88. Forever, Love

Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter, I appreciate them.

I don't own the rights to "The Giving Tree" By Shel Silverstein.

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Three Months Later

Erin stood behind Natalie, curling iron in hand as she waited for Kim to complete her task of applying makeup to Natalie's neck. She looked over at the clock again. They had fifteen minutes before the ceremony started and Natalie wasn't even dressed yet.

"Kim, will you hurry up? I'm never going to finish her hair." Erin complained and Kim looked up from her task and glared at Erin.

"Don't yell at me Erin. Yell at hickey woman over here." Kim said as she motioned to Natalie's neck.

Natalie pffted her but remained still so Kim could continue her work.

"What the hell were you thinking anyway Natalie? Letting Will give you a hickey on your neck the night before your wedding?" Erin asked as she took a section of Natalie's long brown tresses and wrapped it around the curling iron, knowing that if she didn't get started on her hair, Natalie would be late for her own wedding.

"Hey, don't yell at me. I didn't know he was going to do that. And you of all people should know just how charming those Halstead brothers can be" Natalie growled as she shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

"I think a better question is, " Kim interrupted as she put the last of the cover up on and patted Natalie's neck with powder. "Why the hell were you having sex the night before your wedding? Couldn't you even wait one more day?"

Erin laughed as Natalie pffted again under her breath.

"Yeah, if I had known you were going to sneak into Will's room at the B&B last night I would have locked you in yours." Erin teased as she curled another section of Natalie's hair around the curling iron.

"Guys, don't start with me today. It's my wedding day and you're supposed to be nice to me." Natalie grinned as Kim stood and turned Natalie slightly to the right so she could see her handiwork in the mirror.

"Viola! No more hickey!" Kim waved her hand at Natalie.

"At least not on a part of my body you can see." Natalie muttered under her breath and Erin burst out laughing.

April rolled her eyes from where she'd been getting her own self ready for the wedding and she looked at her friend. "Natalie, you are too much. First you won't have sex with Will for months because you don't want to rush back into things with him, then you and he wake the whole hospital when you finally give it up. And now you two are like rabbits who can't even hold out for two days for their wedding night."

Kim and Erin laughed as Natalie rolled her eyes at Maggie in the mirror. "Thanks April! Have I mentioned that I'm so glad you could be here today?. And again, Erin and Jay are twice as worse as Will and I could ever be."

Erin gently tugged on Natalie's hair as she started brushing the soft curls she had just made.

April fixed her lipstick in the mirror and looked over at Natalie "Well, at least Erin has an excuse, Natalie. She leaves for New York next weekend and she's not going to see Jay for awhile. She's got to get as much of him as she can before she goes. Maybe come home with a Halstead 4th. Since they're keeping the labor and delivery booming in Chicago"

Erin finished Natalie's hair by spraying it heavily and she stood back so she and Kim could admire her. Both of their faces broke out into wide grins as they looked at their friend.

Natalie looked down at herself self-consciously and then turned and looked in the mirror. Erin and Kim walked up behind her and they both put their arms around her from behind.

"Welcome to your wedding day Nat," Kim said as Natalie tried to fight the tears that were threatening.

"But you really better get dressed." Erin said as she moved away and gently took Natalie's wedding dress off the hanger. "You can't get married in your underwear and you have exactly fifteen minutes before you walk down the aisle."

A soft knock at the door interrupted them as they were helping Natalie slip the dress on without ruining her hair.

It opened and Maggie walked in and she whistled.

"I'll tell you Natalie, if I liked women…." Maggie teased as she walked up to hug her friend

They all laughed as Erin pulled the zipper up on the side of the dress and turned Natalie back to the mirror.

"If you were a lesbian, I would have dumped Will months ago." Natalie joked as the door again opened and Jay walking in carrying Owen in his arms.

"I heard that, I'll pass it along to my brother" He said as he walked over to Natalie.

"Mama, mama," Owen cried to Natalie and she held her arms open to take the baby.

"There's my baby boy," Natalie cooed at her son as Jay gently placed her in his arms and kissed her on the cheek.

"You look beautiful Nat," He whispered and she blushed slightly.

"Oh my God! Did Natalie just blush?" Maggie teased as she walked over and held her hand out to Owen. He grabbed onto her fingers and giggled.

"Shut up!" Natalie pffted at Maggie and Maggie laughed out loud, knowing Natalie well enough by now to expect nothing less than that kind of reaction from her.

