Hello there and happy Monday everyone, I hope you all are doing well. And I'm here with the next update for you!

But before we get into it, I'm sorry this chapter is a bit of a shorter one. My birthday was yesterday, and I didn't have much time to get a lot of writing done this weekend. And also this chapter is kind of an in-between one to get us into the next part of the story anyway, one where it shows a little bit more of the different dynamics between some characters, but I didn't want to add a bunch more filler just to add it. So that's why it's a little shorter. Though I hope you all enjoy it and all the cute Casey family moments regardless.

Thank you all so much for reading, I'm super excited to hear your thoughts! I'll see you next time!

Chapter One Hundred and Forty Five

"Congratulations, you are now the legal guardians to Caitlyn Casey."

Those words kept ringing around in Casey's head as he held onto two of his girls, Caitlyn still crying almost uncontrollably while Gabby was tucked into his side, the family still somewhat in shock as they were doing what they could to wrap their minds around the fact that Caitlyn was now legally their daughter.

It still didn't feel real, and honestly, it probably wouldn't sink in for a while, but that didn't matter so much anymore as she was theirs. She was their daughter, she was a Casey, and Matt and Gabby couldn't remember the last time they had felt this happy.

"It's okay, baby." Matt murmured as tears continued to flow down his cheeks, the father doing what he could to soothe his six year old as she had yet to stop crying, her head resting down into his neck while her emotions got the best of her. "It's okay, I know this is a lot to take in." He continued to tell her, Gabby rubbing her hand along the girl's back before pulling away from her husband and oldest daughter, her eyes moving back towards their friends and family to see them all still celebrating.

"I'm gonna get Sofia." Dawson spoke up, Matt looking away from Caitlyn to find her eyes now on him. "I want her to be here with us." She added, the man nodding with a soft smile, as he wholeheartedly agreed.

This was a big moment- one of the biggest of their lives, next to Sofia being born, and he wanted their family together to celebrate it. Their complete family.

"Me too." He told her as he adjusted the girl in his arms, Gabby nodding as she reached up towards his face, the wife wiping away a few of his tears before she headed back towards their friends, leaving Matt to continue comforting Caitlyn.

But on the way, her steps slowed when she saw Tina, the woman having broken off from the family to let them celebrate, while she watched contently from the sidelines.

"Congratulations, Gabby." She spoke when she noticed the woman just a few feet in front of her, Gabby offering her a soft, teary-eyed smile. "Caitlyn couldn't be going into a better home, I'm so happy for all of you."

Nodding slowly, Dawson continued towards the woman, Tina watching her closely just before she pulled the social worker in for a tight hug.

The action caught her a bit off guard, but she reciprocated nonetheless, Gabby taking a deep breath while the two embraced.

"Thank you." She murmured, Tina's face softening at the sincerity in Dawson's voice. "For everything, thank you… For helping us get our little girl. We wouldn't be here without you."

"You're welcome, Gabby." She replied as the two began to pull apart, Tina seeing just how appreciative she was as they stood face to face. "But you and Matt, you two did the hard part… And now she's yours. Caitlyn is your daughter, and even though I never envisioned this when I first asked you all to foster her, I… This is where she was meant to end up. She belongs with you all, and now she's found her home forever. And that's all because of you and Matt."

Dawson blinked back a few tears before she slowly nodded, no more words needing to be said between the two of them as they shared a meaningful look, Gabby giving her one last hug before she began to walk over to the large group across the room.

"There she is." Boden spoke proudly when Gabby approached them, their attention turning towards Dawson as she got to her friends. But before she could even say a word, her dad pulled her into a tight hug, Camila soon joining the embrace as the parents held onto their daughter as tightly as they could.

"Oh mija, I'm so happy for you." Ramon breathed out, his words springing fresh tears to Gabby's eyes before she nodded, while Camila pressed a few kisses against the side of her head.

"I'm so glad we could all be here for this." The mother added on as they pulled back.

"Me too… All of you, Matt and I, and Caitlyn, we're so grateful that you all came." Gabby told them as she stood in between her parents, the woman wiping under her eyes as she looked around at all the bright faces staring back at her. "You all have always been such a big part of our lives, and especially since Caity came into the picture, you've all been there for us, with anything we've needed, and I can never say thank you enough for that."

