I'm not completely satisfied with this chapter, but I didn't want to make y'all wait any longer. I'm sorry it took so long and please excuse errors!
"Look, Kelly. If you're here to lecture me about the other night. I get it. It was stupid and I'm sorry." She said, making her way down the hall and into her bedroom, with him right on her heels.
In the dimly lit room, she positioned herself in front of the cream colored vanity, her reflection staring back at her as she removed the hoop earrings from her ears. The silence stretched as he leaned against the door frame, hands nonchalantly tucked into his pockets and his expression unreadable.
She removed the sunglasses perched on the top of her head, carefully placing them down on the dresser. Without turning her head, she asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm, "Would it be okay with you, if I changed?"
Without a word, he shifted out beside the door frame, his back against the wall, granting her a moment of privacy.
After a few minutes, with her still seemingly occupied, he wandered into the kitchen to help himself to her fully stocked pantry, mostly filled with small snacks for Mina. Taking a bag of pretzels, which he was sure was Gabby's, he opened them popping some in his mouth.
She stepped back out, now dressed in something more comfortable and her hair still past her shoulder
"I really don't want to do this tonight," she mumbled, leaning on one side of the counter, her finger tracing the marbling. He stood on the other side, casually popping salted pretzels into his mouth.
"It won't take long." Was the first thing he had said since he arrived. "You were drunk the other night. Couldn't even tell me your name."
She sighed heavily, her eyes rolling, anticipating how the conversation was going to go.
"Yea, your voicemails made that clear." She said.
"Good," he closed the bag, sitting them aside. "Is your dad really blackmailing you, or are you going to try to convince me it was just you crying and rambling under the influence of what was it… tequila?"
She blinked, almost missing his question because of its nonchalant delivery.
The room seemed to close in on Gabby at a fast pace, making her a bit dizzy. As seconds ticked away, questions raced through her mind, a whirlwind of doubt.
Everything moved so quickly before it came to a sudden stand still, bringing her back to reality. She blinked a few times, attempting to focus her thoughts and make sense of the question he asked.
"What?" She asked quietly, her voice failing her as it cracked.
Closing the distance between them, he rested his forearms on the cool marble surface, his eyes fixed on hers, awaiting an answer.
"You were so drunk," he reminded her, "You laid your head on the sofa in there and with nonstop tears, told me that your dad has basically been blackmailing you for five years. Surely that isn't true, right?" His gaze bore into hers, searching every inch of her iris."Ri–"
"No, Kelly," she interrupted, her voice a fragile whisper. "God, no."
"Hm… Good. Because why would he do that? What would he gain from that? Right?"
"Right," she echoed, her throat tight as she swallowed hard. An anxious chuckle escaped her lips, a feeble attempt to inject something light into the oppressive atmosphere. "Like you said, I couldn't even remember my own name. The source isn't really credible."
"Exactly," he acknowledged, a mirrored laugh escaping him, though the smile was far from reaching his eyes. "The thing is, you also said he was doing it because of Casey. He didn't think he was good enough for you, good enough for your family and he would do just about anything to stop the relationship."
Gabby let out another nervous chuckle as she tried hard to maintain eye contact with him, committed to making him believe her.
"That's insane." She muttered.
"Beyond insane." Severide said. "Because what dad does that to their nineteen year old pregnant daughter?"
"Yea, drunk Gabby has a more vivid imagination than me," she said.
"Yeah. Wanna know what else drunk Gabby said?" he asked, and she broke his eye contact, her gaze shifting to her hands fiddling with the end of her tank top.
"No. I'm sure I said a lot of crazy things," she replied, as she stood on her feet, grabbing a glass from the cabinet above. "Spare me the details."
She tried her best to play off her anxiety. And even though she was curious about what she might have said, she was too afraid that she would revealingly react.
"But this is the best part," he promised, Gabby pouring water into her glass. "But it can't be true because sober Gabby would have told me a long time ago, right? The moment it happened? She would have told me if her dad was threatening her all these years. Right? She would've definitely told me if the reason she wasn't with Casey was because of her poor excuse of a father."
