Hello! I'm back with another chapter for you guys. I know you all are eager to find out what happens, so let's just get into it.

Happy reading!

Chapter Eighty One

"Matt, don't."

He heard the pleading in her voice, Casey giving her as supportive a look as he could muster. "It's okay, I'm just gonna see what's going on." He told her, keeping his voice as steady as possible, not wanting to worry her anymore than she already was. There was a small, rational part to him that was telling him to just stay inside. To just lock himself, Gabby, and their baby in this room and call Antonio, but he couldn't help himself. He needed to know what was going on, Matt stopping to grab the bat they'd kept by the bed as of late, the man giving his wife one last assuring nod before disappearing around the corner.

Slowly, he flipped the light on, the living room instantly being bathed in light, showing it to be in the same condition he'd left it in moments prior. Though that wasn't too surprising, since the noise sounded like it was coming outside. Gripping the bat tightly, Matt continued towards the door that led out to the courtyard, the firefighter unable to see anything as all their blinds were drawn.

As he got closer, there was another loud crash, Casey tensing slightly as he heard what sounded like a struggle just outside their door, Matt's heart thumping in his ears as he walked closer to the disruptive noise.

Just as he reached out to move aside the blinds, the noise stopped, Matt holding his breath as he paused momentarily before working up the nerve to look outside. When he did, he couldn't see much, Matt barely able to make out what looked to be two men wrestling someone to the ground, the firefighting starting to hear the signs of a struggle as he watched the scene unfold in front of him.

He couldn't tell what was going on, the dim security light not doing much to make out the men a few yards from his door, but he was able to see one of the guys, Matt recognizing him as one of the many cops who'd been detailed to them as of late. Which, admittedly, made him feel a little better, at least for a moment, Matt knowing they'd been alerted to the situation. But not knowing what was going on was still causing some anxiety to build up in his system, Casey unsure of what to do.

Every thought in his head was screaming at him not to go outside, his brain telling him he had no business involving himself in this. Not with Gabby and Sofia here, not when the right people were taking care of it. He couldn't- wouldn't endanger the lives of his family by going out there, Matt knowing a baseball bat wouldn't be able to do much against a bullet.

"...Matt?"

He heard Gabby call him, Matt just now registering the sound of her voice, the husband unsure of if this had been her first attempt at getting his attention, Casey pursing his lips together.

Matt had every intention of answering her, and he'd opened his mouth to do so, but he abruptly shut it when he saw things begin to escalate outside. Whoever they'd managed to get to the ground had somehow gotten the upper hand, Matt watching as he tripped one of the cops down, everything happening in a blur.

It was nearly impossible to make out in the dark, but what wasn't impossible to see were to the two muzzle flashes that briefly lit up the dim courtyard, the loud noise of gunshots filling his ears as he saw the man in question collapse back onto the pavement, Matt's entire body going rigid.

It was clear what had just happened; whoever had been outside their apartment had been shot. And based on how their lifeless body laid underneath the moonlight, they'd been killed, Matt unable to take his eyes off the guy who'd been shot only feet away from his wife and daughter.

This didn't entirely feel real, Matt unsure of what he just witnessed as his hand slowly moved towards the lock before he could even process what he was doing. He needed to see it. He needed to see who'd been gunned down in what was essentially his backyard. He needed to see him. He needed to see that this man was dead, that the man who'd threatened him, who'd been terrorizing his family, he needed confirmation that he couldn't hurt them anymore. He needed it, and he knew Gabby would too.

Without another thought, Matt slowly pulled the door open, the noise immediately gaining the attention of the two cops standing over the man.

"Mr. Casey, you shouldn't be out here." One of them spoke, coming up to meet Matt as he walked outside. But Matt wasn't focused on him, his eyes solely trained on the dead man a few yards from him. "Mr. Casey-"

"Is it him?" Matt interrupted, the cop sighing as he glanced back towards his partner. "Is it… Is that Austin?" He asked, uttering the man's name for the first time since he'd found out what it was, Casey forcing himself to look back at the cop. "Is it him?"

"It is." The cop, Matt recognizing as a man named Cassidy, replied. "It's him."

"And he's-" Casey cut himself off, clearing his throat as he took another slight step forward. "He's dead?"

"He is." Cassidy confirmed, Matt drawing in a slow, unsteady breath, his grip loosening on the bat in his hands. "He tried to get the jump on us, but we saw him… We got him." Casey gave a slight nod, his head barely moving as his eyes focused back on the man, Matt making out a dark wet spot over his clothed chest. "We already called Detective Dawson… the unit is on the way. But it's over, Mr. Casey. We got him… You should go inside, be with your family. It's done."

"I want to see him." Matt replied without hesitation, Cassidy drawing in a slow breath.

"Mr. Casey."

"I want to see him." He repeated forcefully, the cop reluctantly nodding before stepping out of the way.

Slowly, Casey began walking towards him, his steps small as he moved across the pavement, the man Matt had so often seen replaying over and over in his mind looking much different now that he lay still on the concrete, his eyes open, yet holding no signs of life.

Matt wasn't sure what he would feel when he came face to face with this man; whether he'd feel all the anger he'd been holding onto as of late, or if he'd feel some lingering fear being so close to the person who almost took everything from him. He hadn't thought about it, what it would be like to actually confront him again, at least not like this. Time and time again he'd pictured finding this man and beating the shit out of him. Of finding him and making sure he was never in a position where he could hurt anyone else again. But this? Matt hadn't thought of this… Of seeing this man again for the first time when he was already gone. It hadn't been something that he'd prepared for, and he didn't know how he'd feel now that this man was dead.

