MACKAYLA'S P.O.V.
If I wasn't convinced that one of the three, sitting around the bonfire with me on the beach outside of the condo in Islamorada, wasn't trying to kill me then I would have been enjoying what normally would have been a relaxing night on the beach. I knew deep down inside that Jenna, James or Chris had betrayed me and given Rob Shaw and Tom Robertson access to me over the past six months.
"Okay all. I'm heading up to bed. Enjoy the rest of your night. James and Chris, I'm going to want to go for a run at 8:00am tomorrow morning before we turn into beach bums for the rest of the day." I said to them as I got up from the Adirondack chair.
"I'll walk you up Mackayla." James said. "It's early still. Only 9:00pm. Are you okay?" he asked as he fell into step next to me. I didn't say a word. I walked across the beach towards the condo. I waited until we were in the elevator heading up to the floor our individual studios were on. "James, you've been with me for six years now, right?" I asked and after he confirmed I continued on. "Other than what's been going on for the past six months have I been difficult to work for? You've always been well compensated and treated fairly, haven't you?" I asked him. "Yes, of course. What are you getting at Mackayla?" he asked in response as he unlocked the door to my condo and checked to make sure no one else was in the ocean front studio on the third floor. "It may not make sense at the moment, but if you're the one behind everything it would break my heart because I've always considered you a friend...not just an employee. Good night James." I said opening the door indicating he should leave.
I closed the door behind him, walked over to the balcony door and stepped outside. I had the perfect unobstructed view of the beach and could clearly see Chris and Jenna still sitting around the bonfire. God, I wish Jay was here. "Well, he's not so you're stuck with me." a soft voice said from above me. "Sorry Al. I didn't realize I said that out loud." I whispered to the balcony above me. "No worries kid. One way or another this shit is ending tonight. Robertson and Shaw were spotted leaving the airport in Miami an hour ago. Rixton is tailing them and keeping me updated." he responded.
After a few minutes of silence, I said the words I was sure we were both thinking. "Uncle Hank is going to be pissed that you didn't fill him in on your plan." "Yeah, I know. I'm hoping when we bring Robertson and Shaw back to Chicago, in handcuffs, along with whoever on your team they are working with, it will make him forget that I lied to him. You should go inside and go to bed. I got you covered, Mackayla. I promised nothing will happen to you." Al said. I walked back inside, leaving the balcony door unlocked.
I must have fallen asleep because I woke up a few hours later when a hand was placed over my mouth. I opened my eyes, and even tho the lights were off, I could see Al, in the moonlight streaming through the open balcony doors, holding a finger up to his lips, motioning for me to be quiet. I nodded to let him know I understood. I slipped out of bed and quietly moved across the marble floor and out to the balcony. Once I was outside, Rixton, wearing a red wig, crawled into my bed. If the situation wasn't so serious I would have laughed and taken a photo to show the Intelligence Unit.
I almost screamed when another rope was dropped down from the balcony above me. I watched as Hailey Upton rappelled down the rope. "What are you doing here?" I whispered. "Risking my career in Intelligence and the wrath of Jay. Al decided his crazy plan was a three-man job so I came down with Rixton. Just do what I tell you if anyone manages to get past Olinsky." she instructed.
Minutes later we heard a loud crashing noise in the hallway outside of the studio. "Hurry up. You can't fuck it up this time. We need to get her and get out of here. James saw me before you hit him, and the drug I slipped into Chris's beer will be wearing off soon." a female voice said as a key was inserted into the lock. The door opened and then was quietly closed after they dragged James's unconscious body inside. "Dear God, please let him be alive." I whispered, causing Hailey to put a finger to her lips.
We watched as Jenna led the other two over towards my bed. They were ten feet away when the light flipped on and Al yelled "Chicago PD" as Rixton sat up in bed with his gun pointed at the trio. "Drop your weapons." Hailey yelled as she stepped into the room. That's when Rob Shaw noticed me on the balcony for the first time. Before anyone could stop him he fired his weapon. Hailey jumped in front of me and the bullet hit her straight in the middle of her chest. Rixton tackled Shaw as I screamed Hailey's name. "Vest...it got me in the vest. I'm okay." she said, gasping for breath as the wind had been knocked out of her.
There was still a stand-off going on between Al and Robertson. The former Hollwood Detective still had his gun in his hand. "Drop it Tom. It's over. You were a cop. You know there's no way out." Al said. "I can't go to jail. You know what they do to cops in prison? No way man...I'm not going there." Robertson replied. "Come on man, drop it. No don't do it!" Al yelled out as we watched, in horror, as Roberston lifted his gun and shot himself in the head.
"You bitch!" I screamed as I lunged across the room at Jenna. I knocked her to her knees and as she fell to the floor I punched her in the face over and over again. "Come on now. Stop Mackayla. It's over. Let Hailey cuff her and let's get you out of here." All said pulling me off Jenna. I looked at her. She was bleeding from her nose and the corner of her mouth. Her left eye was almost swollen shut. "Let's go get your hands cleaned up." Al said as he lead me out of the room.
