Hello there everyone! I'm back again with another chapter for you all.
It's been so great seeing your all's reactions to these last few chapters and this storyline, and I can't wait to see what you think of this one, as well. But along with the possible promotion, there's also a lot of Casey family cuteness in this chapter, which you all always seem to enjoy too.
But that's pretty much all I've got. Thank you all for reading, I hope you like it and I'll see you next time. Have a great week, everyone!
Chapter One Hundred and Fifty One
Casey huffed out a soft breath as he moved around the young girl's nursery, the man going over the mental list in his head of everything he needed to grab for their afternoon out, while his daughter was occupying herself with some of her toys in the middle of the room. It's where she'd been sitting for the last twenty minutes or so, ever since Matt had come up to get her once she had woken up from her pretty early nap. But whatever game she was playing with herself, it was keeping her content, the soft sounds leaving her lips every so often assuring the father she was having a fun time, which then gave him the ability to finish up his tasks.
"Alright Sof, let's see… I know your Momma said to grab extra diapers, and an extra change of clothes definitely couldn't hurt." Matt spoke softly, more to himself than to anyone even though he'd addressed his little girl. But she didn't seem too phased by the sound of his voice, Sofia continuing to play while Matt grabbed a stack of diapers, before starting to pull open a few different drawers on her dresser.
"Yeah, this should work." He muttered to himself, Matt grabbing a pair of jean shorts and yellow t-shirt before closing up the drawers. "Just in case we need this later." He added as he turned around, the smile on his face starting to grow when he looked at his daughter, Sofia blissfully unaware of his stares while she kept playing with her dolls, Matt holding her extra clothes in his grasp before starting to walk towards her.
She was wearing an adorable outfit already, Matt having gotten her out of her pajamas and into her jean overalls and white t-shirt soon after he came up here, her clothes ones that Gabby had picked out earlier in the day. And, if Casey's memory served correct, they were a pretty close match to what Caity was wearing today as well. But even with how cute she looked, the parents knew it was always in everyone's best interest to bring extra clothes for Sofia. Especially on occasions where they were going to be out of the house for a long time.
Which was exactly the case today, as Matt was doing what he could to get all of Sofia's things together before the family of four headed out for their trip to the zoo, this outing being something they were all looking forward to.
They had wanted to do this with the girls for a while now, but they just hadn't found the right time in their schedules. Between work, and Caity's dance classes, and everything else they had going on, it always seemed like there was never enough time in their days. But finally, they'd found a time that would work, the hot June weather absolutely perfect for their trip today.
"Alright Sof, I think I got everything your Momma asked for." He breathed out as he came to stand in front of her, the little girl looking up at him with a wide, toothy grin before dropping her dolls to the ground. "You ready to go downstairs, and go to the zoo?" He asked her, his voice light and full of excitement before crouching down to her level. "You wanna go and see all the animals?"
Matt continued talking to her in an easy tone, Sofia getting more and more excited as soft squeals started to leave her lips, before she reached her tiny arms up towards him, signaling that she wanted to be picked up.
"Come here baby, Daddy's got you." He said as he placed the diapers and clothes down onto the ground before picking up his baby. With his one knee resting against the floor, Casey settled her weight on his hip before she grabbed onto his shirt and pressed her head down to his shoulder, the father placing a few kisses to her forehead before grabbing the things he needed and getting up off the ground.
"Let's go downstairs and see Momma, yeah?" Casey spoke, Sofia repeating some of his words while he carried her out of the room, the father stopping to turn off the light before heading towards the stairs.
It took him some maneuvering to get around the baby gate with his hands full, but he'd managed to get onto the steps safely while continuing to hold Sofia in his arms, the baby completely content with him as he made his way downstairs.
When he got to the last step it took him a few moments to get around the second baby gate, before stepping down onto the main floor of their home and heading towards the kitchen, a soft smile forming on Casey's face as soon as his wife came into view.
"Hey babe." He called through the open layout of their home, Gabby looking up from her task with a similarly gentle grin on her face, Matt giving her a wink before glancing across the room to find Caitlyn sitting on the ground in front of the coffee table, currently watching something on her iPad.
