FORTY FIVE

Gabby laid quietly in her bed, resting on her back as she stared straight up at the ceiling, the room blanketed in darkness, her curtains doing their job of shutting out the street lights as she focused on the thick quiet around her. Tapping her fingers against her stomach, she did anything she could to try and get her brain to shut off, anything she could to try and focus on something other than the rampant thoughts running through her mind, but she couldn't.

She couldn't stop thinking about him.

It had been over a week since Bryan first confronted her in the locker room, since he pushed her up against the lockers and threatened her. And in the time that had passed since, things had only gotten worse.

Her hope, or maybe it had just been wishful thinking, that he'd let her be if she kept quiet was not going as planned. If anything, it was the opposite.

He wouldn't leave her alone. It was like he was going out of his way to catch her when she was by herself, to try and do anything he could to mess with her, and it was becoming more and more difficult to manage. She tried to never put herself in that position, Gabby not wanting to give him any opening to harass her more than he already was, but sometimes it was out of her control, and she'd end up alone in the locker room, or in the garage, without even trying. And it was like he knew exactly when those moments were, because it would take all of a couple of minutes before he'd find her, and do what he does best.

Scare her.

In the week that had passed, his threats were more verbal than anything else, Walker constantly reminding her what he'd do to her if she told anyone, the paramedic knowing he got some sort of twisted pleasure out of frightening her. But he had gotten a little too rough one other time, the only time Gabby tried to fight back.

It happened last shift, Walker finding her alone in the back of the rig when Shay went inside to get some lunch, the firefighter cornering her when she was doing inventory. And while she didn't think he'd gone there with the intention to get physical, it had certainly ended that way, Bryan unable to control himself when she hadn't just taken the verbal abuse he was hurling at her. She had apparently pushed one too many buttons, something she'd done to him a lot in the past, because before she even knew what was happening he had pushed her back against the side of the rig, Gabby's body colliding with the bed while her head and her arm hit the wall.

The altercation had been quick, Gabby's head ringing while Walker left as soon as he could, almost like he realized what he'd done, that he hadn't come back there with the intent to physically hurt her. But she knew he hadn't felt too much remorse, Walker hurling one last 'don't tell anyone' at her before practically running inside, Gabby needing a few minutes for the pounding in her head to stop.

That was the only other time he'd put his hands on her since shoving her up against the lockers, Walker more focused on the mental abuse than the physical, but that one moment had scared her more than anything else he'd done to her, because she knew it had happened without thought. She made him angry, and his first instinct was to hurt her. And that incident had almost been enough for her to run inside and tell Matt what was going on. Almost.

But by the time the ringing in her head stopped, and Gabby worked up the nerve to go find her boyfriend, the entire house had gotten called out to an apartment fire, and when they had finally all returned hours later, she had lost that courage, Gabby only left with more fear, and another bruise on her arm she'd have to explain away.

Over the last week, there had been multiple times she almost worked up the courage to go and talk to Matt. To go and tell him what all Bryan had been doing, but each time, usually for different reasons, she chickened out. Bryan's harsh words would bounce around in her head, and keep her from going to talk to the person she trusted more than anyone else. So many times she'd gotten close to talking to him, one time Gabby even having started the conversation, but she didn't get very far before they got interrupted, and it was never brought up again.

It was like every time she'd think she was ready to talk to him, and then she couldn't, she had to start all over; like she was starting from the beginning every single time. And that, along with everything else, was exhausting. And she wasn't sure how much longer she could take it.

She knew she couldn't keep doing this, she couldn't keep being afraid to go to work, to be by herself. She couldn't keep walking around the firehouse looking over her shoulder, wondering what he was going to do next, and when he was going to do it. She couldn't take it anymore, Gabby knowing she was going to reach her breaking point very soon, if she hadn't already.

It felt like every day she was losing more and more of herself, that Bryan was breaking her down and taking parts of her that she'd never get back. And it wasn't just affecting her and her relationship with Matt, but it was affecting her relationship with everyone.

Gabby wasn't sure what all had been said about her, but she knew she'd been a topic of discussion around the house as of late. She'd been withdrawn, especially from her coworkers, and they all noticed. While she'd be around, and she'd sit with them in the common room, or talk to them when someone addressed her, it was clear her mind was elsewhere. The only reason she wasn't completely pulling away from them is because if she didn't spend her time with them, she knew that just gave Walker more of an opportunity to get her alone, and that was something she couldn't deal with. So she made sure to stay around people as often as she could, but just because she was physically there, that didn't mean her mind was, and everyone had noticed. And they were all concerned about her.

But no one was more worried than Matt.

She knew he was trying, that he was trying his best to be supportive while not pushing her, but all of this had been hard on him, regardless of him knowing the reason or not. While she hadn't been physically distant from him, she knew he could tell that mentally she wasn't always there. Those moments when she'd snap out of her headspace, the times she'd need a second to remember where she was because she'd get so lost in her own head, more often than not whenever she'd look to him, he'd already be watching her with that same look of concern she saw from him a lot these days. It was something that happened quite frequently, something she knew worried him.

And she couldn't say she blamed him.

She'd been all over the place this last week, she knew she had, and she was tired of it. She was tired of Bryan having this hold on her, and she didn't want to deal with it anymore. She just wanted this to be over. And the first step to that was telling someone… telling Matt.

But it was too late to have that conversation tonight.

Feeling a headache beginning to form behind her eyes, Gabby lifted her hand up, pinching the bridge of her nose harshly, trying to get rid of some of the pressure in her head, but it hadn't helped. Rolling over onto her side, Gabby's eyes found the clock on her bedside table, a soft sigh escaping her lips as the red numbers shone back at her.

11:13

She knew it was late, too late for her to be calling him when she knew he'd had a long day today. From their last text conversation a little over an hour ago, she knew he was just heading home after working at her mom's church off and on all day, the work he was doing there taking longer than any of them anticipated. And with Matt working at the firehouse, as well as having other construction jobs, finishing up those things for her mom was taking longer than he thought. And she knew he'd been working himself hard all day, the two only communicating through a few messages since they left shift this morning, and the last thing she wanted to do was risk waking him up, especially when she knew he was getting up early tomorrow morning as well.