Gabby kept her back to him, setting the pitcher on its base, she wanted to appear unbothered. A contrast of what was going on inside.
Her mind raced at five million miles a second, as she grappled with the consequences of her recent actions. Drinking. Quietly scolding herself. She was so upset with herself and how a few shots of tequila had loosened her guard, leading her to betray her own self.
"That's not why," she weakly protested, her voice barely audible, as if she knew the sincerity of her own words were full of doubt. "I've told you, it just wasn't working—"
"And I hate that I believed that." He said.
"I'm not sure what you want me to say Kelly. I was drunk." She said, taking a sip. "It's not true, probably a scene I saw in a movie or something."
He scoffed lightly, "Yea, well. You know what the old people say about drunk words and sober thoughts."
"It's a waste of time for you to be chasing something that's not there," she sighed, finally turning around. With measured steps, she walked over to him, placing her palms on his cheeks. "I'm really, really sorry about bothering you the other night. I won't do it again, so you don't have to come to the rescue." She patted his cheek gently, with an unconvincing smile before returning to her water.
"What did he use to hold over your head?" He asked and she brought her hand to her forehead with an exasperated sigh. "What could've been so persuasive that could have convinced you to break up with him just like that? Because it doesn't make sense. You were basically attached to Casey's hip whenever you had the time, wouldn't miss a chance to see him."
"I'm going to bed," she said, even though the clock was barely grazing 5:00. "Just lock the door when you leave."
The urgency in her words betrayed the need to escape his persistent questioning. She had to leave quickly; she could feel the fragile dam holding back her emotions threatening to burst. Lately, she hadn't been the best at keeping her feelings in check, and the last thing she wanted was to unravel in front of him, and confirming what he seemingly already knew.
"Does your grandparents know?" he continued, his voice cutting through the quiet, causing a stutter in her stride as she put the empty glass in the sink. "Ahhhh." He said, obviously hitting a nerve. "Of course they don't because neither your mom or dad would still be running the company if they did."
"Please. Just go."
"You could've ended this the moment it happened with a little phone call to the hills. You know they'd believe you in a second."
"Kelly," her voice cracked, a vulnerability seeping through the facade. He knew her well enough to recognize the signs; she was on the brink of giving in.
He possessed an uncanny ability to push buttons in just the right order whenever she started to shut down, and he exploited them to his advantage every single time. Sometimes it backfired but it still got the job done.
Gabby sat in a heavy silence, the room echoing with the weight of her own thoughts. Anger, resentment, and self-loathing brewed within her, creating a storm of emotions that threatened to consume her. She couldn't bring herself to speak, couldn't find the words to articulate what she felt.
"What does he have?" He asked, contemplating his next accusation, aware of the lengths Gabby would go to protect her daughter. "He threatened Mina?"
Without hesitation, Gabby laughed, although she found nothing humorous. "I'd kill him."
"Yea, so would I." He clenched his jaw, both at the thought and at the confirmation that Ramón was actually manipulating the brunette. "So what is it?"
Knowing she had dug herself a tiny hole when she spoke, it was still steep enough that she couldn't get out, easily.
There were reasons she kept certain aspects of her life guarded, especially from Kelly.
Since middle school, Kelly had earned a reputation as a notorious hothead, but his protective instincts were especially on high when it came to Gabby, and later in life, Shay. In his perspective, there was little at stake when it came to defending them, and he was willing to put everything on the line.
"It wasn't that serious.," Gabby said simply, her voice trembling with vulnerability. "He just said he'd cut me off. That's it."
"I don't believe that," Kelly retorted immediately. He couldn't easily accept such a simple explanation, especially from someone as complex as Gabby. "This comes from the girl that is actively paying her grandparents back for the twenty million-dollar apartment they gifted her."
She sighed again for what felt like the millionth time since she got here. "None of this is your business. Just leave it."
"Right..." he said. "You made it my business the second you opened your mouth about it."
