He's My Son

by DetLindSLAY

After a double homicide in Humboldt Park, Intelligence discovers four kids have gone missing, including six-month-old Henry, the son of Erin Lindsay and Jay Halstead. With no leads to go on, what rules is Intelligence willing to break to bring these kids home to their families, as well as one of their own?

A/N: So, I wrote this quite a long time ago. Actually it was so long ago that Linstead hadn't ever actually been a thing yet. I wrote this back in December of 2014, so it was just a few weeks before Linstead became official. However, the idea was in my head LONG before I wrote this. Personally, I believe Erin will never be pregnant on the show (for a number of reasons, which I don't feel like getting into). However, I've always wondered what it would be like if Linstead were parents, but not really together, if that makes sense. I'd like to think they'd have a son, and name him after Voight, so that's where the first name Henry came from, and I thought it would be nice to pay homage to Ben Corson by making his middle name Benjamin. THUS, Henry Benjamin Halstead was born. Quite literally, actually. Anyway. The idea had come into my head, and I wondered what it would be like if Intelligence had to work a case that ended up involving Linstead in ways they could never imagine. Hence, the fanfic. This is a bit of a long one, so strap in, make some popcorn, get comfy, and (hopefully) enjoy.

I wanted to set this up a bit like an actual episode, which is why you'll see the scene breaks and where I would interject commercials, if this were really a thing. But anyway, enough from me. Go on and read.

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"Hey," Jay smiled, zipping his jacket as he walked through the door of Erin's apartment. He saw his partner and six month old son, Henry Benjamin Halstead, sitting on the floor together.

"Hey." Erin smiled back. "Benji and I were just waiting for Carla to get here so mommy and daddy can go to work. Isn't that right?" Erin said, her voice slowly changing from normal to baby-like. Henry slammed his arms down, giggling at his mom's silly voice. "Yeah... yeah." Erin continued to smile at her baby. Jay got down on the floor with both of them and Erin turned her attention to him. "I've been trying to get him to say 'mama' all morning, but somebody's being silly. Isn't he? Yes he is."

"What's wrong with 'dada'?" Jay asked.

"Nothing. It just isn't 'mama'." Erin said, turning back to Henry.

"Now who's being silly?" Jay asked, picking up his son. Henry giggled as he was lifted into the air. "Man, how'd we end up with such a happy baby?"

Erin got up off the floor. "Well, you see, sometimes a mommy and a daddy go out for drinks after work, and they get really, really drunk and then-"

"Alright, alright." Jay laughed.

Erin walked up to the two of them, and smiled at her precious son. "He is happy." Henry smiled wide back at his mom. "He's teething though, so he been a little fussy lately."

"You cutting a tooth, bud?" Jay asked, putting his finger on Henry's gums. "He's taking it like a champ."

"Yeah... he's a champ." Erin smiled. They both stood there, admiring their sweet baby boy. Their quiet moment was interrupted by a knock at the door. They turned their attention to the door and smiled when they saw their babysitter, Carla.

"Hey," Carla smiled when she saw them with Henry. "How's he doing today? His fever go down?"

"Yep. His tooth doesn't seem to be bothering him too much today." Erin smiled, taking her baby from Jay and giving him to Carla.

"That's good." Henry squealed happily when he was in Carla's arms.

"Alright, we're gonna go. You know the routine." Erin said, grabbing her keys.

"Don't worry about us. We'll be fine. Won't we?" Carla said, smiling at little Henry. Henry heard the sound of Erin's keys and started to fuss, knowing his parents were getting ready to leave. Erin walked back over to him, and picked his pacifier off the counter. She popped it in his mouth and Carla laughed when she saw it was a mustache pacifier. Henry stopped crying instantly.

"Jay picked it out." Erin chuckled, finding it amusing herself.

"And I'm glad I did." He grinned.

"Okay, you have everything you need. We'll be back later tonight." Erin put her hands on her son's face and kissed his head. "I love you, baby boy." She smiled. Jay did the same as Erin headed toward the door. "Have fun, you too."

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Erin and Jay headed inside the district walking past Platt. She caught them walking in and stopped them. "Halstead. Lindsay." They stopped in their tracks. "How's the kid?"

"He's great." Erin answered as they approached her.

"Good. Listen, my niece has been looking to make some quick cash, so if the two of you ever need a sitter, you let me know."

"Your niece?" Jay asked.

"Yeah, what about it?" Platt asked.

"Well, you don't talk about your family. I just... didn't know you had a niece." Jay grinned.

"She's related by marriage."

"Who's marriage?"

"Do you need a sitter or not?"

"We actually already have somebody." Erin said, laughing at the situation.

"What's her name?" Platt asked. Erin gave her a judgmental look. "What? You can't be too careful."

"You're not running our babysitter through the criminal database. She's nineteen."

"Well, you never know these days. I'm just looking out for your kid."

"We appreciate it, thanks. We'll let you know." Erin and Jay started heading upstairs.

"Hope that kid doesn't grow up looking like you, Halstead." Platt blurted, just as they were heading up. The look on Jay's face showed he was confused and offended all at the same time.

As they reached the top of the stairs, the rest of the gang was already getting ready to head out the door.

"What's going on?" Erin asked, everyone else in a rush.

"Double homicide at Humboldt park." Antonio said, putting his jacket on as he rushed past them. Everyone had rushed past Erin and Jay except Voight, who had stopped in front of them.

He had a somber look on his face. He paused for a moment. "Four kids were abducted".

When Erin and Jay would normally take news like that as a challenge, to catch the killer, this time, a feeling of fear overtook them both, being new parents.

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"What happened?" Voight asked, approaching the crime scene with the rest of the unit behind him.

The first officer on the scene explained what happened. "Suspect came up and tried to grab this girl. A man, we're guessing the father, fought back and was shot in the head. Witnesses say a young woman tried to stop him as well and he shot her twice. Once in the head, and once in the chest. He got away with four young kids." Everyone's heads lowered. "Families here are rattled... shaken. Parents are without their children. If there was ever a time to catch a criminal... now's the time."

