Thank you for the feedback! I'm super excited for the next few chapters
The next morning, Piper cracked her eyes open and immediately remembered that Erin had been hurt the day before, but she was thankfully safe in bed beside her. The little girl was still cuddled into her side, with Erin's bruised arm wrapped around her.
Jay was on the other side of Erin. She had her head nestled against his chest and was fast asleep. He was asleep as well, deeply breathing on his back with one arm all the way around Erin, fingertips at the top of Piper's head. She felt incredibly safe, and knew that her sister was safe as well with Jay watching over them both.
Piper had never been with a family who made her feel like Jay did. She trusted him, even when it was hard, and even when she was scared. He knew how to make her feel less scared, and also made her feel better about Erin. As much as she'd gotten to know her sister in two weeks, there were still doubts in the back of her mind, because everyone she'd ever stayed with eventually left.
The way Jay seemed to love Erin wasn't like anything Piper had ever seen before. He wanted to make sure she was safe too, and it helped her trust Erin more because Jay trusted her too. Piper did her best to lay still and eventually dozed off again, secure and at peace next to her sister and Jay.
Erin shifted in her sleep, clearly unaccustomed to sharing a bed after a year alone. Her movement roused Jay, who had slept an uninterrupted nine hours for the first time in over a year. He'd slept well after Erin joined him on the couch, in Piper's bed after she was sick and in his bed after the nightmare, but this was the first solid amount of sleep he'd had in as long as he could remember. Having Erin back in his arms – not just beside him or across the bed, but actually nestled into his chest - just felt right, despite the unfortunate circumstance that landed her there. Piper was adorably snuggled into her sister's embrace, still holding Erin's bruised arm tenderly as she slept.
A smile formed on his lips as Erin instinctively cuddled closer, subconsciously craving the comfort and security Jay provided. Her movements seemed to wake Piper, whose eyelids fluttered open. She found Jay's gaze and flashed a smile, but the little girl remained quiet as both she and Jay watched Erin's chest rise and fall.
It wasn't long before Erin stirred awake, slight grimace on her lips when the morning light hit her eyes. She felt the familiar breath of her partner on top of her head and exhaled softly.
Jay spent the night with her and Piper, and her heart was overflowing. There was never any doubt that he was a good man, in all the years she'd known him, but watching him love and care for her little sister, almost like a father, practically made Erin weak at the knees. Jay loved big, and he had loved her big too. She'd missed the feeling of having someone thinking about her, caring about her, wanting to make sure she was comfortable. Growing up, Erin had never known that, until Hank and Camille. And even with that string of broken hearts that Hank so fondly referenced, Erin never felt as much love as she did when she was with Jay, even when they were just partners.
Erin almost felt like they were partners again as they navigated their relationship with Piper. Like the job they once shared, the little girl was a welcome common thread between them, and made it easier for them to talk. There was still so much unfinished and unspoken between them. Watching Jay's face when he entered the urgicare just confirmed it for Erin. No matter how badly or how many times she messed up and pushed him away, somehow, he still loved her.
And she still loved him. Yes, Jay was still her emergency contact, but she had enough of her faculties that she could have called Hank to pick her up. But instead of calling Hank first, she called Jay. She wanted him to stroke her cheek and kiss her hair. She wanted him to hold her closely in his arms, and gently massage her head at night. It was all she wanted, and somehow, Jay just knew. He did all those things, all while making sure that Piper felt safe. He truly was the best person she'd ever met.
"Hi," she mumbled after her eyes adjusted, "Guess we're a cuddly bunch, huh?"
Jay chuckled. "How are you feeling this morning?"
"Better than yesterday," Erin replied honestly, bringing her hand up to stroke Piper's shoulder, "I slept well in Noodle's comfy bed. Head doesn't hurt too bad either."
He nodded, unwilling to extract himself from the comfortable sleeping situation. He didn't want to say that he hadn't slept that well in months, but it was true. Jay felt rested and relaxed for the first time in a while.
His phone buzzed angrily on Piper's bedside table, and the noise instantly made Erin wince, and Piper startle. "Sorry," he said hastily, swiping the device off the table and opening the text from Upton. Jay squinted at the screen.
"I-is everything okay?" Piper whispered worriedly.
