Hello everyone! Here's the next chapter for you guys. I'm so sorry I haven't been able to get into any kind of rhythm with these updates, I'm not meaning for it to take so long in between chapters, but I am getting them to you as fast as I can. I think this story is a little harder for me because it actually is going with something that happened on the show, but I'm sorry these updates take so long.
Also, just a disclaimer. I don't know much of anything about Puerto Rico, especially not the relief efforts and what the current state of things are there, so everything described is purely from my own head. So I just want to apologize in advance for whatever is not accurate.
But I hope you guys like this one, I can't wait to hear what you think. Happy reading!
part five
Gabby's eyebrows furrowed as she slowly came into consciousness, registering light shining in her eyes despite her keeping them closed, Dawson grimacing slightly before digging herself deeper into the warmth beside her, desperate to try and get more sleep. That was the best night of sleep she'd had in a while, Gabby feeling more relaxed and content than she'd been in weeks, the euphorically achy sensation present in her body reminding her of her and Matt's night together, a soft smile tugging on her lips at the memory. Releasing a content sigh, Gabby snuggled back into the hard, yet comfortable surface beneath her cheek, feeling his chest vibrate as the man underneath her laughed, Gabby feeling goosebumps rise along her body as his fingers teased the bare skin on her lower back, that combined with the cool air in the room sending a chill through her system.
"You look comfortable." Matt murmured, disturbing their silence as Gabby clung to him, her arm draped across his waist. Scrunching up her nose lightly, Gabby dug herself deeper into his embrace, another shiver coursing through her as he continued teasing the skin on her lower back.
"I'd be more comfortable if I had a blanket." The words were a bit muffled as they left her lips, Gabby's face squished against his chest causing her voice to sound a bit distorted, Matt biting back a smirk.
"You're the one who threw them off us during the night." He responded lightly, Gabby opening one eye to see the sheets bunched at his waist, the material covering practically none of her at all, while they only covered some of Matt, Dawson shrugging before closing her eyes yet again, aimlessly reaching out for the covers.
"You know I get hot when I sleep." She muttered, Casey chuckling as he gently moved her hand back down, completely the task of grabbing the sheets for her, covering them both back up again. She cuddled into them the second they were within her reach, Matt continuing to rub patterns along her back, the action soothing now that she'd warmed up a bit.
"Yeah, I do know that." He replied quietly, feeling her smile softly as her breath hit his chest, Gabby tightening her grip around his waist. "I remember very well the amount of times I'd try and cuddle with you before bed, and you'd roll away once you thought I was asleep." He continued with a soft grin on his face, Gabby lifting her head up, Matt seeing a sheepish look flash across her features.
"That only happened a few times." She defended herself, her words earning another laugh from the man beneath her as Gabby adjusted her positioning, her stomach resting on the bed as she placed her chin on his chest, Matt lifting his hand up to stroke through her hair. "I'd always cuddle with you, don't try and rewrite history, Matthew Casey." She added, the air around them light and teasing as he bit back a smile. "...It's just sometimes you were too warm and I got hot."
"I know you did, Gabriela Dawson." He responded, the woman partially on top of him shaking her head in amusement before she pressed her cheek down against his skin, Matt scratching the back of her head lightly.
They fell into a comfortable quiet, Matt's eyes closing as he relaxed into the pillows, Gabby keeping hers open as her gaze locked on him, her gaze tracing over his relaxed features. As they laid there together, she couldn't help but think about how nice this felt, how nice it was to wake up in his arms again, to wake up with him. It filled her with a sense of safety, a sense of comfort that only Matt could provide her, Gabby wishing she could bask in this moment for a little while longer.
Feeling her gaze on him, Casey opened his eyes, his blue eyes locking with her brown ones, Matt rubbing his thumb across the back of her head. "...What?"
"Hmm?" She hummed, a soft smile resting over her face.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" He elaborated, Gabby's tongue darting out between her teeth to wet her lips, Matt continuing his lazy movements through her hair.
"I'm just thinking…" She replied with a slight shrug, Matt raising his eyebrows.
"What about?" He pressed, Gabby sighing softly, Matt feeling her heavy breath hit his bare chest, the woman in his grasp lifting up her head before replying.
"...You being here." She responded quietly, Matt running his teeth along his bottom lip, waiting for her to continue. "Just waking up and you being here with me, I don't know." She added, Matt picking up on a slight hint of nervousness in her tone, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.
"Where else would I be?" He questioned, Matt seeing her face immediately falter when the words left her lips, his uncertainty only growing. "Why wouldn't I… Oh." He cut himself off, realization washing over him as Gabby averted her eyes, focusing on his chest as Matt released a heavy sigh. "...Is this about the morning after the fundraiser?" He asked her, but she still refused to meet his gaze, Matt pursing his lips together as he moved his hand down to her waist, giving her body a firm squeeze. "Gabby."
