Well, hello there everyone. Long time no see, for this story at least. If you follow me on twitter, you know I've been working on getting this update to you all, but let me just start out first by saying that I'm sorry this took so long. I never intended to go two and a half months without updating this story, so I truly am sorry about that. Part of it came from that rather lengthy oneshot I posted about a month ago, this story was pretty much sidelined while I was working on that. And then around the time I finished that, writer's block started to set it, for all my stories, and it's something I'm still trying to work my way through. But I truly am sorry this took so long. I know there are some of you who have been waiting for this, so I hope it doesn't disappoint.

My goal is to not take nearly as long for the next chapter to be posted, but I'll get it done as soon as I can. Thank you all for being so patient and understanding.

I hope you all enjoy this one, I really like how it turned out. Happy reading, and stay safe everyone.


part fifteen


Casey looked out the window of the van as they approached Gabby's apartment, his arm wrapped firmly around the woman sitting in the middle seat beside him as she was tucked into his side. Her hand was on his thigh, her head resting down against his shoulder as they'd been sitting like this for practically the entire drive, the couple just wanting to be as close as possible after spending so long apart.

After they'd finished up getting her belongings from her tent back at the work site, and gave Matt some time to see everyone, they'd packed up into the van and headed back home. And in that time, they'd spent a bit of the ride catching up, the bulk of their conversation focusing on the work Gabby had been doing. But aside from a few minutes of that, they'd mostly just sat in a comfortable silence, Gabby occasionally giving his leg a squeeze, or rubbing her thumb against him as they took comfort in each other's presence. There'd be plenty of time for talking later, for now they just wanted to soak this in, Gabby drawing in a deep breath as her head slid closer to his.

And before they knew it, they were at her apartment, Matt looking around as they pulled up outside the building he remembered well, the one he was looking forward to spending the next few days in with the love of his life. When the van came to a stop, Gabby thanked the man who'd driven them, Matt vaguely remembering him as one of the guys from the site, before they climbed out. Casey stepped down onto the ground first before he turned around and held out his hand for her to get down as well, Gabby offering him a thankful smile before he reached back inside to grab her bag.

As he held the duffle bag in his hands, a realization hit her as she looked back into the van before glancing at him. "Where are your bags?" She asked as he shut the door, Matt waving to the man before he began walking towards the sidewalk, Gabby following in step beside him.

"My stuff is already here." He responded with a gleam in his eye, Gabby smiling softly as he used his free hand to reach for hers, Matt lacing their fingers together. "Figured I'd put that key to good use."

"Oh really?"

"Mhmm… I made myself at home." He continued, Gabby's smile widening as they got to the steps to get up to the second level. "I hope that's al-"

Casey was cut off by Gabby pressing her lips against his, Matt smiling into the movement before he kissed her back, her hand coming up to cradle his neck. They stayed like this for a few moments, Matt giving back as much as he was getting before she eventually pulled away, neither of them able to wipe the bright smiles from their faces.

"Well, I'll take it you don't mind then." He got out once he'd caught his breath, Gabby fighting the urge to roll her eyes before she gave his hand a tug.

"C'mon." She prompted before she began walking up the steps, their hands staying conjoined as they climbed the steps up to her place. When they got there, Gabby dropped his hand so she could get inside, the woman unlocking the door before pushing it open. And the second she did, a rush of cold air hit them both, the refreshing feeling more than welcome considering how miserably hot it was outside, Gabby stepping inside first before Matt followed behind her.

"God, I missed it here." She groaned as he shut the door behind them, Matt smirking softly at her tone as he secured the lock. "Being at the site for so long just reminds me of how nice air conditioning is." She breathed out as the cool air hit her skin. Knowing she'd turned the unit off before she left, she was sure the refreshing feeling in the apartment was Matt's doing, Gabby turning back to look at him as he placed her bag down on the ground.

"I bet." He replied softly, Gabby giving him a gentle smile before she walked back towards him, Matt still planted in the doorway as she got to him and slid her arms around his torso. His own grin widened before he reciprocated the action, his arms encircling around her body to keep her close as Gabby looked up at him. But before he could say anything, her nose scrunched up slightly, the woman shaking her head lightly before trying to pull out of his grasp.

"I'm sorry, I know I'm disgusting." She told him, Casey only tightening his grip on her to keep her from moving too far as Gabby tilted her head to the side.

"You're beautiful." He replied without hesitation, Gabby scoffing lightly before looking down at his chest.

"Yeah, I think the heat's getting to you." She murmured jokingly, Matt grinning from ear to ear before he gave her body another squeeze, prompting her to look up at him once more.

"No, it's not that. You're just beautiful… You're always beautiful." Casey responded just as quickly, Gabby unable to stop her smile from growing as he scratched his fingers over her lower back.

