Hello everyone! I've got the next chapter for you all, hopefully you enjoy it. Now that Gabby's awake, we're gonna start getting into her recovery and how that goes, so I hope you're looking forward to that.

But before we get into it, I just want to thank you all for the kind words and messages you left for me and my family after the last chapter. It means more than I can even say. Thank you all for being so kind and understanding, I appreciate you all so much. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

I hope you all like this one, thank you so much for reading. I'll see you next time.

Chapter One Hundred and Thirty Two

Casey walked through the familiar hallway at Chicago med, a small duffle bag from home clasped tightly in his palm as he maneuvered around nurses and a few different patients he passed on his way to his destination. And as this was a path he'd taken regularly over the past week, he got to his wife's room pretty quickly, Matt having last been here mere hours ago as he once again came face to face with the shut door.

It was closed in the same place he'd left it, but he brought his hand up to knock anyway as he didn't want to walk in unannounced. Unsure of what he'd be walking into, he only tapped softly against the wood, as Casey didn't know if Gabby had managed to fall back asleep after he left to go home. Though he sure hoped she had, as he knew she needed all the rest she could get. But when he slowly pushed the door open, it was clear she hadn't gotten much sleep while he was away as Matt was met by the sight of Gabby sitting up in her bed, while one of her usual nurses, Rachel, was standing by her bedside.

The woman was talking to his wife about something or other, he wasn't entirely sure as he opened the door a bit further, Gabby soon glancing over his way when she noticed his presence. And as soon as she saw him, the soft smile on her face widened, her warm brown eyes locking on his piercing blue ones as he took another step into her room.

"Hey baby." She greeted, her voice sounding a bit rougher than it did when he left her a few hours ago, that alone telling him that she likely did get a bit more sleep after he'd left.

After placing the duffle bag in his hand down on the ground, he continued towards her bed, Matt giving Rachel a soft smile before returning his complete attention to the love of his life.

"Hey… I wasn't expecting you to be up." He replied as he got to her side, the husband leaning down to press a quick kiss against the top of her head before straightening back up, his palms resting on top of the railing on her bed.

"You can blame that one on me." Rachel piped in, Matt tearing his eyes away from Gabby to watch the nurse they had come to know quite well as she was preparing some medication. There were a couple small plastic cups sat out in front of Gabby, as Rachel was making sure she had the right medication in the right spots, this process a little bit new to the couple as they had only started giving Gabby some of her medicine through pills yesterday. "She was asleep when I got here, but it was time for me to check in on her… And we also don't want to miss her getting her medication."

"Definitely not." Matt chimed in, his eyes moving between Gabby and prescribed medication sitting in front of her. "But… she's doing alright?" He questioned, both women glancing towards him as they heard the slight nervous edge to his tone, Gabby slowly reaching up to place her hand over his as Rachel's face softened. "You just came by to check on her, I didn't miss anything else?"

Seeing the worry beginning to set in with the attentive husband, Rachel immediately nodded, the woman having had some experience with Matt and how easily he became concerned over his wife. Even if there was nothing to worry about.

"She's fine, Mr. Casey." She answered him, Rachel hoping the bit of professionalism would help him believe her. "It's just our usual morning check in… Dr. Jennings will be by to see her in a bit, but you haven't missed anything. I've only been in here a few minutes."

"I'm fine, Matt." Gabby added softly, Casey drawing in a deep breath before he nodded, his eyes focusing in on his wife just as she offered him a small smile.

"Alright… sorry, I just wanted to make sure." He eventually responded, the sheepish look on his face hard to hide as Gabby rubbed her hand over the back of his.

"It's fine, Mr. Casey." Rachel continued as her eyes were mostly focused on the task at hand. "I know this has been a lot; a lot of doctors, and nurses… people in and out of here. But nothing's wrong, Gabby's doing well." She told him confidently, Matt not missing the proud look that shined in his wife's eyes before he leaned down to kiss her head once more. "And I'm sure Dr. Jennings will be saying the same thing when you see him later this morning."

"Yeah, he will." Matt spoke confidently, Gabby drawing in a slow breath before shrugging, the action causing her to wince a little as she moved her sore shoulder, Casey's eyes immediately moving to the remains of the bruising he could still see across her collarbone.

With it being seven days since the accident, and over half of those spent with Gabby being unconscious in a hospital bed, her body had already been given some time to start physically healing. And most of it had, Matt knowing overall she felt a lot better than she did now even compared to when she first woke up. But one of the things that was still giving her a little trouble was the soreness her body felt, in her arm especially. That hadn't seemed to go away much at all, as her body still was holding onto a bit more pain than he would've expected this far into her recovery.

And Matt couldn't help but think that she still felt this way because she hadn't been able to get up and move around much, or at all really.

