Erin sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes fixed on the empty side where her husband, Jay, had once slept. She ran her fingers over the soft material of the duvet, lost in memories.

Jay had been called back to Bolivia for a work assignment, and his absence had left a gaping hole in her life. As days turned into weeks, Erin found herself missing him more and more, especially in moments like these when she longed for his comforting body.

As Erin sat on the bed, lost in thought, she was jolted out of her reverie by the sound of a soft knock on the door. Turning towards the door, she called out.

"Come in."

The door creaked open, and in walked the couple's little girl, no more than two years old, her tiny hand clutching her favorite stuffed animal.

"Mama," she said, her voice small and sweet. "What are you doing?"

Erin smiled as her daughter approached her, her heart swelling with love. She scooped the little girl into her arms, cradling her close.

"Oh, sweetie," she said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I'm just missing Dada today."

The little girl snuggled up against her mother, her tiny fingers playing with a strand of Erin's hair. "Dada come back?" she asked, her voice hopeful.

Erin's heart clenched at the question. She wished more than anything she could give her daughter an answer. "I don't know, sweetie," she said, her voice gentle. "Dada had to go away for work. But he loves you very much, and he's thinking about you every day. I promise."

The little girl seemed to contemplate this for a moment, her brow furrowing in thought. Then, she looked up at her mother with her big, innocent eyes. "When Dada come home?" she asked again, her voice still hopeful.

Erin's heart ached at her daughter's question. She wanted so badly for her to understand. "I don't know, sweetheart," she said again, her voice quieter this time. "But we'll keep hoping and praying that Dada will be home soon. And until then, we have each other, okay?"

The little girl nodded, her tiny fingers still twisting a strand of Erin's hair. She seemed to understand, in her own way, that Dada was somewhere far away, and that he would return when he could. For now.

As Erin walked into the bustling bullpen, the other members of the unit took notice. They could see the weariness in her eyes and the slump of her shoulders. Ruzek leaned back in his chair, a concerned expression on his face.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked, his voice filled with genuine concern.

Erin forced a weary smile. "Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, but her voice betrayed her fatigue.

Olinsky, who had been quietly observing, spoke up."You look like you need a cup of coffee," he said, his gruff voice filled with understanding.

The others nodded in agreement, knowing that Erin had been putting in long hours trying to balance her work and her family.

Kevin spoke up next. "You should take a break," he said gently. "We've got things under control here for awhile."

Erin smiled, touched by the concern from her colleagues. "Thanks, guys," she said, her voice a bit shaky. "But I'm fine, really. Just a little tired."

The others exchanged skeptical glances, but they knew better than to press the issue.

They just hoped that Erin would take care of herself, both for her own sake and for the sake of those who loved her.

The unit went back to their work, but Erin could feel their worried eyes on her as she returned to her desk and sat down wearily. She knew they were right; she was worn out.

As Erin stared blankly at her computer screen, she thought about the little girl at home, waiting for her father to come back.

Suddenly, Erin's phone rang, jolting her out of her thoughts. She glanced at the caller ID, recognizing the number as Major Baxter, Jay's superior in the army. Her heart skipped a beat as she picked up the phone.

So, what do you think the call is about? Prepare yourselves!