This fic is based on an anonymous prompt that came up on anniesardors Tumblr page. It is essentially meant to be parallel to the montage in 9x04 where Hailey can't' sleep – but this time for all the right reasons.
A special thank you to my dear sweet friend girlinlotsoffandoms who motivated me to write this fic! Thanks for all the help!
"Be kind to mama"
Hailey hummed softly to herself as her lips quirked at the sight of her feet up in the air, resting against their headboard. Granted it was not the most conventional of positions but for the time being, it worked. Everything else had felt utterly unbearable. Catching sight of them again, her little smile turned into a frown as she took careful note of her swollen feet. It was the same swollen feet she had struggled to push into her favourite boots that morning. With her feet resting against the headboard, Hailey, laid on her back staring up at the ceiling. She absently rubbed at her belly, hoping to soothe some of the frantic movements she felt from within. Beside her, Jay was out, dead to the world.
She felt their baby kick once more and while she was thrilled at the feeling, as she always was, all Hailey wanted at that moment was to get some sleep. But their baby had been active – very active – from the moment they got beneath the covers. And so while Jay had drifted off, Hailey had been kept awake. She had drunk all the stupid calming tea and did the breathing that only made her feel like she needed to pee more than anything. She had tossed and turned and unsurprisingly, Jay had only grumbled in his sleep like he usually did. Shortly after having kicked off all the pillows, she'd acquired on their bed during her pregnancy, Hailey had picked them up again. Two under her feet near the head of the bed, and one under her head, where it rested near the middle of the bed.
"Come on baby," she whispered, a hand rubbing over her belly again. She smiled when she felt the little kick beneath her hand. "Please, you gotta let me sleep."
Another kick and then there was another movement. Hailey groaned, a little louder than before and it was enough to cause Jay to stir from his sleep.
"Ow," Hailey winced. "Oh baby, watch the organs. Besides, we don't want to wake daddy up. One of us should at least get some sleep," she grumbled sorely.
But their daughter was stubborn, much like both her parents. She moved again and Hailey was left trying those annoying breathing techniques Brett and Rojas had been teaching her to calm them both. She had tried them earlier too but after ten minutes she needed to pee and getting up had taken more effort than she cared to admit.
Hailey huffed out an exasperated little breath and then glanced down the bed towards Jay as he stirred again. He turned, moving towards her spot on the bed as he reached for her even in his sleep, but when his hand come into contact with nothing, he blearily opened his eyes. Her lips quirked up again, a little more, as she watched him confused as he took in her legs resting near his head.
"Hails?"
She chuckled. "Ugh, don't judge but it's the only position, where I actually feel a little comfortable."
Hailey saw that he was a little more awake now, smiling at her softly, as he pushed himself up on his elbows to look at her.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
She knew he was asking in hopes that there was something he could do to help her. But there was very little he could do about this.
"Your daughter won't let me sleep," she complained, huffing out a little. "She's been kicking up a storm all night!"
Jay chuckled and Hailey turned to glare at him. He seemed to like these moments. He found it endearing and said it proved their daughter was going to be a handful.
"Don't laugh!" she scolded swatting his thigh because his arm was too far away. "It's your fault!"
"My fault?" she can still hear the amusement in his voice and even she's smiling a little now.
"Yeah, it's your fault, Halstead!" she grumbled. "Your baby's kicking up a fuss and won't let me get any sleep! Not to mention my feet are officially too swollen and ugly to fit into any of my decent shoes!"
"Hails –"
"And everything hurts! My feet! My back! And I've had to pee like six times in the last half hour!" she added with a miserable pout.
She sounded a little hysterical by the end of that, Hailey knew, but she couldn't help it. She was too tired and uncomfortable to care.
"Why didn't you wake me earlier?" He asked softly.
Hailey shrugged. "You looked like you were enjoying your sleep," she groused, though she wasn't truly upset. She had been right about it earlier, at least one of them should be sleeping peacefully.
