Hello everyone, I'm back with a new chapter for you all. The response on the last one was incredible, I loved seeing your reactions to everything. I hope you guys enjoy this one as well.

Happy reading!


FORTY SEVEN


Cold.

That's the best way Gabby knew how to describe how she was feeling right now as she sat in the corner of the dim waiting room, her body shivering involuntarily as she sank further down into the uncomfortable chair. She was curled up into her seat, Gabby's head resting against the side of her arm as her gaze focused on the scuffed tile floor beneath her, the PIC not even registering to comforting motion of Shay constantly rubbing her hand up and down the side of her bent leg. She didn't register Severide pacing back and forth in front of her, or the occasional looks of sympathy and pity that would be thrown her way from her coworkers. She didn't register any of it, Gabby not able to stop herself from replaying what had happened at the scene an hour prior.

How Matt was hanging on for dear life between floors, in desperate need of help.

How he begged Walker, over and over, to come and help him.

How Walker seemingly stood there and did nothing.

And, maybe worst of all, she couldn't forget the sound of his screams when he lost his grip and fell through the floor. She couldn't forget the sound of impact when his body collided with the unforgiving ground. And she definitely couldn't forget the sound of his pass alarm going off, Matt knocked unconscious from the force of the fall.

She wasn't able to forget any of it, but she desperately wanted to.

She wanted to close her eyes and not see the image of Severide, Cruz, and Herrmann carrying Matt's limp body out of the fire on a backboard. She wanted to forget those agonizing moments while she waited outside the burning building, unsure if he was even still alive or not. She wanted to forget how he didn't wake up the entire ride to the hospital. She wanted to forget all of it. But she knew she probably wouldn't be able to for awhile, especially not until she knew he'd be okay.

Because right now, she had no idea. She knew some of his condition, but nothing substantial. She knew he was alive. That he, miraculously, didn't sustain any visible trauma. But she also knew that meant nothing. There was no way for her to know what kind of internal damage had been done; he could've broken his ribs, he could've had organ damage, he could've hurt his spine. There was no way for her to know, and the uncertainty was mind-numbing. All she wanted was to know how he was doing, and to be able to see him. But no one had let her yet.

She hadn't been able to see him, or even find out anything about his condition. And she didn't know how much longer she could wait. It felt like she couldn't breathe, like there was this pressure on her chest that wouldn't let up, and every breath was so physically demanding, she could barely do it anymore.

She felt like she did back in the locker room earlier today, that overwhelming sense of panic flooding her body, like at any moment she'd just break. Except this time was different, because she didn't have Matt here to help her through it.

"I need to tell you something."

Gabby drew in a shaky breath as she met his eyes, watching his frown deepen before he nodded, his eyes shining with concern as she gave his hand a squeeze. Before she could say anything else, he reached out to grab both her hands, Matt keeping a tight grip on her palms as he slowly stood up, gently pulling her up with him. Her legs felt unsteady, and she knew Matt could sense that, the firefighter wrapping an arm around her waist before leading her towards the benches. He guided her down, Gabby facing the back row of lockers while he sat down next to her, Casey straddling the bench so he directly facing her, the man always making sure he was touching some part of her, most likely so she knew he wasn't going anywhere.

"What's going on?" He asked gently, his knee brushing against hers as he sat as close to her as possible, Matt rubbing his hand up and down her back.

"I, um…" She was having a difficult time getting this conversation started, but Matt gave her all the time she needed, Casey remaining a strong, comforting presence by her side as she reached out, gripping his leg tightly. "I know- I know I've been distant lately, but it hasn't been because of you." Her words were shaky, Gabby's voice sounding unsure as he continued rubbing her back. "But, um- I, uh-"

Matt inched closer to her, Gabby seeing his frown deepen as she stumbled over her words. "It's okay." He murmured, sliding his hand down to her lower back as she released a heavy breath.

"Um, that day- the week before last when you first started helping at my mom's church… Before we left, when I came back in here to get my phone." She started, glancing towards him.

"I remember." He replied, Gabby nodding before she continued, doing what she could to focus on the comforting feeling of him rubbing his hand across her back.

"Well, uh, when I was leaving, Walker came in here, and he- he, uh-" She had to stop to take a breath, Gabby looking down towards the ground, noticing how Matt's hand stopped moving for a split second before he continued. "He threatened me." She felt him tense beside her, but she didn't look up, Gabby knowing she just needed to keep talking or she'd never get the words out. "...He told me not to say anything to you about things that had happened in our relationship- that he didn't want me talking to you about him. He was really mad, I hadn't seen him that mad in awhile, but he, uh- he slammed me into the lockers."

Gabby heard him intake a sharp breath, the paramedic reluctantly lifting her head up, finding a look of disbelief, mixed with anger and worry playing across his face, his entire body looking like it was about to snap.

"He what?" Casey's voice was low, Gabby drawing in a deep breath, tightening her hold on his leg for comfort.

"He pushed me into the lockers and held me there… He had his arm pinned against my chest so I couldn't move." She saw the anger take over, Matt doing what he could to keep a handle on it, but she could tell it was a battle he wasn't winning. "He kept saying that I wasn't allowed to tell you anything, that he knew I wouldn't, and he wouldn't let me go… He finally did, after I agreed, but he slammed me into the lockers again before he left." Tears were building in her eyes as the shaky words left her lips, Matt sucking in a deep breath, his gaze never leaving hers. "But he's been messing with me ever since."

"What's he been doing?" Matt's voice was rough, Gabby wincing slightly as she felt his muscles constrict underneath her touch.

"He's… He's just been trying to scare me. He'd try and get me alone a lot… he grabbed me a few times, and he shoved me into the wall in the ambulance-" Gabby saw Matt's eyes darkened for a split second, the firefighter going against his every instinct as he tried to control his rage. "Those bruises… the one on my back and my shoulder, and then the little ones on my arms, the ones you kept asking me about… They were from him."

"He hurt you." Matt spoke lowly, like he was trying to digest what he was being told, Gabby giving him a slow nod.

