Hi everyone! Welcome back for another chapter. I really like how this one turned out, and I hope you all do as well, but I can't wait to hear your thoughts. Thank you so much for reading, I hope you all have a great week!

Stay safe everyone!

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty Three

Gabby stood in the girls' bathroom with her oldest daughter in front of her, Caitlyn perched up on the stepstool they kept in front of the counter as her elbows were placed on the sink, the five year old staying as still as she could while her mom finished fixing her hair into the perfect pigtails that she'd requested. And while Dawson was taking care of Caitlyn, they could hear the sounds of Matt playing with Sofia in the other room, Gabby hoping her husband had already finished getting their youngest daughter ready as they were pushing it on time as it was, as she was sure Severide and Jemma would be here any minute.

"Alright sweetheart, I'm all done. How does it look?" Gabby asked as she moved the pigtails forward to rest over Caitlyn's shoulders, the little girl smiling brightly before looking at her mom through the mirror.

"I love it." She replied happily, Gabby nodding before she leaned down to press a soft kiss to the crown of her head, her hands rubbing over Caitlyn's arms as she stood back up. "Thank you Mommy."

"You're welcome, baby. Now why don't you go to your room and get your socks, and I'm gonna go see if your Daddy is ready with Sof, alright?"

"Okay." She responded before she hopped down off the stool and hurried out of the bathroom, Gabby shaking her head in amusement before she began walking out of the small room as well, the woman going in the opposite direction of her daughter as she walked the short path to Sofia's room.

And when she got into the doorway, she saw exactly what she expected, Sofia running around in her diaper while Matt was crawling around on the ground chasing after her, the loud giggles from their daughter overpowering every other noise in the house as she clapped her hands together.

"I'm gonna get you!" Matt told her as he slowly followed after her, the father letting her run around for a few more moments before he gently grabbed onto her and pulled her back into his chest, Sofia's laughs getting louder as he peppered kisses all over her arm and her head. "Yeah, I got you, Sof."

Gabby watched on with a small smile as Matt gently fell down onto his back, the father cradling his daughter's body against his so she didn't hurt herself before the two were lying on the ground, Sofia resting on top of his chest as he continued kissing all over her face. Unintelligible sounds of excitement continued to leave the baby's lips as she lightly smacked her dad's face, Dawson shaking her head as Sofia was nowhere near being ready to leave. And neither was Matt.

Before he noticed her presence in the doorway, Caitlyn came running back towards her from her room, the little girl holding her socks in her hands with a proud smile on her face. "I got them!" She spoke up, the sound of her voice gaining Matt's attention as he pulled back from Sofia and looked up towards the door, the smile on his face only widening when he saw the rest of his family. But before he could say anything, Caitlyn looked towards him, the little girl's eyebrows furrowing before she looked back up towards Gabby. "Mommy, Sof's not ready." She spoke, her voice laced in confusion as a knowing smirk covered Gabby's face, the woman nodding before she looked towards her husband.

"You're right baby, she's not." Gabby responded pointedly, a sheepish grin covering her husband's face before he sat back up, his hands supporting Sofia's body before placing her down on the ground. "But she should be." She continued on as Sofia caught sight of her, the one year old smiling wide before waddling her way towards her mom, Matt resting his forearms over his knees as he watched his girls. The second Sofia got to her mom, she instantly wanted to be picked up, Gabby's face softening as she looked down to her daughter. "Hi sweetheart." She murmured as she picked her up, Sofia grabbing at her shirt as she was now eye-level with her mom. "Did your Daddy not get you dressed?"

"Dada." She copied, Matt smiling softly as he pushed himself up off the ground while Caitlyn stepped around her mom and came into the room, her bright brown eyes shining up at Matt as she hurried towards him.

"Hi Daddy!" She greeted happily, Casey giving her his complete attention as Gabby walked into the room and over towards the dresser where Sofia's clothes were set out. "Look at my shirt." She continued on before looking down to the hockey jersey covering her body, Matt having yet to see it on her until now as he'd been preoccupied with Sofia while Gabby helped Caitlyn get ready. "It's red!"

"It is, baby. I love it." He replied with just as much enthusiasm, Matt knowing how excited Caitlyn was about the hockey jersey ever since he showed it to her the other day, even though she didn't really understand why she got a "special shirt" for the hockey game, or even know the player on the back of it. But that didn't matter so much to her, as she just thought it was pretty, and she was excited that her and Sofia had matching ones. "Are you excited for the game tonight?" He asked her, Matt glancing over towards his wife to see her working on changing Sofia's diaper, the man making a mental note to make it up to her later as he realized he really had wasted too much time playing with their daughter.

"Yeah! We're going to the game!" She told him, his pigtails moving up and down as she bounced on the balls of her feet. "With Uncle Kelly and Aunt Jemma."

