With over a year of marriage under their belt, with homes in Maryland and Illinois, with two successful careers and a dog that's growing at such a rapid rate, it honestly doesn't feel like there is enough time in the day. It's all going by so fast and there's no way to keep up with time. After their year long hiatus from work and responsibilities, a year of living together as a married couple, a year of shared finances and bank accounts and a year of enjoying life and mapping out a little of their future, they're back to reality.

Jay is writing music, attending and performing awards shows and making public appearances at fashion events. Apparently Mr. Halstead is a little fashionista, as Erin likes to call him even though he absolutely hates the term. He doesn't see it. A black, leather jacket, a white v-neck and jeans is his signature look but apparently the world considers that high fashion. He doesn't see it and he probably never will but Erin says it's more so the man in the outfit that makes it high fashion rather than the actual outfit itself and he understands that more. He truly couldn't understand designers paying him money to wear their clothing; he gets money to throw on their outfits when he's about to run errands just to be photographed by paparazzi.

It's ridiculous.

His net worth, combined with his wife's net worth, is fucking ridiculous. In a good way, of course.

Erin is back at work, deciding that she wants to continue being a lawyer, at least for the nearby future, maybe until she has babies. Definitely until she has babies. After she has babies then she'll decide again what to do, but until then, she'll enjoy the business of law and order.

In her year-long break, she did a lot of self-examination, she did enough to know that while she loves being a lawyer, she loves helping the underdog, she doesn't want to do it for the rest of her life. She wants to help more people, reach out to more people and being a lawyer limits that for her. Since she's still in law, they remained living in DC and only chose to purchase a home in Illinois because they spend the most time traveling back and forth between the two places and Mills recently opened up another firm in Chicago so she's able to still work when she's away from home.

That year-long break had gone by too fast.

And now they were back to the real world, to reality and the everyday task of working. But, fortunately, now the day was close to being over.

"Honey, I'm home," Erin walks inside, kicking the door shut behind her, before dropping her keys into the glass bowl positioned on the table to the left of the door. She holds a stack of mail, majority of them bills, in her hand. As she sorts through the mail, she kicks off her heels, knowing that she'll probably have to hear her husband's grunts and groans about it later but for right now she doesn't care, she'll move them eventually, but she's tired right now and her feet hurt and her neck has a crook in it from being hunched over all day. Ugh. It's already been a long and tiresome week and it's only Monday.

Now that she's back to work, she's ready to go on another long hiatus again.

"Babe," she calls out; he's been home all day and she truly hopes that he either cooked dinner or ordered something for them to eat, "I'm hungry." She sounds like a child, whining but the way her stomach is set up and growling at her, she feels like she has no choice but to assert her complaints.

Not once does Jay respond though.

She knows he's home. His car was in the garage and his two assigned guards were positioned outside.

"Babe," she calls out again and is still met with silence, "Jay," she shouts even louder only causing for Nico to run towards her, "Nico where's Jay? Where's Jay?" Her dog's tail wags and he turns on his heel before running off. She follows after him, trying to keep up but struggling because he's so fast and her feet hurt so much. Maybe her husband will give her a foot massage?

Nico runs up to the closed door of his office, the place where he writes and practices his music. The door is closed and Nico is forced to scratch his paw against the door, "Jay," she grabs the knob and it's locked and she's forced to knock, "Jay, it's me, it's Erin," and she's pretty sure he knows who she is without her even having to say it but she does anyway.

It's not long, only seconds to be honest, for the door to open up, revealing her husband's appearance: his face glowering, his mouth pressed into a thin, firm line and his muscles bulging more than normal. He's angry. Pissed.

She swallows and peers up into his eyes, "What's wrong?"

Jay pulls her into the room after grabbing her wrist and yanking her forward. The door shuts behind her before Nico has a chance to enter, leaving the dog in the hallway scratching against the door, "I just got off the phone with Will."

"…and?" She watches him turn around and walk back towards his desk, flopping down into his desk chair and throwing his head back.

"Tanya left my dad."

"You're kidding?"

He lifts his head and shakes it, "I wish I was. While my dad was at the store, she left. She's been gone for weeks and this morning divorce papers showed up."

"…and you're upset about this?"

"YES," he shouts, fist slamming down onto his wooden desk, "This happened weeks ago and I'm only finding out about it today! I fucking warned my father about this! I knew this was going to happen but he wouldn't listen! He never fucking listens to me!"

Erin leans against the edge of the desk, the pain in her feet and neck forgotten because she has more prominent things to worry about, "…what is she asking for in the divorce?"

"She wants money," he says and Erin waits because she knows there's more, "and she wants to keep the ring. The ring, Erin, the fucking ring that she should have never gotten in the first place!" She gets up and moves towards him to take a seat on his lap and wrap her arms around his neck as he continued, "I told them. No one listened, Er."

"I know," she whispers as she plays with the strands at the back of his neck. He needs to vent and she lets him.

"Will is hiring a lawyer for him," he says through gritted teeth, his fingers digging into her waist as he holds onto her as tightly as possible, "and I'm torn about this because I want that ring back but at the second time I don't care if he loses everything else. He deserves it. This is his karma; this is the energy he puts out into the world. I want him to lose but not at the expense of me never seeing that ring again." His head falls forward and is cradled against her chest as she tightens her arms around him, holding him so close in an effort to ease his pain.

-x-

Moments in life have a way of going by slow and fast at the same time. It's odd when you think about it for too long but it's true. She was in Chicago for the week to oversee the operations at the new firm Mills had opened up in Illinois and fortunately her schedule for being in Chicago synced up with her husband's need to return to their home city. The two of them didn't like being away from each other for too long so thank the heavens that they haven't had to be separated.

…even though they say absence makes the heart grow fonder.

And even if you're married, you would prefer a little space. Sometimes.

Erin tried to insert the wrong key into the bottom lock of her Chicago home. It was different than their Maryland home, it was bigger and the gated community it resided in was topnotch. She didn't know which home she liked more but they both held a different place in her heart. Her key ring is heavier than it has ever been. She wasn't used to having more than two keys to her home –typically to the top and bottom lock. Now she had more than she feels like counting. She had keys to back doors; she had keys to top and bottom locks and even keys to garage doors. And those were just the keys that belong to her homes, none of them compared to the amount of keys she had for work. But before she could dwell on that for too long, the front door is opened.

"We have too many damn locks," she grunted, pushing her way inside.

"It's the downside of owning property," he replied, shutting the door behind her, "I ordered out for dinner. I didn't feel like making food. It just got here a few minutes before you arrived so it should still be hot. I haven't eaten yet. I was waiting for you."

She kicked off her heels and set them on the shoe rack, knowing how anal her husband is and how most of their arguments center on her being untidy, she decides to spare them of that conversation for the night. That is, until she walks into the kitchen.

"I thought you said you were going to take the trash out this morning." Today is garbage day.

He moves to the cabinet above the sink, "I overslept." He grabbed two plates.

"I woke you up before I left and said Jay don't forget to take the trash out."

"…and then I dozed back off." He set the plates down before taking his seat.

Erin was leaning back against the kitchen counter, ankles crossed and arms crossed with her head tilted to the side, "The trash is overfilling."

"I'll take it out once we're done eating."

"…but garbage was picked up today."

He shrugs, "They'll just get it next week then." And she blinks slowly, once, twice and then a third time before responding, "If the situation was reversed I wouldn't hear the end of it."

"That's not true," he argues, reaching into the bags to start pulling out the Tupperware full of the food he ordered. He couldn't decide so he got a bit of all of their favorites from the Thai spot around the corner.

