Hello dear readers, welcome to my new multi-chapter!

At first, it had to be an OS, but I realized that it would be too long: I had scarcely begun the quarter of the story that I was close to ten pages. (YES, there is no typo mistakes). So I decided to make it a small multi-chapters (maximum five chapters, but I am still not sure, since I have not yet written everything).

I would like to thank Texterlover, who helped me to find ideas to insert in the story, because, as you know, I'm not as good at writing romances (or cute moments) as writing dramas (for THAT, I take a great pleasure !).

RESUME: Matt has an atrocious migraine, and he is forced by chief Boden to go home to rest and come back healthy for the next shift. But Gabby is worried. Is she right or is she worried about nothing? Taking place during season 5 (before the winter finale but after episode 5).

DISCLAIMERS: I don't own any characters of the #OneChicago franchise.

I hope you will enjoy this little story ^^ And please, leave me a little comment (whether good or bad for that matter)

And have a blessed Thanksgiving everyone!


CHAPTER 1

Matt was lying on his bed, he just had closed the blinds of his office. He only did this when he needed to be alone or with his girlfriend, and the other firefighters were aware about this. So, when they all saw that he was closing the blinds, the knew they shouldn't disturb him, but only if necessary. They resumed their occupations, meaning playing cards, watching TV, cooking, reading. Simply. But Gabby was worried. It was not in his habits to retreat into his office without her by his side. For her, something was off and she wished to find out what as soon as possible. So, she took a cup, his cup, and pourred some coffee, adding sugar and some milk, as he liked. She crossed the common room, worrying gazes coming from the other firefighters, she pushed the door of the dormitory to arrive straight behind Matt's office. She knocked slightly, careful not to wake him up if he had fallen asleep, then she entered without a noise. Shutting the door, she placed the cup on the desk before turning around. She pretended to be surprised when she saw a pair of blue eyes on her, but she slightly frowned at how tired he looked.

"Bad night?"

Soon, he closed his eyes, frowning in turn. He gritted almost his teeth and let out a small grunt that certainly didn't escape Gabby. Even more worried, she rushed to the bed, sitting next to Matt and taking his head on her hands.

"Babe, talk to me. What's wrong?"

Her concern could be understandable, but Matt didn't need this now. All he wanted was a quiet moment before the next call.

"Keep it down, please..." he finally uttered in a whisper.

"Aw..."

His eyes still closed, he slightly turned his head towards her.

"Migraine?" she whispered to her boyfriend.

"Just... A small headache. It's nothing."

"Matt, you already had headache, and you never locked yourself in your office with closed blinds to be in the dark."

Gabby was right. In general, when he had a simple headache, he took some tylenol and a nap, and everything went back as usual, but today was different. She barely raised her voice and he grumbled. He had cloistered himself in his office, closing the blinds to avoid the gaze of others and probably the light, lying on the bed with his eyes closed.

"Talk to me."

He sighed, his eyes still closed.

"Okay, I have a damn migraine."

"Do you want me to talk to the chief? Maybe he'll give you the rest of your day."

"No, no. I... I will try to take a nap, maybe I'll be better afterwards."

"OK, fair enough. I will bring you some tylenol, and I brought you a coffee as you like it."

"Mh, you're my love, you know that?"

She smiled, keeping a sly look, as if she meant ''I know'', but instead, she blushed.

"I love you too", she said, kissing Matt on his lips.

She left the room, coming back a few minutes later with the necessary medication to calm Matt's migraine. He took the medicine with his coffee and lay down on the bed. Gabby came to his left, placing her head on his chest. Hearing his heart beating and his breathing calmed her and reassured her when he was sick. And to tell the truth, it also apeased Matt. Within a few minutes, the two lovers fell asleep in each other's arms. They were awakened only to eat lunch two hours later.

"How are you feeling now, Matt?"

Recovering his spirits little by little, he noticed that his headache was still there, and worse: it had gone worse. He sighed in despair under the concerning look of Gabby.

"I feel like my head is going to explode", he confessed, muttering when he realized that his own voice seemed to be amplified by a thousand in his head. "I think I'm off for a few days."

