27. Everybody Waits For You Now

Chicago P.D. is back this week! I'm so excited ya'll. I can't wait. I've been getting by on Linstead Youtube vids. They're so good. I don't know how people even make them. Is that bad that I'm 26 and I legit don't know how you make Youtube video?

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Erin walked through the elevator doors as they opened and quickly down the hallway to where Hank Voight was standing.

"What happened?" Erin asked as she made her way up to him.

Hank hadn't told her anything on the phone. Just that she needed to come to the hospital as soon as she could get there.

"He's awake" Voight said.

Erin felt her heart finally slow back to a normal rhythm. "Can I see him?"

"The doctors are in there with him right now. They're checking him out right now. So we have to wait out here until they're done" Voight took Erin by the arm and walked her down the hall to the small waiting room at the end of the hall.

"I should wait out in the hall" Erin looked back down the hall as Hank pulled her down to the room.

"I think you need to sit down. You look like you're going to pass out" Voight said as he held opened the door to the waiting room.

"I'm ok" Erin said as she walked into the small room.

Voight let the door fall closed behind him and he gestured over to the empty love seat that was against the wall. "Just sit down and relax for a minute. Jay's doctors know where to find us. You'll get to see him as soon as they're done working on him"

"When did he wake up?" Erin asked walking over to the small love seat and sitting down.

"About half an hour ago" Voight explained "He didn't like having the tube down his throat so he had a really bad time coming out of his sedation"

"Is he ok?" Erin asked fidgeting in her seat.

"He's stable" Voight said looking over at Erin and he put a hand on her shoulder in support.

"Have you slept?" He asked his gaze not leaving Erin's.

Erin shook her head "I couldn't. I had too much going on at home"

Voight sighed. "Erin, the whole point of you going home was for you to rest"

"I KNOW" Erin said snapping at Voight. She narrowed her eyes as she folded her arms over her chest.

"Alright" Voight raised his hand off Erin's shoulder and he excused her outburst without a reply.

Erin shook her legs and she looked down at her hands. "I'm sorry"

Voight cleared his throat and wrapped an arm over Erin's shoulder "It's ok, kid. It's been a long 24 hours"

Erin exhaled as she felt a wave of nausea come over her and she exhaled deeply as she tried to breathe through it.

"You ok?" Voight asked as he eyed her.

Erin gritted her teeth and nodded.

Voight looked at Erin as he watched the color drain from her face "Erin, if you're sick. Maybe you should just go home. You don't need to make Jay sick. I'll tell him that you aren't well enough to be here"

"I'm ok. It's just nerves" Erin forced a smile as she felt the wave of nausea pass.

Voight nodded and the door opened and Dr. Amato stepped in. "Erin, if you'd like to come back and see Jay, he's ready to be seen"

Erin nodded and looked over at Voight before standing up. She walked a few steps and turned back to look at him. "Are you coming?"

Voight shook his head. "No, I'll let you go. I'm actually going to head over to the precinct and get caught up on some work. If you need anything, just give me a call"

Erin nodded and tuned back to follow Dr. Amato out the door.

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Dr. Amato walked down the hall with Erin following behind him. They made their way to Jay's room and Dr. Amato gestured towards the door. "He's going to be really groggy. We've taken the tube out of his throat but we've given him oxygen because his oxygen level is a little low"

Erin nodded as she looked at the closed door. "What would've caused that?"

Dr. Amato scratched his chin. "A number of things. He's been through a pretty invasive surgery and the IV medication that he's been given has a hand in it. His oxygen levels aren't dangerously low, it's around 91% and normal range is 95 to 100%"

Erin wrapped her sweater tighter around her as she listened to Dr. Amato. "Is 91% bad?"

