Hello all! Here's the next chapter for you guys.
Just so no one's confused, there is a bit of a time jump in this chapter. It's been a few weeks since the last chapter ended. I know it's sometimes hard to keep up with the timeline and everything, so I just wanted to make that clear.
Also, I had some requests for more M rated scenes, so yeah... I hope you enjoy.
SEVENTEEN
Gabby's eyebrows furrowed as she felt an unusual sensation against her skin, a soft, involuntary groan escaping her lips as she slowly came into consciousness, trying to get a grip on her surroundings. Before she could even open her eyes, she registered the movements on her neck, feeling soft, slow kisses being placed along her skin, a small smile falling onto her face as she leaned into his touch.
"Matt…" She moaned, feeling him smirk against her, his wandering hand moving along her stomach.
"Shh." He responded, biting down into her neck before moving across her jaw, returning his lips to hers. His actions elicited a low moan from her, Gabby's hand moving to his hair as they fought for dominance, her mind still a little fuzzy from being awoken so abruptly, but she wasn't complaining.
His lips trailed down her skin, placing kisses along her neck and the exposed skin above the collar of his t-shirt covering her body, his hands moving to her waist, sliding the material up to rest just under her breasts. Moving down her body, he caught a glimpse of her bare stomach, her hips disappearing underneath the sheets. Pulling them back, he climbed on top of her, his mouth watering when he realized his shirt was the only thing she had put on last night after they finished, a smirk resting on his lips as he straddled her, the sheet falling over his back.
Glancing up to her, he saw her hazy eyes on him, her chest heaving as she waited for his next move. Silently, he began placing kisses along her stomach, her breaths deepening as he took his time peppering her skin while she laid flat on her back. He moved his open-mouthed kisses over her ribcage, moving them up her breast bone, stopping when reached the edge of his shirt. After placing a lingering kiss in the middle of her chest, he pushed the material up, exposing her breasts as he kept his mouth on her.
His lips trailed over to her left breast, latching his mouth onto her as a soft moan escaped her lips, Matt taking his time appreciating her body. His lips and his tongue worked effortlessly as her breathing got heavier, Gabby's hand coming up to grip his hair, Matt smirking against her.
After spending more than enough time on this side of her body, he moved his lips across to her right breast, giving it the same attention, his fingers dancing across her stomach, noticing how tight her muscles were. When he finished on her chest, he kissed his way back to her breast bone before moving further south.
Slow and deliberate, he left his marks on her as he carefully moved down her body, Gabby's eyes locked on him while he marked her, his lips teasing her skin. It was something he did often, Matt leaving new marks on her body whenever he had the chance. She wasn't sure why he enjoyed marking her body so much, but there was something possessive about it. Especially the times he'd get carried away, and leave behind the discolored skin in very visible areas. In the couple of months since they'd started their arrangement, there had hardly been a time where he hadn't taken the chance to bruise her skin delicately. He loved doing it, and she'd be lying if she said she didn't enjoy it, too.
His movements continued down her body, heat rising within her as his lips got to her hips, Matt glancing up to her as he kissed her skin, his teeth grazing over the area as their eyes locked.
Without a word, Matt reached behind him and picked up the sheet, flashing her a devilish grin before he threw the covers over him, Matt disappearing from her view as the sheets landed on her stomach. Her breath caught in her throat, Gabby's hands moving out to rest on the bed beside her, feeling as he settled himself between her legs. The back of her thighs rested on his shoulders, Gabby feeling his breath on her as her body tensed.
She felt his finger moving along the inside of her thigh, Matt pushing her legs apart farther as he placed a soft kiss on her other leg, his actions slow and teasing. Gabby's head collapsed against the pillow, her breathing shallow as she focused on the feeling of him. There was something so exciting about not being able to see what he was doing, to only be able to know what was going on after it happened. It was thrilling, and Gabby was eager to see what he had planned.
A yelp escaped her lips when his tongue darted out and quickly ran over her, Matt pulling away as quickly as he touched her. Her breaths turned into panting as he went back to nipping at the skin on her thighs, Gabby's breathing ceasing momentarily as his finger stroked her, her legs involuntarily shivering.
His tongue made contact again, Gabby's hips bucking up at the unexpected action, Matt's mouth staying against her this time, slowly working her as he slid a finger into her.
He moved slowly, his lips attaching to the most sensitive part of her body as he slowly built up his pace, Gabby whining softly as removed his hand. He wasn't gone long, Matt inserting two fingers into her as he started back with his slow movements, working her up again as his mouth latched onto her.
The pace was agonizing, Matt knowing exactly what he was doing as he would build up to quicker movements before slowing back down, nearly driving her over the edge before taking it away, her entire body tensing each and every time.
"Matt…" She breathed out, pleading him to stop his teasing. Running his tongue over her, he slid his fingers back in, curling them upwards as a surprised squeak escaped her lips, Matt working up to a blinding pace, not slowing down this time as he dedicated himself to this moment.
Gabby's eyes rolled into the back of her head as she gripped the sheets beneath her tightly, her body going rigid as he moved in and out of her relentlessly, the combination of his mouth and his fingers sending shockwaves through her body. She felt like she was on fire, pants and moans falling from her lips as her mind went blank.
Her release hit her hard and fast, the sensation overwhelming as Matt continued his movements, keeping up his rapid pace through her finish, Gabby's entire body clenching as he moved in and out of her.
