Hi everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all, thank you so much for your patience with me taking a little break last week. It was much needed. But I'm glad to be back with this update, and I hope you all enjoy more of our favorite family!
And I wanna say a quick thank you for all the birthday wishes! You all are so sweet, thank you so much for that.
Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy!
Chapter One Hundred and Six
"Oh Sof, sweetheart." Becca murmured as she watched the one year old smother oatmeal into her curly hair, Caitlyn looking up from her own breakfast just as Sofia began to giggle. The five year old was unable to stop the soft smile that formed over her face as Sofia continued laughing, Becca pushing herself up from her seat to try and get what food she could out of the baby's hair, though it was clear a bath was soon in Sofia's future once the kids finished their breakfast.
While Becca worked on cleaning her up, Sofia shoved another handful of oatmeal into her mouth before smacking her sticky hands against the highchair, Caitlyn smiling before she took another bite of her eggs, the girl sitting on her knees in her chair while her arms rested against the table.
"I'll see if I can find it, babe."
Caitlyn looked up when she heard her foster mom's voice, watching as Gabby walked out of her and Matt's bedroom. Before she got very far, she caught Caitlyn's gaze, Gabby offering her a warm smile as she slowed her steps.
"How's your breakfast, baby?" She asked from across the room, Becca glancing up from Sofia when she heard Dawson's voice before returning her attention to the youngest Casey.
"Yummy!" She replied brightly, referring to the eggs and bacon Gabby had made her before Becca showed up to watch her and Sofia.
"Good." Gabby responded before she continued towards the laundry room, Caitlyn watching her until she was out of sight before her eyes moved back towards the bedroom door.
She waited for a few moments, wanting to see if Matt would be appearing anytime soon, the young girl not having seen him since earlier this morning when she snuck into their room for cuddles. But when it became clear he wouldn't be coming out as well, Caitlyn took one last bite of her food before she slid down off of her seat, Becca looking up from Sofia when she saw movement out of the corner of her eye.
"You alright, Caity?" She questioned, Caitlyn giving her a nod before she continued towards the bedroom, her princess nightgown moving with her as she walked. When she got to the doorway, her steps slowed down, Caitlyn resting her hand on the door frame as her eyes bounced around the big bedroom, the little girl taking a few steps further inside when she didn't see Matt anywhere.
But he soon appeared, Caitlyn's smile widening when he stepped out of the closet and walked towards the dresser, Matt having yet to notice her presence. Taking a step further inside, she walked around the bed towards him, the five year old wanting to spend as much time with her foster dad as possible before he and Gabby left for the day, but when she came up behind him something unusual caught her eye, Caitlyn's eyebrows furrowing as she looked over the strange pattern covering his back.
As he pulled out his undershirt from the dresser drawer, Matt looked up, the man jumping slightly when he saw the young girl through the mirror, Caitlyn standing quietly behind him as an uncertain look covered her face. "Caitlyn, you scared me." He spoke up, his voice gaining her attention as he met her eyes, Matt sliding the shirt over himself before turning around. "Did you finish your breakfast?"
She nodded once she registered the question, her head tilted to the side as she took a step closer to him. "Yeah… Why are you bumpy?" She asked all of the sudden, Matt now wearing a similar look of confusion as he took in her words.
"What?" He questioned, Matt taking a step forward as she looked up at him.
"Your back looks funny…" She said, though her words held no sign of teasing or amusement, Caitlyn seeming to be more worried than anything else. "Are you hurt?" She continued, her bright brown eyes shining up at him as Matt drew in a deep breath, the man soon understanding what she was referring to.
She'd seen the scars on his back.
There were a few she'd seen before, the one on his neck, and on his arm too hard to hide, but she'd never asked about those. And she'd never seen the bad ones. The rough, harsh scars covering his skin that he'd gotten from various accidents on the job; the same ones he knew he'd have to explain to his daughter one day. He'd prepared himself for having to eventually explain them to Sofia, that the dangers of the job was a conversation he'd have to eventually have with his daughter. And it was a talk he'd thought over more than once.
He just never anticipated having to do it this soon.
It had become something he was dreading, Matt having expressed those fears to Gabby on multiple occasions. But now, it seemed like the time had come to where he had to explain it to Caitlyn, Matt knowing he couldn't just ignore her question. Not when she was old enough to understand what was going on.
But as she stood here staring at him, he could only think about how this couldn't have happened on a worse day, the foster father knowing young Caitlyn was already feeling a little anxious about them going back to work for the first time since she'd been back in their care.
Drawing in a deep breath, Matt shook his head, the man offering her a soft smile before he squatted down to her level, Caitlyn's eyes never leaving his. "No, honey, I'm not hurt." He answered her question, watching as her look of confusion deepened.
"Then what's wrong?" She pressed, Matt running his tongue along the inside of his cheek as he thought over how best to answer her. "It looks like it hurt." She continued when he had yet to respond, Matt pursing his lips together before he nodded.
"It did… When I did get hurt, it did. But I'm okay now." He was quick to assure her, Matt knowing he needed to tread carefully in how he explained this to her as she gave him a hesitant nod. "But, uh… You know how I'm a firefighter?" He started simply, earning another nod from her. "I go into fires, and help people."
