Hello there everyone! I'm back with the next chapter for you all and I hope you all like this one, I really enjoyed writing it. It's probably one of my favorite chapters that I've done in a while, so I can't wait to hear your thoughts on it as well.

That's pretty much all I've got, except thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoy it and I'll see you all next time! Have a great rest of your week, everybody!

NINETY ONE

Gabby released a soft breath as she felt herself slowly coming into consciousness, the feeling of lips on her skin one of first things her brain registered while being woken up, a small smile on her face beginning to form as Matt continued pressing light, gentle kisses against her neck. The air was quiet around them, his arms still wrapped tightly around her torso as he laid behind her, the couple in the same position they'd fallen asleep in last night as the feeling of his bare body pressed into hers flooded her with a sense of security only he could provide for her. And even though she was still half asleep, that didn't stop her from relaxing back into him, Gabby nuzzling deeper down into the bed as she wanted to stay right here for as long as she could.

"Good morning." He eventually spoke up, his breath all but tickling her neck as he refused to move more than an inch or two away from her. Though Gabby was thankful for the lack of space between them, as mornings like these had to be one of her favorite things in the entire world.

"Morning." She repeated just as he pressed his lips against her body once more, his thumb stroking slowly against her stomach as a slow, content-filled breath left her mouth. "...What time is it?"

"A little after six thirty." He answered her, Gabby instinctively frowning as she knew she'd have to get up here soon- way sooner than she'd like. But at least she still had a few minutes to spend right here with him, Gabby moving her hand down underneath the covers to rest over his before pushing herself back against him. "Sorry I had to wake you." He added on softly, like he could almost read what was going on in her mind. "But I know we need to shower, and I didn't want us to be late for shift."

"It's okay." She replied just as quietly, Gabby having yet to open her eyes as the darkness around them was still too inviting for her to let herself wake up completely. And Matt could tell, a gentle smile appearing over his face while he relaxed down into the pillows, his hold on her body prompting her to move with him as a content sigh left her lips.

With neither of them showing any signs of wanting to move, the air around them fell silent for a few moments, both happy to just lie here with one another before they needed to get up and get ready for the day. But while they were enjoying this peaceful quiet meant only for them, Matt's mind couldn't help but wander off, the man feeling her breathing begin to even out underneath his touch as he thought over these last few days.

"...You feeling okay?" He asked after what had to have been at least five minutes, Matt not even sure she was still awake as she hadn't moved for a while.

But when he heard the soft laugh that left her lips, he knew she was up, his eyebrows furrowing slightly as he wasn't sure why his question had elicited such a response from her. Not until she finally spoke up. "You mean after you wore me out last night?" She responded teasingly, Matt now having to suppress a chuckle of his own before he shook his head, despite the fact she couldn't see him. "Because I definitely feel good after that… Maybe a little exhausted though." She added on with another laugh, the sound causing the smile on his face to widen before he gave her body a squeeze.

"That wasn't exactly what I meant, but glad to know I'm still good at my job." He played along before pressing a few soft kisses to her bare shoulder, the action forcing Gabby to bite back a smile as she couldn't help but notice how gentle he was with her. "But I more so meant in general… Are you still feeling okay?"

Things went quiet once more as the air around them turned a bit serious, Matt waiting for an answer as he lightly ran his hand along her stomach. But he never got one before she began to shift around in his arms, Casey losing his grip enough for her to adjust herself as she turned until she was facing him, the soft look covering her features enough to make him smile.

Before saying a word, Gaby lifted her hand up from underneath the covers to rest her palm over his cheek, Matt immediately leaning into her touch as warmth radiated off her skin, their faces mere inches apart as his arm moved to wrap around her side.

"I'm fine, Matt." She murmured with as much assurance as she could, as she watched his eyes trace over her face, almost like he was trying to make sure she wasn't holding anything back.

She knew Matt worried, he always did, even when he didn't need to. And even with the improvement's she'd been making, his tendency to worry about her wasn't something that would be going away anytime soon, and that was never more apparent than it was right now at this moment. But she also wasn't necessarily surprised by it, as they both knew last night had been a big step for her. One they both might've questioned if she was ready for or not.

But she had been, and Gabby was glad she'd taken the leap to go back there and reclaim that part of her life. Last night had been amazing- all of it, and she knew she'd done the right thing in going back. And she wanted Matt to know that, too, even though she had a feeling he already did.

"Really, I am… I had a great time, and I feel good."

Her simple words held a lot of meaning, Matt giving her a nod just as she finished speaking, or as much of one as he could with his head still resting against the pillows, that small smile returning to his face while she continued to cradle the side of his head. "Alright… I just wanted to check." He told her, as they hadn't really had a chance to talk much about it last night. "But I'm glad you're feeling good, babe."

"Me too." She replied softly before she closed the small amount of distance between them, Gabby pressing her lips into his while her hand helped guide him towards her as they met in the middle for a slow, yet passionate, kiss. One that neither of them ever wanted to end, even though it soon did. "...I love you." She spoke against his lips when they pulled apart for just a moment, Gabby feeling him smile as her eyes stayed closed.

