Hi everyone! Here's the next chapter of our favorite little family for you all, I hope you like it!
I do want to take a moment to thank OliviaLovesFitz8, they sent me some suggestions for this fostering/adoption storyline, and gave me a lot of tips on how to make it more authentic, some of which are included in this chapter, and I'm so grateful to them for helping me out!
Also, just so you all know, I'm not sure if I'll have updates next week or not. My birthday is this coming Saturday, so I might give myself a little break, but I'm not sure yet. If I have time, I'll try and get an update posted, but it might be the Monday after next before the next chapter is up!
Chapter One Hundred and Five
Dawson stood in front of the dresser in Caitlyn's bedroom, the woman working on putting away her folded laundry as she placed her various sets of pajamas in their drawer, Gabby humming softly as she worked while also keeping herself alert in case the five year old needed her. It was pretty late in the evening, Gabby knowing both her girls would probably be in bed soon as they'd had an eventful Sunday in the Casey household, Caitlyn and Sofia both having been practically bouncing off the walls all day.
Though there hadn't really been anything special about their plans for today, when Kelly and Jemma had come over to spend some time with the family, the young girls had been over the moon about getting to see them, both first responders having spent the majority of the day with them while they watched football and hung out with the kids. And even though Jemma had left shortly after dinner, Kelly was still here, Severide currently downstairs with Matt and Sofia while Gabby supervised Caitlyn's bath, Dawson having had to practically pry the five year old away from Kelly to get her to come upstairs. Which, admittedly, Gabby didn't mind one bit. Because Caitlyn's behavior towards Severide, and Jemma, all day, was nothing but a reminder that the little girl, their little girl, was doing better.
And after how timid and afraid she'd been around other people since everything happened, it was always nice to see how much progress she'd made in the short time she'd been back with them. Even though she still had some hard moments, Caitlyn was becoming more and more comfortable, and that progress had definitely been helped by their trip to the firehouse last week.
Though they hadn't stayed very long, the family barely at 51 for an hour before they decided to leave, that little outing had seemed to do wonders for Caitlyn. During their time at the firehouse, though short-lived, Caitlyn hadn't had any problems being around so many people, the visit having gone much better than expected, which had prompted the parents to make more of an effort to get her around more and more people other than herself and Matt as often as they could, as long as Caitlyn was still able to handle it. Which had resulted in a second, longer, trip to the firehouse during second shift, as well as many, what Caitlyn would call 'play-dates' with Severide, and sometimes Kidd. Along with a few other visits from Jemma, all of which Caitlyn handled incredibly well.
And it seemed like every day, they were making more progress than the day before.
"Gabby!"
Dawson was pulled from her thoughts when she heard Caitlyn calling for her from the other room, the mother putting away the last bit of laundry in her hands before heading out of the young girl's bedroom towards the bathroom, Gabby walking in through the open doorway to find the five year old exactly where she'd left her mere minutes ago, sitting in the bath surrounded by all her toys.
"Everything okay?" She asked, the older woman seeing a shy, yet excited grin cover her face before she nodded, her wet blonde hair that Gabby had washed maybe ten minutes prior laying flat against her shoulders.
"I'm okay." She replied, Dawson raising her eyebrows slightly before she walked further into the bathroom, Caitlyn's eyes flickering down before she looked back up at her. "I wanted to know if you were still here." She explained further, Gabby's face softening before she gave her a slight nod, the woman squatting down in front of the tub, resting her forearms on the edge.
"I'm still here, baby." She told her, Caitlyn nodding with a small smile. "I was just in your room, putting your clothes away." She reminded her, earning another nod before the five year old looked down at the toys surrounding her.
"Okay!" She responded happily, Gabby suppressing a chuckle as the girl went back to playing, the mother turning back to look at the mermaid clock they had on the wall before returning her attention to the child.
"We're gonna need to get out here soon, though." She spoke, her words gaining Caitlyn's attention. "It's almost time for bed, and we've got a big day tomorrow, remember?" Gabby prompted, the young girl pursing her lips together before she nodded. "So just a few more minutes, then it's time to get out, alright?"
"Okay Gabby." She complied, Gabby giving her a soft smile before the girl's attention went back to her various toys while Dawson stayed close by.
Soon enough, it was time for her to get out, Gabby wrapping the young girl up in her fluffy, hooded panda bear towel, Caitlyn giggling as she saw herself in the mirror before she ran off towards her bedroom, her little feet padding against the ground while Gabby followed after her. And within minutes, Caitlyn was ready for bed, the little girl dressed in the long sleeve floral pajamas that she'd picked out, while her damp hair was tied back in a braid.
"Is Kelly still here?" Caitlyn questioned after helping Gabby hang up her towel, the mother rubbing her back before she nodded.
