Hello there everyone! I'm back with the next chapter of this story for you all, and I hope you like it!
Though before we get into it, I want to let you all know that unfortunately this story is coming to an end here soon. There's only one chapter left after this one, and then I have been thinking about writing an epilogue to close things up. But we're nearing the end of this story, and I'm definitely sad about it. But I had an end point set in mind for this one, and I think it's best to still stick to that.
With all that being said, I do hope you all enjoy this one while we start wrapping things up here. Thank you so much for reading, and sticking by me with this story and it's sporadic updates. Your support means the world to me, and I hope these last couple chapters do justice to the story we should've gotten on the show.
I'll see you all next time. Happy reading.
part twenty one
Casey's eyes were closed as he sat with his head back against his seat, his hand clasped securely in Gabby's while their plane moved through the windy skies into Chicago. There was a little bit of turbulence, both nothing too bad as Matt occasionally stroked his thumb along the back of his girl's hand, the couple happy to sit in relative silence while they got closer and closer to their destination.
That was until they hit another rough patch of air, Matt biting back a slight grin as he heard Gabby curse underneath her breath, her hand involuntarily tightening around his before he leaned his head to the side, opening his eyes a bit to get a look at her.
She was seated in a position similar to him, her head pressed back against the blue airplane seat while her eyes were closed, the one headphone she had in her ear helping to block out some of what was going on around them while Matt gave her hand a gentle squeeze back. Gabby wasn't one to be a nervous flier, but with as shaky as the plane had been these last few minutes he was sure she was just looking forward to getting on the ground, Casey keeping his eyes on her before slowly lifting their conjoined hands up so he could press a kiss to her skin.
The movement caught her attention, Gabby soon opening her eyes and glancing towards him, the sight of his smiling face bringing an almost immediate grin to her lips as he kissed her hand once more.
"I love you." He murmured against her, those words causing her smile to widen before she angled her body to be able to get a better look at him, her knee brushing against the side of his leg as he moved his lips down to kiss the side of her wrist.
"I love you, too." She replied back just as softly, Matt offering her a gentle look before his eyes moved over towards the screen in the back of the headrest in front of him.
"Looks like we should be landing in a few minutes." He told her, Gabby following his line of sight for a moment. "And then we'll be home." Casey added on after finding her gaze once more, seeing a soft look waiting for him before she slowly nodded.
"Yeah, we will be." She repeated, watching him press another kiss to her skin. "And once we do, can you remind me to text Antonio? So he knows we made it back okay." Gabby requested.
"Of course, yeah." He answered, offering her a small smile as she nodded back at him, the air between them going quiet for a moment or two as his eyes traced along her features before he spoke up once more. "...How are you feeling?" Matt questioned her, a quick jolt of the plane causing him to wince as Gabby drew in a deep breath.
"Well, I could do without all this turbulence but I'll feel better once we're on the ground." She spoke lightly, Casey chuckling softly before he gave her a quick shake of his head.
"I will too, but that's not what I was talking about." Matt replied, her head tilting to the side. "I meant being here… Back in Chicago." He explained, as a look of realization slowly started to spread over her face before it was replaced with a smile. "Now that we're almost home, I just wanted to see how you were feeling about all of this."
"I'm feeling good." She told him without missing a beat, Casey gradually beginning to match her grin before she continued on. "It's a little weird, the thought of coming back home.. And I'm still sad about leaving Puerto Rico." She confided in him, getting a quick nod while she spoke as Matt had a first hand look at seeing just how difficult leaving had been on her.
Yesterday as a whole- the goodbye party and saying their farewells to everyone, all of that had been hard and it certainly took its toll on Gabby. To leave behind the life she had known for so long, the life that had pretty much saved her at one point, it wasn't easy to let that go. And it had been even harder this morning to say those same goodbyes to her brother, as in these last 24 hours it truly began to sink in how different everything would be now.
