We're a bit more Sylvie focused for this chapter (OK, a lot more) just because there's more changes on the CF side of things than the 9-1-1s. More Sylverasey flashbacks, TK has a chat with his dad, the 51 gang makes a decision Buck is wary about, and the out of state crews start their trips home. Also, complete non sequitur, "The Dance" by Garth Brooks just feels like a very Sylvie Brett/Sylverasey theme.

Enjoy, folks!

***

"Hey, what floor are you on?" TK asked as he and Sylvie walked into the hotel their houses were staying at.

"6," Sylvie checked her key card. "You guys?"

"10," he answered. "Maybe I'll run into you at breakfast some time?"

"Maybe," Sylvie smiled as he held the elevator door open for her. "I can't believe we didn't realize we were at the same hotel."

"Hey, all that's been on my mind is this conference," TK shook his head. "There's probably a lot of crews I saw today that stay here, and we just keep avoiding each other."

"Well, if we see each other again, we'll have to introduce each other," Sylvie smiled.

"I'll regret letting my dad within talking distance of your lieutenant," TK deadpanned.

Sylvie giggled as the doors to her floor opened. "Kelly would thank me."

"Probably," TK agreed, holding the door open. "And Sylvie?" She turned to face him, and he smiled kindly. "Don't give up on them quite yet."

She smiled. "I'll try not to."

TK nodded. "See you soon."

Sylvie waved as the elevator doors shut, and she walked down the hall to the room she had been given. The CFD had covered everything for their trip to Santa Monica, including the hotel rooms, so she had been relieved she got her own room. After 20 hours straight with Emily, she figured the other paramedic was happy to have her own space, too. She opened the door to her room and stepped inside, taking a moment to lean against the door and let herself relax. She loved being around people, she loved being tactile, but there was something about being in a bar in a city she didn't know that made her feel on edge, even with Buck and TK there for her.

"Sylvie?"

She yelped and staggered away from the door, looking wildly around her room. "What the – ?"

"Hey," Kelly stood from where he had been sitting in the armchair in the corner, hands raised placatingly. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"And you being in my room even though I gave you the other card wasn't going to do that?" she took a deep breath, trying to calm her heart down as she placed her wallet on the drawers.

"Sorry," Kelly sighed, watching her take her jacket off. "I was worried when you didn't answer your phone."

"I didn't?" Sylvie fumbled to take hers out of her pocket, and she groaned when she saw the missed calls and texts she had. "I'm so sorry, I didn't realize I had it on silent."

"It's OK," Kelly assured her, watching her hurry about frantically, trying to reassure everyone who had texted her that she was fine. "It's just a city we don't know and we wanted to make sure nothing happened to you."

"I know," Sylvie stressed, texting a message one-handed to Joe as she fumbled with getting her earrings out. "I should've said I was going somewhere and I had people to keep an eye on me, we just had a long day at the conference and – "

She turned to find what else she needed to do, only to run right into Kelly. "Breathe, Sylvie," the squad lieutenant placed his hands on her shoulders. "Take a moment, all right? It's OK."

Sylvie ducked her head, following Kelly's instructions. One of his hands switched to rub her back comfortingly, and with a whine, she leaned into his side. Without a word, he wrapped an arm around her and backed them up to the bed. When she felt the back of her legs hit the side of the mattress, Sylvie collapsed, and Kelly sat next to her, letting her curl against him like a cat. This was something he was used to, especially after some very long, very busy calls; whenever he and Matt were completing reports and Sylvie's were finished, she would trudge into one of their offices and be clingy for contact with someone she trusted. More often than not, that was him, Matt, or Joe. The past few months, that had even extended to Tony and Capp, the other two members of Squad 3 more than happy to have the paramedic to themselves. Apparently, after Sylvie had helped Kelly and Joe with some suspicious calls they had investigated (including another arson), she was an honorary member, which amused Kelly and annoyed Matt to no end.

But in the quiet of a private room members of 51 wouldn't enter without a good reason, whether that was officer's quarters or a hotel room, Kelly appreciated how Sylvie was open in how tactile she really was. He wasn't the most open in touching others, but when it was such a sign of trust from and comfort for Sylvie, he was more than happy to be as close to her as she needed.

