Hello everyone! I wanna start by saying thank you for all the feedback on the last chapter, I'm so happy you all enjoyed it, and I hope you all like this one as well! I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this, I think you all are gonna like it.
Thank you so much for reading, stay safe everyone!
Chapter One Hundred and Nine
"Oh where's my girl? … There she is!" Matt spoke excitedly as he moved Sofia's little hands away from her eyes, bringing him into view as a loud laugh escaped her lips, just as it had every single time he'd done this over the last ten minutes, her laughter like music to his ears as he covered her eyes once more. "Has anyone seen my Sof? … There she is!"
This was a game she'd loved since she was old enough to understand the concept, and she still loved it just as much to this day as another high-pitched giggle left her mouth, Matt gently holding onto her arms as she smiled wide.
"Yeah, there's my baby." He said again, his grin matching his daughter's as she laid on the floor in her room. Clothed in just her diaper, she was resting comfortably on her back on top of the circular rug in the middle of her room, Matt sitting down in front of her with his legs stretched out on either side of her little body, Sofia kicking against him excitedly every time he spoke to her. "I'm gonna miss you tonight, I'm sorry I can't be here to put you to bed… But Momma's got you, doesn't she? She always does."
"Mama." She babbled, waving her arms around with Matt still holding onto them, his light grip allowed her to move freely as the wide grin never left his daughter's face. "Mama… Mama."
Chuckling softly, Casey shook his head before leaning down over his little girl, Sofia's face lighting up when he got closer. "I know, you love you Momma." He replied, before beginning to pepper her stomach with kisses, Sofia squealing in delight once more as she lightly smacked her hands against her father's head, Matt continuing to give her kisses as loud giggles started escaping her lips.
When he finished their little game, he moved up to her face to give her a quick kiss before leaning back up, Sofia's infectious grin never faltering as Matt reaching over beside him and grabbed her fresh diaper, as well as the thicker onesie that was needed as the temperature outside had dropped considerably over the last week.
As November came around, so did the colder temperatures, the air outside having dropped off at least ten degrees seemingly overnight, leaving a crisp chill outside as they started preparing for winter. And a big part of those preparations included getting new clothes for the kids. With the weather in Chicago known for being brutal this time of year, it was vital that Matt and Gabby update the children's wardrobe with some more winter-appropriate attire, considering the fact that Caitlyn really didn't really have any clothes suitable for the colder weather, and Sofia had outgrown all of hers from last year. So when the family of four had gone out last week and bought all new clothes for the kids, Matt nearly passed out when he saw the total, but he knew it was necessary, and the excitement from Caitlyn alone was enough to make it worth it, Matt and Gabby seeing first hand just how appreciative she was for everything they'd gotten for her. And he'd also be lying if he said that seeing Caitlyn and Sofia all bundled up in their winter clothes wasn't one of the most adorable things he'd ever seen.
"Alright Sof, let's get you changed and then we can go back downstairs, and you can spend time with Mommy and Caitlyn while Daddy's out." He continued softly as he unfastened her diaper and reached for a wipe, Matt basically a pro at this process by now.
"Kay! Kay!" Sofia cheered happily before shoving her fist into her mouth, Casey's smile widening as he paused for a moment and looked up at his daughter.
She'd first started saying Caitlyn's name, or her version of it, earlier in the week, and the first time it happened Caitlyn nearly burst into tears from how excited she was. With her being one of Sofia's biggest supporters when it came to learning new words, the five year old was over the moon when she heard Sofia call for her for the first time. And it was one of the most incredible moments Matt and Gabby had experienced since becoming parents of two, both of them loving to see their girls so happy.
And ever since it became a part of the one year old's vocabulary, aside from Mama and Dada, her version of Caitlyn was her most used word, which was another thing Caitlyn was thrilled about.
"Yeah, you wanna be with Caity, too?" He asked as he went back to the task at hand, Sofia continuing to chew on her fist. "Daddy's just a last resort, I know."
"Dada." She spoke lightly, the word muffled by her hand that was still in her mouth as he glanced back up her at her. "Dada." She repeated, Matt unable to stop the smile that formed over his face.
"Hi baby." He told her, his voice causing Sofia to kick her legs around, the action making it all the more difficult for him to finish changing her diaper.
And just as he was about to fasten the new one in place, Sofia decided she still needed to go to the bathroom, Matt hardly able to register what had happened before she began peeing. And while he managed to get her covered relatively quickly and prevent any more of a mess from happening, he hadn't caught it quick enough to stop her from wetting not only his pants and the bottom of his shirt, but the rug beneath them as well, Matt releasing a heavy sigh before looking back up to his daughter, finding a content look on her face.
"Yeah, I'm sure you feel better, huh?" He asked as Sofia continued to kick her legs around without a care in the world, Matt looking down to his clothes, knowing he'd definitely need to change before he left, the father clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth before he got up to get a new diaper. "Well, better to do that to me than to your Momma." He replied as he sat back down, Matt repeating the process he'd just tried to accomplish moments ago, before getting her dressed into her clothes for bedtime.
With Sofia ready to go, she crawled up off the ground while Matt discarded all the trash, the man picking up his baby in one arm, and carrying the now-soiled rug in the other before he headed downstairs, the sound of Frozen II hitting his ears while he made his way down the steps, as it so often did around here.
When he got downstairs, he walked a few feet towards the laundry room and tossed the rug onto the floor, before continuing towards the living room, Matt seeing Caitlyn running around in her pajamas, singing along to the movie, while Gabby was in the kitchen cleaning up dinner.