"Shut up," Owen repeated as he giggled again.

"Now look what you've made me do," Natalie sighed as she bounced the small boy in her arms and everyone laughed.

Jay walked over to Erin and pulled her into his arms. He leaned down and kissed her bare shoulder next to the spaghetti strap of her light summer dress. It hugged her in all the right places but was still appropriate enough for an early Spring wedding.

"You look breathtaking, Mrs. Halstead," he whispered and lifted his head so he could look in her eyes.

Erin smiled softly at him, admiring him in his light gray summer suit. He had even put on a tie for the occasion, although Erin had to use some serious persuasion techniques.

He looked incredibly handsome with his hair recently cut and freshly shaven face. He had decided in the last month to try to grow a goatee. Erin had tolerated it for three weeks but finally told him that he looked like a pimp with it and if he didn't shave it off she'd never kiss him again.

Jay thought she was kidding but when she had refused to kiss him that night when they were making love, he shaved it off without so much as a grumble.

He planned to grow it back when she was in New York but he'd never tell her that. He pulled her closer and nuzzled her neck softly as the other three women in the room chatted.

"So, your hubby to be looks incredibly handsome Natalie, I must say." Maggie said as she took Owen from Natalie and the little boy grabbed her face and squeezed her cheeks. "What did he do to his hair?"

Natalie adjusted her gown in the mirror and wiped the drool Owen had left on her shoulder with a tissue.

Erin offered the answer Natalie wasn't about to. "Jay said dyed it. He thought he was showing too much gray. Now he and Natalie have one more thing in common." Erin laughed and Natalie swung her arm out and smacked her future sister in law on the arm.

"Bitch" Natalie pffted at Erin and Owen started giggling as everyone in the room also laughed.

"Bitch" He chanted and Natalie took him out of Maggie's arms.

"No Owen. Don't say that." Natalie sighed, mentally kicking herself. Owen was at the age where he was repeating everything he heard and Natalie had been trying to contain her potty mouth.

Erin pulled out of Jay's embrace as she noticed the clock as Natalie's mother walked in.

"All right everybody. It's show time."

"Let's go let everyone know we're ready to start." Erin added before she leaned forward and hugged Natalie.

"You're gong to blow his mind Nat," She whispered and Natalie threw her arms around Erin and hugged her. Owen grunted from the being trapped between their bodies and Natalie released Erin with a look of contrition. She reached a hand out and gently brushed Owen's soft hair to the side.

"You be good for grandma." She whispered as she kissed his head and handed Owen off to her mother.

Erin turned to walk out of the room. She stopped in front of Jay and kissed him softly.

"Don't let me trip down the aisle. And don't you trip either." She added playfully as her eyes twinkled.

Jay cupped her face in his hands and he kissed her deeply, the mood of the day reminding him of he and Erin's wedding day.

"Will you two stop." Kim teased as they all walked out of the small room to head to the ceremony.

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Jay held Erin close as they moved slowly around the dance floor, his eyes scanning her beautiful face as if trying to memorize it. Not that he didn't already have it memorized. He knew every inch of her entire body. But there reality that she was leaving in seven days to go to New York made him want to memorize everything about her all over again.

The wedding had gone off without a hitch. The sun was shining, no one tripped down the aisle and no babies cried the entire time.

Ever since Natalie had first seen the 63rd Street Beach House, she had loved it. When Will proposed to her, she told him she would only marry him if they could do it at the Beach House. Since he could refuse her nothing, he agreed as long as they kept the wedding small. And that was one of the first things that he and Natalie had ever fully agreed on.

The wedding was small and intimate. It took place on the beach outside and then the reception was held inside. The doors to the small ballroom were open and the warm breeze off the water wafted in and over the dance floor.

Erin's dress blew softly in the breeze as Jay gently dipped Erin dramatically.

"Jay," She giggled softly as he brought her back to an upright position and pulled her closer. Her soft scent surrounded him and he felt his body reacting to the feel of her against him. She could feel his erection pressing softly against her abdomen and she pressed closer to him deliberately.

"Erin, behave yourself of I'm going to have to take you right here in the middle of this dance floor." He whispered huskily against her ear and she felt a small shiver go up her spine.

Hank and Olivia danced up to them at that moment and interrupted.

"Mind if we cut in?" Olivia asked as she grabbed Jay's hand and Hank took Erin in his arms.

