Ok this is the end of this story. Enjoy!
Really hope you like it and thank you so much for reading!
The restaurant was not too crowded for Jay's happiness.
They end up choosing Bartoli's for their dinner. First, because Jay knew it was Hailey's favourite place and second because he was sure Mouse would prefer pizza over any other food. They choose a place far from the centre and fell in a happy conversation right away. Hailey and Mouse completely immersed in stories from Mouse and Jay time overseas, because she was eager to know more about a young Jay. Mouse like the attention, Jay knew he was not a talker per se, but Hailey managed to put him at ease and Jay couldn't be happier to watch two of the most important people in his life hang along so well.
Hailey listened to the two friends talking about Jay's other life, the other life that had broken him so much, she didn't see Jay as broken, but he did, for quite some time.
Jay was a gorgeous man, Stella liked to tease her about it, saying that every time he walked on that bar almost every woman present realised a sigh. In her words, "I'm sure a big part of them simply hates Hailey Upton, even without knowing you!"
And Hailey knew he was hot, but for her, Jay was beautiful in a completely different way. Jay had a big heart, he had so many demons, demons that he tried to hide or to deal so many times alone, so he didn't really believe that he was worth it, his time in the army leave marks, but also make him the man he was today, an amazing man. He was committed, loyal, strong minded, fearless and caring, he would give his life for her in a gasp, he gave a her straight and comfort, she felt his love even before she actually knew that he did loved her, because of the way he looked her in the eyes or how he soften his tone when he talked to her or how he worried about her when he saw her go rough. He understood her fears and didn't judge her for them and supported her in her healing. She didn´t know before, but all of that was what she wanted, what she needed. Jay will love her through the storm, and he would bring her home after she loses herself. He was her once in a lifetime everything.
When she started to paying attention to them again the subject had changed to the team and Mouse was asking Jay. "So, how was with Voight? I mean, he was very against in house romance…"
Hailey and Jay faced each other and smiled.
Voight was for sure unexpected. They told them right in the beginning and although he didn't seem surprised by the fact, it was for sure a surprised for him the fact that them had come forward so soon in the relationship. Since then, he had been always very discrete and somehow supportive of them. No major threats or ultimatums. Sometimes if they fall a little off track, because they are both too stubborn, he usually eyed them out and that's it. Not major drama or threats on changing patterns and all.
"Well let's just say, Voight, is a different man now," Jay said with a smile playing on his face.
"Don't say he got soft on you?" Mouse asked making Jay laugh lightly.
"We told him right away. I was not eager to tell everyone, but Jay wanted to be clear with Voight, so we decided to inform him right away." Hailey said reaching for Jay's hand, giving him a light squeeze. "We entered his office a week after we start dating and Jay chicken out." She had with a smirk already expecting her boyfriend reaction.
"I didn't chicken out!" Jay shouted, making the trio burst a laugh. "In my defense, I had a history with the man."
"So, you chickened out!" Mouse confirmed as he rolled his eyes on Hailey.
"Basically, I informed him that we were dating and Jay, after an awkward silence, informed all of us that it was serious." Hailey added making everyone laugh again.
"You are being mean. I told him it was serious; you already knew that. And after another awkward silence, he asked for how long and when I said one week he widened his eyes and said something about he thought we were together for months and finished the conversation by telling us that as long as we keep doing what we were doing he was ok with it, leaving us a bit mouth opened, but as we were coming out of his office, Sargent Platt, that I'm sure is some kind of witch, figured out what was going on and make one of her magnific comments."
"Oh I can imagine! That woman scared the crap out of me!" Mouse said bursting another laugh from them. "What did she say?" He asked.
"I'm not quite sure of the exact words. Maybe Hailey remembers them better. Something about getting late to the party or something." Jay said looking at Hailey for help.
"I think her words were something like Chuckles, finally, I thought you were going to arrive late to your own party! Or something like that. Basically, she knew all along. And yes, I also think she has some kind of superpower, but she as a soft spot for Jay here and she is super bad ass.
Voight did not mention their relationship once they informed him, he didn't push the HR forms or changes in partnering either. On other hand, Sargent Platt liked to comment here and there, to let them know that she was on top of the subject, but they felt that she approved and also, she never put herself in their way.
When Mouse asked about the rest of the time founding out, he bet that Adam had been the last one-off course, because for him Adam lived in some sort of parallel reality.
They end up telling him about Hailey and Adam, which leaved him a bit surprised, but without criticism. Adam didn't show any kind of bad feeling on it, but like Mouse, he was surprised and completely lost on how everyone knew besides him.
Kim was the first one to find out and they think Trudy was responsible for that. The three of them were heading up to the bullpen when Trudy made one of her comments, something related to their lunch break, but she didn't notice Kim, but the officer was there and listened the comment. On the afternoon she ganged on Hailey on the locker room and asked her directly, so Hailey end up admitting it. She was happy, like really happy and said that she suspected that they were together for a while now.
