Note: I fixed Shay's age, she is 32.
Gabby has been crying since she had a chance to see her friend a half hour ago, April had watched her standing up in front of Shay's room for hours. Approaching Gabby, the nurse asked if Shay was a close friend to her, and Gabby explained they were roommates, then April let Gabby going in and staying there for a few minutes, she realized Gabby needed that, seeing for herself how her friend was.
Shay's parents were coming from Washington to Chicago, when they heard from Gabby, Shay was admitted to the hospital for smoke inhalation and second-degree burns on her arms and hands, they decided to fly to Chicago immediately.
Gabby had been grateful for doctor Rhodes had informed Shay's condition despite Gabby not being a family member. April who helped her got into Shay's room, convinced Dr. Rhodes to talk to Gabby for a moment.
Sitting in the waiting room, still wrapped in the blanket they had given her before coming to the hospital, Gabby felt somehow guilty for what happened to Shay, otherwise, she didn't know she would be able to rescue Shay by herself. The important thing was her friend was alive, and Gabby couldn't be more relieved. Shay had a long road ahead way to recover, she had a breathing tube inserted into her throat as part of the smoke inhalation treatment, and they had given her antibiotics to prevent infection, besides they had all her burns clean and applied bandages. Watching Shay's suffering broke Gabby's heart, when Shay got to the hospital was clear to the staff she was in pain, her moans filling the place, that's why they gave her pain relievers right away.
There wasn't anything she could do to help Shay, only pray she would overcome what was happening to her. Gabby found Shay at the lowest point in her life, she had been alone for so long at that time, she didn't know what was to have a friend a good friend since Christie in high school, someone who really could care for your well being, and not just saying nice words for you, but someone who would do something for you while you even didn't believe in yourself...
Years ago...
"Hey, girl... third time this week, hun?" Shay stated watching Gabby taking a seat at the counter's bar.
"I didn't know you were counting...", she scoffed as paying for a drink.
"You know, Gregory...", Shay tilted her head in his direction, "... wouldn't like you are doing it in his bar...", they locked eyes.
"I-I don't know you are talking about...", Gabby scoffed and drank her shot. "I'm not doing anything, just drinking as everybody else...", Gabby pointed behind her, the place was packed.
"How old are you?" Shay started to wipe down the counter, "... you are in college?"
"I'm old enough to drink if you want to know... and I'm not in college, I have better things to do...", Gabby paid for another shot.
"Drugs are not your answer to get a better life, I think I must remember you that...", pouring Gabby one more drink.
"You're crazy?" Gabby whispered, "I don't do drugs...", Gabby gulped down her drink.
"I've seen you leaving with two or three guys already... if it's not drugs, what are you doing?" Shay folded her arms.
"You wouldn't like to know, believe me...", Gabby looked down, feeling ashamed for doing sex for money to survive on the streets. She was living on the streets for almost six months since she turned 18 and moved out of the foster care home she was in. Gabby tried a lot of things before deciding two weeks ago to do that for living.
Shay observed her face, and noticed the sadness in her eyes, "... I have a couch on my apartment...".
Gabby raised her head, "... you don't know me...".
"Yeah...", Shay shrugged, "... but I have a feeling you need a place to stay, I'm right?"
Gabby studied the girl in front of her, "... it's just for one night, I-I really don't have where to go,", Gabby was looking into her purse, "... I have some money-", Shay cut her off.
"Keep your money, I don't need it, just do me a favor: stop what you were doing... I mean getting clients here, I don't want you get in trouble with Gregory, okay?"
Gabby nodded and gave her a small smile.
From that day, Gabby stopped living on the streets and making sex for money, Shay and her became good friends... sisters for life.
Matt entered the E.R of Lakeshore after 7 a.m., going straight for the emergency room receptionist looking for any information of the victim who could lead to Gabriela Dawson. April was around when heard him, she greeted him, next informed how the patient was doing and told him her friend was sitting down in the waiting area. He thanked her and walked up to Gabby who had her eyes closed, her head resting against the wall.
He didn't want to interrupt her sleeping, and he didn't need to do that because she opened her eyes suddenly... "You're here...", she murmured.
Matt pressed his lips together, he wasn't hallucinating when he saw her at the club and last night... "Can I sit with you?"
"Yeah... of course...", her voice a little hoarse. Matt took the seat beside her.
"April told me your friend is out of woods...", he intertwined his fingers together as eyeing her from the corner of his eyes.
"Thank you for saving her, it means a lot,", Gabby gazed at him, "...I know it's your job,... yet I want you to know you and your friends are heroes for me...".
"We are glad we could get there in time to take everyone out and get medical help...", their exchanged looks.
"I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw you at the club...", Gabby eyed his lips for a few seconds, making Matt shifting in his chair.
"I had a strange feeling when I watched you walked down the hallway at the club..., I looked for you in my way out in vain, and last night you were there again, and all my doubts about you were thrown away...".
"I imagine you are here seeking answers, Matt...", Gabby wiped a few tears from her face, that's when Matt saw redness on her hand, probably a burn injury, besides the one she had on her face.
"What happened to your hand and face?" he took her hand in his to have a better look.
"It's nothing, I'm okay... you don't have to worry...", she tried to dismiss his questions.
