"Thanks again for coming with me."

"What better way to spend my rare Saturday off than looking at jewelry?" Will commented. Jay's mouth parted at Will's statement, ready to apologize for dragging Will out with him. Will just chuckled. "I'm just kidding with you, man," he said, patting Jay's back. "I'm happy to be here. I'm actually honored that you picked me to do this with you."

"Who else, man? You're my brother." Jay's words brought a smile to Will's face. The two brothers had come so far in their relationship and now there was no one closer to Jay— aside from Erin— than Will.

Will bit back whatever sentimental reply he had on his mind and just cleared his throat, holding back his emotion. "Anyway, why are we looking at rings anyway? I thought you already had one picked out."

"I do," Jay replied while his eyes scanned over all the different options of engagement rings that were displayed in the case, all shimmering and sparkling under the lights.

"So why are we here then?"

"It doesn't hurt to look right? Make sure that it's the perfect ring for Erin."

"Something tells me that Erin isn't the type of girl that cares too much about these things," Will pointed out. Jay nodded, fully agreeing with Will. But just because Erin wasn't superficial about certain things, it didn't mean that she didn't deserve the best of the best. All Jay knew was that the ring had to be perfect. He had always envisioned slipping his mom's ring on Erin's finger and it had taken him a long time to accept the fact that his dream of doing that would never happen. He had mostly accepted it now and that the ring had found a good home on Natalie's finger had helped but if he was honest with himself, there'd always be an ache whenever he spied the ring on a hand that didn't belong to Erin.

Jay shifted his attention back onto the rings, his eyes searching for one that would be better than the one he currently had. He had purchased his current ring a couple of months ago, almost on a whim. Not that his intention to propose to Erin was a whim. No, that was an inevitability. Not a matter of if but when. But one day when he visited a jewelry store with Antonio to interview a witness, his attention was caught on the engagement rings in the display cases. Then he visited the store once again— this time, alone— and picked out a ring for Erin and quickly hidden it in his sock drawer. That ring had saved Erin's life because if it wasn't for his fear of Erin finding the ring, they never would've figured out that Erin had been taken. So yes, he was grateful for the ring but there was something inside him that wanted to find a new ring for Erin. One that would take Erin's breath away and would have her saying 'yes' to spending the rest of her life with him. One that he wouldn't see and automatically think of almost losing Erin or her selfish parents.

"That one looks nice," Will said, pointing out a round-cut diamond ring with colored stones on the band. It was big and gaudy and all of a sudden, Jay had second doubts about bringing Will with him.

"You're kidding right?" Jay asked, grimacing. "That's quite possibly the ugliest ring I've ever seen." Will looked offended. "Man, Natalie is lucky that you proposed with mom's ring instead of buying one yourself."

An uncomfortable look came across Will's face and he wet his lips. "Yeah, about that. I'm sorry, man." Jay frowned at Will's impromptu apology. "I know you had your heart set on giving Erin the ring. You and Mom were always closer and I know that she'd wanted you to have the ring."

Jay shook his head, not wanting Will to feel guilty about it any longer. "Hey, stop. Mom loved us both, equally." Will gave a little scoff, like he knew it wasn't true. "She did!" Jay insisted. "Was I closer to Mom? Maybe. But it didn't mean that she didn't love you or wanted you to have the ring as just much. That's why her wish was that whichever one of us that gets engaged first should get the ring. Not Jay should have the ring."

"Still…"

"Still, nothing." Jay said firmly. "Okay, do I wish that I could give Erin mom's ring? Yeah, I won't lie. I do. But at the end of the day, you have just as much of a right to the ring as I do and you proposed to Natalie first and Natalie's a good one. The ring is in good hands and being worn proudly by someone that understands the importance of the ring and that's all that matters."

Will nodded slowly, accepting what Jay was saying.

Jay put his arm around Will. "So if we're done with our girl talk, I'd like to get back to looking at the rings."

"You're still an ass," Will commented, pushing Jay's arm off. "If you didn't just get out of the hospital, I'd punch you in your pretty face."

Jay just grinned, keeping the fact that he had been out of Med for a month to himself. No need to get himself hit due to his smart mouth. And really, he was just happy that he was back on his feet and back to normal. No matter how much he enjoyed having Erin's full attention and her doting on him for the past month, he was quickly getting cabin fever so getting back to full duty felt like absolute heaven.

"Yeah, yeah," Jay mumbled, shifting both of their attention back onto the rings. "How about that one?" Jay asked, directing Will's gaze to a cushion cut diamond ring with a thin and simple studded band. It was different from the princess cut one that he already had in his possession. While that one was beautiful in its simplicity, this one was breathtaking. It was simple enough but there was something special the way the cushion cut diamond rested in its setting while going overboard.