She tried to regulate her breathing as she slowly came down from her high, Matt easing out of his movements, gently lapping at her skin as her legs trembled around his head, Matt using one of his hands to keep her thighs apart.
She felt his soft kisses slowly moving up to her waist, Matt pulling the covers down. She was met by his smug grin as his head peeked out from under the sheets, Matt watching as her chest heaved up and down.
"Good morning." He spoke lightly, continuing his kisses over her skin, Gabby slowing regaining the feeling in her extremities as he moved up her body, latching his mouth onto her breast once more. He stayed there for a few seconds before releasing her from his lips, looking up at her.
"Great morning." She panted between breaths, Matt smirking as he pressed another kiss against her chest before rolling off of her, his palm resting over her stomach as her breathing became even. "What was that for?"
Matt grinned as he rested his head in his palm, tracing his fingers over her skin. "Figured a little stress reliever before shift is never a bad idea." He responded nonchalantly, his eyes moving to her bare chest, Gabby catching his stares.
"How much time do we have?" She questioned softly, lifting herself up to her elbows, finally taking in more of her surroundings. It was clearly still dark outside, and if not for the lamp that Matt had turned on at some point, it would've been nearly impossible to see him.
"It's pretty early, shift doesn't start for two hours." He answered, moving his hand up to rest below her breasts, feeling her breathing under his touch. "Do you need to go back to your place?" Matt questioned, glancing up to meet her gaze.
"Nope." She replied with a grin. "I came prepared this time, brought my clothes in my shift bag."
Her words brought a smile to his face, Matt leaning forward, capturing her lips in a heated kiss, Gabby caught off guard by the force of his movements before she responded, kissing him back with just as much passion. His hand slid up to cup her breast, massaging her skin in his palm as her elbows collapsed beneath her, Matt following her down to the bed.
"Can I interest you in a shower?" He questioned once they separated, both their chests heaving, Gabby's bottom lip falling between her teeth as she thought over his request.
"Maybe in a bit." She spoke, Matt cocking his head to the side. But he didn't get the opportunity to respond before she pushed against his chest, Matt falling onto his back against the bed. He let her take the lead, Gabby's hand moving over his waist, teasing the skin above his boxers before she climbed on top of him. She placed a feverish kiss against his lips, Matt moaning into her mouth before she pulled away far too quickly for his liking, Gabby mimicking his earlier movements as she began kissing her way down his neck and chest, her hands roaming his skin as she moved.
She took her time, Gabby leaving her marks just as he had on her, grazing her teeth over his sensitive skin, enjoying the reaction she was getting from him as she slowly made her way down his body.
She grabbed ahold of the waistband of his boxers with her teeth, lifting it up a few inches before dropping it, letting it snap against his skin, the action causing a rush of blood to move south as he let out a rough breath. Pressing a kiss against the scar over his hip, she pulled the boxers from his body, sliding off of him to rid him of the material, leaving him as bare as she was when she dropped them on the floor.
Placing soft kisses across his skin, her nails lightly ran over the inside of his thighs, Matt's eyes glued to her as he waited for her next movements, her eyes locking with his. He watched as her hand lightly took hold of him, Gabby stroking up and down, her grip as light as a feather, Matt lifting his hips into her movement.
"Gabby." He choked out, his breath getting caught in his throat as his head collapsed back onto the pillow, desperate for her to increase her pressure as she continued her teasing pace. Staring up at the ceiling, he waited impatiently for her to keep going, desperate to find out what she was going to do.
And she didn't disappoint, Matt's eyes squeezing shut when she took him into her mouth, the firefighter releasing a low groan as she eagerly started taking him in, Gabby ready to return the favor.
"Oh, somebody definitely got laid this morning."
Heat rose to Gabby's cheeks as she turned towards the rig, seeing Shay leaning against the back step, a smug grin on her voice.
"Excuse you?"
"Don't try and hide it, you're practically glowing. That's that 'I just got fucked' glow." The blonde taunted, Gabby's eyes widening in embarrassment.
"Would you keep your voice down?" Dawson shot back, glancing around the garage, thankful to not see many firefighters around her, and the ones she did see were far too preoccupied to be listening to anything Shay said.
"Quit worrying, no one heard me." Shay waved her off, the PIC walking towards her friend. "Casey had the exact same look on his face when he came in a few minutes ago, you both look extra cheery and relaxed." Shay spoke, raising an eyebrow. "So, tell me, how good was your morning?"
"Shay…"
"What? Throw me a bone here.. well, I mean not literally, that's more your area of expertise." She teased, Gabby ducking her head as Shay chuckled. "But I've been going through a dry spell lately, the least you could do is let me hear about all the hot and slutty sex you're having."
Gabby drew in a deep breath, glancing around the garage before leaning against the rig next to her partner, dropping her bag on the ground. "Let's just say… Casey woke up in a very energetic mood this morning."
"I knew it." Shay smirked, lightly punching Gabby's arm. "I'm assuming you took advantage of that."
"A few times." Gabby responded, Shay's grin widening as she shook her head. "What? I woke up with his hand under my shirt, you can't blame me." She defended, Shay laughing. "I was dead asleep and the next thing I know… well, there he was. What was I supposed to do, say no?"
"Oh no, I definitely don't blame you. You having crazy, hot sex bright and early in the morning? I don't think I've ever been prouder." Shay responded with a grin, Gabby rolling her eyes.
