Hello everyone! I'm back with the next chapter for you all. There's some more Casey family cuteness in this one, as well as that little trip for Dawsey that I know some of you were eager to see, so I hope you all like it!

I don't have much else to say, aside from a quick thank you for your kinds words on the last one. I'm so glad you enjoyed it! And I am sorry again for missing my updates last week, but I'm happy to be back writing for you all.

That's pretty much all I've got. As always, thank you all so much for reading, I can't wait to hear what you think about this one. I hope you enjoy, I'll see you next time!

Chapter One Hundred and Forty Three

"Alright Sof, you're all ready to go baby." He spoke to his youngest daughter as he was crouched down on the ground just in front of their open garage, the little girl standing there with a wide grin on her face while he finished zipping up her jacket, the mid-April weather still a little too chilly for his child to be outside without some extra layers.

When she heard his voice, her grin immediately began to widen, Sofia hitting her hands against the sides of his arms happily as a soft chuckle escaped the back of his throat, Matt never getting tired of his daughter's excitement at the simplest things. "I know, I know, you're excited to play. But you can't go very far, because your Momma and I have to help your sister." He said to her, despite knowing she was only picking up some of what he was saying. But she still kept that bright smile nonetheless.

"Pay." She replied brightly, Casey adjusting her jacket one last time before finding her line of vision. "Mama pay. Pay!" She kept repeating, Matt biting back the soft grin on his face as he listened to Sofia repeat the word over and over again, it quite obvious to him that she was trying to respond to what he was saying. And while the word wasn't entirely clear, Sofia still struggling with the letter 'L', he was proud of her nonetheless, as he always loved getting to listen to his daughter talk to him.

"Yeah, Momma and I can play with you. But first we need to help Caity, alright?" He told her once more, Sofia rubbing her hand along his arm before she continued to babble away, Casey only picking up a few of the words she was saying as the child was content to converse with herself.

Which admittedly was a sight he loved to see. Especially with the rough start Sofia had this morning.

It wasn't anything too bad, but the near twenty month old definitely wasn't in the best of moods earlier as she'd had a rather long and draining tantrum, her tears and cries earlier today still fresh in his mind. What had started this morning as Casey trying to get her to leave her toys for breakfast, spiraled into a full on breakdown. And it had caused everything around the rest of the house to be a little difficult in the hours after.

Tantrums certainly weren't out of the ordinary around the Casey household, for either of their children, as both girls were known to have their hard moments. With kids their age, it was expected, given how they didn't always know how to get across what they were feeling. And with Sofia especially, she was still too young to really explain what was happening and tell her parents what was making her upset, so tears were often the result of the toddler getting frustrated.

But when that happened, the parents always did what they could to give their kids space to express those feelings. They would try to help them calm down, and understand what was going on, but what they'd found worked best was just letting the girls feel what they needed to feel, and then go from there. To get them into a place where they could be sad, or mad, or upset, without letting out those emotions in a way that could potentially harm them, or someone else.

And through some trial and error, that method seemed to work best for their family, Sofia's actions right now just another example of that as regardless of how upset she'd been earlier, she was now back to being their happy little girl. Though Matt had a strong suspicion that her near hour of cuddling on the couch with him once she'd settled down had helped a lot, too.

"Kay Kay."

Casey tuned back into his daughter's choppy words when he heard Sofia speak of her sister, the father shaking his head lightly before he leaned forward to press a few soft kisses against Sof's face, the action earning loud giggles from her as her feet began to tap against the ground happily.

"Kay Kay's coming too, honey." He assured her before kissing her cheeks once more, the sound of her laughter like music to his ears.

But their moment together was soon interrupted when Matt heard the sound of the door opening, Casey pulling back to look past the car parked in their garage towards the noise he'd heard, his eyes soon finding Caitlyn as she hurried out of the house.

"Daddy! Daddy, I'm ready!" She cheered as she ran towards the both of them, the sound of her tennis shoes shitting the garage floor breaking through the other noise around them as a soft smile formed across his face when he saw all the gear covering her body.

He expected it, as he knew the entire reason Caitlyn had taken longer to get out here was because she was getting help from Gabby to get everything on. But seeing all of it on her was a lot different than seeing it in the packaging, Matt unable to stop the quiet laugh that left the back of his throat as he looked over everything he was wearing.

