Some light hearted stuff after the last chapter. Enjoy!
"I'm not goin' to school today?" Piper looked confused as she regarded Erin and Jay, both of whom were standing in the kitchen, leisurely drinking coffee. They both looked much more relaxed than they had the previous night when Jay had a nightmare. "And you guys don't have to work?"
Both Jay and Piper had dozed off on the couch, and Erin didn't have the heart to move either of them. Instead, she pulled some blankets from beneath the coffee table and snuggled in against her partner, hoping that spending the rest of the night between his girls would keep the nightmares away.
When she awoke with the morning sun, still resting against her partner's sleeping form, Erin relaxed. He was going to be okay. Getting out of town and up to the fresh air of Wisconsin would do all of them some good. While her family continued to sleep, Erin made calls and arranged for Piper to miss some school. By the time Jay was awake, she'd already packed suitcases for herself and Piper.
"Nope," Erin smiled, "I called your school and said we needed an extra two days off before winter break just for us to be together." She looked up at Jay, "We thought it would be good for us to go on a little trip up to Wisconsin."
Piper froze. "Are we in danger again?"
"Oh no, no," Jay rushed out, immediately realizing that the last time they all headed up to Wisconsin their objective was to get Erin and Piper out of town given that their father and his drug lackies were after them. The little girl likely associated Wisconsin with the need to be physically safe. "We are totally safe, kiddo. Wisconsin is just really fun and beautiful in the winter time. It's a little chilly, but we can do all sorts of awesome stuff, like building snowmen and going snowshoeing and drinking hot chocolate by the fire."
The little girl looked to her big sister and then back to Jay. "That sounds like a lot of snow," she said softly, "You love the snow."
"I do," Jay nodded, "And Erin took some time off and I have vacation days, and we thought it would be good for us to get out of town for a few days. Just for fun." He paused, determining that Piper was mature enough to understand the other half of the reason they were embarking on the trip. "Wisconsin is really special for me, because it helps me feel better," he offered, "I uh, I like to go up there when I'm not feeling the best, and it always helps."
Erin placed a gentle hand on his chest. "And we don't want Jay up there by himself right?"
Piper shook her head, a small smile forming on her lips. "Are we gonna build snow forts like you and Will used to?"
"Absolutely," Jay said, reaching down to boost his little friend into his arms. He felt his whole body relax as she hugged him tightly, "We're going to build snow forts and make snow angels and do all sorts of winter fun stuff."
"You wanna drive, babe?" Erin offered, extending the keys to her partner, "Or do you want me to?"
Jay widened his eyes in surprise. "I have a choice?" He feigned shock, and Piper giggled. The little girl was standing at their front door, ready for their adventure to Wisconsin. He'd already packed the Sierra full with their luggage and warmest winter clothes, and figured they'd stop by the grocery store to pick up all the food they'd need for the secluded retreat.
Erin rolled her eyes. "You're the one who knows how to get there since I fell asleep last time," she shot back, "But I'm happy to drive if you want to give me directions."
"Oh, I'm not turning down the opportunity to drive," he quipped, accepting the keys, "It's all too rare."
"You'll tell me if you get tired though, right?" she pressed, issuing a pointed look, "Promise?"
"Of course. I've got precious cargo," Jay said, leaning forward to press a kiss to her lips. The prospect of being in his favorite place in the next few hours had already done wonders for him. He was feeling lighter than he had in days. "Do I get to pick the music?"
"Not a chance," Erin retorted, "As much as I love you, I don't think I can handle more than an hour of those weird movie scores you listen to."
The second they exited the city, Jay felt even better. Erin had one hand in his lap, fingers intertwined with his as he drove along the highway. It had taken all of fifteen minutes for Piper to fall asleep in the backseat, still bundled in her winter coat.
"She's so cute," he whispered after a glance in the rearview mirror. The little girl was resting against the window, tiny lips parted as she slept soundly, "Looks just like you when you sleep."
Erin grinned and turned around to see her little sister. "Aw," she murmured, "Such a sleepy little noodle." She paused. "Shit. That's what I forgot."
"What, babe?" Jay wrinkled his brow, "I'm pretty sure we've got half the closet in the back."
"No, I forgot to make the appointment for another blood draw," Erin said, "Will said we might need to up her iron with how tired she is, remember?"
