As always I am blown away by the people who have taken the time to review or have a chat to me on Twitter, it is all so appreciated.

I do usually try to update every Friday night, just to keep people in the loop. So keep an eye out for it each week, fingers crossed I can keep up with this schedule.

Thanks to R for her continuing support... I first started talking about this fic with her not long after I posted my first CF one shot. So for weeks now she has been patiently going through and editing this story for me and helping me with everything. Thanks R...

On with the story

"Babe?" Gabby called through the house as she packed the rest of her bag. It was still fairly early in the morning, but if she didn't get a move on she was going to be late. "Matt? I've got to go!" she hollered.

"What?" Matt queried as he came down the stairs. Gabby stopped in her tracks to take in the sight of him sans shirt, his dirty blonde hair still mussed from the night, she loved it. If she didn't have to go to work, she would have marched him straight back upstairs to take advantage of that big shower in their master bathroom.

"You're dressed," Matt commented as he ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to flatten it down slightly, he was sure that it would be sticking up at all angles at the moment. He just couldn't quite work out why Gabby was dressed at all. He glanced around the kitchen, there was no breakfast to speak of, just Gabby's work bag.

"Good observation," Gabby replied dryly as he reached her, taking her into his arms before ghosting his lips over her neck. "Let me rephrase… you're overly dressed for our day off," he mumbled as he lifted his head back from her.

"About that…" Gabby picked at the non-existent spot on her t-shirt and backed away from him imperceptibly. "The house rang. Lieutenant Fitzpatrick wanted to know if I was able to come in and do a shift with for him. He had one of his truck members call in sick and there just isn't anyone that he could find to take his spot," she apprised him as he ran a hand over his face, sighing in the process. He screwed up his face trying to think of the words he would use to show his displeasure without frustrating Gabby. Noticing this, Gabby understood that she needed to reassure Matt that is was something that was crucial for her to do today.

"Matt, I haven't been on Truck for months. I need to do this," she pleaded.

"Babe, it means that by the time we get to our shift you're already going to have been working for 24 hours, it's going to be a lengthy 48 hours."

"Come on Matt, it's not like you haven't done it before. Lots of the guys have," she reasoned.

"But the guys…." he started only to be cut off by a death stare from the shorter woman in front of himself. There was no doubt in his mind that she could take him on, anytime she wanted too.

"So..." she dragged out, giving him the evil eye, "You're saying that because I'm a female I can't do this?"

"I didn't say that Gabby…" he took her hands into his big firm ones, rubbing a thumb over the back of them. "It's just that 48 hours is a long shift, especially since you haven't worked Truck for a while."

"All the more reason to go and actually do a shift."

"Gabby you've been so tired all week. I've never seen you take naps in the middle of the day. Yesterday you took forever to get out of bed and then you had a nap plus you pulled out of a shift at Molly's and crashed on the couch. Are you sure about this shift?"

"I've already said yes. I'm not asking for your permission Matt, I'm telling you. Now I've got to go, already missed roll call."

"So Fitz won't be expecting you just yet, we could take a quick shower first," he suggested with a raised eyebrow.

Gabby laughed at the thought. "I missed the very short roll call, but I'm sure he'd notice if I wasn't there for a few hours."

"Few hours? Tickets on yourself there Mrs Casey," taunted Matt as he grabbed her around the waist, letting a finger draw lazy circles on her shoulder whilst pushing her bag off her shoulder, allowing it to drop to the ground. Pulling her around, suddenly his lips were on hers, desperate and searingly hot, leaving her breathless as she dug her nails into his bare back. Before she was even aware of it, she was moaning at the loss of contact.

"Keep your badge off the wall," he told her sincerely before departing, leaving her red, breathless and wanting him more.

Gabby came racing into the common room of 51 to be greeted by faces she just wasn't used to seeing.

"Lieutenant?" she questioned nervously, not completely believing the butterflies that she was experiencing, what was that all about? First Watch was definitely the shift that she would have rather worked with if she couldn't work for Matt. Fitzpatrick was open to having a female on shift and most of the truck members weren't old school enough that they would have a problem with her. "Sorry about roll call," she apologised.

