A few days later...
"... I told you to not go after her...", Severide shook his head as sipped his beer, "It's been more than a decade since you two had seen each other... you two are different people now", Severide shrugged,"... Why even bother to talk to her?"
Matt gave him a tight-lipped smile while holding his mug of beer between his hands over the table., he had regretted talking to his friend about Gabby.
... a weird silence falling upon them... a couple of minutes later...
Severide's eyes darted up around their surroundings when he observed Brett and Stella drinking their beer as sat down at the bar counter, "Brett is hung up on you... I can easily see her in your future, don't look back to the past, man".
Matt nodded, "I'm over it, ... Gabby and I had one unresolved situation and we sorted it out.., it's time to move on...", Matt looked up at him.
"You must know I don't have anything against that girl, though Stella says Brett seems more your type of girl...".
Matt snickered, "... Stella,... she is too invested in me getting her friend as a girlfriend...".
"Yeah...", Severide laughed, "... I hate gossip but, Stella told me her ex-fiancee left her at the altar, that's why she came to Chicago, to start over...".
Casey peeked at Brett, then gazed back at his friend, "... She confessed that to me, I can't imagine how hard was for her... but she'll find a nice guy...", Matt averted his eyes.
Severide sensed Casey was going through feelings of infatuation with Gabby... It was time to help his friend to turn the page, "... There is something I've meant to tell you...".
Casey noticed the somber look in him, Severide whispered, "... it-it's about the Stilletos Club, where your friend worked...".
Matt frowned intrigued, putting his mug aside, he crossed fingers over the table.
"My friend at the Arson Division told me they found evidence the fire at the club was arson... ".
"Why? Why would they set fire to the building and risk killing a bunch of people?" Matt was curious.
"To get away with the material, notes... books... that could put the owner, Jack Nesbitt, in prison...", Severide paused looking into his eyes.
"For what?", Matt asked impatiently.
"The Police revealed he is suspected of using the club to traffic women into, you know...".
Matt shook his head pressing his lips tightly, "... I can't believe it... why are you are telling me this just now?"
"I'm your friend, and I thought I should alert you that getting involved with Gabby might be a terrible idea...".
"... She may be a victim-", Severide interjected.
"Or not, Matt... you can't be sure if that is the case she has worked for them, maybe recruiting other women-".
"You didn't get to know her, Gabby wouldn't do that...".
Severide sighed as he rubbed his face, "Please, think twice about looking for trouble, because that girl means trouble...".
"Hey, we can join you guys?" Stella approached them, Brett tagging along. "You two look too serious, what's the matter?" Stella sat beside her boyfriend, and Brett took the seat next to Casey.
"Nothing, we were talking about a friend of ours that is going through a difficult time..., but he will get better,...", Severide lied as he exchanged a look with Casey.
"Yeah... he will...", Casey replied avoiding Severide's eyes.
A couple of hours later...
Casey pulled over in front of Brett's apartment building, he had offered to take her home... Most of the ride was made in silence...
"Thank you for the ride...", Brett said as she unfastened the seatbelt Matt's eyes studied her.
Thinking over Severides's words... "Would you like to go out with me on Friday?"
Brett peeked at him, he had a small smile on his lips, unsure if she had heard right since their relationship seemed a one-sided feeling in her mind.
"We could watch a movie and have dinner later...", he suggested.
Brett smiled at him, "It'd be our third date, not that I am counting...", wishing he would agree with her.
Matt tilted his head mustering up a smile "Yes... What do you think?"
"I'm totally in... I-I like your company, Matt... so can you pick me up?"
"Of course...", they eyed each other, and Matt leaned forward to place a kiss on her lips, it took a few seconds... when Matt drew away, Brett pulled him in for another kiss, which he happily gave her.
...
The clock is ticking... Matt has been debating with himself for almost 20 minutes while sitting in his car outside of his house... he hasn't yet turned the engine off... Throwing another glance at his phone screen to check the time... 11 p.m.
She is sleeping, if I knock at her door, I'll wake her up... and her neighbors...
I have shift tomorrow, I should be sleeping by now... don't be stupid, get in the house, go rest...
