''Come on, we are nearly at the end.''

Matt gritted his teeth as he put his right leg forward again. Severide looked as Matt was sweating and his face was getting red. But it was getting better.

''In an hour you can eat cake and do nothing, but now we are going to reach the end.''

Matt made the final step and he nearly collapsed again the bar, holding himself up as Kelly got his wheelchair. Last week he had only managed to take two steps as they tried this first, but this time he had made it to the end it was only the third time they did this.

''Here''

He handed his friend a towel and a bottle of water.

''T-thanks.'' Matt panted and he wiped the towel over his face and drank the water.

''Do you practice like this with your therapist as well?''

''Nah, he just keeps w-working on my arm.''

''Well, then we work on your leg.'' Severide smiled at him.

''I should go s-showering, otherwise Gabriela will be here.''

She had promised to pick him up around seven for the birthday of the twins.

Matt woke up in the tiny hotel room. He turned around and was surprised as Hilda was not there. Slowly he stood up, grabbing his pants to see if she was at the bathroom in the hallway. The sun was already shining in Hamburg and he walked onto the hallway. The hotel was dirty and small, but at least it was cheap. If they kept spending money like this, they would be able to last for at least three months. They had made the deal they would travel as long as they could. But the only thing that held them was that his visa wasnt valid for so long.

Matt knocked ont he bathroom door.

The bathroom door opened and a round, older man walked out, pushing Matthew aside and Matt looked confused. Had Hilda left him?

''Chicagoan!'' He turned around, to see her standing in the hallway waving at him with a paper bag in her hands that said bakery and they both walked back in their room.

''German bread.'' She smiled, handing him one of the breads with egg and cheese.

''What are we going to do today?'' He rolled over, chewing on the bread as he look as she laid down on the bed next to him, eating as well.

''We are going to Berlin tomorrow, right?'' She caught one of the pieces of egg that nearly fel from her bed and put it in her mouth.

''I like this city. We have time enough.'' He smiled at her.

''I like you.'' She smiled and laid their food aside, kissing him again.

''You aren't finished yet?'' Gabriela walked inside.

''I was a little late for d-dinner.'' He lied as he pulled the shirt over his upper body and with a lot of effort he stood up, holding himself up against the nightstand.

''Little help?'' He said with a smile as he stretched his arm out and Gabriela walked up to him, surprised. She grabbed his right arm and leaning with his arm against the wall he walked to the bathroom.

''Hmmm...I have to do my best again to keep up with you in no time.'' Gabriela said. Matt smiled at her as he leaned against the small wall of the shower and grabbed his deodorant.

''I am happy you are taller again.'' She laid her head against his shoulder now he was standing up and he smiled as she looked at them together in the mirror. Gabriela walked back with him.

''You want to write something in their birthday cards? I already wrote both our names down, but if you want to write something extra.''

''T-that is okay. Writing still isn't going that well.'' Matt explained as he grabbed the stuff he needed to take and Gabriela put it in her bag.

''Antonio just called, most visitors were already there is this afternoon so it is calm, which is good. I like kids, but not twenty of them yelling through each other.'' Gabriela spoke.

''Me t-too.'' Matt agreed as they made their way to his pick up, which she was still driving so they could take his wheelchair with them more easily. Antonio lived close the suburbs, so it was a little farther away. Matt and Gabby lived at the border of the city centre, just like Gabby's parents. But Antonio and Laura had moved away after the twins were born, just like his sister when Violet was born. They wanted a more spacious house and bigger backyard.

After twenty minutes they arrived in the suburbs and left the car again and Antonio opened the door.

''I think you came here to give me presents, right?'' Antonio said with a smile and immediately Diego started to yell from the living room. Matt and Gabby entered, congratulating the twins.

''Why are you going with me to the football match and is Matt going to ballet?'' Diego asked puzzled.

''Because I want to see your face when the Bears lose.'' Gabriela sticked her tongue out at her Nephew, whom just rolled with his eyes before walking away.

''If you prefer Gabriela going with you to ballet you should just say.'' Matt said to Eva as she was still looking at the tickets.

''They have to get to used to you anyway, I heard from mom we are actually going to have a Casey in our family.'' Antonio said with a smile as he handed him the coffee cup. ''Congratulations.''

''Approved by t-the big brother, that is good.'' Matt smiled back.

''Gabriela Casey, sounds good.'' Laura congratulated them as well and Diego walked towards them, holding two plates with cake.

''What, you are getting married?'' He said with a strange face and Eva shook her head.

''Diego, that is not strange you know.'' Eva said then and it sounded to dry they all started to laugh.

''Will you be our flower girl?'' Gabriela smiled at her and the family laughed. Gabriela's parents arrived as well and the family had a good night.

