The next morning, Erin set Jay up on the couch, made him food, put everything he would need while she was away in reach of him. He had reminded her multiple times that he was still able to walk and didn't feel too bad, but she was having none of it. She felt guilty that she had to leave him but she knew she had to go to work to submit all the paperwork. "I'm sorry I've got to leave you," she said, walking through from the bedroom.
"Babe, it's fine. I am just going to watch some crappy day time tv and chill. My legs not too sore this morning, the meds seem to be helping pretty well. Just go to work, get your paperwork done and then come back here and we can relax. Okay?"
She nodded, "Okay. I'll bring back lunch for us. Text me if you need anything." He nodded and she bent down to kiss him, "I'll see you later."
"Bye, babe."
Erin pulled up to the precinct in pretty good time. She just wanted to get everything over and done with before she could go home. She walked up the front steps and entered the reception, "How's Chuckles doing, Erin?" Platt asked as she saw it was Erin coming through the doors.
Erin smiled and walked up to the front desk, "He's fine. He's pretending he's not in any pain at all but he's a really crap liar. He should be ok in a couple of days."
"Good, I'm glad he's doing okay. Don't tell him I said that though," she warned, jokingly.
"Don't worry, he wouldn't believe me if I even if I did tell him," Erin laughed. "I've got to go up and do some paperwork, I'll come and say bye before I leave."
Platt smiled, "Okay, hope it goes okay up there."
Erin smiled appreciatively before making her way up to the bullpen to start the day.
"Hey kid, how's Halstead doing?" Hank asked when Erin entered his office after abandoning her stuff on her desk.
"He's okay, not in too much pain today. How's the case going? Anything more about Bunny?"
"She keeps trying to get herself a deal, but we have spoken to the guys over at the DA, and they definitely won't need Bunny's cooperation. So she's not going to get a deal. It's official. Apparently, she's been caught up with them for a couple of months. Been seeing a guy in Peter's crew or something. Have you spoken to your brother?"
"No, I've texted him and he said he would be free in an hour or so. I'll ring him once I've done the paperwork just to let him know. I don't think he will have a problem with us not getting Bunny out of this one," She replied. "What are the official charges? I'm sure Ted will want to know."
"Possession of a class A drug, assaulting a police officer and distribution - she was helping sell the dodgy cocaine according to a few of the guys. She's not getting out of this one, Erin."
Erin let out a breath, those charges could lead to some serious time, "Wow. I think it's just shocking that it's finally all caught up with her."
"I'm sorry, kid. I wish this could be different."
Erin nodded, "Can I speak to her? You know after everything's finalised. You can be there if you want - or someone else. I won't do anything to jeopardise the case but I really just need to talk to her one last time."
"I'll see what I can do," Hank replied. "You staying to finish up the paperwork?"
"Yeah, I best get it finished today then I don't have to come in tomorrow. Besides, I'm still off tomorrow aren't I?"
Hank nodded, "Yeah I've put you down for a personal tomorrow. Halstead's on medical leave until Monday…"
"So you want me in on Saturday?"
"No, we are just on call this weekend. So unless anything major jumps off, we won't have to come in," he explained.
"Thanks, Hank," Erin smiled before going to go out to her desk to get on with her work.
Erin's phone began to buzz, she saw her brother's name flash up on the screen and she quickly picked it up and took herself into the break room, shutting the door behind her. "Hey, Ted. How're you?"
"I'm good thank you, I'm on break at work. So what's up?" He asked.
"Have you spoken to mom lately?"
"No, I haven't spoken to her since you told me about what she did to you with that Jimmy bloke. Why is everything okay?" He began to worry, knowing that he and Erin never talked about their mom unless it was something serious.
Erin sighed, "Well not really..." she said and began to explain about the events from yesterday. "So, if we don't intervene, Bunny will be going away for possession of a class A drug, assaulting a police officer and distribution. It could mean serious jail time, considering what she did to Jay and she was caught with the gear at the stash house. I mean, we could offer her a deal..."
