this one is for the stellaride fans (but also upstead!) hope you guys enjoy all the cuteness of the baby!
i couldn't wait to write more upstead baby fic because i'm hoping it'll be canon in a few years (especially considering the way wednesday's episode ended)! i definitely want hailey and jay to just be married for a little bit, yet when they do get pregnant, it's gonna be awesome. anyways, here's some cuteness to tie you over.
At six a-m on January 1st, Hailey thought she would get to sleep in. Detectives got New Year's Day off if they worked until five the previous night and Hailey was looking forward to a sleep in. Being pregnant and all had taken a toll on her sleep schedule but that had finally started to turn the corner a couple days ago. Apparently it was now going to be cut off because her damn phone was ringing and wouldn't shut up.
Pushing herself out of bed, Hailey found her cell lying on the hall table and saw that it was Stella calling. Worried that something bad had happened, Hailey swiped to accept the call immediately. "Hey Stella, what's up?" She asked.
"He's here!" A nervous giggle came from the other end of the line, one that was very unlike Stella Kidd. "I mean, the baby. My baby. I'm a mom!"
"What?!" Hailey shrieked, then clapped a hand over her mouth. She forgot that Jay slept like a log and wouldn't wake up to a phone call. "He's really here? Wait, when did you and Severide go to the hospital? When I texted last night, you said you didn't think he'd be here for at least another half week," Hailey said with a lower voice.
On the other end of the line, Hailey could've sworn Stella was smirking. "We lied. Kelly was actually the one who texted back because I was in the middle of a contraction. Needless to say, baby boy Severide arrived at 2am this morning. Talk about luck, born on New Year's Day. He's always going to be the oldest in his class."
"I can't believe it," Hailey smiled.
"I clocked out after about half an hour of staring at him which meant Kelly had to be the first person to deal with his cries. But I'm awake now, and if you want you can come meet him later. Sorry to call so early, but I just couldn't help myself! With Sylvie in Oregon and unable to physically see him until she gets back next week, and my inability to call Kim because I didn't want to wake up the girls, you were my only option." There was a long pause, then Severide's deeper voice came on the line.
"I tried to tell her that waking a pregnant woman was unkind because if someone did that to her, they wouldn't live to tell the tale. But she was dialing before I could spare you your sleep," confessed Severide.
"Well that's okay. Maybe I'll wake you guys up when our daughter arrives in a few months," warned Hailey. "Hey, your son will be in the same school year as my kid. We thought they were gonna grow up with Isla, but apparently not."
"Oh yeah, I didn't even think of that." Stella laughed. "Anyways, I'll let you get back to your sleep. Text when you're heading over to the hospital and I'll make sure that I'm not breastfeeding or anything. Kelly is now officially banned from touching my body until the six week mark, which he's already complained about. I pushed a baby out less than four hours ago, I think you can chill babe." The last sentence was directed more at her husband than her friend on the phone, but it made Hailey chuckle.
She shifted her weight as she prepared to hang up. "Sounds good. I'm thinking maybe just before lunch? Jay and I can bring takeout on our way, anything you like."
"I'm going to take you up on that. See you soon!" The call ended, and Hailey's hand immediately went to rest on her stomach. She couldn't imagine the joy and chaos Stella and Severide were feeling right now, although she would soon enough. Just a couple more months left to go and then she and Jay would be in the same place experiencing it themselves. It was kind of crazy to think about.
Her daughter wasn't lively this morning for once. Hailey decided that she was too awake to go back to bed, so she got out her laptop and started on some of the extra paperwork that the squad always had lying around. When Jay got up, she explained what had happened and then agreed to a shared shower where they ended up spending the majority of the morning in the steam. Once they emerged, Hailey texted Stella that they would be on their way in ten minutes.
Jay threw on a black t-shirt, a crewneck and jeans. Hailey was limited to the clothes she could wear, so she went with leggings, a tank top and then a plaid shirt overtop. Before they left, Jay of course had to say hello to their daughter. He hadn't had the chance in bed that morning and couldn't leave without doing so. Watching her husband fall in love with his little girl made Hailey's heart squeeze. If she wasn't already knocked up with Jay's baby, Hailey would have insisted they had a kid at this point. She also now just wanted to skip the visit and have sex with him all day, but they had promised Stella and Severide they'd go. Hailey gently pushed Jay away and pulled him out the door before her pregnancy hormones took over.
At Chicago Med, Hailey and Jay got cleared at the front desk, then took the elevator up to the maternity floor. For some reason, Hailey was a bit nervous to meet Stella's son. Jay held her hand plus the bag of takeout they picked up. When the got to the correct room, Hailey took a deep breath before knocking. "Hello," called Hailey softly, as she pushed open the door to Stella's hospital room.
Severide stood at the end of Stella's bed with a big smile on his face. "Come on in guys!"
Jay and Hailey filed in quietly. It didn't take long to spot the baby in Stella's arms. He had wisps of brown hair and olive-toned skin, almost like a carbon copy of his mother. "Stella, he's beautiful," Hailey breathed, staring down at the tiny baby in her friend's arms.
