AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm back. :-) Sorry for the delay, again. I still might not be able to post as regulary as I used to, but I'll do my very best. :-)

May 1st, 2020

29

Marge looked awful, when she opened the door for Erin to pick up Alex on May 1st.

"Are you sure, you don't want to cancel work today?" Erin asked her.

Marge coughed before she could answer. "No, it's good. We need the money. I just can't afford to be sick."

Erin went inside to look for Alex.

"I packed him an overnight bag just in case. Johnny is still sleeping. I think they came back late last night," Marge explained.

„Yes, Jay was back around 2am, and said this morning that Johnny and some of the guys were still there, when he left."

Marge turned around to cough again. "Sorry!" she said. "Well, I am not sure, how fit I'll be, when I come back tonight, or if Johnny will be up to take care of Alex, so I packed his bag just in case."

Erin nodded. "Where's Alex?" she asked.

"Alex!" Marge shouted and coughed right afterwards. "Alex, Erin's here to pick you up!"

Erin heard small footsteps from the stairs. Alex stopped in the middle of the stairs, though.

"Hey, kiddo!" Erin greeted him. "Are you ready for a fun day with Sophia? She's really excited to see you again. She missed you yesterday!"

Alex slowly came down the stairs. He looked pale as well.

"Is he fine?" Erin asked Marge.

Marge nodded. "He doesn't seem to have caught, whatever I have, but of course, he still misses his mommy, don't you sweetheart?"

Alex didn't show any reaction. Just slowly came closer down the stairs.

"Still not talking?" Erin asked in a low voice.

Marge shook her head. "Hey, Alex, say hello to Erin," she said in a strict tone to the boy.

He stopped immediately on the stairs and just stared.

"See?" Marge asked and began to cough again. "Just won't talk! I'm starting to lose my patience with him!"

Erin came closer to the stairs. As Alex was standing higher, she was on eye level with him, although a few feet away of course. She extended her hand to him. "Shall we go," she asked, as if nothing was unusual.

Alex looked at her, but then came a few steps down again and finally took the hand she offered.

"Hey, favorite boy!" Erin said at that moment. "Come on, we take your bag, and let your grandma get ready for work, shall we?"

Alex still didn't answer, but at least he took his backpack and his teddy bear and looked at Erin expectantly.

Erin too k the opportunity to say goodbye to Marge and wish her to get well soon.

Despite Alex's mutism, their day went by as fine as could have expected under the circumstances. The children played in the backyard, and her and Su managed to get Alex to draw something again. He predominantly used dark colors again but drew more recognizable shapes than the days before. Maybe that was progress in a way.

Sammy came by just after lunch. Su was still upstairs putting the kids down for a nap, while Erin was already in her workout gear, when she opened the door for her not-friend.

"Wow, Erin, you look amazing! You have a glow on you, do you wear new eye shadow? New B&B Cream?" Sammy asked just after their greeting.

As always, when Sammy said things like that, Erin was slightly irritated. "No, actually, nothing I haven't worn yesterday."

"Well, you look amazingly better than yesterday, although you're wearing sweats," Sammy assured her.

"Maybe that's because we're not at a funeral today?" Erin asked trying to suppress the sarcasm in her voice.

Sammy laughed. "No, there's some other glow on you." She scanned Erin.

"Sammy, you always keep telling me something about me glowing. I really don't know, where you get that!" Erin said while signaling towards the basement door.

"You're right! You were also glowing when I first came here. Maybe it's me?" Sammy asked while she followed Erin downstairs.

Erin had difficulties suppressing a laugh. "Maybe," she said with a friendly smile. "Shall we start?" She asked pointing at the punching bag.

Sammy still scanned her, but then nodded.

"So, show me first, what you remember!" Erin asked of her.

Sammy showed her some punches and jabs on und the punching bag.

„Great!" Erin applauded her. „You still got your energy there."

Sammy looked content with herself. „I stayed to stay in training at home."

„Maybe today we can practice some kicks as well, but let's do some warmup and stretching first."

Except for the company, the session felt actually great for Erin. She could feel getting her strength back. It became a really rewarding training for her.

