Thank you to all who took time to read and review. I'm glad that torturing our beloved Linstead didn't turn you guys off... Hopefully this next chapter won't leave you guys at my doorstep with pitchforks.

I own nothing.

Before Jay can say anything, Erin charges after the masked man.

Erin comes up behind the man and puts him in a headlock. The man stumbles and she uppercuts him, knocking him on his back. She jumps on top of him and lays out a couple of quick punches. Erin gets another punch in before the second man slams her down on the floor. Two against one. The man pulls himself together, wiping the blood from his upper lip, then pins her down with a knee to her chest. His hands grabs her wrists as he climbs on top of her – the adrenaline coursing his veins putting him in overdrive. Erin fights for air, but his knee bludgeon her ribs. Erin's consciousness dims and her vision goes gray.

"Finish her off, boss," the second man says.

Jay shakes the fog out of his head, watching this scene unfold in horror. "Let her go!" he pleas.

The man takes a second to look back at Jay. The short distraction lends Erin's a window of opportunity and she crawls away from underneath the man, catching her breath. Her limbs tingle like they are being struck with a thousand invisible pins. But the man is quick to jerk her back. He yanks her button-down shirt and buttons fly everywhere.

"She needs to be taught a lesson," he sneers.

"GET OFF OF HER, YOU M-MOTHERFF-FUCKER!" Jay demands, pulling at the bindings on his arms and legs with enough force to rip his limbs off. "IT'S ME YOU WANT."

"Just a decoy, huh? I bet she's a little more than that," he mocks.

Jay glares at the masked man with all the contempt he can manage. He squeezes his eyes shut as his resolve erodes away. The dam around his heart crumbles as he watches Erin struggle while he bears witness.

"Let her go and I will tell you anything you want," Jay tries again.

"I will, once I'm through," he adds mockingly.

In the meantime, Erin kicks and tries to push him away, but he shoves her face against the pavement. She still fights, but he holds her in place. He then takes her by the shoulders and smashes his lips forcefully against her neck. But Erin pulls free and lands a hard punch to his cheekbone, stunning him. His eyes darken and once again his weight is pushing on her chest. He pulls a small pocket knife and slides it across her cheek with enough pressure that it breaks the skin. Erin yelps in pain.

An endless rush of rage courses through Jay's veins. "IS THAT HOW YOU GET OFF? CAN'T GET A GIRL, SO YOU FORCE YOURSELF ON ONE?" Jay says tantalizingly.

The man doesn't look his way. Words seem to no longer have an effect on him. He goes for Erin's belt buckle and she opens her mouth, but screams without a sound. Her face turns blue-red and tears pour down her face. He strikes her jaw and she sees flashes of light as he strikes her again and again. She's on the brink of unconsciousness for a few seconds, enough time for him to pull away and pull down his zipper.

The realization of what's about to happen makes Jay explode from the inside out. "YOU FUCKING PUSSY. HOW ABOUT YOU COME ASSERT YOUR POWER OVER ME, HUH? THAT SHOULD GIVE YOU A REAL RUSH."

The man is straddling her now, keeping her legs down by sitting on them. He is smiling; there is triumph in his dark eyes. He pulls her pants down and Erin screams at the feel of his fingers against her skin. He strikes her again without warning, her head flies back. The feeling of domination and release when he strikes her is enticing and he continues to batter her over and over as she tries to move her legs and twist out of his hold.

"IT'S ME YOU WANT!" Jay yells desperately, his face a mask of unadulterated rage. "YOU FUCKING WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT."

Erin knows what's about to happen and her own tears begin to choke her. Through blurry vision she sees this man towering over her, getting off as she continues to fight him. Then it dawns on her, he wants me to resist.

"I WILL KILL YOU! YOU HEAR ME? I WILL KILL YOU!" Jay exclaims.

"Just enjoy the show," the man says, then winks at his partner. "I will let you take a turn after."

The man is between her legs, looking at her, waiting for her awareness to kick in. But Erin doesn't give him the fight he wants. Her eyes cloud over and she remains perfectly still beneath him. He tries to get a rise out of her by running his rough hands over her chest, exposing her breast. He then toys with the fabric of her underwear and in that moment Erin wants to die.

In the meantime, Jay's temper deteriorates. Rage as scorching as white-hot iron flashed in his eyes.

He is in a state of extreme frenzy. Angry tears rage forth from the outside corner of his eyes. He can't bear to watch what's about to unfold. He yells and screams, but it seems to have no effect. He cannot let this happen. The bindings on his wrists and ankles become scarlet red and blood drips like paint on the ground.

"YOU BETTER MAKE SURE YOU KILL ME BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T I WILL DESTROY YOU WITH MY OWN HANDS."

