Author note: So I'm putting a disclaimer in about not owning Chicago fire or the characters because this chapter has some actual script/action from the show and I don't want to get in trouble. I've adapted it for this AU story also so we don't end up on the cliffhanger Dick left us with on the show. I mean I still haven't forgiven him for that, my heart broke watching it.
Also I'd like to answer some questions that came up from the last chapter. I can't say for sure whether or not Gabby will find herself punished in front If everyone, the threat is there?! If you write you'll understand sometimes the characters get away with you, they start to dictate the direction of the story therefore anything can happen. Saying that I will say I don't want to make any of my readers uncomfortable so if you would prefer for her not to find herself in trouble like this please please say?

As for the question about if the babies will be treated the same way, NO i don't think so. I'm not really liking the idea of the children being treated in a way that is to the same extent Gabby is but as Gabby grew up with the odd swat here and there I can see that they may do the same with their own children. However there will be absolutely no use of implements used on the children. And it certainly wouldn't happen until they were older, if at all.

So yea I hope you like it.

"How you feeling?" Shay asked as they climbed up into ambo for the first call of the day.

"I'm good" Gabby insisted, she wasn't exactly lying, sure she was beyond tired and she'd thrown up a little this morning but nothing compared to the past few days. The meal last night and the smoothie Matt made her this morning before leaving for shift helping immensely.

Shay eyed her carefully, "You'll tell me if your not yea?"

"Of course" Gabby insisted.

"Ok then." Silence fell between the partners as they swerved their way through the city heading towards the local school, they hadn't even been in the house five minutes before the bells had gone off calling them to a fifteen year old down for unknown causes. "Have dispatch got any more info for us?" Shay asked after a few minutes.

"Not really, just that she collapsed while getting changed for gym," Gabby read off the tablet screen. "What's the betting it's a cheerleader that hasn't eaten or is on diet pills?"

"You think?"

"I wouldn't be surprised! I mean cheerleaders are at the most vulnerable at the minute, nationals are only around the corner."

Shay raised a brow at her partner "How do you even know that?"

"I have a niece!" she shot back smirking slightly.

"Ah yes I forgot that Eva made the team this year."

"She sure did" Gabby said proudly, "Antonio hates it, but he has to suck it up because there's no way I'm letting him take it away from her."

"Such a good Aunt!" Shay teased as they pulled up.

Gabby was right it was a cheerleader but it wasn't anything to do with diet pills or not eating, the girl was severally anemic and had diabetes, she hadn't taken her blood sugars for a few hours and as a result of the extra training that morning they had crashed. Transporting her to med they chatted happily about the up and coming nationals, just like Eva the girl hadn't long made the team and wanted to make a good impression. She was worried that this would have her kicked off the team.

"Hey if they try to boot you, you call me ok?" Gabby said handing her, her card.

The girl smiled and thanked her. Shay was filling in the paperwork, when she heard familiar voices behind her, turning to see Jay and Erin stood there.

"Hey guys" she said cheerfully.

"Hey" they replied, "What's up?"

"Nothing much" Shay confirmed "cheerleader forgot to check her sugar levels and had a drop, she should be fine. Dawson's just finishing up the handover."

Erin raised her brow "She's still out on ambo?" she asked.

"Yea"

"Is that wise?" Jay asked, they'd all heard about the car incident, and Antonio had said she was struggling a lot with the pregnancy symptoms.

"Well you know Dawson, she'll always put others first."

"That doesn't mean it's right" Jay said crossing his arms across his chest.

"I'm surprised" Erin confirmed, "No way did I think Casey would let her back out after last time."

"Well you know Casey" Gabby said coming up behind them "he's all for second chances. You ready?" She asked Shay.

"Yup, all good in there?"

"Yeah, she'll be fine. She's more worried about her spot on the team."

"Let me guess you told her you'd go to bat for her."

Gabby smirked "of course I did!"

The two detectives shaking their heads, laughing slightly. "Dawson" Erin said as they turned to leave.

"Yeah"

"Congratulations!"

"Thanks."

"Yeah Congrats Dawson" Jay added, "stay safe out there."

"Will do" She confirmed waving goodbye.

The rest of the morning was pretty busy for the paramedics of 61, by lunchtime Gabby was shattered and needed to lie down. Pulling into the house she turned to Shay, "I'm going to go close my eyes for a little bit ok?"

"Of course, I'll bring you something to eat."

"No, I'm ok" she watched Shays brow work it's way upwards and quickly added "I'll grab a smoothie and have something afterwards ok?"

"I don't like it but I'm not arguing with you" she said.

Gabby chuckled as she headed towards the kitchen, grabbing herself a smoothie and holding it up to Shay before making her way to her bunk. She sat down on the bed and sipped the smoothie, she hadn't even finished a third of it before she felt her eyes battling to close, replacing the lid and lying down she let the exhaustion take over her.

