Hi everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all, I really hope you like it. We're gonna get to see a little bit of everyone in this chapter, so I hope you enjoy it.

Thank you so much for reading, and still supporting me and this story. I hope you all have a great day and a fantastic weekend! See you all next week.


EIGHTY FOUR


Camila sat quietly in the living room with her freshly made cup of coffee in her hands, her eyes focused on the television across from her while she watched the morning news, the volume down low as to not risk waking the sleeping couple just down the hallway. According to what was being played in front of her, there didn't seem to be anything too interesting going on out in the world today, but it was enough to keep her attention while she sat and waited for Gabby to wake up. Which, hopefully, would still be a while before that happened.

It wasn't too early, her last glance to the clock telling her it was just a bit after eight in the morning, but regardless of that, she'd done her best to stay as quiet as possible. Though Gabby and Matt's room was down at the end of the hall, from staying in the guest room this past week, she knew how sound could travel through their home, and the last thing she wanted to do was be the cause for her daughter not getting the sleep she needed. She didn't want her to disturb her, or Matthew, so Camila and Ramon both had become experts at quietly going through their morning, even though right now it was only her.

While usually her and her husband would spend their mornings together waiting for Gabby and Matt, Ramon had left the apartment maybe half an hour ago, the man going on a mission to run a few errands before the world got too busy. All he had to do was run back to their house to get a few more things, and she vaguely remembered him saying something about bringing home breakfast, but she knew those few tasks wouldn't take him very long. Though until he got back, she was here to sit on her own, Camila having a hard time keeping her mind from wandering over everything that had gone on this last week.

It had been a lot, to say the least, as Ramon and Camila did what they could to help their daughter through this terrible thing that had happened to her. To help her, as well as Matt and Antonio through it too, Camila well aware of just how badly this had affected everyone. Though Gabby was the main priority here, it wasn't lost on the mother how much everyone around her daughter was suffering, too. And it had been one of the hardest things they've ever gone through, the family having to deal with all the pain and hurt that Bryan Walker had caused.

But they were doing their best, all of them were. And part of that included Ramon and Camila still being here.

When they'd first brought up the idea to Gabby and Matt, they weren't sure how long they'd be staying, let alone if they'd accept in the first place. But once they did, the parents had made the decision to go by whatever Gabby needed. To do the best they could by their daughter, they'd left all of this up to her, Ramon and Camila letting her and Matthew both know early on that they'd stay as long as they wanted, and the second they wanted them gone all they had to do was tell them. It was an arrangement they'd come to an agreement on rather quickly, and they'd had no issues since being here.

But, if she were being honest, she was a little surprised that they were still here.

In truth, she supposed she hadn't thought about it too much, Camila and Ramon both willing to be here for whatever their daughter needed, whenever she needed it. But in the back of her mind, she figured they might be here for a day or two, or a handful of days, not over a week, with no end in sight. It just hadn't crossed her mind that they'd be here this long, but if that was what their little girl needed after the hell she'd been put through, they'd be here without hesitation, as Camila could tell Gabriela did better with some company.

She didn't want too many people around, in fact the only people that had come to the apartment besides herself and Ramon were Antonio and Nancy on occasion, as the woman had wanted to come by to not only see her son, but show her support for both of them. But those were really the only people that had come around, Camila well aware that while her daughter wanted some company, she didn't want a lot. She wanted enough people around to keep her mind off things, while not too many to where she'd get overwhelmed, and her immediate family seemed to be just the right amount of people for her. Which is why her and Ramon had been here as long as they had, and why Antonio came over as often as he could, even though with all the work he was doing on Gabby's case, it wasn't as often as he'd liked.

But they made sure that Gabby always had people around, as that seemed to be helping her more than anything else right now.

Especially considering she wasn't talking about what happened.

It wasn't entirely surprising, knowing her daughter, that Gabby had yet to really open up to anyone about what happened last week. But that didn't make it any less concerning, as whatever was going on with her, she didn't want to talk about it.

She wasn't okay, that was clear to all of them, but any time they got close to talking about it, she closed herself off, or shut down. She'd change the subject, or do anything to not have to address the rather large elephant in the room, as she'd chosen to deal with this by not dealing with it. And it was something that was worrying all of them.

