Hello everyone! Here's the next chapter for you guys. Thankfully, this chapter came a lot easier to me than the last one, and I actually really like how this one came out. But before we get started, I just want to thank you all for the love you all gave me on the last chapter. You guys are seriously so nice and supportive, all your kind words mean so much to me, I hope you all know how much it's appreciated.

I hope you guys enjoy this one, thank you so much for reading! I'm excited to hear what you think!

Chapter Seventy Two

Matt shrugged his turnout coat off his shoulders, the thick material still showing signs of how long Casey had been outside, the heavy snowfall having dumped down on the firefighters during their first call of the day. He hung his jacket up on the side of the truck before he began removing his turnout pants, Casey glancing out the open garage occasionally while he got out of his gear. Today was definitely going to be a long day, if the amount of snow and ice outside was any indication, Casey knowing firehouse 51 was sure to be busy today with the terrible weather. It had been in the low teens when he'd woken up this morning, and the temperature had only dropped since then, Matt having checked the weather before he and Gabby left for work, seeing it had been projected that the temperature could drop into single digits by this afternoon. It was definitely going to be a brutal day, and he could only hope that 81 being called out five minutes into the start of shift wasn't a sign of things to come, but he couldn't help and feel like it probably was.

Blowing out a sigh, Casey began walking away from the rig, kicking his boots against the ground as he moved through the garage, intent on getting inside the warmth of the firehouse. "Hey Otis," He called as he moved around the back of the rig, seeing the firefighter still working on getting his gear off, Casey waiting until he had his attention before continuing, "let's make sure we keep these garage doors closed today, it's gonna be a cold one." He instructed, Otis giving him a nod before Matt continued his way into the firehouse.

Shoving his hands into his jacket pockets, Matt smacked his lips together as he followed Kidd inside, the Captain sliding in through the double doors behind his firefighter, relishing in the warmth that the firehouse quickly provided him. As he walked further inside, his eyes soon found his wife as she sat at the small circle table in the common room, her eyes glued to her phone as he walked towards her, Gabby not even realizing people had come inside.

"Hey babe." He greeted as he got closer, but he never got a response, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he came to stand beside her, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Gabby."

"Hmm?" She asked him, her head snapping up towards him, her eyebrows furrowing slightly as she spared a quick glance around the room. "Hey, when did you get back?" She questioned, like she hadn't realized he was the one trying to get her attention until she looked at him.

"Just a few minutes ago, is everything okay?" He asked, Gabby nodding slightly as her eyes moved back to her phone, Matt gripping the back of her chair for support before leaning down, looking at whatever had her so distracted.

"Yeah, I'm fine… Just missing our baby." She replied, Matt quickly seeing that Gabby had been scrolling through the hundreds of photos of Sofia she had saved to her phone, a sympathetic smile forming over his face as his eyes moved back to his wife, Gabby watching him with a sheepish grin. "I guess I got a little distracted, though."

"It's alright, I can't blame you. Our daughter is adorable." He spoke, Gabby's smile widening as he pressed a kiss to her forehead, his lips lingering against her skin before he pulled back, seeing her nose scrunched up as she shied away from him.

"Your face is freezing." She said lightly, Matt chuckling as he straightened his spine, pulling out the chair beside her and sitting down, scooting a bit closer to her.

"Well, it's like 15 degrees out there, it's amazing I haven't frozen to death."

"Don't joke." She replied, setting her phone down as she turned her body towards him, Matt resting his clasped hands on the table next to hers, tapping his finger against the back of her hand, seeing she seemed a bit hard to reach.

"Is everything okay with you?" He asked, stroking his finger against her skin, Gabby giving him a nod.

"I'm fine, I promise. It just still hasn't gotten any easier to leave her." She breathed out softly, knowing they weren't alone in the room as Matt gave her an understanding nod.

Gabby had been back at work for a little over a week now, and the paramedic was still having a hard time being away from little Sofia for so long. Every morning they had shift, it was a challenge for Matt to get his wife out of the apartment, Gabby struggling with saying goodbye to their daughter. It was something they were working on, and Matt did think she was getting better at handling it, but he knew Gabby was having a hard time adjusting to being a working mother.

And the way Sofia acted whenever they returned from shift wasn't helping matters.

Sofia had been alright while they were gone; after their first shift back, with the multiple updates from Becca, they knew Sofia had been completely fine. She was the same old happy baby, Sofia loving to spend her time with Becca. But what they weren't expecting was how she acted when they returned home.

The second their little girl saw Gabby, she began to cry, and the only way she'd stop was if she was in her mother's arms. For as much as she loved being with Becca, if her mother was in the room, she didn't care about anyone else. All she seemed to want was Gabby. The first few hours they were home, she'd even be fussy when Matt held her, which was something they hadn't planned on. Gabby was the only person who could get her to be completely content, and even though they knew she didn't actually know how long Gabby had been away from her, it felt like she did, Sofia clinging onto her mom for dear life anytime she could.

And that need to be close to her mom hadn't stopped even after Gabby fed her. Pretty soon after they'd gotten home after their first shift back, Sofia began showing signs of hunger, Gabby preparing to nurse her before Matt could even offer to make a bottle. But instead of the usual half hour feedings that Sofia needed, the little girl nursed for well over an hour, Sofia refusing to let go of her mom, clinging to her for comfort.

Admittedly, Matt hadn't thought much of it at first, the father thinking that maybe little Sofia had just missed the comfort of nursing after being bottle fed for an entire day. It was the first time she'd gone that long being fed strictly from a bottle, so he figured it just had something to do with that. He didn't really see it to be a big deal, which is why Gabby's tears while Sofia ate took him by surprise. It took some time to pry it out of her, but Matt had soon found out that Gabby felt guilty; guilty for being away from Sofia for so long when it clearly had affected her, Matt doing his best to follow her reasoning as she talked about how Sofia wouldn't let her go because their baby was afraid Gabby would leave her again.

