I've just been having fun with this and the next few chapters so I hope you like all the sweetness

Jay tossed his keys into the dish and headed up the steps. Their house was quiet, and Erin's car was still in the garage, indicating that both she and Piper were still at home. He was hoping that Erin had been able to nap especially after she'd been so sick that morning.

He smiled when he carefully pushed open their bedroom door. Piper was seated against the headboard in the middle of the bed and Erin was practically in her lap, her head resting on a pillow while the little girl stroked her hair. "Hey kiddo," he whispered, "She asleep?"

Piper nodded and gave a small smile. "I made Erin some toast and made sure she's been drinking lots of water," she said softly, "She hasn't gotten sick since you left. Just super sleepy."

Jay nodded. "Thank you for taking such good care of her." He lightly stroked Erin's cheek, "Have you had lunch yet?"

Piper shook her head. "I didn't want to leave her," she said, "In case she needed me." She looked at the clock on Jay's beside. "She's been sleeping for two hours now. I think she could probably have some crackers and more water."

Jay smiled proudly. His little girl was absolutely perfect. "Good idea," he mused, continuing to stroke Erin's cheek, "Hi babe."

Erin let out a soft moan. "Hi," she mumbled, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, "I'm okay."

"I know you are," Jay said gently, "Pipes has been taking really good care of you. Are you up for something to eat? Maybe a sandwich?"

She nodded and exhaled. "You're the best kid ever, you know that, Noodle?" Erin lifted her head slightly to meet Jay's gaze. "She's been watching me all morning."

Piper ran her fingers over her big sister's head. "You're the best mom ever," Piper said shyly, "Even when your baby is making you feel sick, you're still the best."

Erin sniffed, blinking back tears. "She is," Jay confirmed, "I'm going to bring you guys up some lunch okay? I think we can make an exception to the no food upstairs rule."

"Is your tummy upset again?" Piper asked after Jay returned downstairs to prepare his girls some lunch, "Do you want to go back to the bathroom?"

She shook her head. "I just can't believe how I got so lucky," she managed, "To have a kid like you." Erin swallowed, "When I was a kid, nobody took care of me when I was feeling sick but you and Jay just-"

"I know how you feel," Piper murmured, "Before I met you and Jay, I never realized how much I missed. Like having parents who loved me." She stroked Erin's hair carefully, "You missed a lot of that too."

Erin nodded. "I'm so glad I have you. That you're mine."

"Babe, are you sure I can't get you anything?" Jay asked before he returned to the district. He'd told Hailey that he needed to check on a sick Erin, and Hank had overheard. His heart had nearly thumped out of his chest because he was effectively lying to his boss and his girl's father, but he wanted it to be Erin's decision to share the news.

After a quick bite to eat, Erin was back in Piper's lap on their bed. His sweet little bug could tell that on top of the morning sickness, Erin was suffering from a headache and that the computer he'd brought up for them to watch movies wasn't the best option. Instead, Piper was reading aloud from a book, lightly running her tiny fingers over Erin's head.

"I have my Noodle," Erin managed, letting out a breath, "I'm in good hands."

Jay smiled. "You are." He looked at Piper, who gave a reassuring smile. "You okay here too, kiddo?"

Piper nodded. "We have Erin's phone so I can call you if we need you," she said, "But I think Erin's going to fall asleep soon." She offered another smile after glancing down at her big sister, "The baby is making her really sleepy too."

"So I looked into the swimming lessons," Jay said as Erin snuggled against him on their couch. Her stomach had finally settled, and she managed some dry toast and crackers for dinner while Piper and Jay ate take out tacos on the back porch because just the thought of the smell of meat and cheese had turned her stomach. "There's a weekend clinic at the outdoor pool where we could take her. Drop in, pretty highly reviewed and rated. Website said kids of all ages and abilities."

"It is supposed to be a thousand degrees tomorrow," Erin mumbled, "Could be a fun activity for her rather than just sitting with me in bed while I puke my guts out."

