Hi friends! Here is chapter 16 as promised. It's a pretty long one and another doozy of a chapter, but maybe not a doozy in the way you're expecting...? Anywho, I will see you next week for chapter 17! Enjoy lovelies and I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this one!
***TW / gun violence, blood and injuries
"This has been fun Detective, but you're boring me," Booth says before he presses a finger over the trigger and fires off his gun.
A single bullet shoots out from the barrel and it's as if time stands still as it moves through the air, and then it hits Jay in his stomach. The force of it sends him falling backwards to the floor with a loud thud against the hardwood as Hailey screams out a gut-wrenching cry.
"Jay!" Hailey cries out as she flails against Booth and tries to get free from his grasp.
The man drops his arms and lets her go, another maniacal laugh escaping him as he watches her run toward Jay lying on his side on the floor, silent and unmoving.
"No! No, no, no, please…" Hailey sobs as she falls to the floor and kneels beside him, crying out again and again, "Please God, no. No!"
She reaches for him as she leans over his body, holding his head in her hands to look at his face and not expecting to see his eyes open as he breathes slowly and quietly. She leans further over him, shielding him from view of Booth as she moves her hands down his chest to feel under his shirt and sighs out a nearly silent breath of relief when her fingers meet the familiar feel of Kevlar beneath the fabric.
Jay glances at his gun on the floor beside them, then sets his eyes back on her, and she quickly wonders if his getting shot might have actually been intentional.
"Just us again, Hailey!" Booth calls over to her. "Right back where we started."
Jay gives her a slow indiscreet nod as she kneels beside him, her body still blocking him from Booth, and she nods back to let him know she understands.
"Maybe we are, but this time I'm gonna do what I should have done earlier," Hailey croaks out, looking over her shoulder to glance at him.
"And what's that? Gonna try to arrest me again Detective?" He asks her with another laugh.
"No," Hailey says, giving a slow shake of her head as she grabs Jay's gun and turns around quickly, standing to her feet. Her body aches in protest at the sudden maneuver as she raises the gun, aiming it at Booth as he stands several feet away, and then she breathes out, "I'm going to kill you."
Booth's eyes go wide and the smirk fades from his face as he raises his gun back at her, but Hailey doesn't hesitate. She holds the weapon steady in her hand and presses a finger over the trigger.
She fires once, twice, then three times at Booth's chest, sending him falling backwards to the floor with a look of surprise on his face. He takes quick, shallow breaths, and then his breathing slows entirely as blood begins to seep through the front of his shirt. He goes completely still a few moments later, his eyes still open, but lifeless now.
Hailey collapses to the floor again, dropping the gun beside her and crawls back to Jay's side. He's sitting up now, wincing as he clutches his stomach with one hand, but he still manages to smile softly at her.
"Are you okay?" Hailey asks him, reaching out her hands to push his away as she lifts his shirt. She looks him over and over, again and again to be sure the bullet didn't go through, still in disbelief that he wasn't hit anywhere when she sees no blood on her hands.
Jay sets a hand on top of one of hers, stilling her movements and squeezing as he breathes out, "I'm okay. Kevlar caught it. I'm good."
Her eyes fill with fresh tears when she meets his gaze and she shakes her head, the adrenaline pumping through her helping to numb the pain that was all-consuming just moments ago.
"I thought you were dead," Hailey whispers to him.
"He had to think I was, otherwise, the plan wouldn't have worked," Jay tells her, giving another squeeze to her hand. "I'm sorry I scared you."
She whimpers, but nods, turning her hand over in his and holding tight to his fingers.
"I'm okay," Jay tells her again as the front door flies open and is thrown from its hinges.
"Jay? Hailey?" Kevin shouts out, frantic and worried for his friends.
"We're here," Hailey croaks back as loudly as she can.
The team enters the living room a second later, guns drawn and eyes darting between Hailey and Jay and the lifeless body of Booth lying across from them on the floor.
"Y'all good?" Kevin breathes out, glancing between the partners.
"I'm fine, but Hailey needs an ambulance," Jay says, wincing as he stands to his feet.
Kevin nods, reaching for the radio on his shoulder to make a call as Voight comes up behind him. Jay takes a few deep breaths as he lifts his shirt and pulls off the Kevlar vest from around his torso, and then hands it over to his Sergeant with a nod of gratitude.
"Worked just like we planned, Sarge," Jay tells him.
Voight nods back, a smirk growing on his face as he takes the vest from his detective. "Yeah, I thought it might. You good?"
"Yeah, just got the wind knocked out of me. I'll be fine," Jay says as he kneels back down in front of Hailey and reaches out a hand to her. "Can I help you up?"
Hailey stares back at him, unmoving as the shock and reality of what has happened really begins to sink in. A few moments pass until she finally places a shaking hand in his and nods her head slowly at him.
Jay holds on to her hand tightly and reaches his other arm out to her waist. He stands to his feet and pulls her up with him, ignoring the ache in his stomach as he does – he's sure and certain there will be an ugly bruise come morning. He keeps a gentle hold on her hand and her waist, helps her stay steady on her feet, and then he gets the first real glimpse of her as someone turns on another light.
There's already massive swelling on one side of her face and jaw, shades of bruises already forming over her skin, a busted open lip, and visible handprints around her neck. But he knows her physical injuries are nothing compared to the mental trauma she's just experienced and nothing compared to what Booth would have done if Jay hadn't come in when he did.
He quickly notices the torn fabric that was once a t-shirt that now barely covers her chest and he carefully pulls her in against him. He lets go of her hand and raises his arms to wrap them around her shoulders, and she grips the front of his shirt tightly as her entire body shakes against his.
"Can someone get me a blanket or a jacket? Something, please?" Jay calls out quietly over the top of her head.
Kim nods from the other side of the room and disappears to find something, returning a few minutes later with a CPD jacket over her arm. She smiles softly at Jay as she hands it to him and steps away from the pair, knowing the last thing Hailey needs right now is unnecessary people hovering over her.
Jay pulls her away from him just enough that he can wrap the jacket around her. He helps her slip her arms through the sleeves as gently as he can and zips up the front of the jacket so it keeps her covered, and then he stares down at her.
"I know it's the dumbest possible question, but are you okay?" He asks shakily, tears forming in his eyes again as he looks over the injuries to her face.
"I am now," Hailey whispers, leaning into him once more and resting her head against his chest as she sniffs back her tears.
Jay tightens his arms around her shoulders slightly, holding her against him for several moments until she lifts her head to look up at him again. There's a sadness in her eyes that guts him completely, but there's something else that looks a lot like relief and she breathes out a shaky sigh.
