"Mommy?"
Hailey turned around, finding a still sleepy Finn standing in the doorway of the kitchen. She had to admit that she was still getting used to that word, but it never stopped her from smiling every time she heard it.
"Morning sleepy head," she replied. She laughed as he stumbled his way around the island in the kitchen, barely reaching his arms up to be held. His half-asleep state caused him to be heavier than normal, but Hailey didn't care. She didn't think there would ever be a time when she didn't oblige his requests to be held or snuggled.
"Where's daddy?" he asked, his head resting on her shoulder while she held him against her.
"Daddy got called into work," she explained. "But I thought we could go surprise him with lunch?"
Finn's head shot off her shoulder, the five-year-old suddenly wide awake, his grin infectious to her all the time.
"Really?" he asked, eyes wide with excitement. Hailey nodded at him, tossing him gently on her hip, earning giggle from the little boy.
"Really really," she exaggerated. "And you can see everyone there!"
"I gotta get dressed!" he said as he tried to wiggle out of Hailey's arms. She held him tighter, walking towards one of the stools at the island. As she sat him down, he tried to break free from her, but she stopped him quickly.
"Not just yet, cause you need breakfast." She couldn't help herself from smiling. He was just like his father, ambitious as always.
"Plus," she began, "lunch isn't for almost four hours. So, we have time to kill before then."
She watched Finn think it over while she finished making eggs. It hit her then how lucky she was, watching her son, as strange as that was to think about, while she made breakfast and sipped on her coffee. The one thing that could make this better was if Jay were with them, standing beside her as they watched Finn ramble on about school or his favorite show.
"Can I bring Daddy a present?" he said after a while. Finn had been silently eating his breakfast for the past few minutes, still pondering what he wanted to do.
"I think he would love that," Hailey said, her heart swelling even more because of this little boy. "What are you thinking?"
She knew he already had the idea, he just needed her approval first. Another way he was just like his father, they both wanted to please her every second of every day.
"You know the photo on his desk?" Finn asked. Hailey just nodded, knowing exactly what he was talking about. it was Jay and Finn when Finn was a baby, both decked out in Cubs gear.
"I think he needs a new picture, one with you in it. Because you're part of our family."
The world was so simple to him, and Hailey appreciated that every day, but not as much as Jay did. In his line of work, there was nothing simple, and everything was dark and messy. Finn was the biggest bright spot in his life, something Hailey knew to be true. After every bad case, he never failed to hold Finn a little tighter, let the little boy fall asleep between them.
"I think he would love that," Hailey smiled. "You want to find one on my phone? And we can get it printed and framed?"
Finn nodded, shoving the last bit of eggs into his mouth. Hailey barely had time to yell to him to be careful before he was jumping off the stool and running to her room.
She wouldn't deny that the sound of little feet running around pulled at her heart, reminding her of a recent conversation. It had been about a month ago that Jay brought up kids and she wouldn't deny that had been on her mind for a while now. If was being honest, the second she and Jay became serious, the idea of having a baby with him was almost always at the forefront of her mind. Finn would be the best big brother, but work had been a lot for them both right now, so the idea of another kid was put on the backburner.
"Mommy," Finn yelled. She saw him seconds later rounding the corner from the hallway, running towards her with her phone outstretched in his hands.
"Daddy called you," he told her, crawling onto the couch where she sat beside him. Being the smart kid he is, he flipped the TV from the news to one of his favorite shows. This was why summer was her favorite, she could just relax for a few months with no students. Now, she got a taste of how summer would be for the rest of her life, sitting here with Finn and any other kids they may have while Jay was off fighting the bad guys, as Finn always said.
Just as Finn said, Jay had called her, and texted her when she clearly hadn't replied.
Stop by the district later, he sent.
"Okay," she whispered to herself as she typed out the same word. It was barely after she hit send that she got a reply.
Bring Finn. Everything is okay.
She had to smile at his words. He knew before she did that if he didn't say everything was okay that she would worry nonstop. Even while her worrying about him was nothing new, it still didn't stop her, but now, given their circumstances, she would always worry about him and whether he would come home at night.
"Guess what?" she asked Finn, needing to shake her mind off all images of Jay being hurt.
"What mommy?" he asked, her heart swelling at his sweet voice.
"Daddy wants us to stop by the station later."
