Here's the next chapter for you guys! I hope you all enjoy!
And there is a section of this that is Rated M. Happy reading.
N I N E
Casey sat at his desk in his office, tapping his pen against the papers in front of him, trying his hardest to focus on the work he needed to complete. He'd locked himself in here most of the afternoon, Matt being much farther behind on his paperwork than he would've liked, considering Boden was waiting for his reports. But still, he found it hard to focus. Because anywhere he looked in this small room, all he could think about was Gabby.
It had been about two weeks since they started their arrangement, and in that time, there wasn't a part of this office that they hadn't christened. They knew they had to be careful, and they had been, but that didn't mean they couldn't have their fun. And, as far as Matt was concerned, they'd been having a lot of it.
They hadn't ventured outside the confines of his office during their activities in the firehouse yet, it was a risk they weren't sure they should take, although Casey had a few very vivid thoughts about meeting up with Gabby in the back of the ambulance. But they'd managed to have their fair share of excitement, between the few times they've enjoyed their time together in his bunk, the time he had pinned her against the wall between his door and his window, and the most recent time from last shift. The one that had him the most distracted, Matt unable to focus as his thoughts kept going back to how he lifted her onto his desk, Casey remembering the feeling of her teeth sinking into his shoulder as he gripped her hips tightly, their bodies moving together as she sat on the furniture.
They had thoroughly enjoyed their situation the last two weeks, and, as far as Matt knew, the firehouse was completely oblivious. He'd been most worried about Shay finding out, considering she couldn't seem to let go of the thought that he and Gabby had some sort of past. But they'd been careful, and he'd be lying if he said the deception didn't make it much hotter.
It was easy when she'd show up at his apartment late at night. There was nothing to hide from there. But it was when they were at work, or at Molly's, that they had to be cautious. It was easier than he expected at the firehouse, Matt usually leaving it up to Gabby whenever they'd have their fun here. The circumstances had to be right for Gabby to be able to sneak into his office and then sneak back out, but they'd quickly found their rhythm. When at Molly's, they usually kept away from each other, Casey spending his time with Severide while Gabby stayed with Shay, the two only interacting when initiated by their friends. They acted the same, giving away nothing whenever they were around each other.
They had managed to quickly find out how to navigate their new type of relationship, and Casey had never enjoyed anything more. It was exactly as she promised. It was simple, it was uncomplicated. And the sex was fantastic.
Blowing out a breath, Matt shook his head, forcing the thoughts from his head. It was like he couldn't get enough of her, despite the near ridiculous amount of sex they were having. He was always ready for more, as was she.
"Yeah, I'm alright Shay, I'm just gonna shower." Matt's head lifted from his desk, turning to find Shay and Dawson entering the bunkroom, his eyebrows furrowing as he saw what appeared to be blood sprayed over her shirt and on part of her neck.
"Alright, well that was a crazy scene so if you need to talk, I'm here."
"I know, but I promise I'm good." Gabby continued walking through the room, leaving Shay rooted by the door, Matt catching Dawson's gaze as she moved for the locker room, Gabby flashing him a small smile when she passed his office.
Pushing himself up from his desk, he moved to stand in his doorway, his movement gaining Shay's attention. "Hey Casey." She greeted, walking towards him.
"Hey Shay, you guys alright?"
"Oh, yeah we're fine. Just had a rough call, a guy got shot and it was pretty nasty. Gabby was trying to save him, but he'd lost too much blood. It got kinda messy too."
"I'm sorry, Shay." He replied with a frown, glancing towards the exit Gabby had just gone through.
"It's alright, we're fine." The paramedic responded with a small grin. "What about you, what are you up to?"
"Paperwork." He breathed out, Shay's face scrunching in disgust.
"Well I'll leave you to it, Lieutenant." She chuckled, patting him on the shoulder before turning around, heading for the door. Matt stayed still in his spot, watching as she left the bunkroom, Casey guessing she was headed for the common room based on the direction she took.
His gaze flashed back towards the direction Gabby went, taking a deep breath before he began walking in that direction, his legs moving before his mind really understood what he was doing. He knew no one would come in with Dawson showering, and he couldn't fight the urge he felt to check up on her. He knew she was fine. He's come to learn how to read her body language quite well since coming to 51, and ever more so since they started sleeping together, and from the short interaction he had with her minutes ago, he knew she was alright. But still, he wanted the confirmation.
And any other opportunities that presented themselves with him joining her shower were just a bonus.
It was risky, he knew it was. But he couldn't find it in him to stop himself as he continued his path.
Slipping into the bathroom, Matt glanced around, seeing the room empty just as suspected. He slowly walked around the corner, checking to make sure they were alone one last time before moving towards the one closed shower curtain, the sound of the water running acting as cover while Casey began undressing. He was soon bare, his hand reaching out to grip the plastic.
Without warning, he ripped the curtain back, Gabby yelping in surprise as her arms instinctively covered herself, her reaction earning a chuckle from Matt as the man brought his finger up to his lips, signaling her to be quiet.
"Jesus Casey." She breathed out, her hand moving to rest against her chest as she took deep breaths, Matt stepping inside the shower with her, pulling the curtain closed behind him. "You scared the hell out of me."
