Thanks for sticking with me!

Jay peeled into the parking lot of Dr. Hsu's office on auto pilot. He hadn't driven in over two weeks with being in the hospital and then on heavy duty medication – but his head was finally clear, and he was technically allowed behind the wheel. He honestly just wished Voight's car could move faster.

He had the lights and sirens running, not caring who he pissed off with that decision. Working for the police had perks that were few and far between, especially in a city like Chicago. If there was anything that could get him to his girl quicker, he was going to use it.

Jay hadn't been able to look at Piper as he hustled out of the courtroom. He could feel her eyes on his back, but he knew that if he turned around, he was going to lose it. And he couldn't lose it. Erin needed him.

But Piper needed him as well.

Ugh.

It was such a shitty situation.

And he'd grown accustomed to dealing with the shittiest situations. But wanting to be in two places at once was really up there.

He swallowed. It was exactly how Erin had been feeling. She wanted to be there for him and Piper, but she also needed to stay home to protect the boys. His chest hurt just thinking about how upset she had been. Jay knew the feeling all too well of wanting to be there, but also knowing that he couldn't.

Jay hustled down the hallway and into the office. "My…Erin," he gasped out to the receptionist, "What room?"

He followed her finger and hastened to the door, stopping short as soon as he placed his sweaty hand on the door handle. He had to stop thinking about what was holding him back. His girl needed him.

Jay knocked and opened the door.

Erin was on her back on the exam table in clear distress. Will was doing his best to calm her down and was holding one of her hands, but offered a look of relief when Jay entered. She gasped for air, desperately trying to fill her lungs with oxygen.

She needed him.

Jay hurried forward and sank beside her. "I'm here," he whispered, pressing his nose to the side of her head, "I'm here, baby. You're going to be okay."

Erin choked out sob, grapping for the lapels of his coat to hold him closer. "I'm here," he repeated, "I'm here."

"I'm scared," Erin wept, "I don't want them to come out. You're not home yet."

Jay swallowed the lump in his throat. He didn't want his boys to come yet either, but he also didn't want his fiancé to continue to suffer. "We'll figure it out," he promised, placing a kiss on her temple, "One hour at a time. One minute at a time, even, alright?"

He shot a look to his brother when Erin coughed desperately. "Doctor should be in any minute," Will said, stepping back from the exam table to avoid crowding his future sister in law, "Just a few more."

"She's here," Dr. Hsu greeted as she opened the exam room door, "Hi, Erin. What's going on?"

Erin gasped again, clinging tightly to Jay's jacket. "It's okay," he soothed, "I'm not going anywhere, babe. We're going to figure out what's happening and go from there, okay? Right now, we just need you to tell Dr. Hsu what's going on so we can help."

"I feel sick," she rasped, "My chest hurts and my head is pounding and I feel like I'm going to hurl. I-I think I'm having a heart attack."

The doctor nodded and sat on the chair to gently feel Erin's belly. "We did the liver panel yesterday and are still waiting on those results." She wrinkled her brow. "I'm going to have you sit forward for me so I can take a listen to your lungs."

Erin shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "I-I can't," she cried, "Something's wrong, something's wrong, I know it."

"Okay," Dr. Hsu tried, "We'll draw blood and see what we're looking at okay? And we'll get your boys on the monitor too." She put her gloved hand on Erin's arm. "How long has this been going on?"

She gasped and shook her head. "Shh," Jay whispered, smoothing her hair back, "Try a deep breath, babe."

"About twenty minutes," Will supplied, leaning against the wall to allow his brother space next to his fiancé, "She was asleep probably a half hour ago. I came upstairs and she said she was feeling sick, so I got her in the car and we immediately came here."

Dr. Hsu nodded. "We'll check your bloodwork and get the boys on the monitor," she said, gesturing for Will to slide the ultrasound closer, "I'm going to have you assist, Dr. Halstead. I take it you recall your OB rotation?"

"Burned into my brain," he replied, "Her pulse was racing, but it came down a bit when we got in here."

