Well hello there everyone, and welcome to the last chapter of this story.

Sorry this update took me so long. Life has been crazy lately and I've had a lot going on. Then I also kept rewriting a few things in this one, cause I wanted to try and get it right. But despite it taking me awhile, I hope you guys enjoy this last chapter.

Before we start I want to thank you all for your support on this one, and sticking by me through the sporadic updates over the last couple years. It means the world to me, and it's the whole reason I've been able to finish this story for you all.

Also, while this is the last chapter, I will be posting an epilogue hopefully soon, to kind of close everything out with these characters. So be on the lookout for that, as well.

I guess that's pretty much it. Thanks again for reading and I hope you guys enjoy it!


part twenty two


"And in here, we have the master bedroom." The realtor spoke as she stepped inside the spacious room, Casey and Dawson following a few steps behind her with soft smiles on their faces while they continued to take in the apartment.

"Wow." Gabby breathed out almost in awe of the spacious room, Matt running his hand up and down along her back as he looked around. "This is great."

"Isn't it?" The older woman replied with a smile. "The entire apartment has a lot of space, but this bedroom is certainly one of the selling points. With those big, open windows looking out into the courtyard, and the master bath.. I know you haven't gotten a chance to see it yet, but it's an incredible bathroom. His and hers sinks, with a lot of storage. Not to mention the walk in closet."

"This place is sounding better by the second." Casey joked, earning a few laughs from both of the women around him before Gabby moved over towards the windows, her and Matt both taking a second to soak in everything they'd seen so far.

They'd happened upon this apartment by chance, during one of their many online searches over the past three weeks since arriving back to Chicago, and after a few different looks at the photos they quickly decided to come and check this place out. And now that they were here, Gabby and Matt were so glad they had as this apartment exceeded all expectations, the photos not at all doing it justice.

From the moment they pulled into the quiet neighborhood, they had a good feeling about this possible new home for them. They'd seen online that it was a rather new development, that these apartments had only been here for about six months or so, and that was easy to believe from the second they stepped inside.

The entire layout was modern, the open floor plan of the living area and kitchen helping to make the apartment feel warm and inviting, the huge bay windows on both sides giving the space tons of natural light to help make the spacious room feel even bigger. And if that wasn't enough, the two large bedrooms and baths were a great selling point, this apartment having more than enough room for both of them and all their belongings.

Overall, the apartment was feeling great for the both of them, this one definitely nearing the top of the list as out of all the potential homes they'd looked at recently, this place stood out to them the most. And it helped that there was a sense of familiarity about it, as this apartment felt a lot like their first home together. It was more open, and certainly bigger, but overall it had the same feeling, and Gabby found herself comforted by that from the second they walked inside.

And she got the sense that Matt felt the same way.

"So, have you all been looking for apartments for awhile?" The woman asked while Gabby and Matt continued to look around, Casey turning her way first while his girl admired the view through the large windows.

"A couple weeks." Matt answered with a soft smile. "We've seen a few places so far."

"Where are you all moving from, if you don't mind my asking?" She continued on with the smalltalk, as Casey shoved his hands into his pockets.

"We're moving back here." He began to explain, seeing an understanding look start to form over her face. "We both grew up here, lived here most of our lives before we moved for work. But now we're back.. We've been staying with a friend for a bit, while we find our footing and all that, but we've been searching for a new place for us for a couple weeks now."

"Ah, okay.. So I don't need to give you all the 'nice neighborhood', 'this place has everything you're looking for' speech." She spoke with a grin, Casey and Dawson both laughing in response before the former shook his head.

"No, no I think we're good. And the apartment speaks for itself, thank you, though… I work just a couple blocks from here, so we're pretty used to the area." Matt continued to explain, his personable nature working in their favor as he spoke with this woman.

"That's great to hear." She responded, her eyes glancing down towards the paperwork in her hands once she stepped back towards the door. "Well, unless you have any more questions I'll let you and Mrs. Casey have a minute to look things over on your own." She started, Gabby glancing back towards her when she registered the realtor's words. But Matt wasn't phased, the man simply offering her a smile before he nodded. "And feel free to go take a look out in the courtyard if you'd like, it's a great space. Since there's not many tenants in these buildings, and the apartments are so spread out, it's usually pretty quiet."

