Hello there everyone! I hope you all are having a great week so far!

I'm back with the next chapter for you all. We're gonna get a little glimpse of how Gabby's first day back at 51 goes, so I hope you enjoy it!

Also, before we get into it, I just want to say thank you all so much for 1500 reviews on this story. That's absolutely insane to me, thank you to everyone who's continued to read this story, and left me a review. Whether it was just once, or on every chapter, I'm so grateful to all of you. Your support means the world to me, thank you so much.

And thank you for reading this one, as well. I really hope you all like it! Happy reading!

EIGHTY NINE

Gabby stood at the nurses station at Chicago med, the paramedic methodically working through her paperwork while also moving as quickly as she could, as the frantic pace around them was just one reminder of how busy the hospital was, given the structure fire ambulance 61 had just come from. The same one they knew they needed to get back to when they finished up here.

It was a rough scene, one that had taken countless lives by the time firehouse 51 all got there, and then God knows how many more while at least a dozen companies from multiple houses had responded to help. There was no way to know what caused the fire, at least not yet, but when they pulled up the entire top half of the building was up in flames, and that only continued to worsen as the first responders helped who they could. Whatever had happened, it caused the fire to spread quickly through the older building, making it hard for all the firefighters to navigate their way around. And with the treacherous, icy weather outside, that made it all the more difficult to do their jobs. But they all did their best, as Dawson and Shay were on scene for a good two hours helping triage victims before they were told to transport an older woman who had some pretty severe burns.

Thankfully, they'd been able to get her to the hospital in decent shape, now all that was left was for her and Shay to finish up here, before getting back to what she was sure was now more of a recovery than a rescue. But just in case, they knew they needed to head back there, Gabby finishing off the last few lines of her paperwork as her mind was racing over how strenuous her day had been already, and it was nowhere close to being over.

All of this was a lot for a first call back. After being off the job for well over a month, Gabby had hoped to maybe ease into things a little more than she'd been able to, as this fire was the exact opposite of taking things slow. But, in a weird way, she was finding that the pace of today had actually managed to help steady her a bit. It helped to get her feet under her, for Gabby to be able to completely throw herself back into her work, and not think about anything else going on in her life. Her one and only care was the job, and helping as many people as she could, as any hesitancy or uncertainty she had about being back was forced aside.

And that alone seemed to make this all a little easier for her to manage, as that level of intensity to start her day provided her with a focus that she desperately needed, even though Gabby would have given anything for the damage and harm caused by this fire to never have happened in the first place.

Blowing out a sigh, Dawson finished her last signature before quickly handing off the papers, the PIC lifting her head up to try and find her partner in the crowded emergency room. But when seconds passed and she had yet to locate her, she figured she was still back in the supply room, Gabby having to navigate her way through the doctors and nurses rushing around to get to her destination. But soon enough she got there, the paramedic able to escape the chaos when she saw her partner crouched down on the ground with multiple packs of gauze in her hands.

"Do you need help?" Gabby asked, her hands shoved into her pockets as Shay looked her way the second she registered the voice, the blonde shaking her head side to side before pushing up off the ground.

"Nah, I'm good. I've already restocked everything, I'm just getting some extras… I'm not sure what we're walking back into at that scene, but given how much gauze we went through the first time around, I figured it was better safe than sorry." She explained, Gabby nodding in agreement before she went ahead and grabbed some of the gauze from Shay anyway, so her friend didn't have to carry it all.

"That's a good idea." She replied softly, Shay pausing for a moment as her eyes moved over her friend, Gabby recognizing that worried look that soon covered her face.

It was the same look Dawson had seen from her partner all day, the one that told Gabby her friend was constantly checking in on her, trying to make sure she was okay with what was going on. That this wasn't too much for her to handle. Dawson had noticed it from the moment they left the firehouse, and multiple times out on call, along with a few times since getting to the hospital; and she was seeing it again, now. But still, Shay hadn't questioned her. At least not yet.

