Hello hello! I loved seeing your responses to the last chapter, I'm glad you all liked it. I hope you all enjoy this one as well!
Chapter Thirty Five
Matt grunted into consciousness as he heard rustling around him, his eyes blinking furiously while he adjusted to the dim lights in the room, confusion settling on his face as he tried to recognize his surroundings. It took only seconds for him to remember where he was, the feeling of Gabby's weight on him bringing him back into reality as he looked towards the noise, seeing a nurse standing beside the bed.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you Mr. Casey." She spoke in a hushed tone, Matt shaking his head.
"It's fine. What time is it?" He replied hoarsely, glancing down to see Gabby still sleeping peacefully, her body tucked into his side, her arms curled against his chest.
"Around 9:30." She responded, Matt nodding softly as he moved his gaze from Gabby towards the nurse, watching her curiously for a few moments as she was fiddling with all the monitors and the IV, typing things into the tablet in her hands.
"Is everything alright? Is Gabby okay?" He questioned, his curiosity turning into worry the longer the woman stood there.
"She's fine, Mr. Casey." She assured him with a gentle smile. "I'm just updating her chart, but everything still looks good."
"Good." He responded, feeling Gabby subconsciously nuzzle her head further into his neck, Matt remaining still to ensure she didn't wake up.
It only took a few more minutes for the nurse to finish updating Gabby's chart, flashing Matt a small, reassuring smile before leaving the room, closing the door as softly as she could.
Blowing out a soft breath, Matt glanced around the room, still trying to gather his bearings after being woken up. He knew he hadn't slept long, even though he never intended to sleep at all, but he couldn't have been asleep for more than twenty minutes. Though in that time, half his body had gone numb, Matt feeling the familiar tingling sensation telling him his limbs had fallen asleep. He knew that was a sign he needed to get up and move around some, and get his blood flowing through his tired legs.
Glancing back towards Gabby's sleeping form one last time, Matt began the slow and careful process of getting out of bed, moving only a few inches at a time to be sure he wasn't waking her up. After a few moments, he'd managed to get out from under her, gently adjusting her body on the bed, covering her with the blanket. He stood up, gaining his footing as he took a step forward, looking back towards her to check that she was still resting before heading for the door.
Matt stepped out into the bright hallway, carefully closing her door behind him, checking on Gabby one last time before turning away from her room. He stood there for a few seconds, stretching out his extremities and rolling his neck, trying to shake some of the tightness from his muscles. Once he had full feeling back in his legs, he began walking down the hallway, not really having a destination in mind but knowing he needed to be up and moving around for a little bit. He passed a few nurses during his walk down the hallway, flashing them soft smiles as they passed, Matt enjoying the quiet that this time of night at the hospital provided.
He walked down the hallway towards the waiting room on this floor, figuring once he got there he'd lap back to Gabby's room, not wanting to be away from her too long despite wanting to be up and moving around. The last thing he wanted was for her to wake up alone.
Matt got to the entrance of the waiting room, intent on turning around as soon as he got there, but a large mass of bodies stopped him in his tracks, his eyebrows raising in surprise as he saw all of 51 in the room, along with Jemma, some seated and some standing, no one having noticed his presence yet.
"Hey guys." He spoke, unable to hide the confusion in his voice as many heads turned towards him.
"There he is." Cruz responded as Matt walked in, coming to stand in the middle of the group.
"What are you guys still doing here? It's late." He questioned.
"You really think we'd be anywhere else when Dawson's here? She's family. How's she doing, Captain?" Herrmann asked.
"She's okay, she's doing alright. She's sleeping right now." He told them, seeing a few heads nod around him. "I didn't know you guys were still here or I would've come out earlier. I appreciate you all staying for her."
"We're glad she's okay." Otis said.
"Do they know what caused it?" Herrmann spoke up again, Matt's eyes flashing to Kelly who was standing across from him.
"Uh, they think it was just exhaustion." Matt replied vaguely, his eyes looking around at all of them, catching the knowing look on Brett's face. "They've been giving her fluids and making sure she's been eating. With a little rest, she'll be good as new."
"Good, that's good." Herrmann murmured, Matt nodding.
He could feel everyone's eyes on him, Matt ignoring their stares as he turned to Boden. "Can we talk for a second?" He asked, Chief nodding immediately as they started walking away from the group, Matt taking him out of the room and down the hallway, making sure to put enough distance between them and the rest of the house.
"Everything okay?" Boden asked, his arms crossing over his chest as Matt leaned against the wall.
Matt nodded slowly, his tongue running over his bottom lip as he looked towards the ground, his body weight shifting on the balls of his feet. "...Gabby's pregnant." He spoke, looking up as the words left his mouth.
He saw Boden's lips press together, the man's tongue clicking against the roof of his mouth, Matt's eyebrows furrowing in realization. "You knew." He commented, Boden nodding.
"I did."
"Does everyone else?" He asked, looking past Boden back towards the waiting room, the older man shaking his head.
"No, I don't think so."
Matt simply nodded, clenching his hands together. "How'd you find out?"
"Just a feeling. Maybe it was intuition, but I had an idea after you asked to leave shift for an appointment, and then when I heard what happened today… I figured that's what was going on." He explained. "But the baby's okay?"
"Yeah, baby's fine. Dr. Manning and Gabby's doctor both did an ultrasound, everything looks good."
"Good, that's great. I'm glad they're both okay."
"Me too." Matt breathed out, Boden eyeing him carefully. "But uh, speaking of that appointment, those are going to continue. She has to have frequent appointments for the rest of this pregnancy, and I need to be able to be there for them." He explained softly.
"Because of what happened today?" The Chief questioned, Matt shaking his head.
"No, uh- I can't really get into it right now, but this is a high risk pregnancy for Gabby," He responded, a look of worry shining in the Chief's eyes. "And she has to have a lot of appointments and stuff, to make sure everything's okay." Matt could tell Boden wanted to know more, but he didn't have the energy to get into everything right now. "I uh, won't need the entire shift off, I'll just need to be able to duck out for a few hours to go with her, like I did for the first one, if that's okay. I know it's a lot to ask, but I wouldn't if it wasn't important."
"Of course it's okay." Boden responded almost immediately, unable to mask his concern. "I know you wouldn't be asking if it wasn't necessary. Just as long as you let me know the shift before, it's fine."
"Thank you Chief." Matt breathed out, Boden seeing the look of relief flash over his face. "Really. We both appreciate it."