The leggings and long-sleeve shirt were no different than what she'd had on all day. But what was out of the ordinary was the elbow pads, knee pads, wrist guards, and the brightly colored helmet clipped onto her head, as all of that gear was a sure sign for one thing.

Caitlyn was ready to learn how to ride her bike.

They knew this day was coming, long before they'd gotten her a bike for her birthday as this was something she'd wanted for a while. But now that she'd actually gotten her bicycle, she was eager to get on and start riding, as Caitlyn hadn't stopped talking about it since her birthday a few days prior. Though between work and taking care of the girls, they hadn't found the time to get out and take her present for a spin. But that was about to change, and Caitlyn was so excited, so much so that she didn't even mind all the protective gear she had to wear.

Her new bike still had training wheels, as they knew Caitlyn had never really done this before, and this right now was more about just teaching her the basics. But even so, Gabby felt it necessary to cover her from head to toe in pads and guards, to ensure she was protected just incase something happened. And it was something that Matt wholeheartedly agreed with, as they both would rather be safe than sorry.

"I can see that, sweetheart." He replied softly after a moment as she came to a stop in front of him, Sofia slightly startled by the sudden presence beside her until she realized it was just her sister.

Behind Caitlyn, Gabby came into view, Matt shooting her a soft grin as she placed her sunglasses on the top of her head. "Yeah, it took some time but we got her ready." She added on while she stood behind their daughter, Caitlyn practically beaming as she gave a nod of agreement before Gabby placed her hand on top of her helmet.

"I'm ready for you to teach me, Daddy." She added on with that unmistakable gleam in her eye, Matt's head cocking to the side despite the smile he felt growing on his face while he looked at his little girl.

"Oh, you're ready for Daddy to teach you?" He repeated with a laugh, Caitlyn nodding as she clasped her hands together. "What about your Momma?"

"She said you were gonna help me." She responded simply, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip to fight off her grin as Matt glanced back up at her.

"She did, did she?"

"Mhmm!" Caitlyn hummed in response as she turned her head back to look at her mom. "She said you were so excited to teach me my bike."

"Well baby, I am excited." He replied without a ounce of hesitation, Caitlyn bouncing on her feet out of pure joy before he reached out to place his hand on her side. "But I definitely think it would be fun for Mommy to help us, too." He added on, catching Gabby's gaze once more just as a sheepish look crossed her face.

"Me too!" Caitlyn responded eagerly before turning her entire body towards Gabby, the mother finding herself now being watched by both her husband and eldest daughter, the pair wearing equally amusing looks on their faces. "I want you to help, Mommy." She told her, those words being something Gabby could never say no to. Though she never would think of it in the first place, as this was certainly something Dawson wanted to be present for.

"Of course I'll help you, Caity." She told her, the light in their daughter's eyes only growing while Sofia hurried into the garage, certainly in search of some toys to play with.

"Yay!" She replied before clapping her hands together. "Let's learn my bike!" She continued on, her easy words causing both her parents to laugh before Matt pushed himself up to stand straight, the man now taller than his wife as he shifted his weight on his feet.

"Yeah, we'll learn your bike sweetie." He repeated her terminology, Matt rubbing his hand over her helmet-covered head before walking back into the garage in search of her new bike, Caitlyn following after him excitedly while Gabby kept an eye on their youngest baby. But from first glance alone, it was clear that Sofia was perfectly content playing with her small soccer ball, the girl throwing it towards the child-sized net sitting up against the wall before hurrying over to retrieve it, the easy game enough to keep her entertained while Matt guided Caitlyn's bike out of the garage and onto the empty side street.

"I'm glad we're able to finally do this." Gabby spoke up suddenly as she looked to see her husband adjusting a few of the things on their daughter's new bike, Caitlyn waiting as patiently as she could while standing beside him.

"Yeah, me too." He agreed with a soft smile. "And I know Caity is." He added on, his words earning a big smile from his daughter before he glanced back to Dawson. "Though it pretty much had to be today, or we probably wouldn't have been able to do this until next week." He spoke, Gabby drawing in a slow breath before she nodded, as their busy schedule over the next few days wasn't lost on her.

"Yeah, you're right… Between work, and Caitlyn's check up at the doctor's tomorrow; and then this super secret spa trip you won't tell me anything about this weekend," She said with a soft smirk, Matt scoffing lightly before he met her eyes once more, the man shaking his head as she continued. "This week is pretty busy."