It was an hour later that she woke to someone calling her name softly, the smell of something filling her nostrils.

"Gabby"

"Tired" she mumbled.

"I know but you need to eat"

"No! Sleep."

"Come on, if you eat it'll help with the tiredness."

"Go away" she said pushing her hand towards the voice.

"Gabriela!" Matt's voice became firm, her eyes snapping open at the sudden change of tone.

"What" she said annoyed at being woken.

Matt's eyebrow arching upwards at her tone, his gaze narrowing in on her, "You will sit up and eat something or we will go into my office and once I'm finished explaining the importance of you having actual food when pregnant you'll eat. Up to you?"

She sighed loudly and took the bowl of what she now saw was chicken noodle soup, one of her favorites. "Ok"

"Good choice" he confirmed kissing her head gently.

Matt was right eating did help her energy levels, but she still wasn't happy about being woken and her sulky manor followed her round for most of the afternoon. Each time she saw Matt she'd pout at him and move off to do something else away from him.

"Hey" he said when he'd finally managed to get more than thirty seconds with her, "what is going on with you today?"

"Nothing!" she snapped.

Matt sighed aware that she was tired and wanting to give her a chance to change her attitude, "Gabriela!" he said firmly as she went to walk away from him again.

"What?" she asked, the sass in her voice pushing his temper over the edge.

"Office! NOW" he ordered.

She rolled her eyes as she walked past him and into the office, flopping down on his bunk. He followed her in and closed the door, turning to face her his arms across his chest, "I asked you what was going on?"

"I'm tired and you woke me up!" she snapped.

"Gabby" he said softly, "this is why I didn't think you working ambo was a good idea."

"Don't start" she snapped, her temper quickly flaring.

He pulled her up and spun her round over the top of his now raised knee, landing ten sharp spanks across her covered bottom before righting her and looking her directly in the eye. "Stop it!" He growled "do you hear me?"

"Sorry" she whispered.

"You will be. Now what can I do to help your mood?"

She nestled into his chest, wrapping her arms around his back "just hold me please?"

He responded by wrapping his arms tightly around her, pulling her closer to him. They stood for a short while in silence before the alarms rang out calling all companies to a factory fire.

"You good?"

"Yes thank you," she said smiling, "sorry about being sulky."

"It's ok, just try not to do it again ok?"

"Agreed."

They both ran off to their vehicles and headed towards the scene. As the trucks pulled up outside the factory everyone's eyes widened. There were people everywhere and the smoke billowing from the building told them they had only a short time before it would be too dangerous for them to enter. Chief gave them four minutes tops before watching all his men run in holding his breath as those valuable minutes ticked by.

"That's it. All companies, the smokes turning get out of there now!" Chief shouted into his radio, watching as the factory fire quickly became more and more unstable.

"Copy that chief" came the responses back through the radios.

Everyone watched on in horror as seconds later the whole building flashed over, fear radiating through the bodies of everybody outside the building, knowing that almost every member of their house were still trapped inside.

"Oh my god" Gabby said looking on in horror as the entire building began to collapse in front of their eyes. She could hear Cruz talking through his radio a few feet away from her but wasn't registering what he was saying as her body filled with fear, surely there must be a way out, they always got out no matter what.

"Chief" Casey's voice crackled through.

"Matt" Gabby cried.

"Go ahead Casey, please tell me you've found a way out."

"Negative chief" he said looking around at the carnage, all his exits were blocked and he was backed against a wall, the fire blistering the walls around him. "It's no good in here, it's heating up pretty fast." His breathing was laboring as his oxygen levels decreased. "Chief is Gabby there?"

"Yeah baby I'm here, I'm here. You gotta get outta there."

Hearing her voice Matt pulled his mask off, "Gabby you know how much you mean to me right?"

"Matt did you take your mask off?"

"I wanted you to hear my voice."

"No don't you say that, you put your mask back on and you get out of there, you get out of there right now." The tears streaming down her face, this couldn't be the end. She Couldn't lose him, not now not after everything, they were about to start a family. This couldn't be happening, he'd got to meet his unborn children he just had to. He was strong she knew that, but she also knew that getting out of the building was near impossible. Everyone stood frozen listening to the exchange between the two lovers, their hearts breaking with every passing moment.

"Your the best thing that ever happened to me Gabby, I love you. Make sure you tell those babies all about their Daddy and how much he loved them."

"Matt no, don't say it please. Use a haligan or your hands, you break down a wall, please get out of there I need you, these babies need you" Her hand rested gently on top of her slight bump.

"I can't Gabby, it's no good."

"Please don't you say it, please" She could hear him as he struggled for breath as the smoke filled his lungs.

