Title: Family Ties
Chapter 1 – Let's Make it Official!

Summary: SQL to New Start AU As Casey and Dawson work to make a new family life with Caitlin, they are tossed into a surprising situation that could expand their family but also bring about a new danger to them all. Can Matt keep his family safe? Or will he lose everything he loves so dearly?

Disclaimer: Same as always. I own nothing but my muse and my love for all things #firefighters #Lindseride & #dawsey and #Sevasey

A/N: Okay so…I did waffle on a full on sequel that included both couples but found it hard in New Start, esp toward the end to give them all equal screen time. SO…for this one this is going to be dawsey focused and it WILL follow the New Start SL (with Matt a single father moved from St. Louis) but my dear #lindseride readers who are reading this will also see cameo's of our family in this but they won't be the main focus! PS: for my #linderside readers another separate story focusing on them is already posted called Altered States (with cameos from dawsey 15 years from now!). With a crazy real life schedule I am going to try for weekly updates but with holidays and stuff approaching we'll see if that holds up! haha okay everyone…here we go!

"I can't find…" Matt Casey groaned as he rushed back into his bedroom searching for the tie he thought he had laid out.

"What are you missing?" Gabriella Dawson inquired as she lingered in his doorway on the evening of a special event.

It had been two months since Ernest Jackson had ripped their worlds apart with a bomb that devastated lives and destroyed property. The construction of the new school was well underway, Dawson was back on regular shift, Lesley Shay and Allison Rafferty were permanent members of Firehouse 51 and much like them, Kelly Severide and Erin Lindsay were drawing ever closer to becoming their own family units.

"Tie…" he huffed as he looked back up with a small smile as she held the piece of fabric in her grasp. "Did you have it…the whole time?"

"Maybe," she teased in return with a come hither look, which he instantly wanted to action. But as soon as he closed the space another voice is heard that quickly doused the romantic flames that had started to arise.

"Gabby can you do my hair?"

"I'll use this later," Gabby winked as she turned and looked at Caitlin Casey with an adoring smile. "I've love to sweetie," she stated as she left Matt's view and he was left alone to finish getting ready.

"Are you excited about going to the wedding?" Gabby asked Caitlin.

"Yes. I want to see Naomi. Where is her real mommy?" Caitlin asked as Matt heard the question from his daughter and paused outside her room.

"Her real mommy doesn't live around here anymore. Her dad Rick Newhouse, who works at the same Firehouse as your dad, and her are divorced. I think her real mommy lives in another city. But now she'll have Sheila. Do you think she likes Sheila?"

"Uh huh. She told me she did," Caitlin replied with a nod as Gabby finished putting a few curls into the little girl's hair and then pinning one side with a little sparkly barrette.

"You look very pretty," Gabby praised as she kissed the top of Caitlin's head and then looked at her with a loving smile.

"So do you. Do you love my daddy?"

The question took Gabby by surprise and also Matt who still hovered quietly in the hallway. As much as he wanted to hear how this would work out he didn't want Dawson to feel obligated especially before he had 'the' talk with her – the thought of her moving in with them, permanently and by that he meant…them getting married and making it official for Caitlin.

"I do love him. Very much," Gabby confessed in truth with a warm smile. But before the conversation could turn awkward in any way, Matt tiptoed backwards a few meters and then called out to them.

"Ready?"

"Yes we are!" Gabby quickly replied as her and Caitlin stepped into the hallway as Matt approached with a wide warm smile.

"Wow…you two look amazing," Matt praised as Gabby walked toward him in a dark purple body hugging dress.

"And you look pretty darn handsome. Nice tie," she concluded with a wink.

"Yeah…wonder where I got it," he playfully mused as Caitlin pointed to Dawson and smiled.

"Gabby got it for you daddy."

"Oh right," Matt smiled as he helped her with her coat and then the three of them headed for the door to go out.

"Oh wait…before you go I want a picture," Nancy Casey suddenly appeared with a small camera and a large smile. "You all look so beautiful," she praised as told them to move in closer together with Caitlin in the middle. "And….smile," she directed lovingly as Matt put his arm around Gabby as Caitlin looked at her grandmother with a wide grin.

"My family," she whispered with delight as Matt's face gently flushed but Gabby's smiled widened. "Have fun tonight!"

