Hi everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all, I hope you all like it! From what I can tell, most of you are glad to have Caitlyn back, which I figured you all would be. Now we'll just have to wait and see where Matt and Gabby go from here. And I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this one, as well.

Also, just a heads up, there won't be an update for this story, or one for Whatever Comes Next, next week. But I should be back the week after with both those stories, just so you all know!

Thanks for reading! Stay safe, everyone.

Chapter One Hundred and Two

Gabby took slow, deep breaths as she laid in bed, the lamp on her husband's nightstand the main source of light in the room while she gently stroked the hair of the young girl clinging to her, the child nestled into her side as she slept, her little arms wrapped around Gabby's waist while her head was pressed to her chest. It was a position they'd been in for a little over an hour now, Gabby knowing she probably should get some rest as well, but with as hard as today had been, and the even rougher night, her main concern was making sure Caitlyn was getting the sleep she needed.

Under the tough circumstances, things had gone relatively okay this evening in the Casey household as they wound down from the unexpected turn the day had taken. Once they'd finished up dinner, the simple food proved to make more of a mess than either parent anticipated, which led to early baths for both girls while their dinner had to wait to be cleaned up. Matt had been tasked with cleaning up Sofia, the father giving his daughter a bath in the girl's bathroom upstairs, while Gabby had supervised Caitlyn's shower in their own bathroom downstairs. And while everything had gone fine, it wasn't lost on Gabby that the five year old was showing a few signs of some unusual behavior.

While Gabby, or Matt, hanging close by during her showers wasn't uncommon, the child still a little too young to be left alone completely, any time Gabby stepped away for a moment, Caitlyn would immediately call for her the second she realized she couldn't see her, the five year old clearly not wanting to be left alone. Even in times when Gabby hadn't gone anywhere, she would still poke her head out the shower door to make sure she was close by, as well as saying her name often to ensure she hadn't left. And that was something that was definitely out of the ordinary.

So Gabby quickly realized the best course of action was to just stay within her eyeline, the mother perching herself up on the counter while Caitlyn showered, Dawson only moving when the five year old needed help washing her hair. But while she sat there, she made sure to talk to her often, Gabby sensing Caitlyn was definitely struggling with the thought of being alone. So she did all she could to make sure the young girl knew she hadn't been left by herself, and eventually that seemed to help calm her down.

Then after the girls had finished their baths and were ready for bed, the four of them had all ended up downstairs, Sofia and Caitlyn playing on the floor with their toys while they watched Frozen, until both children eventually made their way onto the couch, Cailtyn cuddling up with Matt while Sofia was content to sit with her mother. And after how stressful the day had been, sitting together and watching one of Caitlyn's favorite movies was the best way for them all to unwind and spend some time together, the night having gone better than either parent expected after how worked up the five year old had been hours earlier.

But that all changed when it was time for bed.

Getting Sofia down had been easy enough, Gabby taking her upstairs and nursing her as she usually did, while Matt stayed downstairs to finish the movie with Caitlyn. And once Sofia finished feeding, and had been rocked for a few minutes before being put in her crib with her pacifier, the baby had fallen right to sleep, Gabby having made her way back downstairs to find Caitlyn and Matt exactly where she'd left them.

But getting the five year old to bed had been a different story entirely, both parents sensing the girl's anxiousness when it came time for her to go to sleep. And it only got worse the second they took her upstairs.

Despite their multiple assurances that everything was fine, and they weren't going anywhere, Caitlyn was near tears by the time she was laying down in her bed, the thought of sleeping alone clearly making her uneasy as the longer they'd laid with her trying to get her to fall asleep, the louder her panicked cries became. Even with their promises they wouldn't leave until she was resting, and that they'd be here in the morning when she woke up, it hadn't helped ease her fears as her cries only continued. And in that moment, it became clear to the parents that Caitlyn wouldn't sleep well without them, and they refused to leave her in her bedroom when it was so obvious she was scared, Matt and Gabby soon coming to the decision to take her back downstairs with them. When Casey had picked her back up and told her she was coming with them, she had calmed down considerably as she was carried downstairs, the child eagerly climbing into their bed and waiting for them to get ready to go to sleep before she curled up next to Gabby.

And that's where she'd been for the last hour, Caitlyn thankfully having been asleep for most of that time as she was practically laying on top of Gabby, the mother able to feel the rise and fall of her back underneath her arm as she held onto the little girl, Dawson wanting her to feel as safe and secure as she possibly could while she slept.

