Hello there everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all, I hope you enjoy it!

As I mentioned in the last chapter, I left today to go out of town for a couple weeks, and I'm not sure how much I'll be able to write. So I'm just gonna go ahead and say there won't be an update for this story next Monday, because I likely wouldn't be able to finish it.

If I have any time at all, I'm gonna try and finish up the next update for If We Never Say Goodbye, because I'm almost done with that one. But as for this story, there won't be an update next week. The Monday after I should be back, as far as I know. And, for those who still read Whatever Comes Next, I already mentioned there won't be an update for this story this week, and I'm not sure about next week either. We'll just have to see.

So yes, long story short, this story won't be updated next week. But still, I hope you all enjoy this one!

Thanks so much for reading!

Chapter One Hundred and Forty Seven

"Alright honey, are you ready?" Gabby asked as she was crouched down in front of her daughter's bed, Caitlyn finishing up the task of putting on her socks before she gave her a quick nod, the mother stifling a yawn as she noticed the focused look on Caity's face.

It had been a long night, for Gabby at least, as she and Matt had been up and down a lot taking care of Sofia, their youngest having a rough time getting sleep as of late. But for as tired as Dawson was, Caitlyn had just as much energy as she always did, Gabby doing her best to match that while she helped Caity get prepared for the school day.

The mom and daughter had gone through their usual routine; getting Caitlyn up, getting her teeth brushed and her hair done, and then letting her pick out her outfit for the day. And while the little girl got some guidance and a bit of help from her mother with most of those things, Gabby always let her be as independent as possible, only stepping in when needed.

"I'm ready." She spoke proudly, her beaming smile hard to miss while she sat on the edge of the bed. "My shoes are downstairs." She added on, Caitlyn wanting her mom to know she'd done everything she could up here as Gabby gave her a quick nod back, her hands resting over her little legs. "But when I go downstairs, I can put them on, and then Becca can take me to school cause you and Daddy will be at work."

She smiled softly as she listened to her daughter talk, Dawson giving her leg a light squeeze as Caitlyn met her eyes. "That's right baby, we will be." She replied, before leaning forward to place a soft kiss over her forehead. "But you know there's only a few more days left of us dropping you off at school, yeah?" She reminded her, Caity's eyebrows knitting together for a moment before she nodded. "You're almost done with school for this year."

"I'm gonna miss school." She told her, Gabby pursing her lips together as this had been a frequent conversation between the girl and her parents, it being no secret between them how much Caity loved going to school every day. "I'll miss seeing my friends."

"I know you will, honey. And that's okay, it's okay to miss your friends." She responded, running her hand along the outside of her leg. "But I'm sure your dad and I can figure something out with some of their parents, so you can see them sometimes." She offered, the small smile slowly returning to Caitlyn's face as she held onto her mom's arm. "And plus once you're out of school, that means it'll be summer… Which means you'll be able to be with me and your dad, and Sof, all day long."

"I'm happy about that." She replied brightly, Gabby chuckling softly as she nodded.

"I know you are… And remember what we talked about, how you'll be back in school again next year. And you'll get to meet all new friends, and new teachers. But this time, you'll be in 1st grade, like a big girl." Dawson spoke, seeing the proud grin that appeared over her daughter's face. "But before all that, you still have one last week of Kindergarten to finish, before your big graduation next week." She added on, the special day one that had been mentioned a lot recently, as Caitlyn was so excited to graduate Kindergarten; even if she didn't know what that meant until a few days ago.

"Yeah! My big party." She replied happily. "Because I did good in school!"

"You did great in school, baby." Gabby told her, rubbing her hand along her side as she couldn't believe just how true her words were, the mother beyond proud of her daughter for everything she'd accomplished this year. Especially considering how she had a lot of things working against her.

Though Gabby had never said it out loud, except to Matt a time or two, when Caitlyn's school year first started, she wasn't sure what to expect. She didn't know how her girl would handle school, between coming into the year late, and her being a bit behind where other kids were at her age, Gabby and Matt both a little unsure about if she'd be able to catch up to where she needed to be.

It wasn't that they doubted her, because they didn't. At all. But they knew all of this had been a lot to put on a then five year old, especially one who had grown up in the situation that Caitlyn had.

But, just as they'd hoped, she'd done amazingly well in school. And now their little girl was right on track for where she needed to be, as Caitlyn had improved so much over the past year.

And the parents couldn't wait for that to continue.

"You did so well, and so we're gonna go to your graduation, and then have a big party with all our friends, okay?"

"Okay!" She replied with a happy tone to her voice, Gabby offering her a soft look before she glanced at the clock.

"Alright, well I think we need to get going here soon, so you're not late for school, and your dad and I aren't late for work, so how about you grab your backpack and then we can go see what's for breakfast, yeah?" Gabby suggested as her head leaned to the side slightly, Caitlyn immediately nodding in agreement before she slid down off her bed.

