Bless the Broken Road that Lead Me Straight to You

Chapter 25

"Halstead," Voight barked from where he stood in the open door of his office. He had seemed seconds away from physically throwing Bunny out of the bullpen, but she had finally relented and left - with no information, thank God. "My office," he said, and then he turned and walked into his office without another word.

Jeez. This is becoming a pattern, Jay thought, as he stood from his desk.

There were no smart ass remarks this time when he walked towards Voight's office, the rest of the team was clearly too shocked to utter a word.

Jay was shocked, too. His mind was reeling. He was pretty sure Erin hadn't seen or even heard from her mother since she moved in with Voight thirteen years ago. And Voight was right... Bunny had been slurring her words. She seemed drunk or high, and she had to be on something. So it's not like she was in recovery and looking for her daughter to make amends.

In short, this was not good. And Jay felt pretty new to this situation, and very unsure of how to handle it. So he was almost glad to be called into Voight's office. His boss, her father would know what to do.

He closed the door gently behind him without being instructed to and sat down in what was becoming his usual chair. When Voight didn't speak, he began instead. "So that was Erin's mom, then?"

Voight just nodded briskly, and then after several moments he shook his head and let out an exasperated sigh. "I need you to do me a favor."

Here it is, Jay thought. Voight was going to outline a plan moving forward, and Jay couldn't help but feel grateful. "Okay."

"We're not going to tell Erin about Bunny's little visit. At least now right now."

What? He did not feel comfortable with that. So much for Voight knowing what to do. Was he crazy? "I... uh... Sir, I'm not sure I feel comfortable lying to Erin." Actually, that was a lie. He knew he didn't feel comfortable lying to Erin. His relationship was new, and while he wouldn't particularly say it was fragile, because actually, he and Erin were pretty damn solid for a new relationship, he still didn't want to do anything that would upset the balance.

"That wasn't a question." Voight said, his voice stern and resolute.

"Okay," he raised his eyebrow in a question. He wasn't agreeing to Voight's proposition, but he wanted him to continue. "Then, what's the favor?"

"Bunny knows where I live." He explained, "Erin needs to stay with you, until we tell her."

Voight hadn't expected Erin to come back to his house during her recovery. He knew she would want to stay with Jay, Maddie, and Grace. He couldn't say it thrilled him, but he could honestly say he was coming around to it. So in truth, the purpose of this conversation was just to make sure he and Jay were on the same page.

But Jay didn't actually know that. Instead, Jay was sitting in the chair across from Voight, wishing he understood what the hell was going through Voight's head.

"Okay," he replied, because he had wanted Erin to stay with him anyway. "When do you think that's going to be?"

Voight answered matter-of-factly, like he had been expecting this question. "When the pain is gone, and she's done with the pills."

Oh. So that's what was going on in Voight's head.

Voight watched as everything began to click for Jay. "Listen Jay," he said, "Erin can handle this, she's as strong as they come."

"Right, I know, so why-"

He wasn't finished. "But she hasn't seen her mother in 13 years. And I just..." I just don't know what she'll do when she sees her drugged out, waste of space mother. "I just want her to be off the pills." No sense in putting her in a position where she might even consider relapsing.