Title: Till Death do us Part
Chapter 38 – A Plan for the Future

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

JJ looks up as his aunt nears them, slowly walking past Erin and Kelly and taking JJ's hand in hers and holding it tightly and then turning to look at them with a small smile.

"This…oh wow this isn't easy," Mary starts with a small huff. "When Bianca told me she was becoming a cop I was worried but thought ah beat cops can last on the job for…for years and then…" she pauses as her voice slightly breaks. "When she was promoted…she told me about some of the dangerous stuff she was doing and it really scared me. I hoped…prayed this day would never come but uh…but I never thought when it did, it would be like this."

"None of us could have predicted it would be taken this far," Erin interjects softly.

"I am torn here because I made a promise to Bianca that I would look after her son…after JJ and if that meant taking another job to settle down so be it but…but now I'm forced into hiding and…ah damn I didn't want to take JJ away from his life here but I have to put him first right?"

"You do," Kelly answers in haste as he feels his wife's grip around his hand tighten from anxiety. "Letting JJ go will be very hard but you promised Bianca and she would want her son to grow up safely. That…we have to put him first now."

"But I don't wanna go," JJ pouts as he looks at Kelly for help.

"Hey buddy I know but uh…but the guys who did this…they're pretty bad and one in particular was out for a grudge so if he finds out that you are still alive…he could come back and finish the job for good and then we'll have failed your mom."

"But for how long? Forever?" JJ asks sadly as Erin's eyes instantly mist and Kelly's heart starts to thud a bit deeper in his chest.

"Can it be for only a short time?" Mary inquires as Erin's lips purse. "I know they'll give us new names and everything but uh…but is this really forever? Can we just let things settle here for say a year or…and then come back? With new names and everything?" Mary asks hopefully.

"Well of course we can't tell you what to do," Erin replies quickly as Kelly's brows slightly arch.

"Voight's gonna be pissed," Kelly whispered.

"Won't be the first time," she mutters in return.

"Will…me asking your superior get you in trouble?"

"You asking? No. But maybe let's all keep this between us," Erin replies with a small smile.

"I just want to make my sister happy."

They all new that making Bianca happy would have meant making JJ happy and that would have meant him staying in Chicago right now…just as is. But they also all knew that there could still be some lingering resentment on the part of Carlito Rodriguez and the old adage out of sight out of mind was the best course right now. However, that didn't mean the hurt wouldn't linger for some time after Mary and JJ had left Chicago.

"Is Otis and Cruz okay?" JJ inquires next.

"Yeah…they'll be fine."

"Otis told me to play dead. It really hurt to just lie there," JJ rattles on as the three adults just listen in misery. "I asked if he was scared. He said yes. I thought he'd lie but he was scared. I was scared too. I didn't want to die."

"I know."

"Did mom feel scared? Think she was scared?" JJ asks sadly as the countenance of every adult within ear shot plummets.

How could he lie? She didn't die instantly but did JJ know that? how could…"No one wants to die and I don't know for sure but I'm sure she was thinking of you. That would have given her some comfort."

"I miss her."

"We all do." Kelly offers JJ a hug as both their eyes water and he gently rocks the young boy in his strong arms; looking down a few moments later with a warm smile. "It's gonna be okay."

Voight arrives about half hour later with two Federal Agents and both Erin and Kelly know they have to leave so that all the details can be worked out – something they won't be privy too unless told from either Mary or JJ.

"Thought I was ready to say goodbye," Kelly whispers as they slowly walk hand in hand back to his room.

"Me too. But she has to honor her sister's wishes and we…we have to do what's best for his. Plus…we need to get our new life started."

He hears some hesitation in her tone just as they reach his room and pause, Kelly's arm snaking around her side and pulling her close on his uninjured side. "Love you," he whispers as he plants a soft kiss on her lips and then looks at her tenderly. "I'm ready too."

She had no doubt in her mind but to hear him say that just reconfirmed the intense feelings in her heart and told her they had survived this long the future would be theirs to survive together come what may. "Come on…get some rest so we can properly say goodbye to JJ together."

As much as that made him sad, he knew it was what had to happen so gives her a nod and then slowly climbs back into his hospital bed; his body more than ready to succumb to the darkness. And that's what it does, mere seconds after his eyes close.

"Love you so much," she whispers as she kisses his forehead before she slips into the sleeping chair and is also whisked away into the comforting realm of sleep.