"Babe, there's nothing secretive about it." He reminded her, their conversation from the day before still in his mind as he knew Gabby was only messing with him. That just because she was still a little surprised and caught off guard by the gesture, that didn't mean she was any less excited for it, as Matt knew just how much she was looking forward to them going away together.

He knew how excited they both were, as this was something they didn't get to do nearly enough.

"So, there's something I want to talk to you about." Matt started after he'd pulled her aside into the conference room, the empty room at the firehouse giving them the space to talk away from the loud chatter going on just through the closed door.

"Uh oh." Gabby spoke softly, the smile on her face along with her light tone bringing an amused grin across his lips before he shook his head. "That's never good." She continued to tease, Matt releasing a soft scoff as he reached out to pinch her side as she sat against one of the tables, Gabby laughing softly before shying away from his touch. "Hey- stop it." She chastised gently, Gabby playfully pushing him away as he moved to sit beside her.

"Anyway, as I was saying," He started once more with a soft look in his eye, Gabby's lips curling up into a smirk before she nodded at him to continue, "I've been thinking lately, about everything going on with us… Everything that's happened." He told her, Gabby nodding as the easiness around them began to disappear into the air. "It's been a lot on all of us, but on you especially with what you've gone through, I know how hard it's been. So I had an idea, that you and I could go on a little mini-vacation with just the two of us…"

The second those words left his lips, a soft smile formed over her face, Gabby's eyes lighting up as it was clear how interested she was already at what he had been planning without her knowing. And he only hoped that excitement continued as he spoke up again.

"It's nothing much, just a little overnight trip to a spa in the city… But I thought it would be good for us, to get some time away from everything and have a moment to ourselves." He said, Gabby nodding in immediate agreement as she angled herself towards him, her body language alone telling him how much she liked what he was saying. "Everything's already booked and planned, we just have to show up… It's this weekend. I've already arranged for Kelly and Jemma to watch the girls, and I think your dad said something about stopping by to spend some time with them. But all of that is already sorted out, the girls are good, so you don't need to worry about that." He assured her, as Matt had a good idea that would've been Gabby's first thought with something like this.

And he'd been right, as that was one of the first things to cross her mind. Along with how nice a night away with her husband sounded.

"But really, I just wanted to do this for us… And because I think this will help you feel a little better, with some of the soreness and pain and everything. And I thought now was a good time to do it, before Caitlyn's adoption… it would be nice to do something for the two of us. Before everything changes. As long as you want to-"

"I want to." She cut him off without a thought, the boyish grin appearing over his face making her own smile grow. "I wasn't expecting anything like this, at all… Though I could tell you were hiding something," She spoke with a knowing look, though it didn't take away from the overwhelming amount of gratitude he saw shining across her face. "But this- I love this baby, thank you."

Her lips were on his the second she finished talking, Matt having to place his hand back on the table to steady himself before he began kissing her back, the man smiling against her while she gave him a loving, slow kiss.

"...I hoped you would." He breathed out when she eventually pulled away, Gabby running her teeth along her bottom lip while fighting off a smile. "I know it's not much, but…"

"It's perfect." Dawson interjected once more, Matt releasing a soft, relieved breath before he nodded. "Truly, it is… I can't wait."

"Yeah, yeah, that's what you keep telling me."

The sound of Gabby's voice pulled him from the memory, the smile on his face never faltering as he caught her eyes, Matt shaking his head once more before he stood up straight.

"Well, I guess you'll just have to go and see if I'm telling the truth." He played along, Gabby laughing softly in response. "But my only plans are to spend time with you… Just like Caity is gonna have a great time with Uncle Kelly and Aunt Jemma." He said, his words now clearly directed towards the six year old still waiting beside him as she looked up at him with that same eager smile on her face. "Isn't that right, baby? You and Sof are gonna have a lot of fun." He reminded her, Caitlyn soon nodding in agreement as she vaguely remembered the conversation her parents had with her before they all came outside.

When ideas for this small trip came up, one of Casey's first thoughts had been the girls and how they'd handle this. But thankfully, when Matt and Gabby told their daughter's- well, told Caitlyn, about them going away this weekend, she'd taken it surprisingly well.

She was a little unsure at first, which wasn't surprising given how Caity still had a few struggles here and there with being away from her parents; especially with something that was out of their typical routine. But that uncertainty didn't last too long, as after some assurances and promises from her mom and dad, the young girl was just now excited to spend the weekend with her godparents.

And they knew Sofia would be too, as neither Matt nor Gabby ever worried about their girls when they were with their best friends.

