Hey there everyone! I'm back with the next chapter for you all, and I really hope you guys enjoy it! We're gonna get to see some Casey/Dawson family time, as well as see how Gabby's doctor's appointment goes. And I can't wait for you to read it!

Hope you all have a great rest of your week, and I'll see you next time!

ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR

Dawson's finger tapped lightly against the clipboard in her lap that was holding onto all of her completed paperwork, her eyes moving around the rather busy waiting room. There were maybe half a dozen women sitting around her, some with their partners and some without, most of whom were at varying degrees of pregnancy as they waited to be seen by the doctor. And while Gabby was trying not to stare, it was hard not to as she couldn't help but think of that one day hopefully being her.

Of that being her sitting here, months pregnant, with her husband by her side, the mere thought of it bringing a small smile to her face before she returned her gaze back down towards the papers in her lap.

Like he could sense the thoughts going on in her head, Matt soon reached his hand out to rest over her thigh before giving it a squeeze, the action gaining her attention as she soon looked up, finding his soft eyes on her. Neither of them said anything at first, Gabby's eyes trailing over her husband while his thumb moved lightly across her leg.

Though they hadn't been to work yet, Boden telling them to just take the morning off and come in once they were done, Matt was dressed in his usual white Captain's shirt and blue pants, looking as distinguished as ever while they sat here in the doctor's office. Gabby, however, had opted for her more everyday attire of a simple pair of jeans and a loose t-shirt, wanting to be comfortable for today. And since she knew she could just change once she got to the station, she didn't bother putting on her work gear quite yet.

"Hey." Matt finally spoke up, pulling her from her thoughts as she moved her eyes up from his chest to his face, seeing that same small smile resting there before she began to match it. "You alright?" He asked her softly, though it was a rather loaded question. And they both knew it.

He had felt her nerves all morning; all week, really. Even though this entire thing kind of came and went in waves. But today moreso, ever since they arrived here about half an hour ago, he could certainly sense what she was feeling. She was trying to hide it, not so much for him but for everyone else around them, but she was nervous. And as far as he was concerned, she had every reason to feel that way.

Today was a lot for her. Being here, it was a lot to take in, knowing that they were only moments away from finding out if she'd be able to carry the child they so desperately wanted together. To knowing if they would be able to try and have a baby, if Gabby would be able to have a baby, and that was a hard thing to deal with. Especially given all the emotions and memories that came along with it, and why this was even a question in the first place. And while all Matt cared about right now was knowing that his wife was healthy, that they'd figure out the rest together, he knew it wasn't that simple for her. It never would be, so all he could do was be here and stay by her side every step of the way.

And he had every intention of doing just that.

"I'm… okay." She replied moments later, his face softening when he heard how unsure she sounded. "I am, I'm fine… Nervous, but fine." She added on, hoping to be a bit more convincing. But she wasn't.

"That's okay." He told her gently, giving her leg a squeeze while their gazes locked on each other. "It's okay to feel nervous, I know this brings up a lot for you." Matt spoke sincerely, his words allowing her the chance to open up a bit further after she let out a soft breath.

"Yeah, it does. And- I don't know, part of me feels stupid… for letting myself worry about this." She admitted to him, seeing the small frown that began to form across his features before he held onto her a little tighter. "Us trying to have a baby is such a great thing, I'm so excited about it and I feel like I'm just letting this mess it up. Especially because as far as I know, nothing has ever been wrong with me because of… that." She stumbled over the word, keeping her voice low as they weren't exactly in private.

But Matt could hear everything she was saying, and it hurt.

"But after going through that, and now trying to have a baby it's hard to believe it, I guess- I don't know." She breathed out with a swift shake of her head, like she wasn't able to form the thoughts until they left her mouth. "And this is just so important to us, it's our future. And if something's wrong with me, if I can't-" She stopped herself again, her eyes clenching shut for a few quick moments while Matt's eyes flooded with sadness, as he wished there was anything he could do to take this pain and fear away from her. "...I just want everything to be okay."

