23. Chapter 23
A/N: Ah! I finally got a chapter up! I am so sorry for the super long wait on an update. I have been really crazy with school and lots of other crap. Anyway, this is pretty much a filler chapter - highlighting an important topic of course. The next couple chapters will of course lead to the wedding and some other twists. Hopefully you guys enjoy this chapter, because in the real Linstead world we are headed towards some troubling times. Like always, please please PLEASE review! You have no idea how much it means to me :)
After a relaxing weekend, Erin and Jay found themselves back at work and Maggie back at school. The couple had decided they would tell the unit about the engagement today, possibly at Molly's, if Jay could make it that long without saying anything.
The few places they went over the weekend, any chance that Jay got to talk to someone he introduced Erin as his fiance. It could be a cashier at the grocery store, but still Jay could not keep his mouth shut.
The morning they returned to work, after dropping Maggie off at school, Jay and Erin walked up the steps to Intelligence and to their surprise were immediately greeted by applause and whistles from everyone in the unit.
"Congratulations you guys", Antonio said, being the first to greet them.
"Jay I would like to put in for the position of best man", Adam teased as he walked up and gave his friend a hug.
"Yeah, we will see about that one, Ruzek", Jay answered. "How did you guys know", he asked.
"I told them", Voight answered as he came out of his office. "We are all one big family, who I hope will all be in your wedding", he continued.
"Of course", Erin said giving them a smile.
"Now, let me see that ring", Nadia suddenly demanded as she came over to Erin along with Burgess.
Both girls gaped over Erin's ring as they asked a million questions. Erin couldn't help but laugh as Nadia asked a question and then Burgess.
Jay looked up and quickly caught Erin's eye as she laughed at Nadia and Kim. He gave her a brief smile which she kindly returned. He couldn't wait to marry this girl.
xxx
A little over a month had passed since the engagement and Erin found herself sitting at the kitchen counter writing addresses on envelopes. The wedding invitations had arrived this afternoon when Erin and Maggie came home after school. Of course, Erin wanted to get them sent as soon as possible.
She had gotten through the ones for the unit, for Jay's family, and now she just had her family. She would obviously invite Teddy, since they had become a little closer in the past year. But, now she just stared at the envelope that should be for her mother.
The mother she has barely spoken to in years. The one who always betrays her. It felt like the completely wrong thing to do. By inviting her to her wedding she would be opening a huge can of worms. A mess she did not want to get her family in.
"Hello", Jay's voice suddenly echoed as he entered their apartment.
Erin immediately lifted her head from the envelope she was staring at and saw Jay enter the kitchen.
"Hey", she said giving him a smile as he walked over and gave her a kiss.
"You guys finish the paperwork", Erin asked as he took off his jacket.
"Yeah, I don't know how you get yours done so quickly", Jay joked. "Where's Maggie", he asked.
"Daddy! Guess what", Maggie exclaimed as she came running into the room with her pajamas on.
"Found her", Erin stated getting him to laugh.
"What's going on peanut", Jay asked lifting her up in his arms.
"It's gonna snow this weekend. Like tons of snow", Maggie explained to her father. "Can we go to the cabin so we can build a snowman", she asked putting on her best puppy dog eyes.
"Hmm, well why don't you put on the TV so I can see just about how much snow we will really get", Jay requested.
Maggie jumped from her fathers arms and towards the TV to turn on the news. "Is she talking about the world famous cabin that you never stop talking about", Erin said teasing him.
"It would be fun to get away for a weekend, don't you think", Jay stated. "There's not a lot to do in the city with the snow. It's just a little more peaceful up there", he explained.
Erin just smiled and then looked back down at the envelopes she had already addressed, "Are these the invitations", he said with a smile on his face.
"Yeah", she said taking one out that wasn't sealed and handing it to him.
"You are invited to the wedding of Jay Halstead and Erin Lindsay on June 15th, 2015", Jay read in a formal voice causing her to laugh.
Looking down at the envelope, Jay saw the envelope with only the name Bunny written on the top.
"Bunny", he asked quietly.
Erin sighed and shook her head as she laid it in her hands. "Hey", Jay consoled her as she rubbed her back gently.
"I don't know if I want to invite her Jay. I don't know if I want her to meet Maggie", Erin explained looking over towards Maggie, who was currently looking for the weather channel.
"But, she's my mother. I would be the worst daughter to invite her own mother to her wedding", she continued.
"You know what", Jay asked as she lifted her head from her hands. "We get away for the weekend and you can think it over. No stress about the invitations or other wedding things. Just a nice relaxing weekend with your family", he explained.
"Look! Mommy! Daddy! Snow", Maggie suddenly called out pointing to the TV.
Erin and Jay laughed at her excitement, "A weekend away it is", she finally agreed.
xxx
The next morning, Jay packed up the car with everyone's bags and they were all on the road. Jay was actually very excited to show Erin the cabin and to get her to relax for a little while. About an hour into the trip, both Maggie and Erin fell asleep and it was simply just Jay the rest of the drive.
He knew Maggie had so many plans for this weekend for the three of them and of course Jay had plans for just him and Erin. So, when he pulled up to the cabin and saw the snow falling already, Jay was even more excited for this weekend.
"Erin", he stated putting his hand gently on her shoulder as she began to wake up. "We are here", Jay said as she woke up.