"We will, thank you." Matt responded, the two sharing one last smile before the woman left them on their own in the master bedroom, Gabby watching her leave for a second or two until her attention was drawn back to the large windows.

They stood in a comfortable quiet for a few moments, Casey looking around between the room and Gabby while she continued to check out everything, his eyes continuing to linger on her before he finally spoke up.

"So…" Matt started, breaking the silence between them as Gabby glanced towards him. "What do you think?"

A soft smile formed across her face at the question, it nearly impossible for Matt to stop himself from matching her grin before she replied. "I love it." Gabby answered truthfully, the bright gleam shining in his eyes telling her that he felt the same way. "Definitely my favorite apartment so far… It's nice, and quiet. The rooms are huge, and I like how it has its own entrance, like our old place." She continued to list off the pros of this place while Casey moved a few steps closer to her, only stopping once he was barely a foot away. "And the kitchen is incredible."

"Yeah, it is." He murmured as he reached out to rub his palm along the side of her arm. "And I agree with everything you said. It seems to have everything we've been looking for since we started searching for apartments." He added while she moved that one last step closer to him. "Plus, like I was telling her, it's closer to 51.. Which is always nice."

She gave him another knowing look before nodding back at him, the two watching each other closely for a moment or two until Matt drew in a slow breath.

"There's still a few more things I want to look at, and check over, but I do think this place is great." He said once more, earning another nod from her in response. "It could be a great home for us… Mrs. Casey."

As soon as those teasing words left his lips she left out a soft scoff, Gabby rolling her eyes despite the smile that started to appear over her features. "Yeah, I'm not really Mrs. Casey." She played along, Matt chuckling a bit before moving his hand up to cup her cheek for a second. "Not anymore, anyway…Not yet."

"I know." He was quick to reply. "But someday you will be… Again."

Her head cocked to the side, the air around them still light and playful as she wrapped an arm around his waist. "You sound awfully sure of yourself." She joked back with her nose scrunched up, Matt letting out another soft laugh before he used his hand to pull her closer.

"Well, I like to think I have a good reason to be. Given the fact that we're here right now." He replied without missing a beat, Gabby biting down on the inside of her cheek, everything seeming a bit more serious now as their warm eyes locked on one another. "So yeah, I think- I know that we'll be married again. And then, you know, eventually- however it happens, we'll have a bunch of mini Gabby Dawson's running around here, too." He continued without hesitation, Gabby giving him a watery smile as the thought of the life they so desperately wanted together flooded her chest with an indescribable feeling.

"I know there's things we'll need to figure out, and we will. But I still want everything with you, that hasn't changed." He spoke with a conviction that warmed her entire body, her smile widening a bit before she gave him a strong nod. "And all of this, being back in Chicago and being here together, this is just the beginning of our lives together." Matt voiced, the words flowing freely from his lips as he needed to get this out. "We're getting that second chance. Or maybe even a second, second chance. And I wish we were never in the position to need one, but we have it and I'm never taking it for granted. So, yes… One day, when the time is right, you'll be Mrs. Casey again."

Tears were sitting in the edges of her eyes as he finished, Matt looking over her face while she tightened her hold on him, Gabby giving herself a moment to breathe before she eventually responded.

"That sounds perfect." She partially whispered, her voice getting caught in her chest as he gave her a bright grin. "All of it, it's- perfect. It's exactly what I want."

"I was hoping you'd say that." He replied, Gabby giving him a soft nod before clearing her throat.

"And besides," She started once more, with a soft smile resting over her face despite the tears in her eyes. "If people are gonna be calling me Mrs. Casey, I might as well live up to that." She said, Matt chuckling in response before pulling her in for a kiss.

Their movements were slow and easy, Casey cradling the sides of her face while she held onto him, the couple losing a sense of their surroundings for a few long seconds as they basked in the warm feeling surrounding them.

But the sound of Gabby's phone dinging interrupted their moment, the woman letting out a soft sigh when they separated before she reached down to see who had texted her. Matt silently watched her while he put a bit of space between them to give her room, his eyebrows starting to knit together a bit when he saw the unsure look on her face.

