Title: Till Death do us Part
Chapter 37 – What Matters Most

A/N: Yes so it seems the site is fixed again (at least I hope so‼) and glad that most of you got my PMs last week about last week's update and thanks for all the continued reviews! A bit more to come here so please enjoy!

"Hey buddy…" Matt whispers as he gives Kelly's shoulder a comforting squeeze, turning around to see Dawson and Boden enter the room.

"Popular," Kelly manages dryly as Matt's lips smirk.

"Don't let it go your head," Matt smiles as he gives his friend a nod and then promises to return the next day.

"The guys are gonna pull through…everyone is going to be okay," Boden assures Kelly as he looks down with a proud smile. "Erin can fill you in on the rest."

"Thank you," Erin offers Boden a hug and then pulls back with a weary expression; Boden taking his leave as another familiar face comes into view.

"Damn boy…I use up all my nine lives worrying about you," Benny tells him with a relieved smile as he leans in and plants a soft kiss on his forehead. "Don't tell anyone what I said or I'll kill you – all lives gone," he snickers as Kelly's lips produce a soft smile. "I'll be back tomorrow."

"Okay," Kelly tells his father with a sleepy tone as he clasps his hand and then watches him take his leave; a few seconds later his eyes lift to look at his wife. "Doc Halstead…said lost my…appendix?"

"What's left of it," Erin tried to make light of the tense situation but was unable to hold back a flood of tears. "Kelly…I'm sorry…I shouldn't…." she huffs as she quickly wipes her face. However, a few seconds later his hand finally lifts and captures hers and holds it tightly. "Mary Holloway is here."

"What?" Kelly asks as his heart monitor starts to jump a bit faster and Erin's eyes instantly lift in worry.

"Okay just….calm okay? We knew she would be found right?"

"Erin…"

"It was a rogue hit. I tried to call as soon as I found out but…oh God we were too late," Erin whispers in remorse as she eases herself down to a nearby chair and then takes his hand once more. "One of the um…members blamed Bianca for a raid that claimed the life of his wife and child…so he uh…he wanted to take JJ out just…just for revenge. Hank told us that…that we had to say loudly that he was dead."

"Loudly?"

"In front of everyone. Will…he made it so real and the timing was…Mary Holloway entered just as he told us all that JJ had died."

"Oh damn."

"Hank never got to prep her beforehand…or me. She...just barged past him and heard the news and…and anyone listening would have thought it was real. I thought it was real until we went into a small room where Hank was waiting and he told us it was for the sake of whoever might be listening. So they'd think the hit was a success and that would be it."

"It…like hell…" Kelly wheezes as his agitation starts to climb and his monitors jump once more. "Why didn't he…"

"I get it. This way the guy thinks he succeeded, he has no reason to stick around," Erin interjects with a huff. "At least you don't have to stay to long in this place. Off for a month and we can finally look for our own…"

"Erin…"

"They're putting JJ and Mary Holloway into witness protection for their own safety…just in case and I think Mary will agree."

"What? But…"

"If someone reports that JJ is alive and if he stays with his aunt or…or us, none of us will ever be safe," Erin explains with a heavy sigh.

"We'll never…see him again."

"Better for him to be alive though right?" She retorts with a tightly drawn smile; one he can tell is put on for his benefit only.

"Erin…"

"I…I can't…this is the only way. The other way…would hurt too much. Kelly I nearly lost you. Otis nearly died and Cruz…what if it happened again?"

Kelly's slightly raised head slumps back down onto his pillow; his watery blue sapphires looking up in silent misery. "When I saw him fall…it was hell…if it wasn't for Boden's quick thinking and the guys…Matt was hit it…yeah it coulda been worse. Erin, can we just let him go?"

"He wasn't really ours in the first place was he," she counters softly as her hand wraps around his a bit tighter.

"Neither of us…was ready."

"I know. Part of me…wished Mary didn't…no I know that's selfish. He's with family now as Bianca would have wanted."

"Yeah," he agrees quietly as his eyes water once more and she leans in closer, pressing her check against his and not caring about getting a cramp in her side from her body's odd angle. "The…truck?"

"It'll need some major fixing. Same with the firehouse. But…but I think it's over now."

"Said that…before."

"Least you haven't your sense of humor," she deadpans as he looks up with a small smirk. "Hank thought that maybe it was because of something that Bianca had given to JJ or said. Single mom…maybe she confided in her son one last time or…or if he said something to you or gave you something. But all the chatter was about revenge. And just one guy. If JJ goes into hiding then…"

"If?"

