9. Chapter 9

A/N: I feel like it's been forever since I have updated (and that's probably true). But I made it my mission to post before Chicago PD premieres tomorrow and look I actually did it! So, enjoy this chapter as a little pre-premiere day gift! Please review and I will try to update sooner. I have a lot planned :)

It had been over two weeks since Jay and Adam's failed attempt at finding Jackson and Noel. There were still no leads and everyone was looking into any CI who could get them that one step closer they needed.

It was a Wednesday afternoon, when Sergeant Platt made a rare visit up the stairs to find all of the detectives at their desks completing paperwork.

"Halstead", she called out getting the young detectives attention. "You have a visitor downstairs", she stated roughly before walking back downstairs.

Jay quickly stood up from his work and walked downstairs, wondering who could possibly be wanting to see him. Immediately his mind went to Maggie and what could be going on. When he got downstairs though, it wasn't Maggie that sat on the bench waiting for him. It was the woman he never thought he would see again. Kaitlyn Sanders.

Jay had only been back in the states for about a week and was still trying to get all of his ducks in a row. He had just finished filing all of his paperwork for the police academy and was supposed to start in about a month. After stopping by for some grocery store essentials, Jay now took the stairs up to his second floor apartment. Before even arriving to his doorstep, he could hear the faint whimpers of what sounded like a baby. Walking towards his door, in a small carrier was a little baby girl wrapped up in a bright pink blanket like a present waiting to be opened.

Immediately picking up the carrier, Jay unlocked his front door and set her and the groceries he had gotten, on the counter. The little girl's cries became louder and louder as Jay carefully tried to pick her up as carefully as he could.

"Hey, it's okay", he gently tried to soothe the small child in his arms. As she stopped crying, Jay took off the small envelope which was tapped to the top bar of the carrier. Upon opening it, he immediately knew who it was from.

Jay,

I am really glad you made it home safe. I am just going to go ahead and tell you everything instead of sugar coating it. Our relationship wasn't much at the time, but it kinda turned into something more while you were gone. The little girl you are looking at is your daughter. Her name is Maggie Ann Halstead. She will be turning one on December 2nd. She is yours now, Jay. Inside the envelope is her birth certificate and instructions to care for her. Hopefully I will be able to give you an explanation as to why I left her with you, but for now I will say that I can't raise her knowing she is your daughter. Good luck.

~ Kaitlyn

The memory of Maggie being dropped at his doorstep flashed in Jay's mind for no longer than a second. Every emotion, but joy, circulated in his bloodstream. Why is she here? Why is she even wasting her time on him? Does she want Maggie back?

"Jay", Kaitlyn said giving her ex-boyfriend a small smile as he approached her, but yet keeping his distance.

"What do you want me to do for you, Kaitlyn", Jay answered harshly.

Kaitlyn Sanders looked taken back by the words that came out of her once hopeless romantic and always happy boyfriend. "A little harsh, don't you think Jay", she said giving him a sly smile.

"Well, you wouldn't be here unless you wanted something", Jay said ignoring her. "So, what do you want", he said trying his best to cut to the chase.

She knew she was getting no where with trying to be nice, so Kaitlyn decided to just lay it out for him, "I want to talk about our daughter", she stated bluntly.

"My daughter", he corrected before she could even finish her statement.

"She came from me, Jay. My flesh and blood", Kaitlyn defended.

"Screw genetics! You dropped her off at my doorstep and told me she is mine now. She has always been with me. I am her father", Jay said not noticing how loud his voice was becoming.

Looking around, he noticed other people in the district looking at the interaction between the two. "Let's take this outside", he said quietly leading her out the main exit.

As soon as they were outside, the newly arriving winter air hit both of their backs in a harsh wind.

"I want to start to see her more", Kaitlyn demanded once they were alone.

"Over my dead body", Jay muttered under his breath.

"You can't deny me the right to see my daughter", she began to yell.

"Kaitlyn, she's not yours. You left her, signed all of your parental rights over to me, and there is no way anyone in their right mind would grant you the right to see her, let alone be near her", Jay said matching her tone.

"You let your partner see her", Kaitlyn said gesturing to Erin who was walking up behind them.

"Because she's my partner and I trust her way more than I will ever trust you", Jay finished before Erin walked up.

"Hey, we got a call", Erin said as she held the car keys in her hand.

"Okay, let's go", Jay answered as he walked towards the car parked out front.

"We are not done with this conversation, Jay", Kaitlyn called out causing Jay to turn towards her one last time.

"As far as, I am concerned this conversation was over before it even started", he answered coldly.

Jay quickly opened the door to the car and sat down in the passenger seat without even protesting as to who was going to drive. He immediately sank down in the leather seat and took a deep breath trying to clear his mind.