"Mmhmm… Whatever you say." She replied, clearly not entirely buying his words, but his smile never faltered, Gabby running her hand over his side. "But I still think I need to take a shower." She added, Matt tilting his head to the side slightly as his eyebrows rose.

"A shower, huh?" He asked, Gabby biting back her smirk before she nodded. "Sounds fun."

"Yeah, I'm sure it will be." She responded, Matt matching her grin before he leaned forward to capture her lips in a quick kiss, Gabby barely having time to reciprocate the action before he pulled back.

"Alright, well how about you go get cleaned up, and I'll get started on dinner for us." He told her, Dawson's brows furrowing slightly as her eyes flashed towards his lips.

"...So you don't want to join me?" She questioned lightly, Matt's gaze tracing over her tired face before he moved to kiss her once more.

"I'd love nothing more than that," He started, his words soft as his lips ghosted over hers, Gabby pressing another kiss against him before they separated. "But considering it's been months since we've seen each other, I'd not rather not be confined to a shower when showing you just how much I've missed you."

Heat rose to her cheeks as he spoke, her lips twitching up in a grin as he saw the understanding look that covered her features.

"Fair enough." She conceded. "...But showering together better not be off the table the entire trip."

"Oh, definitely not." He told her without a thought, Gabby chuckling softly before the two met for one last kiss, Matt tightening his grip on her back before they finally let go of one another.

Stepping out of his hold, Gabby leaned down beside him to grab her bag, Casey watching her curiously as she took a slight step backwards. "I'm gonna get these clothes in the wash before I shower, they definitely need it."

"I can do it." Matt responded as he reached for the bag, Gabby looking towards him as she relinquished her grip on it. "You go ahead and get in the shower, I got it."

Gabby nodded softly, their eyes locking on one another before she spoke up. "Thank you."

"Of course." He replied, the two sharing one last look before Gabby headed back towards the bathroom, while Matt hung back in the living room for a moment.

When Gabby stepped into the room, she didn't bother closing the door behind her as she moved towards the shower, the woman turning the water on before she began stripping out of her clothes. They were practically caked in dirt and grime, Gabby wincing slightly as she peeled the dirty clothes from her body and letting them fall into a pile on the ground. As she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, it was impossible to miss how the dirt that covered her clothes was also layered over her skin, Gabby even more ready to get cleaned up as her worn down body was definitely feeling the effects of working for so long.

Blowing out a soft sigh, she checked to make sure the water was an acceptable temperature before she stepped into the tub, Gabby pulling the curtain closed behind her as the hot water hit her body. The second she was inside, dirt automatically began to wash off her, Gabby taking a few seconds to decompress as she welcomed the feeling of the warm stream of water soothing her aching muscles.

"Hey babe?"

She opened her eyes when she heard Matt's voice, Gabby reaching out and pulling the curtain back enough to look around as she soon saw him standing in the open doorway.

"I was wondering if you wanted me to throw these clothes, too?" He asked as he lifted up his hand that was now holding the clothes she'd just taken off, Gabby smiling softly before she nodded.

"Please."

"Alright, I will… I'll leave you to enjoy your shower. And you can take your time, dinner will be a bit before it's done." He reminded her, Gabby nodding once more before he left the room, the two soon going back to their own tasks.

Over the next half hour, Gabby got cleaned up while Matt watched over dinner, the simple meal of chicken and vegetables not much to look after as most of his time was spent sitting on the couch. And soon enough, Gabby finished up in the shower, the woman turning off the water and stepping out of the tub. She shivered slightly at the change in temperature as the air hit her body, Gabby reaching out for her towel and drying herself off before she wrapped the material around her and headed out of the bathroom.

When she stepped out into the main part of her apartment, she immediately found Matt's gaze, beads of water from her short hair dripping down onto her skin as he sat on the couch with a soft smile on his face.

"Feel better?" He asked, Gabby nodding in response as she took a slight step forward, it not lose on her how his eyes trailed over her towel-covered form. And by the look in his eye alone, she knew exactly what he was thinking. Though it wasn't as if she could blame him, as the sheer length of time apart left them both feeling a little desperate for one another.

But as soon as the look in his eye appeared, it was gone, the smile returning to his face as he waited for her answer.

"Yeah, I do." She spoke softly as she continued towards her bedroom. "I'll be back out in a minute." She added, Matt nodding in understanding before the two parted ways again, Gabby stepping in through her open door into her bedroom.

Once in her room, it didn't take her long for her to notice Matt's belongings that hadn't been here the last time she was, a soft smile forming over her face as this was just another reminder of the fact that he was here with her. Releasing a content breath, she moved towards her dresser, the woman finishing drying herself off before letting her towel fall to the floor, Gabby pulling out a pair of comfortable shorts and one of Matt's t-shirts that she'd taken back with her. And after a few seconds, she was dressed, Gabby drying out her hair as much as she could as she heard footsteps approaching her room, her body turning around just as Matt appeared in the open doorway.

