Hello everyone! I hope you all have had a good week and are doing well. Here's the next chapter for you all, I hope you enjoy it. Things are definitely gonna start to get a little more… intense, I'd say is a good word for it, here soon. But until then, I hope you all like this one.

Thank you so much for reading, I can't wait to hear what you think!

Stay safe, everyone.


SEVENTY THREE


Casey secured his belt into place as he stood beside the bed, the man nearly ready for their night out while Gabby was over in the bathroom, his girlfriend currently finishing up getting ready as well. They were, surprisingly, a little ahead of schedule as they still had just under half an hour until they needed to get going to make it to the restaurant on time. Which, after how long it took both of them to drag themselves out of bed just a little bit ago, Matt figured that to be a minor miracle. But he was glad for it nonetheless, the man knowing tonight was bound to be a nice evening with people he viewed as family, and the last thing he wanted was for himself and Gabby to be late, especially as they were the ones who had inadvertently planned this little get together.

Originally, this night was intended to be an easy evening for Matt and his mom, as they were finally set to go out and celebrate her getting her new job, which was something he'd learned of a few days ago. But when he told Gabby of his plans, she quickly asked to tag along. And before he could even question it, and see if going out like that was something she felt up for, Gabby soon had planned this out to be a full family affair. And after some okays from him about whether or not he thought it was something his mother would be okay with, their quiet little dinner had turned into a night out with him and Gabby, his mother, Camila and Ramon, along with Antonio. She had planned it for the whole family, well most of their family, to get together and celebrate Nancy's new job.

And for as excited as Gabby had been to orchestrate the whole thing, Nancy was equally as ecstatic when he told her. She hadn't been expecting it at all, but when she found it, she was thrilled, his mom clearly happy about the fact that Gabby's family wanted to come and celebrate this accomplishment in her life. So, needless to say, it was an exciting night for all of them; one Matt was more than ready to get started as he looked over towards the bathroom.

"Babe?" He called before he sat down on the edge of the bed to get his shoes on, Matt barely getting the process started before he heard her call back.

"Yeah?"

"You almost ready?" He questioned as he quickly tied his shoe before moving to the next one, Matt glancing up when he didn't get a response. "...Gabby?"

"Yeah, sorry-" She spoke, Matt able to tell by the tone of her voice that she was frustrated by something, the man completing his task before he pushed himself up off the bed. "Can you come help me?"

His eyebrows furrowed slightly, but he began walking in that direction regardless as that was a request he'd never say no to, his long strides getting him there rather quickly as he stepped in through the doorway and immediately saw what the problem was. He bit back the smirk threatening to form over his lips as he watched her continue to struggle zipping up her dress, Casey shaking his head before walking towards her.

"I can't get this stupid thing." She huffed out, Matt gently swatting her hands away from behind her back before reaching out for the zipper. She'd only managed to get it about halfway up her back, Matt zipping the material up the rest of the way with ease, his hand moving slowly as his eyes caught hers through the mirror. She gave him a soft smile, an involuntary chill running through her spine when his hand brushed over her back, Matt soon finishing his task as the top of the dress stopped just below her shoulder blades.

"There you go." He told her, her grin widening a bit before she nodded.

"Thank you." She replied just as softly, Matt taking a slight step back so he could look at her. And even if it was only from the back, he still loved what he saw, the man blowing out a sharp whistle as his eyes traced over her, her black dress hugging all the right places as he reached out to run his hands over her sides.

"Damn baby," He breathed out, his eyes finding hers through the mirror once more before he gently turned her around, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip while his gaze moved over her. "You look good." He told her as he took in the front view, Gabby still somewhat amazed by the fact she was still able to get him to look at her like that; like he was seeing her for the first time all over again. "How have I never seen this dress?" He questioned, as his eyes were not so subtly focused on her chest, her off-the-shoulder dress giving him a great view of her cleavage before his gaze continued moving down, Matt wanting to take all of her in while they had this moment alone.

"I've always had it," She started, Matt raising his eyebrows before looking up at her, the man sure he'd never seen her in this dress before, as it was certainly one he'd remember. "I've just never pulled it out before."

He gave her a soft nod, his hands continuing to slide over her body before landing back on her hips, Matt pulling her closer as a soft smile formed over her face. "Well, I am very glad you chose to wear it tonight… It's already made this night about ten times better." He responded with an unapologetic gleam in his eye, Gabby scoffing heavily before she gently shoved his chest, though the action did nothing to separate them.

"You're so dumb." She replied, Matt's grin widening before he slid his palms around to her back, Gabby's head cocking to the side when she felt him move down farther past her waist, until he was cupping her ass. "Can I help you?" She asked, her eyebrows raising when she felt him give her body a firm squeeze.

"Nope, I'm good." He responded simply, Gabby chuckling dryly as she shook her head. And while she feigned annoyance, she couldn't help the rush of warmth that flooded through her, Gabby having no issue with her boyfriend's seemingly constant need to be touching her.

"Mhmm… Well, I do need to finish getting ready at some point." She countered with a small smirk, the goofy grin on his face causing her heart to nearly constrict in her chest. "And I think that might be a little hard to do with your hands on me."

"But not impossible." He spoke without missing a beat, an amused look forming over her face before she gently tapped his smooth cheek.

"You're gonna need to let me go, babe." She told him, Matt huffing out a breath as he continued to hold one of his favorite parts of her in his hands. "And besides, didn't you get enough earlier?" She questioned with a raised brow, the man's throat immediately going dry at the mention of their previous activities.

