"Hello?" she said, her voice betraying her anxiety.
Major Baxter's voice came through the line, stern but not unkind. "Detective Lindsay, this is Major Baxter," he said, his tone businesslike. "I need to speak with you about something."
Erin's heart pounded in her chest. Was it about Jay? Had something happened to him?
"What is it?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
Major Baxter's voice grew more serious. "It's about your husband," he said. "He and his unit were ambushed while on patrol. Jay took out all of the attackers, but he sustained some shrapnel injuries. He's alright, but he's in the field hospital getting patched up."
Erin's hand flew to her mouth as she listened to the news. Her heart ached for Jay, knowing that he was hurt. But at the same time, she was relieved that he was alive and being taken care of.
"Is he going to be okay?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"He's going to be fine," Major Baxter assured her. "The doctors are taking good care of him, and he's already asking to speak with you."
Erin's heart lifted at the thought of hearing Jay's voice. "Can I talk to him?" she asked desperately.
"Of course," Major Baxter replied. "I've arranged for a video call. One second." There was a pause, then the line went silent for a few moments.
Suddenly, a video feed popped up on Erin's screen, showing Jay lying in a hospital bed, his face battered and bruised.
"Hey, baby," Jay said, his voice hoarse but filled with warmth. Despite the pain he was clearly in, he smiled at the sight of Erin on the screen.
"Oh, God, Jay," Erin's voice was thick with emotion, her eyes filling with tears. "You look terrible."
Jay chuckled weakly. "Thanks for the vote of confidence," he said dryly. "I feel terrible, too, but I'm glad to see your face."
Erin let out a shaky laugh, trying to hold back her tears. "I'm just happy you're still alive," she said, her voice cracking. "When the major called, I was terrified something awful had happened to you."
Jay's face softened, his eyes brimming with love. "I'm alright, baby," he reassured her. "Just a few bumps and bruises. Nothing that won't heal."
As Jay spoke, the nurse in the field hospital gently lifted his shirt, revealing his battered torso. Erin gasped as she saw the extent of his injuries. Bruises and scrapes littered his chest, and a few small pieces of shrapnel were clearly visible, embedded in his flesh.
Jay winced at the pain of the nurse's touch, but he tried to keep his face neutral for Erin's sake. He knew seeing him wounded like this would be hard on her.
Jay winced at the pain of the nurse's touch, but he tried to keep his face neutral for Erin's sake. He knew seeing him wounded like this would be hard on her.
"I'm okay, babe, I promise," he said, trying to sound reassuring. "It looks worse than it feels."
But as the nurse continued to tend to his wounds, Erin could see the pain etched on his face. She knew he was putting up a brave front for her, but she could tell how much he was hurting.
Jay winced again as the nurse continued to clean and dress his wounds. "There's something else," he said, his voice growing weary. "Baxter told me that I'm being honorably discharged."
Erin's eyes widened in surprise. "What? Why?" she asked, alarmed. "Is it because of your injuries?"
"It's because of what happened out there," Jay replied, grimacing as the nurse continued working quietly in the background. "We were supposed to be extracting a group of civilians, including a few kids. But when we got there, it was a setup."
Erin could feel her heart break as she listened to Jay tell his story. She knew he would have given anything to protect those innocent civilians, but sometimes, things just didn't go according to plan. "I'm so sorry, babe," she said, her voice filled with sympathy. "It's not your fault."
Jay tried to keep his emotions in check, but as the nurse finished tending to his wounds, he couldn't hold back the tears any longer. He sniffled, trying to compose himself, but the pain and disappointment in his eyes were unmistakable.
"I'll see you soon," he said, his voice cracking. "I love you." As the call ended, Erin sat there, her heart heavy, hoping that this wouldn't be the end of Jay's military career.
The others in the unit took notice of Erin's tearstained face. They all knew how much Jay meant to her, and how hard it must be to see him injured and facing a difficult setback.
Kevin spoke up first, his voice gentle. "Hey, you okay?" he asked, approaching her desk.
Erin attempted a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm fine," she said, her voice betraying her emotions. "Just worried about Jay. Sounds like he got hurt pretty badly, and he's being discharged from the army. It's just… hard to see him like that."
The others nodded, understanding her pain. Ruzek spoke next, his voice gruff with concern.
"You know he'll be alright, though, right? That guy's tough as nails. He'll bounce back from this."
Erin's voice trembled as she spoke. "I know he's strong, but… he looked terrible. So pale and tired, even more so than usual. And he was in so much pain, trying to hide it for my sake. I just… I can't help but worry about him."
Kevin spoke up, his expression sympathetic. "You know Jay," he said. "He'd want you to take care of yourself too, not just worry about him. You can't help him if you neglect your own well-being."
Erin knew Kevin was right. Jay would never want her to neglect herself in her worry for him. But it was a hard thing to do, when her heart was aching for him.