"And last night at Molly's, why I was acting like that… he cornered me in the back room and wouldn't let me leave." She breathed out, Matt's jaw tightening. "I know he was just messing with me, but he was talking about us, and you… and then he-" She cut herself off, shaking her head. "He brought up me having a miscarriage." She told him quietly, feeling him slide his hand around to her side, pulling her even closer to him. "He said he was glad I lost the baby, and everything, all of it, it just- it was too much and I wanted to forget it."

Matt gave her a slow nod, clenching his eyes shut for a split second before opening them once more, finding Gabby's hesitant and hurting gaze on him.

"But, um, that's- that's why I've been a little off lately, or whatever you want to call it." She spoke shakily, his eyes softening. "I just- all of this… he got in my head." Gabby admitted, wincing slightly as the words left her lips. "And I hate it, I know I should've said something, or not let him affect me but he did and I just-" She cut herself off, shaking her head as she tried to keep her tears at bay.

"...Why didn't you?" His voice was soft and non-accusatory, Gabby swallowing the thick lump that had formed in her throat as they locked eyes with one another. "Why didn't you tell me when it first happened?"

She could tell he wasn't angry, at least not at her, but he was confused. And he was worried, his glassy eyes not doing much to hide just how concerned he was.

Pursing her lips together, she lifted her hand from his leg, bringing it up to pinch the bridge of her nose, Gabby trying to get rid of the headache she'd had since last night, her breathing becoming a bit shallow. "I- I wanted to, but I was scared." She voiced quietly, her eyes plastered down to her lap as she continued pressing her fingers against her head. "I know I should've, and I'm sorry- I'm sorry for not telling you before, I'm sorry."

Her words were getting quicker, Gabby feeling that all too familiar sense of panic flooding her system as more tears filled her eyes, her heart dropping into her stomach when she felt him remove his hand from her back.

"Hey, hey, it's okay." He soothed, Gabby's rapidly beating heart beginning to settle slightly when she realized he wasn't going anywhere. "It's okay, alright? This isn't your fault, I'm not mad at you… You hear me? None of this is your fault. You have nothing to be sorry for." He told her strongly, Gabby closing her eyes as she felt him reach for her hands, Matt clasping them strongly in his. "Gabby… can you look at me?" He requested gently, Gabby slowly lifting her head, a lone tear siding down her cheek. "None of this is your fault." He repeated, letting his words resonate in her head before continuing. "I'm sorry this happened, I'm so sorry baby, but we'll deal with this, alright? I'll never let him hurt you again." He told her strongly, Gabby giving him a slight nod, doing what she could to hide the panic she was feeling. "I promise you, he'll never lay another hand on you. If it's the last thing I do, I'll never let him hurt you again."

Gabby's jaw quivered before giving him a slow nod, blinking back the heavy tears sitting in her eyes, Matt's lips turning down into a frown as he lifted his hand up to her head, resting his palm carefully over her cheek. He wouldn't take his eyes off of her, Gabby feeling herself slowly losing out to her emotions as he stroked his thumb across her cheek. She wasn't sure what he was thinking, but she saw a flicker of what appeared to be realization in his gaze, Gabby sniffling as another tear fell down her skin.

"Can I-" He cut himself off, his tongue darting out to wet his lips as he thought over his next words. "Can I ask you something?" He questioned, Gabby slowly nodding without any hesitation, Matt releasing a heavy breath before opening his mouth. "Was this… was this the first time he's hurt you?"

Gabby's entire body tightened the second she registered his question, her bottom lip beginning to shake as more tears filled her eyes, Matt eyebrows knitting together as she saw a quick flash of anger in his gaze, before it morphed into a look of complete devastation, Casey shaking his head slightly. She didn't need to say it out loud, she knew he got his answer based on the sadness she saw shining in his eyes.

"I-" His words got caught in his throat, another tear falling down her cheek, Matt releasing a shaky breath before slowly pulling her body into his. "I'm so sorry." He murmured as he held onto her, Gabby's head resting on his shoulder as she leaned into his chest, Matt's hand cradling her head as he held onto her. She could feel how tense he was, like he was trying his best to not show her his anger, but she felt comforted by his embrace nonetheless, Gabby relaxing into him as a few stray tears slid down her face, falling down onto his shoulder. "I'm so, so sorry."

He kept whispering those words, Gabby feeling him press occasional kisses to her head, her resolve fading as gripped onto his arm, Matt rubbing his hand up and down her side. After a few moments, she slowly felt herself beginning to settle down, her breathing becoming more and more steady as she focused on nothing but Matt. She focused on his touch, his breathing, the reassuring words he'd murmur into her ear; she let herself get completely lost in him, that being the only thing that was able to calm her down in this moment.

All she needed was him, and he was there. Just like he always promised.

She felt him shift underneath her, Gabby keeping a tight grip on him, not wanting to leave the comforting warmth his embrace provided her, Matt kissing the back of her head again before she heard him take a deep breath.

"...What happened today?"

His words were soft, yet deliberate, Gabby sensing he'd had them on the tip of his tongue for awhile, her eyes clenching shut as she suddenly felt a little bit of nerves creep up her spine, her body's immediate reaction reminding her of how she'd felt moments prior before Matt got here. She knew she needed to tell him, just like she needed to tell him everything, though this wasn't the time for that, Gabby drawing in a shaky breath as she let her body weight completely rest against him, Matt keeping a tight hold on her while gently rubbing his fingers back and forth over her hair.

"He, um- he was mad…" She started, feeling safe enough in his presence to open up to him. "He thought I'd told you what was going on, after he told me not to say anything. And he just- he was so angry." She felt his body tense slightly underneath her before he tried to relax, Gabby assuming he was doing what he could to not make her nervous. "He… He started choking me."

She felt his body go rigid again, but this time he never relaxed, Gabby feeling his breathing stop momentarily as he digested her words. For as angry as he'd been up to this point, she could tell from his body language alone that what he was feeling right now was an entirely different type of rage. But he said nothing, Gabby knowing she just needed to continue before she lost her nerve.

"...He grabbed my throat, and I couldn't breathe… I was trying to get him to stop, but he wouldn't- he wouldn't let me go." She told him from the safety of his embrace, Matt still motionless. "I, uh- I scratched his face, to try and get him to stop and I think that snapped him out of it, and he let me go… then he just ran."

