Hello everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all! I know some of you have been eager to see what happens, so I hope you enjoy it. I can't wait to hear what you think!

Thank you so much for reading!

***UPDATE 3/22: Just to let you all know, there won't be an update posted today. Sorry for the late notice, but I wasn't able to get it finished before today. Thank you all for understanding, I hope you all have a great week, and I'll see you next time.

Chapter One Hundred and Thirty

Numb.

That was all she felt when she slowly began to come into consciousness, Gabby unsure of what was going on around her as she couldn't register much of anything right now. She didn't know where she was, or what was going on, but there she just knew something felt off, like something was wrong as an intense numbness was consuming her body. A feeling that, had she been more alert, certainly would have scared her.

But with the haze her mind was in, she wasn't able to focus on it, her muscles involuntarily tightening around whatever was currently clasped her in hand, Gabby not even registering her own movement.

"Gabby?"

The voice was far away, the sound practically muffled as she couldn't really make out who was talking, her mind so far from being able to understand her surroundings.

"Gabby?"

She heard the voice again, it somehow further away than before as she felt herself slowly slipping back into unconsciousness, her body in survival mode as all she wanted to do was go back to sleep.

And she almost had, until the far away voice came back, Gabby doing what she could to force herself to stay awake, even though she had no idea who was talking. But something in her was telling her she needed to wake up.

"That's okay… I know you're trying, it's okay. I'm gonna be right here, whenever you're ready-"

Her hand tightened around whatever was holding onto her once more, Gabby squeezing with all her might as she tried to let whoever was speaking know she heard them. The sound of their voice was still too far enough away for her to make out what it was, and in the haze her mind was in, she wasn't able to try and figure it out.

But what she did know is someone was speaking to her, even if that was all she knew.

"Gabby?" They asked again, a soft groan escaping the back of her dry throat as some of the tingling feeling moving through her body began to wear off. And as that happened, she was beginning to feel something else. Something much more intense, Gabby slowly starting to feel the pain her body was in as she became more alert, another groan escaping through her lips as she heard that familiar voice once more. "Baby, are you there? Can you hear me?"

She couldn't talk, or she hadn't tried to, Gabby squeezing their hand once more to show she could hear them. She faintly heard what sounded like a loud cry as she tried to ignore the almost burning pain she began to feel on her other side, Gabby tightening her palm in theirs again out of instinct.

With each passing second her body continued to feel more and more pain, Gabby unable to distract herself from it as she still had no idea what was going on, the hurting in her body the only thing she could focus on as she had yet to gain a sense of herself or her surroundings. She didn't know why she was in pain, or even where she was hurt as she wasn't able to tell. Her mind was in fog, and she couldn't register much or figure out what was hurting her or why, all she knew was it was painful. And she wanted it to stop.

But with as intense as the feeling was, she was sure she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep now even if she wanted to. Which left her only one other option.

And that was to open her eyes.

Slowly, light began to seep in as her eyelids opened, Gabby having to squint as the harsh light around her wasn't anything close to the complete darkness she'd grown accustomed to, another soft groan getting caught in her throat as she regained more of herself.

She could make out some of the lights, and someone standing over her, but her vision was blurry and she couldn't see much, Gabby tilting her head towards the sound of the voice she'd heard moments prior. She couldn't see who they were, nothing coming to her mind at this moment as of who might even be with her, considering she still wasn't sure where she was.

"Gabby…"

Her vision continued coming into focus as the voice hit her ears once more, Gabby picking up on the desperation in their single word as she heard what sounded like a sob come from them after they spoke. Squeezing their hand again, Gabby's eyes fell closed once more, the combination of her blurry vision and the pain flooding her body making it hard for her to keep them open as her body was trying to protect itself.

"...Ow."

From his position above her, Casey watched her closely as her eyes would slowly open and shut, her raspy voice barely able to get that single word out as he could see she was hurting. Though it was hard for him to make out anything through the tears in his eyes, Matt overcome with a hundred different emotions at the fact that Gabby was awake, or that she was trying to be. But his feelings could wait, he didn't matter right now, as all he cared about what making sure his wife was okay, Matt doing his best to keep himself together.

"Ow." She croaked out again, Gabby clearly unable to say much else as her head tilted down towards the pillow, Matt reaching across his body with his free hand to press down on her call button continuously.

"Gabby- Gabby. Oh God, baby you're okay." He did his best to console her as she tightened her grip on his hand, tears continuing to fall down his cheeks as his breath caught in his throat, Matt unable to stop the sob that left his lips. "It's okay, I- it's okay, everything's alright." He did his best to assure her as his muddled brain rambled out the words, though he couldn't tell how much she was hearing what he was saying as he reached to hit her call button once more, Matt pressing it probably ten times before refocusing on her as another painful groan escaped her lips. "Everything's okay, just breathe Gabby you're alright, I'm here… Just focus on me, focus on my voice. The doctor's coming, you're okay."

Though she'd hardly said anything, from her body language alone he could tell how much pain she was in, and it nearly broke his heart as he couldn't stand to see her like this. He'd been sitting here, silently hoping and praying for her to wake up, but now that she had, he couldn't help but be reminded of the only good thing about her not waking up for this long; is that she didn't have to feel the pain her body was in. At least not much.

But now she was awake, and Matt could tell she was feeling every bit of it.

"It's okay baby, I'm right here. I've got you, you're okay."

As he spoke he reached down to cradle the side of her head, his thumb brushing gently along her cheek bone as he wanted to make sure she knew he was still here, even though he had no idea of how much she was registering right now. But when she felt his hand, that's when she slowly started to open her eyes, Matt giving her a watery smile when they locked eyes for the second time today.

