Hi everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all. Thank you so much for all the feedback on the last one, I was glad to see so many of you liked it! We've got another chapter with a bunch of our favorite little family, so I hope you enjoy this one as well.

Thank you so much for reading, stay safe everyone.

Chapter One Hundred and Eleven

The little girl's eyebrows furrowed when she was suddenly pulled from her sleep, a yawn almost immediately escaping her lips as she had yet to open her eyes. Though she was barely awake, little Caitlyn could already tell something wasn't right as she continued to become more and more aware of her surroundings. And when she finally did open her eyes, she started to understand why waking up felt so different, as it was still completely dark in her room. Aside from the little light she had plugged into the wall, and the blue light on her dresser that told her she was still supposed to be in bed, there was no light coming from anywhere else aside from the hallway, and that alone told her it was early.

And though she was still feeling tired, Caitlyn yawning once more, she also felt a sense of alertness that wouldn't let her go back to sleep as the five year old slowly sat up in her bed. She rubbed her fists over her eyes a few times before opening them once more, Caitlyn clutching onto her teddy bear tightly while she looked around the dark room.

She sat there for a few moments, Caitlyn trying to decide what she wanted to do as she didn't want to stay in here by herself, not when it was this dark. And while she knew she wasn't typically supposed to get out of bed until the blue light turned white, the longer she sat here, the more she didn't want to be alone. And she knew exactly the people she wanted to be with right now, even though she wasn't sure if they'd be awake either.

Holding her teddy bear tightly to her chest, she pushed the covers off of herself and climbed down from her bed, the little girl letting the small amount of light guide her through her room and out towards the hallway. Her door was partially open, Caitlyn gently pulling it back enough for her to get out before she continued towards the stairs. She knew she needed to be quiet, especially as she passed Sofia's room, Caitlyn tiptoeing her way to the landing. The longer she walked, the more nervous she began to feel because of how dark it was, Caitlyn holding her teddy bear tighter against her chest with one arm while she used her free hand to work on getting the gate open.

She'd seen Gabby and Matt both open and close it dozens of times, the five year old knowing it was mostly there so Sofia didn't get hurt as she pressed down on the button and slowly pushed it open. Once she had enough space, she carefully walked through it and down the steps, the little girl moving slowly as it was a little hard to see with such little light. But between the hallway night light, and the one on the wall at the landing between the two flights of stairs, she was able to see enough to get her down to the first floor safely.

But as she got down the last few steps, her eyes widened slightly when she was met by the open darkness of their downstairs, the pitch black living room looking even scarier as she quickly hurried towards her parent's room, not wanting to be out here in the dark any longer than she had to. The sound of her little feet scurrying across the floor were all that could be heard throughout the home, Caitlyn managing to get to their room rather quickly as she stepped through the open doorway.

The second she was inside the room, she began to feel more at ease, the bathroom light giving off enough of a glow to help her see her parents while they slept. Or she was able to see Matt at least, a soft smile forming across her face as she walked closer to the bed. Coming to a stop in front of him, the little girl watched Matt- her daddy continue to sleep for a few moments, the smile on her face widening as she remembered how they were now actually her parents.

It was something she'd wanted for a long time, since before Miss Tina took her away, and she never understood why Gabby and Matt just wouldn't keep her. Especially once she came back. And it had confused her for a long time, why Gabby and Matt would tell her she was never leaving, and that they were a family, but they weren't her parents. It never made sense to her, but now they were going to be her parents, and that was all she cared about.

She finally had a Mommy and a Daddy, and they were the best Mommy and Daddy in the world.

With the smile never leaving her face, Caitlyn tossed her stuffed animal up the bed, inadvertently hitting Matt in the face as she grabbed ahold of the comforter and began to pull herself up.

On the bed, Casey awoke abruptly when he felt the object hit his face, the man grimacing almost immediately when he tried to figure out what was going on. He knew Gabby wasn't awake yet, as his hand that was resting across her body on her hip could feel how steady she was, but something had clearly changed to wake him up this way. And within seconds, he knew what it was, the feeling of a little hand grabbing onto his arm bringing a soft smile to his face.

Lifting his hand off of his wife, Matt moved the stuffed animal off of his face before looking to the side and finding Caitlyn lifting herself up onto their bed. She clearly hadn't noticed he was awake yet, as a look of determination crossed her features while she tried to get up onto the mattress that was pretty high off the ground, especially for a five year old.

He wasn't sure what time it was, though from the fact that the only source of light in the room was coming from the bathroom he figured it was still early; earlier than Caitlyn should be out of bed. But while watching her, he couldn't find it in himself to care as the little girl gripped his arm tighter, obviously hoping the leverage would help get her up easier. Though it didn't seem to be working.

"Caity…" Matt spoke softly, partially not to startle the young girl, but also not to wake his wife, as Casey wanted her to get all the sleep she could before their long day on shift.

The second she heard his voice, Caitlyn looked up at him, her bright, toothy smile growing even more. "Hi Daddy!" She greeted excitedly as she did her best to keep her voice down as well, her simple words causing his chest to flood with warmth as a happy grin of his own fell onto his face, Matt already knowing he'd never get tired of hearing her say that word. "Can you help me up?"

