Hello everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all, I hope you enjoy it! I'm sorry I'm getting it posted a little later than usual, I've been in this weird mood lately where I'm second guessing everything I write, so it's taken me some time to get this chapter done. But I think I like where it ended up, and I hope you all do too.

Thank you so much for reading. And if you have a minute, it would mean a lot to me if you could leave me a review and let me know what you think. I hope you all have a great weekend!

Stay safe everyone xx


SEVENTY ONE


Gabby glanced out the window as Shay backed the rig into the garage, the paramedics having just returned from the rather quick call that had taken them away from the house less than an hour ago. Though they'd been called out to help a person in distress, when they got there it had turned out to be nothing, a misunderstanding of some sort as the paramedics were quickly sent on their way when the victim refused treatment. So after getting that paperwork sorted away, they headed back to the firehouse, both women hoping they could have a relatively easy afternoon.

"Wow, I just keep getting better at this." Shay congratulated herself after the rig had come to a stop, Gabby looking over towards her partner with raised eyebrows as the blonde smiled proudly. "Look how perfectly I parked this thing."

"Yes, well years and years of practice will do that." Gabby countered, her words earning a slight glare from her friend before the women climbed down out of the rig. A rush of cold air hit Dawson's face as she shut the door, the PIC shoving her hands into her pockets as she walked around the back of the ambulance to meet up with her friend, Shay standing by the back doors waiting for her.

"Don't be jealous cause I don't let you drive the rig anymore. Just because you almost kill us every time you're behind the wheel, don't take that out on me." Shay continued with a laugh as they began to walk towards the firehouse, Gabby huffing out an amused breath before she bumped her hip into Shay's, the action causing her friend's laughter to get louder.

"That was one time." Dawson defended, but Shay wasn't having it as she shot her a disapproving look.

"One time within the last month maybe." She responded, her words causing Gabby to glare at her. "What? Don't give me that, just face it babe… Driving the rig is not your strong suit, especially when you have to back it up. But it's fine, I still love you." She added as they got to the double doors, Shay pulling one open for Gabby to walk inside before following after her as the common room came into view. Before continuing, the blonde glanced into the room as they got closer, seeing a few pairs of eyes move towards them when the house realized their paramedics were back, one Lieutenant in particular already watching Dawson. "And we all know lover boy loves you despite your terrible driving skills."

Gabby's glare deepend as Shay's words gained the attention of some of the room, Matt biting back a smile as he heard what the paramedic had said. Pausing his conversation with his mom, he moved his complete attention to Gabby and Shay, just in time to see his girlfriend smack her friend's arm lightly, Shay holding her hands up in defense.

"I'm just saying."

"What are you talking about?" Matt finally interrupted as the whole room was watching the paramedics by now, Shay turning to look at him with a proud gleam in her eye while Gabby just appeared a bit annoyed. But her reaction only seemed to encourage Shay further as she turned towards Matt.

"Oh nothing, just how you still love your girlfriend despite her faults." She teased, Shay barely getting the words out before Gabby was smacking her arm again, their coworkers all laughing at Gabby's expense.

"Well, that's pretty easy because she has none." He responded without missing a beat, Matt not seeing the way his mom was smiling at him from her seat to his right, while Shay pretended to gag from across the room. When he met Gabby's eyes, he winked softly, the woman running her tongue along the inside of her cheek before winking back at him, their silent moment not going unnoticed by a few of their friends.

"Okay, that was gross, even for you two." Shay huffed out before stepping away from Gabby and moving towards the table, some of the first responders still laughing from the conversation as the blonde sat down on the other side of Matt. "And we both know that's not true, she can't drive the rig to save her life." She added, Matt biting down on his tongue before he gave in.

"Okay, yeah I'll agree with you on that one." He replied, Shay smirking proudly just as Gabby walked up to them.

"I heard that." Dawson spoke, her playfully narrow gaze focused on her boyfriend as he held his arm out, encouraging her to come closer.

"You know I'm just messing with you, babe." He told her as she came to stand beside his chair, Matt wrapping his arm around her waist to pull her closer as her hand instinctively rested over the back of his neck. "How was your call?" Matt questioned as her body settled against his, Gabby giving him a slight shrug.

"We didn't really do anything." She responded, her statement causing his eyebrows to rise up in question.

"The guy refused treatment, so we went on our way." Shay added on, Matt's eyes flashing towards her before he nodded. "How were things here? I didn't miss all the fun baby Casey stories, did I?" She asked as her gaze moved back and forth between Matt and his mother, her words causing Nancy to chuckle softly.

"No, luckily you're just in time for that." The older Casey played along, Matt releasing a heavy breath as he rubbed his hand gently over Gabby's side. "I should've brought by some baby photos, he really was the sweetest little boy."

"Please, let's not get into all that." He responded with a light chuckle, feeling a few pairs of eyes from around the room on him.

"Oh I definitely think we should." Severide commented from his position back at the counter, Matt knowing if not for Gabby he'd be turning around to shoot him a glare.

"Yeah babe, you were the cutest little baby." Gabby joined in, Matt looking up at her to find a challenging look in her eye, the man soon realizing she was getting him back for his little comment earlier. "I think everyone would love to see your baby pictures." She spoke, scrunching up her nose slightly before she glanced at Nancy and gave her a smile, the woman reciprocating the gesture.