"You have nothing to thank us for." Severide spoke up first as he walked towards her, the man kissing her cheek before pulling her in for a hug. "We love that kid, and we love you all… I'm just glad this day finally came." His voice had dropped considerably as he spoke, the two still standing in their embrace as his words brought a few more tears to her eyes, Severide rubbing over her back before they slowly broke apart.

"Severide's right, Dawson." Herrmann added on. "If anything we should be thanking you, for letting us come. That kid just hit the lottery with her parents, and I'm glad we could be here for this." He added on, the man and Gabby sharing a lingering look that said more than words ever could.

He had been there with her through a lot of her struggles in becoming a mother, and once she became one, Herrmann constantly there for her to lean on for support whenever she needed it, as the man had always been a second father to her. So for him to be here now, with her and her family on the day they adopted their daughter, meant more than she could even say. And she knew Herrmann felt the exact same way.

"Me too, Herrmann." She responded just as he came up to give her a hug, Christopher whispering a few more affirming words into her ear before they separated.

And once they did, it was like everyone else wanted a turn, as the entire group was coming up to hug her, and congratulate her, Gabby's heart feeling as full as it had ever been as she couldn't help the overwhelming amount of gratitude flooding through her system.

"Mama, Mama-" Sofia began to babble out as she was securely in Jemma's arms, the godmother doing her best to keep her distance while Gabby spoke to all her friends, as she knew once Sofia got to her, the baby wouldn't want to leave her mom's side. But if Sof's persistent demeanor told her anything, it's that she wouldn't be able to keep the little girl away from her mom for much longer, as Sofia continued to reach out towards Gabby. "Mama."

"Hi baby." She responded softly as Jemma walked towards her, Gabby bringing Sofia into her arms as soon as she possibly could. This was something she hadn't gotten to do nearly enough of recently, as the accident had made it hard for her to lift her baby. But now that she was feeling better, she had her daughter in her arms as much as she could, Gabby and Sofia both missing moments like this together. "You were actually who I was looking for, your Daddy and Caity want to see you."

"Kay Kay." She repeated with a bright grin, her simple words earning a laugh from the group as Gabby pressed a kiss to the side of her head.

"Yeah, Kay Kay. I know you love your big sister so much." She murmured, before looking towards Jemma, the woman now standing beside her with her hand still on Sofia's back.

Neither one of them said anything for a moment, Jemma looking up towards Gabby to find her already watching her, the look in the older woman's eyes holding onto so many different emotions, none of which she knew how to voice before she silently pulled her best friend into a tight hug. Both women were mindful of Sofia, but she didn't seem to mind as Gabby and Jemma held onto one another, the whole group watching them while Norris squeezed her tightly.

"Thank you for being here." Gabby whispered, Jemma having to blink back the tears already sitting in her eyes. "For always being here, ever since we met… And for being there for my girls. I'm so grateful for you, Jemma." She told her, her words staying quiet as this a moment just for them. Even though those closest to them could still hear what was being said, Jemma holding on a little tighter as Gabby used her free hand to rub up and down her back.

"I'm so grateful for you too, Gabby… You have no idea." She repeated, the two sharing one last lingering moment before beginning to pull away, Sofia holding onto her mom's shirt tightly while her wide eyes looked around the room.

"Kay Kay." She repeated, the baby's attention now focusing on her sister. Who, as Gabby soon found out when she turned around, was still in Matt's arms, while he and Caitlyn headed their way, Gabby assuming he'd decided to just come join her with their friends as she hadn't been able to break away from the group yet. Though from the direction he was coming, she figured he'd stopped to talk to Tina as well.

When they got closer, Gabby could tell that Caitlyn had calmed down a bit, her tears having seemed to stop from what the mother could tell. But with her still so deeply held in Matt's grasp, it was hard for her to know for sure, as Dawson was well aware of how emotional this all made the young girl. Though Gabby couldn't blame her, as she was feeling the exact same way.

"Well, look who it is. It's the newest member of the Casey family." Kidd spoke up lightly, her words causing Caitlyn to lift her head up from Matt's body and turn towards the group. And when she did, it was impossible to miss how glassy and red her eyes were, as there were still a few tears on her skin. But the smile on her face was enough to tell everyone just how happy she was, as she looked around at all of the people she considered to be family. "Congratulations, honey."