As she continued running her free hand through the girl's hair, Gabby looked up when she heard footsteps approaching their bedroom, the woman soon seeing her husband come into view as he walked into the room, Matt rubbing his hand over the side of his face before taking in the sight of Gabby and Caitlyn laying together, a weak smile forming on his lips while he walked back to the bed.

"Sof okay?" Gabby questioned softly, the woman scratching her fingers along Caitlyn's scalp before continuing to stroke her head, Matt giving her a reassuring nod before he sat down on his side of their king sized bed.

"Yeah, she's alright." He breathed out, Casey stretching his back out before lifting the covers carefully and making himself comfortable, the man not wanting to risk waking the little girl sleeping in between them. "Her pacifier fell out of the crib while she was sleeping, and I think when she woke up and couldn't find it, she got upset." He continued, Gabby nodding in understanding as he turned to face her. "But after I rocked her, she fell back asleep pretty easily." He finished explaining.

While they were both laying in bed nearly twenty minutes ago now, the parents focused more on the girl holding onto Gabby than their own rest, Sofia had begun to fuss through the monitor. At first, it was just low whines, the parents hoping she'd be able to get herself back to sleep. But less than a minute later it had become clear that wouldn't be the case, the baby's whines soon turning into loud cries, both parents knowing she likely wouldn't settle until one of them went to go help her as Matt was out of their bed in seconds, the father going to take care of Sof while Gabby stayed with Caitlyn. And, thankfully, the sounds of Sofia's cries, along with the sounds of Matt comforting her through the monitor, hadn't disturbed Caitlyn's rest at all, the five year old staying asleep as she was tucked underneath the blankets.

"Good, that's good… Both the girl's need to sleep." Gabby murmured, her words earning an agreeing nod from her husband.

"Yeah, it's been a long day." He replied, Matt turning to the side slightly to get a better look at his wife and the young girl, Gabby glancing at him as well. "...It still kind of feels like a dream- all this happening… I never thought we'd see her again, let alone have her back here with us. Although I guess it's more of a nightmare, with what happened to her…" His words were slow and soft, Gabby giving him a nod before he continued. "But all of this, it's just crazy. I wish things had never been like this for her… She deserves so much better than this."

"Yeah, she does." Gabby responded, Matt's eyes flickering down to the girl sleeping in his wife's arms. "She's been through more than one person ever should have to go through… But at least she's out of that home, and Tina can figure out some next steps for her." She spoke carefully, Matt drawing in a deep breath before he began talking.

"That is something we need to talk about," He started, his eyes finding those of his wife once more. "About what this means for Caitlyn, and us… for her here." His heavy words hung in the air around them, Gabby pursing her lips together tightly. "I mean, this feels like a sign to me, babe… Saying goodbye to her was one of the hardest things we've ever had to do, and, regardless of how it happened, she's back with us again… I can't help but feel like that happened for a reason, like it- Like she's meant to be with us, to stay with us."

Matt finally voiced the words neither of them had been able to say since this afternoon, though they both knew they had been hanging over their heads as Gabby took a deep breath, Casey keeping his eyes on her as her gaze moved forward, the man able to sense her uncertainty before she even said a word.

"Can we, uh- Can we talk about this later?" She said, the man raising his eyebrows as she slowly met his gaze, Gabby offering him a weak smile before she continued. "It's late, and I think we all need to get as much sleep as we can." Dawson elaborated, Matt pausing for a moment before he nodded in understanding.

"Yeah, of course… We'll talk tomorrow." He agreed, Gabby giving him a nod before she settled herself down into her pillows, the woman moving as carefully as she could with Caitlyn in her arms, while Matt got comfortable as well. He reached over to turn off their lamp, leaving the room completely dark aside from the light filtering in from the closet, the parents opting to leave that on for Caitlyn as Matt adjusted his body to face his girls. Drawing in a slow breath, Matt reached across Caitlyn to rest his hand on Gabby's stomach, his arm keeping the five year old in a secure hold as he felt his wife reach down to rest her hand over his. "I love you, baby." He murmured, rubbing his thumb along her covered stomach as he heard Gabby taking a deep breath before her tired voice responded.

"I love you, too."

