It had been a few weeks now since Hailey had joined the team and been officially partnered with Jay. Everything had been going well thus far, the unit had been swamped with cases, so it was enough to keep their minds busy from their personal history. Still, as much as things had changed, so much felt the same. They were still keeping the other at arm's length and treading lightly, but their banter came back easily. Hailey fit in with the team well too, they all enjoyed the extra sass and couldn't argue that without Al and Antonio around anymore, a more-authoritative personality helped balance things once more. Also, it seemed like Jay was starting to seem happier again for the first time in years. And Hailey hadn't felt this type of camaraderie since she had left the army. While they weren't voicing it yet, Hailey and Jay were incredibly grateful to find their paths had crossed again.
Which leads into today, the unit had a lighter day than normal so they all agreed to meet up at a bar to wind down and get to know Hailey, and their newest recruit, Vanessa Rojas, better. Jay took it as his opportunity to finally get some alone time with Hailey outside of work and suggested they meet earlier for dinner to catch up. While she hesitated for a moment thinking it over, she ultimately agreed. So now they were sat at their high-top waiting for the waitress to take their food order and sipping on their drinks.
As Hailey puts her menu down Jay asks, "Let me guess, you want to split an order of wings, and then you're getting a chef's salad with extra ham and olives?"
They smirk at each other. "Am I that predictable?"
"No, I just know you, Hailey Upton."
"As much as you know I hate to say you're right, you're right… with the food. As for me though, it's been years Jay, maybe I have some surprises up my sleeve."
"I don't doubt it." He replies as they smile at each other and take another sip of their drinks.
They get quiet for a bit, but it doesn't last long as the waitress comes back asking what they want. They take it as their opportunity to regroup.
"So, what's it like living with Rojas?" Jay asks.
Voight had brought Vanessa on a week after Hailey had joined, recruiting her and Jay to take the younger officer under their wing and gage their opinion. She had a lot to learn, but was good police. Later that week Hailey had realized Vanessa had no place to officially live since her last undercover assignment had ended, and since she had a spare room she offered it up to her. After all, both were new to the team so they may as well try to fit in together. It would be good to have someone close outside of her extensive history with Jay.
"It's not bad. We're always so busy with work anyway, so it's not like we get in each other's hair at home too much. And she's definitely still living the younger, party life. Always going out to the bar and trying to get me to join. She actually reminds me a lot of us when we were much younger, idealistic but hard working."
"Yeah, she seems like a good egg. And it's nice to have some fresh blood again. The unit has been through a lot." Jay takes another sip of his drink and Hailey studies him.
"So I've heard… so how are you dealing with it all?"
Jay takes a minute to process the question and his answer. For anyone else, it would be an automatic, "fine" …but this wasn't anyone else, this was Hailey, and even though it had been years she still made him want to be honest.
"It's been a rough few years, well, you know, a rough decade is more like it… but I'm getting through it. Voight forced me into therapy last year, so that's helped a lot. Still, it's been hard not really having anyone I'm very close to anymore. I mean Will tries, but he's always so busy at the hospital and with his own life."
Hailey's eyes go wide then. "Wait, you and Will are close again?"
"Yeah, kind of. We broke the ice when he returned to Chicago for good. So we're infinitely better than we were."
"Oh, that's great. I'm happy for you. I know how angry you were that he refused to come back fulltime to help your mom while we were stationed. Speaking of, I'm so sorry about your dad… I found out a couple months after it happened and I just wasn't sure if I should reach out or not, but I should have, I just…"
Jay cuts her off and reaches out to grab her wrist. "Hailey, please, don't be! You didn't owe me anything, and you know my dad and I never really got along anyway. Which reminds me, thank you for the nice letter you sent after mom…" he can't bring himself to finish the sentence. "…I really appreciated it, and certainly wasn't expecting it after everything, but it meant a lot."
"Of course, Jay! I just wish I wasn't still stationed overseas at the time… I would like to think I would have been there if I could."
"I'm sure you would have, and you know, I wouldn't have deserved it."
"Jay…"
It's Hailey's turn to try to grab his wrist as he pulls back, but as if Father Time sensed the uncharted territory of the conversation, it's then the waitress walks over with their wings.
"Saved by the Bell!" Jay jokes, trying to lighten the mood and switch gears.