"Hey baby." Dawson replied, before looking back down towards the diaper bag she was currently packing. "Sof get up from her nap okay?"
"She did." Casey responded, adjusting the baby on his hip before holding out the clothes and diapers towards Gabby, watching as she accepted them gratefully. "And I got her changed and dressed, and grabbed everything you asked for."
"Thank you." She said while continuing to pack up their things, Gabby having the diaper bag down to a science at this point as she was able to pack up all of Sofia's things, as well as some of the stuff they brought for Caitlyn, with ease. Aside from the extra clothes and everything needed there, she also had packed a few safe snacks for the girls, things she knew they'd always eat regardless; which consisted of some pretzels, applesauce pouches, and a few of Sofia's favorite puff snacks.
"Do you need any more snacks for them?" Casey asked while watching what she was doing, Gabby looking up at him for a moment before shaking her head.
"This should be enough… And I'm sure they'll want all kinds of food from the zoo, too." She told him, a soft laugh leaving her lips as Matt shot her a knowing look.
"Yeah, I have a feeling you're right about that." He responded while Sofia started wiggling around in his grasp, her movements a clear sign that she was ready to be put down. "Alright, alright… Hold on, baby." He spoke, Gabby grinning at her family as Casey put the little girl down, Sofia wasting no time in running over to sit next to her sister on the ground.
"Hi Sof!" Caity spoke happily as her little sister plopped her small body on the floor beside her, the six year old immediately turning her screen towards Sofia so she could see the show being watched. "Wanna watch with me?"
Caitlyn got no verbal reply, instead Sofia just snuggled up to her sister's side, the older girl wrapping an arm around her before they continued on looking at the screen. And from across the room, Matt and Gabby couldn't help but stare at the adorable sight in front of them while their girls cuddled together on the floor.
"Our girls really are so sweet, aren't they?" Gabby mused, Matt breaking his gaze away from their children to look back at his wife.
"They are… Just like their Momma." He added on smoothly, Gabby ducking her head slightly as a light chuckle escaped the back of his throat.
"Mhmm." Dawson hummed as she started to go back to work in packing their bag, Casey laughing once more before he pushed himself away from the counter.
"Is there anything else we need before we get out of here?" He asked her, Gabby looking over everything in front of her before glancing back towards her husband.
"Do you mind to go grab some sunscreen? We ran out of the bottle in here." She explained, Matt immediately nodding as he took a slight step backwards. "I think there should be an extra one in the closet in the laundry room."
"Alright, I'll grab it." He told her, Dawson shooting him a thankful smile.
"Make sure to get the kids sunscreen too, not just for us." She added, earning another nod from her husband even though he knew that already. "Oh, and the one for their faces, too…"
"I got it, babe." He reminded her, Gabby smiling sheepishly before she nodded.
"Sorry." She replied, Matt shaking his head to tell it was fine before he continued down the hallway towards the laundry room, Gabby watching him until he was out of sight before going back to her tasks. But it was only moments that passed before she realized there was something else they needed as well, Gabby glancing back towards the hallway to see he still hadn't come back.
"Hey Matt?" She said loud enough for her voice to reach him in the laundry room.
"Yeah?" He called back.
"Can you get another pack of wipes while you're in there, too? We're almost out."
"Yeah, I got it." He replied, Gabby nodding before continuing to pack up the girl's snacks.
It took no time at all for Casey to get the few things he needed before he was walking back towards the kitchen, Gabby just having finished getting everything she had into the diaper bag as Matt came to the counter.
"Thanks baby." She told him again, Matt nodding with a soft smile as he handed the items to her.
"You're welcome." He spoke, Casey just getting the words out before his phone dinged in his pocket.
While Dawson packed up wipes and sunscreen, Matt pulled his phone out to check who had messaged him, his face unreadable as he read over the text.
"Who is it?" Gabby asked after a moment as he was still staring at his phone, the blank expression causing her mind to start to wander as her eyes flickered to his hands. "...Is it Boden?" She pressed when he had yet to say anything, those words regaining his attention as he looked her way before slowly shaking his head.
