A/N: I am so incredibly sorry for the fact that it has taken me more than a month to update this story. Personally, I've had a lot going on within myself and my world, and I haven't had much energy or motivation for anything, including writing. I'm sorry to make you guys wait so long for an answer, and I appreciate those of you who have still reviewed in the interim. I hope this chapter is helps make up for the long wait. See the first chapter for the disclaimer. I hope you guys enjoy this one, and please review. :)

Ten

When the buzzer rang, Will got up to answer it, leaving Jay on the couch. Will waited by the door as Jay watched TV, pretending he wasn't concerned about who was visiting today. When Will opened the door, Jay continued to ignore the entry for Sportscenter, because he figured that it was someone dropping by to see Will, not him.

"Hi, Jay," Dr. Charles said.

Will quickly disappeared from the apartment before Jay could even say anything.

"Since when do doctors make house calls?" Jay asked the older man.

"Some still do," Dr. Charles replied. "Mind if I sit?"

Jay gestured at the chairs in the living room. "Okay, so since when does the Chief of Psychiatry at Chicago Med make house calls?"

"When the patient warrants it." Dr. Charles sat down. "How are you feeling?"

Jay shrugged. "Okay, I guess."

"How's the pain?"

"It's fine."

Dr. Charles looked at Jay curiously. "You seem a little less guarded," he observed.

Jay shrugged.

"What's changed?"

Jay shrugged again, unsure of the answer himself.

"You know, most times, it helps if you talk about it," Dr. Charles suggested.

"I wouldn't know where to start," Jay said finally.

"How is it being back home?"

"Different."

"How so?"

"I'm… I'm never really alone. I'm… I'm not used to that, here."

"Is it unpleasant?"

"Having everyone around?" At Dr. Charles's nod, Jay said, "not really. It's mostly Will and Gabby. And Casey. Sometimes Louie's with them." Jay paused for a moment. "Severide was here once."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I guess… I guess I didn't… I didn't realize… that he… he knew."

"Knew what?" Dr. Charles asked, shifting in the chair to face Jay more.

"What happened to me," Jay said softly.

"And what was that?"

"You know."

"Jay, what I do or don't know… that's not the purpose here. The first step is admitting what happened."

Jay shifted on the couch, sighing heavily.

"It doesn't have to be me," Dr. Charles offered. "It could be Will, or Gabby, or even Casey. It could be Erin…"

"I should tell her, at some point…" Jay said quietly.

"When you're ready."

"Some days, I am, and then she's here and… I just… can't."

"What stops you?"

"I don't know."

"Do you trust her?"

Jay nodded.

"Do you love her?"

Jay nodded again.

"Are you worried that it might change things between you two?"

Jay looked down at his hands, which were resting on his lap.

"I think you should be honest with her. She might surprise you."

Jay said nothing, twisting his hands together in his lap.

When Erin arrived later that night, Will again made himself scarce, giving the two of them some alone time. Erin sat down next to Jay on the couch, putting her arm on the back behind him as he slumped somewhat and began playing with his hands.

"Are you okay?" she asked him.

Jay didn't say anything, just kept twisting his hands in his lap.

"Jay," she said softly. "Talk to me."

"I can't," he replied, matching her tone.

"Why not?"

"Because."

"Because…?"

"I don't want things to change."

She moved her hand to massage the back of his neck. "Why do you think anything will change?"

"Because, they will. Everything will change."

"What do you mean?"

"When I tell you… you… you'll look at me… and… and it won't ever be the same."

Erin furrowed her eyebrows as she pulled her arm from around his neck to place both hands on top of his. "Jay, I promise you, you can tell me anything, and it doesn't change anything."

Jay cringed slightly, before taking a deep breath. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"Absolutely," Erin promised.

Jay took another deep breath before saying, "Then, there's something you should know…"

Hank was finishing up paperwork at the district, in the silence of the empty upstairs, when she came crashing in. "You should've told me," Erin said angrily.

"Told you what?" Hank replied, not completely sure of what she was referring to, but having a pretty good idea all the same.

"You knew. You knew that Jay had been raped, and you didn't tell me."

Hank sighed. "It wasn't my job to tell any of you."

"You should've been straight with me, at least."

Hank stood up to walk in front of Erin. "If it had been you, and you were raped, would you have wanted me to tell Halstead? Or anyone else in the squad?"

Erin paused, her anger dissipating as she thought on Hank's words. "No," she said finally.

Hank reached out, putting his hands on her upper arms. "Jay needed to be the one to tell you," he said. "Not me, not Dr. Rhodes, not Dr. Charles… Jay."

"Does Will know?" she asked softly.

"I don't know."

Erin shook her head slowly. "I don't know what to do," she admitted.

"Just be there for him. Support him. Make sure he knows nothing's changed between you two. Let him tell you what he needs."

"I hate seeing him so… so broken, and vulnerable."

"I know."

She inhaled deeply before exhaling slowly. "He's not gonna be okay, is he?" she asked, her question coming out more like a statement.

"That's up to him," Hank replied, squeezing his upper arms gently. "We just gotta be there for him."

She nodded before hugging onto him and putting her head on his shoulder. Hank simply returned the hug, putting his hand on the back of her head for support.