"Thank you," she mumbled from where her head nestled in the crook of his neck.

"Of course, Sylvie," he gave her a small squeeze. "That's why I waited for you to come back."

She sighed happily. "Best friend ever."

He grinned smugly. "I'm holding that over Matt's head when we get back."

"Who's gonna referee the fight that'll cause?"

Kelly laughed, and he felt Sylvie smile. "Good point. I suppose it would be unfair if we asked Gallo and Ritter."

"Halsteads, maybe?"

Kelly snorted loudly. "A former Army Ranger to break us up and an Emergency Department doctor to patch us up afterwards? Good to know what faith you have in us."

Sylvie looked up at him. "Do not lie to me: when you two came to convince me to come back from Fowlerton, you were totally willing to fight Kyle for me if it came to that."

Kelly scoffed indignantly. "Sylvie Brett, do you know us at all?"

Sylvie shot upright, mock glaring at him. "You absolutely would have."

Kelly huffed. "Of course we would have."

***

Kelly thought one of the worst things he would ever see in his life was when he found Matt standing over a broken Sylvie in the Arnow factory, Sylvie sobbing from a broken arm, Matt doing everything he could not to panic over a call he asked Boden to make. No, watching Sylvie leave Chicago behind topped that.

The tone of the firehouse had shifted dramatically with the death of Otis and Sylvie leaving to start her new life with Kyle in Indiana. If Emily didn't kick a paramedic out of the house, the suddenly short, sullen, and on edge truck captain and squad lieutenant took care of that for her. No one in the firehouse could tell who took Sylvie's departure hardest: her ambulance partner, or the two officers who, in the course of a few weeks, became the closest people in her life.

So after three months and Emily had ranted to both officers about how her new paramedic partner was incompetent as hell, Kelly found himself marching into the locker room, just in time to hear his laughter. "Collins!" he barked.

The paramedic spun around from talking with Emily, brightening at him. "What's up?"

"You're fired," he said bluntly.

Collins' jaw dropped; behind him, Emily perked up and looked seconds from performing a happy dance. Even further back, Joe was watching with wide eyes. "What?" he sputtered. "Whoa – "

"Correct me if I miss something, Foster," Kelly leaned against the lockers, counting on his fingers. "You're terrible at your job. You have a terrible attitude. You lack empathy. You lack knowledge."

"That's basically it," Emily agreed, not concealing the grin on her face.

"You can't fire me!" Collins sputtered.

"I rank above you," Kelly deadpanned, looking him over. "So put your clothes on and go report to headquarters for a new assignment." He smirked. "And if Commissioner Grissom asks why you're there, tell him Lieutenant Severide doesn't want you at his house."

Collins sputtered, but he grabbed his gear and left the locker room for the bathroom, leaving Emily and Joe gawking. "Nice one, boss!" Joe finally grinned widely.

"Finally," Emily sagged against one of the lockers. "I was about to do that myself. Thanks, Lieutenant."

"No problem," Severide shook his head. "Honestly, that's the worst paramedic we've had at this house."

"Yeah," Emily agreed. "But now I need a new paramedic before Boden murders me."

"Leave that to me," Kelly shook his head.

"How?" Emily frowned.

Kelly just shook his head and walked out of the locker room, already determined about what he wanted to do. He bypassed Stella, who looked like she was lingering for the chance to talk to him. He ignored her and went back to the bunks, knocking on Matt's door. His friend nodded in acknowledgement. "Hey," he greeted. "So there's one job I'd like to do this afternoon, but if you want to hit some place tonight – "

"I want to get Sylvie back."

Matt almost dropped his phone at Kelly's announcement. He spun around in his chair, eyes wide, looking up at a very serious Kelly. "You're sure?" he asked.

"I've never been more sure of anything," Kelly nodded. "I know she called everyone else from the firehouse last night and I don't know what she said then . . . but you saw how she was with us. She didn't sound like herself at all."