"Yeah, I think he is, sweetheart… Let's go see." She prompted, Caitlyn nodding with a small smile before she hurried off towards the steps, maneuvering her way around the baby gate and carefully making her way down the steps, Gabby turning off the bathroom light before following her path and making her way downstairs.
The sound of the football game hit her ears as she got close to the bottom, Gabby smiling softly as the living room came into view, the woman seeing her husband sitting on the couch next to his best friend, Severide lifting Caitlyn up onto the couch before she nestled herself up against Matt's arm. Neither man had noticed her presence yet, Gabby watching as Matt leaned down to press a kiss to the top of Caitlyn's head as she nuzzled against him, the man currently cuddling with his baby as a sleeping Sofia was curled into his chest.
Luckily, their daughter had already been bathed earlier in the evening, the one year old needing a bath as soon as they'd finished their dinner of spaghetti and meatballs, Sofia already prepared for bed as she slept peacefully against her father. And as Gabby got closer, she noticed Sofia's little fist holding onto her father's shirt, the baby sucking on her pacifier while Matt lazily ran his hand along her back soothingly, while his other arm kept her supported against him.
Stopping over by the table, Gabby took a moment to take in the view in front of her, the sight of her husband and their two girls something that filled her with an absolute sense of peace as she looked at them. Caitlyn was resting her hand on Matt's leg while her side was pressed up against his, clearly wanting to be as close to him as she possibly could, while understanding he needed to hold Sofia as their daughter continued to sleep soundly.
"Hey baby." Matt spoke softly when he noticed her, the man finally pulling his attention away from the football game in front of him, Gabby meeting his eyes before matching his smile.
"Hey… Hey Kelly." She greeted their friend, Kelly giving her a slight nod before looking back at the game. "How long has she been out?" She questioned as she came to sit down on one of the chairs next to their couch, Matt glancing down to their daughter as he stroked her soft, curly hair.
"She fell asleep pretty soon after you two went upstairs, right after she finished her bottle." He told her, though his eyes were still focused on his baby. "I think today wore her out." He added, finally looking back up to his wife, Gabby giving him an agreeing nod.
"Yeah, I think it did… I think it wore both of them out." Gabby replied, her eyes flashing to Caitlyn as the five year old was already beginning to fade as she leaned against Matt, Casey glancing down at her with a soft smile before he nodded in agreement.
"It definitely did. But at least they'll sleep well tonight." He added, Gabby flashing him a small smile before looking towards the TV as she settled into her seat. But she had only been sitting for a few minutes before her husband began shifting around on the couch, Gabby looking over just as Caitlyn reluctantly lifted her head up off of his arm.
"You okay?" She questioned, Matt nodding with a soft smile before glancing down towards his daughter.
"Yeah, I'm good… I'm just gonna go put her to bed." He spoke softly, Gabby giving him an understanding look as he slowly stood up, Caitlyn leaning back against the couch as a heavy yawn escaped her lips.
"You want me to?" Dawson offered, Matt shaking his head as he cradled his sleeping baby to his chest, Sofia not stirring one bit despite all the movement.
"Nah, I got her." He replied, flashing his wife a warm smile before he stepped around her, Matt glancing back towards Kelly to give him a look that implied he'd be back in a bit before he continued carefully towards the steps.
Gabby kept her eyes on his retreating form until he'd disappeared around the corner on the staircase, the mother releasing a soft sigh before looking back towards the couch, a small smile forming over her face as she noticed Caitlyn barely able to keep her head up as she sat next to Severide, Kelly patiently watching the game. Without a word, Gabby pushed herself up from her seat and claimed Matt's spot on the couch, the woman barely able to even sit down before Caitlyn had leaned over towards her, the little girl snuggling into her chest as Gabby wrapped her arms around her.
Silently, Gabby ran her hand up and down Caitlyn's back as the five year old cuddled against her, her little body halfway on top of hers as her arm wrapped around Dawson's waist. Another yawn escaped her lips, Caitlyn nuzzling her head against her as she watched TV with Kelly, though from her body language alone, Gabby could tell Caitlyn likely wouldn't be awake much longer.
"We really wore her out today, huh?" Severide repeated Matt's earlier words after a few minutes, Gabby glancing towards him as her hand continued running lightly over Caitlyn's back, a small smile growing on Dawson's face before she looked down towards the five year old practically asleep in her lap.
"Yeah, you and Jemma definitely did. But she had fun."
"I'm glad she did… I know how worried you and Casey have been about her." He said quietly, earning a slow agreeing nod from his friend.
"It's been difficult, but she's doing better. That's what matters." She replied, Severide nodding immediately before taking a sip of his drink.
