The Beginning Of Linstead

Chapter 5

Erin was out having breakfast with Kim. This weekend was the masquerade ball, they had the day off so they thought they'd go dress shopping and spend some girly time together.

"So I heard on the grapevine that you are going with Jay?" Kim said stirring her coffee as she slightly looked up to Erin.

"Mmhmm." Erin nodded shying away from the statement.

"So what's the go with you too? I mean everyone can see something there"

"Maybe. But he's my partner and we all know how Voight feels about in-house romance. Especially when it involves me" Erin say shrugging her shoulders.

"Take everyone out of the picture, think about you and him. Now ask yourself, do you feel something?" Kim said.

"Yes of course, there's definitely something between us...I mean is it all that crazy?"

Kim chuckled "I mean that body and those eyes, girl nothing's crazy about having feelings for someone that looks like that"

"Kim! It's not all about that you know" Erin joined in Kim's laughing.

"Yeah but defiantly helps when someone's easy on the eyes."

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While Erin and Kim were dress shopping the boys were getting their suits. Jay hadn't been able to wrap his head around the whole taking Erin to the ball just as friends. He didn't know who's to feel about it.

"So you going to make a move on Erin?" Adam said adjusting the shirt he was trying on.

"No. We are partners, that's that. And I would prefer staying in this unit rather then getting kicked down to god knows where" Jay said making hand gestures towards Adam while Kevin and Antonio laughed.

"What did Voight tell you to back off?" Antonio laughed.

"He said and I quote 'If you like being in this unit then you keep it in your pants' followed by 'Erins off limits end of discussion' so I guess that's that." Jay said while he was trying on bow ties.

"Is that really going to stop you though bro?" Atwater asked.

"I don't know man. Guess we'll just see yeah?" Jay shrugged his shoulders.

...............................

It was a little before Jay told Erin he'd pick her up. He was sitting in his car trying to calm himself down. He felt like he was 17 again taking a girl to their senior prom.

He got out of the car and adjusted his bow tie and flicked abit of loose hair back. He took a deep breath and started walking to Erins apartment.

Jay stood infront of her door for a couple minutes before he knocked. Once he pushed back all his nerves he knocked a couple times and waited for her to answer.

Erin heard the door knock and suddenly she felt dizzy and like she was going to throw up she felt so nervous. Could they really make this into something more? She didn't even know how Jay felt, maybe it was just her that felt butterfly's every time their skin touched or every time jay fixed her vest to make sure she was safe. She hadn't known him for very long and of course she had been in other relationships or had feelings for people she couldn't have but this was so much more.

She paced for a couple seconds before she went and answered the door. There he was, Kim was right that body and those eyes, it wasn't crazy.

"Hey Halstead" Erin said as she opened the door, watching him look her up and down. She stood back letting him inside quietly chuckling "Didn't your mother ever tell you it was rude to stare?"

"Hey. Haha, yeah sorry it's just...Wow you look great" Jay said scratching the back of his neck with a nervous smile.

"Thankyou, you scrub up alright yourself" she paused and smiled "Just gotta grab my things and then we can go"

Erin grabbed her keys off the counter and quickly popped some perfume on. Then her and Jay headed out the door.

...........................

Jay and Erin walked in side by side. They got a few stares, Jay especially noticed the ones coming from Voight. As they got to their designated table everyone greeted each other, Voight made a slight nod to Jay making him squirm in his boots. Why was he so worried though? They were here as friends nothings else.

A couple hours passed, everyone was mingling. The girls were surrounded at their table and the boys decided to go out and have a few cigars outside.

Al walked over to Hank who had just come from getting another drink "Hank"

"Alvin. Having a good night?" Hank questioned with a nod.

"Yeah, not often us old guys get to have a night out" Voight smiled "So...Lindsay and Halstead?"

"So you see what I see then?" He grunted.

"I see two young people that obviously have feelings for each other but I don't think they are going to do anything in respect to you" Al shrugged.

"Hmm. Maybe your right, if he makes a move and it messes with either one of their careers we will have a problem though."

"You keep saying that. Who are you worried about exactly? Erin or Jay?" Al asked.

"Well both I guess. It's just I know what happens to the guys Erin dates, as soon as things start getting serious she runs away. Jay is a good cop and he could go far in his career. In this unit. I can't have him throwing pebbles are her window at 3am."

"So you care about the kid then" Al smiled taking a sip.

"Ahhh Alvin your getting soft in your old age" they both laughed.

................................

People started leaving, everyone had, had their fair share of alcohol. They were lucky, they hadn't been called into a case. Which was rare, they never usually got to enjoy a night out.

Erin and Jay ended up leaving together. They weren't exactly subtle about it but they were just hoping everyone was as drunk as they were.