Hello there everyone! I've got the next chapter here for you all, and I hope you enjoy it! We're getting closer and closer to the Dawsey wedding, it's just a few weeks away now, so we're gonna see a little more into a few things that'll happen before we get there.

But that's pretty much all I've got for you all, thank you so much for reading. I hope you guys like this one, and I'll see you all next time!

Have a great rest of the week, everyone!

ONE HUNDRED AND TWELVE

The soft tick of the clock on the wall filled the otherwise silent room as Casey lay awake on his side of the bed, his eyes focused on the woman curled up beside him while she rested peacefully. It was still pretty early, earlier than he needed to be up and definitely too early for Gabby as well, so Matt took to just lying there while he waited for his alarm, as he didn't want to move and risk waking her up.

But he had no complaints, as moments like these were some of his favorite in the entire world. Getting to be here in their room together, holding onto the person he loved more than anyone else, it was one of the best feelings. One he was beyond grateful for, as he knew that he'd be able to do this for the rest of his life, Matt grinning softly at the thought before he pressed a soft and gentle kiss to the top of her head, the movement not stirring her one bit.

And he was glad for that, as no matter how many more mornings he'd get like this, he wanted to soak this one in a little more as today was the last time they'd be seeing each other for a few days.

Because today was the beginning of Gabby's bachelorette weekend.

It was only a couple weeks out from their wedding, and Shay felt it the perfect time to whisk Gabby away for a few days to have her bachelorette party, which consisted of the two of them, Camila, Nancy, and Christie all going to spend a few days up at a spa together to celebrate their upcoming wedding. And the best part about it was Matt knew how excited his girl was for this. Even though it may have not been the most conventional type of party, with the endless amounts of alcohol and strippers- despite Shay having made her fair share of jokes about hiring a male dancer dressed up as a firefighter, Gabby quickly vetoed any ideas about that as she wanted to go the more relaxing route for her bachelorette party.

He knew they'd go out to a few bars and have their fun, as Shay had already made some plans for that. And he wanted her to, he wanted Gabby to go and have a great time, but he also knew she didn't really want the typical type of party. That she was happy in her decision to just have a little weekend getaway trip with everyone. To have a few days to decompress and get away, to forget about the planning and the stress of everything and have a nice, easy weekend. That was exactly what she wanted, so that's what they were going to do.

While he, on the other hand, was going the more traditional route while the girls were out of town, Severide having already made their plans for bar-hopping tomorrow night as their method of celebration for the soon-to-be married man. Kelly had worked it all out, Matt just being told to show up as the two of them, along with some guys from 51, Antonio, and Ramon were all gonna be going out and having some harmless fun.

It would be a rather typical bachelor party, as far as he was concerned, aside from one thing. And that was going to a strip club.

Much like Shay had done with Gabby, Severide tried. He tried to make plans for their night to end at a club, as 'that's what you're supposed to do' according to Kelly. But Matt wanted no part of it, for so many reasons. The first being there was no way he'd feel comfortable going to a place like that with Ramon. To go into a strip club with the man that was about to become his father-in-law, Casey couldn't fathom the idea of that, while also being sure Ramon would feel the same way. And it wasn't just him, but Boden as well, and even Antonio. Matt knew there was just no way for that to happen and for everyone to feel comfortable.

But it was more than that as maybe most importantly, Casey just didn't want to go there. He had absolutely no desire to go and ogle other women, that didn't sound fun to him. Not when there was only one woman he wanted to see like that, it just wasn't something he wanted to do. And while he wasn't sure of Gabby's feelings towards the idea, he was sure she wasn't upset about him not wanting to go to a strip club.

It wasn't something the two of them had talked about, as Matt shut down the idea before it got to that point. So he wasn't sure how comfortable she was with the idea of him going there, if she would've cared at all or if it would have bothered her. Though if the latter was true, he surely would have never gone even if he wanted to. But he didn't, so they never even had the conversation.

And Casey made all of that abundantly clear to Severide, that going to a strip club wasn't something they'd be doing tomorrow night. Which Kelly wasn't necessarily happy about, but he'd gotten over it. Especially once Matt had all but threatened to take his best man title away if he didn't let it go, or worse, if he tried to surprise him with anything along those lines. So after that, once Severide truly realized Matt wasn't lying to him, he dropped it and never brought it up again.

