Hi loves! This is…. fluffy. It's a long filler chapter but I hope you enjoy it! I'm thinking 2-3 more chapters so if there's anything you definitely want to see before this story wraps up leave a review or shoot me a PM! I'm going to try to update All In this week as well and if this week's ep inspires me maybe I'll work on a one-shot too, we'll see! ALSO thank you so much for 100 reviews on this story, your support and feedback mean the world to me so PLEASE keep it up and review if you liked this chapter, have any feedback, or just wanna say hey! You guys are the best :) xo
Erin always found a way to make Jay give in to what she wanted, so it was no surprise that Jay found himself pushing a cart through the grocery store later that night once they'd landed in Chicago. He was unable to stop a laugh from breaking out of his mouth as he watched Erin stand in the meat department, hands on hips and looking thoroughly confused, as she tried to pick out a roast beef big enough to feed their entire unit the following night.
"What?" she asked, shooting him an annoyed look as she picked up a piece of meat to examine.
"Nothing," Jay shook his head, the grin never leaving his face.
"Jaaay," she almost whined and this time he bit his lip to stop another chuckle from escaping. He'd definitely acquired a sunburn today and a slap in the shoulder from Erin would definitely hurt. The smile stayed on his face, though, because exhausted, puzzled, and also slightly sunburnt Erin was one of the cutest things he'd ever seen.
"I just can't believe you're going to cook a fancy dinner. For like ten people, no less," he allowed. In the year they'd been together, he could count on one hand the amount of times Erin had cooked something that wasn't Kraft macaroni and cheese or a Hot Pocket. And that had only been for the two of them, not the entire Intelligence unit.
Erin rolled her eyes as she picked up a different piece of meat. "I can cook, Jay," she challenged and began walking towards him. He winced, expecting the playful slap, but sighed in relief when she walked past him and put the roast beef in their cart. "Besides, you're going to help me," she smiled sweetly at him and motioned for him to continue pushing the cart to the next aisle.
Jay rolled his eyes as he pushed the fairly empty cart with one hand and reached for Erin's hand with his free hand, intertwining their fingers. "Oh, am I?" he challenged, looking down at her and raising an eyebrow.
"If you ever want to play Scrabble again, yeah, you are," she mirrored his expression as she let go of his hand to grab a jar of gravy off of the shelf. Jay just groaned; he would obviously help her no matter what, but of course she'd given him that ultimatum. He followed her as she continued down the aisle, no doubt swinging her hips a little more than necessary as she walked.
A half hour later, their cart was nearly filled to the top, packed with all of the ingredients for dinner and dessert, plus random groceries they needed for around the apartment. Erin unloaded the cart as Jay bagged the groceries, then the two made their way out of the grocery store. They were walking through the parking lot, bantering about something stupid, when suddenly Erin stopped short.
"Er?" Jay turned around, confused. He saw a woman approaching Erin and he pulled the cart a few steps back so he was back by her side.
"Stephanie." Erin said coldly once the woman reached her, and everything clicked in Jay's head. Ah, the infamous Stephanie. The one who had made Erin's experience at St. Ignatius a living hell. Jay immediately reached next to him and grabbed Erin's hand, earning a small smile from her before she turned her attention back to Stephanie.
"Hi, Erin!" the fake blonde exclaimed with a little too much excitement. "It's so nice to see you!"
"I bet." Erin answered shortly, her voice questioning.
"What are you doing these days?" Stephanie asked, oblivious to Erin's disinterest in their conversation.
"I'm a detective," Erin answered bluntly again, not bothering to relay the question back to Stephanie because she really, really didn't care what the Barbie wannabe was doing with her life.
"You're a cop?" the woman's enthusiasm finally faltered as a look of disbelief took over her face.
"One of the best in the city," Jay shot back, suddenly protective and unable to sit back and listen to this conversation anymore. He just wanted to get his girl home.
Stephanie raised her eyebrows as she gave Jay a once over. "Oh, I didn't see you there," she smiled at him, a new flirtatious tone to her voice despite the fact that he was still holding Erin's hand. Frustrated, Erin ran her free hand through her hair as she let out a deep sigh, the diamond on her finger immediately catching Stephanie's attention.