"No, Erin. No, she doesn't deserve a deal. She's gone way too far this time. I'd be saying this if it was anyone else - not just Jay too. She stabbed a detective, she shouldn't be able to get away with that. I appreciate you talking to me before anything happens - but it's up to you Erin. I don't care if she goes down for this. She's caused too much heartache in this family and it'll only continue if she gets let off, again."
"Thank you, Teddy. I just wanted to talk to you before anything was finalised. I wanted to keep you in the loop," She explained.
"I get that and thank you. How's Jay doing anyway?"
"He's doing alright, he should be back to normal soon. When am I next going to see you?" She asked, realising that now she had spoken to her brother, she really did miss him.
"Well, I was going to come back into town for the fourth of July weekend, but I'm needed at work. But I've got a full week off in early August so I'll be back in town then," He replied.
Erin smiled, "That sounds great, Ted. I'll try and wrangle a day or two off so we can spend some proper time together. I miss you."
"I miss you too Er," He sighed and looked at his watch. "I'm sorry sis but I have to go, I need to get back to work. Text me with updates and I'll speak to you soon."
"Thanks, Ted. I'll speak to you soon," She replied and they both said goodbye before putting the phone down. She looked at the time and decided to grab another coffee so she could finish this paperwork before speaking to Bunny and going back home to Jay.
Will opened up the door to Erin and Jay's apartment with the key that they'd let him keep for emergencies. He had text Jay saying he was on his way, who had replied saying to just let himself in. He was here for two things, to check on his little brother and make sure he was okay, and to give him their mom's ring. Something he had retrieved from their mom's safety deposit box and had cleaned up - ready to give to Jay. So he could finally propose. Will was proud of how far his little brother had come, not just in the last few months, but in the time since he had joined the army. Will wasn't there for Jay after their mom died as he should've been. He shook those thoughts out of his head as he entered Erin and Jay's apartment. He walked down the hall and saw that Jay was sat with his feet up on the coffee table, watching the television, "Hey bro, how are you doing?" Will asked.
Jay shrugged, "I'm alright. Still in a bit of pain but I've felt much worse, it really is nothing."
"Can I take a look?" Will asked, nodding towards Jay's leg.
"Yeah, sure," Jay replied, pulling his shorts up over the wound so his brother could take a look.
"I'll just go and wash my hands then I'll take a proper look. It looks alright from here, though," He said before quickly washing his hands before going back over to Jay to inspect the wound. "Okay, it looks like it's healing nicely, doesn't look infected at all. How's the pain on a scale of 1-10?"
"You know that pain scale means nothing. Besides, it's open to interpretation - my number 2 could be someone else's 9, so how do you truly know how bad my pain is?" Jay smirked, knowing his brother hated it when he pulled shit like this.
Will just rolled his eyes, "You're a dick. But seriously, how is the pain. I know you said you've felt worse - but you've also had much worse done to you. I need to know seriously."
"I am in pain, but the pain meds from the docs yesterday helped through the night, I did wake up a couple of times. But today, I've only had one dose of the prescribed meds and the rest has just been the over the counter stuff," Jay replied, seriously, knowing his brother was only doing his job both as a doctor and as his older brother.
Will nodded, "Okay, I think you should be fine. If you need to take the stronger meds, don't hesitate to do so. They're pretty low doses anyway - nothing too strong. If you can get by with just over the counter - then that's great, but don't try and be a hero and just push through the pain, okay?"
"Yeah, I will do. The meds are wearing off now, but I can't take anything for a bit. I'm okay though, I promise. Thank you for checking in, I appreciate it."
"No problem little brother, no problem. I have something for you anyway," Will said, putting his hand in his jeans pocket and pulling out the red velvet box.
Jay eyed the box, "Wow when did-"
"I got it out the box last week, and took it to the jewellers to get it all cleaned up - I know you still haven't figured out an actual proposal plan, but I guessed you'd want it sooner rather than later," Will smiled, passing Jay the box.
