Hello there everyone! I'm back with the next chapter for you all. We're gonna have some Casey family time in this one, along with work at the firehouse and some time with Gabby and Matt as well; basically a little bit of everything. So I hope you like it!
Also I wanted to mention, I know there was some confusion after the last chapter about what time of year it was, but we are almost to Thanksgiving now in this story. I always try to be as clear as I can about the timeline/where we're at in the year, but sometimes I don't explain as much as I should. So yeah, a few chapters ago it was Halloween at the end of October, and then over the past few weeks is when Matt had decided to call Nancy and invite her to come see them. And now we're close to Thanksgiving, which is towards the end of November. So there has been a little bit of a time jump. I hope that clears up the confusion and I'll try to be more mindful of that in the future!
Other than that, I don't think I have much else to talk about. Just that I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and I can't wait to hear what you think.
Happy reading!
Chapter One Hundred and Seventy Six
Dawson let out a soft breath while she stepped out of their master bedroom, the woman finishing up tucking in the back of her paramedic shirt before she was almost instantly met by the sound of her family, a soft smile beginning to form over her face when she glanced over towards the kitchen to see her husband standing there with their girls.
Matt was in front of the counter, seemingly working on getting Caitlyn's lunch together for her last day of school before Thanksgiving, while said six year old was perched up on the counter beside him, Caity still wearing her nightgown with her unruly blonde hair pulled back out of her face, while she swung her legs back and forth in the air. And Sofia looked relatively the same as well, her nightgown and curly hair a bit disheveled from a long night of sleep while she sat up on her dad's hip.
Then from Matt's state of dress too, with her husband still wearing the pajama pants he'd slept in, Gabby could tell they were a little behind in getting ready for the day. Though with their girls currently draped all over him, that certainly wasn't surprising, as Matt had graciously offered to watch them while Gabby got ready for work.
But now it was looking like she'd need to return the favor as they so often did on the mornings they had to be at the firehouse, as they'd need to finish getting ready and get out of the house here soon.
"Daddy, the triangles." Caitlyn reminded him with an exasperated tone while Gabby continued her steps towards her family, the mother biting back her smile as she could tell from just those few words that this wasn't the first time Caity had mentioned how she wanted her sandwich cut for her lunch.
"I know, baby. I'm cutting them into triangles." He assured her, his patient voice earning a grin from the young girl before she continued to kick her legs around in the air, while her position up on the counter gave her the perfect view of everything her dad was doing. "Do you want apple slices or an orange?" He continued on, while packaging up the sandwich he'd just made, Matt working rather skillfully despite one of his arms being used to hold up Sofia.
"Hmm." Caity hummed thoughtfully, Matt letting out a soft chuckle while turning around to the fridge to grab a string cheese and her juice, as their older daughter tried to make a decision. "...I think I want oranges."
"Oranges it is, then." He responded with a smile while he placed the food down onto the counter, Caity matching his look before he reached out to tickle her stomach lightly, earning a few laughs from the child. "And I'll make sure to add some crackers."
"Thank you, Daddy."
"You're welcome, princess." He replied easily, Matt getting back to finishing up her lunch before Gabby's movement caught his eye, the man glancing up from the orange he was peeling just as Dawson got to the counter. "Hey babe." Casey greeted with a gentle smile.
"Mommy!" Caitlyn spoke excitedly, reaching out for her as Gabby came to a stop beside her husband, in front of Caity.
"Hi guys." She greeted, Sofia squealing in excitement from Casey's other side while Caitlyn leaned forward to give her mom a hug. She stayed seated on the counter, but wrapped her arms around her mom's neck, her little head tucking up against her chest while Gabby held onto her. "What's going on here, superdad?"
Casey let out a soft laugh, meeting Gabby's eyes before he spoke up. "Well, Caity wanted to help me pack her lunch." He started, nodding towards their oldest while he turned his body to face Dawson. "And Sof here didn't want to be put down… So that made things interesting." He finished with another chuckle, Gabby matching his grin as she nodded.