Gabby's eyebrows furrowed as she was abruptly brought into consciousness, the mother immediately confused as she felt thrashing around beside her, little arms and legs fighting against her hold as she tried to grasp what was going on. But within seconds, it became clear, Gabby's mind clearing in an instant as she opened her eyes and looked down to see Caitlyn practically shaking beside her, the little girl crying as she was trapped in whatever nightmare was terrorizing her young mind.

Before she could even say anything, she felt Matt shift beside them, the man immediately reaching out to calm Caitlyn down as he was able to understand what was happening quicker than she could, Casey using his free hand to reach over and turn the lamp on.

"Caitlyn, honey-" Gabby tried as she sat up in bed, the girl trembling underneath the covers as she cried out, Matt and Gabby sharing a quick, concerned look before refocusing their attention on the little girl who needed their help. "Sweetheart."

"Caitlyn, wake up." Matt tried, rubbing her back with as much pressure as he could to try and pull her from her sleep, but not nearly enough to risk hurting her as Caitlyn turned her head towards Gabby's chest.

"Caitlyn!"

The young girl startled awake, a sharp, scared cry escaping her lips before she turned her head towards the ceiling, her eyes darting around anxiously as she tried to remember where she was, his gaze landing on Gabby first before she looked to Matt. From first glance, they could see the thin layer of sweat covering her skin as her teary eyes continued looking between them.

"It's okay, baby, you're fine." Gabby murmured before reaching her hand out to run her hand through the girl's hair, Dawson wincing slightly when she felt how damp it was.

"Everything's alright, sweetheart." Matt added, their combined words bringing fresh tears to her eyes as she only got more and more upset, the young girl clearly unsure as to what was happening as she felt nothing but uncertainty and fear. "You're okay, baby girl. We're here, we've got you." He continued, Matt leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead, the man feeling how warm she was before she reached up to wrap her arms around his neck, Caitlyn holding onto him for dear life. "Yeah, I know you're scared, it's alright… You're safe, baby. We won't let anything happen to you, you're okay." He repeatedly assured her, Gabby running her hands through her hair as she watched the sight in front of her, her heart hurting for how upset and terrified the young girl was.

But before she could think much further, Gabby felt a shift in temperature of the sheets underneath her leg, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion before she quickly understood what happened, the woman releasing a soft sigh before looking towards her husband.

Though Caitlyn's cries had quieted somewhat, she was still holding onto Matt as tightly as possible, the man doing what he could to comfort her from the awkward angle they were at, Casey pressing another kiss to the side of her head before he caught his wife's gaze, his own uncertainty growing when he saw the look on her face.

"What is it?" He questioned, Gabby releasing another breath before she tossed the covers off of her.

"I think she wet the bed." She murmured, Matt's eyes falling closed for a split second before he opened them once more, the man giving her a nod as she pushed the sheets off of all of them. And once she did, it was pretty clear that Gabby's assumptions had been correct, Matt shaking his head slightly before looking back to his wife. "Do you wanna get her cleaned up, and I'll handle this?" She offered, Matt giving her a nod before shifting his attention back to Caitlyn.

"Sweetheart." He murmured, patting her back before he slowly began to pull away, Caitlyn crying out before holding onto him tighter, Gabby's heart nearly breaking at the sight. "It's okay- it's okay, I'm not going anywhere. We just need to get you cleaned up. Everything's fine." He reminded her, her grip loosening enough to allow him to pull back completely, the man getting up off the bed as Caitlyn looked towards Gabby.

Dawson saw her red, tear-stained cheeks immediately, the mother giving her a reassuring smile before reaching out to rub her arm.

"I'm sorry." Caitlyn apologized as fresh tears slid down her skin, her voice hoarse as she spoke for the first time since being woken up, her bottom lip trembling as Gabby saw the look of panic that flickered in her eyes, the older woman knowing the bad memories the young girl had associated with something like this. "I didn't mean to."

But Gabby simply shook her head, the woman leaning down to kiss her forehead before giving her arm a gentle squeeze. "It's alright, honey." She assured her, pressing another kiss to her head before Caitlyn gave her a slight nod, though Dawson didn't miss the hesitation in her eyes. "We're not mad at you, it's not your fault."

"Okay." Caitlyn nearly whispered, the young girl sniffling as endless tears continued rolling down her skin, Gabby giving her another assuring nod as she rubbed her arm.

"Come here, sweetheart." Matt eventually spoke up, Caitlyn turning to find the tired man standing up beside the bed, his arms outstretched towards her, silently signaling her to come to him. "We're gonna get you cleaned up, alright?"

