Hello there everyone! I'm here with the next chapter for you all. We're gonna pick up pretty much right where we left off with the last one, and you all will get to see some more of how Gabby's doing, as well as how Matt's handling all of it.
So I hope you guys enjoy this one, and I'll see you next time!
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY THREE
The rhythmic beeping of Gabby's heart monitor filtered through the otherwise silent hospital room, Matt resting back in the chair he'd pulled up beside her bed while his hand stayed clasped tightly in hers. His thumb was moving gently back and forth over the top of her hand, the subtle warmth coming off her body reassuring to him as even lying in this hospital bed, with her arm up in a sling, she looked much better than she had inside that building.
She looked more like Gabby, her body almost seemingly peaceful while she slept, and until this nightmare was over that's what he was going to hold onto, as he devotedly sat her by her bedside.
Not much had changed in the forty minutes or so that had passed since Hallie brought him back here, at least not with Gabby anyway, as there had been a few nurses coming and going every once in a while, mostly just to check her monitors and make sure she was doing alright. And, as far as Matt knew, they'd found nothing of concern.
Then along with the seemingly endless line of nurses checking on her, Shay and Boden had also found their way here maybe ten minutes ago.
They didn't stay long- probably because they weren't supposed to be back here anyway, Matt still unsure of how they'd gotten past the family only rule. And while he didn't ask, he figured Shay managed to pull some strings somehow so she and Boden could get back here to not only check on Gabby, but him as well, his friends needing to see with their own eyes that the both of them were alright before heading back out with the rest of the group.
But before they left, Boden made sure to let him know that he'd reached out to Antonio a few minutes prior, to let him know what had happened to his sister. And that he'd also heard back from Camila and Ramon, how they were still on their way but got caught behind some traffic due to an accident. But they were getting here as quickly as they could.
And Casey appreciated the update, and how Boden was taking care of all of this, seeing as not only did Matt not have the energy to focus on anything other than Gabby right now, he also just didn't have his phone on him. So Matt was more than grateful to his boss for the help, the Lieutenant making sure to tell him that before he and Shay left them alone.
But once they had gone, and all the chaos of the nurses subsided, it had been completely quiet inside this room.
And Matt was thankful for that, as he knew that the best thing for his wife right now was to get some rest.
Blowing out a soft sigh, Casey continued to keep his eyes on Gabby while he stroked her hand, his focus moving between the monitors connected to her, and the steady rise and fall of her chest while she breathed. And he'd be lying if he said that sight wasn't comforting to him, the husband just glad that she wasn't feeling that pain anymore as he gave her hand another loving squeeze.
"I love you, baby." He murmured into the air, a watery smile appearing over his lips as his gaze trailed up to her face. "I love you so much, and I can't wait to tell you that once you wake up."
The words began to die on his lips as his free hand instinctively moved up to the front pocket of his turnout coat, where Gabby's wedding ring was currently sitting securely, Matt needing the assurance of knowing it was still there.
Logically, Matt knew there was nowhere for it to go. He hadn't moved since he first came in here and placed it into his pocket, so it wasn't like there was anything that could've happened to it. But still, it made him feel better to know it was still in his possession, Matt silently vowing to keep her ring safe until he'd be able to give it back to her.
Forcing out another breath, Matt gave his wife's hand one more squeeze, the man having to be content to sit here and watch Gabby while she recovered from the traumatic events of today.
But he wasn't left on his own for very long, as maybe five or so minutes later the door opened rather abruptly, Matt glancing back just as Ramon and Camila stepped into the room, with Antonio close behind them.
They were all frantic, Casey could see it with just one glance. And Camila had clearly been crying, the Dawson's all hurrying towards their daughter's hospital bed as the door fell closed behind them.
"Oh my God." Camila breathed out, Casey reluctantly letting go of Gabby's hand before he reached over to grab his crutches and slowly push himself up. "Oh my God, Gabriela." She continued, while walking around to the other side of the bed to be next to her daughter.