Jay got the attention of the saleswoman and pointed to the ring to get a closer look. It looked even better up close, the diamond studded band circling the center diamond in reverence. Jay tried to imagine himself getting down on his knee and proposing to Erin with this ring. He saw it clearly in his head— the way Erin's mouth would part in surprise, the way her hazel eyes would shimmer with unshed happy tears as the diamond reflected back in her eyes, the way her face would break out in a happy grin as she said 'yes' over and over again as she agree to spending the rest of her life with him and the way she would jump into his arms. It was perfect.

"This is it," Jay whispered, his mind caught up in the perfect scenario playing out in his head. "This is the ring."

Will took the ring from Jay. "Whoosh," Will whistled, his eyes widening when he saw the price tag on the ring. "Damn, that's one expensive rock."

Jay grabbed the ring back from Will to check the price, seeing the almost five-figure price tag. "Yeah," he agreed. "But it's worth it." Nothing was too much to see that look on Erin's face.

"You have that much money? I mean, you're still paying off the other ring, right?"

"Yeah but I can still return the other one," Jay replied. "This is more than I was expecting to spend but this is the one. I know it."

"Damn," Will let out another whistle, this one sounding more impressed. "I didn't know you detectives get paid this much. Hey, want to spot me a few thousands so I can go on a second honeymoon with Nat since you're loaded now?"

"Shut up," Jay grumbled, his eyes still on the ring, watching the way the diamonds sparkled under the lights.

Will laughed, shaking his head. "Seriously, though. Can you afford this? The ring's gorgeous and all but you don't want Erin ripping your head off if she finds out that you put yourself in a hole to pay for it."

Jay knew Will was coming from a good place with his concern. "Yeah, I can," Jay replied, debating whether he should let Will in on a secret. He sighed, seeing the still concerned expression on Will's face. "Okay, I'm gonna tell you something and I don't want to hear your smartass comment."

"Got it."

"I can afford this because I have been saving. Putting aside money for a while," Jay confessed.

"How long?"

Jay pursed his lips before answering. "I started saving before Erin and I moved in together."

"The first time?" Will asked, interrupting.

"Yes, the first time," Jay replied, rolling his eyes.

"Just making sure," Will held up his hand, showing that he didn't mean anything snarky by it. "Wow, that's a long time then."

Jay nodded. "Yeah. I mean, I knew that one day me and Erin would end up here so I thought it was a good idea to start putting some money aside. I thought I already had the ring at the time so the money was mostly for the wedding. Then me and Erin broke up but for some reason, I couldn't take the money out of the account so I just left it untouched." Will gave Jay an understanding look at his confession. Jay shook the memory of the time where he and Erin were apart out of his head. "Then Erin came back and we were together again. So I started saving again, this time adding more than before."

"Got it," Will said.

"Yeah, so I can pay for the ring and have a good amount left for a nice wedding. I know Erin isn't concerned about things like this."

"Jay, that girl would marry you in a courthouse in her pajamas if she had to," Will added.

"Yeah, I know," Jay agreed, a gentle smile coming over his face. "Me too. But just because Erin isn't the type to need these things to marry me, I still want to give them to her. She deserves the best and if I'm lucky enough to spend the rest of my life with her, you better bet I'm gonna do whatever it takes to give her everything she deserves."

Will listened intently, smiling proudly. "She's a lucky girl," Will said, squeezing Jay's shoulders. "You said she deserves the best? I think you're the best thing for her."

"I can only try," Jay replied. The two brothers shared a small sentimental moment before stopping themselves. Jay cleared his throat.

"So this is it?" Will asked, asking about the ring.

Jay looked at the ring one more time. "Yeah, this is it," he said confidently. "This is the perfect ring to propose to Erin with."

"Well then brother, let's get you engaged."


Erin was enjoying a moment of quiet in the break room when Kim barged in, an excited expression on her face when she spotted Erin.

"So?" Kim asked as she sat down at the table.

"So, what?" Erin asked, wondering what Kim was talking about.

"Did you propose to Jay yet? Are we getting an Intelligence wedding?"

Erin shushed Kim, her eyes glancing out of the room to make sure no one overheard. "Shh, Kim."

"Sorry," Kim mouthed. "So?" Kim tried again, this time lowering her voice. "Did you propose yet?"

"No."

Kim frowned. "Why not? You asked me for help to propose to Jay and that was a month ago. What's the hold up?"

Erin pursed her lips, shrugging. "I...it's not like I've ever proposed to someone before. I'm not even sure how to go about it. I mean, I'm not one for what's conventional for women and what isn't but what do I even do in this situation? Do I get down on one knee? Do I get Jay a ring?"

"Jay does not need a ring to say 'yes' to you," Kim scoffed. "He's crazy about you."

Erin nodded. She knew the depth of Jay's feelings for her. That wasn't the problem. She was just in a new and uncharted territory for her. Before Jay, she wasn't even sure that she was the type to want marriage and now, she was planning on proposing? This was out of her realm.

"You guys have talked about marriage before right?"

"Yeah," Erin replied, thinking about all the conversations they've had about their plans for the future. More specifically to the conversation they had back at Jay's cabin back in January, where Erin had opened up and let Jay in on fully. Where she had told him that she wanted to marry him and spend the rest of their lives together. "We've talked about getting married before."

