Hi everyone! I'm back with the next chapter for you all! I hope you all have a great week, and stay safe.

Thanks for reading! Enjoy!

Chapter One Hundred and Eighteen

Casey stood behind the kitchen counter with his baby on his hip, Sofia clinging to her dad as he helped finish feeding her her last few bites of her dinner, this task having been going on for the better part of an hour as their one year old always loved to take her time. And while normally the parents didn't mind it, with them trying to get out of the house at a reasonable time this evening, it was proving to make that a little more difficult than it normally would be. But when it came down to it, it didn't matter, Matt and Gabby both more concerned with making sure their girls were fed than they were with leaving their house on time. But luckily, Caitlyn had finished her meal long ago and was currently getting ready, while Sofia was almost done, the baby already dressed for the family outing.

"Yeah, those peas are yummy, huh?" He spoke gently as he guided a small spoonful of the food into her mouth, Sofia grinning from ear to her before she continued chomping on the soft food, the bib around her neck helping keep the mess off her own clothes as well as Matt. "Almost as yummy as the chicken Momma made for you."

"Pa!" She chirped, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he watched her look down towards the counter. "Pa! Pa!"

"What are you- oh." He spoke, the father soon understanding what his daughter was wanting as her little arms were reaching down towards the bowl of puffs sitting beside her food.

It was his daughter's favorite snack, and had been for a while, Sofia grasping at the air as she wanted the star-shaped puffs sitting down in front of her. Gabby had put some in a bowl earlier for their daughter, to tide her over until dinner, but she had ended up eating just as much of them as her actual food, the apple flavored food something the one year old could seemingly never get tired of.

"You want your puffs?" He asked, Sofia continuing to grasp the air as she bounced happily in her dad's arms, Matt keeping his grip secure around her so she wouldn't fall. "Yeah, I know you do, but how about you eat a little bit more of your dinner for me, then you can have some, okay?" He told her as he put her fork down and picked up a small bite of chicken that had been cut up, Matt bringing it up to her lips and waiting for her to eat it, which she eventually did. "Yeah, good job, baby. You're such a good eater, I'm so proud of you." He encouraged her as she chewed on her food, Matt waiting for her to finish the bite before giving her another one.

As she ate, he used his free hand to rub over her stomach, Sofia gripping onto his shirt with her little fist as he gently moved them back and forth. While they stood there, Matt could vaguely hear the sound of feet upstairs, a soft smile forming over his face as he knew his wife and oldest daughter were still up in Caitlyn's room; though based on how much they were moving around, he figured they wouldn't be up there for much longer.

"Okay Sof, one more bite for me." He spoke as he guided the last bite of food into her mouth, Sofia accepting it eagerly as Matt gave her a smile.

Once she finished, her bright blue eyes focused on his, Sofia smiling brightly when she saw her dad, the baby emitting a happy squeal before lightly smacking her free hand against his chest.

"Yeah, you're such a good girl. You ate all your food, Mommy is gonna be so happy." He continued to cheer her on, Matt leaning forward to press a few quick kisses to her cheek as she giggled happily. "Now you can have some of your puffs, since you were such a big girl." He kept conversing with the one year old, Sofia's eyes lighting up when she saw her dad reach for the snack.

"Pa!" She said again, her little body bouncing up and down within his grasp as Matt picked up a small handful and placed them in the hand underneath Sofia. Holding just a couple in his free hand, Sofia's smile widening as she grasped at him, Matt smiling softly while watching his daughter.

"Can you say puff?" He asked her, Sofia looking away from the food towards him. "Puff?"

"Pa." She tried, Matt smirking lightly as Sofia smacked her lips together. "Pa."

"Puff." He said again.

"Pff." She repeated as she clenched her lips together, air barely getting out in between them as she did her best to copy what her father had said, a hearty chuckle leaving the back of his throat. Sofia grinned widely, clearly pleased with herself as she reached back down towards her dad's hand.

"Yeah, that's close enough… You'll get it one day." He told her as he pressed another kiss to her curly-haired head before holding out the snack for her to take. But Sofia simply opened her mouth, the baby wanting him to feed it to her as another laugh left his lips, Matt never one to say no to that request as he brought the food up to her lips before she ate it.

And while they continued standing in the kitchen, Casey heard more movement from upstairs as Caitlyn was obviously running around, Sofia grabbing the remaining snack he had in his hand before holding it in her little palm.

"Caitlyn, let me finish your hair baby, then we can go downstairs."

Matt heard his wife's nearly exasperated voice filter down into the kitchen, her tone alone telling him that this was likely not the first time Gabby had asked Caitlyn to come here.

