Archive of Our Own ^beta

******

“And if it's you and me against the world,

If I'm your man and you're my girl,

We'll win you'll see, if you dance with me.

And if my heart is yours and yours is mine,

Together through the test of time,

We'll win you'll see, if you dance with me.”

-“Dance With Me” by Morgan Evans ft. Kelsea Ballerini

******

“Matt.”

He lets a groggy grunt in acknowledgement of the warm sultry voice calling his name. A sweet chuckle fills the air around him and a light kiss is pressed against the ridge of his bare collar bone.

“Matt, we have to get up,” the voice says as he feels gentle fingers pushing hair off of his forehead. “Or at least I have to get up and I don’t want you thinking I ran out on you in the middle of the night. Can you wake up enough to convince me you’re listening?”

Consciousness pulls at him a moment later when his bed partner’s lips pepper a trail of kisses from his collar bone to the hinge of his jaw.

“Wake up, Captain. I need one last kiss before I leave our bubble of privacy.”

His arms tighten around the woman snuggled into his side, hands landing on her hip and her shoulder. Her soft curves and slender frame are molded perfectly to him — skin to skin.

“No,” he replies simply, eyes fluttering open.

“No?” Sylvie asks in confusion and amusement.

“Stay,” he insists, through a yawn. “Change at work.”

She cranes back to meet his tired eyes and shakes her head. “I don’t have a spare uniform in my locker. I normally do but I had to use it last shift after I got that motorcyclist's blood all over me.”

He grimaces with a wincing hiss. “Yeah, I forgot about that guy.”

“So, see? I have to go. I should have left about a half hour ago but I didn’t want you to think I ditched you,” she admits, reaching up to cup his cheek. “Also, I need to borrow a shirt to go home in and I don’t know what you’re willing to part with.”

He laughs softly and turns his head to kiss her palm. “Grab whatever you want.” He takes her hand in his, threads their fingers together, and meets her eyes. “And after our talk last night, I’m pretty confident you wouldn’t ditch me.”

She blushes as a broad smile stretches across her lips. “So, that did actually happen? I didn’t imagine it?”

He shakes his head and rests his brow against hers. “You didn’t imagine it. I’m in love with you, Sylvie. That’s real.”

“And I’m in love with you too,” she responds. “Also real. Maybe a little too real. It might take me some time to get used to it.”

He shrugs and pulls her closer. “Fine by me. I’ll give you all the time you need. I’m not going anywhere.”

The distance between them shrinks but, just as her lips hover over his, his phone’s shrill alarm sends them a harsh reminder of their limited time before shift. Matt huffs out a miserable groan, dropping his forehead to Sylvie’s shoulder.

She chuckles at him and soothingly runs her fingers through the short hair on the back of his head. “I think that’s my cue to get up and get dressed.”

He nods against her shoulder and begrudgingly loosens his grip. “Fine. If you have to.” He leaves a fluttery kiss on the curve of her neck as she pulls away.

“Unfortunately, I do unless you want me to get written up for improper dress.”

He purses his lips as he pretends to think about it and watches her nude form scrounge around the room for her clothes. “Depends on what you mean by improper dress.”

She stands straight up in a split second and stares at him with wide eyes, biting her bottom lip to hold in a laugh. “Matt!”

“What?” He asks, laughingly, trying to appear innocent.

She chuckles while shaking her head. “I’m seeing a whole new side to you, Captain Casey.”

He lifts one brow at her while sporting, what he hopes is, a wicked smirk. “And what’s the verdict?”

She steps into her underwear and scoops up her jeans, holding them in one hand, as a heated smile lights up her face. “Oh, I’m enjoying it very much, but don’t think for a second that I don’t have a dangerous side too. If you want to play the flirtation game then I can definitely give as good as I get.”

“Bring it on, Brett.”

“Oh, I plan to, Casey.”

Dressing happens quickly after that. Sylvie’s in more of a hurry than he is. She’s slipping on one of his old CFD hoodies over her bra and folding the blouse he’d accidentally ripped the night before while he’s pulling on sweatpants and a t-shirt. He didn’t even notice her drifting closer to his nightstand as they both got ready.