"I guess, yeah." She replied hesitantly, shaking her head as she kept her eyes down. "It's stupid, I know that, but it just felt nice to wake up together again." Her voice kept getting harder to hear, like she was embarrassed of what she was saying, Matt's eyes falling closed for a split second, the firefighter shaking his head.
"It's not stupid." He responded, Gabby finally forcing herself to look up at him. "I'm sorry for just leaving you like that… I know I should've woken you up-"
"It's fine, Matt." She cut him off, Gabby giving him a small smile. "Really, it's not a big deal. I know you had your life to get back to." She told him, Matt taking a deep breath, Gabby forcing a wider smile onto her face. Matt could tell that bothered her, that him leaving her like that had upset her, and that wasn't what he wanted. He never wanted to be the reason she was upset. But she was doing what she could to mask it. "I shouldn't have even brought it up, it just kind of hit me, how nice it was to wake up with you, that's all." She continued, Matt knowing she was trying to keep the conversation moving, that she was trying to keep the focus off her feelings. It was something he'd seen her do hundreds of times over the years, Gabby deflecting and quickly trying to move past a subject as to not dive too deep into how it affected her, but Matt wasn't used to her doing it to him.
"I'm still sorry." He responded, finding his voice as they locked eyes. "I know neither of us… we don't really know what to do here." He breathed out, feeling her body tense slightly, both of them knowing they were nearing dangerous territory. "That night was amazing, and you were right, it brought back some incredible memories… but I had no idea what any of that meant for us, what spending that night together meant, if it meant anything." He spoke, seeing her wince slightly, Matt shaking his head. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that." Matt quickly clarified, not liking the look his words had elicited from her. "I just didn't know where we stood, and I guess I kind of panicked…"
"You really don't have to-"
"I knew you were leaving, and I was staying." He continued, Gabby pursing her lips together. "So I didn't know how that night changed things for us, and I just figured it'd be easier to just leave it like it was… just one night." Matt spoke, rubbing his hand over her back, Gabby keeping her eyes on him. "...But then you left me that voicemail, and God am I glad you did." The relief in his voice brought a smile to her face, Gabby stroking her thumb along his bare chest, letting herself relax into him. "I know we have a lot to talk about over these next two weeks, I know there's things we need to figure out… But I also know that I'm glad I came here. And I'm glad I woke up here with you… Whatever comes from this, I'm just happy to get this time with you." He murmured, Gabby blinking quickly, giving him a quick nod in agreement before she pushed herself up, leaning towards him to capture his lips in a firm, needy kiss, Matt melting into her instantly.
"I'm happy you're here, too." She whispered against him, kissing him again quickly, their movements getting deeper as Gabby adjusted her positioning, Matt helping her as she straddled his waist, her bare chest pressed into his as she got comfortable on top of him, their bodies molding together perfectly underneath the covers.
His hands slipped under the sheets, roaming her body as their kisses became even more desperate, Gabby feeling his growing want for her pressing into her thigh, a low groan escaping his lips as she ground herself into him.
They separated when Gabby needed to breathe, Dawson sucking in short breaths as Matt moved his lips down to her neck, needing to feel her as he left his marks on her, his warm hands on her driving Gabby crazy.
"How much time do we have?" She heard him mutter against her skin right before he grazed his teeth over her neck, a choppy breath escaping her lips as she forced herself to glance at the clock, a soft smile appearing over her face.
"We have over an hour." She replied, Matt smirking against her skin before he moved his lips back up towards hers, gripping her hair in his hand, keeping her still as he kissed her again, Matt feeling her shudder against him.
Without warning, he flipped them over, Matt swallowing her surprised squeak as she now lay on her back, the two connected in a mess of sheets as his body weight pressed into her, Casey giving her one last hard kiss before pulling back slightly, seeing Gabby panting underneath him.
"I can work with that." He murmured, heat rising to her cheeks as a devilish grin covered his face, Matt reattaching his lips to her skin as he slowly began kissing his way down her body, the two getting lost in one another as they had so often in the past.
Matt sat quietly in the back of the van, sandwiched in between Gabby and the window as he listened to the chatter around him, Casey happy to just take in all his new surroundings and the new faces. His hands were resting on the duffle bag sitting across his lap, the bag that contained everything he and Gabby would need at the site for the next few days, his attention constantly being drawn out the window while Gabby spoke with the woman sitting on the other side of her.
He wasn't sure what he was expecting things to be like when he got here, and with not ever having been here before, he had no idea what the state of things were like before the hurricane hit, but from what he had seen during their drive, he could tell plenty of people still needed help. Though he was sure things were so much better than they'd been, as they passed through the city he could see how much work still needed to be done.
"So, Matt, you're a firefighter?"
