A/N: Upstead Appreciation Week Day 2: "It's you, it always has been"
A week has passed since the kiss in the bar, both Jay and Hailey living in a happy bliss since that night. Both enjoy having it be their little secret, for now, being able to avoid the questions that they know will come from their friends when they find out.
On a rare morning, Hailey is up before Jay. Knowing this is unlikely to happen again anytime soon, Hailey takes advantage of it carefully leaning into his side. Laying her head on his chest, she can hear his steady heartbeat under her.
She doesn't know how long she's listening to the sound of his heart when she feels his strong arms snake around her and his lips to the top of her head. "Morning," he breathes.
"Morning," she looks up to meet his eyes.
"Can we just stay like this all day?" Jay questions, pulling Hailey in for a kiss.
"As much as I want to, we have to go to work. If we're both out they might get suspicious."
"What if I make you waffles?"
"We can't," Hailey groans.
"Fine," Jay sighs.
"We finish the week and we don't leave this bed all weekend," Hailey whispers in his ear before getting out of bed.
"I like that," Jay follows her.
"What are you doing?"
"We can save water this way."
"No funny business," Hailey reminds him. "I don't want to be late."
"No funny business," Jay quickly agrees.
Walking into the bullpen, Hailey and Jay are the last to arrive. The two detectives look to each other when they notice the extra bodies in the room.
"What's going on?" Jay looks to Kim.
Kim looks to Kevin, Vanessa, and Adam before looking back to the two detectives.
"Well?" Hailey joins the conversation.
The four officers are saved from answering when Voight comes out of his office with two FBI agents, one of them being no other than Erin Lindsay.
Hailey quickly looks over to Jay and immediately sees the hurt in his eyes. She pulls him into the breakroom, saying something about coffee so the others don't question them. Once inside the room, Hailey shuts the door. "Hey, are you going to be okay?"
"Yeah, I just- It would have been nice to have a head's up."
"I know. What do you need from me?"
"Just stay close?" Jay asks giving her his puppy eyes.
"Always," Hailey promises. "You ready, or do you need another minute?"
"I'm ready," Jay answers.
The two go out to the bullpen, Jay to his desk and Hailey sits on the edge of his desk, as if she is trying to block him from the others' view.
"What's the case?" Hailey asks.
"There have been several small-scale bombings across the country. They've only gotten local attention, but the counterterrorism division in New York believes that they are connected and are building up to something bigger," Voight answers.
"Our boss knew I know the terrain, so he sent me and my partner," Erin nods to the woman with her.
"Nicolette Hale," she introduces herself.
"What would be a potential target here? It's a great city, but if you're going to attack the country, I would think they'd go after New York, Philly, Boston. Somewhere that anyone would know or somewhere with history," Kevin questions.
"We think that the smaller ones were for show and that this is going to be it… this is where the body count will be," Hale replies.
"If they're going for bodies here, Navy Pier is a good target," Kim states.
"There's also any one of the parks," Kevin adds.
"And maybe the zoos," Adam jumps in.
"The stadiums would give a high causality count," Jay thinks out loud. "Soldier Field, United Center, Wrigley Field, and Guaranteed Rate Field. The Bears' season is over and the Fire hasn't started yet, so that takes out Soldier Field. Baseball hasn't started yet so that takes out Wrigley Field and Guaranteed Rate Field. The Hawks and Bulls are in season, but they share the United Center."
Voight pulls out the whiteboard, listing all locations that his team mentions. "What about schools?" Vanessa looks to the two visitors.
"No, they haven't gone after schools yet, it's not enough of a landmark," Hale answers.
"How do you want to play this Sarge?" Hailey looks to Voight.
"Split up into groups of four and go to Navy Pier and the United Center. Send patrol units to the rest of the locations."
Lindsay looks to Jay, "Why don't you come with us?"
Hailey shoots Jay a look, "I was thinking we could take Vanessa and Kev and go to the United Center."
"Sounds good," he agrees.
"We're with you?" Vanessa asks bouncing up to the two detectives.
"Yeah."
"Do you have a problem with me?" Lindsay asks annoyed.
"No," Hailey lies. "Jay and I are partners; I go where he goes. We're the only detectives in this unit if you haven't noticed. This is too big, no matter how capable they are, to send all officers to a location."
"Hailey, Jay, Vanessa, and Kev- go to the United Center. Everyone else go to Navy Pier," Voight gives the final order.
"Was that kind of tense for anyone else?" Vanessa whispers to Kevin as the two are sitting in the back of Jay's truck.
Kevin shakes his head at the young officer, giving her a look. Vanessa picks up on it and looks out the window watching as the scenery goes past.
The unit and the two FBI agents work long and hard, not leaving until after midnight and having a return time of six.
"This was not how I was expecting our week to go?" Jay states sitting up in bed.
"Me either," Hailey agrees. "How are you doing with the whole Erin thing?"
"As good as I can be, I guess," he answers. "What about you? I can see the gears in your head turning."
"Are we good? Like if Lindsay asked you to move to New York with her, would you?"
"No," Jay answers immediately. "Maybe if she asked six months after she left, but we weren't good for each other. It just took me a while to realize that. It's you, it always has been. You're the one who has always been there for me— even when I didn't deserve it."
"Jay," Hailey cuddles into his side. "Everyone deserves to have someone in their corner."
"Thank you, for being you," Jay pulls her close and rests his head on top of hers.
A/N: Day 2 of 21. I still don't think fluff is my thing but thank you for any comment you left on the first one.