Hello there everyone! I'm here with the next chapter for you all, and even though it's definitely shorter than normal, I hope you all still enjoy it nonetheless. You all are gonna get to see a bunch of cute Casey family moments in this one, as well as get a little more into some of the Kidd stuff. So I hope you like it!

Thanks so much for reading everyone! I'll see you all next time.

Chapter One Hundred and Sixty Two

"Caity, make sure you keep an eye on your sister, baby." Casey warned as they moved through the furniture store, the parents a few steps behind their girls as the two sisters walked hand in hand past the rows of couches.

"I will, Daddy!" She promised, while instinctively tightening her grip on Sofia's hand. "I've got sissy."

Gabby smiled softly, her eyes meeting Matt's for a moment before the father glanced back towards his girls. "Thank you, sweetheart." He encouraged, earning a beaming grin from his oldest before the girls continued towards the back of the store.

"You realize she has no idea where she's going, right?" Gabby asked him after a moment, Casey chuckling softly before he moved a step closer to her, his arm wrapping around her shoulder while they walked together.

"I know." He answered easily. "But she just looks so cute when she wants to be in charge… Reminds me of her Momma." He added with a sly grin, Dawson scoffing softly before tapping his hip with hers. "And besides, this store is just one big square. We'll make it to the beds eventually." Matt reasoned, watching as his wife mulled over his words for a second before she ultimately nodded.

"Fair enough." She conceded, lifting her arm up to wrap around his waist before they refocused their attention to their kids, both of the girls just happy to be here while they began the search for the perfect bed for Sofia.

They hadn't had much luck yet in the days that had passed since they started seriously looking into a real bed for their youngest daughter, but after some intensive searching online, they both came to the agreement that this store was their best bet to find what they needed for Sofia. And, based on the selection of furniture alone, they had a feeling their assumptions were correct. That by the time they finished here, they will have found Sof's first big girl bed.

And while there were certainly some conflicting feelings there, especially for Gabby, as it was hard to accept how big Sofia was getting, both parents were equally excited for this milestone in their daughter's life.

"We're still going to that department store across the street after this, yeah?" Casey asked after a silent moment, Gabby glancing his way before she nodded.

"Mhmm, we are. It's a good place to get some clothes for the girls." She reminded him, while they followed Caitlyn around the corner she'd taken. "There's also a few more things I want to get Caitlyn before she starts school at the end of the week. And we should be able to get the rest of those school supplies we need there, too."

Casey nodded slowly, the man vaguely remembering bits of a similar conversation they'd had while at brunch a little over an hour ago as they kept in step a few feet behind their girls.

"Right, right." He responded softly, feeling Gabby squeeze his hip before angling her head up to press a soft, chaste kick against his neck, the movement causing him to smile as he ran his hand along her shoulder.

When she began to pull back from him, their moment was interrupted by the sound of Matt's phone ringing in his pocket, Gabby holding back a soft sigh as she saw him use his free hand to reach into his pocket and silence the call without looking to see who was trying to reach him. But even without him checking to see who was calling, Gabby had a pretty good idea of who was on the other end of the line, as this wasn't the first call he'd gotten today, Dawson knowing it was safe to assume that it was most likely headquarters reaching out to him yet again.

They'd been calling him off and on throughout the morning, Casey only answering the first call before they left the house where he let them all know he wouldn't be reachable today. But that hadn't deterred them from trying, as during their time at brunch with the girls and even now while out shopping, they had tried to get in contact with him a few times. But each and every time, he let it go to voicemail, Matt doing a lot of what he just did now by simply silencing it before refocusing on their time together.

And she knew it's what he would continue to do the rest of day too, as this right now was Matt making a conscious effort to separate his work from their home.

It was something he'd been trying to do since the beginning of his promotion, with having to be away more than he liked, Casey making a promise to himself to not let his duties as Chief bleed over into their time as a family when he could help it. This job was already a big adjustment as it was, with a lot more work going into his new rank, and he didn't want that to completely change everything at home. So he was trying to keep things separate, or as much as he could anyway.

There were times it wasn't always possible, where he had no choice but to focus on his job. Times where he had to be away more, and she had to pick up more of the slack around the house. But those were all things they were adjusting to. And the times when he was at home, he did his best to keep work out of it. At least during family outings like this, he was trying to keep those lines cut and dry when he could, as their time together was the most important thing to all of them. And that wasn't something he was willing to sacrifice just because of this job. Not when he'd seen the damage of what that could do up close.

