Hello there everyone! I'm back with the next update for you all. We've got another chapter with some cute Casey family moments, as well as getting a little more of an update on Gabby's recovery, along with her and Matt's plans for a few different things.
Like the last chapter, this one is also kind of a stepping stone into the bigger storylines. So I apologize for having two of those types of chapters back to back, but I do really like the way it turned out. And hopefully you all will, too.
Thank you so much for reading! And I hope you all have a great day, and a great rest of your week!
Chapter One Hundred and Forty
"Alright Gabby, breathe for me." Dr. Jennings spoke as he held the stethoscope against her chest, the woman complying as she drew in a deep breath before slowly releasing it, the process continuing each time he would move the instrument around. The process itself didn't take very long, but it was a tedious one all the same as she listened to all his instructions, her eyes moving across the small room towards her family while the doctor continued to work.
Matt was seated in the chair directly beside her, his eyes focused intensely on her while he held Caity in his lap, the little girl nearly mimicking her father's expression as she hadn't liked being forced away from her mom's side minutes earlier. But while her husband and her oldest were currently watching her like a hawk, Sofia was much more relaxed, the baby seated in the chair next to her father with a mountain of toys beside her. Practically everything they had in their diaper bag as a means to distract her was placed out in front of her, but it was effective in keeping her calm and preoccupied, which is something both parents were grateful for right now, given the reason for their visit to the hospital.
When they'd originally scheduled Gabby's check-up for today, one they'd hoped would be her last, bringing the girls along with them hadn't been a part of the plan. In fact, truthfully, one of the last things they'd wanted to do was bring them here, as the girls' didn't have very many fond memories of this place. But with no one else to watch the kids, they were a bit limited on options.
Today was typically a day where their nanny would've been working, but when Becca had come to them last week asking for the day off so she could attend a family gathering, Matt and Gabby had no issue saying yes, as they wanted her to have that time to spend with her family. But because of that, she wasn't an option for them. And with Jemma and Kelly, along with the rest of 51, on shift, and Ramon at work, they were left with only two choices; either bring the girls here, or have Matt stay at home with them.
But, under the circumstances, the second option was really the only viable one, as Gabby knew Matt wanted to be here for this. That he needed to be here, to see first hand that everything was alright. Given how much he'd been struggling since the accident, she knew he wouldn't fully believe everything was okay unless he heard it from the doctor himself.
She understood the feeling completely, as she'd been the same with him in the past, Gabby not minding at all that he felt like he needed to be here with her. But because of that, it meant their girls had to come along, and both parents were a little apprehensive to bring them back here so soon.
Though it was a worry that they'd been right to have, as the second they got here Caitlyn immediately became stressed, the little girl having awful memories of this place. It was easier with Sofia, the one and a half year old handling this visit a little better as she didn't seem to remember much of what all had taken place in this building. Or if she did, she didn't realize where they were, Sofia not really having that same fear associated with the hospital that she used to, as it had been a while since she'd been here. Meaning as long as she had eyes on her parents, she was content just sitting next to her father and playing with her toys. But with Caity, it was a different story.
Before even walking through the doors, she'd latched onto Gabby as much as she could, Caitlyn holding onto her mom's hand with both of hers while being all but glued to her side. And even that hadn't been close enough for the child, but it was as close as she could get given Gabby wasn't in a position to try and carry her. So it had to be enough for her, Caitlyn refusing to leave her mom's side the entire way through the building.
Luckily, after multiple assurances that Gabby was fine, she'd seemed to settle down a bit more once they got checked in. It had taken her some time to fully calm down, but when they finally were brought to a room that seemed to help ease her worries, as she was able to see that Gabby wasn't in the hospital the same way she was last time. And Caity staying attached to her mom's hip the entire time they'd been in here had helped her too, as up until Dr. Jennings came in and needed to examine her, Caitlyn had been sitting up on the table with her mom, tucked into her side while they waited. Even now, while sitting with her dad, she seemed to be feeling at least a little better about everything, Gabby giving her oldest daughter a soft, reassuring smile as soon as they locked eyes.
