Well, hello everyone. I'm finally back with the next chapter for you all. There's a few things I wanna say before we get into it, but can I just start by saying thank you. Thank you for all the kind words of encouragement, and nice notes you all have left me this past month. Every single review you all have left me, whether it was just checking in, or to let me know you were missing this story, or whatever it may have been, it truly means so much to me. Your support throughout this story means everything, and I'm so glad to be back posting updates for you.
I definitely needed to step away from this story, and I'm glad I did, but I'm even more excited to be back, and getting back into this version of Dawson and Casey. I missed this story a lot, and I'm looking forward to keeping it going.
For those of you who had the chance to read this chapter before I deleted it, some of this here will look familiar. I reworked a lot of it, added in some dialogue and a few scenes, and I definitely like this version a lot better. But the main storyline is the same.
I'm not entirely sure what updating this story will look like as of now. I'm hoping to get back on my Thursday schedule, but I also don't want to start forcing chapters with this story again. That's what happened last time, and, obviously, it didn't end well. So, while I'm hoping to update weekly on Thursdays, I'm not entirely sure if I'll be able to stick to that as of now. But as soon as I have chapters done, you all will have them.
Also, the world has definitely gotten crazier since I last updated this story. With everything going on right now, I hope you all are staying safe and doing as well as you can be.
Hopefully this can be a little distraction from everything for some of you. So settle in, we've got a long one.
Thank you all for sticking with me and this story. I hope you like it. Happy reading.
FORTY NINE
Casey laid in his hospital bed, lazily running his hand up and down Gabby's arm while she rested against him, her head placed on his shoulder while her arm was wrapped lightly around his waist, the paramedic careful not to put too much pressure on his body despite her strong desire to be close to him. It was the same position they'd been in for the last hour, Gabby refusing to move from his side as nurses filtered in and out of the room, coming to do their regular check ups on the injured firefighter.
The sound of his monitors beeping combined with Gabby's soft breaths were the only noises in the room, Matt tracing comforting patterns along her jacket-covered arm as his eyes focused on the muted TV on the wall across from him. After the long, and emotional day, they'd experienced, Casey was finding it difficult to keep his eyes open, his exhaustion trying to win out against his want to stay awake for the woman in his arms. But each time he almost felt himself succumbing to his fatigue, he'd force his eyes back open, Matt glancing towards the clock on the wall, seeing it was still pretty early in the evening.
At this moment, sleep was sounding very good to him, so much so he knew he could easily fall asleep right now if he wanted to. In fact it was encouraged that he get as much rest as possible, all of his doctors and nurses taking every opportunity to remind him of that, but he didn't want to. Not yet.
His mind snapped into focus when he felt Gabby release a shaky breath, the air hitting his neck as he tore his eyes away from the cooking show he'd barely been paying attention to, Matt glancing down to his girlfriend before tightening his grip on her.
"You okay?" He questioned softly, his voice breaking through the quiet in the room as he felt Gabby shift against his side, Matt stifling a groan of discomfort as she accidentally pressed against his sore ribs.
"I'm fine."
Her voice was barely audible, Matt giving her a nod, even though he knew her words were a lie. She wasn't alright, she had no reason to be, not after everything Walker had done to her. And especially not after she'd just had to explain it all to Antonio.
He'd come in around half an hour ago, needing to get Gabby's official statement on what had happened today, and to say that conversation had been difficult was an understatement. Not only was it hard enough as is, but Antonio did not take the news well of not only finding out exactly how she'd been choked today, but learning that this hadn't been the first time Bryan had hurt his sister. It was a long, and painful, talk, one that had been emotionally draining for all three of them. But once they'd finished, Antonio had left them alone, claiming he needed to make a call to Voight, but Matt could only assume his real reason was to give his sister space. That it was clear she was barely holding it together, and the detective knew his anger would only make things worse, so he left to calm himself down while Matt focused his attention on Gabby.
"Alright." He responded quietly, pinching her arm lightly as he felt her hand carefully move up from his waist towards his chest, Gabby resting her palm just beneath his neck.
"Do you, uh…" She started, Gabby clearing her throat as Matt glanced down towards her, pulling his head back slightly so he could see as much of her as possible. "Do you think he's still here?"
Matt's body tensed slightly at the question, Gabby lifting her head up from his shoulder to meet his eyes, the firefighter forcing a weak smile onto his face as he moved his hand from her arm down to her back.
"I just… I don't want my dad, or Antonio… Or anyone else doing something stupid." She continued when he had yet to say anything. "I'm sure they all know now, and I… I don't know, I don't want to make any of this worse."
"You haven't done anything." Casey spoke quickly, Gabby's bottom lip falling between her teeth as she rubbed her thumb over his collarbone. "Whatever's happened out there, none of that is one you." He reminded her, Matt bracing himself for the reality that he'd be having to have this conversation with her a lot over the next few weeks. "But I'm not sure who's out there… If they're still out on a call, I don't know." He answered her, Gabby giving him a slow nod before leaning her head forward, resting her chin on his shoulder. Drawing in a deep breath, Matt pressed a soft kiss against her forehead, his lips lingering on her skin for a few moments. He felt her slide her hand partially underneath the top of his hospital gown, her warm palm resting against his skin as he pressed another kiss to her forehead.
The two of them were content to enjoy this quiet moment together, but they were soon interrupted by the sound of his hospital door opening, Matt looking over just as Gabby's parents came into view, the older Dawsons flashing him soft smiles as they stepped further into his room.
"Sorry… Do you want us to come back later?" Camila asked, Matt shaking his head as Gabby turned to look towards her parents, the paramedic pulling her hand back from his chest as they made themselves a little more presentable.
"No, no, it's fine." Matt responded, Gabby nodding in agreement before her parents moved back towards the chairs they'd be in most of the afternoon, aside from when they'd excused themselves when Antonio came to speak to Gabby.
"Is Antonio still here?" Gabby questioned as she tried to sit up, being mindful of Matt's injuries while he slowly angled the bed up a bit.
"He left to go back to the station." Ramon answered, Gabby finding her father's sad eyes momentarily before his gaze flickered to her neck, the younger Dawson wincing slightly when she saw his face harden in anger, Gabby well aware he was focused on the bruises covering her skin. But as quickly as he looked, he looked away, Ramon not wanting to make his daughter uncomfortable as he found her gaze again, the father flashing her a warm smile. "He said he's going to go get working on everything… Figure out your options once Halstead finished up speaking with Walker."
Gabby nodded slowly, moving her hands to rest in her lap as she felt Matt wrap his arm around her shoulders, the action keeping her close to him.
There was a heavy feeling in the air, Gabby doing her best to ignore the pitiful stares her parents were giving her, the looks that had been on their faces since they walked back in moments ago. The same looks that they'd been giving her since they found out what had happened, and she could only assume that was how everyone else would be looking at her for the foreseeable future, too.
"You still feeling alright, Matthew?" Camila asked after a few moments, just as she had multiple times through the afternoon, breaking the thick silence that had settled over them as Matt glanced towards the older woman.
"I am, yeah." He replied, flashing her a soft smile.
"You looked exhausted." She commented, her words earning a nod in agreement from Ramon. "We can get out of your hair, let you rest some more."
"No, you guys are fine… I appreciate you being here." He responded, Camila giving him a nod.
"Of course, sweetheart. We wouldn't be anywhere else." She replied warmly, Matt feeling Gabby rest her head back down against his shoulder. "Ramon and I were talking, we know all your belongings are still at the station, and since I'm sure Gabriela won't be going anywhere…" Camila spoke, sparing a glance to her daughter.
"As long as he's here, so am I." She murmured, Camila nodding with an understanding smile.
