So here is the second part of this story that I finally finished! Thanks for the reviews on the last part, especially those who said they'd like to read a follow up, I really appreciate it. I started writing the follow up straight away; the idea hit me as soon as I'd published the first part. However, I started it and then left it alone for weeks because work became so busy and I had no time to finish it. I sat down today and managed to get it all out in about an hour haha. I hope you guys enjoy it! Please review and let me know.
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The locker room isn't just where they go before they head home, or clean each other up after a messy case. It's the place where she tells him she loves him for the first time.
Their day starts like any other, bantering in the car and grabbing coffee from the break room. Before they know it, the whole team is gearing up and heading out to pick up the lowlife they're chasing this week. They ride together in the 300 together, as they always do. As soon as they reach their destination, it's business as usual.
"Halstead and Lindsay, take the upstairs. Olinksy and Ruzek, man the back door. Attwater and Dawson, you're with me." Voight hands out orders to his team, each of them nodding in response.
Attwater knocks the door down and they all storm in, Jay and Erin heading up the stairs as they were directed. They move seamlessly together, Jay taking the lead with Erin watching his back. They head down the narrow hallway, clearing each room. When they reach the last one they peer in, spotting their perp. They turn back to face each other, counting down before they burst in, guns at the ready.
"CPD, hands where I can see them!" Jay yells.
The man whirls around, aiming his own weapon at the two partners.
"You're crazy if you think this ends well for either of you." The guy practically spits at them.
"I said put it down!" Jay yells again, still aiming his weapon at the suspect.
A shot goes off with a loud bang, and all Jay can see is his partner go down, hitting the ground hard. Their suspect jumps out the window, and Jay can't bring himself to care as he throws himself beside Erin's crumpled body.
"Olinksy, Ruzek, he went out the window. Lindsay's down." He yells through his radio.
Erin lies beside him, gasping for air, and he turns his full attention to her.
"Come on Erin, you're fine, you're okay." He whispers frantically. "Please be the vest, please be the vest." He prays out loud.
His hands roam all over her upper body, searching for an entry wound. His finger catches on the bullet that's stuck in the vest, right over her ribs.
"Oh, thank God." He breathes out in complete relief. He gently slides her vest off, just to double check, and is finally satisfied when he doesn't find any blood.
"Halstead, what's happening?" Voight barks at him through the radio in his tone that he uses when Erin is concerned.
"She's okay, the vest caught it." He relays to their boss, unable to keep his voice steady.
"Erin, are you okay?" He asks anxiously, since she still hasn't spoken a word since she went down.
She breathes in sharply with a grimace, nodding her head slightly.
"Just winded." She gasps.
Jay's hand finds her cheek, bringing her eyes to focus on him. He sighs in relief when he realises they're clear, and she's fully aware of what is happening.
"Don't scare me like that again." He smiles slightly.
"Sorry." She answers breathlessly.
He lifts her shirt up to check again for injuries, wincing at the redness already tinging her skin, knowing that she'll be bruised tomorrow.
"You alright to get up now?" He asks, already weaving his arm under her back to support her.
She nods, allowing him to help her up and out of the house, down to where Voight and the rest of the unit are waiting.
/
"I still say we should go to the hospital," Jay comments as he passes Erin a new ice pack, turning to collect her things out of her locker as she watches him from the bench. "You could have some broken ribs."
She'd refused to go to Chicago Med, as he'd expected. Even Voight's insistence hadn't convinced her, so he'd settled for sending her home early. He'd even given Jay the rest of the day off, since they'd made the arrest, and he didn't want Erin driving herself home.
"I'm fine." She insists with only a slight wince.
Jay rolls his eyes at her stubbornness. "Yeah, convincing." He says sarcastically.
He comes to sit next to her on the bench, gently turning her body so that they're facing each other. One hand rises to take the icepack from her so he can hold it in place. The other slides up to cup her cheek.
"Please, let me take you on the way home." He almost begs. "I know the paramedics checked you out, but I'd feel better if you let Will do a scan."
She sighs reluctantly, because he's using the puppy dog eyes on her that he knows she can't say no to, and the concern on his face is actually really touching.
"Only if we can get Chinese for dinner on the way home." She concedes.
A smile overtakes his face as he leans forward to kiss her softly. "Deal."
She smiles at him as he pulls back. His eyes are warm and affectionate as he looks at her, even with the residual fear from before still there. He's beautiful, and he's hers, and she knows in that moment that she needs to tell him.
"I love you."
He freezes slightly, his eyes softening even more as he stares at her.
"For a split second earlier, I thought I was going to die." She confesses. "And it would really suck if something happened to me and you didn't know how I feel about you. So, I love you Jay. So much."
His face breaks into a full-fledged grin as he scoots closer to her on the bench. He brings his face close to hers, their noses touching and their lips just inches away from each other. He closes the distance to kiss her, stealing the breath from her mouth and making her forget all about the pain in her chest.
"I love you, too." He breathes as he pulls back. "God, I love you, Erin."
She grins at him, not even caring about how lovesick she must look right now. He loves her like she loves him and nothing else matters.
Until the twinge in her ribs reappears and she gasps slightly, slumping forward in pain. Jay's hands are there, holding her, protecting her.
"Come on." He whispers into her hair, helping her up from the bench. He keeps an arm wrapped around her back as they head out.
/
A couple of hours later they're settled at her apartment, cuddled up on the couch, bowls empty of their Chinese food resting on the coffee table. One thing that had amazed him when they'd gotten together was just how affectionate Erin is as a girlfriend. Sure, she's very strict about public displays of affection, especially at work, but he understands why she feels that way. When they're alone however, she's always near him, particularly after tough days like today.
She's dosing against his chest, her face tucked into his shoulder. Will had done an x-ray of her ribs and concluded that none were broken, but she would have some serious bruises for the next few weeks. He'd given her some pain meds, which had helped her relax, especially once she and Jay had returned home. She'd been reluctant to take them, but had admitted she really was in pain, and had entrusted them to Jay with his sincere promise to guard them. Even though she was much better than she had been all those months ago, she was still wary around any form of medication. She trusted Jay to watch over her though, and had let herself relax into him, glad that she'd listened to him and Will.
He looks down at her, smiling softly and pressing a gentle kiss to her temple. She definitely scared him today, but her body against his and the confession of her feelings that she'd spoken a while ago were soothing his still on edge nerves.
"I love you." He whispers into her hair. Now that she's said it and he's assured her that he feels the same, he doubts he'll go too long without saying the words ever again.
"Love you too." She murmurs against the skin of his neck.
"Get some rest, baby." He whispers, carefully manoeuvring them so that he's laid out on the couch with her body on top of his, draped carefully to avid too much pressure on her injury. She wiggles for a moment, finding the right spot to rest, before relaxing against him once more.
He stays awake with the television playing softly in the background, content to just watch her sleep, studying the even rise and fall of her chest. He presses another kiss to her forehead, then finally allows his eyes to slip closed.