Though Gabby had the feeling she wanted to, as the blonde merely nodded in response with that same soft smile on her face before taking a step towards the door, her features covered by a few thick black marks from all the smoke they'd been surrounded by this morning. And, though she hadn't had the chance to look in the mirror, Gabby was sure she looked the same way.

"You ready to head back out there?" She asked, Shay tapping her hip lightly before she stepped out of the room, Gabby giving her a nod in response as she followed after her.

"Yeah, let's go… With all the rigs that have come through here, I'm sure they need more help back at the scene." Dawson replied, earning a nod in agreement before they made their way out of the hospital, the cold winter wind immediately hitting them in the face as they hurried to their rig.

While they were inside Chicago med the snow had picked up considerably, heavy snowflakes falling from the sky as they climbed up into the ambulance, Dawson knowing it would likely take them some extra time to get back to the call. But they'd get there as quickly as they could, both paramedics buckling up before Shay began driving them towards their destination.

It was relatively quiet in the rig, Dawson's focus out the window while Shay did all she could to safely navigate her way through the traffic, while also running their lights. Because though this wasn't an emergency, she still wanted to get them back to the scene quickly. And, given that the city was currently blanketed in white, the lights weren't hard for people to see, as the other drivers around them were getting out of the way as quickly as they could. But Dawson didn't pay much attention to that, as she knew her friend had things handled, the pic taking the moment to decompress while she had it.

"So…" Shay spoke up after a few minutes, Gabby turning to look at her while Shay's eyes stayed on the road, both of her hands gripping the steering wheel. "This morning's been kind of crazy." She commented, Gabby nodding in agreement despite the fact that Shay couldn't see her.

"Yeah, it definitely has been." She breathed out, Gabby's hands resting together in lap as her gaze moved back out the windshield.

"I imagine it's not exactly what you were expecting on your first day back." She continued on carefully, Dawson beginning to gnaw on her bottom lip as she knew they were approaching the conversation Shay had been holding back from all day. Though truthfully, she would've been more surprised had she never brought it up. "But you've seemed to be managing it all pretty well."

Gabby glanced back towards her, unable to stop the soft hum that left her lips as Shay spared a quick look in her direction, her eyebrows raising slightly before she continued to elaborate.

"Just at the call, all of the stress of that. And being around a bunch of people- at the building and just there at the hospital." She explained, Gabby nodding slowly as she stayed quiet. "I know that's something you haven't really done… being in large groups of people. Or being around a lot of people, I guess." Shay rambled out before shaking her head for a moment, like she was trying to gather her thoughts. "I just mean that it seems like you're doing okay, and that you really are ready to be here."

Her last words confused Dawson for a moment, the PIC's head tilting to the side as her eyebrows knitted together. "What do you mean? I told you I was fine to come back." She replied softly, her tone more surprised than anything else.

But her response only caused Shay to scoff softly, the woman behind the wheel shaking her head once more, this time for a different reason before she spoke up. "Yeah, but you don't always have the best track record with that." She countered, Gabby's eyes flickering back out the front of the ambulance as Shay rounded the corner. "With people asking if you're okay… You tend to hold things back."

Gabby bit her tongue for a moment, racking her brain for a defense to her friend's statement. But she knew she didn't have one, as even though she'd gotten better at letting people in, Dawson herself was aware how often in the past that wasn't always the case.

"Fair enough." She conceded quietly, Gabby missing the smug grin that covered Shay's face before her features soon softened, the air in the rig turning a bit more serious before the paramedic spoke up again.

"But no, I guess the only reason I brought it up was because I wasn't sure how you were gonna handle all this… Being back at work so soon."

"I don't know if I'd call it soon." Dawson interjected, Shay releasing a soft sigh before shrugging.