A smile that the little girl instantly reciprocated, Caitlyn flashing her a small, yet eager grin while she continued to sit on her dad's lap, Matt keeping a protective hand around her stomach as they all waited for Dr. Jennings to finish his exam.
"Alright one last breath for me, Gabby…" He spoke, Dawson doing what he asked before he pulled away. "Okay good, that's good. You can relax." He told her, Gabby's back resting slightly as the older man walked back over towards the counter where her file was placed. But before he did anything else, his eyes moved towards the guests in the room, seeing the girl fidgeting in her seat as she sat with her father. "Caitlyn, you can go back with your mom now sweetheart."
Her little ears perked up the second he said those words, the almost six year old nodding happily as she was eager to get back to Gabby, Caitlyn certainly not liking when she'd been forced to move away from her mom. She'd done what she was told, as she knew better than to not listen to her parents, but being in this place again was scary for her, and she felt much better being next to her mom. So the second she could, she slid herself down off her fathers lap before hurrying the short distance back to Gabby, Caitlyn using the small steps in front of the exam table to climb up.
And with a little determination, and her father's help, she was soon back by her mom's side, Caitlyn tucking her small body up against Gabby while placing her hand over her leg, Dawson wrapping an arm around her as Caity's head pressed against the side of her chest.
"Okay, Gabby, first of all, let's start with-"
"Is Mommy okay?" Caitlyn interjected quietly, Dr. Jennings looking up from his chart as Gabby began to rub her hand over her daughter's arm, the worry in her little voice evident to all of them as an understanding smile covered the doctor's face.
"Caitlyn, baby, it's not nice to interrupt people when they're talking." Matt reminded her as he reached out to give her ankle a reassuring squeeze, the father knowing his daughter was just worried for her mom.
"Sorry." She replied just as softly, Gabby leaning down to press a kiss to the top of her head as Dr. Jennings walked over to them.
"It's alright, Caitlyn. I know you just want to know that your mom is okay." He responded, Caity nodding slowly from the security of her mom's embrace while the man sat down on the stool in front of them. "But, to answer your question, she is… Your mom is doing great." He assured her, Caitlyn giving him a small smile before she nodded once more, both parents nearly able to feel the relief coursing through the child's body. "Everything is looking good, from what I can tell." He continued on, as his eyes moved back towards Dawson. "Your lungs sound great, your vitals were steady, and from all the tests we've run on your heart, everything there looks great, as well." He told her, as his attention moved between her and the chart in his hands. "I know that was our biggest worry here, how your heart would recover, but from what I'm seeing, there's no cause for concern."
"Good, that's good."
"It's great." He corrected her with a gentle smile. "You've done great in your recovery, Gabby. I can only imagine how hard all this was, but from what I'm seeing from my tests at least, things are going well." He spoke, Gabby releasing a soft, relieved breath before she nodded. "But I also know things on my end are only part of the picture, so I want to know more, from you, with how you think you're feeling." He finished, the patient across from him thinking over his words for a moment before she responded.
"I think I've been doing pretty well." She answered him honestly, Dr. Jennings nodding in response. "Overall, I'm feeling a lot better than I was. I feel stronger than I did, since the last time I was here… I still have some moments where some things will be a little uncomfortable, but it's not as bad as it was. And I haven't been losing my energy as quickly, either- We've been going on walks with the girls, to help improve my stamina, and I think that's been working."
"I'm sure it has, that sounds great." He replied, Gabby nodding slowly as she glanced towards Matt, like she was trying to make sure she wasn't forgetting anything. "So you feel as if you're able to keep up a little better than before? You're not having that shortness of breath anymore?"
"Sometimes, but not a lot." Gabby replied, watching as he dictated a few more things in her chart. "Definitely not like it was… Before there were times it was hard for me to get out to the living room, but it's been a while since that's happened."
"Yeah, she's been doing well." Matt echoed, the older man glancing his way even though Casey's eyes were on his wife, the soft smile on Dawson's face growing as he spoke. "There might've been a few times where she pushed herself a little too hard, I've noticed her breathing a little heavier than she maybe would've before all this happened, but it's definitely not like it was right after her accident."
