Hello there everyone! I'm here with the next chapter for you all, and I think you guys are gonna like this one. I don't want to give too much away, but in this update you all are going to get some of the answers you've been wanting in regards to Gabby, and this baby.

So I hope you enjoy it, and I'll see you all next time. Thanks for reading!

Chapter One Hundred and Eighty Nine

Gabby's hands rested tightly together in her lap as she sat in the familiar room, her leg bouncing up and down nervously while she looked around at the office she'd spent a lot of time in. The same place she hadn't visited in a while, and hadn't necessarily anticipated coming back to this soon. But life seemed to have other plans, which is exactly how she found herself here in Dr. Tanner's waiting room.

Everything still looked the same as the last time she saw it, maybe just updated a little, Gabby's eyes bouncing between the windows, front desk, and the few other women sitting around her. All of them at varying stages of their pregnancies, but farther along than Dawson was, as they waited for their appointments. But her gaze never stayed on them too long, the nerves coursing through her system keeping her mind racing as her attention moved back down towards her lap.

They'd only been here for maybe twenty minutes or so; enough time for her to get checked in and fill out the paperwork they'd given her, the expecting parents coming straight from shift as they didn't want to be late. Especially not after this visit had been on their minds the entire time they were at the firehouse.

The last twenty four hours at work had gone fine. As well as it could with her and Matt holding onto this very big secret. There was nothing too stressful, and the calls kept them busy. But it wasn't enough to distract them from this appointment. In fact, the only thing the pace had done was cause Matt to be a little overprotective, Gabby getting flashes of her time being pregnant with Sofia as her husband had fallen right back into his cautious ways. To the point where others in the firehouse had begun to notice, though she was sure they didn't think much of it as Matt was always protective over her, and with her being sick lately she figured they'd just attributed it to that.

Either way, he'd certainly been a little more watchful of her while they were working, the two of them spending most of their shift together in Matt's office while they waited out the clock. Then once their day at the firehouse had ended, on the way here they'd called Ramon, Gabby and Matt both wanting to check in on their girls and make sure they were okay since it would be a while before they'd get home. And, to no one's surprise, their daughters had a great day with Ramon, Camila, and Nancy, and were doing well, Gabby even getting the chance to talk to Caitlyn for a few minutes during their drive. Where she'd reminded her that she and her father would be home later, after Caity said over and over how much she missed them. But that she and Sof were having the 'best time' with their grandparents.

And while her words were sweet, they also helped to calm Casey and Dawson a bit, as knowing their daughters were alright allowed them to concentrate on what they were doing right now. They were able to focus on this baby, and what it meant for them. And as scary as that uncertainty was, they were glad to be here and get those answers they desperately needed.

"...Want me to hold that for you?"

Gabby's vision snapped into focus when she registered her husband's voice, her head lifting up from her lap to look at him in the seat beside her, where he was watching her with a soft smile on his face. He looked a little tired, she could see it written into his features as he sat there in his shift clothes, while his thick Chief coat was draped across the chair on the other side of him along with her things.

"Hmm?" She hummed back, unsure of what he was asking her until his eyes flashed down to the clipboard resting in her lap. The one that moved with every bounce of her leg, the metal latch making the slightest clanging sound in the process. But in this otherwise silent room, it was easy to hear, Gabby offering him a sheepish smile before she nodded back at him. "Sure, thanks."

His smile widened, Matt leaning over to press a kiss to the side of her head before taking the clipboard from her, his eyes then roaming over the words she'd written while placing it down in his lap.

"What time is it?" She asked after a beat of silence, Casey raising his eyebrows before he checked his watch.

"Nine fifteen." He answered, finding her gaze once more while she breathed in deeply. "Your appointment's at nine thirty, right?" Matt questioned, even though he already knew the answer.

"It is, yeah… I'm not sure if they'll take me back early for bloodwork, or what they'll want to do." She replied, her words coming out rather quickly while she continued to shift in her seat, her anxiety clear to him as he gave her an assuring nod.

"They may want to, but either way I'm sure we'll get taken back soon." He told her, making sure she could see his comforting smile when she looked his way. And once she did, Matt noticed her start to visibly relax, even if it wasn't much. "You still feeling okay and everything?" Matt asked her, seeing her bottom lip fall between her teeth before she started to nod.

"I'm good… Kinda nervous, but okay." She promised.

"Good." He replied, reaching his hand out to grab ahold of hers while maintaining her eye contact. "And remember, no matter what happens… It's you and me."

Her face softened as he spoke, that genuine smile returning to her lips while he lifted their conjoined hands up to place a kiss over her knuckles.

"You and me." She whispered back, Matt smiling against her before giving her hand a squeeze, the two so caught up in the other that they barely registered the door opening.

"Gabby?"