"It's soon enough." The blonde responded, Gabby's teeth grazing along the inside of her cheek as Shay spared a quick look at her. "But that isn't what this is about, my whole point was that I'm just glad to see that you're doing okay. That being back at work isn't too much for you, especially considering how insane this shift has been so far." She explained the best she could, hoping that her friend didn't take anything she said the wrong way. Though Gabby's prolonged silence had her beginning to question things. "...It isn't too much for you, is it?" She restated her words as she realized her friend hadn't really said much, Gabby turning back to look at her with furrowed brows. "Cause you can tell me if it is."

"I'm fine, Shay." Gabby assured her, seeing her friend release a relieved breath before she nodded. "I really am… Yeah, today's been crazy. And it's been kind of a lot, cause like you said I haven't really been around a lot of people, and all this today is like the exact opposite of that, but I feel fine."

"Yeah?"

"Mhmm… Everything's gone well so far. I'd tell you if something was too much, or I needed a break, but all of this today just feels… normal." She spoke honestly, as a soft smile formed over Shay's face. "And after everything that happened, normal feels pretty damn great right now. So I'm good."

"Alright… You know I had to ask." She reminded her, her words earning a soft laugh from Gabby before she nodded.

"Yeah, I'd expected nothing less. Honestly, I'm just more surprised you were able to hold back from asking for this long."

"Well, I'm working on some self-restraint." She joked back, Dawson shaking her head in amusement before she reached out to give her friend's arm a grateful squeeze. "But I also figured you'd had enough people asking you if you were okay… Me included. So I didn't want to bombard you too much as soon as you got to shift. But as long as you're alright, that's all I care about."

"I appreciate that, Shay. I really do, but I'm good. I promise." She reiterated one last time, her partner giving her another strong nod just as they pulled back up to the building, the scene just as chaotic as it had been when they left.

"Okay, good… Now let's get to work."

Casey began to stretch out his tired muscles as he stood in front of the bathroom counter, the Lieutenant starting to feel the effects of being off the job for a while as his body certainly wasn't prepared for how taxing of a first call they'd had today. The call that had lasted them all morning and well into the beginning of the afternoon, before they finally made it back to the house around two, Matt releasing a heavy sigh as he felt a twinge in his lower back. But despite the few aches and pains, he didn't mind the feeling so much, as any reminder of getting back into the job he loved so much was a good one. Though he couldn't help the little voice in the back of his head telling him that if he were to ever take this much time off again, it would be good for him to hit the gym a little bit before coming back.

But hopefully it would never be an issue, Matt rolling out his neck before he leaned down to splash some water onto his face, some of the soot and ash falling off his skin down into the sink as he wiped away some of the remains of that gruesome call. In all his years on the job, he'd seen a lot of horrible things, but that had to be one of the roughest, just by the sheer number of victims alone. But it was something he was trying his hardest not to dwell on, as he knew he'd done all he could, that he and his men both had helped as many people as physically possible. And he knew he might need to remind his firefighters of that, too, as this was one of those calls that had the ability to stick with first responders, and Casey didn't want that to happen if he could help it.

After splashing off his face a few more times, he turned the water off before wiping a towel over his skin, a slight grimace appearing over his face as he a caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror, Matt knowing he likely wouldn't be able to get all traces of this call off of him until he took a shower. But there was no time for that right now, as this time of day was always a busy one for them, Casey shaking out his tired limbs one last time before he headed out the door and began his walk to the common room.

He wasn't sure who all would still be in there, as he'd broken off from the group pretty soon after they'd gotten back to the firehouse maybe half an hour ago, but given how quiet the rest of the house was, he had a feeling that no one had really ventured anywhere else. Although it didn't really matter to him what the rest of his coworkers were doing, as there was only one person in particular that he wanted to check in with. But, last he'd heard, 61 was still stuck at the hospital, so Matt knew he'd likely have to wait a little bit longer before he could see his girlfriend, and get a read on how she was doing being back at work.

Though, thankfully, Shay had reached out to him a few times, letting him know that Gabby was doing well, since he really wasn't in the position to be able to see that for himself. Which was something he greatly appreciated, as Matt was able to relax a little bit more and focus on getting himself accustomed to the job again knowing that Gabby was alright.

