RMH
he wasn't even looking at me and he found me
Claire Keane
2025 on Tumblr: Trends That Defined the Year
blake kathryn
Monterey Bay Aquarium
if i look back, i am lost
Keni
ojovivo
Kiana Khansmith
No title available
hello vonnie
Cosimo Galluzzi
DEAR READER
No title available
No title available
TVSTRANGERTHINGS
Jules of Nature
Sade Olutola
almost home
seen from Argentina
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Germany
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Spain
seen from Italy
seen from United Kingdom
seen from United Kingdom
seen from United States
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Austria
@brettoniolinstead
There’s fanfiction…. And then there’s FANFICTION. The kind of shit you happen upon at like 3am or some other ungodly time because you were trying to find a fix for ur fixation at the time and you are just SUCKED IN and every sentence feels like a line of cocaine and it has quotes and imagery that permeate your brain and it’s the shit that sticks around in your consciousness forever and it never goes away and it’s always going to be one of Those Fics.
That feeling tho when you find that fic writer that just absolutely fucking
understands the characters to their core
writes so well they–just so–they just—their writing is—-THEY WRITE GOOD
shatters your bad mood with a new update
writes a fic that you can read over again and still clutch at your heart like HOLY SHIT I FUCKING LOVE–I LOVE THIS FIC
writes a scene that has you all giddy in public and that one random stranger asks you like “ooo you are smiling :) :) is that a boy :) you are talking to :)” and you’re like “no I’m reading a Everybody Lives/Nobody Dies AU, please leave”
understands and portrays the characters better than the people who make MOVIES with those characters
amazing. just amazing. fic writers are awesome
What if Part 1
** What if the threat to Sylvie’s Life hadn't been over so soon.
Sylvie’s POV
“Cruz, there is no way you’re going to convince Otis that he’s made the shortlist for the Mission to Mars,” Sylvie scoffed, taking a sip of her wine and shaking her head at his friend. They’d been at Molly’s for just over an hour now after another tough shift. Cruz had just conveyed his ideas for pranking Otis to Sylvie. She knew there was no way he’d buy it.
Cruz shook his head, “No, he’ll believe me, Sylvie,” he assured her. “Me and Otis - we’re best friends. He’ll believe anything he gets in his emails, I know that first hand. This idea? It’s genius. He’s a hundred percent going to fall for it. And the looks on Herrmann and Mouch’s faces when he tells them will be worth it completely, I’m telling you.”
“I know Otis too, Cruz, but this is a long shot and you know it,” Sylvie sighed, tapping her fingers on the bar. “I’m listening, though. Tell me your plans.”
She watched as Cruz grinned at her and took a sip of his own beer before sitting it back on the bar and leaning in towards her. “Okay, get this - cricket protein powder. He’ll totally fall for it when I explain to him how great it’ll be up there on Mars. It’ll take a bit of convincing on my part, but I think it’ll work.”
“Wait a second, cricket protein powder? Is that actually a thing?”
“Of course it’s a thing, Sylvie!” Cruz exclaimed, as if it was odd of Sylvie to think that it actually wasn’t real. “I’ve found some on Amazon, and I put in the order already. I’ll send the shortlist email tomorrow night from a fake account and by the time we’re back on shift he’ll be trying, and failing, to keep it a secret that he’s been shortlisted for Mission: Mars.”
Sylvie was glad that she still had Cruz in her life. She’d thought that after the break-up he’d not want to be friends with her anymore, but after a while, he’d been completely willing. And he kept the same worry as he did when they were dating. Like when Sylvie had been kidnapped with Mills, she knew that Cruz was always going to be there for her even if they weren’t dating anymore.
She was lucky to know Cruz that well, really. And it didn’t matter anymore to either of them that they’d been together before. All that mattered to Cruz was that Sylvie was happy and safe, and Sylvie wished the same on Cruz. Their friendship was worth more than anything Sylvie could have asked for, and she loved it.
Not only was she glad to have Cruz’s friendship, but she was glad to have Otis’ as well. She knew that he’d been crushing on her for months, but it seemed he was finally starting to get over her. Especially know that it was a well-known fact that she was dating Antonio now. She’d been teased about it since the day she’d told the guys in the house last week after their dinner together.
Both Cruz and Otis had taken it surprisingly well, congratulating her with a hug and kiss on the cheek, as they’d usually do. And, after glaring at Severide who had only a few weeks ago told her that he’d apologise to Stella when Sylvie got a boyfriend. Even though he’d already apologised to Stella now, he still pulled Brett into a hug and apologised for being a douche to her just as much as he had been to Stella.
In front of her, Cruz took another drink of his beer and continued speaking to her. “You can’t let Otis know that you’re aware of this plan, though, you got it?”
Sylvie nodded at him. “Your secret is safe with me, Cruz. But if this all goes wrong, you can’t blame me for telling you it was a bad idea. I was against it from the start, don’t forget that.”
Cruz chuckled but nodded at her before motioning to the barman to grab him another beer. He delivered him one right away, putting it on Cruz’s tab before turning back to Sylvie.
“How are you dealing with everything? With the threats and all that?” He asked. She knew he was worried about her, and she was grateful for that. Cruz was always kind to her, he always had been, and Sylvie knew that this was stressful for him as well.
Sylvie shrugged at him. “I’ve been better, but I’ve been worse too. This was more difficult at the beginning when we knew nothing about it, but the guys in Intelligence have been really great with it all, you know? Without them, I’d still be terrified about walking out of the house alone, but with patrol looking out for me, and the rest of Intelligence too, it’s not so bad.”
“As long as you’re okay, Sylvie,” Cruz nodded, cracking open the top of his beer open and taking a drink of it. “If you ever need to talk to someone other than Kidd, Dawson or Antonio, you’re always welcome to talk to me. You’re one of my best friends here in Chicago, and that’s never going to change.”
“I’m good, really. I’m good,” Sylvie assured him, finishing off her glass of wine and sitting it back on the bar. “It’s late, though, and we’ve got to be back at work at seven tomorrow. So, I’ll see you on shift.” She smiled at him, hopping off the bar stool.
“Do you need a lift home?” Cruz asked, watching her grab a few notes out of her wallet and put them on the counter for the wine.
Sylvie shook her head at him and pulled her handbag over her shoulder. “No, Gabby let me take her car tonight since she’s home with Matt and Louie anyway. I’m good to get home. Thank you, though, Cruz,” she nodded, making her way to the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow, though. Don’t forget that beauty sleep. You need it.” She joked before disappearing out the door.
“You’re all getting a treat today, guys,” Sylvie grinned, placing the tray of cheesy jacket potatoes and corned beef on the table in front of everyone.