But even with all those feelings, Gabby wasn't second guessing herself or her decision. Leaving behind the life she'd come to love was always going to be hard, but that didn't mean she still wasn't doing the right thing for herself by coming home, as Matt knew she still believed Chicago is where she wanted to be.
"But that was going to be the case no matter when it happened." She continued on, the sound of her voice pulling him from his thoughts before he nodded once more. "And none of that takes away from how excited I am to be back here." She said, those words bringing a soft smile to his face. "Besides, we can always go and visit."
"We can, and we will." He promised her, seeing her grin grow a bit more in response.
"Yeah, we will. So I'm good, I swear." She assured him, just as they hit another rough patch of sky. "Well- I'll be good once we get off this plane." She rephrased, Casey laughing softly once more before he kissed her hand.
"Just a few more minutes, babe." He reminded her, the two sharing a knowing look before she settled back into her seat.
Thankfully, Casey's words hadn't been far off as within ten minutes or so they were safely on the ground, the plane landing without much issue before they began the tedious process of getting off the aircraft they'd been in for a while now. Since they were in no rush, they took their time getting all their things together, Matt and Gabby being some of the last to leave before they made their way into the airport.
Walking hand in hand through the crowded building, the couple started towards baggage claim to get the few bits of luggage that they hadn't shipped, Gabby tucked up close to his side while they navigated the area they knew well enough after all these years.
"So, who's coming to pick us up anyway?" Dawson asked after a few minutes, Matt glancing down towards her before refocusing his attention on the path in front of them. "You never said who you suckered into coming all the way out here." She added on lightly, Casey chuckling in response before giving her hand a squeeze.
"Severide said he'd be waiting for us." He answered her, Gabby clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth before she nodded. "He said he'd meet us at baggage claim, he's there right now."
"We're gonna owe him a lot after this." She chimed in, bringing an amused grin to his face. "Between coming to get us, and letting us stay with him, we're gonna have to find some way to make this up to him."
"Eh, he'll be fine." Matt said with a smirk. "We'll just call it even after all those years we helped him."
"Fair enough." She replied, the two sharing one last look before they continued through the airport to retrieve their luggage.
It took them a few minutes as the airport was certainly busy this afternoon, but eventually they'd gotten to their destination, Casey keeping his eyes peeled around the crowd as he searched for one person in particular.
"Oh- there he is." Matt spoke, Gabby glancing up towards him before following his line of vision out across the room. "And he's not alone." He added on, Dawson's smile growing as soon as she saw who he was looking at, the two locking eyes with their friends before the firefighters made their way over to them.
"Well, look who's finally here." Severide spoke once they were close enough, Matt laughing softly as Gabby nodded. But neither of them were able to get a word in before the person with Severide launched themselves into Gabby's arms, Stella nearly knocking both of them over if not for Matt's hand coming out to rest over Dawson's back as the friends reunited with a bone-crushing hug.
"Dawson's back!" Kidd cheered as she tightened her grip on her, Gabby's smile never leaving her face as she held onto her friend as tight as she could, the two men watching on at the endearing scene while Casey kept his hand over his girl's lower back. "I missed you."
"I've missed you too, Stella." She replied, before glancing towards Severide. "And I've missed you, Kelly." She added on from the woman's hold, Severide chuckling softly before he moved in to join the hug.
"Missed you too, Dawson." He responded as he wrapped his arm around her, the man resting his head on top of hers for a moment before he pulled away. "I'm glad you're back."
"Me too." She answered with a soft grin before she started to pull away from Kidd. But the woman wouldn't let her get very far, Stella practically pulling her back towards her as a surprised breath left Dawson's lips, the action causing both men to laugh as Gabby raised her eyebrows. "Uh- Stella?"