"It is true," she simply states and they both know it, "I leave a towel on the floor and it's World War three with you but you slip up and what….nothing. You need to hold yourself to the same standard that you hold me."

"Are you really trying to argue about this right now?"

"I'm trying to prove a point."

"You're a lawyer. You've been proving points all day, aren't you tired by now?"

She doesn't respond. She has to deal with people at work and now she has to deal with her husband at home. Silently, she leaves the kitchen, hearing him call out from behind, "Erin, you forgot to eat." She didn't forget. And she may be hungry but her anger and annoyance takes away her appetite, "I'm not hungry."

Erin climbs the stairs, Nico at her feet, desperately either wanting to play or get a belly rub but she's too upset to figure out which one. With every step she takes down the hallway, she unbuttons her blouse, purposely tossing it to the side before unzipping her skirt and stepping out of it, leaving it on the ground. She removes her stockings, she unclasps her bra and then she goes to retrieve a shirt from the dresser, not giving the articles of clothing she left strewn around a second thought. It may be petty but she never claimed to be a saint.

She pulled the covers back on the bed, grabbed the remote and climbed into it. After turning on the television and channel surfing she decides on watching the news coverage of the summit in Canada that her father is attending. She's not really paying attention and if anyone were to ask her to summarize what the journalist had just said then she'd be at a loss. She's too consumed in her thoughts; too busy replaying the argument between her and Jay to focus. But when she hears the bedroom door creak open, she finds herself purposely trying to appear like she's entertained by the footage on the TV, "Are you actually mad at me about not taking the trash out?"

"Yes."

"…and there's no way I can bribe you for your forgiveness?"

Silently, she shakes her head.

"…not even with food," he holds up two plates, -one for him and one for her.

She wants to say no but her stomach betrays her and growls. And before she can give an answer, he's walking over, extending one plate to her as he balances the other plate, "What are we watching?" He's acting as if the argument had never even happened.

"Seriously? We're not even going to talk about it?"

"What is there to talk about?"

A slow inhale and exhale is what Erin does to calm herself. She needs to eat, that'll help calm her too. She takes a bite and then another while processing her thoughts and then speaking, "If you're going to be mad at me every time something isn't spotless then you should probably make sure that you're not being hypocritical about it."

"Er…I honestly forgot and overslept. It was no malice intent behind it."

"I believe you," she does, "but you have to see where I'm coming from. It doesn't feel good to be reprimanded when something isn't done." He gets it.

"I know. And I'm trying. My old home had a housekeeper who came in to make sure everything stayed spotless and I'm so used to that. I like that."

"…then hire a housekeeper because I'm not one and the last thing I feel like coming home to do is clean."

"I get that," he nodded, "I noticed that." He looks around the bedroom making it obvious what he's referencing and that makes her smile. He grins too.

Erin takes another bite of her food, "If it causes you so much anxiety then feel free to pick it up."

"I uh…it can…it can stay," he resumes eating, trying any and everything not to look at the mess around their bedroom. It's not much. It's only a few articles of clothing but that's how it always starts. It always starts with a little junk before doubling and then tripling. "I don't mind it. It uh…it actually gives the place character."

And that makes Erin laugh; the essence of their argument long gone with how hearty her laughter is with the way the sound fills their bedroom. She sets her fork down and looks over at her husband, "Babe, I'll pick it up once you take the trash out." He reaches for her plate, being careful not to move too fast since his plate is balanced on his lap. She's confused by the action until he says, "I'm just trying to make it as easy as possible for you to get up to get your clothes. I took the trash out before I came upstairs." And this time it's his laughter that's filling their bedroom as she gets out of bed to throw her clothes into the hamper.

-x-

It's dark in their bedroom. Both of them are naked and out of breath as their backs lie against the silk sheets on their mattress. Her chest rises and then falls with every breath she tries to catch.

And Jay expects for her to fall asleep. It's been too quiet in their bedroom that it's not surprising for him to think that she fell asleep, but when she speaks, he's suddenly caught off guard by her being awake and by what she says, "Do you remember when I said that I would tell you when I'm ready to start trying for kids?" She rolls onto her side, tucking herself in his embrace.

His hand gently caresses her back, "Yeah."

"…well I'm ready," she whispers and he immediately looks down to catch her gaze, "I want to have a baby. I want to grow our family and I'm ready to start trying. But no pressure. I want us both to be ready so if you're-" And before she can finish her statement, he's kissing her. His hands are pulling at her clothing because once he got the green light; he was ready to start trying.

And try they did. Multiple times. Throughout the night. Because as the saying goes, practice makes perfect. And since technically she hasn't stopped taking her birth control, he knows that these tries are pretty much pointless but there's no amount of preparation one can have to be truly skilled in the art of baby making.

-x-

Erin is brushing her teeth at her sink in the bathroom when the door is opened and Jay walks in, dragging his feet as he drops his pajama pants and lifts the toilet lid, "Seriously," she grumbles around a mouthful of toothpaste, "You're going to pee while I'm brushing my teeth."

"It's not the first time," he yawns as he relieves himself, "and it won't be the last."

"I was almost finished," she rinses off her toothbrush before cupping her hands, leaning forward and bringing water up to her mouth to gargle and then spit out, "I said give me like five minutes and then the bathroom would be all yours."

He flushed the toilet. He moved towards his sink, bumping his hip against hers before washing his hands. Erin doesn't know if it's a perk of marriage or not but the fact that there seems to be no boundaries or privacy between the two of them is interesting. She's not exactly sure how she feels about it, but the moment Jay slaps his wet hand against her behind, dampening up the back of her skirt, she grows frustrated "You are determined to annoy me this morning, aren't you?"

Jay smirked and leaned forward to kiss the corner of her mouth, "You love me."

"That wasn't up for debate," she turned around and wrapped her arm around his bare waist, "The debate is whether or not you woke up this early just to annoy me."

"I woke up this early because I had to pee."

"…and now that you're done?"

"I'm going back to sleep," he kisses her again before backing out of her embrace, "kick ass today babe, those college kids won't recognize greatness until you walk into the room."

She's giving a graduation speech at American University today. And she's going to nail it.

"I'm basically a professional at giving speeches now," she jokes and he knows it's the truth, she is, it's okay to be confident and admit it without making it seem like you're joking.

"…and as a reward, I'll be energized and waiting up for you by the time you get home to resume our baby making activities."

She kisses him because she loves the sound of that. And with that thought on her mind, she blanks out for a few seconds during her speech, long enough for people who know her to notice but not long enough for anyone in the stands watching her to pick up on it. He's on her mind so the second she finishes, she's invited to stay after to celebrate but she decides against it because there's a handsome man patiently waiting at home for her.

-x-

It's a manual reel lawn mower and those words meant absolutely nothing to him until the store clerk explained them, and when Jay purchased it from Home Depot, it came highly recommended from the store clerk because apparently it's an environmentally friendly option for decent-sized lawns. It's supposed to be an easy push, a quick job, come outside, mow the lawn and then be done.

But, Jay should have brought in photos of his lawn because the way the store clerk described a 'decent size' lawn had him thinking his own lawn matched that description. He was wrong though. Or maybe the store clerk was wrong and the term 'decent size' wasn't the right choice of words for him to use. He should have said small-scale or something along those lines. Because with the manual reel lawn mower, he has to push it and at this rate, he'll be out here all day.

His front lawn was small enough to finish mowing in an hour, but the backyard, whew, the backyard he's tempted to hire someone to do it for them. Pay them whatever they want. Literally, whatever they want. Any number. Because it's too fucking hot and this is getting ridiculous. It honestly feels like the more of his lawn he cuts, the more his lawn starts to expand.

