This has been taking me forever but I hope you like the update and are still reading. Let me know what you think!

Erin loved the comfortable bubble she and Jay were living in. In the extra week with him staying home from the district to be with her, they found time to sleep in, for Jay to cook and for her to heal. Things were finally looking up. Her stitches tugged less, it was getting easier to breathe, and Erin was feeling more and more like herself every day.

"I can't eat anymore," she protested when Jay slid another pancake onto her plate at breakfast, "I'm so full."

"You normally eat at least three of my pancakes," Jay replied, devouring one of his delicious pancakes, "Are you feeling okay?"

She nodded adamantly, "I feel okay, really. Just full. I feel like you've been feeding me non-stop."

Jay chuckled, "Well, you've barely eaten anything in the past week. I'm making up for lost time."

"I don't think I ate when I was in the basement either," she said wryly, poking at the pancake with her fork. Immediately Erin blanched when she saw Jay's eyes darken at her statement, "I-I'm sorry babe, I didn't mean to-"

"Please don't apologize," Jay interrupted quickly, "You should be able to talk about it without worrying about me."

She shook her head, "I don't want to upset you," she whispered, "I-I can see it in your face, Jay."

Jay reached across the table to grab her hand. "I'm sorry," he said softly, "I just…it's hard because I get so angry thinking about what he did to you. And all I want is to lay him out."

Erin sniffed slightly, "You and Hank both."

"We just love you so much." Jay was doing his best to keep his voice measured. "I also don't want to make you feel sick with all the food."

She relaxed and let out a small cough, "I um, I know it's gonna take a bit for me to feel strong again." Erin glanced down at her hands, "Not gonna gain it all back in a few days."

"You went through the ringer," Jay stroked her hand with his thumb, "And you're right, it's going to take some time. But knowing you, you'll be back even stronger than before. May even have a shot at beating me on a run."

At that, a small smile appeared on her lips. "Your legs are longer than mine," she retorted, "You get like two extra feet with each stride."

"Mm," Jay rolled his eyes, "We'll have to put it to the test in a few months."

"Nuh-uh," Erin shook her head, "Weeks, Halstead. I'm not waiting months to kick your ass."

"Hey kiddo," Hank greeted when Erin pulled open the door, "How are you feeling?"

"Better," she replied confidently, "Jay's been cooking non-stop. He made pancakes this morning, and he's currently obsessing over some French soup."

"It's called a consommé, Er," Jay reminded her from his spot behind the stove, and Hank chuckled when Erin rolled her eyes.

"I'm glad you've got some of your appetite back," Hank mused. He reached a hand out and cupped Erin's cheek delicately, "You were scaring me a bit. You've never been one to turn down my lasagna."

Erin managed a small smile before turning her head into her elbow for a short cough. "Is um, everything okay? I mean, I don't mind you stopping by but-"

"Everything's fine," he said lightly, slowly making his way back to the living room so his daughter could sit on the couch, "Just have a few updates." He glanced over at his other detective, who quickly turned the burner to simmer and abandoned the stove to sit beside his girl.

Jay and Erin looked expectantly at their sergeant. "They've scheduled a hearing tomorrow afternoon," Hank said carefully, "Charlie won't be there, just the lawyers, judge and folks in the gallery."

Erin drew a sharp intake of breath, drawing concern from her partner. "Okay," she said in an exhale, "What do I need to do?"

Hank smiled softly. His girl was damn resilient, and he was so proud of her. "The assistant state's attorney wants to discuss some logistics. All I know is that both you and Jay will need to testify. It's a new guy, I don't know him, but he's supposed to be good."

Jay managed a nod and gently rested his hand on Erin's thigh. "I told him that you were at home and on medical leave," Hank continued, "He said you can have the conversation over the phone to avoid you having to head down to their offices today."

Erin fumbled with Jay's hand. "And what happens after the testimony?"

"Up to the judge," Hank said, "Depending on what the judge says, it'll either end with Charlie's sentencing or they'll have a full jury trial."

Jay grimaced. He did not want the process to be dragged out any longer than it needed to be. He could already feel his partner's anxiety increase. "He did say that Charlie's lawyer is already trying to discredit you." Hank took a breath, trying to quell his anger. He'd nearly driven his fist through the wall when he'd heard. "Since you're on the pain medication, they might try to spin something there."

"So I'll stop taking it," Erin said immediately, "I'll stop."

