Do I still have all my 9-1-1 fans with me after Thursday's episode? I ask because I'm pretty sure that ending broke YouTube shortly after clips were uploaded XD The show's move to ABC has been awesome, and I love that the show is getting this much attention. Plus . . . bi Buck!

Matt, Kelly, and the Dardens meet the Cosgroves, Eddie wishes May and TK would stop making connections, and the 2-7 family inch closer to adopting three first responders from Chicago. 

Not my best chapter, but a lot of this was written while I'm sick with a stomach bug. Oh, well. But hey - enjoy my new chapter sign-off at the end!

***

"So tomorrow is when Chief Boden is meeting Captains Strand and Nash?" Ben asked for clarification as they headed towards the courthouse.

"That sounds like the plan," Kelly confirmed with a glance at his phone. "It'll just be the three of them for a while, but I guess then the idea is to have a meet-up in Central Park."

"Is there a way to reserve the whole thing?" Matt snorted. "With how many people came from each side, it sounds like we need as much space as we can get."

"It's a park, Matt," Kelly rolled his eyes. "We can fit."

"The kids probably won't sit still for long, too," Griffin pointed out, absently watching their surroundings as people came and went from the courthouse. "And people from 51, at least, usually break off into their own little groups."

"That's true," Matt agreed, checking his messages to see where Sylvie had told them to meet.

"Casey and Severide?"

The unfamiliar voice from behind made the pair of officers stop, and they turned in unison, adjusting their stances so the Dardens were behind them. When Kelly saw the pale-eyed man in a suit walking towards them, a gold police badge glinting on his belt and a teenager with her dark hair in braids accompanying him, he relaxed and nodded. "Kelly Severide," he pointed to himself.

"Matt Casey," Matt held up his hand.

"Frank Cosgrove," the man introduced himself, extending his hand. "I didn't realize we would catch up to you out here."

"We took the scenic route," Matt chuckled and shook his hand, Kelly following suit. "Good to meet you, Detective."

"Likewise," Frank nodded and gestured to the girl with him. "This is my daughter, Lily."

"Hi," she waved at them.

"Hey," Griffin smiled in return. "I'm Griffin, and this is Ben."

Ben sighed in relief. "I'm glad we're not the only teenagers."

Lily laughed as the three adults exchanged amused looks. "The rest of the kids are great . . . but yeah, there's an age gap."

"And they're off to the races," Kelly quipped.

Frank snickered. "Lily is her mother's daughter in that regard."

"I swear, the boys somehow got it from Sylvie," Matt shook his head, watching as the teenagers immediately pulled out their phones and went to work exchanging contact information. "They're not quite social butterflies, but they've certainly become more open since we brought them to Chicago."

"We got the rundown about how the boys came to be in your care," Frank said, his expression darkening. "I'm sorry that happened to them."

Matt sighed and ran a hand over his face. "I still can't believe Heather did that to them."

"I can," Kelly shook his head. "I imagine once it happens the first time, it's hard to stop."

"Whatever the circumstances, it's pretty obvious the boys are in the right place now," Frank told them. "Just based on what we heard."

Kelly smiled and nodded. "Cheesy as it sounds, home is where the heart is."

"And that was not in Portland!" a silvery voice came from behind them.

The three men turned to watch Sylvie carefully make her way down the steps while she held Amelia on her hip. A slender man with eyes like a kaleidoscope walked on her other side, keeping an eye on her to see if she needed help with her balance. "So," Kelly folded his arms and grinned. "How quickly did our girl take over the building?"

The man laughed as he reached the bottom of the steps, holding up his hand to help Sylvie. "Which one? Mother or daughter?"

"Yes," Matt deadpanned.

Sylvie giggled as she placed Amelia on the ground. "Let's put it this way . . . there's a very long line of people who can watch Amelia if we need a sitter while we're here."

Kelly laughed, crouching and opening his arms for Amelia as she trotted towards him. "That's our girl," he said proudly as he picked her up. "Stealing hearts everywhere she goes."

"That's me!" Amelia grinned toothily.

That made the Dardens laugh. "Has she been like this all day?" Ben asked, reaching up to playfully poke Amelia's nose.

The girl giggled and grabbed at Ben's finger, the boy allowing her to do so. "Pretty much," Sylvie admitted. "I think she's on an attention high."

Frank snorted and looked at the man who accompanied Sylvie. "And how much of that attention came from Sam and Jack?"

"Over half," he answered with a grin. "I think Sam would adopt her if given the chance."

Sylvie immediately frowned. "My daughter."

"You're an angel," Matt said fondly, kissing the top of her head.

"Oh!" Griffin's eyes widened, and he gestured for Lily. "Lily, this is our little sister, Amelia. Amelia, this is Lily."