"Don't worry Jay. I'll bring her back unharmed." Hank teased as he and Erin danced off into the other direction.

Olivia looked up at Jay as she stepped into his arms.

"Hope we weren't interrupting anything. You two looked rather cozy there. We figured we better stop the show before it became x-rated."

Jay narrowed his eyes at her as they moved smoothly across the floor.

"That's real funny, Liv." He growled as she smiled even wider. "I only have her for a few more days."

Olivia looked up at him, hearing the pain in his tone. She smiled reassuringly.

"It's not that long, Jay. And aren't you going to visit her?"

Jay nodded. "Yeah, I am. But I don't know how I'm going to live without her...Or my kids, I fully support Erin with anything she wants to do. Hell, I'd do anything to make her dreams come true, but the thought of not seeing her or my kids every day...It's killing me"

Olivia could see the sadness in his eyes and she hugged him as they danced. She knew it was killing Jay to let Erin go to New York. But he would never stop her. In fact, despite how much he would desperately miss her, he wanted her to go because he knew that it's what she's always wanted.

Olivia smiled to herself. Jay loved Erin so unconditionally.

They both loved each other unconditionally. Olivia had never seen such complete and utter devotion and adoration between any one else she had ever known.

Sometimes she was jealous, wishing that she could have that with Hank, and in most ways they did. But at the same time she knew that love like that, pure, true, unconditional love like that was rare. There weren't many people who would ever be lucky enough to find even half that.

"Has anyone ever told you you're a pretty good husband Jay Halstead?"

He pulled back and looked at her, raising one eyebrow.

"Just pretty good?"

"Yeah, just pretty good." Olivia goaded good-naturedly. "You'd do anything for her, wouldn't you?"

Jay's eyes softened and he looked over at Erin and Hank dancing near the doors. "I'd give my life for her Olivia."

"You're a good man, Jay Halstead. Regardless of what I hear about you." Olivia admitted as her eyes twinkled. "Sometimes I think that they should clone you. That way the women we see in DV cases, know what a real man is"

"You know, I would be pretty happy if I could be cloned too. That way my clone to do all my work and I could spend all my time in bed with Erin." Jay joked his eyebrows mischievously raising and Olivia threw her head back and laughed.

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Hank twirled Erin around as they moved toward the doors.

"So, has Jay killed your toes yet today?" Hank asked as he dipped her.

Erin laughed. "No, not yet. He's only stepped on them a few times. And if I don't stop getting dipped, I'm going to throw up."

Hank pretended to look scared. "So, are you ready for New York?"

Erin sighed softly but she continued to smile. Hank could see the conflict in her eyes.

"What is if Erin?" He asked.

"I'm so excited Hank. I've wanted this for as long as I can remember. And I'm finally getting the chance. But the idea of taking three kids under three to the city is scary. And why is it killing me inside to leave Jay behind?"

"You're not leaving him behind Erin. You're only going to be gone for a little while. Husbands and wives are apart like that all the time. Look at people who travel for a living." Hank offered

"Hank, I don't care what other people do. You're probably going to make fun of me for this but I can't sleep without him. In the whole time we've been married we've only slept apart a handful of time."

Hank laughed as he twirled Erin around toward the platform where the band was set up.

"Hank, " Erin warned. "Don't laugh at me. I'm serious."

"Well, then you're going to be awfully tired." Hank teased softly.

Erin laughed despite herself. "Stop."

Hank leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. "Don't worry Erin, the time will fly by, I assure you. I'll take care of him for you. Besides, there will be good things happening for Jay here while you're off in New York doing the Sargeant training"

Erin raised an eyebrow at Hank. "How so?"

"Hey, your husband is a legitimate police, Erin. And I may have made a few calls and found out that The United States Army Criminal Investigation Command is looking for a fill in for a few months and they're interested in Jay. I told him that I'd fill his spot while he did it and that he was a hell of a choice, but he said he was going to turn them down. They had a meeting with him about it. He didn't tell you?"

"What?." Erin asked as she glanced away from Hank over to where Jay was dancing with Olivia.

"He said they came to him after you had already told him how much you wanted to go to New York. Said he felt like he'd be taking away from you if he'd take that job. He told me how proud he is of you and the opportunity that you have and how he wouldn't take that away from you" Hank then realized he may have said too much.

Erin saw the panicked look in his face and shook her head.

"Relax Hank. You haven't said anything that I shouldn't have known. I wish that he would've said something to me about it. I don't want him to resent me."

