Wow, thirty five chapters already? That's absolutely crazy. And 500 reviews… that's so insane to me, thank you all for the love and support you've constantly given me. It truly means everything to me, not just on this story, but on all of them. You all are amazing.
I hope you guys like this one, sorry it's a little later than usual. Also, with I Won't Let You Go, the next chapter will either be up later tonight or tomorrow. I still need to revise it, and I'm not sure how long that'll take. But I promise to get it up as soon as I can, thank you for your patience.
Happy reading!
THIRTY FIVE
Casey stood in the doorway uncomfortably, his hand gripping the handle tightly as his eyes moved back and forth between the two older Dawson's, seeing Gabby's mom's obvious shock, while her dad's face soon hardened, taking in the sight of a half-naked Casey standing in his daughter's home. Matt supposed he should just be thankful he'd opted for pajama pants instead of his boxers, but even that wasn't making this awkward situation much better.
When he had opened the door seconds ago, he immediately recognized the two people standing across from him, remembering their faces from some of the photos Gabby had shown him in the past of her parents, Ramon and Camila. But even if he'd never seen them before, it wouldn't be much of a leap to figure out these were her parents; there were parts of both of them in their daughter, and it would've been easy to determine that they were related.
Casey cleared his throat as Ramon's eyes moved up above the door, checking the apartment number before he looked back at Matt, his expression unreadable. Which, all things considered, that was probably one of the best case scenarios.
This definitely wasn't how Matt envisioned meeting her parents for the first time, standing half-naked at her door with bruises and cuts covering ninety percent of his body, but he knew it was too late to do anything to change it now, Matt flashing them both a soft smile.
"Uh, hi." He found his voice, clearing his throat. "You must be Ramon and Camila." He continued, seeing the look of surprise that covered both their faces, Matt guessing they had figured him to be some random guy spending the night at their daughter's house. And while his use of their first names had Camila feeling a little less guarded, the same couldn't be said for Ramon.
"And you are?" Ramon questioned back.
"Matt Casey."
He saw realization wash over both their faces, Matt having to hide his smile when he saw Camila grin softly, and even Ramon's expression had softened considerably. Clearly, they'd heard about him, and based on their reactions, he figured they must've liked what they heard.
"Well, I must say it's nice to finally meet you, Matt." Camila spoke first, Matt smiling softly as he gave her a nod.
"It's nice to meet you both, too." He replied, taking a slow step back. "Would you like to come in?" He offered, both Ramon and Camila nodding as he pulled open the door, giving them room to enter their daughter's apartment.
"Is Gabriela here?" Ramon asked as Matt shut the door behind them, locking it into place before turning towards them, her parents glancing back to look at him. He saw Camila eyeing him, unable to hide the fact that she was clearly taking in the damage his body had sustained yesterday, and he couldn't say he blamed her.
"She is, she's sleeping." He responded, earning nods from both her parents.
"Ah." Ramon replied, before stepping further into the apartment, Matt following behind the couple as they got to the kitchen counter.
"So, I guess Gabriela has mentioned us?" Camila asked, Matt nodding as he smiled softly.
"She has. She's told me a little about her family."
"And you've met Antonio?"
"A few times, yeah… You have amazing children." He spoke, Camila flashing him a warm smile.
"Thank you, dear." She replied, Matt glancing down the hallway before looking back towards her parents. "So how is Gabriela doing? Antonio called us this morning, told us she got hurt yesterday… That she was in a building when it collapsed. And by the looks of it, so were you." Camila spoke with a frown, Matt glancing back and forth in between them.
"You were in the building, too?" Ramon asked for clarification, Casey nodding in response.
"I was, but we're both okay. It could've been a lot worse." He mused, earning slow nods from both of them. "I'll let Gabby tell you what happened, but all things considered, we're alright."
"Good, that's good." Ramon replied, glancing towards Camila.
"I, uh, just made a pot of coffee, if you'd like to get some." He offered, both of them nodding as Matt began walking, Camila noticing his limp instantly. "I'm gonna go check on Gabby."
"Is your leg alright?" Camila asked immediately, Matt stopping after a few steps, following her gaze down to his leg. Luckily, his pajama pants were able to hide to bandage covering his stitches, but he wasn't able to mask his limp.
"Oh, yeah, I'm fine…" He replied, earning a less than impressed look from Camila, Ramon watching him as well, Matt sighing softly before continuing. "When we fell, they think I got cut with something…" Casey told them, seeing a look of worry flash in Camila's eyes. "I don't really remember much during the actual fall, so I'm not sure what happened, but I had to get stitched up… I'm okay, though." He was quick to add.
"Are you okay otherwise?" Camila pressed, clearly worried about the firefighter standing across from her, Matt taking a slow breath.
"I, uh… Well, I bruised some of my ribs, and I sprained my shoulder… I've got a concussion, I guess my head hit pretty hard." He spoke with a grimace, Ramon shaking his head as he listened to Matt explain his injuries. "I was unconscious for a bit while we were in there, but considering what happened, my injuries are nothing."
"They sound painful." Camila spoke with a sad look in her eye.
"I'm alright." He reassured her, Camila giving him a slight nod before he began walking again. But he barely got a few steps towards the hallway when he heard a gasp behind him, Matt raising his eyebrows as he turned back around, finding Camila and Ramon both staring at him, confusion evident across his face as he saw their wide-eyed looks. "What is it?"
"Sorry, I'm sorry," Camila immediately apologized for her reaction. "The bruise on your back, it just caught me off guard, I'm sorry."
