Hello! First of all I'd like to apologize on behalf of Zoe and I that nothing has been posted in almost a year. Lots of life reasons came into play, but with the end of the academic year comes time for us both to get back into writing. With that being said, I come bearing good news and bad news. The bad news is that this may be the final chapter of SFTP that gets posted. I might keep this going as a solo project, I'm not sure yet. The good news? We're working on a few new projects, two multichapter fics and a few shorter stories. With the recent news of Monica's departure from the show, we really want to get back into writing. I'll stop rambling now, but again I just really want to apologize for not posting in forever, but hopefully things will get moving again now! Heather x
The first thing Gabby was aware of as she was pulled from her slumber was the feeling of Matt's lips, warm and soft against her bare shoulder. She groaned softly in protest, but it only served to encourage him more. He trailed kisses up her neck, his breath hot against her skin.
"Go away," she murmured, turning away.
"Babe," he teased, moving closer to her, his arm wrapping around her waist.
"You kept me up all night, let me sleep," she protested, pushing her head further into the pillow.
"Are you saying you didn't enjoy last night?" He whispered into her ear.
"Oh, I did," she agreed, stifling a yawn, "but I think I'm going to need an IV of coffee to get me through this shift."
The last two days had been busy for the couple; between his construction jobs and Alderman duties and her work at Molly's, it seemed like they kept missing one another. The previous evening had been their first together in days, and the pair had made the most of it. He was planning on bringing up his conversation with Antonio, but when he got home to find his wife dressed only in the lingerie she had presented him with two nights before, small talk was not on the cards. They relished in their time together that night, sleep far from either of their minds.
Matt moved his lips back to her neck as he continued his assault, and this time she didn't pull away. They remained snuggled in each other's embrace a few moments before Gabby sighed, starting to pull away. She had almost made it off the bed when she felt Matt's hands on her waist, pulling her back down so she was practically laying on top of him, her back to his chest. She laughed, twisting to look up at his face, his grin matching hers, "Matt, stop, we're going to be late. I have to go shower."
Gabby lifted her head from his chest, turning her body to face him. She swept her hair over one shoulder before moving slowly closer to his face. She hovered, her face inches from his, watching as his eyes remained transfixed as she slowly ran her tongue across her bottom lip. She moved suddenly, her mouth dropping to his ear as she whispered huskily "but you're welcome to join me." She didn't wait for his response as she sauntered towards the bathroom, hearing the telling signs of Matt rushing to follow her.
They were going to stop for breakfast over at the their favorite spot on the way to work, but their shower had lasted longer than planned, and they had to rush in order to make it on time. Sitting in the car, Matt mentally rehearsed how to bring up his conversation with Antonio from the other night. Gabby's phone was plugged in, her music blaring as she sang along to some musical song that Matt couldn't quite place. I'm just like my country, I'm young, scrappy and hungry and I'm not throwing away my shot!
He reached for the dial, turning the volume down, receiving a slap on the arm in protest. "Hey, don't touch my radio!"
"It's my truck!"
"It's my Hamilton!"
He chuckled at her antics, before turning serious. "Hey, can we talk for a second?"
"Wow, you've already switched over to lieutenant mode," she teased.
"Look," he began, twisting in his seat to look at her as they waited at a stoplight, "your dad coming to stay… are you sure it's a good idea? With everything going on with the house, my Alderman work, your shifts at Molly's, I'm just not sure now is the right time."
He knew it was an awful excuse, and, knowing Gabby, he was aware that she would see right through it. But he couldn't bring himself to tell her the real reason.
Her mood shifted suddenly, her demeanor turning from playful to frustrated. "He's arriving tomorrow, Matt. You didn't think to tell me this sooner?"
"It's not like you gave me tons of time for that. You didn't even tell me he was coming until after you asked him to stay with us." Matt sighed, knowing that she was trying to get a rise out of him. He really hated that it was working.
"He's my dad. I didn't realize I needed your permission." She said sharply, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
"You know that's not what I meant, but a bit of warning would've been nice." He retorted, his grip on the steering wheel tightening.
There was an awkward pause, both of them staring at the road ahead, refusing to look at each other. It was only a few moments later that Gabby spoke again, but it felt a lot longer. "Matt, I don't understand. You were fine with this until now... what's changed?" She asked, her voice softer than before, but still laced with an underlying harshness.
"I just don't think it's a good idea."