"Yeah, we are… Do you remember what it's called?" He questioned, Caitlyn biting down on her bottom lip as her eyebrows furrowed deep in thought, clearly trying to remember the name of the sport she'd seen on TV. But she was coming up blank, Caitlyn soon shaking her head as Matt gave her a soft smile. "It's called hockey. You remember how we've watched it together?"

"Mhmm… Hockey." She repeated, Matt's grin widening before he nodded.

"Yup, it's called hockey. And this here is a jersey. It's what the players wear." He reminded her as he gently pulled at the material, Caitlyn listening to him intently. "And you and Sof both have one, and Daddy has one, too."

"He sure does… He's just not in it, yet." Gabby added with her back turned towards them, Matt biting back a smirk as he turned to look at her, her focus still completely on getting Sofia ready while the man shook his head in amusement.

"Yeah, your Momma's right." He told her, Caitlyn nodding happily before she looked towards Gabby.

"Does Mommy have one?"

"She doesn't. But she's got her own hockey shirt." He explained to her as he gestured over towards his wife, Caitlyn pausing for a moment before she nodded yet again, the five year old tapping her hand against the side of her leg, over the thick pair of leggings she was wearing to keep her protected from the cold winter air. "But once Uncle Kelly and Stella, and Aunt Jemma and Marcus get here, we're gonna go to the game."

"You gotta get ready." Caitlyn chastised, Matt's cheeks flushing as he heard his wife laugh over by the dresser, Gabby turning around with a now freshly-changed Sofia, while the baby's clothes were in her hand. "Mommy said." She added, Casey ignoring the proud look on Gabby's face as he'd just been called out by his five year old.

"Well, you're right about that, baby. And so is your mom… So unless she needs my help, I'm gonna go get ready." He spoke as he looked towards Gabby, her face softening before she nodded towards the door.

"I've got Sof, you go get ready before we're late." She told him, her soft words earning a grateful smile from her husband before he nodded. "I'd hate for us to miss part of the game just because you were too busy chasing around our daughter… especially since this was your idea." She added lightly, Matt chuckling in response as he knew she had a point.

"That's true… But don't pretend you're not as excited as I am." He responded teasingly, Gabby narrowing her eyes playfully as he took a few steps forward, their diaper-clad baby still comfortably on her hip.

When Gabby had found out about this hockey game from Severide last week, she'd been a little caught off guard by it at first, but after she'd come home and they put the girls to bed, the couple talked about it and both came to the agreement that it would be a fun thing for them to do as a family. Which, of course included Severide and Jemma, as both them and their significant others wanted to tag along as well. And from then on, things started to move quickly, them getting to a game a lot sooner than Gabby anticipated as her husband had found a good deal on tickets for tonight. But regardless of the quick turnaround, they all were excited to go out and do this, as it had been forever since they'd been to a game. And with it being both Caitlyn's and Sofia's first time at a hockey game, the parents were quite eager for tonight.

"Uh huh… Just go and get ready before everyone gets here." She told him again, Matt nodding in response before he began to walk towards the door, Caitlyn already running out of the room as she was apparently going downstairs with her father.

But he stopped himself before he stepped out into the hallway, Matt turning back to see Gabby sitting down on the ground while Sofia was sitting in front of her, the one year old preoccupied by the toy in her hand as Gabby was about to start the somewhat difficult task of getting her ready.

"Oh, before I forget, I did get the diaper bag together. So I managed to get one thing done." He told her with an unmistakable gleam in his eye, Gabby looking up towards him with a slight smirk on her face before her head tilted to the side. "All the necessities are in there, and I added extra diapers and wipes just in case, since it's gonna be a long night." He continued on, Gabby chuckling softly before she nodded. "And I put a few extra clothes in there, and some little toys to keep her occupied if need be. But it should be good to go."

"Thank you." She replied, Matt nodding proudly as he took another small step into the hallway. "Now go get ready, or we really are gonna be late."

"I'm on it." He replied as he continued towards the stairs, Gabby smiling softly as she watched him leave the room, a thought quickly occurring to her seconds after he was out of sight.

"Also, you know I'm gonna want pictures of you three in your jerseys, right?" She called as she worked on getting Sofia's pants on, the squirming baby making the task a little more difficult than normal.

"Me too!" She heard him yell back, Gabby stifling a laugh at his eagerness. "I'm gonna want to put them up in my office."

Shaking her head lightly, Gabby listening to her husband's footsteps continue down the stairs while she worked on getting Sofia dressed, the mother feeling more and more ready for the evening as the minutes ticked by, Dawson knowing just how eager everyone was for tonight.

"My God, they are so cute."

