A/N: Hello friends,
I'm back with a new Upstead elopement story. But before we start, can we take a moment to scream about that premiere. WOW WOW WOW. I can't believe Upstead are actually engaged now, TO BE MARRIED. It honestly only makes me even more excited to write and share these little stories with you all! The responses to the first three chapters have been so overwhelming, and I hope you guys will like this chapter too. I came up with this idea months ago. And I'm quite happy with how the chapter turned out. I hope you guys will like it too! Another Stellaride wedding one, because I love Kelly and Stella (and I wanna see more interactions between them and Upstead) plus I'll take any excuse I can get to write about Upstead slow dancing.
Also still can't believe Marina has basically confirmed that she can totally see Upstead eloping in the future. Not gonna lie, I was happy that someone on the cast shared that headcanon with me (don't get me wrong, I will be absolutely thrilled if we get a proper wedding, but I just can't get this picture of Upstead eloping out of my head. I mean clearly. These stories are obviously proof of that).
I would like to take a moment to thank my beta reader upsteadyforever (they have a new username) for their amazing work on this chapter.
Hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Hope to see you soon for the next one!
Chapter Summary: Their friends try to pester Hailey into joining the bridal bouquet toss at Stellaride's wedding. But when Hailey keeps refusing, eventually stating she can't join. The dots start to connect for their friends.
he is sensible and so incredible (and all my single friends are jealous)
"Do you ever wish we had done this?" Jay asks his wife, his arms draped around her as they gently swing along to the music, cocooned in their own little world away from the surrounding wedding party.
Hailey looks around the ballroom, where Stella and Kelly Severide are holding their wedding reception. The space is filled with their friends, fellow first responders, and people Hailey has never seen before, who she assumes are direct relatives of the bride or groom.
It's not the biggest wedding either of them has ever attended, but there are a decent amount of people scattered around the dancefloor, seated at the decorated tables, or mingling at the bar. Many more than the two people at their own wedding a few weeks ago.
She picks her head up from Jay's chest to meet his eyes: "The whole wedding thing, you mean?"
"Yeah." The detective nods then expands on his initial question: "Walking down the aisle, the white dress, the first dance, the reception, the toasts— all of it."
Hailey contemplates it for a moment, and Jay can't help but notice the way her nose crinkles when she's deep in thought. He thinks it's the cutest thing ever. And before she knows it, he's leaning in to place a chaste kiss on his wife's plump lips without giving her a chance to answer.
"What was that for?" Hailey smiles when Jay pulls away (much too soon for both of their likings), his green eyes finding her baby blues.
"Just couldn't help myself." Her husband shrugs.
"You're something else, Halstead." The blonde replies with an even brighter grin on her face, shaking her head. She really still can't believe how she got this lucky in life. How she is the one who gets to slow dance with her partner, Jay Halstead. How she gets to see this soft, romantic side of him all the time now. How she gets to go home with him at the end of each day, no matter what happens.
They're still synchronously moving along to the slow song playing in the background. Their arms wrapped around each other's neck, dancing with barely any space between their bodies.
"So, do you? Regret not having a big wedding?" Jay whispers again after another beat passes between the now-married couple.
"Not really. I liked our wedding. It may not have been very traditional or big, but it was ours. And I wouldn't change a thing." Hailey says with a dreamy look in her eyes.
"Yeah, me either." Jay is also now daydreaming about the day he and Hailey spoke their vows to each other.
"Is that a bad thing?" She inquires with a nervous undertone. "Do you wish we had done the whole wedding reception thing?"
"I don't know. Maybe? Sometimes." He responds honestly. "But it doesn't matter, because you're my wife. And really, that's all I care about. I don't care if we had 200 people at our wedding, or only two."
Hailey hums in agreement, nuzzling against her husband's warm chest again.
"No, screw that. It does matter." Jay suddenly reveals, causing Hailey to lift her head to give his words her full attention. "A wedding with 200 people, that's just not us. Never has been."
"I agree."
"We don't need that many people to prove or show that we love each other. I just need you."
"You're all I need too, Jay Alexander Halstead."
