Hi everyone! I hope you all are doing well, and staying safe. Before we start, I just wanna take a moment to say, holy crap this story hit 2000 reviews yesterday, which is honestly just insane to me. It still doesn't really feel real sometimes, how many of you are still reading my work and supporting this story. It means so much to me, more than I could ever fully express to you all. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the love and support you all have given me since I started posting my stories last year. You all are seriously the greatest. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
I hope you all like this one, thank you so much for reading!
Chapter Ninety Four
Gabby turned to look towards the back seat as they sat at a stoplight, Matt keeping his eyes on the road while she checked on the little girl sitting behind him, Caitlyn still strapped securely in her booster seat, her short legs swinging back and forth as she did her best to look out the window, though her short stature obstructed her vision slightly. Since they'd left DCFS all but ten minutes ago, the young girl hadn't said much as they drove to their first destination, Caitlyn seemingly content to just take in her surroundings. Though they'd talked some when they first left, after Gabby had gotten her buckled in, she hadn't had a lot to say, and neither parent wanted to force the issue, the couple figuring little Caitlyn was bound to be a little overwhelmed.
"She okay?"
Matt's soft voice pulled her from her thoughts, Gabby looking away from the young girl to her husband, just as Casey started driving once the light changed. "Mhmm." She hummed as she slowly reached her hand out towards his thigh, Gabby giving it a gentle squeeze. "She's just looking out the window, taking everything in… But she seems fine." Dawson elaborated, Matt giving her a nod as he kept his attention focused on the road ahead of him.
"Good… Have you heard anything from Becca?"
"Sof's fine." Gabby replied, knowing exactly what her husband was asking. "I think she said she was gonna take her out to the courtyard, let her play outside for a little bit." She added, her words earning another nod from the man beside her, Gabby rubbing her thumb along the outside of his leg while he drove carefully through the streets of Chicago.
"...Gabby?"
Caitlyn's soft voice filled both their ears, Gabby immediately looking to the backseat to find the young girl's eyes on her, Dawson giving her a soft smile.
"Yeah, sweetheart?" She asked, her words causing Caitlyn to smile as well, the child continuing to swing her legs back and forth as her hands were clasped together in her lap.
"Are we going home?"
"In a little bit, yeah." She replied, as Caitlyn kept her curious eyes on her. "But first, we were gonna go out and get some breakfast… Then we thought maybe we could go shopping, and get you a few things." The young girl's ears perked up before her grin widened, Gabby seeing the look of genuine excitement written across her face.
"Like toys?" She asked, practically bouncing in her seat, Gabby suppressing a laugh as she heard Matt chuckle beside her, her husband clearly listening while he drove.
"Well, yes, we can get you some toys. But also things like clothes, and some stuff for your room." Gabby explained, seeing the look of surprise that covered the young girl's face.
"My own room?" She asked, her eyes wide with wonder. "Just for me?" She continued, Caitlyn clearly not having expected to have her own room, her innocent question pulling on their heart strings before Gabby nodded.
"Mhmm… You have your own room. Just for you." She assured her, Caitlyn nodding excitedly as the car came to stop, Matt having parked across the street from the diner they were going to. "Alright honey, you ready to eat?" Gabby questioned, the young girl giving her another nod as Casey pulled the keys from the ignition.
"Do they have pancakes?" She asked, her voice a bit louder as she continued warming up to them, Gabby giving her a nod before she unbuckled her seatbelt.
"They do." She confirmed, Caitlyn smiling before the parents began getting out of the car.
Matt worked on helping Caitlyn out of the vehicle while Gabby stood back by the trunk, keeping an eye on the traffic as her husband undid the girl's seatbelt.
"Alright, now it's important you stay with me and Gabby, okay?" Matt spoke as she climbed down to the ground, Caitlyn nodding as she moved to stand against the vehicle, keeping her hand on it while the other one kept a tight hold on her teddy bear, Matt making sure she was clear of the door before he shut it and locked up the car.
"Okay." She repeated, Matt and Gabby sharing a soft smile before he looked back down to the little girl.
It was a fairly busy morning around the city of Chicago, cars and people everywhere as they all went about their day. And Casey would be lying if he said it didn't make him a little nervous. It was the same way he felt with Sofia when they were out in public, Matt naturally weary of all the people around them, and always keeping a close eye on his baby. But with Caitlyn, it was different. She was old enough to get around on her own, and talk to people. She was able to slip away from them without even meaning to, and that left him feeling a little unsure, Matt knowing it would take some time for those nerves to settle.
"Here, why don't you come with me, alright?" He spoke, Matt reaching down to place his hands under her arms, Caitlyn immediately holding one of her arms up, telling him she didn't mind being carried as he picked her up off the ground, Matt ignoring the knowing look from his wife. He was a little surprised by how light she actually was, Caitlyn's weight settling on his hip as he kept one arm underneath her, his other holding onto her leg. Her short stature made it easy for him to carry her, Casey having lifted far heavier people daily in his line of work.
With her teddy bear still tucked against her chest, her free arm was wrapped around his neck, Gabby adjusting Caitlyn's shirt that had risen up when Matt lifted her, Casey making sure the girl was comfortable before they began to cross the street.
The further they got away from the car, the tighter Caitlyn's hold around his neck got, the little girl resting her head against his neck as she took in her unfamiliar surroundings, Matt following closely behind Gabby as they walked into the diner.
It only took them a few minutes to be seated, the family being led to a booth by the window, their menus being placed on the table while Matt put Caitlyn down on the ground. Without prompting, she climbed into the booth, the little girl sitting on her knees to make her taller as she sat in the middle of the seat, Matt chuckling softly before he sat down beside her, Gabby having taken up the spot across from them.