A warm smile covered Dawson's face as she heard Jemma's words, her best friend watching the same sight she was as Gabby's eyes were focused down towards the glass around the ice rink where her husband and daughters were. They'd gone down there when warm ups started, Matt wanting his girls to get the full experience as he, along with Kelly and Marcus, had gone with the girls down to the glass. And that was where they'd been for the last ten minutes or so, Matt holding Sofia in one arm with her back pressed against his chest, while Caitlyn was standing directly in front of him, Gabby able to tell Matt was keeping both girls close with the big crowd as they watched the players warm up.

"Yeah, they are." Gabby breathed out, the woman sitting in between Jemma and Kidd as their seats were maybe only ten rows up from the ice, giving Dawson the perfect view of her family.

"And Caitlyn looks as happy as ever." Kidd added, her words earning a soft scoff from Dawson as the five year old's excitement had been evident ever since they got here. And it was as if that elation only continued to grow with every passing second, as this new experience was one Caitlyn was certainly enjoying so far.

"She really does… She seems to be as excited about hockey as Matt is." Jemma spoke once more, Gabby looking between her two friends before nodding. "Who knows, maybe you've got a little hockey player on your hands."

"Oh God." Gabby muttered, Jemma and Stella both laughing while Dawson shook her head.

"What? You wouldn't want to be a hockey mom?"

"Not when I've seen as many hockey injuries as I have." She replied, the other first responders understanding the concern as they'd seen their fair share of gruesome injuries in their line of work. "But we've got a while before she starts making any career plans. For now, I think she's just excited to be here."

"She definitely is… I mean, look at her." Jemma responded, Gabby's smile widening as her gaze flashed back to her family, Caitlyn currently cheering happily while the players skated in front of her, Sofia seemingly equally intrigued by what was going on as this was an entirely never environment for her, as well. "Look at all of them, they're already having a great time and the game hasn't even started yet." She added as Dawson never took her eyes off of her husband and her girls.

"Yeah, they are. I have to give it to Matt, this was a great idea." Gabby replied with a soft grin, the woman missing how Kidd and Jemma shared a look while her focus was on her family.

"It was, especially because I got to come." Kidd spoke up, Jemma tilting her head to the side.

"Yeah, and Severide paid for your ticket." She replied with a laugh, Kidd shrugging with a proud smirk as her eyes flickered towards Kelly.

"That makes it ever better." She joked, Gabby shaking her head softly as Jemma spoke up once more.

"Can't blame you there, but I am glad we were all able to do this. Casey did a good job." Norris agreed, Gabby glancing towards her before she nodded. "And the girls… Caitlyn seems to be handling it well." She continued, her pointed words causing Gabby to draw in a slow, deep breath, Stella glancing towards her friends as she watched Dawson look back towards the girls. "All the people and everything, she's seemed to be okay with it."

"Yeah, she does." Gabby agreed with a soft smile, her eyes never leaving her oldest daughter as she was currently lightly hitting her hands against the glass, it not lost on Dawson how incredible it was that they were even able to do this at all.

A few months ago, they never would've been able to do something like this, not with Caitlyn. Being around this many people would've terrified her, and they wouldn't have even tried to do this. But with all the progress she'd made, it was like now she wasn't even fazed, Caitlyn feeling secure enough with her parents that she was able to be out in places like this without issue, the child content as long as either Matt or Gabby were around.

And being here was just another reminder of how far their girl had come, as Caitlyn's only feelings right now were that of complete joy and excitement, as opposed to the worry she used to feel when being around so many people.

"I'm just glad we're able to do this kind of stuff with her." Gabby continued as she glanced towards Jemma, the woman watching her with a soft smile. "With her and with Sof."

"Yeah, your perfect little family." Stella teased, Gabby suppressing a laugh as she turned her head to look at her. "What? I'm being serious, your family is adorable."

"She's right." Jemma agreed, Gabby scoffing lightly in response. "You have an incredible family, Gabby."

"Mommy! Mommy!"

Dawson turned her attention away from her friends when she heard the familiar sound of Caitlyn's voice, Gabby glancing in that direction to see her climbing up the last few steps to get to them, her little body moving as fast as she could, as her excitement gained the attention of some of the fans around them.

"What is it, baby?" She asked as Matt was close behind her with Sofia in his grasp, Caitlyn sliding her way into their row and coming to stand directly in front of her, while Matt moved into the row in front of them where him and the guys were sitting.

"Look!" She spoke happily as she held up the puck she was holding in her hands, Gabby reaching out to adjust the Blackhawks hat hanging off her head. It was something they'd bought for her when they got here, the family stopping to get a few different souvenirs for their girls when they first arrived, the hat being one of them. Though it was certainly a little too big and still needed to be adjusted, Caitlyn loved it regardless, the girl's bright smile beaming up at her mom while Gabby placed her hands on her waist to keep her close. "Look Mommy!"

