Hi everyone! First off, I just want to say a huge thank you for all the love you all gave me on my last chapter. It was honestly a little overwhelming, but I'm so appreciative for each and every one of you, thank you so much for all the kind words you all left me. I'm so glad you all are still enjoying this story, and interested in the things I write. It means so much to me, thank you thank you thank you.

I know a lot of you are eager to see what's gonna happen after how we left things, so I hope you all enjoy this one. Thank you so much for reading!

Chapter One Hundred and One

Gabby's eyes focused tightly out the window as her husband drove as quickly as he safely could through the streets of Chicago, the air around them thick as neither had said a word since they'd left their home in a hurry nearly ten minutes ago. Not since Matt had blurted out a quick thank you to Severide for coming to stay with a sleeping Sofia before they got out to their car as quickly as possible. But, surprisingly, the quiet was almost welcome, neither parent having really grasped the entirety of the situation as their phone call with Tina left them with more questions than answers, the soundless air around them giving them time to think.

"I'm sorry for calling like this, but Caitlyn won't calm down-"

"She keeps crying for you and Gabby."

"We couldn't get her to talk to us until we said we'd call you."

"I know this isn't fair of me to ask, but she needs you."

It was safe to say that their brief and unexpected conversation with Tina had given them little insight as to what had actually happened to the girl they thought of as a daughter, just the social worker briefly telling them that things had gone south with her soon-to-be adoptive parents, and Caitlyn had been removed from the home. On what basis, they weren't sure; they didn't know if this was a temporary thing, or a more permanent situation, but neither Matt nor Gabby had really bothered to think about that. Because no matter how hard it would be to say goodbye to that little girl a second time, if she needed them, they'd be there. They didn't know what happened, though both Gabby and Matt were eager to get to the bottom of what all had gone on, but right now that didn't matter. All that did matter was them getting to Caitlyn, and doing whatever they could to help her. Because, if the desperation in Tina's voice was any indication, they were the thing she needed most right now.

"What, uh…" Gabby's soft voice filled the tense air as Matt turned the corner to the street DCFS was on, the man sparing a quick glance to her before returning his attention to the road, Casey looking for the first spot he could find. "What do you think happened?"

She voiced the main question they both had, Gabby too afraid to say the other one that had been at the forefront of their minds, that being if Caitlyn had been hurt or not. When Matt asked Tina, she hadn't said much, the woman just pushing the issue of them getting here as soon as they could, which hadn't done much to help the anxiety they were both feeling about all of this. But, though neither of them had said it, they both knew that with Tina being reluctant to answer the question over the phone, there was a good chance something had happened to Caitlyn.

"I don't know." He replied softly, Matt offering her a small smile as he pulled into a spot against the curb, the man immediately putting the car in park, Gabby giving him a quick nod before she got out of the car, Casey following her lead.

The familiar walk inside was quiet, as well, the nervous energy around the married couple palpable as neither of them knew what to expect. All they had been told was to come to Tina's office, but other than that, they had no idea of what was coming.

With his hand clasped tightly in his wife's, Matt stepped out of the elevator once they got to the correct floor, his eyes bouncing around the busy room before he continued the path to Tina's office, Gabby following in step beside him as they eventually got to her door. Without even bothering to knock, Casey walked through the open doorway, his eyes darting around before landing on Tina, the woman being the only one in here as she sat at her desk.

"Tina." He spoke up when she had yet to see them, Matt feeling Gabby's grip tighten around his hand as the woman looked up at them. It was clear she was startled at first, Tina not expecting to see them standing in front of her so soon, but the second she registered their presence, a look of sadness flickered in her eyes, the woman talking a deep breath before pushing herself up from her chair.

"Matt, Gabby- thank you, for coming… I know I had no right to bother you two about this, but I wouldn't have if it wasn't necessary."

"What's going on?" Gabby spoke up first, her voice hoarse as Tina pursed her lips together, her brown eyes flashing back and forth between the worried parents. Though the woman couldn't say she was all that surprised by their clear concern for the situation. "Where's Caitlyn?"

"She's here, but we should really talk first before-" She tried, but her words were quickly cut off by Matt.

"Where is she?" He questioned almost immediately, Tina sighing softly before holding her hand out to the chairs seated opposite her desk; the same chairs Matt and Gabby had spent a lot of time in over the years.

"Matt-"

"You said we needed to get here quickly, that Caitlyn needed us. And we're here… We're here, and she's not, so where is she?" His voice was getting rougher the longer he spoke, his eyes focused tightly on Tina as he took a step forward, his hand falling from Gabby's in the process. "We can talk once we see her." He continued, his voice softening as Tina drew in a deep breath, the woman giving him a slight nod before an understanding, sad smile formed across her face.

"Alright… You're right." She agreed, seeing the way both their bodies relaxed slightly, only for them to tense back up again. "Let's see Caitlyn, then we can talk."

Without another word, Tina led them from her office, the woman walking toward the same conference room where they'd last seen Caitlyn, Matt walking a slight step behind Gabby, his hand resting on her back as they got closer to the room that supposedly was holding the little girl. But before Tina stepped inside, she stopped, the woman turning back towards them, both parents recognizing the look of apprehension on her face.

"Just… We'll get into everything after you all see her, but she is very upset. She was inconsolable until we told her you were coming, so just be prepared for that, alright?" She warned them, Matt nodding for the both of them as the Casey's were itching to get into that room, both of them just wanting to get their eyes on the young girl.