Jay grimaced and stroked her hair back. "'s been a long few days for you," he mused, "I know Dr. Hsu said to expect some morning sickness but you've had it pretty much all day."

Erin grunted and turned her face into his chest. "If it means we have a healthy baby, then it's all worth it for me." She let out a breath. "We could talk to her tomorrow about the lessons."

"The website also says parents can stay to observe," Jay said, "So it's not like we'd just leave her there. She doesn't have to be an Olympic level athlete, we just need to make sure she could swim if she ever had to."

She nodded. "I learned the hard way," she said with a sigh, "Seventh grade, Bunny's boyfriend at the time had a place at some lake not too far from here. There was a long dock and one of the kids pushed me off." Erin smiled when she felt Jay's arms tighten around her. "I got myself to the shore but for a few split seconds I thought I was going to die."

Jay let out a breath. "We don't want that to happen to our little bug," he said, "She had a life jacket on up in Wisconsin but if anything happened I-"

"She was totally fine," Erin assured him, "Don't worry, okay? Just needed a few extra snuggles and she was okay again." She tilted her gaze to meet his. "She's actually been sleeping really well recently. I mean, I didn't want to say anything to jinx it but I've been waking up a bunch and every time I check the monitor she's fast asleep."

He leaned down and kissed her nose. "I'm sorry you're not sleeping," he said. It was a good thing that Piper was, but the it was the part of his partner's statement where she mentioned she wasn't sleeping that had his instincts on high alert, "Am I keeping you up?"

"No, no," she promised, patting his chest lightly, "You've been sleeping soundly too, babe. It's just me, I-" Erin paused. "Once we go to the nine week appointment, I think I'll feel better. Just after the ectopic pregnancy and the fact that I put so much crap into my body when I was younger I just…I'm just really worried, that's all."

"I know it's scary," he said softly, bringing a gentle hand to her stomach, "But you're strong, and I have no doubt that our kid's strong too." Jay swallowed. "And babe, if anything were to happen, it wouldn't change how much I love you."

Erin sniffed. "I don't like thinking about it, but-"

"I get it," he mused, "I do. No matter what, I'm here for you."

She let out a heavy breath and settled further against him. "Wild Friday night," she mumbled, "You're drinking a seltzer, we've got a sleeping kid upstairs and I'm fresh off a day full of vomiting." Erin rubbed her eyes, "When did we become such old people?"

Jay chuckled. "We're not old," he said, "We're just parents now."

A smile formed on her lips. "Yeah. We are." Erin lifted her gaze. "I think it's the best version of us yet."

"Ever since they found out Erin was havin' a baby, it's been all googly eyes, all the time," Piper informed Will over a mouthful of cereal, gesturing to how Jay had one arm wrapped around Erin's waist, his hand resting on her belly. Will was over for breakfast and had brought Piper a box of sugary cereal to try, much to Jay's chagrin.

It was also the first morning in days where Erin's head wasn't in the toilet. At six weeks pregnant, her morning sickness was occurring pretty much all day, and Jay could tell that his girl was spent. Seeing her upright and smiling in their kitchen was a welcome change.

"Ugh, get a room you guys," Will bemoaned, shaking his head, "There are kids in here."

"Yeah, two, apparently," Jay quipped, turning his head to give Erin an exaggerated kiss. Both Will and Piper groaned collectively.

Erin giggled when Jay kissed her neck. She took a handful of cereal from the box and munched. "These are amazing," she said, her eyes wide, "Why don't you buy these, Jay?"

"Because it's sugar in a box," he replied, lifting the cereal box to examine the nutritional content. "And my brother seems to think he can win over my girls with dessert for breakfast."

"Dessert for breakfast," Piper repeated, taking another bite, "You're right. The milk tastes like ice cream."

