Hi everyone! Thanks for all the kind words you all left me on the last chapter, I'm so glad you enjoyed it, and I hope you all like this one too, and you're ready for more of Dawsey with Sofia and Caitlyn.
Thank you so much for reading. I hope all of you are doing okay, under the circumstances, and staying safe.
Also, I mentioned this in my Whatever Comes Next update last week, but I do want to let you all know I am working on the next If We Never Say Goodbye update. I hate that it's taken me this long, but I'm hoping to get that posted sometime this week, so be on the lookout for that.
I hope you enjoy.
Chapter Ninety Six
"Caitlyn, come eat your breakfast, sweetheart." Matt called from the kitchen as he watched the scrambled eggs that were cooking in the pan, his eyes bouncing between the five year old sitting in the living room, his daughter sitting in her high chair working on some of the oatmeal he'd placed on the tray in front of her, and the breakfast he was working on preparing for Caitlyn. Though still early, it had already been a hectic morning, Matt's focus completely on taking care of the kids while Gabby got ready for work.
It had been on the schedule for awhile, but today was one of those days where Gabby had been scheduled to work a shift at another house that didn't line up with her shift at 51, and neither parent could say they were really fond of it. Though the work Gabby was doing was great, and she'd helped the CFD so much already, the days they were on different shifts had become quite the adjustment. Especially with Caitlyn in the mix. But they were managing the best they could, and the change in their schedule had most certainly given them a newfound respect for their nanny.
But luckily, the days of them working different shifts would soon be over. Today was the third shift where Gabby had been on a different schedule than her husband, at Station 41 across town, and after today, she only had one shift left at that house before she'd be back at 51 for a bit. And both Matt and Gabby were eternally grateful.
Dawson loved her job, she loved going to work with other paramedics around the city, and help houses run more effectively. She thoroughly enjoyed her work, but she'd be lying if she said she wasn't looking forward to getting back into her usual routine. She'd worked at three separate houses now, some needing more assistance than others, but while she was thankful for the opportunity to help other medics, there was nothing she enjoyed more than her and Matt going into work together every day. Them coming home and getting to spend two days together with their little girl, and now Caitlyn. To them, there was nothing better than that. And they were more than ready to get that back.
And thankfully after two more shifts for her at house 41, they'd have it.
"Caitlyn!" Matt called again, his eyes moving back towards the living room, finding her still in her same spot in the middle of the couch. "Your breakfast is gonna get cold, come on honey."
"Okay Matt." She replied back, the child sliding herself down off the couch, her pajamas twisted from the movement as she hurried towards the kitchen, coming to stand by Matt's feet while he cooked. "I'm here!" She told him excitedly though he'd already seen her, Matt shooting her a thankful smile before he put the cooked eggs onto the small kid's plate on the counter beside the stove, the breakfast accompanied by half of a piece of toast lathered in raspberry jam, which he knew to be Caitlyn's favorite.
"Thank you… Make sure you don't touch the stove, it's hot." He reminded her, Caitlyn nodding as she took a slight step away from the counter, Matt turning off the stove top before sparing a quick glance to his daughter, seeing she was still content half eating, half playing with the sticky oatmeal in front of her. And while Sofia had made a complete mess, and would definitely be needing a bath, he was just glad to see her eating on her own. "Go ahead and go to the table, I'll bring you your food."
"Can I carry it?" She asked, Matt flashing her a soft smile before nodding.
"Of course." He responded, the man grabbing ahold of her breakfast before carefully handing it to her. "Just make sure you use two hands." He told her, Caitlyn nodding as she held the plate steadily in both her hands before she slowly turned around. "Go sit down, I'll get your drink."
"Thank you." She replied, Matt able to hear the concentration in her voice as she carefully moved around the island back towards the table, Casey turning to grab one of their plastic cups they'd gotten for Caitlyn as movement in the room caught his attention.
"Hey baby." Matt greeted when he saw his wife come into view, the woman already dressed in her shift clothes, Gabby placing her bag on the ground before shooting him a soft smile.
"Good morning." She responded right before they heard a crash, and a sound of surprise leaving little Caitlyn's lips.
Turning towards the noise, they saw Caitlyn standing nervously over her now-dropped breakfast, the plate upside down on the ground, her eggs and toast covering the floor as her eyes darted nervously.
"I'm sorry." She immediately apologized, Matt shaking his head slightly as he placed the cup back down onto the counter. "I didn't mean to, I'm sorry."
"Honey, it's okay." Gabby told her, Caitlyn looking towards her with her wide brown eyes, the mother giving her a reassuring nod. "It's fine, it was an accident." She spoke, Caitlyn nodding hesitantly before she looked to Matt, like she needed the same assurance from him. Which he soon gave.
"It's alright, Caitlyn." He promised her, his words accompanied by a gentle smile.