Between the healing gash across the top of her thigh, and her inability to use her arm for balance as she was still required to wear the sling, she hadn't been cleared to really try and get up and move around. In fact the most she'd been cleared to do was stand up beside her bed, with at least two people with her, and get used to being in that position again. They'd allowed her to take a few steps, the doctors knowing she needed to get up a little bit to help prevent blood clots or any further issues. But they wouldn't let her take too many, as they didn't want her testing the limits of her leg, and also because they weren't able to let her use a walker to help her get around, as she wouldn't be able to hold onto it properly.

So until her leg and her arm both started to heal a bit more, they were at a sort of standstill in this whole process, one Matt knew Gabby found quite frustrating as he was well aware how she hated to be limited by her own body. But even more than that, he couldn't help but think that the soreness she still felt came from being cooped up in this bed, and in this room. So he hoped that when she could be a little more mobile, she would begin to help her feel better over all.

But Casey feared they were still a few days off from that.

"He's gonna come in here and tell you how well you're doing." Matt continued, Gabby slowly meeting his eyes before she responded.

"I hope so." She added quietly, her words earning a supportive smile from her husband just as Rachel spoke up once more.

"It's all good news, Gabby." She reiterated, the nurse giving them both an encouraging nod, Rachel waiting until they both looked her way before she continued. "I know these past few days have been a bit challenging at times, but you are getting better… You've made a lot of progress already. After what happened, you're doing very well. And Dr. Jennings is gonna tell you the exact same thing."

Dawson did her best to digest the woman's words before she began to nod after a moment, Rachel's bright smile widening before she continued on with her work, Gabby taking a few more seconds before she replied.

"Yeah, you're right… I'm doing better. But do you think part of… how well I'm doing will include me taking a shower. Cause I feel a little gross." She spoke lightheartedly, her tone proving she wasn't so much caught up in her own head anymore as Rachel gave her a sympathetic smile. And it was a look that Casey mimicked, as he listened to her do her best to communicate with them.

It's something that had gotten better as of late, but was still definitely something he wondered about, as Gabby was continuing to work on her ability to communicate. She'd certainly improved when it came to her memory and remembering the important people in her life, as well as her being able to hold conversations with people, as Gabby wasn't struggling nearly as much as she had been when she first woke up. Though her speech, or ability to choose her words rather, wasn't completely back to normal yet, as his wife still would hesitate, or need an extra second to figure out how she wanted to respond to someone, but she was getting there.

With every conversation they'd had, he'd noticed her improvements in her ability to communicate with him, just like Dr. Jennings said she would. Even though she wasn't there yet, her brain just needed time to catch up after being unconscious for so long. And now that it had that time, he knew she was getting better, as the few pauses here and there were nothing compared to her near inability to talk when she first woke up.

And that's what he was trying his best to hold onto. He wanted to focus on her improvements, because he knew if he didn't, all he'd do was focus on how she wasn't completely one hundred percent yet. How, despite the good, a small part of him couldn't help but wonder if this issue with her head was more permanent than Dr. Jennings led on.

He knew it was the husband in him talking, that he had no reason not to trust Gabby's doctor and his judgement, as he was the only reason his wife was even still alive right now. But despite the constant reassurances that this has happened to patients in the past, Matt was having a hard time truly believing that's all it was. A part of him wasn't able to shake the feeling that this might be something a little more permanent, even though he was seeing with his own eyes that she was improving every day.

All of that, and more, is what kept circling around in his mind every time Gabby said a word, Casey not entirely sure of what to think right now. But at the end of the day, all he wanted was for Gabby to be okay. If this was something that ended up never completely going away, they'd figure it out. Because at the end of the day, her stumbling over some words here and there wasn't nearly as important as her life.

Gabby was here, she was fine, considering everything that happened. And that's what mattered.

"Because… a shower would be good." Gabby said once more, that soft look never leaving Rachel's face as Matt's mind snapped back into focus.

"I mean, you can ask him… But you know the answer to that, Gabby." The nurse reminded her, though she didn't need to as Dawson released a soft sigh. "Until you're able to-"

"Move around on my own…" She finished for her, Rachel nodding with a gentle smile as Matt kept his gaze on Gabby. "I know."

"I know this isn't any fun, and I'm sorry." Rachel told her sympathetically, before holding out her first dose of pills for the day, Gabby taking the small cup. "I can only imagine how much you miss being able to do things for yourself, but I'll go ahead and tell you the same thing Dr. Jennings will, and that's that you need a few more days to heal… You're close, but you're not there yet. But I promise, the second you're able to move around on you're own, that shower is all yours… With supervision." She told her honestly, Gabby giving her a weak smile before she nodded.

"Deal."

"Good… Because the last thing we'd want to do is rush your recovery, and you end up staying here longer." She warned her, the statement causing Gabby to draw in a slow, deep breath before she nodded, the thought alone making her sick. "We all want you well, so you can get out of here and get home to your adorable little babies." She continued on, Dawson smiling softly at the mention of her daughters as she felt Matt grab onto her hand. "But to do that, we can't push this… We'll take these next steps when you're ready."

