Note: If you haven't read chapter 24 (I uploaded it less than 24 hours after chapter 23) go back and read it!

Hope you all enjoy this one!

Chapter 25,

"Halstead," Voight barked from where he stood in the open door of his office. He had seemed seconds away from physically throwing Bunny out of the bullpen, but she had finally relented and left - with no information, thank God. "My office," he said, and then he turned and walked into his office without another word.

Jeez. This is becoming a pattern, Jay thought, as he stood from his desk.

There were no smart ass remarks this time when he walked towards Voight's office, the rest of the team was clearly too shocked to utter a word.

Jay was shocked, too. His mind was reeling. He was pretty sure Erin hadn't seen or even heard from her mother since she moved in with Voight thirteen years ago. And Voight was right... Bunny had been slurring her words. She seemed drunk or high, and she had to be on something. So it's not like she was in recovery and looking for her daughter to make amends.

In short, this was not good. And Jay felt pretty new to this situation, and very unsure of how to handle it. So he was almost glad to be called into Voight's office. His boss, her father would know what to do.

He closed the door gently behind him without being instructed to and sat down in what was becoming his usual chair. When Voight didn't speak, he began instead. "So that was Erin's mom, then?"

Voight just nodded briskly, and then after several moments he shook his head and let out an exasperated sigh. "I need you to do me a favor."

Here it is, Jay thought. Voight was going to outline a plan moving forward, and Jay couldn't help but feel grateful. "Okay."

"We're not going to tell Erin about Bunny's little visit. At least now right now."

What? He did not feel comfortable with that. So much for Voight knowing what to do. Was he crazy? "I... uh... Sir, I'm not sure I feel comfortable lying to Erin." Actually, that was a lie. He knew he didn't feel comfortable lying to Erin. His relationship was new, and while he wouldn't particularly say it was fragile, because actually, he and Erin were pretty damn solid for a new relationship, he still didn't want to do anything that would upset the balance.

"That wasn't a question." Voight said, his voice stern and resolute.

"Okay," he raised his eyebrow in a question. He wasn't agreeing to Voight's proposition, but he wanted him to continue. "Then, what's the favor?"

"Bunny knows where I live." He explained, "Erin needs to stay with you, until we tell her."

Voight hadn't expected Erin to come back to his house during her recovery. He knew she would want to stay with Jay, Maddie, and Grace. He couldn't say it thrilled him, but he could honestly say he was coming around to it. So in truth, the purpose of this conversation was just to make sure he and Jay were on the same page.

But Jay didn't actually know that. Instead, Jay was sitting in the chair across from Voight, wishing he understood what the hell was going through Voight's head.

"Okay," he replied, because he had wanted Erin to stay with him anyway. "When do you think that's going to be?"

Voight answered matter-of-factly, like he had been expecting this question. "When the pain is gone, and she's done with the pills."

Oh. So that's what was going on in Voight's head.

Voight watched as everything began to click for Jay. "Listen Jay," he said, "Erin can handle this, she's as strong as they come."

"Right, I know, so why-"

He wasn't finished. "But she hasn't seen her mother in 13 years. And I just..." I just don't know what she'll do when she sees her drugged out, waste of space mother. "I just want her to be off the pills." No sense in putting her in a position where she might even consider relapsing.

Jay took a deep breath and considered everything Voight had said. "Okay," he finally answered. Because he loved Erin, and he trusted Voight. And if this was what Voight thought she needed, he would be willing to go along with it for the time being.

He just hoped he wasn't making a mistake.

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"Erin," he called out, when he pushed open the door to his apartment and was met with an eery silence.

When she didn't reply an immediate panic that flew through his system. He had taken the pills with him into work, so he wasn't worried about that. Now, he was afraid she had gone back to Voight's house.

Jesus, he thought, as he closed his eyes and took a deep calming breath. Another thing to worry about.

He let out a sigh of relief when he found her fast asleep, under a blanket, on his couch. She was curled up, with a book in her hand, that she must've been reading when she fell asleep.

She looked so damn adorable in his t-shirt, sleeping on his couch.

She also looked peaceful and comfortable, but she was perched on her side and she only had one of the decorative throw pillows tucked under her head. She definitely wasn't supposed to be sleeping like that.

He walked over and put his hand gently on her arm and then slowly shook her awake. When her eyes fluttered open and found his, she smiled up at him.

"Hi," she said, her voice even raspier than usual, thick and full of sleep.

"Hi, beautiful." He replied, and he leaned down to kiss her. God, he loved her so much.

She sat up, and motioned for him to join her on the couch. When he obliged and leaned back onto the leather soda, she immediately leaned into the length of his body. "Is it lunch time already?"

Kind of. "It's only 11 actually, Voight let me go home early." After the day I've had, it didn't feel all that early.

She shifted her weight off of him, and looked at him. "You're home for the day?" What's wrong? It wasn't like Hank to send his detectives home in the middle of the day. And Jay had been missing enough work as it is.

"Yeah," he smirked. "Is that going to be a problem?" He kissed her light and quick.

She shook her head lightly. Hank Voight, always looking out for her. Instead of being irritated by his overprotectiveness, she just smiled at the thought.

"Well, I guess not," she sighed an exasperated sigh. "It just means I'm going to have to reschedule my other boyfriend." She smirked back, "He was going to come over this afternoon, you know."