But despite Tina's warning, and their knowledge of how distraught the five year old was, nothing could prepare them for the state they found her in when they stepped inside the room.

Caitlyn was seated on the couch back in the far corner, the girl curled up into herself, her legs pulled up to her chest with her head tucked in between them as she held onto the stuffed animal they'd given her for dear life, both Matt and Gabby able to see how her body was shaking even from across the room, the social worker next to the young girl keeping her distance as Caitlyn cried. The sound was soft, and with how far away they were it was kind of hard to hear, but they heard it. And it broke their hearts.

They couldn't see much of her in the position she was in, both parents taking a slight step forward as Tina shut the door behind them, wanting to give all of them their privacy as they were sure they had quite the conversation ahead of them. But they weren't focused on that right now, Matt swallowing the thick lump in his throat as he became overwhelmed with a sense of complete and utter worry, the man just wanting to do what he could to fix whatever, or whoever, had hurt Caitlyn.

"Caitlyn." Tina spoke up, her voice soft as she stepped around Casey, Gabby coming to stand by her husband's side as she blinked back the tears in her eyes, the young girl still not looking up. Dawson wasn't sure if she hadn't heard Tina, or if she was ignoring her, but regardless, Caitlyn had yet to lift her head up from against her legs, the girl turning herself further away from the woman sitting beside her, clearly not wanting comfort from either her, or Tina. But hopefully her and Matt would be a different story.

"Caitlyn…"

Gabby's voice filtered through the room, Caitlyn immediately halting her movements when she heard the familiar voice, the little girl sniffling before she slowly lifted her head up, the sight in front of them causing more pain and anger to flood their body's as Matt and Gabby immediately noticed the fresh bruising covering the girl's cheek, paired with a small cut just over her cheekbone. And while they couldn't be sure what caused it, at the very least it looked like she'd been smacked, and that thought alone caused their stomach's to sink as fresh tears filled the young girl's eyes.

"Honey…" Gabby said again, a heavy sob escaping Caitlyn's lips before she practically launched herself down off the couch, the girl nearly toppling over as she loosened the tight grip she had on the teddy bear, the stuffed animal falling to the ground before she ran to them.

With tears flooding down her cheeks, Caitlyn ran to Matt first, the man closer than Gabby was as she was desperate for any source of comfort from them, Casey bending down slightly to catch her just as she was about to collide with him. The second she was in his arms, her cries got louder, Matt lifting her up off the ground and into his arms as she tucked her head into his neck, the man ignoring the way his sore body was screaming at him in pain while Caitlyn desperately clung onto him as tightly as her little body could, Casey holding onto her with one arm underneath her, the other rubbing up and down her back as she continued to cry.

"Baby, it's okay- It's okay. We're here... We're here." He tried to soothe her, Gabby stepping closer as she reached out to run her hand along the top of Caitlyn's head. The second she registered the feeling, the little girl lifted her head up from his neck, Gabby frowning instantly when she got a closer look at the injury on Caitlyn's cheek. From what she could tell, it definitely looked new; like it had only happened a few hours ago, Gabby shaking her head in anger as more tears slid down Caitlyn's skin.

"Oh, sweetheart." Dawson murmured, the soft sound of her voice causing another sob to escape Caitlyn's lips, the child reaching out for her despite her trying to still stay in Matt's arms, Gabby drawing in a steadying breath as she stood as close as she possibly could while Caitlyn grabbed at her hand, the mother giving it willingly. With her free one, she began to rub the girl's arm, Caitlyn resting her head back down on Matt's shoulder as her body shook in his arms, her tears starting to wet his shirt as he and Gabby both continued to comfort her.

"It's okay." Casey whispered once more, the man pressing a soft kiss to the side of her head as Gabby wiped away the tears that were on her face, Matt feeling the girl's body slowly start to relax the longer she was with them. "You're alright… Everything's okay now. We're right here."

It the midst of Matt and Gabby trying to comfort the five year old, the social worker that had been sitting with Caitlyn left the room, the woman stopping to say a few quick words they couldn't make out to Tina before leaving them be, Matt slowly beginning to move back and forth on the balls of his feet as he adjusted the dead weight in his arms.

"What happened?" Matt spoke up after nearly five minutes of nothing but Caitlyn's cries being heard throughout the room, his eyes locked on Tina as Gabby ran her hand along the side of Caitlyn's head, the girl pressing her non-injured cheek down against Matt's shoulder. "What happened to her face?" He clarified when the social worker had yet to speak up, Tina sighing softly before she looked across the room towards the couch Caitlyn had just been on.

"Why don't we sit down?" She suggested, Matt pursing his lips together before he nodded, the man trying to keep himself calm as he knew Caitlyn was able to feel his each and every move. Letting Gabby go first, the woman reluctantly dropped Caitlyn's hand before heading back towards the couch, all of the adults in the room knowing that with the physical contact that Caitlyn so desperately needed right now, there was no point in trying to sit at one of the many chairs around the table, Gabby bending over to pick up Caitlyn's dropped stuffed animal before sitting herself down on the couch, Matt tapping the girl's back gently.

