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Chapter 7

"Mommy, why am I going to Antonio's?" Peter asked as Erin buckled him into his car seat the next evening.

"Because daddy and I are going out tonight," Erin replied with a smile.

"But I want to stay with you," Peter said, putting on his pouty face and crossing his arms.

"Peter," Erin replied, "You're a big boy now, and sometimes you'll have to spend time with people other than me and daddy. You do it at school, right? Right?" She began to tickle the five year old, who erupted in shrieks and giggles. When he calmed down a little, he said, "Will Diego be there? And Eva?"

"Yes," Erin said with a smile, shutting the door and getting in the driver's seat before Jay could protest. Jay sat down in the passenger seat as Erin headed for Antonio's place. Laura and Antonio had been unable to work things out in the end, and since their divorce Diego and Eva had been alternating weeks with their dad. Antonio always seemed happier when he had his kids with him, and since he had the kids on this particular day, he had agreed to take care of Peter while Erin and Jay went out for dinner.

To meet Jay's sister and brother-in-law.

Peter ran past Antonio at the front door and jumped into Diego's arms at the bottom of the staircase as Erin said hello. Jay stayed in the car because he was getting himself worried about what might happen at dinner.

"What's up with him?" Antonio asked Erin, pointing to Jay in the car.

Erin sighed and replied, "He only just saw his sister again for the first time in nineteen years and we both know that the next two hours are going to be awkward."

"Ah," Antonio said, "That's rough."

"Yeah."

"You don't sound too excited either," Antonio observed.

"I'm going to support him," Erin explained, looking back at Jay in the car, "I've never seen him this nervous about something before…except maybe when I told him that he was going to be a father."

"I can imagine," Antonio acknowledged.

"Thanks, Antonio. Bye," Erin said as she walked back to the car and Antonio shut his front door. Erin drove the restaurant and had to practically drag Jay in the front door because he was being so hesitant.

Elise had apparently picked the restaurant – an old-style burger diner with red and white cushions and booths. Jay spotted Elise in a booth a few feet away, and she stood up with her husband to greet them. "Jay," she said happily, pulling him into a hug. After they separated, she motioned to the guy next to her and said, "This is my husband, Mike."

"Nice to meet you, sir," Jay said politely as he shook Mike's hand. "You as well," Mike replied, "Elise has told me a lot about you."

"All good I hope," Jay replied, trying his best to smile but not fully succeeding. "Elise, Mike, this is my lovely wife, Erin."

"Lovely to meet you, Erin," Elise said with a big smile, shaking Erin's hand. "You both as well," Erin replied as she shook Mike's hand. Elise and Mike then sat down on one side of the booth, and Jay scooted into the window, leaving Erin across from Elise. "I didn't realize that you and Jay were married when we met at the school."

"Yeah, we've been married for over five years," Erin said, trying not to snap that she always wears her wedding ring…even on busts. She then remembered the time she asked Jay if he wanted her to take it off during busts in case it got damaged or something, and Jay replied no because their job brought them together. That had evolved into one of Erin and Jay's very rare PDA's at work, and had been met by whistles and orders to "get a room." Erin smiled as she looked down at her iced tea that had just arrived at the table.

"How long have you two been cops?" Mike asked.

"You worried we've got our badges and gonna arrest you?" Erin joked with a smirk. Jay and Mike both laughed, Elise not taking the comment as lightly. Erin cleared her throat as the laughter died down and said, "I've been in Intelligence for a long time, but Jay has been a cop a long time. We were partnered together when he was brought into Intelligence."

"Wow, so you're still working together?" Elise asked.

Erin stopped herself from rolling her eyes as Jay replied, "Yes."

The polite conversation continued for the next forty minutes as they ordered food, the food arrived, and everyone began to eat. Erin was getting a little bored, but was trying not to show it because Jay was trying to make an effort. Erin decided to ask a couple of questions herself. "Jay tells me you have a daughter? Maddie, right?"

"Right," Elise said with a smile, "She's ten. In the fifth grade."

"Cool," Erin said, "Mike? How long have you lived in Chicago?"

"My whole life, almost," Mike replied after sipping his beer. "I grew up on the north side, went to college in Boston and came back to a job here afterwards. I know Elise and Jay grew up in Maine, but where'd you grow up Erin?"

Jay almost choked on the mouthful of food that he was swallowing because he knew about Erin's complex past and wasn't sure if she was prepared to answer such a question. But he was relieved when his wife, in true Erin style, replied, "I grew up in Chicago too, actually. Moved around a lot though when I was a kid."