As they wanted to go to the gun range later together, Erin offered Sammy to use the shower downstairs, while she herself wanted to use the one upstairs.

The kids were still napping when she walked onto the first floor. She took a peek into Sophia's room, to be sure. That of course, wouldn't have been necessary as Su was working in the hidden office and was watching them the whole time. Nevertheless, Alex coughed slightly when Erin opened the door. She came closer and touched his forehead. He didn't appear to be hot. So, she went back out of the room and into the hidden office to see Su.

„Does Alex cough a lot?" she asked Su.

Su shook her head. „Only a few times so far."

„Maybe you and Jay should start wearing masks indoors as long as he's here, just to be sure," Erin suggested.

"Do you think that's necessary?" Su asked. "I read kids weren't that contagious."

"I got it from Sophia!" Erin reminded her.

"Are you sure?" Su asked. "I mean you both were at the same dorm where it broke out at the same day. You could have caught it there simultaneously, couldn't you?"

"I don't know what to believe these days, but better be safe than sorry," Erin said. "We can't afford to lose manpower over here."

Su nodded. "But don't you think your friend downstairs will get suspicious, if I start wearing a mask all of a sudden?"

"You're Asian. They all do that!" Erin said winking at her.

"I really like it, when you let your inner racist out!" Su said sarcastically.

"Pleasure!" Erin said winking back. "I'll be in the shower."

Su nodded.

When Erin came out of the shower, she heard both kids screaming. She quickly got dressed and went into Sophia's room, where Su was already consoling the two of them wearing a face mask.

It immediately hit Erin, why they were crying. There was a bad stink in the air. Erin immediately opened a window, and then took a closer look at the bed. There was some brown stuff in there. Su nodded towards Alex. It obviously came out of his diapers.

Erin checked Sophia, but she seemed fine, other than the crying.

„Take her downstairs, will you?" she asked Su. „This might be contagious. You shouldn't be near it."

„I can wash my hands," Su said over the screaming.

"That you should definitely do, but let me clear up this mess, maybe you can entertain our guest downstairs," Erin said.

Su didn't seem very convinced looking at the still crying Sophia but picked her up, nevertheless. "Hey Soph-girl, your friend Sammy is downstairs, shall we go and see her?" Although Erin didn't like that Sophia was reminded that Sammy was her "friend", it did the trick, and Sophia immediately lightened up.

"Don't let her out of your sight!" Erin told Su. "I don't want her to get another makeover, piercings or tattoos."

Su clearly grinned behind her mask. „Sure, partner."

For Erin it wasn't a joke, but certainly more fun than cleaning up the mess in the bed. As she'd done two months back with Sophia, she took the boy to the shower, and took his diaper off over there. Then he first cleaned him and later sanitized the whole bathtub, all while she was consoling the boy as good as possible, while he sat on the training seat of the open toilet. When she was done with cleaning, she gave him a new diaper, in the hope it wouldn't have to be changed immediately. Erin felt his temperature again. It was slightly elevated. But nothing to concerning.

„Poor, Babyboy!" She told him, while she held him close. „Let's go downstairs and give you something to drink, shall we?"

Alex, of course, didn't show any reaction.

„You know what, Alex, now would really be a good time to start talking again, that I at least know, if anything is hurting you," she tried, but Alex still just stared.

Dr. Charles had advised her to hold the boy close and cradle him. That way he would calm down, and she might be able to recognize some of his bodily communication. Indeed, Alex cuddled in closer to her body. From that she understood, he needed and wanted to be held.

„Does your tummy hurt, Alex?" Erin whispered in his hair.

That got a nod out of the boy.

Erin tried to not show her excitement on the boy's communicating finally, following Dr. Charles' advice again. „Fine, I'll make you a tea for your tummy downstairs."

On the way downstairs, the boy held on tightly to her, even more so, when he saw Sammy downstairs who was playing with Sophia and her building blocks on the floor.

„Look, who's here!" Sammy greeted them overly friendly.

„Sorry, Sammy, I kept you waiting," Erin said. „Do you need anything?"

„No, I'm fine right here. My bestie Sophia keeps me company, don't you Sophia?"

Sophia was beaming.

Erin was glad, Jay wasn't home. „I'm making tea for Alex, Sophia-baby, do you want something as well?"