She was careful of the sling on Gabby's arm, but she reached out to brush her hand lightly over Gabby's forehead, the lack of response from her child only bringing more tears to the mother's eyes.
"We got here as soon as we could." Ramon spoke up, a noticeable grimace settling over his features as he watched Matt get situated on his crutches, before making his way around the chair towards them.
"I know, Boden told me." He responded, Antonio moving a bit closer to his mom while Ramon and Casey stood back from the bed. "There's not much you could've done here, anyway… Gabby's only been in here for less than an hour, she was in surgery for a while." He spoke, the words feeling heavy when they left his lips, as the unsettled look on his father-in-law's face deepened.
"Wallace told us a bit of what happened…" Ramon started, his questioning eyes moving between his daughter and her husband. "How there was a shooter on your call?"
"I heard about it at the district, but when it came through I didn't realize you all were there." Antonio chimed in for the first time, the detective doing what he could to listen to their conversation while also comforting his mom.
"Yeah, we were… It was all just- It was a nightmare." Casey spoke honestly while everyone in the room looked at him, Matt shaking his head a bit as flashes of the day went through his mind. Though the firefighter did his best to will them away, given how the last thing he wanted was to be reminded of his wife's unconscious body in his arms. "The whole thing was a lot to process, I still don't even know the whole story. Or why the guy did what he did… But we got called to the recreational center, not knowing there was a shooter in the building. And then, well.. We got caught in the crossfire."
Camila watched him with a tearfilled gaze, the woman shaking her head before she looked back to her daughter, while Ramon kept his attention on Casey, seeing the way he was trying to keep his balance on his crutches.
"Gabby, she uh- She was shot in the shoulder, that's why she has the sling." Casey continued to explain, unsure of just how much Boden had told them. "So when she got here, they took her into surgery to repair the damage from that."
"Is she okay now?" Camila asked rather suddenly, Matt drawing in a deep breath as his eyes went back to his wife for a second.
"She is… As far as they've told me, she's alright. The bullet was through and through, and didn't cause nearly as much damage as it could've. But the blood loss had them worried. When she was shot, it nicked an artery and was causing her to bleed out." He told him, not missing the looks of horror coming from her entire family. "But they got that fixed and did some blood transfusions to help with that, and her vitals have been stable. Once she's up and healed a bit, she'll likely have to do some rehab with her shoulder. But from what I know, she's doing about as well as can be expected." He told them, his voice shaky as he saw their worry morph into a hint of relief. "They're just waiting for her to wake up, so they can run a few more tests."
"Did they say when she'd wake up?" Camila continued on before she could stop herself, the woman then shaking her head after Ramon gave her a calming look. "Sorry, I'm sorry- I'm not trying to overwhelm you, just getting the call that Gabriela had been shot-" She cut herself off as her voice caught in her throat, Camila pausing to take a steadying breath before looking back to Casey. "Hearing what happened to her, to the both of you, terrified us. I just want to know that she's alright."
"I know." Matt responded with a sympathetic glance. "Believe me, I understand… All I care about is knowing she'll be okay. That's why I-" He stopped short, Casey making himself take a grounding breath before he changed his course of conversation. "From what I've been told, she will be fine. She just lost a lot of blood, and her body kind of shut down to protect itself. Now she's just gotta come out of that… But this is all kind of just on Gabby's time right now." He explained to them, hoping to alleviate at least a little bit of the concern they were feeling. "This whole thing is terrifying, but I'm just holding onto the hope that she'll wake up when she's ready."
"She will." Antonio agreed strongly, the two brothers sharing a look before Matt continued on.
"But yeah, that's- I don't know much else about her condition, that's just what they've told me," He started after clearing the emotion from his throat, shifting his weight on the crutches as after the long day he'd had, his body was definitely tired. "Nurses have been coming in and out of here pretty frequently, any questions you all have I'm sure they can answer." He finished, while slowly started to take a step forward back towards his chair.