She felt the bed dip and raised her head off the pillow just a little to see Jay shuffling closer. He leaned against the headboard, the sheets pooling at his waist, and Hailey can't help but rake a hungry eye over his lean figure. He didn't wear a shirt to bed – he never did – and she's blessed with quite a sight. He smirks and she's suddenly reminded that while her husband is looking all kinds of gorgeous, she feels very much the opposite. Just as soon as the thought pops into her head, Jay is reaching for her- well her foot. He tried to bring it down to him but Hailey objected.
"Oh Jay, don't! They're all swollen and gross," she whined trying to pull her foot out of his grasp. She shuffled back a little trying to pull away, but she doesn't get far and he didn't let up.
He laughed. "They're not!" His fingers are firm but gentle as he presses them to the arch of her foot. That quelled any further arguments from her instantly.
She made a noise, a small little moan of pleasure because it felt so good as all her objections fall away. Her eyes fell shut as he continued, just the way he knew she liked. She didn't say anything more, just humming in delight at the feel of his tender touch.
Jay smiled at her amused, "You're so stubborn."
She huffed but didn't open her eyes. "I didn't think it was necessary to disturb your sleep. Besides, these past few days have been so hectic. It's like you're dead to the world the moment your head hits that pillow." She groaned deeply feeling Jay's fingers ease the ache in her foot and then his fingers danced around her ankles for a moment.
"I'm sorry," came his quiet response and Hailey chuckled because it was so like Jay to feel guilty over this. She was touched by his concern though, not that it surprised her. "I should have –"
This time she did open her eyes to look at him. "No, there was nothing you could have done." He didn't look like he believed her. "I mean it. The caseload has been insane lately. You deserved the rest."
"So do you," came his quiet reply. "That wasn't fair of me."
"Oh please, I'm on desk duty. I sit all day!"
"Hailey," he sighed and she could hear how aggrieved he felt.
"It's okay. You're making it better now," she assured him with a small smile.
If she thought Jay had been loving and attentive before, it was nothing compared to how he was when they found out she was pregnant.
"Just don't look at my ankles, they're gross," she mumbled quietly and he laughed.
At some point, Hailey had been lulled into a sense of calm. But when Jay placed her foot back in his lap, their baby protested, kicking and moving again. Hailey groaned in frustration. She had hoped their daughter had perhaps fallen asleep.
"You okay?" he asked worriedly as she placed one hand atop her belly.
"She won't stop moving!" Hailey cried. "I can't get any sleep." She turned and he saw she was pouting again. Jay was very tempted to crawl over and kiss it off her lips but she was also miserable and that took precedence. He could hear it in her voice when she quietly pleaded with him, "Jay, tell her to stop, please. Maybe she'll listen to you."
It's not that they haven't done it before – talking to the baby that is. Jay spent the whole first three months doing nothing but talking to Hailey's bump. It was a little strange at first but the more time they had to adjust to the idea of baby Halstead, the more they fell in love with her. As the months progressed, they talked more with their little girl, about all the things they couldn't wait to share with her. They argued over names, even going so far as to ask their daughter which she liked best. Hailey loved watching Jay speak to their daughter and she couldn't wait for her to arrive so they could hold her and whisper their sweet promises in person. Above all else, though, Hailey knew their daughter loved hearing Jay's voice. As much as his scent and presence calmed her, his voice soothed their daughter almost instantly.
"You think so?" Jay asked with a little laugh.
Hailey nodded. "I think she already likes you better," she grumbled with a little pout.
She wasn't truly upset over it. Rather, it made her heart soar seeing how quickly their daughter reacted to them both.
"You can't know that!" Jay chuckled. "That's not even possible. She hasn't even met me yet. If anything, I think you'd be her favourite."
"If you're gonna say something stupid like it's because I'm growing her, I'll punch you," Hailey grumbled rolling her eyes for added effect.
