It was after eleven when Erin finally got home from the precinct. It was Jay's night to pick up the kids from daycare, so by the time she got there everyone, including her husband, was upstairs asleep.

She kicked off her shoes, hung her keys on the hook by the door, and began her trek up the stairs, and it felt like a trek indeed. Half way up she had to pause to take a break. Every muscle in her body was screaming at her to stop. The pain shooting through her ribs was nearly unbearable. She was forced to grit her teeth in order to hold back a groan. She knew she should had listened to Voight and gone to the hospital, but she just wanted to go home and go to bed.

After her two-minute break she finished her walk with a quiet cringe each step. She went straight to the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. The reflection staring back at her shocked her. She should have known it was bad based on the pain she was experiencing, but she was still surprised upon seeing herself.

Her bottom lip was busted open. There was dried up blood from the cut above her eyebrow, and a black eye was already beginning to form. She splashed some cold water on her face, and it stung when it hit her cuts. Next she brushed her teeth quickly before peeling her jeans off.

She had to bend a bit to get the denim off and the pain was excruciating. She couldn't hold back a moan no matter how hard she tried. Jay woke up, but was still so out of it from being asleep that he didn't really notice.

She unhooked her bra and pulled it out through her sleeve before tossing it haphazardly onto the bathroom floor along with her pants. Next she made her way to her bed and slowly lowered herself down beside Jay.

She felt a bit of instant relief upon laying in bed. Sure it still hurt but it was better. That was until Jay rolled over and wrapped his arm around her.

"Agh" She groaned loudly unable to hold it back as tears pooled in her eyes.

Jay rapidly removed his arm and flipped on the bedside lamp, now fully awake.

"Baby, what's wrong?….." He paused with the sight of her face. "Oh my god, Erin. What the hell happened? Are you okay?"

"Jay, I just want to go to bed. Can we talk about it in the morning?" She pouted.

"To bed? I think you need to go to the hospital. I'll call Burgess to come stay with the kids. We're going to the ER."

"No we're not. I'm fine. It looks worse then it feels." She lied. "Let me sleep it off."

He stared at her quietly unsure for a moment. "Okay, fine. But if you're still in this much pain in the morning we are going to the ER."

"Fine." She agreed just to get him to be quiet.

The next morning Erin woke and began to stretch her back before a shooting pain in her side reminded her what had happened the night before. She groaned and put her arms back down out of her stretch.

Right when she was groaning Jay entered the bedroom. "So you ready to admit you need a doctor yet?"

She glared at him in response.

"Didn't think so." Jay smiled shaking his head at how stubborn she was, before handing her the painkillers and glass of water he had carried upstairs for her.

After taking the meds Erin looked over at the alarm clock. "Oh my god we are late. We have to go." She threw that blanket off of her body.

"No, you have the day off."

"What?"

"I called Voight this morning to tell him that you were not in any shape to be working today, and he informed me that he already told you to take today off."

Erin gave him a look of annoyance. Why did everyone insist on treating her like she was incapable just because of a few bruises?

"Then why are you here?"

"He told me to stay with you. He also said he tried to get you to go to the hospital last night, but you refused. Voight told me what happened, but who was supposed to have your back last night?"

"Jay, please I'm fine really."

"Who was supposed to have your back?" Jay asked again unwavering.

Erin rolled her eyes at Jay's overprotective, badass, act he was attempting to sell. "Atwater."

"Atwater? How the hell does my wife get the living shit beat out of her when Atwater's huge ass is supposed to watching her back? Are all of those muscles just for show? Does he not know how to use them? I don't understand." He fumed.

"Jay, shit happens. You know that."

"I do know, but it's different when my wife comes home looking like hell. Beautiful hell, but hell none the less." He sighed sitting down on the edge of the bed. "I should have been there. This wouldn't have happened if I was there."

Erin reached over to grab his hand. "Baby, look it's a few bruised ribs and a bruised face. It's in the job description. I'm good."

"You promise to tell me if you need to see a doctor?"

"I promise. Now I need food, and where are my babies?"

Jay smiled. "I kept them home. Micah only had a half-day today anyways. They are in the living room being quiet so mommy can sleep."

"Well let's go see them."

Erin made it down about three stairs before she was gripping Jay's arm tightly to hold herself up. "Do you need me to carry you?" Jay asked her.

"No. No, I'm good." She only made it down about two more stairs before stopping to pout. "Fine. Help me."

Jay scooped her up and carried her the rest of the way. Then he lied her down on the couch in the living room. "Still so sure you don't want a doctor?"

"Jay, stop."

Jay threw his hands up in surrender. "Okay. Okay. I give up."

Noticing Erin, Macy took off from her seat in front of the TV, and ran towards her. The three year old was so excited to see her that she didn't even notice the bruises.

"Morning Mommy!" She yelled attempting to climb up onto the couch to hug her.

"Whoa there!" Jay lifted her and set her on the ground before she'd made it onto the couch. "You see mommy's hurt?"

Macy looked at Erin's face for the first time and instantly her eyes welled up. She was about to cry.

"Hey, don't cry. I'm okay." She comforted both her children since Micah was now standing beside Jay. Then she glared at Jay for scaring Macy.

"We just can't climb on mommy today. Goy it Macy?" Jay asked her setting her back down on the floor.

Macy nodded still looking sad.

"What happened?" Micah asked.

"I was catching some bad guys. If you think I look bad, you should see him. I kicked his butt." This made both kids smile. "Grandpa has him locked away in jail now, so no need to worry about him."

Micah nodded okay and then sat on the floor with his back against couch. He wanted to go back to watching his cartoons but he didn't want to leave her side. He was protective just like Jay, which made Erin smile. Macy followed Micah's lead and sat next to him. Then she snaked her little hand up onto the couch to hold Erin's hand.

Jay grinned watching. They really had the sweetest kids in the world. "Okay eggs and toast?"

Jay had just finished cooking, and was serving the food up onto four plates when he heard Macy scream.

"Mommy?" She yelled and Jay could tell she was crying. Jay dropped the pan onto the counter and ran out to the living room.

Erin was sitting up a bit coughing. Her hand was covered in blood that she was coughing up. Macy stood beside her hysterically crying. Micah had backed up a few steps and stared at his mom wide eyed and terrified.

"Shit." Jay yelled disregarding the fact that the kids were in the room.

"Doctor." Erin coughed out keeping her promise to tell Jay if she needed a doctor.

"Micah take your sister to the car. Help her buckle in." Jay told him quickly. Then he reached his arms under Erin and carried her out to the vehicle.

Jay walked into her hospital room to see her awake in bed after surgery. They arrived at the hospital nearly three hours ago and Burgess had long since picked up the kids.

"You scared the hell out of me." Ha admitted.

"Hey, I kept my promise. I told you when I needed a doctor."

Jay smiled and rolled his eyes finally making it over to her bed. He leaned down to kiss her. "Don't ever scare me like that again, and I think you scarred our children for life."

"Where are they?"

"Burgess has them."

Erin nodded feeling badly for terrifying them. She wanted to see them and comfort them now.

"Four cracked rips and a punctured lung, Erin. You are lucky. You doctor said he has never seen anyone like it. You should have been in the hospital immediately and shouldn't have been able to breath last night when it happened, yet somehow you made it to this morning."

"I don't know." Erin shrugged.

"Freak of nature." Jay teased making Erin smile.

"Well there has to be something wrong with me. I married you didn't I?" She teased him back causing Jay to laugh, before bringing her hand up to his lips and kissing her knuckles.