He hadn't expected his wife's tears, or her insistence that her being away for so long had hurt their baby, but Matt did what he could to try and get that notion out of her head, knowing it was doing nothing but upsetting her.

Logically, Matt knew that if anything, Sofia probably just missed her mom, that she was comfort feeding because it had been awhile since she nursed, and it most likely wasn't much deeper than that. But Gabby didn't see it that way. She felt guilty for being away from her baby for so long.

Needless to say, they never it made it Christmas tree shopping that day.

The family had stayed in the next two days, Matt having to talk Gabby down more than once as she was flooded with hundreds of different emotions, the biggest one being guilt. But all he knew to do was support her, and Sofia, and constantly assure her that they were doing the right thing. Something that was easier said than done.

And it hadn't helped that Sofia's behavior had continued each morning they got home from shift this past week.

She would be super clingy, to her mom especially, Sofia refusing to be put down at all. She wanted Gabby, but if she wasn't being held by either of her parents she would scream until they picked her up. It was like Sofia could sense her parents had been gone for a long time, and even though Matt knew it was just a phase, it hadn't been easy for either of them, especially when the time came around for them to leave her again. Sofia did okay when they were leaving, the girl still too young to understand what was happening when her parents left the house; it was Gabby who struggled with that part. But it was when they'd get home that Sofia would have a hard time, the baby practically attaching herself to Gabby. Either when feeding or just being held, Sofia refused to let go, and it had been a difficult adjustment for all of them.

But they were managing. Gabby was trying her best to focus on how this was the best thing for all of them, how she needed to work, and how Sofia would be okay, that she just didn't understand what was happening but eventually she'd move past this stage. Though it didn't make it any easier to leave her, knowing the state she'd be in when they returned home the next morning.

Although, it wasn't just Sofia's behavior when they got home that he was worried about.

An unforeseen consequence of Sofia having a hard time with Gabby going back to work was that she was almost completely back to being breastfed, except for when they were on shift, which was something Matt didn't really agree with. They had gotten Sofia on a pretty good schedule when it came to feeding; she would nurse when she first woke up, and during the night, but other than that she was bottle fed. They had slowly gotten her used to the bottle, working through her resistance at first, but now she took it like a champ. They had gotten into a good rhythm with it, and now Matt feared they had stunted that progress.

Their two days at home after their first shift back, Gabby had only breastfeed Sofia. At the time, while he knew it deviated from their routine, he didn't think much of it, knowing Gabby was struggling with how Sofia reacted to them being away, Matt just assuming Gabby felt like Sofia needed the extra comfort, and that she was still holding onto some guilt for how Sofia was acting. So he didn't question it. But when this continued after their second shift back, he began to worry a bit.

And now, a week later, Sofia hadn't been bottle fed by them once. Unless they were on shift, Sofia had been strictly breastfed, and Matt had some concerns. He knew Sofia had struggled at first when they started incorporating the bottle into her feeding schedule, and he didn't want her to fall back into that. They had gotten a great routine in place, but now that routine had been altered, and Matt couldn't help but worry about it, the firefighter knowing they'd backtracked a bit. He had been a little worried when he first noticed it, but it wasn't until Becca mentioned to him that Sofia had started resisting the bottle a few times that he became concerned.

He knew Gabby was having a hard time adjusting to all of this, he knew she was just trying to do what she thought was best for Sofia, but Matt fear they had messed up Sofia's progress a bit, and he didn't want that. If Gabby was able to be around to nurse Sofia constantly, then maybe it would be different. But she wasn't, and they couldn't have their daughter refusing to take the bottle, which is where Matt feared this was headed.

But he hadn't said anything yet. Aside from a few comments about how he could make her a bottle, to which Gabby waved him off, saying she was fine, he hadn't really even gone near the topic. He knew how sensitive Gabby had been over the last week when it came to their daughter, and he didn't want to upset her, or cause a fight. Not when they were both still trying to adjust to everything. But he knew they'd need to get Sofia back on the bottle here soon, if anything just so they didn't confuse her.

But Matt knew this wasn't as easy as just telling Gabby they needed to try and get Sofia back into her routine. He knew Gabby was still holding onto guilt for being back at work, and he knew that she was just doing what she thought Sofia needed, and that was the comfort of her mom. And he couldn't fault her for that. Knowing how helpless he felt about Sofia's obvious clingy-ness towards Gabby, he could only imagine how much worse it was for his wife. When Sofia's behavior after they'd return from work hadn't let up, he knew it was going to take some time for their daughter to get through this phase, and he knew it would be difficult on both him and Gabby until she did.

They were both just trying to do the best they knew how for their daughter. Neither of them had expected Sofia to have so much trouble with them being gone, and Matt knew there was no right or wrong way to go about this; they could only do what they felt was best for her, it just so happened they didn't necessarily agree on what that was.

But he understood why Gabby was doing what she was, he understood why she was so adamant to breastfeed. It wasn't even that she was refusing to give her the bottle, it just wasn't much of a thought to her at all. When Sofia was hungry, Gabby knew she needed to be fed, and with the young girl already clinging to her anyway, he was sure Gabby just found it better to go ahead and breastfeed her, especially considering how Sofia needed to feel close to her mom. Matt knew this would be a harder compromise if Gabby was downright refusing to bottle feed her, but that wasn't what this was; it was just Gabby wanting Sofia to feel safe and secure, and one of the best ways she knew how to do that was by keeping her as close as possible, like by breastfeeding her.

She was just trying to be a good mother, and he'd never fault her for that.

