Hello everyone, here's the next chapter for you all. It's time to find out if there's gonna be a little baby Casey or not.. I hope you all enjoy.
THIRTY
Matt sat on the edge of the bed, stretching out his tired arms as he glanced at the clock, blowing out a heavy sigh when he saw it was already well after two in the morning. He knew it would be a late night for them, that Gabby closing up at Molly's meant they'd be out way later than he liked on nights before shift, but he didn't mind staying to help her out, and truthfully, he felt a little better being there with her while she was closing up. Not to say she couldn't take care of herself, because she absolutely could, but he also didn't like the idea of her being there alone so late, and having to get to her car by herself. He felt much better being there with her, and the fun they had once everyone had gone was just an added bonus.
But he knew they'd both pay the price on shift tomorrow, Casey knowing they'd need to be up in only a few hours. They wouldn't be able to get much sleep regardless, but hopefully once Gabby came to bed, the sleep they got would be peaceful.
Glancing towards the bathroom door, his eyebrows furrowed as he realized he hadn't heard any noise from her in a few minutes. Normally, he'd just leave it alone, not wanting to disrupt whatever part of her nighttime process she was in, but with the limited amount of time they had left for sleep, he didn't want either of them to be awake much longer if they could help it.
Using his hands against the mattress for leverage, Matt pushed himself up from the bed, beginning the short walk across the room towards the bathroom, rubbing his hand over his face as he came to stop in the doorway. His head tilted to the side in confusion when he saw her crouched on the ground, Gabby using one hand to hold onto the cabinet while they other had a near death grip on the bottle of mouthwash she'd asked him about moments ago. But what had him confused was the completely blank look covering her face, Gabby having not even noticed his presence.
"Hey." He spoke up, taking a step inside, the movement causing her to snap out of her headspace. "You okay?" He questioned, seeing the box of tampons spilled all over the floor, Matt crouching down beside her.
But Gabby didn't answer him, her nervous gaze finding his, Matt's eyebrows furrowing when he saw a look of panic flash in her eyes before she quickly tried to hide it.
"Gabby?"
"Huh?" She questioned, her voice barely audible, Matt watching as she began blinking quickly, like she was trying to focus.
"Did you hear me?" He questioned, Gabby shaking her head slightly. "I asked if you were okay." He repeated carefully, unsure of what had gotten her so spooked. She seemed fine a few minutes ago, he wasn't sure what changed in that time to have her acting this way.
But Gabby didn't give him much, she merely nodded before glancing around, Matt noticing the way her hands seemed to be shaking a little. "Yeah, I'm fine." She responded, refusing to meet his eyes. "I just, uh- I knocked the box over when I was getting the mouthwash."
Matt gave her a nod, beginning to pick up the tampons and put them back in the box. He felt Gabby's eyes on him, but she hadn't said anything as he completed his task, placing the box back under the sink. His eyes moved towards her, seeing the same worried look in her eye, Matt running his tongue over his bottom lip. Before he said anything, he took the mouthwash she had tightened in her grasp out of her hands, placing it on the counter before slowly standing up, grabbing Gabby's hand to bring her up with him.
"Thanks." She murmured, Matt nodding in response, confused as to why her skin felt so clammy.
"It's no problem.. You ready for bed?" He asked, resting his hand on her shoulder.
"Yeah, uh-" Gabby cleared her throat, her eyes darting around nervously. "I was actually thinking I should probably go home."
Matt's eyebrows furrowed immediately, his confusion only growing as her soft voice hit his ears, Casey taking a slight step forward. "What do you mean?"
"I.. I don't want you to get sick." She replied softly, still refusing to meet his eyes.
"Gabby, if you're sick, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get sick regardless." He responded, rubbing his thumb over her arm, the movement causing her to look at him. "I think our evening at Molly's pretty much took care of that." Matt added, his face softening when he saw a smile tugging on her lips before it quickly fell again, Gabby shrugging her shoulders.
"Yeah, I guess you're right." She murmured, her head turning down to the ground. Tilting his head to the side, a soft sigh escaped his lips, Matt's eyes tracing over her form.
"Are you sure you're okay?" He questioned, moving his hand up towards her face, gently stroking his thumb over her jaw.
"Yeah, yeah I'm good." She replied quickly, forcing a smile onto her face. "I'm just still feeling a little sick, it's messed me all up."
Matt gave her a slow nod, flashing a sympathetic smile as he leaned forward, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Though he was sure she didn't feel good, he knew that wasn't the whole story, but now wasn't the time to press it. Not when it was the middle of the night and they needed to try and get some sleep. "Let's get you to bed." He spoke, Gabby giving him a nod as he took her hand, leading her out of the bathroom.
While Gabby got into bed, Matt turned off the light, soon joining her under the covers. When he climbed in, he immediately noticed how distant she was, Gabby practically hanging off her side of the bed, lying on her back but turned away from him. Drawing in a deep breath, Matt stretched out his arm, gently tapping his hand against her stomach, Gabby glancing to him.
He held his arm out, lifting it up, encouraging her to come closer. "If I'm gonna get sick, it's already happened." He spoke lightly, Gabby smiling softly before she adjusted the covers, scooting her body closer to him. As soon as she got close enough, Casey pulled her into his side, feeling her tense slightly before she relaxed into him, her arm resting over his waist as her head was tucked against his chest. Matt ran his hand up and down her back, his grip keeping her close to him. "Get some sleep." He murmured, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head, Gabby curling herself further into him as she nodded against his chest. Blowing out a soft breath, Gabby hiked her leg up over his, Matt grinning against her forehead as their legs get tangled together, glad to feel her body relaxing more and more each second.
It was obvious something was going on with her, something that had her on edge. He just didn't know what it was. His gut instinct was to assume it had something to do with Walker; after finding out about him coming back to work earlier than planned, it made sense that he would have something to do with it. But what was confusing him was that she was fine. After Boden told them, and the entire night at Molly's, she was okay. Whatever this was, he couldn't help but think it wasn't about Walker at all. But if that was the case, that meant he had no idea what was going on with her.
But now wasn't the time to think about, Matt feeling Gabby's deep breaths hitting his chest, the woman in his arms having already fallen asleep. Pressing another kiss to her head, Matt let himself relax, his eyes falling closed as his breathing slowed down, Casey soon falling into a similar deep sleep.