Fitzpatrick turned from his morning coffee. "Daws… Casey. Thanks for working this shift for me. Let me introduce you," he hurried on, knowing that any minute there was likely to be a call. "On Truck, we have Lemke and Chauffeur Stewart over there at the table; Engineer Doherty, there with the TV," he pointed out. The guys all nodded or waved in greeting. Fitzpatrick shook his head at the burly guy who entered in search of food, "And I'm assuming you know Lieutenant Nelson, one of those squad guys," he mocked. Nelson tipped his head as he walked past. "And finally this is our new candidate, Robinson," he finished as he motioned a hand in the general area of the kitchen. Gabby took each of them in, their candidate seems very reserved, more so than the normal candidate would, their last few had been quiet but still interacted with the rest of team. This one though looked down right scared, anyway, moving on she filed this in the back of her mind.

"Hey listen up Truck… This is Gabby Casey, she's from second shift. You on Engine these days? Not Truck right?" he verified.

"I'm the PIC on Ambo 61 now," she confirmed.

"Not a firefighter?" Nelson commented, judgement evident in his voice.

"I was Truck 51, but when I fostered a little boy I moved back to Ambo. Shifts like this allow me to keep my hand in the business, so to speak." She hoped that the men in front of her wouldn't question her anymore... whilst she had somewhat made peace with the fact that she didn't have Louie anymore it wasn't a subject that she liked to dwell on. Luckily everyone except Nelson seemed to drop the subject.

Nelson scoffed slightly. "Wonder what Severide says…" he muttered, pushing past the Truck members heading towards the door.

"Well, she comes highly recommended by Chief Boden. So that's good enough for me Lieutenant," a stern new voice joined the conversation. Gabby looked up to see Chief Morgan walking through the common room.

"Chief Morgan," she greeted, moving towards him. "Thank you for having me on your shift."

Morgan simply nodded at her as he moved towards the food. Gabby glanced around one more time, this shift seemed to have more of a traditional approach to the different rigs, there was a clear separation between Truck and Squad. And she hadn't even seen a member of Engine yet.

"So Casey, you got everything you need. Firefighting gear still around? Turnout coat and everything?"

Gabby nodded as she ticked off the items in her mind. "Yes… coat, pants and boots out on the floor, which reminds me left or right side?"

"Hmmm… You're in for Davis, back left side," Fitzpatrick confirmed. "Any other questions?"

Gabby opened her mouth to confirm that she was all good but was cut off by the bells and speaker announcing that they were all needed. Slipping her socked feet into her work boots she felt a rush course through her. Settling herself opposite to the First Watch candidate, she placed her helmet on her head and rested it on the back of the truck seat, allowing herself to enjoy the butterflies that had begun to fly around in her stomach again. Whilst it concerned her that it had been over quite a few months since she had been on Truck, she was sure that it was all going to come back to her.

Gabby was right, running into that burning building and everything that came with it had come flooding back to her. She had missed that, she missed the thrill and it seemed that First Watch worked as well as a team as the Second Watch did. She had just fitted right in with them... seamlessly.

"So Casey?" Robinson's voice came across unsure as Truck arrived back to the house after their first call of the shift. It almost sounded like he wasn't even sure if he was allowed to speak or not.

"Hmm?" Gabby turned around, putting her station boots back on. "What is it?" she asked after a beat of silence. She looked up to find most of the Truck Company heading back towards the common room and Robinson stopping to look at her and then her turnout coat and then back again.

Gabby shook her head and headed towards the common room.

"Casey?" the unsure voice came across again. "I have a question, it's kinda personal and I'm a bit confused."

"You cook Candidate and I might answer it," she replied as she headed towards the coffee machine.

"It's just that everyone is calling you Casey… But your turnout coat has the tag Dawson?" His eyes were wide with questions.

"Yeah it's the right coat," she confirmed.

"Well?"

"Lieutenant," Gabby called out. "Don't you remind your candidates of the rules of being a candidate; 'keep your mouth shut'?" she finished with a twinkle in her eye.

The candidate's face drained of colour as Gabby tried to keep her face straight. "Breathe Candidate," Gabby advised. "It's not that interesting of a story."

"Not interesting?" chuckled Fitzpatrick. "How she is even allowed to work in this house is amazing," he laughed as Robinson's face turned confused.

"Dawson is my maiden name," Gabby confirmed. "I was Second Watch's candidate on Truck a few years ago, moved over from Ambo. So all of my truck gear still has DAWSON written all over it. I never got it replaced after I got married and I'm back on Ambo so I don't need the same gear anymore."

"How does that conflict with you being at this house?"

"Ask her who her husband is," piped up Doherty from the couch. Poor young Robinson was looking more and more confused, letting the pot he was holding clatter to the benchtop.

