Voight departed after a few hours of visiting. Soifon and Erin were now lying in bed, cuddling. 'At least you are still able to go to work while I have to stay at home and be bored for a week or two,' Soifon said, smiling, as Erin complained about not being able to do field work for a few months.
'I suppose you're right, but being at home is better than doing paperwork,' Erin replied, and they both ended up laughing. 'Well, I can take care of things and clean up while you go to work tomorrow,' Soifon offered, as Erin rested her head on Soifon's chest, and they both slowly drifted off to sleep.
The next day arrived quickly, and the alarm went off to signal Erin that it was time to get up for work. Letting out a groan, the brunette reluctantly got out of Soifon's comforting embrace, causing Soifon to slowly wake up. 'Morning already?' the raven-haired woman asked, rubbing her eyes.
'It is,' Erin replied with a yawn. She leaned in to give Soifon a kiss on the lips before getting up. 'You should stay in bed a bit longer and rest. I'll check in on you during my break,' Erin suggested.
Soifon expressed her agreement with a small nod and shifted onto her side. 'Okay, please exercise caution and refrain from having excessive enjoyment in my absence,' she advised with a smile in response to Erin's groan. 'Oh, don't taunt me, dear.' Erin chuckled in response.
'Regardless, I love you, and I implore you to avoid any trouble during my absence,' Erin cautioned, playfully provoking Soifon's playful glare as she turned her head. 'I am always well-behaved,' Soifon assured as she sat up, already awake.
'Since when?' Erin inquired, prompting Soifon to respond with a smirk, 'Ever since I was born,' resulting in laughter from both women.
Soifon observed as Erin got dressed. 'While you go to work, I may stop by Julie's grave and pay my respects for a while,' Soifon informed her, indicating her intended location in case she was not back by the time Erin returned home.
'Alright, please exercise caution, especially now that we are aware that Ace and Jack are still at large,' Erin cautioned as she fastened her jeans and donned a red and white flannel shirt with a square pattern.
Soifon acknowledged with a nod as she gracefully emerged from the bed. 'Do not worry, I will,' she affirmed, rising from the bed and proceeded towards the closet to select an outfit for herself.
Erin secured the buttons on her shirt, then proceeded to don her preferred black boots. After efficiently zipping and tying them, she assisted Soifon in getting dressed, taking into account the latter's limited mobility caused by the gunshot wound.
Soifon gently held onto Erin's shoulders as the brunette assisted her in putting on her black jeans. 'You are aware that I am capable of dressing myself,' Soifon remarked with a smile on her face.
She fastened her jeans and opted for a pale blue T-shirt adorned with a dog, as she was not obligated to adhere to any work dress code. 'William specified that you should avoid excessive bending,' Erin mentioned.
Soifon nodded with a sigh, retrieving a pair of tennis shoes and slipping them on. With Erin's assistance, she tied them securely. 'Would it be agreeable if I dropped you off at your workplace?' Soifon inquired of Erin.
Erin considered the idea and gave her consent, "Certainly, we can make a detour to have a donut or something along the way," she proposed. She selected a coat that would provide comfort around her stomach, realizing that she wouldn't be able to wear her beloved red leather jacket for some time. Nonetheless, she didn't complain as the current one she had served its purpose.
Soifon acknowledged the suggestion with a smile while retrieving her denim jacket and draping it over her shoulders. "That sounds good," she responded as they gathered their belongings and exited the apartment. Soifon ensured the door was securely locked before leaving.
Once inside the car and properly secured with their seat belts, Soifon initiated the ignition while Erin turned on the radio, providing background music for their journey. Soifon maneuvered the vehicle out of the parking lot once the roadway was clear.
Meanwhile, a vehicle positioned itself across the street from the apartment building, clandestinely capturing photographs of the two women as they exited the premises and entered their car.
Once the figure had obtained enough photographs of Soifon and Erin, they patiently waited for Soifon to completely exit the parking lot before driving away. As they pulled away from the curb and departed, the figure murmured to themselves, 'You two should enjoy yourselves while you still can.'
The figure had been covertly tailing the two women from Burger King, even observing Voight's movements in and out of the apartment throughout the night.
