30. Chapter 30
"Mommy. When are you going to get presents for the baby", Maggie asked as Erin braided her hair in the hospital a few days later.
"I bet Aunt Kim and Aunt Nadia are going to have their arms full of presents", Erin smiled as she finished off the braid.
"I know they do! I've seen them all already", Maggie exclaimed. "They are all super pretty, don't worry! Penny is going to love them", she stated.
"Where is Penny", Maggie asked looking around the small hospital room.
"Your daddy is with her", Erin laughed as Maggie tucked herself carefully in Erin's side.
"We are going to have to get a house", Maggie suddenly said. "Penny doesn't have a room in our apartment", she explained.
"Well, for now she can sleep with me and Daddy and then we will look for a house", Erin explained.
"With a big backyard for a treehouse and a puppy to run around in", Maggie added her own ideas.
"Whatever you want, munchkin", Erin laughed.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door and both Erin and Maggie looked up to see Kim, Nadia, Adam, and Antonio standing there with gift bags in their hands.
"I'll help", Maggie exclaimed as she got out of bed and grabbed some bags from everyone's hands.
"Where's the little one", Nadia asked as she sat at Erin's bedside. "Yeah, I just want to hold her already. God, I almost helped deliver her in my car", Kim joked.
"Jay's watching over her in the nursery", Erin smiled knowing her husband had been spending every waking moment with their daughter, not wanting to miss a thing.
xxx
Jay couldn't help but smile as he watched Penny slowly open her eyes as she woke up from her deep sleep. Jay had been sitting in the nursery from the moment they took her from the room in the morning to do a routine check-up.
"Good Morning baby girl", he said reaching down to gently run his finger around her face.
Jay watched as she began to show the smallest smile and reached out to wrap her small hand around his index finger.
"Mr. Halstead", a nurse announced entering the room and coming towards Penny's plastic crib.
"Your wife is requesting we bring Penelope to her room. She says you have some friends arriving", the nurse explained.
Jay nodded as he continued to watch in admiration his brand new daughter take in the sights and sounds of this brand new world.
"You can carry her to the room if you would like", the nurse suggested.
Jay looked up for the first time and gave the nurse a huge smile, "Thank you", he answered.
"She's perfectly healthy, Mr. Halstead. Dr. Stone says you can take her home as soon as this afternoon", the nurse explained.
"Not to mention she's beautiful", the nurse added.
"She looks just like my wife", Jay smiled as he reached down to pick up Penny. Penny stirred as she was placed in her father's arm, but then began to fall asleep again.
"I will make sure Dr. Stone sends the papers to your wife's room", the nurse said before leaving.
"Alright, P. Let's go see everyone", Jay said as he left the nursery. As he rounded the corner and began to walk down the hallway where Erin's room was located, he saw Maggie looking around.
"Daddy!", she exclaimed running down the hall towards her father.
"Woah! Slow down there", Jay said as Maggie ran right up him and got up on her tiptoes to see her sister.
"Hi Penny", Maggie smiled. Penny let out the smallest giggle as she saw her sister hover over her.
"Daddy, Mommy is waiting for you cause everyone is here", Maggie demanded putting her hands on her hips and beginning to walk down the hall.
Jay couldn't help but laugh. As if she weren't already, Maggie was like a mini Erin. Keeping him in check at all times. As he entered the room, Jay saw Erin's eyes immediately light up when she saw him holding Penny.
"Ah! There he is", Adam exclaimed as he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Wow. She's beautiful man", Antonio said as he came up on the other side of Jay.
"She was in Mommy's belly", Maggie exclaimed as she tried her best to climb up on Adam.
"And Mommy wants to hold this baby she carried around for nine months", Erin piped up from her spot in bed.
Jay laughed lightly as he walked over and placed Penny in Erin's arms. "Oh my gosh you guys she's beautiful", Kim exclaimed.
"She looks just like you Erin", Nadia added.
"How you are going to deal with two mini Erin's running around, Jay", Adam asked.
"Hey", Erin protested as she looked up to where the two men she worked with stood.
"Three Erin's is better than no Erin", Jay responded looking down at his wife. "Nicely done", Erin smiled as he dropped a kiss in her hair.
Suddenly the sound of wrapping paper filled the room causing everyone to look towards Maggie who sat among the gifts.
"It was an accident", Maggie shrugged as she held up the barely open gift.
"Bring it over here", Erin requested causing Maggie to break out in a huge smile. "You want to hold her", Erin asked looking towards Nadia.
"I'm next", Kim demanded as Nadia took Penny in her arms. Erin laughed as her friends began to make the most ridiculous little noises trying to get a reaction out of Penny.
"You guys sound like two school girls", Adam spoke the words she was thinking.
"Oh come on Adam, she's adorable", Kim shot back.
"Doesn't mean you have to talk like that", Adam responded making all the guys laugh.
"Look", Maggie suddenly exclaimed from Erin's hospital bed. Everyone turned to see Maggie holding up a pink onesie that said "My Big Sister Rocks" in all capital letters.
"Alright Maggie now you have to live up to that title", Jay reminded her as he ruffled her hair gently.
"I'm gonna be a great big sister", Maggie smiled towards her father.
"I know you will be", Jay answered before Maggie got up and picked out another gift to rip open.
xxx
The nurse Jay spoke to when he was with Penny in the morning kept her promise and both Erin and Penny were discharged that afternoon. Maggie was more than excited to have her mother and brand new sister back home after only two days. She helped Jay put together the crib and set up all the toys in preparation for her sister's arrival. So, when they returned home Jay understood why Maggie was the first to sprint up the stairs to the apartment.