The second they were all seated, Caitlyn practically glued herself to Matt's side, her head pressed up against his arm as she shifted her body closer to his, Casey immediately looking towards his wife.
They could both tell she was nervous, her brown eyes bouncing around the room as she was nearly hidden by Matt's arm. But for as unsure as new places made her, from what they could tell, Caitlyn was fine with them. She seemed to feel safe around them, and while they didn't like to see her moments of anxiousness, they felt comforted by the fact that Caitlyn trusted them.
"Alright, let's take a look at this menu, yeah?" Matt asked as he grabbed the children's menu, the man placing the white paper and crayons down on the table in front of her. Caitlyn's eyes lit up as she dropped her grasp on the stuffed animal still being held to her chest, the young girl placing it down beside her before she reached for the crayons, clearly wanting to color the different pictures in front of her. "Do you know what you want?" Caitlyn bit down on her bottom lip, the little girl's eyebrows furrowing as she concentrated on the words in front of her, her eyes scanning over the different options as Matt and Gabby shared a knowing look, both understanding that little Caitlyn probably had no idea what the words in front of her meant.
According to Tina, Caitlyn was a little behind where they'd like her to be for reading at her age. While she knew some words, and her speech was decent, she wasn't able to read much of anything, as far as Tina knew. There were maybe a handful of words she could point out, but from what they were told, she was a little behind where she should be. It wasn't anything they were terribly concerned about, Matt and Gabby knowing five was still a young age for being able to read, but it was more so her lack of understanding with the fundamentals that had Tina a bit worried. With as much as she'd been moved around, helping her learn how to read had fallen through the cracks, and while they knew they wouldn't be having Caitlyn for too long, they wanted to try and help her in whatever ways they could; which included trying to help her with reading.
But to do that, they had to know where they were starting.
"Anything look good?" Gabby asked after a few moments, Caitlyn placing her elbows on the table before she leaned forward, her eyes focused on the page in front of her.
"Mhmm… French toast!" She replied excitedly, pointing to the image of the breakfast food as she looked up towards Gabby with a smile.
"French toast, huh?" Gabby repeated with a matching grin, Caitlyn nodding once more.
"So you're not wanting pancakes anymore?" Matt asked, the young girl turning towards him before her eyebrows furrowed in thought, little Caitlyn clearly having forgotten her desire for the breakfast food moments earlier. Chuckling softly at the look of confusion on her face, Matt shook his head before leaning back against his seat, the man rubbing his hand over her back gently. "How about we share?" He offered, seeing Caitlyn's eyes go wide with excitement. "You can have some of mine."
"Yes!" She agreed quickly, Matt raising his eyebrows. "And chocolate milk!"
Glancing towards Gabby, he released another laugh before nodding.
"Yes, you can have chocolate milk." He told her, Caitlyn smiling proudly before returning her attention to the coloring sheet in front of her, Matt opening the plastic package her crayons were in and pouring them out onto the table before the girl began coloring wildly.
While Caitlyn was deeply concentrated on the task at hand, the waitress had come over to take their order, Matt ordering his breakfast of an omelette and some pancakes, as well as ordering Caitlyn's as well, while Gabby got some eggs, bacon, and a bagel. And soon after they'd gotten their order in, their drinks were brought to the table, Caitlyn dropping her crayons the second her milk was within reach, the little girl slowly lifting the small child's cup in her hands before taking a long drink.
When she had yet to put the cup down, Matt shared a look with Gabby, his wife giving him a nod before he turned his attention back towards the girl. "Hey Caitlyn, why don't we save the rest of this for our food, okay?" He told her, the child immediately nodding before carefully placing the cup back down on the table, that task needing her full concentration before she looked up at him.
"Okay Matt." She complied, Casey nodding with a soft smile before Gabby reached over and grabbed the cup, moving it back away from the edge of the table, the mom knowing that was a recipe for disaster.
As they waited for their food, Gabby and Matt chatted while Caitlyn worked on her coloring. Though at first they tried to include her in the conversation, the little girl was completely in her own world as they sat in the booth, her complete focus on the picture in front of her, Gabby and Matt figuring it best to not bother her while she worked. While they knew it was common for most kids her age, Tina made a point to tell them that Caitlyn was really able to only focus on one thing at a time, and considering how content she seemed to be just sitting here and coloring, they didn't want to disturb that.
Every few moments, Matt would glance down to the picture in front of her, seeing her haphazard coloring all over the paper, the little girl clearly not too worried about keeping within the lines. And as she'd been working on the page, Caitlyn still perched up on her knees with her feet under her, hovering partially over the table to get a better view of her work, she'd gradually leaned back into Matt's side, the young girl feeling more comfortable being close to him while she colored. Her leg was resting beside his, her little body as close to him as she could get while she continued to draw, Gabby feeling her heart tighten in her chest as she saw how at ease the young girl was around them.
"...Will you color with me?"
The parents both looked towards her, Casey seeing her wide, hopeful eyes staring up at him as she held out a blue crayon, Matt immediately nodding before grabbing it from her.
"Of course." He replied, Caitlyn flashing him a bright smile before she moved the paper to rest on the table in between them, the young girl pointing out where she wanted him to use that color before she went back to work. Her and Matt were both focusing on the image in front of them, the dad and his foster daughter working diligently as Gabby watched on, the content grin never leaving her face as she discreetly pulled out her phone and snapped a few photos, Dawson wanting to remember this moment as they bonded with the young girl.