Casey didn't hear the woman speak to him, his mind elsewhere as he looked at the street. It wasn't until he felt Gabby squeeze his thigh did he snap out of his headspace, Matt turning to face them. Gabby was watching him with raised eyebrows, the other woman focused on him as well, Casey clearing his throat, realizing one of them had probably been trying to talk to him.
"I'm sorry, what'd you say?" He asked, his eyes flickering between the two women.
"I was asking about you being a firefighter." The woman, who Gabby had earlier introduced as Kendall, spoke, Matt poking his tongue out from between his teeth to wet his lips. "Gabby said you're a Captain at the firehouse she used to work at."
"Yeah, I am. I've been a Captain for a little over two years now." He replied, feeling Gabby begin to rub her hand over his leg, giving him a soft smile. "Did you come from Chicago as well?"
"I worked just outside of the city, but yeah. I was a paramedic like Dawson here." She replied with a small grin, Matt giving her a nod.
"Have you been here as long as Gabby?"
"No, no, I've only been here for about six months… I don't think anyone's been here as long as Dawson has. Most everyone she came with has gone back home." Kendall spoke, Matt's eyebrows furrowing slightly as he glanced to Gabby. "I'm sure she's told you how crazy it is here, how it's easy to get burnt out. But Gabby here is like Wonder Woman, she just goes and goes and goes, I don't know how she does it." She raved, Gabby ducking her head slightly, feeling uncomfortable at the praise she was getting.
"Alright, enough of talking about me like I'm not here." She interjected, Matt watching her closely. "Nothing I'm doing is all that impressive, I just go where they need me." She added, slowly meeting Casey's gaze, Gabby unable to read the expression on his face. "...You alright?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm good." He replied, giving her a soft smile as he felt her squeeze his leg yet again. "Just excited to see you in action." He said, Gabby feeling heat rush to her cheeks as she bit down on the inside of her lip, Matt's smile widening when he saw the effect his words had on her.
"Well, I'd keep those expectations low, Matt." She responded teasingly, Matt shaking his head before he returned his gaze out the window, taking in the state of everything, Gabby keeping her hand on his thigh for the rest of the ride.
After maybe another twenty minutes, the van came to a stop, Matt understanding they were at the site where'd the be for the next few days, everyone beginning to unload from the vans. With them being all the way in the back, it took a few minutes for them to be able to get out, but eventually Matt found himself on solid ground, his feet hitting the dirt before he turned around, extending his hand to help Gabby and Kendall out.
"Thank God we finally have a gentleman around here." Kendall spoke, earning a few laughs from around the group as his ears turned pink, Gabby shaking her head in amusement before everyone started dispersing. It was clear to Casey that everyone already knew what to do and where to go, none of the volunteers needing any direction before they headed off on their own.
"Alright, I'm gonna go get settled and then I'll check back in with you later. Plan for today still the same, boss?" Kendall asked, Matt raising his eyebrows as he glanced towards Gabby, watching as she gave the woman a nod in response.
"Yeah, it is. Morris has been here since yesterday, he should still be working on those plans for that school if you can go see him." Gabby replied, Matt staying quiet as he watched her work, not having any idea of what all she was talking about. But he was eager to find out.
"Sounds good, I'll see you later Dawson." She spoke, Gabby giving her a nod. "And it was nice to meet you Casey, I think it's great you're gonna be here to help out for a few weeks." Kendall added, Matt shooting her a soft smile.
"Nice to meet you, too." He replied, the woman turning to walk away from them, leaving just him and Gabby, Matt keeping a firm grip on their bag as she turned to him.
"So, you ready to see your room for the next few days?" She asked with a gentle smile, Matt giving her an excited nod before they began walking, the firefighter following her lead. They walked through mazes of tents and stations, Casey unsure of what most of this was for, the man doing all he could to keep up with Gabby as they passed tons of different people. Some were volunteers, but most were people who seemed to just live here, Matt seeing a bunch of children running around as well. It wasn't what he had expected at all, but something that wasn't surprising was seeing how Gabby had gotten greeted by almost every person they passed, a few exchanging pleasantries while others just said a simple hello. He could pick up on most of the longer exchanges, Casey glad to see his Spanish, although very rusty, could still be put to good use. It was something he'd taken seriously about getting better at after he and Gabby got together, but it wasn't a skill he'd really needed in the last year and a half, so he wasn't sure how much of it he'd retained. But, so far, he seemed to be doing okay.
"Alright, well here's that tent you were so desperate to see." She spoke up jokingly, her words eliciting a light scoff from him as he shook his head, Matt glancing towards the tent in front of them. "We have a few big tents where a lot of families stay… people who've been displaced since the hurricane, but most of the aid workers have their own, or a few of them will bunk together." She explained, Matt giving her a nod. "I'd figured you wouldn't mind sharing with me while we're here…"
"Definitely not." He replied with a smile, Gabby matching his look before she began opening the dome-shaped tent. She ducked her head slightly as she stepped inside, Matt having to maneuver a bit more as he was taller than her to get in, but once he did, he was pleasantly surprised to see how spacious the area was.
