Figured I owed y'all some cuteness. Enjoy!

The dinner was cold by the time all the tears had dried, and Piper was absolutely exhausted. The little girl was practically asleep on Jay's shoulder as he continued to hold both her and Erin closely. "Are you up for some food?" Jay asked gently, glancing to the collection of spinach-based dinner items on the table. Maybe he had gone overboard with the iron rich foods, but he was really worried about Piper.

"I just wanna stay here," Piper mumbled into Jay's shirt, "With you guys."

"We'll still be here," he promised, "But it would be good to get some food in you before you fall asleep."

"I already had so much spinach," she murmured, lifting her head to glance at the table.

"Yes, but spinach is what's going to make sure you're less noodley and more alert," Erin informed her, gently stroking Piper's back as she held tightly to her former partner, "But maybe after dinner we could find some ice cream in Jay's freezer, since you didn't get to eat any earlier." She flashed a grin to Jay who chuckled in response.

"That sounds like a deal to me," he mused, "What do you say, Pipes?"

"Deal," she nodded.

"You can't actually taste the spinach," Erin confirmed after swallowing a bite of Jay's green macaroni and cheese, "Not bad, Halstead."

"I like the chicken," Piper said, taking a bite from her plate, "But I don't think I can eat all spinach all the time."

"Not all the time," Jay wiggled his eyebrows, "I'll stop being so paranoid soon." He gave Piper a wistful smile, "You scared us for a second there, kiddo. So we're going to be a little crazy for the next few days, making sure you're stayin' upright."

Erin nodded in agreement. "We like you on two feet."

"I never had anyone worried about me before," Piper said, picking up a bite of macaroni and chewing thoughtfully. She gave a smile, "It's nice. To have people looking out for me."

"You better get used to it," Jay winked. Erin's breath had hitched at Piper's statement, and she was doing her best to keep her composure.

"You're gonna come back tomorrow, right?" Piper looked up at Erin expectantly, "You um, you still get to see me?"

"Yes," Erin nodded emphatically and cleared her throat, "And when we have our next sister date, I'm thinking we can do ice cream again. But make sure you actually get some."

Piper nodded and gave a small smile, "As long as there isn't spinach in it."

Jay snorted, "I don't know kiddo, I feel like that could be a lucrative business. Spinach ice cream." He flashed a grin to Erin, who rolled her eyes at her ex-partner.

While Piper got ready for bed, Erin helped Jay clean up the kitchen. They moved around in silence, both waiting for the right time to say something, but neither sure how to start. "I'm sorry," Erin exhaled finally, unable to keep it on her tongue any longer. "About last night. I took out all my frustration on you, and it wasn't fair."

Jay shook his head as he placed a clean plate back in the cupboard where it belonged, "I just want us to talk, Er. And be honest with each other. Because after last night, it seems like we just didn't talk enough before, and we weren't as honest with each other as we thought."

She nodded. "I want us to talk too." Erin exhaled again. She knew they needed to have the conversation but damn if she wasn't absolutely drained. She'd barely slept the last few days, and the afternoon in the hospital with Piper really took it out of her. Jay's eyes peered into her soul as she looked up at him, trying to find the right words to start the conversation.

"You're exhausted." A small smile played on Jay's lips as Erin looked at him in surprise. "I know you, Er. And I'm tired too. Before we talk and everything, maybe it would be good if we both got some sleep? I know I didn't sleep well last night, and you're practically asleep on your feet." His smile widened, "You're exhibiting the tell-tale signs that Erin Lindsay slept like shit."

Erin raised her eyebrows, "And what signs might those be, Halstead?" She flashed a grin. God, he just knew her so well. Even when she didn't have the words to express how tired she was, how much she knew they needed to have the conversation and how it would just be better if she could rest a bit, Jay knew.

"Let's see," Jay tapped his chin, "You get extra sensitive to noise when you're bone tired, and I could see you grimace every time the intercom went off in the hospital." He thought some more, "You rub that spot right between your thumb and your wrist more than normal," Jay gestured to Erin's left wrist that she was holding with her right palm, "And I can see it in your eyes."

"You really do know me," Erin whispered, swallowing the lump in her throat as Jay regarded her with his kind and gentle baby blues.

He nodded, "You're coming by for dinner tomorrow, right? Maybe we can chat then?"

"After she falls asleep," she gestured to Piper's bedroom door, "I-I'm not sure she's ready or I'm ready for that conversation just yet.

