Second (maybe third) last chapter here! OMG! Thank you to all those who have reviewed the last chapter, you are all very very amazing, I knew that you would all like seeing happy Dawsey…coz I DO too ! :D
Please review, I love hearing that you have to say, especially coming up to the last few chapters, I want to know if there is anything I have missed or need to address!
Chapter 21 – Because Some Things Are More Important
"Hey…" Gabby looked up at the sound of Anna's voice behind her as she turned around from the driver's side of the car. Shift was over and after another quiet night, Gabby was looking forward to getting some time to herself before meeting Matt for a movie, something they had talked about doing since their picnic together and they had finally had the chance to do it.
He had kissed her on the lips before smiling and saying goodbye, ignoring the whistles from their friends, Gabby just shook her head, she was still learning her way around having Matt back in her life but this is what she wanted and she was going in the direction she wanted to be doing in.
But as Anna stood in front of her, Gabby sighed, she didn't know if she had the strength to ignore Anna at that moment, she had clearly gone out of her way to come and see her and it looked as though she was about ready to have that baby then and there. "Please don't leave, I just really wanna talk…" she spoke softly, "I didn't come here to fight Gabby, I just want to talk." She watched as Gabby fought that battle in her head, the one that was telling her to turn around but she didn't.
Gabby sighed and closed her eyes for a moment before speaking, "Wanna get some breakfast?" she figured a public place would reduce the chance of either of them blowing up too much. Anna smiled, nodding her thanks before moving over to the passenger side of Gabby's car, missing the look shared between Matt and Gabby before they drove away.
They sat quietly at the dinner for what felt like forever, both having ordered and eaten their food already, they say with cooling down cups of coffee in front of them both, neither really knew where to start. After opening and closing her mouth a few times Anna started, "Ella…I am so sorry for what happened, I promise you, I didn't know anything about it and if I did I would have told someone."
Anna was a lot of things, or at least she had been when she was a kid, but once thing she wasn't was a sadist. She had never really gotten pleasure out of seeing others hurt, especially when it was something so serious as it was with Gabby, and regardless of how she had acted about the accident and after the accident when they were kids, Gabby believed her when she said she didn't know.
"I know you didn't and I'm sorry that it came out the way it had; I just…I had been trying to deal with what had happened and when I found out you were in that room and had no where to go, I guess I needed something else to focus on for a little while and I guess I also needed to know the truth about that night." Anna nodded again, she didn't blame Gabby for what had happened in that interview room, she understood. "This is hard for me and I know that I may be a little closed off right now, but I am trying to process it all."
For Gabby now, it wasn't the attack, it wasn't the assault or the rape or the pain or the fear, she was passed that now, she was moving on with her life, she had her friends and family back, she had the love of her life back, now it was more around the realisation that all of this happened because she had helped her sister out. Once again, helping Anna had caused her pain, even though this time was not her fault, Gabby still felt a little anger towards her, although she would never blame her.
"I am taking this all one day at a time Anna and right now, I need to focus on myself and the people closest to me and I'm sorry but I feel as though I need time away from you…" Anna opened her mouth to speak but Gabby cut her off, "…No, you boyfriend abused me, he raped me and I know it's not your fault I can't help but always feel that in the back of my mind, he did it because I helped you."
Gabby stood quickly, "I just need time Anna, I have only just started to accept all of this and the reasons behind it so I'm sorry but I-" Gabby stopped short in her sentence as she looked down at Anna, her head was dropped and her shoulders hunched over, her hands were gripping the table tightly. "What's wrong?" Instinct took over, her paramedic side kicking in, she became worried for Anna and her baby. And that didn't subside, it only grew when Anna sucked in a deep breath, she raised her head, tears forming in her eyes.
Gabby knew that face, she had seen it before on many calls, Anna was in labour, her body contracting as the baby moved into position. She crouched down by Anna's side, "How long have you been having this pain?" She waited until Anna took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as the contraction passed.