"I'm sorry." He responded, a small smirk playing on his lips. "I thought you might want some company." His voice was low, Matt's eyes moving down her bare, wet body, his smile growing.
"Feeling a little more dangerous today, aren't we?" She questioned with a raised eyebrow, Matt's hands moving to her hips as he gently moved her back until her body was flush against the wall, Gabby shivering involuntarily as her skin made contact with the cold tile.
"A little." He whispered, pressing his body into hers, the action causing a content sigh to escape through her lips, her hands moving to the back of his neck, pulling his lips towards hers. They connected in a heated kiss, Gabby feeling his growing want against her as she ground her hips into his, Matt deepening the kiss
He pulled back first, placing kisses along her jaw before moving his head back completely, his hands moving further down her hips, tightening his grip as he heard her gasp in his ear.
"You okay?" He spoke softly, trailing kisses back towards her lips, placing a quick, forceful kiss against her before pulling back.
"Well," She spoke, her chest heaving. "I wasn't expecting you to join me but I'm not complaining." She responded with a smirk.
"No, I meant... Shay told me about the call." Gabby's face softened at his words, Matt's thumbs moving across her hip bone. "It sounded pretty rough." Gabby nodded, shrugging her shoulders before finding his gaze again.
"Oh, that. Yeah, I'm okay." She replied, Matt's eyes tracing over her face.
"Are you sure?"
Gabby watched him curiously for a few seconds before nodding. "I'm sure."
"Good." He replied, covering her mouth with his in a feverish kiss, Matt sliding a hand up to cup her breast as he pressed himself against her, swallowing her moans.
Knowing they were most likely on borrowed time, Matt began speeding up the process, Gabby standing on her toes as Matt readied himself before sinking into her, a low whine leaving her lips as he came to rest inside of her. It took them a few seconds to find their rhythm, the new setting providing a challenge until Matt lifted her hips up, Gabby instinctually wrapping her legs around his waist, pulling him deeper into her as he kept her balanced against the wall.
Their pace soon became frantic, Matt's feet planted firmly on the ground as he slammed into her, their wet bodies speeding up their movements as Gabby held onto him. Her body rubbed against the tile from the force of his hips, Matt's thrusts becoming harsher and rougher, the feeling of Gabby's nails digging into his back urging him on to an unrelenting pace.
The feeling of her legs shaking around him, combined with the way her body was clenching him told him she was close, Matt keeping up his steady, furious pace through her finish, Gabby biting down on his lip roughly as she came. Her entire body trembled while Matt kept his stride, his release coming a few moments later.
Matt's body pressed against hers while they caught their breath, Gabby releasing her grip on his back, his hands holding the bottom of her thighs firmly as her head fell to his shoulder.
The sound of the water running and their heavy breaths were all that could be heard in the bathroom, Gabby slowly dropping her legs from around his waist, Matt placing her back on the ground as their bodies disconnected.
Gabby stood there watching him while he stood under the water, a shy smile covering her face as he began quickly washing himself off.
"So not only do you come interrupt my shower, you're now stealing my shower too?" She asked, Matt grinning as he lazily ran soap over his body.
"Figured it was needed after that workout." He responded, Gabby shaking her head as she pushed him out of the way, taking up residence under the stream of water, hearing him chuckle as she went back to what she had started before he interrupted her.
They managed to quickly get cleaned up, Matt leaving the shower before her, the two not wanting to risk getting caught coming out of the showers together. It was risky enough regardless, but the reward had definitely been worth it.
"I'm heading back out there." He spoke through her curtain, Gabby poking her head out to see him fully clothed as she gave him a nod.
"Thanks for stopping by." She responded with a shameless grin, Matt chuckling.
"Any time." He replied, flashing her a soft smile before he headed for the exit, Gabby watching him until he was out of sight.
Matt put his helmet on his head before jumping down from 81, blowing out a heavy sigh as he quickly took in the scene in front of him. It was a bad one, that he could definitely tell from first glance. It was the type of call that could quickly turn life-threatening if they weren't careful.
Truck, squad, and ambo had all been called out to a house fire, and by the time they got there, it was already going up.
"Alright, 81 we'll take the top floor, squad you take the bottom floor. Let's make this quick, we don't have much time." Casey shouted, earning nods from the men around him as they masked up, quickly heading inside.
Shay and Dawson got prepared for any potential victims, waiting by the ambo with their stretcher and bag, their eyes peeled to the door. They both knew from the looks of it that it was a rough scene. But all they could do was wait and hope everyone made it out okay.
Inside the house, 81 had made it upstairs, having to keep low as the fire blazed the ceiling above them, the halls filled with smoke as they searched the area.
"No one's down here, Casey." Severide's voice flowed through the radio.
"Alright, go ahead and clear out, we'll be out soon."
"Copy that."
Casey moved through the hallway with Otis and Mouch by his side, the two checking the rooms as quickly and efficiently as possible.
"I don't think anyone's in here, Lieutenant." Mouch shouted loudly over the flames as they were checking the last room.
"Yeah, I think you're right."
"Casey?" Kelly called through the radio, grabbing the Lieutenant's attention.
"Yeah Severide?"
"Smoke's turning black, you all need to get out now."
"On it." He replied back, pointing towards the door, signaling Mouch and Otis to head out. "Herrmann? Where are you and Walker?" He spoke through the radio, following behind his men to the door.