"She definitely is." He responded, Kelly eyeing the sleeping child before looking back towards Gabby. "Speaking of," Severide started, his words gaining her attention as she looked back towards him. "Do you and Matt know when you'll be back at work?" He questioned, Gabby pursing her lips together before drawing in a slow, deep breath. "I know that's why you all are taking time off, so I wasn't sure if she'd gotten better enough to the point where you felt you could come back." He finished, Gabby clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth as she thought over his words.
"Honestly? We haven't really spoken about it, yet." She answered, catching Severide's gaze. "I know we need to, and that at least one of us, if not both of us, needs to get back to work, but I think we're both still just a little hesitant." Gabby breathed out before looking back down towards Caitlyn, finding her still fast asleep as the little girl held onto her.
"That's understandable. You all have had a lot going on."
"Yeah… I don't know, there's a part of me that feels like the reason we haven't talked about it yet has more to do with Matt and I, than her." She admitted, seeing the knowing look on Kelly's face. "She still has a difficult time some days, and she gets a little antsy around people she doesn't know, but she's been doing better, and what's helped her the most is getting back into her routine… And us going back to work is really the last thing we need to do for everything to feel normal around here, but, I don't know- We're just worried, I guess."
"Well, you have every right to be." Kelly replied, Gabby running her tongue along her bottom lip as she looked at him. "I saw her the night you all brought her back, she wasn't okay… I don't know what all she went through, but even from what I saw, she was struggling. So you and Casey have every right to be worried about her… And aside from all that, she's your kid," He spoke, his words bringing a small smile to Gabby's face, "you'd be worried about her even if everything was fine. Because that's just how you and Matt are. You two are amazing parents, to both her and Sof."
"Thank you, Kelly." She murmured, his heartfelt words catching her a bit off guard as the man nodded.
"Of course." He replied just as Matt came down the stairs, Gabby glancing over to see her husband walking towards them, a soft smile forming over his face when he saw her and Caitlyn.
"Hey… That didn't take long." Casey spoke, nodding towards the five year old who was fast asleep, Gabby shooting him a small grin as she continued rubbing the young girl's back.
"No, it didn't. She was out pretty much the second you went upstairs… I take it Sof's asleep?"
"Yeah, she didn't even wake up when I laid her down." He replied, Gabby nodding before glancing back down at Caitlyn. "We should probably get this little girl to bed, too."
"Yeah."
"I think it's time I head out." Severide said, Gabby and Matt both looking towards him.
"You sure?" Casey asked, Kelly giving him a nod. "This won't take too long."
"Yeah, I need to get going… Stella should be home by now, but thanks for having me over."
"Of course."
"Any time." Gabby added, the man nodding before he pushed himself up off the couch.
"I'll see you guys later." He spoke softly, leaning down to rub his hand over Gabby's shoulder as a goodbye, the woman giving him a soft smile before he and Matt headed for the door. Matt said his own quick goodbye to his friend before he left, Gabby watching as her husband locked up the front door and turned off the light just above his head, the man turning back around to find her watching him.
"You ready to take her upstairs?" Casey asked, Gabby giving him a soft nod before looking down at the five year old in her lap, Matt moving around to close all the curtains while Gabby began to lightly stroke her hand across the side of Caitlyn's face.
"Caitlyn," She murmured, stroking her cheek as the young girl began to shift around, clearly not liking being pulled from her peaceful rest. "Honey, it's time for bed." She continued quietly as Matt walked over to them, the man having completed his task as he stood in front of his two girls. The little girl groaned softly as she dug herself deeper into Gabby's embrace, Matt unable to hide his smile as his wife looked up at him with an amused expression covering her face. "Looks like you'll have to take her." She told him, Matt nodding before he leaned down.
"Let's get you upstairs, baby." He said, putting his hands underneath her arms before lifting her up off of Gabby's lap, the young girl immediately reaching out for him in her tired state as she settled in his arms. Hiding her face in his neck, she clung to him as he securely held onto her, his hand rubbing soothing patterns along her back while his other arm supported her weight underneath her, Gabby pushing herself up off the couch before they all headed upstairs to the little girl's room.
Caitlyn had been back to sleeping in her own room for a little over a week now, and thankfully, it had been without issue for the most part. The first night was a little rough, and had ended up with Gabby coming and sleeping in her bed with her, as Caitlyn was having a hard time being alone, but other than that, things had gone well. And now Caitlyn did just fine being back in her own room, the child able to sleep soundly as she knew she was safe and secure in their household.
When they got upstairs, they moved quietly, the small light plugged into the outlet in the hallway lighting their path as they did their best to ensure they didn't wake up little Sofia, the baby's door still slightly ajar like they always left it. As they walked into Caitlyn's room, Matt carefully laid her down onto the bed once Gabby had pulled the sheets back, the mother tucking her in while Casey went and turned on her nightlight.