Their conversation halted when Gabby caught movement out of the corner of her eye, a lump forming in her throat as Walker passed by the ambulance, the firefighter heading in for shift. He spared a glance at the paramedics, and Gabby could tell by the tense look on his face he heard what Shay had said.
They locked eyes for a moment, his stare making her uncomfortable before he huffed out a breath, shaking his head as he kept walking, an unsettling feeling rising in her chest.
"What an asshole." Shay spoke, Gabby turning to see her glaring at the back of Bryan's head, her face rigid.
"I guess he heard what you said." Dawson breathed out, Shay focusing her attention on her friend.
"Yeah, and I don't know why he cares. It's been months, and he's slept with God knows how many people since he broke up with you, actually before he broke up with you. He has no right to judge you."
"I know." Gabby responded, shaking her head. "But, I mean, I don't exactly want to hear about him sleeping with other people, either. It's just weird."
"I get that, but you wouldn't be giving him that look if you did. You'd act like an adult and move on… He has no say in what you do, God I can't stand him." She breathed out, aggravation clear in her voice. "You're not his property, he doesn't get an opinion on anything you do."
Gabby merely nodded, the uncomfortable feeling still present in her chest as she glanced across the garage, seeing Walker long gone.
"Anyway, back to more important matters, it sounds like things between you and Casey are still going well." Shay spoke quietly, Gabby tilting her head to the side. "I mean, it's been like, what? Two months since you've all been doing this… thing." She continued, waving her hand in the air to emphasize her point. "And I'm not sure I've ever seen you happier."
Gabby's eyebrows furrowed, the PIC shrugging her shoulders. "Well, I mean, it's fun. It's simple, and it's easy. We're both just having a good time… it's been nice to not have to deal with all the mess of a relationship."
Shay raised her eyebrows, an unimpressed look covering her face. "So you're still sticking to that story, huh?"
"What do you mean?"
"You've been sleeping together all this time, and you're still claiming to not have feelings for one another…" The blonde spoke, Gabby sighing.
"We don't Shay." Gabby replied, Shay rolling her eyes. "I don't know what you want me to tell you, we don't have feelings for one another."
"Mhmm. Answer this for me, do you two still see other people?" Gabby released a breath, her eyes moving forward.
"Well, I mean- no, we don't." Shay smirked, Gabby narrowing her gaze at her. "It was something we talked about early on, and we decided not to."
"So you're exclusive."
"Shay…"
"I'm just making sure I have this right. You two spend the night together, a lot, you're not seeing other people, you spend more time with him outside of shift than anyone else, you two hang out while we're here.. I'm just saying, it would be normal for you to have feelings for him. He's become the person you go to, aside from me, of course." Shay added, Gabby scoffing. "And he clearly seeks you out, too. I just don't see how you two have been doing this for this long, and don't have feelings for one another." She finished, Gabby biting on her bottom lip, trying to figure out how to respond.
"Neither of us want a relationship, Shay."
"Okay, and I understand that. After what both of you went through, I get it, but you do realize you two are basically in a relationship, you're just missing the label." She responded, Gabby pursing her lips together.
"Him and I are friends, Shay. Alright? That's it." She breathed out. "Yeah, I guess we've gotten closer, but we want to keep things simple. It's just fun; it's uncomplicated, harmless fun. That's what we both need right now."
"Maybe…" Shay replied, shrugging gently. "Or, maybe you two just needed each other."
"Shay…"
"What? Can you honestly sit there and tell me these last few months you haven't been happier than you had been in a long time? And, obviously we didn't know Matt before, but since you two have started this, he's seemed happier. It's not a coincidence." She challenged, Gabby resting her head in her palm. "What Bryan did to you, you had every right to completely fall apart. And you did, for a minute, but you got through that a lot better than I thought you would. And I think it's because of Matt."
Gabby remained quiet, pondering over Shay's words as she stared at the ground, feeling her partner rest her hand on her shoulder.
"I'm not trying to mess up what you and Matt have going, but I think if you do have feelings for him, or he does for you, it's not something you two should ignore… That's how someone ends up hurt." She spoke softly, Gabby giving her a nod before standing up.
"Okay." She replied, leaning down to pick up her bag, Shay sighing deeply.
"I didn't mean to upset you-"
"No, no you didn't." Gabby responded, flashing her a small smile. "I just need to get this stuff put up before shift gets crazy." She told her, Shay giving her a nod before Gabby started walking away, heading for the firehouse.
Matt carried his fresh cup of coffee to the head of the table, placing it down next to his newspaper as he sat down, making himself comfortable. It had become a routine, of sorts, for him over the last few shifts, Casey liking to get his day started this way.
He was barely on the second page of the paper when he heard the door hit against the wall, Casey glancing up quickly to see Walker march in through the double doors, his body radiating agitation as the man wordlessly stomped around the corner. The few other firefighters in the room looked confused, but none questioned it as they went back to their previous tasks.
Casey couldn't help but ponder on it as he kept his eyes on the hallway, wondering what that was all about. In the weeks that had passed since Walker's little stunt at Molly's, the man had been as close to a perfect coworker as one could get. He'd kept his head down, he hadn't caused any problems for Casey, or anyone really. He would hang around with the other firefighters, but most of the time he would keep to himself. It was a nice change of pace, and Casey had come to appreciate the new dynamic he had with the rest of the house.
