Hello everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all! I'm super excited to hear your thoughts on this one. So settle in, we've got kind of a long one.
And I hope all of you are doing well, and staying safe. Thanks for reading!
Chapter Ninety Eight
Casey tiredly hopped down from the rig, the man's body holding onto more tension than preferable as 81 and squad 3 returned from their latest call while 61 was still stuck at med with their patient, Matt shrugging out of his turnout coat before hanging it up on the side of the rig.
Firehouse 51 had just finished up at a pretty rough fire, the call taking up nearly their entire morning as it was now lunch time, though food wasn't very high up on his list of priorities at the moment, Matt more so concerned with taking a shower to get all the soot off of himself, and changing into a fresh uniform that wasn't covered in sweat and grime. And while luckily, no lives had been lost on their last call, as far as he knew, it had been a difficult one all around, Matt knowing he wouldn't feel better until he could wash up and let the warm water do wonders for his aching muscles.
"Aye Captain," Herrmann spoke up as he continued changing out of his gear, Matt looking up as he began to slide his boots back on, his eyebrows raised as a silent gesture to continue. "How about we order in for lunch?" He suggested, Matt glancing around the room to find most of the first responders watching him, some wearing small smiles indicating they were very much on board with the older man's idea.
Shrugging softly, Casey gave him a nod. "Sounds good, Herrmann… As long as everyone can agree on a place." He told them, his words earning a few nods from the firefighters around them.
"Thanks Captain." Herrmann replied, Matt nodding as the older firefighter's gaze moved behind him, a soft smile forming over his face before he nodded. "Ah, looks like we might need to order a little extra." He added, Matt's eyebrows furrowing in confusion.
"Matt!"
A warm smile formed over the Captain's face before he even turned around, Casey recognizing the little voice immediately as he turned towards the sound, the grin on his face widening when he saw Caitlyn standing just outside the garage, her hand clasped tightly in Becca's while the nanny held onto Sofia with her other arm.
"Hey guys!" He spoke brightly, Caitlyn dropping her nanny's hand before running towards him, Matt crouching down to the ground just before the five year old got to him. Her body crashed into his as soon as she could, Caitlyn wrapping her arms around his neck while his circled around her back, the girl holding onto him tightly as he regained his balance. "What are you all doing here?"
"We wanted to surprise you!" She spoke excitedly, Matt smiling softly as he ran his hand over her back, Caitlyn giving him a tight squeeze before she pulled back slightly. "I missed you."
"I missed you too, honey." He replied, pressing a kiss to her forehead before he looked back behind the young girl, seeing his daughter wriggling around in Becca's arms, clearly wanting to be put down, the nanny soon complying and placing Sofia down on the ground just inside the garage. "Come here, Sof!" He encouraged, the baby's slobbery grin shining as her body was nearly shaking from excitement from seeing her father. "Come to Daddy!"
Before he could say another word, Sofia shrieked in elation as she began hurrying towards him, her little legs taking her as fast as they could while Caitlyn stepped back to stand beside her foster dad, the baby's unsteady, waddling steps getting her to her father as quickly as possible before she crashed into his body just as Caitlyn had, Matt wrapping her up into a tight hug and pressing kisses all over her face.
"There's my girl." He breathed out, Sofia giggling happily from the attention she was getting from her dad.
"Man, she's getting so big." Cruz spoke as the members of 51 watched on at the scene in front of them, Casey completely focused on his daughter as he continued kissing her all over her face, the little girl laughing in excitement.
"I know… She needs to stop. When I saw her walk by herself for the first time, I nearly had a heart attack." Severide added, his words gaining a few chuckles from the people around him as Sofia began smacking her hands against Matt's face, the father pressing a kiss against the inside of her little hand before he hoisted her up into his arms, Casey staying crouched on the ground while he settled the baby on his hip, Sofia's weight resting against him as her leg fell over his thigh. "I can't believe she's almost one."
"Me neither." Casey spoke up as he wrapped his arm around Caitlyn's back as well, Kelly chuckling as he hadn't realized his best friend had been listening.
"The big party is this weekend, yeah?" Otis questioned, Matt nodding as the five year old wrapped her arm around his shoulders, Casey offering the young girl a soft smile before responding to his firefighter.
"It is, on Sunday… Gabby's going all out, so be prepared." He huffed out, his words causing some of the men and women around him to laugh as his attention returned back to the little girls in his arms. "I'm so glad you all stopped by." He spoke, Caitlyn smiling brightly as she shifted closer to him, Matt not noticing the looks of admiration he was receiving from some of his coworkers as he held onto his girls.
"I was going to call, and ask if it was okay," Becca started, Matt looking up from Caitlyn towards their nanny to find the woman now standing just a few feet in front of them, "but Caitlyn wanted to surprise you and Gabby."
"Oh, it's fine, this is the best surprise." He spoke lightly, Caitlyn smiling brightly before he placed a kiss to the side of her head, Matt repeating the gesture with Sofia as well, even though the baby had no idea what was being talked about. "We're just about to order lunch, so you came at the perfect time." He added, though his words were mostly for Becca, the father knowing that both Caitlyn and Sofia had most likely already been fed before they came by. "I'm not sure what we're getting, though." As he spoke, he felt Caitlyn tap the top of his shoulder gently, the man turning towards her after he finished talking to Becca, his eyebrows raising in question as he saw her eyes studying his face.
"You smell different." She spoke before Casey could say anything, his head tilting to the side slightly as he realized she was probably referring to the faint smell of smoke coming off of him. When they locked eyes, Matt immediately saw a look of worry flicker in her gaze, her eyebrows furrowing when she looked at the black marks he knew were smeared across his face. And while he knew she'd probably seen them when they first got here, now that the excitement of her surprise had worn off and she was getting a better look at him, he could sense the five year old was worried. "...Are you hurt?" She asked cautiously, her lips turning down into a frown quickly, Matt not missing how her grip on him tightened as he immediately shook his head.
"No sweetheart, I'm not." He was quick to assure her, Caitlyn's curious eyes staying on him. "There was a pretty big fire, but no one got hurt." He explained as simply as he could, Matt not wanting to scare her, or make her worry anymore than she already was. "I'm just a little smelly, but once I shower, I'll be good as new." He added with a soft smile, Casey feeling Caitlyn relax within his hold as she digested his words, the girl pausing for a moment before she nodded.