"...Everything okay?" He asked her, Gabby glancing up at him before giving him a nod and shoving her phone back into her pocket.

"Yeah, everything's fine, it's just from Boden." She started, seeing the curiosity written into his features before his eyes moved down to where her phone had just been. "He was letting me know they got a date for Foster's last shift, it's next week." She continued, watching his face soften in response.

"Ahh." He breathed out, Gabby nodding towards him as they had both kind of been waiting for this news from Boden.

Though Foster's decision to leave 51 wasn't a new one, with her admission to medical school unexpectedly getting pushed back for a few weeks she was able to stay at the firehouse longer than planned. Which had, inadvertently, given Dawson some more time to mull over Boden's offer and think about her future within the department.

"Is that all he said?" Casey pushed when he noticed her prolonged silence, Gabby's vision snapping back into focus as she began to shake her head a bit.

"No, it's not. He also wanted to know if I'd thought anymore about coming back to 51." She told him, Matt running his tongue along his bottom lip before he gave her a nod, like he wasn't sure what to say next while she drew in a deep breath.

When Casey first found out about Boden's offer for her to return to 51, he was ecstatic. That was the only way Gabby knew how to describe it, was that he was just overjoyed at the idea of them getting to work together again. Though, to his credit, once he realized she wasn't entirely sure of what she wanted to do, he tried to hide that excitement just a little bit. Likely in an effort to not influence whatever decision she made, but Gabby knew how badly he wanted them to work together again. That he missed that part of their lives together.

And truthfully, she did too. She missed it a lot, as those last few months in Puerto Rico showed her just how much. And she knew this was her opportunity to get that part of their lives back.

But it also wasn't that simple. For many reasons, it wasn't as easy as just jumping back into the old life she used to have, not when she and Matt had done so well to keep moving forward. Which is why she hadn't been able to completely make up her mind about this. Even with her and Matt's countless conversations about what she should do, and where she wanted to be, she wasn't entirely sure where she stood. Or if it was the best idea to go back to that firehouse.

Though there was that little voice in the back of her mind telling her that she knew what she wanted, she was just hesitant to do it.

"Did you say anything back?" Matt finally settled on, Gabby offering him a soft smile before shaking her head once more.

"I didn't, no.. I'll text him back later." She responded after a deep breath. "Though I'm not sure what to tell him." She added on honestly.

"Just tell him the truth… That you haven't made any decisions yet." He replied softly, Gabby meeting his eyeline once more before she nodded. "...Unless that's changed?"

"It hasn't, no." She responded with a weak look. "At least I don't think it has." Dawson continued, her words triggering something inside him but he chose not to push it. "And I know I need to just make up my mind, especially since there's nothing really stopping me now. Not with Foster leaving, and me getting my recertification last week, but- I don't know…" She trailed off, wincing slightly before she shook her head strongly, Gabby unsure of how to say the words sitting in her throat.

Seeing her uncertainty, Matt gave her a small, yet supportive smile as he closed some of that distance between them, his hands coming up to rest over her shoulders while their gazes locked on one another. "I know this is a big decision for you to make, but you know where I stand on this.. I'll love you, and support you no matter what you decide." He reminded her easily, while Gabby began to match his slight grin. "I'd love to work with you again, and have you at 51, but if that's not where you want to be then you shouldn't go back there. Whatever you choose, it has to be what you want… You deserve to have a job that you love babe, and if that's not at 51 that's okay." He assured her while moving his arms down to wrap around her waist, pulling her closer until she was resting against him. "As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter where you work. Or where you decide to be. I'm here with you no matter what."

His words washed over her for a few seconds, the bright gleam in his eye once again proving to her just how much he meant what he was saying as she gave him a slow, yet sturdy nod before their lips met for another time. Their kiss was soft, lasting just for a moment before they pulled back. But neither of them went too far as Gabby leaned forward to hug herself to him, his hold on her tightening while her head tucked into his chest.

Nothing else was said between them, not for a couple more minutes as they continued to stand there in the empty bedroom, both of them wanting to soak in this moment for just a little while longer.


"What about these?"

Casey looked up from his task at the sound of Kelly's voice, to find him gesturing towards the stack of boxes sitting neatly inside his closet, Matt soon giving him a nod while his hand lifted up to rest over his hip.

