Hello there everyone! I've got the next chapter for you all, and I'm so excited for you to read it. We're gonna get a little more into this Chief storyline, and see some of how it's already affecting different people in this story. It's something I'm really excited to get into, and I hope you all like it as well.

But that's pretty much all I've got, I hope you all have a great rest of your week, and I'll see you next time!

Happy reading!

Chapter One Hundred and Fifty Five

"Caity." Gabby called as she stood next to the dining table while cutting up the food on Sofia's plate, the sound of her voice causing the six year old to look over towards her from her spot across the room, Caitlyn catching her mom's gaze before Dawson continued. "You and your sister come on, baby, it's time to eat." She added, Gabby not missing the slight frown that began to tug on the child's lips as she let the dolls she was playing with fall to the floor.

"But Daddy's not here." She countered after a moment, Gabby's lips pursing together as she watched Caitlyn reach for her toys once more while keeping her eyes on the front door.

She had been playing with them for the past forty five minutes or so, Caity setting herself up as close to the door as she could get while she impatiently waited for her dad to get home. And Sofia had been by her side almost the entire time, the toddler content to play with her own toys she'd brought over while occasionally sucking on that beloved pacifier that they hadn't been able to get her off of, though her and Matt were likely going to take it away soon. But they had been playing well together most of the evening even if they both were just waiting for their dad to get home, ever since they finished up bath time a little while ago.

Though baths were something they typically waited to do until after dinner, after playing outside all afternoon both girls were extremely dirty, so Dawson went ahead and gave them their bath, that being only one of the many tasks she'd done on her own today as it had just been her and the girls. But that wasn't a surprise to any of them, as she and Matt both knew he would be at headquarters for most of the day, the two having gone their separate ways right after shift change this morning.

But just because it was expected, that didn't necessarily make it easier on the girls, as both Caitlyn and Sofia were eager to see their dad. Especially because they hadn't seen him since yesterday morning before shift.

"He'll be home soon, sweetheart." Gabby reminded her, Caitlyn's eyebrows knitting together as her eyes continued to focus on the front door, almost like she was hoping it would help her dad get home faster. "Remember, he was working late today." She continued on, not missing the slight pout formed over Caity's face. "You and your sister need to eat."

"But we need to wait for Daddy." She tried again, straightening her legs out in front of her as her damp hair hung down off her shoulders, onto the top of her nightgown, her stance alone telling Gabby that she wasn't in any hurry to get up. "We always eat with him, like a family." Her little voice spoke, Dawson biting down slightly on the inside of her cheek. "I wanna wait for Daddy."

Gabby drew in a deep breath as she caught her daughter's gaze once more, a sympathetic look flashing in her eyes before she spoke up. "I know you do, honey. But I talked to him a little bit ago, and he said for us to go ahead and eat."

The second those words left her lips, she immediately regretted them when she saw the dejected look that appeared over Caitlyn's face, the child angling her body more towards her mom before speaking up. "You talked to Daddy?" She questioned, as that frown returned to her lips.

"We were just texting, I didn't talk to him on the phone." She explained softly. "If I did, I would've let you talk to him." She assured him, Caitlyn pausing for a moment before she nodded. "But you'll be able to see him soon, I promise… For now, you and Sof need to eat." Gabby reasoned, watching as the stubborn six year old mulled over her words before finally giving in.

"Okay." She accepted, Caitlyn moving her toys to the side before she pushed herself up to her feet. "Come on, Sofie. It's time for dinner." She told her baby sister, the small girl looking up at Caitlyn before a wide grin appeared over her face, one that was big enough for the pacifier to fall from her mouth as Sofia started talking back to her sister, as much as she could at least. After a few seconds, Sofia began to get up as well, the little girl using her hands to help her up to her feet while Caitlyn waited for her, the sisters locking hands before starting to walk towards the table.

A soft smile covered Dawson's face as she watched her girls, the two only separating once they got to the table as Sofia started to climb up into her highchair, while Caity moved to her usual seat that faced the living room, the one that was typically beside her father. Once Sof was seated, Gabby secured her in her chair before placing her plate of cut up roast, carrots, and mashed potatoes in front of her, the mother pressing a kiss to her head before turning towards Caity.

The little girl's plate was already made as well, Gabby having made sure to cut everything up small enough before giving it to her, but unlike Sofia she hadn't started to eat. The toddler had wasted no time in digging in to her meal, but Caity was a bit more hesitant, Gabby seeing her still watching the door while she sat up on her shins.

"Caity, go ahead and eat honey." She prompted, reaching out to rub her back gently before Caitlyn looked up to her. "Your food's gonna get cold."