"I think so too. Don't move from here, I bring you what to eat, all right?"

"Okay."

As Gabby went out to the common room, Matt straightened up and sat on the edge of the bed. A gigantic wave of nausea assaulted him and he had to swallow hard many times before it passed. He took a few deep breaths, calmly exhaling, closing his eyes, one of the respiratory techniques he had learned a few years back. In the meantime, Gabby arrived in the common room, taking two plates, two forks and two knives and using one plate to facilitate transport, under the still incredulous eyes of the firemen and now of Chief Boden.

"Gabby? Is there a problem with Casey?"

She turned, trying to smile, but she could not.

"Uh... Casey has a headache. I think he will be off for a few days."

"Tell him to go home and come back next shift healthy. Herrmann will got him covered."

Without saying anything, Christopher nodded slightly to Gabby.

"Thank you Chief. I make him eat, and I bring him home. Brett and I will keep our radios on."

She turned again to take the plates and cutlery, then went to Matt's office. She walked in slowly, putting everything on his desk, watching Matt on the edge of the bed still doing his breathing exercises. She was worried, because he hadn't done so in a long time, and when he realized it, it clearly meant that he did not feel well.

"Are you nauseous?"

"It's passing."

"Well, it should pass a little more with that. Otis has prepared his famous tomato sauce, the one you like so much."

"I... I'm not really hungry", he admitted, lowering his head almost shamefully.

"You have to eat, Matt. Migraine will only get worse."

"And if I eat, the nausea will turn into vomiting."

"Eat at least a few mouthfuls to please me. And make Otis happy as well. From what I understood, he cooked this because the guys noticed that you locked yourself in your office."

"Very well", he sighed.

He straightened up more, took the plate Gabby offered him and a fork, then she sat down beside him to do the same. Matt knew he had to eat to gain strength and to lower his migraine, but he did not have the heart to. He played more with pasta and sauce than really eating.

"Chief asked me to tell you to go home and get back in shape for our next shift."

"Gabby, I told you that..."

"He asked me what was wrong, I just told him you had a migraine", she cut him so he could not get angry. "Herrmann will cover you, I'll take you home. Come on."

They got up, but Matt sat back almost immediately, closing his eyes. His head was even more when painful when he was standing, he felt like being on a boat sailing on the high seas.

"Matt?"

"I'm fine", he assured her. "I'm fine, just..."

"Dizziness?"

He swallowed hard, nodding slightly, keeping his eyes closed.

"Okay, let's wait for it to pass then", Gabby said as she passed her hand through Matt's back.

So, they waited five minutes for Matt's head to hurt him less before he tried to get up. This time, he could put himself on his feet without much inconvenience, but the dizziness was still there.

"You okay?"

"Yes."

"Lets' go."

They went out together, Gabby leaving the dirty dishes and Matt's almost untouched plate on the desk, crossing the common room to the apparatus floor. As soon as he entered the room, the firefighters turned to him. All could see that he was much more pale than usual, and that he really didn't seem well. chief Boden stood up, standing in front of Matt.

"I'm sorry chief, I..."

"You do not have to apologize. This can happen to everyone to get sick or... to have health problems. Even the best of us."

Boden smiled at him, gently tapping his right shoulder to give him courage and sympathy.

"Come back in good shape next shift."

"Thank you, chief."

Together, Gabby and Matt, accompanied by Brett, took the ambulance to the couple's apartment. Once they arrived, the two friends put Matt in the bedroom under the blankets. Gabby brought a glass full of water and a bottle.

"Matt, I just want to check if you're really okay, huh?"

When she told him that, he instantly realized she meant a little check-up. It was his ambulance instinct that spoke mostly, but he suspected that the girlfriend part of Gabby was also on alert.

"Okay", he said weakly.

Brett left the room, going down to the ambulance to bring back what they needed, meaning what Gabby hadn't directly requested but would be useful. She passed her hand over Matt's forehead.

"You don't look feverish, it's a good sign."

"I tell you, Gabby. It's just a migraine like I've had before."

"Remind me when was your last migraine?"

