Hi everyone! First off, I can't believe this story has officially hit one hundred chapters. That's truly insane to me. You all know that when I first started this story, I was figuring it to be ten chapters, maybe. So to see what this story has turned into, and how many of you are still interested, and have been supporting it, it's honestly still a little overwhelming. To everyone who has taken the time to read this story, or anything I've published, those of you who've favorited and followed, and those who are able to leave me a review- I'm truly thankful for each and every one of you. Whether you've stuck with me since I first started, or you started reading along the way, or you've just recently found this story, I'm so beyond grateful to every person who has taken the time to read my work. I never imagined this story would get this far, let alone would it have so many people who still enjoy reading it. I know I keep saying it, but your alls support truly means everything. Thank you.
I really hope you all enjoy this one, though personally, I think you will. Thank you so, so much for reading. I can't wait to hear what you think.
Thank you.
Chapter One Hundred
"Babe, can you grab some extra diapers?"
Matt's voice filtered up onto the second level of their home as Gabby stood in Sofia's room in front of the girl's dresser, the baby standing up in her crib while her mother searched for an outfit for her to wear. Lifting her head up, Gabby glanced back towards the door before returning her attention to the task at hand, the sound of his voice telling Gabby that her husband was still downstairs.
"There's only a few left in the diaper bag." He continued, Gabby pulling out a pair of pink shorts before moving towards the closet.
"Yeah, I will." She called back, making sure her voice was loud enough to reach downstairs before she got to Sofia's closet, Gabby hearing him reply with a quick 'thank you' as she looked for a nice shirt to go with Sofia's outfit. Quickly finding a white one she liked, Gabby knowing the sleeveless material would ensure her daughter didn't get too hot in the September heat, she walked towards the middle of the room and placed the clothing down on the rug, before she moved back to the dresser. Grabbing all she'd need to change her daughter, Gabby soon had everything placed down on the ground, the mother having gone through her normal routine of getting her daughter ready before she took the few short steps towards Sofia's crib.
The closer she got, the more excited Sofia became, the baby smacking her hands against the edge of her crib as her slobbery smile lit up, her hair sticking in all different directions as she'd only been awake from her first nap for a few minutes.
"Hi baby." Gabby cooed, Sofia releasing a sharp sound of excitement as Gabby picked her up out of the crib, the mother carrying her over towards the pile she'd made on the floor before placing Sofia down on the ground. At first, the baby didn't like being out of her mother's arms, but as soon as Gabby got down onto the ground with her, Dawson resting on her shins in front of her little girl, Sofia settled, Gabby running her hands through her daughter's unruly hair before picking her up and lying her down on her back.
Before she could get too fussy at the change of position, Gabby reached over to grab the teething ring the baby had dropped while being carried, the mother holding it out in front of her daughter, Sofia instantly becoming intrigued by the object before she reached for it, Gabby watching her closely as she grabbed ahold of it and shoved it towards her mouth. Once her daughter was content, Dawson began the process of getting her ready, Gabby skillfully getting her out of her onesie and getting her diaper changed, Sofia laying there calmly while a fresh diaper was put on before Gabby began to put on her new outfit. It took a little maneuvering, Sofia not loving the fact that she had to stop chewing on her toy for her shirt to be put on, but once the clothing was in place and she was able to play with the teething ring again, she was fine, Gabby stepping away quickly from her content baby to grab a pair of shoes. Knowing how often Sofia loved to be able to walk around, Gabby decided on a pair of slip-on sneakers before she walked back to her child and crouched down to put them on her feet, Sofia kicking around excitedly as she thought this was a game her and her mother were playing.
But eventually, Gabby managed to get her daughter completely dressed, the woman knowing they hadn't even gotten to the hard part yet as she still had to do Sofia's hair, and rarely did the baby ever want to sit still long enough for Gabby to complete that task successfully, which is why they usually just left her hair alone in it's untamed curls. But today, with them leaving the house, Gabby knew she couldn't get away with that, the mother huffing out a breath as she stood up off the ground and picked up her baby, Sofia settling on her hip.
"Come on baby, we gotta finish getting you ready, or we're gonna be late." She murmured, rubbing over Sofia's stomach before walking towards the door, Gabby noticing how Sofia had already managed to get a little bit of drool on her shirt, though with the baby having a few teeth coming in, Dawson knew that was unavoidable.
Releasing a soft sigh, Gabby turned the corner out into the hallway, the mother moving towards the bathroom so she could finish getting Sofia ready, but just as she was about to step inside, her movement halted, Gabby's eyes unable to stop themselves from landing on the ajar door leading into the bedroom a few feet from her; the bedroom that hadn't been lived in for a couple weeks now. The same bedroom that had been virtually untouched since the little girl that used to stay there left.
It had been over two weeks since they last saw Caitlyn, and in that time, the parents had done little to pack up any of the girl's left behind belongings. In fact, they hadn't gotten rid of any of her stuff. They hadn't done anything except keep the door closed, and try to ignore the pain they felt every time they passed her room, though Gabby knew at some point, they'd have to start thinking about getting rid of her things.