Jay nodded slowly. "It's going to be just fine. I um, I've gotta get down to the district for a bit this morning." He forced a smile, "Duty calls."
"Did they catch the guy who hurt Erin?"
He paused. Upton's text had said that they'd received the pod footage that didn't show much, but that Burgess been in contact with the foster families Piper had mentioned, and Mrs. Adler expressed willingness to come to the district for an interview.
"Not yet," he said carefully, "But the team does have a few leads, and you guys are safe." Jay gently stroked the top of Piper's head with his fingertips. He didn't want to scare Piper by telling her about her previous foster mother coming to the district, but he couldn't leave her alone in the apartment. "I was thinking we could pick up some breakfast on our way down to the district. Maybe bagels, hm?"
Piper managed a small nod. "But I want us to stay with Erin too."
Erin's heart leapt. She loved that Piper wanted to be with her, even if it was because the little girl was nervous about her well-being. "I've gotta go into my office too, Noodle," she said gently, lightly toying with the ends of Piper's soft hair, "But maybe we can have dinner tonight?"
"I thought the doctor told you to take it slow," Piper wrinkled her brow, and Jay snorted.
"Oh I will be," Erin assured her, "Just need to pick up a few things, and then I'll be back at my place to take a nap."
Piper remained skeptical. "You're gonna be alone?"
"Hm, maybe we'll have to stop by to bring Erin some lunch, just to check up on her and make sure she's following the doctor's orders," Jay mused, immediately recognizing that his little friend was getting anxious at the thought of her sister being alone and without protection after her accident. Erin shot him a grateful smile.
"That would be amazing," she smiled softly. "Thank you guys for staying with me all night. I feel so much better."
"I'm glad you stayed with us," Piper exhaled, "I would have been worried all night long."
"Me too," Jay confirmed, soaking up the last few minutes with his favorite girls snuggled next to him. He didn't want to separate himself, but Voight wanted him and Piper down at the district, and he knew they couldn't stay like that forever.
Piper was eerily quiet after they dropped Erin off at her building and headed for the district. Jay thought he was getting good at reading the little girl, but he couldn't tell if she was scared, worried, anxious or a combination of all three. She did hold his hand tightly as they entered the district, and he could have sworn she was shaking slightly. "Are you feelin' okay, Pipes?" Jay asked carefully as they walked up the steps. Piper had been reluctant to eat the bagel, but had taken enough bites to satisfy Jay's worried gaze.
She nodded. "You missing Erin?" he asked, a sad smile on his lips when she nodded again. "Me too."
"I'm worried 'bout her head," Piper managed as Jay led her through the bullpen, avoiding the hallway where Hailey had informed him that Mrs. Adler was being interviewed by Burgess, "She's supposed to take it easy."
"I know," Jay agreed, "We'll just have to stop by during lunch to check on her, right?" He caught sight of his sergeant, who was standing in his office talking to a woman who's back was to the door. He shot a glance to Upton, who gestured with her head for Jay to enter Voight's office.
"Are you okay to sit at my desk for a bit while I talk to Sergeant Voight?" He was doing his best to keep his voice upbeat and positive, though one look at his boss's rigid body language had him feeling anything but, "Just for a few minutes. Hailey's going to be right here, right Hailey?"
"Right," the detective confirmed, forcing a smile, "How are you doing today, Piper?"
Piper shrugged but sat down in Jay's chair and watched as he hustled into his boss's office.
"Hey, Sarge," Jay greeted after Hank waved him in when he knocked on the door, "What's going on?"
"This is Maria Logan," he gestured to the woman in the crisp suit in front of him, "She works down at the Department of Children and Family Services. When Upton called a few of the foster families Piper had, one of them, the Montgomery's, reached out to Maria here."
"Jay Halstead," Jay extended a hand, which Maria shook.
"Nice to meet you, Detective. I've heard great things about you from one of our social workers, Jenna O'Donnell."
"Jenna's great," Jay confirmed, "Is um, everything okay with Piper's case?"
"Well, yes and no. That's why I'm here." The woman cleared her throat as Jay's heart dropped, "Yesterday, our office received word that there were threats made to the department. We didn't think much of it, as it's not uncommon, but then this morning, we got a call from one of the families we'd worked with previously, the Montgomery's. Andrea Montgomery said they'd received a call from a detective inquiring about their involvement with a child."