"Yeah, we'll talk to them when we get a chance. For now, I'm just glad she's okay- Whoa, son." Ramon stopped himself when he saw Casey stumble on his crutches, Camila and Antonio both looking at him while Ramon reached out to steady him. If not for Gabby's father, Matt likely would've fallen, but with his help he was able to regain his balance. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine." He played it off, seeing concerned looks from every Dawson inside this room. "I slipped, is all."
"You should sit down, Matthew." Camila suggested, earning a nod from Casey before he continued towards the chair, Ramon staying close every step of the way until he was securely in his seat.
"Thank you." He told Ramon as the man placed his crutches against the wall.
"It's no problem. You just take it easy." He told him, placing a hand on his shoulder once he came to stand beside him.
"Do we need to get your doctor?" Camila asked, her eyebrows still knitted together in worry as Matt soon shook his head.
"No, I'm really okay… My arms are just a little sore."
"Ramon, does his seat recline? He should have his leg up." The woman continued on, like she hadn't even heard what he said.
"Camila," Matt started, shaking his head a bit while Ramon gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze. "I'm alright."
"No, you're not alright. You were shot, Matthew." She spoke hastily, Antonio's head falling to the ground as everyone in the room heard the hurt in her voice. "You were shot, and Gabriela was shot- Nothing about this is okay."
Things went quiet around them for a second or two, the only sound to be heard being the constant beeping of Gabby's heart monitor, while Camila took a few slow breaths.
"Camila…" Ramon finally spoke, the mother shaking her head as Antonio rubbed a soothing hand over her back. "They're both okay… They will be okay." He tried, seeing his wife nod quickly while she reached out to rub over Gabby's head once more.
"It's alright, Mama." Antonio tried, knowing how badly all of this was affecting his mom. And given how awful he felt right now, he couldn't blame her for it. "Matt's okay, and Gabby's gonna wake up here soon… Everything's going to be fine." He tried again, Camila giving him a slow, yet reluctant nod, Antonio then giving his dad a knowing look before Ramon spoke up.
"...Camila, why don't we go find her doctor?" He suggested, both Dawson men able to see that Camila might need a minute to gather herself. "We can talk to them and see how she's doing."
The older woman winced for a split second, her eyes never leaving her daughter as it was clear she was hesitant to leave her. But the idea of hearing about her child's condition directly from her doctor was appealing, even though she trusted Matt and his judgment wholeheartedly.
"Casey and I will be here with her, Ma." Antonio added on when she had yet to answer. "She'll be okay."
It took a few more seconds but eventually Camila gave him a nod, the mother leaning down to press a kiss to her daughter's forehead before she slowly began to walk away from the bed.
"We'll be back in a few minutes." Ramon told them, Antonio giving him a nod as his parents started for the door, Camila stopping only to give Matt a quick hug, telling him she was glad he was alright before they left the room.
Matt and Antonio both sat in silence for a moment, the brother sitting down in the chair opposite Casey while they watched Gabby, Matt then reaching for her hand once more as it had been far too long since he let go of it.
"I'm sorry about all that." Antonio spoke a few seconds later, Matt raising his eyebrows a bit before glancing his way. "Mom's a little freaked out right now… Just hearing over the phone that your daughter got shot, they're both panicking."
"You don't need to explain anything, Antonio." Casey told him, as the cop took a deep breath. "I get it, I feel the same way she does."
The older Dawson sibling nodded, a heavy silence filling the air around them until Antonio eventually spoke up once more.
"You sure your leg will be alright?" He asked, gaining Matt's attention. "You weren't just saying that for my mom's benefit?"
Casey shook his head, his hand tightening around Gabby's while he drew in a deep breath. "I should be fine." Matt said, as Antonio nodded. "The bullet got lodged in my leg, which I guess probably ended up helping me… Or that's what they told me, I don't know. I wasn't bleeding as much as I should've been. But they got it removed, and there was minimal damage… I'll be fine."
