Epilogue

As the title suggests, this is the final chapter of A Night In November. I would like thank all of you so, so much for following along with me. I am so appreciative that you took the time to read this and share your feedback. I am truly humbled and hope you like how everything turns out. To add a little extra something to your reading experience, I would encourage you to read this chapter while listening to 'Insecurities,' by Jess Glynne. It's what I listened to while writing this and I can't help but admit it goes swimmingly with the storyline. Here we go, one final time.

Its' been five months since Jay and Will stood at that corner in Chicago and life has drastically changed, in a good way. Each month saw Jay take steps, big and small. His first trip back to the 21st precinct was interesting. It was two weeks after Will went back to work and a week after Jay got back into his apartment. He'd run out of things do to and decided to visit the place before he went nuts. As he trudged up the district steps, he was preparing for a witty one-liner from Platt but instead, got a startled reaction and even a hug. Jay thought it was weird, for lack of a better word, but let her do it. Everyone, in some way, was affected by his accident. If that's what helped her heal, then hug away. Rejoining the Intelligence team was like riding a bike. Granted he was only a visitor and on medical leave for the next five months, but they let him sit in for debriefs and kept him up to date with cases. The interaction with everyone made him yearn that much more to get back up there and work for real.

The driver's license was reinstated by month three. Jay was the happiest person to ever leave the DMV. He phoned Will about it and was almost giddy. Another element of freedom was his again. Speaking of phone, Jay also went iPhone shopping. His old one was destroyed in the accident. Will attempted to give iPhone lessons but wound up get advice from Jay. It's amazing what the brain instinctively retains.

Will and Natalie moved their wedding to June 2019. Will couldn't commit to taking a big step in his life while Jay was stuck in his own life problems. Natalie was reluctant at first, but eventually understood and agreed to push everything six months. And Jay was assigned to sit with the Intelligence unit. The singles table was never going to fly with him.

Month four saw Jay get his weapon's certification back. Leading up to test, Jay was a staple at the gun range. Every day around noon, you could count on him being there. He also attended a slew of action simulators in an effort to work out the mechanics of a left handed shooter and improve his reactions. The first weeks were awkward and everything felt wrong. But he persisted and after a bit of time and effort, his left handed shot was—dare I say—better than his right hand. It felt good to get back into the swing things. With every passing day, he felt a little more like himself. Jay simultaneously tried to restrengthen his right hand and it got better, but never returned to its' former glory. Jay was at peace with this. Granted, all his weapons would now need to be customized, but he found a way to overcome his weakness. Will decided to attend Jay's reinstatement test. He wanted to see his brother's crazy notion become a reality and, in typical Jay Halstead fashion, he passed with flying colors. Watching Jay crush it, Will was uber proud of his badass brother. He gave him a giant, dorky thumbs up when the test was over and Jay acknowledged him with a slight cock of the head and a smirk. The stubborn ass did it.

The sessions with Dr. Charles were originally schedule for eight weeks, but wound up being five months of intense question, digging, and processing. Early on, Dr. Charles would be a willing ear and just listen to what Jay wanted to discuss. There was so much uncertainty and unknownness in Jay's life at that time and Dr. Charles wanted to hear everything before helping Jay process all that transpired. Jay now has a solid understanding of what happened to him and has accepted his new way of life. No longer does he feel lost or half alive. What happened to him was terrible, but it's just another chapter in his story. It's apart of his life, not his whole life. Furthermore, Jay's short term memory has greatly improved. He now remembers little pieces of that day leading up to the accident. While some things he'll never be able to recall, he's been able to encompass that time with newfound memories. Last week, Jay finally got the yellow piece of paper he's waited months for: the permission slip to return to work. He called Will about it and Will ended up crying while Jay laughed. Jay is scheduled to return to work next week.

Throughout this process though, there's been one checkmark that's been nagging Jay. For months he toyed with the idea. He'd talk himself into it and then back out at the last minute. But he finally came to the conclusion that he had to complete the step. He couldn't close this chapter without writing the ending. And if there's anything he learned from this episode, it's that life is too short and precious to live in regret. So he took a risk, bought a plane ticket, and hoped fate would intervene.

…

It was a stunning, happy May day in the big city. The trees were finally donning their best shade of green and the flowers were budding with color. The harsh coldness of winter had finally released its' grip and welcoming, warmer temperatures were here at last. School buses were parked along the edge of Central Park. Children were enjoying their final field trip before heading into the summer break. The ever present car horns and sirens were wailing, but all this was drowned out by her wandering mind and the music blasting in her headphones. While Chicago was always going to be home, she finally understood why people love this city. There's a dreamer aspect to it. The mantra that if one can make it here, then anywhere else is a piece of cake, really echos through the avenues and numbered streets. This place is big. This place is loud. It is rich in history. There isn't a corner or side street that isn't a living representation of one person coming to this city to fulfill their wildest dreams. And she loved that. There's a beauty in seeing people's dreams become reality. New Yorkers have honed in on the mentality of helping their fellow man. Even if it's picking up a fallen object or adjusting someone's hat, everyone in this city is here to help each other get through their day. The city can be cruel, but the people are anything but.

