Hello there everyone! I'm back with the next chapter for you all, and I hope you guys like it. I don't really have much to say, so we'll just get into it.

I'm looking forward to hearing your all's thoughts on this one, thank you so much for reading! I'll see you next time!

Chapter One Hundred and Forty Eight

"Caity, come here baby, we need to finish getting ready for bed." Gabby spoke softly from her position in the middle of the bedroom, the mother sitting on the comfortable rug while her oldest daughter was currently standing over by her closet. She'd been over there pretty much from the moment Gabby had gotten her out of the bath, the girl so completely enamored by the clothes in front of her that she hadn't even tried to play much before bed, her wide eyes focused on the dress and gown hanging up in front of her as she couldn't wait to wear them.

But, as her mom and dad had reminded her often, she wasn't able to put on the clothes quite yet, as they were for her big, special day tomorrow.

Because tomorrow was her graduation. And the thought made her so excited, it was hard for her to calm down.

She still didn't entirely understand what it meant, even though her parents had explained it to her a few times. But what she did know is that it was a big deal, and that it meant she did a good job in school. And most importantly, it made her Mommy and Daddy happy, which meant she was happy, too.

"Can I put on the dress one more time?" She asked with a sly grin as she turned around to face her, Gabby cocking her head to the side before she slowly shook her head.

"Not tonight, honey." She told her, Caitlyn hesitating for a moment before she nodded. "You'll get to wear it tomorrow at school… But first, you've gotta get ready for bed, and get some sleep, alright?" She reminded her with a gentle tone, Gabby well aware of how excited her girl was for tomorrow.

"Okay Mommy." She answered simply before walking over towards her, Caitlyn coming to a stop in front of her mom while Dawson got out some lotion before starting to lather it over Caity's body, the two continuing on with their typical night routine. "Will everyone see my dress?" She asked after a moment, a shy grin forming over her face as Gabby met her gaze.

"They will, sweetheart. We'll all see how beautiful you look in your new dress, and me and your dad, and Sof, we'll all be there with you."

"And Aunt Jemma and Uncle Kelly!" She added on happily, Gabby nodding while she continued massaging in the lotion. "And my Abuelo!"

"That's right, they'll all be there for your big day… Everyone's so excited."

"Me too." She replied with a bright grin, Gabby finishing up her task and grabbing the nightgown off the floor beside her and unfolding it, before holding it out in front of Caitlyn for her to put on. "Can I play before bed?" She asked as soon as her head popped out through the clothing, a soft chuckle escaping Gabby's lips as it was clear Caitlyn's mind had already moved onto something else, the mother nodding as Caity finished getting dressed.

"Yeah, you have some time to play." She responded, gently pulling Caitlyn's damp hair out of the back of her nightgown before she nodded. "It's still pretty early, so you can play for a bit."

"Thank you Mommy." She replied, Caity leaning in to give her a quick kiss before she scurried out of the room, Gabby sure the six year old was going downstairs to continue whatever game she'd been playing with her dolls before the parents brought her up here. And, knowing how capable she was at playing independently, Gabby was in no rush to get down there to supervise her, as Caitlyn could play by herself for hours and never get bored.

But, more importantly, Gabby also wasn't in any hurry to get downstairs because she knew her husband had already done his nightly checks throughout the house. Before they came upstairs to give the girls their baths, he'd checked to make sure the garage was shut, that every door leading outside was locked and that their alarm was set, as well as making sure all the blinds and curtains were drawn, ensuring no one could see into their house. He'd checked all of that, which helped Gabby feel secure in letting Caitlyn play down there by herself for a little bit, as she knew her daughter was safe inside their home.

Blowing out a content sigh, Gabby pushed herself up off the ground sllowly before she finally made it up to her feet, the mother beginning to put away the few things she'd gotten out before heading out of the room. But she didn't go too far, as instead of heading towards the stairs, she turned down the hallway, Gabby wanting to check up on her other baby for a moment as she moved towards the girls' bathroom.