"We figured, honey." She responded, Camila resting her hand on Ramon's leg. "So we were talking with Shay, and since Matthew will be here until at least tomorrow morning, we planned on getting your belongings from the firehouse, and getting them back to…"
"We'll be at Matt's place." Gabby answered her mom's silent question, Camilla nodding before she continued.
"Okay, well we'll bring your bags here, and get your cars back to Matthew's place so you all won't have to worry about that." She finished, Matt flashing her an appreciative smile.
"You don't have to go to all the trouble-"
"Oh, nonsense." Camila cut him off, waving her hand around in the air. "It's no problem at all. Since I'm sure you'll be off work for some time to recover, and Gabriela, I'm not sure what you'll be doing with everything…" She spoke carefully, Gabby swallowing the lump in her throat as her mom gave her a gentle smile. "But I'm assuming you'll be taking some time off, as well." She decided those words to be the safest, Matt turning to look down at Gabby. "And the last thing we want you all worrying about is having to get your things from the firehouse. So we're gonna take care of it in the morning once Shay gets off shift."
"Thank you, both of you." Matt replied.
"Thanks Mama." Gabby added softly, Camila nodding softly. "That'll really help us, thank you."
"Of course, honey."
"We're happy to do it." Ramon added, the older man forcing a smile onto his face, Gabby aware of how quiet her father had been most of the day.
Knocking on the door pulled them from their current conversation, Gabby seeing a look of realization flash over her mother's face, confusion settling across the paramedic's features as she looked between her parents and the closed door.
"Oh, I knew I was forgetting something…" Camila breathed out as Ramon pushed himself up to go open the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's your Chief." Camila responded, Gabby swallowing thickly as she felt Matt tighten his grip around her shoulders. "He mentioned how he wanted to come speak with you, Matthew. I told him he could come back, I'm sorry, I should've asked you-"
"It's fine, Camila." Matt cut her off, giving her a soft smile. "I figured he'd need to talk to me, I'm actually a little surprised he waited this long." He added lightly, Camila flashing him a small grin before Matt returned his attention to Gabby, the firefighter sensing her nerves as Ramon opened the door.
"Do you wanna stay or go?" He asked quietly, his voice only loud enough for Gabby to hear as they locked eyes. "I know I need to talk to him, and I'm sure he wants to talk to you… but you don't have to do this right now." He told her, lifting his hand up to brush her hair behind her ear, Gabby running her teeth along her bottom lip.
"I'm fine." She assured him, Matt giving her a nod before looking back towards the door, seeing Boden speaking with Ramon as he stood just inside the door, the Chief's eyes quickly finding Casey's when there was a lull in the conversation.
"Chief." Casey spoke, Boden giving him a nod, patting Ramon on the shoulder before stepping closer towards the bed. Wallace gave Camila a quick greeting, the woman standing up from her seat and moving towards her husband.
"We'll give you all some time." She spoke, Matt nodding before her and Ramon exited the room, closing the door softly behind them.
Drawing in a deep breath, Boden moved a step closer towards Casey's bed, his eyes moving back and forth between the couple, Matt meeting his gaze while Gabby looked anywhere but. "How are you feeling, Casey?" Boden asked, figuring that the best place to start as Matt gave him a nod.
"I feel fine, Chief." He responded, Matt rubbing his hand along Gabby's side as she stayed firmly in her spot beside him on the bed. "I'm a little sore, but it's just some bumps and bruises." Casey continued, unsure of how much the house had been told in regards to his condition. "I think I'm supposed to have more scans here in a bit, just to double check and make sure everything's alright… But for falling through a building, I feel pretty good." He finished, stroking his hand along Gabby's hip, seeing her hands fidgeting in her lap as she crossed her legs at her ankles, her nervous energy prohibiting her from sitting still.
"Good… That's great to hear. I'm glad you're alright." Boden replied, bringing his hand up to run over his mouth before drawing in a slow breath, Matt's face remaining neutral while he waited for the Chief to continue, Casey catching a slight look of disbelief in his gaze. "I… I'm sure you both know why I'm here… why I need to talk to you." He started, his eyes jumping back and forth between his two first responders. "Everything that happened today, to the both of you, I- I'm still a little stunned, if I'm being honest." Boden spoke, Matt responding with a slight nod. Casey glanced down towards his lap when he felt Gabby grip his leg over the blanket, Matt immediately moving his free hand to rest over top of hers, giving her side a comforting squeeze before looking back to his boss. "But, uh, before we get into anything else, I want to apologize to you, Dawson."
Gabby's head snapped up when the strong words left his lips, Matt gripping her hand as she met Boden's regretful gaze, Dawson staying quiet as she waited for him to continue.
"I… I don't know what all you've been through, what all Walker has done… I can't even begin to understand what all this has been like for you, but I need you to know how sorry I am." Boden spoke, the man clearing the emotion from his voice as Gabby's face remained unreadable to the Chief. "I'm sorry for what happened, I'm sorry you had to come and work with him, I'm sorry for not moving him out of the house after the first incident. I'm just so incredibly sorry." His words were dripping in remorse, Boden shaking his head as he spoke, Matt seeing a side to his Chief he hadn't seen before. He looked… crushed was the only way Casey knew how to describe it, and the Lieutenant couldn't say he didn't understand the feeling.
Tearing his eyes away from Boden, Matt looked to his girlfriend, seeing her gaze had fallen back down to her lap, Gabby's leg shaking slightly on the bed as she drew in a slow breath. "It's not your fault, Chief." She replied quietly, Matt feeling her lean more of her weight into his side, the firefighter knowing she was in search of some silent support as he held onto her tighter.
"Walker should've been gone after the incident in the showers." Boden repeated quickly, Matt feeling Gabby tense slightly as she bit down roughly on her bottom lip, Casey afraid she was going to draw blood from as tight of a grip she had, Gabby slowly looking back up. "There should've been no more chances after that… I thought he would turn himself around, I didn't know there was more going on, or that there had been more going on… But what he did that day was enough to get him transferred and I should've moved him then. But I didn't, and I'm sorry." The Chief continued, shaking his head in disgust. "I didn't understand the severity of the situation, I didn't know he'd been-" Boden cut himself off, knowing he needed to tread carefully as Matt heard Gabby's breath catch in her throat slightly. "I didn't know what all had been going on, but it doesn't matter. It's none of my business, I shouldn't have needed to know in order to protect you, and to make you feel safe at 51. Him cornering you in the shower should've been the end of this, but it wasn't, and I'm sorry for that, Dawson." Boden breathed out, his eyes shining with sadness as he focused on Gabby, the man's usually tough exterior now long gone. "The department failed you- I failed you, and I know my apologizing can only do so much, but I'm so sorry this happened."
Matt watched as she gave Boden a slow nod after a few long seconds before she averted her eyes back down towards the bed, Gabby gripping her thigh tightly with her free hand as her leg continued to shake, the paramedic remaining quiet. Once it was clear he wasn't getting any more of a response from her, Boden turned his attention back to Casey, waiting for his Lieutenant to look at him before he continued.
"Now, this situation… It's something the CFD is taking very seriously. I've been on the phone with them a lot today, and this isn't something that's just going to be handled with a slap on the wrist and then it's over. What happened today is something that should never happen anywhere, at any firehouse, the department agrees with me on that." Boden started, Matt feeling Gabby giving his leg a slight squeeze, Casey returning the gesture by tightening his hold around her side. "They're going to be dealing with this promptly. They want to know exactly what happened, they're investigating the call, as well as everything that happened at the firehouse prior." The Chief spoke pointedly towards his firefighter. "They'll be speaking with all of us, everyone from 51 about this. I'm not sure how long it'll all take, but they're not just gonna sit around and deal with this later. This won't just get swept under the rug."
"And what about Walker?" Matt asked before Boden could continue, the Chief raising his eyebrows. "While this investigation is happening, what happens to him?"
Casey didn't bother to try and hide the anger in his voice, Boden pursing his lips together as he breathed deeply.
