Hello everyone! Thank you so much for the feedback on the last chapter, here's the next one for you all. It's full of a bunch of Casey family cuteness, which I think you all enjoy. I can't wait to hear your thoughts.
Thanks for reading, stay safe everyone xx
Chapter One Hundred and Fifteen
Caitlyn stood on the sidewalk outside her school next to one of her teacher's aides, snow falling down around them as she kept her eyes peeled for one familiar face in-particular before adjusting the small beanie on her head. With her backpack strapped onto her back, she shuffled the snow around beneath her feet, the cold December day welcoming them as she waited for her nanny.
And within a few more minutes, she arrived, the woman walking up the shoveled path with the one year old in her arms, Caitlyn smiling wide when she saw the people she considered family. "Becca!" She cheered excitedly as she broke from her teacher, the five year old moving carefully over the slick ground to get to her nanny.
Wearing a similarly bright grin, Becca placed Sofia on the ground, the baby whining softly as she didn't like to be put down, before she became distracted by the snow beneath her little boots. And once she was fascinated by that, she didn't care so much about not being held, Becca knowing how much Sofia had always loved the snow.
"Hi sweetheart." Becca greeted as she got closer, Caitlyn nearly bouncing while she walked as she was so happy to see them. "Be careful, honey." She reminded her before Becca looked up to the teacher's aid, the woman getting the reassurance she needed that Caitlyn was safely with her nanny before she focused back on the other kids she was watching.
"I will! Hi Sofia!" Caitlyn spoke when she got to them, Sofia looking up at the sound of her sister's voice, her wide smile growing when she saw the older kid.
"Kay!" She squealed happily, Sofia waddling through the snow towards her sister before wrapping her little arms around Caitlyn, their thick winter jackets making the task a little more difficult than normal. But Caitlyn hugged her back regardless, Becca grinning softly as she watched the girls greet one another.
"Hi Sofie, I missed you." Caitlyn murmured as she held onto her tightly, before the two girls eventually broke apart. "I missed you too, Becca."
"I missed you too, Caity." She responded, keeping an eye on the one year old while Caitlyn came to give her a hug. "Did you have a good day at school?"
"Mhmm!" She nodded enthusiastically, Becca picking Sofia back up and settling her on her hip before using her free hand to reach out for Caitlyn, the five year old offering up her hand instantly as they began to walk back to the car. "It was super fun!"
"I'm so glad, I can't wait to hear all about it." Becca told her as they carefully walked down the sidewalk, the nanny being extra mindful to move slowly as she didn't want to risk herself falling or Caitlyn. "And you know, I think there's a few other people who would want to hear all about your day, too." She added, her words causing the five year old to look up at her.
"Who?"
"Well, I think your Mom and Dad would love to hear how your day at school went." She told her, Caitlyn smiling softly before she nodded.
"Yeah, they do. They always love when I talk about school. Especially Daddy, he gets really happy." She spoke simply, Becca nodding in response. "But they're working, and saving people. I won't see them until after I sleep." She continued on as they got to the crosswalk, Becca waiting for them to be allowed across before they began walking through the street.
"Normally yeah, but I was thinking, if you want, how would you feel about stopping by the firehouse before we go home?" She suggested, Caitlyn's eyes widening in excitement before she nodded eagerly, Becca chuckling softly as she knew how much the little girl loved spending time at 51.
"Please! Please please please!" She begged, her arm yanking on Becca's as they got to the other sidewalk. "Please, I wanna go see Mommy and Daddy."
"Okay, okay." She spoke with a laugh, Caitlyn smiling up at her. "We'll go to the firehouse… But this is a surprise, your Mommy and Daddy don't know."
"Yay! I love surprises!" She said brightly, Becca giving her hand a squeeze before she nodded. "And I get to see them today, I'm so happy."
"They'll be happy to see you too, honey." She replied, Becca unable to stop herself from smiling as they got to the car, the nanny dropping Caitlyn's hand long enough to grab the car keys before she unlocked it and opened the door. "Alright, can you climb across to your seat?" She asked, the little girl nodding before she stepped into the car and climbed across to her side.
That was something Becca always did when she had the girls by herself, the nanny wanting to be as safe as possible, especially when they were on the street. So having Caitlyn get into the vehicle on Sofia's side and then climb across had been the thing that worked best for them, and it gave Becca the assurance she needed that both Caitlyn and Sofia were safe.
After getting the girl's thick winter coat off of her, Becca strapped Sofia into her carseat, while Caitlyn took off her backpack and her own coat before buckling in as well. And after checking that Sofia was securely fastened into the car, Becca double checked to make sure she still had the keys in her hand before she shut the door and made her way around to the other side of the car. Continuing the process as she always did, Becca pulled open Caitlyn's door, quickly checking to make sure she'd buckled herself in correctly before she shut the door back and then got into the driver's seat, the nanny locking them into the car before looking into the backseat.
"You ready to go see your parents?" She asked, Caitlyn bouncing excitedly in her seat while Sofia was more distracted by the toy Becca had given her, the nanny able to see her through the mirror strapped to the headrest of the backseat as she was facing the back of the car.
"Yeah!" Caitlyn replied happily, Becca giving her a soft smile before she faced forward once more and buckled herself in. "Can we listen to the princess songs?" The five year old requested right before Becca was about to pull away from the curb, the woman chuckling softly before she nodded.