Casey tapped his foot against the ground as he stood in the Chief's office, his body leaned back into the book shelf behind the man's desk, both firefighters waiting for a certain man to get here. It was early, about half an hour before shift change, but there were discussions that needed to be had before going out for their briefing. They just couldn't be done until the final participant arrived.
But Matt was just lucky he made it on time.
After his and Gabby's late night, it wasn't that surprising to him that they had overslept, Matt not waking up until nearly half an hour after he planned, the Lieutenant quickly making sure Gabby was awake before he got ready for the day. The frantic start to the morning only seemed to snowball from there when Gabby still felt sick as soon as she woke up, the few hours of sleep not doing much of anything to make her feel better.
The second he saw her still visibly ill, he suggested she take the shift off, for her to call in and then just stay here for the day, giving her a full three days to get healthy before needing to work again, but she immediately dismissed the idea. In fact, considering the glares he kept getting whenever he'd even begin to bring it up, she was strongly against calling in, so he dropped it. But part of him couldn't help but think she was only not calling in because of who'd be returning to work today; that if she called in sick his first shift back, Walker would assume it was because of him. But there wasn't a lot of time for him to press the issue. After battling through trying, and failing, to get Gabby to call in, and having to get ready, Casey didn't get out the door until fifteen minutes later than he needed to leave, the Lieutenant knowing he'd be late.
Soon after he got to the firehouse, Casey stopped to throw his things in his office before he made his way to Boden's, spewing profuse apologies for being a few minutes late the second he walked through the door, the Chief waving him off before they began discussing the plan for Walker.
And now they could only wait, Matt checking the time on his watch before stretching out his neck, his lack of sleep already affecting him. But the second he saw Walker approaching Boden's office, he straightened his spine, his face dispelling all signs of exhaustion as the firefighter came to a stop in the doorway.
"You wanted to see me, Chief." He spoke, Boden nodding as he waved him in, Walker taking a hesitant step inside. His gaze flickered to Casey, being met with nothing but a harsh, blank stare from his Lieutenant, Matt's arms crossed over his chest.
"Close the door." Boden spoke roughly, Walker nodding as he took a step back, pushing the door closed before heading towards the desk, standing in between the two chairs with his hands clasped behind his back. Walker kept his eyes on Boden, waiting for his boss to start speaking, the man's neck clenching as they all stood in a tense, uncomfortable silence.
"I would ask you if you understand what you did was inexcusable, but I'm going to hope we're past that." The Chief started, Walker taking a deep breath but staying silent. "I'm not sure how you managed to get them to lift the rest of your suspension, truthfully I'm surprised you're back here at all."
"Chief-"
Boden lifted his hand up, signaling him to stop talking, Walker obliging immediately.
"What you did was unacceptable. Sexually harassing a coworker is unacceptable, and I know you're smart enough to know that. I don't care about your history with Dawson, that doesn't matter in the slightest. You cannot do that. Ever." Boden continued, his voice firm. "Not only have you created a hostile work environment for Dawson, you've made it so neither Shay nor Dawson can feel completely comfortable here. You have taken that sense of safety from them, and any woman who will walk through those doors in the future, who's here to help the citizens of Chicago and who deserves the basic right of feeling safe in their own workplace. You've not only tarnished your reputation as a firefighter, you've tarnished this house. All because of some stupid little stunt, because you wanted to mess with Dawson."
"Chief, I wasn't-"
"I'm not done." He barked, Walker biting his tongue before nodding. "Now, the only people in this house who know about what you've done are me, Casey, Severide, Shay, and, of course, Dawson. And it will stay that way. Obviously there are people outside the house who know, and I'm sure there are rumors floating around, but no one here knows what you did, and you are not going to change that. Is that understood?"
"...Yes sir."
"I know Casey is going to want to have a talk with you, him and I have already discussed this and he will be using you as he sees fit. So I'll let him handle those discussions, but you are not to go anywhere near Dawson." Boden spoke harshly, his voice unwavering. Casey saw the look of surprise flash in Walker's eyes, and it took everything in the Lieutenant to not respond. Walker had to have known that what he'd done would have consequences surpassing just getting suspended. But on the slight chance he hadn't understood that before, he would now. "You managed to get your suspension lifted, fine. But you will not bother her anymore. If anything like this happens again, they'll be no more second chances. You'll be done. If I hear of you doing anything to her at all, you're out. You'll be gone from 51, without hesitation. I can promise you that." Walker swallowed thickly, not showing much of a reaction as his eyes stayed focused on the Chief. "There is no gray area here, you are ordered to leave Dawson alone. You do not go near her unless it's work related, and even then, only if necessary. You need a paramedic, find Shay. Or better yet, have some other firefighter take care of whatever it is. But you are not to speak to Dawson unless absolutely necessary. Do you understand?"
Walker's eyes flickered to Casey for the first time in awhile, finding nothing but a harsh stare waiting for him, the Lieutenant looking angrier than Boden. "Understood, Chief."
"Good." He responded, glancing back towards Casey, Matt giving him a nod as the Lieutenant pushed himself up off the furniture. "I would like to think that me telling you this is enough to make sure you'll follow orders, but if recent history is any indication, I'm not sure you can." Boden started, Matt seeing Walker's eyes narrow slightly before he recovered. "So I will be keeping an eye on you, as will Casey and Severide-"
"You're babysitting me?" Walker asked before he could stop himself, Boden's eyes tightening as he straightened his spine.
"Until you've proven to not need one, yes." Boden replied, Walker shaking his head as he blew out an exasperated breath.
"That's not necessary, Chief." He responded quickly, Matt seeing his muscles tightening in anger. "I'm not gonna do anything to her, I won't-"
"And I never expected this to be a problem in the first place." Boden cut in, his words slicing through the air, effectively stopping Walker's sentence. "Yet here we are. I never, not once, thought you would do something like this, but obviously I didn't know you as well as I once thought I did. But don't worry, I won't make that mistake again."
