Part 2 of Erin & her boys because I just couldn't stop ha
It was approaching midnight by the time Jay got Erin ready for bed and snuggled in. Her initial loopyness was replaced with overwhelming lethargy as Jay helped her get changed into clean pajamas to accompany her freshly washed hair. Her demeanor was akin to a young child as the drugs coursed through her system, allowing a relief from excruciating pain and the monsters in her head. "I smell good," she mumbled, dropping her hand in her lap after Jay got one of his t shirts over her head, "I smell like me."
"You do," Jay confirmed, using one hand to keep her upright so she didn't fold against the bed like a rag doll, "You're nice and clean, and you're all sleepy and ready for a good night's rest."
"I'm not going to bed," Erin replied, wrinkling her nose, "I-I wanna stay up with my boys."
"I know you do, but it's better for your stomach if you're laying down." He leaned down and placed a kiss on her damp head, "And it's almost midnight, and you're exhausted."
Erin's lower lip trembled as Jay spoke. "Do you feel sick again?" he asked, sinking down to meet her watery eyes, "Are you dizzy?"
She shook her head, the tears leaking out of the corners of her eyes and trickling down her cheeks. "I-I don't want to close my eyes," she managed, sniffing loudly as Jay carefully wiped her cheek with the pad of his thumb, "My dreams have been really bad and I don't like it and I-I like it better when I can see my boys." Erin swallowed a sob and Jay's eyes softened at her admission, "You make me feel safe."
"Oh, babe," Jay brought her into his embrace and gently stroked the back of her head as she settled into his shoulder, "The past few days have been really rough, and I'm so sorry. I don't know about Hank and Will, but I'll come lay with you, alright? You won't be alone, and I'll be there to keep you safe."
"You're gonna take away the demons in my head?" she asked tearfully, tears still trailing steadily down her cheeks, "And keep me safe?"
"I won't leave your side," Jay promised, lightly scratching her scalp with his fingers, "I'll be next to you all night, and if you have a nightmare, I'll be right there to pull you out, okay?"
Erin sniffed and nodded. "C-can you get Hank and Will?"
"Sure," Jay replied, "I'm just going to go into the living room to grab them, but I'll be right back. Can I help you lie down for now?"
She nodded again, and Jay gently tucked his girl into bed, mindful of her newly stitched stomach and aching body. "I'll be right back, sound good babe?"
"She alright?" Hank asked, moving his gaze from the after-game commentary to Jay as he emerged from the bedroom, appearing absolutely drained.
He nodded and rubbed his face with one hand. "She's exhausted and fighting sleep, but all things considered, she's okay. Thank you, both, for being here so late, I know it's not exactly what you envisioned for your Monday night, but uh, I really appreciate you being here. And Erin does too."
"Happy to, brother," Will gave a smile, "Really."
"You're good to her, kid," Hank replied, "She's lucky to have you."
Jay managed a small smile in return. "If you don't mind, I think she wants to say good night. I've got her in bed finally, but-"
Hank and Will stood immediately, "Remember, Jay, she's probably going to be in some pretty serious discomfort tomorrow morning. I'm going to pick up her meds as early as I can and I'll run them over, but in case she's up early, she might need a dose of the other prescription."
"Got it," Jay nodded gratefully, "Those were really messing with her stomach."
"And as much as you can get her to eat, that's important. Same goes for taking the cough meds." Will reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone, "I did some additional research this evening and texted you a list of things that might not mix well with the meds she's been taking. I know you're doing everything you can, but I know she wants to avoid the hospital and if she rips her stitches again we'll probably need to admit her to avoid an infection."
Jay nodded again, "I know they were worried about that when she was discharged."
"Her stitches looked okay to me this evening, but just given everything you'll want to keep an eye out. If she spikes a fever or the cough gets worse, bring her in as soon as possible. Also you should bring her in if she's not sleeping or starts vomiting again, even if you think it could be the pain meds."
Jay blew out a breath and nodded. "I think she's afraid to sleep because of the nightmares. She was talking about demons in her head earlier."
"Poor thing," Hank mused, glancing toward the bedroom where his daughter was, "Tonight reminded me of when Camille took her to the dentist for the first time. She had to have teeth pulled, root canal, the whole nine yards, so they put her under. And when she came home, she was just like she was tonight. Didn't want to leave Camille's side."