Jay exhaled, "Me too. You want to check on her? Say good night?" He smiled softly when Erin looked surprised. "She's going to want you to, Er. Trust me."

She managed a nod and took a step toward Piper's bedroom, still unsure of how to handle the situation. On one hand, she and Piper made huge strides in the relationship, but there was still so much left for them to learn about each other. Erin inhaled and knocked lightly on the door. "I brushed the tops and bottoms," Piper called, assuming it was Jay who was coming to check on her.

"It's Erin," she said, her hand on the doorknob. She didn't want to invade Piper's privacy in any way. "Can I come say good night?"

When Erin heard an "uh-huh" of assent, she gently pushed the bedroom door open. Piper was sitting up in bed, a book her in lap that Jay had gotten for. The little girl was freshly showered and clad in a pair of puppy pajamas. Erin sucked in a breath at just how young and innocent her little sister appeared, despite having been through so much. "Hey Noodle," she smiled when Piper flashed a grin, "You ready for bed?"

Piper nodded. "Are you and Jay both gonna talk me to sleep tonight?"

Erin paused. She'd just planned on saying good night, but the hopefulness in Piper's eyes nearly broke her heart. "If that's okay with you," she managed, glancing over her shoulder to the kitchen where Jay was still tidying.

Piper nodded again and set the book down. "Are you gonna get Jay?"

"Oh, right," Erin said, "I'll grab him, you snuggle in, okay?" She quickly headed for the kitchen.

"Everything okay?" Jay hung the kitchen towel in its proper place and looked around at the clean kitchen, satisfied with his work.

"She asked if I was going to talk her to sleep with you?" Erin looked confused.

Jay smiled softly. "If she doesn't fall asleep while the game is on, sometimes I'll sit next to her bed and tell her the most boring story I can think of." He chuckled, "She's usually out in less than five minutes." When Erin still looked confused, he put a hand on her shoulder. "C'mon, I'll show you."

He poked his head into Piper's room. "You ready for bed kiddo?"

Piper nodded. "You and Erin are both gonna talk me to sleep tonight, right?"

"That's right," Jay nodded, taking up his usual seat on the floor against Piper's bedside table. It had started when Piper first came to stay with him and was still skittish. He didn't ever want to make her feel uncomfortable by sitting on the bed, so he took up residence on the floor, still close enough for her to hear the story and know he was there. Erin remained awkwardly in the doorway, unsure of where to sit.

"You can sit there, if you want," Piper said quietly, gesturing to the end of her bed, just below her feet. "Jay always sits on the ground."

Jay gave an encouraging nod, so Erin took a seat on the end of Piper's bed. "This is a comfy bed," she mused, leaning against the far wall.

"I told you," Piper said seriously, "Super comfy."

"What kind of story do you want tonight, Pipes?" Jay asked, wracking his brain to come up with something that would help her doze off, "Maybe the 1998 NFC Championship game?"

"How about a story about you and Erin?" Piper asked, glancing from her sister to Jay, "When you and her were partners?"

Jay swallowed and caught a glimmer of nervousness in Erin's eyes. "Hm, how about the time Erin and I had to work at a carnival?"

Erin snorted, remembering the story well. It was fairly non eventful, but she knew Jay was just searching for a story appropriate for a nine year old right before bed, and to be fair, most of their stories from Intelligence were not for little ears. When Piper nodded against the pillow, Jay cleared his throat.

"So a few years ago, there used to be this giant carnival in Douglas Park, and it was called the Riot Festival. They brought in a whole bunch of bands to play music, there were rides and stuff, all sorts of food. And Erin and I had just been partners for a few months, but Sergeant Platt wanted both of us to work in uniform at this event." Jay cast a smile as he watched Erin remember the day. It was September in Chicago, and it had been the first day when there was an actual chill. She'd mistakenly left her jacket in her locker, and Jay, ever the gentleman, had lent her his.

Jay rattled off the names of the bands and described the weather in great detail, his low and soothing voice almost immediately leading Piper to sleep. As Jay spoke, Erin felt his words cover her like a warm blanket, the familiarity and comfort of the cadence of his speech making it difficult to keep her eyes open. Jay couldn't help but feel his heart tug as his former partner's breath evened out and she dozed softly. She was perfect, beautiful, an angel. His angel. But she wasn't his anymore. It wasn't his place to carry her to bed, and he didn't want to cross any of the lines they'd yet to establish for their evolving and awkward relationship.