"Thank you." She replied softly, just as Matt placed a gentle kiss against the side of her head, Gabby reaching out with her unoccupied hand to brush down the back of Caitlyn's dress. "I'm so happy."

Her words earned a few knowing smiles and laughs from the group, Matt wiping away some of her tears before giving her another kiss.

"We're so happy too, Caity." Severide told her, the man leaning over to give her arm a slight squeeze. "You're now officially a Casey, and you're gonna be stuck with your mom and dad forever." He teased, though the little girl wasn't able to pick up on what his words truly meant as she just gave him a bright smile.

"And Sof!" She corrected him, her sure voice causing a few chuckles from around the group to be directed towards Severide as the firefighter shook his head. "I'm gonna be with Sof forever, too!"

"Yeah, you are baby." Casey told her, his hand rubbing over her side as she wrapped an arm around his neck, Matt hearing her sniffle softly as she was still trying to get past the tears from moments ago.

"Because I'm a Casey." She continued on, repeating Kelly's words from moment's prior as a few of them nodded.

"You are, Caity."

"Yeah, and then Dawson next." Severide chimed in, before snickering quietly. But when he got a few amused looks from everyone, those sounds became louder, Gabby scoffing lightly as Caitlyn's ears perked up.

"Yeah, Mommy needs to be a Casey, too." Caitlyn spoke happily, Matt doing what he could to bite back the proud grin forming over his face. But he wasn't having much luck, as Gabby could see the elation shining in his eyes. "Like Daddy, and Sof, and me! Then we'll all be Casey's forever."

Her voice held so much excitement, as both parents knew just how important it was to Caitlyn for them all to have the same last name. It changed nothing about their dynamic, or how they felt and the bond they all had as a family, but they knew it was something she was excited for. And after all she'd been through at such a young age, they had a feeling it came from a place of craving that security and sense of family. And them all having the same last name was just one small part of that, but they knew it was something she desperately wanted.

And Gabby wanted it, too. For a long time, well before she told Matt about it back during Christmas, she'd wanted them all to have the same last name. To have his last name. And now that Caitlyn's adoption had gone through, they finally could.

"I know, sweetheart… But we're all already gonna be Casey's forever." She reminded her, her words not only bringing a smile to Caitlyn's face, but to Matt's as well, the man beaming with pride as he couldn't believe how incredibly lucky he was to have the family he did. "But here soon, we'll all have the same last name, okay? Right now though is about you, and celebrating you baby girl."

The second those words left her lips, Caitlyn's smile got wider, her deep brown eyes moving back and forth between her parents, before more happy tears began to form.

"Because you're my Mommy and Daddy." She spoke excitedly, Matt and Gabby both nodding in response.

"We are." Casey repeated, Caitlyn wasting no time in launching herself back into his embrace as her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, Matt adjusting her around to the front of his body while holding onto her as securely as he could. "We're your parents, baby. And we always will be."

His voice caused her to tighten her grip, the entire group staring on with nothing but love and wonder in their eyes as they witnessed the beautiful moment with the small family, Gabby taking a step closer to her husband and daughter while Sofia was still in her arms.

"I love you." Caitlyn spoke from the comfort of his hold, Gabby smiling softly before glancing up at her husband, seeing him completely enamored by their little girl as he began to kiss the top of her head once more.

"We love you too, Caity." Gabby murmured, as Sofia began to relax into her. "We love you and Sof so much… I never want you to forget that."

Matt stood quietly while leaning up against the wall, his body perched in the entrance to Ramon's living room as the somewhat large space was filled to the brim with people, all their family and friends that were there to support them today having come to the small party his father-in-law had surprised them with afterwards at his place.

It was unexpected, to say the least, as neither parent knew exactly what they were going to do after leaving the courthouse, Gabby and Matt figuring they'd just go have a nice, small outing with their girls. But those plans were quickly changed, as while they were leaving Ramon had informed them of the party he and Camila had been planning, everyone soon heading straight for his place only to be met by balloons, a banner, a cake, and tons of food, neither Gabby nor Matt having any idea as to how he'd been able to pull this off.

But he did, and they all absolutely loved it. Especially Caitlyn.