"Good." Antonio spoke firmly, the two sharing a look before Matt glanced back at Gabby. But Antonio didn't, the brother instead turning back towards the closed door that his parents had exited moments prior, his eyes staying locked in that direction before his mouth opened. "...Can I ask you something?"
Casey gave him a nod, though he never looked away from his wife. "Sure."
"I didn't want to say anything with my parents in here, and maybe I shouldn't even be asking you this… But how did you two get shot?"
Matt's back involuntarily tightened as soon as he registered the question, the firefighter turning to see Antonio now watching him once more, with a curious yet hesitant look shining in his eyes.
"Boden told us some of it. That you and Gabby had been shot on a call, and were taken to the hospital. But he didn't actually say what happened in there…"
Casey forced himself to take a steadying breath as he mulled over Antonio's question, Matt silently trying to figure out how to talk about it, while also wondering how much he should tell Gabby's brother. But given how the people it would upset the most weren't here, he figured he could be a little transparent about what happened. Even if it was difficult for him to relive.
"I, um.." He began, clearing his throat a bit while refocusing his gaze on Gabby's resting form. "I wasn't with her when it happened. I was on the top floor doing a sweep and Gabby was on the bottom floor with Shay when I heard the first shots go off… From what I know, she was shot when they ran for cover. They were trying to help a victim, and he opened fire on them." He explained slowly, as Antonio's face hardened.
"Bastard." He muttered underneath his breath.
"The bullet hit her shoulder as they were running, but Shay got her out of there… Then once I heard what happened, I went and found them." He continued on, the warmth coming off Gabby's hand still giving him comfort as he went through these awful memories. "I managed to get to them, but once I did it was clear Gabby needed to get to a hospital.. So I got her out of there, even though it wasn't safe to leave."
Antonio's ears perked up as he took in Matt's words, glancing over to see him still watching Gabby.
"...That's how you got shot." The older Dawson spoke when Matt failed to keep going, his voice barely audible as Casey swallowed the thick lump in his throat, before turning his head towards him. "You got shot trying to get her out of there, didn't you?"
Antonio already knew the answer, but he asked him anyway, Casey seeing a look of what he could only describe as gratitude before slowly starting to nod in his direction.
"Shit, man." Antonio breathed out, Matt's eyes falling closed as he kept rubbing the back of Gabby's hand. "Boden told us you'd both been shot, but we didn't realize you were shot for her…" He trailed off, clearly thrown by all of this as Casey took a steadying breath.
"I had to get her out of there." Matt finally replied, earning Dawson's gaze once more. "That's just… It's all I was thinking about, was helping her. What happened to me didn't matter."
His words were a little hard to hear, but Antonio did, the older man's face softening as he glanced back and forth between his sister and Casey.
"And now, I'm just glad she'll be alright… That they were able to get her here, and the doctors were able to help her." Matt continued on, though Antonio couldn't help but notice how it felt like he was talking more to himself than anything. "For as awful as it was, I keep telling myself that today could've ended so much worse… But she's going to be fine, and that's what matters."
Antonio nodded in agreement, the older brother taking in a deep breath while his gaze focused on Gabby.
"Yeah… that's what matters." He repeated after a moment, his eyes tracing over her injured form before he eventually spoke up. "...But please tell me that son of a bitch is dead."
Those words prompted Casey to look up, the firefighter glancing over to see a twinge of anger in Antonio's gaze while he watched Gabby.
"Because if he isn't, I'm about to make sure he is." He threatened as he looked back at Casey, Matt understanding the rage he was seeing as it was a feeling he knew well, the Lieutenant clearing his throat before he nodded.
"He's dead." He answered, his tone sounding almost relieved as the look on Antonio's face began to soften.
"Good." He responded simply, a sense of understanding filling the room as they both relaxed back into their seats, knowing their conversation about this terrible day was done.
Or Matt thought it was, until Antonio spoke up just minutes later.