"Piper," Jay supplied, anxiety crawling up his throat.
"Yes, about Piper. She mentioned that the detective had asked about an accident Mr. Montgomery had been in, which had never actually reported to the department. Andrea then proceeded to tell the social worker that their immediate family had received a series of threats, which ultimately resulted in her husband getting attacked while on a morning run."
Jay's heart thumped wildly in his chest. "Does she know who it was?"
The woman shook her head. "Unfortunately, her husband passed a few months ago of late stage cancer, so we're unable to ask. However, our team looked into a few of the other families that Piper had been placed with, particularly this one." She gestured to the file that was in the sergeant's hand. "Lawrence and Barbara Irving. Andrea Montgomery seemed to think a former foster parent wanted custody of Piper, and was willing to stop at nothing to get it. She and her husband wanted to protect their other children."
"Lawrence Irving matches the description Erin gave Upton last night, and the description Jennifer Adler provided to Burgess earlier this morning," Voight informed him, "We think this guy is connected to the Donny who Piper's mentioned before. They're involved in this whole scheme with the Marsh's."
"So we get him," Jay said, thinking he was stating the obvious, "We pick him up for assault, and we get him to tell us where this Donny bastard is."
"That's the plan," Voight said, "But he's made serious threats, and with everything that happened with Erin, we need to get Piper to safety."
"It's also been complicated by the fact that a man claiming to be Piper's biological father has come forward," Maria told him, "And issued similar threats to that of Lawrence Irving. Ordinarily, this is where we'd get law enforcement involved to protect the child, but given that you have Piper in both protective custody and in the capacity of a foster partner, the judge has allowed DCFS to make the call in terms of what is best for Piper's safety. And we'd recommend you taking Piper out of town for a few days, until all of this dies down."
Jay nodded, still processing what the social worker was telling him. "She can still stay with me?" he confirmed, relieved when she nodded. "I um, I have this cabin up in Wisconsin, I can bring her up there. Are you able to tell me the type of threats that he made?"
"He demanded the immediate release of Piper into her biological mother's custody until he can make arrangements," Jenna said slowly, "We've left a message for Ms. Lindsay as well, but have been unable to reach Ms. Fletcher. However, given the nature of his demands and violence already inflicted on Ms. Lindsay, the judge is aligned with you taking Piper out of harm's way. Our primary concern is that the man who claims to be Piper's father wouldn't provide a name, but reiterated that anyone standing in his way would face serious consequences."
Jay swallowed and Hank raised his eyebrows. Erin was in danger as well. "I'll get us out, today," he said, "As soon as possible."
"You have Jenna's number should anything arise, but we know Piper is safe with you," Maria gave a kind smile, "Thank you, for doing this."
"I'd do anything for her," Jay managed, a thousand thoughts racing through his head. He needed to get Piper packed and make sure his Jeep had gas, needed to make sure she had enough iron supplements and that Erin was okay.
Erin.
"She didn't pick up?" Jay asked, glancing over to his sergeant and grimacing when he shook his head. "Shit."
"I don't know who this guy is, or what he wants with Erin or Piper, but he's not getting close," Hank gritted out, "You take Piper out of town, and we'll look into the Bunny component as well. Something's telling me she's somehow involved as well."
"Piper is going to lose it," Jay murmured, glancing out of the office window to where Piper was seated at his desk, "She's already so on edge with everything that happened to Erin."
"I don't know why Erin isn't picking up, but I'll try her again," Hank said. He stifled a sigh. "Look, Jay, I don't know what your current relationship with Erin is, but right now, I don't care. When we get ahold of her, I want you to take her with you and Piper, out of harm's way. Lord knows she's not going to listen when I tell her to get out of town, but she might listen to you."
"H-Hailey?" Piper asked softly, glancing up at the detective across the desk from her.
"What's up?" Hailey forced another smile for the little girl's benefit. "Everything okay?"
Piper shrugged. "Do you know how long Jay's gonna be?"
"I don't," the detective exhaled, "I'm sorry, I wish I had a better answer for you."
She winkled her brow. "A-are you mad at Jay?"
Hailey widened her eyes. "No, I'm not mad. I um, I'm a bit tired, I guess." She paused, "Do you want to take a trip to the vending machine? Maybe grab a snack while you wait for Jay?"