"Ahh."
"But we're getting her lunch packed, and they've both been fed." He continued on, as Caity moved a bit to where she could see her dad, while still holding onto her mom. "They ate all their breakfast, and Sof even successfully went to the bathroom on the potty." Matt explained, Gabby seeing the proud look on his face before she looked over towards Sofia, who was grasping at her father's arm.
"She did?" She asked lightly, in an attempt to praise their youngest daughter with her potty training. They had been keeping at it consistently over the past weeks, which led to Sofia doing a great job in learning how to use the bathroom. And while she wasn't completely there yet, they knew she was still getting closer each and every day. "That's great Sof, you're such a good girl." Dawson added, reaching a hand out to rub over Sofia's side while the little girl continued to squeal and laugh happily.
"She definitely is." Casey agreed before pressing a kiss to the side of her head. "Sof and Caity both are."
The six year old's smile widened from the security of her mother's embrace, before she started to nod happily while Gabby kissed her head as well.
"But yeah, that's what we did while you were getting ready." Matt finished, earning another nod from his wife while she ran her hand along Caitlyn's back.
"Like I said, you're a superdad." Gabby replied, Matt scoffing a bit before waving her off.
"I wouldn't go that far, since I didn't have a chance to get them dressed." He responded while adjusting Sofia's weight on his hip. "I planned on going to get them ready after breakfast, since Caity has to be at school here soon. But we got a little sidetracked."
"It's fine, babe." Gabby assured him, letting her hand run along Caitlyn's back once more before she took a slight step away from the counter. "I can take care of them, you go get ready." She tried, only to earn an unsure look from her husband.
"You sure? Cause you need to eat, too." He reasoned, Gabby smiling softly at his concern before she gave him a nod.
"I can once they're dressed, it's fine." She promised, Matt mulling over her words before he nodded back at her.
"Alright… If you don't mind getting them ready, I'll get dressed and then make you some breakfast." He compromised, Gabby chuckling softly in response before her teeth ran over her bottom lip.
"Deal." She agreed, reaching out to tap against his chest before he started to hand Sofia over to her. The process was a seamless one, Matt supporting most of their daughter's weight until she was securely sitting on Gabby's hip, the little girl perfectly content with her mom as she quickly reached out to start playing with her shirt. "Now go get dressed."
"Yeah, get dressed Daddy." Caity repeated with a giggle, Matt and Gabby both laughing back at her before the dad reached out to tickle her once more. "Daddy!" She laughed, trying to shy away from his touch while he continued to lightly tickle her for a few seconds.
"Not so funny now, is it?" He teased, Gabby watching on in amusement before Matt stopped tickling her, Caitlyn's laughs still filtering through the air for a few seconds while she scooted closer to her mom.
"You're silly, Daddy." Caity continued on, Casey chuckling softly as he tapped her side lightly before stepping away from the counter.
"Yeah, he is silly." Gabby agreed, Matt shooting her a knowing look as he started past her. "But he's gonna go get ready now, and so are we." She instructed, Caitlyn nodding in response before Dawson grabbed her daughter's hand to help her jump down off the counter.
"Okay!" Caitlyn replied, the girl practically running straight to the steps as soon as she was on her feet. "I can pick out my clothes!"
Gabby and Matt both laughed in response as they watched her disappear up the stairs, Casey shaking his head slightly before looking back at his wife. "So I guess it's just Sof you'll need to get ready." He joked, Gabby smiling at him before she started to walk towards the steps with their two year old in her arms.
"Yeah, we'll see… We both know Caity still sometimes needs some direction." She added, Casey nodding knowingly as he started heading that same way, but paused once he got to their bedroom door. "But we shouldn't be too long."
"Alright." He responded, moving to take another step towards their room. But before he could get inside, Gabby's voice stopped him.
"Oh, before I forget- Your mom is still coming today, yeah?" She checked from her position on the bottom step, Casey looking over towards his wife before he nodded.