"Matt can make you some more breakfast, it's okay." Gabby repeated, the woman coming over towards her to help clean up. "It's just a little mess, nothing that can't be fixed."
Dawson squatted down on the ground beside Caitlyn, the little girl bending over to help her as Gabby got what food she could off the ground and back onto the plate. "Can you go get a towel from Matt?" Gabby asked, Caitlyn immediately running over towards the counter where Matt had already gotten started on remaking the little girl's breakfast, the man having just turned the stovetop back on when Caitlyn came around the corner.
Having heard Gabby's words, Matt stepped back to get a paper towel, the man dampening it quickly before handing it to the five year old, Caitlyn hurrying back to Gabby as soon as it was in her grasp. "Here you go, Gabby." She spoke, Gabby flashing her a thankful smile before taking the towel from her.
"Thank you, sweetheart. You think you can get this plate back to Matt?" Gabby asked her, Caitlyn immediately nodding as she grabbed the plastic plate from her foster mom, the little girl's tongue poking out between her teeth in concentration before she began walking back towards the counter.
She was moving slowly, Matt having already gotten more eggs in the pan as Caitlyn came around the corner, his eyebrows raising in amusement as he saw the determined look in her eyes; a look that reminded him an awful lot of his wife.
"I'm sorry for dropping it." She spoke again as she stood up on her tippy toes to place the dirty plate on the counter, Matt shaking his head before he ran his hand along her back.
"I know you are, honey, but it's fine. It was an accident." He told her the same words Gabby had, Caitlyn nodding with a soft smile, her wild blonde hair sticking out of her ponytail in all different directions. "Now why don't you go and sit down at the table, I'll get your breakfast ready and bring it to you in a few minutes, alright?"
"Okay." She replied, shooting him her wide grin before she ran back to the table, the little girl passing Gabby on the way as the wife was walking into the kitchen, the parents sharing a knowing look.
It had been a little less than two weeks since Caitlyn had come into their home, and in that time, they'd come to learn a lot about their foster daughter. They'd learned her likes, and dislikes, when it came to pretty much everything, whether it was food, toys, clothes, cartoons; they were learning more and more about her every single day.
And along with that, they also learned more and more about the personality of the energetic five year old with each passing day. Though she was definitely shy around new people, once she got to know someone, she'd talk their ear off for hours if Gabby and Matt would let her. And she'd especially taken to those closest to the parents. It was like she was paying close attention to them, and whichever people they gravitated to were the same ones she did. It wasn't something they'd really noticed at first, but after a few more visits to the firehouse on Gabby's days off, they'd eventually picked up on it. But even that didn't matter so much, both Gabby and Matt noticing how Caitlyn had been able to strike up a conversation with pretty much anyone.
But in the nearly two weeks they'd had with the little girl, they'd noticed more than just her cautiously outgoing personality.
Caitlyn was an overall happy kid. She was always smiling, and seemed to just be happy to be included, and be around other people. From what they could tell, she was just a little girl who wanted people to look out for her, which Gabby and Matt had vowed to do. But there was still one thing that left them a little confused, that didn't sit right with them. And that was her constant need to apologize.
They'd noticed it from the second they met her, and that trend had only continued since bringing her home. She would be constantly apologizing, or thanking them for things that needed none. Whether it was an incident like this morning, where she accidentally made a mess, or it was something else entirely, like her thanking them for letting her watch TV, or for taking her out with them when they would go out with Sofia. It seemed like any little thing, she was either thanking them, or saying sorry, depending on the situation, and it really didn't sit well with them.
Though they appreciated her manners, and were glad she'd been taught the basic difference between right and wrong, it almost seemed like she wasn't actually sure what was deemed wrong. Like, for whatever reason, she didn't realize that she didn't need to apologize for everything. And it truly broke their heart. Because they could only imagine what had happened to her to make her feel the need to be constantly saying sorry.
But they hadn't exactly gotten to the bottom of that, yet. Though they'd learned a lot about Caitlyn as a person, they still didn't know hardly anything about her situation, and things she'd gone through in the past. They knew nothing about how she'd been treated before, whether it be by her parents, or her other foster families. They just didn't know, but they could only imagine that her immediate nervousness anytime she thought she was in trouble stemmed from something in her past.
But they couldn't know for certain, and they probably never would. Not when she would be leaving them any day now.
"Thanks for cleaning that up." Matt spoke up as she continued into the kitchen, Gabby giving him a nod before tossing the paper towel in the trash, the woman moving to go put another piece of bread in the toaster for the little girl.
"It's no problem… I do need to get out of here soon, but I have a few minutes." She replied, closing the bread back up before returning it to its place on the counter, Gabby turning to look at her husband while cooked, her words earning a nod from Matt.
"We're gonna miss you around here today." He told her, Matt glancing to see a soft smile form over her face before he returned his attention to the food, Gabby shaking her head slightly.
