Thank you for the reviews on the last chapter. Hope you enjoy this one!

Jay

I wake up feeling born again.

You know that feeling after you've had the flu and you're suddenly hungry again – after you just wanted to die on the bathroom floor twelve hours earlier? That's how I feel. It's like I had the flu for the last five years and now I'm restored. It's a total feeling of renewal, this aliveness – this resurrection – is such a sweet part of being loved by Hailey. For the first time (in a long time) I allow myself to just feel it – allow myself to have a complete celebration of this new start.

Last night, after breaking the surface of reality, panting, sweating, and sated, we lay quietly, her head on my chest, just holding each other close, saying nothing. I dozed until I felt her hands start to work again, and I responded with mine, and without a word, we carried each other a second time through the door of oblivion. I slept the whole night, no nightmare, no restless thoughts. Hailey can both stimulate and sedate me, in the best possible way.

It's a little after six o'clock in the morning, and I lay here watching Hailey's chest rise and fall under the sheets. She is a sight even as she sleeps. Her smooth, creamy skin glows against the white linens. There is a sweet pink blush to her cheeks and little love bites on her neck. An odd rush of satisfaction surges through me and I somehow manage not to grin like an idiot.

I'm committing to memory the details of her face. Like it's the first time I'm seeing her like this. I thought I had Hailey memorized, but now every nuance of her is burned so deep in my brain I will never forget. Not a second, not a touch, not a taste, not a scent, not the barest whisper.

I pull her flush against my chest, wrapping my arms around her, unable to resist touching her any longer. She's sleep-warmed and perfect, so soft and lovely. She releases the sweetest sleepy protests, stretching he body so that the sheets slip down our bodies.

"Good morning." I breathe the words against her neck before placing a kiss there. She smells like sex and coconuts and sweet Jesus if this is a dream I don't want to wake up.

"Good morning." She yawns. "How long have you been awake?"

"I have no idea." My lips curve into a broad smile, and she can't resist smiling back.

"Doesn't seem very exciting, lying here watching me."

"Believe me, it is an extremely enjoyable way to pass my time." Picking up a lock of her hair, I trail it over her shoulder. "Although, now that you're awake, I can do this." Pulling her even closer, I bury my face in her hair inhaling.

"Mmm. I like waking up this way," she murmurs, her eyes drifting close as she rests her hand on my bare hip.

"So do I."

I nuzzle her neck and she makes appreciative noises. Kissing my way up, I brush my lips along her hairline, over her earlobe. Rolling onto her back, she pulls my face to hers and gives me a deep, lazy kiss. I brace my palms on either side of her head, hovering over her, and she reaches up, twining her arms around my neck and smiling at me. I'm warmed by the love I see in her eyes and an openness that I haven't seen there in a long time.

"No one should be allowed to be this sexy first thing in the morning," she says.

"You're right, you shouldn't be," I say and lower myself, nuzzling her neck again. Hailey squirms in pleasure. "As beautiful as you are outside of these walls, I think you're even more gorgeous when you're like this."

Hailey lets out a soft moan and I think it might be the combination of my words, my mouth, or my hands roaming over more interesting parts of her body. Her eyes flare with heat, compelling me not to look away, and I don't, I can't.

There's one thing that hasn't changed, and that is the look I see in her eyes when she wants me to touch her, to kiss her. She has tells, quirks that have always given me clues. Like the way she tucks her hair behind her ear, shifting on the bed. Or the way her gaze flickers from my eyes to my lips. And the way her breathing slows when my fingers find hers.

"Keep this up and we'll never make it out of this bed," she says.

"Ah, my plan is working," I say and nip her ear. She responds by grabbing me and pulling me down on her.

I love mornings with Hailey.

x

"I'm not sure I can take much more of this," she confesses, basking in the delicious, utter exhaustion of our morning workout.

"I have a confession to make too," I murmur.

"What?" she asks, looking at me suddenly wide-eyed.

"I also need to take five."

Hailey laughs. "Did I tire you out?"

"A little."

We lay on our sides, facing one another, her expression tender as I run my fingers along her arms. She opens her mouth as if to say something, and instead just pulls in a breath before closing her mouth and squinting, then glancing away from me.

"What is it?" I ask her.

