A\N: The idea for this chapter came from me spending twenty-four hours without power thanks to an awful winter storm. I would like to thank my amazing beta reader for checking this for content, adding a few things and editing it in general. I hope everyone likes it and please remember to read and review.
Disclaimer: I do not own Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, NBC orGlobal.
Spoilers: "A Nuisance Call."
Warnings: None
Tuesday
Eva and Diego watched the Weathers news eagerly in anticipation of the snow day they hoped would be announced. According to the news, two huge snowstorms were supposed to hit Illinois at some point during the day and it was being reported that they were going to hit in Chicago at the same time and make it the worst snowstorm the city had seen in years.
"Okay you two, that was your aunt; they're coming to pick you up. Go and get your things." Abuela told them
"But what about the snow day Abuela?"
"I'll be fine and just stay here," She smiled at her grandchildren's excitement over a possible day off from school.
Eva and Diego ran off to get their backpacks and to change out of their pajamas.
Around twenty minutes later, the twins were walking down the stairs when Timothy Dawson aka abuelo snuck up behind them and lifted them over his shoulders. He then proceeded to carry them to the front door; Opening as he called to Gabby and Matt who were walking carefully up the icy driveway.
"Do you want these two things back?" "Or should I throw them away?" As abuelo jokey said
"No Abuelo!" Diego pouted, "I want to see Matt."
Timothy set Diego on his feet and he ran into Matt's arms. "Hey bud," Matt took Diego into his arms, "Did you have fun with Abuela and Abuelo?"
"Uh-huh," He nodded, "You haven't met Abuelo yet."
Diego was right, Matt hadn't met Gabriela's father yet; and he wasn't to keen on meeting him after Meeting her mother, even if only briefly while dropping of the kids was scary enough.
Timothy took a stepped forward with an outstretched hand, "You must be Matt Gabriela Boyfriend?" I'm Tim, her father."
"It's very nice to meet you Sir. As he shooked his hand. I also hear you're a Police Lieutenant?"
"Abuelo was in the Marines just like Daddy," Diego piped up and told Matt, "And I'm going to be in the Marines too."
"What happened to wanting to be a Detective?"
"I'm going to do that after just like Dad did," Diego told him.
"Okay my mini Antonio," Gabby ruffled the young boy's hair, "We have to go soon if we're going beat the storm. Thanks again for watching them," Gabriela told her parents, "Are you still good to watch them Friday night? Antonio and Laura's plane doesn't get in until late so they weren't going to pick them up until Saturday."
"Yeah Friday's good," Esmerelda said, "Now come and give Abuela a hug!"
Both children were set on the ground so they could hug her; "Did you tell Auntie Gabby and Matt the good news?" She asked them.
"Oh yeah," Eva remembered, "We don't have school today. It's a snow day."
"We figured it might be; now lets go we need to beat the storm home."
Once all of the goodbyes had been said, they started the thirty-minute ride back to Antonio and Laura's house. The trip usually only took a little over fifteen minutes to get there but with the weather being bad, Gabriela took extra precaution and it took longer to get home.
Upon finally arriving home, "Don't get to comfortable you two!" Matt unlocked the house door, "We have work to do to prepare for the storm."
"Like what?" Eva wondered.
"Well Eva, we need to make sure we have enough non-perishable food and water to last us. As well as blankets and firewood and candles and flashlights just encase we loose power and heat due to the storm You two can go and find all of the this stuff in the garage and in the upstairs closet and make sure they work."
"Okay, We'll look in the garage," Diego took off running.
"Wait for me!" Eva called after him as she ran to catch up.
"What would you want me to do?" Gabriela wrapped her arms around Matt's waist and pressed her body into his.
Matt moaned at the touch, "Gabby," He rubbed her arms, "Don't do that to me,"
Gabby kissed his neck, "But I like to."
"Again?" Eva shook her head as she returned carrying two flashlights.
"Yeah just get married already," Diego finished his sister's thought.
Gabriela nervously laughed as she took a few steps away from Matt and turned her attention to the twins "Are the flashlights all working?"
"Not this one," Eva handed her one she was carrying.
"Ah well it probably just needs new batteries; we can fix that." She guided her away.
"What do we do now?" Diego asked Matt.
"We see if we have canned food we can use for meals."
