(7)
Erin knocked on Jay's door, hoping that he wasn't already sleeping. It wasn't that terribly late and Erin was hoping that Jay would still be up for the things she had in mind for them to do tonight. She heard his feet shuffling as they got closer to the door and the door swung open, Jay standing there, leaning against the door, wearing nothing but a basketball short that hung low on his hips and a hooded look to his eyes. Erin's gaze traveled up and down his toned body, her eyes lingering on his chiseled abs.
Jay cleared his throat, pulling Erin's attention back on to his face just in time for her to see the cocky upward pull on his lips.
"Like what you see?" Jay asked, a tinge of amused laughter in his voice.
Erin shrugged, feigning disinterest. "I've seen better."
Jay lifted his brow. "Yeah? Where?" he asked before he narrowed his eyes. "I swear to god Erin, if you say Harrison…"
His comment got Erin laughing and she mumbled a fond 'idiot' under her breath before pushing her way in. She had no idea why Jay still felt threatened by Harrison especially when Erin had made it clear to Jay that there wasn't anything going on between her and Harrison…..anymore.
"Did I wake you?" Erin asked as she dropped the bag she had in her hands on his coffee table. The television was on with low volume and the way the throw pillows were arranged on the couch would make it seem like Jay had been snoozing away on his sofa. The water droplets trailing down the now tepid bottle of beer only added to her theory.
"Not really," Jay replied, trying his best to hide the yawn that came out of him. He gave her a sheepish smile when her brows quirked up at his obvious lie. "Okay so I was about to," he admitted. "But it's fine."
"Sorry that I woke you up," Erin offered, genuinely feeling bad for waking him up. She knew that Jay was a light sleeper and he already didn't get enough sleep as is. The last thing she wanted was to take him away from it.
"You know you're welcome here anytime, Erin," Jay said, sitting back down on the couch and patting the empty space next to him for her. Erin gave him a small smile before taking off her blazer so she'd be more comfortable and taking a seat next to him. Jay leaned over to give her a quick kiss before his arms settled around her shoulders. "You smell good," he remarked as he hid his face in the crook of her neck. His warm breath tickled her and she squirmed, giggling.
"Jay!" she squealed with laughter while Jay attacked her with ticklish breaths and his stubbled jaw. He continued teasing her for a couple of more minutes until they both tired out, Jay landing a final kiss on her neck before finally pulling away. They were happily exhausted and they both leaned back to settle on the couch.
"What's in the bag?" Jay asked, finally paying attention to the bag she placed on the table in front of them. Erin pulled out of his arms and scooted forward so she could grab the bag.
"It's my apology," Erin replied, Jay looking lost as to what she had to apologize for. "For dipping out on you this morning and leaving you alone with Will."
"Ah." He smiled knowingly, recalling the way she had pretty much ran out of the room when Will had caught them earlier. "Yeah, you did run out of here pretty quickly. Even without pants," he added, sounding full of mirth at the image of her hightailing it out of Jay's condo just wearing Jay's shirt.
"Well yeah," Erin chuckled, shaking her head at remembering her quick exit. It hadn't even occurred to her until she was in the safe confines of her shower that she realized that either Will would definitely think of her some exhibitionist weirdo or Jay had some explaining to do about them living next door to each other. "It looked like a conversation that you two needed to have on your own. So how did Will take it?" Erin asked, trying not to sound as nervous as she felt about Will's opinion on them getting back together.
Erin had been thinking about it all day, stressing over just what Will was saying to Jay about Erin being back in Chicago. Being back in Jay's life. Being back with Jay. She knew that if she was in Will's place, she probably wouldn't be so eager to see her sibling reconcile with someone that broke their heart. It was natural to feel protective over family.
"He was a little apprehensive about it at first," Jay replied, choosing to be honest. "But he came around. All he wants is for me to be happy."
Erin nodded, pressing her lips together. She glanced over at him nervously. "And are you?" she asked hesitantly.
"Am I what? Happy?" Erin nodded, still glancing at him and holding her breath for his answer. His face softened and he sought out her lips. "Happiest I've ever been," Jay whispered, holding her gaze so she could see the honesty in his eyes.
Erin felt herself relaxed and her hand covered her lips to hide the smile that threatened to overtake her whole face. Jay's hand pulled her hand away so she couldn't hide from him.
