Hello there everyone, I'm back with the next chapter for you all. In this one we're gonna see how Thanksgiving with the Casey's and Dawson's goes, so I hope you enjoy it!

Also, just wanted to let you guys know there won't be updates for my stories next week. I'm heading out of town to visit some family, and won't have time to write while I'm gone. So I wanted to let you all know. But I should be back the week after next with my usual updates!

That's pretty much all I've got. Thanks so much for reading, and I'll see you all next time!

Chapter One Hundred and Seventy Eight

"Hey babe?"

Casey finished writing down the last few words needed for the report in front of him before he looked up towards the entrance of his office, to find his wife walking towards him with a soft smile on her face, her eyes moving between him and the phone in her hands.

"Hmm?" He hummed back in response, clicking his pen before setting it down on his desk.

"My dad's running to the store with the girls, to get a few last minute things for Thanksgiving tomorrow." She started, Matt soon matching her smile as he leaned back in his chair.

"He's a brave man for taking them both by himself." Casey responded lightly, Gabby letting out a soft laugh before she nodded in agreement.

When they'd dropped their girls off at Ramon's this morning before coming to work, in an effort to not only give him more time with his granddaughters, but give Becca some time off for the holiday, they hadn't expected him to take an impromptu trip to the grocery store with them. Especially not the afternoon before Thanksgiving. But it was appreciated nonetheless, as they were sure there were a few loose ends that needed to be picked up.

And more importantly, Gabby and Matt knew the girls would have a great time. That they'd have the best day with their abuelo, no matter what they did.

"You're not wrong there." She matched his look. "But he wants to know if there's anything else we need? He's already getting a few more drinks, and some extra butter because you can never have enough," Gabby began to ramble, while Casey suppressed his grin. "And he said something about getting a few things for a couple more sides, and then asked if we needed anything."

Matt gave her a slow nod, his head leaning back and forth while he thought over the question before ultimately responding. "Well, it probably couldn't hurt to get some extra marshmallows for the sweet potatoes." He started, Dawson shooting him an agreeing look before beginning to type on her phone. "Since we know the girls will eat at least half of them while we're cooking."

"Only half is generous." She mused, Casey unable to stop the laugh trying to escape the back of his throat before his hand came up to rub over his mouth. "They love those things."

"They certainly do.. So yeah, I'd probably have him pick up an extra bag. And then maybe a few more rolls." He told her, Gabby nodding in agreement while she continued to type. "But that's all I can think of, we've pretty much gotten everything else."

"Alright, I'll let him know." She spoke while finishing up her message.

"Tell him thank you for me, and that we'll pay him back." He added on, Gabby chuckling a bit as she sent him the text, before shoving her phone back into her pocket.

"You and I both know he won't accept it." She reminded him, earning a smile from her husband before he shrugged.

"I know, but I always try." He countered, Gabby nodding back at him with a soft look shining in her eyes.

"I know you do." She responded easily, her eyes moving back and forth between him and the paperwork piled up in front of him, before she began to walk around the desk separating them. The movement prompted him to smile, Casey angling his chair towards her and spreading his legs a bit to give her room, before she carefully sat down on his lap.

His arm went around her waist instinctively, Gabby placing her hand over his shoulder while she watched him with a gentle smile.

"Well, hello there." He spoke, pulling her closer before pressing a kiss against her jaw.

"Hi." She repeated back after releasing a soft breath. "I'm not distracting you, am I?"

"You're not, the paperwork can wait." He told her, Gabby's smile widening as she felt him place another kiss to her skin. "I'd much rather sit here with you than focus on work."

"Me too." She replied, leaning back enough to look at him before she ducked her head down to press her lips to his.

Their movements were soft and slow, Matt's hand rubbing along her jacket-covered back while she circled her arms around his neck, both of them content with the pace they'd set until Gabby eventually pulled back.

"So, your day's been okay?" She asked somewhat randomly, Casey letting out another chuckle while he patted his palm low against her hip. "I feel like I haven't seen you much since this morning."