"Goodnight, Caitlyn." Gabby murmured as she sat down on the edge of the little girl's bed, the woman leaning over to give the five year old her nightly hugs and kisses before bed, before Matt moved in to do the same. "Sweet dreams, baby."
"We love you, sweetheart." Matt added, both parents not missing the small, tired smile that graced her lips.
"I love you." She responded, her voice barely audible as she was half asleep, Matt leaning down to give her one last kiss to the forehead before she was out.
They waited for a few moments, Gabby keeping her hand on Caitlyn's chest while the girl slept, both parents wanting to know she was asleep before they carefully and quietly left the room, Matt pausing in the doorway momentarily to get one last glimpse of his little girl sleeping soundly before he followed Gabby downstairs, the couple more than ready to call it a night and get some much needed rest.
The Casey family sat in the waiting room of the unfamiliar building, Matt and Gabby sitting the somewhat uncomfortable chairs while Caitlyn was placed in the seat between them, the girl looking around at the room she didn't know, her hand placed securely on Matt's leg while her body was as close to his as she could possibly be. They'd been here for about half an hour, Gabby having filled out some paperwork while Matt did his best to keep Caitlyn distracted, both parents sensing the girl was a little anxious about being in a new place. And while her nerves now were nothing compared to what they would've been had they done this a couple weeks ago, she still was apprehensive to be in a new space, and they couldn't blame her.
"Why couldn't Sof come?" Caitlyn's small voice hit their ears as both parents looked down towards her, Caitlyn's brown eyes focused on Gabby, the mother taking a deep breath before speaking up.
"Because this is something just the three of us are doing, remember?" Dawson told her, repeating the conversation she'd had earlier in the day with the five year old. "We're gonna talk to this nice lady, and I think we're gonna play some games. But Sofia's a little too young, so she stayed home with Becca." She told her simply, Caitlyn giving her a slight nod.
Before Gabby could give her any more reassurance, a woman walked up to them, gaining their attention as both Gabby and Matt looked towards her. Though they hadn't met in person, Dawson had a pretty good idea of who this woman was as she came to a stop in front of them, the blonde looking to be a little younger than Gabby as she offered them a soft smile.
"Hi… You must be the Caseys?"
"Yes, that's us… I'm Matt, this is my wife Gabby." Casey introduced as he stood up. "And this is Caitlyn." He told her, knowing this woman was well aware of the situation as he and Gabby both had spoken with her over the phone a few times before coming here, along with her having Caitlyn's file from DCFS. "It's nice to finally meet you. We heard great things from Dr. Mitchell."
"You too, I'm glad to meet you in person." She spoke, offering them both a warm smile before she focused her attention on the shy five year old, Caitlyn now holding onto her stuffed animal tightly as her curious eyes focused on the unknown woman. Before saying another word, she crouched down in front of the child to be eye-level with her, Caitlyn watching her every move. "Hi Caitlyn… I know you don't know me, but my name is Lara Hawn, but you can call me Miss Lara. It's nice to meet you." She spoke, Caitlyn giving her a small nod as her legs swung in the air.
"It's nice to meet you, too." She repeated before looking over towards Gabby, the mother giving her a reassuring nod.
"Do you wanna come with me, and we can go and talk a bit?" Miss Lara continued, Caitlyn's eyes darting around nervously before she focused her attention on Matt, the man sensing her clear apprehension.
"Baby, it's okay." He spoke, Matt reclaiming his seat beside her as he placed his hand on her back. "Everything's fine."
"I don't wanna go." She practically whispered, both parents knowing the signs by now that Caitlyn was getting worked up, the child clearly unsure as she held onto her stuffed animal tighter. And while they were a little thrown by just how nervous she was, Matt and Gabby not entirely expecting it to this degree as she'd been doing so much better lately, they also knew this wasn't a black and white situation. She was still a child, a child who had good and bad days when it came to things like this; they just hoped they could get a handle on it before it spiraled into a full on meltdown.
"Caitlyn… Honey, look at me." Gabby spoke softly as Matt continued to rub her back, Dr. Hawn watching on as she took a few steps back, the woman thankful there weren't many people around. "Everything's okay. I know you're worried, but there's nothing to be scared of… Everything's just fine." She assured her, Caitlyn nodding slowly. "You're a little nervous, and that's okay… I get that way too, sometimes." She spoke, Matt smiling sadly at the mention of his wife's struggles with anxiety, the man remembering just how difficult that had been on her.
"You do?" Caitlyn asked, her voice barely audible as her wide brown eyes focused on Gabby.
"I do… I used to have a really hard time. I used to get nervous, and scared sometimes, especially in new places. Like you do." She tried her best to explain, wanting to make sure the little girl knew she wasn't alone. "But I had Matt to help me through it," She told her, Caitlyn glancing towards her foster dad as he gave her a soft nod, Gabby looking up at him as well before she continued. "I had Matt, just like you have us. You've just gotta talk to us, baby. It's okay if you get scared, but Matt and I are right here, alright?"
