Author's note: Two notices. Firstly, thank you for all the love in the reviews on the last chapter. I honestly wasn't expecting it and it made me feel slightly better about the chapter, which in turn inspired me to get over some of the self-doubt and start on this chapter. So thank you. Secondly, I hear those of you that are worried that Jay is messing with Erin. I get it, i'd probably think the same if I hadn't actually written the story and understood the thought process. So here is. This fic, and each chapter, very frequently changes perspectives between characters during multiple points. So from Erin's monologues, we as readers, can tell she is jealous/envious of Upstead and she still loves Jay. Jay however, is blind towards his feelings which are resurfacing when it comes to Erin for two reasons. 1) He hasn't realised Erin still loves him. He's beginning to subconsciously acknowledge there's some feelings when it comes to her, but he hasn't realised its love. 2) Jay is with Hailey. He does love her. He's not messing around with her feelings. But unlike us, he hasn't yet realised that caring for someone and loving them isn't the same as being in love with them. In no way do I want Jay to come across as manipulative or playing both women, and I recognise that sometimes it might come across that way so I'm going to try doing better on that front. Like always, Jay cares. Deeply. And that's what he thinks is going on with Erin. Little does he know… Anyways, Happy Reading!

Kevin finished putting away his and Vannessa's vests just as he watched Erin park up the Sierra outside the garage doors of the 21st. Behind him, Burgess and Ruzek were animatedly relaying what had gone down at the bar with Elisha to Vanessa.

As soon as the doors to the Sierra slammed shut and the former couple walked in, Kevin Atwater could not help himself.

"Damn girl. You have to tell me how you do it?!" he said to Erin impressively, shaking his head almost in disbelief.

Erin's eyebrows raised questioningly at Kevin. She was confused.

"You've lost me here, Kev."

At that moment, Hailey walked in behind them, joining the rest of the team.

"With Halstead! How do you manage to have him do whatever you want? You gotta share your secrets with us Lindsay. Help a brother out here."

Jay screwed up his face lightly, cocking an eyebrow and scoffing to show he was offended.

"Pshht. She does not!"

"Oh please Jay, she always broke your balls."

Adam nodded in agreement.

"It was kind of pathetic if you ask me. Real whipped you were. But then again," he added, now fully collapsing into laughter, "she did actually zap your balls so I mean I don't blame you, you were probably scarred for life after that. If my girl did that to me even once, I probably would do anything to stay on her good side."

Kim folded her arms at that, raising an eyebrow challengingly at her husband.

"Are you trying to say you only do nice things as an incentive to stay out of trouble?"

Adam's face dropped within an instant, his face looking comically worried as he looked at his wife suddenly getting defensive of what he had said.

"Oh no, no darling, you know that was just hypothetical. I would do anything for you, but that's because I love you."

Kim nodded, a smug, satisfied grin appearing on her face.

"Uh-huh, it better be," she said, quickly shooting her eyebrows up and bringing them back down.

"Of course, darling, of course," he said cupping her face in his hands and pulling her in for a quick peck on the lips.

Erin couldn't help the snicker that came out of her lips. For someone who thought Jay was whipped… well that was like the pot calling the kettle black. Burgess had Adam wrapped around her little finger and she couldn't be more proud of her friend for that. She had come a long way from the patrol officer who wanted to transfer out of the 21st because of her lack of confidence in herself and her abilities, especially after she and Adam broke up. Kim used to see herself as an outsider looking into Adam's world up in intelligence, but now she had established herself in her own right amongst the unit and she was confident enough in her own skin. And Erin now saw how that translated not just into her role as a cop, but in her relationship as well.

Adam pulled away, glaring at Erin as he heard her snickers leave her lips.

"Besides, you're not actually cruel enough to zap my balls."

"Babe, what are you talking about zapping?"

Atwater's laughs sounded through the room and Ruzek joined in, both men struggling to stay upright at the memory. Every woman in the room looked confused except Erin, who looked half amused and half bashfully apologetic. Jay on the other hand, scowled at his two friends as they relished remembering one of his more painful memories.

"Taser… Certification!" Adam barely choked out between laughs.

"Yeah, my girl Lindsay tasered Jay right in the groin!" Atwater exclaimed.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm glad you two are enjoying yourselves at the expense of the memories of my pain," he muttered glaring at them.

"Oh come on, Jay!" Adam's laughter was slowly subsiding, as the detective attempted to bring it under control, his breathing erratic and dramatically loud from his laughing fit, almost like a snorting animal, "It was worth the price of admission!" he said throwing Jay's words from that day back at him before sputtering into a fresh round of laughs.

Kim turned to look at Erin in disbelief, not quite believing her husband until she heard the story confirmed directly from the source.

"You didn't?!" she gasped.

Erin shrugged her shoulders lightly. "Well the guys all voted. I did ask where he wanted it, but in the end, the majority ruled."

Vanessa took in Erin, slightly impressed but how gutsy the woman standing in front of her was.

"That was a pretty ballsy move Erin. I gotta say, I'm surprised he didn't skin you alive for that!"

Hailey spoke then. She had quietly stood there listening, finding the story pretty funny as it went. If it wasn't for the fact that the woman who had done such a funny thing was her fiance's ex, she might have actually revelled in it as explicitly as the rest of them. But one question raged on in the back of her mind. As much as she would have loved to have witnessed something like that happen, albeit not between her fiance and his ex, she was perplexed as to how Erin had gotten away with something like that in a professional environment. So she voiced her questions.