"Okay." She responded just as they heard 61 pull into the driveway, Matt looking up from the young girls to see the ambo slowly coming towards the garage.
"Oh, it looks like Gabby's back!" Casey spoke lightly, Caitlyn smiling before breaking away from him, the young girl clearly excited to see her foster mom. "Wait, Caitlyn- stay back." He chastised, Kelly stopping the young girl in her tracks before she got too close to the vehicle, the child glancing back towards Matt with a shy look. "You need to be careful, they might not be able to see you… So just wait until they're parked, okay?"
"Sorry." She murmured, Matt offering her a soft smile.
"It's okay." He assured her, Casey knowing the girl often just got too excited to remember her boundaries. It was something they were working on, Caitlyn having broken away from them more than once when they were close to the street, or around other cars, the five year old still just trying to understand what was okay and what wasn't. "Now go give Gabby a big hug." He told her once he knew the rig was parked, Matt looking back towards the ambo to see Gabby not paying attention to her surroundings as she sat in the passenger seat.
He wasn't sure if she knew who all was here, but by the look of surprise that covered her face when Caitlyn launched herself against her as she stepped down from the rig, Matt figured she hadn't noticed their presence until just now, a sound of surprise leaving her lips before she realized who was hugging her waist.
"Hi baby girl." She greeted, rubbing her hand along Caitlyn's back before looking up, her eyes immediately finding those of her husband as he was still crouched on the ground with their daughter in his arms.
"Becca brought them by for a surprise visit." He answered her silent question, Gabby nodding with a soft smile before looking back down towards the young girl, finding her deep brown eyes already watching her as her chin was pressed against her waist.
"Well, this is a great surprise. I'm so glad to see you." Dawson spoke, running her hand through the girl's blonde hair.
"Me too!" She spoke brightly, Gabby stroking her thumb along the top of the girl's head before stepping away from her, Caitlyn staying close to her foster mom as they moved the few steps towards Matt, the husband slowly standing up with their daughter securely in his grasp.
As the paramedic got closer, Sofia soon laid eyes on her mom, the baby bouncing excitedly against her dad as she reached out towards Gabby. Casey kept a firm hold on her stomach to keep her from falling, Sofia desperate to get towards her mother as Gabby walked up to her.
"Mama!" She spoke loudly, Gabby's smile widening as her hands grabbed a hold of the baby under her arms, lifting young Sofia towards her and settling the girl on her hip. "Mama!"
"Hi baby." She cooed, rubbing her hand along Sofia's back before pressing a kiss to her forehead.
"If this kid doesn't stop growing up so fast…" Herrmann breathed out, Matt nodding in agreement as Caitlyn made her way back towards him, the Captain picking the five year old up after she'd reached her arms up in front of him.
"Sof's gonna be one!" Caitlyn spoke excitedly, her arm wrapped around Matt as he held onto her.
"Yeah, she is." Casey responded with a soft smile.
"I'm excited for her party!" She continued on, Matt and Gabby sharing a knowing look before he nodded, Matt's grin weakening slightly as he ran his hand over her back.
"I know you are." He replied, neither parent able to bring themselves to remind Caitlyn that she might not be there for the party as it was something completely out of their control. Though logic told them that if they could just make it to the weekend without getting that dreaded phone call, they'd be in the clear and Caitlyn would be here to celebrate their baby's birthday, which was something they all so desperately wanted, considering they knew their days left with the five year old were numbered.
Though that alone was something none of them liked thinking about. Not at all. But they knew they didn't have a choice.
"Mama."
Sofia's voice pulled him from his thoughts as Matt looked towards his baby, seeing Sofia smacking her hands against Gabby's chest as she repeated the word over and over, Matt smiling softly at the sight.
"Mama, mama."
"Hi baby." Gabby told her, knowing the baby would continue saying her name over and over if she didn't give her some attention, and even then, she would most likely continue to say it.
"Mama."
As Sofia got the word out, the bells rang out above their heads, the baby shrieking at the sudden noise before digging her head into Gabby's neck, Caitlyn similarly tucking herself further into Matt's embrace as well as she was caught off guard by the bells, neither child necessarily liking the loud noise.
"It's okay, Sof." Gabby soothed, rubbing her hand along her daughter's back as she heard ambo and squad being called out to an accident, Dawson immediately glancing towards her husband as her partners and the members of squad ran to their respective rigs.
"I got her." He spoke before she could ask, Matt shifting Caitlyn in his grip to hold her with one arm, before reaching out for the baby.
"You sure?" She asked, even though she knew the father had made a habit of carrying both girls around. It was something they'd made a game of at home, Matt holding both children in his arms while he ran around with them, her question earning a challenging look from the man, Casey releasing a slight scoff before waving his hand.
"Give me my baby." He spoke, Gabby shaking her head before they completed the hand off seamlessly, Sofia settling on his hip as he kept a firm grip on both girls, Caitlyn keeping her arms wrapping around his neck.
"I'll be back in a bit." She spoke, pressing kisses to both Sofia's head and Caitlyn's, Gabby rubbing her hand over Matt's cheek before she began walking back towards the rig.
"Be safe out there." He told her, Gabby giving him a nod. "Oh, and we're ordering lunch in, so we'll save you some." Matt added, the paramedic giving him an appreciative nod before she disappeared in the back of the ambulance, Casey staying close to 81 with his girls while 61 and squad 3 pulled out of the garage.
Soon, there were just a few firefighters left, most of 81 soon heading inside to try and figure out what they wanted to eat, Matt looking back and forth between his girls before speaking up.
"So, you ready to head in?" He asked, Caitlyn nodding in response.
"Mama." Sofia spoke up, Casey looking down towards his daughter as the baby looked up at him, her curly hair tamed by the bow Becca had placed on the top of her head. "Mama." She said again, Matt chuckling before shaking his head, the father pressing a kiss to her forehead.
"Yeah, I know you want your Mama." He replied, Caitlyn scrunching her nose up as a soft laugh escaped her lips.
"That's Dada, Sof." The five year old spoke, Matt knowing Caitlyn had been working on trying to get Sofia to learn more words since she first said Mama. Though, admittedly, Casey knew Caitlyn had only been working so hard at getting her to say that one specific word since Matt had been repeating it to the baby over and over. "Can you say Dada?"
