A/N: Hi! Eight months in the making – which I am so sorry for – but here we are, the final chapter of I Owed You One. I am so thankful you guys have stuck with me this long and hope you enjoy this last installment!
I don't own anything from Chicago PD or any of the songs mentioned. I'm knee deep in my own wedding planning, so I had a lot of fun with this and there's also a ton of random wedding ceremony/vow excerpts from The Knot in here, and I don't own those either.
Enjoy and please review! Xo
xoxoxoxoxoxo
"Erin! Wake up!" Kim called out loudly in a singsong voice, jumping onto Erin's bed like a child trying to wake her parent. "It's your wedding day!"
Despite how much she hated being woken up, Erin's eyes shot open and a huge smile overtook her face.
"Get up! We have so much to do! Lauren and Emma will be here soon, and the hairdresser and makeup artists are coming in an hour, and we have to take pictures before the ceremony!" Kim rambled on, flicking up the light switch in Erin's room to further force her out of bed.
Erin just laughed, pushing herself into a seated position as she took in her best friend, a goofy smile still plastered to her face. "How did you even get in here?"
"I asked Jay for his key at dinner last night," Kim stated matter-of-factly before turning on her heel. "I'm going to make coffee, you better be in the kitchen in 5 minutes!"
Erin rolled her eyes. "Yeah, Kim, just make yourself at home!" she called after her friend jokingly, but followed commands and got out of bed and headed into the bathroom to brush her teeth.
She quickly went through her morning routine then walked down the hallway to join Kim in the kitchen.
"Finally," Kim said, handing Erin a steaming mug of coffee. Erin just playfully rolled her eyes again, taking a long sip of the hot beverage. She was about to ask Kim more about the schedule for the day when there was a knock on the door. Knowing it was Jay's sister, Lauren, and niece, Emma, Erin's smile widened she crossed her apartment to let them in.
"Good morning!" Lauren chirped before the door was even fully open. "Happy wedding day!"
"Good morning," Erin smiled back, an easy feat when she hadn't stopped smiling since she'd been woken up, then bent down to pick up Emma to carry her inside. "How is the most beautiful flower girl today?"
Emma giggled as she wrapped her arms around Erin's neck. "I'm excited for you and Uncle Jay. And to wear my dress."
"I'm excited to see you in your dress," Erin placed a kiss on the young girl's forehead as she sat her down at the kitchen table next to Kim.
"Here, Erin," Jay's sister handed the bride-to-be a beautiful bouquet of red roses. "They're from Jay,"
Erin's eyes filled with tears for the first, but definitely not last, time that day. Of course he'd still find a way to get in touch with her even when their friends physically separated them. She closed her eyes tightly to keep the tears from falling as she read the attached card.
Erin,
I can't believe that the day I've been dreaming of for 3 years is finally here. I am so excited to finally be able to call you my wife. I can't wait to see how beautiful you look today. But most of all, I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you. I'll see you soon, I love you. Always.
-Jay
She gave up the battle to keep her tears at bay after she read the message, only able to think about how damn lucky she was to be marrying this man in a few hours.
"Why are you crying, Aunt Erin?" Emma asked, a look of concern clouding her face.
"They're happy tears, baby. I'm just really excited for today," Erin explained, wiping her eyes as she rifled through her kitchen cabinets to find a vase for the flowers. Once Kim, Lauren, and Emma were engrossed in a conversation about hair and makeup and the attention was finally off of her, Erin took the opportunity to sneak her phone out of her pocket and send a quick message to Jay.
Thank you for the flowers. I love you. –E
The response was almost immediate.
I love you, soon-to-be Mrs. Halstead. –J
Erin quickly sent back a red heart emoji and then put her phone back in her pocket before Kim could yell at her. She was about to join the girls at her kitchen table when there was a knock on the door.
"That must be hair and makeup! I'll get it!" Kim said excitedly, shooting up from the table and nearly running across Erin's apartment to let the hairdressers and makeup artists in.
