Hey everyone! Happy Monday! I hope you all are doing well, and having a good day.
As I'm sure most of you know, Fanfiction was messed up last week and it took forever to show the update for this story. But I did post the chapter. So if you haven't read the update from last week, I suggest going back to read it before you read this one.
Also, I'm sorry this update is super late. I'll get more into it more at the end of the chapter, but I do apologize that it's later than I normally post.
I hope you all enjoy, thank you so much for reading.
Chapter One Hundred and Sixteen
Gabby's eyes shot open when she heard what sounded like a sharp cry, the mother sitting up quickly in her bed as she looked around, trying to gain some semblance of what was going on around her as she did what she could to place the cry she'd heard. Despite her exhaustion, her maternal instincts were on high alert, Gabby tossing the covers off of her and turning to place her feet on the ground just as she heard the cry once more, her eyes moving towards the baby monitor that the sound had come from.
"What's going on?" She heard Matt's groggy voice from behind her, the man shifting in the bed as he was gradually waking up as well. But Dawson's eyes were focused on the baby monitor now in her hands as she heard Sofia cry once more, the sounds of distress coming from her daughter getting louder and louder by the second. "Is that Sofia? What's wrong?"
"I don't know." She replied as calmly as she could as she blinked quickly a few times to focus her vision, Gabby seeing her daughter standing up in her crib holding onto the side of it tightly as she continued to cry. "I'm gonna go check on her."
But just as Gabby stood up, Sofia's cries turned into wails, the baby clearly upset about something as the parents shared a concerned look. Without saying a word, Matt got up as well, Gabby coming around the bed before they hurriedly walked the familiar path from their bedroom to the stairs. And as they got closer to the steps, they were able to hear her cries getting louder and louder, the one year old desperately crying for someone to come get her as Gabby picked up her pace, Matt following behind her just as quickly.
When they got to the top of the stairs, Sofia's wails were as loud as ever, Gabby quickly making her way through the baby gate before hurrying towards her daughter's room. Pushing the ajar door open all the way, the nightlight in her room was enough for Sofia to come into view, the little girl crying heavily as she noticed her parents suddenly standing there. And the second she registered their presence, she released her hold on the crib and reached out for them, Gabby hurrying to the bed while Matt stopped to turn on her lamp before following in that same direction.
"Sof, what's wrong, baby?" Gabby asked as they got to her, the mother picking her up without a thought as she cradled her against her chest. When she was in the comfort of her mother's arms, her loud cries began to lessen, even if only a little bit, as her tiny fists held onto Gabby's shirt. "It's okay… Everything's okay." She soothed as she rubbed her hand over Sofia's back, Gabby pressing a kiss against the back of her daughter's curly-haired head as she rested against her shoulder.
After sharing a quick look, Matt looked down to Sofia, the baby's teary eyes focused on her dad as her wails had begun to turn into whimpers, a deep frown pulling across his lips before he reached out to stroke the side of her head.
"What's wrong, Sof?" He murmured, Matt wiping away the tears on her skin before he reached into her crib, the father grabbing her pacifier and putting it up to her mouth before the baby accepted it eagerly. With furrowed brows, he watched his little girl for a few more seconds, his worry only continuing to grow as her bright blue eyes that mirrored his stayed locked on him. "Is she warm?" He questioned, his words obviously for his wife as Sofia wasn't able to tell them what was wrong. And while she was beginning to calm down, and they were able to relax a bit now that she wasn't screaming her head off, they still felt unsure about what had caused their baby to react this way. "Do you think she's sick?"
Gabby watched her husband as she continued rubbing up and down along Sofia's back, both parents thinking the same thing as they were wondering if maybe Sofia had gotten some sort of illness, similarly to how Caitlyn had the week before. But as Sofia was curled against her, Gabby's lips resting against her daughter's head, she didn't feel overly warm, the mother shaking her head slightly.
"She's not warm, no… She feels fine." She answered, Matt pausing for a moment before giving her a nod, while Gabby began to rocking back and forth gently to help continue to soothe their little girl. "What happened, baby? What's going on?" She questioned softly towards her daughter, though Sofia wouldn't be able to answer them.
The parents stood there silently for a few moments, both doing all they could to comfort their daughter as a few lone tears continued to fall from her tired eyes, the baby clearly exhausted from waking up earlier than she normally would. And as Gabby gently rocked her back and forth, while Matt rubbed her head, the felt her calming down more and more, Sofia just needing her parents more than anything as her grip on her mom slowly started to lessen.
With a sad smile on his face, Matt wiped away a couple more tears that had escaped down the baby's skin, before Sofia's eyes slowly started to give in to her exhaustion. And as their methods of comfort were working, they kept them going for a few minutes, Gabby pressing occasional kisses to the top of her head while Matt made sure to keep contact with her as well, as he didn't want her thinking he'd gone anywhere.
"I wonder what that was about…" Gabby breathed out as she rested her cheek down against Sofia, Matt pursing his lips together before releasing a soft sigh.
"I'm not sure… I know this used to happen every so often, but it hasn't in a while." He replied, even though he was aware that Gabby knew this, Matt fighting off a yawn as his own fatigue was wearing on him. "Maybe it was just a nightmare."
"Yeah, maybe." She responded quietly, Gabby pausing for a moment before pressing another kiss to Sofia's head. "At least she's calming down." She added, Matt nodding in agreement as they continued to soothe their daughter anyway they could.