Because it was one thing for her to shut them out, or shut out Antonio, but it was another thing entirely for her not to open up to Matt.

As far as Camila knew, Gabby had yet to talk to him about any of this, and that is what had her more concerned than anything. For as long as Matthew had been a part of her daughter's life, he had always been the one to get through to her when others couldn't. He'd been the one she leaned on before anyone else. So for her to not have even spoken to him about this was worrisome. And Camila didn't know what to make of it.

The sound of her phone ring on the coffee table quickly pulled her from her deep thoughts, the woman nearly cursing under her breath as the loud noise rang throughout the apartment. Moving as quickly as she could, Camila placed her cup of coffee down on the table before reaching for her phone and immediately answering the call before she could even see who it was, the woman desperate to get the ringing to stop as she didn't want it to wake up Gabby and Matt.

"Hello?" She answered in a hushed tone, her eyes focused off towards the hallway as she half-listened for any movement coming from their bedroom.

"Ma?" Antonio questioned, the noise coming through the phone telling Camila he was somewhere pretty crowded. "You alright?"

"I'm fine, Antonio. Just trying to not wake your sister." She answered him, her voice still low, though she stopped speaking in a whispered tone so her son could hear her better.

"Oh sorry, I should've paid more attention to the time… I tried calling Dad, but he didn't answer."

"He's back at our house to pick up a few things. And you know how he is, he probably left his phone in the car." She responded, her eyes focusing on the hallway for a few more seconds before she looked back towards the TV, Camila satisfied in knowing she hadn't woken them up. "Did you need something in particular? Everything okay?" She questioned, the slight edge of worry in her tone not going unnoticed by the detective, as after the last few days it had every reason to be there.

"I'm fine, Ma. I just wanted to let you know that I'll be heading over to the apartment here soon."

"You are?" She questioned, waiting for confirmation before she continued. "Don't you need to work?"

"I've been here since six, I've got a lot of stuff done already, and the stuff with Walker… There's not much else for me to do right now. So I figured I'd come by for a little bit this morning… spend some time with Gabby."

A soft smile graced her lips as she listened to her son, the mother nodding slightly despite him not being able to see her. "I think that's a great idea, Gabby will be glad to see you."

"Yeah, I hope so." He replied, Camila's face falling just as quickly, but he spoke up before she could correct him. "But I'm about to leave the district now. I've got to stop at the firehouse real quick to speak to Boden, but after that I'll be there."

"That's fine, sweetheart. Take your time. The weather is supposed to calm down later today, but it's pretty nasty out there right now."

"I will, Mama." He promised, Camila nodding once more as she pursed her lips together, a quick thought running through her mind.

"Is everything okay?" She asked again, her son's hesitance proving her confusion as she heard what sounded like him getting inside his car.

"What do you mean?"

"You're going to the firehouse, to talk to Boden." She elaborated. "I wasn't sure if something was wrong… Something with the case."

"No, nothing's wrong." He was quick to assure her, Camila releasing a breath she didn't even realize she was holding. "I just promised I'd keep him in the loop with everything that's going on. He was… pretty adamant that I do so, so I'm headed there before I stop by Gabby's."

"Adamant?" She pressed, hearing her son blow out a heavy breath before responding.

"Yeah, he is. He wants to be kept in the loop with what's happening with Walker. It's just the same stuff I told you all yesterday, but he wants to know… I think he's just feeling a little bit guilty." He breathed out, Camila frowning slightly as her son continued. "I could be wrong, but that's how it seems to me. You know, cause all of this happened, or started I guess, under his watch, and he didn't see it… None of us did." He spoke bitterly, Camila knowing just how deeply those words resonated with her son. "And it's not his fault, but he's feeling a little… He just wants to know what's going on." He settled on once he couldn't find the right words, Camila letting herself focus on what he said for a few moments before she spoke up.

"Well, that's understandable." She replied quietly, Antonio having gone quiet on the other end until he eventually responded.

"Yeah, it is… Well, I'm gonna head to the firehouse now, but I shouldn't be there too long. Then I'll be over there."

"Alright, sounds good, Antonio… Drive safe."

"I will, Ma." He responded, the two exchanging a few more goodbyes before hanging up, the mother immediately releasing a heavy sigh as she placed her phone down beside her.

Though their call was finished, Camila's mind couldn't help but linger on some of what had been said, a few of her son's words not sitting well with her as she replayed their conversation over in her mind.

With everything going on, Gabby was of course her main concern, most of Camila's focus on her daughter as they tried to help her past this awful thing. But her daughter wasn't the only child she was worried about, as her oldest had given her plenty to worry about as well. He'd tried to hide it at first, Camila used to her son masking his emotions when things got hard, Antonio just like his father in that regard. But eventually, he hadn't been able to hold back those feelings, as Camila remembered those painful admissions from him one night after Gabby and Matt had gone to sleep, Antonio breaking down in this very living room as the weight of his guilt had become too much.

"I let her down!"

"I… I let her down, this is all my fault."

"I was supposed to protect her, and I didn't… I couldn't."

"This happened because of me, I should've done more. I should've done better… I let her down."

Those words, and much more painful ones like it, hadn't left Camila's mind ever since Antonio confided in her and Ramon that night about all he'd been feeling. And ever since that moment, her worry for her son was just as much as her worry for her daughter, as Camila and Ramon both were doing all they could to help their children through this.

But it was hard when neither of them would talk, as not only would Gabby not talk to anyone, but Antonio wouldn't talk to his sister about the guilt he was feeling. Camila had tried, her and Ramon both, but Antonio was adamant that he didn't want to bring it up to her, not right now, when she was clearly not wanting to talk about anything regarding Walker. So Antonio had shut it down and pushed it aside, as no one in the family was dealing with this particularly well, the older brother silently holding onto his guilt every time he was with his baby sister, as he didn't want to burden her with anything else. And truthfully, despite her wishing he'd open up, Camila couldn't say she didn't understand the feeling. Because she felt guilty, too.

She let her baby down. They all did. Not even just with what happened last week, but from the very moment it all started, from the moment Bryan first laid his hands on her, they let her down. She had suffered for so long, and everyday that went by where they hadn't seen what was going on, they'd failed her. And though that was something Camila had been coming to terms with for a while, the events of the past week had only made that worse.

She felt guilty, Ramon felt guilty, Antonio felt guilty.

And she knew Matthew felt guilty, too.

Every single one of them was holding onto this feeling that they should've done more, at any point in time, they should've done more. And if they had, it might not have gone this far. They were all dealing with those feelings, but for the most part they were feelings they were dealing with on their own. Because until Gabby felt ready to talk about it, they weren't sure any of them would be able to truly get past any of this.

Camila just wasn't sure when that moment would come, when her baby would feel ready to talk about what happened.

And as more days passed, she wasn't entirely sure the day ever would come.


Shay finished tucking in her shirt into her pants as she cut through the briefing room to get to her destination, the woman having been a little late this morning as she already missed their morning meeting. But Boden had been understanding, the Chief not even really reprimanding her as he'd just asked her to not let it happen again, before she went off to get ready for shift. And now that she had, she was hoping she would have at least a few minutes to get some coffee before being called out.

As she walked into the common room from the side door, she was immediately met by nearly the entire house seated around the room, most of them going through their normal morning routine as they waited for the first call of the day. With her eyes darting around, Shay quickly found the paramedic who had been covering for Dawson this past week, the younger guy talking with Jenkins and Otis before the temporary PIC continued to look around the room, her gaze soon landing on Severide as he was standing by the counter.

Drawing in a deep breath, she headed in that direction, Kelly looking up from his cup of coffee just as Shay began to prepare herself one. "You must've left early this morning." She commented, Severide nodding as he began walking around the corner to come stand beside her.

"I did, yeah… Sorry, I thought you were awake." He responded lamely, Shay waving him off as she shook her head.

"It's fine, I missed my alarm. Boden didn't seem too mad though, and I didn't miss anything, so I think we're fine." She replied, placing the coffee pot back in it's home before beginning to prepare her drink how she liked it.

"Yeah, well, under the circumstances, I think he's feeling a little more lenient than usual." Severide responded softly, Shay pausing her actions for a moment before she nodded, her slight hesitation not going unnoticed by her best friend. "...Have you heard from her?"

Shay looked up at the question, the blonde pursing her lips together before shaking her head. "Just Casey… and Camila." She told him, her answer no different from the last time he'd asked her. "I've reached out a few times, but I'm trying to give her her space… She's dealing with a lot right now."

