One Month Later.
"Nothing fits anymore!" Erin screeched as she dug through every single drawer that housed her clothing. "Nothing, nothing, nothing! Not a single shirts, pair of leggings, or bra fits me!" Her hormones had reached a record breaking high, and she still had twelve more weeks until her due date. The month of April had flown by, and now it was reaching mid May, and Erin was twenty six- almost twenty seven, weeks along and she could fit into nothing according to her.
"Erin, calm down, there has to be something." Jay reasoned, watching his overwhelmed wife slam the dresser drawers. Ever since they had gotten back from Arizona a month ago, her hormones had been bipolar. She also grew rapidly, her stomach now apparent to every person. Her cravings had kicked in, now she was addicted to grilled chicken, corn, and peach lemonade tea. That's all she ate. The only bright side was the morning sickness had vanished as of three weeks ago when she hit twenty four weeks.
Erin turned her head around, and sighed loudly as she slammed another drawer. "Well there is nothing! I've gone from a size three to a size seven! Seven Jay! I can't even bend over now, and my breasts hurt all of the time! I'm useless at work. All I do is sit at a desk while you are out there looking all sexy with your thigh holster and kicking criminals' asses and I'm too fat and tired to start anything!"
Jay rushed to her side just in time to muffle her sobs as he pressed her against his chest, combing his fingers through her hair that was letting loose. "Baby, it's okay. I still love you if that helps," He reassured her, cradling her body that was still radiating with sobs. "Just think, in twelve weeks they'll be here. Then you'll be able to fit into all your clothes again, and they'll be here with us, then we all get a week together since I get a week of paternity leave."
Erin's sobs subsided as she stilled in Jay's arms. "I'm sorry, Jay," She rested her head on his chest as they sat in the carpeted floor of the master bedroom. "It's just, my hormones are gone, I'm so big, and my whole body hurts. I just want them to be here already so I can go back to normal," She sniffled as Jay's hand wiped away the strained tears. They remained silent for a few minutes and sat there, rocking back and forth. "Did we agree on a nursery theme for her yet?"
Jay thought for a moment. They already had a theme for their son. Jay and Erin decided on two separate nurseries, knowing each child should have their own room. They settled on a grey and navy blue themed nursery. They ordered two of everything, and each of the children's initials to hang above their nursery crib. "I thought we agreed on a grey, white, and blush pink for her?"
"Oh.. yeah, yeah we did," She stood up with the help of Jay, "I totally forgot. When's the team coming over again?" She walked over to the bed and took a seat on her side, Jay following.
"Around three. I'll leave at two to meet Adam and Antonio at Target so I can pick up the cribs and all the furniture. Then to Babies R Us to pick up the rocking chairs we put on our registry, along with all the other things we got from the shower last week," Jay continued, "It's okay if they come over, right?"
"Yes, yes, of course," She rested her head on Jay and curled into his body, resting her stomach on her bump. "Jax is with Carson, as usual, so yes, it'll be okay. I don't know what time they are dropping him off tonight, or tomorrow, but it'll be okay. I trust him," She groaned as she felt her lower back ache again. It was the result of her growing uterus, preparing for birth according to Dr. Legg. Jay brought his hand to her lower back, pressing his fingers against it to ease the stabbing pain. "It.. it hurts, Jay." Erin complained, clawing her hands into the comforter.
"It's okay, Er. It's okay. A few more minutes and it'll all be done. Do you want to take a warm bath to help?" He asked, removing his hand and resting it on her growing baby bump as she sighed, a sign the pain is gone. She nodded, moving her head to the crook of his neck. He smiled, pressing a kiss against her head.
######
"You guys, seriously, you all are awesome. Thank you," Jay smiled at his friends as he walked into his son's nursery, everything set out and ready to go. The closet was done and decorated, kudos to Burgess for organizing while half of the unit was putting together Quinn's furniture, and the other half was putting together his daughter's. "She's going to love it." Erin had passed out after taking a warm bath, and Jay was not about to wake up his wife who desperately needed sleep.
Quinn's room was a navy and grey theme, throw blankets on the crib, the window protected, the changing table ready, a basket with some baby toys, and the rocker. It was all ready to be used, and there was a breast feeding pump sitting by the rocker. His diaper bag had navy blue and grey strips embroidered onto it, and Quinn's initials, QHH hanging above the crib safely. The area rug had a giraffe on it, and he double stroller was in the closet downstairs by the door, and his carrier was tucked away in the front of the closet that was filled with clothes for his son. It was perfect.
"We'd do anything for you, Halstead." Kevin replied, taking a sip from his provider beer can, standing up and giving Jay a hug. "It's hard to believe in three months they'll be here."
"I know, right?" Jay grinned, excited that in three short months, his children will be here. "I can't wait."
