Surprise. Here's an extra little update for you all. I know some of you were disappointed with the last chapter, and I was kind of sad to hear that, so I figured I'd get another update to you all this week.

As I'm sure most of you have realized by now, I do have a certain pace that I tell this story at, but I know that sometimes in the past that has frustrated you all, and that's never been my intention. It's just the way I have the storylines mapped out, sometimes it takes a little bit of time to get to the resolution you all are looking for. I know a lot of you were hoping Gabby would go and tell Matt, or someone, what happened with Walker, and I get it, I do. I'd probably feel the same way if I were reading along with you all, but there's certain storylines that need to happen first, and things that need to be addressed a certain way before we can get to that point, if that makes any sense. But I'm sorry to those of you who didn't like the last one, I write this story for you all, so truly, I am really sorry to those of you who were disappointed by it. I hope this chapter is better.

FORTY FOUR

Gabby clutched her bag tightly over her shoulder as she walked through the hallways of 51, the paramedic keeping her head down as she mentally prepared herself for the day ahead, Dawson feeling a few nerves settling in her stomach at the thought of being back here already. The two days that had passed since last shift seemed to go by quicker than normal, Gabby waking up from her restless night of sleep this morning which an immediate sense of worry in her gut.

She was anxious to be back here after what happened last shift, that feeling having settled in her like a rock since the incident happened, and she couldn't help but feel like some of her anxiety stemmed from her not having seen Matt since yesterday morning.

The thought felt a little ridiculous, Gabby knowing that it had only been a day since she'd last seen her boyfriend, but she didn't so much care right now. He was able to keep her calm and grounded, and that was something she desperately needed. Even though he wasn't sure exactly what had happened, Gabby was aware he knew something was going on. She could tell in the way he was with her, either in person or through text; Matt always acted a little differently with her when he knew she was upset. He was a little gentler with her, he would reach out more often than normal, it was like he just knew exactly what she needed when she needed it, even when he didn't know what was going on.

He knew about the bruises on her back, and what he was told to be the reason behind it, but Gabby wasn't sure how much he bought it. Or at least she wasn't sure he bought that was the thing that was upsetting her, not when she'd told him it happened during shift, but her demeanor hadn't changed until the morning after. If it was anyone else, she wouldn't expect them to put it together, that they'd just assume that 'incident' is what was causing her strange behavior and move on. But this was Matt, and he was about as perceptive as they come, especially when it involves her. He pays attention to everything, and Gabby knew that regardless of whether or not he believed her made up story about the call, that Matt was aware there was more going on than just that. He knew she was upset about something, but he hadn't pushed her. Even after she'd freaked out on him a few times when he'd inadvertently startle her, he never tried to get her to talk, which was something she hadn't been expecting, but she was beyond grateful for it.

This thing with Walker, a part of her knew she needed to tell him; that she needed to tell someone. But she was scared… She was scared because she'd seen up close and personal just how angry Bryan could get when she upset him. It was a rage she'd become familiar with over the years, but it was something she never wanted to experience again. It was something she thought she was done dealing with, but clearly that wasn't the case.

The rational part of her knew that if she told someone, the situation would be dealt with, and she'd probably never have to deal with him again. That with one call to her brother, this would probably all be over, and she wouldn't have to feel this overwhelming sense of worry and fear every time she came into work.

But that fear, and that worry… those were the exact things keeping her from saying anything. She wished she could just be strong enough to move past it, that she could just go and tell Matt, or her brother, and hopefully put an end to all of this. But she didn't feel like she could. She didn't feel capable of going and reliving what he'd done to her. She felt weak. He made her feel weak. And that feeling is what was stopping her from saying something.

She knew it was stupid, that her staying silent might only end up making things worse, but a part of her felt like if she just kept her head down, and showed Bryan she wasn't going to do anything, he'd leave her alone. That method had worked in the past when they were together and she had to spend time outside of shift with him, and in her mind she couldn't help but think it would work again. Especially when them spending time together outside of shift wasn't even a factor anymore. She was holding onto the hope that if she just left it alone, Bryan would do the same.

But there was a little thought that kept creeping up in the back of her mind telling her that this wasn't over. That, knowing Bryan, what happened last shift was probably only the beginning. And that thought alone made it impossible for her to figure out how to handle this.

Over the last few days, she'd had a lot of time to think about all this, and she kept ending up in the same place she started; she didn't know what to do. Part of her wanted to run to Matt's office right this instant and lay it all out in the open, but the other part of her never wanted to utter those words to anyone, most of all herself. And this constant war in her head hadn't helped matters at all.

It felt like she was drowning, like her inability to handle this was causing her to sink, and she had no way out. It was a helpless feeling; a feeling she'd experienced a lot over the years because of Bryan. A feeling that made her feel weak, and isolated, like she had no one to turn to. Except there was one huge difference this time.

And that difference was Matt.

Matt was the only reason she was keeping it together. He was the only reason this hadn't completely grabbed ahold of her like it had in the past, he was the only reason she wasn't totally falling apart.