Her flower patterned dress was moving with her while she hurried across the room, the solid pink shorts she was wearing underneath matching perfectly with the bows Gabby had put in her hair, their daughter looking absolutely adorable for one of her last days of school. Though Gabby could only hope the outfit would make it through breakfast, as there were never any guarantees when kids were eating.

"You got it?" Gabby asked as Caity picked up her open backpack and shrugged it over her shoulders, a single piece of paper falling out from the movement before the little girl turned around.

"I got it." She replied, Gabby suppressing a laugh before she reached down to pick up whatever piece of paper had fallen out of her daughter's backpack, Gabby holding it in her hand while she moved to zip up her bag. "What's this, honey?" The mom asked once she finished her task, her eyes now focusing on the paper in front of her.

"Miss Brooke said to give that to you." She answered without even needing to see what it was, that alone telling Gabby that she'd put it in her backpack on purpose.

"She did?" Gabby asked, Caitlyn nodding as the smile on her face began to fall. "It wasn't in your folder." She continued on as her eyes traced on the page, Gabby seeing that Caitlyn's teacher had outlined everything the parents needed to know and do for graduation.

"I put it in my backpack." She answered with a slight shrug, her change in demeanor evident to Gabby as looked between her daughter and the piece of paper, Dawson just not entirely sure as to what was causing the almost sad look in her eye. "Miss Brooke told us to give you it, because she wants everyone's mom and dad to do some stuff for our party." She continued to explain, Gabby nodding as she waited for her to continue. "And she said that she wants all of us to have baby pictures, she said she's gonna put them on the wall."

Gabby's eyebrows furrowed slightly before she continued reading, the mother soon finding what Caitlyn must've been talking about, as one of the notes said how her teacher was wanting to do a slide show of all the kids with photos of them as babies, and a photo of them now.

"She asked you to tell us to bring some pictures?" Gabby clarified, Caitlyn nodding slowly as her head focused towards the floor. "...Did you forget to tell us, or did you not tell us?" She pushed, though her voice was gentle as she could tell Caitlyn was upset.

And it didn't take much for her to figure out why, as she knew Caity likely thought she didn't have any baby pictures.

Gabby just hadn't expected her to be able to put that together, or for it to really cross her mind. But apparently it had; Dawson just wasn't sure if this was a realization she got to on her own, or if she'd had help.

"I didn't tell you." She answered quietly, Gabby's face softening before she squatted down to the ground in order to be eye-level with her daughter, despite the fact Caitlyn still wouldn't look at her. "Because I didn't want you and Daddy to be sad, about not having pictures." She added on, Gabby sure she nearly felt her heart snap in her chest as she listened to her daughter.

"Caity…"

"You weren't my Mommy when I was a baby, because I was with my first Daddy. I was grown up when you met me, so I don't have pictures." She explained the best she could, Gabby reaching out to hold onto her arms as Caitlyn finally looked her way. "All my friends were talking about how there's pictures in their house, of them as babies. And there's photos of Sof here, but none for me… Because I wasn't a baby when you became my Mommy and Daddy."

Gabby's eyes fell closed as Caitlyn finished what she had to say, the mom knowing she was just telling her how she was feeling in the only way she knew how. But that didn't stop her from feeling awful, as not only did it hurt to hear her little girl upset, Dawson hating that this was even something she had to worry about, but because she also didn't have a reason to be sad about this.

Caity just didn't know that.

But they did have photos of her, or at least Gabby thought they did, as they still had that photo album Tina had dropped off to them soon after she came back into their home. The album said to be filled with photos of Caitlyn, and her father, that managed to be salvaged even after all the times their daughter had been bounced around the system. The same one they had yet to look at, as in the months that had passed since Tina dropped it off, it hadn't moved from it's home on the bookshelf.

It wasn't necessarily intentional on their part to go this long without looking at it, or more importantly going this long without letting Caitlyn look at it, but they just never found the right time. There was always so much going on, from the moment she came back; from helping her through the trauma of being removed from their home, to Gabby's accident, to the parent's just worrying about their daughters' and wanting to do what was best for them. It's like they hadn't had a second to breathe, and because of that, they hadn't had a chance to bring this up to Caitlyn, either. Especially considering neither parent felt comfortable looking through that album without her.

Though now, Gabby wished they would've found time for it, as she could barely stand to see the look on her daughter's face. But she also knew this wasn't a simple conversation to have, as Gabby was sure going through those photos would bring up a lot for the young girl. Much more than anything she should have to deal with right before school.

So Gabby opted for another approach, reaching out to caress the side of Caitlyn's face in an effort to get her attention before she spoke up. "I don't want you to worry about this, okay?" She told her with a soft smile, Caitlyn drawing in a slow breath before she nodded. "I'll talk to Daddy about it, and we'll make sure you have something. We'll take care of it."

Her assurance seemed to be enough for Caitlyn, as the small smile began to return to her face before she nodded a few times. "Alright Mommy." She responded, Caitlyn giving her mom a hug before she skipped out of the room and headed for the stairs, Gabby drawing in a deep breath as she followed after her, her mind going in a thousand different directions as she knew there were a few conversations that needed to be had within their family.