"That all sounds pretty normal for something like this… Is it persistent, or just for a few seconds?"
"It's nothing too bad, just maybe for a few seconds, if I get a little ahead of myself like Matt said. But it's nothing like it was." She reiterated her husband's words, Dr. Jennings giving her a nod before he glanced back down to his chart.
"And have you done any higher-intensity exercises, like jogging or anything like that, or has it mostly been walking?"
"Just walking, for the most part. I wasn't sure how hard I was supposed to be pushing it… I know you said last time for me to still keep it easy."
"I did, yes. And you were doing all the right things." He told her, Gabby nodding as she felt Caitlyn shift against her body. "But, given what I'm hearing, I do think I'd like to do one last test on you, before you go." He added on, the doctor not missing the way the feeling in the air shifted. And after what all Gabby had gone through, he didn't blame them for their uncertainty. "Nothing's wrong, but I just want to check her heart function one last time before I think about clearing you." He continued to explain, watching the couple share a look before he spoke up once more. "And I know we've done all kinds of testing on you already, but I would like to set up a cardiac stress test, to see how you handle that. It's nothing too intensive, but we just have you jog and maybe run for a bit while connected to a monitor, to see how your heart functions and responds when you're doing those higher-intensity exercises." He concluded, the couple sharing an uncertain look.
"...Okay."
"It's just a precaution thing?" Matt asked after Gabby spoke, Dr. Jennings glancing his way. "You don't think anything's wrong, you're just wanting to check?"
"Exactly, yes." The man replied, Matt breathing in deeply before he nodded, as he tried to push away some of those lingering nerves in his gut. "I'm not expecting any issues, it's more so just so we have a baseline for what Gabby's new normal is after the accident, to see how her heart reacts when pushed a little bit. And so we can get an idea of if that fatigue and shortness of breath Gabby's experiencing is caused by something else, or if it's just a part of what's normal for her now." He explained to them the best he could, as the doctor had seen first hand over the last few months just how worried Matt could get when it came to his wife.
"Alright." Casey responded after a moment of thinking over his words. "And you'll know pretty soon, if something's wrong?"
"We would, yes. We'd know today before you leave. But I'm not anticipating anything to be wrong." He reiterated, Matt drawing in another steadying breath before looking towards Gabby and Caitlyn, the little girl more so just focused on being next to her as mom as he was sure she didn't understand a lot of what was being said. "This really is just one last thing on my checklist, before we talk about what to do going forward."
"Okay." Gabby repeated softly, the woman catching Matt's gaze for a split second before she looked back towards the doctor. "...But if that test comes back clear, does that mean I'm good?" She asked him, Dr. Jennings raising his eyebrows slightly as he placed her chart down in his lap. "Am I alright to get back into my life, and get back to work?"
The second those words left her lips, Matt's back tightened, his breath catching in his throat before he was able to regain control of his breathing, the simple question enough to get a reaction out of him.
"Yeah, I was expecting that question." Dr. Jennings replied with a chuckle, his light demeanor helping to ease Matt's concerns just a little bit. "And I guess before I give you an answer, what I want to know from you is if that's something you think you could do." He countered, Gabby pausing her movements of rubbing Caitlyn's arm as she looked at the doctor. "Do you feel like you'd be capable of being back on the job, with where you are now?"
The air around them went quiet while Gabby thought over his words, Matt keeping his intense gaze on her as they waited for any type of response from her, Caitlyn leaning her head closer to her mom while Sofia was still mostly unaware of what was happening around her. Gabby knew her answer to his question, or at least she thought she did, as she'd spoken about this with Jemma earlier in the week. But now that the time had come, she found it a little harder to get the words out.
"I… I think so." She responded softly after a moment, her voice not nearly as confident as Matt would've expected. But he gave her a supportive smile nonetheless when she looked his way. "I feel like I could handle it. I've felt a lot better recently, especially these last few days, and I think I could do it… Though I'm sure it would be an adjustment for me, at least at first."
