Y'all have been leaving the sweetest reviews and comments so I'm going to keep up my end of the bargain and keep posting. I also got some great requests that I'm going to try to incorporate too - so I guess this story is going to go on a little longer than planned :) Let me know what you think!

"I don't want to leave this bed today," Erin mumbled against Jay's neck as she snuggled into her partner in the downstairs bedroom of the Wisconsin cabin, "I'm warm and it's freezing outside."

He nodded against her head. The benefit of the bedroom on the bottom floor was that the lingering heat from the fireplace added to the overall warmth. "I like that idea. A whole day in bed with my incredibly beautiful girlfriend. Sounds nice."

"I know, but Piper's probably going to be up soon." Erin buried her face into Jay's chest. "And she's probably going to be hungry. She was practically falling asleep into her pasta last night and even though it was delicious she didn't eat much."

"What if I," Jay kissed the top of her head, "Get up and make some coffee?"

"Can you come back so we can drink it in bed?" she asked sheepishly, grinning when Jay kissed her lips. "Thank you."

Jay grabbed a sweatshirt off the end of the bed and shuffled to the kitchen. Wisconsin didn't have the same self timer coffee machine that Chicago did, and required boiling water and a filter. Despite the extra level of effort, Jay swore it tasted better upstate. "Hey kiddo," he greeted when he saw Piper emerge from the steps, "Did you have a good sleep?"

Piper shrugged and let out a small yawn. "Still sleepy, huh?" Jay frowned slightly. He was glad that Erin was going to make an appointment to get the little girl's blood drawn again. They'd slept in later than normal and Piper had gone to bed at a reasonable hour, yet the little girl was still exhausted. "Do you want to hang out with Erin? She's still in bed."

"She's still sleeping?" Piper asked, rubbing her eyes tiredly, "How come you're up too?"

"Coffee," Jay gestured to the pot of water that he was attempting to boil. "Might be a bit though. Erin's awake, just dozing. She said she wanted to stay warm in bed all day today."

Piper gave another yawn. "That sounds good," she murmured. "I'm still tired."

"You certainly are." Jay knelt down to get a better read on his little friend. "Are you feeling okay?" He furrowed his brow when Piper nodded adamantly. "You sure?"

"I'm sure," Piper said, "I'm okay, really. I feel good, I promise."

Jay stroked her cheek gently. "Okay, but tell us if you aren't feeling good, alright? We can help." He smiled when Piper leaned in for a hug. "You want to go climb into bed with Erin for a little bit? It's nice and warm under the covers."

Piper nodded and headed for the bedroom after Jay dropped a kiss on top of her head. She pushed the bedroom door open slowly and caught sight of her sister, huddled beneath the covers in the middle of the bed. "Hey Noodle," Erin murmured, rolling over slightly, "Did Jay make coffee?"

"He's bringing it to you so you can stay in bed," Piper told her, standing at the side of the bed almost nervously. She shifted slightly on her feet. "Can I come lie down for a little?"

"Of course," Erin beamed, lifting the covers for her little sister to crawl in beside her. She loved that Piper wanted to be close to her, but it also made her heart ache to know that the little girl wasn't comfortable enough to just clamber into the bed. The small hesitancies were reminders of how far Piper had come but how much progress there was still opportunity for. "It's super warm in here."

Piper shivered. "I get why you don't ever want to leave," she said, resting her head on a pillow. "Very warm."

"C'mere." Erin scooted closer to her sister and wrapped on arm around her. She wanted to show her that asking for comfort was okay, and that as her sister, Erin was a safe person. In an instant, the little girl relaxed, and Erin did too. "That better?"

"Much," Piper breathed, "I was warm in bed upstairs but when I heard Jay in the kitchen I came down and got so cold."

"I think staying warm in bed all day is the move," Jay said, entering the bedroom bearing two cups of coffee, "Forecast calls for some serious wind, so the hike might have to wait."

"Can it wait forever?" Erin mumbled into Piper's hair, "Or at least til it isn't in the single digits?"

"I don't want my girls to be cold," Jay promised, setting the mugs down on his beside to climb back in beside Erin. "I'll see if my space heating abilities can keep the wind away."

