A\N 1: I know the last thing I need on my plate right now is another story but this idea wouldn't leave my head! I'd been struggling for a really good long Dawsey story to write and I found it last night in my friend's Twitter post during the Chicago Fire broadcast. This chapter and this story is dedicated to that friend and to all of my others who encouraged me to write this story.

A\N 2: This story starts (except this prologue) in an A\U world of season three and will go on from there.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chicago Fire, NBC or Global

Spoilers: 222 "Real Never Waits"

Warinings: None

Pathways

It all happened so fast; one moment they were trading places and the next she was getting hit in the head with a beam. After that it was all flashes for Gabby and she barely remembered how she got to the hospital or how she had gotten blood all over her hands and face.

Nobody was saying anything. Why wasn't anyone talking? She tried to stand but her legs wouldn't seem to work and as she stirred she saw Matt look at her, his own dried tears in his eyes.

"Matt," She studied he boyfriend's (fiancée's?) face, "Please don't-"

"You've been pretty out of it since we got here," He explained quickly, "Lets go and get you cleaned up and some water."

"Leslie! Where's Leslie?" She demanded.

"She's in surgery. Kelly's calling her family."

"I should be with him!"

"Later," Matt insisted helping her stand up, he helped her walk to the nearest nurses station and stayed with her while they checked her out and cleaned her hands and face.

"We traded places Matt…" She whispered, "I should be me."

"No!" He took her hands and looked at her, "No! No! Don't blame yourself Gabby! This isn't your fault! Shay's going to make it! We have to believe that."

"Uh-huh," She thanked the nurse who handed her a glass of cold water and then gulped it down. "Lets get back to the waiting room," She jumped off of the examination room table and grabbed Matt's hand leading him towards the waiting room.

"Nothing yet," Hermann spoke up answering her question.

"Uh!" Gabby slumped down in a chair and began to cry, Matt sitting down beside her and taking him into his arms soothing her as much as he could.

It was another four hours until a doctor finally came out to meet with them, "Are all here for Leslie Shay?" He asked.

"Ye-yes," Kelly rose to his feet, "I'm her next of kin. "How is she?" He refused to believe she could die.

"It was touch and go for awhile. The pole did some damage but we were able to stop and bleeding; the next forty-eight hours are critical but we believe she'll make a full recovery with no lasting damage. She'll be in the ICU for the next two days and then be moved to anther ward. You can all see her but one at a time and please only short visits."

The whole room sighed collective with relief, "Alright," Chief Boden spoke, "There's nothing more we can do here. Lets all go home and come back here tomorrow."

"You should go see her first," Kelly walked up to Gabby, "Then you can go home and get some sleep; I'll wait here for her parents and sister."

"I'll stay with you," Gabby told him.

"No," Kelly shook his head, "I just…" He didn't want to tell her he needed to be alone but that's what he needed, "Just go home and get some rest;"

"Alright," She nodded hugging him before following the doctor to her room.

"Oh!" Kelly ran both his hands over his face and let out a sigh, "Oh Leslie!" He shook his head punching the nearest wall out of frustration."

"Hey, hey," Matt walked up to his best friend, "You heard the doctor, she's going to be alright."

"I know. That was just to close though… I don't know what I'd do without her. I love her. I really do."

"I know you do man," He patted his back, "And she'll be around to take care of you for a long time. Someone has to do it and she does it so well," He added trying to make a joke.

"Yeah," He managed a laugh, "Yeah she does."

Gabby and Matt arrived back at their apartment utterly exhausted; it had been a day with a plethora of emotions, extremely high, highs and extremely low, lows. None of them were very hungry but they'd driven through a drive through to at least eat something.

"Ask me again," Gabby took Matt off guard by pushing him against the closed door, "Ask me again."

"Ask you what?" It took him a moment to realized what she was referring to, then it hit him, with s smile on his face he nodded and pulled out the box from his jeans pocket, he stepped away from the door and knelt down on one knee in front of her, "Gabby you're the most incredible woman I know; I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" She pulled him up and gave him a kiss.

He broke apart only long enough to slip the ring on her finger.

"It's beautiful" she examined it, "I love you." She pressed her lips to his again her body yearning for more. "Make love to me?" She requested nibbling on his neck.

"Any time," He lifted her up and as she wrapped her legs around his waist he carried her into their bedroom.

TBC

A\N: This chapter was shote but I can promise you the others will be much longer! :D