Jay stared at the ceiling through the dark listening to Hailey snore softly on the other side of Drew who was breathing quietly against his neck. He swallowed and lightly set a hand on Drew's head.

"Maybe we should see if Dr. Charles will see him every Saturday."

"Wouldn't that be a lot? He's already going every other week, Hails."

"Does he even know that he's home in bed with us?"

"I…I don't know."

"Exactly. Jay, he shut down completely."

"He was probably overstimulated."

"So he should talk to someone to learn how to deal with that."

"I don't think talking will help, though. This is just part of who he is. He knew going into it that the dance might be too loud. I don't know if Dr. Charles can stop that."

"He needs to learn coping mechanisms."

"I agree."

"So what's the problem?"

"I don't want him to think something's wrong with him again."

"There's nothing wrong with him."

"But forcing him to see a therapist might make him think that."

"Did…did you think that?"

"I don't know…it didn't feel great. I knew it was for the best – after a certain someone forced me to go – but it was still like…what's wrong with me? You know?"

"There was nothing ever wrong with you-"

"I know. I know, but Hailey, I just didn't understand why I couldn't figure it out on my own."

"Everyone needs help and that's okay."

"It was years okay, Hailey, I know that now."

"I'm sorry-"

"Hailey, don't. Like I've told you so many times before, you helped me more than anyone I know. You've pulled me out of some pretty dark holes."

"I never meant to make you feel inferior."

"I know and I don't blame you for that at all. It's a personal thing."

"Like it's not me it's you?"

"Exactly."

"I hate that saying."

"So do I and I think it's a pretty stupid excuse, but in this case it's completely true. You did not cause any of my problems."

"And you know you didn't cause any of mine, right?"

"Don't push it."

"Jay."

"You were hospitalized because you were so stressed out because of me."

"Please, Jay, please, we've been over this. My poor stress management is on me, not you. I should have spoken up. I should have done something relaxing."

"I should have noticed."

"Do you want me to yell at you?"

"Maybe."

"Stop – that's ridiculous."

"Is not."

"Let's look at it this way, do you worry about me?"

"All the time."

"Then why can't I worry about you?"

"I – it's different."

"How?"

"I'm supposed to be-"

"I will kill you if you say the man."

"Fine, but I'm supposed to be strong for you and Drew and take care of you both. It's my job to worry about you both."

"That's sexist."

"I'm not sexist."

"I can take care of myself."

"I know you can."

"So let me worry about you!"

"Hey, hey, shh, you're okay, bud."

"Is he awake?"

"No, I don't think so. He just made this noise."

"Okay."

"I think he's good now. What were we-"

"We're equals, Jay."

"I know."

"So that means we can equally worry about each other and take stuff off of each other's shoulders. Not up for debate."

"You're one determined person."

"It's why you love me."

"Eh, I love you because you're hot."

"Oh my god."

"Kidding! Kidding. I do love how determined you are."

"Thank you."

"I also love how kind and funny you are and you are the most amazing mom."

"You're going to make me cry, so watch it. I've been emotional this week."

"Come here."

"Someone's taking up a lot of you."

"Then squish him a little."

"Fine."

"He won't mind."

"Hush, yes he will."

"I just need you close enough to do something."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Mm thank you."

"I love you, remember?"

"And I love you."

"Is someone awake?"

Jay turned his head to look down at Drew, "I am," he whispered.

Drew rubbed his eyes and whimpered.

"Shh, it's okay," Jay wrapped an arm around him, "I'm here."

Drew sniffled, "I-I was bad."

"You were not," Jay said.

"I made Mom leave early," Drew chewed his lip.

Jay brushed his thumb over Drew's cheek, "She still had a lot of fun."

"How do you know?" Drew rubbed his eyes again.

"Because she told me," Jay smiled.

"You should have seen him dancing, it was the cutest thing in the entire world."

"How does he dance?"

"Just jumping and it's so much fun."

"I love that."

"Oh gosh, you should have seen his face when the slow dance started. He was so confused."

"Did he not like that?"

"Not at all. He thought it was boring until I spun him around."

"I mean…I get it."

"I told him that we've danced like that before and he was like what do you mean and so I said we've danced in the kitchen and he was grossed out but tried covering it."

"I feel like that's a parenting accomplishment – grossing your kid out."

"One hundred percent. I loved it."

"Mom's a better dancer than Uncle Will."

Jay laughed softly and nodded, "She definitely is."

Drew curled up further into Jay's side and held onto his shirt.

"Do you want to talk about anything?" Jay asked.

"Did he play with any other boys?"

"What do you think?"

"I was just hoping."

"I know. I did ask a couple times, but he wasn't into it."

