Hello everyone! First off, let me say I'm sorry there was no update last week. There was one scene in this chapter that kept giving me trouble, and I couldn't get it the way I wanted it, which was becoming rather frustrating. So I decided to step away from it for a few days, and I think I like how it turned out. I hope you do, too. But I am sorry there was no update, I know some of you look forward to that every week so I do want to apologize for that.

I hope you all have a great Christmas, to those of you who celebrate. And I hope all of you have a great rest of the week. Thanks for all the support you've given me, it means the world.

Happy reading!


SEVENTY NINE


Matt's leg bounced up and down as he sat at his desk, the small office providing enough of a sanctuary for him to try and complete some of the paperwork he always seemed to be behind on. But if the large stack in front of him was any indication, he wasn't getting through nearly as much as he wanted, as every time he would start to get a rhythm going, his mind would start to wander.

And it always went back to one thing… Gabby.

Which, admittedly for him, that wasn't unusual. He always thought about her, she was always on his mind, and it had been like that for a very long time. But especially here lately, she was on his mind for a different reason, as they continued to navigate the uncertain waters of everything surrounding Walker.

It had been two weeks since Bryan came back into the picture, and it felt like every day was filled with these neverending ups and downs. There had been no progress, Walker still in the wind as Antonio was sure he wasn't in Chicago anymore, but truthfully no one had any idea. Because as these last two grueling, and exhausting, weeks had proven, they had absolutely no idea where Bryan was, and they were running out of places to look.

Antonio gave them his word that he wouldn't stop until he found him, and Matt wholeheartedly believed that. Despite his feelings towards the man over how this all played out, Casey did truly know that the older Dawson was doing all he could, and that he wouldn't stop until they found Bryan. But knowing that didn't make the reality of their situation any easier, as Antonio's best hadn't been enough to find Walker so far. The entire situation was less than ideal, to put it simply, and it became more and more frustrating as the days went by.

But Matt was doing all he could to not focus on the Walker aspect of this, and focus his energy on Gabby instead, as he knew this was affecting her more than anyone. Even though there were days she did her best to mask it.

It wasn't that she was trying to hide from him, as they'd talked through their thoughts and feelings a lot over these last two weeks, but more that she just wished she wasn't feeling this way at all. She didn't want to be affected by him, she didn't want to let Walker control anything she did, and that's what had made it all that much harder on her, was Matt knew she felt like she was losing that part of herself. That with them changing so much in their day-to-day lives, and how they couldn't just do what they wanted to do when they wanted to do it, she felt like Walker was winning. And Matt knew it didn't sit well with her.

But despite that, it wasn't all low moments, either, as some things had mellowed out at times between them, Matt and Gabby slowly settling into their new normal. Or, their new normal for now until they found Walker. Call it acceptance, or that they were just embracing what they had no control over, but whatever it was, they'd managed to adjust to the way things had to be right now, and it had seemed to help them both.

There was still that uncertainty, there were still the moments where one or both of them got overwhelmed by what was going on, which always led to the other being there by their side, but overall, they were doing alright. And Matt knew one of the biggest factors to that had been Gabby's talk with his mom last week.

He hadn't meant to eavesdrop on what was clearly a very personal conversation, that was the last thing he wanted to do, but when he'd left the bedroom to go in search of Gabby, and he heard her talking, it was like he had no control over himself anymore. He heard the pain, the confusion, the hurt in her voice, and it was like he was frozen. Like he couldn't have left even if he wanted to, as he'd stood in the hallway and listened to his girlfriend and mother talk.

And though it had been painful, both during and then afterwards when he'd done nothing but comfort her the rest of the day, and Gabby was certainly emotionally drained from the entire thing, it had helped her. He could see it. Talking with his mom, with someone who had gone through something similar, it helped. She'd gotten things off her chest, with a person who understood it, who could help her more than he could, and that alone had done wonders for Gabby. And that was exactly what he'd hoped, ever since he first brought up the idea of talking to his mom, that if she could speak to someone who understood, it would help her start to move past it, and from what he could tell, she was. Which was all he wanted for her.

All he wanted was for Gabby to be okay, and he could tell she was, or at least better than she was before. Things were still hard, there was no denying that, but between having him, his mom, and her family and friends, she was getting there. And that's all he could ask of her.

While sitting in his office, his mind continued to wander over Gabby as his eyes moved towards the framed photo of the two of them sitting proudly on his desk, the sight alone bringing a small smile to his face. It was an older photo of them, one from before they even officially started dating, back when they were only friends. Or trying to prove to themselves that's all they were, but regardless, it was one of his favorites, the candid moment of them in the firehouse flooding his chest with warmth as he longed to see that bright, beautiful smile over his girl's face again.

A small pair of hands suddenly resting on his shoulders caused him to jump, Matt tensing in his seat before he soon recognized the warmth radiating off of the person who was now standing in his office, Casey relaxing back into her as his head rested against her chest.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Gabby murmured as she ran her hands along the tops of his shoulders before sliding down to his chest, Matt smiling softly as his eyes closed, the lingering sound of her gentle voice calming him as he could feel her steady breathing against the back of his head.