Her brow furrows at the watch box next to his lamp. It’s sitting open from where he was staring at it just before Sylvie banged on his door the night before.

“Is that a Rolex? Like a real Rolex?” She asks, bending over to read the watchface.

He steps up behind her and wraps his arms around her waist as he peers over her shoulder. “Yeah, my uncle left it to me and my sister in his will. I had it appraised and thought about selling it but...it was sentimental to him and selling it felt wrong. Christie told me I could keep it and figure out what to do with it. I still have no idea.”

“Well, maybe you don’t do anything with it,” Sylvie suggests, turning in his arms so she can face him. “If it’s sentimental then maybe you make it a family heirloom. Pass it down to your niece someday or your kids. That could be nice.”

“The Caseys aren’t exactly a sentimental bunch,” Matt replies with a sardonic grin.

“Maybe they aren’t, but you are. If you don’t want to sell it, Matt, then don’t. It’s okay to get attached to things that mean something to you,” she assures him, squeezing his shoulders.

If only he could figure out what it means to him and why he wants to keep it he could tell her she’s right. But he can’t so he smiles, nods, and tenderly kisses her forehead as a thank you for her earnest advice. He’s got her with him now so any thoughts of the watch can wait.

She leans into his embrace and tightens her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder. “After shift, you should come over to mine — if you want. We can lock out the world and any possible roommates.”

“I do like the sound of that,” Matt agrees as he runs a hand up and down her back. “We should go out for breakfast too. Make it a date.”

“Woah, an actual date?” She asks with feigned shock, pulling back to meet his eyes.

He chuckles and nods. “The first of many I hope.”

“You hope correctly,” she says. She kisses him quickly and then steps out of his arms. “I really have to go now. I’m going to be cutting it very close to the bells up.”

He walks her to the door with a hand on the small of her back. He holds the apartment door open for her and can’t resist stealing one last kiss as she leaves. They grin at each other like lovesick fools as she backs away toward the elevator.

“See you at the house,” she tells him as she presses the call button.

“See you,” he promises, just before the doors open and she steps out of sight.

He closes and locks the door behind him. Thankfully, Severide and Kidd took a trip to Benny’s cabin after their impromptu engagement party at Molly’s last night and neither Matt nor Sylvie had to face questions about them first thing in the morning.

He takes a quick shower, changes clothes, and then decides to head in a little early. Kelly and Stella are pulling up in Severide’s car at the same time he is and they catch up as they walk inside.

Matt shakes his head at them, laughing as he speaks. “I still can’t believe you proposed in the middle of a fire. I know I told you to stop thinking and just act but I didn’t think you’d take it that far.”

“Leave him alone,” Stella says defensively as she wraps an arm around Severide’s back and leans up to kiss him. “I thought it was perfect. But speaking of acting, did you and Brett talk after we left? Or at any point since the last time I got an update on this ridiculous dance the two of you are doing?”

Severide snorts, but chooses not to add his own commentary. Instead, he presses his smug grin into the top of Stella’s head.

“Uh, yeah,” he answers carefully. He’s not sure how Sylvie wants to handle this. They should have talked about it. But, as careful as he’s trying to be, he knows his wide smile gives him away. He can’t help it. He’s genuinely happy. “Yeah, we talked.”

“And…,” Stella says, waving her hand expectantly. “How did that go?”

“Good,” he replies, pressing his lips together to try and hide his satisfaction. “Very good.”

“Very good?” She asks incredulously. “After months of you two pining after each other all I get is a very good? Sylvie better be more forthcoming than you. Do you know how hard it’s been not to meddle in whatever you two have had going on? Just be grateful I needed to focus on the Lieutenant’s test because if not I would have locked you guys in the turn out room months ago.”

They reach the apparatus floor just as Stella finishes her rant and, lucky for him, Boden wants to see the three of them in his office so he’s saved the task of responding.

The meeting doesn’t take very long. He wants them to try something different today with their calls — providing nothing catastrophic happens. Boden wants to hang back at the house and let Casey lead every call while Stella steps in as Lieutenant on 81. He wants Stella to get some experience under her belt to prepare her for whatever future position comes her way. Or that’s what he says. The look Boden gives him makes Matt wonder if he’s not preparing him too. No, Matt hasn’t forgotten Boden warning him some changes may be on the way. Now, suddenly, he’s worried about what those changes might be.