Tomorrow, he and Kelly, along with her father, were going to go fishing together, the three finally making plans for the activity they discussed last week, and she knew how excited both Matt and her dad were. But she also knew that they were getting up early tomorrow to get out and have a full day out on the lake. So if he'd already fallen asleep, which she was sure he had, she didn't want to disturb his much needed rest.

But on the off chance he hadn't fallen asleep yet, she couldn't help but want him here with her. She'd been trying to go to sleep for an hour, and had yet to get anywhere close to feeling relaxed enough to do so. But she knew if she had Matt by her side, that sleep would come much easier. Since Walker had started tormenting her, the only nights she got any decent rest was when she had Matt with her, and it was clear tonight would be no different.

Huffing out a heavy breath, Gabby pushed herself up onto her elbows, reaching out towards her nightstand to grab her phone, disconnecting it from its charger before holding it closer to her face, her eyes needing a moment to adjust to the bright light. Once her vision came into focus, she went to her texts, clicking on Matt's name and typing out a message, Gabby figuring this was the safer option. If he was up, she was hoping that maybe he wouldn't mind to come over. But if he wasn't, she knew one text shouldn't wake him.

'You awake?'

Gabby gnawed on her bottom lip, a feeling of relief washing over her when she saw that he read her message almost immediately, those three grey dots giving her an answer to her question before he even responded.

'Barely, about to lay down. Just finished packing up the truck for tomorrow.'

Taking a deep breath, Gabby bit down on the inside of her cheek, knowing she couldn't ask him to come over. He needed his rest, and all she'd be doing was prolonging that by at least a half hour if she asked him to come.

'Why? You alright?'

He texted again before she could respond, Gabby breathing deeply as she sent him a message back.

'I'm good, it's nothing. I hope you have fun tomorrow.'

Matt read her text immediately, but he never began to respond, Gabby watching her screen closely to see when he'd start typing something. But he never did.

Just as she was about to put her phone back down, it began buzzing in her hands, Gabby seeing Matt was calling her, the photo of the two of them she had as his contact picture covering her screen, Gabby pursing her lips together before answering the call, putting the phone up to her ear. "Hello?"

"Hey… What's going on?"

She could hear the same worry he'd had for her for over a week now present in his voice, Gabby also picking up on his exhaustion, the paramedic silently cursing herself for ever texting him in the first place.

"Nothing, I was just wondering if you were up." She replied, hearing him take a deep breath on the other end of the line.

"I am. I wasn't expecting you to be, though." He spoke pointedly, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip. "Did you need me for something?" Matt questioned when she had yet to say anything, her prolonged silence only worrying him further. "...Gabby?"

Sighing softly, Gabby rolled over onto her back, resting her palm over her stomach as she relaxed back into her pillows. "It's nothing, really… You should get some sleep, I know you had a long day."

"Gabby…" He repeated, his tone telling her he wasn't going to just let this go, Dawson blowing out a heavy breath before giving in.

"I… I can't sleep." She told him, hearing him a release soft breath. "And I was just gonna see what you were doing, and ask you to come over if you were up, but I know you're tired and that you've got an early morning, and you need to rest, so you don't-"

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes." His words cut off her rambling, Gabby swallowing the lump in her throat.

"You really don't have to..."

"I'll be there soon." He said again, Gabby feeling a wave of relief wash over her, mixed with slight guilt knowing she was delaying his rest.

"Okay… Thank you." Her voice was quiet, Gabby listening as he was shuffling around his room, no doubt changing into clothes much more presentable than what he slept in.

"Nothing to thank me for. I'll be there in a bit… I love you."

"Love you, too." She replied without hesitation. "Be safe."

"I will." He promised, the couple exchanging a few more goodbyes before they hung up, Gabby feeling much more relaxed knowing that Matt would be here soon.

True to his word, Casey arrived at her apartment a little more than fifteen minutes after they got off the phone, Gabby having been waiting for him out in the living room, the paramedic sitting on her couch when she heard a knock at her door. Not having changed from her sleep attire that was nothing more than a thin tank top and a pair of underwear, Gabby wrapped the throw blanket from the back of the couch around her body before heading for the door, the tired woman undoing the locks before pulling the door open, immediately being met by the sight of her boyfriend. He was exhausted, she could tell the instant she saw him, but the soft smile he wore across his face made her grin as well, Gabby stepping aside to let him in.

"Hi." She murmured as he walked into her apartment, Matt carrying a small duffle bag in his hands, Gabby assuming that contained whatever he was wearing tomorrow. "Thanks for coming." His face softened when the quiet words left her lips, Matt's eyes quickly trailing over her before meeting her gaze.

"I told you, you don't need to thank me." He replied, Gabby giving him a nod before she closed the door, locking it back into place.

When they were securely inside, Gabby turned around, finding Matt still watching her closely, standing barely a foot from her as they stood in her foyer, his worried eyes tracing over her face. She wasn't sure what he was thinking, or if he was planning on saying something, but she didn't give him the chance to do much before she closed the distance between them, Gabby wrapping her arms around his torso as she held onto the blanket, hugging herself to his chest.

He was stunned momentarily, not expecting the hug, but he soon reciprocated the action as he wrapped his arms around her as well, moving slowly as to not hit her with the small bag he was carrying.

"Thank you…" She whispered again, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he rubbed over her blanket-covered back.

"Gabby-"

"No, not for that… Well, not just that." She clarified, Matt hanging on her words as she spoke, her voice bouncing off his chest. "I just meant thank you for being the guy that you are." She told him, Matt no less confused, but she kept talking before he had the chance to ask. "For being the type of person who'd come here at midnight when I can't sleep, and for everything else you do for me… You're just a great man, and I want you to know how much I appreciate it. And you."

Her admission took him by surprise, Matt unsure of where this burst of honesty came from, but he continued rubbing his hand along her back regardless, feeling her loosen her grip slightly as she lifted her head, the two locking eyes.

"Well, I appreciate that… but it's still not something you need to thank me for." He replied after a few seconds, Gabby stroking her thumb along his lower back as his eyes focused on hers, trying desperately to get a read on her. "...Did something happen?" He questioned carefully, Gabby raising her eyebrows, clearly wanting him to elaborate. "You not being able to sleep, you thanking me for being here for you… I wasn't sure if something was going on." He added, Gabby shaking her head slowly.