But the first thing she had to do was talk to her husband.

Casey hopped down from the rig after Otis had finished backing into the garage, the mid-May air already feeling a little humid as the Captain shrugged off his coat and hung it up off the side of the door, before continuing to shed the rest of his gear. He was moving a bit slowly, the lack of sleep from the night before already catching up with him despite his relatively easy morning as a heavy yawn escaped his lips.

"How are you tired already?"

Casey shook his head slightly in an effort to help wake himself up before he glanced towards the familiar voice, his eyes narrowing slightly as he saw Severide navigating his way around the other firefighters while making his way towards him.

"It's only the first call of the day." He jeered, Casey releasing a scoff as he stepped out of his turnout pants.

"That's funny coming from the guy who's been sitting here all morning." He shot back without missing a beat, Severide unable to hide the small smirk forming over his lips. "But it's not the call that has me tired, it was a long night."

The second those words left his lips, he knew he should've phrased them differently as the grin on Kelly's face grew into a much more amused one. "Yeah, I don't think I need to hear about this." He said, his reply earning a few laughs from the firefighters within earshot before they began to disperse back towards the firehouse. All of them except Herrmann, as the older man walked towards the two firefighters while Casey released a soft huff, the Captain finishing up putting his boots back on.

"Because of Sofia." He corrected him, an understanding look soon replacing the taunting one before Severide relaxed his weight back into the rig, Matt watching his friend's arms cross over his chest while he stood up straight, his eyes flickering between Kelly and Herrmann.

"Everything alright, Captain?" Herrmann asked first, clearly having heard at least a bit of their conversation.

"Yeah, is she okay?" Kelly questioned, the concern in his voice hard to ignore as Matt knew his words were genuine. That no matter how much he enjoyed teasing him, the second that either of the girls' were involved, Severide's main priority was knowing they were alright.

"She's… Honestly, I don't even know how to describe it." He breathed out defeatedly, Kelly's eyes narrowing in confusion as he and Herrmann shared a similar look while they waited for Casey to elaborate. "She hasn't been sleeping much, which I know has been hard on her, but it's more than that…"

"Like what?" Severide asked, as it soon dawned on him that with how busy both their lives had been over the past week or so, he hadn't really had a chance to check in much with his friends. And clearly, he'd been missing a lot.

"She's just… She's definitely going through something right now, we're just not sure what. But she's not sleeping, through the night anyway, and she's cranky constantly… It's like she can't settle down. And she's been having a lot of tantrums, and acting out- as much as a twenty one month old can, anyway… She'd had a few tantrums here and there a couple weeks ago, but now it's like a daily thing. She's constantly pushing boundaries, and it's just not like her at all."

Herrmann and Severide could sense the man's frustration; though they both knew it wasn't directed towards his daughter. But rather because he didn't know how to help her.

"Not to mention she's started biting again." He added on, Kelly's eyes widening slightly.

"Uh oh."

"Yeah, it's not good… And then there's the whole separation anxiety thing on top of everything else. Or that's at least what we think it is."

"That's happening again?" Severide asked, Matt giving him a nod before he leaned back into the rig.

"It is… And it's been rough. This past day or two especially, it's like she hasn't wanted anyone aside from me and Gabby. She would hardly even stay settled with Becca before we left this morning."

"Wow..."

"Yeah." Casey responded softly. "And everything happening right now, it honestly just reminds me of back then, when she was a baby…"

"You mean back when she hated me." Severide joked to lighten the mood, his plan working as Casey began to laugh softly, his head shaking from side to side as it was hard to forget the time when young Sofia would cry every time she was near Kelly.

"It's a lot like that, yeah… So maybe be careful when you see her next time." Casey joked, Kelly clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth as Matt continued. "But yeah, at least back then we kind of understood what all was causing it… Now we just really don't know, so it's been stressful on me and Gabby- to say the least."

"Sounds like it, Case." Severide replied compassionately.

"Yeah, it's been a while but I remember how stuff like this was with mine… It happens, it's just a part of them growing up." Herrmann sympathized, Casey giving them both a nod before he spoke up.

"Yeah, we know she'll be fine, it's just a bit really hard right now… I mean, I know terrible twos are a thing, but I didn't think they were supposed to start this early." He added on lightheartedly, Severide and Herrmann both chuckling, albeit at his expense, as Casey shoved his hands into his pockets.

"So you think that might be what it is?" Christopher asked him, Matt responding with a shrug just as he heard the sound of a rig approaching, the Captain glancing out towards the driveway to see 61 making their way back to base.

"Maybe… We really don't know." He told them, tearing his eyes away from the ambulance to look back towards his friends. "But if that's not what it is, then I'm terrified for when we actually get to the terrible twos." He continued on, Kelly and Herrmann both laughing once more as Casey shook his head. "This kid and her attitude, I swear… I don't know where she gets it from. She can be so bossy for someone who can barely talk." He said, while 61 backed the rig in. "She thinks she's in charge of everything, and she lets you know it."

