Hello there everyone! I'm here with the next chapter for you all. I know I wasn't entirely sure about whether I'd be able to get anything out to you this week, but I wanted to if I could. And with today being my birthday, I figured this could be a little gift from me to you all, for how supportive and thoughtful you all have been ever since I started posting my stories.

Also, I want to say a quick but extremely grateful thank you to everyone who left me kind words after my author's note. It means more to me than I can ever say, so truly thank you for that.

Everything is still kind of up in the air for me and my family right now, and I can't make any promises that my updates won't be sporadic moving forward. But I'm going to do the best that I can to keep updating every week, and if I'm not able to post I'll let you know.

I think that's all I have to say. I hope you all enjoy this one, and I'm eager to hear what you think. Thanks so much for reading and I'll see you next time.

Chapter One Hundred and Eighty Six

Casey kept a tight grip on his eldest daughter's hand while they navigated through the seas of people inside the airport, his other child secured easily in his grasp as he led them to their destination. O'Hare was overly busy on this wintery afternoon, which wasn't surprising considering how it was only mere days before Christmas, but his understanding of the crowd didn't make Matt any less cautious when it came to his girls, the father just wanting to get them over to baggage claim safely while they waited for their guest to arrive.

The same guest that they were all eager to see, as Nancy Casey was set to be here any minute. And Matt and his girls were more than ready to greet her, even if he hadn't expected Caitlyn and Sofia to be here with him when he picked her up.

When Casey first proposed the idea of coming to pick up his mother from the airport, he hadn't planned on dragging the girls all the way out here. At least not by himself, Matt not wanting his daughters to have to deal with these crowds around the holidays when he was the only one able to watch them. But when they got home from shift this morning, and it was evident that Gabby was still feeling under the weather- just as she had all during work, he quickly decided to bring their girls along with him in an effort to help her get some rest.

His wife had been feeling a bit sick for a few days now, her illness starting the night they'd gotten home from visiting Morgan and Macy at the hospital and it hadn't let up since. The nausea seemed to hit her out of nowhere, Matt originally chalking it up to the high emotions of the day. Though when they woke up the next morning for work and it still hadn't gone away, he began to realize it was more than that. But what it was, he wasn't sure, even though she had managed to push through it and work their entire shift.

Whether it was just the stress of the last few weeks finally catching up with her, or her picking up something from one of her patients, Matt couldn't be sure what was causing his wife's sickness. The only thing he did know was that he hoped she'd get better soon, as the last thing any of them wanted was for her to be sick on Christmas, Casey now doing everything in his power to help her feel better and get over whatever this was.

And one of those things was getting the girls out of the house so Gabby could have some peace and quiet.

"Daddy." Caitlyn's voice broke through the outside noise, Matt glancing down for a moment while they walked, seeing Caity taking long strides with her little legs in an effort to keep up with him.

"Yeah baby?" He responded, slowing down his pace while people moved around them.

"Are we almost there?" She questioned back, earning a soft smile from her father as she gripped his two fingers a little tighter.

"Almost." He assured her, while helping move her past a larger group of people. "It's just a little bit farther."

"Okay." She replied easily with a light tone to her voice. One that soon shifted into a giggle as she let her father lead her around. "Grandma's gonna be excited to see us."

Casey grinned at her words before he nodded back at her, their steps gradually slowing as they arrived at their destination. The crowds around them were the biggest here, which wasn't too surprising, Matt opting to hang back by the wall with Caity and Sofia while they waited for his mom.

"She will be, honey." He agreed, not missing the proud smile that formed over his daughter's face at his words. "She's gonna be so excited."

Caitlyn nodded brightly, her eyes darting around at all the different people rushing past them before she looked back to her dad. "Yeah.. But I wish Mommy was here too." She added on, her voice dropping a bit as Matt pursed his lips together. "I don't like when she's sick."

"I know, sweetheart. I don't like it either." He sympathized, while adjusting Sofia's shifting weight on top of his arm. "But hopefully she'll start feeling better soon."

The six year old gave him another nod before refocusing her attention back out to all the people hurrying around them, Matt letting out a soft sigh as he followed her line of sight, the family standing in a content silence while they waited for Nancy to arrive.

