Hey guys... I don't have much to say about this chapter until you've read it so enjoy...
"Baby where are you, I'm having contractions again."
Matt froze as he read the last few words of her quick text, all thoughts about his mother quickly leaving his head as he rushed back inside and up the staircase, his boots hitting the ground with an almighty bang as he basically jumped from step to step. The firefighter flinging himself around the corner and on to her floor.
"Gabby" he gasped as he got to her doorway, the woman holding her side as the machines around her beeped.
"They're coming Matt, the babies."
"It's ok baby, calm down. Just take deep breaths, like we learnt from all those videos we watched." He told her, as he started to steady his own breathing. "Where's Dr Manning?" he asked the nearest nurse.
"She's been paged Mr Casey, she is on her way. We are going to prep your wife for surgery now."
"This is happening?" he asked to no one in particular, there being a hum of agreement from the many nurses now surrounding his wife's bed. "It's going to be ok baby, I'm right here."
"Don't leave me" Gabby pleaded as he moved away slightly to allow the nurses better access to her, the fear in her eyes reflecting the fear that Matt was currently feeling. "I'm scared Matt, please don't go anywhere."
"It's ok, I'm right here. I'm right here." he told her repeatedly, moving further towards her head and tucking himself in between the bed and side unit, the man starting to stroke soothing patterns into her hair, "you're so strong Gabby, you're going to be just fine. All of you."
"What happened?" Dr Manning said the woman rushing into the room.
"Contractions started about ten minutes ago, they are coming thick and fast." One of the nurses said indicating towards the numbers on the screen.
"Did you give terbutaline?"
"Yes we administered it straight away, but the contractions have just increased in time and intensity. I'm not sure we can stop it this time, we were just prepping her."
"Very well" Dr Manning answered looking over the trace they had taken before turning towards the expectant parents, "ok guys there's no two ways about it, these two are coming today one way or another. Gabby I'm sorry but I need to examine you, is that ok?"
Gabby nodded her head, her jaw clenched tightly together as another contraction showed up on the trace machine.
"Just let me know when you're ready ok? And tell me if you need me to stop, this isn't going to be pleasant but I'll try to be as quick as I can." She told her moving down towards the bottom of the bed.
Everybody waited as Dawson rode out the final part of her contraction, the woman opening her legs once she was ready to be examined.
"You ready?" Dr Manning asked.
"Yes" Gabby replied.
"Ok, well you are defiantly in established labour. In fact I'm not sure how much time we actually have, you're already nine centimetres."
"What no" Gabby exclaimed, "you said it was too dangerous for Maddie."
"Gabby I promise you I'm going to do everything I can but we may not get a choice in the matter. I need you to tell me if you get a urge to push ok?" She asked, the doctor taking off her gloves and looking towards the nurses. "Go get the OR ready" she said to one of them, "someone call NICU and tell them they have two incoming, twenty eight weeks plus six, and someone page cardio to meet us in the OR we don't know what condition twin one is going to be in."
Matt watched as everyone rushed to follow the orders the doctor had just given, the steady hum of noise that had been present when he arrived back in the room suddenly dissipating until it was almost deathly silent. The only remaining noise coming from the several monitors around the room.
"Dr Manning?" he said, he voice cracking slightly. "What are the chances of both babies being ok?"
The doctor shook her head unsure how much she should reveal at this point, "I don't know" she answered honestly, "Maddie could potentially come vaginally and that is going to put a fair bit of pressure on her already fragile heart, I'm going to do everything I can to get them both here safely but it's a matter of minutes now. We need to get Gabby down to the OR, I'll get someone to bring you some scrubs and you can join us as soon as you're dressed." she said heading towards the doorway. "Matt" she said suddenly turning around to face them again, "call whoever you need to."
He knew what she was saying, she wanted people to be here for him if something happened, she didn't have to explain her reasoning. There was a chance this could all go horribly wrong and if it did the man in front of her was going to need all the help and support he could get. He gave her a short nod in response, the husband turning back towards his wife, saying anything he could to comfort her as she fell into a state of quiet panic. The two silently holding onto each other until the porters arrived to take her away. "I love you" he told her, her hand holding his tightly until she could no longer. And then he was by himself, stood in the silence with his own thoughts for company.
He couldn't believe everything that had happened in such a short space of time, everything with his mum and now this. The moment his children were going to be born should have filled him with joy, he should be ecstatic but in reality he felt anything but. All he felt at the moment was unwavering fear, he was trying to cling to the small bit of hope that all would be ok, that Dr Manning knew what she was doing and could get them through this. But he knew logically that there were no guarantees, that if anything the odds were against them both. The risks of being born so early outweighing everything else, but he couldn't let that fear hold him not right now. Not when Gabby needed him, she needed him to keep a level head, to be there for her and to stay strong for her because no matter how difficult this was for him it was a thousand times worse for her. He knew she would blame herself for this, it was in her nature to do so, she would think of all the ways she could have prevented this, his wife would drive herself crazy if he didn't step up and help her deal with everything the events of today were going to extract from her.