"Babe," Jay shook his head, "You're supposed to be taking the pills to heal your lungs."

"It'll be one day," she argued, "I-I can't, I don't want this to go on longer, I want it to be over, and if it means I'm in pain for a few days I don't care."

Jay's gaze softened and he ran his thumb over her leggings. "Are you sure?" Hank asked gently, "We can try to wait until you're feeling a bit better but-"

"No," Erin cut him off with a shake of her head, "I want this to be over with."

"Alright," Hank said, "I'll tell ASA Taylor to give you a call and-" He paused when he was interrupted by the shrill ring of his cell, "Speaking of, this is him. Hank Voight. Yeah, I've spoken to them, with them right now, actually." He looked to Jay, who shrugged, indicating his sergeant could put the cell on speaker.

Jay was less concerned with what the state's attorney had to say and was more concerned about his girl. She had stiffened considerably after Hank told them about the impending testimony, and Jay swore he could feel her heartrate increasing. He moved his hand from her leg to the small of her back and delicately ran his fingers across her skin, doing everything he could think of to ground her, and let her know he was there.

The attorney rattled off a few logistics and expressed his apologies for everything that had happened to Erin. The detectives were mostly quiet, and Hank kept his eyes trained on his daughter as she stared at the cell phone. "So you'll come in tomorrow mid-morning, there's a room set aside and we'll ask each of you to testify in front of the judge and the lawyers, just like normal," Taylor said, "Mr. Pugliese won't be present, he'll be submitting his testimony the day after tomorrow. Detective Lindsay will be first, followed by Detective Halstead. You'll be in that waiting room until the judge calls you."

Jay sensed the wheels turning in Erin's head, because he was thinking the same thing. His girl was going to have to face the judge and the lawyers without him in the room. "Can I sit in the gallery while Erin is on the stand?" Jay asked, hoping the answer wouldn't be what he was expecting. No part of him wanted his partner to be alone.

"Unfortunately, because you're both listed as witnesses, we're not able to allow Detective Halstead to be in the gallery while Detective Lindsay testifies," the state's attorney said evenly, "You'll have to remain in that separate back room before your testimony."

"What if I go first?" Jay suggested, incredibly aware of just how rigid his girl had gotten, "What if I go first, and then I can sit in the gallery while Erin testifies?" It wasn't an ideal situation, and he didn't love the idea of leaving his girl alone in an empty room, but it was better than her being on the stand without him.

"I'll talk to the judge," Taylor replied. Erin let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding, "And I'll be in touch."

After receiving word about her impending testimony, snuggly and sleepy Erin was replaced by stiff and skittish Erin. His girl was still desperate to be close to him, but Jay's touch no longer had the desired effect. Jay observed as Erin jumped at any noise and froze repeatedly throughout the day, unable to concentrate on anything. He could tell that her stomach and lungs were starting to hurt more with the lack of medication and increased anxiety.

"Sorry," Erin mumbled as Jay wiped off the kitchen table, collecting the spilled soup in a paper towel. The microwave had beeped, and she'd flailed a hand, resulting in Jay's homemade consommé coating their kitchen table.

"Just a spill," Jay said lightly, pressing a kiss on top of Erin's head. He grimaced when she inadvertently flinched, "You didn't get burned or anything, right?"

"My pants are wet," she said, gesturing to the wet splotches on her thighs, "And I smell like soup."

"No big deal. We can throw them in the wash. I've been meaning to do a load anyway." He frowned when Erin made no moves to get up from the table to change, like she hadn't even heard his voice. "Do you want to put on some dry leggings?" Jay paused when his voice didn't appear to register. "Erin?"

"Sorry," she repeated, shaking her head slightly, "W-what did you say?"

"I just asked if you wanted to change into some dry leggings." Jay crouched beside the kitchen table and glanced up at his partner. "You alright?"

Erin gave a wordless nod. "Can um, can you help me?"

"Of course." Jay held out a hand for his girl, which she gingerly took. "Not feeling so good, huh?"

She shrugged dejectedly as Jay led her toward the bedroom. "I'm tired, I guess," she muttered, doing everything she could to keep her voice even, "Maybe I'll try to nap or something."

"A nap sounds good," Jay offered a small smile, "I'll toss those wet pants in the machine and join you." At that, Erin's lips quirked upwards. "How about these?" He held out a pair of leggings from the bottom of Erin's dresser drawer. He furrowed his brow when Erin shook her head slightly.

