Chapter 76: Credit union.

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.

Here is the next chapter. I really enjoying writing this chapter and I hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter and where the story is going. Hailey and Jay are in a happier place now, after working through their pain. I love these two together :)

Please read, enjoy and review :)

Most people who knew Jay Halstead really well, well enough to see past his walls and defences, knew that his birthday was one of his least favourite days of the whole year and it had been for most of his adult life. As a child, he had loved his birthday, but that had changed with his time in the Army and with his mum's illness and death. Celebrating his birthday in Afghanistan had been impossible and something he hadn't wanted to do anyway, whilst he was dealing with what was happening over there and, after returning to the US and after his mum's death, his birthday had felt pointless. The only time Jay celebrated his birthday was with Hailey. First as his partners, then as best friends and, finally, as his husband and wife.

This year Jay was 37 and, because of the year that the married couple had been through, Hailey wanted to do something special for his birthday. Her first plan had been to invite Mouse to stay with them, but that hadn't been possible because of his deployment in Afghanistan, so Hailey had to come up with a second plan, but she hadn't come up with one, yet. There was still no news from Dr. Lawrence about a gestational surrogate, but Hailey and Jay were relaxing into a new phase of their lives, together. They were making love without trying to conceive a baby and they were enjoying every second of it. They were enjoying being Jay and Hailey, like they had before and it was the happiest they had been for months.

For the married couple, the Basset kidnapping case had been a pivotal turning point in their marriage. Seeing how the Bassets had lost their marriage because of what happened between them and their child, it had reaffirmed, to both Jay and Hailey how they knew, no matter what, that they were always going to be together, and that, even though they had faith in little else, they believed in their love, in their marriage. They believed in their relationship, in their marriage, and both they always had, but the case had made them to say it aloud to each other, especially Jay and they had been how the case had affected the Bassets and they would never be them. It had been after that case the two of them had reconnected, emotionally and physically, and the difference was clear. They were so much happier and their marriage was so much stronger and they were the happiest they had been for months.

One evening before Jay's birthday when Hailey was having dinner with Kim, Julie and Vanessa, Vanessa asked, carefully, "Hailey, have you thought anymore about what you and Jay are going to do- about having a baby?" Kim and Julie sighed and Kim rolled her eyes.

Hailey forced a smile and replied shortly, "We've decided to go with surrogacy. Anyway, I'm trying to do something special for Jay's birthday. Do you have any ideas, Kim, Julie, V?"

Vanessa smiled and replied, "I'm sure you'll work it out. He's your husband, after all." She giggled and continued, "You should buy yourself a dress. I'm sure he'd like that."

Raising her eyebrows, Hailey chuckled and remarked, "Jay's sense of fashion is not a great one." She chewed her lip, then added, "I'll think of something. V, how's the house hunting going?"

Vanessa rolled her eyes and replied, "What a nightmare! I don't know how you guys managed it. It feels impossible. But"- she paused, before adding, "Maybe it's also because, when I was a kid, I didn't have a home. That's why I've always rented because the idea of a home is…a little scary. I guess we're all scarred by our childhoods."

Hailey's eyes connected with Vanessa's for a brief second and she nodded, softly, "Yeah, I guess we are."

Kim smiled and asked, "How about we go and get a cocktail? Not me, of course." She added, shyly, glancing at her stomach, even though there was no sign that she was pregnant yet.

Hailey, Julie and Vanessa looked at each other, before they all laughed and agreed and Hailey sent a quick text to Jay and Julie and Kim did the same to their husbands. Jay had gone for a run and then watched a game with Will and Hailey was glad that the two brothers were as close as they were now and Hailey went back to thinking about plans for her husband's birthday.

By the time Hailey arrived home, Jay had showered and had changed into his pyjamas. Hailey hadn't had too much to drink, but she was slightly tipsy. She struggled to take her shoes off before she walked into the kitchen, where Jay was waiting for her with a glass of water. He chuckled and kissed her lightly on the forehead before he asked, "Did you guys have a nice time?" He guided her into their bedroom and Hailey sat down on the bed and started to take off her clothes and Jay tossed her pyjamas to her.

Pulling her top over her head, Hailey smiled and replied, "Yes, we did, it was so much fun. It wouldn't be my first choice, but I'm glad we do it now. Vanessa sure can drink, she makes me look like an amateur." She chuckled lightly before she reached for her pyjama bottoms. She couldn't reach them, so Jay passed them to her, with a smile on his face. "Did you have a nice time with Will?"

