[A/N: Sorry for the delay on this. Since I wrote a one-shot tied to this episode, and well, just took a brief lazy break after it, I know I'm updating later than normal. But to reward your patience, I hope for two chapters this week, so stay tuned for a write-up in reference to 7x13. But without further ado, here's some Hailey insight to 7x12. Thank you for continually reading!]


We went to the Academy together. He might have asked me out on a date… I might have said no…

As Hailey sits back waiting for their next move to bust this corrupt drug ring run by cops, she can't help but think of everyone's reaction when she told them all how she knew Kelly Tyler. She can't help but to think of Jay's reaction. She gave a quick look specifically to him when she assured the team she turned Tyler down, as he was the only one who seemed to avoid looking at her during it. She recognized the tell of his equally quick jealousy when his jaw clenched while he looked to the floor; and she'd be lying if she said it didn't give her mild satisfaction. Since that day he was released from the hospital she buried her emotions again, running on the fear that one of them would somehow screw up if they took that next step and neither had emotionally matured yet. As much as it was killing her holding it inside now that she was consciously aware she loved him, she knows it something that has to be done when the time is right for both of them.

Besides, thinking about Jay and everything that tethered them was still better than the alternative of thinking about her last conversation with Darius Walker. She finally told him that Cameron was her CI and that she knew he had him killed, and all his smug ass could say was that Cameron made a bad choice, that he was foolish. Like that just completely rights his wrongs of having him killed. The audacity the man had! It was in that moment that she truly realized she hated Darius. He was the epitome of the scum she swore she would put away, a killer trying to hide behind the notion of 'doing the greater good,' and here they were working with him again. She's interrupted from her thoughts when Tyler arrives with his "boss" for the meet with Darius. Jay speaks up first, realizing it isn't Jake Gibbs, the other sergeant they learned was involved.

"Hailey," he signals to her to take the long lens so she can look for herself before he announces over the walkie to the rest of the team, "It's Lieutenant Mike Packer."

The team all silently gasps from their lookout spots realizing this is even bigger than any of them suspected… and they already thought it was huge. After some threatening from Packer, followed by some assuring on Darius' end, the three finally make the exchange. Voight tells them all to wrap up, thinking they have these guys "dead to rights," their tracker in place with the money Darius gave. Hailey breathes a sigh of relief, wanting this to be over with. She's not sure how much longer she can stand working along Darius. Jay notices instantly. She wants to believe it's due to their close confines in the van, but she knows he's as attune to her as she is to him.

"Hey, you alright?" he asks her softly.

She puts on her best deflecting. "Yeah, I just can't wait till this case is over. There's only so long that I can pretend to play nice with Darius, y'know?"

"Hailey, once Crawford approves Voight to get the warrants for their arrests, we'll be done with Darius for good. Then maybe somewhere down the line we can arrest him for good too."

"Yeah, maybe…" she responds unconvincingly.

Jay reaches out his hand and softly puts it on her shoulder. "Hey, don't get too close, ok? It'll be over soon."

Hailey looks in his eyes and just nods at him before they start to pack up their gear. She hopes he's right. Unfortunately, it couldn't be more wrong…


The DA had told Voight and Crawford that she would need him to give up his informant in order to approve the warrants so that their case against Tyler, Gibbs, and Packer would stick. As much as Voight tried to fight it, he finally caved with their prodding. This in turn of course led to Voight informing Darius that he had to name him. Clearly Darius was not happy, but the team assumed it to be over with since Voight had tried to assure him it wouldn't go to trial and no one would ever know he was a snitch.

The next day when they pinged the location of the three corrupt officers in order to finally arrest them, they discovered that they had been ambushed and killed, along with two Southside Hustlers. And an additional gangbanger was killed by Kevin as he was the sole survivor shooting at the team. With him dead, that tallied the body count up to six. Six were dead and everyone knowing without saying that this was the work of Darius Walker. Having them killed just like he did with Cameron so no one would find out he was a snitch. Hailey was seething before she found out Crawford's plans for the coverup. She followed and marched instantly into Voight's office after his meeting with the Superintendent.

"That's it?" her tone accusing.