Before too long, their food arrived, Caitlyn and Matt having finished coloring a few moments prior, Gabby having talked up the drawing when they were done, much to the delight of the young girl. And now as their food was in front of them, Caitlyn waited patiently while Matt cut up her piece of french toast, the girl taking another careful sip of her drink just as he finished getting her food into easier pieces for her to manage.
"Thank you." She spoke softly as he handed her the fork, Matt placing the knife on the other side of his plate before giving her a small smile.
"You're welcome, sweetheart." He replied, Caitlyn responding with a grin of her own before she took her first bite of breakfast, the three of them enjoying their first meal together with Caitlyn in their care.
By the time they were done, Caitlyn had eaten about half her french toast and a few pieces of her fruit, along with one or two bites of Matt's pancakes, and a bite of Gabby's eggs. She hadn't eaten all that much, but it was clear that the young girl liked choices, Matt and Gabby happy to share their food with her as long as it meant she was eating.
"Did you like your breakfast?" Gabby asked as the young girl wiped off her hands on her napkin, Matt using his own to wipe off the little bit of syrup she had on the side of her mouth, Casey placing his hand on the top of her head so he could help her clean up without her moving around too much.
"It was yummy!" She spoke lightly, the smile returning to her face once Matt had finished his task, Caitlyn practically bouncing in her seat as her eyes moved around the room. "Thank you."
Matt drew in a deep breath before locking eyes with Gabby, seeing the same look of uncertainty on her face. In the hour they'd been here at the diner, and the time they'd spent with her since leaving DCFS, the young girl had probably thanked them over twenty times. And while they were happy to see she was grateful, and she knew it was polite to let people know that, they couldn't help but feel a little uneasy about how often she said it. It was the same feeling they got when they first met, and Caitlyn had gotten worried they were mad at her for forgetting Sofia's name. It felt like she was constantly thanking them because she was worried they'd be mad at her if she didn't, and that didn't sit well with either of them.
They didn't know all that much about Caitlyn's past, just that she'd been bounced around a lot, and she had to be removed from her last foster parents. But they knew nothing of what all she'd experienced and gone through. They didn't know anything about her parents, or how many different families she'd actually been with, let alone how they treated her. They really knew nothing about her. Since they weren't adopting her, and weren't trying to permanently bring her into their home, Tina hadn't gone through her entire past, but from the small amount of time they'd spent with her, both Gabby and Matt had a feeling that she'd been in some not great homes.
"You're more than welcome, honey." Gabby replied, Matt running his hand over Caitlyn's back just as the waitress came back to their table, handing them their check and saying a polite goodbye before leaving them be.
"Alright, are we ready to go?" Casey asked, Gabby nodding just as Caitlyn reached up towards Matt's arm, pulling on his sleeve to gain his attention.
"I have to go potty." She whispered, though her five year old whisper wasn't all that quiet, Gabby chuckling as she grabbed her purse.
"I can take her." She replied, Casey giving her a nod before she stood up.
"Okay… I'll go ahead and pay for this and meet you all out front." Matt told her, Gabby nodding in agreement before looking back towards Caitlyn.
"Come on, sweetie." She spoke, Matt helping Caitlyn get over his lap before she climbed down, the young girl immediately reaching for Gabby's hand before they began walking to the back of the diner. While they were gone, Matt did a once over of the table as he stood up, the man picking up Caitlyn's teddy bear from the booth before making sure they hadn't anything, Casey grabbing the check before he walked towards the front to pay.
By the time Gabby and Caitlyn were done, Matt had already finished up and was waiting outside the diner for them, Casey watching with a smile as the two girls walked out hand in hand. "All good?"
"Yup." Gabby replied with a nod, Caitlyn smiling wide before nodding as well. "We're good."
"Alright, well I guess it's time to go do some shopping." Casey spoke with a grin, seeing the look of excitement that covered Caitlyn's face before she nodded once again. The young girl dropped Gabby's hand and walked the few steps towards Matt before holding her arms up, clearly wanting to be carried just as she had been when they got here, Casey unable to stop his smile from growing before he picked her up, the man more than willing to carry her back to the car.
With her settled in his arms, Gabby flashed him a smile before they began to walk back towards the car, the wife keeping her hand on her husband's back as they moved, wanting to keep close to them as they continued their morning together.
Matt flipped on his turn signal, slowing the car down substantially as he turned down the cobblestone driveway leading them to their home, the man hitting the button to open the garage door before pulling inside and putting the car in park.
"Here we are." He spoke as he undid his seatbelt, Gabby mimicking his actions before she turned around, seeing Caitlyn holding onto her teddy bear tightly as she looked out the window.
"You ready to see where you're gonna be staying for a bit?" Gabby asked her, Caitlyn snapping out of her haze and turning to look at her, the young girl giving her a soft smile. "We just moved, so the house is still a bit messy, but we've got your room all set up." She continued, the child nodding before they all began getting out of the car, Gabby moving to help Caitlyn out of her seat while Matt got their bags from the trunk.
Though they'd spent the majority of the morning out shopping, they had every intention of not going overboard. They knew she needed more clothes and some shoes, and a few other things here and there, so while they were aware there were things they had no choice but to get, they'd decided beforehand to not go too crazy. Though they wanted Caitlyn to feel comfortable while staying with them, and they'd never let her go without things she needed, they also weren't naive to the situation; she wouldn't be with them for very long. So the last thing they wanted to do was over-buy things for her.