They glanced over to the door to find the nurse they knew well standing there with a chart in her hands, Amanda wearing a bright, welcoming smile as she waved them over.

"You ready?" She asked them, Gabby soon getting to her feet while Casey grabbed their things and stood up behind her.

"I am." Dawson replied after taking a steading breath, Matt nodding in agreement as they started to head towards the nurse.

"It's been a long time, welcome back Gabby. And Matt." The woman told them as the lobby door shut behind them. "We're gonna go right in here and get some bloodwork, as well as check your vitals." She instructed while leading them into the first room, letting Gabby take a seat while Matt hung back against the wall. "I was surprised when I saw you on the schedule today, but it's great to see you both… How have you all been? How's little Sofia?" She asked while sliding over to her on the stool, the couple somewhat amazed how after all this time she still remembered their daughter. "Sorry, this is gonna pinch Gabby."

"It's okay, and Sofia's doing so well." She replied with a soft smile, Matt nodding in agreement from his spot a few feet away.

"She is, she's incredible. Just the best baby anyone could ever ask for, even if she's not a baby anymore. But she's been great." He went on, unable to stop himself from boasting about his children. "And we have another daughter, Caitlyn."

"You do?" She asked while drawing Gabby's blood, their conversation helping Dawson to distract from the uncomfortable needle in her arm.

"Mhmm, our Caity.. She's six, we adopted her." Matt explained, seeing the genuine smile that began to form over Amanda's face while she finished up with the blood draw. "She's amazing, too. Both our girls are… We have the most perfect kids." He spoke proudly, Gabby laughing softly at his words while Amanda shed her gloves and spun around towards Casey.

"Alright, well now I need to see some pictures." She replied, neither woman missing how his face lit up before he immediately started to dig around in his pocket for his phone.

"Hope you all aren't too busy, cause you'll never get us out of here now." Gabby joked, Amanda laughing in response as Matt walked towards them. "He's a proud dad."

"Well, how could he not be?" Amanda played along, as Casey held his phone out in front of her with a photo of Caitlyn and Sofia on the screen from just a few days ago, the girls dressed in their holiday best while standing in front of Ramon and Camila's Christmas tree. "Oh my goodness, those girls are beautiful." She gushed, her sincere words causing Dawson to smile while Matt continued to show her more photos.

"And this one was a couple months ago, at Sofia's birthday party." He said after a moment, Amanda never taking her eyes off the screen while she looked at their daughters.

"They're so precious, you guys.. You really do have some amazing kids." She said, Matt nodding in agreement while placing his phone back into his pocket. "And my, Sofia has gotten so big since the last time I saw her."

"She has, she's a tank when she wants to be." Matt replied, Gabby chuckling at his choice of terminology while Amanda shook her head in amusement. "I mean, she's still pretty small for her age but you'd never know it. She doesn't play like a small kid, that's for sure."

"Yeah, she's been known to beat Matt up on occasion." Gabby added on, her and Amanda laughing at Casey's expense while he merely nodded.

"She's not wrong." He said, while Amanda stood up to grab what she needed to get Gabby's vitals.

"Well, from my experience that only continues as she gets older." She went along. "But, I'm so glad to hear about your girls. And that everything has been going so well for you two." Amanda told them after reclaiming her seat in front of Gabby.

"Thank you… We really appreciate that." Gabby spoke softly in response, earning a warm smile from the nurse while she picked up her stethoscope.

"Now, I'm gonna get the rest of your vitals then we can go back to the office. That sound alright?" She asked, seeing Gabby nod before she continued on with her quick exam.

It was only about five minutes before she got what she needed, Amanda dictating everything down into Gabby's chart before they then left the room and headed further down the hallway.

"I spoke with Dr. Tanner before you all got here, she'll talk with you before doing any type of scan." Amanda explained, Gabby breathing in slowly before she nodded. "You haven't had an ultrasound with this pregnancy yet, correct?" She asked just as they got to Dr. Tanner's office.

"I haven't, no.. We only found out a few days ago." Gabby replied, Amanda nodding while jotting down a few more things into Dawson's chart. "And when we did, we knew we needed to come here and see Dr. Tanner… Because of everything last time."

A small, yet knowing smile appeared over the nurse's face before she began to nod, the woman then pushing the door open only for them to be met by a vacant office. "Yes, well that was a good choice… We'll get you taken care of here, as you know you're in great hands with Dr. Tanner." Amanda reminded them, Gabby and Matt both giving her a knowing look before they stepped inside. "But you two just go ahead and settle in, Dr. Tanner should be here shortly. Do you need any water or anything, Gabby?"

"I think I'm okay, thank you." She replied, Matt placing their things down on the ground between the two chairs before taking a seat in the one closest to the wall.

"Alright, well if that changes just let someone know… It really was so great to see you all again, and congratulations. With everything." She spoke warmly.