He opened it up and looked at the ring, it had been so long since he last saw this ring - he and Will had put it in the deposit box after their mom had passed away. Jay told Will to keep the key - not wanting to have anything to do with it himself and definitely not wanting his father to have hold of it. "Wow, it's beautiful, isn't it?"
"Yeah, it is. It's going to look amazing on Erin's finger. She's the perfect person to wear it. I know I've said this before, but mom would love her. Mom would most definitely approve of the girl who stole her babies heart," Will teased.
"Yeah, I've been thinking a lot lately about how much mom would like her. I really miss her," Jay said, solemnly.
Will nodded, "Me too. I know I wasn't around a lot towards the end. Actually, I wasn't around at all but I just know how proud she'd be of you. I miss her a lot, with this whole thing with Nina, I kept thinking how much I wished she was here. She'd probably kick me up the ass and tell me to get my shit together."
Jay chuckled, "Yeah, she would've. I can only assume the shit she would've said to me if she'd seen me all those months ago. Walking out on Erin, kipping on your couch, letting my PTSD get the better of me… She'd have slapped me on the back of my head and told me to get my shit together just like she'd have done to you. I miss her, but I know she'd be proud of me. She'd be proud of you, too. You managed to sort your shit out, you came back to Chicago, and you're doing amazing at your job. You're a great doctor and you're happy. That's all she ever wanted for you."
"She'd probably be calling us a bunch of girls for talking like this," Jay laughed. He shut the ring box and passed it back to Will. "Can you put that in the guest bedroom? In the bag that has my Army uniform in the back of the wardrobe?"
"Yeah, sure. Anywhere else and Erin would probably stumble upon it - am I right?"
Jay nodded, "Yeah, she would find it - even by accident. I don't think she has any clue I've even been thinking of proposing and I really don't want to ruin the surprise by her finding it before I'm ready."
"I get it. It's a big thing. I'll go and hide it now, I actually need to go back to the hospital, I'm on my lunch break," Will said before quickly going to hide the ring and coming back into the room. "Do you need anything before I leave? Coffee? Food?"
"No, I'm good thanks. Erin should be home soon and she's bringing sandwiches back from that place near the station," He explained. "I'll be fine. Thank you for dropping by, and thank you for the ring."
"No problem man, I mean it. Give me a ring or a text if you need anything and I'll drop by," Will replied and Jay nodded.
"Thank you, it means a lot," Jay smiled.
Will said his goodbyes and left the apartment, leaving Jay sat on the couch, turning his attention to the documentary he was watching before Will walked in. Well, he tried to turn his attention to the documentary, but he couldn't stop thinking about when he was going to propose to Erin. He hadn't actually told Will or anyone, but he had it all planned out. He was going to do it up at the cabin, the place where he feels whole. The place where he has some of the best memories of his life, and also some of the worst. But, the good outweighed the bad. It was a place of healing and he wanted to propose to her there and hopefully create his new favourite memory.
Hank had finally allowed her to speak to her mom, after a quick text exchange from Jay, informing him that she should be home within the hour, she got up and followed him down to the interrogation room. She took a deep breath and looked to Hank, who nodded at her to go in. He told her that he would stand and watch behind the mirror as to let her finally talk to Bunny alone. She opened the door and made her way into the room, and sat down opposite Bunny.
"Erin, I was wondering when you'd show up! Why have you let me sit here all night? I thought you'd have put a good word in for me?" Bunny asked, nonchalantly.
Erin couldn't believe the cheek of her, "Put in a good word for you? Seriously?"
"Well yeah, I am your mom."
Erin let out a laugh, "Yeah, when it suits you. I'm sorry mom, but I can't help you with this one."
"I bet it's only because I accidentally stabbed pretty boy, it was an accident. I was threatened by him - I was defending myself!"
"You weren't defending yourself, you purposefully stabbed a police officer who showed you no threat. His gun was in its holster, he was explaining what he was doing and instead of complying - you stabbed him," Erin explained, just to re-jog Bunny's memory. Even though she knew full well that Bunny knew what she had done.