"Mr Casey?" a man asked.
"Yes" Matt nodded his eyes snapping up at the unfamiliar voice.
The man in front of him holding a fresh pair of scrubs, "Dr Manning told me to give you these and then escort you to the OR, they are waiting for you."
"Ok" he responded giving the man a short nod, "I'll be a few minutes."
"That's fine I'll just be outside this door."
"Thank you." Matt said moving into the bathroom, and stripping out of his normal clothes before stepping into the sterile polyester scrubs. The man tying his masks around his neck, choosing to not pull it up over his mouth until he was inside the operating room. Picking up his phone he fired off a quick group message to everyone he needed to, Casey hoping they all understood why he did it over text and not a phone call.
Hey guys, Gabby went into labour thirty minutes ago. She is currently being prepped for surgery, the babies are coming now. Get here ASAP. Matt
He quickly read over what he'd typed before pressing send and pocketing his phone, making sure the device was switched to silent before heading out towards the doorway.
"Ready" the man asked as he came out of the room.
"Yup" Matt responded, trying to keep his nervousness to himself.
"It's just this way, we've got to go up a few floors and they are in OR two." He told him as they walked towards the elevators. "Is this your first baby?"
"Huh?"
"Your baby? Is it your first?"
"Oh yeah, sorry. Yeah we're having twins, one boy Sebastian and a girl Madeline."
"Oh lovely, that's like a ready made family then." The man said, Matt grateful for the small talk between them.
"Yeah it is" he agreed a small smile settling on his face. "I just hope everything goes ok." he said quietly, the man turning to look at him with a confused look. "They are coming early, my wife she's only just short of twenty nine weeks and our daughter has a heart condition so we're a bit nervous." Matt explained.
"Oh I'm sorry to hear that" he told him, the two men stepping into the small space and pressing the number five. "I hope it all goes well for you, children they are the best thing ever. I have two myself both girls, Melissa and Marley, they are the light of my life. I don't know what I'd do without them."
Matt didn't say anything, he wasn't sure how to respond. He knew the man was trying to comfort him, but honestly hearing another parent express how much they weren't sure what they'd do without their children when he was potentially about to lose both of his made him want to cry. Damn the tough exterior and trying to be strong, he didn't know how they'd get through this if anything happened to them. A lone tear escaped down his cheek, the firefighter not even attempting to wipe it away as he let his emotions over flow for a moment.
"I'm sorry that was probably a stupid thing to say to someone in your position. I'm sorry" The man told him, seeing the tears rolling down the Captains face.
"It's ok, are we almost there?"
"Yeah, it's just the second door on the left. You can go straight in. Good luck Mr Casey."
"Thank you." Matt said, moving through the doorway.
"Matt" Gabby said the minute she saw him, her own tears clouding her eyes.
"I'm here baby, I'm right here." he reassured.
"Ok then" Dr Manning said entering into the room, the doctor now clad in her own scrubs, Matt only just realising how many people were gathered in the small room. "We ready to do this?"
Everyone responded in the same way, with a nod of their head and a yes doctor.
"Gabby how are you doing, any desire to push?"
"No, I'm cold though is that normal?" She asked through chattering teeth.
"I'm afraid so" the doctor replied, "it's an effect of the epidural, it won't last long. Now I need to just examine you once more before we go to do the c section, make sure your daughter hasn't already made her own dissent is that ok?"
"Yeah, I can't feel anything down there anyway." Gabby replied, her hand reaching for her husbands.
"Ok then, well just let me know if you feel any discomfort." The doctor reminded her before pulling on a glove and making her way to the foot of the table. "Alright Gabby, you are fully dilated, I don't think we have time to wait, I know you probably can't feel them but on your next contraction I need you to push ok."
Gabby shook her head, "But Maddie.."
"Gabby look at me" Matt said suddenly, "it's ok, trust her. I'm right here, we will do it together."
She nodded at her husband, the woman waiting for an indication that it was time.
"Ok push" Dr Manning said, Gabby bearing down as much as she could, her teeth tightly clamped together as she tried with all her might. "That's it, good girl. Now on your next contraction I need you to do the same as you just did but don't stop until I tell you ok?"
"Ok" Gabby agreed.
"Push" the doctor said.
Once again Gabby bared down as much as possible, the woman using every bit of strength she had in her to deliver her baby girl.
"That's it baby, keep going, you're doing amazing" Matt whispered into her head.
"One more big push and you'll have her head out ok, but I need you to stop when I tell you otherwise you're going to do yourself damage. You'll want to keep pushing but it's important that you don't just pant through it ok?"