As Rachel's words sunk in, Gabby gave her one last nod, the women exchanging small smiles before Dawson took her medication, Matt watching her closely as she carefully swallowed the pills before taking a sip of her water.

"Alright, well Dr. Jennings should be in here a little later this morning, if you need anything you know where to find me." Rachel spoke as she gathered up her few things, Gabby nodding with a soft smile as Matt looked her way.

"Thank you." Casey responded, the two exchanging a few more pleasantries before Rachel left the room, the nurse closing the door behind her, effectively shutting off the couple from the rest of the world as Matt returned his full attention back towards his wife. And when he did, he saw a few different emotions hiding in her eyes, some he couldn't quite make out as he offered her a soft smile. "Hi again." He greeted, Casey hoping his warm tone would help her relax as he slowly leaned down to capture her lips in a gentle, yet fleeting, kiss.

And the contact was more than welcome, Gabby responding immediately just before he pulled back, Matt going in for another quick kiss before standing up straight. "...How'd things go at home?" She asked as she rested her head back against the bed, that question clearly having been on her mind ever since he got back as it only took seconds for her to ask it, Matt nodding with a slight grin before he moved to push the railing on the side of the bed down. It was a task he completed successfully, giving him room to sit on the edge of her hospital bed while facing her.

"Things were good, a bit hectic, but good… Neither of them were awake when I got there, so I was there to help Caity get up." He told her, Gabby taking in his words as he reached his hand across her body and rested his palm over her uninjured thigh, Matt doing his best to keep most of his weight off of her. "And she was excited, I think… The big day, you know." He alluded to maybe the biggest news of the day, Gabby unable to fight off her smile as she nodded slowly, knowing Caitlyn's plans for today were in fact something for the five year old to be excited about.

After her unexpected week away from school, today was Caitlyn's first day back at kindergarten. And it was something she was thrilled about now, even though when the parents first approached Caity about starting back at school, they could tell she had mixed feelings about the whole thing.

Their baby girl loved school, and she had pretty much from the moment she started going, but they knew she was nervous to go and be away from her mom. With Caitlyn's strong need to be with her mom whenever she could, the initial idea of going back to school hadn't gone over well with her. But after some reassurances from both parents that everything was fine, that Gabby was alright, and that she could come straight to the hospital to see her mom once her class got out, they managed to convince her in mere minutes that it would be okay. And ever since then, they knew the small girl was looking forward to getting back to school.

And Matt and Gabby were as well, as they didn't want her missing any more time than she had already.

"But it all went well, I got her dropped off without any issues." He continued on as he began to fish around in his pocket, Gabby's eyebrows raising slightly when she saw him pull out his phone. "I took her inside, and the second she saw all her friends she was good… But she did tell me to let you know that she loves you, and misses you," He told her with a bright grin as his eyes were focused down on his phone, Matt missing the warm smile that formed across Gabby's lips. "And she wanted me to give you, and I quote, 'a bunch of hugs and kisses for Momma from Caity'." He finished, warmth continuing to spread through her chest at the mention of her oldest daughter.

"And I got some photos of her before school, like you wanted." Matt added on when she had yet to say anything, the husband holding out his phone towards her so she could see the pictures of Caitlyn.

With that signature bright grin across her face, Caitlyn stood proudly in their home in her outfit for school, Gabby swiping through the photos of her daughter's different poses as Matt had clearly taken an unnecessary amount of pictures. But she loved every last one of them, Gabby looking at their daughter with the biggest smile on her face, while Matt kept his eyes on her.

As Gabby continued to look through the photos, her eyebrows raised slightly when she saw a few new ones where Sofia had joined her sister for the pictures. But while Caitlyn was dressed head to toe and completely put together, the baby was the exact opposite, Sofia wearing nothing but a diaper as she clung to her sister, the sight causing Gabby to look back over to her husband.

"...Where are her clothes?" She asked lightly, Matt fighting off his shy grin as he glanced down to the phone, before finding Gabby's gaze once more. And when she registered the look on his face, it was impossible for her not to smile, Gabby's head tilting to the side slightly as she waited for his explanation.

"Well, we might've had a little mishap at breakfast… Sof wanted to be a big girl and eat her waffles by herself." He started, Gabby having a pretty good idea of where this story was headed already, but she let him continue on anyway as she saw the familiar gleam in her husband's eyes. "She even asked me for them- well, she said she wanted 'fafas', but it counts." He interjected, Gabby fighting off her smirk as she shook her head lightly. "But anyway, my baby wanted her waffles, and who am I to say no to her? So I made her some waffles, for her and Caitlyn both. But then Sof saw that me put syrup on Caitlyn's plate and she wanted some, too, which… Let's just say it didn't end well." He blew out a heavy breath at the memory, Matt stifling a laugh as he reached out for his phone again, the man clearly looking for something.