The second she saw him, it was impossible for her not to smile, Matt reciprocating the gesture as he took a few more steps inside, his eyes tracing over her attire before meeting her gaze. "Dinner's almost ready." He told her, Gabby nodding as she completed her task of getting most of the excess water from her hair.

"It smells great." She responded, Matt nodding as she placed her towel down on the bench at the end of her bed.

"Hopefully it tastes great, too." He countered quickly, Gabby fighting off a smirk as she came to a stop in front of him, Matt wasting no time in pulling her in towards him as his palms came to rest on her waist, Gabby's hands coming up to lock behind his neck as he pulled her body flush against his. "...I took your advice, by the way." He continued on, her eyebrows furrowing slightly as she wracked her brain to understand what he meant, but she was coming up empty. "I brought some extra clothes to keep here," He explained, her face softening as that same wide grin returned. "So I hope you have some room for my stuff."

"Always." She told him before lifting her head up to give him a soft, gentle kiss, Matt smiling into the movement before kissing her back. "I'm glad you did." She added, the man nodding before he kissed her once more.

They stayed in this position for a few moments, neither of them wanting to pull apart as they hadn't had any time like this in months, this feeling like nothing else as Matt wanted to be as close to her as possible.

"God, I've missed you so much." He breathed out when they separated, Gabby's eyes staying closed for as long as they could, his words combined with the feeling of him so close to her causing butterflies to erupt in her stomach.

"I've missed you, too." She repeated his words, Gabby still hesitant to open her eyes as she didn't want to do anything to disrupt the complete and utter peace she was feeling right now. But she eventually did, Dawson finding his bright, loving eyes shining back at her, that look nearly causing her to melt on the spot as it sometimes felt like she was still trying to make herself remember that he was here. That he'd come to Puerto Rico, and flown all this way, for her. That he was here with her, at least for a little bit.

"This time apart… It was awful being away from you for so long." He admitted, Gabby nodding in agreement as he gave her waist a gentle squeeze. "But I'm here now, at least for a few days."

"Yeah, you are." She murmured, the content feeling in her body quickly diminishing as she was brought back to the reality of their situation. But she didn't want to focus on that right now, not when he just got here as Matt pulled her in for another kiss, the two not separating until absolutely necessary as a soft grin covered his face, Matt stepping back a bit only to reach out for her hand.

"Let's go eat." He told her, Gabby nodding before she let him lead her out of the bedroom, the two more than ready to enjoy their first meal together.


"God, I'm so full, I'm never eating again." Gabby huffed out as she placed her plate down on the coffee table, the couple sitting on the couch in her living room as it was more comfortable than the small table in her kitchen. And it also had the added bonus of letting them be closer to one another, as Gabby was sure at least parts of their bodies had been touching the entire time they were sat down to eat, not that she was complaining.

"Mhmm, we'll see if that's true here in a few hours." He teased before shoving another bite of chicken into his mouth, Gabby narrowing her eyes at him before she jabbed his side lightly, Matt moving away from her touch as a soft laugh escaped her lips. "Hey hey hey, that's a choking hazard." He warned her once he swallowed his food, the unimpressed look never leaving her features as she pinched his side once more.

"Yeah, and I think I'm trained enough to help with that." She replied lightly, Matt pausing for a moment before he nodded, Gabby watching as he stabbed a few vegetables onto his fork.

"That is true… I've got the best paramedic in the world here with me, I'd be fine." He complimented, Gabby releasing a soft breath before shaking her head.

"Former paramedic." She corrected him, Matt waving her off before taking his bite of food.

"I'd still want you over anyone else." He commented simply as he chewed, Gabby trying to focus on the sentiment more than him talking with his mouth open.

"You're sweet." She replied softly, Matt nodding proudly before he went back to finishing up his meal.

It didn't take him too long as he was almost done, and after he finished his last few bites, along with eating the rest of the food on Gabby's plate, the two were done with their meal, Matt not wasting any time in getting up to clean up from their dinner as he didn't want the dishes to sit around. But when Gabby began to get up to help, he stopped her, Matt shaking his head lightly.

"I got it, babe." He spoke, Gabby raising her eyebrows before she settled back into the couch. "You sit and relax, I know you've been working hard lately… I'll get this cleaned up."

"Thank you." She responded, her words earning a gentle smile from him before he continued into the kitchen, Gabby keeping her eyes on him the entire time as she wanted to still see him even if she wasn't near him. "And thank you for making dinner."

"Of course." He responded with a smile before returning back to his task.

After a few minutes he'd managed to get everything cleaned up, as it had all been relatively easy to make. And considering there weren't even any leftovers, he didn't have to worry about that either as the entire process took maybe ten minutes. Then soon enough, Matt was making his way back to her, a fresh beer bottle in hand as he held it out to Gabby once he got closer, the woman giving him an appreciative nod before taking it from his grasp while he sat down. And the second he did, Gabby had her feet in his lap, Matt chuckling softly as he glanced up towards her, her body now leaning against the arm rest as a sheepish grin covered her face.