Long before Matt even considered taking this job, they both had heard horror stories- from Boden and other people within the department, of how being a Chief could tear a man's personal life apart. They'd even seen it first hand with Boden early on, that this job had the ability to completely disrupt everything outside of the firehouse. And that was something Matt had been very mindful of ever since he took on this promotion, as she knew he refused to let it happen to them. Because nothing was more important than their family.

No matter how major his work was, no matter what was going on, Casey prioritized her and the girls over everything else. Even in moments like this, where it maybe wouldn't matter to some. Where taking a work call would seem harmless, Matt didn't want to do that. He didn't want to let his job interfere with their time together, not when he'd promised her and the girls a day for just their family. So whatever it was, he felt like it could be dealt with later tonight once they got home.

And truthfully, that meant everything to Gabby. To see how hard he was working not only as a Chief, but for them.

Because she understood the pressures of his job, as much as anyone could without being in that position. And she had done everything in her power to make sure he had the support at home to be the absolute best Chief he could, as she knew how significant this was to him. But for as much pride as he took in his job, he took even more in being a father, and a husband. They were his priority above anything else, and those little moments like today just proved that.

"You okay?"

The sound of Casey's soft voice pulled her from her thoughts, Gabby blinking quickly a few times before her eyes focused to find him watching her, with an almost inquisitive look across his face.

"Mhmm, I'm good." She replied once she regained herself, Matt's gaze moving over her features before he slowly nodded. "Though you could've taken that, you know." She added on after sparing a quick glance to the girls, her words earning an almost immediate shake of his head. "I know you said you didn't want to work today, but if they need you-"

"This is family time, I'm not gonna work." He reminded her gently, feeling her hand tighten around his side as their eyes met.

"It might be important." She reasoned, as even though Gabby loved his ability to prioritize their family, she also knew there were times where things were out of his control. And if something was wrong or they needed him, she didn't want to keep him from that.

"Not as important as this." He countered with a beaming grin, Dawson chuckling softly before she ultimately nodded, knowing this wasn't something she would fight him too hard on. "And besides, I've made it very clear that when I'm off the clock, my family comes first- Hell, my family comes first even when I'm at work, and they know it." Matt continued on, Gabby doing what she could to hide her smile while she watched him. "We said we were gonna spend today together, getting Sof's bed and that stuff for Caity and school, so that's what we're gonna do."

Casey gave her a soft smile as he finished talking, Gabby looking over him for a moment before she lifted her hand up to rub against his cheek. "...You're a great dad, you know that?"

The grin on his face widened, Matt leaning into her touch before he slowly nodded. "I'm only able to be a great dad because the girls have such an amazing mom." He told her, it now being Gabby's turn to smile while she stroked her thumb over his skin.

"You're also very sweet… Though I take it you knew that, too?" She asked, Casey chuckling softly before he leaned forward to give her a quick kiss.

"Yeah, I did." He murmured against her, the two sharing one more kiss before they separated after a moment, their attention moving back to their girls to find Caity and Sofia had come to a stop a few yards in front of them.

"Mommy!" Caity called once they locked eyes, Matt smirking softly as he and Gabby both took in more of their daughters' surroundings, finding them standing in between a few bed displays. Their hands were still locked together, Sofia standing close to her older sister while the two of them were wearing wide smiles.

"Yeah baby?" Gabby asked while Matt's hand slid around to her back.

"I found beds!" She replied excitedly, the parents stifling their laughter before Dawson nodded.

"You did honey, good job." She answered encouragingly, Casey patting her lower back gently before they started walking towards their girls. "Thanks for helping your Daddy and I find them."

"You're welcome." Caitlyn responded with a beaming grin, her little hand tightening it's hold on Sofia's as her eyes started bouncing around. "I like that one!" She said suddenly, pointing to one of the smaller beds off in the corner as a light laugh escaped the back of Matt's throat.

"You do?" He asked, coming to stop in front of them while Sofia reached her free hand out towards Gabby as soon as she was within reach. "Well, you remember what we're doing here, yeah? We're here to look at beds for Sof." Matt reminded her, a slow look of realization suddenly starting to appear over her face before it was replaced by a sly grin.

"Oh yeah." She responded shyly, Gabby laughing softly before she leaned down to place a kiss to the top of Caity's head. "I forgot."

"That's okay baby, I know you're just excited… But we can definitely look at that one, Sof might like it." Casey replied, the girl's enthusiasm gradually coming back before she nodded.

"Can we go look at it now?"

"Of course we can." Gabby told her, the six year old nodding excitedly before she turned towards her sister.