"But I want Daddy to see my dress!" She replied excitedly, Matt's smile growing as he looked over towards the steps.

"And he will, and I know he'll love it, but first you need to let me finish your hair, okay? Then you can go show Daddy."

Matt couldn't hear much more of their conversation, but he was assuming Caitlyn complied as he heard the little pitter pattering of feet on the floor above him, Sofia's soft whining pulling him back into the present as she was reaching down for more of her snack.

"I got it, baby. Here you go." He said as he stopped her from toppling over, Matt picking up and bowl they were in and holding it within her reach as she grabbed more food and brought it to her mouth, Sofia now content as they both waited for the other half of their family.

And soon enough, they appeared, Matt looking back over towards the steps when he heard Caitlyn's little feet rushing down the steps, the father seeing her just as she came into view. She had to slow down when she got to the bottom of the steps, Matt watching on in amusement as her tongue poked out between her teeth while she got the baby gate open, Gabby coming into view behind her just as Caitlyn got past the only obstacle in her way.

"Daddy! Daddy!" She spoke excitedly as she ran around to the island, Matt smiling as he turned his body towards her just as she came around the counter. "Look! Look at my dress!" She continued, Matt's eyes widening slightly as he looked over her outfit, Caitlyn watching for his every reaction as she held onto the ends of her dress.

Though adorable, the outfit was a little more dressed-up than he would've figured for their evening outing, but based on the look on Caitlyn's face he could only assume she had asked to wear it, her long-sleeve dark grey dress accompanied by a pair of thick white tights, which Matt assumed Gabby made her wear. And while he knew it was likely the glitter across the front of the dress that drew Caitlyn to it, he didn't care what she wore as long as she had that bright grin across her face, Matt catching Gabby's eye for a split second before he looked back down to his daughter.

"Oh my gosh baby, you look so pretty!" He replied, Caitlyn's smile growing even larger as her eyes shined with glee.

"You like it?" She asked as she began to twirl around, Matt quickly darting his free hand out to guide her away from the counter as she didn't have the best spacial awareness at the moment. "Look! It spins!"

"I see that, and I love it, sweetheart." He repeated as Caitlyn came to a stop, it taking a few extra seconds for her dress to stop moving as well as she grinned up at him. "You look beautiful."

"That's what Mommy said!" She told him as Gabby came up behind her and placed her hands on the little girl's shoulders. "I picked it out! All by myself! … Well, most by myself." She corrected her words, Gabby chuckling softly as Matt shook his head.

"You did a great job." He continued to encourage her, that proud gleam never leaving Caitlyn's eyes as Sofia continued to eat her snacks, the baby not really fazed by much of what was going on around her as she shoved another few pieces of food into her mouth. "While you were upstairs, she ate the rest of her dinner." He spoke to Gabby as he caught his wife's gaze, Gabby nodding before glancing down towards the counter.

"Yeah, I can see that… You're such a good girl, Sof." She spoke lightly as she reached out to tickle her stomach, Sofia giggling as she leaned away from her mom's ticklish touch. "But that's good, hopefully that means she'll either be happy or sleeping while we're out." Dawson continued as she looked towards Matt, the man nodding in agreement. "We just need to get their stuff together, and we should be good." She added, Matt nodding once more just as Sofia got a few more pieces of her food out of the bowl, the baby inspecting the snack before looking back up to her dad.

"Sounds good." He responded as he noticed Sofia's eyes on him, Matt turning to look at her just as she lifted her little hand up to his mouth, the father not having time to react as she shoved a puff into his mouth, the baby clearly wanting to share her snack with him. Gabby stifled a laugh as Matt chewed on the food, Sofia smiling proudly before giving herself a piece as well, the father rubbing over her back before he kissed her head. "Oh thank you for sharing, baby." He continued, despite the fact that he didn't really want any of her food, Matt kissing her head once more before looking back towards his other two girls, finding both of them watching him with soft smiles. "So, are you two ready to go?"

"Yeah!" Caitlyn replied immediately as she looked back and forth between her parents. "I wanna meet Santa!"

Gabby's smile widened as the five year old spoke, both parents well aware of just how excited Caitlyn was for their main reason for leaving the house this evening. It had been all the girl talked about for the last few days, ever since they told her they'd be going to visit Santa, and with Christmas only two weeks away, they knew now was the perfect time to go.

"Yeah, we're gonna go meet Santa." Dawson replied, Matt nodding in agreement as he adjusted Sofia on his hip.

"I can give him my list!" She continued on brightly, her brown eyes gleaming in excitement as she met her dad's gaze. "Daddy, do you still have it? Santa needs it!" She questioned quickly, Gabby suppressing a chuckle as Matt nodded in amusement.