"It's fine, babe. I just didn't hear you come in." He responded as his eyes opened slowly, the methodic movement of her hands rubbing over his upper chest enough to clear his mind for a moment, before he eventually spoke up. "How was the call?" He broke the silence once more, feeling her press a kiss to the top of his head before she pulled back from him, Matt missing the contact instantly.

"It was fine, easy enough." She commented, Matt turning around in his chair just in time to see her walk around towards his bunk, Gabby sitting down on the edge before learning over to untie her boots. Casey watched her with a soft smile as she completed the easy task, Gabby going quiet for a few moments while she concentrated before she kicked her boots off, the paramedic bringing her feet up onto his bed as she looked back at him. "No life threatening injuries or anything, it just took us forever to get out of there." She continued on like she never paused, Matt's ears perking up as he watched her make herself comfortable on his bunk.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, we're good… Lakeshore was just super busy, and they seemed pretty understaffed." She answered him, her own words cut off by the yawn that escaped her lips, Casey's face softening as she looked towards him. "But everything was good, and our patient should be fine."

"That's good." He echoed, Gabby nodding in agreement before she yawned once more.

"What about you? How were things here?"

"It's been fine...pretty quiet." Casey answered her, his words earning a small smile from her as she stretched out her back, the firefighter noticing all the signs of her trying to shake off her exhaustion. And it was exhaustion he wasn't surprised to see, as he knew how little sleep she got last night, that tiredness seeming to slowly catch up with her.

It wasn't because of anything in particular, as far as he knew, but she'd just been restless most of the night, Matt having felt her toss and turn often. When he asked her about it this morning, she hadn't paid much attention to it, Gabby simply telling him she just couldn't get comfortable and wasn't able to shut her brain off, Matt understanding that the current situation was bound to create a few moments like this. But still, whatever exactly it was, it led to neither of them getting enough sleep the night before, though Gabby was certainly feeling it more than he was.

"That's good." She answered once she finished stretching, her eyes flickering behind him towards his desk before she met his gaze once more. "...I'm not keeping you from anything, am I?"

A soft smile graced his lips before he shook his head side to side, his verbal response coming seconds later. "No, you're not. I'm just working on a little bit of paperwork, but it's nothing pressing." He told her, Gabby matching his slight grin.

"So you won't mind if I stay in here?" She continued on, Matt cocking his head to the side as his hands rested down in his lap.

"Of course not." He assured her without hesitation, Matt sparing a quick glance down to his watch before looking back up towards her. "Stay as long as you want… You wanna lay down for a bit?" Casey suggested, not missing the sheepish look that soon covered her face before she ducked her head slightly, her reaction to his question causing him to chuckle.

"That's actually why I came in here." She replied with a gleam in her eye, Matt running his tongue along the inside of his cheek in an effort to keep his grin from widening, Gabby giving him a slight shrug once seeing the look on his face.

"And here I was thinking you just wanted to see me." He teased, the light tone in his voice bringing her smile back as Gabby rested her palm down on the mattress.

"I always do." She responded quickly, the ease of her words telling him just how much she meant them. "But I'm also tired." Gabby added honestly, another low chuckle escaping the back of his throat before he nodded. "So I was hoping to lay down for a bit, maybe even get a little sleep before the next call."

"You know you never need to ask." He reminded her, his words causing her grin to widen before she adjusted her positioning on the bed.

"Thank you." She replied quietly, Matt noticing her eye his stack of paperwork once more before finding his gaze. "How, uh… How much more paperwork do you need to get through?" She asked him, Matt biting back a smirk as he had a pretty good idea of what she was about to ask him. Though he'd play along, anyway.

"I can stop, why?" He asked back, though they both knew he didn't need to, Gabby staying silent as she merely patted the mattress beside her, her actions earning another laugh from him before Matt pushed himself up from his chair and moved towards his door that Gabby had left open. After pulling it shut, he began to draw the blinds on his windows, Matt knowing they'd want some privacy while Gabby rested, as his girlfriend watched his every move.

Though he knew it was innocent enough, Matt also didn't exactly want an audience while they were curled up in his bunk together. And he knew the privacy would help her relax more too, as it really felt like they were off in their own little world whenever they would shut themselves inside his office, the small space giving them both a sense of security that was hard to replicate.

While Matt moved towards the last blind, the one that covered the window between his and Severide's office, a small smile formed over his face when he watched Gabby make herself comfortable in his bed, her body facing the wall as she waited for him to lie down behind her. But when he looked back up, the smile on his face fell, Matt's spine involuntarily straightening when he made eye-contact with Severide through the window.

The man was sitting at his own desk, no doubt working through his own amounts of paperwork, but apparently the movement through the window had gained his attention as the two firefighters were now staring at one another, the blank look on Casey's face one Severide had been on the receiving end of a lot here lately. But Matt made no effort to change that, the firefighter breaking their eye contact before pulling the blinds down, effectively cutting them off from everyone else as Gabby was ready for a much-needed nap.