"So, long story short, she got syrup everywhere, including all over herself and in her hair, so I had her shower with me to wash off, and I didn't have time to get her all the way dressed before it was time to take Caity to school." He finished explaining, Gabby nodding in understanding while he continued looking at his phone, before holding it out to her once more. "But look, isn't she cute?" He asked, though the question was clearly rhetorical as Gabby's eyes moved towards the picture he was showing her.

And it didn't disappoint one bit, as Gabby was met by the sight of her husband and her baby, both freshly showered as they stood in their bathroom at home. Matt had a towel wrapped around his waist, while Sofia was bunched up in a towel much too big for her little body as she was being held by her dad. And if that alone wasn't enough, with the bright smiles on both of their faces, the picture of her husband and her youngest daughter was one of the most adorable things she'd ever seen, Matt seeing her entire face light up as she stared at the photo.

"I told her to smile for Momma, and that's what she did." He told her, Gabby blinking quickly a few times before she swiped across the screen and was immediately met by another photo of the two of them, but this time Sofia was pressing her signature sloppy kisses to his face. A soft laugh escaped her lips, Matt leaning forward to see what she was looking at before he matched her grin, his thumb rubbing gently back and forth over her leg that was underneath her blanket as her eyes were locked on the phone. "Yeah, she definitely had a lot of energy this morning… That's probably why she decided it would be fun to play with her breakfast, but the girls had a good morning, as you can see."

Gabby nodded slowly, her gaze focused on Sofia for a few more seconds before she looked back up at Matt, the couple locking eyes as she handed him his phone back.

"It seems like it." She murmured, Matt giving her a soft smile before nodding back at her.

He could tell she seemed a little more down than he was hoping, as the entire reason he'd wanted to show her these photos was to help make her feel better. But it seemed to have the opposite effect, at least for a moment, Matt keeping his eyes lingering on her before he eventually spoke up.

"They definitely missed you, though." He reminded her, watching her breath in deeply as he continued lovingly rubbing her leg. "Sof was asking for you all morning, she just settled for Dada." He added with a chuckle, Gabby getting the feeling that her husband was doing his best to help lift her spirits. Which, admittedly, did help a little bit as she gave him another nod. "But Becca is gonna bring the girls by once Caity finishes up at school, and you can spend all afternoon with them." He told her, even though she knew this already. But Matt couldn't help but feel like it wouldn't hurt to hear again, Gabby giving him a weak smile as he waited for her to speak up.

"I know." She murmured, Gabby breathing in deeply as she took a moment to gather her thoughts. "...I just wish I wasn't missing all this." She admitted, Matt giving her a sad nod in response.

"I know you do, but you'll be home with our girls soon enough, baby." He replied as supportively as he could. "You've gotta be here for just a little while longer, but then we can all be home… all of us together."

Gabby didn't get the chance to do much more than nod before they heard a knock on the door, Matt turning back towards the entrance of the room just as the sound filtered into the room again. "Come in." Casey called, figuring it was another nurse, or maybe Dr. Jennings was just early today.

But when the door opened, he realized neither of those things were true as they came face to face with Chief Boden for the first time in a while, the man cautiously standing in the doorway as Matt noticed the bit of hesitance in his demeanor. And though his eyes were trained on Gabby, Boden clearly a little stunned at seeing her for the first time since this all happened, Matt was sure some of hesitation came from dropping by unannounced. But neither of them minded, Matt pushing himself up off the bed as the Chief continued further inside.

"Hi Chief." Matt greeted, the older man giving him a nod as he came to a stop a few feet away from the bed, Gabby offering him a small smile as Casey stood by her side.

"Hi Casey… Dawson. I'm sorry to just stop by like this, I hope this isn't a bad time or anything." He spoke up, Matt immediately shaking his head as he glanced towards his wife.

"It's not, you're fine." Casey was quick to assure him, Gabby nodding after a moment as she slowly crossed her arms over her chest. "We've been up for a while, I just got back dropping Caity off at school." He explained, Boden smiling softly before he spoke up.

"Ah, well that's good to hear… How are those girls doing?" He asked, both parents unable to hide their smiles at the mention of their daughters, Gabby being the one to speak up first as the Chief looked her way.

"They're good." She answered easily, Matt nodding in agreement. "This has… been a lot, but they're-... handling it."

Boden's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he noticed Gabby stumbling over her words, his eyes moving towards Casey for a split second, the two men sharing a knowing look before Matt shook his head. The interaction was brief, Boden understanding his silent words before he looked back to Gabby with that same soft smile, the woman in the hospital bed seemingly unaware of the glance the firefighters shared.

