Chapter 1
Gabby wasn't sure when it became almost 4 AM. A bottle of wine, accompanied by a single glass, sat beside her as she focused her gaze on each paragraph of the John Hopkins Textbook of Cardiothoracic Surgery. It was the sole focus of her attention for the past few hours, even though she knew she had work awaiting her in just a few more. She'd skim through a selection, write notes, and rewrite those notes with the occasional sip of the Château Lafite that her grandparents gifted her some time ago.
The light snow shower that had arrived the day before showed no signs of stopping, but she wasn't bothered by it. It brought her a sense of comfort, always had. Even the occasional rumble of thunder didn't disturb her; in fact, it brought her solace. A few moments later, it was as if the sky had sensed her subconscious, and there was an audible growl that shook through the city. It wasn't alarming, but it did cause the hanging island light above her to flicker, interrupting her trance.
Taking it as a cue for a brief break, she stretched her stiff limbs, momentarily ignoring the ache in her back from hours of sitting in the same position. She gripped the stem of her half-full wine glass and made her way to the towering windows, which offered her an ideal viewpoint of the Windy City. She observed the activity of the few cars on the wet streets at this early {or late} hour. Mid-October was typically too early for snow in Chicago, so the flakes that did fall, dissolved once reaching the ground.
Yet another tranquil moment disrupted, this time by the ringing of her cell phone in the kitchen. She jogged over to answer it, silencing the loud ring before it had a chance to disturb anyone other than herself.
"Leslie Shay" it read.
"Gabriela Dawson, my dear." She hears as soon as the phone is pressed against her ear. Her voice carried a playful tone, even though it was laced with sleep. She struggled to stifle the laughter that threatened to burst out.
"Leslie Shay, my love. How are you?" Gabby returned.
"Sleepy." She said simply.
"I called an hour ago and you're just now getting back to me? I could have been dying, you know?" She tries to keep her voice low as she enters the living room, planting herself on the sofa with her legs tucked underneath her body.
"You are aware that it is 4:17 in the morning." She counters as she rubs the sleep from her eyes and sits up on the small bed. "For the past hour, I've been in an empty room with Angelina Jolie, licking he-."
"You're on-call. I thought you'd be awake." She cuts her friend off, not wanting to her what occupied her dreams before the sun even showed signs of rising.
"Yea, well. Fortunately for me, it was a slow night." She sighs out not understanding why she decided to pick up a shift that occupied one of her two days off. "What can I do for you, my sweets? Why are you still awake?"
Gabby took a moment to respond, choosing her words carefully. "I could use a small favor," she finally admitted.
The favor she needs from her friend, she could easily do herself. In fact, she'd much rather do it herself but that would require her to leave her warm apartment and travel thirty minutes to her workplace. So, she opted to ask the blonde instead since she had been there since the day before.
Leslie let out a scoff, smoothly sliding her scrub top back over her body. She adjusted her pager on her hip and strolled out of the on-call room into the well-lit hallway of Chicago Med. "Just how substantial of a favor, Dawson?" she inquired.
Fighting the urge to roll her eyes, she stood to her feet, making her way back to the kitchen and looking at the notebook that had a few theories that she had been brainstorming for a particularly sensitive case. "Can you go to the research library and send me a couple of pages of this book?" She requested.
"Is this about Rhode's patient?" The blonde asked.
"Mhm. I have to present my research to him and Halstead in a couple of hours. Just doing finishing up the last of it." Gabby said with a sigh. "So, will you?"
"Mmmm... Depends," Shay challenged with a teasing tone in her voice. Gabby waited, curious about what the blonde might come up with on such short notice. Then, a very Shay-like question came, "What are you wearing?"
As soon as the playful proposition came through, Gabby face-palmed, poking her cheek with her pointed tongue. She should have expected nothing less from her best friend.
