2021
Husband and wife. Jay couldn't wipe the smile off his face. It had been several weeks now since Jay and Hailey had snuck off to the courthouse one night and made it official.
So much had happened to them this year, so much uncertainty, chaos, loss. After Jay had squared things up with Agent North, all he could think about on the drive home was how much he wanted to make Hailey his wife.
There was no time like the present after all. So, after sitting next to her on their couch, in their home, seeing how relieved she was after he told her the Roy thing was over… he decided to suggest it right then and there. Much to his own relief, she said yes, leaning in to give him a kiss, smiling the whole time. He thought his cheeks might hurt, how happy he felt. This was finally happening.
Much like Jay and Hailey, their wedding ceremony was ultra-private, intimate. Only the judge and a random witness saw them exchange vows, promising themselves to one another, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, forever. And it couldn't have been more perfect. But they did think about their friends, their team. How they might react, that maybe they should have invited them. But Jay took one look at Hailey as they said, "I do", and knew that she was all he needed, all he has ever needed, and ever will.
And in true Hailey and Jay fashion, they managed to keep their marriage a secret for a little while from their coworkers. Of all people, Voight was the one to catch on first when Hailey slipped up taking her gloves off at a crime scene. Getting married in the dead of Chicago winter certainly helped them cover up their ring fingers.
The thin black band on Hailey's left ring finger caught Voight's eye. It took him a second to process, before looking down at Jay's ungloved hand. Jay had purposely taken his hand out of his pocket, knowing that Voight saw Hailey's hand already. He smirked, confirming his bosses' thoughts.
"You guys got married", Voight stated. Kevin's ears shot up; he had been looking down at his phone as they were standing in a circle debriefing.
Hailey glanced at Jay and smiled at her boss.
"Yeah we did", Jay confirmed.
Kevin's mouth dropped open. Voight's usually hard features softened, his face breaking out into an even rarer wide smile. He almost looked like a proud parent for a second.
"What the hell congratulations!" Kevin blurted out, leaning over the give Hailey a bear hug. Reaching over to pound Jay's knuckles at the same time.
"Thanks Kev", Hailey said warmly. "Alright, we have work to do", she quickly added, not wanting to make a scene. Adam and Kim were surely going to make a big deal out of this.
"Congratulations you two", Voight added, back to his usual gruff demeanour, before walking away and respecting Hailey's unspoken wishes of not making a scene, at their crime scene of all places.
"You know Ruz and Burgess are going to freak out right?" Kevin told Jay as they were walking back to his truck together.
"I know", Jay laughed. "Fully prepared for 21 questions from Kim, and "You robbed me of planning a bachelor party…selfish Halstead?!" From Adam.", Jay mimicked their friend.
Kevin laughed at that one. "Well as long as you know. Nothing in the rule book about having a party after the fact, right?" Kevin tested the waters. Jay was a low-key guy, who likely wouldn't want anything big anyways, Hailey was much of the same. Which made sense why the two of them were so private.
"No, I don't think that's against the rules", Jay said vaguely.
"Alright, alright. Good to know", Kevin smiled, the wheels beginning to turn in his head.
As expected, Kim and Adam lost it when they found out once they all got back to the district. Kim was blubbering, Adam was so hyper, all over the place ecstatic for their friends.
"I can't believe you guys were secretly engaged! And also married!" Kim exclaimed.
"We wanted to keep it low key", Hailey smiled.
"Tell us everything, how did you propose Jay?" Kim asked. Jay sharing a quick glance with Hailey in the process.
"Actually, I sort of proposed first", Hailey said sheepishly, before she was able to catch herself.
Adam and Kevin gave Hailey a few approving nods. "Upton, how modern of you."
Jay jumped in, noticing Hailey feeling a bit awkward. Only they knew the real story of the night Hailey proposed to Jay, and he was sure they didn't want to discuss that night around Kim.
"True. But I also made it official the next night and asked. Down on one knee and everything", he smiled and gave Hailey's hand a quick squeeze.
Kim was swooning, at the rare public display of affection from them.
"And then Jay came home a few weeks ago and asked me to marry him again…that night", Hailey laughed thinking back to how many proposals there truly were in all of this.
"I wanted to make you my wife ASAP", Jay admitted.
"You've waited long enough", Adam said earning a nudge in the side from Kevin.
