Hi everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all. There are a few heavy moments in this one, but I really like how it turned out, and I hope you all do, as well.
Thank you so much for your continued support of me and my stories, it means the world to me. I hope you all have a great week, and a very Merry Christmas, to those of you who celebrate. I'll see you all next week!
Happy reading!
Chapter One Hundred and Twenty One
Dawson stood quietly in the locker room of 51 as she put away her things for shift, the paramedic hanging her bag up before she reached for her gloves and her beanie that she'd left on the top shelf, Gabby knowing that with the brutally cold morning waiting for her out there, these items would certainly be needed. It was nearing the end of January, the city still in the thick of winter as the weather hadn't eased up a bit since Christmas, Chicago having been blanketed in snow nearly every day since the holiday that had passed almost four weeks ago. And to Gabby's memory, it was one of the more intense winters she'd experienced in a while, as each day seemed to be colder than the last.
And with all the rough weather outside, that had made their jobs all the more difficult as well, as they were getting hammered with calls all throughout the day, Gabby sure today would be no different as the only reason she wasn't out on a call right now was because shift hadn't officially changed over yet. But despite the long day she knew they had coming, there was one thing that would be very different about today, and that was that Jemma was back at 51 with her to work on ambo.
After her friend's ride along last month, Jemma quickly decided that the CFD was where she wanted to be. Though originally she'd thought she might want to work another shift or two, after having some time to think about, she realized that the fire department was the best fit for her, and Gabby had helped her in making that happen. Then after a few classes, and taking some tests, Jemma had officially joined the CFD as of last week, the paramedic currently in a floater capacity as they were waiting for a permanent spot to open up for her to fill. And it just so happened that 61 was in need of an extra medic today.
The shift before last, Brett had informed Boden that she'd need today off for some family thing back in Fowlerton, meaning there was a spot for a medic riding with Dawson and Foster today, to which Boden immediately requested Jemma. He knew she fit in well with everyone here, and on top of that, Gabby could tell the Chief had a bit of a soft spot for the young paramedic, as did everyone else in the house. So when the opportunity arose for her to come back for a shift, Boden wanted to bring her in to ride on 61 again. But when they'd assigned her to this shift, what they hadn't been expecting was for Foster to call in, as well.
Gabby hadn't known until she arrived this morning, but Foster had called in sick earlier in the day, leaving just Gabby and Jemma to work the ambulance together. And while Gabby knew it might be a lot for her friend to be thrown into, she also knew Jemma was more than capable, as her best friend was an incredible paramedic. And if anyone could handle this, it was her.
Not to mention that with just the two of them on the rig, it would definitely feel like old times again.
The far-away sound of her friends' voices pulled her from her thoughts, Gabby shoving her gloves into the pocket of her thick winter coat just as Jemma came around the corner, Kidd and Severide following behind her as they were in the middle of their conversation.
"Yeah, we were all pretty excited to hear you'd be coming back for another shift." Kidd continued on, Jemma smiling wide before she walked further into the room, her eyes soon finding Dawson's.
"Hey Gabby." She greeted happily while moving towards the free locker she'd used last time, the older paramedic matching her grin. "And yeah, I was happy, too.. This place is what made me want to join the CFD… Well, 51, and also Dawson."
"She can be persuasive, yeah." Severide teased as he came to stand beside her, Gabby shooting him a playful glare before returning her attention back to her locker, the Lieutenant's gaze moving to Norris. "But we're all so glad you joined the CFD… We're lucky to have you." He told her, his genuine words causing her to smile before she got her locker.
"Thanks Severide." She replied happily as Kidd relaxed back into the row of lockers across from Kelly and Gabby, Severide looking back at his friend as she wasn't too focused on what was going on around her. "I'm just glad I get to be back here, even just for a shift."
"Everyone else here feels the same." Kidd assured her as Jemma began putting her things away, Kelly continuing to watch Gabby as she moved slowly, the woman rifling through her locker as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"You good, Dawson?" He questioned, his words causing her to look up with a curious look on her face, her movements stopping as she nodded.
"Yeah, I'm fine…." She replied, her hands patting over her pockets before she continued looking through her locker. "I just can't find my-"
"Gabby, you still in here?" Casey's voice filtered into the room, effectively cutting her off as everyone looked back just before the Captain turned the corner, Matt's movements halting the second he saw everyone's eyes on him. But the curious look on his face softened when he looked at his wife, Matt unable to stop the small smile that formed over his lips before he continued towards her. "Your phone was in my jacket." He told her, Gabby flashing him a soft grin as she took the object she was looking for from him.
"Thank you." She replied easily, Matt nodding as he came to a stop beside Severide, Kelly looking back and forth between them as his weight rested back into the lockers.
"Why'd you have her phone?" Kelly asked with a sly smirk on his face, Casey wearing an unsure look of his own as Gabby glanced back and forth between the two friends. "You been keeping tabs on what your wife is doing?" He pressed with a gleam in his eye, Matt scoffing heavily before looking towards Gabby, seeing the same unimpressed look on her face.
"Yeah, cause there's so much to keep tabs on." Dawson shot back, her words earning laughs from Jemma and Kidd as they stood behind her.
"She forgot her phone in the kitchen this morning and I grabbed it, why does your mind always go there?" Casey questioned, Severide shrugging as he looked between the married couple.
"Because you both are too easy to mess with."
"Because he can never keep his mouth shut." Stella spoke up the second he finished, Gabby raising her eyebrows in amusement as the squad Lieutenant shot her a look.
"That is very true, Kidd." Casey replied before his eyes moved towards Norris, the firefighter's face softening as he smiled. "Hey Jemma." He greeted, the woman giving him a soft smile in response. "Welcome back. I'm sure you missed this place, huh?" He asked sarcastically, Jemma scrunching up her nose slightly after closing up her locker.