"Yeah, we've both been busy." He told her, before she nodded. "But I've been fine… Just the usual meetings and paperwork, nothing too exciting." Matt spoke, bringing his free hand up to brush a few strands of hair from her face, while his other stayed wrapped around her. "What about you? How were your calls?"

"Uneventful."

"Well, that's better than not." He replied, Gabby nodding in agreement before she relaxed further into him, his eyebrows furrowing a bit as she rested her head down next to his. "...You alright?"

"I'm fine." She assured him, letting her thumb stroke over the side of his neck as he turned to place another kiss to the side of her head. "Just a little tired." Gabby added on, a knowing look crossing his features while he tightened his hold on her.

"Yeah, I know shifts have been a little crazy for you recently." Matt responded supportively. "You wanna lay down in here for a bit? You could probably get some rest on the couch." He suggested, feeling her smile softly before pulling her head back.

"That sounds nice… as long as you join me." She suggested as her bottom lip fell between her teeth while his head cocked to the side, a small smirk beginning to tug on his lips before he gave her body a squeeze.

"You want me to join you, huh?" He repeated, before Gabby nodded. "And that'll help you get some rest?" He continued on, his voice teasing as they both already knew the answer.

"It definitely would." She replied, his smile growing while she lightly tapped her fingers over his neck.

"Well, then I think I should pause work for a bit and go lay down with my wife." Matt told her, Gabby nodding in agreement while shifting her weight in an attempt to get up.

But before she could, the bells rang out above them, a deep groan leaving her throat when they heard the entire house get called out to an apartment fire. Matt held back his laugh as Gabby leaned her head down in defeat, her forehead pressing up against his neck.

"Or not." He voiced, hearing her groan once more as he rubbed along her back. "When we get back, we will." He promised, Gabby sighing before she continued her movements to get up.

"I'll be counting on it." She said to him, Casey giving her one last smile before the couple stood up and began to make their way out of the confines of Matt's office, towards their respective rigs in the garage.

Casey grimaced as he stepped down out of his buggy, the soreness lingering in his body hard to ignore while the sound of firetrucks pulling up onto the apparatus floor filled his mind, Matt glancing around as the rigs parked into place before his firefighters began to get out of the trucks and shed their gear now that they'd returned from their latest call. Which, truthfully, hadn't been an easy one.

It started out like any other routine apartment fire, Casey sending his men and women into the building to locate and help whoever they could before it was time to call it. But when they'd realized the sheer number of people still trapped inside, that was when the Chief decided to mask up and head in to help.

And though the fire was hot and burning, and there were people seemingly coming from every direction to try and get out, the call was running smoothly enough. That was until the building started to go.

From his years of experience, Casey could sense it soon after he got inside that some of the structure of the building was failing, and they were bound to lose a floor or two before it was all said and done. Which had just made them work even faster, Casey and his men helping as many people as they could before he'd ultimately called everyone back, knowing they'd done all they could and the building was no longer safe for them to be in.

As their Chief, Casey waited back until he knew all his firemen were safely outside, Severide being the only one left as he'd refused to leave Matt there on his own. Despite the danger surrounding them, everything was still fine, as Casey had thought he'd called it with enough time before he and Kelly started to make their way outside.

But unfortunately, Matt misjudged the time they had left, as it only took them a few steps down the hallway before the ceiling above them started to give, fiery pieces of wood and debris falling down around and on top of them. To the point where Matt certainly felt the hits, and had even gotten knocked down a time or two, the hot wood smacking into him and causing some discomfort, while also leaving him with a few scratches.

His gear had managed to protect him for the most part, but there was some evidence of the burning building he'd just walked out of; the worst being the scratch across his cheek.

The Chief hadn't noticed the cut at the time, but during their attempt to exit one of the pieces of debris had knocked him in the mask, causing the safety device to become jarred loose and scratch over his skin a bit, leaving some marks behind. But it wasn't enough to stop him completely, as by some miracle he and Severide had managed to make it out of the apartment with some minor cuts and bruises, their gear taking the worst of it.

And while Casey certainly didn't feel the best right now, and probably wouldn't for the next day or two, he made it out alright. Which is what he was choosing to focus on.

