A/N: Hi all! Happy Sunday! (Or whatever day it is you're finding this!) I don't know how many of you are still watching the Chicago shows, but can you believe we're only a week and a half away from new content?!

If I didn't already get the chance to thank you in a message (and even if I did), thank you SO MUCH for reading and commenting! It warms my heart =) I love sharing this with y'all and hope you enjoy chapter three!

Chapter 3: Ton of Bricks

Erin's head felt like it was about to explode when she woke up the next day. She groaned, burying her face in the pillow to hide from the light filtering into the room.

As the scent hit her nose, it took her a moment to realize she was in her own apartment.

She could have sworn she went home with Landon.

How the hell had she gotten here?

She reluctantly rolled out of bed, headed for the restroom. She relieved herself then raided the medicine cabinet for some aspirin before padding out to the living room. Jay was on the couch, watching TV.

"How did I get here last night?" she asked.

He shut off the television and turned to face her, brows furrowed. "You don't remember? Jesus, Erin, how drunk were you?"

The disappointment in his tone hit her hard and she regretfully shrugged. She hadn't planned on getting blackout drunk, but losing Hank fucking hurt. She was just dealing with it the only way she knew how. "Obviously drunk enough. One night I wake up at Bunny's house, the next I swear I go home with Landon but I wake up here. It's all a bit fuzzy."

"You did go home with Landon," he sighed, rubbing his forehead. "But you were ignoring Nadia and me for the second night in a row. Did we ever even cross your mind, Erin?" He paused. "You know we found you in his apartment with drugs, right? What would've Voight had to say about that?"

He hit her right where it hurt and he knew it. Was it a dick move to bring up her surrogate father like that three days after he'd been murdered? Probably. Did he care? No. Especially not if it knocked some sense into her so she'd quit whatever had happened the last couple days. He watched as her expression shifted from confused to mad to regretful in a matter of seconds.

"Fuck," she murmured. Hank would have been pissed. He would have made some comment about her hitting a banana peel. And hanging around Bunny again? He'd have plenty to say about that, too, and not a single thing good. She turned to Jay, a somber look on her face. "What am I doing?"

"You're mourning, Erin. You just made some bad decisions doing it," he said, cautiously laying a hand on her shoulder. "You know I'm still your partner, right?"

The front door opened behind them, interrupting him. Nadia had returned with lunch.

"Oh, you're up," she said to Erin, fighting to keep her voice neutral. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah," Erin replied, having the grace to sound a little apologetic.

When Nadia didn't say anything in return, Erin knew she would have to be the one to talk. She hadn't apologized to Jay yet but it seemed like he had already started to forgive her. Nadia, on the other hand, might be harder to convince.

She took a breath to prepare herself. "Nadia, I'm s-"

"Let me stop you right there," the younger woman said, holding up a hand. "You almost totally shut out two of the people who love you the most for what? Your deadbeat, manipulative mother? What the hell has she ever done for you? We're here for you every day, Erin. The least you could have done was texted us, but no. You go home with some random ass dude and we have to track you down in the middle of the night because we're worried sick about you. Then when we finally find you, not only are you drunk off your ass, you're high, and you're pissed that we had the audacity to care? Don't apologize unless you're ready to promise me it's not gonna happen again. Ever."

Damn. She'd thought Jay's disappointment was a hard pill to swallow, but Nadia's? That hit her like a ton of bricks. She didn't even try to suppress the tears stinging her eyes. "I can understand why you're upset," she said sheepishly.

"Upset?" Nadia interrupted, hands on her hips, her eyes ablaze, "Erin, I'm more tha-"

Jay put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "Let her finish, would you?" he requested softly.

One corner of Erin's mouth pulled upward, a tiny thank you to Jay. "I fucked up," she said to both of them, fighting to maintain eye contact. She wanted so badly to stare at the floor, to avoid the anger and disappointment in her friends' eyes. "You have every right to be disappointed, pissed off, whatever. I don't know why I went back to Bunny. I never should have. And I never should have gone with Landon. Hell, I never should have left home. I, uh - I think I might need to take some time off, maybe get out of Chicago for a bit, get my head straight, but I promise," she paused, locking eyes with Nadia and Jay in turn. "I promise I'm not gonna let this be a banana peel any more."

The silence following her apology was deafening. She pulled her lip between her teeth, waiting for one of them to say something, anything.

Jay was the first to make a move, pulling her into a hug. "Whatever you need, I've got your six," he whispered into her ear. He'd do just about anything for her.

"Thanks, Jay," she replied softly.

He let her go, stepping backward. "I'll give you two a minute," he said, turning toward the kitchen.

Nadia stood with her arms crossed, watching Jay retreat from the room. As soon as he'd gone, she turned back to her roommate. "Do you remember how upset you were when I brought my friend who was overdosing here to get her some help?" she asked through a clenched jaw. "You all but tore me a new one. So now that you run off without a word and we find you - not one of your friends that you brought home - you, Erin, what am I supposed to say?"