"And are you guys on the same page?"

"We are."

"Then Erin, you just have to take the next step," Kim advised her. "I know you guys. I've been there from the start when you two were just partners. I've seen Jay with you and without you. Trust me when I say this, Erin. He's the happiest when you're here. You make him happy. He'll say 'yes'. He'd be crazy not to."

Erin knew Kim was right. She just had to be brave and just take the next step. Only then, would she get everything she wanted in life.

"You're right," Erin admitted. "You're absolutely right."

"I usually am," Kim teased, smiling as Erin rolled her eyes and pulled her best friend into a hug.

"Hey, we need to go!" Antonio interrupted, popping his head in through the door. Erin and Kim shared a quick confused look before quickly jumping into action and following Antonio.


"Sergeant Voight, I'm Commissioner James," the state trooper shook Voight's hand as the group gathered together for a briefing. They had been called to a location on the outskirts of Chicago, all of them wondering just why Intelligence's presence was needed. "Thank you for coming."

Voight shook the offered hand and gruffly asked the reason for their attendance. Although by the amount of state police vehicles as well as other law enforcement officers gathered together, they could take a guess that something big was going down.

"George Davidson, 36," Comm'r. James began, holding up a mugshot of a white man with scruffy beard. "He was released on parole from SCC last month for good behavior. Suppose to check in with this P.O every other day but missed his check-in earlier today. The P.O went to check up on him and found his room at the halfway house empty, all of his belongings packed up and gone."

"He broke parole? Seems a little bit excessive for a parole violation, isn't it?" Voight asked, glancing at his team.

"It would be if he didn't just kidnap his ex-girlfriend and their daughter," Comm'r James replied coolly, finally getting down to the details. "His ex-girlfriend's house was broken into and a 911 call was made."

"Who made the call?" Jay asked, writing down the details in his little notebook.

"Her current boyfriend, Jared Waller. He came home from work to find their house broken into, his girlfriend Rebecca, 30 and her daughter Lila 4, missing. We've instantly issued an Amber alert for the missing child. The neighbor reported seeing a green GMC Savana van around the time of the kidnapping. They were able to give a partial plate and it was reported stolen from a shopping center parking lot. We were able to track the van to here but by the time we got here, Davidson was able to get away with the two victims in tow."

Voight nodded, pursing his lips. "How can we help?"

"We have some intel on Davidson's history. He grew up in Chicago before relocating to Rockford but some of his family are still here. We have eyes on them, just in case he tries to reach out for help. You guys know the city better than anyone, we're hoping to use your expertise in locating him and rescuing the victims unharmed."

"Any lead on where he might be right now?" Antonio asked, all of them ready to jump into action, especially since a little girl's life was in danger.

"We've got a couple, all being checked out right now. What I'm actually hoping for is that you guys can reach out to your contacts and see if you can dig up anything in the meantime."

"Got it," Jay replied, getting the hint that the commissioner was looking for them to use their C.I's to help.

Comm'r James gave them a nod of appreciation and they all set out to track down George Davidson.


Erin hurriedly followed her team into the small trailer, the temporary command center for the manhunt. Kevin had said something about getting a hit from one of his CI's before hurrying off to share the intel with the people in charge.

The already small trailer was made even smaller by the amount of people in it. The commissioner was there, along with Voight. There were a couple more troopers inside and now, all of the Intelligence members.

"Serge, we might have a lead," Kevin announced as they made their way in, all gathering in the middle over a table with the map of Illinois opened. "One of my C.I knew Davidson. He said Davidson had burned bridges with his family and friends in Chicago so there's no way he's staying here. However, he does have family in Kenosha, Wisconsin. A cousin of his, same type of guy. Similar history of incarceration, real loyal. He might be heading there."

"Great," Voight bit out. "Do we have a name for this cousin?"

"Not yet," Kevin replied. "But my C.I is working on it and as soon as he gets it, we'll get it."

"Okay then let's focus on the route he might take to get to Kenosha," Comm'r James commanded.

"The easiest path will be through Zion on highway 137. Less traffic than the interstate. It'll take longer to get to Kenosha but it might be a worthy trade-off to have less eyes on him," Jay ventured an educated guess.

Erin took a closer look at the map, trying to find a potential route that Davidson might take. "The 137 runs right by the Illinois Beach State park. Plus, he ditched the stolen car and we have no idea what kind of car he's in right now. It's like taking a stab in the dark."

"I think we might've just caught a break," one of the troopers called out as he hung up his phone. "One of the troopers just called in a stolen vehicle. The car belongs to Davidson's aunt."

"That's him then. That's Davidson."

"What's the car make and model?" Voight asked.

"'09 Honda Accord, silver," the trooper answered, giving them the plate number. One of the other officers entered the plate number into the computer, trying to track it down.

"We caught the vehicle on camera. Last seen passing by a Chase bank," the officer informed the group.

