Hello there everyone! I'm here with the next chapter for you all. After the last one, we're gonna see more of how Gabby is doing and how she's handling things, as well as get into some Christmas fun with the Casey and Dawson families, so I hope you all enjoy it! And I'll see you all next time.
***UPDATE 8/4/22: Hey there everyone, I just want to let you all know I'm not gonna be able to get a chapter posted for you all today. I'm really sorry for that, but I didn't have any time these past few days to write. I haven't mentioned much of anything about this, but for a few weeks now there's been some pretty bad things going on in my personal life, and this week especially was very difficult. I didn't want to bring it up at all, but I figured I should say something because I'm not sure how/if it'll affect things with my updates going forward. There's a lot me and my family are trying to deal with right now, and while I'm hoping it won't keep me from getting these updates out to you all as I usually do, I'm just not sure at the moment.
For now, I'm hopeful that next week I can get back on track and continue with my usual weekly updates. But if that changes, I will let you know.
Thank you all for understanding, and again I'm sorry for the late notice about there not being any new chapter today. That wasn't at all my intention. But I hope you all have a good rest of your week, and I'll see you next time.
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY NINE
Dawson's foot tapped quickly up and down as she sat on the welcoming chair, her eyes focused out the large windows while heavy snow fell down onto the city of Chicago, Gabby too high up in this building to really see much of what was going on in the streets below her. But it felt peaceful, at least to her, as there was a calmness that came from seeing the large buildings blanketed in white, Gabby committed to keeping her gaze out into the world instead of on the familiar man currently sitting in the seat across from her.
This was her second time here in less than a week, but this visit already felt different than the last as she'd been sitting here for a long few minutes, and had yet to say a word. But, to the man's credit, he hadn't pushed to open up. He never had, even back when Gabby was coming here for a much different reason, to get past what all Bryan had put her through, the therapist never forced her to talk. Because he knew it would get him nowhere with her, and even though it had been almost a year since they last saw one another, he hadn't forgotten how delicate he needed to be with her, in letting her come to him in her own time.
And that understanding of her, and the best way to help her, is exactly why Gabby had even come back here in the first place. Why she had come back to this office, to this therapist, because she knew if there was anyone that would be able to get her past this, it was Adrian Carter.
It hadn't even crossed her mind to come here, if she was being honest. But after her first shift back at work the week before last, and being confronted with the fact that she wasn't handling everything as well as she thought, it became clear to both her and Matt that she was going to need a little extra guidance to deal with everything that happened. More than what the two of them could handle, which is when- after a few long talks together, Matt suggested she come back here and talk to Adrian.
At the time she'd been a little bit surprised by her husband's idea, but she quickly welcomed it as Gabby was willing to do anything to get past this. And Adrian was someone she trusted, someone outside her circle that she felt safe enough with to confide in. Someone who already helped her get past all of the horrible things she'd gone through before, who she believed would be able to help her now. That's the entire reason she was here.
But now that she was sitting here with him, on her own, it felt a little harder to dig into everything she was feeling, the extreme vulnerability always scary to her as there were times it was still hard to let herself rely on other people. Especially people who weren't her husband. Which was another reason her first session earlier in the week had been a lot different than this.
At least up to this point, she would almost say her first visit with him had been easier, as nearly all of their time during that hour was spent catching Adrian up on her life, and what all he'd missed since the last time they saw one another. From everything with work and her friends, to Matt and their wedding, there was a lot that had changed over the past year. Meaning there was a lot to talk about before even getting into why Gabby had come here in the first place.
But even then, talking about the shooting last time didn't feel as hard as it did now. They hadn't gotten into much of it then, just the basics of that call and what had happened to them, Adrian himself a bit shocked as while he knew of the shooting that had happened at the recreational center, he didn't realize his former patient was a victim. Overall, there had just been a lot to cover, to the point where they didn't have that much time to actually get into what Gabby was dealing with. And she could only assume that's why last time felt so much easier for her than now.
That, and because, per her request, Matt had sat in on her first session with her.
She knew that didn't necessarily follow protocol, but under the circumstances Adrian had no issue with letting Matt be here with her. Where he'd not only been there to help bring the therapist up to speed on their lives, but he was able to explain what happened the day of the shooting to him. More so than Gabby could, as there was still so much from those few days she didn't remember. So for Adrian to get the complete picture of what they'd gone through, she needed Matt here.
But without him next to her now, that was just an added layer to how exposed she was feeling. And it was hard for her to know where to start.
"...How'd your last shift go?"
Gabby tore her eyes away from the window when she heard Adrian's voice, her gaze focusing on him while he sat there with his usual notepad, the soft look on his face helping to ease a few of her nerves before he smiled softly.