And he's wearing a white tank top; it's absolutely soaked because he's sweating through it. It's drenched.

And he's being bit by mosquitoes. No amount of repellent have turned them away. His legs are about two different shades, -red from the bites and a little tan from the sun.

His only saving grace is his angel who happens to currently be walking towards him, balancing two glasses in the crook of her arm and a pitcher of freshly squeezed lemonade. As always, she has perfect timing because it was about time for him to take a break.

"You've made a lot of progress babe," Erin says as he grabs both of the empty glasses, "I figured you were due for a break."

"Did you finish the laundry?"

She nods as she starts to pour lemonade into their glasses, "Laundry washed, dried, folded and put away. How long do you think you have left out here?"

He practically guzzles down the entire glass before holding it out for a refill, "um... probably about another two hours...maybe three."

"Seriously?"

"Babe, look at how fucking huge this yard is."

"I'm ovulating though. You can be done for the day."

"It's a bit uneven. Half of the backyard is mowed and the other half isn't."

"We'll hire someone."

"You've been pressing me about cutting the grass this whole week."

"And now I'm changing my mind and pressuring you to put a baby in me. Come on babe, fuck this lawn," she waves it off with her free hand, "it's baby making time."

-x-

She's not pregnant even though they've spent weeks trying. She's not pregnant. And it doesn't hurt her feelings until it does. If that makes sense…

She wears a fake smile. It's been a permanent fixture on her face after the first month of trying.

He sees through it though. He always does and he never calls her out on it because he's hurt every time the test is negative too so he cannot imagine how it feels for her.

He tries to be supportive, "It'll happen when it's time," and she always nods when he says it, but she's starting to not believe it, and she knows that Ruzek and Burgess have recently been looking into becoming foster parents and Kim has spent more time bringing it up to her that she's starting to wonder if her friends know about her difficulty getting pregnant.

But, she doesn't want to foster. She wants to parent. She wants to have a baby of her own.

Even as their anniversary passes, there's no gift that he could give her that removes the fake smile off her face. The vacation to Saint Lucia doesn't take her mind off of it. His anniversary present to her didn't take her mind off of it. And when she gives him his anniversary present, the gift of his mother's ring that she managed to get from Tanya by providing the woman a monetary reward she couldn't refuse, the smile on his face, the shock and the appreciation doesn't take her mind off of it.

He tells her that he loves her a lot, but he does it even more after the next negative test. He buys her gifts as if that'll make up for it. He prints out the form to become foster parents as if that'll take away the sting, he constantly tells her that if it's meant then it'll be. He writes a song about witnessing the happiness leave his wife's face and being unable to do anything about it. And with her permission he releases it with only him on the track, no band to assist in his backup vocals because it's personal, his band is not involved. He doesn't mention the reason for her sadness in the song which she appreciates but the melody does help her in some way. And he sticks by her side, he's always there to hold her, to sit with her as she takes a test, to stand with her during visits to her doctor's office only to hear that everything is functioning properly.

It doesn't feel like it is though. If everything was working right then she should be pregnant.

She tries to remember the doctor's words after every disappointing test.

But after every negative pregnancy test, her heart breaks more and more and he's always there to pick up the pieces. He comforts her. He kisses her. He knows that she still takes pregnancy tests, even without him at her side because she wants to spare him the pain and heartbreak and while he would love to join her, he understands her hesitance. She tries to hide the hurt, she tries to act as if it no longer bothers her, but he knows her too well. He can always tell when she takes a pregnancy test even when she doesn't verbally tell him. And he always has the same response, he always whispers, time and time again that, "It'll happen when it's supposed to happen."

-x-

And now, it's supposed to happen…

Jay squints as he takes a step closer to get a better look. It's a toy, and when she shakes it, he knows that it's a rattle. He knows what it is but it doesn't stop him from asking, "What is it?"

She shakes it again and his eyes grow round and his heart skips a few beats, "It's a rattle."

"…Erin," he gasps, voice below a whisper and she barely hears it. He doesn't want to assume.

"We're going to need it in a couple of months."

After everything, after all the time, the heartbreak, the doctor's visits, after all of it, she feels a genuine smile become the new permanent fixture on her face. His hands are shaking. He's overwhelmed with emotion because they deserve this, she deserves this.

His jaw slackens, and he's never seen someone so beautiful, so amazing in his life as he takes in the sight of her, his wife, his baby's mother, practically glowing under the fluorescent light. The rattle remains in her hand and he carefully takes it from her, holding it in his grip as if it was precious cargo. It felt like it was; it's a Victorian style, sterling silver rattle with a spinning floral patterned filigree ball. It's absolutely gorgeous and pristine and he actually doesn't know how much use a baby could get out of it.

His stunned gaze darts from the rattle and towards her stomach before fixing back on her face.

"Is…is that alright? Are you…are you alright with that?" Worry creeps across her brow.

Her words manage to restore his ability to speak. He hadn't even realized he lost it.

"You're pregnant aren't you?" That was a pretty dumb question but his thoughts are buffering while his mouth is ready to speak. He's overwhelmed with emotion.

Her teeth bite down into her lower lip as she nods, "Yeah…yeah I am." And before either of them could utter any other words, he's on her, kissing her fiercely as the delicate rattle is released from his grip and drops to the carpeted floor.

Minutes fly by, and the only reason they separate their lips is to catch their breath. His forehead rests against hers and he's panting, "When did you find out? How long have you known?" His hand cups the side of her face as he waits for an answer, "…a little over a week. I couldn't figure out how to tell you so I asked my mom for the box of baby things she saved of mine. It's in the closet of one of the guest rooms. I figured you wouldn't find it there."

"A baby," he shook his head in disbelief, face amazed as he processes the news, "we're going to have a baby. You're gonna give me a baby," his hand falls from her face and he takes a step back to take her in, "you're going to have my baby," he steps forward to capture her lips again. This felt like a long time coming. He's always pictured the day that she tells him she's pregnant but he's never imagined it to be like this.

Erin winds her arms up around his neck, her fingers curling into the hairs at the base of his skull, "I am having your baby."

She's his. And this baby is his. And they're his family. And he doesn't know how he got to be so lucky. He doesn't know what he's done right in this world to deserve them.

"You're my life," he admits to her as his hand drops to find comfort resting against her stomach, "…both of you are." He looks down at her flat stomach and she lays her hand atop of his, "You continue to make me the happiest man on the planet."

Jay gives her stomach another caress before pulling her flush against him, "I want you to come on tour with me. I don't want to miss a second of this." She forgot about his tour, she forgot about the realities of his job.

"I have to work," she reminds, head falling onto his shoulder. He presses a kiss to her temple.

"Is there any way I can change your mind? I'm going to be on tour for six months."

Her arms wrap around his waist and she nuzzles her face further into his chest. "When do you leave?" He's told her but she keeps forgetting.

"…in two months."

"I should be out of my first trimester."

"I don't want to miss a doctor's appointment or the birth."

"And you won't," she hugs him tighter, "we'll make this work. I can work for as long as I can and then closer to the end, I'll join you on tour and stay with you."

"I don't want to leave you alone."

"I won't be. I have my guys here."

"…but I'm not," he admits. He's a bit worried.

"…but we'll make it work," she kisses him, "we've been wanting this for so long, I won't let you miss any of it."

-x-

And she keeps her word. Even when she's out of her first trimester and they'll be leaving on tour soon, they sat the band down, her family too, and broke the news because it take a village to raise a kid and if they want to work the band around her pregnancy then they all need to be in it together. Her mother is the happiest because she's been waiting on this for years.

