Author note: hey guys, thank you for the messages and comments. I'd like to address something that has been brought up by a few of you whether it's been privately or on the comments. Matt punishing Gabby in the normal way he would included some of the more painful implements. As you've probably gathered in the past couple of chapters he is reclutant to be doing this also. I've been working my way to him addressing this more with her and in the next couple of chapters you will see this working it's way in more and more. Please bare with me, I understand it can be difficult to read and I get your worries believe me I do. Anyway next chapter guys.

"Can I help you?" Stella asked as she watched the man walk into the station and look around.

"I'm looking for my daughter" he replied, still scanning the room.

"Oh does she work here or is she visiting?" Stella asked.

"Ramon?" Matt's questioning voice trailed across the apparatus floor making both Stella and the older man jump.

Stella looked between the two men confused. Matt turned to her "Thank Kidd I'll take it from here." Turning back towards his father in law he said "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, yes." He replied "I just wanted to have a word with Gabriela, is she around?"

"She's actually out on a call at the minute, do you want to come in and wait?"

"Erm, yea I can do" Ramon replied in an unsure tone, "Do you know how long she's going to be?"

Matt shook his head, "It's hard to say I'm afraid, she's been gone a while though so hopefully not much longer."

Ramon hesitated slightly before following Matt through the double doors and into the common room. All the firefighters turning to see who was with Matt and nodding their hellos. They didn't know Gabby's parents that well but had all met at the wedding so recognized the older man immediately.

"How's it going Ramon?" Hermann asked, striking up a conversation with the older man immediately.

"Very well thank you" Ramon replied "How are Cindy and the kids?" he asked, remembering them from the wedding.

"They are good. We're all good?"

Matt made his father in a law a coffee and watched as he got pulled into the conversations around the table, the sociable side of the Dawson family trait shining through. Pulling out his phone he sent Gabby a quick message.

Hey babe, just to let you know your dad's just turned up.

Placing his phone back in his pocket not expecting a response.

As it was 61 were out for a lot longer than expected, being called to another scene on their way back to the house, and then another shortly after that.

"My dads at the house." Dawson said to Shay as she finally got a chance to check her messages.

"Why?" She questioned.

"Matt doesn't say, just that he's there. This message is from two hours ago." She said noticing the time it was sent "I'll ring him."

Shay nodded in agreement while parking up outside their favourite cafe, both paramedics having missed lunch and aware they needed to grab something quickly. "Usual?" Shay asked jumping down.

Gabby nodded as she brought her phone to her ear. It rang a few times before Matt's warm voice answered. "Hey baby, you ok?" He asked concerned at how busy she'd been kept, her day starting far earlier than planned by a craving for cheese on toast that quickly resurfaced twenty minutes later.

"I'm good, Shays just gone to get us something to eat as we haven't had a chance yet."

"That's good. And how you feeling?"

"I'm good honestly, a bit tired but that's probably because I need to eat."

"Ok well just let me know if you need a break" he said softly, aware that there was nothing that would make her admit defeat and the only way he'd know is if Shay said something.

"I will" she promised "is my dad still there?" She asked getting to the point of her call.

"No he isn't, he waited about an hour but when we heard dispatch redirect you again he said he'd swing by home tomorrow."

"Oh" she said a little sadly. Matt sensing something was on her mind.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing, it's nothing." She responded quickly, swallowing the tears brimming at the edges of her eyes. Matt able to sense her upset.

"Gabby what is it?"

"It's just he hasn't spoken to me since we told him and that was almost three weeks ago now. I just thought maybe he'd wait around a little."

Matt sighed well aware that the silence from her dad had been upsetting her far more than she had admitted. "I know baby, but he said he'll drop in tomorrow so you won't have to wait too much longer."

"I know." She whispered, "I" but what she was about to say was cut off by her radio going calling them to a scene nearby. "Sorry babe I've got to go"

"Be safe" he said, hanging up.

