CLEARING THE AIR

AUTHOR'S NOTE/DISCLAIMER

This is something that's been in my head for a while but I had never written it up until now. Takes place during the scene in Nazdarovya where Matt first confronted his mother about her shooting his father and was my head canon for the situation (because of Casey's body language when talking to Christy about their dad) until this episode aired. Chicago Fire belongs to Dick Wolf and NBC. I only own the twist.

"You know something, you're right. If you we're going to live with each other, we need to get things out in the open," Matt declared. I have to say it. Can't carry the guilt any longer, he thought to himself. He had never meant for any of it to happen. He had just-he hadn't been thinking…obviously. "So I'm going to say it." Nancy looked at him expectantly. What's he getting at? she wondered. He was acting a little strange. Okay, yes, they were arguing, but that was just because they were still getting used to a new living situation. "I'm sorry." At this, the woman's eyes widened.

"Matt-"
"I'm sorry that what I told you-what I revealed-got you thrown into prison," he continued. "I-I never meant for-" At this, Nancy leaned forward and grabbed her son's hands.

"You did nothing wrong, Matthew. It was him. He had no right to touch you-to do those things to you." He blames himself for what I did? I never knew that, the woman thought. And she hated that. Matthew had been a boy-just a scared little boy-who had broken down crying when he finally admitted to what Gregory had been doing to him.

"But if I hadn't told, then-"

"Then he would've kept hurting you. I made the decision. Maybe it was the wrong one, but I don't regret it at all. I only regret that I wasn't there to see you grow up." Matt nodded.

"Okay," he said softly. Can't believe she doesn't blame me, he thought to himself. He could've said something at the custody hearing, but he hadn't. Nancy squeezed her son's hands.

"Can I-can I ask you something?" she queried.

"What's up?" he wondered.

"Why didn't you say something at the custody hearing? What was he holding over you?"

"He said he'd hurt Christie. I-I couldn't that happen." Hearing this, the woman pulled him close.

"I'm so sorry, Baby."

"I just..I…" The firefighter shrugged and his mother held him.

"You did nothing wrong." Matt nodded. Glad she doesn't blame me, he thought to himself. Maybe someday he'd stop blaming himself…