Matt's eyebrows furrowed as he glanced down, catching a glimpse of the intense purple and almost black marbling over his skin, covering his entire side and wrapping around to his back where he couldn't see it. What was on his side was bad enough, but considering that hadn't been enough to illicit that type of reaction from Gabby's mother, whatever his back looked like had to have been so much worse.
"Oh, uh- it's okay. I haven't really seen what it looks like, but I'm sure it's not pretty." Casey spoke lightly.
"Was that just from the fall?" Camila questioned, "I'm sorry, I know I keep asking questions…"
"No, no it's fine. Uh, I did get hit with part of the ceiling when we were in the warehouse." He spoke, Ramon pursing his lips together in worry, Camila shaking her head. "Gabby didn't get hit." Matt was quick to clarify, Camila releasing a deep breath. "We were, uh, we were working on a patient and part of the ceiling started to fall, before the floor collapsed, and I got hit, but she didn't…" He finished, Ramon giving him a short nod, a look of realization sweeping across both of her parent's faces, Matt unsure of what that meant, but he didn't question it.
"Is she… I'm sorry, I don't really know how else to ask this, but uh, is she as injured as you are?" Ramon questioned, Camila's eyes staying on Casey.
"She's a little beaten up." Matt told them, not wanting to lie. It wasn't like he could, anyway, considering they'd be seeing their daughter in a few minutes. "I don't know the full extent of everything, so I'll let her tell you, but the fall… it did hurt her. But she'll be okay." He added on the end, knowing he wasn't doing much to alleviate their concerns. With a tight lipped smile, Ramon nodded, Camila's hand covering her mouth as she took a deep breath.
The familiar feeling of guilt swept through his system, Matt running his tongue over his bottom lip as his stomach felt impossibly heavy. Despite what Gabby had said, he was still finding it hard to not blame himself for what happened, especially when he'd have to stand here and watch her parents see their injured daughter for the first time.
"I'm, uh- I'm gonna go get her, I'll be right back." He spoke when a thick silence had filled the air around them, Ramon giving him a nod before he turned around, slowly walking towards Gabby's bedroom, doing what he could to keep himself from limping. When he got to her bedroom, Matt slowly closed the door, releasing a heavy breath as he saw Gabby still sound asleep.
He hated the thought of waking her up, but with her parents here, he wasn't sure what else to do, and he didn't know if he could entertain them until she woke up, especially considering he had no idea what all he was allowed to say. Clearly, her parents knew him, or at least knew of him, but he wasn't sure how much Gabby had told them of what their relationship had been, and he didn't want to say something he shouldn't.
But just because he had to wake her up, he knew he could at least let her sleep a few more minutes while he got her some clothes. Moving from the doorway, he walked towards her dresser, going in search of some suitable attire to wear with her parents here. He first grabbed a pair of his sweatpants for her, knowing the bigger size would be easier for her to get in and out of, minimizing the pressure against her leg, and it would also help to hide the severity of the gash across her thigh. Next, he grabbed one of his t-shirts, and then a pair of her underwear before closing the drawers. Ideally, he wasn't sure it was the best idea for her to go out there in clothes that obviously weren't hers, but he didn't want her in anything too tight, and after the way he'd greeted her parents, even if Gabby hadn't told them anything, he was sure they at least knew by now that he and their daughter were more than just friends.
With her clothes bunched up in his hand, Matt grabbed her sling and the t-shirt she'd pulled out for him last night off the top of the dresser before walking towards the bed, placing the pile of clothing down. Knowing he'd wasted as much time as he could, Matt slowly sat down on the edge of the bed, his side resting up against her back, Casey reaching out and rubbing his hand along her spine. The feeling of his warm palm against her bare back sent shivers down her spine, Gabby groaning as she was pulled from her unconscious state, clearly unhappy with being woken up.
"Gabby…" He spoke softly, earning another groan from her as she tried to turn away from him, the instinctive action proving to be a bad idea as her injured shoulder moved roughly, a gasp of discomfort escaping her lips. "Hey, hey, be careful." He murmured, placing his hand on her waist to keep her still.
"Why are you waking me up?" She asked, her throat dry as she kept her eyes shut, a slight grimace covering her face as she became more and more alert, trying to focus on the feeling of Matt rubbing her side instead of the pain and discomfort her body was in.
"I didn't want to, but your parents are here."
Her eyes opened quickly, Gabby slowly turning to lie on her back, Matt aiding her movements as he placed her right arm across her stomach.
"What?" She asked, her eyes wide as she glanced towards her closed bedroom door before looking back at him.
"Yeah, they showed up about fifteen minutes ago…" He responded, Gabby taking a deep breath as her eyes trailed over his form, a wary look covering his face.
"And I'm assuming you answered the door like that…" She spoke, Matt glancing down towards his bare chest, wearing a sheepish smile when he lifted his head back up.
"Yeah, well, when I went out there to make some coffee, I wasn't really expecting any visitors." He responded lightly, Gabby nodding in response, rubbing her hand over her face.
"...How were they?"
"Worried about you." He replied without missing a beat, Gabby pursing her lips together. "But they're just out there waiting for you right now, I got you some clothes… Loose stuff, so it's easier to get on. And I grabbed your sling. I'm not sure how much pain you're in right now, but I'm guessing you're supposed to be wearing this thing whenever you're up and moving around." He rambled, a soft smile tugging on her lips as she listened to him, Matt sliding his hand over her stomach. "But yeah, anyway, I guess we should get ready and get out there." He finished, Gabby giving him a nod before slowly sitting up, the sheets bunching at her waist.
