Hello everyone! I'm back with the next chapter for you all, and I hope you like it. I really appreciated your comments on the last one, and it made me so happy that you all enjoyed it!

Before we get into this one, I did want to mention to you all that here in a few days I'm going out of town, and I'll be gone for a couple weeks. I talked about it in my I Won't Let You Go update, but for those who don't read that story, I wanted to mention it here, too.

I'm not sure what my updating schedule will look like while I'm gone, if I'll be able to write much, but I'm gonna go ahead and say there won't be an update for this story next week. If I can, I'll try and get something done for the week after, but I'm just not sure if I'll have time. So yeah, we'll just have to see how things go. But for certain, there won't be an update for this story next week.

I'm really sorry about that, but I hope you all still enjoy this one! Thank you so much for reading!

NINETY FOUR

Quiet music played in the Dawson household while Casey and Ramon sat in the living room, the fireplace burning in an effort to help combat the brutal January cold outside, as snow had been falling down from the sky ever since they got here a few hours ago. And while there was certainly a lot going on outside, it was nice and calm inside the Dawson's home, as they had just finished up their meal a few minutes ago, the four of them now looking forward to spending a little bit more of their night together as the two men were making small talk while waiting for Gabby and Camila to join them.

"Are you sure you don't need any help, Mama?" Gabby's voice filtered into the room just before Casey looked up from his seat on the couch, the man watching as his girlfriend slowly came into view in the hallway. Though her attention was still focused in the opposite direction, clearly waiting for her mother's response before joining him and her father.

"I'm fine, mija. I'll be done in a few minutes, just go ahead and sit." Camila chastised, her voice a little far away as Casey was sure she had to at least be in the kitchen. But he could still just barely make out what she was saying, while his eyes focused on his girl. "You're our guest, you've already helped too much… Now go take Matthew his drink while it's still cold, I'll be out there soon."

Casey did what he could to stifle a laugh at Camila's firm directions, Gabby narrowing her eyes slightly when she looked his way, before she began to head towards her father and boyfriend. "What's so funny in here?" She asked with a stern look in her eye, Matt tucking his bottom lip between his teeth before shaking his head.

"Nothing babe." He replied as she got to them, Gabby's eyes moving back and forth between them before she ultimately gave in.

"Yeah, I'm not so sure I believe that." She responded before holding out the fresh beer towards him, Casey giving her a soft thanks as she took up residence beside him on the couch, Gabby tucking herself into his side while she sat between Matt and her father. "But anyway, Mama said she'd be out here soon… She didn't want much help."

"Well, you should've known that when she sent Matthew and I away the second we finished dinner." Her father replied with a knowing smile, Gabby raising her eyebrows slightly before she gave him a nod.

"Fair enough." She said softly, Gabby taking a sip of her wine before glancing towards Matt. "So what were you two talking about?"

"Work." Casey answered, his girlfriend nodding slightly as she turned to her dad.

"Yes, Matthew was just filling me in on how things have been going at the firehouse, and at Molly's… Sounds like you all have been busy."

"We have, yeah. The bar's been busy, which is good. And the firehouse, there's… There's been a lot going on there." She breathed out just as her mom walked into the room, Matt offering Camila a soft smile before she joined them in the chair beside Ramon.

"Oh, is this about that woman Antonio told us about?" Camila spoke up, as she knew she'd come in during the middle of their conversation. "I can't remember her name…"

"Lydia." Gabby answered for her, her parents both nodding. "That's her name, Lydia… And yeah, that's been a lot of it, trying to help her." She continued on, feeling Matt begin to rub her shoulder slightly.

Though Dawson had spoken to her parents a few times over the phone during the past week, they hadn't really had a chance to spend time together, and get into everything that had happened with Lydia, as their conversations were mostly about Gabby. But now that they were able to see each other, they could talk a little bit more into what all had been going on.

"Yes, yes, that's it... From what he told us, it sounds awful, that poor woman." Camila continued on while she nursed her wine glass, Gabby missing the near despondent look forming in her dad's eyes while he looked at his little girl. "And how her husband had been hurting her."

"He was, yeah." Casey spoke up, as all focus in the room went to him. "We were able to tell something was going on pretty quickly, but it took a few days for her to ask for help… But it's understandable, she was scared." He continued on, the double meaning to his words hard to miss. "But she came to us, after he'd hurt her again, and we've been able to help her…"

"Yeah, we have." Gabby added on with a soft smile, the topic clearly not fazing her. "I'm sure he told you, but Antonio's been helping her this past week, ever since she showed up at the firehouse. And she's away from her husband now, she's with her parents and she's safe. Which is all that matters."

"It is, and I'm glad to hear that, honey." Camila responded, Matt's gaze flashing towards Ramon for a quick second as it wasn't lost on him how the father had been quiet this entire time, ever since the topic of Lydia came up. "I'm glad you were able to help her… I imagine that couldn't have been easy." She treaded carefully, both of the parents always cautious of bringing up what their daughter had gone through.

