Timeline: Post Season 7

Completed: Aug. 12, 2020

Hailey internally curses at Jay when she watches him jump the fence chasing a suspect. She watches as he tumbles to the ground as he cuffs the suspect.

"Jay, please be careful," Hailey asks Jay.

Jay looks at her questionably.

"You are really going to hurt yourself one day," Hailey answers.

"I'm fine," he promises.

"We really needed this," Kim comments as she, Hailey, and Vanessa settle in at their spot in the park three months later.

"Yeah, after two weeks of nonstop cases," Hailey answers.

"And a slim chance of being called into work," Vanessa adds in reference to the mandatory day off they were given.

"It's nice to not have to worry about someone getting hurt," Kim thinks out loud.

"The day's not over yet," Hailey reminds her, looking over to where the guys are goofing off with a football.

"They aren't that bad," Vanessa defends.

"Eh, they have gotten in some pretty… odd situations when left on their own," Hailey tells Vanessa. Hailey turns to Kim, "Remember the time Adam and Kevin thought it was a good idea to see who could make their turkey fly the highest when they were cooking them for Thanksgiving?"

"How they go away with second-degree burns is still a mystery to me," Kim replies.

"Well it sounds like Jay at least had some sense," Vanessa tries.

"He would have been with them, but he was sick and Will wasn't letting him out of his sight," Hailey rolls her eyes.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Kevin asks looking over to where the girls are sitting while throwing the football to Adam.

"Who knows what they're talking about," Adam answers while chucking the ball at Jay.

"Probably trying to figure out what trouble we can make," Jay answers while throwing to Kevin to complete the triangle.

"How 'bout we make this interesting?" Adam asks.

"Interesting how?" Kevin wonders.

"Are you about to get us in trouble?" Jay asks at the same time.

"No," Adam answers Jay before explaining his plan. "We find things that we can use to make slingshots and launch this," he spins the football in his hand, "as far as we can and someone has to be able to catch it." Kevin raises his eyebrow. "Every yard the ball goes is two points and if the person chasing it can catch it, they get five points."

The other two nod in agreement before the three take off to find items that they can use to make their slingshots.

"Where did they go?" Kim asks when she notices that the guys disappeared.

"I don't know, and I don't care what they're doing as long as we don't have to call the fire department again. I think it's second shift at 51 today and I don't know if we can live down another call to them," Hailey answers.

"How is it that they are in an elite unit, but they act like they're fourteen?" Vanessa asks.

"If you figure that out, let us know," Kim laughs.

The guys meet up a half an hour later in the soccer field where they are able to judge the distance better.

"Okay, our starting point can be here," Adam tells the other two pointing to where a corner kick would be taken.

"What about the goal?" Jay asks pointing out to the net that's sitting fifteen and a half yards away.

"There's no way that any of us are going to be able to get it that far," Adam answers.

"Okay, so how is this going to work?" Kevin questions.

"You catch Jay's, I catch yours, and Jay catches mine," Adam answers.

"Sounds good."

"Okay, Jay, you're up. Kev, get ready." Jay gets his sling ready and Kevin gets ready to catch. Jar released the football and Kevin follows it; he catches it at about ten yards.

When they are done, they mark where Kevin caught it before Kevin gets his sling ready. Releasing the football, Adam is able to catch it at eight and a half yards.

When it is Jay's turn to chase down the ball, he takes off strong looking at the football and not in front of him. Just as he's about to catch the ball, he feels a pain in his arm before he crashes into the ground.

"You missed," Adam points out.

"You okay?" Kevin questions ignoring Adam?

"Yeah, I think you were wrong Adam. The net was in the way," Jay mumbles.

"Maybe we should get back to the girls before they start to think we're trying to kill each other," Kevin suggests.

"Good idea," Jay responds while Adam complains about not having a second round.

"Hey, where were you guys?" Vanessa asks when she sees the guys walking back to them.

"Trying a new sport," Adam answers.

"Do we want to know?" Kim asks.

"Probably not," Kevin answers.

"Should we know?" Hailey asks.

"No," Jay tells her. "No trouble was caused."

"Well, you guys are back just in time. We were getting ready to pack up and head back to mine and Vanessa's," Hailey tells them.