Sophia shook her head. "No!"

„Can't your masked maid do that for you?" Samy asked mockingly.

„It's fine," Erin just said and left for the kitchen, where Su had already prepared the tea.

„You good here?" Su whispered.

Erin nodded.

„Then I go back upstairs and get the sheets."

„Thanks," Erin said. „There are plastic gloves in the bathroom upstairs next to the diapers. And don't take of your mask, and ..."

„It's okay, Mom," Su said winking at her. „Remember, I used to work for the coroner's office. I've seen worse and know how to protect myself."

„Thanks, Su!" Erin said, while she tried to sit Alex down on a chair, but he wouldn't let her. She carefully stroked his back. „You're not ready to sit on your own, kiddo?"

Alex only clung even tighter to her. Having to deal with the clingy Sophia for the last weeks, she decided not to resist his will.

She gave him the feeding cup with his tea on the couch in the living room, where she could better watch Sophia as well.

„Isn't he a bit old for that cup?" Sammy asked.

Erin stroked Alex's hair. „He's a bit sick. This way he takes his tea easier."

Sammy wrinkled her nose. „Is it something contagious?" she asked. „Is that, why your Chingk wore a mask?"

Erin tried not to show her disgust openly at Sammy's choice of words. She just hoped, Sophia would pick it up. "I don't know," she instead shrugged her shoulders. „Stomach bugs are normally not airborne, are they?"

Sammy shrugged as well. „I guess not. Loreen probably knows. Shouldn't you call Johnny?"

„Why?" Erin asked.

„Because his kid is sick?" Sammy asked back irritated.

„Sure!" Erin cringed inside. Of course, Johnny wouldn't come back from work early for his kid, but Sammy was right, he should be informed. Erin thus took out her phone. As expected, Johnny didn't pick up. Erin therefore left him a voicemail. „Hey Johnny, it's Erin. If you get this, please call me. Alex seems to have a stomach bug. Maybe you want to get him early. Bye!"

Alex eyes widened when he realized she'd left a message for his father. Erin quickly hugged him again and began to slightly massage his stomach, like she used to do with Sophia.

"Is your tummy still hurting?" She asked the boy, but of course didn't get an answer.

"That's really a weird kid!" Sammy said turning around to Sophia again.

Erin decided not to comment. Instead, she kept on cuddling Alex a bit more while feeding him the tea.

Although Johnny didn't show up early to get his son, and Marge already said she wouldn't be able to take him, because her health had deteriorated quite a bit over the day, Erin still left for the gun range at 5 pm, before Jay was even back. She knew, she could trust Su with the kids, but it still didn't feel right to leave a sick child behind. At least Alex hadn't showed any more signs of diarrhea or other possibly COVID-related symptoms. Still, she felt at unease when she left.

Despite the circumstances, it actually felt good to work again, and admittedly to shoot again. To Erin's great delight, she was a way better shot than last time she went to that gun range with Jay. She was able to show those women a few tricks and hints on how to use their guns. Although, except for Loreen, they of course all had held a gun before and even shot it but being introduced to their arms by a former detective clearly impressed them. That Erin was almost back to her old skills helped with that of course.

She also told them stories about back in the day when her and her „husband", a Ranger trained marksman, went to requalification together, and she had gotten more shots in the black than he had.

„Afterwards, he had to pay for dinner!" Erin finished her story grinning insinuating.

"And that's where all of you started?" Loreen asked excitedly.

Erin smiled. "Let's say, that's where I decided, we definitely had to find a way around my father's rule not to date within his unit. I left the unit shortly after, and the rest is history," she said showing her hand with her wedding band. Of course, she left out a lot in that story, but there was no need to tell them more.

Jane, Stans mom, warmly smiled back at her. "I sense so much love in you for your husband."

„They are an adorable couple," Sammy said before Erin could say anything. „And have you met that cute daughter of theirs? She's the most charming child, I've ever met." She turned to her sister, who looked a bit taken a back. „Sorry, Loreen, I love all of the nieces and nephews, you've given me, but Sophia is just such a charming cutie!"

