A/N – Sorry about the slow update, things have been hectic and I just haven't had the motivation or energy to write. Excuses, excuses, I know. This chapter is a bit short but I figured better short than not at all. I hope you enjoy.

Chapter 3

The next month seemed to pass in a blur. Cases kept the team busy and managed to distract Jay from Erin enough that he could focus on her just being Detective Lindsay. No matter how professional the pair kept their relationship, they still got on well and were swiftly becoming close friends.

Erin sat on Jay's sofa with a bottle of beer, idly watching the football game on television. Jay walked in with a plate of snacks and another beer and Erin smiled widely.

"My hero," Erin laughed as Jay placed her new beer down on a coaster and took her now empty bottle to a box for recycling he kept by the door. "You're such a neat freak."

Jay pouted but Erin could see he wasn't bothered by the comment.

"You're just jealous your apartment never looks this nice," Jay teased.

"My apartment is great," Erin protested but Jay held up a hand to silence her.

"Did I, or did I not find a week-old cheese sandwich under your couch last week?"

"I plead the fifth," Erin replied with a wink.

Jay rolled his eyes and the pair turned back to the game, sitting in a comfortable silence for a while.

Erin pulled her legs up to her chest and wriggled as though she couldn't get comfortable. She fidgeted for a few minutes before Jay finally pulled her legs onto his lap, exasperated.

"If you keep wiggling, I will tickle you," he warned, trapping her feet under his arms.

"Don't you dare," Erin scowled and Jay merely returned a sly grin.

She managed to keep still for a few minutes before stretching her legs on Jay's lap and she felt his arms tighten around her ankles.

"I'm not ticklish," she said defensively.

Jay drew a finger gently up the sole of her foot and Erin squirmed uncontrollably.

"Really?" He smirked. "Because I would swear you are…"

He ran a finger up the sole of each foot now and Erin let out a stifled giggle.

"Fuck you," she grumbled.

"Now that's really not very nice," Jay laughed continuing to tickle her feet softly. "Who knows what I might do now?"

With that, he moved his hands from Erin's feet to her ribs and tickled her mercilessly, chuckling as she laughed almost hysterically.

"Mercy, mercy," she finally gasped and Jay relented.

Erin pulled her feet back from Jay's lap and punched him playfully on the arm.

"Did I say mercy?" She said, her face a perfect picture of innocence. "I really meant to say revenge…"

With that, she launched herself at Jay and straddled his legs, bombarding his ribs with her own attack. Within a few seconds, she realised Jay wasn't reacting in the slightest and rested her weight back onto his legs.

"Are you kidding me? You're not ticklish?"

"Erin, I was in the Rangers, and big tough Rangers like me…" Jay mockingly lectured and Erin rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"You're a loser," Erin laughed, poking Jay in his side.

"Yeah, that's right," Jay crowed. "Are you sure it's not you being a sore loser?"

"Shut up," Erin slipped off Jay's lap, coming to rest much closer to Jay than she had been previously.

Jay rested his arm along the back of the couch, his fingers coming to rest on a strand of Erin's hair which he then twirled around his index finger absentmindedly.

"Did you hear from that girl?" Jay asked gently. "The one you tried to get into the treatment facility?"

"Nadia?" Erin asked and Jay nodded. The pair had bumped into the girl a few cases ago and Erin had told Jay about what she had tried to do. "Not yet," Erin answered, with a wistful look on her face.

"She'll be alright," Jay moved his hand to Erin's shoulder and pulled her to him in a semi hug.

"Yeah, maybe," Erin chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully. "I just don't want her to be trapped in that life."

"You sound like you're speaking from experience," Jay said cautiously and Erin stiffened.

"I just, I knew too many people like that," Erin said dismissively and turned her attention back to the game on the screen, albeit leaning into Jay a little.

"Whenever you're ready," Jay whispered into Erin's hair, his comment getting no reaction from the woman whose legs were now tucked up into her chest, reminding Jay slightly of a child.

Erin wiped that image from Jay's mind as she gestured angrily at the television, swearing like a sailor as she did so. Jay realised he hadn't been paying any attention to the game and looked up abruptly.

"Yeah, what an idiot," he replied to Erin's barrage of curses.

"You're an idiot," she laughed at him. "I know you weren't paying attention, don't try to pretend, dumbass."

"What if I said I couldn't keep my eyes off you?" Jay tried to play his question as a joke but an undertone of seriousness rang through.

Erin shifted her body and tilted her head so she was looking at Jay.

"I'd say you were a cheesy little shit," Erin smirked.

"You love it," Jay smirked back.

The pair locked eyes and seconds felt like minutes as neither could look away. Jay felt himself leaning forwards, dipping his head down towards hers as Erin licked her lips slightly.

Erin pulled back sharply and the tension broke.

"Maybe we should see other people," she said somewhat abruptly.

"What?" Jay asked, his mind still concentrating on the moment the pair had just shared.

"I mean, not that we're seeing each other now," Erin stumbled over her words. "But we can't and maybe it would help," she gestured at the space between them, "uh, this, if we tried to forget about it for a while." She looked up at Jay with such concern on her face that Jay couldn't even try to be mad at her suggestion.

"Hey, if that's what you want, then sure," he replied.

"I wouldn't say it's what I want," Erin grinned.

"Erin!"

"Alright, alright," she laughed at Jay's strangled exclamation. "Just friends?"

"Just friends," Jay gave Erin a crooked smile and offered a hand out as though he was going for a handshake.

Erin shook her head and rolled her eyes at him.

"Yes, I shake hands with all my friends," she said sarcastically.

Jay gasped dramatically, feigning holding back tears.

"You're such a weirdo," Erin laughed with a playful punch to the arm.

"Ouch!" Jay scowled at her. "That's not how you be friends!"

"Too late now," Erin winked at him. "Now since we're friends, do you want to get me a beer?"

Jay pretended to consider the idea for a moment before pushing Erin off the couch without warning. She towered above him, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Oh, I didn't realise you were getting up, friend," Jay smirked. "You might as well fetch us some beer while you're up and about."

Erin glowered at Jay for a few seconds before grinning at him and wandering towards the kitchen.

"Just you wait, Jay Halstead," she called out. "I'll get you back for this!"

"And that's what true friends are for," Jay called back with a wide smile. "I'll be ready and waiting, buddy…"

A/N – If you want to leave a review, that would be amazing. Reviews dropped off last time and it was a bit disheartening. Even if it's criticism, I'm happy to hear it. Thanks for reading.