The next two hours were a blur, Erin's hair being pulled every which way and constant commands to close her eyes, then open them again, then look to the right, and to the left. She felt as if she had an entire can of hairspray in her hair and the entire Sephora store on her face, but when a mirror was held up in front of her, she let out an audible gasp. Between her beautiful braided up-do and natural but gorgeous makeup, Erin had never felt so beautiful. She had never been so excited for Jay to see her.
Turning around when she heard the noise come out of her aunt, Emma gasped as well. "Aunt Erin! You look like a princess!" she squeaked, jumping down from the couch to hug her aunt.
"Thanks, Em. You look like a princess too!" Erin ran a hair over her niece's smooth, glossy blonde curls. "I love your hair!"
"Thank you! I asked the lady to make it look like Rapunzel,"
"Well I think she did a very good job," Erin smiled at the young girl before turning to look at the clock and realizing there was less than an hour left until they needed to leave for the ceremony. "Do you want to go put your dress on?"
"YES!" Emma exclaimed, running down the hallway to Erin's bedroom where the bridal party dresses were being stored and Kim and Lauren were already getting changed. Erin laughed at her enthusiasm, thanked the hairdressers and makeup artists before showing them out of the apartment, then followed Emma's footsteps into her bedroom.
"Oh my gosh," Lauren's jaw dropped as Erin entered her bedroom.
"Erin, you are beautiful," Kim said at the same time, her eyes beginning to tear up.
"Don't ruin your makeup yet," Erin joked, hugging her friend. "You two look amazing," she stood back to admire her two beautiful bridesmaids in their long, strapless sage green dresses.
"Mama, can I put my dress on?" Emma asked impatiently, interrupting the moment between the friends.
"Yeah, baby," Lauren smiled, grabbing the smallest garment bag that was hanging in Erin's doorway. She helped Emma into her poofy white dress, complete with a sage sash around the waist. Ever the little fashionista, Emma had also chosen sparkly gold shoes to wear with it.
"Wait, I have something for you," Erin remembered, reaching to the top shelf of her closet and pulling down a bag. "This is from Uncle Jay."
Emma eagerly grabbed the bag from her aunt, her face lighting up like a Christmas tree when she pulled out a matching sparkly gold tiara. "A tiara!"
"He said to remind you that every princess needs a tiara," Erin smiled at the relationship between her fiance and his niece, then pressed a light kiss to the little girl's cheek. She took the tiara from Emma's hands, carefully adjusting it in the young girl's blonde locks. "Beautiful."
"But it's your wedding, Aunt Erin! You're the princess!"
"I'll share the title with the most beautiful little girl I know," Erin winked before standing up straight and looking at the only garment bag left hanging in her doorway.
Noticing where her friend was looking, Kim smiled. "Ready, Er?"
Erin nodded and Kim unzipped the bag to reveal Erin's wedding dress. Erin smiled at the sight of the lace dress that was made just for her and took a deep breath. This was really happening. Erin stepped into the dress and her bridesmaids helped her to pull it up and adjust it on her body. Kim carefully zipped it up on the side, then the two women stepped back to admire the bride.
"Jay is going to lose his mind when he sees you," Lauren smiled at the woman who was about to become her sister-in-law.
"I am so excited to see him," Erin had butterflies in her stomach at the thought. It had barely been 13 hours since the last time she saw him, but she missed him so damn much. And she was so fucking excited to become his wife.
xoxoxoxo
"Dude, stop pacing," Mouse said with a laugh.
"I can't," Jay shook his head, unable to believe that in less than an hour, Erin Lindsay was going to be his wife. Himself, his groomsmen Mouse and Will, and his ring bearer Matty had just arrived to their venue and now everything seemed even more real.
Jay and Erin had decided on the Carriage Greens Country Club as their wedding venue. It was a bit much for their detective salaries, but both Jay's parents and Hank had been insistent on chipping in. Their ceremony was set to be outside in the gazebo, then they would move inside to the Grand Ballroom for their reception. From where he was standing (okay, pacing) in the back room the men had been assigned to stay in until the start of the ceremony, Jay could see the setup for their outside ceremony through a window. The green lawn was filled with people, their guests all beginning to arrive. It was the perfect June day in Chicago, the sun was shining and there was not a cloud in the sky, and it was a beautiful 70 degrees. It was as if the universe knew that Jay Halstead and Erin Lindsay were meant to finally be joined in marriage today.