Hailey laughed at that. "We did wait long enough. When you know you know right", she slid her hand across Jay's lower back, leaning her head on his arm for a second. Long enough for Kim to get all teary again.
"That is so you two", Kim laughed in disbelief, pulling herself together.
They also asked if Will knew yet. The only person they suspected might have been invited.
"Will knows, he was the first one we told", Jay confirmed.
"How did he react?" Adam asked.
"Much like Kim actually", Hailey added.
The two of them laughed fondly at the memory of a very tired, woken up from a mid-day post night shift sleep, Will. Who also got teary eyed at the news and hugged both of them in his pyjamas standing in his condo hallway.
"We're sorry we didn't invite you guys or anything…we just wanted it to be us", Hailey added. Knowing Adam and Kevin wouldn't care that much, but she could tell Kim was a little hurt at being left out of a big milestone for them.
"We get it. Like Kim said, very on brand for the both of you", Adam and Kevin replied. Kim nodding, walking over to give her friends a hug.
"Does Trudy know yet?" She asked.
Hailey looked at Jay, who looked down at Hailey. "I don't know actually", Jay said skeptically.
"She's the one I'd be nervous to break the news to that you guys didn't have a wedding reception", Kim said.
Hailey didn't even think of that. Trudy was sort of like a pseudo-parent to her in many ways, having been there for her at a tumultuous and pivotal time in her youth.
"Fair point. But to make it up to you guys, Hailey and I were talking…", Jay started, nudging her, hoping she knew where he was going with this.
"We want to have you all over at our place for dinner. To celebrate, and a housewarming of sorts I guess", she finished Jay's train of thought perfectly. It was scary how in sync they were sometimes.
"That sounds great! When?" Kim asked.
Hailey looked to Jay, giving him a look. He knew what she was thinking.
"New Year's Eve?" Jay suggested, maintaining eye contact with her. Hailey smiling that he figured it out.
"Oh my god yes. After the last year, we need a celebration, to kiss 2021 goodbye. Let's wear black tie. And sparkles", Kim returned to her desk already having a few ideas.
"Let us know what we can bring Upton", Kevin said, then quickly stopping in his tracks.
"Wait can we still call you that?" He smirked.
Hailey and Jay had already talked about this, but she figured it was relevant to tell the team.
"I'll still be Upton at work. But yes, on paper I am officially Hailey Halstead", she blushed, still not entirely used to the fact that she took Jay's last name.
"Hailey Halstead", Jay repeated, her name rolling of his tongue so easily. All he could do was stare at her, still in disbelief this was real. She was his wife.
"Hailey what?" Trudy's voice interrupted their informal chat at their desks.
They all spun around, smirking towards Hailey and Jay, who were smirking at one another.
All they did was hold up their left hands and Trudy's eyes welled up instantly.
Not the reaction they were expecting at all. They had never seen their desk sergeant show emotion like this before.
"Oh, you two", was all she managed to get out, going over to hug them.
"Took you long enough", she winked, quickly pulled herself together and provided them with a trademark sarcastic comment.
"Yeah, yeah Sarge", Jay replied.
"You and Mouch are invited New Year's Eve. Our place, we're having a celebration" Hailey said, finally calling it what it was.
"We'll be there", she croaked. Waving them all off and heading back downstairs. Smiling the whole way back to her desk, if anyone deserved happiness it was those two.
New Year's Eve fell on a Friday this year, which was perfect for all of their schedules. Voight had made sure none of them would be called in for work that night. They weren't sure how he secured that on a prime day for people to be off, but he did, and they were thankful for that.
Kim had even secured a babysitter for Makayla. The stars had all aligned. Instead of joining for the adults only party, as Kim kept referring to it, Makayla made a picture for Hailey and Jay to put on their fridge.
"You don't have to actually put it up. But she wanted me to give this to you guys", Kim said, pulling the drawing out of her bag. Hailey and Jay in what looked like wedding clothes, holding guns, with hearts all around them. Jay snorted when he saw it.
"No this is awesome we're putting it up", he said and pulled a magnet on top to keep it in place.
"We'll have to call her tomorrow to thank her", Hailey said.
Kevin arrived shortly after Adam and Kim. Trudy and Mouch got there next, then Voight. Once everyone was there, Hailey discreetly pulled Kim to the side.