Even though they knew she was handling things well, and she was able to be a lot more open and forward with what she'd suffered through in the past, they were still always careful, as they knew there were some times it was triggering for her. And, given what was happening this week, Camila was a little hesitant to bring him up.

But Gabby took it in stride, the young woman simply nodding as she leaned closer to Matt's side.

"It was a little hard, just because of everything." She answered honestly, earning a knowing nod from her mom. "I, uh… I talked to her, about what I'd gone through with Bryan, because she felt like she was alone and I wanted her to know she wasn't. Because I understand what it's like." She explained to them, her words causing both her parents' hearts to hurt in their chests, as it never got any easier to be confronted with how much pain their daughter had gone through. "But I handled it well, I think."

"She did." Casey spoke up quickly, his words bringing a small smile to Gabby's face as she looked at him. "She did great, she was able to help Lydia a lot.. And she's still helping her." He added on proudly, Gabby drawing in a slow breath before she nodded.

"We're all helping her." She corrected him, as Matt rubbed his thumb along her arm. "Me, Matt, and Antonio, we've been helping her out a lot this past week, and she's doing better."

"That's great, mija." Camila responded, her soft words bringing a smile to Gabby's face as she looked towards her mother. "I feel terrible for what that woman must be going through, but I'm glad she had you there to look out for her." She added on, her voice a bit hard to hear as the topic certainly wasn't an easy one.

"Me too." Gabby agreed, no one else having a chance to say anything as they heard a timer in the kitchen go off, Camila glancing in that direction before she began to stand up.

"Oh- that must be dessert." She said, the air in the room shifting to be a little bit lighter as Gabby immediately moved to stand up as well. "Gabriela, what did I say?"

"I don't mind to help, Mama." She countered, Camila muttering something under her breath before she nodded, Matt helping Gabby up until she was firmly on her feet.

"Alright, well if you insist… Matthew, Ramon, we'll be back out in a few minutes, alright?" Camila told them before she disappeared down the hallway, Gabby following her as the two Dawson women headed off towards the kitchen, Casey watching them leave for a moment before he turned back towards Ramon.

But when he did, he saw the man still staring off in the direction they'd gone, that same sad look in his eyes as he had yet to turn away, Matt not entirely sure of what was causing Ramon's strange demeanor.

Though he had a pretty good guess.

"You okay, Ramon?" He asked after a moment, the father still refusing to look away from the doorway as a heavy sigh escaped his lips.

"...I'm worried about her." He admitted with no resistance, Casey releasing a soft breath as well before glancing in that same direction.

"Gabby, she…"

"It's tomorrow, isn't it?" He cut him off abruptly, Matt's mouth slowly closing before he began to nod, the action causing Ramon to finally look his way as it was impossible to ignore the heavy feeling that had settled in the air.

Casey was expecting this to come up, in fact he was surprised that it had taken this long, as throughout the entire night, the subject hadn't been mentioned. No one had brought it up once, even though based on the way Camila and Ramon were watching Gabby all night, he had a feeling they wanted to. That they wanted to check in with her one last time, and make sure she was okay. To make sure she truly was ready for what was happening in just a few short hours. And Casey couldn't blame them, as he had done a lot of the same over the past week, given tomorrow was a day he was not looking forward to.

Because it was the day Gabby was going to visit Bryan.

And it nearly made him sick.

But he also knew he wasn't the only one feeling this way, as Camila and Ramon had been vocal about them not wanting Gabby to go and see him.

The second the parents found out about her impending visit to the prison, they had multiple conversations with Gabby, as they were trying to understand her reasoning and why she was doing this. Especially after she'd been so adamant about never wanting to see him again. But even after all her explanations and all their discussions, it was no secret that they still weren't okay with her decision.

They tried to hide it, and be supportive once they realized there was no changing their daughter's mind- Matt assuming that's why they hadn't even tried to bring it up tonight; but it didn't take a genius to realize that her parents weren't okay with this, as the last thing they wanted was for Gabby to be anywhere near the man that had hurt her.

And Matt completely understood the feeling.

"She's going to see him tomorrow." He repeated when Casey had yet to say anything, the firefighter swallowing roughly before he nodded.

"Mhmm… tomorrow morning." He answered, Ramon shaking his head slightly before clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

"Does it seem a little soon to you?" He pressed, Matt grimacing as he shrugged slightly.

"It's been about a week, since she decided to go… So I guess not." He replied softly, Ramon taking another steadying breath. "And I have to think she just wants to get it over with, instead of dragging it out. Which I can't say I blame her." He added her, Matt seeing an understanding look flash in Ramon's eyes before he nodded, his gaze soon going back towards the empty doorway.

"And is she really okay with all this?" He asked after a moment, Matt running his tongue along the inside of his cheek before Ramon looked back towards him. "She's alright to see him… I mean, I know what she's told us, and she says she's fine, but..."