Matt rubbed his hand across his brow thinking over his wife's words. It was the first time she'd verbalised her feelings or anything close to it, about her father not speaking with her. Being the complete daddy's girl she was he knew it would be difficult but it would seem she'd taken it harder than she'd let on. Usually Gabby and her parents spoke several times a week, even if it was just a few texts. The silence from her dad had been deafening for him let alone poor Gabby. Hoovering his finger over Antonio's name he debated calling the older Dawson for some advice. Sighing slightly as he decided against it, he knew her feelings on her brother and him talking about her without her knowledge.

Gentle knocking on his door brought him out of his thoughts, looking up to see Kidd standing in the doorway. "Sorry Lieutenant I hope I'm not intruppting anything" she said indicating towards his phone.

"No Kidd I was all done anyway." He replied putting his phone back in his pocket. "What can I do for you?"

"I was just Erm wondering if you'd heard from Detective Dawson at all recently?"

Matt's eyebrow raising and his face turning into one of confusion, "Erm no." He responded "why do you ask?"

"I was hoping he had reached out about that guy from the shift the other day, you know the one that pulled a gun on 61."

"What!" Matt said even more confused, "What Guy? When was this?"

Stella's face dropped as she realised Matt had no idea what she was talking about. "Erm, it's nothing don't worry." She said quickly, turning to leave.

"Kidd!" He said more firmly, "sit!"

She moved into the office and sat down on his bunk, trying desperately to think of something to say that would cover the incident, or at least colour it better than she'd just worded it.

"Explain" he said, turning his chair to face her.

"Well it was the day Erm, the day Dawson collapsed. Her and Shay responded to a call at an apartment. The report said they had heard shouts for help and that the guy who lived there, lived alone. So..." she paused slightly "I don't know all the details" she said shaking her head.

Matt waved his hand to continue anyway, "just tell me what you do know, I'll find out the rest when Gabriela gets back." He said, the anger and worry lacing his words.

"Ok, well they arrived and the police were on scene, they gave them entry and when they did the guy swung for them and pointed a gun at erm he pointed a gun at her."

"At who? Gabriela?"

Kidd nodded her head "yeah. I thought you knew. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything."

"No need to be sorry I'm thankfully that you did as it would seem that Gabby wasn't going to say anything."

"Did either of them get injuried?" He was trying to work out if the stress of that call combined with Gabby's lack of food in take that day were linked into her passing out. He knew she'd been hiding something after Shay asked to speak to her privately and Gabby had seemed off with her.

"No Lieutenant, not physically, he had Dawson for maybe a nano second, the police officers on scene secured him quickly and took him into their custody. We assumed he was having some kind of mental break, but I never heard anything else."

"Ok, thank you Kidd. That'll be all."

Stella stood up to leave before turning to face Casey once more "Lieutenant?"

"Yes?"

"Did I, erm is Dawson going to be in trouble?"

"That depends on why she didn't tell me," he sighed "but whatever happens it is not on you ok?"

"Ok"

"I mean it Kidd, Gabriela knows better than to keep this type of thing from me." She nodded, "Kidd? Who else knew about this?" He asked before she could take more than a couple of steps.

"Pretty much everyone, we just assumed you knew." She said.

He nodded as she left the office, pulling his phone out he texted Gabby again.

Is there something you need to tell me about the shift you passed out Gabriela?

He waited to see if she'd respond, but wasn't expecting it knowing it had only been ten minutes since they had been called to another scene.

Looking up he noticed Severide watching him.

"What's up? You look pissed?" He asked noticing Matt's tense face.

"Why did no one tell me about the gun?"

"Pardon?"

"The guy that pulled the gun on 61 last week?" He clarified.

"Oh that, well it's being handled by the police so I didn't see the point in bringing it up again, I'm sure Dawson told you about the details." He paused looking at Matt's face again, the realisation washing over him, "you didn't know about this before today did you?"

