Vanessa glances out the window and smiles when she sees Kennedy running around the back yard with Logan and Preston. "Preston is a really sweet kid."
Hailey smiles. "He really is. It's been a tough few weeks on him but he's adjusting."
Vanessa nods. "Have you guys decided to go for full custody when the investigation is over?"
Hailey shakes her head, her smile faltering. "No." Vanessa glances to her in surprise. "As much as we would love to, it's just not feasible right now. We have our hands full already. So he's going to stay with us until they can find him a permanent placement."
"That's understandable."
"But they're not going to place him just anywhere," Hailey assures her. "Jay and I are helping to find the best home possible. It's what he deserves."
"Hails?" Hailey turns to her friend. "What do you say if he were to come and live with Kev and I?"
Hailey sets the tongs she was using down on the counter and turns to her friend. "What?"
Vanessa offers her a small smile. "Hear me out, okay?" Hailey nods. "Kevin and I have talked about it. We've decided not to have kids of our own."
Hailey nods once more, this time in understanding. Sure, she was slightly confused by this statement after watching Kevin and Vanessa with her children. They both loved them so much and she loved how their faces had always lit up around them but she knew the two must have had to have their reasons.
"We've decided we want to foster. I grew up in the system and I know how shitty it can be and we want to give those kids who don't stand a chance a good chance at life. Kevin's raised Jordan and Vanessa so they wouldn't end up in the system. We just feel like this is what we were meant to do instead of having our own kids."
"Oh V," Hailey says making her way across the kitchen and pulling her into her arms. She hugs her best friend tightly as she struggles to keep her tears at bay. "I think it's amazing."
"Hey," Kevin pops his head in the door, smiling as his two best friends look up from the infant in Kim's arms to look at him. "I have a whole crew out here. You guys ready?"
Adam turns to Kim, eyebrow rose. The two were more than ready for their friends - their family - to meet the newest Ruzek, but he knew Kim was exhausted from the little girls entrance into the world.
"Come on in," Kim laughs as she adjusts herself in the bed, Adam taking the baby to show her off to their friends as they swarm the somewhat spacious room.
Stella, Hailey and Vanessa automatically go to Kim, each taking turns to hug her and congratulate her. Kevin and Jay move to stand on either side of Adam, both smiling down at the little beauty in his arms. With dark brown her and olive skin, she's her momma's twin. The complete opposite of Charlotte and Olivia who are mini Adam's.
"Oh my god," Hailey says now standing between her husband and Adam. She reaches up and runs a hand down the sleeping baby's cheek. "You did so good momma, she's beautiful."
"I like to think so." Kim smirks as MaKayla sits Olivia down on the foot of the bed next to where Charlotte was waiting. The two were eager to see their baby sister.
"She truly is beautiful momma," MaKayla says leaning down and kissing her mom's cheek.
"Thanks Mak," Kim says reaching up and squeezes her oldest daughters hand.
"What's her name?" Stella asks from where she still stood next to the bed, but her eyes were glued to the newborn.
"Abigail." Adam says tearing his eyes from his daughter asleep in his arms to look up at his family.
"It's beautiful," Vanessa smiles as she peaks over his shoulder. "Just like her."
"MaKayla, Charlotte, Olivia and Abigail." Kevin says as he lists all four girls names. "It fits perfectly."
Stella nods. "Really rolls off the tongue."
Jay claps Adam's shoulder. "So Ruz, tell us what it's like being a girl dad." Adam chuckles while everyone else in the room laughs along. "Four girls? I would die" Of course, Jay was only kidding. He had three girls and it was enough that he got the taste of being a girl dad: with the added bonus of having two sons to save his masculinity.
Kim's smile grows as she watches Adam glance between his four daughters. "It's the best feeling in the world man. I never knew I could be wrapped so bad."
Jay nods knowingly. "Yeah man, I get that."