Instead, the focus was put on where all they'd be going and how much fun they were going to have celebrating Casey's upcoming wedding. And that's what had Matt excited for tomorrow night, the man looking forward to just getting some time with all his friends, while being able to celebrate him and Gabby. That's exactly what he wanted his bachelor party to be about.

Movement by his side pulled him from his thoughts, Casey glancing down to see Gabby shifting against him a bit while she slowly woke up, the thin sheet covering her otherwise bare body moving with her as she instinctively turned into him until her head was pressed into his chest.

"Good morning, baby." He murmured after he heard her let out a soft groan, the sound bringing that smile back to his face as she dug deeper into his hold.

"Morning." She replied, her voice muffled by his body as she brought her arm around to rest over his torso. "What time is it?"

"It's pretty early." He replied, hearing her sigh once more before she reluctantly lifted her head up, Matt smiling at her as soon as he saw her while her unruly morning hair framed around her face, his hand reaching up to smooth some of it down before he leaned forward to capture her lips in a gentle kiss. She wasn't quite awake enough to really reciprocate the gesture, but she tried regardless, Gabby smiling against him until he pulled away. "I've gotta get up for work here soon, but you should try and get more sleep."

She yawned in response before nodding, Matt continuing to rub along the back of her head while she propped herself up against his chest, Gabby slowly becoming more and more awake as the minutes went by.

"I'll probably just stay up… I still need to pack everything." She reminded him after letting out another yawn, her free hand running lightly over his sternum while they laid together. "I think Shay's supposed to be here at ten to get me, then we're all meeting over at my parent's house."

"Sounds good." He replied, stroking his thumb along her cheek bone. "I hope you all have a great time."

"Thank you, I think it'll be fun." She whispered in response, moving her head down to press a light kiss to his chest before she lifted herself back up. "And I hope you have a good time, too… Though I think we need to get you one of those pins or something, that says you're engaged. That way it might keep the women at all these bars from trying to hit on you." She teased, Casey chuckling dryly as he shook his head.

"You think women will want me, huh?" He joked back, seeing the sly grin that formed over her face before she shrugged.

"Well, I know I did." She responded proudly, Casey smiling wide as he let out another laugh. "But no, in all seriousness, I know you guys will have a fun time. Just be careful."

"We will, babe." He assured her, his hand sliding down to her back before he guided her towards him for another kiss, Gabby ready this time as she kissed him back. Their movements were innocent enough, the two just happy to be together for a few long seconds before slowly pulling back when they heard his alarm start to go off.

Blowing out a soft sigh, Matt let his head fall back on the pillow while he reached over to grab his phone from the nightstand, Gabby staying in her spot over his chest as she watched him grab the device and turn off the alarm, the process taking all of a few seconds before his attention was back on her.

"Guess that's my cue to get up." He told her, Gabby giving him a small smile while she nodded, though she made no effort to move off of him.

"You know, it's gonna be weird." She said somewhat suddenly, Casey's head tilted to the side as his eyebrows raised.

"Hmm?"

"Not going into work with you today." Dawson elaborated, a knowing look soon shining in his eyes.

"Ahh, yeah.. It definitely will be." He agreed. "The house is always different when you're not there."

"Yeah… You think you guys can manage without me and Shay?" She asked him with a gentle smile, one that met her eyes as Matt let out a deep chuckle.

"Probably not, but we'll try." He added on, while continuing to rub his hand along her bare back. "I do know everyone will miss you, though."

Gabby's eyebrows rose slightly before she moved a bit closer to him, her lips mere inches from his as he watched her every move. "...And what about you?" Gabby questioned, her voice barely audible over her breath as his eyes focused on her mouth. "Are you gonna miss me, too?"

"More than you know." He answered without a thought, her smile widening before she leaned down to give him a slow, loving kiss. "But I think it'll be good for you, to have this weekend with them. And to get some time away and just focus on yourself before you're stuck with me forever." He joked, Gabby laughing softly before shaking her head, their eyes soon meeting yet again as he pulled her closer. "...Just try to remember that I love you, you know."

