Chapter 1-Prelude

Greetings! We're doing this little story journey again. I was driving home from work one night and this one smacked me up the side of the head. It's going to be a fun one, a good old cheesy love story. It's got Jay whump, it's got Upstead in love and out and trying to find it all over again. Are you guys ready? I'm so excited to get this crazy drive home story out into the world. Here! We! Go!

They were doing it again. Another evening at a bar. Two drinks across from each other, both small in size and amount left in the glasses. They did the thing they always did, chose a table off in a corner. After days like these the very last thing you wanted to do was be amongst people. At this point you're alright with being a quiet observer, observing your world from afar with zero intention of joining in on anything. As life moved in and around the bar, the two of them just sat back in their seats, sulked, sipped, and shared looks at each other. It was their thing, commiserating in mental exhaustion after a big one, today certainly being one of those tough ones. Cases involving kids always struck a bigger chord with him then others, what stirred her were abuse victims. But when it was a child abuse case, expect a lot of emotional checking, reigning in, impossible to control rage and anger out of both. It was a back and forth day, a duel of the willpower. If it wasn't Hailey on the verge of going off, it was Hailey trying to her best to hold Jay back from tackling a suspect from across the table. They both got it, it was a lot for the other to go through. But at this point they were depleted, done. However, that was not the issue that was keeping speaking limited. No, on top of this was this growing tension, unspoken of issue that was bubbling up between the two of them. Jay first noticed it coming from Hailey, Jay's result was to take an offense. For what he didn't know, but best to have the walls up and fists locked and loaded for whenever.

"Now what did I do," Jay spat from his side of the table, looking up at Hailey with a glare that could kill. The duel was at hand at last, he couldn't wait a moment longer.

"Like you don't know."

"No, I don't know. Thus the reason I'm asking." Hailey rolled her eyes, taking a larger then normal swig of her drink before poignantly plopping her glass back down on the table.

"Wow, and you call yourself a detective." Ah yes, the venom was ripe for the picking.

"If we want to go there meritoriously promoted, we can." Jay too swallowed the rest of his drink and just about threw the glass down on the table, waiting for the next jab to come his way.

"I don't know how else to make this crystal clear. When we're on the job, we're on the job. I don't need my boyfriend coddling me at every turn. I need my partner who trusts me all the time and will let me do whatever. Got it?"

"What are you talking about? I didn't coddle you." Hailey laughed, throwing her head back as she moaned.

"And see there's the problem."

"How about you give me an example, please your highness?"

"Oh wow, where to begin. The brushing on my back after we arrested the first guy, the constant gazes that were begging me to spill things to you, the offer to get me lunch at my favorite spot, you trying to do all my paperwork so I could go unwind, do I need to keep going?"

"That's called being nice and looking out for your partner."

"No, no no it's not. That's called trying to help your girlfriend when she's having a bad day. Jay, what we do off the clock is one thing, but when we're on the job we're just partners. Allow me bad days and to do what I think I can handle."

"Which is what I did." She couldn't sit there anymore, do the back and forth tennis match with someone who couldn't even understand what a racket was. Hailey rolled her eyes for the last time, stumbled over words before shaking her head. Turning around she grabbed her coat, threw it on, and was landing on the floor and walking out before Jay could stop her. He called to her a couple times, the friendliest of fingers being thrust his way as she exited the building.

"What the hell," Jay spoke to himself. Women, he thought to himself. They were a complete pain in the ass sometimes, their emotions far more complex then the toughest of college exam questions. Just when you thought you knew them, or least how to subdue their antics and dilemmas, they went a pulled a 180 on you with the whole intention of leaving you clueless and speechless. As Jay made his way out to the frigid temperatures of the January night, he made sure to pay for their drinks and tip before heading out. The bartender seemed to know what was going on, shrugging their shoulders and giving one of those confidence boosting, 'hang in there bud,' looks. Jay nodded as he left. What the bartender didn't know was that Jay still had to drive Hailey home. Sitting where they were right now, it felt to be terrible planning on both their parts. So much for sneaking away to his place and having a fun night in bed with her. Right now he wanted nothing more then some space and alone time. This was not at all how he saw the night going, but here they were.

When Jay walked out it took him a couple moments to find her. At first glance into the world she was a tough one to find. The cold, crispness of the night took breath away, the first milliseconds were used to just acclimate with the outside world. His eyes watered till he blinked a few times, the lungs heaving in sharps knives before exhaling stiff walls of fire. Jay pulled his coat all the way on as he looked out at the crammed parking lot. There wasn't an empty space, apparently this Monday had been a bad one for a lot of them; the only way to end it was at the bottom of a bar glass. There was a quick exchange of people, equal amounts of people that left were coming in, all looking to the other in passing and wanting to be them. Those out in the cold wanted to be those buzzed, warm folks inside. Meanwhile those in the warmth wanted to escape to cars and head home to quiet warm beds, having had their fill of spirits of the evening; none of them wanting to be out in the world any longer then they had to be. Jay being one of them began his march to the car, every step towards the car feeling more and more like a trudge to war. He saw her leaning on the bumper, eyes not following him at all but instead the night's sky. The lights of the city were obscuring the stars from being fully seen, but if you stared up longer enough and squinted hard enough you'd get to see some form of twinkling. Jay didn't greet her nor did he wait for her to speak before he moved in. He saw an available spot next to her and went for it, soon the two of them sitting and looking up at the night's sky.