"Anything to help you guys. You two are family, who are now growing their family." He replied with a soft smile, watching a small one appear on Matt's face.
"Yeah… yeah we are." He spoke, almost in disbelief.
"I know you all have to be excited about this. When you two were pregnant the first time-" Boden cut himself off, shaking his head. "I know how hard that was on the both of you. And then everything that happened with Louie…" Matt swallowed thickly as Boden spoke. "You two deserve this. I know you both have been through a lot, but I'm glad this is happening for you guys." He spoke sincerely, Matt nodding graciously.
"Thanks Chief. Me too." He replied softly. "For awhile there, I thought it was something that just wasn't meant to be for us. Despite how much we both wanted it, it never seemed to work out. Then there wasn't even an us…" Matt trailed off, clearing his throat as Boden put a supportive hand on his shoulder. "I just never thought it would happen."
Smiling sympathetically, Boden squeezed Matt's shoulder gently. "Well, you got here. I know it wasn't easy, but pretty soon you'll have your child and nothing else will matter. You two were meant to be parents, that child is going to be so loved. And not just by you two." He added, Matt releasing a soft chuckle. "I am sorry to hear about some of the circumstances with this pregnancy, though. She'll be okay, right?" The older man questioned, Matt hearing the nervousness in his words.
Not wanting to lie to the man he's always considered a friend, he skirted around the question. "She'll have to take it easy for the rest of her pregnancy. She's already been taken off duty for the next two weeks, and if she is cleared to work again, which we're still not even sure she will be, it'll mostly be in a 'stand back and observe' capacity. We have to be careful." He responded, pressing his tongue to the roof of his mouth.
"Knowing Dawson, I bet she's not thrilled at that." He joked, trying to lift some of the heaviness that had settled around them. But it wasn't lost on Boden the way he avoided the question.
"Definitely not. But if it means protecting the baby, she'll do it." Matt replied, Boden nodding knowingly.
Matt glanced down to his watch, blowing out a sigh as he realized he'd been gone much longer than he planned. "I need to get back to Gabby," He started, pushing himself off the wall, "but I really appreciate you being here." Matt began moving back towards the waiting room, Chief following him.
"Of course, but Casey…" Boden spoke, effectively stopping Matt, the Captain turning around to face him. "Are you two planning on tell everyone about the pregnancy?"
"Uh, right now, no. I haven't talked to Gabby about it." He replied. "We agreed to wait until she was through her first trimester, but that's still over four weeks from now. After everything today, though, I'm not sure." Matt explained. "Kelly knows. And Brett and Foster know, they found out by accident when I was talking to Jemma. But other than that, I don't think anyone else knows."
"Alright."
"Gabby and I will talk about it again, once she's home. But right now, if you could not say anything."
"Of course."
Matt smiled appreciatively, the two firefighters walking back towards the waiting room, seeing everyone right where they'd left them.
"Hey guys." Casey greeted, gaining the rooms attention once more. "I really appreciate that you all stayed here all day, and I know Gabby does too. I wish I could let you see her, but she's under strict orders to get some rest. But I'll be sure to tell her you all were here the next time she's awake."
"We understand, Captain. She just had us worried, we didn't wanna go anywhere till we knew for sure she was alright." Herrmann responded, the group nodding.
"She's okay." He reassured them one last time.
"Alright 51, we've done about all we can do. Let's give them some space. Keep us updated, okay?" Boden requested.
"I will." He responded.
"Chief Boden?" Jemma's voice broke through the chatter, everyone turning to look at her. "Would it be possible for someone to give me a ride back to my house? Murray and Turner had to get back to shift a while ago, and they were how I got here."
"Brett and Foster can drop you off, it's not a problem."
"Thank you sir." She responded, glancing towards the paramedics, the blonde offering her a smile.
"You ready to go?" Brett asked, Jemma nodding.
"Yeah, just give me a sec." She replied, the young paramedic standing up and walking the few steps towards Matt.
"Thank you again, for everything you did for her." Casey spoke before she even got to him.
"No need to thank me, I'm just so glad she's okay." Matt pulled her in for a quick hug, rubbing her back up and down lightly as they embraced. "That both of them are okay." She dropped her voice when she spoke, ensuring only Casey heard her words. He instinctively squeezed her a bit tighter, Matt smiling softly as they pulled apart.
"I'm glad she has you, Jemma." He responded, a wide grin appearing on her face, the woman patting his arm before they separated completely. Matt could feel all eyes on the both of them, and as he glanced around the room he was met by a bunch of stares. He wasn't sure what all the looks were for, he just hoped they didn't make Norris uncomfortable. Matt knew the bond of a firehouse was intense, that it was a close-knit circle that wasn't broken into easily. But Matt considered Jemma family just as much as he did everyone in this room, and, aside from himself, she was definitely the person Gabby was closest to. So he didn't understand the intrigued looks from his coworkers, but he chose not to dwell on it. "I'll keep you updated, let you know how she's doing. She'll be off shift for at least the next two weeks, but you should definitely stop by once I get her home. She'll love to see you." Matt told her.
"Are you sure? I know she needs to be resting."
"Trust me, after a few days she'll be bored out of her mind. She'll appreciate your company."
"Alright, that sounds good. I'll talk to you later." She replied, flashing the rest of the group small smiles as she headed for the exit behind Brett and Foster, saying goodbye to Severide as she passed him.
The rest of 51 slowly filtered out, stopping by Matt to say goodbye before leaving. Soon it was just Severide and Boden left in the room with him, Chief speaking up first.
"Obviously, I'm not expecting you to return to shift right now. And if you need some more time off, just let me know."
"Thanks Chief. It'll probably just depend, day by day. But I definitely don't think I'll be able to come in next shift. Gabby will say she's fine, but…" Matt trailed off, Boden nodding understandably.
"I get it. I'll go ahead and get the paperwork in for you missing next shift."
"Thank you." Matt replied, shaking Boden's hand before the man left the room, Matt turning his attention to Severide.
"Boden and I talked, when I get back I'm gonna get your truck and stuff, have squad follow me over here so you don't have to worry about getting back to the firehouse. That way you can just get Gabby home, whenever she's allowed to leave."
"Thanks Kel." Matt replied.
"And I know that turnout gear isn't the most comfortable. Can I just come back to her room once I have your stuff?"
"Yeah, that's fine. I appreciate you doing this."
"It's no problem, anything to help you guys." He replied with a shrug, his eyes flashing over Matt's face. "So, are you really okay?"
