When Jay had arrived at Erin's apartment, he shoved his concern aside and focused on one simple thing: cashing in his raincheck. And he was damn glad that he did. The momentary relief from all the stress that had been building up was just what he needed to clear his head and refocus.
Erin snuggled in close to Jay's side, her head affectionately resting on his bare chest after they'd both caught their breath. "So you going to tell me what's going on?"
Jay chuckled. "What do you mean?"
She propped herself up to look at his face. "Jay, I'm your partner, remember? I think I know you better than you know yourself. So spill it."
He felt his cheeks flush momentarily. Was he really that bad at hiding when something was bothering him? Or did she truly just know him all too well? Either way, it was a level of vulnerability that he wasn't sure about. Rather than give in so easily, Jay ran his thumb along her cheek before pulling her in for a passionate kiss. However, Erin immediately put her hand over his mouth to stop him. "I don't think so, mister. Answer me."
He dropped his hand from her face as she did the same. "So you're rejecting me now?"
"So you're ignoring my questions now?" she quipped with a smirk,
Jay sighed, knowing there was no way around it. He squeezed his arm around her again, subtly asking her to cuddle back up on his chest, to which she gladly obliged. "It's Alex. I feel like every stone I turn up, there's a secret waiting for me. The day she uh...came home unexpectedly...she was actually skipping school. She's apparently used to staying out till god knows what hour, doing god knows what. And we both know there's nothing good in this city at night. And to top it all off, she lied about joining the debate team."
Erin traced lined along Jay's chest while she listened intently. "You're certain she lied about the debate team?" It seemed like something so random yet so specific to lie about - it didn't make sense.
"Yeah, positive. I talked to the coach after the meet tonight and he confirmed it." He sighed. "But she wasn't smart enough to do her homework. She told me she was in Highland Park when the meet was actually at her own school."
"Ah rookie mistake," Erin replied with a laugh. She'd learned how to lie well growing up, and she knew the first step was to do your homework.
"The scary part is I don't think she's a rookie at lying. She had me convinced."
Erin sat up, her back resting against the headboard as she slipped on one of Jay's old t-shirts. "That's because you're too close to it. She's your little sister - of course you're going to believe her."
That brought back that little voice in Jay's head once again. External confirmation that she was, in fact, a blindspot for him. Jay ran a hand down his face, feeling like a fool that he got played by a teenager.
Noticing his change in demeanor, Erin tried to smooth it over. "It's okay, Jay. I mean, hell, how many times have I tried to give my mom the benefit of the doubt, even though you and everyone else saw right through her. Family...family somehow always gets a pass. And Alex is no exception for you."
Jay soaked up the words. It didn't heal the disappointment he felt in himself, but he appreciated the validation that he wasn't the only one who had a blindspot for family. "I mean she was always like this little annoying sister - quiet, playful, and loved to do crafty junk. There'd be glitter all over the damn house at any given time. And now it's like a 180. She's sarcastic, closed off, and apparently a liar."
"She's changed - she's grown up. It's hard to change that image of her. I get that. Especially because you're not around her as often as you were back then." Before he could go on another self loathing streak, she immediately added, "And I don't mean that as a bad thing. You both have separate lives and weren't living under the same roof. But now that you are, it's like you're getting to know each other again - at least the older versions of yourselves."
Jay sat up and rested his head against the headboard, closing his eyes for a moment. "I wasn't made for this, Erin. I can't take care of her - I mean look at the crap job I've done so far."
She lightly swatted his arm and he feigned pain. "Don't say that. You stepped up when she needed help. And thank god you did. But you have to remember that you're not responsible for her decisions."
"But I am responsible for keeping her safe. And if I don't even know where the hell she is, how can I do that?" he asked without expecting an answer. "Cuff her to the bathroom sink? Ground her until the end of time?"
"I mean, the cage is free at the district," Erin joked, trying to lighten the mood. Jay gave an appreciative smile but stayed silent. They sat in comfortable silence for a while until his girlfriend spoke up again. "Look, I'm not going to tell you how to handle this new dynamic, but maybe you should start with a conversation."
Jay couldn't hold back the laugh that escaped. "A conversation? Getting any information out of her without a sarcastic remark or a lie is damn near impossible."
