Holding the bar on either side of him, Matt tried to put his left leg forward. Although there hadn't been any fractures, it was hard to even move his leg, his pelvis hurting immediately and movement hard.

''Take it easy Matt,'' the therapist told him, holding the belt around his waist, worried the man was going to fall as he had done the last few times.

Finally managing to take a step, he panted, trying to put a little more weight on his right leg. Immediately a surge of pain shot through his hip and pelvis and he almost fell down, the therapist holding him up just in time. The therapist helped him sit down in the wheelchair again. He had gotten a new one yesterday, one that was a lot more light weight than the one he initially had. As it was going to be a long recovery and he would need it for a while, it came as a welcome change. Especially since Gabby had been struggling getting it in and out of the car.

''You did well,'' Mike, his therapist told him as he handed him a towel.

''I had hoped for a little more after two weeks,'' Matt admitted. It was three weeks since he had tried to take his first step here in the hospital, but not much had changed.

''Matt, when you came in we were fearing for your life, I know it is a long recovery, but really, this I better than anybody could have expected a month ago, I still believe you are going to get back on your feet.''

''Back to firefighting?''

''I can't make any promises about that, nobody can,'' Mike admitted as kneeled down, holding his file out to Matt, pointing at the x-ray sticking out. Matt took it, taking out the x-ray. The picture of his lower body, a lot of the bones in shards.

''There were so many breaks in your pelvis, it took them hours to plate it all together. They couldn't even get to your hip, because they were worried you were going into respiratory arrest,'' Mike said as he pointed out the breaks.

''I know I am lucky.''

''I wouldn't call you lucky, but yeah, you are doing a lot better than expected. They were worried about internal damage as well. Have you been able to be intimate – not that it is any of my business. You should talk with about the surgeon and urologist.''

''I don't know, we haven't really – lots of pain, you know,'' Matt admitted.

''If you run into any trouble with anything, you gotta talk to your doctors, Matt. There is a lot of damage and I am doing my best to help you with a part of the physical side, but it's going to be a long road.''

''I know, when I was down there and that floor was crushing me, I thought I was never going to get out,'' Matt admitted, thinking back about those scary hours down in the basement before they were able to get him out.

''I can't imagine what it was like Matt, I am just glad that you got out at the other end. Just gotta be patient now.''

''I know, thanks Mike,'' Matt said as he knew they were all trying their best for him and he had to be bit more patient. He grabbed his stuff and made his way outside. Gabby was waiting for him outside, helping him into the car.

''You look disappointed again,'' Gabby said a bit worried, as he had seemed for the last two sessions.

''No, it was fine, just gotta be a bit more patient,'' Matt smiled, taking her hand and squeezing it.

He laid on the couch, the laptop on a small table over him. As much as he wanted to sit at the dinner table, he was tired and laying down was a lot easier on his lower back and pelvis.

''What are you so focused on?'', she enquired as she put the laundry basket down on the dining table to fold it. He was looking at the screen with a frown on his face, trying to focus.

''Matt?''

''Huh?'', he looked up a bit surprised.

''What are you up to?''

''I've been looking at apartments in San Juan,'' Matt admitted, turning the laptop.

''Why?''

''Mike said it will be months before I am back on my feet, and I don't want to keep you here for all those months. I will come with you Puerto Rico and do my recovery there. Just, your house is not accessible.''

''No, no, it is really sweet of you, but we're not going to Puerto Rico while you got your recovery here,'' Gabby shook her head.

''I don't want to keep you here for months while your life is there.''

''So I am going to find something in Chicago, even if temporarily. I know my way around the hospital here, maybe I could get a parttime job.''

''Gabby-''

''You got a whole team here at Lakeshore looking after you, we aren't just going to take it all to Puerto Rico.''

''There are doctors in Puerto Rico,'' Matt pointed out.

''Your file might even be too heavy to take on the plane,'' Gabby teased him, closing the laptop.

''I saw it yesterday, it's big,'' Matt laughed.