"The Windy City is a lovely place, isn't it?" Mike asked Erin.

"For living or for crime?" Erin said with a smirk. Elise got the joke first this time, and as Jay and Mike joined in, Erin finished, "It's a great place. At times as a cop we see some not-so-safe aspects of the city, but I'm glad that we're able to keep our son safe."

"What's your son's name?" Elise asked. "Peter," Erin replied quickly.

"Lovely name. I always wanted a boy actually, but we couldn't have a second kid because my doctor said that it would be too risky after I had Maddie."

This time, Erin nearly spit out a mouthful of burger. She looked at Jay with ahelp me expression on her face, and Jay responded, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, really," Elise replied grabbing Mike's hand, "If you don't have your health, you don't really have anything, right?"

"Right," Erin replied.

***40 minutes later***

As Jay drove with Erin towards Antonio's place to pick up Peter, he broke the awkward silence that he filled their walk to the car and the first two minutes of the drive. "Erin?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for coming with me tonight. You really helped ease the tensions a little," Jay said meaningfully.

"Of course, Jay, I wanted to support you," Erin replied as she stared out of the windshield. "Can I ask you something?"

"Fire away," Jay replied, pulling the car to the curb outside Antonio's condo. Once he cut the ignition and turned to face Erin, he realized that she look nervous as she began to speak.

"Did you ever think about having a second kid? 'Cause I'm now realizing that we never talked about it. We kind of just focused on raising Peter and staying at work."

Jay sighed, grabbed Erin's hand, and replied, "I did think about it when Peter was one or two, thinking how awesome it would be for Peter to have a brother or sister. But I then realized if we had a second kid that you probably wouldn't be able to work in Intelligence anymore, which I know is really important to you. So, I eventually decided to…to count my blessings and be happy with one."

"Really?" Erin said, surprised by the deep air of Jay's response. "Because I thought about it a little too. You know, having a child whose arrival was actually planned. But then I decided that I couldn't because I wouldn't want to take any time away from Peter. You and Peter are everything to me."

"You two are everything to me too," Jay said, smiling. He leaned over and kissed Erin with his hand in her hair. When he pulled away, he said, "After you told me I was going to be a father, part of me thought about how Peter was a sign from the universe that we were meant to be together. I mean, we were having arguments every other day for a few weeks until you started throwing up."

Erin laughed with Jay before replying, "It's weird how things work out sometimes. I don't miss feeling nauseous all the time though."

"I'm sure," Jay acknowledged, "I'll always be thankful for you, Erin. You made me a father, and a really happy one. I hope you know that."

Erin kissed Jay and said, "I'm glad, honestly, because I don't know how I would have done it without you." Erin then looked past Jay to Antonio's front window, and saw a little boy looking out at the car. A taller man, obviously Antonio, was standing behind the boy. "Come on," Erin said, "Let's go get Peter. He's already waiting," Erin said with a smile, reaching for the handle of her car door.

***Inside Antonio's condo***

As a kids TV show episode drew to a close, Peter looked out the front window from his position at the left end of the couch. Antonio looked over at the boy from across the room as Diego and Eva cleared their dinner plates. "You okay, Peter?"

Peter's head whirled around and he replied, "Yeah. I just wanna see mommy and daddy."

"Yeah, they'll be here soon," Antonio reassured him. Peter was the sweetest little boy he had ever met, and still hadn't quite figured out how too hotheads like Erin and Jay could have made as calm a boy as Peter. Then again, they had done a great job raising him so far and Peter was really attached to both of his parents. Antonio just prayed that neither of his parents would ever get hurt, as he was sure Erin and Jay worried, because it wouldn't be for many years that Peter would learn what his parents really did for a living.

Antonio's train of thought was interrupted by Peter jumping off the couch and squealing, "They're back! They're back!" He ran over to the front window and put both of his hands on the glass as he watched his parents sit and talk in the car. "Antonio?"

"Yeah, bud?" Antonio asked, walking over to stand behind the little boy.

"Why aren't they coming? I want them to come," Peter said sadly.

"Peter, your parents are just talking a little. They'll be in soon."

"What are they talking about?"

"No idea," Antonio admitted. Peter continued to stare out the window at his parents in the car, anxiously waiting for them to get out. He wanted to tell his mommy and daddy all about the TV he watched and what Antonio cooked for dinner. And how Eva and Diego were super cool (even though he had already known that before tonight). Luckily, Peter saw his mom getting out of the car and squealed with delight, making a beeline for Antonio's front door.