The Dawsons cross a line, Matt and Kelly make a decision, Sylvie wraps a few people even tighter around her finger, and Chicago gets a taste of what it means to be on the bad side of Nolan Price.

Also known as, I apologize if I'm shoving my clear favoritism of Sylvie Brett and Nolan Price down your throats . . . but it's one of my One Chicago/Law & Order crossovers, this obsession of mine should be expected by now XD

Also, I'm not sure how many folks listen to the soundtracks I normally include on my posts, but attached is one of the soundtracks I think of when Nolan takes the spotlight, especially in a confrontation.

Enjoy!

***

In the short amount of time he had been back in Chicago, Ben had decided the Windy City was a much better fit for him and his brother than Portland. Portland had been their mother's hope for a fresh start . . . one of her many attempts at a fresh start that had once again ended in a DUI charge. This one, however, had stuck and put her in prison, leaving him and his brother to stay afloat somehow. Their aunt hadn't known what they needed, and their guidance counselor and social worker had been ready to separate them.

Then Griffin had flown and found Matt Casey, and for the first time, Ben found an adult he trusted, one who truly had their best interests in mind. Matt was an immovable object when it came to Ben and his brother, and with Kelly Severide backing him up, their social worker could not keep arguing forever. He knew Matt would have to fight to make their move out of Portland permanent, but Matt was stubborn. He wouldn't give up easily.

Maybe that had rubbed off on him and Griffin when they had stayed with him all those years ago, because the way Griffin folded his arms and glowered at the siblings in front of them was all Matt Casey. "No," his older brother said simply.

"You're just going back to the loft, right?" Gabby asked, doing her best to look helpful. After hearing Kelly and Sylvie's opinions, though, Ben thought she just looked desperate. "It's late. It's not too far out of our way to drop you off."

"What do you think we are, elementary aged?" Griffin scoffed. "We don't need to be dropped off. We already have an Uber on the way. We'll be fine."

"Besides," Ben scowled, adjusting his backpack on his shoulders. He hoped his grip wasn't too tight to show how uncomfortable he was with the pair in front of him. "We barely know you."

"You know Gabby," Antonio argued.

Ben snorted. "I don't. Or I was young enough that I don't remember her now."

"I remember I cracked a rib while she was watching us," Griffin scowled. "I don't want any chance of a repeat."

Gabby's cheeks flushed, but Ben couldn't tell if it was from embarrassment or anger. "That was nine years ago!"

"Yeah," Griffin huffed. "I've grown since then. I'm not a helpless kid, Gabby. I managed to take care of myself and Ben for a month before I flew here to get Matt. We're going home, and we don't need two people who've become ghosts to chaperone us when we don't need them." Antonio narrowed his eyes, but he didn't get a chance to speak.

"Is there a problem out here?"

It was a welcome voice, one that settled Ben's hackles even though he had only known the man for less than a day, and he turned to watch Sylvie's older brother approach, the man with his hands in his pockets, his multicolor gaze locked on the four. "We're just trying to go home, sir," he said.

Nolan knitted his eyebrows, looking between the Dardens and the Dawsons. "I hope you're not trying to stop two teenagers from getting home."

"No!" Gabby huffed. "We're offering to take them home!"

Nolan's eyebrows rose. "And did their guardian say you could? Their guardian who, as you well know, is still working on making sure he keeps their guardianship?"

Gabby resembled a fish with how her mouth kept opening and closing as she stared incredulously at Nolan. Antonio was the one who scowled and turned to the prosecutor. "We're friends of Casey's, Counselor," he said.

"I don't care," Nolan shook his head. "And if, God forbid, something happens, do you think the Dardens' social worker is going to care?" Antonio opened his mouth to argue, but Nolan turned to Griffin. "Call Casey."

"Yes, sir," Griffin nodded, pulling his phone out of his pocket.

"Look," Gabby cleared her throat. "This is just one big exaggeration - "

Nolan held up his hand, stopping Gabby in her tracks. "One big exaggeration," he repeated, doubt coating his tongue and making Gabby flinch. "Tell me, Ms. Dawson, if something happens to the Dardens if they leave with you, will you call this 'one big exaggeration' when the social worker moves to strip Captain Casey of his guardianship?"

Gabby swallowed hard. "No," she whispered.

"I certainly hope not."

Griffin tapped his phone's screen, putting his call on speaker, and Matt answered after two rings. "Griffin?" he asked, sounding concerned. "Is everything OK?"

"Ben and I are fine, Matt," Griffin replied, looking up at the Dawsons. "We're at the bottom of the apron."

"Is there a problem with your ride?"

"The app says it's on the way," Griffin said. "The Dawsons are trying to offer us a ride instead."

There was a long period of silence on the other end of the line, one that made Antonio grimace. "I see." Matt's voice was expressionless, and based on Gabby's swallow, that was not a good thing. "Am I on speaker?"