They agree to his plan and then set out for the common room. Gallo and Ritter should have breakfast ready by now.

Matt rounds the corner into the common room and freezes mid stride, eyes wide and mouth agape. There, in the buffet line, is Sylvie, but instead of her usual fleece jacket or insulated vest she’s wearing his hoodie over her gray paramedic shirt. It’s the hoodie she stole from him this morning when she left his apartment with it zipped all the way up and only a bra underneath it. It’s far too big on her and definitely baggy in the arms and shoulders, but she still looks ten times better in it than he ever did.

She turns from the line with a full plate and meets his eyes within seconds of heading to the round table. Her smile tilts dangerously as she nods at him.

“Good morning, Casey,” she greets, smile firmly in place with mischief dancing in her gaze.

His stop was so abrupt that Severide bumped into his back and sent him stumbling forward. He caught himself against the counter. The collision forced him back to the present.

“Did you forget how to walk?” Severide huffs with a teasing glint in his eyes.

“Sorry,” Matt mutters before grabbing a plate and getting in line.

She’s doing this to him on purpose. The smirk on her face is very telling. When he gets his plate, he joins her at the round table. Everyone else has opted for the long table, leaving them alone.

He leans toward her ear and speaks softly. “That sweatshirt looks a little big for you, Brett.”

A smile tugs at the corners of her mouth before she feigns cool disinterest. “Does it? I didn’t notice.”

“So big that it seems a bit improper. It’s not your usual regulation fleece or vest,” he replies, referencing their earlier flirtation.

“This is hardly improper. If you want, I could show you improper,” she purrs. “Maybe in the turnout room later.”

He lifts his eyebrows in surprise and a delighted grin overtakes his face. He feels his mouth go dry and gulps nervously as his blood rushes to an inappropriate place, given their setting, but all he can picture is the way they were completely wrapped up in each other the night before. He tries to reply but suddenly his tongue feels too big for his mouth and it stumbles clumsily over his words. “Uh, yep — yeah. We could...we could do that. We could definitely do that.”

Sylvie jolts as Stella loudly moves the chair on Sylvie’s other side. It scrapes against the floor and makes him and Brett wince. Effectively ruining their moment.

“You two look cozy,” Stella observes as Severide joins them in the chair next to hers. Her eyes narrow skeptically on Sylvie and then scan her from head to toe. They widen the minute they notice her hoodie. “And that,” she says, pointing her fork at Sylvie and circling it around her upper body. “Is not your sweatshirt.”

Severide’s brow furrows for a moment before he gives Sylvie a closer look too and when he does a shit eating grin forms on his face and he meets Matt’s eyes with a knowing stare and a quirked brow. “No, it’s not, but it certainly does look familiar. Don’t you think, Casey?”

Before either he or Sylvie can address their friends, two things happen: the bells sound for ambo causing Brett and Violet to rush off and Capp gets Casey’s attention to let him know he has a visitor on the apron.

Casey breathes a sigh of relief at the interruption. It’s not that he doesn’t want to tell their friends what’s happened but he’d like to discuss it with Sylvie first. When he reaches the app floor, there’s a woman standing just outside the bay doors. He doesn’t recognize her at all. She’s older, probably in her early sixties, and has long silver hair. Her posture is folded in as she fidgets nervously. Just as he’s heading toward the door that leads outside, she bolts. Shaking her head, she speed walks away from the house. He tries to catch up to her, but she’s in her car and pulling into traffic before he can make it across the apron.

Brow furrowing, he scratches the back of his neck in confusion and stares after her for a lingering moment. Finally, he heads back inside and finds Capp as he’s finishing his breakfast.

“The woman who was here, did she give you a name or a number? Maybe a card?”

Capp shakes his head. “No, just asked to speak with Captain Casey. I told her I’d send you out.”

“Okay, thanks, Capp,” he says, disappointment etched into the lines of his face.

That was odd, whatever it was. He retreats to his quarters after that. It’s best to skip breakfast and intrusive questions that he doesn’t quite know how to answer. Sylvie’s solo call takes an exceptionally long time. He checks in at Tower when she’s been gone for two hours and finds out they went from one call to the next as they got pulled into another company’s pile up scene.

He’s in the middle of incident reports from the high rise fire and the motorcycle accident last shift when he feels the sudden and unexplainable urge to look at his uncle’s watch. Something about it is plaguing him more than usual today. He leaves the safety of his office to search out his locker. The box that keeps the Rolex in pristine condition is in his leather duffle at the bottom of his locker. After talking with Sylvie this morning he considered taking it back by the appraiser to see if he’s still interested. He hadn’t thought anything of it, until now.

“Is that the watch?”

He jumps and nearly drops the box, turning to find an exhausted looking Sylvie with startled eyes and an apologetic smile.

“Sorry,” she says quickly. “I thought you heard me come in.”

“No, I’m sorry. I was...distracted,” he assures her. “Not your fault. And yeah, I thought I might swing by that appraiser I told you about at the watch place on my way home. See if he’s still interested.”

“So, you’re gonna sell it?”

His deep sigh fills the space between them. “I don’t know.” He shakes his unexplainable feeling of melancholy away and decides to focus on Sylvie. “How were your calls? Everything okay? You were gone a long time.”

She waves a dismissive hand at him. “It was fine. Just one incident with an elderly woman and her creepy doll collection, but the other calls were run of the mill pile up injuries. I’m tired, don't get me wrong, but it’s not the worst shift I’ve ever had.”

He’s about to ask about the incident with the dolls when Capp interrupts them yet again.

“There you are,” he says when he spots Casey in the locker room. “There’s a woman on the house phone for you.”

“Did you get a name this time?” He asks with a lifted brow.

“Uh, Debbie? I think. Or maybe Betty?”

“We really need to work on your phone message etiquette,” Sylvie tells Capp with a bemused expression.

“I’ll catch up with you later,” Casey promises Sylvie as he puts the watch back in his locker and walks toward Tower.

He picks up the phone but he’s greeted by a dial tone. He checks the lines on the display in case Capp put her on hold on one of the secondary lines, but there are no lights blinking on the phone. He huffs irritably and stomps back into the bunkroom, finding Sylvie already waiting for him in his quarters.

“That was a short phone call,” Sylvie comments from where she’s perched on his bunk.

“Yeah, she hung up so I guess so,” Matt informs her. “I wonder if it was the same woman who came by earlier.”

“There was a woman here earlier?”

He nods. “She asked for me but ran off before I could get out on the apron to talk to her. It was strange.”

“And she didn’t leave a name or a contact number or anything?”

“Capp didn’t ask,” Matt says with a roll of his eyes as he sits down in his desk chair.

Brett scoffs and chuckles dryly. “Of course not. Well, if it’s important she’ll call back I’m sure.” She stands from the cot and stops behind his chair, gently rubbing his shoulders and upper arms. “There’s no point in worrying about something you can’t change.”

He feels a brief kiss to the top of his head before she takes a step away from him to shut his office door.

His brow pinches in worry. “What’s up? Everything okay?”

She nods and smiles sweetly at him. “Just thought maybe we should talk before someone else notices I’m wearing your sweatshirt and grills us. Or before one of us gets another call.”

“Okay, so let’s cut to the chase then,” Matt agrees, grinning softly at her. “What do you want to tell people about us if they ask?”

Her smile falters slightly and her eyes dart away from him. “You’re leaving that decision entirely up to me? I don’t want you to feel like I’m putting any pressure on you or steamrolling you in any way—“

“Ambulance 61, person in distress—“

“Those bells really have the worst timing,” Sylvie growls before turning on her heel to open his door. “Later!”

He stutters after her but manages at least an awkward wave. Steamrolling him? Surely she knows he would never suspect her of that? And he understands not wanting to put pressure on anyone, that’s why he thought he’d let her take the lead. He thought he was clear that he wants whatever relationship status she’s willing to give him. He doesn’t care as long as he can be with her. That’s what’s important.

Instead of thinking all of that to himself, he should probably tell her.

While she’s gone, again on one call after the other with barely a break between, he finishes his reports. After the reports are done he finds himself drawn to his locker and the watch. Something about this Rolex is getting to him and it’s not going to stop until he figures it out. He takes the watch back to his quarters and sets it down on his desk. The box is closed and on it’s own looks unassuming. He reaches forward and pries the box open. The springs catch a little as does, indicating the age of the box despite how well taken care of it is.

