A/N: Well, I did not realize it has been a month since this last update. I am so sorry about that! I have been so into writing my other story HTD that I have neglected my writing for this one. I am still unsure where this will end, but I am enjoying the ride for now. This update is the longest I have had for this story. Almost 12k words, so it more than makes up for the month wait, or at least I hope it does.
Headlong Toward Disaster will be updated this weekend for anyone following that story. If you haven't already go check out my Dawsey/Louie one-shot "Holding On & Letting Go".
One with the story, and another amazing song...
All This Time
One Republic
Six on the second hand; Two New Year's resolutions
And there's just no question what this man should do
Take all the time lost; All the days that I cost
Take what I took and give it back to you
It had been an eventful couple of weeks for the couple as they got Gabby packed and ready to move into Matt's place.
Their place.
Living together had been even better than the couple had expected. The past couple months being together openly had been great, but living together had made everything more real.
It had given them an opportunity to spend all the time together that they never got to before. Gabby had known long ago that their relationship was real, that it was strong... that it was worth it. But getting to be together so much, so openly, had just given her more reassurance how worth it this relationship is, was, and would always be.
"Mm, morning beautiful." Matt murmurs, stepping up behind her where she stood against the counter watching the coffee pour into the pot. His arms circled her waist, pressing her back into his hard, bare chest as he placed kisses to her neck and shoulder where his shirt that she was wearing gaped.
She smiles, content in the feel of his arms around her. "Morning."
Her head lulls to the side, granting him better access as his kisses on her skin become deeper. She lifts her hand to his face, her hand scratching along the stubble on his face that he had yet to shave. Stubble that she would never admit how much she loved to feel against her skin... against all of her skin.
"Have I mentioned lately just how much I love living with you?" He murmured against her neck, nipping at the flesh before soothing it with his tongue, leaving her panting. "Waking up with you?"
She smirks, sinking further back into his arms. "You have. A few times, but I'll never complain about hearing it again."
He turns her around now, pinning her to the counter, not letting her leave the circle of his arms. He pulls her into a long kiss, conveying all their emotions into the lip to lip contact, something they had gotten good at over the years. After so many years of never being able to fully express their feelings in words, they had always been good at this part. Even when it was just sex, it was never just sex. It was always more. Even when they could not say it, they always showed it in their actions, in their touch. Now they were still talking with their actions, and now finally talking with their words too.
It made everything so much deeper. So much stronger.
"I love you. I am so damn happy you moved in with me. These past three months living together have been the best of my life." He tells her, his deep blue's looking into her dark brown eyes.
A grin falls onto her lips, her heart beating quickly at his words. Leaning forward she presses a sweet kiss to his lips, wrapping arms around his neck. "I love you. So much. You're... God, you're amazing you know that?" The love was clear in her eyes. He presses a sweet kiss to her lips before pulling away, a grin soon coming to his lips.
"You did happen to mention that a couple of times last night... and again this morning." He teased.
She sent him a light glare. Scoffing at his words, she moves to turn away, but he is quickly pulling her back to him. His hands gripping her bottom tightly as he pulls her up onto the counter, a noise of surprise leaving her lips and quickly being covered by his lips on hers. Gabby wraps her legs around his waist, her arms tangling around his neck as their kisses deepen.
When they pull back, the need for air becoming too great, their foreheads rest together as they pant. The coffee pot beeps as they sit there, Gabby barely sparing it a glance as she gets lost in him. "We should get ready for work." She tells him.
He nods against her, leaning forward for another kiss that is soon turning just as deep as their last one.
"We should." He counters, his voice unconvincing.
Gabby grins, her brow quirking gently. "Well, you have to let me down if I am going to get ready for work, Lieutenant."
He groans at her words, his title falling off her lips in the sultry tone that drove him absolutely wild. His groan elating a giggle from her that was his undoing. He picked her up, her legs tightening around his hips as he moved to their bedroom.
"Wait, my coffee!" She exclaimed, looking over his shoulder to the now full pot that she had been waiting on and was in desperate need of.
Matt ignored her comment moving into the bedroom and falling down onto the bed with her, careful not to rest all his weight on her as he fell on top of her. "I have much better ideas on how to wake you up." He husked, sending a shiver down her spine.
God, did she have no complaints about that.
All this time, we were waiting for each other
All this time I was waiting for you
We got all these words, can't waste them on another
So, I'm straight in a straight line running back to you
"Can I just say how nice it is to actually get to spend time with my best friend outside of work?" Shay looked around as they stood behind the bar at Molly's. "Well, I mean we still are technically working, but not at the firehouse, you know what? You know what I mean!" Shay exclaimed getting frustrated trying to explain herself.
Gabby chuckled at her blonde friend as she handed the patron across the bar another beer, ignoring her friends comment for the moment. "Here ya go, Jim."
"I'm serious," Shay responds, once they were both done serving their drinks for a moment, Gabby instead wiping down the bar top.
The brunette quirks a brow in response. "Okay, if you are going to play coy over there Mrs. Casey." The blonde sang, Gabby's back straightening at her friends teasing. "Ever since you and the Lieutenant decided to come out in the open about your slutty sex, and move in together, he has been stealing you away for more and more slutty sex, which is clearly getting to your head because it has made you forget all about your best friend."
"Alright, first of all, it is not slutty sex, it's far more than slutty sex. Secondly, I have not forgotten about you. We still hang out." Gabby tells her.
Shay quirks a brow, pushing her blonde hair behind her ear as she faces her friend. "Uh hu, when?" Gabby goes to talk, but Shay quickly cuts her off. "Outside of the firehouse." She clarifies.
The brunette paramedic sputters a few times, her mouth opening and closing to say something before she stops, struggling to actually think of the last time her and Shay had spent time together outside of 51. While she cherished all their time together on shift and they did talk and spend almost all their time together while working, she knew there was a difference between spending time together on shift and spending time together outside of that.
Shay seeing Gabby's hesitation in answering smirks, looking at her knowingly. "See. Told you. Now, I am willing to forgive this gross misuse of friendship, but only if you were to repay me with some solid girl time. Wine and tequila must be involved, obviously."
Gabby smiles now, pulling Shay into a tight hug, "You got it, babe."
As the night moves on Gabby and Shay get relieved by Hermann and Otis behind the bar and move to a high-top table with Matt and Kelly nursing their own drinks.
Kelly and Shay are going back and forth about who ate the last yogurt, a fight from this morning that has apparently spilled over into their evening. Matt leans closer into Gabby as their friends across from them bicker. Gabby's eyes widening as she listens in to their conversation, clearly amused.
