request: Linstead pregnancy headcanons
additional comments: tothe-skye this is kind of what you asked for so I hope its not a disappointment. I took the idea and went on a ride.
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They aren’t officially back together when they fuck. Surveillance. If it’s one thing that Erin hates in the world it’s that. Jay doesn’t mind as much because being a solider sometimes meant waiting. So it’s the two of them stuck together in a dingy van that has an excellent layout inside. Cushions, blankets, line the left side while the camera’s and computers take up the right. Comfortable but boring. They’ve been on professional terms as of late because talking about more, it stings and it makes keeping a clear head hard. Somewhere along the night, professional turns into personal and their banter is slightly bitter and a dash of playful. It’s the bitterness that causes Jay to rip Erin’s clothes off and she demands if they are going to do this, to make it rough. He does. Oh he does.
Its three months later when they make it official. They try to make it feel like they did in the beginning and hope they’ve forgiven each other for all the hurt that dragged them apart. The stupid obligations that seemed so important before but didn’t now. So as any good boyfriend does when their girlfriend comes down with the flu is take care of her. Erin spends the week at his apartment, in his bed, in his arms and praying this god forsaken feeling would go away. Naturally it doesn’t but Erin goes on with her life. Cases needed to be solved and the intelligence team couldn’t afford her absence in this times of spiked crime. When Trudy finds Erin for the third time that week puking her brains out in the girl’s bathroom, she doesn’t say anything. Just runs to the store on her break and throws a pregnancy test into Erin’s locker. When Erin finds it, she’s suspicious but isn’t stupid enough not to put two and two together. She brings the test home with her. Does everything in her power to avoid doing it. She and Jay had just gotten back together. She’s positive they aren’t ready for a baby. They only joked about it before but never had a serious conversation about the subject. It was 2am when the two little pink lines show up. She spends the rest of the night laying on the bathroom floor.
Erin tells him during a game of scrabble. At first, it was just a joke. She had no intention of the game actually becoming one of their favorite things to do but it did. It’s not planned but she finds that now is a better time than never so she goes for it. He’s already beaten her and they’re just sitting around her living room table munching on greasy deep dish pizza. She’s nervous, shaking but tries not to show it. She casually spells out the statement. I’m pregnant. He chokes on the sip of beer he’s been nursing all night. He just stares at her. A blank expression written on his features and she thinks it’s a huge mistake. She shouldn’t have told him. So he finally gets the marbles out of his mouth and asks if she’s serious. When she nods confirming that it’s true, he jumps up to move next to her. He tells her this is the best thing he’s ever heard and there’s nothing he won’t do for her or the baby. She believes him. He’s never broken a promise to her before.
To say he wasn’t the bit least shocked would be a lie. He was. He just didn’t admit it but he was sure Erin knew. Once the shock had settled in, he went straight scared mode. He went shopping crazy. He needed to be prepared in every way possible. He wanted to be the best father he could be. Jay never wanted the relationship he had with father to be the one he had with any of children. Erin swore he bought every book in the store that was possible. They had to clear out two side tables just so they could fit. Erin made sure to tell him every day until he believed her that the little girl or boy inside of her would fall in love with him just as she did. By her 7th month, he had read three quarters of the books and felt nothing but excitement.
Both Erin and Jay decided that they were going to wait to find out of the sex of the baby. It was something much unexpected because, let’s face it, both Jay and Erin hate surprises. Comes along with the day job. When you’re detectives, surprises usually mean a couple of dead bodies found in some run down building in the industrial parks of Chicago. But since it went along with the theme of unpredictability, they thought it would be a good exception. So before the doctor appointment marked on the calendar, Erin suggested making a baby box. The doctor could just slip the ultrasound pictures and confirmation into the box. So one night while Jay was on shift working a case, Erin made it. The two neutral colors they chose were a pastel pink and green. That way, the pink would work for a baby girl and the green would work for a baby boy. Needless to say, Jay walked into the apartment to find Erin belly up sleeping with a piece of ribbon stuck to her forehead. He never lets her live it down. She really can’t blame him for it. It’s a glittered mess but it’s the final touch that tugs at Jay’s heart. It’s a countdown chalkboard on the top and reality really slaps him in the face. He finally feels that it is real. This is happening. It’s only a week later when Erin decides she can’t wait anymore. Patience was never her strong suit. She’s peeking with or without Jay. Jay makes it known they will be doing it together because it would never work. Erin can’t keep secrets from him anymore. She would accidentally blab. They sit there for a couple minutes working themselves up. “Do it already.” “No you do it.” “Jesus Christ, just give me the thing.” “No, I want to do it.” “Erin, on the count of three. One, two- He never makes it to three before she lifts the box revealing the sex. Erin smiles so hard she swears her cheeks are burning off. It’s silent except for the small gasp of breath Jay takes before whispering, Emory. And the little girl he envisioned every night in his dreams becomes a reality.
Erin is deathly addicted to chocolate and any sweets during the pregnancy. Any and every chocolate she could get hands on to give her a two minute food coma. She got lucky. Really lucky and never had any really weird cravings. You wouldn’t catch Jay out of the house at random times of the night searching for odd food items. It was great in the beginning but then one day it all changed. Erin was doing some desk work at the station since Voight did not allow her to be on field work. That morning she had felt off but never mentioned it to Jay. He was worried enough and her adding some silly little lightheadedness wouldn’t help. When she couldn’t see straight, eye’s blurry, ears ringing, and an overwhelming spike in her temperature she needed to call Jay. Dialing his number was the easy part, speaking on the other hand, well, felt like a foreign concept. Erin passed out before she could get a word out. Jay called for an ambulance and Trudy as he rushed back to the station. At the hospital, they found out that Erin had gestational diabetes. Goodbye to sweets and hello to administering insulin into her large round belly. Once Emory was born, the diabetes was no longer a problem.
Erin wants to fuck all day, every day to put it lightly. And if she can’t get that, she’ll squeeze a little round of tonsil hockey and hand play action. She loses how many times she convinces Jay to send her head spinning into another dimension. She’s pretty much shameless. Her favorite place to let him take her is in the back of the locker room at the station. Erin’s sure it’s not only because she can’t get enough of him but the excitement of getting caught. It’s been so boring with everyone keeping a constant eye on her. Yes, she’s carrying a fragile package but she isn’t made of glass. She won’t shatter. So through dirty jokes, surprise kisses, and easy access dresses she keeps her jay halstead shaped appetite at bay.
Erin’s water breaks in the middle of Kim and Adam’s wedding. A wedding she currently is the maid of honor in. Jay’s standing in Adam’s groomsmen line up to make it even better. A horrified squeal comes belting out and she breaks out in tears. A puddle of water surrounding her lilac heels as the whole church is silently staring. She’s swearing and mumbling sorry a million times to them for ruining their wedding. Jay starts to freak out. They have nothing with them. The packed bags are all sitting at home because there was supposed to be time. Three weeks to be exact. The wedding pauses and chaos ensues. Jay rushes a waddling, crying Erin out of the church. One epidural, several screams, one hand crushing grip and seven hours later, she gives birth to a healthy baby girl. Jay cuts the umbilical cord like a champ. The date is July 16th and she’s absolutely beautiful. Crystal colored eyes to match Jay’s and a head full of light brown peach fuzz. Voight and the rest of the crew show up the next morning. Adam and Kim decide to put off their honeymoon so they can stay and help out. When Jay first hands Voight little Emory Elizabeth Halstead to him, a choked sob escapes his lips. She’s his granddaughter in all ways that counts and promises to spoil her rotten. Erin and Jay don’t doubt this for the slightest bit.