"Canned food? Like soup? But soup needs to be heated up."
"Well; Auntie Gabby or I can lit the stove with a match to cook things."
"Oh," Diego spoke, "Do we have matches."
"You do," Gabriela answered her nephew's question as they passed her. She was standing on chair looking through the hall closet for materials; so far she had found a lot of what they needed."
"Extra blankets, first aid kit, extra batteries, more flashlights, matches and canned food. Doesn't surprise me Your mommy and Daddy were prepared."
Matt took the items, "Just in time too," He as he heard the wind ms pick up, "Looks like the first storm is coming."
Putting everything where it would be easy to find later on Matt got Diego to help him fill up some jugs with water and put them in the garage to stay cold. They then went back into the kitchen were Gabriela and Eva were sorting through the cans.
"Wow Antonio says he always keeps everything stocked up in case of an emergency but this is insane," Gabriela went through another bin of things complete with a battery powered radio, GPS systems and a SAT phone."
"Daddy was a Marine," Diego reminded her, "They always know what to do."
"Yeah bud I guess you're right," Gabby put the box aside, "Hopefully we won't need any of this stuff though its for extreme circumstances only."
"The radio could come in handy later," Matt spoke up, "If only to hear what's going on."
"Wow!" Eva ran to the window, "It's getting pretty bad outside."
"Well then it's a good thing we're inside safe," Gabby told her, "Now lets go and watch the news to see when the storm is going to be at its worst. Then we might know when the power will go out."
Gabby turned on the TV and changed it to the local news channel. While she and Matt were sitting on the couch cuddling and watching the news, the twins sat on the floor whispering back and forth.
"Okay you two," Gabby turned to them, "What's up?"
Diego and Eva looked at her and then each other.
"We were just wondering…."
"I mean because…."
"We shouldn't ask but….."
"We want to know…."
"Are you and Matt going to get married?" Eva finally asked the question.
"Uh?" Gabby was taken back at that question and flashback to when Ben asked if she and Mat were dating, "Well..."
Matt piped up and say "I don't have any intention of letting your Aunt go. But right now if I have it my way we will get married soon but right now is not the right time and when it is will let u guys know first but remember it might be a few years."
"That's okay," Diego hugged him, "I love you."
"I love you too. That's why we asked. We don't want you to leave. Your our Auntie Gabby favorite boyfriend out of all the ones she has ever had."
Matt smiled as both kids sat on his lap, "Well thank you," He kissed both of them, "That really means a lot to me, Do you guys happen to have Monopoly?"
"No but Abuela and Abuelo do," Diego informed him, "We have games on Mom's IPad but she took it with her."
"Okay well we'll just have to tell scary stories if the power goes out."
"Ooh, " Diego clapped. "BOOM, there was a loud nose and they all looked out the window to see a tree had fallen in the backyard.
"Oh, No, this is not good" Gabby rubbed her face.
"Don't worry babe we'll get it cleared away. The most important thing is that we're all safe."
"No," Diego pouted, "Daddy was going to build a tree house for us in the spring," He informed Matt, "Right Auntie Gabby?"
"Yeah he was buddy," Gabby ruffled his hair.
"Oh well maybe Daddy and I can build you an ever cooler fort on the ground," He suggested.
"Oh that sounds cool," Diego smiled.
"Yeah," Eva agreed.
"Okay it's settled then," Matt spoke as the power flicker and then went off.
"Ooh lets play hide and seek Diego, with our flashlights." She stood up.
"Okay," Diego followed her.
Diego and Eva played different games until one o'clock when they sat down for lunch; which consisted of bread and an assortment of deli meat and cheese due to the power outtage
After lunch Diego and Matt played Risk and Gabby did Eva's hair and nail polish.
"Matt," Eva crawled behind him on the couch and played with his hair, "Can I try braiding your hair?"
"Eva sweetie are your nails dry?" Gabby finished checking her phone for news of the storm.
"Yeah," Eva replied, "So can I Matt?"
"Sure if you can,"
Diego snickered, "You're going to let her play with your hair."
"Hey!" Matt pointed, "It's just some ponytails man; besides your sister happens to be as cute as you."
"Sometimes."
Eva through a pillow at him.
"Hey, hey be nice," Matt, told them. "Eva you can play with my hair after the games finished."
