Things are going to get sweeter soon, promise! And I finally finally updated Light from the Darkness - it's on my profile if you're interested. Let me know what you think!
Piper's ears were ringing as she lifted her head. People were screaming and running, but she could barely hear anything. Her breath was heaving in her ears as she glanced around, the front of the grocery store swimming into view.
And then she saw Hank.
"Hank!" she choked out, crawling over to the older man who was lying motionless on the pavement, "Hank!"
"P-Peanut," he managed, "C-can-" He coughed, blood trickling out of his mouth.
Piper swallowed her tears and reached for the radio on his hip with shaking fingers. "I-I-I need help, my name is Piper. M-my dad is Jay Halstead, badge number 51163, we're at the Whole Foods on Roosevelt. I need an ambulance, S-sergeant Voight is hurt."
"Good girl," he rasped, "You're a good kid, Peanut."
"You can't die," Piper said urgently. She saw the blood darkening from beneath his leather jacket, "You're…you're bleeding!"
Hank glanced to his shoulder. He honestly hadn't registered the fact that his shoulder was gushing blood. Piper immediately pressed her hands down on the wound. "We gotta stop the blood," she insisted, "I-I need help!"
His eyes started drooping. "No, no, Hank," she begged, blood seeping between her fingers. "Stay awake, okay? You gotta listen to me." Piper looked around, hoping to see someone who could help. There were people around, and someone was telling her that they'd dialed 911. The man who had shot Hank was also on the pavement, eyes closed. A nice young woman was kneeling beside her, trying to help, but all Piper could hear was buzzing as she watched Hank's eyelids flutter and blood stain her small hands.
And then she heard sirens.
Piper used to be afraid of sirens.
Sirens meant something bad had happened. Sirens meant that she would have to leave, or that she was getting whisked away, or that someone was in trouble. Sirens never ended well for her.
But this time, Piper knew it meant that she was one step closer to Jay, and to Erin, and to getting help for Hank.
"I-I need my dad," Piper choked out, finally registering that there were other people who she didn't know trying to help. One woman was kneeling beside her, trying to convince her to leave Hank so that people could help, but Piper wasn't about to leave him. This was Erin's dad. "I need my dad."
"We're going to get him help, the police and ambulance are on their way," the lady said as calmly as she could.
"My dad is the police," she sputtered, "I-I need him to come help, he knows what to do." Piper looked at Hank, who's face had gone white, his features slack, "Hank!"
"Hey, hey, hey," a paramedic said gently, "We're here to help. Can you tell me your name?"
"P-Piper," she stuttered, "My dad is Jay Halstead, I-I need to call him but-" She looked down at her hands, red with blood, "There's so much blood."
Piper yelped when someone came behind her and lifted her up, allowing the paramedics to tend to Hank. "Stop, stop," she screamed, "I need to go with him, I can't leave, I can't leave!"
"You need the hospital too," a male paramedic insisted, "We need to get you checked out."
She wriggled in his grasp as he attempted to set the little girl onto a gurney. "No, no!" Piper hollered, "Let me go!" She scrambled backwards when another paramedic reached for her, "Don't make me sleep, don't, don't, don't!"
"We're not going to do that, but you need to calm down," he said, "We're going to the hospital. Is there anyone we should call?"
Piper reached into her pocket with trembling fingers and produced the tile from Erin and squeezed tightly. "I-I called my mom," she choked out, "My parents are on vacation far away, I-I need to go to the hospital to see Will."
"That's where we're going," the paramedic confirmed, "You're going to be okay." He frowned when Piper brought a shaky hand to her forehead. "Does your head hurt?"
"Jay," Erin said urgently, looking up from her cell as he drove along the highway on their way back from the trip, "Oh god."
"What is it? Are you in pain?" Jay asked immediately, "Is it the babies?"
Erin shook her head. "No, no, it's the Piper tile." She held out her cell phone, "She's at the Whole Foods. Hank said he was going to cook with her so I guess he took her to get groceries first. Oh god what if-"
Jay stepped on the gas. "Call Hank," he instructed, "We just passed Gary so we're like thirty minutes away if I step on it."