"You all will be fine…"
"I don't know about that… We do better when we're all together." He spoke, Gabby clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth, knowing he had a point. "And plus I think Caitlyn gets a little confused when only one of us is here." He lowered his voice considerably as the words left his lips, knowing their foster daughter was only feet away, Gabby turning to see her talking to Sofia while the baby ate her breakfast.
"Yeah, I know she does." Gabby murmured, remembering how she'd had to explain to the girl a few times why her work schedule was sometimes a little different, and she was sure Matt had had similar discussions with her. "But this separate shift thing is almost over… And hopefully they won't assign me different shifts anymore, if I keep doing this." She added, Matt nodding in agreement just as the toast popped up, Gabby grabbing it and putting it down on Caitlyn's new plate before she reached for the butter. "But you all will be fine today, I'm sure you and the girls will have tons of fun… Though it's probably not too late to call Becca."
Matt chuckled at the teasing words from his wife, the man shaking his head as she started to put some jam on Caitlyn's toast. "Ha ha." He responded dryly, Gabby flashing him a proud smile before cutting the bread in half, the woman taking a bite of the extra food as she kept one half on Caitlyn's plate. "Don't tempt me, I might call her later if I need to." He added with another laugh, Gabby shaking her head in amusement before she held out the plate, Matt putting Caitlyn's new eggs on it before she began to walk towards the kitchen table, the mom stopping to grab a fork for the young girl along the way.
"You all will be fine, babe." She replied, placing the plate down in front of Caitlyn before pressing a kiss to the top of the young girl's head. "Here you go, sweetheart."
"Thank you!" She responded gratefully, Caitlyn taking the fork from Gabby before she began eating.
"You're welcome." She spoke, rubbing over her back before walking towards her baby, Sofia smacking her sticky hands against her high chair when her mom began walking towards her. "Hi my girl." She said, kissing the top of Sofia's head as well, trying to avoid her daughter's hands as she reached out for her. "No, no, not right now, Sof. Momma's gotta go… Yeah, she's definitely gonna need a bath." Gabby told her husband, Matt nodding in agreement as he finished the last bite of toast she'd left on the counter.
"That's already on the agenda for this morning." Matt replied with a chuckle, Gabby nodding before she walked past her daughter, moving towards her shift bag that she'd placed to the ground as Casey brought Caitlyn her half full glass of milk, the man placing it down on the table in front of her. "Figured we'd have breakfast, get the girls cleaned up, then I'm supposed to be over at the apartment later this morning to do one last walk through before turning in the keys… I was gonna take the girls, and bring Severide with me, I think."
"Oh, a little day date with Kelly." Gabby teased him, Matt rolling his eyes as she picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder. "That'll be sweet."
"Very funny." He replied, Gabby releasing a soft chuckle before walking back towards the table, the mother being mindful to step around the oatmeal that Sofia had tossed to the floor.
"That sounds like a good idea, baby." She replied to his earlier statement, Matt shaking his head slightly before pulling out the chair beside Caitlyn and sitting down beside her, the girl glancing at him before taking another bite of her toast. "Oh, and don't forget, the day you get off shift, we have that playdate set up for Sofia and Patrick." She reminded him, Gabby seeing the look of realization that soon covered his face, telling her that her husband had forgotten about the plans they'd made with James and his family. "And you're supposed to take a look at his back porch, help him get it fixed up."
"Yeah, I remember now." He replied with a soft smile, Gabby shaking her head slightly as she ran her hand through Sofia's curls.
Though it had been a few weeks since Gabby and James had first talked about getting their families together, with everything that had come up in the Casey's life soon after that, them deciding to foster Caitlyn for the time being, it hadn't been something that was a top priority. But they'd finally managed to find a day that worked for all of them, and Matt and Gabby both were excited for Sofia to have some time playing with a child her own age, as well as them getting to know James and Megan better.
"We're supposed to meet them around lunch time, so you'll have some time to rest if you need to in the morning." She told him, Matt nodding as his eyes moved between all three of the girls, Gabby looking down to the watch on her wrist before releasing a heavy breath. "Okay, I really gotta get going now." She spoke, leaning down to press another kiss to Sofia's head before coming around to the side of the table where Matt and Caitlyn were sitting, Gabby stopping at the young girl first. "I'll be home in the morning, alright honey?" She reminded her, Caitlyn looking up from her food before nodding with a bright smile.
"I remember!" She spoke proudly, Gabby giving her a soft grin before leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead.
"Good job, sweetheart… You'll be with Becca for a bit before I get here, because Matt will have to get to work, but I'll get home as soon as I can, and we'll find some fun things to do." Gabby promised her, Caitlyn's grin widening as she nodded. "Maybe we'll invite Jemma over, and we can go to the park, or go out and have some fun… We'll think of something." She told her, Caitlyn giving her another excited nod, Gabby knowing Jemma had soon become one of the little girl's favorite people since they met.