"...Things are getting better, with them." Gabby finished, Boden responding with an encouraging nod.

"That's great to hear, Dawson." He replied sincerely, the man holding onto much more worry about his paramedic than he'd ever tell her, as the last thing he wanted to do was burden her with that. But after the devastating crash, it was good to finally see her, and see that she was doing okay, considering. To see that after all they'd lost, Gabby wasn't a part of that.

It was a feeling he couldn't quite put into words, but one he was grateful for nonetheless, as it was nothing short of a miracle that Dawson was here right now.

Especially when Boden knew just how close they'd come to losing her.

"So, what brings you by, Chief?" Casey spoke up, his eyes glancing over the man's attire for shift, Matt definitely not expecting this visit today. They hadn't really had anyone from the firehouse come by, aside from Kelly, as Casey didn't want to overwhelm his wife. So Boden's visit today, while not unwelcome, was certainly unexpected "Everything alright?"

"Everything's fine. I was in the area, and I just wanted to stop by and see how you were doing, Dawson." He answered, Gabby nodding with a soft smile. "I've spoken to Severide, kept in touch with him, and he said you've been doing a lot better these last few days. But I wanted to check in myself."

"I've been alright." She replied confidently, Boden nodding with a bright smile as Matt looked towards her. "It's...a slow process, but I'm okay."

"That's all that matters." The Chief told her, Casey nodding confidently in agreement. "You getting better, that's what's important. No matter how long it takes… We're all just glad you're alright, Dawson."

"Me too." She murmured, her words earning an understanding smile from her boss. "...I'm glad you stopped by." Gabby added softly, Boden taking a slight step forward as he placed his hands on his hips.

"Yeah, I wasn't sure if it was a good idea or not, but I wanted to check in. And since I was here, and I knew you were doing alright, I figured it was a good time."

"You were at the hospital?" Matt questioned as he picked up on the man's wording, Boden raising his eyebrows slightly as both the Chief and Gabby looked to Casey.

"I was at headquarters." He corrected, Matt's head tilting to the side before he nodded, the Chief looking back and forth between them, like he was trying to decide how much more to say. "We, uh… We were discussing the accident," He continued on, Matt wincing before he glanced down at Gabby, finding her gaze focused on Boden. "And what the plans are going forward, for personnel on ambulance 61."

Gabby's eyebrows furrowed as she processed his words, the paramedic trying to grasp what he was saying, but she felt like she was missing something, as she knew she'd be back to work eventually. Her injuries, though frustrating, weren't anything to keep her off the job, so she didn't understand what Boden was talking about.

But when she looked up towards her husband, and saw the grimace over his face, she knew he wasn't as surprised by Boden's words, Gabby watching as he drew in a deep breath before looking at her.

"And since I was over here, I figured I'd come check in on you and Brett."

More confusion settled in over her already unsure mind, Gabby looking back and forth between the men as she felt so completely lost in this moment. "...What?"

From his position beside the bed, Casey's eyes fell closed as that deep look never left his face, the Captain knowing they were charting into territory he'd done his best to avoid ever since she woke up and couldn't remember what happened.

It wasn't like he was trying to keep it from her, he wanted to tell her. But he never found the right time, as the accident wasn't something either of them enjoyed talking about. And it hadn't helped his cause that Gabby remembered nothing from it.

Aside from the nightmare she had the first night she woke up, she didn't remember anything that happened. And even from that, all she could place was the pain she was in, and how it felt in that moment. But the actual details, she remembered nothing. She couldn't remember the accident, or the few days leading up to it, either. It was like those memories were just a blank in her mind, and she hadn't really asked about it, either.

From what little it had come up, Matt knew his wife didn't want to talk about it. Whether it was just too painful, or it scared her that she didn't remember what happened- whatever the reason, Gabby didn't want to talk about it. She hadn't asked about it, and he hadn't brought it up. But with that, that meant he also hadn't found the time to tell her about Brett, and, more importantly, what happened to Foster.

Gabby hadn't asked what happened to her partners, and truthfully Matt was sure it just hadn't even crossed her mind. That with everything else going on, with the mental block she clearly had with that day, and her inability to remember the accident, it hadn't occurred to her that her friends might've been hurt, too.

But it did now, and Matt knew there was no way out of this.

"Brett? She's here?" She asked again when no one had answered her, realization settling in over Boden's face as he began to understand he'd inadvertently walked right into a subject Gabby knew nothing about. Looking back and forth between them, Dawson had kept her eyes on him, while Casey was focused on the ground, the man bringing his hand up to grasp the back of his neck before releasing a heavy sigh. "What do you mean personnel on ambo?" Gabby repeated Boden's words, Matt finally looking up to meet the Chief's eyes, the bit of regret covering his face telling Boden all he needed to know.

"I…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" The Chief stopped himself, Matt immediately shaking his head.

"It's okay."