Now that she was finally awake, she was definitely feeling the effects of going so long without pain medication, her entire body aching, some areas hurting her more than others as she slowly slid to the edge of the bed.
"Do you want some help?" He asked, Gabby nodding slowly as she slowly placed her feet on the ground, grimacing as she looked down at her leg. Her entire thigh had bruised over, deep purple marks coming out from behind the bandage, as well as less intense bruising battering both her legs. Both her and Matt were completely covered in different colored bruises, Gabby having caught a glimpse of the gruesome one along his back and his side, the nearly black skin alarming at first glance. It definitely had worsened overnight, Gabby knowing that between the fall through the floor, and the piece of the ceiling that had fallen onto his back when he was shielding her, he was lucky the bruises were all he had. But that didn't make them any easier to look at, and she was sure that didn't make it any less painful for him, either.
No matter how lucky she knew they both were that their injuries weren't more severe, seeing the damage up close hadn't gotten any easier, and she knew it wouldn't for her parents, either. Which is why, upon closer inspection, Gabby was thankful to see Matt had grabbed clothes that covered most of her body. She would tell them what happened, but they didn't need to see all of the damage. That would only make it worse.
"Your parents seem nice." Matt murmured as he helped her get the shirt on, his movements slow as he maneuvered his sprained shoulder, being extra careful as to not jar her body too much. "I mean, they were surprised to see me open the door, but they seem like really sweet people."
"Yeah, they're great." Gabby responded with a soft smile as his t-shirt fell down over her body. "Can't imagine my dad was too pleased to see a half-naked you, though." She teased, Matt shaking his head as they tried to figure out how to get the rest of her clothes on.
"Oh, he definitely was not." He replied, chuckling softly as they finally devised a plan. Using her good arm, and his, they managed to get both her underwear and his sweatpants up to her shins before Gabby slowly stood up, Matt helping her pull the material up into place, letting her do as much as she could. "But once we started talking about the accident, he kind of moved on from it… I think. Maybe not."
"He's harmless." Gabby spoke, shaking her head in amusement as Matt slowly put on his shirt.
"Yeah, to you, maybe. Probably not to the half-naked guy in his daughter's apartment." He repeated her earlier words, Gabby laughing softly as Matt stood up, her sling in his hands. Slowly, they got her arm into the sling, Gabby hissing at the movement, a frown forming over his face. "I'm sorry." He murmured, Gabby shaking her head slightly.
"It's okay, I'm fine." She assured him, bringing her hand up to the side of his face, her thumb moving lightly across his scraped skin before she slowly leaned towards him, capturing his lips in a soft kiss.
Their movements were slow and gentle, Matt smiling against her before she finally pulled back, her hand moving down to his neck, stroking his skin lightly.
"Ready?" He asked, Gabby nodding slowly, kissing him again quickly before she stepped away from him, beginning the walk towards her door. "Uh-" Matt cleared his throat, gaining her attention as she stopped by the door, glancing back towards him. "Should I stay in here? Or do you want me out there? I'm not sure what to do here…" He spoke nervously, Gabby's face softening as she heard how nervous he sounded.
"I want you with me." She replied without hesitation, a warm grin spreading across his face before he nodded, beginning to walk towards her.
Once he was by her side, Gabby opened the door, trying to mentally prepare herself for seeing her parents, the paramedic knowing they were going to be insanely worried, and they'd want to know exactly what all had happened. And it was something Gabby wasn't necessarily eager to relive.
As they both limped into the hallway, Gabby's parents soon came into view, the two having moved to the couch while they waited for Matt to reappear with their daughter. Camila noticed them first when the injured couple rounded the corner, a soft gasp escaping her lips as she shook her head, Ramon turning around to look at whatever his wife was seeing, a frown immediately covering his face.
"Oh, mija." He murmured, both of her parents getting up and hurrying towards them.
"I'm alright." Gabby spoke quickly, her parents stopping short of her as they stood in her apartment, desperate to take their daughter into their arms, but they didn't want to hurt her, Gabby looking like she'd break if they so much as touched her. "I promise, I'm fine." She tried again, but she knew her parents weren't convinced, both of them looking over her closely, Gabby feeling another wave of gratitude wash over her at Matt's choice of clothing. "It looks worse than it is." She added when the heavy looks of concern hadn't left their faces, even though her words weren't completely true.
"You don't need to be standing, let's sit down." Ramon spoke up, Gabby nodding as her father placed a light hand on her back, barely touching her as she slowly limped towards the couch, Camila shaking her head in horror as she watched her daughter's slow movements.
While the Dawson's got situated on the couch, Gabby sitting in between her parents, Matt hobbled his way into the kitchen, grabbing the glass of water and pills he'd left out for her earlier before walking back towards the living room.
"Your brother gave us some details, but I'm not sure he knew everything…" Camila spoke, her voice soft as she sat beside her daughter, brushing her hand over the side of Gabby's head. "You sure you're okay? You don't have any internal damage, or anything?"
"No, no, nothing like that." Gabby quickly confirmed, shaking her head as she caught a glimpse of Matt slowing moving around the couch, her eyebrows furrowing as he walked towards her, his actions grabbing all of their attention as he held out his hand and the glass of water. Silently, he handed her the medication, Gabby shooting him a grateful smile as she took the pills and the water from him, Matt wordlessly moving towards one of the chair a few feet from them, both Camila and Ramon watching him closely. "Thank you." Gabby murmured, Matt nodding with a soft smile as he made himself comfortable in his seat, Gabby taking the medication before she continued. "But no, they pretty much did every test and scan they could think of, they didn't find anything wrong, nothing like that."