Shaking his head lightly, Matt began to rub her feet without her even needing to ask, Gabby sighing in content before relaxing back into the couch. She was beyond sore, and every move he made felt like heaven as he worked over her tired and tight muscles.

She felt it becoming harder and harder to keep her eyes open as he expertly massaged her feet, Matt watching her with a gentle smile as he wanted to make sure he wasn't hurting her. Though after many years of doing this, he knew exactly how she liked it, Matt able to feel just how much he was helping her.

"How's that?" He asked after nearly five minutes of quiet, the only sounds in the room being from the TV, as well as the occasional gasp or satisfied moan coming from Gabby.

"Perfect, thank you." She replied softly, Matt hitting a pressure point deep in the arch of her foot one last time before he stopped his movements, Gabby releasing a content sigh as she kept her feet in his lap.

"You feel better?" He asked as he rubbed his hand along her shin, Gabby nodding as she looked back towards him.

"I do."

"Good." He responded, Matt patting her legs one last time before gently moving them off his lap. "Do you mind if I shower real quick?" He questioned, Gabby soon shaking her head. "After all the travel and everything, I feel a little gross."

"No, of course not, go ahead… You know where everything is." She told him, the man giving her a small smile before he nodded.

"Alright, great… I'm gonna go get cleaned up, then, uh, afterwards, do you… you think we could talk?" He asked her, Gabby's eyebrows raising slightly. "Just… These last few months were really hard on us, I know we both know that, and I think we need to talk about it." He told her, the woman drawing in a deep breath before she nodded, knowing just how right he was. "I don't want to sweep it under the rug, or act like it didn't happen… Like these last couple months weren't incredibly difficult. Especially because here in a few days we'll be doing the long distance again." He explained to her, Gabby nodding once more as that familiar heavy feeling settled in her gut. "So I just think we should talk about it."

"Okay." She murmured with a small smile, Gabby knowing very well how badly they needed to have that conversation, in more detail than they had back at the job site. And while she desperately wanted to talk things through as well, she hadn't expected him to want to do it tonight. "That's fine, babe… You get cleaned up, then we'll talk." She responded with a soft smile, Matt grinning gently before he got up from the couch, the man nodding as he leaned down to press a soft kiss to the top of her head.

"Alright… I won't be too long." He told her, Gabby nodding before he headed off towards the bathroom.

And true to his word, he hadn't taken long at all, the entire process not even taking him ten minutes to get through. But in that time, Gabby had moved from the living room to the bed room, the woman currently curled up in her bed as she waited for him to finish, knowing whatever conversations were to be had tonight, they'd be much more comfortable in here than out on her couch.

But when Matt finally made his way back into her bedroom, clad in nothing but a towel around his waist, with water dripping down his skin, all thoughts of their needed discussions left her mind, Casey shooting her a soft smile when he saw her in bed.

"Hey baby." He greeted simply, his grin growing as he continued to watch her, Gabby feeling that familiar heat burning in her lower stomach as she was finally close to the man she'd been missing for months. And the longer he stood there, the more that growing need made itself known, Gabby breathing in deeply before she got up off the bed.

He kept his eyes on her as she moved, Matt not entirely sure why she hadn't said anything while she approached him. "You okay?"

But Gabby didn't bother answering his question as she came up to him, the woman grabbing ahold of his face before slamming her lips into his. She could tell she'd surprised him, as Gabby kissed him in a way she hadn't yet been able to since he got here, Matt quickly catching up as his hands gripped her shirt tightly. As the intensity of their movements only seemed to pick up by the second, Gabby's hands roamed his bare chest, her hips pushing into his as he was getting water on her clothes. But she didn't care so much, as she wasn't anticipating being in them much longer.

And if the way Matt was desperately grabbing at her shirt was any indication, he was feeling the same way.

Scratching her nails lightly over his smooth skin, Gabby soon pulled back only for a second as they both began to suck in air, Matt's darkened eyes focused on her as his chest heaved up and down. Before anything could be said, she reached for the end of the shirt covering her body and quickly pulled it over her head, the material falling to the ground as her top half was completely bare.

His eyes immediately moved down to her chest, her face still turning hot under his intense gaze even after all this time, before he eventually looked back up at her, Gabby not wasting any time to kiss him once more as their bare skin pressed against each other. And it was a feeling unlike any other, Gabby remembering just how badly she missed this, their lack of physical contact these last four months making everything harder than it already was.

It wasn't that she only missed having sex with him, that wasn't it, though she definitely did miss it. But it was so much more than that, it was getting to be close to him, to be able to feel his arms around her, to feel that warmth and security only he could provide her. It was a thousand different things, Gabby having missed everything about being close to him. And this, right now with him, was exactly what she needed.