"Gabby" gasp "Gabby, I want you to remember all the happy times. I want you to be strong! For yourself and for those babies. I love you. Goodbye Gabby."

The tears streamed down her face as the silence filled the air, looking at the chief pleading with him "You've got to do something!" she shouted, "Please chief, do something, anything!"

Shay wrapped her arms around her partner trying her hardest to comfort her as tears streamed down her own face, both of their bodies shaking together.

The chief looked around at all the faces of the remaining 51 team members outside. Every single one of them pained and tears flowing as the building in front of them was engulfed in flames. Several flash overs rolling out in front of them. He decided he had to try everything he could. Taking a deep breath he spoke into his radio,

"All units, find something to cover yourself. We're opening up the hoses."

"Chief no! You'll boil them?" Cruz shouted.

"It's the only chance they have, if it doesn't work we would have lost them anyway."

"Five, four, three" Chief counted, Matt looked around desperately trying to find something to cover himself with, he found what looked like a bath tub and pulled it over the top of himself, hoping it would protect him when the water hit.

"Fire" chief shouted, every engine on site opened up the hoses battering the inferno until it was safe enough for the guys to enter and continue the search. He approached Dawson and Shay who were sat on the back of ambo, the blonde having been trying to comfort her friend the entire time it had taken for them to battle the fire. "Are you ok?" he asked, knowing the answer before she even spoke.

"No, but I can do my job. Just bring him out chief" she said wiping the tears from her face.

"I will, we'll get them all."

Gabby watched the firefighters heading into the building to help their own, praying with all her might that they'd acted quickly enough and this wasn't going to be a recovery.

"We've got him!" Chief's voice finally boomed through their radios several long minutes later.

"Is he alive?" Gabby shouted back desperately.

"Dawson, he's breathing." He confirmed, his voice not giving much away. Gabby unsure what to expect "We're coming out."

Gabby's legs gave way underneath her as she saw them bringing him out, held in between the chief and Severide unconscious. His turnout jacket with a few holes she could see from her position. Cruz quickly caught her one handed steading her against his own body. "Kidd take over for Dawson." He shouted, as he led Gabby over to the back of truck and sat her down. "They've got him, he'll be ok. He's a fighter Dawson, he's not going to give up."

"But he did" she sobbed the tears flowing freely down her face again, her body shaking as Matt's words washed over her again. "He gave up in there. He said goodbye!" She shouted.

"I know, I know" he soothed holding his friend tightly as Shay and Kidd worked on him. Gabby frozen in his grip, her breath catching in her throat.

"Chief we gotta go!" Shay shouted looking across to Gabby.

"I've got her" he shouted back "Dawson come on your coming with me." He ushered her into her car before following behind ambo to med.

"It's going to be ok" he tried, taking in Gabby's swallow breaths and her tear stricken face.

She nodded in response but didn't say anything. As they pulled up to med she jumped out quickly rushing to the back of ambo and holding tightly onto Matt who had regained consciousness.

"Baby" she breathed as she saw his bright blue eyes looking up at her.

"Gabby" he croaked "I'm sorry"

Kidd wrapped her arm around her friend as they handed the Lieutenant over to the nurses, she gently directed them towards the chairs occupied by the chief.

"You ok?" Shay said as Gabby settled into the chair next to her.

"Is he... will he..." she struggled to form the words through her tears.

"I think he'll be ok" Shay confirmed.

It took a long time for the rest of the house to filter in, Antonio following behind them. Seeing his sister he ran towards her, scooping her up in his arms, "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine" she nodded, "Matt, he, he.." her body shaking as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks.

"Sssssh it's ok" Antonio soothed stroking her back gently "do we know anymore?" he asked turning his body slightly to face Shay, keeping his arm tightly secured around his sisters shoulder, her head resting against him.

"No we haven't had an update in a while, but he was awake when they took him through which is a good sign."

Almost as if on cue a doctor walked through the door asking for the family of Matthew Casey, Gabby turned slightly in Antonio's grip.

"I'm his wife" she said shakily, "is he ok?"

"He is, minor burns and smoke inhalation but nothing to serious. He'll be back on his feet soon."

Gabby let out a sigh of relief as her body relaxed against her brothers, "Can I see him?" she asked.

"Of course but only one at a time."

Everyone nodded and shouted well wishes for her to pass on to him, once she disappeared through the doors the chief said he was going to check on Hermann and Mouch and then he wanted everyone to get back to the house. Twenty minutes later the only people that reminded in the waiting area were Severide, Shay and Antonio, Chief had said he was going to debrief the guys and then send them home so it was agreed that Shay and Severide could stay.

"What happened in there?" Antonio asked.