"Mama." She repeated the only word she knew, Matt biting back a laugh as Caitlyn shook her head.
"No, Sof- Dada… Da-da." She tried again, Sofia locking eyes with the five year old.
"Mama!"
An exasperated breath left Caitlyn's lips, Matt laughing before he shook his head. "It's okay, Caitlyn… She'll get it eventually." He told her, Caitlyn nodding before looking back towards the baby, the girl unable to stop herself from smiling when she saw Sofia's infectious grin. "Now, let's get inside… Make sure the guys aren't ordering anything gross for lunch." He spoke lightly, Caitlyn nodding in agreement before he began walking with the girls towards the firehouse, Becca following a few steps behind him.
Matt woke with a start, the man suddenly being pulled from his state of unconsciousness for a reason he couldn't quite place, Casey shivering slightly as a chill coursed through his body, the temperature in their cool home hitting him the second he woke up. Slowly opening his eyes, the man was met by nothing but a pitch black room, the darkness telling him it was still way too early for him to be awake, Matt's suspicions proven correct when he glanced sideways towards the nightstand beside their bed, seeing the time on the clock shining back at him as his eyes adjusted to the only source of light in the room.
12:03AM
Huffing out a breath, Matt had every intention of rolling over and falling back to sleep, the man wanting nothing more to curl back up with his wife and regain some of the warmth he'd lost since they fell asleep earlier in the evening. But the second he turned over and reached his arm out, he was met by nothing but a slightly cool bed sheet, Casey's eyebrows furrowing as he gained more and more of himself, the temperature of their bed telling him that while Gabby wasn't here, she hadn't been gone all that long, Matt reluctantly pushing the covers off of himself before swinging his legs off the edge of the bed.
When his feet hit the plush rug, a heavy yawn escaped his lips, Matt giving himself a few moments to become a little more aware before he stood up, his boxers not doing nearly enough to shield him from the AC blasting in their home as he went in search of his wife. With all the light still off in their bedroom, it was a pretty safe assumption that Gabby wasn't just in the bathroom, Matt stepping out through their open doorway into the main area of their home, the man seeing it still in the state they had left it when they went to bed. Aside from a small light plugged into the wall in the kitchen, the entire first floor of their home was completely dark, the heavy curtains covering the windows doing their job of keeping the bright glare from the street lights out of their house. Scratching his hand over his stomach, the husband immediately took a left towards the stairs, his path illuminated by the small night light they had at the turn to get the rest of the way upstairs. And considering that light was a little brighter than it normally was, Matt figured his wife had to be up here somewhere, the man aware of how the night light lit up more when it sensed movement.
Knowing there were only two places she would have possibly been up here, Matt headed straight towards the girl's rooms, the father stopping at Caitlyn's first. Slowly pushing open the door that was resting against the frame, Matt saw the five year old sleeping soundly in her bed, her arms flailed above her head as she slept diagonally across her twin sized bed, the smaller mattress still nearly swallowing her little body as she was buried underneath the covers.
After getting the reassurance he needed that Caitlyn was alright, Matt slowly backed out of the room, the dad returning the door to its previous position against the frame before he walked towards Sofia's room, Casey immediately seeing how the door to his daughter's room was open much wider than how he left it. Drawing in a slow breath, Matt carefully walked inside, the man moving the door far enough out of the way so he could get in, his wife slowly coming into view as he saw her standing in front of their little girl's crib.
Before he said anything, Gabby's head turned back towards him, the sound of the door clearly gaining her attention as she gave him a soft smile. "Hi." She whispered, her voice barely audible as he walked closer to her, Matt returning the gesture.
"Hey baby." He greeted just as quietly, the man coming to stand beside his wife, seeing her hands resting out on the edge of Sofia's crib as their baby slept soundly. "What are you doing up?" He asked, wrapping his arm around her hip, securing her to him as they both stood there watching their daughter.
"I got up to go to the bathroom, and wanted to come check on the girls… Then I just kinda stayed." She replied with a shrug, Matt nodding as he rubbed his hand along her side.
"How long have you been up?"
"Not long." She answered, the parents making sure to keep their voices low, both of them knowing they'd be in for a long night if they accidentally woke up their baby. "I wasn't gonna stay this long, I just got distracted watching her… I can't believe our baby is one." She breathed out, Matt unable to stop the smile that formed over his face before he gave her a soft nod.
"Yeah… me neither." He echoed, Gabby matching his grin before their eyes locked on their little girl.
As it was past midnight, it was now officially their baby's birthday, and neither parent could quite believe it. They couldn't believe it had been an entire year since their daughter was born, since little Sofia came into this world and changed their lives forever. For Matt especially, he couldn't believe it had been a year since she arrived; that day bringing up more painful memories than he'd care to admit, the man unable to forget how he came so close to losing the love of his life on the same day he gained the second love of his life. While Gabby, from her own admission, didn't remember much from the first few days of Sofia's life, Matt remembered every second of it, the worry and fear he felt being something he knew would always be a part of him.
And it was still hard to think about, how Gabby nearly died that day, and how Sofia almost lost her mom. How their lives came close to being so very different. But, thankfully, everything worked out okay. Gabby was here, and she had spent the last year being the most incredible mother he'd ever seen. And not a day went by where he wasn't incredibly thankful to have his wife by his side as their little girl grew up.
"It's so crazy…" Gabby murmured, her soft voice pulling Matt from his thoughts as his eyes came back into focus, his gaze finding their small girl still sleeping in the middle of her crib, her little chest rising up and down quickly while she slept. "It doesn't seem like it's been that long… Our girl is getting so big."
"I know." He agreed, squeezing her hip lightly. "This last year has been incredible. Watching her grow up, seeing how much she's learned and grown… It's amazing." He spoke softly, Gabby's smile widening as he pressed a soft kiss against her head. "But it'll be just as amazing tomorrow morning after we've gotten some rest." He added, Casey not missing the sheepish look that formed over his wife's face. "With this big party you've got planned for tomorrow, we're gonna need all the sleep we can get… And considering how excited Caitlyn is for all of this, it'll be a miracle if that girl sleeps past seven."
