Hello there everyone, I'm back with the next chapter for you all. In this one we're gonna see more of what happened after that accident, which I think you all are looking forward to. So I hope you enjoy it! I had a great time writing this one.

Thank you so much for reading everyone. I hope you all are having a nice week, and I'll see you all next time!

Happy reading!

***UPDATE APRIL 28TH: Hey everyone, I just wanted to leave a quick note to you all and let you know I won't be able to get a chapter posted for you guys today. That certainly was not my intention, especially after I wasn't able to update my other story on Monday, but this week has been pretty rough. I was hoping to be able to get a chapter done for you all today, but on Monday night I broke my foot and that's sort of thrown my whole week off. But I'm hoping to try and get everything settled here soon and get back to my regular updates next week. Thank you all so much for your patience, and I'll see you all next time.

ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN

Dawson tapped her pen against the stack of paperwork in front of her, her eyes doing their best to focus on the writing on the page. But with the insanity going on around her, that wasn't the easiest task in the world. There were what seemed to be an endless amount of paramedics, firemen, doctors, and nurses all bustling around the emergency room, the hospital a revolving door of first responders while they tried to help whoever they could. And while that wasn't unusual, there was something about it that felt different.

It was busier than normal, or that's what it seemed like at least, there being an almost tense feeling in the air while the medical staff continued to run around. Gabby couldn't be entirely sure what the cause was for the intensity here, but she had a pretty good feeling that it had everything to do with the man and child 51 had brought in maybe twenty minutes ago.

And how they were very important to one particular doctor here at Lakeshore.

Dawson stood frozen down by the car while her eyes looked over Blake Jacobs, the firefighter still completely unresponsive while he sat there with his head lulled forward, blood covering his skin, completely unaware of anything that was happening around him. Or the cries coming from his child in the backseat.

"Casey!" Herrmann yelled, those words forcing Gabby from her state of shock as she turned to see the confused looks from 81's firefighters. Looks that came from Matt's clear hesitation, as with one glance she could see him still focusing on the man inside that car. "Lieutenant, what do you want us to do here?"

Dawson blinked quickly a few times, her gaze moving between the car and Matt before she managed to walk the couple steps back to him, knowing everyone's attention was on them. She wasn't sure what to do here, if Casey would be able to continue on this call or if they should get another officer over here. All she did know is that Blake Jacobs and his son needed help, and they had to get them out of this car sooner rather than later.

"Matt…" She prompted, reaching out to place her hand over his arm and give it a gentle squeeze.

Between her touch and the sound of her voice, that was enough to pull Matt from whatever haze he'd been in, the Lieutenant's eyes snapping back into focus before he cleared his throat and suddenly started barking orders. It had all happened so abruptly, like within seconds he remembered where he was and what was going on. But that didn't stop him from starting to relay information to his firefighters.

"Herrmann, Mouch- we need to work on getting this car stabilized. Jenkins, see if you can get in the backseat and check on that kid. Shay, we need the child neck brace out of the rig, go and get it then help Jenkins… Dawson, I want you up here with me."

The words left his lips so quickly it took a moment for everyone else to register them. But soon enough they all moved into action, Herrmann and Mouch hurrying back over to the rig while Shay followed quickly in that direction, to grab everything they'd need to help the child in the back.

But Gabby was having a hard time focusing on that. At least for a split second, as all she could pay attention to was her husband while he started to peer back into the car, Gabby noticing him draw in a slow breath, almost like he was steadying himself, before he got back to work.

"...Matt." She spoke softly, her voice barely carrying through the chaos in the air surrounding them.

But he heard her regardless, Casey snapping out of Lieutenant mode for the second time on this call as he glanced towards his wife, only to be met by a concerned and uncertain look resting over her face.

"Are you…"

"I'm fine." He told her, seeing her blink a few times while registering his words before he gave her a strong nod.

"Okay." She responded, the two sharing one last look before they returned their complete attention back to the man in front of them, Casey and Dawson doing all they could to help him before getting him out of the crushed car safely.

Blowing out a heavy sigh, Gabby shook her head a bit while willing the memories from that call out of her brain.

