42. Too Soon The Clock Will Strike Midnight

Two Weeks Later

"And he slipped the ring out of the box and onto my finger" Burgess said with a smile as she stood at the front desk of the precinct telling Platt about how Adam proposed.

"Wow" Platt said looking down at her paperwork.

"I know right?" Kim said looking down at her ring.

"No, it's not that. I just can't remember a time BEFORE you started telling that story" Platt sighed. "It's stories like that, that make me wish I was still on vacation"

Kim rolled her eyes as Erin walked in carrying Everly's car seat.

"Hey" Erin said as she walked up to the front desk.

"Hey" Kim said as Erin pulled the blanket off of Everly's car seat revealing the infant.

"Is Jay back yet?" Erin asked

"Yeah. They just got back" Burgess explained reaching her hand into Everly's car seat and touching her hand.

Everly grasped onto Kim's hand and coughed. "Oh no" Kim said.

"I know it" Erin sighed. "She's been like this the last two days. I called her doctor, but he said to not bring her in because it sounded like it was just a cold. But you don't run a fever with a cold"

"How is the move coming?" Platt asked.

"It's coming, It's a slow process. We're all boxed up though and we're going to be moving in for good with Hank this weekend" Erin explained.

Burgess made a face at Evie before looking at Erin. "Well, Adam and I will be there to help. Anybody else helping?"

"Atwater is going to be there and Antonio said he'd try to stop by" Erin yawned and ran a hand through her hair.

"We'll get it knocked out, it might take all weekend, but we'll get it done" Kim said.

"Would you mind watching her for a minute? I want to go clean off her binky she spat out on the ground" Erin explained gesturing down to Evie.

"Of course" Kim said pulling Evie's car seat closer to her.

"Thanks" Erin said as she walked towards the break room down the hall.

"Hello ma'am" Burgess cooed down into the car seat at Everly who stared up at her.

"Let me see her" Platt said.

Kim twisted Everly's car seat around to face Platt and Platt looked down at Everly and sighed.

"What the hell have they done to you?" Platt asked looking down at the three month old.

Everly cooed and looked at Platt.

"I mean look at this" Platt said "Pink blanket, pink dress, pink flower headband, pink whatever these are" Platt said pulling at the toys hanging from the car seat. "You look like Foofa from Yo Gabba Gabba binge drank and vomited on you"

Everly looked at Platt and smiled a gum toothed grin.

Platt shook her head "That's not supposed to be funny. Don't let them turn you into a girly girl. Stand up for yourself"

Everly looked at Platt and her face twisted as she started to cry.

"What's going on?" Jay asked as he walked down the steps from the bullpen upstairs.

"I don't know. I was just talking to her" Platt said.

Jay walked over and pulled Evie's car seat towards him and unbuckled her before lifting her out of the car seat and pulling her against him.

"What's the matter Evie-bug? Did Platt upset you? Platt upsets daddy, too" Jay soothed as he gently rubbed Everly's back.

"Very funny" Platt said "Don't you have paperwork to do?"

"It's done" Jay answered as Everly continued to cry in his arms as Erin walked up.

"What happened?" Erin asked.

"Oh, she just remembered she has to move in with Hank Voight this weekend" Jay said

"Funny. She's so cranky today" Erin walked over to Jay and put her hand on Evie's back.

"You know, that offer still stands that I told you about last night. I could find us some boxes and we could live on the street. I'd even find you a refrigerator box" Jay raised an eyebrow as he looked at Erin.

"That's tempting, but I'm not going to sleep in a box" Erin explained

"It was worth a try" Jay said leaning his head down to kiss her.

"None of that around here" Voight said walking down the steps and looking at Erin and Jay.

"Ah, a preview of the month ahead" Jay sighed.

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

One Week Later

Everly sat in her bouncy seat on the kitchen counter, blowing spit bubbles around the rattle she had shoved in her mouth. She was watching her mom as she put the dishes away and chatted to her as she worked.

"So, daddy and grandpa Hank should have your crib set up any time now. Won't that be nice to have you very own room now?" Everly squealed in delight recognizing her mother's tone when she was trying to elicit a response from her.

"This will be the first time you've slept away from mommy since you were born," Erin smiled sadly as she stopped what she was doing and walked over to tickle Evie's tummy.

She giggled and Erin sighed. As much as she was looking forward to having her bedroom back, especially since she and Jay were now back their old schedule of intimacy, of not being able to get enough of each other, she was sad that Everly would be sleeping in her own room.