"Oh, absolutely… Although I feel like I spend enough time with you all and Severide, it's like I'm here all the time… I know all about Kelly not being able to keep his mouth shut." She joked back, Gabby chuckling softly as the man feigned hurt.
"Jemma, I thought you were supposed to be on my side… Us godparents gotta stick together." He tried, Jemma clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth as Stella shot her an amused look.
"Maybe next time." She responded, Matt unable to stop the laugh that left his lips as Severide shook his head.
"Caitlyn would be so disappointed." He huffed out, Gabby giving him a look as Kelly smiled proudly. "And Sofia… Well, I love the kid, but she doesn't know much of anything, so Caitlyn's the only one I can get on my side right now."
"And you'd think she'd side with you over me?" Jemma played along, Severide thinking over her words for a moment before he nodded.
"I do… As long as I got to her first." He responded, Gabby and Matt both laughing while Jemma shook her head, Kidd simply unfazed by her boyfriend's antics before Kelly spoke up again. "But speaking of the little angels, how have they been? I feel like I haven't seen them in forever." Severide said, his demeanor lightening instantly as soon as he spoke of his goddaughters, Matt's own grin widening.
"They're doing great." Casey responded, Gabby nodding in agreement as her eyes caught a glimpse of all the photos she had of her girls inside her locker, the sight making her smile before she shut the metal door. "We've been pretty busy, and the girls especially have been keeping us occupied, but they're doing great. Caitlyn's been doing well in school, I swear she's like… one of the smartest kids I've ever met. And Sofia's growing every day, it's crazy. She's getting so big." He rambled, Matt unable to stop himself from boasting about his girls as everyone watched him, it obvious to all the first responders in the room how excited he was to talk about his daughters. "But they're doing great, things are good." He finished happily, Jemma biting back a chuckle as Severide looked towards Gabby with a similar look of amusement on his face.
"Anything to add, Dawson?"
"I think he pretty much covered it." She replied, Matt grinning sheepishly as he shifted his weight between his feet. "He's right, the girls have been keeping us busy, but it's been great… Just trying to soak in every moment we can with them while they're these ages, cause like Matt said, they're growing up so fast." She told them, her friends nodding around her as she turned to rest her back against the locker. "Though we're gonna have to find some more ways to entertain the girls, or they're gonna go stir crazy inside that house." She added, Casey releasing a heavy breath in agreement as Severide raised his eyebrows.
"That bad, huh?"
"They're fine, they're just kids… Kids with a lot of energy." Matt replied, everyone in the room listening intently to the conversation as the parents spoke. "And with this crazy snow we've been having, we haven't been able to get out and do too much. Aside from sledding, and building snowmen."
"And even that, we try not to keep them outside for too long." Gabby added on, Severide turning back to look at her before she continued. "With as cold as it's been, we just really have to be mindful of how long we let them play outside… Sof especially, because she can't tell us how she's feeling." She explained, Gabby finding Matt's gaze for a quick moment. "But when they have been outside, they've absolutely loved it… And it definitely tires them out."
"Oh, for sure." Casey said, his smile widening before he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, everyone watching him as he focused on the device in his hand. "I mean, look at this, they're so cute." He spoke brightly as he found the photos from the last time the girls had gone out to play in the snow, Matt proudly holding the screen towards Severide as he showed him the picture of Caitlyn and Sofia in their snowsuits.
They were sitting together in the thick white snow, Sofia contently in Caitlyn's lap as they were both smiling at the camera. And their faces were about the only part of them you could see, as Gabby and Matt had bundled their girls up in as many layers as they could, but even Severide couldn't deny how adorable they looked.
"And this one." He said before swiping over to a picture of the girls and Gabby, Matt letting Kelly see it before he showed it to Kidd and Jemma, Dawson shaking her head as she fought back her own grin. "Oh, and this one… Look at Caitlyn, she was so proud of the snow angel she made." He kept going as he swiped through the pictures, his genuine excitement when it came to his daughters one of the most endearing things in the world, at least to Gabby it was. "And this was right after I took Sofia down the hill on the sled… she didn't like that time so much because snow got on her face, but the next time she loved it." He spoke happily as he showed Kelly the photo, Gabby's heart swelling in her chest.
"He really is like a different guy with them…" Jemma mused, Kidd's eyes widening slightly before she nodded in agreement.
"Oh, he absolutely is." Stella agreed, Matt's ears perking up when he heard their conversation, the firefighter glancing towards them just as Kidd continued. "Captain Casey and Papa Casey are two very different things."
Gabby wasn't able to hold in her laugh this time as Matt stood up a little straighter, Stella glancing towards him just as he cocked his head to the side, the woman clearing her throat before she raised her eyebrows.
"Respectfully, Captain…" She added, Kelly chuckling before Casey shook his head, the father knowing he couldn't exactly argue with her as she was right.
"Mhmm… But you can't deny, my kids are adorable." He spoke with a soft smile before holding the phone out towards Stella and Jemma once more, Matt showing them a picture of the girls at home before they left, bundled up in all of their gear aside from their coats.
"They are." Kidd replied genuinely, Matt nodding before he took a second to admire the photo for himself, Gabby keeping her eyes on her husband as Severide spoke up.
"So, looking at those pictures, I'd say the girls had a fun time sledding?"
"Yeah, they did." Gabby answered as Matt put his phone back into his pocket, both parents wearing bright grins on their faces. "Caitlyn especially, it might be one of her favorite things ever."
"It definitely is," Casey interjected. "I'll save you from showing the five minute video of her playing in the snow, but she loves it so much." He spoke, his words causing their friends to laugh softly. "And an added bonus is that it does wear her and Sof out, when they're able to play in it. But it's been so much fun for them… We're taking them out tomorrow again, too."