And Casey was more than willing to help with that, the boyfriend quickly discarding his boots before he slid into the bunk behind her, his arm immediately wrapping around her waist and pulling her back towards him. It was almost second nature to them now, getting into that familiar and comfortable position that they were so often in, his arm staying wrapped around her torso, while his other ended up underneath her neck, Matt keeping her as close to him as he possibly could. And that was exactly how they stayed, their bodies molded together perfectly as he felt her breathing underneath his arm.

Breathing that eventually evened out, as Gabby fell asleep within minutes from the security of his arms. Seconds later her soft snores followed, Matt knowing she truly was resting as her entire body was relaxed in his hold, a soft smile forming over his lips as he stroked his thumb back and forth along her stomach.

He knew there were other things he could be doing right now, that if he wanted to, he could finish getting caught up on his paperwork while she rested, but being here with her like this, it felt more important. Doing whatever he could to make sure she got the sleep she needed, that was more important to him than paperwork, as Matt knew the only reason she'd been able to fall asleep so quickly was because he was here. Because his presence made her feel safe.

No matter where they were, or what was going on, even maybe in times when he himself felt like he couldn't protect her, he knew he was able to make her feel safe. And that was something he'd never take for granted, as Matt was willing to lie here for however long they could while she slept.

But that time only lasted for maybe an hour, Matt dozing in and out but never really falling asleep, before the bells finally rang out above them. Casey was alert in seconds, Gabby not moving quite as quickly as squad 3 and ambulance 61 were called out, Matt hearing a low groan come from his girlfriend before she moved to get up. He mimicked her actions once they'd detangled themselves from one another, Casey watching on in amusement as she tried to shake the tiredness she still felt from being woken up, her body moving slowly around the bed. But even from first glance, he could tell she felt a little better as she quickly slid her boots back on, Gabby flashing him a small smile before moving towards the door.

"Stay safe out there." He told her as he sat on the edge of his bunk, Matt stretching out his back while Gabby nodded, the paramedic unlocking the door before pulling it open.

"I will." She promised, Gabby offering him a quick wink before she disappeared out into the bunkroom, leaving Matt alone in his office.


"Dawson, get down!"

Gabby was barely able to register the sound of Kelly's voice before flames blew out from underneath the hood of the car in front of her, everything around her happening so fast to where her mind wasn't able to process any of it, aside from her waiting for the fire to hit her. She'd been standing too close, she could feel the heat brush her skin, and she was just waiting for the searing burn to follow.

But it never did. And it took a few seconds to understand why.

It wasn't until she was on the ground with Severide on top of her that she realized what happened, a searing pain shooting through her shoulder down her arm as her body had collided painfully with the pavement, a similar pain radiating from her cheek as her face scraped against the ground. But it was nothing compared to how painful burns would've been, as Severide shielded her body while the other firefighters got the fire out.

"Severide, man- your back." Cruz spoke quickly before he began patting on Kelly's body, that alone telling Gabby that Severide was currently on fire. And that was enough to shake her a little, as had it not been for Kelly, that would've been her. Except she didn't have any gear on to protect herself.

"Alright, alright we got it. The fire's out." Capp spoke, Gabby unable to see much as Severide was still on top of her, Cruz patting the Lieutenant down one last time before stepping back.

"You're good, Severide." Joe spoke after giving him one last pat against his back, Gabby hearing Kelly groan softly before starting to shift his weight off of her.

"Are you guys okay?" Shay shouted from across the road, the blonde currently trying to access their patient while also get the assurance she needed that her friends were alright, as it had been a scary moment for all of them.

But Gabby said nothing, the PIC still trying to process exactly what had happened as she knew how close she came to being seriously injured, at best.

Feeling how rigid she was underneath him, Severide scrambled to get off of her now that he was sure they were safe, it not lost on the Lieutenant either of just how close of a call it had been, considering he himself had been on fire. But he was fine, his gear had done its job and he was protected; now he just needed to make sure Gabby was alright.

"Dawson…" He spoke as he got to his knees, Kelly slowly helping her up into a sitting position as Gabby was starting to feel the cold ground beneath them seep through her clothes. But that was nothing compared to the other discomfort her body was feeling, Gabby wincing as the stinging in her cheek soon turned to burning, the paramedic sure she could feel the tiniest bit of blood trickling down her skin as Severide immediately shook his head. "Shay! We need you over here!"

"I'm fine." Gabby spoke as more of squad 3 started to crowd around her, Severide's eyes darting over her face before looking over the rest of her, trying to make sure there were no other injuries he was missing, though the scrape on her face was more than enough as a deep grimace covered his features. "I'm okay."

"You're not okay, you're cut." He spoke back, Gabby looking towards Kelly just to find him staring at her cheek, the look on his face quite telling as to how bad he felt while Shay made their way to them.

"What's wrong?" She asked as soon as she got there, her eyes darting between the two before landing on Dawson, a deep frown setting in across her lips when she too saw the scrape covering her skin. "Ah that looks painful, let me take a look at that, Dawson."