"If you – if you hadn't come in when you did…" she trails off, her voice breaking into pieces as a new batch of tears fill her eyes as quickly as they fall from them. "He – he would have…"
"It's okay. You're okay," Jay shakes his head, lifting an arm to place a hand at the back of her head and bring her to his chest once more. "You're safe and he's dead. He's never gonna hurt you again."
Hailey nods against him, her bottom lip trembling as more tears spill from her eyes, and she fists his shirt in her hands as she clings to him.
"He's dead. You got him, Hailey," Jay tells her quietly, resting his cheek against the top of her head.
Hailey nods once more, then pulls away from him again to meet his eyes. She raises an arm between them and holds his cheek in her palm as she stares up at him.
"I thought you were dead," she whimpers again, running her thumb over his jawline, unable to get the unthinkable thought to leave her mind. "I thought I was never gonna see you again."
"You're not getting rid of me that easily," Jay tells her, a soft smile spreading out over his lips as he brings a hand to his face to rest it over top of hers.
They stare at one another for a moment, having their own silent conversation, their eyes saying what they can't in front of their team and the patrol officers that were called in for backup and the crime scene team that works throughout the room now.
Jay lifts his other hand to Hailey's face slowly, carefully, to hold the side of her head. She leans into his palm, her eyes closing, more tears spilling, and then he leans down to press his lips to her forehead in a soft, sweet kiss.
Hailey blinks her eyes open as he pulls away and drops her hand between them, her tears still coming and going. He removes his hand from her face and sets it back on her waist, and then he tilts his head at her.
"Where's Avery?" Jay asks quietly.
"She's upstairs," Hailey tells him, glancing toward the stairs as she tries to pull away from him. "I – I need to…I should go – "
He shakes his head at her, giving her another gentle squeeze. "What you need to do right now is let the paramedics take a look at you. Let me get her? Please?"
She stares at him for a moment, then nods slowly, her bottom lip still quivering as she whispers, "Okay. The bedroom at the back…there's a bathroom attached. She's in there."
He nods back at her just as the paramedics Kevin had called for enter the living room with a stretcher. He gestures to them and they make their way over to the pair quickly.
"Kev, can you stay with her?" Jay asks looking over at his friend.
The man doesn't say word, just steps toward them and looks down at Hailey with a soft smile.
"Can I?" Kevin asks, gesturing to her body.
Hailey nods and Jay removes his arms from her, stepping back as Kevin moves in and puts an arm around her waist, and then him and the paramedics get her settled on the stretcher.
Jay heads for the stairs as Hailey gets wheeled out of the house and takes the steps two at a time up to the second floor. He moves down the hallway to the back bedroom and enters, spotting the closed door at the opposite side of the room and quickly walks over to it.
"Avery?" Jay calls out, his voice cracking and his chest heaving with each quick breath he takes, and then he turns the knob and opens the door. "Bug, are you in here?"
"Daddy!" Avery cries out.
Jay sighs heavily in relief, his heart aching at the sight of the little girl, her head popping up out of a clothes hamper. Tears roll down her cheeks as her bottom lip trembles and she clings tightly to her teddy bear.
"Avery," Jay breathes out, rushing toward her.
"Daddy," She whimpers, raising her free arm to him.
Jay leans over and lifts her out of the hamper, ignoring the sharp pain that shoots through his side as he wraps his arms around her and holds her tightly against his chest. Avery lifts her arm around his neck and wraps her legs around his waist, burying her face into Jay's neck as she continues to cry.
"I got you baby," Jay breathes out against the side of her head as he squeezes her in his arms. "I got you."
Avery lifts her head from the crook of his neck to look at him, her lip still quivering and tears still falling as she asks, "Where's mama?"
"She's outside with Kevin. There are some people helping her in an ambulance," he tells her, securing one arm under her bottom as he lifts his other hand to her face. He swipes his thumb under each of her eyes, wiping away the tears that fall. "She got hurt, but she's okay."
"I wanna see mama," she says.
"I know baby, I'll take you to her," he tells her as he moves her in his arms and settles her against his side.
He keeps a tight hold on her and walks out of the bathroom, through the bedroom, and out into the hallway. He moves down the stairs and gets halfway when he remembers the gruesome scene of bodies on the main floor. He reaches a hand to the back of Avery's head, giving it a gentle tug and holding the side of her face over the front of his shoulder.
"I don't want you to see what's downstairs, okay?" He tells her softly as he covers her eyes with his hand.
"Okay," she mumbles through a hiccup as she nods against him.
Jay continues down the stairs, keeping his hand over Avery's eyes and he doesn't pull it away until he gets outside. He heads toward the ambulance, the flashing lights illuminating the once dark street, and sees Hailey sitting at the back of it with Kevin standing close by.
He watches as Kevin signals to Hailey, then nods in his direction, and she looks up, spotting him and Avery quickly. Her face splits into a grin despite the pain that shoots through her as more tears fill her eyes at the sight of her daughter.
"Avery!" Hailey cries out, trying to stand, but a paramedic stops her with a gentle hand on her shoulder and she sits back down.
Jay picks up his pace, bouncing Avery and pointing ahead of them as they get closer to the ambulance. The little girl follows his finger and when she spots Hailey, her face breaks out into a big smile of her own.
"Mama!" Avery cries out to her, wiggling in Jay's arms.
He tightens his hold on her and leans in, whispering into her ear, "Remember, mama got hurt. She's alright, but we gotta be gentle with her, okay?"
Avery looks at him and nods. "Okay."
He nods back as they approach the back of the ambulance and Hailey reaches out her arms immediately. Jay sets Avery down into her lap, watching as she wraps her arms around her daughter and squeezes her tightly.
"My baby," Hailey cries, holding Avery's head to her chest and dropping kisses to the little girl's hair.
Avery clings to her, more tears falling from her eyes as she cries in her mother's arms. She lifts her head after a few moments to look up at Hailey and she scrunches her eyebrows as she notices the injuries on her face.
She raises a hand slowly to Hailey's cheek and shakes her head as she cries. "You got mean marks mama."
"Yeah, I got some mean marks baby," Hailey nods, forcing a smile as she looks down at her daughter. She raises a hand to the little girl's head and rakes her fingers through her hair as she says, "But I'll be alright. How about you? Are you okay?"
"I'm okay. I heard yelling and I called daddy just like you said," Avery tells her, glancing over at Jay and sending an ache through him again as that word slips from the little girl's lips so easily.
He locks eyes with Hailey, a rush of worry coming over him as he stares at her, not sure how she'll react to Avery calling him her father again. His mind flashes back to the little girl's birthday party, how Hailey had told him to leave, had tried to push him away, and it sends another ache through him. He can't help wondering if he's about to lose them again just when he's gotten them back.