"Please stop poking at this. I've moved on…" Lie. "Matt's moved on…" Something she wants to be as equally true as untrue; "We're friends. We have a happy, healthy kid; we're good." She wanted to mean it, so bad but the next part pained her to even speak. "We were teenagers… we were kids, noth-
Kelly clenched his chest with his fist dramatically.
"Woah." He cringed, shaking his head at the shorter woman "That even hurt me, So if I were to go tell Casey that you two were nothing more than reckless kids, 'nothing too serious' would you mind?"
She knew not to play into his game, much because the words hurt her coming from her own mouth. Minimizing their relationship to what she did… another reason to hate herself.
But Kelly pressed on, unwilling to let the matter rest. "The only thing that is true about that you have a happy, healthy kid, the rest is bullshit." He stopped himself, a chuckle escaping at the irony of her statement. "Because reckless high school flings–"
"I didn't say it was a fling," she retorted.
"You did, but it's okay. I know you didn't mean it," he said, a bitter edge to his tone. "Does Antonio know?"
His anger continued to cloud everything in a ten-mile radius, drowning out any chance of empathy.
"Kel–"
"Gabby," he said, the use of her first name emphasizing his frustration. It was a rare occasion for him to address her by it.
"No." She let out.
"Does anybody know?" He asked. "Your mom?"
She shrugged, "I don't know."
They paused for a moment, long enough for Gabby to slightly collect her thoughts and long enough for Kelly to pull out a folded piece of paper.
"You can deny it all you want, but I think you were desperate to tell someone. It was slowly eating away at you. Sober or not." He said tiredly, and she pinched her bottom lip between her teeth as he slid it towards her. "You practically made me read this. I made you stop after you gave it to me because I wanted you to tell me. Sober you. I wanted you to willingly trust me enough to show me."
He unfolded the paper sliding it over to her, as her eyes landed on the piece of paper, she immediately wanted to give in. She could feel everything warm, leave, tingles all over her body because how could she be so stupid. She couldn't go back on anything now, couldn't even attempt to reduce the situation to her imagination
"You gave me that piece of paper out of a safe," he said incredulously. "A safe!" he reiterated, his voice filled with disbelief. "What could he have on you that is so bad that it had to be kept behind a code?"
The lone piece of paper held the ink of the beginning of the agreement. It was vague, didn't hold many details, but simultaneously held so many.
The doorbell rang followed by a few knocks, interrupting them, but she had no plan to answer that question anyway. Kelly was sure she hadn't heard it as she sat there, staring at the creases in her hands, a blank, distant look on her face. It rang again, and with no reaction from her, he went to open it himself, the hallway light spilled into the foyer as Kelly swung the door open.
"I know that was longer than 2 minutes and I'm sor–" Gavin started. "Oh h-hey Lieutenant." He stuttered.
"What's up, Gavin?" Kelly said, stuffing his hand in his pocket.
"I was just, um… I was just bringing the box, this package up for Gab- Miss Dawson."
Kelly nodded, allowing him to roll it inside and slide it off the dolly.
"Oh, can you tell her we found an envelope taped to the bottom as well? Still doesn't say who it's from, though." You could practically hear Gavin's Adam's apple bobbing from his hard swallow as he handed over the envelope.
"I'll give this to her," he said, holding up the envelope. Gavin nodded before rushing out of the door.
When Kelly returned to the kitchen, Gabby was nowhere to be found. He sighed before walking the distance to her living room, finding her tucked under a blanket as she laid on the sofa.
"Dawson," he said again, the softness in his tone revealing his concern. Her face remained a mask of stoicism.
"Gavin told me to give this to you," he continued, holding out the brown envelope. "Said they found it stuck underneath the box."
"Okay," she replied, her voice steady
Gabby's eyes flickered toward the slightly beat up brown envelope but gave no indication of immediate interest. She remained locked in a silent battle with her own emotions, a war she seemed to be losing.
"This is a redundant question, but does Casey know?" he asked, his eyes searching hers for a hint of vulnerability.
Her response was a simple, "Can you lock the door on the way out?"
"We're still talking."
