Hello everyone, I'm back with the next chapter for you all.

Last week marked the one year anniversary of me starting this story, which is just absolutely insane. I never imagined it would turn into this, and that so many of you would still be here reading this. And posting 82 chapters in a year, I definitely never pictured that. I want to thank you all for the continuous love and support you've given me over the past year since I first started posting my work. I was hesitant to ever share anything I wrote, but I'm so glad I did, and that you all are still enjoying it a year later. I just want to thank all of you who have stuck by me, I'm so appreciative of each and every one of you who reads my chapters each week. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

I hope you enjoy.

Chapter Eighty Two

Gabby hummed softly as she sat in the big loveseat in the corner of the living room, her gaze focused down on the baby nursing in her arms as the little girl's bright blue eyes gleamed up at her mom, Sofia enjoying the soothing sounds coming from Gabby as she clutched onto her chest. It was an early morning in February outside of Chicago, Gabby occasionally glancing out the window to see the light snow falling down around them, littering their usually green surroundings with patches of white. The sound of Dawson's humming was the only noise in the cabin, the soothing sounds keeping Sofia content while she eagerly ate her first meal of the day, Gabby occasionally running her thumb along her daughter's cheek.

This had been the routine they'd followed every morning over the last week since they'd been up at the lake, the cold time of year giving them the seclusion they were looking for in the small town about half an hour outside of the city. After their visit to the Chaplain's office last week, the couple soon decided they'd take the older man's suggestion of going up to the lake, Matt making a call to Severide later that day to ask if they could stay at his for a few days, a request that Severide agreed to without hesitation. And a day later, the small family had packed up everything they needed and headed up to the cabin, Matt and Gabby both desperate to get away from everything for a while. They weren't sure how long they'd be staying, the spouses coming to the agreement to just take things a day at a time. That they'd let Gabby take things a day at a time.

She knew she was the main reason they were here, that while Matt did think he needed some time off work and time to spend with his family, she knew he could've done that in Chicago. Gabby was the one who needed to get away, the one that wasn't able to get past this quickly, and Matt completely understood.

He'd always had a way of understanding her, even when there were things she didn't understand herself, and in all their years together, and even the ones apart, that hadn't changed. He knew what she needed in some moments, what she didn't need in others. It was like he had a sense of how to best help her in any given situation, and that had been no more apparent than during the two weeks since that man got killed outside their home.

It had been hard on her, more so than she anticipated, but Matt had been her rock through all of it. During her weaker moments, he'd been right by her side, doing whatever he could to help her, either by taking over care of Sofia so she could get a moment to breathe, or by just holding her and reassuring her that everything was okay. He'd tell her over and over that they were okay, that it was over, Matt always letting her be the one to pull away in those moments. He stayed with her as long as she needed, without hesitation, and it had helped her more than she was sure he realized.

Though the past few weeks hadn't been anywhere near easy, she could tell she was getting better. Just the fact she was sitting in this cabin alone with Sofia, and wasn't feeling debilitatingly nervous was a clear sign of the process she'd made, and every day it felt like she was making a little bit more. The first few nights here had been a little difficult on her; where Gabby felt more relaxed being away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the seclusion of the lake had left her feeling more anxious than she would've liked. Not only had she made Matt check the windows and doors multiple times before they went to bed, she'd gotten up once after they laid down to check herself, and admittedly, she hadn't gotten much sleep, the first night especially.

And the nightmares she'd been having because of this hadn't helped matters, either.

They had first started the night it happened. That night they went to bed after speaking with Antonio and Voight, it didn't take long before Gabby was being woken up by Matt, her husband clearly worried about her as he pulled her from her unconscious state of terror. She didn't even really remember much from the first one she had, just that she woke up feeling more scared than she'd been in a while, and it took a good ten minutes of Matt holding her to calm her down, Gabby eventually falling back asleep securely in his embrace. But it had been a restless night overall, and she'd had a few more just like it since then, each one playing out the same way; she'd get woken up by Matt, he'd comfort her until she got back to sleep, then they'd talk about it in the morning. It's how they'd been handling this unfortunate situation every time, even though Gabby wished it wasn't something that was happening frequently enough to where they needed a routine to follow.

But it had been getting better. Since they'd been here, away from everything and being able to just spend time as a family, she'd only had one nightmare. It was the first night they were here, Gabby assuming it was their change in surroundings more than anything that made her so anxious, but those nerves had slowly faded, and every night she felt she was sleeping better and better.

Every fear and worry she'd been holding onto with a death grip over the last few weeks, for nearly a month, she was slowly letting go of. She didn't feel the constant need to look over her shoulder anymore, she didn't need to constantly have eyes on Sofia or Matt to know that they were okay, she was slowly feeling like she didn't need to hide anymore, and it was a liberating feeling. To feel more like her old self, to not be constantly wondering if something would trigger her into having a panic attack, or for her to go to sleep wondering what nightmare she'd have this time. With every passing day, she was getting back more and more of herself, and even though she still had some hard moments, and she probably always would, she felt so much better than she did before they came here. This time away had done wonders for her and her mental state, and she felt confident in herself that she'd be okay when they eventually returned back home, even though neither of them were quite sure when that would be.

When she sat down and thought about it, she knew if they went back home tomorrow, she'd probably be alright. That she'd be able to handle everything, and she wouldn't immediately retreat back into the scared woman she'd been for the last few weeks. Though she knew some aspects of it she didn't have that much control over, she did feel comfortable in saying that she believed she could go home and handle it just fine. But the issue was she didn't want to go home just yet.

