Chapter 32: No matter how bad things are, I'll have you.

Jay/Hailey. Set after series 7. At Kim and Adam's wedding, Jay and Hailey finally confessed their feelings and spent the night together and now they are back in Chicago and hiding their relationship from their friends.

Next chapter. Here's one a Hailey-centric chapter. Please review and suggestions are welcome :)

I do not own Chicago PD or any of the characters.

The next morning, Hailey was surprised to be woken by a text from her mum. She had spoken to her once since her mum had turned up and decided not to join her and Jay for dinner, so Hailey was surprised to see that her mum had texted her. As far as she was concerned, her mum had made her choice for night, between Hailey and her husband. Hailey knew that it was complicated for her mum, and she knew that her father might have changed, but that did not take away from the facts of what he had done during her childhood. Hailey knew her mum loved her and she loved her mum, but it was complicated. It always was and it made Hailey feel sick and vulnerable. The only person Hailey could open up to about her feelings was Jay, because he never judged her and told her what to do when it came to her family, to her mum, or her father. Her life was her decision, and he was there for her, no matter what.

Still in Jay's PJ trousers and one of his old jumpers from last night, despite being in her own house. Hailey left her bed carefully, so that she would not wake Jay, taking her phone downstairs. There was nothing she loved more than waking up next to Jay and not having to go anywhere, but the text from her mum had shattered that. Hailey made herself some coffee and sat at the kitchen table, reading through the texts between her and her mum. She could tell her mum was trying, but Hailey had told her that she didn't want to be in the same room as her father and, unfortunately, to her mum, that meant spending time with her, too. Hailey wished that she could, at the very least, have a relationship with her mum, without her father destroying that, too.

Hailey didn't know how long she was in the kitchen, looking over her phone. She lost track of time, until she heard Jay walking down the stairs and he walked into the kitchen. He walked over to her, giving her a small kiss and asked, in a gentle voice, "Hailes, what's wrong?"

Without saying anything, Hailey passed her phone to Jay. He sat down next to her and read the texts carefully. In a flat voice, Hailey ran her hands through her hair, before she said, "My mum texted me. She wants to meet for lunch. She says it'll just be the two of us." Hailey paused, before she added, turning to face Jay, "I'm thinking about it."

All Jay said was "Okay." He passed her phone back to her, before he asked, "Would you like waffles?"

A small smile crossed Hailey's lips as she nodded in return. "I'd love waffles." Jay knew when she needed silence and when she needed to talk. That was why they were such good partners, best friends, boyfriend and girlfriend. After a while, Hailey spoke. "I know Mum means well. I know she really thinks Dad's changed, or she's telling herself that, but she didn't want to spend time with me and my brothers when I invited her. I know she was trapped. I gave her the option and she said we had nothing else to talk about, because I won't change my mind about Dad. She told me not to ask her to choose between her and my father. So, why has she suddenly reached out now?"

Sorting out the waffles, Jay just said, "I don't know, Hailes. Maybe something's made her think about you."

Hailey shook her head. "She expects me to be like my brothers. To be able to be in the same room as Dad. To move past it, to act as if we had a normal childhood, as if we were a normal family. They let Dad look after their kids. Jay, I can't do that! I can't be in the same room as him and I'm not going to put myself in that situation."

Jay quickly left the waffles and knelt in front of Hailey, running an affectionate hand through her hair as he told her softly, "Hailey, no one is asking you to. It's your decision. You make that decision. And, whatever you do, I'm on your side. You know I've got your back. Look at me. Hailey. Look at me." Their eyes met and Jay whispered, "I'm here for you. Whatever you decide, I support you. 100%."

Tears pricked at the edge of Hailey's eyes and she gave into them, closing her eyes as she fell into Jay's arms. She fell onto the floor, in his arms, with her arms around his neck, clinging to Jay as she cried and Jay rocked her back and forth, holding her close. All of this felt like too much. She wanted her mum, but she had wanted her those years ago. She didn't want her dad to destroy her relationship with her mum, but he had already done that because of her childhood. Her mum had made her decision. Hailey had not asked her to choose between her and her dad, because, secretly, Hailey feared what the answer would be; she felt as if she had always known, deep down.

Hailey spent the rest of the day in Jay's clothes. She liked wearing them, even in her own house. They smelt of him and they made her feel safe. Jay left after breakfast to see his therapist and when he returned, he took his medication. Hailey was sitting on the sofa, watching TV, and she smiled, making it clear she wanted him there. He had given her space, held her as she cried and, now, she wanted to sit beside him and relax on their day off. Hailey wanted to not think about her mum. She appreciated Jay being there for her, more than he would ever know, just as he was beyond grateful for all that she had done for him. They were partners, a team.

Their solitude was interrupted by a knock on the front-door and, considering that Hailey was half-asleep under a blanket, Jay left the living room to answer the door. He wasn't too surprised to see that it was Hailey's mum, with blue eyes identical to Hailey's. "Mrs. Upton, how are you?"

"I'm very well, thank you. Jay. Is my daughter here?"

Jay gave her a small smile, before he replied, "She's asleep at the moment." He could see the regret in the other woman's eyes as he said that, but Mrs. Upton wasn't going to be deterred.

She took her phone out and opened her texts to her daughter. "I texted her this morning and she didn't get back to me, so I wanted to check on her to see that she was alright. I know she told you I texted her, Jay."

With a guarded look in his eyes, Jay just said, "Maybe." He wasn't giving anything away. This was Hailey's conversation to have, not his.

Mrs. Upton ran her hands through her blonde hair, in the same way Hailey did, before she sighed and told Jay, "I love my daughter and I can tell you love her, too, Jay. You want what's best for her and so do I. I'm glad to see she's found someone like you. She's my daughter and I want her in my life, and I want to be in her life." Those words mirrored the ones which Jay had shared with his own daughter the very day before. It was Hailey who needed to hear this, not Jay.

In truth, Hailey had woken up on the sofa, stayed totally still and was listening to the entire conversation between Jay and her mum. Slowly, she stood up, left the sitting room and walked to the front-door, putting her arm around Jay as she did so. "Mum, what are you doing here?" She looked into the blue eyes which were identical to her own.

Mrs. Upton smiled and replied, "Hailey, I just want to spend time with you. The two of can have lunch, together, alone. Just you and me." She paused, then added, "I won't mention your father and I you won't either. Sweetheart, I want to be in your life."

There was a dead silence and Hailey's eyes were full of tiredness and concern, until she just nodded and said, "Ok. Give me a few minutes, I need to change out of Jay's clothes."

The shock was clear on Mrs. Upton's face, but she smiled and nodded. "That's wonderful, sweetheart." Hailey looked at Jay and smiled, kissing him before she went upstairs. Mrs. Upton left to get her bag from the car, so Jay went upstairs, to Hailey's room. She was changed into a pair of jeans and a checked shirt and pulling her hair into a high ponytail.

Jay lent his body against the dresser, but he said nothing. She needed space. She had decided to have lunch with her mum. For Hailey, it was a big step, and he knew it. Before leaving her room, Hailey wrapped her arms around Jay's neck and rested her head against his, her blue eyes meeting his green ones before she simply stated, "No matter how bad things are, I'll have you. You'll be here for me when I get back." She paused and smiled, before she whispered, "I love you, Jay."

Smiling, Jay whispered back, "I love you, too, Hailey. You're the strongest person I've ever known."

Despite herself, Hailey chuckled softly and moved her arms from Jay's neck, giving him a playful punch and a long, loving look before she left her bedroom.