But in all that time, Walker had never stormed in looking angry. He never let himself lose control of his emotions, even though Casey knew there were plenty of times where Walker wanted to say more than he did. But what Matt just saw, that reminded him of the old Walker; the Walker that let his giant-sized ego get in the way of his job. Casey hadn't missed that Walker, and the Lieutenant could only hope he wasn't reverting back to his old ways.
Matt knew people just had bad days sometimes, he's had his fair share, so that could be the explanation. Walker could have just been having a rough day, and hopefully he'd snap out of it at some point. But something in Casey's gut told him it wouldn't be that easy.
Knowing he had no reason to make anything of it unless something happened at the house, Matt left it alone, returning his attention back to his newspaper.
He had gotten so lost in the article he was reading, he almost missed the door opening again, Matt quickly glancing up to see who it was before returning his eyes to the newspaper. But once his brain registered who he'd seen, he quickly looked back up, his eyebrows furrowing as he saw Gabby walk in. She looked off, like something had upset her but she was trying not to show it. It was a definite shift from how she looked when they left his apartment earlier, and he couldn't help but wonder what happened.
Matt wasn't exactly sure how much time had gone by since Walker came in, but seeing as how both of them came in looking upset, he could only assume something had happened there.
Catching Gabby's gaze as she turned the corner, he flashed her a soft smile, seeing the tension in her face slowly dissolve, her lips curling into a soft grin before she disappeared down the hallway, Matt watching her walk away through the window.
He knew he should probably leave it alone. She seemed relatively okay, and he didn't want to insert himself into something that wasn't any of his business. But he couldn't shake the desire to make sure she really was fine. After seeing her so carefree and happy this morning, that's what he'd been expecting to see when she came in this morning. He couldn't help but want to make sure everything was alright.
After a few minutes of trying to decide what to do, Matt released a soft sigh, grabbing his coffee cup and moving into the kitchen to dump out the rest of his drink, rinsing out the mug before moving out of the common room. He wasn't entirely sure where she had gone, but he figured the locker room was his best bet.
As he turned the corner, he stopped when he nearly ran into someone, his abrupt appearance startling the woman in front of him, Gabby's eyes widening before she realized who it was.
"Jeez Casey, you scared me." She spoke lightly, Matt flashing her a grin as his eyes traced over her face.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to." He replied, glancing around to ensure they were alone. "But I was coming to look for you."
"Everything okay?" She questioned, unsure of what had brought him to her.
"I was actually going to ask you that." He replied, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion.
"I'm fine." She responded slowly, Matt nodding.
"I just wanted to check, you seemed a little… I don't know, sad, or something when you came in." He told her, lowering his voice. "And when Walker came in before you, he looked angry. I wasn't sure if something happened, if he said something to you or anything." Matt spoke softly, shifting his weight back and forth on the balls of his feet. "I know it's not really any of my business, but I just wanted to make sure you were alright." He rambled, Gabby nodding as her arms crossed over her chest.
"I'm okay." She assured him. "I think Walker was pissed because he heard me and Shay talking.. about you." The second the words left her lips, his eyes widened, dread filling his body. But Gabby quickly shook her head, taking a step forward. "Not about you, per say. He doesn't know it was you, but Shay made a comment about me having sex this morning and he heard it, I guess it made him mad."
Matt's tongue ran over his bottom lip as he nodded, stifling an eye-roll at Walker's childish behavior.
"Oh, okay. I just wanted to check, make sure you were good." He replied sheepishly, Gabby grinning softly.
"I'm good." She mirrored his words, Matt's smile widening.
"Good." He spoke, Gabby rolling her eyes playfully. "Because today should be a good day." He commented, his hand moving to rest over her arm, Gabby suddenly hyper-aware of his touch as he gave her a gentle squeeze. Shay's words came flooding back to her mind, her body tensing slightly as she thought over everything her friend had said. "You know, especially after this morning…" He finished with a grin, heat rising to Gabby's cheeks as she thought back to the fun they had earlier, her head ducking slightly.
Before either of them had a chance to say anything else, the bells rang throughout the firehouse, calling all companies to a house fire, Matt rubbing her arm softly before stepping back.
"It's gonna be a good day." He repeated, Gabby slowly nodding as she watched him head for the garage, it taking a few seconds for her head to catch up, Gabby snapping out of her haze and following after him.
"Casey, I need you guys out of there. Smokes turning black." Boden called through the radio, Dawson and Shay watching on from the street as smoke billowed out into the sky, the fire burning with a vengeance inside the home.
When 51 pulled up to the burning house fifteen minutes ago, they immediately knew it was a bad one. The building was already completely engulfed in flames, and every firefighter knew they didn't have much time.
Squad had finished their sweep quickly, every firefighter under Severide's command safely outside on the street, along with Walker and Mouch, who had already finished their duties and were ordered by Casey to go outside.
"On it, Chief. Herrmann, Otis, let's go." Gabby heard through the radio, her and Shay hanging back by their unused stretcher. As far as they could tell, the house had been empty when it went up, which was a good thing. Gabby was sure anyone trapped in a fire this severe probably wouldn't have made it out alive, or at least whatever life they did have would've been a huge adjustment.
A burst of fire poured out from the top floor, Gabby taking a step back at the force of the flames, glancing towards Boden as he picked up his radio. "Casey, get out, now!" He spoke roughly into the speaker, but his orders fell on deaf ears as a loud boom filled the street, the building flashing over, sending debris and glass falling onto the ground around them, everyone turning away to shield themselves.
