A/N: Happy wedding day, friends!

When Hailey turned twenty, her uncle treated her to a seafood dinner downtown. They ate more food than either of them thought possible at the restaurant, but still managed to make their way back to their favorite bakery in Greektown before sitting on Uncle DJ's front porch and eating everything they'd bought. It was there on the front porch where they'd talked about everything going on in Hailey's life: her friends at school, her never-changing plan to attend the police academy, a new pair of tennis shoes she'd just saved money for, and her father.

Uncle DJ wasn't hiding his real feelings for the man any longer, but he also refused to completely tear down the man in front of his kids. He tried finding a middle ground where he made it clear that he did not support his twin sister being married to the man while also not calling him all the names he would have loved to. Those lines just seemed to blur when Hailey was the one saying the names and making the harsh accusations.

"And I'm just supposed to bring Paulie home to meet the bastard?" she'd mumbled around a cookie.

Uncle DJ had chuckled at that and replied, "Paulie wants to meet your parents?"

"Yes," Hailey'd sighed, "He said that since it's been six months, he should meet my family. I'm putting my foot down, but then he brings up marriage and who would walk me down the aisle, and I can't even focus on anything else."

"Marriage?" Uncle DJ had said incredulously, "You're really thinking about marriage already with this guy?"

"No," Hailey had breathed before taking another bite of cookie, "He is. It's…I don't know. It sits weird in my gut. I'm not ready for marriage, and I'm not ready to introduce my boyfriend to the man who made growing up a living hell."

Her uncle had studied her for a moment, watching as she finished her cookie then lightly suck the remaining stickiness from her fingers. He then smiled slightly and reached over to lightly nudge her arm. "Tell you what," he'd said quietly, "I'll meet the kid, put the fear of God in him like a father should, and then, when you get married someday – whether or not it's to this Paulie – I walk you down the aisle."

Hailey had smiled at that and nodded without any hesitation. "Deal," she'd replied, "I'd like that."

Years later, she repeated that conversation in her mind while standing underneath the shower in her apartment. Uncle DJ had never gotten to walk her down the aisle, not because she'd never married Paulie even though they broke up two weeks later, but because he'd died much too soon in his life. Now, she was preparing for renewing her vows with her husband in twenty-four hours, and all she wanted was for her uncle to be there watching them do so.

She closed her eyes and tipped her head back against the hot water. As the water soaked through her hair, she tried avoiding any tears from leaking out of her eyes. Jay asking if she wanted her family there with her at the vow renewal had earned an easy answer: no. The truth was, she would have loved had her uncle still been alive if he were to join them. Besides Jay, he was really the only person she wanted there with them.

"Hailey?"

She brushed the water from her face and blinked open her eyes to see Jay standing in the doorway of the bathroom. "Yeah?" she said through the glass.

"Babe, it's been half an hour. Aren't you a little pruny?" he asked, walking closer to the shower.

"Oh," Hailey breathed. She looked down at her wrinkly hands and blushed even more beneath the hot water.

"Come on, you're beautiful as is, you really don't need to torture yourself the night before the party," Jay said.

Hailey shook her head and turned off the shower. Stepping out of the shower into the towel Jay was holding out for her, she said, "I didn't even realize it'd been that long."

"I was worried you were going to pass out," Jay admitted, "Are you feeling okay?"

"Um." Hailey wiped her face with the towel then fastened it around her chest. "Yes and no. Not gonna pass out, but some cold water might be nice."

"Yeah, yeah, of course," Jay said. He put her hand on her back and walked her to the kitchen. "Why the no?"

Hailey sighed and glanced up at him. "I…I kind of wish my uncle was here."

Jay raised an eyebrow and stopped reaching for a glass from the cupboard. "Your mom's brother?"

Hailey nodded and pulled a bar stool out. Sitting on it, she said, "He wanted to be the one who walked me down the aisle. I know there's not going to be an aisle tomorrow, and probably not much walking either honestly, but still. He would have loved being there for me."

Jay's face softened, and he stepped over to lean against the island next to her. "I'm sorry," he said softly, "I wish he could be here too. I would have loved to meet him."

Hailey nodded again, wiping at the unshed tears in her eyes. "Sorry," she murmured.

"Hey, don't," Jay breathed. He straightened up just to pull her against his chest. Rubbing his hand over the back of her damp towel, he whispered, "Anything I can do?"

Hailey hummed and shrugged. "I don't think so," she replied, "I mean, you can't make the dead come back, can you?"

Jay let out a slight laugh and stood up. "I wish," he said before turning back to grab a glass and fill it with cold water.

