I want to thank jscat2 on her collaboration on this story. This is after Casey is found and Gabby has told her she is pregnant. This will not be a long story it may have one or two chapters. this is just my interpretation of what happens at the beginning of next season
Gabby waited in the coffee shop for her brother Antonio as she hugged her cup of decaffeinated tea and got lost in her own thoughts. She let out a heavy sign as she brought the tea cup to her lips and let out a heavy sigh. She still could not wrap her head around the fact that in less than 9 months she was going to be a parent with Matt Casey. She was very relieved that he was safe and well but still not sure how to navigate being a parent with him. In fairy tales he would have hugged her and then they would have made up and immediately gotten back together. But fairy tales aren't real and the truth was both of them admitted that they had a lot to figure out. She chuckled to herself when she remembered the look of shock on Matts face when she told him. The first words out of his mouth were ," Wait, What? and then there had been a long pause as the news sank in. He then blushed and apologized for his reaction. But Gabby had put a gentle hand on Matts shoulder and said she was stunned too. Gabby then laughed when she told Matt about the smell of pickles had made her realize that she might be pregnant. Then confided that she started calling their baby by the nick name "Pickles. Matt laughed and she saw the joy and twinkle in his eyes as he looked at her with his deep blue eyes and the flash of his dimple. God, with one look he could make her weak in the knees. A part of her wanted to jump into his arms, wrap her legs around him and make love to him until he said her name whispered in her ear. The truth was she would always love him but was afraid of saying she loved him again and Matt rejecting her offer. So instead later that night Gabby and Matt had parted with a hug and reassurances that they both needed time to figure things out. They both left lots of things unsaid as they tried to prepare to be parents at the most unexpected time.
"Hey sis" Antonio says hello to Gabby and grins as he watches her jump slightly at the interruption of her thoughts.
Gabby frowned as she looked up at Antonio and watched him sit down across from her at the table.
Antonio reacted by putting his hands in the air and asked cautiously since he knew his sister was both stressed and full of hormones , "Hey, are you still mad at me for the Casey thing?"
Gabby's brow furrowed as she shook her head, "What? I was upset but not at you. I promise that I'm not mad. He is ok and safe which is what is important to me."
Antonio reached his hands out and took his larger hands and covered Gabby's smaller hands as he said, "That's good . How are you doing sis? "
Gabby looked at Antonio and felt tears start to well up in the corner of her eyes ,"I'm ok, just really hormonal right now."
Just then a very loud growl came from Gabby's stomach and both she and Antonio burst out laughing. Gabby's hand goes to rest on her stomach as she says "It sounds like Pickles is hungry. I haven't eaten anything this morning I only had this tea and a few bites of toast. I am still battling the nausea."
Antonio rises and says , "You need to eat something. They have great muffins here. What do you want and I'll get it for you. "
Gabby considers for a minute and then brightened as she knew exactly what little Pickle was craving., "I want a sour cream donut and a cherry cheese Danish and another decaffeinated tea please."
Antonio nods and a few minutes later returns and sits the pastries in front of her, then sits down and takes a large sip of coffee. He watches his sister as she begins to nibble on the donut then Antonio asks Gabby, "So have you talked to Matt lately? I know you said you told him about the baby. But how do things stand between the two of you?"
Gabby nods as she thinks about their last conversation, "Yes, I went to his apartment and talked about everything. We both agreed that we need time to figure out where to go from here. I think he is still pretty shaken up by Katya being killed though. I wish I could get the image of her lying there out of my head."
Antonio nods since he has seen dead bodies but he never gets used to seeing someone that young die violently, "It's too bad that she ended up dead she was so young. I wish it had turned out differently.'
"Yeah Kelly tried to clean the blood stains from the floor but they were still there when Matt and I talked. I got a little sick to my stomach at the thought of her laying on the floor when I was at the apartment. It could just as easily have been Matt and then I would be doing this alone. " Gabby looked down at the table as she wiped a single tear from her cheek as she thought about almost losing Matt. She had almost gotten sick from the site of the blood stain but had managed to compose herself. Matt had been sweet and considerate as she went into the bathroom to make her stomach quit clenching with nausea. When she came back out of the bathroom Matt had a cold ginger ale in a glass that he handed her.