"So what exactly is wrong?" Ramon questioned, Gabby taking a deep breath as she began leaning forward, intending to place the now empty glass on the coffee table, but Ramon grabbed it from her before she could get very far, completing the task for her.
"Thanks papa." She told him, Ramon nodding as he refocused his attention on her. "Um, and to answer your question, I have a cut on my thigh… I, uh- I was pinned under a beam after we fell, and it had kind of been digging into my leg." She spoke, Camila grimacing. "But they got it cleaned and stitched up. I'm on antibiotics for it, just in case, but it's alright. It should heal fine." She assured them, her gaze flickering to Matt, finding his supportive eyes waiting for her, shooting her a soft smile. "...And my shoulder was dislocated, that hurt pretty bad, and it's still sore, but they got it back in." She continued, Ramon taking a deep breath. "Other than that, it's just pretty much cuts and bruises… but everything will heal. In a few weeks, I'll be as good as new."
She had tried to keep her voice light, not wanting to give her parents anything else to worry about, but she was sure she wasn't doing a very good job, based on the deep frowns that seemed to be permanently etched into their skin. She knew they'd be worried, and truthfully she knew she should've called them yesterday, but between the trauma of the day, and the heavy amounts of medication she was on at the hospital, there were a few hours there that were a complete blur, Gabby not having been in any state to think clearly.
"You're sure there's nothing else?" Camila asked, Gabby shaking her head.
"Just bumps and bruises, but I'm okay." She hoped if she said it enough, they'd start to believe her, although she had a feeling it wouldn't be that easy.
"And you don't have a concussion?" Camila checked, her eyes moving towards Matt, knowing the firefighter had gotten one in the fall.
"I don't." She assured them, Camila and Ramon both nodding, Gabby sparing another glance at Matt, flashing him a warm smile. He matched her look instantly, both parents catching the silent interaction between them, but they said nothing about it.
"Well," Camila cleared her throat, shaking her head as she blinked back a few of the tears sitting in her eyes. "I'm just glad you two are both going to be okay. When Antonio called and told us what happened, your father and I kind of panicked."
"I'm sorry for not calling you myself." Gabby apologized, Camila brushing her hand across her daughter's bruised face. "I'm not even sure where my phone is, it might still be at the station, but I should've called, I'm sorry."
"It's alright." Ramon murmured, rubbing her back as Gabby glanced towards her dad, his eyes shining back at her. "We're just glad you're okay."
Gabby blinked quickly before slowly leaning into her dad's side, Ramon keeping his hand on her back as she rested against him, the older Dawson placing his head on top of hers. He was careful, not wanting to hurt his daughter, but he could tell she needed the comfort, this entire thing having rattled her more than she'd ever admit out loud.
"You're okay, mija." He repeated, Gabby sniffling as she held onto her dad, feeling her mom brush her hand over her head.
Feeling like he was interrupting the intimate moment with the family, Matt quietly got up and hobbled towards the kitchen, wanting to give them as much privacy as he could. He made himself busy, preparing that cup of coffee he hadn't gotten to have yet, keeping his back to the living room, lost in his own thoughts as he stood and sipped the beverage.
"Is Gabriela leaving anything out?"
The voice startled him, Matt flinching at the unexpected noise, a soft hiss of pain leaving his lips as he unintentionally tensed muscles he shouldn't have. Glancing back, he saw Camila standing barely a foot from him, a deep frown covering her face as she eyed him.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Are you alright?" She asked, her voice coated in worry, Matt nodding as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"I'm fine, and it's okay, I just didn't hear you coming." He replied, glancing behind Camila, seeing Gabby still wrapped up in her dad's embrace on the couch, his gaze lingering on her before he looked back to Camila, seeing her frown had been replaced with a soft smile. "You asked about Gabby?"
"I was wondering if she gave us the whole truth about her injuries…" Camila started, keeping her voice low, "I know my daughter, and she tends to leave things out when she's trying to spare other people." She finished, Matt giving her a slight nod.
"Uh, I don't think so… Her ankle is a little swollen, I'm not sure if it's sprained or not, but they think it happened from how she landed when we fell, but other than that, no. It's just her shoulder, and the gash from the beam." He told her, Camila nodding as she took a slight step closer, Matt's eyes flickering to Gabby before he looked back at her mom.
"Were you pinned, too?" She asked softly, Matt running his tongue along the inside of his mouth. "You didn't mention it when we talked earlier, but I wasn't sure if you were stuck under whatever Gabriela was…" She added, crossing her arms across her chest. Matt knew Camila was just trying to get a clearer understanding of what exactly happened in the warehouse, and while he couldn't say he blamed her, it wasn't a fun memory for him to relive.
