Jay Halstead's Apartment
A week would go by and they wouldn't get tired of each other. It seemed every other night it would alternate whose place they stayed at, whose bed they'd fall into with insatiable need, who would brew the coffee that would have them both feeling human again the next morning.
Immediately following the shooting; the school had been closed. But a week later it reopened; but not for the sake of resuming classes or finalizing end of course exams. Grief counselors, trauma teams, and various psychologists would be there for students and staff to talk with and help work through the tragedy they'd faced. Even though there had been no fatalities, witnessing a safe place get shot up was scarring; it would impress upon their lives forever.
Jay's shoulder was sore and aching and he'd gotten rid of the pain pills they'd prescribed him because he'd seen far too many guys from his PTSD support group go down the rabbit hole taking them often opened up, so he'd flushed them the first night and not looked back. But this morning when he'd woken up, the pain had seared more than usual. She'd notice him wince as he'd risen from the bed that morning and she'd gotten up behind him, wrapping her arms around his hips and popping up to her tiptoes to kiss the bruised area around his shoulder where the stitches were taut and covered by only a gauze pad now. "You gonna be okay today?" She'd asked softly and he knew she didn't just mean his shoulder.
"It'll be;" He'd seem to search the spot on the wall above her head for the words. "A lot." He'd finish with a sigh. "I don't want some hero's welcome… but I have a feeling that's what it's going to be. I don't feel like a hero. I'd have felt like a hero if I could've talked him into putting down the gun and walking out with me; saving the future he'd been working so hard for. I don't feel like a hero. I feel like I failed him." He'd confess more than he meant to, but; they'd been known to have that effect on one another.
"You saved me though." She'd remind him, her hands tugging at his hips so he'd turn around to face her now. "And you tried really hard to get through to him and you almost had him. But he made his choice, babe." She'd say; that nickname falling off her tongue without even meaning to. "You made a difference to him; he couldn't pull the trigger on you, not on purpose at least. Don't let yourself forget that." Her words would warm him all over and they'd share several slow, open-mouthed kisses, ones neither of them could ever have gotten their fill of.
Despite the fact that she'd spent literally every night with him since they day they'd met, she was still pretending things between them were casual. It was a lie she told herself to make believe that she wasn't already far too attached to this tall, strong armed, freckled pretty boy.
Hell, he'd already taken the time to memorize the way she took her coffee and when she'd walked out of the bedroom dressed for work, he'd hand it to her prepared perfectly. "Am I going to see you later?" He'd ask her over the rim of his own mug before he took a sip. He'd let her keep up the pretense that they weren't a them and that this was really just fun like she kept reminding him.
"Maybe," She'd shrug, but they both knew that meant yes. "But, it'll probably be a late night… we've been closing in on a case and;" There weren't a lot of details she could really provide. "I'm just not sure how things will play out. I'll text you though." She offered, before taking a long sip of the liquid gold that she swore some days was her only life source. "If it's not too late maybe I'll come climb into your bed." It was really more of a promise.
"Could never be too late." He'd admit and he'd lean down to kiss her softly before looking down at his watch. "I should get going, I want to get there early, hide out in my classroom to avoid having to walk down full hallways." He'd confess and he'd lean forward to kiss her forehead gently before they were both walking towards his door to put on their shoes and their fingers would intertwine as they walked down his stairs towards their cars and she wouldn't protest when he leaned her against her passenger side door and gave her a few reasons to come back here later.
East Chicago Prep Academy
As he'd expected; there had been far too much fanfare for him when he'd arrived at school. It had started at the staff meeting when they'd all given him a standing ovation and people had cried and told him he was amazing. But; he didn't feel amazing. In spite of Erin's warm, soothing, honest words; he couldn't shake the feeling that he couldn't save that boy from himself; from a stereotypical life sentence for the boys in his neighborhood.
Tre had been meant for so much more than that. Now, in the blink of an eye, he'd taken that from himself. Jay wanted so badly to speak with him, see if he was okay; let him know that he himself was. Because even when he'd been bleeding and shot, laying in Erin's lap he'd heard Tre screaming and asking if he was okay and telling him he was sorry and the desperation and regret in that sixteen year old boy's voice would haunt him forever he was sure.