But even with that assurance, he still wanted to hear it from her.

Continuing down the hallway with his hands in his pockets, Matt released a soft sigh before cutting through the conference room, knowing that was the quickest route to the kitchen, as the Lieutenant knew he needed to get some food in him before they got called out again. But as he got closer, his steps all but stopped when he heard a comment from Otis filter in through the open door; one he hadn't expected at all, as it was clear to Casey that he'd come in midconversation.

"Did we ever even find out what Bryan was actually charged with?" Otis asked, Matt seeing him through the window as the firefighter glanced around, like he was checking to see if someone in particular was in the room. Casey just wasn't sure if it was him or Dawson he was looking for, or maybe both.

But regardless, Matt couldn't stop his reaction to Otis bringing up him, how his muscles tightened and his face hardened at just his name, soon followed by a rush of anger coursing through him, Casey taking another slight step forward towards the common room. He wasn't sure how it had come up, or why they were even talking about it at all, but clearly something had prompted Otis to bring up Walker. Something to make Otis question what actually had happened to him, as Casey could only hope that he was right about Gabby not being back yet. That surely they would not be having this conversation in front of her.

"I mean, I know he plead guilty, but…"

"Why does it matter?" Severide pushed just as Casey came to a stop in the doorway, no one knowing his presence yet as he saw Otis sitting at the small table with a few of their coworkers.

"It doesn't, I guess… I just overheard some cops talking about him at Molly''s the other night, and it got me thinking." He replied with a shrug, Matt continuing forward with a few small steps, Kelly catching the movement out of the corner of his eye before turning to find the hard look on Casey's face.

"Otis…"

"I'm sorry, I know we don't really talk about it, but I was just curious." He continued on, as he had yet to see Casey standing behind him. "I wasn't sure if this was gonna be like last time, where he was only locked up for a few months, or if he really is in prison." He rambled on, Severide seeing Matt's entire body tense up as an anger-filled look flashed in his eyes, the squad Lieutenant shaking his head slightly before he kicked the leg of Otis' chair, urging him to stop.

"Stop, Otis." He spoke quickly, but the firefighter didn't seem to take his words under advisement.

"You know we're all thinking it, Severide." He defended, still unaware of the extra presence in the room as he had yet to notice Casey's harsh glare on him.

And he certainly didn't notice the two paramedics that rounded the corner seconds later, no one in the room seeing them before it was too late, as the words left Otis' mouth just as Casey and Severide both saw Shay and Dawson walk into the room.

"Cause the last thing I think any of us want is for Gabby to have to worry about him again," He spoke, Dawson's body coming to an immediate stop when she registered his words, Shay halting her movements as well as a look of complete surprise covered her face, before that look soon hardened just like Casey's. "But I just didn't know… I know he violated the restraining order, and… everything else he did, but he did a lot before too and only got three months, so-"

"Otis, shut up." Severide nearly shouted, the intensity in his voice taking everyone by surprise, until they noticed the exact reason he sounded so furious, the first responders soon seeing Gabby all but frozen in her spot while Kelly leaned across the table to smack the firefighter with the newspaper in his hands.

"Ow- what the… Oh." He spoke when he saw who had come in while he was talking.

With all eyes in the room on her, Gabby felt a heavy pressure beginning to settle over her chest, the woman swallowing thickly as she tried to push aside the shock she was feeling at whatever conversation she'd just walked in on. Though it was pretty clear to her what they were talking about, she just didn't know why. But she supposed it didn't matter, Dawson drawing in a slow breath before she kept moving forward, her eyes immediately moving towards Matt's to find nothing but worry looking back at her.

"I'm sorry, Dawson, I didn't mean to…" Otis trailed off with a slight wince, Gabby merely shaking her head as she continued towards the counter.