"Yes, Captain," Nolan answered. "You are."

"Price." Matt sounded relieved. "I know you were on your way to your hotel. Can you stay and make sure the boys get their ride? Not with the Dawsons."

"Absolutely, Captain," Nolan nodded. "I'd be happy to."

"Thank you. Gabby, Antonio?" Matt's voice hardened. "We'll talk later. You do not get to try and insert yourselves into the boys' lives when you both have been gone for years. I'm not risking losing them. Is that understood?"

Gabby let out her breath shakily and nodded. "Yeah, Casey," Antonio nodded as well. "We understand."

"Good. Thank you for calling, Griffin."

"It was Nolan's idea," Ben chimed in.

"Then thank you as well, Nolan. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome, Casey," Nolan smiled. "I know you want to keep these boys with you. I'll do what I can to make sure you do."

A sigh came from over the phone. "Apparently, Sylvie's big heart is a genetic thing. Thank you, Nolan. Boys, I'll see you tomorrow. Have a good night."

"Thanks, Matt," Griffin smiled.

The dial tone hit without another word to the Dawsons, and Ben looked at the siblings expectantly. "Goodbye."

Griffin snickered, and Nolan's lips twitched into a small smirk, but the prosecutor remained silent, his piercing gaze on the Dawsons. "Have a good night," Antonio finally said, giving a short nod before gripping Gabby's arm and leading her away.

The remaining three watched until the pair were out of sight, then Griffin sighed. "I thought they would never leave."

"They're certainly . . . " Nolan trailed off as he thought of a word to say. "Persistent."

"Try stubborn," Ben snorted. "You missed them trying to hog all of Matt and Sylvie's attention before you showed up."

Nolan clicked his tongue, looking deep in thought as he looked in the direction the Dawsons had vanished. "All due respect to your guardian, but I'm trying to figure out how he was married to Gabby."

"Don't ask me," Ben held up his hands defensively. "I barely remember the woman."

Griffin shrugged halfheartedly. "I guess time was better to Matt than it was to her."

"Evidently," Nolan murmured. Headlights flashed down the road, and he nodded in the direction of the car that pulled up to the end of the apron. "Is this your ride?"

Griffin checked his phone and smiled. "Yes, it is," he nodded. "Thank you, Nolan."

"You're welcome," Nolan smiled in return. "I'll see you boys soon."

Both Dardens waved as Nolan walked down the sidewalk, and Ben made a decision as he slid into the back of their Uber. "I really like him."

"Me, too," Griffin grinned in agreement.

***

Matt put his phone down on his desk with more force than necessary, and he forced himself to take a deep breath as he braced his hands on the edge of his desk. "What the hell are you doing, Gabby?" he sighed, shaking his head in confusion.

Popping up unannounced for another one of her team's charity events was one thing he could deal with. He had managed that just fine two years ago. For her to pop up again, her interest in him as evident as if the sky decided to turn green, and try to force herself into some role in the Dardens' lives was unacceptable. Even though he had forgiven Gabby for the incident where Griffin had cracked his rib, it still put him on edge. Griffin and Ben were older now, and Griffin had proved he could look after himself and his brother . . . but they shouldn't have to do that when it came to two siblings who were effectively ghosts. Hell, when was the last time they had heard from Gabby or Antonio?

There was a quiet knock on his door, and Matt grimaced when he checked the time. "Come in," he said.

The door to his office opened, and Kelly poked his head inside, a concerned look on his face. "Hey," he said, stepping inside and closing the door behind him. "I heard you raise your voice from my office. Everything OK?"

Matt let out a heavy sigh and dropped into his chair. "No," he admitted. "The Dawsons tried giving the boys a ride when they left the firehouse."

"What?" Kelly asked sharply, narrowing his eyes. "You didn't tell them they could do that, did you?"

"No way," Matt shook his head. "The only people I've told them that have permission to take them anywhere are you and Sylvie. Boden, if it's an emergency. Certainly not the Dawsons." He snorted and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why the hell would I do that when I have no clue when they're just suddenly going to pop up out of nowhere?"

"You wouldn't," Kelly said matter-of-factly. "You'd walk through all nine circles of hell for those boys if it meant you get to keep their guardianship. Granted, it sounds like the Dawsons are a circle all by themselves - " Matt couldn't help but snort again. " - but you would do it. If there's been any threat to that guardianship, you've gone after it with extreme prejudice. You'll just have to nail it into their heads that you're not messing around, Case."

Matt sighed and nodded, leaning back in his chair and looking up at the ceiling. "I want this to be over," he whispered. "I want to not worry about someone from Portland showing up and taking the boys. I don't want Gabby looking at me like she wants me to forget we ever divorced. When it comes to the Dawsons, the past should stay in the past."

He heard Kelly's footsteps come closer, and when the lieutenant's hand landed on his shoulder, he relaxed under the other man's touch. "Is this a bad time to say I really wanted to strangle her every time she did that?"

