"Why'd she stop?" Adam asks as Jay takes in the broken picture frames, burnt ribbons and saddles mixed in with the piles of ash and rubbish left over from when the old stables were torn down. He releases a long sigh as he thinks back to the last time he saw Erin with her mom and brother. The day the Voight family changed forever.
Jay brushes the question off with a shrug of his shoulders and a simple shake of his head. Adam doesn't push - understanding that it's not a topic his friend is willing to touch on, so with a small nod he follows his gaze - finding Erin still settled on the saddle as the tan and black horse trots around the ring. Jay sighs as he starts the walk to the stacks of lumber sitting to the right of the new foundation.
They pick up a couple planks - both of them lifting at opposite ends causing slivers of the freshly cut wood to get embedded in the suede gloves on their hands as they carry the pieces onto the large slab of concrete. Their boots clunk heavily against the light grey plane - leaving muddy impressions of the soles of the leather and rubber covering their feet as they bring in the rest of the lumber and lay it in the middle of what will soon be the new stables.
That day replays on a loop in his head even as they begin building the walls up. His body works on autopilot - helping to hold and hammer the planks in place while his mind goes back in time.
The wheelbarrow creaks and squeaks as he pushes it to the next stall. He hems and haws like a man much older than he is, as he shucks the soiled hay in the black bucket. Once he finishes cleaning the stall he tosses his gloves onto the wooden stool sitting up against the nearest wall and wipes the sweat accumulating on his brows. He was just about to take a drink from his canteen when he hears a noise that he is sure didn't come from any of the animals. His feet pull him through the long hall as his eyes peer into each of the stalls until he finds her.
She's huddled in the corner with her knees up to her chest as she strokes the long gold and white fur of his dog. Jay takes a couple cautious steps towards her before he kneels next to her. Neither of them utter a word as she moves to lean against him and takes ahold of his arm that's closest to her - her head coming to rest on his shoulder.
"Do you want to talk about it?" He asks as he moves his hand between her belly and thighs until he's able to wrap his fingers around her leg opposite of him - pulling her as close as possible while she thinks about his question.
"They're arguing again - screaming at each other actually." She practically whimpers against the skin of his neck.
His hands move up and down her legs in an attempt to soothe her. He thinks it's working when he feels her breathing slow a little.
"It's all about the ranch. She tells him to sell it and he yells at her to leave if she doesn't want to be here anymore." This time she sniffles with her words and he releases his hold on her to move the dog out from between them before pulling her back into him - this time closer than their previous position allowed.
He knows he doesn't need to say anything - having talked about this a few times before. She just needs to vent and he knows that, so no other words are exchanged as she once again calms in his embrace.
"Erin." They hear her mom say as she walks into the stables a little while later.
"We're by the dogs Mrs. Voight." Jay calls out after a minute and then she's there - standing just outside the stall where the dogs are kept at night.
Jay watches as his best friend's mom wipes angrily at her cheeks before stepping into the small space.
"Justin and I are going out to the cabin for the night, I think you should come with us." She states to her daughter with a sad smile on her face.
Erin looks up at Jay and he nods - letting her know that he thinks she should go too. She nods in return before they all stand up.
"Jay, sweetheart once you're done here, why don't you join us? I know she'd like to have you there." Camille whispers after Erin walks away.
He nods once again and goes back to work. A small smile graces his face when he sees Erin follow after her mom and brother - each of them on their own horses. And he chuckles hearing Justin teasing his sister about the amount of things she packed for one night.
With a shake of his head he starts up his tasks. Each thing he sets out to do seems to take longer than usual but in reality he gets through them within an hour and before he knows it he's saddling up his horse to take him up the northern most mountain.
The jet black stallion tenses and flinches some each time thunder rumbles through the valley.
"Easy." Jay whispers as he surveys their surroundings before having him continue their journey north. Another half hour later there's another noise but it didn't come from the storm festering around them. It's a sound that causes his horse to take a few steps back. The bushes to their left rustle again - this time a little louder before it goes quiet again.The silence is deafening and it makes Jay feel uneasy - his heart pounding in the same way as his horse's. But he doesn't make him move - instead they remain still for a few moments before an animal rushes towards them. Another horse - moving in such a frantic way that Jay doesn't even recognize him at first.
"Ziggy?" He questions once the initial shock wares off and then he's jumping down to try and calm both horses as they nicker, neigh and whinny back and forth - communicating the only way they know how.
