Sleeping in the same bed with Jay again doesn't put an end to the nightmares, but Hailey hadn't been naive enough to think it would.
The only thing that changes is the intensity of the images that momentarily take over her mind. They become duller and less painful to relive and when she wakes in the middle of the night, it's not from thrashing wildly in her bed, but because of a too fast beating heart that pulls her from her sleep.
Hailey doesn't let it set her back though. She takes a few deep breaths, counting to herself with each exhale, and when she successfully calms herself down, she curls back up beside her partner who tightens his arms around her in his sleep.
She's woken up only twice in the middle of the night over the last few days, being able to fall back to sleep easily enough using the things she's learned in therapy, and she considers it further proof of her progress.
That she is okay, that she is doing better, and she takes it as a win.
The only thing that does get set back is her and Jay's plans for a night out together when the next week turns into a frenzy for Intelligence.
The team catches a drug related homicide involving the death of two young children and it puts a pause on everyone's lives until the case is finally closed a week later, the following Friday.
They spend the afternoon pushing through the paperwork that has piled up for the case, eager to finish their work and leave the district after their Sergeant tells them to take the weekend once they've wrapped up everything.
Hailey breathes out a heavy sigh as she closes the last file folder in her pile and sets it down on the top of her desk. She peeks over at her partner, finding him deep in his own files, typing away furiously with furrowed eyebrows and a fixed gaze on his computer screen and decides to leave him be.
She stands from her chair to head into the break room and as she passes her Sergeant's office, Voight calls out to her quietly through the open door and waves her in.
She swallows nervously as she enters the room and closes the door behind her, bracing herself for whatever it could be that he has to say to her, and takes a seat in a chair in front of his desk.
"What's up, Sarge?"
He shrugs, clasping his hands together in front of him as he leans back in his chair. "How are things going? How ya doing?"
Hailey offers a quick tight-lipped smile and a slight shrug of her shoulders. "Things are…better. I'm doing better."
Voight nods slowly, staring at her with a hard gaze as if trying to decide whether she's being truthful.
"Are you still going to therapy?"
"Yeah," Hailey says, her smile turning softer as she relaxes in the chair. "Once a week still. It's a twelve-week program. I have my sixth session today."
"Half-way there," Voight comments, nodding again and seemingly impressed by what she says. "And it's been helping?"
Hailey nods, her smile widening. "Yeah, it has. It's – it's been good for me. Never thought I'd say that, but it's true."
"I'm glad to hear that," he says with a soft smile she doesn't think she's ever seen him with before. "I just wanted to check in. I haven't gotten any clearance paperwork from you yet. Wanted to make sure you're taking care of yourself."
Hailey shakes her head. "My doctor hasn't cleared me yet, but I'm – I'm okay with desk duty for now. I – I don't think I'm fully ready to be back out there just yet anyway. I know that leaves you shorthanded and I'll understand if you – "
"Hailey," he says, waving her off and shaking his head. "There's no rush. Take all the time you need."
"Really?"
"We'll manage until you come back," he tells her.
Hailey nods, then breathes out a sigh of relief as she stares at the man in front of her. "Thanks, Sarge."
He nods and she gives another small smile before he dismisses her, and then she makes her way out of his office and goes into the break room.
She's not surprised when she hears the familiar steps of her partner behind her and glances over her shoulder just as Jay enters the room.
"Hi," he says with a sweet smile.
"Hey you. How's the paperwork going?"
"Ugh," he groans, making his way toward her and standing beside her at the counter. "Hopefully won't take too much longer. What a week though. I hate these kinds of cases."
"I know," Hailey says softly as she gestures to the coffee pot. "Want a cup?"
"Please," he nods, grabbing a clean mug from the dish rack and setting it down in front of them. "You having any?"
Hailey shakes her head. "I'm good. I'm gonna head out soon anyway."
Jay nods, then glances down at the watch on his wrist. "God, it's almost three already. This day is flying. I'm so ready to have a weekend off and just hang out with you and Ave for two days with no interruptions."
Hailey grins as she pours some coffee into his cup and sets the pot back down.
"Thank you," he says, gesturing to his mug as he grabs a carton of almond milk from the refrigerator. He finishes making up his coffee and as he brings the cup to his lips he says, "Also really looking forward to dinner with you tonight."
Hailey tilts her head at him, a look of surprise coming over her face. "You still wanna go out?"
"Yeah, unless you changed your mind on me," he says with a hint of a smirk.
"No, I just – it's been a hell of a week and I would understand if you wanted to stay in, ya know? Catch up on sleep and be lazy."
He shakes his head as he stares back at her. "Trust me, a night out with you is the perfect way to end this week and start our weekend off."
"You sure?"
"Positive," he grins at her.
"Okay," she says with a shy smile before she cocks her head to the side. "I should get going."
Jay nods. "Have a good session and I'll see you tonight."
"Thank you," she says, her smile widening as she reaches out a hand to his upper arm and squeezes. "See you later. And don't rush through your paperwork or I'll just have to fix it on Monday."
He chuckles, nodding again. "Yes ma'am."
"Bye," she says with another squeeze of his arm, and then she heads out of the break room.
Jay turns and stares after her as she goes, a fond smile on his face, and then he grabs his coffee and makes his way back to his desk.
A second wind hits him as he sits down to return to the pile of paperwork in front of him, but he's pretty sure it's more to do with his plans for the evening with his partner and not the caffeine from his mug of coffee.