"Noodle, you're not making the argument any easier," Erin pouted when Jay gave her a knowing look, "I'm pregnant, babe. You're supposed to let me indulge in what I want. And what the baby wants." She pointed to her flat stomach. "The baby wants a bowl of sugary, unhealthy cereal."

Jay shot his brother a look. "You see what I'm up against, man?" he asked, pouring a bowl of cereal for his girl while she wore a proud smirk, "You can't come in here and feed my girls a whole bunch of unhealthy crap."

"Someone's gotta be fun around here," Will retorted, "I'm a doctor, and as a doctor, I think some sugary cereal in moderation is just fine."

"See? Doctor approved," Erin said, taking a large bite of cereal, "And baby and Erin approved."

"So what are you three getting up to today?" Will asked, "It's supposed to be a real scorcher."

Erin looked up at Jay and gave a small nod, indicating that he should introduce the idea of going to the pool for swimming lessons. "Well," he said, clearing his throat, "Because it's going to be so hot, we were thinking a trip to the pool could be fun." He offered a smile at Piper, "What do you think about taking swimming lessons, kiddo?"

Piper immediately froze. "Erin and I would be there the whole time," he continued, "And it's a really great way to beat the heat."

"That sounds awesome," Will said, giving Piper a wide smile, "Me and Jay took swimming lessons when we were kids. They teach you all kind of cool stuff. I used to be able to do flips under the water."

"We thought it would be fun, and a good opportunity for you to learn to swim," Erin piped up after swallowing a mouthful of cereal, "What do you think, Noodle?"

"You…you would be there?" Piper asked, "The whole time?"

"Yep, we'll be right there," Jay promised, "We'll be watching the whole time."

"Nobody ever tells you how stressful it is watching your kid learn to swim," Erin remarked, shifting in her seat on the bench. She and Jay were watching as Piper sat on the edge of the pool, her legs dangling into the water. The lessons Jay had researched online were perfect – it was just Piper and the instructor, who was a kind older woman. Their little bug was trembling with anxiety but had put on a brave face.

"I know Belinda isn't going to let her drown or anything but it's just…" Jay trailed off. "I can't believe we have to drop her off at middle school in a few weeks."

"I'm more stressed about that," Erin said, not taking her eyes off Piper as the instructor eased their child into the cold water, "She's going to be sharing the hallways with teenagers. Our little bug still has pajamas that have cartoon animals on them. She's still tiny enough for me to hold her. I-I don't want to think about her in middle school."

Jay nodded in agreement. "Okay, she's got her head in," he said, sitting up straighter in his seat, "God, she looks terrified."

Erin squeezed his hand. "Better now than when she doesn't have a teacher right beside her and us right here," she said, gritting her teeth slightly. She caught her sister's gaze and gave a big wave and smile. "You're doing great, Noodle," she called.

"Ugh," Erin leaned back against Jay when the instructor had Piper put her head under water again.

"Your stomach?" Jay asked, immediately bringing his hand to her cheek, "There's a bathroom right there but-"

"I'm okay," she promised, taking in a deep breath, "I just feel like my sense of smell is off the charts. I can literally smell the hot dog that kid all the way over there has and now I really want one."

"Baby likes processed meat, huh?" he mused, pressing a kiss to the side of her head, "We're sure they're mine?"

Erin gave Jay a swat to the chest, and he chuckled. "I'll go grab you a hot dog," he said, "You want ketchup and mustard?"

"And relish," Erin said, "Apparently your kid likes pickles too."

"Definitely my kid," Jay replied, "I'll be right back."

"She's absolutely passed out," Erin remarked as she glanced into the back of Jay's car. Piper was fast asleep in the backseat, the swimming lesson having fully exhausted her. The instructor had recommended that Piper continue to practice swimming, but the little girl had made remarkable strides in ninety minutes. Both Jay and Erin were feeling better knowing that should Piper ever have to swim, she could.

"I got her," Jay assured Erin, carefully lifting his little bug into his arms, "Hey, kiddo."