"Yeah, she is." He murmured, Severide sighing heavily before taking a long sip of his drink. "But from what I've heard from Casey, she seems to be doing alright… All things considered."

"Mhmm, yeah I think she is." Shay agreed with a small smile. "As okay as she can be…" She added on, Severide giving her an understanding nod before reaching out to squeeze her shoulder, as the Lieutenant knew more than most as to just how hard Shay was taking this.

"And who knows, maybe her and Casey will be back soon." He told her, Shay's head cocking to the side before Severide gave her a shrug. "I'm just saying, you know how Dawson is… she likes to jump back into the swing of things. I'm sure once Casey's healed up, they'll probably be back… Which I know won't be a moment too soon for you." He finished, his eyes flashing back to the long table across the room, Shay following his gaze towards the replacement paramedic.

Huffing out a soft breath, Shay turned back around, the woman shaking her head as she clutched her cup in her hands. "I don't have a problem with him." She spoke quietly, Severide nodding understandingly.

"I know."

"It's just that he's not-"

"Antonio."

Shay's eyebrows furrowed as she looked up towards her friend, seeing his eyes focused forward. "What? No, not Antonio. He's not Gabby."

"No, Antonio is here." He corrected her, Shay soon matching his look before she turned around quickly just as the detective stepped into the room, his presence soon gaining the attention of everyone.

"Antonio, hi." Herrmann spoke first, the man moving to the edge of his seat slightly, all eyes in the room on the older Dawson as he gave a weak greeting.

"Hey guys."

"How's the kid doing?" Herrmann continued on, everyone knowing who the term of endearment was for as Antonio nodded slightly.

"She's, uh… she's hanging in there." He answered as honestly as possible, his words not entirely comforting to the first responders. "Her and Casey both." He finished, the man knowing that how most of the house heard about the condition of his sister and her boyfriend was usually through Boden.

"Well, let them know we're here if they need anything." Mouch spoke up, Antonio nodding as a few similar sentiments were said around the room.

"Of course, yeah, I will." The older Dawson replied, his eyes continuing to move around the room before landing back on Herrmann. "Is Boden in his office?"

"He is."

"Alright, thank you." He responded as he continued through the common room towards the side door that led back out to the hallway. But as he passed Shay and Severide, the older man nodded off to the side, silently telling them to follow him before he continued out of the room. And they did so without hesitation, both leaving their drinks on the counter as they followed in the same path Antonio had taken, leaving behind an entire room of curious firefighters.

The walk to Boden's office was silent, Shay and Severide staying in step behind him as they made their way through the firehouse. When they got there, Antonio paused in the open doorway before he lifted his hand up to knock on the frame, the sound instantly gaining the Chief's attention as he looked up.

It was impossible to hide his surprise as who was standing in front of him, but he immediately stood up, holding his hand out as a cue to come in. "Antonio, hi." He spoke, the detective nodding as he stepped inside the room, Shay and Severide soon following, the latter closing the door behind them before placing himself against the back wall. "I wasn't expecting you today."

"Yeah, sorry to drop by unannounced, but I didn't want to tell you this over the phone." He started, all three of the first responder's in the room tensing slightly as they were unsure of where this was headed, Shay coming up to stand beside him as they stood opposite Boden.

"Is everything okay?" The Chief asked hesitantly, Antonio nodding slowly as he looked back and forth between Boden and Shay.

"It is, everything's fine, but I know you want to be kept in the loop about what's going on, so I just came here to let you know… there won't be a trial." He spoke, relief instantly flooding the air around them as Antonio's words sunk in, the man continuing on while they digested what all he said. "The case, it's cut and dry. Walker violated his restraining order, multiple times. We have witnesses, and their statements… Statements from Gabby, Matt, Shay… all of you. And he's not fighting it."

Shay's eyebrows raised slightly at that, Boden wearing a similar look as he head cocked forward slightly. "He isn't?"

"No, he's not… Trust me, I was as surprised as you. But he knows he has nothing to fight. He knew what would happen when he violated that restraining order, and he still did it anyway." Antonio explained, both Shay and Boden nodding while Severide had yet to react. "I'm not sure if he just thought he'd be able to get away with it, or what- if he was even thinking at all, we'll never know. He's not talking. But what we do know is he's not fighting the charges. When his court date comes, he's pleading guilty."