Casey presses a kiss against her cheek, but doesn't pull back far, still invading her space and pulling her attention to him. He's at a comfortable place between buzzed and drunk and she loves this side of him. He was always a little bolder, a little riskier, and dear lord was his hazed overlook sexy.
"You smell good." He murmurs against her ear, his breath warm and sending chills down her spine. She turns her chair to him leaning into him and rubbing a hand over his stubbled cheek.
"Oh really?" She asks coyly.
He smirks, pressing his next kiss closer to her ear, making her squirm. "Yes. But you look even better." He tells her, looking her over appreciatively. Gabby feels her cheeks heat up, equal parts from his words and the feel of his eyes on her. She ducks her head, her hair falling forward. She feels Casey's chuckle rumble through his chest from his close proximity as much as she hears it. "God, you are adorable." He husks, his voice low and drawing her eyes to his. Brown meets blue, and she feels the tension between them turn thick, her eyes flicking to his lips before going back to the deep pools of blue.
She isn't sure who leans into who, but a moment later they are locked in an intense kiss. Their knees bumping together as they lean into each other from their seated bar stools. Gabby is practically panting by the time they pull away, his hand still tangled in her curls while hers move from his cheek to his neck, still keeping him close. She presses a much tamer kiss against his lips, but pulls away at the sound of whistles, rolling her eyes before she even looks over to her two friends sat across from them.
Both Kelly and Shay are grinning in amusement. Shay holds her hand out to them. "Oh please, don't stop on our account. The free show was great." She jokes. Dawson, shooting her a playful glare. "Hey, don't give me that look, I'm not the one practically mounting someone in the bar." She continues, this time earning a balled-up napkin being thrown at her.
"Shut up!" Gabby laughs, Casey chuckles, their heated kiss sobering him up more than before and rubs a relaxing hand along her back where her shirt had rid up and exposed her smooth flesh. "You're just jealous."
Shay scoffs and goes to protest before sighing, "Alright maybe a little." The table laughs, but Shay quickly continues. "This is exactly what I am talking about though, you know? This is why I need girl time. Even when you're out with us and not having slutty sex, you are hear thinking about the slutty sex."
Matt and Kelly's eyes widen in shock at her words, shooting them both a questioning look as Gabby shoots Shay a glare.
Casey clears his suddenly dry throat. "Uh, I'm sorry... the what?"
Shay goes to interject, but Gabby cuts her off, opting to explain to keep her and Casey both from being mortified by whatever embarrassing thing was sure to come from her best friends' mouth. "Shay has informed me I have been neglecting her since we got together. So, she has requested a girl's night, soon."
Matt nods, now understanding the situation.
"All I'm saying is if you two aren't careful that thing is going to fall off Casey." Her three friends nearly choke on the drinks they had taken at Shay's words.
"Jesus Shay." Gabby coughs, breathing in the air she had lost from nearly choking.
"What!?" Shay asks, feigning innocence. "I'm happy for you two, really. I am just a friend concerned about your well beings. The wellbeing of Casey's... little Casey..." She pauses, catching Casey's glare at her choice of terminology as Gabby and Kelly both snicker at his face. "...and I'd say the wellbeing of my best friend's sex life, but from what I have overheard I have nothing to worry about there." She grins, the deep blush that hits the brunette paramedic's face is unmistakable.
Matt looks between the both of them, intrigued. Shay goes to explain and Gabby is quickly getting up, pulling Shay to the bar and throwing back a "We are going to get refills," to the men they were leaving behind.
Casey and Severide are both left shaking their heads, taking sips of their beers. "Well, Shay is in rare form tonight." The blonde comments.
Kelly laughs, simply shrugging. "I mean you know, Shay. She's always been like this, but you and Dawson getting together is like dangling a bone in front of a dog's face. I don't think I have ever seen her have more fun than what she gets out of teasing the two of you."
Casey shakes his head, "I think Gabby gets the brunt of it, I'm only picked on here and there." He tells him, both of them nodding in agreement and sharing a laugh.
"Things do seem to be going well for the two of you." Kelly says pointedly, both knowing he was referring to the kiss he had just witnessed.
It's Casey's turn to blush, but his smile is still there, the smile he wore every time Gabby was mentioned falling into place.
"It is. We waited a long time for this, you know? So, finally having it, it... it's still better than I could have ever expected." He says honestly.
"That's really great, Casey." Kelly smiles, happy to see his longtime friend looking so happy. It wasn't a look he had much over the past couple years, always something holding him back. He now knows that something was Dawson. Dawson not being here, not being with him, was what was holding him back from being truly happy. "I've known you a long time, Case... and I don't know that I have ever seen you so happy. I'm happy for you. Both of you."
"Thanks, Kelly." Matt smiles a genuine smile. "Truth be told, I don't know that I have ever been this happy."
Kelly grins, "Damn. Am I going to see wedding bells here soon, already? I mean you guys just moved in together a few months ago." He teases.
Casey averts his eyes, his action completely pegging the Squad Lieutenants interest. "Casey?"
The blonde shrugs. "Like I said, we've wanted this a long time. Nothing is off the table." He says simply.
Truth be told, he had been thinking about it more and more.
He had been thinking about the future.
His future with Gabby.
Truthfully, he didn't want to wait. He hated how much time they had already wasted not being together. He hated how he was at fault for the time they had waited to be together.
Now that they were together, all he wanted was to have it all, but he wasn't sure if Gabby was ready for that, and he would take this at whatever pace she wanted too.
He decided long ago, she at least deserved that much from him... but that didn't stop the thoughts in his head about how amazing it would be to have his last name following her first and a diamond ring on her finger.
I don't know what day it is; I had to check the paper
I don't know the city; but it isn't home
But you say I'm lucky, to love something that loves me
But I'm torn as I could be; wherever I roam
"So, my mom asked that I bring a dessert with us. Apparently, she is handling everything else, and has Laura in charge of appetizers. I was thinking of making Tres Leches." Gabby says, pushing the cart through the aisles as she looks at the list in her hand.
Casey hums, "Sounds good, babe."
"You sure you are ready for this big ole Dawson family get together?" She teases, poking his side.
He shrugs, grinning as he pokes her side back causing her to shy away from him. She was far more ticklish than he was. "I've met your parents and your brother before."
"Yeah, separately. Never as a whole." She counters.