"I don't wanna eat without Daddy." She spoke quietly, before looking down towards the ground, Gabby's eyes falling closed for a moment as a soft sigh left her lips. "I want him to come home… I don't like him being gone."

Caitlyn's words hit Gabby a little harder than she anticipated, as it was clear their oldest daughter was struggling with some of the adjustments that came with Matt and his new position within the CFD. It had only been a couple of weeks since Casey made his decision to become a Chief, but in that time a lot had changed for the family already, most of those changes coming from Matt not being able to be around as much.

Since telling the department he was interested in the job he'd been absolutely slammed with work, as there had been many qualifications he needed and hoops he had to jump through, Casey spending nearly as much time at headquarters as he was at home lately. Taking on this job had kept him away a good bit, maybe more than he and Gabby were even expecting, and it was proving to be a big adjustment for all of them. But the girls were the ones struggling the most.

Gabby knew what they were signing up for when Matt made his decision, and she understood that things would change from what they'd grown accustomed to, but it was hard to explain that to children. Especially where Sofia was concerned, given how she wasn't able to understand anything more than Matt being gone more than usual. So that had certainly been hard on the baby.

But Caitlyn was another story altogether, as she was definitely having the roughest time getting used to everything that was going on.

It wasn't all that surprising, to Gabby or Matt, given Caitlyn's history of not handling change well. And after all she'd been through in her short life, they completely understood it, so Matt and Gabby both had been a little more aware of trying to help her with all these adjustments. But still, she wasn't the biggest fan of her dad's new job. At least not right now.

Because all she could see was that this was keeping her dad away, that Matt had been gone much more than he typically was, and she didn't like it. Though she did like the one on one time she was getting with her mom, she missed her dad. And both of the parents knew it.

But there was nothing they could do about it right now, aside from helping Caity work through everything she was feeling. And hold onto the knowledge that this wasn't going to last forever. Because even though Matt's new job definitely required him to take on more, it wouldn't always be like this; him being gone for hours at a time at headquarters, and being away from home more than he was there. They knew this was only lasting until he finished all his qualifications to become a Chief, and get through everything needed for his promotion.

What was happening now was temporary, and Gabby was definitely trying to focus on that while their family worked through these changes.

"I know you don't, sweetheart." Gabby finally spoke up as she continued rubbing her back. "I know you miss him, but this is just part of his job now." She reminded her, Caitlyn nodding slowly as she rested her chin down in her palm. "This is what he has to do for a little while, to get ready for his new job… And I know you're still proud of him, but it has been different, without your dad around as much. It's okay that you miss him." She assured her, as the last thing Gabby wanted was for Caitlyn to think it was wrong to be feeling this way, the little girl thinking over her words before she nodded.

"Is he always gonna be gone lots?" She questioned, Gabby immediately shaking her head.

"Not like this, no." She promised, Caitlyn's face softening slightly even though they had had this conversation before. "He just has to be gone a lot right now because he's getting ready to become a Chief."

"Okay… Is he gonna be gone tomorrow too?"

Gabby opened her mouth to answer her, but quickly closed it when she realized she wasn't sure how to answer her. Because truthfully, she didn't know the answer. Her and Matt hadn't gotten the chance to talk much about what his schedule looked like this week. And if history was any indication, he probably hadn't known anyway, as it wasn't uncommon for a lot of his days over at headquarters to come up last minute. So really, she had no idea what to tell her daughter.

But before she had to come up with an answer, the sound of the front door opening gained their attention, Caitlyn's ears perking up as she and Gabby both looked in that direction just as Matt walked in. From first glance alone, Gabby could tell how exhausted he was, but Caitlyn wasn't focused on that at all as she scrambled down out of her chair.

"Daddy!" She shouted happily once her feet were on the ground, Matt looking up after he placed his bag down beside the door, a soft smile forming over his face as he saw her running towards him.

The second Sofia heard her sister's greeting for their dad, she immediately began to wiggle around in her seat, the baby putting down the food in her hand as she was more eager to see her father than finish her meal, Gabby smiling softly before she began to help her out of her high chair.

"Daddy, you're home!" Caity nearly yelled out of excitement, Matt squatting down to the ground just before she crashed into him, the father lifting her up into his arms as Gabby got Sofia down onto the floor, the little girl following in her sister's footsteps as quickly as she could.

"Hi princess." He greeted his oldest, Matt settling her on his hip as she wrapped her legs around him, the father supporting all her weight while she latched onto him. Her head was tucked into his shoulder, her arms clinging around his neck as she was desperate to be as close to him as possible.

"Dada! Dada!" Sofia squealed as she waddled to him, Matt pressing a few continuous kisses to Caitlyn's head before he looked at Sofia, that wide smile returning to his face just as his youngest ran right into him as well.