"Pull up the image," James commanded, all of them heading toward the camera.

Adam pointed at the picture. "I know where that bank is. The on-ramp for the 137 is right by there."

James and Voight looked over at each other before turning to the group. "Alright, that's our lead. That's what we've been waiting for. Let's go grab this bastard."


Fifteen minutes later, Erin and Kim were speeding down the empty highway 137, just one of the many vehicles in the hunt for Davidson. The last thing they wanted was for George Davidson to actually cross the Illinois border and turn the manhunt into a multi-state manhunt so time was of the essence. He had already gotten a headstart and none of them knew the state of how the victims were. All they knew was they needed to get to them. Fast.

"What would possess a guy to kidnap his ex and their daughter and drag them to another state?" Kim wondered, shaking her head.

Erin just shrugged. "People get desperate. Who knows what these people are thinking or how they're able to put their own child in danger?"

"She's only 4. She must be so scared," Kim voiced, sympathy and worry for the child filling her voice.

"Yeah," Erin nodded. "But her mom is with her and can protect her."

"Right and we know that there's no one stronger or scarier than a mama bear when her cub is in danger," Kim replied.

Erin just smiled tightly, her experience of what a mother was like being vastly different from Kim's. Bunny wasn't certainly a model mother and Erin still remembered all the different times she could've ended up in danger by one of the strange men Bunny brought around and Bunny being too high or hungover to do anything to help her. Erin just hoped that Lila was safe and that Rebecca would be enough to protect her daughter, at least until they can get to them.

They raced down the highway, grateful that the road was empty even at this time of the day, allowing them to catch up to Davidson quicker. Erin could hear the helicopters overhead and the bright lights of the sirens behind her, all of them going as fast as they could to catch Davidson and save Rebecca and Lila.

"The Illinois Beach State Park is coming up," Kim let Erin know as they started coming up to a large forest.

"There's nothing but campgrounds here," Erin said, remembering a trip that she and Jay had taken years ago. One of the rare times that Jay was able to drag her out to nature and had her sleeping on the ground. Jay's cabin in the Wisconsin woods was the extent of 'roughing it' that Erin preferred but she had let Jay convince her to try camping— 'actual camping, not that glamping crap', Jay had said— for a weekend. She had blamed it on being in love as she had to trek through the dark campground whenever she wanted to use the restroom. Thankfully, Jay had mercy on her and never brought up taking her camping again.

"There shouldn't be a lot of people, right?"

"Not in this weather," Erin replied. "Unless they're crazy." No one wanted to sleeping outside in the frigid weather but as Erin saw a couple of R.V parked, she wouldn't put it past some people.

"Where's Jay and Antonio going?"

Erin frowned at what Kim said and looked behind her in the rearview mirror. Jay and Antonio's car had been following behind her all the way but they had suddenly swerved into a path leading into a forest.

"Serge, we think we see Davidson's car. We're pursuing it," Jay's voice came over the radio.

"Shit," Erin cussed as she and Kim followed Jay and Antonio's action and swerved into a gravel path, leaving the paved road of the highway behind.

"Halstead, location!" they heard Voight barked into the radio but there was nothing but static coming from Jay and Antonio's end.

"Sergeant, we're following them," Kim spoke into the radio. "We see them a few feet ahead."

Erin held the wheel, trying to keep steady as the car drove down the unpaved gravel path. There was nothing but trees surrounding them, the path barely leaving room for one car.

"Do you see Davidson?" Erin asked, trying to see if she could spot Davidson and the Honda Accord he stole.

Kim had her head out the windows. "No," she said as she came back in, shaking her head. "God, it's cold!"

They remained on the path, Erin keeping her full attention to the road while Kim constantly spoke with Voight on the radio, trying to keep everyone in the loop. They were still unable to reach Jay and Antonio on the radio so Erin had to hope that Jay could see her car right behind him, letting him and Antonio know that they had backup in her and Kim.

Finally, they came to a clearing and they could see a campground to the side. It was pretty empty at this time of the year, only a couple of RVs parked far apart. Kim still had the windows down and they felt a stiff breeze, indicating that the beach was close by. Jay and Antonio pulled into the campground and Erin sped up to catch up with them. The road was finally big enough for more than one car at a time and as Erin sped up, she finally saw the back of the silver Accord a few feet ahead of them.

"Where is he going?" Kim pondered, both of them lost as to what Davidson's plan was. "There's nothing but the campground here. Unless he plans to drive straight into Lake Michigan."

Kim's question came too soon because the Accord slowed down but didn't stop fully. Instead, the car slowed down enough for the passenger door to open and a person came flying out.

"Shit!" Both Erin and Kim shouted as they saw a woman tumbled onto the ground, her body rolling over a couple of times from the force. Antonio came running out of Jay's car and immediately went over to Rebecca to check on her.