There was a polite cough from behind them, and both men turned to see a sheepish Joe behind them. "Sorry, boss," he said apologetically. "But you're right. She was talking about starting a garden . . . she killed every houseplant in the apartment."

Matt mulled it over in his head, absently tapping his pen on the table. Kelly knew what he was thinking about: the duller tone of voice she used, the slump she had in her shoulders, her attempt to find anything joyful to talk about. That was not the Sylvie they had grown closer to, and Kelly knew that. And so did his best friend.

Matt's eyes hardened, and he nodded decisively, standing from his chair and reaching for his overnight bag. "That job can be done after next shift," he said. "Let's go bring our girl home."

Kelly grinned. "I'll gas the car."

"Good luck!" Joe gave them both thumbs up.

Kelly held the door open for Matt as he shut everything down, then both men headed out. "OK, just to clarify," Matt held up a hand, stopping in place. "How far are we willing to go to get Sylvie back?"

Kelly blinked, turning to look at him. "I'd kick the door down to get her out. How far do you want to go?"

Matt considered. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that," he decided, opening the back of Kelly's car and tossing his bag in.

Kelly grinned; that was exactly the response he had been hoping for.

***

"And probably Hope, too," he added as an afterthought.

"Oh, my God," Sylvie groaned, grabbing the nearest pillow and dropping her head into it, making Kelly laugh. "That was such a big 'screw you' moment to her."

"She deserved it," Kelly shrugged.

***

"Y – you can't leave!" Hope rushed down the stairs after Sylvie, the woman trying to haul her suitcases and bags to the door as quickly as she could. "Not after all the work you and Kyle put together!"

"This life isn't mine, Hope," Sylvie repeated for what felt like the thousandth time. "It's quiet, too much from when I was in Fowlerton followed me here, and Kyle . . . " She trailed off, shaking his head. "He's a wonderful guy, but he's not for me."

"Surely there's some way to fix this?" Hope insisted.

"I'm not happy here, Hope!" Sylvie glared at her, really wishing she hadn't taken the time to run to the firehouse and deliver her resignation in person. That had given Hope's boyfriend the time to call her and let her know her former friend was leaving. "So I'm going to where I know I will be happy."

"Sylvie!" Hope's screech made Sylvie miss the conversation occurring outside the door as she opened it harshly.

She almost smacked one of her best friends off the porch, and she gasped in shock. Kelly took a few steps back to avoid getting hit with the door, his eyes widened as he looked at her. Sylvie felt like she was paralyzed in place, her eyes darting from Kelly to Matt, from one pair of green eyes to another. Two of the people she missed more than anyone . . . and they were here?!

Before she could open her mouth to ask why they were there, Kelly spoke in a rush. "You need to come home, Sylvie."

Her eyes widened, then Matt broke in. "Look, we really don't want to kidnap you, but we're seriously prepared to do anything it takes to bring you back with us. We saw how you were when we talked last night, and . . . you didn't look like you did while you were in Chicago, and that you isn't who you are."

"We need you at the house," Kelly said. "You need to be yelling at Foster about how she sings out of pitch, or how she doesn't restock the ambulance properly, or helping someone from Squad cheat on a card game, or – "

"Please," Matt cut across Kelly, his eyes telling just how desperate they were.

Sylvie looked from one man to the next, Kelly looking like he was seconds from spilling anything else that might convince her to leave. "You drove all the way out here . . . just to ask me to come home?" she whispered.

"Yeah," Kelly nodded instantly.

"We've honestly wanted to since you left," Matt admitted.

Sylvie turned to look behind her, where Hope was staring with her eyes wide, her jaw hanging open. She took a deep breath, then grabbed her suitcases and bags, swinging back around to face her best friends. "Let's go," she told them.

Matt's wide grin and Kelly's whoop of delight were everything, and she scrambled out of the house. Both men caught her when she flung her arms around their necks, and she squeezed them as tightly as she could, smiling when they reciprocated just as hard. "Thank God we didn't have to kick down the door," Matt laughed.

"You would have what?!" Hope squawked behind them.