"She's okay." He reassured the worried father. "She really is, from what I can tell. And she does seem ready to go and see him… Her and I have talked about it, her and Antonio have talked about it… She's talked about it with her therapist," He explained, as he wasn't sure how much Ramon knew of what had gone into Gabby's decision. "She's not taken this lightly, but she's decided she wants to go, so we're gonna go."

Ramon nodded slowly, the man pursing his lips together as things got quiet between them for a moment, Matt taking a sip of his beer as the older Dawson thought over what to say next, before he finally spoke up.

"And what about you?" He questioned, Matt's eyebrows raising after he glanced towards him. "How do you feel about her doing this?"

The second he registered the question, a grimace appeared over Casey's face, that alone enough of an answer for Ramon to understand his true feelings about the choice his daughter was making.

"I… I don't really like the idea of her going there." He replied honestly, Ramon nodding understandingly. "As someone who saw the aftermath of what Bryan did to her, and how it nearly ruined her life, I don't know if it's a good idea." He breathed out, Matt taking a quick sip of his drink as Ramon watched him. "But it's what she wants, so I'm supporting her… And I'll be there with her the whole time."

"You're not gonna leave her alone with him?" He pressed, Casey immediately shaking his head.

"Not for a second." He answered him, Matt seeing the moment Ramon began to relax before giving him a quick nod. "I'll be there with her, because she asked me to be, so she won't be by herself with him… I would never leave her alone with him."

Nodding slowly, Ramon reached out to clasp his hand over Casey's shoulder, the action causing Matt to look his way just as he took another sip of his drink, the air around them quiet for a couple more seconds before Ramon finally spoke up, the words leaving his lips holding so much meaning as Casey took every bit of it to heart.

"Thank you… I'm really glad Gabriela has you, son."

Gabby sucked in a deep breath as she closed the passenger side door to Matt's truck, her eyes focusing up on the big, somewhat daunting building in front of her as she shoved her hands into her pockets. The light snow falling down around them only helped to make it colder outside, Dawson watching her breath mix into the air in front of her while she waited for her boyfriend to finish locking up his vehicle, which he soon did before making his way to her side.

Though even after he came to stand beside her, she didn't make a move, Gabby's whole body facing the prison as she stared straight ahead, Matt staying a strong and supportive, yet quiet, presence as he waited for her to be ready to continue towards the building.

But as the seconds continued to pass by, it dawned on him that she needed a moment to gather herself, his eyes moving over her form as he tried to get a read on how she was doing. Which, admittedly, was something he'd been doing a lot of lately. Ever since she decided she was going to see Bryan. But right now, he was having a harder time figuring out what was going on in her head as she stared blankly ahead.

He knew she was hesitant, and she had been long before they arrived here as he'd picked up on it this morning before they left, and a little bit last night before they went to bed. And her tossing and turning throughout the night, unable to really get any rest was another clear sign of her uncertainty, as neither of them had been able to get much sleep last night. But all of that was different from what he was seeing now, this was something else. He could see it in her eyes, and the way she carried herself; it was more than just a few lingering nerves.

And the longer he watched her, the more he began to understand what it was.

She was scared.

A part of her was scared to go in there and face the man that had abused her for so long. She was scared to see him again after all he had put her through. And that nearly broke his heart.

If you were to ask him, she had every right to be scared to see Bryan again. Even though he wouldn't be able to hurt her, at least physically, going and confronting the man who had put her through so much pain was not an easy thing, and Matt had the feeling that the magnitude of this was slowly starting to settle in for Gabby.

Deciding to come here was one thing. It was the choice she had made, the idea of coming here for closure seeming simple enough to her, that seeing him one last time would help in finally putting all this behind her, and let her move on with her life once and for all. And even though she had some doubts in the days leading up to seeing him, he knew that before today she had still felt ready to do this; as she told everyone that over and over any time they would ask.

But all of that was before they had actually come here. Those feelings she had were all well and good, and he could understand why she felt like she had to come see him. But actually being here was something else entirely, and if her demeanor now was any indication, she wasn't nearly as ready for this as she had once thought. And now that the weight of all this was beginning to rest on her shoulders, she needed a minute to work through those feelings, and Matt was more than willing to give her that as she gathered up the courage to go inside.

Even though in the back of his mind, all he could think about was how he wanted to get her back in that car and drive as far away from here as he possibly could. How he would do almost anything to keep her from going into that building, the protective side of him desperate for her not to do this.

But the rational side of him stayed quiet, as he knew no matter his own feelings, this wasn't a choice for him to make. This was her decision, and hers alone, and if she decided she still wanted to do this, he would support her. No matter what.

"...I'm okay."

Her voice was soft but sudden, Casey not expecting her few words after their near minutes of silence. But he nodded regardless, Matt watching as she slowly turned her head towards him.

"I'm alright." She repeated, though at this point he wasn't sure if she was doing it for him or for her. But he nodded once more anyway, Casey giving her a small, yet encouraging smile before he gently reached out to hold onto the back of her arm.

"I know you are." He replied almost immediately, Matt seeing her begin to relax slightly as he knew she needed his support. And he would always give that to her, as even with his own doubts about this, and him knowing that she was a little more unsure than she was before, he had all the faith in the world that she was okay.