He wasn't surprised by her question, not when they were both kind of waiting around on pins and needles to hear from their Chief. And they had been in the few days that had passed since the topic of a promotion came up, ever since Boden explained to him what all was going on, and when Matt made it known that this job wasn't something he wanted to do if Gabby would be transferred from the house. Because since that conversation, Casey hadn't heard anything from Boden, at all. Even on shift yesterday, Matt and Gabby had hardly seen him, Boden tucked away in his office most of the day while the firehouse went on like normal.
But it was a little hard for things with Casey and Dawson to feel normal, as the both of them felt like they were just sort of in limbo until they heard back from Boden. Which, admittedly, was kind of a hard position to be in because there was so much weighing on them with this possible promotion. The pros and cons of it all, and how big of a shift this would be for them, all of it was pretty overwhelming. But a big part of their feelings right now stemmed from the fact that while this was a big deal, it was a choice Casey couldn't really make yet. But because until they knew what would happen to Gabby, Matt couldn't properly work through any of this.
He meant what he said, he refused to even entertain the idea of taking this position if it meant Gabby would be forced from the firehouse. His mind wasn't changing on that, no matter what. But without that answer, there were just too many unknowns for him to even try and figure out what he might do, Matt knowing this big decision would likely be looming over them until he got the chance to talk with Boden.
"It's Severide." Casey answered after a moment, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before she nodded, knowing that whatever Severide wanted, would have nothing to do with the call they were waiting on from Boden.
Because their friend had no idea any of this wasn't going on at all.
It wasn't that they wanted to keep this from Severide, in fact it was quite the opposite, as there were so many times Matt wished he could talk through all of this with his friend. But he couldn't. Just like Gabby couldn't talk about any of this with Jemma, Matt wasn't able to discuss things with Kelly. Because explaining to his best friend that he had the chance to take over the reigns of 51 meant telling him about Boden's desire to leave. And that wasn't Casey's news to share.
So for now, everyone at the firehouse was in the dark about what was going on, even their best friends. The only person that knew at all was Ramon, as Matt and Gabby had both wanted to talk about this with him and get his opinion. But other than him, this was something they had to keep to themselves. At least for now.
"Does he need something?" She questioned back, Matt shaking his head before slipping his phone back into his pocket.
"It's about Kidd- something with her wanting to walk through a few more different types of drills before her exam." He told her, a knowing look covering Dawson's face before she nodded. "But I can text him back later, right now I think it's time to start getting the girls outside, or we'll never make it to the zoo." He added on, earning a soft smile from Gabby before he started making his way to the girls.
And while Gabby gathered up the rest of their things, Matt began the process of getting Caitlyn and Sofia out to the car, both parents looking forward to pushing everything having to do with work from their mind for a few hours, and have a nice day out with their girls.
"Daddy! Look at the horse-y!"
A soft laugh left Matt's lips as they stood in front of the enclosure, Gabby shooting him a knowing smile while crowds of people moved around them.
"That's a zebra, baby." He corrected gently, giving her legs a squeeze as he held onto her, the six year old sitting up on his shoulders like she had been from nearly the moment they got here.
It was to be expected, given the heat and the crowds, that Caitlyn would want to be carried by her father. They just weren't expecting her to ask only ten minutes after they arrived. But regardless of the timing, Matt had accepted her request without issue, the father picking her up and placing her on his shoulders before they continued around the zoo.
And now here she sat, staring at the zebras in awe while her hands were resting on the top of her dad's head, the girl hunched forward slightly to keep her balance while Casey kept a firm grip on her shins that were hanging down in front of him.
"Oh.. I forgot." Caity admitted with a slight grin, Gabby mimicking her husband's laugh as the girl looked down to her mom. "But they're pretty!" She added on, her tall height from sitting on her dad helping her get a better view of the animals.
"They are pretty, honey." Dawson agreed, reaching her arm up to rub over her daughter's back before looking back towards the animals for a moment.
"Do you like them, Caity?" Matt asked, the young girl nodding excitedly before patting her dad's head.
"I do!"