Nodding softly, Matt pushed the covers far enough down his body to be out of the way before he leaned over towards his daughter, the man grabbing ahold of her underneath her arms and lifting her up onto their bed with ease. With Gabby so close to him, he had limited space for Caitlyn to sit as she landed down on his stomach, the girl sitting comfortably as he wrapped his arms around her back.

"What are you doing up, baby?" He asked softly as he finally looked towards the clock, seeing it was barely past five.

"I dunno." She replied with a shrug before reaching for her teddy bear that had fallen against Gabby. "I woke up." She added, her voice a little bit louder than it had been before, Matt wincing slightly when he felt Gabby begin to shift around beside him.

"Is she okay?" Gabby's groggy voice filled the air, telling Casey that she had in fact woken up, at least to some degree, though she had yet to open her eyes. Even though they'd tried to be quiet, Matt knew Gabby was a light sleeper, especially since having Sofia, so despite his best efforts he wasn't surprised to see she'd woken up. "What's wrong?" She asked again when she had yet to get an answer, Gabby's eyebrows knitting together tightly before she finally opened her eyes.

"Hi Mommy!" Caitlyn greeted happily as she lightly bounced on her dad's stomach, her words bringing an automatic smile to Dawson's face as her tired eyes looked between the little girl and Matt.

"Hi sweetheart." She replied, clearing the sleep from her voice as she reached over to rub her back, Gabby eyeing Matt for a moment.

"She's fine." He replied, knowing immediately what her look meant, Gabby pausing for a second to let her brain catch up with what he'd said before she nodded. "She just woke up."

"What time is it?" Gabby questioned before she yawned, the woman running her hand over the side of her face as she was slowly becoming more alert.

"A little after five." He answered her as he continued rubbing his hand along Caitlyn's back, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before nodding once more, the early hour causing her to need a few more seconds to process things than she normally would.

"And you woke up, baby?" She asked again, her question now clearly directed towards their daughter, Caitlyn giving her a quick nod.

"Mhmm. I woke up, and came downstairs. All by myself!" She spoke, Gabby raising her eyebrows slightly.

"Ah, well you know you're supposed to stay in bed, yeah?" She chastised gently as the girl's bright smile morphed into a sly grin, Caitlyn looking back and forth in between them before she ducked her head.

"I know… But I wanted to be with my Mommy and Daddy." She responded softly, Matt turning towards his wife with an equally proud smile on his face as Gabby looked at the both of them. And it was impossible for her not to smile when she saw them both giving her the exact same look, Gabby shaking her head slightly before stretching out her tired limbs.

"Yeah Mommy, she just wanted to be with us." Matt added teasingly, Caitlyn beginning to laugh softly as she watched her parents.

Even though Gabby was still a little out of it, it was clear to her that the five year old's excitement from the night before hadn't worn off. And if she had to guess, Dawson would say that played a big part in why their little girl had woken up so early, that gleam in her eyes telling the mother all she needed to know about how happy she was right now.

"Well, I guess that's a good enough excuse… But let's not make a habit of getting out of bed early, okay?" She told her, Caitlyn smiling shyly before she nodded.

"Okay Mommy." She responded without hesitation, Gabby unable to stop herself from smiling every time she heard Caitlyn call her that. Though it hadn't even been twelve hours since they'd told Caitlyn of her adoption, the five year old had taken any opportunity she could to refer to them as her mom and dad, and every time she had, it still didn't feel real. Like it was still hard to believe sometimes that this is where she and Matt were at in their lives, and in their marriage, the two of them now having two beautiful little girls that they loved more than life itself. But despite how surreal it felt at times, she was more than thankful for everything that had led them to this moment. "I'll wait next time, promise."

"I know you will." She replied just as a soft yawn escaped Caitlyn's lips, the girl's exhaustion clearly starting to creep back in as her little body wasn't accustomed to being up this early. "Come here, honey." She prompted as she held her arms out in front of her, Caitlyn smiling before she began to climb off Matt and crawl towards her mom, Casey loosening his grip on her so she could move freely.

After grabbing her teddy bear, Caitlyn nestled herself in between them as she got underneath the covers, her head resting on Gabby's chest while she relaxed into her mom's arms, her stuffed animal securely in between them. While Caitlyn got comfortable, Matt readjusted the comforter over himself as he turned to face his girls, a small smile forming over his face as he watched the two of them together, Gabby stroking her hand through her blonde hair.

"You wanna try and get some more sleep before it's time for school?" Gabby asked quietly as she continued scratching the girl's head, the mother able to feel Caitlyn relaxing into her more and more with each passing moment.

But to her surprise, Caitlyn shook her head against her, Gabby raising her eyebrows as she glanced towards Matt, finding the same skeptical look on his face. "I'm not sleepy." Caitlyn murmured just before she yawned once more, the action causing Casey to bite back a chuckle. It was obvious that wasn't the truth, that the little girl was tired and she could use some more sleep now that she was in the comforting presence of her parents, but her stubbornness amused him just as much as her obvious little white lie did. Their girl definitely could be persistent at times, and that trait certainly reminded him of his wife, though he'd never say that out loud. At least not right now when he was sure Gabby wouldn't find his joke as amusing when she was exhausted.

