Alright my friends...here it is, the final chapter of my first major fan-fiction. This is super exciting for me and while I'm sad to see this story go, I'm more happy than sad because I feel that the story has been told to the best of my ability and I'm so glad to see how many of you stuck with me until the very end! As you can see, this chapter is based on the song that gave this story it's title. If you haven't already go check out "I Dare You To Move" By SwitchFoot. It is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard...in my life.

Without further ado, here it is, the final chapter. Please enjoy.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Today Never Happened Before

(I Dare You To Move – SwitchFoot)

Welcome to the planet
Welcome to existence
Everyone's here
Everyone's here
Everybody's watching you now
Everybody waits for you now
What happens next
What happens next

Jay took a deep breath, taking in the site before him. He pulled his bag tight over his shoulder and just absorbed the sight of the precinct. Sure, he'd visited plenty since the incident, but today was different. The precinct had never looked as perfect as it did today.

"You just gonna stand there and gawk all day?" Erin laughed, coming up behind her partner and giving him a friendly pat on the back. She then gave him a light peck on the lips. "And you sure you're ready?" she added as she pulled back, all too soon.

Jay laughed. "Erin, I was ready a week ago."

She smiled back, his response earning him a light punch to the shoulder. "I wanted to be sure."

"Wanted to be sure? Erin, you threatened to cuff me to the couch if I so much as went within a block of the precinct."

She shrugged. "I know how persistent you can be."

"How persistent I can be?" he mocked. He laughed, dodging another playful punch. "Come on," he said with a smile. "Let's go in."

The two entered the precinct side by side. To Jay, it had been years since he was last on the job, but the precinct seemed to have barely changed. Platt was behind her counter handing Roman and Burgess the keys to a patrol car. They were complaining about it being a crap-car and Platt was reminding them how many cars they had ruined. Everything was as it should be.

"Well, well, well," Platt announced from behind her desk. "If it isn't the precinct's favourite little detective. Come on Halstead, did you really need the extra week?"

Jay shot Erin a look that clearly said 'I told you so,' causing her to sigh and roll her eyes in defeat.

"Detective," Roman greeted approaching the duo. "It's good to see you're back on the job."

Jay shook the patrol officers extended hand. "It's good to be back Roman."

Burgess smiled brightly as she shook his hand next. "I'd ask how you were feeling, but I'm sure Lindsay's made extra sure you're good to go."

Jay smiled in response. "All my pieces are in the right place." He looked over at his partner. "Erin took an extra week to make sure."

Burgess smirked. "Aw, I bet she just wanted to keep you all to herself didn't she?"

Erin shot the cop a warning glare, but of the friendly sort. The two females had actually grown quite close since the incident, as they were both constantly at the hospital to see their friends as they headed down the slow path to recovery.

Burgess laughed along with Jay at Erin's glare. Roman sighed and dragged his partner away, pointing out to her how Platt was glaring daggers into their backs, demanding they get to work already.

Jay chuckled to himself as he and Erin made their way up the stairs to Intelligence. "You did, didn't you?" He asked, with a smug grin as she unlocked the cage-like door.

She rolled her eyes as they continued up the stairs.

"You did. You completely did," he mocked. "You just-"

She silenced him with a passionate kiss. "Shut it. I was worried."

"I'm sorry. I know," He responded, leaning back into the kiss.

"Oh for the love of god!" Antonio exclaimed, causing the two to break apart. "Will someone please get these two lovebirds a room?"

"I think the break-room's open," Ruzek suggested from his desk.

"Nah," Olinsky added. "Too many windows. No one needs to see that."

Voight rolled his eyes as he stood, leaning against his office's doorframe. "I think we should send Halstead home. He seems to still be a bit out of it. Otherwise, I'm sure he wouldn't display such open affection in my squad-room."

Jay shrugged. "Not on the job yet boss, haven't clocked in yet. I'm still good to go," he joked making his way over to his desk.

Voight shook his head, but didn't protest further. Erin smiled at her father-figure's treatment of her boyfriend. He'd actually been taking their developing relationship very well considering how protective he was of Erin. She suspected the change was due to the fact that ever since the incident he'd also been rather protective of Jay, as well. No matter the reason, she was glad to see their relationship improve so well.

Erin was tempted to throw in one extra kiss before either of them did clock actually clock in, but decided it was in everyone's best interest to not push their look.

Atwater entered the room from down the hall. "I got that file you were looking for boss," he announced, handing Voight a file before turning back to his desk. He smiled and paused at Jay's desk though, greeting his fellowly-injured friend.

"Jay Halstead back in action. How you feeling brother?" He asked throwing out a hand for a shake.

Jay smiled warmly, engaging in the handshake contently. "I'm feeling just fine. How's the arm?"

Atwater looked down at his sling. He'd been let out of the hospital sooner than Jay as his injury had been less life-threatening, but he was still required to wear a sling and attend physiotherapy sessions on a regular basis.

He was only back in the squad room because he was filling in for Nadia; who had begun to take classes as steps towards becoming a cop. She'd been hesitant to miss so many shifts with Intelligence, but Atwater had explained how he was "dying" to get back to work and how her job was the only one he could really do without using his bad arm.

"Doctor's say it's right on track. I should be ready to return to work in under a month."

Jay smiled. "Good to hear. I'll eagerly await your return to the field then."

"Speaking of return to the field..." Antonio said with a wide grin. "How're you two feeling about diving back in?"

Erin raised an eyebrow. "What do you have in mind?"

Antonio shrugged. "Nothing much, our warrant finally came in for everyone's favourite snitch."