Swallowing, Anna looked back at Gabby, "I woke up around 5am with them, but it was only one or two, I thought it was just my body…" She cried out as another contraction hit, reaching for Gabby's hand instantly, Gabby giving it willingly, "Oh!" She cried, getting the attention of a few people around them, a waitress coming to their side, offering to call for an ambulance.
Gabby didn't want to risk driving Anna to the hospital herself, the contractions were close and she didn't want anything to happen.
Gabby hadn't left Anna's side for the few hours she was at the hospital, they had slowed down her contractions, as the baby wasn't in position to be born as yet and the doctor felt that it would be too much strain on Anna's body. Anna turned her head towards Gabby; tired from the pains he had been in, "Thank you for staying Gabby, I know this is hard for you."
She thought for a moment, after everything that had happened with them both over the many years, no one could blame Gabby for wanting to walk away, for wanting to not have any part of Anna's life as she seemed to be involved with the pain that was caused but as she looked down at her younger sister in that hospital bed, holding onto her like she was that 10 year old again, the one that was scared of the thunderstorms, Gabby couldn't think of anywhere else she would rather be.
Smiling she leaned over and placed a kiss on her forehead, "Right now, this is more important than what I am feeling." As always, Gabby was putting everyone else ahead of her own feelings but she wanted to be there for her sister. "I'm gonna go and get something to drink, I wont be far." She rose from her seat, looking down at her phone when she noticed that her mother had sent her back a text saying they were there.
Gabby wasn't too sure how Anna would feel knowing that her parents were at the hospital but Gabby wanted them to be there, she wanted Anna to have her whole family around her in support, and so they had came. She smiled when she noticed them standing next to Matt, who looked a little uncomfortable. "Hey," she spoke as she came to their side, her arm going around Matt's waist, something that her parents didn't miss.
"Gabriella how is she?" Her mother was very unsure about being there, after what had happened when Anna was younger and what she had said when she had come to visit when first arriving back in Chicago, their mother had decided that Anna was going to have to live with her own choices without their help…that was until she received a phone call from Gabby, asking them to come and be with their daughter.
Gabby smiled, "She is alright, tired but she is hanging in there. Do you guys want some coffee, I was going out to get some?" She looked back at her parents who shook their heads; they had already had their meal so more coffee was not needed. Then she looked at Matt, "You want some babe? You didn't have to come you know…I know you were trying to get some sleep."
But Matt laughed, "It's alright, I didn't think I was going to get much sleep, Severide had the TV up loud," he wanted to add that he didn't want to sleep without her by his side but he felt that that may not be appropriate to say in front of her parents, also considering they were just finding out they were back together. "I will take a cup if you don't mind though…" He placed a kiss on her head as she nodded, moving away from the small group in search of that coffee.
An awkward silence took over the three of them, Matt seeing that her parents wanted to say something, her parents not too sure what they were going to say. They had always liked Matt, even after Gabby and Matt had separated; they held nothing against him, Gabby explaining that it wasn't just his fault, that she was the one to walk away and that she didn't want them to blame him. Thankfully they hadn't, they had been civil in the few times they had seen each other since; still enjoying their conversations.
But this was different; Matt could tell by the look in her dad's eyes that this was different. "Look I-"
But her father cut him off, "I just want to make sure that Gabriella is happy and I know that you two were happy at a time and that didn't work," Matt knew that was coming, honestly he expected no less from her father, he just hoped that he could prove to him that he was the one to make her happy, "I just want you to know how I feel. I like you Matt, I always will but she is my daughter."
He left it there, giving Matt a chance to speak, "Thank you, and I know that what happened with us the last time wasn't the best but I can promise you, being apart from Gabby was the hardest thing I've ever had to do and I don't want that again. She has been through so much over the last couple of months and I am thankful she has let me be there for her." That was when her mother looked up, he had said too much and she had caught onto it.
"What do you mean 'been through so much'? What has been going on?" Matt should have known that Gabby talked to her mother about almost everything, maybe not as much as she told Antonio but clearly if Gabby had been having trouble with something, she would have usually gone to her mother.
Just as Matt was about to speak, Gabby walked up, handing him his coffee, "Here you do…" she looked at her mother as se took a sip, confused as to why she looked so worried all of a sudden, "What?" Her brow creased, unsure of what was going on.
