68. The Trouble With Love Is
Thanks guys for the reviews on the last chapter. I appreciate them so much.
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"Allie?" Jay said in disbelief as he looked at the girl in the doorway.
"Hi Jay" Allie said with a smile. She raised her hand up and ran her fingers through her long blonde hair as she looked at Jay. "Do you think we could talk?"
Jay nodded and stepped aside so that Allie could walk in. He watched as Allie slipped her sweater off of her shoulders and she looked around the kitchen.
"What's up?" Jay asked as he gestured towards the table so that he and Allie could sit down. "How's Phoenix?"
"It's good. Really good. I'm just here visiting my mom and dad. How have you been?" Allie asked taking a seat at the table.
"Better than I deserve" Jay said honestly. "Do you want something to drink?"
Allie smiled "Um, I'm good"
Jay pulled his chair out and took a seat at the table. "So, how are your folks?"
Allie sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "For the most part, they're good. You know how hard this time of year for them is though...with losing Ben. It's hard for us all"
Jay nodded sadly at the memory of Allie's brother and the tragic events that led to his death. "I'm sorry, Allie. I haven't been to the see them in awhile"
"Yeah, well, you have been busy..." Allie's voice trailed off as her eyes glanced at Jay's silver wedding band and she felt the pang of hurt and jealousy fill her.
"Allie..." Jay started.
"I was wondering if you cuold do me a favor" Allie interrupted.
"I can try" Jay said "What is it?"
"Do you work this weekend?" Allie asked
"Erin does, but I'm off this weekend. Why?" Jay asked.
"Well" Allie started. "Um, my parents and I are going to this Survivors of Homicide meeting in Rockford this weekend. My parents are supposed to speak in honor of Ben and they wanted to know if you'd come and maybe I want you to come too..."
Jay was quiet as he took in Allie's request. "Allie, I don't know"
Allie tilted her head to the side and looked at Jay "Please Jay, this really means a lot to me and my family. And you mean a lot to them as well and I know how much that Ben meant to you. You almost lost your job because of it all. And it just wouldn't be fair if you weren't there. It would be like the night was incomplete"
Jay sighed and looked at Allie, she did have a point and it was only for the weekend. After everything the Corson family had done for him and they had done so much, he could find a night to go and pay his respects to them in the loss of their son.
"Alright, I'll be there" Jay said.
Allie's face turned into a smile and she reached a hand over and placed it on top of Jay's "Thank you"
Jay nodded "I'm sure that Erin could get the night off..."
Allie shook her head "It's only for close family and friends. The place they're having it at has limited seating so it would just be me, you. mom and dad"
Jay ran a hand through his hair as the feeling of dread came over him. How the hell he was supposed to explain this to his pregnant wife he didn't know. But he did know it was going to be a fight he didn't want to have.
"You'll still come right?" Allie asked "You promise?"
Jay nodded and looked back at Allie "I'll be there"
"Thanks Jay, it really does mean so much to my parents and me" Allie looked over Jay's shoulder as she saw Erin walk into the kitchen.
Jay felt the atmosphere in the room change almost instantly as he felt his wife walk up to the table.
"What's going on?" Erin asked as she walked up to the table.
"Hi Erin" Allie said simply. "How are you?"
"I'm good, Allie. How are you?" Erin asked tilting her head to the side.
"Good" Allie said looking at Erin who was dressed in black leggings and a red tank top. "Ready for bed already?"
Erin shook her head "No, I was just relaxing with my husband"
Erin brought her left hand up to her tiny bump and Allie watched as the diamond on Erin's bridal set caught the light and flickered "I'm pregnant so I've been kind of tired lately"
"You're pregnant again?" Allie asked.
"Yeah" Erin said "Twins"
Allie looked from Erin to Jay who sat in silence. "Jay didn't tell me that"
Erin looked over at Jay and reached her hand to run along her husband's shoulder and around to the back of his neck. "Aw, well he's just modest. You know how Jay is"
Jay felt Erin's grasp tighten around the back of his neck as if she was silently telling him that this conversation was far from over.
