Walking inside, she rushed through the first member of staff she saw.
''Daniela!'' she shouted as she saw one of the staff members that she had worked with the pediatric unit before.
''What happened?''
''I found this baby outside,'' Gabby said as she kept holding the little girl, Daniela waving her to sit down.
Holding the baby in her arms, she sat down on a chair, the little girl squirming in her arms. Daniela came rushing back, waving Gabby to walk along.
Walking to one of the cubicles, she walked after Daniela. Nervous she laid the baby down on the bed, the little girl screaming at the top of her lungs.
There were tears in her eyes, hurt by seeing the little baby girl left alone like that outside.
''Go see Matt, I will take care of her,'' Daniela promised her. Nodding, Gabby walked back into the chaos and noise of the ER.
Numb, she walked towards the cubicle where she had left Matt before, relieved he was back from the scan and laid on the stretcher seeming a lot more comfortable now that he was getting painkillers and fluids.
''Iron man is still holding up.'' He smiled as he held his thumb up towards Gabby, not wanting to worry her as he was feeling better now that he finally got some painkillers.
She didn't respond to it, instead just sitting down. Unsure what was going on with her, he took her hand.
''They're just consulting with the doctors in Chicago,'' He said as he caressed her hand.
''That's good,''
''Just bruised and dehydrated, probably,'' he told her. Gabby still didn't respond, seeming absent.
''Hey, I am going to be fine,'' he said as he saw her worried face.
''Sorry, I just –''
Not saying anything he instead just kissed her hand and caressed it, she knew that being here with him was enough.
Soon a doctor joined them, having talked with his doctors in Chicago about the damage that they had seen in the photo and how to proceed from here.
''That's a lot of metalwork,'' he said as he held up the x-ray.
''You should have seen the house after our fight,'' Matt joked, Gabby nudging him and glaring daggers.
''He is going to be okay, right?''
''You see the screw here, it looks like it wasn't installed properly. Falling it pushed it into the bone and caused this hairline fracture,'' the doctor explained as he pointed it out on the x-ray, pointing at the upper part of his femur, right where it met his hip.
''This was all caused by the fall?'' Matt said concerned as he saw the screw pushed into the bone.
''No, it looks like the screw wasn't properly installed initially, the fracture is however the result of the fall,''
Matt sighed relieved.
''We will replace the bar and screw tomorrow, you may have to stay on Puerto Rico a little longer, but we will stay in touch with your doctors about your recovery.''
Matt nodded, almost relieved to hear that the pain he had had in his hip had a cause and it was something that they could fix. Soon, after listening to a few more of the datils about the surgery he was brought to a private room, already feeling a little better now that he knew what was going on.
''Seems I am not build for hot climates,'' he said as he rubbed through his eyes, the fall caused by being dehydrated. He had never felt as dizzy as he had in the shower and he felt stupid for not sitting down. Still caressing Gabby's hand, he could sense something was off.
''Are you angry with me?'' he asked concerned.
''For what?'' she asked concerned.
''I don't know – me falling? The doctors in Chicago?''
''No, no. I am just tired,'' she told him, not wanting to tell him about the baby.
''I am not angry with the doctors at all, I know they worked with what they could,'' Matt said as he had seen the pictures of when he came into the hospital. Instead, he was just happy they could sort it out and he hoped it would help his recovery.
Gabby felt relieved as well, knowing that not only could they help him, the pain he had had in his hip had a cause now as well. It had worried them that he was not going to full recovery before, but instead she felt hopeful now that he was going to make a full recovery after this surgery. Laying her hand on his and moving closer to him, she hoped this would be the last hurdle in his recovery. But even with her worried about Matt, she felt guilty she couldn't take her mind of the baby.
The following day she walked into the hospital after lunch, Matt was still in the recovery room after the surgery. She had stayed with him for most of the night, but gone home to sleep and shower as he would be in surgery for a while. After all that he had been through, the call that she had had that all had gone well came as a massive relief.
Instead of walking towards general care where Matt was, she walked to the pediatric unit, greeting some of her old coworkers until she saw Daniela.
''I take it this means Matt is doing well?'' Daniela smiled as Gabby came walking towards her. Gabby noticed her standing by the crib of the girl she had found last night.
''He just came out of surgery, all went well,'' Gabby smiled, looking at the girl in the crib hidden under tubes from the IV's and the feeding tube.
''How is she doing?''
''Severely malnourished and dehydrated, but she is though and I know she is going to pull through,'' Daniela said with a smile as they looked at the little girl.
''Want to hold her? She seems to like that,'' Daniela asked and Gabby nodded. Taking the baby inn her arms, she sat down to rock her, the little girl looking at Gabby for a bit before her eyes fell shut again.