When things got like this in the past, before she met Matt, her first instinct had been the pull away. She had Shay, and she knew her partner would do anything and everything for her, but her relationship with everyone else in the house hadn't been what it was now. When her and Bryan were still together, they were all enamored by him, and it felt as if they merely tolerated her. She didn't feel like she'd have anyone, aside from Shay, on her side. And that hadn't helped her feeling of hopelessness at all.

Bryan had been very good in the past at keeping a lid on who he truly was when they were at the firehouse, and everyone had fallen for it. She had fallen for it. He fooled her like he fooled everyone else, he let her fall in love with him, and then he used that to his advantage. He would make her feel small, like he was the best she could ever expect out of a relationship. That she deserved everything he did to her, that she was lucky he wasn't doing more to her.

She suffered in silence for years. Time and time again, she'd had Bryan's horrible words ingrained in her head, repeated to her like a mantra. She'd been on the receiving end of his wrath more times than she could remember, and she'd gone through all that alone. And now with everything she'd locked away for a long time coming back up again, that wasn't an easy habit to break. She'd dealt with this all on her own for years, she'd felt alone for a long time. That wasn't something that would just go away overnight, no matter how much she wished it would.

He made her feel like she was broken, like everything that happened, she had coming. And sometimes she still felt that way.

But Matt was slowly making her let go of that feeling. That lonely feeling wasn't completely gone, and she was still scared, there was no denying that, but, even though he didn't know what was going on, he made her feel like everything would be okay. He made her feel safe, and secure, despite him not really knowing what she was struggling with, he knew how to make her feel better. He always had. He had become the person she held onto, the person she knew she could turn to when she needed it. The person who would be there for her, no questions asked. He saw her in that deep hole she was in when they met, and he pulled her out. He refused to leave her in there, even though she hadn't made it easy on him. He gave her a reason to trust him, he made her believe that everything would be fine. That, as long as she had him, nothing else mattered.

He gave her hope, and it was a feeling she tried to hold onto. It was something she had to hold onto, until she was ready to let him in to that part of her she'd kept hidden for a long time. She knew that when she felt ready to tell him what was going on, he wouldn't judge her for anything that had happened, or any of the things Bryan had put her through. She knew she could trust him with that part of herself when the time came.

But right now, more than anything else, she just needed him.

And maybe that wasn't fair. Maybe it wasn't fair to ask that of him, to ask him to be there for her when he had no clue as to what was going on. That it wasn't fair to expect anything from him when she was keeping him in the dark, but she didn't feel ready. She didn't feel ready to confront her past head on, not yet; and that's exactly what she would have to do. And not even just with Matt, but with everyone. She wouldn't just be able to tell Matt and then it would be over. She'd have to tell her brother, and Boden, and Shay, and the rest of the firehouse to some degree. This didn't just end with her telling Matt, and that's part of what was holding her back. She couldn't handle everyone knowing, not right now.

She knew she needed to tell him. But there was a lot more to this than just running to Matt's office and sharing her painful, and at times embarrassing, past with him. There was more to it that she didn't feel ready for. And she knew Matt could sense that.

He knew that, whatever it was, she didn't feel ready to talk about it yet. So he'd left it alone, opting to show his support in other ways, Matt constantly showing her that he was here for her, just as he always had. Even though they hadn't really seen each other since she left his place yesterday morning, he'd kept in constant contact with her while he was working at her mother's church, Matt always checking in to see how she was doing. Either through calls or text messages, he tried to talk to her as often as he could during the day. Which was something she needed more than she could've ever even realized.

And that was a realization that scared her a little.

With every passing day, Gabby was understanding more and more of just how much she'd come to rely on him. And that made her a little nervous.

It was something she promised that she'd never do again. She promised she'd never given herself completely to someone else ever again, not after she'd trusted Bryan and he completely destroyed her. She couldn't go through that again, so she made a promise to herself that she'd never put herself in that position.

But she did. With the first man she'd been with since Bryan, she had let him in. And, although it hadn't been easy for either of them, she let herself rely on him. She relied on him more than she's ever relied on anyone. She had completely given herself to him, they both knew it, and that was a scary thought. Knowing that Matt held onto so much of her heart, of her, and, if given the opportunity, he could completely crush her. Just like Bryan had done so many times. Although now, the fallout would be so much worse, because what she felt for Matt, she's never felt this way about anyone before, not even Bryan. Not even at their best did she ever feel for him what she feels for Matt. And that thought alone was terrifying.

Because he had her. Without her even realizing it was happening, Matt completely had her. And it was scary to open herself up to that. But there was no going back now, and truthfully she didn't want to. Regardless of where they ended up, she'd never regret opening herself up to him, and allowing him in. Not when he made her happier than she'd ever been in her life. She let herself trust him, she trusted herself with him, and seeing where they were now, she'd never regret that.

Now all that was left to do was let him into the last part of her life, the part no one, aside from her and Bryan, knew about. The part she'd so desperately hoped to never had to deal with again. It was something she knew she needed to tell him, she wanted to tell him. If she was going to let anyone in on the painful details of her past relationship with Bryan, it was Matt.

But she needed time. And she knew Matt would give her that.

"Hello Dawson."

Gabby's back tightened as she turned the corner into the locker room, finding Walker, and no one else, in there with her, the man standing at his locker with a proud grin on his face.