It took a few seconds for them to respond, Casey ducking as they walked through the hallway. It was getting unbearably hot in the house, Matt knowing the place was likely to flash over soon. "We're in the last room, Lieutenant. We'll be out in a second."
"Alright, you heard Severide. Make it quick." Casey spoke roughly through the radio, stopping at the top of the stairs as he looked towards the direction of Herrmann and Walker. He saw them appearing through the thick smoke, Herrmann giving Casey a thumbs up, Matt nodding before beginning to move down the stairs.
Matt quickly found his way to the front door, walking out as quickly as he could, pulling his mask off. Looking around, he saw Dawson and Shay standing nearby, looks of concern covering their faces as Severide walked up to him.
"Where's Herrmann and Walker?" Kelly asked, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he turned around, seeing nothing but the fiery home behind him.
"They were right behind me." He spoke, reaching for his radio. "Herrmann? Walker? Where are you two?"
Matt's jaw tightened as he waited for either of them to respond, Matt glancing around the scene, accounting for all the other firefighters. "Herrmann?" Matt nearly shouted into the radio.
"We're coming, Lieutenant." Herrmann eventually responded, Matt releasing a heavy breath, seeing the worry in Severide's eyes softening. "Walker thought he heard something, but it was nothing. We're coming."
"You can explain when you get out, just move." Casey called back, his gaze moving towards the front door, anxiously waiting for his men to exit.
It was only seconds later when fire started shooting out through the windows, Casey stumbling back from the force of the explosion, Kelly's hands coming out to balance him.
Firehouse 51 watched on in horror as the building flashed over, knowing that two of their own were still inside.
"Herrmann! Walker! Report!" Casey yelled frantically into the radio, earning nothing but static in return. "Herrmann!"
"Herrmann's down, Lieutenant." Walker's words filled everyone's ears, Matt hurriedly securing his mask back on, Severide following suit. "Part of the ceiling fell, we're on the landing of the second floor. He's pinned by two beams and I can't lift it on my own." Bryan coughed out, Casey rushing inside as soon as he was able.
"You all stay out here." Severide shouted at his firefighters, seeing them ready to go in and help. "We don't know what we're dealing with, you are not permitted to go inside." Kelly ordered before running in, disappearing into the smoke.
Herrmann led Walker out of the far bedroom, the pair having to keep low as fire rolled over their heads. The older firefighter could make out his Lieutenant standing at the top of the stairs, clearly waiting for them. Knowing things inside were quickly going south, Herrmann gave Casey a thumbs up, signaling it was okay for him to head out. He didn't want the man staying in here any longer than he had to.
Herrmann was nearing the stairs, Walker a few steps back, when he heard the floor creaking, Herrmann turning back to find Bryan heading for another room.
"Walker, what are you doing?" Herrmann called, the man ignoring him as he stepped inside the doorway. "The Lieutenant said to get out." He tried again, moving towards his fellow firefighter.
"I heard something, I know I did." Walker replied, searching around the smoke filled room, the walls raging with fire.
"Herrmann? Walker? Where are you two?" Casey's voice flooded in through the radio, Herrmann reaching out to grab Walker's arm, but Bryan shrugged him off.
"Walker, we have to go. There's no one in here." He tried again, Bryan looking under the bed.
"Herrmann?"
"We're coming, Lieutenant." Herrmann responded, watching Walker move towards the closet. "Walker thought he heard something, but it was nothing. We're coming."
"You can explain when you get out, just move."
"Walker, that's enough. We gotta go, it's getting worse." Herrmann tried again, the younger firefighter shaking his head in defeat before giving in.
"Fine." Bryan responded, following Herrmann out of the room.
They barely got to the landing before a loud explosion filled their ears, fire shooting around them as they ducked for cover. Within a second, the ceiling in front of Bryan fell in, toppling Herrmann as the man got trapped underneath it, the firefighter's scream of pain mixing with the sounds of the fire.
"Oh shit." Walker breathed out, rushing to his friend's side, trying to quickly assess the situation. He'd been trapped under two beams, both of them laying across Herrmann's back, the man groaning in agony. "I got you, man. We're gonna get you out of here." Walker replied firmly, smacking against Herrmann's coat, trying to put out the fire the ceiling had brought down on him.
"Herrmann! Walker! Report!" Casey's voice filled Walker's ears, Bryan ignoring it as he tried to lift the first beam off of Herrmann, grunting loudly as he failed to move it. "Herrmann!"
"Herrmann's down, Lieutenant." Walker responded as he grabbed a hold of his radio. "Part of the ceiling fell, we're on the landing of the second floor. He's pinned by two beams and I can't lift it on my own." Bryan dropped his hand from the radio, using all his strength to try and move the ceiling off of Herrmann.
"We're gonna get you out of here, I promise." Walker said again, his body filling with worry as he took in the state of his friend. "I'm sorry, Herrmann."
"Walker!" Bryan turned to see Casey rushing up the steps, the man quickly assessing the situation.
"Lieutenant, we gotta get him out of here. His mask broke in the fall, he's breathing in all this smoke." Walker blurted out in a hurry, Casey getting on the opposite side of the trapped firefighter, Walker glancing up as Severide came to their side.