But the second he saw her brown eyes staring up at him, he could tell she wasn't really seeing him. It was almost like she was looking through him, like he wasn't actually there, and he wasn't sure what to do with that. But all he could think about right now was how her doctors had no idea what kind of damage had been done to her brain throughout all of this, or what kind of state she'd be in when she woke up. And that had never terrified him more than in this moment.

"Gabby…" He tried again, Matt seeing unshed tears resting in her eyes as she leaned slightly into his hand. "Everything's okay." He repeated, though at this point he wasn't sure if he was saying it more for her or himself, Casey's eyes staying locked on her even when he heard the door open.

"Mr. Casey, what do you- Oh." The nurse stopped herself, Matt hearing the surprise in her voice as it was clear she wasn't expecting what she'd just walked into. But that shock soon wore off, the woman hurrying to her bedside as Gabby's unfocused eyes were still facing her husband. "She's awake."

"She just woke up, a few minutes ago." He told her quickly, the woman nodding as she came to a stop across from him, but Gabby didn't even register her presence.

"Gabby, it's nice to have you back with us, you've had a lot of people worried about you." She spoke lightly as began to look over her monitors, her eyebrows furrowing slightly while she checked over everything. "...You said she's only been awake for a few minutes?" She asked, the woman clearly speaking to Matt this time as he gave her a nod.

"Just a few minutes ago, yeah." He repeated, the nurse seeing the tears in his eyes and the way his body was trembling before she returned her gaze to Gabby. "But she-" He stopped himself, shaking his head lightly before pulling his hand away from her face as he was worried he'd be in the way.

"What is it?" The nurse pressed, Matt drawing in a deep breath before looking at her.

"She hasn't responded to me."

Casey saw her instant reaction, though he could tell she was trying to mask it, as her face fell before she could stop it, Matt not missing the flash of uncertainty in her eyes. And it was a look similar to how he was feeling now, the husband knowing that while it didn't necessarily mean anything bad, it wasn't good either.

"...At all?" She questioned, Matt sucking in a deep breath before shaking his head once more.

"Not really, no." He answered quietly, Casey sparing a glance down towards Gabby to see her eyes slowly opening and closing, as she only continued to not have any idea what was going on. "She's only squeezed my hand, and groaned a few times- She's in pain, I know that for sure, but other than that she hasn't done anything… I don't know if she understands what I'm saying to her." He spoke fearfully, the woman drawing in a slow breath before she nodded.

"Alright… Let me go page her doctor." She told him, Matt nodding before returning his focus solely towards Gabby while the nurse hurried from the room.

But the second his eyes were back on her, he noticed the same couldn't be said for hers as Gabby's eyes were closed again, though this time they weren't opening. And that filled him with a feeling her couldn't entirely explain.

"Gabby… Gabby, hey are you still me?" He asked softly as he gave her hand another squeeze, Matt feeling his muscles relax when she groaned again. "C'mon baby, open your eyes for me. Your doctor is coming."

Gabby winced slightly as she continued to realize what was going on. She was still confused, and kind of scared, but the pieces were slowly coming together in her mind that she was in the hospital.

The problem was she didn't know how. Or why.

Slowly, she opened her eyes once more, the bright lights still hurting her more than they were helping, but when she looked up this time, she was able to make out more of who was standing beside her. So much so that with each passing second, they were coming more and more into view, until his face was finally clear to her.

And the moment she registered his presence was when it was impossible for her to keep it together anymore, a soft sob escaping the back of her throat as Matt saw the exact second she realized it was him standing there, that look of realization telling him more than her words ever could. And under the circumstances, he was sure he'd never felt more relieved in his life as he had just gotten that confirmation that Gabby was still in there. She knew him, she knew who he was, Matt unable to hold back his own tears while she cried, as he knew this was all overwhelming to her. And for Gabby, the sight of that familiar face was one that comforted her through all this uncertainty, as she would recognize the man standing above her anywhere.

She didn't know what had happened, or why she was in the hospital, but he was here with her. Her husband was here. And that was enough for now.

Tears started to continuously flow down her cheeks as her body began to shake, Gabby unable to fight off this feeling despite the fact that the movement was hurting her already sore body. But she couldn't help it, as she was having a hard time processing what was going on, that alone leading to more tears clouding her vision while Matt leaned down closer to her.

"It's okay, baby." He told her, his words shaky as he too was having a hard time keeping his emotions in check, the weight of all of this hitting him all at once. "You're okay, it's alright."

Just as he finished speaking, he felt Gabby drop his hand, the action making him panic for a split second as he wasn't sure what was going on. But that feeling went away as he watched her slowly lift her arm up and guide him down towards her. She wasn't able to actually pull him much, her body far too weak for that as Matt had to do all the work, but it was clear she needed him right now. And he would never deny her that.

It was a difficult position to be in as he was hunched over the bed, his hands resting on either side of her head to keep himself balanced so he wouldn't put any weight on her, but as another uncertain cry left her lips, he didn't care about anything with himself. It didn't matter, Matt's focus shifting completely to doing whatever his wife needed from him while he also made sure not to hurt her even more than she already was.

"You're okay." He murmured while pressing a kiss to the side of her head, Gabby's head tucked into his neck while she gripped the back of his shirt with as much strength as she had, which wasn't much. But it was enough to tell him he needed to stay put, Casey only wishing there was more he could to comfort her right now as his heart nearly shattered in his chest, the husband knowing how frightened and confused she was. "I'm right here, I've got you… I'm here."