But through all the anger, and rage, and fear, there was one thing outweighing all of that. One feeling that was almost overwhelming him as he stood there in the courtyard, unable to look away from the man who had become his family's worst nightmare. And that feeling was relief.

He felt completely relieved in this moment. Relieved that this man was dead, relieved that they could finally break free from the hell their lives had become these last few weeks. Relieved that Gabby might finally feel safe again.

Every other emotion got pushed aside as an overpowering amount of relief flooded him, Matt drawing in a deep breath as he took one last glance at the man who had not only ruined his life, but nearly taken it, before turning around and moving back towards his apartment, Casey making a silent promise to himself to never think of that man's face again.

"I, um- thank you." Matt spoke, clearing his throat as he came up beside Cassidy, the cop nodding strongly. "Thank you, for everything. For everything all of you have done. Thank you."

Cassidy clasped him on the shoulder, giving him another nod before dropping his hand. "I'm glad this is over… The bastard got what he deserved." He spoke roughly, Matt unable to stop his slight nod, the firefighter agreeing with everything Cassidy was saying. "But Dawson should be here soon… just go be with your family."

Casey didn't need any more prompting as he kept moving back towards his home, refusing to look back at the scene as he stepped inside, closing the door behind him, his focus shifting as he stood in the quiet apartment. He was glad that man was dead, he truly was, but he was no longer in the forefront of Matt's mind as he continued into his home, Casey placing the bat down by the door.

This man was gone, he couldn't hurt them again. He wasn't a threat to them anymore, and Matt needed to make sure Gabby knew that.

Stepping into their bedroom, Matt's eyebrows furrowed when he saw the room empty, Gabby no longer in the rocker in the corner with their baby. "Gabby?" He called out, turning back to look around the apartment, Matt having a good view of their layout from his position in the bedroom doorway, but he didn't see her anywhere. He called her name again as he continued into the room, Matt noticing Sofia's bed was empty, the father growing a bit anxious as he walked to the bathroom. "Gabby?" He asked again, but the small room was empty, Matt unsure of where she'd gone with their baby.

His nerves started to rise, Matt jogging back out into the living room, calling out his wife's name as he hurried around the apartment, looking for her anywhere he could. But there weren't many places for him to check, Matt not finding her anywhere in the main area of their home, and she wasn't in the baby's room either, Casey feeling his heart rate picking up as he moved back to their bedroom.

"Gabby? Baby, where are you?" He called out, his hand coming up to run over the back of his neck as he stood by their bed, his eyes darting quickly around the room despite him knowing she wasn't in here.

As he looked around frantically, his eyes found the closet door, Matt knowing that was the only place left in the apartment where he hadn't looked. Without another thought, the firefighter took long strides towards the small room, gripping onto the door frame as he came through the entrance.

All of the nerves that he'd felt from not being able to find his wife disappeared when he caught sight of her, but they were instantly replaced with an overwhelming amount of worry when he saw the state she was in.

Gabby was huddled on the ground up against the wall, clutching what appeared to be a sleeping Sofia to her chest as she had her head ducked down, her body trembling almost violently. She was making herself as small as she possibly could, her breathing labored while she held onto their daughter for dear life, Matt's frown deepening as he took a step towards her, Gabby not even registering his presence.

He knew exactly what this was, he'd seen this happen to her before. It had been awhile, though she'd come close since this all started, but with one glance he knew what was happening. She was having a panic attack.

Matt knew he had to approach her cautiously, the husband seeing her chest rising and falling rapidly as she did her best to breathe, Casey not even completely sure how Sofia was sleeping through her mom's obvious distress. "...Gabby." He murmured, slowly crouching down beside her, his wife refusing to lift her head as he saw her begin to shake more, the movement jarring as he's clearly startled her. "Hey, hey it's okay. It's okay. It's me. It's Matt." He soothed, gently lifting his hand up to rest over her arm, hoping his presence could help her through this. "It's okay, we're alright."

"I-" She started, immediately cutting herself off, Gabby clenching her eyes shut tightly as she did what she could to ground herself. "I heard the gunshot."

Her voice was unsteady at best, Matt sighing softly as he placed his other hand on her leg, thankful that she'd at least realized it was him here with her. "Everything's okay. Just breathe. We're alright." He said again, stroking his thumb along her knee. "We're okay, it's over."

His last words caused her head to snap up, Matt caught off guard by the abrupt movement as her glassy eyes met his. Before she even said a word, he could see the fear and anxiety within her as they locked gazes, Casey wishing he could do more to help her.

"It's over?" Her voice was hesitant, like she was almost afraid she'd misheard him, but Matt gave her a strong nod, shuffling closer to his terrified wife.

"It's done. It's over… He's gone." Matt confirmed, Gabby drawing in as deep of a breath as could, trying to calm her racing heart, but she wasn't having much luck.

He kept his eyes on her, Matt noticing how fresh tears welled up in her eyes, Gabby doing what she could to will them away as her body continued to shake, his frown deepening even more as he gave her leg a gentle squeeze.

"We're fine, baby. It's over." He repeated, pressing a lingering kiss to the side of her head, Matt feeling her move one hand from Sofia and use it to grip his shoulder, her fingers digging into his skin. He knew she wasn't doing it to hurt him, in fact he was sure she didn't even realize how tightly she was holding onto him, but he said nothing, Matt willing to do whatever was needed for her to start feeling better. "It's all over."

He stayed as close to her as he possibly could in the position he was in, Matt being careful not to press his body into Sofia, not wanting to risk hurting his sleeping daughter, Gabby never releasing her grip on him. He continued comforting her, Matt feeling her slowly calming down as he rubbed his hand over her arm.

"Gabby?! Matt!"