"Casey! Report!" Boden called, everyone turning back to the fire, anguish present on their faces. "Herrmann! Otis!"
"Chief, Casey's down." Herrmann's voice flooded through everyone's radios, Gabby's entire body going rigid as she stared helplessly at the burning home, her breathing shallow. "He's pinned, Otis and I need backup."
"Severide, Walker, go." Boden ordered his most able-bodied men, the two firefighters masking up without hesitation, running inside. Gabby felt a presence by her side, turning to see Shay, the blonde placing her hand on Dawson's back.
"He's gonna be okay." She spoke, Gabby swallowing thickly as she nodded, turning her attention back towards the house.
It felt like hours had passed before shadows emerged through the smoky doorway, Gabby kicking into action as she saw the firefighters climb down the steps, the paramedics moving their stretcher up to the curb, getting as close as they could. It took a second for their figures to become clearer, Gabby's breath getting caught in her throat when she saw only four of them walking, Severide and Walker carrying Casey limply in their arms. She could tell even before they got to her that Matt wasn't conscious, and it made her stomach sink.
Blinking quickly, she immediately got to work the second they placed him on the bed, ripping open his gear as Shay pulled off his mask, Casey's head falling to the side as he lay there unconscious.
"I've got a pulse." Shay called as Gabby cut open his shirt, beginning to hook him up to the monitor, her mind working in overdrive as she tried to focus solely on the task at hand. She couldn't think about this as Casey, she had to think of him as just any other patient. She had to be at the top of her game, Matt needed her to be.
"I think he got cut, he was pinned in there pretty good." Herrmann breathed out, Gabby barely registering the words as she looked further down his abdomen, seeing a slash in his turnout coat, Gabby able to see red staining the edges of his gear. Slowly moving the clothing out of the way, she saw a gash across his side, a lump forming in her throat.
"Shay, I need gauze." Gabby spoke firmly, the blonde grabbing a handful and passing it to her partner, Gabby beginning to press against his wound. It wasn't gushing blood, and it didn't appear to be too deep, but it was actively bleeding and she knew he'd need stitches. More than a few, from the looks of it. "We gotta get him to the hospital." Gabby spoke, turning to Boden who gave her a nod, the paramedic finally seeing all the firefighters that had crowded around them, clearly worried for their Lieutenant.
"We'll be there once we finish." He responded, Kelly helping push the stretcher into the back of the ambulance, Gabby climbing in. "Where are you taking him?" Boden asked, Shay shutting the doors.
"Lakeshore is closer." She replied, Boden nodding before the blonde moved to the driver's seat, driving off as quickly as she could.
Gabby ignored the shaking in her hands as she worked on Matt, his unconscious state causing panic to flood her body. She didn't know what all happened, but clearly something caused him to pass out. Did he get hit in the head? Was his body in shock? She had no idea, but the unknowns were causing her stomach to turn.
His pupils were responsive, and there was no trauma to his head that she could see, which was encouraging. He had some cuts and scratches along his skin, and he definitely looked beat up, but aside from the laceration on his side, she couldn't see any other damaging wounds. But with no way for her to know what his internal injuries were, the thought wasn't all that comforting.
As she finished dressing the wound on his abdomen, she heard him start to moan through his oxygen mask, Gabby turning her attention back to his head.
She felt relief wash over her when she saw his blue eyes staring back at her, confusion and pain shining in them as he saw her.
"Matt, it's okay. You're okay." She assured him, the firefighter blinking tightly, pain flooding his body as he tried to get up. "No no, hey. Don't move. Don't move." She spoke quickly, gently holding his chest down, another groan escaping his lips. "I know it hurts, we're taking you to the hospital." She assured him, Matt's hand blinding moving around at his side, hitting into her leg. Looking down, she knew exactly what he wanted, Gabby breathing deeply as she clasped her hand in his. "Try and breathe, okay?" She told him, glancing to the numbers on the monitor. His heart was racing, and while she wasn't surprised, she'd feel better if he could calm down a bit.
She saw him try to talk, but his words were muffled through the mask, Matt's free hand moving up slowly, a grimace covering his face as he pushed against the mask.
"You need to leave it on, you need to breathe." She tried, but Matt shook his head, Gabby watching as he hit against it again. Reluctantly, she moved the mask out of the way, Matt's teary eyes finding hers.
"Wh-what happened?" He breathed out shakily, Gabby feeling him squeeze her hand tightly. She could see he was scared, and between his question and look on his face, she wasn't sure how much he remembered.
"We were called to a house fire, do you remember that?" She questioned, Matt wincing as he took a deep breath, a gasp of pain escaping his lips. "Be careful, you might've hurt your ribs."
"I… I don't really remember." He answered, Gabby trying to mask the worry that filled her system.
"Do you remember anything from today?" She asked, Matt transitioning to more shallow breaths, finding it easier on him.
"I remember- I remember you joining me in the shower." He spoke, a watery chuckle escaping her lips, Gabby shaking her head. "And I remember you having me hold you against the wall while I stood behind you and-"
"Okay, okay your memory is fine." She cut him off, Matt laughing in response, but his laughs soon turned to coughs as pain flooded his chest, Gabby moving the oxygen mask back over his mouth. "Just breathe, Matt. Breathe." She ordered gently, quickly shifting back into paramedic mode. "We're almost there, everything's fine."