It wasn't massive, but there was enough room for them to be in here together comfortably, Matt seeing two cots on either side side of the tent, with a small table, or maybe it was a bench, in between them, and there was a smaller table and a foldable chair to the left of the entrance.
"This is pretty nice." He spoke, Gabby smiling softly as he placed their bag down on the bench, Matt turning back around to face her.
"Yeah, it's not too bad. And it's definitely a step up from how things were when I first got here." She replied, Matt's eyebrows raising curiously, waiting for her to elaborate. "They had about four of us crammed into tents at first, just cause things were so bad and they didn't have much more. We were just in sleeping bags on the ground. But since we've been here awhile, we've managed to get some nicer things. And it's especially good for the people here, people able to get cots and everything for those families with nowhere to go… It was really rough here when I first came, but things are getting better." She spoke, Matt nodding softly. "But yeah, I know the tent isn't much, but we're only in here to sleep anyway… Well, I am. I don't want you to feel like you're forced into working with me. However much you feel like helping is fine."
"I can do whatever you need me to." He replied, Gabby meeting his gaze. "I came here to see you, and spend time with you, yeah… But I also came to see the amazing work you've been doing. And I wanna help in whatever ways I can."
A genuine smile broke out over her face, Gabby nodding as she took a step closer to him. "Well, I'm glad to hear you say that…" She started, Matt's head tilting to the side as he waited for more of an explanation. "Because I may have mentioned that you've worked in construction for a long time, and there's a lot of people who have already requested your assistance." She finished, scrunching up her nose lightly, Matt shaking his head in amusement.
"Wherever you need me, just lead the way… boss." He spoke, the last word causing Gabby to roll her eyes, Dawson unable to stop her smile from widening.
"Yeah, I figured you picked up on that." She replied with a chuckle, Matt's eyes shining back at her.
"Oh, I definitely did… I can't imagine you like that too much." Matt added, Gabby immediately shaking her head. Gabby had always been a natural leader, it was just her personality, and while he knew she had no problem with being in charge of so many people, one thing he knew she disliked was being seen as if she was above those she was leading. It had always made her uncomfortable, even when she was the PIC at 51. She made the tough calls, she put her foot down when she needed to, but she never wanted to be treated like she was above the people she was working with. She had always been that way, and clearly that hadn't changed if her reaction was any indication.
"It's not my favorite thing, no, but once I started leading this group, it just kind of stuck." She replied with a shrug, a look of amusement covering his face. "Yeah, I know you're loving this." She added, gently pushing against his shoulder, the action causing a soft chuckle to escape his lips, Gabby rolling her eyes before shifting the subject. "But anyway, I can give you the full tour of everything here in a bit, show you where all we'll be working. Pretty much everything is centralized around a church that's about a block or so away. They've been kind enough to open their doors for us, that's where we eat, and those are the bathrooms we use, where we can shower and everything." She explained, Matt hanging on her every word as she spoke to him. "Everyone here has been so gracious with all of the volunteers, they've all really helped however they could, even though no one really has much."
"Well, I'm sure they're just thankful people like you are here." He spoke softly, his words bringing a wide smile to her face. "...I know I would be."
Gabby's breath caught in her throat for a split second as he spoke, Matt's eyes never leaving hers as they stood in the small space, both feeling the air around them get thicker as they focused on one another. A small smile formed across his face, his eyes flickering to her lips before meeting her gaze yet again, the firefighter swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat, Gabby's warm brown eyes sending shivers through his spine. She leaned forward slightly, Matt drawing in a breath as he followed her lead, their lips ghosting over one another.
"Gabs? You back yet?"
The sound of a familiar voice had them immediately taking a few steps back from one another, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip, trying to suppress her smile as she turned towards the entrance to their tent, Matt rubbing his hand over the back of his neck.
"Come in, Tonio." She responded to her brother, the older Dawson pulling the unsecured tent flap open, his eyes immediately landing on the new face on site.
"Hey Casey, it's so good to see you." He greeted warmly, a bright smile forming over Antonio's face as he came up to the firefighter, shaking his hand and giving him a quick hug.
"Hey man, how are you doing?" Matt responded, his voice light as his embraced the man who had been family for so many years, the man who still felt like family.
"I've been good, we've been good." Antonio replied with a smile, Matt nodding as the older Dawson pulled back, the small group forming a makeshift circle inside the tent. "What happened there?" He asked, nodding towards the bandage over his cheek, Antonio's eyebrows furrowing slightly.
"Oh, uh- got a little roughed up last shift. But I'm good, though." Casey answered, Antonio sparing at quick glance to his sister, seeing her eyes focused on Matt.
"Did it happen in a fire?" He questioned, Matt giving him a nod.