But they hadn't broached the topic again, not since their breakdown in her bedroom the week before last, neither of them had tried to bring it up. So her things throughout the house had remained where they were; the clothes she hadn't taken with her were still folded neatly in her dresser, and hung up in her closet. The toys they'd gotten her were still exactly where she had left them. Her cups and plates were still in their designated spot in the cabinets in their kitchen. Her booster seat remained in the backseat of Gabby's car next to Sofia's car seat. All the drawings and pictures she'd made them were still hung up proudly on the side of the fridge, along with a few of the little girl's favorite ones placed on the front. And the photos they had with her were still placed proudly on their board on the wall just outside of the kitchen. Everything was exactly where it had been since she left, and it was like the only thing that wasn't the same was the young girl herself.
Aside from her not being here, it looked like she never left. And while both Gabby and Matt knew that wasn't healthy, they couldn't bring themselves to part with any of her things. Not yet. So her door just usually stayed closed, shielding her belongings from view whenever they'd come upstairs for Sofia. Though there had been a few times Gabby had found Matt in the little girl's room, just sitting and staring, and he'd found her a few times, as well, those moments almost always ending in tears as they tried to move on from the heavy grief they felt.
And while there was still an overwhelming sense of pain and heartache in their chest every time they thought of the young girl, and there would be for a while, slowly, things were getting a little bit better. This had all been hard, there was no denying that, but some days were getting a little more bearable. Some days it felt a little easier to breathe. And though they both knew it would take time for them to move past all of this, they were slowly coming to peace with all of it. And that was all they could do.
Blowing out a soft breath, Gabby shook her head before she stepped into the bathroom, the sound of Sofia's babbling filling her ears as she sat her daughter down on the counter, Sofia facing her as Gabby stayed close before she began to fix her hair. While she worked on taming Sofia's hair back into two small pigtails, the baby's bright blue eyes stayed fixated on her mother, her gaze alone enough to bring a smile to Gabby's face.
"You're being such a good girl, Sof." Gabby murmured as she finished tying the small rubber band, the sound of her voice causing Sofia to perk up, the baby's grin widening when she locked eyes with her mom. "Yeah, you are, aren't you? You're my little girl, huh?" She continued, the sound of Sofia's giggling like music to her ears as she began to clip the two bows into her hair, placing one at the base of each ponytail.
Sofia reached up towards her mom as Gabby finished, the baby dropping the teething ring in her grasp as she wanted to be held, Dawson smiling softly before she leaned down to press a kiss to her daughter's forehead.
"Mama." She spoke, the baby repeating the word over and over again until Gabby picked her up, the mother adjusting her in her arms before she walked out of the bathroom, making sure to turn the light off as she went.
"Yeah, Mama loves you, my sweet girl." Gabby said, pressing another kiss to her head as she got outside Sofia's room, but she stopped when she heard the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs, the woman turning just as Matt's head came into view over the railing, Casey continuing up the stairs. "Hey, sorry, I was about to come down." She told him as he turned the corner, Gabby not missing how he paused for a moment when he saw Caitlyn's room before he continued on, a soft smile forming over his face when he saw her before he shook his head.
"You're fine, just wanted to come check on my girls." He told her, Gabby smiling softly before she walked into Sofia's room, Matt following closely behind her. When they stepped inside, Gabby glanced at the clock, seeing they had a few minutes to spare before they had to leave, the mother placing Sofia down on the ground before walking towards the dresser to grab some extra diapers.
The second she was free, Sofia immediately waddled her way to her father, the baby excited to see him as she hadn't been with him since before her nap, Matt smiling softly as she got to him and began to smack her hands against his legs.
"Hi princess." He said brightly, Sofia continuing to hit her little hands against him out of pure excitement. "You look so beautiful, baby. Yeah, Momma did a good job, you're the most beautiful little girl I've ever seen." He continued, Gabby biting back a chuckle as he spoke with their daughter.
"Are you talking about her outfit or just in general?" She asked with a smirk, Gabby turning around to find her husband watching her with a smug grin of his own, Matt bending down to pick up his daughter before he walked towards her.
"Well, I was thinking more how you got her dressed, but both work." He replied with a gleam in his eye, Matt placing a quick peck on her lips when he got close enough, Gabby pushing forward slightly before he pulled away. "Because damn, am I glad Sof takes after you." He continued, Gabby scoffing lightly before angling her body towards her family.
"She definitely has a lot of Casey in her, babe."
"Yeah, but nearly as much as she looks like a Dawson," He replied, Gabby knowing he had a point. Though by looking closely at some of her features you could tell Sofia was a Casey, there was no debating how much their little girl was just like her mother. Especially as she got older, she was looking a lot more like Gabby, her complexion just a bit lighter than her mom's. But there was no denying this child was Gabby's, Sofia resembling her mother more and more with every passing day. "Our girl definitely is like a mini you, and I love it." He continued brightly, Gabby unable to stop the soft smile that formed over her lips before he leaned in for another kiss. Though the two didn't have much time before Sofia was smacking her hands against them, Matt chuckling against Gabby's lips before they slowly pulled apart. "Yeah, you want all the attention, don't you Sof?" He asked, the baby continuing to wriggle around in his arms.
"Ba!" She spoke loudly, Matt sparing a glance to his wife as Gabby followed Sofia's gaze across the room, the mother immediately knowing what she was wanting. "Ba! Ba!"
"No, Sof. No ball. We don't have time to play right now." Gabby told her, Sofia continuing to move around in her father's hold, Matt tightening his grip so she wouldn't fall.
