Gabby's body stiffened as she walked past the chiefs office and saw Matt, Severide, Hermann, Antonio and Lindsay stood there with him. The only time the 21st district came and had closed door meetings with the officers of 51 was when they needed help with something.
"Cruz what's going on in there?" She asked as she past him.
"They need someone to go undercover I think."
"Not of us?"
"I don't know, Antonio was saying they needed help getting into someones house. I only heard a little bit before they closed the door, but."
Before he could say anything else the door to the office opened and chief called her and Shay inside.
"Dawson, Shay a word please?"
Following the chief into his office Gabby took in the looks on the faces of the people already stood in it. Matt looked terrified, Severide had a blank look about him, Antonio was watching his sister look around with a guilty face and Lindsay had a worried but sympathetic look about her. No one said a word for a short while everyone just looking between each other. The tension building and the air thick.
"What's up chief?" Shay asked breaking the uncomfortable silence.
"CPD need our help" he began, Matt moving closer to Gabby and slipping his arm around her waist. He knew it wasn't the most professional thing to do but what the chief was about to ask was dangerous and she had only just got back to being his Gabby again. "There's a suspect in a drugs case but they can't get near the guy.
"How can we help?" Gabby said insistently, resulting in everyone's heads whipping round to look at her.
"Well and we will understand if you say no." Lindsay began looking from Dawson to Shay, to Casey to Antonio and back again. Severide folding his arms across his chest, nervous energy filling the room. "We know the suspect has a heart condition, he has been in and out of the hospital this past year and we were hoping you could do a welfare check on him, well pretend to anyways. While you've got him distracted we are going to go in and put a tap on his laptop."
"I'll do it." Gabby said without even thinking. Matt turned her to look at him.
"Gabby it's dangerous this man he's done terrible things." The thought of her being put in a dangerous position filled him with fear, Gabby could see it in his eyes. But she knew that if it wasn't her and Shay they would have no chance at getting close to this guy, they wouldn't have been asking if there was any other way.
"So." She said standing her ground "if I can help get one more criminal off our streets I will."
"Gabby" Antonio cut in fear filling his body as quickly as it had Matt's, "the last person that got close to this guy wound up dead, if he makes you even for a second it could go bad."
"I understand." She said looking at her older brother with a fire of determination burning in her eyes. "I'm still doing it."
"Chief?" Casey pleaded staring at him, hoping that he'd say she couldn't and to send someone else. But he just shook his head.
"Casey I can't in good faith tell her she can't. Not when you know as well as I do if anyone can do it, it's Dawson." Turning to look at Shay he said "Shay you're very quiet?"
"Sorry chief, if Gabby's going in I'm going to."
"Are you sure?" He eyed her carefully, he wouldn't let her go in unless he was 1000% sure she was ok with it.
"Never surer. We made a vow to protect this city and if we can help we will." Turning to Antonio and Lindsay she asked "what do you need us to do?"
Antonio took a deep breath debating whether or not to argue with them. He hadn't been happy when Voight had suggested it, it was part of the reason he said he would ask her, he knew he could read his sister well and was worried if she was asked by anyone else she'd say yes even if she was ok with it. Deciding it wasn't worth the fight he said "we just need you to pretend you are doing a welfare check, tell him it's protocol or something. We will need five minutes to get the laptop tap done. Once we are finished you get out of there as quickly as possible. Ok?"
"Copy that." They both said.
"When's it going down?" Shay asked.
"Tonight."
"Ok"
They spent some time detailing code words and arranging surveillance for the task at hand. Antonio asking several times over if the two paramedics were completely sure, they insisted time and time again that they were. Lindsay went over how body cams worked, and told them they'd both be fitted with one before going in. Mouse providing them with cells that had listening devices inside them so that everything going on inside could be heard from their posts outside. At 6 o'clock Gabby and Shay got wired up and ready to go. Matt pulled Gabby to one side.
"Please be careful." He asked kissing her head, Antonio had instructed him to stay at the station knowing that if things did go south he may forget himself and go running in after her.
"I will baby I promise." She said kissing him back.
"Gabby if anything seems off.."
"I know. I'll get out. I promise. You have to trust me."
"I do baby, I'm just worried that's all."
"I'll be fine."
"Gabs it's time to go" Antonio said breaking up their moment. Gabby nodded at him signalling she'd be there in a second. Turning back to Matt she smiled and gave him a hug.
