18. Chapter 18
A/N: So, this chapter is a little shorter than the other ones I have been posting. Hopefully you will enjoy it just as much as the others though! Please let me know what you think by reviewing! I love hearing from you guys :) Oh, and also for those of you who have a twitter, I just started a Chicago PD twitter account, so if you wanna follow me that would be cool. Username - queenoflinstead. Anyway, happy reading :)
The next morning, Maggie happily bounced around the kitchen, ducking in between Erin and Jay, who were multi-tasking between getting dressed and making sure Maggie was ready. After yesterdays trial, with Maggie testifying, both Erin and Jay were happy to see Maggie in a good mood. The child simply had no worries in the world. If only her parents could learn from her.
"But, I don't understand why you can't come on my field trip with me", Maggie begged her father as he stood making coffee.
"Because Mags, Mommy and I have to go back downtown and finish all the work with Mr. Evans", Jay explained for maybe the twentieth time that morning.
"Mommy, do you really have to go", Maggie pleaded now marching her way over to Erin who had just finished packing Maggie's lunch.
"I gotta be there for Daddy, Maggie", Erin explained as she handed her the bag lunch she had finished packing. "But, I know you are going to have a lot of fun visiting the museum with all your friends that when you come home and tell us about it, it will feel like we were there with you", she finished.
Maggie gave her mother a smile as she walked over to her backpack to place her lunch in.
"Nicely done", Jay whispered in Erin's ear handing her the to go cup of coffee.
"I've learned a thing or two these past couple months, Halstead", she replied giving him a smirk.
It was true Erin had learned many things about Maggie now that she was her mother. It felt weird to call herself that. If someone had asked her six months ago what she thought her life would be like in the near future, she would have never said living with her partner and his daughter. She probably wouldn't have even said she would be in a relationship with Jay and have a little girl calling her 'Mommy'. But, she was and she couldn't be happier.
"Mommy! Daddy! I'm all ready for my field trip", Maggie exclaimed skipping in with her backpack and lunch in hand.
"You ready", Jay asked Erin placing his hand on the small on her back.
"Yeah. Let's go", Erin answered giving him a smile as Maggie skipped up to her grabbing her hand as they all left the apartment.
xxx
Kaitlyn sat in her car outside the museum watching as the school bus pulled up the curb and each small four to five year old got out. They each had a partner, which they held hands with as they got of the bus. Kaitlyn intently watched each of the child get off the bus until she spotted the one she only had eyes for.
Her beautiful daughter Maggie Ann.
She skipped off the bus on her own, her partner only a few steps behind. Kaitlyn watched as her teacher approached her and asked the little girl to politely wait for her friend get off the bus. Maggie nodded her head and agreement and waited for her friend. Kaitlyn couldn't help but smile at her daughter, recognizing her fierce independence.
Just as Maggie was about to enter the museum with her class, she quickly bent down to tie her shoes. Kaitlyn took in every feature of her daughter, from her long dirty blonde locks to her brown eyes. She was beautiful and that was exactly how Kaitlyn had remembered her.
A baby Maggie cried continuously in her small carrier as Kaitlyn ran around her apartment looking for the files Maggie's father would need. She had easily typed up the instructions for caring for her daughter. It was the birth certificate she couldn't seem to find. Remembering where it was, Kaitlyn quickly raced off to her bedroom and found the certificate laying on her dresser.
"Kaitlyn", a voice suddenly rang out as Kaitlyn heard her apartment door slam.
Kaitlyn ran out of her bedroom to see her mother unbuckling the small infant from her carrier and gently cradling Maggie in her arms.
"Mom, please put her back", Kaitlyn pleaded with her mother as she stuffed the birth certificate in the envelope and sealed it.
"She is screaming her head off, Kaitlyn", her mother protested.
"She's going to be fine", Kaitlyn protested taking the now sleeping Maggie from the older woman's arms and buckling her back in.
"What the hell are you doing, Kaitlyn", her mother practically yelled.
Kaitlyn turned to see her mother with the envelope filled of all Maggie's information in her hands.
"Returning her to her rightful owner", Kaitlyn said snatching the folder from her hands. "I can't take care of her. So, maybe her father will have better luck", she continued.
"Her father!? I thought he was in the army", her mother questioned.
"Well, he's back. And this is his welcome back gift", Kaitlyn said as she threw on her jacket and grabbed the carrier with Maggie safely buckled in.