But just because he believed it, that didn't mean she had to force herself to do this if she wasn't ready. And he felt like he needed to remind her of that.

"But it's also okay if you're not ready to do this." He added on gently, Gabby blinking quickly before her head fell down towards the ground, Matt moving his hand around to her back as snow continued to fall down on them. "You don't have to go in there today if you don't feel like you can… You don't have to go in there ever. This isn't something you have to do, if you don't think it's best for you." Matt spoke, his palm rubbing gently over her coat covered back as he saw her eyes fall closed, Gabby clearly taking what he said to heart while a few other visitors were going in and out of the building.

"You're here for you, and no one else. If you want to go in there, we can. If you don't, we can leave right now, and come back when you're ready. Or never come here again, this is completely up to you, baby." He breathed out, Matt gently pulling her into his side before pressing a kiss to her beanie covered head, Gabby nodding slowly as she leaned into his warmth. "Whatever you need to do is what we'll do, you just have to tell me."

She nodded once more, Gabby taking a few minutes to think over his words as he pressed another kiss to her head before wrapping his arm up around her shoulders, the feeling of his hold helping more than anything as he had a way of grounding her like no one else ever could.

"I'm okay." She said after a moment, Matt holding his tongue before he slowly nodded. "I promise, I'm alright… I just needed a minute."

"Okay." He murmured, his hand coming up to cradle the back of her head. "We can take as much time as you need." He reminded her, the two standing there for a few more moments until Gabby finally pulled back.

But before either of them said a word, Matt's eyes moved over her face, Gabby seeing the clear worry he was holding in his gaze before his blue eyes met her brown ones, a small smile forming over her lips before she nodded.

"I'm ready." She told him, Casey pausing for a second before he nodded in response, Gabby reaching out to grab ahold of his hand as she took a slight step forwards. "Just… You'll be with me, right?"

His heart tightened in his chest when he heard those words, Gabby searching for that comfort and security she knew he could give her as her hopeful eyes watched him, Matt nodding without a second thought before giving her hand a reaffirming squeeze.

"I'll be with you the whole time." He repeated, Gabby's eyes closing once more for a second or two before she nodded back at him, the two standing there for a few last moments until she took a strong, steady breath.

"Alright… Then I'm ready." She said once more after swallowing the thick lump that had begun to form in her throat, Matt nodding supportively before the couple began to walk towards the building.

They were moving slowly, Gabby and Matt carefully maneuvering around the snow and ice under their feet, though the latter had a feeling their gradual pace had less to do with the weather, and more to do with Gabby's uncertainty. But he said nothing, Casey just letting her set the pace until they finally found their way inside, the two going through the process of checking in before they waited to be escorted back.

And, surprisingly enough, it didn't take them very long at all before they were guided back to the visitation room, Matt unable to pinpoint whether that was a good or bad thing as he could feel the nerves radiating off his girlfriend. And the closer they got, the harder it was to ignore it, all of it almost suffocating her as Gabby had to remind herself to breathe.

Just like she had to remind herself to keep putting one foot in front of the other as they neared what she could only assume to be the room where she'd be seeing him, the feeling of Matt's hand on her back helping keep her centered as she fought through all the conflicting emotions welling in her chest.

She didn't want to be here, and that was never more clear to her than when she stepped inside that room. But she needed to do this, so despite all the thoughts in her head that were pulling her in different directions, she kept moving forward, Gabby coming to a stop in front of the section she was directed to, before slowly sitting down.

The room was pretty crowded, Gabby glancing around at her new surroundings while Matt sat down in the seat beside her, his close proximity to her not going unnoticed while she did what she could to prepare herself for whatever was coming. Though that was a bit difficult for her, as she really had no idea what to expect from this, or from him. Because she never did.

But all she did know was that despite whatever conversations were awaiting her, she couldn't help but feel grateful for the thick pane of glass in between the two of them, and the seat where Bryan would be, Gabby feeling safer knowing that even if he tried, he wouldn't be able to get to her. Though even with that assurance, she still hated the idea of seeing him, and being face to face with him again, as this was one of the last places she ever wanted to be.

But what helped her through it was the knowledge that after today, she would never have to come here again. She would never have to see him, or speak with him. He would forever be in her past, and she'd never have to deal with him again.

Which was exactly why she was doing this.

"This way, Walker." Gabby heard a guard order, his voice audible even through the glass as her spine involuntarily straightened before she could stop it, like her body was already going into protection mode. But she tried to ignore it, Gabby not wanting to show him any fear as she knew she'd done that enough already.

Sparing a quick glance towards Matt, she saw him looking straight ahead, like he was just waiting to see Bryan come around that corner, his face full of an anger she had only ever seen a few times from him before; and every single one of those times, it was because of Walker. But despite whatever he was feeling right now, he still reached his hand out to hold onto her leg, Matt doing what he could to be a silent source of comfort as she quickly placed her hand over his, Gabby forcing herself to take another breath while they waited.