So much so, that the second they walked in and saw everything, the tears quickly began to reappear. And, just like back at the courthouse, they hadn't been able to stop either, as the high emotions of the day were certainly taking their toll on the small girl, her happy cries resulting in Matt and Gabby taking her up to the guest room for a few minutes to calm down. There was nothing wrong with her feeling the way she did, far from it, but the parents also knew she didn't need an audience while she let out what she was feeling, as Caitlyn had always needed a little extra time and help to control how she reacted to her emotions. So they'd decided to take her somewhere with only them, to give her the space and security to calm herself down, which she eventually had been able to do after continuous hugs and kisses from Gabby and Matt.

Then as soon as she began to feel a little better, all three of them eventually rejoined the party, Sofia still being looked after by Becca, while the rest of their friends and family were dispersed throughout the apartment.

And that's exactly how they all had been the entire afternoon.

Some had come and gone, Herrmann and his family, along with Boden and Donna, having left a little bit ago, as they both needed to get home. And Christie and Violet had come to join the festivities as well, as neither of them had been able to get away from work and school to get to the courthouse. But they wanted to be a part of the celebrations as much as they could, his sister and niece having shown up an hour or two ago and fitting in seamlessly with the rest of the group. And from what he could tell, everyone was having a nice time with each other.

So far, it had just been a fun little get together with everyone, to celebrate this incredible thing happening in their lives. And as he looked around the room at all the familiar faces, he couldn't ignore the warmth that rushed through him, as he never got tired of being reminded just how amazing the support system around them was, Matt knowing they never would've made it here without them.

"You need anything, dear?"

Casey was pulled from his thoughts when he heard the familiar voice, his head turning to find Camila standing beside him, a fresh drink in her hand as they both looked out into the living room. He wasn't sure how long she'd been here, or where she even came from, as the last he saw her, she'd been talking with Antonio and Christie off in the corner. But that clearly wasn't the case anymore, Matt giving her a small smile before he nodded.

"I'm good, Camila, thank you." He responded, his words earning a similar look from her before she angled her body out towards the room, her stance matching his as her eyes moved around the room.

A comfortable quiet fell over them, the chatter from their friends and family filling in the silence as Matt's gaze went back to his daughters that were sitting on the couch with their mom. But what he didn't know was that it was the same place Camila was looking too.

"Today has been quite a day." She spoke up once more, Matt smiling softly before he nodded in agreement. "...I'm glad I was able to be here for it, to see you all adopt her. It was wonderful." She continued on, the grin on his face growing before he glanced back towards her.

"It was… And I'm glad you were able to be here, too. I know it meant a lot to the girls for you to be here. And Gabby, she- she's so happy you could make it." He replied, not missing the way Camila's face softened before she turned to him as well.

"I know she is, and I'm glad I could do that for her… I've missed so much, being away." She spoke softly, a sad, knowing look starting to form over his face. "But I didn't want this to be another thing I wasn't here for."

"Well, fortunately it wasn't." He responded, Camila drawing in a slow breath before she nodded, the woman's attention moving back across the room towards her daughter, watching as Gabby adjusted Sofia in her lap while Caitlyn was curled up against her side, both children content to just be with their mother as Gabby spoke with her father.

"...How is she doing?" Camila asked almost suddenly, the slight edge of worry in her voice not going unnoticed by Casey as his eyes moved back towards Gabby, too. "Gabriela, is she… It's just that I know my daughter, and I know sometimes it's hard to get the whole truth from her, especially when she's trying to spare other people." She breathed out, Matt gnawing on his lip as he knew just how true his mother-in-law's words were. "But she says she's doing better, after everything… Is that true?"

"It is, and she is." He answered without a bit of hesitation, the clarity in his voice helping to ease some of her uncertainty. "She really is, she's doing so much better… Things were hard there for a while, but she's mostly recovered, if not fully- for her, at least." He continued to explain, Matt unsure of just how much his wife had told Camila of how she'd been feeling lately. But he knew it couldn't hurt to just tell her the truth. "Some things are a little different for her, she's had to learn that she has some limitations now that she didn't used to have, but she's okay." He finished, Camila nodding slowly before peeling her gaze away from her daughter.

"Good. As long as she's doing better, that's all that matters… She really had me worried there for a while."

"Yeah, she had all of us worried." He echoed quietly, a slight grimace tugging on his lips. "It was really scary… And I know there's been some close calls in the past, and times where I didn't know if she was okay, but this was- It was really hard, for a while… But she's doing great now."