"I do." She replied with an easy grin. "And if I had any doubts, I think you proved yourself last night." She teased him back, those words earning a light laugh from him while she rubbed her hand over his chest, the mention of their rather spirited night together one that was hard to forget. Things had all been normal enough, the pair spending the evening at Molly's with their friends, but as soon as they got home and came crashing through the door, it was clear which direction their night was headed as it took no time at all for their clothes to be shed and for them to end up right where they were laying now, Matt certainly showing his appreciation for her in more ways than she'd been able to handle.

But it was an amazing night, and the perfect way to spend their last few hours together before they'd go their separate ways for the weekend.

"Well," Matt started after clearing his throat, "I hope there aren't any doubts."

Gabby smiled softly back at him, their eyes staying locked together while they held onto each other. "There aren't… I could never doubt us." She responded, her strong tone causing his grin to widen before he recaptured her lips with his.

But this time neither of them pulled away, Matt tightening his hold on her as she brought her hand down to steady herself. There was nothing rushed or frantic about their movements, just slow and easy kisses. One's neither of them would ever get tired of as Casey used what little time he had left before work to enjoy this time with his girl, the couple refusing to separate until he had no choice but to get up and get ready for their first day apart.

Casey let out a heavy breath while he jumped down from the rig, the house returning from their first call of the day that happened to be a rough one, as he could practically feel the soot layering his skin. They'd been called out to a nasty fire, the flames claiming more than one life before they could get there as the entire building was engulfed when they arrived. But, as always, they helped who they could, 81 and squad 3 pulling the victims out of the building as quickly and safely as they could before they started tackling the fire.

Overall, it hadn't necessarily been a pleasant call, but it was over and done with. All they could do now was forget it and move on. Though there was the little voice in the back of his mind telling him that he couldn't help but feel glad that Gabby hadn't been here to see it.

Letting out another sigh, Casey shrugged out of his turnout coat before hanging it up on the side of the rig, all the firefighters around him going through the similar process of shedding their gear before they started heading inside, Matt bending down to tie up his boots before following their path.

"So, Lieutenant." Herrmann started as they walked towards the double doors, Matt looking up to see him, Severide, and Cruz all grouped together. "The girls are already off on that bachelorette party, huh?" He asked, Matt smiling softly as he pulled the door open, before stepping inside.

"They are, yeah… They left about an hour ago." He explained while the rest of the men filtered in behind him.

"Well, I hope they have a nice time.. Though we'll definitely have to give them shit for skipping out on work." Cruz laughed, Matt chuckling softly while he shook his head.

"Yeah, I'll let you all handle that." Casey responded with his hands up, his reaction earning some more laughs. "And besides, the floaters we have today seem good." He added on, earning a few nods from his coworkers.

The two paramedics covering on 61- Adams and Kennedy, were two newer medics, ones that no one at 51 had ever worked with before. But they seemed nice enough, and handled themselves well out there on their first call. Which is all you could ask for of a floater.

"That's true, but it'll still be nice to have Shay and Dawson back next shift." Cruz added on, Matt and Severide both giving him an agreeing nod before Joe spoke up once more. "Oh, and while we're on the subject… We're still on for your bachelor party tomorrow night, right?"

"Mhmm." Casey hummed in response, as Severide clasped him on the shoulder. "We're meeting at Molly's at 7, then we'll go from there."

"Yeah, I've already got all the bars and everything picked out, it's gonna be a great night." Severide chimed in loudly, Casey holding back a laugh as Herrmann eyed the two of them.

"Severide seems a little more excited for this than you, Casey." The older man joked, Matt giving him a shrug while they continued into the common room.

"The whole bachelor party tradition… Not really my thing." He replied lightly, Herrmann giving him a smile before he nodded. "But it'll be fun, getting to hang out with all the guys and everything. I'm looking forward to it." He continued, the two men sharing another look before they started moving in different directions.

But neither of them got very far before the bells rang out again, the entire room stopping what they were doing as they listened to truck and squad being called out to a car accident, the first responders getting up and heading back out towards the garage while silently hoping their busy morning wasn't a sign of how the rest of their shift would go.

"Dawson, you almost ready?" Shay called from the bathroom while Gabby sat at the desk in their spacious room at the hotel, the woman glancing back in that direction before she spoke up.