Gabby nodded, the paramedic having no energy to answer the doctor verbally, "ok and push" she shouted.
"The heads out, pant for me Gabby. Her shoulder is stuck slightly I need to help guide her out ok, gently does it." The doctor assured her, Gabby feeling the pressure between her legs intensifying slightly as the doctor hooked her hand around to release her daughters shoulder. "Ok she's free, little push Gabby. That's it, and stop."
It was a few minutes before Gabby got another contraction the woman being ordered to give the biggest push yet and her baby girl would be here. "Push baby push" Matt said beside her, his hand running through her hair as she gave it her all. The room going deathly silent as Dr Manning told her she'd done it. Everybody waiting to hear something, anything but only being met with silence.
"What's happening?" Gabby asked frantically looking around at the many blank faces, "Is she ok? Why isn't she crying?"
"She's just having a little bit of a hard time clearing her lungs" Dr Manning said handing the baby girl over to one of the NICU nurses, "it's ok. They are just working on her. Try not to focus on the quietness we knew this could happen, especially with her coming vaginally."
Before either parent could say anything the room filled with the noise of a baby crying, their baby crying. Her little lungs filling the air around them as she cried. Tears streaming down both of their faces as they listened to her.
"Oh my god" Gabby exclaimed, the relief she was feeling sweeping over her. "She's ok? Matt she's ok!"
"She is." He confirmed.
"Go to her, I don't want her crying and neither of us being with her. Please."
"Ok" he said standing up and moving over to the open crib. "Hey beautiful little girl" he whispered quietly, the sight of this tiny life in front of him making his heart skip a beat. She looked just like her mother, a thick bundle of brown curls already sitting on the top of her tiny little head, her skin tone matching that of her mums, her little hands curled up into tight fists as they waved around in the air. She was tiny that was for sure, but she had already made a almighty impact on them and he was certain she would continue to do so throughout her little life.
"Hey baby" he whispered again, her cries stopping almost completely the minute she heard his voice. "Yeah Daddy's here, I'm right here and Momma's over there. Yeah you're ok aren't you." he continued, the father speaking to his baby girl as if she was the only person in the room. Gabby smiling widely as she listened to him converse with their daughter.
"Ok Gabby, we can either go for a natural with twin two, or I can do the c section as planned." Dr Manning spoke, the doctor having been performing an ultrasound while the father had got antiquated with his first born.
"Erm, I don't know. What are the risks?" she asked, her gaze moving from her husband and back to her doctor.
"For your son there are very minimal risks, I've just checked and he is in the right position to come naturally. But the decision is yours, we will stay in here just in case and it may be a while before he makes his arrival but we can keep Maddie here if you like. She's doing ok at the moment and the NICU nurses are here so there isn't an issue there."
"Erm, I don't know I'm sorry. Can I have a minute?"
"Of course, this is a big decision."
"Matt?" Gabby said, the mans head whipping round to face her, his finger now being held firmly by their daughter who was hooked to nasal oxygen.
"Yeah" he said, seeing the uncertain look in her eyes.
"Dr Manning said I can have Seb naturally if I want, but it might take a while. What do you think?"
"Baby, you always said you didn't really want a c section if you could help it. Maybe you don't have to after all, Maddie made it here no issues, and I have every faith in you being able to do it again with Sebastian."
Gabby nodded, "ok, I'll wait. See if I can deliver him naturally." she said confidently. "Can I have Maddie closer to me?"
Matt looked at the NICU nurses, who had bundled his daughter up in a tight swaddle and placed a hat on her head. "You can, but she needs to be going into the incubator shortly." She told him, picking the tiny girl up in her arms and passing her to her father, "five minutes and then we have to put her in there, but she can stay in the room until her brother is born, we can take them both down together."
"Thank you" he said, cradling his daughter to his chest, the little girl snuggling into his chest immediately. The man carefully making his way slowly back to his wife, the NICU nurse close behind him, holding the wires that were attached to the baby girl resting in his arms.
"Here she is" he told her, Gabby's eyes clouding with fresh tears the minute she laid eyes on her baby girl.
"She's just perfect" she told him, the smile on her face flooding with happy tears. "She's so tiny, but she's perfect."
"Isn't she just" he agreed. "She looks just like you."
"You think?"
"I do" he nodded, "she's definitely got her mummy's good looks."
"Can I hold her?" Gabby asked, the woman unsure if she's be allowed while still on the table.
Matt looked towards the bundle of nurses, "you can." They agreed, the smile on Gabby's face growing even more, though her husband wasn't sure how it could.
With the help of the nurses, he managed to get Maddie settled on her chest, the little girl stirring slightly as they traded off but she soon settled when Gabby began to hum. Everyone in the room watching the new parents as they bonded with their daughter, no one wanting to rush them as they allowed them to have a few minutes before they needed to put the little girl in the plastic box resting beside them.