Gabby nearly jumped out of her skin when they heard the unexpected noise of their names being called, Matt instantly whispering reassuring words into her ear.

"It's okay, it's okay. It's just your brother." He assured her, Gabby clenching her eyes shut as she tried to focus on her breathing. "We're alright."

"Gabs?"

Knowing she was in no state to be left alone, and she probably wouldn't let him leave even if he tried, Matt pulled back from her slightly, his assumptions proven true when she immediately tightened her grip on him.

"I'm not going anywhere." He promised, Gabby nodding quickly as she blinked back the fresh tears in her eyes, Matt pulling away far enough so his could speak loud enough without hurting Gabby's ears. "We're in here." He called, rubbing Gabby's arm comfortingly.

"Casey?"

"The closet." He directed, hearing their footsteps get closer, Matt turning around just as Antonio came into view, Voight and Upton standing behind him, their gazes immediately locking on Gabby, who was clearly having a hard time.

The second he saw his sister, Antonio frowned deeply, watching as she ducked her head down, focusing her attention on the baby in her arms.

"We'll be outside." Voight spoke, his voice still rough despite his softer tone, Matt giving him a nod before he and Upton walked away, leaving just the family members in the small space, Antonio's sad eyes focused on his baby sister.

He knew Gabby was in no condition to talk through what just happened, it was clear just by looking at her that she needed a minute to work through all of this. And he knew he wasn't the person she needed right now, the detective moving his gaze to his brother-in-law. "...I'll be out there, unless you guys need anything." He spoke, Matt shaking his head softly. "When you're ready to talk, just come out… Take all the time you need."

"Thanks Antonio." Matt responded after a beat of silence when Gabby had yet to say anything, his wife still very much trapped in her own head, the older Dawson giving him a nod as he took a few steps back, sparing one last worried glance to his sister before leaving the small family alone in the room.

Taking a deep breath, Matt shifted to rest on his knees and his shins beside his wife, Gabby lifting her head when she registered the movement, finding a reassuring smile from her husband waiting for her when she looked at him. "...Can I take Sof?" He asked carefully, Gabby's body tightening involuntarily as her eyes darted around his face. "We're staying right here." He reminded her, Gabby sucking in an unsteady breath before nodding, the parents carefully trading off their baby into Matt's arms. By some miracle, Sofia didn't wake up, the baby snuggling against her father in her sleep, comforted by his warmth as he cradled her with one arm.

The second she didn't have Sofia in her arms, Gabby pulled her knees up to her chest, ducking her head down towards her lap as she took slow breaths, Matt wrapping his arm around the front of her legs, grabbing on to her shoulder as he did what he could to hug her in this position. Though awkward, Gabby found herself comforted by her husband's embrace, the paramedic grabbing ahold of his arm.

"Just focus on my breathing." He murmured before he continued his slow breaths, Matt going through the steps he'd found worked best for them whenever she got like this. Though every panic attack was different, he'd found what worked for Gabby to help get her through them, Matt having a mental list in his head of what to do.

Nodding slowly, Gabby listened to his breathing, doing what she could to match his pace, the noise of her heart racing in her ears slowly fading away as she calmed down, Matt rubbing over her shoulder.

They sat in silence for a good five minutes, Matt doing nothing but breathing steadily, Gabby following his lead as they stayed huddled together in the room. With each passing second she could feel herself slowly breaking out of the fearful haze her mind was in, Gabby lifting her head up, Matt glancing to her when he noticed the movement.

"...He's really gone?" She asked tentatively, like she wasn't completely sure the first time she heard those words hadn't been a dream, Matt giving her a quick nod.

"He is." Matt assured her, Gabby drawing in a slow breath. "I saw him, he's-... he's gone."

Gnawing on her bottom lip, Gabby gave him a nod, blinking quickly as she felt a million different emotions consume her, Matt's words continuously ringing in her head.

This was over. It was done. He couldn't hurt them anymore.

And she'd never felt more relieved in her life.

But she still wasn't entirely sure she believed it.

"I love you." She heard Matt murmur, Gabby's gaze snapping into focus just as he moved forward to press a kiss to the side of her head. She leaned into him, Matt staying put as she rested her cheek against his shoulder, Gabby feeling him move his hand up to cradle her head to his body.

"I love you too." Gabby replied, taking a deep, slow breath as she faintly heard the sound of his heart beating. "And, I, uh-" She cleared the emotion from her throat, a lone tear sliding down her cheek as she slowly came to realize what all had happened. "I'm sorry… for freaking out, I just- I heard the shots and I panicked. I thought he was inside, or something worse had happened and I-" She cut herself off, Matt shaking his head as he stroked his hand over her hair.

"You have nothing to be sorry for… Nothing." He spoke firmly, pressing another kiss against her head. "I'm sorry you were scared, and I'm so sorry this happened," He told her, Gabby knowing he was referring to more than just this man coming to their apartment, "But it's over… We're all okay. We'll be okay." He murmured, Matt well aware that even though this man was dead, that didn't mean that all the hurt and fear this ordeal had given them would just go away. They would need time to get past this, Gabby especially, but he knew they would. "I promise you, we'll be okay."

He felt Gabby nod against him, Matt ignoring the tingling numbness spreading throughout his legs from the uncomfortable position he was in, focusing his attention on keeping a firm grip on his baby while doing what he could to comfort his wife. But, to his surprise, she pulled back from him seconds later, Matt meeting her eyes as she leaned back against the wall.

"Thank you." She practically whispered, reaching out to rest her hand over his thigh, Gabby rubbing his leg in a comforting motion, Matt flashing her a small, warm smile. She didn't need to thank him for anything, they both knew it, Casey just happy she'd gotten through her panic attack. It was something that never got easier for him to witness, seeing her shut down and be so afraid, but he'd help her through them each and every time it happened, without question.

