Part 5:

Gabby watched the scene from across the room, jealously painting her features. She could see the way Casey was looking at Brett holding his daughter, there was a softness in his eyes that is not there when he looks at her. What does Brett have that she doesn't? This would not do. Gabby was determined to bed Lieutenant Matthew Casey and she would not be denied.

"That's amazing," Matt murmured.

"What's amazing?" Sylvie asked.

"Alexa never goes to anyone when she's that upset, she only wants me, but she wanted you. I've never seen that before."

Sylvie blushed. "I've always been good with kids. My mom always thought I would be a preschool teacher or something but my calling was to help people who were scared, injured, or in distress."

Kelly, who was more observant than most gave him credit for, also saw the way Matt was looking at Sylvie. He wanted to see his friend happy, both his friends, and Brett could be really good for both Matt and Alexa, but Kelly wasn't sure he was ready for that yet. He'd have to talk to his friend later and suggest just getting to know her and building a friendship for now. A good solid foundation could lead to more down the road.

At that moment Chief Boden walked into the common room. "Was that a baby I heard screaming in here?"

"Sorry Chief," Matt said. "Meet Alexa my daughter. Apparently, she was having a really bad day and wouldn't calm down. My sister brought her over here hoping that she'd calm down for me. It seems that she wanted me, and then Sylvie because she's now her normal happy self."

Chief Boden smiled. "Aren't you a beauty," he cooed at the baby. "It's really nice to meet you, Alexa."

Boden gently ran his hand over the baby's head before grabbing one of the left-over sandwiches and sitting down at a table.

Gabby was still fuming, but watching the scene closely. She now knew what she had to do, the way to win over Casey was through his daughter. If she could get the baby to like her more than Sylvie then she'd have Casey eating out of her hands. With this thought firmly in mind she made her way over to where Matt and Sylvie were, determined to show Casey that she'd be just as good with his daughter as the paramedic.

"She's beautiful lieutenant. May I?" she asked gesturing towards the baby.

Shay nudged Kelly's arm whispering to him, "What is Gabby up to? She hates kids."

Kelly watched as Gabby made to grab Alexa, his protective instincts jumping to the surface. Everyone in the house knew that Gabby really didn't like kids, well everyone but Matt. He could see the hesitation on Matt's face, but then relented as if coming to the realization that Gabby wasn't going to hurt his daughter, especially with all these people in here.

"Sure, I guess that would be ok," Matt said cautiously. To most it sounded like a protective father concerned for his daughter, but Kelly could hear the unease in Matt's voice. After Gabby threw herself at him this morning Kelly couldn't really blame Matt for being hesitant. But if he said no, he'd look kind of like an ass, so he also understood why Matt allowed her to take his daughter.

Sylvie gave Alexa one more kiss, "You really are so precious love bug. I hope I get to see more of you.

"Ok lieutenant, while Dawson holds Alexa, let me have a look at you. We can either go over here in the corner so you can still see Alexa, or we can run to the bunk room really quickly for some privacy, but either way I'm checking you out."

Sylvie passed Alexa to Gabby, reluctant to let her go, but it gave her a good opportunity to check Casey's torso. She wanted to make sure he hadn't injured anything vital in that fall and cursed herself for not fully checking him over at the scene, but he walked out of the building and she hadn't thought he was that hurt.

"We can go to the bunk room," Matt said, eyeing Kelly and silently communicating with him to keep an eye on Alexa. Kelly nodded his understanding letting his friend know she'd be fine and he'd keep an eye on her.

Gabby took the baby and as she started to shift her closer to her body Alexa turned her head looking at both Matt and Sylvie and let out a high-pitched wail. Her face screwed up, turning red, and she started crying all over again. Gabby grit her teeth, pulling the baby against her and tried to mimic what Sylvie was doing only moments earlier, but Alexa was pushing against her and squirming trying to get away.

Matt quickly walked up to Gabby and took his daughter from her. "I'm sorry, she has been really cranky today and apparently only wants certain people."

Matt was secretly happy that Alexa didn't want to be with Gabby, he didn't trust the woman and was tired of having her throw herself at him. "Hey Kel, do you mind seeing if Alexa will go to you? I need to get checked out before Brett forces me to go to the hospital."

Kelly smiled, "Of course. Hey sweetie, come on let Uncle Kelly show you the squad truck. It's so much better than daddy's truck."

Alexa smiled at her Uncle Kelly and slapped his cheeks as he took her from Matt. Kelly beckoned Shay with him. "Alexa, this is Aunt Leslie, but I think she's gonna want be called Aunt Shay."

"Hey sweet girl," Shay said, not touching the baby so as to not upset her again. Alexa turned toward Shay as she spoke and squealed in delight touching her face. Shay smiled at the little girl, happy that she seemed to be accepted by the little Casey. Shay knew that babies had good survival instincts and she could most likely sense that Dawson's intentions were not pure and that was why she wanted nothing to do with the other woman. Shay followed Kelly out to the apparatus floor and laughed as he gave the 10-month-old a tour of his squad truck.