"Do you think they made fun of him or something?"

"No, I just think he's genuinely not interested in playing with other kids."

"Was Matt there?"

"I don't think so."

"Maybe we should set up a play date for them."

"Does that make you nervous?"

"What?"

"Being around other parents."

"We're around Adam and Kim all the time."

"You know that's different."

"Okay, yeah, but what's your point?"

"That what if other parents judge us?"

"Why would they? I think we're decent parents."

"Haven't you gotten nervous before though?"

"Oh yeah."

"See?"

"I try not to think about it, I guess. We judge ourselves a lot, Hails, if we then think about other people judging us that'd be super overwhelming."

"When did you become wise?"

"I've always been wise."

"Uh-huh."

"Knock it off, blondie."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, don't! You're going to make me wake him."

"But I like hearing you laugh."

"Laughing because you're funny or cute is different than laughing because you're tickling me."

"Like what?" Drew yawned.

"I don't know, maybe like dinosaurs or friends or birds," Jay suggested.

"Why'd you say friends?" Drew asked.

"Well, Mom said you only stayed with her tonight and didn't want to hang out with the other boys," Jay said.

"Cause we were on a date," Drew shrugged a little, "I needed to focus on Mom."

"Sure," Jay slowly nodded, "Then, I guess how are your friends at school?"

"I'm just friends with Matt," Drew rubbed Jay's shirt between his fingers, "You know that."

"Would you ever want him to come over?" Jay asked.

"No," Drew pressed his face into Jay's side.

Jay took a deep breath, "Okay."

Drew was quiet for a minute before whispering, "I'm seeing Dr. Charles after swim tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah," Jay ran his hand over Drew's back.

"Can he give me a new brain?"

Jay's eyes widened, "What?"

"I don't want autism anymore," Drew said.

Jay bit his lip, "I'm so sorry, bud, but it's not something you can get rid of…and replacing your brain is impossible."

"But it really really scared me today," Drew explained, "I couldn't move, Dad."

"I know," Jay breathed, "It sounded scary."

Drew's eyes teared up, "And then I was here."

Jay shifted in bed to look down at him, "You don't remember getting here?"

"Not really," Drew swallowed, "I – can we wake Mom up so I can say sorry?"

"You said sorry a lot already," Jay shook his head, "If you want to say it again, you can say it in the morning."

"Promise?" Drew shook slightly.

"Yes," Jay fixed the weighted blanket so more of it was around Drew.

Drew shivered and let go of Jay's shirt to grip the blanket.

"Do you think you can go back to sleep?" Jay asked softly.

"Can I stay here?" Drew slid down a little so just the top of his head was above the blankets.

Jay smiled a little and nodded, "Yeah, you can stay here."

"Good," Drew sighed in relief.

Jay watched his close his eyes and looked over at Hailey still sleeping. He smiled knowing he managed to have a whole conversation with Drew and not wake up Hailey because that would have been a disaster.

Hailey woke up to a stream of light from between the curtains going right into her eyes. She groaned softly and rubbed her face before yawning and looked over at Jay and Drew.

She didn't remember them falling asleep so close to each other the night before, but now they were right against each other wrapped up in the same blankets.

She smiled and reached out to lightly touch Drew's still gelled-hair.

"Should we put his pajamas on?"

"I don't know, I don't want to wake him."

"Gosh, his hair's going to be all glued together in the morning."

"He asked for it."

"I was wondering whose idea that was."

"All his. He was nervous, but we survived."

"Good, that's good."

"He said he wants to be as handsome as me."

"Now that's a way to blow your ego up."

"Hey, everyone should think they look good."

"I guess you're right."

"I know I'm right."

Hailey's eyes skimmed up to Jay and breathed out. He had his arm protectively wrapped around Drew. She knew exactly how Drew felt right now. Safe. Cared for. Wanted. Loved. She'd been in his position multiple times before.

After Ronny Booth stirred up one too many ghosts.

Hailey laughed softly and scooted over until Jay swiftly tugged her against him.

"I'm quite fond of cuddling," Jay whispered as he wrapped Hailey in the navy comforter she brought to bed, "But you tell anyone and I swear to God, Upton, you're dead meat."

"Copy you," Hailey whispered and pressed her face against Jay's chest. She took in his warmth and peacefully sighed for the first time in she doesn't know how long. His fingers were tracing small gentle patterns against her back when she fell asleep.

When she was still processing getting kidnapped.

Hailey smiled a little and laid back against the pillows, "Thank you."

"Not a problem," Jay smiled and sat next to her, covering both of them with the blanket.

Hailey set her head on his thigh and closed her eyes, gripping the blanket tightly.