"Yeah, the floor fell through, but I'm good. Just a few bumps and bruises." Casey assured him, his reminder also a little bit for Gabby's benefit as well.
"Well, I'm glad you're okay, and that you were still able to come. It's great that you're here."
"Yeah, I'm excited." Matt spoke, his words genuine as he glanced towards Gabby, finding her watching him with a soft grin. "I've only seen a little bit of it, but what you guys are doing here is so impressive. Really, it's amazing."
"Well, Gabby's to thank for most of that." Antonio breathed out, Matt's eyebrows raising slightly as he looked towards her, Gabby shaking her head. "She's the reason everything's still up and running here."
"Really?" Casey asked, Gabby continuing to shake her head as she crossed her arms over her chest, a familiar look covering her face, one that Matt knew well. It was a look she wore when she was trying to be modest, when she was uncomfortable with the praise and attention being focused on her, even when deserved. He had seen it a lot over the years, he had just seen it moments prior with Kendall, and if that look told him anything, it's that every word Antonio was saying was true.
"Yeah, she's been incredible down here. I know I haven't been here long, but from the second I got here, all I hear is how grateful everyone is that she got put in charge. She's seriously saving so many lives here." Antonio praised, Matt's chest filling with warmth as he glanced back towards Gabby, seeing her eyes on the ground.
"Okay, enough of that." She responded, Antonio scoffing lightly. "Tony, I was just about to show Matt around, then probably go and get some lunch. You can come with us if you want." She continued, shifting the topic of conversation away from herself, Matt biting down on the inside of his cheek as he kept his gaze on his former wife, unable to hide the admiration shining in his eyes.
"I'd love to, sis. But I've gotta get back to work, Joseph's waiting on me, I was just coming to see you guys. Radio me when you go to eat, though, maybe I can meet up with you then."
"I can do that." She agreed, Antonio giving her a quick hug before heading for the exit, nodding towards Matt before he started to leave.
"I'll see you guys later, I hope you enjoy your time here, Casey." Antonio told him, Matt giving him a nod before the man disappeared out of the tent, the flap falling closed behind him, leaving the former couple alone yet again.
"I, uh-" Matt started, gaining Gabby's attention as she looked towards him, gnawing on her bottom lip, "I didn't realize Antonio was here. I thought you said he was in the Bahamas."
"He was." Gabby confirmed, Matt nodding at her words. "He got back a few weeks before Christmas. He's supposed to go back soon, though. So I'm just enjoying him while he's here." She spoke softly, Matt's eyes darting towards the exit before looking back to Gabby.
"He looks like he's doing well." Casey commented, his words bringing a soft smile to her face, Gabby nodding in agreement.
"He is, yeah." She replied, a grin tugging on his lips. "This has all been really good for him… After everything in Chicago, he just- he needed to get a clean break from all that. It's been hard, him being away from Diego and Eva, but I think he needed this. He's been doing really well." She explained, Matt nodding in understanding.
"I'm so glad." He responded, pursing his lips together before continuing. "I, uh-... I never really knew how bad it was, everything he was going through." Matt said, shaking his head as Gabby watching him closely. "We never saw each other much, after everything that happened-" He cut himself off to clear his throat, Gabby biting down on the inside of her lip. "But still, I knew he was having a rough time, I just didn't know how bad it was."
"Yeah, I didn't either." Gabby replied, her tongue darting out between her teeth to wet her lips. "But he's been doing so much better… Being here, the work we're doing," She spoke, her words causing his soft smile to widen, "it's helped him more than I ever thought it could."
"That's great, I'm glad he's doing better… It seems like this place has helped a lot of people." He spoke, Matt not even realizing the double meaning of his sentence until the words left his lips, but he could see in her gaze that she had picked up on it, how being here hadn't just helped Antonio, but it had helped her too.
"It has, yeah…" She murmured. "Everything we're doing here, it's helping so many people. And I'm so excited that you're here to see it." She told him softly, Matt lifting his hand up to brush a loose strand of hair behind her ear, Gabby leaning into his touch.
"I'm excited, too." He responded, his palm cradling the side of her head, stroking his thumb along her cheekbone before dropping his hand back down to his side. "And I'm very excited for that tour you promised me." Matt added, Gabby giving him a smile before nodding, Dawson reaching for his hand as she began walking out of the tent.
"I'll give you your tour, come on." She prompted, their fingers laced together as they exited the small space, rejoining the chaos of the work site.
As Gabby showed him around, Matt did what he could to take everything in, the firefighter soaking in what all she was telling him, Casey becoming more and more impressed by the second. He knew she was doing amazing work; even though they kind of cut off communication with one another after the divorce, he had heard bits and pieces of things she was doing from Kidd, or from Herrmann, those two being the ones Matt knew kept in contact with her the most, but he never had the opportunity to understand the magnitude of the work she was doing here. He never tried to understand it. But regardless of his personal feelings, he knew she was doing incredible things.