"I really am fine, it's nothing." She tried, but Shay was having none of it as her partner came to squat down beside her, Kelly moving far enough out of the way to give her room, while also staying close by his friend's side. And as they sat there, Gabby was doing her best to ignore the pain her body was in, their tumble to ground having been much more impactful than she initially realized as her shoulder and arm were currently on fire, the pins and needles type pain almost feeling like it was stabbing her as she tried to regain some mobility.

"Hey guys, give Shay some room." Severide spoke up when he realized practically all of squad was crowded around them. "Start working on getting the car cleaned up, we're good here."

"Alright Lieutenant." Cruz echoed before the men of squad 3 began to get back to work, Gabby releasing a deep breath as Shay continued tending to the cuts on her face, the blonde huffing out a heavy breath before reaching down into their ambo bag.

"Jesus Kelly, did you tackle her to the ground or something?" Shay spoke quietly, Severide's face hardening instantly.

"I was trying to keep her from that fucking ball of fire that came out from the car, in case you didn't notice." He bit back, Shay releasing another sigh while her eyes were focused on Gabby, the PIC trying her best to ignore the stinging pain she felt every time Shay worked on her. "But I'm sorry Dawson, I didn't mean to hurt you. I was trying to get you out of the way."

"I'm fine, Severide." She assured him once more now that she had more of her bearings, her arm regaining more feeling as the initial adrenaline from the situation was starting to wear off. "Really, I'm good."

"What's wrong with your arm?" Shay asked abruptly, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing slightly before she looked at her.

"What?" She questioned back, her gaze flashing towards Severide, who was now staring at the arm that was hanging a bit limply by her side.

"Your arm… You're moving it all weird, does it hurt?" The paramedic pressed, Dawson drawing in a slow breath before shaking her head.

"It's fine, just a little numb from landing on it, but I'm good." She replied simply, Shay eyeing her for a moment before she nodded.

"Alright…" She responded, though it was clear she wasn't convinced. "Well, let's get you to Lakeshore and have them check you out."

"Shay-"

"Nope, no arguments." She responded just as she finished bandaging Gabby's cheek. "They need to take a look at that cut, and make sure you didn't, I don't know, dislocate your shoulder or something." She finished, her words earning an unimpressed look from Dawson.

"I think we'd all know if my shoulder was dislocated right now." She fired back, the blonde waving her off before she stood up straight.

"Maybe… But I'm not taking you back to that firehouse until you get checked over by someone with a medical degree. Casey would kill me, you know that… He'll probably kill Severide regardless." She spoke firmly, Gabby pursing her lips together before glancing towards Kelly and immediately seeing the uncomfortable look on his face, as they both knew things between the best friends hadn't been any less tense lately.

"Shay…"

"What? It's the truth." She spoke quickly, Severide holding his tongue as he got up off the ground. "And I don't want to be another casualty in all this just because you're stubborn, now let's go." She added sternly, before herself and Severide helped Gabby up off the ground, neither of them missing how she kept favoring her left side, it becoming more and more clear how she might've been downplaying how badly her arm was hurting her.

"You sure you're okay, Dawson?" Severide asked once they were all upright, Gabby meeting his gaze before she nodded.

"I really am fine… Are you okay?" She questioned back, watching as his eyebrows raised slightly. "You were burning there for a second, you're not hurt, are you?"

"No, no I'm good." He told her, Gabby breathing in deeply before she nodded then turned towards Shay, her partner patiently waiting for her.

"Come on, clumsy, let's get you out of here." She repeated, Gabby fighting off the urge to roll her eyes as Shay turned her attention to the patrolman assigned to watch over 61, the blonde pointing towards the ambulance before she spoke up once more. "Johnny, Steve, we're going to Lakeshore."

Dawson bit back a laugh as the men shared a less than amused look, the PIC nudging her friends side slightly. "Shay, those aren't their names."

"I know." She responded easily as she met Gabby's eyes, the two partners watching each other for a moment before Shay's gaze moved down to the bandage now on her cheek, a heavy sigh escaping her lips. "You know, I think we should have them check you for a concussion while we're there, too."

"Shay…"

"Just to be sure." She defended her reasoning. "Especially if you hit your head on the ground."

"I didn't." She replied back, Shay shaking her head slightly.

"That you remember." The blonde countered, Gabby opening her mouth to respond but then she stopped herself, seeing the proud smirk that soon covered Shay's lips. "Exactly. Now I'm not gonna tell you again, let's go and get you checked out before Casey finds out what happened."

Dawson released a heavy sigh as she slowed her pace, Shay continuing on towards the ambulance to get their things put away, as the patient from the car had already been taken to the hospital by another ambulance. While she walked, she brought her good arm up towards her shoulder, Gabby pressing into her muscles to try and relieve some the dull aching she still felt from her fall down to the pavement, it slowly occurring to her that getting looked at might not be the worst thing in the world. Even though a part of her still felt like it was unnecessary. But she also knew Shay was right, that Matt was sure to worry when he found out what happened, and if she went back to the house with an already clean bill of health, that would certainly help him feel a bit better about the whole thing.

