Hello there everyone! I hope you all are doing well and having a good week so far.

I've got the next chapter here for you all, and I think you guys are gonna like it. You've got some cute Dawsey moments coming your way in this one, as well as circling back around to a storyline I kind of left you all hanging on last chapter. So yeah, there's some interesting things coming your way.

But I'll leave you all to it, thank you so much for reading and I can't wait to hear what you think. Have a great Thursday, everybody!

ONE HUNDRED AND SIX

Gabby drew in a deep breath as she made her way from the bathroom into their bedroom, the woman clad in her underwear while she worked on getting her hair pulled back into a messy ponytail to keep it out of her face, Dawson deep in thought as she continued to get ready for the day ahead. It was pretty late in the morning, just a little before noon as with being off shift today, she and Matt had taken the morning to sleep in and lay in bed. Only half an hour ago is when they decided to finally get up, Casey making his way out to the kitchen to get some coffee going while she stayed back to take a shower and get dressed before she went out on her one and only mission for the day.

One that Casey had no idea about.

The thought made her wince, Gabby shaking her head lightly before she moved over towards the dresser to pull out the pair of jeans she wanted to wear today.

She didn't do this, she didn't lie to Matt. Or keep things from him, ever. That's not what they did, and she hated the idea of having to do it now. So much so that it nearly made her nauseous. But despite those unsettling feelings, she couldn't help but feel like in this one certain instance, she had to. She couldn't tell him what she was doing today, not when she had no idea how this would even go. If she'd be able to talk to her at all, or if the woman would slam the door in her face once she found out who she was. And even if they were able to talk about all of this, there was no way to know what kind of response she would have. Gabby just had no idea what to expect from her, so it was better to not say anything yet.

Because while she was doing this for him, she was also trying to protect him.

And to do that, he couldn't know.

Blowing out another sigh, she did what she could to push her feelings down while she buttoned her jeans into place, Gabby then heading over to the nightstand to grab her phone before she left their bedroom.

She could hear the murmur of the television before she even got to the living room, Dawson turning the corner to find her fiancé sitting on the couch sipping his coffee while his attention was focused down on something in his hands. As she got closer, she recognized it to be one of their extra wedding invitations, the sight bringing a smile to her face as this wasn't the first time she'd caught him admiring them.

They'd gotten them made and sent out a few days ago- with Shay's help, but even after checking off everyone on their list, they were left with extras. Though, because of moments like this, neither of them minded.

"Hey babe." Gabby greeted once she got close enough, Matt looking up at her with a bright smile on his face. One that soon morphed into a much more sly one when he noticed her coming towards him with nothing but a bra covering her upper half.

"Well, hello there." He spoke with a wide grin, Gabby rolling her eyes after catching his lingering stares over her body.

"I wouldn't get any idea if I were you, I just need to get my shirt out of the laundry room." She told him, stopping to run her hand along the back of his neck before she placed her phone down on the end table, Matt turning back to look at her once he couldn't feel her behind him.

"Well, I wouldn't object to you keeping it off." He called, Gabby waving him off before disappearing into their laundry room, his girl only gone for a few seconds until she reappeared with the piece of clothing in her grasp.

"Considering I'm about to go out, I have a feeling you don't mean that." She countered while sliding the shirt on over her head, Casey huffing out a breath as he turned back around on the couch.

"Fair point." He muttered underneath his breath, Gabby biting back a smirk while she walked around the couch to come stand in front of him, her eyes moving back and forth between him and the stack of invitations in front of him.

"You're not rethinking our wedding invitations are you? Cause it might be a little late for that." She teased, her nose scrunching up slightly as Casey released a heavy, yet playful scoff.

"Never." He replied, Gabby nodding slowly while she reached out to slide her hand around the back of his neck, before she sat herself down on his leg, Matt immediately wrapping his arms around her as he pulled her further into his lap. "Our wedding invitations are perfect."

His words brought a genuine smile to her face, Gabby nodding in agreement before she leaned in to kiss him, as she knew just how true his statement had been.

Though they weren't anything too over the top, their invitations were perfect for them. With one of their favorite photos from their engagement shoot front and center- the two of them standing together, Matt behind her with his arms wrapped around her while kissing the top of her head, along with their names, the date, and location printed below it; they were simple yet elegant. And they were exactly what the both of them wanted.