It had been a rather intense one, even disregarding who was involved, as Jacobs had been trapped inside his car pretty tightly. But Firehouse 51 did everything by the book, taking a lot of time, precision, and skill, to extract him from the vehicle. And by the time they'd gotten him out, he'd lost so much blood no one knew what the outlook for one of their own was at first.

But, by some miracle, they'd managed to get the man to Lakeshore alive. Under Casey's advanced leadership and with Dawson's skilled care, Jacobs arrived more stable than he'd been inside his car. He never regained consciousness, though the PIC couldn't help but think that was for the best, but his pulse was strong and his vitals looked good. All in all given the state they'd found him in, he was doing well. And the young boy- who they presumed to be his son, seemed to be alright as well, the child more than alert from the moment they got to the car.

He'd been screaming his head off, the small boy surely scared of what was happening around him. But after removing him from the car, and getting Jenkins to comfort him for a while, he was able to calm down enough for Shay to take a look at him. And from the exams she was able to perform, he was fine. Him and Blake both were, and now that they were at the hospital Gabby could only hope they'd stay that way.

But it was out of her hands now. There was nothing more she could do, as once they'd done their job and gotten them all here, they weren't responsible for what happened next. And that was just one of the reasons Dawson was doing her best to put this entire afternoon behind her.

Though given where they were, she knew it wouldn't be that easy. That this was not just a call they'd be able to drop off and leave behind, no matter how much they might want to.

A soft hand coming to rest over her waist pulled Dawson from her deep thoughts, the paramedic glancing back to see her husband now standing beside her while she leaned up against the nurses station. She wasn't surprised to see him here, not when 81 had been tasked with helping with the transport of a few other patients. But she hadn't necessarily expected him to come find her in the ER either, Gabby offering him a soft smile before she instinctively started to fall back into his side.

"Hey." He murmured, rubbing his hand gently over her hip, Gabby taking in the sight of him standing there in his open gear before she responded.

"Hi babe." She said back, her words just as gentle while he gave her side a squeeze. "How were your patients?"

He matched her gentle grin, Matt starting to nod a bit before he pulled her body closer. "They were all fine… Got them dropped off and admitted, everyone should be okay."

"Good, that's good." She responded, pushing her hip into his before leaning back towards the counter, Matt's body soon moving with her as it was clear he didn't want her to go too far.

But despite the proximity, his attention wasn't so much focused on her anymore, Gabby looking up towards the man beside her only to see him hesitantly glancing around the emergency room, a sad look flashing across Dawson's face as she had a pretty good idea of who he was searching for. Or rather who he was hoping not to see.

"Have you, uh," He started after a moment, Matt clearing his throat before returning his gaze towards her. "...Have you heard anything about Jacobs?"

"I haven't, no." She replied softly, placing her pen down on the stack of papers before turning her body towards his completely. "He's in a room over there, I haven't heard any updates or anything… But it's been pretty quiet in and out of there, so I'd say that's a good thing." Gabby explained to him, Matt taking in her words before he nodded.

"And have you seen…"

"Where are they?"

Dawson and Casey turned at the abrupt noise to find Hallie rushing into the ER, the frantic woman rushing straight towards the nurses station in a near panic. Which wasn't unexpected under the circumstances, her plain clothes telling them both that she hadn't been on shift when Jacobs and their son arrived. And that likely only made all of this worse, Gabby and Matt continuing to watch the terrified woman as one of her coworkers came up to her.

"Dr. Thomas…"

"Where are they?" She demanded, coming to a stop just a few feet beside Casey. But from what they could tell, she hadn't even registered their presence. "Are they okay? They said Blake was in a wreck, and he hadn't woken up. And Henry…"

Henry.

The name stuck with Gabby, as she realized that must've been their son.

"They're okay." The nurse spoke, Gabby and Matt both seeing Hallie visibly relax before she nodded. "It was a hard crash, but we're running our tests right now… Blake might need to have surgery, but Henry is fine. Just some bumps and bruises, we've found nothing major."

"Where is Henry?"

"Eliza is with him, he's still getting checked out… But she's been with him ever since the paramedics dropped him off." The younger woman continued to explain, Hallie taking a few slow and deep breaths before she nodded once more.

"Okay, okay… I-" She shook her head, clearly trying to gather her thoughts. "I want to see them."

"I know, I'll take you to them." The nurse replied while heading off towards the hallway, Hallie turning and moving in that same direction without another word.