"He's been suspended." Boden responded quickly, Matt feeling Gabby's body relax for a split second. "He will not be working anywhere in the CFD while this investigation is ongoing. And I imagine he won't be given a different job in the department once this is over, either." He spoke, Casey giving him a strong nod.
"He better not have a job anywhere." Matt muttered, Boden not responding to his Lieutenant's comment as his gaze flashed towards Gabby.
"And I'm not- I'm not sure what all is being done from the CPD's side of things…" He said, Boden's gaze lingering on Dawson before he looked back to Casey. "I'm sure they'll be working on this along with the CFD, but that's where we stand right now." He continued, clearing his throat. "Walker's done at 51 regardless of the outcome of this investigation. I will not have that man working in my house again." Boden finished, Gabby swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat while she focused on the feeling of Matt's hand rubbing over her hip.
"Good." Casey replied shortly, refraining from saying what he actually wanted to say, Matt not wanting to upset Gabby anymore than she already was, Boden giving him a nod before continuing.
"As I said, I don't know what all the CPD's doing. I'm not sure exactly how involved Antonio and his team are in all this, in fact you might know more than I do, but however you're wanting to handle this, Dawson," The Chief started, Gabby slowly lifting her head up when she heard her name, "just know the entirety of 51 is behind you. Completely." He assured her, Gabby biting down roughly on the inside of her cheek. "We all have you back. Whatever you need from us, you've got it."
"Thank you, Chief." She murmured, tightening her grip on Matt's leg.
"Of course." He replied, giving her a soft nod. "And, uh, I'm not sure when headquarters is going to be starting their investigation of this, with their interviews and everything, but it won't surprise me if we've got some higher ups waiting for us when we get back to the house. I know they're not wanting to waste any time… But they are going to need to speak with you both." Boden told them as Matt glanced towards his girlfriend, seeing a blank look on her face. That information wasn't a shock to either of them, they both knew that, considering they were at the center of all this, headquarters would need to hear their side of things. "But after what happened today, I told them I don't think you're in any condition to go over there and speak with them, that either of you are. So they're going to come here… Tomorrow morning." He relayed the news, Matt giving him a nod. "I told them you'd both be here, and they could speak with you then. Get things from your all's perspective, from both the accident on call, and what happened at the firehouse."
"Alright, Chief." Casey replied.
"They'll be speaking with Walker, as well. I'm not sure when, but he's not even here anymore, so they might track him down elsewhere."
"He's not?" Gabby questioned quietly, Matt feeling some of the tension leave her body as Boden shook his head.
"Where is he?" Casey asked.
"I believe he's at the 21st district, getting his statement taken from what happened today." Boden responded, Matt raising his eyebrows. "I don't believe that's with the CFDs investigation, though. I think it's for the police department's purposes, but Detective Halstead came and asked to speak with him, said they'd talk at the district. I guess he thought it best to not do that at the hospital, which I have to say I agree with him after everything that's happened today… But Walker isn't here, and I told him to just go home once he finished up there." He explained, his words earning nods from both of them.
"Is the rest of the house still here?" Casey asked, Boden shaking his head.
"They're all out on call, aside from Shay. She's out in the waiting room." He responded. "I wasn't sure if you were up for visitors today or not, but with how late it's getting, and you still needing to have more tests done, once we finish up here, I'm just going to tell them to head back to the station once they're done, let them know you're doing okay, but you're not up for visitors." Boden spoke, Matt giving him a nod.
"Yeah, that's probably for the best." He said softly, knowing Gabby wasn't really in any state to be seeing everyone. "Thanks Chief." Casey told him, Boden giving him a strong nod before taking a slight step away from the hospital bed.
"I'm glad you're doing alright, Casey." He spoke, his eyes flickering between the both of them. "I'm gonna go ahead and get out of here, let you both get some rest. I just wanted to come and let you all know what I knew, so you weren't in the dark with what's going on." He explained, Casey giving him a nod. "But, uh- before I go, there is one other thing I want you to know." Boden started, both Matt and Gabby sharing a quick glance when they noticed the shift in his tone. "I don't want you to be blindsided with it tomorrow, although nothing has been finalized yet, and probably won't be until after they speak with you and Walker… but I do believe you have a suspension coming, Casey." Boden told him, Matt giving him little in the form of a reaction.
"What?" Gabby asked, clearly more surprised by the news than Casey was.
"I don't agree with it, from a personal standpoint." Boden continued. "But professionally, I understand it. You started a fight with one of your firefighters, Casey, regardless of the reason… there's been a lot of talk of a suspension. But with the accident, I'm sure you would've been taking a few shifts off, anyway. I know it's not the same thing, and it's not ideal, but it's the situation we're in."
"Alright, Chief." Matt replied, the man completely unfazed. "Thanks for telling me."
Boden gave him a nod, the Chief about to leave the room before Dawson's voice stopped him.
"That's not fair." She spoke up, the tone of her voice telling both men she clearly wasn't happy with this.
"Dawson-"
"It's not fair, Chief. He doesn't deserve to be suspended." She continued, straightening her spine as she removed her hand from Matt's leg.
"Gabby, it's okay." Casey tried, but she ignored him.
"He shouldn't be suspended because of this."
"Dawson, he punched one of his firefighters." Boden replied, Gabby shaking her head as she took a deep breath.
"But he did it because of me, it's not like he was just going around punching people." She argued, Matt rubbing her back as he saw her getting more and more upset. "He was trying to protect me. If Bryan hadn't-" She cut herself off, Matt frowning as he heard her breathing become a bit sporadic, her body tensing underneath his touch.
"Hey, hey hey." Matt murmured, rubbing her back comfortingly. "Look at me." He said softly, Gabby sucking in a slow, deep breath as she turned towards him. "It's okay, alright?"
"But-"
"Me getting suspended doesn't matter." He cut in gently, Gabby taking another breath as they locked gazes, his bright blue eyes calming her down. "I don't care, okay? It's fine." He repeated, Gabby giving him a slow nod as he continued rubbing his hand along her side and her back, Matt sliding his palm underneath her jacket so she could feel him better. "It doesn't matter." He said again, Gabby giving him another nod before he turned back to Boden, seeing a clear look of concern in the older man's eyes. "Thanks for letting us know, Chief." He told him, Boden nodding before continuing towards the door, knowing the best thing he could do right now was get out of the way.
"I am sorry… for all of it. I wish none of this ever happened." Boden told them, Matt and Gabby both giving him a nod before he disappeared out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Once they were alone, Matt focused his complete attention on the woman in bed beside him, Gabby taking shallow breaths while she stared straight ahead, Casey lightly tapping his fingers along her back. The action eventually got her to look at him, Matt seeing a flash of something he couldn't read cover her face.
"I'm sorry." She spoke quietly, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as the apology left her lips, Matt immediately shaking his head.
"This is not your fault." He replied, keeping his voice soft while firm, needing her to believe what he was saying.
"You're gonna get suspended because of me-"
"I'm getting suspended because of me." He corrected, shaking his head. "And because of Walker. You didn't do anything."
"But-"
"He hurt you, Gabby." Matt interjected, trying to do what he could to get her realize she wasn't to blame for this. "He's been hurting you. And that's on him. That is not your fault. Nothing that happened was ever your fault." He said, hoping she understood the true meaning of his words. "What I did today, I'd do it again. And if I see him again, I can't promise I still won't, but I don't regret what I did." He told her, Gabby drawing in a deep breath as he rubbed his hand along her back. "Maybe I should've handled myself better, been more professional, whatever- but I wasn't going to sit there and let him get away with hurting you. I would never let anyone get away with hurting you. But that is my choice, okay? I made that decision, that wasn't your fault. None of this was ever your fault." He hoped by saying those words enough, she'd start to believe him, Gabby giving him a slow, but somewhat reluctant nod as he slid his palm back to her side, Matt pulling her closer towards him.