The doctor ran the ultrasound wand over Erin's belly. "You're okay," Jay murmured, keeping his nose against Erin's temple, "You're doing such a good job, babe. Just gotta keep breathing."

"Look at those strong boys," Dr. Hsu praised, offering a big smile, "They're looking great Erin. Not in any distress. Good fluid, still moving. You're doing an incredible job." She tilted her head to the side slightly. "You mentioned yesterday that you had somewhere to be today, right? With Jay and Piper?"

Jay continued to thread his fingers through Erin's hair. "We uh, had to testify in federal court," he said softly, "My partner and boss are with Piper right now. Should be getting an update soon."

Dr. Hsu set the ultrasound wand down to take Erin's wrist. "Your chest hurts?"

She managed a nod, trying to take more air in. Her heart was pounding. "Your heart rate has been coming down since I've been here," the doctor said, "And your blood pressure isn't out of range for what we'd expect. The medication seems to be working." Dr. Hsu glanced over to the fetal monitor. "I think you might be having a panic attack."

Erin shook her head. No. Something had to be wrong. It couldn't be her own inability to manage her emotions. "I'm here, babe," Jay said again, running his thumb across her cheek, "Just like you did with me, right? Deep breath."

"I can't breathe," she managed, "I can't."

"An asthma flare up can lead to a panic attack," Will said, glancing over to the doctor, who nodded in agreement, "If you've been having trouble breathing over the last few days, it could be the reason for why it's so hard right now." He gave his brother an apologetic look. "I know Jay's pretty militant about dusting, but I might have missed that part."

"It's going to be okay," Jay promised, placing one of his hands gently on Erin's sternum, "What if we try your inhaler, babe? See if that helps? Is it in your bag?"

"Noodle's is," Erin choked out, "I…I left mine at home."

"That'll do for now," Will said, reaching for Erin's bag after a nod of approval from Dr. Hsu, "Let's try it and see if it helps, alright?" He handed the smaller inhaler to Jay, who immediately lifted it to Erin's lips.

"Just like we do with Pipes," he whispered, "One breath. That's all it is."

Erin took the inhaler and rested her head back against Jay's, grappling for one of his hands. He was helping. His words were helping. As much as she didn't want to, she needed him.

"Good," he praised, pressing his lips to her cheek, nose and forehead, "So good, babe. Is that better?" Jay smiled when she gave a small nod, oxygen reaching her lungs properly for the first time in what felt like days.

"An asthma flare up might explain some of the pain you've been experiencing," Dr. Hsu said, gesturing to the base of her lungs, "We can run some additional tests to be sure and get you set up with another inhaler too."

"Babe?"

Jay stroked Erin's hair back gently. "Hi," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her temple. He was seated on a chair beside the exam table where Erin was still lying. A nurse had come in to draw blood while he continued to stay close to his girl, his nose at her ear. "I'm here. How are you feeling?"

"Like an idiot," she mumbled tiredly, "Fucking panic attack."

"Stealing my thunder," he joked, running his thumb over her cheek. He paused when Erin snorted. "Sorry."

She shook her head, bringing one hand to her face. "I thought at least one of us would have our shit together," she griped, "How come it's our ten year old?"

He chuckled and kissed her temple again. "You're carrying twins, Er. Two whole human beings, right in there. You're putting me back together and holding our little bug above water. It's been a stressful few weeks. It's not your fault."

"I've been begging you to take care of yourself," she whispered shamefully, "But I keep finding out how much I depend on you and I…I can't even take care of myself. I've had asthma for so long. I know when I don't use the inhaler it escalates and this time it could have risked the boys-"

"Don't even go there," Jay cautioned, "For me, okay? For all of us." He rubbed the hand he was holding carefully. "The boys are totally fine. You are going to be fine. I'm getting there, and Piper is absolutely amazing. She was crushing it. Giving Kenny's lawyer some serious Lindsay sass."

Erin sniffed. "I think you should go back there," she whispered, giving his hand a careful squeeze. "She needs you. I know…I know I needed you. And I do need you. But right now, I'm okay. And that means you should be there for our little bug." She managed a small smile. "We always need you, babe."

