Dawsey gap-fillers for episode 4x07

"Who's that, baby?"

Matt stared at his screen as he tried to figure out who it was on the other line. The mystery caller had all but dropped the call after a few moments of silence.

"I don't know, babe. It's a blocked number and the line was dead by the time I answered."

"Maybe the person will call you back if it's important."

"Yeah, maybe," Matt replied with an etch of cynicism in his voice. He just had this tingling feeling that something did not feel right. Maybe it was just some kid who's prank calling. It would not be something to worry about. But just to be safe, he thought that he would reach out to Antonio if he receives a call from the mystery caller again.

"So, anyway as I was saying, I think Riddle is behind this criminal conspiracy to sideline Boden. I mean, who else stand to gain from this situation?" Gabby continued, oblivious to Matt's turmoil over the mystery caller.

"I will not be so quick to conclude, babe. There's no evidence to prove that the Chief is behind this. Plus, wouldn't it be too extreme for him to go all the way to place Boden behind bars?"

Gabby paused mid-way in gathering the breakfast dishes as she turned around to give him an incredulous look with a raised eyebrow.

Having seen the glare Gabby was throwing at him, Matt raised his hands in a surrender motion. "OK. OK. Look, all I'm saying is I'm behind Boden a 100 percent. But I can't agree with you wholeheartedly that it could be Chief Riddle behind this. It could be him or it could be someone else. We don't know. Anyway, have fun on your outing with Eva. I'll text you later if I can join you guys for lunch ok. Love you. Mwah!" Matt bent his head to kiss her goodbye before grabbing his keys and phone from the dining table to attend to a construction gig.

Gabby on the other hand had planned to spend their off day with Eva for a day of shopping and lunch afterwards. Since her brother's divorce, Laura had shifted and brought her kids to live at a couple of streets away from her previous matrimonial home. That meant her commute to see her niece and nephew had extended from fifteen to forty-five minutes. It sucks not being able to see them as often as she used to but as the kids are getting older, they themselves have been busy with school and socialising with their friends that she is just grateful for whatever time she could get to spend with them.

"Hey, how was shopping? Did you manage to find a dress for the gala?" Matt asked as he saw Gabby coming into the house from his seat at the dining table, drawings from his sketch on the wooden shed he is building for a client spread before him.

"Yup, I did. Got a prom dress for Eva too. Can't believe she's going off to college in a few months. Time really flies," Gabby replied as she bent down to give a Matt a quick peck on the lips before heading to the direction of their bedroom to put her shopping away.

Matt stood up from the table and followed her into the bedroom but before he could take a peek at the dress Gabby had bought, she managed to keep it hidden in the wardrobe away from his prying eyes. "I texted Severide, said he'll join us for dinner. He's on his way back now. So, cooking or ordering in?"

"I'm beat. Shall we order in?"

"Your call babe. You know how partial Severide and I are about cooking. Mexican or Italian?"

Gabby turned around from the dresser she was leaning against as she removed her jewellery to face Matt and gave him the cutest look she could pull as she said, "I have a craving for Chinese. Is that ok?"

A slow smile creep on Matt's face as he felt drawn to kiss the pout on her lips. Closing the short distance between them in a few strides, he placed his hands on the dressing table on either side of her, trapping her body between his and the dresser. "Maybe I can be persuaded," as he bent down to whisper huskily into her right ear. He felt her let out a gasp as his tongue started swirling in her earlobe and his hands grabbed her waist to pull her closer.

A slammed door jerked them apart as they belatedly realised that their roommate is back and the door to their bedroom is wide open. Looking at each other, they let out a small laugh at the idea of Severide catching them together making out like some teenagers.

"I'll order some Chinese while you hit the showers. We will continue this later," Matt promised as he pushed Gabby towards the bathroom.

"Hey man, how's fishing?"

Severide looked up from the beer he was drinking by the fridge as he saw Matt approaching him. "Good. Fish's biting. Anyway, there's this black Camry parked outside our house. New neighbour?"

Matt shook his head as he pieced out that the car he thought was following him the other night could probably be only his new neighbour. "I don't know. Probably, ya. Think I saw the car pulling out from Molly's the other night. Didn't see the driver though. Anyway, I'm ordering Chinese. Anything special you want to order?"

"Nah, the usual for me. I'm going to wash the sea grime off me. I'll see you later," Severide replied as he dropped the empty beer bottle in the recycling bin and made his way to his bedroom.