Casey followed her movements until she was out of sight, a slight wince pulling across his features when Hallie passed him, while Gabby stood supportively by his side. Almost shielding him from everyone else.

He'd noticed it from the second Hallie walked in, that Gabby had subconsciously moved closer to him. Though it wasn't in a defensive way, especially given the situation. But more so protective, Matt not even sure if Gabby knew she was doing it.

But she was. Because no matter what was going on, her instinct was to protect him.

Forcing in a deep breath, Matt's eyes lingered down the hallway for a second, a heavy feeling continuing to settle in his gut while he thought over what had just happened.

He wasn't sure he had ever seen Hallie that scared in all the time they'd known each other. Not like that. And no matter what happened between them, he'd never wish this on her. He'd never want anything like this to happen to the people she evidently loved so deeply, as Matt knew he'd have completely lost it by now if it were Gabby in this position.

"Babe?"

Casey blinked a few times, pulling his focus away from the now empty hallway before turning to look back at his wife, seeing a somewhat worried look etched into her features while she reached out to place her hand over his arm, her demeanor telling him she'd likely tried once already to get his attention.

"Sorry, I was just thinking." He responded with a weak grin, Gabby's eyes tracing over him for a moment before giving him a slow nod. "About the accident, and everything… Hopefully they'll both be okay."

His voice was soft, the words almost catching in his throat as Gabby gave him another soft nod.

"Yeah, I hope so." She agreed, leaning into his side once more as he slid his hand around to her back. "...But you're sure you're okay?" She questioned quietly, her eyebrows furrowing together in slight concern before Matt offered her a small smile.

"I'm fine, baby." He promised, Casey then leaning forward to press a gentle kiss to the side of her head. "Today's been a lot, but I'm okay."

"Okay." She told him, rubbing over his arm once more until he slowly started to pull away.

"I'm gonna go check in with the guys, see if they're ready to head back to the house." He told her while catching Gabby's gaze.

There was more she wanted to talk to him about, more she knew to be on his mind, but now wasn't the time to get into it as she merely offered him that reassuring Gabby smile before responding.

"Alright… Will you come find me before you leave?"

"Of course." He spoke lightly, Matt then moving to give her a quick kiss. "I love you." He told her once he started to take a few steps back.

"I love you, too." She replied softly, the couple sharing one last look before going their separate ways, Matt heading off towards the waiting room while Gabby stayed back to finish up her paperwork.

Matt mindlessly tapped his hands together as he walked down the hallways of Lakeshore, his steps somewhat purposeful while he made his way back towards the emergency room in search of his wife. He'd been gone a little longer than planned, Matt having to stay back with his men for a bit as once he first got to 81 a little over half an hour ago, he found out that Otis had been injured during the call and needed some care.

It wasn't anything too serious, the firefighter just having been cut by some glass on the scene. He required a few stitches, maybe, his injury not enough for him to even tell anyone until after they got to the hospital. But once Casey learned of his hurt firefighter, he stuck around a little longer to make sure all was well before they were ready to head back to the firehouse.

But before he could do that, he needed to go see his girl as promised.

He knew Gabby and Shay were still here, and that they likely hadn't gone very far from their place in the emergency room. So that's where he was headed, his eyes focused forward as he continued down the path that would lead him to his wife.

But while he walked down the open hallway, movement a few yards in front of him caught his eye, Casey's steps then involuntarily slowing when he saw the door to an exam room open before a couple nurses started to walk out, the Lieutenant intent on just stepping around them and continuing on his way. But when the last person stepped out behind him, that's when his steps stopped completely, Matt standing and watching as Hallie made her way out of the room and quietly closed the door behind her before starting off down the hallway.

When she noticed him seconds later she stopped almost as abruptly as he had, Matt taking a steadying breath as the two now stood just feet apart, a heavily cautious feeling in the air as Hallie glanced around before slowly stepping towards him.

"...Hi Matt." She spoke, stopping short of him with a small smile on her face.

From first glance he could tell she seemed rather calm. Or at least calmer than she had been when she first arrived. And he could only assume that meant there was good news, not only for Blake but for his and Hallie's son as well.