Jay grinned and it was enough to know she had been right. "Alright fine, I won't say that," he laughed. "But I still think it's impossible to know who her favourite is just yet. Besides," he said moving so he could shuffle over the blankets towards her, "who says she has to have one favourite?"
Hailey laughed. "What's the point in having both parents as a favourite?"
"I think that would only be fair."
"No, what would be fair is if she let me get some sleep," Hailey sighed tiredly.
Jay shifted so he lay beside her, one arm propping up his head as the other gently brushed a few of her blonde locks away. She sighed again and his hand fell to her thighs, his fingers skimming over the bare skin there. She had felt too hot for anything more than underwear and one of Jay's academy shirts. She smiled, almost shyly when his touch increased just a little, dipping to the soft flesh of her thigh and tracing over the edges of her panties.
It was hard to feel even remotely beautiful or sexy when you felt like a small house or waddled everywhere. It certainly didn't help matters that she couldn't tie her shoes anymore. She wasn't a vain person by any standards but it had given her a thrill to know how much Jay had desired her before. She would be lying if she said she wasn't worried that would change once the pregnancy started making changes to her body. It wasn't always going to be pretty and harmonious, she knew. So she was a little afraid of what Jay might think when he started noticing the small little changes. But she had quickly found she had no reason to worry. Because when Jay looked at her so adoringly, it was impossible to feel those doubts.
"Jay," she whispered.
He smiled as he pushed his shirt up over the swell of her belly, "I got you, babe. Relax." He glanced at her once more grinning as Hailey nodded subtly.
A soft smile emerged. A small part of her was going to miss watching Jay do this once their baby arrived.
"Hi baby," Jay said and though his voice was soft, Hailey knew their daughter would hear and recognize it.
Call it mothers intuition but she knew that she was right. Jay would be their daughter's favourite. But Hailey found she didn't mind. His girls were his favourite and he was theirs.
"I heard you're being a handful tonight," he continued. He could feel the slight movement beneath his hand and his grin only got bigger. "You gotta let your mama sleep. She's so tired."
That was answered with a little kick and Hailey looked at him with a brow raised as if to say, 'you see'.
"Hey come on kiddo, " he said teasing a little more, "you gotta be nicer to mama and let her get some sleep. We can't wait to meet you. You know that and once you're here we're going to going to do so many things with you. You and me – we're going to be playing baseball all the time. And I know your mama has so many things planned for you two. But while you're still in there, you have to be good for her and me. Please." He looked up at Hailey and he said with the softest smile, "I love your mama so much. She's my favourite and no matter what she says, I know she's gonna be your favourite too."
"You don't have to lie to her Jay," Hailey chucked. "I know she's your favourite."
"I didn't lie, Hailey," he said running his hand over her belly and interlocking their fingers. "You're both my favourite."
"Hm, I don't know. Having two favourites sounds a bit like cheating."
"Well it's not," he replied resolutely. "Don't you agree, baby?" He asked their daughter.
Hailey chuckled, rolling her eyes and she looked up again. "You're not supposed to be riling her up again, Jay."
"Alright alright." He shuffled a little closer. "Be nice for us, baby. Please. And let your mama sleep. She's going to be so cranky tomorrow -ow!" He whined when Hailey punched his arm. He laughed a moment later and then threw a wink at her when he looked up. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her belly, "go to sleep," he told their daughter, "I'm going to be right here watching my two favourite girls so please baby, go to sleep so your mama can sleep."
When he looked back up, Hailey had tears in her eyes but he knew by now how quickly her hormones took over. He turned back and his voice dropped as if he were sharing a secret only with his daughter.
Hailey smiled, her head falling easily against the pillow as Jay's soft murmurings filled the quiet night. She wasn't sure how long he stayed there but when she snuck a glance, he looked adorably comfortable, whispering away to his little girl. Hailey couldn't hear what was being said but she didn't need to. It was simply between father and daughter.