She sighed, tired of fighting with him, offering him a weak "Okay."
Kelly, surprised by the ease with which she backed down, couldn't help but notice the exhaustion etched into the lines of her face. Kelly, torn between his instinct to know and the need to respect her boundaries, found himself at a crossroads.
He fought with himself on whether he should continue interrogating her. The truth seemed elusive, dancing just out of reach, and he knew Gabby well enough to understand that if everything wasn't laid out right now, in this fleeting moment where she seemingly allowed a glimpse inside her world, it might never be.
"Does your mom know?" He asked. "Is it just Ramón doing it?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "She wasn't there, but they enable each other, so probably."
"Does Casey know?" he pressed, unable to let the matter rest.
She shook her head.
"You need to tell him," he declared firmly, shattering the silence that hung, Gabby abruptly turned her head toward him.
"Don't do this," she countered, her eyes closing as she rolled onto her back, her arm coming up to cover her face.
"Daw—"
"No!" She interrupted, sitting upright on the sofa. Strands of her hair fell across her face before she tucked them away. "You don't get to do that. You've bulldozed your way in here, yelled at me for the second time this week, and now you–."
"It's selfish," he said.
It was as if all of her own thoughts were being transferred to him, but he had the courage to say them out loud. She knows that, she's known for a long time now.
She tutted, shaking her head. "Selfish."
"Keeping him out of the loop, making decisions for him without giving him a say. That's selfish," he pointed out casually, the sincerity in his tone revealing his genuine concern. Then, a thought occurred to him. "You didn't tell your grandparents because that was your way out…" He said in realization.
"What?" She asked.
"You've got this habit of running. So it makes sense. When things get personal, you bolt. So, when he told you to stay away, were you relieved? Did you bother pushing back?"
She was taken aback at his accusation, but reflexively, she attempted to retreat to her stoic facade, the only shield she could muster as she sensed the warmth draining from her body with each passing word he directed at her.
She tried hard, but it was too much, she chewed on her bottom lip. It was the first thing that he had said all afternoon that actually stung. This was the first time he had uttered something that truly wounded her.
Emotionally, she felt as if she were gasping for air, caught in blow after blow after blow of the patronizing men that were in her life. With a resigned sigh, she managed only a whisper, "Okay."
"Stop with that."
"What should I stop, Kelly?" she asked her hands gesturing outward, frustration seeping through her voice.
"You have no idea what you're talking about." She said, "No clue! Do you think I wanted to do that? Keep him in the dark? Do you think I heard the terms of the agreement that my dad forced me into and said, 'Yay, I can't wait'?"
"That's not wh–"
"No! Shut up! For one goddamn second, hush!" She stressed. "Walking away from him wasn't easy. Do you think it was?" She asked, her voice cracking. "I had to push away the one consistent person in my life while I was pregnant with his baby, and you believe I wanted to do that?" She asked, her eyebrows pushed together as her hands trembled when she pointed to herself.
"I got pregnant at the start of my first semester of med school, I was freshly 19 Kelly!" She rasped out. "It was a lot, if you weren't aware already… I was in the most difficult, soul draining program where I had to complete 4 years of med school in four semesters with no room for failure, my parents practically kicked me out because my life didn't match the one they printed in their heads, and you believe I wanted to add to that stress by kicking my boyfriend to the curb?"
Her once pleading eyes were now lined with tears that she tried hard to force back.
"I had to break his heart without giving him a decent explanation because my dad is a psychotic control freak. Is that what you want me to tell him? Or would you rather me tell him that if I were to pursue him anymore than raising our kid then–"
She took a moment, and he patiently awaited her next words as he felt his chest tighten at the sight. As she gathered herself, wiping damp cheeks and sighing, she decided to step back from an argument neither of them could win.
"Please, just let it go,"She asked, and he took a moment to think. "Where are you going?"
"You won't tell me; he will," he replied casually, grabbing his keys. "He's still in Chicago?"
"You didn't listen to a word I just said," she choked. "This is why I can't tell you anything."