"Chuckles, are you ever going to come look at your daughter's room? It's all ready. Hank really went to work to make sure everything was stabilized for his little granddaughter." Platt walked in with a bottle of water in hand and a washcloth in the other.
Jay chuckled, walking down the hallway to his daughter's room, and it took his breathe away. "Trudy, did you decorate it?" She stood next to Jay and nodded. Jay took in the whole room, that was clearly a theme of grey, navy, and blush pink. The initials EAH hung above her crib, just like her brother's. "This is, wow," Tears were brought to Jay's eyes as he looked over his daughter's nursery. He was speechless. He seriously has the best friends a guy could ever ask for, and he wanted to cry. He never thought that before the age of thirty- which was in a month- he would be married to the best and most breathtaking woman on Earth, have an amazing house and career, have a teenager, and have twins on the way. He was beyond thankful. Jay normally wasn't the man to cry, but when he heard his wife come up next to him and gasp in awe, that's when he pulled her into his arms and let the tears of happiness fall freely. "Thank you."
By now the whole unit was in Jay and Erin's daughter's room, and all smiling and joining into a group hug surrounding the expecting parents.
#####
Even though they were three eighth graders, they still had finals due to their intelligence. Finals were in two weeks, then hello summer for the trio. But, this Saturday night, nobody seemed to care. Jaxton dragged Carson out to one of his older friend's house, Isaac, to 'hang out'. Carson was reluctant on going, knowing what was going to happen, but, as his parents always tell him, be there for your friends. And if Jaxton was going to do some stupid shit, Carson would be there to intervene if he had to.
And thank god he was. It was around ten o clock, and he was hammered. Isaac's parents were both ER nurses/ doctors on the night shift, so Isaac decided to have a few friends over and hang out. Carson refused to drink, so he settled for Sprite. On the other hand, Jaxton completely got drunk and was drinking a variety of whiskey, vodka, beer, and even managed to have three Jell-O shots. What happened to his best friend? Where did they get all the alcohol at? How? He was not about to be a rat, but then as the music was bursting through the heavy speakers, and al the guys were playing air hockey or dancing, four girls walked in, and that's when he saw her.
"Kami? What the hell are you doing here?" Carson hissed as he scrambled over to his sister and pulled her aside, much to her friends likings. She did not need to be here. It was already dangerous, and all of the boys here were at least sophomores, some even juniors. They were wasted and capable of anything. He did not need his sister here to witness it.
"I could ask you the same thing," She narrowed her eyes at her brother's tone, looking around at the area. "But Piper wanted to come here, and so I did. And let me guess, Jaxton is here?" Her eyes filtered through the crowed before landing in the brunette's hair, immediately knowing it was one of her best friends. "Is he plastered?"
Carson nodded disappointedly, before looking back at the girl he now calls his sister. "I haven't had anything. I'm here so if I have to intervene I can."
"You should have intervened when he took his first drink." Kami's eyes widened and she pocketed her cell phone, storming over to Jaxton. The music was blaring, and a few older guys raised their eyebrows at her and she rolled her eyes making her way to Jaxton. "What the hell are you doing?" When he turned around, she slammed his red solo cup to the ground, letting it pool to the hardwood floor. "Jax, you have a life. And your parents are detectives who would so not approve of this and we both know it. Let's go home." She pulled on his hand, leading him to the staircase. "Where the hell did he go?" She looked around, no sign of Carson anywhere. She leaded Jaxton up the stairs and stopped in front of the fridge of Isaac's house. "This will help you sober up. Have you taken any pills?" She turned around and handed Jaxton a water and held onto two ibuprofens. He shook his head, and she dropped the two into his hand.
She turned around, stalling in the fridge, attempting to think of what her next words would be. He had to knock this shit out. He had so much potential, and she would be damned if she let him ruin it. "Jaxton, we need to-" As soon as she turned around, she hit the back of the fridge as Jaxton pushed her against it, his lips slurring on to hers. She pushed him out of the way, slapping his bicep. "What the hell?" She was definitely not expecting that.
He grinned in his drunken state, rubbing his bicep as he drank from his water bottle. "What?" Kami ignored his ignorant comment, and dragged him out of the house, soon finding Carson sitting on the porch.
"Where the hell have you been?" She asked as she took a seat next to him, the chairs vibrating from the music beneath them.
"I called us an Uber," He sighed, running his hand over his face. His parents would kill him. "It's all I got. No way am I letting some drunk person drive us home, and I'm not staying the night," He shifted towards his sister, noticing her state of discomfort. "What's wrong, Kami?"
"Nothing," She replied. She didn't want to talk about it. "When will it be here? We need to get home. We can tell mom and dad we came home late because my friend got sick, and yours, cancelled on you. We'll make it work." They had to. Jaxton was hammered and no way in hell were they going back to Jay and Erin's. That was looking for disaster. Their parents may not even recognize they're home if they keep their doors closed and be extremely quiet.