"Who the hell was that", Erin asked as she started the engine and drove off from the precinct.

"My ex", Jay stated in a low voice.

Erin looked over at Jay, his face still stone like with no emotion. "Maggie's mother", she asked although she already knew the answer to the question.

"Yes", he answered simply. "She wants her back", he continued.

Erin glanced over at him again and saw his face drop. His ex could never take away Maggie like that. She knew that if Maggie was gone, Jay would never be the same.

"Are you coming over tonight", he asked after a long time of uncomfortable silence as they pulled up to an open field guarded off with crime scene tape.

Erin put the car in park, quickly looked around for any sign of her coworkers, and unbuckled her seat belt knowing they were the first to arrive to the scene. She leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss to Jay's cheek.

"Of course", she answered watching him give a slight smile.

"What are we even doing here", Jay asked as he got out the car.

"Noel Richardson's body was found", Erin said as she stood beside her partner watching the crime scene detectives scatter everywhere.

Jay ran a hand over his face as he watched her walk towards the detectives to get an update. He was only half way through his day and the only place he wanted to be right now was home. Away from the stress of this ever changing case. Home with Erin. But, more importantly home with Maggie.

xxx

Maggie happily skipped around the apartment later that night singing her ABC's as Jay and Erin stood in the kitchen watching her.

"Now I know my ABC's! Next time won't you sing with me", she squealed coming towards them and jumping to try to hop on top of Jay.

Jay smiled as he picked up his daughter and set her on top of the counter which Jay and Erin stood behind. "See Daddy, I know all of my letters", Maggie announced proudly with a huge smile on her face.

"Well, I am glad that you don't talk in baby talk anymore because no one could understand you", Jay teased making Maggie stick her tongue out at him.

"Mommy Erin, when are you going to move in with us", Maggie asked quickly changing the subject.

Erin looked over towards Jay, who couldn't wipe the smile off of his face. "Maybe I will move in soon, Mags", she answered.

"Good, cause I want you to live here", she said scooting over to sit in front of Erin and wrapping her small arms around her neck.

Erin smiled as Maggie embraced her in a hug, but her thoughts immediately went from happy to sad as she thought of Jay's ex taking her away. "Hey, Mags why don't you go get dressed for bed, okay", Jay requested as Maggie lifted her head from Erin's shoulder.

"Can I sleep with you guys", she asked using her best puppy dog eyes.

"Only if you can sing those ABC's again", Jay agreed as Maggie hopped down from the counter.

"A, B, C, D, E, F, G,", she began to sing before the letters became more and more distant as she entered her room.

Jay looked towards Erin who had a smile on her face as Maggie sang. He quickly wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek. He felt her smile grow as he planted gentle kisses down her neck. Erin couldn't take it any longer and turned around to plant a kiss on his lips.

Just as Jay began to kiss her back, his phone began to buzz. Erin sighed as Jay released his lips from hers to glance at his phone. The number he saw was one he never thought he would see again. The one he called dozens of times after Maggie had been dropped off. Kaitlyn.

"Oh God, Er", he sighed kissing her temple after he pressed decline on his phone.

Erin rested her head against his chest as he set his chin sat on top of her head. "She can't take her. She won't take her", she reassured him.

"I know", he whispered back.

"She's was by the apartment building the other day. Kaitlyn. She met Maggie", Erin said looking up at him.

Erin watched him sigh again, "We aren't going to let her just take away your daughter. You believe me right", she questioned.

"Of course, I believe you. All this, you know, her showing back up, makes me worried. That there is a possibility", he began until Erin cut him off.

"There isn't", she said quickly. "At least, I don't want there to be", Erin continued finally getting a slight smile out of him.

"Maggie's right. When are you going to move in", Jay asked kissing her forehead.

"When everyone knows", Erin answered simply.

"Well, we better make that soon shouldn't we", he said now getting her to smile.

"Daddy! Mommy Erin! Are you coming", Maggie exclaimed from the bedroom where she was probably already curled up in the center of the bed.

"Come on, I really want to curl up with my girls and sleep. It's been a hell of a day", Jay said taking her hand in his and leading her to his room.

Before they could even get there, Erin spun him around and looked him in the eye, "You are okay though, right", she asked nothing but worry expressed on his face.

"Erin, I am fine. Nothing has happened yet. Everything is going to be fine", Jay reassured her even though he knew he was lying right through his teeth.

He didn't know if everything was going be fine. He honestly didn't even know what tomorrow would bring.

A/N: Oh, also one more thing. For those of you who read my first story 'Clarity' I am sorry I deleted it, but I am currently working on rewriting it, so its going to be way better than before! It's going to have a different title so I guess just be out on the look out for a new story from me soon. The season premiere tomorrow should give me a ton of inspiration!