"Okay!" She replied, Gabby running her hand over her hair before turning her attention to Matt, the man's bright blue eyes watching her softly.
"I'm gonna head out… I hope you all have a good day." She told him, Gabby stepping away from Caitlyn to give her husband a kiss.
"You too. Stay safe out there."
"I will." She promised, giving him another quick peck before she stepped away from the table. "Alright, I'll see you all tomorrow."
"Bye Gabby!" Caitlyn told her, waving goodbye as Gabby walked towards the hallway.
"Goodbye sweetheart." She responded, giving the girl a soft smile before her eyes found Matt's. "Try not to burn the house down." She teased, Matt narrowing his eyes slightly before she spoke up again. "And maybe you could finish getting the last of these boxes unpacked while you're at it?" She suggested with a smug grin, her gaze flickering towards the few remaining boxes left from their move that needed to be unpacked.
Chuckling softly, Matt shook his head, nodding back towards the door that led out to the garage. "Get out of here." He spoke playfully, Gabby unable to hide her smile before she turned to leave, the paramedic not missing the wink her husband shot her before she walked towards the door, the temporary family of four getting ready for their day apart.
With Caitlyn's hand securely in his, Matt walked down the sidewalk towards their old home, the man glancing back to make sure Sofia was still content in Kelly's arms, a soft smile forming over his face when he saw his little girl babbling away happily while Severide held her. As they continued towards the apartment, Matt fished around in his pockets for his keys, their steps slowing down when they came to the door, Casey feeling little Caitlyn's hand tighten her grip on his as he slid the key into the lock.
"Where are we?" She repeated the same question she'd asked him a few times already, Matt smiling softly before he pushed the back door open, the man giving her a reassuring nod before holding out their conjoined hands, encouraging her to step inside.
"This is mine and Gabby's old home, remember I told you we were gonna stop by?" He reminded her, Caitlyn giving him a slow nod as the four went inside the completely empty apartment, their once warm and inviting home now showing no signs of them ever living there. "We used to live here… Up until right before you came to stay with us." He continued to explain to her, Caitlyn giving his hand another firm squeeze before she nodded, her eyes bouncing around the room.
"Why did you move?" She asked, following Matt as they walked further inside, Severide shutting the door behind them.
"Well, we wanted a bigger place for our family." He replied, Caitlyn thinking over his words for a minute before nodding. "I've gotta get a few things done, but Kelly has your snack, and the iPad so you can watch some cartoons while you eat, okay? This won't take too long, sweetie." He told her, earning another nod from her as he dropped her hand, Matt reaching down to lift her up onto the counter, knowing there were no other places for her to sit.
"Okay Matt." She replied, her legs dangling off the edge as Kelly came to stand beside her, the man placing a standing Sofia down on the counter as well, keeping a tight hold on the back of her shirt so she couldn't get far before he slid the diaper bag down off his shoulder, Matt watching the entire thing with an amused grin.
"You need any help?" He offered, Kelly shooting him a pointed stare before shaking his head.
"I got this, you go and make sure you and Dawson didn't leave anything lying around." He replied as he began getting the girls' snacks out of the bag, Kelly thankful to see they had already been portioned out and put in individual containers.
"Okay… Don't drop the baby." Casey replied, though he knew Sofia was completely safe in the care of her godfather, Kelly giving him one last glare before Matt began walking around the apartment.
As expected, he hadn't been able to find anything he or Gabby might've left behind, the firefighter knowing he and his wife had been quite thorough during all their different trips of moving out of their former home. But within ten minutes, he'd confirmed they'd left nothing behind that wasn't supposed to be there, Matt having started in their bedroom, before going through the living room, foyer, guest bedroom, bathroom, and laundry room, then finishing his job in the kitchen where the girls and Kelly were. When he walked into the room, he saw both children occupied by the same cartoon playing on the iPad in front of them, the kids having moved to sit in the middle of the island, both chomping away on their snacks while Severide kept an eye on them.
"You all good?" Severide asked as Matt began glancing through the cabinets.
"We're good… If we left anything, I can't find it." He replied with a soft smile, Severide nodding in understanding as his eyes moved back to the girls, Kelly wanting to make sure they were still content. And by the way Caitlyn was munching away on her cheese and crackers, and Sofia was slowly eating the puff cereal that had been given to her, he knew they were both more than fine, Kelly stepping around to stand beside the island so he was closer to his friend, while also close enough to keep the girls in reach.
"So, does it feel weird?" Kelly asked, his words causing Matt to stop his movements as he glanced back towards his friend, the man raising his eyebrows questioningly as he waited for him to elaborate. "Saying goodbye to this apartment."
