Begin Again

4 - So Much Closer

Jay woke up to a smooth hand rubbing his back.

"Jay, it's almost one o'clock. We need to go home to Hailey so Kim can go home." Erin's hand massaged up to my neck, giving me sleepy chills.

He lifted his head from his desk and shook his head. "No . . . I need to link these--"

"I'm not asking," she said a little firmer, taking his hand as he stood up, and kissed his cheek.

"Let's go home, baby." Jay kissed Erin's head when he saw her red eyes and pale face. Her hair was a little knotty, looking like she had been forcing her hands through it all day like she did when she was stressed or upset.

They drove home and found Kim, who had fallen asleep on their sofa.

"Let her sleep," Erin whispered. "She's probably exhausted and she's got to sit Hailey again tomorrow."

He nodded in the darkness and didn't let go of her hand until she flipped the light switch on in their bedroom. He sighed and sat on the bed as Erin pulled her sweater over her head and unbuttoned her jeans. Despite Jay's broken heart over his missing baby, he still had a portion of his head that found Erin incredibly attractive.

She slipped on a T-shirt and Jay changed into sweatpants and a plain T-shirt. Erin shut off the light and climbed into bed, immediately cuddling up to Jay. She was half on top of him and he wrapped both of his arms around her.

"He's just a baby," Erin mumbled.

Jay sat up in the dark and looked down at her. "I'm going to find him, Erin."

"No." He heard her sniffle a little and she breathed out shakily. "We don't know where he is. He doesn't have any food, so he's probably dehydrated. He's probably been lying somewhere uncomfortable like concrete floor as a stranger stands over him. He's probably been screaming for hours and has a worn out throat. A baby can't go this long without proper care."

Jay closed his eyes. He knew neither of them would sleep at all, but he also knew trying was their best option so they could have clear heads the following day.

Instead of responding, he kissed her head though he couldn't really see her, and cuddled up against her again, holding her like she was his only chance at life. She was his only chance at a better life, and he would never forget that.

...

"Jay." Erin rushed up the stairs and over to Jay's desk, still tired. It was six in the morning, and they hadn't gotten any news overnight.

He looked up from searching files on missing children and saw the horrified, glossy eyes of Erin. She had that look . . . the kind of look she used to wear when cases involved child abuse, foster care child abuse, or child murder.

"What? What is it?" He jumped to his feet and walked around his desk, taking her head in his hands as she breathed heavily.

"We have a lead. This girl who was in the hospital . . . Natalie was treating her. She was taken hostage to get money from her parents because they're rich." She paused to catch her breath. "She showed Voight who the guy was. She said he had other kids with him and babies too."

His jaw dropped. He took Erin's hand and they both raced back down the stairs and out to their vehicle to meet their sergeant at Med.

Driving in silence, they finally arrived. They hopped out of the car and Jay almost forgot to lock it as they began sprinting towards the huge building. Once they made it inside Erin took Jay's hand again and they followed the receptionist's instructions and raced down the hallway to a door. They opened it and ran up a few flights of stairs before they came to the fourth level. Jay pushed the door open and they both looked side-to-side to find the room Voight and the girl was in.