Chapter 13 – Volatile Mix

The next evening Jay and Lexi walked hand in hand to Molly's. It was Adam's birthday; he had decided to have a few drinks at Molly's then move on to a club in town to celebrate.

"That wasn't as bad as I thought" Jay admitted. Lexi had asked him to go with her to a group grief counselling session. She had promised they could sit in the back, it being both their first times doing such a thing, to make it a little easier. Jay had agreed immediately but Lexi had confessed she thought it would help Jay deal with some of his PTSD as well.

Lexi had been having weekly therapy sessions whilst she had been at the cabin and it had helped her, she knew it could help Jay too.

"Told you so" Lexi said "it's kind of nice to know I'm not the only one totally screwed in the head"

"You are not screwed in the head"

"I'm dating you, aren't I?" Lexi quipped

Jay raised his eyebrows questioningly. "Dating, really?"

"Well what else would you call it?"

"We've already established you hit the jackpot with me, right?"

"That's right, I forgot, tall, handsome, funny, and amazing in bed, was it?"

Jay nodded stopping and standing in front of her putting his arms around her neck. "Correct." He smiled "So, are you sure you just want to be dating all of that?"

Lexi kissed him lightly on the lips "you know, you're right." Lexi chuckled before asking in a high-pitched preppy school girl tone "Jay Halstead, will you be my boyfriend?"

"Oh man, I don't know" Jay said moving to walk beside her putting his arm around her neck. "Can I think about it"

Lexi used her elbow and nudged it in to his ribs laughing. "Jackass"

Jay laughed too. "Nothing would make me happier" he said kissing the side of her head as they continued to walk. "You know we don't have to do this" Jay said as Molly's came in to view down the street. "I'm sure Adam would understand"

"We've got as much right to be in there as anyone else" Lexi said knowing Jay understood she was referring to Kelly.

"Are we just asking for trouble?" he queried. "Alcohol, ex-fiancé's and new boyfriends make for a volatile mix"

"Don't worry Halstead, I'll protect you" Lexi smirked putting her arm around his waist, her hand in the back pocket of his jeans as they continued to walk.

Molly's was busy. Adam, Kevin, Kim, Jay and Lexi were at a table in the back. They had been there for a couple of hours, Adam had insisted they do shots of tequila before they hit the road and went to a club in town.

"Come on, drink up" Adam commanded Jay "we're moving on!"

Jay laughed and chugged the rest of his beer. Jay put on his coat before walking through the crowd towards the door a few steps behind everyone else.

Jay looked up seeing Kelly coming towards him and knew from his expression it wasn't going to end well. Kelly barged past him, purposely knocking his shoulder in to him. "Watch where you're going" Kelly spat at him.

Jay ignored it, he wasn't going to give Kelly the reaction he wanted. He wasn't worth it. Jay laughed shaking his head as he turned and looked at him. "Sure, thing buddy. Have a good night now, I know I will" Jay smirked knowing the remark would piss him off. Jay left through the front door to find everyone waiting for him. He put his arm around Lexi's neck and kissed her.

"Hey asshole!" Kelly was striding towards them followed by Casey and Cruz.

"Severide stop" Casey pleaded.

Jay took is arm from around Lexi ready to protect himself as Lexi stepped in front of him, standing between him and Kelly. "Go back inside Kelly" Lexi demanded.

Ruzek and Atwater started towards Jay ready to have his back, he held up his hands to tell them to hang back, he was okay. "Walk away" Jay told Kelly exasperated.

"Severide, don't do this" Casey said. "Let's go back inside"

"You and me, right now, once and all" Kelly offered starring down Jay.

"Grow up Kelly" Jay suggested.

Lexi took a step forward pushing Kelly back. "I'm not letting you do this Kelly"

"Why are you protecting him?" Kelly asked her, "WHY DO YOU ALWAYS PROTECT HIM? HE KILLED OUR KID!" he yelled in her face.

Jay saw red, he launched at Kelly, knocking Lexi out of the way he punched Kelly in the face.

Lexi couldn't see what was happening, it was just a blur of fists as they exchanged blows. "STOP IT!" Lexi screamed at them before Casey and Atwater managed to pull them apart. Both bleeding, Jay from a cut above his left eye, Kelly from his nose, both panting trying to catch their breath.

Lexi walked to Jay and stood in front of him, hands on his face assessing the damage as Casey tried to drag Kelly in to Molly's. "This isn't over!" Kelly screamed

"Yes, it is!" Lexi told him, "let it go, Kelly!"

Kelly broke free from Casey's grasp, and walked towards Lexi. Casey grabbed his arm "I'm good, I'm fine" he told him. Kelly stopped a few feet from Lexi and Jay.

Lexi turned to face Kelly, again putting herself between him and Jay. Jay put his hand on her waist to let her know he was right there. "Kelly just stop" Lexi sighed "enough is enough"

Kelly looking at Lexi said "If you can stand there and tell me with all honesty you don't love me anymore, I'll walk away"

Jay had had enough, he wasn't going to let Kelly get in her head, mess her up again. "Dude you blew it" Jay began "it's time to accept she's moved on."

Kelly shook his head in denial, he didn't acknowledge Jay, he never took his eyes from Lexi, "I know you love him. Anyone can see that; I saw it last night"

"What are you stalking us now?" Jay growled "Unbelievable"

Kelly raised his voice "we have history; it doesn't just disappear overnight!"

