A\N: I don't own anythinhg. I hope everyone's had a great day. Thank you for waiting for this chapter a bit longer than usual. I'm going to be busy over the next few months so I'm not sure when I'll have time to write the next chapter. I'm going to try to make some time each week as I do love writing this story.

Spoilers: None

Warnings: None

Chapter 7

In the second week of August in Chicago, a heat wave set record-high temptress for the city. Unfortutly this led to an already busy emergent department being past breaking point. Gabby worked overtime on almost every shift and worked close to seventeen-hour shifts. Summer also meant Matt had more construction jobs to do.

The following week when the temperatures were more normal for Chicago in August Gabby and Matt coordinated schedules. They decided that Matt would come over in the afternoon on a day they both had off. Gabby suggested they go to the park with the kids in the early afternoon. After the afternoon at the park, they could then return to the apartment for the afternoon, and then have dinner.

Gabby wanted to spend time alone with Matt to discuss their slowly developing relationship. She knew though that her kids also really wanted to see him, they asked about him nearly every day. When she saw Tommy waiting patiently at the apartment door after Gabby had buzzed him, the smile on his face made her sure she had made the right decision of inviting him over to go to the park with them.

When Matt knocked on the door of the apartment Gabby barely had time to open it before Tommy laughed himself at Matt hugging him tightly.

"Matt! I missed you so much!"

Matt lifted Tommy into his arms and finished walking into the apartment. "I missed you too buddy. I'm glad we're able to play at the park today."

"Let's go now!" Tommy declared.

"Thomas," Gabby looked at her son, "Remember, we may need to wait a little while. Sophia didn't have a long nap and she's still a little tired."

"I can take Tommy and you can meet us there later," Matt suggested. "You might have a better chance of getting Sophia back to sleep that way."

Gabby looked at Sophia, who was trying to stay awake, "I think you're right. Okay, Tommy Matt is going to take you to the park."

"Yay!." Tommy smiled, "Matt, we're going to the good park."

"I know," Matt told him, "That's the one with a bigger splash pad. Is everything you need in here?" He picked up the bag he knew Gabby used to put Tommy's things in for outings.

"Yeah, he's wearing his bathing suit as his shorts. "The bag has a change of clothes, hat, water bottle, and sunscreen He hasn't liked putting his sunscreen on lately so he might not want to wear any but I'd like him to," Gabby told him.

"I'm sure we'll be okay," Matt took the bag and then took Tommy's hand. Matt led Tommy to his truck and helped him get into one of the new car seats he'd put in. A quick drive later and they were at the park. Matt found an empty picnic table and put the bag down.

"Once you get some sunscreen on, you can go and play in the splash pad; I can come with you if you want." Matt got out the sunscreen but Tommy looked less than impressed.

"I don't like that sunscreen. It's sticky, I like Diego's sunscreen," Tommy informed him. "Auntie Laura let me put on my sunscreen. I'm in pre-kindergarten I'm a big kid."

Matt could understand Tommy's frustration. He was younger than Diego and Eva, so when he spent time at his cousin's house he got to things Diego and Eva did; at home, it was hard to find a balance between what he could do and what Sophia could do.

"I don't think this is the sunscreen Diego uses but you can help me put it on you," Matt told him, "Then later we can talk to Mommy. Did you tell her you want to be more independent?"

"Mommy's never there," Tommy pouted.

"Look at me Thomas, this is important," Matt set aside the sunscreen, "I know you miss your Mommy when she's working. She works so hard for you and Sophia. It makes her sad when she can't always be with you and Sophia. She loves you both so much."

"Mommy's sad? She needs flowers! Uncle Antonio got them for Auntie Laura." Tommy remembered, "Mommy needs flowers."

"That's a good idea, I'm sure Mommy would love flowers. We can pick some up after we're finished playing at the park." Matt told Tommy.

"Yay, let's go, Matt," Tommy took Matt's hand and happily led them into the splash-pad. It was crowded but Tommy knew where he wanted to go. He led Matt underneath the big bucket of water on top of the water play structure. Once it filled up with water the bucket dumped all the water out, soaking everyone underneath it.

Tommy ran in and out of the sprinklers next. He was laughing as he tried not to get too wet. Next, he asked Matt to go into the sprinklers, he tried to sneakily move a water sprayer so he could get Matt wet.

Almost an hour later Matt could see that Tommy was getting hungry and tired; Matt dried Tommy off as best as he could and gave him a juice box and a little snack. "How about we go get some ice cream and then get Mommy's flowers?" Matt suggested. Gabby texted him to let him know Sophia was asleep, Matt knew it would be easier for Sophia to sleep and for her to get some chores done if he kept Tommy out of the apartment a little longer.

"Ice cream!" Tommy immediately perked up at the mention of one of his favourite summer treats, "Can I get chocolate ice cream?"

"I'm sure they'll have chocolate ice cream. Now, let's make sure we have everything," Matt double-checked to ensure everything was back in the bag they had brought once, he was sure he instructed Tommy to take his hand as they walked back to his truck.

With a little help from Matt Tommy climbed into the truck and got into his car seat. Once he was successfully buckled in Matt drove to an ice cream shop. Plenty of other people had a similar idea of getting ice cream. The line-up of people waiting to get ice cream was longer than he had expected it to be. Thinking back on previous outings he had been on with Gabby and the kids, he asked Tommu if he needed to go to the bathroom.

