"Are you serious?" Hailey asked, laughing. She carefully held her phone between her ear and her shoulder as she maneuvered around her kitchen, placing all the scattered dirty dishes in the sink. "He hid your birth control pills?"

She could hear Kim's laughter on the other end of the line. "Well, in theory."

Hailey put her on speaker, setting her phone on the counter. "I'm so confused."

"It was just in a different drawer than where I normally keep it." She explained, amusement clear in her voice. "I couldn't find it last night, so I looked in Adam's drawer and found it with a sticky note that said "don't take me" on it. So, I of course run in the living room where he's watching the game - side note: did you see how well Kev played last night?"

"Yes! That was a hell of a game." Hailey agreed, leaning against her counter.

"I know! Anyway," She said, getting herself back on track. "I hold it up for him to see and he plays dumb for a bit before finally saying he wants to start trying."

Hailey smiled, "Kim, that is so great."

"Really? You think so?" She asked.

"Yes, of course." Hailey said.

"I think so too, things are stable at work for both of us and we are finally completely unpacked. I just feel like it's time to take the next step." She rushed out, obviously gushing.

"I'm so happy for you guys."

Hailey was filled with joy for her friends. They deserved it. They did long distance all through college, Hailey and Kim staying in the city and attending the University of Chicago while Adam took a scholarship at the University of Kentucky. They got married the summer after graduation, not wanting to wait any longer, that day going down as one of the best days of all of their lives. It had been almost four years since then.

Kim sighed, "I was going to tell you tonight, but I couldn't wait any longer." She said, the giggles starting again.

"I get it," Hailey said, "That's so exciting."

"Yeah, it feels right. Well, I'll see you at 7:00." Kim said.

"Yeah, see you later."

She hung up the phone, slumping against the counter. She was happy for Kim, so happy, but it was bitter sweet. Hailey always thought they would be trying for kids at the same time, they had done everything else at the same time. By most people's standards, Kim and Hailey had broken the system. They were best friends in high school, who had managed to stay best friends all the way through college and now, well into their adult lives. Not only that, but both of them had ended up with their high school sweethearts, well, almost.

Hailey felt her eyes well up as she made her way to her bedroom. She walked immediately to her dresser, grabbing the framed picture on the top and holding it in her hand. It was the last picture they had taken with all five of them in it (Plus Kevin's wife Vanessa, they were dating then). Jay deployed for the third time later that month.

He had dropped the bomb on Hailey the week after senior prom, they were all receiving their acceptances from colleges, all of them except for Jay. When he told her he was enlisting, she was angry at first, they had only been dating for about a year and a half and she was so mad that he was leaving her too, but after many late nights talking things through, she realized it was what he felt he needed to do. And how could she argue with that?

They made it work, he left for basic training right after graduation and he deployed for the first time right after Christmas. Hailey wasn't surprised by his success, he exceeded at everything he did. He was gone two years, and it was terrible for Hailey, but she loved him and it was worth it if it meant he got to come home.

Six months later, he left again, this time supporting Poland at the border against Russia. He wasn't gone long that time, only 9 months, but when he got back he dropped a second bomb on his girlfriend. He wanted to be a ranger.

Hailey was supportive, of course she was, but she knew things would be different. Rangers weren't like regular soldiers, they were trained killers: equipped to handle the worst of the worst, they were the big guns, and Jay wanted to be one. He went to the two month training, graduating at the top of his class and immediately earning a spot in a unit. Thankfully, he was home for the wedding, getting to stand next to his oldest friend while he said "I do." But then he left again, this time for Afghanistan.

He assured Hailey that nothing would be different, they would still write letters, still facetime whenever they could, he said that nothing would change, but it did: that time, he never came home.

Hailey threw the picture on her bed, standing and wiping the tears from her eyes. She thought it would get easier as time went on, but it hadn't. Living without him was still hard, and everyday she had to remind herself like she existed in a world where he didn't.

