Two weeks later
"Jay." Erin rolled over, colliding with Jay's warm body.
"Hmmm?" Jay wrapped his arm around her, kissing her temple.
"You have work today." Erin sighed. Yesterday had marked the one month anniversary since the assault, and today was Jay's first day back at work.
Erin had made a lot of progress. Her sessions with Dr. Gorelik had now been minimized to once a week, and any nightmares and flashbacks had disappeared.
Jay could see a lot of progress in his girlfriend himself. She smiled, laughed more. She talked normal, and her sassiness had returned, thankfully.
He glanced over to the clock, dropping his head back down to Erin's shoulder. "I still have thirty minutes before I have to get up, Er."
Erin giggled at his sleepy tone, moving her hand up and down his body.
"Er, please don't. Not now." Jay murmured into her shoulder. Her hand against his bare skin sent chills up and down his body.
"Only one more week, Jay." Erin purred, kissing his chest.
Jay groaned. "I've been very patience." He had. They had their moments every so often, but still, he was able to control himself.
Erin grasped him through the cotton material of his grey sweatpants. "You have been a very patient boy, Jay. That is very true." She stroked him firmly, Jay's groans filling the room.
"Er." Jay captured her lips, roughly biting her lip.
Erin moaned from the inside of his mouth, her hand still stroking him.
Jay's lips left her mouth, traveling down to her throat where he sucked the hollow of her throat, running his tongue up and down the area.
Quiet moans escaped Erin's lips, Jay pushing her onto her back, and placing his legs on either side of her thighs, straddling her. She reattached his lips to hers, running her hands down his bare chest, the muscles tightening at her soft touch.
Don't take advantage of her.
The words came to Jay's mind, and he slowed his motions, Erin groaning in protest. "Jay." She needed him. She couldn't wait one more week.
Jay sighed, moving off of Erin and sitting on the edge of the bed, stroking Erin's hair. "Erin." He could never deny Erin anything. But this? He had to. For Erin's sake. "I want you so bad, Er. But we still have a week until you are healed, and I'm not risking your health. I love you too much for that, Erin. And I never want to hurt you and never will." Jay leaned down to kiss Erin's cheek, smiling down at her.
Erin smiled, sitting up in bed. "And do you know what a week from today is?" Erin questioned, tilting her head.
"What is that?" Jay questioned, playing along with her game. He knew what a week from today was. Sex. The night he could finally show his girl how much he loved her.
"Well, Detective." Erin ran her hands down his chest again, Jay grabbing her wrists and holding them captive. "A week from today is Kim and Adam's wedding." Her voice coated with play. "And being her maid of honor, and you being the best man, I think we will have to skip out of the reception early and go have some fun."
Jay could only raise his eyebrows. One week. His heart was pounding. He loved Erin Lindsay, and he already told her that every hour, but now he could show her. "You are brilliant." He kissed her forehead, walking over to the bathroom. "Very brilliant."
Jay opened the shower door, turning on the water before walking across the room to get his towel. "Erin, don't forget you have lunch with Hank today."
Hank had agreed to lunch with Erin once, sometimes even twice a week, just to see how she was doing. Erin was reluctant at first, but Hank argued she would be on desk duty for a whole month if she didn't agree, so she gave in.
"Don't remind me." Erin sighed, walking over to Jay. "I love Hank, but I really don't need this. I think I'm going to talk to him about coming back to Intelligence. I'm cleared next week for sexual activity, and physical activity, so I'll be completely healed. I'm ready for this." Erin did have a good point. She was going to be cleared, and she already passed her psych evaluation, and Dr. Gorelik gave her the go- ahead.
"Maybe you should leave the part about sex out of it, Erin. Hank will find a way to kill me by Saturday." Jay smiled, walking back to the bathroom. "And, actually, it's only five days." Jay winked closing the door behind him.
It had been five weeks since the two got together, and Jay couldn't remember a time without Erin. Since the attack he realized how important Erin was to him, and even though they were already dating, it opened his eyes even more.
He and Erin had already been looking at houses, and found a few they liked. But, they both knew it wasn't the one. Jay would be moving in next week, September fourth to be exact. Kim and Adam's wedding was on the second, and the following Monday the team decided to help Erin and Jay combine households, even Hank. Now they still had four months in Erin's apartment, bit with the holiday season rapidly approaching, January would be here before they knew it, so the young couple decided to start thinking about what type of house they wanted.
Four bedrooms.
A fireplace.
A pond, for sure.
Woods.
Jay and Erin both wanted a house in the suburbs, away from traffic so their future children could play happily without their parents worrying.
Jay shut off the shower, wrapping his towel around his slick waist, opening the bathroom door so Erin could come brush her teeth like she did every morning.
The morning would always start out the same. Jay would wake up, get in the shower. Erin would make coffee, and come into the bathroom to brush her teeth while Jay got ready, then they both would eat breakfast at the table and discuss the day's plans.
