"Daddy! Daddy, wait! Don't go! Please don't go!"
Mia chased her dad down the hall and shouted after him. When she got to him, she clutched onto his leg. Big, heartbreaking tears fell down her cheeks. Matt leaned down and kissed the top of her head.
"Mia, honey. I need to get to work," he said to his daughter.
It was the morning of Matt's first day back to work since his accident almost two months ago. He was eager to return to 51 but also nervous about getting back into the swing of things. Although he didn't need to be at the firehouse for almost an hour, he wanted to arrive early so that he had plenty of time to prepare.
"No, daddy! Don't go! Please!" Mia pleaded, almost inaudible as she continued to sob.
Matt gently pried Mia off of his leg and knelt down to her level. With his thumb, he tenderly wiped away some of her tears.
"What's wrong, Mia Monkey?" he asked.
"I don't want you to go back to work, daddy! You could get hurt again! Or…or something really bad could happen to you. Like…like Aunt Shay or the people mommy helps at work," she confessed. She wrapped her arms around her dad's neck and hugged him tightly.
Just then, Gabby walked down the hall, holding a travel mug full of coffee for Matt. He looked up at his wife and could tell by the look on her face that she had heard Mia's confession. He also sensed that she was harboring the same fears as their daughter.
Gabby walked towards the pair, the love of her life and the little girl who had stolen both of their hearts. She knelt down in beside them and kissed Mia's forehead. Gabby's heart broke as Mia broke down over Matt's return to work. Gabby had put a brave face on for the kids, but on the inside, she was as anxious as Mia about Matt going back to 51. Probably even more so.
Matt slowly pulled away from Mia, made eye contact with Gabby, and squeezed her hand lovingly.
"Can I tell you a story, Monkey?" he asked their daughter.
She nodded slowly. All three of the Casey kids loved when their parents told them stories about when the couple first started dating, about their wedding, or about when the kids were babies.
"Well, when you were three and Jake was a little, tiny baby, I almost got hurt on a call," he began.
Mia held up her hand to stop him.
"Daddy!" she shouted. "This story isn't making me feel better!"
Gabby smiled. She knew how Matt's story ended and knew that it would actually make Mia feel better after all.
Matt continued the story, "But I didn't. Uncle Kelly helped get me out of the burning building, and we were both fine. Aunt Sylvie checked me out in the ambulance, and other than a few scrapes, I was good to go. I wasn't going to tell Mama about what happened because I didn't want her to worry about me, but Uncle Kelly and Aunt Sylvie helped out with that, too. When I got back home after that shift, Mama was really worried and scared, like you are now. I told her…"
Gabby cut him off and asked, "Can I take it from here?"
He nodded, smiling.
"Your Daddy told me that he loved me and you and Jake. He said that he knew he had a dangerous job. That he prayed at the beginning of every shift that he'd come home safely to us. Then…and this is my favorite part, baby girl. He told me that he would always, always be with us, protect us, and love us with his whole heart. The next day, he gave me a present. This."
Gabby pulled out a necklace from behind her shirt. It was one of two necklaces that she wore everyday, without fail.
She held onto a delicate, silver chain with a small, silver charm. Engraved on it was simply:
always
-m
"Your 'always' necklace!" Mia exclaimed. "You wear that one and Aunt Shay's necklace everyday."
Gabby nodded, as a lone tear fell down her cheek. "You're right, Monkey. I wear these necklaces everyday to remind me that your Daddy and Aunt Shay are always with me."
Matt squeezed Gabby's hand again and finished their story.
"I can't remember a day since I gave the necklace to Mama that she hasn't worn it. Now, I know you're nervous about me going back to work, sweetie pie. But just like Mama does, you need to remember that I'm always with you and will always do everything I can to come home safely to you and your Mama and your brothers. Just like I did a few weeks ago, and just like I did when you and Jake were younger."
Mia nodded and pulled both of her parents together for a tear-filled group hug.
"But, daddy," she said. "I'm still scared about you going back to work."
"I know, sweetie. But, maybe if you and your brothers are really, really good and listen to Mama all day long, she'll bring you to the firehouse before dinner," he assured his daughter.
"Will you, mama?" Mia asked Gabby excitedly.
"Well, you have soccer practice after school, but we'll see if we can squeeze in a trip to 51," Gabby said to her daughter.
Gabby kissed the top of Mia's head and helped her to her feet. Matt stood up as well, leaned towards his wife, and kissed her. Not a quick, "see you later" kind of kiss, but a loving, tender one with an extra moment of his lips lingering on hers.
"Ew!" Mia said, covering her eyes.