Sighing softly, Matt gave him a slow nod, the Captain turning around to face him completely as he leaned his body weight into the counter. "Yeah, it is, a little bit." He admitted. "This was mine and Gabby's home for so long… So much happened here. A lot of good, a lot of bad… Basically everything we went through together, it all happened here, so it does feel a little weird to say goodbye to this place." Casey breathed out, Kelly giving him a nod as he crossed his arms over his chest. "But it was time… Past time, actually. This place will always be a part of us, but we love our new place. And the girls love it there… It already feels like home to us."
"Yeah, I can tell." Severide replied with a chuckle. "Just from when I've been over there, it almost feels like you all have lived there forever."
"That's kind of how we feel, too." Casey responded, the man moving to look through the last few cabinets. "I guess I was expecting it to feel a little more strange than it does, us not being here anymore, but it really doesn't... We'll miss this place a lot, but it's time to move on, you know?"
"Yeah, I do." He responded, Casey flashing him a small smile before he checked the last few cabinets, the man finding them completely empty. "Alright, well, now that that's done, I can turn these keys in, and we'll officially be out of this place." He breathed out, Matt holding out his and Gabby's keys to the apartment, his eyes moving between his friend to the girls sitting on the counter, seeing them still working on the food he'd brought for them. "Though I guess we need to wait a bit." He added with a chuckle, Severide nodding in agreement before coming to stand beside his friend as they kept their eyes on the girls. With them both seated in the middle of the counter top, there was no way they'd be able to get far enough to risk falling before the men could get to them, Matt feeling comfortable enough to stay back against the opposite counter while they ate their snack.
"So, uh… I know you two never stop talking about the kid, but now that it's been a couple of weeks how's everything been going? With her?" Severide kept his voice low as he spoke to his friend, Matt seeing Caitlyn was still completely captivated by the show on in front of her, a soft smile forming over his face as he watched the young girl.
"It's going great. It's really just been better than I ever could've imagined." He spoke honestly, his words soft as to not capture the five year old's attention. "She's just… An incredible kid. She's such an incredible kid. She's so loving, and sweet… I mean, you've seen her with Sofia. We haven't had a single issue there, which I'm honestly surprised about." He continued, the proud grin never leaving his face as his eyes stayed focused on the girls in front of him. "There's been some challenges… She's five, so there's tantrums, and she gets mad and upset, like any other kid does. But even aside from that, she's still just so… kind. She's an amazing little girl." Matt finished, tearing his eyes away from the children to see Kelly watching him with an amused smirk. "...What?"
"Nothing… You're just such a dad." He replied with a chuckle, Matt raising his eyebrows before a light scoff escaped his lips.
"Well, I am a dad, Sev."
"I know… Just a dad and his two girls." He replied with a sheepish grin, Casey sucking in a deep breath as he shook his head.
"Not this again…"
"Come on, man, you can't be surprised every time this comes up… We all see how you and Gabby are with her. How she is with you… It's like she's your daughter." Kelly spoke quietly, Matt rubbing his hand over his mouth as he tried to figure out what to say.
"I'm not saying I disagree with you, but she's not ours, Kelly… She can't be ours, she already has a family. We all knew that going into this…"
"Yeah, but I don't think any of us expected her to be as attached to you all as she is, either-"
"It doesn't matter." He was quick to cut him off, Severide knowing he was treading in dangerous waters. "Regardless of what Gabby and I might or might not want, it's not something that's up for discussion… We can't take her from her family, we'd never try and do that to her. As parents who've had their kid taken away, Gabby and I would never do that to anyone else… No matter how much we love her." He explained quietly, Kelly pausing momentarily before giving him a slow nod. "Our only focus right now is just enjoying our time with her, and giving her a safe, and loving place to live… That's all we can do."
Severide waited for a few extra seconds after Matt finished speaking, the children in the room oblivious to the heaviness of their conversation as they continued eating their snacks, Kelly tearing his eyes away from the girls before looking back towards his friend.
"So there's still no actual date when she's going to be with her family?" Severide asked, Matt shaking his head as he stared straight ahead.
"No, there's not. We're to the point where we're kind of just waiting for that phone call, I guess… That she'll be leaving to go be with her family, so we've been trying to prepare her for that. But I'm not sure how much of it she understands… We're just trying to enjoy the days with her while we have them." He breathed out, Severide biting down on the inside of his cheek before he nodded.
"Do you have any idea if she'll still be here for Sof's birthday?" Kelly questioned, seeing the immediate grimace that covered Casey's face.
With Sofia's first birthday just two weeks away, it had been quite the topic of discussion around the Casey household. Which meant Caitlyn had heard all about it, and was more than excited to celebrate with the young girl. But the problem was, they had no clue if Caitlyn would be with them long enough to be here for Sofia's birthday. They hoped she would be, everyone more than aware of just how much Caitlyn loved the soon-to-be one year old, but the reality of the situation was they had no idea if Caitlyn would still be with them tomorrow, let alone two weeks from now.