Erin laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling as the shadows danced across. She knew that she was home, and that she was safe with Jay and Hank, the soft murmurs of their hushed tones reaching her ears from the other room. The last thing she wanted was another traumatic and triggering nightmare.
Suddenly, the soft voices stopped and Erin was overcome with a sense of panic. Was Jay leaving? Why hadn't he come back yet? Anxiety rose in her throat and constricted her airways, and her lungs burned at the immediate lack of oxygen.
She scrambled back on the bed and tossed the sheets aside, shivering as the cool apartment floor touched her bare feet. She felt like a toddler as she shuffled across the room in distress, her legs feeling shackled to weights while also like jello. "Jay, Jay, Jay," she whimpered, stumbling toward the living room.
"Woah, woah," Jay immediately hurried back toward the entrance of their bedroom where his girl was emerging, panic in her glassy eyes as she hiccupped.
Erin faltered on shuddery legs, her feet feeling too big for her body as she toppled into Jay's waiting arms. "I'm not going anywhere, babe, remember?" Jay brushed the damp hair off her forehead as she sagged against him in exhaustion, overwhelmed by the panic and relief. Jay glanced up at his sergeant and brother worriedly as Erin continued to wheeze against him. "I'm right here, we were all on our way to see you."
"I-I thought you guys were leaving," Erin wept into Jay's shirt. She tearfully made eye contact with Will and Hank, whose gazes immediately went from worry to guilt.
"Not without saying goodbye first," Hank assured her, reaching out to stroke his daughter's wet hair, "Jay just came to get us."
At that, Erin erupted into sobs. "Kiddo," Hank cooed, "What's going on? You don't want us to leave?"
Erin shook her head, tears flying off her cheeks as Jay continued to hold her closely so she wouldn't fall to the ground. "I-I'm scared."
"Of Charlie?" Jay asked gently, casting another anxious glance to his sergeant, "He's never coming near you again, baby, I promise."
"I'm scared of my own head," she whimpered, "I-I-I close my eyes and I just-" Erin shuddered and dissolved into tears as the men in her life grimaced in sympathy. "I feel safe when I can see you guys."
Jay continued to stroke Erin's hair as she wept into his chest, "I'll be right next to you when you're sleeping, just like we talked about."
"I want Hank and Will too," she sniffed, "I just wanna be close to my boys."
After much convincing, Erin agreed to lay down in bed, with the caveats that Jay would be directly beside her, and that Hank and Will would stay until she fell asleep. "Jay, where are your jammies?" she asked as he rounded the bed to sit beside her, "You can't sleep in jeans."
Jay paused, realizing his partner had a point. With his sergeant and his brother in the room he was attempting to maintain a semblance of professionalism, but his girlfriend's curious gaze was enough to make him change his mind. "You're right, babe. I'm going to put on a pair of sweats and a different t shirt, and I'll be right back, okay?"
"You never wear a shirt to bed," she furrowed her brow, oblivious to the heat rising in her partner's cheeks and the frown on her father-figure's lips, "You're gonna be hot, babe."
"I'll be fine, promise," Jay managed, avoiding his sergeant's gaze as he blindly grabbed a pair of sweats from his dresser drawer and headed for the bathroom.
"Hank?" Erin asked, pointing at the older man who was standing uncomfortably by the door, arms folded against his chest, "C-can you come over here?"
He nodded and approached Erin's bedside, "What's going on, kiddo?" he asked gently, leaning down to stroke her rosy cheek, "You feeling okay?"
"Uh-huh," she nodded and leaned into his touch, "I wanted to thank you. For staying. I know it's late but I just got so scared that I was gonna lose you." Her breath hitched, "You're my family."
"You're all I got," Hank gave a soft smile and squeezed her hand, "I love you, kiddo. I'd do anything for you."
"Would you sit with me?" she asked softly, scooting toward the middle of the bed, "I-I like when I can see you."
"Sure," Hank exhaled and perched on the edge of his daughter's bed, holding her smaller hand in his, "Whatever you need."
"Where's Will?" Erin asked after a moment, "He-he said he was going to stay!"
"He's on the couch I think," Jay said as he emerged from the bathroom in the sweats and t shirt, "He'll be here til you fall asleep though."