"Yeah, we're gonna have fun." Caitlyn answered with a soft grin, Gabby and Matt both nodding before the latter moved his attention back towards the bike, as he knew his daughter just wanted to start riding. And he couldn't blame her, given the fact they'd had this present for days now and she had yet to be able to try it out.

"Alright, let's see here." Casey spoke after a moment, his words more to himself than anyone else as Caitlyn looked up at him. "You ready to try, baby?"

"Yeah!" She replied before stepping towards the bike, Matt nodding with a gentle smile before guiding her hands towards the handle bars.

"Okay, well first let's get on, and you can get a feel for everything, yeah? Lift your leg up here, and sit down on the seat." He instructed her, his soft voice bringing a smile to Gabby's face while she watched him with Caitlyn, Matt helping each of the six year old's movements as she got up on the seat.

Each word and direction was soft and genuine, Matt beginning to gently guide her through what to do now that she was up on the bike, while Gabby felt an indescribable feeling spread through her body while she watched them. Moments like this, even with something as simple as teaching Caitlyn how to ride a bike, and being able to see how incredible and supportive Matt was with their girls made her so overwhelmingly happy.

And it was the same way he'd always been with her, too.

"Do you understand, baby?" Casey asked the little girl as she held onto both handle bars, Matt giving her a few seconds to get used to the way she balanced on the bike, as he knew that was one of the most important parts to this process. "I'll help you move, but you keep both feet on those peddles and just move your legs… I can show you more when we start going."

"Okay." She responded, her eyes trained down towards the ground while her dad moved her feet to the correct position, Caitlyn trying her hardest to remember everything he was showing her.

"You ready to try?"

"Yeah!" She responded, Matt offering her a warm smile before he nodded.

"Alright, well we'll start… We're gonna go slow, but just make sure you keep your hands on the bars, yeah?"

"Okay Daddy." She agreed, Matt nodding before he looked up towards his wife, finding a love-filled smile waiting for him, while her phone was pointed in their direction, like she making sure to record this moment.

And it was something he was grateful for, as he already knew this was something he'd want to be able to look back on for a very long time.

Taking a deep breath, Casey looked back down towards his daughter, Matt practically able to feel the determination in her body despite the fact that he couldn't see her face, Caitlyn still holding onto the bike while her tongue poked out between her lips in an effort to stay focused. "Okay baby, you ready?" He asked her one last time just to be sure, Caitlyn nodding in response.

Having gotten all the assurance he needed, Matt reached down for the bike once more, the father keeping on hand on the handle bars while the other held onto the back of her seat, his secure hold making it impossible for her to get too far away from him as he knew they needed to take this slow. Because no matter how ready she was, this was still a new thing for her, and the last thing either parent wanted was to rush into this and make her hesitant to keep trying.

But the second they started moving, Matt had a gut feeling that he didn't need to worry so much about that, as Caitlyn caught onto things quickly, the girl able to pick up the basics of what she was supposed to within seconds of them moving. With her dad's help, she was able to ride her way down the secure street, their pace increasing every few minutes as she continued to get the hang of her new bike. So much so that Matt was nearly having to run to keep up with her, as Caitlyn was having so much fun she didn't want to stop.

So they didn't, the family enjoying this time as much as they could while Caitlyn worked on mastering this new skill, both Gabby and Matt taking turns helping her while the other filmed and took pictures, as well as keeping an eye on their independent baby who was happy to just be outside, though Caitlyn was mindful to not go too fast when her mom was helping her.

And that was how their entire afternoon was spent, the family of four soaking in as much time outside as they could while Caitlyn rode around her bike, all of them more than content in what they were doing as they were just happy for each and every moment they got to spend together.

Caitlyn sat in between her parents on the long table up against the wall, her legs swinging back and forth while her eyes bounced around the room she'd been in a few times, as they waited for her doctor to come in. There were brightly painted pictures and photos covering the walls, that alone enough to keep her occupied while her hand rested easily on her mother's leg.

"You doing okay, sweetie?" Gabby asked after a few moments of quiet, Caitlyn turning to look up at her before she nodded.

"I'm okay… I'm hungry."

"I know baby, we're gonna go and get something to eat once we're done here, alright?" She reminded her, Caitlyn nodding with Matt adjusted the younger child sitting in his lap. "But I think I have some crackers, do you want those?"