As she continued to follow after Shay, Gabby couldn't help but feel a pair of eyes on her, the paramedic glancing around until she found the source of the staring, Severide's gaze focused solely on her as he made his way back to his own rig. He was only a few yards away, his steps slowing once they looked at one another, Gabby soon able to feel the hesitance in his demeanor as she was sure he still felt bad about what happened, despite the fact he had no reason to.

Before she got to the ambo, Gabby stopped for a moment, Severide mimicking her actions just as a small smile formed over her face, Kelly raising his eyebrows slightly in response.

"Thank you, Kelly."

Her words brought a soft grin to his face, Gabby nodding slightly before she continued on towards 61, her body moving a little easier with each step while Severide kept going towards squad, the two parting ways once the ambulance headed off towards the hospital.


Casey sat at the head of the table in the common room as he stared at the newspaper sitting down on the table in front of him, the quiet lull of the TV in the background pretty much all that was heard throughout the firehouse as some of truck 81 sat quietly. It had been an easy few hours, for Casey's firefighters at least, as they were all just waiting around for something to do. And while the Lieutenant certainly could've found something to occupy their time, whether it be cleaning or drills, he didn't necessarily feel like doing those things either, so he opted to just letting his men have a nice, easy day while they waited for anyone who might need their help.

Just as he turned to the next page of his newspaper, the familiar sound of a rig backing up filled the room, Casey recognizing it to be squad rather quickly. But he continued listening for a few more seconds, his ears perking up slightly as he tried to figure out whether or not 61 had returned with them. But it was a little too hard to tell, Casey releasing a soft breath before moving his focus back to his newspaper as he knew here in a few seconds he'd have his answer.

And sure enough, squad 3 began to filter into the house no more than a couple minutes later, all of them a bit quieter than usual as they came into the common room and went to their seats, while Severide hung back by the entrance, his eyes focused on Casey.

"How was the call?" Herrmann questioned as Severide placed his hand over his stomach, the squad Lieutenant raising his eyebrows slightly when he realized he was being spoken to, it taking a few extra moments for him to process what his friend had said.

"Oh, uh- it was fine, for the most part." He answered quietly, his gaze moving back towards Casey only to find that he didn't seem to be listening.

"Did something happen?" Christopher asked, picking up on his off-tone as a few more of the firefighters looked towards him, Cruz shooting Severide a knowing look before glancing back at Casey.

"Well, uh…" Kelly started, the Lieutenant hoping to see Matt look up from his paper, but he hadn't yet. Not untuk Cruz spoke up.

"We had a pretty close call."

Casey's ears perked up the second he registered those words, his eyes darting around before eventually landing on Severide.

"You guys alright?" Herrmann continued, Joe nodding in response.

"We're fine… It was Dawson." He continued to explain, Casey's spine straightening in his chair as Severide saw the flash of uncertainty in his eyes.

"What happened?" Matt asked quickly, everyone in the room hearing his concern before they all looked around, clearly searching for answers. "Is she alright?"

"She's fine. Thanks to Severide." Capp replied, Kelly pursing his lips together as Casey's head snapped back towards him, a few conflicting emotions playing out over his face. "We were working on clearing the car, and Dawson had just been over there to help get the victim out. And the next thing we knew, the car was up in flames- shooting fire everywhere. And it went right at Dawson." He continued on, Kelly seeing the second fear set in over Matt's face. "But Severide got her… He practically tackled her to the ground, but he got her down before it hit her… He was burning for a bit."

"Jesus." Otis muttered, Severide sucking in a deep breath as Matt never took his eyes off of him, there seeming to be dozens of words on the tip of his tongue, none of which he could figure out how to voice.

"You were on fire, Severide?"

"...Just for a few seconds." Kelly responded after clearing his throat, the firefighter breaking his eye contact with Casey long enough to respond to his friends. But that didn't stop him from noticing how Matt stood up from his seat and began to walk a few steps forward, no one in the firehouse surprised to see the tense reaction from their truck Lieutenant. "But it was nothing, and the fire didn't hit Dawson, so it was fine."

"Yeah, and thank God he got to her when he did." Capp pushed on, Kelly breathing in slowly as Matt looked between them. "Who knows what would've happened if not for him, he might've saved her life."

Capp's words hung in the air for another second or two as everyone tried to digest what was being said to them, as Casey tried to digest it. But it wasn't easy, as everyone in the room could practically feel the nerves pouring off a Matt. Like he was trying to keep his composure but failing, as he was just worried about Gabby and wanting to see her. To see for himself that she was fine. But he couldn't, at least not yet.

"Well… thank God it wasn't worse." Herrmann spoke up, Severide nodding in agreement without a thought, the man unable to respond before someone else spoke up.

"But Gabby's okay?"

Severide glanced back towards Casey when he heard his voice, his entire body tensed up as his arms crossed over his chest, Matt clearly unsure of what to think at this moment.

"She's fine, Casey." Severide assured him once more, Matt drawing in a deep breath before he nodded. "She- her arm was a little sore, from how we landed. And she does have a scrape on her face, from when we were on the ground. But she didn't get burned or anything." He explained, Kelly speaking slowly enough to where Casey could process the words being said to him. "But as far as I know, she's fine… Shay insisted she get checked out, so that's where they are. But I'm sure they'll be back soon."