"We can play when we get back." Matt added, the baby looking up towards her father. "Right now it's time to go to the doctor, we can't miss your check up again. But we can play with your ball later." He continued, though he knew not only would Sofia most likely not have any interest in the ball the second they left this room, she also had no idea what he was saying, anyway.
"Ba!" She spoke again, Matt releasing a light laugh before Gabby gave him a nod, the woman signaling him to leave the room, knowing she wouldn't stop asking until the ball was out of her sight and she was distracted by something else. "Ba!" She repeated once more.
Over the last few weeks, Sofia had begun to say a lot of different words and sounds, the baby becoming more and more vocal ever since she said her first word. Though Sofia had always been a rather talkative baby, now she was able to say a few shortened words to help her parents know what she wanted. Whether it was just the beginning of a certain word, or some distorted version of it, she seemed to be learning more and more every day, Sofia able to connect a few words to objects, even if she couldn't get the full word out. And her parents were beyond proud of her. Though there was one word in particular they were still waiting to hear her say.
For all the words she was learning, one she had yet to say was Dada, something Gabby knew Matt was well aware of. He hadn't said anything about it, both parents knowing they couldn't force Sofia to learn words any faster than she was, but Gabby knew it was bothering him a bit. Not that he was jealous, because she was well aware that wasn't it, but Gabby knew how excited he was to hear Sofia say his name for the first time, that it was something he'd been looking forward to for a long time. So she could only hope Sofia would be able to say the word soon, Gabby knowing how much that would help lift her husband's spirits, especially after all they'd been through as of late.
"Ba!" Sofia said again, her little voice pulling Gabby from her thoughts as Matt laughed lightly.
"She really does take after you," He spoke up, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing slightly as her head tilted to the side, the woman not missing the proud look that flashed over his face before he spoke up once more, "cause you don't listen to me, either."
Her eyes narrowed tightly as the words left his lips, Matt chuckling in amusement before Gabby reached up to smack his arm with her free hand, her actions causing his laughs to get louder, the woman shaking her head before she nodded towards the door.
"Go." She ordered him, though her voice was light, Gabby unable to stop the slight laugh that escaped her lips at seeing her husband so clearly entertained by his own joke. "We can't be late." She added, Matt nodding in agreement before he turned to leave, the proud smile never leaving his face as Gabby followed behind him.
Gabby sat on the exam table that was resting up against the wall, holding onto their baby who was now stripped down to her diaper while Matt was leaning against the table beside her, his legs crossed at the ankle as his arms were resting over his chest, little Sofia focused on the toy her mom was holding in front of her while they waited for Sofia's pediatrician. They had already been checked in, the nurse, Lizzie, having gotten Sofia's height, weight, and she measured her head before leaving them alone in the room to wait for Dr. Mitchell. There was a comfortable silence around them, Matt occasionally reaching out to play with Sofia while they waited, Gabby keeping a firm hand on her daughter's stomach.
"You think she'll have to get another shot today?" He asked suddenly, Gabby looking up from their baby to find her husband's eyes on Sofia, a slight grimace covering Dawson's face as she tapped her hand against the little girl's chest.
"Probably… I don't remember exactly what he said at her last check up, but it won't surprise me if she does." She spoke, Gabby barely getting the words out before the door opened, the parent's turning their attention to Dr. Mitchell as he stepped inside the brightly colored room.
"Hi Gabby, Matt… Sorry to keep you waiting." He greeted, Casey shaking his head as the doctor walked over to them, the man grabbing his stool and pulling it closer to the bed before sitting down.
"It's fine." Matt waved him off, Gabby nodding in agreement. "We're just glad to finally get here, and get Sofia checked out."
"Yeah, I saw where you two had to reschedule." He spoke, glancing over Sofia's chart while Matt and Gabby shared a knowing look.
While Sofia's original one year check up had been closer to her birthday, the parent's had quickly decided it needed to be rescheduled after everything that happened with Caitlyn, neither Matt nor Gabby in any state to come here and make small chat. And since the check up wasn't pressing, they didn't feel it was hurting anything to push this appointment back a few weeks. So that's what they did, but they were both glad to finally get here and make sure everything was alright with their daughter.
"Yeah, things have been… hectic. But I'm just glad we were able to get here." Gabby replied with a soft smile, Dr. Mitchell nodding in understanding before placing his iPad down on the counter and sliding closer to the bed.
"I am, too. It's always good getting to see little Sofia." He spoke with a smile, the man reaching out to tap the little girl's hand. At first she was a little skeptical, Sofia always apprehensive with people she didn't remember, but she soon warmed up to him, a bright smile forming over her face. "So, I looked over her measurements; her height, and weight, and everything, and from where she started, she's doing great… She's still a little shy of the target weight for her age, but as long as she's eating enough, it's not anything I'm too worried about."
"She is." Gabby replied, Dr. Mitchell nodding as he reached for Sofia's chart. "We keep a close eye on what she's eating, us and her nanny. She eats pretty well. She doesn't eat much solid food during breakfast, but for lunch and dinner she does. Lunch is usually her biggest meal most of the time, but overall I think she's doing well."
"That's good. Are you all still breastfeeding?" He questioned, Gabby and Matt both nodding.
