The metallic smell of blood is thick in the air of the gruesome sight - hay, grass, gravel and dirt all painted in a crimson red. He's never seen anything like it and it only seems to get worse as they move through one of the few properties bordering Voight's land. The crime scene is the campground next to the springs Jay and Erin just visited over the weekend. Every single one of the camp owner's horses having been slaughtered in the early morning, just before the sun rose. Their wounds remind the new Commissioner of the mares and foal injured just a few short weeks ago at the Voight Ranch. The killer clearly trying to send a message - probably knowing that Jay would have to come investigate since this is something that falls within his job description. That notion - the idea that he and Erin could be the reason these animals and the camp owner were targeted makes Jay's stomach churn. It makes him even more anxious to talk to her - just needing to hear her voice and that she's ok. So when he realizes that they're done gathering evidence from the stables and corrals stained in blood, he slips into his truck and dials her number.

The phone rings, practically blaring in his ear as he wills her to answer. His shoulders deflate when it goes to voicemail but he assumes she's still in the meeting with the District Attorney about the rustlers case. He was supposed to go with her but then he got the call to come here. So after dropping her and Nadia off at the office, he headed over to the campgrounds. He sighs defeatedly and exits the truck in hopes of getting back to her soon.

On his way back to the last stall he notices a set of bloody tracks. It's obvious they're not from a boot of any kind just based on the shape of the toe and tread. If he had to guess the imprint in the dirt is from some kind of hiking shoe. He waves over the photographer to get pictures of the prints that appear too big for the woman's average but rather petite for a man. It's something small but could be used to compare to tracks found after the stable fire and the attack on the horses at the Voight ranch. He snaps a few photos on his phone too. That's the last of what they need to do, so Jay looks at the impression some more before his paranoia gets the best of him and he decides to go to the springs.

He walks the perimeter of the blue water - looking for broken branches and worn grass where someone could have been standing and watching while also staying hidden. There hasn't been any rain since they were here, so the spot shouldn't have changed. But as he makes it three quarters of the way around the springs he begins to think his suspicions were wrong and that he's just being paranoid. Then he finds a spot near where he made a clearing for Erin and him to get to the water. It's a small area, maybe two feet in diameter. The green grass and foliage is pressed into the dirt calling for Jay to be careful as he gets a closer look. He takes pictures on his phone, even though he's not sure there's much substantial evidence here. He looks over at the water from where he's standing - noting that the person would have had a perfect vantage point from there. They would have been able to see every move that he and Erin made while there. It causes a chill to run up his spine at the thought but feeling grateful that they hadn't been more intimate in the springs. He shakes his head and is just about to leave when he notices something else. Lifting some leaves and blades of grass until he finds what he's looking for, a perfectly preserved shoeprint - the same as the bloody ones seen in the stables except this one appears as though it was covered up. He takes another couple photos before actually going back to his truck.


She runs her fingers through her hair just before falling back into Jay's large office chair. Her eyes fall shut as she takes a steading breath. The words of the District Attorney resounding in her head as she tries to calm herself.

The stress of the case just got that much worse with this new revelation. It's something she should have seen - it's obvious now that it was pointed out to her. And she wonders how she missed it over all the time she's - they've spent researching. She opens her eyes after a few minutes - realizing that those thoughts aren't helping her relax. Her sights instantly settle on the picture to the right of the computer sitting in the middle of the desk. She smiles at the photo of her and Jay as teenagers and lets her thoughts drift to him. And everything in her calms - her nerves, her breathing and her heart all slow. Then she hears his voice in the front office. She can tell that he stops as he talks to Nadia for a moment before continuing towards his office - to where she is. Her heartrate picks up again as she waits for him to come into view. Then he's there in the doorway, his head still turned toward who she assumes is Nadia before he's closing the door. He takes a deep breath as he leans his head against the wood and then he turns to face her. They give each other weak smiles as he moves towards her. Once he gets close enough he holds out his right hand until she places both of hers into his hold and he pulls her from his seat to sit down himself and then guides her to sit on his lap.

"I was just thinking about you." She whispers to him as she leans in to give him a kiss.

"I was just thinking about you too." He murmurs back against her lips.

