Happy Sunday guys! I'm back with a new chapter and I'm so proud of myself for actually getting this done in time lol. It's not my best, but I'm hoping you all enjoy anyway. Just trying to wrap up some things and I wanted you all to see all the kids grown a bit before we say goodbye to this sweet family.

I can't thank you all enough for loving them as much as I have over the last two years:. The support has meant the world to me.

This chapter features a THREE year time jump since the last chapter. For reference, the Halstead kids ages are:

Logan: 21

Ellie: 16

Kennedy:13

Bella and Rhett: 10

"Where exactly are you going this time?" Kennedy asks. She never glances up from the book she was reading. She was propped up on her bed.

Across the room however, her sister Ellie was busy putting on the final touches to her look for the night. Once satisfied with her appearance in the mirror she turns to double check that the pillows she stuffed under the blanket were formed correctly. "Jason is having a party tonight. Eli's waiting down the block for me,"

Kennedy rolls her eyes. "Dad is going to kill you."

Ellie glances over her shoulder and shoots her a look. "He'll never know."

"He knows everything E and you know that." Kennedy says flipping the page of her book, her eyes immediately moving over the page.

"He does not. He's full of shit." Ellie now moves to the window, unlatching it.

"You keep telling yourself that." Kennedy deadpands.

"And you keep being a stick in the mud loser," she says climbing out the window. She turns back to her sister, smirking. "Night Kenny." She closes the window and just like that, she's gone.

Kennedy waits a few minutes, ensuring her sister is actually gone, before she gets up and makes her way over to the window. She flips the lock, effectively keeping Ellie from using it to get back in. "Good luck sneaking back in, dumbass."

"Oh God, I can't look," Hailey says, pushing the laptop away from her. She turns to Jay. "You do it."

Jay stares at her for a moment before reaching out and pulling the laptop across the counter to where he stood. He clicks the link and his eyes skim over the screen in front of him.

After thirty seconds of quiet, Hailey throws her hands up and groans. "Jay! What's it say?"

Jay looks from the computer screen to his wife, his smile growing. "You passed Hail,"

Hailey's eyes widen and her jaw drops. "What did you just say?"

"He said you passed ma!" Comes a laugh from Logan, who was currently on FaceTime on Jay's phone propped up on the kitchen counter. After wrapping up basic training Logan was stationed in Texas shortly after. Three years later, he was still stationed there.

Logan had served two tours in his short time. The first came about two months after moving there. It lasted a year. He was sent on his second tour about a year ago and returned home only two months prior. Both Jay and Hailey had been sick the entire time, for different reasons of course. Hailey was worried about her sons safety, and while Jay was as well, he was mostly worried about his sons mentality.

"You did it, Hailey Anne." Jay says, fully turning to face his wife. He nods, echoing Logan's words. His smile grows. "You passed Sargeant Hailey Halstead."

"OH MY GOD!" Hailey says leaping straight into Jay's arms. She laughs happily as he twirls her around before placing a kiss to her lips.

"I'm so damn proud of you!" He says placing her back down on the ground but keeping his arms wrapped tightly around her. "I knew you could do it."

Jay had spent the better part of the last year trying to convince Hailey to take the test. Over the years she had never felt the need to do so, especially since she loved working under her husband and watching him do the job, but for the last little while she had considered it. Not that she wanted to run anything or a unit - more so she wanted to prove to herself she could do it.

"I'm so proud of you too." Logan says and when Hailey turns, still in Jay's arms, to look at the phone she sees the giant smile he wears. "My moms a badass."

Jay laughs, nodding in agreement while Hailey blows him a kiss. "Thanks baby,"

"So does this mean you're leaving intelligence?" Logan asks with a laugh. "Running your own unit?" Jay and Hailey exchange a look. Logan stops laughing. "Wait, are you really?"

"Well," Hailey laughs softly. "Yes and no."

"Continue," Logan says, his eyes wide. Both of his parents had worked intelligence his entire life (obviously) so he was a little shell shocked at the news.