"Thank you." Gabby murmured, the two sharing one last smile before Amanda exited the room, shutting the door behind her while Dawson walked over to her husband and sat down.

Similarly to the waiting room, a lot of Dr. Tanner's office looked the same as it had when she was last here, their surroundings oddly comforting as despite how nerve wracking this was, they knew they were in the best possible place they could be. That, after all they went through with Sofia, with Dr. Tanner saving not only their daughter's life, but Gabby's as well, there was no better person to now help them navigate through this unexpected pregnancy.

Which is exactly what Gabby was trying to hold onto while they waited, in an effort to keep her anxiety at bay, the minutes ticking by slowly as she and Matt sat in a soft, somewhat easy quiet while Gabby's hand began to mess with the bandage covering her arm.

"...Does that hurt?"

The sound of his voice caught her off guard, as neither of them had said much of anything in the half hour that passed since they came in here. But when she turned towards him she realized what he was asking her, Gabby glancing down towards the purple elastic covering the small hole in her arm before she gave him a weak smile.

"Not really, just sort of uncomfortable." She replied, scratching over the bandage before she dropped her hand, Matt mimicking the look on her face while reaching out to rest his palm over her leg, giving her thigh a supportive squeeze. "But I'm okay."

"Good." He replied, barely getting the word out before the door slowly opened, both Matt and Gabby turning back to see Dr. Tanner step inside the room.

She hadn't changed much at all since they last saw her, the soft smile already on her face easing some of the tension they were feeling as she closed the door behind her, before moving towards her desk.

"Hi Gabby, Matt… It's been a long time." She warmly greeted them while sitting down in her chair, placing the chart she'd been holding down in front of her before giving the couple her complete attention. "But it's great to see you again."

"You too." Gabby replied, the calming smile never leaving Dr. Tanner's face as she began to go through the chart they could only assume to be Gabby's, only stopping once she found whatever she was looking for.

"I'm sorry for the wait, I was checking in on a few other patients." The doctor explained, Matt waving her off while Gabby shook her head. "And I was also waiting to get your blood work back before I saw you, our labs rushed your results for us. So we could get confirmation of this pregnancy before doing anything… I know when you come here, we usually start with an exam and then talk, but given the situation and how long it's been since I've seen you, I wanted to speak with you both before doing anything." She told them, missing the slight wince that began to appear over Dawson's face.

Gabby hadn't kept in too much contact with the woman who saved her life, not nearly as much as she wanted or should've. And while coming back to Dr. Tanner's office wasn't something she needed to do often, there were yearly checkups that she was supposed to have just to make sure everything was alright. To ensure that she was still healthy, and healing well, and there were no complications that had come from her aneurysm bursting during Sofia's birth.

But that last appointment was something Gabby had missed, due to it being scheduled a few weeks after the ambulance accident that happened back in February.

In all the craziness of that time, she had forgotten about it completely. Between her recovery and getting back on her feet, then everything with the adoption, along with just the general busyness of their lives, it hadn't crossed her mind to reschedule. Which, looking back on, she really wished she'd found the time to come here, as it would have certainly helped to ease some of the anxiety she was feeling. But there was nothing to be done about that now.

"But I believe Amanda told you this, so we won't spend much more time on that." Dr. Tanner continued on gently, Dawson nodding back at her. "For now, we're gonna talk about your labs a little bit. Everything came back good, and your vitals were pretty solid.. And after looking over your blood work, I can confirm that you are pregnant, Gabby."

A soft smile began to form over her face, Gabby's hand instinctively moving to rest over her stomach while she felt Matt squeeze her thigh, the two then sharing a knowing, love filled look before he leaned over to kiss the side of her head.

They both knew she was pregnant, they believed the test when they saw it, but something about getting the confirmation from Dr. Tanner made it feel all the more real. And that excited them as much as it terrified them.

"Before we get into anything, let me tell you congratulations. To the both of you."

"Thank you." Gabby murmured, keeping a protective hand over her stomach where their child was growing inside her, an action Dr. Tanner noticed.

"I know we have a lot to discuss here, and we will… But first I want to check in with you two, see how you're doing." She started, in an effort to continue to lessen some of the nerves she could see radiating off the both of them. "Since it's been some time, I imagine a lot has changed since I last saw you."

"Yeah, you could say that." Matt responded with a soft laugh, while Dr. Tanner smiled.

"How have things been?"

"We've been great." Gabby was the one to speak up now, while Matt nodded in agreement. "Things with our family are good, work has been good. Our friends are good, everything's good." She went through the list, Dr. Tanner giving them her complete attention. "There's been a lot going on this past year or so, that's for sure… Matt got a promotion at work earlier in the year."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mhmm, he's now the Chief at our firehouse, and he's amazing at it. One of the best Chief's we've ever had." Dawson boasted, prompting Matt to wave his hand in the air.