She leaned down and kissed her nose softly. "Mommy's going to miss you."

Kim walked in at that moment and smiled. "Awwww, Erin, your baby has to grow up some time," Kim teased good-naturedly as she walked over the counter.

"Stop Kim. She'll always be my baby," Erin furrowed her brow as she looked at her friend.

"Hey there gorgeous," Kim greeted Everly who was cooing and shaking her rattle excitedly upon seeing her. Kim reached in and lifted her out of the seat and held Evie above her head. "She didn't just eat did she?"

"No, why?" Erin asked as she went back to emptying the last box of dishes and loaded them into Hank's cabinets.

"Because I don't want her to puke on me. I have to meet my wedding planner later"

Erin laughed. "Well quit shaking her up then. Isn't that right Everly?" Erin asked her daughter who was giggling uncontrollably as Kim danced around the kitchen with her. "Tell Auntie Kim to stop shaking you up like we're in the middle of an earthquake."

"Oh quit being a party pooper mom." Kim stopped spinning, realizing she was getting dizzy and sat down in the nearest chair, placing Everly in a sitting position on the table in front of her.

"So the guys have almost everything in storage and are heading back over here. And Jay and Voight seem like they have the crib almost put together."

"And what have you been doing while they were doing all this hard manual labor?" Erin arched her eyebrow at her friend.

"Supervising." Kim grinned.

"Oh you have?"

"Yes someone needs to supervise those guys. Adam goofs off if he's not kept on task." Kim leaned Everly back and took one of her feet and blew on it. Evie squealed and giggled again. "It's kind of weird being in this house though"

Erin smiled over her shoulder. "Why does everyone say that? Just because it's Hank's place doesn't mean it's some threshold to Hell or something. You can still come over and visit"

"You're very lucky to have such an intense Papaw, did you know that Everly?" Everly squealed in response, telling Kim in no uncertain terms that she knew exactly how great her grandpa was.

"I think we'll be done by mid afternoon. This isn't taking half as long as I thought it would," Kim continued as she pretended to nibble on Everly's toes.

"Yeah, but we don't have that much stuff. That apartment wasn't very big so we couldn't accumulate too much junk." Erin closed the cupboard, finally finished organizing the kitchen.

"Well you'll have a house soon. So it's only a matter of time" Burgess looked away from Evie to her friend.

"We don't have any money to accumulate anything Kim. We're going to be in debt for the next fifty years from buying a house." Erin sighed

"Oh, will you stop it Erin." Kim waved her hand dismissively. "You guys makes plenty of money. When do you think you'll come back to work?"

"Not until the fall sometime." Erin sighed gratefully as she leaned against the counter tiredly. "I told Hank it would be September. I mean I have the maternity leave and a ton of sick hours and vacation days I haven't used. I'm just not ready to go back to work and leave my baby yet"

"By the way, thanks for putting in a good word with your landlord, Adam and I are excited to move into your old apartment." Everly grabbed Kim's hair and yanked not so gently and her mouth dropped open in surprise before she tickled Evie's stomach playfully. "What are you doing there, Ma'am?"

Erin smiled at how good Kim was with Everly. "We really didn't have to say much. And Ruzek wouldn't let us live it down if you guys didn't get the place."

"Yeah but your landlord didn't have to keep the rent the same. That was really generous of her."

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth Kim. That apartment is worth twice what she charges." Erin explained.

"I know. I know." Kim raised her hand in surrender. "You won't hear any complaints from me. And I know you won't hear any from Ol' Penny Pincher Ruzek"

"Are you ready to live with Ruzek?" Erin asked

Kim looked over her shoulder and shrugged "Yeah, I mean...I did agree to marry him. And I do love him...I just don't want to share my stuff on a 24/7 basis. It's going to be a change"

Erin walked over to the table and sat down. Everly turned and looked over at her smiling and cooing and Kim handed Evie over to her mother.

"How do you and Jay make it work?" Kim asked.

Erin laughed and sighed "A lot of training. Jay didn't come out of a box like that"

Kim lowered her voice just in case any of the guys were within ear shot. "It just scares the hell out me because every other man I've ever fallen in love with has broken my heart."

"Do you really think Adam will do that to you?" Erin asked

"No, I don't. It's just scary to trust someone with your heart." Kim confessed

"I don't think you have to worry about Adam" Erin assured

Kim looked at her and nodded "I just never thought that I'd actually be engaged. Platt sure likes to give me a hard time about him though"

"Kim who gives a shit." Erin covered Everly's ears so she wouldn't hear her curse. "Does he make you happy?"