"I sure do" Allie said as she stood from the table and grabbed her small clutch purse.
Erin looked at Allie's low cut green top that was tucked into her short black bubble skirt. "That's quite an outfit for this time of the night"
Allie looked down at her outfit and shrugged her shoulders. "Thanks, I'm going out to meet some old friend's of mine and Jay's. Back when we were dating we all had some good times together"
"So in high school when you guys had curfew? I'm sure that you guys just had tons of fun before 11" Erin looked away from Jay to Allie.
"Jay and I always found a way to have fun" Allie said simply as she pushed the kitchen chair in and walked to the front door.
"I'm sure you did" Erin said "But the best part of growing up is when boys become men"
Allie nodded and reached for the door knob. "Very true. I'll see you this weekend Jay. It'll be just like old times"
Erin watched as Allie walked out and shut the door behind her.
Jay didn't even need to look at Erin. He could feel her icy glare on him and the truth was it sent chills down his spine and he hadn't even seen her face yet. "Erin, before you get mad"
"Oh. this I have to hear" Erin said pulling the chair next to Jay out and taking a seat. "What the hell's going on, Jay?"
Jay looked over at Erin and thought for a minute as he chose his words wisely.
"I'm waiting" Erin said with a raise of her brows. "Where exactly do you think you're going this weekend?"
"To Rockford" Jay explained.
"Oh...I see" Erin said. "You're going to go almost two hours away with your ex-girlfriend who comes to my house dressed like she's about to turn tricks downtown?"
Jay raised his hand up and rubbed the back of his neck "Erin, it's not like that. It's a benefit in honor of her brother. Her parents invited me. I'm just going to show my respects"
Erin sat back and folded her arms over her chest as she pressed her lips together "So, you're just going to leave your pregnant wife and daughter to go to this...?"
Jay could hear the tone in Erin's voice and he knew that a fight was coming and it was what he was trying so hard to avoid. "Erin..."
"No, I want to know. This benefit is worth going out of town for? You've never went to it before, why now?" Erin asked.
"Her parents are going to be there Erin, it's not like it's just me and her. It's a benefit for a lot of hurting people. Not just Allie" Jay explained.
"Why now though? I've never kept you from going to see The Corsons'. You could go and see them while they're in town any time that you want. So why do you suddenly need to go out of town with them?" Erin asked.
"Erin, nothing is going to happen. And it's for one night. I'm going down and coming back in the same night. It's not like I'm spending the entire weekend with her" Jay said defensively.
Erin shook her head and stood from the table. "Do what you want. I'm just saying, I know girls like her and you're blind to it because she's your ex and precious Allie Corson doesn't do anything wrong in the eyes of Jay"
"Oh come on, Erin" Jay said standing up and pushing his chair in. "You know that's not true. And for that matter there's plenty of things you've done that I don't like. With a hell of a lot worse people"
Erin turned and looked at Jay "When?"
"What about the shit you were doing with Landon when Bunny got her hands on you?" Jay said simply.
"Excuse me?" Erin asked.
"You heard me" Jay said "Remember when you went through your "issues"? I seem to remember coming into your apartment and seeing some asshole on your couch, but did I say anything to you about him? No! I supported you, Erin. And because I supported you, you got your shit together and that's when Hank sent us on the undercover sting on the ship"
"That's a low blow, Jay. I was going through a lot of stuff with Bunny then, you know that. I'm not proud of the decisions I made during that time. But we weren't together then. That was different, we're married and if you want to go off with your ex girlfriend who you spent the better part of your teen years in love with, I can't stop you. But don't use things I've done and choices I regret against me" Erin shook her head and walked out of the kitchen.
"Nothing is going to happen, Erin" Jay called after her.
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"He's finally asleep" Olivia walked into the living room carrying the baby monitor and took a seat next to Hank on the couch.
"He had a busy day" Hank raised his arm up and wrapped it around Olivia.
Olivia turned her head and looked at Hank. "And what exactly did you two do all day?"
"Al and I took him downtown and got him liquored up" Hank said as he took a drink of his beer.