"Um, not technically, no." He replied, seeing her eyebrows furrow, clearly needing more of an explanation, Matt sighing softly before speaking again. "...When we fell, Gabby landed on top of me, and when I woke up the beam was over both of us, but it had fallen on her. I was stuck underneath her." He tried to explain, Camila nodding slowly as Matt grimaced at the memory, shaking his head slightly. "I just-" He began, Camila watching closely as he cut himself off, clearly trying to get the right words out, "she never should've been in that building, I'm sorry she got hurt, I was just trying to help that man, but I never should've brought her in there-"
"Matt." Camila spoke softly, placing a gentle hand on his arm, effectively halting his rambling. "Antonio told us what happened." She continued, Matt taking a shallow, slow breath. "Or he told us what he heard from Shay while Gabby was a little out of it, but we know what happened… We know that you only asked for a medic, and that your Chief was the one who sent her in. And she chose to go in. This is the job my daughter signed up for, she knew the risks going into that building. We know you did everything you could for her while she was in there." She said, Matt blinking quickly. "...Antonio told us how you shielded her when part of the ceiling started to fall down, which I'm guessing that's where you got that terrible bruise from." She continued, Casey tilting his head to the side. "When we were talking earlier, you said how you got hit, but she didn't… I'm assuming she didn't get hit because you were protecting her." Camila spoke knowingly, Matt confirming her words with a small nod. "And he told us how you grabbed her when the floor collapsed, that you took the brunt of the impact."
"I just wanted to keep her safe, I tried to." He murmured, his eyes on Gabby. "I didn't even think, I just- I just grabbed her."
"I know." She replied, Matt's eyes snapping back towards her. "And I can never thank you enough for that… You saved her, Matt." He opened his mouth to protest, but Camila continued before he could. "I know she still got hurt, and I wish that never happened, but had you not been there- I don't even want to imagine how much more damage could've been caused." She spoke softly, shaking her head as if she was trying to will the images out of her mind. "I wish this never happened, that you two never got hurt, but what I am grateful for is that it was you who was in that building with her… Because had it been anyone else, I know they wouldn't have done as much as you did to keep her safe." Camila spoke firmly, giving his arm a comforting squeeze, Matt nodding slowly as he took a deep breath. "I won't lie to you, when Gabby first started mentioning you, and I realized you two were more than just friends, I was nervous… After everything that happened with Bryan, I was afraid of her getting involved with someone she works with again." She breathed out, Matt giving her an understanding nod. "I just… I hate seeing my daughter hurt, and Bryan really hurt her."
"I know." Matt responded sadly.
"But, after hearing about everything that happened, and even just seeing how you've been with her today… you've treated her better than I think he ever did." Camila admitted sadly, Matt swallowing the lump in his throat. "I know my daughter is strong, and she can take care of herself… But she shouldn't always have to, and with Bryan… too many times did she have to." Camila spoke, shaking her head sadly. "And I just… When she was with him, I worried… Because I wasn't sure if she was a priority to him, and, clearly, I'd been right about that, but with you… I can see how much you care about her, and how much she means to you. I know relationships aren't perfect, and things can be hard, but I can see she finally has someone that truly cares for her, and who takes care of her." She breathed out, shaking her head softly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bombard you with all that… The point is, I'm just glad she has you, Matt. And I'm so glad it was you in that building with her."
"It's alright...Truthfully, I'm glad it was me in there with her, too." Matt replied quickly, Camila giving him an appreciative nod before continuing.
"I wasn't sure what to expect from you, if I'm being honest…" She started, Matt watching her closely. "I hadn't heard an awful lot about the nature of your relationship with my daughter, I just knew you were in her life and that she cared about you, but Gabriela wouldn't say much, so I wasn't sure what you two had going on… All I knew was that she seemed happy. Which, after everything, I was glad, but hesitant… But I can see now that I don't need to worry about her, at least not with you." She spoke sincerely, Matt raising his eyebrows slightly as she gave him a soft smile, Camila gently bringing him in for a hug, Matt reciprocating the gesture. "I want to thank you, Matt."
"For what?"
"For everything." She responded softly, lightly running her hand along his upper back before they separated. "All Ramon and I want for her is for her to be happy, and for her to be loved, and we know she is." Matt ducked his head slightly, his eyes glancing back towards the couch, seeing Gabby and her father having returned to their upright position, talking about something he couldn't hear. "I know Ramon was a little… distant, when we first got here. He was shocked to see you, we both were, and even though we weren't entirely sure exactly who you were, we had a pretty good idea. But Ramon… he worries." She breathed out, Matt nodding understandingly. "I hate to even keep bringing him up, because he shouldn't be worth our time, but Bryan, he just- I thought he ruined her… Ramon and I both did. We weren't sure she'd ever recover from what he put her through." Camila spoke sadly, shaking her head as she ran her hand across her mouth, Matt placing his hand comfortingly on her shoulder. Having seen the damage up close with Gabby, Matt knew Bryan left a path of destruction in her life, but it seemed he'd done something similar in her parent's lives as well. "But we're both thankful for you, Matt… Whatever you are to our daughter, you pulled her out of the hole she was in after Bryan left her." Camila said, Matt shaking his head softly back and forth.
"She pulled herself out." He replied, his tongue running along his bottom lip as Camila bit back a smile. "I appreciate what you said, but I didn't do anything. Gabby, she- she got through it on her own."
"I think we both know you're not giving yourself nearly enough credit." Camila countered. "My daughter is as strong as they come, and, God love her, as stubborn as they come, too…" She spoke, Matt chuckling softly as he responded with a knowing nod, "but you're the reason she picked herself up as quickly as she did. I wholeheartedly believe that." Camila told him, Matt taking a deep breath, ignoring the jolt of pain he felt from his ribs.
"What are you two talking about?"
Matt and Camila turned at the sound of Gabby's voice, finding both her and Ramon watching them, Gabby with her eyebrows raised, Matt seeing a soft smile form on her lips as they locked eyes.
