I cannot believe people would be interested in another full chapter installment! I am seriously so shocked that y'all have stuck with me for so long. I have a lot to think through and plan for. It really means a lot to hear you are interested and comments from you is the main reason I'm still going, so thank you!

I got a few requests for hormonal Erin since there's been a lot of Jay drama in this installment ...so trying my hand at some of that.

"Are you Mama's baby girl? Yes you are. Yes you are." Erin beamed as she tickled her baby girl's tummy, earning a squeal of delight. "You are the cutest and sweetest little girl there is. And I love you. I do. I love you."

Erin's eyes opened slowly. At first, she wasn't sure what had woken her up. She was having a good dream – a baby Noodle dream. They always made her heart ache to know that she'd missed those years, but they also filled her with even more love than she thought possible. Her little girl was incredible, and she was hers. Erin instinctively brought her hand to her belly and let out a soft breath. The boys were totally fine. It wasn't them that woke her up.

She squinted, the darkness of their bedroom making it difficult to see anything. It was the middle of the night, and she had brought Piper to bed with them. Well, Jay did. After carrying their little bug upstairs to brush her teeth, her partner carried the sleepy child into their bedroom. Piper promptly fell asleep again, tucked right into her daddy's side.

Jay drifted off soon after Piper, flat on his back with his arm keeping their baby close. He hadn't even realized that it was the first night in weeks that Piper had gone to bed with them. Erin fell asleep with a smile on her face. Watching her baby girl and her partner rekindle their relationship warmed every inch of her heart. They were getting back to normal.

But unfortunately, part of that normal was Piper's nightmares. Her baby was whimpering, shifting ever so slightly in her sleep as whatever dream she was having caused her sweet features to pinch in distress. That's what had woken her up. "Mama," she mumbled, shaking her head, "Mama, don't go."

"Shh," Erin whispered, reaching a hand over to stroke Piper's cheek, "Shh, baby girl. Everything's okay." Her heart clenched when a pitiful whine escaped from the child's lips. "Shh, Noodle bug. I'm here."

Despite the fact that she was already running hot due to the growing Halsteads on her torso, Erin shuffled closer to her little girl. "I'm here," she repeated, running her fingertips down her cheeks and across the child's parted lips, "Mama's here, baby. You're okay."

Erin glanced over to her partner, who remained fast asleep on his back, one hand now on his chest as it gently rose and fell with each breath. She was glad he was sleeping through it – Jay needed deep sleep, and she was fairly confident he didn't get it near enough, even though he was getting better.

"Missy."

Her heart nearly stopped.

The plea for Missy meant that Piper probably wasn't dreaming about her current life.

She was likely dreaming about her other life. The life before Jay, and before Erin. The life that Bunny signed her up for, the life where Piper had no say in where she went or what she did or who she lived with. It was a life of heartbreak and pain – the kind of life no parent ever wants for their child.

Erin knew from their visit to the Chase's house months prior that growing up, Piper had a stuffed puppy named Missy. It was coincidentally the same stuffed puppy that Jay had as a little boy – all because Joanna Halstead made toys for the babies that were in the NICU. Piper had received the puppy when she was born but was forced to leave it at the Chase's when she was removed from their home.

Seeing the family that she used to live with unlocked something deep in Piper's brain and was causing her a nightmare. Erin bit her lip, trying to maintain her composure. She didn't want to cry over the fact that her baby had called someone else Mama. Erin was Piper's mama now. Allison Chase had stepped in to show Piper what a mother was supposed to be, and was one of the few positive female adults her little girl knew growing up.

"Shh, baby," Erin tried again, clearing her throat slightly, "It's okay, Noodle." She continued to stroke the little girl's cheek, half hoping that she would wake up. Erin was fairly certain the motion would wake Jay as well, but she knew that he wouldn't want their child to suffer longer than she already had been.

Piper's eyes snapped open and she hastily looked around, unsure of where she was. "You're home, with me and Jay," Erin said quickly. She swallowed. She had been referring to Jay as Daddy consistently for the past few weeks. Calling him by his name to their daughter now felt unnatural and…weird.