"I'm so proud of you, you know." Matt spoke up, Gabby lifting her head to meet his gaze, finding a soft smile waiting for her as her husband grabbed ahold of her hand. She raised her eyebrows slightly, her head tilting to the side as she waited for more of an explanation, Matt's grin widening before he continued. "I know none of this has been easy, that all of this has been so hard on you, but I'm proud of you for how well you're handling it." He murmured, Gabby's eyes softening as a slight smile tugged on her lips, the paramedic squeezing his hand gently. "You're such an amazing mom, baby. I always knew you would be, and I saw it with Louie, but it's true. You're absolutely incredible… Sof and I, we're so lucky to have you."

Gabby ducked her head, blinking back the tears forming in her eyes as she felt him give her hand another squeeze, Matt placing his free hand on her back. "You're gonna make me cry." She joked, wiping under her eyes quickly before looking back up, finding the sympathetic eyes of her husband watching her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I just wanted to tell you that. In all the craziness that the last few weeks have been, I feel like I haven't had the chance to really tell you how much I appreciate you and how amazing you are… Things haven't been easy, between everything with me, and then with Sofia, but you've been holding us all together, and I need you to know how much that means to me."

"It kinda feels like you're the one who's been holding us together here lately," She replied, scooting forward in her chair to be closer to him, "I've kind of become a mess this past week, I never thought being back would be this hard, and I'm sorry…" She started, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he tilted his head slightly, confusion written clear across his face, "I feel like all of this turned into you taking care of me, when I should be the one taking care of you… I know being back to work, and you having to leave Sofia, I know none of that has been easy for you, but instead of helping I just kind of turned into a mess."

"We take care of each other." He reminded her, Gabby running her teeth across her bottom lip. "Just because I'm going through something, that doesn't mean you have to be okay all the time. We help each other, that's what we do."

"I know… I just wish all of this was easier." She responded, Matt nodding in agreement. "But I am proud of you too, you know." Gabby spoke, a soft smile growing across her face when she saw the one on his. "I know you coming back here, being at work and being away from Sofia, all of it was challenging for you. And then having to deal with your hormonal wife on top of it." She added jokingly, Matt shaking his head as he ran his hand along her lower back. "I just want you to know how proud I am of how you've dealt with all of this. Even though I'm kind of a mess, I can see how much better you're doing after everything. I know there's still moments when it's not easy, but you're doing a lot better baby, and I'm so damn proud of you. I want you to know that, because I don't think I voice it as often as I should."

"I know, I do." He assured her, leaning forward to press as soft kiss to the side of her head, Gabby smiling softly as he relaxed into him for a moment.

Things had been hard on him since returning to work; him trying to move on from everything that happened to him that day had been difficult. He still worried about Sofia, and Gabby, he still missed their baby whenever they were at work, but he felt like he was getting better at managing those feelings. He knew what they were doing was for the best, and he knew Sofia was safe at home with Becca. And, in a way, Gabby's behavior this last week had oddly snapped him out of the funk he was in. He'd never stop missing Sofia, even if nothing had happened, he'd always miss her, but with the constant reassurances he'd give his wife during shift, in a weird way, him saying over and over out loud that Sofia was okay, it made him start to believe it, too. He started to realize that she was fine, that he didn't need to worry about her the way he had been. He didn't need to be afraid of not being with her all hours of the day. It was like him choosing to focus his attention on making sure Gabby was okay had made him realize they actually were all okay.

And getting that confirmation from Gabby made him feel all the better, Matt knowing that it wasn't just him who thought he was doing better. Gabby actually being able to see the difference in him assured him he was on the right track; that they both were.

He still had his moments, but every day he was feeling more and more like himself. Casey knew it was a slow process, but things for him were looking up. With each call, he felt better about being back. With each day away from Sofia, he felt like he was handling the separation better. Overall, he just felt better. He was beginning to feel like his old self again, something Gabby seemed to notice, too.

"I do think the both of us are getting better." He spoke up, Gabby giving him a slight nod. "These last few weeks, they've been insane. They've been a lot to try and manage, but we got through them… just like we always do." Matt told her, a soft smile forming across her lips. "And we'll get through this thing with Sofia, too… It'll get easier, babe. I truly believe that."

Gabby nodded, pushing herself forward to give him a soft kiss, Matt smiling against her lips before reciprocating the action, his hand moving gently across her back.

"Get a room, you two."

The couple separated when they heard Severide's voice, followed by a few chuckles throughout the common room, Matt's eyes narrowing into a tight glare as he turned towards the entrance, seeing Kelly walk in, followed by a few other firefighters.

"What do you want, Sev?" Matt asked, keeping his hand on Gabby's back as Kelly walked past them into the kitchen.

"I just want to be able to enjoy my breakfast without throwing it up. You have an office, go use it." He suggested, Gabby biting back a smirk as Matt rolled his eyes, the snickers around the room getting louder. "And it's not just because of me, there are children here. So keep your hands to yourself, Casey." He added, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he looked back towards his friend.

"Children? What children-"

"Captain Matt!"

Casey turned towards the enthusiastic little voice, a bright smile immediately covering his face when he saw the young boy running towards him. He was moving with a slight limp, but he wasn't letting it slow him down as Matt stood up from his seat, his hand falling down off Gabby's back as he moved. He barely got up in time before the boy crashed into him, Matt placing his hand on his back as Micah hugged himself to Matt's legs, his head pressed into his waist.

"Micah, slow down buddy." His dad, Josh, spoke, hurrying inside quickly, Micah clearly having gotten ahead of him, the little boy's excitement making him move quickly. Matt saw Gabby get up from her seat out of the corner of his eye, coming to stand beside him as he ran his hand over Micah's back, feeling the small boy tighten his grip. "I'm sorry for just barging in like this, Micah was so excited to come and see you… I probably should've called, but he wanted to surprise you."

