The bed practically pulls him in like a warm embrace. But it doesn't cushion him the way he was hoping as he falls onto the thin fabric and springs that make up the old mattress. Regardless of the discomfort, he has every intention of staying in this exact spot until his internal clock wakes him in the morning. And with the thought of it being his last night away from his own bed, he closes his eyes in hopes of drifting off quickly. He's almost to the state of deep sleep his body desperately craves when his phone rings. He doesn't even look at it as he picks it up and slides his thumb across the screen to unlock the device.

He doesn't get the chance to greet the person calling, before she starts angrily babbling at him. "Jay, I know you two aren't really talking again and the last time you saw each other didn't end well. But I don't know what to do. She's been doing some research for the rustlers case and-"

"Nadia." He says her name sternly to stop her from continuing to ramble. When he hears her inhale deeply then he decides to ask what's going on.

"Something's wrong with Erin. She hasn't slept in two days, she's barely eating. I feel like she's going to make herself sick. I've tried talking to her but she just bathers about the case. I don't know if she found something or if the fact that tomorrow is the day her mom and brother died is messing with her." She tells him calmly, her voice a little more hushed than before and he assumes that it's to keep Erin from hearing her.

He's taken aback by her words and he admits that to the women on the other end of the phone and she huffs when he asks why she thinks he can help.

"Because regardless of how shitty you two are being to each other, I know you love her just as much as she loves you. You've been the person she goes to for everything and I also know that you're the only one that can help her." She snaps and he can't disagree with the first thing she said, in fact he feels his heart grow heavy, like a sinking anchor was tied to the beating muscle in his chest at the truth of her words.

To say he's concerned would be an understatement and he hurriedly but also sluggishly puts on his boots and grabs his hat and keys as he walks towards the front door of his friend's small cabin. His puppy runs through his legs as he steps out onto the front porch. He tries to call her back but she runs over to the truck and sits down. Eventually he gives up and decides to just take her with, thinking that she may help Erin when they get to Nadia's apartment.

Almost as soon as they get into the truck he begins to chide himself again - even more than he already was for the last night he and Erin saw each other just over a week ago. They hadn't made it far from the hospital before they got into another arguement.

He still feels like he's on cloud nine from that kiss they shared just minutes ago as she continues the drive. The drugs still ruminating through his system may also have something to do with the feeling but he shakes that thought. The excitement and anticipation of what this means for them bubbles within him and fills him with the gleefulness and giddiness of a kid with their first crush, as they get closer to their destination. He knows they have so much to unpack and talk through but he doesn't want to think of that now - not when the potential of what they could have is still fresh and in such a vulnerable state. Yet he can't help the dread that nags him at the thought of starting something real on such an unstable foundation. He considers what may happen if they don't lay it all out before delving deeper into this new stage of them.

He didn't realize that he voiced some of those concerns out loud until he hears her faint hum meant to simply acknowledge his words as she thinks them over.

"I can wait - we can wait until you're feeling better and up to having a real conversation." She looks at him as she slows to a stop as the yellow traffic light flicks off and gives way for the red one above it to turn on.

"I don't want to wait Erin. We've already waited long enough and I think that's part of the problem."

She sighs his name and he huffs in return, already feeling his frustration taking over his emotions. He decides to drop the topic for a bit as he takes in the direction she's heading in.

"Where are we going?" He asks with a bite.

"Antonio's."

"Erin I just want to go back to my place, take care of the animals and sleep." He admits while keeping his eyes on the road as if he was the one driving and he can see her gulp in his peripheral which causes him to turn his focus to her.

"Antonio said he was going to tell you?" She didn't really mean for it to come off as a question but she just shrugs when it does.

"Tell me what exactly?" He pushes for more information.

She gulps again and Jay can tell she's trying to think of the right thing say - how to tell him something and he becomes anxious of what it could be.

"After the doctors told us that you'd be ok, I decided to go to your cabin. I figured you'd want clean clothes and that the horses and dogs needed to be tended to. When I got some of your things packed, I took them down to the main barn and asked Kevin and Adam to care for them until you were feeling better. They agreed and I was just about to leave when my dad walked over to me. He told me that they couldn't stay there and that you'd have to find somewhere else to board them. I left after that and came back to the hospital. Antonio asked what was wrong so I told him and then he spoke with Laura and they invited you to stay at the old cabin on their property until you were well enough to go home, and said that he'd get the animals moved over to their barn." She murmurs already feeling the heat from his glare.

"So your animals are at Antonio's - well except for Poppy, she's at Nadia's." She tells him first, not being able to chance a glance in his direction so she chooses, instead, to look straight ahead of them. Now it's her that sees his body language shift - even though it's only from the side of her eye - she catches how his jaw and shoulders go from relaxed to tense in the matter of a couple seconds.

He shakes his head at her as he finishes processing what she just told him.

"And you thought that'd be easier for me?" He growls and she nods sheepishly.

"To stay away from my home - sleep at an old cabin and stress out my animals by moving them for what?- a week? He asks but Erin knows it's all rhetorical, so she doesn't answer but she eventually explains herself.

"I didn't think it'd -"

"Again, maybe that's the problem Erin." He cuts her off, his voice gravelly from anger. "You don't really think before you say or do something. You just get it in your head that you need to help and fuck everything up."