Caitlyn gave her a slow nod, both Matt and Gabby sensing that she was already feeling a bit better, the girl drawing in a deep breath before she looked back up at Gabby. "Okay." She replied, Matt patting her back before leaning down to press a kiss to the top of her head.
"You ready, Caitlyn?" Lara asked again, the woman still keeping her distance as Caitlyn gave a slow, somewhat reluctant nod.
"...Will you stay with me?" She asked as she turned to look at Matt, the man drawing in a deep breath before glancing towards Lara, Casey clearly not knowing what to say. But he soon got his answer as the woman gave him a quick nod, ensuring him it was alright.
"Yeah baby, we will." Matt replied, Caitlyn smiling softly before nodding once more, the girl sliding down off her seat as Matt and Gabby stood up, the family following the woman into what they assumed to be her office. Though when they stepped inside, it didn't look much like an office as it did a playroom, the only office-like thing about it being the desk, and the couch and chairs set up across the room. But other than that, it was mostly toys, along with what seemed like hundreds of drawings lining the walls.
"Caitlyn, do you wanna come sit over here with me?" Lara asked as she walked towards a smaller table set up by the window, Caitlyn gripping Matt's hand tightly. "Gabby and Matt aren't going anywhere, I promise. But I was thinking you and I could color a little bit, if that sounds okay to you?" She offered, Caitlyn looking back up to Matt, who immediately nodded with a reassuring grin.
"It's okay, honey." He spoke, holding his arm out to encourage her to walk over to the table, Caitlyn hesitantly going in that direction while Matt and Gabby hung back, before they took up residence in the two chairs across the room.
They wanted to give them some space, neither of them entirely sure how this process worked, but they also knew they couldn't leave the room, or that would inevitably lead to Caitlyn freaking out, so they settled for the two comfortable chairs across from the couch, their seats giving them the perfect view of Caitlyn while she talked with Miss Lara. But more importantly, it gave Caitlyn the perfect view of them.
"Alright, I know you're a little nervous, and that's okay. But today we're just gonna play a few games, and get to know each other a little better, does that sound okay?" She asked, Caitlyn thinking over her words before she nodded, Miss Lara giving her a soft smile before she grabbed a few blank sheets of paper and put one in front of Caitlyn. "Do you like drawing?" She questioned as she held out the box of markers, her words earning another nod from the five year old. "Do you draw a lot at home?"
"Yeah." She responded as she reached for a marker, her tongue poking out between her teeth in concentration as she looked between Miss Lara and the blank paper in front of her. "What should I draw?"
"Well, you can draw whatever you want." She told her, seeing the child's tight look hadn't gone away just yet. "How about you draw me a picture of a fun memory you have? Or maybe your family." She prompted, Caitlyn thinking over her words before she nodded, the little girl beginning to work on her drawing.
It was hard to tell what Caitlyn exactly had in the mind, the therapist not able to make out much in the beginning, but whatever she was working on, it was clear the five year old knew exactly what she wanted to draw, her eyes focused on the paper in front of her as she worked.
"So, you draw a lot when you're at home?" The woman repeated her question, Caitlyn looking up from her drawing for a moment before she continued, the little girl doing what she could to focus on her picture while also talking with Miss Lara, even though doing two things at once was sometimes hard for her.
"Yeah. Gabby and Matt let me color a lot."
"Oh, I bet that's fun." She replied, Lara watching her closely as Caitlyn once again nodded.
"I draw lots of pictures for Matt and Gabby, and Sof. They put them up in the house."
"They put your drawings up? That's really cool." She responded, waiting for Caitlyn to give her some sort of reaction, but she didn't say much of anything else as she continued to work. "Do you like when they put your drawings up?"
Caitlyn paused while she thought over the question, before she ultimately gave her answer. "Yeah, I do."
"Why is that?" She pressed, Caitlyn shrugging softly as she swung her legs off the edge of the seat.
"It makes me happy." The five year old replied simply, Gabby unable to stop the small, sad smile that formed over her lips when she heard that.
"Oh yeah?" Lara questioned, Caitlyn humming in response. "What about it makes you happy?"
"Cause they like them." She told her as she rested her head in her hand. "And cause that's what Daddy used to do."
Matt drew in a sharp breath when Caitlyn mentioned her father, neither parent having heard her ever speak of her dad before. All they knew about him was what Tina had told them, and even that wasn't much. But they'd never heard Caitlyn talk about him, though they hadn't pushed her too, either.
"Your dad used to hang up your drawings?"