"You met her dad, Frank, earlier today," Sylvie added.

Amelia waved shyly at Lily, who grinned and waved in return. "Hi, Amelia," she greeted. "Wow, she looks just like you!"

Sylvie sighed as Frank and the other man both snickered. "Maybe I should just start saying she's my clone."

Kelly playfully considered both blondes. "I can see that."

Sylvie swatted the back of his head. "Idiot."

"Your idiot," he grinned cheekily.

Sylvie turned to the man next to her and gestured to Kelly in exasperation. "See what I deal with?"

"I deal with him on a daily basis," the man pointed to Frank.

Frank scoffed. "You deal with me? Who would have run himself into the ground the other day if I didn't steal you from your office and deliver you to my daughter?"

Lily giggled hysterically, and the man sighed. "It's times like this when I wonder why I'm friends with you."

"You love me," Frank grinned smugly.

The man shook his head in exasperation and pointedly turned to the firefighters, leaving Frank to smirk and wink at his daughter, making Lily laugh harder. "Nolan Price," he introduced himself. "I work as the Executive ADA here."

"Matt Casey," Matt shook his hand.

"Kelly Severide," Kelly nodded. "I'd shake your hand, but . . . "

He nodded pointedly to Amelia, and Nolan chuckled. "I get the dilemma."

"And these are Ben and Griffin," Sylvie gestured to the boys.

"Welcome to the city," Nolan smiled at the pair with such ease, Kelly was almost jealous. "Enjoying New York so far?"

"Yeah," Griffin nodded.

"We never got to sightsee much when we were with our mom," Ben admitted.

Nolan hummed. "We'll have to fix that while you're here."

"Are Maroun and McCoy behind you?" Frank asked, glancing behind Nolan.

"They're packing up," Nolan answered. "Bernard and Dixon?"

"The same," Frank replied. "At least, they were when I left to pick up Lily."

"Right!" Lily perked up. "Where are we going?"

The boys had the same attentive expressions, and Matt glanced at Frank. "Why do I get the feeling we're going to have a hard time separating them?" he asked dryly.

"Because we probably will," Frank answered in the same tone.

Nolan rocked on his heels a bit as he tilted his head in thought. "Who likes Chinese?"

***

"Well, I just got replaced." The defeated sigh from Peter made everyone at the 252 look at him as he stepped back onto the apparatus floor. "Well, either that, or Sylvie is interviewing to have me replaced," he amended, and Olivia snickered. "And she's corrupting my boss first."

"She used Amelia?" Olivia guessed with a grin.

"Yes, she used Amelia," Peter huffed, and his girlfriend burst out laughing. "How are we supposed to argue with our boss?"

"This is Wallace's chief paramedic, right?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah, that's Sylvie," Peter nodded and looked through his photos. "I swear, she has gotten everyone in the courthouse on her side in just a few hours."

He flipped his phone around to show the picture he pulled up, and Buck blinked. "They look like clones!"

"Buck!" Eddie sharply elbowed him.

"What?" Buck protested, gesturing to the picture. "They do!"

"Sylvie adopted her half-sister after their mother died on the table," Peter explained, and Eddie stepped closer to look at the two blondes. Buck was right, he had to admit. They looked practically identical. "And I think we all credit Amelia with putting everyone's suffering to bed."

"Suffering?" Athena blinked.

Peter snorted. "Sylvie, Casey, and Severide skipped several steps and went straight to co-parenting. Then they went back and realized they missed an important part." At the expectant looks, Peter paused. "Right, I keep forgetting I'm not around 51," he shook his head. "The three of them are together."

"The three of them?" Nancy repeated with wide eyes.

"Yeah," Peter nodded with a protective frown. "Is that a problem?"

"Hell, no," Nancy grinned, checking to make sure the younger kids were occupied with the 252 tour. "That just means my bisexual ass is going to be jealous as hell when I meet them."

"Is that an issue at the house?" Amanda tilted her head. "I mean, Dominick and I had to go through several forms to keep working together."

Olivia snorted. "You don't want to know what Peter and I had to sign to keep working together in the same unit, too."

"It was a lot of paperwork," Peter admitted. "But worth it to have someone who knows exactly what you're working through on a case." Olivia beamed at him in agreement, and Peter kissed her temple. "I know some of the brass in Chicago don't necessarily approve of keeping them on the same shift, though it's a mix of trying to figure out how the three of them are involved with each other and knowing it would be a huge loss to 51 if any of them transferred out. Anyone here got any partners that would seriously hinder their team if they were separated?"

"Buck and Eddie," Bobby answered immediately.

Eddie looked at his captain in surprise, and Peter smirked. "Able to communicate without speaking? Always seeming to know what the other is thinking?"

"That's an accurate summary," Athena agreed with a calculating look at the pair.