"Mhmm." She hummed, Matt smiling softly before he continued. "You're like a superhero." She continued proudly.
"Well, I just do what I can to help, but sometimes fighting fires is hard. And it can be scary… And sometimes things go wrong." He spoke, seeing her tense up slightly, similarly to the way she'd reacted the first time she'd seen him with black smoke marks on his face, Caitlyn clearly anxious of the thought of him getting hurt. "And those bumps on my back, the scars… I got those when things went wrong. There were a few times that work was scary, but I'm okay now. I was hurt for a little bit, but not anymore."
As he spoke, he saw movement behind Caitlyn, Matt looking up to see his wife standing in the doorway, clearly having heard his words as he saw the look of sadness that flashed over her face. Offering her a sad smile, he nodded slightly before returning his attention to Caitlyn, Gabby taking a few more steps inside, the woman placing the shirt she'd gone searching for on the bed.
"Do you get hurt a lot?" Caitlyn asked quietly, clearly worried.
"No baby, I don't." He murmured, Caitlyn pausing for a moment before she nodded. "My job can be dangerous, but I don't get hurt very often. And I'm always as safe as I can be." He added, Caitlyn thinking over his words.
"...Can Gabby get hurt?" She questioned after a beat of silence, Matt breathing deeply as he glanced back to Gabby for a split second before responding.
"She could." He told her, Caitlyn frowning as her eyes moved down to the floor in between them. It was obvious she was struggling with what she was hearing, Caitlyn being confronted with the realities of their jobs as Matt reached out to grab her hands, the man holding onto them gently before giving them a little squeeze, effectively getting her to look back up at him.
But he hated the worry he immediately saw shining back at him.
"I don't want you all hurt." She whispered before he could say anything, her voice shaky as Matt nodded sadly.
"Caitlyn-"
"I don't want you to go away like my Daddy." She cut in, the pain in her voice nearly bringing tears to his and Gabby's eyes as her words settled in, Caitlyn watching him closely as Matt took another deep breath.
He knew she was afraid, but her worry for their safety was enough to break their hearts, Gabby blinking quickly as she walked closer, her presence finally being noticed by Caitlyn as the older woman came to stand beside her. Before either of them said a word, Matt gave the child's hands another squeeze as Gabby reached out to rub her hand over her back, Caitlyn looking back and forth between her foster parents, clearly searching for some sort of reassurance.
"Honey… I know you're scared, but we don't want you to be. Gabby and I are okay, and we've made a promise to each other to always do our best to stay safe. We make that promise to each other, and to Sof, and now to you, too." He told her, Caitlyn gripping his hand tighter. "We always try to be safe, and Gabby and I both will always do everything we can to come home to you every morning, alright?" He told her, Caitlyn breathing deeply as she looked between them.
"Promise?" She questioned, Matt and Gabby both nodding without hesitation.
"Promise." Matt replied, rubbing his thumb along the back of her hand. "We're not going anywhere… I don't want you to worry, okay?"
Slowly, Caitlyn nodded, the girl dropping Matt's hands before she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding onto him with all the strength she had. He was a little caught off guard by the action, but he quickly hugged her back, Matt wrapping his arms around her little body as she dug her head into his neck.
"I love you." She spoke, her voice slightly muffled as Matt caught Gabby's gaze, his wife wearing a small, sad smile as he ran his hand over Caitlyn's back.
"I love you too, baby." He responded softly, pressing a kiss to the side of her head before she pulled back. And it didn't take long for her to step towards Gabby, the older woman crouching down to give her a hug as well, Caitlyn holding onto her just as tight. Matt heard them exchange similar words before Caitlyn stepped away, the five year old not moving far from Gabby's side as she looked in between them. "...Are you okay, honey?" Matt asked, Caitlyn thinking over his words before slowly nodding.
"I'm okay." She replied softly, Gabby running her hand through the girl's hair. "You and Gabby try to be safe, and I don't need to be scared." She repeated his words in the way she best understood, Matt and Gabby both nodding proudly as the mother leaned down to press a kiss to the top of her head.
"Yeah. That's exactly right." Gabby told her as Caitlyn leaned into her side more.
"And you'll be back in one sleep?" She was quick to ask, repeating the words they'd told her so often since they'd decided to go back to work, Matt immediately nodding once more.
"Mhmm… One sleep." He promised, lifting his hand up to rub her arm. "And then we'll be home in the morning."
"Okay." She replied softly, resting her head against Gabby's stomach as she wrapped her arms around her in a hug once more. "I'll miss you." She added, her voice even quieter than before as she hugged herself against Dawson's torso.
"We'll miss you, too." Gabby replied as she scratched the back of her head, both parents sensing some of Caitlyn's lingering anxiety at the idea of being away from them for so long.
It was something they'd talked about, at length, both with each other, and with Caitlyn, and they'd come to the conclusion that today was the right time for them to go back to work. But just because Caitlyn was in a well enough place for her to feel comfortable being away from them, that didn't mean she wasn't still struggling a bit with the idea.