It had nothing to do with that man, or her being scared to go back home, or to go to work, even though there was still a few lingering nerves at the thought of that, but it really had nothing to do with that at all, and it had everything to do with her and her family. It was the fact that them being here this past week, being together away from the city, had helped each one of them so much, with more than just Gabby getting past everything.

It had given them all a chance to reset. It had given the parents time to really focus on their daughter, to soak in all these precious moments with her as she seemed to learn more and more each day. It gave them quality time as a family that they so desperately needed, that this entire ordeal had robbed them of for so long. And, just as importantly, it had given Gabby a chance to reconnect with her husband.

Admittedly, them finding time for one another, let alone romantic time together, hadn't exactly been a priority since she found out about Matt being threatened, especially when she'd been so mad at him because of it. But since this all had started, the more intimate parts of their relationship had, understandably, been put on the back burner. With her entire family in danger, sex wasn't exactly something on Gabby's mind, though, despite the severity of the circumstances, she couldn't be sure Matt could say the same thing. But regardless, it had been awhile for them since they had any time for just the two of them, and that was something Gabby was more than glad to have back. It had been a slow process, them waiting a bit until Gabby was starting to feel more like herself, Matt in no way wanting to take advantage of the situation or do anything until she wanted to. But by the time Gabby felt ready, they were both a little desperate at that point, Matt especially, and he had done everything, and then some, to show her just how much he'd missed her. And in the days that had passed since, they made up for lost time whenever they could, usually after Sofia went to bed, Gabby and Matt both happy to have that part of their relationship back.

And while it was the quality time with her husband that she absolutely enjoyed, getting that part of their relationship back had also helped Gabby feel like things were finally getting back to normal. That with her and Matt slowly getting back into the swing of things with their marriage, it returned a sense of normalcy that had been taken from them, and the feeling was oddly comforting.

It had been so nice to get all this time with Matt, and Sofia, that Gabby wasn't sure she wanted to leave just yet. She felt comfortable here with her husband and baby, and she wanted to enjoy this time with her family as long as she could. Being here had helped her more than she ever thought possible, and she wanted to stay in this little bubble with her family a little bit longer.

Sofia clenching down around her chest brought Gabby out of her thoughts, the mother wincing as her daughter held onto her with a painfully tight grip. "Easy Sof." She murmured, slowly helping Sofia unlatch from her, Gabby needed to readjust her daughter before she could keep feeding. But Sofia didn't like being taken away from her source of food, the baby crying as soon as Gabby moved her away from her chest. "I know you're not done, you were just hurting Momma." She soothed, Sofia cries turning into whimpers as she was guided back towards Gabby's breast, the little girl slowly forgetting she'd been upset when she was able to eat again. "Yeah, that's better for both of us, huh?" Gabby spoke softly, wiping away the tears on Sofia's cheeks before she stroked the back of her curly head.

Knowing her daughter would still be feeding for at least a few more minutes, she continued her humming, Gabby feeling Sofia smile against her before she continued feeding, the little girl clearly soothed by the sound of her mom.

Over the next ten minutes, Gabby continued feeding her daughter, the mom knowing Sofia was almost done considering the way she was slowly down how much she was eating. In fact, Gabby had a pretty good idea that the little girl was done, she just always liked the comfort she got from feeding.

Gabby's attention was pulled across the room towards the front door when she heard it open, a soft smile forming over her face when she saw her husband step inside, the top of his beanie-covered head and his shoulders covered in snow as he closed the door behind him, locking it into place.

He hadn't noticed her yet in the corner, Gabby watching as he slid off his tennis shoes, Matt brushing the snow from his shoulders before ditching his jacket and hat, leaving him in his t-shirt and track pants as he hung up his coat.

"How was your run?"

Gabby chuckled when she saw him tense slightly, clearly startled by her presence as he turned around to face her, his smile growing when he saw his wife and daughter sitting in the chair they used frequently for feedings, Matt beginning to walk towards his family.

"It was good." He replied his eyes bouncing back and forth between Gabby and Sofia. "It was cold, but I'm glad I went. The snow wasn't too bad yet." He told her, Gabby giving him a nod in response.

Running was something Matt had gotten back into since they came up here, the husband and father enjoying the views the trails around them provided while he got some much needed exercise. Gabby had been a little weary at first, not only of being by herself, but of Matt going out on his own, but he always assured her he'd stay close, and he kept his phone on him at all times so she could reach him, Matt keeping those promises to her every time he went out for a morning run. It had been really good for him, mentally and physically, to get back into running, his laps around the property a nice change of scenery after he'd spent so much time lately cooped up in their apartment. And he knew Gabby getting some time where she felt okay being by herself would only help her, too. It was a hobby of his that had been good for both of them, and he'd thoroughly enjoyed getting back into it.

"Well, I'm glad you're back. The snow's only supposed to get worse throughout the day." She commented, Matt giving her a nod as he got to her, the man placing his hand down on the back of the chair before he leaned down, capturing her lips in a quick kiss.

"Hi baby." He murmured against her, Gabby smiling softly before kissing him again, Matt bringing his free hand up to stroke over her cheek.

"Hi." She echoed as he pulled back, Matt flashing her his signature grin before looking down to Sofia, the girl's eyes widened in excitement when she noticed her dad's presence, the baby still latched onto her mom.

"And hello to my other baby." He spoke lightly, adjusting his positioning to lean down and press a gentle kiss to the top of his daughter's head, Sofia waving her arms around excitedly, her clenched fist landing against Gabby's jaw.

Gabby pulled her face away as far as she could, a soft 'ouch' escaping her lips as a sheepish look covered Matt's face.

"Sorry." He replied, Gabby shaking her head softly.