"I'm gonna put you down, alright?" He told her, his heart nearly snapping in half when he felt Caitlyn tighten her hold around his neck. "Gabby's right here, you're gonna sit with her, baby." He added quickly, Matt sensing her nerves immediately as Caitlyn nodded against his shoulder, the girl giving him a tight squeeze before he set her down on the ground. As soon as she was out of his hold, she immediately turned towards Gabby, the mom reaching out to help lift her up onto the couch, Caitlyn climbing into her lap almost instantly. And similarly to how she used to when they were at home, Caitlyn settled her legs on either side of Gabby, the child resting her weight against Gabby's chest as her head fell down against her collarbone, Caitlyn's eyes facing Matt as her arms were curled up against Dawson's chest, Gabby wrapping her arms securely around her tiny body as Caitlyn got comfortable in her embrace.

"Do you wanna sit, Matt?" Tina spoke up once she knew Caitlyn was calm, Matt tearing his eyes away from the sight of his wife holding onto his former foster daughter, only to shake his head roughly before he crossed his arms over his chest.

"No, I don't." He replied shortly, his neck tightening as his mind began to flood with possibilities of what all had happened to lead them here. And none of them were good. "What happened to her?" He questioned again, the tone in his voice showing just how upset he was as Gabby heard a slight whimper escape Caitlyn's lips, the mother continuing to rub over her back as she kept at least one hand on her at all times, Gabby sensing just how badly Caitlyn needed to be close to them. "I thought… I thought this family was good." He continued when Tina hadn't spoken up. "You told us, and Caitlyn, this family was a good match for her. That they wanted her, and every time we talked to you, you told us things were fine. But now she's back here, looking like someone hit her… What happened?" He repeated the question he'd said multiple times since they arrived, Casey losing his patience quickly as his worry for the young girl outweighed every other emotion he was feeling.

"We thought they were." Tina finally spoke up, the woman mimicking his stance as she stood across from him, her body resting against the edge of the table. "We thought everything was fine, we wouldn't have sent her if things weren't okay- and they were fine… At first, they tried." She began to explain, Matt's eyes narrowing slightly as his back straightened. "When I talked to you, I thought things were fine, but then yesterday, I got a call from her mother, and- there have just been some behavioral challenges with her that none of us were anticipating." She explained, Casey shaking his head in anger. In all the time they'd spent with Caitlyn, they hadn't had any issues with her behavior; nothing more than the usual tantrum here and there. Certainly nothing that would warrant hurting her, the weak excuse causing Matt's blood to boil as he waited for Tina to continue. "They were trying, but Caitlyn, she… She wasn't fitting in the way they'd hoped. But I reminded them that sometimes this is hard, and kids need time to adjust, so during that call yesterday I asked them what they wanted to do, and they said they wanted to keep trying. That maybe Caitlyn just needed more time… But then I heard from them again today. I guess Caitlyn was having a really bad day, and they… weren't able to handle it."

"So they hit her?" He spat, his entire body flooding with rage as his fists tightened, Tina pursing her lips together as Matt continued. "She's a child, she's gonna have bad days, that's no excuse to hit her! I don't know what these people thought they were getting themselves into, but raising children can be hard, and just because it wasn't what they hoped, they thought it was okay to hurt her? Because she acted like a child? She's five years old!" He was nearly shouting at this point, Matt unable to keep his feelings hidden as his anger got the better of him, the dad hating to think of what happened to Caitlyn when she was out of their care.

"Matt…" Gabby's soft voice hit his ears, Matt turning back to look at his wife, watching as she shook her head slightly before glancing down to Caitlyn, their silent conversation telling him all he needed to know. He knew he needed to calm down, that his loud voice was upsetting Caitlyn, Matt giving her a slight nod before looking back towards Tina while Dawson returned her focus to the girl in her arms as her tiny body kept tensing. "It's okay, baby. I'm right here." She continued to soothe her, the little girl's tears having never stopped as she dug herself further into Gabby's embrace, the thumping of Dawson's heartbeat against her ear helping to settle her down.

"I just…" Matt started again once he'd taken a few slow breaths, "Is that what happened? Did they hit her?" He questioned, his voice much quieter than it had been before, Tina wincing slightly before she nodded, her confirmation making his anger continue to build in the pit of his stomach, though he tried to keep it under control. And, admittedly, Gabby was fighting the same urge within herself after seeing Tina nod, the mother knowing her getting angry right now wouldn't do anything to help the little girl who needed them.

"They smacked her, yeah." Tina confirmed, Casey doing all he could to hold his tongue, knowing he needed to wait and let the woman explain. "As far as I know, it only happened once. The mother, she- she said she was frustrated, and angry, and took it out on her." She said, Matt's eyes narrowing in disgust, the man unable to stop the heavy scoff that left his lips.

"What was she so angry about? What could Caitlyn have possibly done to deserve that?"

"Nothing." Tina was quick to reply, Matt releasing a heavy breath before letting her continue. "Caitlyn didn't deserve it at all, but when she left your home, it was more of an adjustment than any of us anticipated…" She explained, Gabby feeling a heavy weight settle in her gut as guilt flooded her body, Tina's words having a similar effect on Matt as well. "I know you both are well aware how hard it was when you left, but I guess Caitlyn, she- she never really was able to start adjusting into her new home. She missed you two, and Sofia… The family, they said she kept wanting to call you all, to talk to you- How every night before bed, she'd talk about wanting to see you both." She told them, Gabby blinking back the tears in her eyes before pressing a lingering kiss to the girl's head, sadness shining in Matt's eyes as he looked back to Caitlyn. "She just wasn't able to adjust the way we hoped. And the parents- the mother, especially, she became frustrated by the whole thing. And I guess today was a particularly bad day for Caitlyn, when it came to missing you all. She kept wanting to call you, she kept asking to see you and Sofia, and the mother just lost it. She'd been frustrated by all of it, and it all just had been building up, and she took it out on her." She told them, Matt shaking his head as his eyes fell closed, the man bringing his hand up to run along the side of his face as he took in everything Tina had told them, while Gabby was just doing all she could to keep it together. Though she wasn't doing the best job as a stray tear escaped down her cheek and fell into Caitlyn's hair, Gabby tightening her hold on the girl as she brought her hand up to cradle her head.