"What are you talking about?" Gabby asked, her exasperatedly tone telling them both just how frustrated she was. And neither of them could blame her. "What happened?... Brett's hurt?"

Dawson's eyes were moving back and forth between them, their frantic movement telling Matt that she was beginning to work herself up. And that was the absolute last thing he wanted, Casey knowing there was no going back now as he just had to tell her.

"...She is." He answered, Gabby's face faltering slightly before he spoke up. "But she's alright- she will be alright… She got pretty banged up, and she's got a lot of recovery ahead of her, but she's okay." He told her, Matt trying to help her not worry about her friend as much, even though admittedly he knew next to nothing about how Brett was doing. Aside from hearing about her initial injuries when the accident first happened, he didn't know anything. But he was assuming nothing had changed as Gabby gave him a slow nod.

"Okay." She whispered, Matt reaching out to cradle the side of her head as a source of comfort, as the last thing he wanted to do was worry her. Even though they hadn't even gotten to the worst part of this conversation yet.

But they were about to, as Gabby's next words were met by nothing by a tense silence.

"And Foster?"

Boden looked between the two of them, their Chief not missing the near helpless look written across Casey's face as it was easy to see that Matt didn't want to tell her. He didn't want to say it, but he knew he had to. This was something she needed to know, and they couldn't spare her from it any longer.

"Is she okay?"

Drawing in another deep breath, Matt looked over towards Boden, the two men locking eyes before his gaze flickered behind him towards the door. And that was enough for the Chief, Boden realizing immediately what Casey was asking of him as he gave a slight nod, before taking a few steps backwards.

"...I'm gonna head out, I've gotta get back to the firehouse. But I'm glad you're doing alright, Dawson." Boden told her, but the paramedic barely registered his words as her eyes were focused on her husband, Matt giving the Chief a nod before he slipped out of the room, leaving the couple in her alone.

"Matt, what happened?"

Biting down on the inside of his cheek, Matt turned his entire body towards her before reclaiming his position on the edge of her bed, the man reaching out to grab her free hand as he truly had no idea what type of reaction to expect from her.

"Baby, Foster, she…" He trailed off, Gabby soon understanding exactly what had happened even before he said it. But he knew he needed to get the words out anyway, Matt shaking his head back and forth before speaking up. "She didn't make it, Gabby."

His heavy words hung in the air, Matt keeping his eyes on his wife as a few different expressions played out over her face, though none of them were good.

"I know you don't remember it, but during the accident, the ambulance flipped over… and when it did, we think she hit her head… She was gone before we could even get to any of you." He explained gently, Matt watching Gabby's chest rise and fall as she took as deep of a breath as she could. Though it was shaky at best, Matt inching closer to her as they locked eyes with one another. "It happened so fast… there was nothing we could do for her. But… she died, baby. She's gone."

Her jaw bobbled slightly before she nodded, her teary eyes beginning to dart around as she did her best to process what she'd just been told. But it was nearly impossible, Gabby biting down roughly on her lip as she tried to keep a hold on her emotions, though that was a fight she was losing as Matt could see her struggling with this.

"It's okay." He murmured as he leaned forward to wrap his arm around her gently, Gabby leaning into his embrace as she tucked her head into his neck, his hand rubbing over her back as he did his best to comfort her. "It's okay… I'm here."

Matt pressed a kiss to the top of her shoulder as he held onto her, Gabby's body trembling slightly under his touch, even though she never fully broke down. But the silent tears he could feel hitting his neck were bad enough, Casey knowing it would likely take some time for her to fully process all of this, as he wasn't even sure he'd processed it yet.

But all he did know was that he'd be there for her, every step of the way. Just like he always had been.

"Gabby, you might want to slow down, and you'll lap Mr. Friedman here pretty soon."

The sound of Rachel's teasing voice behind her caused a soft smile to form over Dawson's face, though she kept her eyes forward as she remained focused on the task at hand, while her body moved slowly down the hallway.

"Yeah, well I already got past him once, I'd say we could do it again." She replied, Matt stifling his chuckle from beside her before Gabby continued her steps down the hallway, their movements slow as this was a big achievement for her after all her time here in the hospital.

Today marked ten days since the accident happened, and for the first time, Gabby was up and moving around outside her hospital room. Over the past couple days, ever since she was cleared to take the sling off, they'd tested more of her limits and let her be up and moving around inside her room, with assistance. But today was the first time they'd really ventured past that, so they were taking things easy, even though Gabby was doing great.

With the increased mobility in her arm, and the gash on her leg healing nicely, as well as her having gotten her IV taken out the day before yesterday, her doctors and nurses felt comfortable enough to let her try moving around in a bigger setting. And while she wasn't completely doing it on her own, as she had been holding onto Matt's arm the entire time, this was still a huge step for her. One they were all proud of, as they knew how badly Gabby had been looking forward to getting up and moving around. And even though it was just a few laps from her room to the nurses station and back, it felt incredible, Gabby just grateful she was finally able to do this, as it definitely helped things feel a little bit more normal.