She smiles shyly, well shyly for Hailey. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

Her smile fades as she starts chewing on her bottom lip and fidgeting nervously. I sense a personal question coming. She has that rare vulnerable look on her face while speaking in a small voice, "Have you been with anyone else?" she asks, then it's almost like she repents asking the question because color flares on her cheeks. "You know what? It doesn't matter. Never mind."

"No, wait… Like, in the last five years?" I ask.

She nods her head.

I take a deep breath, slowly exhale before I answer, "Yeah. But nothing serious. No relationships if that's what you're asking."

She nods. "Yeah, me too."

I pull her close so our foreheads touch. "Hailey, I'm crazy about you. After all this time, it's like I'm falling deeper in love with you," I say and an expression of pure joy spread over her face. "We'll make this work, I promise you. I'm not letting anything get in the way. Not again. Not ever."

"You say it sound so simple," is all she manages to say.

"Because it is," I say, caressing her cheek, her hair. My eyes hold her crystal-blue gaze, unflinchingly. "What we have is real, and I'm going to fight like hell for it."

We lay in bed a while longer, talking and kissing, avoiding the real world outside for as long as we possibly can. We reminisce and swap stories. I get to hear a little bit more about her undercover life and I tell her some stories from my short stint at organized crimes. But when my stomach begins growling, she laughs, and I give her an embarrassed grin.

"As much as I want to lay here all day long, I may have no choice but to get up and eat something, or this growling might get so loud I won't be able to hear you talking," I say.

"Well, I don't want you to suffer," she teases, giving me a light kiss.

"If you call this suffering, I'll take a lot more of it." I kiss her back and sit up. "Breakfast?"

"Yeah," she nods, but doesn't move, as if she's reluctant to let the moment go. "But I think my fridge is nearly empty."

"How about I go get us some breakfast?" I swivel my feet off the bed and pull on my boxers. "Just stay here. I'll bring you breakfast in bed."

"You're such a keeper!"

I laugh and kiss her forehead before finding the rest of my clothes scattered about the apartment.

x

"How long have you been standing there?" Hailey asks, blushing when she notices me leaning against the bedroom door, watching her.

"Not long enough," I say, trying to sound appreciative.

Our eyes lock and my stomach growls again, loudly. With a sheepish grin, I shrug, making the tray I'm holding with the coffee cups shake dangerously. Hailey laughs, gesturing for me to join her back on the bed. Settling the tray down with care on the nightstand, I sit across from her.

"Whatever is in that bag smells fantastic," Hailey groans, closing her eye and taking a minute to just savor the scent of the food.

I pull out two breakfast burritos from the bag and hand her one.

"This is the nicest breakfast I've had in a long time."

Grinning, I duck my head modestly. "It's the nicest breakfast I've had too," I say, though the burritos have absolutely nothing to do with it.

I offer her a coffee cup and she takes it. When she takes a sip, she discovers I actually got her favorite coffee from the coffee shop on Dearborn. The look on her face is rewarding enough for driving across town for it.

"You didn't."

"Of course I did."

She crawls the short distance separating us and kisses my lips. I tug gently at her bottom and she releases a sweet little moan into my mouth, the vibration shaking me to the bone.

"If you want to eat that burrito while it's hot, you should definitely not do that," I say.

She chuckles and sits back on her heels with a sweet grin on her face.

We dig into the burritos, taking big bites. We try to eat them gracefully but they fall apart much faster than we can eat them. When we're done, we take a few minutes in the shower to re-acquaint ourselves. We linger too long and the water turns frigid, but the cold shock of it can't put a damper on my mood. Besides, Hailey's warm hands roaming over my skin warms me quite nicely.

After the shower, I leave her with a kiss and hop over to my apartment for a change of clothes. When I arrive at work she's already there, typing away at her computer. She glances my way briefly. Our eyes meet and she smiles. At this moment, the temptation to kiss her lips, sweet and gentle, almost as much as I want to do other things that aren't sweet and gentle at all. I shake the thought, trying not to act like a prepubescent teenager. But she can read my thought, and her cheeks blush a light pink color.

"Morning," I say.

"Morning," she parrots.

And yes, it is a good morning.

The best.

x

"Do they know I'm coming?"

It is obvious that Hailey is nervous. She's fidgeting with the cuffs of her shirt as we sit in the truck, parked outside her parent's house. She looks scared, restless—that haunted look on her face reserved only for when she sees her parents.