"I love you, too." He said in response, Matt using his hold on her hips to pull her back closer to him as they kissed once more.

But this time they didn't pull away, at least not yet, as the couple did what they could to enjoy their last few moments together before they had to get up and face the day. And while they only had so long before they ran the risk of running late, they knew a few more minutes couldn't hurt as Matt used his leverage to pull her body up until she was on top of him. The position was familiar and safe for them, the feeling of their skin pressed together comforting to them both as they spent what little time they had left focusing on nothing but each other.

Dawson rolled out her neck as she stood in front of her open locker, the paramedic in the process of putting away her things for shift while a few other first responders were coming and going from the room, everyone mentally preparing for the day ahead in their own way as she pulled out her thick jacket. With it being the beginning of January, there was no doubt she had some brutal weather waiting outside for her, Gabby just hoping her coat, gloves, and beanie would be enough to combat the cold outside while she did her job.

Releasing a soft sigh, she shoved the gloves and hat into one of the pockets before tossing the coat over her arm, Gabby closing up her locker before she began to head out of the room and towards the common room. The firehouse was still pretty quiet, Gabby not entirely sure where everyone was throughout the house right now. But the one thing she did know was that her boyfriend had gone the same direction she was, as he'd mentioned something about heading to the common room before he'd left her just a few minutes prior.

So that's where she decided to go, too, Gabby adjusting the clothing hanging over her arm while she walked through the hallways of 51. But she didn't get too far before she saw Severide heading her way, the firefighter still dressed in his regular clothes as he walked, his bag swung back over his shoulder.

"Hey Dawson." He greeted, the woman smiling softly as her steps began to slow.

"Hey Severide… Shay here yet?"

"She is, she's still trying to make her way in from the car." He said with a slight smirk, Gabby shaking her head in amusement as she glanced past him towards the double doors he'd just come through. "She's, uh… definitely still feeling the fun you all had last night." He added on with a chuckle. "She claims she's not hungover, but I don't really believe her, so watch out for that… Though you seem to be looking better than she is."

"Yeah, I didn't do much drinking last night, I let her handle it…. Which she certainly did." She continued on jokingly, Severide matching the entertained look on her face before he took a step to the side, like he was planning on continuing in his original path. "But we had a good time, last night was really fun."

"It was. I'm glad you and Casey decided to come out." He agreed, Gabby nodding slowly before he took a few steps past her. "I'm gonna go get ready, but I'll see you out there." He told her, the woman giving him a small smile as she continued walking as well.

"Yeah, I'll see you out there." She repeated before the two started going their separate ways.

But Gabby barely made it to the conference room doors before his voice stopped her once more.

"Oh, before I forget- did you get a chance to talk to your brother?" He asked her, Gabby turning around as a look of confusion soon spread across her face.

"My brother?" She questioned back, Kelly not missing her obvious uncertainty. "I talked to him yesterday morning, I think was the last time, why?"

"He came by Molly's last night looking for you." He replied, her brows furrowing as she only became more confused by his words. "He said he knew you and Matt would be there, and he wanted to talk to you, but you two had already left…"

"Did he say what for?" She asked him as her head tilted to the side, Gabby knowing that unless Antonio had tried to call her within the last few minutes, he hadn't reached out to her.

"No, just that he needed to talk… It sounded kind of urgent though, so I wasn't sure if you'd spoken to him." He explained further, though it didn't do much to help her.

"No, I haven't… But I'll call him, see what's up." She replied, Severide nodding back at her before he took a few more steps. "Thanks Kelly."

"No problem, Dawson." He told her before disappearing around the corner, Gabby drawing in a deep breath as she continued on towards her original destination.

As she moved down the hallway, she reached into her pocket for her phone, Dawson seeing she was right in her belief that she hadn't missed any texts or calls from her brother. And if not for Severide's words she wouldn't have thought anything of it, but now she couldn't help but wonder what he was wanting to talk to her about- and why he hadn't just called her in the first place.

But Gabby chose not to focus on it right now, as whatever he wanted couldn't have been as urgent as Kelly made it seem, considering her brother hadn't contacted her. So, for now, she decided to leave it, Gabby making a mental note to call her brother after shift as she continued towards the common room.

And just before she got here, her steps slowed once more when she saw her best friend walk in through the doors, the paramedic looking a little worse for wear as Dawson had to do her best not to laugh.

"Well good morning sunshine." Gabby teased, Shay not even hesitating to flip her off as she continued inside.

"I don't want to hear it." She replied back, her words causing the PIC to laugh even more as the blonde was clearly having a rough start to the day. "This is all your fault."

"Because you drank half the alcohol at Molly's?" She replied back with a feigned look of confusion.

"Because you didn't drink half the alcohol at Molly's with me." She clarified as she came to a stop just in front of her friend, Shay leaning her weight back into the wall while keeping her eyes closed. "Next time, you are."

"Yeah, or maybe just don't keep ordering two drinks when you know I'm not having any." Gabby countered, Shay opening her eyes for the sole purpose of glaring at her partner, before she shrugged her shoulders slightly.