"Yeah, those are going." He replied, Severide nodding firmly before he reached down to grab a couple from the stack, Casey's eyebrows furrowing a bit as he watched his friend move through the room. "Those are actually from the old apartment, or what survived from it anyway… But we'll need to take that stuff with us, so go ahead and put it out there with the rest of it." He finished, Severide giving him a nod while he walked past him out of the room, Casey picking up his own box that he'd been working on before following his friend to the living room.

In the short time he and Kelly had been working, they'd made quite a bit of progress in getting his and Gabby's things together, as there was an impressive stack of boxes already up against the wall in the living room. Though admittedly, there wasn't all that much to do in terms of packing given how in the few weeks Gabby and Matt had been back in town, they'd left most of their belongings in boxes, knowing they wouldn't be sticking around the apartment long. But regardless of that, he and Severide had done a lot of work tonight, as they'd gotten almost all of what they could put out here in the living room, before they would- hopefully- be able to start moving their things into their new place here in the next few days.

"I guess this is all kind of full circle, huh?" Severide voiced after placing the older boxes down. The ones that were certainly more worn than the other, after being tucked away in the closet all this time. But that didn't make the possessions they were holding any less valuable, given how at the time, those few boxes were all Matt had left of Gabby.

Luckily, that wasn't the case anymore.

"What do you mean?" Casey asked after snapping out of his haze, Kelly offering him a slight smirk before leaning back against the wall.

"Me, helping you with all this… I was there to move you in here, and now I'm helping you move out with Dawson." He elaborated with Matt could only describe as a proud gleam in his eye. "Although I gotta say, as much as I'm gonna miss you guys around here, I prefer helping you this time."

Matt let out a light laugh, sucking in a small breath before nodding in agreement. "Yeah, I'm with you on that one." He spoke softly. "But I guess you're right. Everything has kind of come full circle."

"And thank God for that." Kelly mused, Matt letting out another chuckle before his friend continued. "But I meant what I said, it will be weird without you two… A part of me can't believe you guys are already gonna be out of here this soon." He continued on, Casey mulling over his words for a moment while watching him. "It feels like you've barely been back, and you're already moving out."

"It definitely is a little fast, but the apartment we found is perfect… I mean you saw it." He reminded him, Severide nodding back at him while Matt offered him a bright smile. "We love it there." He added on, his few words about their new home making him even more excited. Which didn't even seem possible.

When they first started the apartment search, Matt nor Gabby were really in any rush to leave. Though they wanted a place for themselves, they also knew Severide and Kidd were more than happy to have them as long as needed, and they liked being able to be surrounded by their friends. So really, they weren't in any hurry to get out of here. They were just looking around at some places, seeing what they liked and what they didn't, figuring once they found the perfect place, they'd know.

What they didn't expect was for that to happen so soon. But it had. The second they stepped foot into that apartment they looked at earlier last week, the one that reminded them so much of their old home, it changed everything. Because after that one visit, they both knew deep down in their gut that this was their home. There wasn't one aspect of the place they didn't like, the layout and location working perfectly for them as Gabby and Matt both fell more and more in love with it the longer they stayed.

So after their visit, and a few talks later that same night, the couple decided to pull the trigger on the apartment. Then after some talks with the owner, Matt and Gabby were able to make a deal with the landlord and move in early after explaining their situation. Then along with some signed paperwork, the place was officially theirs. In a whirlwind of just a few days, they now had a home. One they'd be getting the keys to tomorrow, and they couldn't have been more excited.

Even if that did mean leaving the comfort of their friends' home earlier than expected.

"I know you guys do." Severide replied after a thoughtful moment, while his feet crossed at the ankles. "And you're right, the place is great… It's not too far away from us, either." He added with a wide grin, Casey laughing softly in response before he nodded.

"Yeah, that certainly was taken into consideration. It's not too far from here, or the firehouse." He reminded him, a knowing look soon crossing Kelly's face.

"Ah yeah, it was pretty close to 51. Closer than here, actually." He told him, while earning a nod from his friend. "Which I guess is always good, being that close to work." Severide said, before an uncertain look pulled on his face. "Or, work for you at least."