But, for as much as they had talked about keeping things simple and not going too crazy when they got to the store, their execution hadn't gone exactly to plan. They'd ended up buying little Caitlyn much more than they originally planned for, and then some, Gabby having gone somewhat overboard in the clothing section. She'd gotten her plenty of shirts and shorts and dresses and skirts, along with shoes for all of those outfits, plus an abundance of underwear and pajamas; everything Caitlyn could possibly need and then some, Gabby had thrown in the cart.
And for as overzealous as Dawson had been in the kid's section, her husband hadn't been much better, Matt picking out at least four outfits on his own that he wanted to get her. They definitely spent much more than they counted on, and ended up with many more things than previously talked about, but truthfully neither of them cared. For as long as Caitlyn would be staying with them, they wanted her to feel comfortable here. Like she wasn't just a guest in someone else's home, but they wanted her to feel like this was her home. They didn't want to be scrounging for things for her to wear, or not have age appropriate toys for her to play with.
This wasn't just them watching over a child for a little while, then sending her on her way… They wanted her to feel like she had a home here, with them, for however long she'd be here. And part of that included making sure she had everything she could need, especially because if the minimal amount of belongings she had with her were any indication, they weren't sure how much Caitlyn had growing up that was actually hers. And they wanted to change that.
"Is Sofia here?" Caitlyn's small voice pulled Gabby from her thoughts as Matt shut the trunk, her husband carrying on the bags in both his hands. "I miss her."
Her words brought smiles to both the parents' faces, Gabby giving her a nod before guiding her away from the car door, the mother making sure she was clear before she shut it. "She is here, and so is our nanny, Becca." She replied, running her fingers through Caitlyn's blonde hair before leading her towards the door. "Becca, she watches Sofia while Matt and I are at work, and she'll be taking care of you, too…"
Caitlyn looked up as she finished speaking, Gabby seeing a slight look of hesitation in her eyes, knowing the girl was most likely nervous at the thought of staying with someone else. But Gabby shook her head, continuing to run her hand through the girl's hair in a comforting motion before they kept walking.
"I think you two are really gonna get along, she's so excited to meet you." Dawson spoke, hoping to ease some of her worries as they got to the door that led into their home, Gabby putting the garage door down before stepping inside, letting Caitlyn walk in first.
As they stepped inside, the little girl was moving slowly as she took in her new surroundings. There were still a lot of boxes everywhere, but from first glance it looked like Becca had worked on unpacking some of those while they'd been on shift, Gabby making a mental note to thank her for that later as Caitlyn continued further inside. The young girl came to a stop at the end of the hallway, Caitlyn looking around the open room as Gabby stopped by her side, Matt having dropped all their bags by the door before following them.
"Wow…" Caitlyn spoke softly, Gabby looking down as she saw the wonder written across the little girl's face. "This place is big!"
Gabby and Matt both laughed as Caitlyn began to move into the living room, but quickly stopped herself as she turned back to look at them.
"Can I…" She trailed off, clearly asking if she was allowed to go further inside their home, Matt and Gabby both nodding without hesitation.
"Of course honey, this is your home, too." Gabby spoke up, Caitlyn smiling before she walked into the living room, heading straight for the couch. Gabby felt Matt place his hand on her back, the wife turning to look at him as she saw his eyes on Caitlyn. Before she could say anything, they heard the sounds of footsteps coming down the stairs, the parents turning to see Becca as she came into view, their baby sitting happily in her arms as she came down the last step.
"Hey guys, I thought I heard you get in." She spoke, Sofia wriggling around immediately the second she saw her parents, the baby practically lunging at them even though they weren't close enough for either of them to grab her.
"Hey Becca, yeah we just got back… Thanks again, for staying late this morning." Casey replied, walking a few steps back to meet up with their nanny before he grabbed a hold of his daughter, Sofia clearly excited to be back with her dad. "Hello my angel, hello… Yes, Daddy missed you too." He spoke before pressing kisses all over his child's face, soft giggles escaping Sofia's lips as she grabbed onto his shirt and his neck.
"It was no problem, this is important." Becca told them as she walked towards Gabby, the nanny's eyes immediately moving towards the living room. "How's she doing?" She asked as she saw the girl for the first time, little Caitlyn having climbed up on the couch, her legs swinging in the air as she continued taking everything in.
"She's doing alright, as far as we can tell." Gabby replied, looking towards Matt for confirmation, her husband nodding in agreement before slipping behind Becca to head into the room.
"Everything's gone well so far, she's a great kid… You wanna meet her?" Casey asked their nanny, the young woman immediately nodding before she followed his path.
"I'm gonna get some of Caitlyn's clothes in the wash, babe." Gabby spoke, Matt stopping to give her a nod before he continued into the living room, the couple going their separate ways as Gabby walked back to the bags and bags of clothes they bought while Matt carried Sofia towards the young girl.
"Hey Caitlyn, look who's here." He spoke, seeing the wide smile that covered her face when she saw the baby in his arms, Caitlyn practically launching herself off the couch to hurry towards him, Matt crouching to sit down on the ground.
"Hi Sofia!" She spoke excitedly, Matt adjusting the baby in his arms so she was resting up against his chest, Sofia squealing in delight the second she saw the other little girl. "She remembers me!" Caitlyn all but yelled, the young girl unable to hide her delight as she reached for Sofia's hand, the baby holding onto her tightly.
While Matt was sure Sofia wasn't able to actually remember Caitlyn, from only having met her once, and that little Sof was most likely just happy to have another person around, he wasn't about to tell the five year old that, Matt not wanting to do anything to take away from her excitement. She'd been looking forward to seeing Sofia all day, and there was no harm in letting her think Sofia remembered her, especially because here soon, she definitely would.