"I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate you." She replied simply, Matt hesitating for a moment before nodding in agreement, Casey leaning forward to press a quick kiss on her forehead.

Without any more words being exchanged, the pair walked the familiar path back towards her bedroom, Gabby stopping to return the blanket to the couch and turn off the lamp she'd turned on while waiting for him, Matt waiting for her before they continued on towards her room. Quietly, Gabby climbed into bed as Matt stripped down to his boxers, tossing his clothes over the back of her chair. When he turned around to face the bed, he could barely make out the image of Gabby sliding underneath the covers, the dark room making it hard to see her clearly as he got into his side of the bed, Gabby clinging to him before he could even lie down.

When he was settled on his back, Gabby hooked her leg up over his thighs, her arm wrapped around his side as she hugged her body to his, Matt adjusting the covers over them before resting his palm over her back. The air around them was quiet, Matt slowly rubbing his hand up and down her side as he felt her chest rise and fall against him, Gabby's head tucked into his neck comfortably. The longer they laid there, the more he could feel her begin to relax, her breathing slowly evening out as they were surrounded by nothing but dark and quiet.

"...Do you wanna talk about it?"

His voice was barely audible, Matt feeling her sigh softly as she thought over his words, the firefighter finally asking the question he'd been wanting to ask since he got here. Her needing him to come over because she couldn't sleep had been enough of a red flag, but then the moment when he got here, with her thanking him for nothing more than common decency, that hadn't set well with him either, and he didn't feel comfortable going to bed without reaching out. He knew she'd been struggling recently, and he felt compelled to at least offer for her to open up to him, as he'd done so often during the last week, even if she turned him down, Matt continuing to rub comforting circles along her back, knowing how much that had soothed her in the past.

Casey's question hung in the air for a few moments, Matt giving her all the time she needed to answer him, feeling Gabby tighten her grip around his waist.

"I do." She eventually murmured, her thumb stroking his side, Gabby feeling safe under the cover of darkness as he held her in his arms, Matt nodding in response. "I do want to talk about it. But not tonight… Right now I just- I want to sleep." She finished hesitantly, unsure of what type of reaction her words would get from him.

But Matt simply nodded, Gabby feeling him press a lingering kiss to the top of her head as his other arm moved across his body to wrap around her, completely enveloping her into his embrace.

"Okay." He whispered, kissing her head again before he relaxed back into her mattress, Gabby following his lead as she let herself melt into him, his strong arms wrapped around her providing her with a sense of security that she desperately needed. "We can talk later, just try and sleep."

Giving him a nod, Gabby huddled into his chest, her body practically covering his by the time she finished making herself comfortable, the paramedic letting the steady thumping of his heartbeat underneath her ear slowly lull her to sleep.

A heavy yawn escaped Gabby's lips as she sat at the island in her kitchen, the throw blanket from the back of the couch wrapped around her body like a cocoon as she sat and sipped her coffee, the dark skies outside reminding her just how early it was.

"Alright, I've got everything ready to go, I think."

She heard her boyfriend's voice fill the apartment soon after the front door shut, Gabby watching as he soon came into view, the man looking way too alert for the sun not even being up yet.

"I hope you guys have fun." She responded, covering her mouth as another yawn left her lips, Matt's face softening as he came to a stop beside her. "You'll have to let me know how it goes."

"I will." He replied, pressing a quick kiss against the side of her head, Gabby flashing him a small smile as he began rubbing over her back. "...I'm sorry I woke you up." Matt added, Gabby giving him a shrug before she took another sip of her coffee. "Do you think you can get back to sleep?"

"Right now, maybe not. But here in a few hours, I'll probably crash." She answered him, Matt shooting her a knowing grin.

"Well, I hope you at least get a nap sometime today… You're working at Molly's tonight, right?"

"Mhmm. I don't close though, so I should be done around eight or nine." Gabby responded, Matt nodding before he ducked his head, capturing her lips in soft kiss.

"Alright. I'm not sure how long I'll be gone, but maybe I can stop by… if not, I'll see you on shift tomorrow." Casey spoke before kissing her again, this one much quicker than the last, Matt rubbing his hand along her back before he pulled away.

"Sounds good... Don't get into too much trouble." She replied with a gentle smirk, Matt shaking his head as he bit back a grin of his own.

"I make no promises."

Gabby rolled her eyes at her boyfriend as he began walking away from the island, her bottom lip falling in between her teeth as he pocketed his keys and wallet off the counter. "I'll see you later." He told her, flashing her a warm smile before he started towards the door. But he slowed his steps suddenly, Gabby raising her eyebrows as he turned back to face her, an expectant look covering her face as she waited for him to say whatever it was that had stopped him.

"You're sure you're alright if I go?" He questioned, his voice soft as he stood a few yards away from her, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "I mean, after last night…" Matt started, clearing his throat before continuing. "If you'd rather I stay, so we can talk, I can reschedule all this." He told her, Gabby's eyes falling closed as she took a deep breath. "Just say the word, and I'll stay."

"I want you to go." She responded quietly, Matt eyeing her closely. "I still want to talk… But I know how excited you are for this, and so is my dad." She added with a small smile. "I'm alright, I want you to go." Gabby repeated, her soft voice barely reaching his ears.

"Okay." He replied, clearly a little reluctant to leave, but he nodded nonetheless. "I'll have my phone on me if you need to talk, or just wanna check in." Matt reminded her, Gabby giving him a nod.

"I know." She said with a soft grin. "If I need you, I'll call you... Even though Severide might get pissed because it'll scare all the fish away." Gabby added, her nose scrunching up slightly, a soft smile forming over his face, Matt finding the childish look covering her features quite adorable.

"He'll get over it." Matt responded lightly, Gabby chuckling before she slid down off her chair, bringing the blanket with her as she walked towards her makeshift desk area at the end of the counter. He kept his curious eyes on her as she pulled open the drawer, Matt unsure of what she was doing while she shuffled around the contents inside before grabbing something he couldn't see.