"Fair enough." She gave in, Gabby playfully rolling her eyes before she leaned up against the wall beside her friend. "Although I like my option better." She added on, Gabby scoffing lightly before shaking her head.

"I'm sure you do… We'll just have to see how I'm feeling next time." Dawson replied, Shay turning her head towards her before she nodded.

"It's a deal… Oh, and there he is." Shay spoke suddenly as her eyes moved to look behind Gabby, the PIC's eyebrows knitting together as it was clear she was speaking to someone else now. "I was wondering how long it would take you to come out here, afraid I'm gonna steal your woman, Casey?" She asked him, Gabby biting on her lip before she turned to look at him, finding Matt now standing maybe a foot away from her with a playful, yet challenging, look in his eye.

"Yeah, I don't think I have to worry about that, Shay." He spoke smugly, Matt taking the last few steps towards them before coming to a stop directly beside Gabby. "I think she likes me too much."

"Unfortunately, that is true." Shay responded with a sigh, both of them not missing the unimpressed look that crossed Dawson's face, the woman looking back and forth between them as Shay huffed out a breath. "Oh please, don't give me that, we all know how in love you are with lover boy over there." She spoke, Gabby glancing back towards her boyfriend just in time to see the proud smirk that covered his face, before she reached up to gently push against his jaw in an effort to get him to look away from her, the movement earning a few laughs from him and Shay both.

"I think I liked it better when you two gang up on each other instead of me." She breathed out jokingly, Shay shrugging slightly as she pushed herself up off the wall.

"We're not ganging up on you if it's true… I might've been drunk, but don't think I don't remember how you spent half an hour last night talking about how great that one is." She told her, Shay gesturing towards the firefighter as Gabby immediately felt her face get hot. And even though she couldn't see him, she was sure Casey was loving every minute of this as she noticed him shift his weight between his feet.

"Oh, she was, was she?" He asked, Matt instantly more intrigued by this conversation as Shay smirked while taking a step towards the middle of the hallway.

"She sure was." The blonde continued to tease, Gabby muttering something unintelligible underneath her breath before she slowly looked towards her boyfriend. And the sight she was met with was one she entirely expected, as the goofy, yet unashamed, smile on his face told her exactly how proud he felt right now.

She wasn't embarrassed of what she'd said to Shay, far from it actually, as every word she'd said about how wonderful and attentive her boyfriend was was true. But even so, she didn't necessarily want to be having this conversation right now in the middle of the firehouse, as she knew most of their friends were within earshot of them.

And while most of her ramblings to her friend last night had been innocent enough, from her memory some of them most certainly were not, and Dawson didn't want to run the risk of her saying too much.

"And what exactly did Gabby have to say about me?" Matt pressed just after giving Gabby a soft wink, her cheeks only getting hotter as even after all this time, she couldn't help the effect he had on her.

But before Shay could open her mouth to respond to him, surely about to say something Gabby didn't want repeated, the bells rang out above their heads before she could get a word out, Dawson releasing a grateful sigh as she listened to them call out truck, squad, and ambo.

"Thank God." She muttered, Casey chuckling softly as Shay dropped her bag to the ground, knowing she'd need to just leave it and deal with it later as there wasn't time to go to the locker room right now.

"Yeah, yeah, you're not off the hook Dawson… Casey and I will talk later about how much you love when he puts his-"

Gabby gave her a quick shove before she could finish her thought, Matt now the one feeling his face get a bit red at the implication of Shay's words, the paramedic merely laughing in amusement before heading out to the garage, while their other friends and coworkers began to rush past them. And Dawson and Casey soon followed suit, the two being the last ones to head towards the double doors as Matt gave her a smug look.

"It sounds like you and Shay had more fun last night than I thought." He commented as they stepped out into the garage, Gabby ducking her head just as she heard a soft chuckle escape his lips. But before she could even think of what to say to him, she felt him lean over to press a soft kiss against the side of her head, the two having stopped just beside the squad table for a quick moment.

"And even though mine and Severide's conversations weren't exactly like that, I couldn't stop talking about you last night either, babe." He admitted to her, his words sending a rush of warmth straight through her body as a shy grin covered her face.

Their moment lasted all of a few seconds, as they knew they had to get out of here, Matt pressing another kiss to her head before they reluctantly separated. Casey headed off towards 81 while Gabby followed in the similar path Shay had taken, the PIC jumping into the driver's seat before beginning to head off towards their destination, all while making a mental note to have a conversation with her partner about keeping things to herself on the way back.

"Alright, what do we got?" Casey asked after hopping down from the rig onto the icy ground, the Lieutenant situating his helmet on his head as he moved towards the cops that were already on the scene, his firefighters following behind him while he heard squad 3 pull up as well, 61 having already arrived as they were all waiting for the Lieutenant's orders.

"Three car accident- luckily there don't seem to be any serious injuries, and the drivers in two of the cars were able to get out on their own… They were out before we even got here, but the passengers in the last car are stuck." The cop explained as Severide came up beside them, Matt nodding in understanding as they all began walking closer to the scene.

