This love
Skies grew darker
Currents swept you out again
And you were just gone and gone, gone and gone
"Hey, I keep thinking you have a secret admirer or something," Kim said, her eyes glancing at the daisy bouquet on Erin's desk, accompanied by a note in familiar handwriting. "Coffee every morning, your favorite pastry, and now this?"
Erin smirked, her eyes tracing the elegant script on the note: "Still waiting for our one day. Third time's a charm, right?" She picked up the note, her fingers lingering on the paper.
"Yeah, I guess it's a secret admirer," Erin said, her tone light but carrying an undercurrent of nostalgia.
Kim raised an eyebrow, a knowing smile on her face. "I don't know, Erin. It seems like someone's pulling out all the stops."
As Erin placed the note back with the daisies, her gaze shifted to the bullpen door, just in time to see Jay enter. He was wearing his usual leather jacket, which he took off with practiced ease. The familiar scent of his cologne seemed to linger in the air.
"Morning," Jay said to everyone, but his eyes locked onto Erin's. A slight, almost hesitant smile appeared on his freckled face, his gaze softening as he looked at her.
Erin's smile faltered slightly as she met his eyes. She could feel the weight of the gestures he'd been making for the past week and half—the notes, the flowers, the pastries. Each one was a reminder of the depth of his feelings and his determination to win her back.
"Morning," Erin replied, her voice carrying a hint of warmth despite the tension she was feeling.
Voight voice echoed through the walls of the room, gruffly making all of them falter, "We've got a crime scene."
The abrupt change in atmosphere snapped everyone into focus. Jay's gaze lingered on Erin for a moment longer before he nodded and turned to Voight. Erin, trying to push aside the whirlwind of feelings, followed suit, grabbing her coat and heading towards the door.
The case was nothing but hard and painful.And Erin never liked case involving children, especially when she resembled herself so much.A junkie mother, a dad who was never there?
It felt like going back to 21 years ago, when she was just a 10 years old girl praying that her mother wasn't dying from an overdose on their own carpet.
"Two child missing…a dead dad and a mother on the run..God..it's awful." Erin said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Jay, observing her closely, simply nodded. He knew enough about Erin's past to understand the gravity of the situation for her. He remained close, offering silent support without pressing for details.
As they worked through the apartment, Jay kept his distance just enough to give Erin space while remaining nearby in case she needed anything.
Back in the bullpen, the mood was tense. The faces of the two missing children were displayed on the blackboard, alongside their mother's. Jay and Erin rejoined the team, focusing on the new developments.
"We have nothing on the mother yet?" Jay asked, studying the blackboard.
Atwater shook his head. "The neighbors said the mother left early in the morning, alone. The footage supports that."
"That means the children weren't with her," Erin said, her voice heavy with concern.
"The cameras were off for half an hour at 3 a.m.," Adam explained. "That's right when the murder happened."
"Whoever killed the father has the children," Jay said. "But what's the mother's role in all this?"
Kim entered with a file. "McKenzie Charlenson, 25 years old. Arrested two years ago for theft and drug possession. She spent three months in Stateville but was charged with felony drug dealing last October."
"Why were the children still with her?" Erin questioned. "How is that even possible?"
Kim flipped through the file. "Madeline and Archer Gideon, 8 and 10 years old. Their father had sole custody. He was clean, worked as an administrator—no issues reported."
The team fell silent, absorbing the new information. Erin's concern was evident, and Jay remained close by, providing a quiet, steady presence as they continued to piece together the puzzle.
The team gathered around the whiteboard, where the details of the case were laid out. Erin's mind was focused on the missing children, her own past mingling with the facts. Jay, standing nearby, kept a close watch on her, his expression a mix of concern and determination.
"So, we know the mother left early, the father was killed, and now the children are missing," Voight summarized, his voice heavy with the weight of the situation.
Erin, flipping through the case file, added, "I mean, are we all thinking the same thing..right? She might have killed her ex boyfriend."
Jay nodded in agreement. "It could..it could be.I mean leaving an hour after the murder..I can't place why she didn't leave with the children though."
Erin's gaze remained fixed on the whiteboard, her mind racing through the possibilities. "McKenzie could have been involved in the murder or at least an accomplice. If she's on the run, maybe she's trying to cover her tracks or get away before anyone realizes the children are missing."
Jay leaned in, his voice low but urgent. "And if she's on the run, she might have left a trail we can follow. We need to dig into her recent activities and any places she might have frequented. The kids being missing complicates things, but it also gives us a lead."
Kim nodded. "I can look into McKenzie's recent transactions, see if she's used any credit cards or made any suspicious purchases."
"Good idea," Voight said. "We need all hands on deck. Adam, Atwater—follow up on any tips or sightings. Jay, Erin—you two look into McKenzie's known associates and any connections she might have had with Rogers."
