Title: Altered States
Chapter 1 – Past Thoughts and Future Memories

Summary: For Kelly and Erin, working in high risk jobs forces them to realize how precious life is but when their lives are completely altered by a seemingly random act, how will they recover? Will their family survive? But what if they find out the act wasn't that random? Can they fix it before it's too late?

Disclaimer: Same as always. I own nothing but my muse and my love for all things #firefighters #Lindseride & #dawsey and #Sevasey

A/N: Okay so…A New Start just finished and while I loved it to be honest I found it hard to write for both main couples in the same story and give them equal time but also to have them in the same story with the same baddie b/c two diff would be too much. So while our dear #lindseride will feature/cameo in the new #dawsey story (coming later this week - Family Ties-A New Start sequel) they won't be the mains as they will in this story (just as dawsey will make cameo's in this one but not be the main feature as in their own story – confused yet? Lol) . And this story line….is completely different from the other (b/c I didn't want to have two similar stories at the same time). It's going to be very angsty and emotional and different from what I've written before b/c variety for a writer is key (oh did I mention its emotional? Lol) ! So hope you all enjoy the ride ahead and here we go!

"You looked so beautiful tonight," Kelly offered warm praise as he looked down at his wife's naked frame beneath him; his warm frame spooned up beside her.

"You mean before or after dinner?" Erin teased in return as her delicate finger traced his sweaty, stubbled jaw before resting on his flushed lips.

"You were dinner," he winked.

"Can I return the compliment?"

"Always," he whispered as he leaned in and kissed her once more. "Happy anniversary."

"Happy anniversary to you too," she replied with a tender gaze as he propped himself up on his elbow and looked down, his fingers making small trails on her sweaty skin. "So…you sure you wanna do this?"

"We haven't been on a real family vacation since…" his voice trailed off as he started to ponder and then looked down at her less than amused expression. "A few driving trips to Six Flags doesn't really count. And Hawaii….well that was our honeymoon. How many years ago was that?"

"15. Wow."

"You know…we could always just leave…" he started to suggest.

"Don't say it," she quickly interjected as she pushed her fingers against his lips. "I think it's going to be great. I'm excited."

Kelly lay down beside his wife and pulled her close. "I am too," he told her in truth as he kissed her cheek, pulled the covers over them and then turned off the light; both of them drifting into darkness with contented smiles.

XXXXXXXX

"Okay so…coffee…" Kelly muttered as he headed for their kitchen the next morning, wearing only his pajamas and enjoying a few more hours downtime before it was off to O'Hare and then on to Disney World.

"I want green tea."

Kelly turned to watch an attractive brunette enter the kitchen with a somewhat mischievous smile on her face. "You sure you can handle the caffeine?"

"Yes."

"Is that so?"

"Yes…it's so," she argued back.

"Okay fine," he smiled at his daughter before he reached for the kettle and then filled it with hot water. "So are you excited to go to Disneyworld?"

"Yes! I was on Cassie's Instagram yesterday and saw her pictures. They looked so awesome," she gushed as she pulled her phone and showed her father the picture's on her friend's page – Cassandra Casey. "Ugh another of her brother Marcus," she groaned as Kelly chuckled. "8 year olds are so lame."

"So says one that was 8."

"I'm way beyond that now."

"Miranda Lesley Severide!"

"Mom's calling," Kelly repeated as his daughter stuck out her tongue and he couldn't help but laugh. He picked up the phone she left behind and started to scroll through the pictures. "Yeah thanks Matt…after you talked about it I knew I was doomed."

Matt and Gabby had married a few years before them and even though their daughter was two years older than his and Erin's, they were still friends when in combined social settings.

'Oh you have to take her to Disneyworld while she's still young enough to feel like a kid but old enough to really enjoy everything,' Matt had told him one night when the two families had met for a late summer barbeque two years earlier.

So he talked it over with Erin and they saved for the next two years and thought it would be an ideal time to make it a part of their 15th wedding anniversary celebration; a little monetary help from both Benny Severide and Hank Voight also helped to give them a few more options than they could afford on their own; both men still having active roles in their lives.

"What'd she do now?"

"Left the laundry in the washer…still wet," Erin groaned as she took the mug of coffee from her husband. "What time is Matt coming to get us?"

"3pm so it has time to dry," he deadpanned as she playfully pinched his side. "Remember we have that retirement celebration for Boden when we get back."

"Aye aye Chief Severide," Erin mock saluted as she took her leave.