"I wouldn't go that far." He interjected underneath his breath, but neither woman listened to him.

"That's wonderful, Matt. Are you liking the job?" Dr. Tanner asked him.

"I am, yeah. It's been great. It was an adjustment for sure, took some time to get used to it. I've sort of shifted into more of a managerial role now, while also getting into some fires, but it's been really good. It was the right move for me and our family." He replied, Gabby rubbing her hand over the top of his as he spoke.

"That's great to hear, I'm glad you're liking it. And you're still a paramedic, Gabby?"

"I am, yes."

"Yeah, she's still our PIC. And a damn good one." Casey supplemented, the ease at which he complimented his wife bringing a smile to both her face and Dr. Tanner's.

"Well, it's nice to hear that work is going well for you both.. What about little Sofia, how is she doing?" The woman asked, causing Gabby and Matt to smile immediately at the mention of their youngest daughter.

"Oh, she's perfect." Matt spoke first, the pride he felt as a father practically beaming off of him. Just as it had earlier when they spoke to Amanda. "She's incredible. Tiny, but mighty. A little spitfire, exactly like her Momma." He added on, Dr. Tanner chuckling in response. "She has quite the personality."

"Oh really?"

"Definitely." Gabby chimed in with a laugh of her own. "She might be the sassiest baby I've ever met, but she's amazing… Such a loving and kind kid. The sweetest child in the world. And she's smart. So, so smart. Matt and I are both amazed by her every day, seeing how much she's learning and growing. And she's so independent, too… She's in that phase where she wants to do everything by herself, even if she can't. She's about as determined of a two year old as I've ever seen." Dawson continued to ramble out, unable to stop herself from bragging about her daughter.

But Dr. Tanner didn't mind at all, as the doctor knew how much of a miracle it was that Sofia was even here to hit all these milestones and become her own person. And even more so that Gabby was around to see it.

"She's just a wonderful kid." Gabby spoke with a soft, yet joy-filled smile. "Matt and I got so lucky with her, she really is the love of our lives. We didn't even know it was possible to love something as much as we love her." She breathed out. "Her and her sister, they're everything to us. They're our entire world."

Dr. Tanner's eyebrows raised as Gabby finished her statement, before her face softened into a grin. "Ah yes, I was meaning to ask you both about that… I didn't realize Sofia had a sibling." She spoke pointedly, though her tone told Matt and Gabby just how happy she was for them. "But when I got your Christmas card, I realized there had been another addition to your family since I last saw you."

Gabby and Matt both grinned before the former started to nod.

"So you all have another child?"

"We do." Casey answered. "Our daughter, Caitlyn… We adopted her back in April." He told her, as Dr. Tanner's smile continued to widen.

"You did?"

"Mhmm… The whole story is kind of crazy, we weren't ever thinking about adopting. Not after what happened to us before, but it all just sort of came together. In the wildest way possible, but we wouldn't change a thing." Matt began to explain, Dr. Tanner hanging on his every word while she waited for him to continue. "It started back in the summer of last year, there was one day Sofia ended up in the hospital- She was fine." Casey was quick to add once he saw the worried look on Dr. Tanner's face. "She's okay now, and was alright then. It could've been a lot worse. She'd hit her head on the table while she was trying to stand, and her nanny took her to the ER just to be safe." He said, seeing the woman across from him begin to relax before she nodded at him to keep going. "But she was okay. Had a pretty nasty bump on her, but she was alright. And then once we were leaving we saw Tina. The social worker who had helped us when we were fostering our son, Louie."

Dr. Tanner nodded once more, but this one was a bit slower, as she remembered well all the hardships Gabby and Matt had gone through in trying to become parents. And even though they now had two little girls who they clearly loved more than anything, her heart would never stop hurting for them and how much they suffered in order to get here.

"She was there visiting a child who was in a pretty rough situation. She'd been hurt in the foster home she was in, and had to go to the hospital. And- we didn't know this at the time, but that child was Caitlyn." He explained with a grimace, the memory of how much his daughter went through before them never getting easier to stomach.

"Oh, no. That's awful." Dr. Tanner murmured with a deep frown etched into her skin.

"It wasn't a good situation for her." He spoke, almost bitterly. "She'd been in the foster system for about six months at that point. Her mother died during childbirth, her father passed away in a car accident when she was four years old. And what little family she had left didn't want to take her in, so she ended up in the system. Bounced around from house to house, but it just wasn't working. They couldn't find a place for her. And when we went to visit Tina, she asked us if we'd… Well, at the time, foster Caitlyn." Matt continued on softly, glancing towards Gabby who nodded at him to keep going. "It wasn't meant to be permanent, just somewhere safe for her to stay until she was able to go live with the family who was trying to adopt her. So we agreed, and brought her into our home… Then a lot of things happened after that. She was sent to that family, but it went bad pretty quickly and it didn't take long for her to end up back with us."