"Yeah, she is." He replied, Gabby offering him a small smile before she mimicked his movement. "When I talked to her yesterday, she said that she'd probably get here around dinnertime." He added, while shifting his weight between his feet.
Ever since his first call to his mother the week before last, they'd been in contact a bit more than before; whether it was occasional text messages or a few calls here and there, Matt had been speaking with her more frequently than he was used to in the past months. And during one of those conversations, she had laid out her plans for coming to visit them during the holiday, which included how she'd be arriving later tonight.
"I told her to just come to the firehouse once she's here, and we'll see her there." He continued on after a thoughtful moment. "And that tomorrow us and the girls could meet up with her… I'm sorry, I meant to tell you all this last night."
"It's fine, babe." She spoke with a soft smile. "All that sounds good, I just wanted to check."
"Alright." He told her, before taking another step to their room. "I'll see you in a few minutes."
With one last nod she watched him disappear into their bedroom before she began to head upstairs, Gabby shifting her focus to helping get the girls ready for their day while Matt did the same in getting ready for shift, both of them working as fast as they could as they knew they were still running a bit behind.
"You sure you don't want some?" Norris offered once more as the two sat in the rig, their ambulance parked off on a side street while she enjoyed the late morning snack they'd stopped for.
Glancing over, Gabby saw her partner holding out her pastry once more. The same one Jemma had offered to share a few times, Dawson letting out a soft breath before she smiled. "Yeah, I guess I'll have some." She gave in, Jemma matching her smile while holding out the treat to her.
Dawson took a few bites, the older paramedic savoring the taste of the blueberry pastry as she was a bit more hungry than she'd realized, before she handed the food back to Norris.
"Thank you." She replied, Jemma smiling again while Gabby picked up her coffee, the two falling into a comfortable quiet once more as they tried to enjoy this little break for themselves.
It was nearing noon, just a little before, and this was the first moment they'd had to really breathe after their nonstop morning. Dawson wasn't sure what was going on, but 61 had experienced an incredibly busy shift thus far. From the very second of shift change she and Jemma got called out, Gabby not having a chance to do anything other than hand Matt her bag before her and Jemma were off. And they had been gone ever since, the paramedics not having the opportunity to get back to the station as it had been call after call, Norris and Dawson often getting sent elsewhere before they could even leave the hospital.
For some reason, a lot of their shifts had been like this recently. Almost all of them ever since Jemma got back from her short time off, their shifts had been nonstop calls. And while neither medic understood why they'd been so busy, they didn't so much mind the pace of it all, as keeping busy certainly seemed to help Norris move on from getting stuck by that needle a couple weeks back.
"God, I might go back and get a second one." Jemma moaned in satisfaction after finishing her food, Gabby chuckling a bit as she glanced back towards her.
"Yeah?" Dawson asked, earning a nod from her partner. "Well, then you should probably go soon because there's no telling how much time we have before we get called out again… In fact, I'm surprised we've lasted this long." She told her, Jemma scoffing a bit in amusement while reaching down to grab her coffee.
"You might have a point there." She agreed, the two stopping to take a few drinks before she continued. "But I'm not complaining… And I definitely think I am gonna go get another one. You want anything?" Jemma asked her, Gabby then opening her mouth to respond.
But she could barely get a word out before main came through their radios, Jemma biting back a groan as they were called out for a welfare check a few blocks away.
"You have got to be kidding me." Jemma mumbled after Dawson had finished talking to main, the PIC letting out a soft laugh while the younger paramedic got the rig started up. "I'm still hungry."
"Well, hopefully this one won't take too long." Gabby tried to assure her, Norris giving her a nod as she turned on the sirens, before they made their way to their destination.
It didn't take long for them to arrive, given how they weren't far from the call and traffic wasn't too bad. So within a few minutes they'd gotten to the small apartment building, Norris turning off the rig before her and Dawson began to get out and gather their things.
The process was second nature to them by now, Dawson grabbing their bag before they made their way up the steps, where they were met by a younger, yet frantic looking woman.
"Oh thank God, you're here." She breathed out in relief.