"You managed to make it disappear for a night!" Jay sniggered

Kelly watched the hurt flash across Lexi's features at the mention of his cheating "we're done here" Lexi told him, turning and taking Jay's hand before walking away down the street.

Kelly calling after her as Casey ushered him back in to Molly's. "Lex please I just want to talk"

Lexi crouched in front of Jay who sat on the sofa in his apartment. After the fight they had decided to call it a night and go home. Jay couldn't exactly go to a club with fresh blood on his face and shirt. Adam had been disappointed but understood.

Lexi had got the first aid kit from Jay's kitchen and used an antiseptic wipe to clean the dried blood from his eye. "I'm sorry" she told him as he winced at the sting of the wipe she was using.

"It's okay just stings a little" he said.

"I'm not sorry for that" she explained "I'm sorry for all of this. You wouldn't be bleeding if it wasn't for me"

"You didn't punch me" Jay noted "by the way your protection sucks"

Lexi chuckled. "Technically, you threw the first punch"

Jay shrugged "he deserved it"

Lexi nodded, it was true Kelly had deserved it. "Take off your shirt" she instructed "It's got blood on it"

Jay shuffled forward on the sofa and took off his shirt. "Maybe you should go talk to Kelly." he suggested, Lexi checked his expression he was serious, she shook her head whilst she continued to clean the blood from his face. "Just get it all out in the open. Once and for all. Maybe it will stop some of the madness"

"No, it's not a good idea. I don't have anything to say to him" Lexi said gathering the used medical supplies.

"That's not true" Jay said holding her hands still and making her look at him. "if not for you, for me. I don't actually like getting punched in the face"

Lexi laughed and stood to take the dirty supplies to the kitchen.

"I did tell you going to Molly's was a bad idea" Jay said following her carrying his dirty shirt. He watched her pack up the first aid kit, he leant on the door frame "Maybe we should stay away for a while"

"Maybe you should stay away from me for a while" Lexi suggested.

"You know I couldn't stay away from you even if I wanted to"

"I'm serious" Lexi told him turning to face him "maybe we should cool it for a while. I'll be back at work in a few days, we'll be partners again"

Jay walked to the fridge and took out a beer, popping off the top and handing it to Lexi he asked, "Is that what you want?" he raised his eyebrows at her suggestively "to lose all of this" he motioned up and down his naked torso. He watched her eyes travel up and down and chew her bottom lip a little.

Lexi laughed at him "Oh, it'd be tough, but I'd get over it" she jested. He threw his dirty shirt at her, it hit her face and she laughed pulling it away.

He walked to her and took the beer from her hand taking a drink. She kissed his shoulder. "I can handle a punch in the face" he kissed her lips "if I get to do that" he kissed the left side of her neck "and that" he kissed the right side of her neck "and that."

"Mmm" Lexi smiled "anything else?"

"Nope, that's it" Jay teased standing up straight and going to the freezer. He took out a bag of peas and held them to the side of his face, he could feel his eye beginning the swell.

Lexi was smirking at him from the teasing. "You're not as irresistible as you'd like to think Mr. Halstead."

"The look in your eyes tell me different" he grinned.

"I've resisted you before" Lexi pointed out "for like six years"

"With one or two slip ups"

Lexi shrugged "More like near misses" Lexi walked slowly towards him, keeping eye contact with him "now I don't have to resist you anymore." She put her hand on his chest and walked him backward until he hit the fridge behind him. She ran a finger down his chest and to the waist band of his jeans. She began to undo his belt as she left small kisses on his chest.

His phone vibrated in his pocket. He fished it out, "damn it" he groaned reading the message he had received, "hold that thought" he said as Lexi's kisses reached his stomach. "The guys are downstairs" he told her "town was a bust." Lexi groaned too, Jay's irresistibleness would have to wait.

A few days later Lexi sat on Jay's couch pulling on her boots and zipping them up. Jay came from the bedroom, hair wet, a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Eager to get to work" Jay joked "we've still got a few hours before shift"

Lexi exhaled "I'm taking your advice. I'm going to see Kelly." Lexi stood and picked her car keys up from the coffee table in front of her looking at Jay. A flicker of sadness clouded his features as he walked across the room towards the kitchen. "I don't have to" Lexi told him following him. "If you don't think it's a good idea anymore"

Jay took a carton of orange juice from the fridge and took a swig straight from the carton "No, you should talk to him but are you sure it's such a good idea to do it today? Your first day back on the job?"

"I figure its best to do it now, so we don't bump in to each other at a scene or something" Jay nodded, it made sense. They didn't need Kelly kicking off at a crime scene or something. Jay took another drink from the carton. "You're worried something will happen" Lexi noted walking to him and putting her arms around his waist

"Just remember, I loved you first" Jay instructed "All those years ago, even if you wouldn't let me say it" Jay smirked kissing her.

Lexi smiled and returned his kiss remembering the times they were undercover, and he had tried to tell her he loved her, but she stopped him or asked him not to say it. Lexi undid his towel and stepped back to look at him. "Just to refresh my memory"

Jay laughed "I can give you a demonstration if you like."

Lexi threw the towel back at him "see you at the district." She called walking out of the kitchen.

Author note: First of all, thank you for reading.

I have an ending in mind. I just have to write it ha-ha. I think the whole story will end up being roughly 20-30 chapters so there's still a few to go yet.

Thanks again for reading, ooooo look a handy review button x