"Always." He replied, Gabby giving him another nod before blowing out a soft breath.

"...I guess we should go talk to my brother." She spoke quietly, Matt raising his eyebrows slightly, seeing Gabby's eyes flicker towards their sleeping baby before she met his gaze again.

"Are you sure? We don't have to go out there yet, if you need more time…"

"It's okay." She assured him, Matt giving her a nod before slowly getting up to his feet. With one arm holding Sofia, he reached his free hand down to Gabby, his wife grabbing ahold of it and letting him help her up off the ground. Before they exited the closet, Gabby pulled one of Matt's CFD sweatshirts down off its hanger, letting the material swallow her as she pulled it over her head. Matt helped her pull her hair out from underneath it, Gabby shooting him a weak, yet thankful smile before they slowly walked out into their bedroom.

They could hear members of the Intelligence Unit talking to one another out in their living room before they even got to the door, Matt seeing her steps slow down as they got closer, Gabby stopping before turning around to face her husband.

"You okay?" He questioned softly, Gabby nodding as she blinked quickly a few times.

"Yeah, yeah, I just- can I hold her?" She asked, her eyes moving towards Sofia, Matt's gaze softening. In his own experience, he knew Sofia always had a way of calming him down. That, aside from Gabby, she was able to ground him in a way that no one else could. And he knew she did the same thing for his wife, Matt nodding immediately.

"Of course." He replied, Gabby releasing a grateful breath before they completed the trade off, Sofia rousing a bit more than she did the last time she got handed off, the little girl stretching her arms up in the air, a yawn escaping her lips before she settled against her mother's chest, the combined comforting scent of her mom and the smell of her dad from his sweatshirt lulling her back to sleep within seconds.

Once she was settled, the family continued walking out into the living room, Gabby letting her husband go first as they moved through the door. Her eyes darted around nervously, Gabby seeing that everything in their home was just as it had always been, aside from the multiple detectives standing in their living room.

"Hey sis." Antonio greeted when he noticed their presence, everyone from her brother's unit turning to look at the husband and wife, each of them wearing their own look of sympathy.

"Hey." She responded weakly, Matt guiding her towards the vacant couch, everyone in the room standing aside from Voight, who was seated in the chair beside them.

The air around them was thick, Gabby focusing her complete attention on her daughter so she wouldn't have to catch any of the pitiful stares on her, Matt wrapping his arm around her as they sat together on the couch, Antonio and Voight sharing a knowing look with one another.

"Halstead, Upton, go help the uniforms outside… Burgess, Ruzek, go find Atwater, start taking some statements so we can get this thing all wrapped up."

"Got it." Halstead answered for the team, Jay placing a supportive hand on Casey's shoulder as he passed them, the four members of the unit heading back out towards the courtyard. Ruzek quickly shut the door behind him, which was something Matt was thankful for because he knew had Gabby been looking, from their position on the couch she would've been able to see the dead man outside their apartment, and that wasn't an image he wanted her to have. While Matt needed to see it, he needed to see with his own two eyes that this man was dead, he knew Gabby didn't need the visible confirmation. Hearing that he was gone was enough for her. She didn't need to see it to believe it, and he didn't want that image to be a memory she forever had associated with their home.

"...What happens now?"

Gabby surprised everyone in the room by being the first to speak up, Matt glancing between Antonio and Voight before turning to look at his wife, seeing her gaze trained on her brother.

"Well, to put it bluntly, this is probably the best case scenario." Antonio replied, Matt rubbing his hand up and down Gabby's arm. "You two won't need to go through a trial now, they'll be none of that. Pretty much all I need from you two is your statements, but that we can just do here… As far as you're concerned, this was nothing more than cops taking down a suspect outside your apartment, Casey wasn't even involved. So all I'll need is your statement of what happened, then we're done… You can start putting all this behind you."

Matt nodded as Antonio spoke, the firefighter feeling tension he didn't even realize he had leave his body. "Gabby was in the bedroom the entire time, she didn't see anything… Does she still need to give a statement?" He asked, feeling her lean into his side slightly as a slight grimace played over Antonio's face.

"Yeah, she does." He replied, Matt giving a reluctant nod. He understood it, but he figured it couldn't hurt to ask, knowing that with the state Gabby had been in moments prior, her having to relive everything probably wouldn't help matters. "But it won't take long. Your statement is more what we need, Casey, but we still need to hear things from Gabby." He explained, Matt glancing back towards his wife, watching as she slowly stroked her thumb over Sofia's cheek. "But after we do this, we'll get out of your way, and you all can try and get some rest."

"Alright… Thanks Antonio." Matt responded, earning a nod from his brother in-law before Antonio glanced towards Voight, Hank shooting him a knowing look.

"Casey, how about you give your statement to Voight." Matt's eyebrows raised, the firefighter sparing a quick look towards the man whom he'd had a rocky history with before looking back to Antonio. It wasn't common practice for a Sergeant to take statements like this, Casey knew that, but the figured with the complexity and importance of this case, Voight would be heavily involved with this, just like he'd been from the start. "That way I can take Gabby's, and we can get it done quicker… Let you guys get to bed."

"Okay." He replied slowly, looking back towards his wife, finding her eyes already on him, Gabby giving him a reassuring nod. He was hesitant to leave her, even if it would just be to another room, Matt feeling better when they were all together. But he knew she was in the best hands possible, besides his own, in being with her brother. "Are you okay?" He asked her directly, needing more than just her silent gestures before he agreed to this.

"I'm alright… Go talk to Voight, let's get this done." Her voice was soft, Matt nodding before leaning forward, pressing a soft kiss to her temple.