But before she even got there, she could hear the sounds of Sofia enjoying bath time with her father, Gabby's smile widening as she listened to what sounded like Matt singing to their little girl. And when she turned the corner, that's exactly the sight she was met with, her husband sitting on the stool beside the bathtub while he sang to her, Sofia completely captivated by him as she was surrounded by bubbles and her bath toys.

Stopping in the doorway, Gabby leaned her body weight against the frame of the door, her arms crossing over her chest while she paused to watch them for a few moments. Neither of them had noticed her, Matt's body angled away from her while Sofia was too entranced by him to pay attention to anything else, the two of them causing a wide grin to form over her face as Gabby absolutely loved getting to soak in these moments.

And with how up and down things had been with their youngest daughter as of late, times like this were even more appreciated, as Gabby would do anything to keep that smile on Sofia's face, both parents preferring that much more than the tears and tantrums they'd grown accustomed to over the last few weeks.

Things had certainly been a little hard in the Casey household, there was no denying that, as Sofia was still going through a lot. She still wasn't sleeping as well as they'd like, and there were still tantrums and meltdowns over things that normally wouldn't have bothered her. But even with all that, Gabby felt as if they were turning a corner, at least slowly, and that Sofia was gradually getting past whatever was causing her to act out.

Whether it was just a sleep regression, or she wasn't feeling well, or she was just wanting more attention; whatever it was, both parents had a pretty good feeling that Sofia was starting to feel better, as they were seeing more and more of their happy girl coming back. She still had her moments, and she was still a child who was in a phase where all they seemed to want to do was act out, so Sofia was sometimes a little all over the place, but they were working through it. And she seemed to be doing at least a little better overall.

But Gabby knew it would still take time for her to get through this completely. And even once she did, she was still their spunky and strong-willed child, so both parents knew they'd have their hands full for a while.

But they wouldn't change any part of it, because it's just who their daughter was. And they loved her for it.

And they made sure that she knew that, too, as both Matt and Gabby made it a priority to be there for Sofia as much as they possibly could while all this was going on. To be there for her physically and emotionally, as not only did she need their love and comfort, but she seemed to just need them more than anything. That, given the separation anxiety she seemed to be dealing with right now, the best thing for her was to be with her parents, so they had tried their best to do that for her.

It was hard with work, and all their other commitments, but when it came down to it, nothing was more important than their daughters. Their well-being came before anything else, so if Sofia needed them, they'd be there for her. Without question.

"Dada! More!"

The sound of Sofia's voice pulled Gabby from her thoughts, her eyes focusing in on her daughter and husband as Matt had apparently just finished the song he was singing to her. And though it was a little out of tune, Sofia clearly loved it, as she was begging for him to keep going.

"More! More!" She continued, splashing her hands around in the water as Matt released a soft chuckle, the father positioning himself to start washing the conditioner out of his daughter's hair.

"You like my singing, huh baby?" He asked her, Matt using his hand to shield her eyes from the soapy water, his movements slow and precise as he had to be careful with Sofia wiggling around. "Well, I'm not as good as your Momma or anything, but I think I do okay." He continued talking with her, Gabby's smile starting to reappear over her face as she took a slight step forward.

"Mama." Sofia repeated him as he poured some more water over her head, Gabby looking towards her with a bright look in her eye while she continued towards them. "Mama, Mama."

"Yeah, Momma… She's helping Caity, but you can see her in a few minutes baby." Casey said, still completely aware of Gabby's presence as he moved his hands down once he finished rinsing Sofia's hair, the baby still smiling wide as she looked up at her dad.

But her attention soon moved to the second presence in the room, the one she hadn't noticed before as she saw Gabby standing behind her dad, a look of pure joy covering Sofia's face before she started bouncing up and down excitedly.

"Mama!" She cheered, lifting her soapy hands out of the water towards Gabby, like she wanted to be picked up.

"Baby, Momma's not here." Casey tried again as he continued bathing her. "But we can see her-"

"Mama!" Sofia repeated, Gabby taking the last step towards them before placing her hand on Matt's shoulder.

"Hi baby." She greeted, the sound of her voice combined with her touch causing Casey to tense slightly, before he turned around to face her.