Her words hung heavily in the air, Gabby trying to steady her breathing as she clutched onto his arm, the paramedic blinking quickly to keep more tears from falling as she waited for any kind of verbal response from the man holding her. But he never gave one.

"...Matt?" She spoke up after nearly a minute of silence, Gabby reluctantly pulling herself out of his embrace, sitting up straight as she met his gaze. There was an anger in his eyes that she'd never seen before, at least not from him. And when his gaze trailed down towards her neck, she saw his eyes darken even more, Gabby figuring there were some visible reminders of what Bryan had done to her on her skin. But still, he said nothing, Matt shaking his head before slowly pushing himself up from the bench, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing as he began walking towards the exit. "Matt?"

But he didn't stop, Gabby hearing him mutter something about how he was 'going to kill him' before he disappeared out of sight, the paramedic mustering up all the courage she had before following after him.

"Dawson."

Gabby jumped slightly at the sound of her name being called, the PIC blinking quickly before turning towards the voice, feeling Shay give her leg a soft squeeze as they locked eyes, Gabby quickly wiping under her eyes, knowing if she didn't the tears she'd been holding onto since they got here would start to fall.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Shay spoke softly, Gabby shaking her head before glancing around, seeing everyone pretty much in the same spot they'd been in since she last looked, Dawson pushing herself up slightly in her seat.

"It's okay." She replied, her voice rough from lack of use, Gabby crossing her arms protectively over her chest as she caught Walker's gaze from across the room. The man had kept his distance from practically everyone since they got here as he leaned against the wall, Bryan knowing he wasn't exactly in anyone's good graces after what happened on the call, as well as back at the house, Dawson looking away from him quickly. "What'd you say?"

"I asked if you wanted a drink." Shay repeated, Gabby quickly shaking her head, but the blonde was persistent. "Or maybe a snack or something."

"I'm alright, Shay." Dawson replied, watching as her partner raised an eyebrow, Shay angling her body towards her slightly.

"You sure? I don't mind going to the vending machine. I'm not sure when you last ate, but we might be here for awhile." The blonde continued, Gabby pursing her lips together. "Or I could even run to the cafeteria, get you a sandwich or something."

"I'm not hungry." Gabby spoke, her voice a bit firmer than it had been moments prior, telling Shay to drop it. "I appreciate it, but really, I'm fine." She continued, earning a reluctant nod from her partner.

"Alright… If that changes, let me know."

Dawson nodded to appease her friend, though she already knew her lack of appetite wouldn't be changing any time soon, the thought of eating anything right now making her nauseous. She knew Shay was trying to help, that she was just trying to look out for her, but she didn't really care about herself right now. All she cared about was finding out how Matt was, and the longer she went without knowing anything, the more stressed she became.

They shouldn't be here. This should've never happened, and this entire thing could've been avoided. Had Bryan just pulled him up when Matt first fell, they wouldn't be here right now. And Gabby couldn't let that go.

For as terrified as she'd been of Walker hours prior, now when she looked at him all she felt was rage. She felt nothing but complete and utter anger whenever she saw him. She was angry because there was only one reason, and one reason alone, why Bryan didn't help Matt in that fire; and that was because of her. He'd taken his wrath towards her out on Matt, and it could've gotten him killed. And that, more than any other emotion she was feeling right now, pissed her off.

Maybe she should still be scared of him, and a part of knew if not for the situation they were in, she still would be. That once her mind cleared, and she knew Matt would be okay, that fear might settle back in if she were to ever be alone with him again. But right now, all she felt was anger.

She was angry, because this never should've happened. She was angry, and she was worried, because they'd gone this long without hearing any updates on Matt's condition. And she was scared, but that fear wasn't because of Walker.

She was scared because she had no idea if her boyfriend was alright. He was somewhere in this hospital, but she didn't know where, or how he was doing and if he was okay, and that didn't sit well with her. None of this sat well with her.

And she just wanted Matt.

She wanted to see him, to hear from him that he was okay. To get the confirmation she so desperately needed that he'd be alright. She needed that, and every second she went without getting that, it was becoming harder and harder for her to keep herself calm.

Today had been a hard day, for a lot of reasons, but Matt was her priority right now. She could deal with everything else later, all she needed right now was to know he was fine, to be able to see for herself that he was alright. And until she got that, nothing else mattered.

"Surely they know something by now." Severide huffed out, the man having not stopped his pacing since they got here, Gabby being pulled from her thoughts as she glanced towards him, his words earning a few nods from the other first responders.

"They'll come and tell us what's going on as soon as they can." Boden replied, even though they all already knew that. Unfortunately, they'd been in this position more times than they would have liked. While, luckily, it wasn't too common of an occurrence, everyone in this room had been in this situation multiple times before, they all knew the process. But that didn't mean it ever got any easier.

"I'm sure he'll be fine."

Walker's voice spoke up for the first time since they all arrived, heads snapping to the other side of the small waiting room, looking at the man who was leaning up against the wall. Gabby couldn't help but look his way too, the PIC trying to get a read on him. She knew he wasn't sorry, she wasn't even sure he was capable of having remorse for what he'd done, at least not for the right reasons. If he was sorry at all, it was because of how this incident would affect him. He didn't care about how he'd hurt Matt, and he certainly didn't care about how he'd hurt her, but what he did care about was how everyone at the firehouse saw him, and she was sure even he knew there was no coming back from this.

Bryan caught sight of all the harsh stares on him, the firefighter taking a deep breath before pushing himself off the wall, taking a few small steps forward. "He was stable when we got him out, I'm sure he's fine." His voice was light, but hesitant, Severide's eyes narrowing as the Lieutenant stopped pacing.

"You mean when we got him out." Severide emphasized, waving his hand around in a circle around the group of firefighters near him, excluding Walker from his gesture. "We're the ones who got him out. You're the one who left him." Kelly spat angrily, his rage being felt by everyone in the room.

"Severide-"

"What are you even still doing here? What, are you waiting around to try and see the damage you caused up close?" Severide continued, his sharp words cutting through the tense air, Bryan drawing in a slow breath.