Erin carefully ran her fingers through Piper's soft hair, feeling the little girl go more slack with each passing minute. Jay's gentle breath on the top of her head was a welcome reminder that her partner was beside her, safe and warm in the small bedroom in a secluded cabin in Wisconsin. "Sorry if you wanted to actually do something fun today," she mumbled after pressing a kiss to the top of her sleeping sister's head. Erin tilted her head to meet Jay's gaze, "I know this is your favorite place."

"This is fun for me," he insisted, reaching over Erin to adjust the blanket over Piper, "It's everything I needed. Just you and Pipes."

She smiled and nuzzled his neck gently. "I'm really proud of you," she whispered against his skin before leaving a kiss on his collarbone, "I know how grief can consume a person and you…you amaze me, babe."

Jay pressed his lips to her forehead, slightly pulling his girl closer against his chest. "I knew this time couldn't be like the others," he murmured, "Before I…I guess I didn't think I had that much to live for." His breath hitched. "But you and Pipes babe, I…I knew I needed to take care of myself, so that I could deserve to stay with my girls."

"We're not letting you go," Erin insisted, "No matter what."

"I know," he replied quickly, "And I believe you. I just wanted to feel like I was doing enough to deserve you. To make you feel safe around me."

"You are our safe place," she said softly, tucking her arm around his bare torso beneath the sweatshirt he'd donned. "When I'm with you I just feel…relief." She settled against him further. "And I know Piper feels that way. When I was growing up, I was always afraid of men. I mean, I didn't let it show because I knew that I couldn't. But Piper gets to grow up knowing that men don't have to be so rough all the time." Erin felt her voice waver. "She gets to know that it's okay to get help and that we don't always have to be hardened to the world. You showing her what safe means has changed her life. And mine too."

Jay didn't know what to say, so instead he kissed the top of his girl's head. His girls changed his life too.

"She's such a sleepy little bug," Erin whispered, stroking Piper's hair again, "She's asleep again, babe."

"It might also be the fresh air," he said gently, reaching over his partner to touch Piper's cheek, "I know I sleep better out here. Maybe her body's just catching up." He paused, "We uh, still don't know how much time she spends awake at night from those nightmares."

Erin exhaled. "I think it's a lot of different things," she mused, "I just hate to see her suffering."

"She's not suffering now, babe," Jay promised, "She's so relaxed. She feels safe and warm. That's good."

She nodded and cuddled in closer to her little sister, bringing Jay with her. "I love her so much it hurts," she murmured, "Every time I see her I just realize how lucky I am to have her. She brought me home. She brought me to you. And she's the most amazing little person I've ever met."

Jay hummed in agreement. "My girls," he breathed, "The most amazing people in the entire world."

After a much-needed lazy day to escape the winter wind, the following morning both of Jay's girls decided to indulge his desire to show them the famous winter hike he'd alluded to several times. Erin's heart swelled as she watched her partner bundled up her little sister, winding a scarf around her neck and ensuring she had warm enough gloves on. His fatherly mannerisms almost brought her to tears.

Despite her smaller stature, Piper hustled alongside Jay and Erin as he led them through the winter wonderland. The snow had ceased falling for a brief moment in time, but the snow on the ground was thick and deep. Jay trudged through first to make a path when it got too deep, allowing both of his girls to more easily maneuver through the wooded trails.

"I think we need to get you a warmer coat, Noodle," Erin mused, brushing some snow off the little girl's shoulders, "I can hear your teeth chattering."

"I'm really okay," Piper assured her brightly, offering a smile, "I like walking in the snow. It's so quiet."

"Very different from Chicago," Jay agreed, "That's one of my favorite parts of being up here." He turned to observe his little friend, realizing that she was indeed shivering. "I agree though Er. I think we need a trip to the mall for a new coat. And a soft pretzel. Good news is we aren't far from the cabin now. Just gotta cross that stream up there and then it's not too far."

"I'm going to need some Halstead hot chocolate when we get back," Erin determined, taking Piper's mittened hand as she stepped over an exposed root in their path, "And maybe some coffee too."