"Really?" he asked again. It was almost like he didn't remember they were already going.
"Really really," Hailey repeated. "So, let's get dressed and find a picture and we can go!"
Finn jumped off the couch and sprinted towards his room with Hailey following behind him. This was the kind of thing she could get used to everyday, even when it was already her life.
"Where is daddy?" Finn asked for maybe the tenth time. If it was one of her students, maybe she would be slightly annoyed, but not at him. Plus, he always loved visiting Jay at work, so the fact that they were both here and there was no sign of Jay, his constant questioning was okay.
"Miss Trudy said they would be back soon," she told him. Trudy told her that maybe 15 minutes ago when they got here, explaining that Jay was out on an errand while everyone else was hunting down leads. Hailey knew their current case well and she wasn't worried. But it seemed odd that he wasn't with the rest of the team.
At first, her ears perked up at Jay being out on an errand, and her suspicions furthered as Trudy looked like she wasn't supposed to say anything. Her mind went to thoughts of shiny things that meant so much more than being pretty. If Jay asked her, she knew without a doubt she would say yes, but unlike their discussion of kids, they hadn't really talked about marriage. She knew it would happen for many reasons, but she wouldn't lie and say that there weren't times when she wondered if their dynamic would always include different last names.
"Mommy?" Finn said, breaking her from her train of thought.
"Yes buddy," she replied, turning him from where he was perched on Jay's desk.
"Should we call him?" he asked, and Hailey quickly began nodding at his suggestion.
"That sounds like a great idea," she said, pulling out her cell phone and finding Jay's contact. She handed Finn the phone, turning the speaker on so she could hear too. It rang twice, but there was no answer. Instead, she heard a phone ringing, the sound getting louder with each second.
"That may be daddy right there," she told Finn, moving to pick him up off of Jay's desk. Sure enough, she spotted Jay coming up the stairs. She stood to meet him, anxious to know why he requested their presence and what his errand was, but the closer he got to the floor of the bullpen, her questions grew.
"Jay?" she asked, staring at him while Finn made a beeline for his dad.
"A PUPPY!" Finn nearly screamed, and Hailey would be willing to best the people in holding cells downstairs could have heard him.
"Hey guys," Jay finally said, nerves in his eyes as he looked at Hailey. They locked eyes, Hailey reading the apology in his own before questioning, well, everything.
"So, I found out some news today, but first, meet Ranger," Jay said, tugging lightly on the German Shepard's leash to reference who he was talking about, causing the dog to tilt his head up at Jay.
"Hi Ranger," Finn said, standing beside his dad and gently petting the dog's head. They heard the little boy giggle after as Hailey saw Ranger's tongue escape and lick Finn's hand.
"Ranger?" Hailey asked, questioning the dog's name and the fact that was what Jay was during his time in the military. He seemed to understand what she was getting at, laughing lightly.
"I didn't name him, his trainer did," he replied.
"Uh huh," Hailey mumbled, crossing her arms while she looked at Jay. He still wasn't getting to the elephant, rather, dog in the room.
"Babe," Jay said, walking towards her with both Finn and Ranger following behind him.
"Jay," she replied, her tone implying she wasn't annoyed, just confused about what was going on.
He just nodded before turning to look at Finn. "Hey bud, why don't you go sit in my chair? I need to talk to mommy."
"Can Ranger come?" he asked. The boy was already crazy about the dog.
"He can sit beside you," Jay told him, letting go of Ranger's leash. They both watched Finn jump into Jay's chair, Ranger following obediently before laying his head on Finn's legs.
"Okay," Hailey said, walking back to sit on top of Jay's desk, crossing her arms to show him she meant business.
"So, the 21st was next on a list to get a K9," he explained. "And someone thought it was a great idea to give one to Intelligence."
"So, the unit now has a dog?" Hailey asked, watching as Jay now avoided her eyes.
"Well…"
"We now have a dog," she concluded, Jay confirming her thoughts by nodding.
"Hails," he said softly, stepping towards her, one of his legs wedging between hers. His hands reached for hers, grasping them as he uncrossed her arms.
"I just found out this morning. And I've used them before when I was in the Army, so they preferred to give him to me. I think I'm the only one they trust to keep him alive."