She glanced at the star on her bedside table, sighing. After the childhood she had and the traumatic shit show that was her high school years, the force had sparked an interest. She majored in criminal justice and succeeded at the academy (which she applied for right after Jay left for the third time). She was happy: she had a good job, a trustworthy partner - Garrett Thompson - and she had amazing friends, whose lives were just slightly offset from her own.

Things were getting better though, for a while it felt like she was drowning while everyone else was swimming faster. Adam and Kim were happily married, Kevin was drafted to the Bears and was engaged to an amazing woman that they all adored, and Hailey was alone. But now, she was excelling at work, she had attempted dating (that was a fail, but she tried and that's what mattered) and she was happy.

Jay wasn't forgotten, she still loved him like he was still with her, but hearing his name didn't cause her physical pain anymore. She was content with remembering the time that had gotten. She talked to his brother Will at least once a week, despite their busy schedules, they tried to see each other at least every few. They had grown closer when Jane passed, she was diagnosed with breast cancer not long after they finished their junior year, and she fought like hell until they graduated. She died a few weeks before Jay went to basic.

Jane had become like a second mom to Hailey, and while her death didn't devastate her the way it did her boyfriend, it was hard. Will transferred to the University of Chicago while he finished his undergraduate degree, spending lots of time with Hailey when Jay was gone. That never really changed.

Hailey stood, needing to get out of her room, out of the memory lane she had unintentionally created. She decided to fold some laundry, grabbing the basket out of her designated room and bringing it to her living room. She settled in on the couch, setting it next to her and turning on her TV, not really watching it. It was some stupid program that played before the evening news, but she needed white noise, sometimes being alone was just too quiet.

…

Kim sat with her feet pulled up under her, staring blankly at the coffee table in front of her. Her position made her look small, and that's exactly how she felt. Her day had been close to amazing, after she and her husband had decided that it was time to add to their family the night before, she walked around all day like she was floating on air. She was supposed to get dinner with her best friend, where they could just talk and catch up, but now she had to tell her something that she hoped she never had to.

Ever since they were teenagers, Kim had thought that Hailey was dealt a shit hand, but the theory was only further proven after what happened to Jay. No one deserved the kind of pain that Hailey had been through in her 25 years, no matter how much happiness offset it. And now, the information Kim had was only going to make it worse.

Adam got home right at 5:30, thankful that the stack of moving boxes that had plagued their entry way for weeks was finally gone. They had bought their first home together a few months back, and it was feeling more and more like theirs every day. He walked into the living room, taking in his wife who looked like someone had just punched her in the gut. "Kim?" He asked, "Darlin' what's wrong?" He sat next to her, placing his arm on the couch behind her.

"I, um, I just got a call from Beth Sanders." She said, Adam's jaw dropped. He hadn't heard that name in a long time. "She, um, she…"

Adam ran his hand through her brown hair, cupping her neck. "Beth Sanders? What's going on Kim?"

She leaned into him, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "She said Erin is up for parole."

"What?" Adam snapped, "How is that even possible?"

"I don't know." Kim said, letting out an exasperated breath. She ran her hands over her face, groaning. Hearing Beth's voice was like going back in time, she felt like she was 16 again.

Erin's trial had been one of the hardest periods of her life. It wasn't as easy as everyone involved thought it was going to be. In the end, Erin had been charged with 5 counts of felony stalking, 4 counts of assault with a deadly weapon and 6 counts of attempted murder. The jury didn't feel like she was mentally stable enough to charge with first degree murder, even though it was proven to be pre-mediated.

She was sentenced to 25 years, and that didn't start until she turned 18 because she was placed in a psychiatric facility at first to get help. They all thought that it was bullshit after everything she put them through. Thankfully, Kelly Severide had come out clean (physically, at least), it was clear to the jury that he thought his life and his families life were at stake. Emotionally though, they would all carry that weight with them for the rest of their lives.

"What did she say?" Adam was trying to be supportive, but he was lost and Kim was the only one with the answers to his questions.

"She said that she appealed her case a few months ago and the charges were reduced, and with her behavior she is now up for parole." She explained, exasperated.