Severide has known me for a long time, I'd be an idiot not to listen to him... I'm lucky to have friends like him, Stella...
Then, there is Brett... she is a nice girl... after everything she went through with her ex-fiancee, she deserves to be happy, so do I...
Maybe-Maybe, she is not home... but I could wait and talk to her... she might kick my ass when she sees me there... and pull my head off...
Matt ran his hand through his hair...
Gabby would never associate with Nesbitt to traffic innocent girls, Severide doesn't know her like I do... think, damn... what do I do?
I could call her, and... forget it, she didn't give me her phone number... so I only have one choice here...
...
30 minutes later Matt arrived in the suburbs, he had memorized which one was her apartment in the three-story apartment building...
Matt knocked softly three times at her door, crossed his arms over his chest, and waited for Gabby to open the door for him. If he didn't get any response, he would leave and forget it all together, he promised himself before got out of his car.
A few seconds had passed when the door was opened... both were surprisingly amazed to see each other, Matt, though, for a different reason, Gabby was wearing revealing shorts and a white tank top, without a bra... her breast buds were visible through her thin tank top.
His eyes navigated over her body for a few seconds before they could reach her face. Gabby raised her eyebrows at him...
"I should charge you for that look...", Gabby folded her arms, annoyed at him.
"Sorry... I didn't mean to-", he swallowed the lump in his throat, "you know, I didn't intend to-", he stumbled over his words, blushing as he forced himself to look up at her.
"Matt, what are you doing here? I thought we said goodbye to each other that day...".
Matt dropped his arms to his sides, "I... I'm here because of Jack Nesbitt... the police suspect he set fire to the club".
Gabby was astonished, "I don't understand... what are you talking about? Why would he do that? You are crazy!?" placing her hands on her hips.
"I wished it wasn't true, that man could have gotten your friend killed-", he paused as scrunched his nose, he smelled an odd odor...
Gabby noticed it, "What is it?"
"A burning smell... are you cooking-", Gabby cut him
"Fuck...", swinging around quickly Gabby ran across the living room to turn off the stove, then she lifted the frying pan with her food and put it over another burner, sighing a little irritated.
"Is everything okay?" Matt stood across the countertop sink as she had her back to him.
"Yeah... my food got a little burnt, but whatever I am going eat...", Gabby reached into the kitchen cabinets for a plate...
Matt's eyes wandered around the small open plan kitchen living room, to his right there was a door leading to her bedroom, he guessed.
Turning around, Gabby put the frying pan in the sink to wash it later,... she turned on the tap, "Tell me... the fire really was arson?" and then let the water run into the pan...
Matt gazed at her, "... The police believe... he had a reason to do that-", he paused.
Gabby turned off the top and folded her arms, "... To receive the building insurance?"
"No, nothing like that...", he eyed her for a few seconds, "... How long have you worked for Jack Nesbitt?".
"Not long... nearly three months... Shay and I were living in Florida before coming back to Chicago...", she shrugged when Casey threw her questioning eyes, "... it doesn't concern you, so... continue, please...", narrowed her eyes at him.
Matt raised his hands in surrender, "... Nesbitt used the club to engage in human trafficking. Did you know that?"
"Oh my god, of course not... I-I never thought, Matt... Do you think my friends and I will get arrested?"
Gabby moved to the sofa and sat down, still skeptical of what she had heard from Casey... "If I go to the police, and tell them that I wasn't involved in Nesbitt's business? I mean not the illegal part of it...".
Matt had his arms folded over his chest as he was leaned against the countertop, "No, wait... you should wait... let's think it over, until then you don't have to worry...", he approached her, squeezing her shoulder he sat beside her on the sofa.
Gabby lifted her head and peeked at him, "I hope you are right... my life is already a mess, I don't need anyone adding one more problem to the pile...".
"You are not alone,... the last time we saw each other we said things we didn't want to... so... I'm sorry...".
Gabby smiled warmly at him, "You are too good, Matthew Casey...".
Matt rubbed her back, "Christie would love to see you, you know... she thought she had seen you a couple of years ago...".
Gabby moved to sit cross-legged, resting her back against the armrest of the sofa... "She is married? Does she have any kids?"