"I got her. You go after Jay!" Kim shouted as Erin stopped the car right next to where Antonio and Rebecca were. Kim jumped out of the car to assist Antonio. Erin heard Kim immediately called for help on her radio. Knowing that help was coming for Rebecca, Erin focused her attention on going after Davidson who still had Lila in the car and to provide backup for Jay who was chasing after them alone.

Davidson was driving even more recklessly than before, barely dodging the various picnic tables, trees and the firepits set up in the campground. Jay was doing a good job of staying right behind Davidson but keeping a healthy distance to not force Davidson to drive even faster and harm Lila. But they knew that there was no way they could let Davidson get away, not with the little girl still in the car with him. Erin kept up with them as best she could, her heart pounding through her chest. Everything was happening so fast and she and Jay were completely alone with Davidson. She didn't know if the goosebumps forming on her skin was from the chill of the weather or the adrenaline pumping through her veins. She only hoped that everything would end without anyone getting injured, especially Lila.

She saw Davidson sped up, trying to head away from the campground and toward another clearing and the sandy beach. Erin heard faint sounds of sirens, signifying backup coming for them. Jay was still tailing the car, popping his head out of the window to order Davidson to stop the car. But of course, Davidson didn't heed Jay's orders, still driving recklessly. Reckless enough to get himself and his daughter hurt.

It was just as Erin feared as Davidson lost control of the car as it transitioned from the smooth grass covered ground and nicely paved roads of the campground to rugged and rough pebble covered ground. The car swerved, Davidson trying to regain control of the wheel but the high speed and the uneven ground proved to be too much as Davidson lost all control and it collided into a R.V parked next to a tree in front of them.

"Fuck!" Erin quickly raced over to the collision and got out. Jay was already there first and he ran over to the car, his hand holding his gun.

"C.P.D!" Jay shouted, shouting at Davidson to stand down. The Accord was completely smashed, the car nudged in between the RV and the tree. The driver's side seemed to have taken the brunt of the hit. Erin's heart leapt out of her throat when she came in front of the accident scene, praying that Lila was on the passenger side of the car instead of the driver's side.

"Jay!" Erin shouted, her gun out.

"Erin, check on the child!" Jay yelled before he ran to check the RV to see if anyone was inside. Erin immediately jumped into action as she peeked into the tinted window, trying to find Lila. She found the girl in the back seat, thankfully on the passenger side. The girl was crying, Erin hearing her scared cries outside the window.

"Jay, she's okay!" Erin shouted as Jay ran over to her side. They tried to open the car door but it was sealed tight, most likely from the impact. "We need to get her out!"

"RV's empty too. No one's inside. We need to break the window." Jay ran over to his car, trying to find something to break the glass down. Erin remained by the girl's side as Lila kept on crying, Erin doing her best to offer comfort from outside of the window. Jay came back seconds later, carrying a steering wheel lock. He pulled out the metal rod from the lock and jumped onto the trunk of the car.

"Tell her to keep her head down, Erin," Jay directed. Erin nodded, trying to get Lila's attention. Davidson seemed to be passed out in the front seat, his head lulling to the side. But their priority was getting Lila out first.

"Hi, sweetie!" Erin yelled through the window, Lila looking at Erin with tearful eyes. "Can you keep your ears covered and your head down?" Erin asked, demonstrating for Lila what to do. Lila was still crying so Erin repeated her words. "Like this, sweetheart!" Erin shouted, trying to find a balance between keeping her voice calm and making her voice loud enough for Lila to hear. "Like this!" she tried again, putting her hands over her head and bending down.

Lila finally followed, her small hands covering her head and she bent her head down, resting her head against the back of the front passenger seat.

"Got it. Go, Jay!" Erin said, giving Jay the all-clear. Jay swung the metal rod a couple of times, shattering the back window on the driver's side of the car. They heard Lila's high pitched screams as the windows shattered. Jay kicked in the remaining glass before jumping inside the car, quickly unlatching Lila from the seat.

Erin jumped onto the hood of the trunk, her arms waiting to pull Lila out. Jay handed her the little girl, Erin quickly clutching her to her chest as she jumped off of the trunk and onto safe ground.

"You're okay, Lila. You're okay!" Erin kept on repeating as Lila cried. "You'll be alright!"

Jay emerged a few seconds later, quickly running over to where she stood with Lila to check on them.

"You alright? She okay?" Jay asked worriedly. Erin was finally able to pull Lila away from her chest long enough to check her injuries. Aside from the tear tracks on her cute little face, Lila was unharmed.

"She's fine," Erin exhaled, relieved that the little girl was okay. She and Jay shared a relieved look with one another. A look that lasted for barely a few seconds because they had another task at hand. Getting Davidson out.

"He's completely unconscious," Jay said. "We need to get him out."

Jay ran back over to the car and tried to open the front passenger's door, just in case. But just as they predicted, it wouldn't open.

"Can you pull him out from the back?" Erin asked, still holding Lila closely to her chest. The little girl had calmed down a bit, more sniffling than full on crying. But she was clutching Erin tightly with her tiny fists, not wanting to let go of Erin.