"Wow." The woman breathed out, just trying to wrap her mind around all of this.

"Yeah, it's a lot." Gabby joined in, keeping her voice soft. "She's been through a lot, but that entire time we were fostering her, we just.. We knew. We knew she was meant to be our daughter, and be Sofia's older sister. We felt that way as soon as we brought her into our home, that she was supposed to stay with us. So we made sure she would. We started the process of adopting her, then in April it became official." Dawson finished.

"That's wonderful, you guys. I'm so happy for you." Dr. Tanner spoke genuinely. "It's terrible she went through all of that, but I'm glad she's with you now. She sounds like one amazing girl."

"She is." Matt was quick to reply." She's just… phenomenal. Her and Sofia both, we have the most incredible kids."

Dr. Tanner nodded as he finished speaking, her eyes then moving back down towards Gabby's chart before she clasped her hands together on the desk. "That's so great… And now you're going to have another incredible kid to add to the mix." She continued on carefully, the parents slowly nodding back at her. "Do the girls know about this baby?"

"They don't." Matt answered after Gabby had shook her head. "No one does. We haven't told anyone yet, we just found out a couple days ago ourselves… We were wanting to wait and come here, see what's going on before we told anyone."

"That's understandable. But I'm sure they'll be excited when you tell them." She encouraged, earning a weak nod from Dawson.

"Yeah, we hope so." She replied after letting out a somewhat unsteady breath, Dr. Tanner glancing back and forth between them before asking the question that had been on her mind ever since she saw Gabby on her schedule.

"...What about you two?" She voiced, causing them both to look at her. "How are you feeling about this pregnancy?"

Dawson glanced down towards her lap, her eyes moving towards the hand still resting over her stomach while Matt gave her thigh another supportive squeeze, the silence in the room getting heavier and heavier as Dr. Tanner gave them space to gather their thoughts.

"We're… happy." Gabby eventually replied, his eyes lifting up only to immediately look at her husband, who was waiting there with a supportive smile on his face. "We're really happy about this."

"Yeah?"

"We are." Matt echoed, while the doctor nodded. "We're thrilled about this baby, even though we weren't expecting it." He continued on, his words helping to answer another question Dr. Tanner had for them. "But we're also nervous." He admitted, getting an understanding look from Gabby's doctor.

"Yeah, we are." Gabby breathed out. "We're so excited, but at the same time we're kind of scared for this pregnancy. After what happened last time… If that even makes sense."

"It does." Dr. Tanner was quick to assure her, as she completely understood the hesitance from her patient. "What you're feeling, how you're feeling, is completely normal. And understandable, given what you went through. I know how scary Sofia's pregnancy was for you, rightfully so." She told them with a sympathetic look on her face. "And I'm sure this has been a lot to digest, especially if you weren't planning for this pregnancy, like Matt said." She finished, while Gabby nodded in agreement.

"We weren't, not at all." Matt answered her first, his lingering nerves starting to make their presence known as words starting quickly flying from his mouth, while Dr. Tanner was typing something out in Gabby's chart. "We weren't trying to have another baby, we hadn't talked about it… I mean, we weren't celebate by any means, but-"

"Matt." Gabby interrupted his rambling, a sheepish look soon covering his features while Dr. Tanner bit back a laugh.

"...Sorry." He replied after a moment, the doctor then shaking her head before glancing between them.

"It's alright, Matt. I know you are nervous about this… And besides, as I'm sure you both remember, I'm about to get a lot more invasive than that." She reminded them, the levity in voice helping to ease more of their nerves as the couple shared a soft laugh. "So it's okay. The point is, you two weren't planning this pregnancy." She checked one last time, prompting Matt to shake his head.

"No, we weren't." Casey told her, while rubbing his hand lovingly over Gabby's leg.

"...And- I don't mean anything by this but I just need to know, but you're wanting to keep this baby?" She asked them, Matt's entire back tightening at her words, while Gabby instantly started to nod.

"Yes." She answered for the both of them.

"Alright." She replied, before quickly moving on. "So yes, with this pregnancy and how it happened, I'm sure this has brought up a lot of feelings for you all. The trauma you went through with Sofia, that was a very real thing for you. A lot of that pregnancy wasn't easy, on either of you." She said to them, not missing how Gabby leaned to the side of her chair, like she was trying to get closer to her husband while they brought up that terrifying time in their lives. "Meaning it's okay to be scared now, and worried. It's okay if this pregnancy brings up a lot of those same feelings from when you were pregnant with Sofia. But it's also okay for you to be excited. For you to be happy about having another child… Whatever you're feeling, all of it is okay." She promised, waiting for a nod from the both of them before she kept on.