Her dad, ha, he doesn't know how to feel, "I'm in shock and I'm feeling a mixture of emotions," he admits, smiling weakly, and it's truly the sweetest thing, "it's going to feel good to have the baby crawling around the White House."

"It'll be historic," Erin jokes, hugging her dad, squeezing him tightly.

Justin leaves the kitchen, the aroma of whatever is cooking is filling the air and it smells so good and she's so hungry. So hungry. Justin hugs her from behind, squeezing her tightly, and if she didn't get multiple reassurances from her doctor that this is a healthy pregnancy then she'd probably swat her brother away, "I'm really happy for the two of you. You deserve this more than anything and this kid's pretty lucky to have you both as parents."

Surprisingly he was the one who had the sweetest response. Her mother could barely form a coherent sentence and Justin was speaking so eloquently, hell must have frozen over because she would have never expected that to happen. But, it just goes to show the miracle of having a baby.

"What about the tour?" Rixton asks, tucking his photo of the sonogram into his wallet, "will Erin be joining us?" He looks over to his friend's wife, "You're joining us, right?"

Erin laughs, "I'll join in my third trimester. Fortunately in the early months of pregnancy, I don't have doctor appointments too often, but the later the pregnancy then the more appointments I'll have."

"…and I don't want to miss one," Jay adds, "and I definitely don't want to miss the birth."

"And what about your career," Camille is peering down at her copy of the sonogram, already wondering where she's going to hang it up at, "how are you going to balance all of that? I want you to enjoy your pregnancy sweetheart. I don't want you to overwork yourself."

"I've been talking with Jay and I feel what's best for me is to leave law," and she should have known her dad would need further clarification because the last thing he wanted for her is to leave her career while raising babies and supporting her husband's career, -it sounds like it's the fifties, "it's too time-consuming. It clashes with our schedules. And most importantly, I don't want to miss too much of my baby's early years, I don't want a nanny, I want to be there for everything and with Jay traveling, I want the baby to have at least one permanent fixture."

Voight moves forward, arms crossed over his chest, "Will you be returning to law eventually?"

"…if that's where life takes me," she admits because she honestly doesn't know if that's her passion; lately she's been feeling like it's a chore when she used to love going to work, love taking as many cases as possible, but now, not so much, "when my kid is old enough, if I still have that calling for law then I'll go back, Mills says I will always have a job with him, but if I don't want to go back, I'll do what my heart wants me to do."

And her dad is forced to accept it because it's not up for debate.

Jay supports her so her dad should too.

-x-

Erin turns around to look at her husband lounging in the bed, his hands crossed behind his head while his body remains on full display to her. Her canvas is blank, the paintbrush is in hand and she carefully starts to apply pressure to the blank canvas. He's already posed, a light, flirtatious smirk on his face as he watches her.

She's focused. She's biting her bottom lip and that's how he knows that she's in a zone. It only makes him want her.

And that small baby bump she's sporting only makes him want her more.

Erin's empty hand always finds itself resting against the slight curve of her stomach. She's wearing his button-up shirt and a white sports bra, but the shirt is wide open, falling loosely around her shoulders. And he doesn't know if he'll be able to pose for hours as she attempts to paint him as if she were a professional. She's wanted to do this for some time, and after taking multiple painting classes, she finally feels that she's where she needs to be, she's at least at an intermediate level of painting.

"Where are you going to hang that?"

Erin shoots him a look because apparently she needs silence and she needs him to keep still and hold the same pose, "...in our closet."

That makes him pout. He's lying down, naked, as she paints him only for it to collect dust in the back of their closet.

"What's the point of this then?"

"It's for my pleasure."

"...then why not hang it in here, our bedroom? Or your office?"

She pauses. She carefully sets the paintbrush down to make sure it doesn't drip and make a mess. Leaning to the side, to meet his eyes, she simply says, "I considered that and then I remembered I'll be having your kid in a few months and that kid will grow up and I would prefer not to scar my child at any point in his or her life. I'm pretty sure a naked picture of daddy painted by mommy will do just that."

And all he can follow her response up with is, "Touche." Because she made a good point. She was a successful lawyer for a reason.

-x-

He scooted down towards her overgrown belly.

She was ready to meet the baby. She was ready to have her body back. She was ready to have a bit more freedom and flexibility.

Erin sat up, resting against the headboard of their bed while Jay propped his head up with one hand as the other hand caressed her stomach. He leaned forward and peppered the lightest of kisses on her stomach, the scruff of his facial hair scratching against her skin, "I think," she runs her hand through his hair, brushing a few strands off his forehead, "that if the baby is a girl then we can name her after Nadia, maybe use Nadia as a middle name in honor of her."

"I think that would be beautiful. You're beautiful," he whispers. And she rolls her eyes as he continued to rub her stomach.

Her eyes met his as he continued to caress her belly with the softness of his palm and when he opened his mouth and sang, she fell in love with him even more.

-x-

It's a boy.

After waiting months to be surprised by the baby's gender, their little boy comes out a ball of pink, a little under nine pounds, kicking and screaming.

He's going to be a force to serve a good purpose in this world, especially with parents like Erin and Jay. And the two of them know that they'll be bombarded with requests of pictures and names, and even though they have no interest of showing his face anytime soon, they do post a photo of his little wrinkly hand wrapped around one of their fingers with his name as the caption,

Welcome to the world, Lucas Halstead. 8 pounds and 13 ounces

-x-

"Do we want his image to go public?" Erin looked down at her son, who laid between his parents and stared up at the ceiling while kicking his little legs, "It can be dangerous. It can be tough and the internet can be cruel. This life, it's a life we chose, he doesn't deserve to be subjected to that, but at the same time, we can't hide him forever."

"I want to release a image of him under our own terms. I don't want paparazzi getting a photo and selling it to make a quick buck off of it."

"…under our own terms, I like that. Is there a way you had in mind?"

"There's no rush," he settles his hand against his son's tummy, "I'm sure it'll come to us when the timing is right." She nods because she agrees and the two of them seal their agreement with a kiss, their lips meeting in the middle, hovering above their baby as he continues to kick his legs and reach up into the air.

-x-

That idea comes to them in the form of a magazine cover where the proceeds from the magazine will go to the charity and organization of their choosing. It was the best way to ensure that no person gained money from the release of their kid's picture. And the countdown couldn't come quick enough because when they venture outside of their home for the first time, Lucas covered up because of the dropping temperature, it's absolutely ridiculous how many paparazzi attempt to sneak a picture, it's crazy that they have no sense of boundaries.

Who yells out questions when a baby is sleeping?

Who screams statements when a baby is silently cradled in his mother's arms?

No one has seen their baby and it's a reason for that. And if someone tries to take a picture of him again then Erin's afraid that Jay will do something that'll either get him a lawsuit or arrested. His hand is pressed against her lower back and his other hand is held up to keep the paparazzi away while Erin uses her arms to ensure that her son's face is covered both for privacy and protection. She doesn't want him to wake up from his scheduled nap. And she doesn't want his sensitive eyes bothered by the bright flashes.

"I said back the fuck up," he growls and the paparazzi can sense that this time he isn't playing. Her guys are spaced out, trying to keep as many of them away as possible, but for some reason a few of them always manage to slip through the barrier only to get arrested because the barriers are placed there for a reason.

Erin speeds up her walking, nestling her head down to use the baby's blanket to cover both his and her face. She hears him stir, and so does the paparazzi but that only makes them more persistent and eager to get a photo. She gets inside and she has no intentions of leaving until the magazine is released.

