''Da.'' Lauren laughed at her daddy as he held up one of her toys, making a funny face and made a giggling sound. As the twins were a little over five months now, they started to make more and more sounds and even better, their laughing and giggling was a beautiful sound that filled their house now.
''Aren't you the cutest girl of Chicago.'' Matt laughed as he handed her the toy and she took it, looking at the stuffed animal in her hands.
''Hey!'' Gabby said behind him and suddenly she sat down on his back, as he was on his stomach on the floor so he was on the same level as Lauren on the rug, filled with toys and Gabby grabbed his arms, holding them tight.
''Daddy deserves the tickle dead, huh?'' Gabby said as she held Matt's hands with one arm and as Matt couldn't free them, he guessed it was something she had learned from Antonio.
''Da.'' Lauren said, throwing the stuffed animal out of her hands as she looked at her mother with a big smile.
''I think that was a yes.'' Gabby whispered in his ear and suddenly her other hand started to tickle him in his side. Matt couldn't handle tickling in his side and a few second later he was kicking with his legs, begging for mercy.
''Who is the cutest girl of Chicago.''
''Both of you are the cutest! Please stop!'' Matt said, laughing hysterically and tears were almost streaming down his cheeks. Oh he hated it so much when somebody tickled him in his side and Gabby knew that.
''Enough!'' Matt panted as she finally let go and he crawled over the floor, towards Aiden whom was looking at him from the baby chair with a pout as Gabby hadn't give him his fruit yet and Matt took the bowl with fruit snack from the floor and carefully put some of the mashed fruit in the boys mouth. Immediately the 5-month old baby started to kick with his feet, looking excited.
''Yeah, you love bananas, don't you.'' Matt cooed as he fed Aiden the fruit snack. ''Silly mommy, being mean to daddy, huh?''
Aiden smiled at him with his large toothless smile.
''See, we men understand each other.'' Matt grinned at Gabby as he was done feeding Aiden and after washing the bowl he took Aiden from the low chair to the ground. Aiden immediately grabbed the toy beside him - the plastic fire truck that had also been in the gift box from the firefighters - and threw it towards Matthew. ''Doh.''
''here comes the fire truck.'' Matt said as he moved it over the rug towards Aiden again. ''Waah woo waaah woo.'' He handed it back to the little boy and Aiden put it on the ground again. ''Aaah ooh aaah oooh.''
Matt started to laugh and Gabby looked endeared.
''Waa woo waa woo.'' Matt answered him again as he took the truck and 'drove' it back and forth over the truck. He handed it back to Aiden again and the boy started to giggle again. ''Aah oooh.''
Then Matt stood up. ''I am to take a small nap.'' He yawned and Gabby nodded understanding because he had just returned from one of his shifts and she was grateful he tried to play with them as often as possible, but she knew he was tired.
''Sleep well.'' She said as he walked away and she stood up for a second to clean away the bowls in which the fruit had been for the twins. They were playing on the rug and she knew nothing could happen and she could keep an eye on them from the kitchen.
Matt was still standing by the fridge and he grabbed a mug of milk, which he usually did before going to bed after shift.
''Are you sure you still don't want me going back to work? You could work less shifts, spend more time contracting and with the twins. Or we would work some shifts together and we could earn some more money. My parents already offered they wouldn't mind taking the twins a few 24 hour shifts. I am sure I can get back on an ambo somewhere.''
''I am sure.'' He managed to say while drank the milk and she frowned.
''I know we can manage on your salary, well, we can if we are careful with the money but I don't want you to bring all the money home, I can work as well.''
''I know, but I am not home very often and when you are going to be away to work as well the twins will be at your parents so often. I know they don't mind but I think it is also nice for the twins to have one of their parents around most of the time, so that would be you.''
Gabby nodded. ''But really, I can get back to work any time.''
''I know, but the twins need a mommy.'' He kissed her on her forehead and he turned around and walked up the stairs while she walked back to the living room.
''Your daddy is a hero...you might not understand now...but every time he is not here, he is saving people.'' She said as she cleaned around a little bit while the twins were laying on their belly's, their attention drawn to their toys, not even looking up at their mother and she smiled at the endearing sight.
''But it is good you don't know, you would be worried all the time, like me. Now your dad is the man that plays with you and feeds you...and luckily does not sing you lullabies.'' She chuckled. Although she tried not to think about it, she was worried every shift, that he would not come back and she would have to raise the kids on her own, that they would be left without him. She tried not to think about it but she had seen it with the Darden's.
''One day, it might be just me who wil be your buddy for playing...and you might not even remember your daddy because you are so young.'' She sighed then, sad.
''I am not going anywhere.''
Matt leaned against the doorpost and looked at Gabriela, tears in his eyes.
''I thought you were going to sleep.''
''I want to, but I wanted to say sleep well to the twins as they are going to bed soon too for their nap before lunch...but I don't want you to worry about me when I am not here. '' Matt said as he sat down next to her on the ground and took her hand.
''I can't help but worry, Matt. It's a dangerous job, I have been there too.''
''I know, but every time you hear a siren you should think of me waving at your from the window of the truck, at you and Lauren and Aiden. Nothing is going to happen to me, I promise.'' He said as he kissed her on the jaw.
''Aah ooh, aah ooh.'' Aiden said as he grabbed the truck again.
''waaah ooh waaa ooh, huh buddy.'' Matt smiled as he rubbed the boy over his head and looked at Gabriela again.
''I promise...and now I am going to bed.'' He kissed both of the twins on the forehead and walked up the stairs. He knew it was a dangerous job, but he was more careful than he had been before, he thought more about risks because he knew it was dangerous and he would never want the twins to lose their daddy, like Griffin and Ben had. For the past five months, he had rushed to go home after every shift, glad to hold his kids in his arms again while before, he didn't really care for going home.
He understood Gabby's worries, but he didn't want her to worry. Laying down in bed he thought of his shift tomorrow and he would make sure he would be holding the twins again after those 24 hours.
NOTE: of course, it is still a really dangerous job! The twins are a little older now but they still don't realize what their daddy goes through every shift.
This one was a shorter one shot again but I hope you liked it either way. The next one shot will contain a little bit more adventure - it has something to do with district 21 ;)
Anyways, thanks for reading and don't forget to leave a review about what you thought about this chapter! Do you think Gabby is in-character? Do you like where the storyline is going and things you would like to see are always welcome too, the things you said before are noted and I am trying to add a lot of them! Response and reviews are very appreciated, thanks!