"Just give me another minute, cause you're finally home." She told her, the look of amusement on Dawson's face morphing into a much more sincere one before she went back to hugging her friend. "It's been so weird without you here, and Casey was so miserable-" She started, Severide smirking slightly before he reached out to push Matt's shoulder, the Captain rolling his eyes but staying silent as he knew he didn't have much room to argue. "But now you're back and everything's back to the way it should be, so let me hug you, alright?" She finished, Dawson giving in rather easily as she nodded.
"Alright, I can do that." She replied, while Kidd rested her head on her shoulder.
"You know, I'm back too Kidd." Casey spoke up after a moment, Gabby doing what she could to suppress a laugh as Stella finally pulled back from her. But she didn't go very far as she kept her arm around Dawson's shoulders.
"Yeah, but you've been here so that's not as exciting." She replied bluntly, Severide not bothering to hide his laughter as Casey shot his firefighter a look. "Respectfully, Captain." She added on with a grin while rubbing over Gabby's arm.
"Uh huh, I'm sure." He spoke lightly before moving to go try and find their bags, Gabby stopping to give Severide a proper hug before the three of them followed after him.
"How much did you guys bring with you?" Stella asked as they waited for Casey and Dawson to see any bags they recognized.
"It couldn't have been too much, with as much stuff is at our apartment." Severide quipped before either of them could answer, Stella reaching over to smack his arm as Matt and Gabby both gave him a look. "Hey, it was just a little joke."
"Yeah, it's hilarious." Dawson replied dryly, while Matt tried to hide his smirk. "But it's not much, we tried to send as much as we could beforehand." She added on, Severide and Kidd both nodding while Casey grabbed one of their bags.
"Trust me, we noticed." Severide joked once more, his words earning another lighthearted smack from Kidd while Gabby bit back a scoff.
"Man, you sure do know how to make us feel welcome, Sev." Casey spoke back, Kelly chuckling softly before Matt continued on. "But we won't be a problem for too long, or at least we're not planning on it… We're gonna try and find a place as soon as we can." Casey reminded him, Severide nodding slowly as Matt got the last of their luggage before turning back to face him.
"Speaking of the whole apartment thing, Kidd did pull some new listings for you all to take a look at." He told them, seeing an intrigued look form over Dawson's face before she glanced towards Stella. "I know there was that place you two were looking at a couple weeks ago that you liked, before it fell through, so she's been trying to find some more options for you… Said she saw a few places she thought you might like."
"Yeah?"
"Mhmm." She hummed in response while the group of four started walking over towards the wall to get out of the way of other travelers searching for their luggage.
"Thanks Kidd." Casey replied, the younger firefighter nodding with a soft smile.
"It was no problem, I'm happy to help… Though that doesn't mean you all have to race out of the apartment." She told them with that signature Stella grin. "We're happy to have you guys."
"Yeah, we are." Severide added on with a similar smile. "I know I was giving you a hard time, but seriously we're glad you're gonna be with us for a bit. So take all the time you need, it'll be nice having you all around." He spoke sincerely, Gabby and Matt both giving him assuring looks before they nodded.
"Thanks Sev." Casey spoke.
"Yeah, thanks Kelly. We really appreciate it." Gabby repeated, the friends sharing a smile before Severide looked across the busy room towards the exit.
"So, are you guys ready to get out of here?" He questioned, seeing Matt and Gabby spare a glance at one another before Dawson nodded. "You'll finally be able to experience the Chicago cold again."
Gabby huffed out a heavy breath, Matt doing what he could to fight off the smirk forming over his lips while she spoke up. "Yeah, don't remind me… That's been one of the good things about being away all this time, that I haven't had to deal with winters in Chicago."
"Well, it's just all part of the fun of coming home." Severide teased, Gabby sighing softly while the group around her laughed at her expense. "But you'll be fine."
"I know, I know." She agreed while grabbing one of their bags, Casey and Severide taking care of the others before they started making their way towards the doors.