Blowing out a sigh, Matt shook his head. "I'm… I'm just glad that they're both okay."
"Me too, man." Severide responded, patting Casey's back before walking towards the hallway, Matt following him. "I know you have tons of people you're having to keep updated, but just let me know if there's anything you need me to do."
"I will. And honestly, I'll probably take you up on that." He replied with a chuckle, Kelly smiling as they stopped at the nurses station.
"I'll be back in a bit." Severide spoke as they began to part ways, Kelly heading for the elevator while Matt started in the direction of Gabby's room.
"Okay." He responded, nodding at his friend before turning around, walking down the hallway towards Gabby. When he got to her room, he looked inside, releasing a thankful breath that she was still sound asleep. He'd been hoping she wouldn't wake up while he was gone, and luckily it appeared she hadn't.
Slowly sliding the door open enough for him to pass through, he grimaced at the noise filling the otherwise silent room. Normally, it wouldn't be a sound that was too loud. But with no other noise, it sounded like the loudest door in the world. When he finally got it back in place, he glanced towards her bed, seeing that she was still seemingly dead to the world. He knew she had to have been exhausted, seeing as how she usually wasn't a very heavy sleeper. But right now it seemed like nothing could wake her, and for that he was grateful. She needed all the rest she could get.
Stepping further into her room, he made a split second decision to take up position in the chair by her bed, not wanting to risk waking her by trying to lay back down with her. Despite his overwhelming need to hold onto her, he refused to be the thing that disturbed her sleep. So he slowly sat down in the chair, bringing his leg up to rest on his knee, relaxing into the stiff furniture.
He knew he couldn't fall asleep, not until Severide got back, the darkness in the room making that task challenging. But he took to focusing on Gabby's sleeping form, her head resting softly on the pillow, her face turned towards him as she slept soundly, bundled up under the blankets.
Matt's head fell forward for the umpteenth time before he snapped it back up, trying to fight off the exhaustion he was feeling. Kelly had come and gone a while ago, Matt exchanging his turnout gear for his shift bag, boots, and car keys. In all the noise of Kelly's entrance, Matt changing out of his turnout pants, Matt getting his belongings, and Kelly leaving, Gabby had yet to wake up.
Now it was nearing midnight, and Gabby had been asleep since after their talk earlier in the evening. He would've been worried had he not known she needed the rest.
But sitting here for most of the evening left him beyond tired, and he was trying to ignore the feeling. He wasn't even sure why he didn't want to fall asleep, but something was keeping him from letting himself drift off. He didn't want to be asleep when she eventually woke up, but it was getting harder and harder for him to keep his eyes open.
"Hey." Gabby's soft voice filled his ears, Matt's eyes snapping open as he lifted his head, seeing her lying in the same position she had been for hours, her eyes on him.
"Hey sleepyhead." He responded, clearing the sleep from his throat. He watched her smile softly, Gabby beginning to adjust her position in the bed.
"What time is it?" She asked, Matt glancing down to his watch.
"A few minutes before twelve. How are you feeling?"
"Somehow still tired." She spoke softly, turning her head to look at something on the other side of her bed. "Can you hand me my water?" She asked, her voice thick. Matt looked over, realizing her small table was out of reach, one of the nurses probably having moved it when they came to check up on her.
"Sure." He responded, pushing himself up from the chair, his body slowly waking up as he went around her bed, pushing the table back towards her, filling her a fresh cup of water. She reached out to take the glass from him, giving him a tired, appreciative smile.
"Thank you." Gabby took a few sips of water, the liquid coating her dry throat before she sat it back down, Matt watching her closely. The only light in the room came from light shining in through the door, but it was enough for her to make out the look on his face. "You okay?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm good." He responded, cupping her cheek as he leaned down to press a gentle kiss on her forehead. Once he pulled away, he began walking back around to his seat, feeling Gabby's eyes on him as he moved.
"I see you ditched the gear."
"Kelly went and got my stuff for me. Everyone was here until about ten, then Kelly brought back my truck and my bag." He explained softly, Gabby nodding in understanding. She watched him as he settled down into the chair, crossing his legs at his ankles as he folded his hands together over his stomach. "You need anything?" Matt asked, glancing back towards her.
"No, no. I'm okay. You can go ahead and get going, if you want." She spoke, Matt's eyebrows furrowing. "I'm just gonna try and sleep."
"Go for it, I'll be right here." He responded, Gabby unable to hide the small grin on her face. The last thing she wanted was for him to leave, but she'd spent her fair share of time sitting in those chairs; whether with Matt as the patient or someone else, and she knew how uncomfortable they were.
"Are you sure?" She questioned, Matt nodding without hesitation.
"As long as you're here, so am I." He assured her, flashing her the smile she knew he reserved for her, warmth filling her body.
"Well, in that case…" She spoke softly, sliding over from the middle of the bed, "will you join me?" Wordlessly, Matt stood from his seat and placed himself on the bed, Gabby moving out of the way as much as she could so he could get comfortable. When settled, Gabby leaned into his side, her arm resting across his waist as they relaxed into each other. From her place on his shoulder, Gabby released a soft sigh, feeling his hand slid down under the blanket to rest on her waist. His hand paused there for a few moments, before he slowly slid further down to rest over her stomach, cradling her still-flat abdomen. A content smile fell onto her face at his actions, Gabby snuggling further into him, Matt placing a light kiss on her forehead.
"I love you." He murmured against her skin, Gabby rubbing her thumb lightly over his side.
"I love you, too."
Matt sat perched on the edge of Gabby's bed, one leg hanging off the side as he waited for her to come out of the bathroom. She'd gone in there almost ten minutes ago now to change, and she had yet to surface.
After a visit from Dr. Manning this morning, Gabby had been cleared to go home, with strict orders to rest. As soon as they found out, Gabby was itching to get out of this hospital room. Despite only having been here for a little over twelve hours, she couldn't wait to get home. Even though they still needed to wait for Dr. Tanner to come and check Gabby one more time, she wanted to at least get ready to go. So as soon as she finished all the routine testing and got her discharge paperwork, she practically lunged out of the bed.
They quickly ran into a small hitch in their plan, realizing Gabby didn't have any clothes to wear home. With her shirt having been cut off her when she arrived, she only had her pants and jacket. But the issue was quickly solved as Matt remembered his spare clothes that he kept in his shift bag, Matt barely having been able to place the bag on the bed before Gabby was searching through its contents, pulling out a pair of sweatpants and an old t-shirt he kept in there for emergencies. With a quick thank you, Gabby disappeared into the bathroom, and she hadn't come out since.