"Hey Hallie." He replied after a moment, Casey a bit unsure around her as it had been so long since they'd seen one another, the man glancing back behind her towards the direction of the emergency room, silently hoping to get there soon as he didn't necessarily want to be having a conversation with her right now. Though after the day she'd had, he figured he might have to.

The smile on her face grew just a little bit, Hallie taking his response as an opening as she stepped closer. "I, uh… I wasn't expecting to see you here today. Though I thought I saw you out there when I first got here." She continued on once she cleared her throat, Matt pausing for a moment before he nodded. "But everything was so crazy, I had just gotten the call and…"

"You needed to make sure your family was okay." He finished for her, his words clearly catching her off guard by the look she gave him. Or maybe it wasn't what he had said, but rather how he said it, as there was an ease in his voice, Hallie picking up absolutely zero animosity coming from the man who had every reason to hate her.

But that was because he didn't feel any.

Matt had known for a while now that he'd moved past what Hallie did to him. That despite how unpleasant it is to be around her, he had no reason to hold onto that resentment and anger at what she did anymore. But this was the first time he'd really seen her since coming to that conclusion, and standing in front of her right now only proved to him that he truly had moved on from all of it.

Before today, whenever he'd have to be around her he'd feel mad or angry. He'd be upset at what she did and want to get away from her as soon as possible. But that was all gone. Not to say that he wanted to be having this conversation, but he also wasn't feeling that intense desperation to leave. Instead, he mostly just felt sorry for her.

And that was something that hadn't happened since their life together fell apart.

"I get it, today was pretty rough." He continued on, Hallie breathing in deeply before she nodded once more. "But how are they doing? Jacobs, and your son." He questioned, his voice surprisingly steady while his former wife kept a close eye on him.

He took notice of the way her entire body relaxed after registering his question, almost like relief had swept through her before she responded. "They're doing great, considering… Both of them." She told him, Matt waiting a second before he nodded. "Blake is a little beat up, he lost a lot of blood and got the worst of the wreck. They're still not sure if he'll need surgery, but regardless he should make a full recovery. And Henry is fine, aside from some cuts he didn't really get hurt.. He was mostly just scared." She explained to him, the words rushing from her mouth before she could even register all of them as she was just so glad her family was okay. "But they're alright, thankfully." She finished, Matt giving her a weak smile before he replied.

"That's great Hallie." He told her, seeing the relief continuing to pour out of her. "I'm glad they're gonna be okay."

"Thanks Matt." She responded, the two sharing one last hesitant look before he began to take a couple steps forward.

"Well, uh.. I've gotta get going. Back to the station and everything." He said, earning a nod from her before he continued past her, Matt content to end their conversation here and go on with his day.

But Hallie had other plans, as he barely got a few feet down the hall before her voice stopped him.

"...You were out there today, weren't you?"

He paused for a split second, Casey drawing in a slow breath before he turned back around to face her, finding a look he couldn't quite read waiting for him. But he didn't have to worry about trying to figure it out, as she soon kept talking.

"Out there at the car accident. You were there." She stated, the questioning tone to her voice long gone as it became clear to Matt she knew 51 had responded to Jacobs' accident. "They told me your firehouse was there at the scene, but it was you, wasn't it? You all got Blake and Henry out of the car."

Her eyes stayed on him as he let out a small sigh, Matt blinking a few times before he finally nodded.

"It was." He responded, Casey seeing the almost immediate gratitude that started to fill her features. "Squad was running the scene, Severide sent 81 over to the car and that's when I saw who it was… But we got them out. Me and my firefighters, and Dawson and Shay- we got them out."

Hallie didn't react for a moment, Matt clearing his throat uncomfortably as he wasn't entirely sure what else to say. But it was just seconds later that Hallie was walking towards him, the woman giving him a hug before he could even register what was happening.

His instinct was to freeze, Matt not really wanting to ever be this close to her again as she expressed her thankfulness in the only way she knew how, the man keeping his arms to his sides before she pulled back almost as quickly as got to him.

"Sorry, I'm sorry." She blurted out, shaking her head quickly as she could immediately tell she overstepped. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that I just- Thank you, Matt." She told him, Casey's face softening for just a moment as she let out a heavy breath. "Thank you for helping them, and getting them here. I know this is all… hard." She said with a wince. "But thank you for saving them, you have no idea how much it means to me."