"What did you think?" Jay inquired, searching her face. "That I would no longer want to be with you— want us— just because Will doesn't approve?"
She didn't have to give him a verbal answer, Jay knowing what she thought just from the look on her face. His hand cupped her face and he shook his head, looking at her like she was insane.
"Erin," he sighed, holding her firmer in his hands. "I don't care who approves or doesn't approve of us getting back together. It's none of their business. All I care about is you and me, being happy. I know I'm happy. Are you happy?"
"Very," Erin stated.
"Then that's all that matters."
Jay made everything sound simple and easy. But she knew that he was right. Will might've been okay with her and Jay getting back together but Erin wasn't naive enough to think that it would be the same reaction of everyone in their lives. She knew that at the very least Voight probably wouldn't be thrilled about her resuming her relationship with Jay, especially after how things ended the last time. Erin knew she had to have a talk with Hank sometimes and tell him everything that was going on. She had been trying to put it off as long as she could, trying to convince herself that things with Jay were still so new. That she didn't really know how things would work out with him or where things would lead with Jay. But really, she was kidding herself at this point. Tried as she might to be as cautious as she possibly could and to take things as slow as possible with Jay, he was just too easy to fall hard for.
"Hey, don't go running from me now," Jay's soft voice pulled Erin back from getting too deep in her thoughts. He was stroking her face softly, getting her attention back on him. HIs blue eyes studied her, searching for something in her eyes. "People are eventually going to find out about us, Erin. We've done a good job keeping things to ourselves for now but we can't stay in our little bubble forever."
"I know." She wound her hand around Jay's wrist that was holding her face. "I'm not trying to hide us, I promise." She wanted to stress that point, she wanted him to know that she wasn't regretting them or wanted to keep them a secret. She was just a private person and always has been. She just preferred keeping private details about her life to herself, keep her name out of people's mouth. She hated being the fodder for gossip. "I know that people will find out eventually. I guess I was just hoping that we could wait a little bit longer. You know? At least we hit the three month mark."
"Sure," Jay replied easily, nodding to show that he understood where she was coming from. "But at least only Will knows right now and our three month mark isn't that far away."
"Only 8 days," Erin specified and she saw Jay's face split into a big grin "What?" she asked in confusion. "Why do you have that look on your face?"
Jay was looking at her with one of his famous infuriating yet adorable grins. One that he always got whenever he thought he won an argument or he was trying to hold back a smartass remark. One that always managed to slip past her annoyance and never failed to lift up her spirits on her worst days.
"What?" she asked again when Jay just kept grinning and wasn't replying to her question. "Jay!"
"Nothing," he finally spoke, his lips still tilted upward and his eyes still holding the playful glint. "I just think it's so adorable that you're counting down the days until our three month anniversary."
Erin's mouth dropped and she felt her neck heat up at his remark. "Please," she scoffed, trying to brush off his teasing comment like it wasn't a big deal. "I wasn't counting down the days." She tossed her head back like the notion of her doing something that girly and cheesy was ridiculous.
"So you just happen to know that there's only 8 days until we reach 3 months?" Jay challenged. "Aww, don't worry." He squeezed her cheeks, her lips forming a pout as her face was smushed together but she still managed to glare at him. "I won't tell anyone that Erin Lindsay is really a romantic at heart."
"Shut up," Her words came out as a mumble since he was still holding her cheeks. He was still laughing, she just wasn't sure if it was at her annoyance or how she looked right now with her puffy cheeks being squished.
"I bet you even keep a diary under your bed," Jay continued as he finally let go of her face. He cleared his throat before dwelling off into a dramatic reading from her pretend diary that didn't exist. "Dear Diary. Today Jay and I went on our third date. He's the dreamiest guy ever. So handsome. So charming. He's also the best kisser ever and he's the best at scrabble too."
"Sounds like you're speaking from experience, Halstead," Erin tossed back, smacking his chest. "Maybe I should be looking for your diary under your bed."
"Nah," Jay replied, pinching her cheeks before his hands rested on her shoulder, holding her. "No diary here. But everything I said does apply to you though."
"Hmm," Erin hummed, satisfied with his answer. "So I'm the best kisser ever?"
"And the best at scrabble," Jay added with a wag of his eyebrow. "But you're wrong about something."