"Any visible injuries?"

"It was hard to tell, they're pretty wedged in there, I don't think we'll be able to get a good look at them until we get that first car out of the way. So I figured I'd leave that to you all." He said, Matt nodding once more before he looked back towards his firefighters, Casey spouting off orders to truck and squad before they all began to get to work on moving that car.

"But there is one thing," The cop started once Casey was done, Matt glancing back towards him with raised brows. "When you get them out, I'd like to speak to the woman driving the car… From what the other drivers say, she rammed right into them. Out of nowhere." He explained, the look of confusion on Casey's face deepening as he glanced back over towards the accident.

It was hard to see much from where he was at, while squad worked on moving the vehicle out of the way, but from what little he could see of the driver, she seemed… calm. Not what he'd expect from someone who just caused an accident, as the woman's hands were clasped tightly on the steering wheel, almost like she couldn't move. She wasn't jumpy, or angry. She wasn't yelling, or on anything, from what he could tell. She was just sitting there, like she was hardly even aware that she'd been in an accident.

The same couldn't be said for her passenger, however, as the man had been yelling since they got here. A lot of it was hard to make out, but it was obvious he was upset. At who, Casey wasn't sure, but something about what was going on inside that car left a strange feeling in his stomach.

But it was one he pushed aside for the time being, as he knew they could deal with this more once they got her and the passenger out of there.

"Yeah, that's fine. Our paramedics will have to check her out, but you can speak to her after." Casey told him, the young cop nodding before Matt began to move closer to the scene. "...How's it looking, Severide?"

"We're almost ready to go- Capp, you got that last chain?"

"It's on there, Lieutenant." He answered, Severide nodding before he looked back towards Casey, waiting for the all clear. But Matt held his hand up, silently signaling him to wait for a moment, as the truck Lieutenant moved as close to the vehicle as he could.

The woman was still sitting there stoically, while her passenger, which Matt assumed to be a boyfriend or husband, was irate in the seat beside her. But it didn't seem to phase her, and the longer he watched them, the more he began to wonder if she truly didn't know what was going on. If maybe she was on something, or had been drinking. Or if it was something medical, something that had caused her to pass out or not be able to operate her vehicle.

He didn't know, but the more he looked at her, the more unsettled he began to feel, as it was clear there was something wrong with this woman.

"Ma'am?" He called out from the other side of the car blocking their path. "Can you hear me?" He continued on, but he got no reaction. From her at least, as his voice was enough to stop the yelling coming beside her, as the angry man looked towards Casey through the cracked windshield. "...Ma'am, are you okay?"

His question was met by more silence, Casey vaguely registering Gabby and Shay coming up behind him, as they had just finished checking out the other two drivers.

"Are either of you hurt?"

"No, I just want out of here!" The man shouted back, his hostile nature already telling Matt that this likely wasn't going to be the easiest of calls to handle.

"We're working on it, sir. But I just want to make sure the both of you are okay before we move this car." He told him, Matt doing what he could to keep his voice steady yet firm, as he didn't want to risk agitating the passenger further.

Though it seemed like that was going to happen regardless, as he clearly didn't like what Casey had to say.

"...Ma'am, are you hurt?" Matt asked once more after a beat of silence, his complete focus on the woman who almost looked frozen behind the wheel. That was until the man beside her proceeded to scream in her face, his harsh words breaking her out of whatever daze she'd been in as Casey saw the second she realized where she was.

"Dammit Lydia, answer him!"

His voice had scared her, that much Casey knew as he only continued to get a worse feeling from the man stuck in the car. But he pushed that aside as he focused on the woman- Lydia, as her glassy eyes began to dart around, before ultimately landing on Matt.

"Hey, it's okay, everything's okay." He assured her calmly, Lydia sucking in a deep breath before she nodded, her attention staying on Casey while the man beside her continued to berate her. But both of them did their best to tune it out, as well as the other first responders on the scene. "You were in a car accident, do you remember that?"

She hesitated for a moment before she nodded her head, Matt mimicking the motion back at her. "Alright, well we're working on getting you out of there, but first we need to know if you're okay… Are there any injuries you know of? From the looks of it, you might've hit your head," He commented, as he could see a few welts and cuts on her skin already. "But other than that, is anything else wrong?"

Lydia paused once more, like she wasn't sure how to respond to the question as a look of something he couldn't read covered her face. But just as quickly as he saw it, it was gone, the woman shaking her head. "I'm fine." She got out, her voice hard to hear through all the commotion as Matt nodded back at her.

"See? She's fine, now get us out of here." The man spat once more, Matt and Gabby both seeing how Lydia tensed at the sound of his voice, and neither of them liked it.

"We will." Casey answered calmly, his eyes focusing back in on Lydia as she continued to grip the steering wheel tightly. "We're gonna get you out." He assured them, Matt sparing one last look at the woman before he turned back to Severide, giving him the all-clear to move the car out of the way.