"Okay." She whispered, Matt releasing a soft breath as they relaxed back into his bed, the injured firefighter reclining a bit so they'd be more comfortable before she cuddled back into him. Casey ignored the twinge of pain he felt in his ribs from the pressure of her body against his as she tucked herself into him, Matt placing a soft kiss to her forehead while Gabby rested her hand on his chest.
"It'll be fine, baby." He promised, Gabby nuzzling her head deeper into his neck as he tightened his hold around her body. "It's all gonna be alright."
Matt watched his girlfriend closely with an amused expression on his face while she focused diligently on her current task, Gabby's tongue poking out between her teeth as she slowly put his arm through his jacket, the paramedic moving much slower than necessary. He knew she was just trying to make sure she didn't hurt him, but despite his multiple assurances that he was fine, and she could pick up the pace a little bit, Gabby hadn't budged, his girlfriend instead ignoring his words and continuing on at her pace while helping him get dressed. She had managed to turn what should've taken all of five minutes into a near twenty minute process, Gabby being more careful than she needed to be as she got him out of his hospital gown into his boxers, sweatpants, t-shirt, and now his jacket. While he definitely thought her pace was a bit ridiculous, and completely unnecessary, he didn't fight her on it too much. Matt very much preferred her being the one to help him change as opposed to one of the nurses here, so he let her take things at her own speed, even though if you were to ask him, he'd say he didn't need any help at all.
As Gabby worked on zipping up his jacket, Matt took a moment to look at her, the firefighter seeing the exhaustion her red eyes held, Casey well aware of how poorly they both slept last night. As his gaze continued down her face towards her neck, his body tightened involuntarily when he caught sight of the bruises on her skin. They had definitely worsened overnight, Matt now able to really see the outline of Walker's hand around her throat, the yellowish-purple hue to her skin causing his stomach to settle like a rock. Despite her best attempts to hide it as much as she could, Gabby keeping her hair down and her jacket on, with her standing directly in front of him, he was able to see just how tightly Walker had held onto her neck, Matt feeling that familiar sense of rage building in his gut. The same rage that was present every time he was reminded of just how much the woman he loved had been hurt by Walker.
"You're staring."
Matt's vision snapped into focus when he registered Gabby's voice, Casey smiling sheepishly when he saw the intrigued look covering her face.
"Huh?"
"You were staring at me." She repeated, Matt's eyebrows raising as his embarrassed look morphed into a proud one, a soft smirk tugging on his lips.
"Well, can you blame me?" He questioned, reaching out to place his hand on her waist. "You're gorgeous."
His words brought a shy smile to her face, Matt using his hold on her hip to pull her closer, Gabby standing in between his legs as he sat on the edge of the hospital bed. Carefully, she lifted her hand up towards the side of his head, Gabby running her fingers through his short hair as he wrapped his arms around her, determined to keep her close.
"...Are you sure you're ready to leave?" Gabby asked him after a few moments, ignoring his shameless attempt at flattery as she continued rubbing over the side of his head, Gabby feeling his fingers tapping random patterns against her lower back. Matt raised his eyebrows at the question, Gabby sliding her other hand up from his chest to rest on his shoulder. "You're still feeling okay? You weren't just lying to the doctor this morning?"
He could hear the slight worry in her voice, Matt shaking his head slightly as he pulled her closer, Gabby's chest flush against his as he took a deep breath.
"I feel fine, babe." He promised, giving her an assuring smile. "I wouldn't say I did if I didn't." He added, but she still looked a bit skeptical. "Gabby…"
"Fine." She gave in, her gaze softening as her hand slid over to his cheek, Gabby's thumb stroking his skin softly. "But regardless of what you're saying, I know the only reason you've felt okay is because of the pain meds they had you on. So as soon as we get home, you're taking the medication they gave you and we're getting you in bed." She informed him, Matt smiling as he rubbed his hand along her back.
"Yes ma'am." He agreed, his words bringing a soft smile to her face. "But I promise you, I feel alright." He told her again, just as he had every time she'd asked him since yesterday. "I'm just ready to get out of here."
"Well, unfortunately, there's one more thing we've got to do before we leave." She breathed out, Matt nodding slightly as he moved his hand around to her hip.
While Casey had gotten discharged nearly an hour ago, they still were waiting on a few of the higher ups to get here so they could speak to them, something neither of them were exactly looking forward to doing. Matt didn't care so much about talking with them, but he knew it was making Gabby a little anxious. But this had to be done, and he'd rather them get it over with now, instead of this becoming something that kept hanging over their heads.
"Yeah, but hopefully that won't take too long." He replied with a gentle grin, hoping it would relax her at least a little bit. "And after that, we can get out of here, and go do nothing but lay in bed… Or maybe on the couch." He added, Gabby's smile growing as she gave him a slight nod.
"That doesn't sound too bad." She responded, her nose scrunching up slightly, the action causing the smile on his face to widen. "Just as long as we can watch a movie."
"We can watch as many movies as you want." He answered her quickly, Gabby giving him another nod before she closed the small amount of distance between them, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Their movements were gentle, Gabby rubbing her thumb along his cheek as he kept his arms around her, the two basking in this quiet moment they had together. "I love you." He murmured against her, Gabby smiling softly before pressing another kiss to his lips.
"I love you, too." She said as they pulled back, her voice barely audible while she moved her hand up and down over his shoulder and chest. "...And I'm so glad you're okay." She breathed out as her eyes fell closed, Matt keeping his gaze locked on her.
"Me too." He replied, running his tongue along his bottom lip as he carefully thought over his next words. But he never got the chance to voice them before there was a knock on the door, Gabby slowly pulling herself from his embrace. "Come in!" He called, Matt keeping his arm around Gabby as Camila and Ramon walked in, the parents both wearing soft smiles on their faces.
"Hi, sorry if we're interrupting." Camila spoke, Matt shaking his head.
"You're not." He assured her, Gabby giving her mother a nod as her parents stepped further into the room.
"I was just coming to let you all know that Boden, and the people from the fire department are here." Camila told them, Matt drawing in a slow breath. "And they're ready to speak with you all whenever you are."
"Alright, thanks Camila." Casey responded, his eyes bouncing back and forth between her parents before looking towards Gabby. "You alright to do this?" He asked softly, Gabby giving him a quick nod.
"Yeah… and, I mean, I don't really have a choice." She replied.
"You don't have to do it right now, if you don't feel up for it." He told her, bringing his hand up to brush a loose strand of hair out of her face. "If you need time, we can both just go home. They'll be fine."
"He's right, Gabriela." Ramon spoke up, both Matt and Gabby looking towards her father. In all the time he'd spent with them since the accident yesterday, he hadn't said too much. Matt assumed it was mostly him just needing time to process learning about what had been happening to his daughter, and that he probably didn't want to do or say anything to make it worse for her. "No one can make you do this, if you don't want to. This just happened, if you need some more time, I'll go and talk to Boden right now." He spoke, Camila nodding next to her husband as she rubbed his back. "You're what's important here, mija."
"It's okay, Papa." She responded, giving her parents a reassuring nod. "I'm fine, I'd rather just get it over with." Her words earned nods from both of her parents, Camila giving them another warm smile as she walked closer to the bed.
"Alright, well they're just down the hall in one of the conference rooms waiting for you all. Matthew, are you alright to walk, or do you need a wheelchair?" Camila asked as she grabbed both her daughter's and Matt's shift bags that were resting on the floor, handing them off to her husband. "And you have your medication, right?"
"I do." Matt replied. "And I'm fine to walk, I need to move around a bit." He added, Gabby giving him a weak smile as she took a step away from the bed, holding out her arm for him to grab onto as he slowly stood up. He didn't really need the support, in fact he'd gotten up on his own already today, but he held onto her anyway, Matt flashing her a soft grin once he was upright.
