Boundless

The classroom was bustling with chattering children, all of whom had consumed quite a bit of cake. That day a little boy by the name of Arden Jones turned seven, and his fellow classmates decided to throw him a birthday party during story time that day. Little Arden didn't have parents, they'd both been killed in a horrible vehicle crash the prior year and he was left to his uncle, one who Charlotte knew was abusive.

She'd seen the bruises and lacerations on the boy's arms and legs, she'd even went forward about it and had it tried in court. Several times she'd been turned down, as she had no evidence, and the uncle claimed it was simply, 'a boy being a boy'.

Charlotte had put together a fundraiser for his present, all of the students chipped in to help buy it. On his desk sat a toy fire engine, something the boy talked about each day with the greatest joy she'd ever seen experienced, covered in shiny, blue wrapping paper.

"Alright Arden," she smiled and clapped her hands together, "open it up."

His small hands tore at the paper with a certain gentleness about them, with a touch that confirmed he'd never opened such a thing in his life. It nearly tore her heart in half watching him proceed with such caution.

"Go ahead, sweetie. Just tear right into it," she encouraged lightly. His dark brown eyes searched hers for a moment before he nodded his thick head of brown hair.

His hands were firm this go around. He managed to unwrap the entire present in less than ten seconds.

"Wow, a fire truck! This is awesome, thanks guys!" He spun it around gently in his hands, as if it would shatter if he gripped it any tighter, his eyes wide. "This is the best present I've ever got!"

"What are you supposed to say, class?" Charlotte questioned.

A unanimous response was heard. "Happy Birthday, Arden!"

Charlotte's soft laugh flitted across the room. "I guess that'll work, too. Now c'mon guys, let's go to recess."

One of the students fell as the crowd pushed passed him, and cried out for help.

"C'mon, Joel you're okay," Charlotte said gently. She pulled him into a sitting position and winced slightly as she took in the small cut on his knee. "Hey, you like SpongeBob, Joel?"

"Uh huh," he sniffed. "I watch it all the time."

She chuckled as she sifted through her desk drawer, "Well, I have a surprise for you, then."

Suddenly, as if she worked magic, the flood of tears stopped. "What is it?"

"You'll have to wait and see," she wagged her finger to him. "But it's pretty awesome."

Charlotte continued to dig until she found what she was looking for. She plucked the gummy Krabby Patty from her drawer as well as a decorated Band-aid. She squeezed the tube of antiseptic ointment onto her finger and spread it on the cut softly, an audible gasp escaping from Joel's lips as she did so.

"It's alright, Joel. I won't hurt you, okay? I promise."

"O-okay."

She opened the gummy for him and let him eat it as she finished. She grabbed the Band-aid and ripped the packaging from it, pressing it onto his knee.

"See! All better, right?" He nodded as he chewed. "And check out what's on it."

"WOW! It's SpongeBob!"

Charlotte nodded quickly. "Now go on, you've still got recess time!"

"You're sure I'll be okay?" He asked dramatically, his eyes wide.

She bit her bottom lip to refrain from laughter. "I think you'll be okay, you're a tough guy."

His chest puffed out as he began to strut from the room. "Yeah, I guess I am."

Boys. I'll never understand them.



Severide and Shay sat at the bar together, each with a different drink in hand.

"So let me get this straight, you met a girl-"

"Yes, I met a girl who didn't tell me her name." He felt like he'd repeated that phrase for the millionth time that day.

"Wow," Shay laughed, "the infamous Kelly Severide got rejected. Ouch," she pushed his arm lightly. "How's that feel?"

He scoffed lightly. "I didn't get turned down. She said if I wanted to know more about her then I'd find out."

"How you gonna find out?" Shay raised an eyebrow at her friend.

He sighed and took a generous sip of beer. "I don't know yet. But I'll do it. Hadley and me made this bet, if I can get her to kiss me before the month is out he cleans my boots for year." He threw a wink in her direction and smirked.

"Kelly, come on that's low even for you."

"What are you talking about? It's harmless, Shay."

Shay rolled her eyes dramatically. "Exactly why I prefer women. They aren't heartless bastards."

"Yes they are."

"Yeah. They are." She agreed with a laugh. "But think about this for a while, okay? Sleep on it. What if she turns out to be a nice girl? And what happens if you really like her?"

Kelly's brow furrowed, his finger tracing light circles around the neck of the bottle. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"Think about it, Severide. How would she feel if she knew the basis of your relationship was on a bet?"

"Right." He wiped his face with the palms of his hands. "But I'm not getting stuck on boot duty, so I'll take my chances."

"You're an ass."

"Yes I am," he confirmed. He motioned the bartender with the wave of his hand. "Another round on me."