"...And Casey?" He asked somewhat suddenly, Matt forcing his eyes away from Gabby's still body to find Antonio watching him. "Thank you."
Casey's eyebrows furrowed, the man opening his mouth to respond. But the older Dawson spoke before he could.
"For saving my baby sister." He said strongly, Casey letting out a soft sigh as he ran his thumb along the back of Gabby's hand. "You might be the only reason she's alive right now. There's no telling what would've happened if she didn't get out of there when she did, so thank you."
Pursing his lips together, Matt gave him a slow nod, his eyes slowly traveling back towards Gabby before a small, sad smile started to form across his lips.
"I'd do it again in a heartbeat." He said without a thought, Antonio giving him a similar look even though Casey wasn't watching him. "I hope I never have to, but I would."
"I know, man." Antonio responded, the two sharing one last nod before the room around them went quiet once more, both of them refocusing their complete attention on the woman lying in this hospital bed, silently hoping she would wake up sooner rather than later and they could begin to put all of this behind them.
Casey was resting his head in his palm, his body fighting off the exhaustion rolling through him as he sat in the still hospital room, Matt doing his best to stay awake while he stayed in the same spot he'd been in all evening. He wasn't sure how late it was, he hadn't bothered to check, but given how the winter sun had gone down long ago that gave him a pretty good idea of the time, the little voice in the back of his mind telling him that he probably should be getting some sleep soon.
The only issue was, he didn't want to. Because he didn't want to risk falling asleep when Gabby hadn't woken up yet. And after what happened today, he wasn't even sure if he could sleep.
So for now, he was choosing to stay up, Matt stretching out his back a bit before settling down into his chair once more, his hand still holding onto Gabby's while she rested.
Camila was taking up residence in one of the seats on the other side of the bed, those two the only ones in here with Gabby right now as Ramon and Antonio had gone off to get some food a little bit ago, with the promise to bring some back for him and Camila. Though Casey had said a few times he didn't want anything, the man not anywhere near hungry after the day they'd had. But he had a feeling they weren't going to listen to him, Matt drawing in another slow breath while his eyes trailed over towards Gabby's monitor for what had to have been the hundredth time today.
"...Are you feeling okay, Matthew?" Camila spoke up, Casey rolling out his neck before glancing over towards her.
She had been back in here for a while, shortly after he and Antonio finished their conversation hours earlier, and thankfully she seemed to be feeling a little better.
The situation was terrible, and there was nothing to make any of this okay, but Camila had appeared to settle down at least a little bit since she first arrived. And for her own sake, Matt was glad for that. Even if he couldn't say the same for himself.
"Yeah, I'm alright… A little sore maybe, but I'm fine." He told her, Camila nodding softly while shifting her weight in her seat.
"And you're okay?" She pushed, catching his questioning gaze as her face softened. "After everything that happened, you're doing alright?" She explained further, it taking a few seconds for him to realize that she wasn't so much talking about his physical health, but more his mental.
And that was a question he wasn't sure how to answer. But he knew he had to.
"I'm… handling it." He replied after a moment, with a weak smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I just want her to wake up, but I'm fine." He told her, though Camila wasn't sure how much she believed it. Mostly because Matt didn't believe it himself.
"Alright, sweetheart." She responded hesitantly, the two sharing another look just before the door opened, the smell of food filling the room before Antonio or Ramon even walked in.
"We're back, and come bearing chicken sandwiches." Ramon spoke first, Camila giving him a small, grateful smile while Matt kept his eyes on Gabby.
"Thank you." Camila told him, as Ramon came around to her side.
"I got you some chips, as well… They didn't have much this late, but it's better than nothing." He continued on while pulling the food out of the bag. "We got you one too, Matthew."
Matt acknowledged him with a slight nod, as Ramon handed Camila her food before coming to give him his.
"I know you're not very hungry, but you need to eat son." Ramon encouraged, Casey swallowing down a deep breath before he looked up at him.
