Boundless

Ding!

Charlotte rushed toward the oven nestled between the furthest cabinet and the wall, bending at the waist as she stared into the glass of the oven. Multiple dozens of the little piles of dough smiled back at her, slowly rising to form small, circular delights. She slipped on her favorite pair of oven mitts and reach into the warmth, pulling the trays from the racks to let the cookies cool.

In her attempt to bake every treat to perfection she had nearly ran herself crazy checking the underside of each cookie; although a few burned she deemed the majority of them a perfect batch. She inhaled deeply, letting the sugary scent fill her senses before she turned the dial on the stove to off.

While her masterpieces cooled she decided to change into something a bit more appropriate to be seen in public in - a thin red t-shirt and a pair of slim fit jeans - before pulling her hair into a messy bun to keep it from frizzing in the light drizzle that had overtook Chicago that day.

After the cookies cooled she layered them into a deep Tupperware bowl, securing it with a firm click of the lid.

Charlotte arrived at the fire house just as the crew had gotten back from lunch, most men patting their stomachs from the hearty meal they had, while Kelly all but devoured three cookies in a matter of seconds.

"Kelly," Charlotte laughed, reaching up to wipe the crumbs that piled into the corner of his mouth. "Slow down, they're not going to disappear."

He grinned at her, his eyes taking the shape of a crescent moon. "I can't help it, you know I love oatmeal raisin."

She shrugged, her eyes rolling animatedly. "I know. They're your favorite."

"You're my favorite," he said, pulling her closer to him. "You didn't have to bring these down, ya know. It could've waited until I got home."

Charlotte nodded, her left arm hooked around his waist, feeling a few days worth of scruffle on his chin and neck. "Yes, it could have, but I like doing things for you."

Kelly hummed in the back of his throat before planting a kiss on the top of her head. "Listen, I have to fill out a few papers. It shouldn't take long, it's just something little - anyway, feel free to stick around a while." He leaned closer, pressing his lips to her ear. "I'll make it worth the wait."

Charlotte's ears raised with her smile, and she couldn't fight the girlish giggle that tore from her lips. "Get out of here," she laughed. "I'll go see if anyone else wants a cookie."

Kelly began to walk away, but not before shooting her a wink. "Save some more for me."

Charlotte walked toward the garage, the bowl grasped tight in her hands. She heard voices coming from between the firetrucks, so she made her way toward them.

"... and if it weren't for you givin' Severide all those hints, ya big oaf, Little Miss Princess wouldn't even be here. I would have won the bet and it would be his ass polishing these boots. I mean come on, you basically laid it out on a platter for him. He didn't even know what kind of car she drove."

Are they talking about me?

Vargas, the older of the two, and sweeter, sighed. "Charlotte's a nice girl. She's good for him."

A dry laugh escaped the redhead as he scrubbed at a smudge that refused to disappear. "Yeah, good for him. Bad for me. Damn him, and damn that bet."

"At least it wasn't a love 'em and leave 'em type deal. He really cares for her." Vargas reminded him.

Hadley, patience finally worn out by an insignificant little spot, threw the boot against the side of the truck, which ricocheted left and landed directly at her feet. Both mens' head snapped toward her, their jaws unhinged.

"Damn," Hadley whispered.

Charlotte felt the bowl slip from between her fingers, landing on the floor with a padded thunk.

Cookies rolled in all directions, but she made no move to pick them up. Instead, she swallowed stiffly, her throat constricted so tightly she nearly forgot to breathe, blinking away the hot tears that formed in the corners of her eyes - she vowed to herself that she would not cry, no matter what she couldn't let them see her cry.

Her chest felt like she had a mighty python squeezing the life from her body, and felt her chin wobble shamefully before she spoke. "What bet?"

Charlotte had intended for her voice to come across stronger than what it did - even to her it sounded strained, confused, and most of all full of pain. She closed her eyes momentarily, silently praying for the containment of her tears for only a few more moments.

The men that sat only feet from her glanced to each other silently. Vargas rose to his feet and walked away, leaving Charlotte and Hadley alone.

Charlotte cleared her throat and wiped at her eyes, determined not to cry and reiterated the only sentence she could compose. "What bet?"

"Yeah, uh- listen, you should probably ask Severide about that one," Hadley muttered, raking his hand through his already mussed hair. "It's not really any of my business-"

Charlotte bit her lip, and wiped at the single tear that betrayed her. "But it is mine," she said. "It's my business and you know something about me that I don't. Please don't make me ask again."

Hadley stared down at the floor.



Jose Vargas had never been more nervous to approach the Lieutenant's office than he was at that moment.

His shaky hand raised to knock softly on the glass door, nearly turning away as Kelly turned to give him a welcoming smile. He sighed and entered the room, placing his hands behind his back in respect to his superior.

"What's up, Vargas?" Kelly asked, lounged comfortably in his chair.

He almost didn't have the heart to tell him.

Almost.

"She knows."