"...So she's Dawson." Severide commented with a proud grin, Casey biting his tongue while Herrmann chuckled once more, Matt sparing a quick glance to make sure his wife wasn't in earshot before he answered.

"Yeah, she's exactly like her." He responded quietly, Kelly having to suppress his laughter while Jemma and Dawson got down from the rig, their third partner quietly climbing down from the back. "Sof is definitely Gabby… Her and Caitlyn both are- they're mini-Gabby's. In the best way possible." He answered him truthfully, Severide shaking his head as Herrmann spoke up.

"Yeah, I'm sure you love that, Captain."

"I wouldn't want it any other way." Casey spoke proudly, just as Gabby and Jemma got to them.

"There you are, Dawson." Severide commented, the PIC's eyebrows raising slightly while she came to a stop beside her husband, Matt instinctively pulling one hand out of his pocket and reaching out towards her. "We were just talking about you."

Her head tilted to the side slightly, Dawson not missing the narrow gaze Casey shot their friend's way as she was trying to figure out what she'd just walked into. "Oh really? Is that what the 'I wouldn't want it any other way' comment was about?" She pressed, Severide grinning in amusement as Matt soon spoke up.

"I was talking about our girls, and you." He clarified, the sound of his voice gaining Gabby's complete attention before she glanced towards him, the soft smile on his face causing one to appear over her lips as well. "And how grateful I am that our girls are just like you."

"To be fair, he did mention it when we were talking about your wild child." Kelly tattled, Casey huffing out a breath as Gabby pursed her lips together in an effort to hide the growing smile on her face. "But your husband was just filling us in on how things have been going with Sof."

The second he said those words, Dawson's face began to fall slightly before a heavy breath escaped her lips, no one in the group missing her immediate reaction to Severide's words.

"So Casey wasn't lying, it really has been that rough." Herrmann commented, Dawson glancing towards her husband before she nodded.

"I'm not sure what he told you, but yes." She replied, Jemma reaching out to place a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. "It's been a difficult few days."

"Yeah, that's what Matt said… What happened to my sweet little innocent goddaughter?" Severide asked lightly, Gabby biting back a laugh as Casey shook his head.

"She's still in there Sev, she's just surrounded by a whole lot of sass right now." She responded, Jemma smirking in amusement as Severide angled his body towards Dawson. "But it'll be fine, we're managing… I'm more just worried about her than anything else." She explained, Casey nodding in agreement just before Jemma spoke up.

"Is this about her not sleeping?" She questioned, the paramedic already knowing more than most about what had been going on with their little girl.

"Mostly, yeah… We think a lot of it goes back to that, at least." Dawson told her as she took another slight step towards Matt. "She really hasn't been able to get much rest lately, I feel so bad. But every time we'd get her to sleep, it doesn't take long before she wakes up; and from then on, it's her constantly wanting to be held, her crying if we're not in the room, her trying to climb out of the crib if we couldn't get to her fast enough. And this was all just last night." She explained, Herrmann grimacing as Gabby glanced towards her husband.

"It finally got to the point where Matt just stayed in there with her last night, because she'd only stay asleep for maybe twenty minutes whenever we got her down, if one of us weren't there. So Casey ended up sleeping in her nursery with her, holding her in the rocking chair. That was the only way she'd calm down… I can't even remember the last time one of us did that."

"She was definitely a lot younger." Matt commented, Gabby breathing in deeply before she nodded.

"Poor kid." Herrmann spoke up first, Gabby and Matt both glancing towards him, as they knew Herrmann was able to understand the complexities of a situation like this more than most around them could. "That can't be easy on her." He added on, Dawson shaking her head as a sign that she agreed with him.

"Do you think she's sick?" Jemma questioned after a moment, Gabby shrugging slightly before catching Matt's eye.

"We're not sure what's causing it, but we don't think it's that… I mean, she does have a few teeth still coming in, which I know isn't helping anything. But it's not just that." She responded, her words earning a few nods from the group. "We do think maybe it could be a sleep regression type thing… which would explain a lot of how she's been acting, and why she's not able to sleep."

"Yeah, that could be it." Herrmann replied. "I remember how brutal those could be with toddlers… It happened with all my kids, it wasn't easy to get through. But Cindy and I managed. So I know you and Casey will, too." He assured her, Gabby offering him a small smile.

"Thanks Herrmann… and yeah, we'll be fine. We're more just concerned with Sof and her being okay."

"Spoken like a true parent." He replied with a gleam in his eye, Matt rubbing along Gabby's arm as she ducked her head slightly. "Though, from one parent to another, might I suggest that while this is going on, keeping her favorite things close." He told them. "Blanket, stuffed animal, whatever it is… A lot of times, they're just wanting comfort."

