Thank you for reading the first chapters and all your reviews, it means a lot! Thanks again and please enjoy this chapter.

On her way to the rehabilitation center she picked up some coffee. She was a bit nervous as well about how it would be at the firehouse today. She had swapped her shift with somebody from the other shift, so that she could be with Matt today and take him there.

When she arrived in his room, he was already dressed and she sat down on the edge of the bed.

''You look great.'' She said as she took his hand in his and he pinched her hand a bit. It was nice to see him ready to go out again. He was wearing his blue sweater and jeans that he always liked to wear when he was off shift and she was glad to see him in it again. The clothes were a bit too big now he had lost most of his muscle mass.

''Not feeling really pretty.'' He admitted. It had been a hassle to get dressed this morning and there wasn't a lot he had been able to do himself.

''I got you a coffee too.'' She said as she handed it to him, Matt struggling to hold it a bit.

''You better get a straw if you don't want me burned on hot coffee.'' He said and she took it again, taking the lid off and putting a straw in, holding it out for him.

''How are you feeling about today?''

''Nervous, but I think it will be good to see everybody again.'' He mumbled and she smiled a bit, glad that he was feeling positive about it.

The staff came to help him get out of bed and in the wheelchair and seeing how bad he was struggling and how much it hurt him, she was worried it would be a long time before he would get out of here.

He was seated then and she was packing up her bag with the stuff they needed to take.

''Can you help me for a second?'' Matt asked then and she turned around.

''Ofcourse, what can I do?''

''Can you get my shoes on...I can't bend forward.'' He said and she sat down on the edge of the bed and got his shoes back on. She struggled a bit, but was glad that he asked it without feeling too embarrassed. She hoped that with the therapy and the splints he could operate this wheelchair himself soon, cause even though she did not mind doing it for him. She was glad that he finally went to the firehouse today.

She finished up with his shoes and made sure his legs were secure on the leg rests.

''Can you feel any of it?'' She asked and he shook his head.

''No, not at all.''

She grabbed his jacket and he leaned against her as she put it on. It was hard to sit up because the muscles in his stomach and chest barely worked, and he was worried about falling over, but Gabby held him close and helped him sit back again.

''Ready to go?'' Gabby asked as she zipped up his jacket.

''As ready as I am going to be.'' Matt said with a nervous smile.

''They are so excited to see you.''

''I just feel nervous.'' He admitted, looking down.

''We don't have to this if you don't want to do this.'' Gabby assured him as she pulled the hood from his jacket straight, looking at the scar in his neck.

''I mean, I can't keep away from them forever.'' Matt said and she kissed him on top of his head.

''You know I am really proud of you right.'' She said, glad that he finally seeing the others again, and that he was still working so hard on his recovery.

''Thanks.'' He smiled and he moved his arm a bit until she grabbed it on the armrest. They got ready to leave then and Gabby pushed the wheelchair to the van they were told to go to. Gabby had wanted to take him there in her own car, even though it would be a bit of a hassle, but the center had offered one of the staff could drive them with a special van.

There was a ramp on the side and she pushed it up, getting some help from the staff member with securing the wheelchair.

''What a hassle.'' Matt sighed a bit annoyed. Getting in a car had been so easy before, and now he needed so much help with everything.

In the van she sat sideways then so she could see Matt. She looked as his hands were shaking on his lap.

''Bit nervous.'' He admitted, and she took his hand. In the last few weeks his strong and big hands seemed to have become a lot thinner. Lovingly she caressed his hands, just glad that he was okay to go out today and that he would finally see his family at the firehouse again. Even though he knew that his firehouse family really cared about him, he had not been ready to see them. It had been six weeks ago since the accident ton the job had happened, but it had taken him all this time to feel ready to let somebody else near him than Gabby and Kelly.

At the firehouse she saw he was even more nervous, and she kissed him on his cheek and they made their way inside. The rest were waiting for them in the common room and they smiled happy when they saw Matt.

''hey, how are you feeling!'' Kelly broke the silence, glad to see his friend out outside of the hospital and the rehabilitation center.

''Decent, very decent.'' Matt smiled, shaking all of their hands. He had been so nervous to be here, but it was like he had just come home.

''Can I get you something to drink?'' Kelly offered.

''I- I can't drink anything yet.'' Matt said as he looked down, feeling a bit bad. He could when Gabby helped him, but he did not want that here. Kelly looked at him, ofcourse knew he could, but didn't say anything, knew Matt was struggling doing it on his own.

They all gathered around the table and even though they were ready to leave in case of an emergency, they were also glad to spend time with Matt after all these weeks. Mouch and Herrmann sat by the table with him, Boden joining as well but Otis and Cruz kept a bit more distance. It seemed they were not sure what to say to him. Not even Matt was sure what to say, he was sure that he had to talk about his recovery, and how he was doing. But he only told every that he was doing good, not really wanting to get into it.

''So how are things really going?'' Herrmann finally asked.

''As good as could be expected.'' Matt admitted and even though it hurt Gabby a little, she was glad he was speaking the truth. It had really not been easy on him, and not even on her, but how it was going now was still positive for her.

''it is mostly just hard work now, trying to regain all of the function in my hands and getting used to how things are now.'' Matt admitted. ''Everything that I can do now, is progress, but not much progress is expected after a few months, so I hope I improve fast.''

Kelly was the first the speak. ''We are here for you man.''

''I know, I know, and I am sorry I didn't come here sooner.'' Matt said.

''Well, you had a building crash down on your neck, so we will cut you some slack.'' Kelly joked back and they all laughed a bit. It was hard for them all to see Matt like this, but after one and a half month it was also nice to finally be reunited.