“Ah, Chef Sylvie has returned!” Severide exclaimed, grabbing some of it from the tray and putting it onto one of his own plates. It had just passed lunchtime at the firehouse and the day hadn’t been too busy so far.
It had been raining for most of the morning and it was finally starting to feel cold in Chicago. They hadn’t been out on a call all morning and Sylvie had decided to treat everyone to a warm and cooked lunch, figuring they’d need it for strength or something if they got a call later this afternoon.
Sylvie took a seat down next to Otis and served some up herself, smiling as Chief Boden entered the room and grabbed some for himself. She knew he’d smelt it from the office and couldn’t resist.
The fact that she knew Otis was going to be pranked later tonight made it even harder for her to sit next to him and act normal. She caught Cruz’s eye across the table though and knew she had to stay quiet, for his sake. If this joke worked, she knew that it’d be the talk of the firehouse for at least two shifts.
Around the table, Gabby, Matt, Stella, Mouch, Severide, Herrmann, Otis, Cruz and Boden were all happily enjoying lunch, with the rest of the guys from the firehouse eventually joining them and filling up the table. Again, much to Mouch’s dismay, the food was gone by the time he wanted seconds.
Sylvie smiled at him in sympathy, knowing how much he would have loved seconds on this. But also knowing that if Trudy found out he’d been shoving his face with food at work, he’d be in big trouble. She liked food just as much as he did, but she knew that Trudy would think two cheesy jacket potatoes would be a bit too much for a casual lunch meal, especially with the bacon and eggs he’d ate for breakfast.
She felt her phone buzz in her pocket and pulled it out quickly, reading the new message from Antonio.
Antonio Dawson: Are you still good for breakfast tomorrow morning?
Sylvie Brett: Never been more excited for blueberry pancakes! See you then X
“So, Sylvie…” Stella began, taking a drink of her coffee on the table in front of her. “How’s life with a boyfriend now? Our little Sylvie with a cop, I’m emotional just thinking about it.”
Sylvie rolled her eyes at Stella, taking a bite of the potato. “Oh, shush, Stella,” she chuckled. “But if you must know, I’m very happy with life right now.” She smirked, shaking her head in amusement.
Stella grinned across the table at her. “Did you hear that, Gabby? Your big brother and our little Sylvie…”
“I swear I’m going to hit you across the back of the head if you don’t shut up soon, Kidd,” Gabby joked, taking a sip of her own coffee. “I enjoy teasing them as much as the next person, but please, not during lunch. Especially when I’m enjoying this so much.”
Just as Sylvie went to take another bite of potato, the alarm went off in the station. “Ambulance 61, Gunshot wound, 1531 South Karlov Avenue"
Both of them jumped up quickly, hurrying out of the firehouse and straight to the ambulance. Gabby hopped into the drivers side and Sylvie slid into the passenger seat. She turned on the music, glad that Gabby had allowed for her to play country music whenever she drove. They’d worked it out well that way - whenever Gabby drove, Sylvie chose the music and vice versa.
They arrived at the scene minutes later, the rain having turned to snow and ice on the ground below them during the hours they’d been in the firehouse. They pulled the ambo over, Gabby grabbing the bag and walking carefully across the road to the house they’d been called to with Sylvie following behind.
Gabby knocked on the door. "Fire Department, Ambulance 61.” She called. No one replied. With a look at Sylvie, she nudged the door open, finding that someone had already opened it.
The two of them walked inside quietly, Gabby asking if anyone was inside. When they reached the living room, they heard a groan outside. “Come on,” Gabby called to Sylvie who was checking a room behind them. Sylvie rushed outside with Gabby, finding a man sitting on the floor of a flat in the backyard, the door wide open.
“Sir, we’re here to treat your leg. Can you tell me what happened?” Gabby asked, dropping to her knees beside him and unzipping the bag, working on sussing out the wound and talking to the man.
The man only groaned in pain and Gabby sighed. “Brett, go grab the gurney. This guy won’t be able to walk without it. This wound is pretty bad.”
Sylvie nodded, beginning to jog back through the open house and back onto the road where they’d parked the ambo. She watched her step on the snow which was now settling onto the asphalt. That was one of the reasons Sylvie wasn’t a fan of winter - calls when they had to fight the snow weren’t fun.
She pulled open the doors of the ambo, hopping inside and accidentally knocking some of the equipment from the side of the ambo as she did so. She ignored it, grabbing the end of the gurney and working to push it out of the ambo, letting the back wheels hit the snowy ground.
As she was about to jump out, she stopped still at the sight of a man standing a few feet away from her. He was holding a gun, a beanie wrapped around his head, scarf around his neck, dressed in a black trench-coat.
“Uh, sir, I’m going to have to ask you to step away,” Sylvie spoke, hoping her voice didn’t sound as nervous as she suddenly was. The fact that this man may have been the person who shot their patient crossed her mind, not long before the fact that he may have been working with the men who threatened her crossed it too.
She stepped slowly down from the ambulance, moving to the other side of the gurney to distance herself from him. He still hadn’t moved, but the gun was still trained on her.
“Listen, sir. I’m going to need you to step away so I can take this to treat our patient.” Sylvie spoke again, her hands steadying the gurney as it sat half in the ambulance and half on the ground.
As she went to move again, she felt a hot pain hit her side and stumbled backwards, her hands immediately moving to her side and putting pressure on it. She watched as the man ran from the scene as she lost her balance from the pain and fell to the side of the ambulance, pushing herself up against the wheel and groaning it pain.
She risked a look at her side which was now covered in blood, her hands covering the wound also covered in the substance. Stars danced in her vision as the pain intensified, her hands pressing harder on the wound to try and stop the bleeding as best she could.
She knew there was no chance she’d be able to stand with this pain, and, moving one of her bloody hands and leaving the other on the wound, moved it up to the radio hooked around her body, pressing it and speaking in a painfully soft whisper, hoping whoever was on the other end would be able to hear her.
“Ambulance 61 requesting police back-up. Paramedic down.”
Her eyes drooped quickly, her hand dropping from the radio and onto the cold snow as everything around her went black.
This fanfic I’m never going to write is really damn good.
Kara Killmer and Jon Seda in Chicago Fire
Hey, Antonio. Hey! Hey.
Their longing looks
Glad
here’s the fic i promised…..not my best but i did have fun writing it! :) it’s based off of the 5x17 episode. enjoy! i don’t own anything! ————— It was honestly amazing that neither Gabby or Sylvie were seriously hurt from the huge pile of concrete being thrown at them. Gabby was left relatively unscathed, but Sylvie had a few cuts on her face from the glass. Since the whole firehouse persisted, she ended up getting them checked out at the Chicago Med.