Hailey crinkled her nose and said, "I'm sorry. That was rude. I-"

Jay shook his head and placed the water in front of her. "Don't. It's okay. Well, it's not, but it is, you know?" He smiled slightly and cupped her cheek.

She managed a soft laugh and nodded. "I get what you mean. It just sucks: one of the most important days of our lives, and the most important people to us aren't even going to be there." Taking a sip of water, she closed her eyes and leaned into Jay's hand. "Then again, it's not our real wedding, so why does it hurt so much?"

Jay brushed his thumb under her eye. "Because it's important to us. It's our day. We want our day to be about us and what our marriage means, and that happens to include our family and all the people we love. We can get personalized drinks and-"

"Sorry?" Hailey interrupted, pulling back and raising an eyebrow.

Jay waved his free hand and said, "Hermann called me today: he's trying something with Stella tonight, but that's beside the point. I'm trying to say that even if we have fancy drinks and you're in a gorgeous dress and we're standing up in front of our friends, there's still something we can't get no matter how much we want it, and that's our family."

Hailey sadly smiled and nodded. Looking down at her water, she breathed, "Yeah."

"I'm really sorry," Jay whispered.

Hailey shook her head and finished her water. As she set her glass down, she said, "I love you."

Jay hummed and hugged her to his chest. "I love you too," he murmured before kissing the top of her head, "And I'm really excited to remarry you tomorrow."

Hailey laughed softly and rubbed her hands over his back. "I'm excited too," she said when she sat back, "It's going to be a good day. We will make sure of it."

Jay's smile widened, and he set his hand on her side. "I know it. You want to head to bed to maybe make it come a little faster?"

Laughing harder, Hailey slipped off the bar stool faster and nodded. "I'm guessing your parents also used to say that the sooner you fall asleep, the sooner you'll get to tomorrow?"

"Oh, of course," Jay chuckled as he followed her to their room, "Before every holiday and birthday and, really, just any day that even hinted at being fun. I was awful at getting myself to calm down."

"I don't know if that surprises me," Hailey said with a smirk. In front of her dresser, she pulled her towel off just to bend over and wrap it around her hair. "You're always itching to do anything – except when it's one of your appointments."

"Ha ha, you are so funny, babe, you should be a stand-up comedian," Jay said, sitting on the edge of their bed.

Hailey winked at him then pulled a t-shirt and loose pair of shorts from her drawer. "I really should," she said, "It could be a good side-gig."

"Mhmm," Jay chuckled, "Cop by day, comedian by night. That could be a TV show."

"I'd win an Emmy," Hailey replied. She finished getting her pajamas on before pulling her towel down and rubbing it over her hair.

"No doubt," Jay said. He fell back against their mattress and let out a long breath. "In twenty-four hours, we're going to have our vows renewed, we'll probably be leaving Molly's, and we'll be on our way back here for one last night before heading off to Holland. Sounds jam packed."

"Any regrets about that?" Hailey asked. She walked over to the mattress and crawled up on it to slide her hand over his chest.

"No, no, not at all," Jay said. He turned his head to get a better look at her. "I am completely looking forward to it. Actually, scratch that, I'm not looking forward to you kicking me out tomorrow afternoon."

Hailey rolled her eyes. "You'll be fine. It'll be like three hours. We've been separated for much longer than that."

"Literally," Jay sighed, "But I guess you're right. I just didn't realize we were going to stick to that whole 'the groom can't see the bride before the wedding' thing."

"We're not," Hailey softly laughed, "You realize that's supposed to be for like twenty-four hours before the wedding? Be lucky I'm letting you stay here tonight. We're bending the rules to fit what we want. I just want you out so that I can get ready in peace. I barely had half an hour last time around, I'm going to take my time tomorrow."

Jay softened and smiled up at her. Reaching over to set a hand on her thigh, he said, "We've been married for almost a year and a half, together a year longer than that, and I have to admit, I didn't think you were the kind of person who would want to spend hours getting ready for anything."

Hailey rolled her eyes and jokingly pinched his side. "Shut up," she said, "Maybe you're right that I'm not crazy girly and into sitting in front of a mirror for hours, but I am into looking presentable – especially on special occasions, and tomorrow is a very special occasion. Plus, I bought that dress. I can't wear a wedding dress and have my hair in a ponytail – not how it works."

Jay's gaze flickered to the closet, and he quietly asked, "You're sure I can't see it?"

Hailey pinched him again and said, "No. It's a surprise."