"Mommy," Piper choked out, immediately crumbling into Erin's open arms.

"Shh," she whispered into Piper's hair, "You're home, sweet girl. Daddy and I are here."

"You're my mommy," the little girl managed, her voice muffled into Erin's neck, "Just want you."

Erin pressed a kiss to the top of her baby girl's head as Piper snuggled closely, well within her personal space. Her little bug had remained at her side throughout the night and when Erin stirred in the early hours of the morning, she found herself holding the child against her. Even in her sleep, she wanted her baby close.

"Best way to wake up," Jay murmured, offering Erin a tired smile, "Probably the cutest thing I've ever seen."

She gently ran her fingers through Piper's hair, marveling at just how young she appeared. "She's the gift that keeps on giving," she whispered, "I swear, I never thought I would get this with her." Erin swallowed the lump in her throat. "Even…even a year ago. I was working so much. She was having all those nightmares that we didn't know about yet. And now…now she knows she can come get us when she's scared and she cuddles like a baby."

Jay nodded, rolling onto his side to press a kiss to the back of Piper's head. He reached over his little girl to rest his hand on Erin's tummy. "Three kids," he mused, "And they're all perfect."

"Beyond perfect," she replied, kissing Piper's forehead again, "My snuggly little Noodle. I don't think I could love her harder if I tried." Erin lifted her gaze to meet Jay's. "Are normal parents this obsessed with their kids?"

He chuckled softly. "Good parents," he said, rubbing her belly gently, "All kids should get to know how loved they are."

Piper's eyes opened slowly. "'m I too close?" she mumbled, reaching up to rub her eyes sleepily, "I got cold last night."

Erin shook her head quickly. "You're perfect," she said, kissing Piper's nose gently, "I needed cuddles from my favorite kid." She smiled when Piper's lips lifted. "Did you sleep okay?"

The little girl let out a soft breath. "I had a dream that I had to leave here," she whispered, "Like the time I had to leave Mrs. Allison's. But then I woke up and you were both here."

Jay felt his heart clench. "You're our kid," he said softly, leaning down to kiss the top of her head, "You're not leaving." He looked up to meet Erin's watery gaze. "And we love you."

"I love getting to be your and Mommy's kid," Piper told him, settling even closer against Erin, "I love you a whole lot."

"You want help downstairs before I take Pipes to school?" Jay asked, poking his head into their bedroom. He wrinkled his brow when he realized Erin was still seated on the bed, in pretty much the same position he'd left her in earlier, save for the change of clothes. "Is everything okay?"

"I'm so hot," she complained, grunting slightly, "Can we open a window?"

Jay frowned. "It's less than zero out there," he said, gesturing to the window, "Wind chill brings it even lower. Might not be good for your lungs, babe."

Erin grunted again and shifted, her whole body protesting at the movement. "Ugh," she groaned, pressing her hands onto her pelvis, "Ow guys, stop."

"You want to get back into bed?" Jay suggested carefully, taking a step forward toward his fiancé, "Or maybe a bath?"

"I'm too hot," Erin said, shaking her head, "Noodle's awake, anyway. She shouldn't be downstairs alone." She blew out a breath and held out her hand, "Can you help me up, please?"

Jay gently helped Erin to her feet. "Hi boys," he murmured, sinking down to press a kiss to her swollen belly, "Are you causing trouble for Mommy this morning?"

"Ow," she said, recoiling slightly when she felt a kick, "That's your brother, bud. Stop it. They woke up and both chose violence this morning." Erin tilted her head back when Jay rested his hands on her hips, pressing his fingers softly into her aching back. "Oh my God, babe."

"Is it helping?" he asked, continuing a gentle massage, "How about a back rub?"

"Mm," Erin moaned, nodding her head in appreciation, "But you've got work and Noodle's got school."

"I'll sign her in late," Jay said, shrugging his shoulders as he carefully kneaded his fingers into Erin's sore hips, "And I'll text Hailey that I'm running late. Nobody's waiting for me while I'm at the desk." He brought his hands to the small of her back. "I'm going to sit you back down, alright?"