Erin smiled hoping not to offend Loreen. "She gets that from her dad. But I'm sure your kids were equally charming when they were Sophia's age, weren't they, Loreen?"

Sammy got the hint. „Yes, they surely were. It's just been some time since they were that small."

„Three years," her sister said. „But you're right, Sophia is an especially cute one. Those eyes and cheeks with dimples. She gets those from you, Erin, though, not Jay, right?"

Erin smiled and thereby let her own dimples show. "Yes, she does, but there's a lot of Jay in her as well."

"My kids somehow all look more like her father than me," Loreen said. "Maybe the next one will come after me." She continued smiling.

"Next one?" Sammy asked shocked. "I thought, you were finally done. Aren't you complaining about how much they take from you, and how difficult it is to have them all at home?"

"Yes, but I love them all, and the more the merrier, hey?" Loreen said smiling brightly.

"Wait! You're the one who's pregnant!" Jane said. "I felt this fertile vibe in here, but I actually thought it came from Erin."

Erin was glad her weapon wasn't in her hand anymore, otherwise she might have accidentally dropped it, and that wouldn't have been well advised. Fortunately, the other two were so occupied congratulating Loreen on the news she just confirmed, that Erin had time to overplay her reaction, and join into the well wishes. After the first moment of shock had passed, she had to suppress a laugh 'fertile vibes', for sure...

"I just realized," Sammy said happily. "If everything is going according to plan, this child will be born into a new era, where we've taken out the Semitic led Kabal that runs our country in secret!"

Loreen and Jane nodded both.

"Let's work some more on our shooting skills, that we got them when we need them!" Jane exclaimed.

"Yeah, another round, Erin?" Sammy asked turning towards her.

"Sure, everything for the cause!" she said while she picked up her gun again.

It really felt good firing a few more rounds. She just hoped they found a way to erase or control that damn bot soon, it was amazing what bullshit those women believed and got out of their mouths. And it all came from a bot! She grinned firing her last rounds, thinking about that.

When Erin came home at 9pm, Jay was sitting in front of the tv watching a rerun of a pre-pandemic baseball game. Alex was by his side. The boy was listening, while Jay explained the rules to him. He looked from the masked Jay to what was shown on the tv.

Erin had to smile at the scene.

"Hey, there little guy, isn't it way past your bedtime?" she greeted Alex, while she hung her jacket.

Alex looked at her with a small smile, then he coughed a bit.

"He not better?" Erin asked Jay.

"His stomach just emptied again like," Jay looked at his watch. "An hour ago?"

"And Johnny didn't come?" Erin asked.

"Don't say that surprises you!" Jay said mockingly.

"No, not really," Erin admitted. "I'll go upstairs to lock the gun away, and then I'll be down again."

"Take your time," Jay said. "We're good here now."

"Thanks," Erin said. She heard Jay continuing to explain am what was happening on the screen to Alex while she went upstairs.

After she'd locked her gun away and washed her hands, she checked on Sophia, who was sleeping in her own bed for once. Alex things, however, weren't seen. She took a quick shower and then went downstairs again.

Alex seemed to have fallen asleep by Jay's side.

"Was the match too boring for him?" Erin joked.

"Nuh, my buddy here was extremely interested, but he's just wiped.

Erin nodded, and sat down next to the two of them.

"We put Alex's stuff downstairs and were thinking you might stay there with him tonight, just to be safe."

Erin nodded. "Good thinking."

"How was your night?" Jay asked.

"It felt good to work again, and shoot, it felt good being more than a mommy!" Erin admitted.

Jay grinned at that. "And that Jane woman? Any take on her?"

Erin rolled her eyes. "As was to be expected. Very esoteric. All feels and sensing, less thinking..."

Jay looked amused. "You really liked her, didn't you?"

"I don't like when people seem to know, no sense, everything about me!" Erin admitted dryly.

"What did she sense?" Jay asked amused.

"Apparently, she thought I gave up 'fertile vibes', luckily it turned out that it was Loreen, not me."

Jay had to suppress a loud laugh not to wake Alex. "You're lucky, there's a sleeping, possibly contagious child between us, otherwise those fertile vibes might turn me on!" Jay winked at her.

"That's what I thought!" Erin answered dryly again. "Just to clarify, the fertile vibes meant Loreen is pregnant again."