And when the photo is released, Lucas Halstead's name starts to trend worldwide and the paparazzi relax. They still want photos but they aren't as aggressive, they aren't as pushy and if the monetary proceeds going to a good cause wasn't reason enough to do it then her baby getting space from the overwhelming grown men and women invading his privacy does.

-x-

Lucas is wearing noise-cancelling headphones. They're so big and red around his small and innocent ears. And he has no idea about the loud noise that surrounds him as Erin holds him in her arms and rocks to the beat of his dad's song. He has no idea about a lot of things including the many people who are sneaking photos of him to post to social media, their camera roll filled with pictures of either their favorite celebrity on stage or their favorite celebrity's baby currently being rocked in his mother's embrace.

She stands in the front row, it's roped off from the rest of the auditorium and she's protected by her guards. It's more than halfway through her father's second term and she knows that after he serves his presidency, he'll be assigned a few guards but the rest of the family won't. She'll miss them but she'll keep in contact with them because they're practically family. It's been months since the end of Jay's tour, and this concert was schedule as a last minute addition and for some reason she convinced herself to go, more so because it's in Chicago, and even more so because she really needs to get out of the house and grant her and Lucas a breath of fresh air.

And it was one of the stupidest decisions they've ever made as parents.

And if they were to have any more kids, and she decided to show her face at his concert, then she would definitely be in the skybox.

She should have been in one today, especially with her baby, because when the fans grow rowdy and they run past the barriers in an effort to get to the stage, it becomes absolute chaos.

Erin doesn't know exactly when it happens. All she knows is a few fans break the barriers and rush towards the stage causing for more fans to follow. A lot of them push past her, push past Kim, in an effort to climb onto the stage but the arena's security and her husband's assigned guards try to stop them while her own guards surround her and Lucas. She feels Severide's arms wrap around her as the herd of fans continues to run, sending flashbacks of that Fourth of July night and if it wasn't for the baby in her arms then she'd be trying to protect Sorensen.

It lasts entirely too long. And the concert is cancelled because the band refuses to play after the wild actions. It was only one song they were able to perform before the stampede started and she has her kid in her arms, protective mommy mode jumping out when her guards are being pushed around her. They are the only thing standing in the way of the crowd and her kid and she knows that while majority of them are trying to get to the band, a few of them want pictures of her and her kid and she would be damned if they left with one.

"Get us out of here," she growls. And she's pissed because he's just a baby and these teenagers and adults can't act right for an hour.

By the time it's over, with help from city law enforcement, she's ushered backstage, her baby still wrapped up in her arms until Jay takes him from her. She doesn't even realize that she's backstage, she didn't even notice her guards getting them out of the auditorium and into a private back room. She doesn't snap out of it until her husband is with her. Jay's worried grip on her arm brought her crashing back into reality mere seconds later and she winced, struggling to relax in order to ease the sharp ache coursing through her shoulder. Her shoulder ache came from holding Lucas up for so long, but she doesn't regret it. And when she blinks out of her reverie to notice that her baby wasn't in her arms anymore, she sighs in relief when she sees him unbothered and untouched in his dad's arms.

Out of some miracle, Lucas falls asleep, and she doesn't know how he managed to do so while hearts are still racing, people are pacing and the workers are cursing at the subordinates who should have done more. She's calming down, or at least she's trying to and she steps forward to settle her hand against her son's back. Her husband's eyes appear watery, the color in them crisp and light under the fluorescent light, "Are you okay?"

The back of her thumb wipes away an escaped tear on his face, "I'm fine. We're fine. Are you okay? Most of the fans were trying to get on stage to all of you." She knows they meant no harm, she knows they acted out of sheer love and adoration of being in the same vicinity as their favorite celebrities. When Lucas makes a noise, typically a sound he makes before he starts crying, Erin briefly goes over to the diaper bag on the couch and grabs his pacifier from inside.

Jay swallows grimly as he steps away from her, an unusual look on his face, "I should have protected you better."

Judging by the speed in which she responds, shaking her head and grabbing his hand, she already presumed what he was going to say, "There was nothing you would have been able to do to prevent what happened." He's being irrational because it isn't his fault. He's just in shock. She moves in closer to put the pacifier in the baby's mouth.

That tension suddenly comes back; that shame and guilt he felt because he wasn't in the crowd with her, "I could have done something."

"How could you have prevented a mob of your fans, a mob that none of us saw coming from carelessly stampeding the stage? You would have just gotten hurt Jay. I was protected. Lucas was protected. My guys did their jobs."

"…yeah they did," he sighs, and reaches to grab the back of her head to bring her in closer and kiss her forehead, "…and maybe we put the brakes on you coming to my concerts and if you do come we'll put you in a skybox."

"I have no arguments against that," she blinks the traces of tears out of her eyes.

-x-

Lucas is running ahead of Erin and Severide as they walk along the park trail. The two of them have their eyes set on him as they talk, Kelly updating her on the recent changes in his life.

"She proposed," Erin gasps because Stella always manages to surprise her. Kelly nods to answer her question and he's wearing an engagement ring. That is just the sweetest, "and based on that shiny rock I assume that you said yes." Kelly nods again.

"How did she propose?"

Kelly scratched the back of his neck, "She uh, she took me to dinner and then we went back to her place and listened to music, slow danced and then she got down on one knee."

"I bet you were surprised."

Severide scoffed, "Ha, that's the biggest understatement of the century."

When Lucas runs past them, almost bumping into a stranger, Erin immediately grabs his arm to pull him back towards her and prevent him from wandering off too far, "And to think that I want another one of these," she says it like a joke but now she's beginning to wonder if she made the right decision. She could barely manage one kid; how will she handle two?

"Are you pregnant?"

Erin nods, "…twelve weeks." And before Erin can blink, he's lifting her up into his arms and kissing her cheek. Lucas laughs and he claps his hands even though he's unaware of why they're celebrating. He bounces on the balls of his feet, ignoring the people around them taking photos because apparently her kid is starting to grow used to having strangers take pictures of them.

It's sad, but there's not much she can do about it unfortunately.

Kelly sets her back down, "Sorry, I got excited. Congratulations Erin. I bet Jay is happy."

"He's ecstatic."

"You decided to get all your babies out right away, huh?"

She slaps his chest with the back of her hand, "Oh mama, no hitting," her own son betrays her and scolds her for the very same thing that she scolds him for. But, he's right.

"You're right buddy," she says, even though she meant no harm by the light hit and she was only joking with Kelly but her almost two year old doesn't know the difference, "mama shouldn't have done that. Sorry uncle Kelly."

"Apology accepted," he leans down and lifts the giggling toddler up into his arms, throwing him over his shoulder as the boy's laughter grows in volume and intensity. He dangles as they walk.

"…we wanted our kids to be close in age kind of like he is with Will and how I am with Justin."

"I get it," he nods.

"I'm just curious about when you and Stella are going to give my babies playmates."

And Severide laughs at that even though Erin didn't see the humor in her statement, "We're not having kids," and she should have figured that. He's never expressed any interest, "Sorry Er, I know you were looking forward to having our kids grow up together."

"Hey parenting isn't for everybody, at least you noticed it beforehand, some people don't find out until they actually have kids."

Severide wraps his free arm around Erin's shoulders, Lucas remains over his shoulder squirming and giggling from riding high above the ground in his uncle's arms.

"You'll just have to convince either Will and Natalie or Adam and Kim to pop out babies."

"Oh," Erin is suddenly reminded of more information to divulge to her closest friend, "I forgot to tell you. Kim and Ruzek just became foster parents. They were accepted. They should be receiving their first foster child this week."