Inside, sits the most expensive item he’s ever owned, not counting his truck or the condo. It’s an item that’s had a mysterious pull over him from the minute he saw the initials engraved in the back. At the heart of the mystery is one question: why?

Why does he feel drawn to this watch? Why did his uncle leave it to him and Christie? Why did his uncle decide not to love again? And why does Matt connect with that conflict as much as he does?

When he remembers his uncle, he remembers his pool and his huge backyard and all the good times he and Christie had when they visited him but more than that he remembers he always seemed to have some sort of cloud hovering over him. A gray rainy cloud. He never seemed overly enthusiastic about anything. He was occasionally happy, especially when spending time with them or watching the two of them play but the happiness never truly reached his eyes. Even as a kid Matt could see that.

He’d always know his uncle had tragically lost his wife young and a part of him had romanticized his uncle’s sadness. He found it noble -- the undying nature of his love. A part of him thought the sign of true love was being willing to live with intense pain and sadness just to be with someone. The way his uncle did. The way his mom did. As he grew older he thought he’d dissuaded himself of that notion, but looking back at his relationship with Gabby and even at times his relationship with Hallie he realized he hadn’t.

He thought pain and sadness and dragging himself through the mud to make his partner happy was the ultimate sign of devotion. But to make someone else happy he shouldn’t have to slog through mud and muck. Sylvie showed him that. Sylvie showed him what love is supposed to be. Yes, he had loved Gabby, but it wasn’t a love that lifted either of them up. What he and Sylvie have…

That’s all it’s ever done. All Sylvie has ever tried to do since they began growing closer is lift him up.

It had taken him too long to realize that, to verbalize it, to make sure Sylvie knew without a doubt how he felt about her. He could have lost her while he struggled in that awkward limbo. He thought his feelings were obvious, but actions only tell half the story. Sylvie needed the words and thank God he finally got up the guts to speak them aloud.

If he hadn’t he might have been…

He might have been his uncle. Forever alone and trailing a cloud of despair and heartache wherever he went.

Time passes quickly when you’re trapped in your own mind because the next thing he knows there’s pitch black outside his windows and a depleted Sylvie is knocking on his door. Her hair is pulled back and out of her face and there’s bags under her eyes. He knows before she speaks that now is not the time to finish their conversation.

“Hey,” she says quietly. “I know we said we’d talk but I’ve been on my feet for nearly six hours straight and I’m in desperate need of some shut eye so--”

He cuts her off with a shake of his head and stands from his chair to meet her in the open doorway. “Don’t worry about it. Your rest is more important, we can finish this conversation in the morning. Like I told you before shift, I’m not going anywhere.”

Her shoulders sag in relief and a tired smile spreads across her lips. “You’re the best. Thank you.” She glances quickly from side to side to make sure no one’s watching them and then leans up on her toes, pressing a grateful and lingering kiss to his lips. “Wake me up if the bells don’t.”

He chuckles and tenderly tucks a flyaway blond strand behind her ear. “I don’t think there’s much of a chance of that, but will do.”

She reaches her hands up and straightens the collar on his long sleeve polo and then smooths out the wrinkles from sitting hunched over his desk that now rest along his shoulders.

“Never hurts to be prepared.” She steps away from him, zips her filched hoodie all the way up, and then pulls the hood over her messy ponytail. “I feel like this hoodie will make falling asleep that much easier. I’m not sure why,” she adds with a cheeky grin before backing further away and heading to her bunk.

God does he ever love her. Since voicing the feeling out loud it’s only grown deeper and more intense than ever before. Like letting the words slip off his tongue gave the emotion even greater power over him.

He decides to stretch his legs. He’s been cooped up in his office for far too long if the sun has set and the sky is dark. For some reason, leaving the watch in his office doesn’t feel right. He snatches it out of the box and shoves it in his jacket pocket as he sets off for a cup of coffee and a bit of fresh air.

He takes his time with the coffee. He’s neglected his 51 family today and he knows it. Things are good for him and yet he still gets caught up in his head. But that’s always been his way. He stews and pines and broods. It’s a nasty habit to break.

