Hello there everyone. I hope you all are having a great start to your week so far. I've got the next chapter for you guys, and in this one we've got a lot more Casey family moments to look forward to, with Ramon and Camila in the mix as well. You all always seem to enjoy the family centered chapters, so I hope you like this one as well!

I don't have much else to say, except thanks for reading. And I'll see you next time!

Chapter One Hundred and Eighty

"And one.. And two.. And three."

Matt counted every time he lifted Sofia up into the air, the toddler giggling hysterically as her father played this game with her. He kept a firm grip on her chest while he held underneath her arms, Casey lying sturdily on his back on the ground as he held Sofia up above him, her eyes wide and full of amusement while she continued to laugh at his movements.

"And four." He said after lifting her once more, from his own chest up until his arms were completely extended, Casey tossing the child just inches away from his hands before she'd fall back down and he'd catch her.

"Be careful, Matt." Gabby chastised gently from her place across the room, where she was sitting at the dining table with her mother.

"I've got her, babe." He promised, Ramon and Antonio both smiling knowingly from their spots beside Casey- Antonio sitting on the ground next to him with Caitlyn in his lap, the young girl content to play with a few of her toys while Ramon sat in his usual chair behind them. "And she loves it, don't you Sof? You always have." He continued on lightly, Sofia giggling yet again as if on cue.

It was a game he'd played with her ever since birth, and even though she was bigger now than she was as a baby, he hadn't stopped doing this. Not when Sofia clearly loved every second of it.

"Mo!" She said through her laughs, the two year old still struggling to enunciate the 'R' sound when she spoke. But it was enough for her parents to always understand her while her arms hung down towards her father. "Mo! Mo!"

Casey smiled softly as he kept his arms outstretched, the slight burn in his muscles telling him he was getting enough of a workout from this little game with his daughter. Though he didn't mind in the slightest. "You want more? I think we can do that."

"Now you're just making me look bad, Sof." Gabby commented, Matt biting back his smirk while Ramon let out a soft chuckle, Camila merely shaking her head as the family continued on with their afternoon together.

"Dada! Dada mo!"

"You heard her, Casey." Antonio chirped, the rest of them laughing before Casey continued on with his game.

"And five… Six… Seven." He spoke lightly, Sofia's laughter filtering through the room.

"She really has him wrapped around her finger, doesn't she?" Camila asked, her voice only reaching Gabby as they were sitting farther away from the rest of their family. In the same spot they had been over the past hour or so.

Everyone was comfortably resting around Ramon's home, but once they got here after their lunch earlier in the day they'd momentarily broken off into smaller groups, Gabby going off with her mom to help her unpack while the guys kept the children occupied and entertained. Which, with it being a little too cold to play outside right now, that limited them to play indoors. But Caitlyn and Sofia didn't seem to mind, as both girls were having fun with their dad and uncle.

"They both do." The grandmother added on, Dawson smiling softly before she nodded.

"They absolutely do, they always have." Gabby agreed, as her finger moved around the rim of her tea glass. "Which is how they get him to throw them up in the air, even when I've said no." She responded with a laugh, Camila matching her smile before taking a sip of her own drink.

"Well, they're only little once… So might as well let him do it." She reasoned, Gabby glancing towards her before nodding. "And besides, I seem to remember how your father used to play that game with you all the time, even when I said no." Camila spoke with a knowing look, watching as her daughter ducked her head slightly, unable to hide her grin.

"I have a feeling I didn't mind it so much, then."

"You certainly did not." She told her, the sly smile never leaving Dawson's face before she took a drink, a comfortable feeling settling between the mother and daughter while Gabby continued to watch Matt and Sofia. "So," Camila started up after a few quiet moments, regaining her daughter's attention. "I know I've only been back for a couple hours, but it seems like you all are doing well." She said, wanting to take advantage of this time with her daughter and catch up on everything, given how they hadn't really had the chance to talk yet.

"You, Matt, the girls. And Antonio, even Ramon, it seems like everyone's good." Camila finished, Gabby tapping her finger against her mug as she nodded. "I mean, we've kept in touch a lot, but it's different over the phone. I know I said it already, but it's nice to actually be here and see you all."

"I get what you mean, and we are. Everyone's been good." She assured her.

"That's good to hear… You, especially. You look well." Camila said, earning a raised brow from her daughter. "Like you're eating enough, and getting enough sleep." She continued on, Gabby getting the sense that her mother genuinely just wanted to know how she was doing. And after all this time apart, she understood the impulse. "It's always so hard to tell over those Facetime calls."

