Hey guys!

Massive apologies for being unable to update sooner, but I really hope you enjoyed the last chapter and will enjoy this one too! Thank you for all your amazing reviews, they all mean so much more than you probably know! Thank you!

Also, two days until the premiere! I literally can't wait!

Thanks for sticking with me!

oxoxoxo

Gabby

"I need more coffee..." Matt grumbled as we rode in the elevator of our building, his arm wrapped around my waist as I rested my head against his chest, almost comfortable enough to fall asleep right there.

I laughed quietly, "I really am sorry for dropping it," I apologised once more after dropping his cup a few moments ago as we climbed out of Matt's truck. We'd apparently walked from the bar to the motel a few blocks away and Matt left his truck outside the bar where we'd picked it up about twenty minutes ago to come home.

Matt kissed my head, "I'm sure you can find a way to make it up to me," he says lowly teasing me and I reach up and press a kiss to his smiling lips. I'd never get tired of this. I felt his warm hands holding mine tightly and I knew that there was nowhere I'd rather be or nothing I'd rather experience than this.

"I don't know what you mean Lieutenant," I answer with a wink before slipping out of the now open elevator doors, momentarily stunning Matt until I hear his feet move towards me, wrapping his hands around my waist as I let out a squeal. He starts tickling my sides and I try to squirm out of his grasp, as he knew how much tickling my sides made me squeal.

I swing open the door still laughing and jump away from him, swatting his chest and glaring at him. I was about to jump into a tirade about him tickling me before Matt silences me with a kiss.

"Oh look at those lovebirds," a mocking voice said from the other side of the living room and I spin around quickly, seeing Kelly and Erin embraced on the sofa watching us with amused faces.

I was hoping that no one would be home but I realised that it was highly unlikely as I was staring at them. Kelly raises his mug to his grinning lips, "Looks like you guys had a good night," he teases.

Matt laughs as he turns to shut the door and I feel my cheeks burning with embarrassment. I walk to the armchair and sit on the arm, "I thought you were working?" I ask Erin, trying to ignore Kelly's grinning face.

Erin nods, "I was but we got off early. I went to the bar, but you guys were already gone," she says suggestively and I couldn't have felt more embarrassed if I tried. Then again Shay wasn't here, so I guessed that this was light treatment compared to what we'd get if she was here.

"Oh okay," I mumble, "Did you have a good night?" I ask innocently, but Kelly laughs out loudly.

"We did but probably not as good as your night!" He answers smartly and Matt swats him on the upside of his head. Kelly glares at him before launching off the sofa and tackling Matt. They began wrestling on the floor and Erin and I looked on with indifference, and I was thankful for the distraction.

"I'm gonna go shower, I'm not fond of the 'walk of shame' and I don't want Shay teasing me when she gets back..." I explain to Erin as I head for the stairs. I hear Matt grunt loudly followed by Kelly groaning and I throw a "Boys don't break anything," in their direction before I'm upstairs.

I strip down, throwing my jumpsuit in the laundry basket and stepping underneath the hot spray of the shower. I relax at the water on my skin, easing the tension from my muscles and soothing my achy body from last nights and this mornings...urm...activites. I'm filled with the memory of Matt's lips and hands on my skin, the way I felt when he touched me with the most sweetest and gentle touch. It was like Matt was writing love on my skin and in truth, he was. I just hoped that through my actions, he knew how much I loved him too.

When I escape the steamy bathroom dressed in pyjama pants and one of Matt's shirts, I hear the voices of Erin, Kelly and Matt talking in gentle tones.

"She's happy," Erin states, "I've never seen her like this, this carefree and weightless, it's because of you, Matt."

"Gabby's stronger than you give her credit for, it's not just me, she wants to be happy..." Matt answers and I could hear the smile in voice.

"Whatever the reason," Kelly says, "I'm glad she's got you."

"And you don't give yourselves enough credit either, she wouldn't be the person she is without you guys," I smile at his words, clutching his shirt in my hands. Matt was always the one comforting others, ensuring that they saw the best of themselves, saw the truth for what it was. It was one of many of his great qualities.

"Nah, she's the person she always wanted to be," Kelly replies.

"There she is! Dawson, get your ass over here, just don't kiss me!" Cruz jokes when I walk into the breakroom, most of the guys and Shay already sat in their usual spot. My face burns but I roll my eyes and sit beside Cruz at the table replying with, "You don't have to worry about me Cruz."

"Yeah," Shay grins as she throws her arm around my shoulders, "She's a taken girl now buddy."

Otis looks up from his bowl of cereal, "Well I would have thought so after last night."

Matt sat at the head of the table with Herrmann and Cruz either side of him, smirking as he pretended to read the paper. I glared at him hoping that he'd feel my eyes burning a hole through his head.