"Yeah." He agreed, another yawn escaping his lips before he glanced back towards the door for a brief moment. "We still have a few hours before we need to get up, you wanna try and get her back to sleep up here? Or take her back downstairs with us." He offered, Gabby gnawing on her bottom lip as she thought over his words.
Though she wasn't sure how much sleep she'd be able to get for herself after this, it wasn't her she was so much worried about, despite the long day she had ahead of her. But she knew she'd be fine, Gabby much more concerned about her baby getting some much needed rest. And considering the one year old's loud cries were still ringing around in her head, the mother couldn't help but think they'd all do better if Sofia came with them.
"Let's take her with us." She answered, Matt nodding understandingly as he rubbed the side of his daughter's head once more, Sofia barely awake as she sucked on her pacifier. "I'm sure she'd be fine up here, but just in case it happens again, I'd rather her be with us."
"Okay."
"What happened?"
Gabby and Matt's heads both moved towards the door when they heard the small voice of their oldest daughter, Caitlyn now standing in the doorway with her teddy bear clutched tightly to her chest, the parents able to sense her uneasiness from here as her worried eyes looked back and forth between them.
"I heard Sof crying, it scared me." She admitted as she took another step into the room, Matt's face softening as he held out his arm, encouraging her to come closer.
"Everything's okay, Caity. You don't need to be scared." He told her, though they could both tell Caitlyn was a bit apprehensive, the tired girl's nightgown swaying as she walked towards her parents. "She's alright."
"Why was she crying?" She asked as she came to a stop in front of them, the parents able to see her exhaustion more clearly now that she was closer.
"We think she just got scared, but we're not sure." Gabby responded softly while continuing to rock her baby, Caitlyn looking up at her curiously before she turned to Matt and took a step towards him, lifting her arms up in the air as a signal that she wanted to be held. And the father complied immediately, Matt picking her up with relative ease and resting her weight down on his hip, while keeping his arm underneath her for support.
"Why was she scared?" She asked once she was in the secure hold of her father, Caitlyn clearly still feeling a little uneasy about her little sister waking up the way she did. And neither parent could blame her, as it had been jarring to them too.
"We don't know, baby." Matt told her, watching her eyebrows furrow even more before her worried eyes moved to her sister. "But everything's fine, she's okay now." He tried to assure her, but Caitlyn wasn't entirely convinced.
"Are you sure? Is she hurt?"
"No, no, she's not, honey. She's fine." Gabby was quick to reply as she rubbed Sofia's back, Caitlyn continuing to look curiously between her family as Matt released a soft breath.
"You know how sometimes when you're sad or upset, you want me or your Mommy to help you feel better?" He spoke, Matt doing his best to simplify this to something she could understand, neither parent wanting her to be worried as he waited for her to nod before he continued. "Well, that happens to Sofia, too." He explained, seeing the moment it started to register in her tired mind as the concerned look in her eyes softened. "Sometimes she gets upset, or scared, and she wants her Mommy and Daddy. Just like you do… She's just not old enough to tell us that."
Caitlyn gave him another nod as she was beginning to understand what he meant, her teddy bear still clutched tightly in her arms as she looked back towards her sister. "So she was just sad, and wanted you and Mommy?"
"Yeah, that's right." He answered, Caitlyn nodding slowly before Matt adjusted her weight against his side.
"I bet she feels better then, because you and Mommy are here." She answered simply, soft smiles forming over both parents' faces as they shared a quick look. "You are the best Mommy and Daddy, you make me feel better when I'm sad. So Sof feels better, too."
"Yeah, I think she does." Gabby murmured, Caitlyn nodding proudly as Matt patted the side of her leg, the action gaining the little girl's attention before she looked at her dad.
"Your mom and I were just gonna take Sof downstairs to our room, to see if she could get more sleep… You want to come with us?" He offered, Caitlyn nodding immediately once more before tucking her head into his neck, Matt smiling gently as he exchanged a look with his wife.
He had expected Caitlyn to say yes, as she would've slept in their bedroom with them every night if they let her, and he figured with the unexpected and abrupt way they were all woken up, that it couldn't hurt to have all his girls with him. Because while he knew he could likely get Caitlyn back to sleep in her own room, it would certainly take some time and a lot of convincing, as it was always hard to get her back to sleep when she was worried about something. So, for the sake of all of them, he knew the best option was just to bring her downstairs as well. And based on the look covering his wife's face, he knew she agreed.
"Yes please." Caitlyn murmured from the comfort of his hold, Matt nodding softly as he used his free hand to rub up and down her back.
"Alright… Lets go and see if we all can't get more sleep. You ready?" He asked Gabby, the woman nodding softly before looking down towards Sofia.
"Yeah. I'm just gonna change her diaper real quick, then I'll be down." She told him, Matt pausing for a second before he nodded.
"You want me to?" He offered, his words earning a slight head shake from her.
"No, it's okay, I've got it. You go ahead and take Caitlyn, Sof and I will be down in a minute." Dawson replied, Matt giving her one last nod before he headed towards the door, while Gabby moved towards the dresser to get everything she'd need to take care of her daughter.
And as an easy quiet began to settle over the Casey household once more, each parent looking after one of their girls, they couldn't help but hope their daughters were able to get some more rest, or they knew tomorrow wouldn't be an easy day for any of them.
"Sofia, that's my dolly."