"And I know right now there's some uncertainty, because we haven't got the chance to look at you. But we're about to go and do that right now.. We're gonna go to an exam room, and see exactly what we're dealing with, with you and this baby. But before we do that, I just want to remind you of what I told you last time." She spoke, her words strong and steady while her eyes locked on Gabby. "That I am promising you that whatever the situation is with this pregnancy, I am here with you. I'm here for you. I was there every step of the way with Sofia, and I'll be there for this baby, as well. For your child, and for you, Gabby. I'm right here, and we're gonna figure all of this out together." She assured her, her voice calming them both as in this moment they were reminded of why they had put their complete trust in Dr. Tanner.

Because no matter what, she was there for them. Through some of the terrifying, most uncertain times in their lives she was by their side. And if her words now were any indication, she had every intention of being there for them again, which only helped to further lessen their nerves.

"Now, there's more we need to discuss. About how you're feeling and everything, but how about we move to the exam room so we can get a look at little baby Casey. Does that sound alright?" She questioned, Gabby's hand pressing down ever so slightly into her stomach before she began to nod, the soft smile on her face being matched by Casey as they all stood up and headed out of the room.

It was a quick walk to the room down the hall, as they'd been in here countless times, Dr. Tanner walking in through the door first before Gabby and Matt followed after her.

"Okay, I think you all know the drill by now, but since it's been a while I'll remind you. I'll step out for a moment, and let you get dressed into the gown that's on the bed, Gabby." She explained, Dawson glancing back to the exam table behind them. "We will have to do a more invasive exam this time, just to ensure everything is as it should be, so I'm going to need you to remove everything from the waist down."

"Okay." She repeated, Dr. Tanner smiling softly before stepping back towards the door.

"I'll give you a few minutes, then I'll be back and we can continue." She told them, Casey nodding her way until she walked out into the hallway, closing the door behind her to give Gabby and Matt complete privacy.

Once they were alone, Gabby began the process of getting out of her clothes, starting with her boots before pulling off her belt, then her pants and underwear, Matt taking everything from her after she removed it in order to help the process along. While she pulled off her shirt, he reached around her and picked up the gown, Casey opening it and holding it up for her while she stood there in nothing but her bra, Gabby offering him a small smile before she stepped into the fabric.

"Thank you." She replied as he pulled it up her arms, Matt giving her nothing more than a gentle smile before she turned around so he could loosely tie the gown, Gabby then climbing up onto the table while Casey began to fold up her worn clothes.

He placed them all in a pile in the chair meant for him, Casey moving her boots out of the way before he stepped up next to the table, standing directly beside her with a content smile on his face.

"You can sit, if you want." She said, as he simply shrugged.

"I'm good right here." He replied, resting his hand lightly over her stomach while she leaned back on the reclined table, Gabby smiling softly at the gesture before she nodded.

"Okay." She murmured in response, the couple sharing one last loving look before there was a knock on the door.

"Are you ready?" Dr. Tanner asked, peeking her head in.

"I am." Gabby responded, the doctor smiling before she stepped further into the room, closing the door securely behind her like she'd done moments prior.

"Excellent… Now we can continue on with your appointment." She spoke, sitting down on the stool sitting over by the counter before gliding across the floor towards Gabby. "Real quick, I want to talk a little bit about how you've been feeling physically so far during this pregnancy, if that's alright. To give me a sense of where you're at."

"That's fine." Gabby told her, Dr. Tanner nodding as her eyes moved down to her chart.

"Alright, let's see here… Have you been feeling any intense pains? In your stomach, chest, or back?"

"No." Gabby answered easily, Dr. Tanner taking a moment to write something down before she continued.

"What about soreness?"

"Sometimes, yeah." She said, while Matt gave her a knowing glance. "In my breasts and arms. Nothing too bad, but it's noticeable."

"Okay.. Any sickness?" Dr. Tanner questioned, looking up to see the wince that appeared over Casey's face. That alone gave her enough of an answer.

"Yeah, a lot." Gabby told her, earning a soft nod from her doctor while looking between her patient and the chart. "It was pretty bad for a few days, not so much lately. But it knocked me on my ass a bit."

"Well, unfortunately after how bad your morning sickness was with Sofia, I'd expect that… Sometimes it's different from pregnancy to pregnancy, but a lot of times it's just how your body reacts to all these changes." Dr. Tanner explained softly. "We can hope it won't be as severe as it was the first time, but it might be. So I'll go ahead and prescribe you that same medication I gave you before, so you'll have it if needed."

"That sounds good, thank you." Gabby replied, Matt nodding in agreement as after seeing his wife be so sick recently, he was glad for her to have that.

"Of course, Gabby.. Now, have you had any bleeding or spotting? Any intense, persistent cramping?" She continued on, prompting Gabby to shake her head.