Matt chuckled. "I would've let you."

"Oh, good. Because she isn't getting any chance to screw with your feelings again. Not on my watch."

The fierce protectiveness was laced with something else as well, and Matt tilted his head back further to meet Kelly's eyes. "I haven't heard that from you since we agreed to break up because we wanted to work here together."

Instead of rushing into a denial, Kelly clenched his jaw. "Well, I do think how we ended our relationship is the only one for both of us that didn't end in a spectacular implosion."

Matt couldn't help but bark in laughter. "You aren't wrong," he admitted. "Of all the relationships I've had, the one I had with you is the only one I would want to go back to."

Kelly was silent for a few seconds, and for a brief panic-filled moment Matt worried he had overstepped. "Technically you are the acting leader of the house if Chief Boden isn't here, making you the superior officer," the lieutenant finally said. "But we would just need to make sure we keep personal problems outside of the house while we're on duty."

Matt blinked in surprise. "You would be up for trying again?" he asked.

"I would," Kelly nodded. "Right now, we're more stable than any other time in our lives . . . well, the situation with the Dardens aside, but I get the feeling that'll resolve itself soon."

Matt snorted. "I'm certainly feeling better about it now than I did twenty-four hours ago."

"Yeah, same," Kelly chuckled. "My point is, there's no better time than now. Though in the spirit of being honest with each other . . . "

He trailed off, and Matt smiled knowingly. "Sylvie?" he guessed.

"Yeah," Kelly sighed. "Sylvie." He glanced down at Matt and snickered at the look in his eyes. "How long have you been head over heels for her?"

Matt raised an eyebrow. "Uno reverse."

Kelly rolled his eyes but didn't argue. "Touché." He sighed and dropped his head so his chin rested on Matt's shoulder. "Count on us to not only fall in love with each other, but also with the same woman. At the same time."

"Which we now know Sylvie is no stranger to," Matt whispered. "We love each other. We love her. The boys adore her. Where do we lose?"

"If she doesn't feel the same way," Kelly answered, but his words were laced with doubt. "But if we aren't with each other, we're with her. And you didn't see her face when Dawson and Kidd tried ambushing us at the same time."

"I saw her relief when I got away from Gabby," Matt said, clenching his jaw. "And I certainly saw her take every chance she could to evade Antonio's attempts to get her alone."

Kelly's quiet growl rumbled in his ear. "Thank God for Nolan and his clear protectiveness of his little sister."

"He's terrifying," Matt freely admitted. "He's treated Sylvie like a queen since he laid eyes on her, and she worships the ground he walks on."

"Oh, believe me, I know I never want to piss him off," Kelly snorted. "If this is what they're like now, it makes me wonder what they were like in New York before Sylvie had to leave."

Matt hummed thoughtfully. "Better for them to be that close than for Sylvie to suffer a broken heart."

He felt Kelly nod. "But we would do what we could to piece it back together."

Matt smiled in agreement. "You bet."

***

"Why the hell would you stay at that hotel when I have a perfectly good guest room available?"

The voice stopped Matt and Kelly on their way out of Firehouse 51 after shift, and they turned at the same time to watch Sylvie leave the locker room with her phone tucked to her ear, her face adorably scrunched up as she listened to the response. "Nolan?" Matt guessed with a grin.

Sylvie rolled her eyes and nodded, holding up a finger to tell them to wait. "It's the holidays, stultus es," she huffed, and Kelly blinked at Matt in confusion. Matt shrugged in response; if Sylvie was going to slip into Latin just like that, maybe they would have to learn. "You are staying with me. Or do I have to call Jack and make it an order?"

Kelly snorted and laughed, starting to walk down the apron. "I'm beginning to think that's actually a big threat."

And it must have worked, for Sylvie grinned smugly. "I'll meet you there. Amo te." She hung up with a pleased look on her face. "Works every time," she said happily, skipping to join them. "Besides, there's no way Nolan is spending the holidays in a hotel. He's here, in my city. He's staying with me."

"And no one can say no to that face," Matt smiled.

Sylvie ducked her head and blushed. "Well . . . that, too." She adjusted her duffel over her shoulder and frowned. "By the way, before I fell asleep in the bunk room, I thought I heard raised voices from your office."

Matt grimaced. "The Dawsons."

The way Sylvie tensed and glanced away set off alarms in his head, and he glanced sharply at Kelly. The lieutenant's eyes narrowed, and he stepped closer to Sylvie and gently bumped her shoulder with his. "Sylvie?" he pressed.

She exhaled shakily. "I didn't like the way Antonio kept looking at me," she confessed. "And if it wasn't Antonio looking like he wanted to pull me into a closet and lock us inside - " And that was an image Matt wanted out of his head immediately. " - it was Gabby looking like she was judging me every time I talked to Matt. Or Kidd - "

She stopped abruptly, and Kelly halted at the same time, briefly hesitating before wrapping a gentle hand around her elbow. "What did she do?" he asked, his voice eerily calm.