Casey and his firefighters stood back away from the crash while squad worked on getting the car out, the Lieutenant making sure Gabby and Shay were both safely behind him while he kept his eyes forward, Matt knowing he needed to be vigilant in a situation like this. But soon enough, they had gotten the car moved back and stabilized, far enough away to where they were able to get in there and access the situation further.

"Herrmann, Jenkins, work on getting their car stabilized, everyone else with me… Dawson, with me." He ordered, Gabby nodding before she followed him towards the banged up vehicle.

The passenger side was wedged pretty tightly up against other cars that had been parked on the street, meaning they only really had one way in and out of the vehicle. Everything would have to happen through the driver's side door, as it was clear to Casey that they'd have to get Lydia out first before they could work on the man beside her. Which, under the circumstances, he couldn't help but feel like that was for the best anyway.

"Alright, I know you all wanna get out of here," Matt started as he crouched down next to her busted out window, this being the first real look he'd gotten at either of them since they arrived on the scene.

But the second he looked at Lydia, his stomach began to sink, the unsettling feeling he had from the very beginning starting to come together in his mind as he now understood why he felt so uneasy with what was happening. But he couldn't comment on it right now, not here, as Matt plastered a weak smile on his face.

"And we're gonna make that happen as soon as possible, but first one of our paramedics has to take a look at Lydia, before we can move her-"

"Oh, come on." The man huffed out angrily, Matt clenching his neck as he desperately tried to keep his cool. "She's fine, she said so herself."

"It's protocol, sir. And it's for both your safety, so just give us a moment, and we'll work on getting you out." He replied firmly. "...Dawson?" Matt called, while keeping his tight glare on the large man across from him.

"Yeah?"

"Can you look over Lydia before we get her out of here?" He questioned, his words earning a hum in response before he reluctantly stood back up, Matt turning to find his girlfriend standing maybe a foot away from him, C-collar in hand as she was ready to do her job.

Casey, on the other hand, didn't feel as sure about this as she did.

"Alright, you can get in there." He told her, his voice a complete shift from the harsh tone he'd been speaking with moments ago, Gabby nodding in response as she began to move towards the car. But she didn't get very far before Matt stopped her, her boyfriend gently holding onto her coat-covered forearm right before she was about to pass him, the look on his face enough to raise some alarms in her head. "...Be careful."

His words were barely above a whisper, low enough to where it was clear he didn't want anyone else hearing him. Gabby just couldn't understand why.

But the second she moved to the car and ducked down to get a better look at what they were dealing with, it suddenly became clear to her. Why he was acting so strange, and why he gave her that warning before she came over here, it all started to make sense to her when she saw the bruises on Lydia's body.

The handprint-shaped bruises covering her neck.

The jacket she was wearing was doing its best to hide them, but not enough to where Gabby couldn't make them out. And the sight nearly broke her heart, as Lydia was doing everything she could to avoid her eye contact.

But the bruises and redness on her neck weren't the only thing wrong here, as Gabby soon took notice of the rather large welt covering her cheek, right beneath her eye. And it was an injury that couldn't have happened from this accident, as there were signs of it starting to heal.

That mark was old, and that, combined with the fresh bruises around her neck, a clear picture was forming in Gabby's mind, one that felt a little too familiar as she did her best to keep a focused mind.

"What's taking so long?" The man from across the car snapped, Gabby pursing her lips together as his rough voice almost made her skin crawl.

"Just doing some exams." Dawson replied before refocusing her attention on Lydia even though she still wouldn't meet her eye. "...Hi Lydia, I'm Gabby." She told her, her words finally getting the shocked woman to look her way, as Dawson offered her as warm of a smile as she could. "We're gonna get you out of here, but first is it okay if I put this on you?" She asked as she held up the C-collar, Lydia slowly nodding before Gabby got to work.

She was careful, Dawson not wanting to put too much pressure on her neck, as she knew first hand how painful that type of injury could be. But eventually, she got the collar on her, Gabby tightening her lips together before she stood up straight, only to find Matt standing right beside her. And, given the circumstances, she didn't really blame him.

"...You're seeing what I'm seeing?" She spoke just above a whisper, as the last thing she wanted was for that man in the car to hear her, Matt drawing in a deep breath before he nodded in response.

"Yeah, I am." He answered just as quietly, the sad tone in his voice not going unnoticed by Gabby as Matt swallowed thickly.

The second he saw Lydia up close, he knew what had happened. He knew Gabby knew what had happened, and it was hard for his mind not to go to her in a situation like this. For him not to think about what all she'd been through, and how he'd found her with those very same marks around her neck.

There were so many similarities between this, and what had happened to his girlfriend, that it nearly made him sick. But he knew he couldn't dwell on it, not right now.

"We need to get her away from him." Gabby continued on, Matt meeting her eyes once more as she looked up at him. "I know we don't know the whole story, but…"

"You're right." He agreed, Dawson nodding weakly at him before taking a breath. "We do need to get her out of there… So we'll start with her, and the second she's out, I want you and Shay to take her to the hospital. Don't wait for anything, just go." He instructed, Gabby nodding understandingly before he continued. "See if you can get her to talk to you on the way there… If we figure out what's going on, we can get her some help." He finished, Gabby nodding once more as he gave her arm a comforting squeeze, the gesture holding a lot more than they could say right now as their priorities shifted to getting Lydia out of the car.