"I know." He sympathized softly, running his hand along her thigh while she looked back up at him, Matt immediately nodding as soon as their eyes locked. "I know you do, and I want that, too. I want everything to be okay with you." He told her, the true meaning of his words not lost on her as she searched his face for any signs of deception.

But she found none.

"And how you're feeling about all of this, it isn't stupid, baby. It's the farthest thing from it." He carried on while Gabby brought her hand down to rest over top of his, the contact just as comforting as his voice. "You're not stupid for being worried. And you're not messing anything up, either. After all you went through it's normal to feel unsure about all of this… God willing, everything is alright and you're fine. That you're healthy. But regardless of what happens, or what's said in there, it'll be okay. We'll be okay." He promised her, as Matt got the strong sense that those were words she needed to hear. "No matter what, we've got each other. Nothing will ever change that."

His assurances washed over her before she slowly began to nod, as Gabby knew exactly what he was telling her. That above all else, it was him and her. And, even though she already knew that, the reminder helped to ease a bit of those lingering nerves within her system, Gabby taking a moment to gather herself before she offered him a small smile.

"I love you." She told him, knowing there was no possible way for her to say everything she wanted to. Not right now.

And Matt understood that, her husband simply smiling back at her before he lifted their now conjoined hands up to press a kiss to the back of hers. "I love you, too." He responded, kissing her once more just as the door across the waiting room opened.

"Gabriela Casey?" A nurse called, the couple being pulled out of their moment and glancing over to see a younger woman standing there with a tablet in her hand, the soft smile on her face welcoming while she waited for them.

Without another word, Matt stood up first before he guided his wife up as well, keeping their hands locked together as a reminder that he was here with her while they made their way across the room.

"Gabriela?" The woman questioned once more as they got closer, Gabby nodding before her and Matt were led into the back.

"Gabby is fine." She corrected her, the nurse nodding back before going to type out something in her file.

"Alright Gabby, well it's nice to meet you. My name is Danielle, and I'm gonna be your nurse for today… I understand you're a new patient with us here, so with the reasons listed for your visit we're gonna be doing a few different exams today. Between myself, and one of our other doctors, If that's alright with you." She checked while leading them off into one of the first side rooms, Gabby nodding with a small smile on her face.

"That's fine, whatever you all need to do." She told her, Danielle nodding back at her while her eyes flashed towards Matt.

"And will your husband be joining us for these exams?" She asked her.

"He will be." Gabby told her without a second thought, Danielle's smile never faltering as she glanced back down towards the chart in her hands.

"Wonderful… Alright, if you just step up right here so we can get your height and weight, and then we'll get you into an exam room to check your vitals and get started." She explained, Gabby nodding once more before she handed off her few belongings to Matt so they could begin her appointment.

Over the next hour or so, Gabby went through practically any and every test imaginable. They checked her vitals and did bloodwork, they gave her an ultrasound, as well as performing some more invasive exams once they'd completed everything else to make sure they had as complete an understanding of their new patient as they could. While parts of it were uncomfortable, Gabby was glad for it as she would rather they be thorough now to avoid running into any problems later. And it had also helped that Matt stayed by her side the entire time, as there was nothing more comforting than the presence of her husband.

Which was never more true of a statement than in this moment, as she and Matt were now sitting inside her doctor's office across from a rather large desk, waiting for him to come in. After being here for a while she was already feeling less nervous than when she first arrived, but there was still that lingering bit of uncertainty hanging around in her gut; and she knew it wouldn't go away until she heard from her doctor that everything was okay.

Up to this point she had yet to meet the man, as Danielle and another doctor, Dr. Morgan, had been the ones with Gabby so far today. And while they were both more than nice and qualified, from what she could tell, Gabby was looking forward to actually getting to see her new doctor, as she wouldn't know if this place truly was a fit for her until she did.

"You need anything?"

She heard Matt's voice before she turned to look at him, those few words being the first they'd really spoken since first being guided in here while she saw the gentle smile waiting for her. Similar to the one he'd been wearing all day.

"You want some water, or something? I can go and get you some while we wait." He offered, her features softening before she began to shake her head.