"If it was anyone else I'd hurt, you'd let me off and wouldn't've shot me. Your own mother!" Bunny defended.
"That's where you're wrong. I'd have had to shoot you if it was any other member of my team or any other member of CPD. Not just that it was Jay, I was doing my job."
"You haven't even asked how I am!" Bunny shouted, taking no notice of what Erin had just said.
Erin sat back and folded her arms, "And you haven't even asked how Jay is doing either. You know what's funny if you'd just complied and if you hadn't stabbed and attacked a police officer, we could've worked with you. Got your cooperation with the investigation and hopefully put the dealers behind bars. If you'd compiled and come quietly, there may have been a deal. But any chances of you getting out of this went right out the window the second you stabbed Detective Halstead."
"How is Jay doing?" Bunny asked after listening to Erin's speech.
Erin just shook her head, "He's doing okay, thank you for asking. He's in a lot of pain though, probably could've done without a knife being stuck in his leg."
Bunny just rolled her eyes, "So is there nothing you can do for me? I mean, you are my daughter after all. Surely you and Hank," She said his name with distaste, "Can figure something out."
Erin shook her head, "No. There is nothing I can do for you this time, you've gone too far. As for you being my mom? You're not. You're just the woman who gave birth to me. I think of all the shit you put me through as a child, and what you allowed your friends to do to me as a teenager. Allowing your friends to give me booze and all sorts of drugs. Before you say I'm not innocent," Erin cut Bunny off before she could speak up. She knew what she would say to her. "You'd be right. I wasn't all that innocent. I'm not proud of the things I have done - but I got a chance to do better by myself and I did. I took that chance and didn't look back. Then, after Nadia, after she died - a mother wouldn't have allowed her daughter to fall back down the hole. She would be supportive. A real mother wouldn't give her daughter drugs to help 'numb' the pain. Camille Voight was my mom. You are just the woman who gave birth to me," She said, holding eye contact with Bunny, knowing that her saying that Camille was her mom would really hurt. Before Bunny could begin to talk, Erin stood up. "I'm done here. I'm done. A detective will be in shortly to go through everything. Goodbye, Bunny."
Bunny began shouting at Erin as she walked out of the room, she was furious and couldn't believe what Erin had just said to her. She watched as her only daughter turned her back on her and it was at that moment she knew, that she was finally on her own.
Hank was waiting for Erin by the door of the interrogation room and bought her into a hug as soon as she exited. He could see that she was trying to hold it together but as soon as she saw him, she broke down, "It's okay, kid. It's okay," He whispered, kissing the top of her head. He pulled her towards his office and was thankful that he'd sent the team out for their lunch break just before Erin's talk with Bunny.
"I honestly can't believe her. She just wanted me to help stop her from going to jail. She has no remorse whatsoever for what she did. I meant what I said, Hank. She isn't my mom, Camille is."
"I saw Bunny's face as you said that and she was seething. Camille was your mom though, she always thought of you as the girl that we should've had," Hank explained. "She loved the bones off of you, and so do I. How do you feel?"
"I love you too," Erin said, wiping her eyes. "I don't really know how to feel. I've wanted to confront Bunny for the shit she put me through for so long and now I've done it? I just feel relieved. Exhausted. But free. I feel like I'm finally free from her."
"It's been a long time coming. Are you going to be okay to drive home?" Hank asked.
Erin nodded, "Yeah, I will be. I told Jay I would pick us up some lunch before going home. Thank you for letting me speak to her."
"No problem. It's what you've needed. Now you best be going unless you want to face the others when they're back from Lunch. If we aren't called in, I'll see you on Monday," He said, squeezing her arm.
She smiled, "Thanks Hank, I'll see you on Monday. Thank you, for everything you've done for me."
He hugged her before she said her goodbyes and left his office.
