7. Chapter 7

Thanks everyone so much for the reviews :) I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. Seriously!

And now for some much needed Linstead after tonight's episode, which sadly had very little :/ (Still fantastic though, of course!)

xoxo

Chapter 7,

Erin woke up the following morning feeling lighter than she had in days, her mind full of Jay Halstead. Her thoughts of him were uninterrupted and she continued her daydream even as she got out of bed and put on her running gear.

This morning, she wouldn't run to clear her head. She didn't need to. She wasn't thinking of Olivia, or Ben, or her apartment. Instead, she felt comfortable with the thoughts swimming around her head - Jay's sexy grin, Maddie's adorable laugh, Grace's shy smile - and she had no reason to push them away.

Two years ago, she and Olivia had trained to run a half marathon. She hadn't particularly enjoyed running at the same, and she had desperately wanted to be one of those people. The type that actually enjoyed waking up early to run with the sunrise; the type that asked for new running shoes for Christmas. Olivia had actually been one of those people, and she had convinced Erin that the best way to transform yourself into a runner was to sign up for a race. To create a deadline for yourself that was difficult, but attainable.

She would be lying if she said the idea of new running shoes as a Christmas present excited her, but throughout the weeks of training she had learned to appreciate running and she had since designated Sunday mornings as her 'long run' of the week.

Jay lived in the suburbs of Chicago, but the distance was doable. She slipped on her favorite activewear, black spandex leggings with a light blue racerback tank-top underneath her dark grey lululemon half zip.

As she walked into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water, she noticed for the first time that the house was quiet and empty. Hank must have already left for work. She slipped her license, a credit card, and a house key along with her cell phone into the black stretchy band she strapped around her left arm. She plugged in her head phones, and started off for Jay's.

It took her almost an hour and a half to reach her destination, and she stood for several more minutes outside his apartment complex stretching and kneading her tired muscles. The 10 mile run had been primarily uphill, and she was more exhausted than usual.

She waited until her breathing evened and then entered the lobby of the apartment building. She found a mirror and fixed her hair, all the while wishing she had the forethought to bring something to wash her face with. And maybe some mascara. Oh well, she thought. This will just have to do.

She took the elevator up to his apartment and then walked purposefully towards the door. She stopped outside and her breathing quickened, she almost lost her nerve. You're here for work, Erin, she reassured herself. It's fine. She finally relaxed when she realized that if she seemed out of breath or her face turned a deep shade of crimson when she saw him, he would attribute it to the long run. Even if it wasn't... not entirely, anyway.

She knocked anxiously, but the nervousness disappeared completely when she saw who stood on the other side of the threshold. "Maddie Halstead," she laughed, "Are you supposed to be opening the door?"

She shook her head shyly, as it to say No, but please don't tell. Instead she just asked, "Am I in trouble?" Then, she immediately pouted her lips a little and fluttered her eyelashes over her big blue eyes. The one's that matched her dad's.

"No," she laughed again. God, she was cute. "Not with me, anyway." She said, as she eyed Jay walking up the hallway behind her.

"Oh because Ms. Annie always calls me Maddie Halstead when I'm in trouble." She contorted her face and furrowed her brows when she voiced her full name, but then lost herself in a fit of giggles.

"She does?" That sounds like Annie.

Maddie nodded, still giggling. Maddie still hadn't noticed her father standing behind her and Erin couldn't help herself when she asked, "What does your daddy call you when you're in trouble?"

"I don't get in trouble," she said seriously, as if she all of a sudden remembered she was talking to a social worker.

"Oh is that the case, Madeline Rose?" At the sound of Jay's voice, she turned and instantly fluttered those eyelashes again, revealing her trademark puppy dog face that her father just could not resist. Her adorable face won out, and Jay lifted his daughter up into his arms and tickled her mercilessly. "Let's go, monkey."

He walked further into the apartment with his daughter in his arms, and he deposited her, still laughing hysterically, onto the couch. Grace was still sound asleep in - what he hoped would be - her permanent bedroom, Maddie already learning to wake from her nap and quietly tiptoe from the room.

He turned around and for the first time got a good look at Erin. "Did you run here?" he asked incredulously.

"I did," she replied.

"From downtown?" He had to admit, he was impressed.

