Chapter 86: Legacy.
Jay/Hailey. Set after series 7. At Kim and Adam's wedding, Jay and Hailey finally confessed their feelings and spent the night together and now they are back in Chicago and hiding their relationship from their friends.
I do not own Chicago PD or any of the characters.
I loved writing this chapter. This story is closer to coming to an end, but I've loved all of it and I've loved hearing your thoughts. I'd love to know your thoughts on this chapter and where the story is going. It's been quite a journey for Jay and Hailey :)
A couple of weeks passed and, with every day, Jay and Hailey's baby was growing stronger and, every single day, they were becoming closer to becoming parents. Every single day and both Jay and Hailey wanted to be as close to Vanessa as was possible, especially Hailey. In a quick event, the FBI Chicago office contacted Hailey and told her that she could begin her new position with them in a couple of weeks. A couple of weeks. Hailey responded without thinking about it for a second, but she did talk to Jay about it first. Jay was still looking for a job, outside of Intelligence, but he wanted to be out of the police force all together. He wanted to go even further away from it than Hailey did and she supported him through that. Her revelation had only arrived because of Kim and she was glad that it had happened. She didn't want to do her job as a police officer, so she was so glad that it was moving. Her time in New York with the FBI had given her back the confidence she needed, the confidence she had lost with their fertility results. The future that she and Jay wanted, with their baby, was starting to come together and Hailey knew that Jay was just as happy as she was, but he was still running Intelligence and also thinking about who could replace him. He didn't still want to be their Sergeant by the time their baby was born, by the time Vanessa gave birth. Hailey knew that the reason Jay wanted to be further away from the job than she did was because of his past in the Army. He wanted a totally different life. The only person who knew that Hailey and Jay were leaving Intelligence was Platt and they both knew that she wouldn't say anything. Kim, Kevin, Adam, Julie and Vanessa would only be told when they were ready. Adam was still adjusting to the fact that they were moving. Jay and Hailey had told the unit a couple of days ago and Vanessa and Kim were the only ones who understood. Vanessa would always do anything she could for the two of them.
Will and Natalie's son was called Patrick Junior Halstead, named after Jay and Will's dad, but was known as PJ. Hailey had seen the look on Jay's face when his brother had told him the name of his son, her and Jay's nephew. Jay didn't like the name because of his relationship with his dad. He had talked to Hailey about it and she understood, but Jay understood why Will had given his son that name, as a way of honouring their dad. Jay and Hailey hadn't talked about the name of their baby, because they didn't know the gender. It was going to be a surprise. They both had ideas about names for their baby, but neither of them wanted to say them outload, just in case. They were still trying not to get their hopes up, Jay more than Hailey at this point, but their future was coming closer.
Hailey told her mum about the offer she and Jay had made on the house and on their plan to leave the police and her mum was relieved and happy and Gail and Danny were, too. They believed that it was the right thing for Jay and Hailey, for their family. Avery was upset, feeling as if she had only just found her dad and stepmum, only to lose them when they moved to a suburb. Jay spent time with his daughter, talking her through it. The house he and Hailey were moving into had 4 bedrooms. One for the two of them, a room for the baby and 2 spare ones and Jay and Hailey agreed that one could be Avery's. She needed to know that she had a home with them. She was Jay's daughter.
Jay and Hailey hadn't spent too much time with PJ, because Hailey was making arrangements to leave Intelligence and Jay was leading the unit, whilst looking for other jobs, but they knew that they needed to see PJ. Their nephew. Jay wanted to be close to PJ. He was Will's child. Hailey, unfortunately, couldn't be close to her own nieces and nephews, so she wanted to be close to Owen and PJ. Owen didn't like having a baby brother. When Hailey and Adam were on a stakeout, Hailey texted Natalie asking if she and Will would like to come over for dinner, with Owen and the baby. She was glad that Will and Natalie were doctors, because it meant that there was no awkwardness with regard to Vanessa being their surrogate. They treated Vanessa like one of the family and talked about 'Baby Halstead Upton.' The baby would just have Jay and Hailey's surname, but both Hailey and Jay appreciated the effort.
"Have you and Jay got any plans tonight? Are you spending more time looking at that new house of yours?" Adam asked, in a slightly bitter tone. He didn't understand why they wanted to move, leave Chicago, but neither Jay or Hailey felt the need to justify this to him. Adam was their friend, so it hurt Hailey, but Jay assured that, with time, Adam would change his mind and he would support their decision. Hailey wondered how he would feel when he knew that both she and Jay were leaving Intelligence, but Jay had more faith that he would understand. He knew how important he and Hailey were to Adam; they were like his family and he knew, in time, that would be more important to Adam than where Jay and Hailey lived, or where they worked.