He kept repeating those words and similar ones like it as she continued to become more aware of her surroundings though her mind was still foggy, the woman having to take in one thing at a time as she was trying to understand what was going on, Gabby starting to relax ever so slightly in the presence of her husband.

And Matt could sense that, as he knew she was beginning to calm down, the initial shock and fear finally starting to wear off. But he also knew that feeling wouldn't go away completely, at least not until she knew what all had happened.

Neither of them were sure how much time had passed, especially Gabby, but eventually she began to loosen her already light grip on his shirt, Matt pulling back slightly when he felt her arm move down towards the bed beneath him. And when he did, their eyes immediately locked again, Gabby's jaw trembling as tears continued pouring down her cheeks, the scared look in her eye breaking his heart all over again as he was crying as well.

Her mouth slowly opened like she was going to say something, but no words ever came out, her free hand clutching onto his forearm as a soft cry escaped her lips.

Casey gave her as supportive a smile as he could manage, though with his tears he wasn't sure how comforting it was, the two just taking this moment to relish in the fact that Gabby was here. She was here, she was awake, and she knew who he was. And after everything, that couldn't help but feel like a miracle, fresh tears continuing down her skin before she tightened her grip on his arm.

In that moment he knew exactly what she was wanting, Matt swallowing thickly as he brought his hand up to wipe away her tears before he instinctively leaned back down towards her, the husband pressing his lips against hers without a second thought.

Their movement was sweet, and gentle, the two needing this more than anything else right now as he heard her whimper against him, Matt cupping the side of her face as they moved together slowly.

But their moment was fleeting, Matt not wanting to risk doing anything to hurt her as he slowly pulled back, Gabby's eyes staying closed as he rested his forehead against hers.

"You're okay." He murmured, the statement causing another quiet sob to escape the back of her throat as he took a few deep breaths, Matt feeling her nails starting to dig into his skin slightly, like she was trying to make sure he was really there. And he let her, Casey cradling her head with his free hand as the two stayed connected for a few more seconds.

"...I love you." He whispered, Matt lifting his head up so he could get a better look at her as she slowly opened her eyes, fresh tears sitting on her skin before a small smile tugged on her lips. "God, I love you so much. I'm so glad you're okay." He breathed out, Gabby nodding after a couple seconds, like she needed time to register what he'd said, before she tightened her grip on his arm.

She didn't say anything back, but the look on her face told him she wanted to, Matt brushing her hair back before he leaned down to kiss her once more, Gabby melting into the contact as they would stay here forever if they could.

But the sound of the door opening forced them to pull apart, though based on her reaction Gabby hadn't even registered it, Matt being the one to pull back before turning to see her doctor, along with two of her nurses, come into the room. Drawing in a deep breath, Casey stood up straighter, Gabby finally realizing there were more people in here with them as she slowly turned to look in that direction, the woman being met by people she didn't recognize as they approached her bed.

"Well, hello there Gabby." He spoke softly, the doctor having been in this position enough before to know he needed to take things slow. "I've gotta say, it's nice to finally see you up." He added on, Matt feeling her grip on his arm involuntarily tighten. And he didn't blame her, as he knew they were approaching something she had no idea about, Dr. Jennings picking up on her uncertainty too as he came to a stop beside her bed. "I know you don't know me, but I'm Dr. Jennings, I've been your doctor since you came here." He continued to explain, the man keeping his words vague as he didn't want to throw too much at her at once. "And I know you must have a lot of questions about what's going on, unless…" He trailed off, glancing towards Matt before the husband shook his head.

"We didn't really have time to get into everything." He murmured in response, Dr. Jennings giving him a soft smile as he nodded.

"That's alright, but then yes, I'm sure you have a lot of questions, Gabby. And we can get into all of that here in a bit, but first I'd like to look you over if that's okay… Make sure you're doing alright, then we can talk." He suggested, the older man not missing how Gabby looked over towards Matt, almost like she was waiting for what she should do. And in this situation, Matt wasn't surprised by it, Casey immediately giving her a nod as he patted the top of her arm.

"It's okay." He assured her, Gabby nodding at him, that sign giving the doctor the all clear to start checking her over, as there were a few standard exams they always did when a person woke up after a prolonged period of time.

Casey stayed close by as they checked on her monitors, and listened to her breathing, the man also checking her vision, clearly looking for anything that might be a cause for concern. But from the few basic tests he did run, he saw none. In fact the only thing that might've been an issue was the fact she had still yet to say anything.

As Dr. Jennings finished up his exam, Matt couldn't help but keep his eyes on Gabby, the husband needing to see for himself that she was still alright as this entire thing had shaken him more than he could even put into words. But as he was watching her, he couldn't help but notice the way she kept wincing before she'd shut her eyes, then reopen them seconds later. And it was something she was doing repeatedly, Matt's eyebrows furrowing before he followed her line of vision to see what was causing her to reaction this way, which was something he soon found out as he looked directly into the light above their bed.

It wasn't anything too bad, in fact to him it wasn't hurting his eyes at all, but for her, it was clearly bothering her. And after being asleep for as long as she had been, he wasn't entirely too surprised by that, Casey clearing his throat before he looked towards one of the nurses.

"Can we turn the lights down for her?" He asked them, Matt sparing a glance down to Gabby to find her eyes closed once more. "I think it's hurting her head." He spoke, the nurse nodding immediately before she reached behind her bed and all the machines to turn the lights above her down, Gabby giving his arm a grateful squeeze after a few seconds, like it had taken her that long to realize what had been said. But despite the delay in her reaction, he could immediately tell that turning the lights down began to help her.