"-all morning actually." He adds after another peck and she quirks an eyebrow at him as they pull apart.

"So are you going to tell me how the meeting went?" He lays his hands on her thighs.

She shakes her head and nuzzles into his neck - inhaling deeply and letting the smell of his cologne calm her.

"That bad huh?" He inquires - her lack of verbal response making him even more intrigued to hear how it went.

She sighs and admits that none of what the DA said was wrong and that it just wasn't exactly what she was expecting. He huffs as he pictures the asshole of a man that is the District Attorney saying that to her. Her hands move up and down his chest in attempt to placate his anger towards the other man.

"He said my dad's not exactly everyone's favorite person and that he's made a lot of enemies over the years. That what we have is all circumstantial. There's nothing that proves that any of the McGregor siblings are the ones that did anything." She sits up again but her eyes don't meet his.

"Then we keep digging until we find something that does prove it." He tells her after kissing her forehead and she nods as she continues to look down at her hands now lying still on his pecs. He places two fingers under her chin and taps up so she lifts her head to look at him. And it's her that leans in to kiss the tip of his nose and then his lips.

"Thank you." She whispers as she leans her forehead against his.

"What are you thanking me for?" He looks confused and she shrugs.

"For being you." There's a brief pause and he can see a pink tint taking over her cheeks just before she continues. "I know I've said it before but still, you have other cases - real cases to investigate and fix. Yet you're still willing to and are helping me. So thank you."

He smiles at her and nods.

"Of course." Is his simple response because he doesn't want to say something wrong in the moment. He doesn't mention that technically the rustlers case falls under his jurisdiction.

"How did your morning go?" She asks him after another quick peck and he sighs.

He shakes his head. "It was like Voight's horses but so much worse. Whatever happened clearly wasn't done by an animal but it also didn't seem possible that a person could do something so grotesque."

"Does anyone have any idea who it could have been?" She questions and he shakes his head.

"I'm supposed to go back in a little bit to question some of the camp staff. But I did find some bloody shoeprints." He tells her as he pulls his phone out of his pocket to show her the pictures he took.

She zooms in on the second picture and looks at it closely before her eyebrows furrow and her lips pout out.

"Erin?" He gently squeezes her side with his free hand. But before she can say anything his phone rings.

"Hello?" He answers and then he sighs. "Yeah, I'll be right there."

She asks if he has to go back now as he pockets his phone and he nods.

They both stand up and he picks up his hat while suggesting that she come with him. She nods and leads the way out of the office.

When they get there they see a few people standing near the entrance - most of them looking distraught even from afar. They get out of the truck at the same time but she stays back while he goes to talk to who she presumes is the camp owner. Then she sees a familiar face seemingly appearing out of nowhere to join them. Erin's shoulders tense as she watches from where she's leaning against the hood of the truck. The way the tall blonde casually places a hand on one of Jay's arms as she gives him her most charming smile enrages Erin but still she stays put as Jay takes a step back and out of reach of his ex. Erin can't fight the small smile from breaking out on her face when she sees Allie frown at the small distance. Jay glances over at Erin then and sends a quick wink to reassure her. But she can't stop herself from feeling possessive and protective of him - even if she knows he's only here on a professional basis and not here to reconnect with his highschool girlfriend. Her mind starts to run wild and she starts to wonder if he was really called back to the scene for the case or just so Allie could see him - as she appears not the least bit disturbed by the situation. Jay being the man he is though, remains professional and even takes another step back - which causes both women in front of him to take turns looking in Erin's direction and narrowing their eyes at her. Then Allie gives Jay a hug and moves over to Erin - acting as though she just recognized her.

"Erin?" She cajoles as she gets closer. "I thought that was you!"

Erin gives her the biggest smile she can muster but she knows it looks fake. She can't find it in her to care and lets the attempt at a grin fall from her face.

"How have you been? How long have you been back?" She asks and Erin fights the urge to sigh before answering her.

"So you finally got him huh?" There's bitter tone in her voice and it irritates Erin to say the least.

She doesn't get a chance to answer in anyway before Allie adds to her previous question. "I can't say I'm surprised about you getting your way, you were always infatuated with him. But him? I wouldn't have seen that."

"Meaning?" Erin crosses her arms as she becomes even more defensive than she already was.