"Yeah, she is. Most days she'll nurse when she wakes up, then again before her naps, and right before bed. Either that, or she'll get a bottle with breastmilk. But she's eating solids during her meals." Dawson explained, pausing so Dr. Mitchell could write down his notes before he nodded. "Sometimes we do need to supplement her meals a little bit with an extra feeding, or bottle, just depending on how much she's eaten that day. But for the most part, she's doing well with eating what we give her."
"Well, that all sounds great. I know babies can be tricky, they'll be some days they're all about food, and others where they're not as interested. As long as she's getting solids in, that's perfectly fine. And everything with her schedule sounds good, from what I can tell. I know when children turn one, that's usually when parents will decide to either continue breastfeeding, or begin to wean off of it." He told them, waiting for any sign of confirmation from the parents before he continued. "But that's just up to you all- well, actually a lot of the time, it's up to the baby." He spoke with a laugh, his eyes moving towards Sofia. "It's not uncommon for children to start weaning themselves, though sometimes the parents do have to start the process. It just depends on the child, but really this is just up to you all and what you feel comfortable with. The important thing is that Sofia gets fed." He spoke, Matt nodding in agreement before the doctor continued. "And what about her sleeping? How has that been going?"
"It's going pretty well." Matt spoke up. "She sleeps through the night, and usually takes two naps a day; one later in the morning before lunch, and then one in the afternoon." He explained as Dr. Mitchell took down more notes. "But we haven't really had any issues on that front, at least not yet."
"Good, that's good." He murmured, finishing up whatever he was jotting down before he stood up and walked towards them. "Everything sounds like it's going great, I just need to get a look at her real quick... And she will be getting a shot today, but after that you all should be free to go." He told them, Gabby wincing slightly before the parents nodded, both of them knowing there would soon be a lot of tears coming from their baby.
Carefully, Gabby placed Sofia down on the exam table beside her, the baby waving her arms around as Dr. Mitchell began his exam, the man checking her over to make sure everything was as it should be. And while Sofia didn't love it, she didn't mind it so much as she could still see her mom sitting beside her, Gabby's presence keeping her calm as the doctor did his job.
After finishing his physical exam, as well as checking out her lungs to make sure the little girl was still breathing as she should, Matt began to get Sofia dressed, the baby becoming more and more fussy as she'd been handled in ways she wasn't used to. Knowing her legs would need to be free, Matt waited to put her shorts back on, the father reaching out to hold her hand while Gabby kept a hand on her head, both of them knowing their daughter would not be happy here in a few minutes.
And their assumptions were right, their baby screaming as loud as her little body could the second she got stuck with the needle, Gabby leaned over the side of the table staying as close to her daughter as she could while also staying out of the way, the mom wanting to do whatever she could to comfort her. But Sofia's cries only got heavier as the nurse put a bandaid on her leg and took a step back, Lizzie giving room for the parents to move in and console their daughter. Which, admittedly was not an easy task, as the baby cried and clung to her mom and dad.
It had taken a few minutes, and required a lot of hugs and kisses from her parents, but eventually Sofia calmed down, the baby's cries turning into soft whines as Gabby was able to put her down long enough to get her shorts back on, though Sofia still had her arms out towards her mom and dad, clearly wanting to be held.
"You're okay, sweet girl." Gabby murmured, rubbing her hand over her stomach as Matt wiped away some of the tears sitting on Sofia's skin. "Everything's okay."
At the sound of her soothing voice, Sofia's desire to be close to her mom became greater than ever, the baby crying out as she reached her hands towards Gabby, the woman immediately scooping her up in her arms. Before she could even get her settled, Sofia had cuddled herself against her mother's chest, Matt watching on at the sight with a soft smile as Gabby ran a comforting hand up and down their daughter's back. They both knew she was fine, that she had just been scared more than anything else and she wanted her parents, but regardless, having to listen to their daughter scream her head off was never an easy thing, both Gabby and Matt willing to do whatever they could to help little Sofia feel better.
"Let's get you home, baby." She murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of her daughter's head before she looked towards her husband, Matt nodding in agreement before he reached down to grab Sofia's diaper bag from up off the ground and slinging it over his shoulder, the man giving his wife a soft smile as he placed his hand on her lower back.
"Yeah… Let's get home."
Matt ran his hand along the back of his neck as he moved through the hallways of 51, the man stretching out his tired muscles as he'd spent most of his afternoon hunched over his desk catching up on paperwork, 81's Captain deciding to step away from the diminishing pile of papers he had to go through to get a little break before he went back to work. As he turned the corner to head for the common room, the firefighter slowed his steps when he saw Severide coming his way, his friend tossing an apple in his hand before he came to a stop as well, Kelly giving him a quick nod.
"Hey man."
"Hey."
"Finally pulled yourself from your office, yeah?" He asked, Matt taking a step forward as Kelly turned back towards the direction he'd just come from, both men pausing by the window.
"Figured it was time for a break… You know where Dawson is?" Casey questioned, Severide releasing a light scoff before shaking his head.
"Yeah, I should've seen that coming… She's in the common room." He answered, Matt drawing in a deep breath before nodding, the shift in his demeanor evident as Kelly's eyebrows furrowed. "...Why? You two okay?" He pressed, his words earning a look from his best friend, Severide giving a quick shake of his head. "I mean- I didn't mean like that, I just meant more so is everything okay between you two… You seem off."