But it was only mere seconds later before he came into view, Gabby doing all she could to not react while Bryan looked in between the both of them. And if he was shocked to see them, he didn't show it, the man merely scoffing before he was guided down into his seat, the sly smirk that appeared over his face making her feel sick.

She tried not to let it affect her though, Gabby remaining stoic as she looked over him for a moment. He looked pretty much the same as the last time she had seen him, his hair a bit longer than usual, while his face was covered in a bit of stubble. It was hard to see much else through the jumpsuit he was wearing, everything below his waist blocked by the table in front of him, but what she could tell was that he had definitely gotten a little bulkier since that day in the apartment.

She couldn't be sure what he'd been doing to pass the time in here, but from the looks of it he'd been in the gym, and that alone made her even more thankful for the wired glass in between them. He was already able to scare her before, but now, if he got close to her it would just about terrify her, Gabby feeling a few chills begin to run up her spine as she was unable to stop the memories rushing back of the times he had put his hands on her.

And how now, if he got the chance, he'd be able to inflict even more damage, Gabby wincing as she could almost feel the pressure of when his hand had been wrapped around her throat.

But she tried to push it all down, as she knew that would never happen to her again. All she had to do was keep reminding herself of that.

"Well, if it isn't the happy couple." Bryan spoke up first, that same grimey smirk still on his lips as he glanced between the two of them, the speaker above their heads helping them to hear one another before he eyes focused in on her. "Hi Gabby." He greeted as the guard walked away from them, Dawson watching as his eyes trailed up and down her body before meeting her gaze once more.

If she didn't already feel sick, she definitely would've now, Gabby feeling Matt hold onto her leg a little tighter in an effort to help keep her calm. Though, given the rage settling in across Casey's features, he was probably trying to help keep himself calm, too.

"I've gotta say, I didn't know if you'd actually show up, given how we left things." He continued on when she had yet to say a word, Gabby biting down on the inside of her cheek while her face stayed blank. "But I am glad you're here… And I guess I should've expected he'd come, too." He added on, nodding over towards Casey before the men finally locked eyes.

And when they did, Bryan could see just how much anger Casey was holding onto, the look in his eyes only encouraging him more as the smile on Walker's face grew.

"And it's nice to see you again, Lieutenant." He spoke lightly, clearly enjoying the reaction he was able to get out of Casey. "Even if the last time I saw you, you were beating the shit out of me… But I'd say we're even now, it's water under the bridge." He continued on, a million thoughts racing through Matt's mind as he felt the burning in his chest only begin to worsen.

He wanted to scream at him. He wanted to find a way through that glass, and remind him why he was here in the first place. And make it known to him that no matter what Matt did, there was never any 'getting even'. That nothing could ever make up for the hell Bryan put Gabby through.

But he didn't do any of that, because he didn't do or say anything. He just continued to sit there, Casey all but forcing himself to stay quiet as he knew it wasn't his place to get into it with Walker. Not when this was about Gabby. Because even though they hadn't really talked about it beforehand, and what all was going to be said, the only reason he was here was to support his girlfriend and help her through this. It wasn't to fight the bastard sitting just a few feet in front of him.

So unless he needed to intervene, Matt knew it best to just stay quiet, or he'd likely only cause more problems for Gabby. And that was the last thing he wanted.

When Bryan seemed to realize he wasn't getting anything out of Casey, he moved his attention back towards Gabby, the woman having yet to look away from him as he saw a deep, dark look in her eyes. One he only knew how to describe as hatred. Though he wasn't fazed by it, Bryan continuing to smile as he leaned back in his chair.

"You look good, Gabby." He complimented, his words immediately making her feel like she needed a shower, as Matt's body tensed up once more in the seat beside her. "Just like I remembered…"

"Why did you want me to come here?" She questioned, her voice sounding a bit rough and scratchy as it was the first time she'd spoken since coming inside, Gabby's throat feeling a lot more dry than she realized as Bryan's head tilted to the side slightly.

"Just jumping right into this, I see… Glad to see you haven't changed a bit." He responded, stepping around her question as Gabby swallowed thickly.

"Bryan…" She spoke once more, the man blowing out a heavy breath.

"You want the honest answer?" He asked her, Gabby slowly nodding. "...I just wanted to see you again. I missed you." He spoke, his words leaving a bad taste in her mouth as she couldn't hide the growing look of disgust on her face. "So I asked you to come here and see me, and you did… Though I could've done without your knight in shining armor tagging along." He added on, his eyes flickering towards Casey for a moment before looking back to Gabby.

"Which, speaking of, I'm not even sure why he's here… What, you think I was gonna hurt you or something?" He asked with a slight grin, Matt knowing if not for the glass between them he likely would've punched that look right off his face. "Need Casey here to protect you?"

"It wouldn't be the first time you've hurt me." Gabby replied roughly, Bryan's face faltering for a moment before he quickly recovered, a slight huff escaping his lips. "But Matt's here because I asked him to be, that's it." She added on, the sharpness in her tone not going unnoticed by either of them as Bryan's eyebrows raised up slightly, while Casey's hardened face stayed locked on Walker.