''I have my first shift at 51 again tomorrow.'' Gabby suddenly spoke on their way back and surprised Matt looked aside.

''Why didn't you tell me before.''

''I thought you might get upset that I am returning to 51.'' She admitted as she stopped in front of the traffic light.

''Why? I am happy f-for you. It's time one of us goes back t-there.''

''We are going to have problem.''

''Oh yeah?'' Matt looked aside.

''It will get confusing.''

''Oh yeah?'' Matt said again, frowning.''

''Two Casey's in one building.''

Matt laughed but his went to very serious then.

''I don't t-think they will allow us to work t-together when we are married, because of the situations w-we are in.''

''I know, but we will find a way.''

''Why do you never call your parents?'' Hilda asked as they laid on the bed in the hotel deep in the night. Today was their last night here and after some dinner they had proposed to go back to the hotel to get some sleep for driving to Berlin, but they both couldn't sleep.

''I have nobody to call in Chicago.''

''Are your parents dead?'' Hilda frowned, worried.

''Yes.'' He lied. It was not that he didn't care about his mom, but it was easier to tell that she was dead. He hadn't seen her ever since the trial. Going to the prison was too much of a step to make because he really had to forgive her.

''I am sorry. Why are you still going back to Chicago? You could move to here when you are back in Chicago. I know it is not easy but we could be together.''

Matt looked out of the window. He liked Hilda and this was a lot better than the rest of his life. No parents whom were fighting. not his dad putting pressure on him and responsibility, but leaving Chicago and his dream of being a firefighter behind was too much.

''I can't.'' He admitted. A few minutes later they went to sleep. He felt bad that Hilda seemed to be upset, but he couldn't just move. Hopefully it would be better the next morning.

Waking up she was gone again and he walked back to the hallway, to see the bathroom door open. He walked back to the room, figuring she was probably getting them breakfast again. He laid back in the old, squeaky bed and looked out of the window. There was a German magazine in the nightstand, probably from one of the previous guests and he started to browser through it but the language was not understandable. Surprised he looked around as she was still not back. Only now he realised the pink suitcase was gone by the door and he pulled her nightstand open, to see it being empty. Jumping up he walked to the window. The parking spot were their rental car had been was empty and he sat down. She was gone.

After showering he grabbed his own backpack and wanted to leave when he suddenly realized that his wallet was gone, as well his passport. With trembling hands he searched through every part of his bag. Maybe he had left them in his jacket. But after a desperate search he knew it was all gone, together with Hilda.

Bitter he sat down in the bus that would take him to the embassy and he paid his ticket with the last change from his pockets. If she had left right after he had gone to sleep she was probably in Paris by now. He got out at the U.S embassy. Half an hour later he was finally talking to woman, whom spoke English with a clear German accent and it took him some effort to understand her.

''Do you have any idea how your passport got stolen?'' Should he direct them to Hilda, so he would get his own passport back?

''I entered the underground and when I got out, it was suddenly gone.'' He lied.

''Hey.'' Matt had been waiting for Kelly to come tonight, as Kelly has said he would come.

''I walked a p-part with Gabby last night. It is working, my walking is g-getting better.'' Matt said with a proud smile as he got ready to stand up.

''I have to talk to you.'' Kelly said, very serious and Matt looked up.

''About what?''

''About 51.''

Matt looked down at the floor again as Severide sat down in front of him.

''I c-can't get back to work, can I?''

''That is your decision to make. There are no civil laws that keep you from being a firefighter.''

''T-that is good, right?''

''Matt, think about this for a second, you are endangering yourself and I can't deny that Boden is right when he says you might endanger other men as well. CFD can offer you another job. Boden has been talking with them and they want to offer you a job at the academy as in teaching there.''

''Me, a teacher? Ain't gonna happen.'' Matt shook his head.

''You will actually earn more.''

Matt shook his head. ''I d-don't care about the money. Why aren't you backing me up and supporting me, I t-thought you wanted me to come back to 51.''

''As your friend, I am worried about you. What if you get a seizure while in an emergency situation? As your co-worker, I have to protect my men as well.''

''Damnit, Kelly.'' Matt said upset.

Both men were quiet for a few minutes.

''Should I go?'' Kelly finally said.

''Yeah, you should.'' Matt answered and he listened to the door closing. He knew, deep down, that Kelly was right.

But he couldn't give up.

NOTE: So, what is Matt going to do? Will he return to 51 or take the other job? How will Gabriela's shift go? Next chapter we will also see more of young Matt and his father and the murder.

I hope you liked this chapter, although the flashbacks might have been a little boring. Thank you for reading and please leave a review!