''Really Matt, I greatly appreciate this, but let's just take it a step at the time. I am happy here, don't worry.''

''Want me to give you a hand?'', Matt offered as he sat up.

''No, it's fine.''

''Come on, let me help,'' Matt said as he sat against the pillows, waving his hands. ''nothing wrong with these.''

Smiling she sat on the other end of the couch, throwing the laundry between them.

''Never thought you would be so excited to fold laundry,'' she teased him a little.

''Don't have much else I can help you with.''

Looking as he was folding the laundry, she couldn't help but smile as him.

''I knew you would look at me like this I would have starting helping you with the laundry a long time ago,'' he joked.

She laughed as well, her knee on the couch then as she moved closer to him, gently pushing him down onto the pillows, moving closer as she kissed him. She tried to be gently, not lean on him.

''Gabby, your knee –''

Matt didn't finish his sentence before he started kissing him, just so enamored by her and so happy to be intimate again. As she moved closer, her knee bumped into his right hip once again.

''Oww Gabby, my hip,'' He said softly, not wanting to push her away. As she moved closer, her lips traced his neck, slowly sliding down as her hand leaned on his left leg.

''Gabby, I want to, but you're hurting me,'' he said softly, reaching for her hand as she got up, looking worried.

''Sorry, I-''

''The spirit is willing, don't worry,'' He said as Gabby got up to get him some more painkillers.

''I know, just something else we got to be patient about,'' she said as she sat down again, handing him some water and painkillers.

''Probably need to redo the laundry.'' He said as he looked at the pile she had knocked off as she had crawled closer to him.

''You still up for helping me a second time?''

''Always,'' he said as they shared a kiss.

The following night, they had talked about the other about coming to Molly's. Everybody wanted to see Matt, as they hadn't seen him in a month.

''Ready to go?''

''Got my dancing shoes on,'' he joked as Gabby handed him his jacket.

''I've never seen you dance before.''

''Honestly, be grateful about that,'' Matt said as he zipped up his jacket, Gabby glad to see him such a good mood. After almost a month of barely seeing anybody, she knew he was excited to see the boys from the firehouse again. Leaving through the patio, she moved the car back so he could easily get in since he couldn't get the wheelchair between her car and the parked car.

Grabbing the roof of the car, he lifted himself into the car. Gabby helped him put his leg in the car, his right hip even more sore after therapy again this morning.

''Wanna head to Molly's straight away?''

''Can we drive by the lake, just see the skyline for a bit?''

''Yeah, ofcourse,'' Gabby smiled. She knew that their date nights together by the pier were some of his favorites, as he loved looking at the skyline. Each time he saw it, he looked like a kid on Christmas.

As soon as she drove onto Lakeshore drive, she enjoyed the look on his face.

''You need to get out more,'' She teased him. The last few days at home had done him a world of good though, he looked a lot better now what he was out of the hospital. Holding his hand as they drove by the skyline, she was glad to see the smile on his face.

They arrived at Molly's a while later, Kelly walking outside as he saw the car park through the window. Walking to the car, he helped Matt out of the car.

''Can you stand up yet?''

''No,'' Matt answered, as as soon as he stood up it hurt too much too keep standing.

''Would push you up this ramp any time,'' Kelly said as they walked to the back, where there was ramp to the kitchen, that they could use to get inside now.

''Still planning not stay in this wheelchair.'' Matt mumbled, glad Kelly helped him inside.

Making his way to the bar area, he was a little nervous to see everybody. The last time he had seen them was at the call where the house had collapsed. He was a little nervous because he had always been their leader, now he felt vulnerable.

But as soon as he saw the guys, he was just happy to see them again.

Soon they sat by one of the tables, Kelly grabbing some water for Matt by the bar. He looked up, Gabby sitting with Sylvie, happily chatting. He couldn't imagine how it was for her to be back after such a long time. He knew she had seen Sylvie a few times while he had still been in the hospital, but this time she didn't have anything else to worry about.

''How long are you still going to be out?'', Cruz asked. In the state Matt was in they knew that it would most likely still be a while. They could only imagine how long of a recovery it would be, as it wasn't nothing what had happened to him.