"Even if the whole engagement shoot was kind of a mess, it all turned out great." He added on as they separated, Gabby laughing softly at the memory while her head angled down towards his shoulder.

Their session last week had been good, and quite honestly went better than Gabby expected. But that didn't mean it was without it's hiccups, as the entire thing turned out to be more hectic than either of them were expecting. Especially with all the added guests, as not only did Camila and Nancy come with them, but Ramon and Shay ended up tagging along as well, meaning there was a lot going on the entire time.

But despite the craziness, Matt and Gabby had a great time. And got some incredible photos out of it, ones they knew they'd cherish for years to come.

"It did." She agreed after a moment, feeling Matt's hold on her tighten before she placed a kiss on his shoulder. "So much so that it was hard to even narrow down which photo to pick." She added on, Matt laughing softly before he nodded.

"Yeah, it was. But I think we chose the right one." He replied, Gabby nodding back at him as he patted her side. "Though we're still gonna put some up, yeah?" Matt asked her, earning a small smile in response.

"Of course, baby." She replied as she pressed a kiss to the side of his head. "I was thinking after the wedding, we could get a few of our favorite engagement photos and our wedding photos framed, and hang them up in the front hallway." She explained, watching as the smile on his face grew before he patted her side lovingly.

"I'd love that." He replied as he leaned into her a bit more. "Even though it is insane to think about."

"Hmm?"

"How here soon, we'll actually have wedding photos." He replied, Gabby's own smile growing as she brought her hand up to rest over the side of his face. "In a few months, we'll have photos from our wedding to put up… Because we'll be married."

A soft laugh left Gabby's lips as she stroked his head, Matt matching her grin before he leaned forward to kiss the side of her mouth.

"We will be." She responded, while her thumb ran over his cheek.

"It's all just going by so fast… I mean, a few weeks ago we had no idea where we were having our wedding, let alone when it would be. We had nothing figured out. And now we have our date, at a church that we love." He told her, Gabby grinning from ear to ear before she nodded in agreement, as that church truly was the church of their dreams.

It was gorgeous enough when they saw it the first time, but when they went back early last week to get the proper tour, with their families and Shay and Kelly, it just cemented the fact that that is where they were meant to get married.

"And we've got all our invitations sent out, we have your dress and my tux all figured out. And soon we'll actually be married." Casey continued on, Gabby's eyes refocusing on him before she gave him a nod. "It's just crazy how fast it's gone."

"It is." She murmured in response, as he pulled her body closer to his. "I'm so excited, but it almost doesn't feel real sometimes… In two months we're gonna be married, then you'll be stuck with me for the rest of your life." Soft chuckles left his lips as he tightened his arm around her, Gabby sliding her hand down to his neck before he leaned in to kiss her quickly. "So you better be sure about this, buddy."

Casey laughed against her once more, the man shaking his head slightly before he stole another kiss from her, this one lasting a little longer before Matt pulled back.

Neither one of them said anything for a moment, his eyes tracing her face while he brought his free hand up to cradle her cheek, the two of them taking a second to catch their breath before their gazes locked on one another.

"I have never felt more sure of anything than I do about you." He told her, his strong tone causing that smile to return to her lips before she nodded. "I'm sure about you, and about us. And I can't wait to be stuck with you for the rest of my life."

She nodded slowly, seeing nothing but complete and absolute love shining in his gaze as his warm hand held onto her face gently, their smiles starting to match each other's as she slowly leaned her forehead down to rest against his.

"I love you." She breathed out, breaking the silence between them as she could almost feel the smile on his face.

"I love you, too… More than anything in this world." He replied, the two staying in this position for one last lingering moment before he captured her lips in his, Matt and Gabby committed to enjoying these last couple moments together before she had to leave.

Dawson rung her hands together as she stood beside her car, her eyes focused up on the unfamiliar house before she glanced down to check the address once more. Though she knew she didn't need to, as this had to have been at least the fifth time she'd checked to make sure she was at the right house since she arrived fifteen minutes ago. But she looked anyway, Gabby comparing the numbers and the street sign before shoving the piece of paper back into her pocket, while her eyes moved back towards the quaint home miles outside of the city.

When she first got the address from her brother a couple weeks ago, she hadn't realized how far outside of Chicago the woman was, as it had taken Gabby over an hour to drive out here. Though if not for her few detours while working up the courage to actually come here, she might've gotten her faster, but in the few times Gabby had spoken to Matt about his sister, she never realized she had settled down outside of Chicago.