Matt squeezes her shoulder. "I'll be fine, Gabby. I can handle meeting the family." He assures her.
Gabby gives him an unconvincing look. "Whatever you say. Just don't come crying to me when Antonio is picking on you." She teases.
"So, tonight you've got girls night with Shay and this weekend dinner with your parents?" Gabby nods her reply, too preoccupied looking at the ingredients on the back of two cereal boxes she has picked up to reply. "It's a shame, leaving me home all alone while you go get wine drunk with Shay." He teases, his tone light.
Gabby turns her attention back to him, setting one box in the cart and the other back on the shelf. She raises a curious brow. "Oh really... is that so?" She challenges, turning her body back to face him, just a breath of space between them as she looks up at him.
He smirks, resting a hand on her back and pulling her flush against him. "It is." He counters. His lips hovering over hers.
"Well, since I am going to be gone tonight, I guess we need to make the most of the rest of our afternoon." She suggests.
He hums, tightening his grip on her, "I like the way you think."
He finally brings his lips down to meet hers, keeping it tame, remembering his surroundings.
He keeps her close as he pulls away, noting her eyes still closed as she stayed near him. "What's left on the list?"
Gabby quirks a brow, opening her eyes to meet his darkened blue ones. "Milk, eggs, and a couple of things I need from the baking aisle."
Matt pecks her lips once more, tapping her bottom as he turns to walk away. "I'll get the milk and eggs; you get the baking stuff." He sends her a wink as he moves away.
She shakes her head at him, a blush rising to her cheeks at his enthusiasm, knowing exactly what was in store for her when he got her home.
She moves through the aisles, looking for the last few things she needed when an all too familiar face is catching her eyes and making her heart stall in her chest.
"Dawson."
Hallie.
She hates how seeing her still makes her feel like the other woman, she hates the insecurities that float through at the site of the woman before her. All the feelings that come flooding back to her and make her feel like the he isn't hers. That he is still Hallie's.
"Uh, Hallie, Hi." She can't help but look away, unable to meet the women's eyes.
Hallie looks her over, quirking a brow at the paramedic's clear discomfort.
It's still crazy to Hallie how she never noticed the clear love between Gabriella and her husband... ex-husband. The girl in front of her if she was being honest, always intimidated her. She was a strong, fierce paramedic, that much she had learned from drop-offs and handoffs at Lakeshore with patients. She was feisty, and bold, but also funny and very loved by everyone who knew her. Gabby had been welcomed into the firehouse and fit in so seamlessly from day one. Whether it was on visits to see Matt, CFD events, or nights out at Molly's that much was clear to Hallie from the beginning.
Hallie had always wondered what brought the two so close. Gabby had always brought out something in him. A side she hadn't known before. He was happier, freer.
Hallie now realizes that whole 'someone bringing out the best in you' thing was true. That was what happened to Matt. Gabby brought out the best side of him... something she always thought she had done, but clearly was not the case.
She isn't sure what to feel when seeing the brunette that her husband had cheated on her with again. It had been a couple of months since the last time she had seen Dawson, almost as long since the last time she saw Matt. Their divorce was final as of two months ago. Her name change came through about a week after that.
The life she had for nearly 15 years with the blonde man erased from her. She was sure he had done the same.
"I didn't realize you lived on this side of town." Hallie says, unsure of what to say. There was a lot she could say, a lot she wanted to get off her chest, she just wasn't sure a crowded supermarket was the right place.
Gabby shifts on her feet, when Hallie knew her, she hadn't lived on this side of town. She only did now because of her and Matt's place. She knows though that Hallie had never been to Casey's new place, not much contact with each other since his move; the little contact they did have Gabby knew Casey tried to keep to a minimum, not offering his ex-wife anything that wasn't necessary to their divorce process.
The paramedic nods, "Uh, yeah. I just moved, recently." She says simply. Hoping the end of this conversation was fast approaching.
"With Matt?" Hallie asks before she is able to stop herself, Dawson's eyes fly up from where they were studying the tiles in front of her.
God, how she wished she could just be the strong woman that put her in her place right now, not the withering 27-year-old woman that felt so small in her presence.
"That's a yes." Hallie fills in, the near terrified look on Gabby's face giving it away.
"Hallie, I..." Gabby stops, Hallie's hand coming up.
"Please, don't. Spare me the details of how sorry you are or whatever else. I don't need it." She says, her eyes turning cold.
Gabby sinks further into herself. "We really didn't mean to hurt you." She says softly, unsure of what else to say. What was there to say? What could possibly make this situation any less uncomfortable?
Hallie scuffs, her arms crossing. "Really? For 8 years you slept with my husband on and off and you are using the most overused line of any homewrecker ever? I expected better." She bites.
Dawson's back straightens, shooting the woman across from her, a cart length between them, a solid glare. "I know we were in the wrong, trust me, I do. But you and I both know you weren't innocent either." She spat, the words flying from her mouth before she can think to stop them. Before she can tell herself not to let this woman get a rise out of her.
She knows what Hallie did will never erase her own sins... but it doesn't mean Hallie gets to look at her like the scum of the earth when she had done the same thing to Matt.
Alright maybe not the exact same, but it didn't make it any less immoral.
"Don't pretend to know anything about my marriage with Matt just because you were screwing him during half of it." She snaps.
"Hallie." Gabby starts, but she is quickly getting cut off.
"No, don't. You don't get to project your own bad feelings about what you did on to me to make yourself feel better. I know what I did to break up my own marriage. But it was my marriage, Dawson. Not yours. Don't pretend to be a part of it just because you inserted yourself into it throughout the years. From what it sounds waltzing in and out as you please. You can sit here and pretend that you are sorry, pretend you aren't already living with my ex-husband and have been for who knows how long, but you and I both know that wouldn't be true. But what's going to happen in a couple months when the newness of this all wears off?" Gabby bristles, her jaw locking, attempting to hide how much her words have hit a nerve.
"Huh? When Casey finds another person to keep his sheets warm? I mean he did it to me, the person he was with for half his life... What makes you think you are so damn special he wouldn't do it to you?" The air hangs thick between, Gabby avoiding her gaze as those words wash over her.
"Hey baby, I've been looking all over for you. I found the eggs and..." Casey stops as he looks up. His eyes meeting a pair of brown eyes he wished more than anything he would never have to see again.
He drops her dark look, seeing the tension radiating between the two of them. His eyes immediately focusing on Gabby as he comes to stand beside her. He rests a hand on her back feeling her nearly flinch at his touch. The tension radiating off her as she avoids his gaze.