"She's so tiny" She smiled, happy tears running down her cheeks. "How much did she weigh?"
"I don't know" Matt replied shaking his head, the man looking up to see if any of the nurses could answer.
"She was three pounds on the nose" one of them told him.
"Thank you."
The two new parents sat for a little while longer, their daughter happily sleeping on her mothers chest, both of them lost in the beautiful little person they had created together.
"I'm sorry but I need to put her in now, she can't be in room air for too long."
Gabby nodded her head in understanding, the new mother handing her baby off to the nurse and watching as she gently placed her into the incubator. She missed the contact immediately, the warm patch on her chest soon returning to it's normal temperature without the gentle weight against it. Dawson's gaze focused on the little see through box next to her, her hand settled inside the little hand holes, her daughters tiny little hand clasped tightly around her finger.
It was a further thirty minutes before she began to get contractions again, she knew immediately what they were and the sheer intense pressure she was feeling below told her that their son was getting ready to make his appearance.
"Ok Gabby, looks like he's ready to join his sister. You ready?"
She nodded her head slightly, the woman unable to speak with the pain from her latest contraction.
"Push" the doctor told her, her head already down low and ready. "That's it, keep going."
"I can't" Gabby said shaking her head, the woman utterly exhausted after already delivering one baby, "I can't do it."
"Baby you can, just a couple more pushes and he'll be here."
Her body was so tired, all she wanted to do was go to sleep and start recovering. She didn't think she had the strength to deliver another baby, shaking her head she cried "I can't"
"You can baby, you can. Hold my hand come on I'm right here. That's it push, push" Matt encouraged the man repeating similar words to her all the way through the next contraction and the next until eventually Dr Manning told her to pant.
"His head is right there, with the next contraction you'll be through the worst bit ok?"
"Ok" she murmured, the clear sound of exhaustion in her voice.
"You're doing so well" Dr Manning told her, "a few more minutes and he'll be here."
And she was right, within five minutes the room was filled with the sounds of their sons cries, the baby boys sharp cries unsettling his sister once more. Both babies crying loudly as the NICU staff worked to clean Sebastian up before placing him on his mothers chest just like they had with Maddie. Both parents eyes filling with tears again as they soaked up everything about their second born.
"Can Maddie join us?" Matt asked unsure if it would be allowed since she already had half an hour with them before.
"I think we can allow it for a few minutes, then we really need to take them down to get settled."
"Ok" they both agreed, happy to be able to hold their children together.
The family of four sat in relative silence, both babies snuggled together on their mothers chests, the two little humans reaching out to grab each others hand the moment they were placed back together.
"I didn't think I could ever love you more, but today has proved I never really knew what love was. I've always loved you, and I knew that much but this god it feels like my heart might explode from the amount it's grown today. I love you baby so so much, thank you for giving me the greatest gifts ever."
"I love you too" Gabby replied her watery grin spreading across her face. "How much did Sebbie weigh?" She asked after a few beats.
"Four pounds two ounces" Matt replied, "he's a little bigger than his sister."
"They're both perfect." Gabby said kissing the babies heads.
She couldn't get over how different they looked, Sebastian being an almost carbon copy of his father, his thin blonde hair straight as a line with his skin tone matching that of his sisters, you could defiantly tell he was Gabby's son by that alone but his face, that was all Casey. It was like they both had a miniature version of themselves, Maddie being Gabby's double all the way down to how her little nose would scrunch up adorably.
In this moment Matt didn't think anything could break the happy little bubble they were in, they seemed like the perfect family. The new father being unable to tear his eyes away from the three most important people in his life, and he knew in that moment he would do everything in his power to protect them, to keep them from harm. His love for them so overwhelming he was unable to stop the steady flow of happy tears that had been running down his cheeks as they sat together.
"I'm sorry Mr and Mrs Casey but we really do have to take them now."
"Matt" Gabby said her eyes meeting his, "go with them?"
"But baby..." he didn't want to leave her.
"Please?" she begged.
"Ok" he agreed seeing the pleading in her eyes. He didn't want to leave any of them but he knew he couldn't deny her request when she looked at him with those eyes. He never could. "I'll go with them, but I'm coming to check on you as soon as you are out of here ok. I'll see you soon."
"Thank you. I love you" she said, puckering her lips upwards for a kiss, Matt obliging her request with a hard kiss.
"I love you too." he told her, before heading out through the double doors following behind the incubators housing his children.
Matt sat quietly in between the two incubators, the sounds of the machines being the only noise in the little corner of the room. The new father watching as both his children slept peacefully. It had been a little while since they had been born although he was unsure of the actual amount of time that had passed he knew they had been here for a length of time. The man still waiting for an update about Gabby, as he checked his phone once more for a sign that she was back in her room but still his phone showed nothing, no new messages or phone calls had been received and the radio silence was beginning to unnerve him slightly.