Jay shook his head, matching her exasperated tone. "Well, I was going to suggest taking our daughters out of school early and going to the zoo," he began to stand from the couch and move towards the kitchen, "But I guess the three of us will just have to go without you." He winked at her as he stepped out of the room, and then added, "I wouldn't want to interrupt your other plans."

She followed him into the kitchen, laughing low and throatily. She found him by the coffee pot and she leaned into kiss him. "The zoo sounds perfect."

He laughed back, and then began to kiss her deeply, allowing his hands to roam her body while his tongue tangled with hers.

He only stopped when his lungs were screaming for oxygen and the coffee pot beeped, signaling it was finished brewing a fresh pot. "I love you, Erin Lindsay," he said, a little bit breathless.

She kissed him again. "I love you, too, Jay Halstead."

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Jay and Erin spent the rest of the morning talking, sharing, and trading Tell me somethings, like they usually did.

Erin grilled Jay to see if he had acquired any new information on Adam and Rachel, which unfortunately, he hadn't. He did tell her about Kim's reaction to the news, to which Erin decided she wanted to befriend Kim at the barbecue on Sunday. Jay couldn't help but laugh at that, as he told her that could definitely be arranged.

They continued their conversation through two cups of coffee and lunch, through the drive to pick up the girls early from school. The conversation flowed easily, with witty and flirty banter peppered throughout.

Except the entire time, Jay felt like he was lying to Erin. With every word he said that didn't involve Bunny, he felt like he was withholding information. Information that wasn't actually his to withhold. It was the worst feeling, and he felt so incredibly uncomfortable that by the time they picked up the girls from school, he had never been so relieved to have two little distractions between him and Erin.

They took the girls to the zoo, and watching the two little girls fawn all over the different animals, while holding tightly onto Erin's hands, actually allowed him to forget the events of earlier that day. Actually, he managed to forget the negative events of the whole week, and to just focus on their little family of four.

Grace had been especially excited when they took the girls to the area of the zoo where they could pet the animals. "I've never pet an animal before," she admitted.

"Never?" Maddie was shocked. "Not even a puppy?" Maddie petted puppies all the time, at the park, or even her neighbor's puppies in the apartment building.

"Never," Grace answered, smiling and giggling. She hadn't realized what she'd been missing.

Erin leaned over to Jay as they watched the two girls move on to pet the bunny rabbis. "You know," he whispered, "We may have to get them a puppy."

He just laughed. The number in his household basically just doubled in the past month. "One thing at a time, babe." Besides, he thought. The next person I want moving into my apartment is you.

He didn't say that, of course. Because just like he had held back from saying his first I love you, he knew that right now just wasn't the time.

Not wanting the day to end, Jay suggested they take the girls to an early dinner afterwards.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Erin had originally been a little nervous about the idea of going out in public at all with her injuries. At least the zoo would be full of crowds, but a restaurant wouldn't be so forgiving.

"Babe, it'll be fine." Between the long sleeve sweater she wore, and the generous amount of makeup under her eyes, the only real evidence of her injuries were the large scabs on her jaw. "And even if people do notice, who cares?" Only someone who knew Erin well would realize the dark circles under her eyes were bruises, and not just from the exhaustion of having two daughters.

She couldn't argue with his reasoning, and they decided on Jay's favorite restaurant, the Purple Pig. Erin had never been there, and she was eager to finally try it.

The hostess couldn't take her eyes off of Erin's jaw when Jay asked for a table for four. But at least she hadn't noticed the two black eyes.

Erin felt a little unnerved by the hostess' stare, but when she looked down at Grace, who was particularly excited to eat out at a restaurant, she decided not to let it get to her.

It was funny how Maddie and Grace were able to have that affect on her. They made things that would have been a big deal to her now seem completely insignificant. Because now, what was significant was making sure Grace had a good time being taken out to eat, a luxury she clearly hadn't been afforded in the past.

When Jay noticed the hostess staring, he turned to Erin expecting to see discomfort evident in her posture. But he was surprised to see her smiling down at the girls, without a care in the world.

He began to consider telling Erin about her mother. Maybe Voight was wrong. Voight may think he knows how strong Erin could be for herself, but he hadn't seen Erin as a mom. Erin would be five times as strong when she was being strong for her girls.

She would take this whole Bunny mess in stride, just like she was taking this bitchy waiter in stride.

Yeah, he was going to tell her. Tonight, after they put the girls to sleep, he would send Voight a text message to warn him, and then he would tell her the truth.

But then, as the hostess directed them to the table, Erin stopped up short.

"Erin," said a tall man, with sandy brown hair and brow eyes, wearing a long sleeve sweater and khaki pants. He was seated across the table from a petite blonde, who was staring at Erin, mouth agape. "What the hell happened to you?" His voice was full of concern and alarm, and he stood from his chair and began moving towards her. The woman stood, too, and followed the man in Erin's directions.

Erin stood completely still, but finally opened her mouth to speak. "Ben, Olivia," she said timidly, "Hey."

Nope, Jay thought, as he saw the color completely drain from Erin's face. Never mind, I'm not telling her about her mother.

Voight was right. Erin does not need to be reminded of more negative things from her past.

Not while she was still recovering.

And maybe not ever.

xoxo

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