"Yeah, that's it." Voight responds.

"Crawford declares them heroes? And everyone washes their hands of it? And Darius?"

"Darius? They're cutting him loose."

"WHAT?"

"He's a free man."

"He screwed us! He screwed you!" she replies, getting angrier by the second.

"You got that right."

"After all this, the only winner here is Darius Walker."

"Well, there's an old saying, 'some cases are better left unsolved.'"

She shakes her head at him. "Not this one."

"Yeah this one." He sternly says back, signaling to her this conversation was over.

Hailey storms out, unable to be up there anymore. She's almost down the stairs when Kevin comes back up and goes to sit at his desk.

"Hey." He says to her, not noticing her simmering rage.

"Hey." She swiftly replies and continues on her way before she stops.

She walks back over to Kevin's desk and confirms with him that the gang members killed in the ambush were in fact Southside Hustlers. Once she gets the addresses out of him, she's ready to go on her way again, but not before he questions her.

"Why, what's up?" he asks.

"Nothing, thanks!" she responds quickly and starts walking away again.

"Alright."

She hears Kevin mumble and she realizes he must know something is wrong with her, but he knows better than to question her further. For once she's glad it was someone other than Jay she crossed paths with. She's not sure she could stop from breaking down if it was Jay, and all she wants to feel is the anger right now.


An hour later she's walking back to her car after her conversation with the gang bangers and putting Darius' name in their ears. She slows down when she sees the last person she had wanted to while in the bullpen now leaning by her car clearly waiting for her. She can't help but smirk, of course he would come after her.

"You following me?" she says teasingly, repeating his words from months ago and knowing this will be the lightest part of their upcoming conversation.

"What the hell are you doing, Hailey?" He is not amused, okay.

"Doesn't concern you." She says, her voice coming out harder than she'd like.

"Yes it does. Good or bad, right or wrong, you know it does!"

If they were in any scenario but this one right now, she might have secretly swooned at his words. Wow. She tries to swallow the feelings, forcing her eyes to glance away before she responds to that.

"Okay. I'm investigating the murder of three police officers."

"We were told to stand down. You were given a direct order by the superintendant of police. This could destroy your whole career or worse… so yeah, this concerns me!"

Hailey can't remember Jay being so angry with worry over her since the Booth case. It was back then she realized how strong their bond really was and how much other feelings were starting to arise. Seeing him like this now is ten times worse, he looks completely scared and overprotective for her and this time she gets the feeling is more than just concern for his partner. She absolutely cannot cave though. She has to see this through. She owes it to Cameron.

"I'm gonna figure out what the hell happened. And then I'm gonna take that case to Crawford and he can tell me to my face to stand down."

Jay sighs. "20 different times you have figured out a way to tell me don't get too close… I'm telling you, you're too close."

Hailey almost can't take the way Jay is staring down at her, giving her the sweetest and saddest puppy eyes, just hoping he can break through. Being around him is just drudging up too many emotions right now. She doesn't want to feel, she just wants the anger to keep forcing her through. After the past couple months, first losing Cameron, and then almost losing Jay, the anger feels infinitely better than the sadness and fear she had been holding onto. The two latter had almost consumed her and right now, she'd surely take the former. As much as it pains her to walk away from Jay and his emotional speech, she knows she has to. There's only so much her sanity can handle in one week.

She nods at him and tries to reassure him. "I'm okay, Jay."

He stares back at her, swallowing sadly. She can tell he's holding back from speaking more, so she takes it as her opportunity.

"Go home, okay?" she says softly as she places her hand on his upper chest, hoping it will comfort him that she's fine. Instead, despite the blistering cold surrounding them, she feels the radiating heat from his body that she's certain sends a spark straight to her soul. His eyes bore into hers and she knows she has to walk away as quickly as possible before she changes her mind.

She lets her hand run off of him softly as she's on the move walking away from him. She feels his eyes staring at her as she makes her way to the car and she doesn't have to turn around to know what expression he's wearing. It's for certain a sad one, one laced with yearning and what-ifs and hopefulness for an uncertain future becoming certain one day. One that she absolutely knows without a doubt is mirroring her very own right now…