"Good." Boden replied without an ounce of hesitation, his firm voice filling the air. "...And that won't help him? Him pleading guilty?" He questioned, Shay raising her eyebrows as she was waiting to hear the answer, too. "Because I know last time…"

"No, it won't help him." Antonio answered, the Chief blowing out a sigh of relief as Shay crossed her arms over her chest. "Not with the charges, no."

"What about Casey?" Severide finally spoke up, Antonio and Shay both turning back to look at him as he spoke. "With what he did to Walker, will he-"

"It was self defense." Antonio answered quickly, the two men sharing a knowing look as everyone in the room was well aware that it wasn't as simple as that. It wasn't the entire truth, but under the circumstances, they didn't care. "He's not being charged, he acted in self defense."

"Good." Severide echoed, Antonio nodding before he turned back to Boden.

"So this is over?" Boden asked after a minute of silence, Antonio never breaking eye contact as the man continued. "All of this, Dawson having to deal with him… she won't have to testify or anything?"

"She won't have to be involved, no." Antonio replied quickly, shaking his head to help emphasize his point. "I made sure of it, she doesn't have to be a part of this."

"That's for the best." Boden murmured, Shay nodding in agreement as they'd all had the same worry of how Gabby would handle something like that. "And he's locked up now?"

"He is… He's not going anywhere." The detective assured him, Boden's face remaining stoic as he nodded. "...It's over, Chief. All of this is over."

"Good." Boden repeated, the two men sharing a nod as it felt like a weight had been lifted around them. Around all of them. "Thank you, for coming by and letting me know."

"Of course." Antonio replied, the man glancing down towards his watch before looking back up. "I guess I'll get going, but if there are any more updates, I'll let you all know." He added, Boden nodding as Antonio reached out to give Shay's shoulder a supportive squeeze.

"Let Dawson know we're thinking of her."

"I will." He responded, the detective saying a few last goodbyes before he left the office and headed out of the firehouse.


Casey laid wide awake in bed as he focused on the pure silence around him, their thick curtains doing a good job of keeping most of the winter sun out of their room while Gabby slept, the sound of her breathing really the only thing he could hear as he felt her stomach move up and down underneath his hold. He wasn't sure what time it was, as he hadn't bothered to look at the clock this morning when he woke up, but he knew he'd been up for awhile. And if the occasional sounds he heard coming from out in the apartment were any indication, Camila and Ramon were up, too. Though he knew they'd done their best to be quiet. But despite his being awake, he hadn't made any attempt to move, Matt knowing well enough that the second he did, that would wake up Gabby, and that was the last thing he wanted.

He, more than anyone, knew how sporadic her sleep schedule had been as of late, so when she was able to get rest, he refused to do anything to disturb that. And getting up would certainly do that, as her body was pressed back into his, one arm wrapped securely around her stomach as his hand rested up close to her chest, while his other arm was underneath her neck, the position keeping her secure in his embrace as he knew that's how she slept best. But with that, he knew that meant any movement would surely wake her up, and that wasn't a risk he was willing to take, Casey content to lay here as long as he had to until she woke up on her own. And it didn't hurt that in these moments, it gave him time to really think over everything that had happened since last week.

It had been hard, that was the only way he knew to describe it, but they were trying. Despite her reluctance to open up to him, he knew she was. And that was enough for him, that's all he could ask of her, even though he was incredibly worried about her.

It wasn't even their lack of discussions about all this that had him the most concerned, but it was the way it was all affecting her. He knew she'd open up when she was ready, and he'd be here when she was, but the toll all of this was taking on her mentally and physically is what had him spinning out. Because even though she didn't want to talk, that didn't mean he wasn't able to understand that she wasn't okay. Her actions, more so than her words, proved to him that she wasn't alright, and it was scaring him a little.

The way she was jumpy from time to time, how he'd still find her tense up at a moment's notice, even in the safety of their own home. How she felt compelled to be with him most of the time, and how she clearly didn't like being alone. It was little things, things he'd picked up on over time, but all of it reminded him of how things were before, back before he truly knew what all she'd been through, and it broke his heart. Because he never wanted her to have to go through all this again. But she was, and it was obvious to him that she still didn't feel completely safe.