"He's not picking up," she managed, "Goes to voicemail." She swallowed, "I'm trying Noodle now. I don't even think she's used the phone yet."
"She knows what to do," Jay promised, "Try her."
"Piper?" Erin said urgently when the line picked up, "Noodle, it's Erin, what's wrong, baby?" She frowned when a voice she didn't recognize was heard through the line, apparently not realizing the phone had been answered. "Hello? Who is this?"
"The little girl must have dropped her phone," a voice said, addressing someone in the vicinity, "Hello?"
"Who is this?" Erin repeated, "Where is Piper?"
Erin felt her heart stop.
The person who had picked up the phone was an EMT. If she was being honest, she hadn't heard all that much over the pounding in her ears and the increase of her breath. "Where is Piper?" she choked out, "Where is she?"
Jay stepped on the gas further as he heard the woman's voice through the speaker, attempting to inform Erin that there had been a shooting at the grocery store, and that the other ambulances had just left with an older man and a little girl. "Call Hailey," he said, "Tell her we're twenty minutes out."
Piper couldn't speak.
Everyone around her was shouting, yelling directives at the doctors and nurses. She didn't recognize anyone, and all she could see in her head was the image of Hank's face and her bloodstained hands as she tried to put the pressure on his gushing wound. People were asking her questions, but she didn't recognize anyone, and their voices didn't register.
"I want my dad," she croaked, words finally coming to her lips, "I lost my phone."
The muffled words of a nurse she didn't know filled her head, but Piper could barely make out what she was saying.
And then she thought about Erin.
Piper remembered what it was like to have her father figure in the hospital. She remembered the painful hours after Sergeant Platt brought her to the waiting room after Jay was shot, when she didn't know if he was going to be okay. Piper had never known a fear so horrible as the one she felt when she thought she could be losing Jay, or when she thought she could lose Erin.
Erin had two babies inside her that she needed to be calm for and Piper knew just how hard it would be for her sister to try to keep it together. When Jay and Erin were hurt, Piper couldn't do anything. Erin had been strong for her when Jay was in the hospital, and Piper was determined to do the same.
"Piper?"
She looked up from her hands and immediately recoiled. "I'm Dr. Manning," Dr. Natalie Manning said gently, "Do you remember me? I'm friends with Jay and Erin."
"And Will?" Piper managed, "Where's Will?"
"He's getting Sergeant Voight into surgery right now. Can you come with me?" The doctor held her hand out.
Piper looked back at her hands, tinged red with blood. "I want Will," she managed, "I-I-I'm supposed to stay with Hank or Will or Hailey. That's what Erin said."
"I know sweetheart, but Will's taking care of Hank now. I promise that you're safe with me." Natalie looked around, hoping to see someone else that Piper might trust. The child in front of her was shaky and pale, and needed to be moved from the busy emergency department as quickly as possible.
"Natalie!" Hailey shouted, pushing through the crowd of people at the entrance to the department, "Where's Voight? Is Piper with him?"
"I got her, we need to get her checked out," Natalie replied, gesturing to Piper, "Look, Piper, it's Hailey. Erin said you could go with Hailey, right?"
Hailey's eyes fell upon her partner's little girl standing rigidly beside the doctor, her clothes splotched with blood. "Oh my god," she breathed, immediately sinking to her knees in front of Piper, "Are you hurt, honey?"
Piper shook her head bravely. "I didn't wanna go with anyone else but you or Will."
"You did good," Hailey praised, stroking Piper's cheek gently, "I heard you call for help over the radio. You did such a good job, but the doctors need to take a quick look at you to make sure you aren't hurt. What if I came with you? Would that be okay?"
The little girl appeared to relax slightly. "I-I-I tried to call Erin," she whispered, holding out the bloody tile to show Hailey, "I dropped my phone."
"That's okay," she soothed, "I spoke with Erin and Jay, and they're going to be here really soon. They got up extra early because they couldn't wait to see you." Hailey attempted to provide a smile for the child's sake, but the fact that her boss was headed into surgery had her mind going a thousand miles a minute.