April only had to stitch one of the cuts up, that had actually been cut pretty deep, and the others had to have antibiotics put on. Thankfully, it had taken less than 15 minutes. Gabby had fretted over her slightly when they reunited, but then relaxed when she realized that she was fine.
“I’m just glad that was the last shift of the day.” Sylvie admitted as they got back into the ambulance. Gabby took over the driving this time, letting Sylvie be able to lean her head against the glass and rest her eyes. It was impressive how quick they were able to get a replacement ambulance. And the one they usually used would be fixed by the end of the week. Despite getting concrete slammed through their windshield, she thought everything else was looking up for them now.
“Same here, girlfriend.” Gabby eagerly agreed. “And that the guy was finally caught. I feel like I am going to get a good night’s sleep tonight!”
“You’re going straight to sleep when you get home?” Sylvie questioned, lifting her head to turn towards her partner. “It’s only five!”
“No, not sleep.” She shook her head. “I think I’ll just relax and watch a movie with Matt.”
“That sounds lovely.” Just imagining her own self under blankets laying on the couch made Sylvie crave getting home. “I think I’ll probably do that too.”
“Visiting my brother?” Gabby asked, laughing when Sylvie’s face began to turn red. “I guess I was right.”
She was more embarrassed by the fact that she had immediately associated home with Antonio’s apartment than Gabby’s assumption. But she didn’t dare voice this aloud. Their relationship freaked out her partner enough. “You’re doing the same thing.” She argued back, wishing she could wipe the smug smile off of Gabby’s face. “Well, almost. Kind of. You know what I mean.”
“You’re sure your head is okay?” Gabby feigned concern, patting Sylvie’s head lightly. Then turned into real sympathy when she brought up her brother. “Actually, I do feel bad for you. Tonio is going to freak when he sees you.”
She hadn’t even thought of that. Suddenly, going to her real home seemed like a better idea than having to deal with a protective boyfriend. That would only make problems worse, as he would get more upset by her keeping her injury from him. “Oh God, you’re right.” She finally voiced aloud, letting out a dismayed moan. “I don’t want to worry him—”
“Impossible.” Gabby shook her head, rolling her eyes at the thought of her dear brother. “You knew that before even getting together with him. Antonio always has thoughts of his family on the back of his mind.”
Gabby associating Sylvie and being a part of Antonio’s family in the same sentence made her smile from ear to ear. Her friend noticed right away, shaking her head with laugh. “Even though I mostly feel grossed out, I have to admit that you two are…..” She struggled to find a word. “….pleasant.”
Sylvie giggled, amused by Gabby’s uncomfortableness. She knew that although she was still getting used to her brother and friend dating, she was happy that they were happy. But got flustered whenever she talked about their relationship. “Aw, Gabby. That’s so sweet of you.” She pretended to wipe away a tear.
“Get control of yourself, Brett.” Gabby joked, turning into firehouse 51’s garage. To the surprise of both paramedics, Antonio was standing against the fire truck, clearly waiting for their arrival.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Gabby called out to him as she stepped out of the ambulance. Sylvie didn’t vocally respond, but she was sure the confusion on her face was enough of an answer for Antonio.
“Heard some interesting information while I was at District 21.” He began, walking over to them with his hands in his pockets. “About that case you were putting all of your time and energy into.”
“It’s over now.” Gabby responded, unable to hide the proud grin that was now on her face. “We got him—”
“At the expense of almost getting killed?!” Ah, that was why he was here. And luckily for Sylvie, she wasn’t going to be the only one who would deal with angry and protective Antonio.
“Well, we didn’t.” Was Gabby’s rebuttal, who was beginning to get defensive. Yikes, she did not want to have to handle two hot headed Dawsons.
“I was told how much you were inserting yourself into the case. How about you put some trust into the force, huh?”
Gabby seemed surprised by him bringing up the police. “Seriously? You’re pissed about that?? You said yourself that they sometimes put cases on the back burner. And you can’t tell me you wouldn’t do the same thing if you weren’t a cop.”
Sylvie decided to insert herself before things could potentially get worse. “I think he was just worried about you, Gabby—”
She then wished she didn’t say anything, because then Antonio turned his attention to her. His eyes widened as he viewed the cuts on her face. One of his hands came up to cradle her face, as he tilted it to the side to examine her deepest cut more. “I thought I heard you two weren’t hurt!” He exclaimed, looking rather bothered and upset.
“Just a few scratches.” Gabby showed her brother the few minor cuts on her forehead. “Practically nothing.”
But Antonio didn’t remove his hold on Sylvie, not reassured by Gabby’s comments. “This is another reason why I’m mad,” He gestured to Sylvie, whose own stomach began to drop. Oh no. She did not want to be dragged into their dispute. “Not only were you targeted by the man due to your persistence, Sylvie was too! And she didn’t do anything wrong!”
“I didn’t mind assisting her—” She tried to mellow them both down, but Antonio bringing in Sylvie lit a fire in Gabby.
“Wow. Really?” Sylvie couldn’t help but cringe as Gabby’s voice began to get louder. Everyone else in the firehouse had to hear what was going on by now. “You’re bringing my partner into this? Sylvie can handle herself, thank you very much. We both can, so you can mind your own business—”
“You two are my business!” Antonio exclaimed, dropping his hand from Sylvie’s cheek. He ran it through his hair, showing his frustration. “You’re my sister, and she’s my girlfriend. What the hell do you expect me to do? Sit back and twiddle my thumbs when you just got a chunk of concrete thrown at your windshield?”
“You can’t just come here and yell at me about it!” She shot back, before turning her head to Sylvie. “Let’s go get our stuff. I don’t think you would be happy if I attacked my brother right now.”
“Wise choice.” Sylvie said, filled with relief. She wanted to get out of this tense situation immediately. Before following Gabby, she placed a hand gently on Antonio’s bicep. “I’ll meet you at your place?” She asked, hoping he had the same idea.
He shook his head. “I’ll wait for you to get your things, you probably shouldn’t drive at least for the rest of the day. Just a precaution.” He said, taking her hand into his and squeezing it.
“Okay, Mr. Paramedic.” She joked, letting go of his hand, turning to Gabby, who had actually waited for her. Surprisingly, instead of a glare, her eyes were soft when she was viewing both Sylvie and Antonio.
Sylvie was curious by Gabby’s different look, but didn’t say anything as they walked through the firehouse. Once they reached the lockers, however, she finally opened her mouth. “I was such a bitch to him.” She sighed, doing her locker combination. “It kind of comes out when he’s right and I’m wrong. I get defensive.” She shrugged her shoulders, a grimace on her face.