"We don't." Matt spoke up. "I wish we had a better timeline with all this, but we really don't… We were originally told she'd be with us for maybe a month, but there's no way to know for sure. The second all the paperwork gets cleared up, she'll go be with her family, so there's no way to know when that'll happen… But I really hope she will be. She's been so excited for this party, and for Sof to turn one… We didn't have the heart to tell her she might not be here for it. So Gabby and I both are just praying she'll still be here, but we have no way to know." He finished, his voice sounding near defeated as he spoke with his friend, Severide sensing that the mere thought of them not having Caitlyn anymore wasn't the easiest thing for Casey to face. And he was sure Gabby was the same way.
"Well, hopefully she'll still be here for the party." Kelly said with a soft smile, Matt looking up towards his friend, the Captain drawing in a deep breath before nodding in response.
"Yeah, I hope she will be, too."
"Caitlyn, honey, are you done with your dinner?" Gabby called from the kitchen, the blonde girl looking up for her spot on the couch, curled into Matt's side, before she nodded.
"I'm all done." She responded, her voice filtering into the kitchen as Gabby nodded in response before moving to go grab the last plate left on the table. Normally, Caitlyn would've been given the task to clear her plate from the table, even though history told them that didn't always go as planned. But regardless of any messes or spills, they were trying to teach her to clean up after herself, the parents wanting to help the child as much as they could for however long she was with them. But after the long and tiring day they'd all had, Gabby didn't mind cleaning up after the young girl this time, little Caitlyn looking far too comfortable leaned up against Matt for the mother to make her move.
Though today had been a great day for the family, it had been quite an exhausting one for the four of them, and they were all more than ready to wind down for the evening. After Casey had gotten off shift this morning, the firefighter had come home, planning to catch up on the sleep he'd missed out on because of their calls during the night. But when he got home, and Caitlyn asked him with those big, brown eyes to play dolls with her, he couldn't say no, and that had led to them playing with her toys together for most of the morning until they had to get ready to head to the Neilson's house.
The morning had kind of gotten away from all of them, the parents barely able to get the two girls ready and out of the house on time, their unfamiliar destination making them a bit late for their lunch with James, Megan, and little Patrick. But eventually, they'd managed to get there, and they all had a great time.
Though there was some awkwardness at first, with Matt having never met anyone from this family, and Gabby having only met Megan in passing, they'd all warmed up to one another very quickly. As had the kids.
Gabby and Matt were, admittedly, a little nervous about the whole thing before they got there. Not only were they curious to see Sofia spending quality time with a child her own age, they were a little anxious of how Caitlyn would fit into the mix. Gabby had called James a few days prior, to update him on the situation, the paramedic knowing her new friend knew nothing of the older child living with them, and the call had definitely helped things run smoother when they arrived. There were no discussions, no making Caitlyn uncomfortable because they hadn't been expecting her. And luckily, Caitlyn had fit right in, the older child having a blast playing with the younger kids in the yard for most of the day while Gabby got to know Megan a little better, and Matt did the same with James, as well as them getting the plans made for Casey to come back and fix his porch. Thankfully, the day had gone very well, and just as Gabby expected, the two families got along great.
Not only had Gabby found a new friend in Megan, she could tell James and Matt enjoyed spending time together, the two having spent most of the afternoon talking about anything and everything while the mother's chatted and kept an eye on the kids. And after seeing them play together all day, Gabby was sure the children had gotten alone better than the rest of them.
Despite not knowing what to expect, Sofia and Patrick had gotten along great. They were both still only babies, Patrick only about a month older than Sofia, but they'd had a blast together, especially with Caitlyn around. Most of the day had been spent with them chasing each other around, Patrick a little more steady on his feet than Sofia, the littlest Casey having fallen more times than Gabby could count. But what mattered is that she kept getting back up. It hadn't been very long since Sofia started walking on her own, and she was definitely still in the phase where she was working on figuring it out, which had led to her fair share of falls. But each and every time she fell over, she'd eventually make her way back up to her feet before walking around again, Gabby noticing how closely Caitlyn had been paying attention to the little girl. The five year old had been absolutely incredible with both of the babies, and it was something all of the adults had picked up on.
Overall, it had been an incredible day for everyone in the family. But with as much fun as they'd had all afternoon and into the evening, it had left all of the completely exhausted; the little ones especially. Which had led to an early night for the entire family.
As soon as they got home about an hour and a half ago, the first thing on the agenda had been to get cleaned up, both Sofia and Caitlyn covered in dirt and sweat from running around in the sun all day, and Matt definitely needed to get cleaned up too. So while Gabby supervised Caitlyn's shower, Matt took his own shower with Sofia, the parents meeting back up with each child about twenty minutes later once they'd all gotten cleaned up and dressed, Casey then working on getting dinner ready while Gabby went to take a quick shower for herself before they ate.
