Chicago Fire- A Change

Chapter 2

Gabby had always been a closed off person. Growing up, she had been the quiet one in a family full of loud and boisterous personalities.

"Family"
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Family was a funny word for Gabby for the longest time. She bounced around a lot of places for the first 10 years of her life. She claims it has nothing to do with her being closed off or any of the other issues she has, but in reality, it's hard for her to trust because she was bounced from foster home to foster home every couple of months for an entire decade. Just like she trusted Jackson, before he went and cheated on her. Her late-brother Mark, had also been adopted by the Shepard-family when he was 13. It's a nice family for the most part, but I don't talk to 3 of my sisters because of the way they treat Amelia. She's now only in contact with Amelia and their brother Derek. She didn't feel like she had a family until she was 10. Imagine going that long without having anyone.
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Even as a firefighter at Firehouse 51 in Chicago, she had kept to herself, rarely opening up to her colleagues.

It wasn't until her brother, Mark, an amazing surgeon, died in a tragic plane crash, that Gabby's walls became impenetrable. She had moved to Chicago from Seattle a month ago, in need of a change after losing the one person she had always been close to.

But there was one person who had managed to break through Gabby's walls - her captain, Matt Casey. As the two of them worked together at the fire station, Matt had slowly but surely gained her trust and friendship. He had proven to be a caring and empathetic leader, understanding Gabby's pain and giving her the space she needed.

However, on this particular day, all of Gabby's walls and defences would be put to a test. Firehouse 51 had been taken over by a notorious gang, who had stormed in and held everyone hostage. As a trained firefighter, Gabby knew how to handle high-stress situations, but
when someone in her own team was pointing a gun at her, she couldn't help but feel a sense of fear and vulnerability creep in.

The gang had their own motives for taking over a fire station, and they were not afraid to use violence to get what they wanted. As Gabby and her colleagues were forced into the break room, the tension in the air was palpable. Matt, who had been injured during the chaos, was lying on the floor, unable to move.

The leader of the gang, a man named Malik, walked in with a menacing grin on his face. He surveyed his hostages, looking for the one person who he knew would be the key to getting what he wanted - Gabby.

Without hesitation, Malik his gun at Gabby, demanding that she hand over her phone. As Gabby reached in her pocket, she remembered her training and quickly flipped the tables, disarming Malik and gaining control of the gun.

For a brief moment, it seemed like the situation might be diffused, but just as Gabby was about to take charge and get her team to safety, a shot rang out. She felt a sharp pain and realised that Malik's henchman had fired a shot at her.

Through the haze and pain of adrenaline, Gabby managed to signal to her team to take cover as she tried to assess the situation. Matt, who had regained consciousness, rushed over to Gabby, looking for her injuries. She could see concern in his eyes, and for the first time, she let her walls down and allowed him to comfort her.

Meanwhile, outside the fire station, the police had been alerted to the situation and were working on a plan to diffuse the standoff. As more gunshots rang out and the gang became more aggressive, the police had no choice, but to storm in and take down the perpetrators. They had no time to lose, Gabby was bleeding out. They loaded her into an ambulance with Casey holding her hand the entire time. "Don't let me die" she cried out.

The surgery was successful, but the recovery process was long and difficult. Matt Casey, being the caring person he is. Despite her closed off nature, Gabby found herself opening up to Matt and confiding in him about her fears and anxieties.
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Gabby Dawson sat on her couch, staring blankly at the muted television in her small, sparse apartment. She had just moved to Chicago a little over a month ago, eager to start fresh after the past year old of her life. But life had a different plan.

Just a few weeks after settling into her new job as a firefighter at firehouse 51, Gabby was shot it in the firehouse. The bullet had narrowly missed her spinal cord, but still left her with a shattered leg and multiple other injuries. Now, she was in a wheelchair, unable to return to duty until she was fully healed.

The doorbell rang, interrupting her thoughts. Gabby rolled her wheelchair to the door and opened it to find her co-worker and friend, Matt Casey, standing on the other side.

"Hey, I brought some movies and snacks ." he said with a warm smile, holding up a bag of chips and a handful of DVDs.

Gabby felt a lump form in her throat as she watched Matt make his way into her apartment, his easygoing nature providing a sense of comfort and normalcy into her chaotic life. It was just one of many reasons why she had grown close to him in the short time they've known each other.

As Matt set up the movie, Gabby couldn't help but think about how much her life had changed in the past year. Her brother died and then there was her ex-fiancé, who had cheated on her and shattered her trust in relationships.

But despite all the loss and pain, Gabby refused to let herself wallow into self-pity. Instead, she focused on her recovery and finding a new sense of purpose in her life. And Matt- with his unwavering support and understanding, had become a crucial part of this journey.

"Thanks for coming over." Gabby said, breaking the comfortable silence between them.

"Of course" Matt replied, turning to face her. "You know i'm always here for you, right?"

Gabby nodded, feeling a surge of emotion build up within her. She had never been one to open up to people, but something about Matt made her feel safe and understood.

Over the next few weeks, Matt continued to visit Gabby and help her with recovery to the best of his abilities. He would make her favourite meals, help her with her physical therapy, and just be there to listen whenever she needed to talk.

With Matt's help, Gabby's recovery progressed faster than anyone had expected. And as she slowly regained her strength and mobility, she also started to heal emotionally.

Eventually, the day came when Gabby was cleared to return to duty. As she walked into the firehouse, she was treated with cheers and applause from her colleagues. Matt was beaming with pride, knowing how hard she had worked to get back on her feet.

As Gabby made her way to her locker, she found a note from Matt taped to the door. It read: "I'm so proud of you, Gabby. You're a fighter, in every sense of the word."