"I want him to tell me a story," she said, "I want a Jay Halstead story."
Jay paused again as his sleepy girlfriend regarded him with heavy-lidded eyes. He could handle one memory from his brother, especially since his girl was fighting sleep. "Please, Jay," she asked, her voice verging on a whine, "Just one."
"Okay," he acquiesced as he sat down on his side of the bed, "But you're really tired, so just one."
"Did I hear someone request a Jay Halstead bedtime story?" Will poked his head into the bedroom. "How you feelin' tiger?"
"I want a Jay story," Erin offered a drugged-up grin, and reached for Jay to scoot closer to her on the bed, "Come closer, babe."
Jay cleared his throat and shifted closer to his girl on the bed and wrapped an arm around her, acutely aware that his sergeant and his girlfriend's father was sitting on the other side of the bed, holding her hand in his. "This is better," she murmured, settling in against Jay's chest as he sat against the headboard, all while maintaining her grip on Hank's calloused palm, "Much better."
He gently resumed running his fingers through her newly washed locks as Will sat himself on the other side of Jay against the headboard. "All my boys," Erin exhaled in relief as she leaned into Jay's tender touch, finally at peace.
"Alright, where should we start?" Will rubbed his palms together in jest as Jay shot him a pointed look.
"Remember your audience here man," Jay warned dryly, "That's my boss sitting right there."
Hank snorted and Will rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to say anything to incriminate you, bro. I'll call this story 'Will and Jay's Excellent Adventure'."
Erin gave a sleepy grin, "What adventure?"
"Well, Jay had just turned ten, and we were up at our grandfather's cabin in Northern Wisconsin."
Will launched into a story recalling the time he and Jay tried to build a raft to sail down the river. As he talked, Erin's eyelids grew heavier and her breath evened out, Will's story and Jay's gentle fingers luring her to sleep. Erin slowly succumbed to sleep as Will's story finished, and coincidentally, so did Jay. His brother's voice and his girl's slack form brought his bone crushing-exhaustion to the surface, and his eyes closed.
Erin startled awake from a dreamless sleep to the dark room, Jay's arm still wrapped around her shoulder. She exhaled in relief and settled into his chest, the security and warmth of her partner allowing her to feel safe. Through the darkness, she caught sight of another figure beside her sleeping boyfriend, and immediately recognized it to be his brother, asleep against the headboard with his head on his brother's shoulder. A smile played on her tired lips as Will stirred and relaxed again while Jay remained fast asleep.
She glanced down at her right hand, still entwined with Hank's. While everyone else had been sleeping, he'd moved a chair from the kitchen to sit beside Erin and hold her hand while she slept, his presence providing the security she craved. He too was fast asleep sitting up.
Grateful tears welled in Erin's eyes as she snuggled closer to Jay and he instinctively buried his face in the top of her head. Her boys were here, and she was safe.
When Jay awoke, he did a double take. Yes, he was in his bed and yes, Erin was beside him, thankfully sleeping soundly. What he hadn't been expecting was the presence of his little brother, a full grown surgeon, softly snoring on his shoulder and his sergeant, asleep in the kitchen chair at his partner's bedside, his hand in hers.
The events of the evening came rushing back. Erin's gut-wrenching nightmare and panic attack. The ripped stitches and his brother literally sewing up his girlfriend on their bed. Erin's reaction to the pain medication and desire to maintain contact with her boys. Jay's heart swelled, realizing that Will and Hank had both stayed so that Erin could have a much needed night's rest.
"Hey man," Will muttered, pulling back from his brother's shoulder and dragging a hand across his face, "What time is it?"
"Like six," Jay whispered back, "She slept through the night."
"Looks like we all did," he replied, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, "I gotta be at the hospital for seven, so I'm going to see if I can go pick up those new meds for her now. When she wakes up she might be in a ton of pain, since the Stadol has probably worn off. If you can, give her the older medication to tide her over til I get back, okay?"
"Thank you," Jay said gratefully. Will quietly climbed off the bed and crept toward the door.
At the sound of Will exiting the apartment, Erin stirred. "Ugh," she moaned, curling into herself, "Ow."
"Oh, babe," Jay winced at her pinched features as she let out another groan, waking up Hank, "It's been a bit since you last had any medicine. Will's gone to get you something new that should be better for your stomach, but in the meantime we can get you some relief, okay?"