Even Sylvie looked startled by the bitter laugh that bubbled out of her throat. "What hasn't she done?" she asked, shaking her head and starting to walk again. "I swear, she's hated me since we grew closer."

Matt blinked. "That was over two years ago."

"Exactly."

"What the hell?" Kelly made an exasperated gesture. "Sylvie, if she's been giving you grief since . . . she broke up with me! She doesn't get to dictate who I decide to spend my time with!"

"You may need to actually tell her that, Kelly," Sylvie shook her head as she unlocked her car. "Because she looked delighted when Greg expressed interest in me then gave me the most poisonous look ever when I later said on shift that I wasn't interested and proceeded to spend my Molly's night with the two of you."

She closed her driver door and started the engine, and Matt looked at Kelly in surprise. "Did you know?"

"No," Kelly shook his head. "But honestly, I've tried to avoid anything personal with Stella. The only time it's been the two of us since the break-up was when she asked for my help with the squad part of her lieutenant's test, and other than that, the only time I've usually seen her outside of work has been at Molly's."

Matt sighed heavily. "And like she would let me see anything when I'm her superior officer." Kelly nodded in agreement, and Matt tossed his keys up and down in his hand as he walked to his truck. "Well, now I'm going to be watching her like a hawk," he muttered, opening his door with more force than necessary. "So we're all going to be dealing with our exes."

Kelly sighed. "Happy holidays to us."

***

Considering all he had unpacked was all he had needed for the one night he had stayed, It had taken no time at all for Nolan to move out of the hotel room he had booked. In truth, he hadn't made the reservation for more than two nights, for he had fully anticipated Sylvie all but demanding he stay with her.

As if I would want to stay anywhere else, he thought as he peered at the framed pictures in the apartment's living room, his fingers tracing Sylvie's features in each one she was in. He didn't plan on wasting a second of his time with his little sister.

He paused when his hand hovered over a picture in a frame that had clearly been owned longer than the rest, and he swallowed hard, carefully picking up the frame to take a closer look. Sure enough, it was exactly what he thought it was: him with his arms tight around Sylvie, both of them smiling brightly at the camera, Sylvie in FDNY paramedic dress blues.

Soft footsteps padded across the floor, then Sylvie leaned into his side. "I remember that like it was yesterday," she said quietly. "Most of my New York pictures are in my room or still in boxes . . . but I couldn't hide that one. I wouldn't."

"The day the 225 celebrated the end of your candidacy," Nolan smiled. "I remember. I still have this picture on my desk. I have a few gala ones around my loft. Hiding who you are may have kept you safe, but you are never going to be forgotten, Sylvie, not as long as I'm still breathing."

Sylvie giggled wetly. "And you better keep breathing."

Nolan chuckled. "That's the plan. And Jack has people in New York who are making sure I stay that way."

"Peter kept me in the loop about the Richard Wheatley trial, at least until he was kicked off the case," Sylvie said, walking towards the sofa and sitting. "That's the case the chief meant yesterday, wasn't it?"

Nolan sighed and nodded as he took the seat next to Sylvie. "Yes," he confirmed, taking her hand in both of his. She shuffled closer in response, close enough that their sides pressed against each other. "The jury deliberated for so long, we thought it would end up hung. But they came to a decision. Guilty on all counts."

Sylvie smiled brilliantly. "If anyone could have convinced them, it would be you."

Nolan rolled his eyes fondly. "You're biased."

"Maybe," Sylvie shrugged unrepentantly. "But you're good, Nolan. I'm here because of how good you are. I said I never wanted you to give up your career for me, and I meant it. You are without a doubt the best in Jack's office, and Chicago has been great to me. It's felt like hell to be separated for this long, but I don't regret every friendship and advancement in my career I've made here. I can't regret any of it because I don't know who I would be without them. Where would you be if I had stayed and you put me over your career?"

Nolan looked down at their joined hands, thinking long and hard over what Sylvie said. Would he have kept the EADA position? At that time in his life, he had made it clear over and over again: his little sister was his priority over everything. She was his biggest strength in his life, and that meant she was also his greatest weakness, his Achilles heel. "I don't know," he admitted, running his thumb over Sylvie's knuckles. "But likely in a position that wouldn't have put me in such a spotlight."

Sylvie nodded in agreement. "You're Jack's . . . well, jack of all trades, Nolan. You belong in the Executive ADA post. That's why you got it as quickly as you did. You deserved it, Nolan." His sister's validation made his heart clench, and he closed his eyes and nodded. A moment later, Sylvie's free hand cupped his cheek, and he instinctively leaned into her gentle touch, opening his eyes to see hers brimming with tears as she smiled at him. "Up until that point in my life, you did everything you could to put me first," she said softly. "It was my turn to think about you first, and I would make that choice again every single time."