So, he lets himself interact with his work family. He catches up with Cruz about Chloe and the baby, Severide talks to him about a few improvement projects at the cabin he needs help with, and he actually has a full conversation with Violet. He’s not entirely sure what they talked about and may have spent most of the conversation nodding and stroking his chin. Mikami is wicked smart so when she gets rolling on a topic he has a hard time keeping up.

When the coffee mug is empty, he washes it and then steps outside to breathe in the night air and see if any stars are actually visible. The light pollution and clouds typically make them hard to spot.

He resolves to talk to Sylvie as soon as he can in the morning, whether they’re on shift or not. As he’s making that promise to himself, a figure appears at the edge of the apron. He squints through the darkness until the shadow reaches the light and then stares ahead apprehensively.

It’s the woman who was at the house earlier that day and the woman who most likely called the station. She approaches him hesitantly and he thinks she may run off if he makes any sudden movements, like a skittish deer.

“Are you Captain Casey?”

He nods, extending a hand out to her. “I am and you are?”

“Sarah,” she says as she shakes his hand very briefly. “You don’t know me, but I’ve heard all about you and your sister many times.” She takes a deep shuddering breath between sentences. “From your Uncle Jake.”

“Oh.” It’s sadly the only reply he can come up with. Hearing his late uncle’s name is the last thing he expected tonight. His hand slips into his pocket and wraps around the watch. “You knew my uncle?”

“We were close...or we used to be for a little while,” she answers vaguely. “He was a wonderful man. He loved you, your sister, and your family very much. Having even a small part of your lives made him extremely happy. Or at least it did when I knew him, but that was a long time ago.”

“We loved him too,” Matt sympathized. “But we weren’t as close in the last several years of his life. He became a bit of a recluse from what I understand.”

“I worried that might have been the case,” she said with pursed lips and a furrowed brow.

“I’m sorry,” Matt says with his confusion evident in his voice. “I don’t mean to pry but...how exactly did you know Jake?”

Her cheeks redden and she clears her throat awkwardly. “We—well, we dated. I suppose that’s what you’d call it anyway. It was...complicated.”

Understanding dawns in an instant. He knows exactly what complicated means. He’s lived through complicated at least three times over. But in all the years he’d known his uncle or heard stories about him no one had ever mentioned him seeing anyone. As far as Matt was aware his love life died with his late wife.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware that my uncle ever—“

“No one was,” she said, cutting him off with a wan smile. “He had a hard time with it himself so he could never bring himself to explain it to anyone. He wasn’t very good with words. I’m sure you remember.”

Jake was definitely the silent and stoic type. She’s right about that.

“I never really knew what he was thinking or feeling at any given moment. There were times I thought I did. He could be so sweet and supportive without me ever having to ask, but other times...I felt like he was off in a whole other universe, imagining I was someone else.”

Matt’s thumb brushes over the initials on the back of the watch. “I’m sure he wasn’t.”

She sighs and quirks a brow at him with a dry smile. “I’m sure he was. You’re very sweet but we both know who he spent most of his life yearning for. He could never reconcile caring about someone new with his love for her. I stayed as long as I could stand it without my heart completely breaking.” She winces and huffs, shaking her head at herself. “But what am I saying? You don’t want to hear my sob story. I came here for a reason and talking to you like you’re my therapist wasn’t it.”

“Please,” Matt says, smiling kindly at her. “Don’t worry about it. I understand.”

“I...I simply loved him,” Sarah informs him with a watery and weak smile. “No matter how he felt about me. I loved him. With all I had. I want you to know that. Maybe that doesn’t make sense but—“

“No,” Matt says immediately. “It makes perfect sense. Believe me, I understand that concept more than you know.”

They share a lingering glance of mutual understanding where words aren’t necessary.

“Well, then I hope your situation turned out better than mine,” she replies, genuinely. “Anyway, I came because your uncle gave me something years ago and I kept it all this time because it reminded me of happier times but now that he’s gone...it seems like something his family should get back. I didn’t realize what it was when he first gave it to me. It wasn’t until I read the inside inscription years later that I put it together.”