“Well, I think you both didn’t handle any of that well—” Sylvie said with caution, not exactly wanting to choose a side. What Gabby did was right, she kept pushing for answers and didn’t give up. But personally, Sylvie would have left it for the professionals. And with Antonio…..she knew he worried, and understood why he was upset, but her and Gabby could handle themselves perfectly fine. Especially Gabby, who was almost the real life version of superwoman.
“True.” Gabby agreed as she began to change. “He tends to overreact sometimes.”
“Must be a Dawson thing.” Sylvie coyly said, before letting out a tiny giggle. Gabby pretended to glare, but didn’t disagree. As it was a truth. The Dawson’s were as hot headed as they come.
Sylvie got ready before her, and she was willing to wait, but Gabby waved her off. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Go be with my brother. Get him to calm down, please.”
Gabby couldn’t have possibly meant to say an innuendo, but it was impossible for Sylvie to keep herself from raising her eyebrows. “Well….I guess if I have your permission…..” She trailed off, one corner of her mouth beginning to curl upwards into a smile.
“Ugh! Stop stop stop!” Gabby’s face scrunched up with disgust. “If you don’t leave now, I’m going to throw up.” She warned.
With a cheeky smile, Sylvie grabbed her things and left the room, knowing that Gabby was completely serious.
True to his word, Antonio was still waiting when she reappeared in the garage. He was leaning against the fire truck with his eyes closed. He must of had a long day….and then rushed over to make sure that they were okay. Her heart was filled with fondness and love as she stood and viewed him silently.
Without even opening his eyes, he started to talk. “How about you stop staring at me and come over here.”
God how does he do that? Typical Antonio. She really shouldn’t be surprised, she has never been able to sneak up on him. Which then he found to be amusing. “I was admiring the view.” She told him as she approached, standing on her toes to press her lips briefly against his.
When they separated, he casually swung his arm over her shoulder, pulling her close as they began to walk towards his car.
“You know with me not taking my car, you’re going to have to drop me off at work tomorrow at seven.” She warned him, knowing that the next day was his day off.
“Yep.” He said, not seeming bothered at all.
“I think that—” She began to try to reason with him, knowing that if she talked up sleeping in enough, he might give in.
“Sylvie, I would want to get up early anyways.” He reminded her, opening up the passenger door for her. When he was walking around to the other side, he spoke louder for her to hear him. “When do we ever sleep in if both of us isn’t off?”
He made a good point. But he also made it sound like she was always at his place. She decided to make this known to him. “I’m not always at your apartment, though.”
He gave her a look as they both got into the car. “….This is the fifth straight night you’ve stayed at my place.”
“Really??” Sylvie gasped, thinking back to the previous few days. Yikes, he was right. It’s been awhile since she had stayed at her place. She only dropped by to get clothes. “I really should go home soon…”
“After tonight?” He questioned, starting up the car. He knew her well.
“Yeah, after tonight. Wouldn’t want to change plans.”
“Definitely not.” He agreed, pulling out onto the street. He had one hand on the wheel, the other holding hers. He had definitely been very affectionate since she had arrived..
“……You didn’t know that we were okay, did you? When you found out.” Sylvie realized, watching as Antonio’s jaw tightened. At the thought of him being in a state of unknown, not knowing if they were okay, made tears begin to form in her eyes. That is one of the worst feelings of the world. “Babe—” She untangled her hand from his, reaching out to stroke his cheek.
“There are only a few other times I was that scared.” He confessed, returning his hand to the wheel. Sylvie moved her hand down to his shoulder, rubbing it gently as he continued to talk.
“Why didn’t you call me or Gabby? Or even Matt?” She asked.
“I did.” He sighed. “No one answered.”
“I had my phone on me though….” She took her phone out of her pocket, looking through her missed calls. She had three of them from Antonio. “I can’t believe…I’m so sorry—”
“Don’t apologize, Sylvie.” He softly said, shaking his head. “You were preoccupied.”
“I still feel terrible though. It makes me upset thinking about you so distressed—”
He turned down the street where his apartment resided. “That’s the past. You’re here with me now, and with getting to see Gabby too, I’m on cloud nine, honestly.”
Sylvie nodded, believing him. She dropped it, knowing that he was okay now. Plus he was starting to park, so it was perfect timing to switch topics. When he stopped the car, she got out, heading towards the building, but his hand on her waist stopped her in her tracks.
“What—”
Once he wrapped his arms around her body, she stopped talking, her head now against his chest. She reciprocated the action, grabbing the back of his jacket. They stood there for a few minutes, the only sound being heard was each of their breaths.
Until Antonio opened his mouth to speak. Her head was right by the crook of his throat, so she was able to feel and hear the soothing vibration of every word he said. “I’m glad that you are okay.”
She began to rub his leather covered back. “I’m glad that I’m here with you.” She decided to be just as truthful, opening her heart as he did.
He pressed his lips against her forehead, but didn’t say anything. They returned to their silence, enjoying their hold on each other.
“Before you can win, you have to believe you are worthy.” (Mike Ditka) 💚❤️💙 #NBCEntertainment #OneChicago #ChicagoMed #TorreyDeVitto #NatalieManning #ChicagoFire #KaraKillmer #SylvieBrett #MirandaRaeMayo #StellaKidd #ChicagoPD #MarinaSquerciati #KimBurgess #WomanCrushWednesday #WednesdayWisdom
Night
well hi it’s been awhile, hasn’t it! i hope my next fic won’t take this long to be posted….i don’t own anything and enjoy!! Also this is a reaction fic to 5x19 ——————— Finally getting to leave the firehouse after being on shift for hours was like getting chains removed from her hands and feet and boulders taken off of her shoulders. Sylvie couldn’t remember the last time she was so distracted during work. Even when Antonio and her had broken up months prior, she had thrown herself into her calls for a distraction. She knew why this time was different, though.
How could you distract yourself with something that constantly reminded you of what you were trying to forget?
She had tried to be logical with herself, that the important thing was her and Gabby passed the retraining course and could put all of their focus back into their work. Plus, they got incredibly high scores! She should be proud of herself. She did so much studying—
She cringed at the thought. Studying. What Gabby had not done, zero effort. Every day she had paid no attention to the instructor and doodled away in her notebook. But still was able to pull off a perfect score. While Sylvie was the perfect, diligent student. She took notes, participated in class, and made flash cards for herself! When she wasn’t at the class or work, she was studying at home.
The fact that Gabby got a higher score than her wasn’t what was bothering her. She wasn’t the type who wanted to be the best of everything, she wanted to do the best that she could do.
