Hi. First off, I just want to apologize for no update on Thursday. Last week was crazy busy, and I wasn't able to get this chapter finished in time. I didn't want to just throw something together and post it, so I decided to wait and just upload it today. And honestly, I needed a little break. I probably could've gotten a chapter up last week, but it wouldn't have been good, and I definitely would've gone a little insane trying to finish it. I've been feeling a little burnt out lately, so I decided to let myself have a few days to breathe a little bit when it comes to writing, especially because I was already super busy. But I am sorry, because I know many of you are always watching for when I'm going to update. I mentioned in my other story there wouldn't be an update until today, but I know not all of you read that one, so I just wanted to apologize here as well. Hopefully you all enjoy this one.
Thank you all for sticking with me. Happy reading.
Chapter Sixty Four
"How are you feeling?" Matt asked as they strolled through the park, moving slowly as Gabby pushed the empty stroller, them bringing it more for a walking aid than to actually carry their daughter.
"I'm good, babe." She responded, glancing over to see him with his hand on Sofia's back as their little girl slept against his chest. When they got to the park a little less than half an hour ago, Gabby and Matt had gotten Sofia comfortably placed against her dad in the baby carrier he had strapped to his body, keeping her safe and secure with her head resting against his chest. It was the easiest way they found to keep Sofia content when they'd be out and about, the girl almost the most comfortable when she was curled up with one of her parents, and the baby carrier allowed them to still have use of their arms. And as an added bonus, Matt absolutely loved walking around with Sofia strapped to his chest. He wasn't sure why, but it elicited a paternal feeling in him that he loved.
"You're not too sore or anything? We can take a break, there's a bench up there." He offered as they continued to slowly stroll down the paved path.
"Matt, the whole point of this was for me to actually get out and walk." She replied lightly, Matt moving his hand up and down Sofia's back as he matched her pace. "You forcing me to bring along this stroller was bad enough, we don't need to stop every ten minutes."
"Dr. Tanner said it was good to sometimes have something to use when you start moving around a lot more again." He responded with a shrug, glancing down to make sure Sofia was still sound asleep, the gentle swaying of his body while he walked keeping her deep within her slumber. "And I know we're doing this so you can get out more, but you also don't need to overdo it." He countered with a soft smirk, Gabby rolling her eyes as they kept moving, Dawson flipping him off as they walked past the nearest bench before he could offer for them to take a break. Matt's eyebrows raised in amusement, a slight scoff escaping his lips as he shook his head. "Miss Dawson, that is not very nice." He muttered, bringing his free hand around to her back, rubbing lightly down to her hip.
"That's Mrs. Casey to you- hey!" She smacked his shoulder when she felt him pinch her, Matt's hand having slid down lower than she realized as she swatted him away. "Watch it." She warned, Matt chuckling as he gave her another pinch before sliding his hand back up to her waist.
"What? Just showing my appreciation for my beautiful wife." He spoke, slowing down his steps as he leaned down, pressing a kiss to the side of her head.
"And I appreciate it, but maybe show your appreciation somewhere a little more private… maybe somewhere it won't get us arrested." She responded with a laugh, Casey blowing out a breath.
"Fair point. Although I can't exactly show you my full appreciation yet…" He replied, Gabby cocking her head to the side.
"It's less than a week until I go and most likely get my all clear from Dr. Tanner, you can't hold out until then? You've already lasted this long." She mused with raised eyebrows, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he fought back a smile, knowing he needed to be careful how he answered this.
"I can hold out as long as you need me to." He answered, Gabby's glare softening slightly as Matt's smile widened. "But you can't blame a guy for missing being with the most gorgeous woman on the planet." He added, Gabby releasing a light scoff.
"Well played, Casey." She replied, Matt smirking as he pressed a kiss to her temple.
"Yeah, I thought I did okay." He spoke, kissing her again before dropping his hand from her waist, the couple continuing their walk.
"Is she still doing okay?" Gabby questioned, Matt glancing down towards Sofia again. Even though he was only able to see the top of her head, he could tell she was still asleep, the girl having not moved from her comfortable position tucked against her father's chest.
"She's doing good, you know how much she loves when we walk around with her." He spoke, Gabby giving him a nod in agreement, knowing just how true his statement was. Sofia absolutely loved being held, especially by her parents. It had been that way since she was born, but it became much more apparent after her colic issues started, the girl constantly seeking the comfort of her mom and dad, which led to Gabby and Matt's fair share of days where she refused to be put down.
"Good." Gabby responded, Matt noticing how her pace was gradually getting slower as they moved, but he didn't want to say anything. He didn't feel like starting an argument, at least not unless it got to the point where he needed to, but he could see Gabby was definitely starting to reach her limit. The only problem was that this was Gabby, and she didn't like to admit defeat to anyone, most of all herself. But when he saw her wince slightly, he shook his head, coming to a complete stop, grabbing her arm in the process to stop her as well.
"We can stop." He offered, Gabby drawing a deep breath as she placed her hand over her abdomen. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" Matt's voice became frantic, Gabby immediately shaking her head, trying to ease his worries.