"P-please," she begged as a cough escaped her lips and she let out a squeak of pain, "Sorry."
"I'll grab it," Hank said, standing from the chair and ignoring the pain in his neck, hips and back from a night sleeping sitting up, "Stay with her."
Tears leaked out of the corners of Erin's eyes as the pain descended in waves. "Hank's grabbing the medicine, you'll have some relief soon," Jay assured her, holding his partner closer in an attempt to provide as much comfort as he could, "I'm sorry babe."
"Hurts so bad," she gritted out, "It's getting worse."
Jay grimaced as Erin groaned again, silently willing Hank to hurry. The older man quickly entered the bedroom with a cup of water and the painkillers. "Can you sit up a bit to take the pills?" Jay asked, "I can help you."
Erin shook her head and whimpered. "It really hurts."
Jay looked to Hank worriedly. "It'll just be a second, kiddo," he said, "Jay's going to help you."
She let out a howl of pain as Jay carefully adjusted his girl in his arms. "Ow, ow," Erin cried out, collapsing against her partner in agony.
"I'm so sorry," Jay apologized quickly. He accepted the water from his sergeant and helped his girl take a sip to swallow the pills, "You should have some relief in a few minutes."
"Sorry," Erin managed, writhing in pain against Jay as he used his own body to prop her up, "I-I…"
"Shh, kiddo," Hank cooed, stroking his hand across his daughter's cheek, "Try to relax against Jay, okay?"
Thankfully, the medicine worked quickly. After ten minutes, Erin's features relaxed and Hank and Jay let out a collective exhale. "Thank you so much, sarge," Jay turned to his superior, "Really. For staying the night."
"Of course," Hank replied gruffly, "If the both of you got a good night sleep, it was all worth it. I do have to run to the district today, but give me a call if you need anything, alright?"
"Will do," Jay replied, "Thank you, again."
Jay had no intention of separating from his girl's side. Feeling her chest rise and fall was grounding him, and after her clinginess the day before, he wasn't about to move. Will dropped off the new pain medication, along with strict instructions for monitoring Erin's cough, pain levels and overall wellbeing. His brother's continued dedication to his partner was a welcome surprise, and Jay was extremely grateful.
He pressed a kiss to the top of his partner's head and lay beside her, intending to honor his promise to pull her out of any nightmare. She slept for several hours as Jay kept vigil, finally getting the rest her body so desperately craved.
"I don't feel good," she mumbled sleepily as she rose from slumber, sending Jay into high alert. He sat up quickly and pressed his fingertips to her forehead, desperately hoping that she didn't have a fever. A fever meant an infection, which meant a trip to the hospital, which his girl had been adamantly against. That was the absolute last thing she needed.
Jay exhaled as his palm met her cool forehead. "Do you feel nauseous?" he asked, gently stroking her arm in an attempt to get the information out of her so he could help, "Dizzy?"
"Both," she groaned, trying her best to curl into herself without aggravating her stitches, "My stitches are bugging the crap outta me."
He frowned at her admission. "I'm going to make some peppermint tea to settle your stomach and get you a dose of the new pain killers, okay? It's a bit passed the four hour mark since you last had anything which is why you might be hurting."
"Thank you," Erin replied in a small, pained voice, her face buried in a pillow.
"I'll be right back," Jay promised, vacating the bed and hurrying for the kitchen. Every time Erin admitted to discomfort, which was generally so unlike her, he knew that it meant she was really suffering. He'd picked it up when they first became partners. She had the tendency to downplay any ache or pain after a vest caught a bullet or a perp got a punch in. He would always ask her how she was after, but knew that whenever she'd gripe about something, she was really hurting. Given the amount of pain she'd been in when she first woke up, Jay wanted to get her relief as soon as possible.
Jay quickly made the tea, saying a silent thank you to Kim who had dropped off a care package while Erin had been napping. The younger officer had thought to include a variety of teas and an assortment of Erin's favorite snacks that he was hoping she'd be interested in later. Hank and the rest of the unit had been fairly tight-lipped around their workload with two detectives out, but he was thankful that he was able to take the time away to focus on Erin.
