Hi everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all, I hope you all like it. Thank you so much for reading, I can't wait to hear what you think!
Chapter Ninety Seven
Gabby focused on the steady breaths she felt against her neck, the little girl curled up against her chest now fast asleep in her arms as the older woman ran her hand up and down her back, Caitlyn having fallen into a deep sleep about ten minutes ago while they sat on the couch. The faint sound of the TV across the room could be heard, Gabby having turned down the movie soon after the girl began to doze off, the mother not wanting the noise to disrupt the rest that the young girl so clearly needed. And along with the soft droning of the television, she could also vaguely hear the sound of her husband's voice filtering into the living room, the man still hidden behind their bedroom door as he continued on with his phone call that she knew he'd fill her in on whenever he finished.
As she continued rubbing her hand comfortingly along Caitlyn's back, Gabby's mind couldn't help but think about what the young girl had told them, her heart tightening in her chest as she thought over how scared the five year old must've been. And though they didn't know each other at the time, Caitlyn having no idea who they were when she was in the hospital, Gabby couldn't help but wish her and Matt could've been there for her after she'd been hurt. Logically, she knew that wasn't possible; even though they'd been at the hospital when she was, they didn't know each other, and had they gone anywhere near the scared little girl, they would've only made things worse. But regardless, she wished things had been different and they could've helped her, instead of her being alone and terrified after being removed from that house. And that was another thing altogether, something Gabby couldn't understand; how this family had been allowed to take in a child in the first place.
She knew kids were kids, and things happened. There was a chance that what happened was an accident, and Caitlyn was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But something about the way the young girl spoke of the situation in her former home, Dawson couldn't help but think that the incident with the foster parent's son wasn't the first time things had gone sideways in that house. She couldn't pinpoint it exactly, and without Caitlyn opening up to them they'd probably never know the extent of what happened, but something in her gut told her that Caitlyn had been through more than just that one incident.
And that thought alone made Gabby's heart sink into her stomach.
The mother was pulled from her thoughts when she heard their bedroom door open, Gabby watching as her husband stepped from their room and back out into the open layout of their home. It was impossible to miss the tense look on his face as he walked towards them, but the second he laid eyes on Caitlyn nestled up against her body, his face relaxed slightly, a small, sad smile tugging on his lips as he got closer to them.
"Hey." She murmured, stalling her hand on Caitlyn's back momentarily as Matt ran his hand along the back of his neck.
"Hey." He repeated just as softly, Gabby raising her eyebrows as she lifted her head up off of the top of Caitlyn's.
"What'd she say?" She questioned, watching as he drew in a deep breath before continuing towards the couch, Matt slowly sitting down beside her, angling his body in her direction as he rested his arm along the back of the couch.
Casey paused for a minute, the man doing what he could to gather his thoughts before he finally spoke up after a few seconds. "She wants to talk to Caitlyn." He replied quietly, Gabby pursing her lips together before nodding slightly. "She needs to hear from her what all happened… Caitlyn wouldn't tell them anything in the hospital," He spoke, though they both knew that already, "so she wants, or needs, I guess, to get it all on file."
"Alright." She responded, her gaze moving to look down towards Caitlyn, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head.
"I know you're on shift tomorrow, but maybe after my next shift at 51, we can go over to DCFS… We should probably talk to Caitlyn about it first, so she knows. And we can make sure she's okay talking about it."
"With us there, hopefully she will be." Gabby interjected softly, Matt nodding in agreement as he turned to see Gabby resting her cheek against the top of Caitlyn's head once more, the man able to notice how her grip on the young girl had gotten a little tighter. "They need it on file so they can make sure those parents never have another foster child in their home again."
"I know." He replied, moving his hand towards his wife's back before gently rubbing over her shirt, Gabby flashing him a small, weak smile. "Knowing Tina, she's already made sure those people won't be able to foster again… Whatever happened, whether it was just their son, or- or it was more," He spoke carefully, Gabby grimacing slightly at his words, Matt voicing her earlier thoughts, "whatever it is, she'll never have to go back there, and I'd bet that no child will be sent there, either." He told her, earning a slight nod from his wife, Matt giving her a reassuring smile before squeezing her shoulder gently. "But it's just like you told Caitlyn… She's okay now. She's with us, and she doesn't need to worry about that anymore."
Gabby drew in a slow breath, the woman meeting her husband's eyes before she nodded once more. "Yeah, she's with us… for now."
A heavy feeling settling in the air around them, both parents all too aware of the reality of the situation. Caitlyn wasn't theirs, she couldn't and wouldn't be theirs, and they knew that. They knew it from the beginning. But being aware of it didn't make it any easier, especially with how well the young girl had adjusted in their home. And how, despite how often they tried to remind her and explain to her that this was temporary, she really didn't seem to understand, and they could only find so many different ways to help her grasp what was going on.
"Do you think her family is nice?"
Gabby's quiet voice pulled them from their thoughts, the couple locking gazes as they sat in their living room, Matt staring silently at her as he waited for her to elaborate. "The people trying to adopt her, do you think they're nice?" She explained, Casey sighing softly before responding.
"I hope so… I'm sure they are." He told her, Gabby gnawing on her bottom lip as she looked straight ahead. "Tina said they were great, and everything they're going through just to get her… I'm sure they love her a lot."