"Good, I'm glad… What about you, Sof? Do you like the zebras?" He asked the almost twenty two month old as he glanced down towards the stroller she was in. But he got no response, not even any excited noises, Gabby leaning over the front of the stroller to look at their little girl before a small smile appeared over her face.
"Yeah, I think she's out." Dawson replied, Matt chuckling before he gave her a nod.
"I'm not surprised, she always falls asleep in that thing." He told her, nodding towards the stroller that Sofia had been in the entire day.
There had been a bit of a debate between the parents before coming to the zoo, on whether or not they should bring the stroller with them, as it was kind of a pain to maneuver in big crowds. But given all the reasons they knew Caitlyn wouldn't want to walk for very long, that was exactly why they had decided to bring it, because it was almost a given that Sofia would need to be held the entire time. Between it being too much on her little legs to expect her to walk all day, as well as the parents not feeling comfortable letting her roam free in this sort of crowd, they knew she would have to be carried; and Matt wouldn't have been able to hold both of the girls on his own for the whole day. At least not comfortably.
And Gabby carrying her wasn't really an option, at least not as far as Casey was concerned, as the last thing he'd want his wife to do on a day like this was carry around their almost two year old. Not when he knew Gabby would do well enough to make it through the entire day for herself.
She was fine, he knew that, but he had seen a few times how she still got a little winded, and she'd become tired more easily than she once did before her accident. So he didn't even want her to try and carry around Sofia for this long, as he knew she'd risk overexerting herself.
So they'd ultimately decided to bring the stroller with them, figuring it to be the best idea given everything. And they were both so glad they had, as it had proven to be useful the moment they got here, the stroller a lifesaver for little Sofia as she was now able to sleep peacefully under her shaded seat.
"I wonder how long she's been asleep." Casey commented while Caitlyn continued looking at the animals, Gabby giving him a slight shrug before she walked around to the front of the stroller and squatted down.
"Well, she was awake when we saw the lions back there, because she kept trying to sound like them." She responded with a laugh at the memory of their youngest daughter pretending to roar along with the animals, Matt smiling down at her before nodding. "But before that, I could tell she was a little tired… Ever since we stopped to eat, she seemed kind of out of it." She continued on while gently adjusting Sofia in her seat, the baby sleeping through every movement as Gabby carefully clasped the straps over her chest together, to ensure the little girl wouldn't start to slide out of her seat while she slept.
"She has seemed pretty tired today. Which is weird, considering she actually slept through the night. And got a nap this morning." Matt mused, Gabby nodding in agreement as she gently ran her hand along the top of her daughter's head, the soft snores escaping Sofia's lips being drowned out by all the noise around them.
"Yeah, it's a little strange. But she's also your daughter, so it's not surprising that she can pass out anywhere." Dawson teased, giving Matt a challenging look before she pushed herself back up. "And honestly, I'm just glad she's getting rest… Though I hate she's gonna miss some of the zoo."
"We can always come back." Matt reminded her, rubbing his hand along Caitlyn's leg as he felt her shift around on his shoulders. "And she's already seen a lot… I know she loves the animals, but she has the same reaction looking at the animals in her books as she does here." He spoke with a laugh, Gabby mulling over his words before she nodded. "So it'll be fine babe, and plus Caity here is still enjoying herself." He added on, Matt raising his voice enough for Caity to hear as she looked back down towards her parents.
"Yeah!" She agreed with a giggle, Gabby grinning up at her before the girl continued on. "This is so fun, Mommy."
"I'm glad you're having a good time, baby." She replied, Caity nodding happily as her stomach and chest rested against the back of her dad's head. "Are you ready to go see some more animals?"
"Mhmm." She hummed, Matt tightening his grip on her before he started moving. "I wanna go see the monkeys!" She requested, neither parent missing the excitement in her voice before Gabby nodded.
"I think we can do that, sweetheart."
"And a bear!" She added on brightly.
"We'll see what we can find, baby." Casey responded, Caitlyn giving him a content nod as the family started heading towards the next exhibit, Gabby pushing the stroller carefully through the crowd while Matt walked beside her.
"And can we get a stuffed animal?" She asked while they moved, Matt tilting his head to glance up in her direction. "Please?"
