It was slowly becoming a pattern, her waking up to find Jay gone. Most of the time he had woken up to go on a run, and she was grateful for the extra sleep. Her worries were minimal as he always made a point to leave a note beside her bed or in their bathroom, explaining where he had gone. Sometimes it was to the gym, other times it was meeting Will for breakfast. Occasionally he was just downstairs, and those mornings became her favorite, knowing he was close by and she could sneak in a few kisses before they had to go to work.
This morning the note just said he had gone to meet a CI and he would catch up later. Hailey didn't get much time to process it before her phone was ringing, but neither her work nor her personal phone. No, this one was coming from their closet where their UC phones were stashed. The caller ID showed the name of a woman she was working, hoping to get information on some drug ring in a nicer area of town.
The rest of the morning was rushed as she got dressed, calling Voight and texting Jay. She hadn't made much progress with the woman yet, but she was hoping that would change soon. Voight gave her the go ahead and she spent the rest of the time calling Jay, needing backup for this case.
At the last second, she reached for her ring, nerves spreading through her as she realized she had to wear it. Her current undercover persona was stay at home soccer mom, and to make it believable, she needed to be married. It was another reason why Jay was her second, because it was easy to play off that they were married if something happened. The nerves however bothered her. This was going to be the first time that she wore her wedding ring around Intelligence, even if no one else knew about it.
She was walking to her car when Jay replied, asking for the address and telling her he was on the way. A quick reply and a 20 minute drive later, she was parked at the soccer fields, searching for her contact. The case only escalated from there when the woman she was working slipped them and overdosed in her own home, her kids a room away. Without much warning, the case became high profile, the victim the daughter of a judge, who was a close friend of Voight. There would be eyes on this, and she was struggling to comprehend just how bad this could turn out.
It was back at the district when she almost slipped up. She was in the locker room, changing out of her "soccer mom" clothes as Jay called it earlier when Kim walked in. They made small talk, Kim asking her how her weekend was while she told Kim they should go out together sometime. Hailey was about to leave and start on the case when Kim stopped her.
"Hailey," she said, prompting her to turn back to the younger woman. Her gaze was fixed on her hand and Hailey's thumb instinctively twirled the band. "Don't forget the ring."
She just laughed, trying to play it off while her heart pounded in her chest. It was so familiar, so natural to wear it that she really did almost forget.
"That would be awkward," she replied, smiling at the brunette. "I'm so used to my other ring it didn't faze me."
The words were purposeful as her eyes were fixed on Kim. She was looking for something, some sort of reaction to see how well she and Jay were doing at keeping this quiet. Somedays she wished she could tell the team, especially as she finally felt like she fit in with this crew. But judging by the way Kim's head tilted slightly, she must not have noticed her everyday jewelry.
"I know the feeling," Kim said, and it was Hailey's turn to be confused. Did she know, she wondered, but before she could ask, Kim answered her silent questions.
"I was engaged a few years ago," she began, suddenly looking nervous. "To Ruzek."
"You and Adam were engaged?" Hailey questioned. Honestly, it kind of made sense because the two always had this weird connection, this pull that Hailey guessed was how she and Jay worked. She maybe would have guessed that they had a fling once or twice, but she wouldn't have guessed they were engaged.
"Yeah," Kim explained. "We ended it because we weren't ready. I was still on patrol and Adam was in Intelligence. It taught me a lot about dating a cop, and myself."
She paused, almost like she was thinking about her next words. Part of Hailey wanted to pry, wanted to know what happened, how Voight handled this, because it would put her mind at ease.
Since Jay's last UC with the kidnapping case, every day she woke up wondering if they should tell the team, because in her mind, it would take the burden off of them. This secret was beginning to affect their relationship, and she refused to burn their careers because of who they married.
"There were times when Voight questioned me, questioned us and our ability to do the job. I moved into Intelligence after we broke off our engagement and it took some adjusting to everything. But I think it made us better cops. It made us grow up, evaluate our priorities and what we wanted out of life."
Kim's words were exactly what she wanted and didn't want to hear. The only difference is she had done what she wanted to do in her career before she got married. There wasn't a whole lot people could throw at her, saying she slept her way up or got her promotions because her husband was in one of the most elite units. No, she knew she had done that all by herself, and she would do it all again, every single time.
"I never would have known if you didn't tell me," Hailey told her honestly. "But I get it. It's hard being a woman, especially in a place like this that is under a microscope so often. I've had my fair share of comments and looks, but I wouldn't change my career for anything."
