One Chicago: Linstead

Chapter 20: Sun Beat

The sun beat down onto Jay's body. His face ached but he didn't care, he was comfortable. He shifted, as he smelt the fresh smell of the green grass. The beauty of nature appealed him.

He hadn't opened his eyes just yet but when he did he looked at a cloud shaped like a woman running towards a man. Jay smiled.

He looked at his phone and called Voight.

J: Hey.
V: Halstead?
J: Yeah.
V: What's up?
J: I need your help.

And with that he hung up the phone and texted him all the details about him building a house.

Jay was gonna surprise Erin, he was gonna make her happy, and maybe...just maybe, they would live happily ever after.

He walked into her hospital room. Erin was being released, along with Shay. She had already gotten dressed and she was ready to leave, all that was left was for her to sign the discharge papers.

"Wow! You're all ready to go." Jay said with enthusiasm.

"Of course I am. But you don't look too happy 'bout that."

"I'm not, honestly. I think that you're safer here than anywhere, and I want you to be safe. Both of you." Jay looked into Shay's eyes and knew they were meant to be a family, all of them.

"Aw...that's pretty sweet, but you don't have to eat hospital food... so speak for yourself when you say this place is best." Erin smiled.

Jay had made her happy.

"I have a surprise. I can't tell you yet, but soon, hopefully, you will know what it is. I've gotta run," Jay said excitedly, "but I love you, see you tomorrow... or later... I'll see you whenever I see you again." Jay stated, running out of the room.

A week passed and they started on the house. Another week passed, and with (almost) non-stop work, they got the base done. It was a two story house, 2 bathrooms, as they planned, and 5 bedrooms. A kitchen next to the living room. This was a dream house, maybe not Erin's or his, but it was a dream house.

After a month they got half of it done. Another six months and they finished the house. They being Voight, Jay, Antonio, Ruzek, Casey, Severide, and Atwater.

"It's a beauty!" Casey said.

"I know." Voight stated.

"Just think, Jay, Erin, and Shay all in this house. This FIVE bedroom house! I mean those are just bedrooms, not counting the extra rooms like the weight room or the offices." Severide imagined.

"You'll have to let me come stay every one in a while." Antonio teased.

"It's not mine. I don't care if I live in it or not... It's Erin's. It's for her." Jay smiled.

Jay got in his car and was finally able to let Erin know what the surprise is.

"Erin!" Jay ran up to her.

"Hey." She laughed.

"I can tell you... better yet, show you what the surprise is."

Really, I've been really anxious and eager to know! Show me!" She quickly hurried to the car. She placed Shay into the blue car seat in the back of the car. Jay placed a blindfold, covering Erin's eyes. He drove her out, where all the men were still at, and pulled the blindfold off.

"This is your house! We took our time, all of eight months, building it. It's yours." Jay stated.

"You mean ours?" Erin asked, rhetorically.

"No, it's..." Jay started. He was stopped by Erin kissing him. "I mean ours." He said in between kisses.

"I love you." Erin stated.

"I love you too. But you've got to see the house. It still needs furniture but it's beautiful." Jay said.

"I bet..." She got out of the car and headed to the back. She picked up Shay out of his car seat and carried him inside. Following them were all the men that helped build it.

"Now, Kim... Burgess, she helped me pick out the paint colors and what it should look like, but all these men helped me put it together."

"It's not an it." Erin stated.

"Well what is it?" Jay asked.

"Our home."