"Well, I can't tell you a lot of things, Erin. But I can tell you that I'm pretty sure there's not much that you could ever do to make Jay resent you for anything."

Erin smiled and hugged Hank. "Have I ever thanked you for all the things that you do for us? The things that you always do for us without even a thought to yourself? I don't know what I'd do without you."

"I'm proud of you, Kid. Don't worry about Halstead, I'll keep an eye on him for ya. Make sure he behaves himself." Hank winked at her as they started making their way back over to Olivia and Jay.

"I'm not worried about him behaving himself Hank. He knows I'll kick his ass if he doesn't."

"Of that I have no doubt." Hank laughed out loud as the approached the other dancing couple.

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I'm glad to be home," Kim said, sitting down on the bed and kicking the shoes off her feet.

"You exhausted?" Adam asked, stripping out of his tux and hanging it next to the door so he'd remember to take it back to the rental place he had gotten it from.

"Yeah, I am…weddings are draining."

"Yes they are. Even ours was and it was one of the best days of my life."

"Brownnoser," she teased, standing back up and moving to pull dress over her head. Feeling his hands grasp the material and help she smiled.

"I may be a brownnoser, but I'm not liar," he mumbled, brushing his lips against her bare neck.

Giggling as his stubble scratched her even in its trimmed state, she stepped away to get a nightshirt out of their dresser.

"I love you, you know that?" He said softly, stepping up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist, meeting her eyes in the mirror.

"You just realized that tonight?" She teased, covering his hands with hers.

"Yep. The last few years or so was spent trying to make up my mind. It was tonight that did it," he said with a chuckle, running his hands along the tight skin of her swollen stomach.

"Good thing you finally figured it out," she said, smiling at him through the mirror.

"Let's go to bed" Adam said once they were dressed and settled.

"Sounds like a plan" Kim smiled and laid down in bed and the two were asleep almost as soon as they hit the pillows.

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"Adam, I'm in labor," Kim said softly, shaking her husband's shoulder.

"Okay," he mumbled, not opening his eyes.

"Adam, listen to me," she demanded, thumping her hand against his chest.

"Hmmm…"

"Adam, I am having a baby!"

"Right now?" He mumbled, cracking his eye open to look at her.

"No, not right now…but I will soon enough."

"Honey, we can't even take you to the hospital until they're five minutes apart…and you can't have it yet, you're not due for another two weeks."

"It's ten minutes after the first one and I don't think the baby cares," she popped off sarcastically.

"Well it'd better learn it, or you'll have to do it alone. What do we do? There's nobody to watch Jack."

"Oh my God, I hadn't thought of that. Adam, I can't do this alone."

"You won't have to," he said blinking a couple times to focus in on the little red numbers on the bedside clock. Seeing that is was just after three in the morning he sighed before continuing, "But you've got to let me sleep now. The baby might not make an appearance for twenty-four hours or more and if you want me to be able to function at all…you'll let me sleep."

"Nice sob story, Adam. But if I can do it, you certainly can. Stay awake and talk to me, I can't sleep."

Rolling over he laid his head against her shoulder and draped his arm over her stomach.

"I said talk to me, not waller me to death."

"You're not funny."

"I can't be funny, I'm too tired."

"Get un-tired, I need you right now."

"Kim, I'm right here. But I swear I'm dog tired and if I fall back asleep you can't be mad at me for doing so."

"You don't love me enough to stay awake?" She said, sniffling softly.

"Don't cry, don't cry. I'll stay awake, first I'll go take a shower and then I'll stay awake. You just relax and wait for me to come back."

"Okay," she said softly, watching as he walked away, feeling one of the mild contractions cause her body to tense up and lower back to throb even more than it had been since the continual pain had rested during the past week or more.

"You okay?"

"Uh huh, just hurry so you can rub my back, okay?"

"I promise."

Hearing the bathroom door open, she looked up and saw her fairly damp husband standing there.

"Are they getting closer?"

"I'm sure that they are, but not so much that I can start timing them yet."

"Still want me to rub your back?"

"Yes, please."

"Okay," he answered, dropping his towel and pulling on a pair of clean boxers.

Settling behind her, he placed his hands in the small of her back, rubbing soft circles. "Better?"

"No, not really," she answered honestly, making him laugh. "Don't laugh, it hurts. My back really hurts, Adam. I don't remember it hurting this bad, so soon, with Jackson."

