Hi everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all. I think this is one you've been waiting on, so hopefully it doesn't disappoint. I'm very eager to hear your thoughts on everything, I hope you guys like it.
Also, I just want to let you all know that there won't be a new Whatever Comes Next Chapter this week. This past week or so has been a challenging one for me personally, and I think I need to just give myself a day or two to take a break. I should be back with both stories next week, and I'm also hoping to get the next If We Never Say Goodbye chapter posted soon, but I just know I won't be able to finish the next Whatever Comes Next update before Thursday, and I'd rather give myself time than rush through it. I'm really sorry, but I hope you all understand.
Thank you so much for reading, stay safe everyone.
Chapter One Hundred and Ten
"Alright, now you remember what we talked about? We're only gonna stay for a little while because I don't want you to get too cold." Gabby repeated her words from earlier as she slid the last glove onto Caitlyn's hand, the five year old listening intently as Dawson reached up to zip up her coat.
Nodding her head enthusiastically, Caitlyn smiled wide before looking back and forth between Gabby and the woman next to her. "Okay Gabby!" She replied brightly as Dawson inspected her quickly, wanting to make sure she was covered head to toe before letting her run off to play. And after a once over of the child, Gabby knew she was fine, her thicker leggings, long sleeve shirt, beanie, and winter jacket enough to combat the chill in the crisp November air while she played.
"And make sure you stay where I can see you, don't go past the slides." She instructed cautiously as she reached out to grab ahold of Caitlyn's glove-covered hands, the action gaining the little girl's complete attention as her deep brown eyes locked on Gabby's. "If you want to get on the swings, you need to come get me, or Jemma, alright?" She told her, Caitlyn's gaze flashing to the woman sitting beside Gabby before she nodded with a bright smile.
"Okay." She repeated, Gabby giving her hands a squeeze before dropping them.
"Now you go have fun, I'll come get you when it's time to go." Gabby told her as the girl gave her one last nod, Caitlyn leaning forward to give her a quick kiss before heading off towards the playground. Dawson kept her eyes on her the entire time as Caitlyn ran towards the play structure that was maybe fifteen feet away, the mother needing the assurance she'd gotten there safely before doing anything else.
While a trip to the park definitely hadn't been on Gabby's radar today, when Caitlyn had asked her over and over to go, she figured it was the perfect way for all the girls to end their fun afternoon together. And with it being a little colder, there weren't too many people here, which meant Gabby was able to easily keep an eye on her. Releasing a soft breath, Gabby looked down towards her daughter, seeing Sofia was still as content as she'd been the moment they got here, her baby bundled up comfortably in between her and Jemma as she gnawed on her toy. And just as she'd done with Caitlyn, Gabby had also made sure Sofia was warm enough as well, the baby's normal outfit covered by her own winter gear, along with the smaller baby beanie she had covering her head. Then just for an added level of comfort, the smallest Casey was nestled in her favorite blanket as she leaned into Jemma's side, Sofia's demeanor alone telling Dawson that she was almost ready for her nap.
"She really is so cute." Jemma spoke up, the sound of her voice gaining Gabby's attention as she looked up towards her friend.
"Yeah, she is." Gabby replied with a smile, her eyes moving back towards Caitlyn for a moment before returning her focus to her former partner. "And uh, while we have a moment where Caitlyn isn't vying for all your attention, I do wanna apologize, for not being able to see you much lately." She spoke up, earning a confused look from her friend. "Though I know this probably wasn't exactly what you had in mind when you said you wanted to hang out, but I'm glad you were able to do this today." She added, Jemma immediately waving her off as that familiar warm smile formed over her face.
With life keeping them both busy, the best friends hadn't had nearly as much time to see one another as they would've liked, both having their own things keeping them preoccupied lately. So when Jemma had called this morning to check in on her friend, Gabby had quickly proposed her coming over and seeing everyone, which was something the younger woman eagerly agreed to. And it had ended up being a fun surprise for both of the girls.
When Jemma showed up to the Casey home this morning, Sofia practically tripped over herself out of pure excitement when she saw her godmother, the baby beyond ecstatic to see Jemma through more than a phone screen. And then after a morning of Sofia getting some one on one time with Jemma while Gabby was able to catch up with her friend, as well as get some work done around the house, the three of them had gone to pick up Caitlyn from school while Matt was over at Severide's, the five year old equally as excited to see the unexpected woman.
The second Caitlyn had been escorted out of the school by one of the teacher's aids, she practically screamed in joy when she saw who was waiting for her. And as soon as she was close enough, she'd broken away from the teacher and ran towards them, yelling an enthusiastic 'Aunt Jemma' as Gabby was sure everyone on the block heard them, but Caitlyn's excitement was more than worth it when Jemma scooped the girl up in her arms. Gabby knew the five year old would be happy, as even in the short amount of time she'd spent with her, Jemma was one of the people Caitlyn absolutely adored. And that had never been more apparent than today, as not only did Caitlyn talk Jemma's ear off about school during the entire drive to go get lunch, but when they were at the restaurant, Caitlyn insisted on sitting next to her. Which, unsurprisingly, led to Jemma sharing most of her lunch with the child as well when Caitlyn realized she wasn't as interested in her own grilled cheese and tomato soup, as she was the chicken sandwich Jemma had ordered. But thankfully, Jemma didn't mind one bit as all of them were able to enjoy a nice lunch together, both of the girls more than well behaved during their meal.
