"Watch where you're walking, Jerk!" the woman screamed after him and it shook him to his bones.
Jay Halstead had a bad day. Basically he had 'bad days' for a long time now. Although, he wouldn't describe them as bad days since there are only a few bad days that really stick out as 'bad' to him. He wasn't one to simply call a day a 'bad day' just because he missed a flight or his boss was pissed at him.
For Jay Halstead, a bad day was a day that'd change his life, in a bad way. And if someone would ask him, he'd answer that he only had 3 bad days in his life. Although he'd never talk about those to someone. He does to himself. Everyday, actually.
He'd blame himself for not being able to change anything about what happened, have a drink and go to bed. Sometimes alone, sometimes with some random girl to distract himself. Which in fact never really worked.
The first one of those 3 days was the day he lost his mother. He never felt as helpless as he did on that day. Watching how the life got sucked out of the wonderful woman that raised him. The woman that loved him no matter what and the woman he desperately would've needed on the other two bad days he has had.
The second day was the day he had to watch a convoy filled with his best friends explode into a huge ash cloud. Him and his friend mouse being the only ones that survived that day. His friend Mouse that, even after witnessing something like that, went back there to fight a few years ago. It broke Jay's heart when Mouse told him he'd go back to that place, risk his life on a daily basis. Jay always had to laugh when he thought about the fact that he's actually doing the same thing. But he other than Mouse always had backup. A backup that he'd trust blindly with his life everyday. At least he had, until day three happened.
The third bad day in Jay Halsteads life was the day he had lost his partner, the love of his life and his best friend in the same night. Erin Lindsay.
The person he'd trusted more than anyone else in the world. The only person that was able to make him feel alive. The person that made him happy. The person he wanted to ask to marry him that exact night because he couldn't imagine a life without her. The person he wanted to grow old and have kids with in an old little cabin in Wisconsin. The person that would complain about bugs and mosquitoes and the smell just to make a point. And he'd be fine with it because he'd know that she'd secretly love all of it but she'd never admit it. His person. His perfect match.
Those are the three days that Jay Halstead would consider as 'bad days'. Him currently running after someone who snatched his wallet out of his hands? Not so much.
"Stop! Chicago PD!" Jay screams unable to catch up. He was in a good shape but his recent lifestyle is obviously not good for his health. He runs through a little crowd of tourists gently pushing people out of his way. He knows he has to run faster or he won't get his wallet back. He starts running faster after passing the crowd of tourists. A woman comes into his sight and before he can react he runs into her. "I'm so sorry!" He screams while starting to run again.
"Watch where you're walking, jerk!" She spits out, clearly pissed.
As he hears those words he instantly stops and is shook to his bones. His heart drops and he knows exactly who he just ran into. He has to turn around because he can't believe his own ears. On the other hand, he'd recognize her voice out of a million others anytime. He slowly turns around knowing he's not prepared to see her face.
He patently watches her fixing her clothes and picking up what she must've dropped when he'd run into her. She could feel his gaze and just spits, "Do I look like a museum to you?!" while finally looking up at him. She froze for a second as a million emotions run through her body.
"Erin?" He asks, his voice shaking.
She snaps back into reality and immediately has the same cold look from one minute ago on her face.
"Anything I can help you with?" She asks dull, her voice without any emotion. He knows that sound in her voice and his heart breaks once again, thinking about the last time he heard her talk like that.
"What do you want, Jay?" He is confused. He doesn't know who that person in front of him is. Her voice without any emotion. He just sees the shell of the woman he loves. The woman that used to have his back. The woman that he woke up with after long nights of pizza, beer and scrabble. The woman he was in love with. It hurt him to see her like that.
"I want to hear you say it."
She hesitates, "Say what?"
She knows what he wants to hear and isn't sure how much longer she'll be able to keep up her facade and not break down right there in front of him.
"That you're no longer my partner, that you're throwing it all away. Look me in the eye, tell me it's over." He says, his gaze steady on her. She prepares herself to look into his eyes and be crushed. She turns her head to look at him.
"Are you done talking?" Is all she can get out. His heart aching as he hears her voice like that, without the slightest bit of emotion.
"I don't know who you are, but tell Lindsay she made me a better cop...if you ever see her again."
Her reply confused him so he decides to continue talking.
"How long has it been since...?" He asks and she breathes out a simple laugh.
"Since you left me for your wife?" She asks as if it was a joke. He looks at her in disbelief. Did she really just say that into his face? Slightly starting to feel a little anger raising inside of him.
"Not the total truth but ok." He mumbles trying not to show her how much that comment hurt him.
"Jay, the only thing I'm counting are pills. Not the days since you left me, ok?" She states like it's never been different. Causing his heart to drop once again. Of course, he thought almost mad at himself for noticing it only now, she looks like a wreck. Ripped jeans, dark circles under her eyes, no make up, messy hair. Erin Lindsay was back to her old habits.
"Of course. I left you." He says quietly with a bit of sarcasm. Because there's nothing else he can think about.
"In fact you did." She spit out. Blaming him for everything that lead her to this point in her life. Feeling all the anger she made herself forget about coming to the surface.
"Speaking of the whole you being married/leaving part..." he suddenly notices her eyes being filled with emotions and before he has the chance to react, he sees her hand flying into his direction, slapping him hard "Asshole!"
She turns around and leaves him there, mouth wide open in shock because of the hurricane that just passed over him. The hurricane that is Erin Lindsay.