He had indeed heard her, listened to every word intently. Admittedly feeling like an ass, but it was the part about her considering Matt the only consistent person in her life at the time that stung the most, so he ignored everything else in an attempt to mask.
"Yea just get a few shots of tequila to do it for you." He said without missing a beat, but Gabby bit her tongue feeling another blow to her gut, knowing he'd be holding it over her head for a while. "It's killing you. Whatever it is, it's slowly taking you out. So for your sake, Casey's and Mina's, I hope you get your shit together. You're not a child anymore."
As Kelly approached the door, "Either you tell him fully, or he'll get my version."
Oh how badly that word triggers her. "Or." She hates it because it's usually between an ultimatum and she'd had enough to last her a lot of lifetimes. She couldn't get an argument out before he opened the door, revealing Alicia there, her fist positioned to knock.
"Oh, cielo hi." she greeted him, smiling up at him with her driver behind her, carrying large lunch bags. Her smile gradually faded at the expression on Kelly's face. "Why do you look like that?" she inquired, her gaze shifting from Kelly to Gabby, who was now approaching them, the tears that were once on her face, wiped away the best she could.
"Hi, abuela," Gabby forced a smile.
Alicia, sensing an air of tension between the two, scrutinized them with a knowing look.
"Mr. Kei, if you want, you can put those in the kitchen," Gabby offered softly, addressing Alicia's long-term driver, who nodded and proceeded to pass them.
"What's going on here?" Alicia questioned, her concern deepening. "And why are you crying, Gabriela?"
"I'm not," Gabby insisted.
"But you were," Alicia observed, turning her attention to Kelly. "Kelly?"
Gabby silently prayed that he wouldn't say anything about Ramón. He looked back to her, her eyes to the ground by his feet and her arms around herself protectively. She felt exposed. She could only internally beg for him to see past it just for a second to spare her.
"I don't know, probably because I had to pick her up at 3 am from a nightclub. She was too wasted and alone to think," Kelly replied with a nonchalant shrug, injecting a half-truth. Gabby sighed, running her fingers through her hair as the words left his mouth. Although he hadn't touched upon the main topic of his visit, she dreaded him broaching that subject as well. "An hour away from here…" He added.
If only she could slap him without drawing a disapproving look from her grandmother, she'd jump at the chance. He did it out of spite. He came here seeking answers but left with nothing more than what he already knew. She was stubborn and difficult and he was hot headed and overbearing.
"Excuse me?" Alicia said, her tone demanding an explanation. "Gabriela."
"He was just leaving." She said quietly, avoiding the glare from Alicia as her eyes drilled Kelly.
"We will talk later." She told Kelly as he left out of the door. "Mr. Kei, You can go home for the night."
The man nodded and offered a bow before leaving the home behind Kelly. Alicia locked the door before turning to her granddaughter with a raised eyebrow.
"I understand it was dumb. It won't happen again." She defended herself before the older Dawson got a chance to say a word.
"Please tell me that there is more to that story that will make it not sound so bad?" Her abuela asked, "From what I just heard, it does not sound like you."
Gabby cleared her throat, "That's pretty much it." She admitted simply.
"And what on this green earth possessed you to do such a thing?" She asked, taking her coat off of her shoulders. "Alone, Gabriella, really?"
She internally released a deep breath, not daring to let it show. "I was bored. Just wanted to get out."
"You are a grown woman," she began, her tone a blend of understanding and sternness. "I know that, and I respect that, but you are still my granddaughter."
"Abuela…"
"Anything could have happened," she lectured, her voice maintaining its natural gentleness. "That was more than stupid."
"Sorry." She muttered. "That was the first and last time, I promise."
She took a moment to take in her granddaughter, her exhausted demeanor, the tear streaks that were so obvious and the habit that she had with fidgeting with the necklace that rested on her chest.
"You two are always at each other's throats. I think you need to distance yourself from one another for a while."
"I don't think that will be a problem." She said quietly, meaning every word. "Excuse me for a minute?"
