Updating quickly because y'all are amazing with your kind words and reviews that make me smile! Those with an account – you know how much I appreciate you. Those without – shaylover, Aryal, Guests, EK, Jackie, Sossy, RIPShay, ErinSeveride, Joy, Roxie, and Natalie – aw, thank you for making my day!
Now, a little request if you are so inclined. If you are on Twitter and love Linseride, let's tweet Mr. Derek Haas, Taylor Kinney, and Sophia Bush on Tuesday during Chicago Fire and get #Linseride trending. Maybe we can raise Linseride from the dead (if only we could do the same with Shay). See you on Twitter for our Tuesday night #Linseride blast! Okay, now read on and truly hope you enjoy!
Erin breezed past Sergeant Platt who was admiring the way the detective's hair kind of flowed as she zipped by. Trudy had been growing hers out recently and swung it a little to see if it would catch in the wind from passerbys.
"What do you want?" she barked at Burgess who caught her eyeballing Lindsay and was now looking at the sergeant suspiciously. "Unless you want to be downgraded to Junior Explorer tour guide, go solve some crime! And take the Boy Scout with you!" Platt spit out, glancing at Roman.
Erin heard none of it, she was scoped into her prey… Jay Halstead.
She barely took notice of Voight talking to the team about their latest operation, a takedown of some entrepreneurial drug dealers working in the land of local colleges and universities.
Her eyes didn't leave Jay.
"Lindsay, in my office," Hank rasped out.
"Later. Halstead, a word," Erin requested although nothing in her eyes said it was optional. She opened Voight's door, slamming it behind her partner.
"Erin," he began defensively. "I know what you're gonna say."
"No. You don't get to speak. You lost that privilege when you had my husband thrown in jail with a bunch of animals. When you let them know that he was married to cop. You will sit and listen." Her tone was just above a whisper, her finger was pointed firmly in his chest.
"We have been partners for a while now. You've always had my back. Always. We were more than partners."
The "were" made Jay try again.
"Erin. I screwed up. I never wanted this to happen. Had no way of knowing this would…"
"Shut up!" Erin's whisper rose to a boom that the team could hear now. "I don't want to hear your sorry's! I know this thing, this thing between us has been there, hanging around like some heavy fog. It's done, Jay! We're done. We are co-workers. We will show up, do our jobs, stay out of each other's way. That's it. Nothing more." Erin turned around, flying out of Voight's office, hands to her eyes. The anger dissolving into tears, tears that hadn't showed until now. She wanted to say more but she couldn't, emotion getting the best of her.
The fear from the phone call, the long drive home… that fear she expertly pushed down in dangerous situations, controlled always. Boiling up and appearing in the form of tears. Kelly, her Kelly, her husband. What could have happened.
Jay ran after her, head down, pushing everyone out of his way. "Erin! Hold up! Erin!"
He caught up with her just outside the station. "Erin, hear me out. You owe me that."
"Jay, I don't owe you anything. Not a damn thing. Now move."
He was standing in front of her, blocking her escape.
"Erin, we are partners. You said it, more than partners. C'mon," Halstead pleaded. He knew he'd messed up and if there was any way he could go back in time…
"We are nothing," answered Erin, shoving him to the side.
He could only watch as she sped off and out of his life. The sinking feeling in his gut said forever.
Voight was on the phone to Erin in seconds.
"Kid, you okay?" he gruffed out not liking those tears, the chase, the whole damn business. He'd warned about hormones in the office, workplace romance, all that crap that could rot out the best of units. He'd seen it over and over, never a good outcome.
"I'm good, Hank. I'm gonna check on Kelly. I'll be in soon. Okay?"
"Hell, don't even come in today. Spend the whole afternoon at 51. I did wanna talk to you about Halstead. Just say the word and he's gone. I've got transfer paperwork filled out. All I gotta do is turn it in."
"No, I don't want to ruin his career," Erin said hesitantly. She knew if she'd talked to Hank when she first saw Kelly's face, Jay would've been out. But she also knew they were more than partners. They'd been family. He would lay down his life for her. She would've done the same.
"I don't want to be partnered up with him though. Can we do that?" Erin asked.
"Whatever you want. I always do whatever the hell you want." They both knew she had the older man firmly wrapped from the day she first appeared in his life, drugged out of her mind with a juvy record two pages long.
"Thanks, Hank. I love you, you know."
"Me too, kid."
A week sped by and the parade of Brett baked goods continued at 51, everyone at the house saying they were getting fat just looking at them. Mouch insisted the Kelly intervention on Harrison's car was the best thing to happen in a long, long time.
Erin was not so convinced. She'd made it a habit to check on her guy a little more frequently even though his cheek was back to skin color. Turns out the ribs were just bruised because he was ready for full duty, no restrictions, feeling good.
But there was Erin heading into 51 with a cannoli she picked up from his favorite place.
"Hey, wife, what brings you around?" he asked getting up from squad's table.
"Brought my husband a little treat," she said dimpled grin bringing a grin to his face.
"I can't," he said rubbing his stomach. "Brett brought in a carrot cake. Homemade. I swear I gained a load just lookin' at it." He'd done more than look at it. After the second huge piece, he was prayin' for a slow day.
She dropped the bag on the table with a thud. Her dimples disappearing.
"But later I'm gonna enjoy that," he said, taking her in his arms for a tight hug. "Did I tell you that I'm the luckiest asshole in the world?"