"We're fine." He replied with a slight shrug. "Well, as fine as I can be. We're just taking things a day at a time, but nothing happened between us or anything, Dawson and I are good." He explained, Severide waiting for a moment before he nodded. "I just wanted to make sure she was alright… I haven't been able to check in with her much today."
"Well, she seemed fine to me… Kinda spacey, but you've both been like that a little bit the last few weeks. She's been glued to her phone, though." He explained, Matt pursing his lips together before he released a heavy sigh.
"Yeah, we've been waiting on a call from Tina- No, it's nothing like that." Casey cut himself off when he saw the look on Kelly's face, the Lieutenant's eyes widening as his mouth parted open, Matt shaking his head quickly. "It's not about adopting, or anything like that, it's just with Caitlyn-"
"Are you two getting her back?" He asked quickly, Casey not missing the hint of excitement in his voice, the Captain furrowing his eyebrows before he shook his head.
"No, we can't- that's not a possibility. She's with her family." Matt replied, his words short. "We're just calling to check in… Making sure Caitlyn's okay." He elaborated, Kelly raising his eyebrows questioningly as his arms crossed over his chest, Casey huffing out a soft breath before continuing. "It's just… Ever since we gave up Caitlyn, we've been talking to Tina- To make sure Caitlyn's doing alright. We know we can't see her, especially not while she's still trying to get adjusted and everything. After how things went when we left her with DCFS, us trying to see her probably wouldn't help her at all anyway… And it's only been three weeks, it's gonna take time for her to feel at home there, and we don't wanna do anything to mess with that, but we just want to know she's okay." He breathed out, Kelly's face softening before he gave him an understanding nod. "So we've been keeping in contact with Tina, reaching out every few days…"
"And is she? Caitlyn's doing alright?" Severide asked as soon as he finished, Matt rubbing his hand along the back of his neck before he gave a slight nod.
"Yeah, it sounds like it." Matt responded, Kelly not missing the quick look of sadness that flashed in his friend's eyes. "According to Tina, she's fine… Which is what we want for her. It's all we want for her."
"That's good." Kelly spoke carefully, Matt giving him a slight nod.
"It is, it really is- it's great. Caitlyn being happy is all that matters." He replied, Casey hesitating for a moment before continuing. "It's just- I don't know, it's hard to think about… Her being with that other family. Her not being with us anymore." He admitted quietly, Severide reaching out towards his friend and placing a supportive hand on his shoulder. "And I know that's terrible," He continued quickly, Kelly's eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "How I feel shouldn't matter in all this- it doesn't matter, but knowing how happy she was with us, it seems impossible to picture her that happy elsewhere…"
"That's not terrible." Severide cut in, Matt drawing in a deep breath before catching his gaze. "I promise, it's not… You miss your kid."
"Kelly-"
"Don't even try and give me that shit, man." Severide interjected once more, his words causing Casey to draw in a deep breath, the two having had this talk enough for Kelly to know exactly what he was about to say. "Caitlyn was your kid, you and I both know it." He continued roughly, Matt wincing slightly as he stayed quiet, the words hanging heavily around them. "I don't care that you two went in this knowing she wasn't staying, I don't care that you and Dawson tried to keep your distance… Caitlyn was yours. She felt like your daughter, and everyone saw it." He told him, Casey knowing he couldn't refute much of what his friend was saying, because it was true. He knew it was true, and if Gabby was here she'd know it, too, the married couple having had similar conversations more than once over the last three weeks. "She felt like she belonged with you and Dawson, so you all having to leave her at DCFS, that's gonna feel like you left your kid… Especially the way it happened. You being upset that she's gone, and you and Dawson worrying about her- nothing's wrong with that."
Severide's words continued to settle around them, Matt drawing in a few deep breaths before he gave him a slow nod, the Captain knowing Kelly's words had a lot of truth to them, though that didn't help with the edge of guilt he still felt eating away at him in his gut.
"Listen man," Kelly started once he'd been quiet for nearly a minute, Matt lifting his head up to meet his gaze, "You and Dawson, I don't know how you two are getting through this… I really don't. You two have gone through hell, and this thing with Caitlyn… It was terrible. So however you're feeling about all this, that's not something you need to feel bad about." He told him, Casey taking a few slow breaths as he nodded.
"Yeah, I guess." He breathed out, Matt poking his tongue out between his teeth to run over his lips, Severide keeping a close eye on him as he leaned back into the wall.
"...How have you two been doing?" Kelly asked suddenly, Matt glancing towards him with raised eyebrows, Severide shaking his head slightly. "You know I'm not gonna stop asking you, Case."
"Yeah, but you just asked me like five minutes ago."
"No, I asked if everything was okay between you and Dawson." He clarified quickly, Casey shaking his head slightly. "And, even if I had, now I'm asking you again. So how are you?" He pushed, Matt blowing out a sharp breath between his teeth before responding.
"I'm… We're trying." He replied with a sigh. "There's good days and bad days- or good and bad moments, I guess… I'm not sure if we've had a good day since this all happened, but we're trying." He explained, Kelly nodding understandingly. "We're both just kind of at a place where we wish things had been different, but they weren't… So we're coming to terms with that. I don't think either of us expected it to be this hard, and for it to hurt as much as it does, but, uh- we're just working to move past it… Focus on each other, and Sof. God, Sof, she's- Just being with her, she's helped us more than anything. But, uh, that's what we're doing… We're trying to move on."