In between the time they'd woken up from their after-shift nap and when they needed to start getting ready, they'd certainly made the most of that time together, Matt thinking back fondly on how Gabby was up on her knees on the bed, with him kneeling behind her. And that mental image alone was enough for some of the blood in his body to start rushing south, Casey knowing he needed to think of something else, and quickly, before this turned into a problem he'd need to take care of before they left.

Seeing his reaction to just her few words, she couldn't help but laugh, though Gabby had enjoyed their afternoon just as much as he did, if not more.

"You know I can never get enough of you." He replied after a moment, Matt swallowing the thick lump in his throat as a small smile graced her lips, Gabby shaking her head lightly as he ran her hand along his cheek.

"Yeah, I know." She told him, the woman knowing better than anyone just how true his words were, especially after the last few days.

Ever since last week, when they finally took that step and got the more intimate part of their relationship back, they hadn't shied away from spending that type of time together. In fact, not only did they not shy away from it, but they took advantage of the opportunity whenever they could, though Matt would always let her be the one to come to him. But regardless, they'd certainly reintegrated that part of their relationship back into their lives, and they couldn't be happier, as Gabby finally felt like they were just them again.

"But right before we're about to leave for a family dinner probably isn't the best time for us to go again… Not when I've already gotten ready." She spoke, Matt huffing out a soft breath before he nodded.

"Alright, well when you bring logic into it, it's not as sexy anymore, anyway." He teased, Gabby's lips parting slightly before she gave his cheek a playful smack, her reaction pulling a few laughs from him. "I'm just kidding baby, and yeah, you're right… Though I could definitely make the time we have work, we wouldn't have time to get presentable. And the last thing I want is for us to get there, and both our parents to know I had just bent you over the bathroom sink less than an hour a-"

Gabby cut him off by pressing her lips into his, the action effectively getting him to shut up as he grinned against her before kissing her back. They were soft, easy kisses as Matt knew she'd kill him if he messed up her makeup, though he was sure he likely already had some lipstick on him that would need to be taken care of. But he didn't mind one bit, Matt continuing to kiss her until she finally pulled away.

"You know you don't have to say every thought you have out loud, yeah?" She questioned as she scrunched up her nose, Matt chuckling softly before he nodded.

"Fair enough… But my point remains the same." He responded, Gabby shaking her head once more before she leaned in to kiss him, this one much quicker than the last.

"I'm sure it does, but I really need to finish getting ready." She told him after they'd separated, Matt drawing in a deep breath before he nodded, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing in amusement as she glanced down to his lips. "But it should only take me maybe ten more minutes, then we can get out of here." She added as she reached back to grab her makeup remover, Matt standing still while she gently wiped the lipstick off his mouth.

"Alright, sounds good." He told her once she'd finished, Matt giving her body one last squeeze before he let go of her, the man taking a slight step back as she turned around to face the mirror. "I'll get our coats and everything together, just meet me out in the living room when you're done." He added, Gabby giving him a nod before she continued to get ready.

But, regardless of his words, Matt had yet to move, the man drawing in a slow, deep breath as he watched her through the mirror for a moment, the air in the room shifting as he looked her over. Though he knew he probably didn't need to do this, Matt knowing better than anyone just how good of a day she'd had, he couldn't help it, as it was second-nature to him now to check in on her. And while Gabby noticed his presence, she didn't say anything at first as she just continued to get ready, the girlfriend figuring he was just wanting one last look at her before leaving. But when nearly a minute passed and he had yet to leave, or say anything, she couldn't help but wonder what he wanted, Gabby glancing back at him through the mirror as she saw the almost zoned out look on his face.

"Matt…" She spoke, her voice causing him to snap into focus as he blinked a few times before finding her gaze, Casey seeing the wonder in her eyes as they looked at each other. "Everything alright back there?"

"Huh?"

"You went somewhere else, like you zoned out or something, you okay?" She questioned, Matt giving her a small smile before he nodded.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good." He told her, though she knew he was holding something back, Gabby tilting her head to the side as she raised her eyebrows.

"What is it?" She pressed, Matt drawing in a deep breath before he took a slight step back towards her, Gabby turning around to face him once more as she was a little thrown by the pensive look on his face. She wasn't sure what he was thinking about, or what had caused his abrupt change in demeanor, but as he opened his mouth to talk, she knew she'd find out soon.

"It's nothing, I was just… checking in, you know." He told her, Gabby pursing her lips together as a wave of realization rushed through her. "We, uh- we didn't really talk about this before we got everything planned, but you sure you're up for this? Going out and everything?" He questioned gently, Gabby sighing softly as he took another step towards her.

She had been waiting on this conversation. Ever since they made their plans to go out with everyone, she was waiting on Matt to bring it up, for him to check and make sure she wanted to do this, as she still hadn't really gone out much. Aside from that one morning they went to breakfast after shift, she hadn't gone anywhere other than home, work, and her parent's house once or twice. And even though she'd mentioned wanting to work at Molly's again, she hadn't actually worked a shift there yet, so she wasn't surprised that Matt was a little nervous about the whole thing. And she'd certainly been expecting him to bring it up sooner or later, as she knew exactly who she was dealing with, though there was a small part of her that had been hoping they were moving past the need for it.

"Because if you're not, we can change our plans and just have everyone come over here." He continued on when she had yet to say anything, the gentle smile on his face keeping her from getting annoyed by this conversation. Though she wasn't even sure annoyed was the right word as Gabby knew Matt meant well, he was just being the attentive, loving man she fell in love with. "We can order in food from somewhere, even from the restaurant we're supposed to go to if you want." He finished, Gabby giving him a weak smile before she reached out for his hand, Matt giving it willingly as he came to a stop in front of her.