"Antonio." Casey replied without missing a beat, Gabby narrowing her eyes as he smirked slightly, Camila laughing by his side. "What? Who else would we be talking about?" He teased, Gabby shaking her head as Ramon chuckled.
"Mhmm." She hummed, shooting him another playful glare before she slowly turned back around, Camila and Matt making their way back into the living room. "Do you guys want to stay for breakfast? I don't have much, but we could order food or something." She offered, Camila smiling regretfully as she shook her head.
"No, that's okay sweetheart, your father and I are gonna go ahead and get out of here, let you two rest." She spoke, Ramon nodding in agreement as he sat on the edge of the couch.
"Are you sure?"
"Mhmm, we just wanted to come and make sure you were alright, but with Matt here I'm sure you'll be just fine." Camila spoke teasingly, heat rushing to Matt's cheeks as Gabby ducked her head, the woman laughing when she saw their reactions, Ramon shaking his head before he leaned towards Gabby.
"Goodbye, mija."
"Bye dad." She responded, Ramon pressing a kiss to the side of her head.
"I'm so glad you're alright." He whispered, kissing her again before he pulled back, Gabby giving him a nod as her mom came around the couch. While Gabby and her mom were saying their goodbyes, Ramon stood up, walking around behind the couch where Casey stood. "I'm glad the both of you are alright." He repeated, Matt flashing him a smile as he shook the man's hand.
"So am I."
"And thank you…" He dropped his voice, glancing back towards Gabby, seeing her hugging her mother. "For everything you did for her in that building… and for being there for her these last few months." Ramon spoke knowingly, Matt giving him a nod.
"She's done just as much for me." He replied sincerely, Ramon's smile widening.
"I can show you guys out." Gabby offered, grimacing as she slowly began to scoot herself towards the edge of the couch, Matt and Ramon glancing to see Camila standing beside her daughter.
"I can do it." Matt offered, taking the few steps towards the back of the couch, placing his hand on her uninjured shoulder, effectively stopping her slow movements. "You just stay here." He told her, Gabby nodding before he placed a soft kiss to the top of her head, Ramon and Camila both watching him with smiles on their faces.
After a few more goodbyes with their daughter, Matt led them towards the door, doing what he could to walk normally, despite the deep pain radiating in his leg.
"It was really nice to meet you both," Matt spoke as he unlocked the door, pulling it open. "Although I wish it was under better circumstances…" Ramon and Camila both nodded in agreement, the later rubbing her hand over his arm before bringing him in for one last hug.
"Hopefully we'll be able to see you again soon," She spoke, gently rubbing his back. "Maybe when you two are feeling better, we'll have you over for dinner."
"That sounds great, I'd love that." He spoke with a warm smile, Ramon holding out his arm, signaling Camila to walk outside. "Drive safe." He told them as they began down the steps.
"Will do, son. I hope you feel better." Ramon told him, Matt giving him a thankful smile before he grabbed the door handle, waiting until they were headed off down the sidewalk before he closed the door, locking it in place as he shut himself and Gabby off from the outside world.
Releasing a shallow breath, Matt headed back into the apartment, his smile growing when he saw Gabby's eyes waiting for him, a soft grin resting across her face as she sat turned around on the couch. "What?" He questioned, his steps slowing as he got to the counter.
"You're quite the charmer, that's all." She mused, Matt grinning before he stepped further into the kitchen, shaking his head lightly.
"Well, I can turn it on when I need to." He joked, her laugh like music to his ears as he glanced back towards her. "So, what are you feeling like eating for breakfast?"
"I'm okay right now, why don't you come sit down." She told him, Matt shaking his head.
"Nah, I'm alright, you need to eat something." He replied, moving towards her pantry cabinet. "You probably should've eaten when you took your medication, I know you're supposed to with those antibiotics, so we shouldn't wait much longer." He mused, his back towards her as he looked around her cabinet.
"Well, that means you need to eat something, too." She countered, knowing they were on the same medication.
"Fair point." He responded, reaching into the pantry and pulling out a box. "How about some oatmeal?" He offered, Gabby smiling softly before giving him a nod.
"Sounds great."
"Good, I'll get it started." He murmured, placing the box on the counter before moving around the kitchen, getting himself used to the new layout of things. He figured that was a good choice for their breakfast; it was quick, easy to make, and he knew how much she loved it. And, if you were to ask him, he'd gotten pretty good at making it just how she liked it.
As the water boiled, he walked stepped towards the fridge, looking over his options before he settled on some blueberries to go with their oatmeal, Matt remembering those to be her favorite.
"How are you doing that?"
Gabby's voice gained his attention, Matt looking up from the banana he was currently cutting up. "Hmm?"
"How are you up and moving around so much?" She clarified her question as he returned his gaze to his task, not wanting to cut himself and add to his long list of injuries. "Every time I move, it feels like I'm dying, how are you doing it?" She added, Matt's eyes flashing towards her again. She had adjusted her position slightly, Gabby's back resting against the arm of the couch, her legs stretched out in front of her as she watched him move through the kitchen.
"I don't know." He responded lamely, pouring the water into the bowl of oats, Gabby scoffing lightly, a grin forming over his face before he continued. "I don't have a better answer for you, I'm sorry… I mean, I don't feel great, but I know it's easier for me to get around than it is for you, and someone's gotta make sure you get fed."