"It definitely will be." Dr. Jennings replied without missing a beat. "And that's something you'll need to be expecting… No matter when you go back, or how good you feel, it'll take some time for you to adjust. You won't be able to just jump right back into things." He warned her, Gabby nodding slowly as she straightened out her back. "But that's why I want to get an understanding on where you think you're at, because a lot of this comes down to you."
She drew in a slow breath before nodding once more, Gabby looking back towards her husband to find that same comforting look shining across his face, though she could tell there was a bit more apprehension than there had been moments prior.
"Because from what I can tell, as long as everything with this last test is okay, I don't see any reason, medically, that you can't go back to work." Dr. Jennings continued on, Matt's neck tightening as he clasped his hands together in his lap. "I know I told you last time that we'd just go from this check up, and figure out what our next steps were, but with what I'm seeing and what your tests show, you're doing well. And, given a few more days, I would clear you to return to work."
A small smile covered Gabby's face before she nodded, Matt doing what he could to match her enthusiasm despite the little bit of tightness in his chest, as he couldn't help but still have questions for the doctor.
"Obviously, that's if everything with this stress test goes well, which I believe it will. And I'd also like to have one last follow up with you here in a few days or so, just to check in and make sure you're still feeling up for it, but that's something that can be done over the phone." He explained, Gabby making sure to listen closely to what he was saying. "But as long as nothing drastic changes here in the next few days, from my side of things, I would feel comfortable letting you get back to work. As long as you understand you will have some limitations, at least at first."
"I understand." She replied softly, Gabby sparing a quick glance down at Caitlyn who'd had her eyes on her this entire time. "And I won't push myself too hard… I doubt Matt, or my partner, would let me, anyway." She added on lightly, Dr. Jennings laughing softly before he gave her a nod. "Jemma, my partner, she'll definitely make me take it easy, at least for the first few shifts."
"Well, as your doctor, that's good to hear. Give you some time to get your feet under you… Now Jemma, she was the one who spent a lot of the time at the hospital, right? The name sounds familiar."
"That's her, yeah."
"Aunt Jemma was here with us lots." Caitlyn chimed in, her words proof that the little girl had been listening to everything that was said, as Gabby and Matt both looked towards their child with small smiles on their faces. "And she comes by to see Mommy."
"Yeah, she does baby." Gabby responded before pressing another kiss to the top of her head, both men watching on for a moment before Matt returned his attention to the doctor.
"Jemma's pretty much family… Has been for a long time, before Sofia was even born. And she was the paramedic who helped get Gabby here, after the accident." Casey added on quietly, an understanding look appearing across the doctor's face. "She's also the girls' godmother."
"Well, she sounds like quite a friend to your family. And with her as your partner Gabby, I already feel confident about sending you back, knowing that you'll be in more than capable hands." He replied with a small smile, Gabby and Matt both nodding at his words. "But, as I've said, this is really up to you now… What you feel comfortable with, and what you feel capable of." He reminded his patient, Gabby nodding once again as she held onto her daughter's hand.
"Alright… I guess I'll just see how I'm feeling in the next few days, and if I'm ready for it."
"That sounds fine, Gabby. For now, let's just get this test done, and then once we've gone over those results, we can get you out of here-"
"Wait, uh… I have a question." Matt stopped the man just before he stood up, Dr. Jennings and Gabby both looking his way. "I know you've cleared her and everything, and that there's nothing medically wrong with her anymore, but what about that discomfort she's been having?" He asked, Gabby drawing in a deep breath as the doctor glanced back towards her. "In her shoulder and chest and stuff… Should we be concerned about that?" Casey pressed, Dr. Jennings looking back down over her chart as he drew in a deep breath.
"Yeah, I know you mentioned that a little bit today, and we talked a lot about it last time, how you were still feeling some soreness. But it's not happening all the time, is it?"
"Just every so often." She answered, Dr. Jennings nodding before he wrote down a few notes in her chart. "Mostly when I've been in one position for too long, or I push myself a little harder than I should. Sometimes it'll be a little uncomfortable, but I wouldn't say anything hurts. Like Matt said, it's more discomfort than anything else."
