Chapter 24 – Girl's Night
Author note: So as this chapter and the next are only short I'm uploading two chapter today! Enjoy.
Please leave a review if you are enjoying this story.
The next morning, Jay knocked on Lexi's door and waited for her to answer. He heard the lock disengage then Lexi stood staring at him, squinting at the bright light of the sun behind him "Morning" Jay said chirpily.
"Jay, it's not even eight a.m." Lexi said running her hands over her face trying to wake herself up.
"I know" he said holding up the plastic bag he carried that contained breakfast "but I bought pancakes from Jerry's" Jay smiled sweetly at her.
"You're lucky your pretty" she groaned tiredly widening the door for him to enter "you know I'm not a morning person" Jay chuckled as he crossed the threshold kissing her head as he passed to walk up the stairs.
Lexi locked the door and followed him. "What's with the early morning visit?"
"I missed you" Jay said walking in to the kitchen and placing the bag on the counter top.
Lexi chuckled pouring them both a cup of coffee as Jay took a seat at the breakfast bar. "I literally left you less than eight hours ago"
"I can take my pancakes and go, if you want?" Jay offered jokingly pointing towards the door as Lexi passed him his coffee.
"Next time can you miss me after nine a.m."
Jay shook his head "nope, this is your punishment for moving out on me! I will be waking you up early every day and annoying the hell out of you"
"Seeing your handsome face and pancakes is a punishment I will gladly take." Lexi winked and pinched his cheek like an over-zealous auntie at Christmas would, before sitting beside him.
They ate breakfast in relative silence, just enjoying being in each other's company.
Jay stood from his stool and took his used mug, knife and fork to the sink. "This place is great" he said looking around, it was the first time he was seeing her apartment. He walked across the hall towards the bedroom to get a good look, "Gabby did a nice job decorating" he called back.
Lexi took her used cutlery to the sink "I know, I couldn't have done a better job myself" Lexi explained beginning to wash the dirty utensils. "Do you like the tiles in the bathroom?" she asked as she heard Jay walk back across the hall. He didn't respond so she turned to face him drying her hands on a towel.
Jay stood staring at her, he held up the chain with her engagement ring dangling on the end. Lexi had totally forgotten that it had been hanging on her bed. "It's not what you think" Lexi said throwing the towel on to the counter.
"I don't think you know what I'm thinking" Jay began, he looked angry and hurt at the same time. "I thought you gave it back to him?"
"I did" Lexi confirmed "but he gave it back, because…"
Jay interrupted her "Am I standing in the way?" Lexi frowned not understanding his question. "When I asked you why you stopped yourself from kissing him you said it was because you didn't want to do to me what he did to you, you didn't want to be a cheater, but you didn't say it was because you didn't want to kiss him so tell me do you still want him? Am I standing in the way of what you want? Do you feel like you owe me something? That you can't walk away?"
Lexi shook her head "No" she hated when he spoke to her that way, she knew she deserved it, yet it always stung when Jay was disappointed in her or hurting because of her.
"Then help me understand this Lex, cause from where I'm standing it seems like you don't know what you want."
"I want you Jay" she spoke softly, she felt like she was losing him. Had she already lost him? Lexi sighed and blinked back tears. "I want to be with you, I've always wanted you, in some way or another, it's always been you. I have that ring because Shay chose it, no other reason."
Jay exhaled sharply, he walked slowly and sat back on the stool he had been sat in moments before. He sat staring at the engagement ring.
Lexi wiped a silent tear from her cheek. "This is exactly what I was afraid of" she told him making him look up at her. "I knew something would happen, that you'd finally see sense. Finally see I'm not good for you and I would lose you"
"You haven't lost me" Jay assured her, "I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere, I just need a minute to process."
"Maybe you shouldn't be here." Lexi suggested. "maybe you should walk away, no one would blame you. Hell, I left Kelly for the same reason. Since we got back from the cabin, I've done nothing but cause you hurt physically and emotionally. I love you Jay more than I realised I could love anyone but like you said maybe that's not enough."