Hailey makes her way down the stairs, dropping a few files off at the front desk for Platt and just as she turns to head for the door, the Sergeant's voice calls her back.
"Goldilocks! Hold up a sec, will ya?"
She turns around and walks back to the desk, jutting her chin up at Platt. "What's up, Sarge?"
"How are things?"
"Good," Hailey says with a tone of skepticism as she eyes the woman curiously. "But you already know that from when you cornered me in the locker room last week. What's up?"
Trudy sighs, shaking her head. "Randall is insisting on a birthday bash for me at Molly's against my wishes for the 'big one' as he calls it and everyone is invited. That goes double for you and that little cutie of yours."
Hailey quirks an eyebrow at her. "The big one?"
Trudy glances around them nervously and Hailey does the same with a confused look on her face, and then the desk Sergeant leans down and curls a finger at the blonde.
Hailey leans her head in and with a look of dread on her face, Trudy whispers, "Sixty."
"Ah, gotcha," Hailey says, leaning back on her heels and staring up at the woman. "For the record, Sarge, you don't look a day over thirty."
Trudy smiles, pleasantly surprised by the comment. "I know that's a load of horse crap, but I'll take the compliment, I guess. Anyway, should I expect you and the rugrat?"
"Absolutely," Hailey nods, patting her hand on the top of the desk. "Count us in. When is it?"
"Sometime next month. Randall is working out the details with Herrmann."
Hailey quirks an eyebrow again. "Now that I'm thinking about it Sarge, I don't think I can bring a four-year-old to Molly's."
"It's my birthday and I want her there. Besides, if it's shut down for a private event, you can bring whoever you want."
"Fair enough," Hailey says before hooking a thumb over her shoulder. "I gotta go. I have an appointment, but I'll see ya later."
Trudy nods, waving her off as the blonde makes her way down the steps and out the front entrance of the district.
Hailey arrives at her therapist's office a little earlier than expected, but soon enough she's stepping into that little room and sitting down on the couch.
"Hi Hailey," Rachel greets with her usual smile.
"Hi," she says back with a smile of her own as she crosses one leg over the other.
"You seem happy today."
Hailey's grin stretches a little wider and she nods. "Things are good. Really good actually."
"That's wonderful to hear. Did you complete the assignment I gave you last time?"
"Er – not yet actually, but only because we caught a bad case. Jay and I are going out tonight though," Hailey tells her.
"Are you excited?"
Hailey nods again. "Yeah, I am. I'm also incredibly nervous, but I think it'll be a good time. Just the two of us. Quality time like you said."
Rachel nods slowly, still smiling at the blonde. "I think it'll be a good time too. How have you been sleeping?"
"Okay, I'm still following my routine. I did have a couple nightmares that woke me up a few nights this last week, but I was able to deal with them and fall back asleep easy enough."
"So you've been managing them well enough, then?"
"Yeah, the breathing techniques really do help. They're mostly the same. Still the hand around the throat one, just not as intense. Less vivid, ya know?"
Rachel nods, then asks, "Did you invite Jay into your space again?"
"Yes, I did. We've been sleeping in my bed together."
"How has that been? Do you think it's helping you?"
Hailey shrugs. "I don't know if it's helping me. I know the nightmares aren't going to just go away, but it feels good having him next to me again. It – it feels right."
Rachel smiles at her, nodding again as she jots a few notes down in the notebook in her lap, and then she looks back at Hailey.
"Tell me about the rest of your week. How has work been?"
The rest of her session goes by easily enough and when Hailey gets home later that evening, she's immediately whisked away upstairs by Vanessa and ordered to jump in the shower.
"You're so bossy," Hailey comments before she disappears into the bathroom.
She comes back out into the bedroom a short while later with a bathrobe on and her damp hair hanging over her shoulders. She makes her way to the dresser, pulling out a pair of clean underwear and some black skinny jeans.
"Why am I so damn nervous?" Hailey asks, glancing over at Vanessa, who sits in the bench seat at the foot of the bed.
"I have no clue. Why are you nervous?"
"Ugh, I don't know!" Hailey groans, running a hand through her damp hair. "It's just dinner. It's – it's just Jay."
"Okay, you really like him. I don't think I have ever seen you this worked up over a guy, like ever."
Hailey tilts her head, slanting her eyes in a glare of annoyance as she stares at her friend. "Pretty sure we're well past the liking stage, V."
"That just further proves the point. Why are you freaking out so much? Like you said, it's just Jay. You've gone out together before," Vanessa reminds her.
"Yeah, but not like this."
"Not like what?"
"Like this!" Hailey sighs, running a hand through her hair again. "Like a couple. Like boyfriend and girlfriend. Is he my boyfriend, though? Is that what we're doing? It feels so middle school to call him that."
"Okay, you need to relax," Vanessa chuckles. "Do you want me to get you a drink? I think you need one."
"Vanessa," Hailey sighs again. "What the hell am I doing? I – I'm freaking out over dinner with a guy I've already said "I love you" to. A guy I'm raising a kid with. What is wrong with me?"
"You're just nervous because it's your first official date with him. It's gonna be fine," Vanessa assures her with a smile as she stands from the bench seat. "Now, let's focus. Did you decide on what you're wearing?"
"Um, probably just jeans and a t-shirt," Hailey says with a tone of uncertainty.
