Author's notes: Hello everybody! So your reviews on my two first stories and the comments on the last two chapters of "The Dress" tell me you want more stories! So, with your encouragements, here's a new Dawsey story. It will be inspired by Gabriela Dawson and Matthew Casey characters, but with a different story. I hope you'll like it. This chapter is a little shorter than usual but, it's like an introduction and I want to present the characters.
Like always I apologize for eventual mistakes.
Have a good read and don't forget to tell me what you think about this new story.
Gaëlle
Story: Gabby Dawson and Matt Casey have both a long, hard past behind them. They both come back to their home town and like sometimes fate takes a hand, they meet at one of the most important times in their lives, around a corner.
GABBY'S POV
My name is Gabriela "Gabby" Dawson. I'm 27 years old and I come from the Dominican Republic. My parents settled down in Chicago two years before my birth, with my two older brothers: Antonio, 35 years old, who works in the police, in the Intelligence Unit to be precise, and Hugo, 39 years old, who is the chief of ER in Chicago MED Hospital.
My parents died when I was ten years old in a car accident during their stay on their native island.
From that day, I was raised by my two older brothers.
Antonio followed the path of my father by deciding to work with the police and so to honor our father in his own special way. As for Hugo, he was always attracted by the medicine, the surgery. He made brilliant studies while taking care of his younger siblings and finds himself, at his young age, the leader of the emergencies.
I was an agitated and turbulent child. I made their young lives miserable, just so they'd notice me. I needed to feel loved; I wanted to be the center of attention... I ruined many dates, I ruined many evenings with their friends. They never have held it against me, but I know that it was difficult for them too.
Since I was old enough to leave town for my studies, I decided to go to New York to study medicine like Hugo and to let them take a well-deserved little breathe, so they can finally begin their lives after having sacrificed so much to take care of me. It was nine years ago.
During my years in New York, I remained very close to my brothers, we saw each other regularly. Our family also got bigger well. Hugo got married to Lana, and they had three children: the twins Maria and Louisa, and baby Theo. As for Antonio, he married Laura and they had two children: Eva and Diego.
My love life in New York was relatively quiet. I lived a beautiful story with a law student, named Mark. It lasted four years; I thought that it was the one. But when you announce to the person who shares your life that you wish to return to your home town once graduate from Medecine school, it doesn't always take place very well. We tore and separated a few months ago.
But the past is the past. Today, I am back in Chicago, ready to find back my family, some of my childhood friends and to start a new life, a new beginning.
I arrive at Chicago O'Hare Airport at 9.30am and my two brothers are here waiting for me, with a panel: "Welcome home Doctor Dawson!" and I feel the tears build into my eyes. I'm so happy to be back home, I'm so happy to be back with the two important persons of my life. I run towards them, we fell into each other's arms.
"Welcome home sis!" Antonio says, hugging me tightly.
"Welcome back Gabs! We have missed you so much!" Hugo adds.
"I'm so glad to be back! I can't wait to make up for lost time." I tell them as we make our way outside the Arrivals' Terminal and to the car.
"You can stay with one of us, the time to find an apartment if you want…" Hugo says, as he drives us towards the town.
"I have already found a place, actually!" I say, proud of myself.
"Yeah? Where it is?" Antonio asks.
"It's a cozy apartment on the second floor of a modern building, near to Chicago Med!" I announce.
"My little sister is coming to work under my orders!" Hugo says excited and laughing. "I can't wait! It's time for revenge for everything you put us through when you were a kid!" he continues, and they both laugh hysterically.
"Oh come on guys! You'll have to forgive me; I was an innocent poor little girl!" I tell them, making my puppy face.
"Oh can we resist to this face?!" Antonio asks his brother, smiling.
"I think we never managed to do it!" Hugo answers him, smiling too.
"Ah, I've missed you so much!" I say, taking them both by their shoulders and putting a kiss on their cheeks as we make our way to Laura's bakery to celebrate my return in town.
MATT'S POV
My name is Matthew "Matt" Casey. I'm 29 years old and I was born and raised in Chicago. I have an older sister Christie, who is 33 years old, who is married and has a daughter named Violet; and a younger brother Alan, 27 years old who just finished his studies.
We had a difficult childhood, between violence, shouts, alcoholism... One evening everything fell over and our mother killed our father. It was self-defense, but she was charged for murder and condemned. Since then, she has served her sentence in jail.
Our life fell over, the relations with Christie tightened. She was blaming our mother while with Alan we tried to offer her the hand and to help her as well as we can at our ages. The family broke, and I grew up by remaining close to Alan.
At the start of our adolescence, we left settling down on the West Coast to live with one of our aunts who gave us all about which we could dream: a beautiful house, a good education. She had spoiled us as if we were her own children and was always there for us, and she's always here for us today, even if we are adults.