"Matt, I love you," She started as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze, "but none of that is necessary." She told him, the man wearing a sheepish look on his face before he nodded. "If I couldn't go, or didn't feel like it was something I could do, I would've told you."

"Okay… I just wanted to check." He replied softly, Gabby nodding in understanding as he stroked his thumb along the back of her hand. "Things have been going so well for you lately, I see that, and I know you're okay. But sometimes I guess I just need that extra reassurance, especially cause we hadn't really talked about it."

"I know you do, and I am appreciative for it… most of the time." She spoke lightly, Matt's smile widening before he laughed.

"Yeah, yeah I know. I'm overbearing." He played along, Gabby shaking her head slightly.

"You worry." She corrected him, Matt's tongue darting out between his teeth to wet his lips. "And I love you for that, but remember what we said, how when I tell you I'm good, I mean it." She reminded him, Casey immediately giving her a nod. "Well, I'm good."

"Alright." He replied without any hesitation, those words being all he needed to hear as she smiled softly. "Then we're good." He added, Matt lifting her hand up to press a soft, lingering kiss against her knuckles, as he couldn't give her the type of kiss he wanted without getting lipstick on himself again.

"Good." She repeated before turning back around towards the mirror. "Now get out of here so I can finish getting ready without you distracting me," She chastised, Matt grinning from ear to ear as he took a slight step backwards. "This is supposed to be a fun night, and we can't get there if you won't leave me alone."

"Yes ma'am." He spoke teasingly, Gabby shooting him a playful glare before she went back to getting ready. "And you are right about that, everyone is very excited about this evening."

"Yeah, I know… Your mom, especially." She replied as he headed for the door. "I know I haven't known her all that long, but I think that was probably the happiest I've ever heard her, is when you told her everyone was coming."

Matt stopped just as he got to the door, something about his girlfriend's words triggering something in his brain, the man turning back to look at her as a realization washed over him, his smile widening as he caught her gaze through the mirror.

"That's why you did it, isn't it?" He asked, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing as she stared at him.

"Hmm?"

"Why you wanted it to be all of us, instead of just me and my mom… You did that for her." He elaborated, Gabby breathing in slowly before she gave a slight shrug, Matt seeing the soft smile that formed over her face as her reaction alone was enough to give him his answer.

"I did do it for her, I guess, yeah." She replied softly, Matt's grin widening as he looked at her. "And for you." She added, Matt tilting his head to the side as his smile morphed into a look of confusion, Gabby breathing in deeply as she turned her body back around to face him. "I just… I know how important all of this is to you, you rebuilding this relationship with your mom. And I want to be a part of that with you." She continued, Matt practically able to feel his heart swelling in his chest. "And I also want her to feel like she has a part in our lives, too. Like my parents do." She continued on, Matt unable to hide just how happy her words were making him as he walked back towards her. When he got in front of her, Gabby waited for a moment to see if he was going to say anything, but when he didn't, she continued on. "And I- I know all she really has is you. Especially after she left that sorry excuse of a boyfriend she'd been seeing, she's seemed to be pretty much on her own, and I don't want her to feel like that. Not when I know how much this all means to you… She's your family, which means she's a part of our family."

Casey had maybe the brightest smile she'd ever seen by the time she finished talking, the sight practically making her weak in the knees as she was reminded of just how much she loved this man standing in front of her. But before she could say or do anything else, Matt grabbed her hip and pulled her towards him, capturing her lips in a much more heated kiss than the ones from moments prior, Gabby caught off guard by the force of his movements. But that didn't stop her from giving back just as much as she was getting as she gripped onto his white button down shirt tightly, no doubt leaving creases in the material she'd ironed earlier in the day, both of them desperate to be as close to one another as possible.

When air finally became a necessity, they pulled back from one another, their chests heaving as as he pressed his forehead down against hers, the couple needing a moment to catch their breaths. "You're amazing." He spoke, Gabby smiling softly as her eyes stayed closed. "And thank you, for making an effort with her." He continued on once he'd regained more control of his breathing, Gabby finally opening her eyes when he pulled his head away from hers, the two locking eyes immediately. "You have no idea how much it means to me… Just- thank you."

"You don't need to thank me for anything." She murmured as she rubbed her hand over his chest, Matt's smile widening before he leaned in to kiss her once more, the two moving together easily for a few moments before Gabby gently pushed against him. "But what you do need to do is get out of here, and I mean it this time." She spoke playfully, Matt grinning widely before he leaned down to sneak one last kiss.

"Alright, alright, I'm going." He told her, Casey relinquishing his hold on her hip before he walked backwards towards the door. She didn't take her eyes off of him until he was out of sight, knowing she wouldn't be able to focus until he was gone. But after one last stop in the doorway, along with a soft wink in her direction, Matt was out the door, leaving Gabby alone to finish getting ready before they left for their evening out with their family.


Antonio blew out a tired breath as he walked out of the bathroom, the man holding his jacket over his arm, while his normal clothes were bundled up in the bag in his free hand as he moved down the hallway back towards the bullpen. Glancing to the watch on his risk, he saw that if he didn't get out of here soon, he would be late to the festivities this evening, meaning he would certainly get not only an earful from his mom, but likely Gabby as well.

When he stepped back into the bullpen, he saw everyone mostly where he left them as the other members of intelligence were at their desks working. But the second they saw him they stopped, Jay raising his eyebrows as he leaned back in his chair, tossing his pen down on his desk.