Erin shrugged, looking much like a puppy with its tail tucked between its legs. She didn't know how to answer that.

"Look, Erin," Nadia sighed, calmer now that she had all of her frustrations off her chest, "You take your time off and you keep that promise, talk to someone if you need to. Me, Jay, whoever. Prove you're not gonna spiral away from us. I can't lose you to the same life you saved me from."

Erin sniffled, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "I'm so sorry, Nadia."

Nadia took a step forward and pulled her friend into a giant hug. "I know."

The two were still wrapped in each other's arms when Jay came back. Without a word, Nadia extended one arm, inviting him into the hug. He gladly obliged, dropping one small kiss into Erin's hair.

Things might not be back to normal yet, and there was still a lot of pain to work through, but the three of them had just taken a massive step in the right direction.

After they'd had lunch and Jay went back to his apartment, Erin called Antonio, who gladly granted her request for the next two weeks off.

"Oh, Erin?" he said, stopping her from hanging up just yet.

"Yeah?"

"Since you won't be here when I ask the rest of the team for their opinions tomorrow - I want to ask Burgess to fill my spot."

"Sure you can handle having two women upstairs who could kick your ass?" she teased.

"Hey, I'm your Sergeant now. You better be careful what you say or I'll write you up," Antonio chuckled. "But - on a more serious note - given our line of work, having people who can hold their own is the whole point."

Erin smiled. "Then I'll look forward to seeing her at your desk when I come back."

"Thanks, Erin."

"You're welcome. See you next week," she said, then she hung up.

Erin was putting her suitcase in her car the next morning when Jay pulled up. He'd offered to give Nadia, who didn't have her own car yet, a ride to the precinct while Erin was gone.

"You're early," Erin commented.

"I brought breakfast for my two favorite ladies. Thought we might want time to eat it," he explained, trying to sound nonchalant as he walked around to the passenger side of his car.

"Aww," she said, seeing right through him, "You wanted a goodbye hug."

He smiled softly and shrugged. "Guilty."

Erin returned his smile as he leaned into his car to retrieve the breakfast pizza and coffees he'd picked up.

"So where you gonna go?" he asked, walking toward the apartment.

She shrugged. "Don't know yet."

"Well, wherever you go, will you let me know when you get there?"

"Sure," she answered with a soft smile.

Once they finished breakfast and got everything cleaned up, they walked out to their cars together.

"You guys be safe, okay? I want everyone to be in one piece when I come back," Erin said.

"You too," Nadia replied, giving her a quick hug.

Erin turned to Jay next, arms open with a knowing smile on her face. He smiled and pulled her in for a goodbye hug, speaking softly into her ear. "I'll leave my ringer on if you need anything - and I mean anything, even if you just miss home and want to hear a familiar voice."

She thanked him and smiled against his shoulder, letting the hug linger just a little longer than normal.

Somewhat reluctantly, he started to pull away from her.

They said their goodbyes then Nadia and Jay were headed back to the precinct, and Erin was on her way to wherever her heart would take her.

"Oh good, you're here!" Trudy exclaimed when Nadia and Jay got to the precinct.

"Morning, Sarge," Jay called back, confused why the desk sergeant was in such a chipper mood.

"Was I talking to you?" she asked, reverting to her signature sassy tone. "No. I wasn't. Get outta here. I need to talk to Nadia."

Jay rolled his eyes, continuing toward the stairs. He probably never would know why the desk sergeant seemed to hate him.

"Good morning, Sergeant!" Nadia chirped, bouncing up to the desk.

Trudy leaned forward onto the counter once Halstead turned away, an envelope in hand and an excited grin on her face. "This came for you from headquarters this morning."

"My test results?"

"That's my guess."

Nadia sucked in a nervous breath, staring at the envelope in her hands.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Trudy prodded. "Go on - open it!"

Nadia summoned up all her courage, ripped open the envelope and pulled out the letter inside, trying to ignore the sergeant's prying eyes over her shoulder.

"So?"

"Ms. Nadia Decotis," Nadia read, "This letter is to commend you on being accepted as a recruit to the Chicago Police Department."

"Oh yes! I knew it!" Trudy exclaimed, extending her hand to give the younger woman a high five. "I can't wait to get you on my squad."

"But Sarge, we don't have any openings here."

"Who do you think is going to fill the opening upstairs? Someone from another precinct? Absolutely not! I'll bet you anything Antonio pulls either Burgess or Roman upstairs to the good ole boys' club and then guess what? I have an opening down here and you'd better believe I'm not letting you go to any other precinct in this city."

"Really?"

"Really. Now get upstairs and enjoy your last few days of freedom, cuz starting Monday, you're mine."