"Matt Casey, the Second Watch Truck Lieutenant is my husband." The confused look didn't let up from his face. "You do realise that married couples can not serve in the same company, right?"

"Hence the amazement that they are even allowed to be on the same watch," Fitzpatrick teased.

"Lieut… You're just jealous," Doherty commented with a smile.

"Don't let his girlfriend hear that," joined in Lemke, a wide smile adorning his face. "Or maybe do… He might be forced into actually making an honest woman out of her finally." Fitzpatrick threw a pen in the general direction of his laughing men.

Gabby laughed as she walked off to the bunk room with a smile on her face. It ended up being a fairly busy shift during the day for Truck 81. Gabby enjoyed every minute of the callouts, it had been so many months since she had been allowed to run into a burning building. She loved her life, but the renewed taste for firefighting was sparking inside of her.

Having a hectic day at 51 was something that Gabby was appreciative of in some ways. This was a way for her to dip her toes back into the job and also keep her current. She loved being a paramedic and whilst she knew there was no way for her to ever serve back on Truck at 51 with Matt, maybe one day, just one day she might be able to serve on Second Watch at another house. However, come 8 o'clock that night, she was exhausted and ready to put her head down on her pillow, which is what she ended up doing a mere half an hour later.

Her next conscious thought was when the bells rang through the house early the next morning. Turning onto her side Gabby saw the bright blue lights shining out announcing that it was only 4:30 and she felt that she hadn't actually slept at all.

"Come on Casey," Lemke called out as he went past her bunk, giving it a slight kick with his boot. "Structure fire, I hope you like those big fires." Gabby smiled to herself, they were her favourite. Clambering into the rig next to Doherty she settled herself down for the short ride towards the already rolling fire.

Gabby stood next to the truck, allowing her eyes time to adjust to bright early morning light combined with the roaring fire that was in front of her. "Hey Casey," Fitzpatrick nudged her gently. "I'm going to send Robinson with you to do a sweep. He usually sticks with Doherty or Davis, you okay with that?"

"Sure Lieutenant, don't want to change the dynamics of the team." Gabby nodded, quietly wondering to herself how this was going to play out. She needed to know that Robinson had her back at all times, and right now she wasn't too sure, but she'd follow the chain of command and speak to Fitzpatrick if and when needed.

"Right! Truck, heads up," Fitzpatrick's voice rang out over Squad and the sirens from Ambo. "Stewart and Lemke, you vent. Casey and Robinson, you clear the first floor. Doherty, you and I have the first on the right, Squad will go above us… And Robinson, you stay glued to Casey's hip, just like you do with any of us."

"Sir," the young firefighter confirmed. With that, Gabby lowered her body to the ground to organise her regulator, noticing the feet that passed her by. Who could possibly get themselves ready that fast? She couldn't possibly have slowed down that much in time she had been out.

"OI!" Doherty's voice roared out. "CANDIDATE! You do not go into the building without a regulator on! And you stay glued to Casey's hip… Glued! Do you hear me?" he questioned as he tightened his grip on Robinson's collar, yanking him back harshly.

"Truck! Squad," interrupted Chief Morgan. "In and out, we don't know how much time we have."

"Come on Candidate," Gabby swept past him. "On my hip, behind me, on my left at all times." Robinson nodded weakly as he trailed in after her. "Hey," she turned at the last possible second to face him. "You ready to go in there? I need to know that you have my back at all time. If you're not, I don't want you in there."

"Yes, ma'am. I'm good to go!" Gabby regarded him for a moment and nodded sharply and heading into the building.

"Fire Department call out! …Stay low Robinson… Check that room," she motioned. Slowly they moved checking each of the rooms, the smoke becoming thicker as the minutes ticked by. "Fire Department! Call Out!"

Gabby's radio crackled to life. "Casey… Robinson. Where you both at?" came Morgan's voice. Turning to look at Robinson behind her, her fingers fumbled for the radio. "One room left and then we're clear Chief."

"You've only got a few minutes Casey…. You too Fitzpatrick."

"Come on Robinson… last room!" Gabby cracked the door open, finding a young man struggling to breathe. Racing forward she knelt down beside the guy, he barely looked out of his teens. "Hey… hey… Stay low. Here," she finished, pulling her regulator off her head and placing it over his face. "Long steady breaths… Come on… Steady breaths," she began to cough slightly when the fire started to lick the walls. "Robinson, where are you?" Gabby turned to find the young candidate frozen and staring at the dancing flames.