"Alright. Ruzek, Atwater, make your way around the perimeter, give people your cards. If they saw anything, we wanna know. We'll take a look around, get any information that we can." The rest of them, headed closer into the crime scene, where the grieving parents stood, and the fallen bodies lay. They headed over to take a look at the bodies, covered by sheets.

Antonio took one of the sheets and lifted it up, revealing the body of an older man. "There's the girl's father." Voight, nearby, lifted the other sheet. Erin's face went pale. She looked at the lifeless body, and was completely stunned.

"Oh my God..." Erin choked on her words. That is when she saw, lying next to the body, a mustache pacifier. "Jay...!" Jay came over and was also stunned. They had realized Carla was the one lying under the sheet. And Henry was nowhere to be seen.

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MISSING 25 MINUTES

Back at the district, Erin, Jay, and Voight talked in the Commander's office. Or rather, yelled.

"You don't understand-!"

"This is ridiculous-!"

"Are you kidding me-!" Erin and Jay yelled over one another.

"That's enough." Commander Fisher ordered. "You're all off the case, and that's final."

"But our son is out there! Are you telling me-!"

"I understand what you're going through-" The commander tried to assure them.

"I don't think you do." Erin fired back.

"Your reasons behind working this case, albeit understandable, are exactly the reasons you shouldn't be involved." He explained.

"With all due respect Commander, this guy got away with four kids and murdering two innocent people. No other unit is better equipped to handle this." Voight added.

"And I agree with you. But that doesn't change the fact that you two have a personal interest in this case." He said, turning to Erin and Jay.

"All the more reason we should take this case on."

"This isn't a discussion, Hank. It's being handed over to Major Crimes. End of story." With that said, Erin stormed out of the office, slamming the door. Jay followed after her.

"Commander..." Voight said, his tone softening. "Their son is only six months old... if this guy plans on doing something to those kids... that's gonna be on your head, you understand that, right? Let Intelligence take this case. I give you my word that those two won't be involved."

"Your word?"

"Isn't that enough?"

Commander Fisher considered this. "I want them both doing meaningless paperwork until you close this case, you understand? They aren't to know any of the details surrounding the case, either."

"Done."

"If I find out otherwise-"

"You won't... you have my word." He emphasized again, as he headed out the door.

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MISSING 25 MINUTES

"Erin. Erin! Hey, slow down." Jay said, trying to catch her. Now, just outside of the district, Erin tried to wrap her head around things. Tears welled up in her eyes. "This isn't over. Voight's not gonna let Commander Fisher stop him, you know that, right?"

"He has our son, Jay." Erin said, her voice cracking.

"I know."

"Our baby."

"I know. We're gonna get him." He assured her, still not believing that statement himself. "We're gonna get him." He said, wrapping her arms around her. "This guy doesn't stand a chance."

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MISSING 40 MINUTES

Antonio put a picture up on the board. "Elizabeth Edwards, 13." He put up another picture. "Tommy Garcia, 9." Then another. "Ashley Kent, 4." And the last one. He hesitated. "Henry Halstead... 6 months."

Erin and Jay's heads both lowered, those words hitting them in the gut.

"Witnesses say they saw a man in a dark coat and sunglasses trying to grab Elizabeth when her father, Mark Edwards, tried to stop him. The kidnapper stopped him with a bullet to the head. Then he took off with the other three kids."

"And the other victim?" Voight asked.

"Carla Jacobs. Shot once in the head, and once in the chest when she was trying to fight off the kidnapper. How long was she sitting for you guys?" Antonio asked.

"Uh... th-three... f-four...?" Erin tried to remember.

"Four months." Jay said.

"Well, we ran her name, and we got nothing. She's never been arrested, never even had an unpaid parking ticket. She's clean... Mark Edwards on the other hand-" Antonio put up a picture of Mark. "He's as dirty as they come. He's got a list of priors that go back to the time he was sixteen. Did a stint up at MCC for aggravated assault, then suddenly he went off the grid. That was about fourteen years ago, around the time his daughter was born. He's been on the straight and narrow ever since."

"Makes sense." Adam interjected. "The guy wanted to turn his life around for his daughter."

"So we're thinking the suspect is someone from Edwards' past that wanted to get payback." Voight stated.

"But that don't explain why he took the other three kids." Atwater added.

"Or why he shot Carla." Jay added.

"So... where do we go from here?" Voight asked.

"All we've got is the witness statement that says he put the kids in a white van." Antonio responded.

"We handed out our cards to everyone around the scene. All we can do is hope they call. And we can't go back and interview every person that was in the park; there's no way. That place was packed." Adam added.

"Maybe not, but we can interview the parents; see what they know." Voight said standing up. "Ruzek and Atwater, you take The Garcias. Alvin and Antonio, you go talk to the Kents. I've got Miss Edwards."

"What about us?" Jay asked as everyone started to head out.

"You two stay put." He said.

"Hank." Erin pushed.

"Commander Fisher wants to take this case from us. None of us want that to happen. As far as he knows, you two aren't involved. It'll make it a hell of a lot more believable if you two aren't leaving the district when you're supposed to be doing paperwork. So for now, just stay put."

Erin and Jay looked at each other, alone in the room, feeling utterly helpless.

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MISSING 1 HOUR

Ruzek and Atwater sat at the home of the Garcia's. Sitting a little too close for comfort on the couch in the living room. Tommy's parents sat across from them, the mother crying, the father, holding back tears.

"Tommy was grounded for eavesdropping over the phone. He was so bored being stuck in the house; he was dying to go to the park. He's usually such a good boy, so we caved and decided to let him go." Mrs. Garcia said, holding her husband's hand.

"What did you see, Mrs. Garcia?" Adam asked.