Time was what she needed to be able to open up about that part of her life, and while she wholeheartedly knew Matt would give her that, she was just as sure about the fact that Bryan probably wouldn't.

Bryan wasn't going to say anything, that much she was sure of. But what she didn't know was how much farther he was going to take this. She didn't know what his plan was, if he had one at all, if he was just trying to scare her, or if he wasn't anywhere close to being done. She had no idea, and that alone caused pressure to rise within her throat, Gabby feeling nauseous at just the idea of being alone with him.

"What? No good morning?" He asked, his voice soft as Gabby narrowed her eyes, refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing just how much he had frightened her. Even though she knew he had a pretty good idea of just how much his little stunt had affected her.

Without a word, she continued to her locker, pushing her fear aside as she began to put in her combination, ignoring the chuckles she heard coming from the other side of the bench. She knew exactly what he was doing, and despite that nerves she felt building in her stomach, she wouldn't show him the fear she currently felt being alone with him. He had enough power over her already, even though she hated it; she wouldn't give him any reason to think he had more.

"So, I'm guessing since I didn't get called into Boden's office this morning, you listened to me and kept your mouth shut?" He asked after a few tense moments, Gabby refusing to acknowledge him as she heard his locker close, the paramedic focusing on putting her things away so she could get out of here as soon as possible.

Her body froze when she felt him come up behind her, his chest brushing against her back as he slid past her, Gabby's neck tightening as he stayed way too close for comfort.

"I was speaking to you." He bit out, running his hand along her back, her body going rigid underneath his touch, Walker smirking proudly.

"I didn't say anything. Now get off me." She spat, shrugging out of his grip and slamming her locker shut, Bryan raising his eyebrows in amusement.

"Someone's feisty today." He spoke with that same smirk across his face, Gabby taking a step back as his eyes trailed up and down her body. "Where was that attitude last shift? Cause all I saw was the same old scared Gabby… But this version of you is a lot more fun." He added with a laugh, Gabby feeling her skin crawl as he looked her up and down again. "Well, fun to an extent. You running your mouth was only fun for so long."

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Gabby turned around, intent on heading out this locker room and getting as far away from his as possible, but she barely got two steps before he grabbed her shoulder, a soft gasp of pain escaping her lips as he put pressure on her sore body.

"Remember what I said." He stated quietly, Gabby not even looking back at him as she ripped herself from his grasp, Dawson moving as quickly as she could to get out of the room, forcing herself to take deep breaths as she moved.

As she got out into the hallway, she noticed her hands trembling a little, Gabby shaking her head in aggravation as she shoved them into her pockets, hating that he still had so much control over her. His actions still affected her, and he knew it. And that infuriated her as much as it scared her.

Gabby was pulled from her thoughts as she rounded the corner to head towards the common room, her steps being stopped abruptly as she nearly ran into two firefighters, her surprise evident as she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Sorry Dawson." Severide spoke up first after glancing towards Casey, Gabby shaking her head before she met Matt's gaze, seeing his eyes holding much more concern than Kelly's. "We didn't see you there."

"It's okay." She responded softly, suddenly thankful her trembling hands were hidden away, Gabby not wanting to give her boyfriend anything else to worry about.

Sensing a thick heaviness in the air he didn't really understand, Severide decided it best to excuse himself, Kelly unsure of what was causing his friend to look so worried, the squad Lieutenant patting Gabby's arm as he walked past her. "I'm gonna get ready for shift, we'll finish that conversation later Casey." He spoke, Matt giving him a nod before Kelly disappeared around the corner.

"You doing okay?" Matt asked the second they were alone, Gabby flashing him a soft smile before she nodded.

"I'm good, yeah. What were you and Kelly talking about?" She quickly shifted the subject, Matt running his tongue along his bottom lip before responding, knowing exactly what she was doing.

"He wants us to go fishing." Matt replied, Gabby's eyebrows raising.

"Really?"

"Mhmm… He thinks it would be fun."

"I'm sure it will." She responded, her smile growing, Matt unable to stop one from forming over his face as well.

"Yeah, it'll be a good time. I'm not sure when we're going, probably sometime here soon. Kelly's seemed a little antsy lately, it'll probably do him some good to get away for a day." Casey spoke, Gabby nodding in agreement as they stood off to the side of the hallway.

"Well, I hope you guys have fun, whenever you end up going." She replied, Matt nodding as his eyes moved over her face.

"Whenever we figure out some actual plans, I'll let you know. Maybe I'll talk to Kelly, see if he cares if I invite Ramon along." He said, Gabby's eyebrows raising as she leaned her side into the wall. "I've heard him mention a few times how he enjoys fishing."

"My dad said that?" Gabby asked with an amused expression, clearly not buying it, Matt smiling sheepishly.

"Well, okay fine, he said he'd like to go sometime, that he's never been. I figured I could take him, show him the ropes and everything." Matt rephrased, Gabby's smile widening as she bit down on her bottom lip. "I told him I like to fish, and he said it's something he'd like to do… What better way for some more bonding time than being stuck on a boat for hours." He added with a smirk, Gabby shaking her head slightly.