"Yeah, no. That's not happening," Vanessa shakes her head.
"What? Why not? I think I'll look fine."
"You always look fine because you look good in anything, but you gotta show it off a little, Hails."
Hailey quirks an eyebrow at the woman. "You're kidding me, right?"
"Nope. Come on," Vanessa says, nodding to the closet.
They spend the next twenty minutes with Vanessa rifling through Hailey's wardrobe and the blonde shaking her head and vetoing anything that is too revealing or skimpy for a simple night out of pizza with her partner.
"Okay, this is the one. You're wearing this," Vanessa says, eyeing the blonde and holding up the item she laid her eyes on. "Not super revealing, but also pretty flattering. What do ya think?"
"I don't know, V. I'm pretty sure that was pre-Avery," Hailey says skeptically as she looks at the item of clothing on the hanger.
"Oh, please! At least try it on," Vanessa says, holding it out to her friend.
Hailey rolls her eyes, but takes the hanger, nonetheless. "Fine."
She goes into the bathroom again and comes out a few moments later with a terrified look on her face and sighs out heavily. "At least it still fits. How does it look? Honestly?"
"You look amazing. Halstead's gonna be salivating when he sees you."
"Stop it."
"I'm serious. You look hot! He's not gonna be able to keep his hands off you."
Hailey's face goes blank as she looks over at her friend, her heart rate starting to increase just slightly as she swallows nervously.
"What's wrong?" Vanessa asks with a twisted face of confusion before she notices the look in Hailey's eyes, and then she realizes her mistake. "Oh, crap. I'm an idiot. I'm sorry, Hailey. I wasn't thinking. That is not what I meant. Jay wouldn't – "
"I know he wouldn't," Hailey says, shaking her head quickly. "It's just – we…we haven't…ya know? And I don't – I'm not sending the wrong message, am I?"
Vanessa steps toward her, setting her hands on Hailey's shoulders and squeezing gently as she smiles softly at her.
"No, you're not. It'll be okay," she assures her.
"But what if I freak out and have another panic attack? What if – "
"Stop," Vanessa says, shaking her head. "You've got this. And if you do have on, Jay will be right there. He'll have your back like he always does. You know how to recognize the triggers more easily now and I know you can handle it. It's gonna be okay."
"Are you sure I'm ready?"
"Yes, you're ready. You've been doing so good and you deserve to be happy. You told me before that Jay makes you happy. Do you remember?"
Hailey nods, breathing out another heavy sigh as she begins pacing around the room in circles. Her hands shake at her sides as she tries to get her breathing under control.
"If you really don't feel comfortable going out, I know Jay will understand," Vanessa tells her with a soft smile and a slow nod. "Do you want me to go tell him you've changed your mind?"
"No," Hailey says quickly, shaking her head again. "Just – just give me a minute. Just a minute, please."
Hailey takes a step back to lean against the dresser and closes her eyes, counting off in her head as she breathes deeply for several minutes.
Inhale. Hold. Exhale.
Inhale. Hold. Exhale.
"I control my window and the space around me. What does or doesn't happen in it. I decide who I let in…"
"My space. I own it. I control it…"
Inhale. Hold. Exhale.
Inhale. Hold. Exhale.
When she opens her eyes, Vanessa is standing in front of her again and smiling at her.
"I'm so proud of you," she says quietly. "And for what it's worth, I'm pretty sure the nerves will go away when you see him."
"You think so?"
"I know so. Besides, he was looking quite dapper downstairs before you got home. You might end up being the one unable to keep their hands to themselves," Vanessa smirks.
"You saw him? How was he? Is he nervous too?"
"Hailey," Vanessa laughs, shaking her head. "Just relax. Jay is just fine and you look hella fine. So just take another deep breath and have fun tonight. Enjoy the night with the guy you're in love with. The guy who is just as much, if not more, in love with you. Everything is going to be fine."
Jay steps into the living room rolling up the sleeves of his black button down and finds Avery on the floor next to the coffee table, paints and brushes and a drawing pad all laid out in front of her.
The little girl looks up, her eyes shining brightly as she smiles at him. "You look pretty daddy."
"Thanks bug," Jay says with a chuckle as he walks toward her. He leans down and lifts her into his arms, pressing a kiss to her cheek and eliciting a sweet giggle from the little girl. "You're very pretty too, ya know?"
"Are you going somewhere?" Avery asks him.
Jay nods, bouncing her against his side. "Yeah, me and mama are gonna go out for a bit and get some dinner together."
"Oh. Can I come with you?"
He shakes his head at her with a sad smile. "You can't tonight kiddo. It's just gonna be mama and me, but you're gonna hang out with aunt Vanessa and uncle Kevin while we're gone. Is that okay?"
"Okay!"
"And tomorrow, me, you and mama are gonna go to the space museum. Just the three of us," Jay tells her. "How's that sound?"
"I love the space museum!"
"I know ya do," he chuckles again as he carries her toward the kitchen.
"Daddy?"
"Yeah, bug?"
"Are you takin' mama on a date?"
He quirks an eyebrow at her. "How do you know what a date is? You're four."
"Me and auntie talk," Avery says simply with a little shrug of her shoulders.
"You do, do ya?" He laughs and the little girl nods. "Well, you got any tips for daddy tonight?"
"Did you get flowers? Mama deserves pretty flowers."
"She does, doesn't she?" Jay asks with a smirk as he walks over to the island, pointing to the counter. "You mean, like those flowers?"