"Mhmm… I remember them in the house. He loved them. He'd give me hugs and kisses when I gave him news ones, before he left." She spoke softly, the sad look on her face slowly diminishing as she looked over to her foster parents, her eyes locking on Casey. "Like Matt." She spoke, Caitlyn's light demeanor returning as the small smile reappeared across her lips.
"Matt likes your pictures?" Lara directed the conversation towards Casey, knowing they'd get back to Caitlyn's comment about her father.
"He loves them! He says they're so pretty, and gives me hugs when I give him new ones." She spoke proudly, her bright grin infectious as Casey was unable to stop his smile from growing. "And Gabby loves them, too… They both love them like Daddy did. And Matt and Gabby take them to work!"
"They do?"
"Yeah! Matt puts them in his office. I saw them!"
"Oh he does? What does Matt do?" Lara questioned, though she already knew the answer, Caitlyn's ears perking up before she answered.
"He's a firefighter, he saves people." She spoke with a grin. "He rides in a fire truck! He let me in it."
"That sounds so fun."
"It is! I love going to the firehouse." She replied before she continued drawing, the image coming together for Lara as she began to make out what Caitlyn was depicting. "They're all nice, and I get to play."
"And is that where Gabby works, too?" Lara asked, Caitlyn giving her a nod.
"Yeah, she works with Matt. But she's not a normal firefighter… She's a… A-" She tried to think of the word, Caitlyn pausing as her eyebrows furrowed in thought. "...I don't know what it's called. But she works at the firehouse."
"A paramedic?" Lara supplemented, Caitlyn nodding with a soft smile once she heard it.
"Yeah! She drives the white firetruck! Matt's is the red one." She added, Gabby smiling softly as her and Matt continued to observe.
Lara continued to try and make small talk with the five year old while she worked on her drawing, though she was paying more attention to her picture than anything else, Caitlyn wanting to do a good job as she kept alternating between all her colors.
"I'm all done." She spoke as she placed the last marker back into the bin, Lara raising her eyebrows before looking down at the picture. Without an explanation, the therapist had a pretty good idea of what she was looking at, as she saw what appeared to be one big house, with a few people standing in front of it, as well as a few things she definitely had some questions about.
"Wow, that's beautiful, Caitlyn." She replied, seeing the wide grin that fell onto her face. "Is that your house?"
"Yeah! That's where I live with Matt and Gabby." She explained as she pointed to it, Lara nodding before glancing back down towards the image, knowing she needed to approach this one step at a time.
"Who's this?" She asked as she pointed to what she was referring to.
"That's me!" She replied as she looked at the smaller stick figure standing next to other ones. "And that's Matt, and that's Gabby." She explained as she pointed out each person. "And that's Sofia!"
"Wow, you did a great job." She told her, Caitlyn's eyes lighting up before she looked back down at her drawing.
"Thank you." She responded proudly. "I wanted to draw us all together."
"Yeah?"
"Mhmm…"
"And who's this?" She asked, pointing to the stick figure that was standing off to the side, Caitlyn smiling softly.
"That's Becca!"
"Becca?"
"Yeah, my friend. She watches me and Sofia while Gabby and Matt go work." She explained, her eyes moving over her colorful drawing. "She takes care of me."
"And you see her as your family?" Lara questioned, Caitlyn giving her a nod. "And Matt and Gabby, too? They're you're family?"
"Yeah." She responded without hesitation, Caitlyn looking over towards the parents who were sitting across the room, finding them both watching her with soft smiles before she looked back to Miss Lara. "They're like my Mommy and Daddy, even though they're not my Mommy and Daddy." She explained, Matt reaching over to grab Gabby's hand as she drew in a deep, steadying breath. "But they love me like my Daddy did." She said, her words hanging in the air for a moment before Lara continued.
"Do you like being with Matt and Gabby, Caitlyn?" She asked, Caitlyn's face lighting up before she nodded. "And Sofia?"
"I love them." She replied instantly, her bright smile nearly bringing tears to Gabby's eyes. "I wanna be with them. Gabby, and Matt, and Sofia, and me, we're a family." She spoke, Lara sparing a quick glance back towards the parents, seeing them doing their best to hold themselves together, before she refocused her attention on the child, Caitlyn still admiring her drawing. And as Lara continued to look at it, something caught her eye, as well. Up towards the top of the page, near where Caitlyn had drawn the sky, there were what looked to be two smaller people, but the therapist couldn't be sure.
"What's this?" She asked, pointing to the paper as Caitlyn looked at that spot, a small smile resting on her lips before she answered.
"That's Daddy and Mommy." She responded, Lara raising her eyebrows slightly as the young girl looked to her.
"Why are they all the way up there?" She questioned, Caitlyn waiting for a moment before she answered.
"They're up in the sky." Caitlyn responded innocently, Gabby's eyes falling closed as an overwhelming feeling of hurt coursed through her, Matt giving her hand a reassuring squeeze as he blinked back the tears in his own eyes. "Daddy always told me Mommy was up in the sky, so she couldn't be with us… And now he's with her."