"I do hope you guys have fun though, and that my dad doesn't bore you to death with all his stories," Gabby started when she walked towards him, Matt raising his eyebrows as she got closer. "But before you go, I want you to have this."

His curious stare moved towards her clasped hand, Matt holding out his before she placed whatever she was holding into his palm, a slight smirk tugging on his lips when he saw what she'd given him.

The look on his face was enough to fill her chest with warmth, Gabby ducking her head slightly as he kept his eyes on her, the paramedic clutching the blanket wrapped around her.

She'd been wanting to give this to him for awhile, in fact she had planned on giving it to him before everything with Bryan happened, but that entire thing had derailed her a little bit. Gabby had planned to surprise him with it last week, and even though that obviously didn't end up happening, she didn't want to wait any longer. Walker had caused enough problems for her over the last week, over the last few years really, and she wasn't gonna let him do that with this.

All she wanted was just one good thing. She wanted to have one thing that he couldn't touch, that he couldn't ruin; and that one good thing was Matt.

Walker had taken enough from her, he had messed with her head enough as it was, but the one thing she wouldn't let him do was affect her relationship with Matt. She had planned on giving him this before everything happened in the locker room, and she wasn't going to go back on it now, even if it took her a few extra days to get there.

Her and Matt were serious about not rushing things, they didn't want to go too fast and have it all fall apart, but what her and Matt had wasn't a regular relationship either; at least it didn't feel like one. It felt like nothing else she'd ever had before, and all she knew to do was follow her gut, which was telling her she wanted him to have this. It felt right, and based on the growing smile forming over his face, it felt right for him, too.

"I, uh-... I know I already have one to your place, from when you got hurt and I helped you out, and then I never really gave it back to you." She started, the goofy grin on Matt's face causing her heart rate to speed up. "But I want you to have one for here, just in case you ever need it."

Matt's smile widened as he glanced down to the gold key in his hand, the firefighter flipping it between his fingers before he looked back up at his girlfriend.

"That way if you're ever coming over late, or you, I don't know, leave something and I'm not here or something like that, you can just come by… Make it easier." She rambled on when he had yet to say anything, Matt's face showing the pure joy he felt in this moment.

Without saying a word, Matt fished into his pockets for his keys, Gabby biting back a smile as she watched him put her apartment key next to his on his key ring, Matt smiling proudly as he held them in his hand.

"...So I guess you like your surprise?" She questioned when he had yet to say anything, Matt chuckling softly before taking a step forward, capturing her lips in his, Gabby smiling into the kiss before reciprocating.

"I love it." He murmured against her, kissing her again quickly before pulling back. "And I love you."

"I love you, too… Now go." She instructed, smacking his ass as he began turning away, Matt glancing towards her with raised eyebrows, to which she responded with nothing more than a shrug.

"Yes ma'am." He agreed, Gabby narrowing her eyes playfully as he shot her a smile, Matt just glad to see his girlfriend in a little better spirits. "I'll lock up when I leave." He added, Gabby shoving against chest lightly, prompting him to move towards the door. "I love you." He called from down the hallway, Gabby biting down on the inside of her cheek as she heard the door open then close, followed by the sound of him locking up with his new key.

As she stood there in her apartment, she couldn't stop the smile that fell onto her face, Matt's presence lingering in the air even after he'd gone, keeping her calm as she focused on how she felt when she saw how happy he'd been. It was a feeling she wanted to hold onto, a feeling that made her feel truly content for the first time in over a week.

But, as nice as that feeling had been, it was also fleeting, Gabby's smile soon falling when it hit her that she was alone yet again, with nothing but her thoughts to keep her company.

"Dawson, can you go to the back? We need some more glasses." Herrmann called over the busy crowd, Molly's packed to the brim with customers as the three first responders behind the bar did what they could to keep up with the demand.

"Sure thing, Herrmann." Gabby replied, handing her customer their drink before heading for the back, sliding past Shay as she worked on serving a rowdy bachelor party, the blonde clearly not impressed by all the men hitting on her.

Dawson slipped into the stock room, the noise out in the bar quieting down considerably as she moved towards the back wall, going in search of the glasses Herrmann had asked for.

She had been back here for all of thirty seconds when she heard the door open, Dawson continuing on with her task, assuming it to be the older firefighter when she heard his boots on the ground.

"Hey Herrmann, I'm coming, I'm just-"

Her sentence stopped short when she turned around and saw Bryan standing in the doorway, the man wearing an unreadable expression on his face as he blocked her exit. Pursing her lips together, Gabby did what she could to keep her face emotionless, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing just how nervous his presence made her. Though, from all the times he'd cornered her over the past week, she was sure he knew already.

"I have to get to work." She replied dryly, Gabby holding a stack of beer glasses in her hands, the glasses leaning up against her shoulder to steady them. But Bryan didn't move, the man keeping his gaze locked on her. "Walker-"

"Oh, not the last name bullshit again." He finally spoke up, Gabby blinking quickly as she tried to step around him, but he adjusted his positioning, continuing to block her path. "...Why are you so eager to get away?"

"I need to get back to work." She repeated, Bryan raising his eyebrows as Gabby kept her firm glare on him. But her exasperated tone only encouraged him, Bryan smirking as he took a step closer to her.

"Where's your boy toy tonight?" He questioned, completely ignoring her words as he closed the distance between them, Gabby taking a slight step backwards, trying to ignore the rush of nervousness she felt in her body.

"That's none of your business-"

"Don't tell me he's gotten bored of you already." Bryan cut her off, Gabby remaining quiet. "I mean, I guess I shouldn't be surprised… Honestly, the only surprising thing is that he kept you around this long." He continued, his proud smirk widening. "Although I do know how crazy you are in bed, so if you're still anything like you used to be, I'm sure that's enough incentive to put up with you for a little while longer." His voice turned rigid the longer he spoke, Gabby clenching her neck as she averted her eyes, hearing him scoff lightly before taking another step closer to her. "What? No need to get shy on me now, I've seen what you can do… I'm sure you've been doing that same slutty bullshit to the Lieutenant that you used to do to me."