"Thank you… I'll eat some in a bit." He compromised, those words seemingly enough for Ramon as he handed Casey his food and made his way back over to Camila.
"I also have something for you from Shay, Casey." Antonio piped up from behind him, Matt's eyebrows raising a bit before he glanced back to his brother-in-law, where he stood with a familiar duffle bag in his hand. "She packed you up some clothes from your locker, and got your phone… Figured you'd need it, since you haven't been able to change."
"Yeah, thanks." He replied, clearing his throat before his eyes moved back to Gabby. "Just put it down by the door, I'll get it at some point."
Antonio frowned a bit, his eyes moving across the room to meet his parents' worried gazes before he continued his way towards Matt.
"You'd probably feel better if you went and changed." He tried, keeping his voice soft as he stopped behind the firefighter's chair. "You've been in those turnout clothes all day."
"I'm fine." He responded quickly, Antonio letting out a soft sigh while shaking his head.
"We'll be here with her, Casey." He said again, knowing the root of this came from one place and one place only; and that was Gabby.
And how he didn't want to leave her side.
"Ma, and Pops. And me too, we'll be here with her. She'll be alright." He spoke with a firm, yet understanding tone, Matt blinking quickly for a few seconds while mulling over his words, before he finally gave in.
"Alright, yeah…" He spoke reluctantly, as Ramon nodded. "I'll go and change."
"Good." Antonio replied, moving back over to grab Matt's bag while Casey slowly started to get up.
It was quite the process to get balanced on his crutches, especially after he hadn't been up in a while, but eventually he was steady, Matt letting out a slow breath while he looked over Gabby again.
"I'll be right back." He murmured, managing to lean down and press a kiss to her head before he slowly started to hobble his way back towards the bathroom in her room, Antonio following behind him with the duffle bag in his grasp.
Casey managed to get into the smaller room easily enough, Antonio handing him his bag before pulling the door closed behind him and giving Matt some privacy as he took himself in for the first time since the shooting.
And to put it nicely, he looked like hell.
His face was a bit red and splotchy, Matt able to see the remains of his tears from earlier, mixed with a bit of Gabby's blood that had dried on his skin. And it was a jarring sight, to say the least, Matt feeling some bile slowly starting to rise in his throat while memories of the day began to play over and over in his mind before he could stop them.
Of hearing how Gabby had been shot.
Of walking into that closet and seeing her bleeding body on the ground.
Of feeling her lose consciousness in his arms.
Of coming face to face with the man that had almost killed her, before getting shot himself.
It was all playing on repeat in his head, his stomach turning more and more as he felt a wave of nausea wash over him, before he suddenly couldn't hold it back anymore.
He barely made it to the toilet before he expelled the minimal contents in his stomach, Casey vomiting profusely into the water while he felt a sharp pain go through his injured leg at the abrupt movement, as his crutches crashed to the floor.
"Matt?" He vaguely heard his name being called, but he was in no position to respond while he continued to hack up everything in his system, his body finally giving in to what he'd been feeling all day.
"Matthew?!" He heard again, Matt finally recognizing the voice to be that of Ramon's before the door was pulled open, the older man hurrying inside just as Casey finished expelling everything in his stomach. "Matthew, are you alright?" He asked, crouching down beside him while Matt gave him a slow nod, his head hanging downward as his eyes were closed. "...Matt."
"I'm okay." He coughed out, Ramon frowning as Casey grabbed a piece of toilet paper to wipe off his mouth, before tossing it into the toilet and flushing. "I'm okay, it all just…" He trailed off, shaking his head for a moment as the concerned look on the older Dawson's face morphed into a much more sympathetic one.
"I know, son. I know." He murmured, rubbing over his back before reaching for his crutches. "...Are you okay to get up?"
"Yeah, I'm alright." Casey told him, his voice sounding rougher with each other as Ramon nodded, before slowly starting to help him up.
In any other situation, Matt may have been mortified to have Ramon find him like this. But right now he didn't care, Casey accepting the help as Ramon was able to get him up to his feet, before reaching for his crutches.
