linstead | secrets hurt

home again

May 26th
A week and a half later, Jay, Erin and Emilia were on the plane to Chicago. Erin had sold her apartment and told her Sargent she was quitting. Over the week, Emilia had been fascinated with the stories Jay told her about Chicago and everyone there. Erin, Jay and Emilia were like one family.

"Daddy." Emilia mumbled, she was still half asleep. "Did she just say what I thought she said." Jay asked stunned. "Yeah she did." Erin had a beaming smile. "Where are we?" Emilia asked. "We're in Chicago." Emilia had her head resting on Jay's shoulder, as he held her, waiting for the suitcases to come round on the conveyor belt. "There they are." Erin went to get their suitcases. She loaded them onto the trolley and they made their way out of O'Hare.

As the family stepped into Jay's apartment, Erin took in the nostalgia. He'd kept the apartment exactly the same as when she left five years ago. "I have the spare room still but it's used for storage." Jay said. "Where do I sleepy?" Emilia asked. "You will sleep on the blow up mattress I have." Jay tickled her and she giggled. "I will go quickly blow it up because it's very late and you should be asleep." He said. Jay left the room, Erin was still taking it all in. Five years since she'd been here. Hank had told her to never look back and she didn't until, the love of her life turned up out of the blue.

"The end." Jay had finished reading Emilia's story. He was leant against he wardrobe with Erin's head on his shoulder. He looked down at her to see her sound asleep, just like his daughter. He carefully picked her up and placed her on the bed, without waking her up. Jay climbed in next to Erin and fell asleep.

May 27th
Erin woke up before Jay and Emilia, so she went to make herself a coffee. Turns out Jay didn't have anything in, so she went to get dressed and go to the shops. She left Jay and Emilia a note before grabbing Jay's car keys and going.

Jay woke up and couldn't see Erin, but he could see his daughter still peacefully asleep on the blow up mattress. He walked into the kitchen and saw a note on the fridge,
'Gone to get some shopping.
Erin xx'
Jay smiled and went into the living room to turn the TV on.

Erin came back and made breakfast, her and Jay were sat on the couch. Emilia came in, her light brown hair all messed up, holding her little grey bunny. "Hey baby girl, did you have a good sleep?" Erin said, as Emilia came and sat on her knee. Emilia nodded. "Do you want some brekkie?" She asked. "Yeah." Emilia said. Jay got up and made her some toast with Nutella.

"How do you feel about going to the district?" Jay asked Erin, as they were getting ready for the day. "I don't know." Erin was unsure about going, considering she hadn't seen all of them at the district in a long time. "You have to see them at some point." Jay tried to convince her. "Fine." Erin and Jay had finished getting dressed, they just needed to get Emilia ready and then they could go. "Miss Emilia!" Erin called. Emilia came running in, "Time for you to get dressed."

They finally got out the door and were walking down to the district. It took them about fifteen minutes before they arrived at the very familiar police station. Erin was extremely nervous, she hadn't spoke to any of them for five years. Would they be as understanding as Jay? Probably not was her answer. "You ready?" Jay asked bringing her out of her thoughts. "Yeah." Jay took Erin's left hand as Emilia held Erin's right hand tightly. "Before we go in, Emilia this is the place daddy was talking about. All the stories he told you about the people, he meant the people in here." Erin explained. Emilia smiled at Erin and then at Jay.

Trudy Platt, the desk sargent, couldn't believe her eyes. Erin Lindsay was stood in front of her in the flesh. "Is that who I think it is?" She asked absolutely delighted to see Erin. "Yeah, I'm here." Erin replied, Platt gave her a huge hug. "Who's this little one?" Trudy came down to Emilia's height. "This is Emilia, my daughter." Erin introduced her. Trudy noticed Jay's features on Emilia straight away but didn't say anything. "Well you know where to go." Trudy smiled at Erin one more time before her, Jay and Emilia all went to the stairs that led to the people Erin loved the most (besides Jay and Emilia.)

They climbed the stairs slowly, Jay could feel Erin shaking. He'd never seen her this nervous before. "It's ok." He reassured her before they got to the top. "Halstead you're back, did you get the person for the job?" Voight said. "Uh yeah I did." Jay said. Erin slowly stepped out from behind him, Emilia by her side. Hank stood there in shock, everyone else watched them like hawks. Kim Burgess was the first one to break the silence, "Hi Erin it's great to see you." She got up from her desk to give her best friend a hug. "Who's this?" Kim asked, bending down to Emilia. "That is Emilia." Erin said. "My daughter." She added slowly. Erin watched Hank, feeling the guilt settle inside her. "I think you two better step inside my office." Voight said, clearly not happy. "Emmi baby girl, you stay out here with mommy's friends okay. I promise they're not going to hurt you." Erin had never seen her daughter so shy. "Are these the ones daddy talked about?" She asked. 'Oh no.' Erin thought. "Yeah they are." Erin could feel everyone in the bullpen watching her even more now.

Erin and Jay stood in the all too familiar office of Hank Voight. "Care to explain." Voight said, his arms folded across his chest. "I'm so sorry, I kept all of this from you." Erin started. "You told me to never look back, so I didn't. Emilia is the best thing that ever happened to me." Erin felt one slow tear fall down her face. Jay squeezed her hand and took over, "Sarge I knew Erin would be the perfect person for the job. I had no idea about Emilia or the fact she was my daughter, until I arrived in New York. But let me tell you that Erin has done such an amazing job with that little girl. Emilia is the smartest four year old I know. She knew all about you before we came because I told her. She knows you're her grandad and that intelligence is her family. And Firehouse Fifty-One and Med." Jay finished. "You can go." Voight said. Erin and Jay turned to leave. "Not you Lindsay, you stay." Jay looked at Erin, before leaving. "What happened in there?" Kim asked. "I don't know." Jay said before going off to his daughter.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Voight asked. "I just didn't want to look back." Erin admitted. "So Halstead's the dad?" He asked. "Yeah, please don't kill him." Erin said. "As long as you're happy he's in her life." Hank said. "I am." Erin smiled, admittedly she wasn't at first but when she saw the bond between them, she knew she couldn't break it. "I'm glad you're back though, for good this time?" He hugged his foster-daughter. "For good." Erin said. She left the office.

"Do you want to explain anything?" Antonio asked. Erin looked at Jay for support, Emilia was sat in the break room watching Peppa Pig on Erin's phone. "Emilia is mine and Erin's, I found out when I got to New York. She's four years old and the smartest girl I know. And I also know that Erin is really sorry she didn't keep in contact with anyone here but she's staying here forever." Jay had his arm around Erin's arm. "Look we can put the past behind us because all that matters is you're here now." Kevin piped up. "Yeah we missed you Lindsay." Adam smiled. "Plus Emilia can play with Jessica." He added. "Who's Jessica?" Erin asked confused. "She's mine and Adam's daughter." Kim said. "How old is she?" Erin asked. "Four." Adam said.

Erin and Jay were sat in Kim and Adam's apartment. Emilia had instantly clicked with Jessica, she was her best friend already. The four caught up and had a take away before Jessica and Emilia became tired.

"We'll start decorating Emilia's room tomorrow, we can go shopping for the things." Jay said as him and Erin went to sleep. "Ok." Erin said. "I'm so happy you're here." Jay whispered. "Me too." Erin smiled. She was happy that she was back home. And she was with her two favourite people.