A/N: I know, I really should not be posting another story when I haven't posted for After The Smoke Clears in a couple weeks (I promise I am working on it), but this little story has been stuck in my head since I saw the crossover and it would not leave me alone. It's seriously been making it hard to work on my other story, so it just HAD to be written.
I was blown away by the crossover episodes. Seriously soooo good. One thing I really disliked was that we didn't get to see another Dawsey scene in the PD part after Dawson was targeted, it's just hard to believe that Matt would not want to check on Dawson, even if they aren't together they still love each other, that much is obvious. I know a lot of people are stressing over Dawsey, and while I wish they would just get it together, get married, and make gorgeous little babies, I'm also not fretting too much. They have been meant to be since episode one. It sucks that we have to wait, but I'm sure they will be together in the end.
I mean come on you goofballs, this whole just friend's thing is crazy, they are so in love. It will be a little funny to watch them squirm for a few episodes trying to make it work.
Based off some spoilers and the last episodes this is my idea on how the two of them will get back together. Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think.
And….. I own nothing, unfortunately.
Casey shook his head as he watched Dawson behind the bar at Molly's, shooing away another drunken man that was so obviously hitting on her. He didn't know if it had always been this way, at least before they had gotten together, that guys would throw themselves at her. It had stopped for the most part once they got together, all the regulars at the bar knowing she was with him. And once they had gotten engaged and the ring was on her finger it had completely stopped. Most men seeing the ring and leaving her alone. He was grateful for it at the time. Not that he had anything to worry about. He knew she was faithful, it was just annoying to see guys hitting on his girl.
But now they were 'on hold', just friends, and that ring wasn't on her finger and they were working on moving on, guys were throwing themselves at her. He couldn't blame them, Gabriella Dawson was a beautiful girl, but it didn't make it any easier to watch. They were both trying to move on and find someone else. His last conquest had very publicly blown up in his face, and from what he'd heard from small talk with Dawson or any of the guys, she wasn't having much luck either in the dating department.
They talked at work and were working on getting a friendship back outside of work, but it was proving to be more difficult than either originally thought. They would get on solid ground and then something would happen to throw a wrench in that plan.
After Gabby was targeted by the arsonist and almost lost her life in that elevator he had been keeping a closer eye on her. After hearing what had happened to her he couldn't stop himself from feeling like her boyfriend again. He loved her and hearing that the one you love's life was put in danger rattles a person. He found her that night working at Molly's and sharing drinks with her brother and he couldn't help but pull her into his arms and hold her close, craving to feel her and know she really was alright. She had insisted she was, but he knew her, he could still see the fear in her eyes from her ordeal.
She'd laughed it off and promised she was okay, and he had squeezed her shoulder like any 'friend' would do and walked away to a table with the guys, but it didn't mean he stopped worrying about her.
He kept a close eye on her in the coming shifts. He would catch her spacing off while she sipped her coffee and he would worry. Or he'd find her withering in her bed caught in a bad dream and he would shake her awake. She would play it all off as nothing, but he knew better. He kept wondering where all his compassion for her had been when they actually where together the last few months and he had done nothing more than push her away, but he tried not to think about that much.
The night of one of the biggest snow storms that had ever hit Chicago came and she had found a baby, well they had found the baby, and he watched her closely. His heart constricted as he watched her care for the little one. He knew she was great with kids from watching her with the Darden boys and her own niece and nephew, but he hadn't seen her with a baby, not like this. Watching her be so attentive with the little girl had his heart swelling with want. He wanted that family life, and he wanted it with her. She was such a natural, and he knew she would be an amazing mother. That day he continued to kick himself, and ask himself what they were doing apart. After that day he and Gabby were on stable ground, and he was given some hope that maybe they would be back to the old Matt and Gabby that loved each other soon.
Then Kelly had asked him out for drinks and he met Beth.