"Hi baby." He responded as he lifted Sof up into his arms, the father balancing both girls on each hip as he alternated between giving them kisses, his two daughters giggling happily as they were just so excited to see their dad.

And it was a sight Gabby loved as well, while she stayed back by the table, the soft smile never leaving her face as she would never get tired of seeing her family together.

"I missed you, Daddy." Caitlyn finally spoke as she pulled back from him slightly, her arms still wrapped around his neck as Matt looked to her.

"I missed you too, sweetheart. I missed both my girls." He responded, seeing a bright grin form across Caity's face before she looked back towards the table.

"And Mommy?" She asked, a gleam shining in Casey's eyes as he looked over to his wife for the first time since getting home, the two sharing gentle smiles before he nodded.

"Of course… I definitely missed your Momma." He replied, Gabby giving him a soft wink before she returned her attention back to the table, Casey's eyes lingering on her for a few more seconds before he glanced back towards his girls. "Did you all finish dinner?" He asked as he slowly started to get up off the ground, the task a bit difficult with both girls on him. But he managed well enough, Matt adjusting their weight on either side of his body before heading towards the table.

"No, I wanted to wait for you." Caitlyn spoke, Casey glancing towards her before looking at Gabby, his wife merely shaking her head.

"Oh, well you could've eaten, baby. You didn't need to wait for me." He told her as they got to the table.

"Sof did." Caitlyn answered simply, her short words earning a light laugh from Casey while he expertly placed Sofia down into her highchair with one arm, the little girl getting situated before Gabby began to secure her in her seat once more. "But I didn't want to, I don't wanna eat without you." She continued on, Matt smiling sadly as he wrapped his other arm around her back. "But you're here now."

Casey gave her a gentle nod before pressing a kiss to her cheek, Caitlyn leaning into her dad as much as she could. "Yeah, I'm here sweetheart." He responded, the six year old giving him one last hug before he set her down on the ground, Caity moving back around the table to her chair as Matt followed a bit slowly in that same direction.

"Hey babe." Gabby greeted as he came to stand beside her, the two sharing a quick kiss after she placed Sofia's plate back down in front of her.

"Hi baby." He replied, stealing another kiss as they stood between the two girls, both of their children enjoying their food now that their family was all together. "How was your all's day?"

"It was good." Gabby answered with a soft smile. "We ran a few errands this morning, then the girls spent most of the afternoon outside."

"Yeah, I saw I missed bath time, so I figured they got a little messy." He responded with a laugh. "Sorry I wasn't here to help."

The couple's eyes locked for a moment, Gabby now getting a better look at just how worn down he was, his exhaustion written into his features as he gave her a small smile, the woman releasing a soft sigh before she lifted her hand up to rest over his cheek.

"It's fine babe, we're good." She assured him, stroking her thumb along his skin as he leaned into her touch. "I mean, we would've loved having you around with us today, and the girls definitely missed you, but it was alright." She continued on, as Gabby knew he was having his own struggles with having to be away so much. "What about you, how was your day?"

"Long." He answered without hesitation, Gabby frowning slightly as a heavy sigh left his lips. "But some good news, I think today was one of my last days like this."

"Yeah?" She questioned, Matt nodding softly in response.

"Mhmm." He said, focusing on the feeling of her skin against his while he drew in a deep breath. "I'm almost done with everything, there was certainly more involved in all this than I realized, much more than becoming a Captain, but I think there's only one more meeting I need to go then I should officially be able to become a Chief, within the next week or so."

That bright grin slowly returned to Gabby's face as he spoke, her eyes sparkling as he matched her grin. "Really?"

"Really." He repeated, her thumb moving slowly across his cheek before she leaned in to give him another kiss.

"I'm so proud of you, baby." She murmured against him, Gabby feeling him smile before they connected for a kiss once more.

"Thank you." He replied, the two sharing one last gentle moment before they pulled back. "I'm excited, and also ready for these constant days at headquarters to end. It's wearing me out."

"Yeah, I can kind of tell." She responded sympathetically, rubbing her hand along the side of his arm.

"It's been a long couple weeks." He breathed out, Gabby nodding as she knew just how true his words were. "And I'm definitely ready for all of this to slow down a bit, or as much as it's going to, so I can be around more. But right now I'm just gonna focus on getting to eat dinner with my family, and relax a bit for the night… Though I think I might need a bath of my own later." He told her, his soft voice contrasting the suggestive look forming in his eyes, Gabby's head cocking to the side. "If you'd like to help me out with that… We could celebrate my promotion a little early."

A soft scoff left her lips at his words, Gabby sure he had much more in mind than just a bath. But whatever it was he was thinking, she knew she'd be pretty open to it, as a night with her husband sounded amazing right about now. Even if they'd have to wait a few hours to get that time together.