"I'm okay, thank you though." She told him, Matt pausing momentarily before he nodded back at her. "...Do you want some water? I can get you some." She said back, earning a light chuckle from him as he reached out to grab ahold of her knee.

"I'm fine, baby. Thank you." He replied lightly, Gabby matching his look just as they heard a bit of rustling from outside the closed door, the couple turning that direction soon after it opened.

Seconds later, a man a little older than Matt stepped into the room, his calm and genuine demeanor already helping to ease any residual nerves they were feeling as his attention almost immediately went to Gabby, the doctor smiling warmly before continuing into the room.

"Hello there, I'm so sorry to keep you waiting." He greeted, pulling the door closed and moving towards his desk while Gabby shook her head.

"It's alright." She was quick to assure him, his smile widening slightly as he set his tablet down onto the top of the desk, before reaching his hand out across the furniture to shake Dawson's.

"I'm Dr. Jeffries, you must be Gabby." He spoke, Gabby returning the gesture before he moved to shake Casey's hand as well. "And I imagine you're the husband, Matt."

"I am, yeah… It's nice to meet you."

"You as well." Casey agreed while moving his hand back over to his own lap, the feeling in the air continuing to shift as the doctor now sat across from them.

It wasn't that anything felt awkward necessarily, but it was like this man they'd only just met was now holding the weight of their future in his hands. And it was somewhat of an uncomfortable feeling, for Casey at least, as Dr. Jeffries began to pull a few things up on his tablet.

"You're a first responder, I take it?" The man spoke casually while looking between Casey and the screen, apparently noticing Matt's attire.

It took a second or two for Casey to realize he was being addressed, Matt clearing his throat before he nodded. "Mhmm, I am." He responded softly, while glancing towards Gabby. "We both are… I'm a firefighter, Gabby's a paramedic."

"That's wonderful." He told them sincerely.

"Yeah, we love it." Gabby added on, the two sharing another soft smile before the doctor returned his attention back down towards his tablet. But only for a moment.

"Before we get into everything, very quickly I want to apologize for not being available when you first arrived." He said, though Gabby was quick to wave him off. "I imagine the beginning of your appointment here might not have been what you expected, because from what Sharon at the front desk told me, you came here specifically wanting me as your doctor. So I apologize for not being here… With you being a new patient, typically I would be the one to perform those exams and meet with you, but I was tending to another patient of mine."

"It's fine, really." Gabby said back with a soft smile.

"I appreciate that, thank you… I know it may have been a bit uncomfortable, coming here for one doctor and having to be seen by someone else. And that's the last thing I want for any of the women who come through my door. But I did request for Dr. Morgan specifically to be the one to provide your care today. She's been my partner here for years, she's great at what she does. I trust she was able to take care of you."

"She did, she was great." She replied easily, as Dr. Jeffries smiled back at her. "Both her and Danielle were great, everyone here has been so kind."

"I'm glad to hear that." He said to her, sitting up a little bit straight in his seat while he looked between them. "Now, I'd say there are some things for us to talk about. We learned a lot about you from our exams, but first I'd like to just speak with you for a moment. Talk a little bit about why you're here, if that's alright." He prefaced, Gabby drawing in a steadying breath before she nodded. "Okay, wonderful… So, I was told you were coming in for a check up today because you and your husband were wanting to start trying to have a baby?"

"We are, yes." She replied, Matt smiling at her words before reaching out to grab ahold of her hand.

"And you had some concerns from a previous miscarriage?" Dr. Jeffries added on carefully with nothing but compassion in his tone, Gabby pursing her lips together before she ultimately nodded.

"Yes." She repeated, though her voice was a bit weaker this time. And both men in the room recognized it, Dr. Jeffries offering her a sympathetic look as he placed the tablet down onto his desk.