"Oh, don't worry about it." Jemma replied after a moment, Gabby's eyes snapping back into focus before looking back towards Caitlyn. "You have a pretty good excuse for why you're busy. Plus today has been great, and you know I love getting to spend time with the girls."
Her words caused Gabby to smile, the mother focusing on Caitlyn as she continued to climb up and down around the playground, while Jemma held onto the one year old in between them. "Yeah, I know you do. And they love it too… If Caitlyn bouncing off the walls all day wasn't enough to tell you that." She replied lightly, Jemma smiling before she nodded, both women pausing for a moment until Gabby spoke up once more. "So, I know we've talked about this some but how's work been going?" She questioned as she glanced back towards her friend. "Things at the SAS still alright?"
The look of apprehension was enough to peak Gabby's interests, the younger paramedic giving her a slight shrug in response as she glanced out to the playground.
"Everything okay?" She questioned when Jemma had yet to say anything, Gabby able to read her friend very well. And she could tell there was something bothering her.
"Yeah, yeah it's fine." She replied, earning an unimpressed look from her friend as Gabby waited for her to elaborate, Jemma releasing a soft sigh. "It's really not a big deal, it's just been pretty stressful lately… Lot of interpersonal issues between the paramedics and the higher ups." She continued on, Dawson's eyebrows furrowing as she listened intently. "It's been happening for awhile now… And honestly, I'm not sure how much longer I can stick it out." Norris finished, Gabby's eyes widening slightly at the implication of her words.
"Why didn't you say anything?" She asked, the younger woman giving her a soft shrug before looking down towards the child leaning against her, Jemma patting her hand against Sofia's covered stomach.
"I don't know, it wasn't a big deal. And you and Matt have had your hands full." She spoke softly, Dawson shaking her head.
"You still could've told me." She interjected, meeting her friend's gaze. "I know there's been a lot going on with me, but you still could've said something… I knew you said work hadn't been great, but I didn't realize it was that bad. That you're thinking of leaving."
"It's fine, Gabby, really." She assured her with a soft smile, Gabby doing what she could to keep her attention on Jemma, while also keeping an eye on Caitlyn. "And I don't know what I'm gonna do yet, it's just something I've been thinking about." She added, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before she nodded. "There's a lot of new people in the house now, and everything just feels… Different. Murray's the only one left from when you were there, but even she's been looking for other jobs."
"Wow." Dawson breathed out, Jemma giving her a slight nod.
"Yeah, it hasn't been great. And Marcus thinks I should quit, maybe try to be an EMT elsewhere…"
"Your boyfriend is a smart man." Gabby replied with a small smile, one that grew when Jemma grinned slightly as well, the woman shaking her head.
"Yeah, yeah, well don't tell him that." She responded without missing a beat, Gabby chuckling softly. "But no, really, I don't think I'm gonna go anywhere… Things are definitely just not what they used to be." She finished with another shrug, her eyes moving forward towards the playground. "But, uh- enough about me, I'd much rather talk about your little angels," She changed the course of their conversation, Gabby getting the sense that this was something Jemma really didn't want to talk about any longer. And while she was worried about her friend, and definitely wanted to discuss this further, she wouldn't press the issue right now. "How are things with the Casey's?"
Gabby drew in a deep breath as she thought over the question, Jemma not missing the way her friend's face slowly began to light up, the younger woman's head tilting to the side as she watched her. Clearly, whatever was on her mind had her excited, Gabby meeting her gaze before speaking up.
"Things are… They're great." She replied softly, Norris' eyebrows raising slightly as she waited for her to continue, Gabby biting back her smile. "We actually, uh- the other day, we found out… We got the call from Tina that we can officially adopt Caitlyn."
Jemma's eyes widened as she processed what was being said to her, before a huge grin broke out across her face, Gabby seeing just how happy she was for them. Before saying a word, she kept a secure grip on Sofia before leaning forward to give her friend a hug, Gabby blinking back the tears that had formed in her eyes as Jemma held onto her tightly. It was one thing to talk about this with Matt, but seeing so much excitement from someone that meant so much to her was an entirely new feeling altogether, Gabby doing what she could to keep her emotions in check as Jemma rubbed her back.
"Oh my God, Gabby that's amazing." She breathed out, blinking back the tears in her own eyes as they separated, Sofia looking around between them as she was unsure of what had just happened. But once she was settled back into Jemma's side, she didn't seem to care, Gabby smiling brightly as she looked back towards Caitlyn. "I'm… I'm so happy for you two, I know you were both waiting on this."
Gabby gave her a firm nod as she wiped underneath her eyes, Jemma lifting her hand up to rub comfortingly over her arm as a joyful feeling lingered in the cold air around them, both women well aware of just how true her words had been. Similarly to Severide, Jemma was the person Gabby had gone to frequently during all of this, the woman needing her best friend by her side as she and Matt went through this process. And she had been a compassionate ear through it all, Jemma knowing better than most had difficult the waiting had been.
"God, this is just- I'm so happy for you guys. For all of you, this is amazing." She spoke up again as she was continuing to digest what she'd been told, Gabby giving her another nod. "You guys just found out?"
"During last shift, yeah." Gabby replied as neither woman was able to wipe the grins off their faces. "Tina called me out of the blue, and told us… And then yesterday after shift Matt and I went over to her office and she walked us through what happens next, and we've gotten the next step of this started and everything and… It's a lot, but it's worth it. It's more than worth it." She finished with a gentle grin, Jemma nodding in agreement.