"Are you sure?" Gabby tried, Matt smiling softly as he reached out to place his hand on Caitlyn's side before beginning to rub up and down, knowing that always made her relax. "Because Mommy and Daddy are tired."

"I'm not." She replied quickly, though the yawns that occasionally left her lips told a different story as Gabby smiled softly. "I'm not sleepy." She repeated once more, the parents sharing a knowing look as it was clear their little girl wouldn't be up much longer.

"Baby, you need to get some more sleep before school." Matt tried, his words causing Caitlyn's ears to perk up before she lifted her head and rolled off of Gabby's chest onto her back, her head resting on her mom's pillow as she looked back and forth between them.

"Can I go to school now?" She asked, earning confused looks from both her parents as Gabby brushed a few stray pieces of hair away from the little girl's eyes, neither of them realizing what had her so eager. Not until the next words left her mouth. "I wanna tell all my friends I have a Mommy and Daddy."

Gabby's face softened, her gaze moving towards her husband and finding an equally loving look in his eyes, both of them knowing they should've assumed it had something to do with her adoption.

"Can I tell my friends?" She questioned when they had yet to say anything, Caitlyn taking their silence as hesitation, Gabby immediately giving her a nod.

"Of course you can, baby." She responded, her words causing Caitlyn to relax before she nodded as well.

Gabby and Matt couldn't say they were surprised that Caitlyn was so excited to tell everyone the good news, especially her friends at school after some of the conversations that had happened there, and Gabby had already planned on giving her a teacher a call this morning before Becca took the little girl to school. Miss Clafin was already aware that they were trying to adopt Caitlyn, but the parents wanted her to know about the developments in all this before the five year old got there, just so there was no confusion. Though admittedly, Gabby wasn't planning on thinking about that conversation for at least another hour.

"Yay!" She cheered happily, effectively pulling Gabby from her thoughts. "I can't wait- Oh, Becca!" Her little mind was clearly racing as she said her nanny's name, Gabby and Matt sharing a quick look. "I wanna tell Becca! Can I tell her? Please!"

Dawson was unable to fight off her smile as she saw the absolute excitement pouring out of her daughter, despite her exhaustion. It was clear Caitlyn wanted to be the one to tell Becca, and even though the woman already knew, they weren't gonna tell her that. They didn't want to ruin that moment for Caitlyn, so Gabby and Matt both simply nodded, knowing their nanny had been around them long enough that when Caitlyn shared the news she would be able to act surprised.

"You can tell Becca, sweetheart." Casey murmured, his words causing the girl's grin to widen before she nodded. "She's gonna be so excited."

"Mhmm."

"And you know who else will be excited?" Gabby prompted, her words gaining Caitlyn's attention.

"Who?"

"Everyone at the firehouse." She replied, watching as that bright smile returned to her face, Caitlyn nodding excitedly as she held her teddy bear to her chest.

"Yeah! Can I tell them?" She requested once more, the parents sensing this was going to be a common theme as they shared the news of the permanent addition to the Casey family.

"Absolutely," Gabby replied as she ran her hand over Caitlyn's arm. "That's actually something your dad and were gonna talk to you about this morning, but how would you feel about Becca bringing you and Sof by the firehouse after school for lunch?" She suggested, the immediate smile on the little girl's face telling them she loved that idea. "Then we can tell everyone."

"I wanna to!" She agreed, Gabby grinning softly before giving her a nod.

"Alright, then that's what we'll do." She promised, Caitlyn smiling from ear to ear as she looked back and forth between them. "But we can't do any of that- going to school and telling your friends, and going to the firehouse, for a little while longer. It's still too early. And I know you're not tired, but do you think you could still lay with me and your Daddy until it's time to get up? Cause we're still tired." She spoke, knowing the young girl would be much more inclined to agree if she thought they weren't trying to make her go back to sleep.

And to no one's surprise, Caitlyn instantly agreed, the little girl nodding in response before returning to her previous position curled up against Gabby's chest.

"Mhmm… You get some sleep, Mommy." She replied, Gabby and Matt both smiling before the mother wrapped her arms around Caitlyn. "And you too, Daddy… I'll be right here so you can sleep good." She added, Gabby's proud grin only growing before she leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead.

"Thank you, baby."

"Mhmm… Sleep well, Mommy. You too, Daddy."

"Thank you, Caity." Matt added, the man having been content to just sit here and watch his family together, before he reached across Caitlyn to rest his hand on Gabby's hip, the little girl securely in between them as they all closed their eyes.

And within minutes, just as they expected, Caitlyn had fallen back asleep, the little girl finally letting herself succumb to the exhaustion she'd been fighting off since she came downstairs. And Gabby hadn't lasted much longer either, Matt waiting until he was sure both his girls were asleep before he let himself rest as well, the Casey family wanting to get as much sleep as they possibly could before their alarm went off here shortly.

Severide shoved his hands in his pockets as he stepped through the double doors, the man feeling the brisk chill in the air as he looked around the empty garage. Everyone else from 51 was inside, no one brave enough to be sitting outside while the temperature was pushing the low 40s on this cold November day; no one except for the two people Severide happened to be looking for. And after searching the bunk room, locker room, and common room, this was the only place left for him to look.