"Well, you already have me, Hailey Anne Halstead." Jay says with a huge smile on his face, looking longingly into his wife's sparkling blue eyes before he leans in to capture Hailey's soft lips with his own. He slowly drags his tongue over her bottom lip, and she gladly grants him entrance, deepening their kiss. Jay immediately gets overwhelmed by the sensation of her: She tastes like the sweet champagne they've just had, something that is so uniquely Hailey, but most importantly, she tastes like home.
Hailey nervously stares at the group of single and unmarried women who are gathering behind Stella, who is—as per tradition—about to toss her bridal bouquet. Everyone knows it's just a silly old tradition to see who is to be married next, even though there are absolutely no guarantees or true fortune-telling involved whatsoever. But the eager unhitched women surrounding Stella, ready to throw themselves at the bouquet, make Hailey seriously question if they are aware of that little detail in this moment.
When Kim's eyes find hers from the frenzied crowd, the detective can predict what's coming next before the words are even spoken:
"Hailey Anne Upton, get your ass over here!" The police officer shouts from the other side of the room.
"I'm quite alright over here, Kim." The blonde weakly attempts to evade partaking in this particular wedding activity.
But as soon as Hailey sees Kim breaking free from the group on a beeline toward her, she knows her disinterest will not be let off the hook that easily by the brunette: "Come on, Hailey! It'll be fun!"
Hailey raises an eyebrow, challenging Burgess' statement: "Fun?" 'More like torture...' she stops herself just in time from saying those last words aloud.
"Yes, fun! Come on. Do it for Halstead!"
That remark unleashes a loud snort from Hailey as she repeats: "Do it for Halstead?"
"Yes, we all know the guy needs a little encouragement."
"Trust me, Kim. The last thing that guy needs is encouragement." Hailey snickers.
That piques Kim's interest: "Oh?"
"Forget I said anything..." Hailey mutters once her brain catches up with what she almost implied.
"So you'll join then?"
Hailey's gotta give it to the officer, she sure is persistent. But, unfortunately for Burgess, so is she: "Kim, I have no interest in joining the bouquet toss. You know it's a dumb tradition that holds no meaning anyway. Please just let it go."
"Nonsense! You get your cute butt over there, Goldilocks!" Trudy chimes into the duo's conversation out of nowhere. "And you better try your damn best to catch those pretty flowers!"
Of course, Platt has to get involved. That's just Hailey's luck. How is she supposed to get herself out of this situation now?
The blonde peeks at Kim with her triumphant smile on her face now that Trudy Platt has joined her campaign, knowing that Hailey will have a much harder time saying no because of the desk sergeant.
"I'd really rather not." Hailey is silently cursing Jay for choosing this moment to get their drinks refilled at the open bar, leaving her to deal with their nagging colleagues on her own.
The commotion the trio is causing has caught the attention of multiple wedding goers by now, including that of the bride.
"Hailey Anne, I know you're way too down to Earth for this kind of thing, but humor me, will you?! It's my wedding day after all!" Stella intervenes.
The blonde shifts her gaze from her female coworkers to Jay, who has just returned from the bar with a champagne flute in each hand. He must have heard the entire conversation that Hailey somehow became ensnared in, judging by the amused look on his face. Oh, she is definitely gonna get him back later.
Hailey mouths a silent 'Help me' at her husband standing only a few feet away now, but he barely reacts, just slightly shaking his head and chuckling loudly from deep within him. And she knows exactly what Jay is thinking: If only Stella, Kim, and Trudy knew the real reason why Hailey couldn't join the bridal bouquet toss.
"What's so funny?" Stella questions the interaction between the detective couple.
"Nothing." Hailey tries to conceal the grin that is so desperately trying to break out across her face.
"Those faces don't say 'nothing'." Platt declares, glancing between them trying to read their faces to get in on this inside joke.
"Something wrong?" Kelly jumps in, wondering what is taking Stella so long to toss her bouquet. His strong hands instinctively find their way around his wife's waist, and he can't resist placing a soft kiss on her cheek.
"No, we're all good." Stella reassures him. "It's just that Hailey here doesn't wanna fight for the bridal bouquet."