"I missed you, Sofia." Caitlyn spoke as she sat down on the rug across from Matt, the father placing Sofia down on the ground as well, the little girl immediately crawling towards Caitlyn and holding onto her. The sight alone sent a rush of warmth through Casey's chest as he watched the two little girls interact, both equally thrilled to be together as Sofia was continuously squealing with excitement.
"She missed you, too." Matt responded, her bright smile causing one of his own to form over his face as the five year old girl let the baby climb all over her, Caitlyn content to just be around Sofia. "And Gabby and I, a lot of times we'll call her Sof, as a nickname… You can call her that, too, if you want." He told her, Caitlyn giving him another nod before her eyes moved towards the woman who was sitting down beside him, the young girl clearly not having registered her presence until now.
"Are you…" She started, but trailed off as her eyebrows furrowed together, Matt understanding she was trying to remember the woman they'd told her about this morning. "Becca?" She asked, her brown eyes focused on the nanny, Becca giving her a wide smile before nodding her head, Caitlyn instantly feeling at ease.
"I am, yeah." She replied gently. "It's nice to meet you, Caitlyn… I've heard so many great things about you."
A shy smile soon covered the girl's face, Caitlyn looking to Matt before meeting the woman's eyes again.
"You have?"
"Oh, yeah. Absolutely! Matt and Gabby, they haven't stopped talking about you." Becca spoke warmly, Matt seeing Caitlyn begin to feel more and more comfortable with each passing second, the nanny's warm demeanor helping the girl feel at ease in her new surroundings. "We're all so excited for you to be here."
"Me too!" Caitlyn echoed the excitement in her voice, Matt sitting back and watching in amazement at how wonderful Becca was with the little girl. He knew Becca was incredible with Sofia; she had been from day one. But seeing just how easily she slid into that same role with Caitlyn, how Becca was instantly able to make her feel safe and comfortable, and got her to open up faster than even him and Gabby had been able to, it just reaffirmed what the Casey's already knew. And that was that Becca was the absolute perfect fit for their family, and there was no one they trusted more to look after Sofia, and now Caitlyn, while they were at 51. "You're gonna watch me while they work?" She questioned, her broken words pulling Matt from his thoughts as he saw Caitlyn's attention still focused on Becca, while Sofia had moved on to playing with Caitlyn's teddy bear, the five year old giving it willingly.
"I am." Becca confirmed with a smile. "Sof and I, we have a lot of fun together, and now you're here to have fun with us, too."
Caitlyn nodded eagerly before looking down towards her stuffed animal, seeing it still firmly clasped in Sofia's tiny hands. "This is my bear, Mr. Sparkles." She spoke brightly, Becca giving her an enthusiastic nod. "Sof has him right now, so he can't say hi, but I think he'll like you! He likes everyone who's nice!" She continued, Matt seeing the proud look on Caitlyn's face when she called Sofia by her nickname, Becca adjusting her positioning on the ground so she was sitting opposite Caitlyn, crossing her legs together in front of her while the young girl continued talking about her beloved stuffed animal.
Seeing that both Sofia and Caitlyn were being well taken care of, Matt pushed himself up off the ground, the five year old glancing at him briefly, pausing her conversation with Becca as both girls looked up at him. "I'm gonna go check on Gabby, are you alright with them?" Matt asked Becca, the nanny nodding with a soft smile before turning back to Caitlyn, Casey seeing that both children seemed to be content.
"We're good, aren't we Caitlyn?"
"Yeah!." She assured him, Matt nodding before he continued back to the laundry room, the father assuming Sofia hadn't even noticed him leave as he didn't hear any noise from her, Casey walking down the hallway until he reached his destination. Coming to a stop in the doorway, Matt watched on as Gabby stood in front of the open washing machine, his wife sorting through the belongings in Caitlyn's small backpack, while the multiple bags of new clothes sat on the ground around her.
"Hey baby." He greeted softly, Gabby turning to look at him, a soft smile appearing over her face as she saw him leaning against the door frame.
"Hey." She replied, Matt matching her grin before he stepped inside the rather spacious room. "How are things going out there?"
"It's only been a few minutes, but it looks like Caitlyn is in love with Becca." Casey spoke, seeing the look of relief that flashed in his wife's eyes. "Which isn't all that surprising, considering everyone loves Becca." He added with a laugh, Gabby chuckling lightly.
"Good, that's good… I figured she would, but actually knowing for sure- I'm so glad." She breathed out, Matt nodding in agreement before his eyes moved down to ratty clothes in her hands.
"Yeah, me too… Is this Caitlyn's old stuff?" He questioned, Gabby releasing a soft smile before nodding, Casey seeing the slight grimace that covered her features.
"It is, though from the looks of it, I don't think much of it was originally hers… I think it was probably stuff they had and they gave to her." Gabby replied, Matt nodding as he watched her inspect a shirt before tossing it into the washing machine. "Truthfully, I'd like to just throw this stuff away. We got her more than enough clothes today, but I don't want to get rid of anything before asking her… We've seen how attached she is to that bear, I'm not sure if she has any other attachments to things." She told him, Casey giving her another nod in understanding as she threw in the last shirt, Gabby deciding to wash these things separately before moving onto the things they bought her today.
"Well, we can ask her, see if there's anything she wants to keep… But she definitely won't have to worry about clothes for awhile." He responded, Gabby giving him a nod as she started the wash.
Gabby turned towards him, intent on beginning the process of going through these bags and getting the tags off of everything, but the look on his face stopped her, Dawson seeing the wide, goofy grin resting over his lips as he stared at her.