"Look sharp, Antonio." Halstead joked, Antonio waving him off as everyone looked at the dressed up detective, his outfit of a button down and dress pants much more formal than his usual attire of jeans and a t-shirt.

"Yeah, what has you all dressed up, tonight?" Atwater played along as Antonio got to his desk, the man grabbing his things that he'd need for the evening as he wasn't planning on coming back here until tomorrow. "Got a hot date or something?"

Dawson scoffed, the man shaking his head as he placed his bag down on top of his desk before he began to slide his black jacket on, realizing that he had the attention of the entire room at this point. "It's dinner with the family." He replied, seeing the few knowing looks that covered his friends' faces.

"Ahh."

"Yeah." He replied as he finished adjusting his jacket before he reached for his phone and slid it into his pocket. "My sister and Casey, they're having our parents out for dinner tonight, I think his mom got a new job or something, so we're all going out to celebrate."

"Well, that sounds like it'll be a good time." Burgess commented, Antonio giving her a nod before he looked over his desk once more, doing one last glance over everything before he grabbed his bag.

"Yeah, it should be good… I gotta get going, but I'll see you tomorrow." He told them, earning a few goodbyes as he stepped away from his desk. But before heading for the stairs, in a split second decision, the man pivoted his steps and headed in the complete opposite direction to walk towards Voight office.

When he stepped into the open doorway, he saw his boss sitting at his desk, which was exactly where he'd been most of the afternoon into the evening, Hank looking up when he noticed his presence. "Antonio." He stated, the man taking that as his cue to step further inside.

"Hey, I was just letting you know I'm getting out of here." He told him, Voight nodding before he glanced back down towards the papers in front of him, Antonio pursing his lips together as he drew in a deep breath, knowing he'd just need to come out and ask the question. "And, uh- since I won't be here, you've still got eyes on…"

"We're watching it." Voight interjected before he looked back up, not missing the flash of relief in the detective's eyes. "If he goes anywhere or makes any moves he's not supposed to, I'll call you."

"Thank you." Antonio replied, the man feeling better about all of this as he took a step back. "When I just looked, he was still at his house- had been all day. But I'll have my phone on, and you know the restaurant we're going to, just in case he goes anywhere." He added, Voight giving him another nod before Antonio got back to the door. "Alright, thanks again, I'll see you tomorrow." He finished, Dawson all ready to leave before Hank's voice stopped him.

"Antonio," He spoke roughly, the detective stepping back into the office with a curious look on his face, Voight's expression unreadable as he leaned back in his chair. "Did you ever tell Gabby?"

His blunt, and unexpected, question threw him for a moment, Antonio furrowing his eyebrows slightly before he walked back into the room, Voight never taking his eyes off of him.

"I know you didn't last week, and then you never said anything about it again, so I wasn't sure if she knew." He continued on when Antonio had yet to say anything, the detective drawing in a slow, deep breath before he shook his head.

In the week that had passed since they first started tracking Bryan, or tracking him legally, Antonio still hadn't said a word of any of it to his sister. He wanted to, and he even came close once or twice, but he hadn't been able to bring himself to do it. Not when every time he saw her, she seemed happier and more content than the last time. Not when, from her own accord and Casey's, she was getting better and better every single day. He couldn't be the person to ruin that, and undo all the progress she'd made; not when she'd already suffered enough because of Bryan Walker.

"No." Antonio answered simply, Hank giving him a slight nod. "I've been thinking about it, wanting to, I guess, but I just-" He stopped himself, Antonio taking a second to gather his thoughts before he continued. "I haven't found a way to tell her yet, that Walker was at her apartment and that we're watching him. And since that asshole has been staying away, and he hasn't gone anywhere near Gabby again, I guess I've kind of been putting it off, too." He admitted, seeing a quick flash of understanding in Hank's face before it returned to his normal rigidity.

"But you're gonna tell her?" Voight pressed, Antonio releasing a heavy sigh as he tightened his grip on the bag in his hand.

"I- I don't have a choice, I have to." He breathed out, Hank pausing for a moment before he nodded.

"Well, I'm not trying to get into the middle of this. This isn't happening to my sister, so I can't tell you what to do here, but if it were me, I wouldn't tell her." Hank responded, Dawson's eyebrows raising slightly as he stayed quiet. "After everything that piece of shit did to her," He continued on, Antonio well aware that Voight was the only other person here who knew every detail of what Bryan had done to his sister, "and how she was when I saw her after he choked her," He spoke, Antonio grimacing at the memory, "I wouldn't want to worry her about something like this, not unless there's a reason to." He advised, the detective breathing in slowly before he gave him a slight nod. "But, like I said, this isn't my call… But if it were me and my family, after the hell he put her through, as long as he stays away from her, I wouldn't say anything."

Voight's words hung in the air for a few moments before Antonio eventually nodded once more, the man still trying to digest what all had been said to him. And as much as he hated to admit it, he had to face the fact that he'd been feeling the same way as well. Even before having this conversation, Antonio had battled with the idea of just not telling Gabby what was happening, at least not right now. But especially now, after hearing what Voight had to say, he was leaning more and more towards just not saying anything.

Because for as much as he hated the thought of keeping something like this from her, the idea of ruining all the strides she'd made towards getting past this somehow seemed worse. At least in this moment, it seemed worse. And maybe he was just being selfish, maybe he just didn't want to have to be the one to let her know what all had been going on, but right now, he couldn't help but feel like this might actually be the best choice for all of them. Though Gabby would kill him for making a decision like this for her, the nagging voice in the back of his head kept telling him that the best thing he could do for his baby sister was to not say anything.