"I don't remember. It all happened so fast..." She tried to recall the incident. "I was sitting on a bench across the park... he was on the monkey bars... then I heard a scream... then some gunshots... and more screaming. I ran over, but everyone else was scattering. I couldn't find Tommy..."

"Did you see the van that took off?" Atwater asked.

"No, I wasn't looking for a van, I was just trying to find Tommy. I didn't know what had happened... We shouldn't have let him go," she cried.

"I should've been there." Mr. Garcia argued back.

"There wasn't anything either of you could've done." Adam told them. "It was just the wrong place at the wrong time. But we're gonna get him back, I promise you that. We've got good people on this."

"Good people?" Mr. Garcia asked, his voice hinting with anger.

"The best." Atwater assured.

"Yeah, well, your 'good people', weren't there to stop this maniac. Kids are getting kidnapped all over the city, and you have the nerve to tell me that you're gonna find my son? To promise that?!"

"Sir-" Adam started, to calm him down.

"No!" Mr. Garcia stood up. "We don't know anything. You should be out there finding the guys that do know. Please leave now. And leave us alone." Adam and Kevin gave each other a look, knowing there was nothing more they could do there.

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MISSING 1 HOUR

"I'm sorry for what happened to your husband." Voight said, eyeing the silent widow.

Mrs. Edwards stood in the kitchen, making coffee. Voight sat at the bar, watching her. She wiped a tear from her eye. "My son Bryan is only 6. I stayed home with him today because he had a temperature. But we were all going to go to the park to celebrate Elizabeth going into high school, then we were going to get ice cream. Mark said he would take her because she deserved to have a good time. I'm sure you know about my husband's history..." She handed a mug to Voight.

"We do. But we don't believe this had anything to do with him."

"Why else would this have happened?"

"We don't know. But we're going to figure it out, and when we do… I'm gonna buy her that ice cream."

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MISSING 1 HOUR

"If there's anything else you can think of, it would really help us with this case." Antonio said, standing in the living room of the Kent's.

"We already told the other officers what happened." Mrs. Kent said.

"We just wanna make sure we have all the facts." Olinsky said in his completely calm demeanor.

"We weren't there..." Mr. Kent began. "Ashley was at a play date with some other kids."

"If you could give us the names of the other kids and parents, that would really help us out." Antonio said.

"Of course." Mrs. Kent said, getting up to retrieve her address book.

"Ashley's only four." Mr. Kent said. "Do you have children detectives?" They both nodded. "Then you can imagine what we're going through right now."

"Actually... we can't." Antonio said, completely unable to imagine the grief all of these parents, Erin and Jay included, must be feeling.

"Good." Mrs. Kent said, handing Antonio the address book. "Find the bastard."

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MISSING 1 HOUR, 15 MINUTES

Back at the district, the gang gathered around to relay all the information they had.

"Alright," Voight said, taking his jacket off. "What do we know so far?"

"Well, the Garcia's made it very clear that they don't want to see or hear from us again until we find their son." Adam said, leaning back in his chair.

"What did you get from Mrs. Edwards?" Olisnky asked.

"Not much. Her husband may have not been involved, but that doesn't mean someone connected to him wasn't. Run her name through the database too."

"You should run the daughter too." Erin added. They all looked at her. "These days you never know."

"Good point." Voight said.

"Mrs. Kent gave us the list of names of the kids and parents that were at the park with Ashley." Antonio added.

"Sounds like we've got a lot of suspects." Adam said. The phone rang, and Nadia was quick to answer it, hoping it was a lead.

"Run everybody." Voight said, the case already taking a toll on him. "We don't have any room for error on this one."

"Erin and I checked to see if there were any unmarked vans on the lot or stolen. We called the dmvs to see if any white vans came in, or if there were any stranded... no dice. It would be helpful if we had a partial plate." Jay said.

"It would be helpful if we had a name." Voight interjected. He sighed, not understanding how they didn't know more at this point. "Run those names, let's see what pops up." He headed back into his office. Nadia hung up the call and slowly walked over to Erin and Jay.

"Um... Erin?" She said, timid.

"Yeah, what?" Erin asked, preoccupied.

"Uh... that was the morgue." Erin's eyes shot up immediately. "They wanted you and Jay to come down."

"Did they say what for?" Jay asked.

"No. They just said it was important." Erin and Jay gave each other a look, expecting the worst.

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MISSING 1 HOUR, 40 MINUTES

Erin and Jay stood in the morgue, looking down at the cold, lifeless body of their late babysitter. A young life was lost senselessly, and they wanted nothing more than to know why. "She fought back?" Erin asked, not once taking her eyes off her friend.

"She did," the mortician said. "Fought hard too."

"How can you tell?" Jay asked.

"I found skin cells and blood under her fingernails. But the alleles didn't match up to her DNA. So she scratched the perp, and because there's blood, I can tell she fought back hard. I figure you two would like to run the DNA to see if there's a match in the system."

"Thank you. That's a huge help." Erin said, finally feeling like they were getting somewhere.

"Oh, one more thing, your perp's a blonde." Erin and Jay both looked at her, confused as to how she knew that. "There was a blonde eyelash under her nails, so you're looking for someone with a pretty deep scratch on their eye." As they headed out, Erin stopped for a moment. She turned around, her eyes soft.

"Did you notify her parents?" She asked.

"Yes... they're on their way now."

"Thank you." Erin nodded.

"I'm sorry about your son..." She said, sympathizing with Erin and Jay. "Catch the guy."

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MISSING 2 HOURS, 35 MINUTES

Jay stood outside, the brisk cold nipping his skin. He leaned against the wall, with a cigarette in hand. Antonio came outside and stood next to his friend.

"Since when do you smoke?" Antonio asked.

"I used to smoke in the military..." Jay said, taking a puff. "I hate it."

"Oh, well, that explains why you're smoking now." Antonio joked, but in a serious tone.

"She was nineteen... Carla. She was studying to get a bioengineering degree... She was a good kid. And now she's dead."

