Boundless

As much as he tried, Kelly couldn't still his shaking hands.

He paced the room for what seemed to be the hundredth time, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. For nearly half an hour he'd been trying to reach Charlotte, to no avail, by way of their cellphones. He attempted to call her again, his patience wearing thin.

"Damn it, Charlie," he growled at the ringing he'd grown tired of, "pick up the phone."

He snapped the phone shut and threw it onto the desk angrily.

What else can I do? I'm on shift, I can't just ride over to her house. He sat back down at his desk and let his thoughts rush over him. She'll call back, I know she will. But what if she doesn't? What if she can't?

What if something awful happened, and she's hurt out there somewhere.

With raw nerves, he resorted to another option. Muscle memory took over as his fingers dialed the familiar number. He brought the phone to his ear, each ring blaring in his ear.

"Hello?"

Kelly swallowed before he answered. "Hey, Shay." He nearly winced at the small crack in his voice.

"Kelly?" Shay said, shushing who he could only imagine was Dawson, "Kelly, what's goin' on?"

He rose from his seat hastily, to roll the window blinds in his office for a bit of privacy, and to calm himself, even if only a bit. His feet were a bit unsteady, but not so much so that he would fall. He leaned against the desk, resting his weight on it's top.

"She's gone."

"Who's gone?" Shay asked softly. "Talk to me, Severide."

"She found out," he admitted. "Charlotte found out about the bet, and then she left."

"Oh no," Shay said, "I'm sorry, Kelly, I really am. Have you tried calling her?"

Kelly nodded, although she couldn't see him, his fingers picking at the hem of his pants nervously. "Yeah, I've been trying for a while, but she won't pick up."

"Do you think she'd answer if I tried her?" Shay wondered aloud. "I'll just stop by her house, we don't have any calls right now."

"Would you? Would you tell her I'm sorry, and that I know that's she mad? I just want to know that she's safe."

He felt tears burning the backs of his eyes, pushing their way out of his eyes, only to splatter onto his cheeks. He wiped at his eyes with the pads of his thumbs and took in a deep breath, and then blew it out of his nose.

"Hey," Shay said quietly. "It's going to be okay, alright? No matter what happens, everything will be okay."

Kelly didn't agree with her thoughts, but didn't want to push someone else away. "Thanks."

"You got it. I'll call you and let you know what she says."

He shut the phone, clutching it in his hand - almost as if he were trying to take his frustrations out on it - and stalked back to the back of his desk, plopping himself down into the cushioned chair sadly.

What have I done?



Charlotte lay on her couch, her head lying on a pillow, crying loudly into the otherwise silently house.

Her sobs echoed off the walls, surrounding her in an almost mocking embrace. She felt her stomach clench as another wave of sickness took over her; she jumped from the couch and ran unsteadily to the bathroom, where she spilled the contents of her stomach into the bowl. She grabbed a towel from the rack and wiped her swollen mouth.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Charlotte," she heard Shay call from the other side of her door. "Sweetie, it's me and Dawson. Can we come in?"

Shay has never been anything but kind to me, she reminded herself and Gabby, too. "Yeah," she responded, "one minute."

Quickly she gargled a mouthful of listerine, and checked her teeth.

She did her best to wipe her eyes as she moved down the hall, closer toward the door, and sniffed back the fresh round of tears afters he realized she was about to open the door to Kelly's best friend and roommate.

With a shaky hand, she twisted the doorknob and forced her lips into a smile.

Behind the door stood Shay and Dawson, each with their own look of sympathy on their faces, both watching her carefully. Dawson was the first to step forward, her dark eyes looking over her frame carefully.

"Charlotte, are you okay?"

Charlotte nodded, tears blurring her vision. "I'll survive."

Dawson shook her head, "That's great, but I mean health-wise. You shouldn't be that pale," she stepped forward, into the doorway, and pressed her fingers against Charlotte's neck. "You're pulse is racing. Do you mind if I do a quick check, just to make sure everything's okay?"

Charlotte's eyes were slightly widened, but she nodded. "Yeah, sure. Come on in."

Dawson and Shay carried a few supplies into the house, slipping some small talk into the mix as they monitored her health check.

"You know, now that you mention it, I have been feeling a bit off," Charlotte admitted. "I guess I didn't notice."

Dawson looked up at her from under her brow. "How so?"

"Well, I've been cramping a lot more than usual," Charlotte named, "and I can't stand to be around anything with garlic on it."

Shay hummed in the back of her throat, but said nothing.

For the rest of the check, Charlotte sat on the sofa quietly as Dawson checked her vitals, Shay stood by the window, a knowing expression on her face.

Charlotte felt the arm cuff tightening around her upper arm and winced as it pinched her slightly. "Ow."

"Sorry," Dawson said quietly. "How long have you been experiencing the cramping?"

Charlotte closed her eyes for a fraction of a second as she thought. "Uh, couple of months? Two at the least, maybe three."

"Have you had your period during any of this time?"

Charlotte shook her head. "No, but I'm on birth control, I'm not due for another one until the middle of August."

"Well, were you sick at all?" Dawson asked.

"No," Charlotte said immediately. "I wasn't sick at all. The only thing that happened was that big fiasco with Arden's uncle."

Dawson nodded, taking in every piece of information Charlotte gave her like a sponge. "Okay, and during the time it took you to heal did you take any antibiotics?"

"Yes," Charlotte whispered.

"Right," she said, a small smile on her face. "And you have an aversion to the smell of garlic?"

Charlotte nodded slowly. "That's right."

Dawson's full lips twisted into a full out smile and a chuckle slipped between them. "Well, I'm no doctor, Charlotte, but-" she drawled the last word a bit too long for Charlotte's liking.

"But?"

Dawson grabbed her hand. "It sounds to me like you're pregnant."