Hailey kept her eyes on the target before she replied, "No, we're going round to Will and Natalie's, to see their baby."
Adam just nodded and replied, "That's good. That's good. Vanessa seems good. She looks healthy." Hailey nodded and pressed her lips together, waiting for Adam to say what he wanted to say. "I just- with you and Jay moving, have you thought about what you're giving up? You'll see us at work and all, but it won't be the same. We're a family, you know?"
Tilting her head, Hailey commented, telling herself to stay calm, "Adam, families change all of time; they have to, because they have to grow. You and Kim are happy to raise your kids here, but Jay and I want something different, but Adam, we'll always be a family, no matter where we are." There was a double meaning behind her words. Adam didn't know it now, but Hailey wanted him to know, she needed him to know, that, no matter where she and Jay were, they would always be connected to Intelligence, the place that had made them who they were today.
After their shift Jay was still in a meeting, so Hailey and Vanessa returned home Vanessa went to her room, because she was so tired, whilst Hailey had a shower and prepared some food to take to Will and Natalie's house. She didn't want Natalie to think about food when she had Owen and PJ. Jay had made it a couple of days ago, with Vanessa. They shared a love of cooking and Hailey encouraged that. In reality, she knew that Jay just wanted to spent time with Vanessa, just like she did.
When Jay arrived home, his eyes instantly fell on Hailey. She was sitting on the sofa, with a book happily in her lap and she looked very happy. With a smile on his face, Jay walked over to her and kissed the top of her head, as he wrapped his arms around her. Hailey smiled and chuckled softly before she dropped her book and turned around on her knees so that she was facing her husband. Without saying a word, they moved their wedding rings from their necks and placed them onto their fingers, where they belonged. Jay kissed Hailey before he mumbled, "I love that smile, Hailey Halstead. Or should I say Agent Hailey Upton?"
Hailey nodded slowly and hummed as Jay sat down on the sofa next to her, putting his arms around her, but so that they could still look into each other's eyes. "Yeah, I'm leaving Intelligence in a couple of weeks and I feel really good about it. My time in New York gave me back my confidence and I'm so glad, because this is right. This is the right move, for me, for us, for our family. I just wish that Adam would be more understanding."
"He'll come round." Jay assured her, sounding very confident in the matter and that made Hailey smile. He knew what she was thinking, so he sighed and said, "I can't find anyone to replace me as sergeant, but I know I need to. It's a big decision and then I've gotta figure out what I wanna do." He bit his lip and sighed again. The tension was clear in his whole body.
Hailey's blue eyes looked into Jay's and she rested her head against his shoulder as she assured him, "Jay, whatever decision you make, it'll be the right one. I know that for a fact. Do you know how I know?" Jay smirked and chuckled, nodding and she smirked with him, too, because he knew. Hailey raised her head and pressed her head against his. "Jay, I know that because I've trusted you since the day I met you and I'd follow you anywhere."
Jay tilted his head and reached out for one of her curls, twisting it in his fingers in an affectionate way before he asked, "But if you can't follow me? I want to leave the job. Totally. You can't follow me there."
Looking into Jay's eyes, with her forehead pressed against his, Hailey told him, "Jay, I follow you every day, I'm with you, every day, because we're do everything together and we're having this baby and this house together. We're together, through everything, Jay Halstead. You can't get rid of me just because I can't follow you with your job."
Twirling her curls in his fingers Jay kissed her temple and his green eyes were full of his love for her as he whispered, "I wouldn't dream of it." They looked into each other's eyes and Jay's hand left Hailey's hair and went to hold her face and Hailey wrapped her arms around Jay's neck, as they held each other close. With regret, Jay pulled back and joked, "Will would kill me if we're late. And Nat would do something worse."
Hailey chuckled softly and kissed her husband gently. "You're right, he would, and we have all the time in the world. The rest of our lives."
An hour later Hailey and Jay arrived at Will and Natalie's house, with dinner and also a present for Owen, as a way of trying to help Natalie's son to adjust to having a baby brother. Jay wanted to be close to the baby. He was Will's son and he also wanted his and Hailey's baby to be close to PJ, too. They would be cousins. Will was glad that his wife and brother had a close friendship because Natalie's first husband had been a Ranger; it meant that, as a family, the four of them functioned very well.
