Hey everybody,
I want to apologize, I've been so busy, and I haven't been able to write much, also, my inspiration has been lacking around here lately, but am working on it! I really wanted this chapter to be up this weekend, but I've been trying, writing, and starting again because I wasn't sure how to tell this chapter... So I hope it finally came out okay... I hope you'll like it!
Also there is a bit of a sensitive subject, about being violent, I want to warn you in case it's too difficult for you...
I'll probably have more time to write and I am already working on next updates!
Again am sorry for the wait, but I hope you'll like it! Let me guys know what you thought! Leave a review! Happy reading!
And finally as always stay safe and positive !
-A
Chapter sixteen
It had been a couple of days since Matt and Susan let. And in those two days, Matt hadn't been able to stop spinning out. To say he was nervous was an understatement. First, because he had yet to talk to Gabby about everything Susan had told him. He had been wanting to tell her everything, but as she was still in the hospital, and in a pretty bad shape, he didn't want to pill up on that.
Gabby had been asking questions about the meeting, but he had told her he'd tell her soon, not wanting her to panic. He also knew right now the most important thing for Gabby was to make sure she got out of the hospital healthier than she was when she got there. Of course this entire situation was really hard on her, but Matt knew she never did anything to hurt herself purposely. She just had been so stress and worried that she wasn't even caring for herself.
Matt was worried to tell her about the possible Louie's biological mother situation. He knew how much Gabby loved Louie, and he knew it would break her heart the moment this woman was mentioned. Gabby was Louie's mother, no matter what anyone would ever say about it, but if Louie's mother was coming back in the picture, it would destroy their family, and probably their lives as well.
Matt knew that, he was aware of everything that was on the line right now, and even if he would never trust Susan ever again, he also had been able to see that it wasn't some game right now, she wasn't trying to play with him, and stab him in the back, he truly believed that for once she had been saying the truth... And that terrified him.
"Earth to Matt, do you copy?" Gabby said waving her hand in front of his face.
Matt snapped out of his thoughts, looking at his beautiful girl, laying in the hospital bed. "Huh what? Sorry... what did you say?" he asked caressing her hand, a bit confused.
Gabby smiled at Matt, she could see he was lost in his thoughts, he hadn't been really talkative, and she could feel something was bothering him. She had asked him about his meeting with Susan, but he had asked her not to mention it for now, and she did as had asked, but of course she had been curious and she really wanted to know. "I was asking you if you could make some lasagna for when I get home" she said then, earning a grin from Casey.
"Of course baby, Casey's famous veggie lasagna only for you my love" he answered smiling, knowing once she got out of the hospital, he would take her and Louie home, and would take good care of them, and make sure she was getting better.
"Hopefully, I'll be able to get home soon" she said gently, really hoping she'd leave the hospital soon.
"When the doctor says you're good to go, am taking you home! I promise" Matt said putting a loving kiss to her forehead. "It will be over soon" he whispered then.
Gabby looked at Matt, and bit her lower lip, hesitating to say what she wanted to say. Matt could see her hesitation, and squeezed her leg under the cover. "Whatever you need to ask, do it, don't hold back sweetheart" he said gently.
Gabby nodded gently, letting out a sigh. "Can you tell me what Susan said? I know you said you wanted to wait but I've been wondering..." she explained.
Matt gave her a smile "Am sorry for not telling you sooner, I just didn't want Louie around while talking about it" he said. Antonio had been taking care of Louie while Gabby was still at Med, and right now, the little boy and his uncle had left to go home and eat pizza, which left the couple on their own for the night.
"I understand that, but I need to know what she wants" she said.
Matt took a deep breath, and got his chair even closer to the bed, taking Gabby's left hand in his, playing with her wedding ring. "Susan wanted to see me, because apparently she is ready to help me" he said, earning a very confused and hesitant look from his wife. "Before you say anything, no, I do not want her near us, and I wish I didn't need her help, but I do really think we need her..." he continued. He could see by the seconds and every words he was saying that Gabby wasn't feeling comfortable at all.
"Why do you need her? Am sure you can prove Deering is behind everything without her" she tried, really hoping he'd find a way to fight without this terrible woman.