"Jay, we see this kind of thing all the time."

"I know... So why does it hurt so much?"

"Because you're a father." Jay looked at Antonio, wanting nothing more than to break down in front of him. Antonio put his hand on Jay's shoulder. "I know it's hard. You remember what I went through when Diego was missing. I'm impressed you two have held it together so well."

"Yeah, but we're not." Jay sighed, taking another puff. "While you guys were gone, Erin pretty much spent the whole time crying. I've never seen her like that before... and I feel bad that... I don't feel as bad. You know, he's my son too."

"People grieve in different ways."

"We shouldn't be grieving!" Jay yelled. "Our son isn't dead... He's just gone. And I think that hurts more than anything." They stood there in silence for a moment. "I miss him... You know, when Erin told me she was pregnant, I was praying that he wasn't my son. I thought I couldn't handle it. I wasn't ready to be a father. And now that I am... well, I'm still not ready. But I hate myself every day for nothing wanting him. And now he's gone. I can't help but think this is my punishment."

"That's not the way the world works, Jay. You weren't punished for anything. Henry is still out there... and that's all that matters. We're gonna find him." Antonio started to head back inside, but stopped short. "You're a good father, Jay." He walked back over and grabbed the cigarette from him, tossing it on the ground and putting it out. "Don't start screwing up now."

Just as Antonio was about to head inside, Adam ran out. "Hey, we got a hit on the van. Witnesses at a gas station in Pilsen saw a blond guy with a scratch on his face get out of a white van with a little boy. We gotta roll out now." They all rushed inside. Were they really about to find those kids?

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MISSING 2 HOURS, 45 MINUTES

Intelligence jumped out of their respective vehicles and ran inside the gas station. "Detectives... how can I help you?" The man at the counter asked.

"Where is he?" Voight pushed.

"Uh, who?"

"The guy in the van." Jay said, anger pulsing through him.

"I'm sorry, I-I don't know what you're talking about." The man shook. Behind the gas station, they heard a car engine start. Erin and Jay shot each other a quick look and both sprinted out the back door. They both took their guns out when they saw the white van taking off down the alley. They both chased after it as fast as they could.

"CHICAGO PD, STOP!" Jay shouted, wanting to shoot out the tires, but not willing to risk it, knowing those kids could be in that van. No matter how fast they pressed their feet against the ground, it seemed like they couldn't get there fast enough. Eventually they realized there was no catching up and both stopped. Out of breath, they both looked at each other, sharing a silent conversation of 'are we too late?'. Sadness overcame Erin, as Jay was filled with rage. They both holstered their guns. Jay put his hands to the back of his head and kicked a trash can over, in anger. Jay turned around and headed back to the gas station.

Inside the rest of the unit was interrogating the man behind the counter. "I told you, I have no idea what you're talking about." He continued to say.

"Shut up," Jay said quietly before taking his gun out quickly and pushing the man against the wall.

"What are you doing?!" The man asked, terrified.

"I said shut up!" He yelled. "Don't jerk me off. The guy in the van. What do you know?"

"I don't know anything!" The man yelled.

Jay put the gun to the man's head. "Wrong answer."

"Okay! OKAY!" He said, putting his hands up. "I saw on the news about that kidnapping so when he came in with that kid, I called the police. It didn't look like his kid, so I assumed."

"What kid?!"

"A little boy! E-eight or nine? I tried to stall him, but when he found out I had called the police, he said he'd kill me if I told you anything!"

"What did he tell you?!"

"Nothing!" Jay cocked his gun. "NO! NO, I swear, he didn't tell me anything! He just said to say I never saw him! I swear!"

"What did he want?" Jay pressed.

"He was just getting some gas! He filled up his tank. A-and he asked for some bleach too..."

"What for?!"

"I DON'T KNOW!" The man was trembling. "I swear!"

"Did he say where he was headed?"

"No... no, he didn't. I didn't ask." Jay holstered his gun again, knowing the man gave them all he knew. Jay put his hands on the man's shoulders, his eyes softened now.

"Thank you." He whispered, completely sincere. They all headed out the gas station, a little rattled. "He's gonna leave town." Jay said, putting the pieces together.

"We need to get a handle on this." Voight said, taking the lead. "We're going on three hours now. We don't have much time."

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MISSING 3 HOURS, 30 MINUTES

"We're running out of time." Voight said, everyone else standing around the bullpen. "Have we gotten any hits on those names we ran?"

"So far nothing." Antonio said, his arms crossed, unsure what else to do at this point.

"Did you run the plate that Halstead got off that van?"

"We did." Adam interjected. He handed Voight a sheet of paper. "Van belongs to a Buddy Hollister. Or did, anyway. He was killed in that shootout over on Wabash a couple months back. No idea how the perp got his hands on it."

"Does this Hollister have any connections to the parents of these kids?"

"Not that we know." Atwater answered. "But we'll do some more digging."

"Good, do that. What about the security footage from the gas station?"

"Quality's pretty crappy and he did a good job of keeping most of his face away from the cameras, but we do know for sure the guy's blond." Antonio said.

"Well, that isn't news." Erin spat.

"Erin..." Jay knew she was upset. He was too. But how else were they supposed to get through what they were feeling?

"Just see if you can get a facial recognition on the guy. These kids have been missing for over three hours. We need to bring them home." Voight started for his office. "Erin," He waved her over, wanting to talk in private.

She followed him into his office and closed the door before sitting down. He sat too. "You okay?" He asked, this being the first time he got a chance to talk to her privately about what was happening.

"Of course I'm not."

"If you feel like you need to take a step back-"

"No. No, I'd hate myself if I wasn't doing what I can to find Henry."

"But you know if you need to talk about this-"

"Talking about it is just wasting time. Time we need to find those kids."

"Erin-"

"No." Erin stood up. "If we're done here, my son is missing, okay... and I have to find him. We can sit around and gossip and talk about our feelings later." She headed for the door.