Since finding out about their impending visit to Santa, Caitlyn had taken a lot of care to make sure her list of what she wanted was done in time, as she needed to make sure Santa was able to get some of the presents she wanted for Christmas. And with Matt's help, she was able to get a list made of everything, the father holding onto it for safekeeping.

Which, admittedly, helped the parents out a lot, as they knew exactly what their oldest daughter was wanting. And with it being her first Christmas with them, they wanted to make it as memorable as they possibly could.

"I still have it." He assured her as he used his free hand to pat the pocket on his shirt, Caitlyn's smile growing before she nodded. "But we should probably get going soon, so we're not late." He told them, Caitlyn's eyes widening before she nodded once more.

"Okay!"

"Can you go get your boots honey, and your dad or I will help you?" Gabby prompted, Caitlyn not needing any more prompting before she took off towards the laundry room where she knew her snow boots were kept, her excitement for the evening making her move quickly as Gabby and Matt stayed in the kitchen with their youngest.

"She's gonna be bouncing off the walls all night, I can already tell." Casey spoke softly, Gabby chuckling as she met his gaze.

"Oh absolutely… But she's meeting Santa, it's a big night." Gabby replied as she reached out to take Sofia's bib off, the mother using it to wipe some of the drool off her daughter's chin before placing the item down on the counter. "You do have a copy of that list, don't you?" She added, her voice much quieter as it was Casey's turn to laugh.

"I have a picture of it on my phone, we're good." He assured her just as Caitlyn came running back into the room with her boots in her hands, the little girl sliding a bit on the hardwood as her tights didn't have the best grip, before she plopped herself down in the middle of the floor and began to put her snow boots on. "You wanna help Caity or get Sofia ready?" He asked his wife as he took a step away from the counter, Gabby looking back towards the five year old before returning her gaze to her husband.

Both girls were pretty much ready, Sofia just needing her hair to be fixed along with her shoes to be put on as well, Gabby clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "I'll help Caitlyn, if you wanna take Sof… As long as you can manage those curls." She teased him, Matt scoffing heavily before he walked away from the counter towards the hallway.

"I can take care of my baby's hair." He replied without hesitation, Gabby smiling wide as he slowed his steps down when he got beside Caitlyn, Matt turning back around.

"Oh, I know you can." She assured him, Gabby not missing the soft smile that formed over his face, as she knew just how capable Matt was at fixing his daughter's hair. It was a point of pride for him, and it always had been, that he knew how to properly take care of Sofia's curly hair.

He was that way with both girls, Matt working hard to ensure he could properly take care of both Caitlyn and Sofia and make sure he knew how to do their hair, but with Sofia there was obviously a bit more than went into managing it. But by now, he was a natural, Matt more than able to help both his girls.

"Just try not to take too long… We really do need to get out of here soon." Gabby continued as Matt gave her a nod, the father checking the time on his watch before taking a step backwards.

"We're still meeting James and Megan, yeah?" He asked, Gabby looking towards him as he mentioned her paramedic friend and his wife, the couple eager to see their friends they hadn't seen in a while.

"Mhmm… We're supposed to meet them at the mall. I think they're already there, though… James said they were gonna get some holiday shopping done." She answered as she looked back at the time as well, Matt nodding once more as he took another step back towards their bedroom. "And Stella and Sev are supposed to meet us there, too… Something about Kelly wanting to be there for the girls to meet Santa."

"Alright. Well hopefully we can get out of here in the next ten minutes or so. This shouldn't take me too long." He told her as Gabby walked over towards Caitlyn, the little girl waiting as patiently as she could for her mom to help her tie up her boots.

"Yeah, we'll see if that happens." Gabby replied with a laugh, Matt shaking his head before he turned around and walked the rest of the way towards their bedroom.

"You have little faith!" He called back before he disappeared from view, the man hearing his wife laugh before the parents focused on each child so they could get out of the house as quickly as possible. Though, with two little girls, that was easier said than done.

"You want me to push her?" Casey asked as he held the glass door open, Gabby shaking her head slightly as she pushed Sofia's stroller inside, while Caitlyn was still standing with her father, her little hand clasped tightly in his as she looked over the heavy snow falling down around them.

"No, I got it, thank you though." Gabby replied as Matt guided Caitlyn inside, before he walked in last, the Casey family immediately surrounded by a massive amount of people as the mall was buzzing this close to Christmas.

Having the assurance of Sofia being strapped into her stroller, Matt rubbed his thumb over the back of Caitlyn's hand before giving it a squeeze, the action causing the excited five year old to look up at him. "Make sure you stay with either me or your Momma, okay?" He told her, Caitlyn nodding understandingly before she began to walk a bit closer to her father.