"Look... She told me everything, she told me she was working with Deering, she wanted to take me down, because Deering is her biggest client, but then... The car crash happened, and she never thought Deering would do something like this, she was against it, because she never wanted you and Louie to get hurt. The goal was to intimidate me, not put my family in the harms way." Matt explained, as Gabby nodded, feeling that she was starting to put her walls back on. Worried and not being able to trust Susan. But also a bit confused as to how Matt could believe her so easily.
"How can you be so sure?" She mumbled then.
"She mentioned something... It's big, really big, and I don't want you to panic"
"Telling me not to panic is making me panic Matt! What did she say?" She asked feeling her heart beat a lot faster, from nervousness.
"She said Deering has something against us, she really wants to help us, and she showed me what he's got..." Matt said, not really knowing how he should announce this news to his wife. He knew she would be terrified but he also knew he should not keep it to himself. "He found Louie's biological mother... He's been digging on her, and he found her, he is going to pay her to come back and take Louie away from us... » he trailed seeing Gabby's face become a deep shade of white. Every emotions playing in her face, impossible for Matt to comprehend entirely.
"I... She told you that?" she whispered putting a hand over her chest, as a wave of nausea hit her.
"She said that, she gave me a file, but I am not going to let it happen" Matt said trying to be convincing.
"It can not happen! Louie is our son! He is ours! And am not going to let someone comes in our lives to ruin everything and destroy our family! » she said her voice raising. «Why didn't you tell me right away?!" she then exclaimed upset.
"I wanted to, but Gabby you are in a hospital bed, I didn't want you to be stressed over this" he explained.
Gabby shook her head, so angry, and scared. She looked at Casey and then at her left arm. "I need to get out of here, I need to go and protect my son!" she said starting to take her IV out.
"Gabby! Don't do that!" Matt almost screamed, worried, standing up and taking Gabby's hands in his to prevent her from doing anything. "Gabby, be reasonable right now! You can't do anything!" he said as a couple of nurses came in.
Gabby was moving, trying to get free from Matt's hands, and trying to get out of bed to leave this room and the hospital. "This is not okay! This is something about our son! You should have told me!" she yelled still fighting against Matt, as he was just destroyed to see his love so angry, and scared for her boy. "You promised me you would never hide anything from me! And you did once again! It's not just you in this! Louie and I we've been thrown in this entire situation! But all of this is because of you!" she yelled. She was now blaming all of it on Matt. It was probably the anger talking, and it wasn't really anger, it was more worried, but she was out of her mind, and she couldn't believe this was happening to them.
Matt knew a part of Gabby didn't mean anything she was saying, but another part was indeed blaming him, and of course Matt was blaming himself as well. If he'd done another choice, his family would be safe, Gabby would be in the hospital and Louie wouldn't be in any kind of danger, there wouldn't be a biological mother or any problems. It was his fault. And looking at his wife, he knew he had to make it stop now.
"Gabby please calm down, I am going to figure it out" he tried but Gabby shook her head once again, freeing her right hand and hitting Matt on the chest.
Suddenly she stopped moving, seeing Matt was still almost over her, his eyes focused on her. He was still holding her arms, but she was frozen, unable to move anymore. She had hit him, she shouldn't have done that, raise her hand over him, she wasn't this kind of person. Her eyes opened wide, tears forming inside her brown look, and her lips quivering and shaking. "Am... Am... So... Sorry..." she said in between sobs ashamed of her behavior towards Matt.
Matt just shook his head, letting go of her hands, bringing his own hands to her face, and caressing her cheek gently. "It's okay..." he said gently.
One of the nurse was making sure Gabby's IV was still doing it's job, and turned toward Casey, who was still focused on a crying Gabby. "Mr Casey, we can give her something to get her to sleep for a few hour" she said gently.
Matt looked at the nurse and then at Gabby, knowing she needed to relax and calm down before trying to talk about anything again. He gently nodded to the nurse, as she put something in Gabby's IV. "Baby, you're going to have a little nap okay, we'll talk later" he whispered gently, as Gabby's eyes started to close.
"Okay... Don't leave me..." she mumbled before falling in a deep sleep. Matt let out a deep sigh after she was fully asleep.
The nurse gave a sympathetic look to Casey, feeling awful for the couple. "How about you go get yourself something to eat and drink at the cafeteria, she is going to be sleeping for a while anyways" the nurse suggested.
Matt nodded, rubbing his chest, in the spot Gabby had hit a few minutes ago. "Can you stay with her while I go, I don't want her to be alone" he asked his eyes still focused on his sleeping wife.