"Yeah," Kelly looked at her over Sylvie's shoulder. "We'd have done a lot more than that to try and get her to come home."

Sylvie beamed up at them, unable to stop smiling. "Come on," she wiggled out of their hug. "I want to get out of here as soon as possible."

"Whatever you want," Matt agreed, reaching for one of her suitcases.

"Oh!" Sylvie perked up. "But before we do, there's this one diner in town with milkshakes I know you two will love."

Kelly saw the hurt look on Hope's face at the sentence, and he couldn't help but grin. "You have a deal."

***

"We were honestly miserable with you gone," Kelly said quietly. "You having already packed . . . that was the happiest I'd been in months."

"I'm sorry," Sylvie looked at him. "I honestly thought Kyle was the one relationship that would work out. We had been before he broke up with me . . . but the life he wanted and was planning wasn't me."

"No, it wasn't," Kelly agreed. "What you built in Chicago, that's who you are."

Sylvie smiled up at him. "Well, the people certainly helped."

Kelly grinned. "You're stuck with us."

Sylvie leaned against him again. "You're the ones who came to get me."

Kelly let her lean her head on his shoulder, then let his head rest on hers. "Best decision Matt and I ever made."

***

TK marveled at the conference's somehow innate ability to keep the Austin 126 from ever even seeing the Chicago 51 as they moved through the day. "You know, I found out last night that the paramedic I met the other night?" he told Owen as they maneuvered through chairs to find the rest of their house. "She and her house are at the same hotel as us."

"Really?" Owen tilted his head. "Maybe we'll run into them while we're there."

TK exaggerated looking around. "Yeah, maybe if we're lucky." He perked up. "Oh, she said that the chief of her house worked Ground Zero."

Owen looked very interested at that concept. "Where did you say they were from?"

"Uh, Chicago," TK thought back. "Chicago 51."

Owen stopped in his tracks. "No way," he grinned. "I don't know if he was 51 at the time, but I think I have an idea on who she means." He laughed, shaking his head and continuing on. "I hope I know who she means. Man, what are the chances of that happening?"

"Who is it?" TK asked, fishing his phone out.

TK: Sylvie, who's your chief?

"The Chicago firefighter I worked with was Wallace Boden," Owen answered, taking a sip of his coffee. "He said his battalion chief had packed up one of their engines, and they drove all day to get to New York. Their crew split up to cover ground, but Wallace stuck with me and another house."

Sylvie: Wallace Boden, Battalion 25.

TK laughed, showing Owen. "I love how the universe works sometimes!"

TK: Guess who I just found out he worked with on 9/11?

Sylvie: NO WAY

Buck: Oh, that's awesome!

Sylvie: You're joking!

TK: I'm not!

TK: Come ask him for yourself if you want to!

Barely two seconds passed before TK's phone rang with an incoming call. He recognized the number immediately and picked up. "Where are you?" Sylvie demanded.

"Uh," TK looked around, trying to find something to identify where they were. "It's the main hall for the Ladder, Truck, and Engine portion of the conference. My dad and I are about a third down the last aisle."

"OK, hang on . . . Foster! I need the map!"

"That's the paramedic?" Owen guessed.

"Yep," TK nodded.

"I see where the hall is. Give me . . . two minutes, tops!"

TK grinned. "See you shortly." He hung up, shaking his head. "I still can't believe the chances."

"No, neither can I," Owen admitted, looking around. "So many crews drove into New York to help, but I never met all of them . . . "

TK saw a familiar flash of blonde and dark grey, and he grinned, waving. "Sylvie!" he called.

"TK!" she ran up, eyes wide. "Are you seriously telling me – ?"

"That I worked with your battalion chief at Ground Zero?" Owen finished from next to TK with a grin. "One of best smoke eaters I've ever met, and a great man. Tell Wallace I say hello when you drive back, will you?"

"Oh, my God!" Sylvie jumped up and down in glee. "I don't know how that worked at all, but I am so glad it did!"

TK rolled his eyes. "I also found out last night that apparently, you are quite well-known in some of the fire academies."

Owen grinned mischievously. "Oh, am I?"