A soft chuckle escaped Dawson's lips before she nodded, the woman pushing herself into his side slightly as her head turned back to look at her husband. "Yeah, you're right… Though the party isn't gonna be that big."
"Mhmm." He hummed, though he sounded unconvinced, both parents knowing that Gabby had gone a little overboard in celebrating their girl's birthday. "Let's just get to bed, babe." He murmured, pressing another kiss against her head before stepping away from the crib, Gabby sparing one last glance at her little girl before she reluctantly followed after her husband.
"Caitlyn, be careful honey!" Matt called from his position over by the fence in the courtyard, Gabby turning to look towards their foster daughter as they saw her trying to climb up the slide she'd just gone down, the slippery surface causing her to slip and fall back down into the shallow water at the end of the slide.
"Okay Matt!" She called back once she got back up, Gabby smiling softly as she watched her husband walk over towards the blow up water slide they'd rented for the party, that one item having been the hit of the day so far with all the kids as the late August heat beat down on them. While they'd set up a few different games all over the courtyard, some for the adults and some more geared towards the children, the decently sized water slide had definitely gotten the most use.
With her eyes moving around the space filled with their friends and family, Gabby couldn't help but smile as she took everyone in. As Sofia's party was in full swing, everyone they invited were here, their entire firehouse family broken up into smaller groups as they stood around talking, all of them having brought their own families, along with Antonio, who brought Diego and Eva. Her father was currently playing with Sofia in the small kiddy pool they'd gotten as well, the grandfather sitting on the ground beside the little girl, making sure he was close enough in case she fell over into the swallow water as she played with young Patrick, James and Megan having come to celebrate the girl's first birthday, along with Becca rounding out the group. And a very welcome, yet completely surprising addition to their party had been when Christie and Violet showed up a little while ago, the blondes having been speaking with Matt until he'd left to go take care of Caitlyn.
Despite inviting them, neither Gabby nor Matt really expected them to come, knowing Christie and Matt hadn't been in each other's lives much the last few years. It was no one's fault, but after things with Christie's ex had settled, they kind of just drifted. So much so that the older sister didn't even know Gabby and Matt had gotten a divorce until she heard it from their mother. And though there'd been some visits, the other Casey's having met Sofia a few times, there was never any sustained contact. So they were both a little surprised when Christie accepted the invitation, though they were glad to see them nonetheless.
And as Gabby continued looking around the group of people she considered family, she couldn't help but feel completely content, even though she knew there were a few people missing that she'd love to be here, both her mother and Matt's mom unable to make it. But they'd Facetimed them both earlier today, the Casey's having called Nancy first to let her wish Sofia a Happy Birthday, before they called Camila, both grandmothers happy to see their grandbaby on her birthday, even if it couldn't be in person.
"Oh, no you're gonna get me wet!"
The sound of Matt's playful voice pulled her from her thoughts as she looked over to see a soaking wet Caitlyn running around chasing after her husband, the man not actually trying to get away from her as he let her catch him, Caitlyn hugging him tightly, no doubt getting water on his shorts as she held onto him.
"I got you!" She exclaimed with a giggle, Matt feigning disbelief before he reached down to pick her up, the man holding onto her tightly so she couldn't get away, Caitlyn's bathing suit now soaking his shirt as well as she pretended to struggle to be put down.
"No, I got you!" He spoke, Caitlyn's laughing getting louder before she wriggled out of his arms, Matt placing the five year old back down onto the ground as she reached out for his hand.
"Come watch me go down the slide!" She said, her excited voice filtering through the other chatter as Matt nodded just as eagerly before letting himself be led back towards the slide, the father not even caring about his clothes that were now wet.
"God, he's so good with them." Jemma's voice hit her ears, Gabby looking over to find her best friend now standing just beside her. "It would almost be annoying if it weren't so damn cute. He's such a girl-dad." She added jokingly, Dawson scrunching up her nose slightly before she took a sip of her drink.
"Yeah, he loves those girls." Gabby replied, her words earning a knowing look from her former partner before they both looked back towards Casey, the man completely focused on Caitlyn as she went down the slide, though Gabby noticed how his gaze often moved towards Sofia as well, the father constantly checking in on both young girls.
"I'm guessing you all still don't have any news… Unless something's changed since yesterday." Jemma spoke up, the younger paramedic knowing that the Casey's still hadn't heard anything on when they'd be losing the five year old.
"None yet." She replied, her eyes moving back towards her husband, noticing Violet as she went up to Matt while he played with Caitlyn. Dawson watched on as the five year old climbed out from the shallow water at the end of the slide, Matt clearly introducing the two girls, Caitlyn all but hiding behind her foster dad as she met someone new. But within seconds, Gabby could tell the girl was coming around, Caitlyn still not having lost that nervous feeling whenever she was introduced to new people.
"Hey Gabby." Dawson looked the other direction when she heard the familiar voice, finding Christie coming towards her with a soft smile on her face, the two women sharing a hug as they hadn't had time to really see one another since she got here.
"Hey Christie." She spoke, rubbing the older woman's back before pulling away. "I'm sure Matt told you, but we're so glad you're here."
"Thanks, so are we." She responded softly, her eyes moving towards the woman standing on the other side of Dawson. "Hi, I'm Matt's sister, Christie."
"Oh, right- I'm so sorry. Jemma, this is Christie. Christie, Jemma." She introduced, the women offering each other soft smiles.
"It's nice to meet you."
"You too."
"Jemma is one of our good friends, and Sofia's godmother." Gabby continued, Christie nodding in understanding. "And Jemma, that girl over there with Matt, that's Violet, Christie's daughter… Although I guess she's more of a woman now." She added with a laugh, Christie sucking in a deep breath before nodding.
"Yeah, she's definitely growing up… It goes by so fast."
"Yeah, it does." Gabby murmured in agreement, Christie sparing a quick glance to Sofia before her eyes moved over towards the older girl currently under Matt and Gabby's care. "Matt and I were talking last night, we have no idea how it's been a year already…"
"Definitely doesn't feel like it." Jemma agreed.
"That only gets worse the older they get." Christie spoke up, turning her attention back towards the women beside her. "It's like every year goes by quicker and quicker."
"God, I'm not ready for that." Gabby breathed out with a laugh, Jemma smiling softly as she ran her hand over her friend's back.