"You're married!?" Stephanie's eyes widened.
"Engaged," Erin allowed a real smile for the first time during the conversation, tightening her grip on Jay's hand. "How about you?"
"No… I'm uh… still searching for the one," Stephanie stammered and Erin bit her lip to hold back a laugh at how flustered she was. Girl wasn't good at hiding her surprise.
"Good luck, Steph," Erin smiled sincerely, her gaze switching between the woman and Jay. "It's the best feeling when you do."
"Thanks," Stephanie said bluntly and Erin once again held back a laugh at how quickly their roles had reversed. "I have to go," she pushed past the couple, waving over her shoulder as she made her way into the grocery store.
Jay didn't let go of Erin's hand as he pushed the cart to the car, even though the cart was difficult to steer with one hand. "So that was Stephanie?"
Erin snorted. "That was Stephanie. Charmer, isn't she?"
"Oh, yeah," Jay laughed as he opened the trunk of the car, pausing to press his lips to Erin's forehead. "You're better than her," he reminded her.
Erin nodded. "Just took me a while to realize. Thank you." A yawn escaped her lips as she finished speaking.
"Come on, let's get you home," Jay laughed as he began to load the bags into the car alongside their suitcases.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
The next morning Jay woke up and reached out to pull Erin closer to him, but was met with cold sheets. He groaned and opened his eyes to look at the clock that read 9:36, then sat up in confusion. It was literally impossible to pry Erin from bed before noon on their weekends off and given their long day yesterday, he had figured she'd be passed out until at least 1:00. His thoughts were interrupted by a bang from the kitchen followed by a string of curse words and he let out a laugh before getting out of bed to see what his girl had gotten herself into.
Jay pulled on a pair of sweatpants over his boxers and made his way into the kitchen that currently resembled a warzone. His eyes widened at the sight of an apparent flour explosion on the counter and the array of mixing bowls and measuring cups overflowing from the sink. When he finally tore his eyes away from the mess, he couldn't help the grin that overtook his face at the sight of Erin pouring cake batter into a pan, a smudge of flour on her nose.
"Morning," she looked up and smiled widely at him after turning around to put the cake in the oven. "I figured I'd make the desserts first and the actual food closer to the time everyone is coming over so we can serve it warm."
Jay just raised his eyebrows as he made his way across the kitchen to give her a good morning kiss. "Who knew you were so… domestic?" he asked, a hint of playfulness to his tone once they reluctantly parted.
"There's a lot you don't know about me, Halstead." Erin winked as she crossed the kitchen to get a piecrust out of the refrigerator.
Jay just snorted. If she would've said that to him a year ago, or even just a few months ago, he would've agreed. But throughout their relationship, especially lately, he had seen a whole new side to his girl. She opened up to him about what was bothering her and told him countless stories about her past. She'd been so open with him he had even shared stories about his time in the Rangers with her. So yeah, she could wink at him and say those words as many times as she wanted, but they both knew that he knew more about Erin Lindsay than any other person on this planet. He probably knew her better than she knew herself. And he took more pride in that than anything in the world.
"What do you need me to do?" Jay asked as he watched her fill the piecrust with raspberries. Who was this girl and what had she done with Erin Lindsay?
Erin ignored his questions as she raised her eyebrows at him. "Why do you look so surprised?"
"I…" Jay stuttered, at a loss for words as he mentally kicked himself for being caught.
"Camille and I did this every year for Hank's birthday," she explained, a sad smile on her face. "It started before I moved in with them but she pulled me in to the tradition right away. Every year on his birthday we would make Hank's favorite meal, roast beef with gravy and potatoes, and his favorite desserts, chocolate cake and raspberry pie. And every year he'd come home from work to the big meal on the table and even though I knew he expected it, he was always so grateful for it. His, uh, his last birthday before Camille passed away, she was really sick and weak so I had to make everything almost on my own but she sat next to me the whole time, giving me step by step instructions. When he came home from work that night, he was shocked. I guess he figured that since Camille was too sick to cook, no one would bother. So now that I know how to do everything, I make sure it's on the table for Hank every year on his birthday. He deserves it."