"Hey baby." He greeted when he stepped into the main area of their home, Gabby looking up from the sink at the island when she heard his voice, a soft smile forming over her face as she took in the sight of him and their baby. "Sof's all ready for bed, but she kinda made a mess," He prefaced, Dawson grimacing slightly before she nodded, the woman stepping away from the counter and walking towards him. "It's not much, but the rug needs to be washed… And my clothes."
"I can do it." She assured him, Matt giving her a thankful nod before he handed her the baby, Sofa perking up when she was given to her mom, Gabby adjusting her on her hip. "You just go change, and put the clothes in the laundry room, I can wash them."
"Thank you." He replied gratefully, Gabby giving him another nod.
"It's no problem, and plus we wouldn't want you to be later than you already are… Sev might think you're standing him up." She teased, Matt rolling his eyes before he walked back towards their bedroom, Gabby moving to put Sofia down on the ground in front of the coffee table. Grabbing the baby's stuffed animal off the couch, she handed it to her daughter, Caitlyn continuing to dance around to the music while Sofia watched her, the one year old completely captivated by the older girl.
Knowing she'd be able to keep an eye on them from there, Gabby moved back towards the kitchen to continue cleaning up from their meal, their dinner of chicken tacos having been a big hit with everyone, though Caitlyn and Sofia both had just mostly eaten the chicken and rice more than anything else. But it had been a great dinner nonetheless, Gabby finishing up washing the last dish just as Matt reappeared out of the bedroom.
Looking up when she noticed him, she watched as he headed back in the direction of the laundry room, likely throwing the dirty clothes in his hands in there before he came back into view, Matt giving her a soft smile before he headed straight for the girls. When Caitlyn saw him, she stopped her dancing, the girl looking up at him as he came to a stop in front of them.
"You're leaving?" She asked, not only taking in his attire, but she'd remembered hearing Matt and Gabby talk about him seeing Kelly tonight, Matt giving her a nod before he squatted down to the floor to be more eye level with the both of them.
"I am, but I'll be back in a few hours… I'm gonna go hang out with Kelly." He told her, Caitlyn giving him an understanding nod.
"Will you be here for stories?" She asked, Matt shaking his head with a small smile.
"No, I won't be here for bedtime, it'll be too late when I get back, but Gabby will be able to read you all your stories." He explained to her, Caitlyn pausing for a moment before she nodded. "And I'll see you in the morning when you wake up… Maybe we can all have a big breakfast together tomorrow." He suggested, Gabby and Matt both seeing how much Caitlyn liked that idea.
"Like pancakes?" She asked excitedly, Matt releasing a soft chuckle before he nodded.
"We can have pancakes, we can have all the pancakes you want." He replied, holding out his arms as a signal for her to give him a hug, Caitlyn immediately accepting. Taking a few steps towards him, she wrapped her arms around him tightly, Matt pressing a kiss to the side of her head before they separated. "I hope you have a fun night tonight with Gabby and Sof, alright? I'll see you in the morning." He reminded her, Caitlyn nodding understandingly before she returned her attention to her movie, Matt shuffling towards Sofia to give her a goodbye kiss, as well. Though the one year old was much less aware of what was happening, her attention more towards the movie as well as she wasn't even bothered by Matt getting up and walking away from her.
With his goodbyes to the girls done, he walked over to the kitchen just as Gabby had finished starting the dishwasher, the woman resting her weight into the counter as Matt came up to stand in front of her.
"Thanks again for washing that stuff." He told her, Gabby shrugging softly as her palms rested against the edge of the countertop.
"I was gonna do some laundry anyway, it's fine." She replied, Matt nodding before he took another step towards her, capturing her lips in a soft, sweet kiss. "...I hope you have fun with Severide tonight." She spoke when they eventually pulled away, his small grin making her smile as well as he reached out to hold onto her hip.
"Yeah, it'll be fun… Though I will miss my girls, though."
"I know you will, your girls will miss you, too. But go, have fun with your friend. I know it's been awhile since you and Kelly have been able to go out."
"Maybe, yeah… But he understands." He countered, Gabby scrunching up her nose slightly before nodding.
"Well, with you being a family man and all, I'm sure he does." She spoke lightly, Matt shaking his head in amusement before he leaned in to steal another kiss, his hand rubbing up and down over her side. "You should probably get going." She murmured against him, Gabby kissing him quickly before pulling away, Matt glancing to the time on the stove behind her before he nodded, knowing he was already twenty minutes late.
"Yeah, you're right." He replied, Matt taking a few steps away from her before he felt over his pockets, clearly trying to figure out what all he needed to get before he left. "Alright, well we'll be at Molly's, I don't think I'll be out too long, but I have my phone if you need anything."
"I know… I hope you two have fun." She responded, Casey nodding with a grateful smile. "And be careful. If you drink too much, have Stella bring you home, or ask Herrmann to get you a cab." She told him as they locked eyes with one another.
"I will babe. I'll be safe, I promise." He assured her, Matt walking back towards her to give her one last kiss before he told her goodbye, Gabby moving towards the living room while Matt headed for the garage, the man stopping to grab his keys and his wallet before he left their house, the couple going their separate ways for the evening.
"Alright, lay it on me," Severide spoke up as Matt took a sip of his beer, the Captain barely in his seat before Kelly was talking, Casey raising his eyebrows expectantly. "You already showed up late, how long until you ditch me to get back home?" He questioned with a gleam in his eye, Matt shaking his head before taking another drink.