"Uncle Jay!" Matty exclaimed, standing up from his chair to grab his uncle's hand. "Calm down,"
Mouse and Will laughed at the young boy, but Jay just sighed. He didn't know why he was so nervous. He was marrying Erin, the girl of his dreams. He'd been dreaming of this day for three years.
His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door of the small room. "Excuse me, sir," a country club employee stuck his head through the doorway. "It's time to get in place for the ceremony."
Jay took a deep breath as his brother squeezed his shoulder supportively. "Showtime, baby brother," Will whispered in his ear.
Ten minutes later, Jay stood at the altar. To Make You Feel My Love by Garth Brooks began to quietly play over the speakers, signaling the start of the processional. Jay took another deep breath to ensure he didn't pass out, before looking up to see his parents walking down the aisle, leading the processional before taking their seats in the front row, next to the empty chair for Hank. Following them was first wedding party couple, his sister and Mouse. Jay's breath caught in his throat at how happy and beautiful both his mother and Lauren looked, and he knew he was going to be a wreck by the time Erin made it out here. Lauren and Mouse both offered Jay a supportive smile as they stood in their places behind him. Next, the maid of honor and best man, Kim and Will, walked down the aisle, both of them absolutely beaming as they took their spots. Emma and Matty followed them down the aisle, Emma throwing light pink rose petals down the walkway and Matty tightly clutching a sign that read Uncle Jay, Here Comes Your Girl! Jay smiled widely at the sign, the first batch of tears filling his eyes at the thought. Both his niece and nephew offered Jay a hug as they passed him, Emma moving to stand behind Lauren and Matty moving next to Will.
The music changed to Here Comes the Bride and all of their guests stood up and turned around in anticipation of Erin making her grand entrance. Jay's heart sped up to what he was sure was a deadly rate, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. There was a collective gasp from the crowd, and then Jay experienced the true meaning of "tunnel vision". Suddenly Erin was at the end of the aisle, and she was all he could see. There were no words in the English language to describe how stunningly beautiful she looked, and Jay knew there were tears streaming down his face but he couldn't find it in himself to care. He was the luckiest man in the fucking universe. His body moved on his own accord, and before he knew it, he was meeting Hank at the front of the altar to get his girl.
"Take care of her, Jay," His sergeant's gruff voice brought him back to reality, and the rare usage of his first name did not go unnoticed by the groom.
"Always," Jay choked out, eagerly grabbing Erin's hand and leading her onto the altar.
"Hi," he whispered, tears still rolling down his cheeks. "You look beautiful,"
Erin smiled, blinking back her own tears as she grabbed both of Jay's hands and they stood in front of the officiant. "You don't look so bad yourself," she whispered, squeezing his hands.
The two were pulled out of their own little world when the officiant began speaking. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of these witnesses to join Jay Halstead and Erin Lindsay in matrimony, which is commended to be honorable among all men; and therefore is not by any to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, discreetly, advisedly and solemnly. Into this holy estate these two persons present now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace.
Friends and family of Jay and Erin, welcome to their wedding ceremony. They are happy to share this moment with you. They have known most of you for several years. You watched them grow up, went to school with them, or worked with them. Because you are the ones who have supported them and known them so well, it is only fitting that you are the ones to share this moment with them.
The groom and bride have their parents in the front row, close to them for the ceremony. The groom would like to thank his parents for all of the love and support over the years, and the bride would like to thank her father for all of the love and the opportunities he has given her. The bride would also like to remember her late mother, who is always in her heart and mind. She wishes she could be here today, but she knows she is watching and happy for them both.
And so it is that groom and bride present themselves to be married today, surrounded by the people they love the most."
There wasn't a dry eye in the crowd or on the altar after the introduction, as everyone present knew there were no two people who deserved each other more than Jay and Erin. The happy tears continued through the opening prayer and the definition of marriage, until it was time for the wedding vows.