Jay nodded and replied, "Yeah, it was good. But Owen isn't too happy about having a brother or sister." He paused, then smiled and asked, "Are you going to keep your hair up like that?"

"I'm not that drunk, Mr. Halstead!" Hailey chuckled, before she tried to free her hair from its clips, but she couldn't do it, so Jay sat on the bed and did it for her. Her blonde curls fell down, falling against her shoulders and Hailey closed her eyes for a couple of seconds, before she opened them again, to see Jay smiling at her, looking as if he was enchanted. With a smile dancing across her lips, Hailey asked, "What are you looking at?"

Smiling, Jay put her hair pins aside on the side table and ran his hand affectionately through her blonde curls. In a soft voice, he murmured, "You, Hailes. You're very cute when you're this tired and tipsy."

Hailey smiled and shook her head and replied, "I'm too old to be cute. I'm 34. 34-year-old can't be cute."

"You'll always be cute to me, Hailey Halstead. And I'll be 37 soon and you still think I'm cute, don't you?"

"That is true." Hailey rested her head against Jay's shoulder and wrapped her arms around him as her eyes started to close. She yawned, before she asked softly, "Will you stay until I fall asleep?"

Smiling, Jay kissed her nose and her forehead before he replied, "You don't need to ask, Hailes." He chuckled softly before he added, "Let's get you to bed, Sleeping Beauty."

Hailey smiled and joked, "If I'm Sleeping Beauty, I need Prince Phillip to kiss me, to wake me up." Hailey started to wobble, so Jay smiled and pulled the duvet up and Hailey stood up and lay down in their bed and Jay covered her with the duvet, then slipped himself into bed next to Hailey. Titling her head towards Jay, Hailey asked, "Is the prince going to kiss Sleeping Beauty?"

Resting his head against the pillow, Jay smiled at his wife and moved some of her curls out of her eyes before he murmured, "Yes, Sleeping Beauty. But you need to sleep first." He kissed her on the lips, before adding, "Night, Hailey. I love you, so much."

Smooching even closer to Jay, Hailey wrapped her arms around him and whispered, in a happy voice, "Hold me, Jay, I love it when you're holding me and I wake up next to you."

"Always. You and me." Jay kissed Hailey's forehead and waited until Hailey drifted into sleep before he smiled and fell asleep himself. He liked the feeling of her arms wrapped around him.

The next morning, the sight of Jay asleep next to her made Hailey's heart swell with so much love and happiness. They had been together and married for years, but, still, the sight of waking up next to Jay Halstead was something she knew would always make her so happy and it made her as happy as it had the first morning they had woken up together, the day after Kim and Adam's wedding. Knowing that Jay was already awake, because he always was awake before her, Hailey grinned and, keeping her arms around him, rested her head against his and asked, "Are you going to kiss Sleeping Beauty, my Prince?"

With a grin, Jay replied, "Maybe. Do you still object to being called cute?"

Hailey ran her hands through her curls and shook her head. She pressed her head against Jay's, then kissed him, before she murmured, "No, not when it's by you, Jay." She paused and looked into Jay's eyes before she added, "Waking up next to you really is the best thing."

"Are you sure about that? Would Sleeping Beauty like a kiss?" Jay ran his hands through Hailey's curls and smiled as he did so, looking into her bright, blue eyes. "I did say you needed to sleep before you had a kiss."

Their lips met in a passionate kiss and Hailey pulled Jay closer to her as she told him, in between whispers, "You have no idea how much I love you, Jay." A look appeared in her eyes and she removed Jay's top.

Kissing Hailey and holding her close to him, Jay murmured, "I'm pretty sure I have a good idea. Because it's how much I love you." Their lips met again, in a passionate embrace, and Hailey was the first to chuckle and dive under the duvet and Jay followed her, with the same soft chuckle leaving his throat.