"Okay Matt," Eva sat on his lap.
From the kitchen Gabby watched the scene unfold and smiled; she imagined what Matt would be like with kids of his own; their own as she thought, or dreamed about what they might look like.
"Auntie Gabby! Auntie Gabby!" Eva collided with her, "Matt said I could play with his hair."
Gabby smiled, "I heard."
"I'm just going to go and get some ponytails!" She bolted up to her room.
Gabby walked over to the couch and curled into Matt's side, "You just made her week."
Matt wrapped Gabby in his arms, "I don't mind really;" He said.
Diego looked around the playing board and couldn't believe Matt had beaten him again, "How do you do it?" He asked, "How do you always win?"
"I've been playing since I was your age bud; you'll get the hang of it."
Diego pouted, "I'm going to study until I do."
"I like that determination."
"Mommy says I get it from Daddy's side."
"Yeah I can see that; your father and Aunt are very stubborn; they don't like to quit until they finish what they do."
Gabby squinted her eyes, "So? What's wrong with determination?"
"Well lets see-" But before he could finish Gabby smacked him over the head making both kids laugh.
Later when it started to get a little chilly and darker, both Gabby and Matt got out the candles and started to lighting them.
"Now you two know you don't go anywhere near these right," Matt put a candle on the mantle and turned to look at the twins, "I mean it; you could burn yourself. I don't want you even looking at them for to long, you understand."
"Yes Sir."
"Good now go get a flashlight and go and play."
"Candles are all lit," He found Gabby in the kitchen, "I told Diego and Eva not to go anywhere near them."
"I heard. They know not to go close to candles Matt; they're good kids."
"Gabby with what we see everyday you can't tell me you don't worry about it. It's bad enough without candles; and it doesn't matter if they're good kids or not one single thing needs to happen and…."
Gabby walked up to him, "I know Matt! I've had plenty of nightmares about what could happen. To them or to Antonio on the job but we can't live like that; we can't live in fear; I learnt that when Antonio got shot the first time on the job."
Matt held her, "I don't know what I'm going to do when I have kids," He rubbed his neck. "I was strict with Ben and Griffin too. You know that."
"You're strict because you love them and you want them safe. Antonio's the same. Ask him when Eva's allowed to date and you'll see that."
Matt laughed, "Yeah I will."
"Not in front of me you won't, its' was ridiculous when he did the same thing with me. That's what happens when your brothers ten years older."
"Well then I'm glad I have his blessing, "He kissed her on the lips.
"Kids in the room!"
"Come here you two," Gabby held her arms open.
Eva and Diego ran into her arms.
"And you," Matt picked up Eva, "You did a very good job on my hair," He spoke about the two short ponytails Eva had done, "But do you think I can take them out?"
"Okay," Eva nodded as she took them out.
Matt set he on the floor and the kids ran out of the room.
After dinner, which consisted of salad and beans Eva and Diego watched a movie on Matt's laptop before being sent to bed at eight thirty. Since there wasn't much else to do in the dark Matt and Gabby also headed into the guest bedroom after making sure the twins were in bed.
Holding a flashlight Gabby settled in Matt's lap and turned to kiss him, "The kids are asleep and the walls are thick."
Matt kissed her neck, "I was thinking the same thing."
"Auntie Gabby," Eva knocked on the door and stood at the door of the guest room, "Can I sleep with you and Matt? I'm really cold."
Before Gabby could answer she heard Diego's voice; he was asking the same thing.
Gabby silently looked at Matt; she loved her niece and nephew to death but she knew they both needs some time alone and if they sent them back to bed they would get that much needed time.
"Please?" Eva added, "I'm really cold."
"Okay only tonight," Gabby gave in and the door opened and both eight year olds came running and climbed happily into the queen sized bed, one on each side.
Matt and Gabby joined the twins in the bed, Gabby beside Diego and Matt beside Eva.
"Now go to sleep," Gabby turned off her flashlight and set it on the nightstand.
"Good night," Eva snuggled close to Matt and hugged her favourite doll as she closed her eyes.
"Good night sweetie," Gabby replied.
"Good night Eva," Diego wrapped the blankets around himself and closed his eyes well,
"Good night," Matt mouthed to Gabby.
"Good night," She mouthed back.
TBC
A\N: Please leave a review and tell me what you thought.