During their walk, Kidd and Casey ended up a few steps ahead of them while Stella caught the Captain up on everything that had been going on at 51 in his absence. And, more importantly, how things on truck had been going, Matt unable to wait any longer to get updates from his firefighter of how 81 was since he'd been gone.
While they were deep in a conversation about a few calls Matt had missed, Severide and Dawson walked together behind them, both of them content to just follow Casey and Kidd until Kelly spared a glance towards his friend, before he spoke up seconds later.
"Did Casey tell you about the big party tomorrow night?" He asked, the sudden sound of Kelly's voice gaining her attention rather quickly before a small smile began to form over her lips. "The welcome party at Molly's, now that you two are back in town."
"He mentioned something about that, yeah." She replied after letting out a soft breath. "Said Herrmann and a couple of the guys arranged it."
"They did." Severide responded. "Herrmann and Mouch originally wanted to do it tonight, but with you all traveling today I made him move it."
"Yeah, good call on that one." She told him with a small grin. "I'm excited to see everyone, but a late night out after being on a plane all day doesn't really sound too fun." Gabby continued on, a quiet chuckle catching in her throat before she spoke up once more. "But it was nice of you all to set it up, though you guys didn't have to go through the trouble of making it a big party."
"It's no trouble, we all wanted to welcome you two back properly… Especially you." He told her while Gabby glanced up towards him. "I know you were just here a while back, and got the chance to see everyone, but this is different… You're home now, and that's something we all want to celebrate."
The grin on Dawson's face widened before she gave him a small, yet noticeable nod.
"So a party at Molly's is warranted."
"Thanks Sev." She replied, the two friends sharing another smile before they continued out of the airport, the brutal Chicago cold welcoming her and Casey back to the city as the couple was more than ready to get out of here and back to Severide's apartment, where they could start the slow process of settling back into their lives.
Casey tapped his finger against the side of his beer bottle while he sat at the bar in Molly's, his eyes peeled around the room that was packed to the brim with their closest friends and family, as well as a few usual patrons while they moved into the third hour of their celebrations for him and Dawson's homecoming. Though, admittedly, tonight was mostly for Gabby as she'd been passed around from person to person, each one of their friends wanting to see her and spend time with her now that she was back in town.
And it was an impulse Casey understood completely, as the only thing he wanted to do after being away from her for so long was hold onto her and never let go. But seeing as how he'd had the last four months with her, he was happy to let their friends have this time to spend with her, Matt choosing to stay a bit out of the way while Gabby was currently catching up with Brett and Cruz across the room. Although he couldn't help the way his eyes drifted towards her every couple moments or so, the man nursing his beer while he focused on Gabby and the bright smile that was on her face. The same smile that had been there from the moment they arrived earlier in the night, as Gabby looked so happy and content.
But that was something he'd seen a lot from her since they touched down in Chicago yesterday, as their easy first day back left them both feeling great, while also giving them the chance to start getting reacclimated to their lives here. They hadn't done much aside from lounging around the apartment and putting away a few things, as well as looking over some of the apartments Kidd pulled for them, the couple finding a few that they loved and were eager to see. But overall, they'd had an uneventful first day or so back, and that was exactly what the both of them wanted while they continued to get back into the swing of things.
For him, coming back here into his life was easy as he'd only been gone a few months. There wasn't much for him to adjust to, aside from the fact that he was no longer here alone. But with Gabby, he knew it felt a little different for her. Because it wasn't just as simple as stepping back into the life she used to have here. There was some things that were still the same, but a lot was different now. For both of them, things were different, and it would take some getting used to.
This was still her home, Chicago was where she wanted to be, but they were both aware of how they couldn't just pick right up from where they'd been over two years ago before everything fell apart. They were in a place now where they were starting over, and there was a learning curve they'd have to navigate with one another.
But it was something they were excited and eager for, as all that mattered to them was that they were now home, together.
"Hey man."