But Hailey's eyes don't leave his and she doesn't avoid his gaze. Her forceful smile turns soft, genuine, and then she pulls her eyes away to look back at Avery and grins a little wider at her daughter.
"You did so good baby," Hailey tells her, running her hand through her daughter's hair again. "Thank you for calling him and helping mama."
Kevin glances at him, a knowing smile on his face, but Jay ignores him as he looks back to Avery and Hailey when Voight approaches them with a soft smile on his face.
"How ya doing Hailey?" He asks the woman.
"I'll be alright," she tells him.
He nods, tilting his head. "I know you probably want nothing more than to go home, but I need to take yours and Jay's statements. Two Marshals are dead, the Feds are gonna be all over this."
Hailey sighs, nodding slowly.
"We can do it back at the district, but it can't wait until tomorrow. I'm sorry," he tells her, a sincere tone of sympathy in his voice as he stares at her.
"Alright," Hailey says, swallowing hard and nodding again.
"I'll meet you guys back there," Voight says, nodding over at Jay, and then he walks off.
"What'd the medics say?" Jay asks then, glancing over her shoulder at the woman in the back of the ambulance.
"They – "
"They told her to let them bring her to the hospital, but she refused," Kevin cuts her off, side eying her.
"I don't need to go to the hospital. I'm fine," Hailey sighs.
Jay shakes his head. "Hailey – "
She looks up at him, her eyes pleading. "I didn't lose consciousness and I know the symptoms of a concussion. I just wanna give my damn statement and go home. Please?"
Jay glances at one of the paramedics, nodding his head at her as she watches from inside the back of the ambulance. "What do you think?"
The woman sighs, shrugging her shoulders. "If she's refusing medical treatment, we can't force her, but she shouldn't be alone. Not with the bumps she's got on her head."
"Yeah, you don't need to worry about that," Jay says, nodding at the woman again. "If she shows any symptoms I'll take her in."
"Alright," the paramedic sighs again, nodding at him and Hailey, and then she reaches for a clipboard. "You need to sign this waiver releasing us of liability since you're refusing care."
"Okay," Hailey tells her before she looks up at Jay briefly and gestures to Avery. "Can you take her?"
Jay smiles at the little girl as he steps toward them and stretches his arms out to her. "Come here, bug."
Avery goes to him without question and he settles her in his arms again as Hailey takes the clipboard from the paramedic and signs the release form.
The paramedic gives her another strong caution to be careful and then sends her on her way. Kevin helps her to her feet, keeping an arm around her waist, and then she looks over at Jay.
"Our stuff – it, I…" she trails off, glancing over at the house.
Kevin shakes his head, smiling softly at her. "I got you girl. Lemme help you into Jay's truck and I'll get your things."
"Thanks Kev," Hailey smiles at him gratefully, breathing out a sigh of relief as she looks up at him.
Kevin nods back and leads her to the truck, helping her walk as she moves slowly on her bare feet, and Jay follows after them with Avery in his arms. Hailey points to the backseat, wanting to be close to her little girl, and Kevin nods again, pulling open the back door before he gestures to her body.
"Can I lift you?" He asks her.
"Yeah," she says quietly, breathing in deeply.
Kevin tightens his arm around her waist and leans down to hook his other arm under her legs, and then lifts her easily into the backseat of the cab. She shuffles over to the middle seat and once she's settled, Jay comes up and places Avery down beside her as Kevin heads off toward the house.
"I'm gonna go with Kev and make sure he gets everything. I'll be right back, okay?" Jay tells her.
Hailey nods as she pulls Avery into her side and he closes the back door with a quiet thud, and then follows after Kevin.
They return shortly with Hailey and Avery's belongings, and Kevin tells them he'll meet them back at the district. Jay thanks him before they part ways and then goes to the driver's side to get into the truck. He starts the engine and glances in the rearview mirror, smiling instantly at the sight of Hailey and Avery clinging to one another in the backseat.
They were safe and they were together and they would finally be going home.
When they arrive at the district, Kevin has already beaten them there and leaning against the side of his car waiting for them. Jay parks beside him and jumps out, pointing to the back door on Avery's side.
Kevin nods and pulls open the door, a smile on his face as he looks at the little girl. "Hey kiddo. Can Uncle Kev carry you upstairs?"
"Yeah," Avery nods, smiling back at him.
She holds tight to her teddy bear as Kevin unbuckles her and lifts her into his arms, and then heads inside the district as Jay stays back to help Hailey.
He stares at her as she removes her seatbelt and shuffles toward the door, the pain on her face unmistakable as she moves slowly, and then she nods to the duffel bags on the floor.
"Can you grab a pair of sweats for me? And some shoes please?" She asks him, her voice nearly a whisper as she looks at him.
Jay nods back and reaches for the bag he knows is hers, finding some grey sweats and a pair of slippers and handing them over to her.
"Can you, uh – I need help," she says quietly.
"I got you," he tells her, setting the slippers down on the floor of the backseat and helping her into the sweatpants as carefully and quickly as he can.
She lifts herself off the seat for a moment to pull the pants up over her hips and then sits back down, breathing deeply as a wave of pain rushes over her.
"Can I help you down?" He asks her after he puts the slippers on her feet and looks back up at her.
Hailey lifts her eyes to his as he stretches his arms out to her slowly, not wanting to scare her. She nods and he leans into the backseat to wrap an arm around her waist. He pulls her toward him as gently as he can and she lifts an arm over his shoulder, wrapping her hand around the back of his neck.
He lifts her from the cab and sets her on her feet, then closes the door before he leads her inside.
They make it upstairs a short while later, Hailey moving slowly and taking her time with the flights of stairs. When they enter the bullpen they find Voight's office door open and the light on, and know he's waiting for them. They spot Kevin and Avery in the break room, and Hailey goes in to join them as Jay makes his way into their Sergeant's office and closes the door behind him.
It takes less than fifteen minutes for Jay to give his statement to Voight and as he heads for the door to leave, the older man calls back to him.
He turns to look at his Sergeant, his eyebrows quirked and his hand on the doorknob.
"I'm gonna put Hailey on two weeks of furlough," Voight tells him, jutting his chin to his detective. "You, too. Make sure she takes care of herself, will ya?"
Jay nods, sighing in relief. "Thank you."
Voight nods back, waving a hand at him and Jay heads out of the office. He goes into the break room, only finding Kevin and Avery.
Kevin looks up at him, reading the look in his eyes, and then says, "Locker room, bro."
Jay nods, gesturing to Avery. "You mind if I go – "
"Not at all," Kevin shakes his head, glancing down at Avery beside him. "I got her."
Jay nods in thanks and steps out of the break room. He heads down the hallway toward the locker room, knocking twice on the door before he pushes it open and steps inside.