Alicia nodded, taking off her coat and shoes at the door as Gabby walked down the hall into her bedroom.
Sitting on the made bed, she slammed her back against the mattress as her hands came up to grip the roots of her hair, letting out a muffled groan. She needed a moment for herself, coaching herself to breathe in and out.
She resented Kelly for prying, harbored a deep disdain for her dad for obvious reasons, felt a bitter resentment towards her mom. But, above all, she was mad at herself for being so reckless, for allowing her guard to slip. And right now, that loathe that she held against her own self, clouded her resentment towards everyone else.
She stood to her feet, clearing her throat and taking a look at herself in the mirror, her reflection staring back at her.
"Where is Mina?" She heard the echo from the kitchen, interrupted her, which encouraged her to get herself together. Blowing out a breath, she left out and joined her abuela. "With Matthew, I suppose?"
"Yep." She said.
The woman nodded as she took out the many bowls from the lunch coolers placing some inside of the refrigerator and some in the freezer.
"What did you do today?" Abuela asked Gabby, her eyes filled with both genuine interest and concern.
Fool herself, that's all the day consisted of, fooling herself, Gabby thought, but she refrained from voicing that sentiment, choosing to steer clear of the topic of Matt altogether.
"Nothing interesting. Went to the coffee shop to get some work done, came back and started reading a new book," she replied, keeping her response light. "Where's abu?"
"I sent him to get dinner; we drove separately. I thought it would be nice to sit and dine with you since you have been avoiding being in our presence for the past weeks," Abuela gently expressed.
"I haven't been avoiding you guys," Gabby said, her attempt to deflect met with a knowing gaze from her grandmother. "Just been busy."
"We are not upset, nor are we entitled to your time, but that is a tired excuse, mija. The word 'busy' is tired of living in your mouth," Abuela responded, closing the freezer. "What is going on with you?" She asks, but the words were asked in her mother tongue, one that Alicia had come to realize long ago that the brunette seemingly finds more personal.
As she stood across from her abuela, she felt bad, and had a desire to connect with her, but she had this ongoing fear of vulnerability, leaving her stuck where honesty beckons but familiarity feels safer.
"I'm working a lot these days," Gabby offered, opting for a simple explanation. She couldn't bear the weight of further exposure today, especially with her grandparents. They were often her comfort people outside of her baby girl, and she just wanted a serene moment, free from the complexities.
She didn't protest when Alicia took her hand, guiding her towards the dim living room.
"Why?" She asked, both taking a seat on the sofa. "You are not struggling financially, so why extend beyond your usual work hours?"
"I like to keep myself occupied." She shrugged, giving her a half smile.
"Do you sleep?" She asked.
"Here and there." She admitted.
"Here and there?" She asked. " It becomes more unsettling because I know this is indeed a result of my son showing up unannounced,"
This was probably the thousandth time Gabby has failed to do the same thing today. It's like he knows she doesn't want to hear or talk about him, but makes it happen anyway.
"I would like to discuss that," Alicia asked gently, her words flowing with a soft grace. "What did he say to you?"
Gabby shifted on the cushion, curling her knees toward her chest as she rested her head upon them. "Nothing," she replied.
Alicia, ever perceptive, sensed a hint of uncertainty. "Doubt lingers within me," she said.
"He asked if we could have dinner."
"What did you say?"
Gabby sighed. "I told him I wasn't up for it. I had to go get Mina from Donna at the time."
Alicia, still unaware of the full extent of her son's actions, nodded in understanding.
"Do you think if you did have the time, you would accept?" She asked.
Hell would have to freeze over entirely before she willingly accepts the invitation.
"Um.. I don't know." She lied. "Haven't really had time to think about it."
Alicia didn't say anything after that, they sat in a comfortable silence, the older woman flipping through an old magazine that was lying around.
"What is this?" Alicia inquired, gesturing toward the envelope on the coffee table that Gabby had forgotten all about.
"Oh yeah," Gabby said, remembering. "Somebody sent a package, and that note was taped to it."