"What's going on?" Casey asks, his voice carrying a hint of anger Gabby hadn't heard before.
Gabby's lack of words gives Hallie the opportunity to speak again. "Nothing, Matt. Just talking to your girlfriend here."
If looks could kill the one thrown her way would have put her in a shallow grave. His hand stayed firmly planted on Gabby's back, rubbing soothing patterns through her sweater, stepping closer to her to practically tuck her into his side.
Hallie rolled her eyes at the clear protective stance Casey took with the short brunette who had her eyes glued to the cart in front of her, clearly wishing she was anywhere but this grocery store right now. "What do you want Hallie?" Matt asked this time, his voice more forceful.
She held her hands up in mock surrender. Shaking her head at the two people in front of her. "Nothing, nothing at all." She scuffed moving to walk away. "You two deserve each other."
The minute she was moving down the aisle Casey was moving closer to Dawson. "You alright?" He asks, his voice soft, the movement of his hand along her back continuing.
Gabby offered a tight smile. "Yeah, I'm good." She offered, stepping forward to move the cart.
Casey halted her movements, seeing she was clearly anything but good. "Gabby..." He started; something had clearly transpired between the two before he showed up. Something Hallie had said upset her.
"I'm fine." She said more forcefully this time her deep brown eyes shooting to him, equal parts fierceness and pleading in her eyes for him to let it go.
Casey nodded, deciding to let it go for now. "Okay, just... you know you can talk to me, babe." He tells her, not wanting to push her, but at least wanting to let her know he is here for whatever was going through her head.
Gabby simply nods tightly, pushing the cart forward, not worried about their list or anything left to get as she moves to the register. "I just want to go home." She says softly. Her mood from before shifting as the air between the two turned tense with Gabby clearly being upset and Casey's concern for her settling between them.
Hear me say
All this time, we were waiting for each other
All this time, I was waiting for you
We got all these words
Can't waste them on another
So I'm straight in a straight line, running back to you
Gabby shows up at Shay and Severide's place an hour earlier than originally planned, though Shay doesn't complain.
Gabby comes in, heading for the kitchen and digging through the drawer where she knew there was a wine opener. Shay watches her pull out the wine opener, and pull the bottle of red wine out of the bag she had brought. She pops the bottle open just as Shay sets two wine glasses down on the counter in front of her. No words other than greeting being shared between them yet.
The brunette paramedic pours them both glasses. She passes Shay hers and is already bringing her own up to her lips, taking a couple large swallows and draining half the glass.
Shay raises a brow. "Rough day?"
Dawson nods blowing out a breath. "Something like that."
Shay takes a sip of her wine. "Trouble in paradise already?" Shay jokes... but the look on Gabby's face wipes the smirk off her face. Something was off about her longtime friend. "Gabby?"
The look in her friend's eyes quickly changes. The faraway look quickly washing away, Gabby shaking it off. "It's nothing." She covers quickly. "You hungry? I am hungry. Where are we ordering from?" Gabby questions moving over to the fridge where she knew the takeout menus were.
Shay shakes her head, deciding they had the whole night to go over whatever that was. Clearly something was bothering Gabby, and she would get to the bottom of it before this night was over... but for now she would oblige to Gabby's request, food also on her mind.
"Uh, I don't know. Sushi?" Shay asks to which Gabby turns her nose up. "Alright... what about Chinese?" Gabby nods at that.
"I could do Chinese. Or pizza?" She counters.
They settle for pizza from their favorite place down the road from the apartment. They settle onto the couch in their sweats. Shay in one of Kelly's sweaters and a pair of shorts while Gabby wears a pair of joggers and an old CFD sweater of her own, zipped up with just the bit of her white tank top showing. Both of them void of makeup with their hair thrown up in messy buns.
It had been too long since they had gotten to spend a girl's night like this.
It had become a regular thing after Gabby moved back to Chicago. The girls meeting at either Gabby or Shay's place and binging on junk food, wine, and movies. It was something they hadn't done in months, and both were happy to have it back.
Shay snacks on a slice of Hawaiian pizza while Gabby works on painting the blonde's toes the deep red color she had picked out.
"So, how are things with that girl you went out with a couple of weeks ago?" Gabby asks. Holding Shay's foot still in her lap as she sat cross-legged on one end of the couch.
The blonde snorts. "It was a disaster, actually. For one, I think I may have underestimated her lesbianism, and secondly, she was so damn boring."
Gabby chuckles, "You know, it really surprises me how terrible you are at searching out other lesbians."
Shay mocks offense, "Excuse me?" The look Gabby gives her has her conceding. "Okay, fine. You may be right there. Though, I did meet this nurse at Molly's the other night while I was working. Apparently, she works at Med, a trauma nurse. She is hot."
"And have you asked out this hot trauma nurse?" Gabby asks.
Shay shrugs, getting a pointed look from Dawson when she moves her foot too much.
"I am thinking about it. Playing it cool you know."
Gabby shakes her head. "Whatever you say." She closes the lid of the nail polish setting it down on the coffee table and gets up moving to the kitchen to wash her hands and get another bottle of wine as they had already finished the first.
She settles back down on to the couch eating a slice of pizza as they both watched the movie Shay had picked out.
"How are you and Casey?" Shay finally asks after another half hour of watching the movie in silence as they munched on pizza and drank their wine.
Gabby bristles, taking another sip of her wine, Shay eyes her carefully. "What's up, Dawson?"
She sighs finally conceding. "I uh, I ran into Hallie today, while we were grocery shopping."
Shay's mouth opens slightly in shock. "Damn... and?" She shifts uncomfortably in her seat, pulling at the tag on the pillow she was leaned against. "Gabby, what did she say?" She asks softly, hating how lost her friend was looking right now. She hadn't seen her look so uncertain of herself in a long while.
"We kind of got into it, about Matt and I... well she did, I guess. It just, it brought up a lot of stuff I guess I haven't thought of for a while."
Shay nods, her head tilting as she looked over her friend, whatever was said clearly getting to her more than she was wanting to let on.
"Stuff like?" Shay prompts.
Gabby huffs. "I don't know. All of it? The past. How Casey and I got together, what we did..." She gnaws on her bottom lip, looking to the television in front of her. "Maybe Casey and I are moving too fast, you know? I mean we dated for less than 3 months before we moved in together. I mean we have only been dating for like 5-6 months and I don't know. Maybe we just jumped into this too fast."