Based on the few texts they'd exchanged since she landed, his mother should be getting here any minute, Matt keeping his eyes peeled for her while Caitlyn had moved up to stand on the ledge beneath the window. It took some help from him, the step bigger than what she could handle on her own, but once he'd lifted her up and gotten her situated she was fine, Caity happy to be higher up off the ground in an attempt to help her father locate his mom.

And within a few minutes, they had found her.

"Caity, Sof, look.. There she is." He spoke brightly, Caitlyn gasping in excitement despite the fact that she hadn't been able to find her yet. It took less than a second for Sofia to mimic her sister's expression, Matt chuckling to himself while Caity kept her hand on his shoulder.

"Grandma's here!" She cheered, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet as Matt made eye contact with his mom through the droves of travelers, Nancy waving her hand above her head before she changed her path towards her family.

"Hey mom." Matt called once she was close enough, the father turning back to help Caitlyn down off the ledge before they started walking towards Nancy.

"Grandma!" Caitlyn squealed, letting go of her dad's hand and running towards Nancy when there was only a couple feet left between them, the older woman dropping the bag in her hands just in time to meet Caitlyn's running hug.

"Hi sweetheart." Nancy greeted her, rubbing her hand over her back while kissing the top of her head.

"You're here!" Caity continued on, prompting the grandmother to laugh before she nodded brightly. "You're here for Christmas."

"I am, I'm here to spend Christmas with you all." She replied, her attention on Caitlyn causing her to miss the content smile forming over her son's face.

With his mother coming back into town, Matt wasn't sure what to expect from his girls and if they'd remember her or not. They'd spent a lot of quality time together when she was here for Thanksgiving, both girls forming a close bond with their grandmother during her visit, as well as the multiple Facetime calls afterwards. Even with all that time together though, with it being almost a month since seeing one another in person Casey wasn't sure how receptive his girls would be to her, as they were always wary around unfamiliar people at first.

But clearly, he'd had nothing to worry about as Caitlyn was over the moon about seeing her grandma. And by the way Sofia was bouncing up and down in his arms, and reaching out towards Nancy, the youngest Casey knew exactly who this was, too.

"Oh come here, Sofia. I've missed you, too." Nancy spoke as Caity pulled back the slightest bit, the toddler all but lunging into her arms while Matt handed his daughter off to his mother. "It's so good to you girls again."

"You too, Grandma." Caitlyn spoke happily, as Sofia clapped her hands together while she babbled out a few greetings to Nancy.

The older Casey took a couple seconds to greet her granddaughters, giving them both more kisses and hugs before she finally looked up towards her son, Matt waiting patiently as he knew how important these moments with Caitlyn and Sofia were for her.

"Hi Matthew." She told him, his smiling widening as he moved forward to give her a hug, Casey mindful of his baby still in Nancy's arms.

"Hi mom." He repeated his earlier words, the two holding onto each other for a lingering moment before they pulled back. "I'm so glad you could make it, I know the weather made it a little difficult.."

"Oh it wasn't too bad, but me too, honey. It's great to be here." Nancy said, reaching her free hand up to rub affectionately over his cheek for a moment before her eyes flickered behind him, like she was looking for someone else. "...Is Gabby not here?" She questioned, Matt drawing in a slow breath before he started to shake his head.

"She's not."

"Mommy's sick." Caitlyn spoke up before he could explain further, Nancy's eyebrows raising with a touch of concern as she met her son's gaze.

"We think she came down with a bug or something," He started to explain. "It's that time of year, you know? She's just felt a little off the past few days, so she's at home trying to sleep it off."

A small frown tugged on Nancy's lips before she nodded. "I'm sorry to hear that, Matthew. I hope she feels better."

"Thank you, me too." He responded before taking Sofia back from his mom after the toddler reached out for him. "So, do we need to try and find your bag?"

"This is all I have." She replied with a shake of her head, reaching down to grab the carry on she'd dropped when greeting Caitlyn. "Figured with the holidays it was better to travel light."

"Yeah, that's smart. The sooner we can get out of here, the better." He told her, Nancy holding onto her bag with one hand and Caitlyn's palm with the other before the four of them started to make their way to the exit.

"Are we heading back to your place?" She questioned, Matt glancing towards her before returning his attention to getting through the crowd.