-x-

It's a round of congratulations and well wishes when Jay breaks the news about his desire to go solo. It isn't the way they thought the band was going to take the news, but they're not going to complain about it. They thought the band members would be upset, that someone would probably storm out, that someone being Rixton and that maybe Mouse would be hurt since he was caught off guard by the news but no one was upset because no one was surprised.

"We kind of knew this was coming," Ruzek admits, scratching the back of his head as his eyes were trained on Oliver –their new foster child, "I guessed it based on the new music you've been writing. It was more centered on your life, your craft and it didn't really group in the rest of us."

It wasn't an insult. No one took it as one. This was healthy discussion.

"Let me get that for you," Rixton offers, lifting the hamper out of Erin's arms as she walked further into the living room. She had just finished doing the laundry and she was going to fold it in the living room, but she's in her second trimester and everyone is so protective that they barely want her walking to the bathroom alone.

"Thanks Kenny, but it wasn't heavy." She still allows for him to carry it.

Lucas is showing Oliver his new blocks, but his shy, new buddy appears to want to stay up under Burgess so Natalie crawls on over to play with them with her nephew, "Let's spell out your name." With him occupied, Erin tunes back into the conversation.

"I do think this is the best next step for you and your family," Mouse says, clasping his hand over Jay's shoulder, "I'm happy for you."

"…but does that mean I'm out of a job?" Kim sounds like she's joking. She lifts Oliver up into her arms but her eyes remain on Jay.

"No, I'll always need someone I trust in charge of my wardrobe," he reassures before turning to his brother, "and of course I'll need my brother to remain my manager, it's not too many people I would trust with the job and yes Natalie," he says looking over to his sister-in-law before she can chime in, "you're still on as my PR coordinator."

As she played with Lucas, helping the two year old stack his colored blocks in a way that spelt his first and last name, Natalie wanted to argue that she wasn't concerned because she knew she was the best and in the next coming weeks she'll have to perform the toughest part of her job, -announcing the breakup of the band. It's an announcement that did not go well, fans were devastated, heartbroken and there only solace and comfort was found in the reassurance that Jay will still be putting out new music.

-x-

Erin is going to pop any day now and it doesn't help that she's slow dancing with her husband while her two year old toddler stands on his feet and has his arms wrapped around his waist to rock along with them. He has his head lying against his dad's thigh; smile wide on his face as the band that Severide hired to play at his wedding belted out the instrumental to one of District 21's songs, "Mama," her little boy mumbled and it would have been hard to hear if not for the song ending, "I sleepy," his little fists rub against his eyes.

He's almost three years old. Her little boy, her little baby is growing up so fast.

Jay drops his hands, wrapping them under the arms of their son to lift him up into his arms. Luke wrapped his smalls arms around his dad's neck and cradled his face into the crook of it. Erin rubs her hand up and down her son's back, the tuxedo jacket he's wearing is absolutely too adorable on his small form. She wants to move closer, she wants to take him into her arms, but her stomach is too big and little Charlotte has been kicking more than normal and Lucas finds it bothersome so for the last few months he's chosen to rest on his dad's chest.

Erin's not too jealous. She kind of understands it.

"We should make our rounds and say goodbye." Jay nods at his wife's words, rubbing his son's back as the two of them make their way to the newlywed couple.

"Hey guys," Erin steps towards Severide and he draws her into a hug, "we're calling it a night but we wanted to say our goodbyes and we wanted to say congratulations again."

Stella smiles, "Thank you," she moves to stand behind Jay in order to try and see Luke's face, but he's fast asleep, "I see our little ring bearer here lost his battle to sleep."

"He's been worn out," Erin chuckled, moving out of Severide's arms, "this was a beautiful wedding Sev, and you had a beautiful bride."

"…and a beautiful best woman." She laughs upon hearing that.

He was her man of honor and she was his best woman. Screw tradition, sometimes it's okay to switch things up. Erin leans forward and kisses his cheek, "Have fun and be safe on your honeymoon and if you come back with a little playmate for Lucas or Charlotte then I won't complain," she says it as a joke but she already knows that neither Kelly nor Stella want children. And if they had any thought of changing their mind then the complaints of pregnancy, her energetic two year old and the struggles of labor reaffirmed their stance.

Lucas lifts his head briefly, his eyes tired and his lips pouting because he's tired and she only hopes that he falls back asleep instead of crying. He cries when he's tired, -like all children. He looks over at his mama and leans his arms out towards her and Erin smiles because you're damn right he wants his mommy and she doesn't hesitate to take him from Jay's arms, her husband and best friend helping the transition with as much ease as possible to ensure their little guy didn't accidentally bump her stomach. His legs are cradled around her belly and he leans forward to rest his head against her shoulder as she unhooks the bowtie around his neck to help him get more comfortable, "We'll be leaving soon," she whispers as the three of them head over to the tables full of their family and friends.

"Are you guys heading out?"

Jay sets his hand against his wife's lower back, "Yeah," he answers Ruzek, "Luke couldn't hang with the big folks so it's best we get out of here."

"Bye Luke," Kim whispers, approaching to kiss the sleeping toddler's cheek, "gosh, I can't wait to have this," and there's an underlying hint in her words, one that Erin tries to flush out.

"…and what are you waiting for? It would be great if our kids grow old together."

"We filed paperwork," Kim admits, stepping back to take in the facial expression of her two closest friends, "to officially adopt Oliver," he's the little guy –same age as Luke- that the two of them have been fostering for the last couple of months.

"…and when were you going to fucking tell us?" Erin is excited. If she wasn't pregnant and if she wasn't holding her sleeping son, then she'd probably be jumping up and down right now.

"Er, language…" Camille scolded, approaching the group after overhearing the news, "and that's amazing Kimberly. Congratulations. Hopefully it's a quick and painless process."

"…as long as no long lost relatives show up out of the blue then it should all work out." Kim and Adam share a kiss and if Lucas saw that then he'd cover his eyes with the palms of his hands.

Erin rocks forwards and backwards, holding her son against her even more than she originally was, "I'm so happy for the two of you," Erin doesn't know if they want any biological children in the future but the fact that they're adopting is just as big a blessing as birthing the babies themselves, "if you need any tips then I'd be happy to help. I like to consider myself a badass in the mom department, and don't judge me on the cursing, he's asleep."

"She's excited, too excited, maybe we should really get out of here before her excitement leads to her water breaking," Jay jokes. Erin rolls her eyes. But everyone that was a part of the conversation –Adam, Kim, her mother- all seem to agree.

"Fine," she sighs and maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing to go into labor since everyone wants her to be extra cautious; she doesn't need to be babysat or cared for like a child, "let's go but I swear Kimberly, the second I drop this kid, you and I are going drinking and then we're going to celebrate you joining the mommy club because it's been lonely and we're celebrating the fact that Oliver and Lucas are the same age and will grow up as besties."

Kim doesn't argue with any of that. She knows how long the adoption process can take; she only hopes that the adoption is a success.

-x-

Right now, Charlotte's lying on her play mat on the floor doing her daily tummy time while Erin lies on the floor with her. The baby can lift her head but only for a few seconds and her little legs kick while her hands are outstretched in front of her. Erin knows that at any second she'll cry and want to be moved, but every minute that passes that she doesn't, she counts as a blessing. Erin hears the pitter-patter of feet, her almost three year old racing through the entrance of her home after being presumably dropped off by her parents, or her brother, whichever felt like driving.

"Mommy, mommy, mommy," he chants, and Erin has to lift the baby off the floor before her rambunctious toddler stampedes over his sister. She stands up and has the baby up against her chest and reaches out to grab the back of her son's shirt to slow him down.