His joke fell flat as Hailey sighed, fully knowing this dog was coming home with them. If she was being honest, she never had a problem with it, it was just a shock after her mind had been racing all day with what Jay needed to tell her.
"Babe, I didn't mean to spring this on you. I just thought it was better to have you guys come here and meet him before I brought him home," Jay explained. She thought he was nervous, that she was mad at him, but as she looked to her left to watch Finn and Ranger become best friends, her heart melted and there was no denying their family just got a little bigger.
"Well, Finn has been asking for a dog," she said, turning back to Jay, smiling softly. He quickly returned her smile, pulling her closer as he kissed her forehead.
"Voight let me go early, said I should get this one acquainted with you two," he said, tilting his head towards Ranger. "And we need to go to the pet store."
"You've got that right, Halstead," Hailey shot back, eyes twinkling with mischief. "Cause he needs a bed. He's not sleeping in our bed."
Jay laughed at her, digging out his phone to capture the moment between his son and his new dog. The sounds of the camera shutter caused Finn's head to look up, a look of worry suddenly crossing his features.
"Buddy, what's wrong?" Jay asked. He couldn't see anything wrong, but as inquisitive as he is, it could be anything.
"Mommy, we can't give daddy his present," he said. Jay looked at Hailey, who was equally as confused as he was.
"Why not?"
"Because Ranger isn't in it," he answered, fumbling over the dog's name in a way only a five-year-old can. "So, we need another picture."
Hailey just nodded, agreeing with him and his logic, because he was right. Ranger was now family, and a new family picture for Jay's desk wouldn't be complete without the dog.
"I think we can fix that," Jay jumped in, sending Hailey a quick wink. He turned to walk to one side of Finn, Hailey understanding him as she moved to the opposite side. Jay flipped his camera around, squatting down next to Finn and Ranger, Hailey copying his movements.
"Turn around buddy," Hailey said softly to Ranger, the dog listening to her as if she were his handler and not Jay.
"Good boy," she whispered before turning to smile at the camera. To Jay's surprise, everyone, even Ranger, was smiling and he wouldn't lie and say that didn't become his phone background instantly.
"Perfect," he said, tickling Finn while Hailey scratched Ranger behind his ears. And to him, he wasn't just talking about the photo.
It had been close to a month since Ranger became part of their family, and the dynamic was easy to adjust to. The only change was the disappointment Finn felt when Ranger left with Jay in the morning, something that both adults tried not to laugh about.
The one difference was that now Jay had weekends off when Intelligence weren't in the middle of a case. Ranger need time off, which meant Jay got some too. No one would hide their excitement with that change, even if it took some adjusting.
Their Saturday mornings always started the same with Finn running into their bedroom the second he wakes up. Except now, the sound of his running feet was followed by paws padding on the hardwood.
"Someone's up," Jay mumbled, moving further down the bed, turning his head into Hailey's side. She squirmed as she felt the stubble on Jay's face scrape against the spot where her shirt rode up.
"Are you ever going to shave?" she asked, her fingers tracing the line of his jaw. He shook his head no, causing Hailey to laugh at his motions. Jay eventually took pity on her, soothing her sensitive skin with kisses and Hailey had to hold back the moan threatening to escape.
"Jay," she said as he pushed up her shirt, exposing the skin of her stomach. "They'll be in here soon."
"I'll lock the door," he mumbled, continuing on his mission to torture her. He stopped when he reached the spot just above her pajama shorts, looking up at her to find Hailey gazing down at him.
"You ever think about it?" he asked, knowing he didn't need to elaborate. Hailey just nodded as he kissed her stomach once again before pushing up on his arms, moving until he was face to face with her.
"I know we said we would wait," Hailey began. "But there's nothing more I want that another little baby that looks like you."
"Me too," Jay replied, kissing her softly. "Why did we say we would wait?"
Before Hailey could answer, the sound of a little boy yelling her name caused her to smirk at Jay.
"That's one of the reasons," she said as the door swung open. "Good morning!"
Finn jumped onto the bed, crawling towards Hailey as Ranger begged Jay to be pet.
"Can we go to the park today?" Finn asked, immediately jumping into it.
"Buddy it's eight in the morning," Jay reasoned.
"So?" Finn asked. "Ranger needs a walk anyways."
Hailey shot Jay a look, while Jay glared at her in return. This kid was trouble.