"No, but it's good to hear because I don't know how to bake a damn thing other than cinnamon toast," Erin said only half joking.
"You do know that's not bakin' right? Smores don't count either," Kelly kissed her on the cheek, wanting more.
"Detective, join us for a quick game?" asked Mills, dealing out an extra hand for Erin. She was a fixture in the house now, been through the good and the far from good … she was officially part of 51.
"What're we playing?" Erin sat down staring at the five cards in front of her.
"You don't like cards," reminded Kelly, quizzical look across his face.
"You don't have to join us, Lieutenant," Capp suggested, staring at the beautiful detective sitting in front of him.
"Yeah, you can go play with your saw in the back," added Erin, playfully smiling at the guys, holding her cards up.
"I'd rather play with you," Kelly replied, sitting at the table, daring Capp to say one more thing.
Erin sat through three hands of Texas Hold 'Em before she thought she had a hand that looked pretty good. Kelly was right, cards were not her thing. Family game night hadn't been a priority growing up, so learning the finer points of poker escaped her. Now how to find something to eat at 10:00 on a Tuesday night, that she could do.
"I'm doubling down," she proclaimed to roars of laughter from squad.
"Wrong game, babe," Kelly said, folding his cards. "That's blackjack. This is Hold 'Em. You can go all in," he instructed, touch of superiority dripping from his words and his lopsided grin.
"I'm all in," said Erin, trying not to smile, but those dimples peeking through.
"You have to wait till Capp bets, then it's your turn."
Capp folded. Everyone folded.
"What happened? I'm all in. No one wants to bet against me?" Erin looked at her measly winnings.
"You rush in like that and we all know you got one helluva hand. You gotta ease into it," suggested Kelly with all of squad nodding their heads.
"Not good at easing into anything," Erin acknowledged, smiling at her man.
"I know," he said with his guys feeling like they were seeing something they shouldn't. "You wanna try some of that cake before Mouch finishes it up?" he asked getting up.
"I hate carrot cake," Erin teased, dimples back. "I'll try a sample of something else though." A nervous cough rose from Tony. Erin thought she saw Mills blush.
"What'd you have in mind?" asked Severide grabbing her hand, devilish grin rivaling hers. He led her to the back with many eyes following them.
Brett watched from the darkness of the ambo, sighing heavily as they took off to the Severide's office. She imagined that hand in hers, being led back to what she could only imagine. She sighed again, chastising herself. Sylvie Brett, get a grip. That's a married man, an obviously happily married man.
"How's it goin' partner?" asked Shay shattering fantasyland.
"Good, almost got it all cleaned," said Brett gloomily. "So Mrs. Severide stopped by?"
"It's still Lindsay, but, yeah, she popped in for uh…" Shay chuckled.
"A visit," answered Sylvie, frown encompassing her usually perky face.
"Ha," laughed Shay, "if that's what you wanna call it … Hey, how long's it been since you had a visit?" the blonde asked.
"I have plenty of visits," retorted Brett.
Shay's laugh could be heart all the way in the common room.
"Kelly, enough, what if someone comes in here?" Erin whispered as she banged her head against the wall for the second time. The little twin bed was squeaking and she was thinking this wasn't the best idea after all.
"What if Boden comes in?" Lindsay screeched in a low murmur.
"With Donna pregnant, I think he knows all about these special hugs," laughed Kelly loudly.
"Severide! Sssshhhh! You think you are too damn funny, don't you?" she asked trying not to laugh.
A loud knock resonated from his door.
"Ssshh!" Kelly snapped. "They'll go away," he said lowly in Erin's ear. She was on top of him, shirt off, bra still intact. "If we close our eyes, they'll leave."
"You are five!" Erin whispered loudly.
"Lieutenant! I need you out here. Now." It was Boden.
The fireman maneuvered the small frame off of him, buttoning his pants, throwing her shirt at her. She stifled another laugh.
"Comin!" Kelly called as if he were navigating down a long hallway to the front door. He opened it a crack, only letting his head pop through.
"You need to get your ass out here now," Boden said, no smile, seriousness reading on his face.
Kelly slid through the door, shutting it behind him. He followed chief out to the front where an officer was waiting.
Erin caught up to Kelly now, her heart skipping a beat at seeing Officer Roman looking for her husband.
"Lieutenant, the court's issued a summons, not here with a warrant," he explained locking eyes with Lindsay, as if to say it could be much worse.
They all let out a collective sigh… "What's the charge?" she asked stepping in front of the men to take the envelope from the young officer's hands.
"Malicious destruction of property," Roman replied, ready to get the heck out of 51. Those eyes of Detective Lindsay on him felt like heat seeking missiles.
"Hmmmph," Erin grunted as she shuffled through the paperwork
Roman hastily made his exit, muttering something like a "good luck" on his way out.
The furious look on Erin's face told Kelly he'd need much more than luck on this one. Harrison was the least of his worries… he was far more concerned with a gorgeous detective he called wife.
Yes, you knew drama was coming. Much more ahead, but fear not… many, many sweet Linseride moments because they make me so happy. Married life and perhaps even ba… oops, can't give too much away. So, finally a Halstead take down. He got off light, but Erin took the high road as you knew she would.
Now, one more request. Check out my current faves – Burning Bright by 2NYwLove who is a far superior writer to me and is just so good she should be getting paid for this, and For the First Time by Robigna88 who loves Linseride as much as I do (maybe more) and paints a super sweet picture of the two (with plenty of drama). Have a great week, my friends!