Severide gave him a strong nod, the man squeezing his shoulder tightly before dropping his hand, Matt beginning to move down the hallway, continuing his original path towards the common room as Kelly followed beside him. "Well, you know if you need anything, I'm here for you guys." Severide reminded him, the man rubbing his apple against his shirt as Casey gave him a nod.
"I know, man." He replied, his attention being pulled elsewhere as those few words left his lips, Matt and Kelly both watching as Gabby stepped out from the common room, her phone up to her ear as she moved towards the windows, her soft voice flowing through the hallway. Without a word, Matt gave Kelly another nod before they went separate ways; Severide heading back into the common room while Matt moved towards his wife, Gabby unable to see him as her back was facing him.
"No, I'm glad you called me back." She spoke into her phone, Matt slowly reaching out to place a gentle hand on her back, the husband not wanting to startle her. Which thankfully, he didn't, Gabby relaxing into his palm before she turned around to face him, Casey offering her a small smile. "It's fine, we're not on a call right now…" She continued, Matt's eyebrows knitting together slightly as he tried to find out who Gabby was talking to. Though with her next words, it didn't take long for him to figure that out. "-No, I know you're busy. We just wanted to know how she was doing."
It soon became clear to him that his wife was talking to Tina, the muffled voice he heard coming through the other end of the line belonging to that of the social worker they'd known for many years.
"...So everything's okay?" Gabby spoke, Matt recognizing the hopeful tone in her voice, though the way her eyebrows furrowed slightly had him a little concerned. "Okay, are you sure?- … Alright, I just wanted to check. I know we keep calling, we just… We wanna know she's alright."
Whatever Tina said after Gabby finished, Matt couldn't hear, the man waiting patiently for his wife to finish her phone call as he kept his hand firmly on her back, Gabby crossing her arm over her chest as her eyes flickered up towards him.
"Alright… Thanks for calling me back- Yeah, okay. Alright, thanks. Bye." She finished, Gabby pulling the phone away from her ear and hanging up the call before she looked back to her husband, the paramedic shoving the device in her pocket as she offered him a weak smile.
"Hey." He spoke softly, Gabby pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear before responding.
"Hey. That was Tina, she was calling me back about Caitlyn." She explained, even though they both knew she didn't need to.
"How is she?" He questioned quickly, his voice low as Gabby drew in a deep breath.
"She said everything was fine." Dawson replied, Casey's head tilting to the side when he recognized that look in her eye. The look that told him his wife wasn't completely convinced.
"...What is it?" He pressed, Gabby pursing her lips together as her eyebrows knitted together in deep thought, Matt continuing to rub slow patterns along her back.
"Nothing, but- She seemed a little… off." She told him, Matt soon mirroring the look of confusion she was wearing on his own face.
"What do you mean? What'd she say?"
"I don't know..." She started, Gabby clearly thinking over her next words as Matt waited for more of an explanation. "But when I asked her about Caitlyn, it felt a little weird… Like she was trying to get me off the phone." She did her best to explain her thoughts, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before shaking her head. "I don't know, I'm probably being paranoid. This whole thing has just-" She cut herself off, Matt's face softening as he gave her an understanding nod. "I'm sure Caitlyn's fine."
"Yeah, I'm sure she is." He echoed, Matt offering her as supportive a smile as he could. "Every time we check in, she's been fine. And if something were the matter, Tina would've said something. I think we're both just a little on edge with this whole thing." He continued, Casey sliding his hand up to her shoulders, Gabby nodding as he stroked his thumb along the back of her neck.
"...You're right." She replied, Matt noticing the slight gleam that appeared in her eyes. "I bet she's fine. Tina hasn't never given us a reason to think anything's wrong. Just that Caitlyn is trying to adjust to everything, and, uh- who knows, maybe once some time passes, and she's settled and everything, we'll be able to see her." She spoke hopefully, the tone in her voice sending a sharp pain through his chest before he nodded slowly, Matt keeping the small smile on his face despite the fact he knew it probably would never happen.
"Maybe, yeah… I hope we will." He responded, Dawson matching the small smile on his face just as the bells rang out above their hands, calling all companies to an accident a few blocks away. Gabby released a heavy sigh, Matt squeezing her shoulder comfortingly before he leaned forward to press a soft kiss to her forehead, neither of them paying much attention to the first responders rushing past them.
"I love you." He murmured against her skin, the Captain kissing her head once more before he pulled back, Gabby repeating the sentiment before they hurried out to the garage, the couple knowing they had a job to do.
"Severide, I need some help over here!"
Casey's voice flooded through their radios seconds before Kelly responded to him, Gabby hearing the man assure him he was coming as 51 worked the hectic scene. The second they pulled up and saw what they were dealing with not even five minutes ago, they knew it was going to be one of those calls; one where any little thing could go wrong at any moment. They couldn't exactly tell who was at fault, but a bus had crashed into the back of an SUV, the passengers still trapped inside both vehicles as 51 worked on how to get them all out safely. Though the fact that the SUV was beginning to smoke certainly didn't help matters, squad currently working on getting the driver out of the car while everyone else focused on the bus.
