Chapter Two: Keeping you Safe

Matt paced his office floor as he held the information Newhouse had provided him with. He knew once he was off shift, he was going to confront Jim and make him choose. He just hoped that his plan wouldn't backfire. He hoped that there was some decency still left in him and he would see the mistake he was making.

He heard a light knock on the door and turned to find Gabby standing in the doorway, she leaned against the hard frame as she looked him over with concern filtered on her face. "How did it go?" she asked knowing by the look on his face and the tension in his body that his meeting with Jim didn't go according to plan.

"He plans to screw her over," Matt stated as he tightened his jaw and let out a sigh at the same time.

Gabby stepped further into the room and closed the door behind her; she knew that the rest of the firehouse didn't need to know what was going on with Matt's family. "What do you have there?" Gabby asked as he narrowed her eyes to the papers in his hand.

He looked down to where her eyes held their stare, "I had Newhouse do some digging on Jim's new girlfriend past," he stated as he held the paper up. "Apparently, she has gotten into some trouble in Atlanta."

Gabby took the papers he presented her and began to read through them. Her eyes widened with the new information, but also with the fact that she knew Matt wasn't just going to sit on these. "What are you going to do with this?"

"Whatever I have to," he replied taking the papers out of Gabby's hand and through them on the desk. "He is going to leave her with nothing," Matt begin to say, but was quickly cut off by Gabby.

"So you're going to blackmail him?"

"I'm going to make sure that Christy and Violet are taken care of." Matt was puzzled by the expression on Gabby's face, "I thought you said you would support me on this?"

"I do, I just worry Matt. I know how things like this can get out of control and I just want to make sure you're safe."

Matt took a step closer and placed his hand on the side of Gabby's face, "This conversation sounds a little familiar," he stated with a light chuckle.

"Roles are reversed now," Gabby replied leaning up to his lips and placing a kiss on them. She then stepped back, "I should probably get back out there before Herrmann comes looking for me."

"Hey you wanted this remember?"

Gabby laughed as she nodded her head, "I know, I know."

Matt watched as Gabby left his office, he still couldn't get over and every time he thought about his family lives being displaced because of the asshole husband of his sister, his anger boiled over. He quickly grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair and moved towards the kitchen.

"Let's go for a ride," he said into the room and all of the members of truck 81 stood up and followed their Lieutenant out to the apparatus floor. As Gabby climbed into the truck with her jacket in her arms, she knew that what Matt had in mind wasn't something she would be happy with.

Cruz pulled the truck onto the drive and turned onto the street, Matt glanced back at Gabby who could read the look in his clear blue eyes. She knew right now was not the time to talk him out of this and once it was the right time, it would be too late. So instead of being his fiancée, she became his candidate and followed his orders. She didn't say anything when Matt began to talk on his phone or when he gave Cruz directions to the location they were headed. She bit her lower lip knowing that all the guys were wondering what was going on and it wasn't her place to inform them.

When the truck stopped outside a tall building in downtown Chicago, Matt climbed out with the white paper in his hand as he stalked towards the doors of the restaurant. With each step closer, his anger became more prevalent. Once inside his eyes scanned the somewhat busy restaurant and soon located Jim standing at the end of the bar with two other men dressed in suits.

Gabby checked her watch for the thousand time since Matt had gone in after his soon to be ex-brother in law. She listened as all the guys speculated as to what he was doing inside, each one of them would look over at her for some indication if their guess was right. She would either shrug her shoulders or ignore them completely. After a few more minutes she spotted Matt coming closer to the truck, his rock hard expression that was displayed on his features, gave a little away to how the conversation went inside.

"Back to station," he ordered once he was adjusted to his seat.

Either one of them spoke about what happened between him in Jim throughout the rest of their shift. It wasn't until he found her in the locker room talking with Herman that he decided to speak to her about something outside of work. He informed her that he was going to go to his sisters and she surprised him when she asked if she could come.

As they left the firehouse, Matt wrapped his arm around Gabby's shoulder, pulling him into him. "Thank you for coming with me," he told her as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

Gabby then placed her hand on the lower part of Matt's back and looked into his eyes, "I would go anywhere with you."

"Anywhere?"

"Yup, even when I don't have a choice," she eyed him knowing that he would catch onto what she was saying.

Matt looked around as all of their co-workers walked to their cars, "Can we talk about this when we get into the truck?" Gabby just nodded her head.

They both climbed in and placed their bags in seat of the cab, Matt started the truck and put into to gear. "I told Jim that if he didn't reconfigure his offer, then I was going to turn in his new girlfriend to the police."

Gabby looked out the window at all the buildings passing by them, "I know," she replied without even looking at him. She then placed her hand on his leg, "I know you want to help your family and that is one of the reasons, I love you." Matt then removed his hand from the wheel and placed it over Gabby's. They continued in silence as they drove to Christy's new apartment.

When they arrived, Christy greeted each of them with a hug and told them of the great news. Jim had a change of heart and decided that he was going to take the house of the market and offered more child support. Matt couldn't help but smile as he saw how relieve Christy looked. He knew that he would do it all over again, if it meant that they were going to be okay.

Matt and Gabby stayed a couple of hours, helping Christy as she began to pack up their lives again. For the first time in along time, Matt felt like he actually had a family. He was engaged to most amazing woman he had ever meant and now his relationship with his sister and niece was becoming stronger with each passing day. When it was time to say goodnight, Matt felt apprehensive to leave. He was enjoying their time together, but he knew that Christy was tried; he could see it in her eyes. She quickly reassured him that she was fine and that she would talk to him tomorrow.

Matt took Gabby's hand as they drove back to their apartment, both of them smiled at one another. They were both relieved that everything seemed to be working out in their personal life and their work life. Once they reached their apartment, they were both tired from the last couple of days. Gabby slid her jacket off and hung it over the side of the couch, "I'm going to get ready for bed," she stated as she pulled her hair tie out of her hair.

Matt moved closer and placed his hands on both sides of her hips, "would you like some help?"

Gabby raised her eyebrows and smirked, "Are you offering to undress me?"

Before Matt could answer, his phone sounded off in his pocket, "How about you get started and I'll take care of this," Matt said as he took his phone out of his pocket.

"Don't be long," Gabby teased as she moved towards their bedroom.

Matt watched her for a second longer and then moved his attention to his phone, the call read unknown on his screen. "Hello," he answered unsure of who would be calling him.

"Blackmail is a nasty business Matt and your about to find out," the voice told him before the line went dead.

Author's Note:

Hello to all you Chicago Fire fans! I apologize that it took so long to update this story, but work and life have kept me very busy. I hope to update again at some point this week and I hope that you guys will continue to read this story. Thank you for all the wonderful feedback.

Grace