Caitlyn gave her another nod in response, Gabby rubbing her arm gently before she began to search around in the diaper bag, the mother soon enough finding the snack she was looking for before opening it and handing it to Caitlyn.

"There you go, sweetheart." She told her, the six year old saying a quick thank you before she began to eat her food, Gabby running her hand along her back while Matt looked between them. "Hopefully we won't be here too much longer."

Just as those words left her lips, the door opened, all of them being met by the sight of the daughters' pediatrician as Dr. Mitchell came through the door, his demeanor welcoming as he closed the door behind him.

"Well hello there Casey family." He greeted easily, Gabby and Matt both returning the gesture while Caitlyn took a break from her food to give him a soft smile. "It's nice to see you all again, I know it's been a while… Though, technically for you all, that's a good thing." He added on, the familiar joke causing both parents to smile as they loved how the man had a way of making all of them feel at ease around him. Especially Caity and Sofia. "But I hear we have a super special check up for a super special person today… If I remember correctly, someone just had a birthday."

The second he finished speaking, Caitlyn's ears perked up, her little head beginning to nod enthusiastically before a wide grin covered her face. "Me! I did!" She answered, Dr. Mitchell feigning shock as his eyes widened slightly.

"You did?" He played along, his enthusiasm causing Caity to become even more excited.

"I did!" She repeated herself before placing her snack down on the bed behind her. "I turned six! We had a party."

"Really?" He asked her again, Caitlyn nodding once more as she was completely focused on the man across from her.

"Yeah! It was so fun, we had a playground. And slides. And cake, and presents." She began to ramble, as the little girl was never one to shy away from the topic of her birthday party, which is something the parents had come to learn over the past few days. But they wouldn't have it any other way, as they were beyond glad that that day had become such a special memory for her her. "I got a bike!"

"Wow, a bike?" He questioned, earning another nod from his little patient. "That's so cool, Caitlyn."

"It is! I love it so much." She said happily. "I rode it a lot, Mommy and Daddy helped me." She kept explaining, Dr. Mitchell hanging onto her every word as he glanced up at the parents.

"Yeah, we did." Gabby supplemented. "She only just started yesterday, so she's still learning, but she's doing really well with it."

"She is." Casey agreed. "She caught on pretty quick. In fact, at this rate I don't think we'll be needing to keep those training wheels on for very long." He added, his words earning a laugh from the room as Gabby nodded.

"He's probably right about that." She said in response, Dr. Mitchell smiling softly before glancing back down towards his file.

"Well all of that sounds great, I'm so glad you had a nice birthday, Caitlyn." He told her, the small girl smiling brightly in response.

"Thank you." She replied before reaching back for her snack, Caitlyn refocusing her attention on the food in her hands while Dr. Mitchell began to talk to her parents.

"Now I know you all are here for her six year check up, and as you all know these visits can be a little bit long, like it was for Sofia's one year one." He reminded them, Gabby and Matt both nodding. "But it's all just part of the process. Our nurse Lizzie did a few things already before you came back here… checked her height, weight, blood pressure- things like that. And from what I'm seeing, all of those look good." He began to explain, both parents listening intently while their children were focused on other things.

"She's still a little small for her age, but at this point with her body type that's to be expected. She's below those target ranges we typically look at for kid's her age, but it's nothing to be alarmed about. She's growing, and developing well from where she started. And that's what is important here… Not so much the numbers on the scale." He told them, his eyes moving over the file in front of him while the parents nodded.

"And all her other vitals were good. From what I can tell so far, she's a happy and healthy little girl." He continued on, his words bringing soft smiles to both of their faces as Gabby wrapped her arm around Caitlyn, the little girl not sure of why her mom was hugging her but she didn't question it as she leaned into her side nonetheless.

"But since this is a well check, there's more we will be doing other than the standard exams." Dr. Mitchell said as he placed his tablet down on the counter behind him. "There's a list of exams and tests we need to do, both physical and mental, so we can get a good baseline for where she's at right now." He explained to them. "But you all can stay with her the entire time, everything will be done in this room and you can be with her."

"Alright, thank you." Matt replied as he glanced down towards Caitlyn, seeing the girl content as could be in her mother's embrace.

"Of course. And I also will have some questions for you and Gabby, about Caitlyn." He said, the parents nodding once more. "About her eating habits, sleeping habits, physical activity, how she's doing in school… things like that. And we'll also need to give her a few shots, to try and catch her up on her immunizations. But we won't do that until the end." He assured them, as they all knew Caitlyn likely wouldn't be in the best of moods after that.