Avery gasps, her mouth falling open and her eyes widening as she stares at a bouquet of sunflowers on the counter.
"Those are very pretty flowers! Mama is gonna love 'em!"
"You think so?"
"I know so," Avery nods with a big grin.
"How about these?" Jay asks as he picks up another bouquet from the counter.
It's a smaller bunch of sunflowers only this one has several bright colored Gerber daisies mixed in and a blue ribbon tied around the bouquet.
"Those are pretty too!" Avery tells him.
"You like 'em?" Jay asks her. Avery nods again and he hands the flowers to her, grinning back at her. "These are for you."
"You got me flowers too?"
"Of course I did. Every girl deserves flowers," he tells her as she takes the bouquet from him and sniffs at them.
"Thank you daddy!" The little girl squeals.
"You're welcome," he says, pressing a kiss to the side of her head.
"Mama!" Avery calls out a second later as Hailey enters the kitchen with Vanessa in tow behind her.
"Hi baby," Hailey says back, smiling at the little girl.
Jay turns his head to look at her, his mouth nearly going dry as he takes her in and looks her up and down.
She's wearing jeans that hug her legs tightly and a silk blouse with thin straps over the shoulders that he doesn't think he's ever seen her in before. She's got a pair of strappy heeled sandals on her feet and her hair is down around her shoulders in its usual messy, but beautiful waves while her face is stunningly natural with almost no makeup.
He grins at her as she walks toward him and Avery and leans in to kiss the little girl on the cheek, then nods down to the flowers in her hands.
"Where'd you get those from, Ave?"
"Daddy gave 'em to me!"
"He did?" Hailey asks with a raise of her eyebrows as she glances at Jay. She shakes her head with an amused smile on her face, then looks back to Avery. "They are very beautiful. Can I smell 'em?"
Avery holds out the little bouquet to her mother and Hailey takes a whiff, smiling wider as she does so.
"They smell so good," Hailey says.
Avery nods then points to the counter. "Daddy got you flowers too mama."
Hailey glances to the island, her heart seizing at the sight of sunflowers on the countertop, and then she looks back her partner with a quirked eyebrow.
"You got me flowers?"
"I did, and what of it?" He asks with a smirk.
Hailey shakes her head again as Jay reaches for the larger bouquet and hands the flowers over to her. She can't help sniffing at the gorgeous array of sunflowers, smiling to herself as she does so.
"Come on, Ave," Vanessa says then as she glances between Hailey and Jay, and steps forward to reach for the little girl. "Say goodbye to mama and daddy so they can get going. Kev will be here soon, and then we can order some dinner and watch a movie. What do ya say?"
"Yeah!" Avery says excitedly as Vanessa pulls the little girl from Jay's arms. "Bye mama, bye daddy! Have fun on your date!"
Jay snickers, but nods, leaning over and kissing the top of Avery's head. "Bye bug. You might be asleep when we get back, so we'll see you tomorrow, okay? Love you."
"Love you too," the little girl says.
Hailey does the same, kissing the little girl once more and saying goodbye, and then Vanessa carries her into the living room, leaving the two of them alone.
"I can't believe you got me flowers," Hailey comments, grinning widely and almost shyly as she looks up at Jay.
"It is date night ya know," he says with another smirk plastered on his face.
"They're beautiful. Thank you," she says, taking a step toward him and placing a quick kiss to his cheek.
"You're welcome," he tells her, eyeing her up and down again as she fills a vase with water and sets the flowers inside of it. "You're beautiful too, ya know? Although I don't think I've ever seen you in shoes like those before."
"Thank you," she says again, ignoring the flush of heat that rushes to her cheeks. "The shoes were Vanessa's idea. I'll probably be cursing her for it later.
Jay chuckles, then juts his chin at her. "You ready to head out?"
Hailey nods, grabbing her phone and the small clutch she'd set on the counter when she and Vanessa had entered the kitchen.
They make their way out the front door, Jay leading her to his truck and opening the passenger side door for her.
"You're pulling out all the stops tonight, aren't ya, Halstead?" Hailey teases as she jumps up into the cab.
Jay rolls his eyes, but still smiles, nonetheless. "Will you just let me be a gentleman?"
"Hmmmm, I suppose," she relents, smirking at him before he closes the door for her.
They arrive at Bartoli's a short drive later, Jay parking the truck along the street about a half block down from the pizzeria.
"I'd say wait so I can open your door for you, but you're practically drooling in your seat for deep dish," Jay says with a smirk as he puts the truck in park a short while later.
"You would be correct. Let's go," Hailey says as she opens her door and gets down from the cab.
Jay shakes his head, chuckling to himself as he gets out of the truck and meets her on the sidewalk.
They make their way up the block, walking side by side with their shoulders brushing and when they reach the pizzeria, Jay pulls open the door and waves Hailey in ahead of him.
They go inside the small restaurant which is already somewhat crowded given it's a Friday night, but they're able to get a little two-person table at the back of the place after not much long of a wait.
They take their seats across from one another and Jay can't help the snicker that comes out as he watches Hailey practically bouncing with excitement in her chair.
"You're like a kid in a candy store right now. It's kind of adorable," he says teasingly.
"How are you not excited? It smells so good in here," she groans out happily.
He shakes his head again, an amused smile on his face, as a young girl – probably in her teens, stops at their table and takes their order, leaving just as quickly as she appeared a few moments later.