Jay kissed her head for what felt like the twentieth time since he entered the doctor's office. "My girls," he breathed, "I love you."

"Can you just…can you come home with her?" Erin croaked, "I need…I need to see you two. Together. Please?"

He nodded. "I got to hug her," he whispered proudly, "Right before I went up. She helped. She's just like you, babe."

Erin managed a watery smile. "I'm so proud of you," she managed, running her fingers down his chin, "I don't…I don't want to do this without you, okay?"

Jay nodded again. "I'm here," he promised, "I'm almost there. I can feel it. I just don't want to risk anything, especially you and our kids." He kissed her cheek. "And I am so proud of you. For all you're sacrificing for our family. You amaze me more and more each day."

She sniffed again, feeling Jay's warm breath against her neck. Just being close was drastically helping her heart rate slow to a more manageable level. "We're a good team," she breathed, "Guess the universe had a plan in partnering us up."

He kissed her nose carefully. For the first time in weeks, he was optimistic. His girls loved him. They needed him. They felt safe with him. Despite knowing they did, Jay felt it. And it was exactly what he needed. "Mm-hm. We're gonna be okay. I know it."

Jay hustled down the hallway toward the court room, hoping that he hadn't completely wrecked everything with his exit. When he had left, Piper was handling the cross examination better than most adults he'd seen testify, but he hadn't received any update from Hank or Hailey while at the doctor with Erin.

It was only Erin's insistence that convinced him to go. Jay didn't feel great about leaving her, but he had his brother's word that Erin would be taken care of, and that he would get a call if he needed to return. Thankfully, Erin was faring much better. They were still waiting on the results of the liver panel and blood work, but his girl was feeling much more like herself (or as much as she could with two Halsteads stepping on her bladder).

He felt his heart sink when he slowed to a stop outside the open court room door. It wasn't full in the slightest, and the judge was gone. Had he missed the rest of court?

Jay spun around before catching sight of his sergeant coming from across the room. "What happened?" Jay spluttered, gesturing into the empty court room, "Where is she? Did they take her?"

"No, no," Hank said quickly, putting a hand on his detective's shoulder, "Judge ended up issuing a recess like a minute after you stepped out. Upton got permission to take her on a walk around the building so she didn't feel trapped in the room. Should be back any second. You didn't miss anything, Jay."

Jay nodded, exhaling heavily. He hadn't missed much. Maybe the universe was on his side. "Will's with Erin," Jay replied, doing his best to steady his own breath, "Doc thinks it was a panic attack. She's…she's been under so much stress and her asthma might have flared that can cause-"

"Panic attacks," Hank supplied, nodding in understanding, "I didn't think of it before, but a few times when the weather turned, Camille would run into her room at all hours to calm her down." He grimaced at the memory. "Not being able to breathe properly doesn't help stress at all."

"She can't catch a break," Jay muttered, rubbing his forehead with his fingertips, "Honestly, part of me was hoping that Will's call meant the boys were coming so it would get easier but-" He stopped when he caught sight of his partner down the hallway, hand in hand with his baby girl.

"Daddy!"

Jay crouched down and held his arms open as Piper raced down the hallway to barrel into his chest. She skidded to a stop, just before diving into his arms. "It's okay," he promised, offering a smile, "I'm getting better. Stitches come out in a few days, but you won't hurt me."

Piper melted into him, burying her face in his collarbone. "You came back," she whispered, relaxing slightly. Just being close to her daddy was helping. She was feeling so much better now that he was back. "I got worried."

"I promised that I would always come back for you," Jay murmured, pressing his lips to the top of her head, "And I'm trying to be better about keeping my promises to you."

The little girl lifted her head. "Daddy," she said softly, "You keep the most important ones." She offered a small smile. "You said that you were gonna keep me safe. And I'm always safe with you."

Jay managed a small nod. "I love you," he managed, kissing her forehead gently, "I don't…I don't even have the words to tell you how much I love you, Pipes."