"I'm fine, it's just a cramp." She assured him, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he glanced down to her stomach.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'm okay." Gabby nodded, Matt pursing his lips together. "I think I just might need to call it for today." She admitted, earning an immediate nod from her husband.
"No, yeah, of course. Let's sit down for a second before going back to the car." He told her, not waiting for her response before they turned around, heading for the closest bench. When they got there, Matt made sure Gabby was situated before he locked the stroller and placed himself down on the bench beside her. Checking to make sure Sofia was still alright, he turned his attention back to Gabby, flashing her a soft smile. "What hurts?"
"It's just the same stuff, I'm still sore… More sore than I thought I'd be this far along in my recovery." She breathed out, Matt giving her a sympathetic nod, rubbing his hand over her back as he heard the frustration in her voice.
"I know… But if it means anything at all, I think you're doing great." He responded, Gabby looking up to him. "I know you've still got some lingering pain, and some days things aren't progressing as much as you'd like, but I'm so proud of you for how well you're doing." He told her softly, seeing a wide grin fall to her face.
"It means everything, thank you." She murmured, leaning forward and pressing a gentle kiss to his lips, the two separating after a quick moment. "I just get frustrated sometimes, but Dr. Tanner said all this was normal, so it's not even that I'm concerned about it, I'm mostly just annoyed." She continued, releasing a deep breath as she did her best to communicate exactly how she was feeling, knowing it was good for the both of them.
Gabby's appointment with Dr. Tanner last week had done a lot of good not only for Gabby, but for both her and Matt. They had gotten confirmation that everything with Gabby was looking good, she was healing well and nothing with her, physically, raised any cause for concern. And they also had the chance to talk with the doctor about everything going on with Gabby mentally as well. After hearing what all Gabby was struggling with, Dr. Tanner soon told her that she seemed to be dealing with some lingering postpartum depression. Dr. Tanner even mentioned how she was able to see some of the signs the second their appointment started, before Gabby had even told her about it, but she reassured them it was nothing that couldn't be helped. That, from both Gabby and Matt's accounts, she was already doing better, having more good days than bad, and that she seemed to be handling this major life adjustment better and better each day.
It was a lengthy appointment, filled with a lot of long talks from not only Gabby, but also Matt, Dr. Tanner wanting as much of the complete picture as possible. But it was clear what this new mom was struggling with, which led them into discussing their options and how to help Gabby. There were things she could do like counseling, and support groups, but there were other things that she could do just by herself, like making sure she was eating enough, exercising, getting enough sleep, and making time for herself; all things to just help balance her life a little bit.
The last two were a bit challenging with a newborn, but the first two were manageable, the visit with Dr. Tanner kickstarting these walks that they had begun taking as a family. It was good for Gabby to get moving around again, at a reasonable pace, as well as getting her out of the house. And it was good for Sofia to be out, too. It had ended up being a great thing for all three of them, and was something they had made a point to make time for as often as they could.
Thankfully, every day, Gabby was seeming to be more and more like her old self. She still had her hard moments where things got to be too much, or she felt like she wasn't handling everything as well as she should, but those times were becoming more and more sporadic. And when she was feeling down, Matt did everything he could to lift her spirits. He had been absolutely amazing with not only Sofia, but her as well, doing everything he could for both of his girls. If you asked Gabby, she'd say he was the main reason she was doing so much better, with him just having the ability to always know what both of them needed. But whenever his contributions were brought up, he'd always shift the focus back to Gabby, reminding her how she was the one working her way through this, he was just trying to do what he could to help. He didn't want praise for taking care of his family; Gabby was feeling better, and that's all that mattered to him.
"I know it's frustrating, but it'll get better. Just remember what she said, sometimes it can take even longer than six weeks… Especially after what you went through. What's important is that you just don't rush it."
"Yeah, you're right…" She breathed out, Matt smirking widely as he turned to look at her, Gabby shaking her head, refusing to meet his gaze. "Don't get a big head, it doesn't happen all that often."
"I know, that's why I need to enjoy this." He replied, feeling Sofia begin to shift against him, the little girl fussing. "Okay, yeah I don't think she likes me sitting down." He shifted the subject, Matt pushing himself up from the bench, beginning to move back and forth in front of Gabby, doing what he could to lull Sofia back to sleep.
From her seated position, Gabby couldn't help but watch as her husband bounced around, his hands resting against the carrier holding their daughter to his chest, Matt cooing comforting words to little Sofia, as if they were the only two people in the world.
The sight alone made her heart swell, Gabby seeing a soft smile fall onto his lips as he interacted with their daughter. There was no doubt in Gabby's mind of how much Matt loved her, the love he had for their little girl was something completely different than anything she had ever seen from him. Gabby knew Matt loved her more than anything, but the love he had for their daughter was something so completely unique and special. She couldn't explain it, she couldn't compare it to anything; it was just different. And it made her beyond thankful to know Sofia had two people who put her above everything else, who loved her with everything they had, and then some.
Drawing in a slow breath, Gabby pushed herself up from the bench, Matt watching her carefully as she moved into a standing position. "Let's get home." She told him, Casey rubbing across Sofia's back.
"You sure you're good? We can stay for a few more minutes." He offered, Gabby shaking her head as she gripped the stroller.