"Absolutely." She responded without hesitation as she gave Gabby's arm another squeeze. "That little girl, she's a Casey… And she has been for a long time." Jemma told her confidently, Dawson biting down on the inside of her cheek to keep her emotions in check. "She belongs with you all, and I'm so glad it's going to be official… Have you told Caitlyn yet?"
Gabby's face faltered slightly at the question, Jemma watching her curiously as she blew out a heavy sigh before shaking her head. "No, not yet," She replied as Norris waited for more. "We had planned to yesterday when we got home from DCFS, but… it just wasn't the right time."
"Did something happen?" Jemma asked, Gabby immediately shaking her head as she heard the worry in her friend's voice.
"No, no it was nothing like that… The kids just," She cut herself off, Gabby's mind going back to the events of the stressful day yesterday in the Casey household.
Though they had come home excited and eager to tell Caitlyn the good news, the second they stepped inside, it became clear it wasn't the right time. Both girls were in the middle of tantrums, Sofia nearly screaming from her high chair, while Caitlyn was throwing a fit at the table, and Becca was just trying to get things under control. After talking with the nanny, they found out that both girls had been acting a little off since they woke up, and that when one of them got upset over something, the other would start to cry as well. And despite the fact that between both of them, the parents were able to get the girls calmed down, those bad moods had stuck around the rest of the day. No matter what Matt or Gabby tried to do, Caitlyn was just not having a good day, while Sofia spent the entire afternoon desperate to be near her parents. If they weren't within her line of vision, or really if at least one of them wasn't sitting near her, she'd cry and yell until she could be with them, and that behavior hadn't stopped even after her nap.
They weren't sure what was going on, or why both Caitlyn and Sofia had seemingly been in those terrible moods since they woke up, but they knew days like this happened. They were kids, and kids had bad days just like everyone else. Days where they were just in awful moods, where they were tired and didn't want to listen, or do anything really. Days that involved many tears, even if there wasn't really a reason, where nothing seemed to go well. And yesterday had certainly been one of those days. So they quickly decided that they'd have to table any discussions with Caitlyn about adopting her, the parents knowing that it would be best to just scrap this day and start over again tomorrow, as they chose to just focus on the kids and do what they could to make the hard day a little easier. Which included doing nothing but spending time with them.
And that had seemed to help, as much as it was going to. Despite the fact that their plans for the day had been much different, they'd ended up spending most of their time together on the couch, before Gabby decided to take Caitlyn into their room after a particularly rough meltdown. Neither parent was entirely sure what caused it, but it was clear the five year old needed some time to herself after it happened, so Gabby suggested the two of them go watch a movie in her and Matt's bedroom while Casey continued to hold Sofia. Which, thankfully, had helped the girl feel better as Caitlyn had a relatively calm rest of the day, her time spent curled up against Gabby's chest while the woman continuously rubbed her head doing wonders for her mood. And Sofia had also seemed to calm down throughout the evening as well, their night having gone much better than the day had.
Then by the time they'd woken up this morning, it was as if yesterday had never happened, both girls in much better spirits today as they were able to go about their day as normal. Which had helped the parents feel better as well, as the previous twenty four hours had taken a lot out of both of them.
"...It was just a rough day." Gabby decided on, knowing it wasn't worth getting into right now as Jemma gave her a nod. "So we didn't get to tell her like we'd planned to. Which, honestly, might've been for the best because Matt and I never really got around to figuring out how we're gonna tell her." She explained as a knowing look crossed her friend's face, Gabby looking back towards Caitlyn to make sure she was still doing okay. "But she doesn't know yet. You and Kelly are the only people who know so far."
"Well, as her godparents, it only seems fair." She replied jokingly, Gabby biting back a smile before shaking her head.
"Yeah, that's exactly what Matt and I were thinking." She spoke sarcastically, Jemma smirking proudly before Gabby continued, her tone back to normal. "But no, we just wanted Caitlyn to be the first- or one of the first people to know." She corrected herself as Norris nodded. "And I mean, aside from you and Sev, no one but my family and Chief Boden knows were doing this anyway, but we wanted Caitlyn to know before anyone else… We weren't even originally planning on telling Severide either until after she knew."
"Yeah?"
"Mhmm." Dawson hummed with a soft nod. "Casey and I agreed to not say anything, but we weren't able to keep it from him… I don't even think it was an hour before Matt ended up telling him." She spoke with a soft smile as she thought back to a couple days ago.
She meant what she said, her and Matt had no intention of telling anyone before Caitlyn found out. But when they'd finally left Casey's office, and they hadn't been able to wipe the smiles from their faces while their bodies were radiating excitement, everyone knew something was up. But anytime they were asked about it, Casey and Dawson both refused to say anything. And while the couple later found out from Kelly that everyone just assumed Matt had gotten lucky when they were away in his office, when Severide finally pulled them aside to ask them about it, he was able to force it out of them.
Though admittedly, he didn't have to do much convincing before Casey blurted it out, the Captain unable to contain his excitement any longer as he'd explained to his friend what was going on. And while normally Gabby might be a little unimpressed that he'd told Severide right after they agreed not to, her husband's elation combined with how happy Kelly had been for them made it all worth it.
"Yeah, knowing Casey that's not surprising." Jemma commented, Gabby giving her a nod before she tore her eyes away from her soon-to-be daughter.
"Definitely not. But I can't blame him, I want to tell everyone too… Which is part of why I went ahead and told you." She replied with a sheepish grin, Jemma cocking her beanie covered head to the side.
"Oh, so you didn't clear it with the husband yet before this?" She asked with a teasing tone, Gabby stifling any eye roll before scoffing lightly.