"Yeah, uh- Thanks Voight… I'll keep that in mind." He replied, Hank giving him a nod as he sat up a little straighter in his seat.

"I hope you all have a nice dinner." The older man spoke, Antonio giving him one last nod before he headed out of the office and towards the stairs without another word. And as he made his way down the steps and out of the precinct, Antonio couldn't help but here Voight's words ringing over and over again in his head, the detective knowing he needed to push all this aside before he got to the restaurant as he navigated his way through the dark street towards his car.

But as he was so stuck in his own thoughts, Antonio didn't notice the unfamiliar car parked closer to the end of the block, or the man sitting inside watching him as he climbed into his own vehicle and prepared to drive away. He was so distracted, he didn't feel anything was off as he turned his car on and peeled away from the curb. And he certainly didn't notice the way that same car followed down the street and all the way to the restaurant.


"Hi, we called earlier today, we have a reservation for six, under Matt Casey."

Gabby stood by his side as he spoke to the woman behind the desk, her eyes moving around her unfamiliar surroundings while her hand was clasped tightly in Matt's. Though her and Matt had never been here before, he'd heard great things about it from Boden, and while it was certainly on the fancier side of where they'd usually go, they figured the occasion warranted it.

"Ah yes, Mr. Casey, we've got you right here. Are there only two of you so far?" The woman asked as she looked back and forth between them, Matt giving her a nod.

"Just us, yeah. But the rest of them should be here soon." He replied, earning a nod from the hostess before she began to lead them through the restaurant towards their table. Matt dropped Gabby's hand as they moved, the man walking behind her with his hand on her back, his touch a welcome reminder that he was still with her as they made their way to the table.

"Here you go." She spoke as she stepped out of the way. "Your waiter will be here shortly, when more of your party arrives."

"Alright, thank you." Casey responded, the woman giving him a nod before she headed back towards the front of the restaurant, while Matt took in more of their surroundings. Though the place was busy, it wasn't overly crowded, and Matt was thankful for that, as well as the fact that they had taken his request and given them a table towards the back.

He'd left that part out to Gabby when he'd stepped away to make their reservations, but he had asked that they be seated closer towards the back, meaning they'd be away from the windows. He wasn't even sure it was necessary, and if their talk before they came here told him anything, it's that Gabby certainly wouldn't think so, but still, he was glad he did it. He didn't want her feeling like she couldn't relax, and he thought them being more out of the way would help with that.

Turning towards her, he gave Gabby a soft smile before he moved slightly out of the way to let her choose where she wanted to sit. And, unsurprisingly, she chose the one where her back was facing the wall, meaning she had a pretty good view of the entire restaurant. But he didn't say anything about it, Matt simply nodding when she looked at him, like she was silently asking him if these seats were okay for them.

"This is fine with me, babe." He replied, Gabby giving him a smile before he moved to stand behind her and help get her coat off. After pulling the material down her arms, he placed it over the back of her chair before pulling the seat out for her, Gabby shooting him a grateful smile as she sat down.

"Thank you." She murmured, Matt giving her a nod before he completed the similar process for himself, Casey shrugging his coat off and tossing it over his chair before sitting down in the seat directly beside her. "This place is nice." She commented as she reached for the menu, Matt nodding in agreement as he reached out to run his hand over her arm, his thumb stroking her bare skin gently.

"Yeah, it is… I'm glad Boden suggested it, cause I was pretty lost as to where we should go." He replied with a chuckle, Matt never removing his hand from her arm.

"Yeah, he's pretty good with this stuff." She responded softly, the two sharing a soft glance before Gabby began to look around, though Matt never took his eyes off of her. As he watched her, he did his best to quickly get a read on her, Matt wanting to know how she was doing now that they were finally out and about, especially when he had the time with just the two of them.

"I'll only ask you this one more time," He started after a few moments, his voice gaining Gabby's attention as she turned to look at him, Matt able to tell just by the look on her face that she had a pretty good idea of what he was about to ask, as his thumb stroked softly over her arm. "But you sure you're okay being here? You're feeling alright and everything?" He questioned, Gabby pursing her lips together before she gave him a soft nod.

"I'm good." She told him, just as she had earlier in the evening, her eyes moving back out towards the room for a split second before she looked back at him. "I won't lie, it is a little.. weird, I guess, being out like this. It feels a little different than when we went to breakfast, for some reason. But I'm fine." She spoke, Gabby being as honest with him as she could as his eyes traced over her face, a slight hint of worry present in his features. "Promise."

"Alright… But you'll let me know if that changes?" He requested, Gabby immediately giving him a nod, knowing he'd be the first person she went to if she needed anything. With a soft smile, he rubbed her arm once more before leaning forward to press a light kiss against her temple, Gabby relaxing into the contact before he eventually pulled back.

"Here's your table."

Matt looked up when he heard the woman's voice once more, his smile growing when he saw Camila and Ramon standing across from them, along with his mother slightly behind them, the man figuring they'd arrived around the same time.

"Thank you." Ramon replied before the woman walked away, Matt and Gabby both standing up to greet their parents. "Matthew, son, it's great to see you." He spoke brightly as he was the one closest to the firefighter, Casey smiling wide before bringing him in for a quick hug, while Gabby moved to say hi to her mom.

"You too, Ramon." He replied, Matt giving a similar greeting to Camila before he turned to Nancy. "Hi mom." He spoke before he hugged her, the woman holding onto him a little tighter than Ramon and Camilla had.