"You don't need to thank me, I'm just doing my job." He told her, the strength in his words taking some of the emotion out of their conversation as Hallie nodded. "But I'm glad they're both alright." He finished, Hallie watching him for one last moment before he began to continue in his original path down the hallway.

And this time she let him go, Casey focusing ahead as he walked down the hall towards the emergency room, the man as eager as ever to go find Gabby and get out of this hospital.

Casey was leaned back in the chair in his office, his body resting comfortably while he stared at the piles of paperwork he needed to fill out. The same work he wasn't really in any rush to get through as he was still doing his best to reacclimate to the pace here, their busy shift not helping matters too much as Matt was beyond exhausted, both physically and mentally.

And even though he hadn't seen her in a while, he had a strong suspicion that Gabby was feeling the same way.

After meeting back up with one another at Lakeshore, before they started to head out towards their rigs, they didn't even make it to the ambulance before 61 had a call come through, the couple having to go their separate ways as Gabby was needed at a house call a few blocks away, while Matt was able to head back to the firehouse.

And they hadn't had a moment to see one another since, that part of this adjustment back into reality maybe the hardest for him as he wasn't used to going so long without being with her. To go from spending every single moment of the last two weeks with the love of his life, to only seeing her occasionally every few hours, he couldn't say he missed that part of the job. But it was just yet another thing they'd have to get used to now that they were back home.

Soft tapping on his window pulled Casey from his thoughts, Matt's eyes snapping back into focus before he glanced up to the door, an immediate smile forming across his face when he took notice of the only person he truly wanted to see standing in his open doorway.

"Hi Lieutenant." Gabby greeted, Matt letting out a soft laugh before he waved her in.

"Lieutenant, huh?" He asked back, seeing her scrunch up her nose in response while walking towards him.

"Well, you are a Lieutenant, aren't you?" She teased, reaching out her hand to rest over his shoulder.

But that wasn't enough for Casey as the second she was within reach, he held his arm out in the air, prompting her to come sit in his lap. And after giving him a soft smirk, she obliged, Gabby slowly sitting down in his lap, Matt steadying his legs on the ground to support the shift in weight while wrapping his arm around her waist. His other hand moved instantly to her thigh, Gabby letting her arms rest around her neck while he held her as close as he possibly could.

"I suppose I am, yes." He continued on with their conversation while they got comfortable, Matt rubbing softly along the top of her thigh while her fingers played with the short hairs at the base of his neck. "But I think there are much better things you could call me."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mhmm." He hummed, Gabby letting her bottom lip fall between her teeth for a moment while her sparkling brown eyes focused on him.

"And what would those be?" She questioned, Matt feigning deep thought before he responded.

"Oh, I don't know… Matt, Baby. Love of my life, my reason for living." He said brightly, Gabby unable to stop the soft laugh that escaped the back of her throat while he gave her leg a squeeze. "Or my husband, any of those… I'm not picky." He finished with a sly grin, Dawson laughing once more while she stroked her thumb along the side of his neck.

"Well, all of those things are true." She told him, seeing his face light up before he leaned forward to press a kiss against his head. "But I'll probably stick with my husband."

"Works for me." He responded with a shrug, Gabby shaking her head lightly in amusement before he tapped the side of her hip lightly. "So how'd your last call go?" He questioned, the feeling in the air shifting ever so slightly as Dawson took in a breath.

"Not too bad." She answered, letting herself relax into him even more while he kept her balanced. "Everyone was fine, it just took a while." She spoke, before as if on cue she let out a heavy yawn, Matt unable to stop the smile that began to form over his lips as he couldn't help but focus on how cute she looked when she was tired. "Yeah, I guess I'm still not quite used to this." She spoke, nuzzling into him a bit more while he tightened his grip on her hip.

"Me neither." He agreed, feeling her nod against him.

"I forgot how busy this place could be. It's been quite the first shift back here." She continued on, feeling him smile while he started to run his hand up and down along her side.

"I'll say… Makes me miss Italy even more."

Gabby chuckled softly, her eyebrows raising a bit while she pulled back to look at him. "You do, huh?"

"I do." He answered with a proud look in his eye. "Getting to be with you, and only you… It was perfect."