"Mhmm, well maybe next time." Casey said, shaking his head lightly at his girlfriend before guiding her down towards him, Gabby resting her weight on the arm of the chair while Matt adjusted himself in his seat to give her more room, his arm never leaving her waist. "But no Shay, you didn't miss anything like that… My mom's just been getting to know everyone." Matt answered her original question, Shay nodding slowly with a small smile.

"Yeah, it's been nice getting to meet all the people I hear Matthew and Gabby talking about." Nancy spoke up, Dawson's smile widening as she played with the hair at the base of Matt's neck, her boyfriend leaning back into her touch. "And I'm just glad to know he's got a bunch of great friends here to work with."

"Yeah, we're not too bad." Shay responded lightly, Gabby shaking her head at her friend before looking down towards Matt just as the smile on his face grew even wider. And it was a sight that made her body flood with warmth, Gabby grateful to see him so content in this moment with his mom and his firehouse family. "But I'm glad I get to finally meet you…" Shay continued with a bright grin. "Well, actually meet you again I guess. I know I've seen you in passing a few times, and tried to talk to you before our call, but I haven't really officially introduced myself." She rambled on, Matt furrowing his eyebrows in amusement as Gabby's head tilted to the side. "I'm Leslie Shay, Matt's best friend."

A heavy scoff left Casey's lips as Shay shook his mother's hand, Nancy watching on with a delighted smile as she looked between her son and the paramedic.

"Oh really?"

"Yes." Shay answered proudly, Gabby shaking her head as she saw movement out of the corner of her eye, the PIC turning back to see Severide walking towards them.

"She is not." Severide interjected, Matt looking back and forth between the roommates. "I'm his best friend… Kelly Severide, ma'am. We met when you came in, but I know you met a lot of us at once."

"Oh my God, he's laying it on thick." Shay muttered under her breath, her words earning soft laughs from Matt and Gabby.

"I remember you Kelly, I've heard Matthew speak of you often." Nancy responded, the woman unable to stop the smile on her face from growing as she was coming to realize just how wonderful a group of people her son has in his life. And that was all she wanted for him; not only for him to have Gabby, and her family, but to have this firehouse family. Her son truly was surrounded by incredible people, and she felt more than grateful to finally get to be a part of it.

"Well, as his best friend, that's not surprising." Severide responded without missing a beat, Shay smacking his arm before he could even finish his sentence.

"We all know am I his best friend, quit lying to his mom- Casey, tell her I'm your best friend." Shay spoke, Matt's eyes widening slightly as he looked between his two friends.

"Oh no, no way I am getting in the middle of that." He countered, shaking his head slightly. "You two are gonna have to figure that out on your own."

"Yeah, anyway, I think we all know I'm his best friend." Gabby cut in with a soft smile, Matt looking up at her as she continued to mindlessly play with his hair, the man just glad to see her so at ease right now as a warm grin formed over his face.

Dawson's words nearly caused Shay to laugh out loud, the paramedic shaking her head before raising her eyebrows challengingly. "Mhmm, yeah I'm sure… Though Casey's definitely getting more from you than just friendship."

Matt nearly choked on his saliva as Shay spoke, the woman smirking proudly until Gabby kicked her leg, Nancy looking between all of them with an amused grin on her face.

But before anyone could break the awkward silence they'd found themselves in after Shay's comment, the bells went off above them, everyone pausing as they heard squad being called out to assist with a rescue. The needed firemen began to head for the garage, Kelly saying a quick goodbye to Nancy before he followed in that direction as well.

As the firefighters left, Nancy reached down to grab her bag before slowly standing up, Matt looking at her with a bit of confusion in his eyes before he spoke up.

"Oh mom, that's not me. You don't have to leave." He told her, but Nancy merely shook her head, the woman giving him a small smile.

"No, that's alright. I really should get going anyway, I didn't mean to stay this long." She replied, Matt nodding before he slowly dropped his grip around Gabby's waist, the PIC standing up first before he could. "But it was so nice meeting you all," Nancy addressed the room, the remaining firefighters looking towards her with gentle smiles. "I'm glad I was able to finally stop by here, and see where my Matthew works."

"It was great meeting you too." Herrmann called from his place on the couch, his words being followed by a few similar sentiments from the other first responders, Shay saying a goodbye to the woman before Nancy turned her attention to her son and his girlfriend.

"I'll walk you out, mom." He offered, Nancy nodding softly before she turned to Gabby.

"It was great seeing you again sweetheart." She spoke, Gabby giving her a warm smile before they hugged.

"You too." She responded, the two breaking apart after a few seconds.

After Matt's mother and girlfriend shared a few more goodbyes, he was walking his mom out towards the garage, the Lieutenant shoving his hands into his pockets once they'd stepped outside.

"Where'd you park?" He asked, Nancy nodding off towards the right before they began walking in that direction.

"But you don't need to walk me all the way there honey, I'm fine." She responded, Matt nodding after a moment as they got closer to the garage doors. "It was, uh… It was great to meet everyone." She repeated the words she'd said inside. "Seems like you've got some really great friends."