"I hope so." She mimicked his words, Matt rubbing his open hand along the top of her shoulder, being careful to avoid Caitlyn's hand that was resting securely against Gabby's neck. "Caitlyn, she's… I know we don't know much about her, or anything, really… But the things we do know, and how she's been bounced around so much, I don't want that to happen to her again. She deserves a family who loves her, I just hope she has that." She murmured, Matt continuing to rub his wife's back while she held on to Caitlyn.
"I'm sure she does, baby." He replied as confidently as he could, giving Gabby a supportive smile. "Tina seems sure of this family, and I don't know how well Caitlyn knows them, or how much time she's spent with them, but we know how hard Tina works for all these kids… I don't think she'd send her somewhere if she didn't think it'd be good for her." He continued, doing what he could to assure his wife that the little girl would be fine once she inevitably left the security of their home.
"Yeah, I'm sure you're right." She responded after a few moments, Matt nodding softly as he gave her time to gather her thoughts. "...I'm just worried about her, I guess. Hearing her talk about how scared she used to be, I-... She's just a kid, she shouldn't have to deal with that."
"I know." He agreed quietly, scratching his fingers lightly over her back as Gabby took a deep breath. "It's not fair to her, at all. But even if the few weeks she's been with us, we've seen what an amazing kid she is… She might've had a hard childhood, and nothing we do can change that, but she's okay… She's happy."
His words brought a small smile to her face, Gabby nodding after a moment before pressing another kiss to the top of Caitlyn's head.
"Yeah… she is." She spoke in agreement, Matt leaning forward to place a kiss on the side of his wife's head before perching himself on the edge of the couch.
"I'll call Tina again in the morning, let her know when we'll be by, but for now I think it's time to get this happy girl to bed." He spoke, moving his hand towards Caitlyn's back as Gabby's smile involuntarily widened slightly, the mother shaking her head as Matt shot her a soft grin.
"Yeah, it is. She's exhausted." Gabby echoed, Matt nodding in agreement before he pushed himself up off the couch and turned back to pick up the young girl, the parents both knowing there was no way for this handoff to go smoothly enough without waking Caitlyn up.
And they were both proven correct as the second Gabby started to move Caitlyn away from her body, the little girl woke up, and instinctively pushed herself further into the warmth Dawson's hold provided as she began to whine softly.
"Honey, it's okay, we're just gonna take you to your room." Gabby murmured, running her fingers through her blonde hair as Caitlyn pulled back slightly, her hands balled up into fists as she brought them up to rub her eyes. "It's time for bed, alright?" She repeated, keeping a hand on her at all times as Caitlyn nodded slightly, the girl still obviously a little unaware of her surroundings as Matt reached out for her.
The second she noticed him, she turned her body towards him as Matt picked her up with relative ease, Caitlyn immediately wrapping her arms around his neck as she dug herself into him, just as she'd done with Gabby.
"Come here, I got you, baby." He whispered, keeping his hands underneath her to support her weight before stepping away from the couch, Gabby watching with a soft smile on her face as Matt carried her towards the steps to take her to her room, both parents knowing just how exhausted the young girl was after their long day.
Casey walked up to the coffee pot as a yawn escaped his lips, the Captain pouring his third cup of the day, but only his first at the firehouse, before downing a long sip, Matt in desperate need of caffeine. With Gabby finishing out her last shift at house 41 yesterday, Matt had spent the entire day with the girls, and it had definitely worn him out. And aside from the fact that he just missed his wife, and hated working opposite shifts as her, he was more than grateful for them to finally be back on the same schedule at 51 for at least the next little bit, Matt having missed the time they got to spend as a family more than he realized. Especially with them being on somewhat borrowed time with Caitlyn, he was beyond glad that him and Gabby would finally be back on their normal routine after he finished out his shift today.
"Yeah, I remember that fondly." Herrmann's voice filled his ears before Matt turned to look back, finding the older firefighter with an amused grin on his face, the man nodding towards the now half full cup of coffee within Matt's grasp. "I take it the girls wore you out yesterday?" He asked with a chuckle, Matt blowing out a sharp breath between his teeth before he nodded, the Captain shaking his head slightly.
"They sure did… We had a great time, and I love the one on one time with them, don't get me wrong, but two kids are definitely a lot more work than just one."
"Especially when that kid is a little more grown." Herrmann added, Matt nodding in agreement before taking another sip of his drink. "And with you and Dawson kind of all over the place, I'm sure that doesn't help.
"Yeah, it's taken some getting used to… Selfishly, I'm glad she's finished up this last assignment and we can get some normalcy back. I know it's confused Caitlyn a little bit, and even Sof… She doesn't know much of what's going on, but I think she still realizes that Gabby and I aren't around much at the same time. So I'm glad that's done for a bit, and Gabby is, too."
"I'm sure." He replied with a soft grin, the man opening his mouth to continue before he caught a glimpse of something unusual on Casey's arm, Herrmann's smile growing as a chuckle escaped his lips. "What do you have there, Captain?" He questioned, Matt raising his eyebrows as he followed Herrmann's line of sight, a sheepish smile forming over his face when he realized what the older firefighter was looking at.
"Oh, that." He spoke, clearly his throat before taking another sip of his coffee. "We did some crafts yesterday and Caitlyn, she made a bunch of these." Casey told him, his eyes focusing on the piece of jewelry around his wrist.