Casey pulled his eyes away from Gabby when he heard Severide's voice, the Captain glancing his way just as his friend returned to the seat he'd left maybe ten minutes ago, an immediate grin forming across Matt's face as he took notice of how Kelly wasn't nearly as put together as he'd been when he left.
"Welcome back… You finally finished making out with Kidd in the stock room?" He asked as his eyes flickered to the back of the room, just as Stella made her way through the swinging door and out into the bar.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Severide responded with a shameless grin, Casey letting out a soft scoff before he reached out to take a sip of his beer.
"Mhmm…" He said between swallows. "But you missed a button."
Severide glanced down towards his shirt before mumbling a string of curse words under his breath, the man quickly starting to fix his clothes while occasionally looking back towards his friend, seeing the look of clear amusement shining in Casey's eyes while he laughed softly.
"Whatever, don't sit there and act like you're any better." Severide huffed out, checking to make sure his shirt was now buttoned correctly before he straightened out his back. "The amount of times you and Dawson used to disappear back there, we all know you two were-"
"Alright, I get your point." Matt cut him off, his abrupt words earning a chuckle from Severide before he shifted the subject.
"Uh huh… Anyway, I'm surprised you were even still over here when I got back." He spoke up, Casey raising his eyebrows a bit while Kelly nodded backwards. "Figured you would've gone over to Dawson by now."
"Eh, I thought about it, but I'm good here… She's catching up with everyone right now, I'll go over in a bit."
"Yeah, I noticed how everyone's doing the same thing Kidd did to you yesterday at the airport… Only wanting to see Dawson." He teased, Casey laughing softly before giving his friend a shrug.
"Pretty much, yeah." He agreed. "I've seen everyone, but they all want to spend time with Gabby, though I get it. Plus I'm glad she's getting this time to catch up with the house." He continued on, Severide nodding understandingly as he spared a quick glance back towards Gabby, seeing her in deep conversation with Cruz. "I wasn't gone for too long, everyone's seen me… and besides, they'll all get plenty of me tomorrow, too." He finished, Severide's ears perking up before that wide grin returned to his lips.
"Ah yes, the old Captain is finally coming back to 51 after slacking off these last few months." He joked, Casey having to stop himself from rolling his eyes while Kelly nudged his shoulder.
"Believe me, nothing about the work in Puerto Rico is slacking off… I did more there in a couple months than I've done here in years." He quipped, Severide laughing softly before tilting his head to the side.
"Yeah, I don't doubt that. From hearing you talk about it, and Dawson… seems like more work than I'd want to do."
"It was a lot, but it was great. And definitely different from what I'm used to at 51." He replied, Kelly nodding slightly before Casey continued. "But yeah, like you said I'll be back at the firehouse tomorrow, my leave is officially over."
"How does it feel? Getting to be back?" He pushed before taking a sip of his drink, Matt mimicking the action while shrugging a bit.
"It's a little strange to think about, going back to the house. Just cause it's been so long. But I'm looking forward to getting back into the swing of things there, I've missed my job… Hopefully I still remember how to be a firefighter, though." He finished with a laugh, Severide scoffing softly before he nodded.
"I'm sure you'll be fine, that's not the kind of thing you forget." He assured him, Matt mulling over his words for a second while Severide craned his neck to look back towards Gabby. She was still happily enjoying their friends' company, as Herrmann had replaced Brett in the group forming by 61's former PIC, Kelly watching her for one last quick moment before returning his focus to Casey. "What about Dawson, though?" He asked somewhat abruptly, Matt raising his eyebrows when he met his gaze. "Has she thought at all about what she wants to do? With coming back to the firehouse?"
A small grimace appeared over Casey's face, Severide's eyebrows knitting together at his reaction as his friend stayed quiet for a minute or two, before he began shaking his head. "She's gonna look into jobs at other houses."
Kelly paused while taking in his words, Matt watching him closely as he thought over what he'd said before Severide ultimately nodded.