''What is going to happen to her?''
''No family has shown up for her, so she will be picked up by CPS soon,'' Daniela explained. Rocking the little girl in her arms, she was just glad to see she was doing better then when she had found her outside.
Soon ,she left to go and see Matt, leaving the girl in the care of Daniela again.
Walking into Matt's room, he was on the bed, seemingly dozing off. She walked inside, trying to be quiet as she didn't want to wake him. But as soon as he sat down, his eyes fluttered open.
''Hey you,''
''Hey you, how are you feeling?''
''I feel fine, much better than expected,'' he admitted. They shared a kiss as Gabby sat down.
''I am really happy about that, glad the surgery went well too,''
''Something was going on yesterday, was it something I did?'' he asked concerned as it had been on his mind until she walked in. They had been communicating a lot better. He worried that something was going on after how she had been last night.
''I found a baby, last night while you were gone for the CT scan.''
He looked at her a bit confused, not sure if he had heard her right.
''A baby,''
''Yes, a foundling probably,''
He nodded just a bit.
''I went to see her earlier. She is doing a lot better Matt, and she is so gorgeous,'' she beamed.
''Gabby, I know you really care about that girl, but I am worried of you being disappointed again,'' he admitted.
''I know, I know,'' she said, wanting to change the subject.
Moving around the bed, she looked at the dressing on his hip, everything looking well even though it was only a few hours since the surgery.
''What's one more scar when I got this to work with,'' he said as he looked down at the various scars from the emergency surgeries he had had.
''Still the handsomest man I know,'' she assured him as he seemed a little concerned. Walking around the bed again and sitting on the edge, she kissed him once again.
''Get to stand up and walk again tomorrow, so it's all looking good,''
''I know,'' she smiled. She knew that in the end, it would all be okay.
The following day as she walked in, Matt was standing up with the help of a physical therapist, holding a walking frame. Carefully taking another step, he had to call it a day after a few steps, but already he could tell the difference in his femur and hip. The tightness and pain from before seemed a lot less.
''Let's get you back on the bed,'' Gabby said as she laid her arm around her and guided him to the bed, carefully laying his injured leg on the bed.
''It is sore, but it already feels a lot better,'' he said as he swung his other leg on the bed.
''It's good I fell, to be honest,''
''Don't say that Matt-''
''It's true –''
''I love you, but you test me every day boy!'' She laughed, but glad to see him so upbeat.
''Come here,'' he said as he spread his arms and they shared a hug.
''We knew it was going to be a long road, but I am still hopeful and so should you,'' he said as he kissed her on her head as she leaned against him, sitting on the edge of the bed.
''On the plus side, holiday Matt did just get you three extra weeks on Puerto Rico,'' he joked.
''Testing me once again with that joking, Matt'' She told him.
''I know, but it keeps me sane. Crying has never brought me anywhere,'' he said as his hand played with hers.
''I know, and I admire it,''
Carefully laying on the bed, she laid against him, knowing that even though this was a small setback, it would only help him in the end.
After four days, Matt was released from the hospital. Gabby had already cancelled their flights, knowing that their stay in Puerto Rico would be extended by this. She had worried that the CFD and her job wouldn't be as understanding this time, but as everyone know what had happened to Matt and how it had happened, it had been no problem for them to stay in Puerto Rico longer.
As she pushed the wheelchair towards the exit, she stopped.
''I want to see the girl, Matt. I know you think it's a bad idea – but I care.''
''Okay,'' Matt just nodded, but smiling at her then. The only reason he didn't want it was because he was concerned about her getting attached to a baby and another dream she couldn't keep. But he also knew there was no stopping her.
Making their way to the pediatric unit.
Recognizing her as one of the nurses Gabby had worked with in the pediatric unit when he first came to see her, he nodded.
''Much better,'' Matt smiled and it was the truth. Daniela took them to the room where the girl Gabby had found four nights ago was.
''Can I hold her again?''
''Sure, she seems to really like it, and she needs love. '' Daniela slaid as she took the girl from the crib and handed her to Gabby.
''how old is she?'' Matt enquired.
''My guess? Barely a month old. But she is very small so it is hard to tell.
''Hey guapa,'' Gabby smiled as she took the girl in her arms. The girl swung her hands around now, seemingly much more energetic and looking at Gabby curious.
Matt smiled, looking at Gabby holding the baby. It seemed so natural. Moving a little closer, he started to smile as well. Both of them fully captured by the baby girl in Gabby's arms, Matt moved his hand closer as well, her hand grasping around his thumb and not letting go.
Without saying a word, they nodded at each other, both knowing that there was no way they were going to let this precious little girl go into the system.
After the last cliffhanger I didn't want to leave you too long. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please let me know what you thought.