"It's alright, she's been hurting me all morning, Haven't you, Sof?" She asked, turning her attention to her baby, Sofia continuing to flail her arm wildly, continuously banging against Gabby's chest and neck as her excitement got the best of her. "Yeah, that answers that." She added under her breath, Matt shaking his head as he carefully grabbed Sofia's arm, trying to stop her from hitting her mother.

"Easy baby." He said, Sofia unlatching from Gabby's chest as she wriggled around in her mother's arms. "Is she done?" He asked, Gabby nodding as she looked down, a slight grimace covering her face.

"Yeah, she is… Can you grab me one of her cloths?" She requested, Matt nodding immediately before he walked back towards the coffee table, grabbing one of their baby's burp cloths they had lying around.

"She okay?" He questioned, handing the item to his wife.

"She's fine, just slobbering all over the place." She replied with a chuckle, Matt mimicking her action as he glanced down, seeing that not only was Sofia's face covered in a lot of drool, so was Gabby.

"Man kid, what's going on with you?" He asked with a laugh, Gabby carefully wiping around Sofia's mouth before cleaning up herself as well, the task a little difficult as she tried to balance Sofia in her lap.

Seeing this, Matt quickly swooped in, taking Sofia from her mother's arms and holding her against his chest, Gabby shooting him an appreciative smile before she finished cleaning Sofia's drool off her.

"You really are slobbery, Sof." Casey mused as Gabby adjusted the shirt covering her body, relaxing back into her chair as she watched Matt gently bounce Sofia in his arms, rubbing over her back as her chest was against his. "Do you think she might have started teething? I remember reading something about babies drooling a lot when they're teething." He asked his wife, Matt glancing to her as he bounced on the balls of his feet, sounds of excitement leaving Sofia's lips as she gripped her dad's shirt.

"Maybe. Or she might be close to starting." Gabby responded, Matt giving her a nod as he leaned his head against the side of Sofia's. "Since she's not screaming her head off, or chewing on everything, she might not be there yet… but it won't surprise me if she does soon. At this age, it can start happening at any time." She added, smiling softly as she watched Matt bounce their daughter.

"Well, it's just another milestone to look forward to." He replied, Gabby resting her chin in her palm as she leaned against the side of the chair, giving him a nod in agreement. Before she could respond, both parents stopped when they heard the all too familiar sound of Sofia spitting up, Matt instantly grimacing when he felt his once dry shirt become wet over his shoulder and part of his chest. "Oh, Sof." He murmured, rubbing her back comfortingly, knowing she would probably spit up again, if history was an indication. And his assumption was soon proven correct when she spit up once more, Matt patting against her back as Gabby held out the cloth towards him. "Thanks babe." He spoke, grabbing the item from his wife and pulling Sofia back from him slightly, enough to wipe her mouth off. "You're lucky I needed a shower anyway, baby." He told Sofia, Matt walking towards the couch with his daughter.

When they got there, he placed Sofia down on the cushion on her back, her feet facing him so if she started to roll over, which was something she'd been doing a lot as of late, she wouldn't fall onto the floor, Matt quickly pulling his soiled t-shirt off and tossing it onto the back of the couch.

"You made a mess, didn't you?" Matt spoke to his daughter, Sofia screaming in delight as she had her father's attention, Casey squatting down in front of the couch. "Well, I'm glad one of us thinks this is funny." He added lightly as he began to unzip her onesie, Sofia having gotten spit up on that as well. "I bet you feel better now though, huh? I'm sure me bouncing you around didn't help much, either." He breathed out, carefully removing her arms from the clothing, Sofia babbling away as he pulled the material off her, leaving her in her diaper as he placed her dirty outfit with his. "What do you say, Sof, wanna take a shower with Daddy?" He asked his six month old, Matt beginning to tickle her stomach, the baby laughing in complete joy as her father played with her, her giggles soon turning into shrieks as she got more and more excited, her arms waving around animatedly as Matt went back and forth between tickling her stomach and patting over her chest. "Yeah, let's get you all cleaned up, baby."

Gabby watched the scene in front of her, feeling nothing but complete admiration as Matt's attention was solely focused on Sofia. It was like the entire world revolved around her, how Matt acted with their daughter in moments like this, and Gabby absolutely loved it. She loved seeing her husband with little Sof, seeing how they both lit up around one another, how they both loved spending time together. It was something she felt so incredibly lucky to get to witness, Gabby knowing she'd never get tired of watching Matt with their baby girl.

"Alright, come on Sof, let's go get cleaned up." He spoke, Matt continuing his habit of speaking to her like she could converse with him, the father gently picking her up and cradling her to his chest.

"I'll get that stuff in the wash." Gabby told him as he moved around the couch, Matt shooting her a thankful smile before giving her a nod, Sofia smacking his shoulder while she babbled away in his ear.

"Thanks babe. We shouldn't be too long." He responded, Gabby nodding, keeping her eyes on her family until they disappeared into the master bedroom. She could hear her husband moving around as she got up from her chair, the sound of the shower running filling the home while she grabbed the dirty clothes off the back of the couch. As she moved towards the laundry room just off from the kitchen, she could hear Sofia laughing from the bedroom, a soft smile covering Gabby's face as she listened to the joyous sound of her happy baby, the mother knowing Matt was surely doing something to elicit that reaction from her.