"Yeah, just give me a few more minutes." She replied back, hearing a sound of acknowledgement from her friend before the two women went back to getting ready for their first night out, one all of them were looking forward to after their incredible first day here at the spa.

They'd arrived earlier today, a little after noon, as their destination wasn't too far out of the city. And even though they'd only been here for a few hours, they all felt right at home here as this place was absolutely amazing. They'd only had time for a few treatments so far, Gabby opting for a facial as well as spending some time in the sauna, but it had all been great. From the amenities, to the hotel and the staff, to all the different treatments and options they had to choose from, from the moment they arrived their first day was wonderful.

Especially once she found out that Shay had arranged for her to get the special bridal package during their stay. Which was something she hadn't known until they got here.

Though it was known they were coming to celebrate Gabby and the upcoming wedding, Dawson wasn't aware of what all they were doing as Shay had taken care of almost everything. So when they got here and she found out she had her whole three days booked and planned for her, with special upgrades and accommodations for the bride-to-be, she was so thrilled. And she made sure to let Shay, and everyone else, know how grateful she was for what they'd done for her.

But now their first day of treatments were over, it was time for them to head out to what Gabby knew to be the thing Shay was most looking forward to, and that was the bars. The blonde already planned it all out which bars they'd be going to tonight, where they would have some fun before they continued on with their relaxing day of massages and therapies tomorrow.

"Alright, I think I'm good to go." Shay's voice filtered into her head, Gabby's vision coming into focus just as her friend walked out of the bathroom, Shay almost immediately putting her hands on her hips before narrowing her eyes towards Dawson. "And you're not even dressed yet, I thought you said you were almost ready?"

"I said give me a few more minutes." She clarified with a raised brow, Shay rolling her eyes before she continued moving towards the bed.

"Yeah, yeah… Just hurry up. Your mom told us we need to be downstairs by nine, at the latest." She responded while sitting down, Gabby shooting her a look before she turned back around in her seat and continued to work on her makeup.

"Well, I think since I'm the whole reason we're going out, to celebrate my wedding, it'll be okay if we're a few minutes late." She told her, Shay scoffing lightly while she watched her friend.

"Knowing your mom and how she loves to keep a schedule? Yeah, I know even you don't believe that." She joked, Gabby biting down on her lip to stifle her laughter before she went back to putting on a bit of mascara.

"Okay, you have a point." She gave in, Shay smirking proudly as the two went quiet for a moment, the blonde giving her a chance to finish up her makeup before she got up and walked over to her bags, Gabby quietly moving her things around until she found an outfit she liked.

"So…" Shay spoke up after a few minutes, tired of the quiet surrounding them as Gabby glanced her way. "Nancy's going out with us tonight too, right?" She answered, Dawson pausing for a moment before she nodded.

"As far as I know, yeah." She responded. "I'm not sure if her or my mom will stay out as late as the rest of us, but she's gonna go for a bit at least."

"Good, that's good." Shay mused, earning another nod from her friend before she continued. "And, uh… it looks like her and Christie seem to be doing alright." She added on carefully, Gabby meeting her gaze as she gave a weak smile in return.

Though it had only been a few hours, Shay's words were right; Nancy and Christie had done well being together again for the first time really since that dinner party a couple weeks back. There was no animosity, or awkwardness. They were just able to be around each other and have a nice time. And that's all Gabby wanted, not only for her but for Matt too, the woman knowing how important this was for him as her fiancé had thanked her endlessly for inviting the both of them on this trip with Shay and her mother. Even though she wouldn't have wanted it any other way, considering they were both family and should be here. But she was just glad that not only had they both agreed to come, but they were seeming to have a nice time.

"Yeah, they are… Nancy's loving being here, and I think Christie is too. She's been stressed with work, and then raising a kid and everything, so it'll be good for her." Gabby eventually responded. "I think it'll be good for all of us."

"Definitely." Shay agreed, sensing her friend wanted to move on from the subject.

"Alright, well so my mom doesn't send out a search party, I'm gonna go and get dressed real quick." She told her, Shay giving her a nod before Gabby disappeared into the bathroom.