The little girl shrugged but slid off the chair and followed the detective down the hallway. "How about some pretzels?" Hailey suggested, examining the contents of the vending machine, "Jay likes those."
"And Cheez-Its," Piper said, "He likes those too." She glanced around the hallway as voices emerged from one of the interview rooms. She immediately sucked in a breath when she caught sight of Mrs. Adler, a former foster parent.
"She's here?" the woman asked incredulously, turning to Officer Kim Burgess, "What is she doing here?"
Kim shot a look to Hailey, who immediately blanched. She wasn't supposed to bring Piper out of the bullpen, but with the awkwardness between her and the little girl she'd completely forgotten. "Let's um, head back to Jay, okay Piper?"
"Is she here to take me away?" Piper choked out, backing into the vending machine.
"No, no," Hailey shook her head, "She's um, here to help find the guy who hurt Erin."
"Piper," Mrs. Adler called, quickly walking down the hallway, "Piper, it's alright."
"Ma'am," Kim attempted to keep her back, but the woman hastened further down the hall.
"Look at you sweetheart, you're so grown up," Mrs. Adler gushed, reaching a hand to stroke Piper's cheek. She flinched, her entire body trembling. "Did they hurt her again?" She asked Hailey and Kim, "Is that why she's here?"
"We-we can't disclose anything in an active investigation, ma'am. We do appreciate your help in coming down here-"
"When they brought you to me, you were so small," Jennifer Adler said, her voice thick with emotion, "You'd been hurt so badly by that other family. I'm so sorry. I-I had to have them take you, I just couldn't risk more harm to my business and I truly thought you'd be safe with another family. I'm so sorry, sweetheart."
Piper continued to tremble. "I want to go back to Jay," she whispered, looking desperately to Kim. Hailey appeared frozen, unsure of what to do. "I don't want to go with anyone else."
"I'm so sorry," Mrs. Adler repeated, "Really Piper, I am. You deserved so much better."
She shook her head, "I-I'm sorry I got you hurt." Piper shot another desperate look to Kim, who finally stepped in.
"It's not your fault," the woman shook her head quickly, "It's that terrible man, the detectives wanted to talk to me about him. I should have reported it sooner, but I was scared and-"
"Let's get you back to Jay, hm?" Kim interrupted. She gently placing a hand on Piper's shoulder. "Mrs. Adler, Detective Upton will show you out. Thank you again for coming in." As soon as the woman and Hailey were out of sight, Piper visibly relaxed. "I'm sorry, you weren't supposed to have to see her," Kim apologized, "Hailey must of forgotten."
Piper sniffed and nodded, just grateful to have Jay in her sight again. Mrs. Adler's apology just confirmed it for her – people who were trying to take care of her were getting hurt.
"I can't get a hold of her," Hank said, his voice uncharacteristically worried. He'd dialed three times, and even tried the office number he had that he knew routed to her cell. "You?"
Jay shook his head, the anxiety that had been climbing up his throat now threatening to tumble from his lips. "She said she had to run to her office this morning. Piper was really worried, so I told her we'd bring lunch by her place but that's not for a few hours."
"Lot can happen in a few hours," his sergeant said dryly, "She's gonna be pissed at me, but at this point, I don't care. You handle Piper, I'll make sure we get eyes on Erin."
The detective nodded in agreement, grateful that he and his boss were on the same page. There wasn't any part of him that wanted to leave Erin alone in Chicago, or have her return to New York. He believed the safest place for her was with him, and that meant she would be joining their trip to Wisconsin. If they could find her.
His heart lurched at the realization that his partner's location wasn't known. Instantly he was transported to years ago, the source of many of his nightmares – when Erin had gone in without back up. He shook his head. She had to be alright. The universe wouldn't do that to her, or to Piper.
"I'll be back, keep working the case," Hank announced to the bullpen, hustling down the steps without another word.
Piper wrinkled her brow at the distinct change in the district vibe. She vaguely recognized the woman who had walked out of Sergeant Voight's office a few minutes ago, but couldn't place her. "Hey, Pipes," Jay greeted in an exhale, squatting down to meet her eyeline, "Did you get a bit of reading done?"