Nolan let out his breath in a rush, inclining his head towards Sylvie's. She leaned forward and met him halfway, their foreheads touching. "Thank God for you, Sylvie," he whispered, his voice breaking. "But I miss you like hell."

"I miss you, too," Sylvie responded immediately, stroking Nolan's cheek with her thumb. "And you're going to take part of my heart with you when you leave. But you're here, Nolan. That's what matters. Neither of us have to hide anymore."

Nolan couldn't stifle his snort in time. "Voight will love that."

"Screw Voight," Sylvie said simply, her azure eyes flashing. "It's been seven years, Nolan. I'm done pretending you don't exist. If that bothers Voight, then oh, well. Jefferies has made it clear his office is watching out for me no matter what Intelligence does."

Nolan smiled fondly. "He and Jack are two very different attorneys, but I'm glad Jefferies has a straight moral compass."

"I've never doubted it," Sylvie smiled. "We'll figure this out, Nolan. It doesn't have to be today."

Nolan nodded in agreement. "You're right." He shrugged halfheartedly and chuckled. "That's one thing I've really missed about you: your optimism."

"Well, get used to it," Sylvie's grin widened. "It's the holidays. You know how insufferable I get."

Nolan laughed and turned his head to kiss Sylvie's palm before pulling her in for a hug. "After the year I've had, I'll take the insufferableness if it means spending them with you."

Sylvie smirked. "You may regret that."

"We'll see." A phone chirp made them pull away, and Nolan searched for his phone. When he saw the message that blinked at him, his eyebrows rose. "Tell you what," he said slowly, narrowing his eyes as his mind whirled with possibilities. "You plan whatever we're doing today. There's something that needs my attention right now, but after that's handled, I'm all yours."

"OK," Sylvie nodded, frowning as Nolan carefully untangled himself from the hug and stood. "What's going on? What happened?"

Nolan sighed and showed her the sender of the message, watching her expression darken. "Do you need to guess?"

***

"Are you out of your damn minds?!"

There was something satisfying about hearing an adult yell and not having it aimed at him, Ben decided as he sat back in his chair and watched Matt lash out at the pair of siblings that sat at the table across from them. The fire captain paced like an angry lion, green eyes burning like acid. In comparison, Kelly sat with his arms crossed, only his eyes showing his anger at the situation. Griffin sat next to Ben against the wall, his eyes flitting back and forth between Matt and the Dawsons as if he was watching a tennis match.

Jay Halstead, on the other hand, looked like he wanted to be anywhere other than in the room. His boss, who leaned against the wall behind him, merely watched with an intensity that made Ben feel like he was in the principal's office. At least this time, he wasn't the one in trouble.

He was pretty sure he wasn't the one in trouble, at least.

"We were just trying to help!" Gabby insisted. "You and Severide were on shift, Matt! They were going home alone!"

"We've left the firehouse by ourselves before," Griffin argued. "Usually in an Uber. And if someone did take us, it was someone Matt approved!"

"Which I certainly didn't do with the two of you," Matt glared.

"Casey, it's us," Antonio leaned forward, dark eyes narrowed on the captain. "You can trust us!"

"It's in Griffin's medical files that he cracked his rib when you were watching him, Gabby!" Matt snapped. "If you had taken the boys and something happened, what do you think authorities would say? What the stubborn women in Portland would say when they found out?"

"When," Kelly repeated. "Not if."

"Nothing would have happened!" Gabby protested.

Jay actually let out a sound of disbelief and facepalmed. "Nothing happened because the boys didn't go with you," Hank said gravely. "That doesn't mean the hypotheticals no longer exist."

Antonio scowled. "We try to do something nice, and we're suddenly the bad guys?"

"You're the bad guys in the picture everyone would paint." That voice came from the final occupant of the room, and the tone demanding respect made Antonio's spine visibly stiffen. There were few authority figures Ben could say he trusted, but when Antonio made him uncomfortable, he would respect anyone who made the former detective uncomfortable. As Mark Jefferies leaned forward in his chair and leveled iron eyes on his former investigator, Ben decided the State's Attorney was likely someone he could trust, too. "Medical records can be accessed," he said. "So can personnel records. If something had happened to these boys while you had them under your watch, CPS would see Griffin cracked a rib while Ms. Dawson was being neglectful. The right eyes digging in the right places would find why you left the CPD and followed your sister to Puerto Rico, Antonio. They would have everything they needed to remove the Dardens from Casey's care and ship them right back to Portland."

Ben flinched at the thought. "No," he shook his head violently. "I'm not going back there!"

"And you won't," Kelly promised, swiveling in his chair to face the boys. "Matt and I won't let that happen."

"Why couldn't you just take no for an answer?" Griffin demanded, wrapping his arm around Ben's shoulders. "We aren't little kids anymore, Gabby! And your brother isn't a detective, either. You had no reason to take us!"

