Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my imagination

I really want to thank everyone who's been leaving reviews. I also want to thank everyone who's favourited and followed the story, it means a lot too. This story has been getting a lot of attention and I really apreciate it.

I just want to adress something real quick. A guest left a review saying that I misspelled a word. I just want to say that I'm not offended at all but I just want to clarify something. My first language is french but I'm also fluent in english (since I was 3 and I'm 31). I work on my ipad with two different keyboards (one in english and one in french) and my correction system gets confused so unless I make a MASSIVE error in grammar or wrong sentencing, I would just appreciate if the reviews were used to help make the STORY better and not so much about small typos that might slip in there but if I do make a HUGE mistake, you guys can call me out on it so I can write better. Thanks, Sarra :)


Gabby had spent the previous evening at her moms with the kids, just having fun. They returned at Antonio's around eight, all three kids completely dead tired in their seats. She took Valentina in her arms, and took her to Eva's room where the teen was studying for an exam. She rolled on her side and Gabby kissed her forehead before putting her blanket across her frame and leaving Eva to some quiet time to study. When she came back down, Antonio was already carrying a tired Filippe and Laura had Luis in her arms bringing them to the spare bedroom where a blow-up matress was set up. She tucked them in and went back down to grab a coffee before bed.

"Looks like mom and dad tired them out." Laura laughed.

"They hadn't seen them in a long time, they were going absolutely crazy in there." She chuckled.

"So how was your day? Get anything you wanted?" Antonio knew that she had a long list of things to do today and hoped she had at least gotten one of the things on it.

"Actually, today was pretty great." She smiled at her older brother. "I passed my recertification and I start on Monday at Lakeshore." She smiled proudly. Things would be getting back to some kind of normal.

"What about an appartment and daycare and school? How'd that go?"

"I found a three bedroom appartment close to the hospital and close to there there's a daycare that will take Valentina before the end of this week, so she can get used to other kids and there's an open house at the school that is convieniently in front of the daycare this week, I went to get all the information, I still haven't checked it out though."

"Wow, very productive day." Laura was surprised that things had fallen into place so easily for her sister-in-law.

"Yeah, I'm surprised that it went so well actually. Tomorrow I'm going to go furniture shopping so we can move in there as soon as possible so we can get out of your way." She took a drink from her still steaming cup.

"We're happy to have you here Gabby, I don't want you to feel rushed about leaving here. We have more than enough place."

"I know but I feel that if we're in our own things, we might be able to start getting back to normal. They've had so much change in their lives, it has to stop."

"Do you want some help with shopping?" Laura loved shopping and was hoping for an opportunity to hang out more with Gabby, something she had done too little of in the past.

"I would love the company, thanks." She smiled at her and finished her coffee. "I think I'm going to go read these before it get's late." She took the school folder that contained pamphlets about what it had to offer. She said her good night's and retreated to the spare room where the boys were sleeping. She laid down on top of the covers and went through all the information before she fell asleep, papers all around her. She woke up the next morning to the kids clothed and fed again, Laura handing her a cup of coffee like she had done the previous morning.

"You are making me feel like an unfit mother." Gabby laughed, bringing the cup to her lips.

"You've gone through a lot, it's ok. I'm glad to help. So what's the plan?"

"Well we get going right after I change into some more decent clothes and the plan is to find everything I need under 5000$. Do you know any good stores that can help me stay on budget?"

"Yeah, there's a perfect store for that. Most of their stuff is new but sometimes some have small dents and they sell them for way cheaper."

"Sounds perfect." BOth girls smiled at each other before Gabby excused herself to get changed. Once the kids were buckled in, they headed for downtown and Gabby followed Laura's instructions to the store. Gabby quickly found what she needed. She baught a metal framed bed for her room, queen sized with a eight drawer desk and two side tables. It wasn't anything fancy and she didn't need it to be. For Filippe and Luis, she found two identical beds made of wood with a headboard that you could put books and such in it with a tall dresser and a side table that would be put between both beds. For Valentina, she found a white iron princess bed that she'd be able to grow into. She was still small but put next to the wall with a baby protection gate on the side, she'd be safe. She got her a four drawr dresser with a night light that she had picked out herself. For the kitchen, she decided to put a little bit more money in the appliances so she got a double door fridge with the freezer at the bottom and a good stove because she loved cooking. The last thing on her list was a couch and a tv but those were easy to choose. The couch was L shaped and the tv a 32 inch, they wouldn't be home often enough to need bigger. She was surprised when it came 700$ under her budget and that she had managed to find everything at the same store.

