Chapter 57: Rings.

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.

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

Here is the next chapter. Please read, review and enjoy. Reviews are welcome :)

Jay and Hailey had married in Wisconsin two months ago and, still, no-one on the unit knew and that was how they wanted it. They both had their wedding picture on their respective desks and no-one had made the connection. No-one had seen their wedding rings or wondered why Jay was wearing his formal military uniform in the picture. Everything was as it had been before, besides the fact that Jay and Hailey were wearing their wedding rings around their necks. They were close to their hearts that way. Jay and Hailey had met up with Hailey's mum, Avery, Will, Gail and Danny and, together, they had celebrated their marriage, but it had been low-key, but neither of them wanted to deny that joy to their families.

Over the past months, Jay had been discussing Kim's future on the force with Platt and Kevin and, finally, they had an idea. None of them wanted to lose Kim and Kevin didn't want to lose his partner.

"How would Kev handle having a partner on light duty? I get why Kim's doing it, but it's not going to be easy." Adam mused aloud to Hailey as they were driving to interview a witness. "We talked about it before she went to Jay about it and I get why she's doing it. Because of Maria. She's her mum. Would you ever do that, Upton? Go on permeant light duty, if you had a kid?"

Hailey shrugged and replied, honestly, "I don't know."

Adam paused, then asked, "Do you and Jay want kids? After you get married, I mean?"

Looking out of the window, Hailey nodded as she replied, "Yeah, we do, but when the time's right." Hailey focused her eyes back on the road and the case. She and Jay would have children when they were ready. Hailey had spent more time with Kim and baby Maria over the past couple of months and she adored the baby and so did Jay.

Back at the District, Kim arrived at the front desk and walked over to Platt, with Maria in a sling around her front. She cleared her throat and said to Platt, "Halstead said he wanted to see me." She paused, before she added, "I hope there's no one else in the bullpen, is there?"

In a kind way, Platt shook her head. "No, you're good. They're all out interviewing witnesses. You can buzz yourself in, you know, just like old times."

"I know, I just- it feels weird to be here, with Maria, I mean." Kim wasn't sure how to express how she was feeling, because she was confused. She loved her job, but she loved her baby daughter even more.

With an understanding smile, Platt nodded, "I bet it does." She paused, then added. "I'll watch Maria when you're up there, if you'd like."

With a nervous smile, Kim nodded. "Thanks." She passed Maria over to Platt and gave her a final, loving look before she went upstairs. Platt saw everything and she could see how conflicted Kim was feeling since becoming a mother.

Kim was happy to see Jay. They had worked together for years, and Jay always had a calming effect on her. He was so calm and steady and she hoped that he and Hailey would get married and be as happy as her and Adam were.

When Kim returned to the front-desk after meeting with Jay, she picked up Maria and hugged her before she walked into Kevin and told him, "I'm back, partner. We're going to be doing tech work up in Intelligence and take the detective exam. Jay said we've been needing more detectives up there for a while, anyway."

Kevin smiled and told her, "As long as I get to be with you, I'm happy." Kevin hugged her and asked, "How about we take this little one up to Intelligence? Adam and Hailey aren't far behind me and you know how much Adam loves seeing his baby girl." Kim was so much happier now that she had talked to Jay, now that she knew that she had a future with the CPD, but a future that would not put her life in danger. It couldn't take her away from her daughter and she knew that she had Platt to thank for it, as well as Jay. She was sure that the desk Sergeant knew how grateful she was, but she knew that she must show her appreciation to the older woman. Kim also wanted to see Hailey. They had a friendship now and both of the women valued that friendship. She also wanted to ask Hailey if she had any plans for her wedding. Kim couldn't wait to be a bridesmaid, but she knew that she had to be careful. For the past couple of months, Hailey hadn't mentioned her wedding plans and Kim had asked, not wanting to cause Hailey to have a panic attack like she had done before Hailey and Jay had taken time off and gone to Wisconsin. Since they had returned, Hailey was far more at ease and Kim hoped that was a good sign for her wedding.

In the bullpen, Kim held Maria in her arms and carried her around before she passed her to Kevin, who adored her. Jay opened his office door and stood in the doorway, watching the interaction. The sight of Maria made him smile and he hoped, one that, it would be his and Hailey's baby. As Kim was walking around, something caught her eye. The new, framed picture on Hailey's desk and she stepped closer. Jay and Hailey were dressed very smartly, Jay was in his military uniform and Hailey in a beautiful dress, but something else caught Kim's eye. Their wedding rings. "Oh my God." Kim gasped. She looked up at Jay and back at the picture. In the picture, Jay and Hailey were defiantly wearing wedding rings and they were outside a church. "No way!"