"Upton, we need you," a male voice called. Hailey resisted the urge to curse. There was a different sergeant assigned to the case seeing as her boss was directly implicated.
"Call Ruzek," she replied, "I'm needed here."
"I'll be okay," Piper managed, doing her best to be stoic, "I'm fine."
Hailey exchanged a glance with Natalie. "Can you stay with Dr. Manning?" she asked, "And I'll be right back."
Jay was worried about his boss, but it didn't even compare to the worry he had about his little girl, or his girl in the passenger seat. Erin was attempting to keep her breath even, a feat made more difficult by the fact that two babies were encroaching on her lungs, and the anxiety over not knowing if her child or father was safe. "Babe," he choked out, "You gotta breathe."
"I'm trying," she replied, gripping her phone in shaking hands, "I know I need to stay calm but I can't."
"We're almost there," he promised, peeling into the Emergency Department, "C'mon." He hustled around to help Erin out of the car, but she was too quick. His girl hastened to the entrance as he raced behind, heart in his throat.
Just the thought of Piper being around a gun, let alone being hurt by one, turned his stomach a hundred times. He kept his service weapon locked in a safe by the door, as did Erin, although she no longer carried. Both of them knew how important gun safety was, and they'd done their best to show Piper how seriously they took their safety, her safety, and the safety of those around them. His little girl was innocent and sweet, not to mention incredibly fragile, both emotionally and physically. He'd honestly lost track of the number of times he'd had to bring his little bug into the hospital for one reason or another.
All his thoughts about Piper were put on hold when he heard Erin let out a painful scream. "Hank!" Erin shrieked, pulling away from Jay as he attempted to keep her upright, "That's my dad, that's my dad!"
Jay swallowed when he saw Hank's body being wheeled through the emergency department, blood covering his shirt. Erin was gasping for air as he tried to hold her up and keep her close to him. "They're taking him into surgery now," Will said, emerging from the crowd of people, "We'll know more soon."
He wrinkled his brow when Erin drew in a gasp. "I-I need to be there," she managed, "I'm all he has left."
"Okay, okay, hold on," Will said, "They're rushing him into the OR now, but I can take you up to the waiting room."
"Piper," she wheezed, "Is she shot? Is she dead?"
"No, no, last I heard Nat was with her and none of the EMTs reported additional injuries," Will assured her, "Jay, we're going to divide and conquer here. You go check on Munchkin, and I'll take Erin to the waiting room, alright?"
Jay managed a small nod. "Babe-"
"Go get her," Erin instructed, "I'll-I'll be there in a second, I just need to talk to his doctors."
He nodded and quickly kissed the side of her head before allowing his brother to take over. Jay hurried through the department in search of Dr. Manning, hoping that he'd find his little girl unharmed.
"Jay," Natalie called, causing him to spin, "Over here."
He wasn't prepared.
His little girl hadn't been shot, but she may have well have been. His child was covered in blood. He couldn't imagine what was going through her head, what she could have seen – what no child, no person, should ever have to witness. He was a police officer and had been in the Army. He signed up to see gore and blood and hurt and pain, but his little girl didn't. It was all thrown at her without warning, and watching her have to witness it crushed him.
"She's in shock," Natalie said calmly, putting one hand on Jay's shoulder as he took in the sight of his baby, "EMTs didn't mention anything but she won't let anyone touch her. I'm hoping you can convince her."
Jay nodded, unable to take his eyes off his little girl's hands that were stained red with blood. Piper had her hands in her lap and was sitting stoically on the hospital bed, motionless.
"Pipes," he choked out, "It's Jay, I'm here."
His heart shattered when she lifted her gaze, tear filled hazel orbs meeting his. "I-I couldn't stop it," she whispered, "I tried, I tried, but I couldn't stop it."
He sank down in front of her. "What couldn't you stop, baby?" he asked, reaching out a tentative hand to move some hair that obstructed her face. Jay's heart clenched when he saw streaks of blood on her cheeks as well.