"Yeah?"
"Mhmm… It's supposed to be a little warmer than it has been, so we're gonna take them sledding tomorrow afternoon." Gabby told them, Severide giving her a slight nod. "Feel free to join us, if you want."
A soft scoff left the back of Kelly's throat, the man not even hesitating to shake his head. "Yeah, no thanks, I'm good." He replied, Gabby rolling her eyes slightly. "Today is already going to be hell, I'm not trying to spend my day off out in the cold… No thanks. But you two have fun."
Casey chuckled lightly before he gripped his friend's shoulder, everyone in the room wearing a smile on their faces. "We will. And don't worry, we'll send you a lot of pictures… I'm sure they'll be plenty. Especially if Caitlyn is as determined to sled on her own as she was last time, I'll have to get lots of photos of that." He told them, Gabby shaking her head in amusement.
"Oh, I'm sure that went over well." Severide replied with a laugh, Matt's eyes widening slightly before shaking his head. "Did you wrap her in bubble wrap before sending her down the hill?" He added, Casey scoffing lightly.
"No, but I thought about it. That girl, I just… When it comes to stuff like this, she has no fear. I, on the other hand, do." He replied, more chuckles being heard around the room. "She kept wanting to go down the bigger hill by herself."
"Case, she's sliding down on snow, what's the worst that could happen?" Severide questioned with raised brows, Matt's mouth parting open for a second as he tried to think of a response, before he ultimately spoke up.
"Listen, snow can hurt… Especially when you're small like she is, do you understand how physics works? She's little, if she got going too fast, she'd get thrown right off." He defended himself, though his words only earned more laughs from their friends as Severide tilted his head to the side.
"...And how big was this hill, exactly?" Kelly pushed, Gabby immediately shaking her head, indicating it wasn't that big at all as Casey huffed out a breath.
"That's not the point." Matt was quick to say, Jemma and Kidd both continuing to chuckle as Kelly wore an amused look on his face.
"You know Matt's very protective, Kelly." Gabby interjected, Severide releasing a sharp breath as he leaned back into the lockers.
"Oh trust me, I know." Kelly answered, Matt narrowing his eyes slightly as he wasn't sure how he'd ended up being the butt of the joke. "When it comes to you and the girls… Even snow makes him nervous." He teased, Gabby biting back a laugh as Casey glared at his friend.
"Hilarious, you're hilarious." Casey replied dryly, Severide shooting him a knowing look as Matt glanced towards his wife.
"I'm just saying, you can be a bit overprotective, man… But I also don't blame you, because I've seen Caitlyn when she sets her mind to something." Severide continued on, Gabby's smile widening slightly as Matt huffed out a heavy breath. "She's exactly like Dawson." He added, Casey's face softening before he smiled, while Gabby raised her eyebrows slightly. "She's stubborn as hell."
"Hey!"
"Oh come on, Dawson. You know it's true." Kidd interjected playfully, Gabby's head falling to the side slightly as everyone watched her. "That kid can be so stubborn… We all know where she gets it from."
"You say that as if Matt isn't as stubborn as I am." Gabby defended herself, all eyes falling on the Captain before the man held his hands up.
"He absolutely is." Severide agreed, Matt turning to quickly glare at his friend as somehow now he and Gabby both became the target of everyone's jokes, neither one of them looking very impressed while their friends seemed rather amused. "You both are, just in different ways… But Caitlyn's the same way." He added with a chuckle, Gabby and Matt sharing a glance as they knew they didn't really have any room to argue.
"She really is like her parents." Jemma chimed in, Stella nodding as well.
"I've said it since day one," Kelly continued on with a bright grin. "That girl is a Casey, she always has been."
Gabby was unable to stop her smile from growing as her friend spoke, Matt matching her look as the parents locked eyes once more, their faces only lighting up more when they looked at one another.
"If I didn't know any different, I'd just assume she was biologically your kid… Though she'd definitely take after Matt." He said with a low chuckle, Gabby shaking her head lightly as everyone was looking at Kelly. "But really, I know I've told you this before, but Caitlyn's like the perfect mix of both of you… She's a Casey."
"Yeah, she is." Matt replied without hesitation, Gabby nodding in agreement as her husband's smile widened. "That's our baby." He continued proudly, Jemma and Severide sharing a knowing look before Kelly spoke up.
"We know she is…" He replied, Kelly pausing for a moment as a thought crossed his mind.
"Which, speaking of, do you have any updates on that?" Severide questioned, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he leaned back on his heels.
"Updates on what?" Matt repeated uncertainly.
"Her adoption." He elaborated, a look of realization covering Casey's face before he glanced towards Gabby, the man finding a soft smile waiting for him. "I haven't heard either of you mention anything about it in awhile, I wasn't sure if anything changed."
"Nothing's changed, no." Matt answered, Severide nodding before the man continued. "There's not much for us to do right now, aside from wait… Caitlyn has to be in our care for a certain amount of time before we can officially adopt her, for usually at least six months, so we're still just waiting that out."
"Yeah, we're about halfway through that right now." Gabby added on as everyone looked towards her. "So like Matt said, we're just living our lives until we can adopt her… We've still got unannounced visits with Tina happening, and check-ins and everything to make sure Caitlyn's alright, but everything's going fine. And in a few more months, she'll legally be our daughter." She finished, a light feeling settling in the air around them as everyone could sense the complete contentment radiating off of both Dawson and Casey.
"That's insane to think about, honestly." Jemma spoke up as Gabby looked towards her. "I mean, Kelly's right, she already feels like your daughter, but the day she officially becomes yours…" She trailed off, Gabby immediately nodding.
"We're so excited." She replied before looking towards Matt, her husband nodding in agreement. "It's gonna be one of the best days ever, when she becomes a Casey."