"If you really felt this way, you should have talked to me sooner," she said, her pitch increasing with each word.
"You're right," he replied, aware that he'd gone about this the wrong way, "but I'm telling you now."
"Well, it's happening," she snapped, her tone hostile as she turned away and looked out the window. He could feel the tension between them, and knew that this was her way of telling him the conversation was over. He sighed, his attention fully back on the road as they made the rest of the journey to work in silence.
The morning had been hectic for the men and women of 51; they didn't seem to be able to catch a break. It wasn't until midday that they were all able to unwind. Gabby hadn't spoken to Matt since the car ride. She was avoiding him when they weren't on calls, and he was frustrated. He wanted to talk to her, but didn't know how to bring it up without causing her to shut him down again. He sighed, his eyes on the newspaper before him, his hand reaching for his coffee cup. He brought it to his lips, only to realize it was empty. He was about to stand to refill it, when a fresh, steaming cup was placed in front of him. He looked up, surprised to see Gabby standing there, a half-embarrassed smile on her face. He knew that this was a peace offering, as apologies weren't her strongest suit.
"Where's my coffee?" Severide teased, pointing at his almost-empty cup.
"Get it yourself." she replied sassily.
"That is no way to talk to your lieutenant."
"My lieutenant? I don't work for you," she shot back. The truck company looked on from their spots around the room, amused at their colleagues and grateful for the light atmosphere after a long few hours.
Matt laughed smugly, bringing his coffee to his mouth and taking a long sip, his grin wide as he lowered the cup back to the table.
"Ha ha." Severide scoffed in fake annoyance, standing to get himself a cup.
The bells of 51 rang, calling the paramedics to a possible spinal injury. Brett sighed, the sandwich she had just finished making barely touching her lips.
"Duty calls," Gabby called teasingly, gaining an eye-roll from Brett.
Pulling up on the apparatus floor, the first thing Gabby noticed was that Truck was missing. Their call had taken a lot longer than expected, the situation more dire than first anticipated. A young woman had snuck into a climbing gym on a date, suffering a fall which had led to internal decapitation. Thanks to their quick thinking, they had managed to stabilize the girl.
The paramedics made their way to the common room. All of a sudden, Gabby heard a familiar laughter, one she would recognise anywhere and she quickened her pace, Brett rushing to keep up.
"Gabby?" Brett asked.
"I think my dad is here."
They reached the entryway, Gabby's eyes lighting up as she saw on her father. His grin grew as he rose to meet her, bringing her in for a hug.
"You're here? I thought your flight didn't get in until tomorrow?" She asked, pulling back and looking up at him.
"Oh, I got an earlier flight."
"You should have called me, I would have come and picked you up."
"I didn't want to trouble you, and besides, I wanted it to be a surprise."
At that moment, Gabby heard voices from the hallway. Instantly she recognised them as the members of Truck 81. Stella and Otis were the first to enter, closely followed by Herrmann and Mouch. Matt was the last to arrive, his level of tension rising immediately as he laid eyes on his father-in-law. He hid his internal annoyance at the unexpected early arrival. He had been hoping for a little extra time to talk to Gabby before he had to face Ramon.
Gabby placed her hand on her dad's back, her smile wide as she introduced her father to the group, "Guys, I'd like you all to meet my dad. He's going to be in Chicago for a while."
One by one the group introduced themselves to Gabby's father; warm handshakes and friendly greetings all round. Matt hung back, watching as his men greeted Ramon, until the older man looked up at him and their eyes met.
"Matt," he said, bridging the gap between them, "It's good to see you again."
"Likewise," Matt replied, unable to mask the tension he was feeling. Ramon brought him in for a friendly hug, but Matt's body remained rigid as he stood awkwardly in the short embrace. When he pulled back, Ramon returned to Gabby's side, and Matt stole a glance around the room. No one seemed to have picked up on the awkwardness, besides Severide, who was watching him carefully.
"I guess you're to blame for this troublemaker," Herrmann joked, earning a collective group of laughs and 'ooh's from the room and eliciting a scoff from Gabby. "Nah, I'm just yanking your chain; you've got a great kid."
"I am pretty great," Gabby teased.
"But not very modest," Stella interjected, before turning to address Ramon, "You're joining us for dinner, right?"
"Uh, I wouldn't want to intrude."
"Nonsense, you're staying," Gabby declared.