"Mouch! Otis! We need some ladders over here, now!" Casey spoke once more, Gabby doing her best to focus on her patient as they'd just gotten the passenger out from the car.
"Coming Captain!"
"The door's jammed, we're gonna have to break these windows… That smoke doesn't look good, we need to get these people out."
"On it, Casey."
"Herrmann, start over there, we need to get them away from the door, we can't-"
"Casey, look out!"
The second she heard Severide yelling, Dawson turned around, the woman seeing a huge ball of fire shoot out from the SUV, the force throwing Matt to the ground as he landed harshly against the unforgiving pavement, the fire having followed him as Gabby saw yellow and orange flames coming up off his legs. And in that moment, she felt frozen, Gabby unable to breathe as her husband laid motionless on the ground, Severide and Otis relentlessly patting out the flames on his body, Gabby feeling bile rise in her throat as her eyes focused on Matt.
"Dawson, go."
She barely registered Brett's voice, it wasn't until she felt a hand on her arm did she snap from her trance, Gabby blinking quickly before she glanced back at her friend, finding Sylvie's worried eyes on her.
"We got this, go." She assured her, Gabby nodding quickly before she took off towards the accident, the woman clutching her radio to keep it from bouncing against her chest as she ran as fast as she could to her husband, it not lost on the paramedic how Matt had yet to get up.
"Severide!" She yelled when she got closer, Gabby unsure of the state Matt was in, Kelly lifting his head up just as he'd double checked to make sure he'd gotten the fire out.
"Hey, Dawson-"
"I'm okay." Matt coughed out, Gabby releasing the breath she didn't even realize she'd been holding as she got to him, Casey beginning to try and move as Dawson crouched down beside him, immediately placing a hand on his back. "I'm alright-"
"Hey, hey, just take a minute." She spoke, Matt turning his head towards her, Gabby giving him a weak smile as she saw the soot covering his face. "Just breathe for a second." She instructed, Dawson tearing her eyes away from her husband to look towards Kelly, seeing the man inspecting Casey's gear.
"I think he's good… He wasn't burning for very long, the gear did it's job." He spoke, Gabby drawing in a slow, shaky breath, before she nodded, the paramedic never lifting her hand from his back.
"Alright."
"I'm fine." He said again, though she could tell he'd definitely gotten the wind knocked out of him, at the very least.
"I know, but it's okay, take a second." She kept her voice as calm as she possibly could, her nerves and worry slowly leaving her body as she knew he was okay. "The guys have got this, just stay down for a second, baby."
Though her term of endearment wasn't the most professional, it did the trick as Matt gave her a nod before resting back against the pavement, Gabby giving Severide a knowing look, silently telling him they were good before he went back to work helping get the victims out. But Dawson wasn't paying attention to much around her, her focus solely on her husband as he caught his breath, the sharp rise and fall of his back underneath her touch telling her he still was struggling to regain control of his breathing.
"I'm good." He spoke after nearly a minute, Matt having to fight off his every instinct to ignore the chaos around him, knowing the men and women of 51 had it handled as he slowly rose up to sit on his shins, Gabby supporting as much as his weight as she could, though with his heavy gear it made the task a bit difficult. "I'm okay." He said again, Matt getting a good look at his wife for the first time, the man not missing the worry sitting in her eyes.
"Nothing hurts?" She questioned as she grabbed her stethoscope, Gabby placing the instrument in her ears before she reached out to open up his turnout coat, Matt sitting back to let her work.
"I'm a little sore, from hitting the ground, but I'm okay." He assured her, Gabby nodding before placing the metal device against his chest, Matt having gone through this routine enough to know when to breathe.
She listened to his lung sounds through the front of his chest before she shifted closer to him, her body nearly pressed against his as she reached around his back, his breath hitting her neck as she listened closely for anything that might be wrong. But thankfully, everything sounded normal. He was still a little shaky, but nothing that was any cause for concern, Gabby pulling back slightly once she got the assurance she needed, though she didn't go very far as she caught his gaze once more.
"Your chest doesn't hurt?" She questioned, Gabby reaching her hand out to rest against him, the movement from his breathing comforting as she palpated the area, Matt shaking his head slightly.
"No, not really. Maybe just from the fall, but there's no sharp pains or anything." He answered, Matt keeping his eyes on her while she covered all her bases.
"What about your legs?" Dawson asked, finding his gaze. "They're not hurting you, are they? You can feel them fine and everything?"
"I can." Casey told her, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before she nodded, Matt lifting his glove-covered hand up to rest over hers against his chest, the action bringing a small smile to her face. "I'm fine, Gabby… I promise." He told her, their eyes focused on one another as she gave him a slow nod.
"Okay." She murmured, Casey squeezing the back of her hand tightly before they both got up off the ground, Gabby supporting him as much as she could, though he didn't really need it by the time he got to his feet, the paramedic looking him over once more now that he was upright, Dawson not missing the black char covering his lowering legs. But despite that, from what she could tell, he was fine. He'd definitely be feeling this for a while, but from her extensive exam over her husband, there wasn't anything wrong with him that she could see. Though that certainly wouldn't stop her from keeping a close eye on him over the next few days.
"Captain!" Boden called, his voice gaining the attention of both Casey's as they looked his way, finding their Chief walking towards them.