Yesterday evening, before dinner, Caitlyn decided she wanted to get out the bracelet making kit Becca had gotten for her, the little girl having been excited to use it ever since it was brought into the house. And when they'd finally pulled it out yesterday, Caitlyn spent almost two hours making all sorts of bracelets for everyone. She'd made them for him, for Gabby, for Sofia, even though Matt had to quickly confiscate the jewelry from his baby before she choked on it, and she even made some for Becca and Jemma, as well as Severide, who'd been with the father and his two girls for dinner. She'd made bracelets for everyone, Caitlyn more than proud of her work each and every time she finished one. And even though the bright pink and purple beads covered in sparkles weren't his go to, the colored beads anchoring a few white beads in the middle that spelled out his name, along with two hearts on either side, he wore the bracelet with pride, Matt unable to forget how happy Caitlyn looked when he put the jewelry on last night.
"I'm pretty sure she made one for everyone she knows, but she had fun." Casey added, Herrmann nodding knowingly as Severide turned around in his seat from the table in front of them, the man cocking his head to the side as he caught the firefighters' attention. "Didn't she, Severide?"
"That kid played with that set for hours." Severide spoke up, Herrmann biting back another laugh as Matt shook his head.
"Were you babysitting, Kelly?"
"I think Caitlyn did more of the babysitting than he did, but yeah, he came by for dinner." Casey replied with a smirk, Severide shaking his head.
"After the first hour, I tried to get her to play another game, or watch a movie… Do anything else, but she didn't want to. She just wanted to make bracelets." He huffed out, the three men having the attention of the entire room by now as they spoke. "The amount of names I had to help that kid spell out, if not for Matt making her stop to eat dinner, we'd probably still be sitting at their table making those things."
A few laughs were heard from around the room, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth before shooting him an unimpressed look. "Oh please, you had a great time, Sev… And don't act like you weren't excited when you found out she was making you one."
Herrmann raised his eyebrows as he looked back to Severide, an amused look covering his face as Kelly ducked his head slightly. "Caitlyn made you one too, Severide?"
"She sure did." Kidd spoke up from beside him before he could answer, her words earning more laughs from their coworkers. "He was so proud to show it to me when he got home last night."
Seeing all the expectant eyes on him, Severide huffed out a breath before lifting his arm out from underneath the table and holding it up, the similar pink and purple bracelet on his wrist earning more chuckles from their friends.
"Man, that girl has got both of you wrapped around her finger." Cruz spoke with a laugh, Kelly shooting him a look before dropping his arm back down to the table. "Although with Casey it isn't surprising. Severide, on the other hand-"
"Okay, you go and tell that little girl you don't want her bracelet when she looks up at you with those brown eyes and asks if you want her to make you one… I'm not heartless." He responded quickly, Casey suppressing a laugh as Severide shook his head.
"He has a point." Casey interjected with a smirk. "It's nearly impossible to say no to her."
"Clearly." Severide added, gesturing towards his arm for emphasis.
"Well, I think it's sweet." Foster spoke up, some of their friends nodding in agreement.
"Yeah, Daddy dearest back there, it's adorable." Severide teased, Matt stepping forward to smack the back of his head lightly just as the bells went off, signaling truck and ambo to a call. Casey gave him one last swat before following his firefighters out towards the garage, the man smiling softly as he caught a glimpse of the bracelet resting on his wrist before he mentally prepared himself for the job, knowing he needed to focus on the task at hand.
Casey kept a firm hold on the baby in his lap as they sat out in the waiting room, Matt's leg bouncing gently up and down on the ground to keep Sofia occupied as the little girl chewed on the fist that was in her mouth, the father's eyes moving between the two girls next to him as they waited. The office was bustling, as usual, Matt sitting in the chair closest to Tina's office while Caitlyn was beside him, her small legs hanging off the seat as she swung them in the air, the five year old sitting close to Gabby's side as she clutched onto her teddy bear, her free hand reached out to play with the bracelet wrapped around his wrist while his wife sat on the opposite side of her. They'd been here for about ten minutes now, the family of four just waiting for Tina so they could speak with her and then get out of here, none of them necessarily looking forward to this conversation.
They understood the necessity of Caitlyn talking to Tina, they knew it needed to happen. But despite how important this was, they couldn't help but be a little eager to get this over with. While they were always wanting to learn more about Caitlyn, they could only figure that this particular topic wasn't going to be an easy one. The nature of the subject alone, they had no idea what to expect from the little girl if she opened up to them, and that had both the parents on edge.
Especially after the conversation they'd had with Caitlyn about this, the young girl not really understanding why they were coming to see Tina.
Caitlyn sat at the table in the kitchen, the little girl eating the cereal she'd chosen for breakfast while Sofia sat in her high chair, Matt sitting in between the two little girls while they ate. As Caitlyn took another bite of her food, Gabby walked into the room, the woman dressed and ready for shift as the rest of her family was still in their pajamas, Dawson following her normal routine of kissing the head of each person at the table before she moved to the kitchen to grab a quick breakfast.
After Gabby grabbed a banana and the togo coffee that Matt had already prepared for her, she walked back towards the table, the parents sharing a knowing look before Dawson sat down across from them.
