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Shay is unsurprised when Kelly tells her they are coming back to Chicago earlier than he had previously intended. She is already off that day so it is no problem to pick them up. What she doesn't tell them is that Casey is coming with her, she wants them to clear the air so they can all move on, as best as one can, from Andy’s death. Plus Casey is just as excited as she is to meet Evan so they might as well do it together.
When she gets to their gate she unphased when she sees them holding hands on the way to her car. The kiss Kelly places on Evan's temple as they place their bags in the truck doesn't go unnoticed by either of them. They had both discussed that they would be more surprised if they never end up dating than if they came back dating, so to see them so cozy with one another made Shay and Casey really happy for both of them.
Kelly opens the back passenger side door for Evan and taps the front passenger window as a greeting before walking around to the other side of her car to crawl in.
“Hey guys, how are you?” Kelly asks joyfully.
“Not as cheerful as you, but it’s been a good morning. Happiness looks good on you Kel.” says Casey. “It really does, looks like time away was what you needed... or you know, that Hunk beside you and some kinky fun time” chimes in Shay as she begins to depart from the airport.
"Are you always going to call him a hunk and make weird comments about my sex life?" Kelly playfully whines like it's a hard ship to be reminded that his husband is incredibly attractive, or just how much he enjoys his "kinky fun time" with his husband.
“For a while at least, unless Evan wants that to stop, in which I will drop it immediately."
"Nah, you can keep stroking my ego." Evan teases, making Matt chuckle.
"Oh, we are gonna get along just fine." Matt claims with a big grin on his face.
"Don't get too big of a head now" Shay half heartedly chastises him before asking, "Do you guys want to stop and get lunch or just go back to the loft?"
“What would you rather do, Ev? Either is fine.” Kelly asks quietly.
“I could eat.”
“Good, how does Mexican sound? I want a margarita, so one of you will have to drive back to the loft.” Shay declares.
“I can drive us back to the loft Shay,” Kelly reassures her.
~~~~~~
They barely get seated in the restaurant before Casey’s eyes nearly pop out of his head when he notices the matching rings on Kelly and Evan’s fingers. “Would you like to tell us something?” he asks while gesturing to his empty ring finger, earning a chuckle from Kelly. “We eloped that same night we video called ya’ll.” Kelly says proudly. “Hey, I know it isn’t standard to get married after knowing someone for only 36 hours, but Kelly and I are willing to fight for each other, with each other. It might be odd, but it is what we wanted.” Evan says to which Kelly adds “and no, we were not drunk either, we both had one point five drinks in a span of four hours, and you have both seen how much I can drink.”
“Woah, no need to get defensive I promise I have no problem with it, if you are happy I am happy for you Kel.” Casey says reassuringly.
“If the rare couple from ‘Married at first sight’ can make it work I am sure you guys can too.” Shay says while she stifles a giggle.
“Sorry for getting defensive so fast, I’m a little too worried about the possibility of negative reactions, clearly.” Kelly says with a huffed out sigh.
“I get it man, it’s water under the bridge, ok.” Casey says as he holds eye contact with Kelly. “We are starting fresh, not forgive and forget per say but forgive and communicate like we should have all along. If we had talked about even half of what we felt when Andy died we wouldn’t have had such explosive fights, and I don’t know about you but I am so tired of fighting.”
“I am tired of fighting too, thank you Matt. I wasn’t sure if you would even want to rebuild the bridge that I kept doing my best to destroy.”
“I always knew you were a bit of a self sacrificing idiot Kelly, It’s no surprise that when you quit internalizing it I was your main target there for a while. But I don’t want to harp on what went wrong, ok? I just want my friend back, and to be honest gain an additional friend because if your husband can get your head out of your ass in less than 48 hours of knowing you he is definitely worth keeping around if you get stupid and hurt him. He will get me in the divorce.” Casey says with a shit eating grin enjoying making Evan blush and Kelly stutter and stammer before he can even form a sentence.
Shay, relishing in the chaos, happily chimes in with “Evan will get me in the divorce too,’ with an almost malicious cackle.
"What am I, yesterday's news?" Kelly says in mock outrage causes all of them to break out into laughter.
~~~~~~
Lunch was good, Shay and Matt happily teased Kelly and got to learn more about Evan. They both found themselves irritated beyond belief at his sister's audacity and were both willing to have his back if the 118 or his ‘family’ decided to continue playing any games. Before they even make it back to the loft Shay has convinced Evan that he has to go clubbing with her at some point, Kelly is invited too of course.
Matt finds himself unsure if he has landed a new best friend or a little brother who is also his best friend, not that he is complaining. Especially when he learns that Evan had spent some time in construction and wouldn’t mind helping him with bigger jobs from time to time if he needs or wants assistance. Matt can admit to himself that he cannot wait to take the young firefighter under his wing, and he is eager to see him flourish in both the firehouse and in his marriage, because if anyone deserves something good, it is definitely Evan.
They make it back to the loft and play a series of card games before Matt has to head out for the night to get ready for shift the next day. It isn’t much longer before Shay also calls it a night leaving Evan and Kelly to clean up before they too turn in for the night.