Hank Voight wanted to make his pseudo daughter happy at Christmas, so he invited her boyfriend. even though he really didn't agree with their relation at the beginning he has grown to change his mind and knows that Jay is a good man and he knows that Erin really likes him, because she told him. that was his deciding factor in inviting the younger man who makes his little girl smile.
On Christmas Eve Eve, Hank invited Jay to come to Christmas Dinner at his house with Erin. Jay was quite astonished to get an invite but was ecstatic to be able to spend the day with his girlfriend after all. Hank told Jay to be there at about 9 am for Christmas breakfast. Jay readily agreed on the spot.
The unit had the day off for Christmas Eve, Erin and Jay spent the morning lounging in bed having a snuggle. Erin had let Jay see one of her vulnerable sides, she told how excited she was to spending Christmas with all of the most important people in her life. She had explained to him how shitty Christmases had always been for her. How no boyfriend had ever cared or loved her enough to get her anything or do something nice for her.
Erin didn't that Jay had a lot planned for their Christmas together, in fact he had been planning it for months and had the presents bought, wrapped and hidden for a while now. he wanted to make this the best Christmas Erin has ever had.
The couple had lunch together and then went for a nice long walk by navy peer, they strolled along holding hands, and Jay bought them each a ht chocolate with a candy cane for flavour. They spend the afternoon together and later reluctantly say goodbye because Erin is spending Christmas Eve with Hank and sleeping in her old room. They kissed goodbye and Jay promised to see her in the morning. Jay spend the night with his big brother, Will. Jay confides in Will that he wants to make tomorrow to be the best Christmas Day Erin has ever had. Will teases his brother about it but really knows how much Erin means to his brother.
In the early morning, Will bids his brother a Merry Christmas and a good day before heading to the hospital for his holiday shift in the ER. Jay is too excited to sleep, so goes for a run around Lake Michigan. He gets back to shower and make himself look good, before getting all of the presents that he got for Erin and her family into a duffel bag. All except for one box which he left under the tree for later that night when they got home. He headed to his car and put the duffel bag in the back seat of his car.
Jay was so happy while he was driving to Hank's house, he was singing along to the radio planning holiday songs. He was so close to Hank's house, when out of nowhere, a black SUV comes tearing into the drivers side of the car. Jay's last thought before loosing consciousness was Erin.
A bystander who witnessed the accident, immediately called for help and not long later a fire truck and ambulance showed up. The firefighters were from truck 51 including Matt Casey and Kelly Severide. Upon recognising the victim as Jay Halstead, they freed him from the car and let the paramedics, Gabby Dawson and Sylvie Brett get to work on Jay. Matt spotted the duffel bag of presents in the car and pulls it out. He walks over to the stretcher, where Jay is now conscious.
"Matt i need you in a little while to take that bag to Voight's house for me, it's everyone's presents for Christmas, I'm going to text Erin and tell her can't make it today because something came up, i don't want to worry her and i would rather she hate me than ruining her Christmas because I'm so stupid." says Jay as he takes out his phone and starts a text to Erin, he feels like an absolute jerk doing this but it's for the best reason.
"Jay I'd be happy to drop this off but wouldn't it just be easier to call Erin or Voight and tell them about the accident, I'm sure Erin would come straight to the hospital for you". says Matt.
"I know she would but Erin deserves so much better than that, I'd rather her be surrounded by her family than sitting in a crumby hospital with me all day. Please drop the bag off later and say I asked you to drop it off for me. Hank will likely call a call later about the accident because it involved someone from his unit, it will go down hill from there but I want to enjoy her day until then". says Jay.
"Ok I will drop this off for you but yo are definitely going to the hospital, and no arguing with Gabby, you do as she tell you", says Matt followed by a nod and mumbled thanks form Jay.
Gabby and Sylvie load the stretcher into the ambulance and are shortly on the way to the hospital.
At the Hospital
Jay is received at the hospital by Connor Rhodes, who is checking him over when his brother comes crashing in.
"Jesus Christ what happened to you, you look like shit", Will says looking at his brother.
"Well this is kind of what you look like after some idiot crashes into you at god knows what speed" Jay mutters unhappily.
"Did you call Erin and tell her what happened, is she on her way here already?", Will asks.
"No I didn't, I'm not ruining her Christmas having her sitting in a stupid hospital when I'm perfectly fine anyway", Jay told Will.
"Your not completely fine, you have a pretty serious concussion, and lots of bruising, you my friend are staying here overnight for observation, you could have some internal bleeding and or something else, you have at least one broken rib possibly more and they could puncture your lung at anytime", says Dr Rhodes.
"Fine i'll stay but Erin is getting her Christmas with her family with out having to worry about her stupid boyfriend who couldn't avoid getting ht by a car. Voight is gonna know soon enough because they eventually have to notify him and he will likely phone you to ask if i'm alive before telling her, i need you to tell him i'm fine, just some bruises, and that I want Erin to stay with her family and enjoy her Christmas. If she still wants to see me, she could come tomorrow and i'll probably lose the best thing that has ever happened to me", says Jay looking down.
"Ok if that's what you want, I will do it, I'll see you in a while upstairs," says Will, not believing Jay's theory about loosing Erin because of this, and if it is going to happy, Will plans to talk to Erin when she does come about it.