Shay's eyebrows shoot sky high, not believing what she was hearing coming out of her best friends' mouth.
"Gabby..." She waits until brown eyes are staring at her before she begins. "You and I both know you don't believe that. You and Casey have loved each other for a long time. Even if you haven't been together. If I am remembering correctly that is why you choose to move in together in the first place... To stop wasting all the time you did in the past. Don't let whatever Hallie said to make you start second-guessing what you know is real."
Gabby can only nod. "I know I love him Shay... and I know he loves me, but I..." She stops herself, unsure how to word what has been on her mind since talking with Hallie earlier today.
"This is more than just you worrying about moving too fast," Shay says knowingly. "Come on, what else is on your mind?" She pushes.
"Casey and I, we never really, we never really talked about all of it... He never said, or I never asked why he did what he did... why he choose her over and over again..." Gabby stops swallowing thickly. "Hallie, seeing her again, everything she said today, it just... it brought it all back up. How I felt back then, how he made me feel for 8 years, Shay."
The blondes face turns sympathetic. She knew this had to do with more than just Gabby thinking they were moving too fast. That wasn't it at all. This was about all the feelings she had suppressed since she and Casey got back together, letting it all go because she just wanted to move on with the man she loved.
It was hard to do that when the past popped up and stared you back in the face.
"You need to talk to Casey, Dawson. If this is how you are feeling, if seeing Hallie, or what she said brought back things, it's because they have always been there to begin with. You need to talk to him, tell him how you feel... maybe get some answers to questions you never asked before." Shay tells her.
Gabby nods, sighing heavily. "You know we say we don't regret our past, we tell each other it all brought us to where we are now and I mean I know that is true, I know at least a big part of me believes that... but maybe there is another part of me that is... bitter about it all. Still scared that maybe one day this will end... maybe one day all the things that made Casey not choose me from the start will come back and... maybe he will realize."
Shay looks confused, her brows furrowing in concern. "Realize what, Gabs?"
"Realize I'm not what he wants... realize I'm not enough for him, that there is someone better."
Yeah, all, running back to you
All, running back to you
Yeah
Oh, every time is so far
It's just so far
To get back to where you are
When Gabby wakes up alone in bed she rolls over, the other side of the sheets cold. They had gotten home from shift early this morning and gone straight to bed, both needing sleep after a long call the night before that kept them both up.
It had been three days since they ran into Hallie at the store. Things had been tense. They hadn't been themselves. Gabby knew she had been pulling away from him, unsure how to express what she was feeling. The feelings that seeing Hallie had brought up were things she had buried away, hoping them being together, their love, would see them through.
She had hoped she would never have to relive all the things from their past. She was hoping they would be able to just move on from them... and they had. At least for the last few months they had. They were incredibly happy, but she couldn't deny all those feelings anymore. All the feelings of hurt, rejection, and pain that he had caused over the years. All the feelings of not being enough.
She had so many questions for him... why now? Why not so long ago? Why had she not been enough back then for him to pick her? They were happy now... but why couldn't they had been happy so long ago?
She knew lying in bed avoiding him wasn't going to get her any answers to those questions.
Gabby pulls herself from their bed and slips her slippers on and Matt's sweatshirt over her head before pulling her hair up into a low bun. She moves to the bathroom to brush her teeth before finally heading out to the living room where she hears the television on, a hockey game playing.
Matt is settled on the couch with his feet up on the coffee table. Gabby settles down beside him, surprising Matt when she settles into his side. Aside from when they went to bed and naturally gravitated toward each other, they had barely had any physical contact.
Casey wrapped his arm around her back as she rests her head on his shoulder releasing a heavy sigh. Matt presses a kiss to the top of her head and tightens his hold on her. Feeling some of the tension that he had held releasing at just having her in his arms. Having her seek him out, he couldn't help but feel like this was a good sign, but he remained silent, not wanting to push her.
The sat for a couple minutes, the game playing while they both sat deep in thought.
"Can we talk?" Dawson asks, timidly. Finally pulling back and settling onto her side of the couch.
Casey nods and sets up turning the volume down completely before settling back into the couch and turning his attention to her. He knows she has been struggling since running into Hallie. He could see the clear shift in her demeanor, but he still had no idea what happened or where this shift came from.
Gabby plays with the end of her sweater, trying to gather her thoughts, bracing herself for what she knew would be a rough conversation. It was overdue, she knew it was, but that still didn't make it any easier.
Matt rests a hand on her bare leg, squeezing soothingly, forcing her eyes to meet his. "You know you can talk to me about anything, Gabby... you've got me, no matter what." He tries to assure her.
"I didn't always though... have you." She says softly, her voice still timid. The blonde's brows knit together at her words. Gabby sighs heavily. "I have you now, Matt. I know that, but before... for years, I didn't."
Matt is no less confused or concerned. "Gabby, baby, what's going on?" He presses, knowing now more than ever what has been bothering her needs to be addressed. He had tried to give her time hoping she would come to him. It was high time to resolve this.
"Seeing Hallie, it just, it brought back a lot of bad memories, Matt... a lot of things I tried to ignore, tried to push down and hope they would just go away... and I guess they did, for a while, until the other day." Gabby tucks her hair behind her ears, taking a shaky breath. "I thought I could just get past it all, you know? I love you, and we are happy, and I thought it would all just pass, but it's not. I love you, Matt, I do... but for years you chose her." Her eyes water, Matt swallows thickly, watching the emotions play across her face.
"You chose her over and over again, for years, and I am trying to wrap my mind around it. I am trying to understand. Trying to give you the benefit of the doubt, like I always have but now... now that we are together and happy it's hard to sit here and not wonder why... Why couldn't we have had that sooner? Why did you always choose her? Why was it never me?"
Why was it never me?
Casey feels like he was kicked in the gut. Her words hanging heavy in the air. The look on her face as the tears sat in her eyes unshed, the clear pain written across her face like another blow to the gut.
He'd be lying if he said he hadn't asked himself that question multiple times throughout the years. Why he never could commit to this, to her when he had clearly always loved her so much.
Was it blind loyalty to the woman who had been there for him for the majority of his life? Was it fear of the unknown? He couldn't fully answer that, because he didn't really know the answer. He wishes he did, he wishes he could answer that without any second thought, but he can't. Because it's a question he has asked himself so many times and he still has never come to an answer that made any sense.
