Hi Readers: My apologies once more for the chances I've made recently when it comes to the stories. However, I've come to realize that I need to stop trying new things, and instead need to go back to what I know best: writing Dawsey. Hope you like this story.


Chapter 1: Best Friend Magic


November 23, 2019 – Chicago InterContinental Hotel, Magnificent Mile
He just had to put one step in front of the other and not look back. He couldn't look back. Because if he did, he knew he'd never leave. Never leave the woman he loves more than anything in the entire world. After all, she's his ex-wife for a reason: she isn't here in Chicago anymore, which is why they divorced in the first place. But, as he looked at her there in the bed where they made love to each other last night…it felt wrong to leave her. Even more so without a goodbye, but he had to since it was just too early to wake her up. And honestly, he was worried that he would do something to ruin what happened last night…the most magical night he's had with a woman in a long time. But, not just any woman: the woman of his dreams, his miracle. After all, that was what he called her. She's the woman he loves, and the only woman he's ever felt at home with. The only woman he's wanted to hold in his arms ever since Hallie died. She was his everything. And frankly, still is his everything; every time he tries to find someone new, he still thinks about her.

The way her skin felt under his hands when they made love. The way her soft lips felt against his whenever he kissed her. The way their hugs made him feel. And just the way he smiled the moment he looked at her. He's felt that way since before they were a couple, and he still feels the way even now that they aren't a couple. Though, he wishes more than anything that they were still married. He wishes that Gabby was still his wife and living here with him. But, she was headed back to Puerto Rico today. That was, until he realized something…love can always conquer all. And the power of their love has overcome so much in the past. So, maybe he should ask her…ask her whether she would ever think about coming back to be his wife again? If she ever wanted to come back, try again, and make sure that things don't end the way they did last time…which was the worst possible way. He wanted to marry her again, have a family with her, and have a beautiful life with her. After all, there's just something about her that completes him.

That makes her feel like a complete person again. She makes him feel like himself, rather than the shell of a man he's been ever since she left to go to Puerto Rico. Though, he knows that she loves her job there in Puerto Rico, there was just something about him not wanting to leave that made him wonder if she'd stay if he asked her to stay. If he asked her to be his wife again and give their marriage a second chance. It's all he's ever wanted, especially since he's missed her more than anything. He's just scared of the answer that he might get from her. And that's precisely why he decided to do something: he decided to put it in a letter. And that was what he was hesitating about. Either he could set the nice letter he wrote her down on her side table for her to read when she wakes up, the letter that would tell her how he truly feels; or, he can give up on his hope that whatever he tells her can change anything. That him telling her that he loves her more than anything in the entire world in a handwritten letter. One he hopes will change her mind.

And as he set it down on her nightstand this morning, he smiled as he looked at the woman he loves more than anything in the entire world; while, at the same time, leaning over her to press his lips to her forehead. After all, he wanted to kiss her one last time if that's all he ever got to do. So, he pressed his lips to her forehead, prior to getting up and walking away so that he can leave for shift.


She woke up to the sound of the door closing behind Matt, which led to her looking around and seeing that she was alone in the hotel room. Alone and naked in bed, which was not fun. At the same time, she also noticed something else. A letter addressed to her on her side table. A bit confused, she decided to sit up and reach for it; while also covering up to make sure that she wasn't exposing herself.

Opening the envelop after sitting up, she decided to read the letter that Matt left for her.

Gabby:
Last night was the best night I had in the longest time. The way our bodies felt against one another's was just beautiful, and it made me remember just why we fell in love. Why I fell in love with you in the first place. You made me feel at home, truly at home. And the truth is, I haven't felt that way since you left. I've tried to move on, but I haven't been able to. And now, I know why: I'm still madly in love with you Gabby, and I probably always will be. And maybe, if things were different, we'd still be married and figuring out a way to have a family while protecting your life in a way I couldn't protect Hallie's life. God, I've tried to say that in so many ways. Reword what I said to you before you left. Hell, it was what I wanted to tell you when you came home last year. I wanted to take time off, take you away on a trip and just apologize for everything I told you. How I never meant to say those things, and they came out the wrong way.