He was just debating sending her a message when he heard a familiar set of voices coming from the main desk, his head shooting up to see Shay and Kelly stood there.
"We were told the Casey twins were in here?" Shay said, the woman's eyes darting around the room until she spotted Casey who had pushed himself upwards out of the chair he'd been sat in. "Never mind" she told the nurse who was tapping on the computer as she locked eyes with him, "I can see their father."
Kelly's head whipped round following her gaze as he too locked eyes with him, the two rushing over as quickly as they could.
"Casey?" Kelly said first, stopping in front of him. "How are they doing?"
"They're both doing great considering. They just couldn't wait any longer to meet us."
"That they couldn't" Shay agreed peering into the incubators. "Oh my they are beautiful, little miniatures of you and Dawson" she exclaimed looking between the two of them. "How's my girl doing?"
"I don't know" Matt said shaking his head, the fear he'd been feeling before they arrived filling his body again. "I don't know how long I've been down here but I thought she'd be back in her room by now, everything went well with the birth I'm not sure why I haven't heard anything yet."
"I'm sure she's just resting" Severide assured him, although he could tell that his words were pretty meaningless. Matt wouldn't stop worrying until he saw or heard from his wife. "Do you want me to go see if I can find out anything?"
"Would you?" Matt asked, his eyes lighting up.
"Of course, stay here I'll be back soon."
But he didn't get far when the door opened again, Dr Manning entering the room and walking towards the three friends, a unreadable look on her face.
"What happened?" Matt asked before she could say anything. "Where's Gabby?"
"There were some complications after you left." She began as the colour drained from his face, the man near collapsing into the chair behind him.
"What type of complications?"
"She began to bled, we had to perform a laparotomy."
"Is she alive?" Matt asked, the panic filling his features. This was just the same as it had been in his nightmares, Dr Manning here telling him his wife had bled out and he was waiting for those dreaded words, the words that would tell him he was alone in this world.
"She is.. "
Relief filled everyone's features, the three friends all releasing breaths they hadn't been aware they were holding up until that moment.
"She's going to have a bit of a road to recovery, we had to give her three blood bags in the OR, she's back in her room and sleeping. She's going to be a bit tender for a while, I can prescribe her something for the pain but I need to know, is she wanting to breast feed?"
Matt nodded his head, that was something they had both spoken about extensively and something Gabby had her heart set on. "She wants to try at least, why will that prevent her from having pain relief?" he asked suddenly concerned at the thought of her being in pain and him being unable to help her.
"No it just means I need to give her something lighter, the options for breast feeding mothers aren't huge and most of them are pretty mild but they will help keep the edge off."
"Can I see her?"
"You can, but don't expect her to wake up for a little while we had to put her under to perform the laparotomy because of the sheer amount of blood, I wasn't sure if I was going to have to fully open her up. Thankfully I didn't have to but it will take a short while for the anaesthetic to be completely out of her system."
"Shay, Kelly can you.."
"We'll stay here" Kelly said before Casey could even finish his question. "Go be with Gabby, we've got these two."
"Thank you." he told them both before rushing off with Dr Manning, the man needing to see his wife to believe she was still alive.
No amount of words could have prepared him to see her though, her unconscious body lay in the bed, leads sticking out from under her hospital gown. His wife laying there so pale, paler than he had ever seen her in their time together, in the time they'd known each other he had never seen her look so sick, so helpless and it scared him.
"She lost a lot of blood Matt," Dr Manning said from beside him, "I know she looks rough at the minute but she'll be fine. I promise you that. She's past the worst bit, her body just needs time to heal and repair."
"How long will that take?" He asked, running his hand across the back of his neck.
"Initially about a week before she's up and about again. We'll want her to be in bed as much as possible, and if she does get out she goes in a wheelchair. I know she's going to want to be with the babies but for now I need her to rest, she will be no good to them if she pushes too quickly."
"And after that? What happens after a week?"
"We'll see how she is and we can start looking at getting her discharged and home. A full recovery could take a few months, so even after she's released home she needs to take it easy. Your son and daughter will be in the NICU for the next few weeks anyway, make sure she takes the chance to recoup as much as possible otherwise when they come home she is going to be no good to them."
"I will." He reassured her, the husband moving towards his wife's side, taking her hand in his as he watched her chest rise and fall gently in front of him. "And Dr Manning, thank you. For everything, for getting them all through this."
"No need to thank me Matt, I'm just glad they are all okay."
"Well thank you anyway." He told her again, the doctor giving him a short nod before leaving the room.
He wasn't sure how much time had passed, how long he'd sat at her beside just watching her breath. The man completely lost in her, the calmness in the room soothing to him as the air filled with gentle beeping of the machines.