"Please, me telling you is the same as Matt telling Sev." Dawson spoke with a chuckle, Jemma clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth before she nodded.
"Fair enough… But you and Matt are gonna tell her today?" Jemma questioned as she repeated Gabby's earlier words, both women looking towards the five year old as she was currently climbing up the steps to go down the slide once more.
"We are… I'm not exactly sure when, but we wanna tell her as soon as we can-"
"Aunt Jemma!"
The sound of Caitlyn's voice caused them both to pause, Gabby and Jemma looking towards the girl as she stood at the top of the play structure, the little girl looking even smaller from a distance.
"Come watch me go down the slide!" She called again when she saw they had their attention, Gabby laughing softly as Jemma gave her a nod.
"Okay, I'm coming!" She called back, Caitlyn bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet excitedly as she held onto the railing, Jemma carefully handing Sofia to her mother before standing up off the bench. "I'm gonna go see how amazing your daughter is at going down the slide." She spoke with a gleam in her eye, Gabby shaking her head with a slight grin as she adjusted her daughter in her lap.
"Yeah, we might just join you." She replied, Jemma giving her a nod before she went ahead and began walking towards the playground, not wanting to keep Caitlyn waiting much longer. "Yeah, Sof, you wanna go see Caitlyn?" Gabby asked her daughter when it was just the two of them, Sofia looking back up towards her mom when she heard her voice, though her movement was slightly limited because of all of the layers she was wearing. "You wanna go play with Caitlyn?"
"Kay!" She replied brightly, her voice bringing a soft smile to her face before she nodded. "Kay!"
"Yeah, baby, Caitlyn… Your big sister." She murmured before pressing a kiss to the top of her covered head, Sofia clapping her hands together. "Let's go play a little bit before we go home."
After giving her daughter another kiss, Gabby lifted Sofia off her lap and placed her on the ground, Sofia settling her weight on her feet as she heard Caitlyn laughing with Jemma. The sound caused the baby to look up, a wide smile covering her face before she began to take off in that direction, Sofia hurrying as fast as her little legs could take her towards the playground. Seeing her daughter's movement, Gabby quickly grabbed the diaper bag and slung it over her shoulder before going after her, the mother staying close behind while she walked and helping when needed, the four girls eager to enjoy some more time together before they'd need to head back home.
"You sure you don't need help getting the girls inside?" Jemma asked as Gabby worked on unstrapping Sofia out of her carseat, the baby only half awake as she rubbed her fists over her eyes.
"No, no I'm alright." She responded with a soft smile while they stood in the garage at the Casey household, Caitlyn standing against the driver's side door with her backpack on, the five year old knowing she was supposed to stay against the car until told otherwise. "Matt's just inside, we're fine. I know you need to get going." She added, Jemma giving her a nod as it was getting pretty late in the afternoon, the younger woman not having expected to be here this long.
"Alright. Well I'm glad we were able to do this, you'll have to let me know how things go." She spoke, Gabby picking up on the meaning of her words instantly as she gave her a soft smile.
"I will." She replied before lifting Sofia out of the car, the one year old settling herself comfortably against her mom as Jemma pulled out the diaper bag. After handing it to Gabby, Dawson gave her a grateful smile before shutting the door. "Sof, can you say bye bye to Aunt Jemma?" She spoke as she bounced the baby on her hip, Sofia lifting her head up at the sound of her mom's voice. "Can you say bye bye?"
"Ba-ba." She replied with a goodbye wave, her fingers moving up and down as Jemma gave her a wide smile.
"Goodbye Sof." Jemma spoke before she leaned forward to press a soft kiss to her cheek. After her quick goodbyes with the baby, she stepped around Gabby towards Caitlyn, Jemma crouching down to her level as the little girl smiled wide. "Can I have a hug?" She asked, Caitlyn immediately nodding before she pushed herself off of the car and wrapped her arms around Jemma's neck.
"Bye Jemma." She told her, Jemma giving her a squeeze before they pulled back. "Thanks for playing with me."
"Of course, I had a great time." She responded, her words causing Caitlyn's already infectious smile to grow. "I'll see you later, okay?"
"Okay." She replied as Jemma pushed herself up off the ground, the woman giving them all one last goodbye before she walked out of the garage and headed down the path back towards the street, Gabby moving her sole focus to her girls.
"Now, are you guys ready? You have all your stuff, Caitlyn?" Gabby asked as she readjusted her baby in her arms.
"Yeah! I have my backpack." She replied, moving her body slightly to show Gabby before turning back around to face her, Dawson nodding with a soft smile before responding.
"That's good baby." She told her, the five year old giving her a proud nod. "Alright, let's get inside and see Matt, it's getting too cold out here." She added, Caitlyn nodding once more before she turned to walk towards the door to the house now that she knew it was alright, Gabby glancing out of their garage for a moment before following behind her. "But first, let's get our boots off so we don't the house dirty, yeah?" She told her, Caitlyn stopping her movements as she stood in front of the door.
"Okay Gabby."
When she got close enough, Gabby pressed the button to get the garage door to go down, the mother knowing she'd feel better about letting the kids run around once they were securely inside. As the heavy door was moving down into place, Gabby reached out to grab a hold of the door handle and push it open, a rush of warmth hitting all three girls as it was clear their heater was doing it's job.
"Matt?" Gabby called into the house as she set her little girl down on the ground, the tired baby immediately whining as she didn't want to be put down, Caitlyn glancing back and forth from the inside of the house to Gabby. "Matt?"
