"Dawson! My office!" Chief Boden shouted across the apparatus floor. Casey looked at his girl confused, she'd not messed up to his knowledge and she'd definitely taken the time the doctor stated, he'd made sure of it. Something in the chiefs voice made him worry though, he'd only ever heard him use that voice a few times before. Gabby looked across at him and shrugged her shoulders, she was as much in the dark as he was.

"Close the door" Boden turned to look at her "Dawson, I know you have had a lot on your plate recently but have you thought anymore about where you want to go when your candidacy ends?"

"Well chief I'm not sure to be honest. Maybe I could..."

Boden raised his hand to stop her, he already knew what she was about to say. "Look Gabby, you know you can't stay here and serve under Casey if you want to get married. I hear you have a date in mind already?"

Gabby nodded "yes chief, six months from now."

"So you have three months to put in for a transfer understood?"

"Yes chief."

"Good now off you go back to work."

"Yes chief" Gabby turned and left the office, she signaled to Casey to follow her to one of the side rooms. Turning to face him she says, "I've got three months to chose a new house. This sucks!"

"Baby we knew it was coming, you can't serve under me forever. Especially once we are married."

"I know, it's just I don't know if I can leave 51." Gabby sighed "it's be my house for so long, you guys are my family."

"And we will still be your family, you just wouldn't be on shift with us." He put his arm around her "look I know it's hard to leave, but what other option do we have?"

"If only I hadn't wanted to be a firefighter so bad. We'd be married now and it wouldn't be an issue. I could still work ambo and be married to you and be at 51." She relaxed against his chest.

"But is that what you want?" Matt was confused she fought so hard to become a firefighter even when she'd failed the physical test the first time because of her ankle, she had gone to the academy and voiced her opinion on how she was not going to be treated differently because she was a woman, how they'd let men in her exact position retake it before the next round. "Gabby, would you be happy with that?"

"I..." she let out a long sigh "all I want is to be with you."

"Gabby?"

She looked up at him "Matt if staying close to you means I have to work ambo then so be it, I'd love to still be a firefighter but I'm not just going to move to any house. If I can't find a fit for me then maybe moving back to ambo will be my only choice." Matt went to say something but she carried on "no, listen. I will look for a new house, I promise I will. But if I haven't found one that will suit me and I'll fit in with them I won't move. I can't go to a house where I don't feel comfortable as I won't feel like they have my back. And running into burning buildings and unsafe places without feeling like everyone has your back is just as unsafe as having your husband sat there worrying about you and you him. Plus Mills is thinking of leaving isn't he, he wants to go with his mum and sister and to be honest I think it's the right decision for him. They are a close family. I could just step back into my roll on ambo with Shay."

"You know, this is why I love you Gabriela Dawson. You have such logic. But don't make this decision because of me, I know how much being a firefighter means to you. But I will also support any decision you make, ok?" He kissed her on the forehead.

"Thanks. I love you too."

"Right now we best get back to work before we're written up for laziness." Matt joked.

"Hey sweetie."

Gabby was just sorting the washing out in the laundry room when Shay entered, she was carrying a load of her own washing.

"What's happening?" She asked.

"Nothing much" Gabby replied. "You?"

"Several none calls, silly things that didn't even warrant us being there."

"Girl I think I need a night out!" Gabby suddenly announced. "We've not been out in ages! We could just go to Molly's this time?"

Shay wasn't sure, their last couple of nights out hadn't ended so great, she thought back to the 4am return that caused Gabby to get two rough spankings and they both had to run first thing making them both almost spew their guts over Chicago. And then last time Gabby had ended up in the hospital after being attacked.

"I'm not sure Gabs, the last two times haven't been exactly successful."

"Third time lucky though right?" Gabby asked with a wink. She'd been pretty good recently, she couldn't remember the last punishment she'd received, well not a spanking anyway. "Come on girl! Please!"

"Ok" Shay caved "but we aren't switching phones off, we aren't getting in at 4am and we certainly aren't speaking to anyone that's going to hurt either of us afterwards." Gabby laughed out loud.

"Deal!" She collected the last of her washing and headed towards the bunk room, looking back she said "I'll let Matt know." Before she walked straight into him.

"Whoa slow down." He said steadying them both, "what do you need to let me know."

"Me and Shay are off out on a girls night tomorrow."

Matt raised his eyebrow slightly, "oh really?" He too could remember the last two 'girls nights' and how they'd ended. "And this girls night are you going out or staying in?"

"I just said out silly." She teased.

"Umhm." Matt thought for a second "and your going to behave?"

"Always"

"Gabriela we know that you don't always behave if you did your ass wouldn't be set a light so many times."

"Hey I've not been spanked since Christmas!" She said smiling at him.

"Only because you've been ill and after the incident at the club last time you haven't wanted to go out."

"Fine I won't go then." She stormed off towards the locker room leaving Matt stood with his mouth open in shock.

"Gabby come back here!" Matt shouted to her, she turns and stares at him.

"What!" she spits back

"I'm just worried about you ok, the last two nights out haven't ended well."

"Whatever, I said I won't go. Happy?" she turned on her heal not giving him time to respond.

"You ok?" Mills said as he saw Dawson come storming into the locker room and slamming open the door of her locker before throwing the clothes in and slamming it back shut.

"Fine!" She replied before stomping outside. She slammed open the fire exit and leant against the wall, her body was shaking and she was angry. She didn't know why it had got to her so badly but it had. It was like he didn't want her to get back to normal, and how dare he bring up the attack! The fire door slammed open and out came Shay.