"Kid," she chuckles, "chill. I need you to relax." Lucas wraps his little arm around his mom's leg, his chin presses against her thigh and he peers up at her with such innocent eyes.

"That kid of yours," Camille sounds out of breath when she appears, "gives me a run for my money. I think Justin snuck him some ice cream. One second he's calm and the next second he's all over the place, climbing on grandpa Hank and talking nonstop about airplanes."

Airplanes, that's his new obsession.

Camille walks over and kisses her daughter's forehead before rubbing her hand up and down her granddaughter's back. The television is on but it's muted. She had been watching the news ever since Jay left early this morning but she lowered the volume when the stories started to become repetitive. Now that her toddler is back, she'll probably change the channel to Sesame Street or Arthur, two of his favorite shows, but before she can start searching for the remote, she spots a familiar face on her television screen. There's a clip of Jay at a soup kitchen; he's got an apron on and is serving something that resembles green beans while talking animatedly to the people he's serving. She's not sure why this is being covered on the national news, but she's happy about it because it means she can get a glimpse of her husband even when he's not home.

"Look mommy," Lucas exclaims, jumping up and down as he points at the TV, "there's daddy. He's on the TV. Look Charlie," he bounces over to his sister, gently grabbing her hand and shaking it in an effort to get her attention. Erin doesn't think she's really recognizing anything or understanding a word that Lucas is rambling but the sentiment is cute because Lucas doesn't realize that his sister has no idea what he's exclaiming.

Nico walks into the room, approaching Lucas and rubbing his head against the toddler's leg. Her baby boy ditches her and Charlotte in order to focus on their dog, dropping to his knees and throwing his arms around Nico's neck, "Hi," he mumbles into the fur coat of their German Shepard, "I missed you so so so so so so much." He's such a talkative toddler. And maybe that's all toddlers, but because he's her first kid, everything that he does is new for her, but she likes to think that Lucas is different; he's a special kind of kid.

"Be gentle, don't squeeze him so tight," Erin reprimands. She's exhausted. Her shirt is covered in spilled milk and baby spit up. Her hair is up in an unwashed ponytail. And she knows that at any moment Jay will be home, once he leaves the soup kitchen, unless the footage she just saw on the news was pre-recorded from hours ago.

Lucas lightens his hold around Nico's neck and the dog starts to lick his sweet face. It seems that Nico is the most patient out of all of them; he's so careful and protective of the little ones that he rarely snaps or growls when one of them pulls his tail and hugs him too aggressively. It's like he knows they're babies and they mean no harm.

"Sweetheart," Camille calls out to her grandson, "you came in here running and excited because you had something to tell your mommy." He must have gotten distracted by seeing his dad on the news and then he was distracted once again by Nico's presence.

"Oh, mommy, mommy," he starts to jump up and down again, and his words aren't that clear but because Erin's so used to how her almost three year old speaks, she understands him perfectly, "when uh, when we were in the car, daddy's song came on."

"…really?" Erin said in mock surprise.

"Yes," he continues to jump up and down and the pure joy that she sees from her baby boy from simply hearing one of his dad's songs has her swooning, "it was," he looks at his grandma for help because he either couldn't remember the name of the song or he couldn't pronounce it.

"Once Upon a Time," Camille answers, rubbing her grandson's back, "he keeps wanting to call it fairytale because all of his fairytale books start off like that."

It's such a good song, a song talking about how all of his hopes, wants and dreams have come true, kind of like a fairytale so Lucas wasn't completely off in his thinking. It's one of the biggest hits on his first solo album that has taken –according to the press and fans- entirely too long to be released, but it truly came out at the perfect moment. Jay's first solo album came out when it needed to come out, there was no rush and no purposeful delay. It may have taken years, but that's because he wanted the best for his fans, he wanted to close loose ends with his band and he refused to put his work and his album before his family.

So it came out when it was finished and if that took years, well then, they'll get over it. As the saying goes, Rome wasn't built in a day. And perfection truly does take time.

-x-

Jay sits on the floor in the nursery, legs stretched out with Charlotte in a crawling position as she travels freely around her room. He watches her. He's holding up a toy, wiggling it around in the hopes that she'll want to crawl to him to get it. She's been crawling for over a week and every time she moves from one point to another, he can't help but clap in joy and amazement, Lucas is usually hooting and hollering out cheers for his sister.

"Babe," Erin pokes her head into the room. Charlotte starts crawling towards her, the traitor, Erin doesn't even have a toy in her hand and the baby goes to her. His wife takes a seat on the floor and Charlotte crawls into her lap.

"What's up? Is everything okay?"

"I just got off the phone with Severide. He's not going to continue in politics."

Jay truly doesn't know where she's taking this conversation. He knows that since she stopped working as a lawyer and staying home with their babies that she always felt like she was missing something, so with Severide not running for re-election, does that mean she wants to run?

"I don't want to run," she clarifies, already knowing where his mind was taking him, "I thought maybe politics would be where I ended up, considering I've been following in my dad's footsteps but I don't think that's what I truly want to do. I always thought because my dad has a nice record in politics, because he was a two term president and because people kept telling me that I'd make a great politician which I'm not sure if it's a compliment or not that it was a dream of mine, that I was meant to run. I convinced myself that it was something I'm supposed to do."

"Babe," he reaches forward and wraps his hand around her ankle, pulling her foot onto his lap before grabbing and pulling the other one, "What is it that you want to do?"

"I don't want to do politics. It's too messy and I know how it feels to be in the limelight as a politician's daughter and I figured the kids will already be in the light because of your job and that's okay because it's different being known for entertainment versus politics. The love is there because of your talent, not your beliefs, we can argue beliefs but you can't argue talent and it gets really intense when it comes to politics and I want to spare myself, spare you and our babies of that," Charlotte uses Erin's body to pull herself up to her feet, holding on to her mother's shoulder as Erin continues to ramble, "I don't want to be a politician, but I want to help people."

"…so what did you have in mind?"

"I want to open a non-profit," she says in one breath as if Jay would disagree with her, "with Kelly's help. We want to open one in honor of Nadia, to help women like Nadia and since I still have my law degree, to maybe do pro bono work for people who can't afford good counsel. But I need you to be honest with me, is that a stupid idea?"

And this was just another reason on a long list of reasons why he loves her so much. He sits up on his knees and moves towards her, crawling towards her to eagerly press his lips against hers, "…the only thing stupid about this whole conversation is you doubting yourself," he whispered against her warm lips, "I think that's a great idea and I think your heart is always in the right place and if Severide is going to be your partner in all of this then that's perfect because I don't want you overworking yourself. And if there's anything that I can do to help move this along then don't hesitate to let me know. I'll do what you need." She kisses him. Hard. Charlotte is squeezed and stuck in the middle of her parents, giggling softly because she thinks it's a game.

And in just a few short months the blueprint, the groundwork and the contracts are drawn up and the first steps are taken to start Erin and Kelly's nonprofit organization.