"So," Hailey says, leaning against the table with her hands clasped in front of her.
"So?" Jay drawls out with a raise of an eyebrow.
"I gotta admit, I thought this would feel a little weird, but it doesn't, like at all."
"Why'd you think it would feel weird?"
"I don't know," Hailey shrugs. "We've gone out dozens of times before tonight, but now it's – it's just different. Ya know?"
He nods. "Yeah, I know. A good different though."
"Definitely a good different," she smiles softly at him.
He returns the gesture, grinning just as sweetly at her as the waitress returns, setting their drinks down in front of them and disappearing again.
"How was your session today?" He asks after taking a sip from his glass.
"It was okay. Little heavy toward the end. Rachel asked me more about Booth."
He nods slowly, waiting for her to continue when she's ready. She sips at her drink, looking back up at him a moment later.
"I didn't have another panic attack though, so I consider that progress," she tells him.
"I'd say so," he nods. "I'm glad therapy is going so well. You're putting in the work and taking things one day at a time. I'm really proud of you, I can't tell you that enough."
She swallows nervously, feeling a familiar flush of heat in her cheeks and nods back at him.
"Thank you," she says with a sheepish smile before she juts her chin out at him. "How was the rest of your day? Did you finish your paperwork?"
"Barely, but yes, I did. And I didn't rush through it so you should be fine come Monday morning."
"Ugh, thank you for that," Hailey groans. "And Ruzek?"
"He was still at his desk when I left," he tells her.
"Hopefully that's a good thing," Hailey snickers. "Did you hear about the birthday extravaganza for Platt next month?"
"Yeah, she cornered me before I left the district tonight and basically threatened me into going. God help the poor fool who ever tries to tell that woman no," he chuckles, shaking his head. "I'm assuming she invited you too. Probably nicer than she did me, though. She loves you."
"It's my charming personality," Hailey smirks.
"Charming, huh? Boy, someone lied to you," he teases.
"Shut up!" She laughs as she leans back in her chair. "I'm sure it'll be a fun time though. At least there will be liquor and we'll probably get to witness Platt doing karaoke again so it's a win for us."
"This is true," he says before the waitress appears again and sets down a pie of pepperoni deep dish at their table.
"Oh man," Hailey groans, leaning in to smell the pizza in front of her. "This is what heaven smells like."
Jay shakes his head, grinning at her as he gestures to the pie. "Ladies first."
She smiles at him and pulls a slice onto her plate, then he does the same, and they dig in.
They make small talk while they eat and as Jay sets his second slice of pizza on his plate he nods to Hailey.
"You got a little sauce – " he says, pointing to the left side of her face. "On your cheek."
"Of course I do. I'm a bit of a messy eater when the food is this good," she says, bringing a napkin to her face and swiping it across her cheek. "Did I get it?"
"No," he chuckles as he grabs another napkin and leans over the table. He wipes the napkin over the spot on her cheek, removing the bit of sauce, and then leans back in his chair. "All gone."
"Thanks," she smiles, staring back at him across the table with a look in her eyes that he can't quite read.
"Are you okay? I didn't just ruin tonight, did I?" He asks worriedly.
"No," Hailey says quickly, shaking her head and still smiling at him. "No, this is good. I'm having a good time. Just the two of us."
He nods slowly and smiles back at her, then quietly says, "I'm glad we did this."
"Me too," she tells him.
They eat a bit more, each of them finishing a second slice, and get the rest of the pie boxed up to take with them. The waitress drops off the check and Jay grabs it quickly as Hailey leans in to do the same.
"I asked you to dinner," she laughs when she reaches for the check, but he doesn't hand it over.
"I asked you first," he counters with a wink as he pulls a card from his wallet and sets it down with the check.
Hailey shakes her head, pointing a finger at him. "Next time is on me then."
"Deal," he says as the waitress returns to take the check. He looks back across at Hailey, jutting his chin at her. "So, how do you think Kev and Vanessa are doing with Ave? Think the house is a total mess yet?"
"It better not be," Hailey says as she pulls her phone from her clutch. "I'm sure they're fine, but let me check anyway."
Jay smiles at her, shaking his head as she swipes her thumbs across the screen of her phone, sending off a quick text to her friend and just as she's about to put the device away, it chimes a few times with new notifications a moment later.
Jay furrows his brows across the table. "That was fast. Should we be concerned?"
"I'm scared to look," Hailey chuckles again before pulling up the new messages on her phone, and then she's awing at the screen. "Oh my god."
"What is it?"
She hands the phone to him, smiling to herself when a grin stretches out over his face as he reads the message and looks at the photo that was sent along with it.
Kev made space helmets for her and teddy
"I love that kid. It's ridiculous how adorable she is," Jay says.
"She really is though," Hailey sighs, staring at the phone for another moment before she saves the picture that Vanessa sent, and then puts her phone away.
"You know she's gonna wanna wear that thing to the museum tomorrow, right?" Hailey asks him a moment later.
"Yeah, I do," he nods at her. "And then I'm gonna end up carrying the damn thing when she doesn't wanna wear it anymore, aren't I?"
"Only because you can't say no to her," Hailey laughs.
"How can anyone say no to that kid? I swear, one look of the puppy eyes and I'm a goner. Pretty sure she learned that from you."
"No, I do not do the puppy eyes," she shakes her head.