It only took her maybe thirty seconds the get to clothes started, Gabby turning off the light as she left the small room, unsure of what she wanted to do while Matt and Sofia took a shower. She knew her and Matt still needed to eat breakfast, so she figured she could go ahead and get that started, but she knew even though Matt said they wouldn't be too long, he had a track record of his baths or showers with Sofia taking longer than he planned. The father and baby both would start having too much fun, making them lose track of time, and she didn't want to make a bunch of food for it just to get cold, so she quickly nixed that option. She thought about reading, or maybe seeing if a movie or something was on TV, but when she heard her daughter's loud laugh come from the master bedroom again, Gabby suddenly got a different idea, the mother changing her path and heading for the room.

As she stepped inside, she saw the pile of what was left of Matt's clothes on the floor by the bed, Gabby quickly discarding Matt's t-shirt that was covering her body, letting it join his other clothes, Dawson sliding her underwear off as well and adding it into the pile before heading towards the bathroom. When she walked in, her smile grew when she saw Sofia and Matt through the shower door, Matt completely unaware of her presence as he let Sofia smack the falling water, her loud shrieks made louder by the echoey room.

"Yeah, that's so much fun, isn't it, baby?" He spoke, rubbing over Sofia's wet back as he kept a firm grip on her, Gabby's grin never faltering as she continued towards the shower, reaching out for the handle.

He didn't see her until she was opening the door, a soft smile forming over his face when he noticed her lack of dress, the husband immediately stepping to the side of the spacious shower so she had room to come in, Matt making sure Sofia wasn't directly under the water.

"Look Sof, Momma's decided to join us." He spoke lightly, Sofia lifting her head up towards her dad, Matt smiling softly when he met her curious blue eyes.

"Hey baby." Gabby said softly, Sofia's eyes widening in excitement when she recognized the sound of her mother's voice, the young girl immediately wiggling around in her father's arms, desperate to see her mom.

"Yeah, yeah I know, you want your Momma." Matt replied with a chuckle, the parents carefully completing the trade off, Sofia's noises getting louder when she saw her mother. "You always want your Momma." He added, Gabby shooting him a knowing grin as Sofia cuddled herself into Gabby's chest, the baby nuzzling her head into her neck.

A content grin graced his lips as he watched Gabby place a soft kiss to Sofia's forehead, rubbing over her back as the baby held onto her mom as tightly as she could, like she'd forgotten she'd just spent all morning with her. But it was something he'd never complain about getting to witness, Matt's heart swelling in his chest at the sight of his girls, his family, as they stood in the small space.

Similarly to his wife, he always felt so grateful for these moments, and time with the two most important people in the world was something he never wanted to take for granted.

Dawson moved around the kitchen as she worked on preparing hers and Matt's dinner for the evening, a soft smile resting on her face as she listened to Matt read their daughter a story as they went through her routine before bed, Casey sitting in the loveseat with Sofia in his lap as he read through the simple book. His calming voice was breaking through the noise of the water boiling, and the sauce cooking on the stovetop, Gabby choosing a simple dinner of pasta and a salad, knowing spaghetti and meatballs was one of Matt's favorite meals.

As she started working on the lettuce for their salads, she heard her husband release a huff, Gabby raising her eyebrows as she glanced into the living room, seeing Matt shaking his head.

"Oh, come on." He groaned, a look of amusement covering her face as she stopped her chopping before focusing her complete attention on him.

"Something wrong?" She called into the living room, Matt glancing up with a minor look of annoyance covering his features as Sofia smacked her little hands against the baby book he was holding onto. "What is it?"

"This book is misguiding our daughter." He spoke suddenly, Gabby raising her eyebrows in question as she stepped around the island, moving to stand towards the table.

"The firefighter book? Didn't Kelly get that for her?" Gabby asked, her eyes moving between Matt and Sofia, her sleepy daughter fighting her exhaustion as she sat propped up against her father's chest, the little girl seemingly getting small bursts of energy before she'd slow down for a few moments, this being a common occurrence when it was getting close to her bedtime.

"Yeah, and it's garbage." He huffed out, his tone completely serious as Gabby pursed her lips together, trying her best to suppress her laughter, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned into the back of one of kitchen chairs.

"Care to explain?" She asked, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he glanced down to the children's book in his hands.

"Everything in this is wrong… It's completely inaccurate to what we actually do, and what's worse is the few things they did get right are all stereotypes." He breathed out in frustration, Gabby biting down on the inside of her cheek in amusement. "I mean, who published this crap? It's lying to our daughter, and probably thousands of other kids about what we really do-"

Matt was cut off by the sound of his wife's laughter filling his ears, Gabby unable to stop herself any longer as a few chuckles escaped her lips, Matt's eyes narrowing playfully as he met her gaze.

"Oh, you think this is funny, huh?" He asked, his tongue running along his bottom lip as her laughs got louder.

"I'm sorry babe, but you're sitting there getting upset over a children's book, it's a little funny." She replied lightly, Matt shaking his head as he put the book down, keeping a hand over Sofia's chest to hold her in place.

"It's lying to our daughter-"

"She's six months old." Gabby countered, her smile widening in amusement as Matt rolled his eyes. "Don't you think her growing up seeing what you and I do is gonna stick with her more than one book you're clearly never gonna read to her again?"

Matt raised his eyebrows, Gabby seeing a look of realization wash over his face, assuming her husband had come to understand he was being a bit ridiculous, but the look soon faded, Matt grumbling something she couldn't hear as he carefully stood up with Sofia's back securely against his chest.

"That's not the point." He deflected before he walked towards her, Gabby cocking her head to the side with a soft grin covering her face as he came to a stop in front of her, the wife knowing her husband realized he'd been a bit too critical over a book for children, though he'd never admit it, Matt gently bouncing their baby in his arms. When Sofia saw her mom, she began waving her arms around wildly, distracting both the parents from their previous conversation as they focused on their daughter's excitement. Gabby lifted her hand up, stroking her finger along Sofia's cheek before letting her daughter grab ahold of her finger, Sofia nearly screaming from joy. "Man, she's got a pair of lungs on her."