"Jeez babe, you scared me." He breathed out, Sofia reaching out towards the edge of the bathtub as Gabby moved to stand beside him, an amused gleam forming in her eye before she gave his shoulder a squeeze.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to." She responded softly, Matt shooting her a small smile before he looked back towards Sofia, both of them seeing their determined girl working on pulling herself up, as it was clear she was done with her bath. "I finished helping Caity and figured I'd come see what you two were up to… didn't expect to get a show, though." She added on teasingly, Matt ducking his head slightly while he helped Sofia stand up, the father making sure to keep a hold on her while she stood in the bath as he didn't want to risk her slipping and falling.

"...You heard my singing, huh?" He questioned lightly, Gabby giving him a nod as she slid her hand up to rub along the back of his head.

"I did, but it was adorable… It reminded me of how you used to do that with Sof all the time when she was little." She responded before grabbing Sofia's towel off the hook. "Did you finish with her?" She asked, Matt nodding in response as he took the towel she offered him.

"Yeah, she's all good… I thought she might want to play a little bit more, but I guess not when Momma's around." He spoke lightly before carefully lifting her out of the tub and letting her stand up on the rug, Matt wrapping her up in her towel as her little feet waddled around on the ground. Knowing he had to move fast, as Sofia hated to be restrained, Matt quickly dried her off, Gabby standing close by with a small smile on her face as a few different noises left Sofia's lips.

"Yeah, I know, I know you want your Momma." He spoke just as he finished drying her off, Gabby taking a step back towards her just as Sofia shimmied her way out of her father's grasp.

But, instead of going to her mom, the naked baby hurried past her and ran right out of the bathroom, Gabby biting back a laugh as both parents looked in the direction she ran.

"...Well, I guess not." Matt huffed out as he pushed himself up from the stool, the man hanging back up her towel as Gabby shook her head lightly.

"Yeah, I don't think it was me she wanted." She responded with a playful scoff as she rested her body weight down against the counter. "It was probably more her toys, and her pacifier." She added on, Matt grinning in response as he came to stand in front of her.

"Is the gate shut?" He asked, Gabby nodding back at him as she knew he was worried for their daughter's safety.

"It is… Caity shut it on the way downstairs." She responded, crossing her arms over her chest as Matt took another step towards her.

"Good. Cause we both know Sof would try to get down there." He replied with a goofy grin, Gabby tucking her bottom lip between her teeth as she knew just how true his words were.

Sofia had been pushing her limits a lot lately, but it wasn't just with her behavior, as she'd also become very interested in learning how to go up and down the stairs. And while mastering that skill was something both parents encouraged, that was only when she had supervision, as neither Matt nor Gabby wanted to risk her getting hurt.

"Oh, she absolutely would… That girl has no fear." Gabby answered him, Matt's eyes widening slightly before he nodded.

"You can say that again." He breathed out, a soft laugh of amusement leaving Gabby's lips before her husband moved closer towards her, not stopping until he was basically pressed against her as he hands came out to rest over her waist. "...So Caity's downstairs?"

"She is, she went down there as soon as we were done, so she could play some more before bed." She responded as she lifted her arms up to wrap around his neck, the action effectively pulling him closer while a soft smile formed over Matt's face when he felt the cool from her wedding band rest over his neck. "I don't think she realizes she has like an hour before it's time to go to bed, but I figured it couldn't hurt to just let her play… Hopefully she'll get some of that energy out before it's time to go to sleep."

"She's still excited, huh?" He asked with a small grin, Gabby matching his look as her head fell to the side.

"Beyond it." She answered, feeling Matt's hand snake up underneath her shirt as he rubbed over her hip. "Though I'm not sure if it's more the graduation itself that she's looking forward to, or if she's just wanting everyone to see her graduate," She started, her words earning a laugh from her husband. "But either way, she's really excited. And I can't blame her, so am I."

"Me too… I can't believe she's finished Kindergarten already." He spoke softly, Gabby nodding in agreement as he continued to rub gently over her skin. "And I can't believe how much has changed for us since she started school, but she's come so far since then- we all have, and I'm just so damn proud of her."