"I don't know," Jay replied. "He looks like he got a head injury."

"Backup will be here soon," Erin reasoned. "Maybe moving him isn't a good idea."

But the choice to wait for backup was quickly taken out of her hand when a familiar scent permeated the air. Erin sniffed the air a few times, her eyes meeting Jay's as recognition dawned over them both. Jay knelt down to check underneath the car.

"Don't tell me…"

Jay nodded, confirming their suspicions that the collision had caused the gas to begin leaking out of the car. Erin exchanged worried looks with Jay while making comforting shushing sounds to keep Lila calm.

"We need to get him out before the car catches on fire," Jay said. Erin nodded, agreeing with Jay. They both knew that no matter what Davidson did or what kind of a person he was, they couldn't let him go up in flames. They needed to save him.

Quickly formulating a plan, they knew they needed to move as quickly as possible. Even though the chances of the car catching on fire was relatively slim, they'd rather not take the chance at all.

"Okay, sweetie. Stay here. We'll be right over there for a quick second. Okay?" Erin placed Lila on the ground, a few feet away from the car. "Stay here. Don't move, okay?"

Lila just nodded, looking like she knew what Erin was asking of her.

"Good girl. You're so brave," Erin smiled, dropping a quick kiss on Lila's head. Erin took off her coat and draped it over the girl, protecting her from the harsh winds. "Stay here!"

Hoping that Lila would stay put, Erin ran back over to Jay's side. Jay had already broken the passenger side's window.

"Okay, let's do this," Jay said as he hopped onto the hood of the trunk again and shuffling his body inside the car. He made his way over to the front passenger side and began kicking the door from the inside while Erin pulled as hard as she could on the outside. The door gave way a little, making loud creaking noise.

"Almost!" Erin grunted as she pulled. Jay gave one hard kick to the door and the door finally busted open. It was hard to keep the door open, Erin using all her strength to keep it open just long enough for Jay to carefully unlatch Davidson from the seatbelt.

"Coming out!" Jay warned as he lifted Davidson and began pulling him out. Jay had his arms underneath Davidson's armpits and was pulling him out, trying not to move him too harshly.

Erin heard the faint sirens getting louder and the backup finally getting closer to where they were. Jay came out of the car backward, still pulling Davidson and the two tumbled onto the ground, Jay taking the brunt of the fall.

Erin kept the door open while Jay dragged Davidson further away from the car, getting as much distance between them and the collision as they could. Erin let her hold on the car go and helped Jay lift Davidson to a safe distance.

Both she and Jay were out of breath by the time backup and help arrived. Even though the wind was still blowing hard around them, they were still covered in sweat from the physical exertion. But at least, both Lila and Davidson were safe.

Erin and Jay backed away as they let first responders more equipped handle the car and take care of Davidson. They were far more focused on Lila anyway. Erin was about to pull Lila into her arms when Jay beat her to it. Erin's eyes widened in surprise as Jay picked up Lila and held her in his arms. The girl seemed unsure for a second but the gentle and loving look on Jay's face quickly reassured her that Jay was safe and she held onto his shirt in her hand.

Erin could've melted at the sight of Jay holding Lila, protecting her, as he whispered soft comforting sound to the girl. This was the Jay she completely adored. Loving. Gentle. Caring. Erin stepped closer to them, placing her hand on Lila's back and she looked up into Jay's eyes, trying to communicate just how much she was in love with him without words. The way Jay's eyes softened and the way his face slowly broke out into a tender smile told her that Jay got her message all the same.

If those cues weren't enough, the way Jay reached down to grab Erin's hand and squeeze it was just further confirmation of it.


It was a long process to wrap everything up. Rebecca had been taken to the hospital already and Davidson had also been transported to the nearby hospital, with police presence of course. The medics had a hard time separating Lila away from Jay and Erin because the girl started crying every time they tried. Jay was having a hard time himself letting go of the girl. In the end, they found a compromise. Jay held Lila in his arms as the medic checked the girl over.

Lila was given the all-clear to their relief and the traumatized girl remained in Jay's embrace, finding him to be the safe place she desperately needed at the time. No one had to heart to separate her from Jay and Erin.

"She'll be okay," Jay reassured Erin as they sat on the back of the parked ambulance. Lila was lying on Jay's lap while Erin sat next to them, her hand softly stroking Lila's hair, trying to coax the girl to sleep. Jay could tell by the look on Erin's face that she was still worried and he wanted to reassure her.

Erin smiled and nodded. "Yeah, she'll be okay. Thanks to you."

"You too," Jay immediately returned. After all, it wasn't just him that saved Lila. They both did it together. "You saved her too." Erin's lips lifted into another smile, a little less worried and more genuine this time. "We both did," Jay continued, a smile coming over his face too as he looked into Erin's eyes. "We make a pretty kick ass team."

Erin chuckled, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, I guess we do. We've always have," Erin voiced, placing her hand on Jay's face softly, an even more soft look on her face as she studied his face.