"You need breakfast first," Jay explained. "And I have to check and see if I have to go into work."
"Does Ranger have to go too?" Finn asked, knowing what the answer would be.
"Probably buddy, but we can worry about that later."
"How about waffles?" Hailey jumped in, knowing Jay needed an out. He whipped his head around to face her, his eyes lighting up.
"With chocolate chips?" he asked. Hailey nodded in return.
"Well what are waffles without chocolate chips? Go brush your teeth and meet me in the kitchen."
Finn jumped off the bed, leaving Hailey, Jay and Ranger behind, the dog curling up as Jay continued to pet him.
"Thanks for that," Jay said. "I hate breaking his heart."
"He knows it's your job," Hailey reasoned, reaching to pet the dog herself. "All the more reason we should consider giving him a sibling."
"I'll make you a deal," Jay said, sitting up as Hailey followed him, turning to face him. "By this time next year, we'll have a baby."
"That doesn't sound like much of a deal," she replied.
"Okay, let's call it a promise then. Deal?"
Instead of replying, Hailey leaned over, kissing him softly, letting him know how much his promise meant to her. She was beyond ready for a baby, a mini version Jay no less. She could see herself being surrounded by boys, heck she already was if you counted Ranger.
"Then you better start working on that, Halstead," she whispered, sliding out of bed but not before trailing her fingers over that sensitive spot just above his waistband that she knew made him crazy.
"Demanding woman," he groaned, listening to her laugh as she walked down the hall.
Despite their resistance, an hour later they were all on their way to the park, hand in hand with Ranger walking obediently beside Jay. The close location of Jay's apartment made it convenient, maybe a little too much, to walk to the park on weekends, which also happened to be Finn's favorite thing ever.
"What do you want to do first?" Hailey asked as they waited to cross the street. Finn looked up at her, pretending to think even though she knew what his answer was going to be.
"Can we go to the big field and play with Ranger?"
Hailey looked up at Jay, who was trying not to laugh at their son's predictability. The boy wanted any chance to play with his dog, as he liked to say, and Jay would oblige his request every time.
"Let's go," Jay said, turning to walk towards the field in question. They watched as Finn ran ahead and Jay could feel Ranger's excitement too. He laughed, this dog was as enamored as Finn was.
"You can go too, buddy," he told Ranger, unclipping his leash and letting him run towards where Finn was in the field.
"They are two are two peas in a pod," Hailey commented, her hands wrapping around Jay's upper arm as she leaned in closer, the wind picking up slightly. He felt her shiver, the Chicago wind beginning to pick up and signal the arrival of fall.
"Thanks," he told her, turning to kiss her forehead before looking back at his son and his dog.
"For what?" she asked.
"For this, all of it."
He didn't need to elaborate more, and Hailey didn't need him too. She knew what he was talking about and that was all that needed to be said. Life was great, incredible even, to Jay, and he didn't want that to be disrupted.
That thought was soon dismissed as he heard his phone ring. He groaned, knowing it was his work phone, not his personal.
"Halstead," he answered, the disdain clear in his voice. It was Saturday, his day off, and he was only called if it was absolutely necessary.
"I'll be there in ten," he replied, his voice sharp and demanding, something Hailey never really heard from him. But she could tell whatever this was, it was serious.
"Active shooter and hostage situation," he replied, turning to face her wide eyed. "I'm gonna walk you home and get my truck. Stay there until I tell you."
Hailey just nodded, unsure of what to do. In all the times Jay's been called away for a case, never has it been this immediate, and the urgency of his tone and tension in his shoulders worried her.
"Finn! Ranger!" he yelled across the field. "Let's go!"
Ranger ran back immediately, understanding the urgency in his handler's tone. Finn was a different story.
"But daddy," Finn whined, only running to run after Ranger.
"No," he snapped, cursing himself for snapping at his son. He would apologize later, but right now he needed to get them home and get to the scene.
"We can come back later," Hailey said, trying to console the little boy who seemed to be on the verge of tears. She picked him up, knowing they would get home quicker is someone was carrying him. Jay quickly clipped Ranger's leash back to his collar before grabbing Hailey's hand to lead them back.
The walk back to Jay's apartment went by in a blur, likely as Hailey was preoccupied with whatever was about to happen. She didn't know anything else about this, and she could see Jay was wired to leave. He led them into their building and into the parking garage, not once letting go of her hand.