Gabby's mother stepped forward, her hands touching her daughter's face, her eyes searching hers, then moving over her face. That's when she saw it, the light scar of the scratch on her forehead, "Gabriella what happened here?" She wasn't joking around or being light, her mother knew something had happened, that was not a scar that someone got in passing, she just had no idea what had actually happened.
Gabby pushed her mother's hands away, "Mum I'm fine-"
But she shook her head, "No, Matthew said you have been through a lot these last few months, now what happened to your face?" Gabby flash a glance to Matt who looked down, he knew that he had had let something slip that her mother wouldn't let go. He looked upset with himself, like he should have known better.
After a moment Gabby sighed, "Give me a second…" she moved towards Anna's room, finding her asleep, she mentioned to the nurse that she was going to get something from the cafeteria in case Anna woke up again, the nurse nodding before turning back to her notes. Gabby moved back to the group, her mother and father looking more concerned as they had the moment before. "Let's go and get something in the cafeteria."
She inclined her head towards the hallway as her parents started walking, Gabby stayed back for a moment, her hand reaching out for Matt's as she slipped it into his, tangling their fingers together. She felt him sigh against her as they started walking, "I am so sorry Gabby, it just kinda came out and your mum jumped on it…" he tried to explain, feeling terrible for letting the comment slip, knowing that her mum would have picked up on it right away.
But Gabby smiled, "It's alright, she would have noticed eventually anyway and well, now, after everything, I'm ok with them knowing. And I have you by my side again and I know that I can face anything." She leaned her head against his shoulder as they continued towards the cafeteria.
With a kiss placed on her head, Matt smiled, "And I always be by your side…that will never change." He spoke the words she had spoken to him many years ago, showing them both just how right for each other they were, even back then.
Gabby sat opposite her parents, Matt's hand tangled in hers as they rested against the table, they were quiet, Gabby thinking about the best way to speak, not really knowing how to begin this conversation with her parents. She leaned forward, squeezing Matt's hand a little tighter all of a sudden,. Sighing deeply, she cleared her throat, "So um…I'm going to tell you something that is going to be upset you both but I promise you that I am alright." She looked towards her mother who suddenly looked worried.
She glanced to her side, Matt giving her a light smile, making sure she knew that it was ok to keep talking. "Ah…a couple of months ago I was at home and someone broke in while I was there…" She looked down; hearing her mother gasp, understanding what she was saying, she leaned over the table and reached for Gabby's hand, holding it tightly, her father's face staying stoic and hard but behind his eyes Matt could see the fury, the anger, the fear and the sadness.
"He…well…he sprained my wrist, broke a few of my ribs, I had more stitches than I can count…" she slipped her hand from Matt's running her finger over the scar on her forehead, then over her lip. She felt that it was easier to list off her injuries in a way that made it sound like a list, trying to take the emotion out of the statement.
Gabby sighed, her mother letting the tears slip as she spoke in Spanish, something that Matt could only believe as words of sympathy and care. He watched as Gabby nodded, smiling lightly before she looked away again, "I remember everything…everything he did to me…" It didn't need more; there was nothing more that needed to be said after that.
Gabby's dad leaned forward in his seat, his face reddening, he was not a stupid person, he was a policeman for a very long time and he understood what she was saying, and Gabby's mother had been a psych nurse for many years, also didn't need to have that sentence explained anymore. "Oh Gabriella…" was all she could say as she moved from her seat, her arms going around her daughter's neck.
They hugged for a few moments, Gabby's father than reaching out and holding her hand tightly, "Are you sure you are alright?" Finding out your daughter had been attacked and raped in her own home is not something you want to be find out, and dealing with that knowledge was not something that he really knew how to do, so he did what he did best, worried about her current wellbeing.
Gabby nodded, "Yeah I'm alright. I've been staying with Sargent Voight," Gabby knew her father knew about Voight, knew about his past with Matt but also that he was Antonio's boss and that Antonio had nothing but praise for the man now. "I called him after it happened, I've also been seeing a counsellor, or at least I was." She had reduced the amount of sessions with her counsellor since Matt had found out, she had found the days easier and the counsellor had agreed that less sessions were appropriate.