He moves to the back and finds her standing over the sink, trying to scrub the caked on blood from her hair as tears trail down her face.
"Hey," Jay whispers as he slowly steps toward her and stands behind her.
She flinches at the sound of his voice and looks up at him, her eyes meeting his through the dingy mirror, and then she goes back to scrubbing at herself.
"Hey," he whispers again, reaching out a hand to her slowly and placing it on her shoulder.
She flinches again, whimpering as she does because his touch shouldn't frighten her and she hates the feeling that overcomes her.
"I'm sorry," he says immediately, dropping his hand from her as he looks at her.
She turns to face him and stares up at him, her eyes quickly filling with fresh tears and falling down her cheeks just as fast, and then she shakes her head at him as she cries out, "I – I have to get the blood out. I – I have to get it off me. I need him off of me."
Hailey drops her eyes from his, shaking her head again from side to side quicker than she should given the blows she took just a short while earlier. Jay nods at her, his chest aching at the sound of her voice and the look on her face, feeling helpless and knowing there's nothing he can do that will ease the pain – neither the physical nor emotional, anytime soon.
"Why don't you go give your statement to Voight? And then I'll take you and Ave home and you can shower," he suggests. "You can't sleep for a bit because of your head, but you can at least lie down and try to rest."
"I won't hurt you," Jay whispers to her a moment later, gesturing down to her and lifting a hand slowly. "Can I?"
Her eyes meet his again and she nods slowly, and then he brings his hand to the side of her face that isn't as badly bruised. He holds her cheek in his palm, moving his thumb back and forth over her skin slowly before he moves it to the back of her head. He brings his other hand to her waist, sliding it around her back to pull her into him, wrapping his arm around her as if trying to shield her from anything and everything.
She rests her head against his chest and lifts her arms to his sides, holding onto him with a vice like grip as she cries. Her entire body shakes as strangled sobs rip through her and he just holds onto her.
"It's gonna be okay," Jay tells her, leaning the side of his face against her head.
She grips him tighter, her tears soaking through the front of his shirt as she clings to him, but he can hardly care as he keeps holding her and shushing her, and presses his lips to the top of her head.
He's not sure how much time passes as they stand in the locker room holding on to one another, holding on for dear life, when Hailey suddenly lifts her head from his chest and meets his eyes. Her face is stained with tears, skin blotchy and her eyes red and puffy. Her bottom lip trembles slightly and he can feel her hands still shaking as she holds onto him.
Her eyes fall to his chest and she lifts a hand to his shirt, quickly noticing the tear stains she's left behind and attempting to straighten out the wrinkles in the fabric she's caused, and then she looks up at him again.
"I'm sorry I ruined your shirt," she whispers.
"My shirt is the absolute last thing I am worried about right now," he tells her, a soft smile peeking out as he looks down at her. He leans in to press his lips to her forehead and gives a gentle squeeze to her side before he drops his hands from her body and nods to the door. "Come on."
Jay offers a hand to her and she surprises him when she reaches for it instantly, her shaking fingers weaving with his and he gives her a tight squeeze as he leads her out of the locker room. He brings her to their Sergeant's office and squeezes her hand one more time before he lets her go and opens the door. She heads inside on her own and he closes the door behind her.
He breathes out a heavy sigh as he turns around, and then he sees his brother at the other end of the bullpen just coming up the stairs and walking toward him.
"What are you doing here?" Jay asks with a tilt of his head.
"Voight called me, filled me in on some of what happened," Will says. "Said Hailey didn't wanna go to the hospital, but thought I should take a look at her daughter. Avery, right? Are they okay?"
Jay shrugs, glancing over his shoulder to his Sergeant's office before looking back at his brother. "Hailey is – she's a wreck to be honest, but Avery seems alright. Maybe you talking to her isn't such a bad idea though. Come on."
Jay leads him to the break room and Kevin stands from the couch when they enter, Avery looking curiously up at Will as he stands by the door. Jay takes a seat beside the little girl while Kevin and Will exchange a quick greeting and then his friend turns toward him.
"I talked to Vanessa earlier," Kevin says quietly. "Let her know what was going on. She's over at Hailey's right now. Got a few groceries and is cleaning up a bit, but she said she'll stop over tomorrow to see her and Avery."
"Thanks man," Jay nods.
"Sure thing. I'm gonna head out, but call me if y'all need anything," Kevin tells him.
Jay nods again and Kevin waves goodbye to Avery before he steps out of the room and closes the door behind him. The little girl cuddles in against Jay's side, holding tightly to her teddy bear with her eyes on Will as he drags a chair over in front of her and his brother.
He sits down and smiles at the little girl, lifting a hand and waving at her. "Hey kiddo. I don't think we've met. My name is Will. I'm a doctor and I'm also Jay's brother. You're Avery, right?"
Avery tightens her grip on Jay's arm as she leans in closer against his side, looking up at him with shy, but still curious eyes.
Jay nods, smiling softly at her. "It's okay. Will is nice, I promise."
She turns her head to look back at Will, a tiny smile peeking out. "Hi Will. Yes, my name is Avery."
Will grins at her, nodding his head. "It's very nice to meet you Avery. Would it be alright with you if I ask you some questions?"
"Okay," Avery nods, tilting her head at him.
"Alright," Will says, smiling still. "I talked to Sergeant Voight a little bit ago. He told me that you were upstairs when a mean man came into the house you were at tonight. Is that right?"
The smile fades from Avery's face in an instant, her grip tightening that much more on Jay as she stares back at Will.
"Yeah," she says quietly.
"Did you ever see the man? Did he talk to you?"
Avery shakes her head at Will. "I was in the bathroom."
"You were in the bathroom the whole time? You didn't come out or see the man at all?"
"Nuh uh," Avery shakes her head. "Mama made me hide and said I had to be really quiet. She gave me her phone and told me to call daddy and then she left me in the bathroom."
"You called your daddy? Who's he? Did you talk to him?" Will asks.
Avery scrunches her eyebrows, looking between Will and Jay, and then she pats a hand on Jay's arm. "This is my daddy. I called him like mama said and he told me he was coming to get us."
Will's eyes widen, his lips parting as he stares at his brother for a moment, but Jay stays quiet as he smiles down at Avery.
"Oh, okay," Will says, smiling at the little girl and glancing between her and Jay once more, before his eyes land back on Avery. "And you didn't come out of your hiding spot at all?"
"Mama told me not to," Avery says, shrugging her little shoulders. "There was a lot of loud sounds and mama looked scared so I did what she said."
"So the man never saw you? He didn't hurt you?" Will asks again.
"No," Avery says, shaking her head again. "I don't think he knew I was hiding. It was a good hiding spot."