"I'm okay." She assured him, Matt giving her a nod before they began the walk back towards the car, Sofia soon falling back asleep once they started moving.
The family walked in a peaceful quiet, the warm October air feeling comfortable against their skin as they continued down the sidewalk, Matt occasionally reaching out to rub his hand over her back.
They had almost gotten back to the car when Matt felt his phone buzzing in his pocket, Casey dropping his hand from Gabby's back before reaching to grab his phone.
"Who is it?" She asked after seeing Matt look at the screen, but he didn't answer it.
"I don't know, I don't recognize the number." He replied, silencing his phone before shoving it back in his pocket, both of them quickly forgetting about the call once they arrived at the car, the parents eager to get back home with their little girl.
Gabby watched on in amusement from her position on the couch as Matt was laying down on the floor, resting on his stomach as he played with Sofia. Their little girl was currently doing tummy time, and not soon after Gabby had put her down, Matt decided to join her on the ground, the two Casey's thoroughly enjoying their time playing together. With Sofia now being over five weeks old, she was getting better and better at being on her stomach, and she was starting to be able to lift her head. She couldn't keep it up, but she could lift it for a second before needing to put it back down, and she was able to turn her head as well. It seemed like every day she was getting bigger and stronger, and hitting new milestones, and Matt and Gabby wanted to soak in every moment.
"There's my girl." Matt spoke lightly when Sofia turned her head back towards her dad, Matt flashing a wide smile. She moved her arm around, Matt putting his hand out towards her, giving her the chance to grab onto his finger. "You're getting so big, what happened to my little girl?" He asked softly, Sofia squirming around as she tried to pull his hand towards her mouth. "Why are you always trying to eat me? That's not very nice, Sof. But you're just so cute, I don't even care."
Matt looked up when he heard Gabby laughing from the couch, his eyebrows raising as he lifted his head up, seeing his wife smirking at him.
"Something to say from the peanut gallery over there?" He asked, pulling his hand away when he felt Sofia start to put his fingers in her mouth. "No, baby, you have other toys for that, not Daddy's hand." He spoke, Sofia fussing when he pulled his hand back, Matt grabbing one of her toys and putting it in front of her face, distracting her easily. Once Sofia had settled back down, he returned his attention back to Gabby, finding her with that same smirk on her face. "Yeah, don't think I forgot about you, what are you laughing at?" He asked, propping himself up on his elbows while continuing to move the toy around in front of Sofia's face, her eyes wide as she was intrigued by what her dad was holding.
"You're just cute, that's all." She replied, Matt playfully narrowing his eyes.
"Just cute?" He challenged, Gabby shrugging softly.
"Well, you're also incredibly sexy, but right now, yeah, you're cute." She answered, Matt chuckling as he looked back to Sofia, seeing his daughter smacking her hand against the toy.
"Sofia, your Momma is hitting on me." He spoke, earning a laugh from his wife as he placed his hand over Sofia's back. "She does that a lot."
"Says the guy who was pinching my ass earlier." She countered, Matt meeting her gaze with a smug grin.
"Well can you blame me?" He responded with a laugh, Gabby rolling her eyes while Matt placed a kiss to the top of their daughter's head, Sofia continuing to squirm around underneath him.
Before Matt could even pull back, he heard Sofia begin to burp on the ground, Matt immediately feeling spit up coat his hand as he moved back from his daughter.
"You okay, baby?" He questioned even though the girl couldn't respond, grimacing as he saw his hand covered in Sofia's spit up, as well as some of it staining her mat and the toy in his hand, along with her. "I guess I didn't burp you as much as I should've, huh? That's Daddy's fault, I'm sorry. Let's get you up." He murmured, carefully picking her up off her stomach while Gabby got up from the couch.
"She's been on her stomach longer than normal, that probably didn't help." Gabby added before disappearing into the kitchen, Matt leaving the toy on the mat as he grabbed one of the many baby clothes they had all around the apartment from the coffee table, wiping off her face as Gabby came back in, holding a towel and some wipes. Slowly moving down to sit on her shins, Gabby took Sofia from Matt's arms so he could clean off his hand, Gabby doing what she could to wipe off the little girl's clothes.
Once Matt had gotten the spit up off his hand, he quickly wiped down the toy and the mat before looking to Sofia, seeing her happily sitting in her mother's arms, not caring about the fact that she'd just made a mess.
"Oh, you think this is funny, don't you?" He asked, reaching out and tickling her stomach, Sofia waving her arms around, both Matt and Gabby seeing a bright, wide smile form over her face.
Matt's eyes widened, his gaze immediately looking to Gabby, seeing the similar look of joy covering her face.
"Did she just..?"
"Yeah, she did." Gabby responded with a grin, looking back to their daughter, seeing that bright smile still there. "Look at that beautiful smile." She murmured, rubbing her finger along Sofia's cheek, the young girl continuously waving her arms around.
Although Sofia had smiled before, it was always just more of a reflex. It was nothing ever done in response to her parents. But the smile she wore right now, that was a real smile. Her first real smile, the girl's bright blue eyes shining up at her mom.