Jay had never seen his brother happier than when he saw him holding PJ. There was so much love and pride in his eyes and face. It was the look that Hailey saw in Jay's eyes and she heard it in his voice whenever Jay talked about their baby and Jay watched his brother in silence. Will looked up at his brother and asked, "Jay, would you like to hold him? Come on, PJ needs to know you just as well as he knows his Auntie Hailey." Hailey had held PJ a couple of times after he was born, but Jay hadn't.
Out of an instinct Jay couldn't describe, he glanced at Hailey, who gave him an encouraging smile so he nodded and replied, slightly nervously, "Ok. I'll hold him." His connection with his baby was one he had worked on, because of the situation with Vanessa. It was there, but it wasn't as strong as Hailey's and he knew that Hailey wanted to share moments with just him and not Vanessa, but Vanessa was giving them their baby. He thought about their child every day and, whilst he had pictured Hailey holding him or her many times some nights, he had never pictured himself doing just that. Their baby was closer to being born every single day. Will had plenty of practice with holding babies, but Jay didn't and he could feel himself becoming anxious about this, but he looked at his brother and he knew that this was important.
Slightly hesitantly, Jay stepped closer to his brother, not quite sure what to expect. From her vantage point next to Natalie on the sofa, Hailey could see the whole scene and she watched with a loving look in her eyes. She had pictured Jay with their baby, many days and nights. She knew that, for Jay, bonding with their baby hadn't always been easy, but she knew how much he loved him or her. He wanted to leave the force so that he could be a better dad and so that they could have this new chapter together, with their baby. Jay had made that decision before her.
PJ was asleep so that eased Jay's nerves, slightly. Very carefully, Will smiled down at his sleeping baby son before he carefully transferred him into Jay's arms. He knew that his brother needed this. He needed to hold his nephew. In that second, Jay felt the feeling of fear. It was something he hadn't felt before, because he thought that he could damage his nephew, but he looked up at his brother and he saw the reassurance in his eyes and he took in a deep breath. Jay looked down at his nephew and smiled. In a gentle voice, he said, "Hello, little man. I know we've met before, but I want to formerly welcome you into the Halstead family. We're a family who stick together, through thick and thin and we love each other."
Quietly, Will stepped closer to him and put his hand on Jay's shoulder as he added, "Yeah, that's right, Patrick Junior Halstead. That's the legacy of the Halsteads. We stick together, through rouge and good times." Will smiled softly and said, to Jay, in a whisper, "I wish Mum was here."
Jay tore his eyes away from his baby nephew to look at his brother. He swallowed against the tears in his eyes before he murmured, "Me, too, Will. Me, too." There was a silent look between the brothers, until Will looked back at his sleeping son and Jay's eyes landed on Hailey. She was smiling and he could see that her bright, blue eyes were shining with tears. Jay knew that they were tears of happiness because she gave him a small smile and he offered her one back. Jay reminded himself to tell his wife how beautiful she looked right now. Her blonde curls were against her shoulders and her bright, blue eyes were shining with tears of happiness of the sight of him with their nephew. They shared one of their silent conversations, with their eyes and Jay almost wished that this moment would never end, but there was one moment he wanted more: The first time he and Hailey held their own baby.
In the car on the way home both Jay and Hailey were quiet, processing the events of the evening, before Jay parked the car and reached a hand to Hailey and said, with a smile, "I don't think you've ever looked as beautiful as you did tonight."
With a smirk, Hailey twisted in her seat to face Jay as she asked, "Is that so?"
Jay nodded and replied, "Yeah, it is. Your hair was beautiful and your eyes, Hailes- they were shining, glowing, with tears of happiness." He paused before he admitted, "I've never seen myself holding our baby."
Hailey smiled softly before she admitted, "Well, Jay, I have, many times, and that was what I was thinking when you were holding PJ. It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen and I could see that you were nervous about it, but you did it. You faced your fear." She hesitated, before she asked, carefully, "Do you think that fear is from Afghanistan, because of the terrible things you saw happen over there?"
"Sometimes you know me better than I know myself, Hailey Halstead. Yeah, I do. Awful things happened to kids over there and that's why I want to be as far away from this life as possible." Jay cleared his throat and they sat in silence and Hailey rested her head against the seat, waiting patiently for Jay to speak. Jay smiled softly and moved closer, taking hold of one of her hands and resting his head close to hers before he said, "It was a moment I didn't want to end. Me holding PJ, looking at you, until I realised, there's a moment I can't wait for, even more." His green eyes connected with Hailey's blue eyes and he could see tears of happiness and love in Hailey's eyes, because she knew what he was thinking. She had been thinking the same thing. "The moment we hold our baby for the first time, Hailey."