Piper held closely, nestling in against his shoulder. "I love you too," she replied, gripping the lapels of his blazer in her small fist. Her daddy was back. She could feel it. He was different from even a day before. The man she was hugging was so much more like her daddy normally was. "Are you…are you gonna stay?"

"I'll be here the whole time," Jay promised, kissing her forehead again, "I don't think I'll have to leave again."

"I got worried when you got up," Piper whispered, "But then the judge said it was recess. But it wasn't like real recess, because at school we get to go outside. I had to go back to that room with Hailey."

Jay swallowed. He wasn't sure how much Erin would want him to divulge to their little girl, especially since he knew just how much guilt Erin was carrying, but he also wanted to be honest with Piper. "Mommy needed me for a little bit," he replied, stroking her cheek gently with his thumb. "She and the boys are okay, but that's where I had to go."

"Are they coming?" she asked, her eyes wide, "The boys?"

He grimaced. "We're not sure yet-"

"Daddy," Piper said urgently, pulling back from his arms, "You have to go. You have to be there when the boys come. That's the most important. You can't miss it." She shook her head when Jay opened his mouth. "In that book, it says that mommies need support in there, and that's you. You have to be there."

"I will be," Jay said, finding his voice. His little girl was so protective of Erin. "I will be there, kiddo. That's a promise I made to Mommy. I'm going to be right by her side, the whole time. But the boys aren't coming yet. We're a little unsure of exactly when they're coming since it's been difficult on Mommy's body, but when the time comes, I will be there." He forced a smile. "Right now, my priority is being here for you."

"Mommy's gotta be your priority," she insisted, "Her and the boys."

Jay paused. He wasn't exactly sure how to approach prioritization of his attention with a ten year old child who had been neglected most of her life. His daughter's insistence had alarm bells going off in his head. The last thing he wanted was for Piper to think she was less important than her brothers.

"Pipes," he said carefully, placing his finger beneath her chin so she could meet his gaze, "You and Mommy and the boys are my top priorities. I can have more than one." He ran his thumb across her cheek. "You are all so, so important to me. And right now, Mommy and I decided that I should be here, with you. I want to be with Mommy. I know you do too, right? But there are times when we can't be in both places. And Mommy and I, we make those decisions as a team. So she knows that I'm here with you, while she takes care of herself and the boys." Jay managed a more genuine smile. "I don't want you to ever think that you're not important to me and Mommy, okay? You're our kid, just as much as the boys."

The little girl searched his eyes, as if she was trying to discern if there was something he wasn't saying. "But what happens when Mommy needs you? Or…or the boys?" Piper sniffed. "It's not fair to you to keep having to worry about me."

Jay shook his head. "I love that I get to worry about you," he whispered, stroking her cheek again, "Because that's what parents do. They worry about their kids. You're on my mind all the time, baby girl. Every minute of every day since the moment we met. And with Mommy and the boys, that just means I get to think about the people I love most in the world every single second. And I love that." He leaned forward to kiss her head.

"We need you a lot," Piper murmured, settling in close again, "We're trying to be brave but I just want you to come home."

"I know," he replied, his voice thick, "I'm getting there, I promise. Part of me getting better is…is prioritizing myself too. And making sure that my head and heart are okay so I can be there for you and Mommy and the boys. But I promise I'm coming home."

Jay swallowed when felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

Liver panel came back clear, blood test was good. I get a new inhaler and can go back to modified bed rest.

Will's bringing me home. I love you.

And then, Jay let out a breath. "Mommy got good news from the doctor," he whispered into Piper's hair, "It's going to be okay, kiddo. The boys are going to be in Mommy for a little bit longer."

Piper pulled back and looked up at Jay, her brow wrinkled. "But I want them to come out," she said, "They're hurting Mommy."

Jay froze again.

He had an understanding about childbearing and pregnancy and risks and potential complications from literature and documentaries and conversations with his partner. Deciding to build their family was a decision that they came to together, but was ultimately driven by Erin because he never, ever wanted to push her to do something she wasn't comfortable with.