"I don't understand. What did I do to make her hate me so much? She had been with me almost my entire career. I thought we were friends. And oh my God, Al...there was so much blood. Was there no other way for him to end things besides killing himself? He terrorized me and raped me and now he's not going to pay for what he did? I don't understand." I said as I let the tears finally fall.
"You're in shock. Let's get you upstairs." he replied. We walked into the hallway as police and medics rushed through the staircase door. "Two plain clothes officers have two perps in custody. The third perp is DOA. Her two bodyguards need medical attention. One has been drugged and is still on the beach. I'm taking Mackayla upstairs to clean up her hands. We'll wait up there for you to come take her statement. I want it done ASAP so I can get her back to Chicago. Detectives Upton and Rixton will be escorting the two perps on a separate plane back to Chicago. Make sure you keep the press out of here." Al said to one of the Detectives.
A short time later my bloody knuckles had been bandaged and I had given my statement. I jumped up from the couch when James walked in. "Oh my God! I'm so happy you are okay. Why were you outside my door? You weren't supposed to be there." I said to him as I threw myself into his arms. He told me he thought something was wrong after our conversation so he decided to watch my door. Jenna took him by surprise acting as a decoy for Shaw and Robertson's attack. He then handed me my phone. "Hailey packed up everything from your room and Jenna's but I thought you would want your phone. Chris needs to stay in the hospital overnight for observation but I'm ready to head back home to Chicago whenever you are." my giant bodyguard said as I proceeded to cry in his arms. It's over...it's finally over, I thought to myself.
AL'S P.O.V.
"Yeah Hank. I know. She's sleeping. She's fine physically but in shock. She wasn't ready to talk to you or Halstead just yet. I needed to do it...the two of you were too close and not thinking clearly." I said to Voight over the phone as we made the drive from Islamorada to Miami. "We'll be on the ground at O'Hare by 6:00am. I'll let her know you'll be waiting. Don't be too hard on her, or Rixton and Upton. I'll take full responsibility for this one." I told him before ending the call.
"Detective Olinsky, we're here." the driver said a short time later. I looked out the window and didn't see any photographers. That was a good sign. "James, can you carry her? I don't want to wake her." I said to Mackayla's bodyguard. She had been given a strong sedative causing her to fall asleep minutes into the car ride.
MACKAYLA'S P.O.V.
"Mackayla...Mackayla...we just landed in Chicago." I heard Al's soft voice bringing me out of a dreamless sleep. "Do they know?" I asked, groggily. "I talked to Hank. He's waiting for us. I'm assuming he would have let Halstead know." he replied. "I don't want to see Jay. Tell Uncle Hank he can drive me home, but I don't want to see Jay. It's over between me and Jay. Dr. Rhodes said I can't have kids because of the shooting and Jay deserves more than that." I told him, not fully understanding what I was saying thanks to the effects of the sedative.
I started to fall back to sleep when I felt myself being picked up and carried off the plane. "It's not over between us Mackayla. I love you and you love me." I heard Jay say softly as he kissed the top of my head.
Hours later I opened my eyes, realizing I was home in my own bed. I looked at the clock. It was 4:00pm. Time to face reality I thought to myself as I heard voices coming from somewhere within my condo. I got up, walked into my master bath and turned on the shower. Thirty minutes later I was dressed in black yoga pants and a black t-shirt. I opened my bedroom door and walked down the hall towards the living room.
"There she is." Ruzek said, being the first one to spot me. I looked around to see the entire Intelligence Unit along with Trudy Platt, Kenny Rixton, my cousin Justin and James eating pizza and drinking beer and wine in my living room. "You guys decide to have a party and forget to invite me?" I asked.
"You needed to sleep Mac. How do you feel?" Uncle Hank asked rising to give me a hug. He looked at my bruised knuckles and shook his head, with a slight smile on his face. "Fighting with Justin all those years finally paid off, huh?" he teased, trying to lighten the mood. "Yeah. I'm a little overwhelmed and as grateful as I am to all of you I hope you won't be upset if I asked you to leave. I think I need some time to myself to process everything." I said avoiding Jay's eyes. I remembered what I had said on the plane. I just wasn't sure if I meant it or not.
One by one, they all departed, hugging me on the way out until I was left alone with Al, Jay, James, Justin ad Uncle Hank. Al looked at me before turning to Jay and saying "Come on, Halstead. I'll buy you a drink or two down at Molly's." Jay looked at me and I nodded, basically letting him know I wanted him to go. "We'll talk later." Jay said, obviously unhappy, before walking out the door. "I'll check on you tomorrow kid. Get some rest." Al said before following Jay.