"We are, you called for some paramedics?" Gabby asked, while shouldering their paramedic bag.
"I did, for my mom… I haven't spoken to her in a few days, and I can't get her to answer my calls. Then when I came over here, she wouldn't answer the door either." She rambled out, Gabby and Jemma both nodding while she started to lead them inside. "She really shouldn't be living alone, I've been trying to find a caregiver for her but it's hard, and so expensive." She continued on nervously, earning sympathetic looks from the paramedics. "But I try to check in on her as often as I can, and I haven't heard from her in a while. But I think I heard the TV, or something, I just couldn't get her to respond."
"Alright, we'll see what we can do.. What's your name?"
"Liza." She answered, as they came to a stop at one of the apartments on the bottom floor. Presumably where this woman's mother was.
"And what's your mom's name?"
"Shelly Greene."
"Okay." Gabby responded as calmly as she could, in an attempt to keep Liza settled. "We'll see if we can try and help, alright? Is this her apartment?"
"It is."
"Alright… Jemma, can you-" She trailed off, nodding back a bit as Norris instantly understood her silent words before guiding Liza back from the door, giving Dawson a bit of space as she brought her hand up to knock on the door. "Hello? Miss Greene? I'm a paramedic from the Chicago Fire Department, can you open the door?" She asked while knocking a few more times, Dawson then pausing to see if she got a response.
But she didn't, as all Gabby could hear was the sound of the television filtering through the walls.
"Miss Greene?" She tried, Dawson pursing her lips together when she was met by nothing but silence once more, before she glanced back at her partner. "...Are you sure your mother's home?"
"She wouldn't be anywhere else, she can't get around very well. And she's not able to drive." Liza explained, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before turning back to the door.
"Miss Greene? If you can hear us, we're coming in." She warned, Dawson reaching down towards the handle just to check and see if it somehow was unlocked. Though she wouldn't have gotten that lucky, as with one twist the door was clearly secured shut.
"Do we need to call for truck?" Norris asked, Gabby shaking her head as she turned back around to face the wall, before placing her foot up against the door.
"No, because we'd be waiting around for them to do this." She replied just as she swung her foot back to make contact with the door, effectively kicking it open despite the lock as a loud noise filled the apartment.
"What the fuck is going on over there?" A voice from inside yelled, Gabby letting out a soft sigh as Liza rushed past her.
"I guess her mom's okay." Dawson replied, Jemma watching her with an almost amused gleam in her eye as they continued on inside.
"Nice kick, by the way."
"Yeah, thanks." She responded lightly, Norris patting her back just as they got into the living room, to find an older woman- who they presumed to be Shelly, sitting in her chair, while Liza was crouched down in front of her.
"Mom, you can't just ignore me for days! I thought something terrible had happened." The daughter told her, Gabby and Jemma hanging back as the older woman snarled.
"You worry too much, Liza. You always have. I'm fine… Or I was until you let these people into my home, who are you?"
"We're from the fire department, ma'am." Norris spoke up first, earning nothing but a huff from Shelly. "Your daughter called us because she was worried, so we came for a wellcheck,"
"I'm fine, I don't need any wellcheck." She fired back, Gabby and Jemma both holding their tongues as they could see this woman wasn't the most pleasant person in the world. But it wasn't their job to have an opinion on that, so they let it be.
"Ma'am, we would still like to look you over." Dawson tried, while pulling their paramedic bag down off her shoulder. "Your daughter seems to have some concerns, so if you wouldn't mind-"
"Oh, get away from me." She barked, Gabby holding her hands up and taking a step back as Liza huffed out a deep breath. "I'm not letting you do a damn thing, you shouldn't even be here."
"Mom-"
"You're trespassing!" The woman huffed out, while clutching the drink in her hands a bit tighter, Jemma and Gabby both getting an up close look of what all Liza had been talking about with her mom. "How'd you even get in here? Did you break in?" She spat, earning an eye roll from her daughter before Liza stood up from the ground.
