Jay's dragged his feet as they walked to the parking lot at the District. The incessant clomping was enough to drive her completely insane since they were practically nails on chock boards to her. She looked over her shoulder to see Jay pouting, the expression on his face melting her heart in an instant and had forgotten why she was irritated at the first place.

"Wouldn't it be a great idea if you'd let me drive this time?" Jay whined, his eyes gleaming with excitement at the mere thought of driving. 

"Wouldn't it be even better if you'd stop begging for once?" Erin answered sarcastically as she opened the door to the drivers' seat. There was no way in hell that she's going to let him drive. Ever. It may sound ridiculous for two adults to be arguing about but it's the one thing she has control over. And she wasn't going to ruin her privileges just to fulfil his ego. 

He crossed his arms over his chest in defeat. "Don't give me that look, Halstead." she planted a quick kiss on lips before driving off.

Right now as they sat quietly on their stakeout, looking out for 'unusual activities' on one of the city's most notorious kingpins, Erin can't help but feel grateful to be finally alone with Jay. Going out on a lead, just the two of them, was the absolute best part of any case. It may seem unusual for a cop to say that it wasn't the action filled shootouts that pulls them out of bed every morning but it was the truth. Only because she was biased since it was with Jay. Her partner and lover. If it was with anybody else like Ruzek, she knows her answer wouldn't be the same.

Erin leaned her head against the steering wheel in exhaustion. The whole Unit have been all over the new case for the past 3 days. Every time they thought they were a step closer to solving the case, they just happened to find themselves back at the beginning. 

"You have any plans for tonight?" Jay asked breaking the silence. She rolled her eyes when she felt his hand rested on her thigh. It doesn't take a genius to know his true intentions.

"Well, I have a life. Unlike you."

She gasped when his hands went higher. "Stop it, Jay!" and smacked his hand off her thigh.

"You're like a horny teenager."

They hadn't had much time to get it on since they've all practically pulled an all-nighter in the last couple of days and Jay's desperation was clearly showing.

"You'll just have to wait for tonight."

Instead of seeing pure passion in his ocean blue eyes like she expected, she saw fear. 

"Oh shit..."

She turned around to see three men walking towards them, only a few feet away from the car. Since they were too busy fooling around, they haven't even noticed them approaching. She cursed for allowing herself to get distracted so easily. No wonder the District has strict rules on in-house relationships since this was definitely the downside of dating your partner. 

As Carlos Solis walked over to the squad car, he held his head up high, knowing well enough that the cops had nothing on him. He saw his opportunity and could very well end it for those detectives but didn't since there wouldn't be any fun in blowing their brains out just yet. He needed to torment them first. Smirking, he felt the pretty detective's eyes pierced through his skin.

He knocked on the window as both Jay and Erin silently cursed for the trouble they're about to be in. Voight will be pissed. 

"Hello Detectives." he said once she rolled the window down. His gentle manner, warm smile, attractiveness and crisp button down shirt would've fooled the rest of the world but not her, she thought. However, she had to admit, if she hadn't known any better, she would've been deceived as well. He just had one of those faces. No one in their right mind would've thought this man was capable of committing despicable acts. 

Erin glared at him, not giving him the time of day. She just hated  when cases involved kids. Those  dead girls were so young and had their whole lives ahead of them. But he selfishly ripped their lives away in a blink of an eye for his own greed by taking advantage of their innocence and trust and pawned them as drug mules.

He gave the detectives a warm smile. Articulating a totally different  emotion. "Oh. Lovely to see you too detectives."

Carlos Solis was not your typical lowlife drug lord. He came from a well off, privileged background, received a law degree from Harvard and is now living in one of the most affluent parts of Chicago. But instead of doing justice and putting criminals behind bars, he, himself, is a criminal. Dealing in some of Chicago's purest narcotics, a crystalline alkaloid also known as cocaine. The fact that the concoction was the newest item on the market and at it's purest, coming all the way from Colombia made every buyer running for more.

"You know detective. You're not teenagers anymore. You don't have to hide your relationship from your daddy." he spoke calmly, slightly sticking his head into the window.

The fact that he knew about her relationship with both Voight and Jay only meant that he've been researching and watching them for god knows how long. And it very much fuelled her fear.

"Oh. Come on, sweetheart. Don't look so shocked."

"We'll catch you, you bastard!" Jay lashed out, jumping up from his seat as he felt his face turn bright red. He've contained his anger and haven't said a word all this time but was at his last straws at 'sweetheart'. 

Carlos let out an evil laugh, "You lovebirds are too...what's that word" he said tapping his index finger to his temple.

"...infatuated with each other to catch me..." he said condescendingly.

"I'm still waiting detectives."

                        •

A file almost smacked Jay on the face as Voight flung it across his office. Erin, standing next to Jay, was very much shocked by Voight's sudden eruption. Her brain needed to quickly come up with an excuse for how they messed up since the truth will surely be too much for Voight to handle right now.

"Great! You two managed to screw this up for all of us!"

