Erin Halstead is in the kitchen cooking with her seven year old son, Peyton.
“Hey mom?” Peyton questions and looks at his mom.
“What’s up sweetie?” Erin glances down at her son and finishes scrambling the eggs for the both of them.
“When is daddy coming home?” Peyton’s big blue eyes looking at Erin. She looks at a spitting of Jay and sighs.
“Soon baby.” She answers and hands him a plate of hot scrambled eggs and he goes over to the dinner table and scooting his chair closer waits for his mom to join him. In the Halstead household any meal of the day was not eaten until every member of this family was seated. Except for the past four months Peyton and Erin have been the only two members of this family eating together. Jay Halstead has been overseas on his third tour and it has been hard on Erin, as well as Peyton. Erin Halstead, a 28 year old detective with the Chicago Police Department, working in the Intelligence Unit. She drops her son at school every morning and goes to work, where she has to look at the empty desk of her husband and partner.
“I just miss him, a lot.” Peyton doesn’t look at Erin, just stuffs his mouth with breakfast “And there’s the thing in school, where everyone’s dad is coming and gonna talk about their job, and dad is missing it.” He looks sadder than he ever did, even when his dad was leaving.
“I know baby, I know. I wish he was here too. But you know that what he does is important. He is fighting for our country, and for us.” Erin answers her son, who is smart for a seven year old.
“Yeah mom, you told me before.”
They sit in silence for the rest of breakfast, Peyton breaking the quiet room to say a quick thank you to his mom and disappeared upstairs. Erin’s fingers are flying over the keyboard typing up another report for Hank. It’s a saturday so usually Erin finishes up reports and spends the whole day with Peyton. Sometimes she takes him to the park and buys his ice cream, and other times they stay at home and watch movies until Peyton is falling asleep on the couch. As Erin is finishing the report, her Skype icon is bouncing on the toolbar, and that only means one thing. Jay is calling.
She opens up the app and answers his call. A few moments later she sees her husband’s face on the screen.
“Hey baby.” He smiles and Erin can feel tears well up in her eyes, “Hey what’s wrong?” Jay notices.
“Nothing, nothing. How have you been? You haven’t called for awhile, I thought that,” Erin releases a breath she’s been holding in and brings to wipe her tears out of her eyes, “That something maybe happened to you.”
She looks at Jay who just looks at his wife.
“Er, I told you, don’t worry I’ll be fine. Nothing is gonna happen to me.” He looks into Erin’s eyes, and assures her, not only with his words but his eyes too. He knew that Erin won’t stop worrying. “Where’s Peyton?” He changes the subject.
“Peyton!! Come here.!!” Erin calls her son and looks back at Jay, who is smiling which makes Erin to smile too. And Jay loves her smile, ‘it lights up my world’ according to Jay.
Peyton’s footsteps are soundly running down the stairs and soon he stands next to his mom.
“Dad!” He exclaims and waves at the camera.
“Hey buddy. You’ve been good to mom?” Jay asks with a big smile on his face, and when Erin looks at her son, he has the same smile on his face.
“I miss you.” Peyton’s voice drops and he looks down at his feet, “When are you coming home?”
“I miss you too buddy, and I should be home soon.” Jay answers and all he wants to do right now is reach out and take his son in his arms, and never let him go.
“Do you think you can come in time for father’s day at school. I really want you to be there.” The boy carefully looks at the screen at his father’s face only to be met with disappointment.
“I know hun, I want to be there too. You have no idea how bad I want to be there, but I don’t think I can make it. I’m sorry Peyton.” Jay answers and his heart breaks, from watching his son’s heart break and telling him that his dad is not going to be there, when every other kid has their dad with them. “You can ask grandpa to come.”
“But he’s not you. I want you there!” Peyton screams and runs away.
“Peyton!” Erin tries to stop him but he’s already gone.
“Er, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for all of this.” Jay covers his face with his hands.
“I know, we just both miss you a lot. And Peyton has been talking it very hard lately. Just come back ok?” Erin breaks and tries her best not to turn into a crying mess.
“I’m gonna be home soon, I promise. And for the record, I miss you both like crazy. And I love you so so much.” Jay answers and turns around to find Mouse urging him to hang up.
“I love you too. You should go. Call me later.” Erin lets her husband end the call and shuts the laptop and lets herself go. Tears spilling out of her eyes and sobs wracking her. Not awhile later she feels arms wrap around her shoulders holding her. She brings her son closer to her.