Gabby laughed softly, shaking her head a bit before she responded. "Well, there's nothing to worry about, I'm good. And I'm getting as much sleep as I can with two young girls." Camila offered her a knowing grin while her gaze moved back across the room towards Caitlyn and Sofia. "But we're all good right now… Work's been going good for me, and for Matt. He's been doing amazing at being a Chief, he fits the role so well. Then Caity's doing good in school, and Sofia's just… well, being Sofia." She said with a smile, as she heard her youngest daughter's laughs fill the air. "Feels like things are changing everyday with her, but it's great."

"I remember that feeling… Is she still handling potty training well?" Camila asked, knowing well of all the highs and lows of that process as Gabby had confided in her mother often.

"She is." Dawson replied with a proud smile. "She's doing really well, she's completely out of diapers now. We've just got her in pull-ups when we're away from the house, but she's doing great. She picked it up so fast."

"Well, she's always been a bright girl." Camila encouraged, seeing the way her daughter's eyes glistened.

"She has, she's such a smart baby- Though, technically she's not a baby anymore."

"Ah, she'll always be your baby." Her mother reminded her. "But you're right, she is so smart… She's been a lot more vocal since the last time I was here, too."

"Oh, she definitely is." Gabby agreed with a widened gaze. "She's talking all the time now, and getting so much better at communicating what she wants and needs. We're so proud of her." She boasted, Camila nodding understandingly as Gabby's gaze shifted towards Caitlyn, who was still happily playing with her uncle. "Seems like Sof is learning so much every single day. And then there's Caity, just being the best child anyone could ever ask for."

Camila chuckled softly, shaking her head in amusement while she listened to her daughter speak pridefully about her children. "That's no surprise there. You said she's liking first grade?"

"Loving it." Gabby reiterated. "School might be her favorite thing in the world, aside from Sofia." She continued on with a chuckle. "That, and dance."

"I'm glad to hear that… It's nice that she's found something she enjoys, even at a young age. And those videos you've sent me of her during class, she looks like she loves it."

"She really does, and she's pretty good at it if you ask me… It's been a good fit for her. Something stable that she looks forward to." Gabby responded with a genuine smile, before Camila reached out to place her hand over her arm. "And you'll get to see that in person here in a few days, with her recital coming up."

Camila's grin widened. "Ah, yes. I remember the big recital, I'm looking forward to it. And it'll be nice to be there to see it, instead of through videos." She said, Gabby's smile falling for a split second before she slowly started to nod.

"Yeah… it will be." She replied softly, feeling her mom squeeze her arm gently as they locked gazes.

"You okay, mija?" She asked with a soft look, Camila not missing the obvious change in her daughter's demeanor.

"I am." Gabby assured her, smiling weakly while she placed her hand on top of her moms. "...I'm just really glad you're here."

Camila smiled gently, rubbing her thumb over her forearm before she lifted herself up to place a soft, yet quick kiss to the side of her head.

"I'm glad I'm here too, Gabriela." She told her, Gabby blinking quickly as she started to nod.

"Mommy!"

The sound of Caitlyn's voice broke them from their moment, Dawson wiping under her eyes a bit before she turned to find her oldest daughter now hurrying towards them, her favorite stuffed animal held tight in her hand as she got to her mom.

"Hi baby." Gabby greeted, holding her arm out to slow her down before Caity came to a stop beside her chair. Her small hand immediately reached out to grab onto Gabby, the six year old just wanting the contact more than anything else as she leaned up against the side of her mom's chest. "Everything okay?" She asked her, brushing some of her hair back behind her ear.

"Yeah, I'm okay. But Abuelo said we can watch a movie!" She said, her excitement evident across her features while Gabby stroked her thumb along her cheek.

"He did?"

"Yeah." She repeated with an easy smile, pulling on Gabby's shirt a bit while she spoke. "He's gonna make popcorn and he said we can put a bunch of blankets on the floor."

"Wow, that sounds so fun baby." Gabby told her with just as much enthusiasm.

"Can you watch with us?" The six year old asked before Dawson had a chance to say anything else. "I wanna sit with you and Daddy. And Abuela, will you watch too? So we're all together."

"I think that sounds like a great idea, mi amor." Camila murmured, Caitlyn's smile widening before she looked back towards her mom.

"Let's do it." She agreed, Caity beginning to bounce up and down on the balls of her feet excitedly before she reached down to grab her mother's hand.

"Yay! Daddy, Mommy said yes!" She called back towards the living room while starting to walk away from the table, her grip on Gabby prompting her to get up from her seat and head over to the rest of her family, Camila following close behind her as they were all eager to spend the rest of the day together.