"Hank..." Olivia sighed.
Hank turned and looked at Olivia "Al and I took him to the YMCA to meet up with Antonio. That was it"
Olivia reached for her beer and took a drink "I saw the new Power Wheels car in the backyard. Any idea where that came from?"
Hank shrugged his shoulders "No clue"
"Hank" Olivia said.
"Liv" Hank said back.
"You're spoiling him. It's too close to his birthday for him to have such expensive stuff" Olivia explained.
"Liv, he's two. He's not spoiled. He moved away from all he knows. I don't think it's going to hurt him to have a new toy. Besides he doesn't turn three for another month" Hank challenged.
"I moved across country too. I didn't get a present" Olivia said under her breath as she looked at the TV.
"You didn't?" Hank said opening the fist of the arm he had around her and letting the diamond necklace dangle from his fingers.
"Hank" Olivia said reaching to take the necklace from his hand.
Olivia stared at the small pendant for a few moments before looking at Hank. "I can't accept this. It's too much"
Hank cleared his throat "It wasn't that much. And you deserve it. You're an amazing woman and an incredible mother and I'm going to make sure that you're happy here, Olivia. I promise you that"
Olivia looked down at the necklace and smiled before looking back at Hank. "Moving here was the best decision I could've made. I'm happy, happier than I've been in a long time and of course I miss everyone in New York. But my heart is here, and finally listening to it was the smartest thing I've done"
Hank turned towards Olivia and brushed her hair behind her ear. "It's funny, you didn't even like me when you first met me"
"Well, I've got a thing for charity cases. They're my soft spot" Olivia joked and patted Hank's knee.
"That's funny. You're funny" Hank said. "I don't think the ink is dry on your employment papers down at the district yet"
"Well, I guess I could go back to New York. I mean, you don't really need me here" Olivia sighed.
"No, really, I just need Noah" Hank joked.
"Nice" Olivia said as she stood from the couch.
Hank grabbed Olivia by the hand and pulled her back down next to him. Olivia turned and looked at him and she sighed when she saw Hank looking at her.
"This is going to work, right? Me and you?" Olivia said.
"It's working for me" Hank gruffly joked.
"Hank" Olivia sighed and ran a hand through her hair.
Hank reached up and gently touched Olivia's cheek. "It's going to be great"
"That's all I want to know" Olivia gave Hank a soft smile and she slowly lowered her head and kissed him.
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"What about these?" Kim asked as she held up a bag of frozen peas as she and Adam walked through the grocery store.
Adam shook his head at the bag of peas and quickly said "No"
Kim rolled her eyes and kissed Jackson who was cuddled against her in his Baby Bjorn on the head. "Adam, you tell me you want me to make a Chicken Pot Pie and you've turned your nose up at everything that goes in it"
Adam shrugged his shoulders "So I don't like peas, big deal. What do we have so far?"
Kim looked in the buggy and back at her husband. "So far?...Chicken and Oreos"
Adam nodded "That's enough for me"
"Adam" Kim sighed.
"What?" Adam asked as he walked up to his wife.
"You're making this really hard for me. You're being annoying as hell actually, it's why I don't like shopping with you" Kim sighed and looked up at Adam.
"You know you like shopping with me" Adam teased.
"Yeah, I love spending hours on end walking down the aisles so you can go home with junk" Kim explained.
Adam tilted Kim's chin up and he smiled at her "I believe I've walked in on you double fisting Oreos many times"
Kim shook her head as she looked at Adam "Excuse you, but I'm breast feeding. I'm burning those extra calories and I'll double fist as many Oreos as I want"
Adam chuckled and stepped away from his wife "Well, excuse me"
"And for that matter what happend to you saying you'd love me even if I was as big as a Circus Attraction?" Kim said as she patted Jackson on the bottom and followed Adam down the store as her husband laughed.
Adam pushed the cart down the aisle and around the corner and he bumped someone.
"Watch where you're going" the voice said.
"Platt?" Adam questioned "What are you doing on this side of town?"
