Hello there everyone, and welcome back to the next chapter of this story. This one marks the official 200 chapter mark, which is honestly just insane to me. When I first started this, I never thought it would go this far, and that I'd have so many amazing people supporting me for this long. But I'm so, so appreciative. Your support these past few years has meant everything to me, so thank you for that.

We've got another nice Casey-family chapter here, and I'm sorry I'm getting this posted kind of late. That wasn't my intention, this was just the soonest I was able to get it done. But I am sorry for that, and hopefully you all still enjoy this one.

Other than that, that's pretty much all I've got. Just thank you all so much for reading, and I hope you enjoy it! I'll see you next time!

Chapter Two Hundred

"Alright, do you girls know what you want to eat?" Matt asked as he looked between his daughters, a girl perched up on either side of him while the three of them sat together in a booth.

They were out for a late breakfast at one of their favorite little diners, the Casey's not at all focused on the bustling crowd around them as Matt was excited to spend this morning with his girls.

Caitlyn was sitting up on her shins, her small body tucked up against his side as she looked over the kids menu in front of her, while Sofia was contentedly sitting in his lap, her body secure between him and the table as Matt knew with as small as his youngest daughter was, this was easier than trying to make her sit on her own. Or to try and get a highchair, Matt not liking the idea of her sitting out in the aisle by herself with all these people around. Especially seeing as how it was only him today with their girls, he felt better with them both close to him, the dad knowing it would just make their breakfast that much easier with Caitlyn and Sofia sitting with him.

When they first made these plans a few days ago, they were intended to be with all four of them, or five rather including their unborn daughter, but once he and Gabby returned from shift this morning and he could see how exhausted his wife was, it didn't take either of them long to realize she might be better off staying home. She was worn out from their late night, Firehouse 51 just getting absolutely slammed throughout the night, and by the time they'd actually gotten home this morning she was barely able to keep her eyes open.

So, after some convincing from Matt, she decided she'd stay home and rest. Though it didn't take much talking into, Matt staying long enough for Gabby to take her shower and make sure she was alright, before she got into bed. And within minutes, she was out, Matt hoping the quiet morning would let her sleep while he took their girls out for their promised breakfast with their parents. Or at least one of their parents.

Sitting her with their daughters, he wished Gabby could be here with them, as there was nothing he loved more than spending time with all of his girls. But with that, there was a part of him that also didn't mind getting this time with just his children.

He would always want to spend time with his wife, and have her here with them for moments like this, but he also loved any one on one time he could get with his daughters. He always had, but lately even more so he'd been making a point to get as much quality time as possible with Caitlyn and Sofia. Not only due to some of that lingering guilt he was still holding onto, but also because he knew here soon how things would become quite different for the Casey family and their dynamic. That this new baby changed things.

Nothing could take away any excitement they felt for their newest daughter, but with that came the knowledge that once she was born, everything in their lives would change. For not only him and Gabby, but Caity and Sof as well, things would be different. And no matter how thrilled they were for her to be born, they couldn't ignore the shift that would come with that.

They had been a family of four for so long, and for Caitlyn that's all she had ever known. In Sofia's case, she was too young to remember much of anything before Caity came into their lives, so all those sisters knew were each other. They had one another, and their parents, and now that was about to change. Not that it wasn't a great change, because it was, but it was change nonetheless, and Matt and Gabby had to be conscious of that.

Especially in Caitlyn's case, with everything in her past, they didn't want her or Sofia to worry about being loved any less, or feeling like their parents weren't there for them just because of their little sister.

So while he could, Matt was doing his best to spend time with them. No matter what it was, and this breakfast was just one part of that.

"Can I have eggs?" Caitlyn spoke up after a moment, answering his earlier question as she pulled Matt from his thoughts before he looked down at her.

But she wasn't focused on him, her eyes staring at the colorful menu in front of her while her head rested against his arm, Matt giving her a nod even though she couldn't see him. "You can get eggs, baby. What do you want with them?" He asked back, knowing she'd need more than just that for her meal.

Her eyebrows furrowed, Caitlyn's tongue determinedly poking out between her teeth before she lifted her head up to look at her dad. "I don't know." She said suddenly, Matt holding back a laugh before he gave her another nod.