"I've known you for years!" Gabby huffed. "You aren't strangers to me, Griffin!"

"You are to us!"

Griffin's shout echoed in the suddenly silent conference room, then a tentative knock sounded on the door. Hank pursed his lips but didn't look away from the Dawsons as he answered. "What is it?"

The door cracked open, and Adam poked his head in, a confused look on his face. "Sorry, guys," he said, hesitantly looking around before settling his gaze on Hank. "Sarge, Platt just sent someone up who said you asked him to come here."

Jefferies looked inquisitively at Matt and Kelly, but the two fire officers looked just as perplexed. Hank, however, straightened off the wall, his eyes sharpening. "Let him in, Adam."

Adam nodded and ducked out of view. A moment later, a different man stepped inside, and Antonio laughed derisively. "Of course, you're here, too."

"I don't even know what I'm here for," Nolan shrugged as he folded his arms, taking in the amount of people that had been stuffed into the room. "I thought I did when I saw who messaged me, but now I'm not so sure."

"Well, I'll be," Jefferies whistled lowly, rising from his seat. "Nolan Price. What's it been, three years?"

"Sounds about right, sir," Nolan nodded, firmly shaking Jefferies' hand. "You were in Manhattan to help Benson and Stone with one of their cases." He smirked. "I'm sorry, but you can't have him back."

Jefferies sighed. "I try every time I somehow manage to get him on the phone."

Nolan snorted. "First, you'd have to convince Jack. Then you'd have to convince Stone. And if you somehow managed that, you would then be facing Benson and her son. Good luck with that."

Jefferies chuckled and shook his head. "I'm not a man who would take Peter from his family after all he's been through. I'm just glad he's found his place."

"He's very happy," Nolan promised.

"That's all I need to hear."

Nolan nodded then turned to Hank. "Sergeant."

The cool curtness made Ben blink, and Hank nodded in return. "Counselor. I understand you intervened on the Dardens' behalf last night?"

Nolan's eyes sharpened, and he nodded, turning his head to immediately seek where the Dardens were located. "Did you two make it back OK?"

"Yes, sir," Griffin nodded.

"Good," Nolan said with a pleased smile. "So what's this meeting about?"

Hank snorted. "Apparently, the Dawsons thought coming here to complain about you 'sticking your nose where it didn't belong' was a good idea."

Nolan blinked once, twice, then snorted loudly. "My nose? I thought the boys made it perfectly clear they wanted nothing to do with them."

"Thank you!" Ben huffed. "Finally, an adult here who listens other than Matt and Kelly!"

"Hey!" Gabby glared.

"He isn't wrong," Nolan said bluntly, gesturing to the seat across from Jefferies. "May I?"

"Please," Matt sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "The sooner this headache ends, the better."

"Excellent." Nolan pulled out the chair and sat down without further ado, either not noticing Jay give him an appraising look or choosing to ignore him. "The Dawsons said they were trying to take them home, and when I asked if they had Casey's permission to do so, they said me being concerned over what could happen if something went wrong was 'one big exaggeration.'"

Kelly looked at Gabby incredulously. "Are you trying to kick the boys back to Portland?"

"Come on, Severide," Antonio huffed. "That won't actually happen, will it?"

"Heather dragged the boys all around the country because of all her DUIs, and the boys have never had a stable life to the point these women think Portland is where they should stay," Matt seethed, closing his eyes and mentally counting backwards from ten. "The only reason I was able to take them from Portland in the first place is because I pointed out just how neglectful they were when they never noticed the boys were on their own for over a month. They're insistent that Portland is where they should be. It helps that I live in the loft with Kelly - I don't know what luck I would have if I was by myself."

"Custody cases like this can get very ugly," Nolan said, steepling his fingers and resting his elbows on the table. "These women sound so determined to get what they want, they'll find any weakness, no matter how small, and pick at it to make it larger so they can point and say they were right."

"Weaknesses?" Gabby scoffed. "We aren't weaknesses!"

Nolan looked at her dubiously, then he pulled out his phone and scrolled through something. "So you aren't the Gabriela Dawson listed in Griffin's medical records as the one who admitted he cracked a rib while under your watch because you were having a phone call with your boyfriend at the time?"

Jay sat upright in his chair, and Gabby's jaw dropped. "How - ?!"

"How did you know that?" Jay demanded. "How did you get those?"

"Or," Nolan held out, continuing to look through his phone contents, "you aren't the Antonio Dawson who became addicted to the painkillers you started taking after a shoulder injury?" Antonio's face drained of color, and Nolan raised an eyebrow at him. "Do I need to bring up the charges Officer Ruzek was arrested under, or - ?"

Antonio's hands slapped on the table, making Ben jump. "Enough!" the former detective growled, rising from his chair and glaring daggers at Nolan. "That isn't something you should have access to!"