"I know it will… And while we're talking about Caitlyn becoming a Casey, are you still doing that too, Dawson?" Kelly asked, Gabby raising her eyebrows as Matt bit back a smirk. "You're gonna ditch the Dawson and legally become a Casey?"
As the words left Kelly's lips, the bells rang out above them, calling 61 out to assist with a car accident a few blocks away. Quickly looking down to the watch on her wrist, Gabby saw that shift had officially changed a few minutes ago, meaning this call was hers and Jemma's as she pushed herself up off the lockers.
"That's the plan, Kelly." She answered his question without hesitation, Gabby quickly winking at Matt before she turned towards Norris, the paramedic already sliding her gloves on. "You really, Jemma?"
"Yup." She answered, Gabby nodding before she began to head for the exit, Matt taking the opportunity to rub his hand along her back as she passed him.
"Be safe out there." He spoke softly, Gabby pausing for just a moment to give him a soft smile as she knew her and Jemma didn't have much time to waste.
"I will." She replied, the husband and wife sharing one last look before Gabby and her partner disappeared around the corner, Matt watching her go for as long as he could. And even then, his eyes lingered for a moment longer, Casey unable to hide the gentle smile on his face as he turned back towards his friends, his face faltering slightly when he saw both Stella and Severide watching him closely.
"...What?" He questioned curiously, Severide chuckling softly before he shook his head, the Lieutenant clasping his friend on the shoulder.
"Nothing… Just between your girls, and your wife… You really are one lucky bastard, Matt Casey." Kelly spoke, Stella nodding in agreement as Matt's grin widened, the firefighter thinking over his friend's words before he nodded as well, his heart swelling in his chest as his body flooded with warmth.
"Trust me… I know."
"Jesus Christ, it shouldn't be legal to be this cold." Dawson groaned as she climbed back up into the driver's seat and quickly closed her door, Jemma doing the same as the women shielded themselves from the snow falling down around them. Norris was unable to fight off her smile as Gabby continued to complain about the weather, her partner for the day clearly not loving the below-freezing temperatures outside, that accompanied by the wind chill definitely making for one miserable day outside. But it was conditions they'd been expecting, the paramedics prepared for the brutal cold they were bound to be out in all day.
With the bag of their lunch in her hands, Gabby pulled out Jemma's sandwich and handed it to her, before pulling out her own as well, the PIC turning the rig back on before doing anything else so they could get some heat in the air around them.
"Yeah, that's better." Gabby breathed out once the hot air began filtering through the vents, Jemma never losing that look of amusement that covered her face as Dawson did all she could to keep herself warm.
"You good over there?" Jemma asked as she took off her gloves so she could eat her lunch, the women knowing it was smartest to just stay here and enjoy their lunch, instead of trying to make it back to the house. Because if this morning had been any indication, it likely wouldn't be long be they got called out once more. Since their first call of the day earlier, they had yet to make it back to the firehouse, this being the first break they had since. And neither of them were expecting it to last very long, though they'd never say that out loud.
"I'm fine, just freezing." She replied as she removed her gloves as well, Gabby rubbing her hands together in front of the vents. "Though I'm not sure why everyone in Chicago can't seem to need a paramedic while they're inside." She complained, Jemma shaking her head lightly before she began to eat her food, Gabby soon following her lead. "But, at least your shift here hasn't been boring."
A soft laugh escaped Jemma's lips as she nodded, the woman taking a quick sip of her drink before responding. "Oh, definitely not boring… From my limited experience, the CFD isn't boring at all. But it's been nice to get more experience under my belt."
"Yeah, I bet. And this job likes to keep things interesting, that's for sure." Gabby responded with a grin, the women pausing their conversation for a moment to eat, before Dawson spoke up once more. "But I am glad we're able to do this… Work a shift together, with just us." She told her, not missing the happy smile that covered Jemma's face. "It's been a long time since we've done this, and yeah it was nice to get to work that shift with you back before Christmas, but even then it wasn't really the same… So I'm glad we got to do this." She said softly, Jemma immediately nodding as she angled her body more towards her friend.
"I am, too." She agreed instantly. "I've missed us working together so much… And I know this isn't permanent or anything, but still I've loved getting to work with you again. You're the best partner I've ever had." She spoke honestly, Gabby's smile widening instantly before reaching her free hand out to squeeze her arm. "And while I'm glad neither of us are stuck at the SAS anymore, I do miss getting to work with you."
"I miss it, too." She murmured, rubbing her arm softly before pulling away, neither woman getting a chance to say much of anything else as they heard a voice through the radio, Gabby groaning once more before reaching for the object sitting up on the dash.
"61? Are you there?" Main repeated, Dawson picking up the radio before responding.
"Go for 61, we're here."
"There's just been a call for a gunshot victim, I've got it about two blocks away from your current location, can you pick it up?"
"Yeah, we got it. Just give us the address." She responded before tossing her sandwich back down into the bag, knowing it would have to wait as she turned their sirens on, both Dawson and Norris wishing their break could've lasted a little longer than it had. But that didn't matter now, as there was someone needing their help.
Though the weather slowed them down a bit, with their close proximity to the gunshot victim, they were able to get to the address within minutes, Gabby and Jemma both hopping down out of the rig and hurrying around to the back to grab everything they'd need.
Not knowing the severity of what they were walking into, the paramedics moved as quickly as they could, both well aware of how unpredictable and life-threatening gunshot wounds could be, and by the sounds of near screaming they heard coming from the house, whatever was waiting for them inside probably wasn't good.
"Come help! Help my baby!" The woman yelled as she appeared in the now open doorway, Dawson assuming she'd heard the sirens as she and Jemma got closer to the front door. "Please help him!" She begged, Gabby seeing the tears falling down her cheeks as she urged them inside.