Jay thought for a moment. "You mean the one who was supposed to be your CI, but turned out to be working both the gangs and us in order to rack up some extra cash?" Everyone in the room turned to look at the newly returned detective. He just shrugged. "Erin kept me up to date."

Antonio mouthed the word 'Ah' before handing them a file. "Daryl Fawn, weasel extraordinaire," he announced as he did so.

Erin laughed, walking over to her boyfriend's desk. "You up for the task?" she asked in a teasing voice.

He smirked back. "You know it. Let's go catch us some rat."

Antonio rolled his eyes as the two made their way down the stairs. "I thought you'd want to nag the bastard," Ruzek said. "You've been ranting about how much you wanted to pummel him since you found out he was two-timing us."

Antonio smiled coldly. "Jay's been off the job for a long time. I'm sure he's dying to get back out there. I'm sure he's more than willing to beat up Mr. Fawn in my place. He'll probably even throw in a few extra punches just to get back into the swing of things."

"Really?" Atwater groaned. "Are you for real?"

"What?" Antonio asked, faking innocence.

Ruzek laughed as Atwater rolled his eyes. "Punches? The swing of things? Come on man, please tell me that pun was unintentional."

"Would that make you feel better?"

Atwater sighed heavily, before walking off.

"It was! It was!" Antonio called after him, laughing hysterically once the larger detective was out of earshot.

Voight shook his head and he retreated back into his office. "The family's finally all back together again," he noted with a warm smile. Everything was back to normal.

Welcome to the fallout
Welcome to resistance
The tension is here
Tension is here
Between who you are and who you could be
Between how it is and how it should be

Erin laughed as she drove along. "For the fiftieth time Jay, no," he said with a chuckle.

The man groaned. "But I'm injured."

"Oh. Are you now?" she teased. "I could've sworn you were ready for duty, but if you're not-"

Jay put his hands up in surrender. "Alright. Alright. Can't blame a guy for trying." He looked out the window to his right. "Just wanted to drive the dang car," he mumbled under his breath.

Erin heard her partner's remark and laughed to herself. As her laughter die down, she turned (now more seriously) to Jay. It was only for a moment before she looked back at the road, but she was glad to have him sitting beside her. Sure she'd driven him tons of places while he was recovering, but it was different when they were working. She'd missed having him have her back, and she was beyond glad to have him back.

"You excited to serve a warrant?" Jay asked, noticing her smile out of his peripheral vision.

She smiled. "With you? Of course. It's been a damn long time working without my partner." Jay chuckled. "What?" Erin asked. "What's so funny?"

"The word partner...it just has so many double meanings now that we're finally together. Having your back doesn't just apply to cases anymore," he explained as she pulled to a stop outside the house of Daryl Fawn. "It means with everything, in everything you do."

"Oh?" She asked, a smug smirk sliding into existence on her lips.

He nodded. "Yeah," he whispered, leaning in for a kiss. They held it for a moment, enjoying the familiarity of the touch. "I'm so glad you finally came to your senses after you got shot," he mumbled as they pulled back from the kiss.

She raised her eyebrows. "I came to my senses? I'm pretty sure it was Voight's permission that changed."

"Oh, so you've been madly in love with me since before then. When exactly did you realize you were hopelessly in love with me?"

Erin rolled her eyes, smacking her partner before opening her door. "Let's just get this guy."

Jay laughed lightly as he too exited the car. "That's right," he teased. "Avoid the question." Erin smiled a bit at his statement, but didn't allow Jay to see as she kept her back turned to him as she walked towards Fawn's door.

"Would you like to do the honours?" She asked, pointing at the oak door.

He smiled warmly, accepting her invitation. "Daryl Fawn! Chicago PD!" he cried out, kicking down the door. The two detectives watched, guns drawn as they saw the man run out the back door. Jay rolled his eyes. "Really? A runner? It's my first day back," he groaned.

Erin laughed. "What'd you expect? This is as good as a welcome back present gets with Intelligence," she admitted, taking off after the criminal, her partner hot at her heels.

Maybe redemption has stories to tell
Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell
Where can you run to escape from yourself?
Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna go?
Salvation is here

And there you have it friends! The epilogue is done. "I Dare You To Move" is complete. I know this chapter was a little shorter than most of the others, but it is an epilogue, not a real chapter. Mostly, I was just so happy with the last section as the last section and I didn't want to cram too much into this part because I could've made it loooooooong...But I just left it to give the story the ending it deserved.. As always, let me know how you all felt about the chapter, good or bad. I can't believe how many people have read and stuck with my story it blows me away. I hope you all enjoyed my first major fan-fic.

If you guys could do me a favour, I'd love to know your favourite things about this story (chapters, parts, or just aspects of my writing style) or even your least favourite things. What can I do better? I'd love to know for my next pieces. I'm also dying to know what you all thought of the songs for the chapter titles. This is just for curiosity's sake, but did any of you check out the songs (if so which ones) or recognize any of the songs and go "HEY!" I'd love to know. I'd love to hear from all of you in the reviews or with a PM.

There was so much support it'd be impossible to give everyone the credit they deserve for helping me out, but I'd just like to give a special shout out to "linsteadlove." I owe you so much so all the advice and help with this story. You were one of the main reasons I put any romance in this story at all.

I will see all you lovely people next Sunday with the first chapter of my next story. For a basic idea of what that story means look at the end author's note for chapters 18 & 19. It's going to be a completely different style from this story, be super sad and it will feature the songs: "Valentine's Day" by Linkin Park, "Immortals" by Fall Out Boy, "Rain" by Patty Griffin, "Forever" by Rascal Flatts and "Yet" by Switchfoot (in that order).

Until then. That's all my friends. And...To close it off, the chorus of the title song. Seriously, check it out, it's a beautiful song.

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened before