I didn't think I'd get this up that quickly but I saw the reviews and didn't want to keep ya waiting! Enjoy and let me know what you think!
"Hey," Jay answered the phone brightly, "Where are you, the lasagna is getting cold."
"I'm sorry," Erin managed, her voice thick, "I um, I don't think I can make it."
He furrowed his brow. "Is everything okay?" Jay cast a glance over to Piper, who was reading on the couch. After Piper's visit with Erin, the little girl had been animated and excited to fill Jay in on what she talked about with Erin, and even more excited that her sister would be joining them for dinner. It was a far cry from the fallout of her visit with Bunny, and for that Jay was incredibly grateful.
"Yeah, um-" her voice hitched. In the background noise, Jay could hear…an intercom? Was Erin in the hospital? He immediately went on high alert.
"Are you in a hospital?" he asked quickly, keeping his voice low to not spook Piper, "I could have sworn I just heard an intercom."
Erin was silent for a moment. "Erin?" Jay pressed, his voice more urgent, "Talk to me."
"I went for a run, I was going to the North Avenue Beach just to you know, see the water," she swallowed, "I um, I was on my way back to my apartment when I just got jumped, out of nowhere. I'm fine," she rushed out when she heard Jay suck in a breath, "I'm not seriously hurt or anything but um, I'm just kind of roughed up and um…I don't think we want Piper to see me like this."
"Erin," Jay shook his head, his mind moving a thousand miles a minute. He needed to see her, now. "You don't sound fine."
"He um, the guy who jumped me knows my dad. Our dad." She cleared her throat and willed herself not to cry at Jay's concern for her. "He wanted to send a message I guess."
All the hair stood up on the back of Jay's neck. "Where are you?" he asked seriously, "You shouldn't be alone right now."
"I'm in the Urgicare on North Clybourn," she choked out, "I um, was gonna call Hank to come pick me up but um, turns out you're still my emergency contact. I'm about to call him though, because you have Piper and-"
"You're right down the street from us," Jay said, "And I don't want you to be alone tonight."
"I was gonna stay at Hank's," Erin said quickly, wiping her eyes as she sat on the exam table, alone, "I'm about to call him but I wanted to tell you why I wasn't going to make it to dinner."
"We can be there in ten minutes, and we can drop you at Hank's," Jay reasoned, "Er, I – I just need to see you with my own eyes."
She exhaled. Truthfully, all she wanted was for Jay to pick her up and take her home, but she knew they were flirting with the lines of their friendship. "Are you sure? I-I don't want to freak Piper out."
Jay paused. He hadn't considered how Piper would feel about seeing her sister in an exam room. "I think she'd want to see you," he said finally, realizing that if he kept this from Piper, he wouldn't be keeping his promise to tell the truth, "I'll give her a heads up, and we'll be there in ten, okay?"
"Thank you," Erin whispered.
Jay let out a breath after Erin hung up. "Was that Erin?" Piper asked, looking curiously at him from her spot on the couch, "I thought she was coming for dinner like normal."
Like normal.
Jay loved that Erin was a part of their routine, and that Piper and Erin were getting to know each other. He'd boasted about Piper and how far she'd come in the veteran's support meeting. He felt like a proud dad when he talked about his little friend. The conversation had been good for him, and it had made him even more excited to return home for Piper.
He forced a smile and approached the couch. "I just spoke to her actually and um-"
"She doesn't want to see me anymore, right?" Piper said quietly, hazel eyes piercing Jay's, "I know how this goes."
"Not at all," Jay said quickly. The poor child had been through the ringer growing up, and associated a missed visit or meeting with potential foster or adoptive parents with whoever it was not wanting to take her in, and that the odds were against her. His heart broke for her, and all he wanted to do was wrap Piper in his arms and tell her just how much he loved her, and that anyone who ever missed a chance to meet her was downright stupid.
"She wanted to come kiddo, and she's alright, we're actually going to go see her now." Jay took a breath, trying to calm his racing heart, "She called to let me know that she'd been running in the park, and got in an, um, accident." He struggled to find the words to explain what happened, since he didn't even have the full picture. Piper's eyes went wide with fear. "She's okay, just down the street at the Urgicare, and if it's alright with you, I said we could go pick her up."