"Okay... You good with Sof?"

"Mhmm."

Having gotten the confirmation he needed, Matt slowly pulled away from her, Gabby missing his comforting warmth instantly as he carefully got up off the couch, the father not wanting to risk disturbing his sleeping baby.

"We can talk in the kitchen." Casey spoke to Voight, Hank giving him a firm nod before heading that direction, Antonio moving to sit beside his sister on the couch as soon as Casey had walked away, the last thing Matt seeing before he disappeared around the corner being Antonio pulling his sister into a hug.

Over the next half hour, the Casey's both told their version of events in detail to the cop in front of them, Gabby's story much shorter than her husbands. But it was admittedly harder to get through as she had to keep stopping to calm herself down, Antonio doing what he could to help his sister, whereas Casey had been more stoic when speaking, Matt giving Voight the black and white version of events that had happened earlier in the evening. It wasn't nearly as hard for Matt to get through everything as he thought it might be, though he figured that had something to do with the fact that his thoughts were more focused on his wife than anything else.

This man was dead, there was no reason for Matt to worry about him anymore; his only concern now was Gabby, and making sure she was alright. But it was hard to do that when he wasn't with her.

"Alright Casey, I think that's all I need from you." Voight spoke as he closed his small notepad, Matt giving him a nod from across the kitchen table. "I'm, uh- I'm sorry this happened, but like Antonio said, this was probably the best case scenario, at least for you and Gabby." He added, Casey taking a slow breath. "Having to go through a trial… I'm not gonna pretend to know what this has been like on you guys, but I have a feeling having to go through all that, it wouldn't have been easy. Especially on Gabby."

Matt was a little thrown to hear Voight talking the way he was, to hear the compassion and concern in his voice. It wasn't something he wasn't used to hearing from the Sergeant, though over the years Casey had come to understand that while Voight's methods, often illegal, were dangerous if on the wrong side of things, if he was on your side, there'd be no stopping him. In a situation like this, he was one person you definitely wanted to have your back, even though Matt would never admit that out loud.

"Thankfully, this is over." Voight continued when Casey had yet to say anything, Matt giving him another slight nod.

"Yeah." Matt agreed, Hank pursing his lips together before he stood up, the firefighter following his action. "And, uh-" He started, clearing his throat as Voight looked towards him. "Thank you… For everything you've done- everything you all did, to get this guy."

A small smile formed over Voight's face, the cop nodding before holding his hand out, Matt reluctantly shaking it. "I'm glad everything worked out." He replied as they dropped hands, Casey drawing in a deep breath as they walked back towards the living room, finding Gabby, Antonio, and Sofia where they'd left them.

"You guys done?" Antonio asked, Voight nodding while Matt moved back towards the couch, coming to sit on the armrest beside his wife, his hand lifting up to rest over her back as Gabby shot him a weak smile. Her eyes were glassy, like she'd been crying, but she seemed to be a little less on edge than she had been when he left to talk to Voight. "Alright… Well we'll go, get everything finished up outside, but we don't need you for anything else tonight." He said, Matt feeling Gabby lean into the side of his thigh, the husband continuing to rub soothing patterns over his wife's back. "Just try and get some rest."

"Thanks Antonio." Gabby murmured, the detective nodding before he pushed himself up, Voight moving towards the door out to the courtyard.

"Of course, sis. I love you." He replied, leaning down to press a kiss on the top of her head before walking past them, stopping briefly to give Matt's shoulder a supportive squeeze. "I'll call you guys tomorrow, let you know how everything's going." Antonio added, talking more to Casey than to his sister, Matt giving him a nod and small, grateful smile before the detective followed Voight outside, leaving the family alone in their home.

Taking a deep breath, Matt glanced back down to Gabby, seeing that her red eyes looked quite heavy, her exhaustion evident as he kept up his comforting movements along her back. "Let's go to bed, yeah?" He asked softly, his words earning an immediate nod from his wife.

Matt stood up, moving to take Sofia from her arms so he could get her in bed, but before he could take her the small girl started to rouse, her little arms shooting up in the air as she stretched. And while they hoped she would just fall back asleep, it only took seconds before her sharp cry filled the air, Gabby sighing softly as she began rubbing Sofia's stomach.

"I can get her back to sleep." Casey offered, Gabby about to take him up on his offer before Sofia started pushing herself towards her mom's chest, the little girl getting frustrated by clothes in her way, the material stopping her from eating.

"That's okay, I guess she didn't get enough to eat before she fell asleep." Gabby replied, handing Sofia off to Matt so she could pull off his sweatshirt covering her body, the tired mom taking her daughter back into her arms and settling down into the couch.

"Want me to give her a bottle?" He suggested, knowing how tired his wife was, and that even though Sofia didn't have an empty stomach, she could still be feeding for awhile, if for anything just for her mother's comfort.

"No, no, I'm alright." She assured him, angling her body sideways on the couch before lifting her shirt up and guiding Sofia towards her chest, the little girl latching on as soon as she could. "Thank you though." Gabby added once her and her baby had gotten comfortable, Matt nodding before leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead.

While Gabby took care of their daughter, Matt moved around the apartment, locking back up the door out to their courtyard, as well as checking the locks on the front and back door, even though no one had come in and out of those. Once confirming all the doors were locked and all the blinds were drawn, Matt went into the kitchen, deciding to make him and Gabby both some tea, knowing that usually helped settle her before bed. And with Sofia waking up earlier than normal to eat, he hoped she'd sleep for a few solid hours before waking them up again.