"I know you've worked since I last saw you, are you still feeling okay being at the firehouse?" He pushed on, prompting Gabby to finally respond once she cleared her throat.
"I am." She told him, Adrian nodding knowingly as he let his hands fall together in his lap. "It took a few shifts to really get comfortable, and obviously everything that happened on our first shift back was hard to deal with… But it's been fine, overall." She explained to him, feeling herself beginning to open up more with each passing second. "The job itself is good, and I like being back with Shay. It's only been a couple weeks, but I feel like I've settled in again, and so has Matt." She finished with a small grin of her own while Adrian nodded firmly.
"That's good to hear, Gabby. I'm glad you're feeling comfortable back at work." He replied gently.
"Yeah, me too." She answered, the two sharing another soft look before his eyes moved back down to his notepad.
She watched him intently while he silently read over something, his mouth tightening for a moment before he relaxed and looked back up at her, the look on his face showing the surprise he felt from her eyes still on him. But he said nothing, Adrian content to wait until she was ready as he wouldn't break his promise of making her talk if she didn't want to.
But just because he wasn't saying anything, that didn't mean Gabby couldn't tell there was something on his mind. And the longer they went without speaking, the more curious she was.
"You can say it." She said abruptly, watching as his head fell to the side in question.
"I'm sorry?"
"Whatever you're thinking right now." She explained further, Adrian's eyebrows merely raising up at her words. But Gabby then shook her head, before gesturing towards his notepad. "You keep looking down at whatever you wrote last time, I know there's something you want to talk to me about."
Adrian watched her before he drew in a deep breath, the therapist reaching down to place his notes over on the table beside him to give her his complete attention. "We're not here for me, Gabby. It doesn't matter what I want to talk about, this is about you. And what you need." He reminded her, but she stood firm.
"Just tell me." She pressed, Adrian keeping a close eye on her for a few lingering seconds before he nodded.
"Okay, what I was thinking about… Was do you remember when you first came to me? And I asked you why you were here?"
His question caught her off guard, Gabby not at all expecting that to be what was on his mind right now. But she nodded back at him regardless, waiting for him to continue.
"You told me that you came here for Matt." He kept on, not missing the way Gabby's face softened. "That, if not for him, you might've never reached out to anyone for help about what you experienced."
"I remember." She responded, Adrian nodding knowingly while leaning forward ever so slightly in his chair.
"Well, the only reason I'm bringing it up is because that first day with you is reminding me a lot of right now." He spoke honestly, Gabby giving little in the form of a reaction as she waited for him to say more. "I can't tell if you're here because you want to be, or because Matt wanted you to." Adrian continued on, as Dawson pursed her lips together tightly. "...Am I wrong in that assumption, was this his idea?"
"Yes and no." She answered him, Adrian nodding while staying quiet. "He suggested it, but I made the decision to come." She clarified.
"Because you want to get past this." He stated, keeping his words vague in the hope that she'd feel comfortable enough to keep talking.
"I do. I want to be over this… And for a while, I thought I was." Gabby explained while fiddling with her hands in her lap. "I thought I had gotten past what happened to Matt and I, it felt like I was fine. I mean, after the shooting it was hard. I can't lie and say it wasn't. And I felt guilty that Matt got hurt because of me. But I was so focused on recovering, and Matt's recovery, I guess I didn't let myself think about how I was actually feeling." She rambled out, the words coming faster than she could even register. But that's exactly why she'd come to him.
No matter how hard it was to open up initially, she always got to a place where she could. Adrian just had a way of being patient enough with her to give her space, while also being supportive enough that when she was ready, Gabby knew she could talk to him. And that was never more evident than it was right now.
"That's not uncommon in situations like yours." He echoed. "A lot of times, it's easier to focus on the physical recovery than the mental."
"Yeah, I think that's what Matt and I both were doing." She admitted. "We put all our energy into making sure my shoulder was alright, and his leg.. Then before I knew it, we were both healed and ready to go back to work. And we hadn't really talked about it, not much. Maybe just a few times since the hospital, I guess… I hadn't talked about anything, cause I didn't think I needed to."
"There had been enough separation from the shooting that you thought you were alright." He finished the thought for her, Gabby nodding in agreement while she mimicked his hunched position.
"That's exactly what it felt like… It was hard, of course. But I thought I had come to terms with all of it. What happened to us was terrifying, but since Matt and I are fine I thought I had moved past it." She breathed out, before a deep grimace appeared over her face. "But then when I first got back to the firehouse, it was like I got hit with it all over again. A lot of things I hadn't let myself think about… Then seeing that news report, it just-" She cut herself off, while shaking her head. "It brought all of it back. Or what I remember from it, at least." She got out, Adrian letting her talk as much as she needed to.