"Gabby…" Matt breathed out between kisses, Gabby recognizing the tone in his voice instantly, her mind soon realizing his reservations as she shook her head slightly, her hands gripping his sides as she was afraid he'd go too far.

"I know we need to talk." She told him, her words barely audible as his lips were still on hers, the two unable to keep distance between them for very long as their desire outweighed everything else. But before this went any further, she needed him to know she wasn't trying to dismiss him, Gabby using all the willpower she had to pull far enough from him to get the words out. "I know we do, and we will, I just-" She cut herself off to breathe, Matt's thumb tracing over her jaw as the wanting look in his eye had only deepened, the man nodding softly. "I need you."

That was all he needed to hear as a small smile appeared over his face, his thumb continuing to move along her skin before he leaned in to kiss her once more, their movements much more soft and gentle than moments prior. But that pace didn't continue for long, as things soon picked back up between them, Matt carefully leading her to the bed. The couple fell down together, Matt holding his arm out to catch himself as not to hurt her, the two in sync with one another as their hands roamed each others' bodies.

In seconds, Gabby got Matt's towel off of his body and threw it to the floor, Casey making quick work of her shorts as well as they were the only thing standing in between them, both of them just desperate to be with one another. And soon enough, they were beginning to make up for all that lost time, Matt moving slowly at first as they were both painfully aware of how long they'd been apart.

But within a few moments, they found that familiar rhythm with each other, the two completely lost in the other as their pants and moans filled the room, their fingers laced together up beside Gabby's head as she let him set the pace. And it was one of the best feelings in the world, as she focused solely on being here with him at this moment, Matt and Gabby both wanting to enjoy their time together as much as they possibly could.

And that's exactly what they did, all night long.


Dawson breathed slowly as she laid on her back in the bed, her body shivering slightly as her bare skin was met by the cool air around them. The bed sheets were down by their waists, the material having fallen down at some point during the night as Matt was passed out beside her, his arm draped over her torso while his head was resting down by her shoulder on Gabby's pillow, Gabby able to feel his steady breaths hitting her skin. His need to be close to her, even in his sleep, was evident, though it was endearing nonetheless as she felt the same desire to be near him, too.

This wasn't how they'd fallen asleep, as when they finally finished in the early hours of the morning, Matt was out by the time Gabby got back from the bathroom, the man fast asleep in the middle of the bed as he wasn't able to keep his eyes open any longer. But then at some point while they were resting, he'd gravitated towards her, Matt bringing himself closer to her as he secured her body against his.

And neither of them had moved since, not even Gabby despite the fact she'd been awake for a while now, the woman not wanting to risk disturbing his rest as Matt hadn't moved a muscle this entire time. With his long day of travel, and then the hours they'd spent in this bed, she wasn't at all surprised to see him sleeping so soundly. But she was grateful for it, as she knew how exhausted he was.

She just wished sleep would come as easy to her as it was him.

Though she hadn't been up the entire night, and she'd gotten maybe an hour or two of rest before she woke up, for whatever reason she wasn't able to fall back asleep, Gabby unable to pinpoint exactly what it was that was keeping her up. She knew she was tired, there was no way for her not to be after how busy work had been keeping her as of late, but for as exhausted as her body was, her mind didn't seem to get the memo. She couldn't stop thinking, and it was becoming a bit frustrating. Especially considering the fact that with Matt by her side, this should be some the best nights sleep she'd gotten in months.

Releasing a soft breath, she soon decided that maybe if she got up and got some water, that would help relax her a little bit, Gabby glancing over towards Matt to see him still sound asleep. The sight brought a smile to her face, Gabby taking a moment to admire him before she carefully began to get out of bed. With him so close to her, it was a bit of a challenge, Gabby moving his arm off of her carefully and resting it down on the bed before she even tried to get up.

Once she was sure she hadn't disturbed him, Gabby slowly started to move, Matt instinctively leaning farther into her side of the bed once the warmth of her body was gone. But he never woke up, Gabby grabbing his t-shirt from the floor and sliding it over her body before she padded her way towards the kitchen.

The complete silence in the apartment was oddly comforting as Gabby made her way to the cupboard, the small light in the kitchen enough to illuminate her path as she quietly got herself a glass of water and started taking easy sips. But the longer she stood there, the more she was beginning to realize this hadn't had the intended effect of helping her clear her mind, as she only continued to think about the exact things she was so desperately trying to avoid. The same thoughts that had been haunting her mind for awhile now, the ones she knew she needed to talk to Matt about, but she hadn't had the chance to. At least not yet.

She only got about halfway through her drink before she heard an unexpected noise, Gabby looking up towards the bedroom just as Matt came into view, the man adjusting the boxers he'd just put on as his eyes looked around the room, like he was trying to locate her.