Silence came over them again, her mother still sitting by Gabby's side, her hand holding her daughters tightly, tears still sitting in her eyes but had not fallen. "That's why Jeremy isn't here…" Gabby's father locked his jaw, he had put the pieces together easily, the comment about why Jeremy wasn't there to see his child being born, Gabby's reaction to his name, it all made sense.
"Yes. Sargent Voight has him in custody." Matt spoke, he had been silence for the whole time they had been sitting there but he felt that now was a good time to kick in. Her father nodded again, happy to know that he had been caught.
Before any of them could speak again a nurse came to their side, "I'm sorry, Gabby your sister is asking for you." Gabby nodded and stood, giving Matt a quick kiss before heading off towards Anna's room, Matt telling her that they would be along shortly.
Gabby's mother moved back to sit by her husband, who wrapped his arm around her, Matt still looking in the direction that Gabby had gone in. "How is she? Really?" Her father spoke, his voice shaking as he did.
Matt sighed and dropped his head for a moment, "She has her bad days still, nothing like she had been having but she has been really good. She has been taking lots of baby steps forward which is really good."
Her parents nodded, her mother reaching out for his hand, "I am so happy that she has you Matt, I know that it hasn't been easy for you both but I am happy that you are in her life still." Matt smiled back, he wasn't too sure how happy her parents would be with the knowledge that they were back together but they seemed happy. "Did you know from the start?" her mother wanted to know as much as possible, anything that Matt would give them would be more information than they currently had. She had tears in her eyes, just thinking about someone hurting her baby girl.
"No, I think it took just over a month for me to find out. She called Voight when it happened, she had been staying there, she still is. She had some time off work, she was off for a bout 3 weeks while she," he swallowed, the next word was always hard for him to say, "healed, Antonio found out the week before she came back to work and I found out a couple of weeks after she got back. I have to admit, before I found out what had happened, I didn't handle our relationship very well. Before all of this, we had been getting back to normal, we had been talking, laughing, spending time together outside of work. It was getting to the stage that I was going to ask her out again."
He looked over her parents, they were listening intently, waiting for him to tell them the rest of his story, "Then all of a sudden, she didn't come to work, Boden said she was dealing with some family issues. When she came back to work, she was distant, quiet, pushed me away, I didn't handle it well because I thought she had changed her mind about me, about how she felt about me. I got frustrated by it, angry, brushed her off. And then she came out with it, she told me what happened and I felt terrible for being so hard on her."
He shook his head, still to this day he hated knowing that he hadn't realised that something had been wrong with her, that it was more than just what he assumed but there was nothing that he could do about it now. Gabby's mother squeezed his hand, "I'm sure she is very thankful to have you around still after finding out though." She could tell that Matt was being hard on himself still.
He nodded, "She broke down a few weeks back, hit bottom and me and Antonio were there to help her back up, she is doing much better now. We went on date last week, and as you can see, she is taking the steps forward that she wants to be." He blushed a little, it was weird talking to her parents about their daughter's relationship but it proved that she had come a long way from where she was.
They sat in silence for a few more minutes, Gabby's mother turning to her husband, both of them sharing an embrace as they let the thought of their daughter being attacked wash over them. They were glad that she had been getting the help she needed and that she had people around her that were helping through it all but it was hard knowing that something so terrible had happened to their little girl.
Matt and Gabby's parents sat in the waiting room, Antonio had arrived after his shift had finished and together that waited. Slowing down Anna's contractions had slowed down the movement of her baby and so by 8pm Anna was ready to have her baby.
Time seemed to move differently for Gabby though, she looked down at her sister, holding her hand tightly, crying into her embrace as another contractions ripped through her body. She cried out, the pain almost becoming too much for her, "Gabby, I don't know if I can do this!" She held Gabby tightly, reminding her of the 10 year old that used to hide under the covers when she was scared. Her grip tightening on Gabby's arm once again.