Meanwhile, Erin impassiveness irks the masked man. He hits her again for the anger and emptiness inside of him. For the first time he feels angry. He grabs her chin with his right hand, his fingers drilling their way into her skin and holds her head firm while he speaks.

"C'mon now, don't croak on me. The party is just starting."

The man grins down at Erin with lusty, needy, dark eyes. He reaches inside his pants and begins to pleasure himself. He laces his free hand through her hair, drawing it tighter and tighter until her head is lifted from the ground. Erin flinches and her eyes meet Jay's. She silently mouths the words, It's okay.

"YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHO YOU'RE DEALING WITH," Jay begins. "MY TEAM IS PROBABLY ON YOUR TAIL AND YOU BETTER HOPE YOUR LEGS CAN OUT RUN MINE."

The man heaves a frustrated sigh. "Can you shut him up," he asks of his partner.

"WHAT? ARE YOU HAVING ISSUES…PERFORMING?"

The man stops. Jay knows he hit a nerve.

Jay laughs mockingly. "NOT SURPRISED."

Jay knows this is a risky move – entice the man who is currently calling the shots. But he is not thinking clearly, not when Erin is involved. There is another emotion, one stronger, more powerful that is currently dictating his actions.

Love.

His unwavering love for Erin.

"Shut your fucking mouth," the man demands through clenched teeth.

"Why don't you come do it yourself," Jay says sternly, unflinchingly.

Pushing Erin away he says angrily, "Tie her up. I will finish her later." He zips his pants and walks menacingly towards Jay.

Erin is shaking, dead white, eyes dilated. She wants to vomit. She flinches when the second man grabs her and drags her to a corner and cuffs her to a pipe. Tears of relief rush to her eyes, but her face sinks in gloom, knowing what is about to happen to her partner.

The man looks Jay straight in the eyes, "Let's see if you're really tough."

He grabs Jay by the neck and punches him several times, further shattering his jaw. He searches for the steel pipe and strikes Jay's torso repeatedly. The sound of ribs and bones snapping like tree branches echo off the walls of the warehouse. Erin screams until her throat becomes bloody and raw. She feels her heart being ripped off from her and cut into a million pieces. The pain of watching Jay sacrifice himself to spear her life is unbearable. The man continues his vengeful tirade until Jay crumples in an awkward heap, unconscious. Blood oozes out of his mouth and nose.

"FUCK!" The man yells irritably, running a desperate hand through his masked face.

"You were not supposed to kill him," the other man informs him.

"Shut up!" He yells angrily and without any preamble, the man stomps off towards the door. The second man walks up to Jay, nudges his foot against his ribs, but he doesn't move. He then shakes his head and follows the other man out.

"Jay!" Erin yells, her voice hoarse. "Jay, get up. C'mon!"

But he is immobile. Blood pools all around him.

"Don't do this. Don't leave me like this. Jay! Get up!"

Tears flow down Erin's face and she screams for him until her head begins spinning and black dots cloud her vision. She is flooded by an agonizing loss and by an overpowering sense of unreality and disconnection, punctuated by acute grief. This is it, she thinks. She lets her head hit the pavement, reveling in the coolness against her flaming cheek. Her whole body feels cold and numb. She feels lifeless, but through some cosmic mistake her heart is still beating. She looks at Jay and tries one last time to call his name, but the word vaporizes on her tongue.

***x***

Chicago PD!

Erin hears distant voices reverberating against the cold warehouse as footsteps hit the pavement.

Here! They are here.

Call an ambo…

Oh God…Get the paramedics in here ASAP.

She feels her body being jerked forward. Someone is taking a hold of her, awakening all the pain. Images of the horror that they were just put through flashes in her mind - she sees the masked man's eyes, hears his voice and she automatically jolts in response.

"It's alright. Erin, it's me," she hears the soft bellow of a familiar voice.

She opens her eyes and through her blurry vision she sees Hank standing over her.

"You're safe, kid," he slings her arm around his shoulder and lifts her up.

Erin disregards the pulsating ache, gathers every little bit of strength she can muster, and stumbles out of Hanks hold. "Where's Jay? I-I n-nee-d to see'em," she chokes out. Her throat hurts badly. "W-Where is he?"

"Let's get you checked out first," Hank says, pulling her back.

She sees the paramedics agglomerated in a corner and listens as they call out.

Start compressions!

Clear!

Nothing.

Clear! Again.

Clear! He lost a lot of blood! Get a line in.

Erin struggles against Hank's tight hold on her. "Noooo! He c-can't... Nooo! Jaaay!" The physical and mental pain blinds her as her shattered body falls unconscious.

Clear!

Nothing.

Thank you for reading. I will try to polish the next chapter and have it ready as fast as I can! Cheers!