"Alright, let's get this first one. On my count. 1… 2… 3, lift." All three men lifted the beam with ease, moving it aside before doing the same with the other one, Casey brushing the debris off of Herrmann's back.
"Herrmann, can you hear me?" Casey called as he and Severide each grabbed an arm, earning a low groan from the man. "We got you, buddy. We're gonna get you to the hospital."
The firefighters began maneuvering down the steps, Walker following closely behind as Kelly and Matt carried his dead weight. Using his free hand, Casey reached for his radio.
"Dawson, Shay, we need you as soon as we're out. Herrmann's hurt."
"Got it, Casey." Shay answered, Matt focusing his attention on Herrmann as they navigated through the burning house, eventually finding their way to the exit.
As soon as they saw daylight, they were met by many firefighters, Cruz assisting them as they practically carried Herrmann towards the stretcher, placing his body on it as carefully as possible.
Casey ripped his mask off, watching as Dawson and Shay diligently got to work, Gabby easily prying the broken mask from Herrmann's face.
"The beams landed on his back, I'm not sure what kind of damage was done but they were pretty heavy." Casey breathed out, his eyes fixated on Herrmann's barely conscious form.
"We got him, Casey." Shay responded.
"Are you taking him to med?"
"Yeah, in a minute."
"Alright, we'll be over there once we finish up here. Take good care of him." He knew the words didn't need to be said, but Shay flashed him a smile, nodding nonetheless as she went back to work.
Tearing his eyes from Herrmann, Casey's gaze bounced around the scene, landing on the one man who could answer all the questions he had. The man who was standing back a ways from what was going on.
"Walker!" Casey shouted angrily, Bryan's head snapping towards him. "What the hell happened in there?" Matt came stomping towards him, Bryan meeting him halfway as they came to stop a few yards from the group.
"I thought I heard something, I-"
"I told you to get out. Multiple times."
"I know, but I just needed to be sure."
"And look what happened." He bit out.
"I was checking the room you were in with Mouch and Otis, it sounded like someone was in there, I couldn't leave-"
"Enough!" Casey's voice boomed through the street, his harsh glare focused on Walker. "I don't care what you thought you heard, when I tell you to get out, you get out."
"But Lieutenant-"
"No! If we missed something, that's on me. I cleared the room, it's my responsibility. But what's also my responsibility is the lives of my firefighters. And you jeopardized not only yourself, but someone else. You disobeyed a direct order, you could've got Herrmann killed." He shouted, ignoring the looks from their fellow firefighters, Matt's anger breaking enough to register Severide helping load Herrmann into the back of the ambulance.
Walker was fuming, Casey could tell, but Matt was equally as angry, if not more so.
"Lieutenant, if I could just-"
"I don't want to hear any of your excuses, Walker. The beginning and end of it is your actions are sending Herrmann to the hospital." He spoke sternly, pointing towards the retreating ambulance as he spoke. "I know you had good intentions, that's not the point. The point is you disregarded what I told you to do, because I knew it wasn't safe. You thought you knew better than I did, and this is what can't happen. You calling the shots when a superior tells you otherwise. You stood in front of me and told me I had no reason to doubt you, that I could trust you. Well, I don't. Not after this." Casey's voice was rigid, Bryan standing there silently, clenching his throat to keep himself from saying something he shouldn't. "Trust has to be earned, Walker. You said so yourself. I put my trust in you and look what happened. Now I know for next time."
"You can trust me." Walker interjected, his words sharp. "I made a mistake, I know I did, but I was trying to help. I was trying to do my job. If this was anyone else, you wouldn't be laying into them like this."
Casey's eyes narrowed at Walker's words, the Lieutenant talking a step closer to his firefighter. Walker took a slight step back, the look on Casey's face taking him by surprise. He'd never seen him this angry before, and, even to Bryan, it was a little unsettling.
"Once we finish here, we're gonna go to the hospital to make sure Herrmann's alright. When we get back to the house, I want you scrubbing the showers." Walker opened his mouth to protest, but Casey put his hand up, halting his words. "I want them spotless, do you understand?"
"Lieutenant, I-"
"It's not up for discussion." He spoke sternly. "If you're gonna make the mistakes of a candidate, I'm going to treat you like one."
Without another word, Casey stomped away, heading towards Severide to help navigate their work, knowing they needed to get this fire put out quickly. Walker stayed rooted in his spot, anger coursing through his veins, Bryan throwing his helmet forcefully to the ground before he stormed towards the rig, needing a moment to cool off.
Casey sat at the head of the table in the common room, newspaper in hand as he haphazardly read through the articles. He wasn't paying much attention to it, but it was a good distraction as he waited for 61 to get back.
It was well into the evening now, the events of the last call changing up their plans for the night. Once 51 finished at the scene, truck and squad packed up to head for med. When they got there, they were informed by Dawson and Shay that Herrmann was fine, he was getting tests done, but they didn't think it was anything more than some bruised ribs, smoke inhalation, and a few contusions on his back. Luckily his gear had done its job and protected him from the fire, everyone knowing his injuries could've been much more severe.