"Finding out how many people died that day, how many innocent lives were ruined all because of one man, while Matt and I both walked away, it's all… I don't even know what to think, it's just hard." She continued on with an abrupt shake of her head. "And it's frustrating, because I thought this was over.. I thought after I was out of the hospital and back at work, that everything would just go back to normal. But it hasn't. There are times now when it just feels worse."
Her chest was nearly heaving by the time she finished, Gabby having forgotten to breathe while she ranted out everything she'd been holding onto for months. The same things she didn't know how to voice until right this second, Dawson letting her eyes fall closed as everything continued to wash over her.
Adrian kept quiet for another moment, sensing how lost his patient felt in this moment while she tried to come to terms with everything she had just admitted to him, his focus staying locked on her as the minutes ticked by, before he eventually spoke up.
"...Would it help you at all if I told you why I think you're feeling this way now?" He asked carefully, letting her take the lead before he went any further. "And why I think this might be harder on you now than it was after it happened."
Gabby took another steadying breath before she looked back up at him, seeing nothing but compassion and understanding in his gaze as she gave him a slow, somewhat hesitant nod.
"Alright… I might be off base here, but from what you and Matt have told me, you don't remember much of anything that happened to you. The days surrounding the shooting, and afterwards in the hospital. A lot of that is fuzzy.. You can't remember getting shot, or how you got out of that building. And you don't remember Matt getting shot, is that right?" He checked, Gabby pausing for a moment before she nodded. "Okay, well from my experience, I think all of that missing time might be why all of this is more difficult on you now."
Her eyebrows furrowed a bit, the look on her face a dead giveaway that she wasn't entirely sure what he meant, which led him to continue.
"These past few months before going back to the firehouse, it may have felt like you were able to move on because you didn't remember exactly what you were moving on from… You knew you'd been shot, and that Matt got hurt, but you couldn't remember much else. You didn't know what happened. So while it was hard to get past the idea of what you went through, you felt like you were able to let it go because at the time, all you really knew was that you'd both been hurt but were getting better. You didn't know why that man did what he did, you didn't know how many people lost their lives. You didn't know anything other than what was going on with you and with Matt. But now you do, and you're being forced to confront things you don't remember, or didn't know. It's causing you to deal with aspects of this you hadn't had to focus on before."
He spoke slowly, making sure Gabby really heard every single word he said as a bunch of mixed emotions played out across her face. But there was one that was sticking out above the rest, and that was realization.
She was coming to understand that he was right, Adrian seeing he'd unintentionally hit a nerve with her. And at this moment, he knew he had to keep going to ensure they got down to the root of the problem. It was the only way to help her.
"And I don't think it's a coincidence you started feeling this way when you got back to the firehouse." He pushed on as her eyes locked on him, Adrian sensing she wanted to know what else he had to say. "Going back there, to the job where you nearly got killed, that triggered something in you… And then seeing that news report only made it worse. It's bringing everything back to the front of your mind, whether you consciously know what those feelings are or not, because you never had the chance to properly deal with what happened. You couldn't deal with it, because you didn't remember it." He told her, letting out a soft breath while he saw the faintest hint of tears shining in her eyes.
"You and Matt tried to put this behind you. You tried to come to terms with the fact that you almost died, and that he got hurt protecting you. That you nearly lost each other. And that by itself isn't an easy thing to deal with. It's never easy to confront something like that. But you tried, and maybe Matt was able to. At least a little bit, because in his case he's known the full extent of what happened. He'd been having to come to terms with this since the beginning. You haven't. So every time you learn something else about the shooting, it's not unreasonable for it to affect you the way it is. For it to take you back to that day all over again... From someone on the outside of this, I think that's why this feels harder now than it did before."
His words hung heavy in the air as Gabby did her best to take in what all he was saying, the weight of all of it hitting her hard while she tightened the grasp she had on her hands.
She knew he was right. The second he said it, she knew everything he said was true. She just didn't understand that until he'd put everything out there in front of her. But now that this had come to light, and she was finally seeing at least part of what was going on in her head, she didn't know what to do with it. And that slow realization was causing more and more thoughts to run rampant in her mind.
"What are you thinking right now?" He asked after a few quiet minutes, causing her to take in a heavy breath before she began to shrug.
"I… I don't know, I guess I just- How am I supposed to get past this?" She stumbled out, her shoulders tightening while she glanced back towards the therapist. "I think you're right, I think all of that is why I still feel this way… But how can I move on if there are days where I'm completely fine, days where I feel great and don't think about it. But then the second anything is mentioned about the shooting I shut down?" She asked helplessly, clearly searching for any answers he could give her. "I don't want to feel like this anymore, but I don't know how to stop it."