"No, nothing like that."

"Good." Dr. Tanner replied while dictating something in Gabby's chart. "...Anything else going on, that's a cause for concern with this pregnancy?" She asked, giving Gabby and Matt both the chance to think over everything before Dawson ultimately responded.

"I don't think so, no." Gabby told her, Dr. Tanner nodding with a soft smile before she opened her mouth to move on. But before she could say anything, Matt spoke up.

"I have a question." He voiced softly, Gabby and Dr. Tanner both looking his way before the latter gave him a nod. "It might not matter, but I just wanted to mention it.. I'm not sure if you've seen it in Gabby's chart, but about ten months ago she was involved in an accident at work." He began to explain, causing Dr. Tanner to grimace before nodding, telling the Casey's that she knew what he was talking about. "Their ambulance got hit by a truck on the way to a call. I'm not sure if you have access to her medical records, but it… It was really bad." He breathed out, Gabby's eyes falling closed while he spoke of that awful time.

"I did see something about that, yes." Dr. Tanner said regretfully. "Just what was written in your chart from the hospital, but I'm very sorry that happened to you Gabby. That you went through that, I can't imagine what that was like for you."

"Thank you." Dawson all but whispered in response.

"Yeah, it was… hard." Matt settled on, knowing how much his wife didn't like to talk about it. But given what was going on, they needed to. "She had a lot of injuries from that accident, and was in the hospital for a long time. Specifically she had problems with memory loss, and issues with her heart."

"Yes, I saw that." Dr. Tanner told him, Matt nodding back at her.

"Okay, so I guess my question now is should we be worried about anything then causing problems now with this baby?" He asked her, feeling Gabby grab onto his forearm while he spoke. "I know you were always telling us how pregnancy puts a lot of stress on her body, so I wasn't sure if we should be concerned about anything happening because of that."

Dr. Tanner pursed her lips together as he finished, his words hanging heavy in the air while she looked back over Dawson's chart, the doctor knowing she needed to think carefully before she answered him.

"Well, I suppose it depends…" She eventually said, seeing Gabby nod hesitantly back at her. "Have you had any complications since leaving the hospital?" She questioned, seeing them both glance towards one another. "Any issues with your heart? Or anything else?"

"No, she hasn't." Casey answered for her, while Gabby nodded in agreement.

"I haven't had any problems, aside from just recovering from what happened." Gabby added on, focusing on the feeling of Matt's warm hand on her stomach while she spoke. "Things were bad when I was in the hospital. My heart was really weak, or that's what everyone told me because I still don't really remember it." She explained with a grimace, Dr. Tanner nodding sadly. "But since then, I've been okay… I think I have."

"She has." Matt repeated, his strong words helping Gabby to feel a bit more sure of herself.

"That's good, and I'm glad… As for any concerns, I'd say my only answer now is that we'll just keep a close eye on you, Gabby." She told them. "We were going to anyway, under the circumstances, but with those issues you had we'll definitely be paying close attention to your blood pressure and heart rate. Looking for any signs of something being wrong… I don't want to say anything one way or the other, because it's not my area of expertise, but if it's been ten months without any problems, I'd say we likely don't have anything to be worried about, as far as your heart is concerned. But either way, we'll be watching you. Your body has been through a lot over the years, so if something comes up we'll deal with it and get you to the people who can help you." She assured her, Gabby and Matt both nodding while Casey continued to lightly rub his hand over her stomach.

"Alright, thank you." Matt replied, Dr. Tanner offering him a small smile before she slid over towards the machine next to Gabby's bed. "...Are we gonna see our baby now?" He asked while watching her movements, the doctor nodding while she got everything situated.

"You are, we're going to start with the ultrasound now that we've gone through everything." She said, seeing them both begin to smile before Matt moved closer to his wife. "I'll need to do a pelvic exam afterwards, but to start we'll get a look at little baby Casey and see how they're doing." Dr. Tanner explained to them, reaching down to the cabinet underneath the table and pulling out a blanket. "Gabby, if you'd like to keep this over you, I need you to lift up your gown so I can do the ultrasound."

Dawson gave her a nod before she started to lean back a bit more on the hard bed, Matt unfolding the blanket and placing it over her legs and waist to keep her covered while Gabby pulled the gown up above her stomach, giving Dr. Tanner all the space she needed.

"Perfect… Now, this will be a little cold, Gabby." She warned her before placing the gel onto her lower stomach, a shiver going through Dawson's spine while Dr. Tanner began her exam.

She spent some time looking over things on her own, Matt and Gabby trying to not let themselves get too nervous by the silence as they knew this was all part of it. That she first needed to check over a few things on her own before showing them anything, the couple choosing to just focus on each other while Matt stayed leaned over by her head, holding onto her hand as the doctor worked.