"I'll be back before you know it, just make sure the guys save me and Shay some dinner."
"I love you" he said holding on to her tightly.
"I've got to go."
"Ok" his voice was shaky as he released her and watched her walk away. Severide put a strong hand on his shoulder.
"She'll be ok" he reassured.
"I hope so." Matt said.
Ambo rolled out, followed by unmarked squad cars and the electrical van the team were using for surveillance.
"Ready?" Dawson asked turning to Shay
"Ready." She confirmed.
Grabbing the bag they both jumped down and headed towards the suspects house. Gabby looked around the street to make sure the surveillance team were in place before they knocked. Despite what she had said to everyone that had asked this afternoon she was more nervous about this than she cared to admit. Antonio had said the last person to get close had ended up dead, she could defend herself pretty well if she needed to and she knew the team were right outside reasy to breach if needs be but she was really hoping it wouldn't come to that.
Raising her hand she rapped loudly on the door.
"Good evening we're looking for Thomas, Thomas Matthews?" Dawson said when the door opened. A stocky looking white male stood in the door, his body seemed to be completely covered in tattoos, his head shaven bare and a look of menace seemed to sit in the air around him.
"Yes?" he said roughly.
"I'm Gabriela Dawson this is my partner Shay, we've come to do your welfare check."
"My what?" He asked looking between the paramedics and then up and down the street nervously.
"It's protocol to check up on heart patients if they've been to the ER as often as you have." Gabby said trying to sound more confident than she felt. "May we come in?"
"I'm rather busy."
"It won't take long."
"I'm still busy"
"Look sir" Shay said suddenly "if you don't let us in and something happens to you then we can't be held accountable."
"Ok. Fine! But make it quick!" He spat rather annoyed at the obvious inconvenience he felt they were causing him.
Gabby glanced behind them toward the unmarked squad car as they entered the house. Getting to work quickly, Gabby started asking question from the sheet they'd formed earlier with Lindsay earlier, while Shay began taking his blood pressure.
"So have you had any chest pains recently." She asked.
"No"
"And you exercise how many times a week?"
"Why does that matter?"
"Just answer the question please Mr Matthews."
"Probably three or four times. Look this is completely unnecessary I'm absolutely.." he was cut of by banging on the front door.
Gabby looked at Shay nervously, as Thomas stood up and walked towards the front door. A man stood there looking just as fierce as Thomas, the first man looking nervous under this new mans gaze.
"Who are you?" The man asked barging in.
"Paramedics, we're just doing a welfare check." Dawson spoke firmly.
"Why?" The man demanded.
"It's protocol. We're almost done."
"Hurry up" he said.
The two paramedics wrapped up their exam and questioning, hoping they'd given Rusek enough time to get in and out.
"Well thank you for you time." Shay said as they exited the house and made their way quickly back to ambo. Jumping in the both sighed with relief. Gabby pulled out her phone and texted Antonio.
Did he do it?
Yup all done. See you back at the house.
Gabby showed Shay the message and they set off back to 51.
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
"Gabriela my office after you've eaten." Matt said into her ear as she sat at the table eating later that evening.
"Yes sir" she replied. She knew what time it was, it had been the same for the past two weeks, every evening after dinner he'd tell her to go to a corner, it didn't matter if they were at work or home. She'd have to stand there for ten minutes before he used the brush to give her fifty swats to remind her never to use drugs again. Her butt had mostly recovered from the initial spanking she'd had but the daily spankings were keeping a soreness to her behind that made her squirm every time she sat, and the reoccurring punishments were causing her to have a constant balls of nerves in her stomach. "Matt" she whispered "do we have to used the brush today?"
Matt stared at her confused at her trying to bargain "you made this deal Gabriela." he scolded, quietly.
"I know but."
"No!" He said firmly "It's the brush or I increase your grounding! Your choice?"
Her eyes diverted down to her plate "yea ok" she mumbled.
"Pardon?" He said lifting her chin up so she was looking at him again.
"I said yes sir."
"Good. So eat up and go to my office." He dropped her chin. She refused to look up to embarrassed that the whole team had probably just seen their exchange. Even though they all knew it was still humiliating to be scolded in public. "Oh and Gabriela" he whispered in her ear again "consider the extra ten I'm going to give you a reminder to never again try and tell me how to punish you."