But he'd grinned and bared it, survived the hugs and pats on the back and unnecessary compliments. He'd be remiss to find that meeting to be the easy part of his day. Once the students had arrived; he'd become almost unraveled. They were angry, hurt, confused; how could this happen here? Too many kids had asked him that this morning. Too many kids had told him they wouldn't have known what to do if they'd lost him. He supposed those heartfelt confessions should've made him feel better; been a balm for the aching part of him who felt like failure. But it hadn't; it had just reminded him that of all the good he'd done around here; he'd still managed to let one fall through the cracks. Tre was in the system now. And that's where he'd get lost forever.
He'd been sat at his desk, half-heartedly eating a protein bar when he'd hear a knock on the wooden door frame of his classroom and he'd look up from the window where he'd been staring off into space; lost in those thoughts, expecting to find a student but instead; he'd find her.
"I thought you might be hungry." Her now familiar raspy voice would say and his face would shift from a look of tortured contemplation to unbridled happiness almost instantaneously.
"Erin!" He'd smile and he'd take his feet down from where he'd propped them on his desk , stand up, and move to meet her. He'd lean in to kiss her before she could stop him and a blush would tint her cheeks as he pulled away.
"You can't kiss me here, we're at school!" She'd giggle playfully, but there was genuineness to that remark. "The door is open!" She'd add nervously as they moved further into his classroom. She'd take a moment to survey it; this little piece of him she was able to glimpse into, before his next sentence would distract her from doing so.
"I can kiss you wherever I want." He'd supply simply and she wouldn't argue because damn if he wasn't right.
"Hmmm." She'd seem to mull over that claim thoughtfully before rolling her eyes and moving on, because even if she wouldn't refute his claim she also wouldn't exactly prove it either. "The other night you said that Joey D's had the best pizza but I still maintain that it's Fratello's. So, I got us a slice from each place so we can settle the debate once and for all."
"I love the way your mind works, woman." He'd grin at her and he'd offer her his desk chair and pull up a student seat next to it for himself so that their knees were touching as they ate.
Having her there would almost make him forget the heaviness that his morning had held. He'd get lost memorizing her dimples and staring into her eyes as she spoke; telling lighthearted stories to keep his mind off things.
She'd find herself mapping the freckles on his arm because he'd pushed up the sleeves of his hunter green button down and his strong forearms looked well defined with the way the sun poured in through the long windows that surrounded his classroom.
There conversation had come to a lull and they'd resigned to just looking at one another and her hands were resting gently on his knees when they'd hear another knock on his open door and then two girls would appear in the doorway. "Coach Halstead?" The more petite, redhead girl would inquire. The announcement of company would have Erin retracting her hands back into her lap and her head would turn to face their visitors.
"Erin!" Hearing her name pass through Antonio's daughter's lips would bring her to a stark realization that this little secret that she and Jay had been keeping would be no more and that thanks to this teenage chatterbox, her partner was going to know she'd come here for lunch. Ever the older brother figure, he'd probably lecture her on not getting involved with anyone at this stage in her career and how it was even more of a dumb idea when it was a victim from a case they'd worked that she was shacking up with. That was going to be super fun.
"Eva!" She grinned and rose from his chair to go hug the girl she'd known since she was just a little bean sprout. "I was hoping I'd see you while I was here, pretty girl." She'd say, drawing her in and kissing her forehead.
"She's my dad's partner." Eva would supply, filling in that missing detail for both Jay and the redheaded girl, who Erin would learn was called Hannah later. "Coach totally saved your ass, huh Erin?"
"Eva." Jay would warn because even if he could more than appreciate the sentiment of those words, she couldn't just cuss in his classroom and get away with it.
"Ooh, sorry coach. But, Erin's got a mouth like a sailor you know…."
"Wow, kid. There is no use of this guy taking a bullet for me if you're just going to throw me under the bus like that!" She winked though because she was kind of proud to know she'd rubbed off on this sassy girl, even if it wasn't in the best way.
"So are you two like…" Eva's eyes would go wide as she shared a look with Hannah; she would press the limits with that question because Erin was like family and Coach Halstead's perpetual bachelorhood had more than half of the girls in the school fantasizing it was because he was waiting for them to be old enough to date him; and she was most definitely amongst that crowd.