"I know you are." She murmured as she stroked her thumb over the back of his neck. "Sometimes I can't believe it either, but tomorrow is just one reminder of how incredible our little girl is… We've got some pretty amazing kids, Matt." She added on, Casey unable to stop his grin from widening.

"That we do." He replied before leaning in to capture her lips in a kiss, Gabby all but melting into him as they relaxed back into the counter. But the moment was fleeting, as they were only connected for a few seconds before the sound of their daughter pulled them apart.

"Mama!" Sofia shrieked, Matt laughing softly against Gabby's lips as the parents reluctantly pulled back. "Mama, Mama! Mama!" She continued to yell, as Gabby ducked her head down towards Matt's chest, neither of them able to hide the smiles forming over their faces.

From how far away she sounded, they could tell Sofia was still in her room. And by the tone in her voice, it was clear to them that their daughter was okay, that she was just wanting her parents with her.

"Well, it looks like she finally wants me again…"

"Dada!"

Casey couldn't help the chuckle that left the back of his throat as Gabby's lips parted slightly, before she scoffed once more, the mother shaking her head as Matt took a step back.

"Dada! Dada Dada!"

"...Or not." Gabby muttered, Matt laughing once more before he leaned forward to kiss the slight pout off her lips. "I guess she just wants attention."

"Well, she is her mother's daughter." He teased without missing a beat, Gabby narrowing her eyes slightly before she pinched his side, the action causing him to move further away from her as he laughed once more.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, just go and get your daughter." She told him, Gabby unable to hide her smile as the light tone in her voice caused him to smirk slightly. "I'll start here and clean this up, you go get Sof." Dawson spoke, as they heard Sofia calling for her father once more. "Cause you and I both know that the longer we leave her alone, the more likely she is to make a mess… And if she pees on the carpet, I'm not cleaning it up."

His eyes widened slightly before he glanced out towards the hallway, Gabby suppressing a laugh as she watched realization wash over him, like he just remembered the state their daughter had been in when she left the bathroom.

"Sof! I'm coming, baby. Let Daddy get you dressed." He called as he stepped away from Gabby, a light chuckle escaping her lips as he started walking towards the door, the parents going their separate ways as Matt went to help their youngest daughter get ready for bed, while Dawson stayed to clean up from the girls' bath, everyone in the Casey family looking forward to getting to spend the rest of their evening together.

"How many kids did you say were graduating today? Because there's a lot of people here." Severide grumbled as he looked around the group crowding into the school's gym, Jemma raising her eyebrows from her seat beside him as Gabby leaned forward slightly in her chair, Kelly looking between the two women as he waited for one of them to answer.

"It's not that many, maybe fifty kids." Dawson answered, Severide nodding slowly before he glanced past her, seeing Casey and Ramon in their own conversation as they sat on the other side of Dawson. "It's more Kindergartners than just Caitlyn's class, but it's only like three classes, I think… It's not that big." She continued on, Kelly nodding once more before he leaned back in his seat, the group going back to their own conversations as they waited for the ceremony to start.

As Gabby had explained to Kelly, this graduation wasn't a very big one, but the parent's almost preferred it that way, as that meant it would be easier for them to find their Caity in the crowd. But while there weren't too many kids graduating today, Severide was right in how there were a lot of people here, the chairs set out in the gym having filled up quickly as everyone was looking forward to seeing their child graduate.

Though, thanks to Matt's insistence that they arrive early, the five of them had managed to get seats in the front row, Gabby sitting in the middle of the group, with Matt and Jemma on her either side, while Ramon sat beside Casey with Severide next to Jemma. And to save room for other parents, Sofia had taken up her residence on Matt's lap, the baby currently preoccupied with one of her toys and a sippy cup to help keep her busy.

"So, everyone's meeting up at Molly's afterwards?" Gabby heard her father ask, her head turning that direction just as Matt nodded.