"That's what I thought." He murmured in response as his focus was still on her chart. "And I know I mentioned earlier about how some of this stuff likely is just a part of your new normal, and that very well could be what that is. This may just be how your body responds now, and that's okay." He reminded her, Gabby and Matt both nodding. "I know you know this, but you went through something traumatic… Very traumatic, and you're still recovering. And recovery takes time. Even on the surface if you feel better, your body is still recovering every day. It likely will be for a while, so with things like this, it's not uncommon that it's still happening. If it were more persistent, or hurting you more, then I'd think there might be something else going on, but as of now I think that it's just a part of your daily life, something you'll have to adjust to." He told her honestly, but Gabby needed a second to take in his words before she nodded. She knew this was a possibility, she'd confided in Jemma and Matt about it a few times, that these random aches and pains were just something she'd likely have to live with as a result of the accident.
But to get the confirmation from her doctor that she'd been right was a little harder for her to stomach.
"I know it's not the most ideal thing in the world, and it can be frustrating. But when you think about where you started just after your accident, to where you are now… You've come so far, Gabby." He reminded her, Matt shooting her a supportive smile as the man knew how true those words were. "And there's no telling if things will stay like this forever, or if you'll continue to heal and get back to how things used to be… But you need to remember that it's only been a month and a half since your accident. So for you to be as far as you are right now, that alone is a miracle. You're doing so well, so I don't want you to get discouraged, or feel like you need to rush back into things… We've taken everything at your pace up to this point, and we'll continue to do that." He finished, Gabby breathing in slowly as she felt Matt's gaze still on her.
"Okay." She responded softly, the man nodding as he turned back to place her chart on the counter, before regaining her attention.
"So, now that we've gone over everything, unless you have any more questions, I'm still confident in sending you back to work in a few days… As long as you feel it's something manageable for you, alright?" He said, Gabby nodding in response. "You know your body and your limits better than anyone… and this is all up to you, like I've told you. So once we finish up here, and you take a few days… You can go from there, and see if this is something you truly feel ready for."
His words hit her ears slowly before Gabby took a deep breath, the woman knowing there was a lot for her, and Matt, to talk about over the next couple days. A lot they'd have to figure out. Because while she did feel ready to go back, or at least ready to try, she also knew it wasn't anywhere near that simple. That there was more to take into consideration here than just her.
But those weren't conversations to be had here, not with her doctor in the room, and certainly not with the kids, Caitlyn especially, listening to every word being said. So they'd wait for now, Gabby forcing herself to tune back into what her doctor was saying as he began explaining to her what all he'd need her to do next.
"Mommy! Mommy, look!" Caitlyn spoke happily as she hurried down the stairs, Gabby looking up from the book in her hands as a freshly-bathed Caity hopped down off the last step before rushing over to her. "Daddy did my hair." She boasted as she got to the couch, Gabby raising her eyebrows in amusement as she looked back behind her daughter to find Matt trailing after her, her husband carrying a half-naked, yet bathed Sofia as he made his way into the living room. "Like you do!"
"I see that baby, they look so good." She praised her, as both parents knew how even the smallest compliment meant the world to her. "You're so beautiful honey, Daddy did a great job."
"He did!" She agreed, Gabby not missing the way Matt's smile grew as he came around to sit beside her on the couch, Sofia immediately wanting her mom the second she was in sight.
"Hi baby, yeah come here." Gabby murmured as Sofia made herself comfortable in her lap, the baby's wet hair dripping down onto her shirt. But Gabby didn't mind as she continued holding onto her daughter, the mother watching as Caitlyn skipped to the middle of the room to her toys, able to make herself busy while the other three stayed put on the couch. "...It looks like bath time was a success." She spoke up after a moment, Gabby looking towards her husband just as he angled his body towards her.
"It was, yeah… They made a mess, but it went well."