Gabby looked over towards the living room when she heard Caitlyn's exasperated voice, the five year old obviously wanting her toy back as the two girls played together, but Sofia wasn't seeming to budge as she shook the doll around. And though Dawson could tell her oldest daughter was a bit annoyed, it seemed like Caitlyn soon got over it and went back to playing with her other toy, the two girls continuing to play easily as Gabby was able to focus back on preparing her and Matt's coffees for the drive to work.
It had been an early morning for the Caseys, much earlier than they'd hoped after getting woken up in the middle of the night by Sofia, but after they'd brought their girls downstairs to sleep with them, the four of them only managed to get a couple more hours of rest before the girls woke up. And they certainly didn't sleep as long as either parent hoped. But there was nothing to be done about it now as Gabby stood in the kitchen finishing their drinks, while Matt was in the bedroom getting ready for shift.
And though the extra early morning wasn't exactly welcome, it had left Matt and Gabby both with ample time to get ready for work, as Matt took the first shift with the girls to let her get ready before they traded off. But that was likely the only upside, as everyone in the Casey house was definitely exhausted, but with it being the weekend, at least they didn't have to worry about how Caitlyn would handle going to school. Becca would be able to stay at home with the girls all day if she chose to do so, giving them plenty of time to nap and rest, as Gabby was sure that was in their near future at some point, though she could only wish she'd be able to get a nap in as well.
But regardless of Dawson's exhaustion and the unusual start to the day, she knew it was going to be a good day, as today was when Gabby would finally get the work with Jemma again.
Though they saw each other often, it wasn't the same as getting to work with her on the rig. The dynamic of their relationship had shifted ever since Gabby left the SAS and they weren't able to work together anymore, and while Dawson knew they were both better off not being there, she'd missed working with her best friend. And, even though it was only for one shift, Gabby was still beyond excited to work together one more time; and she knew Jemma felt the same way, as she'd said it over and over the night before.
To prepare for her shift at 51, Jemma had come over last night for dinner after the Casey family had finished decorating the house for Christmas, the godmother to see the girls and also get help from Gabby about what it would be like working at the firehouse. And she'd spent their entire evening getting advice from her friend, Gabby doing what she could to ease her nerves as Jemma had been a little anxious about walking into a new environment. But with what little uncertainty she was feeling, it was accompanied by even more excitement, and Gabby knew how much her and Jemma both were looking forward to today.
"Hey babe."
Gabby looked up when she heard her husband's voice, the man coming from their bedroom clad in his shift clothes as he was finishing up securing his belt, Matt soon lifting his head to find her gaze as a soft smile formed over his face. Giving him a soft nod, Matt came to a stop beside the counter as his eyes moved towards the girls quickly before looking back to Gabby.
"Do we know when Becca will be here?" He asked, glancing towards the clock on the stove behind Gabby.
"Probably in ten minutes or so… We're ready to go a little earlier than normal, but she should be here soon." She answered with a soft smile, Matt nodding in understanding before he walked around towards her, his eyes looking between the two cups of coffee she'd prepared as a small grin formed over his face.
Understanding exactly what he was wanting, Gabby shook her head lightly in amusement before handing him his drink, Matt giving her an appreciative nod before he took a long sip. "Thank you."
"Mhmm." She hummed, Gabby mimicking his actions and taking a drink of her own coffee as they both took a moment to decompress before they officially began their long day.
"So… still feeling good about today?" He asked after a couple of minutes, though he already knew the answer as Gabby gave him a slight nod.
"I am." She responded softly as she looked at him. "Working with Jemma again is gonna be so much fun."
"Yeah, I know how much you're looking forward to this." He responded lightly as he reached out to rub her arm. "And by how excited Jemma was last night, I'd say she feels the same way." He added with a chuckle, Gabby running her teeth over her bottom lip before she nodded.
"She definitely is. After not working for a bit, I know she's ready to get back into it… Working with me is just an added bonus." She replied jokingly as she scrunched up her nose, Matt grinning softly as a light laugh escaped the back of his throat.
"Well, speaking from personal experience, working with you is definitely something to look forward to." He told her, Gabby shaking her head lightly as she clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "I love it."
"Yeah, I know you do." She replied with a smirk, Matt rubbing his thumb over her arm before giving her a slight squeeze. "You're not terrible to work with, either." She added teasingly before Matt opened his mouth to respond with a comment of his own, but he never got the chance to as they heard Caitlyn's voice once more, the little girl clearly upset over whatever had happened.
"No, Sofia! That's mine!" She said loudly, the tone of her voice startling the baby before Sofia immediately started crying, Caitlyn not backing down as she snatched the toy from her hands. "That's mine!"
"Caitlyn." Casey spoke firmly as both parents saw her rip the doll away from her younger sister, Sofia continuing to cry as the parents walked over to their girls, Gabby going to Sofia while Matt went to the five year old. "You don't yell at your little sister, and you don't grab things from her. You know better than that."
"She took my toy again!" She continued, her voice only getting louder as she was clearly upset over this.
"That's not a reason to shout at her-"
"It's mine!" She yelled, Matt's eyes widening slightly before his face became a bit more firm, the father quickly realizing he was going to have to be a little more direct with his words as Caitlyn was pushing back harder than she normally ever would.
"Caitlyn, you don't yell." Casey spoke again, keeping his voice as calm as he could. Though shouting was something neither parent did as a form of discipline, he especially knew in this situation how counterproductive that would be, as Caitlyn was upset enough already. "I know you're frustrated, but you don't yell. You don't yell at me, or you mom, or Sofia. We don't yell."
"But I was playing and she took it!" She continued on, the five year old fighting back as much as she could, Matt drawing in a deep breath as he did what he could to keep himself level headed. "It's my toy!"