Matt smiled at Kelly as he left the room then gestured to Sylvie to go first. He followed her to the bunk room and into his quarters. Sylvie closed the door and turned expectantly. "Take the shirt off Casey, I need to see what kind of bruising you have."

Matt slowly lifted his shirt, it hurt to move his body too much and the stretching and pulling were causing his back to hurt. He could tell it wasn't serious, but he was stiff and sore, and he was sure that tomorrow would be worse. He's gotten some bumps and bruises on the job, it was inevitable, but he'd never fallen through stairs onto a concrete basement floor before.

Once Matt had his shirt off Sylvie walked towards him, checking out his ribs and chest for any bruising. Everything looked ok, he had a few minor bruises, probably from some debris falling on top of him, but his turnout coat protected him from most of that. Sylvie put her hand on Matt's shoulder and started to pull him to turn him around. Matt complied and showed her his back. He heard her gasp, and realized it probably looked awful.

There was a large bruise on his left shoulder, and one in the area of his kidney. That one made her a little nervous. She wasn't going to say anything just yet and started palpitating his back. She could feel him tense when she touched certain spots, and when she got to the bruise over his kidney, he let out a strangled hiss of pain when she touched it.

"Casey, I think Shay and I should take you to Lakeshore to have one of the doctors check out that bruise over your kidney. It might not be anything, but I would really feel better knowing that we had a doctor rule out any damage to the organ. It's a nasty looking bruise, you must have fallen directly onto a beam when you fell for it to bruise like that."

"Brett, I'm sure I'm fine. I feel ok, just a little sore…"

"Don't make me have Chief order you to go Casey," Sylvie interrupted. "I will do it. I do not like seeing my firefighters hurt and you are no exception. I'll probably mother you more so because you've got a precious little one at home depending on you. Most of those yahoos out there are single, and while I love them all and don't want any of them hurt, you and Herrmann hold a special place in my heart because you have kids waiting on you to come home."

"Does it really look that bad?"

"It does. How about once your daughter and your sister leave, so long as we don't have any calls you let Shay and I take you to Lakeshore to get looked at?"

Matt sighed. "Fine, but only after Christie and Alexa leave."

"Of course."

Neither occupant in Matt's quarters noticed the eyes watching them from the bunk room. Angry eyes were shooting daggers at the blonde paramedic. She was such a tramp, her hands all over the lieutenant's shirtless torso and back. Gabby wanted to scream, she wanted to be the one touching his delicious looking skin. Gabby had never been jealous of Sylvie Brett, she was too innocent and farm girl to really feel like a threat to Gabby, but it appeared that she was a big threat, at least when it came to one Lieutenant Casey. Gabby knew that she had to do something, she just didn't know what, but Sylvie Brett needed to be out of the way so that Gabby could have Casey. That was all there was too it.

Matt pulled his shirt back on, trying to hold in his hiss of pain but he was unsuccessful. "Come on lieutenant, I'll get you some pain meds from the back of the ambo."

Matt followed Sylvie out to the Ambo and smiled seeing Shay holding Alexa. It seemed his daughter liked both paramedics. Shay waved to him and Brett as they walked out onto the apron. Sylvie climbed into the back of 61 and got some pain medication for Matt. Nothing too strong because she didn't want to cause any issues when they went to Lakeshore later. Shay and Kelly walked over to the Ambo. Shay handed Casey back his daughter.

"She is beautiful, lieutenant, and so smart. You must be really proud."

"I am, she is absolutely perfect," Matt smiled.

"If you don't mind my asking where's her mom?" Shay asked.

Matt swallowed thickly. He knew that he was going to have to explain this to everyone sooner or later, he might as well get it done now. "Why don't we go back inside, I'd rather only tell this story once."

Shay nodded. Sylvie handed Matt two pain pills and a bottle of water. He placed the pills in his mouth and then took the opened bottle from Sylvie and washed them down. Then the four of them turned to go inside. Kelly looked at Capp and Tony, telling them to come into the common room for an announcement.

Matt cleared his throat once he entered the common room, getting every one's attention. "Um, so this is my daughter Alexa. We just moved here from New York City. I am originally from Chicago, but moved to New York when my fiancé was offered a position in one of the best hospitals in New York. Shortly after we moved Hallie found out she was pregnant. It was a shock, we weren't planning on having kids, at least not then, maybe not ever. It was the only thing we fought about, I wanted kids and she didn't. Anyway, Hallie decided to keep the baby, for me she had said, even though she hadn't really wanted kids.

Then one day I came home from shift and something was wrong. Alexa and Hallie weren't in the kitchen having breakfast like they normally were, and Alexa was screaming and crying in her crib. I thought maybe Hallie was sick and just couldn't get up, so I changed my daughter and went looking for my fiancé. I couldn't find her, but in our room was a note on my pillow. She apologized and said she just couldn't be a mother, she tried, but she never wanted it and she just couldn't do it any longer. I found her in the tub with her wrists slit. She took her own life because she couldn't handle being a mother. I still feel guilty, I should have seen signs, but she never acted depressed or anything when I was around. She doted on Alexa whenever I was there, I didn't know she was hurting. Maybe if I paid closer attention, I could have prevented it."