A heavy laugh left Gabby's lips, Matt shooting her a soft grin before he replied. "Well, I don't think I could ever say no to that… We'll make sure to stop and get you and your sister something before we leave, alright honey?"
"Yay!" She spoke happily, Caitlyn clapping her hands together before returning them to the top of her dad's head. "Thank you, Daddy. And Mommy."
"You're welcome, Caity." Gabby said, smiling up at her daughter as they continued down the wide walkway. "...Now let's try and go find some bears."
"Good job, Sof! You're doing so good!"
Matt smiled softly as he listened to his oldest daughter encourage Sofia while they both rode around on their bikes, the father doing his best to supervise them as he stood in front of their open garage door, while the two girls played happily on the private road between the townhomes.
They had been out here riding around for about half an hour, ever since they returned home from the zoo, both girls eager to play while they waited for dinner. Because with Sofia's prolonged nap during most of their day out, and then both of them sleeping on the drive home, the Casey girls were now wide awake with a lot of energy to expend.
Which is how Matt had found himself out here now, watching his daughters as they rode around on their bikes, Caitlyn definitely pushing her boundaries more than Sofia was. But that was to be expected, given how Sofia wasn't nearly as advanced at this skill as Caitlyn was. In fact, Sofia being on a bike was something that was still pretty new for her altogether, the plastic tricycle meant for toddlers only letting her do so much.
But that was exactly what she needed, as this was meant to let her learn the fundamentals more than anything else, the plastic guard around her seat helping to keep her in place while she got the hang of what a bike was and how to use it. Which, unsurprisingly, was something she was picking up rather fast, Sofia wearing her purple helmet on her head proudly while she rode around with that usual determination that she had with most things.
"Daddy, look at Sof!" Caitlyn cheered as the younger girl went around in another circle, Matt's smile widening as Caity came to a complete stop so she could watch her sister.
"I see her, baby." He responded, the grin on Caitlyn's face growing bigger as her hands grasped onto her handlebars. "She's doing great."
"She is!" Caity replied, her feet secured on either side of her bike to help her stay in place. "She's so good at riding her bike, good job sissy!"
A rush of warmth moved through his chest at Caitlyn's term of endearment for her sister, Caitlyn's genuine pride and excitement for Sofia tugging on his heart strings as it still sometimes blew him away how incredible his girls were.
Once she realized Caitlyn was speaking to her, Sofia began talking back to her sister as she stopped peddling, the bike slowing down on its own as she continued on with her words. Some of them were easier to make out than others, and some were just completely unintelligible, but regardless Caitlyn listened to every word out of her mouth.
While the two were off in their own little world, Matt heard the sudden sound of footsteps approaching behind him before he turned to look in the garage, seeing Gabby coming his way.
"Hey babe." He greeted, Gabby giving him a soft smile as she came to stand beside him, her body leaning into his slightly as her focus was out towards their girls.
"They look like they're having a good time." She commented, Matt following her line of sight to see both Caitlyn and Sofia had started riding around again, the older sister following behind Sofia while continuing to encourage her.
"They definitely are." He replied, nudging against her side gently before he continued. "Is the food on the way?" Casey questioned, Gabby taking a breath before she nodded.
After their long day out, the couple quickly came to the agreement that the last thing either of them wanted to do was cook dinner. So when they got home, they'd decided on ordering in some food, Matt and Gabby choosing to get some subs and a few sides as it was something easy, and something the girls would love.
"Mhmm." She answered, Matt nodding as she glanced up at him. "I got everything ordered, they said it would be here in about forty minutes."
"Thank you, baby." He responded, angling his head to place a kiss to the side of her head before looking back towards his girls, both parents content to stand here and watch them ride around for as long as they wanted.
But about ten minutes into their play, Casey was interrupted by the sound of his phone ringing in his pocket, Gabby pulling away to give him room to answer it before he pulled out the device, his eyebrows furrowing immediately when he saw who was calling him. And after seeing the name on his screen, Dawson understood his reaction, as Boden's name was written in large letters across his phone.
"...You should answer it." Gabby told him, Casey immediately nodding before he started walking a bit further down the road, leaving his wife to watch the girls as he answered the phone call.