"The clothes hamper, right?" Will asks and the little girl nods. He nods back, smiling at her again. "Yeah, that is a pretty good hiding spot. Your mama was really smart to hide you there."
"Mama is very smart," Avery agrees, nodding quickly.
"Yeah, she is," Will chuckles, nodding once more. "Well, Avery, I don't have any more questions for you, but thank you for talking with me."
"You're welcome," Avery says sweetly.
Will glances at Jay, throwing an indiscreet nod toward the door, and he nods back before looking down at Avery.
"Hey bug. I need to go talk with Will for just a little bit. Will you be okay here by yourself for a few minutes?" He asks her, then points to the break room door. "I'll be right outside there. You'll still be able to see me."
"Okay," Avery says quietly, holding her teddy bear to her chest.
"I'll be right back," Jay smiles at her, patting her gently on the arm before he stands to his feet.
He and Will walk out of the break room and close the door behind them, but Jay keeps his promise to the little girl as they stand on the other side of the door, still in clear view.
As soon as they're alone Will quirks an eyebrow at his brother, smirking at him. "Daddy?"
Jay shakes his head. "Don't."
"Yeah, no way. When the hell did that happen? Forget to tell me something little brother?"
Jay sighs, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know. It just happened."
"So what's going on with you and Hailey? You're together?"
"No, we're – I don't really know what we're doing or what we are, but I care about her and Avery," Jay tells him, shrugging again. "I love them. I know that much. The daddy thing just sorta happened."
Will sighs, shaking his head in disbelief as a look of confusion fills his eyes. "So you're not together?"
"Like I said, I don't really know, but with everything that's just happened in the last few hours, it's hardly the time to have that conversation."
"Fair point," Will says, eying his brother with a smirk on his face now. "Man, you are so in trouble."
"What? Why?"
"Hailey's had you wrapped around her finger for a while now and she's got a mini version of herself that also has you wrapped around her little finger," Will teases him.
"Shut up," Jay says through a smile.
"Dude, you are so whipped by the Upton girls," Will laughs quietly, shaking his head.
"You're funny," Jay says, tilting his head to the break room. "Can we talk about Avery now?"
Will chuckles again, but nods his head. "Physically, she's just fine. Voight said Hailey didn't lose consciousness during the attack. The guy was so focused on hurting her that he didn't have time to go looking for Avery."
Jay nods, noticing the hesitation in his brothers voice and tilts his head. "But?"
Will sighs, shrugging. "But that little girl also heard her mother being attacked and almost violated. She might not have heard everything, being in that hamper in the bathroom and all the way upstairs probably shielded her from hearing most of it, but it might not be a bad idea to have Doctor Charles speak with her. Just to make sure she's okay mentally."
Jay nods, glancing to the window of the break room and looking at Avery on the couch. He turns his head back to his brother when he feels a hand on his shoulder and sees Will smiling at him.
"She'll be okay. They both will be," Will tells him with a quick nod of his head as he drops his hand.
"I hope so," Jay says quietly.
"I'm gonna get going, but call if you need anything, okay?"
"Yeah, thanks man," Jay tells him clapping him on the shoulder.
"And let me know when you finally figure out whatever it is that you're doing with your partner and playing house," Will smirks at him.
"Goodbye Will."
His brother gives him another smile and one more nod, and then he heads out of the bullpen.
Jay takes a deep breath, sighing loudly, and then goes back into the break room. He smiles at Avery as he approaches the couch and leans down, stretching out his arms. She reaches for him instantly and he lifts her up, settling her against his side, and then carries her out into the bullpen.
"Wanna draw for a bit while mama talks to Hank?" Jay asks her when he sits down at his desk, Avery in his lap.
The little girl nods and he grabs a pen and a memo pad, and then places them in front of her. She takes the pen and starts doodling on the paper, Jay staring down at her as she does. He presses a kiss to the side of her head and lets out another sigh, quiet and full of relief because her and her mother were finally with him again.
Hailey scrawls her signature on a sheet of paper before she hands it over to her Sergeant. She leans back into the chair that she sits in, in front of the man, jutting her chin at him.
"Is that it then? Are we good?" Hailey asks, breathing out a deep sigh.
"Yeah, we're straight. If I need anything else, I'll let ya know," Voight tells her.
Hailey nods and starts to rise from the chair, but Voight holds a hand up to her and stares back at her, almost right through her, and she settles in her seat again.
"You alright?" He asks.
She sighs again, heavier now, as she gives a slight shrug of her shoulders. "As good as I can be, I guess."
Voight nods, his eyes full of concern as he looks at her. "You sure you don't wanna go to Med?"
Hailey shakes her head slowly. "I just wanna go home."
"Alright," Voight nods again. "Have you considered talking to someone, professionally, at some point? Might not be a bad idea given everything that's happened."
"Maybe," Hailey mumbles. "I don't know, but it's over and Booth is dead. I can finally get back to my life, back to normal. I don't have to constantly look over my shoulder and wonder what if all the time now."
"I know you're not naive enough to think it's as easy as flipping a switch, Hailey."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that whether Booth is dead or not, what he's done to you and what he almost did to you again, those things aren't easy to carry, Hailey."
She swallows hard, nodding slowly, hating herself for the fresh tears that burn in the corners of her eyes. She's just so sick and tired of crying.
"And what if I can't carry it?" She asks quietly, her bottom lip trembling as her tears begin to fall.
Voight stares at her for a moment, then glances past her shoulder at the sight of Jay sitting at his desk with Avery still in his lap. Hailey scrunches her eyebrows, confused at the slight smile that comes over his face and the way his eyes don't meet hers, and turns in the chair to follow the man's gaze behind her.
Everything inside of her aches for an entirely different reason when she sees her partner and her daughter together, the way Jay holds the little girl, makes her laugh despite the terror they've faced earlier in the night. She wipes at her eyes as she turns to face her Sergeant again.
"Then you let someone help you carry it," Voight tells her softly with a reassuring nod.
Her heart starts to race, fear seeping into her mind as she stares at the man in front of her, wondering what exactly his words might mean and what it will mean for both her and Jay's positions in Intelligence. It makes her start to second guess things, her fear turning to doubt and worry. She'd never want her partner to jeopardize his career, not for her, so she gives another shrug of her shoulders and forces a smile as she looks at Voight.
"Sarge, Jay and I – we, nothing has happened. We – I won't…if you're worried about the unit – "
"Hailey," he sighs, holding a hand up to her again and shaking his head. "I'm not worried about the unit and I really don't care what the two of you are or ain't doing. Just take care of yourself and lean on him. Jay's a good man. Whatever does or doesn't happen between the two of you? If nothing else, he's a hell of a guy to have as a friend."
