"Erin." She barely heard what Jay was saying as they sit at a table at Molly's after shift. It had been a really tough day. Tough and long and all Erin wanted to do was go home and go to bed. The unit had insisted on her coming with them to Molly's to wind down after the day and she said yes, wanting to be with her boyfriend and their co-worker who didn't even know they were together. But since she got there and the bar started to fill up with it's usual loud Friday night crowd, her anxiety started up. She thought back on the bust.
They were meant to go in on a C.I. tip and arrest and man dealing dirty drugs to teenagers. Already a touchy subject for Erin, she wanted nothing more than to get this man and his bad dope off the streets as soon as possible. As they were getting ready to move in on the man, he made the unit and started firing at them, in the middle of the street. Erin ran after him as he took off and during the small tussle they got into, his gun went off and it hit a young girl walking past the cops. Jay ran over to cuff the dealer and Erin ran over to see if the girl was okay and all she saw was the daughters mother holding her lifeless daughters body in her arms.
She couldn't get the image out of her head. The look her mother had given her. If she hadn't have been so careless. If she would've just waited for the unit to help. If she hadn't had jumped the gun and ran after him, that little girl would still be alive. "Erin." Jay's soft voice caught her attention over the loud noise of people talking. "Yeah?" she said softly. "Are you okay? You haven't talked much tonight, or even touched your drink." he gave her a worried look, knowing how much today had bothered her. She started to nod, but then said, "No. Jay, I think I'm just gonna go home." he gave her a sad smile and made to get up, but she touched his arm. "I'm just gonna walk. You stay here and have fun, alright. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Erin, you don't have to walk, I'll take you home." he said, reaching for his keys. She shook her head. "Seriously, Jay. It's nice out tonight, I'll just walk. I'm fine, really. I just need some air, maybe that'll help a little bit." He slowly nodded and took his hand out of his pocket. She touched his cheek quickly, making sure no one was looking and bid the unit goodbye.
"You heading out, Lindsay?" Gabby said from behind the bar as she walked towards the door. Erin nodded. "Got a little banged around on today's bust, and I'm gonna take off and get some sleep." Gabby nodded and Erin made her way out the door. As the crisp spring air touched her cheeks, she started to feel better, her heartbeat slowing itself back to normal.
She stood on the corner taking in the fresh air in her lungs and looked around, seeing the sidewalks were empty. Not a person in sight. I bet they're all inside. She thought to herself. She was about to start walking towards her apartment when her phone buzzed. She reached in her pocket and took it out.
Jay:
Be careful. Text me when you get home so I know you're safe.
She smiled at the text. She debated going back inside to be with him, but she knew after the day she had, she needed to be alone for a little while. Finally, she stepped off the curb and made her way across the street. For the first time since they got back from the bust, Erin found herself not thinking of the girl and the tragedy. But of Jay. The way he made sure she was okay, the way he let her cry on him in the car. He cared for her so much and she for him. She didn't want to admit it to herself, but it all hit her like a ton of bricks, so hard she stopped in her tracks. She loved him. She was in love with her partner, Jay Halstead. She was so deeply in love with him that suddenly, keeping their relationship a secret from not only Voight and the unit but the world... It didn't matter anymore. She didn't want to play this stupid game anymore. She wanted to run to him and tell him how much she loves him.
A smile came to her face and she turned her heel and made her way back across the street. And as quickly as the realization of her love for him hit her, she heard a loud noise, a noise she knew much to well. She felt a searing pain in her abdomen, enough to make her stop and grab her stomach. When she felt the wetness of her shirt as she touched the point of pain, she came upon her worst fear.
A second loud noise filled her ears and the same pain hit her shoulder like a rocket and she felt herself falling. Her back hit the pavement and she felt her head bounce off the ground. And she lay on the floor still. She heard a fit of voices, all unrecognizable. Before she was able to see who it was, the world started to spin and it all went black.