"You sure you're okay?" The man checked once more, Casey giving him a slow nod while meeting his gaze. But he never said anything, Ramon drawing in a deep breath before he reached out towards him. "Come here." He prompted, carefully pulling Matt in for an assuring hug.
It caught Casey off guard for a moment or two, but soon enough he relaxed into the contact, Matt hugging him back as best he could as he needed this more than he realized. And he had a feeling Ramon knew that.
"She's okay, Matthew." He reminded him, Casey nodding once or twice before they began to separate.
"I know… I just want her to be the one to tell me that." He responded, earning an understanding nod from the father while he rubbed over his arm. "But I'm fine." He then assured him, Ramon making sure his son-in-law was balanced before taking a step back.
"Alright… Well, I'll head back out there. Just let us know if you need anything."
"I will, thank you." He promised, Ramon giving him one last nod before he exited the bathroom and shut the door behind him, leaving Casey on his own yet again as the injured man maneuvered his body to face the mirror once more.
Though his moment of weakness surely hadn't been expected, admittedly Casey did feel a little better, the man then choosing not to look over his appearance again as he shifted focus to cleaning himself up a bit. Or as much as he could without taking a shower, Matt rinsing his mouth out and washing himself off in the sink before he worked on changing his clothes.
It took more effort than he was used to, his immobile leg doing nothing but slowing him down while he tried to change. But eventually, he managed to get out of his cut up and bulky shift uniform and into the fresh set of clothes Shay had brought him, Matt only continuing to feel better now that the gear was off.
Once he was dressed, the last thing he did was to make sure he put Gabby's wedding ring in the pocket on the front of his new shirt, before he started to carefully make his way back out into her room.
Everyone was in the same places he'd left them, the three Dawson's all looking his way as he crutched out of the small room towards his chair, his eyes mainly on Gabby as he wanted to make sure he hadn't missed anything while he was gone. But, from the looks of it, nothing had changed.
"Are you alright, Matthew?" Camila asked as he got to his seat, Matt giving her a nod before he sat down. "Here, drink this." She prompted while standing up, the woman coming around to his chair with a glass of water. "I can also go and get you some crackers, if you like… A sandwich might not be the best thing for you right now."
"I appreciate that Camila, but I'm fine." He told her, giving her a small smile before grabbing the drink from her, Matt then taking a few sips and letting the cold liquid coat his dry throat.
"Are you sure? You don't need to go home?" She pushed, with nothing but worry in her voice as Matt shook his head defiantly.
"I'm really okay… And I'm not planning on going anywhere until Gabby's up." Casey reminded them, missing the knowing look Ramon and Antonio shared.
"So you're staying tonight.." Camila replied, her words more a statement than a question as no one in the room was surprised by what he was saying.
"I am." He told her. "I'll be here as long as I need to, but I want to make sure I'm around when she wakes up." He continued on, Matt reaching for Gabby's hand once more as he hated being away from her for too long.
"Honestly, that doesn't sound like a bad idea…" She mused, glancing towards Ramon who then gave her a nod. "I think we might stay, too. At least for the night."
"You should." Casey responded without an ounce of hesitation. "I know Gabby would like that. And I think knowing we're all here for her would only help." He added, that simple comment bringing a smile to Camila's face before she gave him a nod.
"I think you're right, Matthew." She said, the two sharing a soft smile before they refocused their attention on Gabby.
While she hadn't moved since being brought in here, she still looked as calm as ever, like she just needed a little bit more rest before she'd come back to them.
Or that's what they were hoping, at least.
A soft groan left Gabby's lips as she slowly came into consciousness, the complete quiet around her leaving her confused while she tried to figure out what was going on. Her mind was in a fog and couldn't tell her much, Gabby not even sure of where she was right now. All she knew was that something hurt. She'd felt it as soon as she woke up, Gabby unsure of where exactly the pain was coming from, just that her body felt different and she couldn't move her arm. Though given the discomfort she was feeling, even in her hazed state she couldn't help but wonder if that was a good thing.