"Oh!" Jay said surprised. "Is it official already? Shall I congratulate Gary tomorrow?"

"She told it her sister, and us of course, I don't know if I was supposed to share that already," Erin shrugged. Those girls' things were always a bit strange to her.

"So better not," Jay decided. "Are you still coming tomorrow?" he asked.

"Definitely! I need to be more than a mommy again! Can't wait for that protest!" Erin said honestly.

"You should probably know that Su arranged that we all get tested tomorrow morning before we leave. There will be someone from the agency coming by," Jay filled her in further. "Maybe we're lucky, and it's just a stomach bug, but we should better be safe than sorry, especially as Marge has told us, she developed a slight fever."

"Yes, good," Erin nodded. Then she asked: "What's the plan, if he's positive?"

"Let's just hope he's not. If he is, he should probably be isolated at his home," Jay looked not excited by the idea.

"We can't do that! We can't leave him there alone, without Marge being fit enough to look out for him," Erin exclaimed.

"I had a feeling, you would say that", Jay said taking her hand. "But there's not really an alternative, is there?" He looked at the sleeping boy. "We can't keep him here when he's sick and contagious. You said yourself, we can't afford anyone else catching it."

"Then I go with him!" Erin said.

"No!" Jay said. "We said no more Johnny without backup."

"I can handle Johnny!" Erin said defiantly. "And we have bugs and cameras in place over there. I take my phone with me wherever I go. You can watch me day and night if you want!"

"We don't have bugs in every room there, and I'm not sure, we would be able to watch you day and night and, more importantly, react in time. It's too dangerous," Jay stated.

"I'll be fine!" she said. "Jay, I am an adult. A trained law enforcement officer. I can take care of myself. This boy," she pointed at Alex. "Is neither. We don't know what abuse he suffered already from his father, but we have a pretty good idea on what he witnessed. There's a reason he's not talking. Someone has to look out for him. Especially, when he's sick. His mom asked me to do that!" At that, Erin had difficulties holding the tears back. "Sorry," she said wiping the tears back.

"Come here!" Jay said opening his other arm for her to crawl in. Erin stood up and changed to his other side, where he held her with her arm. She put her head on his shoulder.

"I would really like to take that damn mask off, and just kiss everything better," Jay murmured.

"Don't you dare!" Erin answered.

"Err...," Jay began. "I completely trust your abilities to defend yourself, but I still don't want you to be in that house with an unhinged Johnny especially during nighttime. The video feed won't be working then, and we can't storm the house as soon as we hear anything suspicious that in the end turns out to be snoring."

They were quite for a while, both thinking about a possible solution for Alex.

"Maggie!" Erin said after a while.

"Nurse Maggie, or Agent Bell?" Jay asked.

"Maggie Bell! She had had the virus. She should be immune. She could be my backup at Johnny's," Erin said sitting up.

"Isn't she supposed to be at the protest tomorrow?"

Jay asked.

"Yes, that means she's already in Ohio," Erin replied smiling.

"But then she shouldn't be identified as law enforcement tomorrow," Jay considered.

"She could be my good friend from high school visiting, who also happens to be a nurse," Erin explained her idea.

"Do you think, Johnny would accept two additional women living in his house?" Jay asked.

"It's either that or he's on his own with a sick mother and child," Erin explained.

"And how do you want to convince him to take you in?" Jay asked still not convinced himself. "He won't even know the boy has got the virus."

"I'll convince him, his mom needs help, and that's what I am offering."

"Why don't we isolate the boy at his old house. Mouse and Su live here for the time being, and you take the kids to their place, from where you can visit and look after Marge as well, maybe with Maggie as backup," Jay proposed.

"Don't you think, that's even more suspicious? We're taking Johnny's son somewhere and people who just moved in in one house, move out again?" Erin had to ask.

Jay sighted. "Or we just risk it like tonight. Wearing masks indoors all the time and isolate the boy downstairs."

"No, Jay, we can't do that, that's even more suspicious. And it's too risky for all of your health," Erin said.

"And if you stay at Marge's during the day, and offer to take Alex with you during the night?" Jay offered. "That way, you haven't got a lot of alone time with Johnny, and the boy only spreads the virus here during the night."