The dress had come three days before, and ever since he carried it up to the apartment for her after they'd gotten Bartoli's together, Jay had been begging her to put it on for him. He kept saying he wanted to make sure the colors of his suit and tie matched or that he could help her check that it fit, and she denied him every single time. It remained something she refused to budge on. The dress was meant to be a surprise. Now that she was all in on a white wedding dress, it needed to be the wow factor that it was supposed to be. It deserved to be a big moment.

She deserved to have that moment.

"Fine," Jay dramatically sighed, "If you insist on that one tradition, I guess I can give it to you."

Hailey laughed and leaned down to kiss him. "I do," she murmured, "One other tradition too, actually."

Jay raised an eyebrow and asked, "Yeah?"

Hailey bit her lip then nodded and said, "No sex tonight."

"Sorry?" Jay said while sitting up, "No sex?"

Hailey tried laughing and said, "Yeah. I think we should try. I mean, we don't have sex every night anyways, so why not just not do it tonight?"

"Well, I…it's the fact that you said something," Jay weakly laughed, "I probably wouldn't have thought twice about it, but the fact that you're just outright denying it kind of makes me want it more."

"Stop," Hailey laughed. Shaking her head, she gently pushed against his chest then crawled over to get under the covers. "We didn't do anything last night; you'll survive a total of forty-eight hours without sex."

"I'll survive, but I might not be happy about it," Jay mumbled while rolling off the bed just so he could also get underneath the covers.

Hailey laughed harder at the irony of that statement and shifted on her side to get a better look at him. "You're kind of acting like some college kid."

"We went several months without so much as touching each other, Hailey, and then still held off from anything huge for weeks once I got home. I won't even apologize for wanting to sleep with you," Jay replied.

Hailey bit her lip over a smile then scooted closer to him. Tossing an arm over his waist, she whispered, "I want to sleep with you too. Trust me. But also trust me on this? Because how…how perfect will it be to finally pick me up like you've been planning on doing and then carrying me to this room and doing whatever you want to me? Hmm? Don't you want that? We can build suspense. It's one day, babe, one day."

She watched Jay's eyes glaze over for a moment before he smirked against her lips and murmured, "You're pretty damn hot, you know that?"

"I do," she breathed before kissing him slowly. When she finally pulled back, she softly added, "And back at you."

Jay burst into laughter, lightly pushing back from her but not before she could feel the sound against her cheeks. She laughed with him and rolled onto her back.

"You're such a dork," Jay laughed, "Oh my god." Rubbing his hands over his face, he slowly calmed down then shifted his head to look at her. "I love you. A lot."

She laughed and shot him a wide smile. "I love you too."

Jay matched her smile and reached out to brush a wet strand of hair from her face. "You really are the perfect wife for me. Thank you for existing."

Hailey felt her cheeks flush. "Little early for the mushy words, isn't it?" she murmured.

Jay shook his head and gently pulled her closer to him. Kissing her, he whispered, "You deserve all the mushy words, Hailey."

She couldn't help but smile as she shook her head in disagreement.

Jay chuckled in response and said, "You are, and I'm going to always say mushy, cheesy things to you as long as it makes you smile and feel loved."

"Well, thank you," she said softly, "You're very kind."

Jay chuckled and kissed her forehead. "Says the kindest person I know."

"Oh, I don't know about that," she said, "Kindest? Really?"

"You're kind to me," Jay replied.

Hailey laughed and glanced up at the smile gracing his face. "Okay, sure," she said.

"You are," Jay said with a laugh, "But you're also kind to any victims or anyone you think is innocent. You really listen and care about what happens to them. That's not even mentioning how you act around kids. I swear I fell ten times more in love with you the second Makayla came into our lives. You're kind, Hailey, I swear."

Slightly stunned that what she'd felt had been an innocent joke turned into that, Hailey felt the smile freeze on her face as his words sank in. After a moment, she shook her head and kissed him again before hugging him tightly. "Thank you," she whispered, "I'm incredibly lucky to have you."

"And I'm lucky to have you," Jay replied softly.

Hailey closed her eyes for a second, pressing her face into his chest. As she pulled back and took a deep breath, she couldn't help but slowly drape her leg over Jay's at her side. "This okay?" she hesitantly asked.

Jay nodded and slid his hand down to press against her lower back. "Just assume that everything you do is okay with me."

Hailey raised an eyebrow, but still pressed another kiss to his lips. "Promise me something?" she murmured.

"Gonna have to hear what it is first," Jay replied while pulling his head back to get a better look at her.

Hailey smiled slightly and set a hand on the side of his face. "At any time in the next week, if you get hurt or feel sore or are just tired, I want you to promise to tell me. I know you've already been doing that, but that's also been at home. We will have fun and enjoy our vacation even if you want to take it easy every once in a while."

