They head to the airport. He's in his old uniform. A bag in one hand, Erin's hand in the other, Jay walks through the airport.
"I'm gonna miss you, Jay." Erin says, tearing up.
"I'm gonna miss you, too. But hey, I'll be back in 12 months. I'll be back before you know it. I'll write you. I promise, whenever I get the chance, I'll write to you. And whenever I can, I'll call you or Skype you, whatever's possible. It'll be like I'm not even gone, I promise." Jay promised.
"I love you, Jay." She kissed him, streams of tears flow down her cheeks.
"I love you, too, Erin. I have to go now," Jay stated, walking away. Glancing back at her, he waved. She waved back.
Day after day, they'd be on the phone for only a few minutes, but enough that it could make either one of them cheerful enough for a whole lifetime.
A month went by and everything was fine, but Jay finally started on his first letter.
Dear Erin,
I've missed you, and I wanted to write this letter so I knew you held something I've touched, so I knew you felt what I felt, so you knew I'm still here. That's all I had to say. Be back in 11 months. I miss you. ♥
Love Jay.
The letter was delivered within the week, and Erin smiled even though it wasn't something sincere.
She went into work and watched his desk. It's like she was waiting for him to walk in and make a cheesy joke before sitting down. Waiting to hear him fool around with Ruzek. Or just hear the tapping of his foot. She pulled out the letter and folded it up and placed it in her pocket.
Cases came rolling in and it was off to work she went, but Jay wasn't there to argue with her about not ever getting to drive.
That night, Jay skyped Erin and told her that that would be the last time he'd be able to contact anyone in any way for the next 5 months. After the call ended, Erin bawled her eyes. What if she lost Jay? What if that was the last time they'd ever speak? How is she gonna get by for the next five months without Jay? She can't write him, she can't call him. All she has left is his cologne and the letter he had just wrote that week.
Only 11 months. When they finally talk again, it'll be 6 months.