Dr. Amato furrowed his brows as he spoke "91% isn't great, but it's not horrible in this case. When your oxygen levels fall below 92% then the oxygen can't penetrate the red blood cells very well, and since your red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen through you body, it can cause problems if it's left untreated for too long"

Erin nodded as tears started to well in her eyes. Dr. Amato smiled and touched Erin's shoulder in a sign of support "Miss Lindsay, I can assure you that we're taking very good care of your fiance. It's like I said his low levels are from the medication and the stress his body endured from surgery. The oxygen he's on has brought the level up within normal range. It's really a precaution and it's better than him being on a vent which can lead to pneumonia. He'll be ok, would you like to go in and see him now?"

Erin nodded and used the sleeve of her sweater to wipe her eyes. "Yeah, I'd like that"

Dr. Amato smiled and reached for the door and he pushed it open and walked in.

Erin walked behind Dr. Amato and she smiled sadly as she saw Jay laying on his bed asleep. The vent tube was gone, replaced with the oxygen tube that was around his face and up his nose. He still had the heart monitor connected to his chest and the IV still in his arm.

The sound of Dr. Amato walking over to the side of Jay's bed caused his eyes to flutter open.

"Mr. Halstead, how are you feeling?" Dr. Amato asked.

"Tired" Jay whispered. His voice low and scratchy from where he'd had the tube down his throat.

"That's to be expected" Dr. Amato said as he checked to monitor that was keeping track of Jay's heart rate.

Jay's gaze focused over Dr. Amato's shoulder at Erin who was standing at the foot of his bed. The corners of his mouth turned into a weak smile and he raised his arm off of the bed as a cue for her to come over to him.

Erin walked over to Jay and reached for his hand as she took a seat on his bed. Her eyes welled with tears as she looked down at him.

Dr. Amato finished a note on Jay's chart and after explaining that he'd be back tomorrow, he silently let himself out of the room.

Jay turned his gaze from the door closing behind Dr. Amato to Erin. "You're beautiful" his scratchy voice whispered.

Erin half laughed half sobbed as she reached down and hugged Jay. Jay bit back a groan as he felt Erin hug him. His body was feeling the effects of the surgery and he was sore. But he'd take the discomfort of having this beautiful girl in his arms over being pain free any day.

"I was so scared" Erin said into Jay's neck. She wasn't ready to leave his embrace. Not just yet.

"I'm ok" Jay assured. "It's not the first time I've been shot. I mean the first time led me to meeting you. So it really didn't end all that bad"

Erin pulled back and she sat up and took ahold of his hand. Careful of the IV that was taped to the top of his hand. "I'm sorry"

Jay frowned as he looked up at Erin. "For what?"

Erin looked down at Jay's hand and she tightened her grip as she spoke "A lot of things. I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you, I'm sorry I wasn't here when you woke up. I'm sorry about all the wedding drama that I'm forcing on you. Maybe we should just put that on the back burner for now. Focus on getting things back to normal"

"What?" Jay asked as he looked up at her. "You don't want to marry me?"

Erin shook her head "No...I do. Of course I do. I want that so much. I just want you more. I don't need a fancy party. I just need you"

Jay shook his head as he reached his hand over and adjusted his hospital bed up so he was in more of a seated position. He frowned as the new position made his body ache. "Erin, where is this coming from?"

Erin shrugged her shoulders "I don't know. I've just had a lot on my mind in the last day or so"

"Baby, is there something going on I don't know about? Is it Voight? Is it work? Cause you know you can tell me anything" Jay assured.

Erin looked at Jay and she forced a smile as her hazel eyes searched his blue ones.

Through the panic of Hank telling her to come to the hospital she'd forgotten to look at the pregnancy test that was sitting on the bathroom sink of her apartment. She'd take care of it when she got home tonight. For now though, she just needed to focus on her fiance. The man who needed her. So she did the only thing she could think to do, She forced a smile and lied "No. There's nothing going on"

Jay looked at Erin and sighed. He knew there was something wrong. He just didn't know what was bugging her. He knew he should believe her, but something told him that something wasn't quite right. "You need to get some rest"

"I'm not going anywhere" Erin said moving from Jay's bed to the empty seat that was next to him.

