After a second day of fishing, they drove back to Chicago. Matt would need to go back to physical therapy the next day and Kelly to work, but it had been nice to spend the time together, away from Chicago.

Kelly helped him get his stuff inside and as he walked inside the door, he heard Gabby groan on the couch.

''I am home-''

''Don't talk so loud will you!'' Gabby moaned as she pulled one of the pillows on the couch over her head. Kelly chuckled for a second, waving at Matt as he soon left, not wanting to disturb a clearly hungover Gabby even more.

Walking towards the couch, he sat down on the side, caressing over her head.

''Hungover?''

''Yeah,'' he heard from under the pillow, miserable.

''You were worried about me, looks like you were the one we should have been worried about all along,'' he teased her.

Carefully he sunk down on the ground, his hip throbbing in protest as he got onto the floor. Gabby opened her eyes from under the pillow.

''Hey you,'' he said softly, caressing over her head.

''Hey you,'' She smiled back, looking tired but happy to see him again.

''Had fun?''

''A bit too much,'' she admitted.

''I am glad to hear it, you deserve it,'' he smiled, just happy to hear that she had had a fun night out. After the last few months, she deserved nothing less.

''You had fun with Kelly as well?''

''Yeah, it was really nice,'' he smiled just so happy to hear that she had had such a nice night out. She didn't deserve anything less after all she had been through.

''Anything I can do?''

''Probably just going to go to bed,'' she admitted.

''Yeah I can sleep, or just lay with you,'' he said as he kissed her on her head. Holding the coffee table, he got back onto his feet, Gabby groaning as she sat up on the couch.

In the bedroom, she crashed onto the bed, Matt moving to the bedroom to take a shower after the two days at the cabin, where he hadn't been able to shower.

Walking from the bathroom, holding the wall as he walked to the bed, Gabby looking shocked at his hip. It was badly bruised after his fall yesterday.

''I wasn't gonna tell you but I fell when I walked near the cabin,'' he admitted, feeling like an ass for not telling her.

''Matt!''

''It's fine, really, just a little bruised, mostly my ego.'' He said as he pulled the shirt over his head.

''Alright, if you say so,'' she said concerned if she moved into the bed, her hangover suddenly way less as she saw the large bruising. It worried her, knowing that if he fell, it could damage the hardware and even the barely healed fractures.

''Believe me, Kelly already grilled me about it,'' he said as he moved into the bed, snuggling up with her.

''Rightfully so,'' Gabby said as she moved closer to him.

Holding each other close, they fell asleep.

As Gabby woke up, she was surprised to see Matt sitting up in the bed, their laptop on his lap. Groaning as she stretched, Matt looked aside.

''Why are you still up so late?'' she yawned as she looked at the alarm on her nightstand, it being past 2am in the morning.

''Can't sleep,'' he admitted, closing the laptop screen.

''Pain?'' She asked concerned, but he shook his head.

''No, just a lot going on in my head.''

She switched on the small nightlight as he laid the laptop aside.

''Sorry if I woke you up.''

''You didn't.'' She assured him as she moved closer to him, her head against his chest.

''What's on your mind?'' She asked concerned as he caressed over her head.

''I don't even really know,'' he admitted as he yawned. There had been a lot on his mind he didn't all want to spill out to Gabby, as he know how worried she was already.

''You know you can talk to me, right?''

''I know, I know,'' he told her as he kissed her on her head.

''You still going to Christie and Violet for dinner? Maybe you should stay home if you are tired.''

''Yeah I am going, will be good to see them,'' Matt smiled, having talked about meeting up with his sister and niece for dinner as Gabby would be home late.

''Violet had some stuff about the colleges she is applying to she wants to show me. Besides that she bought a new desk she asked me to help assemble, apparently something didn't come with the delivery, I can probably help her out so she doesn't need to return it.''

''Are you sure you are up for that?'', Gabby asked worried. Even though it was only a desk, she knew it could be very physical.

''Yeah, it will be fine,'' he said.

''You fell and you didn't dare tell me. I don't think you are up for it Matt,'' Gabby said concerned. He was clearly struggling with anything physical still, although he was recovering and the fact he would go above and beyond for his niece worried her.

He groaned, annoyed.

''Don't do that, I am worried about you!'' She said annoying, started to raise her voice slightly.

''I can assemble a desk if I say I can!''

''Like you thought you could walk, you fell and you didn't even tell me even though I have been worrying about that for days!'' she said angry, finally letting out how angry the fact he hadn't told her made her.

''Whatever Gabby, it's 2 am, go back to sleep,'' he said upset as he turned around, her head rolling off his chest as he turned around. Frustrated, she turned away from him as well.

Working her shift until late in the night, she was worried about him, not happy with how they had left it off in the middle of the night and how they hadn't talked about anything in the morning, Matt just silently getting dressed as she was ready to leave. It had been hard to keep her mind at work, worried about him and feeling bad about the fight they had had last night. Especially as she figured he would be asleep. She worried as well, him being up at night and seeing there was a lot on his mind, without wanting to get into it.

Opening the front door, she was surprised to see the lights still on.