The room was quiet for a moment, Severide sure they were all waiting to see if Casey would do or say anything more. But he never did, Matt not reacting to much of anything as his eyes stayed locked on Kelly, his friend nodding slightly.

"She's alright." He repeated himself, Casey seemingly snapping out of his haze for a moment before he nodded slowly. But Severide could sense he didn't truly believe it, and he probably wouldn't until Dawson was in front of him.

And after everything they'd been dealing with as of late, Severide really couldn't blame him.

"Okay…. Okay." He muttered under his breath, everyone watching Casey closely as the firefighter began to walk towards the door, no doubt wanting to go wait for Gabby so he could be there the second 61 got back, even despite the brutal cold outside. But when he got towards the hallway, his steps slowed down when he passed Severide, the squad Lieutenant keeping his eyes on him as Casey paused for a moment, before he glanced towards him. "...Thank you, Kelly."

His eyebrows furrowed slightly before he nodded, Kelly looking over him for a second as Matt's genuine words sunk in, that being the first time he'd spoken to him without any hostility in two weeks. And, admittedly, it was a little refreshing to hear it.

"You don't need to thank me man, I'm just glad she's okay." He eventually responded, Matt breathing in deeply before giving him a nod of his own, the truck Lieutenant then leaving the room without another word, the only sound to be heard being him going through the double doors as Casey went to wait on Gabby's return.


"Shay, quit staring at me."

Those words left Dawson's lips as they sat inside the rig, the PIC able to feel her friend's eyes on her despite the fact she was looking out the window, Shay releasing a heavy breath while she returned her complete attention to the road.

"I'm fine, you don't need to watch me." Gabby continued as she turned to look at her, the large bandage covering her cheek pulling slightly from the movement, Shay releasing a soft scoff as she drove back to 51.

"I'm your partner, and your best friend… Not to mention I'm your favorite person, at least on days when Casey is being too… Casey," She began to ramble, Gabby chuckling dryly as he gaze moved back to the road. "I think that means I get to stare at you whenever I want."

"Casey being too Casey?" Gabby questioned, Shay rolling her eyes playfully before she began to wave her hand in the air to help explain herself.

"You know, Casey being Casey… too overprotective, overbearing, etc. Sometimes when he gets like that, I'm able to sneak up into the top spot of being your favorite person." She elaborated, Gabby chuckling once more as she shook her head side to side.

"Mhmm… Sure." She responded, the blonde narrowing her eyes before she reached over to smack Gabby's arm, the PIC immediately leaning away from her. "Hey! Can you not do that to my injured arm, please?"

"I thought you said you weren't hurt." She countered immediately, Gabby biting down on her tongue before drawing in a deep breath, not missing the proud look that covered Shay's face. "Uh huh, exactly."

"You know what I mean." She fired back, Gabby nowhere near wanting to admit that her arm was still a little sore, and certainly a bit numb. "And my point remains the same, you don't need to keep staring at me… You were right there when the doctors checked me out, my arm is fine and the scrape is nothing. And I don't have a concussion, which I tried to tell you earlier. But I'm fine Shay… You don't need to worry."

"You just don't want me worrying because you know Casey will be worrying… Hence why I said Casey being Casey." She spoke knowingly as Dawson went quiet. "I mean, that man has already been tense enough as it is, lately." Shay continued, Gabby wincing slightly as she knew just how true her friend's words were. Matt had certainly been on edge as of late, and everyone knew it, their truck Lieutenant not anywhere near the man they were used to. And Shay did have a point, this incident was bound to only make that worse. "He worries about you all the time, and this is just another thing for him to stress over."

"Well, he doesn't need to." Gabby tried, but she didn't miss the unimpressed look she immediately got from her friend.

"But he's going to." She responded, Dawson sucking in a slow, deep breath before looking out the window. "But back to my point, Casey's already gonna be worried about you, and as your best friend it is my job to also be worried… I can't let Matt one-up me on this." She added jokingly, her words lightening the air around them as Gabby laughed softly.

"Alright Shay." Dawson replied just as the firehouse came into view, the women seeing the far two garage doors open as they pulled into the driveway. And, to no surprise, when they got closer they could see Matt pacing back and forth just outside the garage, his movements only slowing down when he registered 61 pulling up. "God, he's probably freezing." She murmured, before offering him a small smile through the window just before they pulled into the garage.

"What did I tell you… The man worries." Shay responded as she killed the engine, Gabby sighing softly before she reached across her body to undo her seatbelt, Matt coming into her line of vision once more as he stood a few feet away from the rig. "Now convince him you're okay before we have to deal with a stressed-out Casey the rest of shift." She pleaded before they both began to get out of the ambulance, Casey taking a slight step forward when she got on solid ground.

Turning towards him, she saw his eyes were already trailing over her body as Shay came around the front of the rig, Matt not even registering her presence as the blonde gave Dawson a look before heading inside, Gabby staying quiet to give Matt a chance to take her in. And from what she could tell, he seemed fine, like he wasn't overly concerned; until his eyes landed on her face, and he saw the bandage covering her skin.