"Yeah, since everyone wasn't able to come see her graduate, Herrmann and some people wanted to throw her a party… They're shutting down the bar for a bit, and everyone from the firehouse and some of our friends are gonna be there… You're coming, yeah?"

"I am." Ramon answered him with a soft smile.

"Good." Matt answered him, just as Jemma's voice gained Gabby's attention.

"Oh look, there she is." She spoke as she patted Dawson's leg, both Gabby and Matt turning at the sound of her voice before Jemma pointed up towards the screen in front of them. And when they looked that way, bright smiles immediately formed over the Caseys' face, as they were seeing Caitlyn's pictures up on the slideshow for the first time.

They had just started playing it a few minutes ago as they prepared for the ceremony, but they hadn't seen her name yet. Not until now, as it was impossible for them to miss with the words Caitlyn Casey reading largely in front of them.

"Babe, take a picture." Matt spoke, as his hands were occupied by Sofia, the woman nodding before she pulled out her phone to take many pictures of Caitlyn's slide.

They pretty much had known what it would look like, as they had sent in the photos a few days ago, but seeing it in person had been so much better than what they were expecting. It was hard for Matt and Gabby to narrow down which two photos to choose, but they had managed to pick two of their favorite ones of their little girl. The current one was a photo from her birthday a few weeks back, Caitlyn looking as happy as she'd ever been in the picture Gabby had taken at her party. And the baby photo was one of their favorites as well, even though they didn't know it existed until the week before, as it was one her father had taken when she was maybe six months old. And while neither parent had much context, they knew she looked absolutely adorable, as it had been the perfect photo to choose from the occasion.

"Man, our kid is so cute." Gabby said to noone in particular just as the screen changed, Matt nodding in agreement as Jemma continued to pat her leg lightly.

"She really is." Casey said, before rubbing his hand over Sofia's back.

"Yes, yes, we all know how you two have the most adorable children ever." Jemma spoke up, her words bringing a smile to Gabby's face before they all went back to their own conversations while waiting for the ceremony to start.

But they weren't left waiting for very long, as soon enough the music had started, and there was an array of teachers making their way in, knowing the little kids would need a lot of help getting to the right place, before the small graduates started to filter their way in, Ramon videoing the whole time so Gabby and Matt could focus solely on Caitlyn.

All of the kids looked beyond sweet as they came in wearing their little caps and gowns, while they were navigated towards the correct spots, but there was one child in particular they couldn't wait to see. And the second she walked into the room, Gabby couldn't help the tears that started to form in her eyes, as Caitlyn walked proudly in line.

"Oh my God, look at our baby." Gabby spoke softly, Matt reaching his free hand over to squeeze her leg as the mother breathed in deeply, her eyes shining as she watched her daughter with a proud look on her face. And there was a similar look written across Casey's face as well, as they couldn't help but be overwhelmed during this milestone moment.

"Oh man, Dawson's gonna cry already." Severide jabbed lightheartedly, but Dawson and Casey both ignored him while they focused their attention on Caitlyn, Jemma narrowing her eyes before moving to smack his shoulder.

"Shut up, Kelly, and just enjoy your goddaughter graduating." She told him, though her tone was light as well, Severide smirking softly before they all looked back towards Caity.

"She's perfect." Casey breathed out as he and Gabby continued to watch her be led to her spot, her last name earning her one of the places in front as Matt did what he could to blink back the tears in his eyes.

"She is… I think she's looking for us." Gabby murmured as the second Caitlyn was told where to stand, her eyes began roaming around the room, like she was searching for her parents. And as soon she saw them, she couldn't help the way her face lit up, a bright grin covering her lips before she started waving animatedly.

Her movements were certainly gaining the attention of some of the crowd, but neither parent cared as they waved back at her with just as much enthusiasm, the gesture causing Caitlyn to look even happier than she did before as she started bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Hi baby." Gabby all but whispered, Caitlyn waving once more before she started looking around and taking everything in around her, Jemma taking the moment to get as many photos of Caitlyn as she could, while Ramon kept recording, as he knew that not only would Matt and Gabby want to remember this, but he'd need to send the video to Camila as well.