A little while later, Hailey had a shower and changed whilst Jay made coffee and breakfast. Hailey was glad that she hadn't been too drunk, because she didn't have a sore head this morning, but, as always, she told Jay that she was happy that he had looked after her. With a small smile, Jay told her that it was his pleasure to look after her and he knew that she would do the same for her. Hailey's tolerance for alcohol had been much higher before she and Jay had started to try to conceive a baby, but she didn't mind that. Jay still had a higher tolerance, but he didn't mend to drink too much. He never wanted to risk falling down the rabbit whole, the one he had been in after returning from Afghanistan and Hailey knew and understood that. In her head, Hailey was still thinking about what to do for Jay's birthday. She knew that he didn't want to do anything, but she wanted to do something special. After the year they had been through, they deserved to have some fun, because they were together for another year. Like always, before they left the house for their shift, they placed their wedding rings about their necks.

As soon as Jay and Hailey arrived in the bullpen, Hailey could see Vanessa's hangover, so she went into her desk and passed Vanessa some Ibuprofen. In thanks, Vanessa smiled and followed Hailey into the breakroom to find a bottle of water, before Hailey returned to her desk, where she and Adam talked about the current case. Jay was in his office and Hailey's eyes landed on his office and she smiled to herself. Jay was such a great leader, a good Sergeant, professional and distant in a way Jay had always been and as a Sergeant and she was so proud of him. She remembered how stressed he had been at the beginning of his new role. His words rang in Hailey's ears: Old job, new job and you. Those words made her blush and she sipped her coffee before she focused her attention on work.

Later that day, when Hailey and Kim were in the locker room, Kim broke the silence as she asked, "Hailey, I was away, looking after Nicole after-after she was attacked, when you worked your first case with Intelligence. You were Robbery-Homicide and you worked with Voight." Hailey nodded at the memory, remembering that day as if it was yesterday. It was the first time she had met Jay and Voight. And Erin. With a smile on her face, Kim continued, "I was wondering: What did you think about Jay, when you first met him that day?"

Hailey tilted her head, thinking about that day. "I remember thinking that he seemed to be quite amused by me standing up to Voight and, the day after, when I did a stakeout with him and Al, Jay made a joke about Span and the American Dream. He had a sense of humour and I liked that. I really liked that. I even flirted with him, in the van, a little bit, because he was funny." A smile spread across Hailey's face and the smile reached her bright, blue eyes. It seemed as if, in some ways, that had been yesterday. She remembered picking the call up on the scanner. That call had changed her life. If she hadn't picked up that call, if she hadn't responded, she wouldn't have met Voight's unit. She wouldn't have met Jay. She wouldn't have met her partner, her best friend. The smile was still across her face as she suddenly exclaimed, "Kim, you've just given me the best idea for Jay's birthday! Do you think that you can help me put it together?"

Kim nodded and smiled as she replied, "Of course, Hailey. Anything I can do to help." Her words held a double meaning and Hailey knew that and she appreciated it, but she and Jay were in such a good place that she didn't want to talk about the surrogacy. Waiting for it.

The day before Jay's birthday was a slow one. The unit had closed a case the day before, so it was a paperwork day and that suited Hailey very well. It suited her for Jay's birthday surprise. Both she and Jay had the day off tomorrow, but they had no plans, but Hailey knew that her husband would want to go to his mum's grave as well as probably going to the memorial for fallen soldiers. Hailey also knew that Avery would want to spent time with Jay, as well as her grandparents, Gail and Danny, and she knew that that would mean a lot to Jay, considering that his own parents were dead. Hailey was glad that Kim, Julie, Vanessa and Platt had helped her to put her plan together.

Jay had attended a meeting with some other Sergeants, in his unform, and when he returned to the bullpen, Kim walked over to him and said, "Serge, there's a call for you on the radio." She passed a radio to him, "It's a North Schiller Credit Union. Hailey's going to meet you there."

Frowning, Jay asked, "Burgess, what kind of call?" He looked around, before he asked, in a different tone of voice, "Where are Upton and Ruzek?"

Vanessa smiled and asked, "You still call Hailey by her maiden name, when she's your wife? I know she kept her name for work, but still… They're already at the scene and they need a sergeant on the scene. I'm not a detective and Kim's assigned to desk duty and Kev's working with Cyber Crimes today, so that's you."

Nodding, Jay accepted and answer and left the bullpen, walking very quickly down the stairs. The address sounded slightly familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. He knew that he had heard it somewhere before. He made a mental note to ask Hailey about it later. He knew that, if the address had any significance, his wife would know what it was. Hailey remembered most things better than he did.

As soon as Jay arrived at the credit union, he radioed Hailey and Adam and, with his gun drawn, entered the building. Kim and Vanessa had been vague about what the call was, but the fact that Hailey and Adam weren't answering him wasn't sitting well with Jay. "This 50-21 George. -50-21 Henry, Ida- Respond. Respond. I'm going dark." Silence. Internally, Jay sighed, but he entered the building.