"CAN WE HOLD HER NOW?" Olivia shouts from where she sat on the end of the bed. The five year old was clearly impatient, and she earns some laughs from the group.
"Chill out little miss." Kim laughs. "You're up first."
"There's my big girl." Hailey says leaning against the door frame of Kennedy and Ellie's bedroom. She watches the young blonde frantically pace around the room. "Are you coming downstairs to eat with everyone else before we have to leave?"
Kennedy glances to her mom but doesn't stop shuffling her little feet as she shakes her head. "I'm not hungry mommy."
Hailey nods as she moves her way into the room. She sits on the bed, pulling the little girl on her lap. "I know babe, but you're going to be sick if you don't eat before you go. Are you nervous?"
Kennedy looks up at her and nods her head slightly, eyes full of unshed tears.
"Oh baby." Hailey mutters leaning up and placing a soft kiss on the young girls forehead. "That is ok. But you know what?"
"What?"
"You are going to have so much fun baby girl." Hailey says smiling at her daughter, eyebrows shooting up. She hopes she's conveying as much positivity to her daughter as she thinks she is. "You are going to play and learn. And meet new friends. AND Olivia is in your class. Before you know it, it will be time for Mak to come get you and Livvy and bring you to see me and daddy ok?"
"Promise?" Kennedy asks, sticking out a finger for a pinky promise.
Sending her daughter a quick reassuring wink, Hailey connects her pinky with the little girls. "Promise." She then pats the little girls leg. "Now, let's go eat before we have to leave."
"Ok, momma." Kennedy says before hopping down off her moms lap and running out of the room and toward the staircase.
Kennedy waves at her dad who had just happened to walk down the hall way and stop in the door to hear the mother/daughter conversation. He waves back and smiles as he watches her run down the steps, a little extra pep in her step from the short convo.
He smiles at Hailey as he reaches over and wraps an arm around her shoulder. In turn she wraps an arm around his torso and leans into his side. "She ok?"
Hailey nods as they make their way down the hall. "Yeah, just a little nervous. But she's our kid so she's going to kill it and be fine."
"And you?"
Hailey sighs. "I don't know how my baby is starting kindergarten. Didn't we just bring her home from the hospital?"
Jay laughs as they reach the top of the stairs. He stops her, and tugs on her hand so she turns to face him. "Man I wish."
"Me too." She mutters as she wraps her other arm around his torso and squeezes him as she lays her head on his chest. "After today we only have to do this one more time. Why are they all growing up so fast?" She looks up at him, inste
"Well it just got a whole lot cuter in here!" Kevin says turning in his chair to face the staircase. His smile grows as MaKayla makes her way up the steps with Ellie, Kennedy, Charlotte, and Olivia behind her. "My girls, come here!" He holds his arms out and manages to wrap his arm around all 4 little girls and squeezes them tight. Giggles fill the room before he lets them go and they each venture off in search of their parents.
Kevin offers Mack a quick wink before turning to Logan and Preston, holding out a fist to each of them. "My men."
They laugh and return the gesture. "Today go ok bud?" He asks Preston once Logan walks off and into the break room to put his stuff down.
Preston nods. "Yeah, school is school."
Kevin laughs as Vanessa walks over and wraps her arms around Preston and squeezes him. "I always hated school too." Kevin tells him and Vanessa shoots him a look. Kevin rolls his eyes.
"My handsome boy," Vanessa says laying her cheek on top of his head as she continues to squeeze him. "Have I told you that today?"
Preston nods as he hugs her back. "About thirty times this morning."
Vanessa laughs. "Well, I don't want you to forget it."
"No chance of that V," Kevin laughs. "Our boy knows he's handsome." He turns to Preston. "Don't make his head any bigger." The three laugh.
Across the room Hailey watches as Jay comes out of his office and scoops Ellie up to rest on his hip before she turns to Kennedy and pulls her into her lap. She gives her a kiss on the cheek and hugs her tightly. "Hey baby."