Jay hit the button to put his bed back and he sighed as the ache in his muscles subsided once he switched positions on the bed. "Erin, please go home and get some sleep. I'll be fine"

"I'm ok. I want to be here with you" Erin reached over and took Jay's hand.

Jay squeezed Erin's hand and he yawned as he tried to fight the effects of the medicine.

"You should get some sleep" Erin scooted her chair closer to Jay's bed and yawned.

"Erin, seriously go home and come back in the morning. You're not going to get any rest here. Baby, please" Jay let go of Erin's hand and lifted it up to her cheek.

Erin leaned her head into Jay's hand as she felt him run his hand across her cheek. "I'll be back first thing in the morning"

Jay nodded and weakly smiled up at her. "Good"

Erin didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay with Jay, but he had a point. Her bed did sound amazing and so did the hot shower she really wanted to take. "I'll see you in the morning"

Jay let his hand fall from Erin's cheek as she stood up. She leaned over him and kissed him on the lips before pulling away. "I love you"

Jay smiled and looked up at Erin. "I love you, too. Please get some sleep"

"I will" Erin promised as she walked towards the door. She gave one last look over at Jay who already had his eyes closed and was drifting off to sleep.

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Erin stepped off the elevator and stopped in her tracks when she saw Kim Burgess sitting in front of her apartment door.

"Um...hey" Erin said pulling her keys out.

"Hey" Kim said standing up. "Did you take the test?"

"I did" Erin said walking over to the door and putting her key in.

"And?" Kim asked tilting her head to the side.

"I forgot to look at it" Erin unlocked the door to her apartment and stepped inside.

"What? How do you forget to look at your pregnancy test?" Kim asked. She folded her arms over her chest and tapped her foot on the floor.

"I had to go see Jay" Erin leaned against the door frame and reached her hand up and rubbed the back of her neck.

"Is he ok?" Kim asked.

"He's awake" Erin gave a small smile as she thought about Jay and how thankful she was that he was awake. Man, she needed to get to church soon. Cause this past year while so completely messy, ended up being one of the most blessed of her entire life.

"Are you going to take the other test tonight? I mean there's two in the pack" Burgess asked.

"I don't know, Burgess. Can you get off my back about it. I'll take it when I take it. You shouldn't even be here. It's late" Erin spat as she looked at Kim.

"You're right, I'm sorry. I just...I don't know...I thought we could actually be friends, Erin" Burgess shook her head and grabbed her purse off of the floor by Erin's door and turned to walk away.

"Wait" Erin called after her.

"It's fine, Erin. I'll see you at work" Burgess said pressing the button on the elevator.

"It's not...I'm sorry" Erin stepped out of her apartment. "I'm sorry. It's just been a really long day. I've not slept in like twenty-some hours. Do you want to come in?"

Burgess thought for a minute and nodded. "Sure, I'd like that"

Erin sighed and gave Kim a slight smile. Kim had been nothing but a friend since she'd known her and she'd especially been a good friend in the last 24 hours and if anything that's exactly what Erin needed right now, a friend.

"Are you hungry?" Erin asked as she and Kim walked into her apartment.

"I'm starving actually. And Platt thinks I'm pregnant" Burgess put her purse down on Erin's kitchen island and turned to face Erin.

"What?" Erin asked shutting her door.

"Platt thinks I'm pregnant. So if you could maybe take the test so I don't have to answer to her tomorrow, I'd appreciate it" Kim leaned against Erin's kitchen island as she repeated herself.

"Can I take a shower first?" Erin asked setting her keys down and slipping her shoes off.

"Yeah. I'll make us something to eat" Kim said walking over to the cabinents in search of something to fix.

"I'll be back" Erin slipped her sweater off of her and hung it over the back of the kitchen chair.