"Daddy, those aren't my shoes."

Matt bit back his smirk at the defiant tone coming from his oldest daughter while she sat perched up on the kitchen counter, her brown eyes furrowed deeply as she watched him put on her snow boots.

He knew why she was questioning him, as the small boots in his hands didn't match the rest of her outfit, the dark black clashing with the baby pink leotard, tights, and skirt his daughter was currently wearing, with her hair pulled back in a bun to finish off the look for her dance recital tonight. And clearly, she wasn't impressed by the shoes he had chosen. But with the snow that had been dumping from the sky all afternoon now blanketing the city, they were a necessity. As was the thick winter coat sitting on the counter beside her.

"My shoes are pink." She continued while Matt finished lacing up the first boot, before moving on to the second, that familiar smile never leaving his face. "I can't dance in these."

Casey cocked his head to the side as she leaned back and rested her palms against the countertop, the near unimpressed look on her face sending a bit of amusement through his features before he went on with his task of getting his daughter ready.

"I think I would look funny." Caitlyn spoke, her nose scrunching up in the same way Gabby's typically did before Matt finally gave in.

"I know you can't dance in these honey, but there's a lot of snow outside. So it's better for you to wear these until we get to the school, and then we can put your dance shoes on, alright?" He explained, finishing up the last lace before giving her his full attention. "If you put your dance shoes on now, they're gonna get dirty."

Caitlyn mulled over his words for a moment or two, a deeply quizzical look flashing over her features before she eventually nodded. "Okay." She conceded. "But we can't forget them."

Matt chuckled a bit, shaking his head from side to side before he leaned down to place a kiss to the top of her head. "We won't forget, Momma already has them in the car." He assured her, Caitlyn seemingly content with his answer as she animatedly nodded her head back at him. "But now that we've got that all figured out, how about you sit up and let me get your coat on."

"Are we leaving?" She asked, shifting her weight up off her palms so Matt could help get her jacket on, even though it was a task she could complete herself. He still didn't mind helping her, and Caity didn't either.

"We will be here soon, we're just waiting for your mom and Sof to get down here. And for everyone else to arrive."

"Are Uncle Kelly and Aunt Jemma still coming? And Tío Antonio?" Caitlyn asked once he finished, her little body now shielded by her protective winter coat as Matt got the zipper in place.

"They are, they're all gonna be there. Your cousins are coming, too." He replied, watching as his daughter's smile widened with glee.

"And Abuelo and Abuela?"

"They're coming." Matt promised, placing his hand over her arms while his daughter's eager grin beamed up at him. "Everyone's coming to see you dance."

"Yay!" She responded, clapping her hands together just as Gabby made her way downstairs with a bundled up Sofia in her arms. "There's Mommy, and Sof." Caitlyn stated, Matt glancing that way to see his wife walking towards them.

"Yeah, there they are." He replied, sending a wink towards his wife who merely raised her eyebrow in response. "You and Sof alright?"

"We are… What about you two? You seem ready to go."

"I am!" Caitlyn replied first, both parents smiling at her as Gabby came to a stop beside her husband. "But Daddy says we have to wait." She added on, before Gabby and Matt caught each other's gazes once more.

"Since no one else is here yet." He finished for their daughter, Gabby nodding knowingly just before their doorbell rang. "Though it looks like that's changing."

"I can get it!" Caitlyn all but shrieked, Gabby chuckling softly as Matt began to help their daughter down off the counter so she wouldn't hurt herself.

"You can, but let me go with you." Matt reminded her, Caity well aware of how she was never supposed to open the door on her own.

"Okay, let's go Daddy before they leave." She spoke simply, Matt unable to stop his laugh this time as Caity ran towards the door, with him following a few steps behind her.

Despite her excitement, Caitlyn did what she was told and waited for her dad to get there before getting too close to their front door, Matt looking through the peephole before giving her a soft nod.

"Alright, go ahead."

Caitlyn's smile grew even bigger as she reached for the door and pulled it open, before she was met by the sight of her grandparents standing just outside their home.

"Abuelo!" She shouted first, Ramon laughing as he held out his arm for Camila to go in first. "Abuela! Hi! I missed you." Caity told them, waiting until they were both securely inside the house before she went to hug them both.

"We missed you too, Caity." Camila was first to say, as her granddaughter held on tightly around her waist.

"You'd think she didn't just see us this morning." Ramon spoke with a chuckle as Gabby came up behind Matt, the adults all smiling while Caitlyn stayed glued to Camila's side.

"Well, I guess she likes you all." Matt replied teasingly, even though they all knew just how true those words were.