"The blood," she managed, "I-I put my hands to-to try and stop but it just kept coming out."
Jay looked up at Natalie, who gave a grim nod. "You tried to stop the bleeding?" he asked thickly, "When Hank was shot?"
Piper nodded wordlessly. "You did such a good job," he praised, bringing his lips to the side of her head, "You did so good, Pipes."
"I couldn't save him," Piper croaked, "I tried, but I couldn't."
Jay swallowed the lump in his throat. "He's in surgery now," he whispered, "You did everything right kiddo. You called for help and you tried to help too. That's all that matters. And that you're safe."
Piper burst into tears.
"Shh," Jay cooed, stroking Piper's hair back, "Shh, kiddo. I know it was scary."
"It was Bunny," Piper said flatly through her tears. "It-it was her fault."
"Bunny?" Jay pulled back slightly to meet Piper's gaze, "She fired the gun?"
Piper shook her head and squeezed her eyes closed. "N-no, he said Bunny sent him. To finish things." The little girl burst into another round of sobs, her tiny frame shaking violently.
Jay drew in a breath and nodded. "Okay. We're going to handle it, okay?" He pressed another kiss to the side of Piper's head before reaching for his phone, "It's going to be just fine."
"It was Bunny?" Erin managed from the doorway, leaning against the doorframe in shock, "Bunny?"
"Woah, Erin," Natalie said, quickly propping up her friend, "Sit down, okay?"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Piper wept, covering her face with her blood-stained hands, "I'm sorry."
Erin leaned heavily into Natalie, her feet feeling incredibly heavy. "I'm going to have you take a seat here," the doctor instructed, pulling out a visitor's chair with her foot, "Just for a minute."
She gasped when she sat, catching sight of the blood that stained her sister's hands. "Is…is she hurt?"
"Haven't checked yet," Jay soothed, putting one hand on Erin's knee while he remained crouched in front of their little girl, "She was trying to stop the bleeding."
"She saw it happen?" Erin choked, taking another gasp for air, "Noodle I-"
"Erin," Natalie said urgently, "You need to breathe. Take a second, alright?" She took her wrist, "Your heart rate is through the roof. You've got two babies in there, and we need to bring your heart rate down."
Erin managed a nod. "My baby is covered in blood," she managed, "M-my dad is in surgery, I can't-"
"Babe," Jay murmured, doing his best to maintain his composure, "You can do it. One breath at a time."
"I'm fine," Piper whispered, "Not my blood."
"I know, kiddo, but we should still get you checked out," he said, turning back to his little girl. Piper's eyes were glassy, and he could see bruises on her knees. "Did you fall down?"
Piper looked down. "I-I don't remember," she said, "T-there was a man with a gun and H-Hank had a gun too and it was so loud." Her voice cracked, "I don't remember."
"That's okay," he said, looking urgently to Natalie. Erin had one hand resting on her belly, the other on her heart as she tried to regain control of her breath. "Nat, can you-"
She nodded and put a gentle hand on Erin's shoulder. "Can I take a quick look at you, Piper?" Natalie asked gently, "Jay and Erin are going to be right here."
"I-I'm fine," she rushed out, "I didn't get hurt." She looked at Jay and then to Erin. "I'm fine, I promise."
"I know, but we should take a look just to be sure," the doctor said kindly, "Do you hurt anywhere?"
"I'm fine," Piper repeated, "Really."
Jay frowned. His little bug was pale, shaky and covered in his boss's blood – she was very far from being fine. "Pipes-"
"I'm fine!" she shouted, drawing back from Jay's hand, "I-I'm fine, I'm fine, I just want to be fine." The child dissolved into broken sobs and Jay felt his heart clench. "I don't wanna not be fine anymore."
"Oh, kiddo," Jay managed, standing from his crouched position to lift Piper into his arms. "I know it's so hard, and you've been so, so brave." He kissed the side of her head as she buried her face in his neck, "It's been a tough couple of months, hasn't it?"