Surprisingly, it didn't take too long to get all the kids in their spots and for them to start the ceremony, although even if it did, Matt and Gabby likely wouldn't have noticed as their attention was on nothing but Caitlyn. But soon enough, they were getting things going, as they got through the beginning speech and then started to go through the names of the tiny graduates.

One by one, the Kindergartners went up to their teacher when their name was called, and grabbed the fake diploma, all the parents and families around taking tons of pictures and watching on at the heartwarming scene in front of them, as this was a big day for a lot of people.

"Caity's next." Matt murmured, Gabby nodding happily as they both looked towards the kids, seeing that the little boy in front of their daughter was going up to get his diploma, before Caitlyn's name was finally called.

"Caitlyn Casey."

Jemma and Severide both cheered the second her name was said, Gabby unable to stop her tears as Caitlyn broke away from the group and hurried over to her teacher, her little gown moving with her as she ran, before she all but launched herself into Miss Brooke's arms. The action caused most of the room to laugh, Caitlyn hugging her teacher tightly before the woman sat her back down on the ground, the six year old hugging all of the teacher's aids as well before taking her diploma.

"Yay!" She cheered before hurrying back to her spot, more laughs being heard from around the room as Caitlyn had surely made her presence known.

"Man, that kid." Kelly breathed out, him and Jemma sharing a smile while Matt and Gabby were still looking at their little girl, Caitlyn hugging her diploma happily as she searched for her parents once more. And when she saw them, her smile grew, Gabby and Matt nodding and grinning excitedly as Caity was nearly shaking with excitement.

"She did it, baby." Matt breathed out, Gabby blinking quickly once more before she nodded, her gaze breaking away from Caitlyn to look towards her husband, finding similar tears sitting in his eyes as he tightened his grip on Sofia. Almost like he was willing for time to slow down, as both of them knew their girls were growing up far too fast, right in front of their eyes.

"She did." Gabby responded before reaching out to rest her hand over the back of his neck, Matt giving her a smile before they returned their attention back to their daughter, seeing her with the same elated look on her face.

But for as happy as Caitlyn was right now, the parents were sure nothing came close to what they were feeling in this moment. Because their little girl had graduated Kindergarten. Despite everything she'd been up against, and everything she'd gone through, she had made it to this day, all while being the best student she could possibly be.

And Matt and Gabby were sure they'd never been more proud of her in their lives.

"Well, I'm not sure the last time I saw this many children running around the bar." Herrmann breathed out as he came to the Casey's table, a sly grin forming over Matt's lips as he sat leaned up against the wall, while Sofia rested in his lap. His little girl wasn't asleep, he knew that from her constant movements, but she was content right where she was, as she'd wanted nothing but to be with her father all day.

"Yeah, the clientele is usually a little older, huh?" Casey played along, Severide chuckling softly from his spot across the table as Herrmann placed the fresh beer down in front of the Lieutenant.

"Just a bit… But you're sure I can't get you anything, Captain?" Herrmann checked once more, as the man had asked him moments before when he first came over. "I know you're a little preoccupied over there." He added, nodding towards the baby in his arms. But Casey still shook his head, his hand running over Sofia's back before she nuzzled herself deeper into his embrace.

"Nah, I'm good Herrmann, I'm just gonna stick to water. Thank you though." He answered, Christopher nodding once more as he stood at the end of the table, the buzzing bar around them filled to the brim with their friends and family, while they continued on with their celebrations of their oldest daughter. It had been a nice afternoon so far, one filled with lots of food and cake, and time well spent with their closest friends, as everyone was scattered around the bar.

And Caity was one of those people currently running around all over the place, as neither Matt nor Gabby had been able to get her to stay still since they got here. But they knew how much fun she was having, and how much she was loving being the center of attention, as Casey started looking around the bar once more, trying to locate his daughter. Which he soon did, finding her across the room with Kidd, Jemma, and Otis, the first responders clearly keeping her entertained.

"Where did Dawson run off to?" Herrmann asked after a moment, his voice regaining Matt's attention as he looked back towards his friend.