"What?" Erin asked with a pout. "What am I wrong about?"
"It's not 8 days until we reach our three month anniversary." The teasing smirk on his lips turned into a tender smile. "It's actually 7 days and 18 hours until the 3 month anniversary of our first date." Erin looked at him in wonder. "3 months to the night that you opened your door and took my breath away with that killer black dress. The night where I realized 'damn, I'm so fucking lucky to be here. To get to be the one to take you out to dinner.'"
She slowly leaned in and closed the distance between their lips. "Jay Halstead, the badass Ranger and the kickass detective, is a romantic," she muttered in between kisses. "If people only knew."
"I only care if you know," Jay voiced. "Everyone else just…." Jay trailed off, shrugging to show that he didn't care otherwise.
Erin held his jaw delicately in her hand like he was glass— something fragile and precious. "I know," she whispered, resting her forehead against his. "I've always known."
They lost time making out on the couch like a couple of teenagers. Erin felt like a teenager, her hormones going wild like she couldn't control herself around Jay. She just wanted him all the time, wanted his lips on hers, wanted his hands roam all over her body. She loved him pressing her down on the couch, his body on hers, as his hands gripped her hips. She could've spent forever in this position. But her stomach had another idea as it started growling, breaking the heated moment.
"Hungry?" Jay asked, still panting heavily as he pulled away from her. Erin's stomach replied in her stead with another loud growl, Jay laughing at the noise.
"Sorry," Erin offered with a shrug. Jay just pecked her nose before he lifted himself off of her and rested back on the couch.
"It's fine," he said, starting to pull out the food Erin had brought. "You've been working all day. You need to eat." He handed her the take out container and grabbed one for himself.
They finished their dinner and Jay cleared the table away, throwing the empty containers in the trash in the kitchen while Erin wiped down the table. She joined him in the kitchen and put the leftovers in the fridge. Jay came up behind her and snaked his arms around her, laying a kiss on her neck. His favorite spot to kiss her.
She leaned into his embrace and they stumbled together to his room. Jay barely let go of her as she quickly took off her clothes until she was in her underwear and a shirt of Jay's that she snatched from his drawer. Then Jay led them to his bed, both of them getting into their usual spots. Jay opted to forgo the blanket but Erin couldn't sleep without one, even when the weather was still warm. So she got under the cover while he laid on top of it but they quickly reattached themselves as soon as they could. She felt his hard chest against her back and his arms wrapped loosely around her waist. Jay placed a kiss on the back of her head as he mumbled a good night to her. Erin felt herself just about to doze off when Jay's quiet voice pulled her back into the land of consciousness.
"Huh?" she asked sleepily, missing the first part of what Jay said.
"I just wanted to make sure we've agreed." She felt him hold her closer, his thumb mindlessly roaming on the bone that jutted out on her hip. "That we'll start telling people that we're together when we reach the 3 month mark?"
Erin hummed her agreement but Jay wanted to hear her actually say it. "Erin?"
"Hmm?" she hummed again sleepily. He nudged her with his arm. Erin sighed. "Yes, Jay. We'll tell people we're boyfriend and girlfriend in 7 days and 17 hours," she agreed, feeling him smile against her neck at her choice of words.
"You called me your boyfriend," Jay murmured into her neck, Erin's eyes popping open at his comment. Erin felt her heart still when she realized the slip of her tongue. "Boyfriend," Jay repeated, sounding amused at her usage of the word.
She turned around so she was facing him, her hand coming to rest on his chest. There was a happy twinkle in Jay's eyes, one that Erin could see even in the dim lights of his bedroom.
Boyfriend. Girlfriend.
Those were two simple words. Perhaps even a juvenile way to describe a relationship. Erin felt it was almost ridiculous that such simple words could bring Jay so much joy. Mostly because she felt that their relationship was so beyond being able to be encapsulated with just the terms 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend'. They've been through so much together, they've seen each other at their best and worst, they've crumbled and fallen and had somehow managed to put themselves back together. They were so beyond just being boyfriend and girlfriend.
But even with those thoughts running through Erin's mind, she couldn't deny the way her heart raced at calling Jay her boyfriend. The unexpected giddiness that rose up in her at being Jay's girlfriend. She was feeling like a teenager again. Caught up in a new relationship where just the mere thought of her boyfriend got her smiling, her heart skipping, her palms sweating and her stomach filling up with butterflies.