"Why? Night's still young," Adam questions.

"Beer and a fire," Vanessa answers.

"Not a bad idea," Adam gives in.

"Sounds good," Kevin agrees.

Jay just nods his head in agreement before the group packs up their things and heads to their cars. Jay and Hailey get into his truck and the other four get into Adam's car.

On the ride back, Hailey notices that Jay is driving with mostly one hand. While this isn't unusual when casually driving, he doesn't normally do this left-handed.

"You okay?" Hailey questions.

"Yeah?" Jay drawls out.

"You would tell me if it wasn't?"

"Yes."

Before either of them can continue the conversation, they arrive at Hailey's house with Adam pulling up behind them. Adam and Kevin go to the backyard to start the fire while Vanessa and Kim go to get the drinks and Hailey and Jay go to grab the chairs from where they are being stored.

Once again, Hailey notices that Jay is favoring his right arm. She decides to keep an eye on him, knowing that he would never admit to anything being wrong even if his arm was falling off.

In no time at all, the chairs are set, Kim and Vanessa have the drinks, and Kevin and Adam have the fire going without sending anyone to Med.

"This is nice, we should do this more often," Kim sighs as she takes a sip of her beer.

"If only the criminals of Chicago felt this way," Hailey tells her.

The group sits outside well past midnight, relaxing and drinking until they decide to call it a night.

Monday morning the team slowly makes their way into the bullpen. Voight comes out of his office once he sees that everyone has arrived.

Voight hands out their assignments before they can get too comfortable at their desks. Hailey and Jay leave to talk to a lead while the others also complete their assignments.

Getting into Jay's truck, Hailey notices that Jay is still favoring his right arm.

"Are you okay?" she asks once he starts driving.

"Fine," he answers somewhat confused.

"Are you sure? You've been favoring your one arm," Hailey comments.

"Yeah, just a little sore."

"From?"

"I might have ran into a meatal post the other day," he tells her before hurriedly adding, "It's fine."

"When we were at the park?" Jay's silence gives her the answer she was looking for. "And I thought we managed a day where you three weren't doing anything crazy."

"Look, we're here," Jay tells her trying to avoid the impending conversation.

"This isn't over," Hailey tells him before they both get out of his truck.

Walking up to their lead, they notice the change in posture. When they get closer, he takes off causing the two detectives to chase after him. Jay being the faster of the two manages to catch up first, tackling him to the ground.

In the process, he manages to kick Jay in the arm causing Jay to bit back a curse while Hailey helps subdue him. "You're under arrest for assaulting an officer," she tells him while putting the cuffs on. Once she is sure he can't cause any harm, she turns to Jay, "Are you okay?" she asks going to touch his arm.

"Fine," he answers as he pulls his arm away from Hailey, his voice high from pain.

"Uh-huh," she agrees. "You're getting checked out. It's your choice: I can call for an ambo to check you out or I can take you to Med."

"Neither is necessary- I just need ice. No need to waste resources."

"I'll drive you then," she decides before calling into her radio. "5021 Henry, requesting a patrol unit to transfer an offender back to the 21st." Hailey gets an affirmative before she pulls out her cell phone and calls Voight.

"Where are you?" the gruff voice comes through the phone.

"Waiting on a patrol car to come get our lead. He ran and I'm taking Jay to Med- I think he broke his arm."

"Make sure he actually gets checked out," Voight answers before hanging up.

Once a patrol car comes to transport the offender, Hailey forces Jay into the passenger side of his truck before driving to Med. The ride is quiet– Jay not happy about the unwanted trip and Hailey trying not to poke the bear.

"What happened?" Will asks when he sees the two detectives walk into the ED.

"Hailey's overreacting," Jay answer.

"I think he broke his arm," Hailey tells the older Halstead at the same time.

"I'll get Natalie to check him out. Go to treatment three," he tells the duo.

"This is unnecessary," Jay tells the blonde.

"I'll be the one to decide that," Natalie says as she walks into the room. "So, what happened?"

"Nothing."

"Offender kicked him in the arm. And apparently it was the same arm that he hurt by running into a metal post a couple days ago."