After spending a few hours at the hospital, they decided to call it a night, knowing they wouldn't be allowed to see him until morning anyway. Halfway back to the house, 61 had gotten called out to a car accident, parting ways with truck 81 and squad 3. And since truck had returned to the house, Casey had been stuck in this spot, waiting to see if Dawson or Shay had any other update on Herrmann, knowing they'd certainly ask when they got back to med.
Casey only had to wait a few more minutes before the paramedics entered the room, small, tired smiles resting on their faces as they greeted him. Aside from a few other firefighters, Casey was alone in the room, most of his coworkers already in their bunks, needing rest after the long day.
"Any update on Herrmann?" Casey asked, glancing back and forth between the two women.
"He's the same." Gabby replied. "They got him in a room, Shay bribed a nurse to let us see him, but he was basically passed out. We talked to Cindy, she said he was doing fine. They're gonna keep him overnight, and probably most of the day tomorrow, but he'll be fine. Should make a full recovery."
"Good, I'm glad." Casey responded, blowing out a heavy sigh, shaking his head softly.
Gabby's eyebrows furrowed as she saw his reaction, glancing up to Shay seeing her equally as confused.
"Casey, you know this wasn't your fault right?" Shay asked, Matt looking up at her as she stood by his side. "You told them to get out, more than once. And Severide told them, too. There wasn't anything you could've done."
"I should've stayed in there until I knew they were coming." He breathed out. "I just assumed they were right behind me, I won't make that mistake again."
"If anything, this was Walker's doing. Whatever had him staying inside that house, that's not your fault." Shay tried again, Matt shrugging as he flashed them a forced smile.
"Thanks Shay." He responded, sliding back his chair and pushing himself up. "And thanks for checking in on Herrmann."
"Yeah, of course." Dawson responded softly.
Without many more words, Casey slipped by them, muttering how he needed to take care of something before he left, Matt walking down the hallway towards the bathrooms. It was late, but he knew Walker would still be working on his task, or he should be at least. Pushing open the door, Matt stepped inside, hearing the sounds of scrubbing against tile, Casey walking around the corner to the showers, seeing Walker half inside the last stall.
Matt stepped closer to him, crossing his arms over his chest as he stood there silently, his presence soon being noticed.
"I'm almost done, Lieutenant." Walker replied, huffing out a breath as he got back to work. Casey merely nodded, Bryan feeling his Lieutenant's eyes on him, Walker finding himself getting annoyed by him standing there but not saying anything. "Did you need something?" He eventually asked, Casey's eyebrows raising.
"I came here to speak with you, firefighter to firefighter, because I need you to understand something." Matt started, Bryan taking a deep breath as he placed the scrub brush on the ground, standing up to face Casey. "The way you handled that call today, that's how people get killed." He spoke, his voice strong. "I know why you did it, I do. And if we're being honest, at one point in time I probably would've done the same thing."
"Then why did I get my ass handed to me back at the call?" Walker asked, unable to stop himself.
"Because anyone would have. You were reckless, and careless, not only with your own life, but Herrmann's as well. Your actions put Herrmann in the hospital."
"But he's going to be okay, Lieutenant." Bryan interjected, Matt sighing heavily.
"And what if he wasn't? Yeah, he's going to be fine, thank God, but what if his injuries had been worse? What if the beam had hit him in the head? Or broken his back? What if you both had gotten trapped under the ceiling when it fell? There are a hundred different ways today could've gone so much worse, yet all you're focused on is being pissed off that I reprimanded you."
"Lieutenant-"
Casey shook his head, telling him to be quiet. "Your first response to me trying to get through to you was you making an excuse. You don't care that you disobeyed orders, you care because it got you in trouble." He spoke, his voice low. "When I told you that I thought your ego could get someone killed, I was right. What you did on that call today, it was dangerous and it was stupid. Yeah, it could've been worse. Herrmann could've gotten killed, or you could've, or the both of you. But you didn't. You got lucky that Herrmann walked away. But you're still only focused on yourself. My problem with your actions isn't even completely what you did, it's how you've acted since. You don't seem to understand the problem with what happened today… I don't trust you, Walker. I can't trust you, because I trust you and then things like today happen."
"So what, you're benching me?"
"No, I'm not. But think of this as a warning. Because if you pull anything like this again, it's done. I can't be more worried about making sure you don't do something stupid than I am about saving people, that's dangerous for all of us."
Walker took a deep breath, his face hard as he slowly nodded. He knew he couldn't say anything without it coming back to bite him in the ass, so he stayed quiet.
"Despite what you may think, I really do not want us having problems Walker. I meant what I said, you're one hell of a firefighter. But your attitude towards this job needs adjusting, or next time you might not get so lucky." Casey spoke, turning around and leaving the bathroom without another word. Walker waited until he heard the door shut before releasing his anger, kicking the bucket of supplies roughly, slamming his hand against the wall while rage flooded through him, Casey's words ringing in his head.
"Kinda light crowd in here tonight." Gabby spoke as she stepped towards the bar, her voice capturing Shay's attention, the blonde giving her a smile small.
"Yeah, well, they heard you were coming and ran the other way." Shay teased, Gabby scoffing lightly as she sat down at the bar.
"You the only one here?" Gabby asked while Shay placed a drink down in front of her, nodding in thanks as she took a sip.
