Following the trial in which Pierce was convicted, Kate appeared to be getting back to her old self. The pain from surgery had dissipated slightly and the little girl no longer flinched in the presence of people she knew around the district. While she was still shy around people she was unfamiliar with, Kate had opened up even more to her parents, Hank, Will, Platt and had even taken to Atwater, Ruzek, Burgess and Olinsky. The nightmares she endured seemed to be the same if not worse following the trial, the experience likely pushing the trauma to the surface.
"They're booking him for 10 to 15," Hank reported to Erin and Jay as were pouring cups of coffee in the breakroom. "Stone just called."
"Good." Jay stated, stirring his coffee, "I hope he rots there."
"Believe me, heading up to Statesville as a chomo isn't going to end well for him." Hank glanced at Erin, who appeared to be absent, "How did drop off for the first day back go?"
"Really well, actually." Erin told him, snapping out of her daze, "She was excited to go back and since her stomach's been better, we thought it was okay. I mean, she's only going to be there for a half day so she can come here and nap but it is way better than sleeping all day."
Jay nodded in agreement, "Oh, Er, you have a doctor's appointment, right?"
"Yeah." She turned to her sergeant, "I got a check up in the afternoon so I'll need a half day."
"No problem." Hank nodded, heading for his office.
"Jay." Erin caught her partner's arm, "Annie asked if I could meet up for a drink. Is it cool if I just meet you and Kate at home for dinner?"
"Of course, babe." Jay kissed her lips lightly before settling down behind his desk.
Erin had been distant all morning. Intelligence was working on a backlog of paperwork, which didn't require much attention, but she didn't even flinch at jokes made by Ruzek and Atwater and barely noticed when Jay refilled her mug of coffee. "You good, babe?" Jay asked when the bullpen was deserted for a moment and it was just the two of them.
She nodded in response. "Yeah, just tired." Jay raised his eyebrows in suspicion but didn't push her. Erin rose to fill her mug for the third time that day, leaving her partner concerned but worried still.
"Daddy! Mommy!" Kate bounded up the steps and hurried to her father's desk, where Jay was seated with outstretched arms. Platt waved to Jay after she saw the little girl reach her father and head back downstairs to manage the front desk.
"Hey Squirt! How was your day?" Jay grinned, holding the little girl tightly in his embrace, "Did you have fun?"
"Yes!" Kate exclaimed, leaning back on Jay's lap, "We learned about the arc-tic and the polar bears! Daddy, did you know that their fur is actually clear, not white?"
"Wow." Jay smiled, pressing a kiss atop her head, "So it was good to be back, hm?"
Kate nodded eagerly, "I go back tomorrow too?"
"Well, tomorrow is Saturday, but on Monday you will, okay?"
The little girl nodded again, hugging her father close again. "And my tummy doesn't hurt and I'm only a lil sleepy."
"That's great, Squirt." Jay stroked her head, "How about some lunch and then maybe a little nap?"
"Where's Mommy?" Kate lifted her head and glanced over to Erin's empty desk.
"She's getting coffee, I think." Jay informed her, "Do you want to go look for her?"
Kate nodded and slid off Jay's lap in search of her mother. She poked her head into the breakroom, where Erin was standing in front of the coffee machine, zoned out as it dripped into the pot. "Mommy?"