"Hailey…?" My tone must've jarred her out of her daze, her eyes softening and focusing back on me. I take her left hand and tug gently until I know I have her attention. "Do your parents know I'm coming?" I repeat the question.

"Yeah. They know."

"Hey…" I lower my voice, moving my head in an attempt to look in her face. "You okay?"

Her eyes have dulled, and they stare through me, "I don't know. Not looking forward to whatever waits for me behind those doors."

Sighing I look at our joined hands. "You're not alone," I offer.

She sighs and lets her head fall back against the headrest. "Ugh," she groans.

My heart beats uneasily. I hate seeing Hailey like this. I hate seeing her defeated. The urge to pull her to me is nearly just as strong as the urge to turn the car around and take her as far away from here as possible. But I know the decision to come today is a step Hailey is taking to come to grips with past traumas.

I've only met her parents a couple of times. I know her mother likes me, but her father was never fond of me, or the fact that I was in the army. Hailey's dad is a stoic man of little humor and few words. Much like my own father.

"How much do they know anything about us?" I ask, softening my voice.

"Not much. But they know we split up before I left."

I wait a beat, then ask – gently. "Do they know the reason why you left?"

Shaking her head, she elects to abandon the subject altogether. "We should probably go inside. The earlier we get in, the earlier we'll get to leave."

I hop out of the truck and walk around and open the passenger door. "Maybe we can come up with a safe word. Just say the word and we're out of here."

A small smile tilts her lips. "How about truck?"

"Truck it is."

I take her hand in mine and we walk together up the front steps of Hailey's childhood home. Feels weird being back here. I'm not sure what to expect, so much has happened. Maybe it's better that I don't expect anything.

Hailey rings the doorbell but lets herself in when she finds the door is unlocked. "Mom?" she calls. "We're here."

We hear quick footsteps then Betsy Upton bursts out of the kitchen and down the hall, like a sprinter out of the starting gates. She throws her arms around Hailey, pulling her tight against her chest. "I'm so glad you finally came." She pulls back after a minute and holds Hailey at arm's length before pulling her in again. "Oh, we've missed you so much! Have you lost weight? You look like you've lost weight. You look tired."

"Mom, I'm fine."

Then Betsy finally sees me. "I can't believe my eyes. Jay. Look at you!" she exclaims, pulling me in for a hug, holding me so tightly I can feel her heart thumping. "You look so handsome!"

I look at Hailey, expecting to find her grinning and rolling her eyes, but instead, she's looking sweetly at us, almost longingly.

"I bet you are hungry. Dinner is almost done," Betsy says, pulling back. "I made loukoumades. I remember how much you liked them."

"Still do. Thank you, Mrs. Upton. No one makes them like you do."

"Call me Betsy, please." She blushes at the compliment and smiles big, reminding me of where Hailey got her smile from.

"Where's dad?" Hailey pipes up. I can hear a hint of slight disdain in her voice.

"He's out back," Betsy says. "Always fixin' something."

Hailey gives her mom a tight-lipped smile. "Right."

"Well, make yourselves at home. I'm going to check on dinner."

"Need help?" Hailey offers.

"No, no. It's almost done."

Betsy disappears down the hall towards the kitchen and I follow Hailey as she shuffles towards the living room. I haven't set foot in the house in more years than I can remember. Everything is still in the same place, but it seems changed somehow. Smaller and forgotten. The same colorful quilt, which matches the yellow curtains, covers the couch pushed against the wall opposite the fireplace. The whole room smells stale, like a book stack in a library where the only air is trapped between the pages of old books.

"Mom still likes you better than me," she says and I chuckle. "I guess you're still her favorite."

I wrap my arms around her and pull her against my chest, planting a kiss on her hair. "I'm just good boyfriend material," I say, keeping a poker face.

Hailey stares up at me, mouth agape for a moment before she gathers her wits enough to shake her head, grinning. "You're just full of charm, aren't you?"

"Do you think it's working?"

"Could use some improvements."

I laugh and Hailey pinches her lips to keep from smiling. "What would you have me do then?"