And that belief had only been confirmed when she came to Chicago, and Matt heard first hand how beneficial Gabby was to this organization, how she was who they called upon whenever things needed to get done. He wasn't surprised, not at all. He, more than anyone, knew she was a force, that she never stopped until she'd done as much as she could to help whoever she could. And it was clear that aspect of her hadn't changed.
And he was proud as hell of her for it.
Being here, seeing the smile she had on her face while she showed him around, explaining all the progress they've made with each area she pointed out to him, it filled him with a warmth he couldn't explain. She was happy here. He could see how content she was, and despite what all this had done to them, he couldn't help but feel an immense sense of comfort at knowing how well she was doing. He had a lot of mixed feelings about her leaving him, he couldn't deny that, but one thing he was sure on was how proud he was of her for what she was doing here. She was being the same person she was always was; selfless, devoting her life to helping the people who needed it. Except, as he saw more and more of what all had been accomplished here, he knew this was on a much bigger scale than anything she was doing back in Chicago.
She was helping a bunch of people here who needed it, and being with her right now, seeing her in this atmosphere, he knew this was where she needed to be. There wasn't a doubt in his mind about that.
But there was one thing he kept getting hung up on, something he'd heard on the way over here that he hadn't been able to stop thinking about.
"And here's that church I was telling you about." Gabby spoke, Matt looking up to the old building in front of them. It was a little run down, Casey assuming it had taken a hit during the hurricane, but it looked to be in decent shape. "Just wait until you see the inside. I know it doesn't look the prettiest, but we've gotten a lot of work done in there. I even helped them fix some of the structural damage, I guess tagging along with you to all those construction jobs actually paid off." She added with a grin, Matt chuckling softly.
"See? I told you it would be useful one day." He replied, Gabby shaking her head in amusement before she began walking towards the front doors, Matt staying in his spot.
"Come on, I'll show you where everything is inside, then we can get some lunch." She prompted, continuing to walk forward.
"Wait, uh… Can I ask you something?" He questioned, his voice stopping her, Gabby's eyebrows raising as he came to meet her on the steps, the pair standing off to the side to be out of the way.
"Of course." She told him, Matt nodding before speaking.
"It's about that thing Kendall said on our way here… about you being the only one left from your group." He prefaced, Gabby waiting for him to elaborate, unsure of where this was headed. "Is that true? Has everyone you came here with gone home?"
"Yeah, they have." She responded softly, watching as Matt ran his tongue over his bottom lip before replying.
"...Why?" He asked simply, Gabby hearing his obvious intrigue, Dawson taking a slow breath before answering him.
"Well, for a few reasons I guess." She started, Matt listening closely, tuning out the other noise around them. "Most people only stayed through their original contract, whether it was a few weeks, or a couple of months… Once those were over, a lot of people went home." She replied carefully, unsure of how bringing up that she was one of those who chose not to go home would go, but he didn't seem fazed by it, Matt giving her a nod. "But there were plenty of people who decided to stay as well, when Hatcher asked us… The work here, it's so rewarding. It is," she told him, Matt sensing there was about to be a shift in this conversation, "but it can be too much for some people, it's been too much for me sometimes." She admitted softly, Matt's lips turning down into a deep frown, Gabby shifting on the balls of her feet. "We've seen a lot of devastation around here, and it just got to be too much for everyone else I came with. I did have one person left with me from the group I came here with, but she left right before Christmas. So now it's just me." Gabby explained, seeing the obvious worry written across Matt's face. She knew what he was hung up on, Gabby knowing before she even said how things had been hard for her that Matt wouldn't be able to let that go.
"Have… have you been doing okay?" He asked cautiously, Gabby's soft smile easing his concerns slightly, the woman giving him a nod.
"I have. I'm good, Matt. It can just get hard sometimes, but Antonio being here has helped." She told him, Matt nodding firmly, the firefighter suddenly even more grateful that she had her brother here with her. "There were a lot of hard days, especially early on…" She spoke, Matt wincing slightly as the words left her lips. "There still are, I won't lie to you about that. It's more good than bad now though, but it didn't start out that way." She breathed out, the frown etched into his skin only deepening, Matt lifting his hand up to her arm, giving her a reassuring squeeze.
"I'm sorry you were going through that." He replied, finding his voice. "...That you went through that alone."
"It's okay." She responded, plastering a smile on her face. "It's the choice I made when I decided to stay here."
Casey immediately shook his head when the words left her lips, Matt running his hand up and down her arm. "We both made choices, Gabby." He replied, seeing her purse her lips together, the two locking gazes. "Maybe we made the wrong ones, but we both were responsible for what happened between us… I'm just sorry I wasn't there for you." He spoke softly, Gabby shaking her head.