"Oh, yeah. Doesn't really seem like that would be Upton's thing." Kelly nods in understanding. "Just do it without her?" He suggests.
"Thank you, Kelly." Hailey is relieved someone around here seems to be on her side.
"No." Kim all but whines. "We need Hailey to join!"
"Need?" Hailey challenges. That sounds desperate, even for Burgess.
"Yes, need! We all know Halstead here could use a little push!" Kim presses.
That finally garners a response from Jay, who had been watching this whole interaction unravel from a safe distance: "Hey!"
"Oh hush, Halstead! We all know it took you years to act on your feelings for Hailey. Don't make the poor girl wait another 4 years for a ring!"
"Stella does have a point, Jay." Kelly agrees, backing up his wife. "Maybe you need a nudge to do the right thing?"
"Not you too." Hailey states in defeat, rolling her eyes for dramatic effect. She really thought Severide would help her out of this predicament, but she shouldn't be surprised that Kelly is now siding with his newlywed wife. Hailey probably would have done the same thing if she was Kelly and hoped to enjoy their wedding night.
"Just humor us, please?!" Stella requests again.
"Come on, Goldilocks! I wanna see Chuckles put a ring on it!" Trudy heckles.
"I don't know why you're all so invested in this." Hailey points out, running a hand through her long blonde hair.
"Is this about that silly bet you all have going on about when Jay is finally going to ask Hailey to marry him?" Will smirks as he joins the group of first responders, being the only one —alongside Vanessa— who knows the detective duo already tied the knot.
"Shut up, Will!" Kim grinds out between her teeth.
"Oh, so that's what this is all about." Hailey laughs, glad they finally cleared up why they all seem to be so invested in Hailey catching Stella's bridal bouquet.
"You guys really need to stop betting on our relationship." Jay groans, referring to the bet their friends had arranged a few years ago regarding when he and Hailey would finally start dating.
"Now where's the fun in that, Chuckles?" Trudy, of all people, taunts.
"Not you too, Sarge." Jay shakes his head in disbelief.
"Who do you think organizes these bets?!" Burgess blurts out, making both Jay and Hailey glare at their desk sergeant in complete shock.
"Okay, that's my cue to leave." Platt takes off in the direction of her husband Mouch, who is talking to some other firefighters from 51 near the bar.
Of course, Kim is the one who breaks the awkward and tense silence: "So, are you joining us, Upton?"
"You're still on this?" Hailey moans.
"We all know you're next in line to get married anyway!" Burgess announces with an amused smile. "Might as well help speed things up a bit."
Hailey's eyes find Jay's as they always do. If only they all actually knew.
"Kim's deadline in the bet is coming up, Jay. Just sayin'. Tick tock, tick tock." Will teases as the only other person who understands the true meaning behind the look his brother and sister-in-law just shared.
"You suck, Will Halstead!" Kim mocks. "Just because your guess for the bet has come and gone doesn't mean you have to be a sore loser about it."
The older Halstead just chuckles and shakes his head, knowing he already won the bet but is unable to tell anyone yet as part of his sworn agreement to be a witness at their wedding. "Yeah, good luck with that." The doctor directs at his brother and his wife, referring to Kim's nagging and this whole situation they have found themselves trapped in, before walking off in the direction of the bathroom.
Hailey lets out a big sigh, tired of fighting this off any longer. She gazes directly into Jay's green eyes, her silent question getting answered with a slight nod barely noticeable to anyone else. But Hailey knows how to read her husband, years of silent communication and reading each other's body language paying off.
"Kim, I can't join."
"What are you talking about?! Of course, you can!" Burgess interjects before catching on to the mischievous look Hailey is giving her, and a loud shriek escapes from the brunette's mouth: "You didn't! Hailey Anne! No way!"
Stella glances bewilderedly between the two female cops: "What's going on?!"
"No freaking way!" Kim repeats.
In her defense, at least Hailey has the decency to be a little sheepish about all this. And Jay is trying to look anywhere but directly at the younger officer, who he is sure has figured it out by now being long overdue for that promotion to detective herself.