"Well, let me first say that I am so, incredibly sorry you went through that, Gabby." He told her, his voice gentle while he watched her. "I can't even begin to imagine what that experience was like for you… Unfortunately, it's something I deal with more than I'd want to in my line of work. And my wife and I too suffered through a miscarriage, but even so that doesn't mean I'm able to know what you went through. I can't put myself in your shoes, and understand what that was like. But I am so, so sorry that it happened." He spoke, meaning every single word as Gabby gave him a slow, yet thankful nod. "But to that and since that's why you're here, I don't want to keep you waiting any longer so let me just tell you that after looking over all your scans and Dr. Morgan's notes from her exam, I want you to know that from what I'm seeing, everything with you looks great, Gabby."

She released a heavy breath as soon as he spoke, needing a few more seconds for it to completely sink in as Matt's head fell backwards, his eyes closing gratefully while Dr. Jeffries watched the clearly relieved couple.

"Your scans were clear, Dr. Morgan said everything was great with your exam… You're perfectly healthy."

"Oh, thank God." Matt breathed out while holding onto his wife's hand a little tighter, as even though he'd been like an anchor for Gabby while they waited for this appointment, he himself found nerves getting the best of him at times. Because all he wanted was for Gabby to be okay. And now he knew she was.

"You're sure there's nothing wrong?" Gabby asked after a moment, earning a sad, yet understanding look from her new doctor before he nodded.

"I am, Gabby. Aside from a bit of scarring- which is normal after what you went through, there's no other residual issues from your miscarriage. Certainly not anything that would affect you getting pregnant now." He assured her, speaking as directly as he could as he knew she needed to hear it. "Medically, you are completely fine… Better than fine, I'd say."

Matt let out another breath of relief before he leaned over to press a kiss to the side of his wife's head, Gabby smiling at the gesture as she still couldn't entirely grasp what all this meant. But she knew in time she would; that she was okay, she would be able to get pregnant.

That she would be able to have a baby. Be able to give her husband a child.

It was those last few thoughts that caused the tears to start to form in her eyes, as all the emotions and uncertainty she'd been holding onto since making this decision had finally been relieved. And she wasn't quite sure how to process it.

"Of course, if you were to get pregnant, we'd do all the usual checkups. And we'd keep a close eye on you, to maybe give you a little bit more assurance. But just looking at you, there's nothing I see that would prevent you from having a successful pregnancy." He said one last time, Gabby giving herself some time to collect her thoughts before ultimately nodding.

She still didn't know what to say, but from the look on her doctor's face she knew she didn't have to say anything. That he was perfectly fine to give her all the time she needed as her and her husband continued sitting here together, Matt holding onto her while relief rushed off them in waves, the realization hitting her over and over again that this fear she'd had for years was gone. That there was nothing standing in their way of having a baby.

She and Matt could finally start trying for the thing they'd always wanted, without anything holding them back.

And that was one of the best feelings in the world.

Gabby held her husband's hand as they walked down the sidewalk, the couple ignoring the crowds around them while they made their way back to his truck.

They had just finished up with their appointment at Dr. Jeffries office, as after he'd given them the good news, and allowed them time for everything to sink in, they'd had a few more discussions about Gabby; not only her health, but her as a person. She and Matt both, as Dr. Jeffries was eager to learn more about his newest patient and her husband.

And that alone made Gabby feel even better about her choice to go to him, as not only had he given her that clarity and affirmation she was looking for medically, but he made an effort to know her as a person. It was clear he cared about her, and he just had a way about him that put them at ease and made it feel like he wasn't just her doctor, but her friend. And as far as she was concerned, that was a priceless thing to find. Especially in the first doctor she'd tried since her and Matt chose to take this next step together.

"Hey…" Matt spoke up a few seconds later, gaining Gabby's attention as she glanced towards her husband. He was still wearing that bright smile that hadn't left his face ever since talking to Dr. Jeffries, and truthfully she was sure it wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon as Gabby knew he was just so incredibly happy. For so many reasons.

"Hi." She repeated, feeling his thumb run over the back of her hand as she matched his grin.

"Just wanted to check and see how you were feeling." He told her, Gabby nodding as their steps started to slow.

"I'm great… Taking it all in still, I think. But great." She replied, the genuine tone in her voice making his smile widen before he leaned in to give her a quick kiss. "You?"