"Okay," Natalie answers, not rattled anymore by the antics of the guys of the intelligence unit. She prods his arm for a minute before telling them, "I can't be sure without an x-ray, but I think Hailey's right. I'm going to send you up to radiology and we can go from there."

"Is there a waiting room up there?" Hailey questions. "I don't trust him to not try to escape."

"Yes, you just can't go in with him."

"That's fine, I just want to make sure he actually gets the x-rays done."

Hailey puts in the order for the x-ray and then directs Hailey how to get to radiology before leaving to check on another patient.

"I would have made it on my own," Jay comments while waiting for his name to be called.

"You wouldn't have tried to get back to the district?"

"You have my keys," Jay points out.

"It's your arm that's hurt, not your leg. You wouldn't have ran back?"

"No," Jay answers unconvincingly.

"Jacob Halstead," the x-ray technician calls.

Jay gets up and follows her back. Entering the room, the tech has Jay lay on a bed before laying a lead apron over him and adjusting his arm on top of the apron.

The technician takes the x-ray before moving Jay's arm into a different position and taking another one. She does this two more times before she instructs Jay that she is done and will send the pictures to Dr. Manning.

"Did you behave?" Hailey teases when she sees Jay walking back to her.

"Funny."

The two make their way back to the ED where they settle back into the treatment room that Will sent them to.

Twenty minutes later, Natalie walks back in, "Sorry about the wait," she apologizes.

"It's fine," Hailey answers.

"So, can I get out of here now?" Jay asks.

"Not yet, your arm is broken," she tells him.

"Now what happens?" he asks.

"It's a clean break, so it's already aligned. I'll set you up in a cast and get you information on an orthopedic specialist who will take over your case."

"Can't it just be splinted if it's a clean break?" Jay asks.

"No, that would allow too much mobility; plus, I know you would take it off the second it felt better," Natalie answers.

"Fine."

"Normally, it would be splinted until the swelling went down, but I don't see any so we can cast it today. Do you want to pick a color?" Natalie asks while handing him a color swatch.

"I think the hot pink would look good on you," Hailey jokes.

"Haha," Jay deadpans.

"Okay, what about camouflage?"

"Seriously?"

"What?"

"Do you have black?"

Natalie goes to look in the cast cart, "Doesn't look like it. What about navy blue? That's dark too. Or we have white," she offers.

"Blue," Jay answers.

"Okay," Natalie acknowledges while getting out the casting material. Natalie places Jay's arm in the correct position on a towel on his lap before putting the stockinet over Jay's arm and thumb. Natalie then starts the process of wrapping the cast padding around Jay's arm on top of the stockinet. When Natalie is satisfied with the padding, she checks with Jay, "How's that feel? Is it too tight? Like it's going to cut off circulation?"

"It feels fine," Jay answers.

"Are you sure? If it cuts off circulation, you'll have to get it cut off and go through this process again," Natalie tells him.

"I'm sure."

"Okay, I'm going to do the fiberglass part now." Natalie opens a tin foil wrapper and dips the roll in a bucket of water. Natalie then wraps the fiberglass material around the cast padding, pulling the excess stockinet over the cast padding and first layer of fiberglass. Natalie then starts on the second role of the fiberglass material.

"How's this feel?" Natalie asks when she is done as she moves her hands over the hard material to help it set.

"Still the same. It's a little hot though," he adds.

"That's normal. It means it's setting. You can move around in five minutes and it should be completely set in a half an hour."

"Can I leave now?"

"Let it set first. You're going to need to keep it clean and dry; no scratching the skin underneath the cast; no sticking anything in the cast; and cover it when you shower. I also want you to use a sling for the first week to minimize any swelling."

"How does he keep it dry?" Hailey asks.

"You can either use plastic bags or you can get a cast cover at most drug stores. Any more questions?"

"What about work?"

"You're going to have to follow up with the orthopedic specialist, but you'll probably be in the cast for eight weeks. You should be able to go back once you're not on any pain meds. Full duty after you're cleared from PT."

"PT, Pain meds?" Jay questions.

"Just to get range of motion and mobility back. And I'll get you a script-"

"I don't need any."

"Tylenol 3," Natalie insists.

"I'll make sure he takes it," Hailey promises.

