Two days later

Matt looked down at his phone on his lap as the nurse pushed the wheelchair back to his room.

Yesterday the stitches had been removed from the surgery and he finally got to do physical therapy today. Even though he was glad that it felt he was closer to recovering, now he was in physical therapy and he had walked for a bit without his heart playing up. Even though he felt weak, he hoped he owuld get to go home tomorrow.

The only thing tht made it hard to stay positive, Gabby hadn't been here yesterday and she wasn't reachable today either. Now, today she was on shif tbut with the CFD barbecue he was pretty sure she wasn't going to be here tomorrow either and he knew that was also because she was angry. He had tried to reach her every way but she refused to take her phone, as much as he had apologized for getting angry and sending her out.

As if that wasn't worse enough yet, his mom was waiting for him in his room again. Trying to ignore her, still angry as the nurse helped him on the bed he just wished that she would go away. But before she could start talking, he grabbed the remote and turned the tv on.

''Matt, how did it go?''

''Please just go mom, Gabby should be here, not you.'' Matt said upset as he put the volume of the TV up again, not wanting to talk to her anymore.

He had seen this episode of Mythbusters a long time ago, but anything was better than having to talk to his mom.

''Matt, do you want any more water?''

''No.'' He said annoying, reaching for his phone and hoping he had a message from Gabby, but he still didn't.

Slowly he got up and walked to the bathroom, locking the door to get rid of his mom for a few minutes, sitting down on the toilet with the lid down and panting for a few seconds, taking his phone from the robe then and trying to reach Gabby again.

Staying in there for a few more minutes, he walked back to bed, wishing his mom and gone away but she was still there.

''No message from Gabby yet?''

Matt looked up from his phone, frowning at his mom.

''Well, I know she hasn't been here yesterday and she is not here now, so I figured you tried to reach her.''

''Yeah, thanks for ruining it.'' Matt said angry then.

''Says more about her than about you. You caught a bullet for her and she does-''

''Mom, please just go away!'' He said upset.

''Sorry, sorry.'' Nancy said, not moving and Matt turned around, trying to fall asleep.

Gabby was on shift, stirring through her coffee. Looking at her phone she saw there was another mmissed call from Matt and for a second she thought about calling him back becuase she was concerned about him, but she was also still angry about what had happened last visit.

It all felt a bit too much now.

Jimmy was sitting in the ambulance, he was not as sure how to feel about everything here. It was good to bei n a trusted place again, but he was also nervous. Even though he was sure nothing was going to happen, being at hoem and putting it off the last weeks had only made it worse.

''Let's do counting, okay?'' Brett said then, saw he was deep in thoughts and she was not sur eif that was what he needed now, maybe it was better if he did not thinka bout everything too much but was busy instead.

''Yeah, that sounds good.'' Jimmy said then and even though the last time they had been planning to do that, thing went terribly wrong, it seemed good now.


The next day


Even though all of them were tired of the shift they had just done, after a while they had decided to go to the CFD barbecue after all.

They were all sitting by the table together and tried to mind their own business. It was so awkward as most of the other firehouses were still looking at them with pity, glaring at them

Every now and then one dropped by, being awkward, telling them how sorry they were. Cause nobody seemed to know what to say. Because there was nothing to say that would make them all feel better.

So instead they sat together, ignored by all the other people there for lack of knowing what tosay and for now, them being together was enough.

''Doctor, there is a problem with mister Casey.'' A nurse came running to the cardiologist as soon as he came onto the floor to check on Matthew Casey. Even though he was in regular care now, he came in two times a day to make sure how the man was doing and ot monitor the healing of his heart. It had been a close call and it was okay to call it a miracle that the firefighter was still alright.

''What is wrong?''

''he signed his release forms, says he can't stay another day.''

''Let me go talk to him.''

The cardiologist looked as Matt was standing by his bed, dressed in jeans and a shirt, packing his stuff.

''What are you doing, mr Casey?''

''I am going home.'' He said then.

''But you are not released yet.'' The cardiologist said surprised.

''I signed all the forms and know the risk.'' Matt said then.

''Mr Casey, it is a terrible idea. I would really like to keep you here for a few days more. You are way too weak to go home yet and your heart is still unpredictable.''

''I don't care, I want to go home.'' Matt said upset. He didn't even really care about being home, but he just wanted to see Gabby.

''Do you at least have somebody to pick you up? I really don't agree with this. Not after all we have tried to do to keep you healthy and alive. You are really harming you health by doing that.''

''Yeah.'' Matt lied. He knew it was stupid to leave, but all he wanted was going to Gabby andmaking up. The idea of staying here without her, made him feel so bad.

Gabby was grabbing another wine, hoping it would losen her up and would make her feel better, as Kelly suddenly stood beside her.

''Matt hasn't answered my texts in two days, do you know how he is or why he doesn't reply?''

''I don't know, haven't been there in two days.'' She admitted.

''Why?''

''Because his mom makes it really hard to be around, she is so unfriendly and picks a fight and he told me to get out, so that is what I did.''

''Gabby, he needs you. As stubborn he might have been sending you out, I am sure he wants nothing more than having you by his side.'' Kelly said.

''Well then he shouldn't have yelled at me.'' Gabby said upset as she filled her glass again. Looking at her glass and into her drink, she knew Kelly was right and she wasn't sure what to do. As much as she was angry with him, she did miss him. Maybe she should go tomorrow.

To be honest, she did miss Matt.


NOTE: So Matt and Gabby are in rough water sthanks to Nancy but is Matt going to make it better of worse by leving the hospital.

So sorry this chapter took a while. I moved to the UK (will be living in Scotland till september) earlier this week thus I needed time to get settled and didn't have time to write and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Do let me know what you thought about this hapter by leaving a review.