"Yes Caity, we can listen to the princess songs." She replied, knowing exactly what she was wanting.
And throughout the entire ride to the firehouse, the car was filled with the sounds of children singing along to the familiar music, Becca keeping her complete attention on the slippery roads as the drive took her longer than normal. But as she'd rather get the girls here safely, she didn't so much care about that. And eventually, she drove up outside 51, the nanny thankful to see one of the spots out front empty before she pulled up beside the curb.
"Yay! We're here!" Caitlyn cheered excitedly as she ducked down to see out of Sofa's window, the heavy snow falling down around the firehouse almost scenic as Becca put the car in park. "Sof! We're here to see Mommy and Daddy!"
"Mama!" Sof said, before repeating the word over and over as she clapped her hands together, Caitlyn grinning from ear to hear as her little legs swung off the edge of the seat.
"Yeah! And Daddy!"
"Dada!" She squeaked as she bounced up and down in her carseat, Caitlyn smiling brightly before she nodded once more.
"Yeah, Dada! We're gonna see them, but it's a surprise!" Caitlyn reminded her, though Sofia only understood a few of the words being said to her. But that didn't make the baby any less excited, Sofia continuing to clap her hands together as Becca killed the engine and opened her door. "Becca, can I unbuckle?" She asked, Caitlyn knowing she wasn't allowed to get up until an adult did.
"Yeah, you can." She told her, Caitlyn nodding as Becca walked around to Sofia's side of the car, the five year undoing her restraints before sliding down off her seat and standing on the floor. While Becca worked on getting Sofia bundled up again, Caitlyn put back on her coat and her gloves before she climbed across the backseat once Sof was out of the car. "Alright, let's get inside, yeah? And we can see Mommy and Daddy." Becca told her as she held out her free hand, Caitlyn grabbing onto it before she jumped down onto the ground.
"They're gonna be so surprised." Caitlyn said with a giggle, Becca smiling softly as she locked up the car, before adjusting the baby on her hip. Though normally she'd just let them both run up to the firehouse, with how icy and snowy the driveway was, she didn't want Sofia trying to walk through that, and she certainly didn't want Caitlyn running on it.
"I'm sure they will." Becca responded, the nanny regaining her hold on Caitlyn's hand before they began their trek up to the firehouse, the little girl becoming more and more excited as she was very much looking forward to seeing her parents.
When they finally got into the garage, they stopped to kick off their snow-covered boots, Sofia clearly not impressed once she was taken out of the snow, as she would've gladly stayed out in it for hours. But that wasn't something she was necessarily dressed for at the moment, Becca knowing that once Sofia saw her parents she wouldn't care so much about being outside, as the nanny led the Casey girls further into the garage. And when they came around the front of one of the fire trucks, their steps slowed when they saw a familiar face, as Severide was standing over by the passenger side door to his rig, the firefighter clearly not noticing them at first. He was the only one out here right now, no one else crazy enough to be outside in this weather, but when Caitlyn saw him she couldn't contain her excitement, the little girl breaking away from her nanny and running towards him.
"Uncle Kelly!"
Severide was caught off guard, the man not expecting to hear those words as he turned towards the sound, an immediate smile forming over his face when he saw the five year old running towards him.
"Caity!" He responded with just as much enthusiasm, Severide bracing himself just in time for Caitlyn to launch herself into his arms, the godfather lifting her up effortlessly as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Hi Uncle Kelly!" She repeated once more, giving him a firm squeeze as he ran his hand along her back.
"Hi sweetheart." He replied, Severide shooting Becca a smile as she walked up with Sofia. "Did I know you were coming here today?"
"I don't know, silly." Caitlyn answered with a bright grin, Severide chuckling softly before he pressed a kiss to her rosy cheek, the action causing her to giggle as well.
"I figured I'd bring the girls by, that it would be a nice surprise for everyone." Becca explained, Severide nodding in understanding before his gaze moved to Sofia, the baby struggling to get to him once she realized he was there.
"It definitely is, Casey and Dawson will be so excited you guys are here… Come here, Sof." He encouraged when he saw the one year old continuing to reach for him. It took some maneuvering, and help from Becca, but with keeping Caitlyn in one of his arms, Severide managed to secure Sofia in the other, the godfather holding onto both Casey girls as he had one in each arm. "And your timing couldn't have been better, we're about to eat lunch." He added, Becca nodding in response before they began to head towards the firehouse.
With Becca leading the way, the four of them made their way inside, the warmth of the firehouse immediately inviting as they stepped in through the double doors, Caitlyn's eyes bouncing around her familiar surroundings as she saw everyone sitting in the common room.
"Well, would you look who it is?" Herrmann spoke up, his words gaining the attention of everyone as they looked towards the entrance.
"Mommy!" Caitlyn spoke excitedly as Gabby was the first parent she saw, Dawson already sitting at her seat at the table, while Matt was back at the counter getting his food. The parents shared a confused look before looking back towards their girls, their uncertainty morphing into joy as they were just glad to see their children.
"Hi baby." Gabby responded as Severide took another step inside.
"Sev, did you go and steal my babies?" Casey asked as he turned around completely, Kelly shaking his head before he set both girls down on the ground, Caitlyn immediately running towards her mom while Sofia had her sights set on her father. Though it was likely that her choice was based solely on his was the parent she saw first, that didn't stop Matt from crouching down to the ground as she waddled her way towards her, sounds of excitement mixed with her saying 'dada' leaving her lips as she eventually crashed right into her dad's arms.