She shook her head. "Mrs. Adler was here."
Jay froze. Hailey was supposed to keep her away from all of that. When he shot his partner a look, she returned an apologetic one. "I'm sorry, I forgot," she said, "Really, Jay, I didn't mean-"
"It's fine," he said quickly, turning back to Piper. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you she was here, kiddo. After you mentioned what happened yesterday, Sergeant Voight wanted to look into anyone else who may have been involved."
"Mrs. Adler didn't want to hurt me," Piper said softly, "She-she got hurt because of me."
"Not because of you," Jay shook his head, "Because of the bad people who we're trying to get. Nothing about this was your fault, okay?" He heaved a sigh when Piper gave a nod. He'd tell her every minute of every day if she'd believe him. It wasn't her fault, not in the slightest.
"When are we gonna go check on Erin?"
He smiled at the little girl's concern for her older sister. "Soon, kiddo. I know you're worried about her."
Piper nodded again, eyes trained on the detective in front of her, as if anticipating his news. Jay took a breath. "Sergeant Voight and I just spoke with a nice lady from DCFS," he started, and immediately regretted leading with that fact. Her features crumbled as soon as the words left his lips. "It's okay," he tried, "You're safe, kiddo."
"Do I gotta leave?" she whispered softly, her voice wavering, "Do I gotta go to another home? Do I gotta go to Bunny?"
"You're staying with me," Jay promised, placing a hand on Piper's knee, "But with everything going on, everyone wants to make sure you're safe. And you are safe with me." He paused, hoping to let his words sink in. He needed Piper to know that she could trust him. "We were thinking that it might be good for us to get out of town for a few days. I have a place up in Wisconsin by a lake that has swimming and fishing and all kinds of summer fun."
Piper's gaze remained skeptical. "Are they worried someone's gonna get you and me? Like they got Erin?"
Jay resisted the urge to sigh. This kid was smart. "We want to be cautious," he said finally, unwilling to lie to the little girl, "Just to make sure. But you'll still be with me the whole time. I'm not going anywhere without you, and you're safe."
She exhaled shakily. "B-but what about Erin? They-they could get her again and she's not gonna listen and take it easy if you don't tell her to."
He smiled and stroked her little knee affectionately, "I was thinking we could take her with us. Make sure she takes it slow and gets the rest she needs."
A small smile of relief finally formed on Piper's lips. "Okay," she said, "When are we going?"
"Well, we gotta find Erin and then-"
"We don't know where she is?" Piper interrupted, the brief sense of relief she had quickly disappearing, "What happened to her?"
Jay could have kicked himself for letting that part slip. "We think she's at her office, but Sergeant Voight couldn't get through on her phone. I'm sure she's fine but-"
"We-we gotta find her," she insisted, tears filling her eyes again, "She could be hurt again."
"It's okay," he said, attempting to quell her anxiety and his own, "Erin could be taking a nap at home too. How about we get out of here and see if we can pick her up, and then pack for our trip?"
Piper sniffed and managed a nod. "You're going out of town?" Hailey finally interjected, "With Erin?"
Jay shot a look over to his partner. He didn't need her cautionary warning. "Yes," he said firmly, standing up and extending a hand to Piper, "I'll have my cell if anything comes up, and Voight's looped in. It was his suggestion."
His partner nodded curtly and Jay could tell he wanted to say something, but he wasn't in the mood. They needed to get Erin, and get the hell out of Chicago. "Drive safe," she said, turning back to her computer, "Um, text me if you need anything."
"Thanks," Jay replied quickly, "Ready, Pipes? Let's get Erin and head out on a bit of an adventure, hm?"
Piper nodded in agreement and clasped Jay's hand. She instinctively jumped when Jay's phone rang. "Halstead," he answered quickly. His face dropped. "What do you mean? She said she'd be at her office. Okay. Okay. I'm headed there now." He cleared his throat, doing his best to keep his nerves in check. Erin had to be fine, because he didn't know how he or Piper would get through it if she wasn't.
Eeeek!
Okay so I am literally obsessed with the next chapter (yes I wrote most of it already lol) so let me know what you think and I'll get the next one up quick.
Aaaaaand I am still working on the next chapter of the other story on my profile. Been trying to work in reader ideas and feedback since it's a little more fluid than this one.