Adam stood up, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Why did no one tell us that she appealed?"

"That's what I said." Kim said, throwing her hands in the air. "Apparently, since the state chose to press charges and not a private party, they had no obligation to notify anyone, and since they didn't call back any witnesses…"

"They didn't have to contact us." Adam said, finishing for her. He sat back down, his hand resting on her bare knee. "Did she tell you what charges were dropped, did she give you any explanation?" He asked gently.

Kim let out a cynical laugh. "Yeah, actually. Apparently they do have to tell us that." She reached out and picked up the notebook on the coffee table, turning to the page where she wrote everything down. She sighed, looking at her husband. "It's a lot…"

"Dicks…" He mumbled.

"Yeah." Kim agreed. "Uh, they dropped 2 charges of felony stalking, 2 counts of assault with a deadly weapon - apparently a baseball bat isn't deadly - and 3 counts of attempted murder."

Adam scoffed, "Are you serious? 3 of the murder charges?"

Kim nodded, "Beth said that based on the evidence and testimonies that the intent behind your shooting wasn't death, and that the only person really at risk in the basement was Hailey."

"That is complete bullshit." Adam yelled, standing again, beginning to pace.

"I know babe," Kim said quietly, "It all is. I just don't understand how they managed to pull so many strings…"

Adam turned to face her, "Do you think Hank had something to do with it?"

Kim shrugged, shaking her head. "I honestly don't know, do you think he has connections that high up? It's a little out there…"

"Yeah, yeah, you're right." Adam said, resting his hands on his hips. "Is there anything we can do to stop this?"

Kim nodded, pulling a pillow over her lap. "We can speak out against it at her hearing, after that it's in the judge's hands."

"Okay, perfect." He said, sitting down in front of her, cupping her cheek with his hand. "We'll get Kev and Severide, and we'll get Hailey, Greg even, we'll figure it out." Kim smiled weakly, wiping a tear from her eye. "Kim, it's gonna be okay."

She shook her head, more tears falling. Adam pulled her into his chest, holding her tightly. "Adam," She gasped, peering up at him. "I don't want to bring a child into a world where she's free."

Adam's face fell, he pulled her closer to him, rocking them gently. "Then we'll make sure she's not. She isn't going to hurt us, not again."

…

Several hours later, Hailey stood in front of the full length mirror in her bedroom, smoothing out her top. It wasn't often that she got a night to herself, and she wasn't ready to spend it with her best friend. She slipped on her shoes, cursing under her breath when she read the time on her phone.

Hailey was about to walk out the door - she was already late for dinner with Kim - when she realized she had left her TV on. Any other day she would have just left it, but something in her was telling her to find the remote.

She made her way back to her living room, moving couch cushions and pillows trying to find the tiny black device that always seemed to be lost. Finally, she found it under the couch, she stood, smiling in victory. She pointed it at the screen, but chose not to click the button when she read the headline showing on the news.

Hailey read it over and over again, watching as faces flashed across the screen. Her hands shook as she fumbled in her pocket for her phone, she clicked on the contact she was looking for, hitting the call button immediately. "Come on Will, pick up." She mumbled after the third ring.

"Hello?"

"Will." Hailey said desperately, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "Will, please tell me you are watching what I'm watching." She thought she was dreaming, there was no way this could be real.

"I am." He replied, she could tell that he was just as wrecked as she was.

Hailey sighed, "So it's real?" She asked, a tear falling down her face.

"Yeah Hailey it's real."

A smile broke out on her face, happy tears escaping. She took a deep breath. "I'm coming over." She said, before hanging up the phone. She grabbed her keys, turning the TV off and racing out her front door.

All these years, she felt like she was stuck, she could never bring herself to move on. No matter how stupid it was, there was a little voice in the back of her mind that maybe - just maybe - there was hope. She wasn't sure how she knew, but she did. She had never given up on him, and she was right: He was alive, he had to be.

…

A/N: Here's chapter 1! I am SO excited to write this story and I have big, big plans for it! I hope you enjoyed, let me know what you think! Thanks for reading 3