"Okay." Gabby responded when it became clear he was waiting on some sort of reply from them, the doctor giving them a soft smile before he relaxed back into his seat.

"I know it's kind of a lot, but these check ups are very important. Especially for Caitlyn." He told them, Gabby nodding once more as she ran her hand over her daughter's arm. "But before we get into all of it, I want to ask are there any concerns you all have?" He asked them, Matt's eyebrows raising slightly. "Anything you want to talk about? Or you want me to look out for?"

"Not that I can think of, no… Though I know her speech was an issue early on, so I guess I'd like to know what you think about how she's doing with things like that- talking, reading, spelling. That kind of stuff." Gabby told him, Dr. Mitchell giving her an understanding nod. "I mean, it's still early and I know all kids are different when it comes to this stuff, but I guess I just want to know, once you see where she's at, if there's anything Matt and I should be doing differently to help her."

"Yeah, we can talk about that." He responded with a knowing smile. "We'll see how she's doing with it, and go from there. You're right, though, so many kids are different and develop on different timetables. But we do have some markers and benchmarks we can use to see how she's doing." He reassured the attentive parents, earning nods from both of them before he looked back to Caitlyn. "Anything else?"

"No, I don't think so." Gabby responded before she looked towards Matt, seeing her husband nod in agreement.

"Yeah, there's nothing else like that… But there is something I want to mention." He told him, Dr. Mitchell nodding as he gave Casey his complete attention. "We are here for her six year check up, but we're also here because Gabby and I wanted to make sure we had a recent doctor's visit on file for her, because, uh…" He stopped himself, Matt looking over towards his wife to find that soft, reaffirming smile on her face, Gabby giving him a nod before he continued. "We're adopting Caitlyn next week."

As soon as those words left his lips, a wide grin appeared over Dr. Mitchell's face, it impossible to miss how thrilled he was for them as he looked between the family.

"Really?" He asked them, Gabby and Matt both nodding enthusiastically. "That's incredible news."

"Sof is gonna be my sister!" Caitlyn spoke up with a bright smile, the girl clearly having been listening to their conversation as the topic of her adoption was one she absolutely loved. "And Mommy and Daddy are gonna be my Mommy and Daddy again." She continued on, the simple words making sense in her brain as she explained things the best she could.

And every adult in the room knew what she meant, as Gabby brought her back into her side. "Yeah, we are baby." She spoke, pressing a kiss against the top of her head as Caitlyn held onto her.

"That's so great, you guys. I'm so happy for you all… Especially you, Caitlyn." He told her, his words causing her smile to grow before she ducked her head down against Gabby's chest.

"Yeah, we're all so excited. But that's part of why we're here, so we can have an updated visit for her, to go along with her other ones when she first came to live with us… That way the court and DCFS and everyone has those records. So they can see her improvements and how she's doing." Matt finished, Dr. Mitchell nodding understandingly as he made a mental note to make sure to be as thorough as possible.

"Of course, yeah. We'll definitely make sure to get all her files updated so you all have that." He assured him, Matt giving him a soft smile while moving Sofia to rest on his other leg, his hand holding over her body protectively so she wouldn't fall. "But really, I'm just… I'm so excited for you all. I truly am. Caitlyn couldn't have asked for better parents." He told them, his words soft as they held a lot of meaning.

"Thank you… That means so much to us." Gabby responded as her gaze moved over to Matt, the couple sharing a look meant only for them before they broke their eye contact, their focus going back to the little girl sitting in between them as they waited for Dr. Mitchell to begin his exams.

Casey drove through the surprisingly quiet streets of Chicago as he neared their destination, the air in the truck relatively calm as Gabby's gaze was focused on the window, the silence around them a shift from how chaotic car rides usually were as they were missing two of their usual passengers. But they knew their daughters were safe and cared for at home, as both Kelly and Jemma were there with them, all four of the first responders having left shift and gone straight to the Casey household so they could make Gabby and Matt's exit as seamless as possible.

And thankfully, their goodbyes had been fine. They were never easy, given how neither child loved being away from their parents. But it had gone better than expected, as after their goodbyes, Jemma and Kelly were able to occupy them long enough so neither child actually saw them leave, which they knew always worked best for them. And it was proven true again today, as shortly after they left their home, they'd gotten a message from Jemma saying how well the girls were doing, and how everything was fine. Which quite honestly made this entire trip easier on both the parents.