Jay nodded, the statement his brother had made several days ago when he and Erin had returned home from the gala coming back to him. "So we'll make an appointment for the week we get back," he suggested, "She's okay, Er."
Erin leaned back against the passenger seat. "She's still so tiny," she mused, "When I picked her up from school yesterday I realized just how much smaller she is compared to the other kids. I mean, I was on the shorter side when I was her age but I know I wasn't as tiny as she is."
"She's always been little, according to her file," Jay said, casting another glance in the rearview mirror, "They also say that NICU babies tend to be on the smaller side even when they grow up." His cheeks darkened lightly when Erin turned to him curiously. "I did some research after we read the first half of her file."
She squeezed his hand gently. "I guess having a boyfriend who's a bit of a nerd pays off, huh?"
"A nerd? Ouch, babe," Jay chuckled, "I just happen to be someone who appreciates research and medical journals and has a brother with access to interesting information."
"A sexy nerd," Erin continued, tracing her fingers over his thigh as he continued to drive along the highway, "Especially when you wear those glasses."
He glanced at his girl in surprise. "Those do it for you?" Erin bit her bottom lip and nodded. "Oh my god, is that why you like to disrupt me when I'm reading in bed?" He let out a chuckle when Erin didn't deny it. "Erin Lindsay has a thing for nerds. Who would have guessed?"
"Hot nerds," she quipped, "Who also happen to be badass detectives."
"Nerds? Detectives? As in, more than one?" Jay pretended to be shocked, "Am I just another number?"
"Shut up." Erin smacked him lightly on the chest, "You know you're the only hot nerd for me, babe."
"Where'd the lake go?" Piper asked, glancing out the window as Jay drove. They'd been in the car for several hours after a brief pit stop for gas and groceries. "The one where you went swimming?"
"We are actually driving on top of it," Jay said, grinning as he saw the little girl's jaw drop in the rearview mirror, "Freezes pretty much solid."
"What happens to the fish?" she asked, craning her neck to see if any fish were visible, "Are they all frozen too?"
"You know, I'm not sure," Jay replied, "I think they go real deep. I'm sure we can find a book about it in the library. They're definitely still alive since people go ice fishing."
"Wow," Piper said, taking in the winter wonderland, "It's so white. There's snow everywhere."
"Perfect for all the snow activities," Jay winked, "I'm pretty sure we've got some snowshoes up here as well. Definitely got a few sleds. There's a hike we could do too. Not the one we did in the summer since it's covered in snow, but it's through the woods and super cool. There's this little stream that never freezes because the water moves too fast and a bridge that Will and I used to try to fish from in the summer. Super cool."
"How are we going to get into the cabin?" Erin asked curiously, taking in the sheer volume of snow that surrounded them, "We might need to go back to that store and buy some shovels."
"You're not the only one who made calls this morning, babe," he replied, not taking his eyes off the road, "I've got a guy."
"How many guys do you have?" Piper asked teasingly, "You always talk about your guys."
"He'll never tell," Erin said, turning around in the passenger seat, "He doesn't even keep a list anywhere. Trust me, I've looked."
"Well, this guy happens to be a local who owed me a favor or two," Jay said, gesturing to the lone cabin, brightly lit among the snow and evening dusk, "Looks like he got the fire started up too."
"Wow," Piper breathed, in absolute awe as Jay pulled up to the cabin on the freshly plowed ground. Jay grinned. His guy had thought of everything. The walkway from the driveway to the entrance was cleared as well, and he could see the warmth glowing off his childhood safe place. He loved that his girls were excited too. Just being out of the city had drastically helped him feel more at peace.
"It'll warm up soon," Jay promised when Piper shivered in the cabin living area, "Might help if you stand by the fire, kiddo. Just don't get too close. Don't want you to lose your eyebrows." He dropped some of the suitcases on floor and glanced to the roaring flame. His guy had brought in some wood, but they'd need more.
"I think we also packed you some extra warm leggings," Erin said, holding her hands out over the fire to warm herself up, "Jay might have already brought your suitcase upstairs."
"I'm going to go grab some more wood to keep the fire going," Jay determined, grabbing an axe from beside the fireplace, "I'll be back soon, okay?"
"You're going to cut down a tree?" Piper's eyes were like saucers. "Now?"