"We will." He started, Nancy nodding as they walked out through the automatic doors, the harsh Chicago winter hitting them instantly while Matt held onto Sofia a little tighter. "The guest room is all made up for you." Casey added on with a smile, the mother and son both glad she'd be able to stay with them this time.

Because of the holidays, and Camila's presence in Chicago, Gabby and Matt had given Becca some time off through the New Year. To not only give her time to spend with her own family, but for Caity and Sofia to get more one on one time with their grandparents. And in doing that, it freed up their only guest room- that had become Becca's bedroom, allowing Nancy to stay with them for the few days she was here.

"But it'll be a while before we head over there, right now we're gonna go meet Ramon and Camila for lunch." Matt continued on, Nancy smiling softly while he spoke. "Gabby had planned to make a big lunch for everyone, but with her not feeling well…"

"Oh of course not, she doesn't need to do all that. It's better we go out, she needs her rest." Nancy said after he'd paused.

"Yeah, that's kind of what I was thinking. So we're gonna meet them at a place closer to home and spend some time with them."

"That sounds great, Matthew. I'm excited to see them." Nancy replied, the two sharing another nod before they quickly made their way through the snow covered parking lot, their steps moving a little slower in order for Caitlyn to keep up. But neither of them minded, and soon enough they'd gotten to the Casey family car, Matt telling his mother to go ahead and get in the passenger seat while he dealt with the girls and her bag.

He managed to place her carry-on in the trunk before moving around to the backseat to get Sofia secured into her carseat, Caitlyn handling her own seatbelt with ease while Matt took care of her little sister. Sofia was at the age where there were certain things she wanted to do on her own, and this was no different as she knew enough of how the straps in her carseat worked to get them clasped together. Casey would always let her do as much as she could, before coming in at the end to make sure everything was secure. And this was no different, Matt letting Sofia do her part before he'd tighten the straps to her chest, the father looking over both his girls and making sure they were safely in their seats before jogging around to the driver's seat and climbing in.

"Man, it's cold out there." He huffed out, hot air pumping through the vents while heavy snow continued to pile down onto the windshield.

"Yeah, I certainly haven't missed this." Nancy replied lightly, Matt letting out a laugh before looking back towards his daughter's in the rearview mirror.

"Can't say I blame you for that… Alright girls, are you ready to go eat?"

"Yeah!" Caity replied first, before Sofia shrieked in agreement, their responses causing both adults to chuckle back at them before Matt put the vehicle in reverse.

"Okay, well I guess it's time to go."

The drive to the restaurant went slower than he anticipated, the combination of the snowfall and slick roads causing Matt to be as cautious as possible. But eventually they made it, Casey getting his girls out of the car before heading to the sidewalk with Nancy beside him.

"They should already be here." He told his mom as they got to the door, Nancy opening it for him before he stepped inside with both his girls.

"Hello, how many for you today?" The woman at the front questioned, Matt offering her a small smile while securing his grip on Sofia.

"We're actually meeting some other people here, they said they were in the back."

"Oh, the Dawson party, yes.. You all can head back."

"Thank you." Casey replied, the two sharing another polite smile before he led Caitlyn and Sofia to the back of the restaurant, with Nancy close behind him.

"There they are!" Ramon's voice hit his ears, Matt looking over to see Gabby's parents sitting a longer table against the wall with menus placed out in front of each seat, as well as a highchair for Sofia already next to Ramon.

"Abuelo! Abuela!" Caitlyn cheered, letting go of Matt's hand and rushing towards them, the quick movement gaining the attention of the people around them.

Both grandparents got up to meet her, Caity hugging Camila first before stepping over towards Ramon who soon lifted the young girl up into his arms.

"Hello mi amor, how are you doing today?" He asked her while smoothing out the back of her jacket, Caitlyn's smile widening as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I'm good! We went and got grandma!" She spoke just as Matt and Nancy got over to them.

"I heard… Hi Nancy."

"Hi Ramon, Camila." She responded, before sharing a hug with the other mother. "It's so nice to see you both." She added, earning similar sentiments from both Camila and Ramon before the former came over to greet her younger granddaughter.

"Hi angel." Camila murmured, pressing a kiss to her curly haired head while Sofia grinned wide.