"Chief-"
"You're gonna have to earn back the trust of everyone here, Walker. Although I'm not entirely sure if that's even a possibility anymore." Boden continued, pushing himself up from his seat, rage radiating off his body as he stood up behind his desk. "Severide doesn't trust you, Shay doesn't trust you, Casey and I don't trust you. None of those firefighters out there trust you and they don't even know what you did. All they know is you did something bad enough to warrant a suspension, and that it was something involving Dawson. They have no clue you cornered one our paramedics in the shower, yet they still don't trust you. And Dawson sure as hell doesn't trust you, either." Boden's voice got louder and louder as he spoke, Walker standing there taking it despite the anger pumping through his veins. "No one here has any reason to trust you, as a firefighter or as a person. That is something you're going to have to try and fix, or you might not be able to stay here regardless."
"Chief, come on, that's not fair."
"What's not fair is you taking advantage of Dawson while she was in a vulnerable position." Boden replied, Walker clenching his jaw together tightly. "If this isn't fair to anyone, it's Dawson. Because now you've made it to where she has to worry if she's safe here."
"You've gotta be kidding me." He muttered, shaking his head. "Is that what she said, that she doesn't feel safe here? Come on, it was just a joke."
Casey's back tightened involuntarily as he heard the Walker's words, Matt shaking his head as he looked towards Boden, seeing the same disgust written across his face. "This… This is what I was afraid of. That you still don't understand what you did was wrong."
"I know I shouldn't have done it, Chief." He interrupted, Boden clenching his neck. "I do, it was stupid. But all this? That seems extreme to me."
"Considering you're lucky to still have a job here, no, it's not." The Chief replied, shaking his head. "The root of the problem is that you can't be trusted. Casey's had his issues trusting you in the past, and this only makes that worse. So you'll either earn that trust back, or you won't. There's nothing more to it."
Walker swallowed roughly, fighting every instinct in his body to retaliate, knowing that would only get him in more trouble, so the firefighter merely nodded, forcing a tight-lipped smile. "Understood, Chief."
"Good… You're dismissed."
Without so much as a nod, Walker left the room, stomping off down the hallway, both the Chief and Casey watching him until he was out of sight. WIthout a word, Boden glanced towards his Lieutenant, Matt shaking his head as he began walking towards the exit.
"I've got it handled, Chief." Casey told him, earning a nod from his boss before the Lieutenant was out the door.
Out in the hallway, Walker soon made it to the common room, his steps slowing when he came into view of the rest of the house, most of them sitting around having their own conversations, broken off into small groups. But the second he came into view, the room fell silent, an uncomfortable feeling settling over the air.
With his eyes bouncing around the room, it didn't take long for Walker to realize Gabby, nor Shay, were here, the paramedics elsewhere as Bryan slowly walked into the room, heading for the coffee pot.
Clearing his throat, Herrmann turned around from his spot on the couch, watching the man closely. "Uh, hey Walker… Good to have you back." He said apprehensively, more out of politeness than anything else. No one in the house was sure how to feel about the man who'd just returned from a suspension, the reason for which widely unknown. But, from what they did know, they were all a little wary to be around him.
"Thanks Herrmann, it's good to be back." He responded, turning around with his fresh cup of coffee in hand, seeing a few gazes dart away from him. Part of him felt like he should apologize to everyone, considering most of them refused to look at him, but he knew he couldn't say anything. Although he found it unfair, he didn't want to test Boden's limits, and the Chief had made it very clear that he was not to say anything about what happened. But he couldn't stand the way every one was looking at him, and if those looks continued he couldn't promise he wouldn't say something.
Everyone slowly went back to their own chatter, Herrmann staying rooted in his position as he faced Walker, trying to get a read on the firefighter. Bryan noticed the man staring at him, but before either could say anything, the door from the conference room opened, Dawson and Shay walking in, the latter chatting away loudly.
But when Dawson noticed the firefighter standing by the counter, she abruptly stopped in her path, wincing slightly when he made eye contact with her. Everyone had looked up when Shay stopped talking mid-sentence, seeing the moment Gabby shied away from the firefighter a few feet from her, no one missing how she took a step backwards while Shay simultaneously moved slightly in front of Gabby, like she was blocking her from Walker. The entire interaction was strange and unsettling, Walker's eyes locked on Dawson while the PIC did everything she could to avoid his gaze, Shay shooting daggers his way as her arms crossed over her chest.
"Walker."
Everyone was pulled from the uncomfortable encounter, looking towards the entrance to the common room, seeing Casey standing there with an unreadable expression.
"My office. Now."
He kept his words short, continuing to walk towards the bunk room as soon as he finished speaking, trying to control his anger towards the man. Not even a minute after the conversation with Boden, he was already messing with Gabby. And Matt didn't know what to do to get him to listen.
Although Casey wasn't exactly sure what the situation was, he knew Walker was staring at her, and he saw how unsure Gabby was with him around. It was exactly what he was worried about, that the second Walker was back in the house, Gabby was retreat back into herself. And before shift could even really start, it had already happened. Although Gabby had been a little off all morning, Walker's presence was only making it worse.
Casey got to his office, stopping a few feet short in the middle of the bunk room as he heard Walker come in behind him, Matt turning around to face him immediately. Walker slowed his steps, coming to stand in front of his Lieutenant, catching the man's tight gaze.
"How many times am I going to have to have this conversation with you?" Casey asked suddenly, Walker taking a deep breath. "Because I specifically remember telling you to leave Dawson alone."
"Lieutenant-"
"That day out in the garage, I made it very clear. I told you to leave Dawson alone, and you did the exact opposite... You will not be given a third chance, do you understand that?" Casey questioned, his voice loud and firm.
"The Chief already told me this, Lieutenant." Walker responded, Matt's eyes narrowing.
"And I'm telling you again." He barked, Bryan taking a deep breath, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "You need to understand, you are on a very short leash. You will not do anything, in this house or out on call, without my say-so."
"Can I say something?" Walker interjected when Matt paused to take a breath, Casey releasing a heavy sigh as he reluctantly nodded. "I know what I did was wrong, I shouldn't have done that and I won't do it again. But isn't all this a bit much? I already said I wasn't gonna do anything, so unless Dawson has asked you-"
"Dawson didn't ask us to do anything." Casey clarified, shaking his head. "And you don't really get a say in this, do you? You're lucky to still be here, I wouldn't lose sight of that if I were you. After that stunt you pulled, you'd do best to keep your head down, and do what we say."