It took a few minutes, but once he'd gotten their drinks prepared, Matt turned off the stovetop before grabbing the warm mugs, Casey quietly making his way out into the living room. They could hear some movement outside as the district worked what was now essentially a crime scene just outside their apartment, but Matt tried to ignore it as he walked towards his wife. When she saw him coming towards her, she shot him a soft, thankful smile, noticing the mugs in his hands.

"I made some tea." He told her, Gabby nodding as she reached out to take the drink from him while her other arm kept Sofia against her chest.

"Thank you." She murmured, wincing slightly as Sofia pinched her skin before she took a long sip of the warm beverage, Matt sitting down next to his wife and daughter, focusing his attention on them while Sofia fed.

"How's she doing?" He asked after a few moments, his eyes moving from Sofia up towards Gabby.

"She's alright, she's grab-y tonight, but she's okay." Gabby replied, Matt smiling softly as he reached out to run his hand along Sofia's head.

"Are you hurting Momma, Sof? That's not nice." He spoke, stroking his thumb along the side of her face, Sofia's eyes darting around when she heard her father's voice and felt his touch. "Yeah, Daddy's right here, just try and be nicer to your mom." He added, Sofia loosening her grip on Gabby's chest with her little fist, the girl waving her arm around as she got excited by her dad's voice.

"...Let's hope she listens to you this much when she's older." Gabby spoke softly, Matt scoffing lightly as he continued rubbing over Sofia's head.

"Yeah, we both know she won't." He replied with a laugh, his smile growing when he saw a slight grin tug on his wife's lips.

"Yeah, probably not." Gabby agreed, running her thumb along the top of Sofia's head, the little girl loving having both her parents' attention, her blue eyes gazing up at her mother, completely mesmerized. "But you're alright, yeah Sof? Yeah, you're fine… Just a little hungry." She added quietly, Matt sighing softly as his gaze moved up to her.

"...And you?" He asked, Gabby glancing towards him. "How are you?"

Gabby pursed her lips together, thinking over his question as she looked back down at her baby. "I… I don't know, I think I'm alright?" She told him, even though her voice was laced with uncertainty. "I feel like it hasn't hit me yet, at least not fully… Right now I'm just more tired than anything." She admitted, Matt nodding sympathetically as he moved his hand from Sofia down to her lap, giving her thigh a comforting squeeze.

"I know… as soon as she's done, we'll get to bed. And I'll take care of her during the night, I know she sleeps pretty well now, but when she gets hungry or needs her diaper changed, I'll handle it. I just want you to rest." He responded softly, rubbing over her leg as she gave him a grateful nod. "And, uh… you know you can talk to me about any of this. However you're feeling, I know this has all been impossible, but I'm here for you." He added, Gabby's face softening as he spoke. "I meant what I said, we're gonna get through this, and we're gonna be fine… But it's okay that you're not right now, Honestly, I don't know if I am, either. But we've got each other, and we've got our Sof… We're gonna be just fine." He promised, Gabby blinking back a few fresh tears that had formed in her eyes, his words eliciting a strong reaction from her as he leaned forward to capture her lips in a soft, gentle kiss.

"I love you." She whispered against him, Matt smiling before giving her another kiss, this one lasting a bit longer before he finally pulled away, Gabby taking another long sip of her tea.

"I love you, too."

It took about ten more minutes for Sofia to finish feeding, Matt going ahead and getting a few clean bottles set out so he'd have a little bit of an easier time getting them prepared in the middle of the night for Sofia. When he walked back into the living room after completing his task, he saw Gabby slowly rocking their little girl in her arms, Matt quietly approaching them.

"I can take her… get her laid down." He offered, earning a slight nod from his wife before she handed Sofia over to her father, the little girl whining until she realized whose arms she was in. "Yeah, it's Daddy, you're okay. You're alright." He murmured, rubbing his hand over her small chest as a heavy yawn left her lips, Matt heading for the bedroom.

He walked her over to the dresser, carefully placing her down on her changing mat, Sofia immediately disliking being out of her father's arms. "I know, I know. It's okay." He began unbuttoning her onesie, Matt starting the process of changing her diaper, the father an expert at this task now as he skillfully changed her into a fresh one, the entire thing taking only a few minutes. As he was buttoning her onesie back up, Gabby walked into their bedroom, Matt glancing up to see their home pitch black behind her, Gabby shutting the door after she came inside. While it wasn't how they usually slept, he knew she did that at times when she needed to feel a little safer, Matt not questioning it as she moved towards their bed.

After wiping away some milk on the side of Sofia's mouth, Matt picked up his baby, knowing he'd need to rock her to sleep before he could put her down, or she'd never settle otherwise, the dad slowly moving around the room while Gabby made herself comfortable in their bed. She was laying in the middle of the mattress, Matt keeping an eye on her as he walked slowly around the room, a soft smile forming over his lips when he saw his wife make herself comfortable against his pillow.

In the fifteen or so minutes it took Sofia to completely fall asleep, Gabby had dozed off a few times, but she never really fell into a deep slumber, Matt seeing her wake back up abruptly a couple of times while he gently bounced his daughter in his arms. He hoped that once he got into bed with Gabby, she'd be able to settle down and rest, but he couldn't help but get the sense that sleep wouldn't be coming so easy to either of them tonight.

Once Sofia was finally settled in her bed, Matt slowly climbed down into his own, Gabby rolling out of the way to give him room to get comfortable. But the second he was, and he opened his arm out to invite her towards him, which was an offer she immediately accepted. She curled into his body, Gabby clutching onto him as they laid on his side of the bed, her head placed over his heart while her hand rested over his stomach.

From their close position, he could feel how rapidly her heart was beating, and while it was nothing compared to how it had been during her panic attack earlier in the night, it was still a little too fast for comfort. He ran his hand up and down her back, while his other came up to hold onto hers, Matt lacing their fingers together before their conjoined hands fell back down against his stomach.