"Hey, I need your help with something", she whispered.
"Oo okay", Kim said giddily, following Hailey to her bedroom.
Kim's jaw dropped open when Hailey appeared from behind their walk-in closet doors a few minutes later wearing a white gown.
"Hailey!" Kim squealed, never picturing Hailey as a white dress kind of gal. Hailey herself confirmed it when she told Kim she got married in black jeans.
"What do you think?" Hailey asked nervously. Jay didn't know she had bought this either. It was a little out of her comfort zone, but she wanted to do this. Jay was more traditional than she was, but a part of her- a small part albeit- did always want to wear white for her wedding day.
"It's perfect", Kim exclaimed. It wasn't a traditional wedding dress, but it was so perfect for Hailey. Thin spaghetti straps, simple neckline and floor length cut, gorgeous white satin material. It hugged her body in all the right places. Hailey turned around so Kim could help her zip up the dress all the way.
Kim poked her head out of the room, making sure Jay didn't come in. They were in the clear. The boys were already dressed in full suits so that part was taken care of.
"Is Will coming?" Kim asked.
"Yeah he is", Hailey said with a twinkle in her eye.
"What….", Kim asked suspiciously, seeing Hailey was up to something.
"He might be bringing someone else too", Hailey smirked.
"Someone else?!" Kim was confused now. Mentally calculating everyone that was here already and who they possibly could be missing.
"Alright, don't freak out. The day we got married was perfect, it was everything we both wanted. But deep down I know Jay is traditional, so I organized a little surprise before dinner", Hailey explained.
"Okay….", Kim wasn't exactly following.
"Mouch…he's going to "officiate" another quick ceremony. I mean it's already legit, but just for the sake of doing it in front of you guys…", Kim smiled, feeling giddy.
"And Will is on his way back from the airport. Mouse got a few days of leave, which worked out perfectly so he's coming here to surprise Jay", Kim's eyes started to well again, placing her hand over her heart.
"Oh… Hailey that's so special", she said wiping her eyes, trying to hold it together and not mess up her or Hailey's makeup.
Hailey blinked a few times, trying to hold it together on her end too. She had only met Mouse on FaceTime, but she really felt like she knew him at this point. It was the best wedding gift she could think to get her new husband. And on their favourite day together too.
Just then Hailey got a text from Will saying there were here, heading up the elevator.
"Okay so what's the plan", Kim asked. Hailey sort of froze.
"Um, I actually haven't really thought about how we were going to do this…", she suddenly realized. In her head Mouse and Will would come in and everyone would be together, but she forgot she was wearing this dress now and she didn't know which surprise should come first.
Kim saw the last minute panic in her friends eyes. "Alright, no worries. I have an idea."
She quickly left the room to make sure everyone was in the living room. Hailey heard the knock at the door, and Kim quickly ushered her so that she would be behind Jay as he saw Mouse for the first time, still hiding the dress from him.
Jay opened the door without checking first, knowing it was going to be Will. When he made eye contact with Mouse on the other side, he stopped in his tracks.
"What are you doing here!" He instantly pulled Mouse in for a big hug, holding each other there for a few minutes. No one could make out what they were saying, but there were a lot of back pats, both of them wiped their eyes after parting. Will smiling the whole time, getting the entire reunion on video. Smiling extra wide at seeing his sister-in-law in the background.
Mouse whispered something to Jay, which caused him to turn around quickly. His jaw dropping once again at seeing Hailey in a white dress. Talk about a first look. Kim captured it from the other side on her phone.
"Wow" was all he managed to say. Walking over to her felt like he was floating.
He leaned down and kissed her, burying his chin against her shoulder afterwards in a hug.
"You look amazing. I love you so much", he said.
"I love you too. Jay?" She asked.
"Hmm?" He hummed back.
"Will you marry me. Now?", Hailey asked with a twinkle in her eye, copying his sentiments from a few weeks earlier. Gesturing to Mouch, candles lit all around their apartment, and a few chairs strategically placed facing the steps in their living room. Leading up to a nice view of the Chicago skyline.
Jay quickly realized he had been the only one in the dark about this plan.
"I will marry you every single day, again and again", he grinned.
"Phew", Hailey joked. Mouse ran off to get dressed in a hurry.
