One day at a time

Chapter 25

"Hey, baby!" Erin turned and smiled widely. She bent down and opened her arms, accepting Kate into a big hug, "Did you have a good day?"

"I learned a whole lot," Kate said, wrapping her small arms around Erin's neck, "And I'm not hurting."

"I'm so glad." Erin stood with her daughter in her arms, "Are you hungry?"

Kate shrugged, resting her head on Erin's shoulder. "How about a sandwich?" Jay asked, leaning in the doorway of the breakroom. "Maybe a grilled cheese, Squirt?"

"'kay," she mumbled, relaxing against her mother. Erin took a seat at the table with a fresh cup of coffee and smiled at her partner.

"I'll have a turkey club, babe. No-"

"No tomato, I got it." Jay winked and headed out. Kate closed her eyes and dozed lightly against her mother.

"I'm done with lunch," Kate leaned away from the table and pushed the sandwich from the edge.

"You've barely touched your food." Erin eyed Kate's meal, trying to calculate exactly how much she'd eaten. The carrot sticks and chips that Jay had sprinkled on the wax paper were all still there, along with most of the grilled cheese.

"I'm not hungry." Kate shrugged and then yawned. "And I'm sleepy."

"Can you eat three more bites?" Jay asked, having devoured his Rueben and was now picking chips off Kate's plate.

Kate did as she was told and set the sandwich down again. "Mommy?"

"Yes?" Erin glanced up from her crusts, placing them on the wrapping, "What's up, sweetheart?"

"Are you okay?" Kate asked quietly, glancing nervously up at the young detective. Jay widened his eyes. The little girl had picked up that something was off with her mother as well.

"Why?" Erin cocked her head to one side. "Do I look funny?"

"I can tell when you're not okay," Kate said honestly. "You're making me worried."

"I'm fine babes." Erin managed a smile, but Kate didn't return it.

"I can tell." Kate insisted as she searched her mother's eyes. "Is it because you gotta see a doctor?" The little girl widened her eyes. "Are you sick?"

"No, no, it's just a check up. Everything's okay, I'm just really tired." Erin patted her daughter's hand. "Please don't worry. Daddy and I both had long days yesterday, and we're still recovering."

"Okay." Kate said flatly, clearly not accepting what Erin had said. Jay continued to stare at his girl, now becoming increasingly worried about her. He raised his eyebrows, silently asking Erin if she was okay. She nodded and smiled as if to tell him to stop worrying, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.

Kate fell asleep in the breakroom shortly after Erin and Jay finished their lunch. While Erin headed out to her appointment, Jay went to catch up with a CI, leaving Kate with Grandpa Hank. He was still worried about his girl, who had hurriedly rushed out of the bullpen with just a quick kiss to both him and Kate.

Just as Jay had gotten his hopes up about potentially getting home early, Intelligence caught a crime scene downtown. He texted Erin about it but didn't receive a reply, ramping up his anxiety ten-fold. Even when she was busy, Erin made a point to respond to messages promptly. He called her cell, hoping to catch her leaving the doctor but was met with just her voicemail.

Hank determined that Intelligence had done all they could do that night and sent unit home with the caveat that they get to the district bright and early the next morning. After a whole evening of overtime, Jay trudged up the stairs to the bullpen to fetch Kate from the breakroom and head home. It was now the wee hours of the morning, and he was wiped. His cell phone chimed and he quickly fished it out of his pocket, hoping that it was Erin. Instead, it was a text message from Annie, saying that she had been at the restaurant waiting but had left because Erin hadn't shown up.