And by the way this woman was acting, Dawson would recognize that look anywhere; it was the look of a desperate mother. And Gabby could only imagine what was going on inside that house.
"My baby's been shot! Please help." She cried, Gabby's eyes widening slightly before her and Jemma got inside as quickly as they could.
"Your son's been shot?" Gabby asked quickly, the woman crying out once more before she nodded. "Where is he?"
Without another word, she pointed shakily down towards the kitchen, Gabby all but running in that direction with the ambo bag in her hand, while Jemma followed behind her with the board, Dawson stopping in her tracks immediately when she got to the kitchen and saw the sight in front of her.
There, lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood, was a little boy, while an older man, who Gabby presumed to be his father, was holding a towel to his stomach as the child was coughing and wheezing, the image enough to make her stomach turn. But as quickly as it stunned her, she snapped out of it, Gabby pushing every bad thought aside as she hurried towards him. She had to focus on her job, she had to think like a paramedic, she couldn't think like a mother. Even despite the fact that all that was running through her mind right now was this boy couldn't have been older than Caitlyn.
"What happened?" She asked as she dropped down to the ground, Gabby immediately reaching out to hold the compression against the child's stomach, allowing the man to loosen his grip. And once he did, he nearly fell back to the floor, clearly overwhelmed by what was happening. "What happened? You said he was shot?" She asked again, but the woman behind her just kept crying as Gabby lifted the towel to try and access just how much damage had been done. "Ma'am, you have to tell me what happened so I can help him. What happened to your son?!" She all but shouted, as that seemed to be the only way to get through to them.
"He shot him!" She cried, Gabby's eyes widening slightly as the woman pointed towards who Gabby guessed was her husband, Jemma wearing a similar look as she was up by the boy's head, helping get oxygen into his lungs.
"Jemma, get the cops here. Now." Gabby spoke softly, the woman nodding as she used one hand to continue with the oxygen bag, while she used the other to grab her radio. "How old is your son?" She raised her voice as Jemma radioed for backup, Gabby looking between the parents. But neither of them said anything. "How old is he?" She questioned again as Jemma began to prepare an IV, both of paramedics knowing they needed to get pain medication in him, and soon.
"He just turned five." The woman choked out, Gabby biting down on the inside of her cheek before she nodded, the PIC instructing Jemma on how much medication to give him as they continued helping the child as best they could.
"It- It was an accident, I didn't… I didn't mean to hurt him, I'd never hurt my son." The man began to ramble, before more words Gabby couldn't make out followed, her attention solely on the little boy who needed her.
"Norris, I need gauze, now." She instructed, her voice firm as she knew they needed to get this boy out of here and to the hospital.
"I didn't mean to hurt him." The father continued to cry out, his hands coming up to cover his head as the woman continued wailing behind Dawson. "The gun, it just- I was gonna clean it, that's why it was out… I didn't even know Damien was home. I- God, help him." He choked out, Gabby's eyes falling closed for a split second as a picture of what happened was coming together in her mind. "I- It went off, I didn't- I didn't mean to hurt him, I didn't."
Dawson nodded once more as she packed the wound, the boy practically shaking underneath them as his little body was doing all it could to protect itself. And as Gabby looked up towards his face, she soon locked eyes with him, and immediately saw all the pain and fear this child was holding onto, tears spilling out of his eyes as he fought to stay awake.
"It's okay, sweetheart." She murmured, Gabby trying to be as comforting as she could. "You're gonna be okay… We're gonna get you to the hospital, everything's fine. You're fine." She spoke strongly, Dawson pushing all her own feelings aside as her only goal was to get this boy out of here and to med, alive. "Alright Jemma, I think I've got the bleeding under control, let's get him on the board."
Within seconds, the paramedics had him secured to the backboard, little Damien nearing unconsciousness as his body was shutting down, Gabby muttering a few choice words under her breath before she nodded over towards the bag. "We need to intubate him." She instructed, knowing they couldn't move him anywhere until they were sure they secured his airway, Jemma nodding in agreement before she began the process.
Though this is typically something Gabby would've done, with the boy being so small, with her hands currently covered in his blood, she figured it best to let Jemma handle it, as she knew her friend was more than capable. And in less than a minute, she was proven right, Jemma successfully intubating Damien as the boy had lost consciousness, his body going into survival mode.
"Alright, let's get him out of here. Now." Gabby spoke, Jemma nodding before the two of them got on opposite ends of the board, Norris shouldering their ambo bag before they lifted him up easily.
"Where are you taking him?" The woman asked, never-ending tears continuing down her cheeks while the father was still collapsed on the ground.
"Chicago med." Dawson answered as they carefully made their way to the door, the paramedics skillfully carrying the light weight outside and down the steps, before putting him on the gurney. They had to move slowly, with all the snow and ice around them, but they were able to get him strapped in, Dawson looking up towards the road when she heard sirens approaching.
As they began rolling the gurney towards the rig, the mother and father were now following after them, while the two cops got out of their car and headed over.
"What do we got, Dawson?" One of them asked, Gabby recognizing him to be one of the beat cops from her brother's district, the paramedic breathing in deeply as they continued towards the ambulance.
"A five year old gunshot victim… His dad was cleaning his gun and said it went off." She answered, the man immediately nodding before he pulled open the back doors to the rig, wanting to assist in any way he could to help this little boy.
"I need to go with him!" The woman cried as Gabby hopped up into the back of the rig, the other cop stopping her while Jemma tossed the bag in the back before hurrying around to the driver's side door. "I need to be with my son!"
"Ma'am- ma'am, you can't go with him… Not until we talk to you."
"He can't be alone!" She wailed, Gabby feeling her heart pang in her chest as she worked on getting Damien hooked up to the monitors, hearing this woman's clear pain and desperation to be with her son. And as a mother, she understood it. God forbid had something like this happened to Caitlyn or Sofia, she'd stop at nothing to stay with them. And as she looked down at Damien, she hated the thought of making this baby go without his parents.