"There's usually a bridge here." Jay stopped at the edge of a rapidly rushing stream that was still flowing despite the freezing temperature. "Guess it must have gotten taken out by the last storm."

"I think it's down there," Piper told him, teeth chattering as she pointed to a pile of wood downstream that previously could have been a small footbridge.

"Do we turn around?" Erin glanced around at her surroundings, unsure of what to do next. "Or try to cross?"

"It's a little wide." Jay frowned after sticking his large boot into the stream, feeling the freezing water rush over the rubber, "Er, you can probably make it on those rocks there to that middle part. I've got the rubber boots on but Pipes, I might need to carry you across."

Piper looked skeptical at the rushing water but accepted the boost into Jay's arms. "You're just gonna walk right through?" she asked, holding tightly to his jacket as Jay stepped into the stream with both feet, "It's not cold?"

"It's cold but these boots are solid," he said. "You think you can make it to that rock and across, babe?"

Erin stood at the edge, unsure of what to do. "I can also come back for you," Jay suggested, "Let me just take Pipes across and-"

"I got it," she assured him, taking a careful step onto the rock, "I've got better balance than you do."

He snorted. "That may be," he acquiesced, "But it's slippery, and the water's pretty strong. Here, grab my arm." Erin looked down at the water and tentatively took another step toward her partner. "Good, careful," he said, maneuvering through the rushing water, "Stay close to me."

"Jay!" Erin squeaked as she lost her footing on a rock. In a swift motion, Jay caught her with one arm and narrowly avoided Erin taking a face-plant into the stream. He helped her onto the largest rock as the water continued to rush over his feet and immediately sized up his girl.

"You good?" he asked quickly, "Are you hurt?"

Erin shook her head. "I'm fine, just my pride. Guess my balance sucks in these snow pants." She glanced down at her feet. "Ugh. My feet are soaked," she bemoaned, shivering at the chill from her newly-drenched boots, "Damn it."

Jay frowned. Soaking wet boots, snow and wind chill was a recipe for frostbite. They were about a mile out from the cabin and Jay hated the thought of his girl in pain. He'd had wet and cold feet before and it wasn't enjoyable in the slightest. "C'mon," he said, gesturing for his girl to hop onto his back, "I'll give you a lift back to the cabin."

"You're going to carry both of us?" Erin raised her eyebrows, "Babe, I-"

"You're gonna get frostbite if you don't hop on," he insisted, "Come on Er."

Erin exhaled and jumped onto her partner's back, coming face to face with her little sister. "Hey Noodle," she chuckled, "Apparently getting a lift from Jay was the move."

"Are you okay?" Piper asked softly, "You're not hurt?"

"Just a little wet," Erin assured her, "I'm okay, promise."

"Hold on tight," Jay said, carefully wading through the stream, thankful for the old rubber boots that had belonged to his grandfather, "We're heading back right now to get you guys warmed up, okay?"

"But the cabin is so far away we can't even see it," Piper said worriedly as Jay stepped over the bank, "Erin's toes are gonna freeze."

"I'll be okay," Erin tried, an inadvertent shiver running through her body as the chill from her feet radiated throughout her entire self, "I've been cold before."

"Hold tight," Jay insisted, "Just stay on my back, okay babe? That goes for you too, Pipes. We're gonna hustle home."

"I'm too heavy-" Erin attempted, but Jay shook his head. "I don't want to hurt you, babe."

"Just don't let go." Jay broke into a jog, both of his girls clinging to him as he shuffled through the snow. "Can't have my girl's toes falling off."

Erin held tightly as her partner made his way through the thick snow toward the cabin. She always knew he was strong, but the way he effortlessly carried both her and Piper through the powder was incredibly impressive. "How are the toes?" he asked breathlessly, finally catching sight of the cabin in the distance, "You still have feeling in 'em?"

She attempted to wiggle the toes in her sopping boot. "I-I think so?"

"Almost there," he promised, "Keep holding tight."