"You heard the girl. Besides, I want to hear all your embarrassing Gabby stories," Stella replied, grinning wildly and wrapping an arm around Gabby.
Matt watched from the back of the room, rolling his eyes at the exchange. Most members of 51 had missed it, however two had not. His eyes landed first on Gabby who appeared slightly annoyed, and then on Severide who offered him a questioning look.
Matt made a swift exit from the room, not wanting to irritate Gabby further but unsure as to whether he would be able to remain civil around her father. He headed straight for his office, sighing as he sat down at his desk, hoping to distract himself with paperwork.
It worked for a while, the incident reports that had been sat incomplete on his desk were now finished. He sat up straight, running a hand through his hair and sighing. Severide happened to be passing at that moment and paused in the doorway to watch his friend. Matt was so distracted that he didn't even see him there. It wasn't until Severide cleared his throat that he realized he had company.
"Dude, what's with you?"
"What do you mean," Matt asked, looking down, feigning ignorance.
"Oh, you're gonna play dumb?" Severide rolled his eyes as he spoke.
"It's nothing, it's just been a long shift."
"Bullshit." Severide said pointedly. "Those were some icey looks you were giving Dawson's dad. I thought you guys got along well?"
"We did." Matt said, trying to end the conversation.
"What changed?"
Matt hesitated, not sure if he should confide in his friend with Gabby still in the dark.
"It can't be that bad. Just tell me." Severide said, sensing his friend's reluctance.
Casey nodded uneasily. His face hardened a second later. "This doesn't leave this room."
"It won't." Severide promised.
"Antonio came over the night Gabby told me her dad was going to be staying with us. And he told me something about their dad. Gabby stills doesn't know…"
"What?" Severide prompted, wishing he would hurry up and spit it out.
Matt inhaled, closing his eyes a moment before he spoke, "The night of the anniversary party Antonio had it out with Ramon. He was trying to figure out what was going on, why their dad was acting that way." Matt paused a second, shaking his head, "Ramon said he should have left Camilla thirty years ago, before Gabby was born."
Severide faltered, trying desperately to hide the guiltiness he was feeling. But it was futile, Matt saw it flash across his face. "You knew?" He accused, practically daring Severide to deny it. "How?"
"Antonio told me about it at Molly's after everything happened," he admitted.
"And you didn't think to tell me?" Matt half yelled, trying not to make a scene in the firehouse; his colleagues were gossipers, and he knew word would get around instantly.
"If I had told you, you wouldn't have been able to hide how angry you were. Like you can't right now. Don't think I was only one who noticed back there. Gabby knows something is up."
Matt faltered, he hated to admit it, but Severide was right. He had had a hard time hiding his anger, but he couldn't help it. He just knew that Gabby would be devastated if she found out what her father had said, especially as they had just repaired their relationship following the divorce announcement. Gabby had always been close to her father, he knew how much she relished in the relationship they shared, but telling her would take some of that away from her. The rational part of him felt like he should tell her, that she had the right to know, and he hated hiding this from her. But the protective part of him didn't want to crush her with this revelation.
There was a knock, and Matt looked up to see Stella Kidd poking her head round the door. Her smile changed from friendly to somewhat awkward as she noted the obvious tension in the room.
"Hey, I didn't mean to interrupt, just wanted to let you know food's ready." Stella didn't wait to hear their responses as she turned on her heels and left the office without a backwards glance. Matt and Severide shared a look, a silent promise that this conversation would be continued later, before standing to follow Stella.
Over in the common room, Gabby was putting the finishing touches on dinner. When she had walked into the kitchen an hour ago to complete disarray, she'd swiftly stepped in to save her father from Cruz's disaster of a meal, banning him from the room 'for the greater good.'
One by one the members of 51 made their way into the common room and grabbed plates of food.
"Smells good, what is it?" Mouch asked.
"Enchiladas," Gabby supplied, bringing salad over to the table.
Matt filled a plate before turning, choosing the seat next to Gabby, who was sitting at the end. He squeezed her shoulder as he passed, and she turned to look up at him, smiling. "Hey," she greeted.
"Hey yourself," he replied. They were having a silent conversation, lost in each other's eyes, until the sound of a chair scraping pulled them back to the present. Matt looked up, holding back a sigh as he laid eyes on his father-in-law, Severide's words resounding in his head as he tried to act normal.