XXXXXXXX

A few hours later, Kelly's senses pull him awake and his eyes slowly flutter open to see his father and Voight sitting in two chairs near the doorway, each with a freshly brewed coffee. "Hey…where's Erin?"

"Went home to freshen up," Voight replies as Kelly slowly sits up and then rubs his weary face.

"JJ still here?"

"He is. Didn't want to leave without climbing up a ladder?" Voight asks slowly as Kelly's lips crack a soft smile.

"Yeah I had uh…well I promised I'd take him to the top of the ladder…at night…just to see the lights. But…well I guess…can it still happen?" Kelly pauses as his voice slightly rises. "Still can't believe all this is going on."

"Hank filled me in on who JJ is and…and how you ended up here," Benny interjects with a crestfallen expression.

"Neither Erin nor I expected him to come into our lives and…and well impact it like he has," Kelly confesses to both older men as they look at him in concern. "We…we talked about keeping him…or well fostering him if the aunt couldn't be found or didn't want to but uh…but we never thought that he…can he climb the ladder before he goes? Is he well enough?"

"Otis took the worst of it. JJ should be fine to leave tonight," Voight tells him in truth. "But Kelly…"

"I know…I can't ask where they'll be going or tell him to call me or…I don't want him to die," Kelly admits softly as his shoulders slump. "But we'll both miss him."

"I know," Voight agrees with a tight lipped smile.

"Need anything son?"

"Actually…yeah I do."

XXXXXXX

Erin lingers in the doorway of Kelly's apartment and looks at a small pile of JJ's things on Matt's bed and feels her stomach seize.

'Kelly said he got a call from a landlord about an apartment with an extra bedroom…just in case JJ…' Matt's voice resounds in her head as her eyes mist.

"We weren't ready," she tries to convince herself as she feels her breath suck in sharply as she gathers up his things and then turns to leave, shoving them into his knapsack and then ducking into Kelly's bedroom. His lingering scent both teases and comforts her senses at the same time; prompting her heart to beat faster.

She puts together a small bag for her husband, grabs her jacket and then heads for the door, telling herself once more that they weren't ready for a family – even a makeshift one with a kid as seemingly self-sufficient as JJ Holloway. But then, she reminds herself, JJ is self-sufficient because of the training of his mother and that makes both happy and sad at the same time.

But on the ride to the hospital, she couldn't help but think on how JJ's life was about to change and how it might affect him being forced to leave everything familiar behind. Don't dwell on that…I think you'll see him sooner than you think, her mind reminds her as she nears Chicago Med.

"Hey…is Kelly awake?"

"Yeah, Benny's in there right now."

"Got some of JJ's things," Erin tells Voight with a small huff. "Any word on Carlito?"

"This soon after the hit, he'll probably lay low for a few days and then try to head south. That is if he's still in favor with the Cartel."

"Gonna let him or try to stop him?"

"Not my case," Voight replies slowly; his brow slightly furrowed. "Course if he's not around here and then pops up on a watch list so he can't get back in…I won't fight it."

"Course," she agrees curtly as he and then heads past.

Kelly looks up as his wife enters and offers her a warm smile. "Benny just left. Think he was actually worried this time."

"Despite his flaws, he loves you."

"He ever tell you that?" Kelly retorts as Erin playfully swats his arm. "Voight said I could still do the ladder climb with JJ."

"Kelly…"

"Not at 51. Won't be as good, but just wanted to have that one last moment with him."

"I think he'll love it," Erin smiles as she hands him the small duffle bag. "I think you both will. Just wish we could give him something to remember us by. Something…he'll love."

"We'll think of something."

"Get dressed and we'll go see him. He's been moved to another ward."

"Okay."

Erin watches Kelly slowly limp toward the bathroom and feels a sense of melancholy starting to consume her. You both just need to get past this day and then tomorrow…tomorrow you'll start a new path together as husband and wife. Your own place…your own path. Together.

That was at least a small comfort to her and she hopes that it'll carry them both through the next few days after JJ had left their lives – at least for now.

This time when the enter JJ's room, he's already up, with some happy color in his cheeks and looking a lot more rested than the day before.

"Hey you get to leave today also?" JJ asks as Kelly enters his hospital room dressed in jeans and a sweater, ready to go home.

"Yeah the surgery was fine so…I'll finish up my recovery at home," Kelly smiles as he gives JJ's hair a playful ruffle.

"I don't know where I'm going. Well I kinda have an idea but I can't say."

