Hey there! So, I can't take credit for the idea for the second part of this story. Someone on Tumblr brought up the idea of Erin helping Jay clean off the blood on his face in 3x17 (sorry, I can't remember who). I then came across a picture of Erin in 3x11 with the blood on her face after Jay rescues her, and my mind connected the two incidents together (I really love parallels). This story is the result. I hope you enjoy it. As always, I do not own anything associated with Chicago PD. I just adore Erin and Jay, and Sophia and Jesse for portraying them, so my mind likes to imagine various scenarios for them. Also, right as I went to publish this, I had an idea for another scene to add on, but I didn't want to change the ending. So, if enough people enjoy/review this, I might add a second chapter as a follow up. Please review, I'd love to know what you think :)

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The locker room is the witness to many intimate moments. It's where they decompress, and take a moment for themselves.

/

She's still shaking slightly by the time they get back to the district, something that hasn't escaped her partner's attention. Jay shoots concerned glances at her every few minutes as he drives them back, something he obviously doesn't get to do very often. His concern had only increased when she'd climbed into the passenger seat with absolutely no arguments. He's always worrying about her, but their recently renewed relationship means his protective tendencies have increased. He knows how capable a cop she is, but he's sure he'll never forget the fear that gripped at his chest when he caught sight of her bound and gagged with a knife to her neck.

He's not sure what to say to her, and she seems lost in her thoughts, staring out at the road through the windshield with a blank expression. He lets the silence hang between them, but reaches one arm across the console to grasp her hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze. She squeezes it back, but doesn't turn her head to meet his eyes.

Jay parks the car when they arrive at the district, and guides Erin upstairs with a hand at the small of her back. They're back at work and their relationship needs to return to its usual professional boundaries, but Voight isn't around, and Jay really doesn't care anyway. He leads Erin into the locker room, towards the sink, and sits her down on the bench. She shoots him a confused look.

"Just hang on." He tells her. He turns to the sink to wet some paper towel and bring it back to face her. Understanding dawns on her, as she realises she still has blood spattered across her cheek. She shudders suddenly as she remembers how it got there.

"Hey," Jay says soothingly. He cups her face between his hands, ignoring the fact that he's getting blood on his palm. He forces her eyes to meet his. "You're okay, Erin. It's over now."

She nods silently, her words getting stuck in her throat. She brings a hand up to grip at his wrist, silently thanking him for being here. He nods and returns to the task at hand of wiping the blood from her cheek, focusing all of his attention on her.

"I couldn't do anything." She says softly, finally speaking.

His eyes flicker to hers as he continues, letting her know that he's listening.

"I was so helpless, and I hated it. I couldn't stop him from what he was about to do." She turns her face away from his, focusing on the blue lockers.

His heart clenches at the vulnerability in her words. He knows her well, knows how much she hates appearing weak.

"Hey," he murmurs, kneeling in front of her now that he's finished cleaning her face. "I know. It wouldn't have been your fault though."

She locks her eyes back on his. "I can't believe I fell for it."

"We all did, Erin." He reassures her. "You were just doing your job."

She stares into his eyes, so entranced by the depth of them, the level of his concern for her. "Thanks for saving me."

He smiles at her. "That's why you have backup, right?" He says lightly, although his heart is still beating a little too fast in his chest. He's not sure what he would have done if he'd been too late, or if the guy had sliced the knife before he'd shot the bullet. He knows if anything happened to her, he'd never forgive himself.

She smiles back and nods, then sighs before rising from the bench. "We'd better get back out there."

Jay stands too, and moves forwards into her. "Before we do …"

He takes her into his arms, holding her securely against his strong chest. She allows herself just a moment to focus on him, to realise everything she's gone through today before putting it out of her mind to finish their work.

"Let's finish up, then we can go home and forget about today." He says, his breath washing over her hair.

She nods against his chin; desperately wishing she was at home with him right now. Somewhere where she can be herself instead of Detective Lindsay. The place where they can be themselves, instead of professional partners.

/

She'd noticed the blood on his face as soon as she saw him. He'd turned his head when she embraced him so that it didn't get onto her, but once they'd returned upstairs he'd become completely focused on the case, speaking with Voight and then running the team through what had happened. She'd been focusing her attention on him ever since, mostly out of concern for his headspace, but also to reassure herself that he's still here, that he's physically okay after a situation that could've killed him.

She can see the grief, anger and desperation in his eyes. She knows all too well what it's like to want vengeance for a friend who was killed. She can also see the blood on his face, and now it's all she can focus on. He's probably forgotten all about it in his haste to find Terry's killer, but it's a reminder to her of how close she was to losing him.

She catches Voight's eye, who gives her a subtle nod. Thank goodness he knows her so well. She waits until Ruzek and Atwater move away from their discussion with Jay, leaving him standing alone by his desk. She rises from her own and makes her way across to him, gently grabbing his hand and tugging on it until he follows her reluctantly out of the room.

"Erin, what are we doing?" He asks, trying not to sound frustrated with her. "We've got stuff to do."

She leads to the locker room and pushes down on his shoulders until he falls to the bench below him.

"I know, but everyone else has got it for a minute or two, okay?"

He almost protests again, but stops himself when he catches the look in her eyes. There's sadness, but also a hint of panic and fear that lingers. He nods in acceptance, watching as she grabs some paper towel and wets it, returning to stand in front of him.

Her touch is gentle against his, wiping away the blood and sweat from his face, before moving up to his left ear. He closes his eyes at her tender ministrations, allowing himself a few seconds of peace.

She watches him carefully as she wipes the blood away, finishing with his face and moving to the arm of his jacket. She completes her task and takes a moment to look at him.

This beautiful man, her partner in everything. She knows she could have lost him today, just as Terry's wife lost him, and the thought terrifies her more than anything else in the world. She knows she loves him, more than she's ever loved anyone, but she hasn't found the right time or way to say it yet. This is definitely not it.

She can't stop herself from wrapping her arms around his neck, cradling his head against her. Jay wraps his arms around her midsection in response, the differing height levels unfamiliar to them.

"I'm okay, Erin." He repeats his earlier words to her.

She nods against him. "I know. I just needed to remind myself."

She knows he's not okay, but she understands his need to compartmentalise and push his feelings away until the case is done. After all, it's what she does too. She trusts that when everything is over he'll come to her. For now, all she can do is support him, like he's done for her so many times before.

She pulls away from their embrace and offers a hand to pull him from his seated position on the bench.

Wordlessly, they walk out of the locker room together. It's time to find the man who killed Terry. Then she can take him home and make him face everything he's feeling.

/

After days like these, they go home to one of their apartments and curl up on the couch. They hold each other tight, arms and legs entangled, heads against chests to listen to the other's heartbeat. Neither of them are particularly religious, but they both thank whatever higher power there is that they didn't lose the person they need the most.

Erin lays her head against his shoulder, listening to his steady breathing as he dozes against her. She'll tell him she loves him soon. This life they lead together is far too short for regrets.