"If you don't calm down, neither of you will get to play with it." He tried a different tactic, but that only seemed to frustrate her more as thick tears welled in her eyes, Caitlyn shaking her head roughly before she threw the toy onto the ground.
"Fine!" She shouted, the toy hitting the floor only scaring Sofia even more as the baby let out another sharp cry, the child clinging to her mom as Matt shook his head in near disbelief.
"Caitlyn!" He spoke as firmly as he could without yelling, the little girl holding her ground as she began to stomp off, clearly intent on continuing on with her tantrum. But neither parent was going to let her. "Caitlyn, come here." He said before she could get very far, Gabby picking up Sofia as Matt turned towards the five year old.
She had stopped walking, but she had yet to turn back towards them, Gabby and Matt sharing an uncertain look as neither of them were entirely sure what brought this on. They'd had some behavioral issues with Caitlyn in the past; she was a kid, it was bound to happen. And there'd been times she pushed her limits and had to deal with the consequences of that. But it wasn't often she acted out like this, as Caitlyn was one of the most patient kids they have ever known.
But still, she was just a kid, a tired kid at that, and they knew sometimes things like this happened.
But that didn't mean she was going to be able to get away with her behavior.
"Caitlyn..." Gabby spoke, her voice much gentler than Matt's as the five year old reluctantly turned back around, the parents seeing thick tears falling down her cheeks as she looked back and forth between them. "Come here." She prompted again, the little girl taking a few hesitant steps forward towards her parents, her head hanging to the ground as she knew she was in trouble.
When she got close enough, Matt squatted down to her level as her head still stayed facing the ground, the parents hearing her sniffles as Gabby kept Sofia on her hip. The baby had calmed down now, Sofia feeling much better now that there wasn't any more yelling going on around her, while Matt and Gabby were both looking at their daughter.
"Caitlyn." Matt said her name once more when she had yet to look up at him, a few of her tears falling down onto the ground as she clasped her hands together, the parents sharing another look before he spoke up again. "Honey, look at me." He prompted, Caitlyn sniffling once more before she finally lifted her head, her red, tired eyes focusing on her dad as he was eye-level with her. "Why are you so upset?" He asked her gently, a few more tears falling down her face as she looked down at the toy she'd thrown to the ground.
"It was my toy." She replied, her voice calmer than it had been before, Matt nodding in understanding.
"I know, but that doesn't mean you can act that way. We don't yell, and we certainly don't throw things. You know that, yeah?" He asked her, Caitlyn nodding slowly. "And you've shared with Sofia before... I know it's not always fair, but she's still a baby, and you know she sometimes doesn't understand it's wrong to take toys… So can you tell me why you really were upset?" He pressed, Caitlyn continuing to cry as she glanced back towards Sofia.
"The princess was saving everyone and I was trying to show her," She started explaining, Matt nodding slowly. "But she took my toy before I could finish, and now the princess couldn't help." She spoke as she continued to cry, Casey reaching up to wipe away her tears as they fell.
"And that made you upset? Not being able to have the princess help people?" He questioned, Matt needing to know exactly what she was feeling as Caitlyn gave him a nod. "But you said you showed her the toy?"
"Mhmm."
"So do you think that maybe when you showed it to her, she thought you were trying to play with her?" He asked her, Caitlyn thinking over his words before she shrugged, Matt knowing his daughter was starting to realize exactly what he was saying. "I know you weren't trying to share with her, that you were just wanting to let her see your game, but she probably didn't know that, baby." He reasoned, Caitlyn sniffling before she nodded. "And I know you were wanting to play, and that Sofia taking your toy upset you, but we don't throw things, okay?" He reiterated, knowing it couldn't hurt to say that more than once as Caitlyn hadn't really had an outburst like this before.
"I'm sorry." She replied shakily, Matt nodding sadly as he gently rubbed his hand over her arm.
"I know you are. And it's okay that you were frustrated by Sofia taking your toy, there's nothing wrong with that. Your mom and I get frustrated by things too, and so does Sof, but when we're frustrated, we talk it out. And that's what you need to do, alright? When you're feeling upset, you can come to me and your mom, and we can talk about it, instead of you yelling and throwing things."
"Okay… I'm sorry, Daddy." She apologized once more, Matt nodding in response before she looked towards Gabby. "I'm sorry, Mommy."
"It's okay, honey." She responded, Gabby's eyes flashing towards Matt before she continued. "But no more toys this morning, okay?" She told her, Caitlyn blinking quickly before she nodded. "At least not for a little bit."
"And you need to go sit in timeout." Matt added, Gabby nodding in agreement as Caitlyn looked back towards her dad. "I know you're sorry, but you still need to go to timeout for a bit, alright?"
It was obvious Caitlyn wasn't necessarily fond of the idea, but she understood it, as the girl had gone to timeout ever so often since joining the Casey family, though only when warranted. It wasn't something they did that much, as they'd rather just talk to Caitlyn and help her understand what she did wrong, than simply punishing her without letting her express what was going on. But they also knew she needed to learn that her actions had consequences, and while they always did talk things through with her when she acted out, sometimes putting her in timeout still needed to happen. And this was certainly one of those times.
"Okay." She murmured, Matt wiping away her tears once more before he slowly stood up.
"But before you do, can you apologize to Sof?" He asked her, Caitlyn nodding before she walked the few short steps towards her mom and her sister. Knowing she was a little out of her line of sight, Gabby moved to let Sofia stand down on the ground. And while at first Sofia wasn't thrilled to be out of her mom's arms, when she saw her sister standing there, she smiled brightly.