Hearing about what had happened to Caitlyn wasn't easy; to hear how she'd been mistreated by the family that was supposed to love and protect her was enough to break their hearts. But hearing how it had been because of them; how the only reason Caitlyn wasn't adjusting into her new home was because she missed them, and wanted to see them… That was a kind of heartbreak they hadn't been prepared for, and they couldn't help but feel extremely guilty for putting her in that position in the first place.

"And after that, they called us, told us what happened- said they couldn't do it anymore, that Caitlyn was…" She paused, Tina glancing to the child who was curled up in Gabby's lap before continuing, her voice much quieter than before. "That she was too much to deal with, and they couldn't handle it." She was practically whispering, so much so that Gabby could barely hear her, the parents well aware she'd done that for Caitlyn's benefit.

"So just like that? They brought her back?" He questioned, his voice barely sounding like his own as Tina gave him a slight nod.

"It wasn't a good situation for her to be in anymore… Regardless of if they still wanted her or not-"

"They didn't want me." Caitlyn spoke up for the first time, her voice barely audible as she talked from the safety of Gabby's arms, her dark brown eyes focused on Matt, Casey and Tina both watching her. "They didn't like me."

"Honey…"

"No one wants me."

The second those words left her lips, it felt like they'd been stabbed through the chest, Gabby and Matt both nearly breaking as she spoke, the tone in her little voice telling them she truly believed what she was saying.

"Baby, that's not true." Matt said almost immediately, the man shaking his head as he pushed aside the pain and guilt he was feeling, Casey glancing towards his wife, seeing she needed a second longer to figure out what to say. "That's not true at all." He repeated as he stepped towards the couch, Caitlyn lifting her head up off of Gabby's body to look at him, Matt unable to stop the slight frown that formed over his lips when he saw her red and swollen eyes.

"But the other families didn't like me, and said I was bad… I couldn't stay with you, and my new Mommy and Daddy got mad at me and I had to leave." She continued, the innocence in her words cutting through him like a knife as Gabby quickly wiped away a few of the tears that had fallen down her cheeks. "No one wants me."

Her sad words hung in the air around them, Gabby drawing in a deep breath as she locked eyes with her husband, the pain she was feeling shining back at her in his own gaze, both of them knowing exactly what the other was thinking before Matt crouched down on the ground, the man wanting to be eye level with the young girl before he continued, it taking a few moments for the lingering soreness in his body to dissipate.

"Caitlyn… Sweetheart, look at me." He spoke when she averted her eyes down to Gabby's chest, the young girl slowly looking towards the man who had become like a father to her. Her hand was nervously playing with the material of Gabby's shirt while Dawson ran a hand over her back, Caitlyn waiting for whatever Matt had to say as he reached out to place his hand on her arm. "I'm sorry for what happened, baby… If I could go back and change it, I would. But Gabby and I- We didn't have a choice when we said goodbye." He tried to explain to her, though he knew they'd had a similar conversation before she left, and she hadn't seemed to understand much of it then. And he couldn't imagine she would now, but he needed to try. "I know it's confusing, and something that's hard to understand, but we didn't have a choice. We would've never said goodbye to you if we didn't have to." He said as simply as he could, Caitlyn sniffling as she looked back and forth between Gabby and Matt.

"...Caitlyn, he's right." Tina spoke up, the woman hating to see how lost and confused the five year old was, knowing she had played a part in that. "It was just as hard for them to say goodbye to you, as it was for you to be away from them."

"It was?" She questioned, Gabby immediately nodding as Caitlyn locked eyes with her.

"It was." Dawson murmured. "We missed you so much, and so did Sofia," She told her, both parents noticing the way Caitlyn's eyes lit up after she registered her words, and it only broke their hearts more. "We hated having to leave you, so don't you ever think you're not wanted, okay? You have so many people in this world who love you-"

Gabby's words were cut off when Caitlyn wrapped her arms around her neck, the child holding onto her former foster mom as tightly as she could, tucking her head into her neck as Dawson rubbed her back, the woman feeling Caitlyn's shaky breaths against her skin.

"I love you." Caitlyn murmured, Gabby fighting back tears as she gave a slow nod before pressing quick kisses to the side of her small head.

"I love you too, honey… We both do."

"Don't leave again." She said quickly, Gabby's teary eyes flashing towards her husband, Matt frowning slightly as Caitlyn tightened her grip around her neck, both parents trying to grasp just how much them leaving had affected her.

"Sweetheart-"

"Please." She nearly begged, her body beginning to tremble as fresh tears welled in her eyes, Gabby soon hearing the soft whimpers that accompanied her crying. "Don't leave me."