"I meant no offense." Allie claims while trying to face the same direction as Erin.

"Which is exactly what someone says when they spew something offensive - as if it just negates the statement." Erin objects but it doesn't stop Allie from continuing.

"I guess I just didn't picture him settling." Allie explains offhandedly.

Erin huffs again as she quickly thinks of a reply.

"Funny, I thought the same thing when he was dating you." Erin says as she moves to go back into the truck. In her peripheral she can see Allie start to storm away like a petulant child. Just as Erin opens the passenger side door, she calls out to Allie. And once the blonde looks over at her she gives her another fake smile and repeats her earlier words about meaning no offense.

It reminds Erin of a time when they were kids - the first time she felt jealous over him.

The hat is handed to her and she feels her heart flutter as she envisions it on his head. The idea that he may not like it comes to mind but she shakes her mind of the thought - choosing instead to run her fingers over the rim of the black fur felt hat. Her is standing beside her - watching her actions while they wait for the receipt. Erin can see in her peripheral that her mom smiles at her before she turns her attention to the man behind the counter as he hands over the carbon copy of the hand written sales receipt. But even as they start towards the exit, Erin's eyes stay fixed on the hat. The dread of Jay not liking coming back to the forefront of her mind as they make the return trip back to the ranch.

"He's going to love it Sweetheart." Camille whispers when she sees her daughter's shoulders deflate.

"You really think so?" Erin questions - keeping her head down.

"I really do." Camille nods as they turn onto the gravel road leading up to their home. "Looks like the Corsons are here again, they must be checking on their colt."

Erin rolls her eyes - knowing that means Allie will be here and will likely annoy her the second she sees her. And it's that, that makes her think she might just put off giving Jay the hat so she can avoid seeing the spoiled, blonde that's in the same class as Jay. But when she looks at the hat again the same excitement from before, of gifting it to him takes over. She takes in their surroundings - surveying if Allie is close by. When she doesn't see her, she slinks out of the truck and moves towards the stables. She thinks she gets by scot free when she makes it inside without being spotted. But as soon as she turns the corner, she sees Allie kissing Jay - stopping Erin dead in her tracks. Tears sting the back of her eyes as she decides to go back the way she came. The sliding barn doors slam shut - surely scaring both Allie and Jay along with any horses inside.

She finds herself venturing over to the springs as the flashback fades away, quickly finding the spot Jay told her about - where he suspects someone was watching them. Her eyes squint to focus in the shoeprint that seems familiar but she can't remember exactly where she's seen them before. She's not sure how long she's standing there trying to place the unique pattern of the tread before she hears some movement from behind her.

"What are you doing over here?" Jay wraps an arm around her waist once he's close enough.

"I recognize the prints, I just don't know if I'm projecting it onto Andrew or if he actually had a pair of these shoes." She shrugs and he realizes that's what she was thinking when he got the call to come back here. Then she walks back to the campground while he looks back at the spot and then goes to follow her.


"Kevin's going to be picking me up and then taking me back to my apartment. We're going out to the bar tonight, would you guys want to come with?" Nadia asks Jay locks up the office.

"I'd be down." Jay says and Erin stays quiet but nods in agreement.

Kevin's waiting outside in one of the ranch trucks and he smiles when he sees them. Nadia tells them which bar and what time they'll be going before hopping up into the passenger seat. Both Erin and Jay wave goodbye as they walk over to Jay's truck.

He asks her why she's been so quiet on their way back to the ranch to get ready. She just shrugs at first before admitting that she's been thinking about what Allie said to her. He jokes and tells her that he noticed how she reacted when she saw Allie.

"Don't tell me you're jealous?" He questions but she doesn't answer as she looks down at her lap.

The slight pout on her face has him immediately pulling over to the side of the road.

"Probably no more than you were with any of my exes." She tries to joke back but he knows better - knows that it's her way of downplaying how she's feeling.

Jay shakes his head and grins as he raises one of his eyebrows at her and she does the same to him.

"I was never jealous of any of them." He tries to tell her with a straight face but she can see through the façade. He nose scrunching and his eyes squinting - his tell when he's lying.

"Right." She laughs halfheartedly again.

