Case by Case Love

Chapter 9: Worried

Author's Note: This chapter is going to repeat some of the happenings form the previous chapter -- but in another's character's perspective. I want to make sure everyone knows the feelings.....

Erin takes a deep breath as she looks up at the Magnificent Towers. There was no way you could tell from ground level where Jay was, but she was hoping it'd be possible as she tried to count five windows up.

Suite 507. That was where he was right now, seemingly chained right now to a device that could blow up in a matter of moments. That was all that kept ringing through her mind as she tried to take a series of deep breathes. She was one of the top detectives in the city of Chicago. She was working for the top unit in the whole city. They were known for focusing on the job, and doing whatever it took to solve every single case. That was why they were given the toughest things to handle. So why couldn't she focus on the task at hand right now? All her mind kept thinking about was him....

"Kim, Adam, Erin, Hailey - be on the lookout for the man leaving the building and the direction of travel," she hears Hank's voice over the radio. Actually, she probably didn't hear it that way - but yet coming right from beside her. That's where he stood anyway right now, but you couldn't have told her mind that. Instead, her eyes were focused on the floors above. She knew her eyes should be focused on the front door, or possibly making her way around to the side exits and back door to check if he was there. But yet she couldn't bring herself to look away or move away from her current view. She honestly wished she was where Hailey and Adam were - having climbed to get a view for a possible sniper shot. "Do not approach until Jay confirms the bomb has been disarmed. Jay, how much time do we have to clear the area?" 

"13 minutes now....." was the words that came across the radio next from Jay. She may have been panicked, barely able to control her breathing right now, but he sounded calm as a cucumber. Why was he able to do that no matter what danger they were in? Even when he was kidnapped before, he was the voice of reason. What in tarnation from his training gave him that ability to do that? Alas, it was also one of the qualities and reasons why she loved that man. The confidence and demeanor gave her belief that no matter what came their way, and especially with her turmoil of a life, he would always be the knight in shining armor. 

"5021 Adam there will be two men exiting the building. Do not shoot either of these men. The first individual has a trigger that can blow up a bomb in suite 507. The second man is a hostage from that very suite." There was no worry about Erin causing harm or issues for either of these men. Her hand hadn't moved to where her weapon laid on her waist. Her eyes hadn't moved from where they focused on the building ahead of her. 

Normally by now she would have been taking charge of the situation, and had her eyes locked and ready for revenge on the man that had just tried to harm Jay. Instead, she was stuck frozen. What was happening to her? Why was she not able to do her job right now? Could it be the fear of losing him? She had just gotten him back. She had just gotten to feel his lips against hers, feel his skin to the touch of her hands. What if she lost him all over again? There was no way she could handle the pain. 

"Bomb squad is here with me if you would like to describe the device to them," Hank's voice fills her ears once again. She almost wished Jay would answer their boss right away, just wanting to hear his voice. Maybe the calmness of his voice would calm her beating heart and she could do her job as described. "Jay?"

"Just make sure the area is cleared because it could go off at anytime if I move it slightly," was the response that Hank was given. Normally, his voice would be calming. However, the fact that he knew there was a chance he could still go off -  it only made her heart beat faster. The chance of him surviving was sliming by each passing second. She could not stand losing him right now. She would not survive. She barely survived Nadia and Al. Jay? That was a different story in itself.

Silence filled the air as nobody spoke. All Erin could hear was the ticking of her watch with each second and minute passing. She wanted to look down to see the time, wanting to know how much time had passed since Jay had radioed the 13 minute warning. But yet her fear stopped her. She didn't want to know how much time was left. She didn't want to think about the possibility of everything going wrong.

"This is 5021 George, bomb has been disarmed," Jay's voice comes through finally, resulting in the longest sigh of relief possible as she felt her eyes finally leave the building to look over at her boss. Oh shit. She hadn't moved since coming to his side when Jay requested the building to be cleared. She could already see the lecture that would come in his office either that day or the next. "I'm still chained to the device, need the chain cutters. Please send rescue....and someone arrest the son of a bitch!"

Erin wanted to grab the chain cutters and hurry into the building herself. She wanted to rush up the stairs, possibly skipping a couple along the way, and burst into the building. She wanted to slice the chain, wrap her arms around his shoulders and pull his body close to hers, followed by a kiss on his lips. She knew she wouldn't be assured it was all okay until that moment.

But she stopped herself. She knew that would be frowned upon by every single person on scene. It was why she reluctantly watched as a pair of the bomb squad team made their way in the front doors of the building - chain cutters and a bag for the device in hand.

She was already counting the seconds and minutes until Jay would be before her once again.....

BANG!!!!!

"What the hell was that?!?" Erin screams as she looks around in complete shock. "Jay!?!"