Piper wordlessly settled against him, her wet head on his shoulder. In an instant, she was asleep again. "She's so little," Erin whispered, grabbing the towel and tote bag they'd brought to the pool out of the back before following Jay into their house, "Such an adorable little bug."

"A little water bug," Jay mused, kissing the top of Piper's head. He frowned as he watched Erin continue to rub her stomach. "Hot dog isn't sitting, hm?"

Erin shook her head sheepishly. "Baby knows it tastes good but also that it isn't good for him. I um, I might just sit in the bathroom for a bit. It's cold in there and I'm so hot."

He nodded worriedly. "I'll bring you some water and come sit with you."

"You don't have to waste your Saturday off on the bathroom floor just for me," Erin replied, "Piper's asleep and I'll keep an eye on her. You should go out. See if one of the guys wants to grab a drink or something."

Jay wrinkled his brow. "Did I do something to piss you off?"

"No, no," Erin rushed out, patting his chest lightly, "Not at all, babe. It's just that you've been dealing with me vomiting non stop and I know you don't see the guys much outside of work these days and I just thought-"

"I'd rather spend time with my girls," Jay said with a shrug, "Even when you're sleeping or losing your lunch. I'd take you guys over anyone, any day."

Erin gave a small smile. "We love you," she whispered. She paused, the smile falling off her face. "Ugh."

Jay sat against the wall in their bathroom between both of his girls. Piper was resting against his chest, still spent from the pool, and Erin was laying in his lap, spent from another round of pregnancy-induced nausea. Both of his girls were asleep, thankfully, the cool bathroom tile a welcome respite from the sweltering Chicago summer.

He ran his fingers though Erin's hair absentmindedly, his whole body relaxed. He loved that Erin was thinking about him because it was true – he hadn't been out with the guys in a while. There had been a few rounds of drinks here and there, but by and large, Jay was at home. He much preferred the comfort of his couch and his two girls to the rowdy bar scene at Molly's. Even when he was there, all he was doing was counting down the minutes until he could come home.

Jay widened his eyes when Erin emerged from upstairs. His girl was dressed for work, but this time, her color was better and she looked stronger than she had in several days. The morning sickness had really taken a lot out of her, so seeing her upright and ready for work on time was a welcome surprise. He was honestly just counting down the days until Erin was ready to tell Hank about the pregnancy because he was constantly checking his phone throughout the day.

Piper was an absolute godsend. There was a small part of him that had been worried about her not getting enough attention or feeling left out, but his little girl took it upon herself to be there for whatever her big sister needed. She willingly just sat beside Erin on the couch, stroking her hair, rubbing her aching head, bringing her water, all of the above. Jay was incredibly grateful to have someone else to help dote on his girl, knowing that if it was just him, there would have been an increased likelihood of Erin getting sick of his overprotection.

"Eyes are up here, Halstead," Erin quipped, pointed to her eyes, "I can see you ogling at me from across the living room."

He swallowed as his girl approached him. "Your-"

"Pregnancy boobs," Erin chuckled, patting his chest lightly, "Part of the whole deal. They get bigger before I get bigger." She pointed to her flat stomach, "They haven't told my stomach yet, and I'm hoping to keep it that way for as long as I can."

Jay managed a chuckle. "Babe-"

"You are such a teenage boy sometimes." Erin rolled her eyes as Jay continued to stare at her, "I am a woman, Jay."

"An incredibly attractive woman," he choked out, "Who's carrying my baby." He placed a hand on her hip, "The most gorgeous woman in the entire world."

Erin blushed. "Careful there, Halstead. Might try to jump your bones in the middle of our kitchen."

Jay gave a wry smile. "Wouldn't be the first time," he mused, stroking her cheek gently, "I distinctly remember a time right after we moved in and Piper was asleep upstairs and you had a very excellent idea for using whipped cream-"

"Jay!" Erin squealed as he boosted her into his arms, "Piper is upstairs and awake. She could come down at any second."

