Fighter

Chapter 21

Morning came with dark grey skies, and snow quietly covering the ground as Erin sat staring out the kitchen window with a cup of coffee nestled between her hands. Bags waiting by the door, as she waited for Voight to finish getting ready. Today was the first day of treatment, and she would definitely be a fraud if she denied being afraid. She'd rather be facing a criminal than having to do this, yet life had a weird way of throwing her for a loop.

She finished off the last of the coffee as Voight entered the kitchen, jacket and shoes already on. "Your bags are in the car, you ready kiddo?" She stood, and took her mug to the sink, rising it before she gripped the counter for a moment and taking in a breath. "Yeah." She whispered. They headed out, the drive was painfully long as she watched the streets pass her by, the snow still falling as they pulled into the parking lot of Med. Voight grabbed her bags and carried them ahead of her as she walked slowly behind, stopping as they neared the doors to tip her head up toward the sky with her eyes closed as the snowflakes touched her skin. Usually, she hated the Chicago winter. It was far too cold, messy, and she was always craving the sun - but today was different. "Kid?" She snapped her head to him, standing in the doorway, before following him.

The Cancer unit was quiet. Smelled of disinfectant and hand sanitizer. They passed by rooms, and she avoided looking in - not sure she was emotionally prepared for the view that might be inside. This unit had been a part of her upbringing living with the Voight's, but it had some upgrades since then. From the paint on the walls, to the nurses station they had approached. "Hi, are you here for inpatient treatment?" A blonde, older looking nurse asked. "Yes. Erin Lindsay." She said, pulling her papers out of her purse and handing them over the desk. "Great. I'll get this in once you're settled. Come on, I'll show you to the room you'll be staying in for the chemo." She stood from behind the desk, and lead them down a few rooms. Inside, the room was pretty dull. Two windows looking out to the city below, a sandy colored blanket on top of the hospital issued bedding and the usual hospital equipment. Voight set her bags down near the private bathroom just off to the side. "Sometimes patient families brighten the room up with decorations and such, which you definitely can. I see you brought your own stuff with you, so the hospital gown won't be required, and Dr Hanley will be in soon to talk to you. Is there anything I can help you with before I head back for my rounds?" Erin shook her head. "I'm good. Thank you." With that, the older blonde exited the room, closing the door behind her.
She observed the room once more, before pulling the first bag up onto the bed and pulling the new blanket she purchased the day before, and set it down on the bed. Taking her clothing out and put it into the small cubby next to the bathroom. Voight stood next the window watching her silently organize, not something he was used to seeing. It was no secret she was used to a different lifestyle when it came to her room growing up in his home, but as he watched her at work, he knew it must have been the nerves. "You don't have to stay, you know. You must have a ton of stuff at the unit to do." He shook his head, she was trying to shut him out again, her go to coping mechanism. "Al's handling it while I'm here with you." She stopped what she was doing, turning to face him. "Why? You don't have to do that." She said once more, her face unreadable. "Erin. You don't have to do this alone, I'm not sure why you're even confused as to why I'm doing it?"
Slowly, but surely that independent, closed off teen he had taken under his wing was sneaking out. She didn't need anyone but herself when it came to the tough stuff, which didn't exactly work out well. She huffed and sat down on the bed, raking her hands through her hair. "I can take care of myself. Between you, and Halstead...it's like you both forget I'm a grown woman. I don't want this to upset you, or Jay. You know what's coming." She trailed off. Both men in her life had lost someone they loved dearly to cancer, and she was terrified it was going to bring back all of the awful memories for them. She would much rather go through it alone than to cause them pain from the past. Voight kneeled down in front of her, pulling her hands away from her face. "Why don't you let Halstead and I decide for ourselves on what we can take on, huh? Let people in, Erin." She sighed. "You wouldn't have wanted Camille to go through it alone to spare us, would you?" Wide eyed, she shook her head instantly. "That's not fair, you know I wouldn't." "Kid, you need people around you. This is a tough next month you have." She knew he wouldn't be giving in to her pushing him away, and realistically she knew it wasn't her call to make decisions for other people. "Okay?" He asked, standing. "Okay." That earned her a grin, just as Dr.Hanley entered the room.