"Hey, it turned out ok and you will never be alone. I'm here for you though so you never have to feel like you are alone, OK? You also have mom and dad you know" Antonio looked at Gabby making sure she know he was serious about her not being alone.
"Please don't remind me about that. I haven't told mom and dad yet until I figure things out. Antonio promise me that you won't say anything until I am ready, ok?" Gabby pleads with her older brother.
Antonio chuckles, " I promise I am not going to say a word. If you want me to be there when you tell them just let me know."
"Would you please be there? You know mom already has a problem with Matt since we broke up. I just need you to be there for moral support." Gabby lets out a sigh not looking forward to the prospect of having to tell her parents right away.
'Sure. But I gotta ask you when you say figure things out what does that mean for you? What do you have to figure out? Antonio asked his sister softly.
Gabby bit her lip and cleared her throat, "Well I don't want Matt to be with me just because of this baby. I mean, we were in a good place before this pregnancy happened but we had managed to stay friends. I know what this baby means to Matt. I just don't want to be an after-thought. "
Antonio looked at Gabby as he chose his words carefully, " I know Matt pretty well and I don't ever think he would consider you and after-thought, ever."
"Yeah but he didn't fight for me. I mean he let me walk out that door and he moved on from us." Gabby said defensively.
"Look what I am saying is it doesn't look like he moved on as much as let you go to pursue your career. Sis, we are alike about our careers. You are ambitious and I don't think Matt wanted to stand in the way of that. You were determined to be a fire fighter and Matt didn't know how to compete with that. I know Laura and I finally got divorced because of my career." Antonio let out a regretful sigh knowing that he still missed having his kids at home with him all the time. He didn't miss the fighting with Laura but he missed the good times they had as a family.
"Are you taking his side? Gabby crossed arms as her face flushed slightly
"No, what I am saying is that don't over protect your heart. Matt is a good guy so just be open to being together. I just want to see you happy, Gabby." Antonio said seriously making sure to be gentle with his very hormonal sister.
Gabby nodded, "I know I can always count on you. It's just so hard to think in terms of "Us" right now. I mean I worked so hard the last year to be a firefighter but know I am going to be a mother. It just doesn't seem real. But right now the baby comes first no matter what."
"Yeah I know and I am totally proud of you whatever happens with your career. I also know that you are going to be an amazing mom just like you are an amazing Aunt to Eva and Diego." Antonio smiled gently at his younger sister who was so like him in many ways.
Gabby nodded and said, " Thanks I needed to hear that someone believes in me right now. I just feel like I messed up everything. "
"Everyone feels that way when you first find out about becoming a parent for the first time. But even though Laura and I didn't work out I don't regret a single second I spent with her. Diego and Eva are the best parts of both of us. They are the best things about my life now. So don't be too afraid because you will miss out on so much joy by being too fearful. " Antonio said to his sister trying to calm her down.
"Yeah I just want to make the best life for me and this baby. Its all about her or him right now. And I know Matt feels the same way since he grew up in a house full of fighting ." Gabby said again as she grazed the top of her stomach again without even thinking.
"Well don't wait too long to decide because life is full of chances. And trust me it's the ones you don't take that you regret." Antonio said as he eyed his sister trying to picture a little girl that looked exactly like her. He chuckled out loud at the picture of a teenage Gabby with her fist clenched when he had told her that she couldn't see a certain boy because he was trouble. Gabby had refused to talk to Antonio for weeks afterward.
Gabby hit her brother lightly in the should and asked, "What are you laughing at?"
Antonio looked back at her with a smirk, "I was just thinking if it's a girl and she is anything like you well let's just say your daughter will give you a run for your money."
Gabby grinned and then got serious, "I just want to be a good mom and make the right choices for this baby. I didn't plan this but I already love her. And I know that Matt feels the same way so I am willing to take time to do this right."