"Yes."

"Then that's all that matters." Erin stood up with Everly "I need to put her down for a nap. Or all hell will break loose"

Erin bent over so Kim could kiss her. "Say goodnight to Auntie Kim."

Everly blew spit bubbles as she kissed her. "Thanks beauty. I'll save those for later." She pinched her nose gently. "Sweet dreams kiddo."

Erin turned just as Jay walked into the room, wiping the back of his neck with a towel.

"Her room's all ready, Er. I even plugged in the baby monitor." Everly squealed when she saw her father. Jay grabbed one of her hands and kissed her small fist.

"Hey Evie-Bug. You don't want to hug daddy right now, trust me. He's all hot and sweaty."

"Yes he is," Erin purred in a sultry voice as she let her eyes skim over him in his shorts and t-shirt.

"Erin," Jay growled as he wrapped his arm loosely around her waist. "Don't ogle me like I'm a piece of meat. I do have feelings you know and I want you to love me for my mind, not just my body."

Kim burst out laughing and slapped the table as Jay glared at her briefly before he turned his head back and grinned at his wife. Erin laughed too and so Everly, not wanting to be left out, started giggling again.

"Oh, you think thats funny, do you?" Jay leaned down and growled against Everly's tummy, eliciting more giggles from her. Everly grabbed onto Jay's sweaty hair and bent her open mouth to her dad's temple, giving him an open mouthed baby kiss.

"Awww, are you giving daddy a kiss?" Erin smiled as she watched her husband and daughter.

Jay's lips nibbled up Everly's chest as he continued to shake his head and growl like a bear until he reached her neck where he blew on her skin. Everly squealed as she tried to squirm out of Erin's arms and into Jay's.

"Let me just feed her and put her down, then I'll head over to the deli to get lunch for everyone." Erin said.

"Okay." Jay put his towel over his shoulder as he walked over to the fridge.

"I can go get it while you're feeding her if you want me to," Kim offered as she stood up.

"Ahhh, figures you'd offer Burgess. Anything to get out of manual labor," Jay teased as he took out a bottle of water out of Hank's fridge and then drank almost the whole thing in only a few gulps.

"Don't you know it." Kim grinned triumphantly.

"Kim, are you sure you don't mind?" Erin asked

"Not at all. Like Jay said, it gets me out of the work." Kim assured

"Well I called this morning and placed the order for a half dozen different subs. They should be ready now. Jay give her money or get some out of my purse." Erin said.

Jay pulled out his wallet and handed Kim enough to cover the lunch. "Get some chips and stuff too while you're there."

"You don't have to buy our lunch you know. If your friends can't help you move, then who will. I just hope you guys know that" Kim explained

"Sure we do." Jay slung his arm over Kim's shoulder and she crinkled her nose at his sweaty, manly scent. "It's the least we can do for using and abusing you all day."

"Say goodnight to daddy, Everly." Erin walked closer to Jay so Everly could kiss him again.

"Night baby girl. I love you." Jay kissed Everly on top of her head. "You be good for mommy and go to sleep." Jay looked up at Erin. "You think that will work?"

"It doesn't usually." Erin sighed

"Well it was worth a try." He winked at her before bending down to kiss Erin's shoulder as Hank walked in the kitchen.

"Keep it in your pants, Halstead. I eat in here"

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Erin stood up and adjusted Everly in her arms. She was always so content when she was sleeping. But tonight was different, Evie was restless and had been fighting a cold for the past week. Erin and Jay had called the doctor but the doctor had assured them that it was just a cold and there was no need to bring the baby in. To just use Baby Tylenol, but Evie didn't seem to be getting any better. In fact the cough she had seemed to be getting a lot worse.

Erin walked to the crib and gently laid her down, covering her softly with the blanket and then scooting her pink giraffe closer to her. She adjusted the top of her silk pajamas and then reached up and released her hair from the bun she'd placed on top of her head after her shower. It was almost dry now and she ran her fingers through the silky strands.

She could hear the shower running in the hall and she smiled. Jay had worked hard today. Everyone did getting all their stuff moved into storage and Hank's place. But even long after everyone had gone home, Jay still continued to do as much as he could before his body finally gave out.

Erin gently caressed Everly's head one last time before bending down to kiss her softly. "Sweet dreams, my love," she murmured against her hair before she walked to the changing table and flipped on the monitor.