"I'm sorry, Kelly. I didn't mean for this-"

"You're sorry?" Severide cut him off, shaking his head angrily. "You're sorry for what? For whatever you did to Dawson before this call?" Kelly snapped, Gabby wincing slightly when she caught Bryan's hard gaze, Shay reaching out to place a supportive hand on her back as everyone, aside from Kelly, glanced her way. "You're sorry for that? Or you're sorry for trying to get Casey killed? What exactly are you sorry for?"

"Kelly…"

"What?!" He nearly shouted, his anger getting the best of him. "What could you possibly say that could excuse what you did?" Bryan's jaw tightened as Severide continued to yell at him, his loud voice surely getting the attention of most of the floor by now. "Casey was in there, begging for you to help him. And you just let him fall."

"That's not-"

"You had time to get to him." Severide interrupted roughly, Walker taking another step closer. "We all heard it over the radio, he asked for your help, over and over and over again, and you just stood there!"

"You weren't there, Kelly!" Bryan yelled, the firefighter unable to mask his anger any longer. "You have no idea what happened! Casey and I were the only ones there! So don't stand there and berate me when you weren't there! I-"

"You tried to kill him."

Gabby's soft voice broke through the shouting, everyone stopping and turning to look at her, finding her cold, dark eyes trained on her former fiancé. She saw a flash of uncertainty in Bryan's gaze, like he was almost confused she was talking to him. And maybe she shouldn't have been. After what he did to her, she should do nothing but avoid him, knowing there was no way to know what he'd do next. But at this moment, she didn't care. She didn't feel that fear or that worry he'd caused her over the last couple of weeks. She didn't feel any of that. She just felt anger.

"Dawson…" Boden spoke up, but she ignored him, Gabby slowly pushing herself up from her chair, missing the way Kelly took a step closer, like he was trying to make sure he stayed in between her and Walker.

"You tried to kill him. There's no excuse for that." She continued, her body tense as she took another step forward, feeling Shay come up behind her.

"No, I didn't-"

"You could've helped him!" She shouted, Bryan's eyes narrowing as everyone watched the two of them, no one sure of what to say or do. "We all heard him begging you to help him, and you just left him to die!"

"I didn't do anything to your boyfriend." He spat back, Gabby shaking her head. "You weren't there." He added through gritted teeth.

"It should've been you." She said before he could even finish speaking, the force of her words stunning the room, Walker's eyes widening slightly as he registered what she said. "It should've been you who fell through the floor, I wish it had been you."

"Dawson-"

"Casey didn't deserve that, you should have helped him." She continued, never taking her eyes off the man in front of her. "And everyone in this room knows had the roles been reversed, he would've helped you. He wouldn't have even thought about leaving you there… But you didn't help him. You stood there and watched him fall through the floor, all because you're mad at me."

"This isn't about-"

"It should've been you!" She snapped, barely registering Shay placing a comforting hand on her back. "If this was going to happen to anyone, I wish it had been you."

"Family of Matthew Casey?"

Gabby turned away from Walker instantly, their current conversation getting pushed aside without a thought as she saw the doctor walking towards them, the groups' attire an obvious giveaway as the first responders formed a semi-circle in front of the man.

"I'm guessing you all are here with him." He added, his words earning a few nods from the group, Gabby taking a slight step forward while Walker distanced himself.

"We are. How is he?" Boden asked, the unfamiliar doctor looking down at the chart in his hands, Gabby feeling a bit lightheaded as they all waited for him to say something, but she ignored the feeling.

"Well, considering what happened, he's doing very well." The group released a collective sigh of relief, the air in the room a thousand pounds lighter now that they knew that, overall, Casey was alright. "He, somehow, didn't sustain much damage in the fall. He has some bumps and bruises, a few cuts. And he did bruise a few of his ribs. But nothing was broken. Truly, it's kind of miraculous he didn't have more injuries, but he's fine. More sore than anything else at the moment."

"Is he awake?"

"He is." The man responded, tears of relief flooding Gabby's eyes as she faltered back slightly, a few of the first responders seeing how unsteady she was, Mouch placing a supportive hand on her shoulder as he stood behind her.

"What about his head?" Shay asked, continuing to rub Dawson's back, the blonde becoming more and more concerned for her friend as Gabby was being unnervingly quiet. "Does he have a concussion or anything?"

"All those tests were negative. He woke up shortly after he was brought in. Mr. Casey knew what was going on, he remembered what happened, there were no issues there." The doctor told them. "And all his other scans were clear, there's no internal damage we can see. He's doing just fine. We'll want to keep him overnight, just because he did take a nasty fall, and we want to make sure nothing pops up here in the next few hours, but he's alright."

"Thank God." Herrmann breathed out, a few similar sentiments being heard from around the room.

"Can I see him?"

Everyone glanced towards Dawson, the first responders taken aback by how small and timid she looked, like she still didn't quite believe he was alright. She locked eyes with the doctor, seeing a look of something she couldn't read flicker over his face.

"Please." She continued before he could say anything. "I'm his girlfriend, can I please see him?" She nearly begged, which was something the men and women of 51 definitely weren't used to hearing from her. But in this situation, they couldn't blame her.

Slowly, the doctor nodded, Dawson releasing a grateful breath. "Yes, of course… You must be Gabby." He replied, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing as she glanced around at her coworkers, seeing similar looks of confusion. "Mr. Casey kept mentioning you, he wanted to make sure you were okay." He added, Gabby's face softening as a small smile tugged on the edges of her lips. "I can take you to him now, if you'd like."

Gabby nodded quickly, beginning to move towards him, eager to finally lay her eyes on her boyfriend and make sure he truly was alright. But she barely got a step before she stumbled a little, her legs feeling weak beneath her as the stress of the day finally caught up with her, Severide and Herrmann both reaching out to grab her.

"Dawson, hey, you alright?" Kelly asked, supporting her weight until she was back on her own two feet, Gabby giving a slight nod as she ignored the weird feeling coursing throughout her body.

"I'm fine, I just moved too fast." She waved them off, missing the clear looks of worry among her friends.

"Do you need to sit down? We can take a minute." The doctor offered, but Gabby immediately shook her head.

"No, I want to see him. I'm alright." She repeated, the doctor nodding before beginning to walk away from the group, Gabby quickly following after him.

Shay kept her eyes on Gabby until she disappeared around the corner, the paramedic shaking her head before glancing towards Kelly, seeing a similar look of concern in his eyes.