Jay let out a soft breath then nodded. "Yeah, I can promise that. I'll keep you in the loop. Promise."

Hailey relaxed and nodded back at him. "Thank you." She scooted up to kiss Jay's forehead.

He laughed and whispered, "Hey, come back down here."

She smiled and slipped back down on the bed to cuddle against his chest, feeling each of his fingers gently kneed against her back.

"Mind if you promise something to me too?" Jay asked as he twirled a piece of her hair around his finger.

"Maybe," she hummed.

Jay chuckled then kissed the top of her head. "Promise to keep me in the loop if you're ever feeling down or have a nightmare over the next week? Well, do it always, but especially this next week. Don't spare my feelings. If you're asking me to do that, I'd like you to do the same."

Hailey sighed and rubbed her hand down his side. Nodding, she murmured, "I can do that." She kissed the middle of his chest then closed her eyes.

Jay kissed her head again and squeezed her against him. He lightly patted her thigh still wrapped over his and whispered, "See you in the morning."

She laughed softly and reached up to toss her arms over his shoulders as well. "Goodnight, Jay."

The laugh that vibrated through Jay's shirt warmed Hailey to the point that she pressed herself even closer to him. This happiness and closeness was everything she'd been longing for for months, and it was everything she was hoping for in the future.

The absolute perfect reason as to why renewing their vows tomorrow was the right choice.

With one last approval of Jay's suit and a kiss goodbye in the doorway that almost made her want to throw tradition out the window and have sex right there in the kitchen, Hailey was left alone to get ready for the party.

As she stared at her dress laying out on the bed and imagined what Jay was going to say when he saw her in it, she played her Beatles vinyl on the record player and tried not to get too emotional over how far they'd come.

The morning after she told Jay she loved him for the first time, they'd laid in bed together and listened to Abbey Road. She had been up against his chest, her head tucked under his chin as she slowly ran her fingers over his arms wrapped tightly around her. They'd both been content and quiet, basking in the afterglow of their relationship finally reaching another level that really had been present all along.

To Hailey, that morning was one of her favorite days ever spent with Jay. It might have even topped their first night together. While they were mostly quiet as they listened to the music, occasionally, they whispered how much they loved the other or softly hummed along with the lyrics. Their first real conversation didn't happen until the album came to a close and Jay pressed his lips to her temple.

"You hear that?" he'd whispered, "'The love you take is equal to the love you make.' All the love you put out in the world is going to come back to you. You are worthy of being loved, Hailey, and I am completely in love with you. You are an amazing girl, my girl, and I'm going to love you until the end. I promise you."

Tears had sprung to her eyes at that, so she'd shifted around until she could hug him and press her face into his throat. "I love you too," she'd sniffled, "Thank you."

"Always," he'd breathed before kissing the top of her head.

And, for the first of thousands of times, she'd quietly replied, "Forever."

Now, Hailey wiped at tears that again came to her eyes. She'd never forgotten what Jay had said that morning, and realized they were the perfect words to say later that day during their vow renewal. She just needed to trust that she'd be able to remain as calm as possible while telling Jay how much those few sentences meant to hear two years before.

She chose to start getting ready, dragging a chair into the bathroom so she could sit and curl her hair in front of the mirror. As she watched each strand of hair heat then fall against her face and bounce slowly, she made sure to take several deep breaths to calm her quickly pumping heart.

She didn't necessarily think she was nervous to renew her wedding vows to Jay. She was excited. Finally, they were getting another chance at a happy life together. Today was the start of a highly anticipated chapter for them both, and she couldn't wait to grasp it and truly begin. She knew keeping her emotions in check might be difficult in a few hours, but she was just glad she had them.

The emotions surrounding love used to be anger and confusion and sadness – even when she loved Jay over the past six months – but those weren't the emotions she knew she'd experience so very soon. Joy, excitement, anticipation, adoration, friendship – that was what she had to look forward to.

Jay was her everything, and she could not wait to see him standing beneath the outdoor lights at Molly's as they renewed their vows.

Hailey had finished curling her hair and had just swiped red lipstick over her lips when there was a knock at the door. A smile flickered across her face in the reflection, and she quickly walked to answer it.

Kim and Makayla stood in the hallway, already dressed for the party, and both happily greeted her.

"Your hair!" Kim said as she stepped inside the apartment, "And the lipstick? I love it."

"Can I wear makeup too?" Makayla asked.

Hailey laughed softly and said, "I think you look beautiful as is. I love your dress. Is it new?"

Makayla spun in her purple dress and nodded. "Mom and I picked it out the other day. Hers too."