"Not this time, no." Kelly finally answered his friend, as Casey was currently peppering his daughter's face with kisses, while Caitlyn had climbed up into Gabby's lap as they sat at the table. "Becca brought the girls by, and when they saw their Uncle Kelly, they just couldn't resist." He spoke proudly, Gabby scoffing lightly as she ran her hand up and down Caitlyn's back.
"Yeah, I'm sure that was it." Dawson piped in, Kelly shooting her a look before Gabby's attention moved back to Becca. "So you just wanted to come by?" She asked softly, like she was wanting the assurance there wasn't anything more to their visit as Becca nodded.
"Yeah, I just kind of decided before I got Caity from school, thought it would be a nice surprise for everyone." She responded with a small smile, Gabby matching her look before she nodded.
"Well, I'm so glad you all are here." Gabby replied, her words now directions more towards her daughter as Caitlyn gave her a bright smile. "This is the best surprise." She added, Caitlyn's smile lighting up even more before she gave her mom a quick kiss.
"That's what I said! I knew you and Daddy would be happy." She spoke with a grin before her eyes flashed behind her mom. "Hi Daddy!" She greeted as Matt came up behind them with Sofia in his arms, the man giving her a bright smile as he came to stop behind Gabby's chair.
"Hi sweetheart, did you have a good day at school?" He asked her, his free hand coming to rest on Gabby's shoulder as Caitlyn began to nod enthusiastically.
"I did!" She spoke as she bounced in Gabby's lap, Casey responding with a soft smile before he nodded.
"Well, Momma and I can't wait to hear all about it. But how about we get you some lunch first, yeah?" He spoke, Caitlyn nodding happily before she slid down out of Gabby's lap to stand beside her chair.
While the rest of 51 began to eat their meal, Casey and Dawson got their girls situated, Matt helping Sofia out of her winter gear while Gabby assisted Caitlyn when needed, their things ending up in a pile on the couch before they settled in at the table. With Sofia still in one arm, he got a plate for Caitlyn, putting enough chicken and vegetables on there for her before coming back to the table, knowing Sofia could just be fed bites off his plate. And soon enough, they'd all managed to settle in, both girls taken care of while Becca had sat further down the table with Brett and Foster.
Taking his usual seat at the head of the table, Matt balanced Sofia in his lap while Caitlyn sat to his left, the five year old residing in Gabby's usual seat as his wife sat one seat down on the other side of her. And while he prepared a few small bites for Sofia off his plate, Gabby was working on cutting up Caitlyn's food into pieces she could handle, the five year old more focused on telling everyone about her day at school than she was eating.
As she always did, she had the entire room captivated while she sat there and told them about her day, everyone more than happy to listen to the little girl's ramblings about how school had gone, and what she and her friends did. And everyone was more than happy to listen to her as she went on and on, the house just glad to see her in much better spirits than when she'd been at the firehouse last week.
"And then I had my snack! We had oranges and pretzels! And muffins, but I didn't want one." She spoke before taking a bite of the chicken Gabby had cut up for her, Caitlyn lathering it in an unnecessary amount of ketchup before putting it into her mouth.
"Sounds like you had a great day, baby." Casey replied before he guided a piece of broccoli into Sofia's mouth, the baby taking the food with no problem as Matt's free hand stayed across her stomach and her chest, keeping his little girl safely in his lap.
"I did!" She replied before getting a drink of her water, Matt and Gabby sharing a quick look with each other before they went back to their meal, the firehouse beginning to break off into different conversations now that Caitlyn had finished telling them about her day. But they were only left eating for maybe a minute before the little girl spoke up again, Caitlyn's eyes focused on her mom. "Did you and Daddy have a good day?" She asked as Gabby looked down towards her, her wide brown eyes locking with her mother's. "Did you help people?"
"We have." She responded, not missing the proud smile that formed over Caitlyn's face before she took another bite of her lunch. "Your Daddy and I both have."
"And you are safe." Caitlyn commented, her words not really a question though they both knew she was looking for confirmation.
"We were safe, honey." Casey told her, Caitlyn's shoulders relaxing before she nodded, both parents knowing their daughter sometimes still worried about the dangers of their job as she was old enough to understand it. "Everything was fine this morning, just some people that needed help."
"And you go and help them, like superheroes." She added on happily, Gabby and Matt sharing a bright smile before the mother leaned forward to place a kiss on the top of Caitlyn's head. "And you get to wear the funny jackets." She continued on, Casey laughing lightly before he shook his head, as it was nearly impossible to keep up with the five year old's train of thought as her mind was always moving quickly. "Mommy, can I have more water?" She asked suddenly, Caitlyn once again moving past what they were just talking about, as Gabby looked over to see her glass was empty already.
"Of course, sweetheart." She replied as she moved to get up, but before she could Severide had already stood up from his seat on the other side of Casey, the godfather reaching for her glass.
"I got it, Dawson. You sit and eat." He offered, Gabby shooting him a grateful smile before she settled back in her chair.