"It's okay." She replied quietly, shoving her hands into her pockets as she tried to ignore the other pitiful looks she was getting. It was one thing with Matt, as she knew he'd be concerned about her, Gabby not minding it so much when it came from her boyfriend. But everyone else was a different story.

"No, I shouldn't have brought it up, I wasn't thinking, I'm sorry."

"Really Otis, it's fine." She reiterated as she came to a stop by the table. "You all can talk about him, it's okay. You don't have to walk on eggshells around me." She explained to them, Matt biting down roughly on the inside of his cheek as he listened to her, as he was never quite sure what to expect when it came to Bryan.

Gabby was doing better, so much better than where she'd been weeks ago. But she still had a long way to go, and there were times where it wasn't the easiest thing in the world for her to be confronted by what all had happened. Especially in front of her coworkers.

But from what he could tell right now, she truly was fine. Despite the moment she froze when she first came in, she didn't give much of a reaction to this conversation, which that alone was a huge improvement from where she'd been before.

Though just because she could handle it, that didn't mean it was okay that Otis had brought it up in the first place.

"...You were asking about Bryan?" Gabby continued on when no one had said anything, an uncertain look covering Severide's face before he glanced back at Casey. But the truck Lieutenant merely shook his head.

"Uh, yeah… I was just- We never really heard what actually happened to him, just that he was back in prison." He spoke carefully, Gabby giving him a slow nod as she tried to ignore all the eyes she felt on her. "I wasn't sure if we'd have to worry about him getting out anytime soon, or something like that."

"No, we don't." She answered simply, Gabby shifting her weight between her feet before she continued. "He won't be getting out anytime soon, or that's what Antonio said… Honestly, I wasn't really involved in much of that, cause Bryan didn't fight any of the charges-" She stopped herself, the paramedic shaking her head slightly before she continued. "He's not going anywhere." She settled on, her words earning a couple relieved nods from her friends as she took a slight step back.

Though Gabby knew Shay and Severide had been told about what was happening to Bryan, it was clear no one else knew. So she couldn't blame them for being curious, as this was someone they'd worked alongside and known for a long time.

"Good." Otis spoke strongly after a moment, Gabby offering him a small smile before continuing her way to the counter, the shift in the air noticeable as no one was really sure what to say.

But before anyone could figure out what to do, the bells rang out once more, Gabby releasing a soft sigh when she heard ambo and squad being called out, the PIC changing her course of direction and heading back out of the common room. But before she got too far, she caught her boyfriend's unsure gaze, Gabby offering him a small, yet comforting smile before she jogged outside to catch up with Shay, the rest of squad heading that same direction.

But Severide hung back for a moment as he pushed his chair in, Kelly making sure Dawson was out of view before he turned back towards Otis, the man shooting daggers at his friend as he started to take a few steps back towards the double doors.

"Severide…"

"It's her first day back, Otis, did you really have to do that?" He bit out, shaking his head angrily before he turned around and walked away, Otis huffing out a heavy breath.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for her to hear it." He called after him, but Kelly didn't respond as he disappeared into the garage, leaving only truck's firefighters in the room as everyone looked at Otis, the man shaking his head slightly. "I thought Gabby and Shay were still out, I would have never brought it up had I known she was here."

"You shouldn't be talking about it at all." Matt spoke through gritted teeth, Otis and Jenkins both turning around to look at him, while everyone else was already watching their Lieutenant, the irritated look in his eyes unmistakable.

"Lieutenant…"

"Don't do that again." He warned him, the tone in his voice causing Otis' spine to straighten.

"But Dawson just said-"

"Do not bring up what he did to her again." Casey cut in, no one missing the quiet rage present in his words. "That is not something you need to be talking about. She said it was okay to talk about him, not what he did. So do not bring it up again, have I made myself clear?"

"Yes Lieutenant." Otis replied without any pushback, as it was apparent the man standing there was not happy with him. "...I really am sorry, Casey." He repeated.