He had so many things he wanted to say to her, so many things he was thankfully to her for. But sitting here holding her hand he realised he would never ever be able express them fully, words would never be enough to express to her how much she meant to him, how much their little family meant. And he knew he would never be able to give her a gift as precious as she had given him. The two beautiful little people they had created together lying not far down the hallway from them.
He'd give anything for them all to be together right now, in the same room, all his family where they belonged. But right now he was thankful that they were all safe, that they were all well and had all made it through.
Antonio moved through the hospital faster than he ever had before, the text message he had received several hours earlier being the last communication from anyone in his family. The older brother unable to reach his mother or father, the radio silence from them all sending him into a blind panic as he made his way towards the room his sister had been in for the past few days.
"Matt" he exclaimed when he turned the final corner, the detective almost smashing straight into his brother in law. "What's happening? Where's Gabby?"
"She's fine Antonio, she's fine. They are all fine, I was just going to switch with Kelly and Shay again."
"Switching what?" he asked confused.
"I'm going down to the NICU and they are coming up here" he confirmed.
"She's had the babies?"
Matt nodded, "yeah about three hours ago, sorry I was going to call but everything got a little hectic for a while."
"What happened?" Antonio asked, his panic increasing the longer he didn't see his sister. "Is she ok?" He was looking around Casey, the mans eyes settling on his baby sister, the woman still lying asleep in her bed, the sight of wires and machines telling him that something had indeed gone on during the birth of his niece and nephew.
"She's fine, she will be anyway. She haemorrhaged in the operating room, Dr Manning had to put her under to stop it but she's fine. She'll be just fine, she just needs lots of rest. They gave her three transfusions and managed to stem the bleeding, she's kinda out of it at the minute, but the doctors said that was more the effects of the anaesthetic than anything else."
"And the babies?"
"Both are fine, Sebastian is already doing most of the work himself, the amount of oxygen he was receiving had been reduced last time I switched, Maddie is doing good too. She's on CPAP but that's because of her heart, she didn't need it at first but that changed about an hour ago. Both of them have had a fed too, although it's tube feeding. We couldn't wait for Gabby to be awake to pump so I'm hoping she isn't mad that I agreed to giving them formula for the time being. Do you want to come meet them?"
"Can I?" Antonio asked his eyes lighting up at the offer.
"Of course, come on I'll take you down." Matt told him leading the way towards the NICU, the man giving a small nod to the nurse on the desk as he began to wash his hands at the sink. Both him and the older Dawson pulling on a gown before making their way towards the furthest incubators. "How've they been?" he asked as he approached his two friends.
"Little angels" Shay said standing up, "Maddie had a couple of moments where she cried out a little, but she seems to already have her Uncle Kelly wrapped round that tiny finger of hers, the minute he placed his hand on her chest she stopped.
Matt chuckled slightly at that, "Glad to hear it. And Seb?"
"He's slept mainly" Severide told him, the man joining them just off to the side. "Hey Antonio" he said reaching out to shake the detectives hand. "Have you come straight from the station?"
"Yeah, we were just wrapping up a case, finished about an hour ago that's when I got Matt's text. Are my mum and dad here yet?" he asked no one in particular.
Everyone shook their head. "I tried calling after Gabby got out of surgery but their phones were off. I thought they'd be here by now." Matt told him, the mans voice laced with a touch of concern. If he knew anything about the Dawson family it was that they would drop everything the minute one of them needed something, and Gabby going into labour would have been on the top of their list of priorities, the fact they weren't already here was concerning and both he and Antonio knew it.
"When was the last time you tried them?" Antonio asked giving his brother in law a worried look.
"About an hour ago maybe.. Shall I try again?"
"I'll try, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about but I thought they would have gotten here before me for sure" he told him pulling his phone out just as it began to ring in his hand, relief flashing across his face as he turned the device towards Casey, the firefighter seeing his mother in laws picture flashing across the screen. "Hey mum" Antonio spoke as soon as he answered the call. "Yeah, they're all good. Yes I'm with him now. Yes in the NICU, okay, brilliant text me when you get here."
"What did she say?" Matt asked almost as soon as he had pocketed the device.
"They were on some church trip with mums church and they had no signal, they only just got your text and a million missed calls from me, they are on their way now. Should be here within half an hour if the traffic allows it."
"Oh thank god for that" Matt said, releasing the breath he wasn't even aware he was holding. The lack of communication from his in laws having had more of an effect on him than he wanted to admit to. "Do you want to meet your niece and nephew?" he asked, turning the attention of everyone back to why they were here.
"Yes" the older man smiled, his huge grin reminding Matt so much of his wife's smile.
"This is Madeline, she weighed three pounds on the nose and she's an absolute fighter just like her mother."
Antonio peered into the little box, the little girl inside happily sleeping with her fist in her mouth, her mass of curls swamping what could be seen of her tiny little face behind the CPAP mask. "She looks just like Gabby did as a baby, if I didn't know who she was I'd say she was Gabby."