As the words left her mouth, a black SUV pulled up. "Right now," He turned around as he looked at Jax. "Yep. He's out. Let's hope it stays that way." They got into the car and Carson sat up front. He told the driver their address. The driver didn't talk the whole ten minute ride to their house and thanked him when they got out of the car and handed over the twenty dollar bill.
"We need to be quiet." Carson whispered as he slid an arm around Jaxton to help Kami steady him as they walked up the driveway.
"No dip, Sherlock," Kami shook her head as she typed in the four digit code, unlocking the garage door. She motioned for her brother to go in first and he did as she closed the doors behind him.
They tiptoed up the stairs and into their respective bedrooms, not speaking another word verbally as they slowly closed their doors, slipping into bed as quickly as possible.
#####
His head was pounding. It hurt like shit. He had drank before, but it was never this bad. Jaxton slowly rose to his feet, checking his phone.
Mom: When will you be home?
Dad: Please call me.
He groaned, knowing he most likely should have called them. He replied to them both in their group chat.
I'm at Carson's. Sorry I forgot to reply, I left my phone in the car and it died. I'll be home in a few hours if that's okay?
He shook his head, knowing he was in no state to be calling his parents. He hadn't even heard himself talk. And there was a chance he could get sick on the phone, and he did not need his parents to know what he has been partaking in. The door to Carson's room opened and the stern voice of one of his best friends boomed. "Jax, take these. It'll help," She stood next to him, wearing a T-shirt and shorts. "Can I ask, what the hell are you doing?"
He didn't want to look her in the eye. She was already intimidating him, and he knew he'd break if he looked into her eyes. "Kam, this isn't something we should be talking about." He didn't want her to get mixed up in his family drama and his past.
"Jax," She clenched her hands into fists, attempting to remain her cool. This couldn't, wouldn't, be ignored. She needed to know why he was doing this. "You must tell me. This can't be ignored," She took a seat next to her and wrapped her hand in his. "Jaxton, you can't be doing this. Why are you doing this?"
"Kami!" His voice rose as he pulled his hand from hers. He stood up, looking down at her. "I'm not talking about this with you. I don't have to, and I don't want to! You think you can fix everything, but trust me, you can't. Just be happy you have a good life and focus on that." He slammed the door shut on his way out, leaving Kami even more confused than she was before.
######
"Er, let's go!" Jay hollered through the kitchen. Today was their third of seven classes they were enrolled in for childbirth, recommended by Dr. Legg. He sprinted up the stairs, in fear Erin had fallen asleep again. He walked across the walkway, and into their bedroom to find her in the bathroom, pulling up her hair. "Er, we don't want to be late."
She turned around, moving past her husband and sliding on her sandals. "Jay, calm down, I'm coming." She gripped the railing, walking slowly down the stairs, Jay right behind her.
"Erin, it's okay. I'm not mad." He replied, grabbing the bag from the counter before following her into the garage, closing her car door to the SUV. Since she was out on desk duty, whenever she would drive with someone else, she would ride passenger seat. And now, she didn't really mind looking it the windows at the streets of Chicago.
"It seems like it!" Her voice spoke like thunder, as she reclined back, pulling her shades down as the May sun hit the car. She knew it was most likely her hormones telling her this, and caused her to blow everything out of proportion.
Jay almost argued back, but he knew he still had three months of this. "I love you." He replied as he placed his hand over her, intwining their fingers reassuringly, bringing them to his lips to kiss the lightly.
"I love you, too, Jay," She rubbed her eyes through her sunglasses., looking over at him as he drove. She had meant to talk to him about this earlier. More like, two weeks ago. "Have you talked to Jax?"
Jay shook his head as he felt his adrenaline quicken. "No. He hasn't given me a chance," Jay replied regretfully, turning down the street into the heavy traffic flow. He had confronted Jaxton twice specifically to ask him what the hell was going on, but every time he did, Jaxton seemed to change the subject. "Every time I've tried confronting him, he changes the subject. I'm sorry."
Erin shook her head immediately. "No, no, Jay, it's not your fault. Maybe it'd be best if we both confront him at once. We're a team," She pauses, thinking over her next words carefully. "Do you think he is hiding something from us from last night? It's not like him to not respond, and he definitely couldn't leave his phone in the car. He's on that ting twenty four seven and it's attached to his hip."
Jay tried to think of a response to defend their son, but he had failed. He didn't have a good reason to defend him. And as much as he hates to admit it, Jay knew something was off last night, and now they had to intervene and find out what exactly their son was doing before it got to bad.
But, it already was bad.
And it was just about to get worse.