"That's what's important." Camila reminded him, Matt taking a few slow breaths before he nodded. "She's doing great, and it seems like the rest of you are, as well… The girls, and everything. They look like they're doing well. Though, today I know I've never seen Caitlyn that happy." She continued on with a laugh, Matt smiling softly as he met her gaze. "But the entire family, you all seem very happy."

"We are." Matt told her. "We're… God, we're probably the happiest we've ever been, and that's all because of the girls- All my girls." He corrected himself, Camila shooting him a knowing smile before he looked back to Gabby. "And today was just… it was one of the best days of our entire lives."

"I know it was, Matthew." She told him, reaching out to pat his shoulder gently. "Your family is finally complete- well, for now at least," She added with a gleam in her eye, Matt chuckling softly as he shook his head. "But regardless, I can see how happy they make you."

"They do." He answered her without a thought. "They're my life, I don't know what I'd do without them."

"I know." She repeated, giving his arm a squeeze before she went on. "And… I feel like I probably don't tell you this enough, but there is not a day that goes by where I'm not so incredibly grateful for everything you've done for Gabriela, and the girls." She told him, Matt's eyebrows furrowing slightly as he wasn't expecting her words. "I really could not have asked for a better partner for my daughter… And a better father for my grandchildren. You do so much for Gabby and those girls, so much more that I probably could ever even know, but I know how much you cherish them, more than anything else. And I know they are your entire world… You are an amazing man, Matthew. And an even better dad, and I'm so glad that you're a part of our family." She spoke honestly, Matt nearly blindsided by the sentiment as he felt his throat beginning to tighten, the emotions from the entire day still fresh in his mind.

"And when I look at you, and how you are with those girls, all I see is Ramon." She continued on, Matt drawing in a soft breath as he waited for her to continue. "And I mean that in the best way possible… Ramon and I, we had our problems. A lot of them, and that's why we are where we are right now. But the one thing I never doubted was how incredible of a father he was. And you… I know that's how you are for Caitlyn and Sofia." She spoke, heavy emotions continuing to well in his chest as he began to blink quickly.

"And I am so glad those girls have that. That they have a father like you, who lives every day for them and what they need. You've always been that way with Sofia, and then Caitlyn… Sweet Caitlyn, I know she's been a part of this family for a long time, but seeing her today-" Camila cut herself off, her own feelings getting the best of her as she paused to take a steadying breath. "Seeing her with you today, was something I'll never forget… Those girls are so loved, it's just a testament to the type of man you are."

"Camila…"

"And I am so grateful they have you." She interjected, Matt's eyes falling closed for a second or two as he tried to get a handle on what he was feeling, her unexpected speech causing tears to well in his eyes. "Especially on days like today, seeing Caitlyn officially be brought into the family, I'm just so happy those girls have you as their father. And I'm grateful that Gabriela has you… I just wanted to make sure you knew that."

Casey started blinking quickly once more in an effort to keep those few tears back, the man clearing his throat while he did his best to process Camila's words. But it was hard for him to grasp the magnitude of what all she'd just said, as the last thing he'd been expecting today was this. Not when all the focus had, rightfully, been on Caitlyn.

But now that she'd said it, it was impossible for him not to get emotional about what she'd said, as all he ever wanted in life was to make sure his girls were loved and cared for. To make sure he was there for them, through everything. He tried his hardest every single day to be the best possible husband and father he could be, so to hear all of that from Camila meant the world to him.

"I… Thank you." He spoke after a moment or two, Matt still trying to gather his thoughts. "You don't need to thank me, for being there for my girls, but I appreciate what you said, I really do. Because I…" He stopped short, Casey taking a few breaths. "I just love them so much. I love all of them, more than I ever thought it was possible."

"I know you do." She replied with a soft, loving smile. "Even though I'm not around much anymore, I can see that… My daughter, and my granddaughters- they're so lucky to have you."

"I appreciate that, Camila. I really do, but if anything, I'm the lucky one." He responded without hesitation, Camila unable to stop her smile from widening at his genuine words, Matt only continuing to prove to her how everything she'd just said was completely true.

