Title: Ending the Feud?
Chapter 1 – A Past Threat Reawakened?

Summary: AU SQL to Ending the Game. Hadley is released early from jail with only one thought on his mind. Revenge on Kelly Severide. Can new wife Erin and best friend Matt help keep him safe? Or will Hadley finally end the feud by killing his former supervisor?

Disclaimer: Chicago Fire and its characters are the property of Dick Wolfe, NBC and….well sadly not me

A/N: Okay so I wanted to come back and explore this idea first (b/c its fresh in your minds I hope!) and what Hadley would do upon release b/c as we all saw from season 3 – he still harbors much resentment toward Severide and vice versa. PLEASE NOTE this is five years after Hadley's supposed imprisonment in season 2

'Will you marry me….'

'Squad 3…truck 81…'

'You've got to be kidding me right?'

That was two years ago and the moment was almost perfect and he could only curse the bad timing which made him literally stand up, kiss his soon to be fiancé on the cheek and rush toward his waiting team and truck with a wide smile on his face. The next time he asked in a more private setting, Erin had purposely waited, for what she said was the sound of sirens or a call to work, before putting him out of his misery and saying yes. That was three years after Kevin Hadley went to jail.

"Earth to Mr. Severide."

Kelly Severide's absent stare slowly pulls away from the early morning glow outside the bedroom window and rests upon his nearly naked wife; the same Cheshire cat-like smile that adorned his face the morning he first proposed.

"You didn't hear me did you?"

"Sure…I uh…what?" He playfully retorts before his hands reach out and he tries to pull her close. She tries to dart out of his grasp but his hands mange to wrap around her delicate wrist and pull her back onto his bare chest – something of course she doesn't mind. Always loving her boundless feistiness, Severide's lips utter a low growl as she tries to playfully wrestle herself away. Which of course she can't and he's able to flip her over and then pounce.

"You're not…playing fair," she offers a little breathlessly as he holds her wrists above her head, his body aching for hers.

"Not this morning," he wags his brows as he leans in closer. His lips nip at hers and then pull away; her body arching upward but unable to connect.

"You'll pay for that," she gently hisses as he snickers in amusement. But the next few words are silenced by hungry kisses as he finally sets her free, his hands wanting to hold onto her body as they finally become one. "Oh…yes…" she offers as her body demands more and his races to catch up. Heat continues to build as they continue to move together as one united force.

"So…what were you asking me earlier?" Severide asks sometime later as his wife's naked and lightly sweated covered frame lays draped across his, her fingers absently playing with his flushed skin. He can only snicker when he earns himself a small swat. "I was…elsewhere."

"Where?"

"The day I proposed…the first time."

"And then it turned out to be some woman whose cat had gotten stuck in a tree but since it was reported as a child…"

"It was all hands on deck," Severide finishes with a smirk. "You still didn't have to tell your busy body partner that the proposal was on hold due to a cat call," he tosses at her in slight sarcasm.

"Oh you liked it that he was jealous," Erin retorts. "Besides…it took you long enough to actually ask. So…back to my original question. Yes or no?"

"I don't even remember the original question," Severide lightly huffs as she can only shake her head. "Wanna punish me?" He playfully wags his brows.

"Actually…yes."

Before he can react, she whips out her handcuffs, traps his right wrist over his head and attaches the free cuff to the headboard. "My question…" she starts as she pulls back and straddles his waist as he uselessly tugs on his captive wrist while she grins. "Was are you going to be late for work this morning? I guess the answer is yes."

And with that she hops off the bed and slowly heads toward the bathroom; his lips emitting another low growl as he visually devours her naked frame.

"You're not playing fair!" He states in protest just as she reaches the bathroom and turns to grin at him.

"I never do," she winks before she closes the bathroom door. She opens it a few seconds later and looks at his nearly naked, captive frame and smiles. "Mmmm," she grins before she disappears once more. "I'm waiting!"

"Seriously?" He huffs as he leans over to her side of the bed and tries to find the spare key. "Oh where is that damn thing!" He mutters as he hears her humming happily away as she stands under the hot pulsing streams. "Where is the damn key!" He calls out with a small sigh.

"I'm almost done!"

"Ahhh!" Severide growls and then chuckles as he pulls open her bedside drawer and finally finds the object of his freedom. He sets himself free and then hurries toward the now steamy bathroom.

"You're getting slow in your old age 'Fir Tine'," Erin quips as Severide pulls open the glass door and steps inside with his wife.

"What?" He asks with a small snicker. "What's that?"

"Ask Casey."

"You're trading flirty phrases with my best friend?" Severide's voice drops as his hands rest on her naked hips.

"Thought I was your best friend?"