"Wow, that's so cool! Did one of the players give that to you?" She asked with just as much excitement before her eyes flashed up towards Matt, finding a wide grin on his face as he adjusted Sofia's weight in his arms, Caitlyn nodding happily as her gaze moved towards the puck.

"Yeah! They threw it over the glass!" She continued on, the amazement in her eyes flooding Gabby with warmth as she ran her hand over daughter's side. "Daddy got it for me."

"Oh, he did, huh?" Dawson asked, Caitlyn nodding as Gabby looked back up towards Matt, Sofia still held firmly in his arms as her back was pressed into his chest, the baby preoccupied by looking around at all her unfamiliar surroundings.

"A few of the players were giving them to the kids. They gave one to Sof, too." He replied softly as Severide and Marcus came back up to their seats as well, Matt holding up the second puck in his hands as Gabby nodded with a soft smile.

"I wanna put it in my room." Caitlyn continued on, her voice regaining Gabby's attention as she looked back at her daughter. "Can I?"

"Of course, honey. You can put it wherever you want." She told her, the five year old grinning from ear to ear before she nodded, her eyes moving back down to the puck in her hands as Matt spoke up once more.

"The guys and I were gonna go get some food before the game starts." He told her, Gabby giving him a nod. "What would you like?" He questioned, the woman thinking over his question for a moment before she responded.

"Can you just get me a burger?" She requested, Matt immediately nodding as he continued to adjust Sofia in his arms, the father placing his hand over her stomach to steady her as she kept wiggling around.

"Yeah, of course. Just how you normally get it?" He checked, Gabby nodding with a soft smile. "Alright, anything else?"

"A pretzel, I think Sof would like some of that. And a water for us and the girls." She added, Matt nodding as he made a mental note of what he was supposed to get. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. You mind to keep Sofia while we go?" He requested, Matt knowing getting all the food back would be a bit of a challenge if he had to take his youngest with them, Gabby shaking her head in response. "I'm gonna take Caity with me, because she doesn't know what she wants to eat. And I'd rather her pick it out herself than spend ten dollars on something she doesn't want." He added with a chuckle, Gabby nodding in immediate agreement before she looked back down to Caitlyn, seeing their daughter still admiring the hockey puck in her little hands.

"Caitlyn." Gabby spoke to gain her attention, the five year old looking up immediately with a soft smile on her face. "Daddy said you're gonna go with him to get some food?" She asked her, the little girl nodding as Dawson patted her side. "Alright, well you need to make sure you stay close to him, alright? You know how you always need to be with either me or your dad when we're out."

"I will stay with Daddy." She promised easily, Gabby nodding as she squeezed her sides gently. "Can you hold this for me?" Caitlyn asked as she held out her puck, Gabby giving her a soft smile before she nodded one more.

"Of course I will, baby." Gabby replied, Caitlyn smiling thankfully before she handed the souvenir to her mom, Dawson taking it from her and placing it in her lap.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, sweetheart."

"We're gonna go ahead and go, but we shouldn't be gone too long, babe." Casey spoke up once more, his voice regaining Gabby's attention as she looked up, seeing Marcus and Kelly already making their way up the steps to go out towards the concession stands. "You ready, Caity?"

"Yeah!" She replied enthusiastically, Caitlyn leaning forward to give her mom a kiss before she began walking out of the row towards the steps.

"Here you go- yeah you're going to Momma." Matt spoke to Sofia as he carefully handed Gabby their baby over the seats, the man being in the row below them making it easier to complete the tradeoff as Dawson gently grabbed Sofia.

"Hi sweet girl." She cooed, the mother moving Caitlyn's hockey puck out of her lap before settling Sofia down on top of her thighs, Gabby reaching out to take Sofia's puck from Matt as well so it didn't get lost. "I'll put these in the diaper bag."

"Thanks babe." He responded before he began walking out of his row as well, where Caitlyn was waiting patiently for him on the steps.

"Be careful, please." Dawson called after them, Matt turning back to her once he got to Caitlyn, the father resting his hand on top of his daughter's head before nodding at his wife with a gentle smile.

"We will. Won't we, baby?" He asked as he looked down towards Caitlyn, the little girl nodding brightly up at her father before she looked back to Gabby.

"Yeah! I stay with Daddy." She assured her, Gabby grinning softly before she nodded as well, her eyes moving back to her husband just as he grabbed Caitlyn's hand.

"We'll be back soon." Matt told her, the man winking before he began to walk up the steps with Caitlyn, Gabby's face getting a bit hot at the simple gesture before she looked down towards her baby, the little girl reaching for the pucks in Gabby's hands as she thought it was a toy. And, knowing her baby, Gabby had a pretty good idea of what she wanted them for, as Sofia still often loved to shove most things in her mouth.