"Morning, Jay." Erin walked into the bathroom, smiling before the sound of teeth brushing filled the air.
"Morning, beautiful." Jay kissed her head, setting his toothbrush back into its holder.
He walked out of the room, going over to his side of the dresser, pulling out a pair of jeans and a green henley shirt. Erin actually bought him this shirt for his birthday last year. He loved it.
"Erin what do you want for breakfast?" He walked into the kitchen, finding Erin stirring the two coffee mugs with Hazelnut creamer. Jay's favorite.
She handed him his mug, taking a seat on the chair. "French toast?" She glanced over at the clock. "It's only six fifty, you don't have to be to work for another hour. I think we have time."
"French toast only takes twenty minutes to make, Er." Jay took a sip of the much needed coffee. "Bt remind me to wait longer next time. Hazelnut coffee and mint does not mix." He choked, reluctantly letting the liquid slide down his throat.
"You excited to be back to work, Jay?" Erin asked, taking a piece of french toast into her mouth.
"I guess. I'm going to miss you, though. I've enjoyed the past few weeks with you." Jay took a seat across from his girlfriend, sensing the uneasiness in her voice.
"It's okay, Jay. I'll miss you too, but, maybe Voight will let me come back to work next week." Erin pointed out. She was tired of sitting home while everyone else saved the world.
Jay nodded, but he knew the chances were slim of Erin coming back next week. Maybe two weeks, but one? Not a chance. "Hopefully."
"So Jay, the rehearsal dinner from Kim and Adam is at six on Friday at the Ambiance. Did we ever get them a present?" Erin couldn't remember if she and Jay ever picked one up.
"Yeah, remember? We got them that patio set at Pier One for their pool?" Jay questioned.
"Where is it, then?" Erin did not remember buying it. She remembers going to Pier One, but that's it.
"At the store. Kim and Adam wanted blue, so it's getting shipped to the store on Thursday when they get back from their honeymoon." Jay knew Erin wouldn't remember. It was a day where Erin was out of it, and ended up crying in Jay's arms to sleep.
Erin just nodded. "Right..." She didn't remember. "Well, you have fun at work, and let's not get shot." Erin rinsed off her plate and put it in the dishwasher.
Jay put his plate in the sink, walking over to the coat rack, clipping on his badge and inserting his gun into his holster.
Erin met Jay at the door. She had a smile on her face, but Jay knew she was scared. He didn't want to leave her, but he knew he had to go to work.
He enveloped her into a hug and Erin almost shattered.
He can't leave.
She had to be strong. She had to face being alone. She needed to be strong.
Strong.
"Jay." Her voice cracked. He couldn't leave. She needed him. Last time he left her she ended up being raped for three days. "Don't leave."
Jay heard his heart shatter. He held onto Erin tighter. He didn't know it would be this hard. She couldn't have a breakdown, not now. She had came so far.
"Erin." Tears were being brought to his eyes too, but he needed to be the strong one right now. "Baby, I don't want to go, but I need to."
Jay pulled back one of his hands caressing Erin's cheek delicately. Fearful tears slipped down her face. "You'll be okay." Jay reassured.
"How do you know that?"
Jay kept caressing her cheek. How did he know that? She was the strongest person he knew.
"You're the strongest person I know." Jay kissed her forehead.
Erin gave up. He would be back soon. She could get in a two hour nap and then go see Voight for lunch. Then come home and clean, go through her clothes. Jay would be back by then.
"I love you, Jay." She hugged him again.
"I love you too, Er. I'll be back soon. Have a great day baby, and call if you need anything."
Erin nodded. She trusted him. He would be back.
Jay kissed her in the lips, pulling back before Erin knew it, and opening the door. "Love you." He smiled, stepping out into the hallway.
"Love you too." Erin smiled as he blew her a kiss, vanishing down the hallway. She closed the door and looked around the empty, but messy apartment.
She was all alone.
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Jay walked up to the district, and stopped in his tracks. Last time he was here, Erin had a wedding band on and was his partner. Now, Erin was home alone, and his girlfriend. So many memories flashed to his eyes. He never thought he would miss the twenty first so much.
He continued his way up the stairs, into the lobby, multiple sets of partners coming in and out.
"Detective." Jay walked up to Trudy Platt's desk. Jay had always liked Trudy. She was a nice woman, and always looked out for Intelligence.
"Sergeant." Jay smiled, laying his keys on the desk.
Platt smiled. "How is Lindsay?" That had been the talk for the first few weeks when Intelligence returned, two of their own not with them.
Did you hear about Detective Lindsay?
Detective Lindsay got raped for three days?
How would she let that happen to her?
When Trudy Platt heard one of her patrolmen mention the injured detective, she sent his ass to crosswalk duty and told him if she ever heard him disrespect a fellow officer again, he would have wished he never came to the twenty first.