"Well…" She smiles up at me, reaching up and softly running her hands over my chest, her fingers playing with the buttons on my shirt. first I would—"

The sound of approaching footsteps interrupts us. They are too heavy for Betsy, and I am not surprised when Hailey's dad appears in the corridor. All at once, Hailey's demeanor changes and she becomes stiff and wary.

His face is thinner than I remembered, but the thinness emphasized his eyes, with their cold, hard look, and his high cheekbones. His beard, a scraggly bush of dark and white hairs twisted together and the shadows around his eyes are deep, almost bruised.

"Hey," he says, with a slight nod of his head. "Good seeing, Hailey," he says and somehow his statement sounds sincere. "Jay," he gives a head nod. "It's been a while."

I slowly pull myself away from Hailey and offer him a hand. "Good to see you, Frank."

"Hey, dad," Hailey says from somewhere behind me. She takes small steps and gives her dad an awkward embrace, but Frank never softens into the hug. He keeps his back upright and Hailey pulls away as soon he gives her the chance.

"You two a thing again?" He murmurs, motioning between the two of us.

I look to Hailey and she's nodding her head. "Yeah. We're together."

Frank lets out a huff of air. There is no emotion on his face. An awkward silence follows. I open my mouth, not sure what I'm going to say when Frank says, "I'm going to check on dinner."

We nod.

Frank lingers like he wants to say more, but finally, he slips out and down the corridor. I turn to Hailey and she leans into me, pulsing with nervous energy.

"It's just dinner," I remind her. "It doesn't have to be anything more than that."

"I know. It's just… Being here brings up a lot of emotions. And I know I can't just turn them off or avoid them, but—"

"It's hard," I finish the sentence for her. "Processing emotions is hard."

"Yeah," she shakes her head as if to get rid of whatever ill-feeling tiptoed inside her head. "I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do here."

I shrug. "Nothing. Just feel whatever you need to feel."

She nods and looks up at me, eyes shining. "Easier said than done," she tosses the response back at me with a little spite.

"You're right. I just don't want you to feel like your feelings are not invalid; you have them for a reason."

She wraps her arms around my waist and lets her head rest against my chest. I rest my chin on the top of her head and say, "You came here to deal with those feelings, right? That won't happen if you ignore them, and as far as your dad…" I trail off, not sure what the right thing to say at this moment, so I settle on, "Don't focus on him. Try to focus on how happy your mom is that you're here."

She nods her head and I kiss her hair.

"Dinner's ready," we hear Best's voice filter down the corridor.

We sit around the dining room table, eating mostly in silence. Very uncomfortable silence. But I guess this is better than the alternative.

"We're so happy you're back in Chicago," Betsy says when she can't take the silence anymore. "It's nice knowing you're so close now."

Hailey nods with her fork in mid-air. "Yeah. Good to be back," Hailey says dryly.

"Nick is driving down with the kids next month. Maybe we can get together again," she says.

Hailey gives her mom a tight-lipped smile. "Yeah, maybe."

Betsy schools her features to remain calm and not betray the joy bubbling inside her chest. My heart aches for her. I get that she enabled Frank's behavior, but she is as much a victim here as Hailey.

"The food is delicious, Betsy," I say. And it is. Greek food was never on my radar until I met Hailey

"Thank you, Jay." She smiles. "I was so happy when Hailey told me she was bringing you."

"Wouldn't miss the opportunity to eat your food," I tell her.

The older woman blushes. "I'm glad you two reconnected."

I place my hand on Hailey's knee underneath the table, squeezing a little when I say, "Me too."

"You guys make a good couple," Frank says, surprising both Hailey and me.

In an effort to diffuse some of the sudden tension, I say, "Thanks, Frank."

Judging by the look on Hailey's face, she isn't buying her dad's good guy act. To be completely honest, neither am I. I've seen firsthand what Frank is capable of.

"Hey," I said and gave her a quick peck on her lips. "What happened today? You feeling okay? You missed firearms training."

She held the door to her apartment open and I walked in. Immediately I noticed she looked nervous and flushed. It was as if her nerves were having an attack of nerves. I paused, searching her face. I waited for her to speak, to respond to my question. When she stayed silent, my eyes traveled about the room as if seeking the answer.

"What happened today?" I prompted again.

"Just under the weather," she said, but didn't believe her.

