76. Chapter 76

I can't seem to stop! This one appeared out of nowhere - so I guess there's gonna be a few more chapters :)

When Hank awoke, the first thing he thought about was Erin. Erin. Erin had been shot. His Erin. He quickly widened his eyes and exhaled after a moment, realizing that even though Erin had been shot, she was in the hospital and had awoken after surgery. His granddaughter was fast asleep on his shoulder, the shirt he borrowed from his detective's brother rumpled where her fists had squeezed it tightly. The little girl was finally sleeping peacefully after intermittently being woken by various doctors and nurses coming to check on Erin.

Erin was also asleep, cuddled against Halstead's chest. Hank's jaw tightened – he could never be truly comfortable with his girl in a man's arms. But he relaxed, seeing the exhaustion written all over his detective's face as he slept beside her, content to finally have his partner so close. Hank understood the feeling well. When Camille was in the hospital and in and out of surgery, all he wanted to do was be near.

Despite his best efforts to dislike the man his daughter was seeing, Hank didn't disapprove of Halstead. In fact, in the years of working with him, learning about his past, Hank had grown quite fond of the younger detective. He didn't ever think anyone would be good enough for his Erin, but Halstead was coming close.

"Where are you going?" Hank barked as Erin thundered down the staircase. She had been living back in her old bedroom for two days, working through the detox in his house as part of her conditions for returning to work. She'd been on her best behavior and was really trying to hide the detox symptoms from her boss and father figure, but Hank saw straight through it all. He winced internally every time his girl squeezed the bridge between her eyes, trying to suppress the pounding in her head. He couldn't ignore the painful vomit noises that echoed from the bathroom late at night or the tremors in her hands when she poured coffee. His girl was strong though, and she was determined.

"Jay's getting discharged today." Erin looked at her boss with hopeful eyes, "I thought I should be there. Maybe pick up some take out or something so I don't burn the house down." Hank's pointed gaze had softened, "He's…he's hurt because of me, Hank."

Hank grunted, "I'll drive you," he said decidedly, fishing the keys out of his pocket. Erin furrowed her brow in frustration.

"It's just Jay," she complained, "I don't need a chaperone to pick up take out and drop it at my partner's house." Hank turned to Erin, arms folded across his chest. Without speaking, his gaze said everything. "Fine," she huffed, pulling open the front door and marching for the Escalade.

Erin's anxiety was palpable as Hank slowed to a stop outside Jay's building. Her hands were shaking ever so slightly as she gripped the tray of take out. "Can you just wait out here?" she pleaded, casting a desperate look to her sergeant, "I'll be quick."

"You got five minutes," Hank informed her, glancing down at his watch, "Tell Halstead he's not coming back without a doctor's signature that isn't his brother's."

Erin nodded and disembarked, nervously approaching the apartment she'd casually barged into hundreds of times before. "Er?" Jay asked, pulling open the front door gingerly, "What are you doing here?"

"Brought you some take out." She extended the dish slightly, lips quirking upwards at her nickname rolling off his tongue, "Hank let me out of his sight for five minutes."

"That bad, huh?" Jay chuckled and pulled open the door, "C'mon in."

"I-I can't stay," she replied, setting the food on the counter, "He's waiting for me. Outside."

"Tight leash," he mused, sizing up his partner in front of him. She looked considerably healthier than the last few times he had seen her. Her eyes were clear and her gaze was lucid, though he could see the dark circles beneath her eyes that she had attempted to disguise with makeup. Erin looked exhausted, thin and nervous, but she was still his partner. His Erin. "I'm glad you stopped by though. It means a lot."

"I mean, it's the least I could do. My fault you're all banged up," she shifted on her feet slightly.

"Erin…" he trailed off, unsure of how to comfort his partner. Despite her rigid posture and his aching body, Jay stepped forward and pulled her into a hug, "It's alright."

"It's not," she mumbled into his shirt, inhaling the familiar scent of the partner she cared so deeply for, "It's not okay. You're not okay." Her breath hitched as she fought to keep the tears at bay, "You could have died."

"But I didn't," he reminded her, gently stroking her back, "I'm still here, and so are you. And we're both going to be okay."