She was only gone for a few minutes before she stepped back out into the room, Shay blowing out a slight whistle as she glanced over her friend. Dawson wasn't wearing anything fancy, just a lace top and a pair of fitted dark jeans, but based on Shay's reaction she must've looked better than she realized.

"Damn, Gabs… Forget all the men drooling over you, I might not be able to stop myself from hitting on you tonight." She spoke, Gabby scoffing slightly as she made her way back over to the desk.

"Yeah, that's not different from any other night." She teased back, Shay reaching out to swat at her as she passed before Gabby made her way to the table.

"True, but at least tonight I get to come home with you." Shay replied, Dawson rolling her eyes as she leaned her weight against the counter, before reaching down to grab her phone, her gaze moving over the screen as a soft smile began to form across her face. "...Oh, I know that look." The blonde huffed out after watching her, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip while glancing up at her. "That's your 'I'm so madly in love with my man and I miss him' look, even though it hasn't even been a day." She teased her, Dawson faking a glare in her direction. "I take it he messaged you?"

"He called, left a voicemail." She replied, Shay giving her a knowing nod before she waved her hand in the air.

"It's alright, go ahead and listen to it… But when we're late, I want it known it wasn't my fault." Shay said, Gabby shaking her head in amusement before she brought her phone up to her ear to listen to the message Matt had left.

'Hey baby, I was hoping I'd be able to catch you before you went out, but I must've missed you… I just wanted to check in, see how you're doing. It's been pretty busy around here today, so be glad you weren't on shift… I could probably keep rambling, but I won't keep you. I just hope you all are having a nice time, and I'll talk to you later. I miss you babe, but we'll see each other soon.. Alright, I love you. Bye.'

Gabby's smile covered most of her features by the time his message had finished, the sound of his voice alone enough to make her weak in the knees as his words replayed over and over in her head, Dawson pausing for one last moment before bringing her phone away from her ear.

"Is he good?" Shay asked, Gabby breathing in deeply before she nodded.

"He is… I guess work has been busy, but he's doing well. Just wanted to check in."

"Alright, that's good." Shay responded before pushing herself up off the bed. "But that's enough about lover boy… We're here to celebrate your last little bit of freedom, so grab your purse and let's go." She said, smacking Gabby's ass as she passed her to get to the door, Dawson letting out a heavy scoff before she grabbed her things and headed after her.

"You ready for another round, Lieutenant?" A tipsy Herrmann asked him as the group of men were gathered around the large table, the bachelor party at what Casey thought to be their third bar of the night, Matt holding his hand up before shaking his head.

"I think I'm good to sit this one out, but you all go ahead." He replied, Herrmann nodding before he heard Ramon's laugh come from beside him, Casey turning in that direction to find his almost father-in-law watching him with an amused grin.

"Tapping out already, son?" The completely sober man asked him, he and Boden having been the ones who offered to make sure everyone got from place to place safely as a much more drunk Casey waved him off.

"I'm good, just… Need a minute to rally." He spoke after gathering his thoughts that were in an alcohol-induced haze, Ramon finding the sight rather funny as in all the time he'd known Matt, he'd never seen him drunk. At least not to this extent.

"Yeah, it'll probably be more than a few minutes." Severide joked from across the table, Cruz laughing animatedly beside him as Matt shook his head. "Case can't hold his liquor nearly as well as he used to."

Casey held his hand up in the air, like he was getting ready to refute his statement, though he didn't say anything at first, it taking a few seconds before he was able to respond. "Well, that's because I don't drink nearly as much as I used to." He responded, his eyes narrowing a bit before he whipped his head back to Ramon. "That sounded bad, I wasn't an alcoholic." He defended himself, Ramon stifling a laugh before he reached out to pat him on the shoulder.

"I know, Matthew." He assured him, Casey grinning back at him before he reached down to take a few sips of his water, just as Herrmann came back to the table with a tray full of beers and a couple shots.

"Man, it's weird not being able to just go behind the bar and get this stuff. But here's our next round, guys… May want to drink up though Casey, cause they put this one on the house." Herrmann explained, Matt raising his eyebrows a bit. "For the lucky man getting married." He added on, Christopher's words causing the table to cheer as Matt smiled wide.