"No, no Sof." She chastised gently before reaching down to grab the diaper bag and put it into her lap, Gabby quickly finding one of her toys and handing it to her, the distraction working instantly as it gave the mom a moment to hide away the hockey pucks to where Sofia couldn't see them.

With her daughter content, and the souvenirs put away safely, Gabby set the diaper bag back down by her feet before settling comfortably in her seat, the woman suddenly feeling a few sets of eyes on her as she noticed both Jemma and Stella watching her. Raising her eyebrows slightly, she looked back and forth between them, her arms wrapped securely around her daughter as an unsure look covered her face.

"...What?" She questioned lightly as her gaze finally settled on Kidd.

"You and the Captain want to get a room?"

"Huh?" She asked quickly, though her face continued to heat up as she ducked her head slightly.

"We all saw the wink, he really can't help himself." Jemma added on to the teasing, Gabby shaking her head as she looked down at her baby, watching as Sofia started to chew on the toy in her hands.

"Which is why I was curious if you and Casey wanted to get out of here… Jemma and I wouldn't mind watching the girls." Kidd joked, both of Gabby's friends clearly having fun at her expense as she shot them a look.

"Oh, of course not. Although I figured you two would've gotten enough of that over Valentine's Day." Jemma spoke, Gabby reaching out to lightly smack her leg as both Norris and Kidd continued to laugh, the paramedic shaking her head once more. "What? I'm just saying."

"Uh huh, I'm sure." Gabby scoffed, the women continuing to laugh as Gabby looked down towards the ice. "Just whatever other comments you all have, make sure to get them out before they get back. Because you all know I have just as much I could say about the both of you and your love lives." She warned playfully, Kidd's mouth parting slightly as Jemma suppressed another laugh.

"I… That is true. You know too much, Dawson." Kidd gave in, Jemma biting down on her bottom lip as a look of amusement covered her face, Gabby smirking proudly as she rested her hand down on top of Sofia's leg.

When she felt her mom's touch, Sofia looked up towards her, the toy falling from the baby's mouth when she saw her mom's smile, as a similar grin covered the one year old's face as well. Upon seeing that, Gabby's smile grew wider, Sofia matching her look as the mother began rubbing over her stomach.

"Is that funny? You think Aunt Stella is funny, huh?" She asked, her voice much higher than usual as she spoke with her daughter, Sofia beginning to babble away as Gabby patted her stomach. "Yeah, I know she's silly." She continued on, Stella shaking her head while Jemma laughed, the women continuing to give the littlest Casey attention while they waited for the guys and Caitlyn to get back with their food.

"Woo!" Caitlyn cheered as the hockey players skated past them, her little voice being heard throughout all the other noise around them despite the fact that she was sitting in the row in front of her mom, the game coming to a close as there were only a few minutes left. This was something the five year old had been doing all night, Caitlyn cheering at random times throughout the game as she wasn't entirely sure of what she was watching, the little girl not really getting much about the entire thing. But what she did know was she was having fun, Caitlyn cheering often and loudly, especially when other people around her would as well. And while she didn't understand much about the sport itself, she did understand the excitement of everyone around her when they'd score a goal, all the cheering and music her favorite part of the night. And, thankfully, with the Blackhawks winning, there had been quite a bit of cheering going on, Caitlyn enjoying every moment as she was sitting on her dad's lap.

Throughout the entire night, that's where Caitlyn had been, the little girl sitting on Matt's lap despite the fact they had a seat for her. But the second they'd finished eating back when the game started, she'd immediately gone to her dad, wanting to sit with him. And that was a request Casey would never deny as he'd lifted her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her to keep her securely against him, the girl having been there ever since; aside from when goals would be scored and they'd stand up to cheer. But other than that, she hadn't moved, Caitlyn content with her dad as Kelly sat beside them, Marcus on the other side of Severide as they sat in the row in front of the girls, while the other seat on the other side of Matt they left empty.

"Daddy, they're going so fast!" Caitlyn spoke in wonder, the girl's commentary all evening having been enjoyed by mostly everyone around them as it was clear she was having a great time, Matt chuckling softly as he patted his hand over her stomach.

"Yeah, they are." He replied before kissing the back of her head, Caitlyn relaxing back into his chest as her eyes stayed focused on the game happening in front of her, while Gabby watched on at the scene with nothing but love in her gaze.

For as nice as it was to get out with everyone and come do this, the best part for Dawson had certainly been getting to watch Caitlyn and Matt as they'd been attached at the hip all night, the two certainly bonding over this outing as their little girl was continuously asking Matt questions, and wanting to know all she could about the game. And though Gabby was sure she didn't actually grasp much of what was being told to her, that wasn't so much the point as Caitlyn was just enjoying this time with her father. And Matt was too, Gabby sure they hadn't stopped smiling the entire time.