"It won't be like this forever, Gabby." He assured her, his calm voice prompting her to draw in a deep breath before she nodded. "You, more than anyone else I know, have proven how capable you are of getting past horrible things that have happened to you. And I believe this is no different, it's just going to take time." He spoke, while she gnawed on her bottom lip. "The issue with how you're feeling right now, is that you're still at the beginning… You're only now figuring out how to start moving past this, it just doesn't feel that way because of how long ago it happened." He reasoned, Gabby's face softening before she started to nod. "You're back at step one, but that doesn't mean you won't move forward. You'll get there, you're just gonna need a little help… This situation isn't black and white, I know you're still hurting and there are times where you feel guilty, and it's not wrong to feel that way. There's still a lot you'll have to work through with this. Things you'll have to deal with, but I'll be here to walk you through that. As much as you need."
"Okay." She murmured after letting out a heavy breath, earning a sympathetic smile from her therapist.
"You just have to take things one step, one day at a time. And some moments will be easier than others, you know that. Some days you'll feel fine, others not so much. But that's when you lean on those you love, lean on Matt… Talk to him, your parents, me. Anyone who you think could help. Talk to them about what you're feeling. Because the more you let yourself deal with this trauma and how it's affecting you, the easier it'll become to move on from it. You survived something horrible, you and Matt both did, and you have to let yourself come to terms with that. That's all you can do, but you'll get through this, Gabby. I have no doubt in my mind about that." He promised, Gabby wiping a bit underneath her eyes before she slowly nodded, the slight ease of the weight against her chest helping her to believe what all he was saying.
"...Alright." She agreed, letting out a heavy breath while Adrian glanced across the room towards the clock on the wall, both of them aware of how they were nearing the end of her session. But she also knew he wouldn't let her leave before making sure she was okay.
"How are you doing right now?" He then questioned, as she expected, Gabby taking a few moments to really figure out what all was going on in her head.
"I… think I feel a little better? Oddly enough." She finally settled on, while Adrian offered her a small smile. "Is that weird?"
"No, it's not. Not at all." He assured her, seeing her almost visibly relax before she started to nod.
"Okay… Then yeah, I- I think I'm feeling better. Now that I at least can understand why I'm feeling like this."
"That's good, Gabby. I'm glad." He spoke warmly, before shifting to the edge of his seat. "Unfortunately, our time is about up. So unless you need to talk about anything else right now, I'll see you at your next appointment after New Years… You can always text me though, if you need to talk through something. But if not, we'll pick up again once we get through the holidays." He reminded her, Gabby nodding softly as she started to stand up. "So, you and Matt have any plans for Christmas?" He pushed on, Adrian wanting to finish on a happier subject for her as he knew Gabby always responded well to that.
And by the small smile he saw appear over her lips, he knew this time was no different. "We, uh.. Have to work on Christmas Day, but on Christmas Eve we're getting together with my family, and possibly Matt's family as well."
"That'll be nice."
"Yeah, it will be. We're excited." She agreed while they walked to the door, before Adrian pulled it open.
"I hope you have a great Christmas, Gabby. And you'll have to tell Antonio I said hi." He added as they stepped out into the lobby, the sight of them causing Matt to stand up from his seat over by the windows where he'd been waiting for his wife.
"I will… Thank you, again."
"Of course. I'll see you in a couple weeks." He finished, waving a quick goodbye to Casey before he stepped back into his office, leaving the couple out in the room with just his receptionist.
"Hey baby." Casey greeted gently, Gabby turning to see him walking towards her with her coat and purse in his hands, Matt offering to keep her things for her while she spoke with Adrian.
"Hi." She replied softly, missing his easy smile as he began to help get her coat on.
"How'd it go?" He questioned after coming to stand in front of her, Matt seeing the hint of tears hiding in her eyes while he adjusted her coat over her arms. Though he wasn't entirely surprised by them, as more often than not her therapy sessions were emotionally taxing on her.
"It was good.. It helped." She told him, matching his small smile as he leaned forward to press a loving kiss to her head.
"Good." He repeated, wrapping his arm around her shoulders before he led her towards the elevators. "Let's head home."
Gabby nodded in agreement, knowing nothing else needed to be said right now as they waited to be taken down to the main lobby, Matt's presence beside her enough to keep her grounded as while they stood here, she couldn't help but feel an immense amount of gratitude for him being here with her. How he'd been by her side every step of the way.
And no matter how difficult things got for her, she knew he always would be. Every day for the rest of their lives.
"Oh come on, that doesn't even count."
The sound of Casey's complaining merged with the soft Christmas music playing throughout the Dawson household while Gabby sat on the couch in her parent's livingroom on this cold Christmas Eve night, her amused gaze focused across the room on her husband where he and her brother were playing around with one of Diego's Christmas presents from his grandparents.