"What do you say?" He prompted, Gabby raising her eyebrows slightly as her tongue ran along the inside of her cheek.

"Daddy, we already did baths!" Caitlyn interjected innocently, her statement showing both the parents that she had been listening to every word they'd said this entire time, Matt's cheeks heating up slightly as Gabby stifled a laugh.

"I know, honey." He responded, the couple breaking apart as their conversation would have to be continued later, Matt moving to his seat while Gabby walked around to the other side of the table.

"Sof and I played with our dinosaurs in the bath." She continued on as her father sat down beside her, Matt's eyebrows raising slightly as she spoke of the new bath toys Severide had gotten the girls a few weeks ago.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah! They shoot water, it was so fun." She continued on before taking a bite of food, Matt smiling softly as he watched her, while Gabby began to put food on her husband's plate.

"Thanks babe." He told her, Gabby offering him a soft grin as Caitlyn continued on.

"We sprayed Mommy, it was funny." She whispered with a slight giggle, like she was trying to tell her dad without her mom hearing, her shy eyes moving back and forth between her parents as Matt let out a soft chuckle.

"Yeah, I'm not sure if your Momma thought it was as funny." He teased as he caught Gabby's eye, his wife playfully shaking her head as Caity laughed once more.

"The girls had fun, which is what matters." Dawson told him, Matt biting his tongue to hold back a smile before he nodded.

"We did." Caity added on with a happy gleam in her eye, the little girl in much better spirits now that her dad was home, as she was eager to tell him all about their day. "Sof and I had fun playing all day!"

"Yeah?"

"Mhmm!" She hummed back, Caitlyn moving to sit on her shins like she had earlier as it helped her be a little taller, Gabby reaching over to help Sofia eat a little bit more as the baby was getting distracted with all the movement. "We went out with Mommy, and I got a new dress. Sof did, too. And then we came home and rided our bikes around, Sofie did such a good job. She's so good at her bike, and then we played in the yard. Mommy was running around with us, it was really fun." She rambled out as she went over everything she could remember from today, Matt hanging on her every word before Caitlyn stopped to take a drink, Gabby feeding Sofia another piece of roast before the six year old spoke up once more.

"But it would've been funner if you were with us." She finished, Matt drawing in a deep breath as her big brown eyes looked up at her dad, the hint of sadness hard to miss as a weak smile formed over Casey's face.

"I wish I could've been here with you all too, baby." He told her, Caitlyn breathing deeply as Matt reached out to place his hand over the back of her head. "But I'm glad you had a good time with your mom." He added, that small smile returning to Caity's face before she looked towards Gabby.

"Me too… I love being with Mommy." She responded, Gabby smiling back at her before blowing her a kiss, the action causing Caitlyn to smile brightly before she turned back to her dad. "And Sof. I like being with them, but I like us all together." She added, Matt breathing in deeply once more before he nodded. "I like being with Mommy and Daddy and Sof, cause we're a family."

"We are." Casey answered her without hesitation, as he ran his hand along the back of her head, Gabby watching them both closely as she wasn't sure what Matt was going to say to her. Though she had a feeling it would echo the same things Gabby had been saying to her for weeks. "We are a family, and we always will be… Even if I can't always be here, we're still a family." He told her, Caitlyn nodding as she leaned back into his hand. "I wish I could be here more, but remember how Momma and I told you things were gonna change around her a bit, because of my new job?" He reminded her, Matt unknowingly repeating some of what Gabby had told her earlier. But Dawson figured it couldn't hurt for Caitlyn to hear it again.

"I know." She responded softly, before reaching up to hold onto her dad's arm. "But I still miss you." She added, Matt nodding sadly before he leaned forward to press a kiss to her head.

"I missed you all too. But I'm home now, and we can spend the rest of tonight together." He assured her, Caitlyn taking in his words before she nodded.

"Will you be home tomorrow?" She questioned, her ears perking up slightly while she waited for his answer, before seeing a gentle smile form over his face.

"I will." He told her, Caitlyn soon matching his grin as Gabby felt a sudden relief wash over her, knowing how badly the girls could use a day with their father.

"Really?" She asked out of pure excitement, Matt nodding back at her.

"Really." He answered, Caitlyn beginning to bounce on her shins slightly. "I don't have to work, so we can spend all day together."

"Yay!" Caity cheered, Matt rubbing the back of her head once more while Gabby fed Sofia a bit more food, the baby more focused on her dinner than anything else as she was just content to be with her family. "We can play!"