Sylvie giggled hysterically. "Oh, this is Christmas!"

"Glad one of us thinks it is," TK sighed. "Owen Strand, Sylvie Brett."

"Nice to meet you, Sylvie," Owen smiled, holding out his hand.

"Nice to meet you as well, Captain," Sylvie beamed, shaking his hand in reply. "I mean, meeting TK was wonderful, but I'm glad I was able to meet you, too. Apparently, our houses aren't crossing paths at all."

"Not even at the hotel, as I just heard," Owen raised an eyebrow at TK.

"Yeah, we were on our way back from meeting the other firefighter we met, and when we caught the cab, we found out we were going to the same place," TK nodded.

"And Buck's firehouse doesn't cover Santa Monica, so that train derailment was really the only place we were going to see him while he's on duty," Sylvie added.

Owen raised an eyebrow. "And all of this happened since the train derailment?"

"Yeah," TK nodded. "I mean, it was just texting after the derailment, but after the conference last night and Buck finished having a . . . discussion . . . " Sylvie made a face, making her opinion of Buck's ex known. "We met up at a bar Buck recommended." He snickered. "I'm glad I'm not breaking sobriety, because I would not have wanted to start off my night like it did."

"Like what?" Owen blinked.

"TK!" Sylvie swatted him with the map she held.

"What?" he defended himself while laughing. "It was a riot!"

"Now I really want to know," Owen looked between his son and the friend he had made, unable to keep from grinning. Seeing TK this happy was making the trip worth it. "What happened?"

"Red wine and white wine together do not mix well!" TK crowed.

"TK!" Sylvie hit him harder, her face burning red.

"Good to know," Owen couldn't help but laugh. "What made you decide to do that?"

"Our hotel bar doesn't have rosé," Sylvie mumbled, face settling in an adorable pout.

Owen laughed loudly. "Even better to know!"

"But then we got the wine she wanted, I heard how insane she, her captain, and her lieutenant are, and it was all good," TK grinned.

Owen tilted his head. "Any chance I could hear those stories?"

Sylvie groaned. "Oh, my God, I don't know if I could tell them two nights in a row . . . "

Her radio crackled, and as she turned away to answer, TK grinned innocently at his father. "I'll summarize, how about that?"

Owen chuckled. "Sounds like a plan, son."

Sylvie sighed, turning back around. "It's the last night before the conference disbands tomorrow, so that was my lieutenant saying we're hitting pier together tonight. Sorry, TK."

"Hey, don't worry about it," TK shook his head. "We'll likely do something together, too. We'll keep in touch how we can."

Sylvie nodded, checking the time. "Foster and I have a drill to get to, so I need to get going." She smiled brightly at Owen. "It was nice to meet you, Captain Strand."

"You, too, Sylvie," he smiled.

Sylvie gave TK a quick hug. "Stay safe?"

"Dad will keep me in line," TK grinned.

"I'll try," Owen grumbled.

Sylvie laughed. "That sounds like me with Casey and Severide." She jogged backwards, giving them one last wave. "Have fun!"

"Oh, definitely," both Strands said at the same time with the same tone of disgust in their voices.

Sylvie's bell-like laughter carried as she left. "OK, if she's one of Boden's, I guess I can't steal her," Owen sighed.

TK snorted. "Oh, if you tried, I'd be with you one hundred percent, Dad."

"Noted," Owen nodded, turning around. "Now, where are we sitting?"

***

Buck: Yeah, you won't find me on the Santa Monica pier any time soon.

Buck: I'd be there if I wasn't afraid of another tsunami.

TK: Wait, what?!

Buck: Santa Monica pier, tsunami, last year.

Buck: I was in it.

TK: What?

Buck: 0/10.

Buck: Absolutely horrible.

Buck: Definitely would never recommend to anyone.

TK: . . .

TK: WHAT

Sylvie stopped in her tracks, reading the texts rolling in with wide eyes. "Um."

"What?" Capp tried to peer over her shoulder.

Sylvie gulped. "I forgot about that, actually."

"About what?" Joe asked, finishing holding the elevator doors open for Emily to step out.