"Mary didn't sign the papers right away. This would be a big sacrifice for her also right? She said she needed a few hours to process…everything. But if she doesn't take him…I don't know what'll happen. I don't want to risk his life Kelly. As much as I don't want him to go…it's not fair for him. He deserves the chance to grow up. If he stays with us and someone finds out. It won't be fair."

"I know…but grow up…happy."

She just shakes her head and closes her eyes for a few seconds and exhales heavily.

"Can I at least see him…before…" his voice dies out as he looks up at her in uncertainty.

"I told Hank if he doesn't arrange it, I would," she smiles as her fingers idly stroke his cheek and then rest on a small bruise just below his eye where his face had struck the pavement.

"That's…my girl," he praises with a sleepy smile.

"Get some rest. I'm going call Hank and get an update but I'll be back," she tells him as she slowly stands up and then leans in to kiss him. "Love you."

"Love you too," he replies as he watches her go and then instantly lapses into darkness.

XXXXXXXX

Erin hears some soft clicking on the hospital linoleum and looks up to see Will Halstead heading toward her with a weary expression.

"How is he?"

"Sleeping," Erin answers with a weary frown of her own as they talk in quiet tones outside Kelly's recovery room. "Kelly's sleeping. How's JJ?"

"He's awake. Do you want to see him?" Will asks as Erin nods her head in haste. The two of them head toward a part of the hospital where they do kidney dialysis; an area that wasn't near the pediatric Ward where anyone looking for JJ might look. 'Just to be safe…'they had been told earlier.

"Not to long okay? He really needs to rest now."

Erin whispers okay to Will as he takes his leave and then slowly enters JJ's room, pausing a few meters from his bed and just remaining in place for a few seconds longer. But when JJ's head slowly turns toward her and his eyes open and then lock with hers, she knows she cannot wait any longer.

"Hey…" Erin offers softly as she nears his bedside; her heart rate climbing as her fists curling and uncurling nervously at her sides.

"I…was shot…"

"I know. But you're going to be okay. You had the best doctors working on you."

"Where's…Kelly?"

"He's in his own room. He was hit also but he'll be fine."

"What…happened?" JJ asks in a sleepy tone as her fingers tenderly caress his cheek and she looks down with an adoring gaze.

"It was a drive-by. But you're okay and that's what counts okay? You just need to rest now," she tells him tenderly as she leans in and kisses him on the forehead.

"I was…scared," JJ admits as his eyes water as her heart instantly shatters.

"Yeah…can't imagine," she whispers in sorrow as his eyes struggle to stay open. "You need to get your rest now."

"Will you be here…when I wake up?"

Erin hears the question and knows she cannot say no; but in that moment she's not the only one to hear. Unbeknownst to Erin, Mary Holloway had returned wearing a disguise with Voight at her side and came in the back where no one would see her – all with the goal to see her nephew. However, when she hears the love in Erin's tone and the trustful pleading in JJ's her mind starts to have doubts about her decision.

"I will be," she assures him as she gives his hand a squeeze.

Mary pulls back and then decides to wait until Erin has left or JJ is asleep before she enters the room. She wouldn't have to wait long for either.

XXXXXXXX

A few hours later, Kelly's lips utter a soft groan as his eyes flutter and his head lifts to see if Erin was in the room with him. She was.

"Kelly?"

"Hey yeah…couldn't…just…" he grumbles as he tries to get himself untangled from the tubing and ease himself upright.

"What's going on?"

"Just need to get up and walk…to the bathroom. Did you see JJ?"

"He's going to be okay. He asked about you. I told him you'd be in to see him tomorrow, after you've both had some rest."

"Yes mom," Kelly retorts in sarcasm, earning himself a small smack to his ass just as he stands up. "Liked that," he smirks as her lips purse.

"I'll bet you did," she slightly giggles as she offers her arm for him to take and then they slowly head toward the bathroom. "I didn't tell him….about his aunt. I couldn't."

"He needs to know."

"I think Hank said he'd be bringing her back here to see him. The two of them need to talk without…"

"Our interference?" Kelly counters as they reach the entrance to the bathroom.

"Mary is his family and it was Bianca's…legal wish for her to look after him in the event of her…passing," Erin reminds him as she looks up with a distressed expression. "I want him to stay also. I want her to get a job here…a stable job so that they can stay and we can see him or when she travels he can stay with us but…"

"But it's us being selfish and if he stays he might be in danger," Kelly interjects with a sigh as he pulls Erin into embrace and plants a kiss on top of her head. "I love you so much. Feels so good to hold you," he huffs as his cheek rests atop her head. "We aren't ready…I know that."