As soon as the words left her lips, she felt the ambulance come to a halt, Gabby giving his hand one last squeeze before she dropped ii, Shay pulling open the ambulance doors.
"Come on lover boy, we're here." Shay joked, Gabby rolling her eyes as they unloaded him from the rig, quickly taking him inside.
The handoff went quickly, Matt trying his hardest to focus as Gabby relayed his injuries she knew of, Matt suddenly understanding why he was in so much discomfort. He wasn't entirely sure of his surroundings, Casey feeling a rush of pain flow through his body as he was moved to the hospital bed, a loud groan escaping his lips.
"It's okay, Matt." He heard Gabby's voice break through the chaos, glancing over to see her flashing him a small smile. She reached for his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze before she was ushered away from the bed.
"Matt?!"
His body went rigid as he heard the familiar voice, looking past Gabby to see Hallie standing by the curtain, her face wide with shock. But what shocked him was her very pronounced belly, his ex looking like she was going to give birth at any moment.
"We need the space." One doctor spoke towards Dawson, Matt's eyes flickering to Gabby, seeing her nod before she looked back to him, giving him a soft smile, silently telling him everything would be fine.
The second she was gone, Hallie walked closer, taking in the sight of Matt's battered body. "What happened?" She breathed out, Matt looking away from her, ignoring the pain surging through his body as he moved the oxygen mask from his mouth.
"Sir, you need to keep that on." A nurse spoke, Matt shaking his head.
"I want her gone." He coughed out, nodding towards Hallie. Confusion filled the air in the room, Hallie drawing in a deep breath.
"Matt-"
"You all can treat me once she's gone." He spoke, the doctor working on him glancing towards Hallie.
"Dr. Thomas, please." The man spoke, Hallie blowing out a reluctant breath before nodding, sparing one last glance to Matt as she left the space, pulling the curtain closed behind her.
Moving slowly, Hallie walked back towards the main desk, seeing Dawson and Shay standing in the waiting room, the blonde sitting while Gabby paced back and forth, Hallie not missing the blood staining the PIC's jacket.
Hallie walked behind the desk, sitting down carefully as she kept her eyes on the room Matt was in, the doctor unable to see anything through the closed curtain.
Nearly half an hour had gone by, Hallie moving her attention back and forth from Matt's room to Gabby, seeing the woman still pacing nervously across the floor, now surrounded by the firefighters Hallie presumed to be Matt's coworkers. Gabby hadn't peeled her eyes from the room, despite multiple attempts from Shay, and a few of the firefighters, to get her to sit down.
Nurses and doctors had come and gone from Matt's room, Hallie continuously checking his chart in the system, needing to know what was wrong. Even though he clearly didn't want to be around her, she was still worried, and wanted to know what was happening. But his chart wasn't giving her much so far.
"Hey, uh, Dr. Thomas?" Hallie looked up to see Gabby standing in front of her, the woman nervously shifting on her feet. "Do you have any update?"
"No, not really." She replied, Dawson nodding. "I imagine they'll take him for some scans here soon, what exactly happened?" She asked, Gabby drawing in a deep breath.
"The building flashed over, and Herrmann, one of our firefighters, said he got pinned under a beam." Gabby explained, Hallie nodding.
"Yeah, then I'm sure he'll be taken for scans soon." She responded, both women looking over as they noticed a lot of movement, seeing as Matt was getting wheeled from his room. The firefighter caught a glimpse of Gabby, giving her a slow nod and a reassuring smile, Gabby's entire body relaxing as she smiled back at him, watching him until he was out of sight.
Hallie watched the interaction intently, knowing that Matt hadn't even seen her, he was only focused on Dawson, and the doctor had a lot of questions.
"I guess he's getting taken for those scans now." Gabby responded when she turned back to the woman, Hallie snapping out of her thoughts as she nodded.
"Yeah, I guess so."
"So, uh," Gabby cleared her throat, "when are you due?" She questioned, Hallie smiling softly.
"I was actually due a few days ago, but he hasn't wanted to come out yet." She answered, Gabby clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth.
"...You're having a boy?" Dawson asked, Hallie nodding, Gabby averting her eyes away from the doctor. Hallie was confused by the reaction, but then as she thought back to every interaction she saw between Matt and Dawson today, realization washed over her, Hallie shaking her head as she blew out a heavy sigh.
"You know, don't you?" Dr. Thomas asked, Gabby glancing back towards her. "You know about everything with this baby?" Gabby slowly nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. "Does everyone?" Hallie questioned, her eyes flickering back to the firemen.
"Everyone knows what happened, but, as far as I know, Shay is the only other person who knows you're Matt's ex-wife." Gabby responded quietly, Hallie nodding sharply, suddenly understanding why she'd been on the receiving end of a few harsh glares from the blonde paramedic the last few weeks.
"Yeah, I'm guessing you don't have a very high opinion of me right now." Hallie breathed out, Gabby remaining silent as she stood there uncomfortably. "But, despite what happened, I never stopped caring about him." She spoke, the paramedic unsure of what to say. "...How is he doing?" She asked, Gabby eyeing her cautiously.
She wasn't sure what Matt would think about her talking to Hallie about him, but she figured it was a harmless enough question. And, if anything, she thought Hallie deserved to know what she'd done hadn't completely ruined his life.
