Hi all, thanks for all the love you've all shown for my new story, from the follows, reviews and conversations on Twitter. I'm hoping to update this story once a week, so let's see how that goes. I've just started teaching at a new school and it's a bit hectic, so fingers crossed that I'm able to keep up on this.
Again to R - for editing, thank you!
This is a bit shorter than I would have liked, but I really wanted to get this posted and keep the story moving. Happy reading, let me know what you think. ~Em
Gabby groaned and attempted to stretch out, in what was her opinion too early in the morning to even be awake because it was most definitely still too dark outside. She turned over attempting to huddle into the warmth that was Matt, only to find nothing. She stretched out an arm to feel around for the body before finally cracking an eyelid open to look over at the clock.
This glance indeed confirmed to her, yes it was too early to be awake. After quite a few rough shifts and long nights at Molly's, Gabby had been looking forward to the lie-in. However, her body obviously had different plans. That didn't, however, answer the question of where Matt was, she thought whilst scrunching her nose up.
She stretched out again, after trying to fight the urge to actually wake up, continuing to want to stay in bed. Blah, she felt... blah, it was the only word that she could think to describe the way she was feeling. Maybe she just needed some coffee. It had been a late night the previous night and she ended up not eating any dinner. Matt had been out at an aldermen's meeting plus a vote and afterwards had adjourned to eat a meal with a few aldermen from the neighbouring wards. Her, on the other hand, well put it this way Gabby couldn't remember if she had even had time to stop and think during her shift at Molly's last night. Matt had picked her up on his way past and once they had reached home, it was pyjamas and crawling into bed with an attempt to sleep on her mind, even if Matt had had other plans. And he had most definitely gotten his way.
Shaking her head wryly at that memory Gabby struggled to drag her butt out of the bed and ultimately went to find Matt.
Padding softly down the stairs, she couldn't find him in the kitchen. Her eyes flicked towards the deck thinking he might have been outside, she shivered just thinking about it, although it was the height of summer, she was still felt a slight chill some mornings. But he wasn't. Doubling back on herself she began to walk towards the living room, she squashed up her nose at the smell of coffee that was wafting throughout the house. She finally found Matt, still in his sleeping gear, sitting on the couch flicking through channels on TV.
"Couldn't sleep either?" Matt asked.
Gabby looked down at him, startled slightly. She hadn't realised that he was even aware she was up and around, hadn't she been fairly quiet?
"Sorry… heard you coming down the stairs. You completely passed by me," he said in answer to her unspoken question, getting up to give her a kiss. "Coffee?"
She scrunched up her nose again and shook her head. Her stomach flipped at even the thought of food which caught her off guard, she must be getting old, and obviously she couldn't survive on just coffee and nuts for dinner with crazy hours at Molly's anymore. Somehow Matt managed to miss the grimace that flashed across her face.
"Should have had dinner last night. Think I need food before I'll feel normal again."
"No one stopped you last night," he told her, a twinkle in his eyes.
Gabby scoffed as she walked off towards their kitchen. "It's not like you gave me much of a choice," she teased back. "And why didn't you bring me something to eat anyway? What sort of husband are you?" she chuckled and sauntered off without waiting for an answer.
Coming back in, she soon settled herself down on the couch with a piece of toast. Matt soon leant over and cheekily took a bite out of her toast.
"Where's my coffee?" came the muffled question from his toast filled mouth.
"Huh?"
Matt swallowed and tried again. "Where's my coffee?"
"You've already had a coffee. Matt, you really didn't need the extra caffeine," she pointed to the empty mug on the coffee table.
"Pfft…. First one! Coffee?" he asked hopefully.
Gabby simply held up her juice, intent on withholding caffeine from him. "Yeah, that's yours. Now where's my coffee?"
"Didn't want any."
"Again, that's you! But where is mine?" Matt pestered, reaching out for another bite of toast.
"It's in the kitchen, along with your toast," came the reply as she swung the toast out of Matt's grasp.
Matt grinned, stood and swiped her toast completely from her hands on his way out.
Gabby started to protest, leant out to swat his butt and stood up ready to claim her toast back. Matt managed to dodge out of her grasp and scooted towards the kitchen.
A slight groan brought Matt back into view and was faced with the sight of his wife bent over slightly, hand to the abdomen with a grimace on her face.
"Gabs..."
Gabby looked up. "Where's your coffee?" she mocked, trying to keep the pain out of her voice.
"You don't look well," he told her as he walked over to help her back down onto the couch. His face held a concerned look as he lowered her down, pulling a blanket off the back of the couch to drape over her.
"I'm fine, it's just a bit of cramping."
"Come on babe, let's get you back to bed. Or at least for a warm shower, you know how much that will make you feel better," concern dripping from his voice. Gabby couldn't have ever asked for a more devoted partner, he would always know what to do when she wasn't feeling quite right.
"I'm okay… And I know where a shower with you will go," Gabby commented, a sparkle flashing in her eyes.
"Gabby, baby you don't look ok."