"Yeah, we will." Matt echoed. "But you're gonna have so much fun here with Becca and with Sof, and Gabby and I will call later," He added, not missing the way Caitlyn's ears perked up. "If we're not working, we'll be sure to call before bed… But regardless, we'll call and talk to you and Sof."
"Okay!" She responded brightly, Caitlyn slowly losing that apprehension she felt as she released her grip around Gabby's waist.
"Now, Matt and I need to finish getting ready, so why don't you go back out there with Becca and Sof, and we'll be out in a few minutes." Gabby suggested, Caitlyn nodding before taking a step away from her foster parents.
"Okay Gabby." She complied, smiling softly before she turned and all but skipped out of the room, the five year old obviously feeling better after her talk with them.
But while Caitlyn wasn't still holding onto the heaviness of that conversation, the same couldn't be said for Gabby or Matt, the latter releasing a heavy breath as a thick silence filled the air around them. Before saying a word, Gabby stepped away from her husband back towards the bed, picking up the article of clothing she'd placed there when she first came in.
"Your shirt was in the laundry room." She spoke up, Matt glancing towards her as she held out one of his white Captain's shirts that he hadn't been able to find, the firefighter offering her a small, grateful smile before taking it from her.
"Thanks babe." He murmured, Matt sighing deeply before pulling the shirt over his head, the material resting over his undershirt before he began adjusting his clothes. Gabby walked over towards the closet, grabbing both her belt and his before moving towards him, holding his out in her hand. As she got closer, she noticed the pensive look on his face, Matt clearly pondering something as he grabbed the belt from her. "...Did I do the right thing?" He breathed out, Gabby looking up as she continued adjusting her clothes.
"What?"
"With Caitlyn… Did I do the right thing?" He repeated as he looked up at her, Gabby pursing her lips together. "I wasn't sure what to say, I… I didn't want to lie to her, but-" He cut himself off, Matt unable to voice what he was feeling as Gabby's head tilted to the side slightly.
"You handled it well, baby." She assured him as she took a step closer, reaching out to rest her hand over his chest. "I… I honestly wasn't sure what I walked in on, but you handled that conversation about as well as you could've. We shouldn't lie to her, but we shouldn't scare her, either. You handled it as well as anyone could."
Matt nodded slowly, the man drawing in a deep breath before he met her gaze, Gabby wearing the soft, small smile that always comforted him without fail. With his eyes locked on hers, he felt himself relaxing, Casey giving her another nod as she patted her palm against his chest.
"Thank you." He replied, Gabby's smile growing before she gave him a nod of her own, the woman taking a step forward to place a gentle kiss on the side of his mouth before she took a step back.
"You're welcome… Now let's finish getting ready, so she can spend some more time with our girls." She told him softly, Matt nodding as he watched her walk towards the bathroom, the man releasing one last soft sigh before he continued going through his routine before work.
Casey walked through the halls of 51, the man shoving his hands in his pockets as he headed for his destination. He and Gabby had only been back in the firehouse for all of ten minutes, enjoying the warm welcome they'd gotten from all their friends, before Casey had been called to Boden's office, the Chief needing to speak with him before second shift got going. So after a few more quick greetings, and him stopping by the locker room to put his things away, Casey had made his way towards the Chief's office, Boden coming into view as Matt got closer.
When he stepped in through the open doorway, Matt saw his boss sitting at his desk, looking down at some paperwork as Casey brought his hand up to knock on the door frame, the noise gaining Boden's attention.
"Casey, hello." He greeted, Boden placing the paper down and pulling his glasses off his face, Matt taking the invitation to step further inside his office.
"Hey Chief… You wanted to see me?" Casey questioned, Boden nodding before he waved him further inside, Matt walking up towards his desk and sitting down.
"Yes, I did." He started, leaning back slightly in his chair as he caught Matt's gaze. "I just wanted to check in with you, and see how things are going.. Now that you and Dawson are back." He continued, Matt nodding understandingly. "You two were definitely missed around here."
"Yeah, we missed it, too." He responded, Matt lifting his hand up to run along the back of his neck. "And speaking of that, I want to- Or Gabby and I both want to thank you." He spoke up, Boden raising his eyebrows slightly. "For letting us be gone as long as we were… I know I have a lot of work I need to catch up on, and I hate we left for that long. We never expected to be away from the house for a month, but we just didn't feel like Caitlyn was ready, after everything she went through. But we never anticipated being gone for that long-"
"Casey." Boden spoke, effectively cutting off the man's rambling as Matt looked to him. "It's fine." He said simply, Casey releasing a soft breath before he nodded. "I know you wouldn't have taken the time if you didn't need it, you never need to apologize for taking care of your family." Boden added knowingly, Matt unable to fight off the small smile forming across his lips.
"Thanks Chief." He responded, Casey relaxing slightly as he clasped his hands together in his lap. "You have no idea how much it means to Gabby and I, us getting that time with Caitlyn and Sofia…" He trailed off, Boden nodding once more as a soft grin covered his face.
"I'm sure it was good for all four of you… So how are they doing? The girls?" The Chief questioned, not missing the way Casey's entire face lit up at the mention of his daughter, and the young girl who felt like his daughter.