"She's talking with her mother." Ramon answered from his seat next to Severide, Herrmann giving a nod in response as he rested his elbows down on the table. "But she left a while ago, so she should be- Oh, there she is." He stopped himself when he saw his daughter reemerge from the back of the bar, Matt turning back to look at her as he made her way to their table. "Hi mija."

"Hey babe… How's your mom?" Matt spoke up, using his foot to help pull her seat out a little bit as his hands were occupied with the baby in his arms, Gabby greeting both her husband and her father with a smile before she responded.

"She's doing well, said she's sorry she missed this, but I told her we'd send her all the pictures and videos." She answered him as she got situated in her chair, before her attention moved towards the girl resting in Casey's lap. "...How's she doing?"

"She's okay… She's tired, but she hasn't fallen asleep." He answered, Matt leaning down to press a kiss to the top of her head as Gabby reached out to rub over her back, their movements causing Sofia to shift around before she rested her cheek against her dad's chest.

"And our other girl? How is she?" Dawson asked him, Matt nodding across the bar before Gabby looked in that direction, soon finding Caitlyn now over there with Stella, the little girl showing Kidd her dress for the umpteenth time this afternoon. "I see Caity's still having a good time." She added on with a laugh, all eyes moving towards the pair just as Caitlyn spun around, the six year old wanting Stella to see how flow-y her dress was.

"Yeah, poor Kidd… I think this is the fifth time Caitlyn's had her look at her dress." Matt spoke with a laugh, his words earning similar responses from around the table as Ramon shook his head lightly.

"Well, it's a beautiful dress, who could blame her." The grandfather commented, Matt and Gabby both nodding before Casey responded.

"That is true… And Kidd's being a good sport about it."

"Yeah, cause she knows her Captain will put her through drills if she hurts his daughter's feelings." Severide chimed in with a smirk, Gabby biting back a grin as more laughs were heard around the table, while Matt narrowed his eyes slightly towards his friend.

"Damn straight, I will." He answered, his lighthearted words not matching the stern look on his face as Kelly and Gabby both laughed once more. "No one hurts my baby's feelings."

"Oh brother." Severide muttered, Ramon chuckling in amusement as he and Herrmann shared a look.

"You'll understand one day, Severide." Herrmann commented, as Kelly was the only man at the table without children of his own.

"Trust me, I understand now… Casey can get all overprotective of his girls when he needs to." He responded lightly, Matt shaking his head as he continued rubbing his hand over Sofia's back. "...And even when he doesn't need to, too." He teased, before reaching across the table to clasp Casey's shoulder.

But the second he did, Sofia popped her little head up and immediately reached her hand out to push Kelly's arm away, the action taking them all by surprise as Severide pulled his hand back.

"Dada mine." She said quickly, her words a bit broken, though everyone knew exactly what she was saying as amused, yet surprised, laughs left their lips. "Dada mine." She repeated, before digging herself back into Matt's embrace, Sofia clearly not liking anyone else touching him.

And that caused more chuckles to come from everyone at the table, Severide still wearing a feigned look of shock as Gabby did what she could to keep in her laughter.

"Oh, I see we're back to that stage." Herrmann commented, shaking his head in amusement as Gabby and Matt shared a knowing look. "Where she's all territorial over her parents, that happened a lot in my house." He added on, Dawson nodding before glancing down towards Sofia.

She had been like this a lot, ever since she started acting out, to where not only was she very clingy to her parents- Matt especially, but she also didn't want others around. In her small mind, she didn't like the idea of having to share her parents, not with anyone other than her big sister, and Severide's action had clearly triggered something within her. Though this wasn't an entirely new thing, either, as Sofia had been going through phases of things like this ever since she was born; where she wanted one parent more than the other, and where she didn't want anyone else around.

But just because the parents found it somewhat funny, they also knew their daughter couldn't go around pushing people. Though they weren't blind to the fact that a big part of her behavior right now came from how tired she was.

"That was cold, Sof." Severide commented after a moment, Ramon sparing a glance at the firefighter with a slight grin tugging on his lips. "I thought you and I were good again." He added on jokingly.