''We're talking about months, unfortunately.''

''Shit, the relief captain is an asshole.''

''Doing my best guys,'' Matt said as he didn't want to tell them about the uncertainty. Kelly could see something of what was going, his friend looking different. Instead of the clean shaven, stern leader, he looked so different now and it wasn't just the beard.

But he was glad things were going well between him and Gabby and saw down next to to his best friend as they talked about some recent calls at the firehouse.

About two hours later, Gabby looked surprised as there was a hand on her tight, Matt having moved to the bar.

''Can we go soon?'' Matt asked Gabby, feeling a little guilty as she was clearly enjoying herself, but he couldn't sit up much longer. His pelvis began to hurt after sitting down for so long and he couldn't manage sitting up much longer.

She nodded and they said their goodbyes, going back to the car. Kelly had walked with them and gave Matt a hand with getting into the car. He helped Gabby getting the wheelchair into the trunk.

''Just let me know if there is anything I can do,'' he told her, worried she and Matt were heading towards a breakdown, as he couldn't imagine this was easy on the both of them.

''I am looking for a job here, I will try and schedule the interview on a day you are not on shift, maybe you can take him to his appointments?''

''Yeah, ofcourse, anything you need. Thought of taking him fishing soon, you know Matt, can't be good for him to be stuck inside the house and in the hospital all day, every day.''

''That's really nice Kelly.''

Overhearing them from the car, Matt felt a little guilty, as he knew he was asking a lot of Gabby.

''It was nice, right?'' Gabby asked as she started driving towards the condo.

''Yeah, yeah, I am sorry, just hurt sitting up.'' He said as he squeezed her hand.

''I know, it's fine, we can go any time.''

As they got home and Gabby pushed the wheelchair inside, she was worried as she saw his pained look.

''Really hurts,'' Matt admitted.

''Should we call the hospital?''

''I am sitting on a very badly broken pelvis, some pain is to be expected,'' he calmed her worries as she grabbed his arm as he moved to the bed, worried he would fall as he seemed tired.

''It was really nice seeing everybody again tonight – made me realize how much I have missed this place.''

''They really missed you too, I am sure,'' Matt said as he pulled his shirt off, ready to lay down as the pain in his lower back and pelvis was getting worse and worse. Gabby helped him get undressed and lay down.

''What are we going to do if I am not able to go back to work – well, on active duty?''

''We will work it out Matt, but everything will be fine,'' Gabby said as she got undressed now and slid into the bed beside him.

''I don't want this to become a breaking point in our relationship again, I don't want you to put on hold your life for me, as much as I love you for doing it,'' Matt said worried.

''I know, but it's my own choice. I chose to go to Puerto Rico, but now I know I want to be with you, no matter what. That's the choice I am making now. I am not selling my house and car in Puerto Rico just yet, but I am staying in Chicago to be with you as long as you need. Not just for me, but because I need you too,'' she said as she caressed his chest, laying beside him, propped up on her elbow. Gently, his hand moved up and caressed her face, wiping her hair behind her ear.

''You should ask about that parttime job at the hospital, or anywhere else you want. Can imagine you want another patient than me.''

''You're the prettiest, cutest and sweetest one – but yeah, that does sound good. ''

''Just know I am still open to moving to Puerto Rico with you,'' Matt said as he had meant it when he had been looking at apartments yesterday.

''Now is not the time…and with all those months we will have here, maybe we can look into surrogacy again…cause that's going to be a long road too.''

''Yeah, for sure.'' He said as he moved closer, kissing her.

''God, I wanna jump you so bad now.'' She said as she snuggled against him, the last thing she wanted was to hurt him again.

''Again, the spirit is willing….''

''But the body has a long way to go.'' She said, laying as close to him as she could.

Thank you so much for reading again! I hope you enjoyed this extra and long chapter. The next chapter will probably be up this weekend. I hope you are still excited to read this, as there is much more to come! Please let me know what you thought by leaving a review. Thank you!