Deciding to play into her banter, she responds while glancing down at her attire "Hmm, let's see. Right now, I'm sporting a dark grey CFD t-shirt that Kelly left over here one day when he was completely wasted," she informed, a hint of amusement in her voice. "It practically touches my knees… But personally, I think the length adds to the sexiness," she added with faux sensuality lacing her words.
"Oh, absolutely." The blonde eggs. "Go on."
Gabby chuckled as she continued, "A pair of Kermit the Frog socks," she said, glancing down at her feet. "I'm pretty sure these are yours," she added with a grin. Then, she summed up her outfit with, "And, a sign that says, 'Drinks are on me next time we go out.'" She paused before asking, "Is that good enough for you?"
Leslie Shay waits a second before responding thinking about the offer that didn't seem all fair. "The offer to pay for drinks doesn't count if we own the bar, Dawson."
Gabby lets out a light chuckle. "Take it or leave it, Shay. Final offer."
Leslie paused for a moment, contemplating. She raised an eyebrow and said, "Lose the shirt, keep the sign and we've got a deal."
Gabby lets out another laugh, a bit louder than the last. One that she can feel in her belly, "You're shameless!" she exclaims in a hushed tone. "Does your girlfriend of this month know that you speak to other women like this?"
"Oh please, she'd probably ask for a threesome, if I gave her the chance." She admitted playfully, causing Gabby to let out one more belly laugh before quieting down once again.
"So will you go to the library please?" She came back to the original topic of their call.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm putting the code in now." She said before she opened the door. "What am I looking for."
"Hmm… I can't remember the name exactly; it has a burnt orange cover to it. I believe it's by Alexander Hawthorne." Gabby says, tapping her pen lightly on the granite.
While Leslie had the opportunity to look through the roomy area, Gabby took a moment to venture down the hallway to make sure she didn't disturb the sleeping body in her bed. Seeing as she didn't seem to, she returned to her study space on the island.
"Found it!" Shay exclaims after about ten minutes. "Echocardiography?"
"That's it." Gabby said but proceeded cautiously with her next request. "Can you look for the Hypertonic Cardiomyopathy chapter and send me pictures of the pages?"
"Sure," she said, snapping pictures of her friend's request. "Do you think she'll make it? I mean, they wouldn't put you through all of this if it meant she didn't have a chance, right?"
Gabby could only sigh and shrug her shoulders. "I'd like to think she's got a shot. I found a few things that they could look further into. Some surgical, some not."
The photos started coming through via text message, and Gabby began to skim through them with a light eye.
"Not sure why they picked me out of all the residents to handle this, but whatever," the brunette said with a yawn. "Thank you, Shay."
But Shay was well aware of why they chose Gabby. Because even if Gabby were faced with a difficult challenge to help someone who stood in the hallway between the doors of life and death, she would not stop trying until their last breath. It was in her nature. She was Gabby, and she didn't take the word 'no' lightly. She understood that the countless case studies and web pages she had combed through over the past day might yield nothing, but that didn't prevent her from trying.
"How is she doing?" Leslie asked, curious about the 12-year-old girl. "You know… considering."
"I checked on her yesterday before I left the hospital," she began, her voice laced with emotion. She swallowed deeply and continued. "I can tell she's done fighting. She's given up. Her aunt and uncle aren't worth a dime you'd find on the street." Gabby shook her head, not understanding how the young girl got dealt such a crappy hand. "She needs somebody to fight for her, and I'm more than willing to be that someone..."
And that's why they chose her, Shay thought.
Once again, she was interrupted, continuing the trend of her early morning. First, there was the snow thunder, followed by her obnoxiously loud cell phone, and now...
This time, the interruption took the form of little feet covered in strawberry-print socks, soft steps echoing on the hardwood floor of her apartment. Her attention was drawn towards the slightly elongated hallway that she could see from where she stood. Emerging into view, a pint-sized version of herself, barely reaching three feet in height, clutching a plush Princess Tiana blanket.
"Mama."