"Hello?" Casey asked as he faced out to the main road by their home, the firefighter hearing a beat of silence on the other line before Boden spoke up.
"Casey, hello… I'm sorry for calling you a little late, I'm sure you're busy with the girls."
"It's alright, Chief." Matt replied, his free hand coming up to run along the back of his neck as he watched a few of the cars passing him by. "What's going on?" He questioned vaguely, though both men knew exactly what his words meant.
"Yes, I'm sure you're not looking for pleasantries so I'll just get right into it… But I just got off the phone with headquarters. I've been talking to them a lot, but I wanted to let you know that they've decided Dawson can stay at 51."
Casey's eyes began to widen as Boden's words sunk in, it taking a few seconds for the weight of what this truly meant to sink in as Matt drew in a heavy breath, the man not entirely sure his mind wasn't playing tricks on him. "...Really?" He finally got out, Boden staying quiet for a moment before he responded.
"Really, Casey… If you decide to become the Chief at 51, Dawson will not be moved. It won't be an issue." He continued to explain, Casey finding it best to just be silent as he took in everything Boden was saying. "It took some time for them to figure things out, and what the best course of action would be. And we can talk more about the logistics of it all next shift, but everything's been worked out… You and Gabby will be able to keep working together, if you take this job."
"I... That's great, Chief." Casey breathed out, as he was gradually starting to truly understand this. "But- I'm sorry, I guess I'm just a little surprised they actually agreed to this… Or how it all happened." He rambled out, doing his best to gather his thoughts. "I mean, they didn't want us working together before. And aren't they kind of letting it slide already, with us being married at the same house? I just- Sorry, I'm just trying to process all of this."
"I get it, Casey. I do. Quite frankly, I was a little surprised they ended up agreeing to it, as well. And it took some convincing, on my part and a few of the other Chief's who have kept their eye on you… But after some conversations, it's been approved." He told him, Matt's eyes falling closed for a moment before he nodded.
"And I know you all working together in the past was an issue for them, but this is a little different than when Dawson was working on your truck. You're not directly in charge of every decision she makes, that's still her call as the PIC… Yes, she would be working under you. You would be her boss, but like we talked about, she's already been answering to you at work when needed. And there have been no issues there… And I think headquarters recognizes that. They've seen you two have been able to work together for years, without a problem." He told him, Casey beginning to gnaw on his bottom lip in an effort to help him think through everything Boden was saying.
"And I don't want to lie to you, this is something that a few of the people at headquarters are unsure about. And not everyone was initially on board with it, because of those rules set in place. But I told them everything we had talked about, how you wouldn't even consider taking this job if they removed her from 61, then your all's track record in the same house speaks for itself… And I know Dawson's abilities as a paramedic certainly helped."
"Yeah?"
"Absolutely." Boden answered without hesitation. "I know Dawson and the people at headquarters have had their differences over the years, but everyone there knows she's one of our best medics in the department- if not the best. Which, even though I agree with it, those words didn't come from me." He clarified, Matt unable to stop the soft smile tugging on his lips at the praise his wife was receiving. "Everyone at HQ knows what a loss that would be on 61, and none of them want that… Especially not after losing Brett and Foster. So her standing in the house, and department, definitely helped in convincing them." He said, Matt releasing a soft sigh before he nodded.
"There were obviously a lot of things that went into this decision, and like I said we can talk over all of it next shift, but right now I just wanted to let you know what was going on… They're letting Dawson stay at the house. And if you want to become Chief, headquarters is willing to look the other way. Until given a reason not to."
"Alright Chief." He spoke, Matt sucking in another breath before turning around to look back at Gabby, finding her standing in the middle of the empty road with Sofia, who had at some point ditched her bike, while Caitlyn continued riding around. "I, um… I really appreciate this, and everything you're doing to make sure Gabby can stay. And it means a lot that headquarters has agreed to this, but- I'm still gonna need time to think about it." He responded with a wince, Casey feeling almost guilty that he didn't have an answer for the Chief after all he'd done for them.