"Shay…" He spoke quietly, the blonde raising her eyebrows slightly.

"Yeah?" She asked, her eyes narrowing in intrigue when she saw Kelly look back towards the direction Dawson had just gone, before he found her gaze again.

"...Did you see her neck?" He questioned lowly, Shay releasing a heavy breath before biting down on the inside of her cheek, Kelly taking a step closer to her. She had noticed the bruising while they were sitting here, Shay seeing the unsettling marks that covered both sides of her throat, and she wasn't surprised others had noticed as well. "Was that… do you think that's what Walker did to her? And why Casey decked him?"

"I don't know." Shay replied quickly, her gaze flickering behind her best friend towards Bryan, her jaw clenching in anger. "But if he did, I'm gonna kill him."

Across the room, Boden slowly made his way towards Walker, the firefighter having distanced himself from everyone since learning of Casey's condition, Bryan's spine straightening when he noticed the Chief coming to a stop in front of him.

"I believe Dawson and Severide have said enough… that you don't need to hear from a third person how inexcusable your actions today were."

"Chief-"

Boden held his hand up, signaling the man to stay quiet, Bryan reluctantly closing his mouth, knowing unlike with Dawson and Severide, he couldn't fight back. "There's nothing to discuss here. It's pretty clear what happened- that whatever happened between you and Dawson today, which we will be discussing later, that affected how you handled yourself out on the call. And, as I've told you many times- too many times, your actions have consequences." He kept his voice firm and detached, Boden unsure of how the man in front of him had fallen so far from the firefighter he met all those years ago. "You're suspended indefinitely, pending further review." Walker's eyes widened, Boden shaking his head as Bryan opened his mouth to interject. "There's nothing for you to say here. There's no defense for what you did. You left Casey to die in that fire, and that is inexcusable... Don't be surprised if today was the last call you ever work."

Boden turned to walk away, finding the eyes of his firehouse on him, no one sure of what to say, if they should say anything at all, the Chief ignoring their glances as he began walking back to the front of the room.

"Casey came at me."

Walker's voice stopped him, Boden sighing heavily before turning back around, everyone looking back and forth between the two men. "Casey sucker punched me out of nowhere, and he gets off because he got hurt? I'm sorry Chief, but this is bullshit."

"The Lieutenant and I will be having a discussion about what happened today." Boden replied calmly, seeing the man seething a few feet from him. "But I have a good feeling that his actions were not unprompted." He added pointedly, Walker swallowing thickly.

"You don't know the whole story…"

"I know you did something to Dawson." Boden replied roughly, Walker drawing in a slow breath as he caught a few of the tense stares from his coworkers. "You did something to her after you have been told time and time again to leave her alone, which don't think that's something that won't be dealt with just because of what happened on the call today."

"Chief-"

"I don't want to hear it." He snapped, Boden speaking with an anger in his voice they weren't used to hearing from him. "You'll have your chance to tell your side of the story. As will Dawson." Boden responded, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "...And thankfully, so will Casey." He finished, turning around and walking away without another word.


Gabby clenched her hands together in front of her as she followed the man in the white coat down the hallway, her heart pounding in her chest as her eyes darted around her surroundings. She tried to make herself familiar with the route, Gabby unsure of how long Matt would be staying here. According to his doctor, he was fine. And she believed that, but she knew they had already determined to keep him overnight, and she wasn't sure if he'd need to stay any longer than that. But all she did know was that as long as he was here, she would be as well, Gabby committing every turn and landmark to memory.

"Alright, here we are." The doctor spoke, Gabby blinking quickly as she looked at the closed door. The blinds on his windows were drawn, Gabby having no view of her injured boyfriend as she stood in the hallway, the paramedic glancing up towards the man beside her. "You can stay with him as long as you like. We've finished all our testing, so we'll really just be checking in on him periodically. Nurses will be coming in and out, but that's nothing out of the normal. He might be resting now, he was a bit tired when I left him. But rest is good, sleep is the best thing for him right now."

Gabby paid close attention to everything being said to her, wanting to make sure she had all the information possible to be able to best take care of him, her only focus being on Matt.

"You can go in." He prompted, Gabby giving him a nod before she took a few steps towards the door.

"I, uh- I didn't get your name." She said as she stopped in front of his room.

"Dr. Landry, ma'am." The man, who was maybe a little older than Matt, replied, flashing her a warm smile, one Gabby did her best to reciprocate.

"Thank you… For taking care of him." She murmured as her hand blindly found the handle, the doctor giving her a slight nod.

"I'm just glad he's alright. I'll be back to check in on him a little later." He replied, Gabby responding with a thankful nod before she turned towards the door, the PIC taking a deep breath before slowly pushing it open, doing her best to keep quiet.

When she got through the doorway, she immediately stopped when she took in the sight of Matt's sleeping form, Gabby feeling an instant rush of relief at being able to see him in person as tears flooded her eyes. He looked the same, aside for some bruising that was already starting to form, some of the discoloration peeking out from behind his hospital gown. But, regardless of the few bumps and bruises, he was still Matt. He was still her Matt. And she'd never felt more grateful to see him in her life.

Drawing in a deep, albeit shaky, breath, Gabby slowly walked further into the room, carefully closing the heavy door behind her, not letting go of the handle until it was firmly in place against the frame.

"You don't have to move so slowly, I'm awake."

The sound of his voice was like music to her ears, Gabby unable to stop the smile that formed across her lips before she turned around to face him, her glassy brown eyes immediately finding his bright blue ones.

"Hey beautiful."

Gabby did what she could to keep her emotions under control as he flashed her that wide Casey grin, Matt slowly lifting his hand out towards her, silently encouraging her to come closer. She immediately obliged to his gesture, Gabby walking towards his bed, coming to a stop beside him.

The smile on his face faltered when he saw her red eyes, his features hardening in anger when he got a look at her neck, the irritated skin partially covered by her jacket. But he could still see the bruising, and all that rage he felt before the call came rushing back, Matt doing what he could to keep a handle on it. He could tell just from one look that he'd scared her, and right now his only focus was making sure she was alright. As much as he wanted to go find Walker and beat the shit out of him, Gabby came first. And in his condition, he wasn't sure that was a fight he could win.