Aside from a chuckle and a soft 'you wish' after a teasing comment he made about five minutes ago, asking her if she needed his help changing, she'd been quiet. And while he knew there was no reason to assume anything was wrong, her prolonged silence was worrisome.
"Gabby?" He called out softly, getting nothing but silence as a response. Blowing out a breath, he got up from the hospital bed, walking towards the bathroom. Just as he made it to the door and was about to knock, he stopped when he heard the glass door slide open, his head turning to find Dr. Tanner standing in the doorway.
"Hey, just here to get one last look at Gabby. Is she here?" The doctor asked, Matt nodding.
"Yeah, one minute." He responded, Dr. Tanner nodding as she stepped inside the room, dragging in the ultrasound machine behind her. "Gabby?" He asked again, tapping lightly on the bathroom door. His eyebrows furrowed as he was met with silence again, Matt reaching for the handle and twisting it, finding it unlocked. He debated on whether to go in or not, knowing if she was going to the bathroom or changing he was bound to get an earful. But her lack of response is what kept him from stopping, Matt pulling open the door slightly, Gabby jumping as she was alerted to his presence. But her being startled isn't what caught his attention, it was the deep bruising on her shoulder and side, the marks apparent as she stood there in his sweatpants and her bra. "Hey, sorry. Didn't mean to scare you. You okay?" He asked softly, Gabby nodding slowly, wrapping her arms over her chest. Turning back to look at Dr. Tanner, he gave her an apologetic smile, holding up his hand to signal he needed a minute before he slipped into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. "Is that from yesterday?"
"I'm okay, just didn't hear you. And yeah, it is. I must've hit the ground hard." She replied, Matt frowning softly at her comment, giving him yet another reminder of how she didn't really remember much from the day before.
"That's what Jemma said." He murmured, unable to peel his eyes from the bruising on her body.
Gabby watched him closely as he stared at her. It wasn't that she was uncomfortable under his gaze, but they hadn't exactly seen each other sans clothing a lot over the last few weeks, and she knew the bruising wasn't pretty. But, knowing Matt, she was sure that was the last thing on his mind right now.
When his eyes met hers, he flashed her a sad smile. "Sorry." He spoke quietly, Gabby shaking her head, reaching for the shirt that was on the counter.
"It's fine… just feels like I've been banged up more often than not here lately." She responded quietly, her voice barely audible.
"Yeah, I know." He spoke just as softly, placing his hands gently on her arms, stopping her movements as was trying to put her shirt on. Her head tilted in confusion, Matt ignoring the look as he dropped his head, placing a soft kiss to her discolored shoulder, keeping his lips against her skin for a few extra seconds, feeling her body relax under his touch. "I love you." He whispered against her shoulder, Gabby smiling softly as she leaned forward, placing a kiss against his neck.
"I love you too." She replied, Matt placing another kiss to her skin before pulling back, his hand coming up to cradle the side of her face.
"Dr. Tanner's waiting for us, so how about we check on the little guy one more time and then get out of here?" He questioned, Gabby's face lighting up at his words. This was the first time he'd referred to their child as anything other than 'baby'. Hearing him speak of their child as an actual person filled her with a feeling she couldn't really explain. But it felt good. It felt right. It reassured her that they were moving in the right direction.
"You're gonna give her a complex." She responded teasingly, Matt letting out a soft chuckle as Gabby pulled his shirt over her head, both items of clothing swallowing her. "Let's go see our kid."
Matt nodded, placing another kiss on her forehead before moving for the door, opening it and letting her walk out before him.
"Hey Dr. Tanner, sorry to keep you waiting." Gabby spoke as soon as she saw the woman, Dr. Tanner waving her off.
"It's fine. Everything okay?" She questioned as Gabby came to sit on the bed, settling herself down on it as Matt came to her side.
"Yeah, I'm fine. A little sore, but okay." Gabby answered, Dr. Tanner giving her a knowing nod as she moved towards the curtain, pulling it around the bed to block them from view.
"Understandable. But after we get a quick look at your little one, you can get out of here and get to resting." She replied, Gabby lifting up her shirt and moving down the waistband of her sweatpants, reaching out for Matt's hand as Dr. Tanner got the machine set up.
When Tanner turned around, she frowned slightly seeing the bruising over Gabby's side. "That's definitely gotten worse since yesterday. It doesn't hurt, does it?"
"No, it's just a little tender. But nothing hurts." She assured her doctor, the woman nodding.
Dr. Tanner barely got the chance to begin the ultrasound when there was a knock on the door, the three hearing the sound of the glass sliding as it was being opened.
"Hello?"
Recognizing the voice instantly, Gabby responded. "Hey Antonio, you can come in." It only took seconds for him to appear around the curtain, a soft smile coming to his face as he saw the scene in front of him.
"Didn't mean to interrupt, I just came to get Casey's keys so I could bring the truck around." He explained, Gabby shaking her head.
"It's fine. Dr. Tanner, this is my brother Antonio." She introduced, the woman smiling softly.
"It's nice to meet you. Are you staying for this?" She asked, Antonio looking towards his sister. He'd love to stay, but he didn't want to overstep and insert himself in this personal moment for her and Matt. But Gabby just smiled, giving him a nod.
"Stay." She encouraged, Antonio glancing to Matt.
"Yeah, man. You can get the first look at your niece or nephew." He spoke with a smile, Antonio nodding as he settled in beside Matt.
The next hour went by swiftly, the ultrasound finishing too quickly for Gabby's liking, Antonio leaving to bring the truck around to the entrance once the exam was finished. Dr. Tanner had reminded Gabby of her instructions for the next two weeks once again before leaving, Gabby's nurse coming in maybe thirty seconds later, pushing a wheelchair into the room. Despite multiple protests, Gabby ended up in the wheelchair, Matt's shift bag sitting in her lap, her discharge paperwork in hand as Matt pushed her through the hallways, slowly getting her to the main exit. By the time they'd gotten there, Antonio was waiting by the truck, the passenger door open, Gabby using her free hand to tighten her jacket around her as the chilly air hit her skin.
After reluctant help into the vehicle, Matt hurried to return the wheelchair, Antonio relaying his plans to his sister, letting her know he'd be by the apartment later in the afternoon to check up on her, as long as she didn't need him before then. With multiple assurances that she'd be fine, Antonio left once Matt got back, Casey climbing into the truck and beginning the drive to their place.