Jay crossed the kitchen in three quick steps, wrapping his arms around Erin from behind and resting his chin on her shoulder. "You are amazing," he mumbled into her neck. Erin just sighed as she leaned into him, enjoying his warmth and letting her body relax for a minute.
"How come I didn't know about this before?" Jay asked, thinking back to previous years. He and Erin had been together for about 10 months, so they hadn't been dating at the time of Hank's last birthday, but Erin was having the whole unit over today for this dinner. If this happened every year, why hadn't he been invited in the past?
"It's always been a small thing," Erin explained, turning around in Jay's arms so she was facing him, her back pressed against the kitchen counter. "Just me, Hank, and Justin, then when Justin joined the army it was just Hank and I. But this past year… these past few months… it really taught me the importance of family. So I thought maybe we should expand on the tradition, ya know? Hank loves you guys. He doesn't really know how to show it, but this unit really saved him and I know there's nothing he would love more than to just spend the day with everyone together. No case, no commander breathing down his neck, no stress… just family."
"That does sound nice," Jay agreed, leaning down to kiss her nose and in return getting a mouthful of flour. Erin laughed at his white lips once he pulled away, lifting a finger to wipe the residue off of his lips. Jay playfully caught her finger in his mouth, causing a moan to escape from her lips.
"Jay," she gave him a warning look. "We don't have time for that."
Jay ignored her as he leaned forward again, starting at the base of her neck and pressing soft kisses up to her jawline.
"Jay," she tried to protest again, but this time his name rolled off her lips as more of a moan. He continued to ignore her, his lips eventually finding hers in a way that made it impossible for her to pull away.
"Fine," she panted as she pulled back in a desperate need of oxygen. "You know what?"
"What?" Jay asked, or mumbled, as he tangled his fingers in her hair and pressed their lips together again, taking away her ability to answer.
"I am really dirty," she whispered after another minute, her fingers finding the bottom of his shirt as she pulled it over his head and used the break to finish her statement, knowing his lips would be interrupting her again soon. "I guess I could use a shower."
Jay didn't respond with anything other than a smile on his face as he bent down and grabbed the undersides of her thighs, hoisting her in the air as he carried her into the bathroom.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Six hours, one steamy shower, and one (slightly burnt) cake later, the unit began to arrive. Erin was taking the meat out of the oven when the first knock on the door came and she yelled over her shoulder for Jay to answer.
"Got it!" he yelled back as he placed the last plate down on the table to complete the table setting. He made his way across the apartment and unlocked the door, opening it to come face to face with his boss.
"Hey, Sarge," he greeted him, reaching out for a handshake. "Happy birthday,"
"Thanks Halstead," the older man said gruffly as he entered the apartment. "But how many times do I have to tell you, it's Hank. Especially now that I hear you're officially becoming a part of the family."
Jay smiled and nodded. "She told you she said yes,"
Hank smiled back, and the sight almost scared Jay. He wasn't sure he'd ever seen that look on his boss' face before. "Called me first thing this morning. Thought someone had to be dying when I was getting a call from Erin before 9 am on a day off."
Jay just laughed at the similar thought he'd had that morning as Hank walked past him towards the kitchen.
"Come on, let's see the ring!" he heard the rough voice ring out from it's new location on the other side of the apartment, followed by his fiancée's uncharacteristic giggle that automatically brought a smile to his face. As much as the sound made him want to kiss her face off all over again, the thought of their-boss-slash-her-dad in the room was enough to make him stay in their living room so he could answer the door when the rest of their coworkers arrived.
Police officers are very punctual people and between 3:58 and 4:00, the actual start time of this dinner party, the final four members of the unit plus Burgess arrived. Jay led them into the kitchen, where they all offered birthday wishes to Voight and sat around the table that was newly covered with an impressive spread of food.
"Damn Linds," Ruzek muttered as he took his seat. "Can you give Kim some lessons?" The question just earned an eye roll from Erin and a slap from Burgess before the unit began passing food around the table to fill their plates.
"Erin," Kim almost moaned as she speared her fork through a potato. "This is so good." Olinsky nodded in agreement and Atwater chimed in with a matching moan.