Kevin right after, he was on a stakeout with Jay. He texted Hailey about suggestions for dinner, but she didn't answer right away so he leaved the phone around and when she texted him back saying "you choose, as long as we can it in bed" Kevin was the one that saw the message. He teased Jay to tell him how they finally started, and Jay told him a bit. Kevin had a special connection with Hailey and said that he though he knew that Hailey was into Jay for a while, and as Kim he thought that they were together secretly since at least she got back from New York.
"Basically, everyone thought we were dating more or less six months before we actually started dating and we try not to think too much about it" Hailey finished smiling at Jay.
"Well, you most had been pretty tight back then." Mouse added making both detectives face each other with a small smirk on their face.
"After I got shot, we got closer yeah!" Jay said absently.
"And when I went to New York and you were unbearable for everyone…. That most had them some idea." Hailey teased.
I was not unbearable; I was just a bit moody. I don't like change and you going away from me, things changed, I changed partner, schedules, routines, everything," Jay told in his defence.
This all tread made Mouse laugh and conclude. "And after all this, you tell me you are surprised that they thought you were dating before you actually started?!"
Jay shrugged trying to run from the fact that everybody already knew how much he loved Hailey before him and asked Mouse, trying to change the subject, while Hailey excused herself to the bathroom, leaving the two men alone. "So, you really leaving tomorrow?"
Mouse faced Jay; he knew where he was going with his question. "Jay I am ok. I like what I do and since the last two tours I had been on headquarters, I'm not too close to the action and the risk is low. You know that."
Jay bit his lip. "I know man, but… Don't you think about coming home, for good?"
Mouse looked away, distracting himself with the other customers, buying himself time to think about his answer. When he talked a smile was ghosting his face. Mouse was a quiet man, closed but friendly. He didn't look hunted anymore and seemed comfortable in his skin again, and Jay was grateful for that. "You know man, I don't actually have a home to come to." Mouse said making Jay raise his eyebrow.
"What are you talking about man, Chicago is home. I can help you find a place, a job… you know, settle."
Mouse smiled. "I mean, a home like you have, you have Hailey now, Hailey is home for you. I don't have that and don't know if I ever will. So, for now I'm good and if I feel the need to change, you will be the first to know."
Jay nodded. He understood what Mouse was trying to say. Hailey was home. The day he picked her up at the airport she mentioned that to him.
"Welcome back stranger!" he said to her after a quick hug.
"I can't believe I'm finally home!" she added smiling.
"Not quite yet, but I can take you there if you want," Jay stated with a smirk.
"No Jay, I'm home, believe me!" She added strolling her bag behind her.
At the time Jay tried not to think too much about her words. But then at the bar, when she told him that she didn't wanted to take the job because of him, he was sure that about what she meant back on that day on the arrivals of the airport. He was home for her too.
They had taken the longest road to get to this point where their friendship, connection and partnership had taken over their lives. They were essential to each other in a healthy way and Jay couldn't picture his life without Hailey. Getting here, where they were now was not all roses.
The transition from partners to friends and then to lovers was pretty easy, but their walls were not always down. The truth they had in each other was hunted when cases got too close or when their scars show up. More with Hailey than with Jay. But old habits are hard to lose and as much as Jay loved Hailey and trust her with his life, when he got hunted by old memories, he tried to hide his hurt from her and she did the same, when the subject was her childhood or her family or even when a case messed with the calm, well balanced and usually controlled detective, she hided from Jay. But they fight that, together they found the trail to a healthy relationship. For a long time, Jay thought he didn't deserved Hailey or her love for him. On the other side, for must od her adult life, Hailey thought she was broken and had too much baggage to a guy stick around and loved her how she was, with all her scars, demons and doubts. But they figured out, they found their way to each other and to a home they build together for them.
In the meanwhile, Hailey came back to the table and they prepared to leave and say goodbye to Mouse, exchanging tight hugs and promises of more dinners. It was a pleasant evening and Jay was happy to spend time with one of his best friends.
After the goodbyes, the couple headed back home, not the house but the home they build together. While driving, he stole some glances at her as she rested her head in the window with a smile on her lips.
She was beautiful, but not just in the way people usualy see beauty, she had fought the hardest moments of her life while everybody around thought she was fine, she was beautiful in her straight, in her ability to leave him at ease, to ground him, to make him smile, to get him through his demons, to help fiercely everybody she thought that deserve help. She was beautiful in her soul. She was rare and he loved her so much and she had chosen him. He felt the luckiest man in the world.
Like his mom once told him, don't seek it as your life depends on it Jay, but if you find her, don't let her go, and he didn't intent to.
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