Mother's Day.

Chapter 6: Grace.

A sweet Upstead married short story, set after 9x09.

I do not own Chicago PD or any of the characters.

Without all of the wonderful reviews, this story would have just been an Upstead one-shot and I'm so grateful, because I am really enjoying writing this story. I can't wait to hear what you think of this chapter :). Upstead will always be endgame, to me :).

Before Jay or Hailey knew it, Mother's Day was upon them again, another year. The couple had now been married for 5 years. This day was a very special day for Jay and Hailey, but not for the reason they would have thought this time last year.

Last year, the day after Mother's Day, Hailey had talked to Voight and Platt, asking them if she could have a position on a desk for the next 9 months. She didn't want to risk going through the same pain Kim had gone through when she had miscarried and not being on the streets for the next 9 months seemed like a sacrifice to make for the safety of their baby. Their unborn baby. However, a couple of weeks later, during the night, Hailey had suffered from a miscarriage and Jay had held her through the heartbreak and afterwards. He was always there for her, just like he had promised. Both Hailey and Jay had been utterly devastated, but Hailey knew that her husband felt the pain even more than she did. It was as if all of their dreams had died, which, in a way, they had, that night.

A couple of months after the loss, considering that Hailey was 37, they decided that they would stop with IVF. They didn't need children to be happy together. Jay and Hailey had each other and that was all that they needed.

The June of last year Hailey had been feeling awful, really tired and sick, so Jay had insisted that she go to see the doctor, to see if there was anything seriously wrong. He didn't want anything to happen to his wife, especially after they had lost their unborn baby. Hailey wasn't ill. She was pregnant and their baby was due in March, on Mother's Day.

It was Mother's Day. Hailey was now 9 months pregnant and their baby was due to be born today, so Jay had taken the day off work. Hailey had already been forced onto Maternity Leave for the past week by Platt and Kim. Hailey wanted to save her Maternity Leave until their baby was born, but she also knew that she needed to have rest before the baby was born, before she gave birth. Jay and Hailey had decided not to find out the sex of their baby; they wanted it to be a surprise. Few things in this world were truly a surprise, so the detective couple wanted this to be one of those such surprises.

Today was the day. The day their baby was going to be born, on Mother's Day. Over the past year, Hailey and her mum had grown much closer, something for which Hailey was grateful, considering that she was about to become a mother herself. She could hardly believe it. Finally. Their baby was going to be born. This time next year, Hailey herself could celebrate their day because she would be a mum. She could celebrate their Jay and their baby, with their child. After the heartbreak of last year, it felt so perfect.

Since entering into the later stages of pregnancy, Hailey hadn't been sleeping well, so, for the first time in their marriage, she was glad of Jay's insomnia, because it meant that she wasn't awake by herself. Whenever she was awake, Jay was awake, and Kim had told her that this would be very useful after their baby was born. Whether she wanted a certain drink or food in the middle of the night, Jay was there, at her side. They were both so grateful that they had made it this far, that Hailey's second pregnancy was almost at an end, after losing her first.

Here they finally were. Their baby was due to come into this world today. On Mother's Day. Unable to sleep because of the pain in her back, Hailey stirred in their bed and made her way, very slowly, to the kitchen. She- and their baby-wanted some warm milk. Hailey settled herself on the sofa after she poured the milk into a cup and placed it into the microwave. Nowadays, being this far along in her pregnancy, settling into a position to sit wasn't the easiest. Slowly, Hailey closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath. She could feel some contractions, but she had been having them for the past couple of days. She hadn't told Jay, knowing that it was her body's way of preparing itself for labour. She didn't want her husband to worry any more than usual.

This year, leading up to this day, Jay had experienced some nightmares and PTSD episodes, taking him back to his time in Afghanistan and his mum's death. Hailey had been there for him, through all of it. Deep down, Jay was also terrified of becoming a father. He hadn't shared this with Hailey, not wanting to worry his wife. He didn't know how he could be a dad when he had PTSD, when he was damaged. He knew that he could do it with Hailey by his side. He could do anything with her by his side.

Jay wasn't surprised to find that Hailey wasn't asleep in their bed. This stage of her pregnancy wasn't easy for her, but they were both so grateful that their baby was growing and was healthy. Their miracle baby. Their rainbow baby. Jay was used to all of her cravings by now, so he wasn't surprised to hear the microwave. Of course she wanted some warm milk. Jay smiled to himself as he made his way into the kitchen and he found Hailey sitting on the sofa, waiting for her milk. She had clearly tried to make herself as comfortable as she possibly could on the sofa.

Without saying anything, Jay waited until the milk was finished before he carried it over to Hailey and, as he passed it to her, he kissed the top of her curls. "Hailes." He whispered softly as he sat down next to her, placing his arm around her and holding her tight.