But she played it cool, knowing that she'd never live it down if she reacted any other way. "Go to sleep," she ordered, turning back around so his chest was pressed up against her back again. But she couldn't help herself so she murmured, "boyfriend," she added quietly, thinking that Jay wouldn't hear. But the way his hold tightened around her and the smile she felt on her neck told her that he heard her loud and clear.
(8)
Jay yawned and cracked his neck to get rid of the strain he had after a long day. A case had jumped off suddenly even before the sun rose in the morning and they spent all day chasing leads and breaking doors down until they had lucked into a tip from a C.I that allowed them to catch the guy they needed to catch.
They managed to get a confession from the guy but they still had to wait in the bullpen until Voight gave them an all clear that the case was wrapped up. So despite Jay wanting to just go home so he could be in his comfortable bed— or in Erin's even more comfortable one— he was stuck, twiddling his thumb doing nothing.
He yawned again, louder this time, and it caught the attention of his partner. He mouthed a 'sorry' for the noise but the stoic look remained on her face. The same stoic look that she had been sporting all day. And for the past couple of days, now that Jay thought of it.
The fast pace of the case had them moving all day long and Jay didn't have time or attention to really care about the growing tension between him and Hailey. They rode in his truck in silence, focused on solving the case. It wasn't until now that Jay remembered Will's words and the pointed knowing look Will gave him when he told him about seeing Hailey at Molly's, looking down.
Jay sighed. If Jay had his choice, he wanted to bury his head in the sand about what Will told him. He wanted to just keep on pretending like there hadn't been a shift in his partnership with Hailey. One that had gotten more strained ever since she found out that he was still in contact with Erin. Since he had brushed off her concerns about Erin hurting him again.
If he could, he wanted to continue to think that Hailey's concerns about Erin came from nothing but a good place. That she was genuinely concerned for him as a partner. As a friend. Nothing more.
But he could only ignore the truth for so long. Ignore the looks she sent his way, the soft smiles that she regarded him with, the secretive and telling looks she and Rojas gave each other before their eyes shifted towards him.
Rejecting someone was something Jay always hated having to do, especially when that someone hadn't really confessed their feelings for him yet. He didn't like hurting anyone and he hated seeing the look of rejection on their faces as he awkwardly stumbled through an apology and a promise of how they'd always be good friends. But he and Hailey were partners, they had to watch each other's backs in dangerous situations. Their partnership and how well they worked together could literally mean life and death. So it was important for them to be completely honest with each other because without trust and honesty, their partnership was as good as useless.
So Jay knew that he needed to make it clear to her that he saw as a friend, nothing more. Besides, even if he did see Hailey in that way, he knew that he'd never go there. She was his partner. She was his friend. That was the extent of their relationship.
Jay wasn't stupid or ignorant of the privilege that men had over women, especially in his line of career. Burgess got labeled as a 'badge bunny' and had people talking about her snidely just because she got involved with Ruzek and Roman. It didn't matter that other male cops in the district had dated more than one female cop or that they slept around. They certainly didn't get snide remarks and demeaning nicknames like 'badge bunny' thrown in their faces.
Jay had gotten involved with Gabby during his undercover stint. He slept with Camila during another one and the whole thing became a mess. He had people doubting his innocence when he went undercover at Brady about him not getting involved with any of the girls there and only had Erin standing up for him. Erin who was his partner, one that he fell in love with, was in a long term relationship with, moved in with, and was going to propose to.
He understood that male cops had longer leashes than female cops but the leash was only so long before his credibility and his professionalism as a detective would be questioned. Before his professional reputation would suffer because of his personal choices. So the last thing he wanted was to get involved with his new partner again. Because why? Just because it was convenient for him to be with Hailey? Because he couldn't be bothered to meet a woman outside of work?
He heard Hailey get up from her desk and head into the breakroom. He felt Rojas' eyes on him, almost glaring at him like she was annoyed with him and Jay held back the urge to roll his eyes at the newest detective.
He knew he and Erin had an agreement to not tell anyone else about their relationship for a couple of more days. But Jay stood up to follow Hailey into the breakroom all the same, not wanting to put off the much needed conversation much longer. He at least needed to talk to her, to make it clear about how they could only be friends. He was so not looking forward to the conversation but he knew it was better to have it sooner than later. Before it was too late to salvage a good partnership between them.