"Of course. Do you want me to look at your chest?" she proposed seeing he seemed in a bit of pain.
Matt shook his head not wanting to make a big deal of what had happened. It wasn't something would do in her real state, she was shocked, she'd been stressed for weeks and this news was passed what she could handle. It wasn't her fault, she didn't want to hurt him. "Am fine thanks" he mumbled just wanting to focus on his wife.
"Matthew, let me look at your chest. Am not here to judge what happened, I just want to make sure it's nothing big" the nurse said.
Matt finally nodded and turned to face the nurse, taking his shirt off. "Gabby isn't a violent person, she'd never hit anyone... I mean... she did on her job to protect herself a few times, but she never tried to hurt me, nor Louie, she is an amazing mother, and the most loving wife I could ever dream to have, she didn't mean to hit me..." Matt said trying to justify Gabby's behavior.
"You don't have to explain anything, I've heard your situation is complicated right now, and Gabby's health has been putting at risk, I don't think your wife is a bad person, I just think she's got a lot on her plate. She is going to have some rest, she is going to feel better very soon" the nurse said looking at his chest. A red mark appearing. "Well I guess you'll probably have a bruise but nothing to worry about." She explained with a smile, earning a thankful nod from Casey.
"I appreciate that... Gabby is just so exhausted, and she is right to blame me..." he said putting this shirt back on.
"You should go, take a small walk, I'll make sure she is okay" the nurse said. Matt stood up and kissed Gabby's forehead whispering that he'd be back very soon.
In front of a small sandwich, Matt couldn't help but feel terrible. Gabby was going through so much, and he knew she was right, he was responsible for how she felt, how her health was getting bad. He was angry at himself for being so careless about his family.
"Casey?" Someone said, taking the firefighter out of his thoughts.
Matt looked up, surprised to see Severide in his fire gear, coming closer. "Hey what are you doing here ?" He asked.
Kelly sat next to him, putting his radio on the table. «We dropped some patients at the ER, I heard you were here, I wanted to come by check on you and Dawson » Kelly explained. He could feel something wasn't right with his best friend. He looked tired, and upset. "Something wrong? " he asked then.
"Gabby and I got in some kind of a fight, she panicked and hit me..." he explained as Kelly's eyes widened.
"Are you hurt?" the firefighter asked worried for his friend.
"No am not, you know Gabby, she is not violent, but she is not herself... She didn't mean it, I think she was more shocked about hitting me than about anything else, she didn't mean to hurt me, she stopped right after it happened, she apologized right away..." Matt said, playing with his wedding band, a bit ashamed of the situation.
"Is there anything I can do? I know everything is so hard for you all, and I know Gabby isn't a bad person. You don't have to explain anything and defend her actions, I know she is struggling a lot" Kelly said patting Matt's shoulder. "And how is Louie?"
"Oh Louie is okay, he misses home, he is with Antonio tonight for a pizza night... He is doing okay, we are trying to keep thing away from him, we don't want him to be scared or anything"
"You are good parents, making sure he is surrounded by so much love, I know everything must be so hard, but remember you have an amazing family, and everything is going to be over" Kelly tried to reassure him. He was aware of everything hurting so much his friends, he wished he could do something for them.
"I have to end everything. Deering found Louie's mother, I don't know when or how he did it, but he did, and now I have to stop him, because Louie is our son, and am not letting him go! We lost a baby once, it almost killed Gabby... literally, and it left a hole in my heart, Louie is ours and he is staying with us!" Matt said really hoping that the woman wouldn't come for them and Louie.
"Deering is a real piece of shit! How can he do that?!" Kelly exclaimed angry. He was part of their family, he was Louie's uncle and he loved the little boy as his nephew, he loved Gabby and Matt, and he would give anything just for them to stay the family they are.
"Susan said she can help me, and am sure she wants to help, I don't think I have a choice anyway... I just want everything to be over, and for our lives to be back to what it used to"
"Do you trust her?" Kelly wondered.
"Not really... but Deering is putting Louie in this and I can't accept that, if it's true, then there is a risk someone is going to try to take Louie away, I won't accept that" Matt said firmly.
"Do you want me to do something?" Kelly asked.
"For now, i don't think you'll be able to do anything, I'll let you know"
"You said that before Casey, look where you are" Kelly fired back a bit upset.