"Mm," he nodded, pressing a kiss to her collarbone, "If parenthood has taught me anything, it's how to keep it down."

She giggled and ran her fingers through his hair. "We'll be late for work."

"I can make up an excuse," he insisted, kissing her neck, "And you're the boss."

"There is a bathroom down here," Erin muttered as his lips tingled her skin, "With a door that locks. You better be quick though."

Jay grunted slightly before maneuvering them into the downstairs bathroom his fiancé straddling his waist.

"I want some gingersnaps," Erin mumbled against his chest as they laid in bed late at night, "Like the crunchy ones. Not the squishy kind."

Jay winkled his brow. "Gingersnaps?"

"Mm. And maybe some olives," she said, running her hands down to his abs, "That's what I want."

"Really? Because it feels like you want something else," he teased as her fingers danced across his skin, "Are you trying to tell me something, babe?"

"I'm trying to wake you up," she replied, "To get me some gingersnaps and olives."

He chuckled. "Well, we might have some olives in the pantry, but I have to go to the store for some gingersnaps." He glanced at the clock on his bedside, "Maybe the 7/11 will have them."

"I could go for a hot dog if you go there," she said, lifting her head up slightly, "With relish and onions."

"A gas station hot dog?" Jay felt his stomach flip. That sounded disgusting. "Really? Even after the pool hot dog?"

"You keep looking at me like I'm crazy," Erin pouted, sticking her lower lip out, "I'm pregnant, Jay. Carrying your child. And your child wants olives, gingersnaps and a gas station hot dog."

"Okay, okay," he acquiesced, "I'll run to the store."

"But it's late," Erin frowned, "Nothing's open."

"But you said you wanted-"

"I don't want you to leave me," she said quickly, grabbing his arm when he attempted to climb out of the bed, "I like you."

"I like you too," he replied, stroking her cheek gently, "But I also want you to have what you're hungry for. Even if it's midnight." He leaned down to kiss her lips. "I can be right back."

Erin released his arm. "You'll be quick?"

"Very," he confirmed, grabbing a shirt and pair of shorts, "I'll be right back."

She sighed and leaned against the headboard when she heard her fiancé's car start. He was such a good dad. He was so good to her, and to Piper. She had no doubt that he would be a good father to the baby that was growing inside her.

"Erin?" Piper stood in the doorway to her bedroom, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "Where's Jay?"

She widened her eyes. Piper had been sleeping soundly last she checked the baby monitor, but the sound of Jay's car starting probably woke her up. "He just ran to the store to get some food," she said lightly, holding an arm out to the little girl, "You want to hang out with me til he gets back?"

Piper nodded. "It's the middle of the night," she said, snuggling in next to her big sister, "Nothing's open."

"The 7/11 is," Erin remarked, inhaling deeply when she pressed her nose into Piper's soft hair, "He's getting me a hot dog."

"Ew," Piper looked at her sister in surprise. "Jay's letting you have processed meat? From the gas station?"

Erin chuckled. "It's what the baby wants," she defended, pointing to her flat belly, "That, some olives and gingersnaps."

"We're going to need to work on the baby's taste buds," Piper remarked, "Because when the baby comes Jay is only going to want to feed them green food."

"I guess we should treat them while we can," she mused, lightly stroking the top of Piper's head, "Sorry if I woke you up, sweetheart."

"I heard Jay's car," she replied, closing her eyes, "I got worried something happened and you guys forgot about me."

Erin swallowed the lump in her throat. "Never," she said fiercely, "You're our first baby, Noodle. Our number one priority." She kissed her sister's forehead. "You and this baby are all that's important to us."

Jay resisted the urge to gag as he carried the box of gingersnap cookies, can of olives and gas station hotdog up the steps to his girl. The clerk had given him a knowing look when he explained that his fiancé was expecting at check out. It was then he realized how proud he was of actually getting to confirm that he was going to be a dad again. They hadn't told anyone besides Piper and Will, but sharing the information with strangers made it all the more real.

