Because I'm sentimental and wanted to end this at Chapter 34 just like I did with "Hailey & Jay". Enjoy, this is set a year after the last chapter!
Chapter 34
"Hail are you here?" Will shouted as he walked in her house, with a six-pack of beer in hand, grateful as he felt the blast of cold air conditioning as he stepped out of the late summer heat.
"Ya, be down in a second!" She shouted from upstairs, pulling on clothes after getting out of the shower. Jay had popped out to get some food and other supplies for the BBQ they were hosting this afternoon.
"Hey Will", Hailey said as she came down the stairs. The older Halstead was making himself at home, just relaxing on her couch watching the summer Olympics.
"Hey, am I the first one here?" He asked in disbelief with a chuckle. Will Halstead was many things, but punctual was not always one of them.
"You are actually", Hailey laughed.
Will paused for a second when he took a glance at her. "You look nice", he said genuinely, yet suspiciously. Hailey's hair was nicely curled, and she was wearing makeup too.
"What can't a girl look nice at her own party?" She brushed him off casually. She avoided eye contact, not wanting to give anything away. Will knew her just about as well as Jay did at this point.
She walked past him, not wanting to make a big deal out of his comment, she wanted to wait until Jay got home to tell him. It was perfect that Will was here super early.
"Want a beer Will?" She shouted from the kitchen.
"Yes please!" He replied just as Jay was walking through the door.
"Make that two Hails", Jay added, knowing they would want to toast to this.
"Hey", Hailey greeted Jay with a kiss, and took the few grocery bags from his hands, trading him for a beer.
"Keeper this one", Jay joked to Will who was sprawled out on their couch.
Hailey joined them in the living room a few minutes later, feeling oddly nervous.
Jay, picking up on her nerves, took the lead and turned towards Will.
"So…", he started.
Will looked at him suspiciously too.
"Alright what is going on with you two. I'm no detective but you guys have been acting strange today, all week really", Will quizzed them.
Hailey turned to smile at Jay, a mischievous grin on her face.
"Wait….", Will looked between both of them. "Are you pregnant?!"
Hailey laughed, "No I'm not pregnant Will. But we do have some news…"
"Okay…", he said, still not understanding.
"Remember when I took Hailey up to the cabin last month?" Jay asked.
"Mhmm", Will nodded, following so far.
"Well…", Hailey reached into her pocket and pulled out a ring, sliding it on the ring finger of her left hand.
Will's face exploded with a smile, "Are you serious", he asked, looking at both of them for confirmation.
They both looked at each other smiling, then back at Will and nodded.
He immediately jumped off the couch, all three of them standing up to hug one another.
First wrapping his arms around his brother, something they would never take for granted again after the events of 2020. Next, moving to Hailey, getting a good look at her ring, followed by a big hug and kiss on the cheek.
"I'm finally going to have a sister!" Will said excitedly as Hailey got a little teary.
Jay smiled, and Will suddenly looked at him.
"I still have mom's ring…", he said, wondering why Jay didn't ask for it.
"That's yours man", Jay replied with a small smile, putting a hand on Will's shoulder, knowing that ring meant more to his brother than it did to him.
They patted each other on the back as they shared a moment, Hailey interjecting a minute later.
"We know this is a surprise Will, but there's something else", she added with a little sparkle in her eye.
"What else could you possibly have up your sleeve?" He asked cheekily.
"A wedding?" Jay answered.
"Well ya no kidding you guys are engaged now…", Will replied, not getting it.
"Today", Hailey filled in the blanks. Will's mouth dropped open for the second time.
"Today", he confirmed back. "You guys… you're kidding?" He said incredulously.
"Kinda hoping you're okay with it since I do need a best man", Jay said slyly.
Now it was Will's turn to get choked up. "Of course, Jay. Of course."
"Okay you two, we need to get ready before everyone gets here!" Hailey said after allowing them to have a nice brotherly moment.
"How? I don't have anything here. You guys should have told me I could have helped…", Will said instantly moving into list mode.