"I got you." He murmured, Gabby nodding against his chest before nuzzling deeper into his embrace, tangling her leg with his. "Just try and sleep, I'm right here… I'm not going anywhere." He promised, Matt continuing to whisper comforting words as they laid together in the darkness, Gabby slowly letting her exhaustion take over as she focused on the steady sound of her husband's heart beat.

Gabby smiled softly when she looked at Sofia, the happy baby waving her arms around excitedly as she sat in her father's lap, Matt keeping a firm hand over his daughter's chest so she wouldn't fall off his leg, the baby captivated by her new surroundings. Even though she'd been here before, there was no way she would've remembered it; this office was brand new to her, and Gabby and Matt both could sense her excitement and intrigue.

Focusing her attention on Sofia made her feel a little more at ease, Gabby not exactly eager to meet the eyes of the older man across from her. She knew they'd have to talk, she was the only reason they were here, but the conversation she knew was coming wasn't something she was looking forward to having.

It had been five days since that man was found outside their apartment, since that man had been killed feet away from their bedroom, and to say it had been some of the most frustrating days of Gabby's life would be putting it lightly. In the time that had passed since this nightmare had ended, in some ways it felt like a separate nightmare had only begun, at least as far as Gabby was concerned.

The man was dead, he couldn't hurt them anymore. He couldn't do anything anymore, and she knew that. She knew they were fine, that this was over. That the nightmare that their life had become since the call to the crack house fire was over. They were okay, all three of them were fine. This entire ordeal was done.

But it didn't feel like it sometimes.

Rationally, she knew nothing would happen to them, that the three of them were safe. But it was hard to completely let go of the caution she'd lived her life with over the last few weeks. It was hard to not feel like she didn't have to constantly look over her shoulder anymore, to feel completely secure leaving their apartment. She hadn't felt safe in weeks, and it was hard to let go of that fear.

And that's why she was here.

The man across from her had been a savior in her life more times than she could count, and once Matt suggested the idea the day before last, it was something she knew she needed to do. If not for herself, then for him, and their little girl. She couldn't keep being afraid to live her life, especially when the thing she had been so afraid of wasn't something she had to consider anymore. She didn't want to live like this, and that's how she found herself at the Chaplain's office.

"How's Sofia been?" The Chaplain spoke up first, the man knowing the drill by now when it came to Dawson. She had to open up on her own, everyone in the room knew that, but she usually needed a little prompting to get talking.

"She's been doing pretty well." Matt answered, rubbing his thumb over her chest as the young girl babbled incoherently, her hands reaching out until her dad gave her his free hand, Sofia gripping his thumb tightly in her little fist. "We've been able to spend a lot of time with her, since we haven't been working, which has been nice. Usually we miss so much time with her at once, so it's been good to be with her." He continued, the Chaplain nodding as he spared a glance at Gabby, seeing the woman still refusing to look his way. "And I think she's loved it, getting all this time with her parents."

"I'm sure she has." The Chaplain agreed, placing his crossed hands in his lap. "How's that been going for you all? Being off work for a little bit?" He questioned, his gaze moving back and forth between the couple. When the Chaplain had spoken with Casey and heard a little bit about what was going on, and why they wanted to come in, he immediately gave Boden a call, wanting to get a better understanding of what had been going on. The personal things, he knew he couldn't get from anyone other than the people in front of him, but the logistical details of what had been happening was something Boden could tell him.

"It's been good." Matt responded when Gabby had yet to say anything, feeling his wife lean slightly into his side. "We needed it, the break from work after everything that happened… I think we still do need it." He added, knowing Gabby still wasn't in the right headspace to return to the firehouse. And, truthfully, he knew he wouldn't be either until she was feeling better. "But I think it's been good for us, for all three of us."

"Yeah, I think it's been good that you've taken some time off." The Chaplain spoke, Gabby giving him a slow nod, that being the first sign of communication from her other than the quiet greeting she'd given him where they arrived. "Have you guys been doing anything since you've been off?" He prodded with a raised brow, Matt glancing towards his wife.

"We've uh- we've really just been taking it day by day lately… We're focusing on trying to get past this, I guess." Casey answered honestly, earning a nod from the man across from him. "When this guy was still out there, it wasn't really safe for us to be out all that much, and it was hard with the cops detailing us, so we mostly just stayed in, unless we were working… But we really just felt safe at home."

"And now?" He asked, Matt pursing his lips together. "Now that this man isn't a threat to you anymore, have you gone out any? Tried to get back into your normal life?" He questioned, even though he already had a good idea of what the answer would be.

"Uh, no… Not really." Casey responded softly, Gabby carefully looking up at him. "We do better at home. I know it's not the best to have Sofia cooped up all day, but we just-" He cut himself off, unsure of how to explain why they hadn't been leaving their home.

He knew why. He knew exactly why they hadn't really gone anywhere, even though there was nothing keeping them from doing so. And that was because of Gabby.

Her anxiety had skyrocketed since this man came to their home, and it was clear she didn't feel comfortable leaving the apartment. Even getting her out today to come here had some challenges, he couldn't imagine trying to get her out to go to the store, or to the park, even though Matt knew they really needed to start getting out of the house. But he'd never force her, not when he'd seen first hand how hard these last few days had been. Not when he'd been there to see her panic attacks, Gabby having had two more since that night, and not when he'd been there to witness the moments she'd broken down. He'd never push her to do anything she wasn't ready for, but he was worried about her. More worried than he could fully put into words.

"We just don't really feel ready, I guess." He finished, the Chaplain giving him a nod.