While Camila hadn't physically been around her granddaughters all that often, that didn't hinder the relationship they had as both girls loved to be around their grandparents. So much so that they'd seen a lot of them over the past few days since Camila arrived into town, the sisters even staying the night with them while Matt and Gabby were at work. And it seemed like no matter how much time was spent with them, it was never enough for the young Casey girls, Caitlyn and Sofia always happy to see their grandparents whenever they could. Tonight being no exception.

"I'd say she does." Camila responded, rubbing over Caitlyn's back before the girl moved back towards her grandfather to give him another welcoming hug.

"I'm so glad you're here and can see me dance." Caitlyn spoke up yet again, Ramon and Camila both grinning down at her before the former leaned down to press a kiss to the top of her head.

"We wouldn't have missed this for anything, sweetheart." Ramon assured her, Camila nodding in agreement before there was another knock on the door.

"Yay! More people!" Caitlyn cheered, Casey suppressing his laughter while he moved back over towards their front door, before slowly pulling it open.

"Hey Severide, Kidd." He greeted their friends, both of them smiling before Stella started inside. "Caitlyn, look who's here." Matt called back towards her, the little girl smiling happily as she started to skip over towards them.

"Hi!" She greeted.

"Hi squirt." Severide spoke first, Caity soon shaking her head.

"My name is Caitlyn." She lightly corrected him, Stella letting out a few soft laughs while Kelly scoffed a bit.

"I know what your name is, kid." He responded, Matt tilting his head to the side in amusement before Severide continued on. "So, are you ready to dance?"

"Yeah!" Caitlyn said without a thought, giving him a high five as soon as he lifted his palm into the air. "It's gonna be so fun- Aunt Jemma!" She squealed, her train of thought getting lost as Jemma stepped in through the partially open door, with Marcus trailing behind her. "Aunt Jemma came!" Caity cheered, stepping around Kelly and running towards her godmother.

"And just like that, I'm old news." Severide joked to all the other adults standing around him, Ramon and Camila not bothering to hide their laughter while Gabby merely smirked in his direction.

"Well, you know how much she loves Jemma." Dawson joked, earning a glare from her friend while Kidd chuckled beside him.

"You know what, it's fine." He started, waving her off before reaching out towards the toddler in her arms. "At least Sofia still loves me, right Sof?" He asked, Sofia wasting no time in reaching out towards him the second she realized he was wanting to hold her. "Yeah, I know you love me."

"She'll probably grow out of it." Casey continued to tease, Severide rolling his eyes in response.

"That's hilarious." He said dryly, while adjusting Sofia's weight on his hip. "You all are so funny. And this is how I get treated, when I spend my night going to a six year olds dance recital."

"A six year old who you love dearly." Gabby corrected him with a knowing smirk.

"Yeah, and didn't you ask to come?" Matt added, Kidd reaching over to pat his shoulder while the group laughed at his expense.

"He got you there, Kelly." Stella replied first. "And we all know you wouldn't miss this."

"Eh, that's not the point… But maybe you're right, I wouldn't miss the kid's recital. Even if she likes Jemma more than me." Severide said with a slight smile, nodding back towards Caitlyn who was still talking Jemma's, and Marcus', ear off. "Though, if I'm being honest, I still don't even know what this thing tonight is."

"It's a dance recital, Sev." Casey said without missing a beat.

"I'm aware of that, I've seen her dancing around enough to know. But I meant is this a thing where all the kids have a turn out there, or is it a group thing?" He elaborated, a slight hint of realization covering Matt's face before he responded.

"It's kind of both… They had a group dance, but each kid also gets a chance to do their own dance." Casey explained, Gabby nodding in agreement beside him. "Her class isn't that big though, it's not a huge thing. Just a handful of little girls showing everyone their dances."

"Alright, that sounds manageable." Severide responded, Matt huffing for a moment before he shook his head. "And plus Caity's gonna look adorable up there, so that makes up for it."

"Uh huh." Gabby responded with a laugh, as Caitlyn started to lead Jemma and Marcus over towards their group.

"Mommy! Aunt Jemma's here!" Caitlyn spoke excitedly, shaking her godmother's hand around as they got to them. "She came to watch me dance."

"I can see that baby, are you glad she's here?"

"Yeah!" Caity said with an unmistakable gleam in her eye.

"Thank you for doing this." Gabby spoke while stepping forward to give her best friend a hug, Jemma matching her grin before hugging her back.