"Alright, well we'll figure out something… What about you, Sof? What do you want to eat?" He questioned, squeezing Sofia's side lightly from her spot in his lap while she looked at him, the toothy grin on her face making him smile.

"Faffles!" She spoke quickly, Matt letting out a chuckle while she clapped her hands together happily, Sofia clearly sure in her choice for breakfast as Casey reached up to brush back some of her curly hair.

"Okay, we'll get your faffles." He repeated her word, Sofia's smile widening before she dug her face into his chest, Matt rubbing his hand along her back as he pressed a kiss to her head.

"Waffles sound good." Caity chimed in, a knowing gleam shining in Casey's eyes as he glanced back down towards his oldest, who was now looking at him with a slight smirk across her face. "...Can I have waffles?" She asked somewhat shyly, prompting Matt to release a dry chuckle.

"Yes honey, you can have waffles. You can have whatever you want." He told her, that bright grin returning to her face before she started to nod.

"Thank you, Daddy."

"You're welcome, princess." He replied, his gaze moving over their menus for a moment before he continued. "What if you and Sof share some waffles and eggs, and I'll get you some bacon… Then you two can have some of my omelet too, how does that sound?" He suggested, Caitlyn nodding before he could even finish.

"We can all share!" She said excitedly with a beaming grin.

"Yeah, we can all share." He repeated, kissing the top of her head as well just as the waitress came up to take their order.

"Do you all know what you'd like, sweetheart?" The older woman asked, Matt offering her a soft smile before he nodded and began to order.

He got the food for the girls first, and their drinks- ordering them both a chocolate milk, before he went on to get his own meal, Matt sticking to just ham and cheese in his omelet as he knew that was something both Sofia and Caitlyn would eat.

"Alright, I'll get that in for you all, it shouldn't take too long." She told him, Matt nodding gratefully before he handed her his menu, leaving Sofia and Caitlyn's in front of them so they could color and play the games on them.

"Thank you." He replied.

"Thank you!" Caitlyn echoed a second later with a wide grin, causing the older woman to smile as well before letting out a soft laugh.

"Well, you're welcome honey." The waitress replied, earning another bright look from Caity before her attention went back to the picture on her menu, that she soon started to color while the woman looked back at Matt. "...These your daughters?" She asked him, not missing the proud gleam that appeared in his eyes before he nodded.

"They are, these are my girls." He spoke happily, resting his hand over Sofia's stomach while Caitlyn continued to lean into his arm.

"Ah, I thought so… I noticed you three when you came in, you're so good with them." She complimented, Matt's grin turning into a shy one before he started to nod.

"Thank you." He said again while reaching out to grab the small pack of crayons for Sofia, knowing that as soon as she saw her sister coloring she'd want to as well.

"How old are they, if you don't mind my asking?" She questioned, the gentle grin never leaving Casey's face while shaking his head back and forth.

"It's not problem, I don't mind-"

"I'm seven!" Caity interjected before Matt could even finish his sentence, the father unable to stop his laughter at how eager his oldest daughter was to tell anyone and everyone how old she was, as the excitement from becoming a year older had yet to wear off.

"Yeah, her birthday was a few weeks ago." Casey elaborated for her, while Caity smiled happily.

"Wow, that's so exciting. Did you have a good birthday?" The waitress continued to converse with her, and Caitlyn loved the attention.

"I did! I had a party with my friends." Caity first explained, before she went through everything about her birthday party and how much fun she had, even though Matt was sure this woman didn't necessarily care. But she listened to her regardless.

And, as her father, Matt didn't mind listening to her either, as even a couple weeks after the fact he was still glad to hear about how wonderful of a time Caity had at her birthday party.

Though their lives were hectic as of late, both parents had made sure to do everything in their power to give their oldest a great birthday. A day that started with making her favorite breakfast, then followed by spending the entire day together as a family and going out to do some of her favorite things, which is exactly what Caitlyn wanted; overall, her special day was perfect.