"In," he told Ranger after opening the back door to his truck. The dog obliged immediately, Jay grabbing his vest before shutting the door.
"Do not leave," he told her again. Hailey just nodded, not ready for him to leave. She watched him quickly strap his vest on and switch on his radio, the silence between them suddenly broken by the sound of chatter over the radio. Hailey felt herself hold Finn closer, wanting to do her part for Jay and protect them both.
"I love you," she said suddenly, her voice breaking as the fear took over.
Jay didn't say anything in response, just pulled her closer and suddenly his lips were on hers. It was hard, desperate but she could feel every emotion from him in that moment. Hailey knew without a doubt that he was going to come home to them, he was going to fight to stay alive.
"I love you, too," he whispered, his forehead resting against hers. He turned to Finn, kissing him on his forehead before turning to his truck. Finn had been silent the entire time, and Hailey didn't know if he fully understood what was happening, or if he was shutting down like he did whenever he thought his dad was hurt.
"Come on," she told him, walking towards the elevator. "Let's get something to eat and we can put a movie on, okay?"
"Okay Mommy," he said, surprising Hailey by not shutting down. "Daddy is going to be okay."
"Are you a little mind reader?" she asked, jostling him lightly to lighten the mood. He giggled a little, causing her heart to swell at how far he had come since the beginning.
"Ranger is with him, and he won't let Daddy get hurt."
The logic was so simple, and while Hailey would never tell him that the world didn't work that way, she would hold onto that today. Because Finn's belief that the dog would protect Jay was good enough for her to have faith that he would walk through their front door later.
"Well I can't argue with that," she told him. "What do you want to watch?"
The number of times she had looked at the time on her phone was bordering on obsessive. It was nearing 11 pm and almost two hours ago she got the text she had been waiting for, Jay was okay and coming home. If she hadn't been with Finn, she would have cried but she didn't want to explain to Finn why.
She had been trying to keep him up, knowing both Jay and Finn would want to see each other. They had watched more Disney movies than she could count, ate so much pizza and chocolate that she was sure she would be working that off the next few weeks.
"Mommy?" Finn asked, his voice soft. He was fighting sleep since she told him Jay was on his way home, and Hailey could see he was losing that battle.
"Yes?"
"I thought Daddy was coming home," he mumbled. As if on cue, Hailey heard the lock on the door and sat up.
"I think he's here," she told him, reaching down to pick him up. His head fell on her shoulder, but as far as she could tell he was still awake.
Jay met her halfway down the hall, and her heart broke to see him this way. He looked like he aged 10 years, and she noticed a few butterfly stitches along his hairline she would ask about later. The exhaustion from the day radiated off him and all she wanted to do was make him sleep for two days.
"Hey," she whispered. She looked him over once more, finding specks of blood on his shirt she knew wouldn't come out. As her eyes reached the floor, she found Ranger with a white bandage around his front, right leg.
"What happened?" she asked. He just shook his head, not wanting to talk about it now. Instead, he reached out, taking Finn in his arms and hugging the little boy close. Hailey took the moment to bend down, scratching Ranger behind his ears.
"You're not allowed to get hurt," she told him, earning what Finn always said was a smile from Ranger. "You need to help me keep these boys in line."
She heard Jay chuckle slightly, glad that her joke released some of his tension.
"Love you Daddy," Finn whispered. Hailey was about to cry at the sight of her boys as Jay turned to kiss Finn.
"I love you too, so, so much," he replied.
"Let's get to bed," Hailey said, walking towards their bedroom. "You too, buddy," she motioned to Ranger. This was one night she would let it slide and let him sleep with them.
"I need to shower," Jay said. Finn was now out like a light as Jay set him in the middle of their bed.
"Go get in and I'll come join you," she told him, pulling the covers back to tuck Finn in. "Help him first," she motioned to Ranger who was too exhausted to jump up on the bed.
Jay nodded, picking up the dog and setting him on the bed. "You did good today, bud," he told him, scratching him on his head.
Hailey followed Jay into their bathroom, stripping her pajamas off as Jay turned the water on. The only sound in the bathroom was the water hitting the tile as Jay got undressed himself, handing Hailey his blood-stained shirt without a word, clearly not wanting to see it anymore. She took it without another word, tossing it in their laundry hamper before stepping into the shower behind him.