"I'm sorry," she wept, "I'm trying to be braver, I know Erin needs you." She pulled back and looked at her big sister, "I'm sorry Erin, I'm sorry."
"Sweetheart," Erin whispered, "You don't have anything to be sorry for." She pushed herself off the chair. "I'm okay," she promised to Natalie who immediately stepped forward to catch her if she needed it, "I-I just need to hold my baby." Erin looked at Jay, "If I sit back down, can you give her to me?"
Jay nodded and kissed the side of Piper's head again. He didn't want to put his little girl down, but he knew that Erin needed that connection. "You want to sit with Erin for a little?" he asked her gently, "You always make her feel better."
Piper nodded and immediately melted into her big sister's arms. Erin buried her face in Piper's hair, tears trickling down her cheeks. "I'm so glad you're here," she murmured, "I was so worried."
"I'm here," Piper promised, tenderly placing a hand on Erin's belly, "You said you weren't going anywhere, and I'm not going anywhere either." She swallowed. "I-I'm sorry I yelled." She looked up at Jay, eyes swimming with tears, "I'm sorry."
He just shook his head. "It's a lot," he said, crouching down to put one hand on Piper's back, the other on Erin's belly, "You're allowed to be upset."
She sniffed and managed a small nod. "I'm sorry you had to come back from your trip." Piper's lower lip wobbled again. "You were supposed to relax."
"We did," Erin assured her, "But we missed you too much. It was good for us to spend some time together, but we both decided we like spending time with you best." Erin pressed her lips to the top of Piper's head again. Her little sister was successfully bringing down her racing heart rate.
Jay nodded in agreement. "You guys surprised me really good. I had no idea. I fell asleep in the car and I woke up very confused."
That got a small smile on Piper's lips. "Hailey and Will helped," she whispered, "Me and Hailey got burgers and cupcakes and me and Will played all day in the park yesterday." Her voice cracked. "Me and Hank were gonna do some cooking b-but then-" Piper lifted her hand, "I tried to stop it, I tried."
"We know," Jay assured her, rubbing her back gently, "We're so proud of you." He tilted his head to the side slightly. His little girl had been pale, but all color had drained from her face, "What's wrong, kiddo?"
"I'm gonna get sick," Piper managed, bringing her hand to her mouth, "I-I-"
Natalie immediately thrust a trash can beneath Piper's lips for the child to lose her breakfast. "Could be concussed," she said softly as Jay stroked Piper's hair back, "Might have jostled her head."
Erin nodded. "Oh, Noodle," she murmured, "My sweet girl."
Piper shivered, her skin cold and clammy. "S-sorry," she stuttered, "I-I'm fine now."
Jay shook his head slightly. "You're not fine, kiddo, and that's okay. We're going to help though." He ran his fingers over her cheek. "You don't always have to be fine."
"Erin always says she's fine," Piper replied, "I'm trying to be fine too."
Erin felt her heart drop.
She always tried so hard to be fine. It was a mantra that she'd been saying for thirty years to convince herself and anyone around her. Erin Lindsay was always fine, even when she wasn't.
But her lack of honesty with herself and those she loved was hurting her little girl. Because she took Erin's lead. "I'm not fine," Erin choked out, "I'm trying to be more honest with myself, sweetheart. I know it's hard." She wiped her eyes quickly, "Jay's right. We don't always have to be fine."
Jay nodded in agreement. "And-" He stopped when he caught sight of his brother in the doorway to the exam room.
"Hey," Will said gently, "Sorry to interrupt. Just an update for Erin." He drew in a breath. "Surgeons are in there. Bullet hit muscle and they're removing it now. Could be another hour or so."
Erin gave a tiny nod. "Avoided hemorrhagic shock thanks to the quick thinking of that munchkin right there," he continued, offering a small smile, "You did so good, Piper. The EMTs told me you were putting pressure on the wound and called for help."
Jay squeezed Erin's hand. "Think we might have a concussion," he said softly, stroking Piper's cheek gently, "Got a brave little bug right here."
