Chapter 14

"So you're saying that Voight showed up at your apartment, punched you in the face, kicked you to the floor, punched you in the ribs, and then left you there on the floor?"

"That's correct."

"Well, I'm glad you came to me. It's time I finally got to do something to that guy."

Erin heaved a sigh of relief, grasping Jay's hand under the table. They were in a meeting room in the precinct with Sargent Platt.

And they had just told her what Voight had done to Jay.

Jay had been hesitant at first to report the incident, but Erin had insisted that they do it, even though he was basically her godfather. She was indebted to Voight, but not when he decided to beat up her boyfriend and father-to-be. Jay looked over and saw the light in Erin's eyes that she got when she had accomplished something – he liked that look.

"So, I'll take this to the precinct chief and have a decision by the end of the shift. Sound good?" Platt asked.

"Great," Erin replied, "And thank you."

"Of course," Platt replied, standing up and gathering her notes and paperwork. She eyed Erin's stomach, smiled, and asked, "Starting to show now, are we?"

"Just a little," Erin replied sarcastically. Jay laughed lightly and pulled her into a hug. Erin's bump was definitely visible.

"When are you due?" Platt asked.

"Halloween," Erin replied.

Platt did a double take. "Seriously?"

"Seriously," Jay replied. "We were quite surprised ourselves when we found out."

"Well, I wish you both the best of luck," Platt said, and Jay and Erin just smiled awkwardly because they both knew that Platt was very sarcastic. "Well, thanks again," Jay said, and he opened the door and followed Erin out.

Jay checked his watch, and it read 9:42. Even though they had arranged to meet at the beginning of shift, for some reason, he hadn't expected for the meeting to run that long. "Guess we better catch up on what's going on up there," he said, heading for the stairs.

"Sounds good," Erin replied, linking her arm in Jay's as he punched in the security code for the door to the Intelligence unit. As they walked up the stairs, Erin said, "doesn't it seem a little quiet to you?"

"Just a little," Jay said as they reached the top. Everyone's desks were empty. Erin walked towards her desk and found a note.

Erin and Jay –

Gone out to a crime scene. Don't worry about coming out, just sit back and chill. Should be back by 10:15.

-Antonio

"Are they out on a case?" Jay asked across the aisle.

"Yep, according to this note, they should be back in about 30 minutes."

"Okay, that gives me some time to finish yesterday's paperwork," Jay replied, sitting down behind his desk. He picked up the phone on Antonio's desk, and put it back down after a few seconds. "No messages," he reported.

"Cool," Erin replied, pulling paperwork from the corner of her desk. "Gives me some time to finish paperwork too." She smiled over at Jay, who smiled back at her. Jay couldn't stop looking at Erin as she was smiling at him. "What?" she asked in a high pitched voice.

"Nothing," Jay said, focusing on Erin, "I just can't stop looking at you because you're so beautiful."

"Oh stop," Erin said, "I've been pale for the past six weeks."

"You're still beautiful to me," Jay said, and with that, Ruzek and Antonio came dashing up the stairs. "Beat ya!" Ruzek yelled.

"Darn it, I obviously need to go the gym more," Antonio replied sarcastically.

"Hey there guys," Jay said, waving.

"Oh hey Jay. Hi Erin," Ruzek responded, heading over to collapse in his desk chair.

"How you guys doing? Did you get my note?" Antonio asked. He gave a thumbs up to Erin as she held up his handwritten note. Voight and Olinsky were the last to come up the stairs. "Morning, you two. Nice to see you," Voight said monotonously on the way to his office. "Morning," Erin replied, trying to focus on her paperwork.

Normally, Erin would be more sentimental with Voight, but right now, as Jay could see, she still felt bitter towards him for what he had done to Jay. She wasn't the fastest forgiver.

Many hours later, after doing a lot of in-house research and phone calls, not to mention an average lunch, Erin was just about done for the day when she heard footsteps coming up the stairs. She was surprised to find out that the footsteps belonged to Sargent Platt. "Hi, Sargent," Erin said optimistically. Her eyes quickly darted to Jay's, and she could tell that they were both thinking the same thing. Did she have a decision on their report already from the Precinct Chief?

Their question was answered when Platt stopped in the middle of the aisle, halfway between Voight's door and the stairs, and began to speak. "Voight," she said loudly. After a few seconds, Voight emerged from his office and said, "What's up, Platt?"

"I don't normally like to be the deliverer of bad news, but unfortunately that is my role today," she began. Erin and Jay were both getting anxious, and everyone else in the room was picking up on their nervous vibes.

"What do you mean, bad news? Seriously, Platt?" Voight asked casually.

"Today, I'm dead serious, Hank," Platt snapped. The room was now dead silent. After a few seconds, Platt looked at the papers in her hand and continued speaking.

"This morning, there was a report filed against you for harassment, and I took this report to the Precinct Chief so he could make his decision about what to do. Fortunately for me, I didn't have to wait around too long because one of his morning meetings got cancelled.

"Anyway, after reviewing the accusations against you, you, Hank Voight, are hereby sentenced to, and I quote: a three shift suspension to be effective immediately. Inter-precinct harassment is a serious offense and will not tolerated in the 21st precinct."

As Voight expressed a shocked look on his face, all the detectives, Erin and Jay included, were speechless. Before anyone could say anything, Platt said, "I have been instructed to take away your badge and your gun and escort you outside. Since today is Tuesday, and it is near the end of your shift, you will not be allowed back into the 21st until next Monday."

Voight tried to speak up, but Platt shut him down. "No buts, Voight. Let's go." When he didn't move, she pulled out her hand cuffs, held them out towards him, and said, "Am I really going to have to handcuff you to escort you outside?"

Voight came to his senses, grabbed his coat and phone, and walked down the stairs with Platt after handing her his gun and badge. As soon as the door shut at the bottom of the stairs, Jay stood up and darted across the aisle and embraced Erin in a hug. She began to tear up, and squeezed Jay tighter. "Thank you," he said to her quietly.

Ruzek finally caught on, and asked, "Wait, so, you two filed the report against Voight?"

Everyone, including Jay and Erin, turned towards him and gave him their own version of the weren't you listening? look, and went back to work at their desks. Less than two minutes later, Platt appeared at the top of the stairs again.

"I almost forgot," she began, flipping through the same file that she had held in her hands the first time she came up. "Lindsay, you're interim Sargent until Voight's allowed back in." She immediately disappeared down the stairs, and everyone, including Jay, turned towards Erin with surprised faces. Lindsay was stunned herself.

The room was silent for several seconds, and then Lindsay broke the silence and stood up. She walked towards Voight's office door, turned around, and asked, "Do you think I get to use the office?"

Everyone else looked at each other, and Antonio said, "Go right ahead. Just don't make him mad when he comes back by messing it up."

Antonio's comment made everyone laugh, including Erin. She sat down in Voight's desk chair, and smiled at Jay down the aisle. He stood up, walked to the doorframe, leaned against it, and said, "You know, you look pretty good in a Sargent's office."

"Thanks," she said, smiling at him.