"Hi sweetheart."

"You look great." He said as they pulled back, Nancy's grin widening as she looked down at the dress she was wearing.

"Oh, you think so? I wasn't entirely sure what to wear, but I hoped it would be okay." She replied, Matt giving her a nod as Gabby came up beside him once she'd finished greeting her parents. "Hi honey." Nancy spoke to the younger woman before pulling her in for a quick hug, Gabby reciprocating the gesture.

"Hi Nancy." She replied, the woman rubbing her back before they separated, the bright grin never leaving Nancy's face. "Congratulations again, on getting that job… I know how much you wanted it."

"Thank you, dear." She replied softly, Matt glancing towards Camila and Ramon who were watching their daughter and his mom from a few feet away. "And also I want to thank you for this… For coming out and celebrating with me and Matthew, it means so much to me." She spoke genuinely, Gabby giving her an immediate nod as she reached out to grip her arm.

"I wanted to… This is a great thing, and we should all be celebrating together." She responded, Nancy smiling softly in agreement before they all went back to the table. After helping his mother sit down in the seat beside him, Matt moved back to his own seat, the man moving out Gabby's chair for her once more before he sat down, too. And with Matt sitting in between Gabby and his mom, Camila sat down on the opposite side of Nancy, while Ramon was next to her, leaving the lone empty seat in between Ramon and Gabby for whenever Antonio arrived.

"Well, I'd say this was certainly a nice surprise, us all getting together like this." Camila spoke once they were all settled in their seats. "I know we had that dinner a few weeks ago, but it's nice to have everyone here- well, whenever Antonio does show up."

"He texted me maybe ten minutes ago, said he was about to leave the precinct and that he'd be here soon." Gabby supplemented, Camila nodding in understanding before she turned her attention back to Nancy.

"Well, then hopefully he'll be here soon. But it's nice to have all of us together, especially under such great circumstances." Camila continued on as she spoke of Nancy's newest job. And while they waited for the oldest Dawson sibling, Nancy and Camila continued talking to one another, both of them catching up since the last time they saw each other, Ramon cutting in when he had anything of importance to say. But for the most part, it was just Camila and Nancy, and Matt had to admit it was a nice sight to see.

He knew after their first family dinner that his mom and Camila had hit it off, that they'd had a great time together, and it was nice to see that continue. That they were slowly building a friendship with one another. It was something that made him happy, Matt glad to know that not only did his and Gabby's families get along, but that his mom had more people in her life other than just him.

The longer they sat there, the more the conversation started to include everyone else, the group having just ordered their drinks and an appetizer as they waited for the last Dawson to arrive. Reaching over towards his arm, Gabby glanced at the watch on Matt's wrist, her eyebrows furrowing when she saw the time.

"Everything alright?" He asked softly after seeing the look on her face, his question gaining the attention of the table as Camila stopped in the middle of her sentence.

"Yeah, everything's fine."

"What's wrong?" Camila asked suddenly, Gabby glancing towards her before she shook her head.

"Nothing's wrong, I'm just surprised Antonio isn't here yet." She replied simply, Camila relaxing at her words before she nodded. Though she was a little surprised by her mother's immediate worry for her, she couldn't say it completely caught her off guard, as she knew Matt wasn't the only person in her life concerned about her coming out tonight.

"Ahh, well you know your brother, dear." Camila responded with a soft smile. "He's never one to be punctual, except for work."

"That's true… I just thought he'd be here by now." She spoke, Matt raising his eyebrows before he checked the time himself.

"Do you wanna call him?" He suggested, his words causing Gabby to look towards him. "Just to see where he is? Maybe he got hung up at work…"

"Yeah, maybe… I might." She replied, Matt nodding as she pulled out her phone. But before she could even dial the number, the man in question was brought to the table, an apologetic look already written across his face.

"Sorry, I'm sorry- I know I'm late." He spoke when he got closer, the son stopping to give his mom a kiss on the cheek and grip his dad's shoulder before he moved to the last available seat.

"It's fine, dear. I'm assuming work held you up?" Camila asked, Antonio nodding before he greeted his sister as well, the older brother kissing her cheek before he sat down.

"It did, yeah." He responded after a quick pause, Antonio glancing across the table. "Hi Mrs. Casey." He greeted, the woman waving him off as a small smile formed over her face.

"You can just call me Nancy, it's nice to officially meet you, Antonio." She told him, the man nodding in agreement.

"You too." He spoke before glancing towards Casey, the two men exchanging quick nods. "Well, did I miss anything before I got here? I didn't miss all the congratulations for Nancy, did I?" He questioned with a soft smile, Camila shaking her head.

"No, you didn't miss much of anything mijo." Ramon replied. "Just catching up and all, though Nancy was just beginning to tell us all about her new job." He prompted, his words encouraging Nancy to continue as the woman began speaking once more. And as she did, she had the complete attention of everyone at the table, all the Dawsons, and Matt, listening intently while she spoke of this new firm she was now employed at, as the younger Casey unable to keep the smile off his face while he sat with the people he considered family.

And as the night wore on, that strong sense of contentment he felt only continued to grow, Matt thoroughly enjoying this time they were all getting together as they sat around and ate their meal. It was nice for them to have moments like this, all of them talking like they'd known each other for years as they continued on with their nice and easy conversations. They'd talked about anything and everything, from Nancy's new job, to what Camila and Ramon were up to, and Antonio's job, to how things were going with himself and Gabby; they spent this time together catching up on everything going on in their lives. Though, when the focus shifted to him and Gabby, the conversation had remained superficial at best, and Gabby often steered the topic in another direction. And he was pretty sure his mother had picked up on it.