"Gabby I... I wish I had an answer for that... I really do." He says softly, taking a deep breath. "The truth is, I don't know. I've thought about it a lot over the last few years, and I wish it was different, I do. The only thing I know is that I was a coward. I stayed in something I knew didn't hold a candle to what we had and I hurt you over and over again in the process and I will always regret that. I don't know why I did it. In the beginning, it was guilt, with everything that happened to Hallie in college I felt too guilty to leave, like I owed it to her. Then when you broke things off, I tried to convince myself that what we had wasn't special, that we had hyped it up, and that's when the proposal happened. I was running. Running from what we had, hoping if I just kept running, I could ignore what all I was feeling for you even when we weren't together or talking."
Matt sighs, looking her over as she took in his words clearly taking in everything he said and trying to understand. A small smile comes to his face as he remembers. "... And then I saw you again, when we came back to school. It was easier to push it all away and pretend it wasn't real when I wasn't seeing you, but the minute I laid eyes on you again... that wasn't possible. I guess from then on, after we got back together, I was stuck between knowing I loved you, knowing what we had was real, and also knowing I had just made a commitment to Hallie. I was lost, confused. I guess selfishly, I tried to have both because I was too afraid to hurt Hallie and I was too afraid to let you go. I was wrong. I should have never done that to you. I should have seen from the beginning how unfair it all was to you and I should have never put you in a position like that. I'm sorry I ever did."
"And then I got pregnant." Gabby says softly. The words still hurt, it still hurt to think of that time in their lives. Of not only the loss but the fall out that came with it.
Matt nods. "And then you got pregnant..." He smiles softly, despite the hurt that came from it. "It was like everything came into perspective for me. I knew I couldn't keep denying what we had wasn't special. I knew you were what I wanted; you were everything. You convinced me to wait, but my mind was already made up." He tells her, remembering how sure he had felt at that time, how ready he felt to start a life with Gabby.
"But then when we lost the baby, I guess my focus went to taking care of you. I never sat and reflected on it all until I went away a couple of months ago. Before I had never let myself think about it, tried pushing it down and ignoring all the pain it caused at all cost. I felt so damn guilty when everything happened. I let it eat away at me. I was too focused on trying to keep my head above water to even think about leaving Hallie. It was the farthest thing from my mind, she was the farthest thing. And then things drug on, and I felt so damn helpless. You were understandably, so lost, and I didn't know what to do to help you. I never thought you leaving would ever happen. I never saw that coming. I took advantage of you being so lost and tried buying myself more time in making a decision... which was again, unfair. I just, I was lost too, Gabby. I was lost from us losing the baby, I was lost on what to do to help you, I was just lost, and guilty, and confused. I don't have an excuse for it all. I don't have an answer for you. I wish I did, but I was hurting too."
Gabby nods, doing her best to understand. She knows that was a rough time for both of them. She knows she can't expect him to have figured it all out back then. They were both hurting, she gets that. As lost and hurt as she was, she knows he was too and expecting him to make a life-changing decision during that time maybe wasn't fair.
"When I left, it wasn't just because of us. I mean, yeah, our stuff was a big part of it, I was hurting, and confused, and I felt like you had already made a choice about us. I never considered that you really hadn't thought about it all. I left because I needed to get out of Chicago. I needed to distance myself from all the pain that had happened in those two years. It was the only way to ever get past it." She explains, knowing she has never taken the time before to do it.
"Seeing you in Chicago again... after all that time. I was ready. I was ready to leave Hallie the minute I saw you at that bar. I really thought I could leave her and we could make it work. I missed you every single day you were gone. I tried, a few times, too look for you."
"I changed my number." She fills in and he nods. "I didn't want you to find me." She says softly.
He had figured as much. "After you left, I kept holding out hope that I would see you again. That you would just show up and sweep into my life like you had before. Hallie started planning the wedding and I kept holding onto hope. I did hold on to it, up until the wedding. That day, it was hard. I had to talk myself out of calling it off a billion different times. I couldn't stop thinking about you. That made me just as guilty. I was battling with myself constantly. Wanting you, and knowing I couldn't have you, that you weren't here anymore and I had no idea where you were. So, I stayed, I told myself I would commit to Hallie and start making a real effort in our relationship. That I'd forget about us and what we had. That only worked so much, but I tried."
Gabby avoids his eyes as he speaks. She knew she couldn't judge him on that time, she wasn't there and she had no reason to question what he did while she was gone.
"I mean I didn't know at that time that Hallie had cheated on me, obviously. I guess we both tried to unknowingly move on and make us work. We did, or at least I thought we did, for a while. We started having issues about a year in. I made Lieutenant and she was busy with her residency. I tried to ignore all the issues we had. I had already let my relationship with her ruin you and I and I wanted to make that be worth something, anything. I wanted for me ruining us to be worth it. To at least feel like I had done it for something."
Dawson watches the clear struggle play out across his face. She knew nothing about this was black and white. It never had been. Their entire relationship existed because of the grey area in between.
He shakes his head, knowing he wasn't making much sense. Knowing he likely wasn't explaining this all well enough.
"I let myself believe I would never see you again. I let myself believe if you weren't apart of my life, I could make my marriage work..." He stops and their eyes meet. Blue meeting brown.
"And then I showed up at 51." Gabby fills in. A smile falls onto Matt's face, forcing one onto her own.
"Then you showed up to 51... and I knew." He tells her, his smile unmoving as he stares at her, her brows furrow.
"Knew what?" She asks.
"I knew you were it. Seeing you again, even when you hated me." He teases. "Seeing you again, it was like my entire world had been spinning and it finally snapped back into focus. Everything I had tried to deny for years all came back. I knew I was kidding myself. Even though it took time, even though you wanted nothing to do with me in the beginning. Having you in my life again changed everything. Then you were hurt at that call and we started this whole thing again. Even when you were distant. Even when you acted like we were nothing. I knew we would always be something. That would never change." He tells her with so much conviction her eyes water all over again, unable to pull her stare from him.
"Seeing you, being with you... You were like coming up for fresh air. It was like I was drowning and you saved me. Every single time it was like that. Every time you came back into my life it was like coming up for fresh air. You... God, Gabby, you are... you mean everything to me. I hate that there was ever a time I questioned it. I hate that I ever caused you pain, that I ever made you question how much I love you. It's not fair to you, not at all. You deserved so much better than that. You always have."