"For what it's worth," she continued, looking Kim in the eye. "It's obvious you care about each other, and in a unit like this, when we see the things we see every day, it's good to have someone to learn on, to fall back on. Even if Adam isn't that person for you, sometimes that familiarity is better than nothing."
Hailey had been more honest than she planned, but it felt good to let someone in just a little bit. She didn't have lots of female friends, and she'll admit she felt a little intimidated by Kim when she joined. The other woman had to know that Hailey had been her temporary replacement, and when Erin left, Hailey had stayed. While she had never experienced it firsthand, she couldn't fathom how awkward it may have been to find out you had been replaced by someone who outranked you and got your job back because someone left. But Hailey also knew that they were part of a small group, and in a unit like this with crazy hours and no free time, even one girlfriend was better than none.
"Thanks Hailey," Kim said after a few moments. "It means a lot to hear you say that."
"I'm always here for you," Hailey replied before tilting her head towards the direction of the bullpen. "Let's go."
"Hello?" she heard Jay say, his voice laced with sleep. The ringing of a cell phone woke her up and she heard Jay groan as he got out of bed. Hailey started to fall back asleep but the sudden alertness in Jay's voice had her sitting up in bed.
"Slow down, what happened?" Jay said as he grabbed a pair of jeans from their closet and tugged them on. She just watched as he made his way around the room, between his urgency and sporadic movements, she was getting out of bed herself.
"No," he whispered, moving his phone away from her ear. "Hold on."
She paused, watching him as he wrapped up the conversation on the phone before throwing it on the bed. Her arms crossed as she walked towards him until they were inches apart.
"What's going on?" she asked. It wasn't like him to be this worried so it was concerning her.
"That was a CI," he explained as he reached for his gun, slipping it in the waistband of his jeans. She always gave him crap for keeping it there, but he always just rolled his eyes playfully at her in return.
"There was a shooting at a party she was at," he said, causing her heartrate to skyrocket.
"And she called you?" Hailey asked, confused and worried at the same time.
"She sounded scared," he told her. "She asked if I could come get her, said she heard shots being fired and ran."
"Jay she could be a witness," she tried reasoning, but she was too tired to really put any weight to her words.
"I know," he said, walking away to grab his hoodie and his jacket from its spot on the chair in the corner, where he threw them the night before. "Give me 15 minutes before you call Voight, please?"
Hailey felt he was slipping, that he was pulling away from her again. But his request for their help gave her some hope that he had his head on straight enough that she wouldn't be completely blindsided.
"Okay," she whispered, reaching out to him. He complied instantly, his arms moving to wrap around her body. No other words were said as he kissed her forehead and walked away, leaving her to get dressed too. Fifteen minutes went by and she found herself in their kitchen, making coffee and calling Voight. Jay had texted her the address in the meantime and she was out the door, two coffees in hand for both her and Jay, knowing it would be a long day.
It wasn't hard to find Jay at the scene and Voight arrived at the same time she did. He didn't say anything luckily, just led the way towards the space where Jay stood alone.
"Hey," Voight said as they reached Jay. "What's going on?"
Jay turned around to face their boss, a look of panic on his face. Something more than a shooting happened here, and the nerves she felt months ago returned in that moment.
"Female victim, two GSWs," he began before Voight cut him off.
"No, Jay. What's going on, meaning, what the hell are you doing here?"
She could have told him, but she just snuck a glance at Voight and around at the scene. It was Jay's CI, and she didn't know anything about who this girl was or why Jay was her first call.
"All right," he began, some confidence returning to him. "So, I was here, working a CI."
That wasn't the story, Hailey said to herself. Jay had been home in bed with her all night, so there must have been some reason for him to lie like that.
"What CI?" Voight asked.
"Camila Vega," he said, shooting a look at her. "From the Veil Club."
"The girl from the kidnapping case?" she asked, not being able to be silent much longer. It suddenly explained a lot, and while she wished it surprised her, it didn't in the least. "Luis' sister?"
Jay just nodded while Voight commented on this information, and she couldn't hide the look of disappointment she was sure was on her face.
"She on paper?" Voight asked, causing Jay to avert his eyes. She knew the answer before he spoke.
"No."
"Was the victim at the party?"
"Yeah, I believe so," Jay answered, trying to be nonchalant but Voight wasn't having any of it.
"You believe so?" he asked. "You been drinking. Anything else?"