"My stitches are getting itchy," Erin whispered, appearing to be almost ashamed, "I um, I know Will said it was normal but-"

"The leggings are a bit too tight," Jay supplied in understanding. He smiled when Erin nodded in agreement. "Well, let's see what else we have." He rifled around and produced a pair of joggers, "How about these?"

At that, Erin burst into tears. "I'm sorry," she wept, "I-I just realized I don't know what I'm going to wear to court."

"Oh, babe," Jay cooed, "I'm sorry. I know it was some tough news." He pulled her closer, not caring that the damp leggings she was clad in were getting all over his, "What about a pair of my sweats? They'll definitely be big enough."

Erin sniffed and nodded before wiping her eyes. "Sorry. I don't know what happened just there." She tried to force a smile, "My emotions are all over the place."

"I get that," he replied gently. He quickly rummaged in his drawer and pulled out his warmest pair of sweatpants. "What do you think of these?"

Erin nodded and accepted Jay's help in removing the soup-covered leggings. She shivered when the cool apartment air hit her bare legs. "We'll get you all warmed up in bed," Jay determined, bending down so Erin could lean on his shoulder while he got her legs into the oversized sweatpants.

"You're gonna stay with me, right?"

"Mm. I need a nap too," Jay smiled, pressing yet another kiss on the top of her head after the warm pants were on, grateful that she didn't completely clam up. "How are the sweats? Are they loose enough?"

Erin gave another nod. "Thank you," she whispered, "For being so patient. I guess until tomorrow's over I'm going to be a bit of a headcase."

"But you're my headcase," Jay teased as he led her over to her side of the bed. Erin managed a small smile. "It's going to be okay, babe. It's going to be hard, but one day, and then it's over. And you won't have to see him, and I'll be in the gallery the whole time."

She sniffed. "Just one day."

Jay's heart was aching. It wasn't like Erin to get rattled before a testimony or anything, but his girl was a ball of nerves. Her stiffness didn't subside even after the nap, and she barely even picked at the dinner Jay prepared. He could swear that he could see her hands shaking, and he knew that she was in pain but didn't want to admit it. She had wordlessly agreed to go to bed and didn't even argue despite the fact that the sun was still setting, and their bedroom was flooded with the warm summer glow.

Erin was quiet as Jay got ready for bed. "You alright?" Jay asked as he crawled closer on the mattress to where Erin was sitting, hands folded tightly in her lap.

She managed a small nod. "I'm nervous," she said honestly, "I um, I don't normally get nervous about things like this but…"

"It's about you this time," Jay supplied, adjusting the comforter over himself. Erin almost immediately cuddled into his bare chest. He couldn't help but smile and pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "To be honest with you, I'd be worried if you weren't nervous about testifying, babe."

Erin nodded and placed one hand on his arm. "I'm um, I'm not nervous about the testimony." She drew in a breath, "I'm nervous b-because there's gonna be a point where you have to testify first and I'm gonna be alone in the room and I don't know if I can be alone with my thoughts."

Jay gently stroked her arm, unsure of what to say to help put his partner at ease. "Maybe we should take a trip to Wisconsin, when you're feeling a bit better," he mused. They could both use a distraction. "Once your stitches have healed, there's a hot tub if you remember, and a really big fireplace."

"Oh, I remember the hot tub," Erin replied, a smile finally forming on her lips, "I think the hot tub remembers us as well."

There was no doubt in Jay's mind that his partner was a badass. From the moment he met her, he was fully confident that she could kick his ass, and every minute spent with her since was just further confirmation. Erin Lindsay was tough.

But she was also one of the most gentle, empathic people Jay had ever known. In his head, she was a lot like his mom. Erin was fiercely protective of people she cared about, and incredibly tender when it came to those most vulnerable. There was nobody who got him like she did, especially after a flashback or a nightmare. Her nimble fingers could always bring his racing heartrate down, and her soft kisses felt like nothing he could describe that would do them justice.

Jay thought he'd seen the worst of what Charlie had done to his partner when she was barely conscious in his arms as he carried her toward the ambulance, her body so weak she could barely hold her head up or take a breath. He thought he'd seen the worst when his partner was sobbing in the hospital, practically inconsolable while the doctors poked and prodded at her bruised body. He thought he'd seen the worst when she was caught in a vicious nightmare, cowering against their apartment wall, her trauma-addled brain thinking that his advancing footsteps were that of her assailant.