"...What is it?" She questioned with a soft laugh, the smile on his face infectious.
"Nothing." He replied with a shrug, Gabby raising her eyebrows as she waited for him to continue. "...I'm just happy, is all."
His genuine words filled her chest with warmth, Gabby unable to stop her smile from widening before she leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. She felt him smile against her before he reciprocated her actions, his hand instinctively moving to her hip as they enjoyed this quiet moment just for the two of them.
"I'm happy you're happy, baby." She murmured against his lips before kissing him again quickly, Matt giving her hip a squeeze as she pulled back. "I'm happy, too."
The look on his face was enough to nearly make her fall in love with him all over again, Gabby's bottom lip falling between her teeth as he ran his hand up and down her side.
"I'm so glad we did this." He replied, Matt leaning forward to press a gentle kiss to her forehead, Gabby nodding in agreement as he pulled away from her completely, Casey stepping backwards towards the door. "I'm gonna go check on the girls… You need anything?"
Gabby shook her head in response, Matt nodding as he stepped through the doorway, giving her a wink before he disappeared around the corner, leaving Dawson in the laundry room as he went back out to spend time with the two young girls out in the living room, the light and happy feeling around the Casey household doing nothing but solidifying the belief that they had made the right choice by bringing Caitlyn into their home.
Blowing out a heavy breath, Casey stepped out of the bathroom, turning the light off as he walked into their master bedroom, their surroundings still a bit foreign to them as they were trying to get used to living in their new home. Clad in his pajama pants and t-shirt, Matt continued towards the bed, seeing his wife already snuggled up underneath the covers as she read her book, the parents exhausted after the long day they'd had with their two girls.
Thought today had been incredible, it had also been very long. After they got home, Becca hadn't been able to stay too much longer before she had to leave, and Matt and Gabby began the process of getting Caitlyn acclimated to her new surroundings. They'd taken her around their home, and showed her her new bedroom, which, admittedly, had nearly brought Gabby to tears. The little girl's reaction to seeing her new room was something neither of them would ever forget, Caitlyn beyond thankful and ecstatic to have her own room, her gratefulness almost making Gabby cry. And Casey would've been lying if he said he didn't get a little misty, as well.
And after that, and working on getting some of Caitlyn's new belongings put away, they'd spent the rest of the day just getting to know each other better. The rest of their afternoon and evening was spent together, and they could both tell how much Caitlyn loved it. The little girl had been glued to the both of them all day- Casey especially, whether it just be when they were hanging out in the living room, or when they'd gone to play in the courtyard, or when Gabby had Caitlyn help her with dinner, the young girl was beside them all day. She just liked being around them, and they couldn't deny that the feeling was mutual.
Then by the time night came, and they had finished up dinner, Caitlyn again not having eaten very much, which was something they both knew they'd need to keep an eye on, it was time to get ready for bed, the parents getting a bath ready for the young girl. They had been told by Tina that Caitlyn still needed supervision when it came to baths and showers, that she was still too young to be left alone, so, from the request of the little girl, they'd ran her a bath, Matt and Gabby having taken turns sitting with her while she bathed and played with some of the different bath toys they'd gotten her, her favorite being the alphabet letters they'd gotten that stuck to the wall.
Gabby had taken the first shift while Caitlyn was in the bath, the mother helping her wash her hair as the young girl was not able to get all the shampoo and conditioner out by herself, while Matt came in and took over when Sofia needed to be fed and put to bed. Since she was intrigued by the letters already, Matt had taken the time to help her practice her reading as well, the father sitting on the edge of the tub and spelling out some simple words for her to work on, as well as letting her try and create some too.
Then once bath time was over, they'd gotten her ready for bed, the three of them going downstairs to watch a little bit of a movie that they'd let Caitlyn choose, the girl curled up on the couch in between them, before it was time for bed. Both Matt and Gabby had gone to tuck her in, the parents sitting on her bed while they read her two stories, Caitlyn practically passed out by the time he'd finished the second one. And with a forehead kiss from each of them, they left the room, leaving her night light on and the door slightly ajar before heading back downstairs.
All of this was an entirely different schedule than they were used to, their nightmare routine with two kids much more work than when it was just Sofia, but they'd be lying if they said they didn't love it. It was an adjustment, but the parent's loved having Caitlyn with them, and they were just happy to be able to give this girl a safe and loving home for the time being.
"God, I'm exhausted." Matt huffed out as he collapsed down onto the bed, Gabby raising her eyebrows as she turned to look at him, biting back a chuckle as she took in the sight of her husband lying on his stomach on top of the comforter, his face smushed into the pillow as his eyes were closed.
"Yeah, me too… Today was great though." She murmured, her words bringing a smile to his face before he opened his eyes, Matt lifting his head as he propped himself up on his elbows.
"It was. Caitlyn seems to be adjusting okay." He replied, Gabby nodding in agreement.
"I know… I was a little worried, but so far, everything's been good. And she absolutely loves you." Gabby responded, watching as Matt ducked his head slightly.
"She loves both of us-"
"Yeah, but she has a little extra attachment to you… I can't blame her though, Sofia's the same way. And so am I, if I'm being honest." Gabby teased, Matt shaking his head in amusement before rolling his eyes.
"Mhmm… Well, we both know you've always had that attachment to me." He played along, Gabby cocking her head to the side before shoving him slightly, ignoring the light laughs that escaped his lips.
But before either of them could say anything else, they heard an unexpected noise come through the baby monitor, Gabby putting her book down over her stomach before reaching for it, picking it up off the nightstand.