"Otis should be here soon, he was at the hospital with Herrmann." Shay answered, wiping down the bar top with her rag. "And there's a few squad guys over there." The blonde spoke, nodding towards the back table. "Casey's here somewhere, he ran off to the bathroom like twenty minutes ago, I'm not sure- oh, well never mind, there he is." She spoke with a teasing tone to her voice, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing as she followed Shay's eyes, finding Matt across the bar, talking to a woman. "Looks like he's found some better company." Shay joked, Gabby unable to look away from him.
Unable to look away from him and that woman.
She didn't care that he was talking to another woman, they weren't dating, it didn't matter. He could do whatever, or whoever, he wanted. But that didn't stop the weird, sinking feeling in her gut as she watched him talk with this girl. How this woman was so obviously flirting with him, enjoying his attention. How she kept touching him, her hands lingering too long for comfort. How each time she kept placing her hand against his chest, she was touching places that still held Gabby's marks.
Gabby didn't care that he was flirting with someone else. She didn't.
But she didn't particularly want to keep watching it, either.
"Well, good for him." Shay laughed out as Gabby looked back towards her friend.
"No Severide tonight?" Dawson changed the subject, down a large sip of her drink, Shay eyeing her friend's actions curiously before responding.
"Uh, no. He's at home. I think after last shift, he just wanted to decompress a little bit."
"Yeah, it was a rough one." Gabby mused, finishing off her drink before placing the empty glass down on the bar.
"Had Walker not tried to be the big hero, it would've been a lot easier." Shay breathed out, Gabby glancing towards her. "Casey really let him have it, though."
"Yeah, he did."
"Maybe it'll stop Walker from doing stupid shit like that again, since he actually got someone injured this time."
"I don't know… I think he thought he was doing the right thing." Gabby murmured, Shay's narrowed, confused gaze landing on her.
"What?" She questioned. "You agree with what he did?" Her tone wasn't hostile, just confused, Gabby shaking her head.
"I'm not defending it. What he did was definitely stupid and he deserved to get called out for it. It could've been a lot worse. But I think he actually was just trying to do the right thing… Who knows, I'm probably wrong. Wouldn't be the first time." She muttered, Shay's gaze shifting from confusion to concern, her worried eyes watching her closely.
"Are you okay, Dawson?"
Gabby flashed her a weak smile, nodding slowly. "Yeah, I'm good. Just tired. Been a long few days." Shay nodded in understanding, not having the chance to respond as her name was being called further down the bar, a few patrons waiting on refills.
"I'll be right back." She spoke, Gabby giving her a nod before the blonde walked away.
Blowing out a soft breath, Gabby's eyes moved around the bar, her gaze soon landing back on Casey and that woman. They were still talking, and Gabby didn't even know what they could've been talking about for this long. But while she couldn't see Matt's face from here, she could see the woman's. And she recognized the gleam in her eye. She definitely had plans for Casey that went past hanging out at a bar.
Before she could even think through her actions, she pulled out her phone, sending a quick text to Matt, her hands moving quicker than her head.
'Wanna meet at your place in half an hour?'
Gabby saw the moment he registered he had a message, Matt seemingly apologizing to the girl before pulling his phone from his pocket, staring at it for a few seconds before responding.
'Wasn't sure I was gonna hear from you this evening…'
Gabby rolled her eyes, typing back a quick message, her words sounding more bitter than she meant them.
'I know you're busy with the blonde, but I was just asking.'
She could see his confusion from here as he read her message, his eyes darting around the room before finally landing on her. Something flashed in his gaze, a look Gabby couldn't quite read, but it looked like something along the lines of guilt. The look soon turned into one of near amusement, Gabby raising her eyebrows challengingly before he typed out another message, Gabby receiving it instantly, a proud smirk covering her face.
'I'll see you in 30 minutes.'
Gabby watched as he turned his attention back to the woman. She wasn't sure what was said, but whatever it was, the girl didn't seem to like it, Matt moving away from her towards the table where the guys from 51 were sitting.
"Alright, I'm back." Shay spoke, grabbing Gabby's attention away from Matt.
"I actually gotta get going." Gabby spoke, Shay's tongue running over her bottom lip.
"If this was what I said about Walker-"
"No, no it's not about him. I don't care about that." Gabby was quick to assure her, Shay nodding slowly. "I'm just more tired than I realized. I'm gonna head home."
"Okay, well I'm glad you stopped by." Shay responded softly, Gabby giving her a smile.
"Yeah, me too. Maybe tomorrow night you and I can do something, go out to eat, or maybe just order pizza and drink."
A wide, agreeing grin fell onto Shay's face, the blonde nodding. "I think the way you think, Dawson."
Chuckling softly, Gabby pushed herself up off the stool, sliding it back against the bar. "I'll talk to you tomorrow."
"Night Gabby." Shay responded as Dawson moved towards the door, her eyes finding Casey's across the bar, Matt flashing her a smug grin before she looked away, heading out into the cold street.
"You could've waited in your car." Gabby looked up from her seat on the steps, seeing Matt approaching her, his hands shoved in his pockets.
"Well, I didn't realize you'd take this long." She replied, Casey holding out his hand to help her up, Gabby hesitating for a moment before taking it.
"Sorry, I was trying to wait to make sure Shay didn't suspect anything. I didn't want to leave right after you." He explained, Gabby nodding as they moved towards his front door, stepping inside the warm apartment, Gabby's body instantly reacting to the change in temperature.