"Okay Daddy." She replied as her little eyes looked around at all the people, Caitlyn moving even closer to him as she brought her other hand up to hold onto his with both of her little ones, the little girl still feeling a little apprehensive around all these people. But she wasn't too worried, as she knew she had her Mommy and Daddy with her as the family of four continued walking. "...Is Santa here?" She asked after a few moments, the parents moving at a slower pace that was easier for Caitlyn to keep up with them as they headed to their destination, Matt nodding as he looked down at his daughter.

"He is… We're gonna meet up with Uncle Severide, and Stella… And you remember our friend James, and his little boy Patrick?" He asked her, Caitlyn pondering over his words before she nodded. "We're gonna meet up with them, then go see Santa. And you can give him your list." He told her, Caitlyn bouncing up and down happily before continuing to walk in step with them, Matt unable to stop his smile from widening as he saw just how happy his little girl was.

Maneuvering their way through the crowds, Matt and Gabby eventually made their way to the middle of the mall where they'd agreed to meet everyone, James and his family soon coming into view as they got closer.

"Hey, there you guys are." James spoke up, the paramedic holding his son on his hip as the Casey family got to them.

"Yeah, I'm sorry we're a little late… Getting out of the house, and everything."

"Oh, trust us, we get it." Megan spoke before bringing Gabby in for a quick hug, Matt greeting James as well. "It's hard enough with this little guy, I can't imagine how it is with two." She added lightly, Gabby nodding as she locked Sofia's stroller in place. "Which, speaking of, hi Caitlyn." She greeted the young girl who was tucked into her father's side, Caitlyn smiling softly as she continued holding onto Matt's hand.

"Hi." She replied easily, Caitlyn remembering the Neilson's enough to not need time to warm up to them.

"You look so pretty, I love your dress." She continued, all the adults watching on as Caitlyn's grin widened, the girl clearly happy at the attention she was getting as she looked down at her sparkly outfit.

"Thank you! I love it, Mommy got it for me." The five year old responded, before she began to show off her outfit more to Megan.

While Caitlyn was preoccupied, Gabby turned her attention towards James and little Patrick in his arms, the woman reaching out to rub over the baby's stomach as a big grin formed over his face.

"God, he's getting so big." She spoke before looking towards her friend, James nodding in agreement as his eyes flickered down towards the stroller.

"So is Sofia… It's crazy how fast they grow up." He replied, Gabby nodding in agreement as she made sure to keep one eye on her baby. "Pretty soon they're both gonna be Caitlyn's age."

"Oh, don't say that." Gabby responded lightly, James smirking as he adjusted the baby on his hip. "I don't want to think about that."

"Me neither, but it's gonna happen Dawson." He told her with a laugh, Gabby waving him off before moving to stand beside her friend, her new position allowing her to see her entire family as Megan and Matt were catching up, which included Caitlyn frequently joining in the conversation as well. "So, how are things going with you all?" He asked after a moment, Gabby sparing a quick glance at him. "It's been awhile since we've seen each other."

A soft sigh escaped her lips as she nodded, Dawson knowing just how true his statement was. With their busy schedules with work and their families, it wasn't always easy to find time to get everyone together, which both of them hated. Because while Gabby didn't spend too much time at James' firehouse when the department was shuffling her around to help at different houses all those months ago, in the time they had worked together, along with them hanging out with their families a few times after the fact, they'd become good friends. And Gabby wished they were able to see each other more, for both her and Matt, as well as the kids.

"Yeah, it has been awhile… But things are going great." She responded with a soft smile as her eyes moved between her daughters. "The girls are doing well. It's hard to keep up with them most days, but you know how that is… I swear, Sofia's learning ten new things every day, and Caitlyn's doing incredible. And you know she's been in kindergarten, and she absolutely loves it." She rambled out, James listening to her every word as he nodded. "And Matt and I are good, work and everything is going well. Things with us are good."

"That's great, Dawson."

"What about you all? How's the firehouse been?" She questioned, James shrugging slightly.

"It's been fine, same old same old." He answered. "And there hasn't been much new going on with us. Just the usual… Trying to raise this little guy." He added with a smile before he kissed his son's head. "But everything's been going well for us, too." He finished, Gabby nodding with a soft smile.

"Mommy!"

Caitlyn's voice pulled them from their conversation, Gabby looking towards her daughter with raised eyebrows as she waited to see what she had to say.

"Uncle Kelly's here!" She replied excitedly, Gabby looking over to see Severide and Kidd approaching them, Caitlyn pulling on her dad's arm as she bounced up and down in excitement. "It's time for Santa!"