"Coming!" She heard his voice filter out from the door, Gabby crouching down to the ground as the diaper bag slid down off of her shoulder, Sofia still whining as she didn't like not being held. "Everything alright?" His voice got closer, Gabby looking up just as he came into view in the doorway, a soft smile resting over his face.
"Yeah, yeah we're good. I just didn't want them tracking anything into the house." She responded, Matt immediately understanding why he'd been called as he stepped down out of the house into the garage.
"Hi Matt!" Caitlyn spoke excitedly the second she had a chance, the man turning his attention towards her as his smile widened.
"Hi baby- oof." A breath of air escaped his lips when Caitlyn all but threw herself against him as her little body collided into his, Matt soon hugging her back as an amused gleam shined in his eyes. As he rubbed her back over her backpack, Casey looked down towards his wife who was currently trying to get Sofa's shoes off. His baby's back was to him as she was sitting on the ground, Gabby doing what she could to get the task done quickly.
"She missed you." Dawson commented with a soft smile, Matt biting back a smirk before he looked at the little girl hugging his waist, Caitlyn lifting her head up as well to look at him.
"I missed you." She repeated Gabby's words, Matt's smile never faltering as he brought his hand up to cup the back of her head, his thumb stroking over her hair.
"I missed you too… I missed all my girls." He added when he saw Sofia fighting against her mom, the baby trying to get up off the ground now that she realized her dad was here. Gabby had only managed to get one of her shoes off before Sofia was on her feet, the little girl babbling the word 'dada' over and over as she waddled towards him, her little arms wrapping around his leg. A soft chuckle escaped his lips as Sofia hid herself against him, Caitlyn holding onto him tightly as well as he looked back and forth between his two girls before he glanced down to Gabby. Before even saying a word, he could see the slight amusement in her eyes, Gabby shaking her head slightly before scoffing lightly.
"You want a hug, too?" He soon questioned with raised eyebrows, Gabby running her tongue over her bottom lip before tilting her head to the side, Matt recognizing that darkening look in her eyes well.
"Maybe later." She replied almost challengingly without missing a beat, Matt drawing in a deep breath as he suddenly felt grateful that his girls were too young to pick up on the shift in the air around them, Gabby quickly refocusing on the task at hand. "But for now, I'd love your help." She added, Matt nodding understandingly before looking down towards the girls.
"Of course, babe."
It took a few moments to get both children detached from him, but eventually they were able to get their dirty shoes off and usher them inside. With Sofia in one arm, Matt held onto Caitlyn's hand with his other, both the girls wanting to be near him as Gabby followed behind them. While they continued inside, Gabby shut and locked the door behind them, knowing they were in the for the rest of the day as they could now relax in the warmth and security of their home.
"Could Jemma not stay?" Matt asked as he looked back towards his wife, a soft smile forming across Gabby's face as she looked at him and their kids.
"No, no she couldn't, but she told me to tell you bye… She had to get going. We didn't mean to be gone that long."
"Yeah, I was a little surprised you all weren't back when I got home." He supplemented, Gabby nodding as she opened her mouth to respond, but she couldn't get the words out before Caitlyn spoke up.
"We were at the park!" Caitlyn said happily, Matt's smile widening as he looked down towards her, the father matching her excitement.
"You were?" He asked, though he already knew where they'd been. After their impromptu trip to the playground, Gabby had sent him a message letting him know where they were, but that wouldn't stop him from letting Caitlyn tell him about their day.
"Yeah! I went down the slide lots! And Sof and I played on the swings!" She said as she tugged on his arm, Matt feeling Sofia nuzzle herself against his neck as the baby clung to him. From her demeanor alone, he could tell his little girl was tired, Matt knowing it was well past her nap time.
"You did?"
"Mhmm! And I even pushed Sof some, she loved it! She was laughing!" She replied as she leaned her weight backwards while holding onto Matt's hand with both of her own. "But I made sure the swing didn't go too high, like Gabby said." She added proudly before looking towards Gabby for confirmation, which she soon gave.
"Yup, she did a great job." She replied, Caitlyn's smile widening. "Sof definitely had the most fun when Caitlyn pushed her swing… But we all had a great time."
"Well, I'm sorry I missed it, I wished I could've been there." He responded, Caitlyn nodding in agreement.
"Me too." Gabby responded, crossing her arms over her chest as she took another step towards them. "How was Severide?" She asked, Matt shrugging softly before answering.
"He was fine, we had a nice morning. Though I ended up doing most of the work building the bookcase while he and Kidd kept arguing over where to put the thing," He explained as he spoke of why he'd gone over to Severide's in the first place, Gabby's nose scrunching up in amusement as she listened to her husband. "I swear, they bicker like an old married couple, but we got it done."
"So you mean they're like us?" She asked with a light grin, Matt chuckling softly before he shook his head.
"Ah yes, I've forgotten we're an old married couple." He teased back as Caitlyn looked back and forth in between them. "But yeah, things at Severide's were fine, we had a nice time. And I'm glad you all had a nice day, too."
"We definitely did… And it definitely wore them out." She responded, Gabby's eyes flashing towards Sofia before looking back to Matt. "Which, speaking of, I'm gonna go ahead and take her upstairs, see if I can't get her to go down for a nap." Gabby told him as Casey nodded in understanding. "And she needs to get out of the clothes, she got a little dirty at the park."
"You want me to take her?" He offered, Gabby shaking her head as she looked down towards Caitlyn, seeing the girl was still waiting patiently to continue talking to Matt.