She thought over his words for a moment, her head tilting to the side a bit while she matched his grin. "Yeah, it was perfect." She agreed, Matt nodding back at her before she gave him a quick kiss.

"We might have to go back." He suggested once they separated, Gabby raising her eyebrows in question while a soft smile began to tug at her lips. "Maybe make it a yearly thing, on our anniversary."

"You'd wanna do that?"

"Of course." He told her, seeing her smile widen before she leaned in to kiss him once more, the two staying connected for a few more seconds before pulling back.

But neither one of them said anything while they caught their breath, Gabby letting her forehead rest against his as he kept running his hand along her side, the two content to sit in the comfortable quiet while they decompressed from the day.

Though the longer the silence continued, Gabby was getting the feeling that Matt's mind was slowly drifting elsewhere. And while normally she'd just let it go, after everything that happened today she couldn't help but feel compelled to check in with her husband.

"What else is going on in there?" She asked after a few prolonged moments, the two leaning back until they met each other's eyes, Gabby seeing the almost immediate curiosity that creased into his forehead. "Still thinking about Italy?"

A chuckle left his lips, Matt shaking his head a bit before giving her body another squeeze. "Maybe a little." He answered shortly, Gabby mimicking his smirk before he continued on. "But no, I don't know… Nothing much, really. I guess I was just thinking about today." He explained, prompting an understanding look to appear over her features. "First shift back, and everything that happened… I don't know, it's been a busy day."

Gabby nodded supportively while she started to rub her hand along the back of his neck, their close proximity making it easy for him to keep her with him while he worked through the thoughts roaming his mind. Those same thoughts Gabby didn't know much about.

While she was aware of everything that had happened at the hospital, and Matt speaking with Hallie, she didn't have time to hear the whole story. And more importantly, she didn't have a chance to really see how he was doing because of it. Which, at the end of the day, was all she really cared about.

"You wanna talk about it?" She asked, giving him the opening if he wanted it, or the out if he didn't, before Matt offered her a small, yet genuine smile.

"I don't know, I'm not even sure what to say. All of it was just a little…"

"Hard." She said for him once he trailed off, Matt mulling over her words before shaking his head.

"More strange than anything else." He corrected, Gabby thinking over his statement before she nodded. "Probably because I wasn't expecting to see them again, especially not like that. And then talking to Hallie, it all felt… I don't even know how to describe it, but seeing her wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. Or as it used to be." He told her, Gabby opting to stay a strong, yet silent, presence by his side while he worked through everything going on in his head. "And I guess talking to her just kind of proved to me that I am completely past everything that happened between the two of us."

Dawson paused for a moment before she gave him a slow nod, the woman doing her best to digest everything as she wasn't entirely expecting this reaction from him. But that didn't mean she wasn't glad to see it, as she knew that for the longest time he'd been so hurt by what Hallie did. Rightfully so.

But now, that didn't seem to be the case anymore. And she couldn't help but feel an immense sense of pride at how Matt was handling all of this.

"I've known for a long time that I was over it, you and I just haven't really talked about it. But I've moved past what happened." He continued on, Gabby giving him an encouraging nod as he spoke. "I'll never be okay with what she did to me. Her and I will never be friends, or even acquaintances. In fact, I'd be fine never seeing her again if I could. But I'm not mad anymore… Because honestly, I just don't care. I haven't cared for a long time." He said, doing his best to explain where his head was at as he knew he'd be met by no judgment from his wife.

"Everything she did, all she put me through… It doesn't matter to me anymore. I've moved on from it. And right now I'm in the best place I've ever been, so holding onto that resentment and anger just isn't worth it." He said, stopping momentarily to take a breath. "As far as I'm concerned, there's no use in dwelling on what happened in the past. Not when I've got my beautiful wife, and we have the rest of our lives together."

Gabby smiled almost immediately before tightening her hold on him, her body leaning forward just a bit to press a kiss against his temple.

"You, and us. That's all I want to focus on. You're all that matters to me. So despite everything she did, as much as it hurt at the time, I don't care anymore… I put all of that behind me a long time ago and made peace with it. Today proved that to me." He breathed out, while mindlessly stroking his thumb over her thigh. "Although I will admit being around her was still weird, and it probably always will be. Just seeing her, and Jacobs… Meeting their son. And that reminder of what she did, it is strange. But it is what it is. What happened, happened, nothing can change it. And I wouldn't want to change it, because it gave me you." He murmured, seeing the warm smile that graced her lips. "So for me, all that matters now is us. And that Blake and that little boy are okay."