"Apparently not." Herrmann laughed, Kelly clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth before shaking his head lightly, Matt releasing a soft sigh as he rubbed over Sofia's back.

"Sofia, we don't push people, okay?" The father told her, Matt gently lifting her up so she could see him. While she was still young, she was old enough to know what she did was wrong, as her bottom lip began to stick out in a pout. But Casey held his ground, even though the sight was breaking his heart, as he slowly shook his head. "It's not nice to push people like that, Sof." He reiterated, Matt knowing he could only scold her so much, as while she did understand a lot of what he was saying, he couldn't have an entire conversation with her like he could whenever Caitlyn did something she wasn't supposed to. And given where they were, he had limited options on how to get through to her.

"Dada." She whined softly before digging her head back into his chest, Matt releasing a soft breath as Gabby reached out to rub her back once more.

"Yeah, we'll probably have to deal with that later." He spoke softly, Gabby nodding in agreement before she glanced across the table towards Severide.

"Sorry about that, Sev…"

"It's fine, she's just acting like you do Dawson, when women come near Casey." He replied teasingly, Gabby rolling her eyes as Matt did his best to stifle a laugh.

"Hilarious." Dawson responded dryly, Severide wearing a proud grin as Matt adjusted Sofia in his arms, before slowly standing up, the movement gaining everyone's attention.

"I'm gonna walk around with her a little bit, see if I can't get her to sleep." He spoke to Gabby, his wife nodding in response before he walked away from the table, Herrmann soon taking up residence in the seat he left behind.

As he walked around the bar, Matt quickly made the decision to hang more towards the back of the room, as it was way less crowded and he knew it would be easier for her to fall asleep, Casey bouncing her gently as she tucked her head into his neck. While he moved around, he hummed softly in her ear, hoping Sofia would focus on the sound of him instead of what was going on around her.

It took a few minutes, but after a while he felt her tight grip on his shirt begin to loosen and her breathing start to even out, and he knew she'd managed to fall asleep. Which he was very grateful for as he knew Sofia needed as much rest as she could get, even if they were in a crowded bar.

But even once she was resting, he didn't stop bouncing on the balls of his feet, Matt knowing the motion would continue to soothe her and hopefully keep her asleep for a while, as her cheek was now resting on his shoulder, Casey continuously rubbing his hand along her back while his other arm supported her weight.

"Hey Casey."

Matt looked up at the familiar voice to find Boden making his way over to him, a soft smile resting over his face as he looked between his Captain, and the sleeping baby in his arms.

"Hey Chief." He responded softly, Boden nodding as his gaze moved back to Sofia.

"She alright?"

"She's fine, yeah." Casey answered. "Just tired."

"Well, it's been an exciting day for everyone." He replied lightly, Matt nodding in agreement as Boden came to stand next to him, the two men looking out into the bar as their friends continued to have a nice time. "And for Caitlyn especially, I know this is a big day for her." He added on, not missing the proud smile that covered Matt's face before he nodded.

"It is… It's been a great day, Gabby and I are so proud of her." He reiterated, Boden nodding once more before things went quiet between them again for a moment, both of them content to just stand here and watch everything unfold in front of them.

But the longer they stood here, the more Casey couldn't help but notice the way his Chief kept watching him; how he'd look from him, to Gabby, and back at him, the almost pensive look on his face leaving Matt with a bit of uncertainty in his gut, before he finally spoke up.

"...Everything okay, Chief?" He questioned after a moment, his words seemingly pulling Boden from his thoughts as he glanced towards Casey. There was an unreadable expression in his eyes, Boden blinking quickly a few times before he snapped out of whatever trance he'd been in, the older man slowly nodding before giving him a weak smile.

"Yeah, everything's fine Casey." He answered, Matt hesitating for a moment before he nodded.

Whatever was on Boden's mind, he knew now wasn't the time to push it, Matt drawing in a deep breath before he returned his attention back out towards the room as he did his best to keep Sofia asleep, the father wanting everyone to enjoy the rest of their afternoon together while they celebrated his little girl on her special day.