"Alright Gabby," Dr. Jennings started as he returned his stethoscope around his neck "I'm sure you're probably a little confused right now, and that's understandable, but if you're up for it, we're gonna talk a little bit, okay?" He asked her, Gabby processing his words before she slowly nodded, the doctor pausing with a pensive look on his face. "...Can you say something for me?" He asked first, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before nodding once more.

"Wa-" She started, the woman grimacing at the uncomfortable feeling in her throat as Matt knew she was trying.

"Just take your time." Dr. Jennings told her once he saw the signs of frustration beginning to set in, Matt rubbing his hand along her arm before Gabby slowly tried again.

"Wa… Water."

Her voice was barely audible, the words hardly coming out through her dry throat, but both men understood what she meant, Matt nodding immediately before he reached for the pitcher of water that had been on her small table every day since she got here, the husband knowing they'd just refilled it earlier in the day.

"Yeah, baby, of course." He told her, Matt mentally kicking himself for not getting her some earlier as he poured her a little bit into the plastic cup, before placing the straw in the drink. "Here you go." Casey offered her as he brought the cup up to her lips, helping to guide the straw into her mouth before she slowly took a few sips. It was a bit hard for her to swallow, Gabby barely having the strength to get the water down, but she managed.

"Take it slow, Gabby." Dr. Jennings warned her, the woman nodding before she took another sip, Gabby able to feel the cold water going all the way down her body as the liquid helped to wet her throat.

When she was done, she leaned her head back, Matt placing the cup back onto the bedside table before reaching for her hand once more. "Are you okay? Do you need more?" He asked her as he ran his thumb along the back of her hand, Gabby shaking her head lightly.

"I- Fine." She coughed out, Matt nodding with a sad smile before he reached his free hand up to rest over the top of her head, the husband just needed to feel her moving beneath him as he still was trying to process all this.

Watching on at the sweet moment, Dr. Jennings gave them both a comforting smile before he continued. "Okay Gabby… before we get into anything, can you tell me how you're feeling?" He asked, Dawson grimacing slightly before she responded.

"...Hurts." She answered simply, a deep frown etching over Casey's face when he heard her verbalize that she was in pain. He'd known it from the moment she woke up, but something about hearing her say it made it that much worse, Matt taking to rubbing over her head comfortingly as Dr. Jennings nodded.

"What hurts?"

"Every… Every-" She stuttered over her words, Matt swallowing the lump forming in his throat as he tried to not show his worry at her inability to say a few simple words. But he knew she had gone through a lot, and she hadn't been awake for that long, Matt sure that with time she'd be back to her normal self.

Or that's what he was going to tell himself.

"Everything?" The doctor asked, Gabby coughing once more before she nodded, her head resting back against her pillows, Matt able to read her body language well enough to know she was exhausted.

"Yeah, she's been in pain since she woke up." Matt supplemented, the man across from him giving him a regretful smile. "Can she have anything else to help? She typically has a pretty high pain tolerance, but I can tell she's hurting pretty bad." His words were quick, everyone in the room, aside from Gabby, able to pick up on how anxious he was. And after seeing him with his wife for the past four days, none of them could blame him.

"We can up her medication a little bit, we'll go ahead and do that." Dr. Jennings replied, the man nodding towards his nurse signaling her to go over to their cart where Matt knew they kept a lot of the drugs, Casey shooting him a grateful look as the woman got the medication ready. "And before she goes to sleep, we'll give her something a little stronger- nothing too bad," He corrected himself when he saw the look on Matt's face, as he was sure Gabby's husband was concerned about her sleeping and not waking up. "Just something to insure she gets a good night's sleep… She's gonna need a lot of rest."

"Alright… Thank you." Casey replied, Dr. Jennings nodding before returning his attention to Gabby.

"Okay, now Gabby… I know there's a lot going on right now, but I'm gonna ask you a few questions, if that's okay?" He questioned gently, Gabby breathing in slowly before she nodded.

"Okay." She croaked out, Gabby leaning into the comfort of Matt's hand as she waited for him to ask her something.

"We're gonna start with the basics a little bit, but can you tell me you're name?" He asked her, Matt's back immediately tightening as he knew what Dr. Jennings was doing; he was testing her memory. And while Casey knew it needed to be done, that didn't mean he wasn't scared of the outcome.

Matt kept his eyes on Gabby as he waited for her to answer, which thankfully, she soon did, his wife nodding once more before she spoke up. "Gab- Gabby Dawson." She replied, her words still a little delayed as her mind was in a bit of a haze. But the soft smile on her husband's face helped her relax, Matt leaning down to press a quick kiss to her forehead as Dr. Jennings continued.

"That's right… And can you tell me what you do for a living?" He continued on, Gabby's eyes falling closed for a split second as her brain caught up to what he was saying.

It took her a minute, but eventually she nodded, Gabby looking back up at him before she responded. "I… par-" She started coughing once more before she could get the word out, Matt's eyes widening slightly as he reached for her cup of water and held it up to her, Gabby taking a few more slow sips as Matt rubbed her head to get her calm.

"You're okay." He murmured, the doctor giving her a supportive smile as well.

"He's right, everything's fine Gabby. Take all the time for these questions that you need, okay?" He reassured her, Gabby nodding once she finished drinking.