"Oh Matt!" Sylvie exclaimed. "I am so sorry you had to go through that, well are still going through that I should say."

"Thanks Sylvie. I didn't tell you all for sympathy, I just wanted you to understand that I'm a single dad and while the situation sucks, I love this peanut with everything I am. I am hoping Chicago will be the fresh start that we need. I wanted to be closer to family and friends, and New York just held such bad memories for me, I had to leave."

"That's understandable lieutenant," Otis said.

"Yeah, totally. And Lieutenant? You've got family here and this 51 family helps one another. Anything you need, we'll be there." Cruz said.

Matt smiled at his new firehouse family. He had heard many things about Firehouse 51, that they were a problem house, but Matt didn't see that. He saw a group of people tighter than any family he had ever known, and they were accepting him and his daughter into that family no questions asked.

"Well lieutenant, I can guarantee you once Cindy finds out about your history, she's not going to take no for an answer, so I'll be seeing you and Alexa every morning we have shift." Herrmann said, getting a chuckle out of the team.

Matt smiled. "Thanks Herrmann, I'll still be by tomorrow to meet Cindy and your kids. I mean she's already got four running around your house; I don't want her to feel that she has to add one more to the mix."

"Trust me Casey, she's going to love having another girl in the house. She and Annabelle are outnumbered currently. Alexa will even up the numbers."

"Herrmann's kids are so cute, a little rambunctious but just the sweetest," Sylvie laughed.

"Yeah, they are, but I wouldn't change anything. Brett Annabelle has been asking for you to come back over, she keeps complaining that Cindy and I can't do her hair the way you do."

Sylvie laughed. "I'll set something up with Cindy and be over soon."

Matt kissed his daughter on the head, knowing that she had to go. The bells could go off again at any time, and it was getting closer to her nap time. He hated having to let her go, but he needed to work. He still had to get checked out at Lakeshore like he promised Brett, and he needed to write up his report on the last call and hand it in to Boden.

"Hey Casey, do you have those benefits papers? I didn't see them on my desk this morning."

"Oh, Crap!" Matt exclaimed.

Christie laughed. "Here you go Chief," she said pulling the folder out of the diaper bag. "You left them on the counter as you rushed out this morning. You were so wrapped up in Alexa you forgot all about them."

"Thank you so much!" Matt exclaimed, kissing his sister on the cheek. "I thought I forgot something as I was running out of the house this morning, but I couldn't remember what it could have been."

"We should probably get going. I want to get this little one down for her nap, and Violet will be coming home from school in a little bit and we need to be back for that."

"Thank you for brining her by, I know it wasn't under the best circumstances, considering she was inconsolable but it was nice to snuggle her for a little bit.

"Alright sweet pea, you need to be good for Aunt Christie for the rest of the day. No more crying fits, you hear me?"

Alexa just babbled back at her dad, making him smile and the others laugh.

"Not even one and she's starting to sass back," Kelly laughed.

"Shut up Severide," Matt laughed.

"Bye love bug," Sylvie said, ticking Alexa's little foot. "Hopefully we'll get to see you again soon."

"Bye sweetie" Kelly said, kissing her head. "Make sure you tell your old man just how cool the Squad 3 truck is alright?"

Matt shook his head at his friend. Who knew that Kelly Severide was such a dork? Matt bucked Alexa into her car seat and carried it outside to Christie's car. He gave his sister one last hug and then snapped Alexa's seat into the car and gave his daughter one last kiss.

"I love you sweet baby, see you tomorrow morning."

Matt watched his sister drive off before turning back into the firehouse. He saw Brett looking at him with eyebrows raised.

"Let me just tell Boden and we can go."

Sylvie nodded and turned to Shay. "I got Lieutenant Casey to agree to go to Lakeshore to be looked at. He's got a really nasty bruise across his kidney and I'd feel better if they ruled out any damage."

"Great, I'll get the Ambo started, meet you out there."

Matt knocked on Boden's door. "You got a minute chief?"

"Sure Casey, what's on your mind."

"Brett wants me to get looked at and she and Shay are going to take me to Lakeshore. I feel fine, but I've got some bruises on my back, one by my kidney that she's concerned about."

"Good. Brett is a great paramedic if she thinks that you need to be looked at, I trust her judgement. If there's a call, I'll have Herrmann stand in as officer on truck, he was doing it since Darden's accident anyway and I'll have Ambo drop you off at the call, unless they have a call, then I'll have 81 pick you up."

"Thanks Chief."

"Not a problem Casey. Go on, get yourself looked at. Let me know what they say."

"Will do."

Matt turned and moved as quickly as he could to the apparatus floor. Brett was waiting for him outside the Ambo. She opened the back door for him and he climbed in slowly, trying not to jostle his back too much. Sylvie climbed in behind him and asked Severide to close the doors for her. Once they were all settled Shay took off for Lakeshore.