"You never are." Christie agreed with a chuckle, the blonde unable to keep her gaze from moving back towards her brother, watching as Matt continued playing with the small girl while Violet stood with them. "So, uh… I didn't know you two were fostering again." She said softly, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before nodding. "I have to admit, after everything before… I was a little surprised."
"It definitely wasn't planned." Gabby replied once she finished speaking, Christie nodding understandingly as Matt had explained a little bit of the situation to her when she'd gotten there earlier in the afternoon. "And I don't even know if we'll foster again after her, but Caitlyn, she's… She's absolutely incredible." She said brightly, the woman unable to stop her smile from growing as she spoke of her foster daughter.
"She seems like it… And she's seemed to fit in pretty well with you all."
"Oh, she absolutely has." Gabby replied brightly.
"Yeah, she definitely acts like a Casey." Jemma replied with a light laugh, missing the way Gabby's face faltered slightly. "And she's so cute with Sofia. I swear, they're like sisters."
"Hey Dawson!" Kelly called from a few feet away, effectively ending their conversation as Gabby took a step forward so she could see him. "When are we gonna go inside and have cake?"
A heavy scoff left her lips at his childish tone, the older man clearly getting restless as they'd been outside for a while now, Gabby cocking her head to the side as she placed her hand on her hip.
"The kids are still playing, Sev." She shouted back, Gabby glancing over towards her husband, finding his eyes already on her as a soft smile formed over his face, the woman flashing him a similar grin back as she heard Kelly groan.
"Yeah, I've seen those kids play… You know you're gonna have to drag Sofia kicking and screaming from that pool, and Caitlyn could go up and down that slide all day. We'll be out here for hours if you let them." He continued, Gabby narrowing her eyes slightly as the man continued to whine like a child, though deep down she knew he made a point.
"We'll go in in a few minutes, Kelly." She told him, Severide giving her a nod before the man returned his attention to the table that was covered with different food and refreshments, Gabby taking the step back to return to her previous spot, the mother taking another drink of her water before releasing a soft breath. "We actually probably should head inside soon." She spoke to Christie and Jemma. "Sofia's gonna need to be put down for a nap here in a little bit, and it's pretty hot out here… I don't want any of the kids to get sick." She replied, Jemma nodding after she finished off her drink, the woman taking a step forward.
"I'll go try and wrangle in Caitlyn for you, let her and the husband know we're heading in soon." Jemma offered, Gabby flashing her a thankful smile as she and Christie headed in the direction of Matt and Violet, Dawson deciding to go get the birthday girl from the kiddy pool.
And just as Severide had joked about, it had been a challenge to get both Sofia and Caitlyn inside, the parents telling all their guests to start making their way back to the townhouse while they focused on the kids. Caitlyn was a little easier to coerce in, the little girl happy to go inside after she'd been told she could go down the slide three more times, Matt watching enthusiastically as she continued to play. But Sofia, on the other hand, proved a little more difficult.
They baby absolutely loved water; pools, baths, it didn't matter. She loved being in water, so the second Gabby pulled her out, she nearly screamed her head off. But after wrapping her up in a towel, drying her off, and letting her run around a bit in the grass with Antonio, she was happier and more inclined to be taken inside, Gabby letting her brother carry in the little girl while Matt carried Caitlyn, the five year old wrapped up in her towel while he held onto Matt.
And then when they got inside, they left the kids in the care of Becca and Antonio while all their friends gathered in their living room and around the table, giving Gabby and Matt time to get the cakes ready to go. Knowing enough from their nieces and nephew, the parents had planned ahead and gotten Sofia her own cake for when they sang Happy Birthday, knowing the baby was bound to smash her little hands into the dessert and make a complete mess. So having two cakes definitely seemed much more practical, that way they wouldn't have to work around any pieces that had been destroyed by their daughter.
"Alright, you wanna go get her in the highchair, and I'll finish up here?" Matt questioned, Gabby giving him a nod before she walked behind him to head out into the living room, the woman rubbing her hand along his back as she moved.
Before going to get her daughter from Antonio, Gabby got the girl's highchair set up in the middle of the room closer towards the kitchen table, the mom well aware that the bathing suit her little girl was wearing was about to be covered in thick pink frosting and chocolate cake, Gabby navigating her way through their friends before getting to her daughter on the couch.
"Cake time?" Severide spoke up, his eyebrows raising as he sat beside Becca, Gabby giving him a nod before returning her attention to Sofia, the baby clapping her hands happily when she saw her mom.
"Mama!"
"Come here, princess." She murmured, Sofia eagerly going into the arms of her mother before Gabby brought her to her high chair, everyone beginning to gather around the young girl, knowing it was almost time to sing to her even though Sofia had no idea what was going on.
And even though the chorus of Happy Birthday was completely off-pitch, and much louder than they anticipated, it had Gabby near tears as they officially commemorated their daughter's first birthday, Sofia more intrigued by the cake than anything else as Caitlyn helped her blow out her candles, Becca and Jemma both taking photos and videos of the moment to send to Gabby later. Then the second the dessert was in reach, Sofia shoved her hands into it and immediately brought her cake-covered hands up to her mouth, laughs being heard from around the room as the girl began to make a mess, her bright blue eyes now wide with wonder as the huge cake sat in front of her. And while Matt had gone back into the kitchen with Becca to start cutting up the other cake for everyone else, Gabby stayed close by with her daughter and Caitlyn, the five year old beginning to eat some off the small cake as well once she'd gotten permission from her foster mom, Dawson well aware how special that moment made Caitlyn feel.
Despite the fact that Sofia was becoming covered by more and more cake by the second, Gabby had Caitlyn stand next to her for a few pictures, the mother wanting to get as many photos of this day as possible, knowing this birthday was definitely one she always wanted to be able to look back on.
Blowing out a breath, Gabby grimaced as she worked on cleaning the remains of cake off of Sofia's high chair, the previously rambunctious home now sitting in a peaceful quiet as all of their friends had left long ago, Jemma and Becca having stayed longer than everyone else to help clean up, but even they had gone home around a half hour ago, the long day having taken its toll on everyone. But despite how exhausted Dawson was, she wouldn't have changed a second of it, the mother knowing today had been the perfect day celebrating their little girl.
