Forever

Hello guys,

So here I bring you a story that may have been the hardest thing I ever wrote as a fanfiction writer. I hope that you can read the detail and the emotion that I tried to input to it and those that are closer to me on twitter will really know how I was feeling and how I struggled as I was writing the end. I hope you guys enjoy this as it has been a while that I have posted anything, however – I hope this makes up for everything – whoops.

Anyways, to add to the effect of the story, I have had the idea for music to be playing in the background at a certain point. I wanted you guys to have the same experience in reading it as I had writing it so if possible, please could you click play (on spotify or even youtube) on the song 'Safe Now by Henry Jackman' where I have marked ''>>>" and have It on repeat – you will understand as you read why! It is a beautiful song and the people that I have asked to trial this really gave me the feedback I needed. If you are unable to have the music playing it doesn't matter, but I just believe that it really helps you connect to the feelings of the characters.

As always, I hope you really enjoy this little OS and that you are kind enough to leave a review of what you thought.

Thanks guys and happy reading,

Freya xx
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It was cold outside. Not the usual type of cold. The cold that surrounded you, that sunk deep into your bones and made a shiver role up your spine. A cold that told you that no matter what you did, something bad was going to happen, even though there was no way you could tell what it would be and when it would happen. This cold told Matt Casey something - today was going to mark an important event in his life, for better or worse and he wasn't quite sure if he was ready for it.

Walking down the stairs of the apartment he shared with his wife, he swiftly headed towards his old battered truck. Looking at the name that was written on the side and taking a minute to admire the name he saw, he remembered the day he decided to start his little construction business. The one he used as an excuse to leave the outside world and clear his head as he smashed defenceless iron nails into the hard wood of the object he was building. Although he didn't get out to the jobs he had as often as he wanted because of the paperwork he took home and spending time with the woman he loved, sometimes some time to himself was what he needed and the memories they provided him with brought a smile to his face.

Starting the truck and waiting for the engine to warm up a little, he pressed the button on the dashboard that instantly filled the silence. Pushing the truck into drive, Matt let the voice of the news correspondant fill the air around him as he looked over to the passenger seat and mourned the fact he was still driving to work alone.

As part of her annual schedule, Gabby had been taken in as an instructor at the Paramedic's academy over at the main CFD building in the heart of the city. She loved the feeling of being in the field, but even Matt knew that it was good for her to shift life down a gear, work the usual nine to five shift for a bit, and see what it was like to work a closer to normal job.

Although he hated every minute he spent without her at his side, he loved the fact that she was proud of passing on her extensive knowledge to the upcoming paramedics that would one day be the life and strength of the city. Knowing the feeling she was having about teaching the new recruits, because he had been given the pleasure of doing the job himself, he let the happiness of knowing she was safe in a warm building rather than out in the dangerous cold streets of Chicago warm him on this cold day.

Pulling up to the firehouse, Matt pulled the gear shift back and rolled the car into 'park'. Listening to the old engine tick over for a second he savoured the last few moments of warmth before leaning over to the foot well of the interior and grabbing his tatty old brown duffel bag. Taking a deep breath as he mustered up the courage to take a step outside, Matt pushed the door open with his shoulder and slid out of the door as fast as he could. The cold was around him now, seeping into every pour of his body and as he fumbled with the keys to lock the door, his CFD fleece was not putting up to the bitterness of the weather. Throwing the strap of his bag over his shoulder, Matt surged forward, checking the road was clear as he ran towards the firehouse in a dead sprint in desperation to get out of the chilling wind. The exertion of movement heated his central body mass but his extremities were still suffering.