"Funny, Severide." He responded dryly, placing his beer bottle down on the high table they were sitting at. "But don't worry, Gabby's fine at home with the kids, I won't be leaving any time soon."
His words earned a scoff in response from Severide, the Lieutenant giving him an unimpressed look as he messed with the label on his drink. "Yeah, I'll believe that when I see it." He spoke softly, Casey's head tilting to the side as Kelly caught his questioning gaze. "What? It's not like I'm wrong… You always end up leaving early to get home to the family."
"Okay, well you can't exactly blame me for that." Casey countered, Kelly shaking his head.
"No, no I can't. But still, it's just an observation." He replied with a shrug. "Before it would be you, me, and Dawson hanging out here, but now that you've got my adorable goddaughters at home, I can barely get you out, let alone both of you."
"Yeah, well both of us would require a little extra planning." Casey told him just as Stella came up to them, the woman holding a new beer and placing it down on the table in front of her boyfriend, Severide giving her a thankful smile.
"Here you go, babe… You need anything Casey?" She asked, Matt shaking his head as she leaned into Kelly's side slightly.
"No, I'm good, thanks Kidd." He responded, the woman nodding before she headed off back towards the bar, Severide's eyes staying on her for a few moments before he looked back to his friend, his eyebrows furrowing deep in thought before Kelly spoke up.
"...You know what's kind of funny?" He asked, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth before shaking his head.
"Oh, this should be good… what?" He questioned back, taking another sip of his beer.
"How the ways things used to be, where it would be me, you, and Dawson, and I'd just be the one tagging along with you two, but now it's the opposite… You get to be the one here who's the third wheel." He spoke with a hearty laugh, Casey scoffing lightly as he looked over towards the bar, seeing Stella, Herrmann, and Otis in an easy conversation while they worked.
"Yeah, maybe Gabby and I should've gotten that babysitter." He replied jokingly, Severide laughing once more before shaking his head, the man grabbing the new drink that his girlfriend had brought him.
"You know I'm just messing with you… but really, it is a little crazy to think about, with how different everything is now compared to back then." He replied, Matt thinking over his words for a moment before he nodded.
"Yeah… things are a lot different. But it was all good changes- great changes, if you ask me. For the both of us."
"Definitely." Severide agreed, both men taking sips of their beers. "...So, I pretty much know how things are at the firehouse for you, and nothing's really changed on the adoption front, but I still feel like we haven't had much time to talk lately... how's construction been? Have you been doing any of that?" He questioned, Matt drawing in a deep breath before shrugging softly.
"Eh, not much… With winter and everything, there's not too much people are wanting to have done right now. And it's hard to take on stuff with the girls." He explained, Severide nodding in understanding. "I pretty much took off from that when all that stuff with Caitlyn happened, and then since she's been back… I don't want to be committed to any big jobs right now, when I could be spending time with her and Sof." He elaborated softly, Severide's gaze glancing around the room before he nodded. "I try to be with them as much as I can when we're not off shift, especially now that Caitlyn's in school. And I don't like leaving Gabby to have to handle them by herself more than necessary… Not that she can't, but it's easier with the two of us around. Honestly, I'm not even sure how Becca manages it, but both the girls… They can be a handful." Casey finished with a laugh, Severide content to sit and listen to his friend talk about his family all he wanted, it not lost on the Lieutenant how Matt always lit up when he spoke of them.
"Yeah, they sure can be." Severide agreed with a knowing look. "I mean, I love them. Can't imagine life without them… but yeah, they can be a lot." He added softly, the chuckle escaping his lips causing Matt to grin slightly as he tapped his finger against the side of his drink.
"They can, but it's still the best thing ever." Casey replied without an ounce of hesitation, Kelly shaking his head in amusement before he responded.
"Yeah, I know it is man," He spoke sincerely, Kelly knowing more than most just how badly this was the life Casey had always wanted; the life he'd always wanted with Gabby. And now that he had it, Severide couldn't be happier for his friend. "Which is why I understand you always ditching me early." He added with a smirk, Matt scoffing lightly before he straightened out his back, adjusting himself in his seat.
But before he could reply, Severide turned away from him as something caught his attention, a curious look covering Casey's face before he glanced back to see what he was looking at, Matt releasing a sigh as he had a pretty good idea of what was about to happen. "Oh boy." He muttered underneath his breath as Severide chuckled.
As they sat at their table, two blonde women approached them, Matt running his tongue along the inside of his cheek as they came to a stop beside them.
"Hello." One of them greeted, her eyes moving back and forth between them before she looked towards her friend, the two women having some sort of silent conversation before the one who had yet to speak nodded. "Can we buy you a drink?"
Though neither Matt or Kelly recognized these women, it was clear to them they weren't regulars. Because almost all the regulars here knew of not only Severide's relationship with Kidd, but Casey and Dawson as well, even though Matt and Gabby hadn't been around nearly as much lately.
"Oh, uh… We're fine, thank you, though." Casey replied politely, Kelly nodding in agreement before he looked back to his friend, hoping they'd get the hint that they weren't interested in any extra company.
But his response didn't seem to deter either of them as the woman beside Casey leaned to rest against the table.