He shushes the animals as he stands between them - holding a hand out in front of both of their long faces. "Easy guys."
Once they're calm, Jay comes to his senses and realizes that Erin's not with her horse.
"Where is she Ziggy?" He asks as if the animal would be able to answer him.
"Where's Erin?" His heart is pounding again as he looks around as if she too will just appear from the bushes and trees surrounding them. He grabs Ziggy's lead and then hops back onto his saddle before going in the direction the younger horse came from.
Within seconds a thick cloud of fog envelopes them - making it hard for Jay to see anything in front of him. He stops briefly when he realizes that it's not fog - its smoke.
He pulls out a flannel, a bandana and his canteen from the satchel near his right leg - pouring water on both the shirt and kerchief before tying the latter around his head so it's covering his nose and mouth and replacing the canteen in the bag. Then and only then does he proceed forward. He hears the crackling of the fire as it closes in - consuming the bushes and trees they just walked through.
"Mom!" She yells followed by her brother's name. He can tell she's close by but with the smoke engulfing them he's not sure which way to go. She repeats her pleas to her family and his heart sinks when there's no response from the other Voights.
"Erin." He calls out and then he holds his breath without even realizing as he waits for her to say something - anything to help guide him in the right direction.
"Where are you?" Her voice is faint against the booming thunder causing everything to quake around them - the words coming off as more of a whisper than before. But he knows they're closer now - he can feel it.
Relief washes over him when he spots her to his left. He jumps down and takes two large strides to get to her - repeating her name again as he cups her jaw and looks her over. His eyes checking for any injuries but other than a gash on her arm and a bloody scratch on her cheek he doesn't see anything.
He talks to her and tries to reassure her - telling her that he's going to get her home as he ties the wet flannel over the lower half of her face. Worry takes over his entire being when she doesn't say anything back or even acknowledge what he's said. He looks in her eyes but they're blank - her usual hazel irises are almost completely gone as her pupils continue to grow.
"Erin can you hear me?" Jay asks and she nods - it's a small movement but he still catches it.
It's as if his question flips a switch inside her as she begins to ramble. "I stopped to pick up my bag that fell. They were right in front of me."
His heart aches hearing the faint sound of her sniffling. "They were right there and this tree was hit and it blocked me from them. I went to find a way around but the fire started to close in and Ziggy threw me off and ran. We have to find them Jay."
"We should find a way out first and go get your dad." He tells her - wanting to get her to safety before attempting to find her mom and brother. She nods as she looks around and then she starts coughing before she collapses. His arms wrap around her - catching her limp body before it hits the ground. He manages to get her onto his horse quickly and spots an opening they can take out of the fire as the tall trees continue to crumble and fall around them in a domino effect.
The adrenaline coursing through his veins keeps him alert as he lets the horses navigate a way out, while he strains his eyes to try and find Justin and Camille. But the smoke and flames restrict his vision and he's lucky to see two feet in front of him. There's a tightening in his chest and he's not sure if it's from the smoke that's making it's way through the drying bandana or if it's from the thought of the two of them - Erin's mother and brother being lost in the angry inferno taking over the mountain.
His eyes begin to droop and grow heavy but he is adamant to keep watch over her as she lays sideways on the saddle - looking as if she's simply asleep in his arms while they continue to travel back down to the ranch. The steady rise and fall of her chest comforts him but the wheezing noise coming from inside her lungs causes him to worry even more. Without saying a word he begs for her not to leave him - silent pleas ring in his head for her to stay alive. He even prays - something he hasn't done in years - not since he lost his own mom. But he closes his eyes briefly and prays that Camille and Justin make it through the fire too.
The smoke begins to clear the closer they get to the ranch. He can see the other wranglers at work and even his boss - her dad supervising from the side. Her hand on his chest pulls his gaze back to her.
"Jay?" Her voice holding an extra rasp within it as she whispers his name. Then without moving hee head she looks around again - taking in the still dark but clearer sky above them.
"You saved me." She states next and he smiles at her sadly - brushing some of her hair back off her face.
"I figured it was about time I returned the favor." He tells her just as they make it past the first fence line.
That's when Voight sees them - jumping down from the fence he was leaning against.
"What the hell happened?" Hank bellows as he rushes over to them with the rest of the men that were working, following close behind him.
Jay narrow his eyes at his boss as he yanks Erin off the horse. She lets out a short yelp with the quick movement - jolting her sore body forward.
"Start talking." Voight demands sternly as he looks down at his daughter.