"It's no problem, thank you for inviting us." She replied, while Casey came up to greet Marcus. "We're looking forward to seeing how great Caity is," Jemma added on, prompting Caitlyn's beaming smile to grow even more. "And we also just wanted to come and see little Sof… Hi baby, I missed you." Jemma cooed as she looked over towards Sofia and reached out to rub over her stomach, the toddler grinning happily before light giggles left her lips. "You missed me too, huh?"

"Of course she did." Casey responded, as Severide let out a huff.

"Can't believe my goddaughters like her more than me." He said, his tone obviously joking as everyone around him laughed at his expense.

"Oh, sure you can believe it Kelly." Jemma teased back, patting his shoulder before reaching back down to regain Caitlyn's hand.

"How many times are we gonna have to go over this, they love you both." Gabby cut in with an eye roll. "Isn't that right, Caity?" She asked, Jemma and Severide glancing down towards her with soft smiles on their faces.

"I love everyone." She replied easily, shrugging her shoulders up and down as she wasn't entirely sure what the adults around her were talking about.

Their features all softened, Jemma giving her palm a squeeze while Severide reached his free hand out to little pat her cheek. "Yeah, we know you do… You're a good kid." Kelly told her, those words causing the six year old's smile to grow even more.

"I know!" Caitlyn responded brightly, the grown-ups chuckling once more as Ramon began to shake his head.

"See, Camila.. This is what you miss when you're gone." The grandfather joked, as they all knew this was a conversation that had happened more than once. "A lot of making Kelly feel better."

The laughs around them got louder, Severide scoffing a bit while Camila did what she could to hide her small smile. "Yeah, I'm starting to see that." She played along.

"Alright, alright enough of picking on Kelly." Severide spoke up, Kidd rubbing over his back while trying to hide her grin, while the rest of them merely chuckled. "Shouldn't we be getting out of here, we've got a dance recital to get to."

"Yeah, you're actually right about that. We should get going soon." Matt agreed after checking his watch.

"Do we have everyone?" Camila asked, catching Gabby's gaze. "Antonio's coming, isn't he?"

"He is, but him, Deigo, and Eva.. They're all meeting us there." Dawson explained, Camila giving her a nod before Ramon spoke up.

"Well, then I think it's time we get going."

"Yeah!" Caitlyn cheered, everyone around her smiling while Gabby stepped over to grab her other hand. "Let's go watch me dance!"

Casey walked into the auditorium with Sofia in his arms, the entire Casey and Dawson family following behind him as they searched for a group of seats big enough to fit all of them.

They had gotten here early, and even with stopping in the lobby for everyone to greet Diego and Eva, and Gabby breaking away from the group to then take Caity backstage with the rest of her class, they still had arrived before a lot of other families. Which meant they had a few options of where to sit.

"Where are you thinking, babe?" Gabby asked as they walked closer towards the front, Matt glancing around before nodding over towards the empty group of seats in the front row.

"How about there?" He asked, Dawson biting back her grin before she nodded.

"Yeah, I figured that's where you'd want to sit." She said with a laugh, Matt smirking back at her while they continued towards their chosen seats. "You're definitely a 'cheering from the front row' type of dad."

"Well, how could I not be for our babies?" He asked rhetorically, Gabby chuckling while rubbing her hand over his back, before they got down to the front row. "Alright, you and I will sit here." He spoke, stopping directly in the middle, while the rest of their family gathered around. "And you all just fill in where you can. We've got the best seats in the house." He added on proudly, while their friends and family began to find their seats.

"He really is just like Ramon." Camila spoke as she passed her daughter to grab the seat beside her, Gabby's smile widening before the women sat down.

Like Casey wanted, he and Gabby were sitting proudly in the middle of the front row, Matt handing off Sofia to his wife after the toddler kept reaching out for her, while the rest of their group sat down as well. Camila was next to Gabby, Ramon placing himself on the other side of his former wife while Jemma and Marcus sat next to him. Then beside Matt sat Severide, then Kidd, before Antonio and his kids sat beside her, their entire group soon making themselves comfortable while they took up almost the entirety of the front row.

But Casey didn't care, at all. Not even when he saw some of the disappointed looks from other parents who were hoping to get up front, as all he was focused on was his daughter, and how so many people that Caitlyn loved dearly were able to show up for her.

"I thought you said her class was small," Severide commented after a few minutes, Matt looking away from his phone towards Kelly, who was glancing around the place. "There's a ton of people here already."

He'd been pretty caught up in his head since they got here, but after taking a quick look through the room Matt knew Severide was right; there were a lot of people here. More than he really expected. But given how large their own group was, he figured he shouldn't have been too surprised by that. That there were probably a lot of kids who had multiple people come to see them.

"Her class is small, Sev." Gabby spoke up, while keeping Sofia balanced in her lap.