Light conversation fell upon the group as they ate, Matt zoning out until the talk turned to that of his wedding to Gabby.
"You know they tried to sneak off and get married without us." Stella told Ramon.
"They did," Herrmann chucked. "But we weren't going let them do it without their Fifty-One family."
"I'm glad you guys were there to witness it," Ramon replied, smiling. Matt noted that the smile didn't quite reach his eyes.
Twenty minutes later the meal was finished and everyone was starting to clear up. Otis was on dish washing duty, and one by one the group dispersed. Outside the common room, Matt and Severide were discussing the house's bet on how long until Connie scared off the new girl, Marcy. Their laughter stopped when they saw Ramon making his way over to them.
"Well, Squad have got drills to run, I'll leave you guys to it," Severide announced, heading towards the apparatus floor, giving Matt's shoulder a squeeze on his way past.
The pair watched as Severide left, before Ramon turned to face Matt. "We didn't get a chance to talk much during dinner.. It's good to see you."
"Yeah, you too." Matt replied somewhat coldly, his gaze remaining firmly fixed on the scene before him as Severide began running a drill with Cruz.
An awkward silence stretched out before them, and, when it became clear that Matt wasn't going to make the first move to continue the conversation, he cleared his throat. "I'm glad you two finally tied the knot."
Matt's face softened as his mind wandered back to that day. "I am too."
Marriage had been on the forefront of his mind from the moment they had become a family with Louie, but her feelings towards marriage had shifted following the anniversary party and it had thrown his plans for a third proposal out the window. Sitting in Molly's for the 100th anniversary party, seeing the look in her eyes, he had realised that they were both ready to take that step.
"You both seem very happy, I just wish Gabby's family could have been there."
"Her family was there." Seeing the hurt flash across Ramon's face, he took a deep breath, frustrated that he let his anger get the better of him. "It was a spur of the moment decision. We had to act quickly for the sake of Louie, I know Gabby wanted you there."
Ramon was starting to get the impression that something was bothering Matt, but before he could call him out on it, they were interrupted by Gabby.
"Hey, dad," she greeted, handing out her house key, "Matt and I won't be off shift until tomorrow, but the guest room is ready for you." Looking between Matt and her father, Gabby could tell that she had walked in on something, the tension between the pair obvious.
"Thank you, sweetheart," Ramon replied, accepting the key and leaning in to give his daughter a kiss on the cheek. "I should get going."
"See you in the morning." She smiled warmly, before watching as he made a swift exit. As the door close, she turned on her heel to face Matt.
"Really?" she asked.
"What? We were just talking."
"You were being weird in the car ride this morning and you've been a jerk to my dad ever since he got here. What's going on with you?"She stared him down. Matt was usually an open book to her, but right now she couldn't get a clear reading on him.
"Nothing," he replied. He paused, taking a deep breath, "I'm sorry. I'm just stressed."
He placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her reassuringly. She rolled her eyes at him, shrugging his hand off and starting to walk away.
"Gabby," he called after her, "I'm sorry."
"It's fine," she replied, turning back to face him, "I think Brett needs help with inventory."
Sitting on a bar stool in Molly's, Matt found his mind wandering over the events of the past few days. The whole situation with Gabby's dad had been escalating more quickly than Matt was comfortable with. Matt knew the longer Ramon stayed with him, the less he would be able to control himself around the man. He knew that he couldn't keep this from Gabby, and the longer he hid it, the worse the consequences would be for him, and yet he couldn't bring himself to say the words that would shatter his wife's world. He knew she was starting to catch on to the fact that it was more than just the inconvenience of his father-in-law's stay causing his hostile behaviour, and he knew he was either going to have to come up with a better excuse or to tell Gabby the truth.
What Matt wanted more than anything in that moment was to take a break. Not from Gabby, but from this situation. He wanted desperately to turn the clock back six months, back to when he didn't know about Ramon's confession, and when the apartment was filled with Louie's toys rather than Ramon's dirty laundry and clutter.
The small thud of a bottle being placed before him brought him back to the present, and he looked up, his eyes landing on Herrmann, who was looking at him questioningly. "You alright, Lieutenant?"
"Huh?" he responded, having only half-registered his friend's words.
"You haven't seemed yourself the last few days days," the older man observed. He slung the dish towel he had been holding over his shoulder before asking, "Is everything ok?"