"Did you clean it up already? Cause I don't mind-"
"I got it, babe." He assured her, Gabby breathing in deeply before she nodded. "It wasn't too bad, they just love to splash around. And plus you don't need to be up and doing too much, I know you're tired." He reminded her, her lips pursing together as her eyes focused forward once more, Gabby beginning to lightly run her hand along Sofia's side.
There was some truth to her husband's words, more truth than she'd want to admit, but after everything today her body was feeling a little worn down. Between her trip to the hospital, along with the intensive stress test they'd had her do, by the time it was all said and done she was feeling exhausted. It was a good exhausted; an exhausted she was proud of, as her body had been able to withstand the exercise she'd done during her test. But it was still exhaustion nonetheless, Gabby doing what she could to not focus on it as she was just glad that her test had gone well. That Dr. Jennings found nothing to raise any red flags or be any cause for concern, Gabby's ability to do that test today just proving to her that she was able to get back on the job when the time came.
"Yeah, but I'm okay." She reminded him, Matt pausing for a moment before he nodded, his arm coming up to rest on the couch behind her before he started to rub gently over her shoulder. "Maybe tomorrow we can start tag-teaming their baths again." She suggested with a smile, it not lost on either of them how ever since Gabby had come home after the accident, Matt had insisted she not help out with bath time, given the amount of movement involved.
"Yeah, sure… if you're up for it, I know the girls would love getting to splash you instead of me." He replied softly, Gabby matching his grin as he began to play with her hair between his fingers. "But we'll just see how you're feeling, though." He added on carefully, Gabby's eyes tracing over his face just as he looked back towards their oldest daughter, the shift in the air impossible to miss as his words held a lot more weight than just helping out at bath time.
But it wasn't something they'd had a chance to talk about yet, not since getting home from the hospital earlier this afternoon they hadn't found the time to sit down and talk, as they'd been doing their best to keep up with the girls all day. Though now that things were winding down for the night, that the girls had been fed and bathed, and soon would be ready to go to bed, Gabby couldn't help but wonder if now was the perfect time to talk through everything.
"Oh, before I forget," Matt started once more after a few minutes of quiet, Gabby raising her eyebrows slightly as she watched him. "Caity was talking a lot upstairs, and I think I've got a few more ideas of things we can get for her… big day." He spoke cautiously of their oldest daughter's birthday that was coming up next week, Matt hoping his quiet voice wouldn't reach the small ears across the room. Though with as captivated as she was playing with her dolls, neither parent could imagine that she was paying much attention to them.
"Oh really?" Gabby asked with a smile, Matt nodding softly.
"Mhmm… I mean, I know we're already getting her that… b-i-k-e," He spelled out, Gabby shaking her head lightly in amusement before he continued on, "and we have a few other little things here and there, but I want to get her a couple more things." He explained, Gabby hanging onto his every word while also doing what she could to keep Sofia occupied. "I know she'll be happy with anything we get her, but still… this is a big day for her, and I want it to be special."
"I know you do, baby. I do too." Gabby said in agreement, Casey giving her a weak smile as he rubbed her neck. "And you're right, she'll be grateful no matter what we give her, but she deserves to have a great day… So if you want to get her a few extra things, that's fine with me." She told him, their eyes locking for a moment before Matt slowly nodded, the smile on his face beginning to grow as he looked back at their oldest daughter.
"...She's gonna be so happy." He breathed out, Gabby following his line of sight as they both watched Caitlyn play on her own, the still five year old blissfully unaware of her parents talking about her while she continued playing with her toys, her little voice reaching their ears as she pretended to be each of the dolls.
"She's already happy." Gabby replied, her words causing Matt to look back towards her. "But yeah, on her birthday… it might be one of the best days of her life. At least so far."
"This month is full of those." He chimed in, his happy words bringing the grin back to her face as she returned her gaze to her husband. "Honestly, I'm not sure which one she'll be more excited for- the adoption, or her birthday."
"Definitely both." She responded with a knowing look, Matt chuckling before he nodded in agreement. "Just in different ways. She's already so excited for her birthday, but this… us finally adopting her, that's-" Gabby stopped herself as emotion began to well in her throat, Matt continuing to rub along her neck and the top of her back supportively as this topic always made them all a little emotional. "I still can't believe the day is finally coming… That we know when it is, and when she's finally going to be our little girl."