"Oh, they're good- great, actually." He corrected himself as his smile grew. "Sofia, she's… Well, she's exactly like Gabby," He started, earning a knowing grin from his Chief. "She's a little spitfire; can't stay still for a second, and she's usually getting into things she shouldn't… She's been talking so much, too, and walking all over the place, she's doing great." He told him, the Chief giving him another nod.
"That's great, Casey." He replied, pausing for a moment before speaking up once more. "And how's Caitlyn?" He asked cautiously, though he felt a little more at ease when the Captain's smile never faltered.
"She's doing well." He responded without hesitation, Boden watching him closely. "Things were… They were hard, when we first got her back. And there's still some issues we're working through, she's still struggling from time to time, and us coming back to work- that was a big step for her, but she's doing alright." He spoke softly, leaning back against his chair, Boden hanging on his every word. "She's improved so much since just being back with us, and it's just- It's been amazing."
"I'm sure it has… The few times she's been here, she's seemed to be doing well."
"She is." Matt replied, wanting to inform his Chief as much as he could, without getting into too much detail about what all Caitlyn had been going through, knowing the more personal details weren't something that needed to be discussed. "Getting her back with us, with Gabby and I, it's helped her so much… She's back where she belongs." He said with a smile, Boden raising his eyebrows as he leaned forward to rest his forearms on his desk, catching his firefighter's gaze.
"So is that where this is headed?" Boden questioned, taking the opening. "Are you and Dawson going to adopt her?"
Pursing his lips together, Matt breathed in deeply, the man thinking over how to best answer Boden's question. He and Gabby weren't telling people; they'd made a point to keep it to themselves, aside from a select few. But sitting here, he couldn't find it in himself to lie, Casey not wanting to deny the fact that here soon Caitlyn would be theirs. He'd never deny that, the five year old already feeling like the second daughter he was always meant to have.
"We are." He responded, his smile widening when the words left his lips, Boden matching his look. "We aren't telling anyone, really, not yet. Caitlyn doesn't know yet, but Gabby and I have started the process… We're gonna adopt her."
"That's wonderful, Casey." Boden spoke without hesitation, Matt nodding with an even brighter grin. "That girl… I think we all knew, from the first time we saw her, that she belonged with you and Gabby." He told him, Matt's chest flooding with warmth as the Chief's words washed over him. "She always just seemed like she was meant to be with you all, so I'm just glad that everything's worked out… Caitlyn is one lucky girl." He said, Matt drawing in a steadying breath before he nodded.
"I appreciate that, Chief, but I think Gabby and I are the lucky ones." He replied, Boden tilting his head to the side. "Caitlyn… she's the most incredible kid I've ever met, her and Sofia." He said, Boden nodding with an understanding smile. "And Gabby and I are just so lucky to have the girls we've got."
"Yeah, you sound exactly like a parent." Boden replied with a chuckle, Matt's proud grin widening. "But really Casey, I'm so happy for you… For all of you."
"Thanks Chief." He responded before shifting towards the edge of his seat, sensing that this conversation was coming to an end. "We appreciate it." He added, Boden nodding just as Matt stood up from his seat.
"I know you're aware of everything you need to catch up on, so I'll let you go ahead and get back out there, but I'm glad things are going well for you all… And I'm glad to have you and Dawson back."
"We're happy to be back, too." Matt replied, giving his boss one last nod before he stepped out of the office, the man heading for the door. "And really… Thank you, for making this work, and for all you've done for us." He told him one last time, Boden nodding knowingly before Casey stepped out into the hallway, heading back towards the common room.
But when he got there a few moments later, it quickly became apparent Gabby was nowhere in sight, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he saw the common room was pretty sparse, only a few firefighters around as he continued past the room. Because while he wanted to spend some time with all his friends after only seeing them a couple of times over the last month, he'd much rather do that with Gabby by his side.
As he walked down the hallway, he stopped by the door leading into the bunk room, Matt stepping inside and soon finding exactly who he was looking for as he saw his wife sitting inside Severide's office, Gabby and Kelly talking about something he couldn't hear from across the room. Walking closer, Matt slowed his steps as he got to the open doorway, Kelly seeing him just before he stepped inside.
"Hey man." Severide greeted, Gabby looking up from her spot on the edge of Kelly's bed, smiling softly when she saw her husband.
"Hey babe."
"Hi… What are you guys doing in here?" He asked as he moved closer to Gabby, coming to stand beside her and placing his hand on her back, Dawson leaning into his touch.
"Waiting for you." Gabby replied, Matt raising his eyebrows.
"Yeah, we weren't sure how that talk with Boden was gonna go… If he was gonna give his Captain shit for being gone the last month. Honestly, its amazing headquarters hasn't canned the both of you" Severide added with a light chuckle, Casey cocking his head to the side. "Though, I have a feeling Chief is the only reason the higher-ups weren't harassing you two." He continued to think out loud, Gabby giving him an impressed look before glancing up towards her husband.
"How'd it go?" She questioned, ignoring Kelly's comments as Matt shook his head before focusing his attention on her.
"It went well… He was just wanting to check in, ask about the girls and everything." Casey replied with a soft smile, Gabby nodding in response.
