Partners in Crime

Chapter 24 - Delving Deeper

*No one's P.O.V*

Erin held the young woman's hand as the ambulance sped towards Chicago Med with its lights and sirens blaring. Brett hooked her up to the EKG machine to monitor her heart rate and placed an oxygen mask over her face to help her breathe.

"Can you tell me your name?" Erin asked, leaning over so that the young woman could see her face.

"L..Lena" she stammered, lifting the oxygen mask off her face to speak. Erin smiled at her and gently squeezed her hand.

"Ok Lena, I need you to just relax for me okay" Erin instructed her. Lena nodded and placed the oxygen mask back on her face.

Five minutes later the ambulance arrived at Chicago Med and Lena was wheeled inside. Erin followed, running alongside the gurney as Brett spoke to the nurses who greeted them as they arrived.

Lena looked around rapidly, trying to figure out what was happening to her. Once she was wheeled into a treatment room, Erin was asked to wait outside the room.

Erin watched on anxiously as Natalie and a few of the nurses treated Lena's injuries. Jay arrived shortly after and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Any news yet?" he asked, watching on anxiously. Erin shook her head in response, her eyes never leaving Lena.

After ten minutes or so, Natalie emerged from the room to speak with the two detectives.

"She has a few minor injuries and she is slightly dehydrated so we have stitched her up and put her on some fluids but in an hour or so she will be right to go. You can go in and talk to her if you'd like" Natalie told the pair, who expressed their appreciation before slowly entering the room.

"Hey how are you feeling?" Erin asked, moving to stand next to the bed whilst Jay stood at the foot of the bed. Lena wearily eyed off Jay, her heart rate increasing. She looked to Erin for reassurance but remained quiet, ignoring the question. "This is my partner Jay Halstead" Erin explained, gesturing to Jay who hadn't moved from the foot of the bed. Lena remained tense.

"Would you like me to wait outside?" Jay offered, earning a very quick nod from Lena. Jay nodded his understanding and left the room quietly.

"When can I leave?" Lena asked, turning to face Erin once Jay was out of sight.

"Soon but after you are discharged, I'd like for you to come to the station with me and answer a few questions. Do you think you can do that?" Erin asked softly. Lena nodded nervously, glancing towards the door every now and then. "Ok that's really good" Erin smiled at her before following her gaze to the door where Jay now stood. Lena tensed up and shrunk back into the bed as soon as she noticed Jay.

"Natalie said that you are free to leave" he said, not setting foot inside the room. Erin smiled at him and didn't take her eyes off him until he was out of sight again, the smile never leaving her face as she watched him walk away. Lena watched Erin watching Jay, relaxing slightly when she noticed the calming effect that his presence had had on the young detective.

"You ready?" Erin asked, turning her attention back to Lena who nodded in response.

"Can I ask you a question?" Lena asked sheepishly, nervously avoiding eye contact with Erin.

"Sure"

"Are you in love with your partner?" Lena asked, watching Erin gingerly get up from the bed, the muscles in her legs still sore from her run.

Erin smiled and answered without hesitation, "Yes I am." Lena smiled, recognising the look on Erin's face as the same one her mother once had on her face when she spoke about her father.

"How did you know you were in love with him?" she asked, her curiosity growing.

Erin paused for a moment to think before she spoke, "I noticed myself smiling easily whenever I was with him. I always knew that I could be myself around him and he wouldn't judge me. Then when I was alone, I would always look forward to the next time I saw him. Some days, knowing that I would see him when I got to work, was the only reason I got out of bed. Nothing makes sense without him I guess" she finished, a smile on her face. Lena smiled up at the young detective and eased herself off the bed. She put on the clothes that Natalie had left for her whilst Erin turned around to give her some privacy.

Once Lena was dressed, she followed Erin out to the car. They drove in silence back to the district and Lena watched the two detectives exchange glances every now and then and smiled when Jay took hold of Erin's hand and held it for the rest of the journey.

When they arrived at the district, Jay jumped out and opened the door for Lena who smiled her thanks before following Erin inside.

Burgess greeted them as they got to the top of the stairs and they made their way into the break room. Jay went into the locker room to change out of his running clothes.

Burgess gestured to the couch, "Please take a seat" she said softly, turning a chair from the table around to face Lena. Erin started on pouring a glass of water for Lena and then handed it to her before taking a seat.

*30 minutes later*

Burgess emerged from the break room and Erin moved to sit next to Lena who now had tears running down her face.

"Was Lena able to give us anything?" Voight asked, walking over to Burgess. Burgess nodded in response.

"She was able to give us the name of the man who brought food and water to the women..." she began.

"Women? How many were there?" Voight asked, his voice raised slightly.

"Lena said that there were six other women held in the room she was in. She doesn't know if there were any other women being held in the building, she was kept in. The man who brought them the food and water was named Charlie and she thinks that the man guarding the door was Pedro or Pablo. That was all she could remember for now, but we will give it another go in a few hours and see if she can tell us anything more" Burgess said, addressing the entire team.

Ruzek rounded the corner with Atwater, "Driver's name is Carlos Ruiz, but he isn't talking" he told the team.

"I managed to use traffic cams to track Ruiz' car back to a warehouse a few blocks away from where Roman and Burgess pulled him over. I've sent the address to your phones" Mouse said, getting up from his seat to speak.

"Burgess and Roman, you stay with Lena. The rest of us will gear up and roll out in 5" Voight ordered. Burgess went to let Erin know what was happening and the rest of the unit jumped into action with Erin not far behind. 

A.N.//// So here's chapter 24. I really hope you enjoy this chapter! 
As always, any feedback is welcome and appreciated. I am always looking to improve my writing so if you have any suggestions please leave a comment or send me a message. I love hearing what you guys think. 

I know for a fact that the next chapter, 'I Have an Important Question for You', is one you will find quite exciting :)
I will start working on it straight away so that you aren't kept waiting for too long

Until next time
xxxx