He wasn't moving very quickly, not nearly as quickly as he'd like, but he knew he couldn't push himself too much. Despite his minimal injuries, he had still fallen through a floor, and his body was definitely feeling the effects of that whenever he moved. It was going to take him some time to get back into the swing of things, but if this upcoming conversation with headquarters went as he expected it to, he was sure he'd have a lot of time to recover.
Once he was standing, Matt gave himself a moment to gain his balance, all three Dawsons staring at him as he stood in place beside the bed, Gabby resting her hand on his back.
"Are you alright, Matthew?" Camila asked, concern laced in her words as Matt looked towards her, giving both her and Ramon a quick nod.
"I'm good, just sore." He replied honestly, Camila nodding in understanding as he slowly began walking, Gabby staying close to his side.
"You're sure you don't want a wheelchair? I can get a nurse, or go and find one for you. I don't want you hurting yourself." Camila spoke firmly, Matt shaking his head as he continued moving, slowly leading the group out of the room.
"Nah, I'm good. I'm practically back to normal already." He replied with a grin, trying to lighten some of the tension around them, Camila shaking her head in amusement as Gabby scoffed by his side.
"Glad to see your sense of humor hasn't gone anywhere." Camila mused from behind him, Matt feeling her rub her hand along his upper back for a moment as they all walked down the hallway towards the lobby, Gabby keeping her arm wrapped tightly around his waist.
Even though a walk that usually would've taken all of thirty seconds had taken them nearly five minutes, Matt felt a sense of accomplishment as they got to the nurses station, the four of them quickly seeing Boden standing outside a room just across from the desk, their Chief talking with a man Casey knew well after all his mishaps in the department before being placed at 51.
"Casey." Boden spoke when he saw the group, Matt flashing him a small smile as he pulled himself from Gabby's embrace, the firefighter walking towards his boss.
"Hey Chief… Commissioner." Matt greeted, the older men both nodding, the latter extending his hand out towards Casey.
"Lieutenant… it's good to see you're doing alright." Commissioner Grissom spoke as he shook Matt's hand.
"Thank you, sir. I'm glad, as well." He replied, the older man giving him a tight nod before gesturing towards the conference room.
"I know you probably want to be getting home, so we'll try to do this as quickly as possible. We'll go ahead and get your statement, then we'll do Miss Dawson's, then you all can get out of here." He spoke, Matt nodding in response.
"Sounds good." Casey said, glancing back towards Gabby as Boden and the Commissioner walked into the room, Matt giving his girlfriend a reassuring smile before he stepped inside as well, closing the door behind him.
Casey moved slowly towards the table, wincing slightly at the aches and pains he was feeling as he sat down across from the Commissioner, Boden sitting on Matt's left, as he noticed a woman sitting at the table, as well.
"Lieutenant, this is Rebecca Little, she works in our human resources department. She's just going to be here while we're talking this through." Grissom instructed, Matt nodding, flashing her a weak smile before looking back towards the man. "Now, this meeting is going to be recorded." He continued, nodding towards Rebecca, Matt seeing the woman pull out her phone and place it down on the table before tapping her finger against the screen. "For continuity, and the sake of making sure this is handled correctly, we'll need your exact wording on everything. So, are you alright with this conversation being recorded?"
"I am." Matt replied, Grissom nodding before grabbing a rather large file from the side of the table, the man opening it in front of him, flipping through to a specific page before looking back towards Matt.
"Alright, Lieutenant Casey, how about you just walk me through your side of things… Start from the beginning."
"Are we talking about the call, or what Walker did to Dawson at the firehouse?" Matt asked, the Commissioner releasing a soft breath.
"Start at the firehouse, then we'll go from there."
"Okay, well, I was out in the garage, when Lieutenant Severide came and got me. He told me to come with him, that something had happened to Gabby-"
"Gabriela Dawson?" He interjected, Matt glancing towards the phone before nodding.
"Yes, sorry. Gabriela Dawson, our PIC at 51, Severide told me something had happened, so I went with him to the locker room."
"And you two are dating, correct? You and Miss Dawson?" Rebecca spoke up, Matt giving her a nod.
"We are."
"And Miss Dawson was once engaged to Mr. Walker, yes?" She pressed, Matt giving her another nod.
"She was, but that was before I'd met her." He replied, the woman giving him a nod before he continued. "But yeah, I got to the locker room, and Gabby- Dawson, she was on the ground, up against the wall. Like she was trying to hide. Leslie Shay, our other paramedic on 61, was there, trying to get her to talk, but Dawson wouldn't say anything, or look at anyone. It was like she didn't even know where she was. It was obvious something had happened to her, so I got everyone to leave-"
"Who is 'everyone'?" Grissom questioned.
"Leslie Shay, Kelly Severide, Christopher Herrmann, and Randy McHolland." He responded, his answer earning a nod from the older man. "They were all in there, so I told them to leave."
"Why?" He continued, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he straightened his back against the chair.
"Why? Because something was clearly wrong with Gabby, and she didn't need an audience." Casey replied sharply, Grissom giving him a pointed stare before nodding, the silent action telling him to continue. "But after they left, I managed to get her to talk to me. She told me that Bryan Walker had stormed up to her in the locker room, he was yelling at her, he was angry- about me." Matt clarified before they could even ask. "He was upset because he thought Gabby had told me things that had happened in their relationship before he broke off their engagement. She tried to tell him she hadn't said anything, but he didn't listen…"
"What things?"
"I'm sorry?"
"You said Walker was led to believe that you'd been told of things that had happened between them, what are you referring to?" Rebecca pushed, Matt rubbing his hand over his mouth as he shook his head.
"I don't see how that's any of your business." He replied, Grissom raising his eyebrows.
"We need to know exactly what happened, Lieutenant."
"And I'm telling you exactly what happened." He fired back, Grissom shaking his head. "All you need to know is that Walker was angry at her, because he thought she'd done something she hadn't, and instead of being able to control himself, he got violent."
"Lieutenant, we're just trying to-"
"No, I know what you're trying to do." Matt scoffed. "You're trying to look for some way to excuse what he did."
"No, we're not." Grissom was quick to interject. "We just-"
"Yes, you are." He cut them off. "You're hoping something I tell you will explain away why he did what he did, instead of just focusing on the fact that he assaulted her." He spat, his anger at the situation coming back in waves. "I mean, this is the same department that lowered his suspension after he cornered her while she was in the shower," He said, catching a flash of something he couldn't read in Grissom's eyes, "I know exactly what you're doing. But I'm telling you, I'm not going to sit here and talk about things that happened to Gabby because of him, and what all she went through. It's not my business to share, and it's not your damn business at all. The only thing you need to know about is what happened at the firehouse, the police department can handle the rest. And what happened at the firehouse was Walker got angry, he shoved her into the wall, and then grabbed her by the throat until she couldn't breathe." He nearly shouted, his voice hard with fury. "He held onto her so tight that there are bruises on her neck, you can see the outline of Walker's hand gripping her throat. That's what happened."
There was a tense silence that had fallen over the room for a moment, Matt doing what he could to calm himself down, seeing Grissom glance towards Boden before looking back towards him.
"...And after that?" Grissom spoke up, Matt raising his eyebrows. "After Dawson told you what happened, what did you do?"
"Well, first I stayed with her. I tried to help calm her down, and make sure she was okay."
"And then?"
"...I went to find Walker." Matt answered honestly, the Commissioner giving him a nod. "I went to the common room, and he was in there with everyone, and I just… I hit him."
"Because of what happened to Miss Dawson in the locker room?"
"Because of-" Matt cut himself off, pursing his lips together as he realized he'd talked himself into a corner, Grissom shaking his head as he took a deep breath, the man leaning his weight into the table when he noticed Casey's hesitation.