"Don't worry Will, we have everything under control. We're keeping it simple, no one else is going to be dressed up, it is a surprise wedding after all", Hailey joked.
"True", Will agreed.
"I have clothes here you can borrow if you want to change", Jay suggested. The two of them moving upstairs to decide on outfits.
"Who's your maid of honour Hailey?" Will asked. Hailey looked a little sad at that, knowing the person she would have asked wasn't going to be here.
"Me", they heard a small voice suddenly poke her head around the corner, Hailey's mouth going wide, then instantly welling up at the sight of Vanessa Rojas in her kitchen.
Hailey ran over to give Vanessa a huge hug, then turned back to Jay, looking confused as to how she got here.
"I may have picked up more than hamburgers and buns at the store", Jay said sheepishly, then giving Rojas a fist bump at the fact that they pulled this off.
Hailey couldn't stop crying she was so happy to see her former roommate.
"I was supposed to be doing the surprising today", Hailey laughed through the happy tears.
"Ya for being a detective, it was shockingly easy for me to get in through your back door and for you to not hear me", Rojas jokingly lectured Hailey.
"I'm so glad you're here, I thought we wouldn't see you again", Hailey replied.
"As if I would ever miss this wedding! Are you joking? I made this happen!" Rojas joked motioning between Hailey and Jay. The two roommates shared a look, reminiscing on the time Jay got shot and Rojas point blank told Hailey that she was in love with her partner. That really kick started everything Hailey realized, looking back on the last year or so. She really did have Vanessa to thank for getting that ball rolling.
"But how did you get here? When did you get back…? Do you have to go back?" She had so many questions for Rojas, but Jay cut her off.
"All that matters is that she's here right now. We can catch up later, we have to get things in order before people show up", he reminded everyone.
"Yes dad", Rojas jokingly saluted Jay who rolled his eyes and laughed.
Rojas and Hailey went upstairs to get ready; Jay and Will went out back to finalize a few things. Hailey gave Jay one last kiss before going upstairs to get into her dress, a simple white summer dress she picked up this week, by no means a fancy wedding gown.
It wasn't long before their backyard was filled with all of the people that they loved. All of Intelligence, Mouch and Platt, Stella and Kelly, and a few others from firehouse 51.
At first, no one thought much of anything. There were drinks and snacks set out, some decorations and chairs. Since the pandemic was over, they had made a point of going over the top with all gatherings and celebrations, really appreciating the time together, social connections and not taking those things for granted ever again. The 2020 versions of themselves dreamed of this day, being able to spend time with your loved ones, hug, touch, laugh. They had gone to concerts again together, crowded bars and restaurants, movie theatres. There was a buzz in the air, reminding them that there were still good things in life; mostly just being around each other. The lessons they had learned in 2020 were not forgotten, and neither was the pain, suffering and loss each of them had experienced in different ways. But they were stronger now, as individuals and as a group.
So that's why when Hailey walked out in a white dress, and Jay was dressed in a shirt and tie on a hot summer day, they all looked around at each other and just knew.
"Hey everyone", Jay called attention to himself in the group.
"We wanted to have you guys here this afternoon to get together and have some fun, share some good food and laughs, but also to do something else", he said as he winked at his bride-to-be.
"Hailey and I got engaged last month and thought it would be fun to pull off a surprise wedding", he said as there were gasps from the crowd. A few tears from Trudy even.
"Everyone here is super important to us, and we wanted to make this an intimate day", Hailey added. "I was even surprised myself a few hours ago", she alluded to her back door as Vanessa Rojas stepped out. Everyone but Voight went absolutely bonkers, the small smile he gave Hailey told her that he had something to do with Jay's early wedding present.
"Okay, okay", Will took charge. "Let's get this show on the road so that we can get to that shortly after", Will motioned to the stocked bar in the corner of their deck.
Kelly, Adam and Kevin got the chairs set up in the backyard in no time. Everyone else was rushing around making sure everything was perfect. Mouch was an officiant and agreed to marry them, Jay had already known this and snooped around ahead of time.