"Hey," He saw Hailey tense up when she heard his voice and she turned around to face him, a tight look on her face. Jay sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Can we talk?"
She shrugged but nodded all the same. "What?"
Jay tried to think of what to say to stop things from getting even more awkward between them but still firm enough to make it clear what their relationship was.
"Okay, I…..you're a good partner Hailey and I think we work well together," Jay began, choosing his words as he went along. "We're also good friends, right?"
Hailey nodded as she stirred her coffee. "Yeah, I thought so."
"And I want us to remain that way. I know things have been strained between us lately and I don't want that to continue."
She placed her cup back on the counter and looked at him. "I'm only worried about you, that's all."
"I know and I appreciate it, really. But you don't have to be. I'm…..I can take care of myself, Hailey." Hailey shook her head, almost scoffing at him. "I want us to remain good friends and good partners but that's all."
He saw her face hardened even more and her jaw twitched. She crossed her arms and took a step closer to him to study him closer. "At least be honest with me Jay. You and Erin…."
Whatever Hailey was about to say to him about Erin got cut off when they heard loud footsteps coming up the stairs, getting everyone's attention. It was Platt running up the stairs, almost breathless. Her frantic eyes scanned around the room before she spotted Jay in the break room and she immediately began to rattle off information.
"A call came over the radio. A domestic. Shots fired," Platt got out in between pants and everyone in the bullpen looked at each other, all wondering why Platt was telling them about a domestic call that routine patrol officers usually took. "Wentworth in Hyde Park," Platt continued, Jay's eyes widening when his street name came out of her mouth. "Lindsay's name was given on the call."
Jay's stomach dropped at what Platt said, his mind going completely blank at the fact that Trudy was telling them that Erin was involved in a domestic call where they lived. He ran out of the break room, straight over to Trudy. He was too focused on Platt mentioning that shots were fired. Everyone else was still looking lost and now a bit worried at Erin possibly being involved, although they weren't sure what.
"You said Erin was involved in a domestic?" Jay demanded frantically as he ran back over to grab his car keys from his desk. "There were shots fired? Was she hit?"
Platt had her mouth parted, unable to give him a clear answer but the worry clear on her face. "I don't know! Someone else called it in and gave Erin's name and another guy's name. Ray something!"
"Ray Scofield!" Jay hissed, immediately remembering their neighbor that was abusing his wife and child. The same guy that he and Erin helped Julia and Emma get away from a few months ago.
He barely registered Platt confirming Ray's name before he went flying down the stairs, needing to get to Erin as soon as possible. The only thing he had in his mind was that Erin couldn't be hurt, that she had to be okay. His frantic and frenzied reaction snapped everyone else in motion and he heard footsteps of his team behind him, following his lead.
"Halstead," Adam shouted his name, trying to get Jay to slow down. But Jay didn't stop, he knew he couldn't. If Erin was shot then he needed to get to her right away. "Halstead! Do you even know where you're going?"
Jay ran over to his truck, Hailey catching up to him and getting into the car a few seconds later. "She's at 342 Wentworth!" Jay barked out as he started his car and peeling out of the parking lot before Hailey could get her door fully closed.
"Jay, slow down!" Hailey shouted as she turned on the siren and grabbed onto the handle by the door, holding on for dear life. But Jay couldn't hear anything she was saying, everything sounding muffled as his mind was too occupied. A million thoughts were running through his mind— none of it good. He had no idea what was going on or just why Erin had gotten into this altercation with Ray. But he knew that Ray was an abusive bastard who attacked women. He had no problem putting his hands on his wife and his daughter so he certainly wouldn't think twice about hurting a stranger.
"Come on, come on!" Jay muttered, cursing to himself as he weaved his truck through the traffic, needing to get back home as soon as he could. At least the traffic wasn't so bad at this late hour of the night— one thing that was going in his favor.
He heard Hailey ask him questions like if he knew where he was going, how did he know which address Erin would be at, and just why was he so familiar with the route to the said address. All questions that he didn't pay attention to and didn't bother answering. The sirens from the cars behind him were drowned out by the loud blarings coming from the sirens of his own truck and he saw the lights flashing in the rearview mirror, telling him that his team was right behind him.