Trying, once again to settle herself against the pillows, Hailey smiled at her husband as she whispered, "Thanks, Jay." She paused, then added, "I'm sorry for waking you."

With a small smirk, her husband replied, "Don't worry about it. I don't sleep, anyway. You know that." He tried to keep his tone light, it was late, and Hailey was due to give birth any day now, so it wasn't the time to tell her about his fears of becoming a father.

Hailey took a sip of the warm milk and Jay stroked her back lightly as she did so. It visibly calmed her and Hailey took another few sips, before she just looked at her husband and just said, "Jay." She tilted her head and added, with a smile, "Jay, I may be heavily pregnant, but I can still read you like a book, so talk to me. I know you're having nightmares, but it's more than that." Her tone was soft and gentle, just what Jay needed.

Jay looked away, then looked back at his wife and found her blue eyes were searching his own green ones, so he kept rubbing her back to sooth her as he asked, quietly, "Hailes, do you ever get scared about- about becoming a parent?"

To his surprise, Hailey threw her head back and started to chuckle and even more when she saw the confused look on his face. After a while, Hailey slowed her laughter and smiled at her husband, before she answered, "Jay, there's a part of me that's terrified, because I have no idea how to be a mum. I don't know how to be someone's mum; I've never been one." Hailey paused, before she looked down at her pregnant stomach and put an arm around it, before she continued, in a different tone, "But, Jay, when we lost the baby last year, I realised that, even though I was so scared, it was what I wanted, more than anything. I didn't think I'd ever get pregnant again, after last year, I didn't want to, but I did and this time next year, we'll be celebrating this day, with our baby."

Jay smiled softly and focused his eyes on Hailey's pregnant stomach. He ran his hands through his hair. "Yeah. Last year, I thought the best thing we could do was to stop with IVF treatment. I didn't wanna risk it again. But that was a mistake, because this baby is the best thing that's ever happened to us."

Taking another sip of her warm milk, Hailey swallowed it, then placed it down on the table as she reached out for one of Jay's hands and squeezed it. "So, what are you afraid of?"

Exhaling a deep breath, Jay returned the pressure to Hailey's hand as he replied, "That I won't be a good dad. That I wouldn't be able to because of my PTSD. That I'm too damaged." He looked down, away from Hailey, too embarrassed to see the look in her eye. He was her husband, he was supposed to support her, especially now that she was so close to giving birth to their baby.

Without saying a word, Hailey moved herself from the sofa to the floor, where she found the support of Jay's arms and she rested her arms on his knees, with his arms around her to support her. Jay shook his head, trying to fight back his own tears. His time in the Army had taught him to hide his emotions, but he couldn't help it. All of the emotions of this day were so difficult and, this day last year, Jay had told Hailey that he was terrified that, if she were pregnant, that something could happen to her and the baby, as well as the pain of Hailey's miscarriage and now his fears of becoming a dad. Hailey held his hands and found that tears were building in her own eyes and she knew why he was crying. Last year, when she had miscarried, Jay had been her support, her shoulder to cry on. Her rock, always, and she had only seen him cry a couple of times. The unborn baby had been theirs, not just hers and it was something Hailey had always reminded Jay of. It had been their loss, not just hers. In that moment, they didn't need words. All they needed was each other. Eventually, green eyes met blue and they were both mirrored with tears and Jay reached out and wiped away Hailey's tears before he supported her back again. He shook his head and murmured, "I'm sorry, Hailes."

Swallowing against the lump in her throat, Hailey didn't take her eyes away from Jay's as she told him, "Jay Halstead, you are the most wonderful man I've ever known. I had an awful childhood, so do you believe that I'll be a good mum, that'll I'll be able to see my past my childhood and be a good mum to our baby?"

Without a second of hesitation, Jay replied, "Of course I do."

"And I believe in you, Jay, I believe- no, I know- that you'll be a good dad. You're the most loving and compassionate and the bravest man I've ever known." Hailey paused, before she continued, "Yes, you have PTSD, but that happened because you were serving your country and our child will know that, he or she will know how your risked your life. All that our child will know is how much you love them and how you would do anything in this world to protect them. That's what he or she will know."

Jay shook his head and stared at his wife in such a loving way before he whispered, "I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you."

Hailey smiled and told him, "Jay, I wouldn't be here without you, I never wanted to have children before you and I were together." She rested her head against his, then his lips found hers in a soft and loving kiss. As their kiss ended, Hailey whispered into Jay's ear, "You and me, together. Always."

With his eyes shining with his own tears, Jay smiled at his wife, with so much love in his eyes, as he whispered back, "Always, Hailey Halstead."

In that moment, when Hailey tried to stand up, she felt a pain, worse than the contractions she had been having over the past couple of days and she held ono her stomach as she almost fell into Jay's arms. "Hailey! Hailey, is it contractions?"