It was clear he was a little confused, and still definitely tired, Gabby seeing the exact moment he registered her presence as a soft smile formed over his face. "Hey there." He greeted, his voice groggy as began walking towards her.

"Hi." She murmured as he came up to her, Gabby seeing his evident exhaustion the closer he got. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up." She told him, Matt shrugging lightly before he turned away from her for a moment to grab a glass of his own, Gabby unable to stop the sly grin that formed over her face when she saw all the scratches on his back. The scratches she had put there, as his usually smooth skin was covered in deep red marks from her hands as Gabby hadn't been able to stop herself earlier. Though, technically, it was Matt's fault regardless as he had been the reason she wasn't able to stop.

"It's fine." He replied, his words pulling her back into reality as Matt got himself a cup of water as well. "What are you doing up, anyway?" He pressed after moving towards her side, the two standing next to the counter as Gabby continued to nurse the half-empty glass of water in her hands. But she didn't have any answer for him, her eyes averting down towards his chest as his eyebrows furrowed, Matt becoming more alert when he noticed her strange demeanor. "...You okay?"

She raised her head up when she heard the slight edge of concern in his voice, Gabby blinking quickly a few times to force herself to focus, Matt soon seeing her own confusion as his face softened a bit.

"You just seemed a bit restless." He continued softly, Gabby pausing for one moment more before she spoke up.

"You noticed that?" She asked back, Matt having to stifle his chuckle at how she'd answered his question with a question, as that was very much a Gabby thing to do.

"Of course I did." Casey replied, his eyes tracing over her tired features before landing back on her eyes. "I could tell you never really fell asleep."

"I thought you were sleeping." Gabby responded lamely, a small smile appearing over his lips as he placed his cup down on the counter, his hand moving out to hold onto her waist as he gently pulled her closer towards him.

"I was. But that doesn't mean I don't still know what's going on with you." He spoke simply, Gabby breathing in deeply before her gaze moved back down to his chest, Matt starting to become a bit worried at the fact that she still hadn't answered him. "So what is it?"

Gabby gave him another slight shrug as she felt his hand rubbing over her hip, Matt waiting patiently for however long she needed to respond to him. "It's nothing, really… I'm fine." She started, his eyebrows raising a bit curiously. "I just couldn't sleep." She added when she saw the look on his face, though her words didn't do much to lessen his interest for what had her up in the middle of the night. But she didn't bother to elaborate, Gabby drawing in a deep breath as she caught his intense gaze before she looked down towards his cheek, her eyes focusing on his scruffy jaw as his beard had started to grow in.

With his mind still a little hazy, he was confused as to what she was looking at. But after a few seconds it clicked when she brought her hand up to cup the side of his cheek, her thumb tracing over the hair on his face before they locked gazes once more.

"I guess I should've shaved." He murmured, Gabby's nose scrunching up in response before she shook her head.

"You know I've always liked you with a beard." She replied softly, her words causing Matt to chuckle as he turned his head to the side to press a gentle kiss against her palm.

"I know you have." He replied, kissing her hand once more before turning his head back towards her, his eyes tracing over her features as her arm moved down to her side, Matt watching her closely for a moment while doing all he could to get a read on her. "...So what's going on in there?" He finally asked her, Gabby's head tilting to the side as he gave her waist a squeeze. "Why can't you sleep."

Drawing in a slow, steadying breath, Gabby shrugged slightly, though Matt was fine to wait for a more verbal answer as his thumb rubbed over her side. "I don't know... I have a lot on my mind." She responded softly, his eyebrows raising before she continued. "And I… I haven't been sleeping well at all lately, if I'm being honest."

The second those words left her lips a frown formed over his face, his grip on her side subconsciously tightening as her confession left a bad taste in his mouth, Matt finding it hard to not immediately worry about what she'd just told him. It was one thing to have a bad night or two, but if this was a common thing, that didn't sit well with him, especially when he didn't know the cause for it.

Although if how rough things had been between them these last few months were any indication, he was sure that at least had something to do with it.

"I'm sorry." He breathed out, his voice barely audible as she shrugged once more, silently telling him it was fine. "What's been going on? … Why haven't you been sleeping?" He asked her, Gabby gnawing on her bottom lip for a moment while she figured out how to best answer him.

"It's… a lot of things, I guess." She started, Matt nodding as he remained a silent presence by her side. "I've been stressed with work, and, I mean you've seen how it is, it's not always the easiest to get any good rest on the job site." She told him, earning an understanding nod from him as he fought off a yawn, Matt not wanting her to think she didn't have his complete attention. "So that's been tough, because most of the time, I'm there… And then- things with us." She admitted, his face falling slightly as his suspicions were confirmed. "I know this, none of it has been easy on either of us, but there were times it felt especially hard and- I don't know, I just miss you. And all it's been on my mind a lot."