"But I got them," Nolan pointed out, folding his hands and leaning back in his chair, meeting Antonio's glare without fear. "I asked one of the detectives back in Manhattan to, and I quote, 'scratch the surface' and see what she could come up with that could be used against the two of you. If this is what she found with just 'scratching the surface,' what do you think those two vultures in Portland might have tried to find if you took the Dardens and something happened? How do you think that would look on Casey?"

Gabby had covered her mouth with both hands, and she shook her head side to side. Antonio stood frozen, wide eyes flitting from Nolan to Jefferies to Hank. "Sarge," he began.

"He isn't wrong, Antonio," Hank shook his head. "Custody cases can get nasty, and serious harm can be done to both sides. And while Casey and I have our differences, I remember how well he took care of Griffin and Ben. He is their best chance, and if there is any threat to that chance, I will be one of the first in line to handle that threat."

"Casey is their guardian," Nolan said simply. "He has the final say. He shouldn't have had to say anything, given I could hear the boys saying they didn't want to go anywhere with you before I even left the apparatus floor. Yet here we are, and now you know I can dig even deeper to protect them if I must." He plucked his phone off the table and stood. "Are we done wasting time?"

"At least we know the Dardens," Antonio muttered. "You're the one digging yourself into this hole."

Nolan's eyes narrowed. "You really don't like that I'm the one they trust and not you, do you?" Antonio did a double take, and Nolan chuckled darkly. "Dawson, I have served as Jack McCoy's Executive ADA for over a decade now. Do you think I got that position on a whim? I was a public defender and defense attorney for years before I decided to switch sides, and Jack's prosecutors told me point blank they would rather swallow nails than face me in court. I know what tricks these people will try and play because once upon a time, I used them to win. Years ago, I used them to win for whoever paid me. Now, I use them to win in the name of law and order." His eyes narrowed further, and he braced his hands on the table as he leaned forward, closer to Antonio. "Or does it bother you that now that I'm here, it's really obvious that my sister wants nothing to do with you?"

Antonio's jaw clenched tightly. "She's changed."

Biting laughter erupted from Nolan's throat, a sound that made Hank tense. "Dawson, I taught Sylvie everything I knew so she could use it to keep herself safe if she needed to, and anything I couldn't teach her was taught to her by Jack. She got along with Stone for a reason. If she wanted, she would wipe the floor with you and walk away with a smile on her face, even back when she dated you. She doesn't have to give you the time of day if she doesn't want to, and if you do anything that she doesn't like, I will gladly have Detective Slootmaekers dive as deep into your records as she can and bury you alive. My sister's happiness is my priority, and she wants her best friend and the boys to stay here in Chicago." He turned and looked pointedly at Matt. "I did volunteer myself into this, I know, but if you've changed your mind on the help - "

"No." Matt's voice was firm as he shook his head, a note of desperation in his tone. "Nolan, if you can help us, I want that help."

Nolan nodded firmly. "I've already reached out to a few attorneys in Manhattan that owe me a favor or two. I anticipate I'll hear back from them either later today or tomorrow. Are you OK with me giving them the gist of the case?"

"Yeah," Matt nodded. "You might be able to explain it better than me." He chuckled bitterly and gestured with exasperation towards the Dawsons. "I'm already drained from repeating myself like a broken record."

"Then leave it to me," Nolan said. "And if you have any questions, feel free to call me. If something happens in New York, I can be called back to work at any moment, but for now, I'm all Chicago's."

Matt smiled slightly, the most relaxed he had looked since they had all gathered in the room. "Thank you, Nolan."

"My pleasure," Nolan smiled in return. He stepped away from the table and turned to Hank. "Do you need anything else from me, Sergeant?"

"No, Counselor," Hank shook his head. "We've heard everything we needed to."

"Good," Nolan nodded, typing out a quick message on his phone. "Now, I was promised a dessert crawl around the district by my sister, and while I may regret the sugar high and crash I'll get later, I did say she could choose what we're doing today. At least I know I'm in for a good night's sleep." He snorted and muttered under his breath as he approached the door. "For the first time in seven years."

"Nolan." Hank's voice stopped the prosecutor in his tracks, and he turned towards the sergeant with sharp eyes. Hank gave him a long, considering look, then his voice softened. "Enjoy your time. Look out for her."

Respect flashed through Nolan's multicolor eyes, and he nodded, a pleased smirk curling his lips. "I always do."

Hank nodded in return, and Nolan left the room without any further words. Antonio was left staring at the place Nolan had been in before he vanished, and Griffin looked around in awe. "He's awesome," he whispered.

"He seems full of himself," Gabby frowned.