But as a first responder, she knew under the circumstances she couldn't come with them, not until they cleared both of them. So for now, she'd be here for him.
"He can't be alone!"
"Ma'am- Once we figure out what happened, we'll escort you to the hospital, but right now, you need to let the paramedics do their jobs… And we'll take you to him when we can."
"Jemma, let's go!" Dawson ordered as the cop shut the doors, Gabby pushing all thoughts of those desperate parents out of her mind as the rig began to move, Norris doing what she could to safely, yet quickly, get this child to the hospital.
And everything had been fine, until they got about a minute out, and Damien started profusely bleeding through his bandages, before everything else started to go south, as well. His pressure bottomed out, before she started to lose his pulse, Gabby pushing aside every bit of panic she was feeling as she began working on him.
"Come on, Damien… Don't do this." She spoke to herself as she started CPR, the loud wails of the machines almost taunting her as his heart lost rhythm completely, Gabby giving everything she had to keep this child alive. "Jemma, how much longer?" She yelled up to the front, her voice loud enough to be heard through the sirens as Damien lay motionless underneath her, her blood-covered hands doing all she could for him.
But it was as if everything she was doing wasn't enough, Gabby fighting off the tears in her eyes as she kept administering CPR, while blood continued escaping his body. And while she would do everything she could for him, she knew if they didn't get him to the hospital soon, with all the blood he was losing, he wouldn't make it.
And that wasn't okay with her.
She couldn't lose this kid, she refused to. This child who had just been going about his day, unaware of the terrible accident that would happen in the safety of his own home. And she refused to let that horrible thing be what ends this child's life, Gabby using the back of her sleeve to wipe the tears from her eyes before she continued.
"Come on Damien, I need you to fight for me, come on." She encouraged as best she could just before feeling the rig come to a stop.
"We're here, Dawson!" Jemma shouted as she practically jumped out of the front seat, the back doors opening within seconds as Gabby was immediately met by Dr. Rhodes, Dawson knowing Jemma must've called in for him to be out here already.
And the second Connor saw her and the boy, he knew it was bad, Gabby stopping CPR long enough to get Damien down out of the rig while she rattled off every piece of information he'd need to help him.
"We got him, Dawson." Dr. Rhodes assured her before he ran into the hospital behind the gurney, everyone moving fast as they knew they didn't have much, if any, time to spare, Gabby standing frozen in front of the entrance as she felt more tears cloud her vision.
She wasn't able to register much around her, Gabby standing incredibly still as her blood-covered hands began to shake by her side, her teary eyes not moving from the now closed double doors as she sucked in a deep breath. And though she wasn't able to see Damien any more, it still felt like she couldn't move, the weight of everything slowly starting to hit her as she barely even registered Jemma coming to stand by her side.
But her friend said nothing, Jemma simply placing her hand on Gabby's back as both women stood there, the paramedics hoping and praying that little Damien would be alright. That they hadn't just lost that little boy in the back of their ambulance, Gabby sucking in a deep breath as her trembling hands moved to clasp together in front of her, her mind still working on processing everything that had transpired over the last hour.
There were always calls that stuck with you, as a paramedic Gabby knew that better than anyone. But some were definitely worse than others, and Dawson had a feeling this would be one of those, as the paramedic couldn't help but feel like the memory of this day wouldn't be leaving her mind anytime soon. And that wasn't a comforting thought at all.
But she wasn't what mattered here. All that was important was that little boy making it out of this alive.
She just wasn't sure that he would.
"Do you really have to eat like that, Mouch?" Otis called from the table as the older firefighter shoved his snack into his mouth, Mouch waving him off before he continued eating, clearly unbothered by Otis' complaints as most of 51 was sitting in the common room.
"Just let the old man be, Otis… We'll miss these moments, one day." Cruz joked, not missing the gesture from Mouch before a few laughs could be heard around the room, Casey shaking his head in amusement as he sat at the head of the table.
But the light mood in the room quickly disappeared when the double doors opened and the firehouse saw their paramedics walk in, it becoming quite obvious that something was wrong as Gabby hurried around the corner without a word, the look on Jemma's face worrying them all as Matt immediately pushed himself up from his chair.
"What's going on?" He asked without a thought, Casey stepping forward in the room just as Gabby disappeared out of sight through the windows, Norris' eyes falling closed as she sucked in a deep breath.
They could tell she was shaken, and from what little they saw of Gabby, she clearly didn't feel much better, Casey's entire body flooding with worry as Jemma took another step forward into the room.
"We, uh… Our last call, it wasn't- It wasn't good." She stuttered out, Matt drawing in a deep breath as he looked back off towards the hallway.
"What happened?" Severide asked, everyone in the room feeling some level of concern for their paramedics, though some certainly more than others.
"Our patient, he… He's a little boy, who's parents accidentally shot him." She spoke, seeing the immediate looks of confusion, worry, and some anger that covered their faces.
"What?" Herrmann spat, the father sitting up straighter as Matt felt his heart drop into his stomach. "How does that even happen?"
"I guess the dad got his gun out to clean it, and… I don't know, it went off. We weren't too focused on getting the whole story. But the boy, Damien… He's only five years old." She spoke, Casey's eyes falling closed as realization continued to wash over him, the firefighter gaining a better understanding of why his wife was so upset. Though he also knew something like this wouldn't be easy regardless of the circumstances.
"Will he be okay?"
"I don't know… Gabby lost him in the ambulance, and they immediately took him back when we got there, so I'm not sure… But Dawson, she… She's taking it hard."