"I'll go and get you the sling," Natalie tells them as she walks out of the room.

In Jay's truck, Hailey is driving them to the drug store to get his prescription and cast cover. "Do you want to tell me how you ran into the post?"

"Not really," Jay answers.

"How's your arm feeling?"

"Fine. If I don't take anything, do you think Voight will let me work desk?"

"No, because you are taking pain meds. At least the first couple of days."

"Hailey…"

"No, Jay. I know how a broken bone feels. Stop being the tough guy, it's just us."

"It's a little sore, but it's fine."

"Jay, that's not fine," Hailey reminds him before going into the store to get the needed items.

Hailey returns to the car fifteen minutes later, "I'm going to drop you off then I'm going back to the district."

Jay nods, "What about my truck?"

"You're not driving on pain meds and in a sling."

"Fair enough."

"Do you need anything before I leave?" Hailey questions after she forces Jay to take the pain medication.

"I'm good."

"Okay, call if you need anything."

"Um, Hailey. Uh, thanks for today."

Hailey gives a small smile, "No problem. I'll check in with you later."

"How's Halstead?" Kevin asks when Hailey returns to the district.

"Okay, he broke his arm."

"How'd that happen?"

"Our lead ran and kicked him in the arm when Jay tackled him. Apparently, Jay hurt the same arm by running into a metal post a couple days ago. Do you know anything about that?" Hailey asks.

"Well, we might have been trying something different with the football."

"Like?" Hailey questions.

"Ruze, you want to take over?"

Hailey looks to Ruzek. "We set up a slingshot and tried to see who could get the ball the farthest and if it could be caught."

"That doesn't explain the metal post," Kim adds now interested in the conversation.

"He did run into the soccer goal," Adam tells them.

"How?"

"We were using the ling to help judge distance better."

"And you couldn't have moved to the side a few yards? Or use a different line?"

"Ruze didn't think that any of us could launch the ball that far. Halstead did question it though," Kevin throws his friend under the bus.

Hearing this, all the girls shake their heads. Vanessa getting an understanding of the antics the guys really get up to when they are bored.

"Need a hand?" Hailey asks amused a couple of days later when she sees Jay struggling with the photos he's trying to pin to the whiteboard.

"Not everyone is a lefty," he answers as he moves out of the way.

"Maybe now you will think twice before running on a line with metal soccer net," Hailey comments.

"How did you find out?"

"Adam and Kevin."

A/N: So I tried to make the boys' antics funny, but it didn't turn out how I wanted. Again I ran it through Grammarly, but don't feel like doing a deep check at the moment. Once I check it again, I will post it on AO3.

Update on all stories for now:

-"Rock Bottom": I have not forgotten about it. It will be completed, but I am holding off on working on that until I have time to do more research to portray the subject in a respectful manner.

-"Man's Best Friend": Hopefully getting back to a regular schedule. I have no end at this point, so it will be continued for as long as people are interested and I can keep it fresh.

-Whump prompt by floopdeedoopdee: in progress. Have part of chapter 1 done, it will be 5 chapters. I will post when it is complete, one chapter a week.

-Deaf Jay: I am still on chapter 3. The problem with that one is that I am using the deaf chapter from here for the first chapter, so I am trying to make all chapters around 3,000 words which takes me more time than my normal 1,000-2,000 word chapters.

-"A to Z": So, there's two more chapters and I only have to write one of them; the one is already in my Doc Manager. I just need to go through it one more time I'm going to miss writing one-shots. Should I do a "One-shot Sunday" and publish random one-shots on Sunday? If I did, I would be taking requests- I would just need to figure out how that would work so the request would all be in one place.

So this says "for now" because I am unsure if I should continue, there will be a longer explanation in the next chapter of "Man's Best Friend" but the short version is I don't want to feel that I have to explain myself to readers regarding the length of a chapter or details within the chapter. "A to Z" is definitely going to be completed. Nothing is set in stone yet; but if I did stop, they would be put on an indefinite hiatus but they would remain on this site (they won't be deleted). As for the unpublished stories, I am excited for both so... I don't even know what to write. I wouldn't leave the site completely, possibly just stop writing for the fandom.