Though in the grand scheme of things, Gabby figured she wasn't all that far away, given how long it had been since she and Matt spoke. They lived within an easy drive of one another, and they hadn't seen each other in years. They hadn't even spoken in years, that thought causing a heavy feeling to settle in Dawson's gut as it only reminded her of why she was here in the first place.

A part of her still wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing. If she had made the right choice by coming here behind Matt's back, when he said he was just going to leave it alone. That maybe it was in her best interest to just get back in her car and head home, and act like this never happened. Because right now, she could. She hadn't spoken to Christie, she hadn't told Matt she was coming; there was still a chance for her to undo this. For her to leave and never say a word about what she'd planned on doing today.

But every time she almost moved from her spot to get back in the car, she stopped herself, like there was something keeping her from leaving. Because just as she hadn't been able to work up the nerve to walk up to Christie's front door, she hadn't been able to make herself leave either.

And that had everything to do with Matt.

She couldn't make herself leave, because of him. She was here for him because she'd seen his disappointment and how hurt he was, thinking his sister wouldn't want to attend their wedding. Even if he didn't want to admit it, she knew what this was doing to him. She knew this was weighing on him. How he felt like he had to choose between having his mom or his sister at his wedding, and that was a choice he never should have to make. But after so long without contact, she understood why he was scared to reach out and ask her. That he was afraid she'd say no.

And maybe she would. Maybe her feelings from what happened to their dad were still too much for her to overcome, and she'd refuse to come to their wedding. Gabby had no way to know. But she at least had to ask. She had to put it out there, and let Christie know about their wedding.

And that's why she hadn't found it in herself to leave. Because Matt might not be able to face the possible rejection from his sister, but Gabby could. Whatever she had to say, whatever decision she made, Gabby could handle it. She could carry that burden for him.

She just had to go in there to find out what that decision would be.

Releasing another heavy breath, Dawson checked her watch one last time before slowly pushing herself up off her car, the woman knowing she'd spent too much time outside already as she gradually began to make her way up the sidewalk towards her front door.

The hot July sun beat down on her while she moved, the woman feeling more and more nerves start to fill her body as she climbed up the steps towards the front porch. But she pushed through them, Gabby taking a steadying breath as she all but forced herself to reach out and ring the doorbell.

Once she did, she took a few steps back, hearing some shuffling coming from inside the door a couple seconds later before it slowly opened. And even though the person who answered wasn't who she wasn't expecting, she immediately knew who they were, an almost sad smile resting over Gabby's features as she came face to face with Matt's niece.

She was young, maybe eleven or twelve if Gabby had to guess, with long blonde hair and those bright blue Casey eyes that clearly ran in the family. And even though she was only his niece, she could see the resemblance, Dawson unable to stop the sinking feeling that filled her system the longer she stood here with Violet, as all she could think about was how long it had been since Matt would have been able to see her.

"Hello?" The young girl asked, almost timidly, when Dawson had yet to say anything, Gabby giving her a gentle smile before she spoke up.

"Hi." She replied softly, while Violet continued to eye this woman she didn't know. "Is, uh… Is your mom home?" Dawson questioned, the child looking over her once more before she slowly nodded.

"She is, I'll get her." She replied, Gabby giving her another nod before Violet closed the door, her eyes moving around the look at some of the other houses around her while she waited for someone to come back.

It took a few moments, but soon enough she heard that familiar movement inside as Gabby's head moved back in that direction just as the door was pulled open by the woman she had come here to see. And even without any introduction, there was absolutely no denying who this was, as like she could with Violet, Gabby was able to see those distinct Casey features in the older woman standing in front of her.

"Hello?" She asked while standing in the partially open doorway, Gabby sucking in another deep breath before giving her a small smile.

"Hello." Dawson repeated, Christie offering her a polite smile despite not knowing who she was. "This is, um… You're Christie Casey, right?"

The second those words left her lips, the easy feeling between the two strangers started to change, Gabby already able to sense her guard coming up a bit before she slowly nodded.

"I am." She answered cautiously, with her hand still resting on the door. "Who are you?"