Yes, she had gotten a 98 on the retraining exam. With a lot of studying. While Gabby pulled off a freaking one hundred percent without barely putting up a finger. What does that say about Sylvie’s own skills as a paramedic? She was the paramedic in charge of Ambulance 61, shouldn’t she had known all of the test answers like Gabby? What if one of those questions was a scenario in real life, would she have then froze and ultimately killed her patient?
Gabby had tried to talk to her about it, Sylvie could tell that she felt bad. Since it wasn’t her fault, it was Sylvie’s own insecurities that were the cause to this internal dilemma, but despite this she didn’t want to hear her apologies. It only made Sylvie feel more guilty for the emotions she was feeling.
Everyone else was heading to Molly’s for the fundraiser of the families and loved ones of the fallen members of squad 6. As she was in a down mood, she decided not to go, giving a lame excuse to Matt and shoved money into his hands. Thankfully he didn’t question her, but the concerned look on his face told her that he probably was going to ask Gabby about what happened.
At least she had a day off before she had to face Gabby again. Maybe then she would be in a different mindset, and it wouldn’t go as bad as she imagined it would be if they talked right now.
Her internal conversation with herself abruptly ended when she spotted Antonio’s car right next to her own. And the man himself was leaning against his, lifting his hand up to wave as Sylvie approached. Gabby must have said something to her brother.
“Hey, stranger.” She greeted him with a half hearted wave back. Instead of getting back into his car now that she had arrived, he waited until she was an arms length away before stepping forward to pull her into his arms.
Appreciating the love and support he was giving her through actions instead of words, she wrapped her own arms around his back, pushing her face into his leather clad chest. She wished that this, an embrace with her boyfriend, could be the solution to her current problems. Without the use of words and confrontation of feelings. It would be a lot simpler.
Antonio was the one that broke them apart, pressing his lips on the crown of her head before he stepped back and opened his car door. Sylvie walked to the other side, trying to maintain her composure, which she was doing remarkably well at.
Before he could say anything, she made sure to get the first words. “Can we not talk about it until we get to your apartment?” She asked, not wanting to get into a deep discussion in the car. “We can just pretend that you wanted to be a cute boyfriend and pick me up from work with no other intentions.” She offered, resting her head on his shoulder.
“I’m fine with being a cute boyfriend.” He agreed to her request, before asking a question after a moment of hesitation. “No talking, at all?”
Guilt filled her body. They had barely seen each other since she started her retraining course, with her spending all of her time at her own apartment. He probably not only came to pick her up because her current state of mind, but also because he had missed her.
“I would love to talk,” She made sure to let him know. As it was the truth, she wanted nothing more to hear about his day, how work was going and how Diego and Eva were. However, she realized she wasn’t in the place to be able to accurately listen and give him her full attention. That wouldn’t be fair. “But I don’t think I’m in the place for it, right now. That and listening.” She explained with a grimace.
Thankfully, he understood completely. “No problem,” He reassured her, lifting his hand off of the wheel for a brief moment to squeeze her thigh. “Being with you is enough. And when we get back to my place, don’t bother on asking about me. I’m sure you have today’s events to get off of your plate.”
Her heart warmed at his consideration. This was typical behavior of Antonio and she could hardly be surprised. He had a demanding job, two kids, and a ex wife who was filled with drama. Sylvie understood that due to him having other priorities, she couldn’t always be first.
She couldn’t resist looping one of her arms around his bicep, trying to show her appreciation without the use of words. They continued their car ride back to his apartment in peaceful silence.
“Sylvie.” She dimly heard the sound of her name being called, but she was still in the haze of unconsciousness rather than consciousness. When her name was called again, and her shoulder was gently prodded with, she realized where she was and what she was doing.
A yawn escaped her when she opened her mouth to speak. She honestly hadn’t realized how tired she was. “Sorry,” She apologized, shaking her head rapidly side to side as if her sleepiness would go away. “I guess my exhaustion snuck up on me.” She shrugged her shoulders, unbuckling her seatbelt and got out of the car.
“How late were you up studying last night?” He asked when he walked around his car and got to her side. Their hands came together to intertwine as they began walking towards his apartment building.
The small reminder of why she was upset caused her cheeks to flame red. And the fact that hit the bullseye. She was late up studying, running through her flash cards like she was an assembly line. “Late.” She gave him a vague answer, hurrying in in front of him when he held open the door for her.
Although she was slightly stung by the remembrance of today’s events, she couldn’t help but crack a tiny smile at the sound of Antonio’s scoff. “Love how much detail you put into your answer.” He sarcastically remarked, giving her an exasperated look as they waited for the elevator to arrive.
Sylvie’s lip quirked up again, but the negative emotions continued to churn in her stomach. She knew she would have to push through her tiredness and confide in Antonio tonight. She couldn’t let herself sleep on this, even if she fell asleep right away, she would be bound to have a restless night. Her thoughts and emotions needed to be let out into the world. Well, in this case, Antonio.
The elevator’s doors slid open. Thankfully, no one else was inside. She prided herself for being great at small talking with strangers, but she was certainly not in the mood for that type of interaction right now.
The ride up was silent. It was so quiet that if she wasn’t standing up, Sylvie was sure she would be sleeping by now. Her eyes focused on the flashing numbers, until they landed on the number 7 and a ding was heard, signaling that they had reached the floor they had requested.
“We can talk in the morning,” Antonio voiced aloud the thought she was tempting with minutes prior, digging in his pockets for his keys. Sylvie wondered why he didn’t grab them out when they were waiting in the elevator, but she kept this thought to herself. “You deserve some sleep, after all the hard work you put into that class, while still working full time.” He unlocked his apartment, letting her go in first so he could lock the door behind him.
The moment had arrived. She couldn’t ignore it for any longer. “I don’t want to sleep on these thoughts.” She disagreed with him, watching as surprise came across his face. Understanding quickly overtook to become the main emotion, as he silently moved forward to take her hand and lead her to the couch.
“Talk to me.” Antonio demanded gently, taking her hands into his lap, rubbing his thumb against the back of her hand.
The soft expression on his face, showing so much concern for her, made her feel slightly foolish. Yes, jealously was a natural human emotion, one she rarely felt. It was the instigator, as she was more bothered my herself than Gabby. When it comes to admitting jealously however, that was a difficult part, she realized. Ideally, you should be able to love yourself despite your apparent flaws.
“I got a 98 on my test.” She began slowly, not wanting to dive immediately in. It was better to dip her toes instead of getting herself uncomfortable right away. “Gabby got a perfect score. One hundred percent.”