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Erin stepped out of the shower and wrapped her towel around her. She looked at the sink at the box that was sitting on the bathroom sink and with shaking hands she reached into the box and grabbed the wrapper covered stick and unwrapped it.

Erin quickly took the test and put the cap back on and sat the stick on the sink. She walked out of the bathroom and put a pair of leggings and a tank top on before running a brush through her hair and pulling it into a pony tail.

Erin walked out of her bedroom and to the kitchen where Kim was making spaghetti. "That smells good"

Kim looked over her shoulder from where she was stirring the pot of sauce. "Thanks. I hope you don't mind that I used some of the tomatoes you had in your fridge"

"I don't mind" Erin pulled the stool out and took a seat. "I didn't know that you could cook"

Burgess shrugged her shoulders "I don't cook that much. I usually don't have anybody to cook for"

"What about Ruzek?" Erin asked covering her mouth as she yawned.

"Adam, actually cooks for me" Kim turned the stove off and she grabbed the pot of spaghetti noodles and walked over to the sink to drain them.

"Ruzek cooks?" Erin asked with a slight laugh.

"Yeah, he's actually a really good cook" Burgess said as she poured the pasta water out.

"I had no idea" Erin looked over at the clock on the wall and she felt her stomach flip flop as she realized it was time to go check her test.

"I'd invite you over to my place so that Adam could cook for you and Jay sometime, but my place is about the size of a shoebox. But we could always do it some place else" Burgess kept her back to Erin as she moved the pot of noodles back to the stove.

Erin slipped off of the stool and she slowly walked into her bedroom and over to the bathroom. She stopped in the doorway as she took a few deep steady breaths as she looked at the stick sitting on the sink.

Time stood still as Erin took the few steps over to the sink and she picked up the stick and closed her eyes as she turned it over.

"No matter what it says. It's going to be ok" Erin thought to herself as she slowly opened her eyes and looked down at the stick.

"Erin?" Burgess asked walking into Erin's bedroom "Are you ok?"

Erin could hear Kim talking, but she felt like she was having an outer body experience. Like Kim's voice was just an echo in her apartment. The only thing that she could focus on was the stick in her hands.

"Erin?" Kim asked rounding the corner and standing in the bathroom doorway. "Dinner's ready"

Erin nodded as she kept her back to Kim. "I'll be there in a minute"

Burgess leaned against the doorframe and she looked at Erin "Are you ok?"

Erin nodded and she slowly turned to face Burgess. "I'm pregnant"

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The next morning Ruzek walked up into the precinct and started towards the steps to go upstairs.

"Hey Ruzek" Platt called from her desk.

"Yeah?" Ruzek turned around in his spot.

"Are your legs broken?" Platt asked shrugging her shoulders.

"No" Ruzek looked up at the stairs and then back at Platt.

"Well then get the hell over here" Platt narrowed her eyes at Adam and used her hand to gesture him over.

"Damn" Ruzek said under his breath as he walked over to the desk. "Something I can help you with?"

Platt scoffed a laugh and looked at Ruzek. "Well, you can start by wiping that smile off your face"

Ruzek's smile fell and he narrowed his eyes at Platt. "Something the matter?"

"Yeah...there is. You're an idiot" Platt reached under her desk and grabbed a folder of paperwork.

"What's this?" Ruzek asked as Platt dropped the folder in front of him.

"Fill it out and turn it back in. I have to file it for you" Platt watched as Ruzek opened the folder and skimmed it.

"I don't need this. What is this? A family medical leave? Paternity leave? This is the wrong paperwork" Ruzek raised an eyebrow at Platt as he shut the folder.

"Yes you do. You need to fill it out, so that you can get your medical leave. I mean I know that protecting yourself isn't your thing, but this will give you time with Burgess to take care of they baby" Platt pushed the folder back towards Ruzek and rolled her eyes.

"What are you talking about? Baby? What baby?" Ruzek asked.

