Story explanation: This is a A\U story for Season Two of Chicago Fire. Gabby and Matt have been married for a little over two years and are expecting their first baby (a boy) in November. This is the story of how they deal with having custody of their Godchildren Griffin and Ben Darden.
A\N: The idea for this story came when I watched "Defcon 1" and wondered what it would really be like if Matt and Gabby were a couple and had custody of Griffin and Ben. Although the story is A\U it will include some storylines from the story, tweaked for the story or no but if there are any direct storyline spoilers I'll warn you.
Disclaimer: I do not own Chicago Fire, NBC or Global
Spoilers: A\U for Season Two. Spoilers for "A Problem House"and "Prove It"
Warnings: None
Ties That Bond
It was nearing eleven o'clock when the sound of her phone woke Gabriela Dawson-Casey up. Breathing deeply she reached for her phone and prayed her husband wasn't injured or worse dead.
"Hey babe," The voice of her husband, Matthew Casey, calked her down immensely, "Sorry to wake you but its important."
Gabriela squeezed her eyes shut, "Please don't tell me someone died?"
"No, no nothing like that. You know Heather Darden's boys Griffin and Ben."
"Yeah."
"Well Heather was out drinking and she got into a accident; she's okay but her friend is in the ICU she's been charged with a DUI and the police took her into custody. She asked us to watch the boys for the night.
"Of course, of course, where are they?"
"I'm just on my way to pick them up from the babysitters," He explained, "We should be home in less then twenty minutes."
"Okay; are you going to tell them why they're staying with us?"
"I don't know;" Matt sighed heavily.
"I don't know either,"
"I'm here at the babysitter's now so I have to go."
"Okay, bye Matt, love you."
"Love you too," Matt pressed the 'end' button on his phone and stuffed it in his pocket before climbing out of his truck.
Thirty minutes later Matt walked through the front door of the house in front of eleven-year-old Griffin Darden and eight year old Benjamin Darden.
"Hi boys," Gabby greeted.
"Gabby," Ben smiled tiredly.
"Hey bud," She hugged the boy as best she could and kissed the top of his head. "You guys must be pretty tired eh?"
"Yeah," Ben nodded sleepily, "Matt woke us up."
"Well let's get you back to bed," Gabriela led him up the stairs and towards the 2nd bedroom. "Tomorrow's a school day so you need your sleep."
"You to bud go to bed," Matt told Griffin.
Griffin crossed his arms and huffed, "Where's Mom?"
"I told you buddy she's on a vacation."
The pre-teen narrowed his eyes and glared at his godfather. He was almost positive he was being lied to and that made him angry; he knew his younger brother wouldn't understand but he would; he was the one who helped his mother after his father died, if he could deal with that he could handle anything.
"Now come on its late, I'm going to show you to your room." Matt walked towards a room with a desk and a pullout couch and smiled when he saw the bed was already set up.
"Fine," Griffin sat on the bed, "If you talk to my Mom tell her she needs to come back!"
"I will," Matt turned off the light and left the room. Walking up the stairs he smiled, as he looked into the 2nd bedroom upstairs. Ben was tucked underneath the covers clutching his stuffed bear tightly as he listened to Gabby tell him s bedtime story.
"Uncle Matt," Griffin turned his head, "Come listen to the story."
"Sure bud," Matt walked into the room and sat down at the edge of the bed.
"Auntie Gabby, Uncle Matt," Ben yawned as his eyes began to close, "Stay with me tonight?" His head touched the pillow and he was asleep.
"Good night Ben," Gabriela gently kissed him on the cheek and stood up, "How's Griffin doing?" She whispered.
"Not to good," Came Matt's reply as he followed her out of the room after also kissing Ben goodnight.
"We'll hopefully tomorrow Heather will get out," Gabriela reached for her cell phone.
"Hey, hey what are you doing?" Matt placed his hand over hers, "You need your rest."
"I'm calling Antonio. He's on shift tonight and he might be able to give us some information."
"I'll call him," He kissed her on the lips as he removed the phone from her hand.
"Matt," Gabriela groaned, "You can't just kiss me like that at then stop."
Matt pressed his lips against hers, "I love you Gabby."
"We love you too."
It was then that for the first time that night Matt looked at his wife's pregnant abdomen. She was due in mid November and if the ultrasound pictures were correct then they were having a little boy.
Matt gently rolled up Gabby's shirt and caressed her abdomen, "I think he's sleeping."
"Yeah; I think he is to."
"You should be sleeping too."
"What about you? You have to be a work tomorrow and wait-?
"Boden let me take the night off. I have to go into work at nine tomorrow. They got someone to fill in for me but that means I'm going to have to work a few hours of his shift so I won't be home until midnight tomorrow."
"Okay, I'll take care of the boys."
"You're amazing," Matt kissed her, "Now get some sleep while I call Antonio."
"Matt you need to sleep too-" Gabriela tried to reason with him. "He's my brother let me call him."
Without saying a word Matt handed her over the phone.
The next morning Gabriela woke up at five thirty thanks to her unborn son moving around inside of her. She rubbed her abdomen to calm him down but this only seemed to increase his energy level.