“That’s great for the both of you.” He complimented both her and his sister, with a slight wariness. He knew there was more to the story. Despite for their short duration of their relationship, he was always extremely intuitive. If she was in a better mood, she would playfully complain about this, striking a joking jab on his age being the reason.
“Except for the fact that I spent every waking minute studying, while Gabby didn’t do anything.”
“That’s just Gabby—”
She couldn’t help but feel a twinge of frustration at him focusing on Gabby’s part in her internal dilemma. The problem was more with herself than her fellow paramedic, and since she had barely voiced her feelings since he picked her up she knew she couldn’t vocalize her displeasure. That would hardly help, and definitely wouldn’t be fair. “This isn’t about Gabby,” She interrupted him before he could explain his sister’s behavior, wanting him to not get anymore wrapped in his own reasonings why she was upset. The truth would get them through this conversation quickly. Which would mean going to bed sooner, a goal for both of them considering how demanding their jobs were. “It’s about me. And my capability at my job.”
Realization dawned in his eyes, which then turned to sadness. It made sense—her being upset over her own worth was much more depressing than typical jealously. His hands now cradled her face, leaving her empty hands to rest in his lap. “You are an amazing paramedic.” He stressed the word amazing, not breaking eye contact to show how serious he was. “Tests scores don’t define how you perform your job. Plus, I know you said this isn’t about Gabby, but I remember how in school she never had to study for anything. It always bothered me, but some people are just like that, you know?”
He was trying to help, which she appreciated. But what he was saying wasn’t having any affect on her, and so she felt obligated to point this out to him. “You two are in completely different occupations now though.” She rose her hands to gently touch his forearms, giving him the clue that she wanted to not have her face held for any longer. He got the hint, dropping his arms slowly. The moment they weren’t touching anymore, one of Sylvie’s hands reached forward to grasp his jean clad kneecap, both wanting to still feel his presence and let him know that she wasn’t upset with him. “And this isn’t really about Gabby and other people.” She added, wanting him to stop bringing her up. As the words left her mouth, she realized that by saying that, she wasn’t exactly saying the truth. If Gabby didn’t get the higher grade, she wouldn’t be fighting against her inner demons about if she was good enough or not. “Well, it sort of is.” She said with a shrug of her shoulders, not sure on where to go next. Words were just spilling out of her mouth, and she could only hope that her boyfriend was keeping up.
“Okay, okay. I get what you mean.” He thankfully took over, and to Sylvie’s relief, without asking a question. “What Gabby does isn’t always right,” He tried again, taking a different approach. She cringed when he yet again brought up Gabby, but stayed quiet to give him the benefit of the doubt. “Like remember that time she threw that woman’s phone? Yes, my sister is a great paramedic, but sometimes she lets her hot head get the best of her. I know that because I’m the same way.”
A snort found its way out of her nose at his remark. That couldn’t be more true about the Dawson siblings. Antonio’s lips curled up into a smile at the sight of her amusement, before continuing with his advice, encouraged by her positive reaction. “Besides the procedures and technical skills you have to learn, there is much more to your job than that. Which you already know.” He placed his hand on top of hers, rubbing his thumb against her skin. “You bring different qualities than Gabby, and she brings her own as well.”
“Like what?” She couldn’t help but ask, her mind beginning to see the logic of what he was saying. There was so many aspects to any job, especially one as unique and chaotic as hers. Despite slowly starting to agree with his words, her own curiosity got the best of her. She wanted to know what qualities he was thinking of, pushing down the thoughts that were telling her to be quiet.
“You’re patient, level headed. You bring a calming presence to your victims.” With each compliment Sylvie’s cheeks became darker, but at the same time her heart grew and grew as well. He was right. While Gabby certainly never showed any signs of being rude or uncaring to the injured, sometimes she has caught eyes going back to her for a sign of reassurance.
“Unfortunately not all paramedics can say that about themselves.” He pushed back a loose piece of hair behind her ear, waiting for her response. “Right?” He pressed when she didn’t answer right away.
She nodded back. “Right.” She echoed. Instead of vocalizing her appreciation, she leaned forward to press her lips lightly against his. “Thank you.” She murmured right against his lips, so close that when she spoke they ended up briefly touching. “You knew exactly what to say.”
“Happy to help.” A yawn escaped her lips before he could rejoin their mouths. That broke the short lasting romantic moment. They could have easily went back to kissing, but Antonio stood up, ignoring Sylvie’s protests. He held his hand out, which she took while she grumbled complaints.
“We could have had just five minutes..” She sighed in annoyance, but couldn’t help but smile when she hears him chuckle.
“And have you fall asleep on me? No thanks.” He nudged open his already cracked door, letting Sylvie go in first. When she saw the bed, she realized that he did make the right decision. She really was exhausted. Changing out of her clothes seemed like it would take too much effort.
After whipping off her jeans and shirt, she unhooked her bra and grabbed one of Antonio’s shirts out of his dresser. She had plenty of her own shirts available, she preferred to wear his when she was sleeping. Also she knew for a fact that he liked when she wore his clothes.
Antonio was still in the bathroom when she crawled into the bed and under the covers. Though her body was fighting against her, she didn’t want to fall asleep until he got out. But the next thing she knew, a pair of lips brushed against her forehead, which made her eyes shoot open with surprise. She had failed at keeping herself awake. Judging by how easily she had waken up though, she must have not been out for long.
“Mhm.” She let out a soft noise of content as his arms wrapped around her body. “Night.” She mumbled, too tired to turn around to face him. Exhaustion had really hit her unexpectedly hard.
He said the same word back to her, the last thing she heard before she finally succumbed to unconsciousness.
A BROTHER’S ULTINATE REVENGE
There was no way to predict the horror that would be unleashed in Chicago. Everything appeared to be normal at firehouse 51. Except for Matt’s mood, since Gabby moved to Puerto Rico. Diego had come to check on Uncle Matt. Gabby had called & asked him to check on Matt. Matt wasn’t returning or answering her calls.
Matt “I appreciate your concern Diego, I will call gabby when I’m ready.”
Diego “ok.” He walked away defeated.
He went to talk to Sylvie. “Hey, Brett.”
Sylvie “oh hey Diego. What brings you to the firehouse?”
Diego “Aunt Gabby sent me to check on Matt. How have you been?”
Sylvie “I really miss gabby.”
Diego “I miss having you around. My dad and you are good together. He’s happier when he’s with you.”
Sylvie “listen Diego, your dad is an amazing man. I care about him so much. My feelings for him have never gone away.”
Diego “you love him, don’t you Brett.” It was a statement not a question. Kids always seemed to pick up on things adults seemed to be totally clueless.
