AN: I have been told that there's still plenty of errors in these chapters. I hope you can nevertheless read this fic, because I am afraid that even if I would want otherwise, there will continue to be errors. English isn't my native language and I don't use it so much, not even monthly (otherwise than when I am writing fanfiction :D). So my English is quite rusty, I'm so sorry. I try to double check everything I write, but I am not able to find all the mistakes. I hope you can still enjoy reading these stories :)

It didn't take much time from Hailey to dilate the last centimeter. It was painful, but somehow she sunk into her own world, focusing on controlling the pain, recognizing only how Jay was stroking her back gently.

Obstetrician came in and did the examination before telling them Hailey was ready to start the second stage.

"Have you thought about which position you would like to be when pushing?", the midwife asked Hailey.

"Umm… I think. I would like... but can you…", she turned to look at Jay standing next to her, and then back at bed.

Jay looked at the midwife and asked: "Is it okay if I sit behind her?"

"Of course", the woman answered, being a little confused. Dr. Halstead's brother might have been an average worried first-timer, but the man really could read his wife.

Jay climbed onto the bed to sit behind Hailey with his legs spread, his legs hanging both sides of the bed. Hailey leaned her back against him and Jay wrapped his hands around her torso.

"You can do it, I'm here with you all the time", Jay whispered to her ear.

Hailey nodded and took a deep breath. She can do this. With Jay, she can do this.

About twenty minutes later the most beautiful voice Hailey and Jay had ever heard filled the room. A little but already determined cry, which came from their baby's lips.

"Here's someone who is already eager to see her mommy and daddy", the midwife said when she took the baby from the OB, and held the baby out on Hailey's chest. Hailey was still leaning herself against Jay, his arms now around both of them.

Tears fell down Hailey's cheeks when she looked at the little bundle on her embrace. Baby had stopped crying and she leaned to kiss the top of her little head. Little girl had soft dark hair, like a hint of auburn, and it was already curling slightly.

"She has your hair", she whispered and turned a little to look at Jay, only to see him smiling through the tears.

Jay cleared his throat, his voice was thick with emotion. "She is so beautiful. You were amazing Hailey, you are the bravest person I know."

Baby let out a small voice and opened her eyes, her still a little unfocused eyes now visible to them.

"She has your eyes", Jay gasped happily, looking at the baby's bright blue eyes.

"I think all the babies have blue eyes", Hailey whispered.

"Yeah, but I think hers will stay blue. They are now just like yours, the most beautiful", Jay answered.

"I'm sorry, but mama has still some work to do", the OB regretted. "Maybe daddy can hold the baby meanwhile."

The midwife took the baby from Hailey, who gave her up with reluctance. Jay hopped down from the bed and took the baby. She was so tiny in his big hands. Standing there, his precious baby girl in his arms, he felt as if the center of the universe had moved. The love he felt for his daughter was greater than any feeling he had ever experienced before.

The midwife burst his bubble carefully. "Mr. Halstead, maybe you can bring her here, we need to clean up her and take some measurements."

When everything was finally ready, Jay handed the baby back to Hailey, so the midwife could guide her how to breastfeed the baby.

Standing there, looking at how his wife was nursing their daughter, Jay leaned down to kiss Hailey's head.

"Thank you", he whispered against her hair. "I love you."

"I love you too", Hailey said softly, not being able to raise her eyes from their daughter. She had never considered herself particularly motherly, but right now being a mom felt like the most obvious thing in the world.

"Do you think we have a name?", Jay asked.

They had talked about names and made a preliminary decision, but agreed that they wanted to see her before making the final solution.

" I think so, do you?", Hailey answered.

"I do too. I think it is her name", Jay agreed.

Baby had fallen asleep and let go of breast. Hailey carefully moved her so she could cover her breast.

"She is so perfect", she said with teary eyes and looked at Jay.

"She is, just like her mother,", Jay smiled. "7 pounds and 19 inch of pure perfection. There's bunch of people outside, who are dying to see her. Do you think you can handle them?"

Jay had texted to the team chat and to Will, when it had seemed that baby was finally about to come. All the team plus Platt and Will were now in the waiting room, desperate to see the newest member of the Intelligence. But it had been a long day and it was already late, there was no way he would burden Hailey if she was being too tired.

Hailey nodded. "Let them come in."

Jay went out of the room and walked to the waiting room. There he met seven pairs of eyes, all staring at him and waiting for news.

"Wanna see our daughter?", he asked, grinning.

Will rushed to hug his brother, and others followed him. After a flood of congratulations Jay ushered everyone to follow him.

They stepped to the patient room and everyone quietly congratulated Hailey as well, being careful not to scare the newborn. Jay immediately took his place next to Hailey and the baby, while others gathered around the bed.

"Guys, meet Cara Aurora Halstead", Hailey smiled, moving the swaddling cloth a little so they could see her little face better.

Tears filled Will's eyes. "You named her after mom?"