"Seriously Erin, you have nothing to worry about."

"But maybe she's right about you settling for me. She seems to fit you better, she's here and even though I've never liked her, she's more normal than me. Plus it's not like we have the best track record with each other. I just feel like the other shoe is bound to drop." She rambles and he's a little taken aback by her words but doesn't let that stop him from clearing this up.

"So that's what's been going on - why you've been walling me off and stopping things from going...further between us? You think I'm going to change my mind about being with you?"

She sighs and he takes a moment to think.

"I can't promise that the other shoe isn't going to drop." He admits earnestly and if it was possible her shoulders fall even more.

"But if it does, you can be damn sure that I'll be there to pick up every piece and put them back together." He squeezes her knee in reassurance and she tucks some of her hair behind her ears as she gives him a unsure smile, letting him know that she doesn't quite believe that. So he nods and continues.

"You remember our first kiss?" He asks and she finally looks at him with an expression that says of course.

"You wanted to watch another awful documentary and I wanted to watch anything else." She murmurs and he smiles a little wider.

"You secretly love those documentaries." He recants and she shakes her head and chuckles dryly with that remark as she thinks back to that night.

The last image fades to black and a few short facts about the film are displayed in white letters on the screen.

"See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" He says as he reaches for the remote.

"Can we watch something else now?" She asks sweetly but he shakes his head.

"We already tried looking for a show or movie you wanted to watch and you found something wrong with every one we came across." He tells her just as he clicks on another documentary.

"That's not true, we went through one category and then you decided to pick something." She counters and he doesn't disagree.

Then she's asking for the remote and sticking her right hand out but he holds his hand with the remote up above their heads. She sits up and tries to reach for it.

They begin wrestling for the remote and she somehow ends up pinned under him on the couch. Their breathing is heavy and their laughing stops - eyes going wide at the position they found themselves in. Yet neither of them make any attempt to move until they start to lean in. Then their lips meet for the very first time and their hearts both pound and slow as they get acquainted with each other's kiss. And it's not until she wraps her arms around the nape of his neck to pull him in closer that he pulls away from her. She instantly feels her heart ache when he sits up and puts distance between them.

"Jay?" Her broken voice whispers to get him to look at her. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"It wasn't just you, I've wanted to do that for a long time." He shakes his head.

"Then why did you just act like that was the worst thing that could have happened?" She looks even more confused as she sits up a little straighter.

"Because I don't want to just be your back up plan Erin. A week ago you were with someone else. I don't want to just be your second choice."

"Is that what you think you are to me?" It angers her to think that's how she's made him feel.

"Am I not?" His hurt evident both in his voice and the expression on his face.

She shakes her head adamantly and narrows her eyes at him for even questioning that. "Everytime I thought about telling you how I felt, I convinced myself that it was better to keep my feelings to myself. Because I was afraid that you wouldn't feel the same way - that I'd ruin what we have and I didn't want to lose you." Her voice cracks a little with her words.

"We've known each other over half our lives and been through a lot - without you I wouldn't have gotten through any of it. I can't imagine my life without you. So I sidelined my true feelings to ensure that I didn't scare away the best friend I could ever ask for. I've dated the guys I have because they weren't you. The more different they were the better." She says so confidently and it causes him to look away again.

She runs her hand along his chin before she cups his jaw. "Because if I had looked for someone like you. Someone caring and protective but stubborn as hell. A man who somehow wears his heart on his sleeve but also keeps it guarded. Or a guy with a razor sharp mind, a smart mouth and rugged good looks. If I had looked for any of those things in the guys I dated, I would have been sorely disappointed. Because no one, could ever, possibly measure up to you Jay Halstead. They would've always been the runner-up to you."

He nods and gives her small smile as he leans in to kiss her again. Her hands soon tease the hem of his henley and the next thing he knows she's pulling the grey fabric over his head. He returns the favor and lifts the shirt she's wearing off her body, leaving her bare to him once again. And then they reattach their lips in a more heated, tender kiss.

Jay holds her close to his body as he flips them, so she's laid out beneath him. He stares into her eyes as they both catch their breath.

She smiles and cups his cheeks just before kissing him again, only breaking from his lips when he enters her tight cavern. Then it's all a blur.