Then for her party, Matt and Gabby had also done exactly what she wanted, which was have a nice little party together at the firehouse. They'd told her she could do whatever she wanted, invite whoever she wanted, but celebrating at the house was what she chose, so that's what they did. They'd invited some of her school friends, and the entire firehouse and their families, and together they'd had a great party, all to celebrate Caitlyn and her turning a year older.

And, if the way she still spoke about that day was any indication, Matt knew just how much Caity had loved her birthday, and how it was a day she'd be remembering for a very long time.

"Well, that sounds wonderful sweetie. Happy belated birthday." The waitress spoke up once Caitlyn had finished, the little girl's smile never diminishing before the woman's attention moved to Sofia, who was now coloring away wildly on her paper. "And what about this little beauty?"

"She's two." Matt answered for Sofia, as she had no interest in this conversation.

"Wow, those are some good ages… Be careful, though. It goes by so much faster than you realize." She told him with a soft smile, one Matt soon matched.

"Yeah, I'm getting a taste of that already. They're growing up so fast, and we've got another one on the way."

"Oh really?" The waitress spoke happily as Casey nodded, he himself practically beaming.

"Mommy's having a baby." Caitlyn spoke once more, the child picking up on bits of the conversation here and there while she worked on her drawing. "I'm gonna have another little sister!"

"That's wonderful, congratulations… To all of you." She said genuinely, before she began to look around. "Is their mother here?"

"She's at home, resting." Matt answered her, picking up on the realization now shining in her gaze.

"Ah, well I'd say she deserves it." She replied, Casey laughing softly while he nodded in agreement. "But really, congrats to you both. And good luck to your wife the rest of the way."

"Thank you." Matt responded lightheartedly, the two sharing another smile before the waitress left to go put their order in, leaving the Casey family alone at their booth.

"That lady is nice." Caity spoke suddenly, Matt glancing her way to see his oldest daughter watching him.

"She is, she's really nice." He agreed, keeping his focus on Caitlyn while he waited to see where she was going with this conversation. Though it didn't take him too long to find out.

"I wish Mommy was here and could meet her." She told him, Casey's eyebrows raising as his daughter looked back down at her menu before continuing to color. "Mommy likes nice people."

"Yeah, she does." Matt mused while lifting his free arm up to wrap around her small body, Caitlyn leaning into the movement easily. "But we can tell Momma all about it once we get home, alright? Remember, we're all supposed to go out and do some shopping, you'll get to spend time with your mom then."

Caitlyn thought over his words before she nodded, clearly content with the reminder while she continued on with her coloring, her and Sofia both captivated by the images in front of them as they sat with their dad, the Casey family staying in a somewhat easy quiet while they enjoyed this quality time together waiting for their meal.

"Wow!" Caitlyn spoke as she looked around at all the various clothes surrounding her, her hand clasped tightly in Sofia's while her mom and dad stood behind them. "All the clothes are so little." She added on with a giggle, Gabby mimicking her smile before she started to look around the clothing department they were standing in, where they were surrounded by any and everything you'd need for a new baby.

"Yeah, they are sweetheart… But that's why we're here, to get some things for your baby sister." Gabby told her, earning a nod from Caity before she led Sofia further into the store. "And your dad and I were thinking that it might be nice if you and Sofia pick out something on your own for the baby." She offered, seeing the moment Caitlyn's eyes widened in excitement before she started nodding profusely. Sofia, on the other hand, wasn't nearly as impressed by her words, but Gabby had a feeling that was because she only understood about half of what was being said to her.

"We can get her something?" Caity asked, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet as Gabby let out a soft chuckle.

"You can, you and Sof can find something you like for your sister… Daddy's gonna pay today, so get whatever you want." She spoke jokingly, Caity's eyes widening in excitement while Matt cocked his head to the side, finding nothing but a proud look written across his wife's face.

"Really?" Caity asked brightly.

"Really! We're using Daddy's money." Gabby continued on with her little game, one Caity was evidently enjoying while Matt let out a deep chuckle.

"It's our money, babe." He reminded his wife, but Caitlyn didn't care so much about that as she was too busy shifting her weight back and forth between her feet.

"Daddy's money!" Caitlyn copied her mom's words.