"Erin," Jay's voice came softly. She startled, not realizing that she'd fallen asleep on Piper's bed. Immediately she glanced to her left, grateful that her little sister was still fast asleep.

"Sorry," she mumbled, quickly shaking her head in an attempt to wake herself up.

Jay gave an understanding smile. Oh, how he wished that he could have just linked his arms beneath her knees and behind her shoulders and carried her to bed. He wished that he could go back to the time when he'd avoid waking her up at all costs, knowing just how much she craved sleep. He wished that he could effortlessly cradle her in his arms from the couch to their bedroom, tuck the comforter around his girl and press a gentle kiss on her nose.

But again, she wasn't his girl any more. He couldn't bring her to his bed to spend the night, though he briefly contemplated it. He also thought about carrying her to the couch and letting her spend the night there, but the thought of her startling in his arms when she arguably wasn't supposed to be there wasn't something Jay wanted to deal with so late in the evening. He'd talked long past Piper fell asleep, eyes trained on Erin's features as she relaxed, his words washing over her. "I didn't want to wake you," he murmured honestly as she tried to slide off the bed, careful to avoid waking Piper.

"Didn't realize how tired I was," she mumbled in response, shuffling out of the bedroom after casting a quick glance behind her to her sister's sleeping form, relived to see she'd remained asleep as she maneuvered off the bed, "Sorry."

Jay shook his head and managed a small smile as Erin yawned again. "You wanna crash here?" he offered, "I know your place is only two doors down but you might sleep better knowing that Piper's close."

Erin's eyebrows lifted at Jay's offering. Her former partner could see right through her, and practically read her mind. Truthfully, all she wanted was to be near Piper, and know that she was okay. If she was being even more honest with herself, she wanted desperately to be close to Jay. "I-I don't want to intrude," she cleared her throat, "I've already invaded your evening and-"

"Erin," Jay cut her off, "You're here for Piper, and I'm here for her too." He smiled softly as she cast a glance to Piper's bedroom door, "I also know you. And I know you need a good night sleep, and it might help if you're close to your sister."

She exhaled, tears filling her eyes for what felt like the hundredth time that day. "How do you always know?" she asked, sniffing as quietly as she could, "How do you always do it?"

"Do what?" Jay wrinkled his forehead in confusion.

"Know what I need," Erin exhaled, gesturing to Piper's bedroom door, "You're right I – uh, I just don't want to leave her. Not after today."

He nodded, "I feel the same way, Er." Jay shrugged and was caught almost by surprise as Erin leaned into him heavily, craving the comfort and familiarity.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled against his chest as he held her, "I keep doin' this to you. It's not fair and I'm so tired and-"

"Shh," he cut her off again, "It's okay. Really. If you want, you can take my bed, I'll sleep on the couch out here-"

"I'm not kicking you out of your bed, Jay," Erin shook her head and pulled back slightly in his embrace, "I can just crash on the couch."

Jay swallowed, "I um, was going to sleep out here anyway. In case she woke up or needed anything."

Erin's eyes softened at his protectiveness of her sister. "Can I sit with you, for a bit?" she asked, almost shamefully, "I-um, I'll take the bed but I just want to be close for a little longer." She let out a shaky exhale, "I missed this."

"I missed it too," he replied delicately, "I meant what I said earlier. I'll always love you, Er, no matter what."

She sniffed and held closer. "We really got our wires crossed, huh?"

Jay chuckled softly. "Yeah. We did." He ghosted a hand over Erin's shoulder as she leaned into him, "I've really been trying to be better. To take care of myself, you know, mentally. With everything that happened, I-" His breath hitched. "I know how badly I hurt you."

"I didn't know how bad it was," Erin whispered, her hand on his chest, "I knew you were struggling, and I didn't know how to help. And with my mom and after the shooting and the drama and my badge, even then, I like to think I would have stayed," she swallowed, "If-if things hadn't gotten so bad with Bunny. I loved you Jay, I-I love you. And I guess I wasn't taking care of myself either." She wiped her eyes as Jay looked down to meet her gaze, "I'm still not doing a great job of that."

"You've been through a lot," Jay mused, "We both have. And last year I think it all just came undone."

She nodded. "I wish it didn't. I guess we've just had really crappy timing, huh?"