'If Voight impedes my progress, I will deal with him decisively,' the figure threatened, fixing their gaze upon the road. They were aware that handling Voight would prove challenging, but they possessed their own methods.
Upon returning to the hideout, the figure proceeded to display the acquired photographs for others to review, pausing to take a drag from the cigarette held between their lips.
After the two individuals had finished their breakfast, Soifon parked her vehicle at district twenty one with the intention of dropping Erin off. 'Well, we have arrived,' Soifon stated. Erin peered out of the window and let out a grunt.
'Well, it appears that I will be spending my time at a monotonous desk,' she commented, causing Soifon to chuckle.
'I understand that it may be boring, but once you return home, I have a surprise for you,' Soifon mentioned. The brunette turned to her partner and inquired, 'Really?' 'Yes, indeed. Now, hurry along before Voight incessantly contacts you,' Soifon replied with a smile.
'You are correct,' Erin acknowledged, leaning across the middle console and kissing Soifon. 'I love you,' she expressed before exiting the vehicle and closing the door.
Soifon reciprocated the affection and responded, 'I love you too.' Once Erin had safely entered the premises, Soifon withdrew the car from the curb, waiting for a taxi to pass.
Erin made her way into the station, where Platt greeted her with a 'Good morning, Erin.' Flashing a smile, the brunette replied, 'Good morning, Platt,' and approached the older woman to engage in conversation.
Platt inquired, looking up from a small stack of papers, "How is Miss Gray doing?"
"Soifon is doing alright. She will be back in a week or two, but she will be restricted to desk duty," Erin said, leaning against the counter.
"That's good to hear. And how are you doing?" Platt asked, putting down his pen. Erin shrugged and replied, "I'm fine, although I would prefer to be out in the field rather than doing paperwork all day," she chuckled.
"Ah, so Voight has put you on desk duty for a while, huh? Well, it's for the best. You shouldn't be in harm's way when you still have four more months to go," Platt said with a smile.
Erin nodded and grinned. "Yes, I understand, but I suppose I should enjoy my time away from strenuous work and just relax," she said.
"Eventually, you will get used to it, and time will fly by," Platt reassured her.
"Anyway, I must go upstairs before Voight gets angry if I'm late," Erin said, causing Platt to chuckle. "See you," she added.
Erin placed her hand on the hand scanner and entered her pin. She then proceeded to the bullpen as the gate opened and walked over to her desk.
"Good morning, Erin," Jay greeted as Erin settled down at her desk. The brunette looked up at Jay with a smile and replied, "Good morning, Jay," before signing into her computer.
"How are you and Soifon doing?" Jay asked, leaning back in his seat and spinning a pen between his fingers. Erin leaned back as well and answered, "We are both doing well."
"Anyway, how did the case go?" Erin inquired, curious about what had happened and whether anyone had been injured while dealing with Xavier.
Jay looked at her and replied, "It went smoothly, but Ash got slightly hurt when she apprehended him. She should recover in a few days."
Erin nodded as Antonio and Ashley reached the top of the stairs. The two of them appeared to be in high spirits, which made the brunette wonder what had transpired.
"Morning, guys," Antonio greeted as he approached his desk, with Ashley going to hers. "Hey, Tony," Jay acknowledged with a nod. Ruzek chimed in, saying, "You two seem happy."
Erin observed as Antonio and Ashley exchanged glances, their faces adorned with smiles. Voight emerged from his office, only to find his two detectives grinning like imbeciles.
"Did I miss something?" Voight inquired, raising an eyebrow. He didn't mind the cheerful atmosphere, especially after the challenging days they had endured.
"I believe we all did," Ruzek remarked, leaning back in his seat. "So, care to enlighten us about the reason behind those foolish smiles?"
"Be careful, Ruzek," Antonio warned, playfully pointing a finger at him, which caused Ashley to burst into laughter. "If you truly wish to know," she added, looking at everyone. She desired to share the news with everyone simultaneously, but she wanted to surprise Soifon when they met at Molly's.
"Yes, we're all ears. Do tell," Erin urged, leaning forward and gazing at Antonio and Ashley with curiosity.
Ashley glanced at Antonio before addressing the others. "Antonio and I are expecting a baby," she announced, her face beaming with joy. Everyone turned their attention toward them, their expressions filled with congratulations.