It was a street hockey set that the boy had desperately been wanting, one that came with a pair of sticks, a few street hockey balls, and a net that was on the smaller side; everything perfect for an outdoor setup when the weather was better. And Diego had absolutely loved it, so much so that after the family had opened all their presents earlier in the evening, he and his father had taken the time to set it up and play a little bit here in the living room since the weather outside was so bad, the two of them getting a few games in before Diego and Eva left to go back to their mother's house.
All of that had gone over well, Camila and Ramon just glad their grandson enjoyed his gift from them. But what they hadn't been anticipating was the liking that both Antonio and Matt took to it as well, as ever since the children left, the two older men hadn't stopped playing with it, Antonio and Casey now currently in the middle of their third game of modified street hockey.
And, from what Gabby could tell, Matt wasn't winning.
"Hell yeah it counts, man." Antonio gloated with a proud smirk.
"Watch your language, Antonio." Camila called from across the room, in her spot back at the table next to Nancy.
"Sorry Mama." He responded back with a regretful smile, Camila pursing her lips together knowingly while nodding back at him, before she returned to her conversation with Nancy. Once he was in the clear, Antonio returned his attention back towards Matt, not missing the amused gleam that had formed in his brother's eyes while he tried to hold in his laughter. "I don't know what you're laughing about, Case." He started, the tone in his voice causing Matt's face to fall ever so slightly before huffing out a heavy breath. "You still lost. Which, by my count, means I'm up two to one… Might as well forfeit now." He goaded him, with that same knowing grin over his lips.
"Fat chance of that happening." Matt gruffed, while nodding back towards the net. "Now get over here, it's my turn to kick your ass." He spoke without thinking before immediately tensing up, like he just remembered what Antonio had gotten into trouble for seconds prior. But after he slowly turned towards the table and saw that Camila and Nancy were still in deep conversation, he grinned out of relief before continuing over towards where Antonio had just been standing, the two men switching sides so they could continue on with their game.
"You realize you're just gonna lose again, right?" Antonio continued to tease, Matt quickly flipping him off before grabbing ahold of the hockey stick.
"Yeah, we'll see." He responded, Antonio laughing back at him before he prepared himself to try and stop Casey's shot.
"They really are like children, aren't they?"
Gabby glanced up to see her father standing beside the couch, the entertained smile on his face noticeable while he watched Antonio and Matt for a moment, before looking down towards his daughter.
"They definitely are." She agreed with a laugh, Ramon matching her look while he stepped in front of the furniture to sit down next to her. "But it's sweet… You and Mama did well picking out the presents."
"It would appear we did." He agreed, reaching over to hand her the glass of wine that he'd gone to refill for her moments prior. "We should've just gotten this for your brother instead of Diego though, by the looks of it."
She chuckled at his teasing words, before nodding in agreement. "Well, there's always his birthday, you could get it for him then… And thank you." She added, tapping against the side of her glass.
"You're welcome, mija." Ramon replied while reaching over to give her arm a gentle squeeze, Gabby smiling towards her father before taking a slow sip of her drink.
"Did you and Mama get all the food from dinner put up? Or do you still need help?" Gabby questioned, seeing her father begin to shake his head while lifting his arm up to rest over the back of the couch.
"It's already taken care of, you know how your mother is… She was in the kitchen cleaning up and getting leftovers in containers before people had even finished eating." He told her with a laugh, Gabby grinning in agreement as she knew just how true her dad's words were. "She even put together a few boxes for you and Matthew to take with you, so make sure you don't forget those."
"We won't, Papa." She assured him, Ramon nodding as she leaned her head down to rest against his shoulder. "If anything, because Matt's gonna want some more of that lamb you made."
A deep chuckle escaped the back of his throat, as Ramon's eyes moved back across the room towards Casey. "Well, he's in luck because I'm pretty sure your mother gave all of those leftovers to you two." He replied, the father and daughter sharing another laugh while they watched Matt shoot the ball past Antonio into the net. "She could tell Matt loved it."
"He did, but all the food was great." She responded, while Matt was in the middle of taunting her older brother. "You and Mama didn't have to go through all this trouble."
"Nonsense. It's Christmas, Gabriela… Or it's our Christmas at least, and we wanted to celebrate properly." He reminded her, his gentle voice never getting louder than the instrumental Christmas music still playing in the background.
"Well, I'd say you accomplished that. Tonight was really nice." She spoke with a soft smile, Ramon matching her grin before nodding in agreement, a soft silence falling between them as Gabby started to think back over their night together.
Their holiday festivities had started earlier this afternoon, where Gabby and Matt came over to help with a bit of the last minute baking, along with wrapping some of the presents, before the four of them met up with Antonio, Eva, and Diego over at their church for the Christmas Eve service. They'd all had a wonderful time there, Camila and Ramon not shying away from introducing Matt to all of their friends who had yet to meet him, before the seven of them eventually made their way back to the Dawson family home.