"Well, considering how she fought through the lung infection when she was born, it's not surprising they work really well now." Gabby added, Matt nodding in agreement as he rubbed over Sofia's chest.

Over the past week or so, Sofia had become a lot more vocal than she'd been before, the little girl talking more often than not. It was something that had kind of come out of nowhere, their usually calm and content daughter now babbling most of the time she was awake. While she had been vocal pretty much from the moment she was born, it usually wasn't unless she was either crying, or she got so excited she couldn't help but vocalize that. But now it was seemingly all the time, Sofia talking, or what was her version of talking, nonstop most days, especially if her parents were speaking as well. If she wasn't eating or sleeping, she was usually making some sort of noise, and Gabby and Matt had to admit they both found it a little amusing.

And, if you were to ask Matt, it wasn't in the least bit surprising. Sofia took after her mother in a lot of ways, so it wasn't a shock that his wife's love of talking had rubbed off on their daughter, which was something he'd joked about at Gabby's expense a few times over the last week.

"She's just always excited, aren't you, Sof?" Matt asked, tapping his hand over her chest as Sofia tried to pull her mother's hand towards her mouth.

"No, no, you're not gonna eat Momma." Gabby spoke, pulling her hand back and lightly tickling Sofia's stomach before she could get upset, the baby giggling as she waved her arms around in front of her. "You already ate, it's bedtime."

"Yeah, I'm gonna try and get her to settle down, I'll probably take her into the bedroom where there's less noise... I'm gonna read to her some more, that always calms her down." Matt told her, Gabby giving him a nod before leaning forward and giving her daughter a quick kiss.

"As long as you don't read that damn firefighter book anymore." She teased him as she pulled back, Gabby laughing lightly when she saw her husband's lips puckered out, clearly wanting a kiss of his own. Rolling her eyes, she leaned up to give him a quick peck, tapping his cheek gently.

"Thank you." He replied with a goofy grin, Gabby shaking her head in amusement.

"Mhmm… I'm serious about that book, don't pick it up again."

"If I do, it's going in the fireplace." He responded without missing a beat, Gabby scoffing lightly as she began moving back towards the kitchen.

"You should know better than that, Mr. Fireman." She joked as she stopped at the island, Gabby going back to chopping up the vegetables for their dinner. "Now go put our baby to bed."

"Yes ma'am." He complied, Matt turning around with Sofia in his arms. "How much longer until dinner's ready?"

"Ten minutes, maybe. But I can keep it warm, just take your time." She told him, Matt shooting her a soft grin before nodding, the father talking to his daughter while Sofia babbled back, Gabby unable to stop the smile that formed over her face as she listened to Matt converse with their baby, the small family going their separate ways as they got ready for their evening in the cozy cabin.

Casey looked up from his book as he heard Gabby's footsteps moving along the hardwood, Matt seeing her walk out of the master bedroom, baby monitor in hand as she slowly closed the door behind her, leaving it cracked against its frame. From his position on the couch, he could see the exhaustion in his wife's eyes, Gabby having just spent the last hour trying to get Sofia back to sleep.

Their daughter had gone down easily, Matt getting her to sleep in about half an hour, Sofia passed out in his arms for ten minutes of that time before he finally put her in her bed and left the room. She'd stayed asleep during their dinner, giving them time to enjoy their meal together, as well as clean up afterwards. But shortly after they'd gotten comfortable on the couch, Sofia had woken up screaming, both Gabby and Matt going to make sure their daughter was okay. When they got to her, she seemed fine, just a little spooked, the parents unsure of what had woken her so abruptly, but once Gabby had picked her up, she'd calmed down considerably. But it had been a challenge to get her back to sleep.

Both Matt and Gabby had taken turns rocking her and holding her, trying to lull her back to sleep, but she wasn't able to rest. It wasn't until Sofia had started rooting around Matt's chest that they figured maybe she was hungry, although considering Matt had given her a full bottle right before bed, they wouldn't expect her to be that hungry. But regardless, Gabby fed her, the small girl finally relaxing when she was latched onto her mother. And soon after they started is when Gabby realized she was feeding for comfort more than anything else, Sofia clearly upset after whatever had happened to cause her to wake up.

It was a little unsettling for the parents, neither of them liking to hear their daughter screaming like that, but they felt better once she'd gotten calmed down, Gabby letting her eat as long as she wanted to. It was something that didn't happen too frequently anymore, Sofia feeding solely for comfort, but it still happened sometimes, and after she had woken up as scared as she'd been, Gabby would never deny her that comfort she needed. So Gabby had made herself comfortable in the master bedroom, letting Sofia eat until she'd fallen asleep.

Gabby just hadn't expected her to be feeding for an hour.

But it was apparent that whatever had woken her daughter had really shaken her, as much as anything could scare a baby, if the tight grip Sofia held onto her with was any indication, so Gabby stayed as long as her little girl needed her.

"Hey." Matt spoke up, Gabby flashing him a weak smile as she walked towards him. "She asleep?"

"Yeah, finally." Gabby replied, placing the baby monitor down on the coffee table before she collapsed onto the couch beside her husband, Matt closing his book and placing it down onto his lap. "It took her awhile, and she fed most of the time, but she's asleep." She said, Matt giving her a nod as he lifted his hand up towards her head, beginning to lightly scratch his fingers along her scalp.

"I wonder what happened…" He mused, Gabby blowing out a heavy sigh before shrugging, letting herself relax into his touch.