"Oh, yeah, you know," Matt began, trying to decide how much truth to give to his friend. "Gabby's dad living with us… it's just been a little… crowded." he eventually replied, brushing Herrmann off.
"Oh, I know that feeling," Herrmann chuckled, "back when we were living with Cindy's parents… let's just say I'm not sure how we made it all those months without killing one another."
Matt laughed half-heartedly, grateful that Herrmann seemed to believe that's all there was to it. He took another swig of his beer, his mind starting to wander once again.
"You could always move out," Herrmann suggested. He waited a beat before adding, "You know, since Severide turned me down, you've still got a shot at the apartment above our garage."
Matt chuckled, "Thanks. I'm not sure we're quite that desperate, though."
"Well the offer still stands, if you ever need it."
"Thanks," he replied, much more sincerely this time. "I'll be sure to let Gabby know."
A few tables down Stella and Severide were giving Capp a hard time for making a fool of himself in front of a hot girl at a scene the previous day. Looking for an escape, Capp noted that their beer bottles were almost empty, and volunteered to buy the next round.
"Another beer?" Capp asked, using his empty beer bottle to gesture to the group.
"Sure," the pair replied in sync, never ones to pass up free alcohol.
Once Capp was out of hearing distance, Stella turned to Severide. "What was up with you and Casey earlier. That looked intense."
Severide looked at her faking innocence. "What do you mean?"
"Come on, you know what I'm talking about." She prompted, shoving Severide's shoulder and rolling her eyes.
Severide placed a hand over his heart, feigning hurt.
"Oh, shut up." She retorted, squinting her eyes at him.
"I didn't say anything." Severide raised his hands, laughing, in mock defeat.
"Of course you didn't." She replied. Their eyes locked, both getting caught up in the moment.
Stella is the first to reluctantly break eye contact, her curiosity of the secrets between her boss and best friend. She is about to inquire about Casey again, when beers are placed on the table before them. She silently makes a mental note to talk to Severide when they get home.
Matt sighed as he grabbed his bag from the passenger seat of his truck. His alderman meeting had run late again and he knew that Gabby would already have left for her shift at Molly's. It always seemed as though they were missing each other these days. During shift seemed to be the only time the pair got to themselves since Ramon had moved in with them earlier in the week. Even then, it was nearly impossible to find any privacy in the he were being honest, though, he was glad they hadn't had too much time alone. It meant he could avoid talking about Ramon.
He made his way into the living room, expecting to find Gabby waiting for him. He was bitterly disappointed to find his father-in-law sitting on the couch drinking a beer and watching soccer.
"Oh, hey, I was just watching the game, if you want to join?" Ramon asked, gesturing to the TV.
Matt headed towards the kitchen, throwing over his shoulder, "I'm fine. And I don't watch soccer." He opened the fridge, cursing under his breath. "I see you helped yourself to the beer," he said, before muttering under her breath just loudly enough for Ramon to hear, "all of the beer."
Ramon sighed heavily, switching off the TV and turning to face his son-in-law. "Matt, can we just be civil?"
Matt ignored the question, grabbing the bag he had placed down on his way in and turning towards the bedroom. He got a few steps before Ramon spoke again. "Why are you so angry, Matt? What have I done? Is this about me staying here?"
"No, it's not."
"Then would you care to explain why I've been given the cold-shoulder since my arrival? We've never had issues like this before."
"I can't pretend like I don't know," Matt sighed, trying desperately to maintain his composure and not let the anger he was feeling spill out.
Ramon looked at him, "Like you don't know what?"
"Antonio told me... what you said after the party." Matt explained bitterly, watching as realisation dawned on his father-in-law's face.
"Matt, I-"
"That you said you wished you had left your wife thirty years ago." He interrupted, no longer able to hide his anger. "I did the math; you were talking about when Gabby was born. "
"You don't understand-" he began, trying desperately to calm Matt down.
"You're right about that. I don't understand," Matt hissed, unable to hide the bitterness in his voice."I don't understand what kind of father talks about their child like that. Do you wish you had abandoned her?" There was despair in his voice as he spoke, his heart breaking for his wife, wanting desperately for this all to be a lie, a misunderstanding.
"I could never abandon my children, either of them," Ramon shot back, intoxication evident. "I love Gabriela and I have from the moment she was born. I never cared that she wasn't mine," he froze, eyes locked on Matt. Silence descended upon the room as he realized his mistake.