"We're not." Gabby said before she could stop herself, Matt drawing in a deep breath as he ran his hand over Caitlyn's back. "We won't leave you, baby." She promised her, though she knew that was a promise she wasn't entirely sure she could keep, but Gabby chose not to focus on that right now, the sound of Caitlyn's cries nearly unbearable as her body shook against hers. "It's okay, honey, I promise it'll be okay." She continued to murmur, Gabby pushing aside every painful thought she was feeling as she focused her complete attention on trying to console Caitlyn, the little girl clearly scared as she had yet to loosen her grip.

Blowing out a shaky sigh, Matt slowly pushed himself up as he watched Gabby comfort Caitlyn, the five year old continuing to cry as the weight of everything settled over the room all at once, Casey making sure to keep a hand on the young girl before he turned back to Tina, the woman near tears as she looked between them.

"What do we do here?" Casey asked before she could get a word in, Tina forcing herself to focus her attention on him once she registered his question. "What's gonna happen to her?"

"Well… Truthfully, I'm not sure." Tina replied, Matt grimacing at her answer. "We thought we'd found the right fit for her, but obviously…" She trailed off, shaking her head slightly as she stood up straight. "So, I guess we'll have to start the process over again, to try and find her a new home."

"And what'll happen to her right now?" He pressed, Tina pursing her lips together as her eyes flashed towards the child currently being consoled by Gabby, the social worker able to hear her soft cries.

"Well, we only have one or two options here…" She started, her gaze moving back to Casey. "Either we put her in a group home, or-"

"We'll take her." Gabby spoke up before Tina could finish her sentence, as she was pretty sure that's where this conversation was headed anyway, Matt's head turning down to look at her. "She's coming with us." She repeated, Dawson not missing the look of relief that flickered in Tina's eyes, though it was followed by some hesitance, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before looking towards her husband, Matt immediately giving her an agreeing nod, telling her they were both on the same page. "Until we can figure all this out… She should be with us."

"Are you sure?" Tina questioned, Matt and Gabby looking away from each other towards the social worker, the woman releasing a heavy sigh before continuing. "I was about to ask if you could continue to foster her, until this gets sorted out… You all still legally are her foster parents, and I could get the paperwork together in a few minutes, but I also know how hard all of this was- on all of you, and I don't know how all this is going to play out… So I just want you to be sure."

"We're sure." Matt replied the second she finished, his words being accompanied by a nod from his wife. "The best place for her to be is where she wants to be, and she wants to be with us. And we want her with us… we don't want her sent to a group home." He spoke strongly, Tina's eyes moving towards Gabby, the woman giving her yet another confirming nod.

"Okay… Just give me a few moments, and I'll get everything in order." Tina spoke, Matt giving her a nod before she began to head for the door, the parents returning their full attention to the child currently nestled in Gabby's arms.

She had slowly stopped crying, though Gabby could still feel her tears against her neck as Caitlyn took shallow breaths, the girl still holding onto her foster mom tightly as Dawson ran a comforting hand up and down her back. Casey took a step closer, the man taking away the distance between them as he perched his body on the arm of the couch, both parents hearing Caitlyn begin to talk from the security of Gabby's hold, but her words were muffled and hard to understand.

"What is it, baby?" Gabby prompted softly, Caitlyn slowly lifting her head up and meeting their eyes, the redness covering her soft skin prominent as she looked back and forth between them, Dawson running her hand along her side as Caitlyn kept a tight grip on her arm.

"...I wanna go home." She repeated the words they hadn't been able to make out, her bottom lip shaking before she hiccuped softly, the little girl tensing slight as Gabby felt her begin to work herself back up. "I wanna- I wanna go home." She said again, more tears beginning to fill her eyes as her body began trembling, a deep frown forming across Gabby's face as Matt squeezed her arm comfortingly.

"You are, honey." He murmured, Gabby blinking back her own tears before lifting her hand up to wipe away Caitlyn's. When those words left his lips, Caitlyn managed to breathe in a few deep breaths, her little chest rising and falling as a small, barely there smile fell onto her lips for the first time since they got here, Gabby and Matt both doing what they could to mimic her look.

"You're coming home."

Casey slowly pulled their car into the garage, the man focusing on parking while Gabby kept her attention on the small girl sitting beside her, Dawson sandwiched in between the booster seat and Sofia's car seat as she continued to stroke Caitlyn's hair, just as she had been doing since they left DCFS. It had been a relatively quiet drive, Caitlyn not having much to say as she rested back against the seat, the young girl looking as peaceful as she had been all day as her tiny hand stayed on top of Dawson's leg. When they left DCFS nearly half an hour ago, Gabby hadn't planned on sitting in the backseat, the middle seat not the most comfortable under the circumstances, but with how shaken Caitlyn still clearly was, it hadn't taken her long to decide to sit in the back with their foster daughter. It had taken her a few minutes to settle once they got outside, though Matt and Gabby both could sense how much more at ease the little girl was when they'd gotten out of the building; and neither of them could blame her, the parents knowing how often she'd been bumped around the system. But once they were in the car, with Gabby beside her, Caitlyn had seemed to be doing okay, or okay as she could be under the circumstances, Dawson making a point to keep some sort of physical contact with her the entire time Matt drove. And luckily, it seemed to keep her calm, Caitlyn dozing off and on every few minutes during their drive as Gabby rubbed her head.