"I don't know, but hopefully it doesn't happen again." Gabby replied, placing her hand on his knee, stroking her fingers over his skin lightly. "Whatever it was really scared her, I hate seeing her like that."

"Me too." Matt agreed, continuing to rub over her head, knowing how calming his wife had always found the simple action. "But I'm sure she'll be fine, it was probably just a bad dream or something… or whatever the equivalent of that would be for a baby."

"Yeah, yeah you're right." Gabby responded, leaning her body into his side, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I know you're going to, but try not to worry babe." He murmured, Gabby smiling softly as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Sof's alright, and if she wakes up again we'll get her."

Gabby nodded against his shoulder, bringing her arm around to rest across his waist, Matt kissing her forehead again.

"How are you feeling?" He asked her after a few quiet moments, moving his arm down around her shoulders, rubbing soothing patterns over her arm as she nuzzled herself into him. "I mean, I know you're worried about Sof, but how are you feeling?" He clarified before she could answer, Gabby running her teeth along her bottom lip.

This was a conversation they had every night, Matt coming to Gabby and asking her how she was doing, the two having been talking openly about their emotional and mental struggles since all this had happened. Admittedly, they talked about the trouble Gabby was having more so than Matt, but Casey had been handling all of this pretty well. Now that this man was gone and his wife and daughter weren't in danger, Matt was fine, he was just worried about how Gabby was handling things. So he'd made a point to check in with her every night, doing what he could to not be overbearing, while also making sure she was alright.

It was no secret between them that Gabby's struggles with her anxiety had taken a severe hit since this entire mess started, which had resulted in some pretty difficult panic attacks in the days after that man was shot outside their home, and multiple nightmares. And since that had started, Matt had done everything he could for her, including being there to let her talk through her thoughts and feelings whenever she needed to. They definitely hadn't shied away from the topic of her anxiety, which was something that had only proven to help her over the last couple of weeks, even though some of the conversations had been more difficult than others.

No matter what it was, whether she was just feeling a little anxious, or it was a nightmare, or it had been one of her panic attacks, they talked about it. For as long as she needed until she felt better, they would talk about it, even if some of what she was saying was hard for him to stomach. Especially when the topic of her panic attacks came up.

Thankfully, she hadn't had one since they'd gotten here, but it was something he kept an eye out for, knowing that it was something that could happen at any time, regardless of how well she was doing right now. It was something that could sneak up on her, though he was desperate for it not to happen again. After hearing her explain to him how she felt in those moments, the debilitating fear, and how it made her feel like she had when she was in Puerto Rico during her attack, Matt prayed every morning and night that she wouldn't experience one ever again, even though he knew that wasn't very realistic. He knew there was no way to assure she'd never have a panic attack again, but he would give anything for her not to feel this way. For her not to be reminded of one of the worst moments of her life, for her to not feel that fear ever again.

It was something he knew was so difficult for her to get through, something that broke his heart every time he thought about her experiencing that, but what he focused on was that he knew she was getting better. Every day, he could see the progress she was making, and that was all he could ask for. She was making progress in moving past all this, as well as making progress in not being hesitant to open up to him. Matt had done what he could to make her understand that she could always come to him, and that he wanted to know if she was ever feeling that way again, and luckily all the progress they'd made over the last year had never been more apparent than since this all started, Gabby reaching out to him often whenever she needed it. Whereas for awhile, before everything between them blew up, at times her instinct was to deal with things on her own, she'd gotten a lot better at coming to him, and Matt had gotten better at being there. She had come to him as often as he sought her out, and he could see how much that had been helping her work through all of this.

"I'm doing okay." She responded after a few moments, tucking her head into his neck as they sat together on the couch, Matt giving her a slight nod. "Today was a pretty good day overall, I think."

"Good, good." He responded quickly, tapping his hand against her arm lightly. "It seemed like you were doing well… Today was nice, it kind of reminded me of the old days- well, plus a baby." He clarified lightly, Gabby chuckling as she slid her hand across his stomach. "I don't know if that makes sense."

"It does." She answered, pressing a kiss to his t-shirt covered chest. "I know exactly what you mean… Spending the day just the three of us, it was nice. I think being here has been good for us. I know it has been for me."

"It has been good for all of us." Matt replied, pressing another kiss to her head. "I think all of us needed a break from everything… And what's good for you is good for all of us. If you're not okay, none of us are, baby." He murmured, feeling her release a soft sigh. "I think we all needed this." He added, Gabby nodding against his body, continuing to rub her palm along his waist.

"I love you." She spoke quietly, a soft grin forming over his face as he moved his hand down to her hip, keeping a firm grip on her.

"I love you, too." He responded, placing his cheek down on the top of her head, Matt feeling her hand slide underneath his t-shirt, resting along his stomach just above the waistband of his boxers, Gabby rubbing along his skin in a soothing motion. This was something she did often when they'd cuddle together, whether on the couch or in bed, Gabby liking to feel his skin against hers in moments like these, Matt assuming it was some sort of comforting action for her. "...I spoke with Boden today." He said after a few seconds, his voice filling the quiet air as he felt Gabby continue to move her hand in soft circles along his skin.

"How's everything at the house?"

"It sounds like everything's going well. They miss us, and they're worried about us, but they're good… He was wanting to know if he knew when we'd be back." Matt told her, Gabby giving him a slight nod. "I told him I didn't know, that we were still taking it a day at a time. That when I knew anything, I'd tell him, but right now we hadn't talked about it." He explained, pausing for a moment before speaking up again when she hadn't said anything. "...Have you thought about it at all? About going back home?"

