A\N: This chapter starts the very slow process of Matt and Gabby's romantic relationship.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Spoilers: None

Warnings: None

Chapter 4

Matt had spent most of his recent days off with Gabby. Either working on fixing her new house or spending time with the kids. Matt watched the kids the previous week while Gabby was at work for a day shift. She was now working on the night shift; so Matt was arriving at her house at six o'clock.

Matt walked into the apartment when Gabby opened the door and notched the large pillow fort that was taking up most of the space in the small living area, "It seems like Eva and Diego had fun playing with Tommy and Sophia this afternoon.

"Yes," Gabby nodded, "If it hadn't been a thunderstorm we would have gone outside. Luckily Eva's getting good at building pillow forts. She taught Tommy and Sophia how to hide too. They've been so excited about scaring you," She mentioned.

Matt smiled he could hear laughter coming from inside the pillow fort but decided to play along, "Oh no, I wonder where they could be. They're not near the coach, maybe they're in the fort," Matt got down on the floor.

"Boo!" Tommy laughed as he jumped out of the fort and into Matt's lap.

"Peek-a-boo!" Sophia giggled as she poked her head out and then covered her face with her hands, "Oh no,"

"Good job hiding," Matt reached out and picked up Sophia and placed her in his lap with her brother. "I see you're already in your pyjamas."

"Yes, they know to be very good for you tonight," Gabby spoke, "Thanks for agreeing to come early so I could get ready."

"No problem," Matt responded with a smile, "I missed you both," He gently hugged both children.

"Matt!" Tommy hugged Matt again causing him to topple over, Tommy smiled as he sat on his chest.

Matt lifted both children off him and sat up, "Did you play boxing with Diego today?" He asked. Both cousins loved boxing as Antonio was a former Golden Glove winner.

"Yeah," Tommy nodded excitedly, "Eva played with Sophia. She likes playing baby games. Baby games are boring."

"Your sister is a baby, she still has a lot to learn, and so do you." Matt reminded him as Sophia brought over her favourite baby doll and a book and attempted to sit in Matt's lap.

Matt took the book and helped her get settled. "Do you want me to read this?" He asked and Sophia nodded her head. He recognized the title of the book as it was a classic children's story. As Matt read Tommy listened in as well.

Matt continued to read books to Tommy and Sophia until Gabby came back into the living area looking frazzled and a bit upset. Matt stopped reading stood up and approached her,

"Hey," He gently took her hands gently squeezing them before letting go, "Everything is going to be okay. I know their bedtime routine and I've helped you tuck them in. Everything here is going to be okay. You just go to work and help save lives. Tomorrow I'll get the kids up and take them out for the day so you can sleep. I'll bring them back here before I need to go to work."

Gabby tried to smile, "You've been an amazing help Matt, and I know everything here will be okay," She told him, "I'm a mother though and I can't help but worry." She knelt and Tommy stood up and took Sophia's hand as they walked over to her.

"Thomas, you keep being a good big brother and good boy," Gabby hugged her son, "Remember no sleeping in the fort, you sleep in your bed. Next time you have a sleepover with your cousins maybe then you can have a campout in the living room."

Thomas nodded his head as he hugged her back, "Goodnight, Mommy, I love you."

"Goodnight," Gabby kissed his cheek, "I love you so much. "Do me a favour and pick out two books for Matt to read you and Sophia for bedtime stories okay."

"Okay Mommy," Tommy nodded his head.

"My Baby Girl." Gabby turned her attention to Sophia who was sitting on the floor in front of her. "Come say goodbye to Mommy," She helped her stand up.

"Mama," Sophia's lip began to quiver and soon she was crying, "Mama stay," She gripped onto Gabby tightly, "Mama no, go."

"Mommy has to go to work," Gabby stood up with Sophia still in her arms, "You're going to stay here with Matt and Tommy. Matt's going to put you to bed and make sure you have your favourite doll."

"Molly," Sophia babbled.

"Oh, is that her name? I didn't know she had one."

"Eda," She responded.

"Eva named her, well I think Molly is a good name for your baby doll," Gabby kissed her, "I love you," She handed her over to Matt.

"Mama," Sophia started to cry again, "Mama,"

"Ssh, I'm here," Matt soothed her, "Why don't we go and check on Tommy," Matt suggested. He knew it was easier for Gabby to leave for work if the kids weren't; in the room.