"There are some big logs outside," Jay chuckled, "I'm not chopping down a tree today. Just gotta get the wood in smaller pieces so it fits into the fireplace, like those ones."
"Hey there, mountain man," Erin greeted when Jay entered the cabin bearing an arm full of wood he'd chopped. The roaring fire had heated the entire living area, and Erin was finally warm. Piper had continued to shiver, so she sent the little girl upstairs to put on her warmest pair of pajamas. "You're a regular Paul Bunyan, aren't you?"
"If you mean rugged and sexy, yeah." Jay's eyes sparkled as he dropped the wood beside the fireplace. "This should last us a few days." He grinned when Erin wrapped her arms around his winter coat and leaned up to press a gentle kiss on his neck. "The lumberjack look does it for you too, huh?"
"Mm," she murmured, her lips meeting his, "Any version of you does it for me, babe."
Jay deepened the kiss as Erin's hands roamed beneath his heavy coat. "Any version, huh?" he said huskily, stealing a kiss from her cheek, "I might have packed my glasses for the book I'm reading. I could put those on tonight."
Erin giggled when he started kissing her neck. "You've gotten dressed up for me before," he hissed, "Least I could do is return the favor."
"A rugged and sexy nerd?" Erin gasped out as she felt her partner's hands on her behind, "All my dreams are coming true."
"Just you wait-" Jay paused when he saw Piper coming down the steps. The little girl stopped in her tracks as she regarded the two adults standing very close to each other in the living area. "Hi Pipes," he stuttered, pulling back from Erin's neck and taking his hands off her rear, "You warm enough?"
Piper dramatically covered her eyes. "I didn't see anything," she teased, "I'll be upstairs wearing Erin's headphones."
Erin turned red as her little sister hurried back up the steps. "Oh god," she chuckled as Piper disappeared, "We gotta be more careful."
"She's got your headphones on." Jay brushed his partner's hair back, "Noise cancelling. Very effective." He nibbled at her nose, "Plus it's good for kids to see a healthy relationship."
"Mm, your research tell you that?" Erin quipped, throwing her head back when Jay gave a confident nod, "You are too much."
"Not while she's awake," he decided, pressing a gentle kiss on her neck and then her lips, "But maybe later."
"Thank you for suggesting this," Jay mumbled against Erin's chest as he laid against her on the overstuffed couch. His girl was methodically running her fingers through his hair, gentle ministrations lulling him into a state of relaxation he'd not reached in a while. After his girls warmed up with some homemade chili, Piper fell asleep in her upstairs bedroom huddled beneath three blankets after Erin relegated Jay to the couch while she cleaned up the dinner dishes. After finishing the last pot, she slipped behind him, pulling her boyfriend close against her. "It's really helping."
Erin kissed the top of his head. "I'm glad," she whispered, "It is beautiful up here. Special."
"Mm," he nodded, "Even more special now that it's a place I go with my girls."
She stroked his chest lightly. "Last time we were up here we didn't know if I was going to get custody of Piper."
"I knew you would," he murmured, tilting his head to look up at his girl, "I mean, it wasn't set in stone but I had a pretty good feeling you would."
"You always think the best of me," she sighed, "Even when I don't think that well of myself."
"Well somebody's got to." Jay settled further against his partner. "You're incredible, babe." He took one of her hands in his own to toy with her fingers. "Over the summer, when we were up here, you got Pipes to really trust you. It was like a whole other kid."
Erin smiled sadly. "She was so scared before." She swallowed the growing lump in her throat, "And then you taught her how to play soccer in the yard."
"And you made that French toast," he added, "And she told us she liked it more than my pancakes."
"I can't believe how far she's come," Erin managed, "I mean, she's so mature but she's still just a kid."
"She was the one who kept me together. When I first found out," Jay said carefully, "I uh, I thought I was going to pass out after Mouse called, I-I went into the locker room but Hailey told me I wasn't allowed to lose it. Not with Piper. And she brought me out to her and that kid just grabbed my hand and suddenly I remembered that I not only had her, but I had you. And if I could just get home, I knew you'd be there."
Erin continued to run her fingers through his hair. "She's pretty remarkable. Seems to always know what we need. I mean, she helped you plan that date night."
Jay snorted. "She did. Guess she thought we needed some time together." He paused. "I do miss that. Getting to see you all day, every day. At work and at home."