"It's okay, Matt. Really, I'm good… You had no obligation to do anything, you had no way to even know. I promise, it's fine. Things here are going well." She responded firmly, not wanting him to feel guilty over this. Not when they were supposed to be having fun, and enjoying their time together. She knew there were conversations to be had, that there was a lot they still needed to talk about, but he hadn't even been here for a day, and she didn't want this clouding their time together.
"Alright." He murmured, giving her arm another squeeze before he dropped it back down to his side, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "But you know you can always call me, right?" He told her, Gabby's bottom lip falling in between her teeth. "I mean, once I get back to Chicago.. If you're having a bad day, you can always call me."
"I know." She responded, reaching out for his hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze, Matt nodding slowly. "Although, I'm also hoping I can call you just because…" She added with a smile, hoping to ease some of the tension from his shoulders, her smile growing when she saw a similar one form across his lips.
"Of course you can." He replied, squeezing her hand as they laced their fingers together, the simple contact comforting them both.
"Good… Now let's go get some lunch, I'm starving." She said, her words earning a soft chuckle from him before he nodded in agreement, their hands staying locked together as they made their way inside, Gabby continuing to show him around.
Casey wiped the sweat from his brow as he navigated his way through the many tents and people, making his way back to the space he'd be sharing with Gabby for the next few days, the air around him thick and hot, despite the sun having gone down hours prior, Matt ready to do nothing more than change out of these sweaty clothes and get some rest.
His first day on the site had proven to be an eventful one, Matt getting a firsthand look at some of the work they were doing here, the firefighter having been thrust into helping out pretty early in the day. He and Gabby had just finished their lunch when he got whisked away to go help one of Gabby's team members, a man named Travis Dayton, with one of the new buildings they were working on. And while he didn't know exactly what he was walking into, Casey hadn't expected to be helping out all day. But he'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy it. It had been awhile since he'd taken on any big construction projects back in Chicago, so to get to do that type of work that he loved all day, as well as getting to know a lot of people Gabby was working with, it had been a lot of fun for him and was a nice change of pace from the routine he'd found at home. He had met so many new people, all of which had nothing but wonderful things to say about his former wife, and they had all been so welcoming and easy to talk to, Matt quickly seeing for himself why Gabby enjoyed this work so much.
The only downside to him helping Travis all day had been that he hadn't gotten to actually see much of Gabby. Since eating lunch with her, and Antonio, he'd only seen her a handful of times, Gabby stopping by to check on him occasionally, usually with one, if not multiple, of the little kids here attached to her hip.
Despite wishing he'd seen her more, today had been a great day overall. And it had been an eye-opening experience for him, to say the least, Matt seeing not just how much progress they had made, but also seeing how much still needed to be done. They'd had to completely rebuild, and even after all the time that Gabby had been here, it still seemed like there was a never ending amount of things that needed to be fixed. That it could take another few years before they were completely back on their feet, if not longer. But even after only one day, Matt couldn't help but feel a tremendous amount of respect for not only Gabby, but everyone here who had given up their own lives to come and help these people. The work they did here wasn't easy, but Gabby was right, it felt so rewarding to him already, and he couldn't wait to help out again tomorrow, even though his already sore body was a little mad at him for all the physical labor. And while he was sure he'd be feeling it in the morning, he didn't regret pushing himself a little bit today, Matt feeling a tremendous sense of pride after the work they'd done.
Casey blew out a sigh as their tent came into view, the man beyond ready to wind down for the evening, considering he was sure they'd have an early morning tomorrow, Matt eager to go and take a quick shower and then get some rest. When he got to the tent, he grabbed ahold of the makeshift door, pushing it aside before stepping in, immediately seeing Gabby standing in front of the bench, her back towards him.
The second he got a look inside, a smile fell onto his face, Matt doing what he could to bite back his smirk as he saw that she had done some rearranging, Gabby turning around when she heard him come in. He wasn't sure how long she had been here, but in whatever amount of time that she had been, she had moved around their few pieces of furniture in here, Matt seeing how the cots that had once been on separate sides of the tent were now placed next to each other on the left side of the space, the bench separating them now against the side where one of the cots used to be.
"I see you found your way back." She spoke, Matt meeting her gaze, Gabby ducking her head when she saw his slight smirk, amusement shining in his eyes.
"Yeah, Travis helped me out a bit." He responded, running his tongue along his teeth. "...And I see you've redecorated." He added with a chuckle.
"Yeah, I uh-" She started, clearing her throat as Matt walked closer to her, her damp hair telling him she'd already showered. "I just thought it was more functional this way." She explained lamely, her words earning another laugh from him, his eyes flickering towards their cots before looking back at her, a sheepish look covering her face.
"Oh yeah?" He asked lightly, Gabby unable to hide her grin.
"Yeah." She replied, Matt shaking his head before leaning in, giving her a hard, longing kiss, feeling her relax into the movement.