"Yeah, that's what we've been trying to do, for the most part." She replied to him with a thankful look in her eye. "She has her blanket all the time. And that pacifier- I swear, we're never gonna be able to get rid of that thing." She huffed out, Herrmann suppressing a soft laugh at her exasperated words. "We've been trying to wean her off it for a long time, but stuff just kept coming up and we felt like we couldn't take it from her… Then we had finally almost gotten her off it, but when all this started it's like she can't be without it. And with as upset as she is, it doesn't feel right taking it from her."

"That's understandable… It's probably just the thing that makes her the most comfortable." He replied softly, Gabby nodding in agreement. "But it'll all be okay, Sofia will be fine… Kids just do things in their own time." He reminded her.

"Yeah, you're right… Thanks Herrmann." She responded, the two sharing a look before the conversation slowly started to shift.

"So, the drop off go okay?" Casey asked his wife, as Jemma and Severide were off in their own conversation, Herrmann sticking around for a bit longer before heading inside.

"Yeah, it was… What about you guys? How'd finishing up at the call go?"

"It was fine, nothing too bad." He responded with a soft smile, Matt parting his legs slightly as he kept his weight against the rig, his hand reaching out to guide her closer to him. "Oh, I was gonna tell you, since we're speaking of Sof, I heard from Becca on the way back here, she said Sofia is napping right now, and she has been for a while… So at least she's getting sleep." He told her, Gabby flashing him a soft smile before she nodded.

"Good, that's good… She needs as much rest as she can get."

"Mhmm… I know she'll have to wake her up when she goes to get Caitlyn from school, but hopefully at least she'll get a decent nap today." He continued on, Gabby nodding once more before her eyes moved down in between them, her gaze focusing on his chest as Matt watched her.

But as the seconds ticked by, and she hadn't said anything, he couldn't help but wonder what was going on in that gorgeous head of hers.

"...You okay?" He asked her, Gabby running her tongue along the inside of her cheek before glancing up. "Are you worried about Sofia?" He prodded, her eyebrows furrowing for a moment before she spoke up.

"I mean, yes and no… I'm always worried, but that's not what I'm thinking about right now." She replied, his features raising slightly as he couldn't help the bit of intrigue he felt. "It's our other daughter."

As soon as those words left her lips, she knew he was confused, Matt's head falling to the side slightly as he held onto her hips. "Caitlyn?" He questioned, Gabby nodding slowly. "What's going on?"

"It's nothing, really… She's fine. Her and I just had a talk this morning, about some stuff she'd need for graduation." She explained to him, Matt nodding as his guard dropped down a little now that he knew she was alright. "And it brought up another whole conversation, something we haven't really talked about before."

"Okay… What is it?" He pushed gently, Gabby drawing in a soft breath as a small smile covered her lips.

"It's about that photo album, that Tina gave us." She started, seeing it take a few seconds before Matt realized what she was talking about. "...I think it's time we let Caitlyn look at it."

Dawson sat in the glider in the quiet nursery, the chair rocking back and forth while she gently sang to her little girl, Sofia nearly passed out in her arms as the combined sound of her mom's soothing voice and the sound machine in the corner helping her to drift off out of consciousness. And after what a challenging day it had been for the toddler, Gabby was more than thankful for that as she could only hope that not only would she fall asleep, but she'd stay asleep.

Their day had started easily enough, Gabby and Matt coming home to Sofia and spending the morning with her until it was time to go get Caitlyn from school. And from then on, they'd just spent the day together, doing whatever the girls wanted to do, as they'd all managed to have a nice relaxing few hours with one another.

But that all began to change after dinner, as Sofia then had one of the biggest meltdowns they'd seen from her in a while.

Gabby still wasn't entirely sure what caused it, just that something had happened with Sofia and a toy she wanted to play with, and it spiraled into much more than it needed to be. And after that, the parents figured it best to separate the girls for a bit, as not only did Sofia clearly need some time to herself, but Caitlyn typically felt everything the people around her were feeling. Which meant that if she saw Sofia was sad, she'd get sad too. So they decided to just let them both have some space, Gabby taking Sofia upstairs to her room, while Caitlyn stayed downstairs and played with her dolls with her father.

Thankfully, at least on Gabby's end of things, bringing Sofia up here had seemed to help, as the little girl calmed down almost instantly once she was being rocked in her mom's arms. Which is why Gabby hadn't moved a bit since sitting down in this chair nearly an hour ago now, as Sofia getting some rest was the most important thing to her right now, Gabby just wishing there was more she could be doing to help her.

But realistically, she knew she was doing everything she could. And that this was something she'd just have to ride out, and let run its course. Which, for Sofia's sake, Gabby could only hope would happen soon, as she knew this was frustrating for her because she just didn't understand what was going on. And she couldn't voice any of that to her parents, Gabby only able to imagine how hard this all was on her daughter.

"Yeah, I know you're tired… Get some sleep, Sof." She murmured a few moments after she stopped singing while she stroked her finger along her daughter's cheek, the little girl seconds away from falling asleep as her body couldn't keep fighting her exhaustion any longer.