Hailey couldn't believe the audacity, but she wasn't going to give Jay up now. There would be time later for her to yell at him, because she hated the position he had just, unintentionally or not, put her in.
"Just drinking," Jay answered calmly.
"Okay," Voight began. "Go back to the office. Don't talk to anyone, write up your IPR."
The mumbled okay that came from Jay was quick as he left, leaving Hailey standing beside Voight. She hoped he wouldn't question her, asking if she could back up Jay's story. The whole "don't talk to anyone" wouldn't apply to her, and she didn't care if Voight had a problem with that. She was pissed, borderline angry at what just happened, all of it targeted at Jay.
"Okay, work the body. I'll talk to homicide," was all Voight said before walking off, leaving her alone. She tried to snap out of it and focus on the job as she walked towards the covered body in the middle of the street. She asked the questions, listening as crime scene techs filled her in. She felt the headache forming behind her eyes, and she needed it to hold off for just a while longer. When they figured this out, she would gladly take a day or two off to nurse the migraine she was sure to get, but not right now.
Jay was nowhere to be found when she made it back to the district, but Voight didn't say anything, just asked everyone to go over what they knew about their victim. It only got worse when she and Antonio returned from the girl's apartment, the case getting stickier as the learned she was DEA.
It was close to noon when Jay finally reappeared. He didn't look at her as he walked up the stairs and she tried not to let herself stare for too long, just listened to Kim and Antonio explain their new leads. She gave her theory, once again not looking at Jay and listened to Voight's own input.
"Sarge, I know Alex. I met him through Camila," Jay said before she could say something else. She looked at him then, studying him to see what else he was going to say.
"So, let me work him," Jay suggested. "Make an undercover buy."
She felt Voight's eyes on her before he replied, giving Jay the green light while instructing she go with him. Jay only looked back at her, and she kept her mouth shut as she headed towards her desk. She didn't get far, with Jay pulling her back while everyone else was occupied. He pulled her towards the locker room, and to anyone else, it would look like he wanted to get their stories straight before tonight, but that was far from the case.
Jay looked around as they entered, making sure no one else was there and the doors were all shut.
"What the hell is going on?" she asked, her voice rising when she saw they were completely alone. Jay just paced, his hands on his head like he was trying to calm himself down and control his breathing.
Minutes felt like hours before he spoke, sitting them down in the middle of the locker room where no one could see them if they walked in suddenly. His hands found hers and she let him take them for the moment, needing the contact for the time being.
"I've been talking to Camila a few times these past few weeks," he began, his head looking down at their hands. "At first she just needed someone to talk to, and maybe I still harbor some guilt from it all."
"That's okay," she told him, because it was. She didn't want to be one of those wives who got angry or jealous when their husband simply talked to another woman. "What's not okay is you lying back there. I know you weren't at the party, so why did you tell Voight you were?"
"Too many people saw me," he told her, looking back up at her. "They were all high and drunk, so no one would be able to place me, but it sounded like the best option at the time."
Hailey just nodded, her hands leaving his to cradle his face. She didn't say anything else, just learned in slowly, her lips finding his. It was brief and tender and exactly what they both needed right now. But it was over as soon as it began, not wanting to risk being caught by anyone. Jay just smiled, silently telling her thank you as they got up and got ready.
The hours ticked by and before she realized it, they were leaving for the club. It was a big first for them, she supposed, going undercover together. Maybe Voight did it on purpose, but she suspected it had something to do with keeping an eye on Jay. Despite that, it felt natural and comfortable, so that was working in her favor.
What felt weird was watching the ease at which Jay navigated the club and interacted with Alex. It surprised her how nice Alex was, as her mind somehow expected him to be this lowlife that hit on any female. The conversation was fine, flirty even a little and she couldn't hide how much she smiled, even as the smiles were in reaction to the attention she was getting from Jay in the moment.
The girlfriend comment set her off, and the carefree mood inside of her was gone. Jay covered almost too easily and just like that the simmering anger was back. He managed to work the deal well, but she supposed karma was a bitch when she saw Jay get caught off guard at Alex's tip that Camila was selling too. The poor guy tried to back track, but it didn't work.
The icing on the cake was the mention of Jay sleeping with Camila. In that instant, she hoped there was some alternative explanation that would explain what the hell just happened. She couldn't be mad that the deal was a bust, because it was in the shadow of the anger that was growing and growing in her body.
She tried to shoot Jay a look, but he ignored her, continuing on this act of smooth-talking Alex in a way that, if she wasn't so pissed off, was a thing of beauty. That man could get what he wanted whenever he wanted it, a trait that served him well in their bedroom, not that she minded one bit. But right now, she did.