"Well… functionality is important." He murmured against her lips, Gabby smiling before kissing him again. It wasn't until air became an issue that they pulled back, Matt's chest heaving as she stepped away from him.
"You need a shower." She spoke, her nose scrunching up as he laughed, Gabby shaking her head. "You do not smell good."
"Well, I've been working all day, and this heat is a definite shift from the subzero temperatures in Chicago." He responded, Gabby nodding knowingly as he moved to their bag, grabbing some clothes.
"Do you need guidance to get back to the church, or are you good?" She asked, Matt waving her off as he moved back towards the exit, shooting her a soft grin.
"Oh, I've got this. I've practically mastered this place already." He responded jokingly, Gabby rolling her eyes as he stepped out.
"Alright, well I'll give you half an hour before I send out a search party." She teased him, Matt chuckling as he left, leaving Gabby alone in their tent once more.
While he was gone, Gabby kept herself preoccupied, taking to reading her book as she waited for him to get back, the dim lamp beside their beds giving her enough light to see the words in front of her, her usually loud surroundings having quietened down considerably.
She wasn't exactly sure how long he'd been gone, but it couldn't have been more than twenty minutes when she heard rustling outside the tent, Gabby looking up just as he stepped inside, being met by a freshly showered Matt.
"Hey." She spoke, seeing him give her a soft smile before securing the entrance to their tent, effectively closing them off from the outside world, Matt moving to put his things down once he'd completed that task.
"Hi… Miss me?" He asked with a smile, Gabby nodding as she got up from her cot, knowing now that he was clean, she needed to replace the bandage over his cheek that he'd taken off before his shower.
"Oh, absolutely." She played along, moving towards the small table by the door, grabbing the first aid kit and pulling out the things she needed. "Feel better after your shower?" She asked, turning back around, seeing him now standing behind her, his warm eyes locking with hers.
"I do, yeah. I feel ready to sleep." He responded, Gabby smiling knowingly before nodding him towards the cots, Matt moving to take a seat where she'd previously been laying down.
Silently, Gabby got his cut covered up, Matt sitting still while he let her work, knowing this was easily something he could do himself, but he didn't mind letting her help him, the sound of their breathing the only noise around them.
"All done." She spoke softly, balling up the trash in her fist before taking it back towards the table, knowing it could be dealt with tomorrow.
"Thanks." He responded, Gabby giving him a nod before turning back to face him, seeing him discard the shirt he was wearing, Matt folding it as he stood up, Dawson not surprised by the fact he wanted to sleep in as little clothes as possible.
As he walked towards their bag, she got a glimpse of the deep purple bruising along his shoulder, her eyes focused on his discolored skin as she walked up behind him. She had seen it this morning once they finally rolled out of bed, Matt having given her multiple assurances it wasn't as bad as it looked, but still, she imagined it didn't feel great. And after all the hard and intensive work he'd done today, she could only assume that hadn't helped his pain. But he hadn't said a word about it, Gabby bringing her hand up towards his shoulder, her fingertips grazing over the bruised skin. He lifted his head up as he felt her touch his shoulder, Gabby leaning forward to press a gentle kiss over the area, feeling him take a deep breath as he stood there, letting her pepper his skin with soft kisses.
"Does it hurt?" She asked quietly, wrapping her arms around his waist, clasping her hands together over his stomach as she hugged herself to his back, Matt shaking his head.
"It feels fine fine." He responded, rubbing his hand over her arm, focusing on the feeling of her pressed against his back, the two standing close together for a few moments.
When he felt her loosen her grip, he turned around in her embrace, her arms sliding around to his lower back, Matt bringing his hand up to cradle the side of her face.
"I'm good." He repeated, knowing she always worried about him more than she needed to, Gabby giving him a nod before she leaned forward, capturing his lips in a soft kiss, their movements slow and deliberate.
But it didn't stay that way for long, Gabby moving her hands down to his hips, sliding her hand underneath the waistband of his pants, Matt's hands moving towards to hem of the shirt on her body, the two separating long enough for him to pull the material off of her, leaving her top half completely bare as he tossed the item aside, their lips finding each others once more before they slowly made their way back towards their cots.
They pulled apart when air became a priority, Gabby's eyes dark with want as Matt's mirrored hers, the former paramedic laying down on the cot as Matt discarded the rest of his clothes, tossing them back towards the bag. As she lay on her back, Gabby lifted her hips up to get her shorts off, Matt quickly helping with the task, Casey practically ripping them from her body, throwing them in the same direction as his things before he climbed on top of her. Their lips found each other's in an instant, the two making the best of their limited space as her legs wrapped around his waist, giving him all the access he needed.
It took no time at all for them to find that familiar pace with one another, swallowing each other's moans as they moved, their actions picking up speed quickly. The two were focused on nothing aside from each other as they enjoyed this time together, Gabby's nails digging into his back as he rocked his hips into hers, both Matt and Gabby wishing they could stay in this moment forever.