And within a minute, Sofia had thankfully finally given in, the little girl falling asleep peacefully in her mother's arms while she had her stuffed animal clutched to her chest, the sight enough to bring a smile to Gabby's face as she wished her daughter could feel this content all the time.

Drawing in a deep breath, Gabby stayed up in the nursery for maybe ten more minutes, as she wanted to make sure Sofia was deep within her sleep before she even thought about moving her. But once she had that assurance her daughter was truly resting, Gabby slowly began to get up and move towards the crib, the mother completing the task as slowly as she could as to not risk waking her child.

It took a few more seconds than it typically would, but soon enough Sofia was fast asleep in her crib, Gabby carefully moving the stuffed animal away from her so she'd be safe before she ran her hand gently over her stomach.

"Sleep well, baby… Mommy loves you." She told her, Gabby lingering there for another minute or two before she slowly left the room, the night light in the corner keeping it from being completely dark as Dawson carefully pulled the door shut behind her before heading back downstairs.

It was still pretty early in the evening, as the girls' bedtime typically wasn't for another half hour or so. But Gabby wasn't going to complain about getting Sofia to bed early, as she knew it couldn't hurt, the mother also hoping that maybe Caitlyn would be able to get in bed a little earlier tonight as well, given the whole family was pretty exhausted after their long day.

But before they could do that, there was one thing they needed to do now that Sofia was asleep. And that was to talk to Caitlyn.

They weren't entirely sure how this would go, bringing out the photo album and bringing up all those memories for her. But after their conversation yesterday at the firehouse, Matt and Gabby both came to the same conclusion that this was something they needed to do. That, no matter how hard it might be on Caity, they need to let her at least have the choice to look through that photo album, and look at those pictures with her dad. That it was something they should've done a long time ago, as the parents knew it was important for Caitlyn to have those reminders of her father.

In fact, the only reason they had any reservations at all was because of Caitlyn, and because they were unsure of how she might react to being reminded of what happened to her dad. Their oldest daughter was an emotional kid, there was no denying that, even though there was nothing wrong with it, but because of that they didn't know what to expect from her with all this. And the last thing they ever wanted to do was cause her any pain.

But when it came down to it, this wasn't their choice to make. She deserved to be able to see those photos of her and her father, if she wanted to, because they were hers. They were her life, and they'd never in a million years try to keep that part of her past from her. They'd never try to keep her from remembering her father, as they both knew how much he loved her until the day he passed away.

Which is exactly why they were going to do this, if that's what Caitlyn wanted, Gabby letting out a soft sigh just as she made her way down the last few stairs, her oldest daughter and husband coming into view as they were sitting comfortably on the couch watching TV.

"There's your Momma." Matt spoke up when he noticed her, Caitlyn's wide eyes moving towards her before a happy grin covered her face.

"Hi Mommy!" She spoke excitedly as she leaned up from her dad's side. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, baby… Did you and your dad have fun playing?" She asked as she came to stand in front of them, Gabby reaching out to brush some of Caity's hair back behind her ear as the little girl's eyes gleamed up at her.

"Yeah, I did… We played with my dollies, and then we played a movie." She explained, her legs swinging back and forth off the edge of the couch as Casey sat up a little straighter, Gabby's attention focused on her daughter as he nodded.

"That sounds great, sweetheart. I'm glad you had fun." She replied, right before her husband spoke up.

"Is Sof down?"

"She is, she's asleep." She replied, the parents having a quick silent conversation as they both hoped it stayed that way, before Casey nodded in response.

"Do I have to go to sleep?" Caitlyn questioned, her brown eyes moving back and forth between her parents while Gabby continued to cradle the side of her head. "Cause I'm not sleepy, I wanna watch my movie." She spoke with a defiant grin, Matt releasing a soft chuckle before he shook his head.

"You don't have to go to sleep yet, honey… You have a little more time before you've gotta go to bed." He reminded her, Caitlyn seemingly content with his answer as she nodded.

"...But there is something your dad and I would like to talk to you about, baby." Gabby added on, her words gaining the young girl's attention as both Caitlyn and Matt looked towards Dawson, the latter giving her a knowing look. "Is that okay, if we talk for a bit?"

"Yeah." She answered simply, Gabby nodding slowly as Matt stood up and headed over towards the bookshelf, Caitlyn curiously watching the both of them as she wasn't sure what was going on. "...Am I in trouble?" She pressed as Dawson sat down beside her.

"No, no Caity, you're not." She assured her, Caitlyn beginning to relax into her side while her father walked back over to them, holding something in his hands. "But we want to talk to you about something… About what you told me yesterday morning, with pictures of you as a baby." She reminded her, Caitlyn glancing at both her parents as she sat in between them.

"Yeah, I said I didn't have pictures, because you weren't my Mommy and Daddy then… But then you said you and Daddy would fix it." She spoke, showing her parents that she completely remembered the conversation they'd had before school.

"That's right, I did… Which is why we want to talk to you, because there's something we want to show you, if you want to look at it." She prefaced, Caitlyn looking up at her with big, curious eyes while waiting for her to continue. "But your dad and I, we have this photo album right here, that has pictures of you from when you were a baby."