And now they had just pulled up outside the apartment, Gabby ready to get inside and rest. Even though part of her thought two weeks off from work was a little excessive, right now all she wanted was to lie down and sleep. Although the more she thought of it, the more she realized there was something else she wanted to do first.
"Ready to get inside?" Matt asked, Gabby nodding as he stepped down from the truck, grabbing his bag before shutting the door and heading to Gabby's side, standing there to help if she needed.
The couple made their way inside, Matt locking the door as soon as they got in, Gabby releasing a breath of relief now that they were finally home. Matt placed his bag and Gabby's hospital bag on the ground near the door, knowing that all could be dealt with later.
"You wanna go lay down?" He asked, seeing her leaning against the counter.
"I was actually thinking about taking a bath, I feel disgusting." She responded, Matt nodding.
"Want me to get it ready for you?"
"If you don't mind."
The soft smile on his face gave her her answer, Matt shaking his head as he walked towards her. "Of course not. Give me a few minutes." He answered, placing a kiss to the back of her head as he walked past her, disappearing into the bedroom, set on completing his task.
Matt was sitting on the edge of the tub, watching the bubbles slowly rise, checking the temperature every so often to make sure it wasn't too hot. Gabby entered the bathroom, having ditched her shoes and jacket, a soft yawn escaping her lips as she came through the doorway.
"Water's almost ready, you need anything else?"
Her eyes flashed to the almost full tub before moving back to Matt, Gabby pulling the shirt over her head. "You?"
Understanding her one-word request, Matt grinned, his hands moving towards his belt as he began the process of removing his clothes, Gabby continuing as well, the two looking forward to the quiet, comforting moments some time in the bath together would provide them.
Gabby groaned as she mindlessly flipped through the channels, the woman sprawled out on the couch in desperate need of something to watch. From the chair beside her, she heard Antonio chuckle, Gabby shooting him a death glare, his laughing increasing at her reaction.
"You've only been stuck at home for one day, sis. You can't be this bored, already." He spoke with a gleam in his eye.
"This is torture, Tonio. I'm losing my mind." She huffed, turning off the TV and pushing herself to sit up on the couch.
In the couple of days that had passed since Gabby's collapse that landed her in the hospital, she'd done nothing more than sleep and eat. Which, luckily, both of which were on her list of careful instructions she had to follow. But that didn't mean she wasn't slowly going insane. She'd never been one to enjoy sitting around for hours on end, and now that she was being ordered to do so, it was proving to be harder than she envisioned. Yesterday when she'd come home hadn't been too bad, Gabby's body still in major need of rest and recovery, so after her impromptu bath with Matt, that sleep admittedly fell asleep during, she ended up sleeping off and on most of the afternoon. But towards the end of the day, she'd started to become antsy. She felt like she needed to get out and do something. And knowing she couldn't was only making it worse.
"You're gonna be fine, Gabby. Even though you don't think so, your body needs the rest." He replied sternly, Gabby narrowing her gaze at him. "And I don't think you sitting here, stressing over the fact that you can't go anywhere is exactly what Dr. Tanner meant."
Knowing he was right, she gave in, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned back into the couch. "I know, I just hate not being able to do anything."
"I know you do. But really, it's what? Only a week and a half until you go back to visit Dr. Tanner, and then hopefully you'll be able to get back to work. Even though it's light duty, at least it'll get you out of the house." He spoke, Gabby's eyebrows raising. She knew Antonio hadn't been around when they found all that out, and she hadn't spoken to him about it. "What?" He asked, seeing the look on her face.
"You and Matt been chatting?" She asked with a smirk, Antonio chuckling softly.
"Well, what else are we supposed to do when you've been passed out for hours." He teased, the man referring to when he showed up yesterday and Gabby had been sound asleep. Clearly, she'd been the topic of conversation while she rested.
Before she could respond, there was a knock on the back door, Gabby throwing the blanket off her, preparing to get up and answer it.
"Uh uh, nope." Antonio spoke, standing up before she could.
"I'm not disabled." She spoke under her breath, Antonio hearing her comment but ignoring it as he stepped around the coffee table.
"I got it." Matt's voice filled the room, the man emerging from the bedroom, freshly showered and changed from his pajamas into clothes that told Gabby he was planning on going out. She watched him curiously for the few seconds he was in her sight, wondering where he'd be going this early. And why he was leaving the apartment at all.
Craning her neck, she tried to see the back door from her spot on the edge of the couch, but she couldn't get a view on Matt or the person at the door, so she settled for listening instead, ignoring Antonio's movements as her brother sat back down in his seat.
She heard the back door open, hearing Matt's greeting to the unknown person. "Hey man, thanks for doing this."
Immediately, Gabby had a pretty good idea of who was here, her guess proven correct when she heard the squad lieutenant's voice. "It's not a problem. How's Gabby doing?"
"She's alright, hating having to take it easy." Matt responded.
"I can hear you, you know." Gabby called from her seat on the couch, hearing both firefighters chuckle at her expense, the sound of the door closing reaching her ears.
"And I could hear you complaining to Antonio about how bored you are, babe." Matt responded, being met by Gabby's narrowed gaze as she came into view, Kelly following behind him.
"Hey Dawsons." Severide greeted the siblings, coming over to stand across from the couch. "So you're still feeling alright?" He asked, Gabby nodding.
"I am, I'm tired of sleeping all the time though."
"Doctor's orders, Gabby." Matt responded, the woman shooting another glare at him as he walked towards her. "I know you hate it, but it's for your own good. I'll be back soon and you can complain to me about it all you want, okay?" He informed her, leaning down and capturing her lips in a quick kiss, seeing the questioning look on her face as he pulled back.
"Where are you guys going?"
"To go get your car and stuff from your house. When you brought it up last night over dinner, I figured I'd go ahead and go get it this morning, cause Kelly's free today and I knew Antonio would be here to keep you company."
Gabby nodded in understanding, glancing towards Kelly. "I appreciate you helping him."
"Of course." Severide responded, Gabby turning her attention back to Matt, seeing a small frown resting on his lips.
"Do I not get a thank you?"
Rolling her eyes, Gabby reached for his arm, pulling him back down towards her and giving him another kiss, keeping it relatively tame knowing they had an audience.