Which is where they'd then met up with Nancy, Christie, and Violet.
At first, neither Matt nor Gabby were sure if his side of the family would be able to make it, given how their plans for the holiday were kind of last minute. But thankfully, his mom, sister, and niece had all been able to come, Gabby unable to forget the look of pure joy she saw from her husband when they arrived as she knew how happy moments like this made him. Because having everyone together like this for practically the first time ever, it filled them both with a sense of contentment and joy that was hard to explain.
And it had made their entire night all the better.
The festivities started off with some drinks and appetizers, as well as a few card games with the adults while Camila finished up in the kitchen, before they moved onto their wonderful meal. One full of the usual Christmas food such as ham, potatoes, vegetables, and rolls, along with a few more traditional dishes that Gabby grew up loving. There had been absolutely no shortage of good food to choose from, their entire family filling up as they could.
Then once dinner was over, that was when they had all moved into the living room to open a few presents. With Christie and Violet were there, they stuck to the few simple gifts that Ramon and Camila had bought for everyone- Matt's family included, as they didn't want to be doing their complete Christmas when there weren't more presents for the older Casey sibling and her daughter. But once they said their regretful goodbyes maybe half an hour later, with the promise of coming back to visit soon, is when the Dawson's and remaining Caseys moved on to their actual Christmas, where everyone wasted no time in unwrapping all the presents underneath the tree.
Ramon and Camila spared no expense, spoiling not only their grandchildren but their children as well, while also getting Matt more gifts than he'd ever need, the older couple even getting Nancy a couple things too. They had gone above and beyond, in hopes of making this Christmas as memorable as they possibly could.
And, as far as Gabby was concerned, they'd succeeded, as even now that their night was winding down, with just her, Matt, Antonio, and Nancy still here, she couldn't help but focus on how incredible of a time they'd all had, the youngest Dawson knowing this was night she wouldn't be forgetting for a long time.
And after what all had happened these past few months, that feeling was more than welcome.
"Mija…"
Gabby's mind snapped back into focus once she registered the soft sound of her dad's voice, her eyes blinking a few times before she lifted herself up from his shoulder and turned her head to look at him.
"Hmm?" She hummed in response, his expression a dead giveaway to how this hadn't been the first time he'd tried to get her attention.
"I was saying something about Matthew and Antonio, but I don't think you heard me." He started, a flash of recognition appearing over her features as she glanced back towards her husband, seeing him still consumed by the game. Where he and Antonio both were getting a little more wound up than they should've, but it was all in good fun. "You went quiet there for a moment…"
"Oh, sorry… I was just thinking." She replied, Ramon drawing in a slow breath while he ran his hand along her shoulder.
"Everything alright?" He pushed, clear worry laced in his voice. And given what all had been going on Gabby couldn't fault him for it, as she hadn't bothered hiding from her parents how she was having her struggles lately.
Her and Matt both, they'd been very open with them about everything and how they were still trying to completely recover from what happened that day at the recreational center. That they'd been going to therapy in an effort to help that process, her parents knew all of it. She didn't want to hide that from them. So she wasn't surprised to see him so concerned about her now, even if she hated knowing that she was the cause of so much of their worry.
"Everything's fine, Papa." She promised with a small smile, noticing the smallest amount of hesitance in his gaze before he nodded. "I was just thinking about today, and how much fun we all had."
Those last few words seemed to relax him, Ramon matching her smile as he began to rub over her shoulder once more. "Ah, yes."
"Yeah, it wasn't anything bad, just that I'm glad we were able to do this. Get everything together for Christmas."
"Me too, mi amor." He murmured in agreement, Gabby giving him one last smile before she returned her head to his shoulder, her side resting comfortably against her father. "It may have been a little crazy, but having the whole family together for Christmas was nice… And I'm glad you enjoyed it. Today seemed to be a good day for you." He commented, both of them well aware of how he meant much more than just her enjoying their holiday. "For you and Matthew, both."
"It was." She assured him, feeling her father nod in response while simultaneously tightening his hold on her. "Today was really good. Probably one of my best lately." Gabby added on, as much for herself as it was for him. And she meant every word.
Since her last therapy session earlier in the week, she'd been having more good days than not. She wasn't magically fixed, and she still had her moments where things were hard. This entire thing was a process, there were bound to be many highs and lows; Adrian had told her as much. But overall, she felt like she was doing a little better. Her and Matt both were, and that's what she wanted to hold onto right now.
"That's great to hear." He spoke honestly, while tucking his daughter further into his side. "And therapy is still helping?"
"It is."
"Good." He replied without hesitation, prompting Gabby to smile at her dad's support before he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I'm glad you're getting the help you need, Gabriela." He murmured against her, Ramon holding onto her a little tighter as she let her eyes fall closed, Gabby basking in this time with her father while she had it.