"Alright, you can buy us some drinks, then." She countered, Matt raising his eyebrows as Kelly matched his look. "My friend and I have never been around here before, we'd love to hear more about the place." She continued with determination. "And you two look like you could use some company." She finished, reaching out to place her hand on Casey's arm, it becoming more and more apparent as to what these women wanted.
"Um, we're alright." Matt repeated a little more firmly as he slipped out of her touch, the man not really interested in entertaining these women for much longer. He figured they were harmless, and that they were likely just trying to have a fun night of their own, but that wasn't something Casey wanted to be a part of. And he knew Severide didn't, either.
"Oh, come on… What's one drink? I'm sure the four of us could have a fun night." The other stated suggestively, Severide chuckling softly before he finally spoke up.
"Yeah, uh- Ladies, I'm sure you're very nice, but my friend here is happily married with two kids," He started, seeing their faces fall slightly as they both glanced at Matt, "and I'm taken too… She's right over there." He explained, nodding back towards the bar where Stella had been keeping an eye on the entire interaction, Matt noticing the near-amused look on her face as she looked back and forth between the group, the women glancing back to catch her gaze before they returned their focus to Matt and Kelly. As Matt picked up his drink, he saw the woman beside him look towards his hand, clearly just now noticing his wedding ring reflecting in the light as she glanced at her friend. "But thank you, though."
"Sorry… for bothering you, we didn't realize." One replied, both Matt and Kelly shaking their heads.
"It's fine… I hope you have a nice night. And the bar is great, by the way." He added, Casey able to see a hint of embarrassment in both their features, the first woman nodding quickly before her and her friend walked away, Casey hearing one of them mutter something about how they should've gone somewhere else. Matt raised his eyebrows as he found Severide's gaze, the man clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth before shaking his head, Kelly picking up his beer and leaning it towards him.
"See, that wouldn't have happened if Dawson was with us." He spoke up, Casey scoffing heavily before he took another sip of his drink, the men soon going back to their previous conversation as they wanted to enjoy a little more time together before they would eventually part ways.
"What's next?" Caitlyn asked eagerly as she stood on the chair at the counter, Gabby smiling softly as she glanced down to their ingredients, before reaching for the container that was needed.
"Sugar." She replied, the five year old nodding before she waited for any instruction, Caitlyn just excited to help Gabby as her and her foster mom got this one on one time together.
It was a little late in the evening, definitely later than Caitlyn would be up on any normal night as Sofia was already in bed, and had been for over half an hour now, the baby monitor sitting next to them on the counter allowing Gabby to keep an eye on her while also spending time with Caitlyn, as the two had decided to bake some cookies this evening. It wasn't anything that was planned, in fact until about ten minutes ago neither of them had expected to be doing this tonight. But while they were curled up on the couch watching TV, and there had been a scene in Caitlyn's second movie of the night where they'd been eating cookies, it didn't take long for them to get here.
And while this was something that definitely wouldn't become a common occurrence, keeping Caitlyn up past her bedtime, as well as letting her eat so much sugar this late, Gabby figured it couldn't hurt for tonight, especially considering it was the weekend, and they had nowhere to be tomorrow.
"Alright Caitlyn, I'm gonna get two scoops of this," She told her, holding up the measuring cup in her hands, "do you think you could help me get them in the bowl?" She requested, Caitlyn immediately nodding as she rested his hands down against the counter.
"I can!" She replied without hesitation, Gabby nodding before she began to get the first scoop of sugar.
With Caitlyn's help, Gabby managed to get all the ingredients into the bowl, the little girl assisting when she could as they worked on making the dessert together. And soon enough, they'd gotten the dough completed and sectioned off into small circles onto the cookie sheet, the bits of dough in multiple different sizes as Caitlyn had done most of that part, the five year old sneaking chocolate chips whenever she could while she helped. But it had been fun regardless, Gabby and Caitlyn both loving to get this time together as moments with just the two of them didn't happen all too often.
While the cookies were in the oven, Gabby worked on cleaning up the dishes they'd used, as Caitlyn sat on the counter beside the sink, the little girl watching her while she worked. It had been quiet for a few minutes, Caitlyn clearly fighting off her exhaustion as the late hour was starting to catch up with her, but Gabby was fine with letting her continue to stay up, as long as she could manage it.
When she got the last bowl on the dry rack, Gabby turned off the water, glancing up to find Caitlyn's deep brown eyes focused on her, just as they had been since she lifted her up onto the counter a few minutes ago, the pensive look on her face telling Dawson there was something on her mind. But she hadn't said anything, Caitlyn simply swinging her legs in the air as they locked eyes with one another.
"...Everything okay, honey?" She questioned, wiping her hands off on the dish towel before coming to stand beside her, Caitlyn pursing her lips together as she gave a small shrug. "Is there something you wanna talk about?" She continued, Gabby unable to shake the feeling that Caitlyn was holding something back.
"...Will I ever have a Mommy and Daddy?"
Her question completely stunned Gabby, the woman unsure of why this was on her mind right now as she wasn't able to hide her immediate confusion, Caitlyn keeping her eyes on her as her little face fell slightly. But despite her shock, Dawson knew she couldn't ignore her question, the curiosity in the girl's tone telling her she'd been thinking of this for awhile.
"Honey, where is this coming from?" She asked, trying to figure out where the girl's head was at.