With that, tears gushed out of her eyes before she could tell herself to stop it. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she rushed out, pulling back to wipe her cheeks, "I didn't mean to come here and cry on you, I-I just wanted to bring the food and make sure you're okay."

"You don't need to be sorry," Jay assured her, pulling her back against his chest, "Not with me, Er."

A sharp knock on the door interrupted Erin's thoughts. "Shit, Hank," she hissed as Jay opened the front door.

"Hey Sarge," Jay greeted, attempting to be as casual as possible, as if the fact that his sergeant showing up on his doorstep wasn't completely out of the ordinary.

"You're looking better, Halstead," Hank replied, glancing suspiciously at the scene in front of him. Erin was wiping her eyes. Had his girl been crying? "You about ready to go, Erin?"

She nodded and turned back to Jay, "I'll, um, text you, okay?"

Jay nodded in reply. "Thanks for the take out." Erin hustled out of the apartment, intent on escaping the situation as soon as possible.

Despite the fact that Hank tried to ignore it, the marked shift in his almost-daughter's demeanor after interacting with Halstead was undeniable. After seeing her partner alive and on the mend, Erin turned a corner. When his detective returned to work, she came home every night with a smile on her lips. And after she moved back into her old place and he basically told Halstead he was allowed to date his daughter, it was like Erin was back to her old self. Her old self, but better. Nobody made her as happy as Jay did.

A soft moan brought Hank out of his reverie. "You alright, kid?" he asked quietly, Halstead and Kate still asleep in the hospital room.

"Shoulder hurts," she mumbled dejectedly, wincing as she shifted slightly, "Numbing stuff must've worn off."

"We can get you something for the pain," Hank reminded her as gently as possible. Her eyes went wide as the words left his lips. She hadn't expected that from her father-figure, who had spent countless hours in her youth helping her detox from the narcotics her mother or boyfriend provided. Erin knew just how much it hurt Hank to see her go down that road again with Nadia. "You were shot, Erin. You're allowed to be in pain, and you're allowed to have some relief."

Erin shook her head, "I-I don't want to have Kate watch me detox. Or go put you through that again. I'll be alright."

Hank was about to reply when Halstead opened his eyes. "You okay, Er?" Jay mumbled, stirring awake at Erin's movements, "How's the pain?"

"Not good," Hank supplied for her, issuing a pointed stare, "She doesn't want the meds."

Erin scowled at Hank, "I'm going to be fine. I'm just a little sore."

"Kid, the pain is written all over your face," Hank replied as carefully as he could, "Are you sure you don't want anything?"

"Yes," she insisted. Her eyes fell upon her little girl, still asleep on Hank's shoulder. "After Nadia, I…" she trailed off, "I just can't do that to either of you again. I'll manage with some ibuprofen or something."

"Babe," Jay started as Hank stifled the eye roll at his detective's nickname for his daughter, "I get it. I really do. I know you don't want to go down that road again, and I respect the hell out of you for it. But maybe there's something else they can try that will take the edge off, just a bit. Everything can be closely monitored. You've got me, and Hank, and Kate, and we're not going to let anything happen to you, okay?"

Hank widened his eyes in surprise when Erin managed a small nod. Halstead did have a way with words, especially when it came to his girl. "Okay," she whispered, "I trust you."

"I'll grab a nurse." Hank stood with Kate in his arms, who stirred slightly.

"Where's Mommy?" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes tiredly as Hank stopped before the door. "Where's Daddy?"

"Here, Squirt," Jay offered a tired smile, one arm still wrapped around Erin, "I got her, Sarge."

Hank carefully passed the little girl off to her father, who melted against his chest in relief. "Hi Mommy," she whispered, "I missed you."

"I missed you too, baby," Erin replied, leaning her head closer to her daughter, "I love you so much, you know that?"

"Uh huh," Kate smiled, "I'm so glad I got a mommy and a daddy still."

Jay smiled sadly and pressed a kiss atop Kate's head. "Are you hungry, kiddo? It's about breakfast time. Maybe when Grandpa Hank gets back, you guys could go grab something to eat?"

"I wanna stay with you and Mommy," Kate replied quickly. Jay felt her heart rate pick up almost immediately, "I-I-I don't wanna leave."