Clenching her eyes shut momentarily, Gabby swallowed the thick lump forming in her throat before she looked straight ahead, ignoring Bryan's words and his eye-contact as she tried to get past him. But he wouldn't let her, Walker shoving her shoulder back to keep her from leaving, the aggressive action causing panic to flood through her body, Gabby doing what she could to keep herself steady.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked quietly, Gabby flinching when he got too close, her involuntary response causing him to laugh. "God, you're pathetic." His voice was soft, but his tone was anything but gentle, his harsh words ringing in her head as he stepped closer to her, practically cornering her against the wall. "I'll never understand how Casey agreed to date you, considering the both of you claim this is more than just him using you for a quick fuck, even though I still don't believe that, but Jesus I don't get how he could ever want to be with you. I've seen his ex-wife… Guy really downgraded." Bryan spat, Gabby biting down roughly on the inside of her cheek. "But forget about Casey, I don't understand how anyone would wanna be with you. Hell, I don't know why I didn't kick you out sooner."

"Bryan-"

"You're a nightmare Gabby, and Casey's gonna figure that out here soon." He spoke angrily. "This sham of a relationship, if you could even call it that, is gonna be over quickly when he realizes he can't put up with you anymore. It may have taken me awhile, but I figured out how impossible you are to deal with." His voice was rough, Gabby blinking back the tears forming in her eyes as Walker kept his dark eyes on her, the man releasing a heavy scoff. "Casey, that poor bastard, he'll find that out, too. And no amount of sex will be worth all your bullshit." He bit out, his irritation growing when she refused to meet his eyes. "...Look at me." He ordered, but she didn't move, Gabby's eyes plastered towards the ground. "I said look at me." Bryan reached out to grab her chin as the angry words left his lips, the tight hold he had on her face hurting her as he forced her to meet his gaze. "Sooner or later, the Lieutenant is gonna see you for what you are, and that's nothing but an easy fuck. And he'll leave your ass faster than I did when he realizes he can get the same thing somewhere else, without the headache."

Bryan tightened his grip on her jaw, Gabby grimacing in pain as her grip on the glasses slipped, sending them crashing to the ground, the loud noise of glass shattering competing with the rowdy crowd out in the bar. Shaking his head, Bryan chuckled lightly dropping his hand from her face, Gabby taking a few steps back as soon as she could, the broken glass crunching underneath her shoes.

"I just- I don't get it at all…" He huffed out, Gabby's teary eyes tracing over his face as she took another step backwards, the paramedic soon running into the wall as she did what she could to ignore the stinging pain in her jaw. "I don't understand how I ever wanted to be with you- hell, I was gonna marry you. What the fuck was I thinking…" The words left his lips lightly, like they had no affect on him despite the way they tore through her. "I mean, I know what attracted me to you in the first place, you were a hot head and I wanted to see what you had to offer, but that person hasn't been around for very long… Pretty soon you just became whiny, and needy, and fucking annoying. I mean, no one can blame me for cheating on you when all you ever did was bitch and complain." His words got more vicious as he got more and more angry, like whatever thoughts were going through his head were causing him to have more hatred for her than he already did. "And you know what the crazy part is? Is that I was actually considering taking you back." He laughed after the words left his lips, Gabby wincing as saw a look of disbelief flash over his face. "God, you wanna talk about dodging a bullet. You whoring yourself out to my Lieutenant did nothing but save me from ruining my life again."

"Bryan, please-"

"One of the only good things you ever did for me was leave when I told you to." He cut her off, his glare narrowing towards her as he continued to say every thought he'd had towards her, Gabby biting down on the inside of her lip so harshly, she began to taste blood, Walker shaking his head as a scoff escaped his lips. "And the only other good thing you ever did was lose that damn baby."

Her eyes widened as the jarring words left his lips, Gabby blinking quickly to try and keep her tears at bay, his demeanor telling that he completely believed what he was saying.

"I couldn't imagine having to raise a child with you. In fact I'm grateful it didn't happen, thank God you had a miscarriage and we never had that kid-"

"What the fuck are you doing?"

Gabby's teary eyes flashed towards the door, Bryan whipping his head around to see Shay standing there, her eyes shooting daggers towards him as she took a step inside.

"Get away from her." She spat, Bryan rolling his eyes as he turned himself towards her, Shay glancing back and forth between the two of them.

"Ease up, Shay. We're just talking." He fired back, the blonde standing her ground.

"I said get away from her." She repeated, Walker huffing out a breath before walking towards the blonde, not even sparing another glance in Gabby's direction.

"What are you even doing back here? Shouldn't you be working?"

"This is the stock room, dumbass." She bit out roughly, her eyes flashing to Gabby, seeing her gaze plastered on the floor, Shay seeing all the broken glass everywhere. "I heard something crash, what did you do?" She questioned again, her glare zeroed in on Walker, but the man merely chuckled, shaking his head before sparing a glance back to Dawson.

"I didn't do anything… It's not my fault she's clumsy." He responded with a smirk, Shay taking another step forward.

"Get out of here, Walker." She snapped, Bryan raising his eyebrows challenging. "I'm not gonna tell you again."

Releasing a light scoff, Bryan shook his head before walking towards the door, the man not saying another word as he left the back room.

Once they were alone, Shay focused all her attention on her friend, the blonde's harsh glare quickly morphing into a look of deep concern, Gabby refusing to meet her eyes.

"...Are you okay, Dawson?" Shay asked carefully, Gabby nodding as she looked up, forcing a smile onto her face, even though Shay could see the tears in her eyes. "What did he do?"

"Nothing, I'm fine." Gabby was quick to respond, Shay pursing her lips together before she took a deep breath.

"You look like you're about to cry." She spoke gently, Gabby shaking her head, widening the fake smile covering her features.

"I'm fine." She repeated quickly, the blonde's eyes tracing over Gabby's face.

"Honey-"

"I'm fine, Shay." She said again, her forceful tone telling Shay she didn't want to talk about it anymore, even though they hadn't really talked about it much at all.

"Alright, okay." Shay quickly responded, not wanting to upset her partner any further. "...But if you need to talk, I'm here." She added, Gabby giving her a nod before quickly walking out of the back room, leaving Shay in there alone with the broken glass all over the floor.