Matt smiled softly before he nodded, their steps coming to a steady stop when they got outside the garage onto the driveway, Nancy turning to look at him. "I do… I got really lucky with this place. I'm happy here." He responded, Nancy reciprocating his genuine smile as she reached out to give his arm a squeeze.

"I'm so glad, honey... And I'm proud of you." She continued on, Matt's eyebrows raising in question.

"For what?"

"For how you've rebuilt your life." She replied, Matt drawing in a deep breath as his face softened. "I wasn't around enough, when you were going through everything with Hallie. But to see how far you've come, and the relationships you've built with all your friends, and with Gabby…" Matt was unable to stop himself from smiling when she said her name, Nancy not missing the way his face lit up at the sheer mention of his girlfriend. "I know I've said this before, but I'm just so proud of you, honey."

"Thanks mom." He replied softly, Nancy nodding with a small smile before giving his arm another soft squeeze. She began turning to leave, but soon stopped herself, Matt's smile starting to fade when he saw her look behind him for a moment before meeting his eyes again, almost like she was checking to make sure they were still alone.

"And, I uh- I didn't want to say anything in there, I know this isn't my place, and I'm not trying to make it my business," She started, Matt breathing in slowly as he had a pretty good idea of where this was headed. "And I know she seemed fine when they got back, then everything with Gabby and I, how we've- well, things weren't always the smoothest between us," She continued to preface, the younger Casey biting his tongue as he waited on her to get the words out. "But if she never needs someone to talk to… About- anything," She spoke carefully as Matt's face softened. "I'm here."

The firefighter swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat as a heavy feeling settled in the cold air around them, Matt unsure of how to respond to her. Though it was pretty clear his mom had a good idea of what Gabby had gone through, he still knew he couldn't say the words out loud. Not without Gabby's okay. So he merely nodded, Nancy giving him a weak smile.

"I promise you, I'm not trying to insert myself into this, honey." She continued on when she saw his apprehension. "And I'm sure she has people to reach out to. You don't even have to tell her I offered, if you don't think it would help her… But if you do, and if she's ready, I'm here if she needs to talk to someone." Nancy spoke, the woman getting as close as she could to the words without actually saying them.

"I… Thanks mom." He settled on, those words being the best he could give her right now as Nancy gave him another nod.

Knowing this conversation had gone about as far as it could, Nancy took a step forward to give her son one last hug goodbye, the two exchanging a few more words before she began to walk the rest of the way down the driveway, Matt watching her as she went.

While standing there just outside the garage, he didn't hear the sound of footsteps approaching behind him, Matt not realizing he wasn't alone until her felt arms wrap around his waist. A soft smile formed over his face as he felt that all too familiar warmth pressed against his back, his hand coming down to rest over top of hers that were clasped together against his stomach.

"Hi." Gabby spoke softly as her cheek rested against the side of his shoulder, Casey's smile growing as he continued watching his mom head towards her car, the woman carefully crossing the street while he felt his girlfriend give his body a slight squeeze.

"Hey." He murmured in response, his thumb rubbing over the top of her hand.

"Is everything okay with her?" Gabby asked before he could say anything else, Matt's eyebrows raising in question despite the fact that she couldn't see his face. "Just… with her coming by, I didn't know if something was wrong." She added, his look of confusion morphing into a soft smile as he realized his girl was just concerned about him and his mom, Matt shaking his head slightly in response.

"Yeah, she's fine. Everything's good with her." He replied, Gabby smiling softly before she nodded against his arm.

"Good, that's good." She told him, Matt feeling her body shiver slightly against his as a breeze blew by. But before he could suggest them going back inside, she spoke up again. "It seemed like everything went well in there… I mean, I know I wasn't there when she met everyone, but I think things were good. Everyone seemed to love her." She spoke, her words causing him to smile before he nodded.

"Yeah, they did. It was just nice to have her here, I'm glad she stopped by." He breathed out, his honest words causing the grin on her lips to widen before she gave his body another firm squeeze.

"Me too." She whispered, Matt drawing in a deep breath before he glanced down towards her. Though from the position they were in, he was only able to see so much of her as she continued hugging his waist.

They stood in silence for a few moments, Nancy having left without any issues as they were now just watching the quiet road. It was peaceful, the overcast sky bringing a feeling of complete calmness as Gabby slowly rubbed her thumb over his stomach. The feeling between them was so tranquil in fact that Matt almost didn't want to bring up his next question, but after how abruptly they'd been separated earlier after the incident in the garage, he wanted to check in with her. While they had a moment alone, he wanted to see how she was, Matt knowing she'd feel much more inclined to open up with just him.

"...You still doing okay?" He questioned softly, Gabby lifting her head up off of his arm to look at him, Matt meeting her gaze as his head was turned towards her.

When they locked eyes, Gabby drew in a deep breath before she nodded. "I'm fine." She replied simply, though he got the sense there was more she was wanting to say.

"You sure?" He pressed, watching as she pursed her lips together before nodding once more, her arms falling from his waist as he turned his body towards her. He could tell based on the look in her eye that she seemed a little apprehensive, but for what reason he wasn't sure.

"I'm good, Matt.. Promise." She repeated, her tone a bit firmer than it had been seconds ago, her words giving him all the answer he needed.