"Okay." She whispered, the woman clearing her throat before she spoke up once more. "I'm… a paramedic." She finally replied, that being the first coherent thought she'd been able to put together since waking up, that alone causing relief to flood through Matt's body.

"You are, that's good." He responded, Dr. Jennings looking towards Casey for a split second. "And do you know who this is? The man beside you" He pressed, the doctor being as specific as possible without giving anything away as Gabby tilted her head to look back up at the man in question.

"My husband." She answered with a slight gleam in her eye, one Casey hadn't seen from her in far too long as his chest filled with warmth, the couple staring at each other for a moment before he lifted her hand up to his lips, Matt pressing a soft kiss on her knuckles as she continued to smile at him.

"That's right, I am." He murmured against her skin before kissing her once more, Dr. Jennings giving them a moment before he carried on.

"And can you tell me his name?"

Matt continued watching her with that signature Casey grin that he knew she loved, but as the seconds ticked by it slowly started to fall, the husband soon noticing the almost pensive look on her face as she had yet to answer them.

"...Gabby, do you know his name?" Dr. Jennings asked again, his calm demeanor the exact opposite of how Casey was feeling as Gabby's eyebrows knitted together tightly.

"He's… my husband." She repeated, Gabby still having an issue of stumbling over her words as she couldn't answer the question. And it was consuming Matt with worry, as he could tell she genuinely didn't know what to say, that realization breaking his heart as much as it terrified him.

Because if she couldn't remember him, what else was she forgetting... Who else was she forgetting?

Time continued to pass them by as they all waited for her to speak, Gabby's eyes clenching shut as she wracked her brain for the right response, the woman starting to get frustrated with herself as she knew she knew his name. This was her husband, the man she'd given her entire life to. The man she knew she wanted to be with forever. But as she laid in this bed, it was suddenly all blank.

She knew he was her husband, she knew they were married, but everything else was hazy, at best, and the longer she went without remembering, the more stressed she became.

And that was even more apparent when her monitors began to pick up her increasing heart rate.

"Gabby…" Matt spoke calmly, his hand staying placed firmly on top of her head to keep her grounded, the man not missing the hint of panic in her eyes as she was clearly a bit scared.

"It's okay, Gabby, just take your time." Dr. Jennings added on, Matt nodding in agreement as he mustered up as supportive of a smile as he could, despite the fact he felt like he was dying on the inside.

"That's… he's- my husband, he-" She continued to stumble over her words, Gabby shaking her head in frustration before she spoke up once more. "He's- Matt."

The word was sudden, like it had just come to her, but the second she said it, it was like the tension was lifted from the room, Casey releasing a relieved breath he didn't even realize he'd been holding onto while a few tears sprung to Gabby's eyes.

"Matt, he's Matt." She repeated, like she was just grateful to remember it as Matt nodded with a few tears of his own in his eyes.

"That's right, baby. I'm Matt." He told her with a gentle smile, though the sinking feeling in his stomach hadn't gone away as he couldn't help but worry that something was wrong. But it was a thought he kept to himself, as that was the last thing Gabby needed to hear right now. Regardless of what was going on with her, she was trying her best, and that's what they needed to focus on for the time being.

When he saw the tears in her eyes hadn't quite gone away, Casey leaned down to kiss her forehead once more, the husband able to tell more than anyone in the room just how frightened she truly was at whatever was going on in her head. And despite feeling the same way, he knew he needed to be a strong, supportive presence for her as he knew they'd have a long road ahead of them.

"Yeah, that's good Gabby… You're doing great." Dr. Jennings assured her as well while Casey pulled back. "I know this has been a lot, so I just have a few more questions for you, then you can get some rest." He prefaced, his words earning a nod from Dawson in response. "Now I'd like to know, do you have any children?"

With her brain still a little hazy, it took her a second to understand the question, but once she did, she immediately nodded, that gesture causing a rush of relief to flood through Matt's body once more, as he was just grateful she remembered their girls.

"We do." She answered, her voice still sounding a bit rough as she was struggling to put full thoughts together. "We… have two."

Matt smiled down at her, the man giving her a nod as she looked towards him, almost like she was looking for that assurance she was right. But that look was soon replaced by something else- something that almost resembled panic while she clung tightly to Matt's hand as realization washed over her.

"The girls- they- okay..." She wasn't able to properly voice the question she was desperate for an answer to, but luckily Matt understood her instantly, the husband immediately nodding in hopes to calm her down.

"They're alright, they're fine." He promised her, a soft sigh coming from his wife before she relaxed, Gabby nodding slowly as he continued to comfort her, Matt leaving out most of the details for now as he didn't want to worry her. "They miss their Momma, but they're alright. They're downstairs right now." He told her, Matt not missing the way her face lit up once she registered what he said.

"They're here?" She asked, her voice raspy as Matt nodded.

"They are… Kelly, Jemma, and your dad took them downstairs to get some dinner, but they should be back up here soon." He continued, Matt sure that was going to be her next question as he knew she'd want to see their babies, but with as hard as it was for her to get full sentences out right now he figured it best to just go ahead and tell her. "I know they'll be so excited to see you." He finished, Gabby's smile widening before she nodded, the woman focusing on the feeling of his hand moving along the top of her head.

"He's right Gabby, I know they'll be happy to see you. And I only have a few more questions for you, which we'll do now if you're up for it?" He asked, Gabby pausing for a moment before she nodded. "Alright, well, speaking of your girls… Can you tell me their names?"