Hailey nods, her tears continuing to fall, as she breathes out a heavy sigh of relief.
"Go home. And take a couple weeks, will ya? Already cleared you for two weeks of furlough. The job will still be here when you're ready to come back," Voight tells her, smiling softly as he says again, "Take care of yourself."
"Thanks Sarge," Hailey whispers.
He nods once more and she stands from the chair, walking slowly to the door as every muscle inside of her aches in agony. She pulls open the door and steps out into the bullpen, moving toward her partner's desk.
Jay's eyes are already on her as she approaches and he smiles softly at her, tilting his head.
"All set?"
Hailey nods, breathing out another sigh of relief knowing that she can finally go home.
"Let's get you two home then," Jay says before getting Avery's attention, and bouncing her on his knee. "Wanna get out of here, bug?"
"Are we going home?" The little girl asks as she tilts her head to look up at Jay.
He smiles, nodding back at her. "Yep, come on."
He puts his things away into his desk and stands from his chair, settling Avery against his hip and Hailey smiles at her daughter as she clings to him. She wants nothing more than to hold the little girl in her arms, but her sore body has her thinking it might not be the best idea.
They head out of the bullpen toward the back stairwell, Avery nestled against his side and Hailey trailing behind him, moving slowly again.
Jay turns around, catching the painful wince on her face and reaches out his free hand to her. She glances up at him with a look of relief as she nods and steps toward him. He wraps his arm around her waist, pulling her into his side as they go down the stairs, Hailey holding tight to him and the railing as they go.
When they finally make it out to the truck in the parking lot, Hailey leans against side of it, breathing heavily and wincing still. Jay gets Avery settled in the back of the cab and buckles her in, making a mental note to get the little girl a proper car seat for the truck, and then turns to Hailey.
"Backseat?" Jay asks.
She nods and he leads her around to the other side of the truck, an arm around her waist again as he helps her walk.
He pulls open the door with his free hand, then juts his chin down at her. "Can I?"
"Yeah," Hailey whispers.
He keeps his arm around her waist and bends to hook his other under the back of her legs, and then lifts her up into the backseat.
She breathes heavily through gritted teeth, wincing again from the lingering pain as Jay helps her with the seatbelt. He closes the door as quietly as he can once she's buckled in, trying not to cause her any more pain with her aching head, and jumps into the driver's seat.
Jay pulls the truck into Hailey's driveway a short while later, parking next to her Jeep, and kills the engine before hopping out. He helps Hailey out of the backseat first and she leans against the truck for support again as he gets Avery, the little girl conked out and lying limp against his shoulder with her teddy bear between her and his chest.
Hailey leans into his side, much like she did when they left the district, and they move slowly toward the front of the house. Jay unlocks the door with her keys he had kept and pushes it open, helping her inside and locking up behind them. She lets go of him and leans back against the wall, staring out in front of her at the stairs with a look of dread on her face.
"I'll bring Ave up and come back to help you," Jay tells her softly, a tiny smirk coming over his face as he juts his chin out at her. "Please don't try the stairs yourself."
Hailey sighs, but nods, and then she points to Avery in his arms. "Can you put her in my bed please?"
"Of course I will," he tells her. "I'll be right back."
She nods again as he disappears up the stairs with a still sleeping Avery in his arms. She takes a few deep breaths, her body aching and her head pounding relentlessly now that the adrenaline has worn off. She wants nothing more than to sleep and can't help wonder if maybe she should have gone to the hospital after all.
She pushes the thought from her mind, assuring herself she'll be just fine, and glances around the corner of the entryway when she notices the kitchen. It's not the way they left it the last time they were here – birthday presents strewn across the island, and odds and ends still not put away, and the only thing she can think of is Vanessa being the saint that she is and cleaning up for her while her and Avery were gone.
Jay comes down the stairs a moment later, catching the curious look on her face, and tilts his head at her. "What's up?"
"The kitchen," Hailey sighs. "It – it's spotless."
Jay smiles, nodding at her and confirming her suspicions when he says, "Vanessa did it. Kev said he called her earlier and she came right over. Guess she wanted you to have one less thing to worry about. She said she'll stop over tomorrow to see you and Ave."
"God, I love that woman," Hailey sighs again, leaning her head back against the wall.
"Yeah, she's not too bad," Jay says, his voice teasing, and then he hooks a thumb over his shoulder to the stairs behind him. "You ready?"
Hailey nods, taking another deep breath as she tries to prepare for the onslaught of pain she's about to endure from dragging her body up more stairs.
Jay glances over his shoulder then back to Hailey, tilting his head at her once more. "Do you trust me?"
She quirks an eyebrow at him, her voice soft when she asks, "What kind of question is that?"
He gives her a sheepish grin as he shrugs his shoulders. "Let me carry you."
"I – what?"
"Let me carry you," he says again.
"Carrying Avery upstairs is one thing, but I'm a lot heavier than that kid," Hailey says.
"You're what? One ten, one-fifteen soaking wet?" He teases.
A tiny smile peeks through at one corner of her mouth and she glances behind him at the stairs again, her body screaming at her at just the thought of trudging up another flight of them.
She looks back at Jay and swallows hard, nodding her head slowly. "Okay, but…just be careful…please?"
The double meaning of her words isn't lost on him as he nods back at her and whispers, "Always."
Hailey nods once more and Jay takes a slow step toward her. He wraps an arm around her waist and bends slightly to lift her legs, picking her up and holding her against him in a bridal style grip.
He turns for the stairs and Hailey raises her arms between them to wrap them around his shoulders. She rests her hands at the back of his head, holding onto him tightly as she buries her face against his neck. He tightens his arms on her just slightly and carries her up the stairs, leaning his head against hers as he goes.
"I got you," Jay assures her with whispered words into her hair, smiling softly when she nods against his neck and tightens her grip around him.
She weighs hardly anything at all and carrying her up to the second floor is no difficult feat. He makes it to the top of the stairs easily and carries her to her bedroom at the end of the hallway, walking sideways through the doorway.
"You okay?" Jay asks quietly as he stands at the end of her bed with her still in his arms.
Hailey lifts her head from his neck and nods again, bringing a hand from the back of his head around to the side of his face.
"Thank you," she whispers, staring into his eyes.
Jay nods back with that same soft smile before he sets her down on the floor just as carefully as when he lifted her downstairs. Hailey pulls her arms away from him, dropping them to her side as she looks over at Avery still asleep in the middle of her bed, holding tight to her teddy bear just as always.
"Go take your shower. I'll keep an eye on her," Jay says quietly as he sits down at the end of her bed.
Hailey glances over at him and gives a slow nod before she moves toward her dresser. She pulls out a t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants, then heads for the attached bathroom at the other side of the room.