Here's the truth Gabby:
You can have children, I'm just a coward. I can't find a way to let you take the risk. To put my happiness at risk when I already lost one woman I love. The woman I thought I was going to marry and have a family with. And then, to learn that I could kill the woman I love more than anything in the entire world simply by getting her pregnant with our child, that just made my heart break. That was what I meant when I said that you can't have kids Gabby. I meant that you can't have kids, because I can't take the risk in killing my own wife. And it's not that I didn't respect your choice to want to try and have a baby, it's just that I couldn't take that risk. And maybe it's crazy, but I actually thought you were coming home in September of last year. I thought that we'd gotten past that and that you were coming home. That we were going to work things through, and that we would go forward with our other options for having a family.

Gabby, I know you said that you don't like the idea of adoption. And since our divorce, I've realized that you're right; it would be far too traumatizing for you to go through that again. The risk you'd have to take to open your heart to another baby, only for them to be whisked away from you because the family wants them back. And for that, I'm sorry about that. And that's why I don't deserve you Gabby. I don't deserve to be your husband, because I didn't understand that right away. I didn't understand your emotions related to that, and I apologize for that. All I could think was how I could lose another woman I love, and not how us trying to adopt could truly affect the woman I love more than anything in the entire world. And now, it's cost me everything. It's cost me our marriage, our love, and the life we had with each other. But last night, I got a sense of that back. Of what life could be like if you were still here with me. And I know that it's a long shot, but I wanted to ask you to come home last night so many times. To come back to me.

Gabby, I don't know what can happen in the aftermath of last night, but I would really love to have a second chance with you. You know where to find me if you want to talk about this. I'll be at the firehouse today. If you want to stay and try again, I'm more than open to do that. Hell, maybe I might even be open to us trying for a family if it means that you come back to me as my wife again. I'll take you back as if nothing happened and we can work things through. Or, we can just go on our separate ways and forget this night ever happened. Regardless, I want to thank you for the memories that we made last night. They'll stay with me forever.

I love you Gabriela.
Forever yours, Matthew.


She grabbed a robe the moment she finished reading the letter, because she knew that she needed to leave the room for a moment. More specifically, she needed to go find Matt so that she could stop him from leaving her again. She wants to stay with him and have a second chance with him. And that's precisely what she wants to tell him. And right now, she was hoping that she wasn't too late. And luckily for her, she wasn't too late. Rather, she was just on time. The reason? She caught him at the elevator. "Matt!" Turning his head when he heard his name, Matt turned to face Gabby and was surprised to see her there. "Gabby?" Walking up to him, Gabby looked into his eyes. "Did you mean what you said in your letter?" Matt was shocked, as he didn't think she'd have a chance to read it already. "What? You already read it?" Gabby agreed with Matt. "I read it the moment I woke up. Now, did you mean it?" Stepping close to Gabby, Matt nodded as he placed his hand on the side of her face as he held her close. "I meant every word. Always will."

Smiling as she cuddled up to Matt, Gabby wrapped her arms around his waist and just held him close to her. "Uhm…" Placing his hand on the side of her face again, Matt smiled at the woman he loves. "Gabby, I need you to know that I really meant what I said when it came to the stuff about how bad I feel about what I said to you before you left that summer. I should've said it to you while you were still my wife. But, this was the next best thing." Gabby agreed with Matt as he said that, well aware that was the case. She then took a breath and looked up at him. "Do you think you can come back to my room for a bit? Or do you need to go to shift? I'm sorry. I just woke up and…" Matt smiled as Gabby said that. "Let me guess, you want to talk to me for a bit?" Gabby bit her lip. "Last night, we didn't get the time that I wanted. I wanted to have time with you, but I mostly did work." Matt agreed with Gabby as she said that, well aware that was the case. "I realized that was going to be the case. Anyways, this is your passion." Gabby shook her head.

After all, that wasn't the truth. "God, are you kidding? This isn't my passion." Matt was confused as he heard Gabby tell him that. And, he was also concerned due to the fact that he was surprised to be hearing this. "What are you talking about Gabby?" Looking down at her attire, Gabby took a breath as she stepped close to her man. "You're the man I'm passionate about Matt. I love you more than anything in the entire world, and the truth is…I regret leaving. I should've just stuck it out. Maybe we could've worked things out. I don't know where this can lead. I don't know what can happen. All I know, is that I smiled a real smile for the first time in a long time when I read that you want me back as your wife, and that we can try for a family some more. Matt, I love you and you're the man of my dreams. So, if you can stay…I'd love to spend time with you and talk." Matt agreed with Gabby as he smiled at her. "I love the sound of that. But, how about instead of going to the hotel suite…we go home?" Gabby smiled as Matt asked her that question.