"I don't think you really need to worry about the bonding thing anymore, my parents love you… But I think that would be fun for you guys. I know my dad would love it." Gabby responded, standing up straight when the pressure of her shoulder against the hard wall began to hurt.

"That's what I was thinking. I still need to run it past Severide, but I think it would be a nice time for all of us." He responded, his eyes glancing down to his watch. "I, uh, should probably go get my stuff put away before the beginning of shift. You going to the common room?" He asked, wanting to know where to find her once he'd gone through his routine before work.

"Yeah, I am." She responded, Matt giving her a nod before he leaned forward, kissing her quickly, Gabby relaxing into the action.

"Just give me a few minutes, and I'll meet you in there." He replied, earning a nod from his girlfriend before he slid past her, but he didn't get very far before her voice stopped him.

"Wait, uh- before you go," She started, Matt turning back around to face her, moving the few steps towards her, "I'm sorry for missing your text last night." She spoke, Matt's eyebrows furrowing. "I had already fallen asleep, and I didn't see it until later."

Along with his multiple texts and calls yesterday to check in on her, he had sent her one last message a little after 9:30 last night, asking if he could come over since he finally finished up working at the church. But his message had been left unanswered, Gabby having already fallen asleep before he sent it, and it wasn't until maybe the second or third time she'd woken up during the night from her restless sleep when she finally saw it. But by that time, it was way too late to respond, Gabby not wanting to risk waking him when he'd been working most of the day, despite how much she wished she'd hadn't missed his message, Dawson knowing she would have slept much better had he been there with her.

"Nothing to apologize for, I'm glad you got some rest." He replied with a soft smile, Gabby biting down on the inside of her cheek before nodding, Matt leaning forward to press a quick kiss against the side of her head. "I'm not sure what my schedule is looking like this week, I've got some other jobs to finish up along with getting that stuff done for your mom, but maybe we can plan a nice night together sometime soon." He added, Gabby giving him another nod, a gentle smile forming over her face.

"I'd like that." She responded, Matt flashing her his signature Casey grin before taking a few steps backwards down the hallway.

"Hopefully here in the next few days I'll have a better idea of what my schedule is, then we can plan something… Maybe go out to dinner or something, just something nice for the two of us."

"It's a date." She agreed softly, Matt giving her a quick wink in agreement before turning the corner to head for the locker room, Gabby unable to wipe the smile off her face as she continued to the common room.

Similarly to his girlfriend, even though he wasn't aware of it, Matt was unable to stop smiling as well, a seemingly permanent grin plastered across his face as he maneuvered the hallways of 51, quickly getting to his destination.

When he got to the locker room, he heard Shay's loud voice before he even saw her, Matt turning the corner to find the paramedic and Severide talking, Shay cutting herself off when she noticed his presence.

"Well hello there, Lieutenant." She greeted warmly, Matt shaking his head as he walked towards his locker, Shay turning to face him. "How are you this morning?"

"I'm alright, Shay… A little tired, but good." He replied as he pulled open his locker, missing the way Shay cocked her head to the side and crossed her arms over her chest.

"What? Dawson keep you up late last night?" She asked, Matt rolling his eyes as he heard chuckles from both Shay and Severide. "Though that was more a rhetorical question, I already know the answer to that, I don't need to hear any details."

"You'd never hear details from me, Shay." He responded without missing a beat, placing his bag in his locker.

"Don't I know it, you never share any of the good stuff." Shay breathed out exasperatedly, Kelly shaking his head in amusement.

"And, though it's none of your business, Gabby and I didn't even see each other last night. I was working at her mom's church all day. That's why I'm tired." He explained, turning around to give her a pointed stare, Shay raising her eyebrows.

"Okay, well that's not nearly as exciting." She responded, Matt huffing out a breath before turning back around to his locker, hanging up his jacket. "Where is Dawson, anyway? I haven't seen her this morning."

"We just saw her in the hallway." Severide responded, Matt turning back around as he shut his locker. "Casey and I were walking in, and he got all distracted by his girlfriend so I left."

"Ah, of course." Shay responded knowingly, Matt shaking his head.

"She's in the common room, Shay, if you wanna go see her… That's where I'm headed."

"Of course you are." She repeated, Casey narrowing his eyes as the blonde laughed. "You are so easy to mess with when it comes to Gabby, I swear." Shay added, Casey stifling an eye roll as he shook his head.

"...Well as fun as this has been, I'm gonna go see my girl." He replied with a grin, Shay narrowing her eyes slightly as she followed him out of the locker room.

"You know, she was my girl first." She countered, the paramedic squeezing his shoulders as the three first responders walked out into the hallway, Matt shaking his head in amusement. "Then you swooped in and stole her from me."

"Mhmm, sorry Shay…" He replied, the tone in his voice telling both Shay and Severide that he was in fact not sorry. "Although speaking of Gabby, can you do me a favor?" Matt asked as they walked through the firehouse, the air around them turning serious, Shay raising her eyebrows as she came up beside him.

"What's up?" She questioned, the three of them coming to a stop where he and Gabby had been standing earlier.