"Alright, alright I guess I can't say no to that." He replied before reaching for another beer, his friends doing more of the same while Ramon and Boden sipped on their sodas.

"So, Ramon." Herrmann started as he regained his seat. "We've talked all about Casey tonight, but I wanna hear from you… What's it like to be getting another son, soon?" He asked, nodding over to Antonio who let out a soft chuckle, the other men soon following suit as Ramon gave a light shrug.

"Well, I'd say it's great. But it also doesn't feel anything different than it does now." He told him, Herrmann nodding before he took another sip of his beer. "Camila and I are just excited, about the wedding and for Matthew to officially become a part of the family… We've been looking forward to that ever since he came to us and asked to propose."

"Aww, how cute." Severide said, Matt rolling his eyes while the rest of the table laughed.

"Yes, yes, it's adorable." Ramon played along. "But no, it's just a great thing. And we couldn't be more happy for Gabriela, and Matthew… Though I will say, back when I first met Matt, I would've never thought then that the half-naked man standing in my daughter's apartment would become my son-in-law."

Casey's eyes widened as loud laughs were soon heard around the table, the firefighter shaking his head while Ramon let out a hearty chuckle.

"Wait, what?" Boden asked.

"Oh don't tell me, how in the world did that happen?" Cruz asked lightly, Matt starting to sober up quickly as Ramon patted his shoulder once more.

"...I was hoping you'd forgotten about that." Matt got out, Ramon laughing again before shaking his head.

"Trust me son, I'll never forget that."

"What are you talking about?" Boden asked again, Casey letting out a breath as Ramon cocked his head to the side.

"The first time I met Matthew…"

"What? Was he sneaking out of Dawson's place?" Severide snickered, Matt glaring before kicking him underneath the table, his words combined with Casey's action causing the rest of the men to laugh yet again.

"No, it wasn't anything like that… But Camila and I did show up unannounced to Gabriela's apartment, and good old Matthew, he answered the door. Clearly not expecting the company." He began to explain, more chuckles and amused looks coming from around the table as Matt shook his head.

"It was after that structure fire, where Gabby and I fell through the floor." Casey added on, earning more understanding glances.

"Ahh."

"Yeah, that night you got discharged from the hospital and all you wanted to do was go and see Dawson, you practically threatened me to take you there." Severide continued on, the alcohol in his system inhibiting any sort of filter he had as Casey gave him another swift kick, while the men around them laughed.

"Anyway, it was that next morning. Gabby was asleep and I was out in the living room, and- Let's just say Ramon's right, I wasn't expecting anyone." He told them, while Ramon patted his back. "Then when they knocked, I thought it was Shay, so I didn't bother getting dressed."

Those last words elicited more laughter from the drunken group, Matt hanging his head down a bit while they had a good time at his expense.

"Yeah, after getting to know you better I always figured it was something like that." Ramon continued on. "At the time, I wasn't thrilled… But then when I found out who he was, I felt a little better."

"You knew him before you met?" Severide asked, his sentence not entirely making sense. But thankfully, Ramon knew what he meant.

"I knew of him, because of Gabriela." He spoke with the gentlest smile over his face. "Camila and I both, we'd heard about him here and there. We didn't know who he was, but we knew he was someone special to our daughter… We just didn't realize how special. But that day after that accident was the first time we were able to put a face with the name. And he's been a part of our lives ever since."

"Wow." Boden mused.

"Yeah… It definitely wasn't the most conventional meeting. But that half-naked man in my daughter's apartment turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to her. Even if I didn't know it at the time." Ramon continued on, Casey feeling a rise of emotion starting to swell in his throat. "And I'm so grateful to know he's gonna be in her life, and ours, forever."

Matt swallowed thickly, his eyes meeting Ramon's before the older man gave him a strong, assuring nod. One Casey didn't necessarily need, but it was nice to have as he nodded back at him, their sweet moment soon interrupted by the sound of Severide's drunken voice.

"Yeah, you've definitely gotta tell that story at the wedding reception, Ramon." He said with a grin, those words earning more laughs from everyone as Casey shook his head, Ramon rubbing over Matt's back before they returned their full attention back to the rest of the group, all of them looking forward to spending the rest of the night and well into the morning celebrating Casey, and his upcoming marriage to the love of his life.