"Erin." He stopped her. "It's gonna be okay."

"... Yeah." She said, cynically, before walking out the door.

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MISSING 4 HOURS

With everyone out and about, looking for more leads, Jay and Erin were the only ones left in the district. Other than Voight, who was locked in his office. Erin was at her desk, looking through papers as Jay walked in, two mugs of coffee in hand.

"What's that?" He asked, setting one mug on her desk, before sitting on the edge of his desk.

"Witness statements. Figure there's gotta be something we're missing. We've never had so little to go on." She said, never taking her eyes off the paper. "Maybe there's something the other parents aren't telling us."

"Mark Edwards is probably the only person who could tell us what it is we're missing..." He sighed.

"Or Carla." Erin frowned. A moment passed before she set the papers down and looked up at Jay. "What are we supposed to tell her parents? She was just a kid."

"I don't know." He rubbed the back of his head.

"She never would have been in that park if it wasn't for us."

"Hey, this didn't have anything to do with us."

"You don't know that. We've been thinking this whole time that maybe this guy was connected to one of the parents, but they haven't said a word about us. We're cops. There are a lot of people who have it out for us. This could very well be our fault."

"It's not. The only person we have to blame is the guy who took those kids and killed two people."

"Even so... I've made a list of all the people we've ever put away. There's no telling who it could be... But I think Voight's smart enough to know that this might have something to do with us..." They both looked over at his door.

"You think that's what he's been doing in there all this time?" He asked.

"Maybe..." She looked back up at Jay. "This is really bad, Jay."

"We've been through worse. Jules... Jin... Henry's not gonna end up like them."

"You don't know that. You don't know what's going on in these people's minds when they do these things."

"Look, I'm scared too. I am. We don't know what's gonna happen. But to think that this unit isn't doing everything it can to find those kids... The moment that you turn your back on intelligence, is the moment you've forgotten everything we stand for. We're gonna find him, and he's gonna be okay... Say it."

"Jay-"

"Say it."

"We're going to find him... and he's gonna be okay."

"That hope is all we have right now. We have to hold onto that... for Henry." Erin nodded, knowing he was right. Jay looked over at her desk and saw the photo of the man from the gas station.

"Dorothy Kent said their daughter was in a playgroup, right?" He asked.

"Yeah, why?"

Jay picked up the photo and grabbed his jacket. "I'm gonna see if she knows who this guy is."

"We're not allowed to leave the district without Voight." She said, as he headed for the stairs.

"Who's gonna stop me?" He grinned, before finally leaving.

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MISSING 4 HOURS, 20 MINUTES

Jay knocked on the door of the Kent's house, praying they knew something, so they could get those kids back. Mrs. Kent answered the door, not recognizing Jay.

"Can I help you?" She asked, the look of grief still fresh on her face.

"Yeah, um, I'm Detective Jay Halstead. I-"

"We already told the other detectives everything we know." She said, ready to shut the door on his face.

"Ma'am." He said, holding the door open. "My son was taken too... He's six months old." He swallowed hard. She immediately sympathized with him. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't important... Please."

"Come in." She said sweetly, opening the door for him.

"Is your husband home?" He asked as he entered the house.

"No, he stepped out. But I'll be happy to help you. What is it you need?" She said, closing the door behind him.

"We think we may have a lead on the suspect... I just wanted you to take a look at this photo and see if you recognize him." He handed her the photo. "I know it isn't the best quality and-"

"Anthony Foster." She said, quickly handing it back to him.

"Are you sure? Maybe if you take another look-"

"No, that's him, I'm sure of it."

"Okay." He took the photo. "How do you know him?"

"Through the playgroup."

"Was he a sitter?"

"No... his kids were in the playgroup. One day he just... stopped bringing them. I haven't seen him in months."

"And you're sure this is him, in the photo?"

"I'm positive... How could he do something like this? He's a father." She said, tears welling in her eyes.

"Do you have an address for him?"

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MISSING 4 HOURS, 30 MINUTES

Erin sat at her desk, looking through more papers, unsure of what exactly she was looking for. She slammed the papers down and put her head in her hands. Frustrated with herself and the whole world. Why did her son go missing, and what did she do to deserve it?

Platt came up the stairs, with a box from Giordano's in her hand. "Hey Lindsay." She greeted her gently. "How you doing?" She asked, putting her hand on Erin's shoulder.

"Not so great, honestly."

"Yeah, I figured." She set the pizza down on Erin's desk. "I figured eating your feelings was the best of a lot of bad options."

"Thanks." Platt pulled Antonio's chair over and sat down next to her.

"Commander Fisher's been snooping around asking about you and Halstead. Are you guys close to something?"

"No... actually, I think we've hit a dead end. And... I feel like I'm gonna lose it. I don't know what else we can do."

"You'll find him."

"I don't see how. We don't have anything to go on."

"There's always something to go on. No perp is smarter than this unit. Eventually they all screw up."

"But, he's just a baby... How is he supposed to defend himself? He-he can't even hold a bottle on his own. He can't yell for help, he can't even say 'mama'... I'm scared. I'm scared that the worst is gonna happen."

"Well, it's completely normal to feel that way. A parent wants to do everything they can to protect their child... You're a good mom, Lindsay. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Hearing it doesn't make me believe it any more."

"Maybe not... but when you do find him, and you get to hold him again... you'll believe it then." Platt looked at Erin for a moment before getting up. "You'll find him." She repeated before leaving the room. Erin watched her leave, not knowing whether or not she could believe that.

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MISSING 4 HOURS, 45 MINUTES

Jay walked up the steps to Anthony Foster's house, his hands sweating, he put them in his jacket pocket once he knocked on the door. He waited there for someone to open the door, but there was no answer. He pulled his hand out of his pocket and knocked again. Within an instant, he felt a sudden, sharp, intense pain in the back of his head, before he hit the ground and everything went black.