He pushed open his bedroom door and had to smile. Erin was asleep on her side, facing the middle of the bed, Piper cuddled into her chest, also sleeping soundly. Jay set groceries down on the floor and shed the windbreaker he'd donned for the late night trek before climbing back into bed beside his girls.

"Babe?" Jay knocked gently on their bedroom door. He and Piper had gotten home early from the district and had been surprised to see Erin's car parked in their garage. "You alright?"

Erin was curled up on her side of the bed, facing the edge. There was an empty wastebasket on the ground beside her, and his girl looked downright miserable. He'd been far too optimistic after she'd been feeling better for almost a day. "Oh, baby," he cooed, quickly closing the gap between him and his fiancé, "Nauseous again?"

"I-it's my stomach," she whimpered, "I think something's wrong. It hurts." She put her hands on her still-flat belly.

Jay widened his eyes in alarm. "What kind of pain?" he asked, stroking her cheek lightly. His girl was pale and terrified.

"Cramping," she whispered, "Dr. Hsu said it was expected but I'm worried."

"Okay," he nodded. The doctor had warned them about regular cramping as Erin's body adjusted. "Well, we could do a few things. We could go to the hospital. We could give Dr. Hsu a call. We could grab Will to see what he thinks, or we could wait to see how you're feeling in a bit." He titled his head to the side. "How long have you been feeling like this?"

"I left work early," she whispered shamefully, "Two hours ago, maybe. I-I didn't want you to worry."

"Babe," Jay shook his head, "I'm always worrying about you regardless." He placed his hand on her tender belly. "Are you feeling sick too?" He frowned when she nodded. "Did you get sick?"

"No," Erin replied, relaxing slightly under his touch, "Just feeling shitty is all." She paused. "M-maybe you can call Will?"

Jay nodded and tilted his head toward the door. "He's with Pipes," he reminded her gently, "They're in the backyard."

Erin sniffed. She'd forgotten that Will had invited himself over to play soccer with Piper in their backyard. "I forgot," she managed, "I forgot that he was coming over."

Jay was about to open his mouth to say that he was going to grab Will quickly when his girl burst into tears. "I forgot where Piper was," she cried, "I literally forgot." She brought a hand to her face, "What kind of parent forgets where their baby is?"

"She's here, babe. She's home, just in the backyard. She's safe." Jay stroked her cheek gently to wipe her tears, "Piper is totally fine."

"But I forgot," Erin insisted, "I-I just let it slip my mind that she was going to be with Will. Babe, what if I forget her at school? What if she's just waiting there for hours like I used to and then CPS will show up and take her and-"

"Woah, woah, woah." Jay shook his head. "We don't need to go there, okay? Piper's fine. I knew exactly where she was. She was with me the whole day, and then fifteen minutes ago we got home, and Will showed up. We thought you were sleeping, so I didn't send her up to check on you." He ran his fingers through her hair. "You're not a bad mom at all, Er."

"Stupid hormones," Erin managed, sniffing sadly. She let out a low whine when she felt a pang in her tummy. "Stupid cramps."

"I'm going to give Will a call. I'm not leaving you, babe." Jay continued to run his fingers through her hair as he lifted his phone to his ear, "Hey man, can you come upstairs for a sec? Erin's not feeling so great."

"Noodle's going to worry," she said, "I-I don't want to freak her out."

"I know," Jay mused, listening as the back door shut and he heard the familiar sound of his little girl's tiny feet, "But she just wants to take care of you and see you feeling better."

"Hi Erin," Piper whispered, poking her head into the bedroom, "Will said you didn't feel good."

"There's my Noodle." Erin reached a hand out to her little sister. "Hi, sweetheart."