"Next time some guy is pushing Gabby around, can you tell me?" He asked, Shay's eyebrows furrowing in confusion as she glanced towards Severide, seeing the same uncertainty shining over his face.

"What?" Shay was clearly confused, but mostly worried, the paramedic having no idea what Casey was talking about with some man hurting her partner.

Before Matt could respond, the bells rang out, calling truck, engine, and squad to an accident, Casey blowing out a breath before he walked a few steps away from Shay. "The patient from last shift," He started as he continued towards the doors, Shay no less confused. "The guy who knocked her into the ambulance, and hurt her shoulder. If that happens again, can you please tell me?" He asked, giving her a nod before disappearing through the double doors, Shay's lips parted slightly in uncertainty.

"What is he talking about?" Severide asked his best friend as he followed the same path Casey had just taken, Shay shaking her head.

"I have no idea, we didn't have any rough patient last shift." Shay responded, Kelly raising his eyebrows as he got to the door.

"Alright, well I'll let you deal with that." Kelly spoke, shaking his head. "I hope Dawson's okay." He added before he too disappeared, leaving Shay alone in the hallway.

"Yeah… so do I." She muttered, shaking her head before continuing towards the common room, knowing if Gabby was still there, she should be there alone, meaning Shay could get to the bottom of whatever Casey was talking about.

Shoving her hands into her pockets, Shay moved down the hallway, the paramedic seeing her partner sitting in the common room alone through the windows, Gabby sipping on her cup of coffee as she looked at something on her phone. Coming around the corner, Shay's steps slowed as she took in the sight of her PIC, the blonde trying to get a read on her. She seemed okay, she didn't seem any different from when she saw her the night before last, even though she had been acting a little weird then, too. But from first glance, Shay couldn't see anything wrong with her.

"Hey girl." Shay made her presence known, Gabby lifting her head up from her phone, shooting her partner a small smile.

"Hey Shay." She responded, the blonde moving towards the coffee pot, her gaze occasionally moving back towards her friend, seeing Dawson's attention returned to her phone. Pouring her coffee, Shay spared a few more quick glances towards the other paramedic, the air around them quiet as they were the only two first responders left in the firehouse.

"Whatcha lookin at?" Shay asked as she walked towards the table, Gabby lifting her head up as Shay came to sit beside her, Dawson putting her phone down on the table.

"My mom was texting me." She replied softly, Shay giving her a nod as her eyes traced over Dawson's face, Gabby quickly noticing her friend's concerned look. "...What is it?"

"Hmm?"

"You're looking at me weird." Gabby elaborated, Shay clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth before taking another sip of her of her drink, her prolonged silence irking the PIC. "What, Shay?"

"Did something happen last shift?" She asked quickly, Gabby giving little in the form of a reaction as she bit down on the inside of her cheek.

"What are you talking about?"

"Casey said some guy pushed you into the ambulance…" Shay started, seeing a flash of something she couldn't read flicker in Dawson's eyes, Gabby quickly recovering. "He asked me to tell him if it happened again, that you hurt your shoulder?" She pressed, Gabby saying nothing. "But I have no idea what he's talking about… Nothing like that happened last shift, unless I'm missing something." She finished, shooting Gabby a pointed look.

Gabby's spine straightened as she tried to think of something to say, anything to try and explain away what Matt had said. She guessed she shouldn't have been surprised Matt brought it up to Shay, she just hadn't thought that far ahead when blurting out the excuse to him the day before last. And now she had to figure out something to tell her friend, anything that could excuse Matt's words.

"I tripped into the ambulance." She spoke suddenly, Shay's eyebrows furrowing as she placed her coffee mug back down on the table.

"What?" She asked, confusion laced in her voice.

"Last shift, I tripped and fell into the ambulance." She repeated, seeing the hesitation on the blonde's face. "I nailed my shoulder pretty hard and it got a little bruised, but I just tripped and fell." She continued, Shay pursing her lips together.

"Then why did Matt say some guy pushed you…" She asked, clearly trying to understand why there was such a difference in what she was hearing from Casey and from her partner.

"I don't know, he must've just misunderstood me." Dawson replied quickly, Shay's eyes narrowing slightly. "I told him what happened, but we were at my mom's church, and it was busy, maybe he just heard me wrong." Gabby said, Shay clasping her hands together on the table.

She didn't believe Gabby's story for a second. She didn't know why, but for whatever reason, Gabby was lying to her. Shay could tell by her demeanor, Gabby wasn't being truthful about whatever happened to hurt her shoulder. She wouldn't have bought her excuse regardless, but especially after how strange Gabby had been at her place the other night, Shay couldn't help but feel like there was something more going on with her friend.

"Okay…" Shay responded after a few seconds, Gabby running her tongue along the inside of her cheek. "Well, I guess you should probably make sure Casey knows that, because he thinks some guy hurt you." She added pointedly, Gabby giving her a nod.

"I'll talk to him." Gabby replied before taking another sip of her drink, Shay's eyes never leaving her friend.

Something was going on with her, but having known Gabby for years, Shay could tell it wasn't something she wanted to talk about. She wasn't open to having this conversation, that was obvious, so Shay wouldn't push her. At least not yet.