''It looks like I will recover enough to be able to use my hands, and so get myself around in this chair, learn to drive an adapted car, that sort of stuff.'' Matt said positive. Even though he still hoped for more, he realistically knew that this was something he could hope for and make true.

Nobody knew what to say, and Matt felt bad for even telling this now. Not wanting to tell much more, he turned to Herrmann then.

''There is some stuff in my office I would like to take.'' Matt asked Hermann.

''I put all your stuff away, but if you want I can get it for you.''

''Can we go together? I would love to see it again.'' Matt said and Herrmann nodded. He pushed the wheelchair towards the office and made sure Matt was okay as he took the box from under the bed.

''Here it is. I figured you would leave it all here, for when you are coming back.'' He said as Matt took the box and put it on his lap. He struggled getting the lid off, and Herrmann helped him.

''Look at me, I don't think that is going to happen.'' Matt said, feeling bad as he said it, but Herrmann looked really sorry.

''It is not fair.''

''it was an accident.'' Matt said, not wanting Herrmann to pity him any longer.

''But it is still not fair.'' Herrmann said. Matt looked down into the box, seeing all of the stuff that had been there till the morning of his accident. Herrmann sat across from him.

''I feel weird saying this to my lieutenant…but are you really okay, kiddo?'' Hermann asked worried.

''I uhm…I guess I am. It is hard, but there is nothing I can change about it.'' Matt said then, the question of Hermann really coming home to him.

Tears started to well up in his eyes.

''I don't know, honestly.'' Matt admitted and he started to cry. Herrmann felt bad about asking and handed Matt a tissue.

''I am so sorry.'' Hermann said and he meant it. ''Is there anything I can do for you?''

''No.'' Matt shook his head, trying to dry his tears. ''Sorry, I just…this office and my stuff...and I don't want to keep complaining to Gabby, she has been so good to me. I want to come back to this job, but I can't.''

''I wish I could give you this office tomorrow already.'' Herrmann said, his voice breaking too.

''I am only 32, and I had so many dreams for me and Gabby, and now I am not sure if those can actually happen.'' Matt said, still sobbing.

''I am so sorry man. I know there is nothing I can say to make you feel better, at least I do hope that you and Gabby can go through this. I am sure you can come through this stronger.'' Herrmann said.

''Thanks.'' Matt said with a sad smile and drying his tears, looking at the stuff in the box.

Together they went through the box and there was a knock on the glass door. Before Herrmann could say anything, Otis and Cruz came barging in.

''Lieutenant, we need your opinion on something.''

''Me?'' Herrmann frowned.

''No, Casey.'' Otis said, holding out a belt in front of him then.

''We call this tag along. We can put it on during a call and drag people after us, out of buildings.'' Cruz said.

''oh…oh that is…an idea.'' Matt said, saw Herrmann roll his eyes.

''it's going to be the next great thing.''

''We will put it in trial soon!'' Otis said excited.

''Yeah that is great.'' Matt lied and looked as they smiled, high fived and walk back to the office.

Herrmann was trying to contain his laughter.

''Please never make them use it.'' Casey laughed at Herrmann, glad that they shared a laugh now.

''Don't worry, I wasn't planning on it. Morons.'' Herrmann rolled his eyes.

As much as he had missed it here, Matt was glad to see nothing had changed.

Gabby knocked on the door and smiled at

''Taxi is here.''

Matt had the stuff on his lap as they made their way to the van.

Back at the center, Matt was so tired from the visit he fell asleep as soon as he was back in bed. The pain in his neck was so bad now that he got some extra painkillers, and she looked as he fell asleep.

Gabby pushed the comfy chair closer and took the book he had taken from his office. The book in one hand, she was holding his hand with the other.

Even though she was just reading a book, she still liked being around him and looked up every few minutes, looking as he was still fast asleep.

She was glad he was knocked out after seeing him in so much pain and she sat just reading, holding his hand and glad that even though the sitting had caused him a lot of pain, he had finally seen everybody again.

After finishing the book, she walked out to get something from the vending machine and coming back, she saw Matt was laying on his side, tears in his eyes.

''Was trying to move a bit.'' He said, laying awkwardly. He had tried to pop up on his elbow, but as there wasn't much power he could put on his arm he had lost his balance.

''I got you.'' Gabby said as she helped him turn a bit more, putting an extra pillow in his neck and pulling the blanket up.

''Are you comfortable?''

''Not really, can you call nurse?'' Matt asked, feeling a bit bad as Gabby had really tied to help him.

''Ofcourse.'' She said and got somebody from the staff. She had wanted to help him, but also knew that Matt needed a lot more than she could offer him with her limited knowledge.

She got one of the nurses working there and went to get some water while they helped him. As much as she wanted to be with him, she knew that she couldn't help him right now. Walking back in, he seemed a lot more comfortable again.

''How are you feeling now?'' She asked as she walked to the bed and kissed him on his forehead.

''A lot better…can you come here for a second?'' Matt asked and she sat down on the edge of the bed, carefully and moving a bit closer so she was close to him. Carefully she laid down, crawling against him and she took his arm then that was close to her, wrapping it around her.

''is this okay?''

'''this is great.'' He smiled, and she kissed him on his cheek. Her hand caressed over his chest, and he kissed her on her cheek.

He couldn't feel much of her caressing, but he was glad that she still loved him and she kept touching him. It was scary enough for him to find out how his body worked now, and he was glad that she helped him so much. She held him close as he was falling asleep again. She crawled even closer against him. After all of these weeks, she was finally close to him again and she was so glad to feel his body close to her again, as much as it had changed.

She smelled his smell again and started to doze off as well, with his arm around her.

Even though today had been hard, he was glad he did it, and it gave him a lot more energy to see all the men that were supporting him.

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you liked it and please let me know what you thought!