"She kicked in the door." Liza answered, gesturing towards Dawson before the woman narrowed her eyes in Gabby's direction. "Which she wouldn't have had to do if you'd answer my calls!" She tried, clearly fed up with the attitude she was getting from her mom.
But this Shelly woman wasn't focused on that. Instead, she kept staring at Dawson with nothing but anger in her gaze.
"Ma'am…" Norris tried once more.
"You're the bitch who kicked in my door?" Shelly yelled at Gabby, Dawson holding her ground as her eyebrows raised.
"Momma-" Liza tried, but she was barely able to get the words out before Shelly threw the drink in her hands at Dawson, soaking the front of her shirt and her pants as the cold liquid slid down her body.
"Hey!" Jemma shouted defensively, before she immediately moved in between Gabby and this woman. "I don't care how angry you are, you're not gonna sit there and do that when we're here to help you." She snapped, heat pumping through her veins as the older woman did nothing but scoff at her.
"I'm not scared of either of you bitches, just get out of my house! Before I call the cops." She yelled back, Norris glaring tightly at her before she turned around to face Gabby, who was still looking down at the drink now staining her clothes.
"I'm so sorry." Liza tried, while taking a few steps away from her mom. "She isn't usually like this, I'm sorry she did that."
"I'm not sorry!" Shelly spat, Norris shooting her one last glare before starting to lead Dawson towards the door, Liza following after them.
"Are you okay? I really am sorry."
"It's fine, and I'm fine." Gabby assured her with a soft, yet forced grin, as while her words were true and she was okay, she hadn't exactly loved getting a drink thrown at her. Especially not after the morning they'd had.
"I feel so awful." She continued to apologize.
"It's not your fault, it's okay. Really." Dawson assured her as they got out to the hallway, before she glanced quickly at Jemma. "We'll have to write this up as a refusal to receive care."
"Yeah, but I can handle it." Norris told her, Gabby nodding before she looked back at Liza.
"There's not much else we can do here, but I'm glad your mom's okay." Dawson told her sincerely, Liza giving her a thankful nod back before the two paramedics started making their way back to the ambulance.
"Well, we sure have had some rough calls lately." Norris breathed out as they stepped outside, Gabby scoffing a bit before she nodded in agreement. "But you sure you're good?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." She replied, waving her off. "Just a little sticky.. I'll just have to take a shower when we get back." She added lightly, earning a chuckle from Jemma while the younger medic rubbed her hand along her back.
"You definitely will." She agreed, the two sharing a knowing look before they continued back towards the rig, both of them eager to get back to the house and put this call behind them.
Dawson let the warm water rush over her muscles as she stood underneath the shower, the paramedic taking her time cleaning herself off while she enjoyed the quiet the firehouse bathroom was providing her right now. Though things had been a little busy when they returned, with everyone aside from Casey here at the house, it hadn't stayed that way as just a few minutes into her shower all companies except for 61 had been called out to assist at an accident, leaving just her and Jemma alone in the firehouse. Which had led to her having a nice and relaxing shower, the peaceful silence very much welcome after how hectic her day had been.
But she also knew she was likely on borrowed time, given how ambo was able to be called out at any moment. It was a minor miracle they hadn't been needed anywhere yet, and Dawson knew she probably shouldn't push her luck much further. So after letting the water run over her for a few more seconds, she turned the shower off and reached out to grab her towel.
She then went through her usual routine, Gabby drying off and securing the towel around her before stepping out into the bathroom and heading back to her locker, where she could grab her change of clothes and get ready.
Though once she got there and got her door open, it took all of a couple seconds before she noticed how her shift bag was missing. The same bag she'd given Casey this morning to put away from her, once her and Jemma were rushed out the door, Gabby coming to realize that he must've forgotten to put it away and likely just took it to his office with him. And while normally that would be no issue, with her soiled clothes already in the wash that meant she now had nothing to put on except the towel covering her body, which certainly wasn't going to work and really left her with only one option.
To go to her husband's office, across the firehouse.
