Late one afternoon, Erin came over baring food and coffee doubting that either Jay or Charlotte had bothered to venture out of the apartment while coming to grips with what was going on. "Hi," Jay smiled reaching up to kiss her and take the coffee gratefully, he was on the couch filling out paperwork to change the school where Charlotte was currently attending to one closer to home and the precinct. Erin leaned over him massaging his tense shoulders, "How's it going with her?" She asked not wanting to create more stress, "I told her she could only have until the end of this week off school, so she's gone back to locking herself in her room. I'm not wrong am I? It's been almost 2 months, that's a long time to be stuck in an apartment doing nothing." Jay looked up for support and Erin nodded quickly biting her lip, "How about I talk to her, she may have had enough of hearing your opinion." Looking at Jay's widened eyes she smirked and kissed his lips gently "She's a teenage girl who's only human contact for 8 weeks has been a funeral for her mom, her phone and her dad and uncle. Right now she may just want someone different." Jay nodded thoughtfully agreeing with what Erin was saying.
Taking the hot chocolate and donuts she'd bought, Erin headed down the hall, knocking on Charlotte's door. Hearing a muffled "Come in," she ventured inside and her heart broke a little seeing the darkness and a girl sitting sadly on the floor watching Netflix. Erin lowered herself onto the floor and handed her the takeaway cup silently. Charlotte turned a lamp on and muted the tv, "Did you want something?" The teen asked confused about what his dad's girlfriend was doing in her room. "I was thinking, that since you're starting a new school we should go and buy some new clothes and stationery," Erin put a smile on her face in a vain attempt to get her to agree. Charlotte thought on it for a moment before nodding, "On one condition, my dad doesn't come." Erin's eyes widened in surprise expecting that the condition would be that Jay did come but instead she wanted it to be just the two of them, they'd never done something by themselves before but Erin didn't delay in answering, "Well duh." They both giggled slightly while standing up, Erin leaving to let the teen change as she walked back out she smiled and gave Jay two thumbs up, "We're going shopping, just the two of us for school supplies." Jay handed her his wallet but Erin shook her head not taking the money. The two looked up from where they were sharing a moment to see his daughter dressed in a red sweater and white jeans and adidas sneakers, Jay grinned "Have fun, buy me something" He winked as Erin gathered her bag and they left the apartment. Jay sighed and looked around the now empty apartment. It was the first time they'd been apart since that night at the hospital and he felt like the pressure to constantly protect had been taken away for at least enough time for him to have a break.
They returned later that night with pizzas in tow, and Charlotte looked much happier and carefree than he'd seen her in a long time. She kissed his cheek and carried the shopping bags to her room, "Looks like you're good for both of us." Jay remarked turning to look at his girlfriend, who blushed in response, "She's a good kid" Erin said unsure of how to respond not wanting to overstep or be seen to not care. They stood there awkwardly before Erin spoke, "I should get going, good luck with her first day." They kissed chastely on the lips and Erin hurried out of the apartment brushing past Will as he entered after his shift, and he sensed something was off pulling a face at his brother as the door closed. "Colder than the Arctic Circle. What was that?" Will tried not to laugh as they sank onto the couch opposite each other. Jay shrugged preparing the paperwork to take to the school with Charlotte tomorrow, "Maybe me having a kid who lives here permanently isn't what she signed up for." Jay patted his brother's back before heading to his room.
The next morning felt rushed as went through the motions of getting Charlotte breakfast and making her lunch and getting ready for work and despite getting up over an hour earlier than he normally would he still felt as though he were running five minute late and in a constant game of catch-up. His daughter sauntered out dressed and ready without a care in the world as she poured herself some coffee, "I made you a nutritious breakfast to optimise your learning and brain energy." Her eye's widened and she nodded slowly reaching for a banana instead of the eggs, "I don't really eat in the morning, but thanks for the thought." Jay had to hold in the urge he had to scream and yell and force the food down her throat, just nodding "Sure." He grabbed his keys and jacket, "You put the paperwork in your bag to hand in right?" Charlotte nodded not looking up from her phone as they left the apartment and entered the car. Jay was trying to run through his schedule aloud to her but she didn't appear to be listening and/or care. Reaching the school Jay pulled up at the car pool, "I will see you at the precinct by 3:45 at the latest, and text me when you leave here." Charlotte finally looked up from her texting long enough to respond "K." She replied as she got out of the car obviously still upset that Jay was sending her to school as she slammed the car door.
Making his way into the precinct, he secretly wished his shift had already been done as he wandered tiredly up the stairs nodding at everyone as he sat at his desk looking up to Erin with a big thumps up. "I did it."