Okay guys, here's my little intake on 8x3. It's short, and not my best given that I have Covid and I'm sick, but I just wanted to jump on this trend like everyone else. Hope you all enjoy! Please leave a review, and let me know your theories! I'm curious what you all think is going to happen!

The package sitting on the corner of Hailey's desk has been haunting Jay all day.

No, more like mocking.

Three hours before he had been following Hailey down the hall to interrogate a suspect in a long string of opioid overdoses when Platt had practically run them both over. She shoved the white box into the young girl's hands only to be met with confused looks from both of the detectives.

"This is what you've been waiting for goldilocks," Platt starts, and Jay glances over Hailey's shoulder to the box now in her hands. He feels his heart drop as he reads the return address, at the same moment Platt announces it. "FBI. The Feds are sending packages."

Hailey was in shock as she glanced up from the box to look at Platt. She avoided Jay's eyes, which were practically burning a hole in the back of her skull. "I'm sure it's nothing Sarge,"

"Don't forget us when you're important, Upton." Platt says before pushing her way past the two and down the hall where she had just seen Voight and Ruzek enter.

"Hailey."

"It's nothing," She says turning to make her way back to the bullpen. "Start without me, I'll be there in a minute." And with that, she disappears around the corner, leaving Jay standing alone and confused.

When the two come out of the interrogation room an hour later, with a confession and enough to wrap the case, the box was sitting on the edge of Hailey's desk. Untouched. She hadn't even bothered to open it, to see what it held.

It drove Jay insane for the next few hours as they finished up their paperwork. He had no idea how she wasn't going crazy from curiosity.

Little did he know, Hailey could barely focus on her paperwork as her eyes kept diverting to the box. She knew what was inside, but she didn't know how she was going to bring herself to tell Jay.

"I was starting to think you had forgotten about me," Hailey says glancing up at Jay as he moved to take the stool across from her.

He chuckles as he watches her take a long gulp from her drink. "I could never." Hailey just smiles in return and he reaches for the drink she had ordered for him.

This was their thing. They had just wrapped a case with 8 OD's. Their youngest victim had only been 13 years old. The whole unit had struggled with this one. So, when Hailey had texted him to meet her for a drink, he humored her. He hoped by suggesting a smaller, lesser known pub, closer to his place would give her a prime opportunity to tell him what exactly was going on outside of work also.

"Ok so are we going to talk about it or?" Hailey trailed off, looking up at Jay who had a sudden interest in the whiskey in front of him.

"It's your news Hails, you get to choose whether or not you tell me."

"Are you even interested in knowing?"

"Of course, I am, Hailey." He says glancing up at her. "What did they offer you?"

"A job." She lets out a long puff of air. "They offered it to me in New York. Joint task force. I told them I wasn't sure and needed some time, "

"Oh," He says glancing down again, and Hailey feels her blood start to boil. This man was clueless.

"I told them I had a lot to consider." Jay just nods, and she takes that as a way to continue on. "But they sent me the details if I were to accept."

"Well that's great Hailey," he assures her, nodding his head. He really was happy for her, and proud of her. If anyone deserved this, it was Hailey. But why… why did he feel like his world was ending all over again? "If anyone deserves this, it's you."

"I haven't taken the job yet, Jay."

"You'd be a fool not to." He says downing his glass in one drink before moving to stand up. "I'm going to get another, you want anything?" He asks, hovering over her. She glances up at him, and locks eyes with him for only a moment. She glances away, not able to look at him as she speaks.

"You know, you can tell me you don't want me to take it."

Jay's heart stops for the second time that day. He counts to ten before he allows his eyes to slowly make their way up to meet hers. He shakes his head. "I can't do that Hailey,"

"But you can," She says, her eyes pleading with him. She knew she wasn't the only one feeling this type of way, as had been made clear at the hospital when Jay had been shot. "Jay…"

"No, I can't Hailey. This is an amazing opportunity for you. As much as I love having you around as my partner, I can't hold you back."

Hailey's head is spinning as she finds her voice. "Jay you "

"You should take it." And with that, he gives her shoulder a slight squeeze before throwing more than enough money down on the table to cover both of their drinks. "I got to go Hailes," He mutters lamely before heading for the exit.

She watches as he disappears out the door and turns back around in her seat. She runs her hand over her face, letting out a huge sigh.

What the hell had just happened?

Jay was sitting on his couch, wallowing in his own stupidity, finishing up his fourth beer when there was a knock on his front door. He glances from the hallway leading to the door, to the mess in front of him. He debates cleaning the mess quickly but decides against it as he moves to get up and go answer the door.

Whoever it was, he was going to get rid of them, come back in and head to bed. That's it. He doesn't bother checking the peep hole, which was probably not his smartest move as Hailey nearly knocks him over when he opens the door.

He stumbles back but manages to catch himself and shut the door behind her. She throws her jacket off to the side and kicks her boots off before walking further into his apartment.

"Um hello?" He asks, following after her. He props himself up on the doorframe as he watches her whip around at him. Hailey was a tiny person, but she looked like she could kill him in that moment. He was confused. "What –"

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?" She shouts, glaring up at him.

"Excuse me?" He asks incredulously. He raises an eyebrow at her. He was losing his best friend, and the love of his life. What did she have to be so pissed about?

"Just telling me to take this job as if it is the simplest thing in the world, as if it wouldn't change my whole life, as if it means nothing to you that I wouldn't be around!" She continues to shout as she makes her way toward him. She stops right in front of him and has to look up at him due to how much taller he is than her. "As if I don't mean anything to you…" She trails off, the anger in her voice disappearing the second she looks into his eyes.

His beautiful green eyes.

"Hailey…" He was finding himself lost in her eyes as well. Well, really just her. Everything about her drove him wild, but he didn't know how to tell her without sounding like a blubbering idiot.

"No, I'm TALKING!" She shouts, finding her footing once more. "I'm furious at you Jay!" She allows herself to look back up at him, and he opts to stay silent in a way to not die. "Damn it Jay, I'm in love with you. I think I have been for a long time, but it took me a bit to realize it. It took Vanessa opening my eyes when you got shot and we almost lost you, but I do. I tried to tell you that day at the hospital and I feel like you knew what I was going to say."

Both Hailey and Jay glance down as he reaches out, grabbing her arm in his hand gently. Both feel the slight spark from the instance their skin touched, and Hailey continued on. "But then your phone rang, and the moment was gone so I let it go. Then this happened, and as much as I would love this job, I was hoping you would finally come to your senses and tell me not to go –"

She was rambling on at this point and she knew it. She didn't know how to stop herself. This man drove her crazy in every possible way.

Luckily, Jay knew exactly how to shut her up. And that is exactly what he did as he pulled her closer to him, bent down and pressed his lips to hers.

Hailey was stunned for all of a second but melts into the kiss once she regains her composure. She reaches up, wrapping her arm around his neck as his arm slips around her waist and pulls her so that they are flush against one another.

A moment later they pull back, both in dire need of oxygen. Her arm stays around his neck, while his hand cups her face. He smiles down at her, and she looks up at him not knowing what to do or say.
"I don't want you to leave."