Casey grimaced a bit at his correction before ultimately nodding, his reaction not going unnoticed by Kelly as they both knew exactly what was going through Matt's head at this moment. Given how it was the same thing he'd been thinking about a lot these last couple weeks.

"Has anything changed there?" Severide questioned, knowing he didn't need to go into any more detail with his words as Gabby's upcoming career decision was on all of their minds.

Severide hadn't talked with Dawson too much about it, at least not outside of a group setting. But from what little he'd heard from her, as well as Casey, he knew of some of Gabby's apprehension to return to the firehouse. Probably more than most. Hesitation that didn't so much come from the job itself, but rather from what's happened in the past. And given all of that, Kelly couldn't really blame her for what she was feeling.

But that didn't mean that he didn't want Dawson back at 51 with them, as nothing had been the same since she left. And if there was a chance to fix that, he wanted her to take it. The whole house did.

"Do you think she'll come back?" He pressed on with Casey had yet to say a word, Matt's wince deepening before he gave a quick shrug.

"I don't really know." He finally responded, though that gave Kelly little to go on. "I wish I had an answer for you, but I don't. I'm not sure what she's thinking, we haven't talked about it since last week." Matt continued on. "I think she wants to come back, at least a part of her does; she just wasn't expecting this. She loves the house and everyone, but there's just a lot of memories for her there. And not all of them are good… There's a lot of things Gabby had put behind her, and 51 was a part of that. But I also know how much she loves it there, so- I don't know, I'm not sure what she'll decide. All I do know is this is starting to stress her out, so I'm trying to give her some space with it.. To decide what she wants." He finished his rambling, Severide mulling over his words for a moment before he nodded.

"That makes sense." He replied as Casey matched his movement, Kelly pausing momentarily before saying the next thought to cross his mind. "...But what about you?"

Matt glanced up at Severide, finding an expectant look waiting for him while his arms crossed over his chest.

"I mean, I know what you've told Dawson- that this is up to her. But I'm sure you at least know what you want her to do." He prefaced, Matt fighting back a sigh while thinking over how to best answer him.

"Honestly, I just want whatever is gonna make her happy." He replied, seeing Severide give him a small smile. "That's all I've ever wanted, and she knows that. Which is why it doesn't matter to me where she works, or where I'd like for her to work… What's best for her is all I care about here." He breathed out, while his eyes started to lighten up a bit. "And I've reminded her that no matter what she does, nothing changes for us. Regardless of her job, we're still us. We're still going to continue our lives together… So at the end of the day, it's just gonna come down to what she wants to do. I'll be there no matter what."

"Yeah, I figured that's what you'd say." Severide spoke, seeing an almost shy smile grace Matt's face before he ducked his head. "I know you just want what'll make her happy, no matter what it is… Whether it's her job. Or, you know, marriage and some kids." He added quickly, Casey nearly choking on his breath at the abrupt statement from his friend while Kelly let out a laugh. "Yeah, don't think I missed that 'continuing our lives' comment, I think we both knew what you meant by that." He finished pointedly, Matt regaining himself before shaking his head.

"I was speaking more in general, Sev." He countered, despite Kelly's words still sitting heavy in the air.

"But…" Severide prompted, Matt letting out another breath before he gave in.

"But those are definitely a part of the plan… Someday." He spoke, the shit-eating grin on Kelly's face hard to miss as Casey shook his head.

"Yeah, I had a feeling those things were coming." He responded proudly. "Pretty much everyone in the firehouse has."

Matt let out a huff, his head cocking to the side a bit while sizing Severide up. "Is this what you all talk about when we're not there?"

"Mostly." Kelly responded dryly, Matt chucking a bit while Severide offered him another smile. "What? Things get boring when you're gone."

"Uh huh."

"But I am glad to hear that all of that is still part of your future plans." He repeated his words. "Getting married- or remarried, I guess. And then putting a few kids in Dawson." He said crassly, Matt shaking his head a bit in response. "I mean, that was always the plan. How things were supposed to go for you two before, so it feels like maybe the universe is finally just correcting itself, or whatever." He finished, waving his hand in the air a bit as Matt watched on in amusement.