He gave her another nod, Matt offering her as supportive a smile he could as his hand ran over her side. "I've missed you too… But I'm here now."

"Yeah… For a bit." She replied before she could stop herself, Casey drawing in a deep breath as he was starting to get the full picture of what was going on in her head.

"Is that what this is about?" He questioned softly, Gabby releasing a sigh before meeting his gaze. "Because I'm only here a few days?"

She paused for a moment as she thought over what to say, as that wasn't entirely the only reason for her stress. Though maybe more than that, she didn't want to seem ungrateful for him being here at all. She knew how hard it was for him to get time off to make this work, and she was beyond thankful to him for that. But it was hard, because when he first told her how long he would be here, she was just glad to get any time with him at all. And while that was still true, the longer she thought about it, the more five days just didn't seem like enough time with him.

But she also knew no time would ever be enough.

"It's just… it's everything." She replied quietly after a brief second, Matt no less concerned as she clenched her jaw. "I'm so happy you're here, baby, I am. You doing this, this was the best surprise ever, and you have no idea how much I needed to see you," She spoke, her words causing him to smile softly, Gabby doing her best to match his look before she continued. "But I guess I'm also a little sad, because I know here in a few days you'll be gone again, and things will go back to how they've been, and… I don't know, it's just a lot." She deflected, Matt releasing a heavy sigh as he knew there was more she wanted to say. There was more on the tip of her tongue, but she was holding back, and if not for the fact that it was the middle of the night and they were both exhausted, he wouldn't have let her. But now wasn't the time for the conversations they needed to have, and they both knew it. "But I'm so glad you're here right now, I don't want you to think-"

"I know." He interjected gently, Gabby stopping to take a breath before she nodded, Matt's hand sliding around to her back. "I know what you mean." He assured her once more, the man waiting for any sign of understanding before he continued. "Our situation, being apart… It isn't easy. And honestly, there's times it fucking sucks." He told her, Gabby soon nodding in agreement as he pulled her a step closer to him. "And it's something that's always there, even when we are together… That at some point, we'll be apart again. So I get it, and it's okay that you feel that way." He spoke, his soft voice soothing her as their eyes stayed locked on one another.

As they stood here in the kitchen, he could only hope he'd made her feel at least a tiny bit better. That even with the black cloud that seemed to always be hanging over them, she'd be able to forget about it long enough so they could enjoy their time together. And though there was more he wanted to say, a heavy yawn escaped her lips before he got the chance, Gabby's exhaustion clearly catching up with her as he was once again reminded of the time.

Drawing in a deep breath, Matt flashed her a small smile before he leaned forward to press a kiss to her forehead. "Let's just try and get some sleep, alright?" He suggested, his voice slightly muffled by her body.

"Okay." She murmured with a slight nod, Casey giving her another weak smile before he reached for her hand and led her back to the bedroom, both of them hoping they'd be able to get at least a little more rest before the sun came up.


Casey sat comfortably on the couch as he watched his girl move around in the kitchen, Gabby preparing them a couple cups of coffee for them to enjoy this morning, despite the fact it really wasn't technically morning anymore, as it was nearing one in the afternoon. But truthfully, Matt was grateful for that, as the only reason they were starting their usual morning routine so late in the day was because Gabby had actually slept.

He knew how tired she was, how tired she had been even before he got here, but seeing her in person only made him realize just how exhausted she truly was, and after their brief conversation last night, he could see why. But thankfully, after they'd gone back to bed, it didn't take long for Gabby to fall asleep nestled comfortably in his arms, and that was exactly where she stayed until she woke up barely half an hour ago.

When Casey woke up this morning, he could tell she hadn't moved once. Her body was so run down and she was in such a deep sleep that she hadn't even attempted to roll away from him, and that alone told him just how badly she'd needed the rest. Which led to him staying in bed for nearly an hour after he woke up, as Matt didn't want to move and potentially wake her up, the man more than content to just stay put and hold onto her while she slept than to go do anything else.

And admittedly, it was an amazing feeling getting to have her in his arms again. It was something he hadn't been able to do for months, something he'd missed more than even he knew, as Matt had been completely happy to lie there while she slept.

"Babe?"

His eyes snapped into focus when he heard her voice, Matt seeing Gabby still standing in the kitchen as it was clear this wasn't the first time she'd tried to get his attention. "Sorry, what'd you say?"

"I asked if you were hungry." She repeated softly, Casey thinking over the question for a moment before he shook his head, Gabby nodding in response as she grabbed the two cups of coffee and headed towards him.

He kept his eyes on her as she moved, Matt just wanting to soak in as much of her as he could these next few days, his t-shirt covering her body combined with what he knew to be not much more than a pair of underwear enough to nearly drag her back to her bedroom. But they'd have plenty of time for that later, Matt knowing that was something that could wait as there were still things they needed to talk about. Because they hadn't done much talking at all.