"So, how about we sit?" Ramon prompted, taking notice of how their group was occupying a lot of space in the restaurant while they all stood there.

"I think that's a great idea." Matt agreed, the two men sharing a nod before they all began to find their seats.

Casey strapped Sofia into the highchair first while Ramon and Camila returned to their seats on either side of her, Caitlyn sitting in the booth on the other side of Ramon while Nancy took up the last spot beside her, leaving Matt and Camila on the opposite side of the table.

It didn't take too long for them to all get situated, their waiter coming and taking their drink orders before Ramon started helping Caitlyn look over the menu to find out what she wanted.

"I take it Gabriela is still not feeling well?"

The sound of Camila's voice had Casey looking up from the kids menu in front of him, where he'd been trying to figure out what to get for Sofia, his face falling slightly before he nodded back at her.

"She was feeling pretty bad this morning, so I told her to stay home." He answered her, Camila matching his frown while Ramon kept the girls occupied.

"Well, hopefully whatever this is is gone before Christmas." She responded, watching Matt nod before she continued. "Do you think we need to cancel our dinner tomorrow? I don't want to do it without her, and I don't want her going out if she's sick." Camila questioned, Casey pursing his lips together while he thought over her words.

Though they all had plans to have their big Christmas dinner the night of the twenty fifth, seeing as how they wouldn't be able to do anything on Christmas Eve due to Matt and Gabby having to work, they also decided they'd have dinner together tomorrow night. It wasn't for anything in particular, more to just celebrate both Nancy and Camila being in town and spending time together as a family. It was just some time they'd planned to be with each other, and it was something they'd all been looking forward to.

But if Gabby wouldn't be able to attend, Camila didn't seem to want to do it. And Matt couldn't blame her.

"Honestly, I'm not sure." He finally settled on, Camila drawing in a deep breath as she nodded. "We'll probably just have to see how she's feeling, and if she's not up for it we may need to reschedule."

The mother thought over his words before giving him another nod in agreement, Camila not getting the chance to say anything back when their waiter returned to the table with their drinks, the focus in the room then shifting as they were all looking forward to spending some time together this afternoon. Even if very one important part of their family couldn't be here with them.

Melodic Christmas music filtered through the air as Gabby stood in the kitchen of her father's home, the sound of the water running from the sink mixing in with the carols coming from the living room while Dawson worked on cleaning up some of the dishes from dinner.

She had been by herself in here for a while, Gabby not even sure anyone had noticed her sneak off to try and clean up, but she didn't mind it as she knew the rest of her family was having a good time together out in the living room.

When she left them earlier, Matt and her father had been in a deep discussion about hockey while Caitlyn was talking Nancy's ear off about their visit to the hospital a few days prior, the six year old telling her grandmother all about her 'new friends'. Then Sofia, the independent child that she was, was content to play by herself on the floor, everyone happy in what they were doing after their wonderful dinner that her parents had prepared.

One that Gabby was just glad to be able to attend, as there was a minute there where they weren't sure they'd all be able to get together tonight.

Before coming over this evening, Dawson had heard all about her mother's offer to reschedule their pre-Christmas family meal. How they didn't want to do this without her, and didn't want to make her come when she wasn't feeling well, Matt and Camila both in agreement that if she wasn't up for this they'd just wait. But Gabby didn't want to reschedule their meal together, not if she could help it.

Thankfully, it never came to that, as Gabby was feeling a little better since this morning, her day in bed yesterday certainly helping her recover. Enough to where she'd been able to come tonight.

This hadn't completely passed. Whatever it was, was still in her system. And probably would be for a few more days, Gabby knowing she had to let this run its course. But for now she felt okay, which meant she didn't want this sudden illness to keep her from spending time with her family. Especially not when moments like this were limited as is.

"Oh, mija- There you are."

Gabby was pulled from her thoughts when she heard her mother's exasperated voice, her body turning back to see Camila stepping into the kitchen with a few empty glasses in her hands.

"I thought I told you not to worry about this, your father and I were going to clean everything up later." She chastised, a slight smile pulling on Gabby's lips before she reached out to turn off the water.

"It's okay, I don't mind." She reminded her, Camila placing the cups down onto the counter before waving her off.