Her attention was pulled from the high chair she was working on when she heard her husband release a heavy breath, Gabby looking over to find him standing on the bottom step, his hands resting behind his head before he hopped down onto the floor. "Well, Sof's finally down… Man, I figured it'd be easier to get her to sleep after she barely napped today, but I guess with all that sugar…" He trailed off, Gabby suppressing her laugh when she saw him grimace. "But she's asleep now. And Caitlyn took a bath and is in her pajamas… Told her she could have ten minutes to play before it was time for bed."
"Such a pushover." She teased as he walked into the now clean kitchen, that being mostly Becca's doing.
"Please, like you're any better than me." He countered, Matt unable to see the smirk on her face as he stood in front of the refrigerator, the man opening it and looking around inside.
"How are you still even hungry?" She asked when she saw him rifling through their food, her question earning a shrug from him.
"You know I can always eat, babe."
"Well, feel free to eat as much as you want. We're gonna have leftovers for at least a week." She breathed out, Matt turning back to look at her. "Why did we get so much food again?" She asked, though her question was more rhetorical. But that didn't stop the smug grin that formed over her husband's lips, the man turning around completely, cocking his head to the side before he spoke up.
"Because you're Gabby Dawson, and that's just what you do." He replied, Gabby narrowing her eyes slightly. "It's what you've done ever since I've known you."
"Technically, that's Gabby Casey to you." She spoke as soon as he finished, Matt's grin widening as he ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek.
"And I feel like the luckiest man in the world every damn day because of it." He responded without missing a beat, Gabby releasing a light scoff as she stifled an eye roll.
"Smooth, Casey… Real smooth." She spoke playfully, Matt giving her a quick wink before he turned back towards the fridge, Gabby wiping down the tray on Sofia's high chair one last time before heading back towards the kitchen, watching as her husband pulled out the bowl they'd put the leftover fruit in, Casey closing the refrigerator before settling himself at the counter.
After taking the lid off, he popped a piece of melon into his mouth, Gabby throwing away the wipes she'd used to clean up before coming to stand beside him.
"So… How do you think today went?" She asked as Matt offered her a strawberry, Gabby nodding before he fed her the fruit.
"I think it was perfect." He replied brightly, the man grabbing another few berries and shoving them into his mouth. "Sofia had a blast, and so did all the other kids… It was a great day." He spoke once he finished chewing, Gabby nodding in agreement before he gave her another piece of fruit.
"It was." She responded, Matt smiling softly before he continued to eat. "But God, do I feel gross." She added, the man scrunching up his nose slightly as he looked over his wife. And aside from the fact she looked exhausted, she didn't look any different to him. "I can't wait to just shower and get into bed."
"Want me to put Caitlyn to bed? You could go ahead and get started on that… Though maybe don't finish too soon." He told her, the suggestive grin on his face cause Gabby to shake her head slightly as she leaned her hip into the counter.
"Oh yeah?" She questioned, Matt running his tongue along his lips before popping another piece of watermelon into his mouth. "You think I'd invite you into my shower?"
"You always do." He responded softly, Gabby opening her mouth to respond, but she quickly closed it, knowing she didn't have much room to argue, her husband's words holding more truth than she'd ever admit. "And besides… I bet after showering together, you'd sleep like a baby." He continued, the man near smirking as Gabby clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, Matt's grin growing wider the longer she stayed silent.
But just as she was about to answer, her phone began ringing over from the coffee table, Matt chuckling softly before he stepped away from the counter. "I got it, babe."
"Thanks." She replied, Matt giving her a quick nod before hurrying towards her phone, Gabby grabbing another piece of fruit. "Who is it?" She asked, waiting for him to answer. But he never responded. "Matt?"
"Gabby, come here."
The tone in his voice caused her spine to straighten, Gabby turning around to find her husband staring at her, his face now ghostly white, the sight alone making the woman walk quickly to the living room.
"What is it?" She questioned when she got closer to him, Matt holding out the phone for her to see, Gabby's breath catching in her throat the second she saw the caller ID.
Tina
Drawing in as steadying a breath, Gabby locked eyes with her husband before she nodded, silently telling him to answer it, though both parents knew they weren't going to like the reason behind this phone call.
Because there was only one reason Tina would be calling them this late on a Sunday.
"Hello?" Matt spoke up after he put the phone on speaker.
"Matt? Hi, it's Tina. Is Gabby with you?"
Casey glanced towards his wife, the woman giving him a nod before he spoke up, Gabby not trusting her own voice at the moment. "Yeah, she's right here."
"Good, good… Well, I'm sorry for bothering you so late, but I wanted to let you both know that I got the call earlier today, and Caitlyn's finally able to go and be with her family."
The second those words left her lips, it felt like a knife went straight through Casey's heart, the husband glancing towards his wife, finding a similar look of pain shining in her eyes, despite the brave face she was trying to put on.
"Oh, I uh-" He clears his throat. "Okay, that's great news." He spoke as lightly as he could. "...I guess I just didn't realize you all would be working on this today."
"Well, the paperwork came through this morning, and we didn't want to prolong this any more." She explained, Matt drawing in a deep breath before he met Gabby's eyes, seeing she was still trying to process all this.
"Alright, well, um- … How long?" He questioned, the muscles in his stomach tightening as he waited for the answer.
"We'll need you and Gabby to bring her to DCFS tomorrow morning, at 10."
Gabby's eyes fell closed as Matt's breath caught in his throat, the parents immediately overwhelmed by the emotions they were feeling as they slowly came to realize their time with Caitlyn was abruptly coming to an end.
"I know it's sudden." Tina continued when they had yet to say anything. "And I know how well Caitlyn has adjusted with you all, but now it's time for her to go be with her family. And we don't want to wait any longer to get her into her new home… This is what's best for her."
"I know." Matt spoke up, the man swallowing the thick lump of emotion that had settled in his throat as he watched his wife, seeing her fighting against her own emotions as she took slow breaths. "We'll, uh… We'll have her there tomorrow."
"Alright, thanks Matt… I'll see you both then."
With some quick goodbyes, the man hung up, Matt placing her phone back down on the coffee table before his head soon found his hands, Casey feeling a headache creeping up in the base of his skull as he ran his palms along his skin.