"I'm not going anywhere," Erin reassured her, gingerly reaching her hand to stroke her daughter's cheek, "Promise. I'll be right here. And soon, we'll all be going home."

Kate was quiet for a moment. "You hurtin', Mommy?"

She drew in a breath. On one hand, Erin really didn't want to admit to her little girl how much pain she was in, but on the other, Kate's maturity and own experiences would make it difficult to skirt around the truth. "I am, baby," she said finally, "But I'm getting better. And Grandpa Hank and Daddy are going to help make sure that I get the right medicine to make me feel better, just like when you were sick."

"I can help too," Kate informed her. Erin smiled at her daughter's quick response. She was certainly something else. "'cause you helped me get better when my tummy hurted. So I can help you."

"You are the best," Jay kissed Kate's head again, "We make a pretty good team, huh?"

"Doctor's gonna be in shortly," Hank announced as he re-entered the hospital room. He smiled gently at the little family in Erin's hospital bed. "How about some breakfast, Kate?"

"We get some for Mommy and Daddy too?" Kate asked hopefully, "To help Mommy feel better?"

"Great idea," Hank replied, boosting her off the bed and onto the linoleum floor, "Shall we take a little adventure?" He held out a calloused palm, which Kate accepted.

"We be right back, right?" she asked, glancing to her parents.

"That's right," Hank confirmed, "We'll be right back."

"How are you feeling, Erin?" Dr Choi stood at the end of Erin's bed, flipping through her chart. Jay was back to his seat on the chair beside her bed and Erin desperately missed the comfort of her partner beside her. "On a scale of one to ten, how's the pain?"

"Eight," she mumbled miserably, "I-I think it's getting worse." Jay rubbed her hand, proud that his girl was able to be honest with herself and the doctor. "I-I really don't want to take any narcotics."

"I understand that," Choi responded, "I'm going to take a look at the shoulder and then we can go from there, sound good?"

Erin nodded, gripping Jay's hand tightly as Choi pulled back the bandages around her injured shoulder. She was so glad Kate and Hank had gone for breakfast, unable to suppress the squeaks of pain that left her lips as the doctor examined her wound. "Everything okay?" Jay asked nervously as Choi replaced the bandages. Erin's eyes were screwed tightly, each adjustment feeling like she was being prodded with a sharp stick.

"I'm going to prescribe some additional antibiotics," he replied, taking another look at Erin's chart, "Her temp is slightly elevated and with the pain, it looks like there's an infection."

Erin let out an uncharacteristic whimper while Jay sucked in a breath, "Okay, what does that mean?" he asked slowly, trying to remain as calm as possible, "She's still going to be fine, right?"

"We've got it early," Choi assured the couple, "It's likely why you're in an increasing amount of pain. I'm going to also prescribe some non-narcotic painkillers that should alleviate some of your discomfort. They'll make you tired, but they should do the trick."

"Low dose," Erin insisted, cracking her eyes open, her hand still holding Jay's tightly, "Okay?"

Choi nodded, "We're going to keep you here for at least another twelve hours and likely another night to make sure the infection doesn't spread."

Jay had expected that Erin would fight back but instead she nodded in agreement. He grimaced – she must really not be feeling well if she didn't argue the prospect of staying another night. "Thanks man," he said, "Really appreciate it."

After another night in the hospital, Erin was allowed back home. The infection was cleared quickly and she was finally able to subdue the pain with ibuprofen. While the sling was undesirable to say the least, Erin was incredibly grateful to be home with her family. She had convinced Hank and her doctors to allow her to return to work, albeit sequestered on desk duty while her shoulder healed. The detective role in Intelligence without knocking down doors and being on the streets was slow and painstaking, especially since she could see her partner leaving to do the job without her. With the hot summer quickly approaching, Erin was cranky.

Thank god for her sweet little girl though. Kate was a welcome distraction from the ache in her shoulder as the wound healed and the muscles regrew. Now that she had more flexibility in her work schedule, she was able to pick Kate up from preschool and take her home at a reasonable hour.