She just didn't. Even after Walker had been locked up, she still didn't feel safe, he could tell. He'd hoped that with Antonio's news yesterday, about Walker pleading guilty and this basically being over, that it would help her start to come to realize that she was okay, she was safe. But it was like nothing had changed, in fact Gabby hadn't even reacted when Antonio told them the news. And that worried him.

But that wasn't the only thing he was concerned about, as another issue entirely was the amount of weight Gabby had lost in such a short time.

It was something he'd noticed a bit of when they were staying at his mom's, Matt gradually picking up on the fact that she was losing weight due to the stress of everything. But now, it had been a pretty drastic change, considering the amount of time in which it happened. And while Gabby was perfect to him no matter her weight, he'd be lying if he said he didn't feel uneasy about it, because the way it was happening wasn't healthy.

He knew she was eating, as Matt, and Camila both, had made a point to make sure she did, while also not making a big deal out of it. But it clearly wasn't enough, not combined with the amount of stress her body was currently under. So that was certainly something Matt was keeping an eye on.

He was keeping an eye on all of it, because he just wanted her to be okay.

At the end of the day, he was just trying to take everything in stride, Casey doing all he could to support her in whatever ways she needed, the boyfriend just hoping that here soon Gabby would be able to start really letting him, or someone, in, and truly get past this. Instead of just avoiding it, which clearly wasn't working thus far.

Movement beneath him pulled him from his thoughts, Matt feeling Gabby began to shift around in his hold as she was slowly brought out of her slumber, the woman yawning heavily as she stretched her arms up above her head. Casey loosened his grip slightly for her to be able to move, Gabby releasing a few groans at the idea of being awake before she settled back into her comfortable position, Matt biting back a smirk as he began to gently rub his hand over her stomach.

"Good morning." She murmured into the quiet around them, Matt leaning his head forward to press a soft kiss against her bare shoulder.

"Morning." He spoke back against her skin, Gabby smiling softly at the contact before she slowly began to shift in his arms. Pulling back slightly, he gave her room to move as she turned to face him, Matt holding up the covers so she wouldn't get twisted in the sheets before letting them fall back over her once she was facing him, the warm grin on her face causing his own smile to widen.

"Hi." She said, Matt's eyes tracing over her face, the only remains of last week on her being the small cut that was nearly healed on her lip, his smile weakening slightly as he met her eyes.

"Hi babe." He greeted, Gabby leaning forward to capture his lips in a soft, gentle kiss, her movements telling him she still wasn't completely awake. But he reciprocated regardless, his hand sliding around to her lower back as she placed her hand gently over his chest, Gabby knowing she had to be mindful of his injuries.

Though most of the marks on Gabby had fully healed, Casey wasn't nearly as lucky, his body still showing the signs of his and Bryan's fight from the week before. It wasn't as bad as when it first happened, and Matt was certainly able to get around better now as his ribs weren't giving him nearly as much trouble anymore. But it was still uncomfortable and sore at times, and his skin was still covered in fading bruises that, at their worst, were nearly black in color all over his body. It was hard to see, the marks a constant reminder of how badly he'd been hurt, but thankfully they were slowly healing.

But Gabby was still careful with him, especially in this moment as he could barely feel her hand against him.

When they eventually pulled back from one another, their movements remaining innocent the entire time, Gabby couldn't help but notice the goofy grin on his face, the woman stifling an eye roll as that look morphed into a proud smirk.

"Yeah, I'd say it's a good morning." He teased, Matt trying to act like he always would, as he knew that normalcy and familiarly is what she needed right now.

"You're so stupid." She muttered playfully, Casey never losing that challenging look in his eye before he leaned in to kiss her again.

"I know." He whispered against her, the two meeting for one last kiss before they pulled back, Matt letting his head fall down onto the pillow as Gabby did the same, his hand continuing over her back soothingly as they took each other in for a moment.

"...How are you feeling?" He asked after a second, Matt knowing now was the time he'd likely get the most direct answer from her, as here in a few minutes they'd be going out there and she'd be hearing the same question multiple times from her family.

Gabby pursed her lips together, her eyebrows furrowing in thought before she finally answered him. "I'm… I'm okay today." She answered truthfully, Matt's own eyebrows raising slightly as her bottom lip tucked in between her teeth.

"Yeah?"