"Okay, but how exactly am I supposed to avoid her?" He asked, clearly frustrated. "We work in the same house, we're together twenty four hours at a time? Like I had only been out in the common room for a minute before I saw her, there's no way to do this unless I'm not even in the house."
Casey held back the comment he really wanted to say, about how he shouldn't be here, shaking his head as he ran a hand over his mouth, trying to think of how to get through to his firefighter. "Everyone is aware that there's times you'll have to be in the same room, we all understand that. That's not what we're talking about and you know it." He answered, annoyance dripping from his voice. "We're talking about you going out of your way to talk to her, to make her uncomfortable and mess with her-"
"But I'm not going to." He tried, Casey shaking his head.
"You and I both know I have no reason to believe that." Casey replied firmly. "If you want to stay here, you leave Dawson alone. That's it." He spoke, turning around without another word and walking towards his office, shutting the door closed behind him, leaving a frustrated Walker alone in the bunk room.
Casey released a deep breath while he walked down the hallway, his hands shoved into his pockets as he moved through 51, trying to get a break from his office. It had been a relatively slow start to shift for truck 81, the firefighters only having been called out once, meaning it left them with a lot of downtime. Normally, Matt wouldn't mind the easy day so much, but with him running out of things to do to keep Walker busy, it was becoming a challenge. But what had helped was ambo having been out most of the morning, their shift not nearly as relaxed as the rest of 51's. With Gabby out of the house, Casey didn't need to worry about what Walker was doing, which had admittedly made his morning a little easier. Although he didn't necessarily love that Gabby was being run ragged all over Chicago when she wasn't feeling well, it took a weight off his mind, even if only for a few hours.
Matt continued down the hallway, his eyes looking around his familiar surroundings as he walked past the conference room, Casey intent on heading for the kitchen to get something to eat. But he stopped abruptly in the hallway when he caught sight of Gabby sitting alone in the conference room, her head hanging in her hands as she sat hunched over the table. Matt almost missed her, Dawson sitting at the far end of the table that was placed in the corner of the room, but the second he saw her, all that worry he'd been feeling for her over the last few weeks came back with a vengeance, her body language telling him something was wrong.
Without much thought, Matt changed his path, the man pulling open the door before stepping inside the room. Gabby's head snapped up at the unexpected noise, Casey's eyebrows furrowing when he saw her sad eyes shining back at him, the firefighter quickly becoming consumed with even more concern.
"Hey Matt." She responded softly, plastering a fake smile onto her face as a deep frown covered his.
"What's going on?" He ignored her greeting, seeing Gabby's demeanor falter slightly as he came closer to her.
He'd been worried about her since last night, and every time he saw her today that worry only increased. She seemed off, like something was bothering her. There was something about her demeanor in the quick glimpses he got of her today that left him concerned, but this was something different altogether. She looked to be on the verge of tears, like she was going to break down any second, and he hated seeing her like this, especially when he didn't know what was causing it.
"I was just wanting some quiet…" She murmured, seeing the clear concern shining in his eyes, Matt shaking his head.
"Gabby…"
"I'm fine, Matt." She tried, but Casey gave her an unimpressed look, moving around to her side of the table, leaning his weight into it as he stood beside her.
"Something's going on with you… you've been upset since last night." He commented, seeing the flash of panic flicker in her eyes, Matt releasing a heavy breath as he began putting the pieces together in his mind. "...Did I do something?" He questioned after she had yet to say anything, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing instantly. "Did I say something to upset you? Was it what happened at Molly's?"
Matt stopped himself from listing any more possibilities when Gabby started forcefully shaking her head, placing her hand on his leg. "You didn't do anything." She assured him, her voice raspy as Matt nodded in understanding, the man gnawing on his bottom lip.
"Is it Walker?" He asked, going to the only other explanation he could think of. "Is it him being back?"
"No, no it's not that… It's just-" She cut herself off, her eyes falling closed as she took shallow breaths.
"What's going on?" He questioned gently, Gabby slowly lifting her eyes as she met his gaze again, Matt seeing fresh tears filling her eyes as she clenched her jaw tightly.
"...I'm late."
Matt's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, his head tilting to the side slightly, unsure of what she was saying. "Late?" He asked, Gabby nodding slowly. "Late for-" Casey cut himself off as realization washed over him, his eyes widening as the meaning of her words hit him like a ton of bricks, his heart falling into his stomach. "...Oh." He voiced, barely audible.
"Yeah." She responded shakily, Matt doing what he could to control his breathing while he tried to comprehend the magnitude of this.
Gabby was late. She was late, and she could be pregnant. Pregnant with his baby…
Matt grimaced when an unsettling thought entered his mind, Casey finding her eyes again, seeing her watching him closely, nerves radiating from her body. "I, uh-" Matt cleared his throat, "I need to ask, but please don't hate me for this," Gabby's face hardened before he even finished his sentence, the paramedic removing her hand from his leg like she'd been burned, knowing exactly what he was about to ask her, "but, uh… Is it mine?"
Casey knew the answer already, he had no doubt in his mind what the answer would be, but with their situation, he had to know for certain. But the look that covered her face after the words left his lips didn't make him feel any better, Matt seeing the hurt and disbelief glaring back at him.
"Gabby…"
"You have got to be fucking kidding me." She breathed out, pushing herself up from her seat, trying to make a quick exit. But Casey was having none of it, the firefighter gently grabbing her arm as he stopped her from getting very far, Matt coming to stand in front of her.
"I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry, but this is all just… this wasn't supposed to happen. We're not together-"
"Yeah, I know we're not together." She snapped angrily, Matt taking as deep a breath as he could, gently squeezing her arm.
"I'm not asking this to hurt you...But with what our situation is, I need to know." He finished, Gabby blinking tightly as she wrapped her arms around herself protectively, her eyes darting around, desperate to look anywhere but him.
"I don't know about you, but when we said we weren't gonna sleep with other people, I meant it." She responded bitterly, Matt releasing a heavy breath.
"I meant it, too." He replied softly, Gabby biting down firmly on her bottom lip, blinking back the tears sitting in her eyes. "I am sorry, I already knew the answer, I just… I needed to hear it from you." He explained, Gabby giving him a slow nod.