The bank was totally empty and quiet, but Jay's Ranger senses told him that there was someone in the building. He knew that there was. He couldn't see Hailey and Adam's car outside, but he turned off his radio in case there were offenders inside the building.

There was a clatter and Jay raised his gun, only to see Hailey and Adam walking through the door. Hailey touched Adam's arm gently and told him, with a small smile, "Thanks, partner."

"Anytime." He smiled and nodded at Jay. "Have fun, guys."

Seeing that there was no danger, Jay put away his gun and walked over to Hailey, asking, "Hailes, what's going on? Why are we here? Why did Burgess and Rojas tell me there was a crime here?"

A smile spread across Hailey's lips before she mumbled, "You don't remember, do you, and you didn't recognise the address?" Without saying another word, she walked out of the bank, but threw Jay a smile to tell him that she would be back. Jay stayed where he was, feeling very confused. North Schiller Credit Union. Jay ran it through his head over and over, but he still couldn't place it. Hailey walked back into the bank, with a purposeful walk and a determined look in her eyes. In a commanding voice, she said, "I need you outside to move back 50 yards and roll in the crime lab." She stood and stayed where she was and her eyes flicked to Jay, before she continued, "Detective Upton, Robbery-Homicide."

This is where we first met. This was when he had first met Hailey, with Voight and Erin. Jay smiled and laughed and he stepped closer to Hailey, before he teased, "Detective Upton, are you back in the present or are you about to tell Voight to leave the crime scene?" They shared a smile before he asked, gently, "What made you think of this?"

Hailey tilted her head and replied, "This is where we met, the day before your birthday and, to be fair, Kim gave me the idea. I thought it would be a surprise. She asked me what I thought of you, back then, wen we met, right here, all of those years ago."

With a smirk, Jay asked, "And what did you think of me back then, Detective Upton?"

Smiling, Hailey's hands found Jay's before she replied, "I remember thinking that you looked very amused by me challenging Voight, you were standing there, biting your lip, and looking between me and Voight and, later that day, when I spilt coffee over Trudy, you smiled at me. It was so small, but I saw it and I knew that you were kind, Jay Halstead. The next day, when we did a stakeout, I liked your sense of humour. The bum leg and the American Dream."

Jay squeezed Hailey's hands and murmured, "Yeah, I remember that. And you tilted your head at me, in the van. I think that's when you had me, Detective Upton." Jay chuckled softly, then added, "When you walked into the bank, I could see the determination in your eyes. You weren't going to back down, for anyone. I've always loved that fire inside of you. I'd forgotten this is where we met. And now, here we are and you're Hailey Halstead."

Hailey grinned from ear to ear before she asked, "So, you like your surprise?"

"Hailes, I love it!" Jay paused and he could read his wife so well, so he let go of her hand and touched her chin, very gently. "What else were you going to say?"

Feeling the tears welling up in her eyes, Hailey blinked quickly and closed her eyes, but she knew that Jay had seen them. It wasn't often that Hailey was this emotional when she was happy. She opened her eyes again and found Jay's green eyes watching her, patiently. For a couple of seconds, Hailey hummed and chewed her bottom lip, before she spoke again, "Jay, if I hadn't been on duty that shift, I wouldn't have responded to the call, I wouldn't have come here and I wouldn't have met you. We wouldn't have become partners, best friends and now this," She indicated to their joined hands with a small smile, "Jay, I'm so glad that I came here on that day, because you changed my life."

In barley a whisper, Jay told her, "But you were here. And you saved me, Hailey. No one else could've done that. You really were the best partner ever and always will be." He kissed her forehead, then suggested, "Why don't we get out of here? Go back to 21 and then we can celebrate later?"

Breaking her own rule about PDA, Hailey wrapped her arms around Jay's neck and kissed him passionately. As they broke apart, her fingers found Jay's wedding ring and she held onto it as she whispered, "That's a great idea and happy almost-your birthday, Jay."

"Hailes, I have you. I don't need anything else." Jay kissed her forehead and put his arms around her waist as she stayed where she was, with her arms around his neck. His words carried a whole new meaning now. They were happy and they were together. They would try surrogacy and, if it didn't work, they would always have each other. Always.