"We're just friends, Eva." Erin would roll her eyes. "A guy takes a bullet for you, you owe him a few slices of pizza, right coach?" She'd use another new way of referring him for the second time that day. They'd both prefer when she'd used the word 'babe' in place of his name more.
Amusement was already playing in his face and he'd shake his head as his smile grew. "Yeah, something like that." He remarked and then he'd address the girl's more seriously and stop this intrusion into his private life in its tracks. "What can I do for you girls though?" He'd say, shifting from playful flirt mode to his stern yet loving teacher one.
"We just wanted to say that," Hannah would speak up now. "That we're sorry, about Tre. We know how much he meant to you. He meant a lot to us too. We all thought he was better than that." She'd whisper and Eva would nod in agreement and Jay's features would soften slightly and he'd swallow hard before he spoke.
"People make mistakes and they make bad choices;" He'd lament. "Sometimes those are choices they can't take back. Tre will live with what he did for the rest of his life knowing that he was better than that; he just chose in that moment not to be."
His words would knock her back because he was both wise and gentle, but realistic and he knew perfectly how to talk to these girls. It would weaken her resolve to enforce the fact that they were just friends, because right now; she'd be more than proud to admit that he was far more than that to her.
On a regular day it might seem strange; even perceived as inappropriate when the pair of junior girls he'd drug to the floor that fateful day in the cafeteria wrapped him in a joint hug, but; not today. "Thanks coach, for what you did for us." Eva would whisper and he'd nod steadily and swallow again because he'd be damned if he cried in front of these girls or in front of Erin right now.
After a few moments he'd squeeze them each gently and they'd understand that there was a limit to the appropriateness of all this; even in times of grief. "Now get back to the cafeteria before Mrs. Morris catches you without a hall pass because even on days like today you know she always has demerits ready to hand out." He'd warn and they'd nod in understanding and exchange pleasant goodbyes before skipping out of the classroom.
She couldn't help but be enthralled with him but her phone would buzz and it would distract her from telling him how amazing he'd just been and how attractive it was. Instead she'd sigh and look at him, "Duty calls." The words would annoy her as she spoke them but she'd known going in to this idea of bringing him lunch that they would only have a short time together. Things were getting hot with a crew running meth from Canada and she had a feeling things would be popping off tonight. "I'm not sure if I'll be able to see you later, I'm stuck on surveillance tonight and I'm not sure when we'll get off… that's part of why I brought you lunch…." She'd trail off and blush because when the hell had she become so considerate.
"You're a really great friend, Erin." He'd remark simply and the playfulness alit in her eyes would make her giggle even if he was annoying.
"What, did you want me to say, that we're friends with benefits to a pair of sixteen year old girls who were totally undressing you with their eyes and, by the way, throwing daggers at me with them simultaneously. I used to babysit Eva and let her do my make up; I'm pretty sure she'd still find a way to destroy me if she even knew we so much as kissed so…." She smirked and in spite of herself, she leaned up to kiss him gently. "And as she mentioned, her dad is my partner. My very nosy, overly protective like the brother I never had nor wanted partner. So…. yeah." She'd sigh.
"Friends with benefits? Is that what you're telling yourself we are to keep up the illusion you've built up in your mind?" He'd ask with a sly smile and laugh; and yeah, maybe he was calling her out a little. "The only benefit of you being my friend is that I have fallen for you, completely; yes already. And I know you have too. And we can keep pretending that you don't call me your boyfriend in your head because I get it, you like to play it cool and keep your heart protected and I can respect that. But, we are not just friends. We will never be just friends. And you wouldn't want that anyway. Now, get to work detective, I can't have you drooling all over me when I have a class coming in."
Jay Halstead's Apartment
She should've called or texted, she knew that. But, he'd said that it would never be too late for her to climb into his bed and she was pretty sure he hadn't intended for her to show up at nearly two o'clock in the morning when he'd said that but; she didn't really care because she was battered and bruised and she wanted to be held tonight god damn it. Scratch that; she didn't just want to be held. She wanted to be held by him. And for that matter; kissed, hugged, loved, snuggled, enveloped, cuddled; the list went on and on of all she wanted from him that would make the night's misfortunes seem like distant memories. All of those things would have her knocking in his door in spite of her better judgements.