She inserted herself into the conversation, trying to make it known that they were a package deal. If it seemed like she was too possessive, it's because she was, but Alex paid no mind at all, just asked the necessary questions and then they were out of there.
Jay had to know she was simmering, that she was a bomb waiting to go off. She shoved the door open, the cool air meeting her in the face and she realized how hot she was in there, and it wasn't because of her coat and sweater.
"Did you really know that Camila was dealing?" she asked, not letting anything slip past them. Jay didn't answer her, just looked at her briefly and he wasn't getting out of this, not right now.
"We're gonna talk about this, now," she told him more forcefully.
"No, I didn't but I'm not surprised. That's why I've been working her."
The headache from before was back with a vengeance, and the pain only added to her silent fury.
"You're not working her, Jay," she argued, her feet stopping as she stood in place. "You're dating her!"
They were words she didn't expect to say, but that's exactly how she felt. This entire situation read like this, and she wasn't going to go off on him now, not when there were so many people around.
"And you got her on paper now," she continued before the next words spilled out without warning.
"You screwing her is a fire able offense."
She had no reason to believe this was happening, and part of her was trying to rile him up, to see what his reaction would be. It was wrong, she knew that, and knew it wasn't fair to Jay, but her emotions and actions were so far beyond being able to be controlled. Every emotion under the sun was going through her mind and body: anger, jealousy, disappointment, regret, and it was hard to control them all. Hailey wanted to think that it had been an act, that maybe when he was with her, he turned on the charm to get whatever information he needed. She couldn't be mad at him for that, because she had done that on more than one occasion. It was something that made it easier to be married to a cop, she supposed. They both understood the dark underbelly of the job, the things they had to do that went against their morals. But the one thing she knew for a fact was he had never slept or even kissed someone in order to get information. The Erin thing was different, and that was her own insecurities peeking out, but they worked past it and were better because of it. This, this was different, and those insecurities were back, and Jay was her only punching bag.
"And now she's mixed up in all this?" she continued. "What, are you gonna lie to the Feds next?"
"My relationship with Camila got us here," he shot back, his own anger coming out. "It got us the buy with Alex, who's gonna lead us to the shooter."
She chose her next words carefully, asking the question she didn't want to know the answer with. His silence was more than enough to make her assume the worst. But she could read his emotions so well, and she could tell he was trying to regain control and not explode right there.
"What are you doing?" she exploded as Jay walked away from her before turning back, assuring her he was fine, that they were fine. He told her they could figure this out as he laid out a game plan before her. She couldn't say all she wanted to now, not when they were so wrapped up with the Feds. The disappointment in him was real, and she let it be known. Hailey could see the toll this had taken on him.
"We gotta talk to Voight about this."
Her statement hung in the air between them, and that's when she saw it, the panic, the fear in his eyes. The redness surrounding his eyes was clearly from tears threatening to spill. That's when she knew, that everything Alex said was a lie. Jay was hating the fact that she had to hear all of that. She regretted her words moments earlier, but she saw Jay was beating himself up over what Alex said and implied inside. Maybe he had gotten a little flirty and that's what people saw. They didn't know who Jay Halstead really was, but she did. She could see the stress that was building inside of him, threatening to break the walls he had put up in the past few weeks.
"No, not yet," he pleaded with her, pleading to let them keep this quiet until they had a real chance to talk. A time when their anger had died down and the stress of the case was gone.
"Give me a few hours, please," he asked. She wanted to give him a chance to make this right, and she believed he could do it.
"A few hours," she said. "That's it."
Jay just nodded before turning to walk away not going very far until he stopped. Turning back around to face her. In an instant, her back was against the brick wall of the tunnel where his car was parked, his lips on hers. The kiss was bruising and hot in the best way, and she could feel the want and desire coming from Jay. She sighed as his lips made their way to her ear while he found the spot just below at the curve of her jaw, his leg wedging itself between both of hers, pressing into her just enough that the seam of her jeans was doing something to her body.
"I only love you," he whispered against her skin, biting down lightly but she was so turned on that the pain was eclipsed by the sheer pleasure coursing through her system. "There has been only one woman I have kissed since I met you, only one woman I have touched since I met you, only one woman I have been inside of since I met you and that is you, and, I promise you, that will never change."
His words could have made her break right there and his mouth found hers again before she could reply.