Gabby whispered gently, "You can do this, I know you can do this…" Gabby brushed her hand over Anna's forehead, wiping away the sweet that had built up. There had been many times in the last few months that Gabby probably should have walked away from Anna and left her to deal with her own messes and a weaker person may have done so but Matt had always told her that she would always have Anna's back because she was her sister and that was the sort of person Gabby was, she would always have Anna's back.
Moments passed, the nurses and doctors talking to Anna but she didn't seem to be focussed on them, her head lulled to the side, her eyes connecting with Gabby's, "You have no idea how much I love that you are here Gabby. I don't think I would have been able to do this without you. I know I don't deserve you being here but thank you…" Gabby could have put it down to the pain but the look in Anna's eyes told her that it was more than that.
"I know Annie, I'm right here ok, we are going to do this together…" She leaned over and kissed Anna's forehead, because in the end some things are more important.
In a flurry of groans and screams and calls from the doctors and nurses, there was finally the distinct sound of a baby's cries echoing throughout the room, a sigh and laugh of relief from Anna, a sob from Gabby, who couldn't hold it back. She was happy to see her sister holding her newborn daughter.
As she looked down at the small baby, all wrapped up in the blanket, Gabby couldn't help but wonder now that Anna had given birth to Jeremy's child, the child of the man who raped her, a man who took so much from her, a man who caused her so much pain but right now that didn't matter, all that mattered was the small child that was staring past her mother and right into Gabby's eyes.
"She already knows who loves her so much. Hey don't you baby Ella, Aunt Gabby loves you so much…" Anna whispered as she slowly rocked the baby, her eyes going back to her mother, her mouth opening and closing a few times, she was hungry, food was the only thing she wanted and that's what she was going to get. Gabby smiled widely as the nurses went to looking after Anna and baby Ella, Anna had named her daughter after Gabby, the pet name only Anna used but Gabby smiled, it suited the baby more than it ever did her.
"What about this place?" Antonio passed the article over to Gabby, who looked down at it. She, Antonio and Matt were having dinner in Matt's apartment when the idea of new apartments came up, prompting their Internet search for something that Gabby may like. It had been almost three weeks since baby Ella was born and Anna had been struggling a little but Gabby couldn't believe how much she had grown since coming home with Ella, she had taken over the role of mother so easily, Gabby had been so proud of her.
Gabby had been all for the idea of find a new apartment, she couldn't live with Voight forever, Antonio helping her instantly in searching for new places but it wasn't lost on him that Matt had suddenly become quiet, deciding to clear away the plates and glasses while they looked. As Gabby looked down at the article in her hand, Antonio moved to the kitchen were Matt stood staring at the sink, the water running into the plates, but he wasn't moving. "You alright?"
Matt jumped a little, not having heard Antonio coming. He quickly shut off the water, "Yeah I'm alright." But as he turned to look at Antonio, he found him staring at him with the same look that Gabby would get when she knew that he wasn't telling her the truth. He sighed, leaned against the counter top, Antonio doing the same against the opposite bench top. "I guess I'm just worried that's all. About her getting her own place. I know she has to do it and I know she will be fine, but I'm just worried." He shrugged and rubbed his eyes, the idea of her moving into her own place, alone had been weighing on him for a while.
Antonio nodded, "I know, I feel the same way, I don't want her to be on her own coz I worry about her but I know my sister, she is strong and she will be alright." But Antonio could tell that there was more to Matt's concern than just that.
Matt laughed, again with that look on Antonio's face, it was the same one Gabby would get when she wasn't being fooled, "I guess I always thought that maybe the next place she moved, would be back in here with me. I always wished she would move back in, that we would be back together and now that we are, even though it is very slow and we are taking our time, I just want her with me. I want her here…in her home, I want this to be where she calls home again."
He sighed, he would never ask Gabby to move back in with him straight away, they were still very early on in their rekindled relationship and he didn't want to rush things but he wanted her to feel like this place was home again.