"Yeah, it's time for Santa!" Severide mimicked her voice as he got up to them, Caitlyn smiling brightly before she broke away from her dad and hurried to Kelly. "Hey squirt." He greeted as he picked Caitlyn up, the little girl wrapping her arms around his neck as he held her.

"Hi! Are you happy to meet Santa, too?" She asked, her little body nearly shaking in excitement as Severide chuckled lightly.

"Oh I absolutely am… Do you know what you're asking him for for Christmas?" Severide asked, Caitlyn nodding quickly before she squirmed in his arms, signaling that she wanted to be put down. And once she was on solid ground, she hurried back towards her dad.

"Daddy has my list. Right?"

"I do." He assured her yet again, this having been at least the fifth time she'd asked him that question tonight, Caitlyn nodding happily before she grabbed ahold of his hand.

"It's time for Santa!" She repeated before pulling on her father's arm, Matt chuckling softly before looking up towards the other adults. Though normally they'd rather Caitlyn work on her patience, they knew how excited she was and how this was something she'd been looking forward to for days. So her being a little impatient was warranted, and neither parent wanted to do anything to take away from her excitement.

"Okay baby, we're gonna go see Santa, I promise." He told her, Caitlyn nodding as Kelly and Stella moved to greet Gabby and baby Sof, Dawson introducing everyone as Severide freed Sofia from her stroller. He hadn't planned on it at first, but after he'd stopped by her and placed a kiss on her head, the baby wouldn't stop fussing and fighting against her restraints until he came back. So now Sofia was secured in his arms, the group standing around in a circle as Caitlyn was eagerly rocking on the balls of her feet. "Are you all ready?"

"Mhmm." James answered, everyone else replying similarly before they gathered all their things and began to head that way.

When they got there, Caitlyn was so excited she didn't even care so much about the long line of boys and girls ahead of them, the families standing together while Severide and Kidd stayed close as well as they waited to see Santa. While in line, the women had gravitated to standing in a small semi circle a few steps ahead of the others, Gabby holding onto Sofia while Kidd was in charge of the stroller, while Megan stood beside them as they all chatted easily. And as they had inadvertently broke off into their own group while waiting, Matt hung back with James and Severide, the former still holding onto his son while Kelly would occasionally preoccupy Caitlyn, as the five year old kept going back and forth between the two groups, her excitement manifesting into an awful lot of energy she didn't know what to do with.

"So… Christmas is coming up pretty quick." Severide spoke up, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he looked towards his friend, his blatantly obvious comment leaving him a little confused.

"Yeah… What? Did all the trees and the old man in a red suit give it away?" He questioned back sarcastically, Severide narrowing his slightly before a slight scoff left his lips.

"Hilarious." He bit back dryly, James chuckling at the two friends before Kelly continued. "But no, I'm just saying, I have no idea how it's Christmas already… It came up on us fast." He spoke, realization spreading across Casey's face as he smirked.

"Meaning you don't know what you're getting Kidd." He corrected him, Matt making sure to keep his voice low as he knew the girls weren't that far from them, Severide shooting him an annoyed look before he sighed.

"Basically." He admitted, Matt running his tongue along his bottom lip to stifle his laughter. "I'm working on figuring it out, but everything I come up with just doesn't feel right." He explained softly, Matt nodding in understanding.

He knew the feeling well, especially in the earlier stages of his and Gabby's relationship. It wasn't something he so much worried about these days, but when he and Gabby had been were Kelly and Stella were now, he remembered some of that gift-giving anxiety. And, truthfully, he didn't envy his friend at the moment.

"But I'm sure I'll figure it out… What about you two?" He continued on, Matt raising his eyebrows slightly as James spoke up first.

"I've got a few things planned… Nothing too crazy or extravagant, but we both agreed to keep things simple." He explained, Severide nodding before he looked to Casey, seeing his friend glance over towards his wife.

"...I'm working on something for Gabby." He responded quietly, a look of intrigue covering both mens' faces before Kelly spared a quick glance towards Dawson as well, currently seeing her preoccupied by a story Caitlyn was telling.

"Care to share?" Severide pressed, the man barely able to get the words out before Matt scoffed.

"Definitely not." He answered quickly.

"Oh come on."

"Nope, not a chance." Matt replied, the husband clearly intent on holding his ground as Severide gave him a narrow look. "I'm not telling you… You have the biggest mouth out of anyone I know, and I don't want this to get ruined." He continued on quietly, Matt desperately not wanting Gabby to hear him. "And if you know, it's only a matter of time before Gabby finds out. So no." He finished, Severide huffing out a breath before he nodded.

"Fine… This better be one hell of a present, though."

"Trust me, it is."