He took a deep breath after those last few words left his lips, Matt not even aware of how much he'd been rambling until he finished. But he found himself feeling better now that it was all off his chest, Matt taking one last second to refocus before he turned his attention back towards Gabby, only to find a soft, yet telling smile waiting for him.

"...What?" He asked gently, seeing her merely shake her head before sliding her hand down to rest over his chest.

"You're a good man, Matthew Casey." She replied somewhat suddenly, seeing the smile that lit up across his face as Gabby wholeheartedly meant every word she said.

Because they were true. He was a good man, a great man. To be able to let go of all the hurt and pain they caused him. To move on and help the people who had nearly destroyed his entire life, that alone was proof of the type of person he was.

And it made Gabby fall in love with him all over again.

"I love you." He whispered before giving her a tender kiss, feeling her smile against him while his hand slid down to rest over the curve of her hip.

"I love you, too." She told him, the two continuing to stay connected for a few more long seconds before finally pulling back.

But neither of them went too far as Gabby stayed in his lap, Matt's hold on her firm while he occasionally squeezed her leg, the look on his face telling her there was something else on his mind. But given the smile she saw from him, Dawson had a feeling it wasn't about Hallie, or what all had happened today.

"...What are you doing right now?" He asked her abruptly, Gabby's eyebrows raising before she shrugged a bit.

"Uh, sitting with you?" She answered, hearing him laugh before she continued. "But no, I don't know… It's getting kind of late so I'm probably gonna get some dinner before laying down."

"Stay in here with me tonight." He requested, his words just as quick as before while Gabby cocked her head to the side. But that wide grin stayed written into his features, his eyes shining as he gave her another squeeze. "I want you to stay here with me… I haven't spent one night apart from my wife, I don't want to start now."

She echoed his laugh, Gabby running her tongue along her bottom lip while thinking over his proposal, the woman pretending to mull over his question a bit before she ultimately nodded.

"I guess I can stay." She replied, seeing his already bright smile grow in response. "But you'll need to feed me first."

He chuckled deeply, Matt rubbing his hand along her side once more before slowly prompting her to get up.

"I can do that." He told her as they stood up, the couple sharing a soft smile before he grabbed her hand and led her out towards the common room.

The morning sun was filtering in through the windows of Casey's office, telling him it was almost time for shift change while he stood beside his desk. They had maybe ten more minutes on duty, if that, but for him it would likely be a little longer before he could get out of here as 61 was still out from their call earlier this morning.

Miraculously, the entire house had managed to have a quiet night, not one company being called out until the morning. But just shortly after six o'clock the bells went off, signaling Dawson and Shay out of the house. Which meant Gabby had to, reluctantly, pull herself from this office as she'd stayed true to her word and slept in here with him last night, the couple certainly enjoying their night with one another even if it got cut short.

And now Matt was just waiting for her to get back, the man taking the opportunity of this quiet morning to get some paperwork done while also occasionally checking the scanner, just to see how close 61 was to finishing up their call.

"Casey?"

Matt was brought out of his thoughts when he heard his name, the Lieutenant turning back to see Cruz now standing in his doorway. "You have a visitor out on the floor." He added, Casey's eyebrows furrowing before he gave him a quick nod.

"Thanks Cruz." He replied as Joe walked away, Matt pausing for a moment while he tried to think of who could possibly be coming to see him this early, before he started to make his way out to the garage.

The house was relatively quiet, everyone aside from ambo holed up in the common room while they waited out the clock, as it was a bit too brisk outside on this October morning for anyone to want to sit out in the garage. Which meant Casey was met by nothing but silence when he walked out through the double doors, the firefighter not seeing anyone at first glance while he searched for whoever had come to speak with him.

But just before he was about to give up and head back inside, movement from back by the rig caught his attention, Casey's eyebrows furrowing a bit before he slowly started to move that way, it only taking seconds before he was finally able to see who had come to visit him.

And when he did, he couldn't help the complete shock that filled his system, as he saw Hallie standing there with Henry in her arms, the boy reaching out towards the truck while clapping his hands together.