Antonio nodded, he understood, "Give it some time, I'm sure she will be back here in no time. And besides, I showed her a list of places that was only about a 10 minute drive from here…" He moved from the bench and headed back towards Gabby, smiling to himself when he hear Matt laugh, Antonio always had his back, and he knew that Matt made Gabby happy so he would always be there to try and make sure they stayed happy.
"Hey Matt come and tell me what you think!" Gabby called out from the living room, she wanted Matt's opinion of the place, but she really liked it, and it wasn't too far from his apartment, which made it even better.
Slowly Matt made his way to her side, looking over her shoulder he read through the article and smiled. "We can go and check it out in a couple of days if you want?" She nodded in agreeance before looking back down at the article and sending a quick message to the person who had list it. Matt placed a kiss to her forehead before moving to sit against the arm of the couch watching as she sent the email. There was so much of him that wanted to ask her to move back in with him but he knew that that would be a step that would have to wait for.
"It's not far from the firehouse or Molly's or even here…" Gabby looked over at him to get his reaction, she could tell something was off about him suddenly but decided that it would be best to have that conversation when it was just the two of them. But the idea of going back to Molly's was something that she hadn't really hadn't put a whole lot of thought into.
It wasn't that she didn't want to go, she wanted to be able to spend time with her friends and family outside of the firehouse and she missed working the shifts there, it was just the environment that she wasn't too sure about. There were many times when she worked that some drunk guy would get too close or get too handsy and yes she could take care of herself but so far, the only people she was letting touch her again were those closest to her. She didn't know how she would react if it was someone who didn't know when to stop.
But she wanted to go, she wanted to take back Molly's as part of her life, she wanted to walk in there with her head held high and have a drink and a laugh with her family. Taking a deep breath, she looked over at Matt, "Hey what do you say we go to Moly's tonight. I know the other's are going to be there…"
A shocked look came over Matt's face at her question, he had wanted her to go back to Molly's for the last few weeks but didn't want to push her into anything and so it was never mentioned, even when the other's would say they were going and asked if he would be there, he would always say that he was busy, because he wanted to be to spend as much time with Gabby as possible. He smiled, "Yeah, I think that'll be a good idea." He glanced at the time, finding that it was only just before 8pm and that would give them plenty of time to head to Molly's.
The moment the three of them arrived at Molly's, the whole place erupted into cheers and claps, each and every person in there overly excited to see Gabby back where she belonged, with her family. "First round is on the house!" Hermann called form the bar, shocking everyone as he never gave free drinks but this was a special occasion.
Gabby blushed, Matt wrapping his arm around her shoulder and placing a kiss on her cheek, "They love you and so do I." As he pulled away, Gabby turned her head, pulling him into a kiss that showed him exactly how much she appreciated him by her side, which caused the rest of Molly's to erupt again in cat calls and whistles.
They knew they Matt and Gabby were back together, or at least had a very strong idea of it but this was the first time they were seeing it in full, each of them understanding the significance of her moving forward with him after what had happened to her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed, thanking him for coming out with her, for thinking that it would be a good idea for them to go. "To Gabby!" Hermann raised his glass in the air, Gabby and Matt moving to the bar to have their drinks as well. "It's great having you back Dawson and seeing you smile again makes us so happy!" He smiled; wanting Gabby to know how serious he was that he was happy she was getting her life back.
Gabby nodded her thanks before raising her glass and drinking whatever had been put in front of her, she laughed, feeling it down her throat as she sighed, "Thank you all much! I know this has been hard for everyone and I thank you all for being there for me," she reached out to touch Matt's cheek again, feeling him smile into her hand, "And I wanted to say that as of next week, Chilli will be back on ambo and I am headed back to truck!"
Everyone clapped again, Matt jumping from his seat and hugging her tightly, Boden hadn't told him when she would be coming back to truck and he was genuinely happy to know that she was. He wanted her back on truck, she had worked so hard to get to where she had and he was going to make sure that she kept going to become the amazing fire fighter he knew and loved, "That's amazing baby, I am so happy for you!" He whispered, kissing her again.