Jefferies laughed and patted Griffin's shoulder as he stood. "There's a fine line between confidence and arrogance, Griffin. Nolan knows he's the best, and that's why he still fields job offers from all around the country. Hell, I would be sending them to him if I thought I had something worth his time. But I know he's Jack's man through and through, and it would take a hell of a lot for him to even consider leaving the Manhattan DA's office. It's no secret that Jack is grooming him to eventually take his chair, and when Nolan runs - when, not if - he'll win by a landslide. He lives and breathes that city, and he'll do anything to protect it . . . and the people know it. He's a defender's worst nightmare, and Jack is damn lucky he's on his team."

"Jesus," Jay gulped, looking at Hank with wide eyes.

Jefferies turned to Gabby and Antonio with a grave expression. "And he is not a man you want as your enemy," he warned. "When he says Sylvie's happiness means everything to him, he isn't lying. Nolan would cut out his own heart and give it to his sister if he needed to, and he would do it with a smile on his face. The only time they've seen each other since Sylvie moved to Chicago was when Sylvie accompanied Peter to Manhattan for his father's funeral, and now that he's here . . . " Hank grimaced, and Jefferies chuckled, walking around the table and patting his shoulder. "Try not to begin a war while he's here," he advised. "I have no interest in having to watch my team go up against Jack's."

"No," Hank sighed. "And I have no interest in finding myself up against Olivia's team. You do know who Price just convicted, right?"

"I do," Jefferies nodded. "Which means Nolan not only has the 2-7 backing him up, but also Benson's team and Stabler's. Homicide, SVU, and Organized Crime." Antonio's eyes widened, and Jefferies nodded. "Like I said. You don't want him as your enemy. And if you do anything that Sylvie doesn't like . . . " He shrugged and walked to the door. "I won't protect you, Antonio. I won't stand in the way of a good man going to war for his sister. You of all people should know how that ends for the wrongdoer."

Kelly snorted as Jefferies departed. "Not well."

"In Price's case, that is an understatement," Hank grumbled, then he sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. "I would have appreciated a warning that he would be here, given who he just convicted, but when everyone says he puts his sister first, they mean it. If he finds out they're in danger because he's here, he'll be out of the city before we can say 'leave.'" He turned to the Dawsons with a steely glare. "The Dardens are in Casey's care, so he has the final say," he told them. "Don't press him again. I'm not on your side here. Understood?"

Antonio took a deep breath, but he didn't look happy as he nodded. "Understood."

"Good," Hank nodded in satisfaction. "Shall we?"

Ben was all too happy to scramble to his feet and hurry out the door. Griffin was right on his heels, and Matt and Kelly filed out behind them. "Whoa," Matt whistled, leaning against the wall as Hank and Jay brought up the rear. "That was . . . "

"Yeah," Jay shook his head, blinking rapidly. "Wow. And that guy is Sylvie's brother?"

"He is," Hank nodded, pressing his lips tightly together. "His conviction rate is as close to perfect as one can be in his profession, and he is completely wrapped around his little sister's finger. When it comes to her, his protective instincts are turned up to eleven." He glanced at Matt and Kelly as the group walked towards the main area of the building. "Was Antonio trying to get alone with Sylvie while they were at the firehouse?"

"His eyes were on her practically the entire time," Kelly admitted.

Jay winced. "So how screwed is Antonio?"

Hank snorted. "That depends on how long Price wants to play with his food."

"I'm just glad he's helping," Matt said, giving Intelligence's bullpen a quick glance as they stopped at the top of the stairs. "I mean, before now, with how hard those women in Portland were pushing . . . "

He trailed off, and Hank tucked his hands into his jacket's pockets. "Casey, a blind man could see how loyal you, Severide, and Sylvie are to each other," he said. "You three gravitate towards each other no matter where you are, and I guarantee you that Price clocked it the moment he stepped onto 51's grounds. I don't like how Price always seems to throw himself into cases that could leave him in the crosshairs of dangerous people, but I admire his dedication to Sylvie. He would find a way to rearrange the constellations for her if she asked just because it would make her happy. She wants you and the boys here in Chicago, Casey, so that's exactly what Price is going to make happen. You have a very powerful ally backing you now. Remember that."

Matt swallowed hard. "I will."

"Good," Hank nodded in satisfaction.

Jay sighed and scratched the back of his head. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea that Sylvie has a brother that she never told anyone about."

Hank patted his shoulder. "That's partly my fault. Sorry, Jay."

Jay did a double take. "Wait," he shook his head, scrambling after Hank as he strode back towards his office. "What does that mean?!"

***

Poor, poor Jay XD

Bit of an awkward spot to end the chapter, I know, but I wanted to continue on with the rest of the story, so this is where it ended. Also, if you haven't figured it out yet, I'm not friendly to the Dawsons, so if that bothers you . . . well, you can always wait until the time jump of this multi-shot when it's Manhattan's time to shine.

Next time: yes, Nolan is on vacation, but that doesn't mean his attorney mind stops thinking. Turns out when there's a hell of a lot going on in his sister's city, he's willing to do what he can to help out. It turns out to be a lot.