She pauses just outside the open doorway and when she turns around, she finds Jay's eyes already filled with concern as he stares across the room at her.
"What's wrong?"
"Um, I – I just, uh," she stutters, losing her words as she glances behind her into the bathroom and then back to him, breathing out a heavy sigh. "I don't…I don't wanna be alone. I – I know it's, I should…um, will you come in with me? Just to sit with me. Please?"
Jay tilts his head at her, the tears building in her eyes not going unnoticed as he asks, "Are you sure?"
Hailey swallows hard, but nods once more as she says quietly again, "I don't wanna be alone."
Jay stares back at her for a moment before he stands from the bed and takes slow steps over to her.
"I don't want you to feel uncomfortable," he says softly as he lifts a hand and gestures to the doorway. "Why don't you head in and jump in the stall? When I hear the water turn on, I'll come in, okay?"
Her tears spill over as he says the words, ones that are so simple, but sweeter than anything she thinks he's ever done or said as he puts her well-being above everything just like he always seems to do.
She stares at him, swallowing hard again, forcing away the lump that gets caught in her throat as she stares at him. "Okay. I'll turn the water on when I'm ready."
"I'll come in then," he assures her before she steps into the bathroom and closes the door behind her.
It's nearly fifteen minutes later when the sound of the shower head turning on floats through the bathroom door and into the bedroom.
Jay stands from the bed and walks to the door slowly, still unsure as to whether this is the best idea given the events of the evening.
He would never want to put Hailey in a situation where she didn't feel comfortable around him and he has to remind himself a few times that she asked him to sit with her before he turns the doorknob and enters the bathroom.
He sees Hailey standing in the stall under the shower head and he sighs quietly to himself in relief at the sight of the frosted glass that shields his view of her body. He's already seen a number of the bruises covering her skin, but he's no fool and he knows there's plenty more he hasn't seen. The thought alone makes his stomach queasy, makes him clench his fists at his side, makes him think Booth is lucky he's already dead.
Hailey turns around at the sound of his steps on the tiled floor, her eyes meeting his and he nods at her with a soft smile as he leans against the wall opposite the shower stall. She nods back, a silent breath of relief escaping her as she turns back around to continue with her shower.
Jay slides down to sit on the floor, stretching his legs out in front of him and crossing them at the ankle. He rests his head back against the wall and crosses his arms over his chest, his eyes staring straight ahead of him.
He doesn't look at Hailey again, but the churning in his stomach doesn't cease and soon follows another buildup of tears in his eyes as he realizes just how close he had been to losing her tonight.
His heart starts pounding as the thought hits him that if he had arrived at the safe house just a few minutes later, Booth would have done the unthinkable and then he would have killed her.
The tears in his eyes fall soon after the thought rushes through his head and he lifts a hand to his eyes to wipe at them frustratingly before he recrosses his arms in front of him.
He tries to force himself to not think about the what-if scenarios because they're no longer plausible. Hailey and Avery are safe. They're safe and they're alive and they're home where they belong and that's what he puts his focus on because he knows what comes next.
He knows what comes next is going to be the most difficult part out of all that's happened. The stalking and the paranoia and the tracking down Booth were easy compared to what Jay knows he'll face after tonight.
He knows Hailey is as tough as they come, that she is strong and fierce, that she is a fighter. And he also knows what she has faced, not once, but twice, might just set her back. He's no stranger to post-traumatic stress or nightmares that are so vivid and scary they shake you awake and set you into a panic.
He knows what's coming and he's already broken one promise to her tonight when he couldn't make the choice to watch her die, so he makes another silent promise to himself as he sits on her bathroom floor. A promise that he won't let Hailey fall through the cracks, that he won't let what has happened ruin all the good she's done and all the trauma she has already overcome. That he'll be there for whatever she needs, whenever she needs it.
He doesn't hear the water shut off, but he hears Hailey calling out to him, a slight panic of fear in her voice as she says his name once, then twice, then again when he doesn't answer.
"Huh? Yeah?" Jay calls back, clearing his throat and hoping she didn't see the tears in his eyes.
He glances over at the shower stall to see Hailey staring at him through the top portion of glass that isn't frosted over, a look on her face that absolutely guts him.
"Are you okay?" She asks and her voice crushes him all over again, sounding so small and unsure, so unlike herself.
"Yeah," he says, nodding and smiling softly over at her. "You all done?"
She nods back at him and he pulls himself up from the floor and heads for the door.
"I'll go back out to the bedroom," he tells her.
Hailey nods again, but doesn't say another word as she watches him leave the bathroom. When he closes the door quietly behind him, the tears she's been holding back flood her eyes and she sinks to the floor of the shower stall, sobbing quietly to herself as she holds a hand over her mouth to muffle her cries.
She doesn't come out of the bathroom until a short while later, dressed in her t-shirt and sweats with her still slightly damp hair hanging down around her shoulders.
Jay looks up from where he sits at the end of her bed, quickly noticing her puffy eyes and blotchy, tear stained cheeks. She walks toward the bed, her bare feet padding against the floor almost silently and she stops a few feet away from him. Her eyes dart between his and the floor and her hands shake at her sides.
There's a look on her face that has his stomach sinking and his chest aching, a look he thinks he knows well. A look that tells him she's about to ask him to leave even though she shouldn't be alone with the injuries she has sustained.
He has to remind himself of the silent promise he made in her bathroom.
Whatever she needs. Whenever she needs it.
He stands from her bed slowly so he doesn't scare her, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he looks over at her.
"Did the shower help?" He asks her in an attempt to make small talk and prolong the inevitable because he doesn't want to leave them just yet.
"A little," Hailey says quietly with a slight shrug of her shoulders. "Hot water felt nice."
He nods, a small smile on his face that is both soft and sad, and then he catches the glance she makes to her bed.
"It's okay," he finds himself saying to her.
She looks back at him, a curious look in her eyes as she asks, "What's that?"
"It's okay that you wanna be alone now," he says with as much a nonchalant shrug as he can.
Hailey swallows hard, almost nervously as she stares at him standing just several feet away, but feeling so much further away from him than she actually is.
"That's the thing though," she says softly, her eyebrows scrunching as she clasps her hands together and fidgets with her fingers. She sighs heavily, then looks down at the floor as she says, "I – I thought I'd wanna be, but I don't."
She lifts her eyes to his, fresh tears already pooling and ready to fall from them. "I don't want you to leave. I shouldn't – I should want space from people right? And maybe – maybe I do, but not from you."
Jay tilts his head at her, tears of his own in his eyes as he stares back at her, but he needs to be sure so he croaks out, "You want me to stay?"
Hailey nods and lifts a hand to her face to wipe away at the tears that have begun to fall, sniffing back more that fill her eyes.