He raises his eyebrows at her. "Yes, you do. I can't say no to you either."
"You're the one who insists on spoiling me, remember?"
"Sparingly now, though," he says with a smug little grin that has her shaking her head at him, but the smile on her face doesn't fade.
Once the check is paid and Jay stuffs his card back into his wallet, he grabs their boxed-up leftovers and he and Hailey make their way outside.
They head down the sidewalk, walking slowly side by side, and as they near the truck Hailey turns to face him.
"I'm not ready to go home yet," she says, a nervous tone in her voice.
"Okay," Jay drawls out, his eyebrows raising in curiosity. "What'd you have in mind?"
"I don't know," Hailey shrugs, laughing quietly as she leans back against the truck, crossing her arms over chest as a breeze picks up around them. "You feel like walking?"
"Sure, but the question is, do you feel like walking with those shoes?" He asks teasingly as he glances down at her feet.
She rolls her eyes playfully and nods at him. "I'll be just fine. There's an old fashioned soda shop down the street. Wanna share a milkshake with me?"
He smiles at her, nodding slowly, then points to the truck. "Let me just put the pizza in the backseat."
She pushes herself off the door and stands back, watching as he puts the box down on the floor in the back of the cab and notices when he grabs something else she can't quite make out. He closes the door and turns to face her, holding up his black zip hoodie to her as he takes a step toward her.
"Can I?" He asks, gesturing to her shoulders.
She smiles at him and nods, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth as he steps behind her and wraps the hoodie around her. She slides her arms in through the sleeves, pulls her hair out from the back, and then they start walking up the sidewalk again.
Summer is officially over and fall is right around the corner, and it's one of those nights that has a slight chill in the air that brings goosebumps over Hailey's arms even with Jay's hoodie around her.
"Happy we went for deep dish?" Jay asks her as they walk side by side, their shoulders brushing against one another's once more.
"Very happy. Bartoli's always hits the spot," Hailey says with a satisfied grin on her face.
He shakes his head in amusement as they walk a bit longer down the street, a comfortable silence between them. They cross an intersection and walk another half a block until the soda shop comes into view.
Jay opens the door for her and follows in after her, and they make their way to the counter. They take a seat side by side on a couple bar stools, and Hailey reaches for a menu.
"Have you been here before?" She asks, glancing at him over the menu as she turns on the stool to face him.
"Nope. You're the one with the sweet tooth, remember?"
"You're not wrong," she laughs, eyeing the menu again. "How about something simple? How do you feel about chocolate?"
"Chocolate is good," he nods just as an elderly woman approaches them from behind the counter.
Hailey orders them a chocolate milkshake and when the woman leaves to start on it, she turns to look back at Jay to find him staring at her.
"What?" Hailey asks with a tilt of her head.
"You look happy," Jay says softly.
"I am happy," she tells him, reaching out a hand to him with her palm up and when he sets one of his in hers, she squeezes tightly. "You make me happy. You – uh…I just…"
"What is it?"
Hailey swallows nervously as she stares at him, giving a shrug of her shoulders. "I – I love how you don't try and tell me what I should feel or that I'm wrong for feeling a certain type of way. You've never made me feel ashamed. For any of it, ever."
"And I never will," he tells her with such confidence and assurance, and that wonderful soft look in his eyes that it has her heart racing just a few beats quicker. "That's not what you deserve or what you need."
He smiles that sweet and charming grin at her then, squeezing her hand just as tightly with his – a silent reminder that he's here with her and not going anywhere, and then she leans in and presses her lips against his cheek.
"I love you," she whispers.
"Love you," he says back with another squeeze of her hand. "You're one of the most important people in my life, Hailey. You know that, right?"
"I do," she nods slowly as tears quickly fill her eyes and she lifts her other hand to wipe away a few of them that fall. "You too, ya know? I – I don't think I could do this without you. I mean, I would if I had to, but I don't want to. I don't wanna be without you. I like having you around."
"That's good then because you're not gonna be. I'm not going anywhere," he tells her, reminding her of the promise he made to her and she nods again at him as she squeezes his hand tightly once more.
They're interrupted momentarily when their milkshake is delivered a minute later with a wink and two straws from the same older woman, and then she leaves them alone again.
"You should know I don't share my food with just anyone, so you should feel pretty damn special right about now," Hailey says with a coy smile as she wipes away at her once more, and then they each grab a straw.
"Can a milkshake actually be considered food though?" He counters with a raised eyebrow.
"It's dessert!"
"Mmhmmm."
"Mmhmmm yourself," Hailey breathes out through another laugh as they drop their straws in the chocolatey concoction.
Jay just smiles at her and nods to the glass, letting her take the first sip and then they trade off every so often so they don't bump their foreheads together.
"I feel like a kid again," Hailey admits quietly as Jay sips through his straw.
"How so?" He asks a moment later.
"It's like I'm sixteen again. Sitting in some mom-and-pop place sharing a milkshake with a boy I'm not supposed to be hanging out with, just waiting for one of my brothers to come walking in through the door to get all protective over me."
"A boy you're not supposed to be hanging out with?" Jay asks, tilting his head at her.
Hailey shrugs. "I had a thing for bad boys, what can I say?"
"Bad boys, huh? I don't think I'm a bad boy, am I?"
"Nuh-uh. Definitely not," Hailey shakes her head. "You're the kinda guy my mom probably would have loved to see me bring home."
"I can be pretty charming, ya know?"