"I'm sorry, Sof." She told her, the baby's grin widening when she heard her name before she reached out for her sister, Sofia hugging her tightly as she was glad to see her. Clearly, for as upset as she'd been moments ago, Sofia was no longer fazed by what had happened, Caitlyn smiling softly as she hugged her back. "I was bad, I won't throw the toy again. And we can share."
"Kay kay." The baby squealed as she patted her sister's side, Matt and Gabby both watching on at the moment between their babies.
"I'm sorry." She said again before they slowly pulled apart, Sofia grinning up at her sister as Caitlyn looked back to her parents. "I'm sorry." She continued to repeat her apology, Matt and Gabby both nodding.
"We know you are… Now go sit at the table for a bit, Mommy or I will let you know when you can get up." Casey told her, Caitlyn nodding before she walked slowly over towards one of their designated timeout spots.
They only had a few in them in the house, just one on each floor as that was all that was necessary. But the decision to have Caitlyn's timeout spot be at the kitchen table had been a conscious one, as neither Matt or Gabby were okay with the idea of making a child stand in a corner, or against a wall, for discipline. It seemed counterproductive, and a little demeaning, as they'd rather help their child understand what they did wrong, then send them to timeout as a way to calm down and really think over what had happened, as opposed to just making them stand off by the wall by themselves. That wasn't a form of discipline either parent was comfortable with, so they'd done their best to figure out the best way to make timeouts the most effective. And so far, it seemed to work.
As Caitlyn walked towards the table and took her seat, Matt drew in a deep breath before looking towards Gabby, both parents still a little thrown by what had transpired this morning. Between being woken up in the middle of the night by Sofia, then Caitlyn's outburst, today had definitely started off a little rocky. And they could only hope that wouldn't be a common theme throughout the rest of their day.
Gabby stood out at the edge of the garage in the firehouse with her hands in her pockets as she looked around at the snowy Chicago streets, her thick jacket and beanie doing all it could to keep her warm as she waited for her friend to arrive. It was still a little early, Matt and Gabby able to arrive to shift earlier than normal this morning, giving the paramedic time to get a few things done before she came back out here to wait for Jemma. And, based on the time Norris had told her she'd left, Gabby knew she should be here soon, even though travel would likely take longer due to the weather.
Checking her watch once more, Gabby moved back and forth on the balls of her feet as some of the snow began to blow into the garage, the woman knowing today would likely be a day where'd they be keeping the doors closed, especially if the weather held up the way it was supposed to. But as she looked down the driveway once more, a soft smile formed over her face when she saw Jemma walking up towards the firehouse, Gabby taking a few steps outside as Norris carefully maneuvered her way through the snow and ice covering the ground.
"Hey Dawson." She greeted once she got close enough, Gabby's smile widening as she took another step forward.
"Hey Norris." Gabby responded as they met up with one another, the two sharing a quick hug before they headed for the shelter the garage provided, the new paramedic beginning to look around at her surroundings.
"I'm not late, am I?" She asked as she adjusted her shift bag over her shoulder, Gabby immediately shaking her head.
"No, not at all… We still have about fifteen minutes or so till shift change." She replied, Jemma nodding as they continued to walk further inside. "I figured we could get your stuff put away, then I'll give you the official tour of everything… I know you've been here, but with you working here, it's a little different. So I'll show you around the rig, let you get the feel of everything before we get called out."
"Sounds good." She responded with a soft grin before they began to walk towards the door. "Is Brett here?"
"She is, she's inside getting some breakfast I think." Dawson answered as they walked through the empty garage. "I think I told you, it's just us and Brett today though, Foster requested the shift off… So it'll still be a three person ambo."
"Yeah, you did tell me that, last night… Though Caitlyn was running around with a bunch of tinsel wrapped around her, pretending to be a Christmas tree, so we were a little distracted." Jemma responded with a laugh, Gabby chuckling at the memory from the night before during their dinner.
"That must be what it was… But yeah, it should be a good shift. And everyone's really excited to have you here."
"Yeah?" Jemma questioned as they got to the door, Gabby nodding with a soft smile as they stepped inside.
"Hey! Jemma's here." Herrmann spoke loudly from the couch inside the common room, his words earning a few more greetings from everyone as the two paramedics walked further into the room.
"Hey guys." She spoke brightly, Jemma a little caught off guard by the warm welcomes she was getting, as she hadn't expected everyone to be as happy to have her here as they seemed to be right now. But it was a nice surprise, Gabby smiling softly as she saw how content her best friend was. "It's great to see you all again."
"You too, kid." Herrmann continued, as others in the room nodded. "I think all of us were looking forward to this, you coming to 51 for a bit."
"Yeah, I'm happy to be here, and be able to learn from you all. I know from Gabby and Matt how great this place is, I'm glad I was able to do a ride along here." She said graciously, her genuine words earning some pleased looks from around the room.
"Well, we're glad to have ya, too… And I hope this can help you out a bit, give you a feel for the job and everything." He continued, Jemma smiling wide before she looked to Gabby, 51's paramedic glancing down to her watch before returning her gaze to her friend.
"You wanna go ahead and get your stuff put away? Then after roll call, I can give you that tour." She suggested, Jemma nodding in agreement before Gabby took a slight step backwards.
"Sounds good." She replied before glancing back out towards the room. "It's great to see you all again."