The five year old nodded, her body still a little shaky from the uneasy sleep she'd just been woken from as she managed to stand up, Gabby helping her movements until she was securely in Matt's arms, the man carrying her towards their bathroom as Dawson began to strip the bed. Blowing out a sigh, her eyes moved to the clock on her nightstand, seeing it was just past three in the morning as Gabby heard the shower turn on before she yanked the comforter to the ground. Continuing the process, she managed to get the sheets off the bed, Gabby thankful to see that nothing had soaked through the mattress pad.

"Here you go, babe."

Gabby looked up as Matt walked through the open bathroom door, the man holding onto what she assumed to be Caitlyn's dirty pajamas, the wife giving him a grateful nod before taking the small clothing from him.

"Thank you." She murmured in response, Matt giving her a soft smile. "...She okay?"

"She's said sorry two more times in like thirty seconds." He breathed out, Matt shaking his head as Gabby saw the frustration in her husband's demeanor, Dawson knowing exactly why he was upset, because she felt the same way as neither parent liked how Caitlyn felt like she had to apologize over something like this. "And the nightmare is a whole other issue, I just- I don't know how to help her."

"We just have to be there for her." Gabby told him, though she was aware Matt already knew the answer. "After all she's been through… That's all we can do for her-"

"Matt…"

They heard Caitlyn's timid voice filter out of the bathroom, her tone telling them she was feeling anxious at Matt not coming back right away, Gabby releasing a soft sigh as she reached out to pat her husband's chest reassuringly.

"I'm coming, baby." He called back, Gabby rubbing over his t-shirt covered chest before nodding towards the bathroom.

"Go, she needs you." She replied, Matt picking up on her pointed words even in his exhausted state before he nodded as well, the man walking back towards the bathroom to help Caitlyn while Gabby continued working in the bedroom.

Within a few minutes, Gabby had gotten their bed sheets and Caitlyn's pajamas in the wash, as well as quietly making her way upstairs to get a fresh set of sheets from the linen closet, Gabby moving as silently as she could with being so close to her daughter, the woman stopping in Caitlyn's room as well to grab her a new pair of clothes for her to wear to bed before heading back downstairs.

While Gabby had completed her tasks, Matt was helping Caitlyn get cleaned up, the girl having remained quiet since he came back into the bathroom. It was obvious that the five year old was unsure of how to act after everything that had just happened, so she stayed quiet, Casey not pushing her to talk as he did what she needed to help her. And soon enough, they had finished her quick, makeshift shower, Matt turning off the water before reaching for a towel.

"Come here, Caity." He spoke softly as he held out the towel for her, the man wrapping her up in the soft material once she had stepped out of the shower, her swollen eyes focused down towards the ground as he squatted down to her level. Drawing in a deep breath, he watched her closely, Matt seeing her puffy and swollen eyes; eyes that held far more sadness than any five year old's ever should, the man pursing his lips together before reaching back towards the sink for the t-shirt he had grabbed from the dresser for her to wear, Matt opting for one of Gabby's as he knew it wouldn't swallow her nearly as much.

One she was dried off, Caitlyn handed him the towel before he pulled Gabby's shirt over her head, the young girl pushing her arms through the material, the shirt practically down to her forearms as the larger piece of clothing hung off of her.

"Are you feeling better?" He murmured, brushing a few strands of blonde hair behind her ear as she slowly met his gaze, a soft frown forming over his face when he saw just how upset the young girl still was, Caitlyn's jaw trembling as a couple lone tears escaped her eyes.

"I'm sorry." She said again, her small voice sounding far away as her brown eyes focused on him, Matt immediately shaking his head.

"Caitlyn-"

"I was bad." She stuttered out, his eyebrows furrowing before a heavy feeling settled in his gut, Matt drawing in a deep breath as he reached out to place his hands over her arms. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to- I was scared."

"Honey, it's okay." He told her yet again, knowing the child needed as much reassurance as he could give her. "You weren't bad, and you didn't do anything wrong. You were just scared… And being scared doesn't mean you need to be sorry, you're not in trouble." His words were as strong as they could be, while remaining calm enough to not frighten her, all the exhaustion he was feeling long gone as he focused on making sure she knew everything was alright. "I'm sorry you were scared, baby. I wish you weren't, but you don't need to be sorry for that, okay? No one's mad at you."

"Promise?"