He watched her with a small headshake and then turned back to the fridge. Beside the embossed invitation was a picture of him and Casey they day they got their CFD Chief Assignments. When he was told he was leaving 51 for 66 and Matt would be staying at 51 the feelings were mixed. But in the end it worked out as the families were now closer than ever. He and Tommy Welch had a few differences when he first started but as the years rolled past, they smoothed everything out and their professional bond began to strengthen. Rick Newhouse took a spot at 66 when it opened and was most recently promoted to Captain as well. Stella took the Captaincy of Truck and Cruz still wore with pride his Squad Captaincy. Gabby took a paramedical supervisor post and since no longer at 51 finally changed her name to Gabriela Casey. Boden took Tiberg's job when he retired and is even thinking about that himself. Herrmann took a Chief's position at another House which was odd at first but with Mouch then teaching and finally retiring it was an easier decision. Despite the fact that the core of 51 that had been together for so long and been through so much together had moved on, once each year on July 4th they all reconvened for a Firehouse reunion and that kept the 'Family Ties' going strong. That bond between them all would never be broken.

"Sure thing Sargent Severide!" He called back with a small smile as his eyes darted back to the fridge and another picture, one of Erin's promotion into Sargent of the Child Crimes division of the CFD; something she felt passionate about ever since she became a mother. At first he tried to reason with her that it would be too emotionally draining on her but she insisted she'd be okay and had since then helped to bring many child predators to justice. Antonio took over Voight's place at Intelligence when he took another job up the ladder in CPD. Antonio married Brett who took up a teaching post at the CFD. Jay married a friend of Adam Ruzek's and joined Erin as her Chief Detective along with Kim Burgess. Since they were no longer on the same team, Kim and Adam finally married. Trudy retired a year before her husband but comes back every so often to show the newbie's how it's done. With evil pleasure she'd say.

"Lost in thought?"

Kelly glanced as his wife and smiled and nodded. "Trip down memory lane," he replied as he pointed to a picture of them all at 51 – the last one taken with the original 51 family before they all slowly started to depart. "Seems like forever when this was taken," he points to a picture of the original family all still at 51.

"We just saw them all a few months ago," she reminded him with a kiss to his cheek. "Are you packed?"

"Almost," he replied with a grin as he gave her a playful swat on her ass and headed back for their bedroom.

She shook her head as she watched him go and then turned her attention to the fridge and let her eyes rest on a few other memories, two of her most favorite – the picture of their wedding day and right beside it the day their daughter was born. They had talked about having a small family, with possibly two children but when she was told the first one had some minor complications that could worsen with the second or beyond they both decided that one would be enough – and Miranda was a much loved child; born healthy. However, they didn't want to take the chance. They were close with the Casey's two kids and the set of twins that Antonio and Brett had. But the very real scare of having an unhealthy child coupled with her current workload told her to be content with one and work to give her the best life possible – which they were doing.

"Mom where is my purple swimsuit?"

"You have the Green one."

"I want both!"

Erin could only laugh at her daughter as she followed after her into the laundry room and then looked at the pile of clean laundry that hadn't been put away yet. "Both? Really?"

"Uh huh…" Miranda stated as she snatched the item from her mother's hand and headed back to her room to stuff it into her already overpacked suitcase.

"They charge by the weight!" Erin called out as Kelly's face appeared in the doorway. "She gets that from you."

"Does…gets what?" He asked in confusion as his wife neared and put her hand on his cheek. "Excited?"

"Just looking forward to having a break from work."

"Sure Jay can handle the fort on his own?"

"Think he's looking forward to bossing people around," Erin chortled in return as they headed back into the living room. "That Miller case was so heavy. This break will do us all some good."

"Yeah can't believe the bastard father might get off with his stupid defense plea."

"I know but if there is anything else to find Jay will find it; he's determined to nail him to the wall. Stone will make sure of that. Okay enough work talk," she told him with a smile as her eyes darted past him to a stack of mail on the counter. "When…is that from?"

"Yesterday."

She picked up one envelope from the CFD and waved it in front of him. "Yesterday?"

"Okay so maybe…a few days ago," he retorted as he snatched it from her hand and ripped it open. "Official retirement party for Mouch. Guess he's tired of telling everyone he was semi-retired for the past few years."

"More like got tired of the union stuff. Think Trudy wants them to get a hobby farm and like raise some goats or something."