And now, thankfully, they were finally back home, Casey killing the engine before turning to look back at the two girls in the backseat, Gabby offering him a small, sad smile before his gaze moved to the five year old who was nearly asleep, her head lulled to the side towards Gabby as the older women continued massaging her head. They knew they should get her inside, that after the long day, and even longer few weeks she'd probably had, she was bound to be exhausted, neither Matt nor Gabby able to know when she last got a good night's rest; though if the tiredness in her eyes had been any indication, she hadn't gotten much sleep recently. But still, neither of them made a move just yet, both parents watching the young girl as she began to fall deeper and deeper into her sleep, Gabby feeling Caitlyn's grip on her leg loosen then tighten every few seconds, like she was needing the reassuring she was still there, Casey and Dawson still just trying to come to grips with the unexpected turn of events that had happened today.

Drawing in a deep breath, Matt's gaze moved back towards his wife just as Gabby looked to him, the woman giving him a slight nod before he spoke up. "...Caitlyn." He spoke softly, Gabby rubbing her thumb along the top of her head to try and wake her up slowly. "Sweetheart, we're home."

Caitlyn groaned softly as she came into consciousness, the child moving her head slightly before she jumped in her seat, clearly startled by being woken up, her eyes narrowing as she shifted around, the five year old doing what she could to gain a sense of her surroundings as Gabby began shushing near her ear.

"It's okay, you're alright." She whispered, Caitlyn lifting her hands up to rub her fists over her tired eyes before looking up at Gabby, the reassuring smile resting on her face calming the child down before she looked towards Matt.

"We're home… You ready to go inside?"

She nodded immediately, Caitlyn reaching down to undo her seatbelt as Matt got out of the front seat and opened up the back door, Gabby leaning down to press a kiss to Caitlyn's head before she climbed down out of the car. As she always did, she stood a few feet behind Matt with her stuffed animal clutched tightly to her chest as Gabby maneuvered herself out of the cramped backseat, Casey helping her as much as he could until her feet were firmly on the ground, the child waiting until she knew it was okay before heading for the familiar door.

"Let's get inside, and go see Sof." Gabby spoke, her words bringing a smile to the five year olds face before they walked towards the door, Matt hanging back to grab Gabby's bag out of the car, as well as the bag of Caitlyn's belongings in the trunk, before following his girls inside, the man pausing long enough to make sure the garage door had gone all the way down, Matt wanting the peace of mind that they were secure inside their home.

The second they got in, Gabby hung back as Caitlyn went through the routine she'd become accustomed to before leaving their home, the child taking off her shoes and putting them in their place by the door before walking down the hallway, Dawson following closely behind her. As they walked into the main part of their home, Gabby smiled softly when she saw Kelly sitting on the couch with Sofia in his lap, the baby leaned back against his chest as their eyes were both focused on the television in front of them, Severide not having yet noticed their presence. Not until Caitlyn all but ran towards him.

"Sofia!" She shouted excitedly, the noise clearly startling the baby as her bright blue eyes darted around the room, Kelly smiling wide when he saw the young girl running towards them. Though his smile soon fell when he noticed the bruising and cut on her cheek, Severide immediately looking up towards Gabby, the woman shaking her head slightly. "I missed you!" Caitlyn continued, the young girl as happy as she'd been since before she left as she got to the couch and climbed up beside Severide. "Sof, did you miss me? I missed you!" She spoke as she sat on her shins, Sofia's eyes widening when she registered the small person beside her, the baby clapping her hands excitedly, her reaction alone bringing an even bigger grin to Caitlyn's face. Sounds of pure joy escaped Sofia's lips as she reached out for Caitlyn, the five year old wrapping her up in a hug as the baby continued to bounce in Severide's lap, all the adults in the room knowing Sofia still was probably too young to really remember much, especially since it had been a few weeks since she last saw Caitlyn. But regardless, the baby seemed just as happy to be seeing Caitlyn as Caitlyn was to see her, and that's all that mattered, Caitlyn being as gentle as she could while also hugging the little girl she'd missed so much.

As Caitlyn was greeting Sofia, Gabby heard Matt come up behind her, her husband still wearing the unsteady look that was seemingly etched into his skin as he dropped Caitlyn's bag down by the wall, Gabby offering him a small, weak smile as he came up beside her, his hand immediately moving towards her back.

"Well, it looks like Sof is happy to see her." He spoke quietly, both parents watching on at the scene as Caitlyn was talking animatedly to Sofia, the baby staring at her like she was able to follow along, though she had no idea what was being sad to her, while Kelly kept a hand on Caitlyn's back as the girl was sitting close to the edge of the couch, Matt unsure of if she'd even greeted Severide yet.

"She definitely is." Gabby replied with a soft smile, Matt nodding before a heavy sigh left his lips, Dawson looking back towards him and immediately seeing the uncertainty written across his face. "...What is it?" She pressed when he had yet to say anything, Casey shaking his head slightly as he continued to rub his hand over her back.

"I just… I'm still trying to process all this, I guess. I wasn't expecting this at all." He breathed out, making sure to keep his voice quiet as he didn't want to risk Caitlyn hearing him, Matt knowing the girl was already on edge after what all had happened over the last few weeks, and the last thing he wanted to do was have her hear something he said and take it the wrong way. "And what happened to her… I- I feel so guilty."