And that's exactly what they did, as within minutes, they had gotten Lydia out of the vehicle and onto a backboard, the woman staying quiet the entire time as she didn't object to any of what they were doing. In fact, Gabby couldn't help but notice how the second she was out of the car, she started to calm down. She was more relaxed, and less on edge, and the whole thing made Gabby's heart hurt for her, as she knew how hard this could be.

"Where are you taking her?" The man still in the car yelled as soon as she was out of sight, as Gabby and Shay complied with Casey's orders to get her out of here as soon as possible, the paramedics not stopping as they continued to the rig with Lydia. "Tell them to bring her back here!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that, sir." Casey spoke as he looked back down at him. "It's protocol, she has to get checked out at the hospital." He continued on, hearing the man grumble something underneath his breath before looking forward once more, obviously not happy with what was going on. But Matt didn't care so much about that, the Lieutenant standing up straight once more as he wanted to make sure 61 got out of here before they started on getting this man out.

But as soon as he looked towards the rig, he saw what was holding them up, a grimace covering his face when he saw Gabby talking with the cop that had been here when they first arrived; though if he knew anything about his girlfriend, it seemed like she was arguing with him more than anything else. But that didn't really matter right now, as Casey's main priority was making sure Gabby got Lydia out of here.

And quite frankly, he also wanted Gabby out of here too, as he didn't want her to be anywhere near the man in that car again.

"Severide, can you take over?" Casey asked before he started heading in the direction of his girlfriend, Matt not even waiting to hear his response as he began jogging towards the rig.

"I'm telling you, I need to talk to her." The cop's voice hit his ears first, Gabby wearing an indignant look across her face before she shook her head.

"And I'm telling you, we need to get her to the hospital. Now." She replied with just as much force as Shay opened the back doors to the rig, the paramedics continuing to load Lizzie into the back as if the cop wasn't even standing there.

"Ma'am-"

"My name is Dawson, and I understand you need to talk with her. But nothing you need to ask her is something that can't wait… You can ask her your questions at the hospital, right now she needs to leave."

"But-"

"Gabby, go ahead." Casey told her just as he got to them, Dawson looking his way before her face softened. "Take her to Lakeshore, and let me know what's going on."

"I will." The PIC responded, Gabby and Matt sharing a knowing look with one another before she climbed up into the back of the rig, Shay shutting the doors before she jogged around to the driver's seat.

"Lieutenant, we talked about this, you said it was fine for me to speak with her." The cop began to berate him, Matt drawing in a deep breath before glancing back towards the wreckage. "She caused this entire accident, you could've waited a few minutes before sending her to the hospital." He added on as the ambulance pulled away from the scene.

"No, we couldn't have." He all but interjected, the force of his words catching the officer off guard as Matt blew out a heavy sigh, the firefighter shaking his head from side to side before glancing back up at him, only to find an expectant look covering the man's face. One that clearly wanted to know what was going on.

"What is it?" He pushed, Matt's eyes falling closed for a split second before he refocused his attention on the cop beside him, Casey crossing his arms over his chest as he eventually spoke up.

"...The accident, and her crashing her car the way she did… I think I know why she did it."

Meanwhile, in the back of the ambulance, Gabby went through her usual routine while Shay carefully drove them through the wintery streets of Chicago, the heavy quiet in the back of the rig somewhat suffocating as Dawson was trying to give Lydia time to open up.

But unfortunately, time was something they didn't have much of, not when they'd be at the hospital within the next few minutes. And Gabby worried that if she didn't say anything now when it was just the two of them, she wouldn't be able to say anything in a hospital surrounded by people.

"You feeling okay?" Gabby asked after a moment once she'd gotten all the monitors hooked up, the woman on the gurney breathing in deeply before she nodded. "Nothing hurts or anything?"

"I'm fine." She replied quietly, Dawson pursing her lips together before she matched her nod, the quiet settling in once more as Lydia stared straight up at the ceiling, doing all she could to not focus on the paramedic that was watching her.

But as she looked up, it gave Gabby a clear view of those bruises on her neck. The ones that looked way worse than before as it was obvious that Lydia had gone through something awful. And it was no secret as to what that awful thing was.

"...If something's going on, you can tell me." Gabby spoke suddenly, her voice causing Lydia to tense up as her eyes snapped back towards her. But Dawson remained calm, slowly nodding her head before offering her a small smile. "I promise you, if he hurt you we can get you help. But you just need to tell me what's going on." She added, as Gabby could've sworn she saw the woman's resolve breaking slightly.

She just wasn't sure if it would be enough, as Gabby knew more than most how hard it was to let people in. But she had to at least try. For this woman's sake, she had to try.

"Please… Let me help you, Lydia."

"She didn't say anything?"