"Yeah, that's what Dawson and I were talking about," Severide cut in once more, gaining Matt's attention. "I was asking about Caitlyn, she was telling me you all were trying to figure out sending her to school?"
"We are, yeah." Matt responded as he continued rubbing his hand over Gabby's back. "The school year has already started, I mean- it's October, so we'd be getting her in somewhere late, but we do want to get her into kindergarten… Under the circumstances, I'm sure we'd be able to get some leeway, but we're still looking into it. Though we don't have much time to figure it all out." He explained, unsure of how much Gabby had told him already.
"Dawson was saying the same thing… You think she'll do alright at school?" He questioned, Gabby pursing her lips together as she caught her husband's eyes once more.
"That's something we've talked about… It'll be an adjustment for her, that's for sure. But I think once she gets comfortable, it'll be fine." Gabby replied, Kelly nodding slightly. "And I think a little more socialization will be good for her, too."
"Yeah, and we wanna get her into school because, if she's able to, we'd like her to start first grade next year… But obviously that's not our main concern right now. If she's not ready, she's not ready, she's had so much stacked against her, what we're mostly focused on right now is just getting her into school, and going from there." Matt finished, Severide's eyes flashing back and forth between them.
"Have you been looking into places?"
"We have… We've found a few we think would be good. And we've spoken to Antonio, about where he sent Eva and Diego, though it's been awhile. But yeah, we're narrowing down some places." Gabby answered, feeling Matt tap her back gently. "I know we can't be too picky, with us coming in later in the year, but we still want to send her to the best place we can."
"I get that… I mean, she is your daughter, after all." Severide replied with a knowing smirk, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth as Gabby tilted her head to the side.
"Not yet, Sev." Gabby countered, Kelly waving her off.
"She may as well be… papers aren't gonna change the fact that that kid is already yours." He told them quickly, Gabby pursing her lips together before glancing up towards Matt, seeing a similar look on his face. "Which, speaking of, how's all that going? Any updates?" Severide questioned, Matt shaking his head.
"No, not since we last talked about it. We're just waiting." He responded, Kelly nodding understandingly.
"And you guys are still wanting to wait to tell people?" He asked, Kelly checking in to make sure they were all still on the same page, as he so often had.
"We are." Gabby confirmed. "I mean, you know. And I told Jemma… My parents and Antonio know, but that's it."
"...And Boden." Casey cut in, Gabby looking up curiously as the words left his lips, Matt wincing slightly. "I'm sorry, but he asked." He said, Gabby biting back a smile before shaking her head.
"It's okay." She replied softly, leaning into his side before looking back to Kelly. "So it's just you, Jemma, my family, and Boden." She corrected, Severide nodding once more as his eyes flickered towards Casey.
"You're not gonna tell your mom?"
Matt paused for a second before responding with a shrug, continuing to lightly rubbing Gabby's back as she rested against him. "We will, I just haven't spoken to her in awhile… I haven't heard from her much since her last visit, so we decided we'd wait and tell her later, her and my sister, when we start telling everyone else." He explained, Severide straightening out his back as he sat in his chair. "Christie knows about Caitlyn, and met her at Sofia's party, but I haven't spoken to her since we got Caitlyn back, so we're just gonna wait until we're a little further into this."
"Makes sense." Severide mused, his eyes flashing out towards the empty bunk room before looking back towards the married couple. "But I know everyone's just gonna be so happy for you all," He started, seeing the immediate smiles that formed over their faces. "Though I'm pretty sure Caitlyn will be the happiest out of anyone."
For as content as they looked seconds ago, their smiles only seemed to double in size when he mentioned their foster daughter, Matt and Gabby sharing a look as they exchanged silence words before looking back towards Severide.
"I mean, that kid already lights up around you all, I can only imagine how she'll react when you tell her you're adopting her… She's gonna be so happy." Kelly continued, Gabby nodding in agreement.
"Yeah, I think she will be… We're so excited to tell her." She told him, Matt nodding in agreement. But before any of them could say another word, the bells rang out above their heads, the first responders listening as 61 and truck 81 were called out for their first call of the day, Matt stepping away from the bed so Gabby had room to get up.
"Well, I guess we'll continue this later." Dawson spoke, Kelly nodding as he leaned back in his chair.
"Have fun out there, and welcome back." Severide told them, Gabby giving him a small salute while Matt nodded with a knowing smirk before they hurried from the room, Kelly watching them with a smile until they were out of sight.
Casey stood at the sink in the bathroom, washing his hands as he listened to the soft silence around him, the Captain having just returned from truck's latest call of the afternoon. The day had been relatively easy, at least for 81, as they'd only had three calls since this morning, Matt turning off the water and shaking the excess water off his hands. Just as he began drying them, he heard the door open, the sound disrupting his quiet as he looked up through the mirror, a soft smile forming over his face when he saw his wife walk in through the door.
He could tell she wasn't expecting him, Gabby pausing for a split second when she noticed his presence before she smiled, the woman continuing towards him to the counter as he tossed his paper towel in the trash.
"Hey baby." She greeted as she came up to his side, Matt turning towards her just as she got to him.
