I don't own anything.
It was long after all the drama had happened. Approximately four years after she took the job in New York and three years after she came back. Having been transferred to the FBI field office in Chicago per her own request. She turned up at his doorstep on a Saturday morning telling him that she was back for good and that she was sorry about it all. That she would understand if he didn't want to have anything to do with her. He was so stunned he couldn't seem to formulate a coherent sentence it was what made her leave him standing there without saying another word. What was she thinking? That he would welcome her with open arms?
She left the city even the state without saying goodbye and they'd spend a year having a bare minimum of communication. In the end he collected himself enough and confronted her a couple of hours later. She let him ask her every question he had and answered it honestly making sure she wasn't holding back anymore. Deep down hoping he would do the same for her not that she told him that. They didn't jump into anything that day. She let him decide about what they could be and how fast they would be moving. So they rebuild their friendship first and it didn't take long at all because that part had always been easy for them. It seemed like they had a silent agreement to talk more this time around. To open up to each other. This time they really did not just pretend to do so but only ever sharing the superficial stuff. It had them spending late nights talking instead of watching mindless TV or going to Molly's more often than not. They talked about the things that happened before she left, while she was gone and before they even knew each other. About the things that went wrong and the things that were currently happening in their lives. They took every day as it came and didn't talk or think about the future all that much because the past taught them that nobody knew what it had in store for them.
Just friends might have not been what either of them wanted but it's what they needed after a year apart and of course the time they had spent together but somehow still apart. Another year came and went before he confessed that he was ready to me more than just friend again. They had to do it right though.
First dates happened and even though they weren't really first it still felt like it. The fact that they had done all this already didn't change anything about how nervous the both of them were. It's something they laughed about when she told him how she felt. Their pace was slow and they were cautious but it all seemed so much easier now. Obviously they didn't have to be afraid of losing their jobs or to be spotted in public when they were out on a date. There was nothing between them anymore they had laid it all out in the open in the last year.
She was still working undercover a lot but they didn't have to go without seeing each other for more than a week or two. The worry was always there and probably stronger than ever before since they were in fact no longer watching each other's back professionally. They had discussed the possibility of her coming back to Intelligence but she relayed how Hank had told her in no uncertain terms that it wasn't an option.
One thing they never had to worry about not even before were their mutual feelings because they both knew there was nothing that could ever change the spark and more importantly the love they shared. In Fact one day out of the blue she admitted that she knew that she loved him pretty much since the first time they had talked about Wisconsin. That little snippet of information was surprising for both of them. Less surprising though was when he told her that he pretty much loved her since day one.
Erin and Jay were as happy as ever before and to say that things were so much easier was an understatement.
It took her a while to get over the fact that Hank and Jay had grown closer and were almost friendly with each other most of the time that was. Not that she would complain about it though after all they could have Sunday dinner now without Jay being terrified and nervous the whole time. Intelligence and its member were happy for them to have found their way back to each other especially since they had witnessed what being apart did to them. Some of them mostly Antonio and Kim telling them that they were finally where they belonged. The couple enjoyed what they had without thinking about the future too much.
Eventually when the time was right she was the one who approached the subject of them living together. He agreed that they were ready and even though they rarely talked about the future they both knew that they had found the person they wanted to spend the rest of their respective lives with. It's what made them buy a rather big town house in a good neighborhood with great schools and parks. Still they didn't rush anything. They didn't need to because they were both contend with how things were going also knowing that if anything would change one of them would bring it up or make a move to go forward.
Moving it forward was exactly what was on Erin's mind and had been for a few months now. She wasn't sure how to feel about the urge at first that's why she kept it at the back of her mind but these days she could hardly thing about anything else. Even though she definitely wasn't the romantic one in their relationship she made the effort of planning something nice for them and she couldn't help but notice that his ways must've rubbed off on her over the years. She went all the way out and even bought a new dress for the occasion one she was sure he would love. She told Hank into letting him leave early so that they could make it in time for their reservation her father figure just like her boyfriend of course clueless about her plans. Erin could feel herself getting increasingly nervous waiting for the right time. During the evening Jay kept telling her how he couldn't believe that she had become so romantic that she actually planned their evening. Erin had to agree despite her faked annoyance because usually he was the one who did stuff like this. She honestly didn't know why she had never surprised him with dinner plans before and made a mental note to do it every now and then in the future. It would definitely be worth the effort that she knew for sure after seeing the spark in his eyes when she told him to dress up.