It took a moment for Bryan to respond, the man glancing between the two of them before clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth, Walker crossing his arms over his chest as he spoke up. "Well, isn't that just so sweet." He replied dryly, Gabby's jaw clenching as she was trying to not give in to his combative demeanor. Because she knew from personal experience that it rarely ended well.

But as Bryan continued talking, it became harder and harder for her to keep a level head, as all the fear and uncertainty she'd been feeling when she first got here was gradually being replaced by something else entirely; and that was anger.

"It's so nice of you to bring your little boyfriend here to support you, but there's no reason for him to be here." He continued on, Gabby's eyes narrowing in a tight glare as they watched each other. "He can go, and then we'll talk."

"Excuse me?" Gabby questioned, her body tense in annoyance as Bryan cocked his head to the side, Matt shaking his head slightly as he knew he wasn't going anywhere.

"You heard me." He repeated, his rough voice causing her to sit up a little straighter. "Tell Casey to leave, you don't need a babysitter." He continued, Matt feeling more and more fury begin to fill his body as Bryan wouldn't give it up.

"He's not going anywhere." She stood her ground, Gabby leaning forward in her seat slightly as her dark eyes watched him. "You wanted me here, so here I am… But that means Matt is here, too." She continued to challenge him, as she was tired of letting him control how she reacted. "I'm not sure what you want to talk to me about, or why you think it's so important for us to be alone, but it's not gonna happen… I have no interest in being alone in the same room as the guy who used to beat me."

The words left her lips quickly, Gabby snapping them out before she could even hesitate as she continued to glare at the man across from her, Matt glancing towards her for a quick moment as he was a bit stunned by the abruptness of the words that had come out of her mouth. But a part of him was glad she'd said them, as Walker deserved to be confronted by what he'd done.

"Yeah, well I'm pretty sure the glass keeps me from doing that, even if I wanted to…" Bryan spat back, Casey unable to stop his jaw from tightening in anger, as he couldn't stand the way the man spoke to her. "But it doesn't even matter, I didn't ask you to come here to fuck with you, or to hurt you, I just wanted you to come here so we could talk… I just didn't think we'd have an audience." He blurted out, Matt picking up on his clear frustration, as he assumed it had everything to do with Gabby refusing to do what he wanted.

"If you want to talk, then talk." She countered quickly, Gabby sparing a glance at her boyfriend before looking back towards Walker.

She could see it in his eyes that he didn't want to give in, but eventually he came to accept that he had no other choice, Bryan releasing an annoyed breath before he nodded. "...Fine." He muttered, the man bringing his hand up to run along the side of his face before he continued. "The real reason I wanted you to come here was so we could talk, about everything that happened, everything I did," Bryan started, Gabby unsure of where he was going with this.

"And being in here, for a second time, I've had some time to think… About all of it. And I'm gonna have a lot more time to think over what all happened between us, but I guess the point of all this is that I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry." He breathed out, her face blank as she couldn't quite believe what she was hearing. And Casey couldn't either. "I'm sorry for everything I did, and for hurting you… Everything that happened after we broke up, and I just… I went too far. And I wanted you to know that I am sorry."

Gabby kept her eyes on him as his words sunk in, a rush of different emotions beginning to cloud her mind as she wasn't sure what to make of what had told her. But even more than that, it was how he had told her, his voice a sharp contrast from what it had been when they first got here, as the soft tone almost made her think he truly was sincere in what he was saying.

Almost.

"...You're sorry." She repeated quietly, Bryan keeping his eyes on her as Matt turned her direction as well, his face softening the second he looked at her as he could see her trying to make sense of what Walker had just told her.

But she couldn't, because there was nothing to make sense of.

Because it wasn't the truth.

He wasn't sorry, and all of them knew it. And even if he was, his apologies meant nothing to her anymore, Gabby shaking her head roughly before sliding her seat back slightly while she could feel his eyes on her.

"You wanted me to come all the way here, just to tell me that." She continued on, her muscles beginning to tighten as she felt herself becoming more and more irritated by the minute. And Bryan could sense it, which then caused him to become a little angry, as well.

"Yeah, I did." He pushed back, Gabby swallowing thickly before shaking her head from side to side. "I figured I should, with everything that happened… I'm letting you know I messed up, so yeah, I'm sorry-"

"No you're not." She cut him off, Bryan narrowing her eyes in her direction as he sat up a little taller. "You're not sorry for what you did, at all."

"Yes, I am." He responded roughly. "I just told you I was… I hurt you, and I'm sorry for that. I figured you'd want to know, so you could..."

"What?" She cut him off, a deep scoff leaving her lips as she shook her head. "So I can what? … Forgive you? You really think some half-assed apology was gonna fix what you did to me?" She snapped angrily as she was unable to hold back any longer, Matt's entire focus now on her as he could see her becoming more and more outraged by the second. "Nothing can fix that, you can't undo what you did to me. And dragging me out here for some bullshit apology just so you can make yourself feel better doesn't do anything." She bit back, Bryan's defenses rising instantly.