Their night dragged on, more drinks and conversations were had, Matt had found himself sitting by the bar, Severide at his side and Hermann across from them. Kelly was going on about some girl he had met but Matt couldn't concentrate, he turned in his chair when he heard it, it was loud and amazing and the most beautiful thing he had ever heard.
He looked over to where Gabby was sitting, Silvie by her far side, he could barely see her and Otis and Cruz sitting across from them at the booth. Matt smiled widely, her head was thrown back in laughter, genuine laughter, something that he hadn't heard from her in a long time. He could hear it, everyone could hear it, but most of them did not understand the significance of her laughter or the wide, bright smile that was on her face.
Matt was so happy to see it again, it had been missing for too long, he should have known a night out with the guys would bring it out of her again. Smiling, he turned back to his beer, noticing that Kelly had turned to the girl by his side, too entranced by that conversation to notice Hermann turning to Matt, "How is she? Really?"
Hermann was like the father of the group, he cared deeply about Gabby, he was very protective of her and wanted to make sure she was all right. "You know what Hermann, I think she is doing good. This is the first time I have seen her smile like that or laugh like that since I found out what happened so I honestly think she is going to be alright." He smiled, bringing his beer to his lips again.
Hermann nodded, "I'm glad, she is a good kid…" He then inclined his head towards Matt, "And you two?"
It was no secret that Hermann was unsure of he and Gabby being together, not because he didn't want them to be, he thought they belonged together and wanted nothing by happiness for them and would do everything he could to make sure they were back together, but they had caused a few issues during shift when they were together and he wanted to make sure they didn't happen again.
Matt sighed, he knew what Hermann was getting at, "We are taking is slow, one step at a time really. I know last time was hard but I can promise you that I don't want to ever get back there with her. We've been able to work well together even after everything and I think she settled more into the role over having someone giving her orders…" He looked up at Hermann, hoping that what he was saying was true and that he wasn't just blinded by his feeling again.
"I must admit, you too have been working really well together. You guys will be fine. Being apart sucked for you both and I can tell that you don't want to go there again." Matt just nodded, turning his head back to Gabby, smiling again when he found her laughing like she always did, her bright smile back where it belonged.
Hermann made his way over to where Gabby was sitting later in the night, everyone else had moved to the dance floor, being too drunk to care, they all danced like crazy people, Gabby just watching her friends, laughing at their craziness. "You alright kid?" He sat across from her, getting her attention away from the dancing group.
She nodded, "Yeah you know what, I am alright. I needed this, I needed the night out." She really did need the night out, she was happy that she had come.
Hermann reached out for her hand, "I'm glad kid, I really am." He squeezed her hand tightly for a moment, his father side taking over, "I am so sorry for what happened Gabby, I really am." She could tell that knowing she had been attacked was upsetting him; she could tell that he was angry and sad at the same time.
She smiled, "Thank you Christopher, and I am so happy to have you in my life. You have been an amazing friend for so many years…" She squeezed is hand back, hoping that she would be able to give him some of the comfort that she felt when having him around.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, only broken when Matt made his way over, wrapping his arm around Gabby's shoulder, "Everything alright?" He was a little worried when he had seeing Hermann talking to Gabby but he could tell that they both needed that little conversation, that they cared enough about each other to need to confront how they were both feeling.
"Yeah we are good, just having a chat." Hermann stood from his seat before moving back to the bar, sharing one last knowing smile with Gabby, a conversation between the two of them that was only for them.
Matt smiled, taking the seat next to Gabby at the booth, he pulled her legs up over his, bringing her as close as possible, her body turned towards him. Gently he placed his forehead against hers, sighing happily. "I am so proud of how far you have come Gabby, not only with what happened but also the whole Anna situation. I know none of that must be easy for you."
It was true, Gabby had had trouble with Anna being back in her life, even up to the point of her giving birth but something had changed at that point, all the shit that happened when they were kids just didn't seem to matter anymore, the future of this child, the future that Gabby wanted and that Anna wanted was more important than anything that couldn't be changed because it was in the past.