A knock at the door interrupted the conversation, prompting Gabby to excuse herself and answer it. She found her very tall grandfather with paper bags in his hands.
"Are you tired?" he asked, his eyebrows scrunched as Gabby's shoulders slumped playfully.
"Gee… thanks," she said, graciously accepting the bags from his hands, leaving him to attend to his coat and shoes. "No hi or anything."
"It is from the Thai place that you will never hush about," he explained.
"Apology accepted!" she called out with a playful grin, grabbing plates and glasses, setting up the table.
Once he was finished, everyone joined in the dining room, the atmosphere shifting as they gathered around the table for what promised to be a family meal, Gabby finally being granted a moment of peace.
"Why the pout?" Matt inquired as he secured Mina in her car seat, a deep frown on her lips. She didn't utter a word, arms crossed, tears lining her eyes as he leaned closer to her. She had woken up a bit crankier than usual. "We can't leave until you tell me, Mina," he insisted.
"I dunno," she murmured.
"Is it because I said no to the cupcake?" he asked, and she shook her head. "Feel sick?" She shook her head again. "Then what is it, baby?" he pressed, concern evident in his voice.
"I dunno," she repeated, and he slumped his shoulders.
"You wanna think about it then tell me when we get to your mom's?" he suggested, and she nodded her head with a sniffle.
He nodded before closing the door before heading over to the driver's side, making his way to Gabby's place with the occasional look in his rearview mirror to check on Mina.
Once they arrived, he cut the engine and went to open Mina's door who had fallen asleep on the ride over. Getting her out, he headed into the building with a greeting from Mike.
"Good morning, Lieutenant." Mike said.
"Morning.." He said holding his fist out to the older man whose fist met his.
Upon reaching Gabby's door, Matt knocked a few times, but there was no response. He had called her several times before leaving his house to make sure she didn't need anything but received no answer then either. Growing increasingly concerned, he decided to call her phone again, dialing multiple times, yet still receiving no response.
The key on his ring, a key he had only used a couple of times before when needing to retrieve something for the little girl, with Gabby's permission, yet otherwise he only had for emergencies, slid inside the keyhole before he entered.
He moved further into her home, checking the living room, bathroom, Mina's room, and Gabby's own bedroom. Nothing. A growing sense of worry prompted him to consider calling Leslie, but before doing so, he decided to check the balcony window.
There, on the sofa outside, he found Gabby sleeping, covered by a knit blanket. A breath of relief escaped him at the sight. Notebooks and her laptop, halfway open, sat on the table in front of her. Moving towards Mina's bedroom, he closed the curtain to block out at least a little light that shined through. Sitting on the chair beside her bed, he carefully sat her on his leg, tugging her jacket off and taking her shoes off, making a conscious effort not to wake her.
"Daddy?" She mumbled as he laid her down gently.
"Hm?" He asked. "You still upset?"
She shook her head softly, he knew it was just an off morning for her.
"Leaving?" She asked and he nodded. "Kiss?"
He smiled cheekily as he dipped his head to press a kiss to her cheek and one to the back of her hand.
"I'll see you later, okay? I love you."
"Love you." She said, drifting back off.
Now going to tend to the older version of the little girl, Matt found himself standing in front of Gabby, who was deeply nestled in slumber. The temperature outside was far from pleasant, and he couldn't help but wonder if she had stayed out here all night.
"Hey, Gabby," he said softly, gently nudging her to avoid startling her. There was no discernible reaction, so he tried again. "Gab, we've gotta get you inside, it's freezing out here."
She mumbled something incoherent, snuggling even deeper into the plush blanket cocooning her. Matt lingered outside for five minutes, attempting to rouse her, but eventually gave up, she clearly needed the sleep.
Knowing that Gabby wasn't usually a heavy sleeper, the fact that she wasn't budging worried him a bit.
Deciding to take matters into his own hands, Matt took the blanket that covered her, revealing her black silk robe that was tied around her, he slid his arm beneath the bend of her knees and the other between the sofa cushion and her back, effortlessly lifting her. Once in his arms, she nestled against his chest, still sound asleep.