"You too, Jemma." Otis piped up from the table, the woman giving them all a warm smile before she followed after Dawson down the hallway, the two paramedics walking in step as they headed for the locker room.
"So, you still feel good about all this?" Gabby asked now that they had a quick moment alone, Jemma giving her an immediate nod as they turned the corner. "Any nerves or anything?"
"A little, but it helps that I know everyone here." She replied with a grin. "I'm just looking forward to seeing more of how you all operate, and if it's something I could handle."
"Oh, I'm not worried about that at all." Dawson responded as they stepped into the locker room, the women passing a few people from first shift as they got ready to leave. "You've got this." She encouraged, Jemma smiling warmly as they came around to the last row of lockers, the younger woman looking around until Gabby pointed one out to her. "You can use this one, it's free." She told her, her words slightly distorted by the yawn that left her lips as she spoke.
"Alright." Jemma told her before she stepped towards the vacant locker that was right next to Casey's, Norris putting her bag down on the bench as she opened it, her gaze quickly moving back towards her best friend. And while they stood in silence for a few moments, Gabby clearly becoming a little lost in her own head, Jemma giving her a couple seconds to see if she'd snap out of whatever had her suddenly so distracted. But when she didn't, Norris finally spoke up again as she continued putting her things away. "...You doing alright?"
Gabby's eyes snapped into focus as she looked towards her friend, her eyebrows raising slightly before she nodded. "I'm fine." She responded, though Jemma didn't seem to buy it as the woman cocked her head to the side.
"You sure? You seem a little out of it."
"Yeah, yeah, I'm good… Just a long night- or morning, I guess, with the girls." She told her, Jemma's face softening before she nodded understandingly.
"Everything okay there?" She pressed gently, knowing Gabby usually felt better about things once she talked them through, the older paramedic nodding with a small smile.
"We're good. Sofia just woke up kind of abruptly in the middle of the night, then because of that so did Caitlyn. And then they weren't able to get as much sleep as they needed, which led to a pretty hard meltdown… We're good now though, I'm just tired." She replied with a light laugh, Jemma giving her another nod before she unzipped her large coat and took it off. "But I'm used to the lack of sleep, I'm fine."
"Well, I'm glad you all are alright, though it does seem like you had kind of a rough morning." She sympathized, Gabby shrugging softly as Jemma hung her coat up in the locker before reaching for the CFD one given to her by headquarters.
"It's fine. Just a typical morning with two little girls." She responded simply, Jemma nodding as she adjusted her tucked in dark grey shirt, Gabby smiling softly as she watched her friend. And her stares didn't go unnoticed.
"..What?" She asked, Gabby shaking her head lightly as she looked over her uniform once more.
"Nothing… Just the CFD looks good on you, is all." She responded with a grin, Jemma's own smile widening before she looked down at herself, an overwhelming feeling of certainty flooding through her before she found Dawson's gaze once more, the younger woman nodding in agreement.
"It does, doesn't it?"
"Hey, there you two are."
The paramedics looked up when they saw Severide come around the corner, soon followed by Casey as they walked into the locker room, Kelly moving towards Jemma while Matt went to stand by his wife.
"Look at you, looking like a real paramedic." He joked, Jemma shooting him a playful glare before he lifted his hand up for a high-five, Gabby suppressing a laugh as her friend reluctantly complied to his silent request.
"You ready for today, Jemma?" Matt asked, Gabby subconsciously leaning into his side as they stood in front of the lockers, their friend nodding happily as Kelly turned to face them.
"I am."
"She definitely is." Gabby echoed as she looked up towards Matt with a soft smile, the man reciprocating the gesture as they locked eyes for a few lingering seconds, Casey's gaze subconsciously flickering down towards her lips for a moment.
Seeing the two of them, Severide couldn't help but scoff, the sound breaking their eye contact as Kelly turned towards his friend. "See, Jemma, they're just as disgusting at work, too." He teased, Casey glaring harshly as Gabby bit down on her bottom lip. "I always heard that kids were supposed to ruin a marriage, but they've seemed to take the opposite approach."
"Charming, Severide." Dawson replied with a gleam in her eye, Kelly unable to get another word in before the bells went off, all four first responders pausing as they listened to ambulance 61 being called out.
Glancing down towards her watch, Gabby saw it was just past shift change, meaning this call was theirs as she pushed herself up off the lockers. "Well, it's go time." She spoke, her eyes focused on Jemma. "Doesn't look like we'll have much time to get you acquainted with everything. You ready?"
"I'm ready." She responded without missing a beat, before she began to walk towards the hallway, Severide patting the back of her shoulders as she went while Gabby glanced towards Matt.
"Be safe out there." He told her, pressing a quick kiss to the side of her head before she walked by him, his hand reaching out to run over back while she moved.
"I will." She murmured, Jemma stopping in her path when she heard their exchange, the woman raising her eyebrows slightly at him as Gabby smirked softly.
When he noticed her look, his eyes widened slightly before he gave her a friendly smile. "You too, Jemma."
"Mhmm." She hummed, Gabby laughing in response before the paramedics rushed out to the rig leaving Casey and Severide alone in the locker room, everyone knowing there was no longer any time for them to ease Jemma into her shift here at 51 as it was time for them to get to work.