"You… You're okay." She breathed out, like she needed to say it out loud to help herself believe it, Matt immediately nodding as he reached out for her hand, lacing his fingers through hers.

"I'm okay." He promised, rubbing his thumb along her skin, his frown deepening when he noticed how her face lacked its usual color, Gabby looking a little more pale than normal. "Why don't you sit down?" He suggested, ignoring the soreness he felt as he shifted his body to the side, Matt giving her more room to place her body down on his bed.

Answering with a nod, Gabby sat down on the edge of his bed, her hip resting against his thigh as she took a deep breath, reaching out to place her free hand over his chest. She could feel the outline of some wires underneath the material, Gabby knowing he was hooked up to all sorts of monitors, but the rhythmic beeping actually comforted her, the sound merely giving her more affirmation that he was alright.

"You feeling okay?" He asked softly, letting their conjoined hands fall down to his stomach, Matt placing his other one over his chest on top of hers.

"I'm not the one in the hospital." She deflected, Matt shaking his head as he gave her a pointed look.

"I know… but you don't look like you feel too good. After everything today, before the call… I want to make sure you're alright." His words were soft and honest, Gabby giving him a nod as tapped her fingers against his chest.

"I'm… I'm alright. I was just worried about you." She replied, Matt's lips turning down into a slight frown. He knew she had more to be upset about than just what happened to him, but he couldn't help but think it made her feel better to focus her energy on him instead of what happened to her. So he wouldn't push it, at least not right now. "...You really scared me, and all this just kind of freaked me out. But you're fine, so I'm alright."

"I am fine." He repeated almost immediately, knowing it could only help her to hear it again. "I'm sorry this happened, I'm sorry I scared you… But I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere." His voice was strong, Gabby feeling more tears well in her eyes as her emotions started hitting her at once. She'd been able to keep them contained up until now, Matt's safe presence letting her feel everything she'd been burying down all day as a lone tear slid down her cheek. "It's okay." He murmured, slowly leading her down towards him, Gabby sniffling as she carefully fell down into his chest, Matt wrapping his arms around her as she laid on her side. He could feel her body trembling slightly as she clutched onto his hospital gown, Matt resting his cheek down against the top of her head, rubbing over her side as he held onto her for the second time today. "We're okay… It'll be okay. I promise."

He kept whispering comforting words to her, Matt ignoring every ounce of pain he was feeling from her weight against his sore body, none of that mattering to him in this moment as focused all his attention on the woman in his arms, knowing they both needed this. They both needed just a second, to try and move past the worry and fear they both felt for each other at different points today.

They just needed each other. And that's exactly what they had.


"Did he say where they were?" The older woman asked her husband as they stood in the back of the packed elevator, the older man shaking his head as he watched the numbers go up towards the correct floor.

"He didn't say, I'm not sure he knows. He just told me that Leslie told him they were on the fifth floor… and that Gabriela wasn't doing well." He replied quietly, the woman shaking her head sadly.

"I wouldn't expect her to be. We know how much he means to her, and depending on how badly he's hurt, I can only imagine how shaken up she is." She responded, the married couple sliding past everyone to get out of the elevator when they arrived at their floor. "Was it only Matthew who got hurt?"

"He was the only one Antonio mentioned." The man replied, walking down the hallway holding his wife's hand, the entirety of who they knew to be Firehouse 51 coming into view as they came around the corner. While they didn't know everyone their daughter worked with on a personal level, they knew a lot of their names, and they'd met most of them before.

"Leslie." The older woman called, the blonde's head snapping up as she looked at the parents she'd come to know quite well over the years, Shay immediately pushing herself up from her seat.

"Ramon, Camila… I wasn't expecting to see you guys here." She spoke, Ramon catching a few stares from the first responders around them, the older Dawson recognizing most of the faces, though he did his best to ignore one in particular.

"Antonio called us, I'm guessing after he got off the phone with you… How's Matthew doing?" Ramon asked, Camila's eyes darting around the room, soon landing on the one person who wasn't sitting with the rest of the group, Bryan waiting alone in the corner. They locked eyes momentarily, Camila seeing an unreadable expression in his gaze before he quickly looked away.

"He's alright." Shay responded, everyone seeing the immediate relief that came from Ramon and Camila. "His doctor said he's gonna be fine. He doesn't really have any serious injuries, from how they made it sound. Just some bruises, and a few bruised ribs. But he got very lucky."

"Thank goodness." Camila murmured, her hand resting across her chest as Ramon placed his hand on her shoulder. "When Antonio called us, I wasn't sure what to think."

"Yeah, yeah, I talked to him before we found out about Casey. I'm sorry, I would've called you guys, but I didn't realize you knew." She replied regretfully, Ramon shaking his head.

"It's fine, dear. We're just glad he'll be alright." He said, looking past Shay for a moment. "Where is Gabriela?"

"She's with Casey. They just took her back maybe ten, fifteen minutes ago. I'm sure if you go ask one of the nurses, they'll let you see him." She answered softly, Camila giving her a grateful nod.

"Thank you, Leslie." She spoke, bringing her daughter's partner in for a quick hug, a gesture the paramedic reciprocated, Ramon following suit and giving the woman a hug as well. Out of all of their daughter's coworkers, Shay was the one they'd spent the most time with, and they knew how important she was to Gabriela.

"It was nice to see you guys… I wish it were under better circumstances, but I know Gabby and Matt will be glad you're here." Shay responded, earning nods from both the parents before they began walking towards the nurses station, Ramon giving a nod to Severide as well, the older Dawson having spent more time with Kelly recently because of Matt.

"Those were Gabby's parents, right?" Cruz asked once they'd disappeared down the hallway, Severide nodding.

"Ramon and Camila, yeah." Kelly answered, him and Shay moving back to their seats. "They're great." While Severide hadn't spent as much time with them as Shay had, he had met them a lot in passing, and Kelly had spent more time with Ramon recently as he sometimes tagged along with him and Casey. And one thing he did know was that they were very sweet, good-natured people.

"And they came all the way here for Casey?" He continued, Severide shrugging as he glanced at Shay.