Walking down past the squad table and through the maze of rigs, Kelly soon found who he was looking for as he heard the woman's voice filtering through the cold air, the sound of their conversation leading him in the right direction towards the garage door. As he got closer, he could see Dawson walking back and forth in front of the rig, likely trying to keep herself warm, while Casey was seated on the front bumper of 81, neither of them having yet noticed his presence. They were both bundled up, their thick jackets and beanies meant to keep them warm as they stood outside, Severide already having a pretty good idea of the reason they were out here.

"Hi Sev." Gabby stopped her words to her husband when she saw him, Matt turning back to look at him as he smiled.

"Hey Kelly."

"Hey guys… I'm guessing it's almost time for the girls to get here?" He questioned pointedly as he looked down at his watch, seeing it was well past the time Caitlyn finished up at school. When the Casey's arrived at the firehouse this morning, it hadn't taken them long to tell everyone that Sofia and Caitlyn would be dropping by today, which was something everyone was excited for. And clearly the parents were as well, considering they'd chosen to wait outside in this weather.

"Yeah, Becca called about five minutes ago, said she'd just picked up Caitlyn and they were headed this way." Gabby replied as she continued moving around, while Matt crossed his feet at the ankles in front of him. Severide could see her breath in the air as she spoke, the man glancing out towards the driveway for a few moments as some light snow mixed with rain began to fall down around the firehouse, before he looked back to his friends. "So we just decided to come on out here, though neither of us realized how cold it was." She huffed out, Matt chuckling softly before he shook his head.

"Babe, I told you we could go back in…" Casey tried, Kelly getting the sense this wasn't exactly the first time he'd tried to coax her back inside to the warmth of the firehouse. But Dawson simply waved him off with her glove covered hand as she continued to pace in front of them, her eyes moving out towards the road that seemed to be collecting more and more snow and slush every few moments.

"I want to know when Becca gets here, I don't want her trying to get the girls in on her own." Gabby replied, her words earning a nod from Matt as the husband felt the same way she did.

"So, what brought on this trip to the firehouse?" Severide questioned once he was sure the couple's side conversation was finished, the man not missing the silent looks Matt and Gabby were giving each other, before the latter finally spoke up.

"Well… We wanted to bring them by so we could tell the house about Caitlyn's adoption." Gabby responded with a bright grin, Kelly's eyes widening before an equally excited smile covered his face. "Caitlyn wanted to be the one to tell everyone, so Becca's bringing the girls by."

"So she knows?" He asked eagerly, his question earning quick nods from both of his friends. The last Severide had heard, he knew the parents were wanting to tell Caitlyn as soon as possible, but then when Casey was over at his place yesterday morning, they hadn't told her yet. And by the way Matt had been talking, he wasn't sure they knew when they were gonna tell her. But clearly that had changed, Kelly reaching out to clasp his hand over Casey's shoulder happily for a moment.

"She does." Matt responded as Gabby nodded in agreement. "We told her last night."

"And how'd it go?" He questioned, though it was easy to assume it had gone well if the excitement radiating off of both Matt and Gabby was any indication.

"It was perfect." Dawson responded softly, Matt nodding as he looked towards Kelly.

"Easily one of the best moments of my entire life." The Captain breathed out without hesitation, his genuine words causing Gabby to smile at him with nothing but love and admiration shining in her gaze, Severide's smile growing as his head tilted to the side.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Without a doubt." Casey replied as he looked towards his wife. "I mean, I've had a pretty incredible life, and there's been a lot of things to be thankful for… But this was right up there with some of the best things that have ever happened to me." He spoke honestly as he gave Gabby a smile. "Sof being born, and marrying Gabby- both times," He corrected himself with a wink towards his wife, before he looked back to Kelly, "and getting to foster Louie, and now telling Caitlyn we're adopting her is on that list."

"That's great, Casey… I'm so happy for you guys, for all of you. This is such an incredible thing you're doing." Severide told them, not missing how the married couple shared a loving look. "Though I imagine the day Caitlyn is officially able to be a Casey will probably knock yesterday down the list a bit." He added with a chuckle, Matt shaking his head in amusement as Gabby raised her eyebrows as much as she could with the beanie covering her head. "But regardless, I'm just glad you're finally going to be telling everyone… I'm still not sure how you managed to keep the house in the dark about it for this long."

"Well, I'm not sure how much it was actually kept in the dark, as people just didn't ask, but still… It feels good to just be able to tell everyone. I hated keeping it from the house, just because it is such a great thing… But we definitely made the right decision to wait, I'm just glad we don't have to anymore." Matt responded, as Severide nodded in understanding.

"Yeah, it has been a little stressful having to keep this from everyone- especially Caitlyn," Dawson added as she stopped her light pacing, the woman coming to a stop beside her husband. "It's nice to just be able to talk about it, and she's so excited to tell people… She was nearly bouncing off the walls when Casey and I left for shift this morning, just cause she was so eager to tell all her friends." The paramedic continued, her words causing Severide to smile softly at the mental image of an excited Caitlyn. "And she'd excited for everyone here to know, too… Basically anyone who will listen, she wants to tell." She finished with a light laugh, one that Casey mimicked as well, Kelly clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth before responding.

"Knowing that kid, that's not surprising… Aside from you guys telling the house today, does anyone else know?" He pressed, Matt giving him a swift nod as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Jemma, and Becca, obviously." Casey replied before glancing towards Gabby. "But other than that, no."