As she awoke, Erin saw it was only eleven o'clock in the morning, which meant it only took them about three hours to get here. Looking up, the cabin Erin was looking out was nothing like she had imagined.
"Holy", Erin gasped as she looked at the house. "This is it", she asked looking around at just the outside of the house. There was a large porch with rocking chairs and a huge backyard. And that was just the outside.
"What do you think", Jay asked.
"I think I wanna go inside and check out the rest of the house", Erin said giving him a smile.
Stepping out of the car, Erin opened up the back door to wake up Maggie. "Maggie. Time to wake up baby. It's snowing", Erin gently whispered beginning to wake her up.
Maggie opened her eyes and immediately jumped from the car at the sight of the snow sticking to the ground. Erin laughed as she began to run up to the house and try to catch snowflakes on her tongue.
"Care for the grand tour", Jay asked as he came up behind Erin.
"Yeah let's see this place", she replied giving him a smile.
The second Erin entered the house, her jaw dropped. It was way better than she expected. The large living room and kitchen were the first thing she saw. There was a huge couch that sat in front of the TV and fireplace. Beyond the fireplace, the windows presented the lake the house sat on.
Erin could immediately see Jay, Maggie, and herself watching movies here and playing games. She could see Jay making meals in the kitchen for them.
"So, what do you think", Jay asked skeptically dying to know what she thought.
"I love it", Erin said turning to him as she kissed his cheek.
"Mommy! Daddy! Let's go play in the snow", Maggie exclaimed running down the stairs already dressed in her snow gear.
"Let us go change, Mags", Jay said picking up the bags and beginning to walk up the steps. Turning around, Jay laughed to himself when he saw Erin still looking around the house in amazement.
"Come on", he said almost treating her like a little child.
Erin smiled as she followed him up the steps. They passed by Maggie's room and a couple other spare bedrooms for guests, before entering the master bedroom.
"Holy", Erin gasped for the second time that day. The master bedroom had to at least be the size of their whole apartment. Erin ran up to the king size bed and immediately jumped right on it.
"This is amazing", she said laying among the perfectly crisp white comforter and pillows.
Jay laughed at her amusement as he tossed their bags to the side and laid down on the bed next to her. "I told you Wisconsin wouldn't be that bad", Jay stated as he laid next to her.
"This is pretty amazing", Erin replied giving him a smug smile as she scooted closer to him.
"Amazing enough that you could live here", Jay asked hopefully.
"Maybe one day", Erin answered him leaning forward to give him a kiss.
Jay smiled as she kissed him, immediately thinking about their future together here. He could see their family coming here, maybe with some more children other than Maggie, and just the two of them retiring here together.
"Mommy! Daddy", Maggie called from downstairs suddenly. "Are you coming", she begged.
Jay sighed as Erin pulled away from their small make out session. "Coming", Erin called standing up and picking up her jacket.
"Come on. Our daughter wants to make a snowman", she said as he stood from the bed.
"Fun for us later", Jay reminded her as he kissed the top of her head.
xxx
Early the next morning, Erin found herself watching Maggie and Jay run around the backyard, which now had least five inches of snow, as they threw snowballs at eachother. This weekend had been exactly what Jay had promised. Maggie had played in the snow non-stop, Erin's thoughts drifted away from the wedding, and once Maggie fell dead asleep, Jay and Erin got some alone time.
So, now she sat at the counter watching her daughter and fiance mess with each other outside for as long as they could before it was time to pack the car back up. Erin smiled knowing that - not soon enough - they would all be a family legally. The adoption papers would eventually go through, Jay and Erin would be married, and the rest of their lives were whatever they wanted them to be.
Of course, thinking about families brought Erin back to the subject of inviting her mom to the wedding. Was it really necessary? Bunny had never been there when Erin needed her. Then again, Erin learned to take care of herself.
"Mommy! Come help me beat Daddy with snow balls", Maggie suddenly called out from outside.
Erin laughed as Maggie tried to convince her mother into coming outside, without even noticing Jay was about to swoop down and scoop her up from behind. Maggie screeched as Jay picked her up and began to tickle her.
"Mommy! Hurry!", Maggie exclaimed through laughs.
Erin quickly grabbed her jacket and began to put on her gloves when she felt something in her pocket. Reaching in, Erin found the envelope she had haphazardly stuck in her pocket nights before. It only had Bunny's name on it.
Without thinking about it any further, Erin tore it up and through it in the garbage can. This was her life. She could do whatever she wanted.
As soon as Erin took her first step outside, the cold air felt as if it were about to rush right through her jacked. Before she could even get a word out, a snowball came flying at her hitting her right in the shoulder.
"Hey", she exclaimed hearing Jay and Maggie's laughs coming from behind a tree.
"Bring it on", Erin challenged them balling up a snowball before sneaking over and throwing it right towards Maggie.
Maggie laughed as she ran away towards the house, so it was just Jay and Erin behind the tree.
"Ah, so you decided to join the war", Jay mocked wrapping an arm around her waist.
Erin laughed as he kissed her cheek with an icy kiss. "I really do love it here", she said.
"I love it when we are all here", Jay replied as they heard Maggie announcing she was coming to attack. "One big family", he added.
"One big crazy family"