"Hi." He replied, leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead. "How was your call?"
"It was alright… Our victim, she's a mother. Got into a car accident with her kids, but they should all be fine. They got lucky." She told him, Matt nodding in understanding.
"Good, that's good." He murmured, reaching up to squeeze her arm softly.
"What about you? How's your day been?" She asked with a soft smile, Gabby lifting her hand up to stroke through his hair.
"Not too bad. I think it's gonna take me a few shifts to get back into the swing of things, though." He responded with a small smile, Gabby scrunching up her nose as she cocked her head to the side.
"Well, being the old man you are, I'm surprised it'll only take a few." She teased lightly, his age always being a go-to for her, Matt cocking his head to the side as he slid his hand down to her waist.
"Old man, huh?" He asked, Gabby biting back a smirk as she nodded.
"Yup… You're definitely getting up there." She continued, Matt unable to hide his smile as he shook his head. "But don't worry, you know how I love my older man." She assured him, though she knew there was no need to.
A heavy scoff escaped from the back of his throat before he pulled her closer, pressing her flush against him as her hand gripped his neck. "Yeah, I know you do." He responded, though he barely got the words out before Gabby crashed her lips into his, the force of her movements nearly knocking him over before he regained his balance against the counter, Matt smiling against her before kissing her back.
It wasn't often they did this anymore, showing so much affection around the firehouse, but as the intensity of Gabby's movements picked up, he couldn't find it in himself to care as he continued kissing her with just as much passion.
But when Gabby's phone began buzzing in her pocket, it sent them crashing back down to reality, the couple pulling apart as they drew in deep breaths, their chest heaving from the lack of oxygen while Dawson reached into her pocket to pull out her phone.
"Who is it?" He questioned between breaths as he leaned against the countertop, seeing Gabby's eyebrows furrow slightly.
"It's a Facetime call, from Becca." She replied, meeting his eyes, knowing the same thoughts that were going through her head were now circling his.
"Answer it." He told her without hesitation, wanting to make sure everything was okay at home as she nodded, Gabby hitting the accept button before holding out the phone to where both her and Matt could be seen.
And the second the picture came into view, immediate smiles formed over both of their faces as they were met by the sight of Caitlyn holding the nanny's phone, the girl's bright grin growing even more when they came into view.
"Matt! Gabby!" She spoke excitedly, nearly bouncing in her seat as they heard Becca tell her to be careful.
"Hi sweetheart." Gabby replied, leaning closer into Matt's side against the counter as he rested his arm against her back.
"Hi!" She responded, before turning to glance at someone off screen. "Becca! They answered!" She said to their nanny, Matt suppressing a chuckle as the parents heard Becca respond to her, saying something about how glad she was before Caitlyn returned her attention back towards them.
"How are you doing, Caitlyn?" Matt asked, his words reigniting that bright look in the five year old's eyes as they faintly heard the sound of cartoons playing in the background, as well as Sofia babbling away.
"Good! But I miss you." She replied, the camera a little shaky as she kept moving around, her words bringing a small smile to their faces.
"We miss you too, baby." Gabby told her.
"But you'll be home after I sleep!" She spoke, clearly remembering their conversation from this morning.
"That's right, we'll be home in the morning." He echoed, Caitlyn smiling proudly before she looked towards the side once more, the five year old quickly turning the camera with her, bringing their baby into view as she sat on the couch beside Becca.
"Sof, look!" Caitlyn said happily, Sofia's blue eyes widening. "It's your Mommy and Daddy!"
Matt's smile faltered for a split second as those words left Caitlyn's lips, his stomach sinking slightly as he registered what she'd said. It wasn't as if it were untrue, what she said was correct; they were Sofia's parents. But what left the bad taste in his mouth was how Caitlyn wasn't able to call them her parents, especially because he knew how much she wanted to. And when he spared a quick glance at his wife, he knew she was thinking the same thing, Gabby having picked up on her choice of words as well.
But now wasn't the time to dwell on it, Matt regaining his grin as Caitlyn continued talking.
"Can you say hi?" She asked as she moved the phone closer to Sofia so she could see what was going on, the baby's noises turning into squeals when she recognized her parents.
"Mama!" She all but yelled, reaching out to grab the phone from Caitlyn, their view soon morphing from the image of their two girls, to a very close view of Sofia's shirt as she was undoubtedly trying to shove the phone into her mouth.
They heard Caitlyn and Becca both trying to get the phone from her, Sofia continuing to babble away happily, while occasionally calling out for her parents as well.
"Yes, it's your Mama, but you can't eat the phone Sof." They heard Becca chastise gently, even though the one year old wasn't aware of what was being said to her. But soon the girls came back into view, Gabby and Matt both chuckling as they saw their excited smiles.
"Hi!" Caitlyn greeted again, Casey rubbing his hand over his wife's hip as she crossed her legs at the ankles.
"Hi honey." Gabby repeated as well, Sofia clapping away while drool slid down her chin onto her shirt.
"Dada!" She continued on, Matt unable to stop his smile from growing at the sound of his daughter's voice.