Finally, his building came into view and he parked carelessly in front of the curb at the front of the building, not caring if his truck would get towed. He shut off his car and ran inside, slapping his hand on the elevator button like pressing it more than once would get the elevator to come faster. He was debating on skipping the elevator and just running the 23 floors up, using the stairs. He was really about to go for it when finally, the elevator dinged and opened its door.
Jay's heart stopped at the sight of the ripped paper grocery bag inside the elevator, food thrown carelessly around the small space. It was clear evidence of a struggle and he was bouncing on his feet like he could will the elevator to get up to his floor faster.
He let out a strangled sound of relief when they finally got to the 23rd floor and he didn't even bother waiting for the door to fully open, prying it apart by his hands to go faster. He ran inside the hallway, pushing everything else out of the way. A patrol officer tried to stop Jay from going in further but Jay took out his badge.
"This isn't an Intelligence's case," the officer spat in his face as he held Jay back, making his dislike for the unit clear. "We got this. We don't need you here."
Jay growled in frustration. He didn't have time for this so he shoved his badge in the officer's chest. "That's my girlfriend in there!" he shouted, not caring whoever heard him yell out that he and Erin were together. He pushed the officer aside so he could make his way further down the hall. He heard Atwater and Ruzek deal with the officer, trying to appease him enough to get access to the crime scene.
"Erin!" he shouted her name, his voice sounding scared and worried. So worried. He saw a group of patrol officers idling in the hallway as well as the medics on the ground, working on someone whose identity was covered by their bodies so Jay couldn't see who it was. He ran over to them and shouted Erin's name again, his eyes searching for her in the small group. He was praying with everything he had that it wasn't Erin lying down on the ground, medics working on saving her life.
"Jay!" He heard her call his name in response and he turned around to where her voice was coming from. He spotted her door open and he ran inside her condo and sagged with relief when he found her sitting on the arm of her couch, cradling her arm to her chest while another office was taking her statement.
'Erin!" He rushed over to her, pulling her to her feet and straight into his arms. He held her tightly to his chest, letting the warmth of her body reassure him slowly but surely that she seemed alright considering everything. That it wasn't her lying on the ground with a bullethole in her body. Paramedics working on her.
When the trembling of his body began to cease and he could live with Erin not being in his arms and tugged to his chest, he slowly pulled away. But he didn't go too far. He gripped her shoulders, still keeping her at arm's length, making sure to mind the injury that she sustained on her arm. Out of his periphery, he saw his team trickled into her condo one by one, all looking at Erin with concerned looks and anxious questions of if she was okay. Erin nodded at them, Jay still holding onto her.
"What happened?" Jay almost didn't recognize his own voice. It had been a long time since he had been this scared. The last time had been years ago when Voight told them over the phone that Erin had gone after Yates by herself. He still remembered just how his blood ran cold at the thought of Erin going in without back-up. It was too familiar to the same way his blood ran cold and his heart was being squeezed a few minutes ago when Platt told him about Erin.
Erin sighed, dropping her eyes down to the floor as she began to tell him what happened. "Ray, he wanted to know where Julia and Emma are hiding. He was drunk and I think he was on something too. I don't know."
"He attacked you," Jay spat, feeling the anger take over his body at the guy.
"He followed me from the parking lot and pushed his way into the elevator. I tried to get out but it was too late. He just started screaming in my face, yelling at me to tell him where Julia and Emma were. He didn't buy it when I told him that I didn't know. He just got angrier and grabbed me." Jay took in a sharp breath when he heard Erin tell him that Ray laid his hands on her. "I tried to fight him off and we struggled in the elevator. He was trying to push the emergency button to stop the elevator and I was trying to stop him from getting to the button. And as soon as the door opened, I ran out but he was faster and he tackled me from behind."
Jay's thumb was stroking her shoulder in a comforting motion, trying to ease her fears. The ironic thing was he was the one that seemed more freaked out than Erin herself.
"He was on top of me and I was trying to kick him off but he was too heavy," Erin continued, shuddering slightly.
"You're bleeding!" Jay gasped when he saw blood starting to drip down her arm that she had cradled to her chest.
"Oh," Erin pulled back slightly to avoid getting blood on Jay. "It's fine," she murmured, not wanting to make a big deal about her injury. "He had a knife and pulled it on me."