"Hey Caitlyn…" Matt spoke up, the little girl lifting her head up to look at him, the man chuckling softly when he saw a little bit of milk from her last bite that had missed her mouth, Matt reaching out to wipe it off her chin before he continued. "Gabby and I need to talk to you about something."
Caitlyn's wandering eyes moved back and forth between Matt and Gabby before nodding, the little girl putting her spoon down in her bowl. "Okay."
"So, um, you know I'm working today, and Matt's working tomorrow, but the day after that, we're gonna go and see Tina."
The little girl's eyes continued to dart between them, the parents immediately seeing the look of worry that covered her face as she shrunk in her seat. "Are you giving me back?"
Gabby immediately shook her head as Matt's hand moved to Caitlyn's back, both parents doing what they could to reassure her that her words weren't true.
"No, no honey." Casey spoke up first. "It's nothing like that."
Slowly, they both saw Caitlyn begin to relax, the girl sitting up a little straighter before she nodded. "Okay… Why are we going?" She asked, Matt drawing in a deep breath before looking towards Gabby, watching as she nodded before she responded.
"Do you remember what you told us last night?" Gabby started, Caitlyn's eyebrows furrowing slightly. "About what happened at your old house with Jacob?" She continued, earning a nod from the small girl sitting beside Matt.
"Yeah."
"Well, Tina needs to know about that, honey…" She explained, the look of confusion on Caitlyn's face only lessening slightly as she focused on Gabby. "She said you never told her what happened when she came to see you in the hospital."
Caitlyn thought over her words for a moment before she nodded, Matt continuing to rub his hand over her back. "I was scared."
Her voice was soft, and barely audible, Gabby unable to mask the slight frown that tugged on her lips as Matt's eyes fell closed for a split second.
"I know you were." Gabby murmured.
"And that's okay." Matt added, Caitlyn looking up at him. "What happened to you was scary, and no one's mad at you for being scared, honey. We just need to know what happened… Tina needs to know what you told us, if you don't mind talking to her." He explained as simply as he could, Caitlyn leaning back into his hand slightly before she looked back to Gabby.
"Will you be there?" She asked the parents, both of them nodding as Gabby gave her a supportive smile.
"Of course, sweetheart."
"We'll be there the entire time." Matt added. "As long as you're okay talking to her about it?"
The little girl paused to take a breath, both Matt and Gabby seeing her in deep thought before she looked back up at them, Caitlyn giving them a hesitant nod. "Okay." She replied, Gabby giving her another reassuring smile as Matt leaned down to press a kiss to the top of her head.
"Okay."
"How much longer?"
Caitlyn's little voice pulled him from his thoughts, Matt glancing down to see the young girl's head resting against Gabby's arm as she looked up at him, Casey giving her a small smile before responding.
"I'm not sure, honey… Hopefully not too much longer." He told her, Caitlyn nodding after a split second, the girl lifting her head up off Gabby's body as she continued swinging her legs in the air. Her eyes moved back and forth between them, before she focused forward, Matt glancing up towards his wife, finding her uncertain gaze already on him as they both noticed the young girl's strange silence. "...Caitlyn."
The sound of her name got her attention, the young girl snapping her head towards him, her eyes wide. "Yeah?"
"You okay?" He asked, his question causing the five year old to bite down on her lip as her eyebrows furrowed slightly, the parents unsure of what was going on in her little head.
"...Do I have to say everything?" She questioned suddenly, both Matt and Gabby furrowing their eyebrows at her words.
"What do you mean, sweetie?" Gabby spoke up first, the girl glancing towards her.
"Everything at the scary house." She continued, Dawson pursing her lips together as she drew in a deep breath, her eyes lifting up to find the same look of worry on her husband's face. "Do I have to say everything?" Caitlyn repeated when they had yet to say anything, her questioning eyes moving back and forth between them.
The foster parents had always had a gut feeling that more had gone on in that home than just that one incident. It was a pretty easy leap to make, after how the young girl spoke of her old living arrangements, and how she'd felt in that house. But hearing Caitlyn say out loud that more had gone on there, having her confirm their fears with one simple question, it broke both their hearts. But right now wasn't about them, it was about Caitlyn.
"You only have to talk about as much as you want, okay?" Matt spoke up with a gentle smile, Caitlyn giving him a nod once she processed his words. "If you only want to talk about what happened with Jacob, that's okay. If you want to talk about other stuff, that's okay, too." He assured her, his words earning a small smile from the girl. "Whatever you wanna talk about is fine. But just remember, Gabby and I are right here, and we're not going anywhere."
His words caused the smile on her face to widen before she nodded, her previous worries suddenly seeming to disappear as she clutched onto her teddy bear. "Okay." She replied brightly, the young girl nearly bouncing in her seat as she continued to swing her legs back and forth in the air, Caitlyn looking between them once more. "I love you."
Warm smiles covered both their faces, Gabby and Matt sharing a proud look before the mother wrapped her arm around Caitlyn's back, pulling her closer to her as she pressed a lingering kiss to the top of her head. This wasn't the first time Caitlyn had told them she loved them again since she first spoke those words to Gabby a couple nights ago, but they filled them with a warmth they couldn't explain every time she said them, the five year old reminding her foster parents frequently just how much they meant to her.
"We love you, too." Gabby murmured, kissing the top of her head again just as the door to Tina's office opened.