"Daddy! Daddy!" Caitlyn's voice hit his ears, Matt looking away from his friend to find Caitlyn staring at him, as well as Gabby, his eyes moving back and forth between them before landing back on his daughter.

"What is it, baby?" He asked, Caitlyn hurrying towards him and grabbing his hand before pulling him forward.

"It's almost time! There's Santa!" She told him excitedly, Matt's grin growing as he gave his little girl his complete attention as they neared the front of the line.

And soon enough, it was finally the Casey family's turn, Severide and Kidd breaking away from them so they could let them have their moment, as well as take pictures, while Caitlyn led the way towards the older man dressed up as Santa. But as they got closer, it was clear she was starting to get a little nervous, the entire thing a very big deal to the five year old as she held onto her dad's hand tightly.

"Well hello there, little girl. Merry Christmas!" The man greeted, staying in character as Caitlyn stood close to her dad, while Sofia was content in her mother's arms. Though they knew this was something Caitlyn was excited for, both parents were aware Sofia likely wouldn't share the same enthusiasm about sitting with an unfamiliar person, so they planned on just keeping the one year old with her mother, while letting Caitlyn have this time with Santa. "What's your name?"

"I'm Caitlyn." She told him as she took another step closer towards him, the little girl loosening her grip on her dad's hand slightly.

"Ah yes, little Caitlyn Casey. I remember you." He spoke, Caitlyn's eyes widening in excitement as he knew who she was. And while the only reason he knew her name was because they'd given it to them beforehand, no one was going to tell the little girl that as she took another step closer to him.

"You know me?" She asked in near disbelief, before she looked up towards Matt. "Daddy, Santa knows me!" She whispered in excitement, though the older man was able to hear her clearly as he chuckled.

"Of course I do." He responded, gaining her attention once more as she smiled brightly. "And I also know that you've been very good this year." He added, Caitlyn nodding eagerly.

"I was!" She responded quickly, before she thought over her words. "Well, I try to… Sometimes I'm bad, but I try really hard." She corrected herself, Matt biting down on the inside of his cheek as Caitlyn's endearing innocence caused both men to smile.

"Well, doing your best is all anyone can ask for." He told her, Caitlyn smiling proudly before she nodded. "Now, since you've been so good this year, what are some of the things you're wanting for Christmas, sweetie?" He continued on, Caitlyn's eyes widening in excitement before she walked the rest of the way towards him.

"I know what I want! Daddy and I made a list!" She replied happily, Matt lifting Caitlyn up and placing her on Santa's lap now that she had warmed up to him, the little girl looking back at her dad as soon as she was sitting down. "Daddy, can I have it please?" She asked, Matt nodding as he pulled the small piece of paper out of his pocket before he squatted down next to her, knowing Caitlyn wouldn't be able to read it on her own.

"Wow, you've come prepared… That'll definitely help me and my elves up in the North Pole." He played along, Caitlyn's smile growing before she nodded happily, Matt and Gabby sure based on her demeanor alone that this was one of the best moments of Caitlyn's life.

"When Mommy and Daddy told me we were coming to see you, I made a list to remember!" She explained to him, the Santa smiling before he looked over towards the other people standing near them.

"And are these your parents?" He asked, even though he knew the answer, Caitlyn nodding immediately as she grinned up at them.

"Mhmm! My Mommy and Daddy… and Sofia! My sister!"

"Ahh… Has your sister been good this year, too?" He asked her, Caitlyn giggling softly before she nodded.

"She has!" She answered happily, Caitlyn glancing to the baby who was more preoccupied by all the lights around her than anything else. "Sof is the bestest little sister, I love her so much… But she's little, she can't talk really. You talk to her and she'll talk back, but sometimes she doesn't know what you say. So I put some toys for her on my list!" She continued, the man tilting his head to the side slightly.

"You did?"

"Yeah! Sof loves toys, and playing with dolls. But she can't say that… Well, she says 'da'," She spoke, scrunching up her nose. "I put stuff for her on my list, because she needs presents too."

Gabby and Matt both smiled proudly at their oldest daughter, because while they both already knew Caitlyn had wanted to add some things for Sofia, hearing her say it out loud still flooded them with an unexplainable warmth, as they were once again reminded of how kind and thoughtful Caitlyn was.

"Well, that's very nice of you, Caitlyn." He spoke after clearing his throat, the man keeping his persona intact as she smiled softly. "Now I think I'd really like to hear what's on that list of yours."

"Okay!" She responded before looking towards her dad, Matt rubbing her back before they began to go through it.

Casey would whisper the words to her, letting her repeat them as she went over what she wanted, and what she thought Sofia wanted; everything from a bike, to dolls, to a puppy. And while, obviously, some of the things on her list she wouldn't be getting, it was one of the most adorable things in the world to see her sit there and talk to Santa, her excitement and wonder making it all the better as she was just genuinely happy in this moment.