"ROBINSON… I need you! I need help moving this guy… CANDIDATE!" Watching the still motionless firefighter, Gabby scrambled to find her radio. "Lieutenant, I need you... in the North-West... corner, three rooms... from the hall on the right…" she spluttered between coughs. She was spending too much time without her air. Tugging on the guy she managed to begin dislodging the man from the piece of furniture he was trapped under.

"Casey!" Doherty came rushing in, yanking the guy, pulling him to his feet. "You okay?"

Gabby nodded as she motioned towards Robinson who was being led out by Fitzpatrick. "Let's get out of here," she told him, one hand holding up the regulator to the injured man.

They were near the door when the man seemed to get a second wind and regained his bearings, as he looked around his eyes became wide. Within a second he had elbowed Gabby in chest hard causing her to gasp and stomped on Doherty's foot before taking off out of the door. Doherty turned to find Gabby struggling to breathe due to the knock to the lungs and smoke inhalation. Acting fast, he pulled her close to him, helping the young woman out of the burning building.

Gabby leant over, placing her hands on her knees trying to catch her breath in-between all of the coughing. Fitzpatrick came over to clap her on the back "Casey? You okay?" he lightly asked. Gabby was unable to answer and just gave him the thumbs up sign as her breathing slowed. "Okay," he replied as he handed over a drink bottle. "Good work in there by the way." Check one thing that Gabby didn't miss about working on Truck - the amount of smoke that she would inhale.

"CASEY!" Morgan's voice bellowed. Gabby looked up to find the Chief standing over her. "Go over to the Ambo and get yourself checked out."

"I'm fine Chief, just need... to catch my breath and get... myself a drink. It's the end of shift... boss, the next watch will have already... rolled in by the time we get back... If I'm not fine... in a few hours, I'll get myself… checked out…" she finally got out. She watched as Fitzpatrick and Morgan shared a look, having a conversation without words, until Morgan finally nodded his head.

"Ok everyone let's get defensive," Morgan announced.

It was well past 9 o'clock when Truck finally pulled back into the firehouse. Gabby stretched slightly in her seat before being the last to jump out. She watched as Chief Morgan pulled a frightened looking Robinson towards his/Boden's office.

"Casey," Fitzpatrick called out, stopping her short. "I just wanted to check everything was alright? What happened out there? In the room with Robinson. What was it?"

Gabby regarded him slowly for a moment or two, not too sure what she should be saying to the lieutenant. Was it her place to be calling out a candidate when she was only a relief? Struggling for a moment she took a deep breath, "Lieutenant… I'm sure that Robinson could be a good firefighter one day… But sir, he froze today. I know better than anyone that this is a hard job and it has its scary moments… We are all only human, but you need to know that every person, man or woman, on that truck under your command, will look after everyone's back… And today he didn't have my back," she honestly told him.

Fitzpatrick contemplated what she had said for a tick or two before nodding. "Good work today Casey. I'd have you on this company's truck anytime."

Gabby nodded as she pulled off her turnout coat, folding it over her arms as she watched Second Watch spill out onto the apparatus floor.

"Dawson," hollered Kidd. "I hope you brought the truck back in a decent manner girl." Gabby only shook her head as Matt approached her.

"How was it?" he swept her into his arms and gave her a quick hard kiss.

"Ergh!" shouted over Severide. "Get a room!"

"No time for that," joked Gabby as she turned back to Matt sliding a touch closer, laying her head on his chest for a moment. "It was good… Busy, but good."

"And their candidate? The one that Morgan is losing his temper on in Boden's office?" he asked, his baby blues boring straight into her's. Gabby shrugged slightly as she untangled herself from his grasp.

"I'll tell you about it later. First I need to get out of this gear." Matt raised an eyebrow with a slightly cheeky grin on his face. "Matt… honestly," she commented as she turned intent on heading for the showers. Gabby stopped abruptly mid-stride across the apparatus floor, closing her eyes, a similar wave that flowed over her three weeks ago came back to rear its' ugly head.

"Hey?" Matt stopped walking to take a step back to her, placing a hand on her arm. "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," she spoke again shaking her head slightly. "I'm fine, it's nothing. Probably just lacking some sleep. Plus, it's been awhile since I've been on Truck, just wiped I suppose." Matt racked his eyes over her, a concerned look on his face.

"Casey!" Fitzpatrick's voice called out, laughing slightly when both Gabby and Matt's heads snapped towards his direction. "Wow, how does Second Watch manage with the two of you and your last names?" he joked.