For the second time that morning, Gabby hesitated, Matt seeing a different kind of pain suddenly written across her face as she was trying desperately to remember their girls' names. And Matt couldn't blame her, as what he felt when she struggled to remember his name was nothing compared to what he was feeling right now. Because if she couldn't remember them, he had no idea what he was going to do. And then on top of that, he felt even more concern for his wife, as he couldn't understand why she was able to remember some things, while others took some time.

But thankfully, it didn't take Gabby nearly as long this time before she answered.

"Sof-Sofia… is our baby." She spoke carefully, Matt overcome with a rush of gratitude as she said their youngest's name. But that feeling only lasted so long when he realized she hadn't yet said the name of their five year old. "...And."

"Take your time." Dr. Jennings reminded her, Casey nodding in agreement even though his heart was nearly about to burst out of his chest, as he hoped and prayed Gabby would get there on her own.

"Caitlyn." She continued after a few seconds, relief flooding her body as Gabby was thankful her mind had stopped working against her, more tears filling her eyes as not only was she grateful to remember their names, but she was just so ready to see her kids.

And that relief she was feeling, Matt felt it too, as the last thing he wanted to ever do was try and explain to their five year old how her mom didn't remember her. But luckily, it hadn't come to that.

"Our Caity." Gabby spoke once more with nothing but love and admiration in her soft voice, Casey nodding quickly as a few tears leaked from his eyes.

"Yeah, those are our girls… Our girls who missed their Momma." He repeated, his few words causing her to cry as well, as through all the haze and uncertainty going on in her mind, she was just happy to be back with her family.

"I missed… them too." She got the words out, Matt able to tell she was slowly having an easier time getting her thoughts across, even if she wasn't quite there yet. "But I- how long… was I." She stopped herself, her eyes falling shut as her head began to hurt her a little bit. But she did what she could to push that aside, as Gabby was still struggling to become accustomed to being awake.

"It's been four days." Matt answered the question she hadn't finished verbalizing, more tears pooling in her eyes as she looked towards her husband, the man nodding sadly as he stroked his thumb over her head. "Yeah… it's been four days. But it's okay, you're okay and the girls' and I are alright." He assured her, Gabby breathing in slowly before she nodded, Matt dropping his hand down from her head to wipe some of her tears away.

"That's actually the last thing I wanted to ask you, Gabby." Dr. Jennings spoke up once more, both Gabby and Matt glancing towards him. "Is I wanted to know if you remembered what happened… Why you're here?" He questioned.

And while Matt expected her to need some time to answer, this question took no time at all, Gabby almost immediately shaking her head, as it was clear she didn't remember any of what brought her here. Which, selfishly, Matt couldn't help but think might've been for the best.

"I don't... I don't remember." She whispered, Dr. Jennings nodding softly.

"Okay, that's fine. I know there's a lot happening right now… But, like your husband said, you've been here for four days… You were in an accident." He told her slowly, Gabby swallowing thickly as she took in his words. "It was on the job, a truck collided with your ambulance while you were at work, do you remember any of that?" He asked her easily, Dawson allowing herself time to think over his words before she shook her head.

"No." She answered after nearly a minute, Matt keeping his hand in hers as he waited to see if she'd have anything else to say about the accident. If she'd want to know more about what happened, or if she'd ask about her partners- though he still wasn't sure how he was going to tell her about Foster, but he was still waiting to see if she had any other questions, at all.

But she didn't. She didn't have anything to say, and Matt couldn't help but wonder if she really wasn't grasping what actually happened. If it would take more time for it all to sink in, for her to understand what she'd gone through. But those weren't answers he'd be getting today, as Dr. Jennings merely nodded.

"Alright… But do you think you could tell me the last thing you do remember?" He pushed, Gabby drawing in a deep breath as she took a bit more time to answer this question.

But it was useless, as Gabby's mind was completely blank right now, the woman shaking her head slowly. "I don't know."

"Okay." Dr. Jennings replied with a gentle smile, the man not wanting to worry her. "That's not at all uncommon, your body has been through a lot, you likely just need some time for your brain to catch up… I don't want to get into too much detail tonight, and bombard you with too much information, so we can talk more into the specifics of what happened, and where we go from here tomorrow morning, but for now, I just want you to get some rest, alright?" He told her, Gabby nodding slowly as leaned her head back towards Matt, her husband smiling softly at her. "Unless you all need anything, we'll get out of your way for the evening… And from what I can tell, everything is looking good with Gabby." Dr. Jennings spoke, though his words were more directed towards Matt as he listened to everything the doctor was telling him. "There will be nurses monitoring her all throughout the night, like we have been, but from what I'm seeing, everything is good."

Breathing in slowly, Matt nodded, the husband offering him a small smile. "Thank you." He replied, his words holding more weight after what happened between them earlier in the day, the doctor nodding understandingly as he took a slight step backwards. "For everything, thank you."

"You're welcome, Mr. Casey." He replied softly, the doctor looking in between them before he continued towards the door, the nurses already making their way out of the room.

"Wait, uh-" Matt stopped him, Dr. Jennings pausing in the doorway as Casey looked back down towards Gabby. "I'm gonna talk to your doctor for a second, I'll be right back baby." He told her, Gabby merely nodding before he leaned down to kiss her forehead, Matt lingering there for a minute before he walked away from the bed towards the door.

"Everything okay?" Dr. Jennings questioned, Matt breathing in deeply before he crossed his arms over his chest.

"That's what I was about to ask you." He replied, the husband keeping his voice low as he didn't necessarily want Gabby to hear him. Though with the state she was still working her way out of, he wasn't sure she could, Matt looking up to see the expectant look on the doctor's face, clearly waiting for him to continue. "Is… is this normal?" He questioned softly, the older man breathing in deeply. "Her barely talking, having trouble speaking and not being able to remember names… Does this stuff happen a lot?"