Jemma could barely finish her sentence before Matt took off towards the hallway, the husband hearing all he needed to as now he was more concerned about finding his wife than anything else, Norris watching him go until he was out of sight.
With everyone else in the common room, Jemma surely filling them in more on what all had happened, Matt headed straight for the bunkroom, figuring that the best place to look as Gabby more often than not went to his office when she needed a moment to herself.
And, just as he suspected, that's exactly where she was, Matt seeing her the instant he stepped into the room. She'd left the door open, Matt unsure of if that was a conscious decision or not as he saw her through the windows, Gabby sitting on his bunk with her head facing the ground, her body a little too still for his liking as he walked towards his office. Just before he walked through the door, she looked up, like she heard him coming as the couple immediately locked eyes with one another. And the second they did, he could tell she'd been crying, a sad look covering his face as Gabby mustered up as weak of a smile as she could.
"I'm okay." She spoke, Gabby not even bothering to go into why she was upset, as she was sure he knew already, Matt nodding in response before he walked towards her. He stayed silent as he got to her, Casey crouching down on the ground in front of her as he rested his hands over her thighs. "I'm alright."
"Okay." He replied softly, giving her leg a squeeze before she drew in a deep breath, Gabby's eyes falling closed once more as she slowly started to let herself calm down. And while Matt hated seeing her like this, he also knew the best thing he could for her right now was just be here, and let her talk when she was ready. Which, thankfully, didn't take too much longer.
"He's only five years old." She whispered as she opened her eyes, the two instantly locking gazes once more as she saw the compassionate look waiting for her. "He's just a kid, and his dad-" She cut herself off, Matt feeling that same dread in the pit of his stomach that he was sure she was feeling as well, his thumb stroking along the inside of her leg as he tried to provide her any comfort he could. "I just don't understand how something like this could happen…"
"I know." He murmured, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before shaking her head slightly.
"...He's Caitlyn's age." She continued quietly, Matt pausing for a moment as he knew this was a big part of what she was struggling with.
A child being hurt was never easy, especially when it happened like this, and he knew Gabby would be affected by it nonetheless. But having kids made it different, it had from the second Sofia was born. It was nearly impossible to go to a call and not automatically see their child in the kids they were helping, but for this boy to be the same age as Caity, he knew that made it all that more difficult on his wife. Because it became harder to separate it all, as that was a feeling Matt understood well.
"I know… That's what Jemma said." He responded, Gabby giving him a slight nod in response. "...You don't know how he's doing?"
"No, I don't… They were still working on him when we left." She replied, Casey pursing his lips together as he continued rubbing his hands along her legs. "But I- Hopefully he'll be okay. I did everything I could to-" She stopped herself yet again, Matt immediately nodding as he moved himself closer to her.
"I know you did, baby." He assured her, Gabby's eyes falling closed as she brought her hand up to press into her head, the paramedic feeling her looming headache only seeming to get worse as Matt watched her closely. He was no less worried than he was when he first came in here, but he could only hope that in time, Gabby would start to move on from this awful call. And he'd be right here with her while she did. Drawing in another deep breath, Matt checked his watch for the time before he looked back at his wife, that sad smile returning to his face as he spoke up. "Do you wanna call the girls?" He questioned, Gabby lifting her head up to look at him. "Caitlyn's already out of school, and they should be home with Becca… Do you wanna call them, and talk to them for a bit?" He suggested, Matt knowing that nothing could cheer his wife up quite like their daughters.
And the small smile that formed over her face told him she was liking the idea, Gabby nodding slowly as a soft sigh escaped her lips. "Yeah, I want to… But in a minute." She told her, Matt not needing to hear anything more as he knew his wife needed a little more time to digest this.
And he was more than willing to give it to her, the couple sitting in a comfortable silence for a few more minutes as Gabby worked focused on the feeling of Matt's hand rubbing her leg, his presence helping her more than she could even begin to explain as they sat in the quiet of his office, Dawson doing the best she could to try and let this entire thing go.
"Sof! Be careful." Caitlyn warned as the two girls ran around in the living room, Matt watching on with a smile covering his face as the sisters had just gotten finished with their bath upstairs. When the baby heard her name, she stopped, a bright grin poking out beneath the pacifier between her lips, the same one Matt and Gabby were slowly getting her off of, before she continued chasing after her sister once more, the diaper-clad baby clearly enjoying this game with Caitlyn as both girls continued to run around.
It was getting close to their bedtime, Matt not sure how either of them still had any energy after the long day of sledding and playing out in the snow, but it was obvious they weren't nearly as tired as he'd been expecting, their day outside only seeming to wear down the parents instead of the kids. But regardless, they'd had an incredible day as a family, and Caitlyn especially, as Matt was sure his oldest daughter had made him go up and down the sledding hill with her at least thirty times. But the exhaustion was worth it, as Matt knew his girls had a fun day. And Gabby had certainly benefited from the distraction as well, as his wife needed it after the rough shift yesterday.
Then when they'd finally spent about as much time as they could outside, they'd come back home, but not before stopping to get a pizza for dinner, as the parents didn't really feel up for cooking tonight. And neither child was upset about the choice either as they were both starving by the time they got home and got out of their winter clothes, Caitlyn and Sofia definitely enjoying their pizza, along with the broccoli Gabby warmed up for them. Though, admittedly, Sofia mostly just enjoyed the toppings, along with a few extra sides Gabby got for her to ensure she ate enough.
But overall, it had been an amazing day, one that was winding down as both girls had been bathed and were ready for bed, Matt's smile widening as he watched Caitlyn lead Sofia over to the toy slide he'd moved out into the middle of the room. Out of all the girls' Christmas presents, that one probably had to be their favorite, as they both would spend hours on it if allowed, Matt fine to let them play once he'd placed the pillows and blankets down around it, as Sofia had toppled off the toy a few times over the last month. But with her soft landing, she found it more amusing than anything else, his brave little girl just getting right back up and going again as if nothing had happened.