"It's because of me." Gabby spoke up for the first time, Matt and the Chaplain both glancing towards her as her soft voice hit their ears. "The reason we haven't really been doing anything is because of me… why we stay at home, why we aren't working-"

"I don't feel ready to work, either. It's what's best for both of us." Matt interjected, Gabby giving him a slight nod before she continued.

"But I'm why we're staying home… Why we haven't really tried to go out or anything since this happened." She said, clearing her throat. "I know it doesn't make sense, I know we're okay, but I just-" She cut herself off, shaking her head slightly. "The thought of going out and being in a big crowd, or being around a bunch of people makes me so anxious."

"Have you been taking your medication?" The Chaplain asked, Gabby giving him a nod.

"I have been, and it's helped. Or at least I think it has." She corrected, glancing towards Matt for confirmation, which he soon gave in the form of a nod. "But even with that, I still can't help but feel like we're still in danger somehow… That something's gonna happen to us. I can't get that feeling to go away. And I've had some panic attacks because of it… and a few nightmares."

"It might not go away for awhile, Gabby." The Chaplain spoke honestly, Dawson pursing her lips together tightly. "I'm sorry, I know that's probably not what you want to hear, but everything you all went through with this… Everything this all brought back up for you, Gabby, that's not something you can just forget because the man trying to hurt you is dead. He may be gone, but he left an awful lot of pain behind, and you need to give yourself time to deal with that. How you're reacting to this is completely normal." He told her, Gabby running her tongue along the inside of her cheek. "I've told you this before, there's nothing wrong with needing time to deal with trauma, because that's what this is… Not only was this man tormenting you, but I'm sure all of this brought back up a lot of things from what happened to you before you came home. It's okay that you're struggling, Gabby. There's nothing wrong with that."

She gave him a slight nod, Gabby looking away from the Chaplain towards Matt, finding her husband's eyes already on her. "He's right, baby." Matt echoed, Sofia's head turning towards her mother, the baby smiling widely when she saw Gabby. "None of this has been easy, I know that, and that's okay. Both of us are gonna get through it, but there's no timetable for when that has to happen." He added onto what the Chaplain had told her. "...You saw how I was when this first started, after everything happened on that call," He spoke, Gabby giving him a quick nod, silently telling him she knew exactly what he was talking about, "I was a mess. I wasn't handling anything well, but you and Sof… you two are the reason I got through it. And I'll be right here doing the same thing for you. However long it takes, we're gonna get through this." He promised, just as he'd done multiple times over the last week, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before leaning forward to rest her cheek against his shoulder, Matt pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead. "We're okay." He murmured against her skin, feeling her nuzzle closer to him.

"You're gonna get through this, Gabby." The Chaplain spoke up again. "You're one of the strongest people I've ever met, and that hasn't changed. You just need time. And I think you need to make sure you're talking about whatever's going on… Whether it's to Matt, your brother, me… whoever. You just need to make sure you're not carrying all this by yourself." He continued, Gabby giving him a slight nod as she stayed leaned against her husband, the paramedic reaching over to placing her hand on Sofia's little leg. "And I do have one more suggestion for you… for the both of you."

"What is it?"

"I think the three of you should take a trip." He replied casually, Gabby's eyebrows knitting together as Matt cocked his head to the side.

"What?"

"I think you two, and Sofia, need to get away. Go somewhere, get away for a week or so… Or even just a weekend. Take some time for your family, for each other. Give you both a chance to reset." He told them, Matt and Gabby both thinking over his words. "I think being away from the city might be good for you… Especially since you're having a hard time being out of the house, Gabby, I think this is exactly what you both need. It doesn't have to be anything crazy, I know it's still kind of cold, but even just going up to the lake, maybe getting a cabin and spending some time together as a family… It doesn't matter what it is, just anything to give you guys a chance to get away from everything here. I really think that will help you."

Gabby took a deep breath, lifting her head up to look towards Matt, Casey glancing towards her soon after. She raised her eyebrows, silently asking him what he thought of all this, Matt understanding her immediately. "I think we should." He spoke, Gabby gnawing on her bottom lip. "I think it will be good for us, and for Sof… As long as you're okay with it."

Sighing softly, Gabby pursed her lips together, taking her time to think over everything. While the immediate thought had made her a little uneasy, the longer she thought about it, the more she was coming around to the idea. Everything at home had been so stressful as of late, and she couldn't help but feel like it would be nice to get away from that. That maybe the Chaplain was right, that some time away from the city is exactly what they needed.

"We should do it." She replied quietly, Matt raising his eyebrows, Gabby giving him a nod. "We should go… somewhere. I'm not sure where yet, but I think you guys are right, I think it would be good for me. For us."

"Alright." Matt responded, flashing her a small smile. "We'll figure out somewhere… somewhere simple, not too crowded. Just somewhere we can get away."

She gave him another nod before leaning back down into his side, resting her head against his shoulder and letting herself relax into him, Gabby feeling a little better than she had when they walked in here twenty minutes ago.

Well, now that everything with that man has been resolved, Gabby and Matt can finally get on with their lives, and this kind of catapults us into the next part of this story, which I think/hope you all are gonna like.

Honestly, I'm not entirely sure how long I'm going to continue this, I keep thinking I'll end things at a certain point, but then I keep getting more ideas. And I've built up 81 chapters of this entire version of the show, it's kind of hard to just let it go, you know? So I'm not sure how long this story will be, but I guess as long as I have ideas, and there's still people out there who are wanting to read Dawsey, and my writing, I'll be here.

I hope you guys enjoyed this one. Things are gonna get happier and lighter soon, which I'm sure most of you will be looking forward to. Thanks for reading, I'll see you all next time.