Jay eased Erin onto the bed carefully and grimaced when her phone buzzed. "Argh," she groaned, "It's too early to be accosted by emails."

"I know you said you wanted to keep working since you can do it from home," Jay said, gently running his hands across her back as Erin reached for her cell, "But if you want-"

"It's not work," she said, scrolling through her email. Erin paused. "It's an email from the school reminding parents to keep kids home when they're sick," she reported, "Apparently three kids have the stomach bug in Piper's class."

Jay knit his brow in concern. "She was good all night."

"I know, but our little bug doesn't have a great immune system," Erin said, dragging her fingers through her hair, "If three of the kids in her class have the flu, she's going to get it as well." She let out a heavy sigh. "She's finally eating consistently and mostly sleeping through the night. It's not going to be long before these two join us and her world gets turned upside down again."

"Pipes is good about washing her hands and all that," Jay promised, "I'll mention it on the drive to school too." He kissed the side of her head gently. "You told me not to stress about yesterday, so now I'm gonna tell you not to stress about today. It's going to be fine. It's Friday, so after I pick her up, that's two days of just our family. No work, no school. Just us and our kids."

Erin shook her head rapidly. "I have a bad feeling," she insisted, "It's not…it's not safe. I really think we should keep her home, babe." Erin placed her phone down on the bed beside her, "She doesn't need the stomach bug this close to the holiday."

Jay stifled a sigh. He understood Erin's apprehension, but he didn't want to deprive their little girl of a day at school, especially when she was doing well. "Er-"

"You okay, Mommy?"

He turned to see his little bug standing in the bedroom doorway, looking somewhat concerned as to why her mommy was still sitting on the bed instead of her usual spot downstairs. "Hey, kiddo," he greeted, "Just a few minutes, okay? I'm going to sign you into school, so it'll be alright if we're running late."

"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" Erin asked, holding out her hand to her little girl, "Your head okay?"

Piper nodded brightly. "We're doing more experiments in science today," she said, offering a smile as she rested her fingers on her mommy's belly, "We're going to mix acids. But not like the acid that can melt you."

Erin smoothed some of Piper's hair back and rested her palm on her little girl's forehead. "That sounds like fun," she mused, "Are you feeling sick at all?"

She shook her head. "I feel good," Piper promised, "I always sleep better in your bed." She gave another smile when she felt one of the boys kick. "I think he's hungry," she said knowingly, "And jealous that Daddy made me oatmeal."

Erin looked up at Jay worriedly. He furrowed his brow and brought his hand to Piper's forehead as well. "What?" Piper asked, looking to Erin and then to Jay, "What's wrong?"

Jay swallowed. He knew in his heart of hearts that Piper was fine, but he recognized the tell-tale signs of Erin spiraling, mostly because it had been his constant state for two weeks prior. "Nothing's wrong," he assured her, "We just got an email that some kids in your class had been getting sick, and we wanted to make sure you were feeling okay."

She wrinkled her nose. "Oh. Martin got sick in class yesterday. It was so gross." Piper grimaced. "But I don't sit next to him. And I always wash my hands."

Erin continued to stroke Piper's hair carefully. "If you're not feeling up to school today, we can keep you at home," Erin suggested as lightly as she could, "I know you were excited about the experiments but if you're not feeling good-"

"I don't feel bad," she said, "And…and I don't want to be a freak." Piper swallowed, "I got called that at my old school because I missed school all the time." She looked from Erin to Jay. "I just want to be normal."

Jay rubbed her arm gently. He just wanted his little girl to be normal too. He didn't want her to get picked on. He wanted her to learn and grow with kids her own age, and feel confident in school.

"We get that," he said, stroking her hair back, "We just want to keep you healthy, that's all." He kissed the top of her head. "But if you're feeling okay, we can plan on you going to school today."

Piper let out a breath of relief. "I feel good," she promised, offering a big smile, "I am going to brush my teeth. Bye Mommy, bye boys." She pressed a kiss to Erin's belly and scampered toward the door, leaving her parents in their bedroom.

Jay turned to Erin and immediately frowned. "What is it?"