Sylvie held up her phone. "The Santa Monica pier is where the tsunami hit last fall."

"What?" Tony's eyes widened.

Sylvie: You couldn't have told me this a few hours ago?

Buck: Oh, I'm sorry, I'll ignore preparing for my captain's stepdaughter's graduation party.

Buck: She's the daughter of two people I really would prefer to be on the good sides of.

Buck: Next time I'll risk their wraths.

TK: He's got you there, Brett.

She threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. "Well, do we still want to do the pier?"

"I dressed for a night out," Emily gestured to her skinny jeans and sleeveless blouse. "I vote the pier."

"And if the worst happens, we're first responders," Kelly shrugged. "We'll be good."

Sylvie sighed, shaking her head and joining her housemates in walking out of the hotel. "I'm holding you to that, Sev."

***

Sylvie: If something happens to the Santa Monica pier, blame Severide.

TK: Uh oh.

Buck: Now I kind of wish I was there.

Buck: He sounds like a disaster.

Sylvie: Usually the disasters find him.

Sylvie: Unless he and Casey are together.

Sylvie: Then they typically create the disaster.

Sylvie: Or place themselves right in the middle of it.

TK: Sounds like my dad, tbh.

Buck: Or me and Eddie.

Buck: Or Bobby and Michael, now that I think about it.

TK: Who?

Buck: Bobby Nash is my captain.

Buck: Michael Grant is Bobby's wife's gay ex-husband.

TK: ???

Sylvie: There is so much to unpack in that.

Buck: I don't know how it happened, either.

Buck: But geez, the adventures it sounds like they've been on.

Buck: Including tearing down the fireplace to rebuild a fire pit.

TK: How did that go?

Buck: The house didn't crumble, if that's what you're trying to ask.

TK: Not really.

TK: But good to know.

"I think that is the most I have ever seen you on your phone."

Sylvie looked at Tony, raising an eyebrow. "How would you know that?"

"Because you would rather make your rounds of the house than have your nose in your phone," Tony pointed out.

"Yeah, that's usually Ritter and Gallo," Joe agreed.

Sylvie shrugged. "I made a few friends at the train derailment the other night."

"Is that who you went to see when we had that break during the conference today?" Emily asked.

"Well, one of them, yeah," Sylvie nodded, checking her phone when it vibrated again. "His house is here for the conference, too."

Buck: The hilarious thing is the woman in common?

Buck: A police sergeant.

TK: Holy shit.

TK: They'd never get away with anything.

Buck: Well, she catches them.

Buck: I think Athena's just decided they're dumbasses and there's not much she can do about it.

Buck: And then prays May and Harry don't end up like their two dads.

TK: Someone reading this conversation would think Captain Nash and Michael are having a thing behind Sergeant Grant's back.

Buck: Honestly, I've kind of wondered that sometimes.

Sylvie burst out laughing, clapping a hand over her mouth. "Man, I wish I could hack into your phone and see what's happening," Capp shook his head.

"No, you don't," Sylvie rapidly shook her head, slipping her phone back into her pocket so no one would peek. "You really, really wouldn't."

"Why not?"

"Because we're one big mess and you would get lost so easily."

Capp paused. "No, that just makes me want to look at it even more."

"It really does," Emily giggled.

Sylvie shook her head. "Trust me, you really don't."

"OK, let's leave that be," Kelly interrupted before Capp and Emily could gang up on her more. "It's our last night before we leave tomorrow. Make it count, guys."

"Ferris Wheel!" Joe immediately shouted.

Sylvie giggled as she watched Emily take off after him, Capp and Tony veering more towards the food. A final buzz from her phone made her look at the chat before she put it on silent.

TK: But to be clear, nothing's happening?

Buck: Nope.

Buck: Just my captain loves his wife and the ex-husband values her happiness and is best friends with the current husband.

Buck: The mister and the ex.

Buck: Not a nightmare at all.

Sylvie: Are you trying to make a Doctor Who reference?

Buck: Don't judge.

Buck: According to Josh, it's a classic.

TK: Who's Josh?

Buck: A 9-1-1 dispatcher.