"No, no, it's fine. This is a great surprise." He spoke, Micah lifting his head up to look towards Matt, a wide smile covering his face. "I wasn't expecting this today, I didn't realize you were out of the hospital already."

Since that day nearly three weeks ago now when Micah had gotten shot, Gabby and Matt had kept in contact with Josh, frequently checking in on Micah to see how he was progressing. During their last call a few days ago, Josh had told Matt that Micah was doing well, that he'd been up and moving around frequently and the doctors said he was healing as expected, but the man had mentioned nothing of Micah being able to leave the hospital so soon. Although Matt was thankful the little boy had been discharged, the Captain having worried that Micah was going to have to spend his Christmas in the hospital.

"I got to leave this morning!" He spoke excitedly, bouncing on the balls of his feet as he clung to Matt's legs, firefighters forming in a group around the young boy.

"We haven't even gone home yet, he wanted his first stop to be here, to see you." Josh spoke, Matt's smile widening as he moved his hand to the back of Micah's head, the young boy keep a firm grip on Casey. "Micah, he's not going anywhere, you can ease up, bud."

"He's fine." Matt assured the father, Casey placing his hands on the boy's shoulders, Micah's eyes bouncing around at the other firefighters before he found Matt's gaze, the boys eyes shining with excitement. "How are you feeling, little man?" He asked, gently pulling Micah away from him, the little boy letting go as Matt crouched to the ground, wanting to be eye-level with him.

"I'm all better!" He spoke, placing his hand on Casey's arm, his face suddenly morphing into a look of what Matt read as concern. "...Are you all better?" He asked, worry laced in his young voice as a frown covered his face.

"He's been really worried about you." Josh added, Matt frowning slightly as he gripped Micah's coat covered arms, rubbing gently over them to try and comfort him.

"I'm alright, Micah."

"You promise?" He questioned, the frown on Casey's face deepening, hating to see this young boy so concerned.

"I promise." Matt assured him, Micah nodding before his frown was soon replaced with a smile, the young boy launching himself into Casey, the force of his movements almost knocking Matt over, in fact he would have had Gabby not steadied him, as Micah wrapped his arms around his neck, giving the firefighter a tight hug.

"Good!" He spoke, refusing to let up his grip on Matt, Casey quickly glancing up to Josh.

"Is his back healed? I don't want to hurt him."

"He's fine." Josh assured him, Matt nodding before he wrapped his arms around the young boy, Micah holding onto him tighter when he felt Casey reciprocate his hug.

"Thank you for saving me, Matt." Micah spoke, his soft voice flooding the otherwise quiet room, Matt feeling a few tears spring to his eyes as he heard the sincerity and gratefulness in the young boy's voice. Everyone was watching on at the scene heartwarming scene in front of them, Micah oblivious to all the eyes on him. "Sorry you got hurt cause of me."

"Oh buddy, this wasn't your fault." Matt murmured, feeling Gabby place a supportive hand on his shoulder. "I promise, nothing that happened to me, or to you, or to-" He cut himself off, unsure if he should mention the boy's mother or not. "Nothing that happened that day was your fault, okay? I'm just so glad you're alright."

He felt Micah nod against his shoulder, Casey looking up towards Josh, seeing a thankful look on his face. And it was in that moment that Matt realized Micah had probably been feeling the guilt about that day for awhile, the thought making Casey's heart drop into his stomach.

Micah was just a kid, a kid who didn't deserve to carry the weight of this horrific day around with him. But he was. And it was a memory that he probably would never forget.

"I'm sorry you got hurt, bud. I'm sorry you had to go through all that, but remember how I told you you'd be okay?"

"Mhmm." Micah hummed against his neck. "You kept your promise."

Casey clenched his eyes shut, willing himself to keep his tears at bay as he nodded, Matt not wanting to cry and worry Micah. "I sure did. Everything's okay." He assured him, feeling Gabby squeeze his shoulder tightly, Matt looking up to see her watching him with teary eyes, flashing him a warm smile, the sight instantly calming him down. "So Micah," He started, clearing his throat, "you finally get to go home, huh?" Matt asked, trying to lighten the heaviness that had settled over the room, Micah giving him another nod as he lifted his head up, keeping his arms around the firefighter.

"Yeah, I do." He spoke, smiling through the few tears that had welled in his eyes. "Daddy says we've got a new home, but I have a room there and everything!" He said, his excitement coming back in waves, Matt wiping away a few of the tears that had fallen down Micah's cheeks. "Daddy says I get to stay with him forever, not go only sometimes like before."

"Yeah, you will bud." He replied, supporting Micah's weight in his arms as he slowly stood up, holding onto him as the boy kept his arms around his neck, Micah resting against his forearm. "How about when you get home and you get settled, you and your dad can call me or Gabby, and we can talk for a bit, how does that sound?"

Micah's grin widened, the young boy looking back and forth between Matt and Gabby now that he was eye-level with them, his head beginning to move up and down quickly, excitement radiating off of him.

"That's what I thought." Matt replied with a chuckle, rubbing over his back as Micah relaxed into his hold.

"Can I talk to Sofia, too?" He asked, Gabby smiling as she took a step closer to them, leaning against Matt's side. "She really liked me holding her in the hospital, didn't she Daddy?" He asked, glancing back to his father, earning a nod from him before he looked back at the Casey's.

"Oh, Sofia loved you. You might just be her favorite." Matt replied, Micah wearing a proud smile over his face. "But she's just a baby, she can't talk on the phone yet… But, you know, if we did a video call, you could see her and talk to her. I think she'd really like that." He suggested, Micah giving that same enthusiastic nod yet again.

