The kids were at school as Gabby and Casey were alone at their home.
Matt was standing next to the bed in their bedroom as Gabby was sat on their bed, arms crossed over her chest and her back against the headboard.
"... I'm sorry, but I won't accept that you have decided to leave your kids, your home, your husband to travel alone... we need you here, I need my wife here with our family...". They've been discussing the matter for the hundred times since Gabby had told him she intended to join a group relief in Puerto Rico.
"I won't stay there forever, it's just for a few weeks, it's not like I'll be in Japan... Puerto Rico is five hours away, Matt...", she declared annoyed.
"Gabby, it doesn't matter for me if it's one hour minutes from here, one minute, ten seconds, your place is here... how you can't see it...", he narrowed his eyes at her to make his point, a hand resting on his hip.
"Look, I'm just asking for a few weeks, I've talked to my mother, I told you... she will be here to help you with the kids, you won't be alone...".
"Why you had to bring your mother to this? you know she has her own problems, it's not fair to her coming to Chicago and leaves her life in Florida...", he pointed out.
"I wouldn't ask her if she couldn't do it, she has known how I am since we- we lost...", Gabby trailed off. "... I need this, Matt, it would help if you understand me...".
Matt scoffed and turned away from her, he moved until he was standing up in front of the dresser, his hands resting in the surface, "Understanding you?... I'm struggling with the death of my child as well, or you forgot Elizabeth was my daughter?" he glanced at her quickly.
"I never diminished your grief or tried to make it all about me... what I see is we've been taking it differently... it's nothing wrong with that... Matt...", Gabby embraced herself, her face softened.
"My way of healing is giving myself to my wife and kids, even more, each day... while yours is staying away from us...", his voice unmoved.
"I love you and love my kids, I just asked for a moment to breathe, to focus on something else... I don't know...", she brought her hands up and covered her face, "... I don't feel myself since I lost the baby...".
They got quiet for a few minutes.
Getting up from the bed, Gabby walked to him, sensing her behind him, Matt turned around to looked at his wife, "...then talk to me, lean on me, I can carry the burden of what you are feeling with you...", Matt rubbed her arms, "... you're not alone, that's what I am trying to prove you the moment the doctor said our unborn baby had died...".
"I feel... I feel that I need a little time away... I'll still be your wife, that will never change...", Gabby wrapped her arms around him.
Matt blinked a few times, he never felt so hurt, "you don't know that...", he licked his lips a few times as shaking his head.
"What are you saying?" she required. "... Matt, what are you thinking?"
"Maybe when you get back you won't have a family anymore...", Matt's eyes were shining with tears as he dropped his arms to his sides.
"Don't say that..., she uttered angrily as her hands clutched the t-shirt he was wearing, "why are you say it? I'm not abandoning my family... it's not a vacation, fun trip or anything like that...", she owns tears making an appearance.
"It looks like to me...", he pressed his lips together, "...my wife running away while her family is right here to support her, to help her...", carefully he pushed her hands away from him.
"I don't believe you... how could you think it about me?" she asked upset.
"Gabby, I don't think, I witness it with my own eyes", he wiped a tear in the corner of his eye.
"Don't turn it into something else, Matt... please", Gabby stepped back.
"I'm tired of this conversation, really...", his eyes wandered around for a moment, "... I'm not gonna try to convince you anymore that you are doing a mistake...", he gazed at her briefly, "... do whatever you want, Gabby and I'll do what I consider the best for my kids...".
"Matt-", she touched his arm, but he passed by her making his way out of the bedroom.
A few days later
"Where is Casey?" Camila asked Gabby as helped her with her luggage. "I didn't see him when I got here, he didn't have dinner with us and the kids...".
"I don't know...", Gabby sighed as folded one t-shirt. "He barely has been talking to me...". Gabby went to the bathroom to take her lotion and other hygienic items.
Camila didn't like to be in the middle of them, but she was trying to help her daughter the best way she can.
"He loves you... you know", Camila said as Gabby came back. "He's probably at Severide or Molly's...".