"Will someone please tell me what's going on?!" Stella pleads.
"Hailey can't join the bridal bouquet toss because she is already married." Kim squeals, gauging the blonde's reaction to see if her suspicion is correct.
A warm blush creeps up on Hailey's cheeks, confirming Burgess' theory.
Now it's the bride shrieking in excitement. "Oh my God, for real?!"
Hailey affirms by nodding her head.
"Hails, I am so happy for you!" Stella swarms her friend and throws her arms around the detective to congratulate her.
"Damn! Well done, Jay!" Kelly pats the detective on his shoulder.
"Did I really just hear that? The Halsteads are hitched?! Like for real married-married?!" Booming from the other side of the room, Adam Ruzek and Kevin Atwater are now joining the celebration.
"Knew you had it in you, bro!" Adam congratulates Jay.
"Hailey Halstead! Come here, girl!" Kevin tests out the blonde's new last name while opening his arms to invite her in for a hug. "So happy for you both!" He continues, causing a huge smile to break out on Hailey's face.
"I should be mad at you for revealing this on my wedding day, but I'm too happy to care!" Stella wipes away an unshed tear.
"Are you crying?" Hailey teases.
"Shut up. It's been an emotional day, okay?! I'm really happy for you, Hails!"
"I'm really happy for you too!" The blonde blinks back tears of her own that are threatening to fall.
"Chuckles, Goldilocks, come over here!" Trudy rejoins the group after learning about her favorite detectives' marriage. She opens her arms to both Jay and Hailey, engulfing them in a tight hug. "I should smack you both on the head for eloping, but I'm so very happy for you two." The desk sergeant says affectionately.
"Thanks, Sarge. That means a lot. And we're sorry for not inviting any of you to the wedding." Jay apologizes to their friends.
"I can't believe you guys are married now!" Kim exclaims. "Although to be honest, I am not surprised at all that you two eloped. That's very you, somehow."
"Guess that means you're actually the one next in line to be married." Hailey teases Kim. From the corner of her eye, she notices Adam's smile widening and Kevin patting him on the back, while Kim is starting to look faint at what Hailey is implying right in front of her.
"I, uhh—" Kim cannot find any words now.
But Stella is already ushering the brunette toward the group of women still gathered together waiting for the bride to toss her bouquet.
"Come on, Burgess! Get your ass over there! This bouquet isn't gonna catch itself!" The firefighter winks at the police officer. "Although you might have to fight Sylvie for it. Girl looks about ready to tackle anyone who dares to get between her and this bouquet."
"You think Burgess regrets how that backfired on her?" Jay questions, wrapping his arms back around Hailey once Stella and Kim walk away.
"Maybe. But that will teach her to try and coerce me into doing something I don't want to do."
"Do you regret telling them?"
"How could I regret telling them that you're my husband?" The blonde smiles up at him. "It's the best thing that ever happened to me."
"To us." Jay corrects his wife.
Hailey leans up on her tippy toes to briefly capture her husband's soft lips with her own. They break apart way too soon for them to thoroughly enjoy it, but they're still in a public place surrounded by their close friends. This isn't the right place to get carried away.
"Come on." Jay nods towards the eager bridal party that has gathered behind the bride. "Stella is about ready to toss that bouquet, and I cannot wait to see the look on Adam's face when it lands perfectly in Kim's hands."
"Oh, please! He will be so happy, he might propose to her again on the spot!" Hailey half-jokes.
A loud belly laugh erupts from Jay as the image plays out in his head. That would be such a Ruzek move.
They join the rest of the wedding party just in time to see Stella turn around and throw the bouquet.
And all Hailey can think about, while she sinks deeper into her husband's arms watching the bouquet soar through the air, is how happy she is that she doesn't have to wait her turn anymore. Because she's already found her happily ever after.
A/N: Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read this little Upstead story I wrote.
Chapter title is from The Way I Loved You, thank you Taylor Swift.
As always, favorites and comments are very much appreciated, so are tweets (you can find me on Twitter under the name mrsavalance). Reading your guys' reaction to these stories, and what was your favorite part honestly brightens my day.