"Yes! Is Sofia here? Can I see her again?" He asked, his head moving around the room as he searched for the child.

"No sweetheart, she's at home." Gabby replied, Micah's smile turning into a frown. "But maybe one weekend when Matt and I aren't working, the three of us can come and visit you and your dad." She suggested, Micah's eyes lighting up as the words left her lips. "We could come and see your new room."

"Yes! Yes yes yes! Daddy can they come visit? Please can they come?" He pleaded, Matt tightening his grip as the boy began bouncing in his arms, Casey not wanting him to fall.

"Of course they can, Micah."

"Yay!" He cheered, earning a few laughs from around the room. "Daddy said I get to bring all my toys with me, I can show you my trains!"

"I'd love that." Matt replied, rubbing his hand over Micah's stomach, the boy's arm resting around his neck. "Now Micah, I'm not sure how much longer you and your dad were planning on staying, but I was wondering… Have you ever been inside a firetruck before?" He asked, Micah's eyes widening, the little boy immediately shaking his head, Gabby smiling as she watched her husband interact with the young boy. "Would you wanna go see my firetruck? I can show you around." He offered, Micah nodding quickly, looking towards his dad. "Do you guys have some time for that?" Casey asked Josh, the man nodding.

"Yeah, as long as you don't mind. I don't want us to be in the way." Josh spoke, Matt immediately shaking his head, beginning to walk towards the garage.

"You're not, we've always got room for our honorary firefighter." He replied, Micah's grin widening as he held on tight around Casey's neck. "Kidd... Otis, let's show Micah around, yeah?" He said, his firefighters nodding as they followed him out into the garage, Gabby smiling as she watched Matt disappear through the double doors.

"Casey is so good with that little boy." Herrmann spoke up, his eyes moving back towards Dawson, a chuckle leaving his lips as he saw her face. "Uh oh, I know that look." He teased, earning laughs from the other men and women in the room as Gabby snapped out of her thoughts, her gaze narrowing on Herrmann.

"You guys should try for one of those next, Dawson." Severide joined in, Gabby rolling her eyes as she stepped back to the table, grabbing her phone before she moved towards the hallway.

"Ha ha, very funny." She replied dryly, heading down the hallway, hearing 51's laughter as she went.

Dawson climbed out of the back of 61, kicking the excess water off her boots as the paramedics returned from their latest call of the afternoon, Gabby feeling an involuntary chill run through her body as the cold air hit her wet skin, snow having been dumping down on them the entire time they were out.

"Man, if this snow doesn't stop soon, we won't be able to even get out to get to calls." Foster breathed out as she came around to the back of the ambulance, Brett soon meeting up with both of them before the three of them began walking towards the firehouse, desperate to escape the cold. Even with the garage doors down, with the temperature now in the single digits, it was unbearably cold out here, none of them wanting to spend any extra time outside of the warmth the common room could provide them.

The paramedics soon got inside, Gabby trailing behind Brett and Foster as they went straight for the common room, Gabby's steps slowing when she saw Matt walking down the hallway, his eyes on his phone.

"Hey baby." She greeted, changing her path as she began walking towards him, Matt looking up from the device in his hands, her eyebrows furrowing when she saw the pensive look on his face. "Everything okay?" Gabby questioned, the two coming to a stop when they met up halfway to each other.

"Becca called me, but I missed it. Now I can't get her to answer." He replied, a deep frown forming over her lips as she glanced back down to his phone.

"Try again." She spoke, Matt nodding before he recalled the number, putting it on speaker so Gabby could hear.

With each passing ring, they both felt a heavy weight settle in the pit of their stomachs, but thankfully Becca eventually picked up.

"Hey, hey I'm sorry." She apologized, most likely for missing his previous calls. But neither parent cared so much about that, not when they could hear Sofia crying in the background.

"What's going on? Is Sofia okay? Did something happen?" Gabby asked quickly, her worried gaze locking on Matt's.

"Sofia's okay, but uh- we do have a little problem here."

"What happened?"

"The power's out in the building." Becca told them, Matt breathing deeply as Gabby pursed her lips together. "I missed your calls cause I was talking to one of your neighbors, he told me the owner said they're not sure what caused it, but they don't know when they can get the power back on… It's been out for about half an hour, and it's definitely getting cold in here." She continued, Casey wincing slightly. "I've got Sofia in as many layers as I can, but she's still pretty cold. I don't know, I'm worried about her staying here. With as cold as it is outside, it's only gonna get colder in here, I don't want her to freeze."

"No, no, I'm glad you called, you two can't stay there." Matt responded, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Alright, Becca I'm gonna call our landlord, see if he has any more information. Are you good to wait a few minutes, then I'll call you back?"

"Yeah, no, that's fine. Sofia's okay."

"Alright, I'll call you back in a few minutes." He told her, the two saying their goodbyes before Casey hung up, quickly going in search of their landlords number, Gabby crossing her arms over her chest as she watched him.

It took about ten minutes for Casey to be able to get him on the phone, both of them sure he was getting swamped with calls about the power, Gabby waiting for Matt to finish the call as he paced back and forth down the hallway.

"Okay," He spoke as he hung up, Gabby raising her eyebrows. "Becca was right, the power's out in the whole building, and he's not sure why. But it's only our building, which is odd." Casey said, smacking his lips together. "Every other building on our street still has power, so he's not sure what that's about. He's working on getting people out there to try and fix it, but with the weather, it's looking like it'll be awhile." He finished relaying the information from his phone call, Gabby nodding as she took a deep breath.

"What should we do?" She asked, pushing herself up off the wall. "I mean, it's like eight degrees outside, Sofia and Becca can't stay there if they don't have any heat. I don't want Sof getting sick."

