Gabby was preparing breakfast for her and Matt as he would be back from shift within a few minutes. She would be there again next shift to work with Shay, at 51 and she couldn't wait, But she has missed out on two shifts as she had been too sore. The front door opened and Matt walked in. He dropped the bag on the ground in the corner and kissed Gabby, looking in the pan.

''Mmmm...french toast.'' He smiled and kissed her again.

''Mmmm...smelly socks and yucky t-shirts.'' She said as she smiled and walked to his bag, pulling his dirty clothes out and wanted to bring them to the washer but Matt stood in front of her and took them from her hands.

''I know where the washer is...I think the toast is done.'' He said as smoke started to rise from the pan and she fled to the pan while he walked to the washer. He put them in, as well as his shirt he was wearing which was a little sweaty as well and walked back to the kitchen.

''Mmmm...shirtless you.'' Gabby smiled as she let the toast slid down on the plate and he sat down across her and they had breakfast. This afternoon it was Diego's birthday and Gabby was looking forward because she would see Diego and Eva and she always liked that. But she was also scared as she would face her brother again for the first time since the terroristic attack and she was scared he would start about it. Not because she didn't want to hear about how his unit had captured the guy, but because she was still dealing with it.

Or not dealing with it at all. Every night she dreamed she was under the rubble and Matt wouldn't come. She could hear the thundering sound of the bomb every night before she closed her eyes and fell asleep and multiple times a night she woke up, scared, shaking.

She looked as Matt walked up the stairs to get showered and ready for the birthday and she wished she could tell him, but he was too worried about her. He would be too worried. She wanted to wait, as the nightmares would go away soon, she was sure about that. They just had to.

She cleaned the house and Matt came walking downstairs, lifted her up in his arms and kissed her.

''What?'' She asked laughing as he put her down again.

''Nothing, just wanted to tell you I love you.'' He smiled and she hugged him.

Later that afternoon they arrived at Diego's birthday and Matt and Gabby handed him their present, a new hockey stick for ice hockey as he had broken his previous one during the last match and he was happy.

They all sat in the living room, only the grill outside for Antonio so he could grill some things for the family. Laura was busy in the kitchen and Gabby helped her.

Matt joined Antonio by the BBQ and sat down next to him.

''The men are going to do this!'' Antonio said as he threw some meat on the grill and Gabby looked at her brother, laughing.

''It's probably for the best you have a professional firefighter beside you when you are trying to grill something.''

''Yes, I enjoy this garden and this house.'' Laura added her sister in law as Antonio usually let things burn and they laughed, Antonio pretending like he could not laugh about it but Gabby knew he enjoyed self-mockery. But she did wanted to make it up with a beer.

Gabby walked around, handing a beer to Antonio and Matt as they were sitting by the BBQ. Antonio and Matt nodded gratefully and Diego walked up to her.

''Aunt Gabby can I get a beer too?''

They laughed as she shook her head. Diego walked away, upset, not realizing there was alcohol in the drink his aunt's boyfriend and father were having and he stamped on one of the balloons, the balloon snapping with a loud bang and Gabby almost dropped her own glass she was holding. She pushed it in Matt's hands.

''Are you okay?''

''Yeah, I just need to go to the bathroom.'' She said numb and she walked away. Closing the door to the bathroom she sunk down on the floor, shaking and covering her ears with her hands and she tried not to cry, but her heart was racing in her chest as she had been so scared by the little boom.

She tried to man up as she knew it was just a balloon but the sound had reminded her to the explosion. Every night she had nightmares, every night she woke up scared and she had tried to hide if from Matt. She had succeeded, but that was because she didn't want to scare him, especially because he was still dealing with it as well. Slowly she left the bathroom, calmed down again. Walking back tot he garden, she bumped into Matt.

''Are you okay, sweety?'' He asked worried as she had been in the bathroom pretty long and she seemed off.

''It's nothing. I...do you think we could go home?'' She said as she looked over his shoulder at the family.

''There is something wrong?'' Matt asked worried.

''Nothing, I am just tired...could use a night with you.'' She said as she kissed him on his cheek and he nodded as she seemed really tired and they said goodbye and thanks to the family and Matt walked with her to the car, his arm around her.

''You are not driving.'' She said then and he shrugged.

''I only had two beers. You are tired.''

But Gabby climbed in on the drivers side so Matt sat down next to her. She started his big pick up truck and drove of the parking space onto the road. She felt a little guilty that they left the birthday so early because she got scared of one balloon and for a second she thought about telling Matt, but she couldn't do it. He was so worried already and he didn't want to make it worse.

At home they walked inside and after watching a movie, they fell asleep in each others arms. Matt woke up when he heard Gabby crying. Worried he switched the light on and looked as she was curled up in bed, wailing and sobbing as she was still asleep and worried Matt woke her up.

''Babe, what is wrong?'' He asked worried and Gabby woke up, looked at him and hugged him.

''Nothing, just a bad dream!'' She said and she kissed him on his cheek, wanted to go back to sleep but Matt kept looking at her.

''Baby, what was it about?'' He asked worried as something seemed to be really wrong with Gabby. She had been so off the last few days.

''Nothing, Matt! I told you!'' She said upset and she turned around.

''I am sorry...I am just worried, because I love you.'' Matt said as he kissed her but as there was no response he went back to sleep, sad as he knew she was hiding something from him.

NOTE: Gabby is really struggling with the attack. She needs Matt more than every now but can she tell him? Or does she let herself slip farther and farther down in this trauma?

Thank you so much for reading this first chapter. I hope you like the idea and please tell me what you thought about it! With the responses I will see if I will continue this, because I am not sure if people are interested so please leave a review if you are!