Hailey pulled Trudy aside, as everyone was sitting down. Jay already standing nervously atop of their "altar."
"Hey Trudy…", now it was Hailey's turn to be nervous.
"What's up kid? Cold feet?" She laughed.
That made Hailey a little more at ease actually. "I was wondering…if maybe…you could walk me down the aisle?" Hailey looked up at Trudy with wide eyes, seeing Trudy's well up at the same time.
"It would be my honour", she replied. Her brain quickly reviewing the first time she met Hailey, who gave her the same nervous look then too. Today was different though. It felt full circle in many ways.
Trudy walked Hailey up their makeshift living room aisle, Jay biting his lip and letting a few tears slide in the process. Part of him wishing his parents were here to see this. To see how happy he really was. But taking comfort in the fact that he was going to build a family with Hailey now, and looking around the room feeling lucky that he had this group as his family too.
Mouch read over a few short and sweet words, they exchanged the same vows they did at the courthouse and Jay dipped his 'new' bride the second "You may kiss…" came out of Mouch's mouth. Their living room erupted in cheers, Adam popped some champagne in the back, and they arranged themselves around the dinner table to enjoy a meal together.
Hailey and Jay couldn't keep their eyes or their hands off each other the entire night, which did not go unnoticed by the group.
"I have never seen him like this", Mouse mused.
"I know", Will agreed, shocked his brother and frankly Hailey too were letting loose. But he sure was happy about it.
After several bottles of champagne had been flowing, they had a few bites of the cake Kim had made for them, Jay pulled Hailey up for a first dance.
"Jay", Hailey hissed, not the biggest fan of dancing.
"Trust me", he grinned.
Everyone gathered around them in their living room as they danced barefoot in the candlelight to Northern Wind by City and Colour flooding through their speakers.
You're the Northern Wind sending shivers down my spine….", Hailey certainly felt the shivers as Jay's hand rested on her lower back.
She looked up at him, following his lead, realizing that she didn't care if she looked silly or was bad at dancing. They had the most important people in their life here tonight, witnessing their love for one another. This was everything Hailey dreamed about as a kid and more.
Jay pulled her in closer to whisper the lyrics to this part in her ear, which she loved.
You're the lullaby, singing me to sleep. You are the other half, you're like a missing piece."
Jay's breath was hot against her neck, they circled around the room slowly, like they were the only two in it. Hailey felt safe and secure in Jay's arms. He felt like he was holding onto the most precious thing in his life, his whole world.
As the song ended, Jay gave her a big kiss on the lips, much to the liking of the group.
"Woohoo!" Mouse shouted from the back. Knowing perhaps more than anyone the hell Jay had been through and back to get here. He was thrilled for his friend.
"This is our best New Year's, yet I'd say. Year 5", Jay said out loud, getting a few questioning looks from the group once they had settled and were enjoying a few drinks together.
"We've spent every New Years together since I started working in Intelligence", Hailey smirked, filling in the blanks. "Our own tradition you might say."
"Why does that not surprise me at all", the group chimed in. "Classic Hailey and Jay." Secret New Year's Eve date every year." "Some elite police unit we are." They all had a laugh, poking fun at their long in love with each other colleagues.
"Anyone up for a late night skate?" Jay asked.
"Huh?" The group looked at him confused.
"Never mind", he laughed, joining eyes with Hailey.
When they had a minute alone, as the party was winding down, well after midnight at this point- Hailey came up to Jay from behind wrapping her arms around him.
"Hi Hailey Anne Halstead", Jay murmured.
"Hi", she greeted him back.
"You know out of all the New Year's we've spent together, this one has to be my favourite yet", Jay said warmly, putting his arm around his wife.
"Me too", Hailey melted into his side.
Turns out this year, and every other year before it, in one way or another- had been their year after all. And 2022, and 2032, 2052… the rest of their lives was going to be it too.
Ahh thank you for following along! That's a wrap for New Year Same Us, hope you all enjoyed it. I always feel a sense of relief but also mourning when I finish a story. I'll be back to give Through the Years some love again soon! Let me know what you thought of this one. Any feedback/ideas for future stories is also welcome too Only a few more days until One Chicago is back woohoo, big episode this week. Take care and happy 2022 to you all- this year is going to be your year too I can feel it. - K