"Okay, well it doesn't look like it." He responded back, Matt rolling his eyes as his wife and best friend continued to go back and forth as they so often did, Casey fine to stay out of it while they talked.

But during their conversation, he couldn't help but notice one of Caitlyn's dance teachers coming down from the steps off the side of the stage and begin walking through the crowd, his eyebrows furrowing while she walked right in their direction. Her name was Leah- Miss Leah, according to Caitlyn, and she was one of the women who worked closely with his daughter. And right now, she was coming right towards them.

"Mr. and Mrs. Casey." She spoke as she got closer to them, Gabby looking away from Severide as Leah came to a stop in front of them and started to squat down.

"Hey, is everything okay?" Gabby asked first, sensing the uncertainty coming from her.

"Everything's fine, but Caitlyn… She's a little scared." She said regretfully, Dawson's face falling as Matt drew in a deep breath. "I think seeing everyone here has made her nervous, and she doesn't want to dance.. She keeps asking for you." She explained, everyone there with the Casey's able to hear their conversation as Gabby let out a worried sigh.

"Alright, I'll go talk to her." Matt offered first after sparing a glance towards his wife, as he didn't want her to have to get up and disturb Sofia, who was currently doing well around all these people.

"You sure?" Gabby asked, silently offering to come with him. To which he simply nodded.

"Mhmm, I'm sure.. I know she's fine, but I'll go and try and figure out what's going on." He said, Gabby nodding while she gave his forearm a squeeze, before he got up and began walking towards the back with Miss Leah.

Casey could feel a few parents and other people watching him, but he wasn't focused so much on them as they climbed up the steps and headed around the curtain, his only concern right now being that of his daughter.

And the second he saw her, he understood why Leah came and got them as Caitlyn was standing off by the wall with evident tears sitting in her eyes. A couple of the other teachers were trying to help and calm her down, but they weren't who she wanted, Matt picking up his steps around some of the other kids to get to his daughter.

"Caity…" He called, her head snapping up towards the sound. The second she saw him she bolted his way, moving around her teachers and friends before crashing into him. He was able to squat down just before she got to him, Matt on her level as she wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him, digging her head deep into his neck while he tightened his secure hold on him. "Hey, hey. What's wrong, honey?"

"Daddy, I'm scared." She whispered, a deep frown etching into his features as he began to rub his large hand over her back.

"What's making you scared, baby?" Matt asked, his voice holding nothing but love and concern while Caitlyn's dance teachers began to usher the other kids away from her. "You were so excited when we got here, what's going on?"

"I don't wanna mess up." She said again, her voice slightly muffled by him.

"Sweetheart, that's okay." He assured her, feeling her tighten her grip around his neck. "If you do mess up, that's alright. It's how you learn and there's nothing wrong with that. Your Momma and I are so proud of you no matter what… You've never done anything like this before, so I know that can be a little scary. But you know this dance so well, baby. Remember how much you've shown me and your mom? And you did great every time. All that matters is that you just go out there and have fun, and do your best." He encouraged while patting her hip, but she merely shrugged in response, Matt pursing his lips together as he tried to figure out what was going on in her head. "...Is there something else scaring you?"

She waited for a moment, Matt continuing to comfort her until she was ready to talk.

"There's lots of people here." She finally mumbled, admitting to him what she'd told her dance teacher earlier as Matt's eyes fell closed. "There's more people than you and Mommy, and our family. I don't know them and it's scary."

Matt paused for a moment while drawing in a deep breath as he thought over what she was saying, before slowly pulling back to get a look at his daughter.

This had always been a sensitive thing for her, being around large crowds. And with everything she'd gone through in her young life, Matt remembered how difficult it used to be for her around a lot of people. Especially when they first met; that she struggled in crowds and didn't like to be surrounded by people she didn't know. And while Caitlyn had gotten a lot better about it, that fear was still sometimes there.

Which is exactly why he'd never make her do this.

"Caity, do you not want to dance?" He asked her, feeling her grip on his shoulders tighten as her lips turned down into a frown. "Because you don't have to."

He saw the surprise that filled her features, Matt securely keeping one hand on her waist as a source of comfort while his other came up to wipe away her tears. "I don't?"

"No, of course not baby." He told her, cradling her cheek before she gave him a slow nod. "If you don't want to go out there, no one's gonna make you." He assured her, watching her take a few slow breaths before she reached out to hug him once more, Matt soon wrapping his arms back around her.