Buck coughed and looked at his feet, his ears burning red. "Eddie makes it easy."

Peter chuckled. "Well, that's Casey, Brett, and Severide for you," he said. "That year they weren't together . . . the amount of times I got texts about the lack of progress in the betting pools was ridiculous."

"Pools?" Carlos's eyebrows rose. "Plural?"

"There was 51's," Peter counted off on his fingers. "Intelligence had one. I wasn't involved in the one from Med, but Halstead kept me updated on that. Even the SA's office had one going."

TK made a face. "Suddenly I'm glad there wasn't one made about us, babe."

"Yeah," Carlos cleared his throat. "That would have been a bit . . . much."

"They've all been unlucky in love before," Peter shrugged as he put his phone away. "Everyone around them knew they belonged together except for them, apparently."

"That sounds familiar," May mumbled under her breath.

Buck gave her a confused look, but Eddie gritted his teeth and did his best to ignore the curious glances from TK and Carlos. "As long as they're happy," he said.

"Oh, they are," Peter nodded. "But on another note . . . it sounds like we're doing that big get-together tomorrow evening."

"Yeah," Owen confirmed, making TK perk up. "Wallace is meeting me and Bobby tomorrow morning, and we'll figure out the exact time we're meeting everyone else."

"What about Casey, Brett, and Severide?" Tommy asked. "Could we meet up with them earlier while that happens?"

"I can check and see," Peter shrugged, opening up his messages. "I doubt they would have any problems with it unless they want to be close by for their chief if he needs them."

"It really is all or nothing with them, isn't it?" Amanda whistled, impressed.

Peter grinned. "It's a common saying at 51 . . . if you open the dictionary to find 'ride or die,' you find those three."

TK hummed and side-eyed Buck. "That also sounds familiar."

Eddie wanted to bang his head against the nearest rig.

***

"Peter has had much to share about you since we learned you were coming with your chief," Jack told the Chicago arrivals as Chinese food was distributed amongst everyone. "He spoke fondly of you often when he was first hired. I'm glad to finally meet everyone."

"I dread to think what he's shared since he found out we were coming," Kelly remarked warily.

Jack chuckled. "He speaks most favorably of Sylvie."

"Oh, well, that's not a surprise," Matt snorted, grinning when Sylvie ducked her head. "I dare anyone to speak any other way of her."

Sylvie hummed around her chopsticks. "Hope," she tossed out.

Kelly scoffed. "Don't make me swear in front of the kids."

Ben frowned over his carton of Chinese. "Like Griffin and I didn't hear worse around our mom."

Lily frowned in return. "We heard about what happened with your mom. I'm sorry."

"Thanks," Griffin nodded gratefully. "But we're happier with these three."

"You certainly appear that way," Kate agreed.

"I just want to make sure I'm not jumping to any conclusions here," Kevin held up his hand. "The three of you are all together, right? That's the impression I've gotten since we met."

"We are," Matt confirmed with a smile. "Close to a year now."

"Though if you asked anyone at 51, we've probably been dating without putting a name to it for twice as long," Sylvie muttered. "I didn't hear the end of it from Stella for ages."

Matt rolled his eyes. "You weren't ambushed by Herrmann or Mouch for a shovel talk."

"You got Herrmann and Mouch," Kelly folded his arms. "I got Cruz, Capp, and Tony. Betrayed by my own crew."

Sylvie looked like she was trying to melt into the booth behind her, and Sam giggled. "So what I'm getting is that Brett's the favorite," she said.

"Across the board," Kelly admitted as Ben and Griffin laughed. "Granted, she's never really given anyone a reason not to like her."

"I'm curious," Kate leaned forward. "Can I ask how . . . ?"

She trailed off, and Sylvie giggled. "Well, I agreed to an engagement and ran off to Indiana in an attempt to run from my feelings, if that tells you how long I've known I'm in love with them."

Nolan choked on his drink. "You what?" Lily stared in shock as Frank leaned over to hit the prosecutor on the back to help clear his airway.

"Yeah," Sylvie blushed. "By far one of my dumbest moments. It didn't help that it was these two who came to get me to come back."

"We were pretty miserable without her," Matt admitted. "So was Foster, Sylvie's former partner . . . but Kelly was the one who threw out the paramedic who didn't even last a week."

"He was an idiot!" Kelly said defensively. "I did the firehouse a favor!"

"We still spent the year dancing around each other," Sylvie continued, biting her lip to avoid smiling as Matt and Kelly continued to bicker. "Kelly got into some arson investigations that pulled us in as well." She glanced at Amelia, whose attention was on Sam's bracelet. "Then I got a letter from my birth mother, asking if we could meet," she said quietly. "I didn't want to at first . . . but I'm glad we eventually did. I don't know what would've happened to Amelia otherwise." She took a deep breath and stared into her food, and Kelly squeezed her shoulder comfortingly. "Julia had preeclampsia, and she died on the table," she explained. "Amelia's father didn't want her and asked me to take her. I don't know how I did it without Matt and Kelly's help."