"Yeah, there's quite a few people we still need to talk to." Gabby continued for him. "We still need to tell my side of the family that things are moving forward, but we want to do that in person… Well, in person for my dad and Antonio, we'll have to call my mom to let her know. And then Matt's side of the family-" She cut herself off, glancing towards her husband for a moment as he gave her a nod. "They still don't know we're adopting Caitlyn at all, so there's a lot of conversations that need to be had there."

Severide didn't push the issue as he merely nodded, knowing that Matt didn't often like talking too much about his family, especially after how things had gone the last time Nancy was in town. So Severide said nothing as Gabby stepped closer to her husband's side, the woman wearing a small smile while Casey wrapped his arm around her waist.

"But we're excited to tell everyone," She continued, Matt nodding in agreement. "And Caitlyn's just… She's so happy. We're all happy."

"I know you are."

As those words left Kelly's lips, Matt noticed a car pull up outside the firehouse, the vehicle one he recognized immediately as they came to a stop in the empty spot just beside the driveway. Tapping his wife's hip lightly, he dropped his arm before pushing himself up off the rig, Gabby taking a slight step away to give him some room.

"The girls are here." He spoke lightly, Severide hearing a joyous tone to his voice as the man was just genuinely excited by the thought of seeing his children, Gabby soon matching his smile.

When she looked down the driveway, she saw his words were in fact true, the three friends knowing their conversation was now over, at least for the time being, as they walked out of the garage and down the driveway to go help Becca with the kids. They walked carefully, knowing the ground was definitely a little slippery as of late, but soon enough they'd gotten down the driveway and to the car, Becca waiting until they were closer before getting out of the driver's seat.

"Hey Becca." Gabby greeted her with a soft smile as she walked towards the rear passenger side door where she knew Sofia was, while Matt walked around into the street to get Caitlyn, Severide walking with him.

"Hey guys." The nanny replied as Gabby pulled the back door open. And the second she did, she was immediately met by the sight of her smiley baby as Sofia faced the back of the car, the one year old's smile widening when she saw her mother.

"Mommy!" Caitlyn spoke excitedly from the other side of the car just as Casey opened her door, the girl turning her head to look at him. "Daddy!" She said just as excitedly, the greeting from both their kids causing the parents to smile. "I missed you!" She added, Severide unable to stop the smile that formed over his face as he heard how Caitlyn was now addressing them.

"I missed you, too." Casey replied softly as he gave Caitlyn the nod that meant she could unbuckle herself.

"Hi baby," Gabby added before taking a step forward and placing her hand on Sofia's chest, the little girl squealing in excitement. "Hi my other baby." She murmured, rubbing over the buckle covering her body as the sharp wind blew through the car.

"Daddy! It's snowing!" Caitlyn spoke excitedly as she focused on Matt, the father helping move the buckle back into place before he grabbed the girl's winter jacket that she'd taken off in the car. "Isn't it pretty?"

"It sure is, Caity." He responded as she slid to the edge of her booster seat, giving her dad room to help her get her coat on, while Gabby completed the similar process with Sofia after she'd gotten her out of her car seat.

"Hi Uncle Kelly!" Caitlyn greeted the last person she had yet to say anything to, her bright smile never diminishing as Matt guided her arm through her jacket.

"Hey sweetheart."

"Did Mommy and Daddy tell you?" She asked excitedly before he could even finish responding to her, the little girl nearly shaking in excitement. "They're adtoping me!"

All four adults couldn't help but smile as they heard Caitlyn's words, her mispronunciation causing them to chuckle at how adorable she was, the five year old's smile never faltering.

"We're adopting you." Matt corrected her gently as Caitlyn looked to her father. "Adopting. Can you say it, honey?" He encouraged, knowing they'd had this same exact conversation this morning before they left for shift, though she clearly hadn't been able to remember it.

"Adopting." She repeated with a soft smile, Casey giving her a bright nod.

"That's it, baby, good job." He continued to encourage her before he leaned down to press multiple kisses all over her face and her cheeks, Caitlyn giggling uncontrollably. And the sound was enough to get Sofia excited, too, the baby squirming around while Gabby continued trying to get her bundled up in her winter coat.

"You're adopting me." She said once more when he'd pulled back, Matt nodding in agreement as he zipped her jacket into place. "Did you know that Uncle Kelly?"

"I did, and I'm so happy for you sweetheart." He responded, not missing the way her face fell slightly, the man suddenly remembering his friends' words about how eager Caitlyn was to tell everyone. "But no one else in the firehouse does," He quickly covered, earning an amused look from Gabby across the car as Caitlyn's ears perked back up. "And I know they're gonna be so excited."

"Yeah!" She agreed happily, soon forgetting any of the disappointment she'd felt seconds prior as Casey carefully slid the beanie onto her head. "Oh- Daddy! Guess what?" She continued as she looked up at her dad, Matt's eyes widening slightly.

"What?"

"School was so much fun!" She spoke brightly, Matt suppressing a chuckle before he nodded, his daughter's excitement something he would never get tired of. He wasn't surprised Caitlyn had brought up her day before he or Gabby had gotten the chance to ask, as it was one of the first things they'd always do whenever they saw her after school, but it still amused him nonetheless as he knew he was likely in for a long afternoon of hearing all about her day. But he absolutely loved it, as did Gabby, and it had quickly become one of the best parts of their day.