"Excited." He said without missing a beat, causing an indescribable amount of warmth to flood through her chest. "I'm so, so excited. Not just for us, and having a family together. But knowing for sure that you're okay, I'm just so happy." He rushed out, Gabby giving his hand a firm squeeze before she nodded in agreement. "And you like him? Dr. Jeffries?"

"I do." She answered.

"Yeah, he seems like a good guy." Matt responded, as Gabby's head fell to the side.

"He does… He kind of reminds me of you, actually." She stated, causing Casey to match her look while a hint of amusement flickered in his gaze.

"Why? Cause he's hot?" He deadpanned, Gabby rolling her eyes as the couple came to a complete stop, moving off to the side so as to not get in the way of any passersby.

"Because he's compassionate, is more what I was thinking." She answered him with a shake of her head, Matt biting back a smile.

"Ahh." He responded, earning a quick scoff from her. But he didn't say anything, instead he just kissed her again, feeling her soon relax into him until they eventually pulled back. "That was my next guess."

"Yeah, I'm sure." She played along, pulling another smile from him. "But no, I just really like him. I think he's a good fit for us… for me."

His face softened at her words, all teasing now gone between them as he knew how big of a deal this was for his wife. And no amount of lighthearted jokes would ever take away from that. "Good." He told her softly, while pulling her closer. "Because that's all that matters."

He pulled her in for another kiss before she could respond, Gabby's free hand coming up to rest over his chest as she let him lead the way, the couple momentarily forgetting where they were until they eventually pulled back once air became an issue. His forehead rested against hers for a second, the two fighting to catch their breath before he lifted up to press a sweet, fleeting kiss against her cheek.

"So… now that we know everything's okay and we can start trying to have a baby," He started between labored breaths, Gabby unable to stop her growing smile as she had a pretty decent idea of where his next words were headed.

"...Who do you want to tell first?"

"Mija, please please go and sit down. I've got this." Camila's voice filtered into the living where Casey was sitting with Ramon, the younger man doing his best to fight off the amused smile on his face as he listened to his mother-in-law usher Gabby out of the kitchen.

"But Mama-"

"No, no Gabriela… You're our guests, please go sit down." Camila scolded gently just as the two came around the corner, the mother's hands pressed delicately over her daughter's back while she guided her into the living room.

"But we showed up unannounced, I could at least help you make lunch." Gabby tried, Ramon letting out a laugh of his own while the youngest Dawson tried to convince her mother to let her assist in preparing their meal. But Camila was having none of it, even though Gabby's words were entirely true, and her and Matt had shown up without warning.

It wasn't even necessarily planned at first, but after their doctor's appointment yesterday and deciding how, and when, they wanted to tell their closest friends and family about their decision to try for a baby, Gabby just knew in her heart that the first people who needed to know were her parents. After they had been by her side, and helped her through so much pain and hurt in her life, even without knowing the full extent of it at times, she needed to tell them first.

And Matt was completely on board with it.

It had been a little hard to keep things quiet on shift, as Shay was as persistent as ever in wanting to know how her friend was doing. And it was difficult for Gabby to not just blurt out the news then, especially because despite any teasing, she knew how happy her partner would be for them. But she was determined to tell her parents, her mom, first. So after getting off work this morning and going home for a quick nap, they'd decided to come over to the Dawsons' for a late lunch.

Gabby just never got around to actually telling them she'd be coming by.

"Gabriela, you know you're welcome here whenever you'd like. Warning or no warning." Ramon spoke up from his position on the other side of the couch as Casey, Camila giving an agreeing look while Gabby glanced between her parents. "And your mother has things handled, so why don't you just come and sit down with me and Matthew." He suggested calmly.

"Listen to your father." Camila added on, Gabby letting out a soft laugh while her mother turned and disappeared back into the kitchen.

"...I'm not sure why I ever thought that would go differently." Gabby spoke as she moved to the couch, Matt still smiling while Ramon let out another laugh.

"I'm not sure either, you know your mother, Gabriela." He reminded her, causing her to nod in response while her body subconsciously leaned up against her husband. "But we're just happy you came by, it's not every day you and Matthew show up for a surprise visit."