"Phew, I know that look well." Herrmann mused, the sound of his voice pulling Casey from his thoughts as he continued to stretch out his sore limbs. "Like you got your bell rung."

Matt laughed softly, shaking his head a bit while a small group of firefighters began to crowd around them. "I'm fine, Herrmann."

"Yeah, yeah that's what you keep saying… I'm just surprised Dawson didn't force you to go to the hospital." The older man continued on, Casey wincing a bit at the memory of his wife's face as soon as he came from the building, and he saw how scared she was.

And how that look hadn't necessarily gone away, even after she'd checked him over and cleaned up the cut on his cheek.

"If I'd needed to, I would've gone." Casey continued, as Severide shot him a knowing look. "But really, I'm fine guys."

"Good." Cruz chimed in.

"Yeah, you've taken a couple good hits to the head over the years, we don't need that happening anymore." Herrmann finished, Matt shaking his head a bit before the firefighter's began to disperse around them, giving Casey the chance to finally get out of his gear.

But he'd barely finished that task before he heard a familiar, and small, voice go through the garage.

"Daddy!"

A smile immediately formed over his face when he heard Caitlyn call out for him, Casey finishing the process of tying up his boot before he stood up straight and turned towards the doors, where Caitlyn and Sofia were currently running towards him with Ramon following behind them.

"Hi Daddy!" Caity repeated, everyone else stopping what they were doing once they noticed the presence of the Casey girls.

"Dada!" Sofia squealed, her little legs hurrying behind her sister, the entire room smiling at them just as Caitlyn crashed into her dad. And while Matt certainly felt a twinge or two of discomfort at the contact, he soon ignored it, as these moments with his girls were more important.

"Daddy, look! Sof and I are here!" Caitlyn spoke while she had her arms around him as much as she could, Matt chuckling a bit while he hugged her back.

"I can see that, this is quite the surprise… Hi Sof." He greeted his youngest just as she got to them, Caitlyn moving a bit to the side so Sofia could hug her father as well, her tiny arms wrapping around his leg while he placed his hands on the tops of their heads.

"We came with abuelo." Caity continued on, Matt giving her a bright smile as he nodded.

"They both wanted to come and see you." Ramon added on as he got to them, Casey shooting his father-in-law a grateful look before looking back down at his girls.

But the excited grin he found on his six year olds face slowly began to fall while she watched him, before it was soon replaced by a look of worry as her eyebrows knitted together, Caity clearly bothered by something. And it took only seconds for Casey to understand what that was.

"Are you hurt, Daddy?" She asked quietly, eyeing the bandage covering his cheek while her bottom lip trembled into a pout, Matt immediately shaking his head with a reassuring smile forming over his face.

"I'm not hurt, baby. I'm fine." He promised, seeing the hesitance in his daughter's eyes before she ultimately nodded.

"And Mommy's okay?" She then questioned, it not lost on Caity how her mom was nowhere in sight. And after seeing her dad a little banged up, that was bound to create some anxiety in her young mind.

"Mommy's fine." He continued to assure her, rubbing his hand over the back of her head.

"Okay." She replied while giving her dad another hug, Matt rubbing over her back while glancing up towards Ramon, who was looking over him as well.

"Did it happen on a call?" The older man asked, Casey giving him a nod in response while he felt Sofia starting to pull away from him and head back towards her grandfather.

"Oh our last call, yeah." Matt responded, as Ramon bent down to pick Sofia back up and settle the two year old on his hip. "There was an apartment fire and it got a little.. tricky." He explained, being as vague as he could knowing Caitlyn was likely listening to him. "But I'm fine, it's just a scratch. And I might be sore for a day or two, but it's nothing too bad."

"Alright, son." Ramon told him softly, the two men sharing an understanding nod before returning their attention down towards Caitlyn, where Matt was looking for any way to distract his daughter from what they were talking about.

"Hey Caity?" Casey spoke, seeing her ears perk up a bit as she looked at him. "Your Momma should be back soon, what do you say we go and wait for her?" He offered, the child's eyes widening in excitement before she started to nod quickly.