She and Anna had been spending more time with each other recently. Both choosing to leave the past in the past and move on together, something that she and Matt had decided to do as well, "Yeah it was but you know what, some things are just more important than the past…"
Silence washed over them both for a few moments, Gabby's head falling to Matt's shoulder, Matt letting his hand run up and down her arm gently. "You know, hearing your laughter tonight was the most amazing thing I have ever heard I have missed it so much." He leaned forward and placed a kiss on her lips, the world and the sound and the music falling away from them, too engrossed in each other and their conversation to notice anything around them.
Gabby smiled against him, "It feels good to laugh again, I've missed feeling this happy and I have you to thank for it." She leaned her head against his shoulder, feeling his hand making small circles on her upper arm, "I don't know what I would have done without you Matt…" She sighed against him, "Tell me what is bothering you…"
She didn't need to look up at him to know that there was something sitting on his mind, the same something she had noticed but not mentioned when they were back at his apartment. Matt sighed, "Nothing baby…I guess I'm just worried about you moving into a place on your own. I know you can do it and I'm not worried about that…I guess I just get worried about you being on your own now." He shrugged against her.
"I get worried to Matt, but the place I like, is very close to you. And that's what I want. I need to do this, I need to be able to be on my own again." She moved her head from his shoulder, looking him in the eyes.
Matt moved the strand of hair that had fallen in front of her eyes, smiling, "I know and I have every faith in you that you will be able to do it. I'm allowed to worry about my girlfriend though aren't I?" This made her laugh, before she leaned forward again and placed a kiss to his lips, both whispering and I love you to each other that only they heard.
From the bar, Hermann smiled, he could see Matt and Gabby wrapped in each other's arms tightly, moving from their heads against each other or sharing small kisses, to sharing bright smiles. They were happy, and he was so happy to see two of his closest friends back together again.
Gabby took a deep breath as she stepped inside the room, she didn't want to be there…actually no she did want to be there, she wanted to see him, she wanted to look Jeremy in the eye. She waited until Voight pushed open the last door, his hand touching her arm as she walked past him, "Are you sure about this Gabby? You don't have to go in there?" He wasn't too sure about Gabby going to see Jeremy but he trusted her and her choices.
Gabby smiled, "Yeah, yeah I need to do this." She reached for his hand, squeezing it tightly to reassure him that she was going to be all right. Taking a deep breath, Gabby stepped closer to the bars, her hands shaking against her stomach as she looked at him, the man that had taken so much from her, he now sat only meters from her, a set of metal bars separating them both.
"What the hell do you want?" Jeremy was laying on the bed, his arms behind his head, but he seemed different, not the man she had met the first time, the man that had held her sister captive in an abusive relationship, he was not the man who had stepped up to her when he thought she had helped Anna leave him and he was not the man who broke into her apartment and attacked her.
He looked different, smaller, like there was something missing from him now; she just couldn't pick what it was. "I wanted to come and see you…" She was trying to right herself though, this was still the man who beat and raped her. She wasn't going to let up though, she was here for a reason; she was there for closure.
He laughed, Jeremy laughed as sat in the bed, looking right at her, "You wanted to come and see me? And then what huh?" he stood, taking a step towards her, Gabby taking a step backwards, instinct to protect herself taking over. "What did you expect to get from this Gabby?" Jeremy curled his hands around the bars, a smile coming to his face,
But Gabby took a deep breath, she was there for herself and for no one else, she was facing this like she faced everything in life, head on and strong. "I honestly don't know what I expected when I came here but all I do know is that I am glad that I did." Gabby crossed her arms over chest, straightening her back, "You took something form me; you may have thought you took my friends, my family, my boyfriend and my life but you didn't. What you did take from me was a month and a half of my strength but because of you I am stronger than I ever have been."
She then took a step forward, she wasn't scared of him, she wouldn't let him control anymore of her life, "You hold nothing over me anymore." She looked him up and down once more before she turned on her heals and left him there; hearing him bang against the bar, swearing at her. But she wasn't going to turn around; she wasn't going to give him anymore of her life, not anymore.
Thoughts? What do you wanna see in the end? Am I missing anything? Should I look more at something before the ending? Please let me know!