Will grimaced. "I uh, I hope you don't mind, but I gave Hailey my key to your place so she could grab some spare clothes for Munchkin. That might help get you feeling a little better."
Jay gripped Erin's hand, Piper in his lap, as they sat in the hospital waiting room. Hailey had procured the little girl a change of clothes and she was snuggled against his chest, wide awake. There were other cops milling about, including the entire unit.
"Guy who shot Voight is dead. No phone on him or anything identifying. Trying to run facial recognition but coming up short," Ruzek informed them, immediately blanching when Piper lifted her head slightly. "Shit. Sorry. I thought she was sleeping."
Erin let out a breath. "Do you have an ID on him?" she asked, keeping one hand on her stomach, the other holding tightly to Jay's, "Or a motive?" She set her jaw when the officer didn't say anything, "So you don't have anything."
"Er," Jay said gently, "They're working on it."
"It was my mother," she gritted out, "Barbara Fletcher. She needs to be arrested, yesterday." She drew in a sharp breath, doing her best to keep her heart rate down.
"We're looking into it," Ruzek promised, "We uh, need to interview Piper, too. Get a statement."
"No," Erin said flatly before Jay could open his mouth, "Her name doesn't go on the record. She doesn't testify, she-she doesn't need that. There's gotta be other witnesses."
"None who saw the shot," he said as carefully as he could, "It could help make the case. We've got word into Interpol too."
"She's a minor. A child." Erin swallowed, "You're telling me that there's nobody else in the whole fucking Whole Foods that saw anything?"
"I can do it," Piper murmured, lifting her head from Jay's chest, "I can tell you what I remember."
Erin looked at Jay, one of his arms banded around the little girl, keeping her as close as he possibly could. Piper appeared to be such a small child as she huddled in her dad's embrace. "Sweetheart-"
"I want it to be over," she whispered, "I want her to go away and never come back. I wanna go back to school and be normal." Piper sniffed, "I can do it."
"You are so brave," Erin replied, her eyes filling with tears, "But if this were to go to a trial or-" Her voice cracked, "We haven't been able to protect you from so much."
Jay kissed the top of Piper's head. Erin was right. There were so many instances where neither of them had been able to protect their little bug from lasting trauma and horrific events. At ten years old, Piper had been through far too much.
Piper reached out a hand to place on her sister's belly. "I've seen a lot of scary stuff," she managed, "But if Bunny goes away, then the beans will never have to see her. And we'll all be safe."
Erin inhaled sharply again. Her little sister was right, and wise beyond her years. She moved her hand across her stomach, suddenly acutely aware of just how fragile the life within her was. There were two babies, two of Jay's babies, growing inside her, who she needed to protect. And her impossibly empathic and mature little girl recognized it even before she did.
She exchanged a look with Jay. "I-I want us in the room. If you talk to Piper," she said to her former co-worker, "Me and Jay."
Ruzek grimaced. "Uh, the um, state's attorney wants her without you or Jay. Just because of the relationship with your mom. They can assign a specific counsel just in case or-"
"Not happening," Jay said firmly, speaking for both him and Erin, "We're not sending her in with a stranger."
"I could take her," Hailey piped up softly, "If you guys are comfortable with that. I can moderate, make sure the sergeant leading the investigation keeps a lid on."
Jay gave a grateful look to his partner. "I don't know-"
"I feel safe with Hailey," Piper said, "She takes care of me." The little girl managed a small smile. "I can do it. I promise."
Erin leaned down to kiss the top of her sweet sister's head. "We're so proud of you," she whispered, "But if you don't feel up to it-"
"I promised I would be honest," she said, moving her hand from her sister's belly to stroke Erin's cheek tenderly, "And that I would do anything to protect the babies. 'cause I love them, just like you love me."
"I love you so much," Erin choked out, "We love you." Jay nodded in agreement and held his little girl even closer.
"We're thinking she might have a concussion," Jay informed his partner, "So it's gotta be brief and-"
"I'll be there the whole time," Hailey confirmed, "The sergeant is on his way now, and we'll just be in one of the conference rooms a few hallways away. And then I'll bring her right back here."