But that's not what was on her mind today. She tried to think back to the happenings of the day. She and her team were making big waves in the city. Almost every case resulted in great victories. In fact, her latest case lead to breaking up one of the largest sex trafficking rings in New York. Over a hundred young women got their independence restored. She loved her job. She was affecting people's lives on a grander scale, for the better. Thus the victory run up the Upper West Side. Thus the spring in her step. But, she forced herself to think about today in an effort to steer her mind away from what she was really pondering.

What, or who, was really on her mind was him. She still had lingering doubts about leaving things the way she did. She never gave him the chance to say goodbye. But, she knew that if she had seen him again, it would've been hard to leave. There hadn't been any news on him for a month now and that worried her a little. While she assumed the lack of updates meant everything was fine, in the back of her mind, she felt a twinge of uneasiness. She jogged a few more blocks, trying to fell the music in her headphones; anything to block out her thoughts. She was a few blocks away from her brownstone—yay government salary—and wanted to push her time. As she rounded the corner, something, or rather, someone on her steps brought her record pace to a screeching halt.

"Jay?!"

"Hey you." Jay stood up from his spot on her steps and the two met in the middle of the sidewalk. Erin couldn't help but notice how different he looked. Partly because his hair was shorter, a little messier than usual (to fit in with the the still growing hair on his left side) and he was dressed in more casual clothing. But there was something sad, different about him. His smile and demeanor were the same, but there was an air of sadness; a horrible event was in his past that he was overcoming. She saw the same thing in Nadia during her early days working at the precinct. Erin by now had her hands on her knees and was bent a little, trying to catch her breath from the brisk workout.

"What…how…did you know where I lived?!"

"One guess." Erin rolled her eyes and showed that electric smile.

"How is it we aren't in the same city anymore and Hank still finds his way in the middle of us." She pulled herself upright and gazed into those stunning blue eyes she dearly missed.

"So, what are you doing here," she inquired? Erin was wearing Jay's Chicago Cubs shirt and running tights. Her hair was lighter then he remembered. She had her hair in a messy bun, showing off how long her hair had gotten. She was flush and sweaty. Jay thought she looked stunning. He was proud of her for wearing a Cubs shirt in New York. Despite living in a city with two iconic teams, she chose to represent her hometown team. Jay taught her well.

"To get my shirt back."

"Oh, really?! You flew all the way here for a shirt?!" She playfully smacked him and he laughed.

"Ow, don't hurt a man when he's down. But seriously, um, I needed to tell you something and it couldn't be done over the phone. I know it's going to sound cheesy and I know how much you love that…" Erin rolled her eyes. Mushy things irritated her.

"..But bear with me." Jay took a quick scan of the area before starting.

"You're what got me through everything these last six months. When I was in that coma for a week, we had a life together. You told me when to fight and when to relax. It was you who pulled me through even when giving up was the easier choice. And then when I woke up, I kept waiting for you to walk through the door, thinking you'd be there." Erin by now was fighting back tears.

"I'm not trying to make you feel bad or guilty. But you gave me hope and it hurt that my fantasy world was just that, an extravagant dream. The last few months have been fuzzy, but you have been a steady, strong, clear figure in my life. So, I just wanted to say thank you for pushing me and being a reason to want to live." The two of them stood there for a moment, letting everything Jay said sink in. Erin wiped away the now flowing tears and spoke.

"That was…very mushy, but sweet. You're welcome."

"Erin, I can't live a life that doesn't have you in it in some capacity." Erin walked over to the steps and sat down; Jay joining her. She new where this was going.

"Jay, we'll always have the time we had together. But, I can't just up and leave. A lot has happened in both our lives since we last saw each other. I have a job, a life here. So do you. We can't just go back to the way things were.

"I know. And I understand that. But who says we can't start over? Admit it, you miss my smiling face." Erin smiled. She missed this.

"Even if it was purely a friendship, I need to know that you've got my.." But Jay didn't get to finish his thought. Erin turned his head and moved in for a kiss. A passionate, long awaited kiss that she should've given a long time ago. And the two sat there on the steps of Erin's brownstone in the Upper West Side, rekindling their connection.

"Always."

For the second time in six months, Jay Halstead found himself in an uncertain yet hopeful situation. He realized that without that night in November he'd have never had this moment in May. And as Jay sat there embracing his love, his person, he was ok with that.

Screen fades to black. End credits roll.