"Alright, good. I really had no idea what he was talking about, I thought I missed something." She spoke lightly, seeing Gabby visibly relax when Shay had pushed the topic any further. "But you're okay though?" Shay asked, Gabby meeting her eyes. "Your shoulder's good?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine." Dawson assured her, plastering a smile on her face. "I'm a little sore, but it's nothing. I'm good."

"Okay, good." Shay responded, giving her friend as supportive of a smile as she could muster. "Just don't overdo it or anything, I can do more of the heavy lifting today if you need me to." She offered, Gabby giving her an appreciative nod before she picked up her phone.

"Thanks Shay, I'll be careful." Gabby promised, her eyes moving from Shay to the device in her hands, her attention clearly focused back on whatever she was looking at, giving the blonde the opportunity to look over her PIC.

Something was definitely off with her. She was acting different, and it was clear that something had happened since last shift to make her behave so strangely. Shay just wasn't sure exactly what had happened. But if Gabby's behavior was any indication, she probably wouldn't be finding out anytime soon.

"Walker, I need you over here with me." Casey's voice came through the radio, Severide standing over by one of the cars they'd been assigned to when 51 rolled up to the multi-car accident this morning, all companies having gone their separate ways when they showed up at the gruesome scene. While none of them were exactly sure what caused the accident, there were at least ten vehicles involved in this mess, and there had been quite a few casualties already.

"You good, Casey?" Kelly asked back, his eyes focused on Cruz and Capp who were working on getting the door of the car in front of him off.

"I'm good, we've just got some kids stuck in here. Walker?"

"Coming Lieutenant." Bryan radioed back, Severide refocusing his attention on the task at hand.

Across the street, Casey was hunched over on the ground, looking into the car that was currently upside down, Matt doing what he could to keep the kids strapped in the backseat calm, despite the fact that they were currently hanging upside down, and that their mother was dead in the front seat about a foot away from them.

The scene was rough, there was no doubt about it, and while when they pulled up to the scene, Matt wasn't sure why 61 hadn't been called out with them, now he couldn't help but feel grateful they hadn't been. This was one of those calls that had the potential to stick with first responders, and he didn't want that for Gabby, or Shay. He didn't want either of them to have to see the things he'd seen today.

"It's okay, we're gonna get you guys out. You're gonna be fine, I promise." Matt repeated the words he'd said to them many times already, Herrmann and Otis currently working on getting the crushed door open on the other side.

"Momma!" The younger boy in the back cried out, Matt grimacing as he took in the sight of the two terrified children. He couldn't be sure exactly how old they were, but from the looks of it, he'd say the oldest couldn't be more than six or seven, the smaller boy maybe a year younger.

"Hey, look at me." Matt spoke, the two boys glancing towards him, tears flowing down their cheeks, both of the kids having various injuries. None of them looked life threatening, their car seat and booster seat doing their job, but they did have some blood on them, and the quicker they got them out and could assess their injuries properly, the better. "You boys are gonna be fine, we're gonna get you out, okay? It's fine." Casey assured them, the older boy nodding.

"Casey, we're ready." Herrmann called across the car, Matt lifting up his hand, telling his firefighter to wait.

"Alright guys, it's about to get really loud. And then we're gonna get the door off, but I promise you'll be alright. It might be a little scary, but it won't last long, okay?" Matt warned them, the boys nodding, even though he wasn't sure how much they understood.

"Lieutenant, where do you want me?" Walker asked as he came up beside Casey, crouching down on the pavement beside him.

"We're about to get these kids out, once the door's off I need you to slide through the window and help get them collared before we get them out." Casey instructed, Walker giving him an immediate nod. Although Bryan wasn't his first choice, he knew the man was more than capable to do this. In fact, aside from Matt himself, he knew Bryan was the best choice. He was strong enough to help maneuver the boys out of the car, but he was smaller than Casey, meaning it was easier for him to get in and out through the window.

"Alright."

"Okay Herrmann, go ahead." Casey called, Herrmann giving him a nod before they started working on the door.

It was loud, loud enough for the younger boy to start crying despite Matt's attempts to soothe him, but the Lieutenant knew until that boy was out of this car, they wouldn't be able to get him calmed down. And even then, there was no telling what kind of state he'd be in.

The rest happened in a blur, Herrmann, Otis, and Mouch managing to get the door off, the paramedics swooping in to help guide Walker through getting the boys out, the task made more difficult by their upside down position. But within minutes, both boys had been safely removed from the car and put onto back boards, the paramedics on the scene taking them away, Matt knowing their job here was done. At least at this vehicle.

Walker began sliding out from the window, Casey helping the man up once he was cleared, Matt patting his shoulder.

"Good work, Walker." He spoke, his words eliciting a slight smirk from the man in front of him.

"Thank you, Lieutenant." He replied, his smug look never lifting as he bent down to grab his helmet before walking away from Casey, Matt's narrowed gaze focused on his firefighter as he walked back towards the rig.