Hailey closed her eyes against the tears before she whispered, "Jay, you'll be the best dad any baby could ever ask for. What Will was saying about the Halstead legacy: He's right. Your legacy will be your service to your country, this city and the fact that you're an amazing dad and husband." Hailey smiled softly before she said, in a slightly louder voice, "I love you, so much, Jay."
Jay kept his head pressed against Hailey's forehead as he looked into her eyes and told her, with a loving smile, "I love you so much, too, Hailey. I didn't want that moment to end. I don't want this moment to end, either." He looked into his wife's eyes and his finger fell against her wedding ring, before their lips met in a passionate, loving kiss and they both closed their eyes, caught up in the moment. Hailey's arms flew around Jay's neck, before Jay said, in between kisses, "Shall we pick up where we left off, Detective Upton?"
Hailey's response was to kiss her husband back with equal force before she replied, "I thought you'd never ask, Sergeant Halstead." They looked into each other's eyes and chuckled before they left the car, making sure that they were quiet so that they didn't disturb Vanessa. Hailey had pictured Jay holding their baby and, now, so had he. Their life, their future, was coming together and they wanted to live every moment of it, together, like they always did.
The next day Vanessa was acting differently with Hailey and Hailey didn't understand why. She didn't want her friendship with Vanessa to be interrupted as it had bene with Adam. Jay noticed and he hoped that, for his wife's sake, it was nothing serious. Jay went for drinks with Adam and Kevin after their shift, so that Hailey and Vanessa would have time and space. Vanessa's pregnancy was now very clear. Their baby was growing inside of her and he or she was very healthy and was growing stronger with each passing day.
When Hailey and Vanessa arrived home Hailey ordered a takeaway, with meat for Vanessa's cravings and when they were settled into the meal, Hailey shifted her high ponytail behind her shoulders and moved her legs to her chest as she asked, carefully, "V, is everything alright, you've been a little quiet with me today?"
Vanessa finished her bite before she turned to face Hailey and replied, "Yeah, I just hoped that I'd hear it from you first, that's all." Hailey raised her eyebrows, telling Vanessa to continue. Vanessa sighed and said, "Hailey, I heard you and Jay talking about leaving Intelligence. That you've got a job with the FBI. When did you make this decision?"
Pressing her fingers against her leg, Hailey replied, "I made the decision after Kim was kidnapped, because I realised that I don't want to- I can't- do this job and be a mum. I don't want to have a child and live in fear that I might not come home one night and Jay made that decision before I did, for his own sake."
To her surprise Vanessa smiled and pulled Hailey into a hug. She indicated to her stomach and Hailey placed one of her hands against it and she could feel their baby moving. Their baby. It was one of Hailey's most basic instincts, to be close to Vanessa, to be close to their baby. Vanesa smiled and told her, "I couldn't be happier that you've made that decision, for this baby, it's the best thing. I just hope that, when you leave, we can still be friends."
Feeling tears form in her eyes, Hailey took hold of Vanessa's hands and told her, "V, you're so much more than a friend; you're carrying my baby and you'll always be a part of our lives. You are giving Jay and I the best gift, the best blessing we could ever ask for and so much more. Nothing will ever, ever change that, I promise you."
"I'm glad and I believe you. In a way, you and Jay have become my family. I'm carrying your baby and that's connected us- in a way I can't describe." Vanessa gave Hailey another hug before she left the sitting room to go to bed. As always after Vanessa left Hailey's hand lingered in the air before it settled on her own stomach. Her baby wasn't there, but it still felt right.
Once she was in her room, Vanessa found Kim's number and called her. "Hey, Kim. It's me. Do you think Hailey would like to have a baby shower? I think it'd really help her to feel connected to the baby, you know?"
In truth Kim knew that Hailey wouldn't want that. She appreciated the idea behind it, but Hailey was so private and she wouldn't want a fuss, but it seemed too cruel to say that to Vanessa. "I think she would. I can talk to Platt and we can see what we can get arranged, if you like?"
"That'd be great, Kim. See you tomorrow."
In their room, in bed, Jay and Hailey were holding the latest ultrasound of their baby, wondering what their baby would look like. 23 weeks and they had never been happier. Their legacy, their child, would be born out of more love than they had ever known and through parents who had loved each other for longer than they had admitted, who had stayed by each other's side through the hardest time in their lives, but were stronger because of it. Jay and Hailey would have a legacy. They were partners, best friends, husband and wife and soon, mum and dad.