"The cut looks pretty deep, Erin," Kim pointed out.
"It's not too bad," Erin replied, waving their concern off. "He just got me when we were on the ground."
Jay scanned her body closer, seeing scratches and the bruises starting to form on her body. He tried to tamper the blind rage that was building in him and stopped himself from going over to where Ray was.
"Platt said that shots were fired?" Voight finally spoke, both the look on his face and his voice unreadable as his eyes darted between Erin and Jay. But Jay was too wrapped up in Erin to really care about Voight and everyone else.
"Yeah, I managed to kick him off of me for a second then he came at me with the knife. I got to my gun and shot at his leg to stop him. That's when the neighbor heard and came out. She distracted him long enough for me to overpower him and hold him down while she called the cops."
"Is he dead?" Ruzek asked.
"No," Erin shook her head. "He probably won't be standing at his trial but he's going to live to get his sentence."
A patrol officer that first responded to the call came back into Erin's condo, interrupting the group's conversation. Erin pulled away from Jay so she could talk to the officer.
"I think we got everything we need here," the officer said, closing his notepad. "The assailant is being taken to Chicago Med and we'll keep him in custody. You should probably get yourself down to the Med to get yourself checked out too," he suggested, pointing to Erin's bleeding arm.
Erin nodded.
"We have an ambulance downstairs."
Erin shook her head right away, not that Jay was surprised. He knew that there was no way Erin was going to be riding in an ambulance for what she considered a small injury.
"No, it's fine," she refused with a polite smile. "I can just drive myself there."
The officer nodded before leaving. Erin sighed, meeting Jay's eyes. He shook his head like he couldn't believe what had happened. Erin placed her hand gently on his chest, comforting him. Everything and everyone faded to the background as they stood there, Erin's touch working its usual magic and calming his racing heart down. It would always amaze him just how her touch could always do that for him. How it could quiet down all the noises in his head and push the troubled clouds in his eyes away until he was seeing clearly again.
He took in a deep breath and exhaled, his heart returning to its normal rate. "You need to get to Med," he said, his finger ghosting over her cut, making sure not to touch it so she wouldn't be hurt. "I'll drive you."
Erin nodded, being surprisingly agreeable about having to go to the hospital. But he knew she was doing it for his benefit. His earlier reaction probably freaked her out even more than the incident with Ray did.
Jay finally remembered that they weren't alone and he turned to look at his team, finally taking in the surprised and shocked expressions on their faces at the revelation that he and Erin were back together. But he didn't have the energy to give everyone an explanation right now. He just wanted to make sure Erin got the medical attention she needed. That was his only priority.
He helped Erin sit back down on the couch and he went to her hall closet to take out a small face towel and tied off her arm to stop the bleeding for now. Then went into her closet to get her oversized cardigan that he knew she loved because it might be the end of August but he knew Erin's body always ran cold. She was in a quiet conversation with Kim as the latter sat on the coffee table, slowly rubbing Erin's thigh as a gesture of comfort.
Jay draped the cardigan over Erin and helped her up, Kim giving them space. Jay placed his hand on the small of Erin's back as he led her to the door, before stopping in front of Voight.
"Serge, I'm gonna take her to Med," Jay more or less stated rather than asked for permission. Voight nodded, his jaw set and his eyes still unreadable. But they both knew that the more important thing was to get Erin medical attention.
"Oh, Jay," Erin suddenly spoke. She glanced around the room at the inquisitive eyes of the Intelligence team watching them with full interest. "Um, I left my insurance card in my other purse. It's at your place." She tried to whisper quietly but Jay knew everyone heard, considering just how silent everyone was, barely taking a breath as they watched Jay with Erin.
"Okay," Jay nodded. "Stay here and I'll go get it." He quickly ran out of her condo to his place next door, coming back with her purse in less than a minute. Both he and Erin ignored the even more shocked and astounded looks on everyone's faces as they quickly realized that Jay and Erin lived right next door to each other.
Jay wrapped his arm around Erin, making sure to be careful of her arm.
"Come on, let's go," he whispered, placing a kiss on the side of her head and leading her out the door, a whole group of stunned people left behind in Erin's condo.
They would just have to deal with them later.
AN: So it was a trick question because instead of one person finding out about them, the whole Intelligence team found out at the same time. And come on, Platt totally already knew.