But before either of them could get another word in, their deep conversation was interrupted by the sound of little feet scurrying towards them, which was then soon accompanied by a familiar six year old voice as Matt looked down to see his oldest daughter approaching him.

"Hi Daddy." She greeted, Matt unable to stop his smile from growing as she got to him, Caitlyn hugging herself to his side almost instantly before she glanced up towards him, her chin resting against the side of his body.

"Hi princess." He said back, Casey cradling the back of her head lovingly as Camila watched on at the interaction between the father and daughter.

"Can you help me?" She asked, Matt's eyebrows raising before he gave her an immediate nod, his thumb stroking over her hair as she leaned further into him.

"Of course baby, what is it?"

"Mommy said you could help me get a snack." She told him with a shy grin, the father matching her look before he glanced up over towards his wife, finding Gabby watching him with a coy look over her face, the couple sharing a knowing glance before going back to their own conversations.

"Oh, did she?" He asked playfully, Caitlyn nodding against him.

"Mhmm. I told Mommy I was still hungry, and she said you could help me." She continued to explain. "Can I have something to eat?"

"Of course you can." Matt answered quickly, as the last thing he'd ever want is for his child to be hungry. They had all eaten maybe an hour or so ago, but clearly what she had then wasn't enough, as Matt reached down to pull her up into his arms while being careful of her dress. "I think there's still some sandwiches left, you want one of those?" He asked her, Caitlyn thinking over his words before she nodded, Matt smiling softly as he began to rub over her stomach. "Alright, well let's go get you something to eat baby."

"Okay." She replied, Caitlyn wrapping her arms around his neck before glancing towards her grandmother, the little girl giving her a bright smile before resting her head down against Matt's shoulder, Camila matching her look before Casey spoke up.

"I'm sorry to cut this short, but Caitlyn…"

"It's fine, Matthew." She told him, Casey offering her a small smile before he turned to head back towards the kitchen.

But he didn't get very far before he stopped himself, Matt meeting her gaze as a thoughtful look crossed his face. "And, uh… thank you again, for what you said."

"I meant every word." She assured him, Casey nodding with that same gentle grin before he continued in his original path towards the kitchen, Caitlyn firmly in his grasp as his mind was now focused on feeding his hungry child.

Though that didn't stop Camila's endearing words from replaying over and over in his mind throughout the rest of the night, as they couldn't help but make him want to continue to strive to be the best father and husband he could possibly be.

Because that's exactly what his family deserved.

Matt blew out a soft sigh as he slowly made his way down the stairs, the complete quiet up on the second floor of their home helping to keep their resting baby fast asleep as he'd just laid Sofia down in her crib. It was pretty late in the evening, later than they would've liked to get their girls home, but all the fun they'd had today was well worth it, as they couldn't think of a better way to spend Caitlyn's adoption day than with the people closest to them. Though staying at Ramon's well past the girls' bedtime certainly hadn't been a part of the plan.

But between how much fun they were all having, and people constantly coming up to Casey and Gabby both wanting to talk about the adoption, telling them how happy they were for the both of them, and how great of a thing this was, the day had kind of gotten away from them. So much so that by the time it was all said and done, and they'd finally said their last goodbyes and gotten out to the car, Caitlyn and Sofia were both out within minutes. The entire drive back, they were fast asleep, all the excitement of the day having taken a lot out of them.

But they'd had an amazing time, and this day was one he and Gabby both would surely remember. And Caitlyn too, as they were sure their little girl would never forget the day she was adopted.

Casey pulled himself from his thoughts as he got down to the main floor, the man seeing their home empty as he knew exactly where his wife and oldest daughter were, the light filtering out of their bedroom a tell-tale sign of where they'd gone off to while Matt took care of Sofia. But he wasn't even surprised by it, as from Caitlyn's pleas and pouty lip as soon as they got home, all but begging to sleep in their room again tonight, he wouldn't have expected them to be anywhere else.

Releasing another breath, Matt did one last walk through around their home, checking all the doors and the garage, making sure everything was locked up securely before he turned on their security system, the man glad to have that peace of mind that his family was safe inside their home. And with one last check of the curtains in their living room, making sure they were all closed, he turned off the lights and made his way to the master bedroom, Matt soon being met by an empty room.

