A/N: Two chapters in one day? I guess I just really enjoy writing this story. I have big plans for it! You can probably expect another chapter tomorrow also! I really want to write a Christmas chapter, but I don't want it to be for a while, but I want it up before Christmas, so this story is going to be my main priority for a while. Be on the lookout for new chapters regularly and don't forget to review! Thanks, Mary :)

Erin left Jay's soon after Voight did, "Call me if you need anything." She had told him on her way out.

It was a pretty exhausting day for her and she was excited to get home and crawl into bed. After arriving home, she reached for her keys and unlocked her door. She was shocked when she saw Kelly sitting on her couch, casually drinking a beer. It'd ben nearly twelve hours since she left, she thought he'd pick up the hint and leave also.

"Hey," She said questioningly as she waltzed towards him.

"Oh, hey! I don't have shift until tomorrow morning, I figured it'd be okay if I just hung out here. I didn't think you'd be gone so long." Erin only nodded and sat down next to him, stealing his beer in the process. "What's up with your partner?"

Erin rolled her eyes and shook her head, "He's a dad; some girl he hooked up with a while back dropped off a baby at his front door. He's flustered."

"And you were needed because?"

That question received a glare from Erin, "Because he's my partner. He didn't know what to do." Standing up from the couch, she set Kelly's beer on the coffee table and made her way towards her bedroom. She really didn't like all these questions coming from Kelly. Of course the source of all these questions was the jealousy he felt, but in all honesty, she didn't think he had the right.

Kelly followed Erin into the bedroom, "Sorry, I just missed you today. It's the first day that we both had off in a while, and we didn't get to spend it together."

Erin turned to face him and crossed her arms. "Okay, but I don't need all these accusations Kelly; I care about him, and there's never going to be a time where I don't." She ran her fingers through her hair in frustration, "If you can't accept that, I'm not sure we can do this anymore."

"No, I can accept that; I don't want this to end." He said as he advanced towards her. When he was standing right in front of her he took her hands in his and pulled them up to his lips. "I'll let it go."

"Good." Erin simply said before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him. They stumbled towards the bed, removing clothes in the process.

Erin's phone went off at 2am that night, she blindly reached for it and answered it.

"Hello?" She spoke into the phone, in an extra raspy voice.

"Hey, you told me to call if I needed anything." Jay's voice was shaky and distressed, and he let out a sigh before continuing, "I know it's late but, she won't stop crying. I need help."

For the second time in the past 24 hours, Erin was driving to Jay's apartment. The second she stepped out of the elevator, she could hear Ava's faint cries. She let herself into Jay's apartment and followed the sound to the bedroom. Jay relaxed immediately when he saw Erin. "Thank you." He said gratefully, and handed Ava over to her.

"Mhm, what have you tried?" Erin asked as she started to sooth the crying infant.

"I changed her, fed her, and burped her. She won't stop, Erin."

"Go out into the living room, I'll be right there." After Jay left the room, Erin continued to rock Ava, "Shhhh," She said as she gently stroked her cheek. Ava had already stopped crying and Erin noticed she was struggling to keep her eyes open. Only minutes later was Ava asleep.

Erin walked out of Jay's bedroom wearing one of his shirts, he gave her a confused look, "That's my shirt."

Erin looked down at what she was wearing, "Yeah, I gave mine to Ava to sleep with. I think a woman's scent might help her sleep." She walked towards Jay and sat down next to him.

"Thanks for being here today."

She smiled and gave him a knowing look, "That's why you have backup, right?" She said with a wink.

Jay and Erin spent the rest of the week getting prepared for when they had to return to work. Considering the size of Jay's apartment, they were limited to the furniture they bought for Ava. The crib Erin picked out fit perfectly in Jay's bedroom, and they found a changing table that was small enough to keep in the living room. Erin also had a field day with outfits that they knew she'd grow out of in weeks, but couldn't not fall in love with.

They were able to find a daycare that's open late, and a nanny for the weekends or when Jay had to work extra late. He didn't want to be one of those parents that let someone else raise their kid, but he didn't really have a choice. Chicago's criminals don't run on a nine to five schedule. He would, however, do whatever possible in order to spend as much time with Ava as possible.

Jay really appreciated Erin being around for him, and it was a struggle to get Ava away from her, for both girls. But at the end of each day spent together, Erin went home to Severide, much to Jay's disappointment.

On the other end, Kelly was getting more and more irritated with Erin spending so much time with Jay and his baby; but kept his mouth shut. He had a good thing going on with her and he didn't want to ruin it. He didn't say anything when he rolled over in bed that night to be met with cold sheets, or when she cancelled on drinks because she was "crib shopping", or waking up to find her wearing Jay Halstead's t-shirt. While he understood that Jay was her best friend, his fuse was getting shorter by the minute.

On Wednesday night, Kelly pulled out his phone and dialed Erin's number, she picked up after a few rings. "Hey! I thought you'd maybe want to come over for a bit, I haven't seen you much this week."

