''You know, the first time I was here, you made this as well.'' Casey looked at the pasta and Gabby held out the spoon out for him so he could taste a little of the sauce.
''Just as good as then?''
''It actually tastes better now.'' He smiled and walked around the breakfast bar, laying his arm around her and pulling her against him.
''Can I throw a piece against the wall to see if it is ready?''
''That is spaghetti, sweetie. This is pasta.''
''For me it is the same.'' He laughed it off and kissed her on the head. She looked up to him while stirring through the sauce, smiling at him. She could only be happy he was still here with her.
''You look tired, we should go to bed early tonight as your first shift is tomorrow.'' She rubbed her hand over his cheek while he was still looking in the pasta.
''Sweetie I am not tired, but I would like my pasta Al Dente.'' He said with a wink and she got the pasta from the stove very fast as the water was almost boiling over.
''I am proud that you, the man who has funded Domino's Pizza for years knows what the word Al Dente.'' She said with a smile as she poured the pasta off.
''It is not that I don't like good food, I just don't like cooking.'' Matt explained as he put two wine glasses on the table, filling his with water as the medication he still had to take didn't allow him to drink.
''Oh, you never eaten so well since you sleep over here almost every night?'' She said with a smile as she brought the two filled plates to the table.
''Hallie could also cook very well.'' He filled her glass with red wine. ''But she would usually just put it in containers with the day on it, so I just had to put it in the microwave after shift when she was still at work.''
''I am sorry, Matt.''
''Why sorry? I am not going to cry every time I mention Hallie. I mean, I miss her...but I moved on with my life.'' He said with a small smile as he placed the cork back in the bottle and put it back in the fridge. When he turned around Gabby suddenly wrapped her arms around him, pressing her head against his chest.
''I was so scared I would lose you, just like you lost Hallie. We nearly lost you in the ambo and I was so scared they would tell me you were dead.'' Her voice was shaky as she said it and Matt rubbed his hand over her back, soothing her. ''I am not going anywhere Gabby. Really, the world will have a hard time ripping me away from you.''
Gabby looked up to him with tears in her eyes. ''But you are going back to work tomorrow, what if something happens again?''
''It is a dangerous job, but I will be fine, we will be fine. I promise.''
Gabby smiled for a second and Matthew laid his hands on her cheeks.
''Don't cry now, baby. You put so much effort in dinner, let's enjoy it now.''
They sat down at the small table and he smiled as he took a bite.
''Al Dente.''
Gabriela started laughing and they were silent for dinner.
After dinner they sat down on the couch and watched am action movie. Suddenly, halfway through the movie Matt started to fall asleep. His eyes closed and his head fell forward and he looked up again, only to let the same thing happen a few second later and Gabriela smiled, pulling him aside so he could sleep against her side. When she looked down again a minute later he was asleep, peacefully.
Although he was getting better very soon after the emergency surgery, against all odds, he had been tired a lot, especially in the evenings and he usually fell asleep as soon as they sat down on the couch. Usually she woke him up so she could bring him to bed but he was sleeping so peacefully now she decided to finish watching the movie first, because he needed to catch all the sleep he could get before his shift tomorrow.
After the surgery he had still been in a medical induced coma for three days so the swelling in his brain could shrink and after that he had been very weak, but a lot therapy had him back on his feet within two weeks and she had been so proud of him. He had been so strong and he had even pulled her through. Now, three and a half weeks after the accident he was getting back to work. She laid her head against his and fell asleep as well.
She woke up as he suddenly sat up again and looked aside. Before she could even open her eyes she felt an arm under her knees and the other arm in her back. Before she could protest he lifted her up.
''Sweetie, I am awake, you can put me down.'' She looked at him as she laid her hand in his neck, ready to be put down on the floor.
''I don't get the honour of brining you to bed for once?'' He said with a smile as he pushed the door to her bedroom open with his backside and he gently laid her down on the bed, looking at her as he also laid down on his front.
''I only remember the movie took place in Chicago.''
Matt chuckled. ''He turns out to be nearly dead soldier, hooked on machines. He will never recover and he saves the train and because somebody puts his life support off and he lives happily ever after in an alternative timeline.''
''You saw it before?'' She said surprised.
''I saw it in the cinema with Hallie's brother.''
''The one that was about a feet wider and taller than you?''
''Yeah, she only had one brother. I prefer Antonio, I think Antonio won't give me the feeling of crushing my shoulder when he hits me on the shoulder.'' Matt pulled Gabby on top of him, playing with hair.
''Don't underestimate my brother.''
''I wouldn't dare to.'' He smirked as he started to braid a strain of her hair.
''Whoa, are you actually braiding my hair?'' She laughed.
''You have Antonio, I had a sister.'' He explained and he let the hair go, standing up and getting ready for bed. She joined him in the bathroom while he was brushing his teeth and her finger traced the line on the back of his head. There was a red scar and the hair was a little shorter there as they had shaved a stretch.
''Can you still see it very well?'' He asked as he drank some water and turned around.
''No, the hair has almost grown back and it is not so red anymore.''
Casey smiled; ''Good, imagine Otis or Mouch wouldn't think I was pretty enough.''
They walked back to bed and Matt laid his arm around her. She turned his was and his hand caressed her side.
''It feels really safe like this.''
''I won't let anything happen to you, ever.''
''Neither will I let anything happen to you.''
''You didn't, you kept me alive in that ambulance.''
''Just promise me you will never neglect orders again.''
''You know I won't keep that promise if someone's life is on the line.''
Gabriela looked at him. ''You are also putting your own life on the line and I don't want to lose you.''
''Okay, I promise.'' He finally said and he rolled over without letting her go, kissing her.
''Goodnight.'' She cuddled up closer with him as his arm was still around her.
''Goodnight.''
NOTE: just a small one-shot, I hope you liked it and if you did - or if you didn't, please leave a review! Thank you for reading!