Kim smiled and put a hand on the top of her head before brushing her fingers over her own green fabric. "It was a good girls' day."

"Maybe Aunt Hailey can come next time?" Makayla asked.

"I would love to," Hailey replied, "Until then, want to see the dress I'm going to be wearing tonight?"

"Oh, yes," Kim said, "Did you go traditional? White?"

"Um, yeah, actually, I did," Hailey answered while leading the way to the bedroom. Her smile lit up at the sight of her dress still perfectly laid out on the comforter.

"Whoa!" Makayla exclaimed, "That is gorgeous! You're going to look like Belle."

"Well, it's definitely not as poofy as Belle's dress," Hailey replied.

Kim smirked and lightly lifted the skirt of the dress, showing off the slit up the side. "Not as modest either."

Hailey rolled her eyes and said, "This is not some sort of sleezy dress."

"I think it's beautiful," Makayla repeated, "Uncle Jay is going to drool."

Hailey laughed, "You think so?"

"Oh, yeah," Makayla replied, "Mom wore a super cute outfit the other day, and I swear Dad was drooling. It's just like the saying: boys drool, girls rule. Boys drool because girls are so pretty."

Hailey shot Kim a smirk and raised an eyebrow just for her friend to blush and wave her hand around. "Adam was not drooling."

"He was," Makayla insisted, "He couldn't take his eyes off of her."

Hailey let out a loud laugh and lightly shoved Kim's arm. "I'm sure you looked amazing. Mind helping me get into this dress?"

"Mhmm," Kim hummed. Turning to Makayla, she said, "Want to go grab Aunt Hailey a glass of water and see if you can find her a granola bar?"

"Yeah, I know where all that is," Makayla replied before hurrying out of the room.

Hailey smiled and untied her robe. "I don't ever remember showing her where we keep granola bars."

"She's damn observant, haven't you noticed?" Kim breathed.

Hailey laughed again and shook her head. She picked up her dress and unzipped it before saying, "Adam drools over you, huh?"

"Shut up," Kim whispered, her face still a bright red as she helped Hailey out of the robe and grabbed the dress from her.

Hailey was still laughing softly as she stepped into the dress. "It's cute," she said, "I'm very glad you two became…whatever you became and secretly have. Finally."

"Thank you," Kim genuinely replied. She helped Hailey straighten the off-the-shoulder straps then stepped around her to zip it up. Hugging her from behind, she said quietly, "I'm very happy for you and Jay as well. This feels unreal. It might be a vow renewal, but it's still very much something worth celebrating."

Hailey let out a soft breath then turned to properly hug her. The two of them had a slow friendship, not having worked together until Hailey had been in Intelligence for close to a month. From there, they had a few disagreements on how to handle things, leading to a bit more tension when she dated Adam, until getting kidnapped together seemed to bond them for life.

She wasn't quite sure she'd say Kim was like a sister to her, but the woman was certainly more than just a friend. She'd offered both silent and verbal support over the years whether Hailey was struggling with her relationship with Jay or juggling the memories of her past. Hailey was grateful for those moments they shared, proud of them for creating something special within their male dominated field. On top of that, on a personal level, she was also proud of how far Kim had come as a cop. She'd watched a rather fresh cop in Intelligence grow into a solid partner and couldn't wait until she reached detective. It was going to be well-deserved and would warrant a celebration of its own – just like when Kevin and Adam inevitably reached that rank as well.

There were a lot of things their small group of friends would be able to celebrate in the coming years, and this seemed to be just the beginning. All the more reason why Hailey knew this vow renewal was the right thing to do. They all deserved a little happiness in their lives that were usually rather dark from the hours of 9-5…on a good day.

"Thank you," she whispered, "I'm really glad you're going to be there. I'm glad you're all going to be there."

"So are we," Kim said softly. Stepping back, a smirk crossed her face, and she put her hands on her hips. "While we are so happy for you both, we are also very excited to watch two of the most reserved people we know stand in front of all of us and say some romantic crap. It's going to put you out of your comfort zone, and we cannot wait. It's giving Platt on the news vibes."

Hailey, again, burst into laughter and shook her head. "Don't say that," she managed, "That did not end well at all. Tonight cannot end in a bomb no matter how nervous or vulnerable either of us is feeling."

Kim laughed softly and nodded. "Fair enough," she said, "No bombs, but lots of blushing and whistling – at least on our part."

Hailey rolled her eyes before looking down and brushing her hands over her dress.

"Okay, okay, I have water and a granola bar," Makayla announced while slowly walking into the bedroom.

Kim hurried over to grab the brimming cup of water and took a sip before passing the glass to Hailey. "Drink then eat some of this," she said, "You need energy before we head out."