Jay ran his fingers through her hair and rested back against the headboard.

Once when she had food poisoning.

"Come here," Jay said and helped her lay down with her head in his lap.

Hailey blushed and bit her lip, but it felt good to be taken care of for once, so she let him run his fingers through her hair and rub her back.

Knowing neither of them had been infected with a flesh-eating bacteria.

Jay's hands ghosted over her feet and rested on her ankles. His thumb rubbing small circles on her bone.

She shivered at the feeling and tried harder to focus on the screen.

Jay took notice of the slight movement and smirked toward the TV.

By the third episode, Hailey's heart was pounding and she knew it wasn't completely because of the show. She couldn't even really focus on the show anymore. It was good and held her interest, but a certain detective's fingers on her calves distracted her just enough that she couldn't remember things that were said just seconds before.

The night Kim's baby died…

Jay's breath hitched and he tangled his hand in her hair, "Thank you for coming over."

"Thank you f-for inviting me," Hailey breathed through her light crying.

Jay tightened his hold on her and Hailey rested her hand on his stomach. She was just about asleep when she felt Jay's lips touch the top of her head. She responded by rubbing her thumb against his shirt and let sleep overtake her.

And the morning after.

"Being sad and wanting donuts is for UberEats," Jay said and opened the app, "Lay back down."

Hailey bit back a smile and laid her back down on Jay's chest.

"Sprinkles, right?" Jay asked.

"Yeah," Hailey looked between his arms to see him scrolling through the options on his phone.

In a hospital bed listening to Jay breathe without a machine.

"You can sleep on Will's cot if you really want to," Jay said, looking at her. He swallowed, fully understanding now that they really were incredibly close to each other.

"Like you've been saying," Hailey whispered, "I'm fine."

Jay chuckled, "Jerk."

Hailey smiled, "Goodnight, Jay."

"Goodnight," Jay breathed.

Hailey blushed and closed her eyes, resting her head against Jay's good shoulder.

Some of the circumstances weren't always the best, but it was always what she needed. When she felt her lowest, he was there for her, and now he was here for Drew.

She couldn't imagine doing life and being a parent with anyone else.

The back of her hand ghosted over the side of Jay's face when he opened his eyes and whispered, "Morning."

"Sleep well?" she asked.

He chuckled and nodded, tightening his hold on Drew, "Yeah, I slept fine. You?"

"Same," Hailey breathed and bit her lip.

"You okay?" Jay sat up slightly, still holding Drew to his side.

"Yeah," Hailey nodded, "Just thinking about some stuff."

"Like what?" Jay gently lowered Drew back to the pillows.

Hailey knew Jay was extra concerned about her lately, so instead of dragging it out for no reason other than torture, she slipped her feet out from under the covers and quietly walked around the bed to perch next to him on the mattress.

"You," she said simply.

"Me?" Jay blushed slightly. "All good things?" he guessed with a small smirk, but she could tell he was still a tiny bit nervous.

Hailey looked down and grabbed his hand, "I don't think I ever would have imagined all those years ago when you insisted on having a drink with me after our ordeal with Booth that we'd eventually be married with one son and another on the way."

Jay chuckled, "Let me tell you, that was not my intention that night."

"Well what was your intention?" Hailey smiled.

"To help you out," Jay whispered, "To make sure you were okay. To protect you from yourself."

Hailey nodded a little and squeezed his hand. She tore her gaze from his eyes and looked down at Drew still sleeping. "You're really good at it," she said softly.

Jay followed her eyes and smiled at Drew, "Thank you."

Hailey quickly kissed his cheek and stood, "Something happen last night while I was asleep?"

"Nothing gets past you," Jay pushed the covers off of himself.

Hailey shrugged with a slight smirk, "I'm a pretty good detective."

"I'll say," Jay laughed, "Should I wake him?"

Hailey sighed and ran a hand through her hair, "He does have swim-"

"And let's be honest, he'll throw a fit if we break from his schedule," Jay interrupted.

Hailey shook her head and thought for a minute before saying, "Okay, go ahead. I'm going to shower."

Jay watched her walk to the bathroom before laughing quietly to himself. He wasn't sure how he got this lucky, but as he gently shook Drew awake, he knew he wouldn't change a single part of it.

A/N: Definitely a different kind of chapter, so please let me know what you think! Hailey's flashbacks from different parts of their relationship are actually pieces of some of my one-shots if you'd like to check them out :) (In order, they're "You're My Partner," "Sprinkles and Daisies," "Scratch My Back and I'll Scratch Yours," "Fighting the Adrenaline," "What Would You Do?" and chapter three from "Needles.")