She stepped close to him, wrapping her arms around his torso and hugging him tight. His hands grasped hers, squeezing them softly. Neither knew how long they stood there under the hot water before the silence was broken.
"I love you," he told her, turning around to face her. His hand reached to brush some of her wet hair from her face.
"I love you, too," she said. "Do you have to go to work tomorrow?"
"No," Jay said, shaking his head. "Voight gave me until Tuesday, but I think I'm going to take the week. I have the days."
Hailey wouldn't argue with him. She couldn't remember the last time he took time off willingly, and if he was doing so now, something happened to him today.
"What happened?" she asked, voicing her thoughts.
Jay was quiet, moving to lean on the wall, clearly needing to use something to keep him upright. He was fighting sleep, and Hailey could only guess because sleep meant his demons, which meant nightmares.
"This guy was sick," he said quietly. "Not just because he did this, but the reasoning behind it. Just when I think I have seen it all, things like this happen."
Hailey couldn't say anything, just stepped closer to him, trying her best to let him know she was there. His hands cradled her face in a way that, at first, always baffled her. These same hands that treated her with such care, that held his son so gently, captured men that deserved to rot in a cell. But she never saw him as that. To her, Jay Halstead was the greatest man she's ever known, he was a good one and she saw that every day she saw him with Finn and now Ranger, and with her.
Her thoughts ended as he kissed her, slower and softer than the last one they shared. He felt deliberate in his movements, almost like he was trying to savor this moment, here with her, knowing their little family was safe. And that's all she could ask for, is that Jay came home to them alive, cuts and bruises didn't matter. At the end of the day, he was with her and Finn, and she felt okay with watching him walk out the door every day to go chase the bad guys in Chicago.
He pulled away and she didn't know how long they stood like that before he broke the silence.
"Marry me."
She pulled back to look up at him, shocked at his words. It wasn't his words that surprised her, but more the moment he asked.
"What?" she stuttered, as all coherent thoughts had left.
"I'm serious," he began, his voice stronger than it had been all day. "I've planned to do this for a while, I just haven't had the time, have a ring and everything. But today, I watched a guy lose his girlfriend in that shooting. He told me he never told her he loved her, and that he lost his chance. I don't want to lose a chance to tell you that I love you, or Finn, or ask you to spend the rest of your life with me, because you are it for me, Hailey."
"You're it for me," Hailey whispered.
"So, Hailey Ann Upton, will you marry me?"
"Yes," she replied, kissing him until neither of them knew how to breathe.
Despite the excitement that just happened, Jay was still feeling exhausted and needed sleep. They dried off as if nothing happened, Hailey slipping her pajamas back on as Jay dug around for a pair of sweatpants.
"Hey," he said, grabbing her hand as she walked around to her side of the bed. She stopped in front of him, kissing Jay once more before he pulled away.
"You deserve the real deal," he said as he bent down on one knee, keeping hold of her hand. Hailey couldn't hide the smile that stretched across her face, despite the dim lighting in the room.
"Hailey Ann Upton," he repeated from earlier. "There is nothing more I want to do than spend the rest of my life with you, raising Finn and any other children that come our way. Because you are it for me, the only one I want to wake up and fall asleep next to, bicker about anything and everything, and watch you be the best mom I know you to be. So, will you marry me?"
Hailey was crying now, hearing the words every girl dreamed of hearing.
"Yes, Jay," she said once again, this time watching him slip a ring on her finger. As he stood up, he pulled her close, hugging her tightly and she held onto him.
"Do you think Finn will be mad?" he asked her, causing her to laugh in response.
"Did he know?" she asked, prompting a nod in response.
"He's been asking every day since I told him I was going to ask you to marry me."
"I love him," she said, walking around to slip into bed, pulling Finn close to her. He was going to be in for a surprise tomorrow.
"And I love you both," Jay told her, reaching across to grasp her hand, his thumb playing with the new diamond ring there. "You are everything to me."
Sorry for the delay on this one friends! Hope it was worth the wait!
If there are any ideas you want to see with this story, please let me know! All ideas will help me write more and get you guys new stories!
(Also, can we talk about the fall finale promo?! WOW)