Buck: He works with my sister.

TK: You have a sister?!

Buck: Yes?

Sylvie: So do I.

Sylvie: She's only a few weeks old.

Buck: That's what I would focus on, TK.

TK: Forget the mister and the ex.

TK: We need to talk families at some point.

Buck: We're at that stage in our relationship already?

TK: BUCKLEY

Sylvie shook her head with a grin, silencing her phone and leaning on the rail, looking over the water. She sighed happily, tilting her head back to feel the breeze. It had been a long time since she had been this close to the water.

"You look better than I've seen you in a long time," Kelly said quietly, stepping next to her.

"I'm glad we drew the short straw to come," Sylvie admitted. "I think I just needed out of Chicago for a few days." She ducked her head. "It's been . . . a long few months."

Kelly nodded in agreement, eyeing her. "Sylvie, everything that's happened . . . you didn't deserve any of that pain."

"It hurt like hell," Sylvie swallowed, looking down at her white-knuckled hands on the railing. "I find myself sometimes thinking 'You are an idiot for asking if Matt kept that letter.'" She closed her eyes. "But that time I had with Julie, getting to know her . . . I could have lost out on Amelia, Kelly. And I – I don't like thinking about what my life would be like without her."

"Then don't think about that," Kelly shook his head. "That little girl is an absolute gem, and she deserves to have you in her life. And you deserve to have her in your life."

"I know," Sylvie nodded. "And I'm so glad I have her. I just . . . " She lowered her head onto her clasped hands. "I just wish Julie was still here to see her."

She felt Kelly's hand on her back, thumb rubbing softly. "She's seeing," he told her. "Somewhere, she's watching."

"I know," she whispered.

They stood there in silence that straddled the border between comfortable and uncomfortable, then Kelly broke it. "I don't suppose we'll ever find out who you're talking to?"

Sylvie laughed loudly. "Oh, you and Matt don't have anything to worry about, Kelly. You two are still my favorite boys."

Kelly huffed. "Like that is reassuring me."

***

May's party was in full swing, and the overwhelming happiness, lightness, and joy that filled every corner of the Grant-Nash household made Buck feel like he was walking through sunshine, as cliché as that was. Family and friends were spread out around the yard, dancing and having food and cake, and the photobooth was a huge hit. May herself was still chasing Harry around, still yelling about the cake that had been shoved into her face earlier.

At some point, Bobby had joined him, watching his stepchildren with a fond look, and Buck took a deep breath. "Hey, I just wanted to apologize," he said. "For the train."

"Look, it's all right," Bobby waved his apology off at once. "We both got a little hot." Buck acquiesced, and Bobby tilted his head, looking him up and down. "You doing OK?"

Before Buck would answer, his phone chimed. He took it out, wondering who was texting him, then couldn't help but smile.

TK: In the words of the great Bob Seger . . . here I am, on the road again!

TK: {Image: a selfie of TK with three firefighters in the back and two in the front. All six were in Austin FD uniforms. TK was sitting with Firefighters Strickland, Marwani, and Chavez. The tags of the other two firefighters were not visible.}

Sylvie: {Image: Sylvie at the wheel of her ambulance, her partner grinning with two thumbs up next to her.}

Sylvie: Back to the Chicago Way!

TK: You're awful.

Sylvie: Says the classic rock nerd!

TK: It was either that or Broadway!

Buck grinned widely at his friends' banter. "Yeah," he told Bobby happily. "I think I am."

Buck: Safe travels, everyone! Hope I see you soon.

TK: Good luck getting rid of us, Buckley.

Sylvie: <3

***

Happy chaotic fire families. :) And now I get to start ruining their lives. XD

This is where canon will start diverging, primarily for Chicago Fire and 9-1-1. I'm really looking forward to weaving the webs that lead Buck and Sylvie to Austin, and I think I have the plot points in mind to do it. Now it's just to make you, the audience, believe they could happen because let's face it . . . canon Buck and Sylvie are very happy where they are, and this is changing that.

But, that'll be the focus of another chapter. See everyone soon!

graphic by marvelity