Earlier At Voight's House
Erin woke up feeling cosy, she couldn't wait to see her boyfriend for breakfast. She got up showered and dressed for the day. Erin headed downstairs to help Hank breakfast and set the table for 6 people. 9 am came and everyone was there except Jay. They waited but eventually had to start eating, Erin was worrying about him all through breakfast but she received a text from him saying that something had come up, that pissed her off. After that Erin was in a bad mood, except when she was playing with her nephew.
Hank however didn't believe that something had just come up, he has a feeling that something happened because he knows that Jay wouldn't just abandon Erin like, considering he knows what one of the Christmas presents for Erin is. Hank just waits to see if Jay will turn up.
A couple of hours later, still no sign of Jay or anymore texts. Erin is pissed but decides it's not worthy of getting pissed off at.
Hank hears the door bell, an goes to answer it thinking it might be Jay, Erin must maybe think the same as she comes up behind him, he opens the door to reveal one Matt Casey. Erin immediately turns back around and int the living room. Holding up a black duffel bag, Matt says "Jay asked me to bring this to you guys, he wanted to make sure you all got your presents".
"Is there is there any reason why it's you bringing this over and not Jay himself?", Hank asks.
"All I'm going to say is, you might want to call Will Halstead", Matt says as he hands the bag over and leaves.
Hank the bag into his office and is looking through it when his phone rings, he sees it's the Department, he answers right away with "What happened to my Detective".
"Hank, I'm sorry to have to tell you this but Halstead was in a car accident this morning, we suspect it was one of the cop crashes ones, i don't know he is but the car was wrecked, the firefighters say he was awake going the ambulance", Trudy Platt tells Hank over the phone.
Voight thanks Platt for the update and hangs up, know he calls Will Halstead because he has to know more of Jay's condition before he tells Erin about it. He dials the good doctors number and gets an answer on the second ring. After a lengthy conversation with the Doctor, Hank huffs out a big breath, this is something he is not looking forward to doing.
Hank calls Erin into his home office and gestures towards the duffel bag, and explains that it is from Halstead.
"He send the presents but where is the jerk, where's my important than right here", she asks.
"Erin, he's at the hospital, on the way over here this morning, Halstead was in a car accident, well not so much an accident but a crash" Hank explains.
Erin slowly covers her mouth with her hands and sinks to the floor, Hank gets down to and pulls her in for a hug.
"He is going to be fine Erin, Will says Jay has a lot bruises and a small knock to the head, their keeping overnight to monitor him but he is going to be fine.
"I have to go Hank, I doubted him, thought he was like everyone else I've dated, I should've better, he needs him and I was thinking the absolute worst thoughts about him. I should have had more faith in him", Erin says while crying.
"Will told me, Jay said he wants you to stay here with your family, he doesn't want to ruin your Christmas", Hank says gently.
"My boyfriend is lying in the hospital and I'm not supposed to go and see him, Jay is apart of my family and always will be", Erin whole heartedly explains.
"I know he is kid, why don't we eat, open Jay's presents and then maybe we can take him some dinner", Hank asks.
Erin nods and they got to get the dinner ready, 15 minutes later, the 5 of them are sitting down to eat their Christmas dinner. Erin only eats about half of her dinner to sad and worried about Jay to finish eating. Afterwards they move to the living room where Hank hands out the presents.
Erin is still sitting with about 6 presents in front of her, she looks at everyone else. Hank is admiring the gourmet kitchen knife set that Jay got him, Justin showing Olive the game tickets that Jay got for them while they are in Chicago and Daniel playing with the teddy bear and laying out the onzies that Jay got for him. Erin eventually excludes herself upstairs to open the presents that Jay got for her.
In the first box is some new lingerie sets that Jay bought for her, she had mentioned to him that she didn't have any sets just for him.
In the second box is a black hawks hoodie with her name and favourite number on the back, Erin is still surprised Jay even knows what her favourite colour is.
In the third box is a foam finger and two season ticket passes for the Black hawks up coming year. In with a note that says in case we actually have free time to go to a game or too, not that I don't enjoy watching it at home while cuddling on the couch.
In the fourth is the beautiful earrings that Erin had admired in a jewellery shop while on a case, she is surprised that remembered which ones she had liked.
In the fifth box is even more surprised to see that Jay had bought her the matching necklace to go with the earrings.
The sixth box with pretty flat and inside there was a note that says there is one more present too big to wrap that you have to wait for. Don't worry you wont be waiting for too long and I can't wait. Erin lies dwn on the bed and has a good cry into pillow.
Meanwhile At The Hospital
Jay has a massive headache when he wakes up and finds himself wishing that his girlfriend was with him. He gets s slight smile on his from just thinking of his beautiful Erin. All of a sudden he gets a sharp pain in his chest and struggling to breath. Machines around him start to go off and his brother comes running in.
"Wi-ill I c-can't b-breath" Jay wheezes out. "I-I n-eed you to tell Er-Erin that I l-ove her and I'm s-sorry".
"Jay stop talking like that we are taking you to surgery, Erin will be here later and you can tell her those things yourself, don't give you dare give up, I will not be the one to tell Erin that you died, you need to fight for her and me".
Will grabs an intubation kit that the nurse hands him because Jay has fallen unconscious and is not breathing, he inserts the tube and attaches the bag to breath for his brother. Dr Rhodes is here now and he rushes Jay up to the OR. Will can't go with so he decides to call Hank to get Erin here as soon as possible.
Hank is going to have to relay the bad news to Erin !