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MISSING 5 HOURS, 20 MINUTES

Jay opened his eyes, his vision still blurry. He tried to get up to move, but found himself bound by his wrists and ankles. When his vision came to, he realized he was laying on the ground of a filthy basement. He saw a pair of feet walk across the floor, when he looked up, he saw the blond man with a knife in his hand, and a deep scratch on his face. There was no doubt this is the perp they were looking for. He started murmuring to himself.

"No... no it has to be done today. Tonight. Tonight. We'll do it tonight. Yes... yes, they'll love it there. Yes, of course. No... no... yes."

Jay was trying to understand what he was talking about. He looked around, hoping to find the kids nearby, but they were nowhere to be seen. "Hey." Jay said, his voice cracking. Foster broke from his concentration to turn to Jay.

"Oh... you're awake. Good..." He grinned, sinisterly.

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MISSING 5 HOURS, 30 MINUTES

Commander Fisher stormed up the stairs to where Intelligence was, all except Erin and Jay. Erin had stepped out for some air, and Jay, well... he was tied up. Voight saw him coming in, and quickly got up from his desk and approached him.

"What did I say about Halstead and Lindsay working this case?"

"Refresh my memory?" Voight said.

"I told them they were not to be involved in this case, or I would hand it over to Major Crimes."

"Right, and they haven't been. I gave you my word, remember?"

"I'm not playing games here, Hank. Where are they now?"

"They left, Commander, but I can assure you, they aren't working this case. Their son is missing, they're in a panic. I sent them home."

"And when they left the district this afternoon?"

"We were working a different case."

"When their son is missing? What case?"

"That's classified, Commander."

"Classified, right... Hand over your files. You're done with this case." He left the room without another word.

"We're not really handing over the case, are we?" Atwater asked.

"The hell we are." Voight said, heading back to his office. Antonio stopped him as he walked into the room.

"We have a problem." Voight turned back around. "Mrs. Kent just reported her husband missing." Adam quickly picked up the phone and started to dial a number.

"When?" Voight asked.

"Just now." Erin headed up the stairs, during all the commotion.

"Hank." She called his attention. "Commander Fisher just said you're handing the case over-"

"We're not handing this case over, don't worry."

"Guys," Adam hung up the phone. "I just tried calling Daniel Garcia; it went straight to voice mail."

Voight looked over at Erin, concerned. "Where's Halstead?"

"Uh, he went to talk to Mrs. Kent to see if she recognized the guy in the photo."

"How long ago was that?"

"About an hour ago."

"We've gotta roll out." Voight said, as the rest of the group grabbed their jackets.

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MISSING 5 HOURS, 35 MINUTES

"Why are you doing this?" Jay asked, trying to break free of his restraints. His gun, of course, was no longer on his person, and he was tied tight.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." He said, sharpening a knife in the corner of the room.

"You're Anthony Foster, right?"

"DON'T SAY MY NAME!" He screamed, his rage coming from nowhere.

"What are you doing with those kids?" He asked, worried about what this man could do to him.

"What kids?"

"The kids you took! What did you do with them?"

"You seem to have me mistaken for someone else. I would never take someone else's children... I'm a father. I have kids of my own."

"That's right... you're a father. I'm a father too. I have a son... Henry. He's six months old. And you took him from me. I want him back."

"Your son? No... I didn't take your son."

"Foster... come on... You don't wanna hurt those kids. Just let them go."

"No, no. They aren't going anywhere. They're my kids, you-you can't have them."

"They're not your kids. Elizabeth Edwards, she's not your daughter. Tommy Garcia, Ashley Kent, they're not yours. And Henry is MY son!"

"I'm afraid I don't know those names." He was completely deluded. Jay decided it was time to go along with it.

"Where are your kids, Foster? Are they here?"

"No, they're out. My wife took them to the park this morning. They've been gone for hours now. They should be home soon though."

"Why'd you tie me up? I'm not here to hurt you."

"I didn't know who you were. I thought you were coming to take my children from me. I couldn't let that happen. I saw your gun, and I thought the worst."

"Well, now you know I'm not gonna hurt you. You can let me go."

"No, no, no. I can't risk it. Those other men... they're trying to take my children. They're going to regret that when I'm through with them." He set his knife down on the table. And then picked up Jay's gun. "And so will you." Before Foster had the chance to pull the trigger, Intelligence came busting the door open, guns at the ready.

"CHICAGO PD, DROP IT! DROP THE GUN!" He immediately dropped it and raised his hands. Voight went straight for Foster, pushing him onto the ground. Antonio and Erin ran to Jay to untie him, while the rest of them checked upstairs for the other two dads.

"Are you alright?" Erin asked, untying his hands.

"I'm fine." He grunted.

Foster groaned in pain as Voight pressed his boot to his head. "You're hurting me."

"One wrong move, and I'll crush your skull. You're gonna tell me what I wanna know."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Voight pushed down on his head more and Foster screamed out in pain. He took his foot off his head and picked him up before pushing him up against the wall. He grabbed the knife off the table and pressed it to Foster's throat.

"Talk. While you still have a chance."

"You're a monster!" Foster yelled. "A monster! DON'T TAKE MY CHILDREN!"

Voight was ready to push on the knife more, until Jay tugged at his arm. "Voight! He doesn't have the kids. But he knows where they are. If you kill him, we're never gonna find them... PLEASE." Voight saw the pleading look in Jay's eyes. He turned to Erin, the same look on her face. They were parents who wanted nothing more than to find their son.

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MISSING 6 HOURS

Voight walked over to the cage, with Foster in handcuffs. He pushed him against the metal bars. Erin and Jay came in behind him. "Where are the kids?" Voight asked in his calm, yet somewhat terrifying tone of voice.

"I told you a hundred times, I don't know what you're talking about!"

"We can do this the hard way if you want. Or you can make this very easy for all of us and tell us where those kids are."

"I didn't take anyone's children. It's my children that are in danger!" Voight slapped him, getting tired of where the conversation was going.