"Alright. I just wanted to be sure." He told her with a small smile, Gabby's face softening slightly before she nodded.

"I know. And I love you for that." She responded, her heart nearly swelling in her chest when she saw the reaction her simple words elicited from him.

Reaching his arm out towards her, Matt pulled her in for a soft, slow kiss, the two taking their time as they had this moment alone in the garage. But just as Matt had wrapped his arms around her, the bells went off, the couple breaking apart as 61 was called out yet again.

Groaning softly, Matt released his grip on her before she began to walk backwards, the soft smile on her face never faltering. "We'll continue this later." She told him with a wink, Matt breathing deeply to steady himself.

"Yeah, we better." He replied back, his joking tone causing her to chuckle before she continued walking towards the rig. But she didn't get very far before she stopped.

"Hey babe?" She called back to him, Matt raising his eyebrows as he looked at her. "How would you feel about us going out for breakfast tomorrow after shift?"

The second she asked the question, he felt a rush of apprehension flood through him, Matt gnawing on his bottom lip as he tried to fight off the uncertainty he was feeling. They hadn't gone out anywhere, not since Walker was released, and Gabby especially hadn't been anywhere. While he'd been the one to run out and do their errands, Gabby had really only gone from work to home. She hadn't branched out to anything more than that, and he was a little surprised now to hear she wanted to go out.

But if she felt up for it, he didn't want to stop her, Matt knowing that as long as she was alright, his role here wasn't to keep her from doing things she felt ready for, but rather to support her while she did them. So without much more thought he nodded, Matt seeing the soft smile that formed over her face as Shay ran out into the garage.

"Sounds good, baby." He replied, Gabby giving him a nod before taking another step backwards.

"Good… Then it's a date." She told him, Matt unable to fight off his own smile as she used the words he'd often used with her in the past, even before they were together.

"It's a date." He repeated, Matt giving her a strong nod before she continued towards the rig. "Be safe out there."

"Always."


Walker drew in a deep breath before taking a long sip of his coffee, his beverage now almost gone as he'd been drinking it since he got here nearly half an hour ago. He knew it was early, and that there was a good chance he'd come far too soon in the day to get a realistic shot at seeing her right now. Though he couldn't even entirely be sure what her schedule was today, he had a good feeling that she was home considering her car was parked in the same spot it had been in last time. And regardless of the chance he might not see her, he knew he at least had to try, as it had been far too long since he'd laid eyes on her.

Over the last two weeks, he'd done exactly what he told himself he'd do; he kept his distance. He stayed away. And for a little while, it worked. He hadn't even tried to come and see her, he'd laid low, and stayed out of the way. Despite how much he didn't want to, he'd done it out of necessity as to not draw any attention to himself. But he couldn't do it anymore, he needed to see her, and be near her. Be with her. He couldn't stay away from her any longer.

And that's how he'd found himself outside her apartment this morning, his eyes peeled on her front door as he tried not to focus too much on just how much he was missing her. But what he also knew to be true was that no matter how much he was missing her, he was sure she missed him just as much.

No matter what Gabby said, or how she acted around others, he knew she missed him. It would be impossible for her not to, and that fact had very much tested his patience these last couple weeks as all he'd wanted to do was come and be with her, the man having to fight every instinct he had to not come by sooner. Especially as he could only imagine she was as lonely as he was.

With her and Casey not being together anymore, he was sure she was feeling quite alone. And while she had Shay, it wasn't the same as having him or Casey around to help her. Because as much as he hated the thought of it, he knew there had been times in the past where Gabby had gone to his former boss for comfort. But luckily, the Lieutenant wasn't that person for her anymore, but Bryan knew he could be.

He could become that person again, the person she went to when she needed help, the person she relied on. There was no reason he couldn't fill that role for her again, maybe better than he had the first time, and certainly better than Casey ever had. If they could just get everything out in the open between them and work through things, it could be just like old times for them.

It wouldn't be easy, and Gabby would certainly need to change some things, and there were many apologies that needed to be had as Bryan still hadn't completely forgiven her for being with Casey in the first place; but if they could just work through those things, they'd be fine. They could get back what they used to have, and go on with their lives like they always should have. Before he'd stupidly broken up with her.

Though he still believes it was the right choice back then, looking back on it, he wished he'd waited it out. At the time, he knew he'd been close to getting Gabby to where he wanted her to be. That, with a little more time, he could've made her into the perfect woman for him. But he'd become impatient and tired of her games, and he'd ended things. Though he knew now had he just had a bit more patience, everything would surely be different for them right now.

But he couldn't go back and change any of that. Whatever happened between them, it was done. It was in the past. And while they could both learn from their mistakes, they couldn't dwell on them, which is exactly why he wasn't holding a grudge against Gabby for what happened. They'd both messed up, they'd both done things they shouldn't have, and all they could do now was promise not to make the same mistakes again.

And he knew he could follow through on that promise, it was just a matter of whether or not Gabby could. If she'd had the time to realize her mistakes in all this, if he knew what all she'd done to cause him to act the way he did. If she could own up to her failures in their relationship, he knew they'd be fine. And that was all he wanted for them.