"...Alright."
"What?" Casey was quick to ask, Kelly leaning his head to the side in question.
"What?" He repeated back.
"What was that look on your face for?" He prodded, Severide clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth in response.
"There was no look."
"Yes there was." Matt said with narrowed eyes, Kelly huffing out a breath before he rested his elbows down against the top of the bar.
"It's nothing really, I'm a little surprised is all." He told him, Casey giving him little to go by with his reaction. "I just hadn't thought about Dawson working at another house, or wanting to be at another house." The squad Lieutenant continued to explain. "Even though it's been awhile, 51 still feels like her home… Her wanting to be somewhere else hadn't occurred to me, you know?"
"Yeah, I do." Casey breathed out softly, unable to keep his gaze from going back to Gabby. "It kind of caught me off guard when we first talked about it, but it's what she wants." He explained, earning a nod from his friend once he looked back towards him. "She told me she thinks it'll be better to just move on, so that's what we're gonna do."
Severide looked him over while he took in Casey's words, before he nodded slowly. "Well, if that's what you all think is best then it's what you should do… But I hope Dawson knows 51 will always be her home." He spoke, his strong statement gaining Matt's attention as the two men locked gazes. "No matter what."
"I know, man… And she does, too." Casey responded, Severide smiling softly before he took another sip of his drink, a calm quiet filling the air between them as they sat at the bar, both of them taking a moment to themselves to think over their conversation while the festivities continued on around them.
"That sounds great, Dawson." Herrmann boasted as he crossed arms rested against the tall tabletop, the older man relaxing his weight into the table while a small group surrounded Gabby. "And you were able to finish up everything before you left?"
"I was, yeah… Or as much as I could." She responded with a small grin, her finger moving in a repetitive pattern along the outside of her glass while she glanced between her friends. "I had to delegate some stuff-"
"Oh, I'm sure you loved that." Joe chimed in, his words earning a few hearty laughs from the group while Gabby shook her head lightly.
"It's not in my nature, let's just say that… But I was able to get most everything done myself, I had enough time to really plan out everything. And the relief efforts and all of that, it's all in good hands." She continued on, Herrmann smiling widely as he nodded. "Plus Matt and I have already talked about going back for a visit in a few months or so, so I'll be able to check in then."
"Well, as long as you don't stay there that sounds good." Christopher spoke with a gentle grin, Gabby matching his look while she caught his gaze. "We just got you back, we don't want to lose you again." He added, his playful yet serious tone causing her smile to falter a bit.
"Don't worry, Herrmann. I'm not going anywhere." She promised, reaching her hand out to rest over his arm.
Those words caused the smile on his face to widen before he moved to tap gently over the back of her hand, before giving it a soft squeeze. "That's great to hear, kid… Really, you have no idea how excited everyone is for you to be back in Chicago." He told her, Gabby scrunching her nose up slightly as he let out a soft laugh.
"I don't know, all the hugs and cheering when I got here helped me figure that out." She joked back, the older man matching her laugh before he nodded.
"Fair enough." He replied, just as the sound of Kidd's voice filtered across the bar.
"Hey Herrmann, can you come help me out?" She called, the firefighter glancing back and giving her a nod before he started to stand up a bit straighter.
"Alright well, duty calls… But make sure to come see me some more before you leave, alright Dawson?"
"I will." She promised as he let go of her hand and began to walk away. "Oh, and Herrmann?" She stopped him, Christopher turning back around towards her with a questioning look in his eyes.
"Yeah kid?"
"Now that I'm back, I was wondering if I could get back on the schedule here at Molly's?" Dawson asked, those words bringing one of the widest grins she'd ever seen to his face. "I'd love to start working here again, if that's alright with you-"
"It's more than alright, are you kidding?" He replied brightly, Gabby letting out a gentle laugh before she nodded. "You don't even need to ask, this place wouldn't exist if not for you… We'd love to have you back here."