She was certain his back must have developed an awful crick but he didn't complain. He never did. Her eyes fell shut, the softest smile playing on her lips as her fingers carded through his hair. As she felt their baby finally calm in her movements, Jay leaned in and pressed a kiss to her belly again. It took her breath away, as always, when he did that.
"You think that worked?" He asked softly a few moments later.
He came back up to where she was at the foot of the bed. He brought the shirt down over her bump covering her as much as it would allow.
"Feels like it. Though it might be too soon to tell," Hailey replied. "Now what?"
"Now you try to get some sleep."
"Like this?" She asked pointing to their unusual positions on the bed.
"Are you comfortable?"
"Yes," she answered immediately.
"Then yes, like this," Jay said he shuffled a bit more and Hailey shifted so Jay's head rested on her pillow and her head fell to his chest. He gathered her in his arms and she turned almost instinctively burying her face into the crook of his neck. She felt his fingers run through her hair as the other tipped her chin up so he was looking into her eyes.
"Better now?" he murmured.
She smiled. "Almost," she answered before pressing her lips to his.
He kissed her slow and softly, with all the tenderness he had in him. He cupped her cheek, holding her in place as his thumb grazed over her jaw. It was not frenzied but it still brought a tingle to the tips of her fingers and toes.
Jay pulled away, slowly at first, as he placed another small kiss on her lips and then a few more along her cheek and jawline.
"Hey," he said and when she looked up at him, he prayed their daughter would have her eyes because he didn't know a more beautiful sight. "I love you."
She reached out for him, her hand cupping his cheek and her fingers finding the slight stubble there. "I love you too," she replied and then brought her arm to wrap around his waist as she got comfortable in his arms.
It was pure relief when she realised their daughter had stopped fidgeting about. Jay's hand fell to her bump, drawing soothing patterns all over it as his other curled around her and slipped under her shirt, his thumb grazing the skin gently. It was enough to lull her into a peaceful slumber for the first time all night.
Jay did exactly as he had said. He watched over Hailey as her breathing evened out. He hated seeing her so tired but he knew there was very little he could do. It had been months of hovering over her and dealing with the strangest cravings (he worried over her food choices these past few months), the mood swings (he was still reeling a little from that one), and all the restless nights she had had. He had learned what was in his power to help her and soothe her, or at least try to make her more comfortable.
He shifted, reaching out for the blanket that was thrown on the bench at the foot of their bed. As best he could, he draped it over Hailey and when she turned snuggling into him a little more, he smiled. Under the blanket, his hand fell over the beloved bump. From the moment he knew about their daughter's existence, he couldn't stop touching Hailey's belly. His fingers always dancing over where he knew she now existed. Over the months as the bump grew more and more, Jay's excitement grew too. He didn't complain much – if at all – as Hailey went through her moods and her cravings. Not if it meant at the end of it all, they would get to see their little girl.
"Hey baby girl," he whispered to their daughter. He knew Hailey was sound asleep by now, that not even his murmurings would wake her. "You're gonna be a handful, I can see." He smiled, broadly, almost too eager for her to be here and prove him right. "But we've got a little while longer to go, so I need you to be kind to mama, please. We love you so much." He grinned in the dark of their bedroom. "We can't wait to meet you. I know it's all I think about." He glanced down, watching Hailey peacefully asleep. "Remember what I told you earlier? You're going to be the luckiest little girl because you have the best mama. She's going to be your favourite person, just like she's mine. She always has been." Hailey stirred a little and he brushed a hand over her hair.
Jay shifted, his feet tangling with Hailey's beneath the blanket and when at last he closed his eyes, it was to the sweet promise their daughter held for them. A future so bright and so full of everything he ever wanted, he could hardly wait. With his wife and baby safely guarded in his arms atop the messy sheets of their bed, it was more than anything Jay had ever thought possible.
"Just a little while longer, baby, I promise," Jay whispered pressing one last lingering kiss to Hailey's forehead as he let himself drift off into a blissful sleep.
AN: Don't forget to leave a little love!