"I'm sorry that I pissed you off," he began.

"But you have to understand that I can't just turn things off, be a completely different person. I think if anyone was capable of doing that they'd be getting looked at for psychiatric help."

"Wow, what a way to make a girl feel special."

"Come on Hailey. Try as hard as you might, you can't just totally switch off. It's impossible, it's why it's really not advised to date in the department. Emotions run strong and you can't ask someone to download different emotions and mindsets based on their location. It's impossible to keep track of."

"Yet somehow I can do it. And if you can't then maybe this isn't going to work out."

"So you want to break up?"

"No, I don't. I just think…shit. I don't know. But what I do know is that I want you to stop treating me like your girlfriend while we're working. It makes me sick."

"So I make you sick."

"Dammit, Jay! Can't you just shut up and listen, ever?! Just forget we're dating when you clock in, alright? It's not that hard."

"I'm sorry, Hailey. I just don't think I can. I love you and I care about you. Watching you go through tough things like we did today, I can't just turn a blind eye because we're partners."

"Jay, we're partners first. First and foremost."

"So all of this is second to you. This relationship isn't as important as work. You're choosing work over the possibility of us working this out for a long time." Now it was Jay's turn to be pissed. He stood up from the bumper, turning around to face her with hands on his hips. If she wasn't so upset she'd admit that he looked amazing standing that way, jacket puffing out passed his hands. She could see the breaths perpetually slipping out from his nose, noting the wafts going into the cold world. She felt his disappointment, his dejection, his anger for her words. Actions may speak louder then words, but oh how those words hurt. She'd found a soft spot in him: her, them, the relationship. If nothing else, this proved how much it all meant to him.

"I don't know. I think we just need some space tonight."

"Yeah, I think that's a good idea."

"Fine, just take me home Jay. Or drop me off at the El stop. I don't care."

"No, I'll drive you home." And on that note Jay left for the driver's seat. He had the door opened and closed before she could move her stiff muscles. Hailey milked the silence for all it was worth. She stretched her arms and sides before rising to her feet, stomping the sleep out of them before inching her way to the passenger door. She was not looking forward to this fifteen minute drive to her place. It was going to be so awkward and quiet and weird for both of them, both having played a role in things turning out that way. Hailey was spot on on all three counts. Neither of them spoke the entire time, one not even acknowledging the other. Jay was filled with the duty of driving her home while Hailey was mesmerized with the world outside the window. The final stop outside her place was a short, hard one. Hailey didn't even turn back to wave farewell or say goodnight. She was in the car and then she wasn't. As she fiddle for the key to the door Jay took off, proving just how mad he was. Most night's he watched till she was inside, another layer of caring and watching out for her. But tonight, none of the normal stuff was going down. They were two stubborn, independent, deeply caring people who were hurting. Hailey saw where she was in the wrong, but overall she knew she was right. Jay had gone too far with his protection and she had to say something before it suffocated her.

…

"So wait, it's over over?"

"No, it's just a fight that needs air."

"But Hailey, do you value the relationship?"

"Of course I do, Kim! It just came out wrong. What I meant was we are partners, always. It's what we first were and it's what we'll always be no matter what else happens. I just wish he'd turn off the boyfriend role when were on the clock."

"Well Hailey, that is so much easier said then done. Especially after days like today, those high stress, adrenaline days. Your first instinct as a boyfriend or girlfriend is to worry about the other person, wanting to make their day or situation better. You can't just ignore that urge because you're working." Using the back of her hand, Hailey used her wine glassed hand to massage her itchy forehead. Curses to dry air and beanies. She was exhausted, a little drunk, a ball of emotions. As much as she wanted to sleep, her mind could not be shut off. Thus the midnight phone call to Kim, a little late night girl talk.

"How do you and Adam do this? How do you guys make it look so easy?" Kim laughed, snorting before she spoke.

"Oh Hailey, we've literally been everything in the book. From cheaters to lovers to fiancees to exes and now…I'm not sure what we are. But we make it work, both of us go into it knowing what the other will do or how they'll react and we move on from that. Maybe that's what you too need. You guys know each other so well as partners but that next level needs some work. Just try talking to him, nothing else except that."

"Okay, thanks Kim."

"You're welcome. Have you tried calling him since you got home?"

"I texted him and he's yet to respond."

"Oh man, maybe he's sleeping." They both knew that wasn't the case, it was a clear tactic of Jay's. He was upset and rightfully so.

"Okay, well try and sleep. Things can get resolved in the morning."

"Sounds good. Go back to sleep." Oh how silly this argument would be in less than twenty-four hours. Oh how regretful and mundane and small all of it would seem. They had no clue at the time just how upside down their world was about to be. In the moment it felt to be controlling her mind, life, everything. But before the sunset again, existence would revolve around him. And that is a story for another chapter.

I feel the need to stress that Upstead is not breaking up in this story, I will gladly spill that spoiler now. This is just laying the groundwork for what's to come. We need them at this tension in order for the following day to play out how it will. So what do we think, continue this one? Thanks for reading!