Gabby laughed lightly, her eyes staying focused on him as he turned the stove off, Matt turning back around to put the finishing touches on their breakfast. "Alright, well just please don't over do it." She warned him, her voice turning serious. "It hasn't even been a day, I don't want you hurting yourself more."
"I'm being careful." He promised, placing the knife in the sink before pulling out two spoons from her silverware drawer. "Alright," He breathed out, grabbing the bowls off the counter before he slowly began walking towards her. "It's definitely not the prettiest, but it should taste good. I put some extra brown sugar in yours." He added, Gabby smirking knowingly as she began to adjust herself on the couch. "Hey, hey, you stay put, I sit on the chair."
"But I want to sit next to you." She responded softly, Matt nodding reluctantly as he placed the bowls down on the end table, moving to help her adjust. Once she was situated with her leg propped up on the coffee table, Matt sat down on her left side, handing her breakfast to her before grabbing his. "Thank you for making this."
"Happy to." He replied simply before taking a bite, Gabby following suit, Matt watching as she took her first bite. "It taste okay?"
"It tastes great." She responded, "Almost as good as mine." She added before leaning into his side, Matt smirking as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "But seriously, for lunch we're ordering in. No more cooking for you today."
"I'm fine with that." He replied, giving her another kiss before continuing to eat his breakfast, feeling Gabby shift by his side.
"You, uh… you seemed to get along with my parents pretty well." She spoke up, glancing towards him with a bright grin. "Considering how you met them this morning, I'd say everything went well." She added, Matt scoffingly lightly as he shook his head.
"Well, as your boyfriend, it's my job to make a good first impression. Even if I did meet them without a shirt on." He replied sheepishly, Gabby raising her eyebrows in amusement.
"Yeah, I think you did a pretty good job." She told him, placing her bowl down in her lap, resting her hand on his leg, gripping his thigh gently.
"I hope so… Although, now that I think about it, we didn't even tell them." He responded with a slight chuckle, Gabby cocking her head to the side.
"Oh yeah… I guess we didn't." She spoke sheepishly, giving his leg a squeeze. "We'll have to tell them. I meant to, but everything was just about what happened yesterday, and it slipped my mind."
"It's alright." He assured her, not wanting her to think he was reading anything into her not telling them. "I'm pretty sure they know already, or at least your mom does." He spoke lightly, Gabby slowly leaning down into his side, resting her head gently on his shoulder.
"They might, but I still wanna tell them, like officially. I mean, they knew about you, and they always kind of assumed we were together, even when we weren't… but now that we're actually together, I want them to know." She said softly, a wide grin spreading across his face as she spoke, Matt leaning down to press a kiss to the top of her head.
"Well, they did invite us over for dinner whenever we're both feeling a little better… Maybe that'd be a good time." He suggested, Gabby nodding against his shoulder.
"I like the sound of that. I think that would be fun, considering they definitely like you." She murmured, tilting her head up, pressing a gentle kiss to his neck, Gabby feeling him smile softly as she placed multiple kisses against his skin.
"Are you trying to make me take you back to your bedroom?" He asked, Gabby chuckling against him as she squeezed his thigh.
"Normally I wouldn't be opposed, but I'm not sure we should have a repeat of last night, at least right now." She responded, stroking her thumb against his leg. "As much as I loved it, my body was definitely feeling it this morning."
"Yeah, I know what you mean… It was worth it, though." He spoke softly, leaning his cheek down against her head, Gabby nuzzling her nose against his neck.
"Absolutely." She whispered, letting herself relax into him.
"Are you done with your breakfast?" He asked when he felt her breathing begin to even out, Matt glancing down to see she'd only eaten about half of it.
"No, just closing my eyes for a bit." She replied, Matt grinning as he nodded.
"Do you wanna go lay down? We can take your oatmeal…" He offered, Gabby laughing before she slowly lifted herself off of him, getting another spoonful of food.
"As tempting as that sounds, it's okay.. But once we finish, I wouldn't mind going back to sleep." She spoke, looking up at him with a gentle grin, Matt matching her smile. "I mean, I know my doctor told me to rest, and I'm sure yours did as well."
"Yes, he did… I think that's a great idea." He agreed, leaning down to give her a soft kiss before they both went back to their breakfast, quietly enjoying the food he'd made for them.
Within half an hour, the couple had finished their breakfast, Matt getting their bowls cleaned up and into the dishwasher before they slowly made their way back to the bedroom, both eager to get back into bed and do nothing but rest for the remainder of the day.
Matt stepped back into the bedroom after having just used the bathroom, his hobbled steps slowing when he saw Gabby standing up beside the bed, her back towards him as she was using her one good arm to try and slide his sweatpants down her legs. But her attempts weren't going very well, the opposite side sliding back up each time she tried to push them down.
"Need some help?" Matt asked lightly, Gabby huffing out a breath before she reluctantly nodded, Matt walking around the bed, coming to stand in front of her.
"I need to change my bandage," She spoke, Matt eyeing the new bandage sitting on the bed behind her, "but I can't get these stupid pants off." She groaned in frustration, Matt chuckling before he grabbed the waistband, slowly sliding them down her legs.
"Well, I've always done well at getting your clothes off, I don't mind to help." He replied, Gabby scoffing lightly as she slowly sat down once the material was past her knees.
"Yeah, yeah, I know you have." She responded, Matt carefully sitting down by her left side, watching as she began pushing the sweatpants off the rest of the way. With a little help from Matt, she was able to get them off, letting them fall to the ground, joining their other articles of clothing that littered her bedroom floor. "We really should pick all this up." She mentioned, Matt smiling smugly as he glanced around.