She reaches into her purse and retrieves an old leather ring box. Reluctantly, she holds it out to him. Her eyes never leave the box.

“Please take it,” she requests with a gulp.

Matt does as she asks and then opens the box. It’s a gold ring with a large blue stone at its center. Most likely a sapphire. He carefully pulls the ring out of the velvet cushion and squints at the interior of the band.

He recognizes it, even if he has no idea what it means. It’s latin. He saw it on a family crest at his uncle’s house when he was younger. He turns the ring over and notices an engraved version of their family crest on the front of the band, to the left of the stone. His uncle loved their family history. He spent hours researching it.

Memories of this ring on display in his uncle’s home office spring to the surface along with a dramatic tale of its origin and how a distant relative had to sew it into the folds of her dress to smuggle it out of Ireland. It was one of Jake’s most treasured possessions. He’d forgotten that over the years.

Maybe the Caseys are sentimental after all.

“He gave this to you?” Matt asks in shock.

She nods. “I have an interest in antique jewelry. I’m not a true collector but I have several pieces and he gave me this on my birthday one year. Said he thought of me when he saw it. I thought he found it at some thrift store or antique shop somewhere. I had no idea he’d given me a family heirloom.”

Matt glances between the ring and Sarah for several moments. She had no idea what this was but she’s kept it all these years because it reminded her of Jake. The same way Jake had kept the watch because it reminded him of his wife. But if Jake had given this ring to Sarah that couldn’t have been something he did lightly.

Matt places the ring back in the box, closes it with a snap, and then places it back in the palm of her hand.

“You should keep it,” he tells her. “Jake wanted you to have it.”

“No, please. It belongs with his family.”

“Sarah,” Matt begins, taking one step closer to her and intentionally catching her tearful gaze. “If he gave you this, then you were his family.”

She shakes her head. “That’s nice of you to say but—“

He cuts her off because in that moment, everything clicks. The reason he was drawn to the watch. The reason his uncle wanted him to have it. The reason the universe led Sarah here. All of it.

“My uncle and I, as it turns out, are a lot alike,” Matt confesses. “We both lost love young. We’re quiet and introspective. Because of those things, I can tell you he got lost in his own head. The words he wanted to say to you got tangled up in his fear and his grief and he let those things drown out his happiness. I know from experience. I’ve been there. Until very recently actually.” He pauses and takes a deep breath, recalling everything Sylvie’s made him feel over the last few years — every ray of sunshine she brought back into his life. “It takes a very special person to break through our walls. It can’t be done by just anyone. When something like that happened to me, it seemed too good to be true and I was terrified that the wrong move would send it all crashing down. I—I didn’t realize that not making a move could cause me to lose her too. I foolishly thought I could freeze things as they were and nothing would change. But also like me, when words failed him, he relied on actions and gestures to speak for him.”

He motions to himself before he continues. “Based on the intimate knowledge I have of those struggles and his traits.” He then points to the ring box. “And the evidence in front of me. I feel like I’m uniquely qualified to assure you of one very real thing.” He swallows thickly, again thinking of Sylvie. This time he thinks about all that time she spent totally unaware of his regard and affection. She never saw all the way through him to the overwhelming space she took up inside of him. He thought she did but she didn’t. Sarah has lived with that for too many years. “He loved you, Sarah. He may not have known how to say it. He may have been terrified of it, and I know he hurt you, but if he gave you that ring then you were in his heart. You were a light in his darkness and I have no doubt he returned every bit of the love you felt for him. Take it from someone who’s recently met my own light in the darkness. That ring is yours. I can’t take it back. It’s been right where it belongs all along.”

Sarah’s crying now, but there’s a smile on her face. She swipes at her cheeks and nods while blinking back any further tears. “Do you really think so?”

He nods and gingerly reaches out to squeeze her shoulder. “I know so.”

“Well, I—thank you. Truly,” she says with a soggy grin and a heartfelt glance. “Are you positive you don’t want the ring back?”

“Absolutely positive. Keep it. It’s yours.”

“Thank you, Captain Casey. You’re very kind,” Sarah says as she shakes his hand again. “I appreciate your insight more than you know.” She smirks at him before putting the ring box back into her purse. She looks up at him again with a scolding but friendly stare. “I hope your young lady knows exactly how much you love her.”