Gabby thought over his question for a few seconds, trying to best figure out how to answer his question. "I don't know… I know we probably should get back to Chicago." She breathed out, lightly scratching her fingers over his stomach. "We need to get back into our life, and work-"

"Not if you're not ready." He cut in softly, Gabby nodding in response.

"No, I know… But I was thinking about this earlier today actually." She told him, Matt's ears perking up as he listened to her, Casey not knowing this had been on her mind. "And I do think I'm ready. I think I could go back home, and back to work, and be fine… Getting away was exactly what I needed, and I am feeling a lot better- a lot like myself."

"I'm so glad." He murmured.

"I am too. But I guess I've just gotten comfortable in our little bubble here with the three of us, and I didn't wanna leave it yet."

"I get it." He replied softly. "And part of me feels the same way. I've loved this time the three of us have gotten, I think it was the best thing we could've done, getting time together as a family. And I know, if we're all ready for it, that we need to get back into our lives… but we don't have to do that quite yet. We can stay here for a few more days, I have no objections to that."

"I'd like that." She responded, a small grin forming over his face as he heard her soft voice.

"Then we'll stay a little while longer." He told her without hesitation, a smile of her own growing on her lips, Gabby snuggling deeper into him.

"Thank you." She murmured, Matt nodding as he pressed another kiss to the top of her head.

Gabby released a heavy breath as she relaxed into her husband's embrace, feeling completely content in this moment, just as she usually did after they'd finish their nightly chats. There was a lot of good that had come from this little getaway, but the time she got with him at the end of every day had to be one of her favorite parts. It had given them back that emotional connection in their marriage that they'd lost a bit of during this whole ordeal, Gabby feeling like they were finally themselves again.

As they continued sitting on the couch, Gabby couldn't help but continue to run her hand along his stomach, the action calming as silence surrounded them. And she could only assume it had a similar effect on Matt, until she felt him tense slightly underneath her touch before he relaxed. For as quickly as it happened, she could only assume it was involuntary, that his body was just reacting to her being close to him, but regardless it brought a smile to her face, an idea soon popping into her head as she pulled her hand out from under his shirt.

Without a word, she sat up, Matt opening his eyes as he lifted his head up off the back of the couch, his eyebrows raised in question as she stood up. "You going to bed?" He asked softly, Gabby simply shaking her head, leaning down grab the book from his lap and place it on the coffee table, Matt's body tightening when he instantly recognized that look in her eye. It was something he'd seen from her often, a look he knew led to things he always thoroughly enjoyed as she hooked her leg up and sat down on top of him, Gabby straddling his lap as his hands landed on her waist.

Before he could say anything, her lips found his, Gabby kissing him hungrily as her arms wrapped around his neck, Matt running his hands along her sides as they gradually moved together. It was nothing too frantic, but there was a need and a desire behind their movements that Matt loved, both of them getting lost in each other as they sat on the couch.

Things started to pick up as he grabbed the edges of her shirt, the couple disconnecting long enough for him to remove the item of clothing from her body, leaving her top half completely bare as he threw the shirt aimlessly behind the couch, Gabby soon completing the same task with his before capturing his lips again, her hands cupping his cheeks while his roamed her bare skin, being mindful of her sensitive chest as he kept his attention mostly to her back and sides.

With each passing second, their actions got more intense, Matt trailing his lips from hers across her jaw down to her neck, no doubt leaving marks behind as he claimed her, Gabby grounding her hips down into his. Then without warning, he held onto her hips and flipped her down onto the couch, a gasp of surprise escaping her lips as she laid down on her back against the cushions, Matt immediately hovering over her as he found her lips again.

Each movement between them was deliberate and full of want, Gabby and Matt not slowing down until they were both completely bare, their actions then becoming a little less needy as they began to take their time. They had all night to show one another just how much they were appreciated, and that was exactly what they did, Matt and Gabby focused on nothing but this moment as he laid over her on the couch, their bodies moving together in that euphoric rhythm they'd perfected long ago.

Severide shoved his hands in his pockets as he moved through the hallways of 51, the firefighter gearing up for what was sure to be another long day ahead of him at the firehouse. Rolling out the tension built up in his neck, Kelly turned the corner into the common room, seeing most of the house already there, some of them enjoying their breakfast while others were mentally preparing for the day.

"Morning Severide." Herrmann greeted as Kelly passed the couch, the squad Lieutenant giving him a nod before heading towards the kitchen. Along the way he got a few more greetings, Kelly responding in similar fashion as he made his way towards the fridge. "...Any word on Dawson and Casey?" Herrmann asked, Kelly looking up to see the man turned around on the couch.

"Yeah, I spoke with Casey last night, they're-"

"Good morning, guys."

Severide stifled an eye roll as he heard the voice of Captain Garcia filter into the room, Kelly looking over just as he entered the common room, a bright smile plastered on his face as he unknowingly interrupted their conversation.

A few weak greetings were given, Herrmann nodding towards the man before looking back towards Kelly, clearly wanting to know what he was about to say, but Garcia spoke up before he could.

"Looks like I'll be here for at least another shift…" He breathed out, stopping by the couch as everyone glanced towards him. "Gotta say, I wasn't expecting to be here this long, but I've always loved this house, so I'm not complaining." He added lightly, the first responders glancing around at one another uncomfortably.

When Garcia had been tasked to take over for Casey while he was out, the house had been less than thrilled. It just seemed like every time he was here, he caused some sort of trouble, usually in regards to Casey and Dawson. He brought in a weird vibe to their firehouse that they didn't necessarily like, one they couldn't say they'd miss once he was gone. While the replacement for the first few shifts of their usual Captain being away had been kept in house, once headquarters had been notified that Casey would be gone longer than two or three shifts, they decided to send in an actual replacement, which, of course, ended up being Luke Garcia.