"How much longer until we get there?" Gabby asked after a moment, Matt smiling softly as he rounded the corner after checking each direction.

"Maybe a minute or two." He responded, Gabby nodding slightly before she turned to look at him, Matt only catching a glimpse of the gentle grin covering her face as he needed to keep his attention on the road ahead of him. But he saw enough of it as he couldn't help but match her look, a rush of warmth instantly spreading through his chest.

The rest of their drive was quiet, Matt reaching out to hold onto her leg with one hand while his other stayed securely on the wheel, both of them grateful to enjoy this time with only the two of them, as it was a rare occurrence these days. And even though they wouldn't have it any other way, it was still nice to get away, as neither of them could remember the last time they'd done something for just them.

"Looks like we're here." He spoke softly as he pulled up outside the beautiful hotel, Gabby's smile widening before she turned to look at him, Matt rubbing his thumb along the outside of her thigh as he saw nothing but appreciation shining in her eyes.

"I'm really looking forward to this, babe." She told him, Matt nodding in agreement before they regretfully broke eye contact, the couple knowing it was time to get out of this truck and get inside to check in.

The whole process only took a few minutes, Matt opting to use the valet service for his truck before they headed in to check into their room. And the entire way, Gabby couldn't help but notice how incredible the entire hotel was, the wife letting Matt handle everything as before she knew it, they were heading up to their room.

Standing hand in hand, the couple got off the elevator when they arrived at their floor, Matt's other hand pulling the small suitcase holding both their belongs while Gabby was in charge of the room keys, the quiet around them almost calming as they walked down the secluded hallway.

"This place is so nice." She murmured, more to herself than anything else as Casey nodded in agreement just as they got to their room, the two finally dropping their hands long enough for her to get the door open.

And the second she did, she couldn't help the slight gasp that escaped her lips, as from first glance alone this had to have been one of the nicest hotel rooms she'd ever seen.

The room was huge, much bigger than anything they'd need for just the two of them, with floor to ceiling windows covering the wall directly across from her, Gabby slowly stepping further inside while Matt followed close behind her. There was a huge king sized bed in the room, with a full sized couch and coffee table beside it, while a large TV hung on the wall across from them, the low lights inside setting the mood as Gabby couldn't help but notice the bottles of champagne waiting for them on the table.

And that was just what she could see from taking a few steps into the room, as Gabby hadn't even ventured over towards the bathroom yet. Though from the huge, open double doors waiting for her across the room, she could only imagine how luxurious that space was as well.

From what she could tell, Matt had gone all out for their little getaway together, and while she appreciated it more than she could even put into words, a part of her couldn't help but worry that he'd done too much, Gabby knowing this entire thing couldn't have been cheap. And between her medical bills, Caitlyn's adoption, the usual bills, and their every day expenses to take care of themselves and their two kids, they really didn't have a lot of extra money lying around.

"You really didn't have to do all this, Matt." She spoke with a soft sigh, Gabby feeling him come up behind her as their door closed, his hands soon finding her waist before he pulled her back against him, her body resting against his chest as she felt his breath hitting her neck.

"I know I didn't, but I wanted to." He told her honestly, his hand coming to rest over her stomach as he held onto her, Gabby relaxing back against him as a small smile formed over her face. "You deserve this, baby." He whispered before pressing a soft kiss against her neck, his other arm circling around her to keep her close.

"...I love you." She spoke after a moment, her words hanging in the air as she felt him smile against her skin, before Matt kissed her once more, both of them wanting to stay here for just a few more minutes as they soaked in this peaceful feeling, the couple already knowing they were going to have an amazing time here together.

"I love you, too."

Gabby released a soft sigh as she fell down into their spacious bed, her body feeling completely and utterly relaxed as her and Matt had just finished up their last treatment of the day. Though she wasn't entirely sure what her husband had planned for them when they got here, today had been so much better than she ever imagined, as he had gone above and beyond for her. And they both enjoyed every minute of it, whether together or apart, it had been such a wonderful day for them. One that had ended with one of the best massages of Gabby's life, as Matt had signed them up for a couples massage to close out their night here.

"You look happy."

Her eyes slowly opened when she heard the sound of his voice, an immediate smile forming over her face when she saw him enter their bedroom from the bathroom, Matt still sporting the comfortable robes they'd been given, that neither of them had taken off all day.