Matt and Gabby both laughed at Mia's reaction. Gabby leaned into Matt's side and held him tightly.
"I love you, Mia Shay. Always," Matt said. He reached his hand down to ruffle her mess of curly, brown hair.
"I love you too, daddy," she said.
"I love you too, Gabby. Always. I'll see you soon," he said.
He kissed his wife on more time, and then opened the front door. Just before he hopped into the driver's seat of his truck, he turned back to the house and waved goodbye to Gabby, Mia, and the boys, who had joined the girls by the entryway window.
Massive raindrops crashed down onto Gabby's SUV as she parked in front of the firehouse. The unexpected rainstorm had caused Mia's soccer practice to end early and left plenty of time for the Casey family to visit 51.
"Alright, kiddos. Make sure the hoods of your rain jackets are up and run to the firehouse as soon as you get unbuckled! I'll carry you, Luca Bean," Gabby instructed her three kids.
Just moments later, Mia and Jake ran towards the firehouse, and Gabby followed behind them carrying little Luca. As soon as they reached the apparatus floor they were greeted with bear hugs from Uncle Kelly and Capp. Cruz walked over, hugged Gabby, and reached for Luca.
"Where's Daddy?" Mia asked, worriedly. "Is he okay?"
"He's okay other than being bored with paperwork in his office," Kelly assured Mia.
That was all she needed to hear. She grabbed Jake's hand, and they both ran inside the firehouse. They didn't get very far before they ran right into their dad.
"Daddy!" they shouted at the same time.
"You're okay!" Mia exclaimed.
"It's raining!" Jake added, pointing outside.
Matt laughed and scooped his two oldest children into his arms.
"Oh, I've missed you both. I'm glad you convinced your Mama to swing by the firehouse," he said, making eye contact with Gabby and flashing her the smile that made her fall more in love with him every time she saw it.
"And she said that we can meet Miss Kim and Mr. Adam and Lincoln for dinner!" Mia explained to her dad.
"I wish you could come too, daddy," Jake added.
"Next time, buddy. You'll have lots of fun with Miss Kim and Mr. Adam, though. Maybe Mr. Adam will do his funny walrus impression with some straws," Matt said.
Gabby walked over to Matt and the kids and leaned towards him for a quick kiss. Cruz placed Luca on the floor so that he could run towards the rest of his family.
"Remember, I said a quick visit. We don't want to be late for dinner," Gabby said.
A few minutes later, Gabby and the kids were back in the SUV, buckled and ready to go.
"I really, really hope Mr. Adam makes his walrus face. He's so funny!" Jake said, giggling.
"He is really funny, buddy," Gabby said to her son.
As she drove away from the firehouse, she was flooded with mixed emotions. She was excited to meet Kim and Adam for dinner but still worried about the rest of Adam's shift. Mia's worries seemed to be erased by the visit to the firehouse, but Gabby's weren't.
Of course, she had always worried about Matt when he was on the job, but it was easier when she was on shift with him and could see with her own eyes that he was safe. Her worries only increased when the kids were born and she no longer worked alongside her husband.
"Always," she whispered to herself, clutching her necklace with one hand.
Always.
"Who wants donuts?" Matt called into the house, as he walked through the front door after his shift. Saturday donuts were a beloved tradition in the Casey house.
"Daddy!" three little voices called. Mia, Jake, and Luca ran towards their dad and clutched onto his legs. Gabby followed behind them.
"Hey, baby. We missed you," Gabby said. Her arms were full with a basket of laundry, but she still leaned towards her husband for a kiss.
"If you take these donuts, I'll take that laundry and fold it for you," Matt said to Gabby and added another kiss to sweeten the deal.
Soon, the box of donuts was empty, and the kids had left a trail a crumbs around the kitchen. The boys were busy building Lego creations at the kitchen table. Matt called Gabby and Mia into the living room. He held a small box behind his back.
"I have a little something for your, Mia Monkey," he said, as all three of them sat down on the couch.
"A present?" she asked, excitedly. "But it's not my birthday or Christmas!"
"It's a special occasion," he responded.
He handed her the small box and told her to open it. Gabby looked up at him curiously, and he flashed that heart-melting smile.
"It's a locket!" Mia exclaimed.
"It is. Open it up and see what's inside," Matt encouraged his daughter.
"It says 'always.' Just like Mama's necklace!" Mia said, practically shouting with glee.
Gabby smiled back at Matt, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Matt..." she said. "This is so sweet."
"I'll always be with both of you. Always," he said.
"Thank you so much, daddy! I'll wear it everyday, just like Mama," she said. She jumped into Matt's arms for a hug, and Gabby leaned over her daughter to kiss Matt.
Always...