During my time in the West Coast, I met Hallie at the University and we started a relationship. But over time, our relationship was strained. We didn't want the same things. She wanted to get engaged and to begin a life for two. I just wanted to take advantage of the life after all what I had lived in my life. Thus, I put an end to our relationship almost one year ago.
While Alan studied medicine, I went to a school of construction while quenching my passion: that to become a firefighter. I was a voluntary fireman for a long time during my studies, but since I have passed all the examinations and all the tests. I'm currently waiting for the results of the Lieutenant's exam to become, this post which I have been wanting for so long.
My brother was graduated in medicine and obtained a post in Chicago. If I obtain the grade of Lieutenant I shall like accompanying him and returning to our home town. Sometimes, we just have to forget the past and take a new beginning.
We sit on the beach with Alan. I have this famous envelope between my hands: This envelope, which can change my life. I don't dare to open it then I look at it in all directions.
"Are you are going to eventually open it?" Alan asks me, visibly impatient.
"I'm scared, actually…" I admit.
"Wow, my older brother who fights fire and risks his life every single day, is afraid to open an envelope?!" he teases me.
I just give him a sarcastic look as an answer, and he takes the envelope from my hands. "Come on, give it to me! Deep down, I always knew I was the real man of the family!" he laughs at me, opening the envelope.
I'm not courageous enough to look at him, so I just draw in the sand, when I feel two big arms hugging me and an excited voice: "CONGRATULATIONS BRO! YOU'RE THE BEST!" he shouts in my ear.
"WHAT?! Wait! Seriously?" I ask him with big eyes, and he shows me the letter. I passed the test, I did it.
"YOU DID IT MATT! YOU DID IT! To us the life in Chicago! Let's go celebrate!" Alan says, getting up and guiding us to the bar on the beach.
We order two cocktails and we take a toast to our new lives.
"Are you excited to go back to Chicago?" Alan asks me.
"Excited, but a little scared too… Not you?" I ask him back.
"Yes, that's for sure… But I don't care, just as long as we're together… We're a family, and together we can go through everything!" he says, proud of him, the little brother who tries to reassure his older one.
Two weeks later, we leave San Francisco to Chicago, excited and afraid at the same time. Alan will start in Chicago MED Hospital soon and a Lieutenant spot has been offered to me at the Firehouse 51. We rent a small house together halfway between both of our workplaces.
Despite our hard relationships, Christie is waiting for us at the airport with Violet and she seems happy to see us back in town. She hugs us and tells us: "I'm happy my little brothers are back! I hope we'll able to be a family again…"
"We'll do whatever it takes to lead the change, Christie!" I tell her, wanting to forget about our past and just start over.
"Whatever it takes!" Alan adds. "And to start, you are both invited in the evening of the presentation of the new doctors of Chicago MED. Next Saturday, 8pm. I'm counting on you!" he says, smiling.
"And we'll be here!" Christie says, and I nod.
Chicago Med – Introduction Evening
GABBY'S POV
We have started to work in the Emergencies of Chicago MED for ten days. We're four new Doctors: Julia Clarkson, Phil Michael, Alan Casey and I. We form a great team and we get along with each other very well.
Tonight is the night where Hugo will introduce us. He's wearing a black tie and he looks happy to do that.
All our families are present, and the four of us are sitting on the stage behind Hugo who starts his speech. He speaks about the ER, about his job and about us, the new recruits. He introduces us one by one with sweet and nice words.
After the official presentation, a reception is organized with champagne and petits fours.
I'm talking with Alan when his siblings come behind him to congratulate him. They look so happy for him, I decide to leave and give them some privacy, but Alan grabs my arm, forcing me to turn around to his family.
That's when I see him: A blonde man with amazing blue eyes. He's wearing a black suit with an open-necked white skirt. I'm totally lost in his blue eyes when Alan asks me: "Everything's ok Gabby?"
"Uh… yeah… yeah… sure… Sorry, I was lost in my thought!" I tell him, trying to gather my thoughts.
"Well, I already know your brothers. So let me introduce you my siblings." he says.
"Nice to meet you! I'm Matt Casey." Matt tells me, shaking my hand softly and looking at me in the eyes.
"Well, nice to meet you too! I'm… Uh… I'm Gabriela Dawson… Well, uh… Gabby… You can call me Gabby… Everyone calls me Gabby…" I tell him back, totally panicked but he just smiles at me.
What a smile, I say to myself. I'm totally lost in him and I don't even know him. I have never believed in love at first sight, but…
Author's note: So what do you think of this first chapter? It's a little shorter, and maybe simple, but I thought it was important to take time to introduce the characters.