"I wish I could say it was going to get better."

"If wishes were horses we'd all be knee deep in shit," she said sarcastically, making him laugh again when he knew he shouldn't.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh."

"I know, and as long as you stop laughing by the time it really starts hurting it'll be okay."

"You know I couldn't laugh when you in real pain, Darlin," he said softly, kneading his fingers into her skin.

"I wish it would just happen, the sooner the better."

"What did you say about those wishes?" He teased, brushing a kiss against her shoulder as he continued to rub.

Laughing she tried to relax under his touch so maybe she could get a little more sleep.

Continuing to massage as hard as he dared, he felt her finally loosen up and ease back to sleep. Taking his chance, he stretched out beside her, thankful for the opportunity to get some more sleep.

Feeling the sharp pain in her back jar her awake, she cried out at the unexpected jolt of pain.

"Adam…Adam…"

Hearing her call out to him, he walked through the bedroom door with Jackson resting against his body, a sippy cup clenched between his little hands.

"You okay?" He asked, sitting Jackson down on her feet so he could move closer to Kim.

"I don't think so," she said softly, feeling the tears sting her eyes, "I don't think I can do this, Adam," she whispered, taking his hand into her own, squeezing it.

"Yes you can, it's going to be fine," he answered, wondering if she was already attempting to crush his fingers now, what she was going to when they were actually getting ready to deliver the baby.

"Mama," Jackson said softly, touching Adam's leg when he got closer to the bed, dropping his cup to try and climb up her leg.

"Baby," Kim said softly, touching his little head briefly before slipping her hand back into Adam's.

Bending down and picking up the cup, Adam sat it on the nightstand before grabbing the elastic waistband of the back of her pants and hoisting him up on the bed next to Kim.

Hearing Jackson giggle, Kim smiled briefly, taking another deep breath as the pain surged again, feeling like a knife cutting through her lower back.

Moving to rub her back, he pulled his hands back as soon as he heard her gasp in pain from his touch, "Should we go ahead and take you to the hospital?" He asked, brushing her hair out of her eyes.

"No…we can't go yet, they'll just send us home again."

"Kim, calm down…try to relax."

"I can't calm down, I'm in pain. What part of it don't you understand? God"

"I know you are. I'm sorry" Adam said defensively

"What time is it? I don't think I can turn to look at the clock."

"It's just after nine."

"When do you think this will be over?" She asked, turning just enough to meet Adam's eyes.

"Before you know it," he assured, bending to drop a kiss against her head.

"How close are they?" She breathed out, trying not to cry as the pain in her back only increased with every contraction, and never ceased between them.

"Thirteen minutes," he answered, rubbing her leg, trying to find a place to touch her that wouldn't cause her more pain.

"We have to go, Adam. I can't handle this anymore, I need something for the pain."

"Are you sure?"

"Uh huh."

"Okay then, let me get the bag and Jackson in the car and then I'll be right back for you, alright?"

Nodding, she closed her eyes…trying to grit through the pain.

She just wanted it to be over and the only thing that was getting her through that was knowing that she'd soon be meeting her daughter for the very first time.

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Jay walked up the stairs after letting Kane in for the night and he smiled when he saw Erin in Everly's bedroom.

Caleb was sitting on Erin's lap and Everly next to her with Arden sitting on her sister's lap as Erin read to them from "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein

"And after a long time the boy came back again"

"I am sorry, Boy," said the tree, "but I have nothing left to give you- my apples are gone"

"My teeth are too weak for apples," said the boy.

"My branches are gone," said the tree. "You cannot swing on them-"

"I am too old to swing on branches," said the boy

"My trunk is gone," said the tree. "You cannot climb-"

"I am too tired to climb," said the boy.

"I am sorry," sighed the tree. "I wish that I could give you something... but I have nothing left. I am an old stump. I am sorry..."

"I don't need very much now," said the boy, "just a quiet pleace to sit and rest. I am very tired."

"Well," said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could, "Well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come, Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest."

And the boy did.

And the tree was happy."

"The End" Erin whispered as she closed the book.

"Again?" Everly said as she looked up at Erin.

Erin smiled and shook her head as she placed a kiss on Caleb's head. "I'm afraid not, it's time for you to go to bed my little lady. It's getting late"

Everly frowned as Arden tilted her head back at her big sister and laughed.

"Not funny. Ardy" Everly pouted as her sister once again giggled at her.