"Yeah!" She responded eagerly, their previous conversation seemingly all forgotten as all the worry she'd been holding onto was no longer there.

"Alright, let's go." He said, grabbing ahold of her hand before leading her and Ramon out of the garage and down the driveway, until they came to a stop a few feet from the sidewalk. It was a little cold, but nothing unbearable. Especially with the girls being as bundled up as they were.

Caitlyn stayed standing in between her father and grandfather, her eyes peeled on the road while she held onto both their hands, while Ramon kept Sofia supported by his other arm, the toddler clearly happy to be held by her abuelo as they waited for Gabby.

"Is she almost here?" Caity asked excitedly.

"She'll be here any minute, baby." He replied, earning another nod from her while she continued to look out at the road, Matt keeping an eye on her for a few more moments before he glanced over to Ramon.

"Thanks again for watching them today." The firefighter said, Ramon instantly smiling before he shook his head.

"It's no problem, I always love spending time with them." He replied lightly. "And I think they've had a fun day."

"We did!" Caity chimed in, showing she was always listening as the older men laughed.

"Well, I'm glad honey." Matt told her, before glancing at the man he saw as a father. "So they haven't given you too much trouble?"

"Never. They've been absolute angels." Ramon told him, seeing the smile on Matt's face. "We spent most of the morning at home, where they played a lot and we watched a movie. Then they were fine at the store… Caitlyn especially, she was a great helper." He boasted, as a beaming grin appeared over the young girl's face. "And Sof was great too, she didn't have any accidents today."

"That's my girl." Matt responded proudly, Ramon understanding the feeling as Casey reached across to rub his hand over Sofia's side, the movement earning a few giggles from his youngest daughter. "Those are both my girls, I'm glad today went so well."

"Me too." The older Dawson agreed, while giving Caitlyn's hand a squeeze, his gaze moving back towards the rather quiet road before he spoke up once more. "So, how are things with your mom going?" He questioned, shifting the subject a bit while they had the time. "Now that she's been here a few days."

"It's been good- great, really." Casey replied easily, earning a supportive smile from Ramon. "It's been nice having her here, and her being around the girls… I'm glad they're able to form a relationship with her, even if she's not here all the time."

"Yeah, that's a great thing. These babies can never have too many people who love them." Ramon spoke sincerely, while Casey smiled. "What's she up to today, while you're working?"

"She's visiting my sister."

"Ahh." Ramon responded.

"Yeah, her and Christie, and Violet.. I think they're kind of doing an early Thanksgiving together." Matt continued on.

"That's nice." Ramon added, while Casey gave him a nod. "Are they not able to come tomorrow? Your sister and niece?"

"They've got other plans." Matt explained sofly. "But my mom will definitely be there."

"Good, I'm glad." Ramon responded just as a familiar rig pulled into the driveway, Caitlyn squealing happily when she noticed her mom sitting in the front seat, her father and grandfather both keeping Caity's hands in theirs so she couldn't run towards the ambulance until it was safe.

Luckily the paramedics had seen them too when they pulled in off the street, the rig coming to a complete stop just as they got into the driveway, Dawson waving at her family through the window before she opened the door and climbed down.

"Mommy!" Caitlyn yelled, Gabby offering her a smile and shutting the door, before Jemma started to drive up towards the firehouse.

"Hi sweetheart." She said while walking towards them, Caitlyn finally able to run towards her as she tackled her mom with a tight hug, the two staying connected for a few seconds before Gabby and her daughter walked over to the rest of them.

"Hello mija." Ramon greeted first, Gabby offering him a smile before leaning in to give him a hug, as well as placing a few kisses to Sofia's head, the two year old clearly thrilled to see her mom. So much so that she all but lunged into her arms, Gabby soon grabbing ahold of her and settling her weight on her side.

"Hi baby." Gabby spoke, kissing her youngest a few more times before looking back towards her dad. "And hi Papa… I didn't know you all would be stopping by today." She continued on, rubbing her hand over Caitlyn's back while Sofia held onto her.