Casey released a tired sigh as he carried the last of his fishing equipment inside, the firefighter's busy week catching up with him as he felt his body was in desperate need of some rest. He had just gotten back from his relaxing day on the lake with Kelly and Ramon, Matt having had a great time with his best friend and his girlfriend's dad, the three men equally enjoying their time together. It had been a much needed day to unwind after his busy schedule recently, but now all he really wanted to do was take a quick shower and get some rest before shift tomorrow.

Blowing out of a heavy breath, Matt sat down on his bed while pulling his phone out of his pocket, seeing he'd gotten no calls or texts since they last time he checked after he'd dropped Ramon off at home. He wasn't exactly sure he should've been expecting anything, but after the minimal communication he'd had with Gabby today, he couldn't help but feel like she'd reach out to him soon.

He knew she was still working, that she still had maybe half an hour left on her shift at Molly's, even though he knew well enough to know she'd probably be working a little later than planned, especially if they were busy, but her radio silence now wasn't so much what was bothering him. It was her lack of communication throughout the day that had left a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach. Aside from one text this afternoon, they hadn't talked at all, which was unusual for them, especially with everything going on.

After what happened last night, with her needing him there to get some sleep, and her telling him she finally wanted to talk about whatever was bothering her, he wasn't able to get that out of his mind. He had no idea what was going on with her, aside from the fact that whatever it was had happened suddenly, but until last night she'd showed no desire to open up to him about it. He wasn't taking it personally, he knew how she was; that until she felt ready, there was no need to push her. But it was hard seeing her so upset, and not being able to help her in the ways he wanted.

All he wanted was for her to be okay, but right now she wasn't. And he absolutely hated it.

But there was only so much he could do until she talked to him.

Running his hand tiredly over his face, Matt tossed his phone down on the bed, knowing that sitting here and waiting for a call or message that probably would never come wasn't the best use of his time, the tired firefighter pushing himself up off his mattress, intent on heading towards the bathroom to take a shower. But he'd only taken a few steps when he heard his phone start to ring, the device buzzing against the bed as he turned back around, Matt taking the few quick steps towards his phone.

His eyebrows furrowed when he saw the number trying to reach him, Matt unsure of why they'd be calling him right now, but he quickly answered nonetheless, knowing they were with Gabby.

"Shay? Hey, what's up?" He asked, his confusion growing when he heard her sigh on the other end of the line.

"Hey Casey, are you back from fishing yet?"

"Yeah, I just got back home a few minutes ago." He replied, running his tongue along the inside of his cheek. "What's going on?"

"...I think you need to come to Molly's."

"Why? Is something wrong?" He asked, Matt walking out of his bedroom and heading straight for the front door.

"It's Dawson." She spoke, those couple of words causing his body to tense as he quickly grabbed his keys and his wallet. "I don't know what all happened, but you need to come get her."

Casey jogged up the steps of Molly's, hearing the raucous crowd inside before he could even get the door open, the firefighter seeing bodies packed into the bar as he stepped inside, Matt's eyes moving around the busy room, quickly landing on who he was looking for. Navigating his way through the crowds, Matt quickly got to Shay, the man opening his mouth to say something before he quickly closed it, his eyes moving towards his girlfriend who was seated at the bar, barely able to hold herself up as Shay tried to get her to drink some water.

"Dawson, come on girl, you need to drink something other than tequila." Shay tried, for what Matt assumed was not the first time, to get her to drink the water, but Gabby pushed it away, groaning something unintelligible that he couldn't make out.

Gabby hadn't seen him yet, Shay lifting her head when she noticed his presence behind her friend, the blonde wearing a look of clear concern before Matt looked to his girlfriend, her drunken state taking him by surprise. He wasn't sure what had caused her to drink so much, especially when she was supposed to be working, but it was obvious something had upset her; upset her to the point where she was absolutely drunk.

"Look who's here." Shay spoke softly, Gabby narrowing her eyes at her friend before following her gaze, Dawson turning around to find Matt right behind her, his blue eyes already focused on her.

"My boyfriend!" She practically yelled, Matt wincing at the volume of her voice, the alcohol in her system making it nearly impossible for her to behave normally. "My boyfriend's here, hi baby." She greeted with a bright smile, Gabby reaching out for him almost immediately. But she definitely misjudged the distance, Matt having to step forward to catch her so she didn't fall out of her chair, Gabby continuing on like nothing had happened as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Before he could even register her actions, she leaned forward, capturing his lips in a sloppy kiss, Matt immediately tasting the alcohol on her, Gabby pulling away after a few seconds.

"I'm so glad you're here!" She exclaimed, Matt's eyebrows furrowing in worry when he saw her glassy eyes, the tears hiding behind her lashes telling him more than her rambunctious demeanor ever could. He'd never seen her like this, so upset to the point where she'd turned to alcohol for relief. Sure, he'd seen her drunk before, usually in the aftermath of one of her and Shay's girls night. But this was something entirely different. She was here to work, yet something had upset her to the point where she'd started drinking, and drinking a lot by the looks of it, to try and forget whatever it was. But based on the defeated look he saw in her eyes, it hadn't worked.

Keeping a firm grip around her waist to make sure she stayed upright, Matt glanced to Shay as Gabby tucked her head into his neck, the drunk woman clinging onto him like her life depended on it.

"What happened?" He asked quietly, grimacing as the smell of alcohol filled his nostrils, Matt not entirely convinced there wasn't more liquor in Gabby than there was in the rest of this bar.

Shay pursed her lips together, her gaze moving across the room momentarily, Matt following her line of sight towards the back of Molly's, the firefighter immediately seeing who she was staring at.

"...I think Walker did something." She replied just as softly, Gabby not even registering their conversation as she held onto Matt.

Casey's body tightened immediately, his grip subconsciously tightening around Gabby's body, the woman too buzzed to pay attention to anything going on around her, Dawson enjoying the warmth his arms provided.

"What did he do?"

"I'm not sure. But he and Gabby were in the back room, and she looked really upset… Scared, almost, like she was about to cry." Shay replied, Casey clenching his jaw as he looked back towards Walker, finding the man now staring at him with that same smug grin on his face, it taking every ounce of will power Matt had to not go over there and punch that smirk right off of him. "He had her cornered against the wall, and when I got in there, there was broken glass all over the floor. I don't know what happened, but she just kept saying she was fine."

