Burnin' Love (1)

DCFS

"Do you want me to come with?" Nicole asks, holding his hand.

"Yeah, if you don't mind," Matt nods.

She yells back, "Dawson!"

Gabby appears, "Yeah?"

"You're PIC until I get back. Tell Boden I had a family thing," Nicole instructs.

"Got it. See you both when you get back," Gabby waves them off as they climb into Matt's truck.

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Pulling up to the cemetery, Matt and Nicole walk hand in hand over to Christie after she waves them over. 

"Hey Matt. Nicole," Matt's sister greets them.

"Christie."

The brother and sister share a hug before Matt greets Christie's husband, "Jim."

Christie wraps an arm around her daughter, "Sweetie, do you remember your Uncle Matt and Aunt Nicole from Thanksgiving a couple years ago?"

Matt crouches down to her height, "Hey, Violet," She gives Matt a hug, "You're so grown-up," He stands back up, gripping Nicole's hand as they all face the grave, "15 years. It's crazy."

"I still miss him."

Walking forward, Matt puts a Blackhawks flag up on the grave before Christie tells him, "We'll, uh, we'll let you guys have some time alone."

"You don't have to go."

"No, it's okay. We were just leaving, we've been here awhile. I guess I'll see you in a couple weeks," Christie tells him.

"I'll see you there," Matt nods.

After they leave, Matt kneels onto the ground in front of his dad's grave as Nicole sits next to him, rubbing a hand up and down his back, "I love you."

"I love you too."

♣️♣️♣️♣️ 

Back at the firehouse, Nicole meets with Gabby and Shay, "Okay, what did we find out about Grace?"

Shay seems distracted so Gabby tells her, "She's been hospitalized twice the past few weeks for seizures. And get this, no history of celiac disease."

"No way. Let's take a swing by Lakeshore," Nicole tells them, getting in the ambo.

Arriving at Lakeshore, they see Hallie at the front desk, "Hey."

"I thought I was done," She says, sighing.

"Yeah, well. What do we have with Grace Wilkinson?" Nicole asks.

Looking up the chart, Hallie tells them, "Looks like she accidentally swallowed some turpentine."

Gabby looks at her confused, "Her mom told us she had celiac disease."

"Well, mom told us she was doing some painting and left the turpentine out by mistake. We pumped the girls stomach, then moved her upstairs for observation."

Shay and Gabby turn to Nicole, "She didn't want us to take her to Chicago U, could be hospital jumping to hide abuse."

Gabby nods in agreement, "Abuse that she's causing for attention. It fits. That would explain the mom's behavior, the inconsistent symptoms that Grace's having."

"That smell she was telling me about," Nicole sighs, "Munchausen by proxy."

Hallie interrupts Nicole, "That's pretty rare."