"It can." He answered honestly, Matt staying quiet while he let him continue. "Cases like this, they can be unpredictable, so we really can only follow Gabby and how she reacts to things. But she… she took some hard hits to the head, and then all her complications during and after surgery… Things like this happen, where it takes some time for patients to fully regain themselves." He explained, Casey biting down on the inside of his cheek before he nodded. "I know it's pointless to tell you not to worry, but overall, I don't see anything that likely won't fix itself… All the information is there, she was able to remember, it's just taking her some time. And in most cases, that goes away after a while. I can't guarantee anything, but typically patients with similar issues like this after surgery, they don't last forever."

"Okay, alright… I'm just…"

"You're worried about your wife, I understand. But if there was anything I was seriously worried about right now, I would tell you, like I did earlier." He continued on, Matt nodding in response. "But everything with her looks good. Her scans from a bit ago were still clear, and we'll take more in the morning, make sure she's alright. But from what I can tell, she's okay… Miraculously, she's okay." He spoke, Casey clenching his jaw as he knew just how true those words were, as it was nothing short of a miracle that she was alright. "But her body, and her mind, she's been through a lot… She probably just needs time. But we'll be keeping an eye on her, making sure she's alright."

"Alright… Thank you, again." He told him, the two men exchanging a few more pleasantries before the doctor left, while Casey headed back towards the bed, but not before sending a quick text to Severide to let him know what was going on.

"Is everything okay?"

Matt looked up when he heard her voice, a small smile forming over his face as she was able to get the words she wanted to say out rather clearly, which was certainly a step up from earlier.

"Everything's fine, I was just texting Kelly, letting him know what was going on." He responded as he slid his phone back into his pocket, Matt not missing the flash of hesitation that covered her face when she said Severide's name. And it was then he realized she might've not remembered him, at least not yet, as even though he'd mentioned Kelly earlier, he said it when he was talking about the girls, and that was probably all she was focused on. "...Do you remember Kelly?" He asked her gently as he came to a stop beside her bed, Matt sitting himself down gently on the edge.

"I… the name, it sounds familiar." She spoke softly, a slight wince covering her face as she knew this was someone she should've known without question. "But I can't…"

"It's okay." He was quick to assure her, Matt placing his hand over her arm as the last thing he wanted was for her to get worked up again. "I know you know him, it'll be fine. I'm sure once you see him, you'll remember that ugly face." He joked lightly, Casey trying to lighten some the heaviness around them as he knew Gabby was still struggling. And thankfully, it seemed to work as a small smile formed over her face.

"Yeah…" She agreed, Matt nodding as he rubbed her arm.

"Yeah, when you see him, and Jemma, and your dad, you'll know who they are. Even if you need some time, it'll be fine." He promised, Gabby giving him a small nod as she gently placed her hand over his leg, Matt offering her as supportive a smile as he could. "Like with me, and the girls… it's all still there, you just need a little time."

His words were meant to make her feel better, but by the end of the his sentence, the small smile on her face was gone, Matt seeing what was almost a frown that had settled in across her features. And he wasn't sure why it was there, but it worried him.

"Gabby?"

"I'm sorry." She spoke at the same time, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion as he held onto her arm.

"...What?"

"I'm sorry… I didn't know you." She continued, Matt's eyes falling closed as his face softened, his heart feeling as if it were constricting in his chest. "I didn't know the girls, I…"

"Gabby." He said gently, his words effectively cutting her off as she wasn't sure what she was saying next anyway, as it was hard for her to put long thoughts together into something she could understand. "It's okay." Matt spoke, his gaze landing back on her as he saw the guilt and regret shining in her eyes. "I promise, it's okay." He repeated, her jaw clenching as she did what she could to believe him. "You've been through a lot, baby, it's okay that you need some time."

A tear slid down her cheek as he spoke, Matt quickly reaching up to wipe it away, as he didn't want her feeling bad about this, ever. This wasn't her fault, she didn't ask for this, and she couldn't help the way her body responded to the trauma she had sustained. And the last thing he ever would want is for her to feel guilty because of that.

"I know how much you love me, how much you love our girls, and they know it, too… I've never doubted that and neither have they, This isn't your fault, baby."

Slowly, Gabby nodded once she had a moment to take in what he said, Matt making sure to wipe away the few more tears that had fallen down her skin as she was still a little overwhelmed by all of it, Gabby not entirely in control of how she reacted to things right now. But it was nothing they couldn't handle, as Matt knew he'd be here with her every step of the way.

"...I love you." She whispered after a moment, Matt smiling softly as he cradled the side of her face lovingly, the husband's hand lingering there as he was grateful to feel her warm skin underneath his touch.

"I love you too, baby. And I'm so glad you're okay."

Neither one of them got a chance to say much more when Casey's phone started buzzing, the man releasing a soft sigh before he dropped his hand from her face and began to reach out in his pocket, before pulling the device out and quickly reading over the message he had been sent.

"They're almost back with the girls." He spoke softly, that familiar smile returning to Gabby's face, Matt seeing her spirits lift instantly at the mention of their daughters. "...Are you feeling up to seeing them?" He questioned, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing before she nodded. "Because I know you're tired, we can do this tomorrow…"

"I want… to see them." She spoke, her words as firm as she could make them despite the brief pause she had to take, Matt giving her a nod as he reached for her hand. "I want to see our babies."