"I know, she defiantly takes after her mother. So far on all accounts."
"Good luck with that one" Antonio said raising a brow at him.
"Thanks I think I'm going to need it" Matt laughed understanding more than anyone the truth behind his warning. "And this over here is Sebastian, he was four pounds two ounces."
"Man" Antonio exclaimed when he laid eyes on his little nephew, "he is a Casey through and through isn't he?" Matt nodded his head in agreement, the man having heard similar words from everyone who had laid eyes on the twins since the moment they had both been born. In truth you could easily tell that the children were both Matt and Gabby's but it was also true that their son looked more like his father than his sister did and that their daughter looked more like her mother than her brother did. And if it wasn't obvious enough by their features and the mop of blonde and brown hair on their respective heads, the minute they open their eyes people could see a clear difference. Madeline baring the same honey brown eyes as her mother, the little girls as big and loving as the woman who bore her, where as Sebastian had his fathers soft blue ones, the little boys eyes clearly shining up at his uncle as he woke from his slumber. Antonio gasping as he took in the sight of the little boy in front of him.
"They are perfect" he said smiling up at the new father, "just perfect. Congratulations man!" He told him slapping his back gently. "Being a father it's the best thing in the world honestly it is."
"Thanks Tonio, really."
"Anything you need" he continued "I mean it, you tell me, you can call any time of the day or night. And I'll be there ok?"
"Thank you" Matt said again, the two men being cut off by the sound of crying filling the air. Sebastian not happy with the lack of attention he was now getting.
"Hey little man" Matt soothed reaching into the incubator and stroking his little cheek. "It's ok, daddy's here." Sebastian nuzzled instantly into his fathers touch, the little boys mouth opening and closing a few times indicating he was hungry. "Yeah it's dinner time bud, I'll go get the nurse to bring you some milk yeah."
"I can go ask them" Antonio offered, the older man knowing that the minute Matt removed his hand the little boys was likely to scream again.
"Would you? That's be great" Matt told him appreciatively. "Thanks."
They all watched as he walked off towards the front desk, Matt turning his attention back towards his friends. "Would you guys mind going and sitting with Gabby for me. I don't want her to be alone, and she doesn't want these two being alone either."
"Sure Casey, you know we don't mind." Shay told him giving him a quick peck to the cheek. "Just call us if you wanna switch again ok?"
"Thanks guys."
Both of them waved him off as they walked towards the exit, Severide stopping momentarily to speak with Antonio again. The twos conversation lasting mere moments before he follow Shay out the door.
"She said she'll bring some milk over for you to do the tube feed." Antonio told Matt when he returned.
"Thanks" Matt replied, looking up from his son. The new father having stood for the past few minutes chatting with his son as if he could answer him back. "You hear that bud, Uncle Tonio said that the nice nurse is going to bring you some milk, that sounds good yea? Yeah it does." He smiled, tickling his fingers along the babies bare belly. "I know you're hungry, then we'll get you a fresh diaper and maybe see if I can give you some cuddles again. How does that sound? Would you like that, for daddy to give you some more cuddles? Yeah you would wouldn't you."
"What?" He asked the small snigger next to him pulling him from his very one sided conversation.
"Nothing, it's just you're so natural at this. It's just nice to see."
"Well I've wanted kids forever, and with your two and Violet I had a lot of practise." Matt shrugged, "besides how difficult can it be? It's not like he can answer me back or play me up."
"Oh you have no idea what's coming" Antonio scoffed, the older man finding his brother in laws off handed comment comical. "Just you wait."
Casey didn't have time to respond when the nurse arrived, handing him a bottle of formula and showing him how to transfer it into the little syringe at the top of the ENT tube. "Now you want to take it nice and slow, remember their belly's are only tiny at the minute. They will probably only take an ounce if that. Once he's finished, I'll show you how to do his nappy through this" she said pointing at the little hand holes, "and then maybe get him some skin to skin before his sister wakes up."
"That would be great thank you." Casey said watching her walk away.
The two men stood quietly for a few moments, the pair watching the little boys face light up as the milk began to trickle down into his belly through the thin tube going into his nose. The twins premature birth meaning it would be a few weeks before they would be able to take to a bottle or attempt breast feeding. For now it was all tube, and although it meant there was distance between the parents and their children, the closeness most parents experienced whole feeding taken away for the moment, Matt still did everything he could to let his son know that he was right there with him while he ate. The man stroking his thumb gently across the babies cheek, the little boys blue eyes focused upwards towards the gentle noises his father was making. And although Matt knew that his son couldn't yet see him from the distance he was at in this moment, he knew that during those times he got to do skin to skin he could get the small boys eyes to see him, and capture his complete focus by humming the little tune he and Gabby had spent most of the pregnancy humming to her belly. The familiar sound soothing the little boy and helping the father bond with his child in a less than perfect situation.