All throughout dinner, it quickly became apparent just how tired baby Sofia was, the little girl unable to even keep her head up as she sat in her high chair. So after she'd eaten about half her food, Gabby decided to call it a night for the little girl, the mom getting the food cleaned off her hands and her face before taking her upstairs to nurse before bed. And a feeding that would've usually taken at least forty minutes, if not longer, took all of half an hour before Sofia had passed out against her mother's chest, Gabby carefully getting her placed safely in her crib before leaving the room as quietly as possible.
And now the night was winding down with the other little girl as well, Caitlyn fighting off her exhaustion as she and Matt watched TV together while Gabby finished cleaning up the kitchen, the mother placing the last plate in the dishwasher before starting it.
"Alright…" Matt spoke up as Gabby walked into the living room, the mom stopping to put some toys away as she moved. "I think it's time for bed, little lady." He said, glancing down to the five year old tucked into his side, her brown eyes immediately widening before she shook her head.
"I'm not sleepy yet." She tried, though she couldn't even get the words out without yawning, Matt unable to stop the smile on his face from growing when he looked at her.
"We all had a long day, it's time for bed." He stood his ground, though the pout that formed over her face immediately began weakening his resolve.
"Five minutes?" She asked, her bottom lip stuck out as her warm brown eyes looked up at him, the father drawing in a deep breath before looking towards his wife just as she sat down on the other side of Caitlyn, the woman chuckling softly as she crossed her arms over her chest, both of them knowing he couldn't say no to the girl beside him.
"Oh, okay." He gave in rather easily, the pout on the young girl's face soon morphing into a smile. "How can I say no to that face? You can have five more minutes." He told her, Caitlyn's smile widening before she leaned over to give him a hug.
"Thank you, Daddy."
The second that last word left her lips, Gabby and Matt both froze, neither one knowing what to do as they locked gazes, Caitlyn slowly pulling herself back from his side after a few moments. Swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat, Matt looked down at the young girl by his side, seeing by the look in her eyes she realized exactly what she had said, the parents well aware they needed to handle this situation delicately.
"...Caitlyn-"
"I'm sorry." She immediately apologized, cutting Gabby's words off as she looked back and forth between the parents, Casey and Dawson both immediately picking up on her anxiousness. "I didn't mean to, I'm sorry."
She just kept repeating some variation of those words as she turned her head to the ground, Caitlyn now refusing to look their way. Gabby wasn't sure if it was because she was embarrassed, or because she thought she'd get in trouble, or if it was a mixture of both. But what she did know was that despite their shock, her and Matt both couldn't let her continue to feel this way.
"Caitlyn, honey…" Gabby started, placing her hand on the girl's leg as she continued looking down to her lap. "Sweetie, look at me please." She tried again, the young girl slowly lifting her head up to look at Gabby, finding nothing but a comforting smile waiting for her.
"I'm sorry…"
"You don't need to keep apologizing." Gabby replied softly, seeing the little girl slowly start to relax. "It's okay." She told her, Matt nodding in agreement as he began to rub over her back, Caitlyn turning her head towards him when she registered the movement.
"It is okay." Matt repeated his wife's words. "You don't have anything to be sorry for. Gabby and I, I know we're not your parents, and we're just looking after you until your Mom and Dad are able to, but you know what?" He asked her, Caitlyn shaking her head slightly. "We're glad you feel safe enough with us to feel that way, okay? Everything's fine, you're not in trouble."
The little girl was becoming more and more at ease with every passing second, Gabby and Matt trying not to focus too much on what she had said, or rather why she had said it, and instead focus on making sure Caitlyn wasn't feeling upset or embarrassed over it. Because she had no reason to be.
"I'm not?"
"Of course not." Gabby was the first one to respond, Matt nodding in agreement before Caitlyn gave them another nod.
"Okay." She responded, Matt continuing to rub along her back as she went quiet for a few moments, neither Gabby nor Matt able to tell what was going on in her head as her eyebrows furrowed together. But one thing that was clear was that whatever she was thinking, she was trying to figure out how to voice it, the girl's limited vocabulary making it a little more difficult. "You all are nice."
The tone in her voice confused them both, the slight hint of surprise in her words leaving a heavy feeling in their stomachs as they shared a knowing glance.
"Nicer than other people." She continued, Gabby drawing in a deep breath as Caitlyn looked back and forth between them. "You… You're nice to me. I'm not scared here."
Gabby's eyes fell closed the second she registered the little girl's words, Dawson's heart feeling like it was crushing in her chest as she tried to keep herself composed, Matt feeling the same stabbing feeling as he kept his eyes on the girl.
"Caitlyn…"
"Other places, I was scared… Things were scary, lots of times. But not here."
Gabby forced her eyes open as Caitlyn continued talking, the girl, for the first time, nearing the subject of things she'd experienced in the past, neither Matt nor Gabby sure what to expect from her.