"I am but…"

"Oh hush my Fir Tine," she giggles as she pulls his mouth to his and silences him with a hot kiss.

XXXXXXXX

"So what is…oh wait…that's this weekend?" Severide's eyes latch onto the small calendar on the fridge and then up at his wife as she nods.

"Matt and Hallie's fifth anniversary party…at our place," she reminds him with a pat on his back. "Just make sure you don't tell him anything. It's a surprise."

"You shouldn't have told me," he lightly smiles. But as soon as he looks back down at the calendar his eyes fix onto another date and his jaw hardens; Erin picking up on her husband's silence and looking over in wonder.

"What?"

"Hadley's parole hearing is um…Monday."

"You'll be there for it. You'll keep him behind bars."

"Boden said he's making a plea on good behavior and…ah damn I'm on shift and I can't swap this one out."

"Boden will be there right?"

"It'll depend," Severide replies curtly as she wraps her arms around him, resting her head on his back and gives him a hug. He closes his eyes for a few seconds before he twists around, pulls her close and plants a brief kiss on the top of her head. "Gotta run."

"See you tonight."

She watches him leave, not daring to remind him to take something to eat as she could tell in that moment his mind was on his former squad member, the man who betrayed his team, his family and ultimately targeted, trapped and then tried to murder him. Her eyes close as she remembers that day; standing outside and feeling so helpless when she was forced to listen to Severide locked in a fight with Hadley and then both of them on fire.

"He better not get out," she mutters in an undertone before she looks at the items she had pulled out of the fridge for breakfast. She puts them back in, fills up her travel coffee mug and hurries out the door.

XXXXXXXX

"Fir tine?"

Casey hears the small snicker and somewhat garbled words and looks up as Severide nears him in the locker room. "What?"

"You been flirting with my wife?"

"Actually I think my wife was…flirting with your wife…wait…" Casey's head shakes as Severide smiles.

"Just don't let Shay hear that…she's probably think it was hot," Severide retorts as he opens his locker and shoves his bag and jacket into the metal box. "What's it mean?"

"She didn't tell you?" Casey tosses back as Severide looks up with an expression that silently begs 'have you met my wife?' "Remember when the two of them went to that ladies power lunch? Erin picked up Hallie and she overheard Hallie telling me that after we," he pauses with a grin, "…and then she asked…"

"After you…what?" Severide goads with a grin. "Oh wait…is that why the blinds in your office were closed?"

"Yeah so…." Casey's lips gently stammer as his face flushes. "Fir Tine is Irish for fireman or literally men of fire. Why? Did Erin call you oh…yeah I don't wanna know."

The two of them enjoy a few more laughs before Casey notices Severide's expression tense. "What?"

"Monday," Severide nods as Casey's lips purse. "I just…you and Hallie got married just after Hadley went to jail and I was so caught up in everything…Shay's drama with Clarice and the baby and…and then Erin and I got married and…Matt…I've been busy with getting this weekend off and…damn come Monday…"

"Hey. He's there for a while longer," Casey tries to assure Severide with a pat on the back. But the slight hint of uncertainty in his tone, forces Severide's eyes to lift and Casey's brow to furrow.

"Yeah? And who's going to be there to ensure that happens? We're both working and Boden is doing his teaching stint that entire week. It'll just be us and we can't…" Severide's voice stops as he shakes his head. "What if he gets out? What if…good behavior. Damn it's been tossed around by the Warden and…"

"But nothing's happened yet. Maybe Boden will be able to…"

"He starts Monday!" Severide lightly snaps and then recants. "How'd I time this so badly!" But as he looks at his friend he knows how – by his own admission. He had been so busy working to get the same weekend off as Matt so that he and Erin could plan their five year anniversary surprise party and his mind was so wrapped up in that and work and a tough care for Erin that he forgot about Hadley's parole hearing until it was now only a few days away.

"Come on, let's go…stock the trucks or something. Roll hoses or…" Casey suggests, wanting to lighten a bit of the tension in the room.

"Roll hoses? You know I can…."

"Handle your hose better?" Casey retorts with a snicker as they both leave the locker room with a few chuckles. "What time is the hearing?" Casey asks with a slight pause as they exit the locker room.

"2pm."

"I'll get someone to cover for you for a few hours. When the time comes…"

"And if I can get away…" Severide reminds Casey who nods in agreement.

"And if you can get away, just go and don't worry about us. We'll make this work. All of 51 is behind you."

"Sure," Severide answers as he nods. But the uncertainty hangs in the air as the two of them leave the locker room and head into the main casual area. Casey heads for the kitchen to grab a snack, while Severide slumps down at the table with his team, the two of them going to reconvene inside the large truck garage bays after a few snacks are consumed.