"How's the leg feeling, Gabby?" Rachel asked, her position behind her patient giving her a clear view of how Gabby was certainly favoring her injured leg a bit. But that was to be expected, given her injuries.

"It's okay." She replied, Matt glancing down towards her as he felt her grip on his arm tighten for a moment, even though her eyes were still focused forward. "It's sore, but nothing I can't handle." She added as they neared her room once more, her words telling them both that maybe it was time to call it for today, as Gabby had accomplished so much more than either of them ever imagined.

"Alright, well that's good… But we should make this our last trip." Rachel suggested, though Gabby knew it wasn't much of a suggestion at all.

"I think I can do another one." Dawson pushed anyway, but the nurse shook her head as they got back to Gabby's door, Matt beginning to lead her back inside as she took her slow, small steps.

"I'm sure you could, but remember what we've said about not pushing it?" Rachel reminded her, Gabby huffing out a heavy breath before she nodded. "You're doing great, but we don't want to go too hard and have you hurt yourself. So that's good for today… We'll do more tomorrow. See if we can't get Matt to walk a little faster." Rachel joked, Gabby chuckling softly as Matt bit back a smirk.

"I know, I know, I'm holding her back." He played along, seeing his wife shake her head before she dropped his arm and slowly made her way back to her bed, Gabby wanting to go the rest of the way on her own.

And it was a task she completed successfully, Matt coming up behind her before she turned and slowly sat down on the bed, Gabby a bit winded from all the movement she'd done. But regardless, it felt amazing to finally get up and move around more than a few feet, especially now that her arm had been freed up and she was able to use it more, even with some of the soreness she still felt.

"Maybe just a little bit, but you've got some time to practice." Rachel continued to tease, Matt scoffing lightly as a soft smile formed over Gabby's face, her eyes moving between her husband, and the nurse who felt like a friend at this point. "So Gabby, now that you've had a second, how are you feeling?" She asked, both Matt and Rachel watching as she took a deep breath before responding.

"I feel good… Tired, but good." She replied, the nurse nodding encouragingly as Matt reached out to rub her arm. "I'm glad I was able to do that."

"Me too… Like I said, you're making great progress, and you did very well out there. Well enough to where we could probably take 'fall risk' off your chart." Rachel added with a grin, Gabby laughing once more as Matt shook his head in amusement. "You've done great."

"...So does that mean I can shower?" She asked, Rachel cocking her head to the side as Gabby repeated the same question she'd asked practically every day since first bringing it up. But luckily, this time she'd be getting a different answer.

"Yes Gabby, you can finally shower." Rachel told her, Matt biting back his grin as Gabby released a relieved breath.

"Thank God." She huffed out, her reaction earning laughs from both her husband and her nurse, the former just glad to see her acting more and more like her old self.

"Yeah, I know having nurses help you bathe the past few days wasn't the most fun experience in the world, but as long as you still have someone with you, you can shower." Rachel told her, Gabby nodding as she glanced towards Matt. "I don't think anything will happen… you haven't had any balance issues, and you've been moving around well, but still. We don't want you in there on your own, especially after you just did all that walking."

"I'll be with her." Casey assured her, Rachel giving him a knowing nod as she held Gabby's chart in her hands.

"Good… Now, obviously feel free to shower whenever you like. And in case something happens, or you need something, there is a call button in the bathroom." She reminded them, both of them nodding before she continued. "Just remember to take your time, and there's a bench in the shower for you to sit on when you need to. There's no rush here, so take as long as you need." Rachel finished, Gabby nodding once more before she spoke up.

"I will, thank you."

"Of course, Gabby." Rachel replied as she took a few steps back towards the door. "Just call if you need anything." She told them once last time before walking out of the room, the nurse shutting the door behind herself to give them privacy.

Once they were alone, Matt turned towards his wife, the soft smile on his face causing her to grin as well as he stood in front of her. "So… I take it you don't want to wait on that shower?"

"Absolutely not." Gabby replied without any hesitation, Matt chuckling softly before he nodded, the man leaning down to press a kiss to her head before stepping away from the bed.

"Alright, well let me get that going and then we'll get you in there." He told her, Gabby nodding before he headed towards her bathroom, Matt disappearing from view when he stepped into the smaller room. Before doing anything else, Matt turned on the water, the husband knowing the very specific temperature Gabby liked her showers at, before he headed back out into the room while the water warmed up.

Gabby was in the same exact place he'd left her, her eyes on him for a moment while he moved around the room, Matt beginning to get what she'd need for her shower as he had brought everything from home. First, he pulled out a towel, along with one of his t-shirts and a pair of sweatpants, knowing that outfit would be much more comfortable for her, before he placed those items on the end of her bed. And once he'd done that, he pulled out everything she needed for in the shower, Matt gathering up those items and taking them back into the bathroom, the man placing them strategically on the counter where he could reach them with ease.