"On the TV, they had a Mommy and Daddy," She spoke, referring back to the movie they'd been watching, Gabby soon realizing what had brought this on. "And when I see people with Mommy's and Daddy's, it makes me think of me not having one." She admitted, Gabby swallowing the thick lump in her throat, Caitlyn clearly wanting to say more. "And… Am I weird because I don't have a Mommy and Daddy?" She questioned uncertainly, a heavy feeling settling in Gabby's gut when she registered exactly what Caitlyn had said, Dawson shaking her head immediately. There was a lot to unpack here, a lot Gabby hadn't been expecting right now, things her and Matt would need to talk with Caitlyn about, but the last words out of her mouth were what Gabby was getting caught up on. She wasn't sure where Caitlyn had heard that, but she knew it wasn't anything she'd come up with on her own as Gabby came to stand in front of her.
"Sweetheart, who told you that?" She questioned, her protective instincts taking over as Gabby placed her hand on her leg. Breathing deeply, Caitlyn looked down to her lap, the girl suddenly not wanting to look at her as Gabby patted her knee softly. "Baby, you're not in trouble… Did someone tell you you were weird?" She asked, the five year old running her teeth over her bottom lip as she slowly looked back up at her.
"No… But kids at school like to talk about their Mommy's and Daddy's." She started, Gabby nodding in understanding as she waited for her to explain exactly what had caused her to wonder about this. "And some of them only have a Mommy, or only have a Daddy, and Jensen said he has two mommies.." She continued, Gabby nodding once more. "But they all have Mommy's and Daddy's, but I don't." Gabby's chest began to feel tight as Caitlyn's innocent words hit her, the little girl doing what she could to explain what was going on in her head. "And when I said I don't have a Mommy or a Daddy, they looked at me funny… Like I was weird."
Gabby drew in a deep breath, rubbing her leg comfortingly as Caitlyn looked to her for answers, the older woman trying to figure out how to best respond to her. "Caitlyn, baby, you're not weird." She spoke, rubbing over her leg lovingly. "I don't ever want you to think that."
"But I don't have a Mommy and Daddy to do stuff with, like in the movies. And like my friends." She continued, Gabby pursing her lips together as Caitlyn continued. "I have you and Matt, but no Mommy and Daddy… I'll never have a Mommy and Daddy."
Dawson's eyes fell closed as she spoke, it feeling like a knife went straight through her heart when the weight of Caitlyn's words hit her.
She knew she didn't know any better, that Caitlyn had no idea they were doing all they could to make sure she stayed with them forever, and to become her parents. But just because she didn't know, that didn't make her words hurt any less. But it wasn't a hurt Dawson felt for herself, she hurt for her. Hearing her say that, her voice sounding so lost, Gabby hurt for Caitlyn, and she wanted to do anything she could to make it better.
And in this moment, she wished she could just tell her. That, waiting be damned, she could tell Caitlyn that they were in the process of adopting her, and soon she would officially be a part of their family. She wanted nothing more than to be able to give her that reassurance.
But she couldn't. She couldn't tell her right now, and she wouldn't. Not without Matt.
Even if they decided to just go ahead and tell her, even though they were still waiting, she'd never tell the little girl without Matt being here, she'd never rob him of that moment, even though right now she wished she could.
But just because she couldn't tell her they were adopting her just yet, that wouldn't stop her from giving her the reassurance she knew the girl needed, Gabby releasing a soft breath before she spoke up once more
"Honey, listen to me… I know all this is confusing, and it's not fair. I'm so sorry for what happened to your mom and dad. But I don't ever want you thinking you're weird because of it, alright? The other kids in your class probably just don't understand, but you have nothing to feel bad about." She told her, Caitlyn hesitating for a moment before she nodded. "And I, I know Matt and I can't replace your dad," She spoke carefully, the uneasy feeling in her stomach getting worse. "But you'll always have us… We're not going anywhere, ever."
"...You mean it?" She questioned, Caitlyn clearly needing that extra assurance, as she so often did.
"I do." She replied without any hesitation, Gabby seeing the girl relax slightly before she nodded yet again. "You're always gonna have us, I don't want you to ever worry about that."
Smiling softly, Caitlyn leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Gabby's back, the young girl hugging herself to her foster mom as tightly as she could. With a similar grin resting on her face, Gabby hugged her back, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as Caitlyn nuzzled herself deeper into her embrace. They stood like this for a few seconds, Gabby rubbing her back soothingly as she occasionally kissed her head, sensing how badly the five year old needed the comfort.
As more time had passed, as Caitlyn's grip around her waist had loosened slightly, Gabby wasn't even entirely sure the girl hadn't fallen asleep, her steady breaths hitting Dawson's arm. But when she shifted slightly, Gabby knew she was still awake, Caitlyn's soft voice suddenly hitting her ears.
"...I wish you and Matt were my Mommy and Daddy."
Dawson's breath caught in her throat as it felt like her heart broke in her chest, Caitlyn gripping onto her a little tighter, like she was worried she shouldn't have said it, Gabby having to stop herself yet again from just telling her right this second. Releasing a deep breath, Dawson rubbed up and down her back once more before pressing a few gentle kisses against the side of her head, feeling Caitlyn begin to relax as she realized she wasn't in trouble.
And before she could try and figure out how to respond to her, the sound of the timer went off, alerting Gabby that the cookies were done as she registered the smell of them filling the air, Caitlyn all but ripping herself from her grasp before looking towards the sound.
"Are the cookies ready?" She asked excitedly, all thoughts of their heavy conversation long gone as that bright smile returned to her face, Gabby finding herself once again surprised by the girl's ability to compartmentalize. And though she wished she didn't have that skill, Dawson knowing it had come from having to deal with everything she'd gone through at such a young age, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't a little bit grateful for it at the moment, Gabby still unsure of what to say to her.