"Matt-"

"I know we didn't have a choice." He cut her off sadly, Gabby reaching up to place her hand on his cheek before stroking her thumb over his skin, Matt leaning into her touch. "But all we did was hurt her… Us leaving her, sending her to that new home, that did more harm than good, and I-" He stopped himself to take a breath, Gabby keeping her hand on him to calm him down as he gave her a sad smile, Matt's eyes telling her all she needed to know about just how hard this was on him. "I just feel like we let her down…"

"I know." She whispered almost instantly, Matt drawing in a deep breath before he reached his free hand up to grip her wrist. "I know you do, because I feel the same way… We had no choice, but with how she acted when we left, then what happened while she was there… It feels like we should've done something to keep it from happening. It's not our fault, we both know that… But I understand how you're feeling, baby." She told him, Matt giving her a slight nod as he ran his finger along the outside of her wrist. "But we can't change what happened, we had no say in where she went. All we can focus on now is that she's out of that house, and she's with us-"

"For now." He interjected, Matt unable to stop himself as Gabby's mouth closed quickly. "She's here for now, until she gets placed in another home again, where we have no idea how she's doing or if they're treating her right."

She could hear the frustration in his voice, Gabby's eyes widening slightly as she dropped her hand from his cheek, Matt soon recognizing his own anger, the man quickly shaking his head as a slight wince covered his face.

"Sorry, I'm sorry-" He apologized, knowing his frustrations were being misdirected towards the last person who deserved it. "I just hate that this is happening to her, again… She deserves a good home, with people who love her, who will care for her, and protect her. And that's two homes now where she's gotten the opposite of that, that we know of. Two homes where she's been mistreated by people who are supposed to love her, and it just- It kills me, because she doesn't deserve that." He rambled, Matt letting out everything he'd been holding onto since they'd been at DCFS, Gabby nodding in agreement as he took a few shallow breaths.

"You're right, she doesn't." She responded after a moment, Gabby's gaze moving back to the living room, finding Caitlyn still talking animatedly to Sofia, the five year olds tense demeanor now long gone as she was back in familiar surroundings, the girl no longer resembling the sad and broken child they'd gone to see earlier in the day. Instead she seemed to already be acting much more like herself, and Gabby could only assume it was because she was back in their home, the paramedic pursing her lips together before looking back towards her husband. "You're completely right… And I don't know what's gonna happen. I know-" She stopped herself, Matt hanging on her every word as Gabby continued. "I know there's a lot we need to talk about, things we need to figure out…" She spoke, Matt's eyebrows raising slightly before giving her a slow nod, "But for now, let's just focus on the fact that she's okay, alright? She's safe, here with us, and that's what matters."

Matt paused for a moment when she finished speaking before he nodded once more, both parents well aware of the conversation they were tiptoeing around. But they also knew this wasn't the time or the place for it, Casey giving her a small smile before he leaned forward to press a kiss against her forehead, the sound of Caitlyn's voice soon hitting their ears once more as they tuned back in to their surroundings, the five year old now having moved on to Severide as Sofia was distracted by the toy in her hands.

"Yeah, I missed you too, squirt." Severide spoke up, the parents knowing they'd missed part of the conversation as they both walked into the room just as Caitlyn leaned over and gave the man a tight hug.

"Hey Sev." Casey greeted, the man giving him a nod as Caitlyn pulled away and looked back at Gabby and Matt, the bruise across her face still taking them by surprise every time they saw it, the redness around her eyes only making that feeling all the worse despite the genuine smile they saw form across her lips. "Thanks for staying with Sof."

"Of course man, it was no problem." He spoke, adjusting the baby in his arms before he stood up, Caitlyn copying his actions as she got up as well, Sofia squirming around excitedly when she saw her parents. "I'm gonna go, get out of your hair." He told them, Matt catching the look in his eye that told him they'd be having a rather long talk here soon, Severide clearly wanting details as to what exactly happened, Casey giving him a quick nod in response.

"You wanna stay for dinner?" Gabby offered, Severide soon shaking his head before handing Sofia off to Casey, the baby squealing excitedly as she was now in the embrace of her father, while Matt bit back a grimace as the soreness in his body flared up.

"Nah, that's okay, I need to get going. But that's though." He replied, Dawson nodding as he stopped by her to give her a quick hug and kiss on the cheek, before he patted Casey's shoulder. "I'll see you guys later."

"Bye Kelly."

"Bye Uncle Kelly!" Caitlyn spoke excitedly, Severide chuckling softly as he got to the door, the man turning back around to wave goodbye to the five year old before he left their home, Gabby following his path so she could go and lock the door while Matt stayed in the living room with the kids.

After Gabby secured the lock in place, she turned back around to find Matt walking towards the couch with Caitlyn in tow, the young girl following as closely behind him as she could without running into him as they got to the large piece of furniture, Casey barely able to sit down before Caitlyn was climbing up beside him and cuddling into his arm. With Sofia tucked into one side, he lifted his arm up, letting Caitlyn snuggle up against him, the girl resting her head against his side as her hand fell onto his stomach, Matt wrapping his arm around her to keep her close as he held onto Sofia as well, the baby content to just sit there and chew on her fist as Gabby walked closer to them.

"Can we watch a movie?" Caitlyn asked, her warm brown eyes focused on Gabby as she leaned more into Matt, the girl as close as she could get to him as her legs hung off the side of the couch.

"Maybe after dinner and bath time, honey." Gabby spoke up first, Caitlyn pausing for a moment before nodding. "It's already a little past when we normally eat, so what do we think about a quick dinner tonight? How do waffles sound?" She questioned, Caitlyn nodded in agreement as a soft smile fell onto her face.