Gabby closed the textbook before her, and redirected her full attention to little girl as she moved closer, all while her best friend remained on the other end of the line. To manage a bit easier, she put Shay on speaker and laid her phone on the granite countertop. The little girl immediately swept away any lingering thoughts from Gabby's mind.
Keeping her work life separate from her daughter was something Gabby was usually mostly good at.
"Hi, bug." She said softly before checking the time on her phone. 5:32. "You're up early. You okay?" Her daughter simply nodded, extending her tiny arms upwards, silently requesting to be lifted into Gabby's embrace. Of course, Gabby complied, scooping the girl into her arms, and the moment she did, the girl nestled her face into her mother's neck.
"Daddy?" She rasped, referring to the person on the phone.
"No, baby. It's Auntie Leslie." She explained moving once again closer to her study space. "Do you want to say hi?"
She felt the 3-year-old nod against her shoulder and lift her head. "Lessie?" It was a nickname the blonde had earned from the smaller brunette as soon as she could form the letter 'L,' yet couldn't quite manage the second 'L.'
"Hi, Lessie!" She said a bit more enthusiastically even though Gabby could see that the toddler was still fighting off a bit of sleep.
"Hi, my Mini Mina." Shay cooed through the phone. "What are you doing up so early, love?"
"I thirsty." She explained before continuing to talk with her aunt. "Miss you!"
Taking the hint, Gabby put the phone in the toddler's tiny palms, before settling her in the highchair, allowing her to aimlessly talk with the blonde while she poured water into a sippy cup.
"Do you want to share a banana?" She offered to the three-year-old, she instantly nodded causing Gabby to split the fruit in half and cut it into bite size pieces.
Unfortunately, it didn't take long before all three of them heard Shay's pager sounding, meaning their phone call had to come to an end.
Shay groaned. "Okay, Mini Mina. I'll see you soon, okay?" She promised.
With a mouth full of mushy bananas, Mina replies, "Okay! Love you!"
"I love you, sweet girl." She spoke with a snicker upon hearing the girl speak with her mouth full. "I'll see you in a couple of hours Dawson. Don't forget my breakfast." And with that she cut the line.
Gabby looked at her daughter, waiting for her to finish the last of the fruit that she was snacking on before cleaning her up and hoisting her on her hip.
"Do you want to take a nap before we meet Daddy at the firehouse?" she asked, but it earned her an immediate headshake with a small frown. They still had about an hour before Gabby needed to officially start getting ready for her workday and despite Mina's reluctance to go to back to bed, Gabby didn't have the energy to argue, confident that once they both lay down, sleep would claim them.
She closed her notebooks & laptop, knowing that she had more than enough information to present to her team, and started for the master bedroom at the end of the hall.
When Mina tucked into her mother's side, just as Gabby predicted, she was out like a light. The brunette on the other hand began to feel the sleep that she missed out on in the past hours but was too anxious to sleep for two reasons. First, she was afraid that she'd miss her alarm and oversleep, and second, her mind kept drifting back to the twelve-year-old girl at the hospital, leaving her restless and preoccupied. So, she chose to fight off the exhaustion and cuddle her kid instead.
It took about forty-five minutes after the alarm clock went off for Gabby to get herself ready and both of them out of the door and into the car. She wore casual clothes, as she planned to change into her maroon scrubs in the residents' hall. The snow was still gently falling as she made her way to Firehouse 51. Mina's head craned to the side in her car seat as she continued to sleep.
They reached their destination in no time, the firehouse lights casting a bright glow that helped brighten their surroundings, especially since the sun was little help behind the clouds. Gabby was thankful that the firefighters weren't out on a call, presuming it would be a bit easier to hand Mina off to her dad instead of the Chief's assistant, Connie.
She quickly walked around her car to get Mina out, careful not to slip on any sneaky ice patches. The three-year-old was still clad in her Princess Tiana pajamas since she and her dad were most likely going back home to sleep in an hour or so. She rezipped her coat that read Mina Casey, to keep the chill out and tugged the small beanie over dark curls and ears. Usually, Matt would come out to grab Mina, his reasoning being 'It would be easier', but she didn't mind taking her in.