"That's why we were invited huh Chuckles", Trudy joked as she helped Jay fix his tie.
"Ya something like that", he laughed.
"I'm really happy for you two Jay", Trudy said seriously, it not being lost on her that neither of their parents were here, for various reasons.
"Thanks Trudy", Jay said bashfully, his nose scrunching up, trying not to get emotional.
"Let's do this, it's about time", she said as she ushered Jay to the front to stand by Will.
Back in the house, Hailey was fidgeting with her dress, Kim and Vanessa helping her get ready, Stella was fixing her hair.
The three girls left to go find their seats as Voight walked through the kitchen to get back outside.
"Sarge?" Hailey asked, stopping him before he went to go sit down.
"Ya", he turned around and replied in his usual gruff voice.
"Umm… I don't…", Hailey looked down at her feet. "I don't have anyone to walk me down the aisle…was wondering if you…"
Before Hailey could finish Voight had pulled her in for a hug, the one and only time she thought she saw true emotion on his face.
"It would be my honour", he replied, holding out his arm as Hailey took a big gulp as the music started playing.
Jay cried as she walked down the aisle towards him, everyone gushing as Hailey gently brushed a tear from his cheek.
The ceremony and their vows were short and sweet, but so meaningful. The two of them couldn't take their eyes off of one another, it was as if they were the only two in the backyard that day.
Their rings were slid on each other's hands, only the two of them knowing what was engraved on the inside. I'm going where you go.
The words "You may kiss your bride", were barely out of Mouch's mouth as Jay dipped Hailey and their backyard erupted in applause.
"I now pronounce to you, Mr. and Mrs. Jay Halstead!"
They shared another kiss before walking back down their makeshift aisle, their friends on their feet clapping and cheering. They looked so happy, so natural together. As if they were always meant to be.
The whole surprise wedding was so very them. Private yet intimate, casual but an incredibly fun time. It wasn't often that Hailey and Jay let others into their world, but when they did it was magical. They partied the rest of the day, and well into the night.
It wasn't until well past midnight that everyone started to trickle out, leaving Jay and Hailey alone together finally.
"Hailey Halstead", Jay said out loud, smiling at his bride.
"It has a nice ring to it after all doesn't it", she joked.
He grabbed her hand, intertwining their fingers together. "Yes, it does."
For a long time, Jay had been searching for a home. He had never felt secure in one place, or with any particular group of people, friends and family. That was until Hailey came along. There was something about her from day one that made him feel at ease. She was fierce yet gentle, funny and protective of those she loved, caring and intelligent. He was so incredibly lucky to have her. What Jay wanted more than anything in life was to find someone to understand him. Being understood is being appreciated, and he felt that so strongly with Hailey. Hailey felt the same way about Jay too. He had this calming, strong nature about him that she so deeply craved when she was younger. She could never imagine doing life without him, he was her missing piece. And as she looked into her husband's eyes across from her on the couch, she knew that he was thinking the same.
"I'm so excited to make a home with you Jay Halstead", she whispered as she nuzzled into his shoulder.
Jay exhaled deeply, wrapping his arms around her, gently caressing her hair, and whispered into her ear…
"Hailey Halstead, you have been my home for a long time."
Ahhhh and there we have it folks! Proud of this one, but sad to see it go and wrap this story up, but it was time. Thanks for following along and for all the support. Writing has been such a good outlet for me and helped with the stress of this year. As I reflect back on this story, I'm in disbelief that the earlier chapters were written in 2019 and continued throughout the start and thick of the pandemic. I've been reflecting on how much things have changed and evolved since then in real life, just like this story. I have hope that things will continue to evolve and change for the better in the new year. I have a few one shots ready to go that I will be posting in the very near future, and am working on a new story that I think will be really special. I can't wait to share it with all of you! I hope you all continue to be safe wherever you are in the world. Health and happiness for 2021! Cheers. – K