The second she said those words, Caitlyn's head looked over to what her dad was holding, a rush of excitement beginning to flood through her little body before she spoke up. "Really?" She asked, her reaction alone telling the parents how important this was for her, and how she truly was upset about the thought of not having any baby photos.

And that definitely broke their hearts a little bit, as it was just another reminder that they should never have waited so long to do this.

"Me?"

"Yes, of you… Or, we think so. We haven't looked at it, yet." Gabby continued to explain as she placed her hand over Caitlyn's leg.

"So I'll have a picture for school?" She asked happily, Matt smiling softly as Gabby nodded.

"You will, sweetie. But the reason we never said anything about it is because we wanted to wait and look at it with you, but Miss Tina gave it to us a while ago, and said it was a photo album for you." She added on, seeing her daughter just as content as she had been moments ago. "With pictures of you when you were little… photos of you and your dad."

Caitlyn's face fell slightly, her eyebrows beginning to tighten together as a rush of different emotions played out over her face, her brain clearly trying to figure out how to respond to what was being said to her, before her eyes focused down on the photo album sitting in Matt's lap.

She stayed quiet for a minute, neither parent sure of where she wanted to go from here as her excitement from moments ago had dampened a little, Gabby watching as Caitlyn started to scratch her arm before she eventually spoke up.

"...Can I see?"

Her words were quiet, but they caused a feeling of relief to fill the air around them, before Gabby and Matt both nodded.

"Of course, baby." Casey replied before setting the book down in her lap in front of her. "These are your pictures, you can look at them anytime you want." He added on, Caitlyn looking up to her dad with a small smile before she nodded.

"Okay." She replied, the six year old hesitating for a second before she slowly reached out to open up the book.

The first picture they were met with brought an immediate smile to their faces, as they saw what had to be Caitlyn just days after she was born in the hospital. She was so tiny, maybe just a little bigger than Sofia had been from what Gabby and Matt could tell, but she was absolutely beautiful, both parents feeling a sense of warmth rush through them at getting to see their daughter when she was younger.

And those feelings only continued as Caitlyn kept looking through the photos. There were tons of them, Gabby and Matt having only seen ones with her so far, but every single one was like the best thing in the world to them, as they were finally getting a look into what Caitlyn's life had been like before they knew her. From photos of her hitting milestones, to photos of her at birthdays, from just random pictures of her playing; there were many more moments than either of the parents expected. But they found themselves feeling so grateful that they had them.

They knew this right now was for Caitlyn. And given how excited and happy she got with each picture, they knew they made the right choice in giving this to her. But just because this was for her, that didn't mean Matt and Gabby weren't enjoying it as well, as they loved every second of getting to look through these photos for the first time.

"I look so cute." Caity spoke up, almost in awe, as she saw a photo of her sitting in a high chair, her frequent commentary throughout this entire thing just adding to how special of a moment it was for the family.

"You do, honey." Matt replied just as he leaned down to kiss the top of her head. "We'll have to put a few of these up around the house." He added, his words causing a bright grin to appear over her face before she nodded eagerly.

"Can we?" She questioned, Gabby nodding in response.

"Of course we can." She told her, Caitlyn smiling happily before she looked back down towards the album and turned the page.

But the moment they saw the next photo, it caused them all to stop, their eyes plastered on the image of Caitlyn from what looked to be her third birthday. The little girl was surrounded by balloons, and cake, and presents; but that wasn't what elicited that reaction from all of them.

It was the man standing next to her.

The man that had to have been her father.

Gabby and Matt had never seen him before, so they didn't know what he looked like. But seeing this photo now, it was unmistakable as to who he was, as Caitlyn looked exactly like him. There had to have been a little of her mom in her, but there was no denying who her father was, as they looked the same all the way down to their blonde hair and brown eyes.

"That's my Daddy…" Caitlyn whispered, her soft voice filling the otherwise quiet room as her small hand reached out towards the picture, before her fingers rested over it.

Gabby had to force herself to take a breath, before she looked over towards her husband, finding his sad yet loving eyes watching his daughter.

"Yeah, that's your dad, Caity." He told her, his hand rubbing over her shoulder while he placed another kiss on her head, the little girl not saying much else before she slowly continued to flip through the photos.

And from then on, it was like he was in every single one. From the moment she was born, to what Gabby could only figure was just weeks before he lost his life, there were dozens of photos of the two of them in this book. And Dawson couldn't help but feel so incredibly thankful that her father had documented all of this, as she knew how special it was for Caitlyn to have it.

And Matt knew it, too, his eyes focused on the book in front of them while Caitlyn slowly looked through the pictures of her and her dad, the adoptive father keeping her close as it wasn't lost on either parent how she'd gone silent.

As she flipped through the photos, they couldn't be sure how much she remembered of not only what she was looking at, but her dad in general. They knew she remembered bits and pieces of who he was, and she had some fond memories of him, but she was so young when died, they weren't sure how much she still could recall. But one thing they didn't doubt is her remembering just how much he loved her, as that was something she could never forget.