"Thanks Sev." She replied before getting another bite of food, Caitlyn following suit as well as she shoved some vegetables into her mouth. And within less than a minute, Kelly had come back with the half-full glass of water, the man knowing better than to fill it up any further than that as he set it down in front of his goddaughter.
"Thank you Uncle Kelly!" She responded with a soft grin, Kelly matching her look before he sat back down across from her, the little girl carefully reaching for the cup and taking a drink.
"You're welcome, squirt." He told her, Matt scoffing lightly at one of the many nicknames Severide had for his children, before they all went back to their meals.
While Gabby and Matt ended up sharing most of their food with their kids, by the time they were all done, the babies had been fed, and that's what was important, as Casey got up to clear their plates after handing Sofia off to her mother.
"Lunch was yummy, Mommy." Caitlyn spoke as her legs swung in the air while they hung down off her chair, Gabby giving her a soft smile while Sofia played with the collar on her jacket.
"Well, you can thank Sylvie and Otis for that, they made lunch today." She told her, Caitlyn looking farther down the table towards the first responders in question before giving them both bright smiles.
"Thank you!"
"You're welcome, honey." Brett replied, Otis nodding in agreement before Caitlyn returned her attention back towards her mom.
"Oh, and sweetheart, there's something I wanted to tell you," Gabby started as Matt walked back over to the table, the man reclaiming his seat as Caitlyn kept her complete focus on her mother. "Tomorrow we're gonna have lunch with your abuela." She spoke, Caitlyn pausing for a moment as she thought over the word, before a soft smile formed over her face.
"That means grandma?" She questioned as she tried to remember, Gabby responding with a proud smile before nodding enthusiastically.
"That's right baby, good job." She encouraged her, Caitlyn clearly proud of herself for remembering the Spanish word they'd worked on teaching her over the last few days.
They were starting slow, not wanting to overwhelm her with a new language all at once, but they had gradually begun introducing Spanish words into Caitlyn's vocabulary, just as they'd been doing with Sofia since she was born. Though they'd tried to teach Caitlyn a few words here and there since she'd begun living with them, it wasn't something they had been serious about, not until recently. And with Gabby being fluent, Matt understanding enough to have an easy conversation, and them teaching Sofia, they wanted Caitlyn to learn as well; and she had been so excited about it, too.
"We're having lunch with her?" She asked again, Matt and Gabby both nodding. "...Which one?"
"Camila… My mom." Gabby responded, Caitlyn smiling brightly before she nodded. "You know how she had to travel here when she came for Thanksgiving?" She asked, waiting for any sign of understanding from her daughter before she continued. "Well, she's leaving tomorrow night to go back home, so we're gonna go and have lunch with her before she leaves, so we can say goodbye." She explained, Caitlyn giving her another nod.
Though Gabby had known her mother was coming into town for Thanksgiving, she didn't know the extent of her trip, so when she found out that her mom was staying longer past the holiday, she'd been ecstatic. While Nancy and Henry had gone back home pretty soon after Thanksgiving, which luckily had no more incidents after Matt's talk with the man during their dinner, Camila had ended up staying quite a bit longer to get this time with her family that she typically didn't get. And Gabby was beyond grateful for it.
In the week that had passed since Thanksgiving, she'd made an effort to not only see her mother as much as she could, but make sure her mom saw the girls as much as she could. And part of that included having her over for dinner every night when they weren't on shift, so Camila could get that time with all of them; though usually what was meant to be a night with the Casey family and Camila turned into an evening with Gabby's brother and father as well, as everyone would come over to their house for a few hours. But you'd never find her complaining, as there were few things Gabby loved more in this world than having her family all together.
But since they were on shift today, that meant they wouldn't be able to see her tonight, so lunch tomorrow would have to do, Gabby both looking forward to it and dreading it all the same as she didn't want her mother to leave.
"Okay Mommy." Caitlyn replied, Gabby giving her a soft nod as Sofia continued messing with her shirt before she was wiggling to be put down. Knowing they were in a secure space, Dawson complied with her daughter's silent request, the mother placing Sofia down on the ground before she scurried her way over to the couch, Gabby checking to make sure Herrmann had an eye on her before she returned her attention back to the five year old. "I wish she wasn't leaving… She's really nice, like grandpa." She added, Matt seeing the sad smile that formed over his wife's face before she nodded, Casey knowing that her mother going back home had definitely been a little difficult on Gabby.
"She is… But she's had so much fun getting to know you, and hopefully we'll see her again soon."
"Like for Christmas?" She asked with a hopeful gleam in her eye, Gabby smiling softly before nodding.
"I hope so." She replied as she reached out to run her hand through her hair, Gabby sharing a quick look with her husband before continuing. "Which, speaking of Christmas… Your Daddy and I were talking," She started, seeing Caitlyn's immediate excitement at just the mention of the holiday, Matt chuckling softly before Gabby continued. "And how would you feel about us going to pick out our Christmas tree tomorrow, after lunch?"
The second that question left her lips, Caitlyn's eyes widened in excitement before she nodded quickly, the little girl bouncing up and down in her seat. And her pure elation was more than enough of an answer for the parents, Gabby and Matt sharing a smile as they were just happy to see their little girl so excited by the idea.
