One Chicago: Linstead

Chapter 28: Home?

"Jay, I know that Erin probably hates you, but she needs you. And I can't stop you guys from loving each other or being together, so you might as well, but you've got to wake up, Erin does need you." Voight whispered to Jay. They say if you are in a coma, sometimes they can hear you, but no one ever knows for sure.

"Hey, we gotta go, homicide on 10th." Atwater declared, racing into and out of the room. 

"Get better, Jay, she needs you." Voight whispered so quietly he thought he was thinking it.

Not an hour later, Erin snuck in to see him. "Jay, I've been waiting for you to wake up because you're the one that I want," She grabbed his hand. She hadn't got much sleep the night before, which is why Shay is at the babysitter, so she can sleep. Slowly, but surely, she fell asleep in the chair next to his bed. Still holding his hand.

"Erin? What're...why are you here?" Ruzek asked walking in.

"I... uh... I was hoping he'd wake up because I didn't mean what I said, I guess... no, I know I need him." She finally confessed to someone.

"I... I need you, too,"Jay breathed out.

"Jay! You're awake." Erin hugged him.

"Ow..." He flinched and then hugged her back.

"I do need you, though. I love you. I'm so very sorry."

"Erin, if you don't want to get married, we won't. It's okay." He said, even though he heard about her wanting to marry him, while he was in his coma. She didn't know he knew, but he knew that that was her true choice, she wanted to get married, the question was, when was the time to propose?

"Hi, Jay?" A nurse walked in and made sure he couldn't see his body before starting an exam. "Can you wiggle your toes?" And so Jay did, or so he thought, "okay, move your legs," and again he thought he did. "Wiggle your fingers, please," she ordered, "okay, last one, lift your arms.

_________________________________________

A week or so later, Jay went home. Paralyzed, but he still went home.

"Jay, c'mon, the least you can do is hold your son!" Erin yelled.

"I don't want to, not right now." He mumbled, wheeling outside. He sat in the cold weather for maybe an hour, just looking at the night sky.

"Jay, this isn't the end of the world," She explained.

"You don't get it! My life, everything I worked so hard for, it's over! I have nothing! Nothing!" he shouted.

"You have nothing!? Oh, poor little Jay has nothing but his LOVING GIRLFRIEND is trying to tell him otherwise, while his perfect SON is upstairs sleeping. Our son is almost a year old, it's getting pretty close, and when that comes, I hope you have a different mindset because if you keep this one, you won't keep me. I already left you once, and honest to god, I really don't want to leave you again."

Jay sat there, shellshocked. For a while they looked at each other until finally he said two words. "I'm sorry." And he wheeled in and kissed her.

And with that, for some odd reason, she took it, she accepted it.

"Jay, do you wanna go on vacation, I know it's sudden, and I know that you're... ya know, so you don't have to, but I'd really love it if you would. Babysitter is already scheduled to watch Shay so we can go if we want." Erin stated.

"I'd love to go to..." He waited for the place.

"St. Louis, Missouri." 

"I'd love to go to St. Louis with you." He kissed her and he was actually happy for the first time in his life, after he found out he was paralyzed.