"Yeah, they are… Let me get them out of the oven, then we can let them cool, alright?" She told her, Caitlyn nodding as Gabby gave her a quick kiss on the top of her head before she turned around to step towards the stove, Dawson turning the timer off before grabbing her oven mitts.
"Then I can have one?" She asked with a soft smile, Gabby looking over her once more, seeing she seemed completely fine before she gave her a nod.
"Yes, you can have one, baby… We've gotta test them to make sure they're okay." She told her with a knowing grin, Caitlyn matching her look before she nodded, her excitement having returned completely as she stayed on her spot on the counter, Dawson pushing all thoughts of their previous conversation aside as she knew she wouldn't be able to work through any of what she was feeling until she spoke with Matt, Gabby now just wanting to enjoy this time she had with Caitlyn before she had to go to bed.
Casey stepped quietly in through the door as he immediately noticed how quiet and dark his home was, the only source of light coming from a small light left on the kitchen, as well as a little bit of light flooding out from the bedroom, Matt knowing Gabby had likely left those on for him as he locked the door to the garage behind him. Discarding his wallet and keys in their rightful place on the table by the door, he quietly kicked his shoes off, not wanting to risk waking up any of the sleeping girls in this house. While it wasn't too late, it was well past the kid's bedtimes, and after he hadn't gotten any response from Gabby to his text letting her know he was coming home, he figured she'd fallen asleep as well.
After hanging up his jacket on the hook, he continued into their home, his sock-covered feet padding across the hardwood as he quietly walked past the bedroom, the man just wanting to check and make sure the front door was locked before he went to bed. And once that task had been completed, Casey checking the door as well as making sure the curtains were drawn, he walked into the kitchen to grab some water and turn the light off, before finally heading for the bedroom.
He was moving as carefully as he possibly could, but the second he stepped inside the room and saw Gabby sitting up in their bed, he realized he didn't need to, Matt offering her a soft smile as he stopped in the doorway. "Hey… I didn't know you were awake." He told her, Gabby grinning before she placed her book down on the nightstand.
"Yeah, I could tell by how you sneaked past the door." She responded with an amused look, Matt shaking his head slightly before he continued into the room. Placing his water and phone down on his nightstand, he moved around their spacious bedroom, Matt walking into the closet to shed his clothes before he came back out, feeling Gabby's eyes on him as he walked to the dresser.
"How was your night?" He questioned as he pulled out a pair of pajama pants, Matt glancing up at her as he slid them on.
"It was fine. Sof went down easy, then Caitlyn and I made cookies." She replied, Matt raising his eyebrows slightly as his smile grew.
"Well, I can't wait to try those."
"Yeah, they're pretty good… What about you, how was your night with Kelly?" She questioned, Matt blowing out a soft breath as the waistband of his pants snapped against his skin.
"It was good, I'm glad I was able to go. But I missed you all, though." He replied as he stepped towards the bed. "But we just talked a bit, hung out with Kidd… And you know, we were fighting off the women all evening." He added with a smug grin, Gabby raising her eyebrows in amusement before a soft scoff left her lips.
"So the typical night for you two, it sounds like." She teased, Matt laughing before he nodded.
"Definitely." He replied, Matt walking around the bed back towards the door to push it closer to the frame, before he moved towards the bathroom, the man still needing to go through his routine before he came to lie down.
While he was in the other room, Gabby made herself comfortable, sinking further down into their mattress as she heard him move around. And eventually, he reappeared, Matt flipping off the bathroom light before walking around to his side of the bed, the lamp beside Gabby the only thing illuminating the room as she watched his every move. She expected him to just sit down as he normally would, so he took her by surprise when he pulled the covers back enough to where he'd taken them off her as well, Gabby shooting him a confused look that he ignored, Matt climbing down into bed and over towards her. A soft smile soon replaced her uncertain look as she knew exactly what he was wanting, Casey lying partially on top of her as he cuddled himself into her chest, wrapping his arms around her as best he could before making himself comfortable.
Out of instinct, her arm moved to wrap around his shoulders, while her other hand began to lightly run through his hair, the position already comforting to them both as he released a content sigh.
"...You okay?" She asked him softly, Matt sliding his hand up and down her side before he nodded, the man pressing an innocent kiss against her covered upper chest.
"I'm good… Why?"
"Because you're holding onto me like Caitlyn does." She replied lightly, her words causing him to laugh before he gave her body a gentle squeeze.
"So, what? Our girls are the only ones who can get cuddles?" He asked, Gabby biting back a chuckle at his use of one of Caitlyn's favorite words.
"No, of course not… I'll give you as many cuddles as you want, baby." She responded before pressing a soft kiss to the top of his head, Matt releasing a content breath as she scratched her fingers over his scalp.
"Good… Because while I'm not sure you remember, I used to be the only one getting those, and now I have to share." He huffed out, Gabby unable to stop herself from rolling her eyes as she stroked her thumb against his temple.
"Yeah, well that was over the second you got me pregnant, so if you always wanted to have my complete attention, you shouldn't have knocked me up." She joked, Matt smirking softly before he lifted his head, resting his chin down against her chest as he met her gaze.
"One of the best things I ever did was knock you up." He replied sincerely, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing as Matt also registered his words, his head tilting to the side slightly before speaking up once more. "I… That was supposed to sound a lot sweeter than it did." He told her, Dawson shaking her head in amusement before she ran her hand along the side of his face, her other hand scratching along his bare back.