Hailey nodded as she tried to breath, in and out. In and out. Nodding, she replied, "Yes, but not like the ones I've been having over the past couple of days. It feels different, bigger." She looked into Jay's eyes as she said, "Jay- Jay, I think the baby's coming. I think he or she is going to be born, on Mother's Day." She let out a light chuckle, before she bit her lips against pain again.

Moving carefully, Jay said, "Ok, I'm going to lie you down on the sofa and I'll call an ambo. You keep breathing, OK?" All of Jay's years in the Army meant that he was very good at controlling the situation is a stressful situation and Hailey had never before been so grateful for that quality. Her husband had a way of making her feel so safe and at ease when she was in the most pain she had ever been in.

Jay called the ambulance, then came knelt in front of Hailey, where she was lying on the sofa where Jay had rested her before leaving to call the ambulance, and asked, "Hailey, why didn't you tell me you'd been having contractions?"

Even in such a painful situation, Hailey smiled as Jay ran his hands through her hair as a way of trying to comfort her. She kept her eyes on him as she replied, "I don't know- I guess, I didn't want to worry you."

With a smirk, Jay nodded and chuckled, "That's my partner." He paused, then told her, squeezing her hand, "Hailes, we're finally here. Our baby is going to be born."

Hailey couldn't help but roll her eyes as she replied, "Trust me, I know! If we're have another one of these, you're carrying it, Jay Halstead."

"You know that's not how it works, right?" Jay did a mock-serious face, but then started laughing and Hailey did the same, which she regretted, because it seemed to make the pain even worse. Jay kissed her temple softly and whispered, "Hailey, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

Hailey tilted her head and looked into Jay's eyes as she responded, "Of course not, I wouldn't be here, here, if it weren't for you." Husband and wife looked into each other's eyes and shared a soft smile together before Hailey focused on her breathing. They knew that this was going to be a Mother's Day they would never forget.

12 hours passed. Mother's Day was almost coming to a close, just as another life had entered into the world, arriving just before the end of the day, almost as if their determination to be born on this day had been there all along. The baby had the same determination as its parents.

Jay and Hailey were more bestowed by their baby than they had ever been by anything in this world. Neither of them could take their eyes off their baby. Their baby girl. They had a daughter. Jay had been with Hailey's for every second of labour, a fact which Hailey knew hadn't been easy for her husband, considering how much he hated hospitals. It was worth it. Even the heartbreak of last year had been worth it, because here she was. Their daughter.

Staring down at their sleeping baby daughter, Jay adjusted in the bed next to Hailey as he murmured, "Hailey, she's perfect."

The birth had been the most painful thing Hailey had ever done in her entire life and she was still in pain, but she was glad of the drugs she had to help her. Looking at their daughter, none of that mattered. Nothing else mattered, but her. With tears of happiness and pure love in her eyes, Hailey tilted her head against Jay's as she said, "Jay, we have a daughter. A daughter."

"Yeah, we do." Jay agreed, softly, before he smiled and asked, "You do realise, next year, it'll be your first Mother's Day with her?" He paused and touched the baby's head gently as he whispered, "We always said this day would be different when we had kids."

Hailey hummed in agreement, still not taking her eyes of their baby girl, before she looked up at Jay and said, "Jay, we need to give her a name, our daughter needs a name."

Their baby girl had blue eyes, Hailey's eyes, and Jay thought that she was the most magical thing he had ever seen in his whole life. He knew that he would never love anyone as much as he loved their baby girl and he also knew that, somehow, his PTSD wouldn't stop him from being a good dad. After a long silence, Jay finally suggested, "What about Grace? She's our miracle baby. Our rainbow baby."

Hailey looked back at their baby daughter and smiled, "Grace. Grace Halstead." She paused and glanced at her husband, before she added, softly, "Grace Catherine Halstead."

With the mention of his mum's name, Jay's eyes welled up with tears and he rested his face into Hailey's hair, almost as if he were trying to hide his tears form their baby daughter. Jay kissed Hailey's hair before he nodded and whispered, "She'd love that."

Without missing a beat, Hailey passed their baby girl, Grace, to Jay, who held her in his arms. It was the best thing Hailey had ever seen and she felt her heart swelling with love she had never felt before. Tilting her head, Hailey whispered, "Thank you, Jay."

"For what, Hailes?" Jay asked, feeling slightly confused.

Hailey kissed Grace on the head, then did the same to her husband, before she replied, "Thank you for making Grace with me, for making me a mum." She rested her head on Jay's shoulder as they both looked down at Baby Grace. Their daughter was born, on Mother's Day, so it was a day Jay and Hailey knew that they would never forget, and Hailey knew that she couldn't wait for this time next year, for her first chance to celebrate this day with their baby and it would also be their baby's first birthday. Her and Jay's love had brought her into the world. Grace Catherine Halstead.

Don't hate me for the pain, I really wanted to find a way for their daughter to be born on Mother's Day after writing the last chapter :)