"Oh it was? I'm so glad, baby." He replied before lifting her out of the car and putting her on the ground, Caitlyn not moving far from his side. "Gabby, you need any help?" He questioned as he looked over to his wife just as she was handing Becca the diaper bag, Gabby shaking her head before she lifted Sofia out of the car and onto her hip.

"I'm fine, thanks babe." She replied as Sofia began to squeal happily while the watery snow fell down on her, the baby having always loved this type of weather, even though they were sure she didn't remember it. His gaze lingered on them for an extra seconds, Matt smiling softly at the sight of how happy his little girl was before he returned his attention to his other baby, Caitlyn eagerly looking up at him as she waited for his attention.

"Did you get to tell all your friends the good news?" He asked her, Caitlyn's smile growing before she nodded, the little girl lifting her arms up in the air telling him that she wanted to be picked up. Casey immediately complied with her silent request, the father lifting her into his arms with ease as she continued on.

"Mhmm! Everyone was so happy!" She spoke cheerfully, Matt's own smile widening as she settled her weight on his hip. "It was so much fun! My friends like that I have a Mommy and Daddy now! But not as much as I do." She was quick to clarify as she wrapped her arm around the back of his neck, Casey chuckling softly before he nodded.

"I'm glad it went well, baby." He replied before catching Severide's gaze as his friend began to walk past him.

"I'm gonna go get Boden, and make sure everyone's in the common room… I doubt she'll be able to keep this to herself for very long once you're inside." He spoke knowingly, Matt giving him an agreeing nod before Severide stepped back onto the sidewalk, Casey well aware of just how true his words were.

As Severide carefully jogged inside, Matt walked with Caitlyn over towards his wife, Gabby content to just stand in place for a few moments while Sofia reached out towards the snow falling on them. But after a few moments they decided it was time to head inside, the parents and Becca beginning to walk up the slick driveway while Caitlyn continued to speak animatedly about her day, both Matt and Gabby listening intently. Becca was a few steps ahead of them, holding onto the diaper bag that held everything they might need for both girls, while the family stayed a few steps behind, Casey keeping a secure grip on his daughter while his other hand was firmly placed on his wife's back.

"And tomorrow we're having cupcakes!" Caitlyn continued on as they stepped into the garage, Matt wiping some of the excess snow off of her before turning to do the same to Gabby and Sofia.

"You are?"

"Yeah!"

"Wow, that sounds like it'll be so much fun." Gabby replied as Matt placed the little girl down onto the ground, the family standing in the middle of the garage between all the rigs. Dawson's eyes flashed towards the double doors before looking down at Caitlyn, just as the girl reached out to grab ahold of Matt's hand, clearly still wanting to be close to him. "I'm sure you have more to tell us about your day at school, and I can't wait to hear all about it in a little bit, but we're about to head inside, and tell everyone the great news." Gabby spoke, doing what she could to get Caitlyn focused on what they were about to do.

"That you're my Mommy and Daddy!" She supplemented as she pulled lightly on Matt's hand, her warm grin infectious. Though it only took a few seconds before her face fell slightly, the girl looking towards the door before she looked back up at her parents. "...They'll be happy?" She questioned, both Matt and Gabby hearing the uncertainty in her words, like she was suddenly feeling a bit nervous about this. "Like you and Kelly said? They'll be happy…"

"They're gonna be so happy." Gabby replied without any hesitation, Caitlyn drawing in a deep breath before she nodded. "Everyone in that house loves you, baby… You're already a part of our family, and the family here… Now we just get to tell them you're gonna be with us forever." She explained as simply as she could as the five year old looked up to her dad.

"You have nothing to be worried about, honey." He added one when he sensed her lingering nerves. "Everyone's gonna be so excited, and Mommy and I will be right there with you." Matt assured her, giving her hand a comforting squeeze.

"Okay." She replied before that smile soon returned to her face, the pep talk from her parents seeming to have lessened her worries enough for her to be excited once more, the little girl giving them a nod as she pulled on Matt's hand. "Let's go tell them!"

The family of four, with Becca in tow, continued on towards the firehouse, the parents ready to get inside and out of the cold as they moved. When they got into the firehouse, Caitlyn was all but dragging Matt through the door, as Gabby followed behind them, the mother placing Sofia down on her feet once they were securely in the hallway.

"Hey! They are the girls!" Stella spoke up excitedly when she saw them, Matt noticing that Severide had managed to get Boden and make his way back to the common room in the time it took them to get inside, his friend standing by Kidd at the counter.

Stella's words earned a few more greetings from around the room, Caitlyn smiling brightly as her and Matt came to a stop in the entrance, Gabby and Sofia coming up to stand beside them while Becca slipped into the room and walked to the table.

"Yeah, we heard the rumor you all were stopping by, it's great to see you." Brett spoke, though her words were mostly directed towards Caitlyn as Sofia wasn't even aware she was being spoken to, her little eyes darting around her new surroundings. Caitlyn gave the paramedic a happy nod before she looked up at her dad, Matt finding an eager look in her eyes before he gave her a warm smile, and rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand.