Her insecure voice sounded so sad, it nearly broke Matt's heart, the man swallowing the thick lump of emotion that had formed in his throat before he gave her a nod. "I promise, Caitlyn." He assured her, the young girl breathing slowly as she gave him a nod, Matt wiping away a few of the new tears that had fallen before he leaned forward to kiss the side of her head, the father hearing her sniffle when he kissed her once more. "We love you, baby, I promise we're not mad at you. You didn't do anything wrong." He told her once more as Caitlyn wrapped her arms around his neck and held onto him tightly, Matt reciprocating the hug as he leaned back on his heels, slowly pulling Caitlyn's body with him as he moved.

"I love you." Her words were soft, and barely audible as her head was tucked against his neck, but regardless, he heard her, Matt smiling warmly before he pressed another kiss to the side of her head.

"I love you, too, sweetheart." He breathed out, rubbing his hand over her back before she slowly pulled away from him, her wide eyes staring straight at him as her arms hung by her sides.

"...I'm glad I'm home." She told him, Matt's breath catching in his throat momentarily before he was able to steady himself. "I missed you, and Gabby. And Sof… I didn't like being gone. It was scary without you." She continued, Casey brushing her hair back before his palm landed on her shoulder.

"We missed you too." He told her, knowing now wasn't the time to press what she'd said about this being her home, Matt knowing she was far too young to understand anyway. Though he'd be lying if he said his chest didn't swell with pride at how easily she referred to this place as her home. "And we're glad you're back…" He added, his eyebrows furrowing slightly as a picture started to come together in his mind as he completely registered her words, Matt sighing softly before he spoke up once more. "Is that what was scaring you? Was it about that house?" He questioned, the man referring to the nightmare they'd just woken her up from, the way Caitlyn immediately looked down giving him all the answer he needed, though she spoke up a few seconds later.

"I had a bad dream." She started, Matt nodding understandingly as he waited for her to continue. "We were with Miss Tina, and she was taking me away… I had to go back to that house and they were mean to me again." She told him, Casey rubbing her arm comfortingly. "And I tried to come back, but I couldn't. It made me sad, and I got scared…"

"It's okay, honey." He whispered, Caitlyn looking up at him as she stepped closer to him, clearly needing his comfort. "You don't need to be scared because of them anymore, you're never gonna have to go back there, I promise… Whatever happens, you'll never go back there."

"Okay." She responded, her eyes shining with exhaustion as he rubbed up and down over her arm, both Matt and Caitlyn turning towards the doorway when they heard some noise, the blondes finding Gabby standing in the doorway, clothing in hand as she took in the sight in front of her, a soft smile forming over her face when she saw Caitlyn standing there in her t-shirt.

"Hi guys." She spoke softly, the sound of her voice bringing a small smile to Caitlyn's voice.

"Hi Gabby." She replied, Matt rubbing her arm one last time before he stood up, Caitlyn moving closer to her foster mom while Gabby glanced at her husband.

"I got new sheets on the bed, so we're good to go." She told him as she reached out to run her hand through Caitlyn's hair once she got close enough, Gabby looking back down to her as the five year old watched her closely. "How are you feeling, baby?" She questioned, Gabby grateful when she saw the small smile that broke through Caitlyn's red and tired face.

"I'm okay. Matt made me feel better."

A small smile appeared over Casey's face when he heard her words, Gabby sparing a quick glance at him before looking back down to the young girl standing in front of her. "Yeah, he's good at that… He knows how to make me feel better, too." She responded, Caitlyn's smile widening slightly before she nodded, Gabby rubbing her hand along the side of the little girl's face before dropping her arm back to her side, the mother looking down to the clothing in her hands. "Are you ready to get some more sleep?"

"Mhmm… I'm not scared anymore."

"Good, I'm glad. We never want you to be scared." She replied with a soft smile. "Now, can you put these on for me, and then we can get some more sleep?" She requested, Gabby pulling out the pair of underwear from the stack of clothes she'd brought down from Caitlyn's room, the five year old nodding before taking the item of clothing from Gabby and completing the task a few moments later while Dawson placed the spare clothes on the sink and Matt hung up the damp towel.

"I'm all done." Caitlyn spoke proudly, Gabby smiling softly before she nodded.

"Good job, baby." She responded, before the three of them walked back out into the bedroom, their bed now covered in new sheets and all ready for them to sleep in as Gabby got situated first, Matt lifting Caitlyn onto the mattress before he sat down as well, the young girl cuddled into him as soon as she could before she reached back for Gabby, Caitlyn wanting to be as close to both of them as possible.

