One Chicago: Linstead

Chapter 3: Hardships

Erin opened her eyes. She heard her phone ringing, so she quickly got up to answer it. "Lindsay."

"Hey, Erin. There's been an accident, Jay's at Med. We should go..." Voight spoke calmly, like he was okay, but he never is when an officer is hurt.

"Yeah, I'll meet you there." Lindsay responded. She got dressed and drove as fast as she could to Med. As she arrived, she ran to the front desk. "Jay Halstead. What room is he in!?" She asked, politely.

"I'm sorry, but that information is confidential, family only." The nurse said in a sassy way.

"Yeah, well I'm his best friend and I AM his only family. Excluding his brother of course, who works here!" She yelled.

"Okay, calm down. He is in the ICU." She stated.

"What happened? What's wrong with him?" She asked.

"I'll have a nurse take you to his room." She stated, finally being polite.

"Follow me this way." Another nurse ordered.

Erin followed, only a few steps behind the nurse. They then rounded the corner and she immediately saw Jay.

"Jay! Oh my god! Jay!" She shouted, running into his room. He had his fractured wrost in a cast, bruises on his face, and she couldn't tell, but he had two broken ribs. Erin hugged him. Jay winced at the tight grip.

"Erin, I--I---" Jay gasped.

"I love you Jay. I'm in love with you. I lied when I told you I was okay with us breaking up, I lied. I'm sorry. And I don't ever want to lose you, Jay." Erin sobbed.

"Hey, Erin. It's okay. I still love you too. I'm still in love with you, and Erin, you are never losing me, never again." Jay comforted her.

Voight walked in. "So, you two are...?"

"Hank, I love him. But we aren't dating." Erin stated, turning to look at Jay, then winking at him. Soon as she did, he figured out her plan.

"Yeah, I love her, but we're just friends. I'm dating someone else, her name is---" Jay plead.

"I don't need to know her name, I'm just glad you two finally came to your senses. I'll see you at work in two weeks, Halstead. And as for you, Erin, tomorrow morning." He ordered.

"Yes, sir." Halstead breathed out. He winced and clutched his chest.

"Hank, you know I will." Erin said. Voight left the room and exited Med.

"So, you okay?" Jay asked Erin.

"Me, okay? What about you, you're the one in the hospital bed." She teased. "I'm fine. You?"

"Great, it just hurts when I breath, and my wrist hurts when I move it, and I have a really bad headache, but, I'm fine."

"Jay, it's that bad?" She asked, sympathetically.

"You know what'll make it better? A kiss." He stated.

"You think you're so that...don't you?" She teased, moving her lips to his. Barely touching his, she pulled away. "On second thought, I'm thirsty..." She stated. "I think I'll go get a water."

"Wait! What about my kiss? You'd leave me hanging...? I could die you know?" He questioned her happily, as her hair bounced as she exited the room.

"I know, I'll be back in five...don't die on me." She ordered.

As she walked back into the room, he had already been searching through the channels, again.

"Hey, wait! Stop." He went one too many channels over, Erin ordered, "Go back one..." On the news channel was a report.

"This is Shannon Jelkor. Firehouse 51 went into the yellow house behind me at 2:30, an explosion occurred at 2:32, injuring Firefighter, Kelly Severide and Gabriela Dawson. Paramedic Sylvie Brett wasn't inside yet, but was entering the building, she was blown back. They are now searching for Kelly Severide and Gabriela Dawson, who are still in the building. It is now 2:45, 13 minutes after the blast, and no one has come out yet." News reporter Shannon Jelkor stated to all of Chicago. Erin dropped her water. The water splattered all over the floor as she ran towards the door. She was sprinting to the hospital's exit. She jumped in her car and immediately drove to the explosion site.

Jay lie in his bed wishing he could go to. The explosion, it was clearly arson...

Erin called up Voight, whom was already on his way, and then walked over to Chief Wallace Boden.

"What happened?" Erin asked. Boden explained before Voight even got there.

"Voight, can I take a week off?"

"Erin. I told you tomorrow, but if you really want to, then be my guest, just remember....I remember everything, mostly."

Erin headed back to the hospital. Jay would be released in 5 hours, in that time he'd have been awake 26 hours, and he would be fine.

Five hours later

"Time to leave..." Jay said, enthusiastically. He was excited to leave. Erin and Jay both got into Erin's car and drive to her apartment.

"You're staying with me, no questions." Erin ordered.

"No, I don't need your help. I can manage on my own." He stated getting out the car as they arrived at her apartment building.

"Come on, we can go inside, and have a little 'fun'." She teased. She pulled him inside and they headed straight for her bedroom.