"Thanks, it was Camille's recipe," she said shyly, a small smile on her face as she looked to Voight at the head of the table. He smiled back at Erin appreciatively as Jay's hand found her knee under the table and gave it a supportive squeeze.
Not long after, nearly all of the plates on the table were nearly licked clean. Conversation around the table was flowing around a multitude of topics such as recent cases, Erin and Jay's trip, the Bears, and the cold weather that was taking over their city.
"The food was great, Erin." Hank smiled at her again once the conversation died down. "I'm stuffed." Everyone around the table nodded in agreement.
"Well I hope you have room for dessert," Erin laughed as she stood up. "But first, Jay and I have to tell you guys something."
Jay's eyes widened in surprise as a smile stretched across his face as he realized what she was talking about. Never in a million years would he have ever guessed Erin would be this excited to tell people she was getting married. He stood to join her, wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her closer to him as the unit, sans Voight, looked at them in confusion.
Erin smiled up at Jay then wordlessly held her left hand out over the table, the diamond speaking for itself. "Jay asked me to marry him!" she said after a moment, even though what had just happened required no explanation. Huge smiles overtook the faces of everyone around the table and Kim squealed in excitement, jumping out of her chair to throw her arms around her best friend in a congratulatory hug. All of the men at the table followed suit, offering handshakes to Jay and hugs to Erin and whispering how it was "about time".
Eventually, the congratulations were over and the "Happy Birthday" song was sung, much to Hank's dismay. The cake and pie were cut and coffee was served, despite everyone's arguments that they were too full to ever eat again. As Erin looked around the table at her chosen family, her heart swelled with so much love. These were her people. They'd seen her at her worst and still stuck around to celebrate when she was at her best. They'd done more for her than she could ever repay them for. She took in their faces, one by one. Alvin- the first uncle figure she'd ever had, blood or not. He always knew just what to say to her no matter the situation. He knew how to get under her skin, how to make her laugh uncontrollably, and how to make her feel inexplicably safe. Hank- her dad, no matter how many times she denied it. The strongest man she knew. The only person in this entire world who was there for her every single time she needed someone. Atwater- a man she considered one of her goofy little brothers but also the man with the biggest heart she'd ever met. A big teddy bear who scared the shit out of Chicago's criminals but was also the most admirable older sibling to his little brother and sister. Erin could only dream of her and Jay's future children having the type of relationship Kevin and his siblings had. Ruzek- her other goofy, insanely annoying little brother who she could not imagine life without. He'd been forced to grow up quickly when Olinsky brought him upstairs, but Erin couldn't imagine the unit, or her life, without him. And he made her best friend happy, so she really couldn't ask for more. Her best friend- Kim- probably one of the best patrol officers Chicago had to offer. Erin had never had many female friends, but she and Kim had clicked fast. She always listened to Erin vent, gave the best advice, and Erin couldn't wait to ask her to be her maid of honor. Antonio- the older brother she'd never had. He kept Voight in line when Erin wasn't able to and fiercely protected Erin. He'd been through a lot over the past year between his wife leaving and having to fight for custody of his kids, but he'd always made time to check in with Erin to make sure she was happy and Jay was treating her how she deserved to be treated. As if that was ever a question. Finally, she looked at the man seated next to her. Jay- he was deep in conversation with Ruzek about their predictions for the Bulls' upcoming season, but his hand was once again resting on her knee under the table, his thumb subconsciously rubbing back and forth along the material of her jeans. There was no denying he was the absolute love of her life; the only person she'd ever loved. The only person she felt safe enough with that she could allow herself to love. He embraced all of her baggage and wore the weight of her stressors on his back like they were his own. She couldn't imagine starting the rest of her life with anyone else and she thanked the God she wasn't even sure she believed in that she would never have to. She placed one of her small hands on top of Jay's hand that was resting on her knee, squeezing tight. He tore his attention away from the basketball conversation to turn towards Erin and offered her a smile, mouthing an I love you that caused the butterflies in Erin's stomach to take flight.
She broke their eye contact to look around the table one more time as she was hit with a realization. This was it. Her entire life was in this room right now. Her life wasn't easy; it was messy and hard and fun and stressful and ugly and beautiful. But in this moment, it was absolutely perfect.