"Maybe... or he arranged a new company", Gabby suggested as smiling weakly.
"Don't say that, Matt is not the kind of guy... he always loved you, there is no one besides you...", Camilla rubbed Gabby's back.
"I'm not sure... he hates me right now for ruining our family," Gabby laughed, "... he is right... everyone must be thinking I'm selfish bitch for doing it with him and the kids...", Gabby sat down on the bed.
"Hey, stop it... you are an incredible mother and wife, but you lost your child, it's natural to feel what you're feeling...", Camila sat down next to Gabby.
"I'm already having seconds thoughts about it... I'm not sure what I am doing anymore...", Gabby confessed.
"They would understand if you decide not to go... really, Chief Hatcher wouldn't be angry, he knows what are you going through...", Camila took her daughter's hand in hers.
"I am tired of letting people down... I can't do that with one more... It's hard to go, but I need to... and I want to thank you for supporting me, helping Matt while I'm away...", Gabby smiled warmly to her mother.
"I'm here, I always will be here for you, for my grandbabies...", Camila kissed Gabby's cheek, "...I love you my dear...", then she wrapped her arms around Gabby's shoulders.
"I love you too...", Gabby replied sweetly.
...
"Why you are here? Gabby's flight is tomorrow, isn't it?" Severide asked before sipping his beer.
"Yeah... her mother is there to help her to pack her clothes... I bet she wouldn't like my help", he shrugged, "...I would probably put them back to the dresser...", Casey answered as watching the Blackhawks game at Molly's.
"Perhaps it could be a good thing for her, man...", Severide spoke sincerely.
"Leaving her home is a good thing for you?... I disagree... her place is here, with me and the kids, with firehouse 51...", his eyes still on TV.
"I can't imagine what you two are going through, but I know it's not easy...", Severide sipped his beer one more time.
Casey went quiet for a minute, "every morning I think about her... Elizabeth...", Casey looked at his friend, "... I imagine her with her other siblings, what she would like at breakfast, she should be a teacher?, or a doctor one day... how beautiful she would be as her mother...".
Severide squeezed Matt's shoulder.
"It'll be painful waking up to an empty bed... it's not what I had in mind when we lost our baby... Gabby is my heart and soul, you know, she gives sense to my life... and now she is slipping through my fingers...".
"She loves you, I know that everyone knows that...".
Casey avoided Severide's eyes, "...I love her... but what she is doing it's ruining us...".
...
Next say
Kids were at school as Casey was at Firehouse 51.
"Hey... we didn't have a chance to say goodbye properly this morning...", Gabby declared as talking to Matt on the phone. She was at the airport waiting in line to check-in.
"Yeah... I was running late to get to work...", Matt said as sat in bed in his office.
"I never saw you coming to bed last night...", Gabby bit her lower lip. "You were with Severide and Shay?"
"We had a few beers last night at Molly's, so I got home late, I slept on the couch... I didn't want to wake you up, you needed your rest...".
"Thank you, but I didn't mind if you woke me up, you know...", she told him softly.
"I-I wish you a safe flight... and whatever you are looking for, I hope you find it in Puerto Rico...".
"Matt, I-I'm sorry... I know you are angry with me, you have your reasons, I won't argue about it...", Gabby had tears in her eyes, "...though I asked you to believe me when I say it wasn't my purpose to hurt you...".
"I won't lie, Gabby... I am mostly upset because when we got together, then we got married, I thought we would be facing the problems together not apart. So don't sit right with me how you've decided to deal with what happened on your own, away from me, from home... I can't deal with it...".
"I-I don't know what to say... I-I", Matt cut her off.
"This time apart won't help, Gabby... I-I can see we going in different directions... it's hard to say it-", Gabby interrupted him.
"You are talking about divorce? It's what you meant, Matt? It's what you want?"
The bell went off announced a call.
"We talk later, I need to go, bye Gabby...", he opened his mouth to say he loved her, but the words didn't come out.
"Bye, Matt".
...
The next update will be the final chapter. See you.