"And I want a pony! But we don't have a room for him." She finished with a giggle, the older man nodding.

"Well, I'm not sure about the pony," He replied as he spared a quick glance at her parents. "But I do think Santa might be able to get you a few of those things. Since you've been such a good kid this year, and I know for a fact how much all the elves love making dolls." He continued on, the little girl nodding excitedly.

"Thank you Santa!" She responded, her joy never diminishing. "I have toys now. I don't need lots. But you can have this!" She told him as she handed him the now-crumpled paper, the man smiling before taking it from her.

"Thank you so much, Caitlyn." He told her, the girl smiling proudly before turning back towards her dad.

Knowing their time with Santa was almost up, the parents got out of the way so they could take their picture, Gabby ultimately deciding to put Sofia on his lap as well, knowing they'd want her in the photo for the memories. But it was clear she didn't like it, as she wasn't a fan of being near this unusually dressed man.

But they managed to get a somewhat decent photo, Caitlyn smiling as big as they'd ever seen before they quickly said their goodbyes and left so the next people could get their turn with Santa, which just so happened to be James, Megan, and Patrick, the Casey's moving off to the side with Stella and Kelly so they'd be out of the way.

"Well, what'd you think squirt?" Severide asked as he crouched down in front of the beaming five year old, Caitlyn's eyes still shining as she looked between all the adults.

"It was fun!" She replied excitedly, Matt and Gabby both grinning as she gave her Uncle Kelly a high five. "Santa was so nice!"

"Yeah, he was."

"I'm glad you had a good time, baby." Casey spoke as he adjusted the one year old that was now in his arms, the father having taken her once they left Santa so Gabby wouldn't have to keep holding her.

Caitlyn turned towards him when she heard his voice, the impossibly wide smile on her face getting even bigger before she hurried towards him and wrapped her arms around his legs, the little girl hugging herself to him as tightly as she could.

"Thank you Daddy." She murmured, the clear appreciation in her voice bringing a soft smile to his face as he reached his free hand down to rub her back.

"Oh you're welcome, Caity." He responded just as softly, Caitlyn squeezing him extra tight before she let go and moved towards her mom.

"Thank you, Mommy." She continued as she held onto her mom, Gabby wrapping her arms around her as best she could with her being so much lower to the ground, the mother leaning down to press a kiss to the top of her head as Caitlyn held onto her even tighter.

"You're welcome, sweetheart. Your Daddy and I are just glad you had a good time."

"It was the best!" She told her, her sweet voice causing all the adults to smile as Caitlyn lifted her head up to look at her mom. "I love you so much, Mommy." She added, Gabby overcome with happiness as she brushed a loose strand of hair away from Caitlyn's face, the woman stroking her thumb over her cheek as Caitlyn smiled.

"I love you too, baby girl." She replied, Gabby not noticing the way Matt was looking at both his girls as she leaned down to press another kiss to her forehead, Caitlyn tightening her grip on her mom before digging her head back into her waist.

And that's where Caitlyn stayed as they all stood there waiting for their friends to finish up with Santa, the night having gone better than either parent could've ever hoped for as they knew they'd never forget just how happy their daughter was in this moment. And they couldn't wait to experience so many more memories just like this, from now until the rest of their lives.

Casey kept his eyes on the dark road ahead of them as he drove his family through the heavy snowfall, the slick roads evident underneath his tires while his mind focused solely on making sure he got home safely, as his entire world was currently inside this car with him.

They had left the mall a little less than half an hour ago, their evening having been a great one as they got a lot of quality time with their friends after seeing Santa, as well as picking up a few Christmas gifts for their friends and family. With it getting late, and having the kids, they weren't able to spend too much time shopping, and they didn't want to buy anything for the girls with them there anyway, but they did manage to find some time to cross some things off their list. And by the time it was all said and done, they'd had a wonderful night together, one that had definitely worn the girls out as both Caitlyn and Sofia were fast asleep in the backseat.

As they got closer to their home, Matt blew out a thankful breath when he pulled onto their street, the man suddenly feeling all the morning grateful for their garage in this moment as he knew getting two babies out of the car in all this snow would not be fun for any of them. With his headlights leading the way, Matt turned the down onto the small, well-lit road that led to their garage, before stopping in front of their home, the man waiting for the door to go up all the way before pulling inside.

When the car came to a stop, Matt released a content sigh before he killed the engine, the man turning to look towards his wife as he slowly unbuckled his seat belt. She'd been quiet for most of the ride, and from the looks of it now, at some point on the way home she'd fallen asleep, Matt knowing that today hadn't just exhausted the kids, but them as well.