"Yes sir" she groaned finishing her plate of food and heading towards the sink.
"Hey sweetie" Shay was suddenly by her side "you ok? You look like your about to be sent to the slaughter." She laughed at her own joke.
"Something like that" Gabby responded dryly.
Shay turned her to face her, "hey what is it?"
"Nothing don't worry. I'll see you in a bit, I have to uh you know."
"Oh yea. Sorry I forgot about that." Her smirk dropping from her face.
"Yea, I'll see you in a bit." Gabby said walking away.
Entering the small office Gabby sighed to herself, she was beginning to wonder if being grounded longer would have been the easier choice, at least then she'd be able to sit comfortably by now. Closing the blinds she settled herself in the corner with the brush in her hand. Matt had come up with her holding the item she was about to be punished with when they started the daily maintenance he said it would help her think about her actions more, and she had to admit the physiological effect had been working, handing the brush to him to light her butt up with was not only embarrassing but somewhat effective in making her think twice about the way she acted.
Matt entered the office not long after she had and sat at his desk, busying himself with paperwork until her corner time was up. Before calling her over and asking her to explain why she was about to be spanked. Once she'd told him he told her to remove her pants and underwear and give him the brush. She was sure he whacked harder today than any other day, she was sobbing before he'd even reached ten swats. By the time he'd got to fifty she'd forgotten that he'd promised her an extra ten. She went to get up but he pinned her and brought the brush down sharply on her thigh.
"I'm not finished" he said.
"Sorry sir I forgot." She cried.
SWAT SWAT SWAT SWAT SWAT SWAT SWAT SWAT SWAT SWAT "don't ever try and tell me what to use again." He brought the brush down again.
"Ouch you said ten extra" she cried.
"That was before you got up" he stated bringing the brush down again and again. He gave her an extra ten in total before ordering her to the corner. Her ass burnt so bad and she was sobbing hard. She could hear Matt working on his paperwork and wondered how long he was going to make her stand in the corner, she could do with some comfort right and reassurance now, her mind racing at a hundred miles an hour. Her sobs turned into full body cries, at some point Matt wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his lap ssshhhinng her gently, she was so upset she didn't even realize he'd moved her until he began to speak.
"Hey hey, come on it's ok." He said soothingly, rubbing circles on her back. "Your ok, it's done."
"Unn- until tom-tomorrow" she sobbed burying her head deeper into his chest.
Matt frowned he knew he was being extra hard on her but that was only because he cared so much about her and didn't want her to make another reckless mistake that could cost her, her job. "Gabriela what's brought this on?"
"I..I...I can't ta..take you, you being ma... mad at me anymore." She sobbed.
"I'm not mad anymore baby" he replied confused, he'd forgiven her straight after the first spanking she'd received why did she think he was still mad.
"You sure seemed it a few minutes ago" she looked up at him, her eyes full of tears, her lip in between her teeth.
He pulled her closer to him, kissing her forehead gently "I'm not mad anymore, I haven't been mad since I first punished you." He felt her body relax against him, "But Gabby this is what we agreed. You didn't want me to increase your grounding, you were the one that said you'd rather be spanked everyday."
"I know but.." she fell silent again deep in thought.
He placed his hand under her chin and gently lifted it so she was looking at him again. "But what?"
"I didn't think it would be so hard" she admitted, "You spanking me everyday for the same thing, it's like there's no end to the punishment and it's making me hate myself for making a mistake."
"Gabriela how long have you been feeling like this?" Matt was suddenly very concerned he'd made the wrong choice in agreeing to her bargain.
She pulled her lip tightly in between her teeth as another lone tear rolled down her cheek. "All week" her voice was so small but he had no trouble hearing her, with the silence around them he could have heard a pin drop.
He sighed deeply, frowning at the new piece of information "No more spankings" he finally said. Gabby looked at him confused, he'd never relented on a punishment, never in their years together had he changed his mind once it was made. "I'm not doing this for you to hate yourself Gabby, I'm doing it because you told me it was what you needed. And now your telling me it is negatively affecting your mental health so for now at least I'm not willing to spank you."
"But.."
"No I'm not arguing about it, your mental health is what is most important."
"I wasn't going to argue." she said quietly.
"Then what?"