My eyes stayed locked on hers, and she looked like a deer caught in the headlights. She kept pulling her sweater sleeves over her hands in what I assumed was an attempt to keep them warm. So, I began rubbing her upper arm to comfort her, but she flinched. I frowned and with both hands on her arms held her away from me.

"Hailey, what's going on?"

"It's nothing. I'm fine." Her voice shook, and she shuffled back, pulling her arms protectively around her.

"That's not true. Something is wrong," I said, taking a step forward, but she took a step back, maintaining her distance. Hell, increasing her distance. I didn't think how much that would hurt until it happened. I just stood where I was, raising my hand in an odd gesture of helplessness.

Tears filled her eyes.

"Hailey…" I slowly took her hand and at the edge of her sleeve, I spotted a ring of blue and yellow bruises – clearly visible, circling her wrist. "What the—" I pulled her sleeve up to reveal more bruising. "Hailey, You're hurt! What—Who did this to you? Are hurt anywhere else?"

"It's nothing," she said, taking her arms back and shrugging her sleeves down again. She shook her head dismissively. "I bruise easily."

"Who did this to you?" I scowled, feeling the anger bubble up inside me. "Hailey?"

Hailey paused and looked at me for a moment, then her eyes filled with tears and she looked away, started fiddling with the necklace on her neck. A hush fell over the room before her eyes finally met mine again. Hailey cleared her throat and started to speak.

"My, uh, my mom called me last night… said my dad was…upset and drunk," she said and wiped her tears away with the back of her hand.

"Did your dad do this?" I asked. "Did he hit you?"

"They are more like defensive bruises," she said, her lips quivering as she fought to control her emotions. "I was trying to protect my mom."

"Did you call the police?"

"My mom won't press any charges," she explained. "Never has."

I pulled her gently into my arms and after a few minutes, she managed to regain control. I pulled back just a little and softened my tone. "Can I see?"

I inspected her arms and torso. There were black and blue marks, mostly defensive bruising, like she said. I also lifted her shirt, pulling at her collar, just checking her everywhere. The anger simmered underneath my skin. It took everything in me not to drive to her parent's place and even the score with her dad.

"This happened a lot when you were growing up?"

"Only when he drank," she said, her voice faltering. "And he always drank." She laughed bitterly.

"Hailey, can you tell me what happened?"

And she did. That night, she told me everything. So, no, I'm not buying Frank's sudden transformation.

We finish eating and after dessert, Hailey offers to help her mother clear the table. I get up to use the restroom and overhear Hailey and her mother whispering.

"He's changed, Hailey. H-He's doing better."

"Mom, people like him don't change."

"He hasn't had a drink in weeks. He's been exercising…"

"No, mom. How many times has he promised to change and even did for a little while only to revert back to his old way days later?"

"This time is different. The heart attack was a wake-up call."

"I can't mom. This can't be a thing we do."

A beat.

"You look happy."

"I am, and you should be happy too."

A pause.

A sigh.

"Why do you stay, mom?"

The conversation feels personal, so I quit eavesdropping and head back to the living room, where Frank is watching TV. He acknowledges my presence with a head nod but doesn't take his eyes off the screen. I take a seat across from him, and there is nothing about this that isn't uncomfortable. I try not to think about the things he did because if I do, I won't be able to keep myself in check.

Hailey's voice calls me, snapping me out of my daze. "Jay, you should go warm up the truck."

Truck.

"Oh, okay." I stand to leave, but when she doesn't move to follow me out, I ask, "You coming?"

"I will be right there."

I walk outside and wait for her in the truck. I'm pretty sure Hailey is just getting some closure right now – maybe saying her peace. She comes out minutes later, face stoic, her blue eyes glazed, trapping me in their icy depths.

"All good?"

"Yeah."

God, she's beautiful and stronger than she realizes. I nod and just take her hand and hold it in mine. We drive in silence. Nothing needs to be said.

One thing I learned in the past five years is that life is an unfolding story filled with many chapters. When you come to the end of one chapter, that's not the end of the story; there is another chapter that unfolds. Even when it's a good chapter, when it ends, it ends. You have to turn the page or you will never get to the next chapter of your life.

This was Hailey turning the page on this part of her life – a chapter that has caused her so much pain. It's finally done. She made peace and turned that page.

Hopefully, a new chapter is starting.

For us.

Time has a way of always moving us forwards.

Thank you for reading. Next week we'll get an official second date!