"I – I feel like my head is all over the place," she tells him, breathing out another heavy sigh. "One minute, I feel relieved because it's finally over and the next minute I'm crying again, and then I'm angry or scared again. I keep going back and forth and wondering if what I'm feeling is normal or if I should be feeling something else entirely, but the only thing I'm sure of that I keep coming back to is that I don't wanna be without you."
"And I know that probably sounds crazy and I know it makes me sound needy, but…" Hailey sighs again, groaning as she wipes away more tears. "But I do need you. I – I need you here and I don't want to – "
Jay shakes his head at her and steps toward her slowly as her words trail off and she goes silent, crying still and wiping at her eyes. He pulls his hands from his pockets as he stands in front of her now, his eyes staring down into hers, and then he holds his hands out to her. She looks down at them for a moment before she sets her hands in his and he holds onto them with a gentle grasp.
"I'm really happy to hear you say that," he croaks out, squeezing her hands in his. "Because I didn't wanna leave you. Either of you."
She whimpers, nodding her head and squeezing back as tears continue to trail down her face.
"I'll only leave if you tell me to," he says.
"You're gonna be here for a while then," she breathes out through blurry, tear filled eyes, her lips twitching into a half smile as she looks up at him.
He smiles back at her and squeezes her hands again before he tugs on them and nods to her bed.
"Come on," he says gently.
Jay leads her to the empty side of her bed and she lies down, breathing out another deep sigh and relaxing into the pillow and mattress beneath her as she watches him move around the bed. He toes off his boots and leans over to lift Avery into his arms, and then he lies down beside Hailey.
He settles Avery on his chest, keeping his arms around her back so she doesn't fall off, and then the little girl stirs. She blinks her eyes open and lifts her head to see Jay smiling down at her, and then she looks over at Hailey with a sleepy little smile on her face.
"Hi mama," Avery mumbles.
Hailey smiles back at her, a real and full smile as she looks at her daughter and reaches out a hand to rake it through her hair.
"Hi, my girl," she whispers, moving her hand through Avery's hair again before dragging the tips of her fingers down her back. "We're home and we're in mama's bed. You're safe baby. Go back to sleep."
Avery nods, then yawns against Jay's chest, gripping his shoulder with one hand and tightening her other arm around her teddy bear. She snuggles against Jay, her eyes beginning to close, and then they open again a second later.
"I almost forgot," Avery gasps quietly, lifting her head from Jay's chest to look up at him.
"What's that, bug?" Jay asks her, a tiny smile of amusement for the little girl stretching out across his lips.
"Mama told me to tell you she loves you," she says.
Hailey's mouth falls open as she glances between her daughter and Jay, as he does the same between her and Avery.
His smile widens as he looks down at the little girl, quirking an eyebrow at her. "She did, huh?"
"Yeah," Avery says, nodding her head quickly before she drops it back down to his chest and snuggles against him again. She breathes out another yawn and then her eyes droop closed once more.
Jay nods, squeezing Avery against him as he looks over at Hailey and says, "I love your mama, too."
Hailey's eyes fill with tears all over again as she stares back at him, her heart still beating wildly in her chest because this surely isn't how she had imagined those words coming up, but she just shrugs as she smiles at him. She moves her hand from Avery's back to reach for one of his and weaves their fingers together.
"I'm not going anywhere," Jay tells her through whispered words as he stares back at her and squeezes her hand.
Hailey nods, breathing out another deep sigh of relief. Because regardless of the terrible things that have happened tonight, he's still here and he's still alive. With her and Avery. He knows she needs him and he knows she loves him, and he's still here despite everything.
Hailey's not sure how long she lies beside him, unmoving and quiet, her once racing heart finally beginning to settle inside her chest. She turns her head to look at Avery, smiling when she sees the little girl sound asleep as she still clings to Jay.
She drags her eyes to Jay's then, finding him already staring at her and then his fingers squeeze hers between them. She stares at him for a minute or so, taking in the exhaustion on his face, but the very obvious look of love and relief that fills his eyes.
"I thought you were dead," Hailey finds herself saying again to him as she squeezes his hand in hers.
He nods slowly, not wanting to wake Avery, and whispers, "I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise to you. I know you wanted me to, but I – I just couldn't. I couldn't make that choice. Not with you."
She nods back, sighing quietly beside him. "I'm sorry I put you in that position. It was selfish and I – "
"I know why you did it, why you wanted me to," he tells her, glancing briefly at Avery then back to her. "But I was the selfish one. If it wasn't for Voight's plan, I don't know what I would have done."
She nods again, then her eyebrows scrunch together as she looks at him. "What exactly was that plan anyway?"
"For me to go in, make it look like I was unprotected. We knew Booth would try to take me out, so I let him think he did."
"Why didn't you just shoot him?" Hailey asks.
"Because I knew that was something you needed to do and I couldn't take it from you."
Hailey nods at him with tears in her eyes again and they fall before she can stop them.
"You're right. I did need it," she says quietly, swallowing hard as she looks at him. "I – I needed to be the one to kill him. After everything that happened, I just – it had to be me."
Jay nods back at her, his fingers tightening around hers between them before he says, "When Avery called me, I swear my heart stopped. She – she sounded so scared and she didn't know where you were. She told me she heard yelling, that she thought there was a bad guy in the house and I was ready to kill him, Hailey. God, I wanted to."
Hailey shakes her head at him as she turns over, wincing through the aches that rush through her as she settles on her side next to him. Then through more tears, she whispers, "Thank you for saving us."
He nods slowly as he stares at her, pulling his hand from hers and lifting his arm in a silent invitation and she takes it. She shuffles closer to him, her body still aching and her limbs trembling as she lies beside him as close as she can get. Her head falls into the crook of his shoulder and his arm falls around her, his hand resting on her upper arm.
"Is this okay?" Jay asks carefully.
Hailey nods against him and then breathes out a long, dragged out yawn.
"It's been a few hours. You should be okay to sleep if you wanna try," he suggests, tilting his head down to press the lightest of kisses to her hairline before he says again, "I'm not going anywhere."
She nods into his shoulder again, raising an arm over her daughter to reach for his other hand so she can hold onto him somehow. He holds her hand in his, resting their joined hands over Avery, his grip on her firm and gentle and anchoring her in place. Reminding her once again that she's safe and her daughter is safe. That he's there, that he's got the both of them.
His thumb brushes over the top of her hand slowly and he drags the fingers of his other over her shoulder just the same, another reminder that he's with her.
Her breaths finally begin to even out, her fast beating heart settles entirely, and her eyes droop closed as she lies against him, cuddled into him and her daughter, and the two of them holding on tightly to one another.