Piper nodded solemnly as she processed what Jay had told her. "Erin's hurt?"
"A bit," Jay reached a hand out to stroke Piper's cheek, "She said she's okay, but the doctors want her to spend the night with Sergeant Voight. I wanted to see her, and I thought you might too, so I offered to give her a lift to his house."
"We have to go get her," Piper said immediately, standing from her spot on the couch, "We can go now?"
"Yes," Jay confirmed, "I know we didn't get any dinner yet but-"
"I'm not hungry," she rushed out, "I-I wanna see Erin."
Jay managed a small smile. "Me too. Are you sure you're okay to go right now?"
Piper nodded again and made a beeline for her shoes. Jay double checked that the oven was off and hustled out the door, the little girl by his side.
Jay gripped Piper's hand as they entered the Urgicare in search of Erin. "We're here for Erin Lindsay," Jay informed the gentleman at the front desk, and he directed them to the back. Jay could feel Piper's pulse racing through the tips of his fingers, but he was sure his was racing as well. He didn't know what Erin had been through, and he was nervous.
When he caught site of his former partner, he had to stifle a gasp.
Erin was seated on the edge of the exam table, looking rather worse for wear. A bruise was already darkening on her cheek, and he could tell that she'd been punched. There were a few scrapes on her bare arms and the tank top she was wearing was dirty and torn slightly, like there'd been a struggle. "They're here," she said into the phone, likely Hank, "We'll head to your place when they let me go." She hung up and attempted to put on a smile. "Hi."
Piper stood rigidly by Jay's legs as he tentatively closed the gap between himself and his former partner. "I'm okay," she mumbled as Jay gingerly brushed some loose hair off her cheek, "Just a few scrapes." Erin shakily exhaled, "Thank you for coming, they won't let me leave without supervision."
"I'm just glad you're here." Jay shook his head and glanced down to Piper, who appeared to be holding back tears. "Erin's okay, kiddo. See?"
"I'm okay," Erin confirmed again, smiling a bit wider for Piper's benefit, "Really."
"Someone hit you," Piper choked out, still tightly gripping Jay's hand.
Erin nodded slowly. "They did, but I'm really okay. I promise, Noodle."
Piper sniffed and leaned into Jay's leg. He could feel her still heart racing as he rubbed her back carefully. "Erin's not goin' anywhere," he murmured, earning a tired smile from his former partner, "She's tough."
"She's tough, but she does have a mild concussion," the doctor informed them after knocking on the exam room door, "That means rest and limited activity for at least a week."
Erin resisted the urge to groan. She'd already had several concussions in her lifetime, and she knew Hank and Jay would not be able to let it go. "Have you ever had a concussion before?" the doctor asked, motioning Jay and Piper aside so he could flash the light into Erin's eyes.
"Yeah," she gritted out, "A few." She recoiled at the light but was doing her best to keep her composure for Piper's sake.
The older doctor narrowed his eyes. "This one is mild, but you're going to need to take it easy, especially if this isn't your first concussion."
She nodded in agreement, the dull ache in her head intensifying with the motion. He rattled off a few bits of advice that she honestly tuned out as she replayed the event in her head. If it has been two hours before, Piper would have been with her. She would have seen her older sister get jumped by some hired muscle, and the little girl would never be the same. "Erin?" Jay asked gently, snapping her back to present, "You alright?"
"Y-yeah," she replied, doing her best to put the negative thoughts out of her mind. Piper was safe. The poor child was incredibly nervous and rightfully so, but she was safe, and Erin was alive. "Can I get out of here?"
"Yes," the doctor replied, extending an iPad for Jay to sign his name, "Keep an eye on her. Any vomiting, excessive dizziness or intense nausea, get her to an emergency department."
"Got it," Jay replied, hastily signing his name with his finger, "Ready, Er?"
