After making love to me a second time, Jay pulled me into his arms he held me tight until we both fell asleep. I don't remember the last time I slept so soundly and it wasn't just from exhaustion due to it being almost 4:00am when we finally fell asleep. When I woke up the next morning Jay was already awake and looking at me. God, he's even sexy in the morning. I could melt each time he smiles at me. As he made love to me that morning so gently and sweetly I realized that I was about to have a major issue. I was ignoring the advice I gave the both of us last night and I could feel myself really falling for him. Although I didn't want the real world to invade the privacy of what we had here, I knew we would have to get up and leave my apartment at some point. Other than leftovers from the night before there wasn't much food in my kitchen at the moment. Jay convinced me to get up and get ready to go to brunch. I agreed only if he would come to the hotel with me afterwards. The black-tie New Year's Eve Gala was the following night and I wanted to check in with the Director of Operations and the Director of Banquets to see how the set-up was going and to ensure the Chef had everything he needed as well.
This was not supposed to happen, I told myself as I showered and got ready for brunch. It was supposed to be a casual night of fun and getting to know each other. I was not supposed to develop any sort of feelings for him. I mean it has been a really long time since I fell for anyone…never mind falling to the point where I didn't want him to date anyone else. Jesus…I'm not that girl. I'm the one who is independent and doesn't really care. I don't have time to care or time for a relationship, especially a relationship that was beginning because of a traumatic experience. Between being lost in my own thoughts and blaring country music while I was getting ready I almost had heart failure when I walked into the living room area saw four members of the Intelligence Unit sitting there. "Uh, good morning." I said. I could tell by the look on Jay's face whatever had been said to him while I was getting ready wasn't anything good. "What is it? What's wrong?" I asked. "I'm pulling Halstead off the case. I'm going to suggest to my superiors we put him in a temporary WitPro set-up. His apartment was broken into last night and we got video surveillance of two of El Gato's crew casing your building. We can keep you safe by beefing up security but they really want Halstead. The closer the two of you get, the more of a liability you become to Jay, do you understand that Christine? There are consequences for your actions." Voight said. I looked at Antonio, Kevin and Adam but they wouldn't meet my eyes. I looked at Jay, scared for him, scared for myself but even in fear knowing I wasn't ready to walk away from him. "I'm going to give you two a few minutes to talk it over. We'll be downstairs talking to the Security Manager for the building. I'm also going to have him give me the information of any employee who has access to this building. We're going to run background checks on everyone and find out if anyone has a connection to the Cartel." Voight said. He turned to Jay and quietly said "Look kid. I know you care about her, but she's part of a case. What you did last night could be reason enough for the Ivory Tower to demand your shield. Don't get me wrong, she's smart, beautiful and from what I hear pretty funny but you know it won't last. Your relationship is not beginning under the right circumstances. I wish you had met at a different time and under different circumstances because I think you'd be great together but it's just not logical right now. Your head won't be in the right place and if we can't put you in WitPro then I need your head 100% focused and in the game." Voight finished and walked out the door.
I sat on the couch looking up at Jay in disbelief. "I don't know what to say. Is Voight, right? Is that the only option at this point?" I asked Jay. "I'm not leaving your side. I'm going to find a way to make up for Mariana's death and keep you safe at the same time. I refuse to hide and I refuse to let the stress you've dealt with for the past week keep eating at you. Do you realize you have nightmares? You were talking in your sleep so I knew what you were dreaming about and I'm sorry to say, it wasn't about me." he finished by joking trying to keep it light. "Jay, this is serious. What do we do here? Do we end this before it develops into anything other than a one night stand?" I asked. "No. Are you ready to go to brunch and then to the hotel?" he asked. We walked out of my apartment to find Adam standing at the door. He told us he was to guard my apartment until one of us walked out of it. We told him we were going down to talk to Voight. Shaking his head, Adam said to Jay "Look man, Kev and I support you. Maybe we didn't realize what the consequences would be when we went along with the girl's plan last night but we could tell something was already in the works between the two of you. Let's just be smart about this. We don't want either one of you to get hurt. Especially Christine, because Burgess will make me sleep on the couch forever if anything happens to her new friend." I smiled as I heard Adam's comment and Jay rubbed my back as we stood in the elevator heading down to the lobby of my building. The entire team was in the lobby talking with the building's Director of Security. "Sargent Voight, may I have a word in private with you please?" I asked surprising both Jay and Adam. Apparently, this wasn't part of their plan. "What are you doing?" Jay hissed at me. "I'm making sure you don't get removed from this case. Trust me, I can be very persuasive." I said. "I don't doubt that." Adam replied as Jay stood silently. I could see the little tick in the side of his cheek which I had come to realize meant he was a sign that he was not happy.