She didn't necessarily love the idea, as it was about the longest walk one had to take through this house. But she also knew she didn't have much of a choice. And she was also aware of how her and Jemma should be the only ones in the house right now, between the firefighters being out on call and their civilian employees out to lunch, Gabby knew it was probably safe to make that trek right now. Or as safe as it was going to be.
Blowing out a heavy sigh, Gabby closed up her locker and secured her towel around her body before she began her walk through the house, the flip flops she wore in the shower squeaking against the ground as she took the quickest path she knew to Matt's office.
Though she only got about halfway there when she ran into Jemma, her partner coming out of the common room while Dawson was making her way down the hallway, the younger paramedic abruptly stopping before an immediate laugh left the back of her throat.
"Do I want to know?" She asked while taking in the state of her friend, Gabby shooting her a playful glare as she continued her walk.
"Matt didn't put my bag up." She answered her, an understanding look crossing Norris' face before she nodded.
"Ahh." She said with a grin, Gabby shaking her head as Jemma walked past her.
"Before I make a fool of myself, has anyone come back yet?"
"Nope, you're all good." She replied, Dawson nodding before the two paramedics went their separate ways, Gabby hurrying to Casey's office while Jemma headed to the bunkroom.
Casey killed the engine after pulling his rig into its designated spot inside the garage, the Chief rolling out some of the kinks in his neck that had been there all morning before he stepped down out of the vehicle. The firehouse around him was quiet, he could tell that already as his eyes moved around the nearly empty apparatus floor, Ambulance 61 being the only one of his rigs here right now as everyone else was out on a call.
And, selfishly, he didn't mind that one bit, because if there was anyone inside this firehouse he'd want to spend his downtime with, it was his wife.
Drawing in a soft breath, Casey then made his way towards the double doors before stepping into the house, his eyebrows furrowing when he walked further in and was met by a completely empty common room. With Gabby nor Jemma nowhere in sight, he wasn't entirely sure where they would've gone. But he supposed he had some time to figure that out, Casey shrugging a bit before he changed his path to head for his office, the firefighter opting to stop by and drop his things off before figuring out where Gabby had gone.
But when he got to the bullpen his steps began to slow, the confused look on his face deepening when he took notice of his office and how the door was closed with all the blinds drawn, Casey knowing he didn't leave it like that. And with the firehouse basically empty he wasn't so sure what was going on, Matt glancing around the room before continuing in that direction.
Unsure of what he was walking into, Casey hesitated for a moment before he pushed his door open and stepped inside, his eyes widening slightly when he found Gabby standing inside his office over by the couch. But it wasn't so much her presence that had him surprised, as it was the fact that she was standing there half-naked, his wife only covered by her bra and underwear while she worked on sliding her pants up her legs.
The second the door opened, Dawson froze and began to cover herself, unsure of who was walking into Matt's office unannounced. But the second she saw it was her husband she let herself relax, Gabby eyeing him for a moment before she continued to slide her pants on while he looked her over.
"Well, hello there." He greeted with a slight smirk before he stepped further inside and shut the door behind him, then latching the lock in place just in case anyone got back and came looking for him, as the last thing he wanted to do was risk his wife's privacy.
"Hi." She answered lightly while he walked closer to her, his eyes raking over her form before he came to a stop beside her.
"What, uh… What are you doing?" He questioned after clearing his throat, his gaze lingering a little too long on her chest.
"Changing." She answered simply, earning a laugh from him before he continued to look over her.
"I can see that."
"Uh huh… Keep your eyes up here, buddy." She joked, causing him to smirk once more while he continued to shamelessly stare at her, it being impossible for her to miss the captivated look on his face. And, despite her teasing words, she truthfully didn't mind it one bit, as she never got tired of being reminded about how much he loved and appreciated her.
From his own words to her, multiple times, she knew she was still the most beautiful woman in the world to him. Even after all the trauma her body had been through- from the attack in Puerto Rico, to delivering Sofia and those complications afterwards, then that life-altering ambulance crash earlier in the year. Through all of that, he still made her feel as beautiful as she'd ever been.