But past the pain and the quiet, Gabby was doing all she could to piece together what was going on, and why it felt so hard to open her eyes. Like she'd just been woken up from the longest nap of her life, and wanted to sleep more, the heaviness in her eyelids slowly beginning to win out as any curiosity as to what happened was being overtaken by her body's desire to rest.
And she was seconds from giving in, until she registered the somewhat familiar sound of beeping coming into her head.
She couldn't place it at first, but she knew she'd heard it somewhere before. A lot. It was something she'd heard dozens of times, the constant beeping continuing to fill her head until it suddenly hit her.
A hospital. She was at a hospital.
And that was the moment it all came rushing back.
She remembered the call with the shooter, and the pain she felt when she was shot.
She remembered Shay dragging her into the closest, doing all she could to help her.
She remembered Matt showing up, her husband desperate to help her while they were surrounded by a spray of bullets.
And she remembered him saying they had to leave. That she needed to get out.
But after that, it all became a little fuzzy. There were bits and pieces of it that she could place, but for the most part she had no idea what happened after that. And she wasn't sure what to make of it.
Another soft groan soon escaped her lips, Gabby wincing a bit before her head lulled to the side, the paramedic fighting against her exhaustion as she slowly started to open her eyes. The room around her was pitch black, like it was the middle of the night, with nothing but a small light across the room helping her to see as her vision gradually came into focus.
She could make out a few silhouettes around her, Gabby having a hard time keeping track of who exactly was here as her head started to move side to side, in an attempt to clear some of the murky fog surrounding her mind. And thankfully it seemed to work, as it was only a few moments later before her eyes finally landed on one person in particular, the blurry sight of him bringing an almost immediate smile to her face.
Because even in all the haze and confusion, she knew exactly who this was sitting in front of her. She knew whose hand she was holding, and who was sleeping at her bedside, Gabby feeling a few stray tears fall as she continued to look at her husband.
It was impossible to see much, but right now she didn't care while she squeezed as tightly as she could on the hand holding hers, hoping it would help wake him.
"...Matt." She choked out, her voice sounding rough and far away, and barely above a whisper as she forced herself to clear her throat. "Matt." She tried again, squeezing his hand at the same time in hopes to wake him up.
And it seemed to work, as she heard him let out a groan before he started to shift around.
"Matt…"
"Baby." He murmured, as if it were instinct, Matt clearly not understanding what was happening as he rubbed his thumb along the back of her hand.
It wasn't until seconds later that his own mind seemed to clear, his eyes snapping open before he turned towards the bed, a million emotions then showing over his face as he saw Gabby staring back at him.
"Gabby…" He breathed out, the sound of his voice bringing more tears to her eyes while giving his hand another squeeze. "Baby, you're awake."
She nodded quickly, words hard to come by as Matt scrambled up out of his seat.
He was moving rather slowly, but given the state her mind was in she wasn't able to understand why, her only focus on her husband as he managed to get to her.
"What's going on?" Gabby heard a voice from the other side of the bed. One she recognized, but couldn't place.
"Gabby's awake." Casey choked out through his tears while he let his free hand rest beside her head to steady himself, his head leaned down towards her as he gave her as close to a hug as he could.
"What? She's awake- Ramon, get up. Gabby's awake!"
She could hear more and more commotion happening around her, but she wasn't able to pay attention to any of it, Gabby's one and only care right now being her husband as more tears continued to flow freely down her cheeks.
"You're awake." He whispered against her, Matt then peppering her face with kisses before landing on her lips. "...God, baby I love you so much."
He was repeating himself over and over, like he needed to say it to believe it as all the emotions they were feeling hit them both at once, the couple not bothering to hide their relieved cries while Matt held onto her as securely as he could.
And for now, that was more than enough for her. No matter what else had happened today, no matter what questions she had, right now they were both here.
Which was all that mattered.