"We weren't planning on it. But after we got the groceries put away, the girls decided they wanted to come see you all." He explained, Gabby's smile widening before she nodded.

"Well, I'm glad you all are here." She told him, as her eyes instinctively moved towards her husband, Gabby looking over him for a moment or two as this was the first time she'd seen him since leaving the scene.

Without saying a word, he silently gave her a nod, trying to ease any lingering fears in her mind from their call earlier even though now wasn't the time to talk about it.

"Mommy! Guess what?" Caitlyn spoke up, breaking the couple from their quiet moment as she looked down towards her, before reaching out to rub her hand over her cold cheek.

"Yeah, baby?"

"Abuelo got me a new toy!" She spoke, nearly bursting with excitement as Gabby suppressed a smile, while Casey glanced towards Ramon who was merely wearing a proud grin over his face.

"He did?" Gabby asked back with just as much interest.

"Yeah! He let me pick out anything I wanted."

"Wow, honey. That's so nice, what'd you get?"

"A bouncy ball." She beamed, Gabby smiling softly before carefully leaning down to press a kiss to the top of her head, while balancing Sofia on her hip.

"That's so fun, baby. You'll need to show me tomorrow." She told her, Caitlyn nodding brightly while she bounced up and down on the balls of her feet. "Did you tell abuelo thank you?"

"Yeah!"

"She did, many times." Ramon echoed, Gabby nodding before she met her father's gaze.

"Thank you for doing that.. Though you didn't need to get them anything." She tried, but he immediately waved her off.

"Oh, of course I did. That's what grandfathers are for." He said easily, while Matt bit back a laugh. "We're here to spoil our grandbabies, and Sof picked out something as well. A new stuffed animal." He told her, Gabby's face softening before she nodded.

"Thank you, Papa." She repeated, Ramon matching her look while reaching out to rub over her arm.

"You're welcome, mija." Ramon replied, while glancing in between Matt and Gabby as they all were becoming painfully aware of the growing chill in the air.

"Well," Gabby started once more. "It's pretty cold out here, how about we all head inside and you all can tell me and dad more about your day." She suggested, Caitlyn's eyes widening eagerly before she nodded.

"Okay!" She responded, while reaching up for her sister. "Sissy, let's go!"

The two year old instantly tried to get to her older sister, Gabby chuckling softly before placing her on the ground. As soon as she was steady on her feet, she headed towards Caitlyn, Sofia grabbing ahold of her hand before the two Casey girls started to walk inside, Ramon wasting no time in going after them.

While they headed up the driveway, Gabby and Matt hung back for a moment or two, the couple watching their daughters walk hand in hand towards the house before Dawson glanced over towards her husband. He could feel her eyes on him, Matt turning to face her seconds later with a soft smile on his face.

Her gaze instinctively went to the bandage on his cheek, her eyebrows furrowing a bit before she spoke up. "...You're still feeling alright?" She asked him, Casey giving her a quick nod before he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"I am… I'd tell you if I wasn't." He promised, Gabby nodding back at him before she nuzzled into his side.

"Good." She replied, Matt smiling for a moment until he pressed a kiss to the top of her head, before the couple then started to follow after the rest of their family, Casey and Dawson more than looking forward to this unexpected time they were getting with their girls while they made their way into the firehouse.

"Need help with anything else, mija?" Ramon asked as he placed the last few rolls in the basket, Gabby looking over all the food sitting in front of her before shaking her head.

"I think I'm fine, we're almost ready… I just need to get the rest of this over to the table." She told him, Ramon giving her a nod before he grabbed the rolls and the stuffing, and began to take them to the long table in the Casey's home. "It's probably only about five or ten minutes before we'll be ready to eat." She added on, wiping her hands off on her apron as she spoke.

"Alright, well I can help you finish up here, then I'll go get Caitlyn." Ramon told her, while heading back to the counter to grab another few sides to take to the table. "I think she's still sleeping, but I know she doesn't want to miss our dinner." He continued, earning a knowing nod from Gabby as he spoke of the six year old currently asleep upstairs in her room.