"It's time for bed, grumpy gills" Erin said as she moved off of Everly's toddler bed just as Jay walked in.

"What's going on in here?" Jay asked as he took Caleb from Erin's arms so that she could take Arden from Everly's lap.

"Daddy, story?" Everly asked as Erin handed Arden to him and moved the covers back on Everly's bed.

"You've had enough stories little miss. You think that now that you're two mommy and daddy aren't wise to your ways?" Erin teased as Everly climbed under her blankets.

"I big now" Everly said proudly. "I dis many"

Jay and Erin both laughed as Everly held her hand up showing five fingers.

"It's a good thing you're pretty like your mommy. Which reminds daddy that we're going to have to work on your math skills" Jay joked as he bounced both Caleb and Arden in each arm.

He couldn't believe that he and Erin now had a two year old and almost 6 month old twins. When people say that time flies, they don't lie.

"Goodnight pumpkin" Erin said as she knelt down and placed a kiss on Everly's lips. "I love you"

"I love you, mommy" Everly said as she wrapped her arms around Erin's neck.

"My turn" Jay said as he watched Erin pull away from Everly.

He quickly handed off both Caleb and Arden to Erin before knealing down beside Everly's bed.

"Pway tea cups?" Everly asked.

"No, we're not going to play tea cups" Jay said as he bent his head and placed a kiss on Everly's forehead.

"I firsty" Everly said.

"No you're not" Erin said "You've already had a drink and prayers and stories and lots of stalling. It's time to go to sleep"

Everly sighed and looked up at Jay.

"Oh no" Jay said as he watched his daughter give him the puppy dog pout that she'd gotten from her mother. "Bedtime"

"I love you" Everly said.

"I love you too, bug" Jay said as he gave Everly one last kiss and stood up.

Jay took Arden from Erin's arms as they walked out of Everly's room and across the hall to the twins' nursery. Each getting one baby ready for bed.

"Jay" Erin's voice broke the comfortable silence.

"Yeah?" Jay asked as he tickled Arden's bare belly as the baby laughed.

"Why didn't you tell me that the CID wanted to pull you up to work for them?" Erin asked as she rubbed some baby lotion on Caleb's body as her son squirmed.

Jay froze for a moment as he looked at Arden before looking back at Erin. "It's not important"

Erin sighed and pulled Caleb's sleep pants up over his diaper and pulled him so he was sitting up.

"It is a big deal" Erin explained.

Jay sighed and reached for the soft bristle brush as he started to run it through Arden's dirty blonde hair. The complete opposite of the dark hair her brother and older sister sported.

"Because there will be other chances for me" Jay explained.

Erin shook her head and lifted Caleb up and kissed him on the cheek before sitting him down on the floor with his toys.

The baby boy grabbed his favorite toy police car and brought it up to his mouth as he chewed on it.

"I want you to take it" Erin said as she gave a quick glance down to Caleb before looking at Jay.

"Erin" Jay started as he lifted Arden off of her changing table and bounced her in his arms as he walked towards his wife. "There will be other chances for me"

"I'm not going to go to New York. I'm going to hold off on the Sargeant stuff" Erin confessed as she reached out and ran a finger along Arden's cheek.

"No...I want you to go. It's your dream" Jay said.

"You're my dream" Erin's eyes rose to meet Jay's.

"Erin..." Jay started.

Erin took Arden from Jay and sat her down on the ground before taking her husband's hand.

"When I was reading to the kids tonight, I got to thinking about that book. About how you sacrifice for the one that you love. And seeing them happy, makes you happy. You do so much for us Jay. Every single day you do so much without wanting or asking for anything in return and for me to go to New York would be selfish. I want you to take the job with the CID. I can go to New York anytime. This marriage is 50/50 and lately, I feel like you're the one that is always having to give and I don't want that. I want you to have the chance to show the world all you have to offer. This is your chance to do something that I know you're going to be amazing at. Please go"

Jay looked at the love in Erin's eyes and he pulled her into his arms. "Are you sure?"

Erin nodded "Of course, I want this so much for you baby. You say my dreams are your dreams...well your dreams are my dreams. And plus seeing you in uniform? Way better than anything New York could ever offer me"

"I love you, Erin Halstead" Jay said as he pulled his wife in his arms "Have I ever told you that?"

Erin wrapped her arms around Jay's neck as she stood up on tip toes. "Once or twice"

And he pulled her to him and kissed her.

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