Before anyone else could say anything, Sofia broke awake from her mom and began to waddle through the common room, everyone watching on in amusement as noises of excitement left her lips. There were a few words in there as well, though none that anyone other than her parents could decipher as she picked up her speed. And within seconds, it became clear as to why she was so excited as Sofia was all but running towards Kelly, her little hands clapping together when she got closer.

Even though Sofia had just seen Kelly outside, it must not have stuck with the one year old as she was acting like this was the first time she'd seen him in awhile, everyone watching on with bright smiles as Severide crouched down to the ground just before she crashed into him.

"Oh, there's my girl! Hi Sof." He greeted happily, Kelly acting as if they were the only two in the room as he peppered his goddaughter's face with kisses before lifting her up into his arms. "I missed you too."

"Man, remember the days when Sof cried whenever he was around?" Kidd spoke up with a chuckle as she watched her boyfriend, her words causing everyone else in the room to laugh as well while Kelly shot her a glare.

"She absolutely hated him." Herrmann jabbed, Severide having to stop himself from gesturing towards the older man as he knew Caitlyn could see him.

"She didn't hate me," He countered quickly, Matt suppressing a laugh of his own as he looked to his friend across the room. "She just didn't want to be around anyone other than Dawson or Casey… Luckily, she's now come to her senses." He joked as he rubbed over her back, Sofia smacking her hands against his shoulders.

"Watch it, Sev." Casey spoke lightly, Kelly adjusting Sofia's weight in his arms before he shrugged.

"Easy daddy dearest, you know what I mean… I'm just glad Sofia finally realizes how cool her uncle slash godfather is."

"Yeah, well at least there's one person who thinks that." Casey muttered underneath his breath, though everyone in the room was able to hear him as Kidd chuckled quietly, Kelly moving his glare towards his friend. But Matt's attention was pulled away from Sofia and Kelly when he felt Caitlyn yanking on his arm, the father looking down towards his little girl as her big, brown eyes were shining up at him.

"Can we tell them?" She whispered, though a five year olds whisper wasn't very quiet as much of the room had heard her, Matt's smile returning to his face before he nodded.

"If you're ready, of course we can." He responded, looking towards Gabby for confirmation, which he soon got in the form of a nod.

"I'm ready!"

"What's going on?" Herrmann asked as he adjusted himself in his seat, everyone in the room now watching the three of them as Matt raised his eyebrows. As his gaze moved around, he saw Kelly's knowing smirk before he looked to Boden, Casey seeing a gleam in his eyes that told him one thing; Boden knew what they were about to say. And by the proud smile that formed across his face, the Chief was beyond ecstatic for them, the older man giving him a tight nod before Gabby spoke up.

"Well, uh… There's actually a reason we brought the girls by today." Dawson started, finding a few curious looks on her as she glanced down towards Caitlyn, the little girl smiling up at her as she stood in between her parents. "We have something we wanna tell you guys… Or Caitlyn wants to tell you." She spoke.

"Oh, you do, huh?" Herrmann asked softly, his easy demeanor causing Caitlyn to smile as Gabby ran her hand over her back.

"She does… Caitlyn, honey, you wanna tell them your news?" Dawson prompted, Matt giving the girl's hand another firm squeeze before she looked out towards the room full of people who had become like her family, as a shy smile appeared over her face.

Everyone in the room was watching her, the girl tightening her grip on Matt's hand before leaning into Gabby's side, her gaze moving towards Severide before she spoke up.

"I have a Mommy and Daddy!"

It was like you could hear a pin drop in the room, no one sure of what to say as they tried to process what she'd said. And even after a few moments, Gabby and Matt both could tell they were a little uncertain, it not lost on them how no one was sure to react. It was quickly becoming apparent to them that Caitlyn's phrasing had left them a little confused, Matt biting back a chuckle as everyone only seemed to become more unsure of what was going on. Everyone except for Severide and Boden, who both knew exactly what the little girl meant.

"...What?" Herrmann was the first to speak up, his eyes darting around before landing back on the little girl, Caitlyn starting to feel a little worried as no one was reacting the way she was hoping.

Afraid she'd done something wrong, she looked up to Gabby with a near pleading look in her eye, Dawson nodding with a small smile. Without saying a word, Gabby bent down towards her, whispering something in her ear that no one else could hear before the girl turned back out towards the group with that bright smile back on her face.

"Matt and Gabby are my Mommy and Daddy!" She repeated the words Gabby had said to her, realization settling in across everyone's faces as those few extra words made all the difference. And in that moment, it was then that Caitlyn got the exact reaction she'd been hoping for as varying degrees of excitement covered the faces of everyone in the room. "I'm a Casey!"

"Matt and I are adopting Caitlyn." Gabby added on as she was unable to hide the joyous grin on her face, Matt matching her look as cheers were instantly heard throughout the room.

Their firehouse family's reaction was all they could've hoped for and more as they got up and came over to them, the group surrounding them and pulling them into tight hugs, while giving Caitlyn high fives and fist bumps as they wanted to respect her space. She was a very loving kid, but they also knew she wasn't big on being hugged unless she was the one to initiate it, so they stayed with simple gestures unless she was the one who came to them.