"Wait", she exclaimed standing guard in front of the door. As Jay and Erin met her upstairs, with Jay holding a sleeping Penny in the baby carrier, they both laughed at Maggie's protective stance in front of the door.
"I have to make sure everything is perfect", Maggie explained before reaching her hand out towards Jay. "Keys please", she asked.
Jay let out a small groan as he reached for his keys in his pocket. "Make it quick Mags. Your sister is tired from all this transition", he reminded her before placing the keys in her hands.
Maggie just smiled and unlocked the door, leaving her parents in the hallway. As Jay kept his eye close on the door, he felt Erin slip her arm around his own and lean into his side.
"Tired", Jay asked gently kissing her forehead. Erin just nodded, letting out a yawn as she looked down towards Penny who was asleep in the carrier at her feet.
"I am so glad she's home", Erin whispered gently.
Jay just smiled and before he could say anything further Maggie came bursting through the door with a large smile on her face. "Welcome home Penny", she exclaimed.
Erin laughed as she picked up the carrier and brought Penny into the apartment. "Wow, I don't think I have ever seen this place so clean", she gasped.
"See Daddy I knew Mommy would be impressed", Maggie giggled as she took a seat at the bar stool and leaned up to get a good look at her sister sleeping in the carrier.
"We will only clean when our two favorite people are coming home", Jay reminded Maggie who smiled with excitement now that her mother and sister were home.
"Why does Penny always sleep", Maggie asked bringing her attention back to the sleeping child.
"That's because she's a new baby and they have to get lots of sleep so they can grow up to be healthy just like you", Erin explained as she went over to unbuckle Penny from the carrier.
"And I think right now she wants to go sleep in the new crib you guys so efficiently set up", Erin said nodding towards Jay as she cradled Penny in her arms.
"Maggie, why don't you wash your hands and we will make Mommy's favorite grilled cheese for lunch", Jay requested before following Erin into their room.
Maggie agreed as she watched her parents go into the room and close the door. As Jay walked into the room, he saw Erin gently lean down and place Penny into the crib. Coming up behind her, Jay gently wrapped his arms around Erin's waist and pulled her into his embrace as they watched Penny sleep peacefully.
"I still can't get over it", Erin said quietly after a few moments. "She's ours", she continued.
Jay couldn't even hide the smile that spread across his face as he pressed a kiss into her hair. "Did um", Erin began to trail off after few moments of silence.
"Did my mother stay", she finally asked. Erin practically felt the sharp intake of breath Jay took as she let the words fall from her mouth. Turning around in his arms, she saw the answer practically written across his face. Of course her mother didn't stay. She probably ran away the second Voight showed up.
"It's fine", Erin said as she lifted her hands to his face trying to prove to him that she was fine. "Bunny, she...she never sticks around for anything. I honestly didn't expect her to stay for this", she continued.
"I'm sorry", Jay whispered.
Erin shook her head, "It's not your fault I got saddled with an awful mother that led to a sucky childhood", she said causing to Jay to frown.
"And I am glad she didn't stay", Erin changed the subject slightly. "I don't need her interfering with this beautiful family that I have", she smiled.
"Agreed", Jay smiled as he leaned down to capture Erin's lips in a passionate kiss. Jay gently cupped her face with his hands as Erin leaned up on her tiptoes and set her hands on the bedpost in order catch her balance. As she did this, Erin stubbled upon folded pieces of paper stacked on the bed post.
As her hands stumbled upon the pieces of paper Erin pulled back from the kiss, not missing the groan from Jay. Erin laughed as she grabbed the papers from the bedpost unfolded them gently.
"Maggie's been looking at houses", Erin laughed as she saw Maggie's scrawled handwriting on the pieces of paper.
Jay laughed in return as he watched Erin look at each house. "She woke me up with those this morning", he explained.
As Erin continued to look at the pictures of houses, she stumbled over one she liked. It was a small home right on the outskirts of the city. There were enough bedrooms for the family now and an extra for any more additions. Maggie had circled on the sheet in bright red where it said "large backyard area". Surprisingly looking at this typical suburban home made Erin smile. She could see her family here one day.
"Looks like we need to have a family meeting", Jay smiled as he read the expression on Erin's face.
Erin couldn't hide the smile on her face as she stacked up the papers, quietly looked back at Penny to make sure she was still asleep, and walked out of the room knowing Maggie would be more than happy to talk about this subject.
A/N: Oh wow...so this is awkward :/ I know it has been insanely long time since I have updated, but HEY I AM BACK! I (like our beloved character Erin Lindsay) was in a bit of a dark hole not knowing where to go next with this story after Penelope was born. But, after many months I got the inspiration I needed (shout out to the newest season of Chicago PD)
Anyway I am back and better than ever! Now that this is chapter has been put up please please PLEASE be sure to review. Like I said before this story will be coming to a close soon, but I want to hear what else you guys want to see from our lovely Halstead family before I click that complete button.
So obviously REVIEW! Tell me what you want me to see in this story, tell me your opinions, heck give me ideas for other stories you want to see once this one is complete! Your constant support through my long hiatuses means the world to me so please let me know what you think!
Also if you want to hear more about Chicago PD and pretty much anything Linstead related go follow me on twitter - queenoflinstead - I would really appreciate it :)