"Hey mama." Kennedy says snuggling back into her mommas embrace.
"How was your first day of school? Did you have fun?"
Kennedy nods. "Yes!" She turns in her arms and Hailey runs a hand over her wild blonde curls comfortingly. "I gots to play with play doh and play outside on the slide with Livvy and eat snacks and color and I made a new best friend!"
Hailey bites her bottom lip in an attempt to hold in her laughter as she and Jay exchanged amused glances at their daughters diarrhea of the mouth. "Oh baby that sounds so fun! You made a best friend already? What's her name?"
Kennedy's eyes go wide. "Umm..."
Jay, who was now sitting on the edge of Hailey's desk with Ellie on his knee, looses all composure and bursts out in laughter. Kennedy shoots him a dirty look before turning back to her mom. "Oh Kenny, it's okay baby." Hailey says smiling down at her daughter. "You can find out tomorrow. The important thing is you just had so much fun today!"
"Yeah!" The little girl exclaims as she practically jumps up and down.
"What about you Livvy?" Jay asks turning to his niece who was wrapped up in her father's lap. "Did you have fun today? You love kindergarten?"
"Yes!!!" She exclaims practically throwing herself out of Adam's arms, earning laughter from around the bullpen.
Just then Kim walks up the stairs, baby carrier in tow. She was still on maternity leave, and when she returned she would be taking over Platt's spot instead of coming back to Intelligence. However, she had spent the day taking baby Abigail to her check up while Adam worked and MaKayla picked up the kids from school as her classes hadn't started yet.
Kim takes the newborn out of her seat before she makes her way over to Charlotte. Kim smiles as she hugs her to her side. "How was your day Charlie?"
Charlotte shrugs and she laughs. "Ah that's my school lover." She reaches over and runs a hand down Olivia's cheek as the little girl rested in her fathers lap. "What about you babe?"
She smiles as Adam reaches up and takes the newborn, kissing her cheek before snuggling her into his chest. He mutters soft words to his baby girl and Kim's heart swells.
"I had so much fun momma!" Olivia shouts, her eyes widening when her parents shush her.
"No it's ok little Darlin," Adam reminds her. "We know you're excited, but sis is asleep so inside voices ok?"
Olivia nods and turns back to Kim who was now sitting on Adam's desk, asking details from her dad.
"I got a boyfriend." Olivia announces proudly and Adam nearly chokes.
"What?!" He shouts, earning laughter from the rest of the unit.
With a little more than two months under their belts, the kids are back in school, with Olivia and Kennedy having had some time to adjust to kindergarten.
Kim's back to work and shadowing Trudy, learning everything she can before her quickly approaching retirement.
Kevin and Vanessa have officially started the process of adopting Preston.
Logan's back on the ice, playing in the new ice hockey season, effectively giving his mother a heart attack every time her phone rings. Ellie has roped Charlotte into competitive cheer a long side her.
Stella has managed to get the hang of parenting twins alone more often than not due to Kelly's schedule.
Will and Nat's divorce is final. She's decided to not take the job in Seattle, but has moved to Lakeshore Memorial so that she and Will can work and not fight. Her staying in Chicago meant no custody hearing for Owen, allowing the teen to stay living with his dad, and having weekends at his moms.
Jay has managed to move up a new officer into IU to replace Kim. His first major crew switch up since taking over and he'd rather proud of it.
Meanwhile, Hailey has been working less and less with the unit, teaching a full time class at the academy that allows her to be home with the kids more at night.
All in all, life looks a little different. But it's a welcoming change and everyone has embraced it.
Its just after 7 PM when Jay finally makes it home one December night: rather early for their caseload at the moment, but he couldn't wait to get home to his family so he had called it a night and sent everyone home.
Hailey is in the kitchen cleaning up the dinner mess when she hears the front door open. She grabs a dish towel and wipes her hands before making her way down the hall where Jay was busy slipping off his coat, beanie and boots.