Hailey nodded and sipped at the water. "Thank you, Mak," she said.

"You're welcome," Makayla replied while climbing on the end of the bed, "Are we going to have food tonight at this party?"

Hailey nodded again. "Uncle Jay is picking up a cake right now."

"And Platt's bringing appetizers," Kim said.

Hailey's eyes widened, and she looked over at her. "What?"

"Yeah, she said we'd need snacks since Molly's doesn't have food," Kim said with a shrug, "She was picking up a fruit tray, cheese, a couple things of hor doeuvres, I don't know, stuff like that."

Hailey glanced toward Makayla then said quietly, "This wasn't supposed to be a giant party."

"It's appetizers; she's not bringing steak," Kim said with a roll of her eyes, "Now, come on, where are your shoes? And do you have any jewelry? The party…ceremony…event is happening soon."

Makayla's eyes lit up, and she said, "I love jewelry. What do you have?"

Hailey looked over at her and relaxed with a smile. "Some earrings, bracelets, and a couple necklaces. Want to help me pick out the perfect set?"

Makayla nodded quickly and sat up on her knees on the bed.

As Hailey and Kim sorted through all the jewelry with her, Hailey felt her earlier nerves bubble up into excitement. Her silicone ring was still placed firmly on her ring finger, but now she was wearing the thin gold chain her uncle had given her upon her police academy graduation and the matching bracelet she'd bought herself a few weeks after that with her first paycheck. Makayla insisted she wear a pair of gold hoops, and Kim smiled while picking them up, telling her daughter some old memory of her parents having a night out with Aunt Hailey and Uncle Jay before any of them started dating. It was all a happy memory, especially when Hailey remembered that they'd been at Molly's the night Kim was talking about.

Now, she was off to that same bar to renew her vows.

Hailey realized that while she and Jay might have told their friends that today's party was supposed to be small and not a big deal, they might as well have been talking to a brick wall.

As she approached Molly's with Kim and Makayla and the sun setting behind them, she spotted two signs outside the bar that just about stopped her in her tracks:

Molly's to close at 6pm in preparation for event tonight.

They still do! Welcome to Jay and Hailey's vow renewal!

"That's cute," Kim said while taking her phone out of her purse to take a picture of the bigger sign as Makayla ran inside the bar.

Hailey let out a breath and brushed her sweaty palms over her waist. "This is it, huh? My wedding."

"Well, technically it's a vow renewal ceremony," Kim said with a smile. She laughed when Hailey crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, okay, maybe it's a real wedding, but that's okay. Everyone deserves a fancy wedding."

"You do realize I liked how my wedding went the first time around, right?" Hailey countered.

Kim softened and walked over to her. Lightly grabbing Hailey's arms, she said, "I do. We all do. That's not at all what any of this is. We just want you two to see how much we love you and how much we want you two to have this. You had a rough go at your marriage this last year, and…" She stopped to take a breath and glance over her shoulder before whispering, "Jay almost died. You two spent well-over a week at a military hospital and then had a really hard return home. We're celebrating you two and the fact that you both survived. It's not a bad thing. And, based on what you're wearing right now and the roses in your hand, I have a feeling you also want to celebrate all of that."

Hailey blushed and looked down at her dress. All of what Kim had said was exactly right. She did want to celebrate her life with Jay and everything they've gone through. She'd told herself for the past few weeks that they could have a more traditional wedding ceremony than before and that she'd always wanted to have a wedding and feel like a princess. That hadn't been a lie. This was her chance to fulfill that little wish from her childhood to stand next to the man she loved and promise forever.

It didn't mean she wasn't nervous to do so, though. Like Kim had teased, she'd never been the girl who loved any form of PDA, and a wedding was about as PDA as she could get. But she'd be with Jay and everyone who was watching was someone who loved them both and wanted the best for them, so it was going to be okay.

She was going to be okay.

"Okay," she breathed, "You're right. I…I'm fine. This was just a bit more than I was expecting."

"Oh, come on," Kim said softly with a light shove to her arm, "You know Platt loves planning parties."

Hailey laughed quietly and nodded. "I do. She also loves to take credit for much of mine and Jay's relationship, so I really shouldn't have been surprised that she would have stepped in and made all of this happen."

"Exactly," Kim laughed, "Now, come on. I think everyone's already here."

Hailey glanced around at the few cars surrounding the area and asked, "Do I really want to ask how you know that?"

"Probably not," Kim replied. She lightly grabbed Hailey's hand and tugged her inside.