"I'm so happy for you all!" Brett spoke softly as she pulled Gabby into a hug, while Cruz clasped his hand over Casey's shoulder. "This is incredible news." She added, rubbing over Dawson's back while Gabby nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, it is, we're so excited." She replied as they pulled back, before Foster brought her in for a quick hug as well.

"My name is Caitlyn Casey now!" Gabby heard Caitlyn exclaim from beside her, the mother looking over to see her talking with Stella, who had crouched down to be eye-level with her while Kelly stayed a few feet back, Sofia still sitting comfortably in his arms. With a soft smile on her face, Gabby met her husband's eyes, Matt wearing a similar knowing look over his features before he rubbed up and down Caitlyn's back. And while technically it wouldn't be awhile until she could officially become Caitlyn Casey, neither parent had the heart to correct her as they knew how excited she was, so they just let it be, knowing that here in a few months it would be her legal last name anyway. "I have a Mommy and Daddy, and a family! I'm a big sister!"

"I know you are, that's so cool, Caitlyn." Stella replied brightly, the five year old nodding enthusiastically before she continued to tell Kidd all about her adoption. Though it was more so the little girl just repeating the same things over and over using different words, but no one around them cared as they were just thrilled to see the Casey's so happy.

"...She really is quite a kid."

The sound of Herrmann's voice grabbed Gabby's attention as she looked away from the adorable scene in front of her, finding the man who had always been like a father to her standing just beside her.

"Yeah, she is." Gabby agreed softly as Herrmann gave her arm a slight nudge, the pair now standing a few feet back from the rest of the group.

"She reminds me a lot of you." He added with a gleam in his eye, Gabby chuckling softly before shaking her head. "But no really, what you two are doing, bringing her into your family… It's amazing. How long have you guys been planning on adopting her?"

"Pretty much from the moment we got her back." Dawson breathed out as Herrmann pursed his lips together. "That whole thing- her coming back into our lives, we never thought that would happen. We never dreamed adopting her was an option, so it was never something we accounted for… But then having to say goodbye to her…"

"I know that was rough on the both of you." Herrmann supplemented, Gabby nodding in response as she felt her stomach begin to sink at the memory. That moment was one Dawson would gladly like to forget, one she could go the rest of her life without having to relive as she could still practically hear Caitlyn's cries for them not to leave her. It was, without a doubt, one of the hardest things they'd ever had to do, and Gabby still didn't like being reminded of it.

"Yeah, it was… But then all that fell through and she ended back up with us, and we just- we knew." She breathed out, missing the soft smile that fell onto Herrmann's face while her eyes were focused on Caitlyn. "Matt's the one who brought it up, and I was a little nervous, just cause of everything before-" She cut herself off, knowing she didn't need to continue to explain herself as Herrmann already knew what she was talking about. "But on some level, the second she was back with us, we both knew… And from then, we decided to get started on adopting her."

"Yeah, I can see that." He replied as Gabby glanced towards him. "I mean, I know everyone's said it, but it just feels right, her being apart of your family… And then her being with you all this time, I think we all kind of knew something like this was happening." He explained lightly with a proud look in his eye, Gabby tilting her head to the side slightly. "But it wasn't our place to ask about it, so we just left it alone. But this really is an incredible thing you all are doing, I'm so happy for you. For all of you."

"Thanks Herrmann." She murmured before the man reached out to clasp her shoulder, Gabby leaning into his side slightly.

"You're making me proud, kid," He continued, Gabby blinking quickly as she found herself becoming more affected by his words than anticipated. "I mean, you always do, but this… You and Casey have some of the biggest hearts I've ever seen, and you two are gonna give that girl an amazing life."

His words hung in the air as Gabby drew in a deep breath, the mother taking a second to gather her thoughts before responding. "Yeah… but she's doing just as much for us. If not more." She spoke without hesitation, Gabby seeing his smile grow as he let out a soft chuckle.

"Spoken like a true mother." He replied, Gabby's own grin widening before she opened her mouth to respond.

"-Mommy!"

Caitlyn calling for her gained her attention, as well as the focus of the entire room as they heard the girl directly address them for the first time, warm smiles filling the room as Gabby looked towards her daughter.

"I'm telling Stella about school, you wanna hear?" She asked happily, the girl bouncing on the balls of her feet as Gabby realized Caitlyn hadn't forgotten about their conversation earlier. But she simply nodded, Dawson stepping away from Herrmann to walk towards the little girl, Caitlyn's smile widening as she got to her.

"I'd love to hear all about your day, baby." She replied as she came to a stop beside her, the five year old grinning from ear to ear before she continued speaking, Caitlyn having the attention of the entire room.

And as Dawson stood here, listening to her little girl talking to everyone so easily and openly, she felt nothing but an overwhelming sense of happiness. Telling their firehouse family of Caitlyn's adoption had gone better than she could've ever imagined, and that was all she wanted, for her daughter especially. And being here with everyone, getting to be reminded of just how well Caitlyn fit in here, and how beloved she was, only continued to solidify what both Gabby and Matt had known for a very long time.

That Caitlyn was, without a doubt, a part of their family. A part of every aspect of their family. She was meant to be in their family, she was a Casey, through and through.

And Gabby couldn't wait for every single person in their life to know it.