"No, no they can't. It's not safe for either of them." He agreed, glancing back down to his phone as he thought over their options. "We should probably go and get them, let them stay here with us until morning."

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing." Gabby responded, Matt flashing her a soft smile. "Should we go ask Boden?"

"We should tell him, yeah. But I don't see it being a problem." Casey replied, earning a nod from his wife before they began walking down the hall, heading for Boden's office.

It took no time at all for them to get there, Gabby tapping on the door frame as she stood in the open doorway, Matt directly behind her as the Chief looked up from his paperwork, surprised to see the couple standing there.

"Dawson, Casey." He greeted, waving them in. "Something I can do for you?"

"Yeah, actually there is." Casey started, staying a step behind Gabby as they stood in front of his desk. "We were wondering if we could go and pick up Sofia, and Becca, from our apartment… let them stay here at the firehouse with us tonight." He spoke, Boden's eyebrows raising, clearly wanting more of an explanation.

"The power's out in our building, and it's not gonna be back on any time soon." She elaborated, the look on Boden's face immediately showing concern, the older man sitting up in his seat. "Normally, we wouldn't ask to have Sofia spend the night here, but-"

"She can't stay in your apartment, it's way too cold." He cut in, shaking his head. "Of course you can bring her here, I'll put 61 out of service, you guys take the ambulance, go get her."

"Thanks Chief."

"It's no problem, it's not safe for her to stay there. Casey, if you could just let them know you'll be gone, in case there's a call." Boden told him, the Captain nodding as he followed Gabby towards the exit.

"Yeah, I will." He complied, Boden giving them a nod before they moved out of his office, heading for the common room.

Within minutes, they had explained to everyone what was going on, called Becca to let them know they were on their way, and gotten loaded up into the ambulance, Matt and Gabby sitting in the back while Brett drove, Foster staying back so they had a place for Becca to sit.

"You think she's okay?" Gabby asked after a few minutes, them having ridden in mostly silence, Matt's arm wrapped around her back as they sat on the bed.

"I'm sure she's fine, Becca said she had her bundled up well. And once we get her to the firehouse, and she's somewhere she can stay warm, she'll be fine." He told her, Gabby nodding as she clenched her glove covered hands together, the thick layers of her winter coat still unable to completely protect her from the cold.

It felt like it had taken forever, and in some ways it had, Brett being extra careful as she drove through the heavily snowed upon streets, but eventually they got to their apartment, Brett parking by the curb before all three of them climbed out, heading for the door, Matt pulling out his key to get them inside and away from the cold.

But when they stepped inside, it felt just as cold in the apartment as it did out in the snow, all three of them shivering as they walked in through the back door.

"Becca?" Casey called out, Gabby frowning at the thought of her baby being stuck in here.

"Living room." She called, the three first responders walking towards the room, seeing Becca sitting on the couch, bundled up in a few layers while she cradled Sofia in her arms, the baby barely visible underneath all the clothes and blankets Becca had wrapped her up in.

"How are you guys?" Casey asked, Gabby immediately moving for Sofia, the baby fussing, clearly not liking being this cold.

"We're okay, but Sofia definitely needs to get warmed up soon. It just keeps getting colder and colder in here." Becca spoke, Matt nodding with a grimace as Gabby took Sofia into her arms, the baby crying when she saw her mother, desperate to be close to her.

"It's okay baby, you're okay." She murmured, cradling Sofia as close to her body as she could, but all the layers made it difficult.

"I borrowed one of your coats, Gabby, I hope that's okay." Becca spoke, Gabby looking up to see the girl wearing one of her paramedic coats.

"Oh, it's fine. I'm sorry this happened, but you can always borrow or use whatever, you know that." She reminded her, Becca nodding with a soft smile.

"Babe, why don't you get Sofia out into the ambulance where at least you all can turn the heaters on." Matt suggested, Gabby nodding as she cradled Sofia's chilly body against her, hoping that even though she wasn't able to do much to warm her up right now, the action alone would provide some comfort to her daughter. "I'll get some stuff for her, why don't you three just go outside, try and warm up a bit."

"Alright, thanks babe." She spoke, Matt giving her a nod before they left the apartment, Becca having grabbed her bag on the way out, following the paramedics towards the ambulance as snow continuously fell down around them.

"Becca, right?" Brett asked, the girl nodding as they got to the rig. "I'm Sylvie, one of Gabby's partners. You can go ahead and get in the passenger seat, I'm gonna get the rig started up, get some heat in there." She spoke, Becca nodding as she climbed in, Brett quickly starting up the ambulance, turning the heat all the way up before walking around to the back, opening the doors for Gabby and Sofia.

"Thanks Brett." Gabby spoke, the blonde nodding as Dawson slowly climbed into the back of the ambulance, being careful as she was holding Sofia in her arms, Gabby sitting down as soon as she could. "I know you're cold, baby. I know, it's okay." She murmured, Brett stepping in behind her and closing the doors, trying to keep as much of the heat in as possible.

"We should probably get some of those layers off of her, let her closer to you." Brett suggested, Gabby nodding in agreement as she laid Sofia down on the bed beside her, the baby immediately beginning to scream.

"It's okay, Momma's here. I'm right here." Gabby tried, but she knew until Sofia was back in her arms, it was useless to try and calm her down. With as many layers as she had on, Sofia wasn't able to really feel her mom's touches, Gabby quickly working to get the clothes off of her. When she was down to just one onesie, Brett kept a hand on Sofia to keep her from moving while Gabby unzipped her thick coat, as well as the lighter jacket she wore under it, knowing Sofia needed to be as close to her as possible.