Because no matter how often he saw her like this, or in less than this, he would never hesitate to tell her how deeply in love with her he was. And to her, that meant everything.
"Sorry." He murmured just as she secured the button on her pants, while he reached out to rest his palm over her bare side. "You can't blame me for getting distracted, though.. You're gorgeous." He breathed out, Gabby feeling a rush of heat move through her chest while he continued to rub his palm over her waist.
"And you're sweet." She spoke just as softly, letting his eyes find hers before she pushed herself up to give him a soft kiss. One that he eagerly reciprocated, Matt holding her flush against him for a few seconds until they finally separated, his hands lingering on her as long as they could before she reached down to grab her long sleeve paramedic shirt.
"Mhmm." He hummed, seeing her smile a bit before she finished getting dressed. "But back to my question… I can see that you're changing, but I guess I really meant why are you changing in here?" He asked with raised brows while she worked on tucking in her shirt. "Not that I mind."
She laughed softly at his quick clarification, Gabby shaking her head in amusement before she reached down to the couch to grab her belt. "I figured you wouldn't… But I had to take a shower after our last call, and when I went to my locker to change afterwards I found out my bag wasn't in there." She started to explain, a sheepish look soon forming over his lips before he ducked his head. "Apparently my sweet husband forgot to put my stuff away this morning."
"...I did do that, didn't I?" He asked lightly, Dawson letting out another laugh as she reached up to pat his cheek.
"You did. But it's okay." She assured him. "No one was around except Jemma, so I was able to get here without giving the whole house a show." Gabby joked, Matt chuckling a bit before he reached out to grab ahold of her once more, the husband pulling her now-clothed body back towards him.
"Well, I'm glad to hear that.. And I'm sorry about not putting your stuff up."
"It's fine, baby." She promised once more, while his hands moved up and down along her sides. "Getting to take a long, uninterrupted shower more than made up for it." She added on easily, Casey letting out a soft chuckle before pulling her a bit closer.
"...What happened on your call, anyway?" He then questioned, causing Gabby to meet his gaze.
"Hmm?"
"You said you had to take a shower." He clarified, a knowing look soon crossing her face as her mouth opened slightly.
"Oh, that- It was nothing, really. We had a patient who didn't want to be helped, and she threw her drink at me."
The second those words left her lips, his back tightened, Gabby then seeing the rest of him tense up as a mixture of worry and anger cover his features before his mouth turned down in a frown.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine babe.. She was just a little angry, and didn't want any care." She elaborated, before going through the rest of what happened, knowing that while Matt would want to know as her husband, he'd also need to know as their Chief.
"Jemma was spared, luckily… We got out of there pretty quickly, and she's gonna write up the report on that woman refusing care. So when you see it, that's what happened."
"Alright." He responded, letting his hands keep moving along her sides and back as she brought her palm up to rest over his chest. "I'm sorry that woman did that."
"It's no big deal." She replied with a shrug, while tapping her fingers against his chest. "I don't think she was even completely there, you know? For as angry as she was, I think she just didn't know what was happening. And her daughter was so upset and worried about the whole thing, it was all just kind of sad." She finished, Matt giving her a nod before he leaned forward to press a kiss against her forehead. "But there was nothing else for us to do, and physically her mom seemed okay… So, onto the next one."
As soon as those words left her mouth, the bells rang out above them, a soft groan leaving Gabby's throat when she heard 61 being called out for a person in distress.
"Which apparently is gonna be right now." She added on swiftly, Casey biting back his smile before pressing one last kiss against her head.
"Be careful out there." He told her once they separated, his hand lingering on her as long as it could until she was out of reach.
"I always am… Let's just see if I can go without getting a drink thrown at me this time." She spoke, earning one last chuckle from her husband before she disappeared out of his office and made her way to the rig.
Matt paced a bit back and forth just a few steps outside of the garage, the cold November air nipping at his skin while he waited to see a car pull up, Casey glancing down to check his watch yet again before he continued his movements along the pavement.