"What?" Jay asked, wondering why she was looking at him like she saw something in him that only she could see.

Erin shook her head, the smile remaining on her lips. "Nothing. I'm...I just realized something."

Before Jay could ask Erin to clarify her vague answer, Voight shouted Erin's name, needing her to give her statement. Erin just squeezed Jay's arm and gave him an indecipherable look before she left his side.


The sun was about to set. It was hours later before they finally finished wrapping up everything. Rebecca's boyfriend had made his way up to where they were, along with Rebecca's mother. Lila had been released into her grandmother's custody but not before Jay and Erin had said their goodbye to the girl who had a hard time leaving Jay's side. But her grandmother was the familiar face Lila needed to see to detach herself away from Jay and Jay just watched, waving goodbye, as her grandmother carried Lila away.

"Hey, Kim. Where' Erin?" Jay asked a few minutes later. Erin had all but disappeared from the scene after saying her goodbye to Lila. The campground was all but clear by now, only a few Intelligence members and a few troopers remaining.

Kim gestured with her head to the beach, telling Jay where Erin was. "I'm gonna ride back with Adam and I told Antonio to go ahead with your car," KIm told him.

Jay nodded, understanding what Kim was trying to tell him. "Thanks."

Kim squeezed his arm and left to where Adam was waiting for her a few feet away. Jay waved them both goodbye before heading to the beach to find Erin.

He found Erin by herself in the distance. She was standing where the water met the sand, Lake Michigan crashing onto her feet. Jay took off his boots and made his way over to her, sand feeling strange underneath his bare feet.

"Babe," Jay called, trying to get her attention. Erin turned when she heard his voice and Jay felt his breath being knocked out of him. With her hair blowing wildly in the wind, the sun setting behind her— enveloping her in a warm glow like a halo— and the sound of the waves crashing, she looked like she belonged in a movie. A star— his star— that was completely picturesque and perfect. The smile that came across her face at her seeing him only added to the picture perfect view.

Jay joined her, dipping his feet into the water. It was freezing, as expected, but he stayed rooted in his spot as the sand melt underneath his feet from the impact of the wave.

"What are you doing here?" Jay asked her, tucking her hair behind her hair but to no avail. The wind was too strong to keep her hair in place.

Erin shrugged. "Just thinking."

Jay raised his eyebrow, waiting for Erin to elaborate. "You okay?"

Erin nodded. "Never better." She pursed her lips. "Aren't you going to ask me what I'm thinking about?"

Jay was a bit surprised by her question. Jay knew her enough not to pry or push her too much. Erin was the type of person that would share her thoughts and her feelings on her own terms and would shut down quickly if she was pushed. But the tone of her voice sounded like she was teasing, prodding Jay on.

"So what are you thinking about?" Jay asked, indulging her.

"I'm thinking that life is so unpredictable. One day, I'm having coffee in the break room thinking it'll just be another regular day and the next thing I know I'm standing on the beach with you."

"After successfully completing a manhunt," Jay interjected, only adding to Erin's point of how unpredictable their lives were.

Erin laughed, covering her mouth with her finger. "Yeah."

"What's going on, Erin? Talk to me." Jay stepped closer to Erin, placing his hands on her shoulders. Jay wondered why Erin had snuck away by herself to the beach and what thoughts were running through her mind.

"We live such crazy and unpredictable lives, Jay," Erin began, holding onto Jay's forearms. "We never know what's going to happen tomorrow or if we'll even get a tomorrow. It's…."

"Scary?"

Erin nodded. "Terrifying. But it's also affirming. It makes you realize that you can't spend your life scared or worried about tomorrow. You have to grab happiness where you see it and go for what you want."

"You're in a surprisingly introspective mood," Jay teased. "What brought this on?"

"What we went through today," Erin replied. "It just made me realize something. That I have to go for what I want. Grab my own happiness."

"And what is that?"

"You," Erin answered, giving him a beaming smile. "You make me happy. You've always have. And today just reaffirmed everything I already knew. You're the one I want by my side. I don't care if we're chasing some criminal down the highway or knocking doors down. With you next to me, I feel like I can do anything. Nothing is too scary because I have you as my backup. And I want you by my side, forever."

Jay bit his lips, his heart racing. He wrapped his arms around Erin's waist, pulling her close to him. "You have me, always," he promised.

Erin wrapped her arm around his neck and linked her fingers together. "I want you by my side, always, as my backup, my partner, my best friend and…..my husband." Jay's eyes widened in shock as he processed Erin's words, now his already fast beating heart threatening to jump out of his chest.

"Erin, what…" he found himself at a loss for words.

"I'm saying. Jay Halstead, marry me?"

Jay could only let out a chuckle of disbelief at the fact that Erin— Erin freaking Lindsay— just asked him to marry him. "I can't believe…." Jay stuttered, pulling her body flushed to his.