"Dada money!" Sofia echoed as well, prompting Matt to scoff before glancing towards his wife.

"You see what you did?" He spoke lightheartedly, Gabby merely smirking before she refocused her attention on their daughters.

"Yeah, it's Daddy's money. So go and find something you like for your sister. Just make sure you don't go too far, and that your dad and I can see you." Gabby warned her, knowing Caity was old enough to know their boundaries as the seven year old nodded understandingly, before leading Sofia further down the aisle.

"Come on, sissy! We gotta shop for the baby!"

"Baby!" Sofia repeated her sister again, Gabby and Matt both smiling as the latter moved closer towards his wife, wrapping his arm around her back and resting his hand on her waist.

"God, they're so cute." He breathed out, Dawson's smile growing before she spared a glance up at her husband.

"They are… I think they get it from me." She teased him, her nose scrunched up in amusement as Matt turned to look at her, another soft laugh leaving his lips before he stole a quick kiss from her.

"It's definitely from you." He agreed, Gabby smiling before he kissed her quickly once more, the two enjoying the contact until he eventually pulled away. But he never went far, Matt keeping his arm around her expanding waistline while he stepped further into the store, both parents staying where they could clearly see their girls. "They also get taking all my money from you."

She smirked proudly, Gabby releasing a quiet laugh before she shrugged. "Well, isn't that what a wife is for?" She played along, Matt lightly rolling his eyes before he moved to press a loving kiss to her cheek.

"Anyway… Back to why we're here, what all are you thinking about getting for our girl?" He shifted the subject, his choice of terminology making Gabby's heart skip a beat while she let her body relax into his.

"Honestly, I don't know… We have that list of things we'd need to get for her, so I guess we'll just start there." She replied, Matt mulling over her words before he gave her a nod, knowing that was likely the most reasonable course of action.

Over the course of this pregnancy, they'd gone through a lot of their older baby clothes and belongings they had with Sofia, figuring out what could be salvaged and what needed replacing, as well as what they'd gotten rid of and would just have to be bought again, and through that they'd managed to come out with a pretty decent list of what they'd need for this baby.

Surprisingly, it wasn't all that much. A lot of the bigger purchases, like their crib and rocker, they'd kept in storage or in their home and could easily get out. And many of Sofia's clothes were still in great condition, enough to where this new baby could easily get good use out of them. Which Matt and Gabby felt great about, as not only was it nice to not have to make as many of the bigger purchases, but they were glad to know that Sofia would be able to pass down some of her things to her little sister.

"Okay, well if that's the case then we definitely don't need too many clothes." He reasoned after a moment, Gabby letting out a soft laugh before shaking her head.

"Yeah, good luck with that." She replied, Matt smirking in amusement before the family of four continued around the store.

Though they'd allowed Caitlyn and Sofia the freedom to look around for something for their sister, Matt and Gabby were never more than a few feet away from them, the parents refusing to ever let them get too far while they looked through all the little outfits. But the sister's were having a great time nonetheless, and so were the parents as Gabby and Matt had found a few things they loved for their little girl.

They had chosen multiple onesies and outfits, along with a few hats, mittens, and socks, as well as a few little firefighter shirts. It was a tradition they'd started with Sofia, and then made sure to get some things for Caitlyn too once she came into their lives, and now they'd be carrying that on with their newest child, as Matt couldn't help himself and put nearly every first responder related piece of clothing into their cart.

"Looks like I wasn't the one we needed to be concerned about." Gabby teased as Matt placed another onesie onto the growing stack of clothes- one that read 'Daddy's Little Firefighter', Casey glancing up at her with a sheepish grin before he shrugged.

"It's not my fault, it's all so cute." He said shamelessly, prompting Dawson to let out a soft laugh. "Like, just picture our little girl in this… It's the most adorable thing you've ever seen." He defended, Gabby reaching out to rest her palm over his cheek before she began to stroke his skin lovingly.

"Okay, so maybe you have a point." She conceded, his look morphing into a proud one before she lightly tapped his cheek. "But just try not to go too crazy, Caity and Sof haven't even put their stuff in the cart yet." She told him, Matt glancing at her knowingly before he nodded.