"I know what you meant… And I can't disagree with you there." She replied as Matt leaned into her touch, the two relishing in this relaxing moment, the air around them light and easy as he spoke up once more.
"...So the girls went to sleep okay?" He asked, Gabby smiling softly as he clearly wanted to know what all he'd missed when he was away from his family.
"They did… Sofia was out basically by the time I got her upstairs, she was really tired. And Caitlyn, well she stayed up a little later than normal, that's when we made the cookies, but I eventually got her to bed…"
"Yeah, and how many stories did it take?" He asked with a grin, Gabby clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth before replying.
"Four…" She told him, Matt chuckling in response before he rested his head back down against her chest, letting his eyes fall closed.
"Well, that's about as expected. The girl loves her books." He spoke, Gabby nodding in agreement before she let herself relax back into the pillows, a comfortable silence falling over them for a few more moments. It was nice for them to just have this time together, as spending the last few hours apart, along with their time before that having been spent focusing on their girls, so having this moment of peace with just the two of them was a good change of pace, Gabby lazily rubbing through his short hair as their breathing slowed down.
She wasn't sure how much time had passed, Gabby feeling herself slowly succumbing to the exhaustion she felt as her chest moved steadily up and down underneath his ear, Matt forcing himself to stay awake as well, the man yawning softly before he opened his eyes.
"So, did I miss anything else while I was gone?" He asked, his voice softly as Gabby looked down at him. "Did Caitlyn ever watch anything other than Frozen?"
Dawson paused for a moment as she thought over the evening she'd had with Caitlyn, their heavy conversation looming over her as she knew she needed to talk to Matt, the wife sighing softly as she thought over how to best bring it up.
"Gabby?" He questioned, pulling her from her thoughts, Dawson blinking quickly before she cleared her throat.
"Yeah- sorry, uh she did manage to pick another movie." She answered his question, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he lifted his head up to look at her, catching the shift in her demeanor immediately.
"What's wrong?" He asked before saying anything else, Gabby matching his look as her head tilted to the side slightly, the woman still sometimes taken aback by just how well he was able to read her.
"Nothing's wrong, really, there's just… Caitlyn and I had a conversation earlier, that I definitely hadn't been expecting." She explained, the look of confusion on his face growing as he waited for her to continue, Gabby blowing out a heavy sigh before she explained to him what she and Caitlyn had talked about earlier in the evening. As she spoke, she could tell he was surprised just as she had been, as well as hurt, Matt clearly hating to hear the things Caitlyn was worried about.
"And I know the kids weren't trying to be mean, I think they were just confused," She continued to tell him as she spoke of the children in Caitlyn's class, Matt giving her a slight nod as he pushed himself up slightly to rest on his forearms on either side of her body. "But I hated seeing her like that…" She spoke with a grimace, Matt stroking his hand along the side of her arm comfortingly.
"I'm sorry I wasn't here." He murmured, Gabby shaking her head slightly with a sad smile.
"It's okay… I had no idea it was even something she was really thinking about right now, but clearly she has been, and it's just got me thinking that…"
"What?" He pushed, Gabby locking eyes with him before she drew in a deep breath.
"Should we tell her?" She questioned, Matt giving her little in the form of a reaction as he pursed her lips togethers. "I mean, it should be any day now that we hear from Tina, and I know we agreed to wait, and that it was for the best, just in case… But hearing her today, I just- I hate that she's feeling this way, that she thinks she'll never have parents, and I can't help but think we should tell her." She finished, Casey staying quiet as he thought over her words.
He understood what she was feeling, of course he did. From the moment they decided to adopt Caitlyn, the most challenging aspect of it, from a personal standpoint, had been the fact that they weren't going to tell her, especially early on when she struggled with the idea of them leaving her. And then with today's conversation on top of that, he completely understood why his wife wanted to jump the gun and just go ahead and tell her. And he also couldn't say he didn't have the same compulsion.
But there was also that voice in the back of his head telling him that they should still just wait, that they'd made it this far, and waiting until they were one hundred percent sure this was happening was the right way to go. But he also knew his wife, and if she thought it was best to tell her, he wouldn't fight her on it.
"If you really want to, and think it's a good idea, then I'm okay with it," He started, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before she nodded, "...but, maybe we should sleep on it, and talk more about it tomorrow." Casey suggested, watching as she bit down on her bottom lip thoughtfully. "I know that conversation today couldn't have been easy, but telling her about this is a big deal, and I wanna make sure we do it right… So maybe let's just go to bed, and we'll talk more tomorrow?"
Taking another breath, Gabby nodded in agreement as she knew her husband was right, Matt offering her a soft smile before he lifted himself up and pressed a gentle kiss against her lips. "Okay… I love you." She whispered against him, Matt's grin growing before he kissed her once more.
"I love you, too… Now let's get some sleep, because I have a feeling there's gonna be a very excited girl in here bright and early tomorrow morning wanting pancakes." Matt told her, his words causing Gabby to smile before she nodded, Casey rolling off of her and onto his side of the bed.
He'd barely gotten onto his back before Gabby tucked herself into his side, her head resting against his chest as she wrapped her arm around his waist, Matt keeping her as close as he possibly could as his hand rested firmly on her hip. With one last quiet goodnight, and a kiss to her forehead, the couple slowly began to drift off into unconsciousness, both more than ready for a good night's sleep after the long day that had taken place in the Casey household.