Sylvie “of course I do. But it’s not always that simple.”
Diego “Dad loves you, you love him. I think it is that simple. But you both are so stubborn to admit it. Look I love my mom, but she continues to try and make his life miserable. She wants to take any ounce of happiness that is in his life away. Brett, don’t let my mom destroy your happiness. Eva and I are getting older. She isn’t going to be able to use us kids to hurt dad anymore. So she attacks anyone my dad starts to date. He needs you, you need him, Eva and I need you too. Promise me you’ll at least talk to him.”
Sylvie “ok Diego, I will. I promise.”
Cruz was watching and listening to their conversation.
Otis “Cruz, don’t.”
Cruz “don’t what?”
Otis “you know what I’m talking about. Look her heart belongs to Antonio. You and I both know it. And don’t look at me like that. You know I’m right.” Cruz and Otis walked outside.
Most of the firehouse went outside to run drills. Boden, Connie, Sylvie, Diego and Mouch. There was an explosion that ripped through 51.
Matt “oh my God. Get intelligence on the line now!!! Diego is in there!!!”
Diego’s ears were ringing. He looked around, saw Sylvie lying there. “Sylvie, are you ok? Please open up your eyes!!” He felt for a pulse. There was a faint pulse. Gabby had taught him first aide.“
Hank "ok everyone, stop what your working on. Firehouse 51 is in ruins. A bomb has ripped through the house. Most of them were outside. But there were people who were left inside when the bomb went off. Antonio, Matt called, Diego was in the house.”
Terror was in Antonio’s eyes. “My son was in there?”
Hank “yes.” Antonio “who else?”
Diego tried his phone, he thankfully got through to his dad.
Antonio “it’s Diego. Please tell me your ok.” Diego “ I’m fine. But I can’t see any light.”
Antonio “can you find your way out?” Diego “I don’t know dad, but I’m not leaving her.”
Antonio “who?” He already knew the answer. Diego “Sylvie, dad. She has a pulse, but it’s weak. She won’t open her eyes, dad.”
Antonio “I’m on my way. Just stay where you are.”
Diego “Dad, Brett……” Antonio “Brett what?”
Diego “she loves you. She needs you right now.” Antonio “oh God. Diego, keep trying to talk to her. I love you Diego. Tell Sylvie I love her too.”
Diego “I have you on speaker. Tell her yourself. Maybe hearing your voice will….” Diego started crying, which broke Antonio. He was tough, but when it came to his kids. Antonio could hear his son cry. “Sylvie, you need to stay with me. I love you so much. I’m coming to get you. Don’t leave me baby, please. I promise to make things right with us.”
Intelligence arrived on scene. There was chaos there. 51 was trying to get to the people left. Buried into the rubble.
Hank spoke to his unit “I want to find out who the hell is responsible. This is an attack on our family. Ask for forgiveness later. Find the son of a bitch who did this!!!”
Bomb and arson arrived on scene.
Antonio went straight to Matt “have you located Diego and Sylvie?”
Matt “no, Diego came to check on me. I saw him talking to Sylvie when I went outside.”
Antonio “ I have Diego on the line. He’s ok, but Sylvie is unconscious. I have to get to them.” Antonio “Diego can you hear us close to you?”
Diego saw light starting to show through. He saw Kelly peek his head through. “Dad, I see Kelly.”
Kelly “I’m coming to get you. Just hang on.”
He attached a rope to him. Letting him be pulled to safety. He radioed “send a board down here.”
Sylvie opened her eyes, as Kelly was securing her. “Kelly, Diego?”
Kelly “he’s ok. We got him out. Hang on Sylvie, but you need to stay still.” Kelly saw the gash on Sylvie’s side. She was losing blood.
Sylvie “ thank God.” Diego saw that Sylvie was conscious “Sylvie!!!” Sylvie “I’m ok. You?”
Diego “I’m fine. I thought you were….”
Sylvie “sssshhhhh Diego. I am here.” Diego “I love you Brett.”
Sylvie “I love you too D.” Diego “Dad is here.”
Antonio “I’m right here. I thought I lost you.” Sylvie “I’m not going anywhere. Except maybe to med. By they way I heard what you said.”
Antonio “you heard that?” Sylvie “I love you too.” Antonio “I love you so much.”
Hank sent Antonio to the hospital with Diego and Sylvie. Until they knew who did this. Police presence was going to be upped.
On the way to med, Sylvie’s vitals dropped. All Antonio and Diego could do was watch in horror. While the paramedic worked on stabilizing Sylvie.
Antonio “Sylvie, baby please don’t leave me. You fight for us, please.”
Arriving at med, Dr Rhodes was waiting. “Antonio, let us work on her. I need you to go with Maggie, you need to sign some papers.”
Maggie “you’re Sylvie’s emergency contact. You are the one to make any decisions. I talked to her when she made you her emergency contact, after gabby moved. She trusts you.”
Antonio was numb as he signed consent forms. “Maggie, I can’t lose her.”
Maggie “Dr Rhodes is the best. She’s in good hands. Does intelligence have any leads?”
Antonio “I don’t know. I left with Diego and Sylvie.”
Dr Halstead came up to Antonio “Diego is going to be ok. But I would like to keep him overnight for observation. Given what he went through, I want to make sure.” April “we are taking Sylvie to surgery. We will let you know when she is out of surgery.”
Laura had shown up “what the hell was my son doing at the firehouse!!!” Antonio “he’s fine. How about we just let it be. We should be thankful Diego is fine. They are just keeping him overnight for observation. By the way he’s ‘our son’, so get it straight. Laura "so what about your blonde friend/girlfriend, whatever she is.”
Antonio got in Laura’s face “Her name is Sylvie!!! Don’t test me Laura, I’m done with your crap.” Antonio walked in Diego’s room. Laura was right behind Antonio.
Diego “how’s Brett?”
Antonio “she’s in surgery. That’s all I know. But she’s tough and she’s feisty.”
Dr Rhodes came into talk to Antonio. Antonio “Diego, I’ll be right. Your mom will be with you.”
Antonio sat down in the Doctor’s Lounge “you saved my dad. Please give me some good news.”
Dr Rhodes “we cleaned and stitched up her wound. She had laceration to her liver. I sewed up the laceration to her liver. We gave her a lot of blood. We can only hope that she will be ok. The next 24-48 hours are going to be critical.
Antonio’s phone rang "hank, please tell you have an update.”
Voight “we are on our way to visit George Lehr.” Antonio “why lehr?”
Voight “we believe his brother Edmond Lehr is behind this. REVENGE for his brother.”
Voight “how’s Sylvie and Diego?”