Meanwhile Jay is sitting in his tent with a very judgmental best friend watching him.
“Stop it.” He says and Mouse just laughs.
“Peyton is gonna be so happy when he sees you walk into his class. And Erin is going to be mad at you for not telling her.” Mouse comes closer to Jay and puts a hand on his shoulder.
“You have no idea how badly I wanted to tell her.”
The truth is that Jay was coming home earlier than intended and he wanted to surprise his family, and he hated that in order to do that he hurt them.
Back home the days seemed to fly and both Halsteads are getting ready for another day.
“You know it’s not too late to ask grandpa to come. He’d love to be there.” Erin suggests and pours a bowl of cereal for Peyton. He drops his backpack next to his chair and quietly eats his breakfast.
“No, I wanted dad.” He mumbles and goes back to eating.
“Alrighty then.” Erin crosses her arms and leans against the counter, drinking her coffee. “You got everything for today?” She asks and places her son's lunch next to him.
Peyton nods and after finishing his breakfast, places the bowl in the sink. He quickly puts on his shoes, kisses Erin’s cheek and walks out the door to the bus stop. Erin just sighs and pours the remaining of her coffee into her to-go mug and tightly screws the top on.
Jay knows that just knocking on his own door, to his own house, to surprise his wife is probably very unromantic and dumb but he needs to hold Erin in his arms as soon as he can. He knocks three times and waits. He heard quick footsteps approach the door and soon it swings open and he finally looks at Erin, whose eyes widen in shock and all she can do is stand in the doorway, looking at Jay.
“You-You’re here.” She manages to say and rushes toward him, almost knocking him down.
Erin’s arms wrap around Jay’s neck and her legs around his torso while his arms tightly hold her waist.
“I’m really here.” Jay says and his wife buries her face in the crook of his neck.
“God I missed you. You’re never le-” Erin pulls back and starts talking.
“Just shut up.” Jay laughs and presses his lips to hers. The two of them fit together like a perfect puzzle. Their lips move in sync, burning sensations in both of their chests, and Erin’s heart explodes just like the first time they kissed. Jay pulls away, to Erin’s dismay, and looks at her  with happy eyes.
“C’mon, we have to make it in time for Peyton’s turn.” The soldier whispers and the brunette detective jumps down and runs back inside to grab her badge and gun. At record speed they’re in her car driving to Peyton’s school.
“Just like old times.” Jay says making Erin smile and slightly roll her eyes.
Jay will never admit that he loves it when Erin drives, it made him feel like a house husband, and back then he meant it as a bad thing, but now that he was married to that same girl who drove him everywhere, eventually driving him crazy for her.
Moments later Jay jumps out of the car, without letting Erin park first. Erin doesn't bother locking the car and starts running after Jay. The school buzzes them in and the front desk lady tells them which class Peyton is in. Jay slows down in front of the door to his son’s class and waits outside.
“And now, Peyton Halstead.” The teacher announces and Jay hears everyone clap.
“Well, um, my dad couldn't be here because he’s, uh, he’s saving the world. He is in the military so that’s why he’s not here. But he has a very important job, he saves lives and as much as I wish he was here with me, I know he’s just doing his job.” Peyton stops talking because Jay couldn't wait anymore, standing outside the door was killing him. He opens the door, interrupting Peyton, making the seven year old look in his direction. And he doesn’t waste anymore time, he runs into Jay’s open arms and the oldest Halstead can hear soft sobs coming from his son.
“It’s ok. I’m here.” Jay coos into Peyton’s ear and he nods his head.
“You-you s-said you won’t make it.” Peyton wonders and pulls back to look at his hero.
“I’m sorry I lied buddy, I’m here now.” Jay hugs his son tighter and the whole class erupts in cheers and claps.
“Can we go home?” Peyton asks and Jay nods, a wide smile never leaving his lips.
“Whatever you want bud.” Jay picks up Peyton in his arms and they walk out the class.
The meet up with Erin in the hallway and she hugs the two most important people in her life.
“I love you both so much.” Jay whispered into their hug and all Erin can do is nod her head. They were finally all together, just like a family should be. A couple of days later, Peyton was told he was going to be big brother and Jay and Erin couldn’t wait until their second baby was born.