"I am… I'm very happy." She breathed out, adjusting her head on the pillow as he walked towards her. "I feel better than I have in a long time. And I don't think my shoulder has felt this good in months." She told him, Matt nodding as he came to a stop beside the bed.

"I'm so glad, babe." He responded, his quiet voice just barely reaching her ears as he sat down on the edge of the bed, his hand immediately moving out towards her as he locked their fingers together. "And we have even more to look forward to tomorrow." He added on with a goofy grin, Gabby nodding slowly as her head leaned towards him, her eyes falling closed once more as she was sure she could feel the stress leaving her body.

"I'm excited." She answered him, Gabby unable to see the loving look that flashed in his gaze. "Today was amazing, and I'm sure tomorrow will be even better."

Matt nodded in response, before he leaned down to capture her lips in a kiss. The movement was quick and gentle, but one that made her smile nonetheless, Gabby's eyes staying closed even after he pulled back.

"...Have I mentioned how much I love you?"

"Only about twenty times today." He answered with a soft laugh, the noise causing that smile on her face to grow as she gave his hand a squeeze.

"Well, it's true. I love you, so much. And thank you for today… I really needed this." She told him as Matt reached out to brush a few strands of hair from her face. "I just didn't realize it before now."

"I know, that's why I did it." He spoke honestly, his words causing her eyes to slowly open as she found him waiting for her. "Even after the accident, you put so much into making sure everyone else was okay… Me, the girls, your dad- everyone. You put all of us above yourself, so I just wanted to do something nice for you. You deserve this, you deserve more than this, but I'm just glad you had a nice time, and that you're feeling better… That's all I wanted."

His genuine words went straight to her heart, Gabby's smile widening before she used the hold on his had to carefully guide him back down towards her, Matt complying instantly as their lips met in another passion-filled kiss.

"I love you." She whispered against him, Matt nodding with a soft smile as he used his free hand to support his weight above her.

"I love you, too."

He barely got the words out before her lips were on his again, the two moving in perfect sync just as they always had. But this time, she didn't let him pull away, the intensity in their movements increasing by the second while Gabby brought him down closer to her. And as the moments passed, Matt soon found himself hovering over her, his body covering hers as they connected with a passion and desire they hadn't felt between them in a very long time, the couple continuing to inch their way into what had become uncharted territory for them.

Though for now, neither of them seemed to mind, Matt giving her just as much as she gave him as their hands roamed over one another, the two desperate to be as close as they possible could as it had been far too long since they'd had a moment like this.

But the second her hands moved towards his robe and started to untie the material, it was like his mind cleared, Matt immediately pulling back to find her gaze as he knew he needed to be sure this is what she wanted. That she was ready for where this was likely headed, as the last thing he wanted was to rush her into this.

"Wait… Baby, wait." He spoke as she tried to kiss him once more, his hand moving to gently cradle her neck as she took a second to catch her breath. "Are you sure?" He asked her, the look in her eyes softening as her bottom lip tucked itself between her teeth.

She knew he'd be hesitant, given neither of them had even tried to get this intimate since everything happened. And even though she was cleared for everything, it had still be a long time for them- over two months since they'd been able to do this, so Gabby completely understood why he was questioning her.

But she was ready. She was beyond ready to be with her husband again, and she knew he was ready, too. He just needed her to be sure.

"I am." She replied softly, Matt drawing in a deep breath before he nodded. "...I want you, Matt."

As those words left her lips, her hands moved in between them to untie her own robe, Gabby quickly undoing the fabric before she pulled the clothing open, her body now completely exposed to him as he could feel his mouth going dry, Matt's own body nearly aching as his desire for her was almost overwhelming.

And from that moment on, no more words needed to be said between them as he discarded his robe, before his hands began to move over her skin.

He was gentle with her, his fingers tracing lightly over the lingering scar along the top of her thigh, while his mouth moved across the rough scar from her surgery that trailed over her chest, Matt knowing well enough that his wife wasn't entirely fond of the new marks covering her body. But to him, they were the most beautiful thing in the world, as they were just another reminder of how she was still here. That she fought so hard to be here. And right now, all he could think about was how grateful he was to feel her heart beating underneath his lips.

How grateful he was to feel her.

And he spent the entire night making sure she knew it, the couple taking their time getting reacquainted with one another as he dedicated himself to appreciating every single inch of her that he could, their pants and moans filling the room while they focused on nothing but trying to make up for so much of that time together that they'd lost over the last couple months.