She flung her hand out to smack him on the chest, a touch harder than she had first intended and had to pull her a throbbing hand as Matt tried to hold in a laugh. "Geez, just what every woman wants to hear…"
"You know what I mean."
"Honestly, just cramps!"
"Are you sure that's all?"
"Yes Matt," she replied, kissing him and pushing him off the couch. Pointing towards the kitchen, "Go!"
"Are you sure you're okay?" Matt continued to probe.
"Matthew!" Gabby snapped at him. Matt tried to hold back a grin, he loved when she got slightly worked up and called him by his full name, not that he would ever admit to that. It wouldn't be worth the pain.
"Just asking."
"Yeah, well don't. I'm fine. Now go," she ordered in a sharp tone
"Touchy," muttered Matt under his voice on his way out. A few seconds later a pillow hit the back of his head. He looked back over his shoulder to find Gabby wiggling around in what seemed like an attempt to get comfortable, yet he was wise enough not to make any more mention of it.
Gabby was still feeling blah, actually, she was starting to pin pointed it down to essentially feeling bloated. At least that's what she thought she was feeling. She shifted her legs underneath herself trying desperately to get comfortable somehow, her knee aching slightly. This wasn't the way that she was planning on spending her day off; it had been a while since they both had had a day off at the same time without any plans to do anything, no Molly's and no construction, no nothing! Each time they had recently had a day off Matt had been called into work, so many times that they had stopped planning on doing something specific on those shared days off. Well, to be honest, it was Gabby who had stopped planning stuff.
"Eugh," she said quietly to herself. She blamed Matt; she still technically hadn't had breakfast and that's why she felt this way. "Matt?" she called out.
"Yeah?" came the distant reply.
"If you're still doing toast, can I have some too? Since it's your fault anyway!"
"Huh? How do you work that out crazy?" he teased back.
"What!?" Gabby was getting worked up again; it was like going from zero to a hundred in a second. "You… You… You took my toast, I only got a bite!"
Matt slid through the hallway that connected the living room to the kitchen area with a cocky smirk on his face, a plate of toast in one hand, coffee in the other and watched Gabby squirm on the couch. The smirk disappeared the longer he watched her, she didn't even seem her usual colour, he could just tell that something wasn't quite right. And he knew that the gorgeous woman that he was able to call his wife would never tell her what really happening and if she wasn't feeling right.
"Are you sure that everything is okay?" he questioned the concern evident in his voice, as he brushed some hair out of her face letting his fingers rest on her cheek
There was no reply, rather all he got was 'the look'.
"What? Am I not allowed to be concerned? You just look a bit pale and you're obviously uncomfortable."
"Thanks," came the sarcastic response.
"You know what I mean…" he surrendered, "Toast?" he asked as he waved the plate under her nose.
Quietly she took a piece. Matt smiled as he leant down to place a kiss on her lips.
"Yuck," she exclaimed, giving him a little push away. "You taste like coffee."
"You've never had a problem before."
"Yuck," she reiterated.
Breakfast continued in a quiet fashion, as did the rest of their morning. Gabby really couldn't be bothered to do too much that day. She knew the minute that she planned something or they went out the door Matt would get a phone call either relating to his alderman position or some construction gig. He had even been called into Fire Headquarters once or twice recently, along with Kelly. Something about equipment and how the department could best spend their money. It had become a sore point with them, the fire department had those higher ups to work on their budget, they shouldn't need Matt for that. And if she was honest with herself she was quite happy just chilling at their house and not doing too much. They had worked so hard on this house together, that she simply wanted to enjoy and relax in it.
Matt leant against the wall of their home office, looking into their living room where Gabby had seemed to be camped out on the couch, she had barely moved all day. She had snuggled down into the cushions on the couch and wrapped herself in blankets. He was enjoying just spending time watching her, soaking it all in. Their lives had been so hectic lately; so busy to the point that they barely spent any time together, just the two of them. So this was nice, just being at home and enjoying each other's company. However, the longer that Matt watched Gabby the more he became aware that something wasn't right.
Every so often a grimace would pass over her features and she would move herself around in an attempt to be comfier on the couch. Then every now and again she would be rubbing her lower abdomen, her hand moving in circles.
"Gabs," he called, breaking her reverie.
"Hmmm?" came the vague reply.
"Are you sure that everything is alright? You seem to be in a bit of pain."
"It's nothing. Just a bit of cramping. It's just that time of the month," she shrugged.
Matt looked her up and down; the uncertainty could be seen in his eyes.
"Case, don't be such a worrier. It happens every month," Gabby informed him, rolling her eyes... Boys!
Matt still didn't look convinced. Before he had time to open his mouth to reply, his phone rang. He glared at the offending device before swiping it off the coffee table. "Matt Casey," he answered.
Gabby inwardly groaned as she heard him answer in what she referred to as his 'Alderman Casey, what do you want?' voice.
'Unbelievable,' she thought to herself. 'This always happens!' She didn't even bother tuning into his side of the conversation, she knew he would be out the door in a matter of minutes.