"Sweetie, what's up?"

"We can't go out!"

"What? Why? You were all excited earlier." Shay looked at her confused as angry tears streamed down Gabby's face.

"Matt!" Gabby spat "it's obvious he doesn't want me to go."

"I'm sure that's not true. He's just worried about you." Shay was concerned it was very out of character for Gabby to react like this, she very rarely showed emotion to anyone but Matt, and she almost never cried in public.

"No, no he brought up the attack." Gabby began to fully sob now. "Why would he do that?"

"Gabby I'm sure you've misunderstood. Go and speak to him."

Gabby looked at Shay and nodded, she knew he wouldn't have intentionally upset her. And she knew that he would never stop her going out with Shay, he was only concerned about her. It was after all the first time she was going out since the attack. She just hoped he wasn't angry about how she'd spoken to him, she was sure if he was she'd be on the receiving end of his belt before long. "Ok, I'll go find him." She gave Shay a hug and headed back inside. Matt was in his quarters attempting to do paperwork, she knocked on the door and waited for him to look up.

"Matt." She said "I'm sorry." He reached for her hand and pulled her down so she was sitting on his lap.

"What was that all about?" He asked looking at her concerned.

Gabby repeated what she'd said to Shay in the courtyard. "I'm sorry I snapped at you and stormed off. Am I in trouble?" She looked at him trying to judge his mood.

"Gabby, I am worried about you going out again. Not only because of what happened last time but also because you've only just got back to full health. You know I'd never intentionally upset you?" She nodded. "As for being in trouble, well you know that I won't put up with you speaking to me or anyone in that way, don't you?"

"Yes"

"Well then I think we will deal with it at home after shift."

"Ok" she hung her head, she was confused usually he'd have no issue dealing with her here at work but he was going to make her wait until they were home. A stressful ball of worry formed in her stomach before she asked, "Will I still be able to go out?"

"Yes I think so, as long as you take your spanking without a fight you won't be grounded." Gabby smiled at him, that was music to her ears. "But Gabby if you fight me at all, or give me any cause to spank you more then you will be grounded as well. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir."

"Ok then, back to work."

The rest of shift seemed to move at an agonizingly slow pace.

"When we get in go to the corner" Matt said looking at Gabby. She nodded. They'd barely said two words to each other since leaving the firehouse. Gabby knew she was about to get spanked and Matt was quite honestly not looking forward to it either.

"Gabby, you know why I'm going to punish you don't you?" looking for reassurance from her that she was ok with what was about to happen.

"Yes sir" she knew she'd asked for this relationship but it didn't mean it made it any easier. And as their argument had been several hours ago on shift she'd been walking round with a big black cloud over her head most of the day and all night, she wished more than anything that he'd just pulled the blinds down and deal with her punishment in his office, the waiting was horrible. "I'll go to the corner when I get in, you won't have an argument off me." she added quietly.

Matt sensed something in her voice but he couldn't pin point what it was. She hadn't be spanked as punishment for several months now, because he was scared how she'd react, so he'd held of spanking her for the small things. He questioned whether it was too soon, they hadn't really spoken about it and now he'd told her she was going to be punished he couldn't go back on it. He would just have to start gently again, just a hand spanking this time, maybe a few swats with his belt but nothing to bad. He'd have to judge how she was coping but one thing he was sure of was that she'd be over his knee. He needed her close as much as she probably needed him right now. As they pulled up to the apartment Gabby grabbed her bag and headed inside, Matt followed in silence, she headed to the bedroom and he to the kitchen.

Ten minutes later Matt entered the bedroom to see Gabby in the corner, he thought he could hear sniffing but wasn't sure. "Gabriela come here." He said, she turned and looked at him, he could see that she had been crying. Concerned he took her hands "Gabby are you ok?" She nodded, "are you not ready for our relationship to be back like this?"

"It's not that." She said looking him in the eye. "I completely trust you but part of me is nervous because of him" she dropped her eyes again. Matt pulled her to sitting on his lap.

"Gabby, look at me please?" He lifted her chin up so she was looking into his eyes. "I love you more than the earth, and I completely understand your nerves. I'm nervous to." He kissed her forehead "when we first started this I wasn't sure I'd want to do it, I wasn't sure I'd be a good Dom. You gave me the confidence. If you want to stop we will. If not then today I will give you a hand spanking and five with the belt. But it is your choice."

Gabby stared at him taking in everything he said and letting his bright blue eyes pierce through her. She trusted him one thousand percent, and she loved the relationship they had. If truth be told without him to discipline her she would probably have lost her job several times over. No she wasn't going to let some crazy guy in a club change her relationship. "I'm good" she said smiling weakly at him, "I'll take the spanking."

"You sure?"

"Yup." She kissed him before standing up and pushing her pants down and lying across his lap.

Matt took a deep breath before SWAT SWAT SWAT, he began raining down on her bare backside, slowly turning it from pink, to red to crimson. Fifteen minutes later he told her to stand, tears were streaming down her face but she knew it wasn't over yet.

"Five" he said as he pulled his belt through his trouser loops. "You will not" CRACK "speak to me" CRACK "or anyone" CRACK "in that tone" CRACK "am I clear?"

He waited for her to reply before bringing the final swat down CRACK. He threw the belt down and placed his hand on her back while she sobbed gently. Once she'd calmed down she climbed on to his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Thank you" she said kissing him.

"What for?" He asked.

"For disciplining me." Matt chuckled, only his girl could thank him for setting her ass on fire. "I love you."

"I love you too."