"You're going to let him do this to me?" He asked Erin and Jay, who both had angry looks on their faces. Voight grabbed Foster's ear and pulled hard.

"Those kids have been missing for six hours. If you did something to them, you're going to wish you were never born." Erin shook her head, unable to watch anymore of what was happening. She left the room, and Jay followed after her. Voight watched them leave, his heart actually breaking for the both of them. "You took their son. Their baby boy. If you did anything to him, so help me-"

"I didn't take their son. I swear... Are you a father?" Voight didn't dignify that with a response. "You are. A father could never hurt his child. Or anyone else's... I'm innocent." There was no way Voight could get through to him. He took a step back and closed the cage, leaving Foster behind. "Wait... Wait! You can't leave me here! MY CHILDREN ARE IN DANGER!"

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MISSING 6 HOURS

"Foster isn't going to crack." Voight says, walking into the bullpen. "Halstead, is there anything he said that might've given away where those kids are?"

"I don't think so. He just kept saying it 'had to be done tonight'. No clue what he was talking about. The guy's a psycho."

"You think he's hurt those kids?"

"I don't think so. But I also think the guy's out of his mind. There's no telling what he might do. Or did. He didn't hurt the other kids' fathers, but I think he was going to."

"Well, they're home now, and we've got patrol watching over all the families."

"Oh, my God." Erin murmured to himself, staring at her computer.

"What?" Voight asked.

"I knew he looked familiar. Seven months ago Anthony Foster's car was found at the bottom of Lake Michigan. His pregnant wife and three kids were inside the car with him. He was the only one who survived. It was all over the news. Look at his kids." She turned the computer screen around. A family photo was on the screen. His three kids looked almost identical to the kids he abducted.

"Oh, my God." Voight put his hand to his forehead.

"Hank, let me talk to him." Erin said, with pleading eyes. "I think I can get him to crack."

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MISSING 6 HOURS, 10 MINUTES

Erin walked into the cage and sat down next to Foster. Her face, sincere and caring. Foster looked rattled.

"My kids are in danger. Are you going to help them?"

"No... No, I can't."

"Why not?! You're the police, that's your job!"

"I know. And I'm sorry, but your kids can't be helped. Anthony, they died seven months ago in a car accident."

"No. No, that's- that's not true. They're at the park with my wife."

"No, they're not." Erin pulled out a picture of Elizabeth Edwards. "This isn't your daughter, Scarlet. This is Elizabeth Edwards. You shot her father this morning."

"No, no, that's a lie." She pulled out the pictures of the other three kids.

"Carson and Paige... they're not the kids in these pictures. This is Tommy Garcia and Ashley Kent."

"No."

"And this is Henry. He's not your unborn son... he's my son. Anthony, I'm sorry...but your wife and kids, they passed away a long time ago."

Foster started to cry, believing the reality of it all. "No..."

"It wasn't your fault. A father wants to protect his family. You tried to do that. You tried to get them out of the water... but it was too cold. There wasn't anything you could do."

"I tried! I tried to save them!"

"I know you did. And they know you did."

"I just... I miss them."

"And that's why you took these kids."

"I wasn't going to hurt them."

"I believe you. And there's still time to save them..."

"And I didn't mean to shoot that man!" Foster cried. "I was just trying to scare him! And that poor girl! She grabbed the gun! I didn't mean to shoot her either! I killed them! I killed them!" Foster was inconsolable at this point.

"You were at the gas station... what did you need the bleach for?"

"I didn't hurt them... The boy... He looks just like my Carson... but his hair... his hair isn't blonde. I-I had to fix it. I didn't hurt those kids."

"I know... and I know you loved your kids. But these parents are without their kids now too. My son... He needs me. These kids, they need their parents... Where are they?"

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MISSING 6 HOURS, 30 MINUTES

The Chicago Harbor Lighthouse. Isolated. The only way to gain entrance into the lighthouse is with the assistance of the coast guard. Intelligence sat on the boat, wanting to get there as fast as they could. But with Foster continuously saying his 'children' were in danger, they expected the worst. When they finally got there, they all rushed in. On the ground floor, they approached a metal door. Antonio opened the door, gun in hand and stepped inside. When he rounded the corner, he found Elizabeth tied up.

"Elizabeth?" Antonio said, holstering his gun and putting his hands out. She nodded frantically. "It's okay. We're police. We're here to take you home."

"I want my mom." She cried. After what she had seen; her father being murdered in front of her, that's all she wanted.

"We're gonna take you to her. It's gonna be okay." Antonio walked over and untied her. "Go find the others." He told the rest of them. They headed up the stairs, knowing there was still at least a one-in-three chance someone was hurt... or worse.

A few levels up, they found Tommy Garcia, tied up as well. Adam untied him. "You're gonna be alright, bud." He said as Tommy embraced him, grateful to be alive.

Erin and Jay continued up to the top of the lighthouse, while Voight, Olinsky and Atwater searched for Ashley. They approached a door that read 'Danger, keep out'. They both stopped. Jay looked over at Erin, who had never looked more scared in her life.

"I can't." Erin shook her head and took a step back.

"Erin..."

She continued to shake her head. "I can't. I just can't." She was petrified they would find their son, dead. So was Jay, but if that was what was going to happen, he still had to know for sure.

Eventually, he slowly opened the door and walked in. With his gun raised, he tiptoed around the room. Up against the wall, he saw a chest. With no sign of Henry, he assumed the worst. He put his gun back, and reluctantly lifted the latch. When he opened the chest, a single tear fell from his face. Inside the chest, he saw Henry, whimpering. "Erin!" He called out. He quickly picked up his son and held him close to him. Henry started to cry; possibly both a happy cry and a scared cry. Erin rushed in to see Jay holding their baby. She started to cry too and ran up to grab him.