"Mhmm… I'm feeling alright." She reiterated, Matt smiling softly as he moved his hand up her back.

"Good." He answered just as softly, Gabby moving her hand up to cradle her palm against his cheek, her thumb gently stroking over his skin as he leaned into the movement.

"And how are you?" She questioned back, the two going through the routine that had become a part of every morning, Matt's smile never faltering as he nodded slightly.

"I'm good." He repeated, Gabby's eyes tracing over his face before she nodded as well, the two meeting for another slow, soft kiss.

But their moment was soon interrupted when they heard a loud thud come from out in the apartment, Gabby tensing slightly until Camila's chastising voice soon followed, Matt feeling her relax underneath his touch before a soft laugh escaped her lips.

"I guess my dad dropped something."

"Yeah, we should probably go see what that is… Make sure it wasn't anything valuable." He replied, Gabby scoffing lightly before she tossed the covers off herself and began to get up.

"Like we have anything valuable." She joked, Matt shaking his head lightly before they both started to get ready for the day, even though they had no plans to leave the apartment. But they knew they'd need to change into something a little more presentable than Matt in his boxers, and Gabby in a tank top and a pair of underwear, the two putting on a few more layers before eventually heading out into the living room to spend some time with her parents.

And, to both their surprises, Antonio was there as well, the older brother helping his dad pick up the water bottles he'd dropped on the ground while Camila was plating the breakfast Ramon had brought back. It was a bit chaotic to walk into, but Gabby didn't want it any other way as after greeting her parents she began to help her mother with breakfast, while Matt finished up helping Antonio and Ramon.

And soon enough, they were all seated on the dining table enjoying their meal, the open curtains letting them watch the snow fall down onto the city as they all ate together, their conversations remaining light as they always were.

"So, do you have to go back to work Antonio?" Ramon asked as Gabby took a small bite of her pancakes, the woman feeling Matt's eyes on her practically the entire time she ate.

"I do, yeah… I'm gonna head back here soon. Just wanted to come see Gabs for a bit." He spoke lightly, Gabby scrunching up her nose lightly as she placed her fork down on her plate.

"Yeah, cause things are just so exciting around here." She mused, her sarcastic words earning a few laughs from her family.

"I don't know, I think we've managed to keep ourselves entertained." Casey defended, all of them knowing they'd watched their fair share of tv shows and movies, as well as playing most of the board games they had at their disposal.

"Yeah, we have." Gabby agreed with a soft grin, Matt rubbing his hand along her back before taking another bite of his food.

"Is that on your all's agenda for today, too? Just hanging out?" Antonio asked curiously, Gabby and Matt both nodding before Camila spoke up.

"Well, actually, now that you mention it, I do think I'm gonna go out and run a few errands this afternoon."

"Yeah?"

"Mhmm… There's a few things I need to do, some I'd like to do, and I'm hoping with the weather, places won't be too crowded." She replied, earning a few nods from around the table before her eyes landed on Gabby. "But actually, Gabriela, I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me?" She suggested, Gabby's eyebrows raising slightly.

"Oh, uh…" She stumbled over her words, Gabby suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious under their stares, as everyone was well aware she had yet to leave the apartment since coming home from the hospital. Neither her or Matt had, and it was a step they knew she needed to take, they just hadn't brought it up, not until now.

"It might be nice, to get out of the house and get some fresh air… You don't have to go in anywhere, you can stay in the car if you'd like… I just thought it might be good for you." Camila continued on carefully, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before she glanced towards Matt. And immediately, she was met by a supportive smile, her boyfriend giving her a nod that told her he thought it was a good idea.

"If you feel up for it babe, I think you should go." He spoke, Gabby nodding slowly in response.

And while she wasn't so sure, she also knew she'd have to get out of here eventually. And, really, there was no reason for her not to, the woman staying quiet for a few moments before she eventually nodded.

"Yeah, uh sure… Why not."

Those simple words brought a bright smile to Camila's face, it not lost on anyone at the table how big of a step this was for her, even if it seemed like such a small thing, Matt rubbing her back supportively as Camila spoke up once more.

"That's great, mija… We'll go after breakfast." She told her, Gabby nodding once more before they continued on with their meal, the conversation shifting back to Antonio as they all wanted to enjoy this time together.