Slowly, Matt reached out, placing his hand on top of his daughter's head, gaining her attention as her eyes darted towards her father, her wide smile now shining brightly back at him, the image flooding Matt's body with an overwhelming amount of love.
"You're growing up too fast." He murmured, stroking his thumb over her forehead, Sofia kicking her legs, loving having the complete attention of both her parents.
"She really is." Gabby agreed, looking up to Matt, seeing him still watching their daughter. "I'm gonna go change her clothes." She spoke, Matt nodding as he got up off the ground. Before Gabby could even figure out how to maneuver herself up with Sofia in her arms, Matt reached down and gently grabbed ahold of her arms, helping her stand up as he shouldered some of her weight. "Thank you."
"You want me to change her? I don't mind." He offered, Gabby shaking her head as she reached out to gently tap his cheek.
"That's okay, I've got her." Gabby responded, Matt nodding as she began heading towards the nursery. It took him barely a second to follow after her, Matt not wanting to miss out on a second with his girls.
Casey opened up the oven to take a quick look at their dinner, quickly determining it still needed a few minutes before he shut the door again, wiping his hands off on the dish towel. He turned around, intent on heading back towards the bedroom where Gabby and Sofia were, but was stopped when he heard a knock at the back door, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he walked around the counter. Before he even got to the door, he saw a familiar face on the other side, Matt flashing him a smile as he got to the door, flipping the lock before opening it.
"Hey Antonio." Casey greeted, stepping aside so his brother could come in.
"Hey Casey, sorry for just stopping by, is this a bad time?" He asked, Matt shaking his head as he shut the door behind the older Dawson, locking it in place.
"No, not at all. We were just about to have dinner, wanna stay and eat?" Matt offered, Antonio nodding in response, beginning to shrug off his light jacket.
"That'd be great, thanks." He responded, Matt moving back towards the oven when the timer went off.
"It's no problem, we're having chicken pot pie, Herrmann's wife made it, so it's safe." Casey joked, earning a laugh from the detective as he tossed his jacket over the back of a chair.
"Sounds good, man."
Matt gave him a nod as he pulled the meal out of the oven, making sure it was turned off as he placed the food on the counter, knowing it would need a few minutes to cool down. "So, what brought you by?" Matt asked, Antonio glancing to him with a look Casey couldn't read.
"Oh, well, uh, I was just coming by to see Gabby. Got off work early, so I figured I'd come and see how you all were." He replied, Matt nodding as he moved towards the fridge, pulling out a beer for Antonio.
"Well, we're doing good. She can fill you in on everything, but she's feeling alright. Sofia's good, too, Gabby's feeding her right now but she should be almost done." Casey told him, Antonio giving him a nod before Matt moved back into the kitchen.
Casey got the plates and silverware set out, Matt bringing the food over just as Gabby emerged from the bedroom with a soft smile on her face. "I thought I heard a second voice out here." She spoke, placing the baby monitor down on the table before she walked towards her brother, giving him a light hug.
"Hey sis, where's the baby?" He asked, Gabby chuckling as they pulled back from one another.
"You're only here to see my kid, huh?" She questioned teasingly, Antonio shrugging as the siblings sat down, Matt getting both him and Gabby a drink before joining them, sitting down by Gabby's side.
"Well, I won't deny it… you've got one adorable kid."
"Don't I know it." Matt agreed, rubbing his hand over Gabby's back while she began getting some food.
"But to answer your question, I just got her down. She usually passes out right after she eats, but we'll have to wake her up in the next hour and a half or so if she doesn't wake up on her own, or else she won't sleep tonight. So if you stick around long enough, you can see her." Gabby explained, Antonio nodding in response.
"I'll stick around as long as you'll have me." He replied with a grin, Gabby matching her brother's smile as they began enjoying their food.
Around an hour later, they had just finished up their meal when they heard Sofia begin to fuss through the monitor, her fussing quickly turning into crying as she fully woke up, the little girl begging for someone to come get her.
"I got her." Matt spoke first, placing his napkin on the table before sliding his chair back, Gabby rubbing his leg appreciatively before he stood up, Casey heading for the bedroom.
Opening the door, Matt stepped inside the dark room, putting the door back against its frame as he listened to Sofia's cries. "I'm right here, baby." He soothed, turning on the lamp before walking to her bassinet.
The second Matt placed his hand on Sofia's chest and she opened her eyes, her cries quieted down, the young girl waving her arms around and kicking her legs in the air.
"There's my girl, you're okay." Matt murmured, Sofia smiling up at him despite the tears in her eyes, Casey continuously rubbing gently over her chest. "Yeah, there's my happy little girl." He repeated softly before sliding his hands under her, carefully lifting her out of her bed. "Did you have a good nap? You didn't sleep very long… But I guess you could just sense all the excitement happening out there with Uncle Antonio." Matt continued talking to Sofia as he took her over towards the dresser, placing her down on the changing pad. "Speaking of which, your Uncle Tony is eager to see you. Although who can blame him." He spoke, beginning the process of unbuttoning her onesie.