The sound gained Matt's attention first, but soon all three of them looked towards the woman, Sofia content to just stare ahead at her surroundings as Tina offered them a small smile.
"Hi, are you guys ready?" She asked, Matt nodding before he began to get up, the father keeping a firm grip on his daughter while Gabby focused on Caitlyn, the five year old sliding down off her seat, dropping her teddy bear in the process. But she quickly reclaimed it, Caitlyn crouching down to grab it before she stood back up, clutching it to her chest as she reached for Gabby's hand. "Well, come on in." She spoke before walking back into her office, Matt leading his girls into the room before Tina shut the door behind them.
They quickly managed to get situated, Matt stepping aside so Gabby and Caitlyn could sit down first, the mother making sure Caitlyn was up in her seat before she sat down, Matt waiting to occupy the last seat closest to the door before adjusting his nearly one year old daughter in his lap.
"It's nice to see you all again." Tina began, Matt and Gabby nodding in agreement as the woman's eyes moved towards the five year old sitting in between her foster parents. "And it's nice to see you, Caitlyn." She spoke, her voice softer than it had been seconds ago, the young girl offering her a small smile before she nodded. "How have things been with Gabby and Matt? Are you liking spending time with them?"
The second the question was asked, Caitlyn's bright grin nearly covered her entire face before she nodded enthusiastically. "I love it!" She spoke excitedly, the young girl looking up towards Gabby before she spoke up again. "We have lots of fun. They always play games with me, and we watch TV… And Becca likes me, too!" She added, her smile never disappearing as Gabby ran her hand through the girl's blonde hair. "I miss them when they work, but I get to be with Becca, so it's not bad. And I have my own room!"
"Wow, it sounds like you're having a great time." Tina spoke, matching the girl's enthusiasm as Caitlyn nodded once more. "What about Sofia? Are you two having fun?"
"Yeah!" She replied almost instantly, Caitlyn's smile growing as she looked towards the baby. "We have so much fun! She's still a baby, Gabby and Matt said some of my games she can't play yet, but we still have fun! We play with stuffed animals and she likes to throw them, it's funny." She continued, her words a bit broken as she spoke, the parents smiling as they shared a knowing look.
"Well, I'm glad you're having such a great time with them, honey." Tina responded, Caitlyn smiling once more before she nodded. "Now, did Matt and Gabby tell you why you're here?" She questioned, the girl looking between her foster parents before she nodded.
"Because of the scary house." She repeated her earlier words, Tina smiling sadly before she nodded, the woman opening up her file.
"Yeah, that's right, sweetheart… I know it's not very fun to talk about, but do you think you can tell me what happened?"
Caitlyn instinctively reached out for Gabby as Tina spoke to her, the girl grabbing ahold of her palm as tightly as her little hand could, while Matt reached his free hand out to rub along her back, both parents giving her as much support as she needed.
"About the stairs? Or other stuff?" She questioned, Tina drawing in a deep breath as she clasped her hands together on her desk.
"Whatever you wanna talk about, Caitlyn." She replied, the little girl nodding slightly. "How about you tell me about what happened when you fell down the stairs first, and we'll go from there." Tina suggested, her words earning another nod from the girl before she looked up to Gabby, the woman immediately giving her a reassuring smile.
"It's okay, honey." She murmured, squeezing her little hand gently for support. "Just tell her what you told us." Dawson encouraged, Caitlyn nodding once more before turning back to Tina.
"Jacob pushed me." She spoke, Tina giving little in the form of a reaction as she already knew that from her phone call with Casey a few nights ago.
"Why did he push you?" She questioned gently, Caitlyn taking a deep breath as she tightened her grip on the teddy bear clutched to her chest.
"He didn't like me." She continued, her eyebrows furrowing in thought as she tried to figure out how to tell them what happened. "He was mad at me lots of times, he said I wasn't gonna stay with them, and he didn't want me there. He said he was their kid, not me… He got mad a lot."
"Is that why he pushed you? Because he didn't like you being there?" Tina asked carefully, Caitlyn shrugging slightly.
"I was playing with a toy, and he got mad… He wanted to take it, so I was going somewhere else to play. But he got madder." She explained as best she could. "I tried to go down the stairs, but he pushed me real hard and I fell." She continued, Matt drawing in a steadying breath as Caitlyn told them what she could. "It hurt really bad, and I cried. And he got more mad, and they all got mad."
"At you?" The woman asked with furrowed brows, Caitlyn pausing for a moment before nodding slowly, the young girl not understanding why Tina was looking at her like that. "Jacob's parents were mad at you?"
"...Yeah." She replied hesitantly, Gabby and Matt both feeling her tense slightly before she looked back and forth between them. "Am I in trouble?"
"No, no, of course not." Gabby replied immediately, Tina shaking her head as Matt rubbed her back.
"Not at all." Matt echoed, Caitlyn nodding slightly. "We're just trying to understand what happened, but you're not in trouble, sweetheart."
"Okay." She murmured as Tina gave her a gentle smile.
"They're right, Caitlyn. You're not in trouble at all." She assured her. "We're just trying to figure this all out, and you're the only one who can help us… But you're doing a great job, and nothing you say here is wrong, or will make us mad, I promise."
Caitlyn nodded once more, the young girl subconsciously scooting closer to Gabby as Tina spoke up again.