"Well my mama always says that if you want something you have to grab it with both hands..." Cruz laughs and I bury my head in Shay's shoulder as they all laugh at my expense.

"It's not that big of a deal guys!" I exclaim with a groan.

"It does!" Herrmann yelps, "I owe Severide 20 bucks!"

Matt asks with confusion, "Why?"

"We bet on who'd make the first move. Turns out you're not as excentric as Dawson here, Casey."

This time I could join in with the guys laughter and I looked up to see Matt's cheeks burn red. I poke my tongue out at him and he narrows his eyes, and I could see that he'd get me back for this. I just smiled sweetly at him and turned away, allowing the guys to continue ribbing him as I leaned into Shay.

"I'm taking it that you and Kendra had a good night?" I murmur against her arm as I watched her text Kendra back with a big smile on her face and a glint of happiness in her eye.

She rests her head against mine, allowing her phone to drop carelessly onto the table once she'd finished texting, "We had the best night yes." You didn't have to be her bestfriend to hear the joy in her voice and I couldn't have been more assured that Shay was happy.

"Oh look at you all lit up like a Christmas tree," I smile quietly so the guys wouldn't hear, though I doubt they would because now Kelly had arrived he was really enjoying ribbing Matt with the guys.

Shay chuckles, "I could say the same for you... I'm really glad that you two came to your senses, would have a shame to waste all that great sex."

"Get your mind out of the gutter!" I exclaim with embarrassment as I poke her stomach causing Shay to swat my arm away. She couldn't reply before the alarm sounded.

"Truck 81, Squad 3, Ambulance 61, single car accident on 18th..."

"Whoa! Gabby!" Matt yelps as I feel the cool blade press into the skin of my neck, warm blood oozing out onto my skin.

We'd arrived at the scene of the car accident. One car, two victims. The male passenger was out cold but breathing well, while the driver was alert and responsive, but definitely high off something. I told Shay to take the passenger and I took the driver, who seemed high but relatively calm as Herrmann and I helped him from the car, until he started yelling. He yelled something about 'not going back to jail' before he grabbed me, spun me so my back pressed into his chest as he held a knife to my throat. A knife that came out of nowhere.

My hands flew up to grasp his arm and I tried to pull him off me, but that only made him hold me tighter, thrusting the knife right against my skin. Chief spoke quietly as he told everyone to back off and to not move so they wouldn't freak him out, the crowd of firefighters not appearing to move an inch. Matt, who had been working a few metres away from where we'd pulled the guy from his car, stood closer now, but still metres away. Kelly stood to his left, a look of fear on his face, as Shay watched from over the car, the unconscious passenger still in his seat.

"Hey man, just calm down a second okay? We're not the cops..." Matt talks with his hands spread out and up, his eyes the object of desperation. He didn't say the words, but he was telling me to stay calm, to not make any sudden movements, to let him do the talking. I understood and stopped struggling against the guy, shivering at the feel of the blade against my neck.

"I'm not going back to jail! I didn't do anything wrong!" The guy screeches at Matt, his loud shrilling voice hurting my ears. I flinched and clenched my teeth, feeling as the blade cut my neck once more.

Matt nods profusely, "I know... What can I call you? What's your name?"

"I'm not giving you my name!"

"Okay, I'll call you Tony. Tony-"

"It's Jimmy..."

Matt nods once more, taking the smallest step closer to us. My hands tightened around Jimmy's arm, my nails digging into his skin. "Okay Jimmy, I'm not a cop. I don't want you to go back to jail. But you were in an accident and you've got to let her go so she can make sure that you're okay."

"No!" Jimmy yells frantically back at Matt, "The moment you take me to hospital the cops will be there!"

Matt's face twisted with fear and desperation, "Please Jimmy, let her go. Look at her, her name is Gabby and she's scared... Please, put the knife down..." he begs and my breath hitches when Jimmy's grip tightens.

"Jimmy! Please...don't hurt her..."

The moment I feel his grip slacken I push my way out of his arms and into Matt's, who pulls me away from Jimmy as the cops, who'd just arrived, take him down. I shake against Matt but I'm too shocked to cry, feeling nothing but the warm blood seep into my grey shirt. Matt holds one hand on my back and the other on my head, holding me as tight as he could to his chest.

"I love you," I say against him, "I love you and if I die tomorrow I need you know that I love you."

I feel his body relax as Matt presses a kiss to my head, "I do... Now let's get Shay to clean you up, before that shirt stains."

Even against my will a laugh bubbles from my lips as I bury myself into his side, understanding that I couldn't let this get to me. Sometimes bad things happen, usually good things happen. It's life. I can accept that.

Because throughout it all, I know that Matt's gonna be by my side.