This was something they'd meant to do a while ago, well before Thanksgiving, but life had been quite chaotic for the Casey's as of late, especially with Caitlyn getting sick so close to the holidays. And then with life just being busy in general, between work and taking care of two little girls, they hadn't found the time to get out and get a tree. But they were determined to make the time now, as they wanted Caitlyn's first Christmas with them to be perfect. Though she wouldn't be legally theirs by the 25th, she was still a part of their family; she was still their little girl. And both parents wanted it to be special.
"Yes! Yes yes yes!" She responded happily, Caitlyn continuing to bounce in her seat as her reaction earned a few smiles from around the room, while Sofia was now sitting with Herrmann on the couch, the baby unaware of what was going on around her. "I want a Christmas tree!"
"Well, we're gonna go get one baby." Casey responded, Caitlyn grinning from ear to ear as she looked back and forth between her parents.
"Can I pick it?" She continued on, the girl's excitement causing her thoughts to move quickly as Matt chuckled softly.
"How about you and Sofia can help your Momma and I choose, yeah?" He compromised, knowing the girls would certainly need some guidance in picking a tree.
"Okay! We can pick as a family!" She replied brightly, Matt and Gabby both nodding before another thought entered her mind, the little girl looking towards her mom. "Can I get a tree for my room?"
"Yeah, I think we might be able to find something for your room, honey." Dawson told her, Caitlyn smiling widely before she clapped her hands together.
"Yay! Thank you Mommy!" She responded, Gabby's simple words leaving the five year old delighted as she looked back towards her dad. "Thank you Daddy." She added, Matt and Gabby still both sometimes just caught off guard by how genuinely grateful their little girl was, even over the simplest things.
"Of course. And maybe you can help us pick out something for Sofia's room, too." He added, Matt knowing that while Sofia would love anything they got for her, she was too young to be much help in actually choosing something like this.
"Yeah! We can get something she'll love!" Caitlyn responded just as Boden walked into the room, Gabby giving her a nod as Matt's attention turned back towards their boss.
"Hey Chief." He spoke up, Boden giving him a quick nod before he noticed the few extra bodies in the room, a soft smile forming over his face as he saw the Casey girls. "I was wondering if you were ever gonna come join us."
"Yeah, I was caught up with some phone calls… Dawson." He spoke, gaining Gabby's attention as she looked away from Caitlyn towards Boden, the woman's eyebrows raising slightly in question. But when Gabby looked his way, Caitlyn did as well, the little girl smiling wide.
"Hi Mr. Boden." She greeted with a content grin, the Chief breaking his eye contact with his paramedic for a moment so he could speak with the five year old.
"Hi Caitlyn… I didn't know we'd be seeing you here today."
"It was a surprise!" She responded brightly. "For Mommy and Daddy."
"Well, that sounds like a great surprise, I'm glad you and Sofia are here." He told the little girl, his words making the girl even happier than she'd been already before the Chief returned his focus to Gabby. "And Dawson, I wanted to let you know that I heard back from headquarters about Jemma," He started, Gabby giving him a slight nod as she waited for him to continue. "And they approved her to do the ride along shift with 61 next shift."
"Really?"
"Mhmm. With Foster having requested off anyway, they figured it would be the perfect time, so she'll be working with you and Brett, let her get her feet wet and everything." He elaborated, his words earning a nod from Dawson as she was beyond excited at the idea of getting to work with Jemma again. "And I believe she's already gotten the call, and that headquarters is filling her in on everything, but…"
"I'll talk to her." Dawson supplemented. "Make sure she's ready to go for next shift."
"Thank you, Dawson." He told her, Gabby shaking her head slightly.
"Thank you for making this happen, it means a lot to me. And to Jemma." She replied, Boden giving her a soft smile before he nodded.
"No need to thank me, I hope this helps her figure things out." He responded, Gabby nodding in agreement before the older man began to walk towards the kitchen, the paramedic soon feeling someone tugging on her arm as she looked down to find Caitlyn gently yanking on the sleeve of her jacket.
"Is he talking about Auntie Jemma?" She whispered, though her voice was practically the same volume it always was as Boden chuckled softly from the kitchen, Matt shaking his head in amusement as Gabby gave her a nod.
"He was… Auntie Jemma's gonna come work with me on the ambulance for a shift." She responded to her daughter, Caitlyn's eyes widening slightly before she smiled.
"She's gonna come work here?"
"Not forever, no… But for one day, at least. She'll be here working with me and Brett." She clarified, Caitlyn giving her a nod after a moment.
"That's fun! Can I come see Auntie Jemma while she's working?" She asked, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before shaking her head.
"I don't know, baby. There might be a lot going on." She told her, seeing the immediate dejected look on her daughter's face. "But maybe you can see Jemma before she comes to work, she can come over to the house or something." She offered, Caitlyn mulling over her words before she eventually nodded, seemingly content with her answer.
"Okay!"
Just as Caitlyn finished speaking, the bells rang out above their heads, the little girl immediately shying away from the noise while Sofia let out a single surprised and unhappy cry, before both Casey children realized what the noise was. And neither of them necessarily liked it, but Sofia no longer screamed her head off whenever it happened, even though she didn't entirely know what it meant. While Caitlyn, on the other hand, had a much better understanding of the bells, everyone in the room listening as 61 was called out.
"Mommy! That's you!" Caitlyn spoke with a smile, Gabby giving her a nod as she stood up.
"I've gotta get to work, if you all have left before I get back, I'll see you in the morning, alright?" She told her, Caitlyn nodding before Gabby leaned down to give her a quick kiss.