Beside her, her husband was sleeping so she crept out of bed and down the hallway and down the stairs. Walking into the kitchen she poured herself a class of water and sat down quietly to drink it. She was very aware of the fact that Griffin was sound asleep in the next room.
"Are you going to go back to sleep for Mommy?" She whispered while rubbing her abdomen, her son kicked her in response, "I guess that's a no," She stood up and placed the now empty glass in the sink, "Well Mommy's tired so she's going to try to go back to bed." She walked back the way she came and wasn't surprised at all to see Matt sitting up in bed as she returned.
"Sorry," Gabriela apologized, "The baby woke me up," She explained as she climbed back into bed.
"I thought that had to be it," Matt kissed her cheek.
"Yeah he's getting more and more active every week," She snuggled close to her husband, "Feel," She took one of his hands and placed it over her abdomen.
"Yeah," Matt could feel his son do flips and summersaults, "Does he always do that?"
"No, only at the least convenient times," She sighed, "Like now, It's almost six o'clock so there's no point in my even trying to go back to bed."
"Why not?" Matt wondered.
"Because the boys have to be at school before nine and that means we need to leave here before eight thirty; they need to have breakfast, get changed and we need to make their lunches."
"I'm glad you know what to do," Matt kissed her shoulder, "I wouldn't have known any of that."
"You'll get it in no time." Gabriela assured him. "It's just I have a large family, I've been around kids all my life. I was babysitting when I was ten."
"And that is why our son is getting a great mother."
"And a great father," She added as she closed her eyes, "Maybe I'll sleep for a few minutes," She yawned reaching for the alarm clock and setting to go off in an hour at six thirty.
"Griffin!" Gabriela knocked on the pre-teen's door, "Time to get up for school."
Gabriela heard an inaudible and muffled sound, "Up to get Griffin!" She knocked again.
"Leave me alone! I'm not going!" He spoke louder.
"Oh yes you are," Gabby opened the door and flicked on the light, "Come on I made your favourite, chocolate chip pancakes.
Sitting up in bed Griffin perked up ever so slightly, "What time is it?" He asked.
"Seven thirty," Gabriela told the boy, "Now get dressed and come have some breakfast."
Gabriela closed the door to the room just in time to turn around and see Ben reach for something in the fridge and accidentally knock a beer glass out.
"Opps," He backed away and looked at Gabriela sheepishly, "I'm sorry."
"It's okay," Gabriela moved quickly and picked Ben up and put him on the counter, "Stay here alright I'm going to go and get a broom."
Ben nodded his head as Griffin slowly made his way out of the bedroom and rolled his eyes when he saw the glass on the floor, "Good one," He smirked.
"Shut up!"
"Hey, hey," Matt scolded as he walked into the room, "What happened? Is everything okay?"
"Yeah Ben just broke a beer glass," Griffin mocked.
"I don't like that tone," Matt warned.
"When's Mom coming back?" He demanded an answer.
"Soon," Matt responded trying to control his temper.
"How soon?"
"Hopefully tonight."
"How do you know?"
"G-" Matt was about to yell at the boy when Gabby stepped in. "Okay," She picked up Ben and placed him on the now cleaned up floor, "Why don't you go and change your clothes and Griff you can eat some pancakes; And Ben when you finish getting changed you can have some too."
"Yay!" Ben ran out of the kitchen and down the hall.
"So Griffin is there still a cafeteria at your school?"
"Yeah." Griffin answered in one word.
Gabriela placed a plate of pancakes and syrup on the table, "And can fifth graders buy their lunches?"
"Yeah," Griffin put a pancake on his plate, "Why? Are going to let me buy my lunch?"
"Yeah I was, I wonder if you're grown-up enough to handle it? If I give you twenty dollars can you keep it safe?"
Griffin swallowed and looked at Gabriela. His mother never let him buy his lunch let alone trust him with that kind of money. He didn't want Gabriela to know that though, he wanted to be treated like an adult.
"Yeah twenty dollars is nothing," He tried to make the words roll off his tongue.
"Okay but if you lose it I'm not sure you should be buying your lunch anymore. What do you think?"
"Maybe not," Griffin stuck the money into his pocket and continued eating.
"Okay boys," Matt finished pouring coffee into a travel mug, "You listen to Gabby and be good. I'll see you tomorrow after school."
Ben who had just walked back into the kitchen looked up at Matt, "You're leaving?"
"Yeah he has to go to work," Griffin scoffed.
"Cool! Can I go after school?"
"Maybe buddy," Matt ruffled his hair, "It's up to Auntie Gabby."
Gabriela gave her husband a look that said 'gee thanks'
"Can we go Auntie Gabby? Please? Please?" The eight year old begged.
"We'll see alright bud; now go and eat your pancakes before they got to cold."
"Bye Matt," Ben hugged his godfather before sitting down at the kitchen table.
"Bye Griffin," Matt waved to the elven year old.
"Bye," Griffin curtly waved his hand.
TBC
A\N: So what do you think? Please review and let me know.