"Molly," Sophia cried as she reached over Matt's shoulder and then pointed to her plush baby doll still on the floor.

"Oh, we can't forget your doll," Matt put her down and helped her walk to her doll, he then picked her back up and carried her into her and Tommy's bedroom. As they entered the room he could hear the front door closing. Matt saw he was sitting on his bed next to a pile of books.

Matt approached the bed sitting down at the end and settling Sophia in his lap, "Mommy said two books. You have six books. Can you pick out your favourite two?"

"Let's read four books!" Thomas attempted to negotiate.

"Two books Thomas. You get two books before bed," Matt told him sternly, "How about this Sesame Street book? You and Sophia like Sesame Street." He picked up the top book, "Is the one you're holding the book Diego let you borrow? Mommy told me we can go to the bookstore tomorrow and look for a copy of your own."

"Can we buy firetruck books?" He asked.

"We'll see, first you need to get settled into bed," Matt placed Sophia on the bed and then stood up and tucked him in. He sat down on the edge of the bed beside Tommy's head and began reading the first of the books.

After getting the kids down Matt made sure the baby monitor was working before cleaning up the living room. He left the fort up knowing the kids could still play in it. After that, he tried to watch TV on low volume but all he could think about was Gabby. He knew he shouldn't be developing feelings for her, but he found out that he couldn't stop himself. All he wanted was to spend time with her and to make her smile. He was also starting to love Thomas and Sophia. He'd known he'd wanted to be a father for a few years, but this experience only made him surer of that decision.

After Gabby texted at midnight on her short break to make sure everything was okay Matt fell asleep. He woke up on the couch to hear Sophia crying. Confused for a few seconds Matt remembered where he was and stood up to go and check on Sophia.

Matt walked into the night-light-lit room to see Thomas also awake and looking frustrated at his little sister. Matt knew one of the reasons Gabby was looking into buying a bigger apartment was so that Thomas and Sophia could each have separate bedrooms.

"Mama!" Sophia rubbed her eyes as she stood up in her crib, "Mama!" She cried sleepily through her soother.

"Come here princess," Matt lowered the crib and lifted Sophia up, he got her doll as well and handed it to her.

"Matt," Sophia placed her hands on his cheeks and snuggled into him.

"Let's go and change your diaper and let your brother sleep some more," Matt carried her out of the bedroom.

After changing Sophia's diaper Matt laid down on the couch with her. Sophia snuggled him as she held her baby doll and went back to sleep. When Gabby came home from her shift, she saw Sophia still fast asleep. Gabby knew Matt was great with her kids and they loved him but seeing a sleeping Sophia snuggled next to Matt stirred up feelings she wasn't ready for yet.

"You look comfy," She whispered as she locked the apartment door and began to take off her shoes, "I hope they weren't too much trouble."

"Oh no," Matt shifted slightly so he could sit up but Sophia stayed asleep, "She woke up around three and needed to be changed. She was fussy so I decided to let Thomas sleep. We were both sleeping here for a while but I woke up a little before you walked in. How was everything at the hospital?"

"Busy. I don't think I sat down for more than five minutes." She sat down on the couch, "All I want to do is sleep. Are you sure you're okay taking the kids all day?" She asked.

"Yeah. We made plans to go out for breakfast and then go to the bookstore and toy store and get ice cream," Matt explained.

Gabby nodded, "Just don't spoil them to much," She gave Sophia a soft kiss before standing up. "If you're okay here I'm going to go to bed."

"We're fine," Matt responded.

"Thank you," Gabby gave him a somewhat awkward hug before going to her bedroom.

Matt kept going back to the feeling of that hug all day. It was all he could do to not think about it as he took Thomas and Sophia around town shopping for different items. What the kids needed and wanted became blurred and Matt had indeed spoiled them. When they got back to Gabby's apartment early afternoon Matt was carrying bags of toys and books and Gabby just sighed.

"I hope you thanked Matt for everything he bought you," She looked at Thomas, "What was so special you needed?"

Thomas began searching through the bags and Sophia joined him as they looked through all the toys and books they had gotten. "Look, Mommy!" He pulled out a play firefighter outfit. "And I got big LEGO," he dug in another bag and pulled out a police station LEGO set, "Like Diego has."