Matt ushered them out and on the way to the reception hall talked about the beautiful ceremony, how nervous Newhouse looked, where they'd be going on their honeymoon and few other things relating to the special day. When they arrived Caitlin darted toward George and Naomi, who was still dressed in her pale creamy satin dress. Flanked on either said were the Herrmann kids and a few others from the Newhouse clan.

"Love the dress," Erin praised Gabby as she neared.

"Okay…wow, you guys look amazing!" Shay praised as she too neared them.

"Happy for Rick," Kelly told Matt as he stood by his friend; each with a drink in their hands. "Give you any ideas?"

"Mom already has something for Mrs. Casey on the wall," Matt gently groaned as Kelly chuckled. "I know you bought a ring."

"Double wedding?"

"Think that would go over well?"

"Hardly," Kelly snickered as Shay neared them.

"You guys are next right? Want me to flip a coin to see who gets to say I do first?"

"She's drunk," Kelly quickly excused as Shay's lips pursed.

"Seriously guys…put a ring on it already," Shay looked at Kelly directly and then nodded in the direction of Erin who was being given way too much attention by one of Rick's friends.

"I'll help you bury the body," Matt lightly called out as Kelly headed for Erin. He watched Gabby fix something on Caitlin's dress before she and Naomi and George darted out of sight.

"I told them they weren't allowed to leave the hall," Gabby commented before she turned back to Matt with a small frown. "Oh I mean…well I just didn't want them to get lost or…Matt I'm sorry…"

"Why? I think it's great that you're so concerned about her. Shows you care," he admitted warmly as his hand slipped into hers.

"I do care," she replied seriously. "Very much…about you and her."

"I know."

"But…?" Gabby gently prodded. When she saw he didn't want to fess up in that moment, her hand gripped his and she led them outside to a more private place. "What's going on Matt? Talk to me."

Matt's warm blue eyes darted around a few seconds and then looked back at her with a serious expression. "Gabby I love you. But each time I think about…this isn't easy but…okay so if we were to say…get married then I…well I just didn't want you to feel obligated to legally adopt Caitlin."

She had thought about it but not to the extent that she would ever think that if she didn't want to or wasn't able to that her love for Matt or his daughter would diminish in any way.

"I one time had a wo…someone tell me that that was too serious a step and I shouldn't even think of asking. So if you were thinking I would ask…" he paused as his brow furrowed. "Just don't want to lose you over…anything…technical."

"Yes."

"What?"

"Was that your proposal?" Gabby winked as his expression softened. "Matt I love you. And I love Caitlin. Adoption is a big step and one that I won't just make a snap decision about overnight but…but I hope that wouldn't stop you from thinking that I want to be with you and Caitlin as a family. I do."

He moved in closer and gently cupped her face with his hands and kissed her on the lips before he pulled back with a warm and relieved smile. He wasn't going to ask her at Rick's wedding as even though it was romantic, it wasn't the place. The time would come and he now felt confident it would be sooner rather than later. She had just put another of his fears to rest – what else was holding him back?

Nothing.

"Come on…they'll be starting dinner soon."

With their hands clasped together, the two of them slowly walked back into the main wedding reception area and sat down by Kelly, Erin, Shay, Fiona and the kids. When Kelly and Matt went back to the bar to get drinks, Gabby looked at Erin and mentioned in a low tone…"Sheila is going to legally adopted Rick's daughter."

"Really? Makes sense…guess if something happens to him then he doesn't have to worry about his daughter going to the state or his ex, especially if they aren't on good terms and he has no other family," Erin commented as Gabby nodded in agreement. "Matt ever mention it?"

"Yeah…Kelly?"

"In passing. Think he's afraid it'll scare me away," Erin replied in a low tone.

"Funny, Matt and I just talked about it and that was exactly it," she replied as she watched the two men getting drinks; about to head back. "Would…you?"

Erin paused for a minute as she looked over at George and then felt her heart swell as she looked back at Dawson and smile. "I think I probably would. Why only go half way right?"

"All or nothing," Gabby retorted with a smile as Erin nodded.

By the time Matt and Kelly came back with drinks and a few stories from the bar, both ladies had settled in their minds and hearts that, even though it was a big step, it was an important one and one they'd want to take – they would work to legally adopt their soon to be husband's children.