"Well I have been working less with the unit," she starts and Logan nods in acknowledgement. He knew that much. "That way I can be home with the kids given they're all at a weird age. Your dads hired a few more people to fill the holes.. I've worked teaching at the academy cause that allows me to be home at a reasonable hour."

"Right…" he trails off. His eyes move from his mom to his dad as Jay reaches over and places a calming hand on her shoulder.

"I've been offered a full time position at the academy." Hailey laughs. "And your dad and I have been talking about me taking it."

Logan laughs, still in utter shock. "Mom, that's amazing. I know how much you love that job."

Hailey's smile grows as she looks from Logan to Jay and back to the phone at Logan. "I really do."

It's just past one AM when Jay hears the front door open.

He stays silent as he listens to heels make their way down the hallway. For someone trying to sneak in, she wasn't doing a very good job, he thinks to himself.

He watches through the darkness as Ellie turns for the stairs. He reaches over and flips the lamp on and she freezes, back to him.

"Yeah, get over here." He says. His voice alone lets her know he's pissed.

Dad I —"

"No." He stands up and moves over to her. "Where the hell have you been?" She opts to stay silent and his anger grows. "Elizabeth Brooke, answer me!"

He never yells. He made that vow when he got with Hailey after her upbringing. He could never yell at her and live with the look on her face. It physically hurt him. That applied to his children as well - he didn't want them living through anything he or Hailey had lived through as kids. Hailey's dad was an abusive drunk. His dad was a prick who stayed on his case and yelled 24/7.

But oh did Jay's children know when he was mad. They knew when to shut up and when to fess up.

"I was at a party."

"With?" His eyebrow shoots up. He's trying to stay calm. He and Hailey always knew Ellie would be the one to give them trouble in the teen years. Logan didn't really do so. His only focus had been hockey.

"Eli. He met me down the street and drove."

Smoke was practically rolling out of Jay's ears at this point. "We're either of you drinking?"

Ellie looks down, finding sudden interest in her shoes. "I had a drink." Her head shoots up. "I only had one! And Eli didn't touch any cause he was driving!"

"Yeah you better pray I don't find out different," his arms crossed over his chest. "Alright, you're grounded. Three weeks. No phone, no car. Hand over the phone and keys," he holds his hand out.

Her eyes go wide as she shrieks. "DADDY!"

He shakes his head, face like stone. "No, don't daddy me. Give them. Now."

With a heavy sigh she reaches into her purse. She reluctantly hands them both over and watches in sadness as he stuffs them both into his pajama pant pocket.

"It's a good start." He says referring to her punishment. "But we will be discussing this again tomorrow when your mother is awake and she's been informed on what happened tonight. Now, go to bed."

Ellie rolls her eyes as she turns to the steps. "I'm gonna murder Kennedy." She mutters under her breath.

But of course her dad hears her. "No," Jay snaps, causing her to turn around to face him. "Your sister had nothing to do with this and you leave her alone."

"But —"

"No buts Elizabeth." He sighs and she internally cringes at him using her full name again instead of Ellie. That's when she really knew she was in trouble. "I've been a detective for thirty years, I'm not stupid. It's literally my job to piece stuff together."

She just stares at him. She knew he was right, but she refused to admit it.

He smirks. "Plus, I watched you climb out that window hours ago on the new security cameras I put in a few months back."

Her jaw drops. She had no knowledge of the cameras - none of the kids did. Something he and Hailey had done on purpose.

"Yeah, try and outsmart me again. Now go to bed. We'll talk more in the morning."

Unfortunately for Jay and Hailey, but fortunately for Ellie, Intelligence catches a case at five AM and Jay is gone before she gets back up.

Ellie smiles thinking she's off the hook. That smile is wiped off her face not thirty seconds later when Hailey informs her she is still very much in trouble and that talk is still very much taking place when he gets home that night.

Hailey leaves her with that threat hanging over her head as she heads out to get to her class at the academy.