"We never want you to be scared, honey." Gabby murmured, clearing the overwhelming emotion from her voice as the girl looked to her.
"I'm not here." She repeated, the little girl wanting to make sure Gabby and Matt both knew that, her little brain misunderstanding the reasoning for Dawson's words. "I like it here… The last house was scary, but here is fun." She continued softly, Gabby drawing in a deep breath as she met her husband's concerned gaze.
"Your last home was scary?" Matt repeated, the man trying to mask the worry from his voice, Casey not wanting to do anything that might stop her from opening up to them. They'd never force her to talk, not about things she'd gone through, but if she felt comfortable enough coming to them about it, the last thing they wanted was to give her any reason to feel like she couldn't tell them anything.
"Yeah." She replied with a slight nod. "Like when Jacob pushed me."
Gabby's breath got caught in her throat, realization settling over both hers and Matt's faces as they knew immediately what Caitlyn was talking about.
"Who's Jacob, honey?" Gabby pressed gently, knowing she needed to be careful as to how she approached the topic, the parents not missing the slight grimace that covered the young girl's face before she shook her head.
"He lived there, he was their kid… He said he was their real kid. I didn't know what he meant, but was always mad at me." She explained, the innocence in her words causing Gabby to blink back the tears forming in her eyes. "He scared me a lot."
"And he pushed you?" Matt spoke up this time, Caitlyn giving them another nod.
"Uh huh. Down the steps."
Casey's entire body tensed as she spoke, Gabby mimicking his actions as they both tried to hide their anger and hurt at the situation, for Caitlyn's sake, the parents not wanting her to think any of those feelings were directed towards her.
"It hurt." She continued, Matt clenching his neck tightly as Caitlyn glanced at his wife. "He told me I was in the way, then he pushed me. I went to the hospital… It was scary, too. But Miss Tina came and got me, then I didn't have to go back." She continued, the smile that had left her face returning as she locked eyes with Gabby. "Then I came here." The excitement in her voice was evident, Caitlyn no longer focusing on that day as she smiled brightly, Gabby drawing in a slow breath before giving her as strong of a smile as she could muster.
"Yeah, you did." Gabby murmured, rubbing her hand over the little girl's leg before leaning down to kiss the top of her head. "You came here, and you know nothing like that will ever happen to you here, yeah?" She asked, Caitlyn giving her a nod. "You're safe here with us, baby." Gabby's voice cracked slightly as it betrayed her, but the little girl didn't seem to notice as she gave her yet another enthusiastic nod before looking back and forth between them.
"I know." She replied, before looking back towards Gabby and nearly launching herself into her arms. It took her by surprise, Gabby not expecting Caitlyn to hug her as tight as she was, but the shock quickly wore off and within seconds Gabby had her wrapped up in a hug, the mother blinking quickly to try and keep any tears from escaping as Caitlyn cuddled into her. "I love you."
Gabby looked up at Matt as those three words left Caitlyn's lips, Matt giving his wife a sad smile before he nodded, Gabby drawing in a shaky breath as she ran her hand over the girl's back.
"I love you too, sweetheart." She murmured, pressing a kiss to the side of Caitlyn's head before the little girl climbed into her lap, her grip on Gabby only getting tighter as she snuggled into her further. "We love you so much." She repeated, Caitlyn nodding against her as her legs were resting on either side of Gabby, the young girl as close as she could possibly be while they hugged, Gabby's hand continually running up and down her back.
Movement beside her caught her attention while Caitlyn held onto her, Gabby looking to see her husband slowly getting up off the couch, the look of anger in his eyes unmistakable as he glanced down at the two girls.
"I'm gonna call Tina…" He spoke, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth as his eyes focused on Caitlyn. "I'm gonna let her know what she told us… Make sure that family is never allowed to take in another child again." He told her, Gabby immediately nodding before giving him a weak smile, Matt returning the look before he stepped away towards their bedroom, clearly not wanting Caitlyn to hear this phone call.
As he shut the door behind him, it was then just the two of them left in the room, Gabby humming a comforting melody as Caitlyn's weight began to get heavier and heavier in her arms, the girl feeling safe and secure enough to let herself begin to fall asleep while Gabby held her. And as the young girl's grip around her neck loosened, Gabby couldn't help but be filled with an overwhelming sense of hurt as she thought about what Caitlyn had experienced, something in her gut telling her they hadn't even scratched the surface as to what all this little girl had gone through.
And as they sat here on the couch, with Caitlyn nearly asleep in her arms, Gabby wished more than anything she could do something to take away every ounce of pain this little girl had ever experienced. She wanted nothing more than to take that all away, and let her just be a kid. But despite how badly she wanted to, she couldn't. Nothing could change what happened to her, nothing could take back the suffering this child had gone through.
But one thing she could do was make sure Caitlyn was never in a position for it to happen again.