Once they were all comfortable, Matt reached over to turn off the lamp, the man hoping they'd all be able to get some more rest before morning as Caitlyn snuggled deeper into his side.

"Get some sleep, honey." He murmured into the quiet that had fallen over their room. "We're right here, everything's okay." He reminded her, his words being the last any of them heard as they all slowly fell asleep, Matt waiting until both of his girl's were resting before he even thought of letting himself succumb to the exhaustion he was so desperately fighting.

"Is she still sleeping?" Gabby asked as her husband walked up to her at the counter in their kitchen, Matt rubbing his tired eyes before he gave her a nod, the man glancing back towards the couch where Caitlyn was currently curled up fast asleep, the girl tucked underneath the blanket they usually kept along the back of the couch.

It was still early in the Casey household, far too early for either parent's liking as it was barely seven in the morning. But when Caitlyn had woken up nearly an hour ago and was unable to fall back asleep, both Matt and Gabby knew they were likely to be up for the rest of the day, despite the lack of sleep they'd gotten the night before.

Once they'd gotten up, the three of them decided to come out into the living room and watch some TV, Matt turning on a movie for Caitlyn before they cuddled up on the couch. And though it had taken a while, the young girl had finally fallen back asleep in Matt's arms, the couple thankful that she was getting some more rest that she desperately needed, because if they couldn't get any sleep, they at least wanted the assurance that their girls were well rested. Especially Caitlyn.

"Yeah, she is… Thankfully." He breathed out, Gabby nodding before handing him the cup of coffee she'd just prepared for him, Matt releasing a grateful breath as he took the drink. "Thank you, baby."

"You're welcome." She replied softly, Gabby grabbing her own cup before they walked towards the kitchen table, the parents wanting to stay far enough away from Caitlyn so they wouldn't disturb her much needed rest, but close enough to where she wouldn't panic whenever she woke up, Gabby sitting herself down at the table as Matt sat across from her. "How long do you think we have until Sof wakes up?" She questioned after a few moments, Gabby taking a long sip of her coffee, the woman hoping the caffeine would help wake her up as Matt shrugged softly.

"I don't know… Hopefully awhile. I hope her and Caitlyn both sleep for as long as possible." He spoke, his voice quiet as Gabby gave him a nod.

"Yeah…" She agreed, Matt drawing in a deep breath before he turned back, the man looking at the girl sleeping on the couch, her body barely visible underneath the heavy blanket keeping her warm, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing slightly when she saw how much tension his body was holding. "What is it?" She asked after a second, Casey looking back towards her before their eyes locked on one another, Gabby giving him a knowing look as he released a heavy sigh.

"Nothing, I was just thinking about her…" He spoke, nodding back to Caitlyn. "And that nightmare she had." He continued, Dawson pursing her lips together before she nodded, the woman not missing the slight wince that covered her husband's face. "And she, uh… She told me what it was about."

His words caught her attention, Gabby raising her eyebrows before she leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows down on the table. "What was it?" She pressed, Matt placing his drink down before rubbing his hand along the side of his face. "What is about that family she was with?"

"Kind of… But I think it was more so about us." He told her, confusion immediately covering her face.

"What do you mean?" She questioned before he could say any more, Matt taking a deep breath as he continued.

"She told me we were with Tina, and she had to go be with that family again. That it scared her, and they were mean to her." He quickly recanted the simple words Caitlyn had told him earlier this morning, Gabby shaking her head as she grimaced, the woman clearly bothered by the nightmare their foster daughter had. "And she said how she tried to come back to us, but she couldn't… And I think that's what actually was scaring her. She's scared of not being with us anymore."

Casey saw the immediate shift in his wife's demeanor, her sadness and worry evident as her eyes flashed back towards the couch, Matt watching as a slight frown formed over her lips before she looked back towards him.

"I think she's afraid we're gonna leave her again." He continued when Gabby had yet to say anything, the woman running her tongue along her bottom lip before she clenched her hands together, Matt noticing when she averted her eyes down to the table.

She knew what he was wanting to talk about. It was the same conversation he'd tried to have when they got home yesterday, then again last night before they went to bed. It was the same conversation that had her anxious, the conversation she knew they needed to have, but one that made her incredibly apprehensive.

Though she also knew she couldn't put it off any longer, not when Caitlyn was struggling as much as she was. Not when this little girl had been through so much, and needed people who loved her and would put her above everything else.