She walked out of the nursery and then wandered down stairs to get the other half of the baby monitor from the kitchen.

"You heading to bed?" Hank asked as he looked up from his paper.

"Yeah" Erin said "Aren't you?"

Hank shook his head "Maybe after the news. Not really that tired. How's Ev?"

Erin sighed and sat down at the table "She's still got a fever. She doesn't really want to nurse. I think I'm going to take her to the pediatrician in the morning. I really don't think this is some cold"

Hank nodded "I think that's a wise choice. I'll stay up and check on her if you want. I know that you and Halstead are tired"

Erin shook her head "I can't ask you to do that. I'll just keep checking on her"

Hank reached across the table and placed his hand on top of Erin's "Get some rest. I'll come and get you if there's a problem"

"I'm not sure if I've told you, but thanks for letting us stay here. I really appreciate it" Erin reached her hand over and laid it on top of the one Hank had laying on her other one.

"Anytime. I mean I could've done without Halstead ever taking a shower in this house, I think I can make some room for him in the shed out back" Hank explained.

"Oh right next to fertilizer?" Erin asked.

"I figured he could make a bed out of it. Since he's so full of shit and all" Hank sighed and reached down to grab his beer.

Erin stood up and rolled her eyes "Goodnight"

She checked the doors before she walked back upstairs. She entered the bedroom to find Jay laying face down on the bed, his pajama bottoms hanging low on his hips.

The second thing Jay had done after he got everything in the nursery was to reassemble their bed. As far as he was concerned that was the only other piece of furniture that he needed. He'd move into Hank's house for the interim, that was fine, but he sure as hell was going to sleep in his own bed.

But nonetheless he'd worked himself into the ground today and Erin smiled softly as she approached the bed, placing the baby monitor on the nightstand. She climbed onto the bed beside him and started rubbing his lower back.

"Mmmmm," he moaned into the mattress as her fingers slowly traveled up his spine. She straddled his ass and used both hands to massage the tense muscles beneath the skin, using the pads of her fingers to dig deep into the tissue.

Jay turned his face to the side. "God, Er. That feels so good."

"I bet it does. You worked hard today." Erin reached his shoulders and then slowly made her way down his arms as her breasts pressed against his back.

Jay groaned. "Now that feels even better."

Erin lowered her mouth to his ear, her warm breath tickling the skin. "Well it's the least I can do for my husband after he worked so hard today to get our bed assembled." Her tongue slipped between her lips and she ran it along the shell of his ear and he was hard as a rock in an instant. "I wonder if there's anything more I can do to show him how grateful I am and how happy I am to finally be alone with him."

The sound of gagging and a blood curdling cry broke Erin and Jay apart and Erin ran across the hall with Jay following closely behind her and they were met by Hank who was coming up the stairs.

Erin flipped the light on in the nursery and ran over to the source of the crying.

Everly laid in the crib her face, onesie and the mattress under her were covered in breast milk that she'd thrown up. Her chest was heaving as she sobbed and Erin reached down and picked Everly up and cradled her against her chest.

"She's burning up" Erin said as Everly continued to wail against her.

"Do you want me to call the doctor?" Hank offered.

"No! I'm taking her to the ER" Erin exclaimed as she walked Evie down the hall to the bathroom.

"Let me get dressed" Jay said walking out of the room.

Hank followed Erin down the hall to the bathroom where she was filling up the sink with cold water and gently pouring it over Everly's tiny body in an effort to bring her temperature down.

"Kid, let me do that. You go change" Hank said taking a few steps into the bathroom.

"I can do it" Erin said fighting back tears as she looked down at Evie. "I knew something was wrong and I didn't do anything about it"

Hank shook his head "You did everything the doctor told you to do, Erin"

Erin shook her head as Everly continued to cry.

"Go change" Hank said stepping to take Erin's place "The faster you change, the quicker we can go to Chicago Med"

Erin nodded and let Hank take her place before running down the hall to change.

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Ryan Halstead walked down the hall of Chicago Med and to the exam room of the ER. He pulled back the curtain and came face to face with his brother.

"Jay?" Ryan said looking down at the chart in his hand before looking at his brother.

"Ryan" Jay said looking up from where he was standing by the bed as a nurse finished giving Everly an IV in her tiny arm.

"What's going on?" Ryan asked as he walked over to the bed and took out his stethoscope to listen to Everly's chest.