But the sound of the water running was a dead giveaway as to what they were doing, Matt sure that Gabby was letting Caitlyn take a quick shower before bed, as they knew it was easier than trying to complete that task in the morning. So while they did that, Matt started to get himself ready for bed, his tired body moving on autopilot as he was looking forward to getting as much sleep as he could before tomorrow morning came around.

"Hey babe." Gabby spoke up, Matt's eyes snapping into focus just after he got his t-shirt on, the man glancing over to see his wife walking out of their bathroom, already clothed in her pajamas. "Sofia get down okay?"

"Mhmm, she didn't even wake up." He answered her, Gabby raising her eyebrows slightly. "I got her changed, and into some pajamas, and I swear she didn't move the entire time… She's exhausted." He added with a soft laugh, Dawson matching his grin just before Caitlyn ran into the room.

"Hi Daddy!" She greeted happily as she came to stand between her parents, Matt immediately noticing her little body being swallowed whole by one of Gabby's t-shirts, the choice of pajamas no doubt Caitlyn's doing as her damp hair fell down over her shoulders. "I'm ready for bed."

"I can see that, baby… Which is good, because you've got a busy day tomorrow." He reminded her, Caitlyn smiling wide before she nodded.

"Yeah, I have school." She spoke proudly, Gabby reaching down to rest her hand over her shoulder as the child looked between them. "Can I tell my friends you're my Mommy and Daddy?" She asked eagerly, Caitlyn bouncing on the balls of her feet as a pleased look covered her face. "And that you adopted me."

"Of course, baby. You can tell them." Dawson responded, the child nodding happily before she hurried over to the bed, Caitlyn able to get up on her own with the help of the bench resting at the foot of their mattress.

"Yay! They're gonna be so happy." She continued on, though her words seemed to be more to herself than either of them as she made her comfortable in the middle of their bed, her stuffed animal now clutched to her chest while she adjusted the blankets over her. "I'm ready to go to sleep." She said again, Matt and Gabby sharing a laugh before they continued on getting ready for bed.

And within minutes, Gabby was laying down beside Caitlyn, while Matt made his way over to the bed, the father having turned off everything by the small light they had plugged into the wall, before he laid down next to his family.

But before he could even try and get situated, Caitlyn spoke up.

"I need my kisses, Daddy." She said, the little girl clearly wanting to go through at least some of her routine before bed, as Matt always gave her hugs and kisses right before she went to sleep.

"Yeah Dad, she needs her kisses." Gabby teased him, Matt scoffing playfully before he leaned over to wrap his arms around the small girl, Caitlyn grinning proudly as she cuddled up next to her dad.

"Yes, we can't go to bed without them." He replied, Casey giving his daughter a kiss before she settled back down into the bed. "Goodnight Caity, I love you."

"I love you too, Daddy." She told him, the child relaxing back into the pillow before looking towards her mom. "And I love you, Mommy."

"I love you, sweetheart." Gabby repeated, the mother giving her daughter a goodnight kiss as well.

"Thank you for the bestest day ever." She continued on, her eyes bouncing back and forth between them while Gabby placed her hand over her stomach. "I had so much fun, and it's even better because now I'm adopted." She spoke, her tired brain doing what it could to make sense of the thoughts in her head. But Matt and Gabby understood her perfectly. "...Thank you for wanting to be my Mommy and Daddy."

Her words hit them both hard, Gabby feeling a rush of emotion swell in her throat as Matt kept his eyes on his baby, both parents doing what they could to keep it together while Caity watched them with a soft smile across her face.

"I love you lots and lots." She added on, Matt clearing his throat before he nodded.

"We love you too, sweet girl. And there's nothing we wanted more than to be your parents." He told her, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead before he relaxed down into the bed, Gabby holding onto her daughter while placing a kiss to the side of her head. "Now try and get some sleep."

Caitlyn was already half asleep by the time those last words left his lips, the little girl cuddled down in between them as her head lulled towards Gabby, the family wanting to be as close as possible as they slowly drifted off into their peaceful slumber.

And there we have another one. Again, I'm so sorry it's shorter/more filler than normal, but hopefully you all still enjoyed it. I really wanted to show a few more interactions between characters that we don't typically see in this story, especially that conversation between Matt and Camila. That was an important one for me to get written, and I'm very happy with the way it turned out. I hope you all liked it as well.

Again, thank you all so much for reading! I'll see you next time.