But while Caitlyn was alert and excited, the same couldn't be said for the youngest Casey as Sofia was fast asleep in her mother's lap. And she had been for a while, which was honestly what Gabby expected. In fact, she expected both girls to be tired, and for them to both fall asleep before the game ended, but that clearly wasn't the case with Caitlyn, Gabby definitely surprised that she was still as awake as she was with it being this late in the evening. But Sofia was a different story entirely, as the one year old fell asleep soon after they ate their dinner.

The baby had enjoyed her food, Sofia snacking on some of the pretzel Matt had gotten, as well as the snacks they brought for her, but soon after that she'd curled up in her mom's lap and passed out only a few minutes into the first period. And she hadn't moved since, her head tucked into Gabby's chest while her little fist was clutching onto her mom's shirt, her other keeping her favorite stuffed animal held tightly between the two of them, while the pacifier in her mouth helped soothe her in her sleep. Then to aid her rest, they'd also put a pair of ear muffs on her, the headphones not only protecting her ears from the loud horns and music, but it also helped keep all noise out. Which, admittedly, was why she had been able to sleep for so long without waking up, as it had worked wonders in keeping her comfortable despite everything going on around her.

And while Sofia's resting meant Gabby wasn't able to participate or celebrate as much as her friends and family, she was still having just as good of a time regardless as she was glad to see her husband and oldest daughter having so much fun.

The sound of the horn going off grabbed Dawson's attention once more as she looked up from Sofia to see the Blackhawks had scored again, their goal into the empty net securing their win as everyone got up to cheer once more, Matt keeping Caitlyn in his grasp as he stood up with the crowd around them.

"They did it!" Caitlyn spoke again happily as she clapped her hands together, those words being something she'd said after every goal as she didn't know much of the correct terminology to use. But it somehow made the whole thing that much more endearing, as her genuine excitement was infectious. "They did it, Daddy!"

"Yeah, they did." He replied, Matt securing her against him with one arm before using his free hand to give her a high-five. One Caitlyn eagerly returned before turning to look at Severide.

"They did it, Uncle Kelly!" She repeated, Severide chuckling before he nodded.

"They sure did, it looks like they're gonna win. I think you might be a good luck charm." He replied, Caitlyn giggling happily before Matt put her down on the ground, her little body standing in front of him. And the second she was on the ground, she immediately began dancing around to the music, Matt and Gabby both watching on in amusement as she moved around without a care in the world while everyone continued to celebrate, until everyone eventually began to sit back down.

But instead of sitting down with her father once Matt eventually reclaimed his seat, Caitlyn stayed standing the rest of the time, the little girl standing securely in front of him as her hands rested on his legs while they waited for the game to finish, her energy clearly not diminishing yet as she was still bouncing up and down happily. Though for as energetic as she was right now, they knew she'd be hitting a wall here soon, as it was well past her bedtime, Caitlyn having made it much farther into the game than they expected.

And, as suspected, soon after the game ended, she definitely hit that wall.

She had a lot of fun cheering when the team won, Caitlyn getting high-fives from everyone around them while she cheered, while also making sure to include Gabby, Jemma, and Stella in her celebrations. But after the initial rush of the victory wore off, and Caitlyn's little body finally started to catch up with how late it was, it didn't take long for her to begin to fade. And by the time they were ready to leave, she was half asleep as she sat in her seat while the adults stood and talked, sans Gabby who was still seated with a sleeping Sofia.

"Well, I'd say that was a good night." Severide spoke with a light laugh, his words earning a nod from everyone around them as Matt stood in front of the seat Caitlyn was in.

"It really was, we should do this more often." Casey replied as his eyes flashed towards Gabby, his wife immediately nodding in agreement with a soft smile on her face, Matt matching her grin before he looked down to Sofia. "Although maybe next time we should try for an afternoon game." He added, suppressing a chuckle of his own as everyone glanced towards the sleeping baby who hadn't moved in hours, Sofia still holding onto her mom with a death grip.

"Definitely… Preferably after Sofia's nap." Gabby spoke up, Matt shaking his head with a soft smile.

"Yeah, I'm not sure how you've sat there this entire time without moving, Dawson." Severide spoke up, Gabby shrugging slightly, but not enough to move very much as she didn't want to jostle her little girl.

"I'm fine, I'm just glad she was able to sleep with everything going on." She responded, rubbing gently over Sofia's back as Severide shot her a look.

"You're such a mom." He told her, Gabby giving him an unimpressed glance of her own before shaking her head lightly, Matt wearing a similar look across his face as Kelly's gaze moved down to the other Casey. "Though it looks like Sof isn't the only one who's tired." He added, the man laughing softly as all the adults looked in the direction of Caitlyn, only to find her fast asleep in the chair, her legs curled up to her chest as she slept soundly.