But their tender moment was soon interrupted by the sound of a street hockey ball hitting the Christmas tree, causing more than a few ornaments to crash down to the carpeted floor as Gabby looked over to find her husband standing there with his mouth open, like he knew he was in trouble.
And the rest of the room knew it too, everyone going completely silent- aside from Antonio, who was trying to hide his snickering, before Matt cautiously turned back towards Camila.
"Matthew…" She spoke in a warning tone, though just from her voice Gabby could tell she wasn't truly mad. In fact, she didn't even think her mom could get mad at Matt. But his reaction was just as amusing either way. "You need to be careful."
"I'm sorry." He spoke sheepishly, Gabby watching him with an amused look while Antonio continued to fight back his laughter.
Camila gave him one last cautioning look before going back to her conversation with Nancy, who was merely amused by everything going on around her, Matt keeping his eyes on the mothers across the room for a few more seconds before his gaze found Gabby's.
The two watched each other for a moment, Gabby shaking her head lightly while Casey shot her a bright, shameless grin, the man winking in her direction before he went back to his game with Antonio, while Gabby continued to sit with her dad.
Dawson unclasped the chain around her neck before placing it down into her jewelry box, the soft overhead light helping aid her movements while she continued winding down from the evening.
They had returned home about ten minutes ago, after spending as much time as possible with their families for Christmas. But with their early morning tomorrow they weren't able to stay too late over at her parents' house, Gabby and Matt saying their last goodbyes and thanks for a wonderful holiday before they'd headed out and began making their way home.
The journey itself took a while given all the heavy snow covering the roads, combined with thick snow still falling from the sky, Matt making sure to drive as carefully as he could with his wife in the car. But eventually, they'd managed to get home, Casey helping her in with the leftovers before he'd gone back out to the truck to get all their gifts inside, Matt completing that task while Gabby had made her way to their bedroom.
And that is where she'd been ever since, Dawson more than ready to get out of this dress and into bed, as she found herself more tired than even she realized. But before she could do any of that, she wanted her husband here with her.
"Alright babe, everything's locked up."
She glanced up from the mirror when she heard his voice a few minutes later, Gabby watching as he stepped into their bedroom while shrugging off his coat jacket, before reaching up to tug down the tie from his neck.
"And I just set all the gifts in the kitchen, figured we could deal with that after work."
"That's fine, thank you." She murmured, Matt offering her a gentle smile before he walked behind her, his hand sliding along her back as he continued on in his path towards their closet. But her voice stopped him before he could get very far. "Can you unzip me?"
He glanced back, looking at her through the mirror as she began to take her earrings off, that small grin returning to his features before he nodded.
"Of course." He spoke, his voice catching a bit in this throat while he walked back towards her, his hands immediately landing on her hips as he came to a stop behind her. "...Have I told you how beautiful you look in this dress?"
Heat rushed through her chest before she glanced down towards the ground, her bottom lip tucking in between her teeth while she focused on the feeling of his hands rubbing back and forth over her waist.
"You have… A few times."
"Well, it's true." He breathed out, Matt then leaning forward to press a soft, barely there kiss against her bare shoulder. "You look absolutely stunning, baby." He said against her skin, Gabby letting herself relax back into him as his palm slid around to her stomach, holding her as close as possible before resting his chin over her shoulder.
Their stance was completely innocent, Matt just wanting to be near her as he felt her lean completely against him, both their eyes closing before Casey started to slowly sway them back and forth.
"I love you." He breathed out after a couple long moments, Matt opening his eyes long enough to see the smile that had formed over her face before she gradually met his gaze through the mirror.
"I love you, too."
"And thank you, for an amazing Christmas." He added on, those words causing her brows to furrow before she shook her head.
"I didn't really do anything." She tried, but he simply shrugged.
"You're here, married to me, and it's Christmas… Sounds like enough to me." He responded, hearing her laugh softly before she turned her head to press a kiss to his jaw.
"You're such a dork." She whispered against him, while he squeezed her waist.
"I know." He agreed easily, sharing a few quick kisses with her before Gabby faced forward once more, Matt looking over the two of them together as his hand slid up to rest just underneath her chest. "...You still feeling okay?" He asked somewhat suddenly, earning nothing more than a lazy smile from his wife before she nodded.
"I am."
"Good." He replied, pressing one last kiss to her skin before he reluctantly pulled back from her, Gabby missing his warmth instantly. "I have something I want to give you."
A deep look of confusion crossed her features, Gabby turning her body to face him while he walked over to his jacket that he'd tossed onto their bed, his back to her while he rooted around in the pockets.