"Poor bastard," Kelly chuckled. "They'll drive each other nuts in like one day. After that'll be looking for things to set on fire just so he can put them out."

"Not nice. Okay…Miranda! Let's go. You have to RSVP to that."

"I'll do it on the way to the airport," Kelly replied as he too heard the knock at the door and hurried to open it. "Hey buddy…" he greeted Matt with a smile as Matt entered their apartment.

"Gabby wanted to come but had some kind of incident investigation to follow up on," Matt explained as they all shuffled into the hallway and the door was locked. "But we'll check in tomorrow."

"Marcus is not allowed in my room," Miranda told Matt in no uncertain terms as Kelly offered his friend an amused smile.

"Promise," Matt nodded seriously as he looked at Kelly and smirked. The three adults chatted casually amongst themselves as Miranda posted one last Instagram clip and then the elevator doors hissed shut.

XXXXXXXX

"Never ends," Erin groaned as her phone rang while the three of them waited by their departure gate in O'Hare. "Jay…we're about to board…what's…who? Okay yes call Harkens tomorrow and get that warrant. That's some good news finally. At least the mother will be happy. She'll get her child back. Yeah send me a text update," she concluded as she looked at Kelly with a small frown. "Now I know why Hank never took a holiday back in the day."

"He does now?" Kelly shot back with a chuckle as her lips pursed. "There's someone who needs to retire."

"Your father did and still came back as an arson consultant," Erin countered as the message overhead finally called them to board.

"He just likes the title Consultant. Makes him feel special," Kelly mused. "Special right."

"Grampa Benny?" Miranda inquired as Kelly nodded. "Can we board first?" Miranda inquired.

"Are you considered a small child?" Kelly teased his daughter directly as she nodded and giggled. "But I'm glad you won this case."

"Yeah…me too," Erin stated as she turned off her phone. "Now I can concentrate on more important things."

The three of them boarded their domestic flight and chatted about what they wanted to see and do first – Miranda of course having her own ideas about everything and the two adults actually fine to go along with most. Just over three hours later, they had arrived in Orlando and then were at their hotel located in the Disneyworld area.

"Wow this place is amazing! Can we move here?" Miranda gushed as she rushed to the window to look outside at the magical landscape a head of her. "I can see Epcot!"

"Go glad it's only an hour time difference."

"Tell that to my stomach," Kelly teased as he pulled on a short sleeved button up shirt and then neared his wife as she looked out the window; their daughter still changing in the bathroom. "We should have done this long ago."

"You know I think Miranda's the perfect age for this. Plus…you know everything we do will now be documented on various forms of social media by our 11 year old."

"Look out world," he whispered as he held her close and delighted in the feel of her body pressed up against his.

"Okay can we go now?"

The two adults could only laugh as they turned around to see their daughter as she glared at them impatiently by the doorway.

"The Master calls," Kelly grinned as he neared her and tried to mess her hair.

"Da-ad!" She huffed as Erin shot him a warning look.

"Alright…let's go."

The three of them left their hotel room and headed down toward the lobby and up to someone who directed them toward the nearest shuttle that would take them to an entrance of the giant theme park.

"Okay vacation Director," Kelly started as he looked at his daughter who held a small booklet of all the things to do and see in the Disneyworld area. "Where are we going first?"

"Maybe Tom Holland will be here."

"Who?"

"Spiderman, honey," Erin whispered to Kelly whose brow furrowed and his daughter just rolled her eyes.

"Isn't he like…50?" Kelly teased as he winked to his wife.

"No. He's in high school duh," Miranda replied with a groan as Kelly shook his head.

"Well…maybe he'll be here," Erin shrugged as Miranda's smile instantly widened. "At least she likes…guys with…skills?" She retorted with a weak laugh as Kelly shot his wife a mock horrified glance. "Okay…so we're nearing our first stop. Where do we go from there?"

Despite the fact that they probably wouldn't run into Hollywood crushes, the day ahead…the week ahead promised to be filled with lots of fun, laughter and family bonding. Something they all would need to weather the dark storm clouds that quietly gathered on the horizon.

A/N: okay so hope you all liked the start and thoughts on this new world I've created for our couple. There is a reason this is set 15 years from our present timeline and well since this is AU please don't ask about the ages and who should be where and what lol it's also a fake story. But I hope you all liked the start and are curious as to what comes next and just what kind of dark clouds might be gathering and how our little family will be impacted! So please do review before you go and thanks so much!