Intelligence was in the middle of another massive case involving a series of armed robberies across the city. Erin sat at her desk, conducting as much research as she could from behind the screen while Jay and the wider team set out to raid what they determined to be one of the gang member's houses.

"Chicago PD!" Atwater bellowed, blowing the door off its hinges. The rest of the team filled into the house, guns drawn.

Jay cleared the kitchen, noting the drug paraphernalia all over the counter tops. Suddenly, a small cough caused him to freeze. "Chicago PD," he called out, carefully pulling open the kitchen closet door.

Immediately, he froze. There, huddled against the back wall, was a young boy. He sucked in a breath and lowered his weapon, the child shaking slightly.

"Hi buddy," Jay said kindly, crouching beside the little boy, "It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you." He offered a smile, "I'm here to help you. Can you tell me your name?"

He looked warily at the man in front of him, tiny brown hands clutching a worn, floppy stuffed dog. "Hen-wy," he managed, tears filling his dark eyes and spilling down his cheeks.

"It's alright," Jay soothed, "You're safe now, Henry, okay? You're safe. Can you tell me how old you are?" Judging by the stature of the child in front of him, Jay assumed he was a bit older than Kate, but he couldn't be too sure.

Henry held up four fingers. Jay sucked in a breath, overcome with a sense of déjà vu. Kate had held up the same four timid fingers when Erin had asked her after they found her in the stash house. "Wow," Jay mused, "You are really grown up, huh?"

The little boy sniffed and nodded, "I have a little girl named Kate, and she's four years old too. But actually, she's almost five." Jay thought for a half second and continued, "She's actually down at the police station where I work and has a lot of fun toys and games. Would you like to come play?" He held his hand out for him to hold.

Henry was quiet for a moment, contemplating the idea of taking Jay's outstretched palm. He tentatively slipped his hand into Jay's, "Okay."

"You about ready to head home, baby?" Erin asked. Kate was sitting at Jay's desk, working on a book full of math equations. Alexa Carlson had advised that Jay and Erin encourage their little girl to keep learning, even if it was far above what her peers were capable of.

"What about Daddy?" Kate replied, glancing toward the stairs, "He not back yet."

"Daddy might be a little while," Erin said, swiping across her phone to read a text message from Jay. She furrowed her brow as she read his message, informing her that the team had found a little boy in the abandoned house. He had taken the child to Med for a checkup and was bringing him back to the district to remain in protective custody. "Actually," she said, "Daddy's coming back pretty soon. And he's bringing a little boy who's just about your age."

Kate thought for a moment and then a smile appeared on her lips, "I can share my toys," she said excitedly, "Do you think he's gonna wanna play?"

Erin grinned. Her little girl was perfect. "That would be very nice of you, babes." She turned toward the stairs as she heard the familiar sound of the buzzer, "That might be Daddy now."

"This is where I work," Jay explained to Henry. The little boy's eyes were like saucers as he took in his surroundings. "I'm going to introduce you to my partner, Erin, and Kate, our daughter." He gave a reassuring smile.

"Hey Er," he called out as they came up the steps, "I've got someone I want you to meet."

Erin rose from her desk and smiled kindly at the boy beside her partner. He was standing closely to Jay's leg, similar to Kate whenever she was nervous. "Hi, I'm Erin," she introduced, sinking down to Henry's level, "What's your name?"

"Hen-wy," Henry said, still clutching Jay's hand with one palm, the stuffed dog with the other.

"Nice to meet you, Henry," Erin said warmly, glancing up at Jay, eyes soft. She turned, expecting to see Kate still at Jay's desk, but she had disappeared. "We have a little girl named Kate who should be around here somewhere. Kate, baby?"

"Here, Mommy," Kate replied, emerging from the breakroom. She was holding Giraffe in her little hands as she slowly approached her parents and the stranger.

"Kate, this is Henry," Jay informed her, "He's four years old, just like you."

The two children made eye contact. "Hi Henry," Kate said finally. She recognized the fear in the little boy's eyes, the same fear she had carried nearly a year ago, "Do you want to come play with me?" Kate held out her Giraffe toward Henry, "I have some am-inals too."

Henry looked up to Jay who nodded. "Dis is Doggy," he said, gesturing to the worn stuffed dog, "What's his name?"

