You Were Good, Then You Were Gone – Chapter 14
A/N: Hey guys! I'm SO sorry that I haven't updated in awhile, I've had a lot of work for university so I got a bit sidetracked. On the bright side though, I've finished this chapter AND the next chapter so there will only be a few days wait between chapters this time.
I figured it was fitting to post a new chapter in honour of PD and Fire returning this week :)
Enjoy!
"Follow the light please." Connor Rhodes asked as he put the little light into Erin's line of sight. Erin squinted at the harsh light, letting her eyes adjust before following his instructions.
She had been awake now for almost half an hour, and it had been non-stop check-ups since the moment Jay had left her side. Erin sighed as she thought of her former partner; he hadn't come back into the room since she woke up.
"Okay, everything seems to be good." Connor smiled "I'll let you rest, you've got a whole bunch of people waiting outside to see you. I'll come back in about an hour to check up on you, okay?"
"Thanks Connor." Erin smiled tiredly.
Will stayed in his position leaning against the doorway as he watched Connor finish up. He could see the sadness in Erin's eyes, presumably from the missing presence of his brother.
"How are you feeling?" Will asked.
'Like I got shot." Erin muttered sarcastically.
Will chuckled "Still got that same wit I see."
Erin shrugged her shoulders in return "I heard the fan club's out there."
"Oh, just your standard members. Voight, Platt, Burgess, some of the Fire department –"
"Wait Burgess is here!?" Erin exclaimed, her tiredness suddenly not as present "It's like 4 am Will! She's pregnant!"
"I'm well aware of the time Erin." Jay deadpanned.
"Will, tell her to go home. She can't be stressed out over me, she needs to take care of herself."
"Oh relax!" Will and Erin both turned their heads to the doorway "I'm pregnant, not elderly! I'm perfectly capable of sleeping in a hospital waiting room. It's not like the baby's letting me sleep much anyways."
Erin smiled as Kim walked further into the room, Will helping her to sit down in the chair that Jay had previously occupied. Kim took Erin's hand in hers squeezing tightly.
"I missed you Kimberley." Erin smiled softly.
"You're never allowed to scare me like that again Erin Lindsay." Kim said sternly "Do you have any idea what you put us through?"
"I'm sorry Kim. Next time someone tries to shoot at me, I'll duck." Erin deadpanned.
"I'm serious Erin." Kim says, her voice sobering Erin's amused expression quickly "Hank, Jay and the team, we all need you...My little girl's going to need her aunty."
"Kim" Erin smiled "You're going to have a little girl!?"
"Yeah, and I definitely need you to be around because we both know I'm going to need someone to calm me down when she starts driving me up the walls." Kim laughed.
"I promise Kim. I'm not going anywhere this time around." Erin said reaching over as best she could to place her hand with Kim's over her growing baby.
Jay sat in the waiting room, elbows on his knees and head in his hands as he waited for the team to all visit with Erin. He wasn't sure what to do; their moment after she woke up had thrown him for a loop.
"Hey." Jay looked up as Eric sat down next to him.
"Hey." Jay said softly "How's your daughter?"
"Lucy's good, she's recovering well and she's got her sister and Jack with her. How's our partner?"
Jay shrugged in return "I'm not sure. She woke up about an hour ago, they're doing checkups and everyone's visiting her."
"What about you?" Jones asked "How are you?"
"You don't need to worry about me Jones." Jay replied shortly.
"Actually I do." Jones insisted "I know we only just met, but it feels like I've known you for the past two years. And I know Erin would want me to make sure you were doing okay."
Jay continued to look confused and Eric took the opportunity to keep explaining "You know when I first met Erin, I had already heard a lot about her. I was expecting this tough, badass, funny girl that would be all serious during work hours, but could have a good time after hours. After everything I heard about her, I was so excited to work with her."
"She's an amazing partner." Jay said quietly.
"She is." Eric agreed "But when I met her, she was so far from the woman I'd heard about. She was different, it was like … the light had gone out in her eyes. She rarely spoke unless it was work related, she didn't hang out with us after work, and she was always adamant of sitting in the passenger seat when we drove. I would offer but she'd get snappy. It was about 6 months into our partnership that she cracked."
Okay seriously, what the hell is your problem!?" Eric yelled as they walked out of the district.
Erin looked back at him shocked "Excuse me?"
You're totally zoned out! I've been trying to make conversation with you for the past six months, and nothing! When I first heard about you, people said you were a force to be reckoned with. I assumed, working under Hank Voight, you'd be a complete and utter hardass who doesn't take anybody's crap."
And who says I'm not?" She sassed back.
Well considering all you've done the past six months is mope around, what do you expect me to think!?" He yelled.
Erin stayed quiet, knowing that he was right. She had been wallowing in her self-pity for the past year and a half. Jones sighed and placed his hand on Erin's shoulder.
Look, whatever's going on with you, we're partners. You can lean on me if you need to." He said softly.
Erin nodded her head but continued to look down at the ground; she didn't want him to see her breakdown.
"Alright, I think that was enough emotions for one night. Can I give you a ride home?" Jones asked.
Erin shook her head, letting out a soft sniffle "I can walk."
Don't be silly Erin. Get in the car." Erin moved quietly to the passenger side and sat in the car as Eric joined her in the driver side.
The ride was quiet as they sat in the typical New York traffic. Erin stared out the window, Eric occasionally looking between her and the traffic ahead of him.
I left a lot of people when I left home." Erin said suddenly "And my partner, he …"
He wasn't just your partner." Eric stated.
I'm sorry that I've been so rude to you, I guess I'm just trying to avoid making any connections here. I don't have a family here, I have no friends –"
Hey. You have me." Jones interrupted "I know I'm not family, but I'm here if you need me."
Erin smiled slightly, turning to look at her partner "Thank you Eric."
"Her heart was always in Chicago Jay. She never truly left you." Jones smiled.
"Thanks Eric."
"Look, I know it's not my place to say, but can I suggest one last thing?" Eric asked as Jay nodded "It's time to move on Jay. Both you and Erin have been stuck in the past for three years now. You guys have to let go."
"I know." Jay said softly "I wanted to talk to her. Before the shooting, I asked her if we could talk before she leaves. And then everything happened, and I thought I was going to lose her…"
"So maybe you need to go back in there and talk to her." Jones suggested.
Jay sighed standing up from his chair "Maybe you're right."
He left Jones sitting in the waiting room, walking with a determination he hadn't felt in the last three years. His heart was racing as he knocked gently on the door to her room, eyeing Hank, Burgess and Ruzek who all sat around her bed.
"Hey." Erin's smile brightens when she sees him and he can feel his heart warm.
"Hey." He replied nervously "Can we talk?"
A/N: Okay so I'm not the happiest with this ending, BUT I am really excited to show you guys the next chapter so I wanted to get this posted asap.
I hope you like the flashback and the bits of Erin and Kim, because I'm hardcore missing Lingess as well as Linstead this season!
Next chapter: Jay and Erin FINALLY talk!
As always, please leave a review and let me know what you guys think! I'm 12 away from 200 and I have the next chapter ready so I'm going to put in some incentive - when I hit 200 reviews I'll post the next chapter!
- Maddie :)