But Boden didn't seem to have those same reservations, as he answered almost immediately. "I understand, Casey." He replied, Matt scuffing his shoes against the ground beneath him before the older man continued. "I know you were wanting to see what headquarters was going to do, I'm not expecting an answer right away. And neither are they… Still, take your time, and figure out what you think you want to do."
"Thank you, Chief." Casey responded graciously. "And really, thank you for all of this. Gabby and I really appreciate it."
"You're welcome… Though you don't need to thank me." Boden told him, Matt smiling weakly before he nodded. "But I won't keep you any longer, I just wanted to tell you what was going on. And I hope you and Dawson have a good rest of your night."
"Thanks, Chief." He said again, the two men exchanging a few more pleasantries before they hung up the call.
But even after sliding his phone back into his pocket, it took Casey a few seconds to make any effort to move, the man needing a second to think over all of this before he gradually started taking steps back towards his family.
"Daddy's back." Caitlyn spoke happily while she continued riding around, Gabby looking over after she spoke as Matt came up to her.
"Yeah, I'm back." He replied, shooting Caitlyn a gentle smile as Dawson took him in.
"...How'd it go?" She asked after a moment, Casey's eyes softening once their gazes locked on each other, before a small smile began to form over his lips.
"He, uh… he told me you won't have to leave." He spoke suddenly, Matt seeing the immediate surprise that covered her face, before it morphed into an unmistakable look of excitement. "That's why he called, Boden wanted to tell me that headquarters has agreed to us staying in the same house, even if I do become a Chief." He explained to her, Matt unable to miss how happy this had made her.
But along with that joy, was something else he noticed, Casey seeing what looked to be relief in her eyes.
And he knew exactly why she was feeling it.
Though she'd been completely supportive of him and this promotion, and assured him over and over that her having to leave was not a valid reason to not take this job, he knew deep down that this had been weighing on her. That she was worried about having to leave 51, that she didn't want to leave. Especially now that Jemma was working there with her, leaving their home was the last thing she wanted to do, and the idea of being transferred somewhere else was hard on her.
But he also knew that, if it came down to it, she would've been willing to do it. For him, she would've done it. Even if he didn't want her to.
But now, it wasn't an issue. It wasn't a decision they would have to make, because regardless of his choice, she wouldn't be going anywhere. And it was clear that had made her so happy.
"They have?" Gabby asked once it all sunk in, Matt smiling widely before he nodded. "I… How?" She breathed out, similarly to how he had just moments prior with Boden, the grin on his face never wavering as he started to explain what all their boss had said.
And the more he told her, the more grateful she became, Gabby reaching out to rest her hand over his cheek as he told her the last of what Boden had said.
"Yeah, so I guess because of us handling it well in the past, and how incredible of a paramedic you are, they're agreeing to let us both stay… That they'll at least try, and see if we can work together, then go from there." He told her, Gabby watching him with a soft look in her eye as her thumb stroked over her skin. "Which, I don't see it becoming a problem…"
"I don't think it will, either… But this is so great, baby." She told him, her genuine words causing that smile to reappear over his lips before she leaned in to kiss him. "I'm so glad they were able to work everything out."
"Me too." He agreed, Casey kissing her once more before they separated. "Because I wasn't so sure this was all gonna work."
"Honestly, I wasn't either… I was kind of expecting it not to." She breathed out, Matt knowing the both of them had thought a lot of the same over the past few days. "But this is great news."
"It is, yeah." He replied with a small smile, before his gaze moved down towards Sofia, the baby currently playing with one of her toy balls from the garage.
Seeing the slow shift in his demeanor, Gabby could only imagine what all was going on in his mind now that the biggest roadblock to figuring this out had been solved. Because now there was nothing standing in their way, and it was up to Matt to make this decision. One she knew he was unsure about.
"So…" She spoke up after a moment, Casey sucking in breath before glancing in her direction. "Now that we know I won't have to go anywhere, what do you think you want to do?"
Her words hung heavy in the air, the couple locking gazes with each other while Matt thought over what she had asked him, the gnawing question only seeming that more daunting as his eyebrows began to furrow slightly, before he gave her as honest of an answer as he could.
"...I don't know."