"Yes ma'am." He replied lightly, Gabby stifling an eye roll before they continued on through the store.

The family of four moved around easily, Caitlyn and Sofia eventually coming to put their choices in the cart- which consisted of a few adorable little shirts and onesies, before they made their way to other parts of the store, knowing there were a few more practical purchases they wanted to go ahead and buy.

They were currently moving through the car seat aisle, Matt checking over their options while searching for the safest seat they could buy, as Caity and Sofia were keeping themselves occupied by a few toys they'd picked up on the way.

"Do you just wanna get the same one we used for Sof?" Gabby asked him, Matt glancing back from his crouched position on the floor where he'd been looking between two particular car seats.

"That's not a bad idea, that one worked great for us… I just wanted to see if anything had changed since we last bought one of these things." He explained, Gabby nodding understandingly before he went back to looking between his options, the wife resting her hand over her stomach as she stood there.

Like he could sense her stance, Casey glanced back once more, his eyes moving over her form while she was leaning into the shopping cart. In the light, but oversized shirt she was wearing, anyone passing by wouldn't necessarily be able to tell that she was pregnant. But to him, it was obvious. "...Are you okay?" He asked softly, Gabby's eyebrows raising when she caught his gaze. "Are you tired? Do you need to go home?" Matt checked, causing Gabby's face to soften.

When they'd gone home earlier in the day to pick her up, she seemed well rested and ready for the remainder of their day out as a family. But Matt also was conscious of how quickly his wife could get fatigued these days, especially when she was already tired. It wasn't an everyday thing; she was still feeling well at this point in her pregnancy, and had more energy than he'd expect. But she was also twenty two weeks pregnant, and the farther along she got with their baby, the more tired she could become.

"I'm fine, baby." She assured her, her hand absentmindedly running over her bump. "I feel good… maybe a little hungry, but good."

He smiled softly before giving her a nod. "Well, once we get out of here we can stop and get something to eat. Or I can make you something when we get home."

"Thank you." She responded, Matt winking back at her before he returned his focus to the different car seats, Gabby taking a moment to check on their girls and ensure they were still close by before turning back towards her husband. "Oh, before I forget," She started, regaining his attention while he steadied himself on his feet. "I meant to tell you that I got a call from Caity's school." She told him, Casey watching her questioningly. "Well, a voicemail… I was asleep when they called."

"Was it about Sof?" He asked, his eyes moving towards Sofia, who was currently playing a game with her sister.

"Mhmm… They said they'll have a spot for her for preschool in the fall." She replied brightly, Matt giving her a soft smile before he pushed himself up off the ground, his complete attention now on his wife while he moved closer to her, taking in her words.

The parents had gone to Caitlyn's school the week before last to talk to them about Sofia, and wanting to put her in their preschool program. They'd explained their situation and what they were wanting, that they weren't interested in having her there full time during her first year, but just a couple days a week to get her acclimated. And it all went great, everyone so excited about the possibility of having the younger Casey sibling apart of their school, as they all loved Caitlyn and their family.

But since it was pretty late into the year, the school wasn't sure if they'd be able to fit Sofia in. Though they promised they'd let them know. And, if his wife's words were any indication, Matt knew they must've been able to make it work.

"I guess another parent dropped their spot, I'm not sure. But they have an opening and they're willing to give it to Sofia for next year.. We just need to let them know." She finished, that smile on Casey's face never faltering as he reached out to rest his hand over her growing side.

"That's great, baby." He replied genuinely, his simple words causing her own grin to widen. "I know I wasn't, you know, looking forward to our girl growing up," He started, earning a knowing, yet amused look from Gabby. "But I know it's what's best for her, and I'm so glad they were able to get her in. Having her and Caity in the same place will be great." He spoke easily before moving forward to give his wife a sweet, yet quick kiss.

"It will be." She agreed when they separated, feeling Matt's hand moving gingerly over her side. "I'm so excited for her, for her to get into a new environment and start going to school… It'll be an adjustment, and I know it'll be hard for us but I think this is the right decision."