Voight walked over and sat down in one of the sofas in the lobby of the building. His team kept a close watch over us as I hobbled over on my crutches and sat down. "Sargent, first off I want to thank you for everything you and your team have done to ensure my safety and the safety of my Dad. I appreciate that more than you could ever know. Jay and I talked upstairs about your concerns. We also talked quite a bit about the situation last night as well. I don't know the entire story yet, and I want him to be the one who tells me, but I do know he feels responsible and believes everything that has happened leading up to this point is his fault. I would never tell you how to do your job, just as I would never expect you to tell you how to do my job, but I honestly don't believe taking him off of this case and forcing him into hiding is going to benefit the case, your relationship with Jay on a personal and professional level, your team and it's definitely not going to benefit Jay emotionally. It will send him down a rabbit hole that will take years to come out of. Especially if anyone else someone ends up hurt. He would never forgive himself. I'm sure you've seen it happen in the past. As for my relationship with Jay. We are both grown, consenting adults who I would like to think can separate personal from professional. It seems I am developing a personal relationship, of a different nature, with multiple people in your unit. Many of which I am beginning to consider friends in such a short time. Even Ruzek, over there, who is such a pain in the ass and determined to drive my car, which will never happen by the way, I consider to be a friend. Your team has the reputation of being the best in the city. So you need to do what you always do and get these motherfuckers so we can all go back to living a semi-normal life." I finished. He looked at me, kind of astonished and laughed. "I don't know what to say. You're pretty damn good kid. Your parents raised you right and as a result you have a good head on your shoulders. I wouldn't let Ruzek drive my car either, and mine isn't nearly as nice as yours. Okay, here's what I'm proposing. Jay stays on the case. It's up to the two of you but if you want him with you every night I'm okay with that. He's going to be working on other stuff during the day and you will still have a uniform posted outside of your door each night, but I won't send him into WitPro. "As I opened my mouth to thank him, he said "I'm not done yet. Jay was messed up after Erin, who I consider to be my daughter, left him and went to New York. She cut off ties with almost everyone in Chicago other than Al and I. He went to a really dark place and then before I knew it my Commander was in my office informing me Halstead volunteered for an undercover assignment with the Cartel. We didn't have any contact with him for almost eight months. He is slowly coming around to being the old Jay. And I've seen bits and pieces of that Jay come to light when he has been around you this week, so I will thank you for that. I have two conditions when it comes to you dating Jay. The two of you are required to come to my house every Sunday for dinner so I can get a read on how he is doing. If you can't make it to my house, because of your work schedule, then I will meet the two of you at your hotel and we will have dinner there, even if it's just a burger and fries in your office, which Ruzek claims is the best burger he has ever tasted. The second condition is you stop referring to me as Sargent Voight. At this point kid you can call me Hank." We stood and I smiled at him and he said "Man, they weren't kidding when they told me you could bring a guy to his knees with that smile. Save that for Halstead." "Thank you, Hank." I said leaning over and giving him a hug. We turned around and laughed at the look of shock on everyone's face.
"Okay. Listen up. Ruzek, you're with Christine for the rest of the day. Halstead will relieve you at her office at 4:00pm. I want Dawson and Upton posted at the hotel all day today and during the day tomorrow. Tonight, I want Atwater along with Roman posted at Christine's door in the hotel. She and Halstead will be staying at the hotel tonight and tomorrow night so we will be coordinating with hotel security. There's a big Gala going on from what I understand tomorrow night to celebrate New Year's and Christine has given us all tickets to attend. Since she has to be there all of you are officially working tomorrow evening. You will be posing as guests of the gala so boys and girls it's time to get your tuxes and ballgowns out. Halstead, I'll meet you outside at my car in ten minutes." Voight said before walking out the door. "What did you say to him?" Jay asked. "I told you before, I can be very persuasive. But there were two conditions." I paused as the rest of the group laughed. "What are the conditions?" Kim asked, dying to know just like everyone else. I looked at Jay and said "Don't be mad, but while we are figuring out what is going on between the two of us we are required to have dinner with Hank at his house every Sunday night. And if I have something going on at work on a Sunday night that I have to be there for, the three of us will have dinner at the hotel, either in my office or in the restaurant depending on how busy it is. The second condition is that I no longer refer to him as Sargent Voight." "What?" I said as they all stood there in stunned silence. "He obviously likes you and is okay, for now, with everything." Jay said walking over to me and putting his arms around me. He leaned over, kissed me and said he would see me later that afternoon. "Be careful." I said to him. "Always." he said before turning to Ruzek saying "Keep her safe. I'll see you guys in a few hours."
Ruzek and I headed up back up to my apartment so I could pack for the next two nights. My gown was already hanging in my office at the hotel so I could fit everything else I needed into a large overnight bag. "Are you hungry?" I called to Adam from my bedroom. "I could eat." he replied. "Help yourself to the leftovers in the fridge. Would you mind heating me up a bowl of the pasta in the microwave? And leave me a piece of cold pizza on the counter. Everything else is up for grabs." I said. As I finished packing my bag I left it on my bed because I couldn't carry it and use my crutches at the same time. As I headed out towards the living room I heard a knock on the door. Adam, with his gun drawn, put his finger to his lips and then motioned for me to go back into my bedroom. This was getting beyond ridiculous. I was tired of being scared and wished they could just catch these assholes. Adam yelled to me giving me the okay to come back out of my bedroom. I walked out to see Connor standing in my kitchen and realized I needed his date's name to add to the invite list for the Gala. When I asked him about it he said he was going solo. I told him there would be plenty of single, eligible women at the party. He ignored my comment and told me to go put on a pair of shorts so he could check my leg. When Adam asked what had happened to my leg, besides the obvious being shot, Connor went into detail about how I somehow didn't feel the need to use my crutches last night when Jay was there. Not only that but he mentioned how disheveled I looked when he showed up to stitch me back up. He looked at me and said something similar to what Hank said an hour before "There are always consequences for your actions." Tho, coming from Connor it sounded a hell of a lot less ominous than it did coming from Hank Voight.