My version post 5x08. Hope you like it
"Should I carry you over the threshold?" He asked her genially as he rummaged through his pockets for the keys to their apartment, knowing very well that she would decline. Traditions, they both knew, had never really applied to their relationship and it was perfect that way. Gabby giggled and swatted his arm playfully "Don't even think about it"while carrying a sleeping Louie in her own. With their infectious smiles, their hearts full of warmth and love for each other and their soon-to-be son, their happiness radiated around them like a halo. It had been a fairytale day for them, perfect in every sense of the word.
Still outside their apartment, they were both sharing a laugh when Matt spotted him again. There he was again, standing in the dark with a hoodie on and staring at them. But this time Matt noticed he wasn't at as much distance from them as previous times.
Unceremoniously, handing Gabby the keys, "Hey! What's your problem, pal?"Matt yelled at him stepping in front of her and Louie and pushing them back protectively.
The guy pulled back his hoodie to reveal his face in a dramatic manner. He looked like a guy in his late 20s or early 30s with an unsettling disposition. His expression conveyed a sense of purpose and determination. Matt tried to rack his brain to try to remember if he'd ever seen this guy before, but came up with nothing.
"Who the hell are you?" He asked almost terrified of the answer he might get back.
"I'm Louie's father and I want him back", he announced without even batting an eyelid.
Matt stared at him. It had to be a joke! Not sure if he had heard the guy right, he smirked, shook his head slightly and asked him again, "Excuse me?"
"That's Louie. He's my son" he repeated, now pointing straight at Louie, who was sleeping soundly in Gabby's arms. Matt couldn't believe the words that had just left this guys mouth.
He had just had possibly the best day of his life and this guy was threatening to ruin it all for him. Threatening his family. He knew it was the same guy who had been stalking them for a couple of days even though he had never seen him clearly until now.
"Piss off. Turn around and keep walking" he dismissed the guy, hoping naively that he would heed him and not bother them anymore.
The guy, however, stood rooted to his spot and stared daggers at Matt for speaking to him like that. Matt realised his mistake but it was already too late. He took a step forward and reached inside his jacket to retrieve a pistol, pointing straight at Gabby, who was still fumbling with the keys in her hands trying to get it inside the keyhole with her shaking hands.
Matt froze for a second trying to process the events unfolding right in front of his house and his family and briefly noticed the man's bloodshot eyes as he stepped into the light from their apartment, before launching himself between his family and the gun causing it to now point directly at his chest.
"Hey, hey listen. Fine! I'm sorry" He stammered, stealing a look behind him to find Gabby and Louie slipping past the door and into the safety of their house. He heaved a sigh of relief and asked " what's your name?" His hands still in the air.
Hesitating a little before answering "Jake" he looked nervously around him to make sure that were alone, his gun still pointing at Matt.
"Listen Jake. I'm Matt. Now if you wanna talk or want me to listen to you, you are going to have to drop that gun" he insisted.
Both the men stared at each other for a long minute but whatever Jake saw in Matts made him drop the metal and stuff it back into his pocket. "Good" Matt commented with a sigh.
"I just want my boy back!" Jake called desperately. Tons of questions flashed through his head as he watched him struggle with the best way to confront this situation. Matt hadn't expected to witness vulnerability from him this early. If he really was who he claimed to be, what could he possibly expect from them, beside the obvious, coming at them like this.
"How do I believe that you are in fact his father. You got any proof?"he asked him half heartedly, not sure if he himself would believe anything this man could produce in front of him right now to make him believe him.
He shook his head. Matt shrugged helplessly and a little gratefully.
"Test me!"he finally offered.
"What?"
"Get me any of those paternity tests. I'm ready to take them" determination making its way back into his face.
Matt looked at the guy seriously, searched his face for sincerity and weighed his options carefully. He could not outright ignore him that much was made clear when he had withdrawn that piece of metal from his jacket a little earlier. He felt at a loss to find the best way to deal with him. Realising he needed Gabby's help,"Okay! Listen we can take this inside but only if you leave the weapon behind" he insisted.
He looked unsure for a moment but gave in eventually and walked back to his car to stow the gun under the seat in there.
Matt led him inside to find Gabby pacing worriedly in the kitchen. When she caught a glance at the new entrants, she didn't even try to hide the alarming look she threw at Matt. He responded with mouthing at her, "Its okay!" and gave her an assuring look.