"Hallie?" He asked her, confusion evident in his voice as she turned towards him, the woman giving him a weak smile before pulling her son away from the rig.

"Hey… Sorry, I was over there, but Henry wanted to see the truck." She replied, while adjusting the boy on her hip.

"It's fine." He told her, even though he was no less confused as to what was going on. "...What are you doing here?"

"Oh, right- I'm sorry to bother you, I just wanted to come by and thank you again for yesterday." She told him quickly, his eyebrows raising ever so slightly in response. "I feel like I was such a mess yesterday, I didn't get the chance to really thank you for what all you did. Not enough, anyway."

Matt was no less unsure while she spoke, seeing as how he thought she had thanked him plenty. More than she needed to for two people in their situation. But seeing as how she came all the way here, he just nodded.

"It's fine, Hallie. Really… We're just glad everyone's gonna be okay." He repeated his words from yesterday, seeing her smile weakly in his direction before she nodded back at him. "Jacobs is still doing alright?"

"He is… He ended up having surgery late last night, but they've given him some pretty heavy pain killers, so he's not feeling much of what happened. Though he's alert, and awake… His injuries are a bit more extensive than they originally thought, but with a few weeks of rehab he'll be fine." She told him, Matt nodding before he continued.

"And Henry?" He questioned, glancing towards the child who was just content to take in all his new surroundings. The same child who looked an awful lot like his mom.

"He's doing great." She replied with a beaming smile. "He was discharged last night, with a clean bill of health."

"That's great, Hallie." He told her, the woman nodding slowly back at him. "I'm glad to hear it."

"Me too… But that's just- it's why I came here." She breathed out, seeing that curious look return to his face. "Because I need you to know how much I appreciate what you did… You putting everything between us aside, and helping them. It… It means the world to me, Matt." She finished, his face softening for just a split second before he responded.

"There's nothing to thank me for… Truly." He reminded her, clearing his throat a bit before he continued. "I wasn't expecting yesterday to happen, but no matter what's gone on between us, I'd never let that keep me from helping someone."

"I know you wouldn't." She replied softly while Matt shifted his weight between his feet, the man pulling his hands from his pockets as he stood there, clearly unsure of what to say next.

But that wasn't what Hallie was focused on. Instead, it was the flash of metal she saw on his finger. A ring she must've missed yesterday, as a small smile began to form across his face.

"...And I guess congratulations are in order." She told him, catching him off guard once more as he looked back at her with that same confused look. "The ring." She elaborated, seeing the moment he registered what he was talking about as he glanced down towards his hands. "What did that happen?"

"Oh- The wedding was a few weeks ago." He responded, Hallie's smile widening before she continued.

"...Dawson?" She asked him, that one word enough for him to understand exactly what she was saying as he nodded once more, Casey unable to stop the grin that started to form over his face. And Hallie noticed.

"Yeah." He answered her, his eyes focusing on the ring resting over his finger as a sudden rush of warmth ran through him, at just the thought of his wife.

"That's great, Matt. I'm so glad for you two." Hallie told him, her genuine tone causing him to look back at her. "I really am, I know how happy she makes you, and how happy you make her. You both deserve that." She said knowingly, Matt pursing his lips together before drawing in a deep breath. "After what I put you through, and what Dawson's gone through… I'm just glad you found each other." She finished, the man's face turning stoic before he nodded.

"Thanks Hallie." He replied before glancing around, it soon becoming clear to the both of them that their conversation was nearing the end. That it was time for her to go, and for them to continue on with their separate lives, the same way they had been before yesterday.

"I'll, um… I'm gonna head out. I'm sure you're trying to get out of here, and I don't want to keep you." She said after clearing her throat, Matt giving her one last nod as she gradually started to step backwards. "Goodbye, Matt."

"Bye Hallie." He told her, the woman nodding before she turned around to leave.

And Matt did the same, the firefighter heading back into the house without a second thought as he was ready to put all of their first shift back behind him. The accident, seeing Hallie, they were things he'd be fine to leave behind after today, as all that was on his mind now was getting home and spending the day with Gabby. Because she's what was important to him, everything from these past twenty four hours only making him even more grateful for his wife and the life they had together.

And it was something he would never take for granted.