"Let's not get too ahead of ourselves." Casey started with a chuckle. "But yeah, maybe it is. You could have a point… It's what Gabby and I always wanted. And we've talked about it, marriage and kids and all of that… Though the second part will take some time to figure out." He spoke with a grimace, the words coming from his mouth before he could stop them.

Though Severide understood, as even though he didn't know all the details of their struggles with having kids, he knew enough. Enough to understand it was a delicate situation.

"Yeah, I know there are some things you guys need to talk about there, with what you want to do." He added easily, Matt drawing in a slow breath before he nodded.

"We do, yeah. But there are a few options for us… Adoption, surrogacy. Getting a second opinion on Gabby." He confided, Severide nodding slowly while he let Matt speak. "When it's time, we'll figure it out… But right now, I think we both just want to take things slow. Or slow-ish. Enjoy what's right in front of us, being home and everything."

"That makes sense." Severide agreed, Matt giving him a sturdy nod before he continued. "But I know you two will figure everything out… After seeing what all you've been through, and what you've overcome, I know this will be no different." He assured him, his words hitting harder than Casey expected as Severide looked at him. "One day, you and Dawson will have the lives you've always wanted."

Matt swallowed heavily, his eyes blinking quickly before he gave a quick nod, it taking a few seconds for him to gather himself before he spoke.

"Thanks Sev." He said in a whisper, Severide nodding back at him just as the front door burst open, Matt and Kelly both looking over to see Stella and Gabby stumbling in, their drunken demeanor enough to tell the men that they'd had a great night out at Molly's, where they were having one last celebration for Foster before she departed.

"Well hello there." Severide greeted, his and Casey's previous conversation long forgotten as Stella walked over to him, while Gabby made a beeline towards her man as well.

"Hi." Kidd greeted before wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him in for a heated kiss, Matt shaking his head a bit before his full attention moved towards Gabby.

"Hi babe." He spoke softly, the easy smile on her face growing with each step she took until she came to a stop in front of him, Gabby letting her bag fall to the ground heavily before wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Hi." She replied while scrunching her nose, Matt's smile widening while he looked her over.

She was certainly buzzed, the alcohol in her system affecting some of her movements while she lazily smiled up at him. But from what he could tell, she wasn't entirely drunk. Certainly not as much as Kidd as he felt her rub her hand along his lower back.

"Did you and Kelly have fun?" She asked, completely oblivious to Kidd pulling Severide away as they moved to the bedroom, Matt shaking his head a bit before returning his complete attention towards Gabby.

"We did… We got a lot of our boxes out here, ready to go for tomorrow." He spoke, earning a content grin from her before she nodded. "There's a few things left to do, but there's no rush. What about you, did you guys have a nice time?"

"We did." She told him, while locking her hands together behind his back, ensuring he couldn't go anywhere. Though he'd never try. "It was good to give Foster a nice send off, I think she's gonna do well and we all had fun… But I did miss you, though." She told him, her words coming out quickly as the smile on his face grew.

"Yeah?"

"Mhmm." She hummed back, letting her eyes fall closed for a moment while he leaned forward to place a kiss against her forehead.

"Well, I missed you too." He repeated her words, before she tucked her head down into his neck, the position giving Matt the chance to hold her closer while she nuzzled deeper into him. "But I'm glad you had a good night."

"Me too… I was just ready to come home." She murmured against him, her simple words earning a light grin from him while his hand ran up and down her back. "I've been ready."

Casey drew in a deep breath as he listened to her, knowing her buzzed statement held a lot more weight than just tonight. But if anything, that just made the smile on his face grow even more, as he would never get tired of hearing how glad she was to be here, with him. For them to be home, together.

"I know you have." He assured her, kissing the top of her head once more before she pulled back from him.

But she said nothing, her eyes doing all the talking as she gave him a small, yet sturdy smile before reaching for his hand and starting the walk back towards their bedroom, Matt following behind her silently as he had a pretty good idea of how they were going to continue their night together. And he was more than looking forward to it.


"Why am I so nervous?"

Casey glanced over towards his girl as they stood on the sidewalk outside the apartment- their apartment, his eyes wide with amusement while Gabby continued to shift her weight back and forth between her feet.

"I don't know, but you're making me nervous." He replied lightly, his tone causing her to laugh a bit before she reached out to shove his arm ever so slightly. "You know there's no reason to be nervous, babe… The place is already ours."