"Okay." He replied, Matt giving her a soft smile before they fell into a comfortable quiet, knowing their family would be here soon.

But the couple wasn't left waiting long, as maybe a minute after they finished talking, the heard the door slowly open, Matt pushing himself up off the bed as he was trying to prepare for any reaction from his girls; especially Caitlyn, considering Matt was sure she didn't know her mom was awake. Sofia, while she would be excited, didn't understand what all had been going on. But Caitlyn does, and Matt knew this was going to be a big moment for her.

And her reaction didn't disappoint, as the second she walked in through the door holding Severide's hand, she stopped dead in her tracks. Similarly to how she had when she first got to the hospital earlier today, but now she was stopping for a much different reason, as Matt and Gabby both saw the mixed emotions playing out over her face, before she landed on one.

Absolute joy.

"Mommy!" She shouted in excitement, Caitlyn's shock not having yet worn off as she ran over towards the bed, tears filling her eyes as she was just so happy to see her mom. And when Ramon came in with Sofia, the one year old was just as excited when she realized her mother was here, little Sof practically screaming in her grandfather's arms as she was desperate to get to Gabby. "Mommy's awake!" Caitlyn cheered as she got to the bed, the small child using all the strength she could muster to try and pull herself up, but it wasn't proving to be very successful as she wasn't getting very far.

"I got you, Caity, I'll help." Matt spoke, the father blinking back the tears in his eyes as he knew Caitlyn just wanted her mom. "But be careful, alright? Momma's still a little hurt." He reminded her, Caitlyn nodding as Gabby watched tears start to roll down her baby's face. And it was a sight that seemed to almost clear her mind, Gabby wanting to do nothing more than comfort her daughters' as she could imagine how hard these past few days had been on them. On all of them.

"Mommy." She repeated as Matt helped her onto the bed, Caitlyn carefully leaning towards her before cuddling into her side, Gabby immediately wrapping her good arm around her five year old while Ramon brought Sofia to Matt.

"I'm here, baby." She replied, her voice still a bit raspy. But Caitlyn didn't seem to mind, or even notice, as she clung to her mom, Caitlyn's head digging into her chest as she wanted to be as close to Gabby as possible. The five year old's tears were falling down onto her mom's hospital gown, Gabby pressing continuous kisses against her daughter's head while ignoring the pain she was feeling from the abrupt movement. "Mommy's here."

As Gabby continued to speak, Caitlyn's cries only got louder, the little girl unable to hold back her emotions as she was just so relieved her mom had come back, while Sofia was now in Matt's arms, still eager to get to her mom.

"...You can put her down." Gabby spoke after a moment of gathering her thoughts, Matt clearly hesitant as he didn't want to hurt her, but he soon found the safest place for their baby to go, Sofia crying out for her mom as they got closer to the bed.

"Mama! Mama!" She was all but shouting, Matt carefully placing Sofia on the bed up above Caitlyn, her little body nestling up against Gabby's shoulder as she immediately reached out for her. "Mama!"

"Hi baby." She spoke as Sofia leaned down against her, Gabby able to press a kiss to the side of her head as she felt the love from both of her babies, the feeling overwhelming as she was just so grateful to be here with them.

"I missed you, Mommy." Caitlyn cried, Matt unable to fight off his own tears as he kept one hand on Sofia's back, while the other was on Caitlyn's, the dad not wanting to risk them falling off the bed while they could only hug Gabby from this one side.

"I know." She answered softly, Gabby having to pause before she spoke again. "I missed you, too."

"That's what Daddy said." Caitlyn whispered against her body, her small fist gripping her gown tightly in her hand as a source of comfort, while Sofia tucked her head down against Gabby's neck. "But I was scared."

"Me too, baby." Gabby admitted, the woman looking up to find everyone else in the room watching the tender moment with the family, her eyes soon finding the relieved and grateful ones of her dad. And once they did, she immediately smiled, Gabby knowing his face instantly as Ramon matched her look before he nodded.

"I love you, mija." He spoke softly, Ramon knowing he couldn't give her a proper welcome back right now, not with the girls' on her.

"I love you too, Papa." She replied, Ramon fighting to keep his composure as his jaw began to tremble, but he managed to keep it together as she looked back down at her babies. "I love you both, too." She murmured, Caitlyn sniffling as she looked up towards her mom, her chin resting gently over her chest, while Sofia was holding onto her mom's arm.

"I don't want you hurt." Caitlyn spoke as tears poured down her cheeks, Gabby suddenly wishing she had mobility on the left side of her body so she could comfort her babies more, but she couldn't.

"I know… But I'm okay." She promised her, Caitlyn sniffling once more before she nodded, Gabby feeling Sofia place kisses over her shoulder as the teary-eyed baby was happy in her mom's presence. "I'm okay now."

"Don't go away again." Caitlyn pleaded, the entire room now in tears as they heard the desperation in the five year old's voice, fresh tears falling down her cheeks as her body started shaking. "Don't leave us, we don't like when you're gone."

"I'm not." She answered her quickly, Gabby looking up towards her husband to find him crying as well, as the mother knew she had to do anything she could to comfort her daughter, both her daughters, Dawson coming to realize just how badly her absence had affected them. Though if not for her mind being a bit slower than normal, she likely would've realized it sooner. But she couldn't change anything now, Gabby knowing all she could do was be there for her girls, and for her husband, and hope and pray they were never in this position again. Even if they were a long way away from being past this horrific accident.

But it was something she knew they'd get past, and they'd get past it together.

"I'm here, baby… I'm not going anywhere."