The next morning, Jay walked into the 21st district bullpen, holding Isabelle's tiny hand. She was now dressed in fresh clothes, her hair brushed neatly, and a new diaper in place.
"Morning, everyone," Jay greeted them with a wave, his other hand still holding Isabelle's small one.
Voight raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "Sleep well?" he teased, his eyes drifting down to Isabelle.
"Ha ha," Jay retorted, rolling his eyes a little. "Yeah, surprisingly I did. She was out like a light once the nightmare passed."
"Is she... I mean..." Kim started, glancing at Isabelle.
"Yeah, she's staying with me, permanently," Jay replied, a hint of pride in his voice. "CPS approved it yesterday."
"Wow," Adam remarked, leaning back in his chair. "Never thought I'd see the day when Halstead would be a dad."
"Hey, I'm good with kids," Jay retorted, his tone a little defensive, yet playful.
Isabelle's wide eyes darted back and forth between the adults, taking in the conversation.
Later in the day, Isabelle was sitting on the sofa next to Kim, munching away on a PB&J sandwich. The adults were busy with paperwork, though kept a watchful eye on the little girl.
Isabelle, feeling at ease, leaned against Kim, her small body warm and relaxed.
Kim chuckled, ruffling Isabelle's hair. "You really like peanut butter, huh?" she asked, watching as Isabelle took another big bite.
Isabelle nodded, her mouth full of sandwich, managing a wide smile. She swallowed, then spoke with her childish lisp.
"I liwe it."
"I can tell," Kim replied, trying not to laugh at the adorable speech impediment.
Meanwhile, Adam was watching the scene from his desk, a small smile playing on his lips.
"Careful," he teased, "She'll start calling you 'mommy' next."
Kim shot him a look from across the room. "Oh, shut up."
Adam chuckled, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "Just saying, she's already got Halstead wrapped around her finger."
A few hours later, Isabelle was settled at the dining table, enjoying a plate of chicken nuggets and salad. She was carefully using her tiny fingers to dip each nugget in a pile of ketchup before taking a bite.
Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door. Jay, who was nearby, quickly moved towards the door and opened it. On the other side was Erin, who looked a bit flustered.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" Jay asked, a little surprised to see her.
Erin stepped inside, her eyes darting around for a moment before they settled on Isabelle.
"I was told to come here. I wanted to talk to you about something..."
Jay caught the hint of seriousness in her tone. He called out to Isabelle, "Hey, kiddo, I'll be right back. Keep eating your nuggies, okay?"
Isabelle looked up from her plate, a piece of lettuce sticking out of her mouth. She gave him a nod before returning her attention to her food.
Jay ushered Erin into the next room, closing the door just enough so they could talk privately without Isabelle overhearing.
Jay closed the door, and looked at Erin.
"I want to ask you something, you can obviously say no, but…"
Erin raised an eyebrow, a small knot forming in her stomach. "What is it?"
Jay sighed.
"Now, I'm adopting Isabelle… this complicates things between me and you, so, if you're willing? I'm assigning you as second parental responsibility for Isabelle, in case I die in the line of duty or something happens to me, I want you to be the one who takes responsibility of Isabelle…"
Erin's eyes widened at Jay's words. She hadn't expected him to ask her something like this, especially after they broke up. She took a deep breath, trying to process what he had just asked her.
"You... you want me to be listed as Isabelle's second guardian?" she repeated, just to be sure she heard him correctly.
Jay nodded, the seriousness in his eyes was evident. "Yes. I trust you, Erin. I know you'll look after Isabelle if something happens to me."
Erin was silent for a moment, her mind racing. This was a huge responsibility. But the thought of something happening to Jay, and the little girl being left alone... She couldn't bear the idea.
"I... I'll do it," she finally said, her voice firm. "I'll take care of Isabelle, I promise."
"Thank you," Jay said, sincerely. "It means a lot to me, and I know it will to Isabelle too. She already likes you, you know."
Erin chuckled softly, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah, hard not to like a cute kid."
As if on cue, a sound came from the dining room, followed by a soft giggle. Isabelle was still eating, blissfully unaware of the grown-up conversation going on.
Jay nodded, extending a hand.
"Let's shake on it, just to make it official…"
Erin nodded, reaching out her own hand to take his. They grasped hands firmly, sealing the agreement.
"It's official," she said, her heart beating a bit faster. "I'm Isabelle's secondary guardian."