It was a hard thing to balance, knowing when to push your child and when to back off, but right now was a moment where he couldn't help but think that forcing Caitlyn to go out there would only hurt her more than it would help her. And he refused to do that to her. As her father, he wouldn't. Especially not when he knew, from his own experience along with Caitlyn's therapy, that she had to do things at her own pace. And this right now was no different.

Dance was supposed to be fun for her. A way for her to make friends, and try something new. She was too young for it to become something that caused her stress. So if she wasn't ready, or felt like she couldn't do this, he wouldn't make her. Though there was a part of him that knew how badly she wanted to go out there, it was just a matter of if she could work through that fear.

"I know you love dance, and you're so good at it. So if you want to go and dance, that's great. All of us will be right here supporting you. But if not, that's okay too. And we can just go out there and watch your friends." He told her, leaving the decision completely up to her as she pulled back.

She went quiet for a moment, Matt completely ignoring how the rest of her dance teachers were gathering up the kids and getting ready for them to start the show, the father not wanting her to feel any pressure one way or the other while she thought over his words.

"Will people like my dance?" She asked first, Matt's face softening into a smile before he nodded enthusiastically.

"They will." He promised, prompting a small grin to form over her lips. "They'll love your dance, baby."

She went quiet once more, clearly needing a minute to think over everything before Matt eventually spoke up.

"...Do you know what you want to do?" He asked her, Caitlyn taking a slow breath before she nodded.

"I think I want to dance." She told him, Matt's smile widening before he nodded quickly. "My dance is fun, and I wanna show you and Mommy… It's a little scary, but I think I can do it."

"I know you can." Matt spoke supportively, causing her smile to widen just a bit before she looked out over to the stage.

"Okay, I'll dance… but can you go out there with me?"

Casey's eyebrows raised in surprise, not expecting those words to come from her while she watched him with a hopeful expression.

"Uh, baby- I don't know your dance." He said after clearing his throat, but she merely shook her head.

"You can stand there with me, then I could do it." She explained, Matt pursing his lips together as he knew he really only had one option here. "It wouldn't be scary with you." She tried once more, his face softening before he gave her a small smile.

"Is that what you need? Me to go out there with you?" He asked her, Caitlyn nodding almost instantly. "Alright, well then that's what we'll do."

He could practically feel his daughter relax, Caitlyn matching his grin before tackling him in a hug once more. "Thank you, Daddy."

"You're welcome, princess." He replied, pressing a kiss to the side of her head just as Leah came back over to him.

"Is she alright?" The dance teacher asked, while looking between Caitlyn and her father.

"She is, she's good to go."

"That's great." She replied, giving Caitlyn a high five before heading back over towards the other teachers, where they were ready to get the recital started.

It only took seconds for the lights to go down, before the owner of the studio walked out onto the stage and began welcoming everyone there, doing her little speech before they started out with the first girl performing her dance.

In the middle of her performance Matt felt a buzz in his pocket, Casey using the hand that wasn't holding onto Caity's to reach down and grab his phone, where he found a message from his wife waiting for him.

'Everything okay back there?' It read, before Matt texted her back.

'We're fine, Caity's okay now she just got a little scared. She's gonna dance, but I'm staying back here with her.' He explained to her, seeing Gabby begin to text back almost instantly.

'Alright, tell her I love her and can't wait to see her.'

He smiled a bit while reading the message, before holding his phone down to where Caitlyn could see it.

"Look, baby. Your Momma wanted to say something." He told her, Caitlyn quickly reading the screen before looking up to her dad with a bright grin on her face.

"Mommy's gonna love my dance." She replied, Matt nodding as he leaned down to give her a kiss.

"She is, we all are. You're gonna do great." He encouraged, giving her hand one last squeeze before they refocused their attention out towards the stage.

There were a handful of children dancing before Caitlyn, the father and daughter slowly getting a little closer to the rest of the group while they waited for her turn, Caity clapping and cheering happily for each of her friends. And with each girl that went, Matt could feel Caitlyn becoming more and more at ease. Now that she'd seen her friends go out there, she was beginning to truly believe it was something she could do, too.

"And up next, we have another one of our mini dancers… Caitlyn Casey."

The crowd began to clap, the group in front especially cheering extra loud as Matt and Caitlyn could hear them before walking out onto the stage.

From the crowds' reaction, Matt could tell people were surprised to see him out there. But thankfully Caity didn't seem to pick up on it as she got to her spot in the middle of the stage, still holding onto her dad's hand tightly.

Out in the audience, Gabby watched on with her mouth parted slightly, her and all their family surprised to see Matt out on that stage with Caitlyn. But she knew there was only one reason he'd be out there, and that was that Caity needed him to be.

