Morning came quickly and like promised Everly returned to her parents house. Like most Saturday mornings she ate her breakfast in silence, only interrupted by the obnoxious chewing of both Noah and Oliver. After eating the boys headed outside.
"I get them too." Her father said as he patted into the kitchen.
"What?" She asked curiously, watching him take the cap off the milk container and drink straight from the jug. "Hey, use a cup!"
"It's my milk!" He responded, hitting her lightly on the shoulder then laughing at how offended she looked. "And the nightmares, I still get them."
"From your dad?"
"Yeah, and the military and even some of the things I've seen as a cop or done as a cop."
"How do I make it stop?"
"I wish I could tell you baby girl, I really really do but I don't know!"
"Well how did you deal with it before Mom?"
"I mostly took it out on the people in my life who deserved it least." He answered calmly looking directly into her matching green eyes which now had tears welled in the corners, threatening to fall.
"So Will told you?"
"Yeah, but baby, don't worry we'll get through it. We always do."
"Yeah thanks dad!"
"Anything for you!" He joked, the seriousness erased from his tone. He took one last drink of milk.
"Dad! A cup. Please."
"My milk. Mine."
She let out a huff and stormed away. Right as she left Erin made her way down the stairs.
"What was that about?" She asked curiously, patting over towards him and finally resting her head against his burly chest.
"Ev had a nightmare last night, about the... the..."
"I know." She said, rubbing his back gently which steadied him enough to fill his lungs. "Will filled me in."
"I hate him... he... he... hurt my baby." He choked out, holding back tears. Erin pressed her lips to his.
"I know, I hate him too." She said against the scruff on his chin. "She's my baby girl too... I... know." With tear filled eyes they stayed in the kitchen loving each other's embrace. Their lips connected, showing each how much they really did love each other.
"Woah... try having these babies before you make some more." Noah said as he hopped down the stairs, a disgusted look plastered on his features.
"How long have you been standing there?" Jay asked, detaching his lips unhappily.
"Like two seconds, seriously get a room!" He joked. He grabbed the same cereal that he always ate and poured some in a bowl. He placed a quick kiss onto Erin's forehead.
"How are you taller then me?" She asked, the frustration in her voice causing everyone but her in the room to laugh.
"I take steroids sometimes, you know for fun!" He joked again.
"You do realize both of us are cops? Was that an admission of guilt?" Jay retorted, flashing a matching smile.
"Do you realize that, that was sarcasm?" He answered, walking by Jay and "accidentally" bumping into his shoulder.
"Why couldn't they just stay babies? It was so much easier when they didn't talk back!" Jay complained, making a pouty face at Erin as she laughed at him.
"Trust me babe, you'll be wishing for teens soon, when these two are born!" Erin explained, placing her hand on top of her belly and rubbing it in a circular pattern.
"Yeah, babies are hard, we could just leave them in front of a firehouse?" He stated, his white teeth proving that he was kidding.
"Yeah?" She answered. "What would the kids say?"
"We could just tell them it was all a dream, you were never pregnant."
"I'm right here!" Noah said, making extra noice by tapping his spoon against the edge of the bowl.
"Shhhh.... you're sleeping, this isn't real." Erin choked on her own spit as Jay said that. She even giggled which was rare in the Halstead home.
"I have to pee!" She said and then placed one last kiss on Jay's lips, scurrying towards the bathroom after the fact.
Soon, Oliver walked down the stairs, his nose buried in a book.
"Stop being such a nerd!" Noah told him, throwing him a questioning look.
"Just because I'm smarter than you doesn't make me a nerd." He retorted. Noah stood up to give his brother a piece of his mind.
"Boys!" Jay yelled from the kitchen. "That's enough!"
"To be continued..."
"Yup."
"So boys I need to ask you something?" Jay asked already sparking the curious teens interests. "You remember before I got shot... the reason we went out for ice cream?"
"Didn't mom's Mom need to talk to her?
"Yeah... well she wants to meet you guys... but Mom and I have decided that you guys get to choose, you know to meet her or not we're not going to force you into anything."
Both of the boys looked at each other.
"I think we should meet her!"
"Yeah me too."