"So, Jacob's parents, Tom and Laura," She started, Caitlyn nodding in response, "they got mad at you for him pushing you down the stairs?"
"Yeah." She replied, Gabby pursing her lips together as she tried to control her anger, knowing that if the little girl's reaction to Tina was any indication, Caitlyn was bound to misread her emotions as directed towards her. "They said it was my fault, but I didn't know what they meant. I was scared, and my head hurt and I was crying, but they were really mad at me. I didn't mean to be bad." She continued to explain as best she could, the girl clearly not understanding the situation.
"You weren't bad, Caitlyn." Tina told her sadly, the woman drawing in a deep breath. "You didn't do anything wrong…"
"Why were they mean to me?" She asked quickly, the innocence in her voice nearly bringing tears to Gabby's eyes. "I tried to be good, I didn't break the rules, but they were always mad. They said I was a bad kid, but I don't know why." She continued, Gabby's eyes falling closed as her head fell forward slightly, Matt feeling anger building up inside his chest as he took slow breaths, all of them noticing the confusion that covered Caitlyn's face.
"What were some of the things they got mad at you for, honey?" Tina questioned calmly, Caitlyn looking down as she tried to think, the young girl needing a few moments to remember before she responded.
"They got mad when I played." She started, her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to think back to her time in that house. "And when I asked for snacks. But I only asked when I was hungry. And I got scared lots, when I sleep… They didn't like that." She continued, the young girl ducking her head slightly. "One time I went potty in the bed, but I didn't mean to. They were really, really mad." Caitlyn explained, Gabby swallowing thickly as she listened to the little girl talk, the mother doing all she could to keep her emotions in check, and she could tell her husband was doing the same thing. But hearing her speak of things she'd get in trouble for, things that weren't in any way her fault, made Gabby's blood boil.
"I always made them mad." She finished, Matt pressing his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he continued to rub her back. "I… I try to be good, but they said I was bad. They don't like me." She spoke, the quiet tone to her voice nearly breaking Gabby's heart. "And…"
"What is it, Caitlyn?" Tina asked, the DCFS worker doing what she could to digest all this information as the little girl furrowed her eyebrows, Caitlyn clearly confused by whatever thought was in her head.
"At Matt and Gabby's house, when I mess up, I'm not in trouble… But at the scary house, they said I was bad when I didn't do anything. But Gabby and Matt don't get mad at me… Why are Matt and Gabby nice to me, but the other people were mean?"
The air around them was thick as Caitlyn finished speaking, the little girl clearly searching for any answers to help her understand why her previous family treated her so poorly, all the adults in the room knowing they needed to handle this situation carefully.
"Caitlyn, sweetheart…" Tina started, knowing she needed to hear something from them, the older woman giving as supportive a smile as she could manage before she continued. "It was nothing you did. You didn't deserve to be treated that way." She spoke, Caitlyn pursing her lips together as she drew in a deep breath.
"It wasn't me?" She asked, Gabby immediately shaking her head.
"It wasn't you." Matt told her, causing Caitlyn to look up at him, the man giving her a reassuring smile as he kept a secure grip on his daughter when she began wriggling around in his lap. "Some people just… they aren't meant to take care of children. There are some mean people in this world, people who shouldn't be allowed to bring other kids into their home, but it was nothing you did, honey." He promised, Caitlyn's eyes locked on him as he spoke. "And I'm sorry you were scared… I'm so sorry that happened, and you had to be in that house, but you need to believe us when we tell you that you are not to blame for this. It wasn't your fault."
Caitlyn gave him another nod before a weak smile covered her face, the little girl squeezing Gabby's hand once more. "Okay." She replied, Matt giving her another reassuring nod.
"Okay." He repeated with a soft smile.
"Do you understand, sweetheart?" Gabby asked, Caitlyn giving her a slow nod.
"I think so." She replied, the parents sharing a look before Caitlyn spoke up again. "They got mad at me for stuff that's not bad, so I'm not bad." She spoke simply, Matt and Gabby both immediately nodding.
"That's exactly right, Caitlyn." Tina replied, the little girl nodding before she leaned back in her seat. "Jacob pushing you, and how they handled it, that wasn't fair to you and I'm sorry, sweetheart. But you didn't do anything wrong. The things they got mad at you for, it wasn't your fault. I'm just so sorry you were in that home in the first place." She told her, the little girl nodding once more though she was a little unsure as to why Tina was apologizing to her. "And we're almost done talking about this, but I need to ask. Aside from you being pushed, did they ever hurt you?" She asked, watching as Caitlyn tilted her head to the side. "Like when you fell, and that hurt, did they ever do anything else to hurt you like that?" She tried to simplify her words while also giving more of an explanation.
"She grabbed my arm, and that hurt." She replied after a few thoughtful seconds, Matt clenching his neck tightly as he glanced towards his wife.
"Laura?" Tina asked, checking to make sure it was the mother she was referring to, Caitlyn nodding in response.
"She grabbed my arm sometimes, it hurt a lot. It got really red, then became a lot of funny colors." She replied, missing the tense looks all the adults in the room were giving one another. "But it got better."
"Did they do anything else?" Tina pushed, Caitlyn pausing for a moment before shaking her head.
"No. They just got mad at me."