Piper gave a tiny nod. "I'm ready," she said, giving Jay a squeeze, "I'm going to be okay."
"You need to eat something, Erin," Kim instructed, holding out a smoothie to her friend. "You too, Jay."
Erin gratefully accepted the smoothie from the officer and let out a breath. "Thanks," she replied dully, "Any word from Hailey?"
"Should be done soon," she confirmed, "You guys have got a really strong kid."
"Strong kid who's been put through the ringer," Jay muttered, taking the smoothie Kim had brought for him, "Kid's been absolutely pummeled this year with the concussion and pneumonia and now-" He shook his head, unable to comprehend how much his child had been through. "She shouldn't have to be so strong."
"I know," Kim nodded, "But she's got two parents who love her, and she's going to be okay."
"Hank Voight?"
Erin stood shakily beside Jay when she heard her father's name leave the doctor's lips. It was a doctor she didn't recognize. "Erin Lindsay," she managed, "He's uh, my dad."
Jay squeezed her hand tightly. "He's out of surgery," the doctor confirmed, "Removed the bullet from muscle and closed the wound. Lost a large amount of blood, but all things considered, your father got very lucky."
She let out a breath. Jay held her up as she brought a hand to her stomach, overwhelmed with relief. "C-can I see him?" she asked tearfully, "When can I see him?"
The doctor gave a small smile. "He's being moved to a recovery room now. I'm only allowed to take one of you though." He looked at the police in the waiting room, "Something tells me this guy isn't going to be sidelined for long."
"Go, babe," Jay instructed, pressing a kiss to the side of her head before bringing a hand to his babies, "I'll wait here for Pipes."
Erin nodded. "Wait with him," she instructed to Kim, "Make sure he eats." She gave a small smile and accepted the smoothie cup from her friend. "Thank you."
Erin stood anxiously in front of the hospital room door where her father figure was supposedly lying. Her lungs felt constricted and all she wanted to do was dissolve into a puddle, but she needed to be strong. Hank raised her to be strong.
"Well you don't look well-rested," he rasped when she carefully pushed open the door, "You convinced me that giving Halstead the weekend off would be good for both of you and yet you look terrible."
"You don't look so hot yourself," Erin replied, "Bullet in the shoulder look doesn't suit you."
Hank chuckled. "C'mere, kiddo. I'm okay, really."
Erin swallowed and took a seat in the chair beside his bed. "I'm so sorry," she managed, squeezing his hand tightly, "I'm so, so sorry."
"Why?" Hank wrinkled his brow, "You didn't shoot me, kid."
She shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. "Piper said the guy said Bunny sent him," she whispered, "None of this would have happened if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be lying in a fucking hospital bed right now with a hole in your shoulder and-and-"
"Hey now," he said carefully, "Don't think like that. I don't regret bringing you home. You're the best thing that ever happened to me, you know that?"
Erin shook her head, tears flying off in all directions. "I-I feel like I ruined your life," she choked out, "That's why I'm sorry."
"Erin." Hank met his daughter's gaze, "No way did you ruin my life. You saved it. More times than you know." He squeezed her hand. "I don't know if you ever knew this, but before you came to live with us, Camille and I weren't our best. She was pissed at me for workin' too much, and Justin was going through that regression period." He ran his thumb over her hand, "But then you came home, and she remembered why she liked me." Hank gave a small smile when Erin's lips lifted. "You saved me back then too kid. You saved me after she passed and when Justin went away and after him too. I couldn't do this life without you."
She sniffed, tears trickling down her cheeks. "You know that me and Jay are adopting Piper once the judge signs off," she said, willing her voice to remain steady, "And um, I know I'm an adult now and I've got kids of my own but I would really love it if you could adopt me too."
Hank's eyes softened and he reached up to stroke his girl's cheek. "You've been my kid for almost twenty years," he said, "'bout time we got it on paper too."
Lots of good family time in the next few :) Been LOVING some of the requests - can't wait for you to read them!