"She's not going to school today," Erin insisted, shaking her head, "I don't know why you told her she could."

He raised his eyebrows and gestured up the door. "She's feeling totally fine. No fever or anything. There's no reason to keep her home."

"Are you serious?" Erin continued to shake her head, "School is a fucking petri dish, Jay. Noodle might be good about washing her hands and stuff but I know for a fact that most of those kids sneeze into their hands and touch everything. The last thing she needs is germs."

"Babe-"

"She's so little," Erin choked out, "She's…she's too little. If she gets sick again, we're going to undo all the progress we made this week and…and I'm not going to be able to help her." She brought a hand to her forehead. "I can't even bend over. Noodle's going to be feeling shitty and the only thing I'll be able to do is just sit here and watch and I can't do that."

Jay's gaze softened. "Er-"

"I got the flu right before Teddy," she whispered, "I was so young and I remember being so, so sick and being all alone and cold and…she's already going to feel like she's being left out when the boys come. I don't want it to start now."

"Hey, hey," he said, reaching forward to take her hand, "That's not happening with her. She's not going to be alone. Not when she's healthy, and especially not when she's sick. She's our kid, just as much as they are."

"The boys…they can't get sick either," Erin insisted, "If any of us gets sick, we can't risk it for them." She swallowed. "The other day, I pulled Noodle's medical records, from that file in the office. I know I shouldn't have gone upstairs alone, but I just had this feeling in my gut after I read the chapter on preemies and the NICU." Erin gripped his hand. "That hospital stay she had when she was living with that first family, the Andrews? She had RSV as an infant. It's why her lungs are so weak, probably why she got pneumonia earlier this year and why her getting sick is not an option. It just isn't."

Jay was quiet for a moment. He could see where Erin was coming from. The parenting books they'd both read talked about the importance of keeping newborns healthy, so he understood that his girl was concerned about any sort of illness entering their household.

And he also knew she was trying to protect their little girl.

With all the hormones and heightened emotions from the past few weeks, Erin was in overprotection overdrive. There was little she could control as is pertained to the stubborn Halsteads in her belly, so she was searching for something that she could actively try to manage – which happened to be Piper, and doing their best to keep Piper healthy.

"Her with pneumonia nearly broke me," Erin rasped, "When I couldn't hold her or pick her up or-" She shook her head. "I know it's the hormones and whatever bullshit but I can't deal with it right now. I can't."

"Okay," Jay soothed, cupping her cheek gently, "I hear you, babe. I do. I don't want her getting sick either. If you think keeping her home is best, we can do that. We'll talk to her."

"I-I don't know what the right call is," she whispered, "I don't want her sick but I also don't want the other kids to pick on her or ask questions." Erin swallowed and brought her fingers to her forehead again. "Ugh."

Jay paused before opening his mouth again. He knew he needed to tread lightly. "Do you want my thoughts?"

Erin gave a nod. "You're her dad," she rasped, "I…I always want your thoughts."

He took a breath. "I don't love the idea of sending her to school," he started, "But I also know that Pipes has missed a lot between this year and last. And if she's feeling good, I want her to get to experience what it's like to be a regular kid." He ran his thumb over her cheek. "I think she deserves that."

She nodded in agreement. "The books talk about this feeling when you send your kid to preschool," she managed, "When we first sent her to school…I didn't feel like this. But now, today…it feels like ripping my heart out. W-what the fuck is this?"

"Hormones," he murmured, leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead, "You're growing two humans, babe. It's your Mama instincts and your Lindsay protectiveness and all of it comin' together." Jay gave a sympathetic smile. "Dr. Kim, uh, he was telling me about some of this secondary trauma stuff. I mean, not that you and I don't have our own stuff…but seeing Pipes go through it can bring a lot of it to the surface." He continued to run his thumb back and forth across her cheek, chest aching at her watery hazels. "Our little bug's been through it. Before us, but also since she's been with us. She's been dealing with a lot, and her body's been through a lot too. And we're both a little scared of having to see her handle something else."

Erin nodded again. "It's not fair to her." She let out a breath. "But it's more unfair to prevent her from experiencing the normal stuff just because I have a bad feeling." She rubbed her bump carefully. "Maybe I love her too much."