"Lieutenant Casey, I understand you think we have some ulterior motives here. You think we're just trying to sweep this under the rug, just get Walker into a different house and move on, but that is not at all what's happening. If what Miss Dawson is saying happened yesterday is true, it should've never happened. But we're just trying to get the full picture here, and ensure that whatever happened at the firehouse today doesn't happen again. But for us to do that, we need to know everything. We need to know exactly what happened." Grissom spoke firmly, glancing towards Boden. "And I know you're trying to protect Miss Dawson, I see that, and you don't want to speak on things that happened to her, but we're just trying to understand. We're trying to deal with this in the best way we can, but in order to do that we need all the information." He told him, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he digested what was being told to him, the Lieutenant releasing a heavy sigh before responding.
"...I hit him because of what he did to her in the locker room, and because that wasn't the first time he'd hurt her." Matt breathed out reluctantly.
If Grissom was surprised to hear those words, he didn't show it, the man merely nodding before moving onto his next question.
"He'd assaulted her before?" He asked, Matt giving him a nod. "And did any of those instances happen at the firehouse?"
"One, that I know of." Matt replied. "It happened a few weeks back, he threatened her, told her to stay quiet about everything. Then he slammed her into the lockers and held her there." He explained, glancing between the two people across from him. "But the other times… I don't know." He finished, Grissom nodding before looking back down towards his folder.
"Okay, so you hit him, I'm assuming that wasn't just the end of it?" He asked, Casey shaking his head.
"No, we both landed a few punches before they separated us, and I-" He cut himself off, releasing a heavy sigh before continuing. "I said I was gonna kill him, for what he did to her." He told them, Grissom merely nodding. Casey couldn't be sure, the Lieutenant not knowing who all they'd spoken to yet, but he couldn't help but think the Commissioner already knew he'd threatened Walker, considering the lack of reaction he got from his boss' boss. When it was clear Grissom wasn't going to press the issue, Matt continued. "And then Walker turned back on Dawson, said how I needed to watch my anger because she 'spooks easy', and I told him he was done. Right before we got the call, I told him he was done at 51."
"Alright… And nothing else happened between you two before the call?" Grissom asked, Casey shaking his head. "Okay. So let's go through that. You all got to the warehouse fire, what happened?"
"When we got there, I knew it was pretty bad. I could tell as soon as we rolled up, it was a bad fire. And that we needed as many hands as possible."
"So is that why you sent Walker in with you?"
"Yeah… Honestly, I didn't want to. And looking back on it now, I definitely should've kept him outside, but I- I was trying to do what I thought was best for the victims who needed our help. I wasn't thinking about my issues with him, and I guess I hoped Walker could put that aside as well, but… he couldn't. Or didn't. But I should've gone with my gut, and left him outside." Matt replied, earning a few nods from the people across the table.
"Okay, so you brought him inside with you... what happened inside?"
"Everything was fine, at first… We were helping people towards the exit, everyone was doing their jobs, where they were supposed to be. Walker and I got up to the second floor, and we knew we didn't have much more time. Boden was calling us out, so we were heading for the exit, when the floor gave out beneath me and I fell through." Matt spoke, his voice firm and lacking emotion. "I was able to hold on for a second… Walker saw me fall, he was standing maybe five feet away from me, but he just stood there. I kept asking for his help, I asked him over and over again to help me up, but he wouldn't. He didn't move, he stood there and stared at me, until I fell through the floor. And I don't remember anything after that." He told them, Grissom nodding as he took a deep breath. "I know my radio was live, I don't know how much anyone else heard, but that's what happened. I couldn't hold on any longer, he wouldn't help me, and I fell. Then the next thing I knew, I woke up here."
No one said anything for a moment, Grissom taking a deep breath as he focused his attention down at the file in front of him, Matt watching him closely as the Commissioner lifted his head, looking between him and Boden, before he glanced towards Rebecca, giving her a nod. The woman understood his silent gesture, Casey seeing her pause the recording of their conversation.
"Alright Lieutenant… thank you, for doing this. I know it's been a challenging twenty four hours for you, so I appreciate you doing this before you went home." He started, Casey giving him a slight nod, everyone in the room knowing he didn't have much of a choice. "I still need to speak with Miss Dawson before I can really get the full picture here, but I think we can all agree that your actions at the firehouse, before the call, were unprofessional." He spoke, Casey running his tongue along the inside of his cheek.
"He assaulted one of our paramedics, I think it was warranted." Matt snapped before he could stop himself, Grissom taking a deep breath.
"A paramedic who happens to be your girlfriend." The man replied, his words earning a scoff from Casey.
"So because she's my girlfriend, that makes it okay that Walker choked her in the locker room?" He responded quickly, shaking his head in disbelief.
"That's not what we're saying, Lieutenant. I feel very sorry for Miss Dawson, and what she went through, but, even after we hear from her, her and Mr. Walker were the only two people there. No one else knows exactly what happened, and you only heard her side of the story. Then you ran out there and started swinging."
"Unbelievable…" Casey muttered under his breath, Grissom raising his eyebrows.
"Is that not exactly what happened?" The man replied, Matt narrowing his eyes. "You heard what happened, from her point of view, and then took matters into your own hands. And, in dealing with your actions, that's all we're focused on right now…"
"She has a bruise in the shape of a hand on her fucking neck!" He spat, anger burning in his eyes. "What other points of view do you need exactly?!"
"Lieutenant, I suggest you calm down." Grissom warned, Matt taking a deep breath as he crossed his arms over his chest. "This, right here, right now, is us deciding how to handle your actions yesterday. And you going after your firefighter, and threatening him, was unprofessional, that's the beginning and end of it. And after what happened at your old house, with firefighter Jacobs…"
"You're seriously bringing that up?" Matt scoffed, shaking his head. "You're bringing up the time you moved me from my firehouse, because one of my firefighters was having an affair with my wife, and you're comparing that to me trying to protect Dawson-"
"There's a pattern, Lieutenant, is the point here." Grissom responded sharply. "And while I understand your desire to protect your girlfriend, I don't know if it was so much that, as it was you were angry and wanted to hurt Walker. You acted on emotion, I think we all can see that." He said, Matt pursing his lips together as he waited for him to finish. "And while there's no denying you're good at your job, the department thinks you need some time to get your head on straight before returning to work."
"How long is it?" Casey questioned as soon as he was done.
"I'm sorry?"
"My suspension, how long is it?" He asked again.
"You'll be suspended four shifts, without pay." Grissom replied, Matt giving little in the form of a reaction. "I am truly sorry for what happened at the call, and I'm sorry for what happened to Miss Dawson, but your consequences have actions, Lieutenant. As I'm sure you know by now."
Matt simply nodded, the firefighter staying quiet for a moment as he stared down at the table in front of him, his leg bouncing up and down rapidly against the carpeted floor.
"...And what about Walker?" He asked after a few moments of quiet, Grissom raising his eyebrows questioningly. "What's gonna happen to Walker?"
"Lieutenant-"
"I'm being forced to take time off, I lose a week and half's worth of my salary because I defended one of our paramedics who had just been assaulted, so what's happening to Walker?" He asked again, his voice full of anger. "After he choked Gabby, and then tried to kill me in that fire… he better be getting a hell of a lot more than a suspension."
"Bryan Walker will be dealt with." Grissom responded, Casey shaking his head. "His actions yesterday were inexcusable, this is not going to be something that just gets fixed quickly and we move on. Everyone is taking this very seriously, which means we need to do it right. We won't be able to figure out what exactly we're doing with him until we've finished getting statements, but he's already been suspended. He won't be working anywhere in the department until this gets sorted out, and possibly never again. And we've already been informed that the police department is conducting their own investigation, into what I assume is a domestic abuse case." Grissom spoke carefully, Matt's jaw clenching tightly, but he said nothing. "So we'll be working with them as well… I promise you, Lieutenant. Everyone here is taking this very seriously. Whatever it was that went on, it's clear something happened to Miss Dawson, and I hate it. I truly do. And we're gonna do everything we can to make it right."
