A/N: It's finally here! THE STORY OF MAGGIE! I hope you all enjoy this chapter and please review to let me know what you think :)
Before he began to speak, Jay took a long sip from his beer, placed it on the coffee table, and then followed Erin's similar actions in leaning back in his seat.
"When I returned home from Afghanistan, I was still trying to figure out where I fit in. After Mouse helped me get through a lot of the demons I was fighting, it was him who convinced me to fill out the paperwork to join the police academy", Jay began his story.
Erin nodded her head, as sign to her partner that she was listening. Of course, she wouldn't admit it, but she was hanging on to every word he said. Jay had revealed very little about his time in the Army with Mouse and she knew something had happened there, but just not enough details to know how bad it really was.
"Anyway, I was returning home from turning in my paperwork to the academy and when I reached my doorstep, there she was", Jay said a smile coming to his face as he remembered the first time he had seen his daughter.
"She was extra fussy, after probably being left there for hours. I am still surprised none of my neighbors saw her", he added a few details.
"There was a short note pinned to the blanket that was addressed to me, basically saying that she was my daughter and that her mother signed over all of her parental rights to me", Jay finished.
"And that's it", Jay ended the short story. "That's it", Erin repeated. Jay nodded as an answer to her question.
"How old was she", Erin asked.
"Only a month. The second I brought her inside and got a close look at her, I called Will. I was freaked out because she was so small that I thought she was a newborn, who had no vaccinations", Jay said.
"So, her mother just abandoned her. Just dropped her off at your doorstep", Erin questioned, desperately trying to hide the anger in her voice. She had such a hard time understanding why anyone would ever do that to their child.
"Kinda pisses you off right", Jay said leaning forward to take another sip of his beer. "Yeah, it pissed me off for the longest time. Then I realized, that if Maggie had never been dropped off that day, I would have never known her", he stated.
"And she's just about the greatest thing that has ever happened to me", Jay added.
Erin felt her heart practically melt at her partner's words. Jay was probably the most amazing father in the whole world to Maggie. Just by the amount of toys and pictures in the house, Erin could tell he treated her like a princess.
"I take it you weren't madly in love with Maggie's mother", Erin said before she even registered the words that were coming out of her mouth. She really didn't want to ask about that. The rational side of her wanted to keep this conversation strictly about Maggie. But, of course the part of her that got goosebumps every time she was near Jay Halstead, kept blabbing about whatever thought came to mind.
I've never been in love with anyone as much as I think I may be in love with you. "Nope. Just a one night stand", Jay said instead.
Erin's brain practically erupted with joy when that comment came from her partner, but she prayed to God she didn't show it.
"Probably better that way. If there was a significant relationship going on, it would probably make me more angry and then give Maggie a negative idea about her mother", Jay explained.
"She's asked about her", Erin asked, curious. She was very familiar with the curiosity of wondering where the missing parent was. It was hard when everyone had a dad when she was younger, but Erin couldn't even imagine what is was like without even the presence of a mother. Bunny may have not been the greatest role model as Erin got older, but when she was four years old, Bunny was someone who Erin loved.
"Last year, her school had a Mother's Day themed activity day and Maggie pretended to be sick the morning of as I was getting her ready", Jay said as he picked up his beer and took a sip, out of sadness and frustration.
"She hadn't told me anything about the event and when I asked her what was wrong she just burst into tears about how everyone's mommy's were coming and she didn't want to go because she would be sitting all alone", he explained.
"So, I kept her at home that day", Jay finished his story simply.
"Did she ever ask again", Erin asked. "No, I think she was satisfied with my answer. Which was that one day her mom will come and visit her, but she's just not ready right now. Until then she has me", Jay explained.
Erin nodded her head in satisfaction with all of her partner's answers. She had officially run out of questions to ask.
"I'm really sorry I never told you", Jay said, taking her silence as his official time to apologize.
"It's just...In the academy, I kept my personal life and my professional life very distant from each other and then that just rolled into when I was a uniform officer and eventually to Intelligence. And I know, now that I have told you everything, I should probably tell everyone else", he stated.
"Voight doesn't know", Erin asked shocked. If Voight didn't know, Jay could be exiled from everything for weeks. Voight, also hated when personal mixed with professional, but he would definitely want to know this.
"No, Voight knows. And Antonio too. Oh, and of course Mouse", Jay reassured her. "Oh so what am I? Just your 'pretty' partner who saved your ass two days ago", Erin teased him, using Maggie's words from earlier in the night.
Jay couldn't help but laugh. "Relax. I was planning on telling you because Maggie has been asking a lot about my job and my PARTNER these past couple weeks", he said, putting extra emphasis on the word 'partner'.
"Maybe you should bring her by the district one day. Give her a chance to meet some people", Erin suggested. She knew Jay was most likely unsure about the idea after keeping her sheltered from a lot, but it was time the rest of the unit knew what was going on in his life.
"Yeah, I think that might be a good idea", Jay surprisingly agreed.
"Well, I should probably get home. We will most likely have another case tomorrow morning", Erin said as she stood from the couch, watching as Jay followed similar actions.
He only nodded and began to walk her to his front door, where he opened it like the 'perfect gentleman' that he always was. As soon as Erin got one foot into the hallway, Jay was speaking again.
"I should have told you the second we became partners", he stated, the guilt showing on his face.
Erin gave him a light smile, "Don't beat yourself up over it", she said. "I know everything now and all is good", she explained.
Jay returned her smile at the sound of her words. He was incredibly happy she had chosen not to hold a grudge over him for keeping this secret. No one wants to be the culprit of an angry Erin Lindsay.
"Plus, she has me now", Erin said as that same smile coming over her face. "Her dad's 'pretty partner'", she used the words once again to tease her partner.
"Good Night Erin", Jay said through a laugh, hearing her good-bye in return and closed the door behind her.