"I'd rather die than be with someone else, Hailey Halstead," he mumbled against her lips before pulling away, leaving her to stand there and catch her breath. He just looked at her, his eyes filled with lust and want, and she wished they were going home right then so she could have her way with him. The urgency in his voice, the pure desire told her all she needed to know about where they stood, and it didn't matter what anyone else said, she knew without a doubt that he was telling the truth. He always did and always would.
Even while the case went downhill from there, Hailey's faith in Jay never wavered. She could see he wanted to help Camila, because she was just put in a bad situation with no way out. Alex's confession that Camila recruited him only set off Jay, and she tried her best to keep him under control, but it was no use.
She was the one that followed Jay, recruiting Voight to tag along. It was better this way, she told herself, that they could get ahead of this and maybe prove that they could do this, even during the worst of cases. It hurt to hear Jay be gentle with this girl, even more to hear him say I love you. He was pushing her, for their case, and Camila needed to think he was on her side. Hailey knew Jay would try to help everyone, to get justice for their victim while making sure Camila didn't get screwed, despite everything she just admitted. She constantly felt Voight's eyes on her, but she never wavered, not once.
The only words that were spoken between she and Voight was to ask if they were really going to let Jay do this. As much as she hated it, Voight was right, this was the best chance at making this case. Before she knew it, they set a meet time, and everyone was in place while Jay was with Camila. They were so close; this was almost done and then she could breathe once more.
It went downhill in an instant. Jay was pushing too hard, and in a rare moment she slipped up, mumbling to herself as Voight sat beside her. The click of the gun was audible, and she panicked briefly but before she could react, she could hear punches being thrown and a door opening followed by the distinctive "Chicago PD" ringing through their comms. She and Voight were out of the car instantly, rushing towards the back door of the club.
She first saw Camila with the gun and her eyes soon registered Jay being held back by Al as she moved to cuff Camila. It was twisted in her mind that she felt a weird sense of satisfaction in arresting this girl, but she pushed it aside, her gaze trained on Jay who was breathing heavily, a telltale sign of the adrenaline rush he had to have been feeling. Camila tensed up, and Hailey could tell she realized just who Jay was.
When they arrived back at the district, she just walked past Jay, giving him the space Voight allowed but not wanting to wander too far. She could hear the bite in Camila's words, felt Jay's heart break a little. Antonio moved to get her as she stood off to the side, her eyes meeting Jay's before she walked upstairs.
Interrogations were routine until the bomb got dropped. Voight didn't argue with her talking to Camila, only asking that Antonio take the lead. Camila's story remained the same as what she told Jay at the bridge. But the game changed as she watched the woman lean across the table, her eyes locked on Antonio as she spoke.
"I was in the back room screwing your partner."
She had breathed out a laugh, any sympathy she had for this girl leaving in that moment. Throwing Jay under the bus would get her nowhere if she wanted a chance at a life. Antonio looked back at her before standing up, and all she could do was turn and walk outside.
They all met back in the bullpen, Antonio explaining to the others what she said while they waited for Voight and Al. Jay was nowhere to be found and it worried her as she stood by Kim's desk.
"What's her excuse?" Adam asked.
"She was screwing Jay," Antonio replied, the bitterness evident in his tone.
"Seriously?" Kevin said. "That's the best she could do?"
Antonio just shrugged and Hailey was glad they were leaving her out of it.
"How do we know that's not the truth?" Adam asked, and Hailey wanted to punch him right there. She stood in place, feet cemented to the floor as her arms crossed her chest. The guys talked back and forth, arguing over the believability of Camila's story. Eventually, Voight and Al reappeared, asking about Camila and Antonio repeated what she said once more.
"It doesn't matter," Voight said before walking to his office but before he reached it, Kevin spoke up, his question aimed at her.
"What do you think Hailey?" he asked, always trying to be the middleman keeping the peace.
"It doesn't matter what I think," she told everybody, no one hearing the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs.
"Someone accuses your partner of screwing her and it doesn't matter?" Adam asked. "Jay was at the party, had some kind of relationship with this girl, so how do we just dismiss that, act like it didn't happen."
"Because it didn't," Jay said, prompting all eyes to turn towards his, but he was only focused on one person: her. Instinctively, she moved away from him, turning her body so the rest of the team couldn't see her face.
"Hey man," Kevin said, trying to calm everyone down. "We didn't mean…"
Jay sighed before cutting Kevin off, looking at her once more before his eyes fixed on everyone else in the room.