"What do you mean?" She questioned, resting her weight against their dresser as he stood up straight and turned around, Gabby glancing down to see a small jewelry box in his hands. "...I thought we agreed we weren't going to open any gifts until after shift." She reminded him, Matt grinning sheepishly as he walked the few steps back to her.
With everything the couple had going on, they'd come to the decision that they weren't going to do anything crazy when it came to gifts. That after their wedding and extravagant honeymoon, then all their medical bills on top of it, they didn't need to spend too much money for the holiday. So they chose to just get each other a few smaller gifts, with the promise that they'd open them once they got home from work the day after Christmas.
But evidently, if the velvet box in his hands was any indication, Matt had other plans.
"We did." He answered easily, stopping just short of her while holding her gift in between them. "But I wanted to give you this right now." He added on, Gabby lifting her hand up to grab ahold of the jewelry box while taking note of the soft smirk across his lips. "Besides, it's as much of a gift for me as it is for you."
"Usually that means lingerie." She deadpanned, Casey letting out an amused chuckle while he nudged her hip.
"Don't worry, that's out there underneath the tree." He replied, earning another laugh from her before he tapped the edge of the box. "Now open it." He prompted softly, Gabby giving him a look before she slowly pulled the lid up.
And when she saw what was hidden underneath, a quiet gasp left her lips before she smiled wide, her eyes focused solely on the silver chain in front of her while she took in this beautiful gift Matt had given her.
It was a delicate necklace, with two small pendants that had letters imprinted on them attached in the middle, the G and the M interwoven together- just like her and Matt were.
"Matt…" She breathed out, a few happy tears clouding her vision as she looked up at him, finding a hesitant, yet bright grin waiting for her, her husband clearly hoping she liked her gift as much as he did.
"It's for us." He told her, Gabby biting down on her lip before she nodded eagerly. "I saw it, and just knew I had to get it for you."
"Baby, it's too much." She tried, but he immediately shook his head.
"No, it's not." He replied, earning another look from her before she returned her attention back to the necklace, Matt's own smile growing when he saw the wonder in her eyes. "...The lady at the jewelry shop was telling me all about it, and how you can add more pendants next to the letters. So I thought it would be a good first Christmas gift, starting with you and me. Then whenever we, you know… expand our family," He spoke pointedly, Gabby glancing up at him with a loving, yet amused, gleam in her eye. "We can add more."
"Is there something you need to tell me?" She jokingly asked, Matt letting out another laugh before he shook his head and carefully removed the necklace from the box.
"You're funny." He murmured, unclasping the chain and bringing it up to her neck so he could put it on her. "But no, I was just thinking more for the future. Our future." He told her, letting the necklace fall into place before Gabby looked down towards it, the metal feeling cold against her skin. But she loved it. "That's what I meant when I said it was a gift for the both of us. And I know kids aren't really on the table for us right now. We've only been married for a few months, and with everything that happened… There's just no rush. But when the time comes, we can put all our kids' initials there right next to ours. And you can always have it with you." He finished with a smile, Gabby touching the pendant before meeting his gaze.
"It's so beautiful, Matt." She told him, speaking barely above a whisper as she was afraid her voice would betray her. "I love it so much."
"I'm glad." He replied, before she pushed herself up to give him a long, passion-filled kiss. "It looks so good on you." He added once they pulled apart, Gabby nodding in agreement as they both looked down towards the necklace.
"I'm never gonna take it off." She responded, prompting him to let out a chuckle from deep within his chest. "...Not until it's time to add more initials, at least." She added with a sly grin, Matt matching her look before he closed the distance between them once more, wrapping his arms around her back while pulling her in for a wanting kiss.
Though this time they didn't pull apart, their movements getting deeper and deeper while Gabby clung to him as tightly as she could, gently easing them both back towards the bed. His hands were roaming her body, Matt desperate to touch his wife anywhere he could as an intense, almost suffocating passion filled their bedroom, Casey sliding his palms over her until they came to a halt at the zipper on her back.
Without going any further he stopped himself, Matt pulling back from her to catch his breath while their chests heaved up and down. When he met her eyes, she was giving him that look he knew well. The one that was no doubt going to end with them naked in their bed. But before that happened, he needed to be sure.
"Do you feel up for this?" He asked her, while her hands worked on removing his tie and throwing it to the ground, before she focused on the buttons holding his shirt. But he didn't let that distract him, as he needed to check with her before going any further, Matt not wanting to do anything she wasn't comfortable with. Especially if she wasn't in the right headspace.
"I do." She verbalized, Matt smiling softly as he nodded. "I want you, and I want to celebrate Christmas with my husband." She murmured while pulling his shirt open, causing Casey to swallow thickly before he continued leading them back towards the bed, no more words needing to be said between them as they were ready to commemorate their first Christmas together as husband and wife.
Which was exactly what they did, all night long.