Erin glanced at Jay, a silent agreement passing between them. "Alright, let's get to it."
Later that day, Erin and Jay found themselves at a rundown house where one of McKenzie's former associates was rumored to hang out. The building was old, its exterior covered in graffiti, and the atmosphere was grim.
Jay, ever the professional, approached the door cautiously. "We've got to be careful. If McKenzie or someone she's involved with is here, they might be dangerous."
Erin nodded, her face set with determination. "I'll take the lead. If there's anyone here who can give us information, I want to be the one to get it out of them."
They entered the place, their footsteps echoing in the vast, empty space. Jay followed close behind, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger. Erin approached a group of men huddled in the corner, their eyes wary as they noticed the detectives.
"McKenzie Charlenson," Erin started, her voice authoritative. "You guys know her right?"
The older one get up, "I don't see her around much anymore,she's always hanged up on her new boy toy."
Erin's brows furred, "New?Do you know him?"
"Everything comes with a price honey," He explained, licking his lips."I might have more information but-"
Erin narrowed her eyes, sensing the man was about to make a deal. "But what?" she pressed, her tone sharp.
The man grinned, leaning closer. "But information like that doesn't come free. What do you have for me?"
Jay stepped forward, his presence intimidating. "We don't have time for games. Either you give us what we need, or you're obstructing justice, and trust me when I say you don't want to deal with us right now."
The man hesitated, glancing at his companions before sighing. "Alright, alright. Ben Vance.He's the drug dealer of the 8th street, they've been hanging out for a while, but I swear i don't know anything about the murder."
Erin and Jay exchanged a look, processing the new information. Ben Vance could be a crucial lead, and it was clear he was linked to McKenzie. They needed to follow this lead immediately.
"Thanks for the tip," Erin said, her tone edged with finality. "We're done here."
The night was coming up, and the intel they found might have been the one they search for the whole time.
"Okay," Erin told everyone back in the bullpen."Ben Vance is a 43 year old male, arrested for drugs dealing 5 times and..accused of murder two years ago."
"You think..?" Upton asked, looking at Voight for affirmation.
"Could be the lead," Voight stated,"They needed money, or they simply thought they could get away with a murder and kidnapping two children."
"Well," Jay continues, "Vance had all the time to take off the cameras, take the children and leave McKenzie to deal with her ex."
"Exactly," Voight agreed. "It fits with what we know so far. McKenzie being on the run and Vance having a history with her could mean he's the key to this whole thing."
Erin, still visibly affected by the case, took a deep breath and refocused. "Let's get a team together and see if we can locate Vance. We need to check out his known addresses and any possible hideouts."
Kim and Adam began coordinating the search efforts. "I'll pull up Vance's last known locations and see if there's any recent activity," Kim said, typing quickly on her computer.
Adam, meanwhile, made calls to local informants and checked surveillance feeds for any sightings of Vance or McKenzie. The team worked with a sense of urgency as the sun began to set.
Jay approached Erin, sensing her struggle with the case. "You okay?" he asked quietly, his concern evident.
Erin met his gaze, nodding. "Yeah, just… it hits close to home. I need to focus. We need to find those kids and make sure they're safe."
Jay placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We will. Let's get this done."
As the team assembled their findings, a breakthrough came through Kim's diligent searching. "I found a recent transaction for Vance at a storage facility on the outskirts of town," she said. "It's worth checking out, it was from not even ten minutes ago."
Voight nodded decisively. "Alright, everyone, gear up. We're heading to that storage facility. Jay, Erin—you two lead the way."
The team arrived at the storage facility as night fell. The area was dimly lit and quiet, adding to the tension of the operation. Jay and Erin approached the facility with their guns drawn, moving cautiously.
Inside, they found a storage unit door slightly ajar. Erin motioned for Jay to cover her as she slowly pushed the door open. The interior was cluttered, but Erin's sharp eyes caught sight of McKenzie and the children, tied up,huddled in the back corner.
"McKenzie Charlenson, you're under arrest," Erin said firmly, her voice carrying authority and compassion.
McKenzie looked up, tears streaming down her face as she realized she was cornered. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen,he took my babies away!," she said, her voice stumbling and her eyes glassy. Erin flashed back, seeing her mother in the eyes of the young woman. She was probably on some kind of drug, clearly not thinking lucid if she thought she could get away with a murder.
Jay instead then, approached Ben Vance, his demeanor firm but understanding. "You're under arrest."
As Ruzek and Atwater escorted the two out, Erin rushed towards the children, freeing them and comforting them as best she could. Madeline and Archer were clearly scared and confused, but Erin's calm presence helped them begin to settle. She carefully untied their ropes and gently helped them to their feet.