Beth was nice, and she was fun. They had way too much to drink and when he went home with her that night he woke up not remembering much. The one thing he did know was that all that solid ground he and Gabby had made was futile. That fact was only proven a day later when Gabby found out about it, and Welch filled in on shift and caused an all-out war when he found out that Matt was with Beth, who just happened to be his ex. Gabby didn't say much, he could tell she was holding back for the sole purpose that they were at work and enough drama had been had by Welch, but the hurt look that clouded her features let him know she was less than impressed, and more than upset about his actions.
She gave him the silent treatment for most of the days following and he knew he had messed up. They were broken up, but they were both still holding on, giving each other hope for the future. Clearly she had felt the same hope about that common ground that he had. And he had ruined it by going out with Beth.
He realized quickly she wasn't going to let him back on that common ground anytime soon. That point was only proven when a few nights later he saw her out with Brett and Cruz, and a guy he didn't recognize. Dawson was leaning into his side laughing and Casey had to look away. He hadn't expected it to hurt that much to see her with someone else, but he knew it was also just a taste of his own medicine as well.
He felt a little better about that date a few days later when he heard Gabby and Brett talking about how awful of a time that guy was. He knew he shouldn't ease drop, but he really couldn't help himself.
When he heard Gabby confide in Sylvie that she missed him and that she wished things had just been easier with them, he knew that they were both in the same boat, but he never mentioned it to Gabby that he had heard that conversation. It just gave him some silent hope for the two of them that someday they would work it out.
Things had calmed down between the two in the weeks after that. Neither was out actively looking for someone else, actively looking didn't pan out well for either of them, and they had started talking once again, albeit only as friends. But things were good, and for once in a long time it seemed like things at 51 were fairly calm.
Casey was still being impressed everyday with Dawson on truck, she continued to prove herself and was shaping up to be one hell of a firefighter. As much as he wished things would have turned out different between the two of them, he can't regret fighting for Gabby to become his Candidate because he is so happy he gets to watch over her and protect her.
All of the events of the past few months and some of the close calls each of them have had only makes him more thankful for it.
The night wares on at Molly's and Matt finds his way to a stool at the bar after the rest of the 51 group leaves. There is still a small group of guys there for a bachelor party and a couple at one of the high top tables. The guys from the bachelor party have been hitting on Gabby all night, Matt would like to say that he has been ignoring it, or that a twinge of jealously doesn't hit him every time, but that would be a lie.
He never thought it would be so hard to move on, or that it would hurt so much to see Gabby trying to move on. He should've known it wouldn't be easy. They work together. They'd worked together for 7 years. They had dated for over a year, and they were engaged for a couple months. It wasn't just some simple relationship to get over. They were in love –still in love, but love just wasn't enough for their relationship at that time. Or maybe it was, but they blew it. Or he blew it. He's not really sure. He just knows that he wishes he wouldn't have let her go so easily. He looks back on that day in their- (his?)- Apartment daily and wishes he would have told her to stay. He knows that the time apart is probably what's best for them. But he misses her.
He hasn't stopped missing her since she walked out that door.
If he's being honest with himself he started missing her before that day, they'd been drifting apart long before that, he was just too stubborn to see it. Now he sees it all, and there is so much he would take back if he could.
She walks up to him with another beer and he sees her rolling her eyes at the guys down the bar. He laughs softly as places the beer in front of him.
"Oh my god…" She moans as she comes to stand in front of him.
He chuckles, "Got your own little fan club down there Ms. Dawson."
She raises her brown when she detects the slightest bit of jealousy in his voice, but doesn't say anything, only scuffs at the comment. "So what's got you out so late tonight?"
She crosses her arms in front of him and leans up against the bar and he has a hard time not getting lost in her eyes or staring at the little bit of cleavage that pops out when she leans in front of him. Gabriella Dawson is beautiful. She always has been, and only a fool wouldn't notice.
He clears his throat, "Oh ya know, just needed a few drinks." He plays off, knowing that the real reason wouldn't be a good one to share with her at this time. The apartment is too big and lonely without you. You're everywhere I look there and I miss you. Yeah, probably not the best thing to share right now.
"We've got plenty of those." She murmurs.
Their eyes meet for a moment and he really contemplates leaning over the bar and kissing her. He hears her breath hitch, like she has just read his thoughts.