"I'm fine, Chief." He replied before Boden could even get to them, the older man immediately looking to Dawson, clearly needing her approval before they went any further, which she soon gave.
"He is." She assured him, Boden nodding slowly. "He'll probably have some bruises, and be sore for awhile. But as far as I can tell, he's fine." She spoke, the Chief knowing he could trust her words, because if there was anyone here who would not let Casey continue to work until they were sure he was alright, it was Dawson.
"Okay… Well just take it easy until we get back to the house. 81 and squad have it covered." He ordered, Casey giving him a nod before he leaned down to grab his helmet, Gabby not missing the way he was slightly favoring one side of his body, though he tried his best to hide it.
"You sure you're alright?" She asked him as he stood upright, Boden having walked away to continue working the scene as the couple stood a few yards away from the chaos happening around them, Casey giving her a warm, soft smile before reaching out to rub a comforting hand up and down her arm.
"I'm good." He assured her, the man leaning down to quickly press a kiss to the side of her head before he walked back towards the scene, Matt hanging back but trying to help where he could while Dawson made her way to back to the ambulance, knowing there were many people who needed her assistance.
"Here you go, baby."
Gabby held out the glass of lemonade to her husband, Matt offering her a thankful smile after tossing a pretzel into his mouth, the man grabbing onto the fresh beverage before placing it down on the end table beside the couch, Dawson returning to her previous seat beside him.
"Thank you." He replied, Gabby nodding before her eyes moved towards the baby monitor sitting on the end of the couch, needing the assurance that their little girl was still sound asleep during her second nap of the day, both parents hoping Sofia would be out for at least another half hour before she woke up. "But I could've gotten it myself." Casey added, Gabby cocking her head back to the side as she glanced towards him, the unimpressed look in her eye making him chuckle.
"Please, you've been walking around here like a grandpa all day." She teased, her eyes flashing down towards the heating pad he had placed on his back, and the other he had resting over his stomach, the intense heat helping some of the lingering soreness he'd been feeling since shift yesterday. "You're already an old man, we don't need you pulling anything else."
"Ha ha, you're hilarious." He replied dryly, Gabby biting back a smirk as she made herself comfortable beside him on the couch, Matt shaking his head at his wife's comments as he reached for the drink she'd brought him, though in the back of his mind he knew she might've had a little bit of a point. While he knew he hadn't seriously hurt himself after the incident on call yesterday, he was feeling more sore than he'd care to admit, it being a little bit of a struggle to get through the rest of shift this morning. Then once they got home, Gabby had immediately gone to get some heating pads for him, Matt having shifted those around to different parts of his body all throughout the day while they mostly stayed on the couch, his wife having, admittedly, taken over most of the care for Sofia today. And while all of this definitely wasn't anything he enjoyed, he knew Gabby was having more fun that she should've been at his expense.
"I know I am." She replied, scrunching up her nose adorably as Matt's smile grew, the man reaching out to place his hand on the top of her thigh before giving her a gentle squeeze, Gabby matching his smile instantly as he used his other hand to return his glass to the table. "But, in all seriousness, I know you are still feeling a little banged up, so you don't need to thank me for anything, alright?" She told him, Matt nodding before he tapped his fingers against the inside of her thigh, leaning his head forward slightly to indicate exactly what he was wanting.
And Gabby understood instantly, the woman releasing an amused laugh before she closed any distance between them, their lips connecting in a gentle, slow kiss, the two staying together for as long as they possibly could, until the sound of Matt's phone ringing on the table pulled them from their moment. Huffing out a breath, the two pulled back, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip as she could see the annoyance in her husband's gaze, the man clearly not pleased by their time together being interrupted.
"I swear to God, if it's Severide again-" He cut himself off, shaking his head as Dawson fought off a laugh, Matt carefully reaching past his glass of lemonade to grab his phone while Gabby settled back into the couch.
But the second he saw who was calling, she felt his body go rigid, her eyebrows furrowing in uncertainty as she looked at him, Gabby not missing the nearly blank look on his face.
"Babe?… Who is it?" She questioned when he had yet to say anything, the ringing continuing on as he stared at the screen. But without saying a word, he turned towards her, confusion written all over his face as he turned the phone towards her as well, Gabby suddenly understanding his reaction when she saw who was calling him.
"Are you- Were you expecting a call from her?" He stuttered out, Gabby immediately shaking her head before she nudged the phone back towards him.
"Answer it."
Blowing out a heavy sigh, he nodded, the man hesitantly answering the call before putting it on speaker.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Matt. I'm, um… I'm not sure if this is a bad time or not, And I'm sorry to call out of the blue like this, but I was wondering if you and Gabby were available to come by DCFS?" Tina questioned, her words taking them both by surprise as they shared an uncertain look. "I wouldn't ask unless it was urgent." She added, Casey's eyebrows furrowing in worry as he saw a similar look of confusion written across his wife's face.
"Um, yeah- No, that's fine. We can stop by... When?"
"Right now, if possible." She replied quickly, neither Matt nor Gabby missing the hint of desperation in her voice, Gabby's breath catching in her throat before she spoke up.
"What's going on, Tina?" Dawson questioned, her words hanging in the air for a moment before the social worker finally spoke up, her response stunning them both to silence.
"It's Caitlyn… She's here."