Both braced themselves for the endless screams that's about to come.

Leaning back on his seat, Voight crossed his arm, calming himself down. "Now we're back to square one. Halstead, I want an explanation."

Jay looked up from his shoe. Beads of sweat started to form around his forehead as he struggled to come up with an excuse.

"Hank-"

"I'm not asking you Lindsay, am I?"

Jay better not tell the truth if he wants to live to see tomorrow she thought. 

"Umm...we...ahh" Jay stuttered. His mind just went pitch black.

"I'm really sorry, Sarge. I just started babbling about nothing. And you know how I get." he laughed nervously. "I just couldn't stop talking. It was all my fault. All of it. Lindsay was distracted because of me." Jay finally said, looking at Voight with a straight face. He, himself, was a little taken back by the ridiculous story he had just told. 

Shaking his head, Voight knew it wasn't the truth and just shrugged it off. Points for him for saving Erin and throwing himself under the bus. He wasn't sure about their relationship status and obviously didn't want their to be a status if any sort. But at least now he knows that Jay will always have her back no matter what.

Just then, Adam knocked on the door, sticking his head in the office in total oblivion.

"Oops sorry. Didn't mean to..." he said only when Erin gave him a look. 

"What is it, Ruzek?"

"The Colombian Embassy finally came through." he said waving some papers in his hand which definitely caught Voight's attention, beckoning him to come in.

"The families have all been contacted. They're all from Bogota. The girls never came home after school on Friday.'' Adam said, showing Jay and Erin the photos before passing it to Voight.

Three Colombian girls, months to turning 18, were now dead since they trusted the wrong people.

''AnnaMaria Guerrero, Maja Salvador and Magdalena Santiago.'' Voight read their names out loud as he scanned through the notes the embassy had provided them. These young girls finally had names and were no longer Jane Doe which was a relief to the team.

They all now wondered how these girls had gotten themselves into such mess. They couldn't even imagine them talking about drugs, yet alone smuggling them. They were on their last year of high school and obviously excited for College. Erin remembered how excited she was to graduating and now felt the rage build up inside since they'll never get to experience it. Right then and there, she vowed to find out the truth. She had to, for the girls.

''Well, it's night now. We'll probably  have to wait till tomorrow for more information. Go home. Get some rest.'' Voight said and they all walked out.

                       •

Jay had made reservations at a fancy Italian restaurant. He called in a favour with the manager, who was a family member of one of his army buddies, or else he would've to wait for months. Erin had always raved about wanting to eat at that restaurant whenever they passed by. Since she've been really down and exhausted late, he wanted her to de-stress and just have a good time. He knew how heavy the death of those girls weighed on her.

"How are you feeling?'' he kissed the back of her hand as they walked back to her apartment.

She knows he was concerned since he knew how these kinds of cases can take a toll on her. 

''I am okay.'' she said, laying her head on his shoulder as they continued walking.

Every now and then as they walk, Erin would look up at him with a smile. Sneaking him with those adorable dimples that made his love for her even more compelling.  He knows they'll last forever. 

''Gosh, you're so beautiful.'' he said in awe, tucking a few strand of hair behind her ears. It had actually surprised her since no one has ever  abruptly stop to admire her beauty.

She laughed, "You've got way too much to drink, mister." she squealed when he hauled her closer to his chest.

''Nope. If I remembered correctly, it was you who had 2 glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon."

"I'm impressed babe." she gave him a little pat on the back, "Congrats for not butchering it."

He leaned in closer, brushing his lips against hers while his hands slowly travelled down her body. She felt as if her whole body was on fire at every touch. It was like her first kiss all over again but even better.

In no time, she was completely wrapped in his embrace. Her arms were around his neck and he could feel the rapid beating of her heart against his own. Jay hauled her into his chest when the kiss deepened, hoping to extend the moment for as long as possible.

She pulled back, looking into his ocean blue eyes.

''I love you, Jay.'' she whispered, caressing his cheek with the tip of her fingers. Feeling absolutely stupid that it took her 3 years to tell him just that. She've always known that she'll love him one day and regretted not letting him love her sooner. 

''I love you too, babe.''

A loud screech echoed through the deserted street. They looked to their right when a van pulled up. Multiple hands grabbed them from behind which only made it harder to fight. She dug her heels as hard as possible into whosever feet to make a run for it but he held onto her even tighter. A searing pain radiated across her cheek along with a few seconds of blurred vision.

"TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF HER!! I SWEAR!! I WILL GONNA KILL YOU!!" In a distance, she heard Jay screamed. He too was fighting back but there were just too many of them.

She held her breath at seeing the cloth in his hand. She kicked and screamed for Jay when they grabbed her arms and legs, throwing her to the back of the vehicle. She cried out once again as she watched Jay fell lifeless onto the pavement.

He leaned closer, placing the damp cloth over her nose and mouth while she continued to hold her breath. Not daring to breathe even in the slightest.

“You can’t hold your breath forever, sweetheart.”

His husky voice rang in her ears as she finally tasted the sweet aroma.