"Truthfully?" Gabby questioned, Hallie nodding. "He's doing really well." Dawson responded, pursing her lips together. "Considering everything, he's good."
"Good. That's all I want for him." Hallie responded, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing slightly but she remained quiet, knowing it wasn't her place to get involved in Hallie and Matt's relationship. "So, you and Matt?"
"I'm sorry?" Gabby asked, her voice higher than normal.
"How long have you two been together?" She questioned, Gabby shaking her head quickly.
"Oh, uh no- we're not… We're just friends." Gabby stuttered out, Hallie nodding with a knowing grin on her face, the paramedic hoping no one from the firehouse had heard what she said.
"My mistake." She responded, standing up. "But, whatever you two are, I want to thank you."
"For what?" Gabby asked curiously, Hallie tilting her head to the side.
"For looking out for him." She replied, confusion spreading across Gabby's face as the doctor walked away from her, leaving Dawson alone at the desk.
Matt groaned as he slowly came into consciousness, the overwhelming pain he remembered feeling before he fell asleep now reduced to a much more manageable dull ache, his eyes blinking furiously as he adjusted to the harsh hospital light.
"Ah Mr. Casey, glad to see you're awake." Matt looked to the sound of the voice, seeing the same doctor he remembered from the ER, the man holding a chart in his hands as he stood by Matt's bedside. "How are you feeling?"
"Okay, considering." He replied, his voice hoarse. But it wasn't until he spoke that he realized he didn't have that annoying oxygen mask on anymore, instead he'd been put on a nasal cannula, which he much rather preferred. "How long have I been out?" Casey asked, not really sure if it was still morning, or even the same day.
"For a few hours, but that's good. You need your rest." He spoke, glancing towards Matt's monitors before returning his gaze to the firefighter. "Now, I know you were kind of in a haze earlier, but I'm Dr. Martin. I'm not sure how much you remember about today or your accident…"
"Bits and pieces." He responded, clearing his throat. "It's coming back slowly."
"That's normal. When you came in, there were a few things we were concerned about, one of those being a head injury, considering you were unconscious for awhile. But all those scans came back clear. We found no cause for concern with anything regarding your brain, so that's great news." Dr. Martin explained, Matt nodding slowly. "Now, you have bruised some of your ribs pretty good. Nothing's broken, and there's no internal bleeding we could find, but you're gonna be pretty sore for awhile, if not for the morphine it would not be pleasant for you right now." He spoke honestly. "The most serious of your injuries is the laceration on your side… you have about thirty stitches there, but the paramedic who brought you in, she did a great job treating you out in the field, made our job a lot easier." He told Casey, his words bringing a smile to Matt's face.
"I'll tell her you said so." Matt responded, the doctor smiling softly as he nodded.
"But that'll take some time to heal. Whatever cut you, it didn't get through any muscle, so that'll help your healing a bit, but it's still going to be very sore. As of right now, I'd say you're going to have to be off the job for at least a week, maybe more. It'll just depend on your body." Dr. Martin spoke, Matt nodding understandingly. "But all things considered, you are very lucky. You might have a small scar left on your side, but other than that everything will heal up completely."
"Alright. Thank you." Matt replied.
"Of course. And you are going to have to stay the night. I can probably let you go home tomorrow afternoon, but I want to keep you overnight as a precaution, just to make sure no other problems present themselves. But when I do discharge you, I need someone to stay with you for at least the next couple of days." Dr. Martin spoke, Matt swallowing thickly as he nodded, wracking his brain for who he could ask. "Your body has been through a lot, and once you transition from the morphine to the pain medication, it'll be hard on you, especially the first 48 hours or so. You're going to be very sore, and I don't want you hurting yourself, so, if you could ask someone you trust to help you out for a few days, that would be great."
"Okay." He spoke, Dr. Martin closing the chart.
"Alright, well I'll get out of your way, let you get some more rest. But there has been someone itching to get in here and see you, so I'll send them in. But just make sure you rest, alright?" He spoke, Matt nodding, his eyes flickering to the door curiously as his doctor left.
Within seconds he saw who Dr. Martin was referring to, a soft smile falling onto Matt's face as he watched Gabby walk in, a relieved grin resting on her face.
"Hi." She spoke, coming to the side of his bed, her eyes moving over his form. He had some cuts and bruises forming across his face, and some peeking out on the skin she could see under his hospital gown, but he looked alright. And seeing him awake and alert made her feel a thousand times better, the weight crushing she'd been feeling all day slowly lifting from her chest.
"Hey there." He responded softly, clearing his sore throat. "I didn't realize you'd still be here."
"Shay and I still are, everyone else went back to the house after our last call… I talked to Boden, asked if we could stay here for awhile, just to make sure you weren't gonna do anything stupid on us." She spoke with a soft smile, Matt chuckling.
"Nah, I'm alright. But I'm glad to see you." He replied, Gabby pulling the chair beside his bed closer before she sat down in it. "You didn't have to stay."
"I wanted to." She responded without missing a beat, Matt swallowing thickly as he nodded. "So, I know about your injuries, but what did the doctor say?" She questioned, Matt smiling.
"Well, first of all, he praised the wonderful paramedic who took care of me out there." He spoke, a bright grin falling onto her face. "So, thank Shay for me next time you see her." Matt joked, Gabby scoffing as she rolled her eyes, leaning back into her chair.
"You think you're so funny." She muttered under her breath, Matt shaking his head, reaching out for her hand, Gabby's gaze flashing down before slowly grabbing ahold of it.