"Gabriella… Oh Gabriella…" And then the moment is gone by the men down the bar calling her name. She pats his hand and heaves a sigh before she puts on a happy face and makes her way down the bar to the drunken bachelors.
Casey runs his hand over his face to get a grip over himself and takes another long sip of his beer.
"Yeah, yeah. Yes, I'll call you…" Casey tries to stifle his laugh, they both know she will not be calling him. "Watch your step. Yeah… Okay, goodnight."
He finishes putting a stool on the bar and chuckles as Gabby finally gets the last of the bachelors shuffled out of the bar and quickly locks the door behind them.
"Ahh… how do some guys just not get the hint?" She groans. Shaking her head before she makes her way behind the bar to finish up her cleaning.
"Oh come one Gabriella, you know you love the attention from Dumb, dumb, and dumber." He jokes.
She sends him a playful glare and throws her cleaning towel at him, all the while trying to ignore the goose bumps that rise on her skin from him saying her name like that. He says it in a joking tone, picking on her from all the attention she gained from the guys, but the way her full name rolls of his tongue sparks a fire in her that she hasn't felt in a long while. "Watch it Casey."
"How did they even get started on the whole Gabriella thing, the only people who use your full name are your parents… and Chief." He laughs.
"They asked what Gabby was short for, once I told them they refused to call me anything else." She grunted and he couldn't help but chuckle.
They finish cleaning up the bar in silence, just listening along to the music until they both finish up. "Thank for staying and helping me clean Case."
"No problem." He says shrugging it off.
"Kind of a late night for you."
"I use to help you close up all the time…" He tells her.
"Yeah but that was when we were…" She stops herself, looking to the floor then. When they were together. She wonders when the day will come that facing the fact that they indeed aren't together won't hurt so much. Then she thinks about that briefly and realizes that day will never come.
Matt looks away, not really sure what to say either.
Gabby clears her throat then, plastering a smile on her face. "I'm gonna have a beer. You want one?"
Casey smiles softly and shook his head before taking a seat at the two bar stools he had left down, she joined him a moment later and set his beer down in front of him. He clinked his against hers before bringing it to his lips and smiled in victory when she laughed at him before taking a drink of her own.
Gabby stretched in her seat and Casey watched as her shirt rid up in the back and he got to see the smooth flesh between her jeans and top. She groaned as she leaned up against the bar. "Ugh, I could use a good spa day and a full day of sleep. This shift kicked my butt."
Casey chuckled and his hand came to rest on her back subconsciously, running up and down to massage it. He didn't even realize what he was doing until he felt her shiver under his touch and his name left her lips softly.
"Matt…" She mumbled, but the look in her eye was saying she really didn't want him to stop.
He shook his head and retracted his hand. "Sorry… Habit I guess."
Gabby nodded before sitting up and taking a sip of her beer. "It's always going to be there isn't it?"
He gave her a questioning look.
"You and me." She finished softly, her deep brown eyes meeting his blue ones.
He stared at her for a moment, transfixed by her stare, before he nodded. "Yeah… I think it is." He was silent for a moment before he finished. "I mean, I hope it is."
Her eyes snapped to him, shocked at how bold he was being, but she said nothing. Only nodded and went back to sipping his beer. "How uh, how's Beth?" She asked quietly, she said it with no accusation or malice, but he could hear that twinge of jealousy in her voice and felt some pride in that, though he wouldn't admit it.
"She's fine. I think. We uh, we aren't together, anymore… I mean we never really were together… I mean. We just. Yeah. Uh, not together." He stuttered. "I'm uh, not with anyone."
She shook her head, offering a soft smile, but wouldn't meet his eyes as relief washed through her. They had been doing well lately. Talking and just being friends. Solid ground again, but they never broached the topic of the others love life, she knew they did it for a reason. It would be too hard to hear about, but the question had been on her mind for a while and she couldn't let it go. She was happy to hear that he wasn't with her though, or anyone else for that matter.
His turn to question her. "How is uh, Bryce?"