"...It could only be yours." She murmured, Matt nodding as strongly as he could despite the thousands of conflicting emotions flooding his system.
"Have you... have you taken a test yet?" He asked hesitantly, Gabby immediately shaking her head, quickly wiping away a tear that slid down her cheek.
"No."
"Okay, alright- uh, first thing after shift tomorrow, we'll go and get a few.. start from there." He told her, doing what he could to keep his voice steady, seeing her exterior cracking more and more by the second. "It'll be okay, I promise."
"How Matt?" She questioned, her breath getting caught in her throat as she leaned her head down, pressing her hands into her skull. "This can't be- we can't… I can't do this."
"Hey hey, listen to me." He murmured, taking another step towards her, gently grabbing a hold of her forearms and pulling them down away from her face, waiting for her to look at him before he continued. He was scared, he absolutely was. But when she lifted her head, she looked completely terrified, and it broke his heart. "Whatever happens, I'm here, okay? We'll figure this out together, I promise you that." Matt told her, rubbing his thumb over her arm. "I'm right here, Gabby."
Fresh tears gathered in her eyes, Gabby nodding slowly as she let Matt's words sink in, Dawson doing what she could to take slow breaths, her jaw shaking slightly.
"We're gonna be okay." He assured her, Gabby's mouth parting open like she wanted to say something, but she was cut off by the bells ringing out, calling ambo to a car accident downtown. "Let me tell Boden to reroute the call-"
"No, no it's okay." She cut him off, Casey looking back to her with furrowed eyebrows. "I'm fine, I promise."
"Gabby-"
"I'm good. And honestly I need the distraction." She responded softly, pulling from his hold and walking towards the door.
"Okay…" He responded softly, turning to watch her leave. "But please, be careful."
Gabby stopped for a moment, forcing a smile that never reached her eyes as she nodded.
"I will."
"Okay, spit it out." Shay spoke the second Gabby closed her door, Dawson glancing to her with a confused expression as the paramedics had just finished dropping off their patient at Lakeshore.
"What?"
"You've barely said a word this entire time, and when we left the house you looked like you were about to cry." The blonde observed, Gabby drawing in a deep breath. "What happened? Did Walker do something?"
"No."
"Come on, Dawson. If he's already messing with you again-"
"This isn't- it's not about him." Dawson cut in, the blonde watching her closely.
"But it is something." She clarified, Gabby running her tongue along the inside of her cheek. "Gabby, what's going on?... Is it Casey?" Shay continued to question, Gabby raising her eyebrows. "Did Matt do something? Cause I know he's a nice guy, but I swear to God if he hurt you-"
"I think I'm pregnant."
Gabby blurted the words out quickly, effectively stopping Shay's rambling as she was stunned to silence, her mouth parted open in shock. Neither one of them said anything for a few seconds, Shay in near disbelief while Gabby did what she could to keep herself together.
Shay's mouth opened and closed multiple times, the paramedic trying to find any coherent thoughts to say as the weight of Gabby's words hit her. "You're… you're pregnant?"
"I think so." Gabby responded quietly, Shay forcing herself to take a deep breath. "I'm late, and I've been sick a lot lately… I've been feeling kind of a sore. I don't know, all the signs point to it."
"I… is it Matt's?"
The second the words left her lips, Gabby's eyes narrowed, her arms crossing over her chest defensively as she angled her body towards her partner. "Why does everyone keep asking me that? Of course it's Matt, I'm not just sleeping my way around Chicago-"
"Okay, okay I'm sorry." Shay cut in, shaking her head. "But, you know, you two aren't exactly together, it's a valid question."
"But it's not though." Gabby shot back quickly. "Why would I be sleeping with other people when I'm in love with-" She cut herself off, Shay's eyes softening as she reached out to place a comforting hand on Gabby's leg.
"Oh, honey…" She breathed out, Gabby blinking back the tears in her eyes. "Have you taken a test yet?"
"No, not yet." She responded, her throat feeling very dry all of the sudden.
"Well, what are you waiting for, let's go get one." She spoke, Gabby immediately shaking her head.
"No, no. I'm not taking it at the firehouse, are you kidding me? No." Dawson was quick to shoot down her idea, Shay pursing her lips together.
"We don't have to do it at the firehouse, we can find somewhere dignified… like a library, or a coffee shop, or, well, I don't know, a church seems like a bad idea. But we can find somewhere to go." She tried, Gabby staring at her with a blank look. "Or better yet, I'll call in to main right now and we can get you a blood test while we're here."
"No. No." Gabby shot her down again, shaking her head, Shay eyeing her curiously.
"Gabby, you can't put this off… if you're pregnant, you can't ignore that."
"I know, and I'm not, I just- I can't do it right now… Not yet." She murmured, rubbing her hand over her forehead. "Matt and I have already decided, I'm gonna wait and do it after shift tomorrow."
"So Casey knows…" Shay trailed off, Gabby giving her a nod. "How is he? If I were him, I'd be freaking out right about now." The blonde spoke lightly, trying to lift some of the heaviness in the air.
"That's the thing… he's not." Gabby responded, Shay's eyebrows raising. "When I told him, he just kept telling me that everything would be okay, that we'd be fine, whatever happened… I could tell he was shocked, but he was pretty calm about the whole thing."
"Yeah, I can see that, actually." Shay replied softly, Gabby glancing towards her friend. "He would be a great father."
"Shay…" Gabby sighed, pressing her fingertips against her head, trying to dull the pounding headache that had hit her full force.
"What?" She countered, shifting in her seat. "I mean, obviously if you're pregnant, it's your choice for whatever you want to do, but he would be an incredible dad." Shay spoke, Gabby biting down on the inside of her cheek. "And you know he wouldn't abandon you, or the baby, or anything. He'd be there, you know he would."
"Yeah, of course he would. But I'm not trying to trap him into a kid."
"Okay, well for one, I'm pretty sure Casey not being able to pull out isn't you trapping him into a kid." Shay responded, Gabby releasing a light scoff as the blonde smiled. "But all I'm saying is that maybe it wouldn't be so bad…"
"This isn't the right time, Shay. I can't be pregnant."