Before making any other moves, Matt reached up to press the button to close their garage door, the husband waiting until it was all the way back down as he wanted the assurance that they were securely inside their home. And once they were, Casey returned his attention to Gabby, the man carefully reaching out towards her and gently rubbing her arm.

"Babe…" He whispered, giving her jacket-covered arm a light squeeze. "We're home."

"I know." She murmured, her soft voice causing him to smile as her head was still resting back against the seat. "I'm awake."

"You sure? Cause I can carry you inside too, if you want." He teased, his words causing Gabby to scoff before she opened her eyes, the two locking gazes instantly after she turned to look at him.

"Maybe some other time, but I'm good right now." She told him, Matt nodding before he dropped his hand from her arm, Gabby stifling a yawn as she undid her seatbelt as well, the sounds of their girls' soft snores coming from the back as they were both passed out.

Gabby gave herself a few seconds to fully wake up, her quick power nap causing her to lose more awareness of her surroundings than she realized. But once she finally had regained herself, she looked back towards her husband, only to find his body angled in his seat, his eyes focused on the back seat as a soft smile was covering his face.

"...You okay?" She asked him, Matt nodding as he never took his eyes off his girls; or what he could see of them.

"I'm perfect." He answered without hesitation, his simple words causing Gabby's heart to quicken in her chest. "Just thinking about them, and tonight… We really have some incredible little girls, don't we?" He asked her, though his words were more rhetorical than anything else. But that wasn't going to stop her from responding.

"We do." She told him just as easily, Matt's smile growing as he finally looked back towards her. "They're amazing… I still don't know how we got so lucky with them."

"I have no idea, either." He responded, Gabby nodding with a gentle grin. "But what I do know is I'm so incredibly grateful for my girls… For all my girls." He told her, his words flooding her with a feeling she couldn't quite explain as reached out to grab his hand.

"I love you." She all but whispered, Matt smiling wide before he leaned forward to press a quick kiss against her lips.

"I love you, too." He spoke, Casey kissing her again before they separated, the man sparing another quick glance into the backseat before he opened his door. "But I guess we should probably get the girls inside, before it gets any colder out here." He told her, Gabby nodding in agreement before she moved to get out as well.

With the girls being their main priority, they knew they could come back and get the rest of their belongings once their daughters were in bed, Gabby working on the task of getting Sofia out of her carseat, while Matt got Caitlyn. And, by some miracle, they both managed to get the girls out without really waking either of them up. Caitlyn shifted around for a few moments once she was in her dad's arms, but once she realized who was carrying her, she immediately fell back asleep after tucking her head into his neck, while Sofia didn't wake up at all. And that alone told them just how tired their little girls were, both parents eager to get them upstairs and into bed as soon as they could.

With Sofia securely in her arms, Gabby walked around the front of the car, while Matt was a few steps ahead of her, the father climbing up the few steps to get the door open, which he soon did as the inside of their pitch black home came into view.

"Go ahead." He murmured as he carefully stepped aside, Gabby giving him a grateful smile before she began to walk in. But she only got a few steps before she stopped, her gaze immediately moving back towards Matt as her eyes narrowed slightly, the man obviously confused by the look on her face.

"Before I forget, don't think I didn't hear you and Severide back at the mall, by the way." She told him with a gleam in her eye, Gabby seeing the sheepish look that immediately covered his face, Matt biting down on the inside of his cheek as he adjusted all of Caitlyn's weight in his arms.

"Me and Severide? I don't know what you're talking about." He replied quickly, Matt suddenly even more grateful that he'd stood his ground and not told Kelly what he was getting his wife, Gabby narrowing her eyes even more before shaking her head.

"Mhmm, I'm sure… But we talked about this, you really don't need to get me anything for Christmas."

"Gabby-"

"I don't want you to feel like you have to spend a bunch of money on me, or whatever it is you're doing… This Christmas is about the girls." She continued on, Casey biting back his grin before he shook his head.

"I'm not doing anything, babe." He repeated, Gabby scoffing lightly before she continued walking inside.

"Yeah, we both know that's a lie." She huffed out, Matt laughing quietly as he followed her into the house, their conversation being put aside for now as they headed straight for the steps, the quiet Casey household helping the girls stay asleep as they stayed in the comfort of their parent's arms, Matt and Gabby doing all they could to keep them asleep as they got them upstairs and ready for bed.

Sorry this chapter was a bit shorter, and it was mostly just some Casey family moments. I'm in a weird funk with writing right now, and I'm trying to work through it. But I hope you all still enjoyed this one, thank you so much for reading!

See you all next week.