"Here you go." She spoke once she got to the couch and handed him his drink, Matt offering her a warm smile before she sat down beside him with her own mug in her hands. She sat facing him, one of her legs bent on the couch as she leaned back against the arm rest, Matt's position in the middle of the furniture keeping her close to him as he angled himself towards her as well.

"Thank you." He replied, Gabby giving him a nod before they both sipped on their drinks, a soft silence falling over the room as the couple were more than aware of the looming discussions that needed to be had. They'd tiptoed around it for the short amount of time they'd been awake, neither wanting to bombard the other with heavy conversation as soon as they woke up, but they had to talk about it. About everything.

Gabby just wasn't sure where these talks would take them. And that worried her. But this wasn't something they could avoid, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before she looked up at him.

"So, uh… There's probably no good way to start this, but I know we both know we need to talk." She started, Gabby knowing they'd get nowhere fast if they didn't just dive right into this. And by the look on his face, she knew he felt the same way. "About a lot of things…"

"Yeah, we do." He replied, Matt gnawing on the inside of his lip as he thought over what to say next, before he blurted out the first words that came to mind. "But first, I want to tell you that I'm sorry."

Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, Matt not missing the slight hint of confusion that formed over her features while he placed his cup down on the coffee table. "What are you apologizing for?" She asked, her words no less unsure than the look on her face as Matt released a heavy sigh.

"Just… all of it. For how… I don't want to say bad, but for how hard things got between us there for a while. Us not talking, and the arguing…"

"You already apologized for that, we both did."

"I know, but we still need to talk about it. We need to talk about all of it, about everything that happened between us these last few months… So it doesn't happen again." He reminded her, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip before she nodded. "Because I am so grateful I get to be here with you right now, but what you said last night, you're right… In a few days, I won't be here anymore. We'll be apart, and I refuse to let things get hard like that again… All that did was hurt us, it hurt you, and I don't want that to happen."

"I don't either." She agreed quietly, the memories of how difficult things had gotten cutting through her like a knife, as the words she'd been holding onto began to flow freely from her lips. "That was… It was really hard, on the both of us. Being apart wasn't easy, and I don't know if that's something we could handle again." She spoke honestly, his eyebrows furrowing as he wasn't entirely sure what she meant, but she kept going before he could ask. "Cause I… I don't think I can."

Things got quiet for a moment, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he felt at a loss for words, her admission taking him by surprise as he tried to form enough of a thought to put a sentence together.

"What… What are you saying?" He pressed, their gazes locked on one another as he saw every emotion she was feeling shining in her eyes. But at this point, he wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. "Do you mean you can't handle us fighting, or you can't handle being apart?" He questioned gently, Gabby swallowing thickly as she blinked quickly a few times, the silence around them nearly deafening as he waited for her to respond.

"...All of it." She replied truthfully, Matt's expression unreadable as he was trying to process what she was saying, Gabby biting down roughly on the inside of her cheek before taking a deep breath. "I'm just… I'm worried about what'll happen to us, Matt."

"What do you mean?" He asked once more after clearing his throat, Casey not wanting to say much more until he had the full picture. But right now, he didn't have the best feeling about what she was saying, as his gut continued to flood with uneasiness.

"I don't know if we can keep doing this…" She spoke, her admission hitting him like a ton of bricks as he felt bile rise in his throat, Matt immediately shaking his head as he was almost afraid of whatever words were going to come out of her mouth next. "I mean, do you? Can we really keep living like this? Being a couple like this? Because I don't know if we can… I don't see how. How we can keep sustaining this, how we can keep being thousands of miles apart, never knowing when we're going to see each other… Look what happened last time, we'd go weeks without talking, and then times we did talk, we'd fight… I can't do that again." She rambled out, Matt breaking through his shock enough to realize this was something that had been weighing on her mind for a long time, and that wasn't exactly a comforting thought.

"You… you told me we'd be okay." She continued on, the heavy tone in her voice not going unnoticed by him. "And I want to believe that, but I don't see how we can be if we're apart all the time... And I just, I don't know, this whole thing has made me-" She stopped herself, Matt's back tightening as he nervously waited for whatever it was she had to say.

But she didn't say anything, Gabby's eyes falling closed as she sucked in a deep breath, Matt never looking away from her as he could tell she was trying to figure out how to tell him whatever she was holding back. Because he knew she was. There was something she needed to tell him, something she wasn't saying, and he was pretty sure she'd been keeping it in for a while.

But they couldn't face it if she didn't tell him.

"Gabby…"

"I don't want to be here anymore." She blurted out, his eyes widening as that was the last thing he'd ever expected to hear her say, their teary gazes focusing on one another as Matt wasn't sure he completely registered the words that came from her mouth.

But that was nothing compared to what she said next, her words like a shock to the system as her unsteady voice hit his ears.

"I want to come home."