"Are you with the Census, Ruzek? Jeez" Platt said as she tossed a few things in her cart.
"Where's Mouch?" Ruzek asked.
"He's at home. Are we done playing 20 questions? Can I go buy the rest of my stuff?" Platt asked
"Don't let me stop you" Adam said holding up his hands and stepping around Platt to push the cart down the aisle.
Kim followed and Platt reached out and grabbed her arm.
"I need your help" Platt confessed.
"What?" Kim asked.
"Turns out, I'm not pregnant. Apparantly my doctor says it's early menopause" Platt shook her head "I don't want everyone at the district knowing. God knows they can't mind their own damn business..." Trudy's voice trailed off.
"So, what do you want me to do?" Burgess asked as she looked at Trudy.
"I need you to cover for me" Trudy explained. "When I have outbursts you know"
"Sooo...keep up what I already do?" Kim asked unsure of where Platt was going with this.
"Cut me some slack, Burgess. I'm not that hard to work with" Trudy said.
"Alright" Kim said "I'll cover for you"
Platt nodded and started to push her cart away. "That's all I ask"
Kim looked over her shoulder at Platt "You might want to avoid eating potato chips though. They'll make you feel bloated"
"Don't tell me how to live my life, Burgess. Did I tell you that you were ruining your life by marrying Ruzek and getting pregnant?" Platt asked as she quickly grabbed the chips that Burgess was reaching for.
"You did actually" Kim said.
"Oh" Platt said "Well, I don't think it happened like that"
"It did actually" Kim said as Jackson squealed with delight as his daddy walked back up to them.
"Control your kid, Burgess" Platt said "I'll see you at work"
"What the hell was all that about?" Adam asked as he rubbed his hand across Jackson's black hair.
"I wish I could tell you" Kim sighed and looked at Adam who tossed a few things in the cart.
"Adam!" Kim said as she looked at the junk food her husband tossed in the cart.
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Erin sat at her desk and rubbed her temples as she looked across the bullpen at Jay's empty desk and she shook her head as she thought about her husband who was out of town with his ex.
She trusted Jay, She did, but she saw right through Allie and her fake smile. And the thought that Jay was spending the evening with Allie and away from her brought out a jealous side of Erin that she wasn't used to.
Erin shook thoughts of Allie's hand on Jay's leg out of her mind as she looked at the clock and tried to focus on finishing up her paperwork.
An hour later Hank flipped the light to his office out and walked across the room to Erin's desk.
"You ready to go, kid?" Hank asked.
Erin nodded and rubbed the back of her neck with her hand. "Yeah"
"You get everything done?" Hank asked as Erin stood from her seat and stretched.
"Yeah. It's all done" Erin said "It always feels good to get these people off the streets, but the paperwork is something I can do without"
Hank nodded as he picked up Erin's file she was working on and closed it. "Just look at it this way kid, get used to it because you get desk duty soon enough"
"Don't remind me" Erin groaned as she ran a hand over her small bump.
"Where's Halstead this weekend?" Hank asked.
Erin shook her head she didn't want to tell Hank were Jay had went. She didn't want to listen to his speech about it so she was quick to change the subject.
"He just went to see an old buddy from high school. How's Olivia like working in Chicago?" Erin asked.
Hank shrugged his shoulders "She's doing good. It's an adjustment, but I'm proud of her"
Erin smiled and looked at Hank. "I'm really glad you're happy, Hank. It's nice to see"
"Feels good to be happy kid, it really does" Hank confessed. "How about we get you home?"
"That sounds great" Erin said with a smile "I just hope Atwater hasn't completely let Everly tear up my house"
"I actually want to talk to you about something" Hank said "Do you have time to get some dinner?"
Erin looked at her watch "How about we just pick something up and you come to the house?"
Hank nodded "That sounds great kid"
Hank made a quick stop to pick up some dinner and he and Erin made their way to her and Jay's home. Erin walked up the steps and opened the door and Kane quickly came to the door to greet her.
"Hey buddy, where's Evie?" Erin asked as she rubbed the dog on his head.