"Yeah, we can." He told her, Casey moving his hand down to pat her back before he angled himself towards the table, as he was ready to dig into this meal Gabby made. "Is there something you wanna do?" He asked before taking a bite, Caitlyn pondering his question for a few moments before she shrugged.

"I dunno." She answered simply, Gabby chuckling softly as the two parents shared a knowing look. "But I wanna be with you and Mommy. And Sof."

"Well, I definitely think we can do that." He responded, winking at Gabby before taking another bite of food. "How about we just plan on spending the day here, and we can watch movies and cuddle all day?" He suggested, Caitlyn's eyes widening once more before she nodded happily, as everyone at the table knew those were some of her favorite things.

"Yeah! I wanna do that." She responded quickly, Matt laughing softly before he nodded.

"Alright, well that's what we'll do… You, me, your Momma, and Sof, we'll all just spend the day together." He promised, Caity grinning up at him happily before she mimicked his nod.

"Okay Daddy." She answered, the air in the room now much lighter as both of them knew how much Caitlyn was looking forward to their day together. And the parents were excited for it, too, knowing a day with their dad is exactly what the girls needed.

And truthfully, Gabby knew how much Matt needed it, too.

Casey rolled out his neck as he stood at the counter in the common room, the man pouring himself his second cup of coffee for the morning while he prepared for the shift ahead, his body definitely needing the extra caffeine to help him wake up a bit, as these extra work hours had been taking their toll on him. But the day at home yesterday had helped tremendously, Casey unable to stop the small smile that formed over his lips as he thought back to that time spent with his family.

They hadn't done anything special, mostly just lounged around the house like he'd promised Caity, but it had been maybe one of the best days all of them had in a while. They had spent the entire day today, which the girls desperately needed, the family starting off their morning by cuddling on the couch and watching cartoons, before taking a trip to the local park after lunch. And after walking there, playing around for a while, and then walking back, the girls were thoroughly worn out, all four of them content to lay around the rest of the evening as all they wanted was to be together.

Looking back on it, it truly hadn't been much different than any regular day. But after Matt's busy schedule as of late, they were grateful for that time together, as their uninterrupted family time was exactly what the four of them needed.

But Caitlyn and Sofia weren't the only ones who had been wanting some uninterrupted time with him, as he and Gabby had certainly done their best to make up for some lost time as well once the girls were in bed. Between their hectic lives already, and Matt's sporadic schedule, the couple hadn't really had many opportunities to spend time together, life seeming to get in the way more often than not. But after their long bath together the night before last, and more quality time spent together last night, they definitely had more than one chance to reconnect.

And it had been incredible for the both of them, as Matt and Gabby had missed that time with each other more than maybe either of them realized, these last few nights together much needed for the couple. And their time spent together had certainly helped him to relax as well, Matt's smile morphing into a smirk as he thought back over some of how the last two nights had gone for them, Casey only hoping there would be more of that to come here in the next few days.

"Earth to Casey."

Matt was pulled from his less than moral thoughts when he registered the sound of his name being called, his eyes soon moving across the room to find Herrmann, and a few other firefighters, watching him closely. Between his words and the stares, Casey was sure this wasn't the first attempt they'd made at getting his attention, the Captain clearing his throat before leaning back against the countertop.

"Sorry, what'd you say?" He questioned with raised brows, Christopher sparing a glance over to Cruz before he responded.

"We were asking if you'd heard anything about Kidd." He repeated, Matt's face softening as he leaned more of his weight back into the counter, before crossing his ankles. "She's taking her test soon, isn't she?"

"Yeah, she is." Casey responded after a second, earning a few nods from his friends before he glanced around the room, Matt seeing only half of second shift was around. "I think it's the day after our next shift, is what Severide said."

"Ahh, that's soon." Cruz spoke, Mouch nodding in agreement.

"You think she's ready?" Herrmann questioned, seeing the curious look that reappeared over Casey's face. "You've still been helping her, haven't you?"

"Oh, uh- yeah, when I have time." He answered vaguely. "But she's ready, I know she is." He added on, the certain tone in his voice not going unnoticed by any of them. "She's prepared, she knows all her stuff… And you've seen her, during drills and out there on a few calls. She's ready." He added on with a soft smile, Herrmann matching his look before he nodded.

"Yeah, she has been great… She's definitely a natural." The older firefighter spoke. "She reminds me a lot of you, actually." He continued, the small grin on Casey's face widening.

"I'm not so sure she'd take that as a compliment." Matt joked, his words earning a few laughs from around the room as Cruz shook his head. "But no, I know what you mean… And I agree, she's doing great." He said certainly, Herrmann giving him a strong nod just as Boden came in through the side door.

"Hey Chief." Herrmann greeted, Boden giving him a nod as he continued towards Casey.