Jay snorted softly. "I guess. But I wouldn't trade the time we had for anything. And somehow, the universe just knew to bring Piper to me."

"I keep thanking it. The universe, or whatever force of nature had you be the one to find her." Erin let a few more tears creep down her cheeks. "Tonight, when you said you loved her – nobody ever told her that. N-nobody who ever told me that really meant it, until Hank and Camille. Until you."

Jay leaned down and pressed a kiss atop Erin's head, continuing to hold her closely. "I know we'd said that we'd have this conversation after we both had a bit more rest," he murmured into the familiar scent of her hair, "You want to watch the end of the game til you're ready to sleep?"

She nodded and pulled away, instantly regretting it. Erin missed Jay's arms, more than she had let herself admit before.

He switched the television on at a low volume and pulled two blankets from underneath the coffee table. Before, they used to share one, but Jay knew even with Erin back and the start of their conversation, things were different now.

Jay hadn't slept well in over a year. He'd slept, obviously, but he hadn't truly had a good night sleep, free from any nightmare, anxiety or panic in the months from the time he temporarily moved out of his and Erin's place, to the night he spent on the couch beside his former partner.

They started the night under separate blankets, on either side of the couch, wordlessly watching the end of the Cubs game while Piper slept soundly in the bedroom behind them. Erin dozed off, her head nodding forward every few minutes, until she was fast asleep on Jay's shoulder.

The smell of her hair, the warmth of her cheek and comfort of her presence almost immediately lulled Jay to sleep, and they spent the night upright on the couch, former partners sleeping better together than they had in over a year.

It was Erin who woke up first, a rarity in all the years Jay had known her. She startled against Jay's shoulder and immediately turned red when he lazily opened his eyes to find her well within his personal space. "Hey," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes, "Guess we fell asleep out here."

"Yeah," Erin managed, scooting away in embarrassment. "Sorry about that."

Jay just shook his head and stretched slightly. "It's a comfortable couch," he shrugged, not wanting to chalk up his good night sleep to Erin, even though he knew it was her that helped, "Great function."

Erin snorted. "I'm going to wash my face," she decided, standing and feeling her back crack. Despite sleeping sitting up, she was remarkably well rested. When the bathroom door closed, Jay exhaled and stood to fold the blankets and replace them underneath the coffee table.

"Did you sleep out here?" Piper's voice came softly from her bedroom as she poked her head out in confusion.

"Morning, Pipes," Jay offered a smile as he headed for the kitchen, "How'd you sleep?"

"Good," she replied, rubbing her eyes with her fist. She was still confused as to why Jay would spend the night on the couch when he had a perfectly good bed in the other room. "How come you slept on the couch?"

He shrugged and extracted the coffee pot to pour the steaming liquid into two mugs, forever grateful he'd purchased the timer-based coffee machine. "I'm still worried about you kiddo. You gave us quite a scare yesterday, and I wanted to be close in case you needed me."

Piper gave a small smile, "You-you were worried about me?"

"Not every day when I get a phone call saying you're horizontal on the pavement," Jay quipped, flashing a grin as Piper's smile widened, "I prefer you upright and joking about my weird quirks."

"I'll do my best to stay standing," she replied. The little girl paused and glanced to the bathroom door. "Is someone here?"

"Just Erin," Jay replied quickly, immediately sensing the child's nervousness of an unknown presence in the apartment, "You want some breakfast?"

"Do I gotta eat spinach with it?" Piper asked skeptically, a teasing lilt to her voice. Jay grinned. She was quickly becoming a mini-Erin.

"Well, I was thinking it could be included in an omelet," Jay huffed and put his hands on his hips in exaggeration, "But now I'm thinking it will just have to go into the oatmeal."

"Ew," Piper giggled, "I can eat it in an omelet, promise."

"Did I just hear that Jay's trying to put spinach into oatmeal?" Erin wrinkled her nose after she emerged from the bathroom. She'd washed her face and felt better than she had in days, despite the fact that she was wearing her clothes from the day before and had spent the night sleeping sitting up. There was something about sleeping next to Jay that allowed her to fully relax and get the rest she so desperately needed.

"Yes," Piper nodded, and made a face before offering a smile to her sister, "Hi Erin."

"Morning, Noodle," Erin beamed, absolutely thrilled that Piper was continuing to interact with her. Part of her had been worried that after yesterday, her little sister would revert to being more skeptical, but Piper's smile indicated otherwise. "How did you sleep?"