"Sof! Let's go look at beds!" She spoke brightly before guiding her baby sister across the floor towards some of the smaller beds, both girls giggling brightly as Matt and Gabby followed after them.

Over the next hour or so, the Casey family took their time trying to find the right fit for their youngest daughter as they looked around at almost every reasonably-sized bed they could find. They looked at beds meant specifically for toddlers, while also checking out a few that were just twin-sized, knowing their girl would grow into it for a long time as Sofia spent the better part of the house climbing on and off of a bunch of mattresses.

There were a lot of checkpoints they had for what they wanted out of a bed for Sofia, but one of the most important things to them was that they got something she could get in and out of on her own, just in case she needed. Because, knowing their daughter, she was going to push her limits. Even if she was told not to get out of bed, as soon as she realized she could get out on her own they knew she would from time to time. Especially until she got used to the new space, their daughter's likely escape from her bed just all part of Sofia figuring this out. So because of that, they didn't want her to be too high off the ground or she'd risk hurting herself, that decision just part of the many things they were taking into consideration while choosing a new bed for their daughter.

But when it was all said and done, after spending a good portion of their afternoon here at the furniture store, they'd managed to narrow it down to a bed that they thought would work for their girl. One that Sof would not only be able to grow into, but that would work for what they needed right now. And it helped that Sofia absolutely loved it, as this specific bed was one that she and Caitlyn both kept going back to, the parents knowing that once they were done here they'd be able to leave the store feeling confident in their choice for this next step in their daughter's life.

And that was all they wanted.

Gabby huffed out a breath as she made her way downstairs, the faint sound of the television in the living room hitting her ears while she moved down off the bottom step, the tired mother stopping to toss a few towels in the laundry room before she made her way further into their home. It was a pretty quiet night in the Casey household, the parents having just finished up with their girls' bathes after dinner before Gabby worked on getting the bathroom cleaned up, while Casey took care of getting them ready for bed.

And from what she saw of Sofia once she got into the living room, she could tell Matt had managed that task well as their two year old was dressed in one of her favorite onesies, the little girl playing alone on the girl while their oldest was nowhere to be seen. Matt himself was seated in the middle of the couch, the man holding his phone up to his ear like he was listening to something for a few seconds before he pulled the device away from his cheek.

"Hey babe." He greeted his wife with a soft, yet exhausted smile, their busy day catching up to both parents as they were all looking forward to getting some rest. "You need any more help upstairs?" Casey asked as she fell down onto the sofa beside him, Matt lifting his arm up for her to fall against his side before they made themselves comfortable.

"It's fine, I got everything cleaned up." She replied, Matt nodding understandingly before he pressed a gentle kiss against the top of her head, the action causing Gabby to melt deeper into her husband's embrace. "Where's Caity?"

"In the bathroom." He answered while nodding across the room, Gabby pausing for a few thoughtful seconds before giving him a hum in response.

"Ahh."

"What?" He asked back, something in her tone causing him to smile as he felt her shrug slightly.

"It's nothing, you saying that just got me thinking… We're moving Sof to a new bed soon, then that's gonna be next on our list."

"What is?"

"Potty training." She told him, earning a soft chuckle as that realization dawned on him.

"Yeah, I guess you're right about that… Though I can already tell you, Sofia's not gonna like it." He replied, Gabby being the one to laugh this time as she patted his chest.

"I don't doubt it." She agreed, her eyes moving back over towards their Sofia as she continued to play by herself, oblivious to the fact that they were talking about her. "She seems very content in her diapers." Dawson added, Casey chuckling lowly once more as he too glanced towards their girl, knowing how true his wife's words were. But it wasn't necessarily anything they were worried about, as they knew Sofia would be ready to take that next step in her own time. And it wasn't something they were going to push too hard too soon, either.

Every child was different, they knew that, and since Sofia had shown no interest in learning how to go to the bathroom they decided not to rush things. She wasn't eager to figure it out, or showing either of them that it was something she was ready for, so they weren't going to force it. All that would accomplish was more problems down the line, and make it harder on their little girl, so for right now they were fine in letting Sofia take her time. But they also knew it was something they'd likely have to start thinking about soon.

"She definitely is." Casey finally agreed, while Sofia pushed herself up off the ground and scurried over to her basket of toys by the wall. "Though it is kind of funny, because it's obvious she has no interest in learning, but she refuses to leave us alone when you or I go." He added on with a laugh, Gabby suppressing one of her own before she nodded.

"Yeah, I think that's more an attachment thing than anything else." She replied, Matt nodding back at her in agreement just as they heard Caitlyn come from the bathroom and make her way back into the living room.

