Jay's P.O.V.
When I woke up the next day I had a wait on my chest. As I looked down all I saw was a mess of brown hair. I don't really know why, but I think subconsciously I know why. Maybe I just don't want to admit it yet.
I was so caught up with Erin, and trying to help her through her past. Then, she just left. Without a word. Maybe it was for the best. Hailey doesn't like to talk about her past, and expected me to be an open book to her. Now that I've been away from her for more than a day I'm seeing that maybe I was just using her to fill the gap that Erin left in our relationship. You shouldn't be in a relationship where you aren't making each other better. That means that both sides should be open. They were always so closed up. No matter how much I tried to help them. With Kim, even just the small time being her partner, we've both been completely open. Even before that we've both always tried to help each other. We know when to hold back, and when not too.
I had to press pause on the thoughts because Thea started to make some noise. I softly got out of bed without waking Kim up. I walk into Thea's room, and see her standing inside of her crib grabbing the bars. She doesn't cry very much which might mean I'm very lucky. She was given a bath last night so I changed her diaper, but left her in her pajamas until breakfast. I walk into the kitchen, and sit Thea into her high chair while I make her bottle. Once her bottle is ready I give it to her, and start on breakfast. I'm in the middle of making pancakes when I hear the voice of someone I am totally in debt to.
"Smells good." Kim is up, and already ready to go to work. She walks over to sit right next to Thea.
"Thanks. It's the least I can do." I mean she was basically helping me rai... out with my kid. She doesn't need to do any of this.
"Well if I'm gonna get free food I might have to stay here more often." She said it as a joke, but the look in her eye told me how I answered this would be important.
"You know what? You can stay as long as you like. On one condition you let me and Thea treat you once in a while." Did I just ask her out on a date? Why am I not freaking out as much as I thought I should be. She hasn't taken her eyes off of me. I haven't taken my eyes off of her. Thea is just happily giggling while playing with Kim's hand.
"Are you asking me on a date?" She doesn't look upset or anything. Maybe I should just go for this...or not.
"Yes. Maybe. I don't know. Kim, what I know is that I like spending time with you. Not just because of you helping with Thea, that's just an added bonus, I like being around you. That doesn't mean that we have to move so fast. What I'm really trying to say is that I want to try and see where this goes." I was rambling again. From the looks I was getting she was still processing. She gets up, and walks towards me. I had already finished the pancakes and started to put them on plates. I stop what I'm doing when she gets closer. She grabs my hand, and looks me in the eyes to say the words that I might replay in my mind over and over.
"I would really like to see where this goes." With that she grabs her plate and Thea's plate, which had started to cool down, while moving to sit back down. We ate breakfast in a comfortable silence with just Thea's laughter as she smashed her pancakes together.
After breakfast Kim volunteered to get Thea and her bag for daycare ready while I got ready for work. We fortunately left on time which I didn't expect. Another thing I didn't expect was how hard it would be to leave Thea at daycare. It wasn't like she cried. She just hid behind our legs for a little bit until one of the caretakers introduced herself. After that Thea was interacting with some of the other kids her age. It was just hard not having her in reach like she had been since I basically knew about her. I was still having a hard time when we got to work.
Work was going slower then normal, which just meant that we had to do paperwork because we didn't have a case. There were only 30 minutes before we could leave, and I could see Thea. 30 minutes until I could hear her laugh. I hadn't been able to think of much except Thea since work started. Was she ok? How was she feeling? Did she miss me? I could've gone on and on with the thoughts that have been on my mind since I left her, but they were interrupted.
"Shots fired. All units report. I repeat shots fired." We all go into action. There was a shootout on a town street where there were kids in the houses. The units that were there had managed to take what seemed like all of them out. We waited a couple of minutes before we moved to clear the scene. I didn't even know what was happening, but all I heard was Kim call my name before I felt this pain come from my stomach. I look down and all I see is a hole in my vest. The last thought I had before everything went black was,
I was hit.