"It is." He repeated, moving to kiss her once more before he pulled back, his eyes moving over towards their daughters as a soft smile fell onto his lips. "And you know, Caity's going to be so happy to have Sof at her school."

Those last few words caused Gabby to grin before she followed his line of sight towards the girls, who were still playing together off to the side of the aisle, both oblivious to their parents' conversation. "Oh, she's going to freak out." Gabby agreed, hearing her husband chuckle lightly before she looked back at him. "But she'll love it… She and Sofi both will."

"Yeah, they will." He told her, the couple sharing another sweet kiss before Matt moved back over towards the car seats, figuring their conversation was over. At least for now.

Though Gabby had other plans.

"There's, uh…" She started, clearing her throat to regain her husband's attention. "While we have a minute, there's something else I wanted to talk to you about, too."

His head cocked to the side, Matt looking her over before a sly grin formed across his lips. "What, did you already sign baby number three up for preschool?" He teased her, Gabby shooting him a playful glare as she scoffed, before shaking her head.

"No, I didn't… Although that's not a bad idea." She replied, Matt grinning in amusement before he nodded at her to continue. "But this, it's not about the girls. It's about me." She prefaced, that statement causing some of the lightheartedness between them to fall away as Matt stepped back towards his wife, his face tight with concentration before he gave her a nod.

"Alright, what is it?" He asked her, Gabby drawing in a deep breath while locking her eyes on his.

"I've been thinking about it, really ever since our last appointment with Dr. Tanner… But I think I'm ready to step down from ambo."

Matt's eyebrows raised in surprise, but it was impossible to miss the small smile that began to appear over his face, Gabby soon matching his look before he spoke up. "Yeah?"

"Mhmm." She hummed back, reaching out for his hand. "It's been on my mind a lot, about what I should do. What's best for me, and the baby… What's best for our family. And I've decided that it's time for me to be off 61." She explained, Matt listening to her every word as he had no idea this was something that had been on her mind so much as of late. Though truthfully, he'd been thinking about it, too.

"You're sure?" He checked before this went any further, Gabby pursing her lips together before she nodded.

"I am… Things on 61 have been great, Jemma's been great. I feel completely fine, and I know if I wanted to I could keep working a little while longer, but I don't want to." She spoke surely, Matt giving her hand an assuring squeeze. "We both know the risks of the job, we've seen them up close. At any moment, anything could happen to me- it has before." She continued on, Casey having to swallow thickly as he felt his throat begin to tighten, the man hating to be reminded of what all she'd been through on that rig. "And that's not a risk I'm willing to take, for me or for our daughter. Especially not after everything we went through last time, it's just not worth it… So if it's okay, I'd like to step down from ambo, and start my job in the bullpen." She said, Matt nodding strongly before she could even finish.

"Of course it's okay." He told her, seeing the small smile that began to shine through. "If this is what you want, it's absolutely okay… The job is there waiting for you whenever you want it. As your Chief, you have my complete support on this." He said, the grin on her face widening while his thumb stroked over the back of her hand. "And, as your husband, well… You have my complete support, too."

She laughed softly at his words, Matt giving her that signature Casey grin before she nodded. "Thank you, baby."

"Always." He told her, the two then sharing a fleeting, yet loving kiss while Gabby brought her free hand up to cradle his neck. "You know I'll always support you, with everything. And I won't lie, as your husband and the father of your children I'll definitely feel better knowing you're not out in the field anymore." He spoke, Gabby soon nodding as she understood exactly what was going on in his head. "Not that you can't handle it, because you can, but…"

"I get it." She voiced softly, as her thumb ran along the side of his jaw. "Because I'm feeling the same way… I love my job, I still feel good enough to do the job, but the risks aren't worth something happening to our child, or to me. So I'll finish out the next few shifts, long enough for you to find someone to cover for me, and then I'll start working in the office. With you." She said, the happy tone in her voice causing him to smile before he leaned in for another kiss. One they both made sure to let last a little longer this time.

"I love you." He spoke against her, Gabby smiling at his words before she moved to kiss him once more, the feeling of his arms around her giving her that sense of security only he could provide while she used her hold on his neck to bring him just a little bit closer.

"...I love you, too."