Matt looks at her. Really looks at her. He loved this woman more than he ever even realized was possible. He loved her with everything he had in him. "Listen, I screwed up. I made mistakes, over and over again, that hurt you. You will never know how much I regret that Gabby, how much I wish things were different. How much I regret not choosing you when I should have. I know that doesn't do anything to change the past. I know that doesn't help answer any of the questions you have. I'm sorry it doesn't... I'm sorry I can't give you the answers you deserve. You have put up with far more from me than you ever deserved to and I thank God every damn day that you still are with me. I know I don't deserve you. I know you deserve better, that you always have, and yet somehow you still chose me. I love you so damn much, Gabriella Dawson. So much. I will spend every day for the rest of our lives making sure you know that. Making sure you know and feel how much I love you because you deserve that and so much more from me."
The tears that she had managed to hold in for the majority of their conversation fell down her cheeks. She looked reached out gripping his hand in hers as they stared at each other, Matt's eyes shining with unshed tears. "I love you too, Matt." She whispers. "But it was never a choice... being with you, loving you? It was always you."
Casey nods, understanding her words, knowing she meant them.
"You will never understand how much I regret the choices I made in our past. I'll spend the rest of my life trying to make those choices up to you. I wish I could erase all the pain I ever caused you. I wish we could have had years together, instead of these past few months. But these past few months? Gabby, they have been the happiest of my life. And even though I can't change anything, I am so damn happy to be where we are now. If these last few months have taught me anything it's that there will never be anyone I could ever possibly love as much as I love you. You are it for me. From the minute you stepped foot in my life, you were it. You are it, Gabby."
Gabby nods. They couldn't change anything. They couldn't change what had been done in the past. She could spend their relationship being upset and bitter for choices made, she could hold them against him and doom this relationship before it ever got off the ground, or she could let it go. She could work on moving past it, not burying it, but actually moving on and letting forgiveness shine through.
If she held all of their past against him, if she blamed him, they would never move on... and dear God, did she want to move on.
He had told her his side, he had done what he could to explain his feelings, even if he didn't fully understand them, he had tried to explain them to her. That was all she could ask. Now it was up to her to let them move on.
No matter what Hallie said, she couldn't let herself be pushed back there. Hallie had been right; she didn't know anything about her and Matt's marriage. But the same could be said that Hallie knew nothing about their relationship as well, and she never would. She wouldn't let her words throw them off of everything they had fought for.
She knew Matt loved her; she knew she loved him. She knew that wasn't enough to make a relationship work, but it was enough of a reason to fight like hell to make this work because she could not imagine living a life without Matthew Casey in it. She didn't want to.
She stands up but doesn't go far, settling herself down into his lap with her legs resting on either side of him. She wraps her arms around his shoulders, snuggling her head into his neck. He wraps his arms around her squeezing her body tightly to his.
"I love you." She tells him, pressing a kiss into the side of his neck and running her fingers through the hair on the back of his neck. Matt squeezed her tighter and pressed a kiss to her head.
"I love you too."
Gabby pulls back, running her fingers over his stubbled cheek before leaning forward and capturing his lips with hers. They kiss for long minutes, calm presses letting themselves relax into the other.
When they finally part they rest their head together breathing the other in. Matt's hands snake under the sweater of his she was wearing and run along her smooth skin sending a shiver down her spine, his warm hands making her relax further into him.
She knew, no matter what, this is where she was meant to be. His presence enough to bring a calmness to her that no one else could. Their connection was unmatched. It was something she never understood. It was what made what they had so wonderful. It was what made what they had never a choice. It was always there, burning under the surface.
Because she knew they were meant to be. They always were, they always would be.
"We're going to be okay, right?" Matt asks softly, she can hear the concern in his voice, the fear that her answer could be anything but yes.
She nods her forehead against his, their noses brushing together.
"We already are." She clarifies, offering him a small smile.
Matt grins, bring his hand up to rest of the back of her head as he pulls her closer and presses a deep kiss to her lips.
Gabby lets his lips on hers get rid of any lingering fear she had and let herself relax into him as they let themselves forget about the past few days of stress and tension that had surrounded them.
All this time, we were waiting for each other
All this time, I was waiting for you
We got all these words
Can't waste them on another
So, I'm straight in a straight line; running back to you
Gabby moves around their bedroom getting ready as Matt finishes up in the bathroom and comes walking out with his jeans around his waist, his shirt in his hands.
He whistles as he walks in and catches sight of her. She had her hair down in curls, parted to the side, with her wake up done already. She had on a yellow sundress that looked beautiful against her caramel skin and a pair of brown wedges.
She looked beautiful, but he knew that was no surprise. The blush that came to her face was still enough to make him grin.
He pulled a light blue button-up shirt over his arms after throwing on his undershirt and moved over to her where she stood in the mirror still playing with her hair. He rests his hands on her hips, standing behind her and resting his chin on the top of her head as he took them in.
He loved that even with her heal on he could still tower over her. Her eyes met his through the mirror and she reached up, resting a hand on his cheek.
"You look beautiful." He tells her, his smile unmoving as he took her in, staring at their reflections in the mirror. They fit together so perfectly.
"Thank you, baby." She turns pressing a sweet kiss to his lips and running her hand down his chest. "You ready for this?" She asks.
He smiles, kissing her lips once more. "I am. You sure you are?" He teases, her nerves about them going to her parents for dinner still there.
She sends him a playful glare, choosing to ignore his question as she looks at the clock. "We should get going."
They head to the Dawson's house and pull up to an already full house. Antonio and Laura already there with the kids.
Gabby walks in, Matt trailing behind with the dessert Gabby had made in one hand. Her mother notices her first, a large smile falling onto her face. "Oh, Gabriella! Look at you Mija, you look beautiful." She pulls her daughter into a tight hug.
"Thanks mama. Te ves hermosa."
Camila pulls away, noticing Matt that has started talking with Antonio, and pulls him into a hug. "So good to see you again, Matthew."
Gabby's father stands back, waiting for his daughter to step to him. She grins, seeing him standing with his drink in hand leaned against the counter, taking it all in as he normally would. She steps into his arms. He presses a kiss to his little girls' forehead.
"Hi baby girl."
"Hey, papa."
They pull apart and he takes her in. She quirks a brow at his intense stare, "What?"
He shakes his head, a genuine smile falling onto his lips as he rests a hand on her cheek. "Nothing baby. You just look happy."
Gabby smiles. "I am daddy. I really am."
They all settle around the table when Camila calls them. Gabby takes a seat next to Matt, with her father on the other side of her. Diego claiming the seat next to Matt, the two already hitting it off though it was only their second meeting. Her mother took the other end of the table while Antonio, Laura and Eva took the other side.