"Hi Mommy." She greeted brightly when she saw her mother, Gabby offering her a soft smile as Caity returned to her previous place on the floor.

"Hi sweetheart." Dawson responded, Caity grinning back at her before she began to play with her dolls once more.

And for the next few moments a soft quiet fell over them while the girls played with their toys, Gabby and Matt content to sit with one another while they continued to decompress after their long day. It wasn't until maybe ten minutes later when that quiet was finally broken, as Gabby voiced that question that had been in her head since coming down here.

"So did you hear from your District Chief?" She asked softly, as Matt drew lazy patterns over the side of her head with his fingers.

"Mhmm, I did." He answered just as quietly. "Talked to him while you were upstairs."

"Was he mad at you for dodging his calls?" She questioned with a slight smile, Gabby feeling his chest shake a bit underneath her as he laughed, before shaking his head.

"No, he wasn't surprisingly… He actually said he wasn't expecting me to answer, but he kept trying anyway." He responded lightly, Dawson fighting off an eye roll while she nuzzled her head closer to his neck.

"What were they wanting to talk to you about?"

"Kidd." He responded, Gabby drawing in a deep breath.

"What'd they say?"

"They were wanting to talk more about her taking the Lieutenant's position, and if she's ready for it… There's some hesitancy, but I think they're gonna okay it." He told her, Dawson raising her eyebrows slightly.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I think so. They just have some reservations." He explained, knowing he could be open and honest with her as they weren't a Chief and his PIC right now, but husband and wife.

"...Because?" She pressed, feeling him pause to take a breath before he answered.

"Her experience, mostly." Matt replied, earning a nod from her. "And with Herrmann already stepping in the run truck right now, I guess they were considering just having him stay on as Lieutenant for 81. Give Kidd some more time to get more experience under her belt." He added on, his words doing nothing to lessen Dawson's confusion.

"I thought Herrmann didn't want the job?" She asked him, remembering well their conversations from a while ago, back when this position first fell into Casey's lap, about how while Herrmann was happy to fill in for the time being, he wasn't looking to take the position permanently. Casey, nor Boden, were even sure the exact reason, just that Christopher said it wasn't the right thing for him and his family at this point in his life. And, Matt being the family man that he was, took that as enough of an explanation and let it be.

"He doesn't." Casey answered, while adjusting the positioning of his feet that were up resting on the coffee table. "So I had to remind them of that… I think Herrmann would be great at it too, he has been good. But it's not something he wants. So Kidd is the natural choice, and I think they all realize that… And she'd be a hell of a Lieutenant. That's what I told her, and I truly believe that." He finished, Gabby thinking over his words before she slowly nodded.

"I do too, I think she'd be incredible." She vouched for her friend, while Matt continued rubbing over her head. "...Though you don't think it's-" She stopped herself, unsure of if she should say the thought in her head as he glanced down towards her.

"What?" He asked when she didn't go on.

"Nothing." She tried, Matt biting back a smile while shaking his head side to side.

"Gabby." He replied knowingly, hearing her huff out a heavy breath before she responded.

"Just… Knowing what all I dealt with when I was a firefighter, and trying to break into a male dominated profession. All the people- well, men, in the department, and over at Austin, trying to hold me back just because I'm a woman… I know how hard it is to try and gain the respect of everyone above you." She began to explain, Casey's face softening in understanding while he leaned his head down against hers, his free hand moving down to grip her thigh comfortingly.

"And I know it's gotten a little better, I've been able to see that just through Kidd. But it's still not the easiest… And I know all the people making this decision, they're more… old-school. Aside from you at least. So I can't help but wonder if that has anything to do with it, and why they seem so hesitant. Because she's a woman trying to climb her way into a position almost single handedly held by men." She finished before taking a breath, Matt making sure she had said all she wanted to before he replied.

"Honestly, it did cross my mind a few times." He responded in agreement, earning a nod from his wife. "Cause I did notice they seem more caught up on their reservations with Kidd than I've seen from them before, with men they're wanting to promote. And back when the possibility of Kidd being a potential candidate came up, everyone seemed to be pretty on board with it, but now that we're getting to the point where it's time to actually give her the job, they're holding back… So I've definitely wondered if that could be a part of it." He told her, Gabby listening to his every word while they continued to watch their kids.

"I do remember how hard it was for you, when you were trying to become a firefighter. And as much as I hated it then, you're right it still hasn't changed. Not as much as it should. And in my position I see a lot more of it than I wish it did… There's just that misogynistic mentality for the older generation of firefighters that they can't seem to break. Which means that very well could be what's making some of them hesitant." He continued on, while lightly sliding his hand up from her thigh to her waist. "But, with that said, I do think at least some of their concerns are valid. Because I have the same ones."