"Okay. Be safe, Mommy."
"I will baby." She replied, Gabby shooting Matt a soft smile as well before she headed off towards the garage, but not before she stopped to give Sofia a kiss goodbye as well, before Dawson headed outside into the harsh cold winter in Chicago, leaving her family securely inside the warmth of the firehouse.
"Wow… that one is huge!" Caitlyn spoke in wonder as they stood in front of a row of Christmas trees, each of her hands holding one of her parents while they were surrounded by tons of people searching for a tree just as they were.
They'd been here for around half an hour now, the pitch black sky around them reminding both parents that they'd gotten here much later than planned as they were in the middle of their search for the perfect Christmas tree. But after their lunch with Camila had gone much later than planned, as everyone wanted to get as much time with her as possible, they hadn't ended up leaving the restaurant until close to Sofia's nap time. And by that point, they didn't want to drag their tired one year old around town, when they could easily do the same thing a few hours later once she'd rested. So, deciding on what was best for their girls, after some tearful goodbyes with Camila, the Casey's decided to go home and let Sofia nap, while the rest of them relaxed on the couch, Gabby and Caitlyn both falling asleep at one point or another.
Then by the time everyone had gotten up, and they fed the girls, it was a lot later than they planned on going out. But they were determined to get this done today, as long as the girls were up for it. And considering Caitlyn hadn't been too thrilled about having to wait all afternoon to go tree shopping, they knew she was still eager to go, which is how they'd found themselves here at nearly 7pm.
"Yeah, it is honey… Probably a little too big for us, but it's nice." Matt commented as he gave her glove covered hand a squeeze, the snow falling down around them making it that much colder.
"Oh please, there's no such thing as a tree that's too big." Severide piped in as he came up behind them with Stella in tow, Casey shaking his head before he looked back towards his friends.
Even though they hadn't originally intended this to be an outing with their friends, when Severide and Kidd heard them tell Caitlyn during shift yesterday that they'd be tree shopping today, they quickly decided to tag along, as now Kelly and Stella were here tonight with the Casey family, all of them having a great time together as they so often did.
"Yeah Daddy!" Caitlyn chirped, Casey glancing down towards her as he saw the playful gleam in her eyes, the father giving her a joking look back before he looked to Severide.
"Just worry about your own tree, Sev. Did you all find anything?"
"Yeah, I think so… Just waiting for you to find yours so we can get this done."
"You can't rush these things." Casey countered before turning back around towards the row of trees, the man beginning to walk further down the path, as Gabby and Caitlyn followed after him.
While Caitlyn was fine to be walking around on her own, with supervision, the same couldn't be said for Sofia. Between the slick conditions, all the different paths that weren't necessarily well lit, and the sheer amount of people around them, neither parent felt comfortable letting Sofia wander around. So they'd quickly decided to let Gabby wear the baby carrier they kept in the car for her, the little girl securely strapped to her chest while she faced the world. And the one year old was more than content, Sofia already getting a little sleepy as she found the movement of her mother's steps soothing while her curious eyes looked out at everything around her.
"What about this one?" Matt asked as they came to a stop in front of one of the first trees they saw when they got here, Gabby suppressing her smirk as she looked between Matt and the tree. It wasn't lost on her how this was the one she'd pointed out earlier on in their visit when they first got here, but she said nothing about it, the woman merely giving him a nod before looking down towards Caitlyn.
"I think it's great, what about you, Caity?" She asked, Caitlyn pursing her cold lips together before she dropped her parents' hands and took a step forward, the little girl clearly wanting to inspect the tree further. "You think it would look alright in our living room?"
"Hmm…" She pondered, Gabby having to stop herself from laughing as Caitlyn really had no idea what classified a good tree or a bad tree, she just liked to be a part of the process. "I like it!" She eventually spoke up before looking towards her dad. "It's pretty!"
"Yeah, I think so, too." Matt replied before he looked towards Sofia, the baby's eyes focused more on the Christmas lights hanging around them than anything else. "What about you, Sofia? You like this one?" He asked as he reached out to rub his hand over her covered chest. Between her thick coat, and the material holding her to her mother, Sofia was barely able to feel him, but when he patted her little body gently, Sofia looked his way, her grin widening when she saw her dad. "You like this tree, Sof?"
The baby waved her arms around as her dad spoke, and while everyone knew it was just the attention she was liking that caused her to react that way, it was enough for them to count that as a yes, Gabby holding her hand over Sofia's stomach to keep her securely against her.
"Well, I think that settles it." Matt spoke before looking to Gabby. "This is our tree."
"Yay!" Caitlyn cheered happily, Gabby feeling a similar type of elation right now, but mostly because she was looking forward to getting back home. Though she'd had fun, and she was beyond grateful to share this moment with her friends and family, it seemed to be getting colder and colder by the minute, and she didn't want to keep the girls out any longer tonight than necessary as their bedtime was fast approaching. "We have a tree!"
"Yeah, we will here soon… Severide, you mind helping me with this?"
"As long as you help me with me and Stella's." He countered, Matt giving him a nod before turning towards his wife.
"Kelly and I are gonna, somehow, get this thing on the top of the car," He started, Gabby shaking her lightly as she knew they were going to look ridiculous during the drive home. "Are you good with the girls?"