Casey had no idea what to make of Walker lately, and their brief interaction seconds prior wasn't clearing anything up, Matt still a little hesitant to trust the man out on calls. Personally, he hated him. After the things he said to Gabby, Casey felt nothing but disdain for the man on his truck, and he would gladly never see him again if possible. But professionally, Walker had pretty much kept his head down. He'd given Matt no reason to have any issues. Since his outburst about a week and a half ago now, he'd been quiet. Even though Matt knew the firefighter absolutely hated him for dating his ex, Walker hadn't been a problem, for him or for Gabby, as far as he knew. He'd just focused on the job, which was all Matt could ask of him as his Lieutenant.

But what Casey didn't understand was that stupid smirk Bryan had been walking around with since last shift. It was a look similar to one he'd worn back when he'd been misinformed about everything with Hallie, a look he'd have when he would walk around thinking he had the upper hand in any given situation. It was a look Casey had seen from him a few times, Matt just wasn't sure what was causing it now. All he knew was that he didn't like it.

But it wasn't something he could focus on right now, not with everything going on in front of him. Walker was doing his job, that's all that mattered. But Casey knew he'd have to keep an eye on it, the Lieutenant aware that whenever Walker was like this, it usually didn't end well.

Gabby stepped through the double doors as she saw firefighters from truck, squad, and engine filter down out of their rigs, the exhausted looks on their faces telling her as she needed to know about how their last call had gone. Shoving her hands in her pockets, she slowly walked closer, but kept her distance, the paramedic waiting for one firefighter in particular.

As more of them began walking towards the firehouse, Gabby moved towards 81, shooting Severide a soft smile as he passed her, the squad Lieutenant rubbing over her arm momentarily.

"You alright, Kelly?" She asked, Severide giving her a nod.

"I'm good, Dawson… Shay inside?"

"Mhmm. In the common room." Dawson answered, Kelly shooting her an appreciative smile, giving her arm one last squeeze before continuing inside.

Not having seen the firefighter she was looking for, she knew he must've still been by the rig, Gabby continuing around the back of squad 3 as a few of the firefighters were still lingering around.

As she turned the corner, she nearly ran into one of 81's firefighters, Gabby's body tightening when she almost collided with Walker, the paramedic immediately putting some distance back between them. The second he saw her, he glanced back towards the rig before a scoff left his lips, Walker shaking his head as he moved past her, roughly bumping his shoulder into her.

"Your fuck buddy's by the truck." He bit out as he walked by her, Gabby clenching her jaw before continuing towards the rig, pushing Bryan's words out of her head.

As she kept walking, more of truck 81 came into view, Gabby not seeing her boyfriend anywhere, the paramedic continuing her path around the other side of the truck, her steps slowing when she saw him. Matt was leaning up against the side of the rig, his legs crossed at the ankles as he had his head bent down, his hand covering most of his face. His body language alone was enough to tell her he'd had a rough morning, Dawson picking up her pace again as she continued moving towards him.

The sound of her boots hitting the ground alerted him to her presence before she could, Matt lifting his head up towards her, a soft smile immediately forming over his face when they locked eyes.

"Hi." She spoke softly, Matt nodding as he moved his hand down, reaching out for her.

"Hey." He replied, Gabby grabbing ahold of his hand once she was close enough, Matt pulling her close to him, Dawson stroking her thumb along the back of his hand. It was in moments like this where Gabby was thankful they had finally made the house aware of their relationship, the paramedic wanting to be able to comfort her boyfriend without worrying about who else was around.

"You doing okay?" She asked quietly after a few moments, her eyes tracing over his tired features, Matt giving her a nod in response as he squeezed her hand.

"You heard about the call?" He questioned back, Gabby responding with a nod of her own.

"A little bit… We heard some of it over the radio." She answered, lifting her free hand up to run over the side of his face. "It sounded rough."

"Yeah, it wasn't pretty." He replied, Gabby nodding understandingly. "I'm glad you didn't have to see it."

Sighing softly, Gabby dropped her hand from his face, the paramedic closing the distance between them as she let go of his hand, wrapping her arms around his waist, hugging herself against him. His eyebrows furrowed slightly when he felt the tight grip she held him with, Matt lifting his arms up to wrap around her waist, the couple leaning into the rig as they basked in this intimate moment only for the two of them.

"Are you okay?" Matt asked after a few seconds, feeling Gabby sigh against him.

"I'm not the one who was on that call." She replied, her voice muffled slightly by his chest, Matt running his hands along her back.

"No, I know-... you just seem a little upset." He explained, Gabby taking another breath, pressing a soft kiss to his chest before responding.

"I'm fine. I was just worried about you." She told him, Matt nodding before he tightened his grip around her body. "...I'm glad you're alright." She murmured, tightening her hold on him as they stood together.

Neither one of them said anything else, Matt letting her take the lead on how long they stayed like this, the firefighter sensing she needed this just as much as he did. But he couldn't shake the feeling that her need for his comfort didn't so much have anything to do with the call he'd just be on, but it had everything to do with whatever had been bothering her these last few days.

In fact he was sure it mostly had to do with what had been on her mind lately, but after the morning he'd had, he wasn't in the right headspace to question it, Matt tightening his grip on her as he ducked his head down into her neck, Gabby running her hand along his back, both of them staying as close as they possibly could.