"Gabby, I'm really sorry. I've just got to nick out to the academy, there's talk about rotating around some of the lieutenants and captains to teach a few classes here and there. Most of the upper members may be called on; it won't surprise me if the some of the paramedic field chiefs and PICs have to get involved too. Like Kelly taught you at the Academy. I swear I'll try to be as fast as I can. Then we can work on this relaxing thing you've got going."
Shaking her head, she replied, "Why do they want you?" she teased. "Severide I understand, big strong strapping Squad lieutenant. You're just Truck," she finished with a cheeky smile
Matt didn't grace her with a reply; he simply gave her a raised eyebrow look and gave her a quick hard kiss before he grabbed his keys before heading out the door.
The only thing was Gabby still wasn't feeling well. The cramping she was feeling was only mild, but something was different and she couldn't quite put her finger on it. But she didn't want Matt to make a fuss, rather she just let him go off to see to work.
Gently she lay her head back on the couch wondering what it might be. Mulling it over for a few moments she finally decided that it had been a rough few days with very little sleep and obviously she hadn't been eating as well as she should have. 'Run down, that's what it must be,' she decided as she turned the TV on.
It wasn't that she would get that run down all that often, but the few times she had come down with the flu it had knocked her about. Last winter she had even had to take a few shifts off from the firehouse, but it was the middle of summer. There was no reason for her to have a cold. Casting her mind back over the past few weeks, she thought about what had been going on in their lives. Sylvie and she had been on some runs that others would call 'rough', but after working at 51 for so many years Gabby had come to expect these type of runs as the norm.
In her mind, there was nothing out of the ordinary. As per normal, Matt had been quite busy with all of his various jobs, but no more than normal. Antonio had visited a few times, something that had become more and more the norm since they had moved into this place, no one could ever accuse the Dawson siblings of not being close. Gabby had always been grateful for having her older brother so close to her. There was nothing, or next to nothing, that Gabby and Antonio didn't share. Their relationship was one that Gabby would never trade, she watched her friends around her and was forever grateful for how close they were, especially when she watched Matt and Christine together. Over the past five or so years, she had watched the Casey siblings grow slightly closer, but it still wasn't the same. They were both still holding back, both scared of what might happen if either opened themselves up. The hurt had run deep with them. And it doesn't matter what Gabby did, there wasn't going to be some magical cure and a sudden fix to their relationship. She couldn't fault them, they were both trying to make an effort, but it was always going to be hard to undo that many years of hurt and what some might see as a betrayal. Matt did try to be there for Violet, any time he could, but sometimes trying to encourage Christine to try to understand his busy schedule was hard. It was the fact that he was effectively holding down three jobs and wasn't always able to come at the drop of a hat, that Christine struggled to understand. Gabby had unfortunately witnessed a few shouting matching between the brother and sister recently over Matt's inability to commit to family plans that had been sprung on them at the last minute. She understood where Matt was coming from, they themselves needed to do a fair amount of planning and organising to even get all the Dawsons together, heck it was had been just as hard when it was just Gabby and Antonio to get together.
It caused Gabby to think about siblings, she had always felt slightly guilty that she hadn't made more of an effort with Christine; Matt and Antonio were close, it seemed like they always had been and they never seemed to have to work at it, it was a natural brotherly relationship. It wasn't unusual for Gabby to arrive home to find the boys outside on the deck drinking. However Gabby had struggled more with Christine, there was very little common ground between the two girls. She knew that her sister-in-law was a lovely person, it was just that she didn't spend a heap of time with her and hadn't been able to form bonds with her. Even when Louie was in their lives, he had only met Christine and Violet twice in six months, whereas he would go running toward Antonio screaming "TIOOOOO!" every time he would catch a glimpse of the older detective.
And she wanted that relationship for Matt and Christine, being around for Violet was important to her. Family was significant to her, Gabby knew that. Pondering for a few moments, Gabby decided that the next clear day off they had, they would get together with Christine and Violet, a family dinner or something. Time to make more of an effort to mending bridges, she decided.
As she began to watch Outlander, she let her eyes flutter shut, which was where Matt found her several hours later, so much for that short meeting. Asleep, TV still blaring. Matt shuffled quietly towards the couch, collecting the remote from the ground as he went. With a casual flick of his wrist, he had turned the TV off, as he glanced around himself. He was sure that he hadn't been away for too long, and even after their busiest days at the firehouse, he could probably count a number of times that Gabby had taken a nap on one hand. It was quite concerning to him, he pondered what it was causing it all, as he carefully swept her up into his arms bridal style. She was obviously dead to the world, whilst she wasn't usually the heaviest sleeper, any time that Matt had picked her up in the past she would have stirred however slightly. But today her eyelids hadn't even flicked.
Kicking the bedroom door softly Matt made his way into their room looking at the usually made bed. Something just wasn't right, Gabby would always make the bed in the morning, no matter what time of the day it was that she rolled out of bed. Hmm, Matt pondered silently. Easing himself onto the edge of the bed, Matt brushed the hair out of her face, brushing a kiss on her forehead.
"Sleep well, Babe."