Matt nods, unsure how to reply, and waves as Sarah leaves. He keeps his eyes on her to make sure she gets back on the road safely.

“I hope so too,” he declares to the night sky and the empty apron.

“She does.”

He spins around with wide emotional eyes, recognizing the voice immediately. Sylvie is standing a few feet behind him, enveloped in his hoodie with tearfilled eyes and a slightly quivering chin.

“You heard all of that?” He asks.

“Every word,” she replies as they cross the space between them and meet in the middle. “I may not have known you loved me before, but I’ve definitely known it since last week. I know you meant what you said. I trust you completely.”

“Good,” Matt says, sighing in relief. “And as for what we are and what we tell people, I truly don’t care as long as there is a ‘we’ to tell people about. I want to be with you in every sense of the word for as far and as long as we can take it. I’m not looking for an out or a way to half ass this. So when I ask you what you want to do, it’s not a trick question. I promise. All I want is you, Sylvie.”

Her chin stops quivering and a wide teeth exposing smile lights up her face. “All I want is you too. I love you probably more than I could ever express, Matt. I want you to be happy and I want to make you happy, but I want us to make the big decisions together. I don’t need you to defer to me. I love you and I want to know what you want. All the time, every time.”

He cups the side of her face and traces his thumb along her perfect cheekbone and smooth skin. His other arm loops around her waist and pulls her against him, allowing him to close the remaining distance between them and kiss her slowly — reverently. Her arms wrap around him in return and her hands fist in the back of his jacket as the kiss deepens. When he pulls back he rests his brow against hers, nuzzling their noses together.

“The first thing I want,” Matt says, his voice dropping into a husky tone as he catches his breath. “Is you.”

She smiles sweetly and nods. “We can arrange that for sure. And the second thing?”

He feels the weight of the Rolex in his pocket as he speaks. “I want to sell my uncle’s watch.”

“What?” Sylvie asks, leaning back slightly to see his full expression. “This morning you said—“

“I know, but I understand why I couldn’t let it go now and I don’t need it anymore.”

“You don’t?”

He shakes his head and beams at her. “I don’t. I only needed it to remind me not to miss my chance with you. Even before I knew about Sarah, I knew my uncle failed to live his life to its fullest and truly be happy. That watch reminded me of what my life would look like if I didn’t embrace my feelings for you and move forward with my life. You are a part of my life now and I don’t want to lose you ever. Chicago and 51 are my future. This is my life and I need to live it. I can’t sit around and let myself stay stuck in a rut. You helped me see that. But the thing is, I know that now. I see it. And I’m never going to forget it again. Because of that, I don’t need the reminder. I can sell the watch and use the money to invest in my current life — my future.”

Her thoughtful gaze takes him in for several seconds, scanning his face for any signs of doubt or hesitance. He stays unguarded and lets her look. She won’t find either. He’s certain. He knows what needs to happen

“So, once you sell it, what do you plan to do with the money?”

“I don’t know yet but I have a couple of ideas,” he confides eagerly. “I have time to decide and….” His sentence trails off as his arms tighten around her and he presses his forehead to hers. “The right partner to help me figure it out.”

Her expressions glows with iridescent happiness at his words. The harsh lights from the open bay doors are softened by their distance from them and give the moisture in her eyes a hopeful shimmer. Her slender fingers lovingly comb through his hair.

When she speaks, he can hear at least a dozen different emotions in her voice — all of them good.

“Partners,” she repeats, nodding against his forehead. “I like that label. A lot. It’s what I’ve always wanted to find but never thought I would.”

“Me too,” he confides. “Everyone else has been the wrong fit. But this...with you feels like the most natural thing in the world to me. It took me some time to accept it and to set aside my fears but once I did — well, I love you and I can’t wait to start figuring us out.”

“Then that’s what we tell people because I feel the exact same way,” Sylvie concurs. “I love you and we’re figuring it out.”

It’s new and it’s going to take time, but he’s more than willing to give their relationship all the time it needs. They’re such a team already and getting to know her even more intimately than he does now will only strengthen that.

Sylvie Brett is his future and he’s giving that future everything he has in him. Come hell or high water.