"I don't care about some other woman, what she does for a living or what her history is with me. It doesn't matter because they're not you Erin. They're always going to be a runner-up because there's no one who fits better with me than you." He reaches over to cup her jaw when she looks back down at her lap. His hand gently tilts her face towards him.

The look in his eyes takes her breath away and she can tell he's about to say those three, powerful words. But she shakes her head and gently places a kiss to his lips.

"Don't say it." She whispers and the expression that comes to his face is one of shock - maybe even hurt.

"It's not that I don't want to hear you say it or that I don't feel the same way, because I do - I really do." She takes a deep breath because her heart is actually aching at the thought of finally saying those words out loud but she knows it's not the right time.

"It's just that I don't want you to say it now, for the first time, just to make a point after I may or may not have been jealous." She laments - her heart sinking with those words.

"Ok but know that is how I feel." He replies simply and she nods.

"Me too." She murmurs back as they both lean in to kiss again.

"Since I can't say it, maybe I could show you?" He whispers suggestively against her lips causing her to feel a dull ache in her lower abdomen.

"We should get back to the cabin." She murmurs to him and he pecks her lips once more before moving the gear shift and driving back to the ranch.


There's a pounding in her head, a ringing in her ears and certain soreness centered around her core as she begins to wake up. She's not surprised to see that he's not still lying next to her when she opens her eyes - seeing the sun peaking through the curtains. It takes her some time to sit up - the fire that was once burning bright within the brick in the corner of the room is now fading. Poppy quickly moves over when Erin's feet start to kick at the comforter that's been keeping her warm since he left the bed. She apologizes to the young dog - not knowing that Jay let her in either after she fell asleep or when he left.

The air around her is cool as she gets out of the bed and searches for a shirt - either the one she wore out last night or one of his to cover her nude form up with. She figures he must have throw their discarded clothes from last night in the wash when she doesn't see the flannel that was tossed in their haste and onto the chair set against one of the walls. A blue and black flannel gets pulled out of his closet on her way into the bathroom.

When she gets out of the shower she slips on the shirt along with a pair of panties and goes to grab a cup of coffee and her phone before making her way back up to his room. It doesn't seem like she's looking through her pictures for long before she hears him walking up the stairs. She can feel his eyes on her the instant he steps into the room.

"How do you make that shirt look so good?" He smiles and she shakes her head as she looks down at the half open shirt showing the valley of her breast and her midsection. Then she's lifting her gaze to him.

Her breath hitches seeing him standing in front of her in an open denim button up and a pair of tan jeans hanging low on his hips. He's holding a bundle of wood under both arms. She feels heat rise up her neck to her face but she isn't sure if it's from his statement and the way he's looking at her or the way he's wearing his clothes.

"Says the man walking around like that?" She nods her head, giving him another once over to make her point. He grins at her and then tosses some of the wood he brought up with him into the fireplace. The rest of the chopped up wood is tossed on the rack before he makes his way over to her.

"I thought you'd still be sleeping." He whispers as his hand sneaks under the flannel through the opening in the front. His fingers graze against the smooth skin of her stomach before curling around her side.

"Hmm, I am still pretty tired." She whispers into their kiss.

He nods in agreement - feeling the same way. "It was even better than I remembered."

"I don't know that you can improve or make something that good, even better." Her eyebrows furrow in a serious way - an attempt to keep herself from smiling and he looks confused.

"And I remember whiskey always being that good." She says as he pulls her into him.

He gives her his best pout and she can't fight her smile anymore.

"I thought it was pretty funny." She whispers back and he shakes his head.

"I'm sure you did." He whispers to her

"But I think I need to refresh your memory on the other good- the real good part of our night." He murmurs as he begins placing kisses from her lips to her chin, neck and chest all while slowly pushing the shirt of his that she's wearing off her shoulders

She moves to lay down once they rid each other of their shirts. And while he takes off his pants, she places her phone on the nightstand - neither of them realizing that she was just one picture away from what she was looking for. The very image she's had in her head since he first showed her the pictures the day before. Unbeknownst to them it's something that will help them catch a break in the Voight Ranch cases as well as the camp horse slaughters. But both of them push everything else out of their minds as they get lost in each other once again.