"Okay honey… Well, thank you for telling me what happened, you're a very brave girl." She told her, Caitlyn smiling softly before looking up towards Gabby, the foster mom nodding immediately.
"Thank you." She replied, smiling shyly before looking back at Dawson. "...Can we go play now?" She asked, Gabby and Matt both biting back a laugh at the immediate shift in Caitlyn's demeanor. She'd been like that from the moment they met her, the young girl never dwelling too long on things that made her upset or things that hurt her; but after getting a little more insight into her previous foster home, they could only imagine that it was out of self preservation more than anything else.
"Yeah, we can play here in a little bit." Gabby assured her, Matt nodding in agreement.
"I'm actually done here, if you all want to get going. I think I've got all I need, and I can always call if more questions come up." Tina replied, the parents nodding as Caitlyn let go of Gabby's hand, the girl squirming down out of her seat.
"Well, looks like we're going then." Matt replied lightly, Caitlyn grabbing a hold of his free hand after he'd adjusted Sofia in his arm, the baby having behaved better than they could've imagined while they spoke to Tina, but even Casey could tell she was getting restless. It was clear both the little girls had energy they needed to get out, and soon.
With Sofia situated against his chest, Matt stood up, Caitlyn pulling on his arm to help as much as she could before leading him towards the door, leaving Gabby behind in the office with Tina.
"This family will be dealt with." She spoke as Dawson stood up, her words causing Gabby to look towards her as she swung their diaper bag over her shoulder. "I had no idea all that was going on, but I promise you they'll be an investigation, and they'll never be allowed to have foster children in their care again." She said surely, Gabby giving her a soft smile before she nodded.
"Thank you, Tina." She replied, her eyes moving towards the doorway where she could see Matt and the two girls waiting just outside, Caitlyn tugging on his arm as she spoke enthusiastically about something Gabby couldn't hear.
"She sure is a special little girl, isn't she?" Tina asked, her words gaining Dawson's attention as she looked back towards the social worker.
"She really is… She's an amazing kid. A kid who deserves a good family." She replied, Tina glancing at her as soon as those words left her lips, giving her a strong nod as Gabby met her gaze.
"She does. And she has one." Tina responded surely, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before nodding slightly. "This family trying to adopt her, they're good people… Caitlyn is very loved, by more than just them." She added, Dawson biting down on the inside of her cheek as the true meaning to Tina's words washed over her.
"Yeah, she is." Gabby agreed, drawing in a deep breath before she began towards the door. But she stopped herself a few feet short, the paramedic clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth before she turned back around, finding Tina still watching her. "Do you, uh- do you know any more? About when they'll take her?"
Her words were hesitant, like she was afraid of the question, Tina offering her a sad smile before she spoke up. "It'll be any day now." She replied, Gabby taking a slow, steady breath before she nodded.
"Alright." She replied weakly, running her tongue along her bottom lip before she took another step towards the door. "Thanks Tina." She added just before she stepped back out into the waiting room, Gabby ready to spend the rest of the day with her family, and enjoy every moment that the four of them had together.
"Peek-a-boo!"
Those words elicited a loud laugh from Sofia for probably the twentieth time that night, the baby laying on top of her mother's thighs as she sat on the couch in the living room, Gabby's feet resting against the coffee table as she continue to play this game with her daughter, Sofia loving every second of it.
It was late, well past the young girl's bed time, but Sofia didn't seem to care as she'd woken up pretty soon after they put her to bed for the night. She'd been nursed, sung to, and put in her crib two hours ago, but her sharp cries through the baby monitor after only an hour of rest told the parents that she wasn't going to be getting more sleep anytime soon, Sofia only settling down after Matt had come to get her. Despite his attempts to rock her back to sleep, as well as changing her diaper, and giving her another bottle in case she was still hungry, nothing seemed to work, Sofia screaming her head off every time he tried to put her back into her crib. So eventually he gave up, and brought her down to Gabby, the baby having been in the comforting arms of her mother ever since, though both parents were a little surprised by their daughter's reluctance to sleep.
After the long and eventful day they'd had, they were sure both kids would be out well before their bedtimes, which was why they'd put Sofia to bed a little earlier than normal, but neither child seemed to be very impressed with going to sleep early, despite how tired Gabby knew they both were. After the difficult and long conversation at Tina's office, Gabby and Matt pretty quickly decided to spend the rest of the day doing whatever Caitlyn wanted; which they soon found out was the little girl just wanting them all to spend time together. So that was exactly what they did.
When they left DCFS, they decided to go spend some time at the park, Matt chasing Caitlyn around and playing with her on the slides and helping her on the jungle gym, while Gabby kept up with Sofia, the mother helping her walk around a bit while also playing with her on the swings. They'd had a great time, but it had definitely worn them out a bit, then after their fun outside in the hot August air, they made the decision to go out to eat, which is something they hadn't done all too often. Rarely did they go out to eat with Sofia, the parents finding that going out to a restaurant with their baby was more stressful than it was worth at her age, but surprisingly, their meal had gone better than expected. With the baby having her bottle, snacks, and a few toys she was content long enough for them all to enjoy their meal, though Gabby had a suspicion that the reason Sofia was so well-behaved was because of how tired the little girl was. But regardless, it had been nice for the four of them to be able to go out and have a meal together, Caitlyn having loved every second of it.