"No, but really, thank you. I appreciate everything you have done for me, some of which I probably don't even know… But I do remember waking up in the ambulance and being scared, but you kept me calm." He breathed out, Gabby nodding sadly. "Thank you for being there."
"Always." She responded, her breath catching in her throat as she realized what she'd said, the word falling from her lips before she even registered it. She saw something flash in his eyes, a look she couldn't read, but he gave her a smile before speaking up.
"But uh, he said I'm gonna be here until tomorrow, and he wants someone with me for a few days, until I've healed a bit more." He spoke, Gabby nodding as she focused on the feeling of their intertwined hands. "And, um… you don't have to, I know you're not obligated to help me or anything, and spending your time looking after me probably isn't how you want to spend your days off, but would you- would you mind helping me out for a few days?" Gabby's face softened as she heard the nervousness in his voice, Matt clearly apprehensive to ask her. "I can ask Kelly if you can't, or don't want to."
"I don't mind, Matt." She responded, Matt blowing out a relieved breath.
"Really?" He asked, Gabby nodding. "That helps me out a lot, thank you."
"Of course… you'd do the same for me." She replied, Matt flashing her a soft smile, giving her hand a tight squeeze.
"Yeah, I would." He spoke, his voice barely above a whisper, Matt clearing his dry throat, looking away from her. "And besides, I trust you a lot more than I do Kelly. No offense to him, but I don't know how I feel about him trying to deal with this gash on my side." He joked, Gabby laughing as she nodded.
"Yeah, he means well, but I'm definitely the better choice." She responded, scrunching her nose up, Matt feeling a warmth spread through his chest as he watched her.
"You are." He agreed, heat rising to Gabby's cheeks as she smiled shyly, her stomach doing flips as she felt his eyes on her.
"So, do you have a time tomorrow for when you can leave, or do you know?" She changed the subject, Matt shrugging.
"I'm not sure, it'll probably just depend on me. But hopefully it won't be too late, I don't want to be here any longer than I have to." He replied heavily, Gabby nodding as she understood the double meaning to his words, her eyes flickering away from him, using her free hand to brush a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "You okay?"
"I'm fine, I just- I think you should know that Hallie asked me about you." She spoke, seeing his face harden slightly, Gabby wincing. "I'm sorry for talking to her, but she wanted to know how you'd been, and I told her you were doing good. I know I shouldn't have said anything, but-"
"It's fine, Gabby." He responded, cutting off her rambling. "You have nothing to apologize for, I'm sorry she brought you into this. I told her to get out when she was in the ER, she knew I wouldn't talk to her so I guess she figured you could give her whatever answers she wanted." He spoke, Gabby watching him closely. "But I don't want you to feel bad, you didn't do anything."
"Okay." She replied, Matt lacing his fingers through hers. "But, um, you should know that I'm pretty sure Hallie thinks we're together… I told her we weren't, but I don't think she believed me."
"I don't care what she thinks." He responded with a soft shrug, Matt feeling the soreness in his body as he moved. "As long as she didn't say anything to make you uncomfortable, it doesn't matter."
"She didn't." Gabby replied, the sound of Shay's voice coming through her radio filling the room, the unexpected noise causing her to jump.
"Dawson, we've got a call."
"Okay, I'm coming." She spoke into the radio, dropping Matt's hand as she stood up. "Do you need anything from the firehouse? I don't mind to go ahead and get your stuff, if you want me to."
"That would be great, actually. If you don't mind." He replied, Gabby nodding as she pulled her phone out of her pocket.
"Yeah, of course. Just give me your locker combination so I don't have to break in." She joked, Matt chuckling as he quickly typed it into her notes, Gabby taking her phone back. "Alright, I'll see you later." She responded, Matt nodding.
Before she could second guess her decision, she leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead, finding Matt's eyes on her as she pulled back.
"I'm so glad you're okay." She whispered, Matt smiling softly as she ran her fingers over the side of his face.
"Me too." He responded quietly, Gabby grinning before she moved for the door, Matt's eyes on her the entire way.
"Try and get some rest." She told him before disappearing down the hallway, picking up her pace to get to Shay.
As they headed for the stairs, she passed Hallie, the woman clearly wanting to talk.
"How is he?"
"He's good." Gabby responded quickly, glancing to Shay who had kept walking. "He should be out of here tomorrow."
"Good, good."
"I'm sorry, I can't talk we've got a call."
"Oh, you're fine." Hallie replied, flashing her a smile before walking past her, going in the direction of Matt's room, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip roughly. She knew she should leave it, that she couldn't stop Hallie from going to see him, but the last thing she wanted was for this day to be any harder on Matt.
"Uh, Hallie." She called, stopping the pregnant woman in her tracks. "I don't… I don't think he wants to see you." She spoke, seeing the woman's eyes narrow slightly. "I'm sorry, I know it's none of my business, but he… it's been a long day, and I think you going in there would only upset him."
"Dawson, we gotta go." Shay called from the door to the stairs, Gabby nodding towards her partner, sparing one last glance to Hallie before running towards Shay, knowing they needed to get to their call.
Well, how are we feeling? Gabby seems to be really adamant that her and Casey are only friends, doesn't she? Unfortunately, no one seems to believe her.
I'm super excited to hear your thoughts on this chapter, thank you all so much for reading! I'm so thankful for all your love and support.