"Your baby, Ruzek. My God, I knew you were dumb, but I didn't think you were that dumb" Platt rubbed her temples. The conversation she was having was giving her a headache.

"Kim's pregnant?" Adam asked. The realization of what was happening and the folder in front of him was finally setting in.

"Um, yeah. Don't act like you didn't know" Platt rolled her eyes and started organizing some paperwork.

"Pregnant?" Ruzek repeated the color draining from his face. He felt his chest tighten and his lungs lose air.

"You knew that, Ruzek" Platt said not looking up from her paperwork.

"Preg...pregnant?" Ruzek repeated.

Adam leaned into the desk as he felt his knees start to shake. How the hell did this happen? He made sure that he and Kim were ALWAYS careful when they were having sex. Everybody used everything they were supposed to use. He wasn't ready to be a father. Down the road? Sure. Now? Not even close.

"You didn't know?" Platt asked looking up from her paperwork at Ruzek.

Adam couldn't find the words to speak, so he just shook his head no.

"Oh, well don't I feel like an ass" Platt sighed as she looked at Ruzek and then down at her paperwork. "Oh well. At least you know now"

Ruzek looked out the precinct doors as Kim and Roman walked in.

"Morning Platt, Ruzek" Roman said as he walked past the desk and down the hall.

"Hey" Burgess smiled as she walked up to Adam and Platt. She placed a hand on Ruzek's shoulder.

"He...he...hey" Ruzek managed to finally say.

"You ok?" Burgess asked as she looked up at him.

"Fine...I'm fine...I'm fine" Ruzek stumbled over his words as he started to back away from Kim.

"Do you want to get a coffee before you go upstairs?" Burgess asked taking a step towards Ruzek.

"Um, I really need to get upstairs" Adam held his hand up and Burgess stopped in her steps from where she was walking towards him.

"Um, ok" Burgess watched as Adam backed away from her and turned on his feet and went up the stairs.

"What do you think that was about?" Burgess asked leaning against the desk.

"I have no idea' Platt said not looking up from her paperwork.

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Erin sat in the doctors' office and she looked around the room at the various women who were seated around her. All of them at various stages of pregnancy. Erin took a deep breath and twisted her engagement ring around her finger.

"Nervous?" a voice from beside her asked.

"Something like that" Erin answered as she looked over at the girl who was sitting next to her.

"Is this your first?" the girl asked.

Erin nodded "Yeah, at least I think so. I mean this is more of a confirmation appointment. I took a test and it was positive"

"Congratulations. I'm Brittany by the way" The girl said extending her hand to Erin.

"Erin" Erin shook the girl's hand and let it fall to her lap. "So, is this your first?"

Brittany nodded. "Yeah, It's a little unexpected. My husband and I haven't been married that long"

"Well you're doing better than me. I'm not even married. Just engaged" Erin looked down at her ring and smiled sadly.

"Well, my husband and I eloped so, don't feel too bad. It wasn't any glamorous wedding" Brittany shrugged her shoulders and flipped through her magazine.

"Where'd you elope?" Erin asked. For some reason talking to this girl was actually calming her nerves.

"Vegas. We actually didn't know each other that long before we got married. He works in the city actually, he's a firefighter" Brittany smiled as she spoke proudly of her husband.

The realization of who this person talking to Erin was finally set in. "Kelly Severide?"

"Yeah, you know him?" Brittany asked looking up from her magzine.

"Um, yeah...something like that" Erin sighed and forced a smile.

She'd never personally met Brittany Severide, only heard about her and of all of the places for the two to finally meet. It had to be here.

"Wait, you said your name's Erin? Erin Lindsay?" Brittany closed her magazine and turned to face Erin.

"That's me" Erin said. For some reason she suddenly felt uncomfortable with Brittany's gaze on her.

"So you and my husband...have..." Brittany's voice trailed off.

"It was a long time ago. And it was really just the once" Erin assured.

"Talk about a small world, right?" Brittany asked with an awkward laugh trying to break the sudden tension between the two of them.