A heavy silence filled the air around them as the adults in the room took in her words, both Gabby and Matt hating what all she'd gone through at such a young age, that she even had to understand what it meant to lose a parent, let alone two.
Drawing in a deep breath, Lara nodded sadly before she continued. "Do you miss your parents, Caitlyn?" She asked, unsure of how much the girl remembered about what had happened, the little girl furrowing her eyebrows as she thought over the question.
"I never saw my Mommy, but I miss my Daddy." She responded, Lara nodding understandingly. "I was really sad, when he left. But Daddy didn't go cause he wanted to, Miss Tina always told me that." She explained, Gabby glancing towards her husband, seeing the same sad look in his eye. "But I was sad a lot, and scared. I wanted to go home, and people were mean to me. But then Matt and Gabby came," She spoke, none of them missing the smile that formed over her face at the mention of her foster parents. "And now they love me like Daddy did."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." She responded. "They're a good Mommy and Daddy… Gabby's a nice Mommy, like in stories. And Matt's a good Daddy, like my Daddy."
Despite the sadness they were feeling, neither parent was able to stop the small smiles that appeared on their faces from Caitlyn's words.
"Well, I'm glad you have them, sweetheart." Lara spoke up softly, Caitlyn nodding with a wide grin.
"Me too." She replied, her eyes moving down towards her picture before looking back up towards the woman she'd just met. "Can I draw some more?" She questioned, her head tilting to the side slightly, Lara giving her a quick nod.
"Of course." She responded, handing the child a few more sheets of paper before she began to color once more.
Over the next half hour, Caitlyn continued to draw various pictures; everything from memories she had with Matt and Gabby, to one of her Sofia, as well as a few random drawings that weren't of them. She'd done a lot of what she did at home, making various pictures that had no real meaning, her pictures often just being of different things like houses, or flowers, or anything that was on her mind. But there was one in particular that caught Lara's attention, the woman having stayed by Caitlyn's side while she drew.
"What's this, Caitlyn?" She questioned as she looked at the picture the five year old had just finished, the therapist not sure what to make of the image that had a lot of black marks all over it.
"It's me, Gabby, and Matt." She replied, pointing towards the three figures standing in the middle of the paper, the smaller person, meant to represent Caitlyn, standing in front of them, as there were many different dark marks behind them.
"And what's all this?" She pressed, pointing at the black marker covering the paper.
"It's bad people." Caitlyn responded simply, Lara drawing in a deep breath as Caitlyn watched her, the five year old unsure what to make of her response as her eyes moved across the room towards Gabby and Matt, finding them both watching her with worried expressions. "Did I say something wrong?"
"No, no you didn't." Lara was quick to assure her, Gabby giving her a nod as well, hoping to settle her nerves before Caitlyn looked back to the therapist. "So these are bad people?"
"Yeah… They're people who made me sad, or were mean. And Gabby and Matt are saving me from them." She explained as she adjusted herself in her seat, Caitlyn moving to sit on her shins on the chair as Gabby's spine straightened.
"So they're watching out for you?"
"Yeah. They always help me." She responded, giving her foster parents a soft smile. "Even when they left, they didn't want to. Miss Tina said it too, they didn't want to go. But Gabby and Matt always help me, and they're saving me from the bad people." Her little brain explained the best she could, her words slow as she tried to think of how to say what she was feeling, Lara nodding understandingly.
"Can you tell me some of the bad people?" Lara asked, Caitlyn averting her eyes down to her drawing, the little girl thinking over her question before she eventually spoke up.
"I can't remember some of them, I was just scared." She began to explain, the woman nodding understandingly before Caitlyn spoke up again. "But they helped me when I fell, when Jacob pushed me."
"Who's Jacob?"
"The mean boy." She responded before her eyes darted around, Caitlyn unable to help Miss Lara understand exactly what she meant, the therapist looking towards Gabby and Matt for guidance. And by the looks she was seeing on their faces, they knew exactly who Jacob was.
"He's, uh- The foster family she was staying with, before we met her, Jacob is their son." Matt elaborated, Lara giving him a quick nod as she began to put the pieces together as she'd read about that family in Caitlyn's file.
"So Jacob pushed you?" She tried to get the conversation back on track, Caitlyn nodding slightly.
"I fell down the steps, and it hurt. And I was scared." She told her.
"I'm sure that was scary." Lara spoke understandingly, Caitlyn giving her another nod.
"But then I met Gabby and Matt, and they took me home. And I wasn't scared anymore."
"Okay, sweetheart… Who else are the bad people?" Lara continued, Caitlyn breathing deeply in thought before answering.