"So I erm.. " Antonio started, his voice pulling Matt's focus back to him "I got your message."
"Oh yea sorry I know you are busy but.."
"It's fine Matt, do you want to tell me a bit more as to why you want me to look into your mother?"
Casey sighed, the man not really sure where to begin. "She turned up this afternoon, I knew her turning up out of the blue meant she wanted something but I thought I'd give her the benefit of the doubt. She told me some stuff from before she.. you know." Antonio gave a short nod, he knew what Matt was saying he didn't need to hear the words to clarify it. "Well she said my sister told her some stuff and I don't know whether to believe her or not and I don't want to ask Christy. I mean if it's true, if what she said is the truth of what happened that day to push her over the edge, it's not something I want my sister having to relive if I can help it."
"I can look into it but you'll have to give me more than the riddles you're talking in" Antonio said, the man not missing the way his brother in laws body tensed at his words.
"She.. she said.. that.. err.. she told me that Christy had told her my dad had been.. errmm..." he shook his head, the mans focus returning to his son as he visibly tried to calm himself. The older Dawson sensing that this conversation was anything but easy for him. "She told me that he'd raped my sister, multiple times. And that's why she .. why she did it."
If Antonio was shocked by the words tumbling out of the young blondes mouth he didn't let it show, the detective giving him a short nod before signalling for him to continue.
"So yeah, I just want to.. no I need to know if that was true, if she honestly was trying to protect us like she's said all these years."
"I can look into it for you" He confirmed with another short nod, "but Matt, if what I find says that what she's saying is true can you cope with that? I know the whole situation with what happened, that it's always been a.. tough spot" He said choosing his words clearly.
"I just need to know Antonio, maybe if she did what she did for those reasons. I don't know maybe I can forgive her.. I don't even really know what I want to come from it but I need to know."
"Okay, I'll look into it."
"Thanks." Matt said, the firefighter knowing that they'd only partly finished their conversation, and by the look on the older mans face he could tell that he knew it too. "There is one other thing.."
"What is it?"
"When she was here she asked me to help her, something about the halfway house she's in and some guys she owes money too. She said they want her to make a hit on someone to pay off her debt, she asked me for money. But we are in no position to be bailing her out, and to be honest I'm tired of her only coming to me when she needs something. She said these guys, they've erm threatened us. Me, Gabby and the babies and Christy and Violet. I told her she needed to come to you but she's refusing. I don't want to put her in a position where anything bad could happen, but I'm worried Antonio. Really worried. If she doesn't come up with the money, they are going to get her to do the hit one way or another. And I'm not in any position to protect her. I've got a family to protect and if anything happens to them because of my mother.. I'll never forgive myself."
Antonio's face told Matt of the fury he was feeling at hearing his sister, niece and nephew had all been threatened by some thugs, Matt understood the fury because it was the same fury he felt when he walked away from the conversation earlier. His need to protect his family out weighing everything else. "Do you know what house she's at?"
"I don't" Matt said shaking his head, "until today I didn't even know she was back in Chicago and honestly I wish she'd never come back."
"I'll deal with it" Antonio assured him. "You concentrate on looking after these two and my sister, I'll deal with your mum and her new friends."
"Thank you" Matt told him, the man truly grateful of his brother in laws help. "Erm Tonio?" He said finishing up feeding Sebastian, the man removing the syringe from the top of the tube and replacing the hygiene cap.
"Yeah?"
"I haven't told Gabby yet."
"Oh."
"I'm going to but she went into labour almost as soon as I'd phoned you and well it wasn't really the time to bring it up. I don't want to tell her when she's supposed to be resting, it'll only worry her."
"Matt.." Antonio began, he could see where this was going, he knew what the Captain was about to ask him but he wasn't sure if he could do it.
"Please Antonio, don't say anything not yet. Keep this between us, until she's stronger. She's been through so much today and if something my mother said or does causes her any more issues... Please."
He watched his brother in law digest his words, the detective sighing deeply to himself as he ran his hand along the back of his neck. "I'll keep it between us for now" he agreed. "But Matt you have to tell her sooner rather than later. The foundation of your relationship is no lies, big or small. And if this situation was the other way round, if she kept this from you..."
"I know, and I will tell her. Just not until she's strong enough ok?"
"Ok" he agreed. "I'm going to go out there, wait for my mum and dad and make some phone calls ok?"
Matt nodded in response, the new father beginning to grab a fresh diaper and some wipes out of the unit under his sons bed. The man getting ready to freshen his son up before his skin to skin time.
So.. they are here. Matt and Gabby are finally parents, the birth wasn't what they were expecting but then these things never are. So far the babies are doing well, and despite the set back with Gabby, Dr Manning seems fairly confident she's going to be ok too... What could possibly go wrong right?
Let me know what you think.. :)