Severide sighed loudly, "we didn't have the time we thought we did. The fire must have already been in the belches when we got there and the whole structure just collapsed around us, we were trying to get to him but he was completely cut off, then the entrance fell and we were all trapped. Chief turned the hoses on us and that's the only thing that saved them."

"He saved you all" Shay corrected, "It was horrible to watch. Matt well he.." she cut herself off as the tears flowed down her face thinking about the heartbreaking moment Matt had said goodbye. Gabby had crumbled and nothing anyone outside could do or say had been able to comfort her in those moments that followed. All of them fearing the worst.

"What?" Antonio asked needing to know all the details.

"He well he erm."

Severide took Shay's hand a squeezed lightly, "he said goodbye" he confirmed.

"What?" The older Dawson said the shock setting in on his face.

"He gave up, said he couldn't get out and said goodbye to Gabby."

The three of them fell into a stunned silence as he digested the words, one thing he could never imagine was saying goodbye or hearing someone you loved say goodbye over the radio. His poor sister must of been beside herself. Pushing himself up he asked if anyone wanted anything, when they both shook their head he headed towards Matt's room, wanting to check in on both his sister and brother in law but mainly his sister.

He found them cuddled on the bed, Gabby's body tightly wrapped into Matt's as his hand stroked her back. He could tell she'd been crying and it looked like she'd fallen to sleep, Matt smiled weakly when he saw him standing in the doorway.

"Sorry" he spoke quietly "I didn't mean to disturb you. Is she ok?"

"She will be" he answered, "it's not been the easiest of days."

"No I can imagine, the guys were just filling me in" he pointed to the seat "can I?"

"Yea sure" Matt replied.

Antonio moved across the room swiftly and sat facing Matt. "Are you ok?" He asked unsurely.

"Some minor injuries but I'll be ok."

"I didn't just mean physically" he responded "being trapped and thinking it was the end." His words trailed off.

"I know, but I keep thinking as hard as it must have been for me, it must have been ten times worse for her." He nodded his head towards his sleeping wife. "I said my goodbyes, that's going to have had some effect."

"It will yea"

"I don't know what to say to her" he admitted. "She came in and was crying and I said nothing, I just held her. And then, well, you can see she fell asleep and I've been lay here trying to work out what to say."

"Matt it was an impossible situation" Antonio's voice was shaky and Matt was sure he could see tears welling in the older Dawson's eyes. "If you hadn't said anything and the worst happened it would have been even worse for her."

Matt sighed "I know. But what do I say?"

"You'll figure it out"

"I hope so." Matt took a deep breath "we have this agreement you see, I'll always come home to her and she'll always come home to me. I almost broke that promise today."

"It wasn't your fault, you didn't know it was going to happen. From what Severide said none of you did."

"We thought we had more time." Matt confirmed.

Gabby stirred in his arms and both men fell silent waiting to see if she was waking up or just readjusting herself. Once she'd settled back down Matt continued, "chief said four minutes but we had maybe two before it started to collapse, it was no ones fault but we should never have gone in."

Antonio nodded, unable to find the words to comfort the young Lieutenant, knowing what he was thinking. Someone would have to answer for making the call, and it would fall on the chiefs head if they didn't all get behind him. The two fell into a comfortable silence again, watching Gabby sleep, Matt's eyes finally closing. Antonio switched the tv on and set it to mute, silently watching the game while staying close in case the young couple needed anything.

Severide popped his head round the door a few hours later to make sure they were ok, both Matt and Gabby still fast asleep curled up on the bed, Antonio still sat next to them.

"You ok?" Severide asked.

"Huh. Oh yea, I'm good."

"You sure?"

"I'm just concerned, what happened today and last shift. I can't shake the anxiety I feel with Gabs being out there."

"I know what you mean," Severide agreed walking into the room and pulling up a chair next to Antonio's, "but we've tried to get her to take the desk. She won't budge."

"She's stubborn that's for sure" Antonio nodded, "maybe I need to call in the big guns."

"You mean you're dad?"

"Yea, only other person I know to ever get Gabby in line is him."

"I mean you can try but I want nothing to do with it" he chuckled "I've already said my piece to her."

"I'm taking it that didn't go as planned."

"Not exactly" he laughed.

"Hey" Matt said sleepily "what's all the laughing about."

"Hey dude, sorry didn't mean to wake you."

"It's good. What time is it?"

"A little after midnight I think." Severide said, "I sent Shay home about an hour ago she was falling asleep in the waiting area. I just came to see if you guys needed anything before I headed home?"

"We're good thanks."

"Ok then, well in that case I'm going head out and I'll see you tomorrow alright."

"I think I'll head out too" Antonio said, "rest up ok?"

"Yea thanks guys."

Matt watched the two men leave before settling back down to sleep.