When Gabby had gotten both jackets open, Brett carefully picked the crying baby up, wincing when she felt how cold she was, the blonde handing her to Gabby and helping her friend adjust the baby in her arms, Sofia getting settled against her chest.

Sofia was more content the second Gabby had her wrapped up in her arms, but she was still really cold, and that was something that needed to be fixed, and quickly.

"Can you grab a warming blanket? She's way too cold." Dawson spoke quickly, frowning as her cheek rested against the top of Sofia's head, feeling the temperature of her skin. Brett nodded, expertly pulling out the item from it's compartment, opening up the blanket before wrapping it around the front of Gabby, making sure Sofia was completely covered. "Thanks Brett."

"Of course, yeah. Once we get back, if she's still a little cold, maybe you could take a warm shower with her, the steam and everything, it might warm her up a bit."

"Yeah, that's a good idea." Gabby murmured, rubbing her hand over Sofia's back, feeling the baby cuddle herself deeper into her mom's embrace, finally calming down despite her discomfort from the temperature. "That's much better, isn't it, baby girl?" She whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, Gabby feeling her own body warming up underneath the blanket, hoping it was having the same effect on her child.

The sound of the back door opening grabbed their attention, Matt soon coming into view as he pulled open the rig, his hands full of baby supplies.

"Is she okay?" He asked immediately, unable to see his daughter underneath the blanket, Gabby nodding.

"I think so, yeah. We're just trying to warm her up." She replied, frowning as the chill from outside began to blow into the ambulance.

"Let's get you guys back to the firehouse, where there's actual heat." Brett spoke, Matt nodding as he stepped out of the way, his eyes staying focused on Gabby while the paramedic climbed out, Casey soon replacing her in the back of the rig before she shut the door, hurrying around to the driver's seat.

"Did you get everything?" Gabby questioned, Matt nodding as he placed the bags down on the ground, sitting down on the bed next to his wife.

"I did. I got her diaper bag, and I threw in a bunch of extra clothes, blankets, wipes, and diapers. I also got some extra milk and some bottles, just in case." He told her, Gabby nodding as she leaned into his side, Matt instantly wrapping his arm around her, sliding closer to her as she held Sofia in her arms.

Casey kept a firm grip on his family as Brett began to drive off, Gabby resting her head in the crook of his neck as he slid his hand underneath the blanket, resting it over Gabby's on Sofia's back.

"She's still really cold, baby." Gabby murmured, breathing deeply as she tried to stay focused. "Brett mentioned me taking a warm shower with her, I might do that when we get back. I'm just worried about her being this cold for so long." She told him, Matt nodding immediately.

"Yeah, we'll do that when we get back." He agreed, pressing a kiss to Gabby's head. "She's gonna be fine. She's with us now, we got her." He reminded her, feeling Gabby nod against his neck, the couple falling into a comfortable silence as they waited to get back to the house, Sofia having fallen asleep during the ride.

It took almost half an hour, the weather slowing them down considerably, but they managed to get back to the firehouse, Gabby and Matt having not moved from their position, the couple waiting until the garage doors had been shut before they began to move, Brett opening the back door for them.

Despite her best efforts to move carefully, Sofia woke up before Gabby could even get out of the ambulance, Gabby doing what she could to soothe her as Matt helped her out, waiting until she was firmly on the ground before he began grabbing Sofia's bags.

"Let's get you inside, baby." Gabby spoke softly, the cold air in the garage not doing anything to help their little girl. Moving as quickly as they could, Brett held the door open for them, Matt letting Gabby in first, Becca following after him before Brett came in last, Herrmann pushing himself up from the couch when he saw them walk in.

"How is she?" He asked, concern evident in his voice, everyone in the house having been worried about the little baby.

"She's still a little cold, but I think she's doing better… She's calmed down a lot." Gabby said, looking down at Sofia. She looked to be like she was doing alright, but Dawson was still worried, Matt placing his hand on Gabby's back while his other held all of Sofia's things. Gently rocking the baby in her arms, Gabby glanced up to her husband, giving him a weak smile. "I'm gonna take her to the bathroom." She spoke, Matt nodding understandingly, scratching over her back before she walked away from him, Casey watching them until they were out of sight.

"She okay, Casey?" Herrmann asked the question everyone was thinking, Matt knowing he wasn't talking about the baby.

"She is… she's just worried."

"Well, she's a mom. Comes with the territory." He replied, Matt giving him a nod before movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention, Casey turning to see Becca by his side, shifting back and forth on her feet.

"Oh, I'm sorry, guys this is Becca." He introduced, placing his hand on her shoulder, encouraging her to take a step forward. "She's Sofia's nanny."

There was a chorus of greetings from around the room, Becca flashing them all polite smiles, feeling a little overwhelmed by everyone speaking all at once.

"I'll let you handle the individual introductions, but just make yourself at home. Unless Gabby and I are both called out, we've got Sofia handled, so just relax and make yourself comfortable. Kidd, or Brett or someone can show you around."

"Thanks Matt." She replied, Casey nodding before he stepped further into the common room, heading for the fridge, needing to get the extra milk for Sofia in the freezer before he did anything else.

"Do you guys need anything?" Kidd questioned, Matt shaking his head as he closed the freezer, beginning the walk back towards the hallway.

"No, I don't think so, at least not right now. I think Gabby's gonna take a shower with Sofia, try and warm her up a bit…" He spoke, earning nods from around the room.

"We'll be out here, Captain." Herrmann assured him. "Just let us know if you all need anything."

"I will." He replied, giving the man a thankful nod before heading down the hallway, Boden's voice stopping him before he got very far.

"Casey!"

"Yeah Chief?" He asked, turning back around to face him.