Matt shook his head "not an idea until Kidd just mentioned it."

"Oh", Severide's face twisting to match the look Matt's was currently holding, "what you going to do?"

"Well I need the full story first, and maybe with everything else that happened that day she just hasn't thought about it."

The squad Lieutenants eyebrows raising "really you're going to give her that benefit of doubt. I bet you my right arm she didn't tell you intentionally!" He said firmly, "Come on Casey not even you are that gullible. You are far too easy on her!"

"I know, but Kelly.."

"I know, she's pregnant and you don't want to be punishing her." The tone of his voice low and patronising "find a different punishment then! There's several of other options that don't involve her getting her ass beat."

"Like what?"

"Writing lines, grounding, corner time, soaping, you name anything it can be made into a punishment. You just gotta work out what's going to work for you two."

"Lines?" Matt said smirking at him "what are we in Preschool?"

"Hey don't knock it. Kidd has had to write lines twice and both times the offence hasn't been repeated again afterwards. Apparently writing I must not, followed by whatever her offence was five hundred times sunk in more than the spankings she'd received for the same offence in the past."

"So you didn't spank her?"

"I didn't say that" he said a smirk growing on his face "she got a good hard spanking then she sat her bare bottom on one of the wooden stools and wrote the lines."

"That sounds painful."

"I bet it was, but it was effective."

"So I need to find something that's just as effective for Gabriela and I?"

"Yup." Kelly nodded "I'm sure you'll think of something."

"Thanks" Matt said, nodding at his friend.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Shay!" Gabby shouted into her radio, "I've found them, east side about half way in."

"I'm coming" Shay responded.

Gabby was holding the young boy up as he dangled over the banister head first his feet trapped by the railings.

"Dispatch, we need assistance! Our patient is trapped by his feet dangling upside down."

"Copy that 61 dispatching squad now."

Shay came up beside Gabby and gasped "Dawson get down off there" she shouted looking at the tiny planks Gabby was balancing on, above a huge hole in the warehouse floor.

"I can't if I let go, the bloods going to rush back to his head."

"I'll switch with you, just get off there before anyone from squad sees you!"

Gabby nodded "after three ok?" She knew Shay was right, if squad arrived and saw her balanced on the beam it would be her ass on the line when Matt found out. And they both knew what would happen if he found out she put herself in a dangerous position again, one she technically didn't need to be in. They switched just in time, sirens filling their ears as squad pulled up, Dawson quickly thanking Shay and running to meet them.

"He's over here" she shouted as the men ran in. Severide throwing her a look she couldn't work out as he passed her. He looked pissed off but she had no idea why. Shaking her head she tried to forget about it and concentrate on the job at hand. Once squad had the boy freed she got to work on him, making sure he was stable enough to transport. The guys helped them carry him out and into ambo, Severide still glaring at Dawson every chance he got. Shay noticed it to.

"What's wrong with him?" She asked after she caught him staring at her partner again.

"Pass" Gabby said rolling her eyes "he's been giving me that look since they got here."

"It's probably about you still working, he wasn't happy when Matt made that deal with you." Gabby nodded but she wasn't sure, Severide never usually got involved about decisions Matt made regarding her. "Come on we gotta go." Shay said shaking her head.

Unfortunately for the paramedics the lad slipped into a coma on the way to med, and it wasn't looking brilliant for him, and if he did wake up he wasn't ever going to be the same. Both the paramedics were feeling it but they were both aware all they could do now was try to forget the call, something they were taught to do at the academy but in practise was sometimes hard to do especially when children were involved.

Finally jumping back into ambo, both paramedics were grateful to finally be able to eat the food Shay had brought earlier. Washing it down with water Gabby's thoughts turned back to the way Severide had looked at her.

"What do you think was up with Sev?" She asked Shay as they drove through the back streets both of them hoping to actually get back to the house this time.