Their daughter's Thanksgiving Day nap certainly wasn't expected, but after spending a large portion of the late morning and early afternoon helping Ramon and Gabby in the kitchen, she'd worn herself out. She was adamant about helping them cook whatever she could, especially with Ramon, so the adults had let her help as much as possible. But in doing so, that had left her a little more tired than they expected, Caitlyn eventually falling asleep at the table before Ramon ultimately took her up to her bedroom.

And that had been hours ago now, which meant it was time for someone to go up there and wake Caity from her nap.

"I can help Gabby, Ramon." Matt offered while he got up from the couch, where he'd been banished to for most of the day. The husband had tried to help earlier, multiple times, as Casey didn't like Gabby having to do most of this work on her own. But she'd insisted, and told him just to stay in the living room with his mom and Sofia, and now Antonio, while her and Ramon prepared their meal. So that's what he'd done, with the promise that he'd be the one to clean everything up so Gabby wouldn't have to.

"Thank you, son." Ramon replied, setting the last few things down in his hands before taking a few steps back. "I'm gonna go get Caity."

"Thanks Papa." Gabby called, Ramon offering her a nod while he headed back towards the steps, Matt soon taking his spot in the kitchen as he moved to stand next to his wife.

"It all looks amazing, baby." He told her, wrapping an arm around her waist while she faced the counter. "You really outdid yourself."

"Thank you." She murmured, leaning back into his hold for a moment as she looked up and out into the living room, where Nancy was currently playing with Sofia.

It's where the older woman had been most of the day, Matt's mom spending almost the entire day here with them and the girls, something their daughters admittedly loved, while they got some one on one time with their grandmother. Sofia especially had been completely enthralled by her, the toddler barely leaving her side while she showed Nancy almost every toy she had.

"Your mom looks happy." Gabby mused, Matt's smile widening as he followed his wife's line of sight before he nodded. "And you look happy."

"I am." He replied without a thought, while giving her body a gentle squeeze. "I'm surrounded by my family, how could I not be?" He asked, though his words were more rhetorical than anything else before Gabby turned to press a soft kiss to her cheek. "And I'm about to eat my weight in great food, so overall it's a great day." He added on jokingly, Gabby letting out a laugh as she shook her head.

"Uh huh… Maybe you should get to work there, like you told my dad you would." She said to him with a smirk, Matt shaking his head a bit before stepping away from her, his hand trailing along her lower back as he went.

"I can do that."

"And make sure you don't pull a muscle carrying that turkey, you've hurt yourself enough." She teased him, Gabby not shying away from any jokes at his expense now that she knew for certain that he was okay after yesterday, Matt himself letting out a dry chuckle before he grabbed a few of the dishes off the counter and headed for the table.

"I'll do my best, babe." He responded, Gabby smirking at him before giving him a wink, the action causing him to blush while he kept on with his task of moving food to the table, giving Dawson the chance to finish up in the kitchen.

"Hey Tonio?" She called to her brother, as she handed Matt the last side dish.

"Yeah sis?" He asked, looking away from Sofia towards his sister.

"Do you mind to come and start getting drinks for everyone?" She requested, the older brother immediately shaking his head before pushing himself up off the floor. "Thank you."

"It's no problem." He replied with a soft smile, before he headed to the cabinet to start getting their glasses, as well as stopping to grab cups for his nieces.

While Antonio was doing that, and Casey and Dawson finished setting up the table, Nancy stayed put in the living room with her granddaughter, Sofia contently sitting beside her and playing with her toys. And with them trying to set everything up, Nancy keeping Sofia occupied was a godsend, Gabby putting the last plate in place as Ramon got downstairs with a very tired Caitlyn in his arms.

"You okay, honey?" Matt asked as Ramon carried her into the kitchen, Caitlyn nodding against his shoulder while she yawned.

"She is, she just hasn't completely woken up yet."

"Yeah, we'll give her a few more minutes." Gabby replied, rubbing over her daughter's back before continuing into the kitchen.