"Yeah, we'll be fine." She assured him as Caitlyn took a step back towards her, Gabby reaching out for her hand once more. "I think I'm gonna take them over towards the refreshment stand, maybe get some hot chocolate or something." She told him, Matt nodding in response. "And then I still wanna look for something for their rooms."
"A tree!" Caitlyn spoke up brightly, Gabby smiling softly before she swung her arm gently.
"Yeah, we'll see if we can't find you some type of tree, sweetheart… But just let me know when you all are done?"
"Of course." He told her, Gabby leaning in to give Matt a quick kiss before she began walking away, her one hand resting over Sofia's body as her other was holding onto Caitlyn, while Kidd was standing on the other side of the little girl.
"Try not to break anything while you're at it." Kidd added, Severide shooting her a light glare before his eyes moved to Gabby, the woman shaking her head in amusement before she gave him a small smile.
"Thanks for your help, Sev."
"You're welcome, Dawson." He replied, Gabby giving him a nod before the girls began to head towards the stand a little bit aways from them that held all the warm drinks they were craving.
While they walked down the sidewalk, Caitlyn's mind couldn't help but wander as they navigated the snow, ice, and people all around them, her little hand holding onto her mother's tightly. "Hey Mommy?" She asked as they got closer to their destination, Gabby looking down towards her daughter when she heard her voice.
"Yeah?"
"Why does everyone call you Dawson?" She questioned unexpectedly, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing slightly in confusion before she looked up to Stella, seeing a similarly uncertain look in her friend's eyes.
"What baby?"
"Why do they call you Dawson? At the firehouse and stuff." She asked again, her repeated question not really clearing much of anything up.
"Because that's my last name, honey." She responded, her answer leaving Caitlyn a little confused now as she pondered over her words.
"It's not Casey?" She asked curiously, Gabby pursing her lips together as she began to realize what exactly her daughter was asking. "Isn't your last name Casey like Daddy's?" She pressed, Gabby drawing in a deep breath as she thought over her words.
Caitlyn had never really questioned this before, at least not to Gabby, as she'd never wondered about why her and Matt went by different last names. Caitlyn knew people referred to her as Dawson, but as far as the mother knew, her daughter had never really thought much of it. But apparently that had changed now.
"Why do you have another last name?" She pushed when her mom had yet to answer her, Stella biting back a smirk as they came to a stop in line for their drinks, Gabby pausing for a moment to figure out how to best answer her.
"You know how your Daddy and I are married?" She asked, Caitlyn giving her a slight nod. "Well, when people get married, sometimes they decide to change their last name, and sometimes they don't. I just haven't changed mine… So my last name is Dawson." She explained as simply as she could, Caitlyn's eyebrows furrowing slightly as she thought over what had just been said to her, her little brain needing a second to process it before she nodded.
"Is Daddy sad you don't have his last name?" She questioned innocently, Gabby quickly shaking her head.
"No baby, he's not." She answered, despite the fact that truthfully she had no idea. It wasn't something they had really talked about lately, but that wasn't anything to get into right now. "And even though legally my last name isn't Casey, I still see myself as a Casey… Just like you're a Casey." Dawson told her, Caitlyn nodding once more.
"Is Sofia's last name Casey?" She pushed further, Caitlyn clearly just wanting to understand.
"It is."
"Will my last name be Casey?"
"It will be, baby." Gabby told her, Caitlyn waiting for a moment before she simply shrugged, that soft smile returning to her face as light snow continued to fall down around them.
"Okay." She responded simply, telling Gabby she no longer had any more questions about the topic as they took a step forward in line.
Glancing back up towards Kidd, the woman shrugged gently before holding her hands up, silently telling her friend she had nothing more to add as Gabby shook her head lightly. And while Dawson hadn't been expecting to have any sort of conversation like this tonight, it had left her thinking about what all Caitlyn had said, the mother knowing that at some point, she needed to talk to Matt, and see what he thought. Because after talking to her daughter, she realized she had no idea, and she wanted to know if this was something he'd been thinking about, too. But now wasn't the time to figure that out.
Gabby watched the snow fall down around them as Matt drove through the quiet streets of Chicago, the husband safely getting his family back to their home after their long night out with Severide and Kidd. And though everyone inside the car was beyond exhausted, Dawson was so glad they'd spent that time together, as they were certain this was a night Caitlyn would hold onto for a while.
While Casey and Severide had worked on getting the trees secured to cars that were not necessarily intended to hold them, the girls enjoyed their treats and their drinks, Gabby caving in and getting not only hot chocolate and apple cider, but also a cookie for Caitlyn as she was dying to have it the second she saw it was shaped like Santa. And, after she promised to share with Sofia, Gabby agreed to get it for her, though she knew the last thing either of the girls needed this late was more sugar. But she just couldn't help herself, and with how much Sofia and Caitlyn both enjoyed their treats, she didn't regret it one bit.
Then after sharing her hot chocolate with Sofia, though it was mostly lukewarm chocolate by the time Gabby let her have any, Matt and Kelly had come back, letting them know they were good to go, the friends planning on going separate ways shortly thereafter. But before they left, they'd managed to find two small, albeit fake, trees that were perfect for the girls' rooms, and what made them even better was that Caitlyn had been the one to pick them out. Because while Gabby knew she'd promised Caitlyn could get something for her room, she didn't actually want a real tree in either of the girls' rooms, as not only was it a hazard, but she didn't want anything too fragrant in there. So before they got here, she wasn't entirely sure what they could get.