"I see," Gabby sat down beside him, "Did you get the book Diego let you borrow?"

"Yeah," Tommy nodded his head as he pulled it out.

"What did Sophia get?" She wondered as she helped Sophia open a shopping bag.

"My baby," Sophia babbled as she saw the new doll. Gabby lifted the box and saw a new baby doll that had two outfits and a play bottle.

"This looks like your Molly doll," Gabby opened the cardboard packaging,

"It's Molly's best friend, Abby," Matt explained, "They can play together, and they wear the same clothes. My friend mentioned to me how important it is to have more than one of a child's favourite toy."

"I agree," Gabby nodded, "I've been wanting to get her another doll." She wasn't sure how to feel about Matt getting her kids all these important toys. She knew she should be grateful, but she was also feeling a bit angry as she wished her late husband had still been alive to buy all the toys.

Matt took Sophia's new baby doll out of the box and handed it to her as well as a baby bottle. Sophia picked up her Molly doll and held them both. She kissed their heads and said, "My twins."

"Twins?" Gabby looked at her daughter. She was always amazed at all the words her daughter was repeating even at such a young age, "When did you learn what twins are?"

"Yesterday," Sophia responded.

Gabby looked at her daughter shocked, she was only sixteen months old however she was already quite advanced verbally, at least to her knowledge. "You're very smart Sophia. Maybe we'll have our first lawyer in the family when you grow up. Thomas wants to be a police officer."

"No Mommy, I want to be a firefighter. Like Matt," Thomas corrected his mother as he got on his new firefighter outfit and then began pushing his fire truck around the room.

"A firefighter," Gabby carefully controlled the level of her voice. As she knew her children wouldn't remember their father, she had tried to keep his memory alive with pictures and stories. However, lately, all Thomas wanted to do was play firefighters, even with his cousin Diego.

"Police officers and firefighters work together a lot of the time," Matt spoke up, "Do you know if your Daddy ever worked with firefighters?"

"Yes, he did," Gabby responded still shocked at how sensitive and aware Matt seemed to be. Especially when it came to the topic of her late husband.

"Mommy, can you tell me?" Thomas asked excitedly.

"Of course. But first I think we should say goodbye to Matt. He needs to go back to his house and get ready for work."

"Bye Matt!" Thomas raced over to Matt and gave him a huge hug.

"Bye buddy," Matt gently patted his back, "You'll see me in a few days. Maybe we can go for a bike ride. I hear you're getting very good on your new bike."

"Yay!" Tommy cheered as he gave Matt one last hug before turning to look at his little sister, "Sophia, say goodbye," He instructed.

"No!" Sophia frowned and glared at her older brother, "Baby nap."

"Speaking of nap, you still need to have a nap," Gabby informed her, "Say goodbye to Matt, and then you and your twin babies can nap in your crib."

"Matt," Sophia echoed and then giggled as Matt bent down and hugged and kissed her. "Sorry, we didn't know it was nap time," Matt lowered his voice, "Good job looking after your babies. Maybe you'll be a nurse like Mommy or a doctor," Matt spoke about other career options for her when she was an adult.

"Mama!" Sophia giggled happily.

Matt stood up and awkwardly approached Gabby. He never knew where to shake her hand or hug her. It varied a lot on how she was feeling, which Matt was trying to be as sensitive to as possible. He did however want to get to know her away from the children. He stepped a little closer to her took a breath and said "Maybe on the weekend when we both have a day off, we could go out to dinner? Or we could order something at my house."

Gabby stepped back away from him and shook her head, "Matt, I told you, I'm not-" She tried to keep herself from crying, "I still love my husband. I'll always love him. I don't want another relationship."

"I know and I respect and understand that." Matt responded, "Just think of this a dinner with a friend."

Gabby felt like she was being split in two. She still very much loved her husband and felt like she was cheating on him by going out with Matt. On the other hand, Gabby knew she was starting to develop feelings for him, feelings she also felt conflicted about.

"I guess dinner would be okay," Gabby finally responded.

"Great," Matt smiled, he said his final goodbyes to Gabby and the kids and then left the apartment.

TBC

A\N: I hope you liked this chapter, if you have a minute I'd love a review.