"I'm, uh- Gabby Dawson." She replied, though her greeting did nothing to explain what she was doing here as Christie gave her a slight nod. "I'm sorry to bother you like this, and just drop by unannounced. I know you don't know me, but I'm-"

Gabby stopped herself one last time, as she knew this was her only chance to stop before she did something she might not be able to take back. But she didn't think about it too long, Dawson knowing in her gut that she was doing the right thing for Matt. And that's what she had to hold onto.

"You're..?" Christie asked her when she had yet to continue, Gabby taking another long, slow breath before she smiled.

"I'm Matt's fiancée."

The air around them shifted within an instant, Dawson swallowing thickly as she watched Christie's face fall, the woman tensing almost on instinct as it was clear Gabby had caught her off guard. Which, to be fair, wasn't at all surprising given how long it had been since her and her brother had spoken.

"...Matt's fiancée?" She questioned, like she needed to make sure she'd heard her correctly as Gabby nodded firmly, Christie's eyebrows furrowing in what Dawson could only describe as confusion while her grip on the door loosened.

"Mhmm." She hummed quietly, before her gaze flickered back behind Christie. "And the reason I'm here is… I was wondering if we could talk?"

Christie was hesitant, that much Gabby knew for sure as a look she couldn't quite read flickered in the older Casey's eyes. But despite whatever she was feeling, the blonde woman slowly nodded before stepping to the side to give her room to come in.

Which Gabby quietly did, Dawson moving inside before Christie shut the door, the two women then walking towards the living room.

"Would you, um- like anything to drink?" Christie offered as Gabby sat down on the couch, the paramedic shaking her head as her fiancé's sister sat across from her.

"I'm fine, thank you though." She replied, earning an uncomfortable nod from Christie before silence fell over the two of them once more, the only sound to be heard in the house coming from the television in another room. And it stayed that way for nearly a minute, the quiet making this difficult situation even harder before Christie finally spoke up.

"...Is he okay?" She asked with her hands placed in her lap, Gabby meeting her gaze with raised eyebrows. "Matt, is he alright? Are you here because something happened…"

"Oh, no. It's nothing like that, he's fine." Dawson was quick to assure her, seeing the woman relax slightly before she nodded. "He's doing well, actually. Really well." She continued on, seeing a slight smile starting to tug on Christie's lips while she spoke, and Gabby couldn't help but take that as a good sign.

"That's good to hear." She replied, earning a soft grin from Dawson before she cleared her throat. "But, uh… You said you were his fiancée?" Christie questioned, the uncertainty evident in her words as Gabby nodded once more.

"I am."

"That's… Congratulations, to you two." She said politely, the feeling around them starting to shift once more as Gabby could tell there were a lot of things running through Christie's mind. "I'm sorry, I guess I'm just a little surprised… The last time I talked to Matt, he-" She began to trail off, like she was unsure of how much to say to the woman she just met.

"Was married to Hallie." Gabby finished for her with a sad smile, Christie releasing a heavy breath before she nodded.

"Yeah, he was." She answered her, shifting her weight in her seat slightly while she continued on. "I didn't realize the two of them had split."

Dawson nodded once more, before she responded. "They did a while ago." She answered with a somewhat uneasy look of her own, as Gabby hated to be reminded of Matt's previous relationship and what all he went through. "It's been a little over two years, since they divorced."

Christie's eyes widened in response, the woman unable to hide how shocked she was at hearing how long her little brother had been separated from the woman he used to love more than anyone else, at least when she last saw him. But there was something else aside from that surprised reaction, something in her features that felt like it was finally starting to sink in for Christie about how much she's missed in her brother's life.

But it wasn't Gabby's place to comment on it.

"I… I don't even know what to say." She breathed out, as Gabby gave her another weak smile.

"Yeah, it's been awhile." She replied vaguely, her words holding more meaning than just how long Matt and Hallie had been divorced. But neither one of them mentioned it as Dawson continued. "And it was hard on him, the end of their relationship and everything that happened between them… But he's doing well now. And has been for a long time."

She could tell Christie was curious about what led to her brother's divorce, that she had questions as to what caused Matt and Hallie to end things. But, to her credit, she never asked. And Gabby certainly wouldn't have told her anyway, as even though this was his sister, she wouldn't feel comfortable sharing aspects of Matt's life to anyone he hadn't told himself.