"You go first, Sof." Caitlyn instructed as she helped the smaller girl up onto the slide, Sofia clapping happily before going down the slide, Caitlyn soon cheering for her as well before she went down, too. And they repeated this process over and over, Matt making sure to keep an eye on them while they played.
But his attention was pulled elsewhere when he heard Gabby coming down the stairs, a soft smile forming over his face as he eventually watched her come into view. From first glance alone, he could see how tired she was, but it was a good tired. A tired that came from a day well spent, as she adjusted her pony tail that was currently keeping her hair out of her face, Gabby flashing him a small grin when she noticed his stares.
"Everything good up there?" He asked as she took a few steps into the room, Matt having expected her down a while ago as the girls had been done upstairs for a little bit. As they did every night, they'd alternate responsibilities when it came to helping the girls get ready for bed, and tonight Gabby had been supervising their bath, while Matt's job came when it was time to get them into their pajamas, the father having taken care of Sofia, and helped Caitlyn when needed, before bringing them downstairs. But Gabby had taken a little longer to appear than expected, his wife nodding slightly as she stretched her arms above her head.
"Everything's fine, I was just cleaning up the bathroom… Your daughters' can make quite the mess." She responded softly, Matt unable to stop his grin from growing as Gabby began to head for the kitchen.
"Yeah, they definitely can… But they're cute, so that makes up for it." He responded, Gabby releasing a soft laugh as she stopped at the kitchen, Matt knowing exactly what was on her mind as she was seconds away from cleaning up dinner. "I can do that, babe." He spoke up, Gabby placing the first plate she'd grabbed back down on the table while she glanced towards him. "I'll pick up after the girls are in bed, just come sit down for a bit." He continued, Gabby pausing for a moment before she nodded, Matt making himself comfortable on the couch while his wife walked towards him and sat down.
Her body immediately leaned into his, Matt bringing his arm up to rest on the back of the couch so she could tuck herself into his side, the soft lull of the girls' cartoons in the background keeping them from being in complete silence as Caitlyn and Sofia continued playing on the slide together. They were content to stay this way for a few minutes, Gabby leaning her head down on her husband's shoulder as his hand moved down to rest over her arm, the close contact enjoyed by both of them as they watched Sofia slowly slide down the slide.
"Good job, Sof!" Caitlyn encouraged her, just as she did every time, the sight flooding Gabby's chest with warmth. "You're a great slider." She continued on, the five year old kissing her baby sister's cheek before she got onto the slide, Sofia squealing happily as she followed after Caitlyn.
"They're perfect, aren't they?" Gabby mumbled, her words only audible to Matt because of their proximity as he nodded in agreement, the man rubbing over her arm before he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
"They absolutely are… We've got the best daughters in the world."
"We do." She replied, her hand coming out to rest over his stomach as Gabby cuddled into him more, bringing her legs up onto the couch to make herself comfortable. "And their Dad isn't too bad, either." She added, Matt grinning from ear to ear as he moved his free hand over to rest on top of her knee.
"Yeah, he's alright." He played along, Gabby chuckling softly before nuzzling her head deeper into his chest, Matt tightening his hold on her as they both focused on their girls.
"I think he's better than alright." She responded, Gabby feeling him press another kiss to the top of her head as her eyes focused on Caitlyn and Sofia, a calming quiet surrounding the parents as their girls played together.
And it was a quiet that was certainly welcome, as the last twenty four hours or so had definitely taken in out of them, Gabby especially. But, as far as Matt could tell, she was doing alright. She hadn't been able to really let the call go yet, but she was handling it better than she was yesterday, and he could only hope things would continue to go in that direction.
What happened yesterday was rough, there was no denying that. And Matt couldn't blame Gabby for the way she reacted to it, as he could only imagine how horrible the entire thing had been. But all he cared about now was making sure Gabby got past it, as he knew better than anyone how damaging it could be to hold onto these calls for too long.
So all he wanted was for her to be able to let this go, and he hoped his next words would help with that.
"Hey babe?" He asked, Gabby humming softly as a response before he continued. "I, uh, wanted to tell you that I… I called Maggie."
Gabby lifted her head up off his body, her eyes meeting his instantly as he brought his hand up to brush a loose strand of hair behind her ear, Matt giving her a small smile before he continued.
"I called to ask about that little boy, to see how he was doing."
"Damien." She replied, Matt nodding slightly.
"Yeah, Damien… But I spoke with Maggie, and she said he was going to be fine." He told her, Gabby's eyes falling closed as an immediate sigh of relief left her lips, Matt practically able to feel her body relax as he knew how worried she'd been about the boy. "She said he got lucky, and also that he had a kickass paramedic helping him," He added, though Gabby knew that second part surely hadn't come from Maggie. But she appreciated it nonetheless as a small smile formed over her lips. "But he should make a full recovery. He'll be in the hospital for a bit, but he'll be fine."
Drawing in a deep breath, Gabby nodded as Matt ran his hand over her back, the woman's eyes tracing over his face before she leaned in to give him a slow, easy kiss, Casey relaxing into her while keeping her as close to him as he possibly could.
"Thank you." She murmured, Matt nodding before he kissed her once more, her hand rubbing over his chest as they focused on nothing but the other for a quick moment, before they eventually pulled back from one another, Gabby immediately tucking herself back into him as they cuddled on the couch.
And that was where they stayed for the rest of the evening until it was time to put the girls to bed, Gabby feeling much lighter than she had since yesterday now that she knew that boy was going to be alright. And with that assurance, she was able to let go of some of the worry she'd been holding onto, her focus shifting to her own babies as her and Matt both were happy to sit and watch their girls play together, as that was something they would never get tired of.