"I'm okay." She spoke up before he could say anything, Matt breathing in deeply as he took a step towards her, his eyes not giving much away as she could tell he was trying not to worry.

"The guys said you had a close call." He replied, Gabby nodding in response as they stood mere inches from one another, Casey doing his best to not solely focus on the bandage on her face, though he couldn't help but wonder what exactly it was covering.

"Yeah, it was… It was pretty close, but I'm alright. Severide got me to the ground." She answered, Matt nodding this time as he moved like he wanted to reach out to touch her, but he stopped himself.

"Which arm did you hurt?" He asked quietly, Gabby's face softening as she took another step closer.

"I landed on my left side." She answered, Matt immediately moving to reach out for her right shoulder, like he needed to be touching her as she gave him a soft smile. "And I wouldn't say I hurt it, it's just a little sore- my shoulder and everything, but I'll be fine. It could've been a lot worse."

"Thank God it wasn't." He breathed out before he could stop himself, Gabby's eyes tracing over his face as there were deep lines etched into his skin, her hands soon coming up to cradle his face as the movement forced him to look at her.

"Baby, I'm fine." She told him again, seeing him draw in a deep breath before he nodded, Matt lifting his hand up to hold onto her wrist. "Yeah, it was a little too close of a call, but everything's okay. I got checked out at the hospital, and I'm completely fine… No concussion, or sprains, or anything like that. At worst, I might have some bruises, and my face is a little banged up. But I'm alright."

Her voice was as steady as it could be, Gabby hating to see him so on edge over something that truly was nothing. She knew he'd be worried, and likely wish he'd been there, but she was fine, and he didn't need to be worrying as much as he was. And she was sure on some level, Matt knew that, too.

"Okay." He replied with a small smile, Gabby rubbing her glove-covered hands over his cheeks before dropping them down to his chest, Matt carefully pulling her closer as his arms moved around her body. "And I'm sorry for being… overly cautious, I guess. It's just everything going on, it's-" He stopped himself, shaking his head slightly as he tried to find the right words. "I'm a little more worried about you than usual… But I'm glad you're okay."

"I know you are." She told him, Matt not entirely sure as to which part of his words she was responding to. Though if he had to guess, he'd assume all of it. "And I know everything else going on right now has us on edge, but I'm fine, babe. Nothing aspirin and maybe a back rub couldn't solve." She added playfully, Matt grinning softly before he leaned in to give her a soft, slow kiss, the two happy to focus on nothing but each other for a few moments before they eventually pulled back.

"I think that can be arranged." He responded with a slight smirk, Gabby matching his grin before she leaned in to kiss him once more, his grip around her waist tightening as her chest pressed into his.

"I also think hot chocolate would help." She murmured against his lips, Matt chuckling softly before he kissed her again, neither of them caring that they weren't exactly in private as he held her close to him.

Their movements were soft, and gentle, Matt just grateful for this time with her after the constant state of worry he'd been in since squad returned to the house, as it was clear Gabby was fine. Aside from a few bumps and bruises, she was alright, though Matt wouldn't be himself if he didn't check one last time.

"...You sure you're okay?" He asked once they separated, Gabby meeting his eyes before she nodded, her hand gripping his jacket tightly.

"I'm okay." She promised, Matt giving her a nod of his own before he moved to stand by her side, the firefighter beginning to lead her towards the double doors.

"Alright… then let's get you that hot chocolate."


Severide stood at the sink in the bathroom as he finished washing his hands, the calm winter evening having set over the firehouse as the entirety of 51 had managed to have a relatively uneventful afternoon. Which, after the difficult call earlier in the day, that had been more than welcome, the entire house keeping a closer eye on their PIC than usual as they all just wanted to know that she was alright. Which, as far as they could all tell, she was.

But that didn't stop Severide from feeling guilty, though.

It had been close. It was too close a call, and it never should've happened. It's his job to look out for the medics, he was the Lieutenant on scene, he was in charge of keeping them safe, and he almost didn't. And that wasn't exactly easy to stomach, as he knew the entire thing could've gone a lot differently had he been a second later in getting her to the ground.

But he was doing his best not to focus on it, as Gabby was okay. He knew she was okay, as multiple people had checked in on her throughout the day, though, admittedly, Kelly wasn't one of them.

It wasn't because he didn't care, because he did, and he hadn't been able to shake the thought that Gabby was hurting more than she let on, but he didn't feel like it was his place to check in on her. Not when Casey had made it clear to stay away from them. Matt didn't want him around them, he'd made that abundantly known since Walker showed up again, and Kelly was trying to respect that. He still didn't understand it, and truthfully it hurt, knowing Matt blamed him for this, but he also knew Casey was struggling. So if what he needed right now was Kelly to stay away, he would, the squad Lieutenant keeping his distance most of the day, aside from asking Gabby how she was when she first got back. But it definitely hadn't been easy.

The sound of the door opening behind him pulled him from his thoughts, Kelly looking up through the mirror to find Gabby suddenly standing behind him. He could tell by her initial reaction she was a bit surprised to see him there, but a soft smile soon covered her face before she continued into the bathroom, Kelly standing up a bit straighter as he matched her look.