Hailey rolls her eyes. "You always did love Kelly Kapowski."
"C'mon. Tiffani Thiessen was a babe. And you're one to talk, Miss #1 Zack Morris fan."
"Hey, that was practically the only sitcom in color that played reruns over and over again while we were in Turkey." She pouts in defense.
"I enjoyed our marathons thoroughly, I'm just saying, pot – kettle." He replies.
"Alright, truce! We were clearly both dorks."
They grin as they bite into their wings, enjoying the lighthearted moment.
"Speaking of bubbly brunettes, how's Olivia? Are you guys still in touch? She went back to Cali right?"
Hailey smiles at the mention of her good friend she wished she could see more. "Yeah, she's doing great. She did go back home after we got discharged. She's married now, to Bobby no less, and they have two little kids."
"Get out! I thought those two would never get their act together."
"Yeah I guess they finally let go of their fears and realized how good they were for each other…"
She drifts off, it hitting both of them how close to home it sounds, as their eyes lock together. They feel the tension and try to push through it; Jay breaking the moment first.
"That's awesome. I'm happy for them! So what about you, any special someone in your life?"
She hesitates before answering. "You know how it goes, this life, especially so long undercover, doesn't leave much room for meeting guys."
"You're still incredibly aloof about your personal life." Jay's lips twitch up as he brings up the memory questioningly.
Hailey remembers him asking her this exact thing ions ago so she grins and replies in the exact same way, "I'm not aloof, I just don't have one…"
They both smile and bask in the recollection together as Hailey continues. "There was somebody a few years … but it didn't work out…" Hailey's eyes turn a darker blue and she quickly looks away focusing on the bar and avoiding his gaze; a hint that it's something she's not comfortable with so Jay decides not to pry anymore. After a beat she collects herself and normalizes again back to the Hailey who's so well at concealing her emotions. "What about you? Weren't you dating your partner at one point?"
Jay's brows shoot up in surprise. "Keeping tabs on me, Hailey?"
She gives him a small, sad smile. "Mouse and I got together before he went back in. I made him promise he wouldn't tell you that we hung out, you were already angry with him."
Jay laughs. "Yeah, that sounds about right. Of course he would tell you about Erin. I guess you can say things just didn't work out there either. I realize now we just weren't meant to be, we had the physical, but emotionally we were both so different, still it killed me then before I realized that. Her mom got into more drama and the FBI in NYC wanted to recruit her, so she killed two birds with one stone and left without much of a goodbye… poetic I guess, right?" he looks at her regretfully.
"Jay, it's water under—"
"Hailey, I—"
They both speak at the same time and Jay's about to let Hailey continue because he knows despite what she says, she's probably not over their past and he doesn't blame her. However before he can let her go on they hear yelling at the entrance and Adam's voice rings through most as the rest of their team walks over.
"Alright, Alright, Alright! Friday's are for drinks, let's get this party started!"
"Saved by the bell?" she whispers smiling.
Jay reciprocates it, internally upset his alone time with her is cut short as their table gets flooded by Adam, Kevin, Kim, and Vanessa. The two girls take the seats next to them as Adam heads to the bar and Kevin grabs two more stools to bring over.
"Alright Hailey, spill it. We want all the embarrassing stories about young Jay." Kim says.
"Oh, where to begin?" Hailey grins and rubs her hands together.
"Alright, let's not forget two can play this game." Jay warns.
"Bring it, Halstead!"
"Oh, this is gonna be good!" Kim replies excitedly.
"Hey Ruzek, get some shots!" Vanessa yells out to Adam.
"On it!" he screams back from the bar.
"Oh, I like you two girls already!" Kevin jokes.
They all crack up, knowing they're in for one fun night. The hours fly by as they all reminisce about the unit's past and Jay and Hailey's; and for the latter, it feels just like old times again. Hailey becoming gladder by the day she agreed to take the job and Jay forever grateful he's gained a second chance...
[A/N: So we're chugging along, with this story and with life. How we feeling? Any theories? It's been a fun one to write so far. I hope all of you are staying well, staying sane, and keeping positive. Thank you so much for all of the kind words and reads. It always means a lot, but somehow in these trying times it means more. Until next chapter, take care!]