"Kaitlyn", her mother yelled. Kaitlyn turned to her mother who looked as if she was about to cry. "Have you even thought about this", she asked.
"I'm not ready to be a mother. This child does not deserve me", Kaitlyn explained to her mother.
"It's as simple as that", she said before storming out of the apartment.
Placing Maggie gently at the front of Jay Halstead's doorstep, Kaitlyn gently fixed the blanket she was swaddled in and taped the envelope to the carrier. Looking down at her sleeping baby girl, Kaitlyn gently caressed her face.
"He's going to love you so much", she whispered before lightly placing a kiss on her forehead.
As she stood back up, Kaitlyn took one last look at her daughter. "Maybe I will come back, but for now he's the best for you", she said before leaving the apartment and her daughter behind.
Kaitlyn was snapped out of her thoughts as she watched Maggie enter the museum with her teacher and another child. She had made a mistake. She should have listened to her mother that day. But, now she would take back what was rightfully hers. With that thought in mind, Kaitlyn stepped out of her car and towards the museum.
xxx
"Mr. Smith. If you can not find your client, I will have to move this final hearing to another day", the judge lectured as she watched Kaitlyn's attorney frantically making phone call after phone call.
"Your honor, let me try one more person", he requested.
The judge simply nodded as Kaitlyn's lawyer dialed another number on his cellphone. Erin and Jay watched intently as the phone call ended almost as quickly as it began.
"Your honor, I would just like to point out that Ms. Sanders disappearance proves my original point she is not capable of taking care of a child", Jay's lawyer suddenly stated as he stood.
"Thank you, Mr. Evans, but you have already proved your case", the judge replied.
"Mr. Smith? Any luck finding your client", she asked.
"No, your honor. I haven't heard from her since yesterday. She was distraught after seeing her daughter testify", Kaitlyn's lawyer explained.
Just as a comfortable silence settled in the courtroom, the buzzing of Erin's cell phone began to go off.
"Ms. Lindsay? Is there something we are interrupting", the judge asked as Erin looked up from her vibrating cell phone.
"No, your honor. It's just my sergeant", Erin said as she stood, gave Jay's hand a gentle squeeze, and then left courtroom.
Stepping out to the lobby, Erin dialed Hank back and waited until he picked up. Surprisingly, it only took two rings to get Hank to answer the phone.
"Hank, what's going on. I'm kind of in the middle of court", Erin immediately asked barely giving him time to get a word out.
"Is Kaitlyn there", Voight asked.
"No, her lawyer has been trying to get in touch with her", Erin answered. She heard him sigh on the other side. "Hank, what's going on", she asked,
"I need to talk to Jay, Erin. Where is he", Voight demanded.
"In the courtroom. Hank, what the hell is going on that you can't tell me", Erin's voice began to raise.
Before Voight could say another word, Erin looked towards the courtroom doors to see Jay standing there.
"It's for you", Erin said holding the phone out towards Jay as he approached her.
"Hello", Jay said hesitantly taking the phone from Erin, not sure how to react and immediately hearing Hank on the other line.
Erin tried her best to hear every word that Hank was saying. The words she got out of the conversation she wished she hadn't heard.
Maggie. Taken. Kaitlyn.
At the sound of those words coming from her phone, Erin reached and grabbed Jay's free hand as he continued to listen to whatever Hank was saying.
"Yeah, we're on it", Jay said before hanging up the phone.
Turning to Erin, Jay immediately saw the tears welling up in her eyes. "Please don't cry, Erin", he said gently stroking her cheek.
"Please tell me I heard it wrong", she whispered.
"You didn't", Jay responded. "It's my fault. I should have known she would do something like this after yesterday", he continued.
"We are wasting our time standing here then", Erin suddenly said.
Marching into the courtroom, Erin stormed right towards the judges bench, with Jay on her heels and looked at the judge.
"Maggie Halstead is missing", she stated. "And the Chicago Police Department has Kaitlyn Sanders currently listed as the number one suspects", Erin finished.
"So, we need her address, cell phone number, and anything else we could use to help us find her", Jay added giving Kaitlyn's lawyer a look.
"And WE need it right now"
A/N: READ AND REVIEW, SO ERIN AND JAY CAN FIND MAGGIE! THE MORE REVIEWS I GET THE SOONER I UPDATE!