"No, it's alright… I think Caity wants to talk to you." She replied, Matt raising his eyebrows before glancing down to the little girl who was smiling up at him.
"Oh does she?" He played along, Caitlyn giggling happily before pulling on his arm once more.
"I wanna tell you about school!" She spoke excitedly, Matt's mouth parting slightly before he nodded, his reaction alone making her grin grow.
"Oh, well I want to hear all about school." He replied, both parents seeing Caitlyn become more excited. "That's the best part of my day, what'd you do in school today?"
"We did numbers!"
Matt's eyes widened as Caitlyn spoke, the man completely invested in what she was telling him as a slight gasp left his lips. "Numbers? Wow! That's so cool." He replied brightly, Gabby smiling wide as she watched Matt speak with Caitlyn. "You know, I might need you to help me with numbers, too." He added as a soft giggle escaped the girl's lips, Caitlyn nodding happily before she continued telling him about her day.
While Caitlyn spoke, Gabby walked towards them and carefully took Sofia from her husband's grasp, the baby not liking being taken away from her dad. But when she realized it was her mom who was getting her, she quietened down considerably, the one year old obviously very tired as she immediately curled herself against her mom. As the five year old led Matt towards the living room while she chatted away, Gabby quietly walked towards the steps so she could get Sofia upstairs. While she continuously rubbed her hand soothingly over her daughter's back, she carefully made her way up the stairs, a soft smile forming across her face as she could still hear Caitlyn excitedly telling Matt all about her day.
Dawson sat on the couch in the living room with a five year old sprawled across her lap, while Matt moved around in the kitchen, the man finally getting around to cleaning up from their dinner earlier in the evening. With her hand partially underneath her shirt, Gabby was lightly scratching Caitlyn's back, the action one that was comforting to the little girl as they continued to wind down for the evening.
Ever since the family returned home earlier this afternoon, it had been a pretty easy day in the Casey household, the family of four doing nothing more than lounging around and napping until it was time for dinner. Then once their quick meal of pasta was finished, it was time to give the girls a bath as they both ended up making quite a mess, the parents alternating who stayed with the children while the other would try to pick up around the house. And once their fun in the bath was over, they'd gotten the girls ready for bed, Gabby supervising Caitlyn while Matt got Sofia ready, the family meeting back downstairs once both girls had been taken care of to continue on with their night.
"Do you need any help, babe?" Gabby called softly after a few moments, her voice filtering through the noise of the TV, as well as the sound of running water as Matt cleaned off the last of the dishes.
Looking up from his task, Matt shot her a small smile before he shook his head, his watchful gaze focused on her and Caitlyn as Gabby continued scratching her back. "I'm fine, you stay there." He told her, his words earning a soft nod from her before she returned her attention back towards her girls.
While Caitlyn was laying across her lap, clearly tired after their long day, Sofa was definitely a little more awake than the rest of them as she was waddling around their living room. Her late nap, combined with the fun they'd had this evening seeming to have given her some extra energy as she hadn't stopped moving since Matt brought her downstairs, Sofia not at all interested in cuddling on the couch with her and Caitlyn. But once she got confirmation that Sofia was still alright, Gabby was able to focus on the movie Caitlyn had chosen, the calm feeling in the air very much welcome.
Within a few minutes, Matt had been able to join his family as he finished cleaning up the kitchen, the man collapsing down onto the couch next to Gabby. And as soon as he was settled, Caitlyn lifted her legs up to rest across his lap, both Gabby and Matt smiling as the little girl continued to make herself comfortable.
Between Gabby scratching her back, and Matt patting her leg, it was easy for Caitlyn to start feeling a little sleepy, the girl fighting off a yawn as she tried to continue watching the movie. And with her attention on the screen, she wasn't able to see the looks Matt and Gabby were giving each other, the parents having a silent conversation for just the two of them as Casey glanced down towards the five year old.
"...You want to?" Gabby asked quietly, not missing the way her husband's face lit up before he looked back up at her, the two exchanging silent nods until they both came to a quiet agreement.
Drawing in a deep breath, Gabby did what she could to prepare herself as Matt reached forward to grab the remote off the coffee table so he could pause the movie. The second it stopped, Caitlyn's eyebrows furrowed as she dug herself deeper into Gabby's lap, a soft groan escaping her lips.
"Why is it stopped?" She asked, her small voice bringing smiles to both Gabby and Matt's faces.
"Matt paused it." She responded, Caitlyn groaning once more as Gabby stopped scratching her back, Dawson fixing Caitlyn's shirt before the little girl pushed herself up.
"But I'm not sleepy yet." She countered, clearly thinking they were about to make her go to bed.
But Casey merely shook his head, the looks on their faces causing Caitlyn to glance back and forth between them questioningly. "It's not bedtime yet, honey." Matt told her as she continued to situate herself in between them, her legs now hanging off the edge of the couch. "But Gabby and I wanna talk to you."
"Okay." She replied simply, clearly not fazed by their words as she swung her legs back and forth, her hands resting comfortably in her lap.
"Okay, well… What we want to talk to you about, it's really important, okay? And I know some of it might be a little confusing, but if you have any questions you can always ask." Casey prefaced, his words causing Caitlyn to become a little unsure.
"...Am I in trouble?" She asked carefully, both parents instantly sensing her uneasiness as Gabby shook her head.
"No, not at all." Dawson instantly replied, Caitlyn giving her a soft nod. "Nothing's wrong, nothing at all… In fact, Matt and I think this is good news.