"Good morning." He replied back to the room, before stopping a few feet from his Captain.

"Morning Chief." Matt spoke, the older man nodding at him before glancing out towards the hallway.

"...You got a minute?" Boden asked him, Casey's eyebrows furrowing slightly before he nodded, Matt pushing himself up from the counter once he'd set his drink down.

"Yeah, sure." He answered, the Captain ignoring the few looks he was getting from his coworkers as he and Boden made their way out into the hallway, Herrmann glancing between Cruz and Mouch once the two officers were out of sight.

"They've been doing that a lot lately." He mused, Cruz releasing a heavy breath before he shrugged, even though everyone in that room knew how true Herrmann's words were.

Out in the hallway, Boden led Casey closer down to the bullpen, Matt following in his footsteps before the two men came to a halt in a secluded area of the hallway, the early morning in the firehouse meaning there wasn't much traffic through here as a lot of their civilian employees hadn't arrived yet.

"So, I just wanted to check in with you… see how things are going." Boden spoke as he placed his hands on his hips, Matt crossing his arms over his chest before he nodded.

"Yeah, I'm good… Exhausted, but good." He responded, the Chief chuckling softly before giving him an understanding look.

"Mhmm, I remember that well." He sympathized. "But from what I hear, you've been doing great… You know I've been keeping up with a few of your superiors at headquarters, the ones going over your training with you, and helping you through this process, and they've had nothing but great things to say about you, Casey. You've really impressed them."

A small smile began to appear over his lips as Matt shifted his weight between his feet, before he nodded slightly. "Well, that is nice to hear. And it's been great… I've been learning a lot, and getting a better understanding of what all this job is. And you suggesting I go through a shift with Chief McDaniel over at station 95 was a good idea, that definitely helped me." He told him, Boden shooting him an appreciative smile in response. "Everything's been going really well, and I'm guessing you know this, but they did tell me I'm close to being promoted…"

"I did hear that." Boden replied as he reached up to clasp Casey on the shoulder. "And I've gotta say, I am very proud of you, Casey. Not just for this promotion, but all the work you've put in to get there… I know how hard you've been working for this."

"I have, yeah." He breathed out, knowing he could be transparent with his boss. "It's been a lot. And I can't lie, some of it's been hard… Just having to be away from the family more these last few weeks, that part hasn't been great. And it's taken some getting used to with the girls, but we're adjusting."

"Yeah, that is never easy." He spoke with a weak smile.

"It's not, but I also know it's just part of preparing for this job. And it's worth it, it is. I'm so excited about this promotion, and I know it's what's best in the long run, it's just a little challenging right now." He confided, Boden nodding understandingly as he gave his shoulder a squeeze, before bringing his hand back down to his own waist.

"I get it, Casey. Believe me. But I'm glad you and Dawson are handling it well." He replied, Matt showing a small smile before Boden continued. "And that is part of why I pulled you aside, is I did want to check in with you now that you're almost done… Get a feel of where you're head is at, and see how you're doing. If you're still sure this is what you want." He said, almost like he was giving Casey one last out. Just in case he had changed his mind.

But he hadn't. Even despite the few struggles their family had with all this, he hadn't changed his mind once, Matt slowly nodding his head.

"It is." He assured him without much thought, Boden's face relaxing before a slight smile appeared over his face. "I want this- Gabby and I, we both still want me to do this… It was kind of like a shock to the system at first, just getting thrown into all this. But things are starting to calm down, and all of this has just proven to me that I really do want this job. That I'm ready for it, and that I'd be good at it… So, to answer your question, yes. I'm sure." He finished, Casey as sure as Boden had ever seen him.

"Good." The Chief responded, before reaching out to shake his hand, an offer Casey soon accepted. "I'm glad to hear that, and I know everyone in the department will be, too." He added on, before they dropped their grasp. "And that kind of leads me to the other reason I asked you back here, and that's because I think it's time we tell the house what's going on."

Matt was unable to hide the slight look of surprise that appeared over his face, as Boden had been pretty adamant up to this point that no one else find out about his promotion. That aside from when Casey had told Severide, Jemma, and Kidd a couple weeks back, the Chief didn't want to break the news to the house yet. But apparently, that had changed.

"You sure?" Casey asked, Boden giving him a strong nod before glancing back towards the direction of the common room.

"I am." He answered firmly. "With you being promoted soon, and me starting to begin the next steps in my promotion here shortly…" He trailed off, Casey's eyes widening slightly.

"You decided to stay?" Matt asked him, his soft smile growing as Boden gave him a nod.

"I am… I'm going to take the promotion the department has offered me. Donna and I talked it over, and we figured I was too young to retire." He spoke jokingly, Casey laughing softly before he nodded.