"But you might be, and you need to accept that." She responded firmly, Gabby taking a deep breath. "If you won't take a test today, you at least need to be able to come to terms with the fact that there might be a little baby Casey growing inside you right now. I know it wasn't planned, and it's not the right time. But if you are pregnant, and you decide to keep it, then it becomes the right time… You and Casey made your unprotected bed, now you've gotta lie in it."
"How could you possibly think this is helping?" Gabby asked exasperatedly, Shay shaking her head.
"I'm not saying it's helping, I'm just being honest." Shay responded with a gentle shrug, Dawson blowing out a sharp breath. "...Maybe tell him to wear a condom next time." She added, Gabby rolling her eyes as she looked out the windshield.
"I'm on birth control, Shay. We weren't stupid."
"Yes, well, that's only ninety nine percent effective, maybe this is that one percent they keep talking about." She responded, Gabby biting down on the inside of her lip, shaking her head.
"I can't do this, Shay. I can't be pregnant- I can't." She stuttered out, Shay's eyes falling closed as she took a deep breath.
"Look Dawson, obviously whatever happens, it's up to you, and to Casey, to decide how you move forward. I know neither of you expected this, or wanted this… it may not have been planned, but for what it's worth you and Casey both would make great parents. That would be one lucky kid you two had." She spoke softly, Gabby clenching her eyes shut. "But all you can do is figure out whether or not you're pregnant, and then go from there."
Gabby gave her a slow nod, her hands clenched together in her lap as she thought over everything Shay was telling her, Dawson doing what she could to keep herself level-headed, even though the weight of all this uncertainty felt suffocating.
"It's be okay, Gabby. Whatever happens, you and Matt will be fine." Shay did what she could to comfort her friend, but the paramedic could only do so much, knowing it wasn't her comfort that Dawson needed right now.
Casey paced the confines of his office, his thoughts running laps in his head as he moved back and forth quickly, his hand pressed into the side of his skull.
He couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe this was happening, or that it might be happening. He couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that Gabby might be pregnant, that they might be pregnant.
They had been careful, granted not as careful as they could've been, but he knew Gabby was on birth control. She took it religiously, and they'd both come to the decision together that was enough for them. But now it was looking like it might not have been.
Gabby might be pregnant. They might be expecting a child, and he didn't know what to do.
But he knew what he would do. He would be there for Gabby and their child, for this little life they created by accident. It hadn't been planned, not at all had this been what either of them wanted, but he would do whatever he needed to do for Gabby and their baby. That was the only thing he was sure of.
And he knew he needed to make sure Gabby was sure of it, too.
"What is going on with you?"
Matt looked up, seeing Severide standing in his now open doorway, Casey not sure how long he'd been there, the man having been too caught up in his own head. But based on the look Kelly was giving him, he'd been there for awhile.
"What?"
"You've been pacing back and forth for like an hour, I'm not sure how you haven't burned a hole in the floor yet, what's going on?"
"Gabby thinks she's pregnant."
The words escaped his lips before he could stop them, Severide's eyes widening in complete and utter disbelief, the firefighter nearly stumbling backwards into the door.
"She what?"
"She thinks she's pregnant." He repeated, even though he knew he didn't need to. "She's late, and she hasn't taken a test yet, but she's been sick, feeling nauseous a lot, and she thinks she could be pregnant…" He elaborated, Severide shaking his head.
"Shit, I- I don't know what to say." He breathed out, Matt nodding as he began pacing again.
"I don't know what we're gonna do… I mean I know what we will do, or at least I think I do. Hell, I don't even know that. Because this wasn't supposed to happen. We were careful, this shouldn't have happened and I'm freaking out. But I can't freak out because Gabby's on the verge of a breakdown, which I can't blame her for because I feel the same way, but we just- I can't do this. I can't be a dad, not right now, not like this, this wasn't supposed to happen."
"Take a breath, Casey. Man, you're gonna pass out just calm down." Severide spoke, walking towards his friend and putting his hands on his shoulders.
"'Calm down'? Seriously? How am I supposed to calm down? If there is any scenario for me to be freaking out in, this is it-"
"Casey, stop!" Severide shouted, effectively shutting the man up. "Now take a breath." Kelly continued, Matt reluctantly taking a slow, deep breath. "Good, now just listen to me for a second… If Dawson is pregnant, you two are going to figure it out. It isn't what you planned, I understand that, but can you honestly stand here and say you won't love that baby?"
"No, of course not, but-"
"But nothing." Severide interjected, Matt releasing a heavy sigh. "If she's pregnant, you two will figure it out. There's nothing else you can do. Except maybe pull out next time… Although if she is pregnant, that won't matter for awhile." He joked, Matt narrowing his eyes, but he was unable to stop the slight smile pulling at his lips, Severide chuckling as he saw Matt relax a bit. "But really, you guys will be fine. And you'll have a firehouse full of people here to help you out. You two will make great parents, everything will be alright, man."
Taking another deep breath, Casey nodded slowly, Kelly patting him on the shoulder. "Thanks, Sev." Casey responded softly, Severide nodding.
"Of course… dad." He replied, Matt rolling his eyes as he began walking out of his office, Kelly following after him.
"That's not funny." Casey breathed out, the two men heading out of the bunk room.
Shay released a heavy breath as she walked into the firehouse, the door falling closed behind her when she stepped towards the common room, her eyes looking for one man in particular.
"Hey Shay, how was the call?" Herrmann asked from the couch, the blonde glancing towards him.
"Huh? Oh, it was fine, nothing too bad." She responded, her gaze landing on Walker, the man currently cleaning the kitchen, something Shay could only assume to be his latest task from Casey.
"Where's Dawson?" Herrmann spoke up again, noticing the other paramedic had yet to appear.
"She's out in the garage… Has anyone seen Casey?" She asked, her question gaining the attention from others in the room.
"Uh, last I knew he was in his office- oh, wait, there he is." Otis responded as Matt and Severide came into the common room through the conference room door, immediately understanding they walked in on the middle of a conversation.
"What?" Casey asked, his eyes moving around the room.
"Shay was asking where you were." Herrmann replied, the Lieutenant looking towards the entrance to the room, seeing a worried expression covering Shay's face, and in that moment Casey knew she knew; Gabby had told her what was going on.