"Much better." He responded as they pulled back, Gabby smirking at him. She couldn't help but bask in the moment, loving to see him carefree and playful again. It had been too long since he'd been like this, and she wanted to savor every moment she could. "You want anything while I'm out?"
"Well, I wouldn't turn down a bagel." She responded, Matt nodding.
"The usual?" He asked, quickly getting confirmation from Gabby. "You want anything, Antonio?"
"No, I'm good, thanks though."
"Alright, well I shouldn't be gone too long. Try and at least get a little bit of rest while I'm out, if you can." He spoke, Kelly giving his goodbyes to the siblings before him and Matt headed for the door, intent on getting this done quickly.
"Thanks for driving me." Matt spoke as Kelly pulled up outside Gabby's work, both of them taking in the building for the first time.
"It's no problem, you need anything else?"
"No man, I'm good." Matt replied, opening the door and climbing from Kelly's car, snow falling down on him as he stood on the sidewalk. "I'm not working tomorrow, I'm not sure if I'll be there the next shift or not. But I'll let you know." Kelly nodded in response, the two men saying their goodbyes before Kelly peeled away from the curb, Matt pulling up the zipper on his jacket as he began the walk up the short driveway, walking in through the open garage door.
The room was small, only needing room for the three ambulances, but just from his first impression, it looked nice. All three rigs were parked in their spots, Matt thankful for that because that meant Jemma would be here. He hadn't really had the chance to meet any of Gabby's other coworkers, he'd only heard them by name, so he felt better knowing there was a familiar face inside.
Getting to the double doors, Matt walked in, seeing six paramedics sitting in the common room across from him, their heads looking up at the sound of the door.
"Hey Matt." Jemma spoke, pushing herself up from her seat at the table and walking towards him.
"Hey."
"How's Gabby?"
"She's alright, taking it easy. But she's feeling okay." He told her, the woman nodding. "I just came by to get her stuff."
Jemma nodded understandingly, turning around to meet the eyes of her coworkers. "Guys, this is Matt, Gabby's husband."
The paramedics introduced themselves, Matt glad to be able to finally put some faces with the names he'd been hearing about, aside from the one name he didn't recognize, figuring that was Gabby's replacement for the time being.
"Thank you all for taking such good care of her, Gabby and I, we really appreciate it."
"Of course, we're just glad she's okay." Blevins spoke up, Matt flashing him a smile.
"I can show you to the locker room." Jemma told him, Matt agreeing, following her down the hallway. The layout was pretty similar to that of 51, just on a smaller scale. But he could see why Gabby liked it here. "Gabby's is right there." She pointed as they got into the room, Matt seeing her last name scribbled out onto the tape marking her locker.
Matt moved to it, putting in the combination Gabby had given him before pulling the door open, a soft smile coming to his face as he was met with photos of them.
"Do you know when you're thinking of stopping by yet?" Matt asked as he pulled Gabby's bag from her locker, reaching for the coat he knew she'd worn the morning of her last shift.
"No, not yet. I was trying to let her get settled. I figured I'd come on a day where I don't work, so I'm not there too late." She explained, Matt nodding. He slung the bag over his shoulder, hanging her coat off his arm, reaching for her car keys that she kept on the top shelf, holding them in his grasp as he shut her locker, securing the door before turning to face Jemma.
"Yeah, that's a good idea. The earlier she gets to bed, the better." He responded, the two heading out of the locker room. "But whenever you're free, just let one of us know. Gabby will be there any time, and I'm not sure what I'm doing yet but I most likely will be there too. I'm taking it a day at a time, for when I decide to go back to work." He told her, Jemma responding with a nod.
The two turned the corner to walk back towards the exit, Matt's step slowing as he saw an older man standing in the doorway of the common room, having a conversation with some of the paramedics. Based on appearance alone, Matt was able to figure out that this was Gabby's Chief.
"I heard we had a guest in the house." The older man spoke lightly as he caught a glimpse of Matt and Jemma, Casey smiling softly.
"Matt Casey, sir." He introduced himself, holding out his hand towards the Chief as he came to stop in front of him, the man shaking his hand firmly.
"Ah yes, the Captain. We've heard a lot about you around here. I'm Chief Walters, it's nice to finally meet you." He spoke kindly, the smile on Matt's face widening.
"I'm glad I was able to come and meet everyone, too. I wish it were under better circumstances, but it was nice to come see where Gabby works." Matt replied.
"How is she doing? She gave us all quite a scare the other day." He spoke, shaking his head.
"Yeah, she scared herself, too. But she's doing well. Resting a lot. But she's feeling okay."
"Good, I'm glad to hear it. Let her know we're all thinking about her, and are excited to have her back."
"I will, I know she's looking forward to getting back, too."
After making small talk for a few more minutes, Matt excused himself, knowing he still had another stop to make and he didn't want to be away from Gabby much longer. He said his goodbyes, making his way back out into the garage, seeing the city blanketed in white as snow was continuously falling down.
Once Matt had gotten himself and Gabby's things in her car, he sent a quick text to Antonio, not wanting to risk waking Gabby just in case she was sleeping, telling him that he was leaving Gabby's work and would be back soon. He placed his phone down on the seat beside him, buckling up before carefully pulling out into the road, Matt making sure to use extra caution as he drove through the streets of Chicago, ready to be back at home with his girl.
Matt maneuvered his way into the apartment as he held Gabby's coat, her bag, and her food all in one hand, his other being used to open the back door. The first thing he noticed when he stepped inside was how dark it was, the only source of light coming from the few open curtains in the living room, the snow covered ground shining dimly in through the windows. He heard the TV on, but nothing else as he quietly closed the door behind him. Matt kicked off his boots before walking towards the counter, sitting Gabby's stuff down, looking up as he heard movement coming from the other room. Antonio came around the corner a few seconds later, nodding to Matt as he came to stop on the other side of the counter.
"Hey man."
"Hey, how's she doing?" Matt spoke in a hushed tone, mimicking the softness of Antonio's voice.
"Good, she passed out not long after you left. I turned all the lights off, put in a movie, and she was out."
"That's good." Matt mused, moving to go hang up Gabby's coat on the hook by the door.
"So, I actually need to get going." Antonio spoke as Matt turned back to face him. "We had a case come in about an hour ago, Voight said I didn't have to come in, but I figured I'd go, try and help them out as long as you guys don't need anything."
"Yeah, no, that's fine. Thanks for staying with her this morning."
"It's no problem. Can you text me in a bit, let me know how she's feeling?"
"Of course, yeah."