As Kim processed, Hailey and Adam walked into the bullpen and Kim watched as Jay and Hailey exchanged a small smile, before Hailey smiled at the baby. Adam walked over to Kim and gave her a kiss, which she received with a smile, but she continued to look between Jay and Hailey. There was no mistaking it. They had eloped. They were married, but where were their wedding rings? "Hailey, is this picture new?" She asked, carefully wording her question.

Hailey smiled and tilted her head, looking at the picture. "Yeah, it is. It's about 2 months old."

"When you and Jay went to his cabin?"

With a smile, Hailey nodded, "Yeah, that's right. It was that trip."

"Jay, you have it on your desk, too." Kim picked the picture up and looked at it, smiling and asked, "Jay, Hailey, I have one question: Where are your rings? And are you still Detective Upton, Hailey, or are you Detective Halstead, now?"

There was a dead silence and Hailey pressed her lips together, trying to hide her smile, and her eyes connected with Jay's and he grinned at her. Adam and Kevin looked around and Adam asked, "What's going on? Kim, what are you talking about?" Kim passed him the picture and he shrugged. "I don't get it."

Knowing that Jay didn't like to be centre of attention and neither did she, Hailey chuckled and told them, "Jay and I got married when we were in Wisconsin. That picture is from our wedding day."

"And, Burgess, to answer your question, our rings are around our necks." Jay added, with a smile.

Kevin's face broke out in a huge smile, whilst Adam looked between them, confused. "I'll be dammed. Two Halsteads in the same unit. I'm not surprised you guys went off and got married. Congratulations."

Both Jay and Hailey smiled and Adam was the next to speak. "I'm confused. You guys went off and got married? Without telling us? We've gotta do something to celebrate."

Hailey laughed and smiled. "We will. Platt already has it planned." Hailey turned to Kim, with a smile. "Do you forgive me for robbing you of the role of bridesmaid?"

Kim hugged Hailey and Jay, before she replied, "This fits you two so perfectly. I'm so happy for you and I wish you all of the happiness and love Adam and I have."

Jay chuckled lightly and nodded, "Well, that's the plan." His eyes met with Hailey's and Hailey walked over to him and gave him a playful punch before he returned to his office.

Kim, Kevin and Adam spent the rest of their shift in shock. Jay and Hailey were married. They had eloped and they seemed the happiest they had ever been. In the locker room, Hailey found Kim and told the other woman she had her to thank for her and Jay eloping, explaining that, if it had not been for the panic over that dinner, she and Jay wouldn't have gone to the cabin and they would not be married. With a smile, Hailey said, "So, I'm thanking you twice, Kim: The first, for Jay and I getting together in the first place and, second, for sending me and Jay to the cabin, where we got married." She paused, then added, "If you guys really want to do something to celebrate, we'll go to Molly's. That was Platt's idea, and we'll invite Will and Avery, too."

Kim nodded, then asked, "Hailey, can I see your ring? Your wedding ring? I've never seen you or Jay this happy and now you get to spend the rest of your lives together. But I really am sorry for what happened that day. The pain I caused you."

"I know, Kim." Hailey brought out her wedding ring and showed it to Kim. Smiling, she whispered, "It's beautiful, isn't it? That day was magical, in every way. It was just right, for both of us." Kim wanted to know all of the details, but Hailey was private, and she knew that she would not want to give all of those details, so Kim just enjoyed the parts that Hailey shared.

The next evening, Platt arranged for Jay and Hailey to have drinks at Molly's, with the unit and Avery and Will. In truth, it was the last thing the newlyweds wanted and they talked about it, together, but they didn't want to disappoint their friends and family. There were drinks, many drinks, and Voight made a speech, taking credit for Jay and Hailey's marriage. He had partnered them together all of those years ago and he was very proud of them. Not being ones for PDA, Hailey and Jay sat next to each other, holding hands, smiling at the kind words of their friends and former Sergeant. At the end of the evening, Jay and Hailey returned home and, as they did whenever they returned from work, removed their rings from around their necks and placed them in their rightful places, on their fingers. They were husband and wife, a new partnership, with their lives and future ahead of them, together.