"I can't either… But it is." He told her, his words causing the smile on her face to widen. "She's about to be ours, officially… Even if she doesn't know it yet." He added with a sly grin, Gabby nodding slightly before ducking her head.
"Yeah, I know we need to tell her, and we will… Just imagining how happy she's gonna be, it- God, I can't even describe it." She voiced, earning an agreeing look from her husband. "But I still just want to wait till we're a little closer." She reminded him of the conversation they'd had after speaking with Tina, how they didn't want to tell Caitlyn until things were closer to the court date. It wasn't that they didn't want her to know, because they did, but they were worried something might change, or come up and affect the day they were supposed to go. So, given how Caitlyn did best with structure and things not changing on her last minute, they both came to the decision to wait and tell her once they got past her birthday.
Even though it was almost impossible for them to keep this from her.
"I know you do, and I think it's for the best, too." He agreed softly, Matt's eyes moving down towards Sofia to find their baby still cuddled up with her mom. "I'm just excited for her to know."
"Me too." She replied, Casey smiling softly before he shifted his body closer to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, Gabby graciously accepting the gesture as she made herself comfortable in his embrace, Matt pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head. "I'm just so glad this is finally happening."
Her words hung in the air around them for a few moments, both of them content in the quiet they were in as they watched their girls. It was an almost peaceful feeling, one neither of them wanted to disrupt after the long day they'd had; but Gabby knew she had to eventually. There were still things they needed to talk about, and she didn't think it would do either of them any good to wait any longer.
"So, uh… not to completely change the subject," She started, Matt nodding against her head as he gave her shoulder a slight squeeze. "But I was wondering what you thought about that doctor's appointment today." She told him, Gabby feeling him take a deep breath as he kept his hold on her. But he never said anything. "I know we didn't really get a chance to talk about it afterwards, so I guess I'm just wondering where your head's at with all this."
He stayed quiet for a few more moments, Gabby recognizing she just needed to give him the time to respond to her. Which, thankfully, he soon did. "...I'm not sure, honestly." He admitted, Gabby nodding as she didn't want him to feel like he couldn't tell her what was going on in his head. "I'm so glad you're doing better, and that the stress test went well… Him saying he didn't see anything to be concerned about there made me feel better."
"Yeah, me too." She whispered.
"But overall, I'm just glad you're getting better… That you're feeling better. That's what matters to me right now." He told her, Gabby nodding against him as she reached out to place her hand over his leg. "What about you? How do you feel?" He asked her, Gabby taking a slow, steadying breath before she spoke up.
"I do feel a little more.. at ease, I guess. Like you do, now that we've had two good check ups in a row. I feel like I can trust that I'm actually doing better, and I'm sure you feel the same way." She replied, Matt giving her an almost immediate nod in agreement. "Then the whole work thing… I guess I'm not sure what to do there." She spoke, her voice so soft he could barely hear her, Matt's jaw tightening for a split second. "I think it would be nice to get back, but I also know it's gonna be hard on me, for a few shifts at least. Like he said, it's not like I can just jump right back into everything… But even with me aside, I know I'm also not the only person we need to take into consideration here."
Her pointed words didn't go unnoticed by him, Matt continuing to rub along the top of her arm as she waited for him to speak. "I know… But I'm doing better, babe."
"Matt…"
"I am. I promise you, I am." He tried, Gabby releasing a heavy breath before she sat up a bit, just enough to where she could see him as her eyes traced over his face before she said anything.
"I know you are." She responded, her voice strong, as she didn't doubt his words for a second. At least not for the reason he thought. "I know you are feeling better, I've seen it… But what happened with the accident, and us getting back to work, this isn't just about me. You need to be ready, too." She reasoned with him, Gabby keeping her gaze locked on him. "I don't want to do anything you're not comfortable with, so if you need more time, we'll wait."