Severide's voice flooded the small office as he sat on Casey's bed, his question directed towards the paramedic who was currently pacing the limited confines back and forth, just like she had been ever since she returned from the hospital with Shay maybe ten minutes ago, while Matt sat in his desk chair.

"That whole time, she never said a word?"

"About whatever Tyler did to her? No." She answered, Gabby shaking her head as her hand came up to rub over the side of her face. "That's his name, by the way- Tyler. But that was about the only thing she'd talk about. I tried to get her to tell me what was happening, but she refused. She wouldn't talk about those bruises on her neck, or how she got them… she wouldn't say a word to me." She continued on defeatedly, a slight frown pulling on Casey's lips as he hated to see her like this.

"I tried every way I could think of to get her to talk to me, and she knew that I could tell what was going on, but she wouldn't talk about it… She just kept saying it was nothing. The crash, those bruises, all of it- according to her, it was an accident. And that's the same thing she told the cops, too."

"Wow…" Severide breathed out, Gabby releasing a sigh of her own.

"Yeah…" She agreed with a wince, her fingers pressing into her temple as she tried to alleviate some of the pressure building up in her head. "And I get it, I do understand it." She continued on, her words causing Matt's stomach to sink as he kept his eyes on her. "But this side of it, it's just… so frustrating. Because I see her hurting and I just want to help."

Her words resonated with both of the men in the room, though more one than the other as Matt sat quietly, his gaze moving down to his lap as her words were hitting a little too close to home.

"Did she go home with him?" Kelly asked her when it became clear Casey wasn't going to say anything.

"No, she was still in a room when Shay and I left… I told a few nurses the situation- or what I think is the situation. Just to kind of keep an eye out for her, but if she doesn't say anything, technically there's not much they can do. Especially if she agrees to see him." She spoke, her rough voice unable to hide her aggravation at the situation. "This whole thing just sucks. But if she won't talk to anyone, no one can help her… She wouldn't let me help her."

Severide looked towards Casey, it not going unnoticed how he'd hardly said a word since they got back from the scene, and especially since Gabby had come back, Matt's silence telling Kelly more than his words ever could as he had a pretty good idea of what was going on in his head. But he figured he was trying not to voice it, at least not with Gabby around, as the woman continued pacing through the office.

"Dawson, this isn't on you." Severide spoke up again as his attention moved away from Matt, his words causing her to stop before she looked at him. "You tried… You and Casey both did, but you can't force people to get help if they don't want it." He reminded her, Gabby drawing in a slow breath before she nodded. "I think it's pretty clear what's happening here, but maybe she's not ready to face it. Or maybe there's more to the story that we don't know about, but whatever the reason is, there's only so much you can do for her unless she tells someone what's going on."

Gabby thought over his words for a moment, the rational part of her knowing he was just trying to get her to see reason. He was right, from her own experience she knew everything he was saying was true, but that didn't help the unsettled feeling in her stomach, as she still just wanted to help this woman. But she couldn't.

Nodding slowly, her eyes moved over towards her boyfriend, Matt looking up just as she turned to him, Gabby immediately seeing the same sad look in his eyes that she was sure hers held. Though there was something more behind it, a heaviness in his gaze that she knew came from something else entirely, the two sharing silent words as it was no secret as to how delicate this situation was.

"...Severide's right, babe." He finally echoed, Gabby sucking in a breath before she nodded once more. "I know it's hard, but he's right. There's nothing else you can do for her right now if she doesn't want to get help."

His words were no different than what Kelly had just said, but for some reason, them coming from Matt made it a little easier to believe them. But she never got a chance to respond before the door to Casey's office opened, Shay sticking her head in as her eyes moved between all three bodies in the small space.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt, but the rig is kind of a mess after that last call, can you help me restock a bit?" She asked, Gabby nodding in response.

"Yeah, sure." She answered quietly, Shay heading out of the office before Gabby followed after her in that same direction, only stopping to give Matt a small, weak smile before she left.

And the second she was gone, it was like all the heaviness in the air returned, Matt's eyes falling closed before he forced himself to take a few steadying breaths, his arm resting against his desk as he sunk down into his chair, the abrupt shift in his demeanor hard to miss as Severide turned towards him.

"...You were awfully quiet just now." Kelly finally spoke up, Casey releasing a sigh before shrugging slightly.

"Yeah, well there's a lot on my mind."

"About Dawson." He supplemented when Matt didn't continue on, the truck Lieutenant glancing up towards his friend to find a knowing look across his face. "Everything she went through, how she didn't tell anyone… I know that's what I was thinking about, so I'm sure you were, too." He continued to explain, Casey pursing his lips together before he nodded.

"Yeah, it's that… It's a lot of things." He breathed out, Severide's head tilting to the side as he waited for him to keep going. But he never did, even though Kelly could see how much this was eating away at him.

"What's going on, man?" Severide eventually prompted, the room falling quiet as he waited for Casey to speak up.