"Alright, so far everything looks good." She told them, Matt releasing a relieved breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding, while Gabby moved her attention to the screen. Even though she couldn't really see it.

"It does?"

"Mhmm, it does." She assured them with a wide smile. "From what I'm seeing, and everything you've told me, you're about seven weeks along. But everything is looking as it should." She continued on, while moving the wand over Gabby's stomach. "The egg implanted correctly, so there's no issues there. There is a bit of scar tissue, but given your history that's to be expected. And it's nothing that would cause concern for this pregnancy."

Matt nodded once she finished, his hand staying firmly on the top of Gabby's head while he looked up at the doctor, whose eyes were still on the screen.

"...And the aneurysm?" He asked, voicing the words that had been in the back of his mind ever since Gabby told him she was pregnant, Dr. Tanner glancing towards him once she registered what he said. "Are there any signs of another one?"

They waited with baited breath for her to answer, the seconds ticking by slowly as Dr. Tanner offered them a small smile, before she began to shake her head.

"There's not." She told them, seeing the hesitant look of hope that flickered in their eyes.

"...Which means?" Matt was the one to ask after clearing his throat, Gabby seemingly too scared of the answer to say anything as Dr. Tanner did all she could to ease their fears.

"I'll still need to perform a pelvic exam, but from everything I'm seeing, there is no reason for this not to be a completely normal, and healthy pregnancy." She told them, Gabby's eyes widening in relief while Casey's head fell to the ground. "You and this baby are completely fine, Gabby."

"Oh, thank God." Matt barely got out as emotion filled his chest, tears beginning to form in Gabby's eyes as the two of them continued to take in what she was saying to them.

"I'm… I'm okay?" Gabby questioned, practically in disbelief as Dr. Tanner gave her a strong nod.

"You are… You and your child both are." She promised, those last few words prompting more tears to come before they slowly began to fall from Gabby's eyes. Her free hand came up to try and stop them, but by that point it was too late as she was finally able to let go of all the stress and worry she'd been feeling the last few days. "Gabby…"

"I'm sorry." She replied while she cried, trying her best to get rid of the tears while Matt continued to rub lovingly over the top of her head.

"You don't need to apologize, it's okay. I know this was nerve wracking." Dr. Tanner sympathized, pausing her exam as she knew Gabby needed a moment. "After everything you went through, you had every reason to be nervous… But I'm telling you, you're healthy. And you're strong. Everything I'm seeing looks great, for you and this baby." She told her, rubbing over her knee while Gabby nodded back at her, despite the tears still leaking from her eyes. "With pregnancy there's always a risk, and I've told you before that there is the possibility of another aneurysm forming, but so far I see nothing that suggests one will.. You and this baby are okay, Gabby."

It was like the damn broke after Dr. Tanner said those last few words again, Gabby unable to stop herself from letting out her relieved and grateful tears, Matt wasting no time in comforting her as he leaned down until she was able to rest her head against his neck.

"It's okay, you're alright." Matt replied, the man still crying as well as he couldn't help but be so thankful to know his wife was alright. "Everything's fine, baby." He continued, pressing soft kisses to the side of her head as she clung to him.

Dr. Tanner sat there quietly while Gabby and Matt took this time together, knowing it was much needed for the both of them now that they knew she was okay, the doctor not rushing them as it took a few minutes before Gabby started to calm down.

"You both are fine." Dr. Tanner heard Matt whisper to her, Gabby nodding before she pulled back from him.

"We're okay." Dawson spoke shakily, a wide grin appearing over Matt's red face as he nodded back at her.

"You're okay." He repeated, the parents sharing elated smiles before he pressed a kiss to her forehead, Matt and Gabby relishing in this news for a second longer until they finally returned their attention back to Dr. Tanner, who found herself getting a little misty eyed as well.

"...Can we see them?" Were the first words out of Gabby's mouth, her red, tear-filled eyes not matching the soft smile forming over her face as the doctor began to nod.

"Of course you can." She told them, blinking quickly to regain her composure before she reached out and turned the monitor towards them, Dr. Tanner needing a moment or two to get the wand in the right position as she began pointing to the screen. "...There they are."

A happy sob escaped Gabby's lips when she saw their child for the first time, the mother unable to keep her emotions in while she stared at the screen in awe, Matt finding himself incapable of holding back as well as heavy tears slid down his cheeks, the man beaming while his eyes focused solely on the small image in front of him.

"That's our baby." He got out, Gabby crying out happily once more before reaching up for him, wanting to be as close to her husband as possible while they celebrated this joyous time in their lives.

"Yeah…" Gabby replied between sobs, finally finding Matt's gaze as he looked down at her with all the love he had, the couple sharing wide smiles while he grabbed ahold of her hand.

"That's our baby."