"The fire was just starting - we were trying to come back and my bag fell so I stopped to get it. And when I got back onto Ziggy a tree was falling and I couldn't get to Mom and Justin." She explains - her voice is low and her lip is quivering.
"Dammit Erin." Voight yells, causing Erin to jump as tears begin to trail down her face.
"Go clean yourself up and don't even think about leaving that house." He points at the main house.
"You!" Voight directs his gaze on Jay. "You're going to take me back to where you found her."
"Sir, the smoke is pretty thick and visibility is low." Jay explains - not really wanting to leave Erin alone, even if he does want to help find the missing members of the Voight family.
"I wasn't asking and I sure as hell didn't need your take on the conditions." His gruff voice seems to get louder with every word he spits out.
Jay just looks at Erin slowly retreating to the house while his boss continues to bark out orders.
"Fine stay here, I can't be bothered to pull you out if you get stuck out there too." Voight grumbles with a dismissive wave of his hand.
Jay doesn't argue, he just jumps off his horse - letting two of the other wranglers take him and Ziggy to go search the mountain they just came from. He doesn't look back at them - instead focusing on making his way to the main house.
It doesn't take him long to find her - spotting her the instant he walks through the door. She's huddled up on the daybed set between the kitchen and the living room. Her shoulders shaking as she sobs while looking out the window showcasing the mountainous skyline around them.
The old piece of furniture creaks as Jay takes a seat just beside her. He places a hand on her back - rubbing up and down to try and soothe her.
"What if they can't find them Jay?" She asks - looking up at him with teary eyes, rimmed red and he shakes his head.
"You can't think like that." His heart starts to pound again as he's forced to think about that possibility. But he just continues to move his head back and forth - trying to rid his mind of that outcome.
"I'm going to go get the first aid kit." Jay whispers to her - taking in the cut on her cheek that's just above where her right dimple is popping ever-so-slightly as her lips contort into a frown.
When he returns he pulls out the alcohol wipes before cupping her jaw. He gives her a sad smile when her eyes meet his again.
"This is going to sting." He tells her just as he swipes the thin cloth over the bloody line. It's an action he repeats a couple times before grabbing a new one to go over the deep scratch. She remains silent and unmoving even when he initially presses the wipes to her skin.
Once he applies the antibacterial ointment to the cut, he moves onto the one on her arm but still he gets no response or reaction from her.
"Thanks." She whispers as he begins to gather the garbage and pack up the kit.
"Of course." He nods - his eyes locking with hers. Again his heart pounds in his chest like it did before.
"Jay!" He hears her yell but he feels like he can't move - like he's stuck in place. Then he hears her again followed by another voice saying his name.
"Jay!" Adam yells - finally breaking him from his thoughts. When the fogginess clears he realizes that Erin is a few feet away from them.
"You ok?" She asks with furrowed eyebrows.
He clears his throat and nods but judging by the look on her face he knows there's no convincing her but she doesn't say what she's thinking. Instead she tells him why she came to talk to them. "I was just going to make something for lunch, would you want some?"
"Uh...I wouldn't want to put you through any trouble." He shrugs shyly - he can feel heat rising from his neck up to his cheeks. She gives him a small smirk as she tucks some strands of her hair behind her ears.
"Ok so I'll make some for you. What about you guys?" She looks away from Jay to get the other two men's answers.
They each politely accept her offer and with another smile and small nod she moves away.
Jay keeps an eye on her as she crosses the driveway.
Kevin shakes his head. "You got it bad Halstead."
Jay chooses to refocus on the work at hand before acknowledging his friends statement.
"I don't know what you're talking about Kev." He's being coy because he's pretty sure he knows exactly what he's referecing but he still doesn't want to get into it. So he doesn't give either of the other men a chance to rebuttal as he starts hammering another plank in place.
"I think you do. So how long have you been in love with the boss's daughter?" Kevin asks when there's a break in the loud noises of the various tools being used to build the stables.
Jay shakes his head this time as he gets lost in his memories again - thinking back to when he first started falling for her. It was one of the times that she saved him - shortly before he was brought to live on the ranch.
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A/N: I hope you're having a lovely weekend! And I hope this is a well received chapter and that it gives a better idea of what happened the day Camille and Justin died. There was a lot of back and forth when writing this - so many deleted sentences and plenty of rearranging. So I apologize for all the mistakes that I know are there. Thank you as always for following and your nice reviews!