It took about ten more minutes or so, but soon enough everyone was seated and ready for dinner, Caitlyn more alert now as she sat next to her uncle, Ramon and Nancy taking up the heads of the table while Gabby and Matt sat across from Antonio and Caitlyn, with Sofia in her highchair between them. They were all settled comfortably, with endless amounts of incredible food in front of them, the entire family now ready to enjoy the rest of their holiday together.

Casey blew out a heavy sigh as he stepped down off the bottom step leading into their home, the man switching the stairway light off as he went now that he'd finished putting his youngest daughter to bed.

It was still pretty early, all things considered, but with the excitement of the day Sofia was ready for bed shortly after they'd finished amazing dinner. Which had led to Matt quickly getting her upstairs once they were done, while Gabby got Caitlyn ready to go play outside a bit, the man reminding his wife of his promise to clean up before leaving everyone else downstairs and heading up to give Sofia a bath.

As exhausted as she was, she'd barely made it through bathtime, Matt having to work quickly to keep her from falling asleep before he got her out and took her to her room, the little girl fast asleep by the time he'd finished getting her pajamas on. Overall, it hadn't taken him long at all to get her to bed, Matt maybe gone half an hour as Sofia was completely out by the time he'd laid her down on her mattress, before he carefully backed out of the room.

Now that Sofia was taken care of, he was able to get back downstairs and make good on his promise to clean up after dinner, Matt seeing their dining table completely empty as he headed that way to start cleaning. But before he could grab anything, he noticed his mom sitting by herself on the couch in their living room, his eyebrows furrowing a bit before he changed his path and walked towards her.

"Hey mom." He greeted, Nancy looking up and offering him a soft smile as he came around the sofa and sat down next to her.

"Hi Matthew… How's Sofia?"

"Sound asleep." He answered, seeing her smile widen before she nodded. "Where's everyone else?"

"They're still outside playing with Caitlyn." She told him, a knowing look covering his face before his gaze moved over towards the door.

Matt knew after dinner that his oldest daughter had a newfound sense of energy, especially once she'd fully woken up from her nap. So he wasn't surprised to hear she was still outside playing in the snow that had fallen earlier throughout the day.

"Gabby and Ramon are out there with her, Antonio left a bit ago to go spend some time with his kids." She continued on, while Matt looked back at her. "I was out there for a little while, and watched Caitlyn attempt to build a few snowmen, but it was pretty cold so I came back in."

"Yeah, I can't blame you for that." He responded with a lighthearted chuckle. "I'll probably have to drag Caity in here pretty soon."

"Probably." Nancy agreed with a laugh. "There were no signs of her stopping anytime soon when I saw her." She added on, Matt shaking his head a bit in amusement. "But no, it was nice to spend that time with her, and see her so happy… Her and Sofia both, the time I've gotten with them today has been great."

Casey's smile widened, the man giving her a strong nod while he crossed his ankle over his knee. "I know they had just as much fun as you did, the girls love spending time with you."

"I loved it, too." She responded, while catching his gaze. "I had such a great time today. The dinner was incredible, and it was so nice seeing everyone. Thank you for inviting me."

"Of course, yeah. Thank you for coming." He said back with a small smile, as the look on Nancy's face softened. "It means a lot to me, to all of us. We're glad you're here." He told her, his mother feeling a rush of warmth flood through her as she knew how genuine his words were.

"Me too, Matthew. I've had such a nice time these past couple days with you all. It's been great being here, and getting this time with you and the girls… And I think it's been good for me, to get away from everything for a bit." She told him, Matt drawing in a deep breath before he slowly nodded. "I think I needed to come and visit more than I realized."

A soft silence fell between them for a few moments, Casey thinking over what she had said while Nancy focused her attention down towards her lap, the mother and son waiting out the quiet for a couple more seconds before Matt finally spoke up.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked her, leaving her an out if she wanted it as Nancy lifted her head up to look at him. "What Henry did."

The older Casey pursed her lips together before sighing heavily, Nancy shaking her head a bit while she tried to figure out what to say. "...He didn't necessarily do anything, sweetheart." She started, as Matt gave her a pointed look.