But that plan is rendered moot a few seconds after Severide plunks himself down by the overhead paging system going off, beckoning them all to immediate action.

XXXXXXXX

"Otis, check that closet door! We're still missing two!"

"Copy that!"

"Severide! I'm coming up!"

"Hurry the space in here…"

CRASH

"Severide! Report!"

"Chief I'm almost there! Cruz! Take the right!"

Casey hears the PAS starting to wail and feels his stomach tighten as he nears the cramped upper attic space. "Watch yourselves in here because this…"

"LOOK OUT!" Cruz shouts as Casey feels something strike him in the back and send him tumbling to his knees. For a few tormented moments, Casey's lungs have trouble latching onto the soothing oxygen inside his mask. He remains on his knees for a few seconds before he finally snaps himself back to reality and spies Severide's slowly moving figure in the near distance.

"Severide!" Casey calls out in a panic as he starts to very carefully crawl toward him. in the meantime, Cruz had summoned Otis and Herrmann to his side to help clear away the debris field that was at Casey's back, preventing their way out.

"Hey…I'm okay…" Severide grumbles as he slowly pushes himself up just as Casey nears.

Casey grabs his shoulders and helps him to his knees, both resting in the super-heated space a few seconds longer. "Let's…get the hell outta here…"

"Copy…" Severide grunts as both of them start to slowly crawl back toward the opening that Casey had come through only moments earlier.

"We're clear!" Cruz's voice calls out as both Casey and Severide are helped over the last thick piece of timber and head back into the stairwell.

.

"51! We found the two children! Everyone out!" Boden's voice commands.

"Copy Chief! We're on our way out!" Casey tells Boden in truth as the remaining members of 51 all start to slowly traverse down the warping staircase.

"Move your asses or we'll end up as part of the landscape!" Herrmann's voice is heard as the stairs beneath them start to bend under their weight. A few might have snickered at his panicked warning but as soon as they reach the bottom of the battered staircase, it literally starts to crumble and they vacate the structure just in time.

"You okay?" Severide asks Casey in concern as Casey removes his mask and quickly downs a few gulps of cold, refreshing water.

"Yeah…you?" He replies a little bit breathlessly.

"Fine. Must have been combustibles in the roof," Severide huffs as Boden walks up to them. "Was odd Chief…coulda sworn there was a funny smell of…" his voice stops as he shakes his head.

"Of what?" Casey presses.

"Nah it was…we should get cleaned up here," Severide mentions as he turns away.

"Severide," Boden's voice calls his squad Lieutenant back in place.

"Diesel…what Hadley used. I know what's coming Monday and I'm just…it could have been anything."

"I'll call AI," Boden informs them as Severide nods. Boden could have dismissed it as mere paranoia but he knows his squad leader knows his stuff and a gut call was usually something to take seriously. "Get cleaned up."

"Copy."

Casey watches Severide turn and head back for his truck and looks at Boden with a soot-stained frown. "I smelt it too Chief," he adds quietly. "It wasn't all over but in the area where the attic collapsed it was there. Tell Benny."

"Copy…that," Boden offers softly as he watches Casey slowly head toward his truck to clean up. Hadley…that name and anything fire related brings up painful memories for them all and he can only hope that the parole hearing is a success and Kevin Hadley stays where he belongs – behind bars!

XXXXXXXX

Casey slowly walks into the busy ER, nodding toward a few familiar faces on his way to a very familiar location. He rounds the corner and then stops, his eyes resting upon his wife's back as he watches her treating a young patient; a smile instantly playing upon his lips.

But as soon as she finishes and turns to see him waiting there, her smile matches his and his heart suddenly races a bit faster.

"Everything okay?" Hallie inquires as she approaches; noting him only half dressed in his professional gear.

"Just had to check up on someone we brought for our log entry and thought I'd drop by to say hello before I left."

"I'm glad you did," she tells him as she plants a warm kiss on his waiting lips. "Rough call?"

"Could say that…brought back some tough memories of our dealings with Hadley."

"Hadley. Oh no. How's Kelly?"

"Stressed. I left him in the gym which is what I think he needed. I was thinking…maybe we could suggest to Erin and Kelly to reschedule dinner and just the two of us get way for the weekend. It is our anniversary. I'm sure they won't mind," Casey mentions as his hand lings on his wife's waist. Of course he doesn't know about the surprise dinner that his best friend and wife are planning.

"Short notice? We can't. Besides I'll have you all to myself a few days after that for four whole days."

"Mmm like the sound of that," he answers with a grin.

"Besides as much as you might think it's a burden for Kelly and Erin, I think this is the distraction they'll need before Hadley's hearing."