"Yeah, I guess… I mean, if all they heard was that Casey had fallen through the floor, I'm not surprised they'd be worried." He replied, unsure of where this conversation was heading, Severide seeing a lot of curious eyes on him.

"No, yeah I get it. I guess I just didn't realize how serious Dawson and the Lieutenant really were...Him being close with her parents and everything." Cruz said, Kelly seeing a few of their coworkers nod as well.

"They love each other, Cruz. That's pretty serious to me." Shay replied, Joe giving her a nod before she relaxed back into her seat, her eyes moving towards Walker, Shay seeing the man tense up as he sat alone, clearly not liking the current topic of discussion.

Down the hallway, Ramon and Camila followed the signs towards Matt's room, the couple eager to get there and check in on their daughter and her boyfriend, knowing today couldn't have been easy on either of them. Luckily, it seemed like Matt would be okay. But they knew it could've been so much worse, and they could only imagine how worried their Gabriela must have been.

"Here it is." Camila spoke, dropping her husband's hand as they approached the closed door. Not exactly sure what they'd be walking into, Camila knocked on the dark wood, waiting for any sign that they could come in. But they never got one, Ramon giving her a nod before he reached for the handle, slowly pushing open the door.

What they saw when they opened the door brought soft smiles to both their faces, the couple taking quiet steps further into the room. Gabby was lying on the bed, her body facing the wall as she was resting against Matt's chest. His arms were wrapped around her while one of her legs hung off the side of the bed, the other tucked up underneath herself, the pair making the most of what small space they had. It was clear to them that Gabriela was asleep, their daughters arms curled up against Matt as he had one hand resting on her waist, and the other arm holding her across her upper body, like he was determined to keep her close. And from what they could tell, it looked like Matt was asleep as well, the man's eyes closed as his chin was resting on the top of Gabby's head.

They looked completely content, something Ramon and Camila could only assume hadn't been the case most of the day.

"We should let them rest…" Ramon spoke softly, Camila nodding in agreement. "I can't imagine the type of day they've had, we'll wait out there with the rest of them."

Just as the Dawsons were about to leave, they saw Casey shift on the hospital bed, the man slowly opening his eyes, blinking quickly to adjust to the light in the room before the two new faces came into view. When Matt realized who it was standing just inside his door, he shot them a small smile as he slowly woke up.

"Hi." His voice was groggy, Camila grinning softly as she moved towards the bed, Ramon following her lead.

"Hi Matthew… I'm sorry, we didn't mean to wake you." She spoke, her smile widening slightly when she saw Matt running his hand lazily up and down Gabby's side, Camila not even sure he realized he was doing it.

"It's alright." He replied, clearing the sleep from his throat before continuing. "What are you guys doing here?"

"We heard about what happened at that fire today. We wanted to make sure you were alright." Ramon responded quietly, all three of them being mindful of the fact that Gabby was still sleeping.

Even though her face was partially hidden being buried into Matt's chest, from their closer view Camila and Ramon could both see how exhausted their daughter was, and they wanted her to sleep as long as possible.

"You guys didn't have to do that." He murmured, wincing slightly as he adjusted his body the best he could with most of Gabby's weight on top of him, a twinge of pain shooting through his ribs.

"We wanted to make sure you were okay." Camila responded, reaching out to rest a gentle hand on his shoulder, neither of them missing the look of discomfort still lingering across his features. "When Antonio called us and told us what happened, we both kind of panicked a little, and we wanted to come and make sure you were alright… I hope that's not a problem."

"No, no, of course not." Matt was quick to respond. "It means a lot to me that you guys came here." He added, Camila smiling softly as she rubbed over his shoulder.

"So how are you feeling, son?" Ramon asked as Matt took a deep breath, the firefighter glancing down to Gabby as she subconsciously curled herself deeper into his chest. He couldn't imagine the position she was in was comfortable, with her body halfway off the bed while she laid sideways, but she was sleeping, which is what mattered.

"Well, I've definitely been better… Luckily I didn't really hurt anything, but it still feels like I fell through a building." He answered, earning understanding nods from both of the Dawsons. "I'm hurting a little bit, but it's mostly just soreness. I'll be fine."

"You've really gotta stop making a habit of falling through floors, Matthew." Camila added lightly, shaking her head as a soft chuckle left Casey's lips.

"Yeah, that's definitely not something I should continue doing. I'd say twice is plenty." He agreed with a soft scoff, Matt looking back towards Gabby. "Luckily this time wasn't too bad… and I'm just glad that she wasn't in there with me." He breathed out, Matt rubbing over her arm as Ramon and Camila shared a knowing look.

Everyone in the room remembered that accident well, and they weren't exactly happy memories of Gabby and Matt falling through the floor. But the parents knew Matt was right, that thankfully, this incident wasn't anywhere near as bad as that one. And, though they felt terrible for what had happened, they agreed with what Casey had sad, that they were glad Gabby hadn't been in there with him.

"But I'm alright, it might take a few days before I really feel back to being myself, but I'm fine. And luckily no one else was hurt." Casey finished, Ramon giving him a nod.

"What all happened in there?" He asked, Matt raising his eyebrows. "Did the floor just give out?"

"Well, um-"

Matt cut himself off when he felt Gabby starting to move on top of him, all eyes moving towards the paramedic as she slowly started to wake up. Casey could feel her tense immediately when she came into consciousness, like she wasn't exactly sure where she was, but she soon relaxed as he kept rubbing over her side, Gabby lifting her head up to look towards Matt.

"Are you okay?" Were the first words out of her mouth, her voice barely audible as Matt gave her a nod.

"I'm fine… Your parents are here."

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, Gabby slowly turning to look beside the bed, the younger Dawson just now registering her parents' presence beside the bed.

"Hi mija." Ramon greeted quietly, Gabby clenching her eyes shut for split second, trying to get her vision to focus as she began to sit up, Matt letting go of her so she could move.

"What are you guys doing here?" She asked, her body still partially angled towards Matt as they stood beside them, Casey returning his hand to her waist.

"Antonio called us, and we came to check on you both. And to see how Matthew was doing." Camila answered the same question Casey had moments prior, Gabby giving them a nod as her mind cleared a little bit, the paramedic feeling a little better after her nap, even though she'd hadn't slept for more than maybe ten minutes. "You both were asleep when we got here… we were about to leave but Matt woke up so we stayed. I'm sorry if we woke you though, you looked pretty tired." She added, stroking her fingers through Gabby's hair.