Before reaching her room, he peeked in on the smaller Casey, peacefully tucked into bed. Upon reaching Gabby's door, he gently kicked it open, carefully laying her on the bed and tucking the covers over her, feeling a sense of déjà vu from a few minutes ago.
Checking the time on his watch, Matt returned to the terrace, gathering her scattered supplies and bringing them inside.
Taking a piece of paper from the notebook, he re-entered her room, opting to leave a note to take away any confusion when she woke. "I should probably call CPD, huh?" she rasped, her voice still laced with sleep.
He chuckled softly, crumpling the now unnecessary note. "Funny because that's what I thought when you didn't answer the door and my eighteen calls," he said, strolling toward her. She quickly turned to her nightstand, reaching for her dead phone and checking the clock.
"Oh god, Matt," she gasped, throwing the comforter from her body and swinging her legs to the side of the bed, standing up a bit too fast. "I'm so sorry. You're gonna be late."
"Hey, it's fine, Gabby. Sit down," he said quickly.
"I thought I plugged it up," she mumbled apologetically. "I'm sorry."
"Were you outside all night?" he asked, his hand instinctively going to her forehead, checking if she was warm. Her eyebrows furrowed. "You were asleep on the balcony when I came in."
Gabby glanced around the room. "How... you brought me in?" she asked, her eyes communicating a million apologies.
"You wouldn't wake up." He said. "Were you?"
She shook her head, bringing her hand to her head, feeling a headache start to creep.
"I was paged to the hospital around midnight, didn't make it back until an hour ago." She told him. "I'm so sorry, Matt."
"Don't apologize." He said, looking down at her. "You feeling okay?"
She felt exhausted. Between Kelly overstaying his welcome yesterday, her abuelos dropping by, and being paged to the hospital, she was running on fumes. Sleep had become a rare luxury for her lately; even when she had time to rest, her mind wouldn't allow it.
"Yea, I'm good." she said before standing up again, moving more deliberately this time as she tightened the tie on her robe. The soft rustle of fabric and the gentle creak of the floor underscored the weariness in her movements. "Just a little tired."
"A little?" He pushed.
"A little." She assured. "I'm fine."
He followed her out of her bedroom, the dim light casting elongated shadows along the hallway. He walked past as she took a moment to check on Mina, who was sound asleep.
"Hey, Matt," she called out, her voice carrying a hint of vulnerability, just before he came into her view. "Whenever you have time… it doesn't have to be soon, just whenever, we should talk."
His eyebrows pumped upwards at her as she crossed her arms over her body. He checked the time on his watch, figuring he could spare a few minutes.
"Everything okay? I can have Herrmann cover for me for a bit," he suggested, his concern etched across his features. She gently shook her head.
"No… no," she murmured gently. "I've already made you late. Some other time, though. Whenever."
He nodded understandingly, his eyes reflecting a mix of curiosity and reassurance. "You don't want to tell me what it's about."
She cracked a smile, as she shook her head. "Be safe and you can tell Boden to yell at me for making you late instead of taking it out on you."
"I'm always safe." He spoke. "And that was the plan anyways."
"Go, Casey." She said and pushed him lightly towards the door.
"I'm going." He laughed. "But seriously, you're good, healthy?" He asked and she immediately nodded her head.
"God, yes. I probably should've led with that." She told him easing his concerns. "I'm healthy, Mina's healthy, yes. I just want to talk."
"Good." He said. "Get some sleep."
"I will." She nodded, and Matt shook his head, a knowing grin on his face.
"Liar."
Hello, everyone! This was initially supposed to be a Christmas present, but I wasn't happy with it. So, I played with it some more, and I'm still not happy with it. However, I wanted to post it before the year ended. This isn't my best work, and I swear it'll be better moving forward.
Also, I'm thinking of changing the title to this story. 'Until the Last Star' was kind of a placeholder when I first started writing this because I couldn't figure out a better-fitting title. But now I have one.
Anyway, I hope everyone had a great holiday, and I'm excited to write more for you guys! MUAHH