They settle in to eat, the conversation flowing and soon turning to her parents upcoming anniversary party.
Casey looks on in confusion, Laura quickly filling in for him. "Their parents do a big blowout party every 10 years. This year is their 40th."
Matt nods, Gabby and him sharing a smile. "You'll love it." She tells him, realizing she hadn't even gotten a chance to mention it to him, it was still nearly two months away still after all. "Get to meet the entirety of the Dawson clan."
Matt rests his arm on the back of her chair, rubbing his hand along her shoulder. He still couldn't get over how beautiful she looked. "Sounds great." He tells her, their smiles unmoving.
Camila and Ramon share a look across the table, both noticing the happiness radiating off the couple. It had been a discussion between the parents since they had been introduced to their daughter's boyfriend 3 months ago. Gabby had told them they'd been together for a while. Antonio had told them another version. Saying his sister had known the man that had captured her heart for a long time, but that they had just gotten together more recently.
All they knew was that they had never seen their daughter happier, and the love that the two shared for one another was clear as day.
"Antonio and Laura will be celebrating their 9 year in a few months, so be ready, next year we will have another hell of a party." Ramon tells him. Antonio shakes his head.
"It will be nowhere near the bash they put on, but we will have something." He explains, resting a hand on his wife's leg.
"Who knows, maybe in a year we will be at a wedding as well." Camila says, throwing a pointed look to her daughter and Matt.
Gabby's eyes widen as Matt blushes, "Mom!" Gabby says in near horror causing Antonio to chuckle at his sister's expense.
"What?" Camila fakes surprise. "Don't give me that look. I already know I'm not scaring him off, I see the way he looks at you." She shrugs. It's Gabby's turn to blush, while Matt takes the comment in stride.
He would be lying if he said he hadn't thought of it, his conversation with Severide a few weeks ago still at the front of his mind.
Gabby shakes her head, unamused at her parent's intrusion into her love life. She looks to Casey, mumbling a sorry and he only smiles, leaning over to press a kiss into her head letting her know he was fine.
He was better than fine.
Gabby is thankful when the conversation diverts to Eva and Diego's school and away from her and Matt.
She helps her mother pick up while her brother and father take Matt out back to smoke cigars and sip at the scotch they had poured after dinner. She had teased him that he was officially "in" when her father had extended the offer for him to join them.
She washed the dishes with her mother as Laura entertained the kids in the next room.
"Matthew seems like a really wonderful man, Gabriella." Her mom says, Gabby can't help the smile that falls onto her face at the mention of him.
"He is mom." She tells her.
"I'm sorry if I overstepped earlier." She says, surprising Gabby.
"It's okay, mama. I know you meant well." Gabby says. She peers out the window over the kitchen sink. Finding Matt with his head thrown back in laughter. Antonio and her father leaned together as they laughed along with him.
"You love him." Camila says simply, it wasn't a question, but a statement.
Gabby smiles, her eyes not leaving the man in question. "Very much."
"He loves you too." Camila tells her. "The way he looks at you, there is no denying it. You two have something truly special Gabriella."
She moves her eyes back to her mother as she continues. "I know, even if you don't want to share it all with us, that you haven't always had an easy go at it. I know you've been through some terrible things baby, but you are the strongest person I know. Always have been... and now, you are the happiest I have ever seen you. I know I have that man out there to thank for that. For bringing such a big smile to your face. Happiness like that, love like this, it only comes around once in a lifetime. Don't let it go."
They head home a couple hours later after a few rounds of card games and watching the boys play basketball with Diego.
Gabby sets her purse down on the table near the door while Matt hangs his keys up and kick his shoes off.
She moves to the kitchen, Matt trailing behind her. She pulls two beers out of the fridge, passing one to him before hopping up onto the counter and popping the top off of hers, taking a long drink.
Matt moves to her, settling between her legs as they both drink their beers in silence.
Gabby sets her beer down and moves to take her earrings out. Matt sets his beer down next to hers and lifts her leg, pulling her wedges off her feet and setting them down on the kitchen floor.
Gabby moans in appreciating, curling her toes and stretching her sore feet. Matt settles back in between her legs, pushing her dress up just enough to make room for him to settle as close as the counter would allow.
He leans down pressing a long kiss to her lips, tasting the beer on her before pulling away. Gabby runs her hands up and down his arms.
"Thank you for coming today, I had a really good time. My family loves you." She tells him, smiling up at him.
He returns her smile. "You don't have to thank me, Gabby. I'm happy I was there; I really love your family too."
"I'm sorry uh, for my mom, by the way." Matt's brows furrow, confusion written into his features. "Her mentioning a wedding. I know it's not something we have talked about, or I'm sure even considered. I'm sorry if she made you uncomfortable, or anything. I know you didn't say anything I just, I want you to know I'm not expecting anything or pushing you, or anything. It's still early and I know I-…" Matt cuts her nervous rambles off pressing a deep kiss to her lips.
When he pulls back there is a grin resting on his face as he looks at her still nervous eyes.
"Your mother wasn't completely off base." He tells her softly, her eyes widening.
"W-what?" She stutters, her heart rate picking up.
"It's not something we have talked about, I know... but I would be lying if I said it wasn't something I had been thinking about. I know it's maybe too early to even talk about. I know we have only been together a few months now, but you know how much I love you. There is nothing I want more in this life than to call you my wife."
Gabby's eyes widen, her breath stalling, still unsure what this conversation means.
Matt runs his hand through her hair, tucking her curls behind her ear as he kisses her quickly before pulling back, still standing between her legs and keeping her close.
"That wasn't a proposal, by the way. When I do it, you'll know, but for right now I just want you to know... I love you, and I can't wait for the day you become my wife." He tells her softly, meaning every last one of those words.
Gabby simply nods, unable to form a coherent thought, her head spinning from this conversation.
They soon head off for bed silently. Settling down together as Gabby rests in his arms. Snuggling into his bare chest.
"Matt?" She whispers.
He hums his response, rubbing his hand over her bare back. "Just so you know... whenever you do ask, whenever you decide to propose? The answer will always be yes."
The smile that falls onto his face he is sure reaches ear to ear. He holds her tighter, snuggling her small frame closer as he presses a kiss to her head.
"Okay." He says softly, not wanting to disrupt the peace that surrounds them. "Good. Just so you know...I am going to ask, one day... one day soon."
Straight in a straight line
Running back to you
Straight in a straight line
Running back to you
Thanks for reading!
Please review and let me know what you thought of this one.