"It's alright." She replied, a yawn escaping her lips just as she spoke, Matt feeling her lean her body weight into his side, like she was trying her hardest to snap out of her exhaustion.

"We won't keep you much longer, I want you both to get some rest, I'm sure you've had a long day. But Matt here was just telling us what happened." Ramon spoke, Gabby's body immediately tensing. Her parents' both wore their own looks of confusion and slight concern when they saw their daughter's reaction to the simple statement, Camila brushing her hand over the side of Gabby's face.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" She asked softly, Gabby looking towards Matt as she gnawed on her bottom lip, Casey sensing her nerves. "You are okay, aren't you, Matthew?" Camila pressed when neither of them had said anything, the woman worried there was more going on than she was told.

"No, no I'm fine. It's not that…"

"Then what?" She asked, sparing a glance to her husband. "What's-"

"Bryan's the reason he's here." Gabby cut in, refusing to lift her head as she focused her attention on the white blanket covering Matt's body, Casey seeing Camila's confused look immediately.

"What?"

"What do you mean, Gabriela?" Ramon added, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before responding.

"Bryan, he's- he's the reason Matt got hurt. Why we're even here in the first place. None of this should've ever happened." She breathed out, blinking back the fresh tears in her eyes, the taxing day taking its toll on her.

"What does that mean? What happened?" Camila questioned, trying to get more information as she looked back and forth between her daughter and Matt. "What did he do?"

"He, uh… He was there, when I fell through the floor." Matt started, knowing it would be easier on Gabby if he was the one to tell the story, especially considering he and Walker were the only ones there when it happened. "I was able to hold myself up, for a few seconds… I was- I kept asking Walker to help me, to help pull me up before I fell but he… He just stood there." Camila's mouth parted open in shock, Ramon shaking his head angrily as Gabby continued to look at the bed, Matt making sure to keep rubbing soothing patterns along her side. "I asked him over and over to help me up, but he wouldn't… then I couldn't hold on anymore, and I fell."

"Oh my God." Camila breathed out, sparing a quick glance to her husband. "I can't believe he'd- why in the world would he do that? What is wrong with him?" She rambled furiously, Matt seeing how upset this had made her.

"Please tell me he's getting fired." Ramon's rough voice hit Casey's ears, Matt shrugging slightly, ignoring the slight pain he felt from moving his muscles.

"I don't know… Gabby, and you all, are the only people I've seen. I'm not sure what's going to happen."

"I still can't believe he'd do something like that." Camila breathed out, her hand coming up to cover her mouth. "I mean, I know he's been a terrible person, but to do something like that? I just-... I don't know what to say."

"He did it because of me." Gabby's voice cut in, Ramon and Camila both looking at their daughter.

"What do you mean because of you?"

"Because you two are together?"

Her mother and father both asked their questions at the same time, Gabby pursing her lips together as drew in a deep breath.

"It wasn't because we're together… at least not directly." She started, her voice soft and a little unsteady. "He… He's been threatening me, and messing with me."

You could hear a pin drop in the hospital room, Gabby keeping her focus trained downwards as a thick silence filled the room, the paramedic missing the anger and uncertainty playing over her parents' features.

"...What?" Ramon questioned first, Gabby hearing an anger in her father's voice she hadn't heard in a long time. "What did he do?"

Unsure of how to voice what she needed to tell them, she quickly found Matt's supportive gaze, Casey giving her a soft nod. "It's okay." He murmured, quietly encouraging her to just get the words out. Sucking in a deep breath, Gabby finally turned to face her parents, seeing their unsettling looks, both of them trying to understand what was going on.

"Honey, what are you talking about? What did he-" Camila cut herself off abruptly, her breath catching in her throat when she saw Gabby's neck, her eyes roaming over the discolored skin covering her throat, the woman stunned momentarily before she found her voice. "...He did that to you?" She asked carefully, like she was afraid of her own question, Gabby's jaw trembling slightly.

"He did what? What are you talking about?" Ramon asked, clearly not seeing what his wife was.

"Her neck." Camila murmured, shaking her head in horror, Gabby having to keep herself from looking away from her parents as more tears filled her eyes. All the fear and pain she'd been pushing down since Matt's accident was coming back a vengeance, Gabby forcing herself to focus on the feeling on Matt rubbing his hand over her back. "...Look at her neck."

Gabby averted her gaze as her father looked back at her, missing the way his eyes darkened in anger when he saw the prominent bruising along her skin, the discoloration consistent around the sides of her throat. Without even asking, Ramon knew there was only one thing that would've caused an injury like that, and that realization sent rage coursing through his body.

"Bryan did that?" Ramon asked quietly, Gabby sniffling as a lone tear slid down her cheek before she answered with a slow nod.

"...It happened today, before the call." She replied quietly, her voice barely audible. "He… He was really mad at me, and he- he started choking me." Her hand involuntarily came up to rest against her chest, Gabby's fingers tracing over her skin.

"Oh, honey." Camila murmured, her eyes shining with devastation as she stepped towards her daughter, wrapping her up in a tight hug, cradling her head against her body, Gabby letting herself relax in her mom's arms.

From the comfort of her mother's embrace, she saw movement out of the corner of her eye, Gabby pulling back slightly when she saw her father beginning to pace beside Matt's bed. "Dad?" She asked softly, Ramon drawing in a deep breath before shaking his head angrily, running his hand over his mouth as he stomped towards the door.

"Ramon?" Camila asked, but he ignored the calls of his family as he disappeared through the doorway, Ramon storming out into the hallway, leaving his wife and daughter with Matt as the rage coursing through his body led him directly towards the source of his anger.


I know this one ended kind of abruptly, but the next chapter picks up right where this one left off. I hope you guys liked this one, I know some of you were wanting more of a Casey and Walker showdown, for lack of a better word. I don't wanna give too much away, and it's not happening right away, but they'll definitely cross paths again. And, as I'm sure you can imagine, it won't be pretty when they do.

Thanks for reading this one, I'm eager to hear your thoughts!

See you next time!