"I do too. I miss you checking me out when Hank wasn't looking." She smiled wistfully, "And I missed checking you out even when he was."
"He was always watching," Jay rolled his eyes, "I never got it until Piper came along, but I do now. I wouldn't want anyone checking out my girls."
"Well you're going to be in for it if she's anything like I was growing up," Erin informed him, "She's the sweetest little thing now but I'm nervous the other shoe's going to drop and she's going to go full-blown teenage angsty Erin."
"But teenage Erin didn't have an Erin of her own lookin' out for her," Jay reminded her lightly, "She's got you babe. And you know what you needed back then, and I see you every day trying to give that to her."
"She's got you too," she said softly, "I didn't have Hank til I was six years older than Piper is now. Maybe things woulda been different for me if I had someone keeping tabs on me when I was nine instead of Bunny who left me alone or with a dealer as the babysitter."
"Any babysitter we get is going to be fully vetted," Jay promised, "Full background check, references required. I don't know how Will slipped through the cracks."
"Please, she loves him," Erin insisted, "Obviously not as much as she loves you but she does think he's hilarious. I think he also taught her about real humor because no offense to us babe, but we're not funny."
"I am too funny," Jay defended himself, positively beside himself that his girlfriend didn't think he was as funny as he thought he was, "You don't think I'm funny?"
"You're funny in your own special way," Erin assured him, "Your brother is just goofier. And Piper gets skeptical, but he does make her laugh."
"I guess that's a good thing." Jay exhaled, "I can't believe you don't think I'm funny. I'm hilarious, Er."
"Love the snowpants, babe," Jay smirked when Erin shuffled out of the bedroom, bundled in her heavy winter coat, boots and snowpants, "Very sexy."
"I feel like a marshmallow," she bemoaned, "And I'm sweating already."
"A very delicious looking marshmallow," he replied, unable to keep the grin off his face as she wrinkled her nose in displeasure, "You'll thank me later when you're waist deep in snow." He glanced to the steps where his little friend was emerging. "Looks like there are two marshmallows in the house."
Piper wrinkled her nose exactly the way her sister did, and Jay laughed. "It'll be fun," he promised, "C'mon Pipes, I'm going to show you how to build the best snow fort. Already got the materials outside."
"Will said you used to make igloos," Piper said, sucking in a breath when a cold gust of air hit her in the face after Jay opened the cabin door. "Are we going to do that?"
"So my brother's giving away all my secrets, huh?" He held out a hand to guide Erin off the icy stoop, "We are. I'm going to show you how to make a snow fort. It's basically an igloo, but way cooler."
Erin had never been more glad to have taken a few days off. Watching Jay teach her little sister how to build the most extravagant snow fort she'd ever seen was like watching him be a kid again. Piper indulged in all Jay's excitement, eagerly following his instruction for snow fort creation and giggling at his jokes.
"I think we've got a frozen noodle on our hands, babe," Erin said, gesturing to Piper's chattering teeth, "We might need to get you some extra layers."
"I'm not frozen," Piper insisted, "Just a little cold." She offered a big smile, "But we're almost done!"
"And then we'll do some hot chocolate," Jay promised, "Just gotta get the roof on this bad boy and then we'll have the best snow fort in all of Wisconsin."
Piper clapped her mittened hands when Jay dramatically placed the last snow-brick into the wall. "Wow!"
"Pretty cool, huh?" Jay leaned back to admire his handiwork. "You wanna go inside?"
"It's not gonna fall on me?" Piper looked somewhat skeptical of the dome-shaped snow fort they spent the last few hours building, "If I go in?"
"Nope. In fact, I'll go first and show you just how safe it is," Jay decided. He crawled through the small door they made before gesturing for Piper to follow.
"Go ahead, Noodle, I'll be right behind you," Erin promised. She watched her little sister followed after her partner. She loved just how much she trusted Jay. "This is impressive," she mused after crawling in behind Piper, "Impeccable handiwork, Halstead."
"Been in the family for generations," he said seriously, "My grandfather taught me and Will how to make these. We'd spend all day out here." He beamed at the wonder in Piper's eyes as she took in the structure they'd made. "Pretty cool, huh?"
"I can't believe it's just snow," she said, "And that it's warmer in here than it is outside."