"Ugh, you're the worst. I give you one little compliment and there goes your ego."
Jay chuckles beside her, his eyes shining brightly as he stares at her, and she sips on their milkshake again.
They finish their dessert and Hailey pulls some cash from her clutch, dropping enough on the counter to cover their shake and a tip for the sweet woman who served them.
"That might have been the most delicious milkshake I have ever had," Hailey says as they stand from their stools and begin to make their way outside.
"It was pretty good. We should bring Ave here sometime," Jay suggests as they head down the sidewalk.
"Yeah, we should. She's got just as much a sweet tooth as I do."
"Mmhmmm," he hums beside her with a knowing look on his face.
"Shush you," she says with a finger painted at him, but he just shakes his head at her.
They continue down the sidewalk, coming to a stop at the intersection again, and as they wait for the traffic to clear and the light to change, she looks up at her partner beside her.
He feels her gaze on him almost instantly and turns his head to look at her, raising an eyebrow curiously when he meets her eyes.
She doesn't say anything though, not one word, just reaches out a hand between them instead. Her fingers barely brush against his own before she presses her palm against his, and then weaves their fingers together, holding his hand tightly.
He grins back at her, squeezing her hand in his and running his thumb across her skin, and they don't let go of one another until they reach the truck again.
When they arrive back at Hailey's house a short while later, they step through the front door, finding it quiet with most of the lights turned off except for one in the kitchen.
Hailey lets out a low groan as she hops up onto the island, crossing her legs at the ankle. "Tonight reminded me why I hardly ever wear heels and I will definitely be cursing Vanessa tomorrow."
"Sore feet?"
"Understatement of the year, dude," Hailey says as she lifts a hand to the top of her head. She pulls her hair free from its ponytail and plops the hair tie onto her wrist.
Jay chuckles, shaking his head at her as he steps toward her to stand in front of her and points down to her feet.
"Want them off?"
"Yes please," Hailey sighs. She uncrosses her ankles, allowing him to undo the clasps of the strappy contraptions she's been wearing all night, and when he pulls the shoes from her feet she breathes out another sigh of relief. "Much better."
He shakes his head at her again, an amused grin on his face as he sets her shoes on the floor and can't help brushing a finger over the bottom of one of her feet.
"Ah-ah," Hailey smirks, pointing a finger at him as she squirms and pulls her feet away from him. "Don't you dare."
"Ticklish are we? I'll have to remember that."
"No, no you really don't," she snickers, shaking her head.
He just smiles at her then nods to the stove. "You want some tea?"
"Not yet," she says, staring at him with a peculiar look in her eyes that he's quick to notice as he juts his chin out at her.
"Are you okay?" He asks.
"Yeah," she breathes out, nodding slowly and offering a shy little smile. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just thinking."
"You're thinking, huh? Should I be worried?"
"No," she chuckles, holding out a hand to him and waving him over to her.
He sets his hand in hers, raising an eyebrow when she tugs him toward her.
"Will you do something for me?"
"I'd do anything for you," he tells her.
She smiles, but he can tell she's nervous as she stares at him with a nearly hopeful look in her eyes. She gives another tug of his hand, pulling him closer so he stands directly in front of her between her legs as she sits on the counter.
"Will you kiss me?" She asks then, dropping his hand and settling both of hers on either side of his waist.
"A kiss on the first date, huh?" He teases with a smug little grin.
She squeezes his sides with her hands and smirks up at him. "I mean, if you don't want to…"
He shakes his head. "I didn't say that. Are you sure though?"
"I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't," she tells him, noticing the hesitant look in his eyes and squeezing his sides once more. "I'm okay, I promise. You trust me, right?"
"Of course I trust you. I've trusted you since the day I met you."
"Then kiss me," she counters, staring up at him with a slightly heaving chest as her heart starts racing in anticipation of feeling his lips on hers again.
Jay lifts a hand between them and rests it against the side of her face, his thumb brushing over her cheek for a moment before he leans in and presses his lips against hers.
He kisses her the way she needs, somehow always knowing just what that is – slowly and with soft lips, seeking proximity and sensation rather than dueling for an upper hand of some kind.
He teases her bottom lip with the tip of his tongue and she's all too eager to open her mouth to him, mewing a soft whimper into his mouth and kissing him back quickly as if it's the first time and she can't get enough of him.
She's not sure who breaks the kiss first, but when they separate moments later, both their chests heaving now with sweet smiles on their faces, she can't help the giggle that slips out.
Jay's fingers tighten through her hair at the back of her head, grinning at her now at the way her cheeks flush with pink and she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth as she stares back at him.
He lifts his other hand to her face, this thumb running over her lip to pull it free from between her teeth before he leans in and kisses her again.
Hailey grips his waist tightly in one hand while she slips the other beneath the fabric of his shirt, her fingers finding warm skin, and when his tongue brushes over hers again, she can't help the guttural moan that escapes her this time.
They pull away again another moment later, resting their foreheads against the other's, swallowing hard and breathing heavily, trying to regain some control of their fast-beating hearts as they stare at one another.
"You okay?" He asks her as he continues holding the back of her head in one hand.
"Yeah," she nods, heart still racing and chest heaving. "I'm okay. I'm – I'm more than okay."
She kisses him again, pecking his lips softly and quickly once, then twice before she pulls away, but she doesn't let go of him.
"Thank you," she breathes out.
"For what?"