"Because I am fine." Gabby slurred, the inebriated woman clearly having started paying attention to them at some point, Matt releasing a heavy breath as he ran his hand along her side. "Shay doesn't know what she's talking about." She continued, pulling her head back, glaring towards her friend.

"Gabby, I'm just trying to help." Shay responded, Dawson huffing out a breath as Matt caught movement out of the corner of his eye, Casey seeing Herrmann watching them closely, finding him with the same look of concern Shay had when he got here. It was clear just from their reactions alone they were worried about his girlfriend, and he couldn't blame them.

"You don't need to help me, I'm fine." She responded, beginning to shift down off her seat, Matt keeping his arm around her to make sure she was steady, though she clearly wasn't. "I'm fine, Matt." Gabby repeated loudly as she glanced to her boyfriend, even though Matt hadn't said anything to dispute her. "I'm fine, I was just having fun." She huffed out, Matt nodding slowly before shooting her a soft smile, not wanting to do anything to agitate her further.

"Well, I'm glad you were having fun." He replied gently, a drunken smile forming over her face before she lunged towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight hug.

"I love you." She breathed out in his ear, Matt's face softening as he ran his hand over her back, catching both Shay's and Herrmann's unsettled glances.

"I love you, too." He replied, Gabby squeezing his body even tighter, his presence relaxing her. "But how about we head home." Matt added, Gabby pulling back with a slight pout tugging on her lips, Matt seeing her eyes glazed over.

"But I was having fun." She repeated her earlier words, Matt sure she didn't even remember saying them as he gave her a nod, rubbing his hand along her side.

"I know, but I think we should get home… It's late, and we've gotta work tomorrow." He tried again, even though it wasn't really late at all, Gabby releasing a heavy sigh before she ultimately agreed, giving him a haphazard nod before turning back around, grabbing her purse off the bar.

"Alright, I guess I'm leaving." She responded, Matt catching a glimpse of Shay's worried eyes still focused on her best friend. "Bye Shay." She spoke like she hadn't just been annoyed at her partner seconds prior, Shay shaking her head after Gabby started heading for the exit.

"Take care of her, Casey." Shay urged him, Matt giving her a nod.

"I will… Thank you for calling me." He replied before heading off in the direction Gabby went, knowing she was in no state to find her way to his truck, Matt apologizing to the people she bumped into as they left, his girlfriend barely able to stand up straight, let alone walk normally.

He was practically holding her up by the time they got outside, Gabby stumbling over her own feet as they walked towards his truck. It was a process, to say the least, Gabby practically fighting him every step of the way, even though he was sure she didn't even realize she was doing it, the drunk paramedic lifting her head up when they got closer to his truck, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"This isn't my car." She spoke, Matt glancing down towards her. "I need my car."

"Your car isn't here." He replied patiently, her confusion only growing as she looked between him and his truck, Matt sliding his key into the passenger side door to unlock it. "Shay picked you up, you rode with her."

It was clear Gabby didn't know what he was talking about, but she didn't question him any further, her memory hazy as he pulled the door open for her, Matt moving to help guide her into the car. But Gabby had other plans, a surprised gasp escaping his mouth when she grabbed his shirt, turning them around and pinning him up against his truck, her lips covering his in seconds. Her movements were sloppy, Gabby barely able to stand up straight and nearly falling over herself as she turned them around, but once she got him up against the truck, she kept him there, her lips hungrily attacking his.

Casey was stunned, to say the least, the heavy amounts of alcohol on her breath enough of a reminder as to what was going on, Matt pulling back while simultaneously gently pushing against her, trying to stop this before things got out of hand.

She was in no state to know whether she truly wanted to be doing this or not, and considering how upset she was, Matt was sure the only reason she was kissing him at all was to distract herself from whatever pain she tried to numb with alcohol.

"Gabby…" He spoke softly, trying to push her back, but she was putting up quite the fight for someone who could barely see straight. Though he wasn't trying very hard to move her, Matt not wanting to risk hurting her. "Baby, we can't do this right now." He tried again, Gabby groaning in annoyance before she tried to kiss him again. She wasn't giving up, but Matt knew he had to be the one to put a stop to this, Casey placing both hands on her shoulders before gently pushing her back, keeping a steady grip on her to make sure she didn't fall.

"What is wrong with you?" Gabby questioned, releasing a frustrated sigh as she stood on the sidewalk, Matt standing up straight as he pushed himself off his truck.

"We're not gonna do this here, not when you're obviously upset." He countered, Gabby shaking her head as she ran her hand over the side of her face, clenching her eyes shut tightly when Walker's harsh words from earlier in the evening started ringing in her head.

His words about how Matt didn't want her. How he was only with her for sex. How pretty soon he'd realize he couldn't put up with her anymore.

Those words, and every harsh word he'd said to her recently bounced around her head, Gabby feeling more lightheaded than she had moments prior, the alcohol in her system combined with her high emotions causing a pounding headache to begin forming behind her eyes, Gabby pressing harshly against the side of her head.

"Gabby?" Matt asked, seeing her clear distress as she stumbled back slightly, Casey reaching out to grab her. "Gabby? What's wrong?"

"I'm fine." She replied, shaking her head as the dizziness passed, Gabby all but ripping herself from his grasp, Matt pursing his lips together as he took a step back, not wanting to touch her when she clearly didn't want him to. "...Can we just go?" She asked weakly after a few tense moments, Matt watching her closely as she lifted her head, the firefighter seeing fresh tears shining in her eyes, his heart breaking at the sight of her so upset.

"Gabby-"

"Please." She cut him off, Matt's eyes falling closed as he drew in a deep breath. "I wanna go home." Her voice faltered at the end of her sentence, Gabby swallowing thickly before she dropped her gaze to the ground, missing the nod Matt gave her in response.

Without a word, Matt stepped back, letting her get into the car, Gabby shrugging off any of his attempts to help her, muttering something about how she could do it on her own as she got situated in the passenger seat, Matt shutting the door once she was in safely.