"You guys are going to figure this out, I promise. Just remember that by being too cautious you and Matt could miss out on something really great. Sometimes you have to have a little faith in each other." Antonio rises and goes to sit by Gabby and puts his arm around her. She leans in against him and says," Tonio, I love you and thanks."
"I am going to go call Matt now and see if he wants to go with me to my first doctor's appointment." Gabby called to her brother as they left the coffee shop together
Casey took a large swig of his hot black coffee as he ate a bagel for breakfast as he waited for Severide. They intended on pulling up the blood stained floor today. His mind wandered back to Katya and felt a lump form in the pit of his stomach. He felt partly responsible for her death even though he knew that ultimately Jack was the one who had murdered her. It still bothered him that he had tried to do the right thing but everything had gotten so messed up. Then his mind changed focus as he thought about Gabby being pregnant with his baby. He thought back to his initial reaction of shock to the fact that he was going to be a father, something he had always wanted. If this had been 8 months ago he would have been overjoyed but now everything seemed so complicated with Gabby. During the past 6 months he had done his best to tell himself that they had no future together other than being friends. Then the one night after the incident in the ER at Chicago Med had made him let down his guard for a night. Matt smiled to himself at the memories that came flooding back. He remembered the taste of her lips, the look of her brown eyes filled with passion for him, and the feel of her legs wrapped around him. All of a sudden Matt swallowed hard at the thought of Gabby walking around in his T-shirt the next morning. Her shirt that she had worn the night before had gotten ripped as they tried to pull it off of her.
"Hey are you ready to do this? " Severide said as he walked into the kitchen to pour himself a cup of coffee.
Casey jumped a little as he was startled from his thought of Gabby and their night together. "Yeah I'm ready to get this started as he looked over at the place in the floor."
An hour later they were beginning to tear the floor up and take the debris out the patio door to a waiting container. They both grimaced at the sight of Katya blood on the material the pulled up.
Kelly shook his head, "it's a damn shame about the girl. What was her name?"
"Her name was Katya. Yeah, she was a nice girl that got caught up with the wrong people. We talked a few times and she seemed genuinely nice." Casey answered back as he recalled Katya flirting with him at the club
Kelly looked at Matt quizzically and asked, "Did you guys date or something? I mean it's none of my business at this point."
Matt looked at Kelly and shook his head as he said, "I've got nothing to hide. No we talked a few times but nothing ever happened outside of a lap dance one night. I mean well, things were complicated."
"What, go ahead and spill it? Besides her being a stripper what was complicated,?" Kelly looked up as he threw more debris into the waste container."
"Well I was kind of flirting with someone again and so Katya flirted but I had my mind on someone else." Matt answered as he tried to avoid the subject of Gabby with Kelly.
"Did you and Beth hook back up?" Kelly answers seeing the slightly guilty look cross Matt's face'
"God no, I haven't seen Beth since the firehouse a few months ago. " Casey looked at the ground, paused for a second and blurted out, "Oh hell you are going to find out soon enough, Gabby is pregnant."
Kelly's eyes widen in surprise and then grins widely as he claps Matt's back, "Damn congratulations man. I didn't realize that you two were dating again."
Casey gets a smile on his face but then shakes his head, "Thanks, but were not officially together again."
"OK, so what is the deal then? I mean it's obvious you've been together at least once." Kelly looked confused but listened intently to Casey.
"Yeah it was a one-time thing that we both agreed to and now Gabby is pregnant." Matt looked up at a still confused looking Kelly whose eyes widened suddenly as he thought about being trapped with Gabby a few days ago.
"What?" Matt asked as he saw Kelly's eyes widen.
"How long has she been pregnant?" Kelly asked a confused Matt.
"She just told me the other day. She found out the night I went missing and came over to tell me." Casey still not sure what Kelly was getting at.
"That means she was pregnant on the last big warehouse fire. It was a call that we went on when you missed shift to go undercover. I don't think I told you but Gabby was trapped trying to save a guy and ran out of oxygen. Things got hairy and the Chief cleared the building and only Dawson and I were in there. We both ended up running out of oxygen and getting it from the hose. I thought were weren't gonna make it out alive. I had no idea that she was pregnant. If it hadn't been for chief Dawson and I would have died," Kelly went a little pale as he thought back to how close he and Dawson had been to not making it out alive.