But no one commented on it, and no one pushed Gabby, or Matt, to talk about themselves much as most of the focus stayed on everyone else. It had become a silent agreement of sorts, between everyone at the table, that Gabby specifically wasn't really at the center of the conversation. With her family knowing exactly what had been going on, and Nancy knowing something was going on, no one had really pushed it, accidentally or otherwise. At least not yet. And though Gabby seemed to be doing well throughout the entire evening, that hadn't stopped Casey from occasionally checking in on her.

He was subtle about it, Matt more so just looking her over more than anything else as he meant what he said; he wasn't gonna continuously ask her how she was doing. He wasn't going to hound her all evening, not when they were all having a good time. But what he had done was keep an eye on her, and look out for any of the signs he knew so well that indicated something was the matter.

But so far, there had been none. They were all just having a good time, and getting to know one another a little bit better as this was the first time the entire family had been together for more than a few minutes.

"So Matthew," His mom started once the conversation had lulled for a moment, the younger Casey glancing towards her as he took a sip of his water. "I know we talked a little bit about things at the firehouse, but how's your construction been going? Have you done any jobs or anything lately?" She questioned, Matt swallowing his drink before he shook his head lightly.

"No, uh- I haven't been, not lately." He replied, Nancy raising her eyebrows slightly.

"Are you not doing that anymore, honey?" She continued, Matt shaking his head once more before he glanced towards Gabby.

"I am, I've just… Been focused on other things." He answered simply, as everyone at the table, other than his mother, knew exactly why he hadn't been taking on construction jobs recently. "And we're getting close to winter, so there won't be much for me to do, anyway. I'll probably just pick it back up in the new year." He explained, Nancy seemingly satisfied with his answer as she gave him a nod.

"Well, that sounds good sweetheart. I know how much you enjoy that." She replied, Matt nodding slightly before his eyes moved back to his girlfriend once more, Gabby smiling gently before she took a small sip of her wine. Giving her a grin on his own, Matt reached over to rub her arm, his thumb stroking over her skin before he moved his arm up to rest across the back of her chair. "And what about you, Gabby?" Nancy questioned, Gabby looking away from Matt towards his mother. "You own a bar, right? I think is what Matthew said." She continued, a look of realization covering the paramedics face before she nodded.

"I do, yeah. Well, with a few of my friends." She responded softly. "Though I haven't been there in a while, but I am a part owner of the place- Molly's, is what it's called." She elaborated, the older Casey smiling wide before she nodded. "It's a great place to work, we all usually go there a lot, though we haven't much lately… But I am actually working a shift there in a few days, I think. If you wanna come by and see the place." She offered, Nancy giving her a quick nod in acceptance.

"Wait- you are?" Camila interjected before Nancy could respond, the concern in her words evident as Gabby glanced over to her.

"Yeah, I am." Gabby replied after a moment, not missing the pensive look that covered her mother and father's faces. "I haven't worked there in a while, so I said I'd cover a shift. Matt and I will be there." She added carefully as she didn't want her mom to worry, while she was also being mindful of who exactly was at this table.

But her mother didn't seem to mind so much, Camila wincing slightly before she leaned forward in her seat, her eyes never leaving her daughter. "I… Honey, are you sure that's a good idea? It might be too much..." She questioned before she could stop herself, Gabby pursing her lips together as she felt Matt begin to rub her shoulder.

Before she responded, she spared a quick glance at Nancy, seeing the woman was doing her best not to pry as her eyes were focused down on her food, though it was hardly considering prying when the conversation was being had directly in front of her. "Mom, not here." She all but whispered, but it was impossible for her mother to hear her without Nancy hearing her as well, the older Casey stuck in this conversation she wasn't meant to be a part of.

"Camila." Ramon spoke quietly, his single word urging her to drop this as they all remembered what had transpired during their last family dinner; how Camila had pushed too hard and caused her daughter to break. And none of them wanted to even risk that happening again.

So with just a simple nod, Camila gave her daughter a warm smile, doing what she could to push aside the apprehension she felt. "You're right, I… I hope you two have a nice time." She spoke, Gabby breathing in deeply before she nodded. "And with Matt, and maybe Shay there, I'm sure it'll be fun." She added, though Gabby was pretty sure she was only mentioning her boyfriend and best friend so she could get confirmation that her daughter wouldn't be on her own, the youngest Dawson simply nodding before she refocused her attention back down to her meal.

There was a slight bit of tension looming over them now, Nancy unsure of what to say, while Gabby felt a hint of embarrassment from the conversation they'd just had. Deep down she knew she had no reason to be, but with her desperate need for people to let her get past this, her mom questioning her choices wasn't exactly helping matters. Especially when Nancy had been here to see it.

But luckily, that feeling was only around them for all of a few seconds before Matt expertly shifted the topic, the man pulling all focus away from Gabby as he began to talk more about work at the firehouse, everyone soon paying attention to him instead. And that was something Gabby was beyond grateful for, as Matt's ability to know exactly what she needed at any given moment was evident yet again, Casey talking with all of them like nothing had even happened. Though while he spoke, he continued rubbing his fingers over her shoulder, the silent action giving her more comfort and assurance than anything else could in this moment as Gabby took another bite of her food.

And after a few more minutes had passed, it was like all had been forgotten as they were laughing and talking once more, Gabby eventually rejoining the conversation, the group able to enjoy the rest of their dinner together without incident.