He padded back into the bedroom bearing a tray with the tea, pills, a can of ginger ale and a glass of fresh water, along with a package of crackers in the hopes of getting his girl to get something in her stomach before taking the medicine. Jay set the tray on Erin's bedside table and knelt beside her side of the bed. She had rolled over and was clutching a pillow to her chest, her eyes screwed shut to ward off the dizziness.
"Er," he whispered, reaching out a hand to gently stroke her hair back, "Are you up for some tea?"
"Mm," she lifted her head and grimaced, instantly returning her face to the pillow. "The room is fucking spinning."
"I'm sorry babe." Jay continued to stroke her hair off her face, "It's killing me to see you so miserable. Is there anything I can do?"
"Just bein' here," Erin mumbled, reaching a hand out to hold Jay's, "Sorry I'm not much fun."
Jay shook his head and leaned his head closer to his partner's, "I just want to see you feeling better. I brought a ginger ale too, that might help settle your stomach?"
Erin cracked an eye open. "That sounds good actually."
"I even got this straw so you can drink it lying down." Jay pulled a silly straw from the tray and popped it into the can before perching on the edge of the bed. "That goody bag from Antonio's kid's birthday party finally came in handy."
"Oh my god," Erin managed a soft chuckle at the swirly straw but took a grateful sip when Jay lifted it to her lips. They sat in silence for a few minutes, Erin slowly drinking the ginger ale while Jay continued to ghost his fingers over her head in an attempt to quell the dizziness.
"I actually feel a bit better," she said after a while, "Can you help me sit up?"
"Of course," Jay set the can on the ground and helped his girl sit, propping her up with a few pillows, "Still dizzy?"
Erin nodded grimly, "I don't feel like I'm going to be sick anymore though."
"Good," Jay leaned forward to kiss her forehead, "Your cough has gotten better too, which is a great sign. Will is going to gloat so hard."
"You guys are so stupid," she gave a wry smile, "Competing over which combo of pills isn't going to make me hurl all over our bathroom."
"The Halstead brothers are extremely committed to your wellbeing," Jay volleyed back, "How about a few crackers before your meds?"
"You really took that nurse thing to heart," Erin joked, accepting the dry cracker Jay offered, "You're pretty good at it too. A sexy nurse."
Jay wiggled his eyebrows, "This sexy nurse wants you to have at least six crackers before he gives you any more pills. Can't have my only patient feeling shitty because I didn't force the food before the medication."
Erin snorted and bit into a cracker. "You know what I really want? A raspberry peach muffin from that place across from the district."
"Mm," Jay mused, handing her another cracker, "Well then, we'll have to stop by. Are you feeling less dizzy?"
"Uh-huh," Erin replied and offered a smile, "I'll take that tea now too."
"These pills don't make me want to hurl," Erin murmured as she cuddled into Jay's chest after successfully eating the required crackers before the new medication Will dropped off earlier, "I do feel a lil' loopy."
"Oh yeah?" Jay furrowed his brow, "Will said there was a chance of that but that it shouldn't be as bad as whatever you had last night."
"That really fucked me up," she sighed, "I mean, I hurt so bad so it was okay but when I woke up this morning I remembered everything. Can't believe Will and Hank spent the night here."
"They were worried about you," Jay replied gently as he stroked her arm, "We all were. I thought we were going to have to bring you back to the hospital to fix your stitches, but Will was able to handle everything here."
"I was so scared," she whispered. Her breath hitched, "I had such bad dreams with the old medicine. Just-just really scary." Erin paused and instinctively held closer to her partner, "I keep having a nightmare that Charlie shoots you."
Jay swallowed, "I'm sorry babe. I can't imagine how hard it is."
"It helps to keep you close," she inhaled and exhaled softly against his chest, "I just need to feel you. It keeps me grounded."
"I don't want to let you go either," Jay said honestly, "Ever."
Erin let out a woozy giggle, "I'm gonna take you up on that," she gave a crooked smile, the new medicine alleviating the pain, "You're gonna get sick of me."
"I could never get sick of you," he smiled back, "We spend all day working together, and we live together. And we're going to spend the next week together, you and me, hanging out in bed."
"This loopy is weird," she mumbled, "I feel like everything is covered in fog."
Jay continued to thread his fingers through her hair, "The meds might be making you a bit tired, babe. Maybe closing your eyes will help?"