"We get it," Kelly assures him as he eases himself down onto the bed beside JJ. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay I guess," JJ shrugs. "Did they catch the guy who did the shooting?"

"It's all taken care of. You just worry about getting better okay? Maybe getting to know your aunt a bit better?"

"She snores," JJ frowns as both Kelly and Erin lightly laugh. "I'll miss all my friends at school. What if they ask about me?"

"It um…" Kelly looks up at Erin with a small frown as she pulls her phone.

"This is the headline that will be in the newspaper today."

'Elementary student gunned down and several firefighters critically injured in drive-by shooting.'

"Oh so…they'll all think I died?" He asks without looking up right away.

"Part of the deal," Erin tells him as he finally looks up with a frown. "The shooter had to believe that he accomplished what he set out to do or he might have tried again or got someone else to try for him. His revenge runs deep."

"Oh. Okay," he huffs as he lets his body sag into Kelly's; Kelly's arm instantly encircling his shoulders and pulling him close and giving him a comforting squeeze.

"It's gonna be okay buddy," Kelly whispers as he kisses the top of JJ's head and then looks at Erin with a weak expression.

"So…what happens today?"

"Well…soon Erin and I will hafta leave, go home and then tonight…we're gonna meet you at the airport where a medical chopper will be waiting to transport you to a private airplane and…"

"Why a medical chopper? I mean it's cool but I'll be okay right?"

"Well you did take a bullet to the lower side and they just want to make sure nothing happens."

"Can I at least say by to Otis and Joe? Especially Otis. He saved my life."

Kelly knew he couldn't deny the young boy the request but at the same time, knew that Otis was still in the ICU and he wasn't even sure he was awake yet.

"I'll check and see. He might still be out of it but I know he'd want to say bye also," Kelly tells him with some uncertainty in his voice as Erin calls Voight to see what he can do.

"Alright buddy, I gotta go. I'll be back to see you later okay."

"But…but you're leaving? And then…that's it?"

A small lump of emotion instantly forms in Kelly's throat as he looks down with a tight lipped smile; trying to be brave on the outside because he knows he's failing on the inside. "I know this seems…sorry buddy, but it has to be this way. I'll see you tonight."

Erin steps up to give JJ a hug just as her husband looks up with watery eyes and a defeated expression. "Just concentrate on getting better sweet boy," Erin whispers as she kisses his cheek and then looks down at his sad face. "I wish it could be different but your life is worth too much. Your mother would want us to respect her promise to keep you safe no matter what."

"This is for mom," JJ states somewhat morosely.

"This…is for mom," Erin replies with a heart just as heavy. "We'll see you tonight."

Just as Erin pulls away, Mary Holloway enters the room with a small smile and nears them with trepid steps.

"Hope I'm not interrupting."

"No we were just telling JJ we'll see you both tonight and Sargent Voight is going to arrange for JJ to see Otis and Joe Cruz."

"Oh…can I record one more thing before I go?"

"Course," Kelly agrees as he pulls his phone. "What do you want to say?"

XXXXXXXXX

About a half hour later, Kelly and Erin finally head for the ER doors, hand in hand but not saying a word; their expressions as heavy as their hearts but no one around them able to fault them at all. Boden and Casey had checked in with Otis and Cruz and throughout the past two days and in the ones to come, a steady stream of family members from 51 checking on their once fallen and now recovery team members and doing everything to keep them encouraged and strengthened.

Voight would arrange a temporary disguise for JJ and take him to see Otis and Cruz and JJ would be more than thankful to the leader of the Intelligence unit that he was able to say thank you in person to the two men, especially Otis, who helped save his life. He'd be forever grateful.

Kelly takes Erin's right hand in his and gently kisses it; Erin glancing over from the driver's side as they head for his apartment. "Feels…weird."

"I know. Almost not real. But we had no choice right?"

"We couldn't take that chance Erin. His life is worth more than our feelings," Kelly reminds her sadly. "He deserves a chance to grow up and it's what his mother would want and in the end…its her wishes that mean the most to him. Don't want him resenting us."

"Yeah. Just wish there was something we could give him to remember us. Something more than just a card or…I don't know."

Kelly's lips slightly purse before he looks at her with a small smile.

"What?"

"I have an idea."

"That's scary," she lightly retorts with a small smile. "What?"

"You'll see. But I think he'll like it."

A/N: Okay so I thought this would be the end but having coming this far but I didn't want to rush it so one more update after this and hope you all are okay with how things are playing out. Please do review before you go and thanks so much!