"You were pretty sick yesterday, and you still seem a bit flushed." Camila commented, bringing her palm up to feel the heat of her daughter's cheeks. "You should be sitting down."

"Mama, I'm fine." The younger Dawson replied with a gentle sigh, her mother clearly not buying it while she pressed the back of her hand against Gabby's forehead. "I wouldn't be here if I was still sick."

"So you're not feeling ill anymore?" She challenged- like she knew her daughter wasn't being completely truthful, Gabby pursing her lips together as she thought over her next words carefully.

"...I'm feeling better." She clarified, Camila hesitating for a moment before she nodded. "I got a lot of sleep yesterday, with Matt taking care of the girls all day. And I was able to rest a lot this morning… I'm still a little worn out, but I'm doing alright. It must've just been a twenty four hour thing."

They both went quiet once she finished speaking, occasional voices and Christmas music filtering into the kitchen as Camila thought over everything she had said.

"Okay." She finally gave in, prompting Gabby to smile slightly. "I'm glad you're feeling better, you seemed to get sick so suddenly you had me worried. But as long as you're alright, that's all that matters." Camila told her before seeing her daughter nod back at her. "But your health aside, you still don't need to be cleaning the dishes. Ramon and I will handle it." She lectured, Gabby softly laughing in response before taking a step away from the sink.

"Alright Mama… I'll leave the rest for you." She replied with a gleam in her eye, Camila mimicking her laugh.

"Good. Now let me freshen up your father's drink, then we can get back out there with everyone else." Her mother said, Gabby giving her a nod while Camila moved over towards the counter on the other side of the kitchen, where her father kept some of his liquor. "So…" Camila started once more while she worked on pouring their drinks. "While we have a second, how are you and Matthew doing?"

Her question caught Gabby a bit off guard, her head tilting to the side a bit before she responded. "Mama, I told you I'm fine-"

"I'm not asking because you've been sick, dear." She clarified, causing Gabby to stop. "I mean how are you doing, with everything that's been going on recently… I know you went and ended up seeing those two girls the other day. And with as tough as this whole thing has been on your two, I know that couldn't have been easy."

A look of realization covered Dawson's face, even though Camila wasn't able to see it, Gabby taking some time to think over her words before she responded. "Oh, well… We're okay, I guess. Handling it all as best we can." She explained, Camila pouring the last of their drinks before putting the bottle back. "Seeing them again was hard, but it was good, I think. It was good for us, and good for them. They got to spend some time with kids their age, which I can't imagine was something they'd been able to do recently. So that was nice, and their parents are some of the kindest people…" She rambled a bit, but Camila listened to her every word. "Overall, I'm glad we got to see them. To see that they'll be okay, it definitely helped the both of us."

"I'm glad, sweetheart." Camila responded, clutching the glasses in her hands before she turned around. "I know all of this really affected you both, but I'm glad you've gotten some closure with all of it. And that those girls will be alright."

"Yeah, me too." She agreed with a small smile, before glancing down towards the drinks. "I guess we should get those out there, before Papa comes in here wondering what's taking so long." She spoke, shifting the conversation as Camila huffed out a playful breath before she nodded.

"Oh believe me, he would… Your father hates to wait, as you know." She replied, the two sharing a laugh before Gabby glanced over towards the exit that led towards the living room. "If it wasn't for him and Matthew talking, he probably would've been in here five minutes ago. I swear, that man. Always in a rush."

Gabby gave her a small nod, her teeth running along the inside of her cheek before she continued on. "Yeah, you're probably right about that… But, uh.. While we're on the subject, it seems like you and Papa are getting along well." She told her, Camila raising her eyebrows just a bit as she caught her daughter's knowing gaze. "With all the time you've spent together and everything…"

"We are. We've had a nice time." Camila simply said, sensing that there were a few words sitting on the tip of Gabby's tongue that she had yet to say. "...Why do you bring it up, sweetheart?"

Gabby shrugged in response, bringing her hand around to rest on her hip before she leaned her weight back into the edge of the countertop. "I hadn't had the chance to really talk to you about it since you got here, not with everything else going on." She started, Camila nodding sadly in response. "But I just wanted to check and see how things were going. How you two are doing being under the same roof again… I know you all have seen each other over the years and it's been okay. But after the divorce and everything, and how badly that ended, I guess I'm never sure what to expect with you two." She said openly, Camila taking in her daughter's honest words before breathing in deeply.