"I'm glad, I'm glad he's doing well." She finally responded, Gabby nodding gently as she rested her hands over her lap, Christie eyeing her for a few lingering seconds before speaking up once more. "So… you two are engaged?" She asked softly while glancing at the ring on Dawson's finger, those simple words causing the smile on Gabby's face to grow almost instantly. And that wasn't something that went unnoticed by Christie.

"We are." She answered her, with a bright gleam in her eyes. "We have been for a few months now."

Christie gave her another nod, her body relaxing back into the seat as she decided to take a few moments to get to know the woman engaged to her brother. Even if she didn't necessarily know her brother that well anymore, either. "How long have you two been together?"

"For a while now… We met the December before last, and have been together almost as long." She explained, Gabby figuring it easier to leave out the nature of her and Matt's relationship in the beginning. "And Matt, he's working as a firefighter in downtown Chicago. Firehouse 51, that's where we both work."

"You're a firefighter?"

"Paramedic." She clarified, Christie pausing for a moment before she nodded.

"But he joined our house close to when we met, he's the Lieutenant on our truck… And he's been doing well there." She continued on, as Christie glanced back up at her. "Everyone loves him, he's fit in great from the moment he got there. And now it feels like he's always been there… Sorry, I know I'm rambling. I just wanted you to know he's doing well." She finished as she saw the look Christie was giving her, the older woman offering her a slight smile of her own in response.

"It's fine..." She told her, the two sharing another soft glance before the air around them went quiet once more, neither woman exactly sure of what to say.

There were things Dawson wanted to say, but she found herself unsure of how to bring it all up. And by the look on Christie's face, she felt equally as uncomfortable with the silence surrounding them. Enough so to where she was the first one to break that quiet, her sudden words nearly catching Gabby off guard.

"Can I ask you something, Gabby?" She questioned, Dawson meeting her eyes before she nodded, watching as Christie drew in a deep breath. "I'm not… I hope I'm not coming off as rude when I ask this, but why did you come here?" Christie pushed, Gabby pursing her lips together as she shifted her weight to the edge of the couch. "I'm just a little confused, as to why you showed up here out of the blue. When my brother and I haven't spoken in years… I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm glad he's doing well. And you two are engaged, and that's great. But I'm assuming you know things between him and I aren't good. So why are you here?" She asked her, Christie saying what Gabby could only assume had been on her mind this entire time as the older woman shook her head slightly. "Was it Matt? Did he send you?"

"No, no it wasn't." Gabby answered quickly, an almost defensive edge to her voice as she shook her head. "Matt didn't ask me to do this, he doesn't even know I'm here."

Her words came out quickly, before she could even think about whether she should say them or not as Christie's guard started to come down slightly yet again, the blonde continuing to eye her brother's fiancée while her head tilted to the side.

"He didn't send me here." Dawson said after taking a breath. "But I am here because of him… For him." She told her, seeing the older Casey's eyes narrow out of pure curiosity before she nodded, that silent gesture enough to tell Gabby to keep going.

"I'm… I'm here because our wedding is in a little over two months, and Matt would like for you to be there."

For as surprised as Gabby had seen Matt's sister up to the point, none of that came close to the shock that covered her face when she registered what had been said, Dawson standing her ground as she gave the woman a strong nod before she continued on.

"He wants you to be at our wedding, and I would like you there too. Because it's important to Matt that his family is there, and it would mean a lot to him if you and Violet came." She added, seeing Christie's eyes move over towards the hallway, like she was looking off into the other room where Gabby could only imagine her daughter was. "We're getting married at the end of September." Dawson spoke up once more as she slid her bag down off her shoulder, before reaching inside for one very important thing; their wedding invitation.

"This has all the information and everything on it, if you decide you want to come." Gabby told her while holding the card out in front of her, Christie hesitating for a few seconds before she reached out to grab a hold of it.

With the invitation in her hands, she took a second to look over it, a small smile forming across her face when she saw her brother, Matt beaming in a way she hadn't seen in a very long time as she drew in a deep breath.

"You two look happy." She mused, Gabby matching her grin as her eyes moved to what she could see of their invitation.

"We are." She replied simply, her voice causing Christie to look back up at her. "We're very happy. Your brother, he's… He's the best man I've ever known." She told her, the two watching each other before Christie slowly nodded, her eyes moving back down to the invitation in her hands as she ran her tongue along the inside of her cheek.