The couple stood in silence for a few more moments, the weight of the entire situation settling on them like a rock as they slowly came to accept what this meant. How here shortly, the young girl would no longer be living with them. She wouldn't be a part of their lives anymore, and that was a hard pill to swallow, regardless of the fact they knew this from the start.
"I, uh-" Casey spoke up after nearly five minutes of intense silence, turning to see the unshed tears sitting in his wife's eyes. "I guess we need to go talk to Caitlyn." He breathed out, the man trying to gather his thoughts as his eyebrows furrowed. "And, uh- we need to call Boden, tell him we won't be on shift tomorrow." He continued, Gabby giving him a slight nod as she avoided his eye contact, the woman biting down roughly on her bottom lip as she crossed her arms over her chest, Matt reaching out to rub his hand along her back. "...Gabby." He murmured, the woman drawing in a deep breath before she met his eyes, Gabby shaking her head slightly.
"...How are we supposed to give her up, Matt?" She questioned quietly, the pain in her voice causing his already broken heart to completely shatter in his chest.
"Baby, we don't have a choice." He responded softly, Gabby sucking in a deep breath before nodding.
"I know." She breathed out, clenching her eyes shut. "I just… I don't know how to tell her."
"I know." He repeated, wrapping his arm around her as he pulled her into his side, Matt giving her a quick, supportive hug. "But we'll do it together." He promised, doing what he could to stay strong for his wife as she gave him a nod.
The couple stood together for a few more moments before they broke apart and headed upstairs, knowing there was no way to put this off any longer, especially considering they needed to put the girl to bed soon.
When they got up to her room, the parents stood in the doorway, watching as she played with her dolls over by the toy house sitting underneath her window, the girl completely unaware of their presence as she continued playing.
"Caitlyn." Matt spoke up, the girl already smiling wide before she even turned around, her grin growing when she saw both Matt and Gabby standing there.
"Can I have five more minutes?" She requested before saying anything else, the girl knowing it was time for bed, Caitlyn pouting in hopes of helping her argument.
"Actually, uh… Honey, we need to talk." Matt continued, the child's eyebrows furrowing before she nodded, the couple walking further into her room and sitting down on her bed, Caitlyn not missing the look of sadness covering Gabby's face. "Come here, sweetheart." He prompted, Caitlyn drawing in a deep breath before she stood up and cautiously walked over to them, the five year old sitting down on the bed in between them.
"...Do you remember when you first came to stay with us?" He started as the girl clasped her hands together in her lap, Caitlyn giving him a nod before he continued. "And how Miss Tina told you, and we told you, how that you'd just be staying with us for a while before going to live with your family?" He asked, Caitlyn's eyebrows furrowing slightly as she thought over his words before she slowly nodded once more.
"Okay, well, we got a call from Miss Tina tonight," Gabby spoke up, the little girl turning her head towards her, "and it's time for you to go live with your family." She told her, seeing Caitlyn's face remain unchanged as her words hung in the air, both parents unsure if the young girl knew what was being told to her. "Tomorrow morning, we're gonna go back to DCFS, and you're gonna go be with your family, honey."
Caitlyn stayed quiet as she faced forward, a look of deep thought covering her features as she clenched her hands together, Matt continuing to rub soothing patterns up and down her back as they both waited for her to say anything, Caitlyn drawing in a slow breath before looking up towards Gabby.
"...Do I have to?"
Dawson's face faltered slightly, the question nearly knocking the wind out of her before she recovered, Gabby giving her a slow nod as a weak smile formed over her face.
"You do…" She answered softly, watching as a slight frown pulled on Caitlyn's lips before she looked away again, Gabby finding Matt's gaze, both parents mirroring the sadness they felt.
"Caitlyn-"
"I don't wanna go." She murmured, her words barely audible. But they heard them, Gabby's eyes falling closed as fresh tears filled her eyes, Casey sucking in a sharp breath as the little girl looked up at him. "Do you not want me anymore?"
Her words cut right through them, Gabby immediately shaking her head as Matt frowned. "No, no sweetheart. That's not it at all." He replied as quickly as he could, the husband and wife coming to realize what they feared all along; that Caitlyn truly just did not understand this situation. "Of course we want you, but you have a family who's waiting for you… Gabby and I, we were just here while you were waiting to go to your home… You're going home to be with your family, baby."
Caitlyn's eyebrows furrowed deeply, tears shining in the young girl's eyes as she breathed slowly, trying to understand Matt's words. "...You're not my family anymore?" She questioned, Gabby wiping away the stray tear that escaped from her eyes as Matt spoke up.
"Caitlyn, we will always consider you a part of our family, okay? Always." He assured her, the little girl nodding slowly. "But you won't be living with us anymore."
"Will I still be able to see you?" She asked hopefully, her head moving back and forth between the two of them. "And Sofia?" She added, Gabby biting down on the inside of her cheek before slowly shaking her head.
"Well, that, uh- that isn't up to us, honey… But I don't think so."
The second those words left her lips, Caitlyn frowned deeply, fresh tears filling her eyes as the weight of the situation began to hit her, the five year old slowly coming to realize what this all actually meant. Her bottom lip started to bobble up and down, the girl seconds away from tears as she sniffled.
"But I don't wanna go." She repeated, her words causing the tears to escape from her eyes as she began to cry, her little body shaking underneath Matt's hand. "Don't make me go." Her words alone were enough to crush them, Matt immediately pulling her into him as her cries got louder, the little girl tucking her head into his stomach as she held onto his leg.
"It's okay, baby." He murmured, rubbing his hand over his head as he caught Gabby's gaze, tears filling both their eyes as Matt saw just how heartbroken his wife was. "We know you don't want to go, but you're going into an amazing home, sweetheart. With people who love you, just as much as we do… You're gonna absolutely love it there, alright? Everything's gonna be fine." He tried to assure her as much as he could, though he wasn't sure how much she was hearing him through her sobs, Gabby having reached out to rub along her back as the girl sought comfort from the two people who had become her parents, both of them knowing there was nothing they could do to make this better right now.
There was absolutely nothing they could do, except hold her. And that's exactly what they did.
"Everything's gonna be okay… I promise."
Matt carried Caitlyn into the elevator in the lobby, the heavy feeling around them having followed them from their home as the girl stayed tucked into Matt's embrace, her stuffed animal clutched securely underneath her arm while Gabby followed in after them, the mother pulling along her suitcase, and duffle bag full of her belongings before pressing the button to go to their floor.