"Man, that was fast." Jemma commented, it not lost on any of them how she'd been up and running around not five minutes ago. "Tonight must've wore her out."

"Yeah, it did." Casey agreed softly as he reached down to place a gentle hand on Caitlyn's shoulder.

"But at least she made it through the game… She had such a great time." Norris continued, Gabby and Matt both nodding happily before the parents shared a look.

"She really did, I think everyone did... But now I think it's time to get these girls home." Gabby spoke up, Matt wearing an agreeing look across his face. "You ready to get out of here and get these girls to bed?"

"Yeah, I am." Casey responded before returning his attention to Caitlyn while Gabby slowly began to adjust the baby in her arms to get her in a position to where she could carry her. And, to no one's surprise, Sofia didn't like it one bit, the one year old immediately beginning to whine when she was pulled from her peaceful slumber, Sofia quickly digging herself back into Gabby's chest as she wanted more sleep.

"I know, I know… It's okay, we're going home, baby." She murmured as she adjusted her one last time before standing up, Sofia tucking her head into her mom's neck trying to make herself comfortable again.

And while Gabby got Sofia situated, Matt did his best to get Caitlyn up and into his hold without disturbing her too much. But with the position she was in, it was nearly impossible to get her up without waking her, the little girl groaning softly as she blindly reached out towards her dad.

"I got you, baby." He told her, repeating the similar sentiment Gabby had told Sofia as he lifted her into his arms, Caitlyn's little legs hooking around him as he clasped his hands together underneath her. "Yeah, I think it's definitely time to get out of here." Casey murmured towards Gabby, his wife nodding in agreement before the group began to filter out of their rows to the steps, Matt in the back of the group as he felt Caitlyn's steady breathing against his neck.

"Thank you, Daddy."

A small smile formed onto his face when he heard her little voice, her exhaustion evident as he felt her tighten her grip around his neck. He wasn't entirely sure what he was being thanked for, though if he had to guess he just assumed it to be the night in general.

"And Mommy." She mumbled, her words telling him just how out of it she was as a warm smile formed across his face, Matt bringing one hand up to rub over her back before he pressed a kiss to the side of her head.

"You're welcome, Caity." He whispered, the father giving her another kiss before he walked out of the row onto the steps, Gabby having waited for him in her own row as she carried their sleeping baby.

"You ready?" She asked, Matt nodding with that same gentle grin before gesturing for her to go ahead up the stairs.

"Let's go home." He replied, Gabby matching his look before she began to walk up the steps, Matt keeping an eye on her while following behind her, the man able to see his entire family as they made their way out of the arena, Casey knowing this wasn't a night he'd soon forget as it had been one of the best evenings they'd had in a while.

"Okay, now look at this one, when we were down by the glass. She was so excited to see the players."

Dawson smiled softly as her husband's enthusiastic voice filled the common room, the paramedic currently sitting a few seats down from him as he resided in his usual chair at the head of the table, Gabby's focus partially on the book in her hands while she also listened to Matt as he showed a few of their friends photos of Caitlyn and Sofia from the night before. They were all gathered around him, Matt proudly showing off all the pictures he and Gabby had taken of the girls before and during the hockey game, as their night out the day before was a big topic of conversation in the firehouse. So, of course when afternoon came and they finally had some down time, questions about the game quickly came up, which led to Matt pulling out the photos.

And he'd been going on for nearly ten minutes, Matt having a story to go along with practically every picture he showed them as he was eager to tell his friends about the night they'd had. And they were all equally as eager to listen, too, as their firehouse family never got tired of hearing about their girls.

"So Caitlyn's first hockey game was a success, huh?" Herrmann asked as he stood behind Casey, Matt glancing up to him with a soft smile on his face.

"It definitely was, she had a great time. Made it through the whole game, too."

"Really?"

"Mhmm… Though that made for an interesting morning." Casey breathed out, Gabby scoffing lightly as the sound gained everyone's attention, a look of amusement immediately covering Matt's face.

"Sounds like it was more than interesting." Brett commented with a laugh, Gabby nodding as she placed her book down.

"Yeah, it was… Caitlyn did not want to get out of bed this morning and go to school. Though we expected that fight before we even went out last night."

"I'm sure. I imagine it was a late night for you all." Herrmann replied, Gabby and Matt both nodding in response.

"It was, and she's not really used to that. But during the game she did great, it was just this morning that she gave us a bit of trouble. But she should be home from school already, and if I had to guess, she's probably napping right about now." Matt told him, Gabby agreeing with a small smile as Herrmann looked in between them. "And I'd say the game was worth it, she had such a great time."