Erin shivered again. She hadn't even considered that she might actually get frostbite from the chill of the winter wind coupled with the wet boots, but by the way her feet were aching, she suddenly realized why Jay had been so concerned when she first slipped. She'd just thought he was just being dramatic and overprotective. "Don't get off please Er," Jay instructed as he hurried up to the cabin, breathing heavily. "Pipes, can you do me a favor and start filling the bathtub downstairs with warm water? Not hot, but warm?"

Piper nodded and slipped out of Jay's grasp. She kicked off her boots and hurried to the bathroom, intent on following the detective's instructions. "This might hurt a bit, babe," Jay said softly, kicking his own shoes off as he entered the cabin, "But we gotta get your feet warmed up, okay?"

Erin nodded. "I don't want you to put any weight on them, just in case," he continued, "Stop me if it hurts." Jay sank to his knees, placing Erin on the edge of the bathtub that Piper was filling with water. He carefully untied her boots, grimacing at the frozen laces. He paused when she let out a squeak. Jay frowned – he knew she was trying to be brave for her sister's sake, but the redness in her ankles indicated that his girl's toes were feeling particularly painful.

"I can feel that," she hissed as Jay removed her foot from the frozen boot, "That's good, right?"

"Yes," he confirmed, "I'm going to take the sock off now, okay? The water's warm. It's not hot." He gently guided Erin's bare foot into the lukewarm bath, hoping that the water would defrost her frozen toes. Jay traced his fingers across her toes under the bathwater. "You feel that?"

She nodded again. Jay's gentle strokes against her near-frozen feet was sending shivers up her spine as the warmth of the water, the cabin and her boyfriend penetrated her bones. "How'd you know to do all this?"

"Learned it in boy scouts," he murmured, carefully pouring the warm water over his girl's ankles with a cup from the sink, "And I fell in that stream once as a kid. My mom hauled me in this same tub. It wasn't as cold as it is today though."

"Such a mountain man," Erin quipped, biting down on her lip as Jay attempted to remove her other foot from the frigid boot as gently as possible, "Saving my toes."

"Missing toes would really mess up your balance," he shot back, carefully guiding her other foot into the tub, "Can you try to wiggle your toes for me, please?"

Erin did as she was told and let out a breath when Jay sighed in relief. "Toes are safe," he confirmed, "If it's not too painful, we should keep 'em in the water for a bit just to get the blood circulating, okay?"

She nodded and leaned against his chest, still perched on the edge of the tub. "Thanks for carrying us home." Erin took one of his damp hands in her own. "It was a really beautiful hike."

Jay kissed the top of her head. "I'm glad you liked it." He turned to his little friend, who was now sitting on the edge of the tub as well, still wearing her winter coat. She had her eyes locked on Erin. "Do you want to go put on some warm cozy clothes, Pipes? I'll make us some hot chocolate, how does that sound?"

Piper nodded and shivered. "You can leave the wet snowpants down here, we'll let everything dry out by the fire, alright?" Jay stroked some of her windswept hair back. "Erin's gonna be totally fine, kiddo."

At that, Piper cracked a small smile. "We gotta get rubbery boots like yours next time," she said seriously, "Or build a bridge."

"That sounds like a fun challenge." Jay winked, eyes sparkling, "Maybe when we come up and it's a bit warmer I can teach you how to build a bridge?"

"You know what… there is a hot tub out back," Jay murmured against Erin's head as she nestled against his shoulder. Her toes were still dangling in the lukewarm bathwater, and Jay was kneeling behind her as she leaned tiredly into him. "That could warm you up."

"There's a hot tub out here?" Erin pulled away in surprise, "Jay Halstead, have you been keeping that from me?"

He chuckled. "I honestly forgot about it. It's old but it does the trick."

"When you told me to pack a swim suit I thought it was for some polar plunge bullshit," she said, excitement building in her voice, "Let's go in the hot tub, babe." She raised her eyebrows seductively and he chuckled.

"Alright, I'll go turn it on and see where Pipes is at. I told her to put on warmer clothes like ten minutes ago." Jay dropped a kiss atop his girl's head before heading toward the hot tub which was located on the far side of the cabin. He made quick work of assembling the wires and confirming the correct chemicals had been poured in. Thankfully, his guy had done a good job at setting everything up and the tub was bubbling.