It had been a long night for the Casey's, and an even longer morning, as they prepared to bring Caitlyn back to DCFS, the young girl having a harder time coming to terms with everything than they could've ever imagined. After she nearly cried herself to sleep last night in Matt's arms, the parents soon decided to bring Caitlyn down to sleep with them in their room, the young girl curling up in between them, wanting to be as close as possible to both of them while she slept. Though none of their sleep had exactly been peaceful. Then when they woke up this morning, it had been even harder on all of them, especially when they had to go through all of Caitlyn's things, and figure out what all she wanted to take with her, the young girl refusing to leave their side for a second.
Needless to say, it had been an incredibly difficult morning. One filled with many tears, especially when Caitlyn had to say goodbye to Sofia, the parents deciding to leave the young girl in the care of their nanny while they brought Caitlyn here. It had been a gut wrenching sight, Caitlyn nearly sobbing as she held onto the baby, Sofia having no idea what was going on, but she had quickly become upset as well, sensing the distress around her. It hadn't been easy at all, and it definitely had been a challenge to get Caitlyn out of the house. And now as they stood here in this elevator, knowing they were getting closer and closer to having to say their final goodbyes, it felt nearly impossible to breathe, Matt holding onto the young girl as tightly as he could as the doors opened.
Each step felt heavy as they walked towards the room where they'd been instructed to go, Matt feeling Caitlyn sniffling against his neck, her head tucked away from view as he did what he could to be strong. It's what he and Gabby had been doing since last night, the parents knowing they had to be a rock for the young girl, no matter how much this was killing them. Because this wasn't about them; this was about Caitlyn.
When they got to the room, Matt walked in through the open doorway first, surprised to see only Tina standing across from him behind the table, his eyebrows furrowing as Gabby walked in after him.
"Hey… Are they here?" He questioned, rubbing Caitlyn's back comfortingly, Tina giving him a sad smile before she nodded.
"They are… I felt it would be better to do this separately." She explained, Casey drawing in a deep breath before nodding in understanding.
"Yeah, okay… So, uh- Is it time?" He asked, Tina offering him a slow nod as Gabby placed the girl's bags on the ground, Matt drawing in a deep breath before nodding back, the man shifting his attention to the young girl clinging to him. "Caitlyn, honey… It's time to go with Miss Tina, alright?" He told her, hearing the small girl begin to cry against him, Matt sucking in a slow breath before he carefully put her down, Caitlyn reluctant to let go of him. Crouching down in front of her, Matt grabbed a hold of her hand, the other keeping her stuffed animal against her chest as Gabby came up beside him and bent down as well, Caitlyn's sad brown eyes bouncing back and forth between them. "...I know this is scary. And sad." Casey spoke up, Caitlyn sniffling once again before she nodded, Gabby reaching out to wipe away the water resting on her skin. "And I know you're gonna miss us, and we're gonna miss you, too… But we love you so much, sweetheart. So, so much. We always will." He reminded her, Caitlyn giving him another nod.
"I love you." She repeated sadly as fresh tears filled her eyes.
"And you'll always have this, yeah?" Gabby spoke up, smiling through her tears as she tapped the new stuffed animal underneath the girl's arm, Caitlyn looking down towards the bear, unable to stop the small smile that formed over her face. It was one of the newer things they'd bought for the young girl, the teddy bear matching one they'd given Sofia as well, the parents surprising the girl's with them about a week ago. And while Sofia had no idea what was going on, and was just happy to be receiving a new toy, Caitlyn absolutely loved it. And she especially loved having the same on as Sofia, the little girl nearly bouncing off the walls when she saw the bears were identical. "We're always gonna be with you, okay? Me, Matt, and Sof." She reminded her, a few more tears escaping down Caitlyn's cheeks before she nodded, Matt quick to wipe them away.
Before anything else could be said, Caitlyn launched herself forward, wrapping her arms around Gabby as tightly as she could, the bear falling from her grasp as she held onto her foster mom tightly.
"We love you so much, baby." Gabby repeated, pressing kisses to her head before she pulled back and hugged Matt just as tightly, the man holding onto her as he rocked her back and forth gently, Gabby picking up the girl's stuffed animal while she held Matt.
"You're gonna love your new home, sweetheart. Everything's gonna be fine." He spoke, repeating the same words he'd told her often as Caitlyn slowly pulled back, both parents giving her as supportive of looks as they could before standing back up, Caitlyn clutching onto her stuffed animal tightly as Tina walked over to them.
"Alright honey, come here." Tina prompted, Caitlyn looking up at Matt, the man nodding immediately. "It's time for Matt and Gabby to go." She spoke as she grabbed onto her hand, Caitlyn's lips turning down into a frown as more tears filled her eyes.
"No…"
"Caitlyn-"
"Don't go!"
"Honey, they have to." Tina tried to explain as the girl began fighting against her, tears filling Gabby's eyes as she heard Caitlyn's pleas, the social worker looking up at them. "It's okay, we knew this would be difficult… It's probably best if you go." She told them, Matt's sad eyes focused on Caitlyn before he nodded, the five year old still trying to get back to them as they moved towards the door.
"No!" She shouted, her voice hoarse from crying as Gabby stepped through the doorway, tears beginning to flood down her cheeks as they walked away. "Gabby! Matt!" She tried again, her cries desperate as she struggled against Tina. "Don't leave me!"
Matt turned back, Gabby choking back a sob as Tina shook her head, silently urging him to go, the man having to force himself to leave as his wife had all but run around the corner, the sound of Caitlyn's loud cries still hitting their ears as they got farther and farther away from the room.
Jogging to catch up to her, Matt grabbed a hold of his wife's arm, stopping her in her tracks as her body shook slightly, the man turning her around straight into his chest as she cried, both of them finally letting out the emotions they'd been holding onto since last night. The rush of emotions that they'd tried to block out, the emotions that felt all too familiar to when they gave up their son years ago, Gabby sobbing against him as she wrapped her arms around his waist, Matt holding onto her as tightly as he could, cradling her head to his chest as they came to grips with the harsh reality that they'd never see Caitlyn again. And that it was going to take them both some time to get past this.