firefighters the one night?" Matt nodded, not liking the way his stomach twisted at his best friend's words. "She was pretty tactile when she came back. I think this drained her more than we thought it would."

Matt nodded thoughtfully, checking to make sure the rest of the house was invested in Squad's storytelling. "Let's check on her?" he suggested.

Kelly nodded in agreement, and they made their way through the firefighters; Matt could feel Stella's gaze on his back as they entered the darkened bunkroom.

***

The increase of noise from the common room made Sylvie flinch awake, and she groaned inaudibly, taking her pillow and trying to block off the noise. She made sure her back was to the door, trying to avoid the light as much as she could. As she curled in a ball, she tried to ignore the sound of the door carefully opening and closing; she flinched when the noise felt deafening for a few seconds.

Footsteps stopped at the end of her bunk, and she whimpered quietly. "Sylvie?" Kelly's voice was softer than she had ever heard; his hand resting on her leg was a welcome warmth. "Would it be better in one of our quarters?"

Sylvie was nodding before he finished the sentence. When his words sank in, her eyes opened wide. "Our?" she repeated hoarsely.

"Yeah, Sylvie," Matt stepped into her field of vision, smiling at her. "Welcome home."

She smiled back, sitting up on her bunk. "It's really good to be home."

Matt extended a hand to her, which she gratefully accepted. He pulled her to her feet, and Sylvie didn't even think before stepping closer to him. Matt smiled and held out his arm, and she melted into his side, leaning against him and letting him wrap his arm around her shoulders. He guided her into his quarters, and Sylvie saw Kelly slip in behind them and close the door before she collapsed onto Matt's bunk, the captain dropping with her. "This is better," Kelly smiled.

Sylvie hummed in agreement, feeling her eyelids droop as she leaned her head on Matt's shoulder, her fingers entwined with his. "Missed you," she whispered.

Matt leaned his head on hers. "I missed you guys, too," he told her. "Neither of you are allowed to take a trip without me again, understand?"

Kelly chuckled. "You got it, Case."

"I'll kidnap you and put you in the back of the ambulance if I have to." Sylvie's words were slightly slurring, but they understood her clearly.

Matt's shoulders shook with silent laughter. "You'd get away with it, too."

"Look at her, of course she would!" Kelly gestured to Sylvie with a "duh" expression on his face.

When Sylvie couldn't keep her eyes open for longer than a few seconds, Matt gently nudged her. "Get some rest, Sylv," he said quietly. "We'll make sure no one disturbs you."

It was obvious she was exhausted because she didn't argue; she only shuffled on Matt's bunk so she ended up on her back. "Stay?" she mumbled, already half asleep.

Matt squeezed the hand that was still in his. "We're not going anywhere," he promised.

Kelly smiled softly from his perch on Matt's desk, watching Sylvie preen at Matt's words before she shifted onto her side. "That's the most relaxed I've seen her since we left."

"This is the most I've been relaxed since you left," Matt admitted, twisting to look at his oldest friend. "I'm not kidding, no more trips without me."

Kelly smiled. "Wouldn't dream of it, man. Not after this last one felt wrong without you there."

Matt nodded, then slowly and carefully removed his hand from Sylvie's grasp. She shifted on the bunk, but didn't wake. "You can crash, too," he offered, standing up. "I've got to do the report while the call is still in my head."

"Thanks," Kelly sighed, moving to sit on the bunk.

"Any time," Matt nodded, sitting in his chair and opening one of the drawers as quietly as he could. "There's no place I'd rather be than with the two of you."

Kelly smiled, reclining next to Sylvie. "Took the words right out of my mouth."

Matt smiled, watching Sylvie turn towards Kelly. By the time he turned to work on his report, the lieutenant was out cold as well. But the adrenaline after a successful call kept the captain up for a few hours, and he found himself always glancing towards the shuttered windows when he heard someone walk past.

Now that his best friends were back with him, where they were supposed to be, no one was going to disturb them on his watch.

***

God, these three are so fluffy and sweet, I could feel my teeth rotting. Send me your dental bills if you got cavities, I'll gladly pay them.

graphic by marvelity