Dawson tapped her foot against the ground as Shay backed the rig into the garage, the loud beeping the only noise around them as they returned from their late night call, both paramedics thoroughly exhausted from their busy day. It had been non stop calls for them most of the afternoon and through the evening, the partners silently hoping they could have at least a few hours before getting called out again, though that wasn't a wish they were going to voice out loud.

"God, I can't wait to lay down." Shay groaned as she killed the engine, Gabby nodding in agreement as a yawn escaped her lips, both women climbing down out of the rig. Rolling out the kinks in her neck, Dawson walked around the front of the rig as Shay moved to put the garage door down, effectively shutting down the firehouse for the night until they were called out again, the paramedics beginning the walk towards the house. "I know we didn't even get dinner, and that I should probably eat something, but damn the only thing that sounds good right now is getting some sleep." She continued as they stepped inside, finding an empty common room.

"Yeah, I'm definitely going to bed." Gabby responded, the paramedics moving down the hallway towards the bunk room, the women hearing the sounds of snoring firefighters before they even got the door open.

Quietly, they walked inside, finding everyone asleep for the night, Shay heading straight for her bunk, Gabby intent on following her partner's lead. But her steps slowed when she glanced towards Matt's office, seeing the door closed and the blinds drawn, but there was a dim light escaping from underneath the bottom of the door.

Sighing softly, Gabby changed her path, ignoring the quiet snickers from Shay as she walked towards Matt's office, sparing glances to the firefighters she passed, making sure they were sound asleep. And, to no one's surprise, they were.

Passing the last bunk, she caught a quick glimpse of Walker, Gabby swallowing thickly as she kept walking, ignoring the sinking feeling that seemed to hit her whenever she saw him lately. The firefighter had been watching her all day, Gabby noticing his stares any time she would accidentally look his way, and while she assumed she should be thankful that's all he'd done, the smug looks and grins were unnerving, to say the least. But she'd done what she could to ignore them whenever she saw him, Gabby more focused on making sure Matt was holding up okay after they rough call they'd had this morning.

There had been a somber mood over the house most of the day, 51's firefighter's more affected by what they saw than any of them initially realized, so Gabby had spent her day trying to make sure her coworkers were doing alright; Matt being her main priority.

When they were out in the garage earlier today, Matt had recanted the events of the morning to her, Gabby remaining a quiet, supportive presence as he went through everything, both of them knowing it would help him to talk it out. And, based on his words, she knew the call was a difficult one to experience, and it would be even harder to let go. But all she could do was be there for him, which was something she was determined to do.

As she got to his office, she spared one more glance around the quiet room before she slowly opened his door, seeing the immediate look of surprise that covered his face at the door opening. But that look was quickly replaced with a soft smile, Matt quietly waving her inside as he laid on his bunk. Giving him a nod, Gabby stepped inside, softly closing the door behind her before she walked closer to him, the lamp on his desk illuminating the small room.

From her position by the door, she could see how utterly exhausted he was, Gabby quickly changing her direction, Matt watching her curiously as she moved towards his desk. But he soon understood her intentions as she turned his lamp off, the room blanketed in darkness as Gabby blindly made her way back to him. He adjusted his positioning on the bed, scooting over to the edge before Gabby climbed down into his bunk with him, resting her body partially on top of his as she settled into his side, Matt's arm holding her around her back as her arm wrapped around his waist. Her head settled on his chest, Gabby listening to the rhythmic thumping of his heartbeat underneath her ear as she cuddled into his body.

"...I talked to Maggie." Gabby murmured into the quiet room, Matt rubbing along her hip as he waited for her to continue. "Those boys are alright." She felt him relax underneath her, Matt releasing a heavy breath before pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Their dad is with them, but they're both gonna be fine."

"Thank you." He whispered, Gabby nodding against his chest as he brought his other arm across his chest to wrap around her, Matt desperate to keep her close.

"Try and get some sleep, baby." She spoke, pressing a kiss against his covered breastbone, the two settled together comfortably in the cozy bunk, neither of them able to fight against their exhaustion for very long before they both fell asleep, the two resting peacefully as they held onto one another.

I hope this chapter has given you a little more insight into why Gabby isn't saying anything. I know a lot of you don't agree with the decision for her not to tell anyone, and I get it, I do. But that decision plays into the bigger picture of where this story is headed, and I just need you all to hang on with me for a little bit until we get there. I'm sorry to those of you who are disappointed by that, I really am, but I know how I want this to all play out, and I don't feel like I should change that now.

But I understand your frustrations. I know some of you feel like by her not saying anything, she's just protecting him. But it's not about him, it's about Gabby needing to be ready to deal with that part of her relationship she never dealt with. I know I'm rambling, I'm just trying to help you guys see why I'm doing what I'm doing. Hopefully you all will stick around to see how it all unfolds. I promise it won't take forever to get there. But until we do get there, at least Matt and Gabby are still leaning on one another, and Gabby hasn't pulled away from him, which I know some of you were worried about.

I know those of you who were wanting Gabby to tell someone might not have enjoyed this chapter either, but I hope you did. I appreciate all the feedback on the last one, and I'm looking forward to seeing your feedback on this one as well, good or bad. Thank you for reading.

I'll see you next time.