Hank didn't believe for a second that Jay showing up back in Chicago at his farewell party that had been organised by Erin was a coincidence. He didn't believe in coincidences in general, let alone this one. Erin had made sure Jay showed his face as a sign of respect. What better way to get the 'father-in-law' on side in the rekindled relationship?
Hank saw it all for what it was, but he still appreciated Jay coming, and Erin organising it. The two men had experienced many issues with each other over the years, sometimes big ones. Hank had a big one right now regarding Jay's behaviour towards Hailey. But, issues not withstanding, Hank did respect Jay, as a cop and as a man. And he appreciated how happy Erin had been lately, a lot of that thanks to looking forward to giving things another shot with Jay. He wasn't going to try and stand in the way of that.
As Jay walked into the bar, he made eye contact with Hank and started heading straight for him. Hank stayed right where he was, but he glanced over at Erin. She was at a table talking to Kim and Kevin, with her back to the door, unaware for now that Jay had arrived.
"There's Jay," Dante Torres said, standing beside Hank. "Didn't know he was coming back."
"Neither did I," Hank replied. Not tonight anyway.
Jay approached Hank and offered his hand along with a smile. "Hank. Had to make sure I made it back here for this. Sorry to hear what CPD did to you. You deserved a lot better, but you'll move onwards and upwards."
Hank shook the man's hand. "Thanks for making the effort to come tonight. I'm trying to look forwards rather than backwards."
"That's the right thing to do. And I had to be here to thank you for everything you did for me at Intelligence."
They were interrupted by Erin's arrival. Someone had apparently pointed out Jay's arrival to her.
"Jay," was all she said. It was all she had to say. They embraced each other, and Hank could see the love they were feeling for each other in the way they held each other. It was how he felt when he hugged Kalinda, although more powerful because Erin and Jay had been waiting weeks, or months, for this moment.
"I'm sorry I took so long to get back," Jay said to Erin.
"Don't be sorry about that. Just don't leave again."
"I won't," he promised.
"I'll buy you a drink," Hank said to Jay once the embrace ended. "Join me at the bar. I want to introduce you to someone."
"You won't buy me a drink. I'll buy you one," Jay insisted.
"No one is buying anyone drinks. They're on the house," Dante said with some amusement. "Good to see you, man."
"And you," Jay said, shaking hands with his former colleague. With that, he joined Hank and they walked towards the bar, where Kalinda and Kevin were standing in conversation.
"You know we're going to have a conversation," Hank said, clearly meaning about the Hailey situation.
"I know," Jay said, his tone showing that he understood why Hank was pissed. "I acted like an asshole, Hank. Not going to say I didn't. I'll come see you one day and we'll talk. For now, let's enjoy a drink?"
That was fair enough, Hank thought. The guy was making an effort. The least he could do was do the same, for Erin's sake if nothing else.
"Look who it is!" Kevin said when Jay and Hank approached. Jay hugged him, and the two men patted each other on the back several times. Good friends reunited.
"It's good to see you," Jay said.
"You too, bro. You've been missed," Kevin said with feeling.
Hank handled the next introduction, hoping that if Erin had mentioned Kalinda to Jay she had told him that their relationship was to be kept quiet from Intelligence. "Kalinda Rai, meet Jay Halstead."
"Hello, Jay. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Heard a lot about you. All of it positive, I promise."
Make your acquaintance, Hank thought, not for the first time wondering if she talked like that because she knew he liked it, or because it came naturally to her. Likely the latter, but he preferred to believe it was the former.
"Nice to meet you, Kalinda," Jay was saying. "I'm sure you get this often, but I love your accent."
"Thank you," Kalinda said as they shook hands.
"KR's good police," Kevin said. "We've pretty much become partners, and I've already learned from her."
Hank stood there feeling proud. He couldn't say it, but he was thinking 'that's my woman'.
Jay soon had his drink, and the night continued as it had before his arrival.
Later, Hank found himself standing at the bar with Kalinda. He had his back to the bar, surveying the room. Jay and Erin were slightly separated from the rest of the group. They were simply standing and talking, but Hank could tell how happy they both were. That in turn made him happy. Of late, he felt a lot closer to Erin and therefore her happiness now meant a lot to him.
Other than that though, Hank felt sad as he looked around the room at his former team members. That was what they were now. The night was soon going to come to an end, and with that almost certainly the last time the whole group, including him, would be together. He was surprised by how deeply it was effecting him, not that he showed it.
It wasn't long before Kim and Adam came over, the first to say their goodbyes.
"We've got to get back for the sitter," Kim explained.
"Good luck, boss. I'm sure I'll still see plenty of you," Adam said, and offered his hand. With Kim on the Voight Detective Service team it was likely that Adam wouldn't be a stranger.
Hank shook his hand. "Good luck to you too. Go get your detective rank. There's no ceiling for you, if you keep yourself on track."
"I'll do my best," Adam promised. "And thanks again for everything."
Hank nodded an acknowledgement, and Adam and Kim said goodnight. It seemed to signal to the others that it was okay to leave. Minutes later, Erin and Jay were the next to come over.
"We're going to take off," Erin announced. "I hope you've enjoyed the evening?"
"I have. Thank you for organising it. And Jay, thanks again for coming."
"It was the least I could do," Jay said and the two men shook hands.
"I'm going to the hotel Jay checked into," Erin said. "See you in the morning?"
"You will," Hank said.
Over the course of the next half hour many goodbyes and handshakes were exchanged. Kalinda stood by Hank's side the whole time, and she was still there as Kevin Atwater left, making her the final person from Hank's Intelligence Unit in the bar. Trudy Platt had also left.
"You might have given the game away, standing by me for that long," Hank said.
Kalinda looked at him with nothing but love in her eyes. "I know, but I don't care. You needed me, I could tell. So I was here. I always will be. All I ask is the same from you. Love me the way I love you, please." She teared up before finishing speaking. Hank learned too things right then: The extent to which her former loveless marriage still hurt her, and the fact that she felt as deeply for him as he did for her. She had even beaten him to saying the important words – the words that merely by being spoken by one party and reciprocated by the other took a relationship to the next level.
"I do love you, Kalinda. I love you very much."
She continued looking him in the eyes. "Don't say that if you don't mean it."
"Oh, I mean it," he assured her. "It's something I've been on the verge of saying for a week or more. Wasn't sure if it was too early, so I held back. Now I wish I hadn't."
Kalinda kissed him. "It doesn't matter who said it first. This is something I never thought I'd have in my life again. Never thought I'd be loved again."
"Yes, I felt the same. Yet here we are, together."
"That makes me so happy. Let's get out of here," she suggested.
"Back to my place?" Hank suggested. "Erin's gone to a hotel with Jay, so we'll have the place to ourselves."
"Say no more. I'll get us an Uber."
A few minutes later, Hank walked out of Molly's with Kalinda on his arm. It was a night that could easily have left him feeling sad or empty. But instead he felt the exact opposite, thanks to the woman he loved.
A/N: Hank is done with Intelligence, but he shared a very important moment with Kalinda.
They're apparently not the only ones in love either. What do you make of Erin and Jay's reunion?