"Alright, good… Thanks, Herrmann." She responded, earning a quick nod from him before he made his way back over towards the bar to help out Kidd, leaving Dawson back at the table with a few of their other friends.
But they weren't left on their own for very long, as mere minutes later a familiar face started heading towards them.
"Hey, there he is." Cruz spoke up as he was the first one to notice him, Gabby glancing up just in time to see Boden come up to the table. "I was wondering when you were gonna get here, Chief."
"Yeah, I'm sorry I'm late." He responded, Gabby's smile widening when her and her former boss locked gazes. "But I wasn't gonna miss this, welcome back Dawson." He spoke happily, her eyes beaming as the older man leaned over to give her a hug.
"Thanks Chief." She told him, wrapping her arms around him for a few seconds before they separated. "It's great to see you."
"You too, I'm so glad you're finally back." He spoke, Boden taking up residence in Herrmann's previous spot as Gabby gave him her complete attention. "I swear, it feels like these last few months went on forever." He joked, Dawson chuckling softly before she nodded. "But it's nice to have you and Casey home."
"Yeah, we're glad to be back." She replied easily, Boden offering her a small smile before his eyes moved around the table.
"Can, uh… Do you all mind if Dawson and I have a minute?" He asked, the men around them immediately nodding before they started to get up.
"Yeah, sure thing Chief… It was great seeing you Dawson, I'm so glad you're back mama." Cruz reiterated as he came around the table to kiss her on the cheek, Gabby smiling back at him after he gave her a quick hug.
"You too, Cruz. Thank you." She replied, before he and the few other first responders at the table dispersed around the bar, leaving her and Boden alone at the table. "...Everything alright, Chief?" She questioned while he sat down across from her, Boden offering her a small grin before he nodded.
"Everything's fine, Dawson. I just wanted to get a chance to talk to you for a bit… It's been awhile." He told her, Gabby drawing in a deep breath after taking another sip of her drink. "But from my talks with Casey, it sounded like everything in Puerto Rico was going well."
"It was, yeah." She responded with a smile. "Matt and I both were having a great time, and it was so rewarding, getting to help all those people… But it was time to come home, and start getting back into everything here." She said to him, as a soft smile appeared over his face. "Matt especially, I know he's really looking forward to getting back to the firehouse."
"Yeah, we're happy to have him. Some more than other though, cause I'm pretty sure some people on truck had been counting down the days until you all got here, cause they missed their Captain." He joked lightly, Gabby matching his grin as a light laugh escaped through her lips.
"Well, they'll be happy to know Matt missed them just as much." She responded, as Boden gave her a knowing look before shifting the subject.
"I'm sure he has, although he's not the only one people are excited to have back." The older man started, seeing the almost puzzling look that crossed Dawson's face as her eyebrows raised a bit. "There's been a lot of people at headquarters awfully excited about Gabby Dawson being back in town."
"...Really?"
"Absolutely." He said proudly. "You've always been one of the best medics this city has ever seen, so for you to come back… That's gonna get people talking." He explained to her, Gabby unable to stop her smile from growing as she clasped her hands together.
"Well, I'm glad to hear that." She spoke while sitting up a bit in her seat. "I wasn't sure how people would react, with the way I kind of left abruptly a couple years ago, but…"
"You left to do a good thing, that Hatcher requested you for… They recognize that." Boden said strongly, Gabby drawing in another slow, steadying breath. "They're just happy to have you back now, Hatcher especially." He continued on, his words earning a small grin from the woman across from him. "I know he's been splitting his time between here and the relief efforts, but he's had nothing but great things to say about you since you decided to come back… You all have a bit of a history there, and at times you haven't seen eye to eye, but he has a lot of respect for you, Dawson."
"Yeah, he's been great ever since I decided to go to Puerto Rico." She responded. "I know I made his life a little difficult at times, but everything that infuriated him here is what made me so good at my job in Puerto Rico." She joked lightly, as Boden gave her a soft laugh.