Once they had their ice cream Tommy said he wanted to eat outside at a picnic table. Once he was outside Tommy happily licked his chocolate ice cream cone. He didn't seem to care that over half of it dripped all over him as he talked to Matt instead of eating.

"Oh buddy," Matt looked at Tommy's face and shirt as he finally finished his ice cream, "I think we need to get some more napkins"

"Mommy always has wet napkins," Tommy told him.

"I think I know why," Matt took Tommy back into the ice cream shop's washroom and cleaned up his face and hands using towels and water. Tommy didn't have a change of clothes in his bag but Matt was pretty sure Gabby wouldn't mind coming home with a little ice cream on his shirt.

Since it was a nice day out and the flower shop was in the same plaza where they had ice cream Matt decided they could walk. He took Tommy's hand and walked with him down the sidewalk of the plaza until they got to the ice cream shop. As soon as Tommy saw the flowers he started looking at them and wondering which ones they should get.

"Mommy likes purple and red and pink," Tommy looked around at all of the flower colours, "I don't know what to do," He overdramatically sighed, "We need help!"

Matt chuckled, "I thought so too, I texted Auntie Laura about your idea. She thought Mommy would like a bouquet with different types of flowers, like this," Matt found what he was looking for, "What do you think of these?"

Tommy looked at the flowers for a few seconds before smiling, "It has all the colours, Mommy will love it."

"I agree," Matt took the flowers to the counter and paid for them. He then took Tommy back to his truck and they drove back to the apartment. "Mommy!" Tommy ran into the apartment happily carrying the flowers, "This is because you're sad,"

Gabby put down the toy she was holding for Sophia and took the flowers from her son, "Thank you Tommy these are beautiful," She kissed his cheek, "Why do you think I'm sad?"

"Matt said you were," Tommy told her.

"He was a little upset you work a lot, I explained you were sad too. I told him you would much rather play with him and Sophia."

"Yeah because work is boring and playing is fun," Tommy added.

Gabby laughed, "I don't think I can argue with that. Why don't you help me find a nice vase to put these in," She suggested to Tommy. "Then we can get you a new shirt."

"I had chocolate ice cream Mommy,"

"I can tell," Gabby led him out of the small living room and into the kitchen.

Sophia pouted only brefley when she saw her mother walk away from her. She saw Matt, happily walked over to him, and started pulling on his hand, "Matt play! Matt play!"

Matt lifted Sophia into his arms and then threw her into the air. Catching her he said, "How's my favourite Princess?"

"Again! Again!" Sophia happily giggled as Matt tossed her into the air again.

Once a vase had been picked out and he had a new shirt on Tommy came back into the living room to play. He tried to stay out of Sophia's way but with such a small play space it was hard. Matt had spent many full days with Gabby, Tommy and Sophia but he'd never seen the children spend so much time in the small apartment. When it was dinner time he was pretty sure he'd figure out why; neither child had their own space in the apartment, to play or sleep. Tommy had wanted to build a LEGO tower but Sophia who was playing with her baby dolls kept knocking it over (most times by accident) when Tommy had moved to play in his bedroom Sophia followed a few minutes later trying to find a bottle for her baby. Tommy had gotten so frustrated he threw a LEGO piece at his sister causing her to get a small cut on her forehead.

Now at the table waiting for dinner things still weren't better as Tommy kept touching Sophia making her cry.

"No! No!" Sophia yelled as she tried to push her brother away, something was hard to do as she was already in her high chair.

"Thomas," Matt picked him up and moved him to a different chair, "Your sister is telling you to stop touching her."

"Here Tommy, I think you're getting a little hungry," Gabby put a plate of spaghetti and meatballs and vegetables in front of him, "Remember you need to try the carrots. You've had them before and you like them."

When dinner time was over and the children had a bath and had been tucked in Gabby sat down on the couch beside Matt, "I think once the house is done, it'll be a good idea if I don't sell it. Hopefully, with more room to play and different bedrooms, they won't fight so much," She sighed.

"I'm sure having more room will help all of you be less stressed out," Matt told her, "When do you think you'd like to move in?"

"Definitely before the winter," Gabby told him, "Thank you for all your help today. I know this probably wasn't your idea of a good day off."

Matt shook his head and kissed her cheek, "I had a great day. I love spending time with all three of you."

Gabby relaxed a little more, "Still though hopefully we'll be able to go on a real date soon."

"Whenever you're ready," Matt told her, "There's no rush."

Matt and Gabby sat in silence for a few minutes before Gabby said, "When Michael died a part of me died too. The world seemed so dark. Eventually, I knew I had to be okay for the kids but I never fully came out of the place. I know so many people were worried about me. Laura told me I was finally beginning to be like my old self again. It took me a few weeks to see what she meant but now I know I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I think meeting you and having you around to help has made a huge difference. I just wanted to say thank you,"

Matt softly kissed her on the lips and said "You're very welcome but I don't think I did much to help. I think I was lost until I found you, Tommy and Sophia. Maybe we both needed each other."

"Maybe," Gabby placed her head on Matt's shoulder.

TBC

A\N: If you have time please leave a review.