Casey who was kneeling on the floor let the tape measure in his hand slip to the floor. "Neither did she at that time. Damn it Kelly I should have been there to protect them instead of playing undercover hero. I almost lost both of them before we had a chance to work things out. Thanks man for being there to protect her. I mean them. "
At that point each of the men looked at the other and said a silent sorry. They knew that they were the leaders of 51 and the strife and division was never good. They shared a bond that sometimes was strained but was never broken.
Kelly who was also kneeling looked up at a pale Matt, "We all know the risks when we take this job. You'd pull me out too. That's why Rice had to go, I couldn't have someone who didn't have our back working at 51."
"Yeah, true, So what is Rice doing now?" Matt asked since he knew Rice was still Kelly's friend.
"After he left I made a few phone calls and I am trying to help him get into Arson or the Academy in a desk job. That way he has regular hours and doesn't have to worry about getting hurt. Rice was one hell of a firefighter before his wife's death." Kelly couldn't keep Rice on at 51 but wanted to help his friend be able to provide for his son.
Matt shook his head and then both he and Kelly went back to work on replacing the floor. They worked in silence for a while when Matt heard his phone ringing and saw that it was Gabby.
"Hey Gabby, What's up?" Matt says as he listens to her.
"Yeah, sure I can make it to the next doctor's appointment. Just let me know when it is and I'll be there. So how are you and pickles doing today?" Matt smiling at the thought of their nickname for the baby.
Kelly looked up and shook his head and laugh at Casey. Then Casey ended the call with Gabby and went back to work on the floor.
Severide looked up at Casey and chuckled, "Did I hear you call someone pickles? You aren't calling a hormonal Gabby pickles are you?"
Casey laughed out loud, "No that is a nickname for the baby. Gabby realized that she might be pregnant when she smelled pickles at Molly's. But I haven't seen Gabby hormonal yet but I'm sure I want to keep on her good side for the next few months. "
Kelly chuckled and then said, "So are you two gonna try to be a couple again? I mean aren't you going to want to be a part of the pregnancy?"
Matt sighed and looked at Kelly, " We're still trying to figure out everything. I think she thinks I only want to be with her because of the baby. I want both of them but on good terms not where we are at each other's throats all of the time"
Kelly leaned back and took a deep breath, "Look I know that you don't like taking relationship advise from me but you have to take a chance sometime. Remember the nurse that was at Chicago med the day I got hurt? We got together just before she left to see the world. I wish I had a chance to have something more with her but she decided to leave after the shit that went down at med that day.. If she ever comes back I am going to try with her. I mean I am the king of one night stands. But the truth is since shay died I miss having someone besides you that gives a damn if I come home or not."
"Yeah but with me and Gabby it's different. I mean we tried and failed badly. Now we have to think of the baby first. I mean I grew up in a really shitty home. I don't want that for my son or daughter. I know what it's like to not have a good home life. "Matt shakes his head trying to convince himself as much as he was Severide that he was making the right choice.
Severide answered, "Look I get not having a dad around. As great as Benny seems now he left me and my mom alone. And then my mom took refuge at the bottom of a bottle while dad was off making a new family, so I get it. But you aren't your dad and I am not Benny. So whatever you do don't base your life with Gabby on the way your mom and dad were. "
Matt all of the sudden grinned, "Damn, Severide you are giving me good relationship advice again. This is getting to be a habit."
Severide went back to work on the floor before he laughed out loud "So from now on are you going to start taking fitness advise from Mouch too? I mean you are getting relationship advice from me now."
Matt laughed as he and Severide started laying the floor and thought about what he was going to do about his future with Gabby and their child, He also thought about how he could convince Gabby that he still loved her deeply with or without the baby. At this point he just wanted the pregnancy to be easy for Gabby physically and emotionally. He also wanted to be a part of this pregnancy every step of the way, not wanting to miss on single minute of this child's beginning.