″Erin, in my office,″ Hank said on a sunny morning in the middle of June. It was an easy going morning, they had closed their case the night before and this morning was all about drinking coffee and joking around. Erin traded a quick view with Jay as she wasn't sure what this was about. They had planned their vacation to Wisconsin for the following week and she hoped that this little upcoming conversation wouldn't be about Hank foiling their plans. She got up from her chair, followed him in his office and closed the door.
″What's up?″ she asked, automatically crossing her arms in defense in front of her chest.
″Olivia just called. She needs our help with a case in New York,″ Hank explained.
Erin sighed. As much as she loved working with Olivia Benson and her team, every time she's been in New York yet, the cases have been personal for her. First her brother, then Nadia and then Yates again. She still shivered by just thinking back to it. So she clearly wasn't exactly eager to go back to New York.
″Uhm, okay, so?″ she asked although she already knew what Hank was going to tell her.
″I want you to go there.″
″Can't someone else go there? Jay and I go on our vacation next week.″
″Yeah next week right? Not this week.″
″Right, but there is plenty to do before and Ruzek for example has never been to New York yet,″ she said, making her point clear that she didn't want to go to New York.
″Ruzek will go there once he is a detective one day. Olivia asked for you and we both think it'll be good for you,″ he said without mentioning what he meant. Erin knew anyway.
″See, I don't think it will. Send Alvin or Antonio.″
″I need them both here.″
″You don't,″ she answered, looking at him like she was challenging him.
″I think it will be good for you to go to New York and work a case there you're not personally involved with. Wouldn't you agree?″ he asked.
Erin didn't know what to say. Maybe he was right. Most likely he was. But something deep inside of her didn't want to go there nonetheless. She shrugged her shoulders and bit her lower lip with her teeth.
″Don't know,″ she then quietly admitted. ″What's the case anyway?″
″You remember Dan Miller?″
″That prick who did slave trade with Mexican girls but we always had to let go because we couldn't proove it properly and then got away somewhere to South America?″
″Mhm,″ Hank nodded in response. ″It looks like he's back in business in New York. But this time he won't get away with it. So you're in?″
″Do I have a choice?″ she asked, raising her eyebrows.
″I can't force you to go there kid. But I still think you should,″ he said and Erin didn't miss how he scanned her.
″Alright,″ she finally sighed.
″Good,″ Hank nodded. ″Take Halstead, pack your bags and take the next possible flight to New York.″
″Wait...Jay's coming with me?″ she asked and felt how she got more relaxed just from the thought that Jay would be with her.
″Yaah. As I have to check something with some of my CI's before I thought you two go there as soon as possible and I join you tomorrow.″
″You could've mentioned that earlier.″