"Hey kiddo," Jay greeted when he caught Piper out of the corner of his eye on her way back to the bathroom where Erin was. The little girl was clad in her warmest pair of pajamas and had since donned a sweatshirt of Erin's and a sweatshirt of his to keep herself warm. "Have you ever been in a hot tub?"

Piper shook her head slowly. "Like a bath?"

"Kind of. Except it's not for getting clean, it's more to relax. Like a really hot pool. There are bubbles and jets and stuff." Jay offered a smile, "Super fun. Erin and I were thinking it could be a good way to warm up, especially with her frosty toes. You want to join us?"

Piper rubbed her eyes tiredly. "Instead can I um, take a nap?" she asked softly, looking up at Jay somewhat worriedly. "I'm tired."

Several thoughts immediately coursed through his mind. First of all, the fact that Piper felt comfortable enough with him and Erin to express her feeling of tiredness was huge. In their six months together, every time Piper actually expressed a feeling or need unprompted was a huge milestone, from the first time she said she was hungry to just telling Jay she was tired.

The second was that it was the early afternoon and while they'd had an active morning with the hike, they'd also slept in and spent nearly the entire day before in bed or on the couch. Piper being tired enough for a nap was enough to put his concern into overdrive.

"Of course," he replied, sinking to meet her eyeline. "Are you feeling okay? I know I asked you yesterday."

Piper nodded. "After hiking I got tired," she informed him, "I-I just want to lie down for a little if that's okay."

Jay reached out to feel her forehead. "You want to lie down on the couch by the fire?" he offered, stroking her cool cheek with his fingertips. "That'll keep you warm too."

She gave a small smile and a nod. "I feel really safe up here," she said quietly as Jay spread a blanket across her lap after settling her on the couch, "That's how come I like to sleep. Not so many nightmares."

He leaned down to kiss her forehead, overwhelmed by how much he loved his little friend. He loved that the cabin in Wisconsin had the same effect on her as it did on him – keeping the nightmares at bay. "That's why I like it up here too," he whispered, "And I'm glad that you told me you were feeling sleepy." Jay paused. "I'm going to get Erin's feet all warmed up in the hot tub right outside, okay? You can go right to that window over there to see us if you need anything, or just shout." He kissed her forehead again when she nodded. "I love you, kiddo."

"This is perfect," Erin mused, sitting between Jay's legs in the hot tub as he pressed gentle kisses on the back of her neck. Snow was gently falling around the cabin, but the roof protected their heads and the heat from the hot tub kept them warm. She let out a content sigh as the sky glowed in the setting sun. Despite only being mid-afternoon, the sun set early in the Wisconsin winter. "I feel like I could stay here forever."

"I know I could," he mumbled into her shoulder, "I'd take my chances on turning into a prune."

She chuckled lightly, holding his arms tightly around her waist beneath the hot water. Her toes were finally feeling better, thanks to her partner's quick thinking and boy scout skills. "I meant Wisconsin in general, babe," she replied, "I don't think I could ever get tired of this view."

"I like it even more with you in it." Jay kissed the side of her head. "I've always wanted to spend as much time as I could up here. Growing up, it was my safe place. My dad never joined us, not even once. It was a place he never touched, never had the chance to ruin." He let out a soft breath. "After my grandparents passed and then my mom, this place was still special, but it was almost haunted. It helped with the demons inside my head and it made me feel better but now, having you and Pipes up here it's like it's alive again. It's no longer a place I need to go to put myself back together. I can come here knowing that I already have the people who put me back together wherever I am."

Erin turned in her partner's arms to face him, and straddled his waist, arms around his neck. "I'm really glad you let us in," she said softly, locking eyes with his baby blues, "Not just to this place but to you. To everything." She leaned forward and held him closely, feeling the hot water over her shoulders.

"I'm going to keep trying," he promised, "Even when it's back to real life tomorrow. I'm going to keep going to the meetings and seeing Dr. Kim and everything."

Erin nodded. "I'm so proud of you," she whispered, "I know I said that before but I mean it." She pulled back slightly. "I took the rest of the week off too. So even when we get back home, it's not back to real life til Monday."