"If you would just-"

"You're not sorry, Bryan!" She interjected once more, her pain and frustration evident as Casey watched her with sad eyes. "You're not sorry for what you did, and we both know it… If someone is sorry, it'll happen once, maybe twice. But what you did?" She spoke before letting out an angry breath. "If you felt any remorse at all, you never would've done it. It never would've happened again, but it did… It kept happening, over and over and over again. When we were together, when we weren't together- you kept hurting me."

"Gabby…"

"You abused me, and stalked me. You terrorized me, to the point where I couldn't even go to work, or be at my own home without being worried about what you'd do to me. You did all of that, because you wanted to, and because you could. So don't try and say now that you're sorry, because we both know you're not…" She told him, her heavy words hitting his ears harshly as he watched her. "This isn't about me. This is about you, because you never cared about me. You never loved me."

Something hardened in his eyes when she said that, Bryan immediately shaking his head as he inched closer to the glass. "Yes, I did." He told her, but she wanted none of it, Gabby biting down on the inside of her cheek roughly before she responded.

"No, you didn't. Because if you did, you never would've been able to do the things you did to me." She told him, her voice a bit softer than it had been moments prior as a look of what could only be described as malice flashed in Bryan's eyes. "And this, what you're doing now, it's not for me… You're not sorry for what you did, so save it."

Am unmistakable tension filled the air around them once Gabby finished, her chest nearly heaving up and down as she tried to catch her breath, while Matt began to gently rub his hand back and forth over her leg, the man doing what he'd promised as continued to be a quiet support system by her side.

But on the other side of the glass, Bryan was practically seething as he sat there and watched them, Gabby's words ringing around in his head, almost like they were taunting him. And he couldn't stand it, Bryan getting more enraged by the second as there was one thought that kept moving to the forefront of his mind. One he couldn't help but voice, as her sitting across from him all indignant was driving him crazy.

"Why did you come here?" He spat after a moment, Gabby swallowing back the lump that she couldn't seem to get out of her throat before she met his gaze, finding nothing but hostility waiting for her. "Clearly you didn't come here to actually listen to what I have to say, considering you haven't believed a word I've said. And I know you don't want to talk to me, unless you're here to relive the good old days." He continued on with a proud look, the insinuation of his words enough to make Casey want to knock him out. "Then given how we left things, I doubt you actually wanted to see me," He added on, Gabby feeling Matt hold onto her leg a little tighter, like he was doing all he could to protect her from what Bryan was saying.

"...Last I remember, you were screaming at me, hitting me, telling me how much you hated me. How you wanted nothing to do with me, and that we had nothing to talk about… Yet you're still sitting here." He challenged her, Bryan unable to stop the slight smirk that tugged on his lips when he saw her resolve start to crack. "You came here for a reason, and I want to know why."

It got quiet again, Gabby's face remaining blank as she thought over what he was asking of her, the smug grin written over his face enough to make her want to get up and leave, and never come back. And she knew she could, if that's what she wanted, because she owed him nothing.

If all the progress she'd made to heal, and all the therapy she'd done, had taught her anything, it was that Bryan Walker deserved nothing from her anymore. So if she wanted to walk out of here right this second, she could.

But the longer they sat here, the more she realized she didn't want to. Because she wanted him to hear what she had to say. And with Matt here by her side, that gave her the courage to say it.

"The truth is… I came here thinking you'd have an answer for why you did what you did." She breathed out after what had to have been a full minute, her words evidently taking Walker by surprise as his face fell a bit. "If you could tell me why you hurt me for so long, because you never actually did… You never told me why you did it." She spoke strongly, Bryan at a loss for words for the first time in a long time.

"You've given me excuses, and you've blamed me for it… That I deserved it. And you've tried to explain it away… You've done everything except tell me why you abused me. So I came here, hoping you'd give me an answer." She told him, her voice getting softer by the second as she pushed on. "That you could explain to me why you put me through that… But sitting here, and seeing you again, I've realized there isn't an answer."

His head snapped up at her words, Gabby's face never faltering as they locked eyes with one another, Bryan's breathing beginning to quicken as he could feel a few dozen different emotions welling up in his chest. But before he could even figure out what he was feeling, she continued on.

"At least there isn't a good one, because there was nothing I did to deserve what happened to me… You just did it because you knew you could." She got out, Gabby shaking her head roughly before she continued on. "Because you knew I loved you, and you could take advantage of that… You did it because you felt like you needed someone to control, someone you could have power over. But what you did? That doesn't make you strong, Bryan… It makes you weak." She spat, each word causing him to become more and more angry.

But she didn't care.

"And because of this, and what you did… Now everyone knows that, too. They know how truly weak you are, and they always will." She told him, watching as his skin began to turn red despite the fact that he hadn't said anything, Gabby refusing to back down as she moved a bit closer to the edge of her seat. "So that's why I'm here, to tell you that. And to show you that no matter how hard you tried, you didn't break me." She spoke firmly, despite the few tears she could feel welling in her eyes at how important it was for her to say those words.