Pursing his lips together, Matt slowly nodded, his hand moving to rest over hers before he gave it a gentle squeeze, the action comforting to the both of them while he searched for the right words to say.
"...I'm not sure about how I'd feel being back there. I can't lie to you and say everything would be fine, because I just don't know." He spoke truthfully, Gabby nodding before he gave a weak smile. "But what I do know is that the reason I wasn't ready then, why I was so freaked out and scared, was because I just wanted you to be okay… But I didn't know if you were." He continued on, Gabby staying quiet as she let him get this all off his chest. "Or I couldn't believe that you were, I guess. But now that I've had some time… We've been the doctors, they've run pretty much every test imaginable on you- and just seeing you feeling better every day, I'm not as scared anymore." Matt said, not missing the way a few tears began to gather in her eyes.
"A part of me is still worried, and I'm not sure when or if that'll go away. But I know we can't wait around for me to just stop worrying, because that's never gonna happen… Even if this had never happened, I'd still worry about you. But I do feel better, about everything… I feel more at peace with it, and I think that's helped me start to let some of it go." He breathed out slowly, like he was trying to get the thoughts together in his head. "So, if you're ready, I think I'd be okay to try and go back there… I'm not saying it'll be easy for me, and I might need to-" He stopped himself, Casey wincing slightly before he continued. "I might need to ease into things a bit, kind of like you have to… But I'm okay. If you feel ready to go back, then I'm okay."
Gabby stayed quiet for a moment, her eyes moving over his face like she was searching for any sign of deception. For any reason to worry that he wasn't telling her the whole truth, but she found none, a small smile coming to her face before she slowly nodded.
"Alright… That's fine, baby. I just wanted to make sure." She replied, Matt matching her look as he stroked his thumb along the back of her hand. "And I understand, about feeling like you need to ease into this… I know how hard going back there was on you, so I get it. And I know Boden will too." She assured him, watching as he paused for a moment. "If you need Herrmann to maybe run things for a few shifts, or just take it slow, however you need to… You know Boden will do anything to help. He'd do that for the both of us."
"I know he would." He responded softly, Gabby smiling once more before lacing her fingers through his, the movement gaining his attention as he looked down to their conjoined hands.
"Well, with how we feel right now, how about this; before we decide anything for sure, let's wait and see how my phone call with Dr. Jennings goes here in a few days." She suggested, Matt mulling over her words for a second before he nodded. "And if I'm in the clear after that, and we both still feel ready to go back, then we'll try and work."
"I think that sounds good." He replied after a minute, Gabby nodding as she tightened her grip on his hand.
"Okay… But Matt, if something changes for you, if you don't feel ready, or if the day comes and you think it's too soon, I want you to tell me." She reminded him, her concern for him evident as they locked eyes. "Cause all that matters is that you're okay, so will you please tell me if something changes?"
"I will… As long as you do the same." He countered, Gabby taking a deep breath before she nodded.
"I can do that."
"Good." He responded, Matt leaning forward to place a soft kiss against her forehead. "But I think that's enough work talk for tonight… Now all I want to do is just enjoy my time with you, and with the girls."
His simple, yet sincere, words caused a warmth to spread through her body, it being impossible for him to miss the smile that formed over her face before she slowly nodded.
"That sounds like a great idea." She murmured before tucking herself back into his side, Sofia starting to whine softly before she made herself comfortable in between them, the baby loving being with both her parents.
And it didn't take long for Caitlyn to follow her lead, as soon enough she'd gotten tired of playing by herself and decided to come sit back with her parents as well, the child climbing into her dad's lap and making herself comfortable. And that's where the family of four had spent the rest of their night before it was time for bed, the parents grateful to soak up every moment they could with their girls, as there was nothing better to them than getting this time together as a family.
Well, there's another one for you all! Again, I know this chapter was kind of filler, and I'm sorry for that. But I didn't want to jump into the next parts of the story without explaining Gabby and Matt's decision to get back to work, and what all went into that. I just hope you all still enjoyed it.
Thanks again for reading, I appreciate your all's support so much. Have a great week everyone.