Gabby tapped her foot steadily against the floor as she sat in her mom's car, the woman checking for maybe the fifth time to make sure the doors were locked before she looked back towards the entrance to the post office where her mother was, Gabby's nervous fidgeting evident as she sat here alone while snow fell down around her.

Her and her mom had been out for maybe an hour, and if you were to ask Gabby, she'd say things had gone relatively well, as she'd actually found herself enjoying getting out of the house. Despite her initial reservations, her fear coming from a place that she knew wasn't even entirely logical, Gabby was glad she came, as even though she hadn't gone into any stores, or even gotten out of the car, it was a nice change of scenery. She was still a bit anxious, but she knew with time that would go away, and for now it was just nice to get out of the house.

Drawing in a deep breath, Gabby's ears perked up when she saw her mom walking back towards the car, the daughter waiting until she got closer to unlock the doors, before her mother got back in.

"My, it is cold out here." She spoke as she turned to place her things in the back seat, Gabby nodding in agreement as Camila glanced towards her. "Everything alright out here?"

"Yup." She answered simply, her response earning a nod from her mom before she sat forward in her seat.

"Well, alright then. I've done all I need to do, so how would you feel about stopping to get some donuts before heading home?" She suggested. "I know Matthew loves them from that little shop around the corner."

"That's fine." She told her, Camila offering her a smile before she reached down to put the car in gear. But before she got that far, she stopped herself, Gabby watching her closely as her mom turned to face her. "...Everything okay, Mama?"

"Everything's fine, dear." She answered softly, her eyes tracing over her daughter's face before she continued. "But, while it's just us, there is something I've been wanting to talk to you about." She started, Gabby holding her breath as she waited to hear what her mother was going to say. "I… I know you're tired of everyone always asking you how you're doing. We all mean well, but I know that has to be exhausting for you… But your father and I were talking, and- well, I didn't want to bring it up in front of Matthew. Not that it's anything to hide, but I know you, and I know you probably wouldn't want an audience for this, but…"

"Mama." Gabby spoke up, Camila stopping herself from her rambling as she locked eyes with her daughter. "What is it?" She prompted, the mother pausing for a moment before she finally spoke up.

"...How would you feel about going to see a therapist?"

Gabby's eyes widened slightly at her mom's suggestion, as she didn't expect to hear that from her, the question catching her a little off guard. And Camila instantly sensed that.

"I just… Your father and I think it might be good for you to have someone to talk to. And you know we're always here for you, and of course sweet Matthew, but right now you don't feel comfortable talking to us about this. And that's fine, okay I don't want you feeling like it's not. But you need to talk to someone, honey… And your father and I think this might be a good idea." She explained, Gabby's face remaining neutral before she nodded slowly. "We just want you to be okay, and right now you're not… Which is understandable, with what Walker did to you-" She stopped herself, Gabby wincing slightly as Camila shook her head. "I'm sorry, mija… But we just want to help. And I'm not sure if you ever fully dealt with what happened and what he did… I know you got past a lot of it, and Matt, I know how much he's helped you," She spoke, Gabby smiling weakly. "But with what happened, all you've gone through… I think it might be good for you."

Camila's words hung in the air heavily around them, as Gabby was still doing her best to get past the surprise she felt because of this conversation. But slowly, that was wearing off, and she was able to truly take in what her mom was saying.

"It's nothing you need to decide right now." Camila continued on when her daughter had yet to say anything, Gabby nodding slowly as the older woman reached out to hold onto her hand. "And if you don't want to, that's fine. We can just act like this conversation never happened… But just think about it." She requested, Gabby drawing in a slow, deep breath before she nodded.

"Okay." She murmured, Camila giving her a smile, squeezing her hand gently before she pulled away and readjusted herself in her seat, the mother hoping she'd been able to get through to her daughter, even if only a little bit.

"Okay." She responded brightly as she clicked her seatbelt into place. "Now let's go get some donuts."

Gabby gave her a small smile in response before Camila pulled away from the curb, the air in the car having shifted a bit from before as her mom's words stuck with her, Gabby knowing she had a lot to figure out over the next few days.


And there we have another one. What do you guys think, do you think Gabby should start therapy? I'm interested to hear your alls thoughts on that, and this chapter.

Thank you all so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed! I'll see you next week!