Severide wasn't sure how the man, being a Captain and all, had managed to go this long without finding a permanent position at another house, although Kelly's instincts told him that headquarters had probably tried, and they'd managed to not be good fits. And knowing Garcia as well as he'd come to know him over the course of the last eight or nine months, Kelly wouldn't at all be surprised if that had been the case, the squad Lieutenant knowing first hand how abrasive and borderline inappropriate the man could be.

"I definitely wasn't expecting to be here for almost two weeks, that's for sure… But the amount of times Casey's taken off, it almost feels like this is my house." He joked, unimpressed looks covering most of the faces of firehouse 51.

"Well, it's not like he doesn't have a good reason." Severide responded instantly, catching Stella's eye as she sat at the table with Brett and Foster, his girlfriend raising her eyebrows, clearly wondering how far this conversation was going to go before it got a little heated, as things so often did when Garcia was around.

"I was just making a joke, Severide." He replied with a chuckle, holding his hands up in the defense, the man's face faltering slightly when he saw the looks he was receiving from his temporary co-workers. "Look, I do feel bad for what happened to them… You all haven't really said much about it, but having a crazy psycho murderer coming after you, with that kid they've got, I'm sure that wasn't easy." His voice almost sounded sincere, but Kelly wasn't exactly jumping at the chance to give Garcia any credit. "I mean, I heard that the guy attacked Dawson in the garage," His words gained the attention of the entire room, looks of confusion filling their faces as they glanced at one another. "That he like, had her pinned up against the ambulance and tried to kill her?"

"Where did you hear that?" Herrmann asked the question everyone else was wondering, the Captain raising his eyebrows.

"That's what everyone's saying around the department… That Dawson was attacked and then had some sort of nervous breakdown. I figured that's why they'd been gone so long, though I can't say I blame her. Sounds like hell."

"I don't know who told you that, but that's not what happened." Severide cut in, Garcia looking back towards him as Kelly stood in the kitchen. "The guy was here, but he didn't get into the house. He didn't get near Dawson, and she's fine." He continued, Garcia running his tongue along his bottom lip.

"I'm just telling you what I heard, but if it didn't happen that way, thank God. I'm glad it didn't, could you imagine? She'd probably never feel safe here again." Garcia replied offhandedly, Herrmann pursing his lips together as he caught Kelly's gaze, the men sharing a knowing look.

It had been something they'd talked about, Severide and Herrmann, on a few different occasions since this all went down. It had been a concern of theirs, especially after they'd spoken to Casey, how that Dawson might feel a little scared to come back here. And no one would blame her if she did. Even though it hadn't gone down the way Garcia thought, it had still been a terrifying experience, one that could've been much worse than it was. And the two firefighters couldn't help but think that was part of why it had been nearly three weeks since Dawson and Casey had last been on a shift, because Gabby was nervous to come back here.

They absolutely hated the thought of that, that she didn't feel safe in this firehouse anymore, and they both hoped they were wrong; that after everything Dawson had been through, she just needed a little extra time to bounce back than she would've had something like this happened before everything in Puerto Rico. Both of them were holding onto the belief that she'd be fine coming back here, that she just needed some time, because the alternative was too sad a thought for them to stomach.

"And didn't the guy like, break into their home? I mean, Jesus, I would've had a breakdown, too." Garcia added when no one had said anything, Severide shaking his head, getting ready to once again correct the misinformed Captain, but Herrmann cut him off before he could.

"Severide, what were you saying?" He steered the conversation away from Garcia, Herrmann knowing this back and forth could go on all day. It was obvious the Captain had no idea what he was talking about, and considering he never really liked to listen to other people, they could sit here and give him the full story until they were blue in the face, but there was no guarantee he'd even believe them. "You said you talked to Casey?"

Garcia's ears perked up at those words, Kelly giving Herrmann a nod before responding. "Yeah, I did. Him and Dawson got home yesterday evening. They'd been there for a few hours before he called me, he said they were all doing fine." He replied, being as vague as he could while giving Herrmann the information, knowing there was one too many people in this room right now.

"Good, that's great."

"Yeah, it is… Sof's doing well, Gabby's doing better… He said they talked about it, and they're thinking of returning next shift." Kelly added, his eyes flickering towards Garcia, seeing him deflate slightly, before he looked back to Herrmann. "I guess them getting away was exactly what they needed."

"Well, I don't care what it was, I'm just glad they're alright." Herrmann replied, earning a few nods in agreement from around the room. "It'll be nice to have them back."

Herrmann's sentiment was agreed on by everyone in the room, all except one, as the usual members of firehouse 51 nodded, all of them more than ready to have their Captain and paramedic back. They knew it was best for them to take that time off, that they needed to work past all that had happened, but everyone in the firehouse was looking forward to getting them back. Once they did, things would finally start to feel like they were getting back to normal around here, and that's all they wanted.

And there's another one. I know there wasn't much going on in this chapter, but this was pretty much just to close up the previous part of the story, so we can get into the upcoming storylines, but I hope you all still enjoyed it. I always love getting to write sweet Dawsey family moments, even though I'll always be bitter about never getting to really see that on the show. But it looks like the time away from the city was good for them, Matt and Gabby got some time to reconnect, and all of this can finally get put behind them and we can get to what's coming next. Speaking of, I'm really excited/a little nervous for the next part of the story that I'm mapping out right now. I think it's gonna be really fun for me to write, and I just hope you all enjoy it as well.

Thanks for reading!

Until next time.