However, she also realized something. "I don't have any things here." Matt smirked as Gabby said that. "I know. How about this? Maybe we make a deal? You go back to Puerto Rico, pack up…and I'll meet you at the airport in a week." Gabby smirked. "Or, I can meet you at the firehouse in a week…and we can tell everybody that we're back together and go to the courthouse." Matt smirked, as he loves the sound of that. "What do you say me, and you go take a shower? We can celebrate getting back together/getting engaged." Gabby agreed with Matt, before taking a breath. "Don't you need to go to shift?" Matt sighed as he looked at the woman he loves. "Yeah, I do. Rain check?" Gabby smiled at the man she loves. "Don't worry, we can celebrate something else instead in a week." Matt smirked, as he loved the sound of that. "Wait, did we just agree to get married again?" Gabby laughed. "Yeah, we did. I think, we have a lot to talk about. However, you better keep your promise to try for a family." Matt sighed. "I said try, but we need to keep options open."

Gabby agreed with Matt as he said that. "Hey, I get it. God, you have no idea how emotional I got after reading that part where you mentioned that I'd be the second woman you lost." Matt agreed with Gabby, well aware that was the case. "Listen, I love you and I want to be your husband bad. However, we both know that we can't talk like this for long,. I'd rather be the only man who can see my fiancé wearing this." Gabby laughed as she heard Matt say that. "How about we go back to my suite, and I can get a goodbye kiss?" Matt agreed with Gabby, prior to feeling her grab her hand so that he can follow her back to her suite.


The feeling of his soft lips on hers as they took things nice and slow with each other is truly perfect, while also reminding them just how much they love each other. "You know, we could always secretly get married today before I leave, then we're already married when I come home." Matt smirked, as he loves the sound of that. "You have no idea how tempted I am to say yes, but I still have to go to shift. In fact, you keep me here any longer, and I'm going to be late." Gabby smirked. "I want to go get married. Then you can go to work. Just the two of us this time. Last time, it wasn't as much fun." Matt laughed. "Gabby, I want to do it properly. I want to marry you, then I want to take you home and make love to you. I want to show you how much I truly love you, and I want to spend time alone with you after we get married. I can't do that today because it's so short notice." Gabby agreed with Matt. "Speaking of short notice, I need to talk to my job before I can come home." Matt agreed with Gabby. "How long am I going to wait this time?"

Gabby smiled as Matt asked her that question. "Maybe two weeks." Matt smirked as he looked at Gabby. "Make sure you're back on the Thursday, okay?" Gabby was confused. "Why the Thursday?" Matt smiled. "The Friday is the 6th of December." Gabby snickered, as that makes sense. "We'd have the same anniversary as last time." Matt smiled. "We can just celebrate it as our third anniversary." Gabby smiled. "And us ending the night married in each other's arms would be the best anniversary gift I could ever get." Matt smiled as Gabby said that, prior to leaning in and kissing his fiancé softly as he placed his hand on her arm. "I'll find our wedding rings okay? We can use them." Gabby smiled when Matt said that. "Bring them to shift. We're going to get married on our way home. Maybe book some time off?" Matt agreed with his future wife. "However, we still need to talk. No more bossy Gabby. Remember why we broke up in the first place?" Gabby sighed, agreeing with Matt. "I know, and I'll do better, I promise." Matt agreed with his girl.

After which, he wrapped his arm around her and smirked as he brought her body against his chest; only to bend down and kiss her softly. Meanwhile, Gabby placed her hand on his muscular chest and smirked as she took things nice and slow with Matt. "I love you Matt. And I can't wait to be your wife again." Matt smiled as he agreed with Gabby. "I love you. And I can't wait to see you. Sooner rather than later." Gabby agreed with Matt and smiled as she hugged him. "Thank you Matt." Matt smiled as he ran his hands up and down her back. "Thank you for agreeing to come home." Gabby agreed with Matt. "Can't wait to be home. Now, go be safe on shift and make sure that you don't sleep with anybody else before we get married." Matt laughed. "You're my forever, you already know that." Matt then leaned in and kissed her one last time. "I love you." Gabby agreed with Matt. "I love you too. Keep your badge off the wall." Matt agreed with Gabby, smirking as he walked away so that he can head to shift; while Gabby smiled as she was happy.

Happy that she was coming home to be with the man she loves, the man she plans on marrying again.