"Yeah, maybe… But not right now." He replied, his eyes moving toward the bandage wrapped around her leg, wincing when he saw the deep purple bruising coming out from beneath the white dressing.
"I might need your help with this, too." She breathed out, following his gaze down to her leg. "With only one arm, I don't think I can get it off."
"Of course." He replied with a soft smile, beginning to unwrap the bandage from her leg, grimacing when the white slowly began turning red as he got closer to her leg. When he got down to the last layer, he moved carefully, slowly peeling the dressing from her leg.
A deep frown covered his lips when he got this first glimpse of the stitches across her thigh, Matt shaking his head softly as he released a shaky breath. He couldn't tell how many stitches she had, but there were a lot of them, the now-closed gash covering the entirety of the top of her thigh, the bruising more intense closer to the injury. He could see her thigh was a little swollen, her skin red and angry around the healing cut.
Seeing him almost frozen, Gabby pursed her lips together, placing her hand on his thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze, slowly gaining his attention.
"Does it hurt?" He asked when their eyes locked, Gabby tilting her head to the side slightly.
"Kind of, yeah… But it's not too bad." She assured him, Matt nodding as his eyes moved back to her leg.
Being as gentle as he could, he slowly began wrapping her leg, Gabby guiding him on how much pressure to use while he did the work.
"Yeah, that's good, thank you." She murmured as he finished securing the bandage, Matt giving her a soft smile as he brought his hand up to the side of her face, pushing her hair behind her ear.
"You're welcome." He responded, pressing a gentle kiss against the side of her head before he stood up, Matt feeling the soreness of his muscles as he moved. "You ready to get some sleep?"
"Mhmm." She responded, Matt nodding as he began unclipping her sling, Gabby wincing as her arm stretched out, Casey tossing the object onto the end of the bed. "Do we need to change your bandage?" She asked, glancing towards his leg, even though she couldn't see the injury she knew was there.
"No, not right now, we can do it later." He answered, Gabby giving him a nod before she made herself comfortable in the large bed, Matt discarding his shirt as he walked around to his side. He had just barely sat down on the edge of the bed when he felt Gabby's fingertips tracing along his lower back, hearing a soft sigh escape her lips.
"I didn't realize until this morning how bad this was..." She murmured, stroking her thumb along his battered skin, Matt nodding as he rolled out his neck.
"Yeah, I know it's not too pretty."
"It looks painful." She grimaced, Matt glancing back towards her. "...I can see the outline from where the ceiling hit you."
"I'm alright." He replied gently, Gabby's gaze moving from his back to his face. "Promise."
"I know… I just don't like seeing you hurt." She breathed out, Matt flashing her a sympathetic smile before he slowly laid down, resting on his back, Gabby curling into his before he could even get situated.
"That feeling is very much mutual." He agreed, resting his hand on her side as he pressed his lips to the top of her head, lingering there. "Now try and get some rest." He prompted, Gabby nodding against his chest.
A comfortable silence settled over them, Matt slowly moving his hand up and down her side as they laid curled together underneath her covers, Gabby's breaths evening out as Matt stared at the ceiling. He assumed she had fallen asleep, or if she hadn't, she was pretty close to it, so when she spoke up after nearly ten minutes, her voice startled him, Matt not having expected it.
"I thought we were supposed to be sleeping." She murmured, a soft grin coming to his face as he glanced down to the top of her head.
"We said resting, and I am… Why aren't you?"
"Because I can hear that you're awake." She replied, Matt's eyebrows furrowing in amusement.
"That doesn't make any sense…"
"Yes it does." She countered sleepily, nuzzling her cheek against his bare chest. "Now sleep."
"You know," Matt spoke up, Gabby aware he was about to change the subject, "you should really have a TV in here."
"Should I?"
"Mhmm." He hummed, Gabby smiling softly.
"What if I don't want a TV in here?" She challenged.
"But what about the times when I'm bored and you're trying to sleep… like now." He responded lightly, Gabby tilting her head up to look at him.
"You can go out in the living room and watch TV, if you're really having that hard of a time." She teased him, Matt shaking his head as he tightened his grip around her waist.
"I'm not going anywhere, but if you had a TV, I could do more than lay here and stare at the ceiling."
"Well, I mean, you're supposed to be sleeping." Gabby reminded him.
"Yes, but I'm not tired yet…" He huffed out, Gabby chuckling softly.
"I can get a TV, you big baby." She muttered, Matt's grin widening as he ran his hand along her waist.
"I'm gonna ignore the last part, but thank you." He replied, kissing the top of her head. "Maybe when we're feeling better, we can go and look at some."
"That sounds fine." She spoke through her yawn, Matt smiling softly, kissing her head once more.
"Go to sleep, babe." He murmured, a warm grin spreading across her face at the nickname, Gabby cuddling against him as she nodded, the combination of Matt's body heat and his soothing movements along her hip lulling her to sleep within minutes.
And there's another one. I hoped you all enjoyed this fairly calm chapter, I felt it was warranted after some of the emotional ones we've had recently. Matt meeting Gabby's parents seemed to go quite well, and Camila really seems to like him, which is good. I really liked writing this one, I hope you all liked reading it.
I'm so excited to hear your thoughts. Now that Dawsey's together, they've still got some decisions to make about when/if to tell people, and worrying about how certain people will react… There's definitely a lot to consider. But I think you all with like it.
Thank you for reading! I'll see you next time!