They were heading into early evening here in Chicago, the winter sun already setting when six pm rolled around as there was just a little bit of daylight left. Enough for Casey to clearly see what all was happening around him, while he continued to wait for his mother's arrival. Which, according to her, should be any minute.
"Hey man."
Casey looked up to see Severide walking towards him, the squad Lieutenant bundled up in a few layers while sporting a thick beanie over his head.
"It's cold as shit out here, why aren't you inside?" He huffed out, rubbing his hands together a bit before sliding them into his pockets.
"My mom's about to be here." He explained, those few words telling Severide all he needed to know before he nodded.
"Ah, gotcha.. I didn't realize she was coming here right now."
"Yeah, she wanted to." Casey answered him, looking back and forth between him and the street. "That way we wouldn't have to wait until tomorrow to see each other." The Chief continued to explain.
"That makes sense… Is she staying with you guys?" He pushed, as while Severide had known of Nancy's visit to Chicago, he didn't know much of the details.
Casey shook his head, letting his arms cross over his chest before turning back to Kelly. "At a hotel." He replied simply. "She insisted, and since we don't really have an extra room because of Becca, we didn't put up much of a fight." Casey explained, as Severide nodded once more. "Gabby and I are paying for it, but we all just kind of came to the agreement that it would be better… And plus, the hotel she's at has an indoor heated pool, and I already know Sof and Caity are gonna be all over that." He finished with a laugh, Kelly matching his chuckle while they both looked out at the road.
"Yeah, I can only imagine… Those girls of yours love to swim."
"They definitely do. So that's what we're doing, but everyone's excited and looking forward to her visiting. She'll be around a lot, to hang out with us and the girls, and spend some time with Ramon and everything, and be with us on Thanksgiving." He continued to ramble out, earning another nod from his friend. "Which, speaking of.. Do you and Kidd know what you're doing yet?"
"I'm not sure." Severide answered with a wince. "We talked about going to see my mom, but you know how that is… You never know how it's gonna go. So we might end up just staying here, I'm not sure yet." He finished with a sigh.
"Alright, well you know you're always invited to come eat with us." He offered, while Severide smiled. "Gabby and Ramon always make enough food for an army, so two more won't be a problem if you're here and want to come."
"Thanks Case." He responded, while clasping his shoulder. "I just might take you up on that." He added, Matt giving him a nod just as a car pulled up into the driveway. "And that must be your mom."
"I think so." Matt replied as he started walking towards the vehicle, Severide following after him before they both saw Nancy get out of the back of the car, the older woman saying something to the person who had driven her here before she shut the door behind her.
"Matthew." She spoke brightly, Matt unable to stop the smile on his face from growing just as he got to her and wrapped her up in a tight hug.
"Hi mom." He replied before things went quiet between them, the mother and son just wanting to soak in this moment of getting to see one another in person for the first time in a year.
"It's so good to see you." She told him quietly, squeezing him a little tighter before reluctantly pulling away. "You look great, honey."
"Thanks mom." He replied easily, while she patted over his arm and glanced past him.
"Is Gabby here? I'd love to see her."
"She was, she got called out." He answered, before Nancy nodded in understanding. "But she's really looking forward to seeing you. Everyone is." Casey added, not missing the way his mom's face lit up at his words. Like she was so excited at just the idea of Gabby and the rest of their family being happy for her arrival, that reaction alone telling him how important this visit was.
Though there was a little voice in the back of his head telling him they should've done this a long time ago.
"Well, I am too." She finally responded, rubbing over his arm before turning her attention to Severide. "Hi Kelly."
"Hey Nancy, I'm so glad you're here." He echoed Casey's sentiment, the older woman's smile only getting bigger before she gave him a quick hug.
"You wanna come in, and see everyone?" Matt offered, Nancy nodding back at him before reaching out to grab her son's arm.
"I'd love to." She replied, the mother and son sharing one last smile before they headed into the firehouse, Matt unable to ignore how content he was feeling in this moment as he was more than ready to enjoy these next few days with his mom.
And he knew she was feeling the exact same way.