"He's getting his medical kit from the car," she explained, carefully crawling onto Jay's side of the bed to sit beside her big sister. "Can I get you anything?"

Jay smiled proudly. "Actually Pipes, do you think you can grab Erin a glass of water from downstairs? Can you reach the filter?"

Piper nodded and gave her sister's hand a squeeze. "I'll be right back." She hurried from the room just as Will entered.

"Hey, Er," Will greeted, "Not feeling too hot?"

"I'm really nauseous," she rasped, "And I've got these cramps."

Will nodded and squatted down beside the bed. "I'm going to check your pulse, okay?" He took Erin's wrist in his hand while Jay continued to stroke his girl's hair, hoping to bring some relief. "Heart rate is a little high, but not uncommon if you're feeling sick and cramping. Can I take a look at your stomach?"

Erin nodded and lifted her work blouse. "It's possible that it's round ligament pain," Will said, gently stroking his future sister-in-law's belly, "Your body is adjusting to making space for the baby, and it can cause some spasm-like pains. It's a little early since you're only a few weeks along, but everybody's different." He tilted his head, "Have you had any bleeding?"

She shook her head. "I-I haven't. But I'm worried-"

"You don't need to worry unless the pain becomes unbearable, or you start seeing lots of blood. Even a little blood is normal," Will said, "I know it's hot out, but a warm bath might help, or a hot compress." He paused when he saw the little girl emerge in the bedroom doorway, "And lots of water. Good job, munchkin."

Piper set the glass down on Erin's beside table. "Is the baby okay?"

"The baby and Erin are going to be fine," Will promised, offering a reassuring smile.

"How does a bath sound, babe?" Jay asked, "Might help."

Erin let out a breath and nodded. "That sounds good."

Will gave another smile. "Jay, why don't you help your lady, and I can take this little lady out for some dinner, and bring something back for you guys?" He wiggled his eyebrows at Piper, "Some good Munchkin and Will time is well overdue, I think."

Piper looked skeptical, but she also knew that Erin just needed Jay, and it would help if her parents didn't have to worry about her. "That would be fun," she said, putting on the bravest face she could muster, "Are you gonna give me ice cream for dinner like lunch last time?"

"That was supposed to be a secret," Will teased, "I was thinking burgers, but I could probably be convinced to toss a milkshake in there. We just won't tell Jay."

Erin cracked a smile when her partner just shook his head. "Thanks Will," she said, "And thank you, Noodle."

"The internet said a gentle massage might help," Jay offered, running his hands over his girl's belly as she laid against him in their bathtub, "Is it okay if I try?"

Erin nodded, relaxing against her partner. The warm water was really helping. She was feeling considerably less nauseous, and the cramps were fading with Jay's careful fingers. "It's helping," she murmured, turning her head to kiss his shoulder, "Thank you."

"Of course," he said, gently caressing her flat stomach, "It's the least I can do."

"I love that Noodle likes Will," Erin mused, pushing the bath water around with her palms, "I honestly can't believe she agreed to go to dinner with him."

"I was surprised too," Jay said honestly, "But it shows that she feels safe with him, which is huge." He drew in a breath, "I've actually been thinking a lot about how far she's come. Tomorrow, it'll be a year since I first met her."

"Really?" Erin whispered, "A year?"

He nodded. "I think you were on assignment, so it was just the two of us for ten days before you came home."

Erin swallowed. Home. She was so glad she came home. "Wow," she breathed, "She's been home for a year."

Jay nodded. Piper was home. It had taken five weeks, but the moment she referred to his apartment as home, he almost cried right then and there. "I was thinking I could take the day off," he said, "Maybe take her to do something fun."

"That's such a cute idea," Erin nodded, "The books say that it's important to keep that connection with the older kids." She smiled when Jay kissed her temple, "I love that you two are so close. That she has a dad."

"Me too," he whispered, "I especially love that she brought you home."

Let me know if you have any requests! I'm getting to a few in the next couple