Erin slid herself off the exam table shakily and leaned against it. Piper remained pressed into Jay's side and glanced over at her sister nervously. "I'm ready," she said, gratefully accepting a hand from her former partner. Her heart clenched at how nervous her little sister appeared. "I'm really okay, Noodle. I promise."
"I-I'm worried about you," Piper whispered, reaching across Jay to take Erin's other hand. "I don't like seeing you hurt."
"I'll be good as new in a few days," Erin promised. At that, Piper wrapped her thin arms around her sister's waist. Erin couldn't help but smile as she stroked Piper's hair, "I'm not goin' anywhere."
"Can we stay with Erin?" Piper asked Jay, glancing up at him desperately, "Please?"
"Of course," Jay nodded, leaning down to press a careful kiss atop Erin's injured head, "We're going to get her all settled in bed at Hank's house."
Piper exhaled and nodded, clasping Erin's hand tightly as Jay led them out of the Urgicare and toward his car. The little girl looked reluctant to let her sister go, so Erin decided to climb into the backseat, earning a soft sigh of relief from Piper.
Jay kept glancing in the rearview mirror at Piper and Erin as he drove along the street. Both were disconcertingly quiet, and Piper kept a grip on her sister's hand the whole ride. "I don't have any clothes," Erin muttered, the ache in her head intensifying with each passing minute.
"We'll figure something out," Jay promised as he turned onto his sergeant's street. "I know Hank's anxious to see you." In fact, Hank was standing at the bottom of his stoop, arms folded across his chest as he waited.
Erin accepted Jay's assistance at disembarking from the vehicle. She felt shaky and downright exhausted, but at least she was alive. "Kid," Hank brought his almost-daughter into his embrace, "What the hell happened to you?"
"Guy jumped me while I was running," she mumbled against Hank's shoulder, "I-I didn't get a good look at him, and I think I look worse than I feel."
"You should file a report anyway," Hank said, leading Erin up the steps and into his house, Piper and Jay close behind.
Erin nodded tentatively, her head pounding. All she wanted was a hot shower and to climb into bed. "He knows our biological dad," she said quietly, not wanting Piper to overhear and get scared, "Told me to back off."
Hank widened his eyes but nodded. "We'll get him, and we'll make sure the two of you are safe."
"He-he could have gotten her," Erin choked out, gratefully taking a seat on Hank's couch, "I was with Piper two hours before in the park, he could have done something and I just-"
"She's okay. She's safe with Halstead," Hank told her, gesturing to his detective who was standing with Piper on his hip in the entryway. He could see that Jay was speaking comfortingly to Piper, telling her that Erin was going to be okay. If he hadn't been so anxious about his almost daughter's condition, it would have warmed Hank's heart.
"Who would want to hurt Erin?" Piper had whispered to Jay as Hank led her sister up to the house. She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes, "Why would they do that?"
"I don't have a good answer for you, Pipes," Jay sighed and sank down to meet her gaze, "But I do know that we can be there for Erin and make sure she gets better."
"I want her to be safe," Piper sniffed, "I-I-I don't want her to die."
"She's not going to die," he assured her, stroking Piper's thin arm with his fingertips, "Erin's really strong, one of the strongest people I know, and she's going to be okay. It might be a few days til she's feeling like her normal self, but I know she's going to be fine."
Piper was quiet. "Was it Bunny? Did she hurt Erin because of me?"
Jay sucked in a breath. He hadn't gotten a chance to ask Erin for any details surrounding her assailant, but over the phone she had mentioned some relation to her biological father. "I-I don't think so," Jay managed, "But I do know that I am going to protect you with everything I got, and that means Erin too."
The little girl held tightly to Jay as he comforted her. "I don't want her to hate me," she choked out, "I don't want her to be hurt because of me."
"She loves you," Jay assured her, "Erin loves you so much, Piper, and she doesn't hate you. I promise." He pressed a kiss atop her head. "How about we go inside for a bit, maybe see if we can get you something to eat? I know we missed dinner."
"I'm not hungry," she informed him sadly, holding tighter as Jay carried her up the steps and into Voight's house, "I-I just want Erin to be okay."