Like always, the lights were strung around Molly's, but now there were platters of food along the bar and a big cake at the end. Hailey smiled and walked over to it: a two-tiered round cake with white frosting and simple decorations throughout. Trudy had given them a small heart cake topper that was resting at the top, surrounded by Jay and Hailey Forever in frosted writing. She had to admit that it was cheesy and more than either of them really asked for, but that was exactly what Kim had been talking about and how she felt herself about the entire party: this was meant to be a fun celebration; it was okay to be a little cheesy.

"Okay, so you wait here," Kim began while leading the way to the door to the outdoor patio, "And I'll go make sure everyone is ready. I'll come get you when we're set."

Hailey nodded and leaned against the bar as she watched Kim hurry out of the room. Taking a deep breath, she worked on calming the still bubbling nerves in her stomach.

The night she got married to Jay, she hadn't had these nerves. They'd had to quite literally run off to make it before the courthouse closed, so any nerves she had were for making sure they got there before 6pm. Besides that, she'd never felt so sure of anything in her life. She was going to marry Jay whether the courthouse was open or not – there was always Vegas and extra vacation days even if Jay reminded her that she'd told him before Vegas marriages didn't count. She didn't care. She wanted Jay as her husband.

Now, she wanted to solidify that even more. Jay was her husband, and he was always going to be her husband. Nothing and no one could take him away from her – not even his own fears that he wasn't good enough for her. He was a good man and a good person. He was all she wanted – all she ever wanted.

And now was her chance to tell the world.

"Hey, we're ready," Kim said when she poked her head back in the bar.

Hailey nodded and straightened up. She lightly brushed her hand over her hair and made sure it was all pushed to the side how she wanted it. With another deep breath and her hands wrapped tightly around her rose bouquet, she walked over to step outside.

She couldn't help but let out a soft laugh at the first glance of everyone seated and waiting for her to come out. There were the firefighters and doctors she'd known for years at the surrounding picnic tables, and all her friends from Intelligence were sitting at the front near an archway she could have sworn she'd seen in Kim and Adam's backyard last Fall near the garden they had built and wanted to finish this year.

It was there, though, that her eyes were drawn. Jay was standing in his suit, his own eyes drawn right back toward her that he then quickly wiped. He nervously smiled and took a deep breath before mouthing, 'Hi.'

She nervously laughed and shook her head. "What even?" she breathed.

He chuckled and shrugged.

Will reached over to squeeze his shoulders then nodded Hailey toward them.

Her eyes shifted over to Kevin standing on Jay's other side, and he winked at her, causing her to laugh again.

Wetting her lips quickly, she nodded and began stepping forward only for music to start playing loudly from an overhead speaker as everyone stood up.

"Sorry, sorry," Adam said as he worked at his phone.

"You had one job," Kelly called out.

Hailey laughed with everyone else, but still ignored them and the quieting music as she finally walked down a makeshift aisle.

Jay held his hand out for her when she approached him and lightly squeezed her fingers once they met. "You look beautiful," he whispered.

"Thank you," she whispered back, "And you look very handsome."

Jay smiled at her words and, once again, wiped at his eyes where she could see that a few tears had formed.

She gently dropped his hand to reach up and brush her fingers along his cheek. "It's finally happening," she breathed.

Jay hummed and put a hand on her waist. "We did it."

"Well, I don't know if you've really done it yet," Kevin interrupted with a quiet laugh, "You two want to get started?"

Hailey laughed softly and nodded. "We do." She spotted Jay's free hand hanging at his side, so she turned and smiled wide at Trudy sitting so close to her. "Do you mind?" she whispered while holding her rose bouquet out to her.

Trudy shook her head and reached out to accept the flowers. "Not at all," she said softly.

Turning back to Jay, she grabbed his free hand and looked at Kevin. "Ready," she said.

"Then let's get going," Kevin chuckled. He cleared his throat then looked out at everyone. "Thank you all for coming to Jay and Hailey's vow renewal. This is way more than they wanted, and I think that is perfect because we all like watching these two confident people squirm."

Hailey laughed with Jay and squeezed his hands again.

"I'm honored they asked me to be a part of it," Kevin continued, "They are two of the best people I know, and they've been through hell and back, so they deserve a fresh start. Plus, they denied us all this moment the first time around, so it's time we get to watch them get married."

Jay smiled at Hailey and winked. She knew neither of them would ever regret how their wedding actually went, but this right now with everyone they cared about sitting around them gave a certain happy feeling to the ceremony that hadn't existed at the courthouse. Maybe this was how it all needed to go: a private ceremony just them followed up by a party with their friends. Everything really did work out in the end.

"Hailey, do you want to say any vows first?" Kevin asked.