Even weeks ago, she never would've been able to say that out loud, as for the longest time she worried that he had ruined her. That because of what he had engrained in her, she spent so much time feeling like she wasn't good enough. But now, she knew just how wrong he'd been. And all those things she used to believe, the things he'd made her believe, she knew they weren't true.

And getting to say that to the man in front of her was one of the most empowering feelings in the world.

"You wanted to break me down, and make me feel worthless, but you didn't… Because I know now that the only person who's broken here is you." She told him, seeing a flash of something she couldn't quite read appear in his eyes. "And now I'm out here, living an amazing life, with people who love and care about me. While you're stuck in there, alone. Which is what you deserve for the rest of your life." She said sharply, watching his face tighten as she was sure there were hundreds of things he was wanting to say to her right now. But she refused to let him get a word in.

"And I want you to know that this, right here, is the last time you'll ever see me. I never want to be near you, or talk to you again. Because I am done letting you be a part of my life, and I want nothing to do with you anymore."

"Gabby-"

"You're a monster, Bryan." She cut him off, her mouth moving faster than her brain as she knew this was her last chance to get all of this off her chest, while Walker was as livid as she'd ever seen him. "You're nothing but a monster, who hurts the people he pretends to love. And whatever happens to you now, I don't care… Because you've earned every terrible thing that's coming your way." She spat out, before saying the last few words on her mind.

"And I hope you rot in here, like you should have last time."

Her breath caught in her throat just as she finished talking, Gabby knowing she had nothing left to say while his dark eyes were trained on her, Bryan wearing an enraged look she knew well. But she did what she could to ignore it, Gabby sparing a knowing glance towards her boyfriend before they slowly got up, Matt following her lead as he knew she was ready to go.

But Bryan wouldn't let her get away that easy.

"You're gonna regret saying that." He threatened through gritted teeth, Dawson drawing in a deep breath as she stopped, the woman turning back towards him before she slowly shook her head.

"No… I won't." She told him honestly, her simple words enough to show him just how much she meant every bit of what she'd said, Gabby not giving him any time to think of a response before she spoke up once last time. "Goodbye, Bryan."

And with that she walked away, Matt following close behind her as they headed for the exit, while Bryan yelled something after her, clearly trying to get her to stop. But she didn't, Dawson tuning him out as she continued walking straight ahead, the woman not stopping till they'd made their way back out into the parking lot.

Neither of them had said a word, Matt walking behind her the entire time, almost as if he was instinctively keeping that distance between her and Walker, even though he had no way of getting to her. But in his mind, it helped him feel better, as Casey wasn't sure how else to help her as he had no idea what was going through Gabby's head right now. Though when she stopped just short of his truck, he had a feeling he was about to find out, snow still falling down around them as Gabby slowly turned to face him.

And when she did, he couldn't help the immediate frown that formed over his face when he saw her, the tears sitting in her eyes breaking his heart as he reached out to rest his hands over her arms.

"Baby…"

"I'm- I'm okay." She told him, Gabby taking a steadying breath before she nodded. "I'm okay, I am… I feel better, I just-" She cut herself off, her head falling down towards the ground as she forced herself to take a few more breaths. "I feel like I- God, I can't believe this is over." She rambled out, repeating the words he'd said to her that day in the apartment as Gabby finally lifted her head back up, Matt watching as a few lone tears started to fall down her cold skin.

Their eyes focused on each other for a moment, Matt lifted his hand up to cradle her cheek before she gave him another reassuring nod, the conflicting emotions within her making it hard for her to gather herself as her bottom lip began to quiver up and down.

"...It's really over."

She barely got the words out before a cry left her lips, the brave face she'd been holding onto for so long finally breaking as Matt instantly pulled her into his arms, knowing that the best thing he could do for her right now was hold her. So that's exactly what he did, Casey hugging her body to his as her soft, quiet cries continued. But he knew they were good tears, and no matter how hard it was to listen to her cry, this was coming from a place of relief, as all her emotions from today were finally catching up to her.

"It is, it's over." He murmured while cradling her body to his chest, Gabby's arms wrapped tightly around him as she was desperate for as much comfort as he could give her. "...It's all over, and I'm so proud, baby. I'm so, so proud of you."

As they stood there in the cold weather, he continued whispering loving words of encouragement to her, Matt not daring to move until she was ready, as his one and only concern right now was making sure she was okay.

But deep down, he knew she was.

No matter how hard it had been to go in there and confront the man who had hurt her, he had complete faith that she would be alright. Because now, she had that closure she'd been searching for. She got what she needed to finally move on once and for all, and to let go of that last part of herself that was holding onto what all had happened.

And most importantly, she got what she needed to heal. And now that she had that, he knew there would be no more looking backwards. That this, right now, was like a brand new starting point for her.

Because Bryan was in her past, and now he always would be.