Three hours later Hailey buzzes herself into Intelligence and drags herself up the steps. She knew the team had been working their asses off all day and we're just about to wrap up the case that had brought them in so early, or so she was told by Jay when she spoke to him as she left the academy.

She decided to swing by and see him for a few minutes. Due to their early scene and Jay's early morning she hadn't gotten her one on one time with him that they normally strive for before the kids get up. Even if it only lasts a few minutes.

"Hailey Anne," Kevin smiles as he pulls her in for a hug. "Look who finally decided to grace us with her presence and show up to work."

Hailey rolls her eyes good naturedly. "You wish. I just swung by to see Jay for a few."

"He's around here somewhere," Vanessa says smiling up at her best friend from where she sat at her desk across from her partner Torres.

After Kim was promoted to Sergeant and had taken over the district, Jay had to work quickly to find her replacement. He had worked with Torres some years prior and brought him up. The kid had just previously passed the detective exam when he was brought up, something he credited to working with Jay.

From there Jay had brought Antonio back on as he had just moved back to Chicago and was missing the job and his previous life. Everyone had missed him, and the move had left Jay's life a little less stressful by knowing Antonio was back and he could rely on him for help when life got in the way.

However, with Hailey spending more and more time teaching at the academy, and spending less time working with the unit, he was still a man down. He held off at first, but as Hailey started talking more seriously about stepping down and taking the job with the academy, he had to start the process of finding someone else to bring in.

And that was how he landed on Paige McCullers. A young, beautiful, tan skinned and dark haired new officer to the district. A bright smile, a body to die for, and an infectious laugh to suit. At only twenty five years old, Paige hadn't been on the job long but she often got pulled to help Intelligence as patrol was needed. She had proved herself time and time again and had shown interest in what they did upstairs.

Jay had figured it couldn't hurt and with Kim signing off on the transfer, he had brought the young officer up into Intelligence. She still had quite a bit to learn, and she was still slightly inexperienced, but he figured Voight had taken a chance on half of his current team who had been the same way, so he could offer Paige the same respect.

And if Paige happened to flirt with him a little, or a lot, he hadn't noticed.

God bless his soul for being fully committed to his wife that he didn't think anything of the younger officers' advances.

However, Vanessa had. As Hailey's best friend she took great pride in watching out for her girl. She had even come to Hailey with the situation, only for Hailey to say she was sure Vanessa was just being protective and that she trusted Jay. She wasn't worried about this girl.

That was until she rounded the corner to the interrogation hall and found Jay, Adam and Paige talking. Jay's face was serious as he rattled off orders on how to wrap up the case but it was obvious Paige wasn't really listening to the back and forth between her boss and Adam.

Instead the young girl was hanging off Jay's every word, her big doe eyes scanning his body. Hailey watches from a distance as the officers eyes linger on his chest and arms before continuing over him. Hailey watches as the young girl subtly bites her bottom lip as Jay turns to her, now speaking to her directly. Paige's eyes light up knowing Jay's attention is now focused on her as Adam walks away, leaving Jay to give the young girl her instructions.

Adam walks past, gently tapping her on the shoulder. "About time you showed up Halstead 2.0" Hailey rolls her eyes at his comment and he chuckles before pushing past her and into the bullpen.

Hailey then turns her attention back to where her husband stood with Paige. Jay finishes his orders and Paige smiles up at him widely, brushing his shoulder (which is completely unnecessary) before turning to walk off, Jay assumingly right behind her.

The young girl's eyes widen slightly as she sees Hailey standing in the door. Jay turns in that moment and a smile a mile wide comes across his tired face.

"Hails, you're here."

"Hey baby!" She smiles in return, making her way to him and (uncharacteristically - they are at the district after all) throws her arms around his shoulders and pulls him down for a deep kiss. She smiles slightly, deepening said kiss, as she hears a huff come from Paige as she makes their way around them.

Hailey's smile grows even more when Jay's arm around her waist pulls her into him and she can feel that the kiss had riled him up just as much as it did her.