"...Why are you doing this, and not him?" The older woman asked after a moment. "If he wants me there, why are you here?"

"Because he doesn't think you'll come." Gabby replied quickly, Christie's face faltering at her words. "And I don't want him to be hurt if you decide not to, that's why I didn't tell him. Why I'm here, and not him. But we talked about it, and he said he'd like you to be there but because of your mom, he doesn't think you will. And maybe he's right, I don't know… But he wants you there, I wouldn't be here if he didn't."

Her words hung heavy in the air, Christie wearing an unreadable expression while she continued to watch Dawson, neither one of them backing off before the blonde eventually spoke up.

"So Nancy is going?" She asked, Gabby holding her tongue when she heard that slight edge of hostility from Matt's older sister. "Which I guess means she's back in Matt's life."

"She is." Dawson told her, Christie biting back a scoff as she glanced down towards the photo of Matt and Gabby once more. "She has been, for a while… Towards the beginning of last year, she came back to Chicago. And they've been working on repairing their relationship ever since." She continued to explain, Gabby doing what she could to give Christie enough information without overstepping. "There's been some bumps along the way, it hasn't always been easy, given what all happened. But they're both trying, and things are good between them now."

Christie's head snapped up when she heard a few certain words come from Gabby's mouth, her eyebrows knitting together partially while she rubbed her hand over the side of her leg.

"Matt told you?" She questioned bluntly, Gabby taking in a slow breath. "...What you just said, about 'what all happened'. You're talking about my dad, right? Matt told you that?"

"...He did." Gabby answered her, Christie's face going blank once more before she nodded a few times. "He told me about your dad and what your mom did… And how it's torn you two apart. Your mom and Matt both have talked to me about it, what all she went through. And what happened to your father."

"You've talked to my mom about this, too?" She pushed on, almost in disbelief as Gabby could tell she was confused. That she was at least somewhat shocked to hear that Dawson had insight on what was no doubt the worst thing that had ever happened to the Casey family. "They told you about it?"

"They did." She answered cautiously, as they were treading into uncertain waters. "A few different times, Matt confided in me what happened. Then later, I spoke to your mom. About what happened and what all she went through before she..." She trailed off, seeing Christie shift uncomfortably in her seat before leaning forward to place the invitation down on the coffee table. "I'm just saying that I know what happened… And I know how it tore your family apart, and I'm sorry for that. I can't even imagine what all of that was like for you, and for Matt-"

"You're right, you can't." Christie cut her off, Gabby's bottom lip falling between her teeth as the older woman looked at her. "I'm sorry, but you have no idea what happened to our family, or what that did to us. Just because they talked to you about it, doesn't mean you understand it."

Her voice was getting more and more tense by the second, Dawson almost immediately shaking her head before she spoke up.

"And I'm not trying to act like I do." She defended herself, as she didn't want to make any of this worse. "I don't know what it was like for you then, or what it's like for you now. And whatever feelings you have towards your mom, you're not wrong to feel that way. But this isn't about her, it's about Matt and it's about you." She continued on, Gabby's protective nature starting to take over as Christie took a deep breath. "What your mom did, I know that completely changed your life. Yours and Matt's both, and there's nothing anyone can do to fix that. But you're mad at him for something she did, because he forgave her for it." She finished, but the second she did she realized she might've gone too far when Christie's body tightened, the woman almost glaring at her as she leaned towards the edge of her seat.

"So, what… you think I have no right to be upset about that?" She asked defiantly, Gabby forcing herself to take a deep breath as the older woman shook her head. "That I can't be hurt that my own brother forgave the person who killed our dad.. Are you seriously going to sit here in my own house and say that to me? You think I should just forgive her too and excuse what she did?"

"I'm not excusing it Christie, I'm not." She was quick to explain, the woman across from her taking a few breaths to steady herself. "I'm not trying to say she was right to do it, all I'm saying is I get why Matt has forgiven her. Because I understand why your mom reacted the way she did." Gabby spoke before she could stop herself, those words triggering something in the older Casey sibling as her defenses slowly started to drop.

"...You understand it?" Christie questioned, but her words weren't hostile. They were more curious, and unsure, than anything else, as Gabby gave her a slow nod, while slowly realizing she'd backed herself into a corner. One she couldn't get out of without explaining to Christie what she meant.