Without a word, Matt walked through the room over to his friend, Shay biting down on her bottom lip, Casey coming to a stop in front of her. Knowing everyone in the room was watching them, Shay grabbed his arm, pulling him further away from everyone, the two standing by the double doors.
"What's going on?" He asked, keeping his voice low, Shay leaning towards him.
"You need to go talk to Dawson." She whispered, concern immediately filling his features, everyone in the room seeing the shift in his demeanor. "She's… she's having a hard time."
Without another word, Casey gave her a nod, placing a thankful hand on her shoulder before pulling open the double doors, disappearing into the garage. Blowing out a heavy sigh, Shay walked back towards the common room, seeing every pair of eyes on her. She caught a glimpse of Walker watching her closely, before his eyes flashed towards the doors out to the garage that Casey had just gone through. Quickly finding Kelly's gaze, Shay knew in an instant that Severide was told of what was going on, that Matt had confided in him similarly to how Dawson had with her.
"Is everything okay, Shay?" Herrmann asked cautiously, the blonde forcing a smile before nodding, doing what she could to alleviate the firefighter's concerns.
"Everything's fine, Herrmann." She replied shortly, giving Severide one last knowing look before heading off down the hallway.
Out in the garage, Casey walked straight for the ambulance, wiping his clammy hands off on his pants as he moved towards the rig. At first he didn't see her anywhere, not until he moved around to the far side of the ambulance, Matt's steps slowing as he caught sight of her, Gabby leaning her weight into the side of the rig with her head hanging in her hands. With a slight frown on his face, Matt walked closer to her, the noise of his boots on the ground causing her head to snap up.
When he saw the fresh tears sitting in her eyes, as well as the ones that had already escaped down her cheeks, he closed the distance between them, reaching his hand out towards her.
"Gabby…"
"I can't- I don't… I can't do this." Tears started slipping down her cheeks, her breath getting shallow as her emotions took over.
"I know.. I know. Come here." He murmured, gently pulling her off the ambulance and wrapping his arms around her, holding onto her as tightly as he could.
Gabby fell into his embrace easily, her arms circling around his waist as her head fell into his neck, her body trembling while silent tears fell from her eyes, down to his shirt.
The two of them stood there, covered from view by the large rig, Matt doing all he could to provide Gabby with at least a tiny bit of comfort, his hand moving up and down her lower back while his other arm stayed wrapped around her shoulders. Every few moments, he'd feel her give his torso a squeeze, like she was needing the reminder he was still here, Matt murmuring soft, soothing words to her as she finally allowed herself to feel everything she'd been holding in since last night.
"It'll be okay, Gabby." He whispered, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. "I promise… Whatever happens, I'm here, okay?"
He felt her nod slightly against his collarbone, Matt bringing his hand up to the back of her head, cradling her to his body.
Matt wasn't sure how long they stayed there, but their moment was interrupted when they heard the sound of boots hitting the ground moving towards them, Gabby practically ripping herself from Matt's embrace, her eyes widening slightly when she saw Walker come around the back of the ambulance. She saw his immediate confusion, before it morphed into anger, with a hint of curiosity and annoyance.
Gabby immediately turned her back to him, wiping her eyes as Casey turned to face the man, seeing Walker tighten his throat, his eyes moving back and forth between the two of them. Casey matched his look, the Lieutenant's face hardening as he took a step forward, doing what he could to block Gabby from Walker's view.
"What do you need, Walker?" He asked roughly, Bryan sparing one last glance to Dawson before focusing on Casey.
"I, uh- I wasn't sure what you wanted me to do next. I finished up the kitchen." He responded, swallowing thickly.
"Go clean the showers." Casey responded without missing a beat, Walker nodding before his gaze flicked back to Gabby, seeing her body trembling slightly as she stood behind the Lieutenant. Casey took another step forward, effectively gaining the firefighter's attention. "Go." He ordered, Walker sucking in a deep breath before nodding yet again, turning to walk away without another word.
Casey waited until he heard the far double doors open and then shut, ensuring the man had left, before he turned back to Gabby, seeing her back still to him with her head facing the ground, resting in her hands. Walking back towards her, he placed his hand on her back, his warm palm sliding over her shirt, coming to rest on her hip, seeing her wipe away some of the water resting on her skin.
"It's okay." He murmured, Gabby biting back a sob, the softness of his voice springing more tears to her eyes. "It's okay." He repeated, Gabby collapsing back into his embrace once more, pressing her body into his as her head rested against him, Matt keeping a tight grip on her as he continued whispering words of assurance, words he knew she needed.
"I'm right here… I'm not going anywhere. We'll be okay."
Walker stomped his way through the house, making his way towards the bathrooms as he let out an annoyed huff, pushing the swinging door open forcefully.
The man came to an immediate stop when he saw Shay and Severide standing at the counter, Bryan having stopped whatever conversation they were having the second he came in. When he met Shay's narrow gaze, he couldn't help but reciprocate it, Walker scoffing as he began walking past them.
"You know, if you could tell Dawson to stop being so dramatic, I'd really appreciate it." He shot, Shay turning her body towards him.
"Excuse me?" She asked incredulously, Walker stopping his path.
"I'm asking you to tell Dawson to get over herself, since I can't. I know I'm not allowed to talk to her, so I can't figure out what her problem is, but the tears are a bit much."
"What are you talking about?" Severide questioned from behind Shay, Walker rolling his eyes.
"Dawson, she's out there crying to Casey in the garage about me being back. I already got suspended, she can cool it. I mean I was gone for a week, wasn't that enough?"
"No, it wasn't enough actually." Severide responded.
"Oh, please."
"You're such a fucking asshole." Shay muttered, Walker narrowing his gaze as he took a step forward.
"What'd you just say?"
"I said you're an asshole." She spoke louder, Walker taking another step towards her.
"Hey, get the fuck away from her." Severide jumped in, pushing him back as he stood between him and Shay, Walker pushing his hand away.
"Look, can all of you just leave me the fuck alone? No one here can ever look at me anymore because of you two, and Dawson. And probably Casey at this point. I'm just trying to do my job, and you're making it nearly impossible."