Casey gnawed on his bottom lip, shaking his head as he lifted his hand up to run along the side of his face, the firefighter clearly trying to hold his tongue. But he couldn't.
"...Nothing can make this right." He spoke quietly, swallowing the thick lump that had formed in his throat. "There's nothing any of us can do that would make this right, because it already happened. It happened to Gabby, and no matter what, we can't change that."
"No, we can't." Grissom agreed, tapping his hand against the table. "But we can try and handle it correctly now. And I promise you, we'll do everything we can to get this right. This isn't something we're taking lightly, Lieutenant. We know things yesterday could have been much worse than they were, and they were already terrible enough."
Taking a deep breath, Matt nodded, his eyes moving towards the door, knowing Gabby was just on the other side of it.
"...Are we done here?" Casey asked as he looked back across the table, Grissom giving him a slight nod.
"We are… Thank you for doing this, Lieutenant." He replied, Matt slowly pushing himself up from his seat, his body not liking staying in the seated position for so long as he felt his muscles screaming at him. "I'm glad you're going to be okay."
"Thank you, sir." Matt spoke before moving towards the door, Casey feeling Boden walking behind him.
"Boden, if you could bring Miss Dawson in here." Grissom said as Matt opened the door, Casey hearing his Chief agree to the request as he stepped out into the hallway.
The second he was in view, Gabby pushed herself up from the seat in between her parents, Matt giving her a warm smile as they walked towards each other, Gabby moving much faster than he could.
"Hey, what'd they say?" She asked as Ramon and Camila came up behind her, Matt knowing exactly what his girlfriend was wanting to know.
"I'm suspended for four shifts." He told her, watching as her face fell immediately, Matt quickly shaking his head. "But hey, it's fine. Just more time for me to heal up and get to one hundred percent." He added with a soft grin, Gabby nodding as she placed her hand on his arm.
"They're ready for you, Gabby." Boden spoke up, the paramedic giving her boss a nod before looking back towards her boyfriend.
"You'll be fine. And I'll be right out here." Matt spoke encouragingly, lifting his hand up to cradle her cheek, Gabby leaning into his touch. "And then we can go home and get started on all those movies you wanna watch." He said, his words eliciting a soft laugh from Gabby before she gave him a nod.
"Sounds perfect." She replied softly, Gabby leaning forward to press a gentle kiss to his lips before she moved past him, Matt watching her and Boden until they disappeared into the room he'd just been in.
When he turned back around, he found Camila and Ramon both still standing there, each wearing different looks of concern on their faces. Though he wasn't sure if that was more for him, or for their daughter.
"Let's sit down." Camila urged softly, reaching out to grab Matt's arm before leading him back towards their seats, the firefighter following her without question. "...So, four shifts?"
"Yeah. Honestly, I'm surprised it's not more. I'm assuming it was the circumstances, but I get it. They have rules to follow." Matt replied with a shrug as he settled into his seat. "I don't really care about the suspension though, I'm more concerned about what they're going to do with Walker." He breathed out, Ramon looking towards him.
"Did they say anything about that?"
"Just that they're taking this very seriously," Matt started.
"Well, I would hope so." Ramon replied under his breath, his frustration at the situation evident.
"And that they won't make any decisions on what to do with him until after they've spoken to everyone… But he's suspended until then." Casey finished, Camila giving him a nod.
"Well, that's good." She replied, Matt responding with a weak smile. It definitely wasn't enough of a punishment, they all knew that, but they could only hope between the CFD and the CPD, that he would get the punishment he deserved.
"I, uh-" Ramon spoke up, Matt glancing towards the older man as he cleared his throat. "With Gabriela around, I didn't want to mention it or bring it up, but I never got the chance to thank you." He told his daughter's boyfriend, Casey raising his eyebrows in question. "For what you did at the firehouse, for punching that piece of-"
"Ramon." Camila interjected, but the father shook his head, Ramon leaning forward in his seat to look at his wife.
"He hurt our baby, Camila." He replied in anger. "He put his hands on her, he did God knows what else to her… The least he deserves is a few good punches."
"I'm not saying I disagree with you." She fought back. "I want him behind bars, and believe me, there's a big part of me that wants to see him in pain the way he's hurt our daughter, but because of this, now Matthew's been suspended, and-"
"I'd do it again." Casey spoke up before she could finish her thought, both of her parents looking at him. "I told Gabby the same thing, I don't care about the suspension, or anything like that. And truthfully? There's a part of me that wishes I got another swing in… Or ten." He told them, Ramon glancing towards Camila before looking back to Casey. "I just… I saw how he hurt her, I saw how much pain she was in and I- I lost it." He said, shaking his head as he brought his hand up to rub over the back of his neck. "But I don't regret it, and I'd do it again… If it meant keeping her safe, I'd do it again in a heartbeat."
Ramon and Camila locked gazes again once Matt had finished speaking, the father raising his eyebrow when he saw Camila smile softly, Casey looking back and forth between them.
"...He's exactly like you, Ramon." She spoke to her husband, her words diffusing the heavy situation as Matt chuckled lightly, Ramon shaking his head in slight amusement as Camila looked between the two men. But before they said anything else, Camila stood up, coming towards Casey and wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. The firefighter was a little thrown by the gesture at first, but quickly hugged her back, Camila rubbing along his back as she took a deep breath. "Thank you." She murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of his head as she pulled back. "Thank you for always looking out for her… After all she went through, whatever she's gone through, I don't even know, but I just-" She cut herself off, shaking her head as her hand rested on Matt's shoulder. "Thank you for taking care of her."
Slowly, Matt nodded, placing his hand over Camila's forearm, the woman flashing him a sad smile.
"She's gonna be okay." Matt spoke softly, Camila blinking back the tears that had formed in her eyes, the mother unable to keep a hold on her emotions now that she wasn't with her daughter. "We'll get her through this."
"Would you like some water Miss Dawson?" Grissom asked, Gabby shaking her head before she looked back down towards her clenched hands that were resting in her lap.
"I'm fine."
"Alright, well, I'm sorry to make you go through all of this again. Lieutenant Casey told us you spoke with him about what you experienced, so I'm sorry we have to bring this up again, but, from your point of view, we just need to know what happened at the firehouse yesterday."
"Okay…." She replied, clearing her throat before beginning to explain what happened, Gabby trying to ignore how the two people across from her were clearly staring at her neck. "I, um, was in the locker room, and Walker came in… He was really angry, he was yelling, wanting to know what I had told Matt about things that had happened in the past between him and I. I kept telling him I hadn't said anything, but he didn't believe me, and he was getting more and more upset." She began explaining, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Then he, uh.. He shoved me into the wall. I tried to get away from him, but he grabbed me and held me there, and he just kept holding me tighter so I couldn't move… I didn't think I'd be able to get away from him, so I started screaming." She spoke, running her tongue along the inside of her cheek. "I yelled for help, and that's when- that's when he started choking me."
"And then what happened?" Grissom questioned after a moment of silence, Gabby pursing her lips together.
"I, uh- it's kind of a blur… I remember feeling really lightheaded, and fighting against him. I… I think I cut his cheek, when I was trying to get him to let me go. But that part is kind of fuzzy." She admitted with a wince, earning a few nods from the people across from her. "I remember being on the ground, and Shay, my partner… she found me. And then Matt was there."
"Lieutenant Casey?"
"Mhmm."
"And you two are romantically involved, yes?"