"I do." She answered quietly, Gabby needing a moment to gather herself before she continued. "What your mom was going through, that… It destroys every single part of you." She told her, Christie's eyes softening as she listened to the woman that would soon be her sister-in-law. "It's something you can't understand until it happens to you. But when you're in it, when the person you thought loved you is the same person breaking you, there's a point where you just- You'll do anything to make it stop." She carried on, Gabby swallowing the lump of emotion forming in her throat.

"When it's constant and relentless, and there is no way out… When it feels like it's never going to end, you hit a point where you'd do anything to make it stop. Where it has to stop. And your mom hit that point." Gabby spoke, her voice becoming a bit unsteady as tears began to gather in her eyes, Christie watching her with a look of pure sadness as the air around them turned quiet.

"It happened to you." She replied after a moment, Gabby's eyes falling closed as she angled her head down towards the ground, trying to figure out what to say. But she knew there was only one thing to say, and that was the truth.

"It did." She answered quietly, Gabby forcing herself to look back up at Casey's sister, finding nothing but pity in her gaze. "...Before I met Matt, I was engaged to a man who was a lot like your dad." She started, seeing Christie's face fall before she continued. "And it was… bad. It was really bad, when we were together and after we broke up. I experienced a lot of the same things your mom did, so that's why I can at least kind of understand why she did what she did. Because there were times I would've done anything for it to stop, too."

Gabby's breathing was a bit heavier by the time she finished talking, Christie watching her with an almost resigned look in her gaze as a few tears appeared in her eyes, the older woman clearly unsure of what to say.

"But I'm- I'm not saying I would've done what your mom did." Gabby continued on when things had gotten too quiet. "My ex, he's in jail now, thankfully. And I don't know if I ever would've, or could've done what she did, no matter how badly he hurt me… And I also know the situations aren't the same, because I didn't have kids that I was trying to protect. Kids that I was afraid he'd start hurting, too." She said, a lone tear sliding down Christie's cheek before she quickly wiped it away. "I just… No one can truly know what that was like for your mom. But regardless of what happened to her, he was still your dad. You still lost your parent- both your parents, because of this. And I'm sorry for that. I really am… But that's not on Matt." She told her, Gabby wiping her own eyes as she was desperate to get the conversation back to why she came here.

"I'm not here to try and fix your family, or make up for the years you all lost after what happened to your father… The only reason I'm here is because of Matt. Because he wants a chance to see you again, and to see Violet. He wants a chance to fix things between you two, if there's anything left to be fixed." Gabby voiced, Christie wincing slightly as her eyes moved down to the carpet. "I know you're mad at your mom, and like I said I don't think you're wrong for feeling that way. But Matt was a kid, when this happened. He was a kid who lost his mom and his dad, and then he lost his sister. And it doesn't need to be that way… Not anymore."

Nothing else was said between them for a few moments as Christie took in her words, the almost bitter taste in her mouth hard to ignore as Gabby took this time to try and regain herself, knowing that she'd done all she could do.

She came here, she said her peace. Now it was up to Christie to decide what she wanted.

"I, um- I think I'm gonna go." Gabby told her after a couple seconds, Christie glancing up at her with a look in her eye that was hard for Dawson to place.

"Yeah… that's probably for the best." The woman agreed, Gabby pursing her lips together before she nodded, the paramedic grabbing her things as she slowly got up.

Christie made no move to follow her, Gabby glancing towards her one last time before she started heading for the exit. But just as she got past her chair, she stopped herself, there being one last thing she needed this woman to hear before she left.

"I really did mean what I said, Christie. That Matt wants you there, at our wedding." She tried, Christie not reacting to her as her face stayed forward. "But I know this isn't an easy thing for you, either. I'm not trying to act like your feelings don't matter, or that Matt is the only person affected by this, because he's not. So if you don't want to be there, or you feel like you can't, then you shouldn't… I'm not gonna tell him I was here, he won't know if you decide not to come. It's completely up to you." She reminded her, Gabby wiping under her eyes once more before she continued.

"Though if it means anything, I hope you feel like you can come… but only if you want to be there. If you come for any other reason, it won't be fair to either of you."

And with those last words, Gabby left, the woman sparing one last glance at Christie before she walked outside, the rush of emotions settling in her stomach telling her that this might be the last time she ever sees Matt's sister.

She just hoped that for his sake, it wouldn't be.