When he climbed in on his side, it was obvious how she'd shied away from him, Gabby practically glued up against the door, her body facing out the window, clearly not wanting to talk to him. So he didn't try, Matt revving up the engine before heading towards her apartment.

The drive was tense for both of them, neither saying a word the entire time as Matt pulled up outside her place, Gabby getting out of the car before he could even turn it off. And the walk inside hadn't been much better, Gabby refusing his help as she stumbled up to her door, the alcohol in her system making every task difficult to execute as she slowly climbed the stairs. It wasn't until she tried to unlock her door that she finally let him help her, Gabby unable to get the key in properly, and she was getting too frustrated to continue trying, Dawson holding it out to him to let him do it.

As soon as he got the door open, Gabby stumbled her way inside, Matt sighing softly as he followed after her, making sure to lock up before walking further into her apartment. He caught a glimpse of her walking down the hallway, Gabby disappearing out of sight into her bedroom. Before he went after her, Matt stopped in the kitchen, grabbing a glass of water and some aspirin for her, knowing she'd definitely need it in the morning, especially with them having to be at work in about ten hours.

With the pills and water in hand, Matt continued towards her bedroom, hearing her walking around before he could see her. When he turned the corner into the doorway, he saw her already stripped down to her underwear, Gabby throwing one of his t-shirts over her body before she walked towards her bed, completely ignoring his presence as she climbed underneath the covers.

She was lying on her back, Matt taking a deep breath as he stepped further into the room, coming up bedside her and placing the water and pills down on her nightstand before he sat himself down on the edge of the bed. Before he could even say anything, Gabby shifted away from him, turning on her side as her back faced him, Matt biting down on the inside of his cheek as she shut herself off from him.

He knew he should just leave it. That she was in no state to have any sort of conversation with him, but he was concerned. Seeing the way she was tonight worried him more than he could even fully comprehend. And he couldn't let it go, not after she'd drank to the point she could hardly keep herself up.

"...I wish you'd let me help you." He murmured, hesitantly reaching out to place his hand over her side, Gabby clenching her eyes shut as she heard the desperation in his voice. "I want to help you, with whatever this is… Whatever's been going on with you, it's killing me to see you like this." He added, Gabby feeling a lone tear escape down her skin. "And I don't know if it's about Walker, and that's why you don't want to talk about it, or if it's something else, but I don't know what to do here, and I just-" Matt cut himself off, trying to gather his thoughts before he said anymore. "I want to help you. But I don't know how when you won't talk to me."

His words hung in the air, Gabby trying to digest what he was telling her despite the alcohol clouding her brain, Matt sighing softly as he rubbed over her side.

"I know you said you want to talk about it, you're just not ready… And I understand that, I do. I'm not trying to push you, and I'll be here until you feel like you can tell me what's going on… But you're scaring me." He admitted, his honest words causing a few more tears to escape down her face. "I just want you to be okay, and I know right now you're not."

Gabby stayed quiet when he finished talking, Matt pursing his lips together when he realized he said all he could, that until she felt comfortable talking about this, there was only so much his words would do. Releasing a soft sigh, Matt gently squeezed her side before dropping his hand back into his lap.

"Try and get some rest, Gabby." He spoke quietly, the firefighter pushing himself up from the bed, Matt heading for the door.

Blinking quickly, Gabby listened as he walked down the hallway, her mind slowly clearing as she tried to hear what he was doing, but pretty soon she wasn't able to make out anything. She waited for a few moments to see if he was coming back, but when minutes had passed and she hadn't heard anything, she started to worry, Gabby slowly pushing herself up.

"...Matt?" She called out, Gabby grimacing as she slowly got herself out of bed, her head already pounding as she moved towards the hallway. "Matt?"

She continued walking towards the living room, her steps slower than normal due to her inebriated state, Gabby looking up when she saw Matt come into view.

"You okay?" He asked as he got closer, Gabby releasing a relieved sigh as she continued towards him. "Why aren't you-"

His words got cut off by Gabby crashing into him, Dawson wrapping her arms tightly around his waist as she hugged herself to him, his hard chest and the rhythmic sound of his heartbeat confirming that he was still here.

"What's wrong?" He asked softly as he wrapped his arms around her back, Matt not entirely sure what was going on, or why she'd gotten out of bed.

"Don't leave."

Her already quiet words were muffled by his chest, Matt's eyebrows furrowing when he registered what she said.

"I'm not." He responded, rubbing his hand along her back.

"Please don't go." She repeated, her alcohol-induced vulnerability causing more concern to flood his body, her words making it seem like she hadn't even heard him.

"I'm not leaving." He told her again, feeling her tense body relax in his hold, Gabby burying her head into his chest. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise." He assured her, Matt pressing a kiss to the top of her head before resting his chin there, letting her take the lead as they stood just outside the hallway.

Tonight had done nothing to clear up what was going on with her, in fact the only thing it had accomplished was making him worry about her even more. But even though he was certain he wouldn't be getting any answers tonight, Matt had every intention of keeping his promise to her.

He wasn't going anywhere. No matter how long it took, he'd be right here until she was ready to face whatever this was.

And he'd remind her of that however many times he needed to.

So yeah, Gabby's a little bit of a mess. Or a lot of a mess. Especially after what Walker said to her at Molly's. I don't wanna give too much away, but let's just say the next chapter is gonna get… explosive, I think is a good word for it. The way I had this chapter mapped out, originally half of what happens in the next chapter was supposed to be in this one, but it just got way too long, so I decided to split it up. I'm sorry for making you wait, but I have a feeling most of you are gonna like the next one. Hopefully it'll be worth it.

I do want to thank you guys for all the feedback you've been giving me on the last couple of chapters. The response has been pretty divided between those who like how things are going, and those who don't. I know that I can't please everyone, but I want you to know that I am trying. I'm trying to get good chapters out to you guys, that you all enjoy, but I'm sorry to those of you who aren't right now. For those of you who aren't liking the pace of things, things are gonna pick up here in the next chapter. We're getting close guys, I promise.

I'm sorry again if you didn't like this one. But I appreciate any feedback you have for me.

I'll see you next week.