Dawson climbed down from the rig after Brett finished putting it in park, the paramedic stretching out her neck before she shut the door, a few stray bits of snow flying down off the ambulance from the movement as heavy snow had continued to fall through the city. While she walked around the ambo, Brett got out of the driver's seat, as Jemma hopped out of the back, all three paramedics glad to be back at the house after the long morning they'd had helping the citizens of Chicago. And while it hadn't really been what Gabby was expecting, things had gone smoothly for 61 and their newest temporary addition to the rig.
Despite the fast pace that Jemma wasn't necessarily used to, she'd handled it like a pro, the three paramedics working together seamlessly throughout their many calls of the day. As it so often did around here, their first call of the day ended up turning into multiple calls, the paramedics having been gone since early this morning when they left right at shift change. And while it wasn't the easiest environment to be thrown into, Jemma was a natural, her friend working as well as Dawson had ever seen. Though she wasn't doing as much as a normal paramedic would typically be doing, unless necessary, she'd done an incredible job, and taken everything that had been thrown at her in stride. And Gabby was beyond proud of her.
"Well, now that you've had some time… How are you feeling, Norris?" Brett asked as they made their way towards the firehouse, the paramedics walking the same path Gabby and Jemma had taken this morning as the youngest woman turned towards Sylvie with a wide grin on her face.
"I feel great, I'm loving this." She responded honestly, Gabby unable to stop herself from smiling as she walked a few steps behind her two friends, her exhaustion from the day beginning to catch up with her after the non stop calls all morning. But even with her tiredness, she'd managed to have a great shift so far, as getting to work with Jemma again had been nothing short of amazing. "Everything is so different from the SAS, but in the best way… I love it here."
"Well, we're glad." Brett responded as they got to the doors. "And you've done wonderfully, really you just stepped in like it was nothing. Now I know what Dawson's talking about when she says how great of a paramedic you are." She praised, Jemma ducking her head slightly.
"I don't know about all that, you two have been great mentors. Helping me out and everything, I wouldn't seem nearly as sure of myself if not for you all." She replied, Brett tilting her head to the side slightly before scrunching up her nose slightly.
"I don't know, I think it's just you." She responded, the PIC patting her shoulder as they continued through the garage. "And especially with you not even knowing the setup of or rig, you've done great today."
"Thank you, Brett." Norris replied, her words earning a smile from the woman. "I've had a lot of fun… Even if the pace is a little different."
"Yeah, I would say our days aren't always like this, but sometimes they are… There's really no way to know." She told her with a light chuckle, the blonde glancing back towards Gabby for a moment to make sure she was still with them. "But maybe now we'll get a little bit of a break, so you can have a minute to relax, and actually see everyone." She continued as they stepped inside the warm firehouse, Jemma and Gabby both knowing just how true her words were as Jemma hadn't really had much time this morning to see anyone as they'd been out.
"That would be nice." She replied with a smile just before they walked into the common room, as most of the firehouse was seated through the room, preoccupied by one thing or another.
"Hey, there you guys are… We were about to send out a search party." Cruz called from the back table, Gabby giving him a soft smile as she came to stand beside her two partners, her eyes scouring the room for one person in particular. With as long as she'd been away from the house, she was looking forward to seeing her husband when they got back, but with one quick look around it was apparent he wasn't here.
"Yeah, it ended up being quite the busy morning." Brett replied before walking further into the room, while Jemma stayed put next to Gabby in the doorway.
"We left you all some plates for lunch, if you want. I'm not sure if you ate." Otis interjected, Brett shooting him a thankful smile as she patted his shoulder while she passed him.
"Thanks Otis."
Drawing in a deep breath, Gabby took a slight step backwards towards the hallway, Jemma looking at her when she noticed the movement out of the corner of her eye, Gabby catching her curious stares. "I'm gonna go and find Matt, you good for a bit?" She asked, Gabby wanting to check and make sure she was comfortable with everyone before leaving. Though, knowing the house and knowing Jemma, it wouldn't be an issue.
"I'm fine, you go." She responded, Gabby giving her a grateful nod before she took another step away.
"I think he's in his office, Dawson." Kelly spoke up, the man having heard their conversation as Gabby shot him a small smile.
"Thanks Sev." She responded, Gabby squeezing Jemma's arm before she began to walk away, Jemma heading in the opposite direction into the common room as Gabby heard them beginning to ask Norris about how her first shift was going.
Knowing the path by heart, it didn't take Gabby long for to get to the bunkroom, Kelly's suspicions proven correct as she stepped in through the side door and immediately saw her husband sitting inside his office. His door was partially open, Matt hunched over his desk as he worked on what she was sure to be paperwork. With a soft smile on her face, she continued in that direction, her steps relatively quiet as she got to his door and slowly pulled it open.
The noise from her movements were enough to gain his attention, Matt looking back at the sound before a similarly gentle smile formed over his face, the man dropping his pen down on his desk as he watched her.
"Hi there." She spoke as she stepped inside, Gabby coming to a stop just beside his bed as he angled his head back to look at her.
"Hey baby… You guys just get back?" He asked, Gabby nodding in response before she began to take off her winter coat, the thick material not needed inside the warm firehouse as Matt turned around to refocus at least part of his attention on his paperwork.
"Mhmm, just a few minutes ago. It's been a pretty brutal day already." She breathed out as she laid her jacket down on his bed, before walking over towards his chair and standing behind him, Gabby reaching out to place her hands on his shoulders.
"Were the calls bad?" He questioned, Gabby hearing the slight edge of worry in his voice as he continued writing something down on the paper.
"They were nothing too serious, just a lot of them… Then with the weather and everything, on top of how many calls we've had, it's been a long day already." She replied, Gabby feeling him relax underneath underneath her touch as he got his answer, Matt leaning back in his chair slightly as the back of his head rested against her chest.