"Don't act so surprised," she winked, mimicking his words from the day before.

His smile grew, and he was taken aback by how much her wink affected him. Her confidence was so damn sexy... And so was that outfit. It highlighted all of her curves and it was so tight it made him want to peel the clothes right off of her. "We should go running together sometime," he said, testing the waters.

"I'm not sure you'd be able to keep up with me," she answered, wryly.

"Care to put a wager on that?" He wasn't sure what came over him, but he was determined to get Erin to agree to see him again, and out of this apartment.

"You know, I generally make it a point not to make bets with clients." Her words could have been construed as dismissive, clearly highlighting the fact that this was, in fact, a working relationship. But with the sultry way that she said the words and the way her eyebrow rose high into her forehead... he was pretty sure she flirting with him.

"Excuses, excuses," he shook his head, dragging out the word sarcastically.

Her smile spread slow on her lips, and he wanted to walk over there and press his lips against that smile. He couldn't, of course, for a number of reasons, not the least being the fact his daughter was sitting on the couch watching them. So instead he said, "Can I get you some water?"

"Water would be great," she paused and then added, "Coffee would be better?"

"Coffee it is, then."

Jay walked into the kitchen to put the pot of coffee on, leaving Erin alone with Maddie. "Hey Madeline Rose," Erin couldn't help but laugh when she saw Maddie's face turn serious and heard her take a sharp intake of breath. "Want to play a game?"

Maddie visibly relaxed and smiled, standing from the couch. "Yes!" She said, excitedly. "Do you know how to play Pretty, Pretty Princess?!" She went to retrieve the light green box from the dark wooden bookcase that housed many of her games and toys. "It's my favorite game!"

"I don't," Erin replied, "But I would love to learn."

Maddie spent the next several minutes explaining the game to Erin, but she stopped when she heard a noise coming from the back of the apartment. "I think Grace is awake!" She stood up quickly, "Let me go get her! She'll want to play, too."

Maddie disappeared into the hallway just as Jay walked in, holding two steaming mugs full of coffee. He handed one to her and she inhaled the smell deeply, "This smells amazing."

"It tastes even better," he smiled, taking a tentative sip.

He pulled the mug back quickly when he burnt his tongue, and Erin let out a deep laugh. "Does it, now?"

"Shut up," was all he said as he rolled his eyes playfully at her. He reveled at how easy their conversation was, how natural it all felt. It was like they had known each other for years.

"Daddy!" Maddie walked into the living room with Grace. "Me and Grace and Erin are going to play Pretty, Pretty Princess! Will you play with us? Pretty please?" She sat down in on the floor next to the board game, and Grace sat cross-legged next to her. Grace still seemed dazed from sleep, but her smile was wide and infectious.

"Only if I can be pink." Jay replied seriously, sitting down next to Grace. He reached over and touched Grace on the knee and then leaned down and gently kissed the top of her head, just like he did everyday when Maddie woke up from a nap.

"Daddy," Maddie sighed dramatically. "You always say that!"

Erin took a seat the open seat between Jay and Maddie, and whispered to Jay, "You know, I wouldn't have taken you for a pink man."

"Real men wear pink, Erin." He said it matter-of-factly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world, all the while picking up the blue pieces. "Pink is Maddie's favorite," he said, by way of explanation. "Grace, do you want to be purple?"

Grace nodded and Jay gathered up the pink and purple pieces, dividing them between the two girls. Erin just smiled, watching the three of them with awe.

It was because of this, she realized. This was the reason she had woken up so at peace this morning. Because she knew that this was how she was going to spend her day.

They spent the next hour playing the game over and over, until Grace and Maddie had each won twice. Jay had almost won the first game, and he was quite a vision, dressed with two blue clip on earrings, a blue ring, a blue necklace, and a sticker covered crown on his head.

She knew that such was being overly emotional, but when she looked over, all she could think was how well the blue matched with his eyes. Well that and how must she wished she had had a father who put on blue clip earrings and placed loving kisses on her head when she was four years old. If only she had met Hank earlier, how different her life might have been.

