After a long night with Lily, it was finally morning. Jay unfortunately was wide awake but he was soon put in a better mood, despite how tired he was when he looked down to a sleeping baby on his chest. He traced his fingers along her arms and legs just remembering how small she once was. She was still tiny but the time sure had flown by. He looked over at the clock and it was creeping towards seven, as much as he wanted to get up and prepare breakfast or go for a jog around the lake like old times his body was telling him otherwise and he didn't want to move Lily because she was finally asleep.
He looked over next to him when he felt the bed shift, his gazed met Erin's eyes as she was waking up. She was so beautiful, he definitely would never get use to it and how much he loved mornings like this.
"Morning," he whispered, "This little one had a rough night."
"Didn't we all?" Erin quietly chuckled as she sat up.
"Do you want to take her? I will get breakfast ready?" Jay asked quietly.
"You stay with her, I will start breakfast."
Jay raised his eyebrow, "No offence babe but i don't want you burning the cabin down."
"Fine give me the baby then." Erin sighed.
Jay gently shifted Lily into Erin's arms, she stirred a little bit then adjusted to Erin's hold.
A little while later Erin emerged into the kitchen, a very awake but clinging baby attached to her hip.
"Well good morning princess," Jay said walking over to kiss her head, then Erin's lips, "And queen."
Erin scoffed, "Okay Prince Charming."
"King thankyou very much."
"Okay then." Erin chuckled.
Jay just rolled his eyes and continued serving up breakfast, "So you think this ones going to eat today?"
"Maybe just some fruit, needs to be easy on her gums."
"Yeah I know, wanna eat outside?" Erin nodded, "Okay well you go outside and I will bring everything out."
Erin smiled and picked the highchair up as she and Lily made their way out to the deck. It was so beautiful, she was so thankful that Jay finally was sharing this special place with her.
After an hour of sitting down eating breakfast and admiring the view they cleaned themselves up and all got ready for a day of adventuring.
Jay wanted to take his girls fishing as it was a little cold to swim but he still wanted to do something involving the lake. He was still trying to figure out the perfect place and time to propose but still wasn't sure. Maybe this was the time maybe not? He was just waiting for the feeling to be right.
So as they were walking down, Jay had Lily strapped to his chest as Erin followed him carefully holding some fishing rods and a picnic basket. Thankfully it was the perfect weather but they were still hoping that Lily would cooperate and enjoy the outdoors.
"Picnic first or after?" Jay shouted from ahead of Erin.
"I don't care babe, what do you think?"
"Fish first then relax later, hopefully we can catch some fish to cook tonight, although I haven't done this for a really long time so I might be a little rusty." Jay chuckled.
Once they got to the jetty Erin looked down at the little boat that was tied up. Her face scrunched up and then she gave Jay a worried look.
"Uh Jay no offence, but this doesn't look safe. I don't exactly want to drown."
Jay chuckled, "I was thinking we could just fish off the jetty, I'm not too keen on taking this little one on the boat while she's this small anyway."
Erin took a sigh of relief, "Oh thankgod."
"You really think I'd put you guys in danger? I mean it is safe but I just think it's a better idea to stay on dry land."
"Well no, I mean..." Erin started trying to fill in words, she knew Jay would always keep them, "Of course I don't think that."
"It's just you don't want to get in a dingy little boat do you?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Not really no." Erin smiled slightly.
Jay chuckled, "Erin Lindsay, the toughest girl I know who isn't afraid of anything is scared of a little boat?"
"Shutup." Erin said nudging him.
"Hey I have a baby here."
"Think yourself lucky then Halstead, you know I can kick your ass." Erin looked down to her daughter and squeezed her cheeks while she kicked her legs happily.
"Let's do this then." Jay said as he unstrapped Lily and started getting everything ready.
After a couple hours of fishing, they didn't have much luck. Jay caught a few little ones which he only had to throw back and Erin was occupied by Lily. So once he was finally defeated they set up for their picnic, as much as they just wanted to lay back and relax by soaking up the sun Lily had other plans. She had finally started crawling and was not stopping anytime soon.
"Look at her go," Jay said admiring his daughter while she was crawling in the grass, playing with flowers and rocks, "She's so curious now."
"That's for sure." Erin smiled.
"Hey Lily, look what daddy has." Jay said holding up a slice of watermelon, which was currently her favourite thing, not just because of her teething.
Lily crawled over as quick as she could with the help of her parents egging her on. Once she got to them she grabbed the piece of fruit out of Jays hand and got comfy in her mother's lap.
After a few minutes of watching Lily sitting in Erin's lap mumbling and giggling as she did Jay couldn't help but smile. This was it, this was the moment he was waiting for. It was perfect.
Erin looked up and met Jays gaze, "Didn't your mother ever teach you it's rude to stare Halstead."
Jay shrugged, "Don't know what your talking about Lindsay."
"Whatever." She chuckled.
"Can you do me a favour and grab my phone out of the front pocket for me?" Jay asked.
"Jay your closer."
Without thinking Jay quickly grabbed Lily and started throwing her in the air, "I'm keeping this one occupied."
Erin rolled her eyes as she reached her hand in the pocket searching for Jays phone, "Okay then, but I thought we agreed no phones on..."
She quickly stopped speaking when she felt what was deep in the pocket and it definitely wasn't a phone, she slowly pulled her hand out and a beautiful sparkling ring fell into her palm. She looked up at Jay with watery eyes, he was smiling, smiling bigger then she'd ever seen before.
"Jay..."
"Erin Lindsay, I have been in love with you since the very first day I walked into the 21st and I fall in love you with you even more everyday. You have given me the greatest gift," he paused looking down at Lily, "Our beautiful daughter Lillian and for that I'm forever great full. But she's not the only reason why I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I already let go of you once and I will never do that again, your the first person I want to look at when I wake up in the morning and the only one I want to kiss at night," Jay paused and smiled, Erin's eyes were filling up with tears and so were his, "What I'm trying to say is I love you so much it hurts and I can't imagine my life without you, so Erin will you marry me?"
Jay took a deep breath as he waited for Erin's answer, the few seconds it took for her answer felt like a lifetime of waiting.
Erin nodded as a few single tears fell down her face, "Yes, of course yes."
Jay smiled and wiped her tears away as he blinked back his. He then quickly picked the ring out of her palm and placed it on her finger which is slid on perfectly. It was beautiful but it had nothing on the too beautiful girls that sat infront of him. He then gentle placed both his hands on her face and brought her in for a kiss. Before they got carried away they were quickly brought back into reality when Lily started pulling on their faces and talking her baby talk.
"Sorry sweetheart, didn't see you there." Erin chuckled and Jay bent down to kiss her forehead.
"What do you think Lil, are you happy that mummy will have our last name soon?"
Lily quickly smiled and happily squealed, "I think that's a yes." Erin said.