"Thanks. I might be back later tonight, but if I can't get away then I'll definitely stop by tomorrow. Even though I know she's sick of me." He joked softly, heading towards the back door.
"She's already sick of all of us." Matt responded with a chuckle, saying a goodbye to Antonio as the man went out the door, closing it behind him.
Matt walked the few steps towards the door, locking it in place before picking up the bag of her clothes and his shift bag that still sat there. He hadn't managed to get them put away yet, Matt grabbing Gabby's bag as well before walking towards the bedroom, stopping to get a glimpse of her. She was dead asleep, Matt seeing her curled up under the blanket they kept on the back of the couch, Gabby having pulled it until it was tucked up under her chin, her chest rising and falling with each breath.
Getting the affirmation he needed that she was alright, he continued into the bedroom, placing the bags on the bed. He emptied Gabby's bag from the hospital first, putting those clothes in a pile to put into the hamper before tossing the plastic aside. Next he moved onto her shift bag, Matt emptying it so the clothes in there could get washed as well, seeing as how they weren't really sure when she'd be working again. Once completing that task, he turned around, moving towards the dresser. Matt pulled out two pairs of sweatpants and two t-shirts, one set to replace the ones Gabby had taken from his bag, and the other to wear now. Even though it was still relatively early in the day, he had no plans to leave again, and he preferred to be comfortable, knowing today was bound to be spent lounging around with Gabby.
Once he quickly changed and put the extra sweats into his bag, he dumped the pile of dirty clothes that had formed into the hamper, putting his and Gabby's bags on the ground by the dresser before leaving the room, happy to see Gabby still resting just as she had been moments prior.
Going into the kitchen, he made his movements as quiet as possible as he got himself a drink, stopping to pick up the bag of Gabby's food from the counter before walking into the living room. He only got a few steps into the room when he saw Gabby start to shift on the couch, Matt grimacing the second her eyes opened. But the smile that appeared across her lips caused him to lose the sour look on his face, a smile of his own appearing.
"Hi." Her voice was groggy, clear evidence of sleep in her speech as she cleared her throat.
"Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." He responded, Gabby sitting up on the couch slowly.
"It's alright." She spoke, glancing around the room. "Is it just us?"
"Yeah, your brother left a few minutes ago. Got called in for a case." Matt explained, Gabby nodding as her gaze moved towards the bag in his hand. "I got your favorite. Well, two of your favorites. I wasn't sure how hungry you'd be." He told her, seeing her attention on the food. He placed the bag on the coffee table in front of her, leaning down to place a quick kiss to her lips.
"You're the best." She whispered against him, giving him another quick peck before reaching for the bag, hurriedly pulling out her food. Matt took up residence on the couch beside her, leaning his weight into the back of the couch as she sat there and ate. While her attention was on the movie she'd missed the better part of, he couldn't help but watch her, his smiling growing as she dug into her second bagel. Although she'd been eating more since her trip to the hospital, he hadn't seen her eat very much. She'd pick at her food, eating whatever she could stomach, which usually wasn't a lot. It had been a struggle for her to feel hungry enough to finish anything, but it seemed she was getting her appetite back, which Matt was thankful for. She'd always been able to eat, Gabby never shying away from whatever food she wanted. But recently, between the stress he'd been putting on her, and then everything that had happened the last few days, she hadn't been eating enough. He was just glad to see that changing.
After downing a bagel and a half, Gabby settled back into the couch, her body falling into his as she leaned against him, Matt's arm wrapping around her shoulders as she dug her head into his neck. She threw the blanket over both of them, Matt's feet coming to rest on the table, Gabby stretching her legs out over his lap, the two curled together in the middle of the sofa, a content sigh leaving her lips once they finally got settled.
"Let me know if you need to move or switch sides or something," Matt murmured against her temple, "I don't want to hurt your shoulder." He finished, referring to her bruised shoulder tucked under his arm. He knew it was still sore and tender to the touch, Matt making the effort to not put much pressure on it, knowing that even if it was bothering her, she likely wouldn't say anything.
"I will. But I'm okay."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. I'm perfect." She whispered, placing a kiss to his chest before snuggling deeper into him, Matt grinning as he moved his hand slowly up and down her arm.
They were sitting in a comfortable silence, Matt focused on the TV in front of him, feeling Gabby's even breaths against his neck. It wasn't until she spoke up again that he realized she was awake.
"So… you're back on shift tomorrow." She murmured, his eyebrows furrowing at his words. He knew that, on multiple occasions, he'd spoken about how he didn't know when he'd be going back to work, but it quickly occurred to him that Gabby hadn't been present for any of those conversations. Whether she wasn't physically there, or she had been asleep, it hit him that she had no idea he was taking time off.
"No, I'm not." He responded, Gabby lifting her head up to look at him. "I talked to Boden at the hospital, told him I'm taking some time off."
"Matt, you don't need to do that. I'm fine."
"I know I don't need to, but I want to." He responded, bringing his free hand up to push some hair away from her face. "You're okay, and I know that. But you also aren't supposed to be exerting yourself. If I can be here to help you with anything, I'm gonna do it. I haven't exactly been there for you here lately," He spoke regretfully, Gabby swallowing thickly as a frown formed on his face. "So, whatever I can do for you, even if it's just running out to get whatever food you want, I want to be able to do that."
Knowing she wouldn't be able to change his mind, she simply nodded, placing a soft kiss on the side of his mouth. "Okay. But promise me you're not gonna be taking the next week and a half off. I don't want you to miss that much work because of me."
"I told Boden I was taking it day by day." He responded, dodging the question. "So that's what we'll do."
Gabby nodded in response, placing her head back against his shoulder, relaxing her body into him as she adjusted her legs over his lap.
"Well, I appreciate you taking time off for me." She spoke softly.
"There's nothing I wouldn't do for you." He whispered back, feeling Gabby place a soft kiss against his neck, Matt sliding his hand under the blanket, resting it against her thigh.
"I missed this." Her voice was barely audible, Matt only able to hear it because of her proximity to him. "I missed you. Us."
Matt's eyes fell closed momentarily at her words, involuntarily tightening his grip on her. "Me too. But I'm right here." He promised, squeezing her leg gently.
No more words were said between the couple as they enjoyed their quiet afternoon, Gabby dozing in and out of consciousness as he held onto her, Matt keeping his grip secure to assure her that he wasn't going anywhere.