The officiant began speaking again. "We now come to the words the bride and groom want to hear most today… the words that take them across the threshold from engaged to married. Before you declare your vows to one another, I want to hear you confirm that it is indeed your intention to be married today.
Erin, do you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to Jay in marriage? If so, answer 'I do.'"
"I do," Erin choked out as best as she could through the tears, squeezing Jay's hands.
The officiant continued. "Jay, do you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to Erin in marriage? If so, answer 'I do.'"
"I do," Jay squeezed Erin's hands back.
"It is my understanding that you wrote your own vows, is that correct?" the officiant asked and both Erin and Jay nodded, signaling for her to continue. "Erin, please declare your marriage vows."
Erin took a deep breath. "Jay," she began shakily. "You are my best friend in this world. You taught me how to trust someone, how to let someone in, and most importantly, how to love someone. I promise to be your back up forever, and to protect you as fiercely as you protect me every single day. Today, I take you as you are. I love you for who you were in the past, for who you are now, and for who you have yet to become. I promise to always listen to you, learn from you, support you, and to accept your support, no matter how hard it seems. I will celebrate your victories and mourn your losses as if they were my own. I will love you and have faith in your love for me, through all our years and through all that life may bring us. Always."
After hearing Erin's vows, Jay was unsure if he was even going to be able to say his own. Tears were still flowing freely down his face and the knot in his throat had never been bigger, so overwhelmed with love for the woman in front of him.
"Jay, please declare your marriage vows."
Jay cleared his throat and squeezed Erin's hands again before beginning. "Erin, I love you more than I've ever loved anyone, or anything, in my entire life. I never knew it was possible to love someone this much, and I'm so thankful that you allow me to love you in the way that you do. I promise you that I will never, ever stop loving you. I promise to always laugh with you, and to never go to bed angry. I promise to comfort you in times of sorrow, including rough Blackhawks, Bears, and Cubs seasons. I promise to always listen to what you have to say, even when we don't see eye to eye, and to remember that love is saying 'I feel differently' instead of 'you're wrong'. I promise to always be your backup and your biggest protector. But most importantly, I promise to love you, under any circumstances; happy or sad, easy or difficult, through the sunshine and through the rain for the rest of my days. I am so proud to be yours. I am the luckiest man in the universe and I could not imagine growing old with anyone else."
"That was beautiful," the officiant said with a smile. "It is now time for the exchange of the wedding rings. Your wedding ring is the outward and visible sign of the inward and invisible bond, which already unites two hearts in love. I ask the best man to please give Erin's ring to Jay.
Jay, place the ring on Erin's finger and repeat after me…
Erin,
With this ring, I marry you
You are the love of my life
And you are my very best friend."
Jay repeated the vow as he slid the gold band onto Erin's finger.
The officiant began speaking again. "Best man, please give Jay's ring to Erin. Erin, place the ring on Jay's finger and repeat after me…
Jay,
With this ring, I marry you
You are the love of my life
And you are my very best friend."
Erin repeated the vow as she slid the gold band onto Jay's finger.
"May the wedding rings you exchanged today remind you that you are surrounded by enduring love. Erin and Jay, I offer you these good wishes on this special day – may you always share open and honest communication with each other. May you respect each other's individual talents and gifts and give full support to each other's personal and professional pursuits. May you cherish the home and family you will create together. May all the years to come be filled with moments to celebrate and renew your love, and may your love be a life-long source of excitement, contentment, affection, respect, and devotion for one another.
Now, by the power vested in me by the state of Illinois, it is my honor and delight to declare you husband and wife. Jay, you may now kiss your bride."
Jay wrapped his arms around Erin and crashed his lips against hers; dipping her backwards in a kiss unlike any they had ever shared. He felt Erin's hands move around his neck and squeeze him tight. All he could taste was the saltwater from both of their tears, but it was still the most perfect few seconds of his life. Despite the fact that they'd probably shared thousands of kisses in the last year, this one felt different. It felt so right. He could hear the hoots and hollers of the crowd, but it was all just background noise. Once they were both out of breath, Jay pulled them back upright, but not without pecking his wife's lips one more time.