"Well, time can heal a lot Gabriela." She replied somewhat vaguely, Gabby thinking over her statement while she nodded. "You know that, dear. But your father and I are fine." She assured her. "You're right, we haven't spent this much time together in a while… Not since we were married, but we're at a point in our lives where we're able to be friends. And truthfully, it has been nice to get to know one another again."

Gabby smiled a bit as she listened to her mom, hearing just how genuine she was about getting this time with her father. And, as the daughter who had been devastated when her parents split up, she was happy to hear that they were in a good place now. Even if that place wasn't together.

"I'm glad, Mama." She responded after swallowing thickly, Camila offering her a smile in return. "For you and Papa both, I know this wasn't always easy… Being around each other. But it means everything to have you here, even if it's just for a little bit." Gabby continued on, missing the way Camila's smile slowly started to falter. At least at first. "I love it, for me and the girls.. And Matt." She finished lightly, earning a weak nod from her mom before her eyes moved to the ground. And it was then Gabby finally noticed the change in her demeanor.

That familiar quiet fell over them once more, Gabby keeping a close eye on her as she could tell there was something on her mom's mind. She just wasn't sure what it could be.

"You okay, Mama?" She finally asked after nearly a minute, Camila drawing in a slow breath before she looked back up at her daughter.

"I'm fine, honey. I'm just thinking." She replied, earning nothing but a confused look in response.

"About what?" The younger Dawson pushed, Camila mulling over how to best approach this topic that she hadn't really planned on addressing tonight. Especially not with her sick daughter.

"About all of it, I suppose." She told her with a sigh, her words doing nothing to help with Gabby's uncertainty.

"What do you mean?" She pressed on, watching as her mom moved to place the glasses back down onto the counter before giving her complete attention to her daughter.

"...I've been thinking a lot lately since I came into town." She started up again, Gabby looking over her as she spoke. "About you and your girls… Your father. And being here with you all." She trailed off, Gabby giving her the time to continue on when she was ready. "It's made me realize how much I've missed, is all."

Dawson's face fell after she spoke, Camila soon offering her a small, yet soft smile before she began shaking her head.

"Mama…"

"None of that Gabriela, I'm alright. It's just something I've started to notice more, now that I've spent so much time here. And I guess I always did know it to some extent or another, but something about being here this time has made it all a little harder. After Caitlyn's recital is when it kind of all started to hit me… How I'm missing everything. I've missed your life, and Matthew's. I wasn't even able to be here when you had your daughter-" She cut herself off, Gabby feeling a few tears start to spring to her eyes from this unexpected conversation. "I wasn't here to support you with that. Or after your accident, and I missed so much of Caitlyn coming into your lives. So many milestones for both your girls… There's just so much I haven't been here for, that I should've. And being here these past few weeks has sort of forced me to confront that."

There were more tears in Gabby's eyes by the time she finished, the onslaught of emotions from these past couple weeks making her more emotional than usual before Camila reached out to rub her hand over her arm comfortingly.

"Mija, I don't want you to be sad… It's okay, and I'm okay. It's just hard to be reminded of how much I'm missing- what I already have missed." She continued on, Gabby taking in a heavy breath before she nodded. "But I'm gonna make the most of it while I have it, because being here with you and your girls.. Our family. It's one of the best feelings in the world. But it's also a bit bittersweet, is all."

Gabby blinked quickly for a few seconds before she started to nod back at her once more, the rush of feelings flowing through her chest making it hard for her to focus.

"I… I feel the same way, Mama." She finally got out, Camila smiling sadly at her while her hand kept rubbing up and down over her arm. "I won't lie and say it's not hard with you being gone. That I don't miss you and wish you could be around more, but I also understand why you're not." Gabby told her after regaining her voice. "I know you didn't want to stay here after what happened between you and Papa, and you needed to do what was best for yourself. I get that, I just miss you."

Camila nodded a few times before pulling her daughter in for a hug, something that was needed by both of them at this moment while the mother rubbed over her back, Gabby relishing in the motherly contact that she didn't get much of these days.