"Yeah, I can see that… But when I saw him, he did mention a few other things. Something about you looking for a paramedic position?" The Chief questioned, Gabby pausing for a moment before she swallowed thickly.
"Mhmm, yeah." She replied after a moment. "I'm gonna get re-certified… Hatcher said he'd help me out with that, but once I'm certified again I was gonna start looking into hopefully finding a job somewhere."
"He mentioned that." Boden said quietly. "Though I must admit, I was a little shocked to hear that from him, and not you." He continued, seeing Dawson's eyes fall closed for a moment before she nodded. "And how he was under the impression you didn't want to return to 51."
"I was gonna talk to you about it, when I saw you." She responded, after giving herself a second to gather her thoughts. "I've been thinking a lot about it, and I think starting at a new firehouse is what I need to do. And it's nothing about the house, at all… I love 51, and everyone there. It was like my home, and I'll forever be grateful for you and everything that firehouse has given me, but I wasn't sure if it was the best idea to go back." She said honestly, seeing the Chief listening intently to every word she said. "And even if I wanted to, there's not a place for me there. So after thinking about, and talking to Matt, I decided it was probably best for me to just move on."
Boden went quiet for a moment, the man letting her words truly sink in as the crowd around them kept the two from being in complete silence, Gabby taking a nervous sip of her drink while she waited for any sort of response from him.
"...What if there was a spot for you?"
Dawson's eyes widened slightly as she quickly swallowed the liquid in her throat in an effort to not choke on it, while Boden simply watched her.
"What?" She asked as soon as she gained her voice, the man taking a deep breath before he spoke up.
"I said what if there was a spot for you, on 61." He repeated himself, though that did nothing to help with the confusion filling Gabby's system. Not until he continued to explain himself. "Foster is going to be leaving 51, here in a couple weeks." Boden spoke, that surprised look returning to Gabby's face as she glanced around the room until she landed on the paramedic, seeing her standing over by the bar with Brett.
"She is?"
"She is." He said once more. "These past few months while you and Casey were gone, she's been working towards getting into medical school." He told her, Gabby's eyebrows raising a bit out of instinct. "But a couple of days ago, she found out that she got in… To a school in Boston."
"Wow, that's… That's amazing, good for her." Dawson spoke sincerely, Boden matching the sentiment with a soft smile before he nodded.
"It is. But because of that, it means we'll have an opening on 61 here shortly… A paramedic position that needs to be filled. And of course I thought of you, if that's something you'd want."
Dawson's breath caught in her throat for a moment, her eyes showing everything she was feeling as she tried her best to wrap her mind around what all Boden was telling her. But she was struggling to do so, as she'd spent the last few weeks believing the door to return to 51 was closed, regardless of what she wanted or not. That she didn't have much of a say in the matter, as there wasn't a place for her. But now, that didn't seem to be the case.
"And I know you said you didn't really want to go back, that you want to move on, and that's fine… If that's truly what you want, then that's what you should do. There's no pressure here. But if your decision was influenced by there not being a place for you, it might be worth reconsidering." He said to her as Gabby swallowed hard, Boden looking over her once more before he slowly began to push himself up from his stool.
"So maybe just think things over a bit, and let me know what you decide… Because if everything with your recertification goes well, the spot is yours if you want it."
And with that Boden walked away, the Chief giving her nothing more than a small smile before he moved into the crowd at Molly's, leaving Gabby by herself to think over everything he just told her as she was slowly beginning to grasp what all this truly meant. How she now had the chance to return to the firehouse she loved so dearly, if that's what she wanted.
The only problem was she didn't know. She wasn't sure what she wanted, or if this was a good idea or not. She had no idea what to think. In fact right now the only thing she did know was that she had a decision to make.
And it was one she was sure would have to be made sooner rather than later.