Jay pulls back, placing a soft kiss to her forehead before pulling her into his arms, allowing her to rest her head on his chest. He rests his chin atop her head as he asks. "Not that I didn't enjoy that greeting, but what was that about?" He chuckles.

She squeezes his middle even tighter. "Just reminding certain people that you're married." Jay chuckles as he hugs her to him tighter.

He knew Hailey knew she was the only person that caught his eye… but he also knew Hailey had spent the last few weeks listening to Vanessa and how little she trusted this new girl. So if she needed a little reminder every now and then that she was the one and only woman he'd ever need, then he was more than willing to give it to her.

"You know it's not like that, Hailey Anne."

"Oh I know," she places a soft kiss to his chest, right above where his heart was beating like crazy at having her in his arms. Still. Even after all these years later. "And you know I trust you more than anything. But it's obvious she's into you, Jay so I just wanted to give her a quick reminder that your ass is so far from being available."

Jay can't help but laugh. "So far." He mocks her and she rolls her eyes, slapping him at the same time. Jay's laughter grows.

"Ahh, there's my girl."

"Are you two done being so disgusting down here?" The two look up to find Vanessa standing in the door pretending to be grossed out. "I need to get passed to the audio room and I feel like I stumbled upon a porno or something."

"Oh shut up, V." Hailey laughs and Jay rolls his eyes.

"Still your boss Rojas," Jay warns with a playful glare. Vanessa laughs as she moves past them and down the hall.

"Yeah, yeah." Vanessa responds slipping into the door at the end of the hall. "Fire me and see how little gets done around here now that Hailey left us."

Both Jay and Hailey watch her disappear before turning back to one another.

"You know she has a point," Hailey laughs as she and Jay untangle themselves from one another. Jay's hand slides down her arm, wrapping her hand in his.

"Shut up," Jay says while rolling his eyes. "Come on, let's go talk about our unruly teenager in my office."

Hailey just lets out a groan as he pulls her into the bullpen and toward his office.

Paige sits at her desk, watching through cut eyes as Jay pulls Hailey into his office and shuts the door.

At that moment Antonio walks up and takes his desk across from the young girl. His new partner. He gives her a knowing look. "Stop."

"What?" She asks innocently and he rolls his eyes.

"You've got your sights set on a man who's been happily married for literally as long as you've been alive and who has five kids. Let it go. He isn't interested."

Paige rolls her eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about, Dawson." She says before turning her attention to her computer to finish the report she was working on.

"Sure," he mutters before turning back to his own report.

"I think the phone and car are good punishment," Hailey shrugs from where she's sitting across Jay's desk. "Keeps her from Eli. Three weeks might not be long enough if she doesn't lose the attitude though,"

Jay groans, running a hand over his tired face. "Tell me about it." He looks back up at Hailey. "We always knew she'd be our trouble child,"

Hailey nods.

"And I know she's only getting started." He sighs. "Which is why I think you really should take the job with the academy," Hailey raises a confused eyebrow at him and he shrugs. "You can work with your new promotion, and it'll do the kids to have a more stable parent at home at night. We both know my hours are unpredictable and now matter how much effort we both try with both of us being here, I know it's probably played a part in it."

Hailey just nods again.

Jay sighs. "I'm not saying this like I'm trying to push you out of this unit Hails and you know it. I've gone from spending all day every day with you for the last twenty five years to now you won't be here. That fucking sucks. I'm going to miss you. But you love this academy gig and you can do it full time. And if it helps chill Ellie out a little? Then it's worth it."

Hailey smiles softly before she stands up. She makes her way around the desk and out of habit, Jay turns slightly so that she can sit down sideways on his lap. His hands instinctively find her hip and hers snakes around his shoulders. She brushes her nails through the hair at the nape of his neck.

"Jay, babe, I know you didn't mean it that way." She laughs softly. "I just want to make sure you're okay with me leaving the unit full time and going to the academy."

He smiles up at her, his grip on her hip tightening. "I promise,"

She smiles in return. "Okay, then I'll take the job." She says before pressing her lips to his.

Please leave a review if you enjoyed! Promise they make my day!