"I'm only going to say this once," he said, his voice calm as he spoke. "I didn't sleep with her; I didn't even kiss her. Yes, I was working her as an unwitting and there were times when I flirted with her, trying to get some information. But it never went past that."
He looked back at her, silently asking the question that had been hanging over their heads. She only nodded in response; the motion so small it could have been more of a tick than an actual nod. But Jay knew, and he sighed once more before looking back at the rest of the team.
"I wouldn't cheat on my wife."
No one moved, everyone shocked at the revelation that just came from one of the most private people on this team. Adam looked embarrassed, as did Antonio, and Kevin and Kim looked like they would rather be anywhere but there. Only Voight and Al seemed unfazed, the latter not surprising her at all if he knew this tiny detail.
"You're married?" Kim asked softly, breaking the silence in the room. "Since when?"
Jay chuckled lightly, looking down at the ground before glancing at her. Hailey tried to shoot him a look telling him no, not to do this here and now. The idea of the team suddenly knowing terrified her, and they didn't need something to happen that got one of them transferred out.
"About four years," he answered as his eyes finally found hers. He read her right away, spotting the fear and worry she was sure was in her eyes. To his credit and to avoid further suspicion, he looked back at the team, shrugging like it was no big deal, because it wasn't.
"Seriously?" Adam asked, earning an eye roll from Jay as silence fell among the room.
Kim was the first to speak up, a small smile on her face as she spoke, congratulating Jay. Everyone else mumbled their own version, clearly still processing it all. Kevin was the next to speak, asking Jay who his wife was and why he never talked about her.
"I wasn't trying to keep it a secret," he explained. "She's also a cop and does a lot of undercover work so it was best for us to keep it quiet."
"You should bring her to Molly's sometime," Kevin said, to which everyone began agreeing. The nonchalant and easy way everyone seemed to suddenly accept this fact baffled her, but it didn't change her mind that she didn't want it known she was Jay's wife.
"Sounds good to me," Jay replied, but before anyone else could say anything, Voight interrupted them, asking how they wanted to proceed and wrap this case up.
They had enough to charge Wallace with murder, and Camila would be charged as well. Hailey felt Jay tense up, but she just squeezed his hand, grateful that she could now offer him some form of comfort when they were surrounded by the team. It felt like a weight was lifted off her shoulders and she could be herself, not having to hide or pretend anymore.
As they all dispersed to their desks and finish up the paperwork, she heard Voight call Jay into his office. Hailey had a feeling about what was about to be discussed, but she let it go for now. But with everyone distracted, she used the time to disappear, only one destination in mind.
There was a little relief at finding no one else in the holding cells for the evening, a rarity at a busy district like theirs. But it was a chance to say what needed to be said, to really see how Camila would react when no one else was around.
Despite having questioned Jay's faithfulness before, this time, she didn't believe a word anyone else said. In the past few months, even with all the bumps in the road, it only served to make them stronger. Whatever caused both Alex and Camila to say Jay was sleeping with her, it wasn't the truth, not for one moment. She also knew for a fact that Camila's so-called alibi was a lie, because she would testify without a second thought that at the time Camila claimed Jay was screwing her, he happened to be in bed with her, his wife.
As her eyes laid on Camila sitting in the cell, she felt a little sorry for her. From what they had learned and what Jay had said, the brunette across from her had been dealt a shitty hand. She was just trying to make things right, and to her, as illegal as it was, she thought recruiting dealers would make ends meet.
Hailey just stared at her, waiting and watching to see if she reacted. It didn't take long before she spoke, her gaze trained on the empty space in front of her.
"What's his real name?" Camila asked.
"Doesn't matter," she responded instantly. Her instinct in that moment was to protect Jay, but not from himself, but from this woman.
"Does to me," came a whispered response as Camila looked back at her. She saw the defeat in her eyes, the slight regret and she chose to oblige her, just this once.
"Jay," she answered, getting a small nod and maybe a hint of a smile in place of any words.
"You got lucky," she continued while Camila looked back at her. "Wallace confessed, you're off the hook for the murder."
A deep sign came from Camila, the pure relief settling Hailey's remaining frustration. It didn't matter though, she still had to be charged but maybe she could cut her a break since no one else seemed to except for Jay.
"But you will be charged with felony drug distribution, and more than likely, accessory to murder. However, if you cooperate, I can probably convince them to look the other way on that and help you out with that drug charge."
"What do you mean "cooperate"?" Camila asked, and Hailey knew she had her.
