It was a slow day in intelligence, the team were all getting ready for Will to give them the okay that Jay was back in Chicago.
"Could he of been held back?" Adam asked.
Hailey looked up and shook her head.
Hailey, engrossed in his paperwork, shook her head.
"I called Baxter this morning, he didn't want to extend Jay's stay, not in the state he was in."
Adam nodded, his fingers tapping on the keyboard.
"Good. We need him back."
Just then, Hailey's phone buzzed. It was Will.
"I've got Jay. He looks like an exhausted mess." the message read.
Hailey sighed and typed back.
"That was Will, Jay's landed in Chicago…" Hailey informed.
The unit all looked at Hailey.
"How is he?" Kevin asked.
Hailey sighed and shrugged.
"He's described as an "exhausted mess." I'm hoping the food will be enough for Jay to hang on till I make dinner…" Hailey explained.
The unit all exchanged glances and got back to their paperwork.
A silent step on the floor, made the unit all look up.
Jay stood behind Will in the bustling bullpen, his army uniform slightly disheveled. The top button was undone, revealing a hint of vulnerability beneath the tough exterior. He looked out of place, like a dog who's lost its owner.
Kim approached, her smile warm and genuine.
"Hi Jay," she said. "Coffee?"
Jay's gaze swept over the familiar desk, the pens, the pencils all untouched since he left. His silence spoke volumes. The chaos of the bullpen seemed insignificant compared to the chaos in his mind
Will, standing nearby, understood
"It's a lot for him," he told Kim. "Jay hasn't had a day of quiet, without gunshots and bloodied soldiers."
Kim nodded, her eyes sympathetic. "Take him home," she suggested. "Let him rest."
In that moment, Hailey's hands cradling Jay's pale cheeks, whispering softly.
"Babe, It's so good to have you back here, your gonna go back to Will's and have some sleep, I'll be there to pick you up when your ready." Hailey reassured.
Jay nodded and clutched Will's hand.
And so, Will and Jay left the bullpen. The noise of the office fading into the background.
Later in the evening. Will dropped Jay back at Hailey's apartment.
Hailey helped Jay get out of his army uniform and tucked him under the covers.
"That Chamomile tea should kick in soon." Hailey soothed.
Jay nodded and succumbed to the effects of the tea.
As Hailey left the bedroom, she walked towards Maddie and Ashley.
"So, Dad's home…" Hailey said softly.
Maddie's eyes widened, as she looked up from her coloring book.
"Dada?" she asked, her voice hopeful.
Hailey nodded. "Yes, sweetie. Dada's home."
Ashley smiled widely. "Dad's home!"
Hailey laughed softly. "Yes, baby. Dad's home."
Ashley's expression softened. As she repeated the word.
"Dad," she repeated, testing the word. "It's been a long time."
Maddie tugged at Hailey's sleeve. "Can we see dada?"
Hailey glanced toward the bedroom where Jay slept.
"Not yet, Mads." she said gently. "Dada needs some sleep, he's been through a lot."
"But I want to show him my drawings!" Maddie protested.
Hailey hugged her. "Soon, butterfly. Let's give daddy some time."
And so, in the quiet of the house. Hailey looked at the bedroom door where Jay was sleeping, knowing healing took time. Maddie's impatience tugged at her heart, but she knew Jay needed space.
Hailey slowly tiptoed into the dimly lit bedroom, her heart still racing from Maddie's impatience and Ashley's gym clothes. The girls were soon tucked into their beds, dreaming of stories of their own.
But Jay stood by the window, his silhouette etched against the moonlight. In his right hand, held a gun. A relic of war, a reminder of the battles he fought, and the lives that were lost. Hailey's breath caught; she hadn't expected this.
"Jay," she whispered, her voice trembling. "What are you doing?"
His eyes, haunted and distant, met hers.
"I can't escape it." he said, his voice raw. "The memories. The faces. They follow me."
She stepped closer, her fingers brushing against the cold metal of the gun.
"You're home now," she said. "Safe."
He shook his head. "Safety is an illusion." he admitted. "I've seen too much."
Hailey's heart ached for him. She knew the demons that haunted him, the sleepless nights, the flashbacks from when he last went overseas. But this was different. This was danger, real and immediate.
"Jay," she said, her voice steady. "Put it down. You're not alone anymore."
He hesitated, then slowly lowered the gun.
"I don't know how to be anything else." he confessed.
She took his hand, guiding him away from the window.
"You're more than a soldier." she whispered. "You're a father, a friend. Let us help you carry the weight."
As the moonlight spilled across the room, Hailey held him, hoping that love could heal wounds deeper than any battlefield.