Finally, she hoisted her daughter up and began making her way inside the fire station. Relief washed over her body as she came into contact with the warm air, but she also caught a strange odor. Following the scent, she entered the common room. Some of the firefighters were covered in light soot, while others appeared completely clean.
"Dawson's here. Look alive, people!" she heard, turning towards Capp, who had noticed her first. Soon, everyone else in the room turned their attention to her.
"Oh, Dawson!" Cruz said as he approached from behind the stove, holding a small pot and spoon. That's what that smell was, she realized. "Here, taste this. I'm working on something new for Molly's mobile," Cruz offered, holding the spoon up to her mouth. "Nobody else will try it."
"Because it smells like an asphalt road in New York," Otis described. "Don't do it, Dawson. You have a kid to stay alive for."
"I don't know, Cruz. I've had a big breakfast." She lied, but the taller man gave her a knowing look. Gabby rolled her eyes, but willingly tasted a bit of what the spoon was holding.
"It's Dominican." He said with a smile, awaiting her reaction.
After her delicate bite, she tried not to let her disappointment show. With a forced smile, she said, 'It's... interesting,' as she forcefully swallowed. "What part of the DR is this from?"
She could hear the snickers of the firefighters who sat around the room as they watched the exchange.
"You guys look terrible," she commented hoping to lighten their moods at least a little, but also casting a concerned glance over to the group that appeared to have had a rough shift. "Is everyone okay?" Worry began to creep over her as she immediately noticed two people absent from the room. Despite her attempt to conceal the concern in her tone, Otis didn't miss a beat to put her mind at ease.
"Yeah, Severide is in his quarters, and Casey, I think, is still in the showers."
"Are you in a rush? Do you want me to take her?" Cruz asked, motioning to Mina.
She was on the verge of responding but didn't get the opportunity as Matt walked through the doorway. His eyes locked onto hers. She didn't miss the way his weary expression quickly turning into a smile.
"Hey," he greeted warmly, extending his arms to embrace her, and planting a gentle kiss on her cheek. A smile on her face at the affectionate gesture. "You should've called. I would have come out and picked her up."
"It's fine, I figured you were busy," she said as he took the sleeping girl from her arms, attempting not to wake her up. However, he failed.
As soon as Mina was lifted from her mother's embrace, her eyes fluttered open, trying to clear her sleepy vision to see who was now holding her. A small smile crept across the corner of Matt's lips when his daughter planted her tiny lips on his nose, something she always did. Mina then rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.
"Hi, Daddy." She said and Gabby could do nothing but admire the interaction between the duo, it always made her heart swell.
"Hi, Princess." he responded, gently raising the back of Mina's hand to his lips. "I'll go lay her down. Mind staying here for a second?" He asked. "If you aren't in a rush." he adds, his gaze locked onto Gabby's for a few moments.
"I can wait," she nodded softly, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear and stepping up to see Mina's eyes barely open. "I'll see you soon, Bug." She said and Mina nodded before they disappeared into the bunkroom.
While he was gone, Kelly walked from the same door and paused upon seeing Gabby. They locked eyes for a moment before Kelly attempted to break the ice with a guilty 'forgive me' grin, but she kept her firm expression.
"Still not talking to me?" he inquired, taking a step closer. "It's been weeks, Dawson," he emphasized.
"I don't know…" She scoffed, turning her head briefly before fixing her gaze on him. "It depends on whether you followed through with getting your back checked, or if it's still bothering you to a point that you can't sleep."
"You worry too much." He lowered his head, finding the shorter woman more intimidating than she appeared. "I'll get it checked out. I've been busy..."
Gabby nodded dismissively, not wanting her morning to be ruined by her hard-headed friend. Despite Gabby's cold shoulder, Kelly wrapped his arms around her tightly and kissed her head.