Dinner had been amazing and they've been strolling along Lake Michigan hand in hand for about an hour now when she came to a sudden stop. They were able to admire their city's marvelous skyline including Navy Pier from where they were standing just like she planned it.
He looked at her with surprise and concern then probably because of how sudden she had stopped.
"You alright babe?" Jay asked while a frown formed on his face.
"More than alright! I just remembered something important." She could see his curiosity spiking at that and prepared herself what she was going to say next. "Oh yeah?" He stepped closer to her still holding her hand in his.
"I've been thinking a lot lately." She said taking his other hand in her hand, too. Momentarily wondering if she should have chosen different words realizing she must have sounded like she was breaking up with him but she pushed that thought away and continued. "I've been thinking about all the things and moments that lead us to the moment we are in right now. About how it was hard and complicated there for what seemed like the longest time. How I still wouldn't change a thing even do it all again if it means that we would always get back to where we are right now." She had to smile at how adorably confused he looked standing there waiting for her to finish her thoughts somehow sensing that she wasn't done yet. "You know Jay, I would have never thought I would get to this point with anyone instead I always closed myself off when things got to real for me telling myself it would be better that way. But with you it has always been different I have never really been able to do what I got at. I hid from my feeling there for a while but not because I didn't love you. In fact I've never loved anyone as much as I've loved you all this time even during our time apart. I think I was just afraid of being truly happy but I'm not anymore. I haven't been for the long time and I don't want to be ever again. So Mr. Halstead you are my love and you have my heart. What would you say about finally making me your Mrs.?" When she finally finished her monologue she began to wonder if any of it made sense. She gazed into his ocean blue eyes anxiously anticipating his answer even though deep down she knew that there was only one possible outcome. He didn't answer right away just starring at her with a smile on his face it made her playfully push him to get his attention. His smile widens even more even though she thought that wouldn't be possible and she can't help but think to herself that he looks like a kid in the candy store.
"I would love nothing more than for you to become Mrs. Halstead. I love you so much." Now that made her match his smile just before their lips crashed together in a time stopping kiss. As they came up to fill their lungs with air he casted her a serious look. "I hope you didn't think I wouldn't want this." He asked her and his seriousness faded away seeing that the smile never left her face. She shook her head no and that brought his smile back, too. "Er, you are everything to me. If I have you for the rest of my life I will need nothing else to make my life complete because I love you so much that it amazes me sometimes. To be honest I've been thinking about it too a whole lot actually but I love that you asked me it shows how far you've come." She had to close her eyes because of how close she was to letting the tears in her eyes fall. This man was just so good sometimes she wondered if he was even real. She kissed him again and they just stayed there like that in each other's embrace until he tugged at her hands telling her they should get home. He winked at her whispering "I have to show you something." And it leaves her confused on the whole way home. It dawns on her thirty something minutes later when he tells her to wait in the living room while he himself disappeared upstairs only to come back still sporting that huge smile but now presenting a red and gold box to her.
His mother's ring.
He had told her about how he had asked Will to get it for him intending to ask her to marry him back before she left without so much as a goodbye. He also told her how he realized soon after that it hadn't been the right time. She cried but agreed before she confessed that she wasn't sure if she would've said yes back then. Nothing changed between them after they had that conversation because they understood were the other came from.
It had never occurred to her that he had kept the ring all this time and it made her heart beat so much faster inside her chest. He heard the sharp intake of breath when he popped open the lid of the box. It's only a short moment later when she reached out hesitatingly ghosting her fingers over the surface of the diamond and the golden band surrounding it. He watched her as she took it all in tracing the object with her hands and her eyes over and over again. "It's beautiful." Is all she was able to muster still in awe of what she was seeing. "That's why it will fit on your finger perfectly even though it would never be able to out shine your beauty." Jay told her attentively proceeding to take her left hand in his sliding the ring on its rightful spot. They were both admiring the sight that is granted their eyes in that moment. "I've been wanting to see this scene one day." Jay admitted blushing ever so slightly.
"It's more than I could have ever asked for just like you." Erin said when after she found her voice again. "I love you so much. Thank you for this I feel honored to be wearing it. I know how much it means to you" She didn't wait for an answer before she kissed him pouring all her passion, lust and love into it. Not only a minute later he bends to pick her up by the thighs caring her upstairs to their bedroom so they could show each other just how much they were in love.