"Not possible," Jay said, shaking his head, "I don't think either of us could love her too much. That kid deserves all the love in the world." He took a breath. "So what if we try school today, and if we need to pick her up early, I can do that. Then it's just us and the kids for the weekend."

"Okay, school today," Erin breathed, "But what if…what if we go to Wisconsin this weekend? Right after you pick Noodle up." Erin looked up at him hopefully. "That would be fun, right? I can sit in the hot tub while you and Noodle play in the snow. She'd love that. And you would too."

"I would," he agreed, stroking her cheek lightly, "But it's an hour to the nearest hospital with all the snow up there. No real doctors around for miles." He offered a small smile when her face fell. "As much as I'd love to get you in that hot tub, I don't think it would be fair to welcome our boys into the world on the freezing cold cabin floor."

Erin closed her eyes tilted her head back in aspiration. "At least it wouldn't be the sauna that is this house," she bemoaned, "I think they'd appreciate being born up there." Erin opened her eyes quickly. "What if we bring Will?"

"My brother?" Jay raised his eyebrows in confusion.

"Do we know another Will?" she asked, "I'm serious, babe. Let's get Will, we can sign Noodle out of school, and honestly, you should probably ask Hailey too. We can all go up-" Erin paused and bit her lip harshly. "Ow."

Jay crouched down in front of her, rubbing her leg carefully. "Where does it hurt, babe?"

Erin managed a shaky breath and shook her head. "It's not a contraction," she insisted, "Trust me, I googled last night. It's here." She pointed to the top of her belly. "Apparently both boys like to kick me in the same spot repeatedly, and it's really sore."

"I'm sorry," he murmured, running a careful hand over her bump, "Guys, what did we talk about? Gentle with Mommy, right?" He kissed her tummy. "C'mon, guys. Don't give the Halstead boys a bad rap."

Erin snorted. "So, Wisconsin?" she asked hopefully, "Hot tub and sledding and hiking?"

"I would if I could," Jay started, watching as Erin's face fell further. He hated that he couldn't bring his girls up to the cabin, but with Erin so pregnant, it really wasn't a good idea. Even if they brought Will and Hailey along for the ride, Jay wasn't sure asking his brother to join them just to deliver their babies in the event they made a surprise appearance was the right move. Plus, he wasn't cleared for the level of physical exertion that a good weekend in Wisconsin called for.

"But my lung function isn't there yet," he followed up, electing to blame himself for the reason to deny his girl the weekend away that she wanted, "I can't uh, do that stuff. With Pipes. I'm sorry, I would-"

Erin shook her head rapidly. "You're right. You're right. I wasn't even thinking about that." She swallowed. "Everything feels so normal I forget…I forget that you're still healing too." She stroked his cheek with her thumb. "And I also know you're blaming yourself while also saying no to dragging my pregnant ass up to the cabin." Erin rolled her eyes when Jay opened his mouth to refute. "Relax, Halstead. I'm not mad about it. I get it. And I love you." Erin pulled him closer gently to kiss his lips.

"I love you," he replied, "And I'd love to stay here with you all day but Pipes is late already-"

"Go, go," Erin insisted, "I'll just hang out up here for the morning, til one of your minions comes to check on me." She rolled her eyes again. "Jay, there is literally a parade of people that stop by this place during the day. I'm never alone."

"You are never alone," he promised, leaning down to kiss her lips once more. "You've got a whole group of people who have your back, babe. I'll come by after I make a pit stop at the district to check in, sound good?"

"Remind her to wash her hands," Erin called after him, "And tell her to stay away from any kid who looks green."

Jay honestly couldn't believe the sight in front of him.

If someone had told him that three years ago, one day he'd be living in a house with his pregnant fiancé, a little girl and two baby Halsteads on the way…he might have been able to believe it. It would have been a stretch, but Jay always saw a future with Erin.

What he didn't envision, however, was his boss, who also was his future father-in-law, sitting on the couch with a children's book in one hand, reading aloud to his little girl, complete with animal voices and exaggerated hand motions on a Friday night.