"Just keep your mouth shut about Jay," she began, hoping to call Camila's bluff. "He's a guy that came into your bar, asked questions. The night of the murder, you were at a party with a bunch of your friends, one of them was Ryan. Later, you found out he was a cop. No sex, no back room."
Even while she regretted it, she needed Camila to agree to this for Jay's sake. He was on record at being at the party when it went down, and she knew the potential consequences if they found out he lied. He slipped up for sure, but no one saw the struggles she did. No one saw how the case with Luis caused his PTSD to rear its ugly head, how the shooting a few months back played a role as well. Jay was trying, she saw that every day, and neither of them was perfect. But four years was a long time, and she wasn't giving up now.
But she was still hoping that Camila would admit to lying, to using Jay as an alibi, even if just to her. While she knew it was a lie, and now so did the unit, it still stung to hear those words spoken out loud. Her heart knew it wasn't true, but past relationships and insecurities didn't help his case. But she learned from their argument over Erin months ago, knew she needed facts before making judgements, and this time, like it should have been back then, she trusted Jay with her life, with her heart and her soul, and he felt the same. That was all that mattered to her.
"What, like I never even knew him?" Camila asked.
"You didn't."
Her words were ice, not wanting to tip her hand. There may have been a part of Camila that believed that maybe Jay, or Ryan as she knew, could have been her saving grace, and Hailey could sympathize with that, because that's what Jay was to her.
"You do that," she told her. "I'll give you a chance to have a life. You don't, I'll bury you."
Camila tried to hold back tears and failed. She looked defeated, and she was. But if she was smart, Hailey thought, she would make the right decision and stay silent.
"I won't say a word."
Good girl, Hailey thought. That was all she needed as she turned to walk away but Camila spoke once more, desperation in her voice.
"Like hell if I didn't know him," she said. "The person you know, that's the lie."
Hailey stared at her, a switch inside her flipping as she locked eyes with Camila.
"The only person lying here is you, not Jay," she said, her voice deadly. "I don't know what you have said, or what you have thought, but let me tell you something. Your alibi? Your claims that you were screwing Jay at the time of the murder? A lie."
"You don't know anything," Camila shot back, and for a moment, Hailey worried she would back out of their agreement.
"I know he wasn't there. I know where he really was when you called him, because I was right beside him, in our bed. So, don't you dare sit there and claim you were fucking my husband, or else our deal goes away and you get charged with everything."
She watched as Camila's expression changed, Hailey's words registering in her mind. Anger shifted to regret and fear, and Hailey knew her threats were useless. She wouldn't say anything.
"Jay is a good man," she continued, needing Camila to hear what she would say next. "He blamed himself for your brother getting shot, and he took it upon himself to make sure you were okay, that you were taken care of. I knew the entire time everything he was doing, because he believed that you didn't deserve to get the brunt of everything."
Hailey paused, her voice softening as she spoke again. Tears formed in Camila's eyes and she took a moment to let this settle in her mind before this woman was erased from existence.
"I am sorry this happened to you. But I'm not sorry for standing beside my husband, and I would do it all again in a heartbeat."
By the time she had made it back upstairs, she found everyone else gone and a sticky note on her desk from Jay.
Went home, will pick up dinner on the way. – Jay
She couldn't fight the smile, knowing she was hungry and exhausted. If one of them hadn't gotten dinner, she wouldn't have eaten at home. He conversation with Camila had drained her more than she expected, as did the weight of Jay's revelation.
Part of her was regretting not letting him tell the team, because she didn't expect the fear that followed the reality of everyone knowing. But at the same time, a small weight was gone from her shoulders. It was all that consumed her mind on the drive home, anxious to face Jay and not knowing how he felt about everything.
His truck in the driveway told her he beat her home, and only served to increase the nerves she felt. The logical side of her brain told her there was nothing to worry about, because this was Jay, the man she loved and married all those years ago. But her heart felt differently, a twinge of fear making its way in when she thought about all of the possible reactions he could have. Would he be angry, upset at her? Would he think that she was ashamed at their marriage, at him, and that's why she chickened out? There seemed to be a million different things going through her brain, but she knew she couldn't hide out in her car forever.
Every step towards the front door felt like she had weights strapped around her feet, but as she opened the door and found the lights dimmed slightly and the sounds of the song they danced to at their wedding, all of her fears went away.
"Jay?" she called out as she closed the door, setting her keys in the dish beside the front door. She didn't hear anything as she walked further into the house, the sound of the music becoming louder as she approached the kitchen.