"It's alright," Erin said softly, trying to soothe them. "You're safe now. We're going to get you somewhere warm and get you something to eat."
Madeline looked up at Erin with tearful eyes. "Are we going to see our dada again?"
Erin's heart ached at the question, but she tried her best to keep voice steady. "I..We'll make sure you're taken care of and safe,okay sweetie?"
The little girl nodded and clenched her arms around Erin's neck,hugging her,as the older boy did the same.
Jay looked at her with shiny eyes, his gaze filled with a mix of admiration and sadness. He could see how deeply the case had affected Erin, and the compassion she was showing to the children spoke volumes about her character.
Erin held the kids close, her own emotions in check as she focused on providing comfort. The weight of the day's events was evident in her tired eyes, but her determination to ensure the children's safety remained unwavering.
"We should get them to the hospital," Jay said quietly, approaching Erin. "They need to be checked out and cared for properly."
Erin nodded, reluctantly releasing the children from her embrace but maintaining a comforting presence. "You're right. Let's get them there."
As they left the storage facility, Jay and Erin made sure the children were safely in the care of paramedics. The team's hard work had paid off, but the emotional toll of the case lingered. Erin and Jay exchanged a glance, a silent understanding passing between them.
In the precinct later, the team was exhausted but relieved. The children were safe, McKenzie and Vance were in custody, and the case was officially closed. Voight offered a nod of approval as the team wrapped up their final reports.
"Good work today, everyone," Voight said. "Especially you two. I know it wasn't easy."
Erin offered a tired smile, glancing at Jay. "Thanks, Voight. It was tough, but we did what we needed to do."
Jay gave her a reassuring nod. "We did."
As the team began to disperse, Jay and Erin found a moment alone. The weight of the day hung between them, but there was a sense of mutual support in their silence.
"You okay?" Jay asked softly, his concern genuine.
Erin sighed, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "I'm getting there. It's just... it hits hard, you know? But I'm okay."
Jay placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You did amazing today. Those kids are safe because of you."
Erin's eyes met his, gratitude and something deeper reflected in her gaze. "Thanks, Jay. I couldn't have done it without you."
They stood together in the quiet of the precinct, the unspoken bond between them stronger than ever, despite their awkward circumstances.
Erin's phone rang loudly, forcing them to stop staring at each other's eyes.
"I..have to take this." Her eyes widened as she realised who was calling her. Dave Kolster, the new surgeon at Med.The one she was supposed to go on her first date with…like two hours ago.
Erin's face fell as she looked at the caller ID, her initial shock quickly replaced by a wave of guilt. She took a deep breath before answering the call, trying to maintain her composure.
"Hi, Dave," she said, her voice tentative.
"Erin, where are you?" Dave's voice was a mix of concern and frustration. "We had plans tonight. I've been trying to reach you and-."
Erin glanced at Jay, who gave her a sympathetic look but remained silent, understanding the awkwardness of the situation.
"I'm so sorry, Dave," Erin began, her voice filled with regret. "We had a really bad case, and I couldn't get away. It's been an intense day."
Dave's tone softened slightly. "I understand that, with our work schedules..it's never easy right?"
"I know," Erin said, trying to be make her self a bit enthusiastic for seeing him someday next week . "I truly am sorry. Can we reschedule? "
There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Sure, we can see if the weekend works?"
"Uh..yeah.Yeah,It can work.Bye Dave and sorry."
After ending the call, Erin turned to Jay, who was watching her with a look of quiet support. "I messed up," she said softly.
Jay gave her a reassuring smile. "Well, if he's smart enough to know what he might have, he can handle a canceled date." He stated looking into her eyes, "I knew well.I still do."
Erin looked at Jay, a mixture of surprise and relief on her face. "Thanks," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Jay's smile softened, and he nodded. "You're welcome."
There was a pause, filled with the quiet hum of the precinct around them. Erin felt a comforting warmth from Jay's presence, an anchor amidst the chaos of the day.
"You should go home and rest," Jay suggested gently. "You've had a long day."
Erin nodded, feeling the exhaustion weigh heavily on her. "Yeah, I think that's a good idea."
As she gathered her things, Jay watched her with a thoughtful expression. "If you need anything… you know where to find me."
Erin gave him a grateful smile. "I appreciate that.And you,you've been great,really."
"I still have one month right?" He asked hopefully, his eyes softened at her smile.
"More about like 22 days,it's been nine days." She teased, grabbing her coat.
"Oh,right."
They shared a final, meaningful look before Erin headed for the door, the weight of the case lifting slightly as she left the precinct. Jay stayed behind, his thoughts lingering on their shared moments and the unspoken connection that seemed to grow stronger with each passing day.
As the door closed behind Erin, Jay took a deep breath, readying himself for whatever came next, both in his work and his complicated feelings.