"A few months after that, Sylvie's new partner joined 51," Kelly said. "Their first call was to an OD, and the man's brother threatened them with a gun. He tried to keep them from taking the guy to the hospital, but they got him over there. Unfortunately, he didn't survive the overdose." He clenched his jaw. "Next shift, when Ambulance 61 went out on a call, the brother plowed into them, and both vehicles went over a bridge and into the ditch below."

"Oh, my God," Kevin's eyes widened.

"Please tell me he got tossed in a cell," Kate glowered.

"Intelligence gladly did that," Sylvie nodded. "And, well . . . " She shrugged. "Turns out that's all we needed to get our heads on straight." She scowled. "Then two idiots in Oregon tried to rip us apart by saying the boys needed to stay there."

Griffin snickered. "No one liked our social worker or guidance counselor."

"They tried to make you stay in a city where no one noticed your guardian had left you for over a month," Kelly said dryly. "And they didn't notice when Griffin flew to Chicago to ask Matt for help. We have very good reasons to call them idiots."

Lily frowned. "They sound like idiots."

Frank snorted into his food, and Nolan grinned at him. "Your daughter," he said with a laugh. "Definitely your daughter."

"I know she is," Frank smirked smugly, and Lily grinned proudly at him. "Thank you for confirming, though."

Nolan rolled his eyes and dug back into his food, and Sam bit her lip to stifle her giggles. When she took a quick glance at Sylvie, she noted the blonde's azure eyes darting between the two men, an unreadable look on her face. It made Sam have to duck her head behind her food carton so no one saw her wide grin. "I'll ask the same question I did about Amelia," Jack set his forearms on the table and leaned forward, his eyes narrowed. "Your custody of the boys is solid?"

"It is," Matt nodded. "If we get any challenge, it would likely come from their mother once she gets out of prison."

The grimaces on the faces of the Dardens said a lot, and Jack turned to Nolan and Sam expectantly. "If there is ever any trouble – "

"You're putting us and Stone on the first flight to Chicago," Nolan guessed with a smirk. "Yes, sir."

"You see?" Sylvie gestured. "This is why I do my best to be nice to everyone."

"You're essentially building an army," Kelly made a face. "Good to know."

"It could be worse," Kate grinned. "She could be actively using them against you."

Matt sighed. "All the more reason to keep her happy."

Sylvie smiled brilliantly, and Kevin frowned uneasily. "That's a little scary," he pointed at her.

"Then don't make me call in my army," she smiled innocently.

"And she's getting introduced to Captain Strand's son?" Nolan looked incredulously at Jack. "Is that a good idea?"

"Is he that bad?" Matt frowned.

Kevin snorted. "Strand, Rollins, and Carisi have a reputation."

"So do the captains and Stabler," Jack pointed out.

Nolan exchanged glances with Frank. "I think most of us missed that era. What should we expect?"

As Jack and Kevin delved into sharing information about the red and blue alliance in New York, Sam excused herself to head towards the restroom. She heard the sound of footsteps behind her, so she wasn't surprised to find Sylvie on her heels when she stepped into the restroom. "I like this team," Sylvie decided, following Sam inside.

"It's a great team," Sam gushed with a grin. "But it's gotten way better now that Frank and Nolan aren't fighting like cats and dogs every case." She paused and frowned. "Well . . . if they ever do, they at least don't do it in public."

Sylvie snorted. "So they're always like this?"

Sam grinned. "Bickering like a married couple, you mean?"

"Oh, good," Sylvie sighed in relief. "That's the exact way I would describe it." She looked curiously at Sam. "And they're just best friends?"

Sam burst into a peal of laughter. "Girl . . . that is exactly what I've been trying to figure out since Lily outright claimed Nolan as her favorite person other than her dad."

"Want help figuring it out?"

Sam blinked. "Really?"

"Squad 3 and the Halsteads have nicknamed me the Queen of Hearts," Sylvie deadpanned with a smirk. "I could be a Hallmark movie writer in another life if I wanted. Count me in."

"Thank God," Sam sighed. "Those two are killing me."

Sylvie's laughter followed the blonde when she went into one of the stalls. "Funny – I heard that all the time around the firehouse before I got together with Matt and Kelly!"

***

I really don't have much to say other than I feel ridiculously bleh, but I'm glad I pushed this chapter out. I think you can tell I started losing steam after a bit, but the fun begins when everyone from every city finds themselves in the same place.

Next time is what folks have been waiting for . . . the three fire dads reunite!

graphic by marvelity