Having gotten rather efficient at the process, Matt got Sofia changed quickly, the little girl sucking on her fist while her father got her into a fresh diaper. "Yeah, I'm sure you feel much better now." He murmured, leaning down over her. Sofia's eyes widened when her father got closer, a smile peeking out from behind the hand in her mouth as Matt began tickling her stomach. Casey continued playing with his little girl for a few minutes, Sofia making unintelligible noises of joy as her slobbery fists moved around in the air.
"Alright, alright, if I don't get you out there soon, your Momma's gonna come looking for us." Matt spoke, placing a soft kiss on her forehead before he got her legs back in her onesie, buttoning the material back up. "Come on, little girl, let's go see your Momma and Antonio." He spoke softly, carefully picking her up and moving towards the door, using his foot to swing it open.
Walking out into the apartment, Matt slowed his steps when he saw Antonio standing at the kitchen table with a wide smirk on his face, Gabby clearing amused as well.
"What? What did I miss?" He asked, cradling Sofia in his arms.
"Nothing man, we were just enjoying the conversation you and Sofia were having." Antonio spoke with a chuckle, heat rising to Matt's cheeks as he looked towards Gabby, seeing her stifle a laugh.
"Baby monitor." She explained shortly, Matt shaking his head as he looked down towards Sofia. "Aw, don't be embarrassed baby, it was cute." She responded lightly, pushing herself up from her chair, grabbing both her plate and Matt's, taking them to the sink.
"Yeah, it was real sweet, Casey." Antonio added with a snicker, Matt shaking his head as he bounced Sofia in his arms.
"The Dawson's are mean, Sof." He whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Good thing you're a Casey."
"Hey!" Gabby called from the kitchen, Matt's eyes widening as he lifted his head, finding Gabby watching him with an unimpressed look on her face, Antonio laughing at his expense as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"...You heard that?"
"Mhmm." She hummed, narrowing her eyes at the husband.
"I love you." He responded, flashing her the grin he knew she couldn't resist, but Gabby held strong, shaking her head as she went back to clearing their dishes.
"Yeah, I'm sure. You better watch yourself… Casey."
"You should've kept your mouth shut, man." Antonio spoke with a laugh as he walked past Casey, patting the man's chest, stopping to play with Sofia for a second before he continued helping clear the table.
"Yeah, you think I would've learned that by now." He responded, shaking his head before he stepped further into the kitchen, coming to a stop by Gabby's side, Matt adjusting Sofia in his arms, holding her against his chest so she was facing Gabby. The girl got excited the second she noticed her mom, Sofia waving her arms around animatedly, loud, happy noises escaping her lips. "Your baby wants to see you." Matt spoke softly, Gabby narrowing her eyes at him with a slight smirk before she turned her attention to Sofia, her gaze softening instantly.
"Hello my baby." She murmured, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to Sofia's head. When she pulled back, she saw Matt had his lips puckered out with his neck leaned forward, Gabby raising her eyebrows as her head tilted to the side. Seeing her face, Matt leaned forward more, Gabby shaking her head. "Uh uh, no sir." She responded, Matt's face falling, his reaction causing a chuckle to escape her lips. "Maybe next time, you'll think before you speak." She finished, tapping his cheek before slipping past him, Matt huffing out a breath as he kept his grip on Sofia.
With help from Antonio, Gabby soon gotten the kitchen cleared while Matt held onto the baby, the three walking towards the living room so Antonio could get some time with his niece.
They had just gotten over to the couch when the sound of Casey's phone ringing filled the apartment, Matt glancing back towards the bedroom where his phone was residing. With Sofia in his arms, he began walking back in that direction, but Gabby stopped him.
"I got it, babe." She told him, Matt flashing her an appreciative smile before she turned around, Casey handing Sofia off to Antonio once he was settled on the couch.
"Man, you're getting bigger, aren't you, Sofia?" Antonio asked, the girl sucking on her pacifier as her wide blue eyes stared up at her uncle.
"She definitely is." Matt agreed, his eyes moving towards the bedroom when he heard Gabby walking back towards them.
"It's an unknown number." Gabby told him, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he stood up. The ringing stopped right before she could get the phone to him, Matt checking the number once the device was in his hands. "Is that the same one from earlier?" Gabby asked, Matt pursing his lips together.
"I think so, yeah."
"And that's the second call today?"
"Yeah."
"What's going on?" Antonio questioned from the couch, Matt sitting down in the chair as Gabby moved to go sit next to her baby and her brother.
"Matt keeps getting these calls, but he doesn't recognize the number." She explained, Antonio glancing over to Casey, seeing the man still staring at his phone.
"Do they leave a voicemail?" He asked, Matt looking up to find both Gabby and Antonio watching him.
"No, no they don't. But they've only called twice, might just be a wrong number." He shrugged, leaning forward to place his phone on the coffee table.
"Want me to look into it for you?" Antonio offered, Matt looking back up to him. "I can run the number, see who it is."
Matt's eyes flickered to Gabby, watching as she gave him a shrug, silently telling him it was his choice. "Nah, that's okay. I'm sure it's nothing." He decided, Antonio giving him a nod in response.
When Sofia began demanding attention, the topic of conversation shifted, all three of them focused on the adorable baby in Antonio's arms. She was definitely a rambunctious child, Sofia liking it best when the focus was on her.