Which is what he planned on telling her today. Whenever he would eventually see her, he planned on laying all of that out there to her, Bryan knowing he needed to play this the right way. He wanted her to know how much she still meant to him, how he still loved her and wanted to be with her, in every single way. But he couldn't get too hasty as he knew he likely only had one shot here, one chance to make things right. And he couldn't blow it.

Releasing another deep breath, Bryan finished off the last of his coffee before placing the empty cup down in the holder, his gaze beginning to move around the street as he was tired of looking in the same place all the time. And as he did, he saw something he wasn't expecting as a vehicle turned down the usually quiet road, Bryan's back straightening as his eyes narrowed, the man trying to figure out why that truck looked so familiar.

But within seconds, he knew, Bryan's entire body tightening as he could swear her felt his blood boiling beneath his skin. That wasn't just any truck, that was Casey's truck. And Walker had no idea what he was doing here.

At first he thought maybe the man was just driving by, that Casey, like himself, was missing Gabby and wanted to at least be near her. And while he couldn't fault the firefighter for that, the thought still enraged him as he gripped onto his steering wheel tightly. But Walker's initial thoughts as to why Casey was here were soon proven to be false as the truck came to a stop behind Gabby's car, Bryan's eyes burning as he watched the scene unfold in front of him.

He couldn't exactly see who was present, but he could see two bodies in the vehicle. From his distance, it was hard to make out much more than that as the driver's side door opened, Casey sliding down out of his truck and landing on the pavement. And soon after, the passenger door opened as well, Walker able to see enough of what was going on over the top of Gabby's car, as the last person he was hoping to see stepped out of the vehicle.

A wave of anger rushed over him as he watched Gabby shut the door, the two clearly having a conversation as Casey went to grab something out of the bed of his truck, Walker soon releasing them to be two bags. Knowing they must've been coming from shift, there was a small part of him that felt a little bit better as maybe Casey had just been giving her a lift home. As they were never a serious relationship to begin with, it wouldn't surprise him if the two were still friends, even though he hated the idea.

But as they stood together on the sidewalk, it was soon becoming clear to him that wasn't the case as he watched them both begin to head for Gabby's door, the muscles in his body becoming even tighter as he saw Casey reach for her hand. And when she gave it willingly, he gripped the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned white, Bryan watching on in complete and utter rage as they continued to head towards her home.

He wanted to look away, he didn't want to see them together more so than he already had as he was overcome will a hundred different emotions. But he couldn't make himself do it. It was like a trainwreck, he couldn't tear his eyes away from them as they climbed the steps towards her door, the pair never dropping hands until they got to the landing.

He couldn't believe it, he couldn't believe Gabby had gotten back together with Casey. He didn't understand it one bit, not after all he'd done for her. He could've been much harder on her, he could've been angry at her for him going to prison, but he wasn't. He'd forgiven her of everything she'd done to get them to this point, and now for her to throw that all back in his face? For her to get back together with Casey, after he'd showed her time and time again how much she meant to him. That hurt just as much as what he was witnessing right now, and he was absolutely livid.

But just as he thought that feeling couldn't get any worse, Bryan noticed the firefighter using the keys already in his hand to open the door. The door to Gabby's apartment. As far as Walker knew, Gabby hadn't handed him anything, Casey seemingly having his own key to her apartment as he shoved it in the lock. And that revelation did not sit well with him at all.

Casey having his own key to Gabby's place could only mean one of two things; either their relationship was more serious than he ever thought possible, or he lived with her. And both thoughts made his stomach turn, though the second one was definitely worse.

As he watched them walk into the apartment and close the door behind them, it felt like his head was filled with white noise, Bryan still trying to work through the shock he was feeling in this moment as everything he thought he knew had been proven wrong.

Not only was Gabby not waiting for him, she'd thrown herself back into the arms of Casey. She'd spread her legs for his old boss yet again, and used him to occupy her time while he was away. Though, if what he just saw was any indication, it went deeper than Gabby simply using him like he was sure she had been in the past.

Not only were her and Casey still together, but they were seriously together, and he didn't know what to do with that. He didn't know what to do now, or what his next step should be. If he even wanted to take any next steps at all. He had no idea what to do, but all he did know was that right now, he was so incredibly angry. Beyond it.

And as he sat here, it was becoming harder and harder for that anger he'd been holding onto to not be directed towards the one person he'd tried so hard not to be angry at. The only person he hadn't blamed in all of this, the one he'd thought he could start over with.

But apparently, he'd been wrong to think any of that. And in this moment, Bryan was starting to be reminded of exactly why he'd chosen to leave her in the first place, his anger rolling back in waves as he stared at the shut door.

He still didn't know what to do, he wasn't sure what he wanted from her anymore, if he wanted anything at all. But what did know was that if he couldn't be happy, he'd make sure they weren't either.


Casey locked up the door to the apartment as Gabby continued on inside, the man turning towards her just as she'd dropped her bag by the doorway, Matt smiling softly as that was something she did every morning when they returned home from shift. Placing his bag down beside hers, he knew they could be taken to their room later as he tossed his keys onto the table, Matt discarding his wallet as well before following after her.