Kane quickly took off towards the back of the house and Erin held the door open for Hank as he carried the take out into the house. "I'll just take this in the kitchen"
Erin nodded and slipped her jacket off and hung it up in the closet as she went in search of her daughter and Kevin.
She walked onto the sun porch and leaned against the doorway and smiled when she saw Kevin sitting on the floor beside Everly's Doc McStuffins Check Up Center.
"I think I'm all better" Atwater said as Everly walked towards him.
"No no" Everly said shaking her head as she yet again gave him a "stick" with the plastic shot in her tiny hand.
"That's seven shots in a row, Kev's all better now" Atwater sighed.
Everly dropped the plastic shot on the floor and laughed at Kevin as he rubbed his arm.
"Hi" Erin said as she walked in the room.
"Mom-mee" Everly greeted as she ran to Erin.
"Hi bug" Erin knelt down and picked Everly up as she kissed her. "Mommy missed you"
"Miss ooo" Everly said.
"Did you have fun with Uncle Kevin today?" Erin asked.
Everly nodded and moved to get down from Erin's arms as she walked over to Kevin. "Pway?"
Atwater looked at Everly as he put her toys away as he cleaned up "I gotta go kid. We'll play soon"
"No" Everly said as she held onto Kevin's leg. "Pease?"
Atwater leaned down and grabbed Everly. He picked her up and started to tickle her.
Everly's belly laugh filled the house as Kevin finished and sat her down on the ground.
"Thanks for doing this, Kevin. I appreciate it" Erin reached into her pocket and pulled out a $20.
Kevin quickly shook his head "Don't even think about it. I'd watch this kid for free"
"Are you sure?" Erin said.
"I'm positive" Kevin said "Keep your money"
"Was she good for you?" Erin asked as she, Kevin and Everly walked out of the sunroom and made their way to the front door.
"She was great" Kevin said as he grabbed his jacket and slipped it on.
"Tell Uncle Kevin bye" Erin said looking down at Everly.
"Bye Bye" Everly said walking over to Atwater and wrapping her arms around his leg.
"Bye Everly" Kevin said.
"Wuv ooo" Everly said pouting.
"You're breaking my heart, kid" Kevin said bending down to Everly's level. "I love you, too. I'll see you later"
"Bye bye" Everly said as she looked away from Atwater and saw Hank in the kitchen.
"PAPAW!" Everly screamed as she took off in the kitchen.
"Well, that's how most of my dates end" Kevin said as he stood up.
Erin laughed and shook her head. "Go home"
Kevin said his goodbyes and Erin closed the door as she walked into the kitchen.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" Erin asked as she watched Hank buckle Everly into her high chair.
Hank looked at Erin and took a breath.
"I'm going to propose to Liv"
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Jay sighed as he walked Allie back to her hotel room. A sudden storm had hit the city and caused power to fail at the conference center where they were having the Survivors of Homicide meeting.
"Thanks for coming tonight, Jay. It really means so much to me. I can't thank you enough" Allie said as she walked with Jay.
Jay nodded "It was good to see your folks, It's been too long since I've seen them"
"They miss you. They like you, they like you more than me" Allie joked as she held onto Jay's arm as they made their way down the hall of the hotel.
Jay noticed that Allie's grip tightend on his arm and he sighed thankfully as they made their way to her room.
"That's not true. I'm sure that they miss you. You know they do"
Allie shrugged her shoulders "They give me a hard time for letting you go"
Jay brushed off Allie's comment and shook his head "Allie, we were young. Life pulled us in different directions"
Allie looked down at the floor and back up at Jay "What if life is pulling us back together?"
Jay furrowed his brown and looked at Allie "It's not though. You're doing amazing things in Arizona and I'm happy in Chicago"
Allie shook her head "You don't seem happy. You're not the Jay that I used to know"
Jay shook his head "I didn't like that version of me. Allie, you have to understand...I care about you..."
Allie smiled as she looked up at Jay "I care about you, too"
Jay looked back at her and started to finish his sentence but he never got the words out before Allie stood up on her toes and crashed her mouth against his.
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