"I know, I know, I just… I want to get in there already." She rambled out impatiently, Matt fighting off the urge to smile before he gave her a nod.

"I know, but he should be here any minute." He reminded her, giving the hand clasped in his a gentle squeeze.

True to Casey's words, the owner of the apartment complex showed up about five minutes later to meet up with the eager couple. Then after some pleasantries, he gave them the keys to their apartment that they'd signed off on earlier, knowing that neither of them were looking to wait around much longer.

"Congratulations, you two." The older man spoke softly, Gabby and Matt both smiling his way while the latter grasped their new apartment keys tightly in his hand. "I hope you enjoy living here."

"I know we will. Thanks again for all your help." Matt told him, the man nodding appreciatively while giving them a few quick reminders before heading on his way, leaving them alone outside their brand new home.

Drawing in a slow breath, Gabby and Matt took a second to look at their new place before they slowly started towards the front door, the significance of this moment not lost on either of them as they had taken that first big step in getting back into their lives here in Chicago.

"You ready?" Matt asked after a moment while they stood in front of the door, Gabby tearing her eyes away from the building to look at him, her wide smile infectious before she nodded happily. "Alright." He breathed out before he moved to slide the key into the lock.

But before he could open the door, he felt Gabby reach out to stop him, her hand resting over his as she abruptly spoke up.

"Wait-" She started, Matt raising his eyebrows curiously as he turned his body to face her. "Before we go in there and start this part of our lives, there's something I want to tell you."

Her words did nothing to help with his confusion, but he nodded nonetheless, Matt giving her a small smile before he reached out to rest his hand over her arm. "Okay." He encouraged, Gabby smiling softly as she continued on.

"I've, uh… I've been doing some thinking. About what I want to do, with work." She started, Casey keeping his face relaxed while giving her another nod. "It's been on my mind for a while, but with everything after last night and saying goodbye to Foster, and realizing that I'm being given this opportunity to get part of my life back, I just… I know what I want. And what I want is to go back to 51."

The air turned quiet around them, Gabby watching him with hopeful eyes as he looked over her features. Almost like he needed the assurance she was telling him the truth before a wide and ecstatic smile broke out across his face, that response giving her the courage to continue as she slowly matched his grin.

"A part of me knew what I wanted from the moment Boden offered me the spot, but I needed to be sure." She continued on, Casey's beaming demeanor never faltering as he reached out to grab ahold of her hand. "I didn't want to just jump back into anything without knowing that this is where I wanted to be, but it is. There's not a doubt in my mind that 51 is the place for me." She promised, those words sparking that signature Casey grin to grace his lips.

"You're positive?" He questioned her, though he already knew the answer before he even spoke. But he still felt like he had to check just once.

"I am." She repeated while squeezing his palm. "51 is my home, it's our home." She told him, as his glistening eyes stayed focused on her. "And now that we're back here together, I want us to be at work together too… I want that part of our lives back. That firehouse, it's the entire reason we're here now. It's such a big part of you and me, and our relationship. And I want that back, I want all of it." Gabby breathed out, smiling shyly before she said the next thought that came to her mind. "...Which is why I called Boden this morning, and told him the same thing."

Matt's eyes widened out of pure surprise, before the shock in his features settled into a much easier smile, the look on her face causing Gabby's heart to tug in her chest while their gazes locked on one another.

"I told him I want the job, that I want to come back to 51… And I'm supposed to start the shift after next. I hope that's okay-"

Gabby was cut off by his lips pressing suddenly into hers, the smile on her face growing before she began kissing him back. His free arm wrapped around her body, holding her close to him while her hand came up to cradle his neck, the two moving in that familiar rhythm with one another as he held back none of his emotions, Matt's pure joy and excitement impossible to miss once they pulled back and rested their foreheads against one another.

"...I guess that answers my question." She spoke through shallow breaths, Gabby feeling her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to replace the air in her lungs that she'd lost, Matt doing much of the same as a small grin reappeared across his lips.

"Of course it's okay, it's more than okay." He breathed out, his chest heaving as he finally pulled back from her to meet her eyes yet again. "The second I found out Boden wanted you back on 61, I was hoping you'd take it. I just wanted it to be your decision, but I'm so glad to have you back at the house, baby." He murmured before moving in to steal yet another kiss.