Teaching Piper how to build a snow fort had Jay over the moon. He loved watching the child get to experience new things that kids her age were supposed to get to experience. She hung onto his every word as he provided instruction on how to properly form the snow bricks. Every time she giggled, Jay felt time stop. He could listen to his girls laugh all day. "What if I brought some hot chocolate for us to drink out here?" he suggested, "I already got it set up on the stove, just needs a few minutes. I want to avoid frozen Pipes." He winked, and both of his girls shook their heads at his attempt at humor.
"Yes please to the hot chocolate," Erin nodded, holding her little sister in her arms as Piper giggled, "I'm stealing all of Noodle's warmth over here." As soon as her partner crawled out of the tunnel, she looked down at the little girl. "I have an idea."
Piper widened her eyes. "Yeah?"
"This is a pretty great fort," Erin started, eyes twinkling, "And there's that window right there. I bet we could get Jay with some snowballs when he comes back outside."
Erin watched as her little sister's face went from worry to excitement in under two seconds. "Jay used to play snowballs with Will," she said in a stage whisper, "But I bet he'd never see it coming."
"I made snowballs a few times when I lived with Hank," Erin said, pulling some loose snow into her gloves and shaping a ball, "What do you think?"
Piper grinned. "Perfect." She followed her sister's lead and created a snowball. "How are we gonna get him?"
Erin thought for a moment. "We should tell him to pass you the hot chocolate through that little window," she said, "And I'm going to hide in the door and get him the second he puts them down."
"We're gonna need more snowballs," Piper insisted, creating two more small ones with her little hands, "I'll stack 'em by the door so you can grab them quickly." She peered out the window. "He's coming!"
"Tell him to pass you the hot chocolate," Erin hissed, crouching in the doorway, armed with the snowballs she created, "And once you've got them, just say 'got it' and I'll hit him with a snowball."
"I can hold the hot chocolate through the window," Piper called to Jay as he approached the snow fort, "So you can get inside."
"Good thinking, kiddo," he said, "Careful, it's hot."
Piper accepted the mugs through the window and set them on the snow window sill. "I got it," she said, smile on her lips.
In a split second, Jay was hit with a snowball in the chest and Piper burst into giggles. "Hey!" he exclaimed when another hit his shoulder, "No fair!"
"Sneak attack!" Piper cried out, launching a snowball through the window while Erin fired one from the door, "Got you!"
"Oh, no you don't," Jay grinned, taking a snowball to the face from his girlfriend before reaching into the snow fort door to pull her out, "I'm the snowball fight master."
"Jay!" Erin squealed as he lifted her in his arms to the delight of Piper, "Okay, fine, I surrender, I surrender!"
He scooped up some snow with one hand and plopped it directly on her head. "Say you're sorry," he instructed teasingly, "Or you're going in that pile of snow right there." He gestured with his head toward a pile of fluffy snow that his guy had scooped up when plowing the driveway.
Erin shook her head, lips pursed together in a smile. "Okay," Jay sing-songed, "It's going to be cold-hey!" He turned his head when a snowball hit him in the other shoulder. "Pipes!"
"Gotcha!" she shrieked, bolting around the snow fort in an attempt to hide from Jay.
Jay carefully dropped his girl into the snow pile before chasing down his little friend and lifting her in the air. "You're goin' in the pile of snow with your sister," he insisted, grinning widely as Piper shrieked in excitement. He swung her around in his arms, laughing hysterically as his little friend squealed. He loved watching Piper get to truly be a kid.
"Erin's not in the snow pile," Piper giggled as Jay carried her toward the mound, "You lost her."
Jay widened his eyes when he realized that Erin had quickly escaped from the pile of snow he had placed her in. "Oh no," he chuckled as Piper giggled, "She's gonna get us."
"Not us, you," Piper teased back, catching sight of her sister from behind the pile of snow, "She's gonna get payback on you for droppin' her in a pile of snow."
"She's gonna get you too," Jay insisted, "Because I'm going to use you as my shield!" He laughed when Erin started lobbing snowballs toward him that ended up hitting Piper in the chest as he maneuvered her in the air, holding the little girl in front of his face. Piper dissolved in giggles at each snowball.
"Erin, we're on the same team!" she laughed, "You gotta get Jay, not me!" Piper wriggled in Jay's grip and dropped to the snowy ground before turning and wrapping her tiny arms around his snowpants. Jay took an exaggerated fall backwards into the snowy pile, taking the giggly little girl with him.