"Hey Severide." She greeted, Kelly drying off his hands as he turned around to face her.

"Hey Dawson… How's the shoulder?" He questioned, figuring now a good time to check in one last time while he had the chance.

"It's alright, no worse for wear. What about you, how are you feeling?" She asked back, Kelly's eyebrows raising slightly before he shook his head.

"Oh, I'm fine." He responded, Gabby nodding slowly before she took another step into the room, like she was about to walk past him. But she stopped herself, Kelly watching her every move as she glanced back towards him, Dawson pausing for a moment before she spoke up.

"I, uh… I know I said it already, but- Thank you. For earlier." She told him softly, his face remaining blank for a moment as he registered what she'd said. "You probably saved my life today… Or at least saved me the life I have. If you hadn't got to me when you did… It just could've been a lot worse." She told him sincerely, Severide's face softening as she gave him another small smile. "I mean, you were literally on fire, when we got the ground… That would've been me if not for what you did. So thank you."

As she finished speaking, Gabby took a step towards him and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. The action caught him off guard for a moment, but he quickly reciprocated the gesture, Kelly lightly hugging her back as he didn't want to risk hurting her. The two friends stayed like this for a moment, Severide rubbing over her back before they pulled away from each other.

"I'm just glad you're okay." He responded after a second, Gabby nodding softly as she regained some of the distance between them.

"Me too." She told him with a small smile before she began to walk past him once more. But she was soon stopped yet again, but this time it was because of Severide.

"And, uh- I know we haven't really talked much recently," He started, the words leaving his lips before he had a chance to really think them through, Gabby glancing back towards him with a curious look in her eye. "But I'm- God, I'm sorry, Gabby." He blurted out before he could think better of it, her immediate confusion evident as she turned her back to face his, her arms crossing over her chest as her head tilted to the side. "I'm so sorry all this is happening… Everything today, and then the stuff with Walker, I- I'm sorry for all of it." He finished quickly, Gabby no less confused as she thought over his words for a moment before responding.

"It's not your fault, Kelly." She told him, their eyes locked on one another as he took a deep breath. "None of this is on you." She continued strongly, Severide drawing in a deep breath as she moved back towards him. "I know things have… been tense, between you and Matt, but this isn't your fault, no one blames you for this."

"Casey does." He replied before he could stop himself, Gabby pursing her lips together as she glanced down towards the ground, Severide never taking his eyes off of her. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything, I just…" He trailed off, Severide himself even unsure of what to say as Gabby slowly looked back towards him, the woman shaking her head slightly.

"He doesn't blame you." She spoke up, Severide opening his mouth to reply to her, but he stopped himself, Gabby gnawing roughly on the inside of her lip for a moment before she continued. "I… I know he's said some things, and I know he's mad, but it's not because of you. He knows you didn't cause this. This… Walker being back-" She stopped herself, Severide seeing the way her body involuntarily tensed at just the mention of his name, his body flooding with dread as he hated the fact he'd made her talk about this. He could only imagine how hard this was for her, and a part of him hated himself for bringing it up at all, but she kept going before he could linger on it much longer. "This isn't your fault, it's no one's fault but his. And Matt knows that, he's just… he's angry."

Severide nodded in response, the firefighter thinking over her words for a moment before he spoke up. "I know he is… I know I would be too if I were in his shoes. Hell, I am angry. But I can't imagine what this is like for you all..." He told her, Gabby nodding slightly as she took a slight step back, almost like she was protecting herself.

"It's… It's a lot. This entire thing has messed with us, and that's why… That's why Matt's acting like this." She continued to explain, her voice soft and quiet as she finally looked back up at him. "He's angry, because he's blaming himself."

The second those words left her lips, realization began to wash over him, Severide drawing in a slow, deep breath before he nodded, Gabby giving him a sad, weak smile before she continued.

"He thinks this is his fault, that he should've done something to stop Bryan…" She told him, the air around them thick as Gabby saw the look of sadness shining in Severide's eyes. "That's why he's been acting that way… It doesn't excuse it, and I'm sorry you've become the person he's taking this out on, but it's not really about you, Kelly… The only person he's truly blaming is himself. Even though I've tried to tell him it's not his fault."

Gabby's words hung heavy in the air as Severide tried to digest what all she'd told him, the man taking a few deep breaths as Dawson shifted her weight on her feet, Kelly shaking his head slightly after having a couple seconds to really hear what she'd said.

But that time was cut short when the bells rang out above them, Severide cursing under his breath before they heard 61 and truck 81 being called out to a car accident, Gabby ringing her hands together before she began to head back towards the direction she came from. But before she went through the door, she stopped herself, Gabby glancing back towards her friend as she spoke.

"I am sorry this has been put on you, Severide. I really am… But believe me, it's not actually about you. No one blames you for this."

And without another word, she was gone, Gabby hurrying off towards the garage to do her job while Severide stood alone in the bathroom, the man flooded with a few conflicting emotions as he was left to try and grasp the conversation they'd just had.