Towards the end of the games, Erin began feeling unsteady and she had an overwhelming urge to burst into tears. There was a wholeness here, a perfection - in Grace's newfound laughter, in Maddie's innocent smiles, and in Jay's sparkling blue eyes. Their entire universe was contained in this living room, and Erin wanted so badly to be a part of it. For it to be the four of them, this makeshift family sitting and playing games in the living room, this unconventional couple sitting together, sexual tension ripe between them.

She wanted so badly for this to be her forever life. And for a moment, she was almost able to convince herself that it was eminently possible, that she could stay there indefinitely and never have to leave.

"Erin?" Jay's voice interrupted her thoughts, and the tears rolled back in.

"Yeah," she said, her voice low and husky.

"Is that okay?" He looked at her, mildly confused.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear what you said. Is what okay?"

"Can we go talk in the kitchen?" He motioned towards the girls, who were mixing and matching the jewelry from the game. "Without them?" He whispered the last part.

She nodded and stood, still unsteady and full of emotion, and silently followed him into the kitchen. "What's going on?" Had he been reading her thoughts? Was she that transparent?

"I need to talk to you about something important." He kept his voice low, not wanting to be overheard. He needed to ask her about Grace. Was it even possible for him, a single dad, to keep her?

She stepped towards him, minimizing the space between them. "Okay," she said, raising her eyebrows in a question.

She had meant to step forward to allow them to speak softly and not be overheard, but she hadn't realized how close their bodies had become. She wanted to step back, she even tried to, but her feet didn't move. She felt pulled to him like a magnet. He must have noticed it too, because he didn't speak, and instead held her gaze so intently that she lost her breath.

He leaned his head towards her ever so slightly, and then for just a moment, he looked down at her lips, but then quickly retreated back up to her eyes. The tell tale sign. He wants to kiss me, she thought. And then, He feels it, too. That thought thrilled and excited her more than any thought she'd ever had, she was completely sure of it. That thought completely ignited her insides, it gave her courage.

She sucked in a breath and leaned forward, but stopped short when she heard a familiar, gruff voice come from behind her. "Am I interrupting anything?"

She turned slightly but Jay immediately jumped back, moving faster than she had ever seen him move, bumping into the kitchen counter in the process.

"No, sir." Shit. Maddie really needs to stop answering the front door.

"Hi, Hank." Okay. Let's not do the overprotective dad thing, please.

"Hey, kid." The words were directed towards Erin, but his eyes didn't leave Jay's.

No such luck, Erin thought and rolled her eyes.

"Daddy, Sergeant Voight came to visit us!" Maddie cried, completely oblivious to the tension in the room.

"I see that, baby." The wavering in Jay's voice gave him away, and he tried hard to steady himself. He couldn't figure out what Voight was doing there. He was supposed to be in the middle of a case.

Ignoring Erin and Halstead for the moment, Voight lifted Maddie into his arms, "And how are you doing Little Miss Halstead?"

Damn. Erin could never stay mad at Hank. Not when he went all softie right in front of her.

"I'm good. We just played my favorite game! Have you met Grace?" She asked, still in his arms.

"I have," he smiled and turned towards the little girl standing shyly next to Jay. "Hi, Grace. Do you remember me?"

Grace nodded, but stayed half hiding behind Jay who was standing in the kitchen, his arm wrapped protectively around her shoulder. Part of him was holding onto her to establish trust, she was clearly nervous with so many people around. But the other part of him, the larger part, was holding onto her to create some distance from Hank and his menacing stare.

He wasn't exactly sure where the stare was coming from, but it didn't really matter. Hank Voight didn't need an excuse to look menacing.

"Do you know Erin?" Maddie then asked, clearly wanting Sergeant Voight to join her party.

Now this Jay wanted to hear. He held his breath, waiting for Voight to answer.

"I do," he said, turning to look at Erin, then back to Maddie. "You know how you are your daddy's little girl?"

Here we go, Erin thought.

Maddie made an exaggerated nod, and Jay's heart started beating rapidly in his chest.

"Well Erin, here, is kind of my little girl." What. Is. Happening. Jay couldn't hold his breath any longer and let out an exaggerated exhale that caused everyone to stare at him.

Everyone except Maddie, who kept talking excitedly. "Really!?"

"Really." Hank said, his eyes never leaving Jay's.

Well, that's definitely not good.

xoxo

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