The buffet dinner was enjoyed by all, the dessert bar especially a big hit with the invited children who were then content to sit and watch the adults get up for some dancing.

"This feels right," Matt whispered as he held Gabby's body close to his.

"In so many ways," she whispered back as she looked up at him with a dreamy gaze. "I'm glad we talked earlier."

"Me too," he admitted with a tender smile as his hand pressed a bit more into the small of her back. "Have I told you how amazing you look tonight?"

"I'll never tire of hearing it again," she retorted with a small purr in her tone. They danced another slow dance before she suggested that Matt dance with his daughter, who looked utterly bored sitting at the table with just George and a few empty plates.

"Come on goober," Shay stated as she watched Matt lead his daughter onto the dance floor.

"Don't wanna dance mom," George groaned as Shay arched her brows in annoyance.

"You are so like you father. And that is not a compliment right now," she huffed. "Move it!" She playfully ordered as Kelly and Erin watched in amusement.

"George, go with your mom," Kelly prodded as George finally got up and followed his mother onto the dance floor.

"Poor kid," Kelly snickered as Erin prodded him in the ribs.

Gabby watched Matt and Caitlin on the dancefloor and couldn't help but smile as she took a picture and then another with her phone and sent it to Matt's mom as per her request; something that delighted Nancy Casey to no end. But as soon as the dance was over, George darted back to the table as fast as he could go only to hear his mother tell him that he had to dance once with Caitlin and then once with Naomi Newhouse; his father agreed.

"Kid needs to socialize more," Shay grumbled as her and Fiona took to the dancefloor beside the kids.

"What?" Kelly laughed as Matt just shook his head. "Ever seen Benny try to dance?"

The rest of the evening was spent talking with friends, enjoying a few more drinks, dessert and finally some coffee's.

"Time to get them to bed," Matt commented as he noticed Caitlin trying her hardest to stay awake; George already lost the battle. "I'll get the coats."

"Come on sweetie, time to go home," Gabby whispered as Caitlin looked up at her with a sleepy smile and nodded. She took the little girl by the hand and the two of them slowly headed toward the entrance where Matt waited with the coats. On the drive back to Gabby's apartment, they talked in low tones about the wedding and the food and a few bloopers that seemed to highlight the nights more humorous points.

He had dropped his daughter off at home first as he wanted to put something into motion and didn't want to have to worry about her safety. At the entrance to her building, they paused as Gabby stepped up a few steps and then looked down at Matt's serious expression.

"What's going on?"

"This back and forth…" he paused as her hand reached out and rested on his face.

"I don't mind. I know it's for Cai…"

"I didn't want to ask at the wedding because it seemed cheesy and this isn't brought on by anything other than…" Matt's voice nervously trailed off as he pulled a small box from his pocket; her heart rate instantly skyrocketing. "I love you Gabriela Dawson. I love how you love my daughter and want to be a part of both our lives. I want you to be my wife and be part of our family. Will you…marry me?" He asked with a warm smile as he looked up tenderly.

Her eyes instantly shone with happy and excited tears as she looked at the ring and then at his loving expression and at first nodded; her brain unable to get words to her lips fast enough. "Yes…I will marry you Matt Casey. I love you so much!"

"I know this might not be the best timing or most romantic…" he was stopped by her leaning in for a kiss.

"Best proposal ever," she whispered with delight as she stepped back down the two steps to be on the same level as him and accepted the ring on her finger. His now free hands cupped her flushed cheeks and brought her lips back to his and kissed him firmly for a few seconds before he pulled back with a smile.

"Now…it's official," he told her in a low tone as he leaned in for one more kiss.

The happiness that started to spread between them promised in that moment only happiness and family stability, something they would need to rely on to deal with the life changing moment that would soon have them all on another path – one rather unexpected.

A/N 1: *sigh* yay our couple is officially getting married and hope you all liked the little domestic scenes and Matt's proposal. All sunshine and roses ahead right? *wink* would love your thoughts on this and what's in store for our couple so please do review before you go and thanks so much!

A/N 2: so I always waffle on the names b/c I find it weird they use last names as first names even on their off time and if Dawson does take Casey's name b/c this is AU she can't be Casey and he be Casey lol so right from the start am calling them by their first names and hope that's okay!