The two began shedding their coats and their boots, Gabby walking towards the living room as Matt followed.
"So, uh," She cleared her throat, turning around to face him as they stood near the couch, Matt's eyes running over her flushed skin. "Sorry if I ruined your night with what's her name."
Matt's eyebrows raised as he stared at her, a low chuckle escaping through his lips. "She could've been the next great love of my life, now we'll never know." He teased, Gabby rolling her eyes.
"You could've said no, brought her back here instead of me." She muttered, avoiding his eye contact as her hands moved towards the buttons on his shirt, beginning to steadily unbutton them.
Matt's gaze never left her face, realization washing over him as she concentrated on his shirt. "You were jealous." He murmured, her eyes widening slightly as she looked back up at him, her look of confusion soon morphing into one of amusement.
"Oh, you wish." She responded, parting his shirt open, her cold hands sliding under the material, Matt hissing as she made contact with his warm chest. Within seconds, his shirt was on the floor, Gabby pushing him back towards the couch, Matt landing in the middle of the cushions.
"It's okay, you know." He spoke quietly, Gabby straddling his waist, his hands instinctively moving to her hips. "That you were jealous."
"You talk too much." She responded, her lips covering his before he could get another word in, his grip on her hips tightening as she deepened the kiss.
They soon fell into their usual rhythm with one another, Matt ripping the clothes off of her frantically, Gabby ridding him of the rest of his as well, every movement fast and filled with desire. Before they even realized it, they were moving as one, Gabby taking control as she ground down onto him, their loud moans and grunts filling the otherwise silent apartment.
Gabby slid on her pants as she stood in the living room, buttoning the clothing before moving to find her shirt.
"You heading home?" Casey asked as he appeared from the hallway, having coming back from his bedroom now wearing a pair of sweatpants. Gabby nodded, sliding her shirt over her head as he walked towards her, sitting down on the couch they'd just spent the last hour on.
"Yeah." She responded softly.
A somewhat thick silence filled the air around them for a few moments, Gabby unsure of what had caused the shift in the room. But she wasn't so sure she wanted to stick around to find out.
"I meant what I said, you know." He finally spoke, Gabby eyeing him curiously. "It's okay that you were jealous." All traces of teasing were gone from his voice, his sincere words filling her ears.
"I wasn't jealous." She responded again, her voice a bit more forceful than before. "You can do whatever you want, we're not together."
"I know that. But I also know it had to be weird, seeing another woman flirting with me."
"What are you doing, Casey?" She asked with a heavy sigh, Matt nodding at her to sit down. Closing her eyes momentarily, she placed herself down on the coffee table in front of him, her elbows resting against her knees.
"All I'm saying is I understand the feeling. Though we've had fun, we haven't exactly talked a lot about all this, we kind of just jumped into it."
"Talked about what?" She questioned, running her hand through her hair. "Talking makes things complicated, and neither of us want complicated. Why can't we just keep going like we have been?"
"Because of what happened tonight." He responded, Gabby taking a deep breath. "How would you have actually felt if I said no to you and went home with her instead?"
Gabby remained silent, her bottom lip falling between her teeth as she thought over his words, unable to ignore the heavy feeling in her gut.
"See?" He responded when she said nothing. "We gotta make sure we're on the same page, here. Or someone's gonna end up getting hurt."
"Fine." She responded quietly, clenching her hands together. "What do you wanna talk about?"
"I know this is just sex, that neither of us are looking for a relationship, but are we still sleeping with other people?" He questioned, her eyes moving to the ground.
"I can't stop you, you're not my boyfriend."
"Yeah, but- I'd feel weird about doing it, if it would upset you. If this is an exclusive friends with benefits situation, that's fine. I just don't know."
"This is getting dangerously close to relationship territory, Casey." She breathed out, forcing herself to look back up at him.
"There's a difference between being in a relationship, and me just not being an asshole." He responded bluntly, earning a slight smile from Gabby.
"... I haven't been sleeping with anyone else. I'm not gonna sit here and tell you you can't, but I haven't been. I don't know, I'm not even sure I would anyway. I mean, you and I seem to be doing just fine." A small smirk came to his lips as she spoke, Matt nodding.
He knew he wouldn't be able to get her to come out and say she didn't want him sleeping with other people, whether it was because she felt like she couldn't, or because she truly just didn't care, Matt knew she wouldn't say it. But he had the feeling the idea bothered her more than she let on.
"Well how about this. Nothing will change between us, but for now, we won't see other people. Until something changes, unless one of us meets someone or something, we'll just continue our arrangement as planned." He spoke, watching her closely. "That sound okay?"
Gabby merely nodded, unsure of how to respond. She couldn't understand why the thought of him going home with someone that wasn't her bothered her so much. All she could figure was that she'd never done something like this before, so her gut reaction was to feel weird about the man she's sleeping with going out and sleeping with someone else. But they're not a couple, they're not together and she doesn't want to be; she just couldn't explain the feeling that had settled in her stomach since seeing him at Molly's. And she certainly couldn't explain why that feeling lifted as soon as they came to an understanding. She didn't understand any of it.