But Piper hadn't been a part of that decision. She didn't know about the risks and complications that came with growing a family – all she knew was that her Mommy had been sick and put through the ringer by her unborn brothers.

"I know," he replied slowly, "But, um, it happens, sometimes, when mommies are carrying babies. Especially when there are more than one, like what Mommy is doing with the boys. It's difficult, but the longer the boys get to grow, the stronger they'll be." He stroked some of her hair back. "It's hard to understand, I know. But it's a balance. Because we want the boys to be healthy, but we also want to take care of Mommy. But we're talking to the doctors and Will, and they'll tell us when it's time for the boys to come."

Piper let out a sigh. "She's so tired," she explained, "I just want it to get better for her."

"Me too," he whispered, "And you are helping her so much. So much, kiddo. It's going to get better soon though."

She nodded and glanced around the hallway as people shuffled through the double doors into the courtroom. "Is recess over?" she asked sadly, "I gotta go up again?"

Jay looked over his shoulder, having forgotten that he was still in a federal courthouse, holding his little girl in a bustling hallway. Everything around him had faded away as he focused on Piper and rebuilding the connection they both so desperately needed. "I think so," he said, "But I'm going to be in there with you. And Hailey, and Hank. You're safe. And you did such a good job. All you have to do is keep telling the truth."

"The lawyer for Kenny kept trying to get me to lie," Piper said flatly, "It was irritating me."

A smile formed on his lips. His little bug had such a big vocabulary. "She is pretty irritating, isn't she? You did a good job keeping your cool up there. If you get worried or anything, just look for me, okay?"

Piper let out a breath as she sat in the chair beside the judge. She was feeling much better. Her daddy was back. Her mommy was okay. Soon, she would get to go home.

"What can you tell me about your relationship with Barbara Fletcher?" the lawyer asked after the formal reintroductions were made, "Your biological mother."

She looked over at Mr. Park in confusion. Piper could tell it was a bad question. Thankfully, Mr. Park did too, because he stood and complained to the judge.

"Narrow your question, Ms. Gregson," the judge advised, offering a gentle smile to Piper, "And make it quick."

"When did you first meet Barbara Fletcher?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest.

Piper was confused again. She had already told the other lawyer that she met Bunny last summer. But maybe the lawyer didn't understand. "She's my biological mother," Piper stated, "So I met her when I came out of her. Before she abandoned me."

Jay swallowed a snort. His little girl was incredible. Even the judge seemed amused.

"So you don't remember seeing her until last year?"

"That's what I said before," Piper said, "I never met Bunny until last year, when she tried to take me away from my mommy and daddy."

Paula Gregson raised her eyebrows. "And who are you referring to when you say your mommy and daddy?"

Piper wrinkled her brow. "Erin is my mommy," she said firmly, "And Jay is my daddy. They are my parents. And I got adopted, but they were my parents before that too. I didn't have real parents before them."

She nodded slowly, shuffling a few papers. "Jay Halstead?"

The little girl looked desperately at Jay, unsure of how to proceed. She was tired, and she wanted to go home to see her mommy, not spend her day answering questions over and over. "Yes," she said finally when Jay gave her a reassuring nod, "Jay Halstead is my daddy." Piper offered a small smile. "And he's a really good daddy."

A smile spread across Jay's lips. He really couldn't love his baby girl more if he tried.

"I'd like to ask you a few questions about-"

"Ms. Gregson is fishing, your honor," Park said, standing from his seat behind the table, "There is clearly nothing of substance here, and the child has provided enough testimony for the district to move forward."

Jay let out a breath when the judge banged the gavel.

They were done.

"She's totally out," Hailey whispered, gesturing to the little girl asleep beside her in the backseat of Hank's car, "Big day for her."

Jay nodded and stretched slightly. Piper had barreled into his legs the moment the bailiff released her from the stand. She held tightly to his hand as they exited the court house into the frigid Chicago winter, cool air filling his lungs. They were heading home, together.