"Do you mean ever? Or just on this issue?" she wasn't sure if she wanted him to stop or continue but she did know that recently the punishments had been harsh and she wasn't sure how she felt about that.
"I don't know" he answered honestly, "This is something we need to talk about but here is not the place. For now lets just leave it and we can discuss it at home in private when we won't be"
But his final words were cut off by the bells ringing calling ambo out, pulling herself together she placed a kiss on his lips and headed out to ambo.
"Gabby" he shouted as she left his office.
"Yea?" she said turning slightly.
"I love you. Never forget that." he gave her a weak smile.
"I know. Love you too" She ran off towards the ambo, brushing away any signs of her crying as she went. Her head swirling with thoughts and feelings that she couldn't make any sense off, and had no time to try and work out.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Matt was sat in his office still, with his head in his hands going over everything that had just happened. How could he have missed how Gabby was feeling, had he indeed been holding onto some anger still? It was a possibility, he'd been really mad when he first found out and if he was completely honest with himself he had been kinda still mad about how reckless she'd been. It wasn't a conscious anger, but he must have shown it while providing her with her daily discipline and that thought scared him. The whole point of them starting their relationship with the dynamic they had was so this wouldn't happen and he'd let his emotions get the better of him Especially today, he'd spanked her extra hard and longer for trying to what, tell him he was being to hard on her? His thoughts consumed him for over an hour until Severide entered the small office.
"Hey you ok?" Matt looked up, his pained looking face saying more than words ever could. His best friend noticing something was seriously wrong without even having to ask.
"Not really" Matt shook his head, "I erm I think I've taken the punishment for Gabby's lack of judgement to far this time. I think I've caused her mental damage." A tear rolled down his cheek.
"What are you on about?" Severide asked leaning against his desk "what happened?"
"Gabby just told me she can't take me punishing her for this over and over, she broke down Kelly..." Matt put his head back in his hands.
"Hey dude it's ok." He put his hand on the younger lieutenants shoulder, "What did you say?"
"I told her I won't spank her again. I can't. I can't do this anymore." He sounded so defeated. "After everything we've been through I.. How could I do this to her?"
"Matt look at me" Kelly's voice was steady and firm "You need to discuss this properly with her. You alone can't make the decision to change the dynamic of your relationship, she has as much of a choice as you do. Come on I think this is a cigar moment."
Matt nodded, he knew what Kelly was trying to do. There was no way he could get back to work with his head not in the game. He followed him outside and lent up against the wall cigar in hand. Kelly watched him carefully as he took a few pulls, "She'll be ok" he said, "Gabby is a strong girl and she was the one that wanted this relationship. She's been pushing you hard recently."
"I know, but we agreed to this because she said she needed raining in, and it would mean I wasn't mad at her anymore. But I was Kelly, I was so mad at her. She could have lost her job. They both could have."
"And they both know that, trust me neither her or Stella will ever do anything that reckless again. But maybe you were a bit hard. But you still can't make any decisions alone. Ok?"
"Yea ok, I'll talk to her."
They finished up just as ambo rolled back in, Matt went over to the passenger side and opened the door for his wife, "Can I talk to you?" he asked.
"Yea, let me clean up first." She held her shirt out towards him, it was covered in vomit. "Apparently freshman's can't hold their liquor any better these days than they could back in my days at college."
"Ok, I'll be in my office."
Gabby went straight to the showers while Shay got started on the inventory. Stepping in under the warm water her mind began to imagine the conversation Matt wanted to have. She envisioned him leaving her and them being broken forever, the thought made her let the tears she'd been holding back fall, racking through her body until she couldn't cry anymore. If he left her because of this she wasn't sure she'd cope. They had been through so much together, and he'd always been the one stood holding her up, she couldn't lose him. Not over this. Not over some stupid reckless mistake she made when half cut. But that was the issue right there her getting wasted and doing stupid things was a common occurrence and maybe he'd just had enough of dealing with it. Hadn't he said that it would be the last time he had the conversation with her? Maybe that's what he meant, maybe he meant that he just couldn't deal with her anymore. Maybe she'd pushed him to his complete limit.
Getting out of the shower, she dried and changed slowly not wanting to rush around to hear her husband had given up on her. She towel dried her hair and pulled it into a high pony before making her way to his office slowly. Taking a deep breath she pushed the door open.