Jay sighed. He was going to get this question a lot today. Everyone knew that Halstead and Lindsay were dating, and Jay was taking care of her.
"She is doing alright. The nightmares have gone away, and she can shower and sleep alone, so we have made a lot of progress." Jay explained. He was proud of Erin. She was doing great, and staying strong. She was his fighter.
Platt sympathetically nodded. "I wanted to come by to see her, but Voight said she wasn't doing so well three weeks ago. I wanted to give her some space."
"Yeah, three weeks ago she was having insane flashbacks, nightmares, and all of that. It was heartbreaking. I had never seen a water bill so high before. And if you are looking for any of the strawberries in Chicago and can't find any, it's because Erin has consumed them all." Jay laughed, mentioning how Erin ate his pancakes at least once, if not twice a day.
Trudy chuckled, glancing at her watch. "You better go up, don't want to miss the briefing. Ruzek has been a pain for the last month without you, so make sure to catch up with him. I think Antonio is ready to kill him."
Jay nodded, buzzing himself in and walking into the bullpen. He frowned when he saw Lindsay's empty desk and knew she was at home.
"Jay!" Adam rushed up to him, enveloping him into a hug. "I missed you, man."
Jay smiled. He loved Ruzek so much. They were best friends for the past two years after all, and not seeing each other for almost a month killed him. Blackhawks and Bears season was starting up, which meant more bro time.
Jay and Adam were both lucky Kim and Erin got along like sisters. Once everything was back to normal, the four of them would be inseparable. Okay, maybe just Adam and Jay.
"I missed you too, buddy." Jay continued to be showered with welcome backs and how is she's.
He took a seat at his desk, opening up the computer to see what case they were on. When he logged in and his home screen lit up, he saw a picture he forgot existed.
The photo was of him and Erin at Kim and Adam's engagement party. Erin was smiling happily on the couch next to Jay, who was wearing a button down shirt and his arm was around Erin's waist. They both had their small glasses of wine in it, and smiled brightly at the camera.
Jay remembered the night crystal clear. It was taken in April at the engagement party, and Erin was wearing a dark blue body dress that hugged every part of her party perfectly. Not to much, but not too little. Jay remembers his mouth dropping when she got into his vehicle that night. Jay could barely keep himself in check the whole night.
"Jay." He looked up and saw Voight standing in his office doorway.
Jay stood up, and followed Hank into his office, taking a seat on one of the chairs.
"How is she?" Hank sat in his office chair, folding his hands. He had no idea what to expect when he went to lunch.
"She is okay, I guess. No more nightmares or flashbacks. She was a little clingy this morning, but all is well." Jay looked at Hank, who was intently looking at him.
"Good."
"Really Hank, she has made so much progress. I'm proud of her." Jay was. He was so proud of Erin.
"I'm glad. She couldn't have done it without you, Jay." Hank motioned for him to leave the room, and so he did.
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Erin had arrived at the CW, all ready. She hadn't been here since Hawaii, and always came with Jay, so it felt weird not having him with her.
She walked into the diner, already finding Hank in a booth. "Hank." She gave him a hug as he stood up, sitting across from him.
"How have you been kiddo?" Jay told him she was okay, but he needed to see for himself.
l"I'm okay. I'm still recovering, bit I've been cleared mentally. No flashbacks or nightmares anymore. And in a week, I get cleared physically." Excitement filled her voice.
Great. Hank silently thought to himself. He knew what that meant. "Wonderful."
Halstead would never hurt her.
Erin blushed. She was excited. She could go back to all normal activities. After five weeks life could remain normal. "Thank you. Are you going to Adam and Kim's wedding?"
Voight had the "no in house romance" rule, but there was now two couples in the unit, so did it really matter anymore?
"Of course. Aren't you and Halstead in it?" Hank was positive they both were. How convenient.
Erin nodded quickly, showing her excitement. "Yes. I'm maid of honor and he is the best man."
"Awesome, kiddo. Is he treating you good?" Hank knew the answer.
"He has been perfect, Hank. Things are going perfect with him. Thank you for accepting us. It means a lot."
Hank nodded. He knew this would happen someday. He was just hoping it never got serious, but je knew a year from now they would be married.
"Hank, do you think I could come back to work on the fifth?" Erin did not want to stay home alone. She wanted to work.
"The eleventh you can. Light duty for a week, then you can be back to full work. Sound good?" Hank compromised. One week was to soon, but two? He could do that.
"Perfect." Slowly Erin realized her life was all falling back into place. Slowly, but surely. She had a dream job, the perfect man, and a great house and food. Erin Lindsey's life was getting better.
Sorry it is so late!! I hope you enjoyed, and please review. DM/ PM me if you have any requests for this story, please! Next chapter will be Thursday. Have a good week!!