"God, I feel gross." Gabby huffed out as she headed straight for the hallway towards their bedroom, Matt deciding to follow after her as she was already working on undoing her belt while she moved. "And I'm so full, but I thought breakfast was good." She added as she stepped into their bedroom, the man only a few steps behind her as he saw her pull her belt from around her waist and toss it onto their bed.

"Yeah, it was delicious… I'm glad we went." He responded with a small grin, Gabby turning to sit down on the edge of their mattress before she began to work on getting her boots off.

"Me too." She responded softly, Gabby looking up at him for a moment before she continued her task. "It was nice to get out." He nodded in agreement as his eyes stayed focused on her, Matt's gaze lingering a little longer than normal as he did what he could to get a read on her.

Gabby was right, it had been nice for them to go out, and for things to feel a little bit more normal. And it helped that everything had gone smoothly for them as they went to a diner they often frequented. Despite his initial worries about the whole thing, they'd had a great time and hadn't had any issues. He could tell Gabby was a little nervous at first, that being out like that for the first time was a little harder for her than she'd care to admit, but after a few moments she'd settled in to their new, yet familiar, surroundings, and everything had gone well. They'd had a great time, and were able to enjoy their meal in peace.

And though he still did have some concerns about the whole thing, Matt was also so damn proud of her. It may have seemed like a small thing to some, but for Gabby, it was a big step for her since everything had happened. Two weeks ago, she would've never been able to calmly sit inside that restaurant, but now she'd done it and been fine. She was getting better, and today was proof of that. And he was just completely and utterly proud of her.

"Okay, well I think I'm gonna take a shower, try and make myself feel a little less disgusting." She continued on, her voice pulling him from his thoughts as his vision came into focus, Matt watching her stand up from the bed.

"Alright babe." He replied, Gabby shooting him a soft smile before she headed for the bathroom, leaving Matt alone in their bedroom.

While Casey worked on changing out of his shift clothes and into something more comfortable, Gabby turned the water on in the shower, getting it to her desired temperature before she began to get out of her own clothes as well. While the water ran, she peeled her long sleeve shirt from her body and tossed it onto the ground, Gabby continuing the process until all her clothes were in a pile on the floor. As she secured her hair back into a ponytail, she could hear her boyfriend moving around in their room, Gabby glancing back towards the open bathroom to door to see if he had any plans to join her. But when she heard what sounded like him falling down onto the bed, she figured he had other plans in mind, Gabby rolling out her stiff neck before she stepped into their shower, pulling the door closed behind her.

She stood underneath the heavy, steady stream of water, the heat helping to soothe her tired muscles as she did all she could to decompress after the long shift they'd just had. Though if she were being honest with herself, she knew it wasn't just the long work day that had left her feeling this exhausted, but just life in general.

Drawing in a deep breath, Gabby took a step forward to let the water fall down onto her face, her body slowly beginning to feel more and more relaxed the longer she stood here. She wasn't even sure how much time had passed, but as the warm water rushed down her body, it was like she could feel her mind clearly, like all her worry and uncertainty were slowly washing away, at least for a few moments. But with how things had been going lately, a few seconds of peace were more than welcome.

She was so caught up in her own head, she didn't hear Matt walk into the bathroom, the man now stripped down to nothing but his boxers and a t-shirt as he was ready for their day of doing absolutely nothing. But as he stepped inside, he soon caught a glimpse of her through the glass shower, a slight look of confusion covering his features as he watched her. He wasn't sure what she was doing, or how long she'd been standing like that, but Gabby was seemingly completely zoned out as the water fell down on her face.

He waited a couple more seconds, Matt coming to a stop by the sink as his eyes stayed on her, the crease in his forehead deepening as he watched her bring her hands up to cradle her head. "You okay?" He finally asked, though between the sound of the water and her so clearly being caught up in her own head, she didn't hear him, Casey taking a few steps closer towards her. "Gabby?"

She looked up when she heard his voice, her hands falling back down to her sides when she noticed him watching her, Matt seeing her blink quickly a few times as she'd stepped back a bit from the water.

"Huh?"

"I asked if you were alright." He repeated, Gabby breathing in deeply before she nodded, flashing him a soft smile.

"Yeah, I'm good. I was just thinking." She responded, Matt nodding with a small grin of his own before he continued on with his routine before they'd likely go to sleep for a little while.

While he brushed his teeth, Gabby finished up with her shower, the woman going through everything rather quickly as she was beginning to realize just how tired she was. And there probably wasn't much that sounded better to her right now than crawling into bed with Matt and getting some rest.

By the time she finished, Matt had already completed his tasks and headed back out to their bedroom, Gabby turning off the water before stepping out and wrapping her towel around her body. Similarly to he'd done, she went through everything she normally did after shift, Gabby very much looking forward to how peaceful the next few hours would surely be here in their apartment before she exited the bathroom.

And to no surprise, she found Matt already laying down in bed, the covers pulled down to the edge of the bed as he was looking at something on his phone. When he noticed her presence, he shot her a soft smile, Gabby reciprocating the gesture before she walked towards their dresser to get changed. After quickly deciding on her usual sleep attire of a pair of underwear and one of Matt's t-shirts, she pulled the clothing out of their drawers and set them on top of the furniture.