"Hm," Erin replied, snuggling closer, "I love you."
After the pills fully kicked in, Erin fell back asleep, feeling considerably better than she had been when she woke up before. Jay laid beside her while she snoozed peacefully, carefully running his fingers up and down her arms. He thought about her comment on wanting a muffin. She was fast asleep and he could drive quickly, but there wasn't any part of him that wanted Erin to wake up to an empty apartment.
A few Google searches later, Jay Halstead, ex-Army ranger and current Chicago Police detective, stood in the kitchen preparing to bake a confection for the first time in his life. He wasn't a bad cook by any means, but he certainly wasn't a baker. But for Erin he'd do anything, especially if it involved the first mention of food she'd expressed interest in since coming home. He was hoping that he'd be finished by the time she woke up again, but his limited baking skills proved to be a challenge.
"Jay?" Erin's panicked voice echoed through the apartment as he pulled the third attempt at muffins from the oven, "Jay?"
He dropped the pan on the counter and hustled toward the bedroom, oven mitt still on his hand. "I'm here," he assured her, "You're okay."
Erin was half sitting up, her eyes glassy from the medication and her cheeks pink from sleep. She let out a relieved exhale at the sight of her partner. "Sorry, babe, I was just getting some stuff done in the kitchen. You were sleeping so soundly and…" Jay trailed off guiltily as his partner shook her head.
"I'm okay," she interrupted, "I just missed you, that's all." She offered a small smile. "And I feel a bit better. I feel less shitty with these pills so I guess that's good." She wrinkled her nose, "Are you…baking?"
Jay nodded and smiled cheekily. "You said you wanted a muffin earlier, before you fell asleep. So I made muffins."
A smile played on her lips, "Really?"
"Mm-hm. How do you feel about a change of scenery? Maybe a vacation to the couch for a bit?"
Erin nodded and accepted Jay's help off the bed. She stumbled against him as she tried to walk, her legs feeling uncoordinated. "These pills are throwing my balance all off," she grumbled, holding fast to Jay's shirt as he led her out of the bedroom, "I don't like it."
"I'm sorry, babe," Jay apologized. "I can text Will, see if he has any other ideas-"
"It's fine," she assured him, "Really. It's the first time in a while that I don't feel like I'm going to throw up at any minute, and the pain isn't that bad. I can take it."
Jay nodded but made a mental note to text his brother. "Alrighty, let's get you comfy on the couch."
"Wait," Erin stopped and gestured to the mess in the kitchen, "What did you do?"
"I made muffins," Jay shrugged, leading her over to his work station, "We had some blueberries and chocolate chips, and I went all Food Network."
Erin snorted and gripped the kitchen counter to keep herself upright while Jay tended to his confections, "I meant like, I wanted a muffin. This is like, a hundred muffins."
"It is two dozen," Jay retorted, carefully inserting a toothpick into the center of one of his batches, "There aren't recipes that call for a singular muffin."
Erin shook her head, "I can't believe you just made muffins. After I said I wanted one."
"Um, who said these are for you?" Jay raised his eyebrows in jest, "I could very well have been inspired by your statement and made myself twenty four perfect muffins."
"Oh, I see how it is." Erin folded her arms across her chest and let out a huff, "Just because I specified that I wanted a muffin from that place across from the district that makes the really good raspberry peach muffins, I can't have one?"
"Well not right now, because they're not done," Jay showed her the goopy toothpick, "Maybe after. We'll see. I'm still hurt that you're shocked I made muffins."
"I thought we could go get a muffin." Erin rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's childish teasing, "Or maybe you could go pick one up for your injured partner."
"Mm," Jay slid the muffin tray back into the oven, "See, that would require me leaving you while you were napping. And I thought this would be a nicer surprise."
Erin's eyes softened at Jay's statement. "I love you, you know that right? Even when I'm being crabby?"
Jay chuckled and rounded the kitchen to pull his partner into his arms. "I know babe. I'm just teasing you."
Erin pressed her nose against Jay's chest as he held her closely, "You smell like something was burning."
"Oh this was definitely not my first batch," Jay gestured to the mess in their kitchen, "My baking skills are in rough shape."
Thanks to the guest who added the request for baking! Coming up in the next few: more Will and Erin gives her statement. If there's anything else you want to see, let me know!