"I'd love to, but I already have plans with Jay and Ava. We go back to work tomorrow and Jay wanted to go out and have a 'last supper' kind of thing. How about tomorrow night?"

Kelly sighed heavily, "Sure, sounds great!" He hoped that Erin couldn't sense the fakeness in his voice.

Jay opened the door to the familiar Italian restaurant with Ava on his hip, "There's gonna be 3- well, 2 and a baby" He told the hostess while playing with Ava's fingers.

He followed the hostess to a table and denied when asked if he wanted a high chair. Erin was late, but that was a usual occurrence for her so he wasn't worried. He tried to ignore all the stares coming his way from the various waitresses. Why did women find a man with a baby so attractive?

While playing peek-a-boo with Ava, he noticed his phone buzz, it was a text from Erin. "Meeting with Bunny went late, be there in 5." It read.

Jay took that as a cue to get their waitress's attention. He knew that when she said it 'went late' it meant it was bad, so he decided to order her some alcohol, "She's gonna want a whiskey, neat" He said pointing to Erin's empty chair, "And If I could get a coke, please."

"Sure." The chipper waitress said before walking away to get their drinks.

Seconds later, he saw Erin prance through the door looking flustered form her meeting with Bunny. She scanned the restaurant for Jay, and when she noticed him made her way to the table. Ava eyes beamed with excitement as she saw Erin approach them, and started to squirm on Jay's leg. Erin picked her up as soon as she was in arms reach and kissed her nose before sitting down at the table opposite Jay. "I ordered you a whiskey, figured your meeting with Bunny didn't go so well." He said when she'd composed herself.

Erin let out a sigh, "Thanks, and you're right; it went horribly." Putting her attention back on the baby she holding she spoke again, "But it's all better now that I get to see my precious girl, isn't that right?" Ava cooed in response and Jay smiled at the interaction between the two.

When the waitress, who seemed down to see that Erin had arrived, returned with their drinks, Erin quickly downed her glass of whiskey, and ordered a glass of water to accompany her meal. "Are you guys ready to order?" She asked, which caused Jay and Erin to exchange a glance; silently asking if the other was ready.

"Uh, yeah; we are." Jay said after a little bit of hesitation, "I'm going to get a small pizza with olives, peperoni, and pineapple. And she'll have the chicken parmesan." Jay didn't realize he'd ordered for Erin until after the waitress had walked away.

He thought Erin would be mad, but she just scoffed then gave him a smile, "Thanks. How'd you know?"

"We've been to dinner together before, Erin. You get chicken parm every time!"

"I do not! I've gotten-" Erin had to pause for a second, Jay was actually right. She really was that predictable. "Fine, I guess I do get that every time." She said in defeat.

Apart from Jay and Erin, the little Italian restaurant was pretty empty, and unbeknownst to them, the staff had a bet of their own going on- Whether or not Jay and Erin were a couple. The servers were observing every one of their interactions to find out. It seemed as if every time something happened to prove their relationship, they did something very un-couple like. Amelia (Jay and Erin's server) thought she'd solved the mystery when Jay ordered for Erin, but after seeing Erin's reaction, she thought otherwise. The case was put to rest, however, when Erin received a phone call half way through their meal. She walked outside to take the call, and when she came back in she briskly asked for a to-go box and gave Jay some money to pay- which he automatically denied.

"Kelly's drunk out of his mind at Molly's. That was Gabby, she needs be to go and get him. I guess he's a little upset that we haven't been spending much time together." Jay couldn't help but feel a little guilty, but he knew he shouldn't.

"You sure you don't want me to go with you? I know how he gets when he's drunk." Jay asked with raised eyebrows as Erin put on her coat.

Erin shook her head, "No, I'll be fine. You," she said kissing Ava's forehead, "focus on getting this one home. Bye baby. Bye Jay, thanks for dinner." Luckily, Ava was asleep and couldn't sense Erin's going.

"Bye." Jay said sadly as he watched Erin walk away. As Ava began to stir and realize Erin was no longer there, she started to cry, so Jay quickly asked for the bill so he could get her home before she caused a scene.

"Miss her mommy?" Amelia asked as she returned with Jay's credit card.

"Who Erin? Yeah, she does." Jay said while signing the credit card slip

"Why'd she leave so abruptly?" She asked, prying for more details to confirm their relationship status so she would win the bet.

Jay furrowed his brows at her prying, and cleared his throat, "She had to go and pick up her drunk ass of a boyfriend." He didn't say another word as he collected Ava's things and went home.

Amelia sighed, considering she'd lost the bet, and Jay's sad tone didn't help. It was obvious to her that Jay felt something for the girl he'd had dinner with. Which is why she decided to keep the information to herself- not because she'd lost the bet, but because she didn't feel right sharing that information. She went back to her coworkers and told them she wasn't sure, and the subject was quickly forgotten, but Amelia would never forget the look she saw in Jay's eyes when he had to tell her the girl of his dreams went to go and meet another guy.