"For loving me and for always knowing exactly what I need. It's a little scary sometimes just how well you know me."
He shakes his head, that soft smile of his splayed across his face as he stares back at her. "You never have to thank me for that, Hailey."
She nods again slowly, smiling a happy grin at him, and then she points to the stove behind him.
"I should make that tea now," she says quietly, pulling her hands from him, but he shakes his head again and doesn't let her down from the counter.
"I'll get it," he tells her, pressing his lips to her forehead and stepping away from her before she can protest.
She stares at him as he moves around the kitchen, filling the kettle with water and setting it on the stove. He turns on the burner and turns to face her to find her smiling at him, and then she waves him over once more.
He grins back at her as he takes the few steps toward her and stands between her legs again. She sets her hands back on either side of his waist, his arms coming to rest over hers and around her back.
"You wanna hear something funny?" Hailey asks him, tilting her head.
"What's that?"
"Before me and Vanessa came downstairs earlier tonight, I was – I sorta freaked out a little," she tells him, swallowing nervously. "I was a lot more nervous to go out with you than I let on and now, sitting here with you like this, kissing you and everything feeling right and normal again, I have no idea why I was nervous to begin with."
"You never have to be nervous with me," he tells her, lifting a hand to her face. "What made you freak out?"
"We've never gone out before, not like – not as us, ya know? Like a couple? I didn't really know what to expect."
He nods slowly, understanding quickly just what she means as he stares back at her. "If it makes you feel any better, I was nervous too. But then you came into the kitchen and it all just went away."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah," he nods again.
"I – I know what we're doing…this, us, together, but calling you my boyfriend doesn't seem like enough, ya know?"
"I think we're past that stage, don't you?"
Hailey smiles, nodding her head at him. "That's what I told Vanessa. She tried calming me down when I started overthinking…as usual."
"You wouldn't be you if you didn't overthink things," he says with a teasing tone as he runs his thumb over her cheek.
Hailey rolls her eyes, but she's still smiling at him, and then she's wrapping her arms tighter around him and pulling him in closer to her. He drops his head over her shoulder and buries his face into her neck, squeezing her against him.
The kettle starts whistling lowly behind them and Jay presses a quick, sweet kiss to her neck before he pulls away from her. She drops his arms from him and watches as he steps away to turn off the burner, then makes up a cup of tea for her.
Hailey gets down from the counter and grabs her shoes from the floor, and Jay nods at her to go ahead of him as he carries her tea for her.
They make their way upstairs and look in on Avery, finding the little girl sound asleep with her teddy bear under an arm, and then head down the hall to Hailey's bedroom.
Jay sets her mug down on the nightstand at her side of the bed and just like all the nights before over the last week, they take turns in the bathroom to change into pajamas and get ready for bed.
Hailey does her usual routine of journaling about the day's events, sipping at her tea as she scrawls messily across paper, and then takes ten minutes to complete her breathing exercises. She lies down when she finishes, dragging the weighted blanket up over her body and turns over to face her partner, finding him smiling at her.
"Did you have a good time tonight?" Jay asks her.
"Yeah, finally got my deep dish fix. The company wasn't too bad either," Hailey grins back at him.
He chuckles, shaking his head as he drapes an arm over her waist. "We really should do that more often."
"What's that? Eat food that's bad for us?"
Jay shakes his head again. "No, well, yes, deep dish is always a good idea, but I meant the going out together part, having date nights. Just you and me. I love Avery, I wanna be with that kid like twenty-two hours a day.
"And the other two hours?" Hailey asks him.
"I want this. Time with you, holding you, talking about our days."
"I think we can make that happen," she says quietly, her grin turning softer as she lifts a hand between them and brings it to his shirt covered chest, dragging her fingers up to the side of his neck. She stares at him, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth for a moment before she says, "I wanna kiss you again."
"I wanna kiss you again, too," Jay tells her with a soft smile.
She gives a slow nod then leans in as he does the same and they press their lips against one another's. It's slow and sweet and them taking their time just like they had downstairs in the kitchen just a short while earlier.
"Are you sure this is okay?" He asks her minutes later when they finally pull away. He glances down at the barely-there space between them before setting his eyes on hers again.
"I'm sure," she tells him with a smile.
"I know I probably sound like a broken record, asking you that all the time, but I just – I…"
"I know why you ask me so much and I love you for it," Hailey tells him, leaning in closer to him and moving her hand to the back of his head. "And I know we've been sharing a bed and we haven't – I want you to know that I want to, I just – "
"Hailey," he breathes out as he stares back at her with his bright green eyes. "Making out with you is more than enough for me until you're ready for anything else. And even if you're never ready for anything else, I'm still not going anywhere."
She smiles at him as she swallows hard and nods slowly, knowing he means the words he says to her.
"Ya know, we have the whole weekend off," she says then and it makes him raise an eyebrow at her. "Means we can make out a little more and sleep in tomorrow, or at least sleep in as long as Ave will let us."
His lips curve into another sweet smile. "I like this plan of yours."
"Hmmm, I thought you might," she smirks as she leans in toward him once more, jutting her chin at him as he continues staring at her with that soft look in his eyes. "You gonna kiss me some more then or you wanna keep staring instead, Halstead?"
He rolls his eyes and she can't help laughing quietly at the look on his face until he leans over and captures her lips with his again, eliciting a familiar moan from her as he kisses her senseless against the pillows.