"She really did." Severide chimed in from the other table, his words causing a few of the men and women in the room to glance back towards him. "I swear it was like watching Casey and his mini-me during the game, they both had so much fun." Kelly added, his words light and teasing as a proud smile covered Matt's face.

"She is just like you, Casey." Herrmann spoke up, the grin on his face never faltering as a similar one covered Gabby's.

"Yeah, she is." Dawson said, her soft voice causing Matt to look at her before his smile widened, the man ducking his head slightly as he returned his attention down to his phone, while Gabby continued to watch him for a few more seconds. "Sev's right, she is like a mini-Matt."

"I don't know about all that," Casey deflected, Gabby shaking her head softly as Matt continued to flip through pictures. "But we did have a great time, all of us. And Caitlyn seemed really interested in hockey, once she started to understand it a bit more."

"She was already asking us this morning about learning how to skate." Gabby spoke once more, Herrmann raising his eyebrows as Casey chuckling quietly.

"Oh boy." Christopher replied, Gabby nodded with her lips pursed together.

"Wow, you want to talk about a mini-me." Foster's voice broke through their conversation as everyone glanced towards her, seeing her and Brett looking down at Casey's phone at what was apparently a photo of their youngest. "Sofia really is the spitting image of Dawson." She continued on, Gabby raising her eyebrows as Matt shot her a smile.

"Right?" Brett added. "She looks exactly like her."

"She does." Matt agreed, the man never taking his eyes off of his wife as she ran her tongue along her bottom lip. "Thankfully, Sofia got all her genes from Gabby."

His words caused a chorus of laughs to be heard throughout the room, Dawson shaking her head as a few of their friends looked towards her. "It's not just me, she looks like her dad, too."

"I don't know, I think Casey's right on this one, Dawson." Foster replied, Brett nodding in agreement. "I mean, the blue eyes are Casey's, but everything else… You two look exactly alike."

"Especially as Sof gets older." Matt cut in once more, Gabby cocking her head to the side as he placed his phone down on the table. "She's definitely mostly Gabby."

As he spoke, the bells went off above their heads, calling all three companies to a car accident a few miles away from the house, the focus in the room shifting as the first responders knew their talks of the Casey family would have to wait until after this call, everyone getting up from their seats as they began to filter out in to the garage.

"Herrmann when we get back, remind me to show you the pictures of Caitlyn and Sofia at home before we went to the game, they're the cutest thing ever." Casey spoke proudly, the older man chuckling before he nodded, as everyone continued to the garage and towards their rigs.

Matt and Gabby walked in step with one another as they went around the back of 81, before it was time to part to their own rigs, Casey heading for the passenger side while Dawson made her way to the back, as Brett and Foster took up residence in the front seats. But before Gabby climbed in, she spared one last look at her husband while he got his gear on, Matt seemingly able to sense her gaze as he looked towards her.

The second their eyes locked on one another, a warm smile formed over Matt's face, the gesture causing her grin to widen as well as they both smiled brightly at each other, Casey giving her a quick nod before she climbed into the back of the ambulance and shut the doors, all the members of firehouse 51 working as quickly as possible to get out of the house.

And pretty soon they did, ambulance 61 pulling out of the garage first before truck 81 followed, squad 3 bringing up the back as they all drove out into the street with their sirens blaring, all of them heading to scene as quickly and safely as they could as the cold and icy February day made that task a little more difficult.

"Otis, how much farther?" Casey asked as he slid his gloves on, the firefighter behind the wheel keeping a safe enough distance from 61 as they slowed down when they came towards a light.

"Just a few minutes out." He replied, Matt nodding in response as he looked back ahead, both men watching as 61 almost came to a complete stop at the red light, the rig pausing for a moment before heading out into the intersection to continue towards the call. "It's a few blocks down." He added as ambo moved forward.

But just as they got out into the road, it was like everything began to happen in slow motion, Matt's eyes widening in horror as a truck blaring on their horn came flying through the intersection, the vehicle coming into view out of nowhere through the blind turn before slamming into the driver's side door of the ambulance. The sound of crushing metal was loud enough to be heard through the sirens, Otis slamming on his brakes as Casey watched the scene unfold in front of him, the Captain barely able to process what he was seeing as 61 tumbled across the street. The truck did what it could to swerve out of the way, but it wasn't enough as the ambulance smacked the ground harshly on the passenger side before the force of impact flipped it onto its top and began skidding through the icy road, the sound of screeching metal filling the air as the rig spun around on the ground.

The whole thing happened in a matter of seconds, but felt like an eternity as the destroyed rig sat upside down in the middle of the intersection, glass and metal laying everywhere over the road as smoke began to bellow out from the crushed vehicle.

The same vehicle that had their paramedics trapped inside.