"Yeah, you all have seemed to stay pretty busy… At least Jemma's getting a good taste of what firehouses are like." He responded, Gabby chuckling lightly as she ran her palms over the tops of his shoulders, before sliding them down to his chest.
"It definitely is one way to get her acclimated, that's for sure." Gabby replied, her thumb stroking along his chest before she leaned down to press a quick kiss to the top of his head, Matt grinning softly as his eyes stayed focused on his work. "But she's handled it like a champ, I think she could really fit in well at a firehouse."
"I'm sure she would, she's an amazing paramedic… It's just a shame we don't have a spot for her here." He told her, Gabby nodding slowly despite the fact he couldn't see her.
"Yeah, it is… I've loved getting to work with her again, but I know that's not really an option anymore. But at least I've got today, and maybe one or two more ride alongs." She spoke, Matt nodding understandingly as he placed his pen back down on the desk, his head relaxing back against her body as he brought his hand up to cradle one of hers that rested over his heart.
"I know how much you miss working with her, but like you said, at least you've got today." He responded softly, Gabby smiling before she nodded once more, Matt giving her hand a firm squeeze. "Oh, and before I forget, I heard from Becca a little bit ago." He said, Gabby's ears perking up as her eyes moved forward, her gaze landing on a few of the pictures he had surrounding his desk of his family.
"Are the girls okay?" She asked before he could continue, Matt squeezing her hand again before he nodded.
"They're fine, she said they've behaved well all morning… So I'm guessing Caitlyn's tantrum was an isolated incident." He explained, Gabby running her tongue along the inside of his cheek as she waited to hear more. "She said both girls crashed after lunch, and last I heard were still asleep. But there's been no issues."
"Good, that's good… They both need the rest." She murmured.
"Yeah, they do. Especially Caitlyn." He breathed out just as softly, Gabby feeling him shake his head gently before she looked down towards him.
"It's good that she's getting some more sleep.. I know that's most of what caused that meltdown this morning, how she was just exhausted. So some extra rest definitely couldn't hurt." Gabby told him, hearing him hum in agreement. "And I meant to tell you this earlier, but you handled that great, by the way."
"What do you mean?" He questioned, Dawson hearing the genuine confusion in his voice.
"Everything with Caitlyn… I know you don't always love having to discipline her, because you're such a softy." She started, Gabby practically able to feel the smile radiating off him as she leaned down to press another kiss to the top of his head. "But you handled it great… And it just was yet another reminder of how incredible of a father you are. Even though I know it kills you every time you have to send her to timeout." She added lightly, feeling him chuckle beneath her touch as he shook his head.
"She just looks so sad, I can't stand it." He huffed out, Gabby biting back a smirk of her own.
"I know. But you stood your ground, I was proud."
"Thank you, baby." He responded as he tapped her hand lightly, Matt hearing her let out a heavy yawn as she stood behind him, his head tilting to the side slightly. "I guess Caitlyn's not the only one who needs some rest." He spoke with a grin, Gabby blinking quickly a few times as she tried to shake off the tiredness she was still feeling.
"Yeah, I guess I'm still a little exhausted." She commented after a beat of silence, the husband dropping his hold on her hand before slowly turning his chair around, Matt moving carefully as he knew she was still standing close to him. And as he finally got a good look at her, he could see just how exhausted she truly was, her eyes alone telling him how badly she could use some sleep.
"You wanna lay down in here for a bit?" He offered, his eyes flickering back towards his bunk before returning to his wife. "Maybe try and sleep some before the next call… I might even be able to be persuaded to join you." He offered, his words causing her to smile.
"Oh could you?"
"Possibly." He teased, Gabby's grin only growing before she took a slight step back towards his bed.
"Well, if that's the case, then I think laying down for a bit sounds great… Feel free to join me." She told him, but Matt was barely able to process her words before the bells went off, both their faces falling when they heard the entire house being called out.
Releasing a soft groan, Gabby clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth before reaching down to grab her coat that she'd placed on his bed, Matt wearing an apologetic look as he pushed himself up from his seat.
"I guess we might need to postpone our nap." He told her, Gabby nodding as she put her coat on, Matt beginning to move towards the door while the paramedic followed behind him.
"Yeah, it looks that way… Let's just hope this is a quick one." She replied, Matt nodding in agreement before they both jogged out towards the garage, the first responders knowing there was some brutal weather they were heading out into as they mentally prepared for the call they were heading out on, knowing their minds needed to be focused on whoever had requested their help.
Well, and there's another one. I know this ended in kind of a weird spot, but it was another instance of the chapter getting too long and I needed to cut it and wait to do the rest of the scenes in the next one. But we'll pick up right where we left off after this one, as we've got a rather… eventful call coming up. And we'll get to see Jemma and Gabby working together some more. I'm sorry this chapter was mostly filler, but it was needed to get to the next part of the story. I hope you all still liked it, though.
Also, I'm gonna be honest with you all, with the show coming back this week, and the feeling of impending doom that I have with what's possibly/likely about to happen, I haven't been in the best headspace when it comes to writing Dawsey. I'm trying to push through it, but I really struggled with getting this chapter done. And I'd love to say it won't happen again, but depending on how things go on the show, I can't promise anything. So I guess I'm just asking you all for some grace, and if updates are sometimes a little late, or I miss one, just know I'm trying my best. Thank you.
I hope you all have a good week.