"She's been sick for a few days. I called her doctor and he said it was probably just a cold to not risk bringing her in" Erin explained.

"She's really congested" Ryan said "I want to run a blood panel and start her on some oxygen because her o2 levels are low, and I want to do a CT of the chest to get a look at her lungs"

Erin nodded as she reached down and held onto Evie's hand as the baby squirmed from the cold stethoscope on her chest and belly.

"When will you do that?" Jay asked.

"I'm going to put the order in now. She's going to have to be sedated for the CT scan, so I'll need your permission..." Ryan started

"You've got to put her to sleep?!" Erin asked looking up from her daughter to Ryan.

"To do a CT? Yes. She has to be completely still for us to get a clear reading. It's just a little medicine that we give them by mouth and she'll fall asleep and we can do the test" Ryan explained.

"I don't want her put to sleep" Erin argued.

"Erin, I suspect that Everly has RSV and that's very serious, she could die if we don't treat her for it" Ryan said no emotion in his voice as he looked at his sister in law.

Hank stood up from his chair and looked at Ryan, "Are me and you going to have a problem?"

Ryan shook his head "No sir, no problems at all"

Hank kept his eyes on Ryan and shook his head "Then maybe you need to talk to my family with a little bit more respect"

"They're my family, too. Jay's my blood" Ryan said.

"Then where the hell have you been? I've heard of you, but I've never seen you. What's it say about you that this is the first time you've ever even seen your own niece?" Hank shot back.

"Don't pretend that you know me" Ryan said.

"I'm not. I don't want to know you. What I want you to do is get your ass out there and find out what's wrong with my granddaughter. And don't come back here until you have an answer" Hank narrowed his eyes and sat back down.

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

"The test should take about 45 minutes and we will come and get you once it is finished" the radiologist explained as Erin and Jay walked down the hallway of the hospital.

Everly had been sedated and was sleeping comfortably in her father's arms as he carried her down the hall.

"Can I go with her?" Jay asked.

"No, I'm sorry, but you're more than welcome to wait in the waiting room just outside the doors of radiology" A nurse explained.

"How long will she sleep for?" Erin asked.

"It just depends, the medicine stays in their systems about two hours and then it will start to wear off"

Erin nodded as they made it down to the radiology doors.

"This is our stop guys" The radiologist said as the nurse walked up to take Evie from Jay's arms.

"Oh..." Jay said as he kept his protective hold on Everly.

Jay looked down at his daughter and he felt his heart breaking as he knew he had to hand his sleeping baby over to strangers.

"Can I at least carry her in there?" Jay asked.

"Of course" the radiologist agreed and they walked into the radiology lab.

Jay walked over and laid Evie down on the bed he stepped out of the way so that Erin could bend down and kiss Evie.

"I'll be right outside, Evie. You're going to feel so much better and mommy's so sorry that she didn't take better care of you. This is all her fault" Erin explained as she whispered against Evie's forehead. "I promise you that I'll do better next time"

Jay shook his head and placed his hand on Erin's back as a sign of support. There was no telling her that this wasn't her fault. He could tell her till she was blue in the face, but she was still taking responsibility for it.

"I love you so much, Evie" Erin said placing a kiss on her daughter's forehead as she stood up.

Erin wiped the tears from her eyes and stepped back so that Jay could kneel down.

Jay knelt down and took Evie's tiny hand in his. "Hey, you have to get better, ok? Cause it's almost warm enough for daddy to take you and mommy up to Wisconsin to the cabin. And you can see all animals and the trees and flowers. You just have to get all better first. I love you so much, Evie-bug. And daddy's not going anywhere. I'm going to stay right here with you and we will lay on the couch and watch cartoons and form an alliance against your grandpa Hank. I know you're going to be ok cause you're half mommy and she's the strongest person in the whole world. I have so many stories to tell you about her. So you stay here and have sweet dreams and mommy and daddy are going to be right outside waiting until we can hold you again. I love you, bug"

Jay placed a kiss on Evie's chubby cheek and stood up and took Erin's hand as the nurse showed them out the door before closing it behind her. Jay wrapped his arms around Erin as she cried into his chest and while he tried his best to assure his wife that it was going to be ok, and that their baby girl was going to be just fine. He couldn't help the hot tears that slid down his own cheeks as he held Evie's pink soft blanket in his hand.

oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Hope that you guys like this chapter. Would you like to see more of Ryan Halstead? No? Maybe?

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