"Oh, my God!" She cried as she grabbed a hold of him. Henry continued to cry, and so did Erin. "You're okay! You're okay...!" She kissed her son over and over again, having never been more relieved in her life. Jay tried to force his tears away, but failed. He also kissed his son. He put his arms around both of them and held them tight. Erin couldn't stop crying, no matter how hard she tried. She fell to the ground, with Henry still in her arms, and continued to hold him tight. Jay got on the ground next to her and continued to hold them... his family.

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Erin and Jay stood by Platt's desk, still holding tight to Henry and watched as the missing kids were reunited with their parents. By now, Henry was back to the happy baby he was before all the madness happened. He was smiling and giggling at everything. Erin and Jay, on the other hand, were still counting their blessings, the tears on their faces still not dry.

"What'd I tell you?" Platt smiled. The rest of the unit stood behind Erin and Jay, watching the touching moment the other three families were having.

"We did good today." Voight said. "Everyone go home." They wasted no time, they were all ready to go, so they did. Except Erin and Jay. Voight stood in front of them both and gave Jay a look.

"Voight... I know I shouldn't have gone to Foster's alone, but I-"

"You did good, Halstead." Voight said, holding his hand out. Jay accepted the handshake and smiled.

"Thank you."

"Take the kid home. You two take the weekend to recover." Voight headed up the stairs and Erin and Jay looked at one another.

"I don't wanna leave yet." Erin said, still watching these kids reunite with their parents.

"Me either." Jay smiled. All was right in the world, after six terrifying hours.

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Upstairs, Voight found Commander Fisher waiting in his office. He sighed, not wanting to deal with him after all they had gone through already.

"Commander-" Voight started.

"You crossed a line today, Hank."

"We got those kids home safely today. Those kids are alive and with their families, and that maniac is locked up. Does any of that matter to you?"

"Of course it does. But you disobeyed a direct order. You pull something like that again, and I'll have your badge. You understand? Commander Perry may have let you get away with stuff like this, but he's no longer in charge at the 21st. I am. Don't you ever cross me again." Commander Fisher brushed past Voight and headed out of the room.

Voight sat at his desk and sighed. What he was feeling, he wasn't sure. He looked at a picture on his desk. It was a picture of him and Erin holding Henry a few days after he was born. He smiled, so thankful that his Godson was safe and sound.

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Outside of the district, Jay was putting Henry into his car seat. Erin watched, smiling. She turned her head and saw Carla's parents approaching them. Erin met them halfway.

"Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs... I am so sorry about Carla. After what happened today... I... I understand the grief you must be experiencing... but I can't imagine living with that grief for the rest of my life. I didn't think I was going to make it through today without my son. And I am so sorry that your daughter isn't here anymore. I wish we could have done more."

"Don't be sorry. Carla lived a good life. A short one, yes... but she was always happy. She grew up into the kind of person every parent wants their child to become. And it's a shame she was taken from us... but it had nothing to do with you. So you don't have to apologize. We actually came down to thank you... for letting Carla be a part of Henry's life. She loved that little boy. And it brings me comfort to know that... she died trying to protect him. Because she thought of him as family. You and Jay and Henry... you're still part of our family. If you ever need anything... you let us know." Mrs. Jacobs surprised Erin by smiling.

"I... don't think I could be as strong as you are right now."

"Carla made us that way." Mr. Jacobs smiled with his wife. "That's what children do for you. You'll see."

Erin looked behind her where Jay stood and smiled at the man who turned her into a mother. "Yeah..."

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Erin and Jay sat on the floor of Erin's apartment, playing with Henry. He was still as giggly and happy as ever. He had his mustache pacifier, and Erin couldn't help but think of Carla.

"Hey..." Jay whispered. "There wasn't anything else we could do."

"I know. Henry's safe and... that's all that matters." She said, putting her hand behind her son's head. He took his pacifier out of his mouth and started waving it around. "He's a champ." She smiled. "What are we gonna do about a sitter though?" She asked.

"I hear Platt's niece needs a job." Jay grinned. Erin looked at him, smiling, and rolled her eyes. Jay's demeanor changed. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Giving me a family. I know it... wasn't ever the plan. But, I'm thankful every day that it worked out the way it did. I love Henry... and I love being a dad." He smiled, looking back at his son.

Henry looked up at his dad and grinned, giggling. "Da... da... dada, dada."

Tears welled up in Jay's eyes. "Oh my, God." He smiled.

"He said 'dada'!" Erin said, tearing up as well.

"Did you say 'dada'?" Jay laughed.

"Dada, dada, dada." Henry continued to say it. Erin and Jay laughed together, both of them so happy.

"Yeah..." Erin cried. "Your dada saved you..." She looked up at Jay, with tears in her eyes. Their smiles faded quickly, as they gazed at each other. Jay leaned in and touched his lips to hers. They closed their eyes, letting the moment happen. They slowly pulled away at the same time and looked at each other. "Are we crazy?" She whispered, out of breath.

"... Yes." He answered. They didn't care. Erin leaned in and kissed him again, putting one hand around his neck and the other on his shoulder. Jay put both his hands around her waist, the feeling overtaking them both. Henry watched his parents and giggled. They pulled away slowly and looked at their son, who was grinning at them both. Erin smiled back and started to tickle him.

"What are you laughing at?" She played with Henry. He continued to squeal, happy as can be. Jay looked at the two of them, having never loved two people more in his entire life.

---

A/N: So? How do we feel about this? I made Linstead canon after all. I had to though, come on. You all knew it was coming. If you made it all the way to the end, congrats. I try to make the dialogue sound as similar to the real characters as I can, but I know I'm not perfect. And obviously there are some mess-ups here and there, but gosh darnit, this was a ton of fun to write, and I love the final product. Please let me know what you guys think. I'm trying to develop my writing so any critique- good or bad- helps tremendously. And if you like Henry Halstead, let me know if you want me to write some more fics about him. I'll try not to kidnap him again. ;) Thanks so much for reading through this, and please don't forget to leave a review! If you have any suggestions for potential storylines, send me a private message and I'll be happy to give it a try. :)