"So, uh," Matt spoke up after he put his phone down, Gabby glancing towards him before she took off her towel to begin changing. And it wasn't lost on her how he paused for a moment when he saw her, his eyes raking over her as she reached for his shirt, Matt clearly enjoying the view before he cleared his throat and continued speaking. "My mom mentioned something about us going out to eat," He said as Gabby put his shirt on over her body, the material falling down to her hips. "How if she gets this job, she wants to go have dinner somewhere… At first I told her it would probably just be me," He said as Gabby slid on her underwear before she stood up straight, "I wasn't sure if you'd feel up for it, but after today and how well that went… I figured, if you want to come, I know she'd love to have you." He finished carefully, Gabby smiling softly as she walked towards their bed, Matt adjusting his positioning as she came to sit on the edge of the mattress beside him.

"I'd love to." She responded without hesitation, Matt watching her for a moment before he nodded. "Just let me know when- even though I'm not really doing anything right now anyway," She continued on as he reached out to rest his hand over her bare leg as Gabby gnawed on her bottom lip, Matt sensing there was definitely something on her mind. "Though, uh… while we're on the subject, at least kind of… I was thinking about maybe going back to work. At Molly's."

Gabby saw that the moment those words left her lips, he looked unsure, Matt's breathing halting for a moment before he tried to steady his reaction, knowing his girlfriend would pick up on any little shift in his demeanor. And, to her credit, she had, Gabby pursing her lips together before breathing in deeply, the woman a little unsure of what he'd say.

"I… I just feel like it's time, you know? I can't keep hiding out forever." She started, Matt holding his tongue as he wanted to hear what she had to say. "And being at the firehouse has been good, that's helped me a lot. And us going out this morning was a lot of fun… It made me feel like I'd be fine, trying to get back into more of my life again." She explained as their eyes stayed locked on one another, Matt slowly stroking his thumb along her knee while she spoke. "And I think working at Molly's again would be a nice change of pace, so I think I'm gonna talk to Herrmann about getting back on the schedule. At least for a shift, to see how it goes."

Matt gave her a nod as he thought over her words, Gabby watching him closely as she tried to gauge his reaction and what he was thinking, but he wasn't giving much away.

"What do you think?" She finally asked him, Matt smiling softly when he saw her expectant eyes on her, the man squeezing her knee gently before he spoke up.

"I think if you feel like this is something you can handle, being around that many people and everything, then I think you should." He encouraged her, Gabby smiling softly even though she knew he wasn't done yet. "But… Molly's is a little different than working at the firehouse, or going out to eat. The crowd and everything… I won't lie to you, the thought does worry me a bit." He told her honestly, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before she nodded.

"Yeah, I thought it might." She replied, her words soft as Matt gave her a sad smile.

"I… It's not so much you, or only you. I know you're getting better, I can see it." He started, Gabby giving him a small smile before she nodded, waiting to hear more of what he had to say. "And of course I'll support you if you wanna do this, if you think it's a good idea then I think you should do it. But I also know there's still some moments where things are hard… Like what happened with my mom," He told her with a knowing look in his eye, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before she looked down between them.

"Matt…"

"I'm just worried about you." He continued on, Gabby focusing her attention on the sheets beneath them as he kept rubbing her leg. "This has all been really hard on you, and I worry about you doing too much too soon…"

"I know you do." She replied after lifting her head up, finding that Matt had never looked away from her as his eyes held nothing but an overwhelming amount of love, that look making it all that much harder to push back against him. "I know you're just looking out for me, and want me to be okay. But that's what I'm trying to do… By getting back into my life." She told him, Matt's face softening as he listened to her side of things. "Just like how things were when Bryan first went to prison, the thing that helped me the most was getting my life back…"

"I know it did." He murmured, Gabby nodding softly before she continued.

"And this- this is different, I know it is. But when I feel ready to do something, I want to try and do it." She told him, Matt sighing softly as he gave her knee a soft squeeze. "And I know things like what happened with your mom, I'm not completely past all this. I understand that, and I'm not trying to act like I am… And who knows if that'll ever completely go away. But even if it doesn't, I can't let that stop me from trying to get things back to normal… get everything back to normal."

A heavy silence sat in the air around them as she gave him a moment to really hear what she was saying, Matt staying quiet as he let her words sink in. He wanted to know where she was coming from, and he certainly didn't want to dismiss anything she was saying or what she was feeling as he replayed her words over in his head. He knew she had a point, a very good point, that for as long as he's known her, whenever things got hard the best thing she could do to help herself was to try and get things back to normal. She'd always been that way, and while the circumstances of this situation were different, he knew she was still handling it the same way she did everything else.

Gnawing on his bottom lip, Matt released a soft breath before he nodded, the two meeting eyes once more as he gave her a weak smile. "You're right." He murmured as he nodded slightly. "I know you're right, and I know I've been- overbearing." He breathed out, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing slightly before she shook her head. "I haven't meant to be, but I've just… I need to know you're okay."

"Matt, I am…"

"I need you to be okay." He repeated, her words holding more emotion than she anticipated as she scooted closer to him, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he tried to figure out what next to say, the words sitting on the edge of his lips not easy ones. "I… I know what stuff like this can do to people, even after the fact." He spoke, Gabby's eyes falling closed as she came to realization this wasn't solely about her. "I've seen it… How this is something that stays with you." He rambled out vulnerably, his words hanging in the air between them before he continued. "And there's nothing wrong with that, but that's why I'm always checking in on you, and why sometimes I might be a little annoying about it, because I just need to know you're alright." As he finished his last words Gabby looked back up at him, the expression in her eyes giving little away as to how she would react to his words.