Though Gabby was much more prepared this time around, his hands gripping onto him tightly while they celebrated this great news together, both of them completely oblivious to the world around them until they eventually separated.

"I'm excited, too." She replied after a moment, lacing her fingers through his while her smile widened. "It all just felt right, like it was meant to happen this way. And I couldn't wait any longer to tell you." Gabby added, the loving look covering Matt's face flooding her entire body with warmth before she continued on. "I wanted you to know before we went in there. But now that you do, are you ready to see our new home?"

That soft grin came to his face once more, but this time for a different reason as he was suddenly reminded of what they were doing in the first place before Gabby had dropped that news on him, a light chuckle leaving the back of his throat as he gave her hand a squeeze.

"I am." He told her, Matt bringing their conjoined hands up to gently kiss her knuckles before he reached out towards the door once more. "...You ready?"

"More than ready." She promised, the two taking deep breaths before he slowly pushed the door open.

And with their hands still clasped together, Matt and Gabby took those first steps into their new home, waves of emotions rushing through both of them as they took in the place that was officially theirs for the first time. The place they'd call home, the one where they'd be starting this next chapter of their lives with each other.

Everything looked the same as it had when they last saw it, but somehow it all felt different. And they both knew it, Gabby eyeing Matt when they came to a stop in the living room, the couple sharing easy smiles before Casey took a slight step towards her.

"This is our home." She spoke with the most content look he had ever seen, a heavy sense of peace filling the air as he gave her a nod before moving in to kiss her with everything he had, Matt only pulling back once he finally had to.

"...It's our home."


Dawson slung her bag up over her shoulder as she stood out on the sidewalk, her eyes focused on the familiar building while she took a few steadying breaths.

It was early, the cold Chicago air nipping at her skin. But still, she didn't move, Gabby instead needing a few more moments to gather her bearings before walking back into that firehouse for the first time since she left. Or what felt like the first time rather, as today was the day that changed everything.

Because it was her first day back at Firehouse 51.

Wearing the uniform that she had once practically lived in, Gabby forced herself to take another breath in hopes of dispelling some of the anxious feelings rising in her gut. She was nervous, but they were good nerves, Dawson noticing a soft smile beginning to tug on her lips as she couldn't help but relish in how good it felt to be back here.

And that feeling was just yet another reminder of how she had made the right choice.

"You alright?"

Gabby was pulled from her thoughts when she heard Matt's voice, accompanied by an arm wrapping around her waist as she turned to see him now by her side, the small grin on his face causing her to relax even more before she gave him a nod.

"I am." She replied, seeing her breath mix into the air while he gave her hip a squeeze. "I'm great."

The strength in her voice causing him to smile as well before he leaned forward to press a quick kiss to her cheek. One that conveyed more than maybe anything else could as the magnitude of this moment wasn't lost on either of them. Because this wasn't just Gabby returning to the firehouse, it was them regaining more of what they had lost. Them getting back what their separation had taken from them, while learning from those mistakes made in the past. Like this was part of that brand new start for them here.

And all of it just made Gabby realize that for the first time since their world fell apart, now it was like everything was finally falling back into place.

Which was something she would spend the rest of her life being grateful for.

"Alright…" Matt's voice interrupted her thoughts once more, his lips lingering over her skin before he pulled back from her. Just enough to where he could see her, the gentle smile on his face causing her heart to swell in her chest before he guided her to take a step forward towards the firehouse that always had been, and would always be, her home.

"Then let's get to work, Dawson."


And there we have it. The last chapter of this story.

It's been quite a ride, and one more time I wanna say thank you so, so much to everyone who has been reading this story and stuck by me through all of it. It means so much to me to know how many of you have enjoyed this one. You all have been so incredibly kind to me, and it means everything. I hope this last chapter was able to do this story justice, and that you all enjoyed reading it.

As I mentioned above, there will be an epilogue coming soon to sort of wrap up this version of Matt and Gabby, and get a glimpse into where life has taken them. So be on the lookout for that here soon.

But that's pretty much all I've got you for all. Thank you so much again for everything, and I can't wait to hear what you think.