Author's notes: An immense thank you to all of you for the great reviews on my first chapter. I'm really pleasantly surprised, and really happy you liked it. Here's the second chapter.

When you read it, just remember I'm a huge Dawsey fan, but I just want my story to be realistic. And once again, not a pro-Dawson or a pro-Casey, just my vision of the events J

I apologize for some grammatical errors or conjugations, I do my best.


GABBY'S POV

When I run away from the garage, taken by my feelings, I don't know where to go. This firehouse is a big one, but when you need some privacy it's more complicated. The guys are on the common room reading and watching the game; Sylvie and Cruz are talking in the bunker room so I landed in the bathroom, and for more intimacy I headed straight to the last shower, crouched down, covered my face and began shaking as my tears fall and wet all my face in few seconds. I hadn't cried so much since I left our apartment few weeks ago, probably my biggest mistake.

I heard the door of the bathroom opening and I knew who was there.

"Gabby…" I heard my name from Matt's trembling voice as he opens the curtain of the shower. He watches me intensely with sad and worried eyes.

MATT'S POV

I knelt down in front of Gabby and she looks at me with those big brown eyes full of rage. I know at this moment that she doesn't have the same respect for me anymore.

I don't know where to start to explain myself, so I just say "Gabby, I'm sorry… It's not what you think..." and she doesn't let me finish before yelling: "WHAT I THINK? WHO THE HELL ARE YOU TO TELL ME WHAT I THINK RIGHT NOW?"

She gets up and passes in front of me without even looking at me. I try to retain her by catching her arm. She turns around and looks at me straight in the eyes and start yelling "LET GO OF ME!"

I don't let her go right away, I just told her:"I already let you go once; I'm not going to make the same mistake twice". At this moment, most of the members of the firehouse are in the bathroom watching us with astounded eyes.

Gabby chose this moment to answer me: "You should have thought about it before, and even more before sleeping with the chief's wife". And she leaves the bathroom, breaking the wall of firefighters and leaving me alone in front of shocked faces. They leave the room one by one, and Severide approaches me when he sees me shaking and falling on the knees on the cold bathroom ground.

He helps me stand up, and he guides us towards my office. He closes the door behind him, and turns to me: "What the hell is going on?"

Seated at my desk, the head between my hands, I tell him: "I screwed up. I totally screwed up…"

He then looks at me, confused: "I believed that you had put an end to this stupid fling with the chief's ex… Don't tell me you slept with her again…"

"No, no, not at all. When she came by this morning, I told her she wasn't what I want and that we have to end things between us. But then she kissed me, and Welch saw us. He… He told that to Gabby when we were cleaning the windows" I said with a trembling voice.

"WHAT? What a jerk!" Severide doesn't know what else to say.

"He's not the jerk. I am. I am a total idiot to have dated the first girl I met in a bar, to have slept with her a couple times, even though I'm truly in love with somebody else… I shouldn't have let Gabby walked out… I shouldn't have…" I tell him and I start crying.

Severide squeezes my shoulder before leaving, giving me some privacy.

GABBY'S POV

When I walked out of the bathroom, Sylvie followed me with a worried look on her eyes. Since Shay's death, she's the only person I can talk with. She's always here for me and I'm glad to call her my friend.

I sit down on my bunk, and I put my knees on my chest. Sylvie sits down in front of me, and takes my hands in hers. "What happened?"

I don't know where to start, but I find the courage to tell her "Welch just told me Casey is sleeping with the new chief's ex wife, and he even kissed her in the firehouse… I believed that we were on the same page to put a little distance between us as a couple… But I didn't think that it meant dating other people… The other day when he came to fix the sink at your house, I believed we were getting closer again… I believed that he still had intense feelings for me… I made a terrible mistake putting my job before our relationship, a terrible mistake…"

Sylvie looks at me in the eyes with a comforting look "Gabby, look at me. You didn't make any mistake. You know, sometimes you just have to do what's best for you, and there's nothing wrong with that. And just remember the best way to appreciate something is to be without it for a while, and by "it" I mean the man you love."

I look at her with a small smile, she always finds the good words. And she continues: "Now, dry your tears, it's an order. Go to the kitchen and cook something that makes you feel better."

I'm surprised that she knows me so well. I dry my tears and walk out towards the kitchen. Sylvie follows me and tells me with a soft voice when we pass in front of Casey's office "Please smile even if it's killing you. Don't ever give him the satisfaction of knowing he had hurt you like that and we will talk more about it when we will be home. Remember "mermaids" stick together!"

MATT'S POV

I walk into the common room, not really hungry, but I have to admit it smells good. I recognize Gabby's famous Parmesan chicken. I can tell she's upset; I know her so well. She's always cooks her grandma's recipes when she's upset.

I sat at the end of the table. The room was really quiet; nobody dares to speak after the little show they assisted earlier.

Gabby serves the dinner, everyone congratulates her about it. We all eat without a word, before most of the boys go to sleep in the bunker room. Some guys stay in the common room watching some TV or playing cards. Consider the ambiance, I return to my office and remain locked here until the morning.

After the chief's briefing, I'm going to my truck with Severide and we drive home in total silence. I'm not really in the mood to talk. Gabby didn't even send me a look or a word during the rest of the shift. I'm really frustrated and annoyed.

Once home, I went directly to lock myself into my room, our bedroom, squeezing hardly Gabby's sweater against me, smelling her vanilla perfume and looking at the photos of the two of us on my phone. And I slowly fell asleep thinking about how I ruined everything between us in 72 hours. She's the one I want to hug, to kiss and to start a life with.

GABBY'S POV

I leave the firehouse quickly, not wanting to face Matt.

With Sylvie, we have breakfast in the Starbucks at the corner of the street before returning home to get some rest.

While Sylvie is sleeping, I take a shower and get ready to leave. I was never known for speaking about my feelings. Thus, I run away discreetly and softly, well decided to empty my mind.