"We are." She answered, earning a nod from the woman before she continued. "He came, and he, uh… he helped me calm down. And I started telling him what was going on, and how Bryan had-" She cut herself off, Gabby forcing herself to take another slow, deep breath. "About how Bryan had hurt me in the past, and then when I told him about him choking me, that's when Matt left."
"To go confront Walker about what you told him?" Grissom pressed, Gabby giving him a nod. "And how much of that did you see? Of the Lieutenant assaulting his firefighter?"
Gabby's head tilted to the side slightly, the paramedic not liking how he was framing everything that happened. "I didn't see much." She replied, her defenses rising as her spine straightened, both Grissom and Little noticing the shift in her tone of voice. "By the time I got there, they had been pulled apart."
"Alright, Miss Dawson. Now, after the alleged assault that took place in the locker room," He started, Gabby shaking her head in disbelief before glancing towards Boden, seeing a similar look across his face. "You all responded to a call, correct?"
"Yes."
"And during that call, Lieutenant Casey ordered Bryan Walker to go in with him, is that right?"
"I don't know." She replied, sparing another glance towards the Chief.
"Dawson isn't a part of the decision making when it comes to Casey and his firefighters. She was doing her job, as a paramedic." Boden spoke pointedly, Grissom nodding before looking back towards Dawson.
"Alright, well let me just ask you this… Were you able to hear anything through your radio about what was happening inside that fire?" He questioned, Gabby giving him a nod.
"I heard Matt calling for Walker to help him, begging for him to help him. And Walker never said anything back… Matt kept asking him what he was doing, and kept pleading for him to help. But he didn't, and then I heard what sounded like Matt falling and hitting the ground, then his radio cut out."
"Very well." Grissom responded, leaning back in his seat before glancing at the woman beside him. "Now, we've spoken with a lot of your fellow first responders, we spoke with Mr. Walker yesterday, and you know we've spoken with Lieutenant Casey… Based on what I'm hearing from you, and some things I heard from Mr. Casey, I have one last question for you, then you'll be free to leave." He spoke, Gabby nodding slightly. "I need to know if anything like what you're saying happened yesterday has ever taken place before…"
Gabby's eyebrows furrowed, the paramedic looking towards her boss before her eyes moved forward again. "What?"
"Has Bryan Walker ever assaulted you at the firehouse before yesterday?" Rebecca interjected bluntly, Gabby's body tensing at the question, her eyes darting back and forth between them. Sensing her hesitation, Rebecca sighed, leaning forward in her seat as she focused her gaze on Gabby. "I know this is personal, and I'm sorry… But right now, this entire thing is your word against his. Mr. Walker gave us a very different version of events than what you have, and what you told Mr. Casey. So we're just trying to get the full picture here, Miss Dawson." She explained, Gabby's leg beginning to shake up and down as nerves flooded her body. "We wouldn't be asking you if we didn't need to know… Has Mr. Walker assaulted you at Firehouse 51 before yesterday?"
With her jaw trembling slightly, Gabby slowly nodded, feeling Boden's eyes boring into the side of her head as she focused her gaze down on the table.
"Okay… when?" Rebecca asked softly, Gabby's leg continuing to shake as she forced herself to take a deep breath.
"A few weeks back, he, um- he shoved me into the lockers and pinned me there." She replied, seeing Rebecca write down something on the paper in front of her. "I had a few bruises and a sore shoulder from that, and maybe a week after that happened, he'd cornered me in the garage, and pushed me into the ambulance."
"Was anyone else there when those incidents happened?" Rebecca asked, Gabby shaking her head slightly. "Alright… were there any other times?" She questioned, Gabby clenching her eyes shut as she took another deep breath, her leg shaking almost violently as she tried to calm herself down.
"Um, yeah… there was, one time, a few years ago." She responded quietly, her voice barely audible as she tried to ignore the stares she felt on her.
"Did this incident occur when you and Mr. Walker were together?" Rebecca continued to press, Gabby giving her a nod. "What happened?"
"He, uh… He-" She cut herself off, Gabby sparing a quick glance towards Boden, seeing a mix of concern and anger shining in his eyes, the paramedic quickly looking away. "He… I was working, in the back of the ambulance one day on shift, doing inventory and everything. And he stopped by." She explained, her hand shaking in her lap. "He started… We were kissing, and he was wanting to have sex. But I said no… I tried to stop him, and he got angry." Gabby spoke, swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat, feeling Boden's gaze on her, but she couldn't get herself to look towards him. "He pushed me onto the floor in the back of the ambulance, he was yelling.. I hit my head pretty hard. Then he, uh, grabbed my face- he was holding onto my jaw, told me I had to listen to him. And he tried to… continue, but then he got called out, and he left."
There was a heavy feeling in the air as she finished speaking, Gabby drawing in a shaky breath while she kept her eyes down towards her lap, missing the sad, concerned looks from everyone else in the room.
"Miss Dawson, I…" Rebecca trailed off, shaking her head as she glanced towards Grissom, the man wearing a similar look of shock on his face, Gabby refusing to look at any of them. She didn't want their pity, she was embarrassed enough as it was, she didn't need to see the looks on their faces to know exactly what they were all thinking. And she especially didn't want to dwell on the fact that these people, including her boss, now knew personal details about a relationship she just wanted to forget. "I'm very sorry that happened to you… Was it ever reported?"
"No." She replied quickly, Rebecca giving her a nod, even though Dawson didn't see it.
"Alright… Were there any other times at the firehouse?" She questioned, Gabby shaking her head. Knowing better than to push anymore, the woman nodded before closing the file in front of her as Grissom leaned forward to pause the recording of their conversation. "Okay Miss Dawson, thank you."
"Is that all?" Gabby asked, her nerves rising the longer she sat in this room, the paramedic feeling like she could throw up at any second.
"That's all for now, yes." Grissom spoke, sparing a glance at Chief Boden, who had yet to tear his devastated gaze away from Dawson. "We're going to figure out the best way to handle all this, but you've done all you need to do. You're free to leave now, Miss Dawson."
The second those words left his lips, she pushed herself up from her seat, Gabby hurrying towards the door and out of the room that just felt like it kept getting smaller and smaller. The second she was out in the hallway, it started to feel like she could breathe again, Gabby sucking in a deep breath as her nervous eyes darted around the room, quickly landing on exactly who she was looking for, finding his blue eyes waiting for her. She saw the concern in his gaze, Matt getting up as quickly as his injured body would allow while Gabby walked towards him and her parents, all three of them wearing similar looks of worry.
"Honey, are you alright?" Camila asked as Gabby came up to them, the mother reaching out to rub her daughter's arm, no one missing the tension coming off Gabby in waves as she was clearly upset about whatever had gone on in that room.
"I'm fine." She replied quietly, her eyes locking with Matt's yet again, the firefighter seeing more in one quick look than her words could ever explain. Casey's gaze flashed back towards the conference room, like he was debating whether or not to go back in there and yell at them for whatever had caused Gabby to be so rattled.
"You sure, mija?" Ramon asked, Gabby never taking her eyes off Matt. "What'd they say?"
"It's nothing, can we just-... I want to go home."
The words left her lips quickly, Camila and Ramon sharing a concerned look while Matt stepped closer, the man flashing her a soft, comforting smile, the gesture instantly putting her at ease. He, just like her parents, wanted to know what happened in that room, and what had been said to leave Gabby so upset, but those weren't answers he needed right this second. The hospital was not the place for this conversation, and Gabby didn't need to be forced into talking any more right now.
"Yeah, let's go home." He agreed, Gabby flashing him a weak, appreciative smile before they slowly began making their way to the elevators, Camila and Ramon following behind the couple as Gabby did what she could to help support his movements, all four of them just wanting to put these awful last twenty four hours behind them.
But with everything that had come to light since yesterday about their daughter's past relationship, and what all she'd gone through, they all knew that was something that would be easier said than done.