It's been three weeks since Jay moved into Erin's apartment. She and Jay have settled into a pretty good routine. Every morning Jay would get up first and hop in the shower, while Erin would get up and make both of them coffee. Every night, Jay would wash the dishes (something he learned Erin hated to do) while she showered. Erin had always been a night owl, so after her shower she would return to the living room to watch TV while Jay got ready for bed. Most nights Jay would be asleep before she climbed into bed.
Tonight was different. Erin entered the bedroom that she now shared with Jay and was surprised to see him still awake, sitting against the head board. Today had been fairly easy considering the cases the Intelligence Unit usually handled. A lead played out, the team suited up, and the criminal they were after was arrested without a fight so she knew it wasn't the case that was weighing on his mind.
Erin hopped into bed and turned off her light before rolling over to face him. "Are you okay?" she asked. "You've been acting weird since we got back to the bull pen after we brought Sanchez in."
His returning question caught her off guard. "You know you're beautiful right?"
Erin's eyes reflected her confusion at his question. "I don't know..." she started, "why do you ask?" "
Jay slid down so his face was even with hers. "When we arrested Sanchez, he asked if you could be the one to pat him down because you were 'the most beautiful woman' he'd ever laid eyes on and you told him if you were the most beautiful woman he'd seen, he needed to get out more. You sounded like you really meant that."
"Huh. I guess I do feel like that sometimes." Erin answered. "Most of the time while I was growing up, I felt like I wasn't good enough, pretty enough, smart enough, you know… being a street kid takes a toll on your self esteem. Why is this bothering you?"
Jay reached out to cup her cheek. "I want you to know, you are the most beautiful woman I've ever met. But more than that, I think you're amazing. You're kind and brave and smart. And a kick-ass partner."
Erin stared at Jay in wonder before giving him a brief kiss. "Thank you." She whispered. Her words did not seem to be enough to convey how touched she was that he thought so highly of her.
It was like a weight had been lifted off Jay's shoulders and suddenly he could not contain the yawn that escaped him. With a quick kiss to her forehead, he rolled over to turn off the light. By the time he rolled back Erin was in her normal sleeping position: back towards him, pillow hugged to her chest, one foot under the covers and one foot on top. Jay cuddled up behind her and pulled her close. While it had only been three weeks since he moved in, he already couldn't remember what it was like to sleep without her in his arms. He was almost asleep when he heard Erin speak again. "If I haven't told you yet, I'm really glad you moved in."
Authors Note: This is a ONESHOT. Hopefully with the Chicago shows starting back with new episodes next week, I will be inspired to get back to writing.