"You're probably right."

"Dr. Casey?"

"Still like the sound of that," Casey smiles at his wife's title.

"Me too. I gotta run," Hallie tells her husband as they break apart. "Keep an eye on Kelly."

"I will," Casey agrees as he watches her heading toward an anxious looking nurse. He turns and heads back toward the entrance his mind wondering how Severide was going to fare come Monday. As happy as he is about his upcoming anniversary, he wonders how effective Severide will even be on that day. Maybe I'll suggest he takes the day off.

XXXXXXXX

"Mr. Severide," Trudy Platt formally greets Severide as he enters the precinct later that same night. "She's in an interrogation. Room 3 if you want to watch and since I know you want to watch I'm telling you room 3. If you make a peep it's your ass."

Severide can only offer an amused snicker as he heads into the belly of the intelligence unit's police area. He spies a small gift on Erin's desk and heads toward it; picking it up in wonder.

"Secret admirer…what the hell?" Severide mutters as he rips open the small envelope. But as soon as his eyes rest upon the words, his mind starts to race. "Son of a bi…" he starts just as he rips the little package open and then stares in anger at the contents.

What the hell? My CFD badge? A paper cutout of…my badge? ...his mind trails off as he knows in that moment who sent it. Hadley! He quickly shoves the little item back into his pocket and then turns to leave, hoping his wife didn't get a chance to see it yet. Severide hurries past the front desk, pushing his way outside into the cool night are and expelling an angry expletive just as the doors close behind him.

He pulls his phone and quickly dials his father for an update. "Was it arson?"

"Good evening to you too son," Benny snickers.

"Not a good time for jokes. That fire today. The substance in the attic. Was it diesel fuel?"

"Kelly there are a lot of arsonists who…I know what you're thinking because Boden told me. Kevin Hadley is in jail!"

"He did this!" Severide's voice snaps angry. "I don't know how but he did!"

However, just before he can say another word, a hand touches his shoulder and he turns around – ready to fight.

"WHAT?"

"Hold on there, tough guy," Erin steps back in haste as Severide quickly recoils.

"Dad I gotta go. Let me know if you find anything else."

"It might n…" is all Benny Severide is allowed before the phone dies on his end.

"What's going on? Platt said you ran out of here like a bat outta hell."

"Any special visitors today?" Severide asks in haste.

"What? No. What's going on? What happened?"

"Did you get any packages or gifts or…"

"You're jealous? I thought that little box was from you," she retorts lightly. However, seeing the rigid expression remain on her husband's face forces her mind to rethink her current train of thought. "Did you open it?"

"Hell yes I opened it and it was a paper cut-out of my badge!"

"What? Let me see," Erin gently demands as Severide pulls out the crumpled mass and deposits it into her waiting grasp. "Remind me to wrap Matt and Hallie's gift on the weekend," she offers lightly as he exhales heavily. "No card? No…"

"It's from Hadley."

"What?"

"That sick bastard is playing games again!"

"Kelly…" Erin starts just as her phone buzzes. "Damn I'm waiting on this. Okay hold on a second!"

"Today's call the MO was the same as Hadley's and he was the only one that etched my damn badge number into the fires he set as a calling card! He sent this!" Severide growls as he takes the little crumpled box and shoves it back into the pocket of his leather jacket. "A few days before another parole hearing. He's playing games!"

"To do what? Make you hate him even more? Think he'd really do that? The only thing it'll do is make sure that you're there to tell the parole board to keep him locked up. He wants out on good behavior. Besides…and I know how much you hate when I play detective on stuff like this but unless we can prove he sent it…"

"It was him! He did it!" Severide ends sharply as Voight appears in the entranceway to the precinct.

"Everything okay here?" Voight asks; always concerned for the welfare of the woman he considers a daughter.

"I gotta go. We'll talk more about this later okay?"

"He's up to something!" Severide states in a heated huff before he turns and storms back toward his car; disappearing from her view as he ducks into the shadowy cabin.

"What's that all about?" Hank Voight asks her in concern.

"I don't know," Erin answers in truth as Severide's car literally peels away from the curb, leaving a distinct smell of fuel and rubber lingering in the cool night air. "But…something and it's not good."

The sound of tires peeling away is matched only by the sound conniving laughter echoing in the near distance…and a promised whisper…"see you soon Severide"….

A/N: eeks! So how do you all like the start to this angsty little ficlet? Hoping you are liking our main couple (and of course some Matt/Hallie!) BUT…is it Hadley? A copy cat? Or just a messenger while Hadley waits to get out? And will Severide actually make the parole hearing? Would love your thoughts on the start of this and if you'd like so more, so please do review before you go and thanks so much!