Erin was equally as amused as he was, seated at the other end of the couch with one hand on her baby bump. Jay was determined to clean up the kitchen after dinner, but he kept getting distracted by the sweet giggles his daughter was emitting at his boss's antics.

It was weird.

But it was also incredible.

It was a completely different season of life. Years prior, his boss was just that – his boss. Hank was the sergeant who seldom did things by the book, who bent the rules (and broke the rules) to get his own version of justice. Jay did his best to take the good and leave the bad from Voight's teaching – and by and large, he felt like he was able to. He learned a lot in Intelligence and he was still learning, but he was also more confident in who he was as a cop.

Or, he had been more confident.

Jay was finding his footing again. The therapy (both physical and mental) and meetings and desk duty were all helping. He was well on his way back, as evident by the way he'd been able to talk Erin down from the ledge earlier that morning and just by how much more himself he was feeling. The weeks of feeling inadequate in his role as Piper's father and Erin's partner felt like they were behind him, and there was a new season approaching.

A season that included two baby boy Halsteads.

It wasn't to say the previous seasons hadn't been incredible. Meeting Piper and welcoming her into his home, Erin returning to Chicago and rekindling their romance and relationship, finding their way as a brand new little family unit amidst new jobs and school and drama…Jay wouldn't have changed a thing. Except for maybe the whole getting stabbed bit.

Either way, the look on his fiancé's face was absolutely everything. Erin was relaxed and at peace while she watched in amusement as her father figure read a book about Christmas to their little girl. He could have sworn that he saw tears periodically springing to her eyes whenever Piper giggled. Their little bug's laugh was like magic.

"Can you read another one?" Piper asked excitedly after Hank closed the book, "You're so good at it."

Hank chuckled and glanced at Erin who offered a knowing smile. "I can't say no to that, can I?" He beamed when Piper shook her head playfully. "Alrighty, what story next, Peanut?"

"The Grinch," she said, passing the older man a copy of a book Will had purchased last year. The year before, they all went a little overboard on the holiday season. Piper had never really experienced a Christmas, and they all wanted it to be special for her. At that time, the child was still adjusting to their new life after three months in their home and about six months of knowing Jay.

But this year, Piper was excited.

And Erin and Jay were over the moon. Their little bug still hadn't realized that other kids her age actually put in requests for Christmas gifts, so Erin had been ordering anything she could think of online to place under the tree. Jay was fairly confident that Piper would be somewhat overwhelmed with all the gifts, but they wanted her to feel special.

"The Grinch?" Hank accepted the book from the little girl. "Oh, I remember this one. I used to read it to Justin."

"He used to call you the Grinch," Erin informed him, rolling her eyes when Hank looked at her in surprise. "You cannot be shocked by that."

"I do not look like that," Hank replied, pointing to the character on the front of the book, "I don't even have a dog."

Piper's eyes widened when she looked at the book and then to Hank. "It's 'cause you're a little grumpy," she said knowingly, "And because your heart grew when you met Mommy."

Jay nearly choked trying to suppress a laugh. His little girl was spot on. "Grumpy?" Hank asked, pretending to be shocked, "You think I'm grumpy, Peanut?"

A coy smile spread on Piper's lips and she gave a small nod. "You try not to be grumpy when I'm around," she said, "And you're less grumpy now. But you're still a little bit."

"I think you're too much like Erin," Hank determined, "I thought your dad was a good influence, but clearly not enough." He offered a chuckle when Erin's jaw dropped indignantly and earned a wide grin from Piper.

"You're on Jay's side now?" Erin shook her head, "When did that happen?"

"I thought you wanted Hank to like me," Jay said, taking a bite of leftovers he was putting into the fridge, "Now you don't?"

Erin rolled her gaze when Hank smiled in amusement. "Not more than me," she said with a huff, wrinkling her nose when he ruffled her hair affectionately. "I had to convince you to like Jay, if I recall correctly."

"If I recall correctly, I hired him without your approval," Hank retorted, "I know a good match when I see one."

Some more sweetness on the way before the boys come! Let me know what you think!