"I miss you too, mi amor." She murmured, giving her body a gentle squeeze before they reluctantly pulled back. "I always miss you, and your brother… And even your father, God love him." She teased, pulling a few laughs from Gabby as she wiped underneath her eyes. "And I know I've said it before, but I really do want to try and get here more. As much as I can."

"I know, Mama." She replied lightly, getting all the excess water off her skin before she continued. "Maybe me, Matt, and the kids.. Now that the girls are a little older, we might finally get around to planning that trip to the Dominican, too."

Camila's smile brightened before she started to nod. "I would love that, honey." She responded, just as they heard hard footsteps come into the kitchen.

"Love what?" Matt asked, Gabby turning back to see her husband walking into the room with his own empty drinking glass in his hands, Camila letting out a soft chuckle as the heaviness in the room started to shift.

"Us taking the kids to visit my mom in the Dominican." Gabby answered, Matt's eyebrows raising as he got over to them before he started nodding in agreement.

"That would be great, yeah." He responded with just as much enthusiasm, while wrapping his arm around Gabby's shoulders. "I know the girls would love it. Not only visiting, but getting to see you."

Camila smiled softly in his direction. "I think everyone would enjoy it, we'll have to try and get something planned… Do you need more to drink, Matthew?" She questioned, doing a complete one eighty of their conversation as Casey glanced down towards his glass before nodding.

"Yeah, I do. But I can get it, that's why I came back here… Well for that, and to see where Gabby ran off to." He responded easily, Camila smiling while Gabby leaned into his side, prompting him to give her his full attention. "You've been in here for a while, please tell me you weren't cleaning up." He began, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip guiltily while Camila's grin formed into a smirk.

"She was." The mother answered for her, Matt loosening his grip on Gabby enough to look down at her, his head shaking back and forth before pressing a kiss to her temple.

"Babe, you need to take it easy." He reminded her, his lips moving against her skin as he kissed her once more.

"That's what I told her, but she didn't want to listen."

"You both know I'm standing right here, yeah?" Gabby finally spoke up, Matt smirking softly while rubbing his hand along her shoulder.

"I know, but that doesn't change the fact that you don't need to be overexerting yourself." He defended, his words causing Gabby to roll her eyes playfully as a small smile started to cover her lips. "So how about we get out of here and go sit down in the living room? Caity finally finished telling my mom all of her stories, and I think she was wanting to give her a repeat performance from her dance recital." He relayed the information, Gabby's eyebrows raising in amusement as her hand came over to rest across his stomach.

"Does that mean you're gonna dance with her?" She teased, her and Camila both laughing at his expense while Matt coughed out a mocking chuckle.

"You're hilarious, babe." He said dryly, his tone only causing Gabby to laugh more. "But anyway, I think she's wanting to start soon. And I know we don't want to miss that."

"Definitely not." Camila replied first, Gabby nodding in agreement before the older woman started to take a step back. "I'm gonna get these drinks back to your father, and try to get a good seat for the show." She played along, Matt and Gabby both smiling in response as she grabbed the glasses and headed back out to the living room, leaving the married couple alone in the kitchen.

"I knew Caity's dance would do the trick." Casey spoke proudly, Gabby shaking her head a few times as he turned his body to standing in front of her, the wide smile on his face evident. But it was one that quickly faded once he caught her gaze. "...You alright?" He asked suddenly, his voice dropping just enough to where only Gabby could hear him.

"Hmm?"

"You look sad, or tired maybe.. Are you not feeling well? Cause we can go home." He was quick to say, his worry for her trumping everything else as her husband had been a little more on edge these past few days. And, given how sick she'd been with no real cause, she couldn't blame him.

But that wasn't what this was, and she didn't want to worry him further by getting into everything she and her mom had talked about. She'd tell him at some point, but now was not that time.

"No baby, I'm fine." She finally settled on, seeing the unsure look over his features before he nodded, knowing better than to push her.

"Alright. But if that changes…"

"You'll be the first to know." She finished for him, pushing herself up to give him a soft and slow kiss, one that he reciprocated easily. "Now let's go watch our baby dance."

The smile that came to his face was infectious, Matt leaning forward to kiss her again before he wrapped his arm around her and led her back out into the living room, the two of them looking forward to spending the rest of this night with their family.