Antonio only hung around for another half hour or so, not wanting to overstay his welcome, knowing that it was getting late and Sofia would need to be getting to bed soon. Although it had been awhile, he knew how important keeping to a schedule was when dealing with kids, especially babies, and he didn't want to disrupt that.
He had said his goodbyes to Sofia, Matt whisking her away to go change her diaper while Gabby walked him to the back door. "...So, why did you really stop by?" Gabby asked once she was alone with her brother, Antonio sliding his jacket on.
"Excuse me?"
"I know you didn't come by just because, what's up?" She questioned, Antonio taking a deep breath as his eyes flashed towards the bedroom, Gabby watching him closely as he met her gaze again. "What is it?"
"I came here to give you this." He responded, reaching into his jacket pocket, pulling out a white envelope.
Gabby's eyes fell closed the second she realized what was in his hands, a heavy sigh escaping her lips as she ran her hand over the side of her face.
"This, uh, this belongs to you." Antonio spoke, holding out the letter Gabby had given him for safe keeping.
Her letter for Matt.
The letter she'd written in case something happened to her.
"I told you I was gonna give it back to you, sis." He continued, Gabby nodding as she bit down on the inside of her cheek, reaching out to take the letter from him.
"I know, I'd just- I'd forgotten about this, honestly." She murmured, her fingers tracing over the front of the envelope, Matt's name in her handwriting shining back at her. "I was thinking about it before Sofia was born, but I hadn't thought about it once I made it through everything…" She breathed out, shaking her head before she tore her eyes away from the letter. "But thank you, for holding onto this. And bringing it back."
"Of course." Antonio replied, bringing his sister in for a long hug. "I love you, Gabs." He murmured, pressing a kiss to the side of her head.
"Love you too, Tonio." She murmured, rubbing his back before they separated, Gabby gripping the letter tightly in her hand.
With one more goodbye, Antonio was out the door, Gabby locking up behind him before she walked towards the table by the back door, staring at the letter in her hands that seemed to weigh a thousand pounds.
She wasn't sure what to do with this letter anymore. She didn't need it, there was no reason for her to hold onto it; she wrote it in case she died. Because there were things she needed Matt to know, things he needed to hear from her if the worst happened.
But it didn't. She was still here, with her family. She was fine, and Sofia was fine. There was no reason for her to keep this letter, and God forbid Matt ever found it. She never wanted him to read what was in here, not now. Not when he didn't have to. But something kept her from just throwing it in the trash. A part of her felt like she couldn't, and she didn't know why.
"Well, that was an experience." Matt chuckled as he came out of the bedroom, Gabby's eyes widening before she quickly shoved the letter in the drawer, turning around to find Matt standing across the room with Sofia in his arms.
Gabby couldn't help but laugh at the image in front of her, seeing her daughter clad in nothing but a diaper, Matt holding her with her back against his chest, using his other hand to keep the pacifier in her mouth, while he was down to just his boxers.
"What happened in there?" She questioned, her eyebrows raised in amusement as she crossed the apartment, Matt shaking his head.
"She apparently wasn't done going to the bathroom when I changed her." Matt spoke, Gabby grimacing as she came to a stop in front of her family, reaching out to run her hand over Sofia's head. "She peed all over me, and herself. I know you're wanting to take a bath with her, but I went ahead and washed her off a little bit, just cause, you know, it's gross." He continued, earning another laugh from his wife.
"Well, she was getting you back for that Dawson comment earlier." Gabby chuckled, Matt scoffing lightly in response.
"Does that mean I get a kiss now?" He questioned, Gabby rolling her eyes before she leaned up, pressing a soft kiss to his lips, a smile forming over her face when she felt Sofia beginning to grip at her shirt.
Pulling back from Matt, Gabby carefully released her daughter's grip on her clothes. "Yeah, you want your Momma, don't you?" Gabby asked softly, taking Sofia into her arms, the sight of Matt only in his boxers even more amusing without the cover of their baby. "Were you just hoping Antonio had already left?"
"I heard him leave. Don't worry, I made sure." He answered, Gabby shaking her head before she slipped past him, heading for the bedroom, Matt following close behind her. "I can get the bath ready, if you just wanna sit with her for a bit." He offered, Gabby flashing him a grateful smile as she directed her path towards the glider instead.
"Thank you." She responded, earning a nod from him before he went into the bathroom.
Within ten minutes, Matt had gotten the bath ready, filling the tub up just enough, the father now holding onto a naked Sofia as Gabby carefully made her way into the bathtub. When she was situated, Matt and Gabby completed the handoff successful, Gabby slowly resting Sofia down against her chest.
As she always did, the second she felt the water on any parts of her skin, Sofia started crying, not expecting the new sensation. But it took only moments for her to get reacclimated to the water, Sofia always calming down quickly, actually enjoying the warm water, along with the warmth of one of her parents.
With Sofia's colic issues, after getting some tips from Dr. Mitchell, the parents had eventually found things that worked wonders for them, one of them being taking a bath with Sofia. The only did it every few days or so, not wanting to bathe Sofia too often and cause any skin issues, but every bath she took, she took with one of her parents, both Matt and Gabby having done it at least once. But they both wished it was something they could do more frequently, knowing that Sofia slept the best on nights after she'd bathed with one of her parents.