Her ears perked up at those words before she nodded once more, the five year old clearly intrigued by whatever was going to be told to her. "Okay!"
Smiling softly, Gabby ran her hand through the girl's hair before looking up to her husband, giving him the slow nod to continue, which he soon did. "Well uh- Honey, what we want to talk to you about… do you remember what the word adopting means?" He questioned, Matt figuring that to be the best place to start. He and Gabby still hadn't had the chance to sit down and talk through how they were going to share the news with her, so all he could do was wing it.
Caitlyn's eyebrows furrowed together tightly as she thought over his question, the little girl trying to place the word she'd heard before. She remembered hearing it, a lot, especially from Tina when she was going from place to place, but as she sat here she couldn't place what it meant, her gaze moving back and forth between them before she shook her head.
"Sorry." She murmured, Casey rubbing her back gently before offering her a small smile.
"It's fine, baby, it's not a word we use a lot." He assured her, Caitlyn nodding softly before Matt continued, the man doing what he could to explain things in the simplest way possible. "But do you remember when you first came to stay with us, before you were supposed to go live with that other family?" He asked the question as gently as he could, knowing Caitlyn had nothing but bad memories associated with that family, and being taken away from them.
"The mean people." She replied, Matt drawing in a deep breath before he nodded.
"Yeah, the mean people… You know how you were gonna go stay with them? When you had to leave here?" He asked her, Caitlyn pausing for a moment before she nodded. "Well, that family, they were going to adopt you, they were going to become your family. They were supposed to be your Mommy and Daddy. That's what adopting means." He told her again, as this was a conversation they'd had before. But it was a long time ago, back before the girl had been taken from their home, so it wasn't surprising she didn't really remember it.
"So adopting is family." She responded after a moment of deep thought, Gabby smiling softly before she nodded.
"Yeah, it is." She replied as Caitlyn's eyebrows were still furrowed slightly.
"But I didn't stay there." The young girl continued, looking back and forth between them in confusion. "They weren't my Mommy and Daddy."
"No, they're not… And you're right, you didn't stay there. It didn't work out." Matt told her as he continued to speak carefully of her former home. What they had to tell her was a good thing- a great thing, and he didn't want anything to ruin that for them.
"And I came home." She continued brightly, her words flooding both Matt and Gabby with an instant rush of contentment, the latter blinking back the tears forming in her eyes. It took them a moment to respond, the ease at which she'd said that making them both feel so indescribably happy.
"Yeah.. you did come home, sweetheart." Matt replied after clearing the emotion from his throat, Caitlyn oblivious to the effect her words had had on them as she continued to smile wide. "This is your home, it'll always be your home, you know that, yeah?"
"Mhmm." She hummed as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "We're a family." She added happily, Gabby wiping away a stray tear that had escaped her eyes as Matt nodded strongly.
"We are." He assured her.
"We absolutely are." Gabby asked, though her voice was much more unsteady than her husband's as Matt continued to rub over Caitlyn's back.
"But because we are a family, Gabby and I want to make sure that never changes. We want to make sure we'll always be a family." Casey spoke confidently, though by the look on Caitlyn's face she didn't completely understand what was being said to her, Matt drawing in a deep breath as he shared a quick glance with Gabby. "And we… We've been talking with Miss Tina, and figuring things out… And Gabby and I, we're going to adopt you."
His words hung in the air as Caitlyn needed time to process what was being said to her, her eyes widening slightly as her little brain gradually began to grasp everything, her surprise morphing into excitement as tears formed in her eyes. And in that moment, both Matt and Gabby knew Caitlyn was aware of what this all meant, her smile growing to a size they were sure they'd never seen before.
"We wanna be your parents, baby…" He continued as fresh tears filled his eyes, Caitlyn sniffling as a few lone tears escaped down her own skin. "We're gonna be your Mommy and Daddy, if that's what you want, and you'll be our daughter, just like Sofia is… We're gonna all be a family, forever."
Her jaw began to tremble as the weight of everything started to hit her, the five year looking back and forth between them as she found nothing but loving, compassionate eyes waiting for her. And Matt and Gabby both could see the exact moment it all started to sink in, that she wouldn't have to worry about not having a family anymore. That the people she loved like her Mom and Dad loved her back, and wanted to be her parents.
And while it all was still a little hard for the young girl to grasp, she was able to understand enough of it. Enough to know this was her family, and now they always would be.
"...You wanna be my Mommy and Daddy," Her voice was barely audible, her words more rhetorical than anything else as she needed another second to process this, Gabby and Matt both nodding without an ounce of hesitation.
"We do, honey. More than anything." Casey replied, his words soon opening the floodgates as heavy tears started falling down her cheeks, her body shaking as she began to cry.
"Oh, baby." Gabby breathed out as she quickly wrapped her arms around her and pulled the young girl towards her, Caitlyn holding onto her as tightly as she could while she continued crying. "It's okay, sweetheart."
The parents knew she was happy, beyond it even, but that she'd gotten overwhelmed by the news, and didn't know how else to handle it. But even through the tears, they knew exactly how excited she was in this moment, her small arms holding Gabby with as much strength as she could while Matt rubbed the little girl's back.
While they were focused on Caitlyn, Sofia had stopped her playing when she registered the sound of Caitlyn's cries, the baby unsure of what was going on. But as soon as she saw the older girl was upset, it made her sad too, the one year old beginning to cry as well. And when the parents registered Sofia's crying, Matt had to bite back a soft chuckle, knowing his daughter had absolutely nothing to be upset about. But it was still adorable all the same, as he knew his little girl just didn't like to see Caitlyn sad.