"It's just… It's everything. It's what Gabby went through, and how she felt like she couldn't tell anyone. It's what my mom went through, what Lydia's going through- it's all of it." He rushed out, Severide nodding understandingly considering he knew Matt needed to get all of this off his chest, as it was no secret between the two friends as to what happened with Casey's parents. "I think about my dad, and what he did to my mom, and I just don't get it. I still don't get it, even after all this time… How you can do that to someone you love." He spoke, his rough voice holding onto just as much pain as it was anger.

"And it's the same with Gabby. I look at her, and I-" He stopped himself, Matt shaking his head from side to side before his hand came up to cover his mouth, Kelly knowing he hadn't seen his friend this lost in a while. "I see her, and all I want to do is make sure she feels loved and happy and protected. That she's safe- that I'm doing everything in my power to keep her safe." He explained, as Severide gave him an understanding nod in return. "She's the most important person in my life, and all I want is for her to know how much I love her, and respect her. And how I'd never want to do anything that might hurt her… But then there's people like that jackass from today, and Bryan, and my dad… People who choose to hurt the people that love them." He breathed out, Casey taking a moment to steady himself before he continued on.

"I couldn't imagine doing anything to hurt Gabby, let alone being happy that I hurt her, and that's exactly what Bryan did… And it makes me sick thinking about what all she went through, and what she's still dealing with, all because of him. And how my mom went through the same thing, and now everything with Lydia, I just-" He cut himself off once more, Matt swallowing thickly as his eyes focused forward.

"I don't get how a person can do that… How they can willingly put someone they supposedly care about through hell like that." He told him, Matt finally finding Severide's sad gaze. "I'll never understand what goes on in a person's head, to where they could ever hurt someone they loved."

Severide nodded slowly as Matt finished, his words hanging heavy in the air as it was clear this had been bothering him. And Kelly understood it completely, as this subject wasn't the easiest one for his friend to talk about. Especially where Gabby was concerned.

It was one thing with Kelly, as knowing what happened to Gabby was hard enough on him, and she was only his friend. But it was different for Casey, and if his words now were any indication, a part of Matt would always hold onto what Gabby went through. And Kelly couldn't really blame him.

"...It's because they don't actually love them, man." Severide eventually spoke up, his voice causing Matt to look at him. "People like Walker, and Tyler, and what they did, that's not love… Because you're right, you can't sit there and hurt someone you love. Not like that." He said, Casey forcing another deep breath before he slowly nodded, his words leaving a bad taste in his mouth.

There was more Severide wanted to say, more he wanted to do to try and help Matt feel better. To give him any kind of assurance that no matter what Gabby went through, she was okay now. Or at least better than she was. That she was safe, and no matter how sad Lydia's situation was, he didn't need to worry about that happening to Gabby again.

But in the back of his mind, he knew his words could only do so much, as Kelly had a strong feeling that he wasn't the person Matt wanted right now.

"Why don't you go out there with Gabby?" He suggested, Matt raising his eyebrows slightly before Severide gave him an encouraging nod. "The ambulance can't be that bad, I doubt you'd be interrupting anything… Why don't you go see her." He pushed, watching as his friend thought over his words before he slowly nodded.

"Yeah, I think I will." He responded, his quick agreement telling Severide just how right he'd been as Matt pushed himself up and left his office without another word.

It didn't take him too long to get to the garage, 61 exactly where he expected it to be as he could hear Gabby and Shay's voices the closer he got, it becoming clear to him that his girlfriend was filling Shay in on everything they'd talked about back in his office. But he didn't want to focus on that right now, Matt ignoring the cold temperature in the garage as he came around the back of the rig.

The paramedics were exactly where he expected them to be, Shay sitting on the bed while Gabby was perched on the ledge close to the back, her head turned towards her friend while they spoke. But it only took seconds for her to notice the new presence near them, Dawson turning to find her boyfriend standing there quietly, his hands in his pockets as their eyes locked on each other.

"Hey babe." She greeted softly, her tone enough to tell him that she was still a little unsettled by all of this, just as she had been when she left his office. "Everything okay?" She asked, Matt nodding before he took a few steps back, his movements prompting her to step down out of the ambulance.

"Yeah, everything's fine." He replied, Gabby's head falling to the side slightly as she came to stop just in front of him, her curious eyes tracing over his face before she nodded.

But before she could reply, he pulled her into a tight hug, Matt not caring that Shay was watching their every move as he tucked his head down into her neck, the man wanting to hold her as close as he possibly could.

His movements caught her off guard, but she hugged him back regardless as no matter the reason for this, his arms were more comforting than anything else ever could be. So she took a second to relax into the feeling, her eyes falling closed as she held onto him as tightly as possible, his embrace flooding her entire body with a strong sense of security.

"You sure you're okay?" She asked him once more, as neither of them had made any move to separate. And they weren't planning on it, either.

"I'm okay." He repeated softly, Matt pressing a kiss against her neck before tightening his hold on her. "I just love you."

His words brought a soft smile to her face, all the stress and worry from today slowly melting away, at least for a few moments, as she let herself focus on nothing but Matt and the way she felt in his arms. With her eyes closed, she nuzzled her head down against him, the couple soon realizing that they both needed this moment more than they realized. And they were both content to have it last as long as they could.

"...I love you, too."