"Dawson, do you know…" Severide trailed off, Gabby shaking her head before Antonio leaned around Kidd.

"Please tell me someone's recording this." Antonio spoke in amusement, Gabby rolling her eyes before refocusing her attention on her oldest daughter. Though that didn't stop her from hearing Kidd's response.

"Oh, I've got it handled." Stella said, as she was getting her phone out to record the whole thing.

Up on the stage, Matt could feel a little bit of Caitlyn's nervousness starting to come back now that she was out here in front of all these people. But he wasn't paying attention to them as he squeezed her hand, the action prompting her to look up at him. "You've got this, baby." He encouraged, earning a smile from his daughter as he leaned down to press a kiss to the top of her head before slowly stepping away from her. Just in time for the music to start.

And once it did, Caitlyn was incredible.

She hit all of her moves and the few spins, the little girl even keeping up well with the music as Matt had moved further back out of the way to give her room, no one even able to tell that Caity had been nervous just moments prior as she danced the best she ever had.

The technique wasn't perfect, but no one expected it to be. She'd just gone out there and gave it her all, which was all anyone could've asked from her as she did her last move before finishing her dance.

And the second she did, the crowd came to life, her friends and family especially all cheering her on as Caitlyn jumped up with a proud grin on her face before running towards her dad.

"I did it, Daddy!" She shouted with pure elation while jumping into his arms, Matt catching her easily as he spun her around before walking towards backstage. "I did my dance!"

"You did, and you did so well, baby." He told her, littering her face with kisses. "You were amazing." He continued to encourage her, seeing just how happy she was before she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug, Matt unable to ignore just how proud he felt of her in this moment.

For her to go out there and work through her fear and worries, and to do her dance the best she'd ever done it, he was more proud of her than he even put into words, the father just grateful that she'd been able to go out there and perform.

And he knew Caity was feeling the exact same way.

"There she is!" Ramon called as he and the rest of the family stood in the lobby, all of them turning to see Caitlyn running towards them before jumping up into her grandfather's arms. "You do so, so well mi vida. You were incredible!" He praised, Caitlyn beaming while she hugged him, before Camila reached out to rub over her back.

"You were amazing, Caity."

Camila's words were followed by similar praise from the rest of the group, everyone making a point to tell her how well she did, which made Caitlyn feel even better.

"Thank you!" She said, just as Matt got to the group, Casey already sensing the amused glances and smiles from his friends. "I'm so happy I danced."

"We are too, you were great." Jemma told her, before Ramon put Caitlyn down and let her run over to her cousins.

"You weren't so bad yourself either, Case." Antonio wasted no time in teasing him, Matt rolling his eyes while he stood beside his wife, the group laughing a bit at his expense while Severide adjusted the weight of a now sleeping Sofia in his arms.

"Yeah, I definitely wasn't expecting to see two Casey's out there." Kelly joked around, before Matt waved him off.

"I wasn't about to let my baby go on that stage and be scared by herself." He defended, feeling Gabby wrap her arm around his back. "She needed me, so I went out there."

"And you did a great job, Chief." Kidd replied with a smirk. "Although your form could use some work."

"Ha ha." He responded, while the rest of the group laughed. "You all mock, but I got her to dance, didn't I?"

"You did, and we're very appreciative." Camila told him, as Ramon nodded.

"Yeah, Matt was just being a good dad. Anything for your kids." The other father said, Matt holding out his hand towards him while he nodded.

"Exactly, thank you Ramon." Matt replied, Severide and Antonio both chuckling before he continued. "Now, how about we get out of here and go get some dinner, and focus on what's really important… How good my baby is at dance." He said shamelessly, everyone laughing once more before they began to head for the door, Ramon and Camila stopping to make sure they had Caitlyn while Gabby and Matt hung back for a bit.

"Once we get home, I wanna hear about what happened back there." Gabby told him, with her arm still firmly wrapped around his waist.

"I know, we can talk about it later." He said, Gabby nodding slowly before she pushed herself up to give him a soft, sweet kiss. One he smiled into, before reciprocating the gesture.

"...My dad was right, you know." She murmured as they pulled back, resting her chin against the side of his shoulder. "You're an amazing father."

Her words caused him to smile, even though it was something she'd told him a million times, Matt pausing for a moment before he pressed his lips to her forehead. "She needed me, so I was there… You would've done the same thing." He deflected, Gabby's smile widening before she tightened her hold on him.

"Yeah, that right there is exactly why you really are the best dad in the world." She finished, Matt chuckling as the two shared one last kiss before heading out to rejoin the rest of their family, where they spent the rest of the evening celebrating Caitlyn for her first recital.