"Is it Sof?" Matt asked, the man pushing himself up off the bed, clearly anticipating having to go check on his daughter. But the second he heard sniffling, he knew it wasn't Sofia, his eyebrows furrowing as he saw Gabby shake her head.
"It's Caitlyn." She replied softly, turning the monitor towards him so he could get a look, Matt leaning back over the bed to see the little girl sitting up in her bed, her head moving around frantically, clearing unsettled by something.
"I'll go check on her." Matt told her, seeing the look of concern on his wife's face before she nodded, Casey quickly making his way towards the door and to the stairs. Within seconds, he was up to the second floor, Matt taking the few steps to Caitlyn's room, the small light plugged into the outlet lighting his path as he got to her door, Casey gently pushing it open.
The second she heard her door open, Caitlyn jumped slightly, clearly not expecting the noise before she locked eyes with Matt, the man frowning the second he saw the tears shining in her brown eyes.
"What's going on, sweetheart?" He asked softly, Matt taking a few steps towards her bed, his frown deepening when he saw her trembling slightly.
"I g-got scared." She stuttered, Casey furrowing his eyebrows as he came to a stop beside her bed, the man seeing more fear in the five year old's eyes than he ever wanted any child to feel, Matt carefully sitting down on the edge of her bed.
"Did you have a bad dream?" He asked softly, Caitlyn nodding before she pushed her covers off her legs and practically launched herself into him, her small arms wrapping around his waist as much as they could before she buried her head into his stomach. "Hey, hey, you're okay." He murmured soothingly, Matt instinctively wrapping his arms around the little girl before he leaned down to press a comforting kiss to the top of her head. "Everything's alright, it was just a dream." He spoke softly, his hand rubbing over her back as she held onto him tighter.
They sat there for a few minutes, Matt continuing to do what he could to help Caitlyn feel better, though from how tense her little body was, he knew she was still upset. He wasn't sure what she'd dreamed about, or why it had upset her as much as it did, but that wasn't something he needed to try and figure out tonight, not when she was clearly still a little shaken. He knew the best thing for her right now was for her to just try and go back to sleep, but something in his gut was telling him she wouldn't be able to get much rest if she was left alone.
"Caitlyn…" He spoke softly, the little girl slowly pulling back enough to look up at him. "Do you wanna come and stay in mine and Gabby's room? Just for tonight?"
The girl nodded immediately, Matt giving her a small smile before he spoke up again. "Alright, let's go downstairs.. See if we can't get some more sleep, alright?"
Before he could even try and stand up, Caitlyn pushed herself up to wrap her arms around his neck, clearly needing to stay close to him. After murmuring some more reassuring words, Casey adjusted her weight in his arms before he pushed them both up off the bed, Caitlyn holding on tight around his neck as she rested her head against his shoulder, Matt holding securely underneath her before he walked towards the door. He moved slowly down the stairs, being extra careful as he was holding the small girl in his arms, before he finally made his way down to the main floor, Casey walking the few feet to their bedroom.
The second he came inside holding Caitlyn, he saw Gabby already sitting up in their bed, the knowing look on her face telling him she'd heard their conversation through the baby monitor. As soon as they got to the bed, Matt slowly put her down on top of the mattress, Gabby holding out her arm for Caitlyn to come to her, which the young girl immediately did.
"Come here, sweet girl." She spoke softly as Gabby slid down into bed, Caitlyn getting underneath the covers before tucking herself into her side, the mother surprised by how tightly she was holding on to her. "You're okay." She whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before she began stroking her hair, Matt going to turn on the light in the closet, knowing Caitlyn would most likely feel better with some light in the room, before he turned the rest of them off and climbed into bed. "Just try and get some sleep, we're right here, okay? You're alright." She continuously reassured her, Gabby feeling her breathing even out as the tired girl slowly slipped in and out of consciousness, Matt rubbing a comforting hand over her back to try and help keep her calm.
The parents shared a knowing look as Caitlyn continued to fall asleep, both of them well aware there were conversations that needed to be had. But those weren't happening tonight, not when the young girl wrapped around Gabby clearly needed rest. And while they knew they couldn't make a habit of this, of Caitlyn sleeping in bed with them, both of them knew it couldn't hurt for just tonight. This was all so new for her, and despite how much she liked being here, staying in a new place had to have been a little scary for the young girl, and if what she needed tonight was to be with them, they wouldn't deny her that.
They just hoped that in the morning, they'd be able to get some answers as to what had her so upset. And that it wouldn't happen again.
"I'm surprised you didn't take this shift off."
Casey poked his head out of his locker to see Severide walking towards him, the two firefighters the only men in the room as Matt scoffed lightly.
"Yeah, don't think I didn't consider it." He responded with a grin, Matt shutting his locker before leaning his weight into the metal, crossing his arms over his chest as Severide sat down on the bench, his legs straddling the seat. "Gabby almost caved this morning and stayed home, but we decided to come in… We want Caitlyn to get used to our schedule." He explained, his words earning a nod from Kelly.
"Yeah, Dawson's in the common room talking everyone's ear off about the kid." Severide replied, seeing the proud smile that fell across his friend's face. "It sounds like things are going well with her."
"They are." Matt was quick to reply. "Overall, she's adjusting well to everything… We had a little, issue, I guess, her first night-"
"Is everything okay?" Kelly interjected, Matt hearing the worry in his voice.