"You said he was controlling, that the relationship wasn't good for you… That doesn't sound like someone who's innocent to me."

"He wasn't innocent. But, I don't know, it was both of us… It just wasn't the type of relationship I wanted to be in. And looking back, I should've realized that sooner." She corrected him, while Matt stayed quiet. "He made me happy, in the beginning at least. But after a while I started to see the type of person he was, and I didn't like it." Nancy confided in her son, as a heavy feeling began to settle in his gut. "And I guess what makes it harder for me to accept, is that the signs were always there, I just didn't see it. And I should've… I should've noticed it a long time ago, hell I should've seen it the first time he made those comments about Gabby."

Matt grimaced as those last few words left his lips, the man still feeling an overwhelming sense of anger every time he was reminded of what that racist prick had said about his wife.

"But I didn't, or at least I don't think so… Maybe a part of me did, I'm not sure. But I… I spent a lot of time in that relationship thinking he was a good man, and he wasn't. So now I'm trying to get past all of that." She finished, the wince on his face deepening as he slowly nodded.

"And you're sure he didn't… He didn't hurt you, did he?" Casey asked, Nancy seeing an intense anger spreading over her son's features before she began to shake her head. "Because you can tell me."

"He didn't, honey. I promise, it wasn't like that." She assured him, seeing his defenses starting to lower just a bit. "He never laid a hand on me, it was more his words than anything else… He's very set in his ways, in ways that aren't necessarily right, or fair. He always expected everyone around him to believe what he did, and if you didn't he'd get… upset." She chose her words carefully. "And after a while, I just got tired of it all. I didn't want to surround myself with people like that, especially not with Gabby being a part of this family. I feel awful for subjecting her to that… And really, the main regret I have in all this is not realizing it sooner."

Casey gave her a nod when she stopped to take a breath, her words running through his mind as he continued to take in what all she had said, the man getting stuck on some of it more than others. But he was trying to just digest this, instead of speaking through emotion.

"And I told Gabby that." Nancy continued on when he had yet to say anything, as Matt caught her gaze. "I'm not sure if she mentioned it, but we spoke the other day. When you all came by the pool… I apologized to her for everything he said, and the way he treated her." She explained, while Casey stayed silent. "My apology is about a year too late, but I still wanted to tell her… I wanted her to know I was sorry. To her, and to you. For ever bringing him here, around your family."

Matt took another steadying breath before finally nodding. "I appreciate that." He settled on, as Nancy gave him a weak smile back.

"Like I said, I should've done it a long time ago… But the way he acted about Gabby, and your girls, that was all part of a bigger problem with him and the type of man he is. It just took me a while to see it." She spoke quietly while shaking her head, almost like she was mad at herself. "But he's out of my life now, and always will be."

"Good." Matt replied quickly. "You're better off without him." He stated, as she nodded in agreement.

"I think so, too." She agreed softly. "And with him out of the picture, it gives me more freedom to… Well, do whatever I want." She continued on, Matt feeling a pang in his chest as he was beginning to understand just how trapped his mother had been in her relationship. Even if she didn't see it at first. "Which includes coming around more often."

His ears perked up at her last few words, Matt's head falling to the side a bit before a small smile started to form over his face. "...Really?"

"Mhmm… if you'll have me." She told him with an affirming grin. "I knew it before I came, but then just getting to be here with you and your family, it's got me thinking about how I want to come visit more. I want to be involved in your life, and have relationships with my granddaughters. More than just a few phone calls and seeing them once a year." She spoke honestly, as the smile on Matt's face widened. "I want to start coming here more often, if that's alright." She finished, while her son nodded strongly.

"Of course it is." He spoke just seconds after she finished her sentence, her relief mixed with excitement evident on her face. "You're always welcome here, mom. No matter what."

"Thank you, Matthew." She replied, before leaning over to give him a hug.

The position was awkward, but neither of them minded as they relished in the contact, it feeling like a weight had been lifted between them while she held onto him tightly, as Nancy wanted to hold onto this moment with her son for just a little bit longer.

And Matt felt the exact same way.