"Hi baby." He cooed, before returning his attention to both girls. "So, you two have had a fun day so far with Becca?" He checked in once more, both he and Gabby needing the assurance that Caitlyn was handling being away from them.
"Mhmm! We colored lots, and played dress up!"
"Oh, you did?" Matt questioned back, Gabby smiling softly as she looked up at her husband, seeing that Caitlyn had his complete attention.
"Yeah! Me and Sof were princesses!" She replied back, Caitlyn nearly shaking from excitement at the memory as Becca held onto the phone where both their girls could be seen.
"You were?" He asked lightly, Caitlyn clearly thrilled that he was so interested in what she was saying.
"Yeah!"
"Well, I bet you two were the most beautiful princesses." He replied, Caitlyn's smile growing even wider.
"I took some pictures, I can send them to you all." Becca cut in, Matt nodding with a soft smile.
"Thanks, yeah, we'd love to see them." Gabby spoke up, but Caitlyn soon continued talking.
"Can we play dress up tomorrow, Matt?" She asked excitedly, Gabby trying to hide her smirk as she saw Caitlyn's big, hopeful brown eyes staring back at them, knowing that was her husband's weakness. He could never say no to her, especially with that face, even when him joining in on dress up ended up with him covered in makeup and jewelry, though she knew he didn't mind one bit.
"Of course we can, baby." He replied without hesitation, Caitlyn bouncing in her seat happily.
"Yay! We can all be princesses! You too, Gabby!"
"I'd love that, honey." She told her, Caitlyn's wide smile staying planted on her face as she nodded, the girl reaching to pick up her stuffed teddy bear that was sitting beside her, before clutching the comfort item to her chest.
"It'll be fun." The five year old spoke, Gabby and Matt both nodding.
"Yeah, it will be… But we're glad you and Sof are having a good day. And I'm happy you called us."
"I missed you." Caitlyn told them once more, Gabby and Matt both nodding. "And Becca said we could try and call to talk to you, but that you could be helping people. But you were there!" She told them, it taking a few seconds for her brain to process what she was thinking.
"Yeah, we're here baby." Matt responded as Caitlyn nodded with a content smile.
"We were just about to go out on our walk to the park," Becca cut in once more, adjusting the screen so the parents could see her. "But Caitlyn wanted to call and talk to you all first."
"Well, I'm so glad you did." Casey replied, Caitlyn never losing her grin. "But I know you're probably looking forward to your walk, and playing at the park, so I think it's time to say goodbye for now, until we see you tomorrow, alright?" He suggested, Caitlyn gnawing on her bottom lip before she reluctantly nodded.
"Okay. Can we talk tonight?" She requested, the hopeful look returning to her face, Matt immediately nodding as Gabby followed suit.
"We'll try, sweetheart." Dawson replied first.
"If we're not working, we'll call back before bedtime." Matt reminded her, his words earning a nod from Caitlyn as she was clearly content with that answer.
"Okay. I love you, lots and lots." She told them, Gabby's smile widening as she blew a kiss to the camera.
"We love you, too. Lots and lots." Matt repeated, the family giving a few more goodbyes before Becca had to end the call, all three adults knowing Caitlyn could go on with her goodbyes forever if they let her.
As Gabby slid her phone into her pocket, she released a heavy breath, stretching out the muscles in her back before glancing towards the side, finding her husband staring straight ahead. She paused for a minute, Gabby waiting to see if he'd snap out of whatever haze he was in. But when moments passed and he had yet to look back at her, she gave his side a little nudge, effectively gaining his attention.
"You okay?" She questioned, Matt immediately nodding before a soft smile formed over his face.
"Yeah, I'm good babe." He replied, Gabby gnawing on her bottom lip as they locked gazes, his eyes telling her more than he ever could as her head tilted to the side slightly.
"...You wanna talk about whatever's going on in there?" She pressed, Matt drawing in a deep breath before he gave her a knowing look, Gabby raising her eyebrows expectantly.
"It's nothing, really… I'm just thinking about Caitlyn." He told her, Gabby waiting for him to elaborate. "About that thing she said, with us being 'Sofia's Mommy and Daddy'..." He trailed off, as an understanding look covered her face.
"That bothered you too, huh?" She asked softly, Matt giving her a nod.
"Yeah, a little. And I don't even know why, I mean, she's right. To Caitlyn, we're not her parents. At least not yet… She doesn't know we're trying to adopt her, there was nothing wrong with what she said. But, I don't know, hearing it like that… It just made me think…"
"If we're doing the right thing by waiting to tell her." Gabby finished the thought for him, Matt pursing his lips together before he nodded. "I've been thinking about it, too. And then when Kelly brought it up earlier, I don't know, I just sometimes question if we're doing the right thing."
"Yeah, I do too." He breathed out, lifting his hand up from the counter to rest against her back. "And I still think we are… I think it's best to wait until we've petitioned the court to tell her. But it's hard, because I hate her not knowing." He told her, Gabby giving him an agreeing nod.