"I'm sorry, I just...I can ask Antonio to take your horses and dogs back." She says as they pull up to the Dawson residence.

He huffs again and moves to open the door.

"Don't bother." He snarls before he gets out of the truck.

"Jay I-"

"You were right." He interrupts her again and she grits her teeth in annoyance.

"We should wait. I think I made a rash decision to forgive you and it was naïve of me to think that and a few kisses meant we would be ok." He tells her and she releases a shuttering breath. Then he closes the door and walks away with his head down.

He sighs as he comes to stand in front of Nadia's apartment. His heart constricts and his breathing quickens as he knocks on the white, wooden door. He adverts his gaze down to the puppy sitting obediently at his feet while they wait to be let in.

They aren't left out in the hall for long before the door is being pulled open and they're being let in.

"Hey." He greets Nadia after she closes the door and the wade in the entryway.

"Hey, thanks for-"

He shakes his head to stop her from finishing that sentence.

"Please don't thank me Nadia - not when I know I'm partially to blame for this." He admits and she gives him a sad smile and a half nod before gesturing towards the living room and he follows her through the apartment until they get to one of the rooms - presumably the one Erin's been staying in. Nadia nods as if to give him permission to go into the room.

He feels his heart sink again when he sees the state of the small room. There's documents along with a few grainy pictures taped to the wall to right as he steps over the threshold of the small space. And what's not adorning the walls is splayed out in different areas of the room, mostly the bed and floor. He feels himself grow nervous when he takes in Erin standing by the only dresser in the room. Her back is hunched and her shoulders slumped with her head hanging low as she focuses hard on something. It's obvious that she didn't notice either of their presence as she remains still even as Jay steps closer to her.

"Erin?" Jay announces, not wanting to startle her but still she flinches when he says her name.

Then her head turns and her eyes meet his and she gives him a smile that is a mix between elated and sad. That's when he sees the toll these last few days have taken on her. He takes in the dark circles under her watery, red rimmed eyes. Her hair is unkempt and her clothes wrinkled. She looks disheveled, lost and exhausted.

"Jay, hey, I'm glad you're here. I know that you're not happy with me right now but I've been trying to work on the case and fix things at the ranch for you. And I found some things that aren't really adding up." She sputters as he takes the last few steps until he's standing at her side. And just like Nadia explained on the phone, Erin starts rambling about the investigation she's launched for the case. One of his hands rests on her hip as he looks at the laptop and a flowchart. He doesn't take the time to see what it's actually about before he looks back at Nadia who just shrugs as he gives her a worried and confused look.

He returns his attention to Erin and then again, briefly scans the laptop that's plugged into the outlet above the piece of furniture in front of them, which, he gathers is probably why she's standing flush against the dresser.

"Erin." He repeats calmly again and she moves her head towards him a little but doesn't actually take her eyes off the screen.

"Erin, can you look at me, please?" He asks and she does just as he cups her cheek to prevent her from looking away.

"What is all of this about?" He asks and she shrugs but he sees through it and he raises an eyebrow at her. He has a pretty good idea what has her so riled up, so does Nadia but he wants to hear it from Erin. He feels like maybe it'll help if she says it out loud.

"I have to keep busy - to stay focused so I don't have time to think about them or what tomorrow signifies." She shrugs again and it causes his already heavy heart to sink further down and it's his turn to advert his gaze.

"Everywhere I've gone and everything I've seen over the last few months reminds me of my mom and Justin. The house, the horses, the trees and mountains all bring back memories of or at least feature them. But it's been worse over the last couple days, I'm just constantly thinking about them...and you." She sniffles and he looks back up at that. He sees the tears trailing down her cheeks and he clears the papers off the bed and sits on the edge of the lush pillow top. There's no hesitantion on his part as he immediately pulls her into him until she's straddling his hips as she comes to sit in his lap. She tucks her arms in between their chests and buries her face in the crook of his neck.

"I miss them so fucking much Jay." She murmurs into his skin and he kisses her head as he rubs her back.

"I know you do babe." His arms pull her into him even more until there's no air between them. Nadia feels a little better seeing that her friend - the woman who is more like a sister is already doing better than she was just a mere half hour ago. And she finds herself feeling even more grateful to Jay for coming through. With that last thought she leaves them be - closing the door quietly behind her as she goes to finish dinner. Neither Jay nor Erin notice her disappear and they remain in their spot.

"I know you do." He repeats and then they let a silence cloak the expanse of the room. She remains in his embrace, bawling her eyes out until her tears soak into his skin and shirt.

Eventually he moves them back so he's lying down with Erin laid out on top of him. And after a few minutes they both succumb to the exhaustion and drift off into a much needed, peaceful sleep.


A/N: You didn't think I forgot did you? I had somethings to add and take away from this chapter, so it took me a little longer than expected to post today but it's here. Hopefully it's at least somewhat enjoyable. I wanted to have them going back and forth and staying in limbo of the platonic/romantic friendship/relationship that they have. And that this would be an ok way to delve into the case more in the next few chapters. As always nice reviews are much appreciated. I hope have a great weekend and enjoy. Thanks for reading!

Also, I have a fluffy Halloween fic that I'm going to try to publish within the next few days - depending on my motivation/energy to finish it. So keep an eye out if you'd like to read it!