"I know but…but it still hurts. Bianca would want us to put JJ's welfare first. She'd want him to grow up safe," Erin muses with a distressed note in her tone. "Come on…do what you need to do and then we'll see him in the morning."

"Okay."

Erin closes the door and then turns and looks into the hallway when she hears some shuffling and watches Voight enter their room. "Everything…okay?"

"Mary is with JJ now. Thought it best to come and see him under the cover of night…in a disguise just to be sure," Voight explains in a low tone; Kelly exiting the bathroom a few seconds later.

"Do you know what….she has decided?"

Voight looks at Erin's pained expression and then up at Kelly's and feels his heart sink; telling two people he cares about as his own children was painful at the best of times – this…was almost traitorous. "She wants to put JJ first and has decided to take up the WitSec offer. That's what matters most right now. Doing what's best for JJ."

"Course…makes sense," Erin replies as her eyes water; Kelly's arm instantly wrapping around her slightly shaking shoulders.

"I'm sorry," Voight offers in quiet remorse.

"We figured she would but uh…but it still doesn't feel right," Kelly adds as he slowly walks back to his bed with a slight limp and then eases himself down. "Can we see him before he goes?"

"Course. Just be discreet."

Erin gives Voight a hug; Voight giving Kelly a squeeze on the shoulder before he leaves and the two of them are once again alone in the hospital room. She nears him and leans in closer, his arms wrapping around her waist as this time it's her cheek resting on the top of his head.

"So…we both know we're not ready for a family…or kids of our own right?"

"Right."

"And we both want JJ to grow up safe and we both want to honor Bianca's wishes right?"

"Right."

"So we if know all that…why does it hurt so much?"

"Because we both love him and want him to stay…with us."

Her eyes water and a few tears escape and wet the parts of his salt and pepper hair just beneath her flushed skin. "Kelly…"

"I know baby…I know," he whispers as he looks up and tenderly brushes away a tear; her lips meeting his a few seconds later and planting a soft kiss on them.

"Try to get some rest okay? And then we'll see him in the morning," Erin tells Kelly as she helps him get back under the covers and then kisses him on the cheek. "I'll get a sleeping chair and be right back."

"Okay."

XXXXXXXX

Erin heads into the hallway in search of a chair or an orderly to help get her one for the night when she rounds a quiet corridor and then stops short – looking at the person standing a few feet away with a tepid expression. "Mary?" She asks softly as the woman nods and nears. But before she can react, Mary Holloway pulls a knife and plunges it into her stomach.

"You can't take him away from me!"

"NO!" Erin gasps as her eyes snap open, flutter and she looks around at Kelly as he slowly pulls himself from his sleepy stupor and looks at her in concern. "I'm…okay…damn nightmare," she lightly gasps as her hand rests on her stomach and then joins the other as she rubs her face and then pushes back some golden strands and then offers her husband a tight lipped smile. "Don't even remember what normal is anymore."

"Hey…" Kelly starts as he leans over and takes her hand and holds it tightly. "We know what we have to do today with JJ and then…then with my time off I'll find us our own place and we can…"

"Finally start to make a life of our own as husband and wife?" She interjects as a small smile tugs at the corners of her lips. "Guess we haven't done that yet have we."

He shakes his head as he slowly stretches and then sits upright. "Let's go see…JJ. I'm sure Mary's told him so he'll be at least ready for…well some of it."

"Are we?" She counters as his grip around her hand tightens.

"Come on…let's go."

Erin helps her with his housecoat that Benny had brought for his son and then the two of them slowly leave his hospital room; it being very early in the morning so most were still sleeping and the staff count was lighter than mid-day or early evening. On the way they talk about the area they really want to settle in and finally start their official roles as husband and wife.

JJ hears the soft shuffling and looks up with an instant smile as Erin and Kelly enter the room with warm smiles of their own. "Kelly!" JJ exclaims as he tries to sit up a bit more.

"Whoa there buddy," Kelly cautions as he gives him a hug and then helps him settle back down. "So glad you're okay," he whispers as he kisses the top of his head and holds him a bit longer in his embrace before he lets go.

"My aunt Mary is here."

"Yeah, we know," Kelly tells JJ who looks up with a small frown.

"She said we have to go away and I'll never see you again. Is that true?" JJ asks sadly as his heart monitors start to slightly jump; Erin's eyes instantly misting and Kelly's heart sinking.

But before either Kelly or Erin can answer and explain a soft cough is heard and all eyes turn to see Mary Holloway standing in the doorway.

"I…want to answer that," Mary states with a small frown.

A/N: alright so the angst continues but our couple is able to talk and bond and try to help each other through it. Hmm what will Mary say? Please do review with your thoughts before you go and thanks so much!