Then when they got home, they went straight to bath time, before getting them ready for bed, Matt helping Caitlyn while Gabby took care of Sofia and tried to get her to sleep, though it obviously proved useless as the baby was wide awake now.
"Peek-a-boo!" She repeated as she removed Sofia's little hands from covering her face, the baby once again laughing loudly as she was entertained by her mother, Gabby unable to stop herself from smiling as the joyous sound hit her ears. "Yeah, you love this game, huh baby?" She spoke, rubbing her hand over her daughter's onesie-covered stomach as Sofia gripped onto her thumb with her little fist. "You love spending time with your Momma." She murmured, moving her hand up to run through her daughter's curls as Sofia's feet pressed into her stomach, Gabby releasing a soft breath as she continued to lightly massage the baby's head. "...I know things have been a little different around here lately, and you haven't had all of Momma and Daddy's attention like you normally do, but you're still our little girl." She spoke softly, Gabby leaning forward to press a soft kiss to Sofia's hand, the baby smiling wide. "Daddy and I love you so, so much. And we always will."
"You got that right."
Gabby looked up from her smiling baby to find Matt standing just inside the living room, the mom grinning softly as he continued back towards the couch.
"Hey, I didn't hear you come in… Is Caitlyn asleep?" She asked, the man nodding in response.
"Yeah she is… Unlike this little one." He replied as he sat down next to his wife, Matt wrapping his arm around her shoulders as she settled into his side, Sofia's eyes lighting up when she saw her dad, Matt smiling softly as he reached out to rub his hand over the top of her head. "I read her three stories before she even thought about going to sleep, I think after today she just wanted to be with us for as long as she could." He told her, Gabby nodding knowingly. Both parents had kept a close eye on the five year old all day, wanting to make sure she was alright after their talk with Tina, but aside from her desire to be around them, she seemed to be handling things pretty well. "But I stayed and waited till she was asleep." He added, Matt and Gabby both knowing that was always the easiest way to get her to sleep.
"Good, I'm glad… I'm a little surprised the girls didn't go to bed easier, after we wore them out today." She breathed out, her words earning a soft chuckle from her husband as he shook his head. "But hopefully Sof will get a little tired here, soon." She spoke, the baby waving her arms around energetically while she still had a hold of Gabby's finger, Matt laughing once more as his gaze moved towards his wife.
"Yeah, it doesn't look like that's gonna happen." He replied lightly, Gabby huffing out a breath before shaking her head. "Yeah, you're all excited, aren't you, baby girl?" He murmured, stroking his thumb along the top of her head, Sofia's wide eyes bouncing back and forth between her parents as she continued to babble away, the unintelligible noises filling the air around them as Gabby ran her hand over her stomach.
"I know, I know, you're excited, just like Daddy said." She spoke, Sofia's bright blue eyes focusing on her mom before a wide smile covered her face, Gabby unable to stop her grin from growing as well. "Yeah, it's okay you're excited baby but we both know tomorrow you're gonna be all grumpy, huh?" She told her, the baby continuing to nearly squeal in delight from her mother's attention before she continued to babble on. "That's okay, though, tomorrow we can just-"
"Mama."
Gabby's mouth slammed shut the second she heard that word come from Sofia's lips, while a look of shock and awe covered Matt's face before he broke out into a huge, proud smile, the man looking between his wife and daughter as Gabby's eyes widened.
"...Did she just?"
"Mama." Sofia repeated, Gabby's breath getting caught in her throat as the biggest smile Matt had ever seen covered her face, tears forming in her eyes as Sofia squeezed her thumb. "Mama, Mama."
"Yeah, baby, that's Momma." Matt spoke up, rubbing his hand over Gabby's back as she tried to compose herself, the woman shaking her head before rubbing Sofia's stomach, Gabby needing another second to process this.
Though Sofia had been babbling and making sounds for months now, nothing had ever really come all that close to an actual word. They'd been trying to teach her a few things, just getting her used to the sounds and what words meant, repeating easy words to her often but they hadn't heard her say any actual words yet. Not until now.
Their little girl had said her first word, and Gabby couldn't help the tears springing to her eyes as Sofia continued to repeat herself over and over again.
"Oh, Sof, you made Momma cry." Matt teased, Gabby shooting him a playful glare before she wiped under her eyes, the husband laughing before pressing a kiss to the side of her head.
"Mama." She said again, Gabby smiling before she lifted Sofia up into a sitting position, her little legs on either side of her body as she sat on her waist, Gabby holding her up under her arms.
"Yeah, it's Momma, my sweet girl." She murmured before pressing multiple kisses all over Sofia's face, the baby squealing excitedly as she grabbed onto her mother's cheeks. "And that's your Daddy." She started as she pulled back. "Which, I know you already know that, but you're gonna have to say Dada soon, or he might get jealous." She added before giving Sofia another kiss, Matt scoffing lightly before he shook his head, though he was unable to stop the wide grin that covered his face.
The three of them continued to enjoy their time together, Gabby's heart swelling with pride every time Sofia would repeat that simple word that meant so much to her, their daughter loving to have the complete attention of her parents as they sat together. But while Gabby's gaze was focused on their daughter, Matt couldn't help but admire the sight of both his wife and daughter as they basked in this milestone moment.
Because it was a sight he would never get tired of.