"Oh please!" Ruzek cried out. "So Jay screams immediately, dropping to the ground rolling around like a wild dog, and Sarge, who was in his office opens his door at the sound and commotion…"

Erin too, quietly joined in on the laughter quietly at this point, remembering where this story was headed. A light sparkled in her hazel eyes, as her eyes crinkled at the corners remembering the memory. But unlike Atwater and Ruzek, she was attempting to be more subtle about it.

"And? Don't leave us hanging!" Vanessa exclaimed.

"And… And Alvin's standing there behind him, poker face like always and!" he couldn't finish off his sentence, the laughter overtaking his ability to speak as his whole frame shook. Reaching out to lean against the wall for support, he doubled over clenching his stomach which now hurt from how much he was laughing. Kim laughed at her husband, rolling her eyes playfully at him. As funny as the story was, Adam's reaction made it that much funnier.

"So like Adam said, Sarge pops his head out of the office door, looks at Halstead rolling on the floor clutching his groin, looks up at Erin with the taser still in her hand, a look of panic now taking over her face as she sees how much pain Jay is actually in, looks at the rest of us all doubled in laughter… and he goes 'huh'. Like an amused scoff, quick, amused, exhale scoff from his nose, shoots Erin the proudest look and then goes back into his office without a word and shuts the door! I don't know whose reaction was better, Sarge all proud dad like or Olinski who looked unphased by the whole thing, full on poker face throughout."

"Sarge did that?" Hailey questioned in disbelief. She found it hard to believe that Hank Voight would refrain from saying anything on a matter such as this. He had made it clear to her time and time again that his unit was not a place for fun and games.

Adam, who had now regained his composure spoke.

"Sure! He'd warned Halstead to keep it in his pants before and I guess he was beginning to suss out his secret relationship with Erin. I'm pretty sure Sarge regretted skipping the training cause I'm pretty sure he probably wanted to do the same to Jay as a fair warning to keep his hands off Erin with the way he looked so amused. And that proud look! He knew Jay's swimmers wouldn't be going near Erin any time soon… he was so pleased with Erin it was fucking hilarious!"

Hailey stood uncomfortably now listening. She didn't blame anyone for the turn of conversation. Kim probably felt the same way every time someone brought up her fling with Adam. It was the territory that came with in-house relationships and dating each other's exes. She knew it was a risk when she began dating Jay, she just never imagined in her wildest dreams though that Erin would return one day and be present for the conversation the team had about Jay and his said ex.

But Jay also had enough of the laughter. Though the team were all laughing in jest, and he knew it was nothing but banter and teasing, he felt it was time Ruzek got a taste of his own medicine.

"Hey Adam," he called out through a set jaw and narrowed eyes.

Adam was still holding on to his stomach dramatically, wiping away at the joyful tears that had escaped his eyes with his free hand.

"Remember the time your genius self thought it would be funny to try out a jockstrap and you had me kick you in the balls to see if it actually worked and it failed? Want to test it out again right now? This time without the cup?"

That sobered Adam up really quickly, the smile having now dropped from his face as he frowned at the painful memory.

"Doofus," Jay muttered, shaking his head. "Seriously Kim, somedays I wonder how he landed a woman as smart and as beautiful as you.

"Honestly Jay, I ask myself the same question all the time," Kim said, a proud grin emerging on her face.

Now Adam was glowering at Jay, who had the corners of his mouth twitching upward in a smirk, both detectives having swapped roles. Adam pulled Kim into his side.

"But you love me darling, don't you?" he asked, keen on making a point.

Kim let herself into his embrace, placing a hand on his chest and staring into his paranoid eyes.

"More than anything," she replied.

That put a wide grin on Adam's face, the detective beaming at his wife's declaration. He never got tired of hearing her say it. And truth be told, he didn't actually know how he ended up with such a smart, beautiful, strong and caring woman. He admitted that he was a lucky guy.

"Why, is beyond me," Jay teasingly muttered under his breath.

"Hey Halstead, how 'bout you bring your jealous ass outside and we go a few rounds?"

"Bring it Ruze," Jay began to playfully punch the air a few times and soon, both men were playfully sparring.

"Boys will be boys," Erin said laughingly at Kim, rolling her eyes at the scene before her. She was glad to be here amongst her family. The playfulness, the teasing, the outright dorkiness, she had missed it more than she had ever come to realise. This felt right. Being here felt right. With the exception of the addition of new faces and the departure of some old ones, for a second, it was like she had never left. She stood there, unable to help the beam that made its way onto her face at the occurrence. But then, Hailey's voice brought her out of her thoughts.

"Alright you two," she said laughing at the absurdity of her ex and her fiance. Her fiance, who she thought, she had never seen behave in this way. So light and carefree in jest. "Pack it in, we've got work to do before Elisha arrives. Let's be prepared with some info on Russo by the time she gets here."

Erin silently nodded agreeing with the blonde detective. As good and fun as it was being back, she couldn't forget the real reason behind her being here: getting justice for Hank.

Authors note: This chapter was also meant to include Elisha stopping by at the precinct but ended up being comic relief in anticipation of more case related chapters coming up and the seriousness that comes with that. I decided to cut it short before Elisha came as I'm thinking shorter chapters= more frequent updates= the longer this fic lasts. Let me know what you thought!