"So when do you need these delivered?" The store clerk asked Gabby.

"Saturday would be perfect." He took all her information for the delivery and she paid the bill before they all went for lunch together and then shopping for a few pieces of clothing the kids needed. Gabby spent another big day today, trying to return to some kind of normal. She decided to wait another day before telling the boys about going to school.


The rest of shift had been quite slow which gave us the opportunity to have a really good night's sleep, which was a rare thing in their field. Once first watch arrived, Casey quickly gathered his things and was out the door to go pick up the girls at Christie's. As soon as he rang the doorbell, Matt could hear the girls run as if they weighed a ton each and when Christie opened the door, they almost flew up to him for a hug.

"I've missed you too." I chuckled, kissing them on the head before putting them back down on the ground. "Have you been nice to aunt Christie?"

"Yes daddy." Grace and Emma said simultaniously, smiling.

"Good, now who's up for breakfast?" He asked as he made his way to Christie for a hug before hugging his niece Violet.

"Me, me." The girls giggled, jumping up and down.

"They've missed you a lot." Christie wrapped her arm around her brother's waist and he nodded.

"I just wish they could miss her too, they barely see her." He said referring to Hallie.

"You're going a great job Matt, they're great girls." She kissed his cheek. "Don't doubt yourself."

"I don't have time for doubts." He rubber his shoulder against hers. "Come on girls let's go, say bye to aunt Christie and Violet and say thank you.

"Thank you aunt Christie." They each hugged one of her legs and she wrapper her arm around them.

"It's been my pleasure, I love having you here." She winked at her brother. They finally had a good relationship together after being years without talking and he'd be forever grateful for all the help she was giving him with the girls. Matt drove to that new breakfast restaurant that had opened a few weeks ago and that girls loved so much next to his place. Once he safely ushered them both inside, they were shown to a booth next to the window. Grace immediately started chatting about the zoo outing and Emma nodded to everything. Grace always was the more vocal of the two, even when they were babies. Matt smiled at her enthusiasm and soon, the waitress came to take their order. Grace kept talking in between bite, telling Matt more about the evening with Christie and Violet while Emma was too busy eating up a storm. It always amazed him such a little body could be able to take so much food in it but she did it at every meal.

"Looks like it was loads of fun."

"Uh huh." Emma mumbled between two bites.

"How would you guys like to come with me to 51 for next shift?"

"YAY!" They said a little bit too loudly for his taste but visiting 51 wasn't a common occurrence so he was pleased that they were happy.

"And this Friday, we are going to go visit a school close to 51, how does that sound?" Matt had talked to them a lot about going to kindergarten in September so they wouldn't be caught by surprise when that big change would come for all of them.

"Does that mean we get to make new friends?" Grace asked.

"Yes Gracie, and you'll get to learn tons of new things too."

"Does that mean we get to see you less?" Emma wondered.

"A little bit." That perfect pout broke his daddy heart into pieces. "But you'll have so much fun you won't even miss me. I'll be there to bring you there every morning and pick you back up after school except when I'm on shift, aunt Christie will pick you up and take care of you." Matt could see the clogs turning in her head, she was pondering what he had just said.

"Ok." She simply said. Emma was very grown up when it came to these things. She knew Matt did all he could to be there with them as much as possible but being a single parent wasn't an easy job and she understood that too. Once they were done eating, Matt took them to the park to tire them out a little bit so the three of them could take a short nap in the afternoon, giving him am opportunity to do the same so he could keep up with them in the evening and the following day.


a/n: Ok so I'm a little bad for not getting them both in one same place in this chapter. I just felt it was important to show them both a little bit more as single parents before I let the chaos begin. I really hope you liked this chapter and that you'll take a few minutes to leave a review, I really want to know if you like this story so far or not :))