Casey sat at his desk in his office tapping his pen against the stack of paperwork in front of him, the stack not seeming to be diminishing quickly enough as he'd been working diligently for the last few hours, the slow day having given him ample time to catch up one some work during shift. Though he knew had he been able to keep his mind from wandering to his family, he would be able to get things done a lot faster, but that was never anything he'd complain about, the man unable to stop himself from smiling as he looked towards the picture of Caitlyn and Sofia he had sitting proudly on his desk, Matt already missing them.
Though he was able to get a little time with his girls this morning before leaving for shift, it wasn't nearly enough, between him and Gabby needing to get ready for work, and Caitlyn getting ready for school. But despite the lack of time they had this morning, that hadn't been anywhere near the case yesterday as the family of four had spent the entire day together at home, Gabby and Matt dedicating themselves to spending time with their girls while they had it. And Caitlyn, and Sofia both, had absolutely loved it, their day starting with a big breakfast prepared by Matt, and finishing with a movie night in Matt and Gabby's room.
But regardless of all the fun that had been had yesterday, there had been a little bit of uncertainty hanging over it, at least between Matt and Gabby, as they knew they needed to talk, but they never got around to it. Not with having both girls all day, especially after Sofia had decided she didn't want to nap. They'd had their hands full for the entirety of the day, and by the time the girls were asleep, they were both beyond exhausted and ready to go to bed, neither of them bringing it up. But despite the fact that they hadn't mentioned it, Matt knew Gabby had been thinking about it, and if he had to guess, he figured she was starting to go back to their original plan, that being to wait until everything was for sure. He just had this feeling that even though she wanted the girl to know, there was that apprehension surrounding them that was too hard to ignore. Though since they hadn't had a chance to speak about it, he couldn't be sure.
And regardless of what she decided, he knew they still needed to talk about it, Matt releasing a soft sigh before he tore his eyes away from the photo of his girls and making himself focus on his work, his eyes already feeling heavy as he looked over the paper.
Casey had only been back working on his paperwork for maybe five minutes when he heard his door open suddenly, his eyes widening slightly before he turned around, watching his wife come in abruptly, nearly slamming the door behind her as she spoke on the phone.
"Gabby, what-"
"Sorry, Tina can you say that again?" She cut him off as she spoke into the phone, Casey's spine straightening before he quickly stood up, Gabby putting the call on speaker as she held the device out in front of her. "I've got Matt with me."
"Yeah, of course- Matt, as I was telling Gabby, this is normally something I'd want to tell you in person, and I still want to meet here soon, so we can go over the specifics, but I didn't want to make you two wait any longer than you already have… But I was just calling to let you know that everything's been signed off and approved… We can officially move forward with the adoption."
Casey's face lit up with pure joy, tears forming in Gabby's eyes a bright smile covered her face, the woman nodding in excitement as the hand holding onto her phone began to tremble slightly.
"Wow, I-" Matt stuttered out, his eyes never leaving Gabby's as she nodded once more. "I don't even know what to say, this is just- Oh my God." He breathed out, the man overwhelmed with emotions.
"I know, it's a lot… It's what you all have been waiting on. And like I said, there's a lot of specifics we need to go over, just with where we go from here in the process, but I just couldn't wait to call and give you the good news… We're good to continue, this adoption is happening."
The second they registered her words, Gabby nearly choked on the air in her lungs, her watery eyes full of happiness as Casey reached out to squeeze her arm.
"Thank you, Tina… Truly, for everything."
"Yes, thank you." Gabby added, the woman having a bit harder time forming coherent thoughts right now.
"Of course, there's no need to thank me… This was all you. Caitlyn is such a lucky girl, and I'm so happy for you all… I'll see you all soon."
With a few more pleasantries, mostly done by Matt, they ended the call, Gabby haphazardly tossing her phone down on his bunk as the huge smile returned to her face, Casey matching her look immediately.
"I… I feel like I'm not really processing this right now, but this- this is happening." Gabby spoke as she choked back a happy sob, Matt immediately nodding in response as he took a step closer to her, his own eyes glassy as he reached out for her.
"It's happening." He repeated happily, his words causing tears to slide down her face. "She's gonna be ours." He added, wiping away her joyful tears as Gabby nodded excitedly before she launched herself into his arms. Matt held onto her as tightly as he could, the man lifting her up off the ground and spinning them around, Gabby's arms wrapped around his neck before he eventually set her back down.
After a few long moments, they disconnected, happy tears sliding down both their cheeks as a soft laugh escaped her lips, neither of them entirely sure this was real. "I… I can't wait to tell her." Gabby said the first words that came into her mind, Matt nodding enthusiastically as his hands ran up and down the sides of her arms.
"I can't either… She's gonna be so happy."
Nodding in agreement, Gabby pulled herself back towards him, capturing his lips in a passionate kiss, the action full of nothing but love as Matt gave her back just as much. They put everything they were feeling into this moment, the weeks of stress and uncertainty all now feeling completely worth it, because none of that mattered anymore, not when Caitlyn would finally be theirs.
Here soon, they would be able to call her their daughter, and this moment was just another step in the right direction to make that happen. They were another step closer to adopting the little girl that already felt like a part of their family, and even though they still had a long way to go, Matt and Gabby were both eagerly awaiting the day it would be official.
But until then, getting to tell Caitlyn would be more than enough.