Jay widened his eyes in surprise. "You took more time off? For me?"

"Last week," she said nonchalantly, "I didn't know what was going to happen with everything and I didn't want you to have to worry about us getting back from Wisconsin just so I could go into work." She stroked his hair with her wrinkled fingertips. "I just wanted you to focus on keeping your head above water."

"Every time I think I couldn't love you more," he mumbled against her neck, "You keep finding new ways to make me fall more in love with you."

She giggled when he pressed a light kiss below her ear. "Maybe I should take time off more often," she teased, "I bet I could convince Platt to give you more furlough time."

"I don't know how thrilled Hank would be when he found out how we spent said furlough time." Jay toyed with the clasp on Erin's swimsuit, "His daughter in a hot tub with one of his employees? Not a great look."

"He's over it," she promised, "I swear." She rolled her eyes when Jay shook his head. "Babe. We live together."

Jay snorted. "Doesn't mean he's over it. Can't say I blame him though. I am devilishly handsome."

"Mm," Erin nodded, bringing her fingers to his chin for him to meet her lips, "You are. But can we please stop talking about Hank while I'm in your lap in a hot tub with nobody around for miles?"

He chuckled and kissed her hungrily. "That can be arranged."

"I like it up here in the winter," Piper told Jay as he loaded a suitcase into the back of the car the following morning, "Can we come up again?"

"Oh, absolutely," he beamed, lifting her up into his arms as well. He was so glad that Erin suggested the few days in Wisconsin to get away from everything in Chicago. The brief respite had been everything he needed and more, from quality time with his girlfriend to watching his favorite kid actually get to be a kid. "You've seen Wisconsin in the summer, but just wait til we come up in the fall. It's absolutely gorgeous. The trees are like a thousand different colors."

Piper nodded and giggled when Jay pretended to put her into the back of the trunk like he'd just done with the suitcases. "Jay! I'm a kid, not a suitcase." She laughed when he mimicked adjusting her to fit amidst the luggage. "Erin! Jay's trying to put me in the trunk!"

"Jay Halstead, you are the biggest stickler for seatbelts I know," Erin scolded teasingly, giving her boyfriend a light smack on the shoulder and earning another giggle from her little sister. She too was feeling lighter than she had in days after the time in Wisconsin. Getting to see Jay in his favorite place was a privilege. In Wisconsin, any guard he'd ever put up in Chicago seemed to melt away. Wisconsin Jay was youthful, exuberant and playful – even more so than the Jay she always loved.

After enjoying the hot tub arguably a little too much, she and Jay dried off on towels in front of the fire, Piper still sound asleep on the couch. Seeing her little sister sleep so peacefully in the chilly Wisconsin air made Erin never want to leave, knowing just how badly the little girl struggled with sleep and nightmares back home. Jay also slept better in Wisconsin – the stillness of the inky black night allowing him to fully relax. As much as she didn't want to head back into real life, Erin knew that they couldn't avoid it forever.

"Jay said we could come here again in the fall," Piper said excitedly after Jay set her back down on the frozen ground, "And we could see all the colorful trees."

Erin smiled. "I think we should come up in the summer too. Maybe this time we can let Jay teach us to fish, hm?"

"Yes," Piper exclaimed, "We didn't get to do it last time because it was raining."

"I think a summer trip can be arranged." Jay couldn't stop grinning. He loved at how much his girls loved Wisconsin. "Maybe this time we can take Erin on the big hike, what do you think Pipes?"

"You're gonna have to give both of us a ride down," she said knowingly, "I got way too tired at the top."

Jay smiled fondly at the memory. Piper had been determined to get up the hill despite her far shorter stature, and had done a surprisingly good job at keeping up with Jay's longer strides. By the time they reached the peak, the little girl was absolutely spent. He'd given her a piggy back ride down the mountain, and she fell asleep in the early afternoon sun. "I'll carry my girls anywhere," he promised, "Just say the word."

In case you were wondering about the twisty stuff - it's still coming, don't worry! I like to build the good karma with some sweetness