But once they found those fake trees, and Caitlyn loved them, she knew they would be perfect, as the girls could decorate them however they wanted, and it would help make things feel a little more like Christmas around their house.
Then after making those purchases and getting the little trees in the trunk, along with Gabby making many jokes about how crazy her car looked with a huge Christmas tree strapped to the top of it, they'd managed to get their girls into the car. And while Caitlyn was able to get in on her own, the five year old still hyped up on all the sugar and Christmas excitement, it was a little more challenging with Sofia as the baby was nearly asleep by the time they were ready to leave. And though it had taken a bit more maneuvering to get her out of her carrier than normal, Gabby had managed to get her strapped into her car seat without disturbing her too much, and by the time she was completely buckled, Sofia was out.
Then Caitlyn, on the other hand, while she started the drive quite energetic, when she realized Sofia was sleeping, she decided to stay quiet as to not disturb her little sister, but by doing that she'd made herself sleepy as well. And then by a few minutes into their car ride, Caitlyn had started to fade as well, the dark sky outside helping her fall asleep as both parents sat upfront quietly. And that's how they'd been for the last fifteen minutes or so as they made their way home, neither parent making much noise as they wanted their girls to rest.
Soon enough, Casey had made it to their street, the snow on the ground making the drive take longer than it normally would as he was being as safe as possible. But once he finally pulled up their driveway and into the garage, he felt like he could relax as they were now home safe, Casey sparing a quick glance to his wife as he got unbuckled.
"What do you think is gonna be harder to get inside, the tree, or the girls without waking them up?" Gabby asked with a soft grin, Matt matching her look before he clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.
"The girls, for sure." He replied jokingly, Gabby shaking her head lightly before Matt killed the engine and then got out of the car. As he stood up and turned around, and was once again met by the sight of their Christmas tree, he couldn't help but chuckle as he shut his door. "This really does look ridiculous." He commented, Gabby laughing softly as she opened Sofia's door.
"Yeah, it does… Maybe it's just another sign that it's time to upgrade to a bigger car." She replied, Matt giving her a look as he opened the backseat door to get Caitlyn.
"I think we're well past that." He replied, Gabby mulling over his words before she nodded.
"You're probably right."
"But who knows… Maybe Santa will bring you a new car or something." He told her with raised brows, Gabby scoffing lightly before shaking her head.
"Just get your daughter inside." She instructed, Matt responding with a small salute before he leaned down into the backseat.
And just as expected, Caitlyn was still fast asleep, the five year old sleeping soundly in her seat, as was Sofia as the parents began to get their kids out as gently as possible. But it didn't take much for them to both begin to wake up at the movement, Matt barely getting Caitlyn unbuckled while Gabby only got the bottom of Sofia's carseat undone before both girls began to shift around.
"Daddy?" Caitlyn murmured before stretching out her arms, Matt hearing her sound a little uncertain as Sofia whined from across the car, Gabby instantly soothing her as she ran her hand over her chest.
"It's okay baby, we're home." He replied just as softly, Caitlyn nodding before her head lulled to the side once more, the little girl not even bothering to open her eyes as Matt picked her up.
He had to move carefully, as to not hit her head, and Caitlyn had to help him a little bit, but after a few seconds she was securely in his arms, her dead weight resting against him as she tucked her head into his neck. And before he could even stand up all the way, he could tell she'd fallen back asleep, the emotion-filled day having taken it out of her as he heard her soft snores in his ear.
Looking across the top of the car, he saw Gabby cradling Sofia to her chest, his wife giving him a small smile before she shut the door as softly as she could, Matt quickly following suit. And without saying a word, the parents took their girls inside, the light coming from the laundry room illuminating their path enough for them to safely get into their home, Gabby turning the hallway light on before carrying Sofia towards the living room. Casey followed quietly behind her, the parents carrying their tired girls to the couch before gently laying them down.
After taking off their boots, and putting a few pillows around Sofia just to be safe, the parents took a few steps back, both of them surprised that neither of the girls woke up during all the movement as they continued to sleep peacefully in the security of their home.
"Looks like decorating will have to wait until tomorrow." Dawson commented as they both watched their girls for a few more seconds.
"Yeah, I don't think either of them are up for that tonight. And I'm not either." He told her, Gabby giving him a soft smile before they walked back towards the hallway. "So, are you gonna help me get this tree inside?" Casey asked quietly with a small smirk, Gabby suppressing a groan before she reluctantly nodded.
"We should've made Severide come back with us." She huffed out as they headed to the garage, neither of them necessarily looking forward to trying to get this tree into the house, especially with their babies sleeping.
"Well, if I remember correctly I suggested that before we left." He countered as they stepped down into the garage, Gabby shooting him a slight glare before she walked around to the passenger side of the garage.
"Just help me get this thing off my car." She shot back, Casey suppressing his laughter before he walked to the other side, the two of them beginning to untie the Christmas tree going in their living room.
"Yes dear." He responded somewhat sarcastically before they continued on with their work, both parents knowing that while it was a bit of a pain right now, they were more than happy that they had gone and gotten this tree, as they knew it would make this holiday all the more special for them as it was something they'd done together.