Admittedly, every time they did this, it made Matt a little nervous. It had nothing to do with Gabby, but having his little girl in a tub that big made him a little anxious, no matter if he was the one in there with her or not. But they were always careful; the other parent was always there, and neither of them ever tried to get out or in while still holding her. They took all the precautions they could, and there was no denying how much Sofia loved her baths with her mom and dad.
Crouching down by the tub, Matt dunked one of Sofia's wash clothes into the water, completely submerging it before he pulled it out, wringing out the material before laying it across Sofia's back, helping to keep her warm.
"You guys okay?" He asked, Gabby nodding as she gave him a soft smile.
"We're good." She answered, Matt placing his arms on the edge of the tub, watching as Sofia rested against her mother's chest, the little girl gripping onto Gabby's skin.
"I'm gonna start a load of laundry, get those clothes washed. I'll be back in a few minutes." He told her, Gabby nodding as she watched him stand up, Matt leaning down to place a gentle kiss to the top of her head.
Before he left, he picked up Gabby's clothes that she had shed before getting into the tub, Matt carrying them out of the bathroom. While he was gone, Gabby slowly adjusted Sofia in her grip, resting her back against her thighs, keeping a hand on her chest to steady her. At first, Sofia wasn't too fond of being moved off her mother's chest, the little girl fussing at the loss of contact, but she had to be moved in order to be bathed, and once Gabby began slowly pouring water against her stomach, she began to settle.
By the time Matt came back a few minutes later, Gabby had already started the process of bathing Sofia, Gabby glancing up to see him watching them with a wide smile on his face, his eyes locked on the two most important people in his life.
"Do you care if I take a shower real quick?" He asked, Gabby shaking her head as she returned her attention to Sofia. "Normally I'd wait, but I still kind of smell like urine." He elaborated, Gabby chuckling lightly, pouring some water down Sofia's stomach.
"You go ahead, we're fine."
Gabby kept her attention focused on Sofia while Matt showered a few feet from them. Coming as no surprise to Gabby, pretty much the second she finished bathing Sofia and placed her back down on her chest, the young girl started rooted around, fussing until she was guided to Gabby's breast, Sofia eagerly beginning to eat.
Keeping a secure grip on her, Gabby let Sofia eat while she relaxed back into her tub, her eyes moving towards Matt as he finished up his shower. As he ran his hands over his hair, he caught Gabby's gaze through the hazy glass, a slight smirk tugging on his lips.
"Enjoying the show?" He asked, making sure to speak loud enough so she could hear him over the water, Gabby cocking her head to the side, raising her eyebrows challengingly.
"Maybe… I'll let you know once you get out here and I get a better look." She teased him, Matt chuckling before finishing his shower, turning the water off before stepping out. He felt Gabby's eyes on him while he dried himself off, Matt wrapping his towel around his waist before glancing over, finding Gabby watching him with a tired smile. His eyes moved down slightly, seeing Sofia completely content as she ate, Gabby's arm wrapped securely around her.
"How are my girls?" He asked softly, Gabby's smile widening.
"Sleepy."
"Yeah, I can tell." He murmured, coming over towards the bathtub, squatting down beside it. "Looks like someone was hungry, too."
"Yeah, she was." Gabby responded softly, Matt reaching out to rub his hand over the top of Sofia's head. "She's falling asleep, though." She added, glancing down to see little Sofia fighting her exhaustion as she tried to continue to eat.
"Well, it's been a big day, I don't blame her." He replied, watching as Sofia's grip on her mother's chest loosened. "Is she done?"
"I think so."
"Alright, I've got her, you enjoy the rest of your bath." He told her, Gabby nodding as she carefully lifted Sofia away from her chest, the sleepy girl squirming around until she was wrapped up in the warm towel, Matt cradling her against his body. "I'm gonna get her to bed, yell if you need anything."
"I will, thank you." She responded, Matt nodding before heading towards the door.
"Come on, little girl, let's get you to bed." He murmured against the top of her head as he brought Sofia into the bedroom. Grabbing her onesie, diaper, and lotion from the dresser, Matt walked towards the bed, slowly sitting down. Much to the displeasure of Sofia, he pulled her from his body, laying her down on the bed on top of the thick towel, Sofia waving her arms around as the cool air hit her. "I know, baby. I know." He spoke soothingly, patting her dry with the towel before he grabbed her lotion.
Starting with her abdomen, Matt began lathering her entire body in lotion, going through the routine he had nearly perfected as Sofia was content to lay there and get a makeshift massage. Not only did this massage make her sleepy, it helped a lot with calming her down and keeping her calm. He didn't want to jinx it, but he and Gabby had seemed to find a routine that worked well for Sofia, and helped her sleep a lot better.
Once he had finished rubbing in the lotion all over her little body, he put the new diaper on her before getting her dressed, Sofia nearly passed out at this point. Knowing it was useless to try and put her in her bed before she was completely asleep, Matt left her in the middle of their bed, keeping an eye on her while he quickly changed into a pair of pajama pants. Once clothed, he went back towards the bed, supporting Sofia's body as he carefully lifted her into his arms.