"Alright, good." He responded, knowing he wasn't gonna get anything else out of her.
"I'm gonna, uh, head out. I'll see you at work, Casey." Gabby pushed herself up from the coffee table, Matt giving her a nod as she moved towards the door. He followed her path, holding open the door for her while she put on her jacket.
"See you then."
Without another word, Gabby left, Matt watching her go from the doorway, waiting until she got into her car before closing the door, the two going their separate ways.
Walker sat at the bar, swirling his glass around as he tuned out the noise around him. He was well into his fourth or fifth drink of the night, Bryan hoping the alcohol would dampen the anger that had yet to leave his system.
After the shift he had, he'd needed a drink. Definitely more than one. But he knew Molly's wasn't a place he wanted to be tonight, so he found himself back at a bar he'd frequent quite often the last year. It was across town, somewhere where no one had known him the first time he walked in, a place he'd used to pick up women from time to time.
But now he was here just for the alcohol.
He was pissed off, and despite being here for the last few hours drowning himself in his drinks, he found himself more angry than when he arrived. He didn't understand what Casey's issue with him was. No matter what the Lieutenant said, he wouldn't have punished any other firefighter like he laid into him yesterday, Walker was sure of it.
Bryan did what he thought was best, he shouldn't have been punished for that. He was doing his job. Of course he wished nothing had happened to Herrmann, he'd never want anyone to get hurt, especially not because of him. But he was just trying to do his job, he didn't know why Casey couldn't understand that.
"Damn, Bryan Walker is that you?"
Bryan looked up, seeing a familiar face walking towards him with a bright smile.
"Hey Johnny, it's been awhile." Walker responded, bringing in his friend for a quick hug.
"How you been doing, man? How's work? Still at 51?"
"Yup, sure am. Everything's going pretty well, got a new Lieutenant… it's been an adjustment but I'm doing alright. What about you? How's Firehouse 10 treating you?"
"Oh, I'm at 114 now, but it's been going well. A much better fit for me." Johnny responded, Bryan nodding. Walker had met Johnny Lewis fresh out of the academy. The house where Walker did his candidacy, Firehouse 10, Lewis had been the candidate before him. The two became fast friends, Johnny helping him navigate life as a firefighter. When Walker had moved to 51 once his candidacy finished, they lost touch for awhile. But when Walker first started coming to this bar over a year ago, they ran into each other again and rekindled their friendship. "You said you have a new Lieutenant?"
"Oh, yeah. He hasn't been there long, a little over a month."
"Who is it? Maybe I know him?"
"Matt Casey."
Bryan watched as Johnny's eyes widened, his friend scoffing as he shook his head.
"Wow…"
"What? You know him?" Walker asked curiously.
"I know of him, sounds like a real piece of work." Johnny breathed out.
"What have you heard?"
"He has quite the reputation around the department. I'm surprised headquarters keeps giving him a job. I guess they must really like him over there." Johnny continued, Walker placing his drink down on the bar. "He beat the shit out of one of his men at his last house."
Confusion and shock filled Bryan's body, the man unsure he was hearing his friend correctly. "What?"
"Yeah, I'm surprised you all don't know about this. I guess one night Casey and his wife were out at a bar, he had too much to drink and started getting a little rough with her. One of his men stepped in to stop it and Casey beat the shit out of him. Put him in the hospital."
Walker sat there stunned, shock flooding his body as he thought over what he'd just learned about his new Lieutenant.
"Wow, that's… insane. I didn't even know he was married."
"Well, I guess he's not anymore. Word is he left his wife, even though she's pregnant."
"Jesus Christ." Walker breathed out, shaking his head.
"Yeah, I've never met him but I'm not sure I want to." Johnny replied, taking a sip of his drink. "Just be careful around him, man. Who knows what he's capable of."
"Yeah, I will." Walker responded, Johnny patting him on the back.
"Well, it was good to see you man. Have a good night."
"You too." Walker spoke, his mind elsewhere as his friend walked away, leaving him alone at the bar.
Bryan had no idea what to make of what he'd been told. Despite how he felt about his Lieutenant, he never saw him as being an abuser. But Walker also was aware he didn't know the man very well, in fact he didn't know him at all.
And neither did anyone else at the house.
They all thought Casey was this perfect guy, that he could do no wrong. He'd come into the house all high and mighty, and everyone had just gone along with it. They had no idea the type of man they were working with.
But they were about to.
So, how are we feeling? Looks like Walker has discovered something in Casey's past. I'm sure you all have questions about what Bryan was told, and are probably very confused, but keep in mind, there's always two sides to every story.
I got a review talking about how they weren't sure them being friends with benefits was a good idea, and that Matt's behavior was kind of surprising to them, and I wanted to address that. There is a reason why Matt acts the way he does, he's still Matt, but he's definitely more of the player-type than he is on the show, but there's a reason for that. We just haven't gotten to it yet. Obviously, the situation they're in is tricky, and it could end up badly, but you all will have to wait to see how it all plays out. But Matt has his reasons for why he is the way he is. We've seen some of what Gabby's gone through, but we haven't really dived into Matt's past yet. It's coming (and with the end of the chapter, I'm sure you all have a lot of questions), and I think it will help explain a lot.
Thank you all so much for reading this chapter! I can't wait to hear your thoughts!