But regardless of that, and her personal feelings for the little girl, that didn't help her uneasiness towards the process, their past with situations like this permanently ingrained in her.

"Gabby…" Matt prompted when she had yet to say anything, the woman meeting his eyes as she took a few shallow breaths, Gabby being met by nothing but understanding in his gaze as he waited for her to speak up.

"I… There was a part of me, a big part of me, that just wanted to tell Tina we'd take her…" She started suddenly, Matt a little caught off guard by her abrupt words, but he said nothing, knowing well enough to just let her continue. "When we were there yesterday, my first thought was that I wanted to tell her that we'd permanently take her, that we wanted to adopt her, and make this her home, but- I know this is something we need to talk about." She continued, Matt giving her a supportive nod, the man relieved to know that this was something she'd been thinking about, though he wasn't exactly surprised. "And everything before, with Louie- It's still hard, to think about what happened when we did this for him, and there's a part of me that's still so scared it'll happen again." She admitted, Matt's eyes shining with compassion as he pushed himself up from his seat and walked around the table towards her, the man pulling out the chair next to her before taking a seat, Casey wanting to be as close to his wife as possible. "And I don't know if I can handle something like that happening again."

"I know, baby." He breathed out, rubbing his hand over her back. "There's a lot to this, a lot we don't know…" He told her, Gabby nodding as she angled her body towards his.

"And I… Saying goodbye to Caitlyn was awful. It felt like what happened with Louie, but even with as bad as that was, we knew we weren't trying to adopt her. There was a part of me that, as hard as dealing with that was on us, we knew we had no other choice… But this, trying to adopt her, if we were to go into that, and something happened again, I don't-" She cut herself off, Gabby blinking quickly as Matt continued rubbing her back. "It just worries me."

Her words were vulnerable as they left her lips, Matt nodding understandingly as he reached his free hand out to grab hers, Gabby holding onto him tightly as she caught his gaze. "I know." He repeated, offering her as supportive a smile as he could. "What we went through with Louie, I know we'll never be able to completely forget that pain. And then again having to say goodbye to Caitlyn… If we had to go through that a third time, it's almost unbearable to think about… But this isn't about us, baby."

The second those words left his lips, her spine straightened, Gabby remembering how she'd said that exact thing to him just before they lost Louie, a knowing look covering his face as he continued rubbing her back.

"Caitlyn, she- She needs a home. She needs a family, with people who love her, and care about her. With people who will protect her with everything they have, and she has that with us. She's been through so much, been mistreated and hurt, more than any child ever should, and I can't imagine what that's been like for her, but she needs to be with people who will make sure that never happens again." He continued, Gabby giving him a slight nod as she leaned back into his hand. "And she wants to be here." He added, his words going straight to her heart. "She trusts us, and she wants to be with us, I think we all know that."

"Yeah, she does." Gabby murmured, Casey giving her a small smile before he spoke up once more.

"She sees us as her parents, and I think she has since she got here… And I know we both see her as a daughter." He said, their conversation from just after they lost Caitlyn replaying in his mind as Gabby gave him a nod. "She came into our lives, and immediately became a part of our family… And now we have the chance to make it official. To give her the life she deserves to have, with people who love her."

"Yeah… I know you're right, I know it would make the most sense for us to do this, and that we both want her here with us, but I just- There's a part of me that's still scared to try and go through that process again."

"I know you are, and I am, too." He replied, Matt needing her to know he had the same reservations she did, that she wasn't in this alone. "And maybe us thinking about adoption, maybe we're getting ahead of ourselves… I know we need to talk to Tina. Because when it comes down to it, we don't really know much of anything about Caitlyn, or her past." He told her, Gabby giving him an agreeing nod. "We don't know anything about her parents, and I know we'd need to. We'd need to know what we'd be getting ourselves into before we do anything, but I… I feel like maybe this is what was meant to happen." He breathed out, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing together slightly as his hand moved down to her lower back.

"What do you mean?" She questioned, Matt breathing in deeply before he spoke up.

"Everything we went through with Louie, and that experience, I know that completely blindsided us, and made it hard to ever consider adopting again, but maybe Caitlyn came into our lives for a reason…" He started, Gabby staying quiet as she let him continue. "Because with Sof… I love our girl, and she's definitely our little miracle and I wouldn't change anything about having her, but I don't know if I can go through that again." He admitted, Gabby drawing in a slow breath as he shook his head. "Going through a pregnancy, just waiting for something bad to happen… That nearly broke me. Almost losing you, it killed me, and I don't know if I could go through something like that again."