"I don't know, but whatever it was it had him pissed. I've only seen him look at you like that a couple of times and each time it's been when you've put yourself in danger." Shays face dropped, as she came to a conclusion. Gabby staring at her, "you don't think... Gabs what if.."

"Will you spit it out" Gabby said frustratedly.

"What if the reason he's pissed is because he found out?"

"Found our what?" She said pulling her phone out and seeing she had a message from Matt. "Shit!"

"What? What is it?"

"Matt knows."

"Knows what?" Shay said now equally confused as Gabby was moments before.

"About the gun incident."

"Oh crap."

"Yup, I'm pretty sure that's what this message is about and it would explain Severide's dirty looks."

"Damn, I told you to tell him Gabs."

"I know, and if he asks you thought I had ok. I'm not dragging anyone else into this."

"I won't lie Gabby!" Shay said strongly.

"You didn't want any part in this before."

"Yea well that was before. I don't want you.. I can't watch again Gabs!" Shay puffed out, pulling the rig over and turning to look at her partner. "Watching Matt belt you in the kitchen that day was hard, harder than hearing it. I don't think I can watch again."

"You won't have to, I didn't do anything wrong."

"No but do you think he's going to see it like that when he realises you deliberately lied and kept this from him."

"I didn't lie, I just didn't tell him." Gabby spat.

Shay sighed "Gabs you know he thinks that's the same thing. Come on, do you honestly think he won't punish you over this."

Gabby shook her head "No. I know I'm probably on borrowed time. I just hope he doesn't follow through with doing it in the common room. Ever since I made that deal I've been regretting it."

"I was shocked you made it to be honest. Especially after he spanked you in front of me, and left you in the corner in front of Severide and Kidd." Shay ran her hand over her face, "did chief really see you in the corner?"

"Yea," Gabby nodded sadly, "Matt and he had a conversation about pulling 61 after I ran into that car. And I was stood in the corner the whole time. I spoke while there and Matt scolded me in front of him to. It was super embarrassing." A shiver ran through Gabby's spine, a look of fear spreading across her face.

"You ok?" Shay asked noticing the change in her friends body language.

Gabby shook her head, a tear running down her face "I messed up big time didn't I?"

Shay placed her hand on her friends knee, squeezing gently "I'm afraid so babe. I don't see a way out of this one."

Gabby nodded sadly. "We should go. No point delaying this much more."

"You sure." Shay asked watching as the brunette tried to compose herself. Her breathing slowing and the tears stopping.

"Yea" she said wiping the last tears away, and smiling weakly.

The rest of the ride back to the house was quiet, Gabby text Matt back.

Yes. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, I'll come straight to the office when we're back.

She watched out of the window thinking over her decision not to tell him straight away. Everything that had happened that day was bad, from start to finish and she felt awful lying to him. The opportunity to tell him had been there, right after the phone call with Shay. Why hadn't she just told him, it wasn't like she had put herself in that position. He wasn't going to be mad about the actual incident, it was the cover up and not telling him about it that was going to earn her a sore ass. Her phone buzzed in her pocket bringing her back to reality.

You best have a good explanation why you didn't tell me this before today. Nose to the wall when you get here Gabriela, do not disobey me.

Yes sir.

Shay watched her friend text Matt and wait, her body tense and face twisted deeply in thought. When her phone went with a message back her face dropped even more. Shay felt bad for her, but this was exactly what she was afraid would happen when Matt found out. She'd warned Gabby that he would and she insisted on not telling him, even though Shay had tried to get her to. She'd been trying for the past week, everytime they were alone together she'd bring it up. But was shut down at each attempt. Pulling the rig into the house she looked across at her friend again. A single tear was running down the brunettes face again. Shay parked up, resting her hand on top of her friends.

"You ok sweetie?"

"I'll be ok" she said, "I'll see you in a bit, Matt's given me orders and warned me not to disobey him."

"Ok, I love you Dawson!" She said watching the PIC jump down and head towards the doors, flashing a small smile over her shoulder as she went.