But as they were all sitting and talking, Antonio did his best to keep his attention on them while also occasionally checking his phone, just as he had been all evening. And truthfully, he was a little surprised no one had called him on it, that they hadn't noticed how distracted he'd been since he walked in that door. Though with everyone's focus being on Gabby, and making sure she was alright, he supposed he shouldn't be too surprised. But regardless, he was glad for it, that he didn't have to try and explain himself every time he'd discretely pull his phone out of his pocket.

Just as he was about to check it once more, he felt it buzz in his hand, Antonio quickly glancing down as he had a feeling who knew exactly who had texted him just now. And his assumption proved correct as he looked towards the screen and saw Voight's contact shining up at him, the short message he'd sent flooding Antonio's body with relief as he felt he could finally relax and enjoy the rest of this evening with everyone.

'He's been at home all night, hasn't gone anywhere. Enjoy your dinner.'


Walker huffed out a breath as he sat in his cold car, the lack of heat inside the vehicle causing him to shiver every few moments as he could see his breath escaping his lips in front of him. But despite how cold he was, he knew he couldn't turn on the car, not when he had no idea how much longer he'd be sitting here. Though considering he'd already been outside of this restaurant for over two hours, he hoped it wouldn't be much longer.

When he first followed Antonio here from the district, he wasn't entirely sure what he was walking in on. He didn't know where he was going, or what he was doing, but based on how dressed up he was when he left the precinct, he figured it was some kind of important dinner. And when they first got here and didn't see anyone else, Walker had every intention of leaving and going back to Gabby's apartment, just as he'd done multiple times over the last week. But that was until he saw Casey's truck parked outside when he pulled up. When he saw that, he made a split second decision to stay, hoping that Gabby was also inside that restaurant as he chose to wait it out, in hopes of seeing her and what she was doing.

But he hadn't planned on it taking this long, the man nearly bored out of his mind as he had no way to know how long of a night he was in for. And with his phone not here to distract him, he had very little else to do. But the boredom he felt now was far worth it in the long run if it meant he could continue to check in on Gabby without getting caught.

After his unexpected run-in with Antonio last week, it became clear to him that if he wanted to keep seeing Gabby, he was going to have to be more careful. And one of the ways he was able to do that was to make sure he kept his phone at home when he went to see her.

He couldn't be sure if that was the only way Antonio was keeping tabs on him, he truly had no idea and not really any way to know. But as he'd been checking in on Gabby, Matt, and the detective multiple times over the last week, without the tough big brother showing up at his front door, Bryan had a pretty good idea that his cell phone was the only way they were checking in on him and what he was doing. Though just to be safe, he'd been borrowing one of his buddy's cars as well, just in case anyone from the 21st decided to swing by his place while he was out.

But so far, all his precautions seemed to be working. So while it was annoying, it was a sacrifice he'd make to be able to see Gabby as often as he liked. It was a slight setback he could work around, and there had yet to be any issues. Because while he still wasn't sure what he wanted from Gabby, if anything at all, he needed to know what all she was up to while he figured it out.

Because since finding out that Gabby had gotten back with Casey, and then the subsequent threatening he got from Antonio, Walker was close to just running in the other direction and leaving it alone. There was a part of him that knew he'd be better off, if he just left Gabby and all the drama that came with her, in the past, and finally moved on with his life. And for a few days, that sounded like the best option.

But the longer he sat with it, the more that seemed like something he didn't actually want. Because while at first he thought he wanted nothing to do with her, and he knew his life would be so much easier if he just forgot about her, there was a small voice in the back of his head that was telling him he couldn't. That despite all she'd put him through, he still loved her and wanted her. And that's what had him sitting out here right now, and what had him keeping tabs on her; his love and desire for her, that he was trying so desperately to figure out.

And he was sure if he could get her alone and explain it to her, she'd see it the same way he did.

The problem was, she was never alone. Even in the times he'd gone and waited outside her apartment, Casey was always there. It almost felt like on some level Matt knew he was watching, and was trying to keep her from him. And it was becoming more and more frustrating as the days went on.

Blowing out another sigh, Walker continued looking around the rather empty street as he continued to wait. Though despite how tired and annoyed he was, the man perked up when he saw people filtering out of the restaurant, his eyes searching for anyone familiar as he was hoping Gabby was in the pack of people walking out. When he saw the first woman that walked out and he didn't recognize her, he was about to lose hope again, that they weren't leaving just yet. But then he saw someone he recognized as he noticed Camila and Ramon walk out behind the lady he didn't know, soon followed by Antonio, then lastly it was the person he was looking for. The person he'd sat out here for hours just to get a glimpse of, the person who caused a smile to form over his face when he saw her walk outside, as from even far away, she looked incredible in that dress.

But it didn't matter how far away he was from them, because he could still see her; he could still see his Gabby.

But his smile soon fell when he noticed who walked out behind her, his eyes narrowing in a glare as he watched Casey walk out and immediately wrap his arm around her, pulling Gabby into his side as they all stood on the sidewalk. And though he had no idea what all was being said, that didn't matter as he tried his best to just focus on seeing Gabby again, and not dwell on the fact that she was standing far too close to Casey for his liking.

But the longer he was able to see her, the less it mattered to him, that small smile forming over his face once more as he took her in. And in this moment, it was like all his hesitation went away, that every uncertainty he had cleared up, and he knew exactly what he wanted.

And that was Gabby. Gabby was what he wanted. She was all he wanted.

He wanted her. But more importantly, he didn't want Casey to have her.

And he was going to do whatever he had to to make that happen.