"You okay, Pipes?" Jay wrinkled his brow when he caught sight of the little girl entering the kitchen. Despite being bundled up in her warmest pajamas, a sweatshirt and even one of Erin's sweatshirts, the child was practically vibrating. "You look a little chilly."
Piper gave a shy nod. "I'm wearing two pairs of socks," she informed him, another shiver running through her body, "But I'm still cold."
After several hours in the winter wonderland, Jay could tell that his girls were practically frozen. As much as he loved watching Piper get to be a kid and teasing Erin, he didn't want either of them to get frostbite or be too cold. He ushered them inside and had his girls warm up at the roaring fire.
He frowned and adjusted the thermostat in the kitchen. "Sorry, kiddo," he said, "Sometimes it can be hard to warm up after being outside for so long."
"It was so fun," Piper smiled, teeth chattering slightly, "I never had a snowball fight before."
He grinned and stirred the pot. He was making his mom's spaghetti Bolognese, a staple in all his Northern Wisconsin adventures growing up. "I'm glad you liked it. Will and I used to pelt each other with snowballs all day long. I had much better aim that he did." Jay paused when Piper shivered again. "Can I try to warm you up a bit?"
Piper nodded gratefully and Jay lifted her into his arms, allowing the warmth from his body to provide comfort to his little friend. "How come you're so warm?" she murmured, resting her head on his shoulder, "I'm so cold."
"Helps that I'm bigger than you," he chuckled, pressing a kiss atop her head as he continued to stir the sauce. "Erin's still in the shower?"
She nodded and held tighter. "She said her bones were frozen. But she also likes long showers."
"She does, doesn't she?" Jay held the little girl closer when he felt her shiver again. "Maybe we should get you in the shower too to warm you up a little bit."
"You're helping," she murmured, small yawn escaping her lips. "I can see why Erin calls you a space heater."
"Jay's warming you up, Noodle?" Erin smiled when she saw her partner and sister in the kitchen. Of all the things that attracted her to Jay, seeing him be a dad to Piper was at the top of the list. His effortless way of parenting and ability to get Piper to trust him had her falling in love with him more and more each day.
"Uh-huh," Piper yawned, "I'm wearing a lot of layers too."
Erin wrapped her arms around Jay and Piper from behind, leaning her head against her boyfriend's back. "You are warm," she murmured against his sweatshirt, "I'm surprised you didn't melt the igloo down."
He let out a soft chuckle. "Well, the sauce just needs to simmer a bit. You guys want to warm up by the fire a little more?"
Jay's heart felt like it could burst as he sat on the couch he grew up on with his girls. Both Piper and Erin were incredibly dozy after a big day of snow forts and snowball fights. His little friend was cuddled in her big sister's lap, the comfort and warmth helping to stop the constant shivers.
"You know I never had snuggles before you and Jay," Piper murmured against Erin's chest as she leaned into her sister's embrace. She relaxed further when Erin planted a kiss atop her head. "I used to be too scared."
Jay swallowed. "Scared?" he pressed, exchanging a sad look with his girlfriend. He knew they were supposed to probe deeper whenever Piper offered up an anecdote, but it usually wound up breaking his heart.
"Scared because I thought I'd have to leave," she whispered. She tilted her head to meet Jay's gaze. He was holding Erin in his arms, both his girls beneath a knit blanket that his grandmother had made. "When I first came to stay with you, I didn't want to hug because I didn't know if you were safe, but I knew you were when we got sandwiches on the very first day. I just didn't hug because I thought I'd have to leave, and it would be easier if I didn't." Piper let out a content breath. "But then I got to stay with both you guys."
Jay swallowed and stroked Piper's cheek with his fingers. "You are allowed to have as many snuggles as you want," he said, resting his head against the top of Erin's, "I don't know if you know this, but Erin is super snuggly."
"Mm," Erin nodded, "I um, I wasn't always though. Not til I met Jay." She felt his gentle hand on top of her head, carefully stroking her hair back. "I was scared too, Noodle. I know how you feel."
Piper let out another breath and settled further against her sister. "I know," she whispered, "I could tell."
Raise your hand if you can handle more cuteness because if so Wisconsin part two coming up next!