"Sof, it's okay…" He spoke as he held out his arms towards her, that signal enough to get her to come to him as she clearly wanted to be comforted. "We're not sad, we're happy, everything's okay." He continued as he picked her up and placed the crying baby in his lap, while Gabby was placing kisses on Caitlyn's head.
The five year old had slowly began to calm down, but she still never loosened her grip on Gabby, the older woman rubbing her back while continuously whispering comforting words to her. And within a few minutes, both Caitlyn and Sofia had stopped crying, at least enough to where there were no longer those heavy tears falling down their cheeks, the comfort of their parents enough to make them feel better.
"...I never have to go?"
They could hardly hear her as her voices were muffled against Gabby's chest, but they soon registered what the little girl had said, Caitlyn clearly still needing some assurance that this was all happening. And they were more than happy to give her that.
"You never have to leave. Ever." Gabby spoke as surely as she could, the young girl pulling away from her and sitting back up straight, both Matt and Gabby seeing the water resting on her skin beneath her red eyes. "This is your home, and it always will be." She added, lifting up her hand to wipe away her tears as a warm smile formed across Caitlyn's face.
"You want me." She stated, the simplicity of her words nearly breaking their hearts. "You want to be my Mommy and Daddy, and take care of me like you do with Sof…" She continued to repeat her words as her smile kept growing, Caitlyn still working through what had been told to her as Matt gave her a strong nod.
"We do. We've always wanted you, sweetheart." Casey told her, his words causing her teary eyes to light up.
"You want me." She repeated, Matt and Gabby both sharing soft grins as Caitlyn slid down off the couch and out of Dawson's grasp, before turning around to face them, the gigantic smile on her face contrasting with the tears in her eyes. "You want me!"
She began to bounce up and down on the balls of her feet, her body nearly shaking from excitement as any of the overwhelmed feelings inside of her were long gone, and had been replaced with nothing but joy. And seeing the look on her face was enough to make the parents' chests fill with warmth, both of them knowing they'd do everything in their power to make sure their little girl was always this happy.
"You want me! I have a Mommy and Daddy!" She repeated excitedly, Matt nodding happily as a few lone tears escaped down Gabby's cheeks. "I have a sister!"
"You do, baby."
"Sof! You're my sister!" She continued as she turned towards the baby, her wide blue eyes focused on the girl who had been crying moments earlier. But seeing how happy she was caused Sofia to smile, the one year old feeling much better now that everyone around her wasn't so sad. "Your Mommy and Daddy want to be my Mommy and Daddy! I'm your big sister! We're a family!"
Caitlyn continued repeating those words over and over before she launched herself into Gabby's arms, the force of her movements nearly knocking them back against the couch as bright laughs were heard throughout the room, the five year olds excitement infectious. And once she'd hugged Gabby, she moved to hug Matt and Sofia as well, Dawson wiping away her tears as she watched the people who were her entire world.
"I love my family!" The little girl nearly shrieked with joy as she came to stand in between them, her entire body flooded with a sense of happiness she wasn't sure she'd ever felt before in her life. But all that elation soon fell a bit, the girl looking back and forth between them with an almost pensive look covering her face as a thought entered her mind. "Can I… Can I call you Mommy and Daddy?"
Casey was unable to fight off his smile, Gabby matching his look as well as their reaction instantly calmed her, Caitlyn clearly feeling a bit apprehensive about the question.
"Absolutely." Matt replied immediately, Caitlyn's smile widening to match theirs. "If that's what you want, of course you can."
"I want to!" She replied without hesitation, Gabby releasing a watery chuckle as Matt gave her a bright nod. "I want you to be my Mommy and Daddy!"
Before either parent could respond to her, Caitlyn climbed back up on the couch and reached for both of them. And though the position was a bit awkward with Sofia, she was able to get her arms around both of her parents, effectively pulling them closer together as Gabby's hand rested on her back. Silently, Gabby pressed a few kisses to the side of her head, while Matt leaned his cheek down against her, Caitlyn holding onto them as tightly as she could.
They knew this had been a long time coming, that Caitlyn had thought of them as her mom and dad for a while now, she just hadn't been able to voice it. But now, there was nothing stopping her from referring to Gabby and Matt as her parents, the girl giving them a little extra squeeze as she leaned towards Gabby.
"I love you, Mommy."
Gabby choked back the breath that was sitting in the back of her throat as she heard those words for the first time, the woman holding onto her a little tighter as she pressed another kiss to her head, a rush of different emotions flooding through her.
"I love you too, baby." She replied softly as Caitlyn nodded, before she leaned her body towards Matt.
"I love you, Daddy." She spoke, those words causing a few tears to slide down his cheeks as he felt an overwhelming sense of pride in this moment. Because he knew it hadn't been an easy road to get here, especially for Caitlyn.
His little girl had gone through more than any person should in their entire life. She'd lost everything, she'd been tossed around without a care in the world, like she wasn't the precious thing on this earth. And yet somehow, she'd still found a way to trust them. She let them in, she let them become her family, and he couldn't even begin to describe how grateful he was for that. Because she deserved this, she deserved a family who would love her and protect her with everything they had. Who would give her the life she deserved to have, the one he knew her father wanted her to have so badly.
And Matt knew he could never replace what she'd lost, he'd never want to. But he would fight like hell every day to be half the man he was sure her father had been, and do everything in his power to make sure Caitlyn never doubted for a second just how loved and wanted she was. And that started with this moment.
"I love you too, Caity... Always."