"Casey," Matt commented pointing to himself, "Dawson," he finished, jerking a thumb in her direction.

Fitzpatrick only laughed. "Anyway Casey, good job today. If Second Watch ever wants to let you go, there's a spot on my truck for you anytime."

"Hey," teased Matt snaking an arm around her waist pulling her close. "Find your own wife Nick… She's not leaving Second Watch."

"Yeah!" Gabby joined in on the teasing. "But Truck was fun," she taunted Matt, twisting to look up at him.

"You'll keep," returned Matt.

"Well, I'll won't keep you both. Casey your wife did an amazing job on Truck. Casey... wait... no Dawson, if that coughing gets worse, I do think you should get it checked out," he farewelled.

"Thanks, Lieutenant, I'm fine," Gabby replied.

Matt waited until Fitzpatrick was out of sight, before pulling Gabby aside. "What was that about, this coughing problem?"

"Nothing…"

"Dawson…" Matt warned, his lieutenant's voice starting to creep in.

"Matt, I'm tired. I just want to jump into the shower before roll call and see if I can take a nap before Ambo gets a call out."

Matt sighed knowing that he wasn't going to get anywhere with her at the moment. She would talk to him when she was ready. "Well you are a bit smoky," he wrinkled his nose playfully.

"Hmph," she snorted as she gave him a push.

Reaching out a hand, he closed her fingers around her wrist to spin her back toward him. "Did you want some help washing your hair?" he whispered in her ear before crashing his lips onto hers. Gabby allowed herself to melt into the kiss as Matt brought his hands up to tangle into her hair. Matt pushed her backwards, taking a few steps before her back came into contact with the cold metal of the truck. Gabby moaned slightly into his mouth, as he deepened the kiss. He broke away slowly, allowing them to catch their breaths. "Do you know how hot you are in that turnout gear?" he mentioned.

Gabby smirked slightly, hooking her fingers into his belt loops yanking him closer. "I might have some idea," she commented. Matt raised his eyebrows before leaning down again, allowing themselves a few moments to enjoy each others company.

"Oi!" Severide's voice broke through their moment, ruining it for them yet again. "Don't you have a big enough house of your own to do that?" he baited.

Casey gave him a look, before releasing Gabby and pushing her towards the showers. "I'll see you in my office later."

"Keep it at home Case," called out Severide. "None of us need to see that!"

Gabby shook her head at the two of them as she walked towards the locker rooms.

Dawson walked into Casey's office, tying up her damp hair in the process. "The smoke smell does take some time to rid itself of you, doesn't it? …Did I miss roll call again? Seems like everyone is scattered around the house," she paused as he nodded his head. "Well that's two calls in a row that I've missed," she commented cheekily.

"So how was it? Am I going to lose you to another Truck company?" he joked. Casey looked up as he heard Dawson sniff slightly. "Baby?" He took her into his arms and lead them towards the bed after making sure that the door was firmly shut. "Gabby what is it?"

"Nothing," she tried to shrug him off as she shook her head at him. There was nothing that Casey needed to know. She knew that she had to be strong, that even after being out of the truck for over twelve months, she needed to know that she could still do it. "It's just today when Robinson, the First Watch candidate… he was supposed to be glued to my hip… And when I needed him the most… He froze. Thank God for Doherty or I may never have gotten the man out," she finished as she drew in a shaky breath. "And it's my fault that he's been dressed down by the chief. I spoke out about him."

"Hey, look at me…" he hooked a finger under her chin forcing her to look up at him, the tears beginning to form in her eyes. "You did nothing wrong. We need to know if a candidate isn't working out. I would want to know; Boden would want to know. And if he didn't have your back Gabby, he shouldn't be here. We need to protect one another Gabby," he continued as he rubbed circles soothingly on her back. "You did nothing wrong. You are an amazing firefighter, don't doubt that…" he pulled her into his strong embrace. Dawson allowed his hug to sooth her, taking comfort in his strapping arms as his hands ran up and down her back. "Why don't you get some sleep in here until you're called out?" he questioned as he stood up and helped her into his bunk.

Casey gently closed the door behind him, watching through the window as she slept before turning towards the Chief's office intent on finding out what had happened during the previous watch. But he knew that Dawson was going to be okay… Apart from that funny turn she had had on the apparatus floor.

Hope you enjoyed, let me know what you thought ~ Em