But Matt didn't stick around to hear it, the firefighter forgetting all about his original reason for going to the common room as he quickly turned around to leave, his heavy footsteps being heard long after as he was gone. After what had just happened out there, Casey knew he needed a few minutes to himself, as he left behind a disturbingly quiet common room, no one else knowing what to say, although it wasn't lost on any of them how Matt seemed more affected by their conversation than Gabby had been.

And they didn't know what to make of it.

Casey blew out a heavy breath as he stood underneath the steady stream of hot water, his body relaxing by the second as he was finally able to get that shower he'd been wanting all shift, Matt trying to make the most out of what could be limited time while he had it.

It was pretty late in the day, well after seven in the evening as the firehouse had just finished eating their dinner only a few minutes before, that meal being the first time the house had really gotten more than a minute or two with each other since the start of shift. But even then they'd only been together for a little bit before ambo was called out yet again, Gabby and Shay barely able to eat before they had to leave. And despite the poor timing of it, Casey was a little surprised they were the only ones to have their meal interrupted, as it had certainly been one of those days that seemed to never stop. Like it was a constant revolving door of which companies were getting called out, though Matt figured he should've known today would've been crazy given how their shift started. But still, he hadn't quite been prepared for just how chaotic it had been.

And he was sure Gabby wasn't either.

But, to her credit, she was managing the pace of everything pretty well. Much better than he could've imagined, as his girlfriend just seemed happy to be back with her friends. Even with what had happened in the common room earlier, which, admittedly, had left a bit of a tense feeling around Casey and Otis for the rest of the day, Gabby was handling it all fine. That conversation didn't really seem to phase her, from what he could tell, even though he'd hardly seen her. But at least where Walker was concerned, she was okay, which was something Matt was grateful for, as the last thing he wanted was for that whole thing to mess with her head.

There was a time or two she'd seemed a little far away since then, like she was caught up in her own thoughts, but even then he wasn't sure if the two were related, as she had been known to get like that when she was tired. And, given the constant calls today, she had every reason to be exhausted. So Matt really did not even know if their conversation about Walker is what caused some of her distance. All he did know was that from what little he'd seen of her, she looked to be alright. And that was all he wanted.

The man was pulled from his thoughts when he heard rustling outside his shower, Matt lifting his head out from under the water before turning that direction, his eyebrows furrowing as he tried to make out what was going on. But before he had the chance to figure that out, the curtain was pulled back, Casey tensing slightly at the unexpected intrusion during his shower.

Though the second he saw who was standing there, his body began to relax despite the rush of cold air he felt, his look of confusion morphing into a soft smile when he saw Gabby in front of him, nothing but a towel covering her own body as she offered him a small grin as well. And from her appearance alone, it was clear she was wanting to join him, which was something he'd never say no to, even if showering together in the firehouse wasn't the most professional thing in the world. But given the stress of today, Casey couldn't find it in himself to care, as Gabby silently gave him a soft nod, almost like she was asking if it was okay.

To which he immediately nodded back, Matt taking a step towards the wall to give her room while she discarded her towel, Gabby hanging it up next to his before stepping into the shower. Neither of them had said a word, the couple getting into a comfortable stance as Gabby pulled the curtain shut, effectively cutting them off from the outside world as the water fell down on top of them.

"Hi." She spoke up first, Matt's smile growing as he reached out to place his hands on her arms.

"Hi." He repeated softly. "When did you get back?"

"Just a few minutes ago… the guys said you were in here." She responded, Matt nodding slowly before the air around them went quiet once more, the only sound in the room being that of the water running, Casey taking the moment to look her over as this was really the first alone time he'd gotten with her all day.

And, from what he could tell, Gabby was doing the same thing to him, the woman lifting her hand up to rest over his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat thumping underneath her fingers. But she only kept her palm there for maybe a minute, before Gabby slowly wrapped her arms around him, all but hugging her body to his as she latched her hands together behind his back.