"They sound yummy!" She replied brightly, nuzzling her cheek against Matt's side as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Can I have bacon, too?" She questioned, her words almost hesitant, Gabby immediately nodding before she continued to the kitchen.

"Of course you can." She answered, not missing the pleased smile that fell onto Caitlyn's face before she focused her eyes on the TV that was still playing cartoons for Sofia, though the baby wasn't really paying much attention to it.

As the night wore on, it was soon time for dinner, Gabby having made a quick meal of waffles, eggs, and bacon, Caitlyn having broken away from Matt halfway through the process to come help, the young girl given the task of getting hers and Sofia's plates and silverware out. And it was a task she completed well, Caitlyn remembering exactly where everything was, the young girl getting Sofia's plate over to her high chair just as Gabby had finished putting the food on the table, Matt focused on getting the baby seated and ready to eat. And though Caitlyn helping always slowed things down a bit, Gabby more than welcomed it, the mother just happy to see that the young girl was still comfortable with them, and she was acting like she always had before she left.

Once they were all situated, Caitlyn sitting in the chair next to Matt while Gabby was across from them, the parents began to get the kid's their food before they did anything else. While Caitlyn sat patiently waiting for Matt to cut up her waffle, Gabby put some eggs and a few pieces of waffle on Sofia's plate, the baby smacking her hands excitedly against her high chair as she waited for her food, Caitlyn carefully reaching for her glass of milk and taking a small sip.

"Thank you for coming back." She spoke suddenly after she put her glass back down, Matt and Gabby both looking up from their tasks when they heard her small voice, neither parent expecting to have heard those words from her, Gabby drawing in a deep breath while Matt stopped his movements, the blonde girl looking at them with an innocence in her eyes that nearly broke their hearts.

"I was sad, when I was gone. I wanted to be with you… And they got mad at me for being sad. But I wanted to see you." She continued, her little brain doing what it could to voice what she was feeling. "I missed you, and was scared, cause they got mad at me… Like the other people used to. But I don't know why they were mad." She spoke, her words unsure as Caitlyn tried to grasp things that her little mind should never have to deal with. "When I got sad, and cried, they were mad. But I only cried because I missed you. And I missed you lots. But you came back." Her voice perked up towards the end of her sentence, Caitlyn smiling softly as she continued watching them. "So I'm not sad anymore."

"I'm-" Gabby cut herself off, clearing the emotion from her throat as Caitlyn focused solely on her. "I'm sorry you were sad, honey… We never want you to be sad, or scared." She spoke softly, Gabby waiting until she got a nod from the girl before she continued. "But you know you never need to feel that way with us, yeah?" She repeated the words she'd probably told her at least ten times since they first met, Caitlyn's smile growing before she nodded once more.

"I know."

"And we missed you, too." Matt spoke up, saying the words Caitlyn already knew. "Every day." He added, Caitlyn nodding happily before Casey moved her plate back in front of her, the man rubbing her back as she got a bite to eat. "Especially Sof."

Her smile widened when he said those words, Caitlyn working on finishing the food she was chewing before she gave an enthusiastic nod, both parents just glad to see her in better spirits than she'd been in just hours ago.

"I missed her, too!" She replied, the young girl carefully reaching for her drink and taking a slow sip before continuing. "I slept with my stuffed animal every night! Does Sof have hers?"

"She does." Gabby replied, Caitlyn nodding before getting another bite to eat. "It's up in her room."

Those words caused the five year old to perk up, her eyebrows raising slightly as she looked back and forth between them, Matt tilting his head to the side as he saw her deep in thought.

"What is it, Caity?" He questioned, Gabby doing her best to suppress her smile at the nickname her husband had given the young girl, as Caitlyn answered without missing a beat.

"Is my room still here?" She asked, her eyes wide as she waited for their answer, Caitlyn clearly a bit worried that things had changed during her absence.

"It is." Gabby replied quickly, both her and Matt seeing the look of relief that covered the young girl's face, Caitlyn's eyes flickering back and forth in between them before she nodded. "Everything's exactly how it was when you were here, honey… Your bed, your toys, everything's there, I don't want you to worry about that."

"Okay." She responded, obviously satisfied with the answer she'd been given as she took another small bite of her dinner, Gabby and Matt sharing a knowing look before they got some food for themselves.

"Now we all need to eat up and eat all of our dinner, yeah?" Gabby spoke, her eyes focused on Caitlyn, knowing sometimes the young girl struggled with eating enough during her meals. "Then once we finish, we can get ready for bed, and I think we might just be able to watch a movie before we go to bed." She prompted, her words bringing a smile to the young girl's bruised face.

"And cuddles?" She asked excitedly, the girl bouncing in her seat as Matt chuckled softly, Gabby nodding in agreement with a wide smile across her face.

"Yes baby, and cuddles." Casey assured her, the man pressing another kiss to the top of her head before Caitlyn went back to her dinner, her red eyes and bruised skin the only remaining evidence of just how rough today had been on her as Matt and Gabby looked at each other.

Without saying a word, they were able to understand all they needed to, the parents knowing that while today hadn't gone at all the way they planned, they were more than grateful to have Caitlyn back with them, despite the fact they wished it had never come to this. But they knew there was nothing they could do to change it now; what happened, happened, and all they could do was help Caitlyn move on from it, and make sure the little girl felt safe, and happy, and loved.

And they would spend however much time they had with her making sure she knew exactly that.