She and Ruzek had been working surveillance on a small restaurant in Chinatown. They'd suspected that the owners were running meth from Canada and Al had bugged the place earlier. It was just past midnight and the place was pretty much dead. Even the sounds of the nightshift cleaning had come to and end. She'd found herself suffering through Adam's lame jokes far too long; her own special brand of torture, when, suddenly they'd heard a girl screaming over one of the mics and it sounded like someone was forcing themselves onto her and it would be enough to make both of them move before Hank had even picked up the phone to deliver the okay.
There'd be no time to gear up so they'd gone in with their sidearms only; no vests or long guns; there was no time. Adam would kick the door in and she'd file in after her and they'd clear the dining area and the kitchen and he'd head towards the bathrooms as she went towards the office.
Fortune cookies. She'd always hated them because she abhored the taste and she always seemed to get lame paper messages inside of hers that told her pointless, generic sentiments that were often unobtainable, if you asked her. But she'd especially hate them tonight because her stepping on one and causing the plastic wrap around it to crinkle and pop, crunching the cookie underneath her boot, would be what gave her away and when she rounded the corner and into the office; that man who'd caused the girl to scream would be waiting for her.
When she'd pushed in the door, he was already waiting and one expertly landed kick would knock her gun from her hands and then he'd be pile driving her out of the doorframe and back against the wall she'd just rounded. His fist would connect once with her chin and then his other hand would connect an uppercut to her rib cage; and then another, before her reflexes were kicking in and her knee was coming up to slam between his legs. The way he'd recoil from that would allow her to jam her elbow down into his eye and he'd crumble back away from her and fall to his back. She'd be on his waist, straddling him in an instant and though she was small, she was sure as fuck mighty and she'd let her own fists wail on his face until his body wasn't writhing underneath hers and then Adam was there grabbing her and pulling her off of him and pushing her back before she'd made this perp's face unrecognizable. "You good?" He'd shout at her and she'd swallow hard and nod and then spit a bit of blood out of her mouth because when he'd caught her in the chin she'd bit her tongue and drawn blood. She'd move to wipe the residue of it away from her lips but as she tried to drag the back of her hand against it, it would smart and sting. Her eyes would look at the already turning purple skin of her knuckles; littered with tiny scrapes and scratches, and shutter from both the pain and the sight of it altogether.
After receiving confirmation that she was okay, Adam rolled the offender onto his back and cuffed him while she moved back into the office to find and holster her firearm and check with the girl who, though she'd been shaken up, had gotten away from the encounter relatively unscathed.
He'd called for an ambulance and back up and then he was behind her in the hallway, placing a hand on her shoulder once the nearest patrol unit had arrived and they were investigating the man Adam would identify as Haung Chen, one of the low level members of the crew they'd been tracking. "Hey, you alright, let me look at you." He'd say, turning her around to survey the damage the perp had done to her. His thumb would brush gently over the bruise on her chin and she'd flinch at the feeling of it. "You fucked that dude up." He'd acknowledge with an air of pride in his voice as he picked up her hands to study her bruised, broken knuckles.
"He got lucky getting the jump on me; or so he thought. Had to prove him wrong." She'd wink to reassure her partner she was all good and when he'd offered to let her crash at his place since it could suck to be home on night's like this she'd made some excuse about needing her own bed and a hot shower and she'd be just fine and after they'd called Hank and packed up the van, then he'd driven them back to the district and she'd gotten into her car.
She'd fully intended to go home and take that hot shower and crawl underneath those soft, freshly laundered by Jay sheets, but; before she even realized it, she was parking at his place. It was as if she'd gone there on autopilot.
So, those were the events that had led her to knock on his door and she'd be shocked at how fast he'd answered but he wouldn't admit he'd been sitting on the couch waiting for her to turn up. "My phone died." Was all she'd say when he pulled back the door and his face would shift into an expression of shocked concern as he took her haggard appearance in.