It had been Hailey's proposal to name their daughter after Jay's mother. She knew how important she had been to Jay and she wanted to honor she had found out that Cara meant friend in Gaelic, it had felt even more perfect for their baby. Jay was her husband and lover, but he was still also her best friend and had been it first. Everything they were, had been built over that basis.

Jay nodded, looking his brother in the eyes. "Is it okay to you?"

"More than okay, I love it", Will whispered. "Can I hold her?"

Hailey nodded, giving Cara in her uncle's arms.

"Hi Cara, I'm your best uncle, uncle Will", he whispered, hearing Jay to chuckle.

"Jay! She has red hair", Will noted excitedly.

"Nooo. No she hasn't, she has brown hair", his brother claimed immediately.

"I wouldn't say red, but it can be a little auburn", Hailey stated.

"I say red", Will grinned happily, making Jay to groan.

Vanessa had moved closer to Hailey, hugging her tightly.

"How are you, little mama?", she asked.

"Good. I mean, it wasn't exactly a walk in the park, but I did it and it feels quite awesome afterwards", Hailey told her.

"She was amazing", Jay stated proudly. This whole childbirth had been quite a shocking experience for him. He leaned down to give a soft kiss to Hailey's temple.

Kim had already stolen the baby from Will. Platt and Adam were peeking at the baby while she held her. Their faces were plastered with huge smiles when they admired the little one.

"She is so tiny", Adam whispered.

"She is so beautiful. I have always said that you two would make the most beautiful babies, and it seems I was right, like always", Kim boasted, nodding in the direction of Hailey and Jay.

"That's true, she said it as early as when you were still pining over each other", Platt quipped, making everybody laugh.

"Oh, those were painful times for all of us. Those two idiots making heart eyes over the desks", Kevin chuckled.

"Well, imagine how weird it was to come to the team, and not to know that we weren't allowed to ask if they were together or what they were", Vanessa giggled.

"Do you remember when Hailey was in New York and Jay moped the whole time?", Adam asked.

"Except when he was texting to her. Or sexting, I am not sure…", Will quipped.

"Okay, okay. We get it. Can we concentrate on how perfect my daughter is instead of teasing us?" Jay laughed.

"She really is perfect", Will said patting his brother on the back. "You did good baby bro, mom would be so proud of you. She would be head over heels in love with both of your girls."

Kevin had taken the baby from Kim. The little girl looked even more tiny in his huge hands. She had opened her eyes.

"Hi baby girl, welcome to the team", Kevin said softly. "I'm uncle Kevin and this pretty lady here is auntie Vanessa", he continued meaning Vanessa, who had come next to him.

Vanessa held out her finger and touched the baby's little fingers. "Look Kev, so tiny", she babbled, while the baby grabbed her finger. "Hey Cara bear!"

Hailey sat on her hospital bed and enjoyed the view in front of her. They don't have a big biological family, but their baby had many people who already cared about her so much. Kim had come and sat down to the edge of her bed and Jay was still like glued to her side, his other hand gently playing with Hailey's hair. Will stood in the end of the bed, talking with Jay, while others were gathered around Kevin, who still held Cara. Hailey saw Kevin pass her to the Trudy's arms. The look on the older sergeant's face was something any of them had never seen, so gentle. Hailey felt tears in her eyes again. Damn hormones, she thought and chuckled a little.

"Everything okay?", Jay reacted immediately.

"Yeah. Just thinking how lucky we are", Hailey answered and took Jay's hand and squeezed it.

"We really are", her husband answered, knowing what she meant.

"You are lucky, but don't think even a second you don't deserve this. You have come so far", Kim stated from next to Hailey, looking at her friends.

Hailey leaned her head to Kim's shoulder. "Thank you Kim. We wouldn't be here without all of you."

Later the midwife came to the room.

"Now it's time for the little lady to eat a little", she made a cue.

Jay went to take Cara from Trudy and everyone said their goodbyes and left, leaving the little family alone. Jay was allowed to stay, so they had been placed in a room with two beds.

Jay laid Cara down to Hailey's arms and she tried to remember what the midwife had told about nursing the baby. After a while she managed to guide Cara to get a proper latch. The midwife nodded approvingly and left them alone.

Jay sat on the edge of the bed and Hailey looked at him.

"Do you think they are completely insane?", she asked.

Jay looked at her, raising his eyebrows. "Who?"

"All these doctors and nurses. They are going to let us take this baby home with us, and we know nothing about babies. Crazy, like I said", Hailey explained.

Jay shook his head and chuckled. "Hails, it doesn't seem that you can't handle this. Look at yourself, you are already nursing her, and from what I have read from all the books you bought, it isn't as easy it looks. Although, you are right, we don't know anything about being parents, but I believe it's the same for all novices. I think we are capable of keeping her alive, at least."

He shook his head again and reached out to kiss Hailey's cheek.

Hailey stroked the baby's little cheek with her finger gently. "Maybe you are right", she sighed in satisfaction.