"The people who took me away… They weren't nice." Caitlyn spoke, it taking a few seconds for Lara to realize what she was referring to, but it quickly sunk in.
"The family you were supposed to live with? After staying with Matt and Gabby?" She questioned for clarification, Caitlyn giving her a nod. "They're bad people?"
"They were mean to me. The lady who was gonna be my Mommy… She didn't like me, and got mad when I cried. But it's just cause I missed home, but they hurt me." She said sadly, Lara drawing in a slow breath. "She hit me, and that made me scared-er. But then I got to leave, and Gabby and Matt came and saved me… They always help me." She finished with a soft smile, Lara giving her a soft nod.
"Do you get sad when Matt and Gabby aren't around?" She questioned, Caitlyn giving her a nod. The therapist knew there was more to unpack with what she'd gone through, but today wasn't the day to do it, the woman smiling softly before she spoke up once more. "And does that help you feel less scared? When you're with them?"
"I'm not scared with them." Caitlyn answered her quickly, the five year old looking over towards Matt and Gabby before returning her focus to Lara. "I love them, and I'm happy. Not like when I'm sad." She tried to help the woman understand. "Cause they save me, like the picture." She added, holding out the drawing towards her, the little girl thinking Lara wasn't understanding what she was saying.
"Yeah, they do protect you… Like the picture." She repeated, Caitlyn smiling brightly before she reached for another piece of paper, the child clearly wanting to continue on with her coloring. "Caitlyn, is it okay if I speak to Gabby and Matt for a minute? Are you okay to keep coloring?"
"Mhmm." She hummed, Lara giving her a small smile before she pushed herself up from her seat and walked towards the parent's, Matt and Gabby standing as well once she got closer.
"So…" Matt spoke up when she got close enough. "How do you think she's doing? Or- I don't know what to ask, just is she okay?"
Lara could sense his nerves, the therapist knowing neither Matt nor Gabby really had much of a grasp on this process, the woman offering them a warm smile before she nodded. "She's fine, Mr. Casey… There's only so much I can know after just one session, but so far, everything I'm seeing are good signs." She replied, Gabby releasing a relieved breath, the couple's worry evident. "She's definitely been through a lot, but I think we made some good progress today, if anything, just with getting her to trust me, and open up to me. We definitely have some things to go on… But I would like to keep seeing her, at least for a little bit." She told them, earning nods from both parents.
"Whatever you think is best, that's fine… We just want what's best for her." Casey replied.
"I know you do, and more importantly Caitlyn knows you do." She responded, Gabby smiling softly before she nodded. "But I think with a few more sessions, I'll be able to get the full picture of what all she's holding onto, and how I can best help all of you moving forward. Caitlyn especially… She's a tough kid, who's been through so much in such a short time, but I've already noticed a few things it couldn't hurt to focus on."
"Like what?"
"Well, today wasn't the day to really get into it, but I'm noticing some attachment… I won't say problems, just things it's better to address as soon as possible." She told them, her words obviously not coming as a surprise to them as Matt nodded.
"Yeah, she's been very attached to us since she got back."
"And that's not uncommon in these situations. Especially with the way she speaks of you, you two are like a security blanket for her. And there's nothing wrong with that, she's still a child, but we just want to make sure the attachment she has to you all is a healthy one, and not one that'll end up causing her more trouble in the future… But I'm getting ahead of myself, I'll still want to assess her more, with you all and without. Just to see how she does, then we'll go from there." She explained, earning nods from both the parents. "But we're done for today, I don't want to throw too much at her." She told them, her eyes moving to the five year old for a second before looking back at them. "I'd like to see her again in a few days, if you all can set up an appointment before you leave."
"We will." Gabby responded.
"Yeah, whatever we need to do for her." Casey echoed, the man barely able to get the words out as Caitlyn called for Gabby.
"Gabby, come look! I drew you, me, and Sof!" Caitlyn spoke proudly, Gabby responding with a bright smile before she began to walk over, Lara giving her an understanding look as Matt rubbed her back until she was out of reach.
"Oh, I can't wait to see it." Gabby replied with just as much enthusiasm, her voice causing Caitlyn's smile to widen as the two girls focused on each other, Matt turning his complete attention to both of them.
Though the parent's hadn't known what to expect when bringing Caitlyn here today, they were just glad to know she'd be okay. And that with a little help and some guidance, hopefully she'd be able to completely move past everything she'd gone through.
Well, there it is. I hope you all enjoyed it! I know this one was very Caitlyn-focused, but I felt it was important to show this, just to see where Caitlyn's head is at. But they'll definitely be more lighthearted and fun family moments coming soon!
Again, I want to thank OliviaLovesFitz8 for their help on this. They suggested the play therapy storyline to me, so credit to them on that one!
Thanks again for reading! Stay safe, everyone.