"Mac..." he started. "Uncle Hank. I can't. Not today. I'll see you tomorrow for Sunday dinner, okay?" I pleaded with him. "Come on Pop. I'll buy you a drink down at Molly's and tell you about the time that Mackayla kicked Mikey DiStefano's ass when he called her a stuck-up bitch when she was fourteen. Rumor has it he's the president of her fan club now." Justin said to my Uncle. "Thank you." I mothed to him. "I'm glad you're okay and home safe. I'll see you tomorrow." Justin said as he held the door open for my Uncle. "We still need to talk about this Mac. It will wait though. I love you." Hank said giving me a hug. "I love you too. Be nice to Al. He did what needed to be done." I said closing the door behind them.
"Do you want me to stay or go Mackayla?" James asked. "Take some pizza and go relax at home. I'll yell down the hall to you if I need anything. I seriously need to process that Jenna was behind this and I watched a man kill himself." I said as I carried empty glasses and plates into the kitchen. "Jesus, do you think they ordered enough?" I asked James as I looked at eight large pizza boxes from Lou Malnati's. Four turned out to be empty...how long had they all been here for, I wondered to myself as I shook my head. "Take two with you and leave two here. You know I can eat pizza for breakfast, lunch and dinner." I told James as I loaded the dishwasher.
Alone at last, I thought to myself as I grabbed a pizza box and a bottle of ginger-ale out of the fridge. I walked into my bedroom and crawled into bed. I pulled up Netflix on the TV and prepared to binge watch Season Two of The Crown. I lied to everyone. I didn't want to think about anything that happened last night. I don't want to think about what I saw ever again. The glamorous life of a movie star on a Saturday night I thought to myself as I dug into the best pizza in all of Chicago as the first episode appeared on the screen.
JAY'S P.O.V.
My heart broke for Mackayla when I heard her tell Al on the plane that she couldn't have kids because of the shooting. But she was wrong if she thought we were over because of that. We could always adopt if we decided we wanted kids.
"Where's your head at Halstead?" Al asked me as we sat at the bar at Molly's. I looked over and watched Voight and Justin across the room at a table. I knew then and there what I needed to do. "I need to talk to Voight." I replied as I finished my beer and walked over to his table.
"Hank, I'm sorry to interrupt but I was hoping we could talk for a few minutes." I said, hoping he wouldn't fire me or kill me. "Uh-oh, I know that look. This should be an interesting conversation between the two of you. I'll go grab us a few more drinks." Justin said. I sat down in the seat he just vacated and said "Look Hank, you know I'm in love with Mackayla. You know she's in love with me too. I don't care if she can't get pregnant. I'm in love with her and want to spend the rest of my life with her. I want to spend the rest of my life making her happy. I'm asking for your blessing Hank." I said, unsure as what else to say to the man that I was honestly a little afraid of at times. God, please don't let him say no, I prayed.
It seemed like hours had passed before Hank spoke. "She told you it's over and you want to marry her? Are you sure you can handle her life Jay? Can you handle the publicity she endures? The scrutiny and lack of privacy on a daily basis? The separation when she goes off to some remote location to film a movie for a couple of months? If those answers are yes, and on the condition that you agree to sign a prenup, then I'll give you my blessing. You make her happy and there's nothing more I want in life than to see my kids and my grandkids happy. With that being said, if you hurt her I will end you. They'll never find your body. Is that understood?" he asked.
"Yes sir. All I want is to be with her and to make her happy. I'll sign whatever I need to sign. I love her Hank." I replied.
"I guess there's really nothing much left to say other than, welcome to the family Jay." he responded, almost sounding as if he was in pain, before finishing his Manhattan.
"So, when are you gonna do it?" Justin asked when he sat back down at our table with Al. "I need to buy her a ring first. Will gave my Mom's ring to Nat when he proposed so I guess I should go ring shopping. Can't ask her without a ring." I replied.
HANK'S P.O.V.
"Wait here. I'll be back in forty-five minutes." I instructed before getting up from the table. I walked out of Molly's, got in my Escalade and made the drive home. I walked in and looked at the framed photos on the credenza in the front hallway. Guess I'll be adding another picture to my collection...one of Mac and Jay on their wedding day.
I went downstairs, moved a shelving unit to the side and opened my safe. I pulled out a blue bag and opened it. In the bag was a ring box. I opened the box and looked at the two-carat emerald-cut solitaire set in a diamond and platinum band. It had been Theresa's engagement ring. It seemed only fitting since Olive wore Justin's Mother's ring that Mac wear her Mother's ring.
Jesus, my little girl is going to marry Halstead. I guess she could do a lot worse I thought to myself as I drove back to Molly's. I walked back into the bar and slid the ring box across the table. "It was her Mother's. I know Theresa would have loved for you to give it to Mac." I told Halstead as he opened the box. "It's beautiful. Thank you, Hank." he replied as he looked at the ring.
"I know you'll make her happy Jay but, I do need to wish you luck convincing her that it's not over. It's not going to be an easy road." I replied as I got up and ordered another drink from the bar.