"Yeah, yeah we're fine. Caitlyn just had some trouble sleeping, she had a nightmare and she ended up sleeping with us… We never were able to find out what it was about. We tried to talk to her about it the next day, but she said she didn't remember. But she slept fine in her room last night, so I think she's alright." Matt told him as Severide listened intently. "I think it was just all the change… Even though it's a good change, and she loves being with us, it's still an adjustment. It's a lot for a little kid."
"Makes sense." Severide mused, earning a nod from Casey. "But she's okay now?"
"She's fine." Matt responded with a soft smile. "She's such a great, and happy kid. She's resilient, from what we can tell. But, as far as we know, she's happy living with us. She's doing good, which is all we want for her… Plus her and Sofia love each other, and she does great with Becca."
"That's good."
"Yeah, it is… Caitlyn warmed up to her pretty quickly. And we had Becca come over again yesterday, and spend most of the afternoon with her, just so we were sure Caitlyn was completely comfortable with her. But she loves her."
"Yeah, you and Dawson got really lucky with Becca." Severide spoke as Matt nodded in agreement. "...Both your kids love her." He added with a small smirk, Casey shooting him a look.
"Caitlyn's not ours, Sev." He responded, Kelly tilting his head to the side.
"That's what you two keep saying…"
"Kelly-"
"I'm just saying." He cut in, putting his hands up in defense before continuing. "But anyway, even though she's not yours, she is at least for awhile." He said, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth before nodding. "And I still need to meet the little kid, too." He added with a pointed stare.
"Yeah, I know… Everyone needs to. She's only been around Gabby and I so far." Matt responded, adjusting his positioning so his back was resting against the locker, Kelly seeing a knowing look cover his friend's face. "It was, uh- it was actually supposed to be a surprise, but Becca is bringing the kids by this afternoon." He told him, Severide's eyebrows raising as Matt gave him a nod. "Yeah, they're coming around one, I think… once Sof is up from her nap. We don't wanna overwhelm Caitlyn, but we asked her if she wanted to come and see where we work, and she said yes."
"That'll be fun." Severide replied, Matt giving him another nod.
"Mhmm… We told her what our jobs are, and she got all excited. She wants to see the firetruck." Matt spoke with a laugh, his words bringing a smile to Kelly's face as well. "I figured 81 could take her out for a ride, I know she'd love it… but yeah, Sof and Caitlyn will be here in a few hours, but we're trying to keep it a surprise for everyone." He finished, Severide giving him one quick, sharp nod.
"Understood, Captain." He responded jokingly, Casey narrowing his eyes just as the bells went off, calling all companies to a car accident a few blocks away. Severide pushed himself up off the bench, the men making their way out of the locker room and towards the garage. "...How is that, by the way?" Kelly asked as they walked out through the double doors, Matt raising his eyebrows.
"How's what?"
"Having two girls..." He elaborated, the smile that formed over Casey's face enough to give him his answer, Matt shaking his head slightly before continuing around the front of the firetruck.
"I love it."
Matt slid his phone into his pocket as he made his way towards the common room, the firefighter unable to mask the wide smile on his face as he walked with a near bounce in his step, Casey coming around the corner to find almost everyone in the room, his eyes moving around the space before landing on the person he was looking for.
"Gabby." He called, watching as his wife turned away from Stella, immediately locking eyes with him before he nodded out towards the garage, Gabby understanding his silent request as she turned back to her friend, saying something Casey couldn't make out before she pushed herself up from the table and headed his way. The two exchanged knowing smiles before walking out into the garage, Matt holding the door open for her as the warm summer air flowed into the garage.
"You think she's still as excited as she was this morning?" Gabby asked as they walked out into the driveway, Matt flashing her a wide grin before his eyes moved out into the street, the man immediately finding who he was looking for as the woman was working on getting the children out of the car.
"I hope so." He replied as they continued down the driveway, Matt and Gabby checking for traffic before they jogged across the street. "Hey Becca." Matt greeted from a few feet away, the woman lifting her head out of the backseat where she was working on getting Sofia out.
"Matt! Gabby!"
The second Caitlyn heard his voice, she was yelling for them, the girl's excitement getting the best of her as she ran towards them, Matt and Gabby both hurrying to get out of the road as Caitlyn got to them.
"Caitlyn, remember what we said about being in the street?" Matt scolded gently as he scooped her up into his arms, a sheepish look covering her face as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I'm sorry." She replied quietly, Matt rubbing up and down her back as Gabby continued towards the car to help with Sofia.
"I know you are. And I know you just got excited, but you need to remember that it's not safe to just run out into the street… We don't want you to get hurt, so that's why you need to make sure you keep your hand on the car until you're with an adult who can help you, okay?"
"Okay." She agreed, Matt nodding as he waited a few moments for his words to sink in before he continued.
"Alright, good… Now give me a hug, I missed you." He spoke lightly, his words causing a wide smile to grow over her face before she tightened her hold around his neck, Caitlyn hugging herself to him tightly as he held onto her.
"I missed you, too! And Gabby!" She spoke loudly, the young girl pulling herself away from his neck to look towards Dawson, Matt smiling softly when he saw his wife get their daughter out of the car, Gabby holding her securely in her arms as Becca shut the door.
"I missed you too, sweet girl." She replied, her words causing Caitlyn's smile to widen as Matt got to them, Gabby running her hand over the little girl's stomach while Becca locked up the car. "Are you ready to go see where we work, and meet everyone?"
"Yeah!" She spoke brightly, Gabby tapping her stomach before nodding towards the firehouse.
"Alright, well let's get on inside… I know everyone's gonna be excited to meet you." She replied, Caitlyn's smile growing before they began making their way across the street back towards 51, Matt and Gabby more than ready for their firehouse family to meet the newest addition to their household.