She rolled her eyes and chuckled at his name change, he knew the name, and he just refused to say it. "It was Brad. And that was a onetime thing. That double date, not the highlight of my year." She joked, she knew he had to of heard of how awful her date had been, she figured he was just being polite by asking.
He started laughing then, full on belly laughing; the irony of discussing their failed relationship with each other suddenly not lost on him. She gave him an odd look before joining in. His laugh contagious, but neither really knowing what they were laughing for. It was well after 2 in the morning and they both had been on shift that morning and worked that night. Her at the bar, him at constructions jobs. They were both tired, and had shared quite a few drinks, and they were sitting at the bar alone laughing hysterically.
Gabby rest her head in her hands as her laughter died down. "God… what is wrong with us?"
He only laughed at her again. "I don't know."
"I mean, you and I. We're catches. We're young, I mean I'm young… you're well you're getting up there Casey…"
"Hey!" He hollered nudging her with his shoulder and she snorted with laughter at her own joke. "Hate you." He murmured childishly with a pout.
She rolled her eyes, he was only 4 years older than her, and they both knew she was only joking. "But really. We're young, we're attractive, successful, and smart. And I like to think we are both fun people! Why is it so hard for us to find someone?"
He knew she was trying to play it off as a joke, she was trying to be funny, but there was something else in her voice letting him know that she really was desperately trying to find something that wasn't so hard to find. "It was always so easy with us…" She whispers vulnerably and he takes a sharp intake of breathe. They're in uncharted territories with this whole 'friends' thing right now and he's not really sure if she even wants a reply or if she simply needs to get it off her chest. "Why is it so hard with everyone else…?" The vulnerability in her voice and the way that she wouldn't even look at him let him know that she was embarrassed for pouring her heart out to him, but he couldn't just let it go, not when she was saying those perfect things and basically begging him to give her an answer.
She took a sip of her beer and Casey stared at her. He knew the reason, he just wasn't sure she wanted to hear it… but she was going to anyway. "Maybe because the right person has been right in front of us all along…"
She set her beer down and her eyes met his.
"I, Matt…" Her voice was soft and her eyes were lost and the music playing in the background was a song they had danced to so long ago in this bar. Almost a year ago when they had first gotten together. If that wasn't some type of sign he didn't know what was. Her big brown eyes were staring into his and her pink lips had a soft pout to them. And God he wanted to kiss her.
So he did.
And it felt really damn good when she started kissing him back.
To be continued…
There may be a second piece to this. So if you'd like to read that make sure to follow this story. I'm not exactly sure when I will get that up, but hopefully it will be soon. Hope you enjoyed!
Review, Review, Review!
On a completely side note, I'm working on a completely different story right now, I don't plan on posting it for a while. I have it about half way done and want to basically finish it before I post anything, but I want to know if any of you would be interested. It's different than anything I have written before, so I am a little nervous about it. It is completely AU and it will be very angsty. It's been stuck in my head, and I decided to finally put it on paper. Let me know what you think of this little sneak peek. Gah, nervous.
/ He looks down at her as she closes her eyes and relishes in the feel of his arms around her and he wonders how much time he has until she will get up and race to find her work clothes before kissing him and leaving him there wanting more. Because that is how it always is. He's always left wanting more of her. One more kiss, one more hug, one more cuddle in bed. He always wants more and he knows how utterly wrong that is. She's not his and he is not hers. But he knows that a joke. They've always belonged to the other. They were done for from the first kiss. He wishes he could say he regrets it all. That he regrets being with her, but he doesn't, not one bit, not at all. She's giving him the best nights of his life, and the majority of them have nothing to do with sex (although that is a major plus), and everything to do with just being with her. Talking and laughing and getting to know the other even more than they already do.
He loves her. God does he love her, and the thought makes him feel so amazing and so wrong all in one, because he can't love her, he shouldn't. It's not fair to her.
And it's really not fair to his wife. /
(Cheating is NOT okay, but this story wouldn't leave my head. My muse wanted what it wanted and I wasn't about to argue, it's turning out to be one of my favorite pieces I have ever written. Can't wait for you guys to see it all.)