There was a bruise on her jawline, where the man had caught her in the chin. But it was nothing compared to the one's he'd find later on her ribs when he was undressing her carefully to help her into the shower. His eyes would scan her hands as he took hers into his own wordlessly and gently kissed the cuts and bruises there in a similar way to how she'd done it to his shoulder the morning before. He'd pull her against him then, safely inside his wooden floored apartment, and close the door before asking her; "What happened?" The way his voice was so full of worry would be a glaring reminder of why she'd been so hesitant to take things further with him then just friends like she'd said, because she didn't want him to stay up worrying about her, he didn't deserve the sleepless; anxiety filled nights that came from being with a cop; especially one who worked in a unit like Intelligence.
"Some bastard got the jump on me because I made a stupid mistake, he heard me coming." She sighed. "Shoved me into a wall, landed a few blows before I got my wits back and took care of him." She lifted her battered hands as proof. "You should see the other guy." She'd add with a wink and a giggle, because she found sometimes in cases like this using humor would go a long way.
But not with him, he found nothing amusing or funny about this. But it was her job, he understood that, so he wouldn't patronize her with concerns about her safety because her hands would certainly be evidence that she could hold her own. Plus, she seemed like the kind of woman who would be more than happy to rid herself of any man who even implied that she needed protecting when it came to her line of work. So he'd go another route, instead. "Let's get you cleaned up." He'd murmur against her temple before placing a kiss there and then sinking down to his knees to untie her boots and help her slip them off. She'd take her holster off and set it and her gun on the high counter top of the kitchen near to the doorway and then he was leading her by the hand to the bathroom in silence where he'd take just as much care as he stripped off the rest of her clothes and got the shower ready.
With each article he removed he'd replace the fabric he'd taken away with a kiss and soon her body had been covered in them; even the parts that were battered and bruised; he'd paid special mind to them. Despite the fact that any time his eyes had the pleasure of taking her in they'd become full of desire, tonight he looked at her only with tender care and concern. He wanted to erase these reminders of the nights transgressions from her skin. But, since he couldn't, he'd settle for being able to soothe them with kisses and whispered sweet nothings that he hoped would bring her peace.
"Will you?" Was all she'd say, but her eyes would finish the question and he'd nod, because of course he would. They'd step into the shower together and stand under the hot stream of piping hot water and her head would rest against his strong chest as his arms came to wrap around her. She may not need protecting from men like the one who'd roughed her up tonight, but; it was still nice to feel safe.
Sex was the last thing on her mind because her body ached and her head throbbed but she'd find that her lips had sought his out and they'd share soft, tepid kisses every so often as he had moved her slightly out of his arms so he could use a wash cloth to eradicate the layers of sweat and blood that had mixed together on various parts of her skin.
His fingers would work shampoo and conditioner into her hair when her eyes had closed and she'd hunched against him again. Even after every bit of soap had been washed away from their bodies, they'd stand there in the water until it grew warm and then a little cold and finally he was compelled to shut it off before they'd grown uncomfortable by the shifts in temperature. He'd put a towel around his own waist before moving to wrap one around her shoulders and she'd capture his lips again as he did so; more passionately this time.
"Okay so, you're my boyfriend, right?" She'd ask in a rather lame concession of her obvious feelings for him. After the tenderness and care with which he'd just treated her, there was really no more point pretending he hadn't made her his now.
"Oooh—awkward, I kind of wanted to keep this casual…" He's smirk but he didn't want to ruin the sentiment of her words completely so his teasing would be brief. "I mean, if you're not one for titles I can respect that but, I'd really like to be." He'd add more seriously, his tone hushed with vulnerability.
"You're my boyfriend. I'm your girlfriend." She'd confirm and she'd punctuate this new fact with another kiss and then she'd step out of the shower and let the towel fall down. "We should celebrate." She'd add with utterly devious intentions as her fingers came to make his towel join hers on the floor.
He'd try to be careful with her because of the bruises but she wouldn't allow it. His thumbs had brushed over the softball sized smattering of blueish purple damaged skin on her rib cage with uncertainty until her eyes had found his again as her head leaned back against the pillow. "Make me forget," She'd request and he'd honor that wish to the fullest extent.
Their newly cemented couple status would be the driving force behind that sensual encounter and it would be almost three am before they'd both felt the climax of pleasure and she'd spoon up against his chest and fall asleep with a happy smile on her face afterwards almost immediately. "You called be babe and boyfriend, all in one day." Would be the words he used that put that smile there as she drifted to sleep.