"Are you seriously blaming us for your corning Dawson while she was in the shower? Are you insane? What they fuck is wrong with you, you bastard, this is no one's fault but you're own!" Shay shouted, pushing Kelly out of the way as she came up to meet Walker. "You caused all this, you're the one who treated Gabby like shit, you're the one who dumped her, and now you're the one who can't let it go. Just leave her alone, get your head out of your ass and realize everything isn't about you!"
She was practically screaming at this point, Severide sure others in the firehouse were hearing the commotion going on inside the bathroom.
"Oh, so you're telling me that little stunt out there with the tears, Gabby wasn't crying because of me?"
"No, she wasn't, in fact it has nothing to do with you so just leave it the fuck alone." Shay snapped. "Contrary to what you believe, not everything that goes on in Dawson's life is about you. This is in no way about you, so just do what you're supposed to do and leave her alone."
Without another word, Shay stormed out of the bathroom, bumping into Walker as she left, leaving the two firefighters by the counter.
"What is she talking about?" Walker asked, his voice much softer than it had been moments prior. "Is something wrong with Dawson?"
Severide let out a scoff, stepping away from the counter as he moved towards the exit.
"Severide, what's going on?" He asked, Kelly shaking his head as he pushed the door open.
"It doesn't concern you Walker, just let it go." Severide responded before heading out the door, leaving a very confused and frustrated Bryan alone in the bathroom.
Matt tossed his keys in the bowl on the table, shutting the door closed behind him before he walked further into his apartment, being met with nothing but silence in return. He knew Gabby was here, Casey having seen her car in its usual spot outside his apartment, but she wasn't anywhere in sight.
When shift had ended less than an hour ago, Matt quickly came to the decision for them that he would go out and get the tests while Gabby went back to the apartment. After her breakdown in the garage yesterday, things hadn't gotten much better for her. In fact, they had gotten worse, Gabby having a hard time managing her emotions as the weight of everything kept hitting her over and over again.
So by the time shift was done, and Matt saw her tired, red eyes, he told her to go back to his apartment, and he'd get what they needed. He didn't want her having to be out any longer than necessary, and considering the uncomfortable jokes the guy at the cash register was making when Casey went and bought the three different pregnancy tests, it was a good thing she hadn't come. Because if she had, Matt knew the man running his mouth would've either set her off, or had her bursting into tears.
"Gabby?" He called out, walking further into the apartment, heading straight towards his bedroom with the brown bag clutched tightly in his grip. Getting down to the end of the hall, Matt turned the corner into his bedroom, releasing a soft sigh when he saw Gabby laying in the middle of his bed. She was facing the door, her arm wrapped across her stomach as she rested on her side, Matt meeting her eyes as soon as she noticed his presence. "Hey." He greeted gently, stepping further into the room as Gabby sat up on the bed.
"Hi."
"I got the tests." He spoke, handing the bag towards her, Gabby reluctantly taking it from his grasp before she stood up.
"Thanks." She murmured, heading towards his bathroom.
"Should I just wait out here, or… I don't really know what to do." He breathed out, wanting to help her but not knowing how to.
"Just wait out here, I'll be right back." She told him, Matt nodding as he sat himself down on the bed, Gabby disappearing into his bathroom, leaving the door slightly ajar.
It felt like she was in there for an eternity, but that wait was nothing compared to the wait when she had finally come back out, placing all three tests in a line on his dresser before she came to sit beside him. Before she was even completely settled, Matt had his arm around her, pulling her into his side as she placed her head on his shoulder, her hand resting on his thigh.
They still had nearly two minutes left to wait, Matt continuously rubbing his hand over her arm.
"You know… maybe it wouldn't be so bad." He murmured, Gabby waiting for him to continue. "I mean, I know we didn't plan it, but I think having a kid, that would be pretty cool. They'd have some pretty awesome parents, at least." He continued, earning a soft laugh from Gabby as she wiped away some of her tears. "I've always wanted kids, but after awhile I just thought it wasn't meant to happen for me, but this… who knows, maybe this could be the best thing to ever happen to us. Obviously, this probably isn't the ideal time, but maybe it was meant to happen this way."
"Yeah, maybe." She murmured, sniffling as a slight smile pulled at her lips.
"I know this is a lot, and it'll be hard, but if you are pregnant… I don't know, it could end up being really great." He nearly whispered, his words soothing her as she held onto him tighter. "And we'd have one hell of a kid."
"Yeah, we would." She responded, squeezing his thigh gently as he continued running his hand over her arm.
The sound of the alarm on her phone going off startled them both, Gabby taking a deep breath as she pulled herself from Matt's embrace, both of them standing up from the bed. Without a word, they walked to his dresser, Gabby's unsteady hands reaching out to grab the tests.
Matt tried to get a read on her, but the blank look on her face didn't tell him much as she stared at the tests for what felt like forever, before she slowly lifted her head up, Matt waiting for her to give him some sort of answer.
"I'm not pregnant."
Casey released a heavy, shaky breath as Gabby blinking furiously, her eyes moving back and forth from him to the tests in her hands, her vision blurry.
"I'm not.. I'm not pregnant." She repeated, more to herself than to him, Matt carefully grabbing one of the tests from her, needing to see for himself.
Another unsteady breath fell from his lips, Matt watching her hands begin to shake as she held onto the tests with a death grip. Carefully, he pried them from her hands, Gabby's breathing becoming labored as he placed them back on the dresser.
"Gabby…"
Her breath caught in her throat as she slowly lifted her head, Matt placing his hands on her shoulders as her breaths became shallow. He had no idea what was going on in her head, or why she was so upset, but the reasons didn't matter when she broke down into tears for the second time in less than a day, Matt figuring the high emotions of the last twenty four hours finally caught up to her. Without a thought, he pulled her into his arms, cradling her body against his as they stood in his bedroom, the only sound in the room being Gabby's cries, while Matt did what he could to comfort her.
Well, what are we thinking? Gabby's not pregnant, and that news seemed to bring a bunch of different emotions out of the both of them. We'll have to wait and see what this means for them moving forward.
In other news, Walker's back and he's still an asshole. Some things never change. But is he an asshole who will leave Gabby alone? Well, again, we'll have to wait and see.
Thank you all so much for all the love on the last chapter, it means so much to me. I hope you guys enjoyed this one as well, I can't wait to hear your thoughts. Thanks for reading!