"You can say that again" Erin looked back down at her ring. The sudden nervousness coming back over her.

"Well, hey. What are you going to do? I mean we're both adults. There's no reason to let this be awkward" Brittany said.

"Of course not" Erin assured.

"I'm just going to step out in the hallway and get a drink" Brittany said standing up from her chair and grabbing her purse.

"Are you ok?" Erin asked.

"Yeah...I'm fine. It was nice meeting you, Erin" Brittany said over her shoulder as she turned and walked out of the doctors' office.

"So much for not awkward" Erin whispered to herself.

"Erin Lindsay?" A nurse called from the door.

Erin looked up at the nurse and stood up. Her legs felt like Jell-o as she walked towards the door to go back in the exam room.

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Erin sat on the exam table her bare legs dangling off the end of the table. The pink paper gown she was wearing was straight from the pages of Vogue and matched the gauze that was taped to her arm from her blood work so well.

She couldn't believe this was happening. All because she got wrapped up in the stress of life and forgot to come in and get her birth control shot. How stupid could she have been? The one thing that she was supposed to do, she didn't. Jay was going to freak, and Voight? Hell, he'd just had a heart attack. This news would for sure kill him. After he killed Jay of course.

A knock on the door startled Erin and she gave a forced smile as the doctor came in.

"Ms. Lindsay, I'm Dr. Amanda Backus. How are you today?" Dr. Backus asked as she politely smiled and shook Erin's hand.

"I'm ok" Erin answered as she shook the doctor's hand.

"I understand that you took a pregnancy test and it came back positive" Dr. Backus said lookin at Erin's chart as she took a seat.

"Yeah" Erin nodded as she twisted her ring on her finger.

"Well, your blood work has been sent off to check for any genetic abnormalities. I'd like to do a quick ultrasound to confirm pregnancy and see what's going on. Is that ok with you?" Dr. Backus asked.

"Yeah" Erin said with a nod.

"Great" Dr. Backus said with a smile and she stood and washed her hands and slipped some gloves on.

A nurse came in and set up the ultrasound machine. Erin watched as the nurse took the ultrasound wand and slipped a condom over the the long tube. "How ironic" Erin thought to herself.

"Ok, Erin. If you just lay back and put your feet in the stirrups we will start the ultrasound" Dr. Backus walked over to stand at the bottom of the exam table by Erin's legs and helped her slip her bare feet into the stirrups.

Erin laid back on the exam table and tried to will herself not to cry. This is what complete and utter humiliation must feel like. Erin watched as the nurse squirted some lubricant onto the ultrasound wand and hand it to Dr. Backus.

"Just relax, Erin" Dr. Backus gave Erin a small smile and pulled the paper blanket covering Erin's knees up to her thighs.

Erin winced as she felt the wand slide into her and she kept her eyes on the ceiling until she heard it.

The unmistakeable "Woosh Woosh" that filled the room. The rhythmic, strong and steady beat of her baby's heart.

Erin's gaze instantly went to the screen as Dr. Backus turned the monitor to where Erin could see. "This is the amniotic sac" Dr. Backus said pointing to the dark circle on the screen. "And this. this flicker right here...that's the heart. Very strong and very healthy. I'd say from the looks of it you're around almost 7 weeks"

Erin couldn't take her eyes off of the flickering on the screen. There it was. The proof she needed. The perfect thing that she and the man that she loved had created.

Baby Halstead, barely the size of a peanut yet, completely and simply perfect.

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I really hope that you guys liked this chapter. As always, I'm open to any suggestions that you guys may have on what you'd like to see happen. It snowed where I live for the first time this winter. Have to say, I'm already over it. I need my flip flops, Please review and thanks for reading!

I do have a question for you guys regarding the Linstead wedding in this story.

Should they wait until the baby comes?Move the wedding up?Keep the wedding date and Erin just be pregnant?

Or no wedding at all?