"Marry me," Erin repeated. "We already know we want to spend the rest of our lives together but I want us to spend the rest of our lives together as husband and wife. So what do you say?" Jay was still overcome with shock, Erin waiting for his answer. "Jay?" she sounded nervous, like he could ever say 'no' to marrying her.

"I can't believe this," Jay laughed, shaking his head. Leave it to them to be like this. For him to spend weeks trying to find the perfect way to propose to her and Erin ending up proposing to him.

Erin bit her lips, looking at him nervously. "I mean, you...we've talked about marriage right? That it's something we both want?"

Jay took a deep breath, trying to gather himself. He definitely didn't want Erin to begin doubting that he wanted to marry her. "Yes!" he quickly confirmed. "I mean, yes. We….I want this."

"Then…" Erin trailed off, wanting to know why Jay hadn't given her his answer yet.

"I just…." Jay pulled his hand away from Erin long enough to pull the ring that he had bought earlier that day out of his jeans pocket. "Would you call this a coincidence or destiny?" Jay asked as he held up the ring box.

Now it was Erin's turn to be shocked and her eyes widened at seeing that Jay already had a ring.

"You have a ring," Erin stated, in disbelief.

Jay nodded, opening the box so Erin could see the perfect ring he picked out for her. Her reaction to seeing the ring was just as he imagined and hoped for, her eyes starting to glisten with happy tears.

"It's beautiful," Erin whispered, her voice in awe. "Jay."

Jay smiled and took another deep inhale. Then he took a step back, Erin's arm falling away from his body.

With his happiness and excitement barely contained, Jay got down on one knee and held the ring in front of him. "Erin, I've loved you for years. Whether it was as friends or partners or my soulmate, you've always been the most important person to me. Whenever I close my eyes and try to imagine myself in 10 years, 20 years, 50 years, it was always with you next to me. We've been through so much together and we've taken on everything life has thrown at us together. It made us stronger and it only made me realize even more just how much I am in love with you." Erin was sniffling, trying to keep her tears at bay. Jay, on the other hand, was having a harder time keeping his emotions under wrap. He felt tears gathered in his eyes, threatening to fall as he looked up at the woman that he wanted to spend forever with, asking for her hand in marriage.

"Jay," Erin whispered, her voice trembling.

"I love you so much, Erin. Every day I wake up and I love you more than the day before. Every night I go to sleep as the happiest man on earth because you're next to me. I want to spend every day with you, kicking ass and knocking everything that stand in our way, because I know that together, we can take on anything. You're my partner, my best friend, my forever backup, and hopefully, my wife. So Erin Lindsay, will you marry me?"

Erin was nodding profusely, the tears freely streaming down her face. "Yes," she repeated over and over again, giving Jay the answer he had prayed and hoped for. "I'll marry you, Jay."

Jay slid the ring onto Erin's finger, trying to control his shaking hands. The ring was the perfect fit, the diamond sparkling and shining as the light hit it. But no matter how beautiful the ring looked on Erin's finger, it was nothing compared to how breathtakingly gorgeous Erin looked as she smiled down on Jay, her smile making everything else pale in comparison.

She pulled him up and connected their lips, murmuring 'yes' over and over again against his lips. He felt her tears on his face and Jay was pretty sure his own tears were mixed among her. After giving Erin a breathtaking kiss, he pulled away, wiping away the tears on her face and resting his head against her.

"It's okay," Erin whispered. "Tears of happiness."

"Mine too," Jay returned, his voice just as soft as hers.

Both of them were unable to stop smiling as they stared into each other's eyes, the orange hues of the sunset bouncing off the water behind them. But they remained in their own world, unable to take their eyes off of each other as the rest of the world faded around them.

"I love you," Jay mouthed, his arms finding home around Erin's waist again and tugging her closer to him.

"I love you too," Erin whispered back before Jay covered her lips with his own, the two of them breathing each other in.

"I can't believe you propose first," Jay said after they managed to stop kissing for a second to get a full breath in. "Erin Lindsay, proposing," he teased. Erin blushed and Jay found it completely adorable. "Wait until people find out that Erin Lindsay is a romantic."

"Don't you dare!" Erin warned, smacking Jay's butt, trying to look intimidating as possible but failing due to the wide grin on her face. One that resembled the grin on Jay's face.

"Okay, it'll be our secret," Jay replied. "Only us and our children will know."

Erin rolled her eyes. "Jay."

"Yeah?"

"Just shut up and kiss me."

So he did, both of them completely lost in each other as the sun disappeared behind the horizon.


AN: Can you guys believe that it's been one year since I've first uploaded this story? I can't believe how fast time flies. Initially, I was unsure about posting my story and was nervous but I wanted to contribute to the Linstead fandom and do my part in keeping the love going. And now look at me a year later, with 12 Linstead stories, some of them complete and some still on-going.

Really, I wouldn't have been able to continue without your support. Your reviews, feedback and responses always motivate me to keep writing and just knowing that there are people that still love LInstead as much as I did out there makes me very happy. So thank you, really.

I hope I did this chapter justice.