"She will be. And I'm sure she'd feel better knowing that you had a bite to eat," he reasoned, glancing into the living room where Hank and Erin were talking.
Piper nodded. "C-can I ask Erin if I can sit next to her?"
"Absolutely," Jay set the little girl down on the ground, but she immediately grabbed his hand to maintain the contact. He walked them over to where Erin was sitting. The bruises were darkening on his ex-partner's cheek and arms, and she looked exhausted. "How are you feeling?" he asked gently, "Anything we can get you?"
Erin shook her head and grimaced at the motion. "I'm okay. Had a few of these before so I know the drill." She managed a wry smile but Jay couldn't return it. He was damn worried about her.
"Erin? Can I come sit with you for a little?" Piper whispered, her voice shaking slightly as she looked up at her older sister.
"I would love that," Erin beamed. Her sister settled onto the couch beside her and rested a tiny hand atop her fingers. "Thanks for picking me up."
"How about some dinner?" Hank suggested, "Jay, did you guys eat yet?"
"We did not," Jay confirmed, "Maybe a peanut butter sandwich, Pipes?"
"I made a chicken pot pie," the sergeant shrugged, "More than enough for all of us." He gave a pointed look to Jay, who understood that his boss wanted to speak with him.
"Great," he smiled and turned back to Piper and Erin. Erin's eyes were drooping as she leaned against the couch cushion. "I'm going to help Hank for a minute in the kitchen, alright? Are you okay to stay out here and keep an eye on Erin?"
Piper nodded seriously, and Erin cracked an eye open. Ordinarily she'd protest over Jay or Hank making sure there was someone watching her, but this someone was her little sister who was all too rattled by seeing her injured. "I got it," Piper told him and offered a tiny smile.
"Okay, holler if you need us," Jay said and followed his boss to the kitchen.
Hank let out a heavy sigh after he closed the oven and removed the chicken pot pie. "She said she didn't get a good look, but I asked Atwater and Ruzek to pull pod footage from the area."
Jay nodded. "I haven't really let Piper out of my sight and never saw anyone following us," he said, "But um, I don't know if this is specific to Erin, or to both of them. She mentioned something about her biological dad but-"
"We never got anything back on the name Bunny gave Piper? What, Kenny something or other?"
"No," he shook his head, "Guy doesn't seem to exist. Either an alias or Bunny is lying."
Hank grunted. "I think we gotta get an officer down here so they can take Erin's statement. If this is connected to whoever the hell their father is and that bastard wants custody, this has to be on record."
Jay swallowed. "Yeah. You're right. I also want to make sure we tell Piper's social worker too." He paused, "If he wants to get custody of Piper, or meet or get to know Erin, hurting 'em if a hell of a way to try to get it."
His boss set his jaw and managed a curt nod. "I'll see if someone from the team can get down here this evening."
"I'll um, try to get Piper to eat something. She's pretty freaked out, and rightfully so."
When Jay returned to the living room, his heart swelled. Erin had fallen asleep on the couch and was resting against Piper. The little girl was carefully watching over her sister as her chest rose and fell with each breath, and had a hand on Erin's arm. "Can we stay with Erin?" Piper whispered, gently running her tiny hand up and down her sister's bruised arm soothingly. She swallowed, "I-I don't want to leave her."
Jay nodded, smiling softly as Erin cuddled further into Piper on the couch. The little girl instinctively held her big sister closer, doing her best to provide a sense of security and safety. "I do want you to get something to eat," Jay began, but stopped when Piper shook her head.
"Later?" she asked, "I just want Erin to feel better."
He nodded and stroked Piper's cheek. "I'm so proud of you, kiddo. For being so brave. I know this is scary stuff."
Piper sniffed and managed a small nod. "I don't want Erin to get hurt again."
"We're not going to let that happen," Jay promised, "She's safe here, with Sergeant Voight."
Erin stirred slightly and lazily opened her eyes, wincing at the lights in the living room. "Sorry I fell asleep on you, Noodle," she mumbled, still resting tiredly against her little sister, "You're a comfy little bug."