But when she leaned forward and began to crawl over him onto the bed, he let himself relax as she laid down on the mattress beside him, her body tucking into his side as his arm wrapped around her back. The position was comforting for them, Gabby resting her head on his chest as she held onto his waist, her leg resting up over his. He wasn't sure if it was his words alone that had elicited this type of response, or if he'd struck a nerve with her and she needed the comfort; but whatever the reason, he gladly held onto her as she listened to the steady thumping of his heartbeat beneath her ear.

"You're not annoying." She responded after a few quiet moments, Matt unable to fight off his slight smile as he wasn't entirely surprised that had been the first thing she commented on. "You can be overprotective, but you're not annoying."

"Well, that's good… Cause I'm never trying to be." He played along, the lightness in their words refreshing after how heavy their previous conversation had been.

"I know… And I- I sometimes forget you've seen this happen before. You've seen someone you care about go through this, so I know you're just looking out for me. And I love that about you, I do, I'm just… I guess there's times I'm still not used to it sometimes." She told him from the security of his embrace, Matt nodding understandingly as he ran his hand up and down her back. "But I'm trying." She reminded him, her words earning another nod from him before he kissed the top of her head, his actions telling her he knew she was. "I guess we're both still just trying to figure out how to navigate this. And sometimes it feels like every time we think we've got it, something else happens…" She told him, Matt nodding in agreement as her thumb stroked lightly over his side. "Though, slowly, I do think things are getting better, even though I know this can be up and down a lot of time... But I want things to keep getting better for me, and for me to be able to get a handle on all of this. That's why I need to know things can be normal, for me and for us… that this hasn't changed us."

His eyebrows furrowed as those words left her lips, Matt shaking his head before pressing another kiss to the top of hers. "It hasn't." He assured her, the strength in those few words feeling like a weight had been lifted off her chest. "None of this has changed us." Matt murmured, repeating the words he'd told her before as Gabby's eyes fell closed before she nodded.

"Good… Because that's one thing I don't want to have to worry about." She told him truthfully, Matt tightening his grip on her. "There's some stuff- there's things I don't understand right now, some uncertainty with all this and how I'm feeling sometimes, but the one thing I'm sure about is you, and us. And I want us to just be us."

"We are." He responded firmly as he pulled her closer, her body now partially on top of his. "I know things have been a little different lately, but that doesn't mean we're not still us, because we are. We're still Matt and Gabby, and I still love you more than anything else."

Nodding slowly, Gabby lifted her head up off his chest to face him, their eyes locking on one another as he brought his hand up to cradle the side of her face. "I love you, too." She replied before she pushed herself forward to capture his lips in a gentle kiss, Matt reciprocating the action immediately.

But as the moments passed, they gradually picked up the pace of their movements, Gabby deepening the kiss as she grabbed onto a fistful of his shirt, Matt moaning softly into her mouth. They quickly reached a level of intimacy they hadn't experienced in a while, their lips staying on one another's as Gabby lifted herself up and straddled his hips, Matt's hands instinctively moving down to her waist while they continued to get lost in one another. And right now, nothing felt more right than this as Gabby pressed her chest into his, the familiar actions filling her with a sense of comfort that only Matt could provide her.

And she desperately wanted to hold onto that feeling.

Without warning, Gabby pulled herself back away from him, Matt opening his eyes as she sat upright on his hips, the man seeing her darkened gaze focused on him as they caught their breath. And before any words could be said, Gabby reached for the hem of his shirt that was covering her body and pulled it over her head, leaving her top half bare as she tossed the material to the ground. His eyes moved to her chest immediately, Matt seeing her draw in heavy breaths before she leaned back down and recaptured his lips in hers.

His hands slid over her back, the feeling of her skin against his being a welcome one after so long apart, but as her hands slid down towards his boxers, he knew he had to slow things down. At least for a moment.

"Baby-... baby." He muttered against her lips, pulling back enough for her to stop kissing him before she looked at him, Gabby lifting herself up enough to meet his eyes. "Are you sure?"

It wasn't lost on him how they'd gotten nowhere near this close to being together since before Walker got released, that being one of the last things on his mind as he'd just decided to let her take the lead with this. He knew when she was ready, they'd be able to work on getting that part of their relationship back. But now that the time had come, he still needed to be certain… Before they went any further, he needed to know this was what she wanted.

Though by the intense look of desire mixed with desperation in her gaze, he already had his answer.

"I'm sure." She told him without an ounce of hesitation, Matt smiling softly as he brought his hand up to rest over her cheek. His eyes traced over her face one last time before he nodded, Matt grabbing her chin to slowly guide her back to him as their lips connected once more.

And every movement made after that was done solely for each other, the couple completely devoted to this moment as neither of them wanted to rush through this. Letting her set the pace, Matt followed her lead as they began to fall back into that intimate rhythm with one another, both of them more than eager to do nothing but focus on this time together for as long as they had it.