Both of them knew the answer to her question. The last migraine he had had was almost three years ago, after his fractured skull. This moment had been terribly difficult to pass, and the two soul-mates remembered it perfectly, as if it was yesterday. Brett then came back with one of the medical kits and pulled out a stethoscope to listen to Matt's heart and breath, a tensiometer to measure his blood pressure and a frontal thermometer. It took the two young women about five minutes.

"Your blood pressure is a little high, 143 over 87. But due to your migraine, this is not alarming. What is important is that your breathing is normal, your heart rate too and you don't have fever."

Brett closed the curtains of the room while Gabby lit the bedside lamp.

"I put the box of tylenol next to the glass of water, but you only take it every six hours, okay?"

"Gabby..."

"Okay, okay", she said, raising her arms.

Obviously, he knew that the prescribed doses were six hours by six hours, otherwise he could get intoxicated and overdose. He was not that stupid.

"You call if you're really not in shape, okay?"

"Yes Gabby, I will call you if I have a problem", he said. "I promise you."

He also forced a smile, and Gabby came to kiss him as Brett was going to the ambulance again with the first aid kit.

"Rest well."

"I plan on it."

On this, she went to join her teammate at the ambulance while Matt fell asleep. When he awoke, his ears ringed and buzzed like never before. His body was moving in every direction, even though he was aware that he wasn't moving an inch. A hammer hit hard on his skull. He dared not open his eyes because this so much pain in his head paralyzing him. He could hear his own breath as if he was listening to it through a stethoscope, he could feel the pulsation of his heart entering his brain and spreading, as if he could listen to his own blood system animating. He decided to take huge breath, working to fight against this atrocious migraine invading him. But nothing worked. He didn't know what time it was, but he could feel a little light on his face coming from the left, a light coming from the closed curtains. So, it was still daylight. Trying to listen to what his body had to say, he held back a new wave of nausea by swallowing his saliva. He finally decided to open his eyes, at least to find out how long he had slept while the migraine was getting worse. His vision was slightly blurred, and he took a few minutes to adjust so he wouldn't get dizzy again. But as soon as he turned his head, the world around him was shaken on every side. He gritted his teeth, trying to avoid a growl despite being alone in the apartment, then grabbed his phone, which Gabby had placed on the bedside table, with great difficulty. He lit it. He remained still because of the hour it was; 6:30pm. He had slept for nearly six hours. He took the glass of water in his hand, but he had to rest it hastily as he felt weak. Therefore, he took the medication and put it in his mouth, then he took the glass again, held by the base with his free hand to bring it to his mouth. He drank a few sips, relieving the nausea he still had. He had to eat, even if it was only a mouthful of something, he had to. He had barely eaten anything of the day and if he suddenly began to vomit, he would have nothing to spit apart from the bile. Then, gently, he positioned himself on the edge of the bed, continuing to breathe deeply. Almost five minutes passed before he got up. Standing was even worse than being lying or sitting. Everything he saw was distorted, but he strove to stagger into the nearby kitchen to prepare a simple sandwich. He took out the bread, the butter, and the ham, and as he made this famous sandwich, enormous waves of buzz coming from his ears came to paralyze him. He had never known that before, and that worried him terribly. Sink into the unknown. He sighed in despair, because even if he wanted to eat the sandwich in order to recover his strength, he felt sick of having to do so. The loss of appetite, dizziness, nausea, gigantic headaches, amplified sounds were all part of this vicious circle that a migraine put in place. He took his sandwich, a plate and decided to go back into the bedroom, in a place in the dark where he felt a little better than in the large living room. He put the plate on the bedside table as he sat on the edge of the bed, drinking a few more sips of water before filling the glass again. The hammer still clapped on his skull, and he closed his eyes to counteract the abusive effects of it. Lying down and waiting for it to go away seemed to be the best solution for him, even though he felt that this migraine was not ordinary. He had already had dozens after his accident, but never he had faced a migraine as atrocious as the one he was experiencing. Something was really wrong, but his body almost didn't respond when he lay down and covered himself with blankets. He then closed his eyes, falling into a new deep sleep stained by this horrible headache.