Hailey started to say his name again but stopped when she saw him standing in the middle of the kitchen, a sort of déjà vu to the night she took the job in Intelligence. Except instead of finding Jay dressed up with champagne, she was met with the sight of the man wearing a light grey t-shirt and black sweatpants, smiling at her like she was the best thing he had ever seen. Being the dork he was, he would tell her she was exactly that.
"What's this?" she asked as she took her jacket off, throwing it on the back of the couch.
"Just wanted to surprise you," he told her, walking towards her until they were toe to toe. His arms slipped around her, his hands settling along the small of her back. He bent down as she rose on her toes, meeting him halfway for a kiss. It was the kind that was deliciously lazy, the kind she always savored after a long day like this.
As he pulled back, Hailey took a moment to look at him, taking in the look in his eyes. She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but she was pleasantly surprised to find nothing but love and calm staring back at her. Despite the intensity of the case and the things that were uncovered, Jay seemed to be okay, more so than she anticipated.
"This was some day," he told her, to which she only nodded. "So, I thought we could spend the night in bed. Just you, me and a pizza."
"That sounds like the best idea," she replied as he kissed her once more before moving back to the kitchen. Hailey watched as he moved around fluidly, taking a pizza box from the oven and beers from the fridge but as he held onto their two beers in his left hand, she spotted it: the black band that had been absent for so long. It brought a smile to her face at seeing something so visual that told the world he was hers and reminding herself that she was his.
"Nice ring, detective," she commented as she made her way upstairs, Jay following behind.
"I kind of outed myself today," he replied, and she was glad she couldn't see his face. She would have to face it eventually and, in that moment, it seems like her best bet was to just rip off the band-aid. Hailey didn't say anything the rest of the way to the room, only turning around after she entered. There must've been some look on her face that told Jay she wanted to talk about this right now because he set the pizza and beer on the small dresser near the door before walking towards her.
"I'm not upset," he told her, his hands reaching up to cup her face. "I'm not upset at all."
"Really?" she replied, hating how her voice sounded like a desperate teenage girl. But Jay just smiled and nodded.
"It was a long time coming honestly," Jay said. "I can't believe I hadn't slipped up before, but I couldn't stand the idea of them thinking I would have slept with her. Because I would never."
Her mind flashed back to months ago, when she was accusing of Jay doing exactly that with Erin. But she knew now her mistake back then, and how much she trusted Jay. She had apologized more than once since then, probably to the point Jay was likely annoyed, but this time around was different. This time, she didn't jump to conclusions or assume the worst, she asked and patiently waited for answers, which Jay had given her willingly and calmly.
"I know you wouldn't," she told him, her own hands moving to grip his wrists, her thumbs moving gently on the back of his hands. "But the sudden idea of them knowing scared me. And it's scaring me even more because I don't know why."
"It's okay, Hails. I promise it's okay," Jay reassured her. "Dropping that bomb on top of the one I did share today would have been a lot for them, trust me."
She laughed lightly at his joke, leaning into his left hand on her cheek, letting the coolness of his ring ground her a little bit.
"We do this at our pace, nothing more, nothing less. Voight knows, and for now, that's the only person that really needs to know, right?"
Hailey just nodded, mumbling in agreement as Jay leaned down to kiss her, this one so similar to the one they shared minutes earlier, but it felt more comfortable, more relaxed, and that was something she so desperately needed right now. A million other things were going through her mind, all different things she wanted to talk to Jay about with this case, but for now, they could wait. They were both exhausted: mentally, emotionally, physically if that was even possible, and Hailey wanted nothing more than a quiet and lazy night in.
"Are you going to wear your ring to work now?" she asked softly, earning a laugh from him as he pulled her into bed before leaving to get their pizza.
"Do you want me to?" he replied, and Hailey couldn't help but smile as she watched him mindlessly play with the object in question.
"Yeah, it'd be pretty hot to see you be all stern and cocky knowing you're off the market."
"Well then it's settled, Detective," Jay said, leaning to kiss her cheek as he rejoined her in bed.
"That's Mrs. Halstead to you," Hailey laughed as Jay gently nipped at her neck.
"Damn right it is."
And that wraps up this storyline, but it's only getting started! Let me know what you all think and thanks for reading! Hope everyone enjoyed!
I'm hoping to have the next few chapters up soon to wrap up with the season 5 storylines, but don't hold me to it! Every single comment and review help me to write and it means the world! Til next time friends!