Piper smiled and continued to stroke Erin's injured arms. "I'm worried 'bout you," she said honestly, "I-I don't want any more bad things to happen."
"It's okay," Erin attempted, fumbling for Piper's small hand. She held it against her heart. "I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere. No matter what." She gave a small smile to Jay, who was just staring at the two sisters on the couch.
"Are you okay to give a statement tonight?" Jay asked carefully, "I know it's late and you're tired but um, I think in this case we gotta act pretty quickly." He glanced over at Piper, whose gaze had turned curious.
Erin nodded in understanding. She wasn't thrilled with the idea but given the motive behind her attacker, she knew she needed to say something to protect Piper. "Jenna too," she said slowly, "And um, I gotta call my lawyer."
Jay watched, almost in slow motion, as realization dawned on Piper. He knew the little girl was perceptive and smart, but he didn't think she'd put it all together so quickly. "Did-did she do this? Bunny?" Piper choked out, "Because of me?"
"No, no," Erin said immediately, sitting up straighter. She grimaced. Her head did not like that. "I-I don't know who it was, but we want to be sure we catch them." She swallowed, "I want to make sure you're safe, no matter what. And you are safe with Jay, but I want you to be safe with me too."
Piper looked at Jay, who gave an encouraging nod. "You're safe, kiddo. Both of you," he said, "But part of being good police is making sure that we check every possible scenario to keep it that way."
Just as Piper exhaled, a loud knock came at the door. Erin winced at the noise, and Piper practically jumped out of her skin. "No, no, no," she rushed out, tears making an immediate appearance down her cheeks. A sob escaped before she could bite down hard enough on her lip, "I-I-I don't want her to hurt Erin!"
Jay widened his eyes and realized that Piper thought it was Bunny. "Piper it's okay-"
She shook her head vehemently, "I don't want her to hurt Erin," she repeated, now desperately holding onto her sister, "I don't care if she gets me anymore but I don't want Erin to be hurt again."
"Sweetheart," Erin cooed, stroking Piper's cheek, "She's not going to get me, or you. I promise. I'm safe here, and I'm not going anywhere."
Piper hiccupped and held tighter when the knock came at the door again. "It's Upton," Hank said as he headed for the door, "She's come by to take Erin's statement."
Jay nodded wordlessly, still focused on the unraveling child clinging to his former partner. "Everything's going to be fine," Jay said finally, tentatively running a hand over Piper's head, "I know last time it was really scary to have Bunny come by, but she's not going to do that again." He took Erin's shaking hand as well, "She's not getting either of you, okay?"
Piper still looked skeptical but the tears stopped streaming down her cheeks. "I'm s-sorry," she whispered, "I-I didn't mean to get upset."
"'s okay," Erin reassured her, leaning in closer to her little sister, "Been a tough couple of days."
She nodded in agreement. "Hey, Erin," Upton greeted, awkwardly standing by the couch next to her sergeant, "Sorry about um, what happened."
"Hey," Erin replied softly, "Good to see you again, Hailey." She glanced over at Jay, who had instinctively stiffened in the presence of his current partner, and had dropped Erin's hand.
"Jay, do you want to bring Piper back to the kitchen for some dinner while Upton takes Erin's statement?" Hank piped up, "You must be hungry, kiddo. It's getting late."
He nodded. "Pipes, are you okay to come with me for a bit?" He cast a glance over to Erin, who also appeared reluctant to let her sister go. Both of them knew it was in Piper's best interest to keep her away from the nitty-gritty of Erin's attack, but neither of them wanted to separate the child from where she was comfortable.
"I'll be okay," Erin promised, lightly ghosting her fingers over Piper's hand that was still on her arm, "It'll just a few minutes, and I want to make sure you get enough to eat."
Piper looked at Hailey warily and managed a small nod. She gratefully accepted the hand Jay extended to her. "We'll be in the kitchen," Jay pointed to the room beyond the living room for Piper's benefit. Erin squeezed her sister's hand and offered a smile.
Erin's okay...for now ;) Got some more cuteness coming up in the next chapter