Matt stared at his friend's retreating back and let out a sigh. He hoped the fishing trip he took had manage to calm him down after the incident that happened last night. He didn't think that Patterson's decision to suspend Severide is warranted. The alleged threat made by Severide took place in a bar scene for God's sake. Matt himself knew how to lay his pupils at the door whenever he went out with his men and just have a good time with them. They could be a bunch of knuckleheads sometimes but they are no doubt one of the most loyal and trustworthy men he has had an opportunity to get to know and lucky enough to be working with. Letting out a sigh, he took out his phone from his jeans pocket to place the Chinese order for dinner.

Gabby was stopped dead in her tracks as she stepped into the locker room, her gaze fixed on the huge blue and black bruise that spread from Matt's right lower back down to his hips, the rest of the bruise covered by the towel wrapped around his waist. She must have let out a gasp as she saw Matt's body stiffen and he stood a little taller. "Matt! What happened?"

Matt cursed himself inwardly for forgetting to get changed in the shower stall after taking a shower. Without having to turn around, he knew without a doubt that his girlfriend had notice the bruise on his lower back and is angry that he didn't mention anything about it to her. He didn't feel anything after getting knocked down by an ignorant driver earlier at the call. He could barely even feel any pain right now except for a dull throb by his lower right back. It wasn't until fifteen minutes ago that he actually noticed the huge bruise that had begun to spread from his lower back down to his back upper thigh when he had stripped to get into the shower.

He pivoted slowly as he took in the horrified expression on his girlfriend's face. "Babe, it's really nothing. I got hit by a car at the call this morning. I felt fine and I still feel fine right now." The words tumbled out from his mouth as Matt tried to soften the blow he was convinced he would received from her.

Gabby could not hold back the sigh of relief she exhaled and started probing on Matt's injury to make sure for herself that nothing is amiss. She trusts Matt but when it comes to his well-being, Gabby had learned to be more assertive and make sure that he is telling the whole truth and not hide his actual feelings behind his high tolerance of pain. "Don't hide these things from me again Matt. From what I can feel, nothing is broken. Just a bit of swelling which needs to be iced down."

Noticing the still worried look in her eyes, Matt grabbed her hand from his waist and held in between his own. "I'm fine babe. I'll iced it when I get home ok."

"Good. i'm going to head to Brett's right now. I'll see you later tonight at Molly's?"

"Yup, I'll see you. I love you."

"I love you too."

"Hey morning."

"Morning. Gabby didn't spend the night?"

"Nope. Cereal's over there," Matt replied, pointing to the cereal box on the breakfast counter.

"So, what's this I heard about the theory Gabby cooked up on Boden's situation?"

"She has this theory that Riddle and Patterson set this whole thing with Boden's neighbour to sideline him so that Riddle can pave his way up to the top without anymore obstacles. Not all truths I tell you."

Severide gave out a little laugh. It might not be far from the truth, he thought.

"I'll swing by Brett's at 7."

"I can't believe Riddle actually told Chief not to attend the gala tonight. I mean c'mon, these assault charges, they're bullshit. Everyone knows what kind of man the Chief is. He would never assault anyone let alone a woman."

"I know. The truth will come out. You'll see."

"I hope so. I'm going to check in with Antonia again later. See if there's anything else we can do to help."

"You do that. Anyway, you're coming back to our place after the gala tonight right?"

"Yeah, I think so. But I am anticipating to hear the story of Brett's date with Otis tonight."

"Otis, really? What happened to the bro code?"

"Seems like Otis didn't take the oath."

"Oh before I forget, Connie asked me to pass this to you. It was sent to the firehouse," Gabby continued as she handed to Matt a brown manila envelope with Matt's name on it. "What is it?"

"Let's see," Matt replied as he unsealed the envelope. It was a couple of photographs of him and Gabby taken over the course of a few days as they went about their daily routine to work, to Molly's and there was even one of the two of them outside the firehouse. "It's a bunch of photographs. Of us."

Matt handed the photographs over to Gabby who looked at him with terrified eyes. "Matt, who sent these photos?" Gabby noticed that there was no returned address or any clues on the envelope on whom sent those photos. She felt a dread of panic as she looked up at Matt to see if he knows of who might have sent those to him.

However, Matt was anxiously looking around the restaurant to spot anyone who might have have been watching them but could not find anything amiss. The breakfast place they were at were practically empty except for a few older men sitting with coffee in one hand and the newspaper in the other. He can feel anger starting to rise in him at who would dare sent such things to him, to the firehouse no less and what is the meaning of sending those photos to him?

Grabbing Gabby's wrist, he threw some bills on the table to cover their breakfast and headed out towards his truck. "I'm taking you back to our place. We'll head out to Brett's later for you to get ready for the gala. Call Antonio now and see if he can meet us back home."

"Matt, what's going on?"

"I don't know Gabby, I don't know. Let's get out of here and we'll figure it out ok."