"That's great Chief, congratulations."

"Thank you… But yes, because of that, and you already meeting your qualifications, I think it's time. Because I know once you're promoted, they're going to want to get you in here pretty quickly, and let you start taking over the reins." He explained, seeing that confusion gradually starting to settle in over Casey's features once more.

"Wait- take over? I didn't think it would be happening this soon." He replied, as the last Casey had known about this, he still had a good bit of time before Boden was going to be leaving.

"It is." He responded softly, Matt's eyebrows furrowing deeply before the Chief gave him a strong nod. "The department has decided to move things up a bit, since I will be taking the promotion and not retiring… If I were leaving, I think they would've let me go out on my own terms, and take these next few weeks. But since I'm not retiring from the CFD, they want to get this going. Especially since your promotion is just around the corner." He explained, Matt pausing for a moment before he breathed in deeply.

"So once I'm promoted, I'd be starting…"

"Right away." He answered for him, Matt taking another breath to steady himself as he was definitely a bit thrown by the news, the current Captain knowing it would take some time for all of this to truly hit him. "But I know you'll do an incredible job here, Casey… This house is so lucky to have you, and I know you're ready for this."

"Thanks Chief." He replied with an appreciative look, before Boden glanced towards the common room once more. "...So you're ready to tell them?"

"I am. As long as you are." Boden responded, Casey pausing for a moment before he nodded. "Alright, well our morning briefing is in a few minutes… We'll do it then." He said, Casey offering him an agreeing smile before the men went their separate ways.

But it wasn't for very long, as soon enough it was time for their meeting to start, Matt hanging back by the wall in the back of the conference room while first responders continued to filter in. Though Casey was only interested in one person in particular, as he kept his eyes peeled for his wife.

Soon enough he saw her, Matt's spine straightening a bit when he saw Gabby walk in through the hallway doors with Jemma by her side, the two in the middle of conversation Casey couldn't make out as they made their way to their usual table. But as they did, it was like Dawson could feel his eyes on her, the PIC soon beginning to look around the room before her gaze landed on Matt, a gentle smile soon following as they watched one another.

But neither of them said a word, Matt simply nodding her over as her and Jemma got to their seats, Gabby giving him a slight nod before she turned to Norris, the two exchanging a few words before Dawson started heading his way.

"Hey babe." She greeted once she got to his side, her eyes moving over his features while she took a slight step forward. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine… But I, uh- I talked with Boden, a few minutes ago. He said he's ready to tell the house."

The wide smile that instantly appeared over her face helped to settle a few of the nerves building in his system, as Casey was feeling a bit unsure about what type of reactions he'd get from everyone here. Just knowing how beloved Boden was in this house, he knew it would be an adjustment for everyone, and that it would be hard without their Chief here. But Gabby's excitement was helping to settle a few of those doubts as his wife reached up to place her hand along the side of his neck, before lifting herself up to give him a quick kiss.

"That's great, baby." She replied softly, her thumb stroking along his jaw as he soon matched her smile. "I'm so excited for them to know… Everyone's gonna be so happy for you." She murmured, Matt drawing in a deep breath before he nodded, as he could only hope her words would be true.

Casey didn't get a chance to respond to her, as soon after she spoke Boden walked in through the back of the room, everyone's chatter almost instantly dying down at his presence, before giving him their instant attention. And as he stood here and watched the feeling in the room shift, Matt couldn't help but wonder if the house would ever view him like that; as someone who got their complete focus the second he entered a room. As someone who they looked up to, and respected, as much as they did Boden.

But he knew he'd only get those answers in time, as right now the first step was just letting the house know about the different promotions happening, and the changes that would be coming to 51 sooner than expected.

"Alright, good morning everyone." Boden spoke as he stood in front of the room, his greeting earning a few similar responses before he continued. "This will be a pretty short briefing, I don't have much to go over with you today before shift, but there is one thing I've been wanting to talk with you all about… Casey." He prompted, Matt nodding slightly before he left his position by the wall and started walking towards the front of the room, the Captain feeling everyone's eyes on him as he came to stand beside Boden.

"Everything alright, Chief?" Herrmann couldn't help but ask just as Matt got up to the front of the room, both officers standing beside one another as Boden gave him a sturdy nod.

"Everything's fine, Herrmann… There's just something I need to speak with you all about. Something that's been going on for a while." He prefaced, Boden looking around at the confused faces he saw across the room. Though it wasn't everyone, as there were a few select people in here who knew exactly what was coming. "And there's no easy way to say this, so I'll just tell you… Here within the next few weeks, I will be stepping down as Chief."

Surprised gasps were immediately heard throughout the room, the entirety of 51 shocked at the words coming from their Chief's mouth as Boden gave them a moment to process what he said.