"Matt…"

"I know you'd likely be fine." He interjected, the man sensing he knew what she was about to say. "Dr. Tanner said everything looked fine, and there was no reason you couldn't have a healthy pregnancy… but she also said there was a chance you could develop another aneurysm during pregnancy, and that terrifies me." He spoke, his heavy words filling the air around them as Gabby gave his hand a squeeze. "And then reading that letter-" He cut himself off, Gabby's eyes falling closed as she heard the emotion in his voice, "That just brought all those feelings, and that worry, back, and I don't know how to handle that."

A silence fell around them for a moment, Gabby and Matt both taking a second to gather themselves as they worked their way through this topic that weighed so heavily on them both. And under different circumstances, they likely wouldn't be doing this right now, but Caitlyn changed things, and they knew they didn't have the luxury of waiting for the right moment.

"And I… I know how I feel about you carrying another child, that's kind of how you feel about adoption. After everything that's happened, you're worried about doing this, and I understand it… I do. And I feel the same way. I'm nervous, and scared, about getting into all this and something happening- her being taken away, but I just… I feel like we're meant to do this, baby." He told her, his voice strong as he kept his soft eyes locked on hers. "I know none of this was ever planned, but with Caitlyn ending up back at DCFS, what that family did to her, and her coming back to be with us… I feel like she's meant to stay here. For us to become her parents… You know I'm usually not the 'the universe giving us signs' type of person, but with how this has all happened, I can't help it… We both want more kids, we've talked about it since before Sof was even born, and maybe this is how it's supposed to happen."

Matt paused to take a breath, Gabby mulling over his words as a heavy silence filled the air around them, the only sound being the low murmur of the TV playing Caitlyn's show while she slept, Casey sparing a glance towards their foster daughter before looking back to his wife, her unsteady look telling him all he needed to know.

"This isn't something we need to decide right now." He told her after a moment, Gabby's face remaining blank. "We both need to be sure, before we even think about doing this, but I just wanted you to know where I'm at, and that I-"

"We should talk to Tina." Gabby cut him off, his eyebrows raising in question.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." She told him. "I… I'm nervous about this, I won't pretend I'm not, but the way we felt when we had to say goodbye to her… I don't wanna lose her again, Matt." She spoke softly, her words bringing a small, understanding smile to his face. "She feels like our daughter, like she belongs here with us, and Sof. Regardless of what worries we have, it's like you said, this isn't about us. This is about Caitlyn, and what she needs. And what she needs is us." She told him, Matt giving her an immediate nod in agreement while he squeezed her hand. "So I think we should call Tina, and at least figure out what options we have, then go from there… That's what I want to do."

The second she finished speaking, Matt dropped her hand and wrapped his arms around her, the two connecting in a tight hug as her head fell down onto his shoulder, Gabby soon reciprocating the action as she hugged him back.

"I love you." He breathed out, rubbing his hand through her hair as a small smile formed over her lips.

"I love you, too." She responded, pressing a kiss to his t-shirt covered shoulder before nuzzling closer to him.

But their quiet moment was soon interrupted by the sound of fussing through the baby monitor, Gabby sighing softly before she pulled away from her husband.

"I guess Sof's awake." She told him, Gabby rubbing her hand along his side before she stood up.

"Want me to get her?" He offered, Dawson shaking her head as she pushed her chair back towards the table.

"No, it's alright. She'll want to eat, anyway… You just stay here with Caitlyn." She spoke, her eyes flashing towards the resting girl before she looked back towards her husband. "She'll want you when she wakes up." She added, her words bringing a soft smile to Matt's face before he gave her a nod, Gabby rubbing her hand through her hair before she headed towards the steps to go take care of their daughter, while Matt grabbed his coffee and moved back towards the couch, the man smiling softly when he saw Caitlyn still deep with her slumber. After their long night, he was just glad to see she was relaxed enough to get some more sleep, Matt knowing the best thing he could do for her right now was leave her be and let her rest.

But that wouldn't keep him from sitting next to her while she slept, Matt wanting to make sure he did all he could to comfort her and keep her safe, even if she wasn't awake to realize it, the man well aware that if things went the way they hoped, looking out for Caitlyn was something he'd be able to do for the rest of his life.