"Don't you think I know that?! Gabby is here because of me! She hasn't been taking care of herself because she's been too worried and stressed to think about anything else, all this situation is because of me! I know that! And I know I mess up! I want to figure everything out! But it's not as easy as I thought it would be because Deering takes all the precautions not to get caught… We need a bit more time" Matt said just wanting Kelly to stop assuming he knows everything.
"I just want to help you Matt"
"I know, am sorry. Just so you know… I am giving a press conference to explain everything, to talk about Deering, and also… To step down as alderman" Matt muttered.
"Does Gabby know?" Kelly wondered.
"No, we didn't really get into details…"
Kelly nodded knowing it was probably a lot to take in for Matt, and a lot for Gabby to handle. And as long as her health was so terrible, Matt couldn't just risk putting more pressure on her.
"I should get back to Gabby, I'll call you if we need anything" Matt said standing up, thankful that his friend had stopped by. "Thank you for coming"
Kelly smiled "Everybody wanted to come, but we thought maybe you guys needed a bit of time, everybody is looking forward to see you and Dawson soon again!" Kelly said. Matt smiled back, before giving his friend a hug, and going back to Gabby.
Kelly looked at his friend, knowing right now he couldn't do much, but at least knowing Matt would fight till the end to get justice for his family.
Walking back to Gabriela's room, Matt was surprised to find his wife awake and alone. Gently he pushed the door, as Gabby turned her head towards him, a gentle smile appearing on her face. "Hey, you're here" she whispered.
"You're awake?" he asked surprised getting closer to her, not understanding why the nurse had left the room.
"Yeah, I've been awake for a few minutes…" She said trying to sit in bed.
Matt walked to the side, and helped his wife to sit properly "Where is the nurse?" He asked.
"I asked her to leave me alone for a while" Gabby explained, getting a nod from her husband.
"Oh okay…"
"You were gone long" she trailed off, hoping he would get mad at her statement.
"Yeah, I wanted to eat a bit, and then Kelly showed up, he asked about you, he wanted to make sure you were okay" Matt explained, happy to see a little smile appeared on Gabby's lips.
"I… I was worried you had been gone"
"No, am not gone, I told you am not leaving you" Matt said meaning his words deeply and needing his wife to believe him.
"I need to apologize for what happened earlier… I never should have raised my hand, I shouldn't have hit you, am sorry… Am… I hope you know it was… It wasn't intentional…" she said struggling with her last words.
Matt sighed, and finally he sat next to his girl on the bed, holding her close. "I know you Gabriela Dawson, and I am in love with you because you are the most amazing woman I've ever met, I am a lucky man to have you in my life, and I want to make sure we are together forever…" He trailed off as Gabby smiled pulling her head in the crook of his neck.
"Reminds me of something" she whispered lovingly.
"My feelings for you haven't changed, or if they changed, they are stronger than ever. I love you Gabby, and I know this is not you, you don't have to apologize for what happened. I know what kind of woman you are, and I know you would never hurt me, or Louie purposely" he said wanting to convince her that she is not a bad person, a bad wife or a bad mother.
"Thank you for being the most amazing and understanding man I've ever met" she said gently. She then looked at her IV and sighed. "I want to leave Matt, I want to go home and be the one to protect Louie"
"I know, and you'll be home before you know it, you just have to be a little more patient okay?"
"Louie's mother… Does she really want Louie?" she asked sadness in her eyes, and a glimpse of something Matt wasn't really able to read in her brown eyes.
"I don't know, but I have a file, and am going to meet her. And I need to tell you something, I know you said I was supposed to be the alderman to help people, I've been making decisions for a community, but right now I need to make a decision as a father, and husband, which is why I am going to step down as alderman, and call out everything about Deering" Matt explained squeezing Gabby's shaking hands.
"Are you sure it's what you want?" she asked worried about him.
"All I want is for you and Louie to be okay. I have to work with Susan, and make sure nothing ever happens to you ever again."
"Is that necessary?" she asked with a slight tone of humor, trying to lighten the mood.
"Baby if we don't trust her we're going to lose Louie, we have so much to lose right now, I can not accept that this is how our lives are going to be. I've been a nice guy, but this is going way too far. I am going to fight to make sure our son stays with us! Because if I don't do anything, Louie is going to go away, and we'll lose another baby…"