The movement caught him off guard, but he soon reciprocated the gesture, Matt holding onto her tightly as her head rested in the crook of his neck, their glistening bodies molding together underneath the steady stream of water as he felt her take a few deep breaths.

"You okay?" He finally asked her, as he couldn't help but question her sudden clinginess, Matt's hand running softly up and down her back as he felt her fingers scratching lightly over his skin.

"I'm okay... Though I don't know why everyone keeps asking me that." She breathed out, Matt holding his tongue as he continued to hold onto her. "Maybe one day you all will start to believe me when I tell you I'm fine." She added on lightly, Casey taking a deep breath before pressing a kiss to the side of her head.

"It's not that we don't believe you, we just want to make sure nothing's changed since the last time you told us." He responded, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing before she pulled back far enough to be able to look at him, the indignant look on her face causing a sheepish grin to appear over his lips. "Alright, alright… that's why I do it, I can't speak for Shay or anyone else." He corrected himself, Gabby shaking her head softly as she felt his hands moving over her back.

"Yeah, I know." She murmured, Dawson breathing in slowly before she leaned forward to press a gentle kiss against his chest, her lips lingering there for a moment before she put some distance between them once more so she could see him. "But I am fine… I'd tell you if I wasn't." Gabby reminded him, Matt giving her a nod in response. Though there was a flash of something in his eyes, a hesitance that was hard for her to miss.

And she knew exactly what was causing it.

"...I'm not gonna break down every time someone mentions his name, Matt." She spoke, his face softening before instinctively tightening his grip on her.

"I know you're not." He assured her, his voice low. "I just know that conversation wasn't something you were really expecting, so if it affected you, or bothered you, having to talk about it, it's okay."

"I know it is, but it didn't… I mean, not like it used to." She corrected herself, earning an understanding nod from her boyfriend. "I'll never like talking about it, but… slowly, it's getting easier for me. Not all of it, but some of it, it's not as hard for me anymore. Which, I guess is the point of this whole therapy thing." She added on, Matt smiling softly before he nodded, the man knowing she had a point. That, because of therapy, she was doing better with stuff like this. And he needed to start letting himself trust that. "To help me move on, and all that. And I'd say it's working."

"It is." He agreed, Matt not wanting her to doubt her own progress for even a second, Gabby nodding slowly before she continued.

"But that's exactly why today wasn't a big deal, because even though it's not fun to talk about, I was able to talk about it… And I know Otis didn't mean any harm or anything." She told him, though Matt had a feeling her words were as much for him as they were her. "And I know they're afraid of saying something to upset me, or hurt me, but I promise, I'm fine… I don't want them treating me any differently because of this, not anymore."

"Okay." He replied, Gabby giving him another smile before she leaned up to give him a soft, quick kiss, both of them feeling a bit better after their talk as she pressed her body back into his.

"Okay." She repeated against his lips, Gabby opening her eyes to find his still closed, before a smug grin found its way to her face. "So, now that that's out of the way… were you almost done in here, or do you think you could stay for a few more minutes?" She prompted him, Matt swallowing thickly before he gave her a slow nod.

"I can definitely stay." He responded, the happy look on her face only deepening before she leaned in to kiss him once more.

But this time she didn't pull back, Matt and Gabby both beginning to get lost in one another while they enjoyed this moment in the shower together, as the two of them sneaking away on shift was only one more thing to help provide them both with that sense of normalcy that had been gone for too long. And after all this time, it was one of the best feelings in the world to them, one they were content to relish in for as long as they could.

And there's another one. I know this chapter was pretty short, but I really was just wanting to show how Gabby's first day back and how she handled it, and how she genuinely is doing okay. Hopefully you all were able to see how much better she's doing since everything happened, and how much progress she's made, though I do still want to apologize for the length. I always try to get longer chapters to you all, and I know I really wasn't able to do that this week.

But I hope you all liked it nonetheless. Thanks again for reading, I hope you all have a great rest of your week. I'll see you next time!