Antonio “Diego is fine, they are keeping him overnight for observation. Sylvie, she’s in critical condition. This is all…..”
Voight “don’t Antonio, no one could have predicted this. We will find him and when we do I’ll give you a call. Stay at the hospital.”
Antonio “anyone else hurt?”
Voight “everyone made it out. Sylvie’s injuries are the most severe. A few bumps and bruises. But there definitely was a higher power watching over firehouse 51.” Antonio went to Sylvie’s room. He felt his heart beating fast. He gasped at the sight of this beautiful woman. He sat down in a chair, took his hand into his. Kissing her soft hand. He looked at the monitors. The only sound was the machines and the beeping of the monitors that echoed through the room. He just wanted to hear her voice, see her chew on her lip when she was nervous. He kissed her hand.
Antonio “Sylvie, Diego is going to be ok. But I need you to open your big beautiful eyes for me. I need to know you’re going to be ok. I love you…..oh God I love you baby. I promise to spend every day loving you. Please Brett, stay with me.” Antonio felt her hand squeeze his. Sylvie “Antonio, don’t cry. I’m here and I’m ok. I love you, I want us. What is bothering you?”
Antonio “You remember George Lehr?” Sylvie “yes.”
Antonio “the evidence is leading back to his brother Edmond Lehr. A REVENGE thing. This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have gotten you and gabby involved.” Sylvie “Antonio Dawson, this isn’t your fault. You can’t carry this guilt. But I do want something.”
Antonio “anything.”
Sylvie moved over on the bed, leaving room for Antonio. “Hold me.” Antonio was careful not to hurt Sylvie. He held her close, stroking her her. “I love you Sylvie.” Sylvie “I love you too. Now kiss me.” He leaned in for a kiss. Kissing her gently. But it was a kiss filled with love. Sylvie drifted off to sleep in his arms.
Otis and Cruz came into the room.
Otis “how is Sylvie?”
Antonio whispered “she will be ok. She’s already bossing me around.”
Sylvie’s eyes were shut as she spoke “I heard that. Cruz and Otis keep your mouths shut.” Cruz chuckled “she’s definitely going to be ok.” Antonio’s phone rang. “I have to take this.” He carefully got out of bed. “Voight tell me you have him in custody."Voight "he’s in custody. But he has lawyered up. We need to make sure we nail him. We can’t let someone like that find a loop hole to get away with this. Just stay with your family at the hospital. You have an amazing woman. She makes you a better man. Don’t let her go again."Antonio knew what voight ment. "She’s amazing. She’s going to be ok. Trust me I’m not letting her go this time."Antonio walked back in the room.Sylvie "they got him."Antonio "yeah baby, they did.”
Otis and Cruz were heading out of the room. Cruz “don’t hurt her again. Or I’ll hurt you Antonio.”
Antonio “ actually guys, would you mind staying. I need to check on Diego.” Walking back into Diego’s room. He saw Laura was still there. Along with his parents.
Diego “dad, how’s Brett?”
Antonio “she made it through surgery. She is awake and talking.”
Throughout the night Antonio went back and forth between Sylvie and Diego’s rooms. Diego was discharged early in the morning from the hospital. So Antonio finally fell asleep in Sylvie’s room, holding Sylvie’s hand. He was beyond exhausted. He woke up to Sylvie squeezing his hand.Sylvie “Antonio. Where’s Diego?"Antonio "he went home with his mom. How are you feeling?"Sylvie "sore. Everything hurts. But pain let’s me know I’m still alive."Antonio leaned in to kiss her. "I love you Brett.”
Sylvie “I love you too Antonio.”
One Chicago promo for the new season 😊
You can be angry about things but still make the conscious decision not to be cruel. When we remind each other to be kind, we’re not saying don’t be mad. There’s a lot of stuff to be mad about right now. But you can still be a kind and patient person. You don’t have to be mean to other people. You can choose.
TRUST
Walking out of Kyle’s office, breaking down as soon as Sylvie turned down the hallway. Another relationship where her boyfriend stated his job was more important than her. It always seemed to be the story of her life.
Antonio was walking through the hallway when he saw Sylvie crying. It broke him to see her like this. Saying nothing he took her in his arms and held her while she cried.
Antonio was rubbing her back say “I’m here baby, whatever you need I’m here.”
Sylvie “Kyle just broke up with me, cause of his job. Basically he couldn’t do his job if he was with me. Antonio is there something wrong with me? Losing men over their jobs? And no you can’t go and kick Kyle’s ass.”
Antonio “you know me so well. There isn’t anything wrong with you. Don’t ever think that.”
Sylvie slid to the floor, Antonio still had her in his arms. As he sat down next to her.
Sylvie “I miss gabby so much. I could always confide in her. She was my best friend. I really could use her shoulder right now.”
Antonio “I miss her too. She’s my baby sister and I can’t just go and see her. I know I’m not gabby, but my shoulder is always available. I mean as a friend.”
Sylvie “you know I’m here for you too. You need help with your kids, I’m here.”
Antonio “thanks. I know the kids miss you. Eva is seeing a therapist. She’s not talking to her mom. Gabby isn’t around anymore. Diego misses you. Hell I miss you.”
Sylvie “you know it’s going to take time for Eva to heal. If she needs a female to talk to call me. I’ll be there.”
Antonio had tears in his eyes “I really failed my precious baby girl.”
Sylvie “hey, Antonio….listen you’re not superman. You’re human and mistakes are a given. But that doesn’t make you any less of a father or a man. You love your kids. And they know that.”
Antonio “Brett, you were the best thing to happen to me. I’m sorry I fucked everything up. I’m sorry I hurt you.”
Sylvie “I’m sorry I hurt you too.”
Antonio “are you hungry?”
Sylvie “yes. A little bit.”
Antonio “I just need to call the kids, so they can order takeout.”
Sylvie “how about we pick up some takeout and that way your kids can spend time with you.”
Antonio “ok. How about pizza?”
Sylvie “how about pizza and Chinese?”
Antonio chuckled “ok you order Chinese and I’ll order the pizza. Then I’ll call the kids.”
Sylvie “sounds good.”
Needless to say the kids were surprised that Sylvie came home with their dad. They ate and watched a movie. The girls won the movie choice. So of course it was chick flick.
Diego “do we seriously have to watch Mama Mia?”
Eva “oh shut up deigo.”
Diego “you shut up.”
Eva “ no I told you to shut up first.”
Diego “seriously Eva you….”
Antonio “both of you shut up. NOW!”
Settling in for the night. Sylvie sat curled up next to Antonio. Who knows what the future may bring. Time will tell.