His sweet little bug didn't want to break contact with her daddy, but the minute Hank pulled out of the court parking lot, Piper's eyelids drooped. The drive back to their house wasn't far, but she quickly fell asleep, exhaustion and adrenaline catching up with her.

"I can take her," he determined, unbuckling his seatbelt when Hank pulled into the driveway of the home he'd been dreaming about returning to for over a week. "She's not heavy."

"You do still have stitches in your back," Hailey cautioned, issuing a pointed look to her partner. "What did your brother say about not being a cowboy?"

Jay rolled his eyes and carefully lifted the slack child into his arms, his heart practically bursting when she let out a content breath. "I gather you've fully traded up Halstead loyalty," he quipped, "Didn't realize you'd take his side so quickly."

"Ha," she snorted, closing the car door behind him, "Good to know you haven't changed that much."

He pressed his lips to Piper's forehead, her warm little body filling him to the brim. She was so precious. Carrying her up to their house felt like another step toward normalcy.

Tears welled in Erin's eyes when she saw her partner, her fiancé, her other half, entering their home with their baby in his arms. Jay hadn't been able to make that level contact in days. "Hi," she rasped, holding out her hand from her spot on the couch, "C'mere, babe."

Jay smiled and then paused, glancing around their house in confusion.

He completely forgot that Christmas was a few weeks away.

There was a tree in the corner of their living room, sparkling with lights and ornaments. The holiday decorations that had come from his mom were sprinkled throughout the house, and there were already a few gifts beneath the Christmas tree. "How…how'd you do all this?" he whispered, slowly approaching the couch, still taking in all the décor in wonder.

"I didn't," Erin replied quickly, "The elves did." She gestured with her head to Will, who was standing in the kitchen, whisking what appeared to be some type of batter. "A big elf named Ruzek, apparently. With strategic direction from Kim."

His smile widened. They really did have an incredible support system. Jay kissed Piper's forehead again before taking a careful seat beside Erin on the couch. "How are you feeling?" he asked, leaning over to kiss her temple, "Any pain?"

She shook her head and settled into his side, running her fingers over her snoozing baby's head. "The best I've felt in weeks," she murmured, exhaling softly, "She okay?"

"She was beyond incredible," he gushed, "Really babe. I'm not just saying that because she's our kid. Better than most adults I've seen on the stand." He gave the child another forehead kiss for good measure. "I know we've joked about her becoming a detective, but I think she'd make an excellent lawyer."

Erin just shook her head. "She's not growing up," she replied, rubbing Piper's back gently, "Not if I have anything to say about it. We've got nine years of snuggles to make up for." She smiled when Piper shifted before settling against Jay's chest in exhaustion. "How'd we get so lucky?"

Piper's eyes fluttered open lazily. "Mommy?" she mumbled sleepily, "You okay?"

"Hi, sweet girl," Erin said, brushing her fingertips over her baby's cheek, "I'm okay. The boys are good too. I am just so happy to see you and Daddy." She smiled when she caught Jay's gaze. "And I'm so proud of you both."

Piper offered a tired smile and reached a hand to rest on Erin's tummy. "The boys gotta stay in there for longer?"

She nodded, rubbing her bump gently. "A few more weeks, we think," Erin replied, "But then we'll get to meet them." She felt Jay's lips against her eyebrow as she watched her baby's eyelids droop again. Piper was exhausted, and Jay's presence was allowing her to relax in ways she hadn't in weeks.

It was exactly what she needed.

Her little girl was resting against her shoulder while also cuddled in her partner's lap. Piper's little hand was on her belly, Jay's lips at the top of her head, his steady pulse against her ear.

It was everything.

And it had been over two weeks since she felt moderately okay.

"I love you," Erin mumbled after a few minutes, resting her head heavily against his shoulder, "Thank you. For staying."

Jay kissed her temple gently before dropping a kiss on Piper's head as well. "I love you both more than anything," he rasped, "I can't thank you enough for being patient with me." He swallowed. "I'm coming home as soon as I can."

Good stuff to come :)