The officiant broke them out of their own little world for the last time with her final declaration. "I am pleased to present to you for the first time the newlyweds, Mr. and Mrs. Jay Halstead!"
Jay grabbed Erin's hand and led his wife down the back aisle as their guests cheered. It was a long time coming, but the happy tears and beaming smiles of the bride, groom, wedding party, and guests were proof that they had all just witnessed the most beautiful, well-deserved wedding ceremony that Chicago had ever seen.
The ceremony was followed by a photo shoot, then the reception. After dinner, Jay and Erin were seated at the head table, accepting congratulations from all of their families and friends, when they saw Kim walk onto the dance floor with a microphone.
"God help us," Erin muttered, flashing back to the last time Kim was given a loud speaker in Molly's.
"Hi everyone! Are you all having a good time tonight?" The maid of honor asked into the mic, her question met with cheers from the crowd. "Good! It's time Jay and Erin's first dance as husband and wife, so let's hear it for them!"
Erin cringed, still not used to the attention, but one look at her husband's smiling face and outstretched hand and she was standing up, following him to the middle of the dance floor. Say You Won't Let Go by James Arthur began to play and one of Jay's arm encased Erin's back, and his free hand grabbed hers as she brought her other hand up to his shoulder.
I met you in the dark, you lit me up
You made me feel as though I was enough
We danced the night away, we drank too much
I held your hair back when you were throwing up
Then you smiled over your shoulder
For a minute, I was stone-cold sober
I pulled you closer to my chest
And you asked me to stay over
I said, I already told ya
I think that you should get some rest
I knew I loved you then but you'd never know
'Cause I played it cool when I was scared of letting go
I know I needed you but I never showed
But I wanna stay with you until we're grey and old
Just say you won't let go
The two swayed along to the music, lost in each other's eyes and a song that seemed to tell their story so perfectly.
"We made it," Erin whispered.
"We did," Jay smiled, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Pretend dating, drunk phone calls, undercover ops, escaped convicts, bullet wounds, family drama… yet here we are,"
I'll wake you up with some breakfast in bed
I'll bring you coffee with a kiss on your head
And I'll take the kids to school, wave them goodbye
And I'll thank my lucky stars for that night
When you looked over your shoulder
For a minute, I forget that I'm older
I wanna dance with you right now
Oh, and you look as beautiful as ever
And I swear that everyday you'll get better
You make me feel this way somehow
"Better than ever," Erin smiled.
"Every time that I think it can't get better, you amaze me even more. You exceed my expectations every single day. I am so amazed by you, and all of the things you do, and the person that you are, Erin. Every single day I wake up and think there's no way I could possibly love you more than I do, yet I love you more every single day."
"I love you so much," Erin leaned forward to capture Jay's lips. "I never knew it was possible to love someone this much. How did I get so lucky?"
I'm so in love with you and I hope you know
Darling your love is more than worth its weight in gold
We've come so far my dear, look how we've grown
And I wanna stay with you until we're grey and old
Just say you won't let go
Just say you won't let go
I wanna live with you, even when we're ghosts
'Cause you were always there for me when I needed you most
I'm gonna love you till my lungs give out
I promise till death we part like in our vows
So I wrote this song for you, now everybody knows
'Cause now it's just you and me till we're grey and old
Just say you won't let go
Just say you won't let go
Just say you won't let go
Oh, just say you won't let go
"How did I get so lucky? Erin, you are the strongest, most amazing, beautiful woman on this Earth. You were the greatest girlfriend and fiancé, you're the greatest friend, aunt, and daughter, and I know you're going to be the greatest wife. And the greatest mom someday." Jay ran a hand up and down her back.
"And you're going to be the greatest husband and dad. I'm so thankful that I get to do life with you," Erin smiled up at him. "Isn't it crazy? Just a little over a year ago we were at a wedding, pretending to be a couple, and now we're here. Dancing at our own wedding."
"We've come full circle, Erin Halstead. And I couldn't be happier," Jay smiled as he pulled her closer and captured his wife's lips in one more perfect kiss as the song ended. They had officially made it.
End.