"We should ask April to look at it-", Gabby interrupted him.
"I'll be fine... I-I", Gabby dropped her head as she had hands closer to her lap, "... that day I left your house... I was so happy, we had kissed... 16 years old and I had my first kiss with the guy I liked...".
Matt gave her a small smile, it wasn't his first, however, their kiss was special.
"Gabby...", someone called her name.
Amelia and Harold, Shay's parents were there. Gabby got up and walked over to them while Matt stayed behind. They talked for a few minutes, then Gabby glanced at Matt before following them to visit Shay.
One hour later... Gabby came back to the waiting room expecting Matt was gone, though he was still there, sipping his coffee.
When she approached him, he stood up, "You should be home, you must be tired...", Gabby declared.
"How is she?" Matt offered her a cup of coffee, he had bought two.
"Doctor said they are not taking the tube for a couple of hours and they are gonna repeat the chest x-ray... they have a specialist to check if the corneas in the eyes were burned..., hopefully not...", gabby sighed.
Matt squeezed her shoulder trying to give her some comfort, "... You are staying?"
"I wanted to, but Amelia insisted I should go home, so I'm going home, I will get some rest and come back later, her parents want to take her to Washington, close to their family...".
"You are going with them?" he furrowed his eyebrows, he knew wasn't his business to ask, yet he didn't think before making the question.
"No, no... I'm staying... they need this time as a family as well, for a long time her parents have been asking her to go home, I guess Shay will agree this time... for now at least. I know her, she is a free bird..., that's my girl...", giving him a melancholy smile.
"I give you a ride if you need one...".
Matt didn't expect to meet up with Gabby after fourteen years and still have those lingering feelings towards her. The fact she left without notice or a previous sign that it could happen, hurt him, he got angry and decided to forget everything about her. There wasn't much to consider since she stayed in Chicago only for six months, and they got closer in the last three months. Although, he couldn't deny that he had fallen in love with her so quickly in high school.
"I can't accept, it doesn't seem right-", he cut her off.
"I think you own me that after leaving me...", he stared at her.
Gabby dropped her eyes to the cup in her hands, "... okay...", she said weakly as lifting her eyes to look at him. On the way to the parking lot, Gabby tried to turn down his offer again, saying she has lived on the south side of the city, however, Matt was firm on his decision. After getting in the car, Gabby closed her eyes as a way to avoid any questions or small talking.
15 minutes later... "I'm not gonna push you to say anything if you don't want to...", Matt stopped the car at the traffic lights.
Gabby turned her head to stared at him, "I know...", they locked eyes. His intense gaze made her uncomfortable, she knew it wasn't his intention. That could be explained by the fact she felt unworthy of his attention, she wasn't that Gabby he had known years ago. Her innocence was taken from her, her own happiness wasn't a goal in her life, she was just surviving day by day. Gabby has to let him go and get back to his life, perfect life, she couldn't be a part of it, she couldn't dream of it.
Minutes later... Matt pulled over in front of a building, "... thank you for this", Gabby uttered unfastened the seat-belt.
"Yeah...Gab-", Matt started.
"As I was telling you at the hospital... when I got home that day I found my mother laying on the bed crying, her face was beaten and bloody... my dad had done that to her again, it was like going from heaven to hell in a few hours...".
"Why you didn't tell me what was happening? I could help you...", Matt spoke up.
"It wasn't the first time, you know... my mother didn't know how to get rid of their toxic relationship, he had promised her a lot of time he would stop drinking, he was a compulsive liar...", she was looking straight ahead, avoiding his pity eyes.
"I went to your house the next day cause you didn't go to school... your father was there sleeping on the couch, the house was a mess...".
"I confronted him and he punched me on the eye, that's when my mother decided we had to run away from him again, Matt... that was our life, moving from place to place until my father ruined my mother's life one more time...it was her way of dealing with her problems...", Gabby laughed as tears rolled down her face.
"I'm sorry for not noticing something was wrong...", Matt stated quietly.
"It wasn't your fault... it happened and we are here now, you are a firefighter... I'm proud of you...", she glanced at him.
"There is something I could do for you, anything?".
Gabby knew why he was saying that, dancing at a nightclub doesn't look promising.
"Don't do this", Gabby wiped her tears.
"Hey, I'm not implying anything here, I never would do that", he felt a little annoyed with her assumption.
Gabby opened the door and closed it, standing at the door, she spoke "You went to the hospital looking for an answer, now you have it. So go back to your life, Matt, there is nothing good here."
Angry, Matt responded, "...You think my life is a fairy tale, it's what you think? You are wrong, you don't know half of it...".
Gabby mustered a smile, "... my life never was one... but I don't want to talk about it... thank you for the ride again. Goodbye...".
Matt ran a hand over his mouth as watching her entered the building. Severide advised him to not go after her, next time he would listen to him, if he had he wouldn't feel so distressed. His life was getting on track again, he didn't need other drama on it.
Brett was a nice girl, that what his friends have been saying, it was time to move on, having kids... He stayed in front of Gabby's building for a couple of minutes. His heart race just thinking in her... there was a battle in his mind and his heart, which would win?
Thank you for reviewing chapter 2, please leave your thoughts for this one. Questions, please send them.