-x-

Lucas, he's an angel, truly he is, but he's three years old and Erin knows that at some point her brother must have slipped him a piece of candy because he's acting like a rambunctious demon, running through the empty rows in the stadium that Jay will soon perform in for the first time, solo. Everyone's here for support, -her parents, her brother, the former band and his brother. All were here, holding poster boards and cardboard cutouts of her husband's face in support of such a huge accomplishment. He's officially a solo artist. His first solo album has gone platinum in under a month after its release. Mouse, who seemed to always be busy with either planning his wedding with Hallie or running his own music production company had even managed to surprise them all with his appearance. Ruzek and Burgess, who recently officially became the adopted parents of the three year old little boy they've been fostering for months, had graced them with their presence alongside little Oliver who was the complete opposite of Lucas with his shyness and his fear of leaving his new mommy's side. He had his tiny arms wrapped around Kim's leg so tight that she couldn't walk without almost knocking him over. And it's Rixton's presence that surprises them all; since the breakup of the band, he's been living off his luxuries and royalties, traveling the world with an international model on his arm. They had all chalked it up to her being the flavor of the week, but now that their relationship is going into its second month, it's starting to look serious, especially since he brought her to the concert, wanting her to meet the family, "and guys this is Emily," he finished the introduction.

For an internationally known model, she appears to be shy. She stays at Rixton's side and waves at them all. Jay goes the extra mile though and extends his hand for her to shake and the band all takes his lead. Erin doesn't though. It's not because she's rude, she would typically follow suit, she's had enough training in diplomatic relations but she's a bit preoccupied right now. She has her energetic one year old, her little Charlotte Nadia Halstead, standing in front of her, both hands held by Erin as she firmly stands behind her daughter. Her little wobbly legs are bouncing up and down to the music overflowing through the speakers in the stadium; it's almost time for the doors to open to let the crowd in and she would prefer if her family was out of the way when it happens. No offense to Emily, truly none, but she has kids to get out of the way before the fans come in, and if that comes across as rude then for the time being she'll have to appear as such. She'll make up for it later.

"Luke," she calls out his name and at some point her boy must have gotten hot because his jacket was no longer on him, but now resting crumbled up on the floor, "get your jacket and come on."

It's like he doesn't hear her. Or it's like her words went through one ear and out of the other. He continues to fly; arms spread wide open as he mimics an airplane weaving through the air. He's running down the empty aisles, weaving through rows as he makes airplane noises.

"Buddy," her three year old is suddenly pulled to a stop when Jay grabs the back of his shirt, ceasing all running before he's lifted and thrown over his dad's shoulder, -he laughs, "Mommy told you to do something. What did mom say?"

"…my…my jacket," he says in between laughs. So, he did hear her.

Jay carries the kid over to his jacket and sets him down, "Go ahead buddy."

Lucas, only a little calmer than he once was, grabbed his jacket and dragged his feet over to his mom, pouting his little lips because he knows, oh he knows, that that face gets to her. It gets to her all of the time, but she's working on it though. He holds the jacket up to her, bottom lip trembling, "Sorry mommy, I listen better next time, here you go."

Erin stoops down, carefully removing her hands from baby girl's grip in order to settle her left hand against Charlotte's waist while her right reaches out for the jacket, "Are you hot?"

"I got hot from running," her little articulate man whispers, almost afraid of his mother's reaction because he didn't listen to her earlier command, "I don't wanna wear it."

"Okay," she gives him a gentle smile, one reassuring enough to let him know that he's not in any trouble before she throws the jacket over her shoulder, "come here," she holds her arm up and open and waits for him to walk into her embrace, "I love you kid," she presses a kiss against the side of his head causing for his blonde hair to tickle her nose.

"Lukeeeeeeee," Justin sang out, only for her three year old to betray her and pull out of her embrace to turn and take off in his uncle's direction, "my main man." He crouches down and lifts his nephew up into the air, before flying him around like an airplane, making dips and turns through the air. And now Erin knows exactly where he learned it from…

Erin shook her head as a small smile bloomed across her face. With her hand still resting on the hip of her daughter, she turned her head to meet the baby blue eyes of her little one, "You're not going to ditch me, are you?"

Charlotte most likely did not process what she just said but she gave her a four-tooth smile anyway and Erin will take that as a yes. Out of excitement, she leaned over and started pressing back to back kisses against the side of Charlotte's neck, making the one year old's legs go weak as she stumbles against her mother's chest in laughter. That innocent baby chuckle…ah, it just does wonders to her eardrums.

"Babe," Jay calls out as he casually walks over, decked in all leather and eyeliner shaping his eyes, all dressed up and dolled out for his performance that'll start in half an hour, "the doors are about to open," he leans down and lifts Charlotte up into his arms, setting her against his side as he reaches a hand out to help his wife up, "if you want a head start to the VIP booth then I'd suggest you get a move on it." He's right but Erin doesn't want to move out of his orbit, she just needs a few more seconds, "I love you," he picks up on her hesitance to walk away.

"I love you too," Erin wraps her arms around his waist and leans into his embrace, "so much," she rises to the tip of her toes to kiss him, only for Charlotte to giggle and push her back with her little hand, "You don't like me kissing daddy?" It was a rhetorical question that was answered when Erin kissed her husband again and her one year old repeated her earlier action. She thought it was funny and the joy of hearing a baby laugh was so exhilarating that they wanted to continue but they knew that time was of the essence. His first concert on his new tour was about to start.

Charlotte leans against her dad's shoulder, head faced outwards, four of her little fingers in her mouth as she watches the chaos around her. Natalie and Will are in front of her, making the most ridiculous faces that Erin hopes the hired photographer is capturing pictures of. Jay kisses the back of his daughter's head before wrapping his arm around his wife's shoulders, "Headphones are already up there for baby one and baby two."

"What about kid three?" Kim asks, lifting her own son up into her arms.

"I already have a pair," Ruzek lifts them up. Burgess smiles and carries her toddler away.

"Good luck babe," Erin turns her head to allow her lips to meet his, "or I guess break a leg. I'm sure you'll do great, you're going to kick ass," she whispers the last bit against his mouth. She steps out of his arms when they're given the warning again about doors opening soon. Jay, Will, Burgess and Natalie need to go behind the stage while they head up to the VIP booth. So after carefully pulling Charlotte into her arms, grabbing her soft yellow blanket from her mother to drape it around her baby's back, she heads out of the auditorium, following behind her family as they go upstairs to the skybox to watch her husband's first official concert as a solo artist.

Erin was so proud of him, proud of how far he's come and everything he's managed to accomplish in all the years she's known him. And even the years before she did. She's grateful for all he's done, for all that he's provided her, namely the two biggest treasures in her life. It's hard to believe that it all started in front of a coffee shop, two different souls living in polar opposite worlds colliding together both literally and figuratively, crossing that fine line and intertwining the world of politics and entertainment. It's hard to forget all they've overcome, the adversity placed upon them by their own loved ones, by their fans, by the long distance and time apart, but yet, they came out on top. For now, and forever, and with that thought in mind, Erin passed Charlotte off to her parents, allowing them to strap the noise-cancelling headphones around her ears as she pulled out her cell phone, waiting and watching as the stands filled with fans before eventually her husband came out and started the show of a lifetime.

She takes a photo of him.

She takes a couple. And she posts a montage on all her social media platforms.

And before she closes out the app to enjoy the moment, to make another memory for herself and her children, she adds a caption to it, the words flowing out straight from the heart.

You are my best friend. You are my lover. You are my husband. You are the father of my babies. You are my shoulder to cry on, my support system, my heart, my one and only person, my everything. As I watch you fulfill your dreams tonight as a solo artist, I stand here in awe. As I watch your babies watch their daddy perform, as I watch your babies see and embrace the love you're getting from strangers, from fans, I know that this is one of the best things you could have done for your family. I'm excited for the journey you'll take us on as we travel the world, as we watch you perform in different cities and area codes, as we witness firsthand how much you're loved internationally. To the first stop of your world tour, congratulations baby. I wouldn't want to be anywhere but here. You always manage to make me fall in love with you more and more each and every day. I love you so much. Happy anniversary, Jay.

-Your wife, your lover and your best friend, Erin.