"Good," she replied, "I fell asleep in the middle of Jay's story though."

"So did Erin," Jay piped up as he whisked together some eggs, "I started talking and both of you instantly just conked out." He snapped his fingers, "I'm beginning to take it personally."

"I blame the comfy bed," Erin retorted, and Piper nodded in agreement. The little girl looked more intently at Erin.

"Did you sleep here?" she asked innocently, genuinely curious.

Erin nearly choked on the cup of coffee Jay had set out for her before managing a weak nod. "Yeah I did." Heat rose in her cheeks as Piper looked at her, slightly surprised, "I um, fell asleep on the couch." She managed a smile, "I was worried about you."

Piper was quiet for a moment as she regarded her older sister. She couldn't believe that both Erin and Jay were concerned enough about her to spend the night outside her bedroom. She wasn't sure what to do or what to say but instinct took over, and she leaned into Erin's legs and wrapped her tiny arms around her waist for a hug. "Thank you," she whispered, "For worrying 'bout me."

Erin's eyes filled with tears as she wrapped her arms around her little sister, overwhelmed by her affection. Piper had yet to initiate any contact beyond holding her hand. Jay looked over from the kitchen, grinning widely at Erin as she stroked the top of Piper's head. "I'll always be looking out for you," Erin managed, "I promise."

"You comin' to Molly's tonight, Halstead?" Ruzek asked as he shut down his computer. It was a relatively slow day, with the majority of the team working their CIs to try to find a way into the drug network. "Haven't seen you there in weeks."

After breakfast, Erin headed in to her office, and Jay took Piper to the district with him. Over text, they decided Erin would be coming over for dinner again. It was unspoken that they'd finally be having the conversation they'd been putting off since Erin got back. Jay was nervous, but okay. He knew they needed to clear the air to make sure that Piper was safe, and happy.

"Other priorities, man," Jay replied, gesturing to Piper who was seated in the breakroom, reading from a stack of books they'd picked out at the library. She had been absolutely fascinated with history when Jay talked about sports, so he figured she'd be interested in other types as well. Piper was captivated by the stories of the Revolutionary War and the formation of the United States. Jay was pleased she took to reading, intent on making sure she was up to speed in time for school that was resuming in the next few months. "We're making tacos for dinner."

Ruzek shrugged and headed down the steps. "Hey, Halstead?" Hailey looked at her partner. When Jay turned, she opened her mouth to say something, but closed it. "You know what? Never mind."

Jay furrowed his brow. "What?"

"Nothing," she replied quickly gathering her belongings and standing up from her desk, "Not my place."

"I told you before, Hailey, if you have something to say, just say it." Jay folded his arms across his chest, knowing that he wasn't going to like whatever his partner had on the tip of her tongue.

"This thing you're doing Jay," Hailey shook her head, "Erin's back, you're basically raising her little sister…I guess what I'm trying to say is that playing house just doesn't seem like it's going to work out for you in the long run."

Jay set his jaw. He and Hailey were close, and got closer in Erin's absence. She was there for him when it felt like nobody else was, and he trusted her. After all, she was his partner. "I'm not doing this for me," he said slowly.

"I get that." Hailey sighed, "You're doing it for Erin. And she left you last year, Jay. I've seen this before. You, and Erin. It's good until it's not, and you're the one who gets hurt."

"You don't know the whole story," he gritted out, grateful the door to the breakroom was closed so that Piper didn't overhear, "I walked out on her as well."

Hailey shook her head again, "I'm sorry. I know you think I'm overstepping, and maybe you're right. But you're my partner now, and I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't tell you when I thought you were making a mistake."

"This isn't a mistake." Jay got to his feet, "And even with all the stuff that happened in this last year, I'd do it again if it meant I could spend that time with Erin, and the time I have with Piper, right now." He sighed. "This isn't about me though. This is about making sure that the little girl in there gets to grow up in a stable home. That she knows what it means to be safe, and that she gets a family. I know you're trying to look out for me, and I appreciate that, but I know what I'm doing. And I'm going to take Piper home, and we're going to make dinner."

So I haven't watched post S4 so I don't really know the Hailey/Jay vibe but I wanted to make the assumption that as a good partner, she'd look out for Jay, even if he didn't want to hear it. She's definitely not the bad guy in this one