And there's another one. Man, I've enjoyed getting back into the sweet-dawsey. Writing all that angst was making me sad honestly. And I think you all are enjoying more of the cute dawsey as well.
I do want to clear something up, though. Matt's reaction last chapter, it wasn't an 'oh suddenly everything's fine now, and I'm okay with this'. It was him realizing that the way he'd been handling himself and dealing with it was hurting Gabby, and his worry and concern for her took over. He's still struggling with this, he and Gabby both will still continue to struggle with this. But the anger is gone. I should've done a better job of making that clear. I'm not a big fan of the "suddenly everything is fine now!", especially when Matt has valid reasons for worrying about this pregnancy. But the incident with Gabby just made him realize he was taking it out on the wrong person, and that being angry won't help anything. It was a wake-up call for him. I hope this clears up any confusion.
Also, I really love how much you guys are liking Jemma. Truthfully, I've become a little attached to her and she's my favorite secondary character to write. So I'm glad you all are enjoying her as well.
Oh, and, before you go, here's a little snippet of the first chapter for my new story. I can't wait to hear what you think. I'm hoping to get the first chapter up soon!
She never imagined this is where her life would end up. In fact, she envisioned quite the opposite. Though she never pictured marriage this soon, she did like to think she would've found her soulmate by now, the one person she was destined to be with forever. The person who'd love her unconditionally, someone who would always be by her side. She figured she would've met that person already. And she did.
Or she was led to believe she had.
He made her think she had.
For years, she thought he loved her. For three years, he filled her head with lies. He assured her he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, his words being solidified by the ring that had been on her finger for the last seven months.
The ring that, up until a few hours ago, hadn't ever come off.
Two hours ago, she'd been sitting at home with the love of her life. Two hours ago, Gabby had that ring prominently displayed on her finger. Two hours ago, she had a fiance. But now, that was nothing but a memory. She'd not only lost the man she thought she'd be spending the rest of her life with, she lost a life that could've been. All the plans they'd made, all the late nights spent talking about their future, it was all a lie. He never wanted that with her, he strung her along for three years, letting her believe their love had been real.
And she didn't know why. She didn't know why he had done this to her. She didn't know what she did to cause all this. It wasn't as if they'd been perfect. God no, they were far from it. They had their problems; they were both too stubborn for their own good, neither could listen to reason when they got their heart set on something, neither would ever want to back down first. And she knew the last few months had been hard on them, that both of them were struggling. But they were in love. She thought he loved her. But he didn't. And she couldn't help but wonder how long that had been the case.
Gabby needed to know how long he'd been planning on ending things. Was it sudden? Did he just wake up one day and realize he wasn't in love with her anymore? Or had their life together been a temporary thing for him all along. Gabby had no idea how long he'd been thinking of calling off their engagement, of how long he'd been wanting to break up with her. She could only hope he hadn't been feeling like this for long, that he hadn't spent God knows how long dragging her along in a relationship he was planning on ending.
But a part of her knew, deep down, this wasn't a sudden realization. She knew he'd been thinking about this for awhile. His behavior the last few months, how distant he'd been; the coming home late, or not coming home at all. How he'd leave the room whenever he got a phone call. Not only did she think he'd been planning this for awhile, she had a pretty good feeling he'd been finding comfort in the arms of other women while she struggled to keep their relationship together. But still, she believed him. Every time he said he loved her, that he couldn't wait to get married to her, she believed him. Maybe because it was easier than facing the truth. Maybe because, deep down, she hoped things would change once they got married.
But he never meant any of it. For years, she believed every stupid, blatant lie he filled her head with, only for her to be tossed aside like their relationship meant nothing.
And that's how she found herself in this unfamiliar bar, her gaze focusing back on the shot glass sitting in front of her. Gabby picked it up and downed the drink quickly, grimacing as the liquid burned her throat, silently praying for it to numb the pain she was feeling. She'd never been one to turn to alcohol for relief, but after her sure future had been turned upside down, Gabby figured she deserved it. She deserved the moment to not have to feel this particular pain, knowing that this feeling would only get worse the second she walked into work tomorrow and had to face him. She would have to force herself to keep her head high, and not let him see how much his choice had broken her. Even though all she wanted to do was fall apart, she knew she couldn't. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing he destroyed her life. In less than twelve hours, she'd have to walk into that firehouse and pretend that she was fine, that her heart hadn't just been ripped out of her chest and shattered. She would have to deal with all that tomorrow, so right now she figured she deserved a little relief.
If she was being honest with herself, she would gladly never have to face him again. She would put in a transfer, start over at a new house, and begin a new chapter of her life away from him. But she knew she couldn't do that. She refused to let him win, and her transferring houses would be the ultimate victory. She wouldn't leave behind her entire life just because of him. He made this choice, if either of them should have to leave, it should be him. But she knew that would never happen. So her only choice was to face it, walk into work like she was unbothered by what he put her through.
But for now, she knew she didn't have to pretend. She didn't have to deal with him yet, Gabby having stumbled across a bar neither of them had ever been to in hopes that he wouldn't find her here, not that she was expecting him to come look for her after she walked out. Her desire to find a new place was more so the fear of her going somewhere they frequented, only to see him picking up other women to take home, Gabby knowing they'd be going back to the bed that they once shared. The thought was bad enough, having to see it in person was something she didn't think she could handle. She didn't need to see him leaving to go hook up with another woman hours after he ended things, although the unsettling feeling in her gut told her their engagement hadn't really stopped him from doing that in the past, it was just now he had the option of taking them home.
A loud cheer jolted Gabby from her thoughts, turning her head to look down the bar, finding the source of the sound as she saw a few older men cheering on their buddy as he chugged a beer, Gabby quickly tuning out the noise around her again as she stifled an eye roll. Since she showed up to the surprisingly busy pub, she'd effectively ignored the chaos around her, choosing to focus on the alcohol in front of her instead of the people near her. She found herself back in the midst of her own thoughts, not hearing the sound of the bar door opening, or the sound of the heavy boots against the wood floor as the new patron came up to the bar, stopping beside her. She didn't notice any of that, her eyes fixated on the now empty shot glass in front of her. It wasn't until she heard a greeting did her head snap up.
"Casey."
So, I'm eager to hear what you all think! Hopefully you're intrigued! Just a reminder that the story is AU, but I've really enjoyed writing it so far. I hope you guys will like it.
Thanks for reading this new chapter! For those of you still sticking with me and this story, I hope you all enjoyed this one. I can't wait to hear what you think.
Until the next..