"What?" Cruz was the first to ask, Boden drawing in a deep breath.

"You're leaving?"

"Is the department making you do this?" Herrmann asked, the Chief almost immediately shaking his head.

"I am leaving the firehouse, but no it was not the CFDs decision. It was mine." Boden answered as he continued looking around the room, seeing a few saddened faces staring back at him while they waited for more information, which the Chief soon gave them after releasing a soft sigh. "...A while ago, I was offered a possible promotion within the department. And I've been wrestling with it for a few weeks- months, really. I wasn't sure what I was wanting to do, because I had also been considering retiring from the department altogether." He spoke honestly, seeing a few more flashes of surprise from his first responders. "So it was quite a bit for me to figure out, but I have come to the decision that I won't be retiring, though I am taking a promotion… So here soon, I won't be at 51 any longer."

There was a heavy, almost bittersweet quiet that fell over the room for a few moments, as everyone did what they could to take all this in.

They were happy for their Chief, no questions about it, but it was still a hard pill to swallow, as they hated the idea of Boden no longer being with them. But at the end of their day, everyone in the room knew this wasn't their choice to make, and if their Chief was doing the best thing for himself, that's all that mattered.

"That's… That's great, Chief." Herrmann was the first to speak up, Boden shooting him an appreciative nod before more firefighters began to follow suit.

"Yeah, that's awesome, Chief."

"We're so happy for you."

"Thank you, thank you." Boden replied, as a few of the men in the room started clapping, Wallace shaking his head lightly before he continued. "Really, I appreciate it… This wasn't an easy decision for me to make, because this place is my home. And I love this house… I love all of you, and it'll be hard to say goodbye. But I feel like this is what's best for me right now, and it also helps knowing that I'll be leaving the house in good hands." He spoke pointedly, Matt drawing in a slow breath before he found Gabby's eyes across the room, the supportive smile from his wife more than enough to help keep him grounded.

"You know who's taking your job?" Otis questioned, Boden soon nodding before glancing to his side towards Casey for a moment.

"I do." He responded, the Chief not missing the few looks around the room, as they all waited for him to continue. "And you do, too." He added on, Boden seeing as it started to click for a couple of the firefighters in the room, Herrmann being one of the first to understand what he meant as his eyes soon moved to Casey.

"You're telling me…"

"Headquarters has appointed the new Battalion Chief of Firehouse 51, and it's Casey."

To say the room was shocked would be an understatement, but that didn't stop them from being excited either, as a few of the men began to cheer, Matt laughing softly as he took a slight step forward.

"You're gonna be our next Chief?"

"I am." Matt answered, Boden patting him on the back as there were a few more excited yells, Gabby smiling proudly as she couldn't help but feel grateful for everyone's excitement. "I, um… I'm actually being promoted here in a few days. Pretty soon I'll be a Chief, and I'll be running things here at 51."

"Man, I can't believe this- This is great." Herrmann spoke lightly, Matt nodding with a thankful smile as he continued looking around the room.

"That's awesome, Casey. Congratulations."

"Thanks, you guys. Really, it means a lot to me." He told them, clearing his throat before he continued. "I was pretty shocked like you all were, when I first found all this out… But I'm looking forward to being your alls Chief. Though I know I have big shoes to fill."

"Ah, you'll do great." Herrmann spoke confidently, his words soon followed by a few nods from everyone else.

"He's right, you will." Severide echoed, Matt meeting his friend's gaze before giving him an appreciative nod.

"Yeah, I'm excited for you Casey. And you too, Chief." Mouch added as he looked towards Boden. "It'll be weird not having you here, but you deserve this promotion… And I'm glad to know our next Chief will stay in-house." He continued, Herrmann and Cruz both nodding in agreement.

"I am, too." Boden echoed. "And that's why I, and the department, wanted Casey to take over… Because I knew it would be an easier transition for everyone." He spoke, Matt glancing to his boss as Boden shot him a small smile. "And I know Casey will be one hell of a Chief here at 51."

"Hear, hear!" Herrmann called out, his agreement earning a few laughs from around the room before everyone slowly started to get up to congratulate their new Chief and their current one, Matt being hugged by most of his friends as despite any sadness they felt towards Boden leaving, they were all so beyond excited for him to be the one to come after him. And Casey couldn't be more grateful for that, as he knew everyone being on board with this would only help make this change smoother for the house.

And the longer he stood here, being congratulated by all his close friends and coworkers, in the back of his mind he couldn't help but think about how excited he was for what was to come. How he was looking forward to the day where he was officially a Chief, and he'd be running things here a 51.

A day that Matt now felt completely ready for, as it was just right around the corner.