Sitting opposite to Matt and Gabby at their kitchen table Jake looked around the apartment taking in every detail. Matt and Gabby exchanged another look.
"So, Jake, this here is my wife, Gabby" he introduced and couldn't resist the the small smile that made its way on his face despite the seriousness of the situation. As he caught the look in her eyes he recognised pure fear making home there which in turn scared the hell out of him. Reaching out with one hand and draping it over her shoulder protectively, he directed his attention back to Jake, "So why don't you tell us what you really want" questioned Matt scrutinising him with an intense glare.
"I want my son back" he replied in a heavy voice.
"Your son?!" Gabby smirked, rolling her eyes.
"How can we trust him? We don't even know if he is speaking the truth" she asked Matt, growing impatient by the minute.
"He's agreed to a paternity test. It's not going any further until we know for sure" Matt calmly informed her contrary to the emotions flowing through him. For the second time in his life he was almost on the brink of becoming a father again and it was already being threatened by things completely out of his control. To say it was heart breaking would be an understatement to the intensity of his emotions. It hadn't even been a day when for the time in his life he had heard someone call him "daddy". He had waited all his life for it and it was already under threat. He heaved a deep sigh to relieve some of the pressure that was constantly rising inside his chest.
"Assuming you are who you say you are. Why? Why now? Where have you been until now?" Gabby asked accusingly unable to stop herself. Matt placed a comforting hand on her leg, knowing she was hurting just as much, if not more, as he was. But that question seemed to have opened a flood gate inside of Jake as he burst out, "I miss him! He don't even know who his real dad is. Don't even know me. I have realised I want to be in his life. I see how these foster families treat him. Look at the one he just got out of. I realise my mistake and want him back. Be the father he never really had" he voice hitched at the end and shot an unmistakable glare in Matts direction.
"How did you find out about us?" Gabby continues her inquiry.
"Went in asking about him at DCFS. Said he'd been put with a firefighter family at house 51. Been following you since then" he admitted unable to hide the pride in his voice.
That seemed to have flicked a switch inside Gabby as she stood up and fired at him, "Listen Jake, if that's even your real name. You don't get to come here and demand to have that precious little boy back just because you felt like it after having shunned him his entire life! You don't get to be the judge on how other people have been treating him when you yourself left him to rot and die since he was born. Do you realise that it might not have come to this if you hadn't been a jerk and taken responsibility for your own child since the moment he was born. Did you know I saved him from a burning building a couple of months ago. He would have been dead if I hadn't reached him in time and you wouldn't have had anybody to call a son! Didn't know that now, did you?" a steady stream of tears had started to cascade down her face somewhere in the middle of her speech.
"You can't take him away from me. He is my blood!" He bellowed, the anger rushing through his body making him keep his chair and stand up. Gabby's rage matched his as she mirrored him stood up from her perch as well,"Louie deserves better than you. He deserves someone who gives a damn. I don't know what you plan to do but I can assure you he is in good hands "
"I'm not giving up without a fight!"he hissed
"Then I'll see you in court. Now, go away" her voice breaking.
Jake took a step in Gabby's direction making Matt act swiftly as he came to stand between them and stared down at Jake, "you heard her, get out!"
Jake gave the couple another stare down before turning around and marching out of the house. Matt proceeded to close the door behind Jake who was now on the other side of the street walking towards his car. He then walked up to Gabby, who had collapsed onto the nearest chair with her head in her hands still trying to control herself. When he reached her, grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into his arms. Soon as she found herself in the comfort of his embrace Gabby came undone and broke down completely. Matt held her shaking form, rubbed her back gently and whispered,"We won't loose him, Gabby. I won't let it happen. Not that easily, I promise you that" kissing her forehead. Their life had taken a 180 degree turn in a matter of minutes. Louie's adoption application, their marriage, the celebrations at Mollys after, seemed to have taken place in another world. Part of some other reality where they were happy, on top of the world, and incredibly grateful for their little family. But it had all been shot to hell and brought them face to face with this other reality that had them now fighting for all they loved and cared about. But Matt and Gabby weren't strangers to life's hardships. They had been dealt some of the harshest hands in life and together they had so far been successful in overcoming them and emerging stronger than ever before. This wouldn't be any different whatever the outcome may be.
A/N: what'd you think?