"I will. This week." he said, but she chose to ignore his empty promise as he walked away.
She had known Kelly the longest. They had grown up together, practically inseparable since the 6th grade, and had been looking out for each other ever since. She considered him a little brother, even though only a few months separated their ages. So naturally, it bothered her when his stubborn personality clouded his concern for his health.
For a moment she had forgotten why she was still standing in the firehouse until Matt was walking back from his quarters. As he approached her, her eyes fixed on the cut on the line of his jaw. She's not sure how she didn't notice it before.
Once he was fully before her, she raised her hand to turn his cheek towards her so she could further examine the deep lac. "What happened?"
"A pileup on the 57. Some metal from one of the doors cut in. It's fine." He explained and she nodded and let out a yawn, moving her hand from his face. "You okay?"
She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.
Matt could tell by the slight dark circles underneath her eyes, the shorter woman hadn't been sleeping. He also knew that she had been going into the hospital more often than usual.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired," she downplayed, and he tilted his head to the side, trying to coax at least a bit of truth from her. And Matt, being Matt, her Matt, had a way of making her fall into his play like soft putty.
"My grandparents are coming back from their vacation in Spain," she began to explain. "It's their third honeymoon trip. And instead of heading straight back to their home in Barrington when they return to Illinois, they've decided to visit for five whole days," she added with a hint of feigned enthusiasm in her voice.
The people closest to Gabby had an understanding of her history with her family and the sensitivity surrounding the topic. Nevertheless, she frequently spoke about her abuelos. Her grandparents were the only family members she mentioned regularly, with the occasional talk of her older brother.
Matt chuckled before asking, "So, you haven't been sleeping because Alejandro and Alicia are coming into town?"
"It's that obvious?" she replied, referring to the part about her lack of sleep. "But no, not just that. I've been trying to wrap up my work for the week so I can take a couple of days off while they're here."
Matt nodded; his attention fixed still on Gabby. She seemed tense, but he couldn't quite pinpoint the reason why.
"Stop doing that."
"Doing what?"
"Trying to read me," she clarified for him, crossing her arms over her chest. "Stop doing that. I have a small presentation to give in a few hours, and I'm just a little nervous." That's when he realized she was simply anxious. "I have to get going, so I'll see you later," she said, and he nodded.
But before she could fully walk away, he slipped his hand into hers, causing her to turn around and look at him. Anyone within ten feet could audibly hear her swallow hard and see the pink tint creeping onto her cheeks, but she did good at masking her expression.
"You'll do fine, more than fine." he said, flashing his pearly whites and giving her hand an encouraging squeeze. "You're Gabriela Dawson." She couldn't help but smile at the cheesy words, but returned the squeeze.
"Get a bandage on that cut." Is the only thing she says before walking out. As Casey watched her go, he felt his heartstrings tugging along with her, a mixture of pride and affection swelling within him. The smile not being able to disappear at her subtle reaction.
"I don't know why you two just don't get back together. It's been years. I can practically try to cut the tension with a freshly sharpened butcher knife, and it still wouldn't budge…" one of his firefighters remarked.
Still staring at the door from which she had just exited, Casey replied before clearing his throat.
"It's not what she wants, and I can respect that," he said definitively, it pains him from the inside out, but he can… respect it.
Hi everyone, I'm back with another story, but for a completely different ship. Although this is the first chapter, I don't think I need to clarify that this is a Dawsey AU. I've had this idea in my head forever but was just too lazy to execute it. It obviously won. I'm sooooo excited to share with you these character's stories, especially Gabby and Matt's, together and individually.
Mina is one of my favorite additions. There might be just a few more original characters in here as well, I haven't fully decided yet. As the story continues, I will incorporate more of the show's characters. I also just want to make it clear that there will be no brettsey penciled into this, whatsoever.
I'd like to think that my writing has improved greatly from my past stories (I haven't published anything in two years).
And before we get further into the story, it is a Mature rating, just a forewarning.
Hope you guys enjoy.