"Giraffe," Kate replied, reaching out to take Henry's hand, "I can show you coloring books!" She looked up at Jay, "That's okay, right Daddy?"

"Absolutely, Squirt." Jay leaned down and kissed the top of her head, "You two have fun, Mommy and I are going to finish up some work, sound good? We'll be right out here," he reassured Henry, who immediately looked nervous.

She nodded and led her new friend to the breakroom. "She's perfect," Jay exhaled, watching the two children interact, "She knew just what to do."

"I'm sure she sees herself in that little boy as well," Erin murmured, relaxing when Jay pressed a kiss to the side of her head, "He was alone in the house?"

Jay nodded, "Likely had been left behind by his older brother. He told me and Nat that he didn't have a Mommy or Daddy." He swallowed, "I put in a call to DCFS, they're pulling his records. Nat is checking to see if there's a familial match in the database, but the odds aren't looking good."

"Poor kid," Erin mused, "His brother is in the wind?"

"Mm-hm. We turned the case over to the gang unit, but when they catch him, his brother is facing at least twenty years, if not life." Jay leaned against his desk, glancing into the breakroom where Kate had presented Henry with a multitude of coloring book options. He smiled wistfully. "She's so good with him."

"Detectives?" Danielle Marcus, the DCFS caseworker who had been involved in the mishap with Kate, stood at the top of the steps to the bullpen.

Immediately, both Jay and Erin went rigid. "What's going on?" Jay asked quickly, "Kate's fine."

"I'm here regarding Henry Williams," she said, stepping closer to the detectives, "My office got a call to say that your unit found him abandoned?"

Jay cleared his throat, "Um, yeah, that's right. Looks like the brother left him behind."

Marcus grimaced sadly, "I've arranged for him to stay with the Humphrey family until we can find a more permanent solution."

Erin nodded slowly, "They're a good family," she whispered to Jay, who nodded as well. Colleen Humphrey had taken care of Kate when DCFS had taken their daughter away. Despite the terrible situation, Colleen Humphrey was a good woman. "Henry really trusts Jay," Erin said to Danielle Marcus, "And after everything that Kate went through, can we talk to them first? Before they see you?"

"I understand," the caseworker replied, "Take all the time you need."

Jay followed Erin into the breakroom where Kate and Henry were coloring. "Henry's really good at coloring," Kate informed her parents. The little boy had scribbled all across the page, clearly not paying any respect to the lines. At the older child's praise, a smile spread across his lips.

"Wow," Jay grinned, crouching beside the children, "That looks great." He turned to Erin, who nodded. "Kate, do you remember the nice lady who took care of you a few months ago? Colleen Humphrey?"

Kate dropped her crayon in surprise, fear written all over her face. Jay grimaced, immediately realizing his mistake in leading with that. "I don't gotta leave you, right?"

"Of course not," Erin interjected, "But Colleen Humphrey was really nice and when kids need to be kept safe, she's there to help."

"Henry, our friend Danielle Marcus is here," Jay said, turning to the little boy who had not picked up on his new friend's anxiety, "She works for the Department of Children and Family services. Sometimes, when kids don't have a mommy or daddy, she steps in and helps make sure that they're safe. And she has a friend, who we know, named Colleen, and she has a few kids of her own. You'll be safe with them while we find your brother."

Kate was quiet as Jay spoke to the little boy. "She is very nice," she said finally, "She taked good care of me."

Erin smiled and kissed the top of Kate's head, so proud of her little girl. "What do you think, Henry? Are you okay to meet our friend Danielle?"

He nodded slowly, tears filling his dark eyes, "Am I gonna see Kate again?"

Jay felt his heart melt within his chest, "Yes," he said firmly, "We'll stop by for a play date, how does that sound?"

Danielle Marcus left the district with Henry. The poor child was frightened out of his mind, but Jay promised he would be by tomorrow to visit. "Good job, babe," Erin whispered, rubbing his back with her good arm.

He managed a smile and kissed her forehead, "Let's go home."

She nodded, "Kate, baby, ready to go?"

Kate emerged from the breakroom, significantly saddened after saying good bye to her friend. "How come with can't take Henry home with us?"