"Hey, you have to start somewhere."
Jay sighed, knowing she had a point. "Yeah, maybe," he replied, not wanting to commit just yet. He leaned over and checked his phone. To his surprise, Alex had texted that she'd be home in about 45 minutes. "Speaking of the devil, she'll be back soon." He put his phone down and scooted up close to Erin, his face inches from hers. "But I have just enough time to give you another ride."
Unable to resist, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in so close that their lips were brushing one another's. "Yes, sir."
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Jay eventually made it back home about 10 minutes before Alex was set to arrive. He'd spent his drive back thinking about how he was going to approach this. Thankfully, he had time to cool off and reset after his evening with Erin. Otherwise, there was a strong chance that he would have reacted out of anger, which wasn't going to help the situation.
As Jay sat on the couch, still trying to decide what he was going to say, his phone went off. It was Adam Ruzek.
"Ruzek, what's up?"
"Caught a big break in the Alfaro case. Voight needs us at Wabash & Maple Street ASAP."
Jay pinched the bridge of his nose, thrilled that they'd finally caught a reliable lead on a frustrating case but annoyed at the timing. He confirmed the details with Ruzek before quickly getting back into his clothes and gearing up.
As he hoisted his gun in the kitchen, he paused for a moment. He wasn't sure if this was the best idea, but he didn't have time to think it through more. Instead of texting Alex, for fear that she'd just bolt and stay out longer, he decided to leave a note.
Alex -
Caught a lead on a big case, so I'll be gone for a bit. We need to talk when I'm back.
- Jay
He stared at it for a second, but then quickly rushed for the door, knowing every second counted when these big breaks happened. He just hoped that he'd be back in time to catch her in the morning.
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Alex swallowed the last of her fifth breath mint as she unlocked the front door. While most of the vodka had worn off by now, there was still a lingering tipsy feeling that she hadn't quite come down from. She knew that she had no choice but to go inside and hope for the best. She'd managed to fly under the radar most nights with her dad because he was typically passed out by the time she got back, so she'd just play it just the same with her brother. Opening the door as quietly as possible, she tiptoed inside, shoes in hand to make as little noise as possible. She was certain Jay would be sitting there waiting for her on the couch. To her surprise, she found all the lights off in the apartment except for a single light in the kitchen. Walking over to it, she found a slip of paper on the island.
Her heart stopped beating for a brief period while she read it over and over.
We need to talk...
The small amount of alcohol left in her system took full control of her thoughts. What the fuck was that supposed to mean? Talk about what? Did he know about her lies? About what happened with their dick of a father? Her mind was spiraling faster than a snowball in an avalanche.
Against her better judgment, she quickly pulled out her cell phone and shot off a text to Jay.
I'm home. What do you want to talk about?
She had to know. She had to know right now or both her heart and her mind were going to explode. She paced the room nervously while waiting for a reply. Finally, after 15 minutes, she heard back.
Nothing major. Hope the meet went well. See you tomorrow.
Air finally reentered her lungs and she was able to breathe again. So it wasn't anything important like she was panicking about. Probably something stupid like splitting up chores around the house or some crap like that. She exhaled a sigh of relief.
But what she forgot was Jay was expertly trained in all of this. And the first rule was to never let them know you were on to them.
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Jay had hoped to wrap up the case by morning, so he could make it back to the apartment in time to talk to Alex before school that Friday. However, the case had other plans, and it was 7:30am by the time they'd secured the scene and arrested the individuals. She was long gone by now on her way to school, so going home was pointless. Alex, on the other hand, was thrilled not to find Jay around that morning. She wasn't concerned about whatever "talk" he wanted to have, but she was eager to put it off for as long as possible.
Jay was on his way back home to shower and finally get some sleep. As he got a few blocks into his drive, he knew there was something that he had to do. He'd mainly left his brother in the dark on purpose with all this - Will knew that Alex came to live with him and he knew more or less why. But Jay hadn't shared any of the other details, because he knew Will would ask questions, and Jay hated not having any of the answers. However, at this point, it wasn't something he should be keeping to himself. He needed reinforcements.
After a few rings, his brother picked up.
"Jay? What's up?"
"Hey, Will. We need to talk. It's about Alex."