Erin felt completely drained, speaking to her mom had been hard. All she wanted to do was get home, eat lunch and snuggle up with Jay on the couch and binge some show or watch some films. She was glad she was going to get the next day off to take care of him (and hopefully the rest of the weekend), she was exhausted after barely sleeping and having to relive watching her mom stab Jay and then shooting her mom for the paperwork. She opened the door to the apartment and kicked off her shoes and put her keys on the table, "Hey babe, I'm back," She said as she walked into the lounge. She looked over to the couch and saw that Jay was fast asleep. She smiled at how peaceful he looked and walked over and pressed a kiss to his forehead before going into the kitchen and plating up her sandwich and putting Jay's in the fridge. She poured herself a coffee before going to sit down on the couch to eat. Jay had friends on, so she didn't bother changing it over.
Jay shifted on the couch a little while later and she looked over to him as he slowly opened his eyes, "Hey, when did you get back?" He mumbled, barely coherently.
"About an hour ago, I didn't want to wake you because you were asleep and I know you didn't sleep loads last night, so you needed it. How're you feeling?"
"I'm doing okay, I had to give in and take the stronger meds just after Will popped round, I just couldn't get comfy at all with the pain. They must've knocked me out because one second I was watching friends and now I'm waking up to find out you've been home at least an hour and that I've been asleep almost two. How're you? How did your morning go?"
"It was… overwhelming. I talked to Ted," she said.
"Really? What did he say?"
"He thinks I'm doing the right thing in not letting Bunny get away with what she's done. He wasn't upset at all either. Think he's finally done with Bunny as well. I then went and spoke to Bunny too…" she sighed, rubbing her face and putting her head in her hands.
"Oh, babe. I'm sorry you had to deal with Bunny. How did that go?" He asked, carefully. Not wanting to push her.
"Let me go and get you your lunch first, I know you've got to be hungry. I'll come back and tell you everything then," she said and he nodded and watched her go and sort out his lunch and make coffee for both of them.
Once he had his lunch, she sat down beside him and began telling him the story of everything that went down with Bunny, how she reacted, some of the things that she said, "… so yeah, it was intense. Bunny wasn't happy at all. I'm just glad it's over now. Well, I know it's not over but it is for me. I don't want anything to do with her ever again. All the evidence is there, I've signed my statement and all they need is for you to do your statement on Monday morning and then off it goes. I'm unsure if they'll need us both to testify, or just one of us but we can cross that road when we come to it."
"I'm sorry babe, I know it's not easy for you. I'm glad you were finally able to say everything you've been wanting to say to Bunny for years."
"I know me too. I think she was shocked that I'm finally done with her. She thought I'd help her out or try and get her off," she sighed.
"I'm proud of you. You've handled all this so well and it's reminded me just how much I love you."
She smiled at him, "I love you too. I just want to focus on you and getting you back to 100%. We are only on call for the weekend, so unless anything big jumps off, I'm with you until you go back on Monday."
"Aww, going to be my own personal nurse?" He grinned, cheekily.
She rolled her eyes, "Shut up and eat your lunch."
"Yes Nurse Lindsay," he replied and tried to dodge her punch, knocking his bad leg with his elbow in the process. "Ow! Shit!"
Erin tried to hide her laugh, "Serves you right. Now just shut up and eat your lunch, I'm trying to watch friends."
He laughed and quickly ate his sandwich while they watched the next friends episode. After he finished his sandwich, they moved to lie down on the couch and get themselves comfortable. Ready to spend the next couple of days recuperating from the events of the last day. Erin looked up once she felt that Jay's breathing had evened out and he was fast asleep again. He was so peaceful in his sleep and she couldn't help but think about how much she truly loved him. She kissed his jaw before snuggling back down and allowing herself to drift off into a much needed afternoon snooze.
AN: Not 100% happy with this chapter, but it's taken so long for me to get my head right, if I keep reading/editing I'm gonna end up deleting and writing again then you'd be waiting another 345 months for a chapter lol. I have finally got a full plan for how this story is going to end so only a few more chapters left! Sorry I've been taking ages to update, I've a lot of shit going on at the moment and I'm not always able to write. Cheers for sticking with me though! Hopefully gonna get a chapter of boy next door up next :)