The movement caused the tired girl to cry, Matt bouncing gently as he situated her against his chest, feeling her cheek press into his skin. "You're okay, it's alright." He soothed, walking over towards the glider, placing himself into it. Once he got comfortable, he positioned Sofia against his body, letting her lay on his chest as he slowly rocked them.
The combination of the steady movement, the comfort of her father, and the warm bath she'd just taken had Sofia knocked out in minutes, the baby sound asleep as she rested securely in her father's arms. He knew he could move her to her bed, and he would, but he wanted to wait a few more moments, Matt not wanting to risk her waking up and him having to start this process all over again.
With his hand resting firmly against his daughter's back, Matt slowly rocked back and forth in the dimly lit room, humming softly as he kept his movements steady, not wanting to risk disturbing little Sofia's sleep.
Gabby slowly lifted herself out of the tub, releasing a groan of discomfort when she felt a twinge in her abdomen, the woman standing still until the pain passed before carefully stepping out of the tub. A shiver involuntarily shot through her spine, the water covering her skin making the cool air that much colder, Gabby quickly reaching for her towel and beginning to dry herself off. Glancing out the open door, she couldn't see or hear much coming from the bedroom, her limited view of the dim room not giving her a good look at what her husband and baby were doing. But considering how quiet it was, she assumed Sofia was either asleep or close to it.
Once she had finished drying off, Gabby tied the towel around her body, padding across the tile floor towards the sink, continuing her routine before bed. It wasn't all that late, but if Sofia was asleep, that meant Gabby wanted to be as well, knowing if they were lucky, it would be a few short hours before Sofia would wake up needing to eat.
After she was done in the bathroom, Gabby made her way out into the bedroom, her steps slowing when she caught sight of the adorable imagine in front of her. Matt was sitting in the glider, little Sofia curled up on his chest, the baby passed out while her dad held onto her securely, Matt also asleep as well. She wasn't surprised that he had fallen asleep, and since she could see that even in his sleep, his still had a firm grip on their daughter, she decided to let him be, Gabby choosing to wait until she was ready for bed to wake him up. But that didn't stop her from snapping a few pictures of the precious moment before she finished getting ready for bed.
Within a few minutes, Gabby had gotten changed into a loose tank top and a pair of underwear, the tired mom stepping back into the bedroom after having gone to hang up both her and Matt's towels, Gabby stretching her arms above her head as she walked towards her husband and their baby.
Placing one hand on Matt's arm that was securing Sofia to him, Gabby used her other to start running her fingers through his hair, Matt subconsciously leaning into her touch. "Baby." She murmured, seeing his nose scrunch up as she continued stroking his scalp. "Babe, wake up."
His eyes slowly opened, Matt blinking quickly as he tried to gather his bearings, his eyes darting around until he focused in on the woman in front of him, Gabby seeing a soft smile pull on his lips.
"Hey sleepyhead." She whispered as a yawn escaped his mouth, Matt registering the weight against his chest, Casey looking down to see Sofia still sound asleep.
"Hi." He responded, his voice thick with sleep.
"Let's get you both to bed, yeah?" Gabby suggested with a grin, Matt laughing softly as he nodded, letting Gabby take Sofia.
Luckily, Gabby managed to get the baby into her bassinet without waking her, Matt having stumbled his way towards their bed while she took care of their daughter. When she turned around after making Sofia didn't wake up, she let out of quiet chuckle when she saw her husband already cozy in their bed, snuggled deep beneath the covers, not waiting for her to make himself comfortable.
Shaking her head in amusement, Gabby moved around to her side, slowly climbing in, relishing in the warmth their bed provided her.
In his sleepy hazy, Matt reached out for her, placing his hand on her hip, silently urging her to come join him on his side of the bed, Gabby obliging instantly as she rolled over, finding him with his eyes closed and a gentle smile on his face.
It took her no time at all to settle into his side, keeping some distance between them to keep pressure off her body, but staying close enough to where he cold hold onto her, Gabby wrapping her arm around his waist while her head rested on his bare chest.
"I love you." She murmured after a few silent moments, a soft smile forming on her face when she heard his deep breaths, Gabby knowing he had already fallen asleep.
Closing her eyes, Gabby focused on the steady rising and falling of her husband's chest, his strong heartbeat filling her ears as she let the rhythmic sound lull her to sleep, the entire Casey family eager to get as much rest as they possibly could.
I hope you guys enjoyed this sweet little Dawsey family chapter, it was definitely a tame one, but there is a little intrigue there. Any guesses as to who is trying to get in contact with Matt? I'm interested to see if any of you have any ideas. Coming up soon, we've got Casey finally returning to work, and everything that comes along with that.
Well you guys, this is the last update until Monica's episode of fire. I'll see you on the other side. Honestly, I'm still terrified of what's gonna happen. But we'll find out soon enough. No matter what, you all should expect a long rant coming your way in my next update.
Thanks for reading, I'm super excited to hear your thoughts! As always, if there's anything you guys are wanting to see in this story, please let me know! I'm always open to suggestions!
Until next time.