"I know what you mean… And I agree with you, about all of it." She murmured as Matt ran his hand along her back. "I don't know if there is a right or wrong thing to do here. I just… I hope she believes us, when we tell her she's not going anywhere…"
"She does." He assured her without hesitation, Gabby sighing softly before looking up at him. "I know she does… She knows she's got a home with us, and here in a couple weeks, we'll get to tell her for real." He said, his words causing her to smile softly before she nodded, Gabby leaning into his side once more.
"Yeah… We will. And I can't wait." She spoke softly, the excitement in her words bringing a grin to his face as well, Matt pulling her in closer as he pressed a lingering kiss to the top of her head, Gabby resting her hand on his thigh as they stood together in the quiet room.
"Me neither. And I can't wait for us to officially be a family… All four of us."
Casey and Dawson walked into their surprisingly quiet home through the door to their garage, the soft sound of cartoons playing on the TV drifting towards their ears as they headed inside, Matt closing and locking the door behind them before they both ditched their shoes by the laundry room.
After dropping their shift bags as well, the couple headed further into their home, soon finding one of their children curled up on the couch, little Sofia resting contently while she lay on the cushions, her eyes focused on the TV while Becca sat beside her, the one year old curled up underneath her favorite blanket.
"Hey guys." Becca greeted when she saw them, her voice causing Sofia's eyes to dart around before she noticed her parents walking into the room. A shriek of excitement escaped from behind the pacifier she was holding between her lips, the item falling onto the couch before she began fighting against the blanket, clearly wanting to get to her parents. And with Becca's help, she was soon out from under her blanket and on her two feet before she waddled her way over to them.
"Dada! Dada!" She spoke happily, Matt crouching down with his arms open to meet his daughter's crushing hug, Sofia collapsing her weight against her father as she held onto him tightly, Matt wrapping her up in a secure hug before lifting her off the ground.
"There's my baby." He murmured, pressing a flurry of kisses all of her face before giving her one last kiss, Sofia soon reciprocating the gesture with slobbery kisses of her own. "Oh, I know, I missed you too, my Sof." He continued, hugging his daughter tightly as Sofia gripped onto his shirt.
Watching the scene in front of her with a wide smile, Gabby leaned down to press a welcoming kiss to the top of her daughter's head, rubbing her back before she stepped away towards Becca, the nanny pushing herself up off the couch.
"How'd they do?" Dawson asked, neither parent having spoken to Becca since bedtime last night when they called to say goodnight their girls, the younger woman smiling softly before speaking up.
"Everything went great… Sofia slept well, and Caitlyn didn't wake up once. She's still asleep up in her room." She relayed the information, Gabby and Matt both nodding as relieved looks covered their faces.
"Good, that's good." Matt responded, Gabby nodding in agreement before she took a few steps backwards to him.
"I'm gonna go upstairs… Check on Caitlyn. Are you good with Sof?" She asked, Matt giving her an immediate nod.
"I'm good, babe." He told her, Gabby smiling softly before pressing one last kiss to Sofia's head, the mother giving their nanny another thank you before heading up the steps.
She made sure to move quietly, Gabby not wanting to wake up the five year old if she was still sleeping as she carefully maneuvered her way around the baby gate at the top of the steps, walking towards Caitlyn's ajar door. Slowly pushing it open, a small smile formed over her face when she saw her little girl, Caitlyn clearly having just woken up a few moments ago as she rubbed her eyes with her small fists, before she stressed her arms out above her head, Gabby stepping further into her room now that she knew she couldn't disrupt her sleep.
"Good morning, baby." She greeted softly as she didn't want to startle her, Caitlyn immediately looking over towards her with a wide smile on her face.
"Gabby! You're home!" She replied with as much excitement as she could muster this early in the morning, Dawson nodding as she came to sit down on the edge of the bed beside her.
"Yeah, I am… Matt and I just got home." She told her, Caitlyn turning towards her as she stretched once more, Gabby unable to stop her smile from growing as she continued to make herself comfortable.
"You came back." She repeated, like she was reminding herself that they'd kept their promise, Gabby's face softening before she gave her another nod, reaching out to securely place her hand over her stomach.
"We did, honey… Just like we said we would. One sleep, and we'd be back." She responded, Caitlyn smiling up at her sleepily before she nodded. "...You wanna go downstairs, and see Matt and Sof?" She questioned just as a soft yawn escaped her lips. "Or do you wanna stay here for a bit?" She added, Caitlyn giving her a nod.
"Stay here." She echoed.
"Alright, you can rest for a little longer." She replied, leaning down to press a soft kiss to her forehead, her voice hitting her ears once more as she pulled back.
"Can you stay with me?" She asked quietly, Gabby nodding softly as the smile on her face grew.
"I think I could for a few minutes." She responded lightly, Caitlyn matching her smile before she scooted over, giving her room to lay beside her.
And the second Gabby was settled on top of her comforter, she cuddled herself into her side, Caitlyn relaxing against her as she began rubbing lazy patterns along her back, knowing how much that always helped soothe her. The room was quiet as Caitlyn continued to rest, Gabby keeping up her rhythmic pattern rubbing over her back as she soon fell back asleep, her soft snores hitting her ears as she pressed another kiss to the top of her head, Gabby more than content to stay here for as long as her soon-to-be daughter wanted while she got a little more sleep.