"Um, what about me? Don't I get some credit for his handsome-ness?" Severide drawled. "Shut up, you didn't just push this baby out of you as far as I'm aware," Stella retorted. For someone who just had a baby, she looked alert and well. Severide had texted Jay earlier to say that whatever drugs they had Stella on, were doing wonders apparently. Stella rolled her eyes and then motioned to the chair beside the bed. "Do you want to hold him?"
"I would love to." Hailey quickly shed her coat and slumped into the armchair. This felt just like when she first held Isla, except instead of being wistful and wanting a baby at the time, she was pregnant and about to have her own very soon.
The tiny boy was smaller than Isla had been but still just as darling. He opened his eyes only once to blink at Hailey, then promptly fell back asleep. Hailey was surprised to see that he had his father's eyes. "He's got blue eyes," she said aloud.
From bed, Stella laughed. "Yeah, I'm still a bit surprised about that. They might turn brown later on, or at least that's what I've heard. But considering he's got all my looks and hardly anything from Kelly thus far, it would make sense if his eyes stayed blue."
Everyone else let out a chuckle too. "Yeah, he's not even really my son at this point. Although it's rightfully so that he picked up the good looks from his mom," agreed Severide. The way he smiled as wife made Hailey smile inside. She could tell how in love they were, and according to Sylvie, they had been for a long time. Nearly as long as Jay and Hailey had been.
Speaking of Jay, he hadn't said much as he watched his wife fall in love with another baby, But he finally cleared his throat to ask the burning question of the afternoon. "So what did you name him?"
Stella glanced at Severide. "You tell them," she offered graciously.
Severide shrugged. "Alright. His name is Shayden Kelly Severide. Shay for short."
Hailey smiled down at the little boy in her arms. She liked his name, even though she didn't quite understand if there was any symbolic reason. However, Jay caught on immediately."After Leslie Shay, right? I remember her. She was your best friend and a paramedic."
"Yep." Severide looked from Stella to Shayden, then back to Stella. "I told my wife we didn't have to go with something so close to Shay, but she insisted it was the best way to remember her. Best friends even in the afterlife, am I right?" The new father looked as though he was trying not to cry.
"I never really knew Leslie, but she would've loved him. And Stella," Jay said truthfully. He walked over and put his hand on Hailey's shoulder lightly. A silent way of telling her that he was good to name their daughter whatever she wanted, and to commemorate whoever in her name. She glanced up at him quickly and smiled.
The two couples chatted and passed around the baby for another half hour. Then Hailey and Jay decided to let Stella rest. Jay passed Shayden—who was still sleeping—back to Severide. Hailey leaned in to give Stella a gentle hug. "Let me know if you need anything," she said.
"Thanks Hailey, appreciate it." Stella yawned as she waved goodbye. Jay grabbed Hailey's hand again as they headed back to the carpark.
"That's going to be us in a couple months," said Jay once they were outside. He opened the truck door for Hailey, who didn't fight him on it anymore.
Hailey nodded. "I know. Kind of insane." She waited until Jay was in the driver's seat, then asked, "We've barely discussed baby names. I have literally no ideas. Is there anyone you would like to name our daughter after?"
Jay thought for a moment. "Not really. Maybe something to honour my mom, but I wouldn't want to name our daughter after her."
"Okay." Hailey agreed. She and Jay were pretty laid back about names. Kim and Adam had struggled for weeks about Isla's name choice mainly because they thought it sounded weird with Makayla's name. Though after careful consideration they decided it worked fine and went with it.
"Whatever we decide will be special and perfect, just like you and our baby girl," Jay told Hailey, pulling out of the parking lot. "I love you."
"I love you too." Hailey smiled and rested her head on his shoulder across the console. Luckily they still had a couple months to decide and they weren't going to settle until it was the best name they could think of.
On the drive home, Hailey couldn't help but think about the people in her life that she might want to name her daughter after, in some way. And she couldn't help but think about her own mother. The woman who stayed next to her abuser's side; the same man who hit her own kids. Would Hailey be like her in any way? Clearly Jay was nothing like her own father, but the idea of her not being strong enough to get away to keep her kids safe, played over and over in her head. Maybe she wasn't cut out for this. Maybe she wouldn't be a good mom.
It was a little too late to go back. Too late to go back and think about how her own parents had subconsciously affected her possible abilities as a parent. She had survived childhood, but that didn't mean she would be a good mother. What if a piece of her would never be okay, and therefore she would fail as a parent? Jay would tell her she was crazy for thinking all the things she did, but they were valid fears. The floodgates of bad thoughts had opened, and it was only a matter of time before they started to eat Hailey alive.
so this is the first chapter i've ended with a bit of angst. it wasn't planned at first (sorry!) but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. don't worry, next chapter will be out in a few days!
prediction that shayden kelly severide is gonna break hearts, just like his daddy. however stella's is the only one they'll fight to keep together. I just love stellaride from fire and i'm really glad I found a way to add them in.
find me on tumblr at thedefinitionofendgame. thanks for reading!