A/N 1: I was running dry on ideas for my other story, so I wrote this from a quote I read. "It's the hardest thing to love something death can touch." Hence the name. Now, I am going to keep this short because I fear I am going to become pummeled by the few readers that actually do still read my stuff.

Warning – No beta's and no time for research with this one.

Disclaimer – Bubbles and I are extremely …eh, what's the word for it? Sadistic? Depressed? Either way some of you are not going to like this story in the slightest. We also don't own anything that even begins to resemble Chicago, so ENJOY!

CHICAGO PD

Halsteads breaths gargled in his chest, like he was cleaning his mouth with mouth wash. Only this time, he was painting his mouth in the crimson colored blood. He smiled up at Erin reassuringly as he held her right hand, her left combed his hair as she worked to make him comfortable while Voight and Olinsky worked on keeping him alive.

"You wan-want to know s'mthing?" Halstead slurred as his dimmed but gorgeous eyes looked up at her tearful and red eyes. He smiled a mischievous smile, as if his hand had been caught in the cookie jar.

Erin shrugged. "What?" She whispered so that only he could hear, a teary eyed smile played at her lips. She had figured if she spoke any louder, her voice would crack.

"I d'int wake up thinking I w's g'ing to die today."

Erin looked back as Voight and Olinsky quieted while they stared at the ailing detectives wound seriously. Erin still couldn't hear the tell-tale sign of the ambulance, and Halstead was more grey than ghostly pale. It was then that she knew that Detective Jay Halstead might not make it to tomorrow.

"Don't talk like that. It's strictly forbidden." Erin cleared her throat as a tear finally made its way slowly down her face and to her chin, where it dribbled onto her folded knees.

Halstead smiled as he turned his head slightly as he looked to Antonio who held his other hand. "I n'ver got to have a f'mly. You take care of yours." Antonio's head shook slightly as he soaked in the dying man's request. Antonio smiled reassuringly as he squeezed his own reassurances. Without turning his head, Jay continued. "Same for you Al'in."

Alvin turned as he heard the resemblance to his name. "Don't you quit on us now. You're stronger than that."

"Stronger t'an death?" Halstead chuckled a wet chuckle, than coughed a wet cough. Speckles of blood spotted his lips, and the puddle of blood that was steadily growing on the warehouse floor grew a little bit more. Ruzek was outside directing cops and waiting for the ambulance as the warehouse district was being swept for the man who had run a piece of rebar through Halsteads chest.

"Erin, Halstead. Status?" Voight's rough voice asked over the com link.

"Still very much single." Halstead replied without missing a beat. Erin bit her lip to keep from laughing as Halstead turned the next right and Erin followed. They could hear the audible growl from the other end of the links, and Erin quickly replied with a quick 'clear.'

The room was vast and empty. The windows sat a few feet away and they looked over the river three stories below. Erin walked to the crated boxes while Halstead looked through the windows, looking for any way that the man they were searching for, Vasquez DeMarcus, could have escaped quietly.

It was at that moment that Mr. DeMarcus made his presence known as he charged Halstead, his head lowered and arms holding a rebar pole out in front of him. Halstead turned as Erin called out, only to be shoved against the wall as Vasquez crashed through the window and into the river below. Erin ran to the window and looked down at the vanishing ripples, her gun pointed in the same direction.

"Lindsay, Halstead. Status, now!" Erin shook her head at Voight's demanding voice in her ear.

"Jumped into the river. Knocked the breath out of Halstead..." Erin finally turned to her partner who stared wide eyed back at her.

"Halstead?" Erin watched as he looked down at his chest and at the piece of rebar that sat embedded in him, near his heart. "Halstead!"

"Halstead? What's your status?" Voight demanded urgently, his breaths pounding in Erin's ears as Voight began to run to the partners position. Erin walked over to Halstead slowly, almost afraid to touch him.

Olinsky and Voight burst into the room as Erin reached Halstead. Halstead looked over to his boss and his knees buckled. "I think I have a problem."

Erin grabbed under his shoulders and slowly lowered him to the ground as Olinsky and Voight rushed to help, Antonio following moments later. "Officer down. I repeat, Officer down!".

Olinsky shrugged as his emotions began to get the best of him. "Tell the r'kie he did good." Halstead murmured as he fought to keep his eyes open.

Voight pressed down on the wound, causing Halstead to groan as his eyes flew open. "Keep your eyes open you stubborn son of a bitch." Halstead grinned vaguely.

"Take care of 'Rin." Halstead replied. With his last bit of strength, Halstead tilted his head back to Erin. "I never did not love you."

"I love you too Halstead, you hang on you hear me?" Halstead nodded, than grimaced as his eyes flew shut, riding out another wave of pain. Quickly, Halsteads breathing died down to a couple of gasps, than silenced, all in a matter of moments.

"Halstead?" Erin whispered, tightening her hold on his hand. The hand remained limp as Voight began breathing harder from behind her. She turned to look and saw him doing compressions above Jays heart.

"No, no, no, no, no! Damn it Halstead, open your eyes!" Erin turned back to Halsteads lax face and begged. She began to shake as she brought her hands to caress his beautiful face. She heard Voight whispering his own words to Halstead. Antonio held Halsteads hand tightly for a moment than got up as Voight and Olinsky traded places. Antonio paced as Erin began to sob. Voight got up and ran his fist through the dry wall as his emotions threatened to show.

Several sets of footsteps pounded their way up the stairs as Ruzek ran into the room, out of breath. "Medics are-"

Ruzek looked at Antonio's pacing, Voight's display of anger, then he looked at Olinsky doing compressions roughly against Halsteads chest and found himself stopping short. He looked to Erin as she continued to hold Halsteads face in her hands and sob.

The medics rushed by the frozen Ruzek and straight to Halsteads lifeless body. They pushed Olinsky away as they began to do their job.

Minutes that felt like hours later, Halstead was loaded up and taken to the awaiting ambulance, that sped its way to the hospital, Erin never leaving Halsteads side.

The rest of the team stayed behind, searching for anything that could help the dive team find Vasquez.

Three hours later, Voight reached into his pocket as his phone began to buzz. Seeing an unrecognizable number, he answered it.

"Voi-"

"He's gone Voight. They, um, they called him. He's dead." Erin's hoarse voice whispered over the phone.

Voight put a fist up to his mouth as Ruzek, Olinsky, and Antonio, along with an assortment of officers looked to Voight. Voight shook his head slightly and heads were dropped as Antonio slid his way down the nearest wall, putting his arms on his knees and hid his head in his knees. Ruzek walked away, than picked up the pace as he ran out the nearest exit. Olinsky ran after Ruzek, and Voight bit his fist harder.

"Its the hardest thing to love someone who can be touched by death." Voight recited as he turned away from the group and headed for an exit, than hung up the phone as he walked away into the Chicago night.

CHICAGO PD

A/N 2: So how did you guys fair? Do I still need to hide and cower? Yes? OK, bye bye!