Matt inclined against the sofa back to look at her, "Yeah, she met Jim at the college, they got married and have a daughter, Violet..., she is an amazing kid, you would love her...".
"I am happy for her... Christie helped me a lot during my brief time in Chicago...".
Matt noticed the sadness in her eyes, "... Really, Gabby she would love to see you... we can visit her anytime you want...".
"I-I don't know, can we put it on hold? I am not ready, you might not understand... it's just not the right time for me... one day, maybe...", Gabby looked down at her hands.
"Okay... we don't have to make a decision right now...", Matt lightly touched her knee to get her attention.
Gabby nodded, "Are you hungry? I can make you some eggs, I will eat the burned chicken breast...".
Matt stayed quiet as his eyes swept over her... he should decline her invite... but he won't... "Yeah, I love to have dinner with you...".
...
Even with the subject of the club hanging over their heads, they had a pleasant meal as Matt shared some funny stories of his senior year at high school... as Gabby talked about how Shay and she lived in different states until they decided to go back to Chicago...
40 minutes later, they finished their late dinner, and Matt was washing the dishes, against Gabby's will, he insisted, then she gave up...
"How is your friend, Shay, right?" looked up at her briefly.
Gabby was standing next to him while wiping the cutlery... "She is better now, we talk every day since she went home with her family, I miss her... we are like sisters, you know... I can't wait to have a chance to visit her...".
Matt gave her two plates to wipe... "I bet she misses you too...".
"Yeah... we had lived and worked together for a lot of years... so-", Matt cut in.
"By the way, are you back to work, you know, since you...", Matt wiped his hands in the towel Gabby offered him.
"Thank you...", Matt stared at her as waited for a response.
"No... I'm still looking for... when you don't have a great resume, it takes more time to find a job...", Gabby looked over his shoulder mustering a small smile.
"I get it... if I see something I'll tell you, okay?" Matt rubbed her arm, he reprimanded himself for doing that a couple of times into the night.
"Would you like some coffee?" Gabby proposed.
"You still have this addiction, drinking coffee every night?" Matt snickered.
"Hey", she punched his arm lightly, "you didn't forget, good to know...", her smile widened.
Both were standing a few inches apart, close to the sink...
"There are things that are hard to forget...", he took in her beautiful features...
"Yeah... when you had an important exam you used to press your lips together ... or when you were upset with something...", they locked eyes.
"When you were nervous you used to blink several times... it was fun watching you...", Matt stated.
Gabby mocked him, "... I recall doing that when we kissed, oh my god", Gabby covered her face with both hands, "I was so silly...", chuckling.
"No, you were cute... and it ceased after all the practice we had...", Matt laughed softly.
Gabby dropped her hands, "... It was so embarrassing... I bet you cringe when thinking about our first kiss...".
"It was perfect... Gabby, believe me...", a silence fell upon after his declaration... while their eyes navigated on each other face...
Matt stepped forward... caressed her cheek with his thumb... Gabby's mouth was slightly open... Matt lingered his thumb over her lips for a few seconds... Holding his hand Gabby kissed his knuckles, lightly kisses... taking his thumb, she slid it into her mouth... he was hypnotized watching her sucking his finger... they stayed like that for a couple of minutes, the whole scene turned Casey on.
"I-I am seeing someone...", Matt uttered. "We had a few dates...", he whispered, his chest up and down.
Gabby opened her eyes as stopped her moves, waiting for a few seconds... their eyes were stuck on each other... Licking his lips, Gabby started to lick and suck his thumb again...
"I-I can't...", he said, her action came to a halt, "... because it's worth doing it right, right?" Matt gave her a half-smile as Gabby turned red with embarrassment.
Slowly Gabby pulled out his thumb from her mouth as stepping back... embracing herself, "... Thank you for letting me know about the club's situation...", Gabby walked to the door, opening it, "... it's late, you should go home...".
Matt opened his mouth to speak, however, no sound came out... he was disappointed for hurt in some way...
Closing the door after him, Gabby laid her head against the door sighing heavily.
Note: chapter edited by StarMoore60 : ) thank you
Please, please leave a review, I'd like to know if I should continue writing this story... remember it's a dawsey story.