He thought he'd seen the worst when his girl was bleeding in his arms, unable to breathe, and his brother was hand-stitching her marred skin. He thought he'd seen the worst when she was gasping for breath in his brother's arms, her heart racing too fast and her lungs not getting enough oxygen.

But this was the worst. Erin was quiet, painfully quiet, suffering in silence as she trembled beside him in the sterile court waiting room. He could feel her now too-thin form shaking beneath the palm of his hand, and there was little he could do to help.

Jay had barely slept the night before. Erin had, but her sleep had been plagued by nightmares and interruptions. He could have sworn that she startled awake a half dozen times, and each time it broke his heart a little bit more.

He helped her get dressed for court, and thankfully Burgess had dropped off a pair of dress pants from her airline days that were loose enough to not cause any additional discomfort to Erin's stitches. Jay almost wished Erin would snap at him, or tell him off, anything to confirm that she was feeling more like the feisty Erin he knew, and not the scared stranger beside him.

"You've got five minutes, Detective," the legal assistant informed Jay after she poked her head into the room, "I'll be back to come get you."

Jay nodded and turned to meet Erin's gaze. "Okay," he breathed, reaching a hand to stroke her cheek, "You've got this, Er. I'm going to be right where you can see me in the gallery, and after this is all over, we're heading home. We'll get out of these uncomfortable clothes and watch a movie."

"Do I get to pick the movie?" Erin mumbled, doing her best to manage a meager smile. She met her partner's gaze, willing herself to keep her eyes dry. She knew that if she started to cry, she wasn't going to be able to stop.

"I'll watch anything," Jay confirmed, leaning forward to press a kiss to the top of her head, "I'm so proud of you, babe."

"You might wait til after this shitshow is over to say that," she quipped, "I-I don't know how I'm going to do up there."

"I know you're going to do everything you can. And that's enough," Jay insisted, moving his hand from her leg to her cheek, "I love you."

Jay adjusted himself in the rigid wooden chair on the witness stand. Leaving Erin alone in the waiting room was one of the harder things he'd ever had to do, and he knew he couldn't look back, because he was going to lose it.

ASA Taylor worked quickly and dove into the introduction before asking about Jay's relationship to Erin, and what had transpired the day she was taken.

"Detective Lindsay is my partner," Jay answered, "When she said she was meeting with a CI and was then two hours late, we were suspicious. We were able to track the location of her cell phone, and when we arrived, we saw blood on the ground."

He swallowed, the horrific moments of realizing that Erin had been taken washing over him. "We couldn't find her. We didn't know who would have hurt her, not until a package, addressed to me, arrived at the district a few days later. It was a video of Detective Lindsay getting assaulted by Charlie Pugliese."

Jay took a sip of water as ASA Taylor referenced the evidence number of the video. "We were able to connect the car Charlie was driving to a house, and when we got there, I just had a feeling my partner was in there. We saw her badge and gun on the kitchen table when we scoped the house, and I knew she was in there."

"You knew it was Detective Lindsay's badge and weapon?" The attorney asked.

"Yes," Jay confirmed, "It was police issue. Her gun has a chip in the plastic, I-I recognized it. We breeched the house, and I took the downstairs. There was a door, that led to the basement, which I went to investigate because it's standard protocol. In the basement, I saw my partner, tied up against the wall, barely moving. She screamed and I turned around to see Charlie Pugliese with a gun trained on me, bat raised in his hand."

ASA Taylor nodded. "Mr. Pugliese alleges that Detective Lindsay approached him several weeks back and requested for him to fake a kidnapping. Do you-"

"That's ridiculous," Jay interrupted, "Absolutely ridiculous. He's been in and out of prison for years, has a history of physical abuse and drug abuse. My partner has been absolutely wrecked by what he did to her." He swallowed, trying to suppress his rage.

"Mr. Pugliese also alleges that it was part of the plan," ASA Taylor continued, "That she requested the experience to look as real as possible."

"No," Jay spat, "Absolutely not. There's no evidence of that, but there is evidence that he physically hurt her, and her asking him to stop."

"Thank you," ASA Taylor replied, "That is everything from me."

Jay exhaled and glanced to Charlie's lawyer. He recognized him and steeled his gaze. There wasn't any part of him that wanted the bastard to cross-examine his partner.

"Alright, Detective," the lawyer said to Jay, "Let's get started."

Eeeek Jay's cross-examination and Erin's testimony is up next, so stay tuned.