"it is enough, I never should have said that" He told her walking to her and standing in front of her. "it is enough Lex." He took her hands in his and rested their entangled hands on his chest over his heart. "Since the day I met you, you're all I've wanted and the short time I had you for isn't enough. Can we just start fresh?"
Lexi sighed "I think we've been through too much to start again"
"Okay, let's just take it slow, one day at a time" Jay suggested "cause I'm all in Lexi, all the way, whatever it takes"
He had done it again, made her feel so much better with just a few words. "One day at a time" Lexi agreed smiling at him.
"I guess that means I should cancel all the dates I made with the nurses" Jay smirked as Lexi pushed him away from her rolling her eyes.
A few weeks later.
Jay and Lexi sat opposite each other in a booth at Jerry's, their favourite breakfast diner. They had met for breakfast every morning since Jay had been out of the hospital and always sat in the same booth. Lexi was trying to keep a routine, easier for the Chameleon and she hoped Calvin, to follow her. Calvin had been quiet since he put both Jay and Kelly in the hospital.
Lexi had been to the office the previous day to give Voight an update from the Chameleon. The update was a simple, there's no update, the Chameleon had some promising leads, but Calvin was laying low. The Chameleon presumed Kelly had injured him and Calvin was keeping quiet whilst he recovered.
Jay had been back at work on light desk duties for two weeks but today was a bit of a celebration, Jay had finally had his cast removed. They had ordered pancakes, bacon and waffles, they drank coffee whilst they waited.
"It was harder being in the office than I thought" Lexi told Jay. She had paused when she saw her empty desk, for the first time realising it could soon be occupied by someone else, someone that could potentially become Jay's partner.
"I'm sure if you just say the word Voight would give you your badge back" Jay told her.
Lexi shook her head "I'm not ready. I don't know if I'll ever be ready to wear it again".
"Why?" Jay asked "help me understand this, I don't really know why you took it off in the first place. We never really talked about it"
Lexi leant over the table towards him speaking a little quieter. "We took an oath, right? To protect and serve, hold people accountable for their actions, hold myself accountable"
Jay nodded "all of that" he agreed
"The things I'm going to do, the things I have to do and the things I want to do, go against all of that" Lexi stopped speaking and sat back as the waitress delivered their breakfast to the table. Jay and Lexi smiled at her and Jay thanked the waitress. "I know…" Lexi began again looking around before she said the next word, choosing her words carefully because of potentially prying ears "ending Calvin isn't going to be some quick fix, like my world will just fall back in to place." Lexi sighed as Jay reached over the table put his hand over hers. "But it will be a start, I can stop being afraid, I can stop worrying about the next attack, scared that the next encounter will be a fatal one. Finishing it once and for all is the only way I know I can protect everyone"
"Is that why you moved out? Cause you think it will protect me?"
Lexi smiled across the table at him. "That and to make you miss me"
Jay laughed "I'm not even mad that it's totally working" Jay wanted to lean over and kiss her, it would have been the perfect time, but Lexi broke their eye contact looking down at her phone as it chimed and vibrated on the table. He watched her as she read the message she had received, the smile remained on her face, but Jay knew it was a forced smile, she was hiding her emotions as best she could. "Everything okay?" he asked
"Yeah" Lexi sighed making the smile more genuine as she passed Jay her phone allowing him to read the message. The message read: 'You're being watched', the sender was saved as "Cam", Jay knew it must have been short for Chi-town Chameleon and that the message meant Calvin was watching them.
Jay gave Lexi her phone back and tried his hardest not to look around as he began to eat his breakfast. "Distract me please?" Lexi asked putting a forkful of pancake and bacon in to her mouth.