The entire process only took minutes, Matt reaching in to feel that the water was exactly where he knew Gabby liked it, before he headed back out into the room. But when he did, his steps slowed down when he saw Gabby sitting in the same spot he'd left her in, but this time was different, as she was so evidently caught up in her own head. She was sitting there quietly, her eyes focused forward, clearly in deep thought as she hadn't even heard him come back into the room. And while he watched her sit there, he couldn't help but think over how things had gone the past few days.

Physically, she was doing a lot better. Her mobility proved that, and despite some lingering soreness, and the occasional pain here and there she was doing fine. And mentally, she was doing better as well. Aside from the issue of her not remembering the accident, and the few days before being fuzzy, she was doing great. So great in fact that she was hardly struggling with her speech anymore. Nearly all of that hesitation before she'd speak, or her inability to find the right words, that was practically all gone now that she'd been awake for awhile. Other than a few moments when she'd be overly tired, or frustrated, she was doing well in communicating with other people.

All in all, she was recovering better than any of her doctors expected.

But the thing that had him worried now was how she was handling all of this, emotionally.

And, from what he could tell, she was still struggling. She was struggling with what happened to her, and to Foster. Struggling with coming to terms with just how much damage the accident had done, an accident she couldn't even remember. She was having a hard time with all of it, and that had only gotten worse once she found out what happened to her friend. Though, while she hadn't said it, Matt had a feeling it all went a little deeper than what happened to Foster. That this was about more than losing a member of their firehouse, despite how tragic that was. But he couldn't help but feel like while she felt horrible for what happened to Emily, that she was also feeling this way because she knew how close that came to being her, too.

Gabby knew she almost died. Not even just with what happened in the hospital, but how the accident itself could've killed her. And that wasn't an easy thing for any of them to stomach, especially not her.

But Matt had done his best to support her, and stay a strong presence by her side as much as he could, for whatever she needed. Whenever she needed it. And he could only hope he'd helped her, at least a little bit.

"Gabby…" He spoke up after a moment, Matt taking a step forward just as she turned to look at him, his voice snapping her from her thoughts. "You ready for that shower?"

A soft smile formed over her face before she nodded, Gabby beginning to push herself up off the bed. And while Matt knew he needed to let her do as much as she could on her own, he still moved to her side, Gabby immediately reaching out to hold onto his arm once he was in reach before they began to move towards the bathroom.

"This is gonna be amazing." Gabby spoke softly as they got to the smaller room, Matt laughing softly as he knew just how much she was looking forward to this, as she'd been desperate to have a real shower. "Though you do realize you're gonna have to wash my hair for me, right?" She asked as they stepped inside, Matt closing the door behind them just in case they had any unannounced visitors show up, the husband nodding with a soft smile as they faced one another.

"Yeah, I figured I'd be doing most of this." He responded with a soft gleam in his eye, Gabby matching his grin before shaking her head lightly.

"Yeah, well we'll see how I feel." She replied without missing a beat as she began to untie her hospital gown. But when Matt saw her struggling with one of the knots, he gently swatted her hands away before completing the task on his own, Gabby keeping her eyes on him while his entire focus was on the material he was working on getting her out of.

And as she stared at him, she couldn't help the rush of gratitude she felt flood her body as her caring and gentle husband did what he could to help her, a small smile forming over her lips as he reached down towards the last tie.

"...I love you."

Her words stopped his movements, Matt looking back up at her before that signature Casey grin formed across his face. The same one that made her knees weak every time as she couldn't help but smile back at him.

"I love you too." He replied, Matt pausing long enough to lean forward for a quick, soft kiss.

"And thank you." She added softly, Casey's head tilting to the side as she reached out to hold onto his forearms.

"For what?"

"For being here… and helping me. With practically everything." She replied, Matt's face softening before he gently reached out to hold onto her side.

"You know you don't need to thank me for that." He murmured just as quietly, his soft words sending a wave of warmth through her chest. "I'm here for you, babe… And I'm always gonna be here."

Though she already knew that, without a doubt in her mind, it was still nice to hear, Gabby grinning softly as she gave him a slight nod, while his hand securely held onto her hip. And before doing anything else, Gabby closed the distance between them and gave him one more kiss. But this one was different, Gabby putting as much as she could into her movements, as she wanted to convey everything she felt to him right now, Matt giving back just as much as they carefully moved together.

And that was where they stayed for a few extra moments, both of them enjoying this time together while they had it, their movements conveying just how grateful they were to still be here with each other before they eventually pulled back when air became an issue, Matt and Gabby sharing shy smiles before they continued on with their task for the morning.