[A/N: Some Jay musings and an expansion on the final scene in 7x16. Guys, we FINALLY GOT THEM DOING THEIR THING AGAIN! Such a good Upstead episode. Of course, I'll always wish for more until they're actually together, but it definitely gave us more progress in their relationship. I'm still banking on and praying we'll get them by this season's finale! Enjoy the read and thank you all so much for your continued support, it means the world!]
Jay exits his car and starts making his way into the bar to meet Hailey. After getting Michelle settled and making sure she gets the hell out of Chicago ASAP all he wanted for the rest of the night was to see his partner. As he beat the pulp out of Shane the only thing that kept flashing through his eyes were images of a young Hailey, cowering in her room scared for her mom and brothers. And yet despite all that she went through, she was still the strongest person he knew. Maybe that's why they clicked so well, they had both seen and lived through so much shit, yet still managed to put other's needs ahead of their own. His lips quirked up on reflex the second he saw her sitting there at the table waiting for him as he felt his heart rate accelerate like it so often does around her.
Her lips quirk up slightly too as she sees him approach and he swears he feels his heart skip a beat. She looks at him knowingly as he sits, pointing to the drink that just got delivered. "I ordered you a double." She simply states.
"Thanks!" he replies and sighs, relieved she knows him so well and how this case completely drained him.
"So?" she asks.
"So Michelle is on a plane with her daughter and her brother's gonna pick them up in Phoenix." He takes a sip of his bourbon and feels it burning his throat as he swallows it, relishing in the numbness it brings.
"That's great, that's great news!"
"It is if she stays away from Shane."
"All you can do is buy her the ticket. The rest is up to her." She takes another sip of her drink.
He nods at her, for the first time today it sadly hitting him just how much of an expert Hailey is with these situations. "I don't know how you went through this growing up."
"Hmm. Every situation's a little different. My dad would come home drunk after being out all night. My mom would say something to him, he would snap…" Jay stares at her sympathetically as she pauses. She diverts her eyes from his penetrating gaze before continuing, "…I was little so I just put a pillow over my head to try to make it all go away. But you know she would come downstairs the next day with a bunch of makeup on, trying to cover it up. You could still see the bruises. Every time we would tell ourselves it was the last time, but of course it would happen again and they were just in this terrible dance. But you know I would close my eyes, and I would wish that somebody would come in and just put him in his place. Do what you did. You did a good thing, Jay!"
She turns back to look at him as she says that last part and he can't help but feel in awe of her. Part of him wants to wrap her in his arms and never let go. The other part realizing she doesn't need him to because she battled this on her own for so long already. He wishes he had been there earlier. He wishes it was her dad instead of Shane he punched out tonight.
"So what happened to your mom? Where'd she go?"
She has that look of indifference in her eye. "Nowhere. She's still with my dad."
She takes a sip of her drink, frowns, and looks down towards the table. Jay is blown away. She's never opened up this much to him about her family before. She'd talked about her brothers plenty and stories of the restaurant from years before, but never directly about her mom and dad. He had never pushed, knowing it was a sour subject, but he had hoped maybe they divorced somewhere along the way. They sit in amicable silence for a minute or so before he realizes he just needs to touch her, willing for even the smallest gesture. So he reaches his hand out and softly places it around her forearm folded on the table, giving it a gentle squeeze.
"Thank you for telling me!"
They stare at each other, their gazes piercing straight through the other's soul. He waits for her response, but instead she looks down at his hand to his bruised knuckles. To his surprise she grabs it and softly runs her fingers over them, making him shiver.
"Jay, you need to put ice on this!" she says concerned, but also calculatingly changing the subject.
"It's not as bad as it looks." He assures her.
"Why do I feel like I've heard that before from you?" she chuckles, making him chuckle, effectively ending the dreariness of the prior conversation.
"Are you starting to conduct a running tally?" he asks her.
"I might have to. See, this is why you need me there always watching your back!"
"'Cause we're good together, right?" he teases her, enjoying the slight blush that comes from it.
"Hey, by all means go take Kev or someone as your partner. See how long they'll put up with you."
"No, no! Have you ever been in a car with Kev or Ruz after they ate a chili dog? No thanks, I'm good. We're good!"
"I knew you'd see it my way!" she grins back cockily.
Jay can't help but beam back at her thoroughly enjoying this time after the day they had. They finish their first drinks and order another round, sipping slowly enough that they'll tell themselves it's so they're sober enough to drive, but really it's to max out as many hours together like this as they can. An hour till close they realize they should probably leave and get some sleep since they have work again in the morning; both secretly begrudging parting ways.
They walk out to the parking lot close together. Jay had parked right behind Hailey. As they reach their cars he debates hugging her but decides against it in fear he won't be able to let go. Sensing his hesitation, Hailey opts to halt any awkwardness before it arises and says, "See you tomorrow!"
It's then Jay remembers the flowers they both forgot in his middle console earlier. His emotions are conflicted on whether he should bring them up again.
"Hailey, wait…" he hesitates slightly, but then just goes for it, "Don't forget your roses."
She smiles shyly at him, cautiously approaching. "I thought you said these were for your girlfriend?" she teases.
He extends them to her and her fingers accidentally run along the back of his hand as she grabs them, both feeling the spark between them at that simple touch. "Maybe it was wishful thinking…" he softly says and she quirks her brow at him, both trying to hide the heat radiating off their cheeks. "Besides, you're the closest thing I have to one anyway. No one nags me more!" he jokingly adds trying to lighten the sentence and mood, both knowing they're entering the point of no return.
"Someone has to keep you in line!" she jokes back and they grin at each other. She gets serious a second later, uttering simply, "Thank you, Jay… for everything! I really do love them." in the softest, most sincere voice. She averts her gaze after a moment, looking down at the flowers in her hand trying to conceal her emotions.
He nods back, swallowing hard. "Anytime Hailey…"
They let the words hang in the air before Hailey whispers, "Good Night!" still semi-avoiding his gaze as she walks the few steps back to her car.
Jay watches her get in, still staring even after she closes the door and starts the engine. He tries to control the beating in his heart again, knowing Hailey has forever etched her place in it; and wishing he could romantically buy her flowers anytime he wanted to show her how much she means to him. With a sigh he finally opens his door again and gets inside before Hailey texts him asking, what the hell are you doing still standing in the cold? With that thought Jay smiles to himself and thinks, we really are good together!..