Morning sun peeked through the blinds when Hailey woke up the next morning. She had been awake several times during the night to breastfeed Cara and the previous day had been tiring, but she felt quite well rested. She looked at the crib next to her and, to her surprise, saw it was empty. He bounced up to sit alarmed, but only to relax as soon as she saw where her baby was.

On the chair at the corner of the room sat Jay, wearing one of his flannels with buttons open. On his bare chest rested Cara, wearing only diapers. Lapel of his shirt covered the baby partly and Jay's big hand lay on her tiny back as to protect her. Cara seemed to be asleep, but Jay was awake although totally in his own world, looking at his daughter. The scene was something that made Hailey's heart skip a beat. She was quite sure, she had never seen anything just as beautiful. Quickly she grabbed her phone and snapped several pictures of her two most loved.

Sound of her phone clicking woke Jay and he raised his gaze from Cara.

"Good morning! She was being a little fussy after you nursed her last time and I wanted to let you sleep", he told Hailey.

Hailey looked at his husband. "How do you… I mean, how did you know to do… that?" She waved her hand towards her husband and daughter.

"Well, I read one of your books and they said that skin to skin contact could calm the baby and since I don't have the right equipments to feed her, I thought this could work for me, for us, so I packed this flannel into your hospital bag", Jay explained.

"Then she became a little restless although she had just eaten, I thought this was worth trying so you could sleep a little more. Nurse came to check us and I asked her if I can do this, she said it was a good idea", Jay continued being a little proud of himself. He had been quite unsure when Cara had started to whimper, but he really wanted to be part of everything so he had decided to try.

Hailey looked at Jay in awe. "You really are something, Jay Halstead."

"Well I have to try to be useful in other ways, since I really don't have boobs", Jay quipped.

Hailey laughed and shook her head. She loved that man so much.

Later that day, in the afternoon, when Will who had sneaked to visit them had just left and Hailey had once again fed and changed Cara, they heard a knock on the door and the door opened. Their old sergeant stood at the doorway.

"Hey Hailey, Jay. Is it okay to visit?", he said with a familiar gruff voice.

"Of course, come in", Hailey answered smiling.

Voight came with the bouquet of pink roses, which he handed to Hailey. He shook hands with Jay and then hugged Hailey. Hailey was a little surprised, Hank wasn't usually the hugger.

They stepped closer to the crib where Cara currently was asleep.

"She really is a little beauty", Hank said so softly that they had probably never heard such a voice from him.

Hank stood there quite a time, looking at the baby and smiling, before he turned to look at Hailey and Jay.

"You did good, kids. I think that outside the cases we resolved, partnering up you two is the best thing I have done during my career", he said smiling warmly.

"Thank you. That is one of the many things we are grateful to you, Sarge", Jay replied sincerely.

They sat down and talked about Cara's name and what had happened in the unit recently. Cara started to whine in her crib and Jay went to get her in his arms.

When she had calmed down, Jay turned to look at Hank. "Do you wanna hold her?"

Hank looked almost shy when saying: "I would love to do it."

Jay gave his daughter carefully to Hank, who was sitting in the chair next to Hailey's bed. He held her as carefully. Hailey sat on the bed. Jay sat down next to her and together they watched how the old sergeant so gently held their little girl and whispered soft nonsense to her. Hailey looked at Jay and grinned, Jay's smile was mirroring hers. He knew what she was thinking. It seemed like little Cara Halstead, being less than one day old, had already wrapped two of CPD's toughest sergeants around her teeny finger. Well, three if counted also her father, thought Hailey and grinned even wider.

When Voight was leaving, Jay walked him out.

"How long are you planning to take a leave?", Hank asked.

"Well, they said that if Cara passes her medical check tomorrow, we can go home. But I have thought to be at home at least for a couple of weeks with Cara and Hailey. Williams and Platt have everything under control with the unit", Jay told Hank.

"That's good. Don't hurry, take your time with your family. They are small for such a short time", Hank spoke, sounding a little sad.

"Yeah, and if someone thinks that I don't take my career seriously, it's their loss", Jay said, knowing that paternity leave wasn't self-evident for all the people.

"That's damn right. But I happen to have still lots of friends in CPD, I know that you have already acquired quite a positive reputation as sergeant, Jay. You are a good cop and good leader and I have no doubt you will be a good father. I am proud of you, son", Hank said, looking at Jay directly in the eyes.

Jay was stunned. His relationship with Hank had been improved during the years, but this was the biggest compliment his former sergeant has ever said to him.

"Thank you", Jay said, offering his hand to Hank. Hank grabbed his hand and pulled him into his embrace. Older man patted his back and whispered: "Take care of your girls and never hesitate to ask help, if you need me, Jay."

They said their goodbyes and Jay walked back to their room. His life was perfect right now, he thought just before opening the door and seeing Hailey to nurse Cara, sitting on bed. So perfect.