"It's still not perfect, but maybe easier than getting another agent in the field," Erin said thoughtfully. "But I am always wearing a bug in the phone. You could listen in on what's going on with me all the time. So, even if I need to spend the night there, I should be safe."

"So, one of us, always has to be awake. We're three more people in the field. That could work," Jay agreed. "And Sophia?" he asked.

"She should stay here. No need to risk her going over there as well," Erin stated.

"Do you think, she'll let you?" Jay asked not convinced.

"It's a good opportunity for her to learn to be without her mom for a while, and a great opportunity for some father-daughter-bonding," she said smiling. Then she became more serious again. "If she misses me too much, you could bring her by during the day, when Johnny is working."

"If he is working," Jay said. „He could be forced to quarantine himself if they were to test Marge."

„Maybe we need Maggie on standby for that case?" Erin thought out loud. „Have you written your report already?"

"Not really. I was busy with the kids," Jay replied.

"Welcome to my life!" Erin said sarcastically. "Let's do that upstairs now. I'll write down my report and my ideas on how to proceed, if Alex is Covid-positive, and you write your report."

"And Alex?" Jay asked pointing at the boy.

"I'll bring him downstairs first. There are more than enough listening devices down there, that we should know, if he wakes." Erin said.

"He doesn't talk!" Jay reminded her.

"But he screams, when he has a nightmare or any accidents." Erin countered.

"Well, then," Jay nodded. "See you upstairs?"

"In a bit," Erin said.

Before Erin joined Jay in the hidden office, she was careful to wash her face and hands again thoroughly and changed into different night gowns in case Alex had contaminated her with the virus.

When she entered, Jay immediately turned around. "I got a solution!" he said smiling brightly.

"For what?" Erin asked.

"For how you can take care of Marge and Alex without raising any suspicion and without Johnny near you."

"You wanna shoot him?" Erin asked mockingly.

"I'll keep that, in mind, but no. It might not go down well with our cover," Jay explained smiling.

Erin had to smile back. He looked like a little schoolboy who couldn't wait to tell the right answer. "So?" she asked.

"We arrest his ass of tomorrow!" Jay said grinning.

"Already?" Erin asked irritated. "On what grounds?"

"Possession of an illegal firearm, participating in an unlawful public event, breaking quarantine, and abusing his late wife," Jay suggested. "Pick one or choose all of the above."

"But don't we need him here?" Erin asked.

"If Covid is spreading through the Sons ranks now, everything will be halted. Thus, it should be our duty to stop that. We can do that, by isolating Marge and Alex and arresting Johnny. He will be also tested in jail, and quarantined there at least for two weeks," Jay explained his plan further.

"So, we let him be arrested, but so that he gets out again, before the mission comes to an end?" Erin asked.

"Or we take him out completely already. We have him on camera, trying to storm the state Capitol. And I will give him his unregistered gun back tomorrow just before the protest, so he has it with him. Then we only wait till he gets provoked by anything and let one of our guys from the other side take him out. What do you think?" Jay asked content with himself.

"Not bad detective," she admitted. "Now we just have to write our reports in a way, that there's no alternative to arresting Johnny early." Erin was thinking. "But we should take the Brianna thing out of it for now. It could far too easily lead him to us. We should have him on our side, that way, he might even sign something that we're allowed to take care of Alex as long as he is in jail."

Jay nodded. "Yeah, that might be right. Although I don't think that we need that as long as Marge is there to officially take care of the boy. I mean she's sick, not dead."

"She is a high-risk patient," Erin explained her thinking. "But you're right, that doesn't mean, she's going to die from it. Plus, we don't even know yet, if she has the virus, yet."

"My idea would be, that we only arrest Johnny, if we know that Alex is positive. We should be able to have the results by the afternoon," Jay argued.

"Yes, that sounds about right!" Erin smiled happily. "Jay Halstead, you are a genius, and I love you!" She hugged him closely.

"You're very welcome!" Jay smirked.

"So, let's write those damn reports now, that we get the go for arresting that son of a bitch!" Erin said happily.

"That's how I like my girl talking!" Jay smirked.