When she got to the last page, Caitlyn's gaze focused on the final photo of the two of them together, her eyes watering while her parents watched her closely. The picture looked to be at Christmas, Gabby and Matt knowing that was only days before he passed away, the father and daughter laughing while they opened up presents. And just from their smiles alone, it was like you could feel the amount of love that man had for his child, the sight as endearing as it was heartbreaking, as they could only imagine how much he would've hated to leave behind his little girl.

"Caity…" Gabby spoke softly when she had yet to say anything, Caitlyn taking another breath before she looked up towards her parents, both of them seeing the few tears sitting in her eyes while she looked between them.

"...Is it okay if I miss Daddy sometimes?"

Her words were sudden, Casey feeling like he'd just gotten stabbed in the chest as he hated that she felt like she had to even ask that. But he also knew that there was just so much to this that Caitlyn didn't, and couldn't, understand, Matt nodding quickly as he gave her shoulder a squeeze.

"Baby, of course it is." He breathed out without an ounce of hesitation. Gabby blinking back a few tears that had formed in her eyes as Matt shifted his body so he could face his daughter. Before saying another word, he gently reached out for Caitlyn's hand, the girl looking up at him with a look he couldn't quite read, as both parents knew this was a lot for their young child.

But Gabby knew it was also a lot for Matt, too.

With her, it was different. Gabby was the only mom Caitlyn ever knew, so there weren't those memories, and that feeling of replacing something Caity had lost. Whereas when it came to Matt, Caitlyn had a father before they met, one who loved her more than anything else on this earth. And even though he never voiced it, Gabby knew it was something Matt worried about. Something that had crossed his mind a few times; that he wanted to be the best father he could for Caitlyn, while also not trying to replace the dad she so tragically lost.

And it was something she admired him for. But in moments like this, she couldn't imagine what it felt like, for the both of them, as Gabby watched her family with a pained look in her eye.

"It's okay for you to miss your dad, you're allowed to feel that way." Casey said as the tears continued to well in Caitlyn's eyes. "You don't ever need to feel bad for that, or like it's wrong, because it's not…" He told her, Caitlyn drawing in a shaky breath before she spoke up.

"But I don't want to make you sad." She replied, Matt's eyes falling closed for a split second as he tried to process what she'd said.

And if his heart hadn't already been broken before, it definitely was now, as he couldn't stand the thought of Caitlyn concerned about him, and how he'd feel about her missing her father. Because this wasn't something she needed to worry about, ever.

"Caity, you could never make me sad. Especially not about this." He spoke up as quickly as he could, Matt pushing everything he was feeling down as he knew he needed to help his daughter. "You missing your dad won't make me sad, it's okay for you to miss him, sweetheart." He said again, as he had the feeling she needed to hear it. "Your mom and I, we love you so much, baby. More than anything… But we also know how much your dad loved you. And you're allowed to be sad about him not being here."

Caitlyn nodded slowly, Matt lifting his hand up to wipe away a few of the tears sitting underneath her eyes as he watched her bottom lip start to tremble, the father knowing that there was one more thing he wanted to say to her.

"I know all of this is really hard, and it's okay to be upset. But I never want you thinking you can't miss your dad, or that you can't talk about him with us, because you can. You always can… You missing your dad doesn't mean you don't love me, I know you do baby. It's okay."

As those last few words left his lips, it was like the floodgates opened, tears streaming down Caitlyn's face before she launched herself into her dad's airs, Matt holding onto her as tightly as she could while Gabby moved the photo album out of the way, the mother closing it and placing it down on the coffee table while Caitlyn latched onto her dad. He had lifted her up closer to him, Caitlyn climbing up into his lap while her head tucked into his neck, the sight bringing more tears to Gabby's eyes as she slid over next to her daughter and husband.

"Everything's okay, honey… It's okay. I know this is really sad, and I know it's hard." He did his best to soothe his daughter, Caitlyn whimpering as tears continued to flow down her cheeks, the little girl barely registering the feeling of Gabby placing her hand over her back. "But we'll always have those photos of your dad, and any time you want to look at them, you can… And we can put one up in your room, next to the picture of us on your nightstand. That way you always have him with you, alright?"

Caitlyn began to cry more at his suggestion, but that reaction told him that she truly did want to have a picture of him, Matt pressing a few kisses to her head while he and Gabby did what they could to soothe her. But they also knew she just needed to get all this out, that she was feeling a lot of emotions about her dad that she hadn't really thought about for a while, and she needed time to process all of it.

And they'd be right here while she did that, Matt continuing to hold onto her while Gabby rubbed her back, Caitlyn turning her head to rest on his shoulder as she slowly caught her breath.

"I love you, Daddy." She murmured, her words a little hard to hear as a soft, yet sad smile formed over Casey's lips, Matt glancing towards his wife to see a similar look covering her face before he responded.

"I know, Caity… And I love you, too. I always will."