As she walked into the living room, Matt was in front of the TV, his leg up on the coffee table. Although he had been watching something, he switched it off as she came in.

''Hey, thought you would be in bed by now,''

''No, wanted to wait till you were home,'' He said as he sat up, Gabby walking towards the couch. The whole day, she had not been able to shake off the talk they had had inn bed yesterday, thinking of how upset he had been. Given that fact, she was glad he was still awake.

''How was dinner?''

''It was nice, I finished the desk,'' he smiled happy and before he could ask her how her day was, she interrupted him.

''I am really sorry about last night, I should have trusted you when you said you were ready to help Violet with the desk,'' Gabby said as she sat down beside him, their talk from last night had been in her head all day.

''There is no need to apologize, Gabby,'' Matt said as he took her hand.

''I was just worried about you,''

Matt wanted to interrupt her but instead listened, knew that if they wanted to make this marriage word again, they didn't need just their love but also to communicate better.

''Just, I worried so much after what happened to you.''

''I know, and I appreciate it. I got upset because I didn't want you to have to worry about me over fixing a simple desk, but I know it's because you love me – and I really appreciate you doing so,''

Caressing her hand, she smiled at him. She was glad that this hadn't gotten between them and it had been a lot easier to talk than it had been a few months ago, when each little struggle would turn into a fight.

''I am sorry for blowing up at you,''

''It was 2 am and you hadn't slept,'' she smiled. He was grateful for her being so understanding. Their fights, where both of them would blow things way out of proportion. It was one of both of their flaws, but they knew that it could blow up any conflict massively.

''I love you a lot,'' Matt said as he laid his hand on the side of her face, so glad they had talked about this so calmly, as it was something that they had struggled with in the past. Sharing a kiss, she moved to sit sideways, her legs over his lap and her hands in his.

''I am really sorry about not telling you I fell, I just didn't want you to worry.''

''I am not upset at all with you and I know 2 am wasn't a good time to talk about it. I should've mentioned it in the morning and I know I overreacted. You helping Violet had nothing to do with falling.''

''I was the one to mention it,'' he shrugged it off as they looked at each other. Whereas before a lot of their conflicts had ended in shouting and fights, they sat together, looking at each other. It had been hours ago since it had happened and both had had a change to calm down and reflect. But it also made

''I had a lot of time to think while you were gone – to Puerto Rico, not just now,'' He said as he caressed her hands. Holding her close, he was so glad that even though there had been a small misunderstanding, they didn't have a massive fight about it and instead understood what they both had felt.

''I just realized that I sometimes don't listen, or don't say what I really mean the right way, hurting you in the process,''

She nodded, touched by how honest he was.

''Just because people need to listen to me at work, doesn't mean you should. I really shouldn't bring that attitude home. I really need to work on that and on being way less stubborn.''

The words touched her heart. Both of them had grown so much in there past few months. They had to be, if they wanted the marriage to work after it already falling apart, but both of them were putting in the work, clearly.

''I don't mind you being so stubborn, it really kept you alive as well,''

Matt chuckled.

''Alright, just not as stubborn when something happens between us,''

''It really isn't just you Matt. When I get angry, I often overrule you as well, I made a lot of decisions without even telling you about it,'' Gabby admitted, thinking back of all the time that she had gotten so angry or went behind his back.

''I know I can be a lot too. You know how late my family can be and I grew up there. When I get angry, I don't listen and take whatever you say in the worst way possible. I know you don't like me raising my voice. I know that is something I need to be mindful off too,''

He nodded appreciative. Although the weeks apart had been some of the worst in his life, he realized now that being apart gave them a lot of new insights and it may have been good for them in the long run.

Holding each other close, neither of them was sure what to say, letting their words to each other sink in. In a weird way, it almost felt like new vows.

''Some of the make-up sex has been nice though,'' Gabby tried to lighten the mood and he laughed.

''Yeah – but I'd rather not fight and never have make-up sex again,'' Matt laughed.

''Me neither, don't worry.''

''Seeing how my parents fought even before it all went to shit, I never want that. I don't want to fight. '' He admitted, his hand on his neck as he thought of all the fights he had seen them have.

''I know, me neither,'' She said as she caressed back of his hand with her thumb. Understanding each other a lot better, they sat together, happily.

''This is lot healthier, what we have now. I'd say, healthy enough to bring a child into,'' Gabby spoke as she back, still holding his hands.

''I think so too – and when I couldn't sleep last night I was looking at the surrogate agencies website.''

She smiled, happy to hear that he had not been as much in his head as she had worried about but it had been something happy he had been looking at.

''Want to show me?''

''Yeah, just need to get up and grab the laptop.''

''I'll get it,'' Gabby said, getting up, ''Not because I think you can't do it, but there is no shame in allowing a little help,''

He nodded, looking as she walked to the bedroom with a smile on his face. She was right, what they had now was a lot healthier than their marriage before.

I know this was more of a emotional/conversational chapter but I hope you enjoyed it! I wanted to delve a bit deeper into their marriage, as it was a big catalyst for the beginning of this story. There will be more of it still. Please let me know what you thought and hopefully till next chapter!