"Hey babe," he says sitting his keys on the side table before pulling her into his arms. His hands rest on her hips as her arm is thrown over his shoulder. "How was your day?"
"Mmm, I missed you." She says leaning up and pressing her lips to his. She smiles when Jay's grip on her hip tightens and she opens her mouth under his. A quiet groan escapes his lips.
"Fuck Hails," he pulls back, forehead resting on hers. "I missed you too. Maybe this whole two different jobs is a good thing if you're always going to greet me like that."
Hailey smirks, starting to snark back when they head tiny feet running toward them.
"DADDY DADDY DADDY DADDY!!!!"
Hailey laughs, untangling herself from her husbands frame as he turns and crouches down to catch the eager little girl in his arms. "KENNY KENNY KENNY." He scoops her up in his arms before standing back up, bouncing her gently. "What's got you so excited?"
She practically forces a folded piece of paper in his hands. "Can we go daddy?? Please please PLEASEEE."
Jay glances from his daughter to his wife, who just shrugs as she holds back a laugh. She knew damn well what was on that piece of paper as she had heard about it all afternoon, but she was leaving Jay to his own devices.
"Well let's see what we have here first, ok?" He says as he shifts his daughter to rest on his hip before unfolding the sheet. He feels a little tug on his heart and his smile grows as he reads the flyer for the Lakeshore Elementary Christmas Father/Daughter Dance. He had been supposed to take Ellie (as Kennedy wasn't in school yet) the year prior but a bad case of the stomach bug had put a wrench in the twos plans.
This year however, he had two little girls he could take as his date and the thought nearly brought him to tears. Before becoming a parent he would have never caught himself dead at said event, but now he was wrapped around their tiny fingers and he couldn't think of anywhere he'd rather be with his girls.
"SO CAN WE DADDY?!" Kennedy shouts, bouncing up and down in his arms from anticipation.
Jay looks up and locks eyes with Hailey, his smile growing as she gives him a amused look. He turns back to his daughter in his arm. "Of course we're going baby girl. Me, you and Ellie are going to have so much fun!"
"YAYYYY" the little girl shouts in excitement as she throws her tiny arms around his neck, kissing his cheek. "Thank you daddy!!!!"
Jay laughs. "Anything for my girls." He says kissing her forehead in return before she begins to squirm in his arm. Knowing what she wanted, he puts her down and her feet barely hit the floor before she's running to the living room in search of her sister.
"ELLIE HE SAID YES!!!!"
Jay turns to Hailey and they both laugh as he reaches over and wraps an arm around her shoulder. He allows her to pull him into the kitchen where she had his dinner waiting.
"You sure about this?" she asks sitting his plate in front of him before taking a seat next to him. "Will you be able to be off?"
He nods. "I'll make sure of it."
Hailey smiles at the conviction in his voice, so beyond thankful that this man was the most amazing father to her children.
"You know you have to wear a tie."
Jay scoffs, looking up from his plate to her. "I know this Hailey Anne. I can do it for one night for those girls."
She holds her hands up in mock surrender, eyebrow rose. "Ok dad. Just reminding you." She laughs and he rolls his eyes. "You know this also means you have to buy not one, but two dresses for the occasion." She smirks, knowing her husband is a tightwad, but equally a sucker for his children.
He looks to her and smirks in return. "I know. And I can't wait."
OK SO JAY AND HAILEY ARE MARRIED YALL. I still can't freaking believe it!!! I've been on cloud 9 since Wednesday and I'm not going to lie, it was the kick in the as I needed to finish this chapter!
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I can't wait for the next one! Lots of adorable father/daughter goodness. Jay and his girls... Adam and the Ruzek girls. It's going to be so cute and sweet it may possibly give us all a tooth ache but we all love daddy Jay and daddy Adam so I'm beyond ready!
Thoughts on the chapter? Eager to read the dance? Thought/theories on Hailey moving to the academy? Leave a review please! :)