"I understand that." Gabby replied, while her head resting on his shoulder. "And that's totally fair. Especially coming from you, like that was your rig. And now you're in charge of making sure it has the best people it possibly can on it, so I get it." She told him, Matt nodding softly before he pressed another kiss to her head.

"Yeah, and it's nothing I haven't spoken with Kidd about. She knows any reservations I have… But regardless, that doesn't mean I'm gonna stop fighting for her." He told her, the determination in his voice hard to miss as a small smile graced Gabby's lips. "She's worked hard for this, she deserves this. And I know how much she wants it.. How good she'll be at it. So I'm not gonna stop pushing for her to have this position."

When he finished speaking, Gabby slowly lifted her head up off his shoulder, craning her neck back to look at him before he met her eyes. The two watched each other for a moment, Casey looking her over curiously before she leaned in for a soft kiss. One that immediately had him smiling before he started kissing her back.

"...What was that for?" He questioned once they separated, the small smile returned to her face as she slid her hand along his chest.

"Just for being the amazing man that you are." She responded, her words causing that goofy grin she knew well to cover his lips before he leaned in for another quick kiss. "I feel like I don't tell you that enough."

"You've told me at least twice today." He countered, Gabby laughing softly while she continued rubbing his chest. "But it's always nice to hear." He added on, scratching his fingers lightly through her hair

"Hmm.. Well, then I'll just have to make sure I tell you more often." She replied, the two sharing another smile before they leaned in to kiss each other once more.

"I love you." He murmured, feeling her smile widen.

"I love you, too."

"I love Daddy, too."

Casey laughed softly against his wife's lips when he heard the familiar voice of his six year old, the couple pulling apart from one another to find Caitlyn moving over to the couch, her beloved nightgown swaying while she bounced her way towards them.

"Oh you do, huh?" Gabby asked lightly, Caity stopping beside the furniture as she looked between her parents.

"Yeah." She giggled, the sound like music to their ears as Gabby caught a glimpse of Sofia coming their way as well, the two year old following in her sister's footsteps once she realized she'd been left on her own. "You look comfy." Caitlyn continued on, both Matt and Gabby having a sense of what was coming as the latter bit back a smile.

"We are." Casey answered, watching as a sly grin covered their daughter's face before she reached out to rest her hand over his leg.

"Can I cuddle too?" She asked, her request coming as no surprise to either parent as they shared a knowing look.

"I don't know, we'll have to ask your Momma." Matt teased, Caitlyn's smile growing as she shifted her weight between her feet.

"Mommy please?" She questioned, with that signature pout gracing her lips. The same one she knew could always get her parents to do almost anything. Especially her dad. "I wanna be with you and Daddy before bed." She added on, Gabby grinning at her daughter before she gave her a nod.

"Well, how can I say no to that?" She responded, Caitlyn laughing happily once more before Matt moved his hand off of Gabby's leg so he could help Caity up onto the couch. "Come up here, honey." Dawson prompted, Caitlyn not needing any more of an invitation before she began to climb up next to them, using Matt's arm for leverage while Sofia came to her mom. "Hi baby, you can come up here too." She said, Sofia squealing happily before Dawson started to help her onto the couch as well.

It took some maneuvering from all of them, but soon enough the family of four was sitting comfortably on the sofa, Sofia nestled between her parents with her head resting on Gabby's chest, while Caity was sitting in her dad's lap, both girls more than happy to be with their parents while they spent the rest of their quiet evening together.

And there we have another chapter for you all. I hope you all enjoyed it! But before we end things I want to take a moment to apologize, because I know this chapter was pretty short, and mostly just a filler one. This wasn't my original plan for this chapter, but I had a very busy and stressful weekend and wasn't able to write as much as I planned.

Long story short, the main water line outside my parent's house broke and was flooding our street, as well as the bottom floor of our home. And because of that, we had water coming into our house for a couple hours, so that's something we've been dealing with since Saturday. With all of that going on, I didn't have nearly as much time to write as I wanted, which is why this chapter is so short and not really like the updates I usually give you all. I just didn't really have the time to get any more done, but I still wanted to try and get a chapter out to you all if I could.

So yes, I hope that explains it a little better, why this chapter is mostly just filler with some cute Casey family moments. And I hope you all still enjoyed it regardless!

As always, thank you all so much for reading. I really appreciate your alls support, and I'll see you all next week! Have a good one!