"If truck gets a call, don't worry about. Just be with you're family." He instructed, Matt raising his eyebrows.

"Are you sure, cause I-"

"I'm sure." Boden cut him off, Matt smiling softly. "Now go."

"Thank you, Chief." He replied, Matt seeing him nod before he turned around, Casey going straight for the bathrooms.

When he walked in, he could already hear the water running, Matt turning the corner to see Gabby standing outside the shower, Sofia still curled into her chest as she waited for the water to get to an acceptable temperature.

"Hey." He spoke, gaining her attention as she turned her head, Gabby flashing him a soft smile.

"Hi." She replied softly, Matt coming to a stop when he got to them. Gabby had removed the blanket from around Sofia, the material laying on the floor as he was finally able to get a good look at his daughter, the baby clinging to her mom as she fussed.

"You doing okay?" Matt questioned, Gabby giving him a slight nod.

"I'm fine, just a little stressed… I know she's okay, but all this, it- I wasn't expecting it." She rambled, releasing a heavy sigh before meeting her husband's gaze. "But I'm okay. Promise." Gabby assured him, Matt nodding understandingly before pressing a soft kiss to her temple, placing his hand over Sofia's back. "And you?... Are you alright?"

"I am." He replied with a slight nod, bringing his hand up to cup the back of Sofia's head, the young girl opening her eyes, quickly finding her father. "I'm just glad Becca called when she did."

Gabby nodded in agreement, Matt pulling away from his wife and daughter to check the water temperature. "Is it alright?" She asked softly, earning a hum in response before he turned back around towards them, carefully taking Sofia from Gabby's grasp. The baby fussed at first, not liking to leave the comfort and safety of her mother's embrace, but Sofia soon settled when she found herself in her father's arms, the young girl cuddling up into his warm chest almost immediately.

"Yeah, see, you like me." He joked, rubbing his hand over her back, hearing his wife chuckle softly as she began shedding her extra layers. "I told everyone we were gonna get Sofia in the shower, so no one should come in." He assured her, Gabby nodding as she kicked off her boots, beginning to work on getting her pants off. "Alright little girl, you're not gonna like this…" Matt breathed out, carrying her over towards the sink. Alternating hands to keep her secure against his chest, Matt managed to get his coat off, Sofia completely oblivious to his frustration as he struggled with the material, but eventually he got it, the firefighter placing it down on the counter before laying Sofia on top of it.

As soon as she was out of his grasp, the girl began crying, Sofia showing signs of how she'd act whenever they'd get home from shift, the baby clearly not wanting to be put down. "It's okay, Sof. You're okay." He murmured, keeping a hand on her at all times while he began undressing her, trying to reassure her that he wasn't going anywhere.

"You guys alright in there?" Gabby's voice floated around the corner, Matt smiling softly as he continued undressing Sofia.

"We're fine, I'll be right there." He called back, removing Sofia's diaper and tossing it in the trash. "Come on baby girl, let's get you back to Momma." He murmured, leaving her clothes and his jacket on the counter, knowing he could get them later as he cradled her against his chest, keeping one hand underneath her while his other cradled her head, the young girl gripping onto his shirt, fussing as the cold air hit her skin.

When he turned the corner, Gabby was nowhere in sight, telling him that she'd already gotten in the shower, Matt walking towards her stall, seeing the curtain half open. "Babe?"

"Yeah?" She asked, stepping into view, steam rolling out from behind the curtain.

"I've got a delivery for you." He spoke, a grimace immediately covering his face as he looked down. "Oh come on. You were only out of your diaper for five seconds." He groaned, Gabby chuckling as he pulled Sofia away from his chest, his white shirt now stained with a wet spot over his torso.

"It's just cause she missed you, she got excited." Gabby teased him, Matt chuckling softly as he pressed a kiss to his daughter's head.

"You're the only person I'd let get away with peeing on me, Sof." He murmured, kissing her again before handing her to Gabby, Sofia immediately nuzzling into her mother's warm chest, grabbing ahold of any part of Gabby she could grasp, the baby desperately clinging to her mom.

Gabby stood with her back to the water, wanting to slowly get Sofia accustomed to the stream of warm water falling down on them, steam surrounding them both as their bodies began to warm up.

"You joining us?" Gabby questioned, glancing to see Matt standing just outside her shower, his gaze focused on Sofia. When their eyes locked, a soft smile covered his face, Casey clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

"Well, I wasn't going to… but since I've been peed on, a shower probably couldn't hurt." He mused, Gabby laughing softly as he began to strip out of his soiled clothes, Matt creating his own pile of laundry before stepping into the shower with them, sliding the curtain closed behind him, closing the small family off from the outside world.

Standing under the water, Matt wrapped one arm around Gabby, his hand moving along her wet back as he brought his other hand up to Sofia, stroking through her curly hair as the girl nuzzled against her mom's chest.

"She feels warmer already." He murmured, Gabby nodding in agreement as she placed her cheek against the top of Sofia's head.

"Yeah, I think the skin to skin is working." She responded, Matt keeping his eyes on Sofia as the young girl kept a firm grip on Gabby's chest, comforted by the warmth her mother provided her. "I know she was probably okay, just a little cold… But I definitely think this is helping, too. If anything, it's helping me feel better." She admitted softly, Matt grinning knowingly as he ran his hand along her back.

"It's definitely helping her." He replied, pressing a soft kiss to his wife's head. "And it's helping me, too."

She flashed him a gentle smile, leaning into his side as they stood under the warm stream of water, both of them needing this time to decompress after the busy day they'd had, Gabby and Matt just wanting to be close to Sofia. Even though they didn't necessarily like how they ended up here, the parents were thankful for this unexpected time they got to spend with their daughter, knowing they needed this just as much as Sofia did.