Jay smirked, if he showed he wasn't worried maybe it would help her keep calm. "So, it's girls' night tonight, right?" Lexi nodded chewing her food. "So, what does girls night involve? A sophisticated meal, a few glasses of wine, discussion about politics and bed by 10?" Jay smirked
"Oh totally" Lexi laughed "there will one hundred percent be absolutely no shots or dancing involved"
"Sounds completely boring. Let me know if you need me to rescue you at any point"
"Don't worry, I'll probably drunk dial you"
"And I promise I will answer"
Gabby, Lexi, Kim and Sylvie were enjoying their girl's night. They had been for dinner then Kim had tried to convince them to go to a 'hot new club' in town. When Sylvie mentioned she knew the owner of the club, Mike, and could probably get them in for free, the decision was made.
They sat in the large booth Mike had given them in the elevated VIP section. Mike had spent the night whispering sweet nothings to Sylvie though she didn't seem to mind, smiling and touching his arm. Mike was clearly trying to impress her and had given them free bottles of champagne.
Gabby, Kim and Lexi had been dancing in the VIP area, but the music wasn't as loud up there so had decided to go down to the dancefloor. They had left Sylvie and Mike at the booth talking.
After about an hour of dancing Lexi had needed something other than champagne to drink so had gone back to the VIP area leaving Gabby and Kim on the dance floor. Lexi had got a whiskey with coke and stood looking over the balcony watching Gabby and Kim dancing below. Lexi needed a breather, she would finish her drink then go and join them. She had only been standing there a few minutes before a guy from another VIP booth had approached her and began talking to her.
He introduced himself as Tom, he was tall, quite muscular with jet black curly hair, he had perfect white teeth and smiled often to show them off. He had a kind of stereotypical frat boy vibe to him.
Lexi was being polite and making conversation with him, she didn't want to completely dismiss him. He seemed to be a nice guy, which was a rarity, she didn't want to hurt his feeling's, but she was making it clear she wasn't interested. She had lied and casually mentioned she had a boyfriend, which had been a mistake, this led him to begin telling her all about his ex, Samantha.
Lexi had tried to get Sylvie's attention to no avail, she was still locked in a passionate kissing session with Mike. Gabby and Kim were too busy dancing and enjoying themselves. Lexi nodded and smiled at Tom agreeing with whatever he had just said when Lexi felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.
"Sorry" she said retrieving her phone and reading the message.
Jay: You look…WOW *heart eyes emoji*
Lexi was wearing black skin-tight jeans, with a tight black off the shoulder see through lace top that she had tucked in to her jeans, and sparkly silver mesh peep toe stilettos. She did look good, but how could he see her?
Lexi replied to his message as Tom continued to tell her about his ex-girlfriend seemingly oblivious to the fact that Lexi was no longer paying attention to him.
Lexi: You stalking me? Should I call the cops? *police man emoji*
Jay: You in that outfit is criminal I should be arresting you.
Lexi: Come get me then *winky face emoji*
Jay: I left my cuffs at home. You'd have to come back to my place and ditch the frat boy.
Lexi looked around, he must have been in the club to know what Tom looked like and what she was wearing. She looked down to the dancefloor and found the boys had crashed girl's night. Gabby and Kim had now been joined by Adam, Matt, and Kevin. Jay was stood a few feet away from them looking up at her. He winked and waved at her.
"Tom it was nice to meet you, but my boyfriend is here, I have to go" she lied walking around him not giving him a chance to respond. Jay wasn't her boyfriend, they hadn't even kissed since he had left the hospital.
Lexi descended the stairs as Jay walked towards her meeting her at the bottom. "You ditched the frat boy." He stated the obvious.
"I did. I wanted to show I'm cooperating with my arrest." Lexi said holding her hands up.
Jay took her hands and pulled her in to him, putting his arms around her waist and resting his hands on her ass. "So, no resisting? You'll come quietly then?" Jay asked raising his eyebrows suggestively at her as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Well I can't promise that" she smirked leaning in to kiss him as he leaned in to her.