"Yeah, we wanted to come by and see you guys." She told him, Ramon's smile widening as he reached out to rub her arm.

"Well, we're so glad you did… So tell me, how are things going? How's work?"

"Work has been good, busy. But good." Gabby answered, while Matt nodded in agreement.

"Definitely busy, but like she said it's going well."

"Good, that's great to hear." Ramon replied.

"What about you and Mama? How are things here?"

"Oh, you know mi amor. Everything is the same as always." He said with a light laugh, Gabby smiling back at him. "Your mother has been keeping me busy with tasks out in the garden. Trying to make the most out of summer as we can, but we've been fine."

"I'm glad." She replied, just as Camila stepped back into the living room.

"Alright, lunch should be ready in about fifteen minutes or so." She commented, Gabby nodding while she sat down in one of the chairs across from them.

"Thank you, Mama."

"Yeah, thanks Camila." Casey echoed, the woman soon waving them off.

"Oh, it's nothing. I've got to make sure you two are fed." She replied easily, Matt chuckling softly while Gabby merely shook her head. "But enough about that, what did I miss? Anything new with the two of you?" Camila asked them, her words inadvertently giving Matt and Gabby an opening as the couple glanced towards one another.

Though they knew why they were here, they hadn't exactly talked about how they'd share the news of this big change in their lives. All they did know was that Gabby would be the one to tell them.

"Well, uh…" Gabby started, clearing her throat as she glanced back towards her parents. Who were both now looking a bit unsure, evidently picking up on the change in her demeanor. "There's actually something Matt and I want to tell you."

"Is everything okay?" Camila soon interjected, Matt immediately nodding as Gabby smiled softly.

"Everything's fine, everything's great." She promised, Camila letting out a soft breath before she nodded as well, encouraging her to continue. "It's just about why Matt and I came over, and um… Honestly, I don't know if people even usually tell their parents this, or just wait till it happens, but- I want you two to know." She rambled out, feeling Matt's hand rub over her leg as her eyes moved back and forth between her mother and father, who were eagerly waiting to hear what she was going to say.

"Matt and I… we've decided we're gonna start trying to have a baby."

It was near silence in the room after those words left her lips, Camila's mouth parting in shock while Ramon couldn't help but smile, her parents' reaction causing that grin to return to Gabby's face as just seconds later her mother let out an emotional breath.

"Oh Gabriela." She breathed out, tears already forming in her eyes as she soon got up from the chair and headed for her daughter. "Gabriela, oh my Gabriela this is wonderful." She got out while leaning down to give her a tight hug, Matt smiling wide while his wife let out a few watery laughs.

"That's amazing, sweetheart." Ramon broke through, emotion present in his voice as he leaned over to join in on the family hug. One Camila wouldn't let Matt get too far from as just a moment later she pulled him in as well.

There were endless smiles, and a few tears going around as everyone in the room knew how big of a moment this was. For Gabby herself, but also her and Matt together, her parents knew what this meant to her and for them. And they were so grateful that their daughter allowed them to be a part of it.

"We're so, so happy for you.. The both of you." Camila said, pulling back only far enough to pepper her daughter's face with kisses before she moved towards Matt to give him a proper hug. "This is the best news."

"You two are going to be wonderful parents, mija." Ramon spoke after getting the chance to have a moment with just his daughter, Gabby wiping away some of the water resting underneath her eyes before she looked up at her dad, seeing nothing but an immense amount of pride shining in his gaze. Enough to nearly make her burst into tears.

But she kept herself together, Gabby nodding slowly before she leaned in to give him a tight hug. One he reciprocated without hesitation, Ramon pressing soft kisses to the top of her head while she and Matt continued to celebrate this news with her parents.

There were so much excitement to go around, Camila and Ramon beyond ecstatic about this news while they all continued to hug one another, this moment as special as Gabby could've ever imagined as not only was she more than happy with their decision to tell her parents first, but it made her even more eager for the day they'd be celebrating like this, but when her and Matt were actually pregnant.

And it was a moment she couldn't wait to experience.