She nodded and took a deep breath. Brushing her thumb over the back of Jay's hand, she softly said, "I love you. I know I've said that a lot over the past couple months, but it will always be true. I truly cannot imagine my life with anyone else. You are smart, funny, kind, and the best person I know. Our time apart was hard because you are my other half – a piece of me was missing that made life feel impossible. You are everything I ever wanted in a partner both at work and in my home. You have taught me kindness and determination and that there is good in the world. You taught me that love exists. Years ago, we sat in my bed together, and you told me that I was worthy of being loved, and then you put everything into actually proving those words to me. That was…Jay, that was everything I could have ever wanted. Thank you for loving me, and thank you for believing in me. I don't know how I can ever repay you for the life you've given me. I love you so much, thank you."

Jay sniffled then dropped her hand to reach out and brush his thumb under her eye. When he did so, she realized she'd begun crying at some point while sharing her words with him. He was one of the few people in the world who could get her to say anything of the sort, and he was one of the few people who get her to cry while doing so. But what she felt toward him was so honest and true that her emotions couldn't do anything else but overflow through her tears. He was everything to her, and he deserved to know; everyone needed to know how she felt, and they could clearly see it on her face right now.

"I love you too," Jay replied, "I always have. That love that I feel for you is what has kept me going since October. When everything was going down and I thought I didn't have a future whether that be here in Chicago or just in general at Walter Reed, you were this light that led me home. You will always be my home, Hailey, and I will always believe in you. You are the best thing that has ever been mine, and I promise to always be yours."

He stopped to take a deep breath then turned back to Will who nodded with a smile and reached into his suit pocket. Will placed something in his outreached hand and winked at him.

Jay's hand shook slightly as he held up a thin gold ring. "I know we said no new rings, but I couldn't help it. Actually, I needed to get this for you. You said I was a light in your life, and I promise you that you are the light of mine. I hope that when you wear this ring-" He paused to lift her left hand and slide the ring right next to her silicone one. "You'll be reminded that you are just like this diamond: you are beautiful and valuable, and you are everything that everyone wants in life. I am grateful every day to be married to you, and I don't know if I can ever thank you enough for sticking around with me. You didn't give up on me when times got tough, and I promise to do the same for you. I love you more than anything, Hailey, and I swear to you that that will never change."

She weakly laughed as she tore her watering eyes from his to look down at the tiny ring and small diamond now wrapped around her finger. It was so simple, but so beautiful, and she couldn't help but believe him. She was a good person, and so was he. They were meant to be together.

"Forever," she whispered.

"Always," Jay replied before leaning forward to kiss her cheek.

"Well, damn, didn't know you two had it in you."

Hailey was torn out of her bubble with Jay by Kevin's voice and let out a soft laugh. Glancing at him, she smiled and said, "I told you I can be romantic."

"Clearly," Kevin chuckled, "All right, do we do the official stuff now?"

"I think so," Jay answered with a wink to Hailey.

She smiled and nodded, placing her hands back in his.

"Okay, let's see here," Kevin said quietly while pulling a folded piece of paper from his pocket. He took a deep breath then turned toward Hailey. "Do you, Hailey Upton, reaffirm your love for Jay, and will you love, honor, and cherish him in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better and for worse, and be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?"

Hailey felt her face light up even more as she said, "I do."

Kevin smiled at her and nodded before saying, "And do you, Jay Halstead, reaffirm your love for Hailey, and will you love, honor, and cherish her in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better and for worse, and be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Jay said, squeezing her hands gently.

"Then, with the power vested in me by you two," Kevin said with a smirk, "I pronounce you husband and wife, again." He lightly hit Jay's arm and said, "You may kiss your bride."

Jay laughed softly and slipped his hands to Hailey's waist to tug her closer to him and kiss her. She smiled against his lips and pressed up onto her tiptoes to get as close as possible to him.

"I love you," he murmured while pressing his forehead to hers, ignoring all the cheers and clapping behind them.

"I love you too," she whispered. Her eyelashes brushed against his skin as she blinked against the last few tears in her eyes before she wrapped her arms around him and faced everyone watching them with a smile on her face.

Trudy was waving at her with her bouquet, and Makayla was jumping up and down in front of her seat while clapping. Adam whistled, and Kim was wiping her eyes over her smile as Dante laughed and cheered with everyone else. They were all just a small portion of the people celebrating them – Hailey could feel all of it brush over her. It was the most love she'd felt in a while, and she knew this was exactly why people had weddings.

Not only did she reassert her love to Jay, but they were also receiving so much love in turn from everyone else who mattered in their lives. It was everything she knew she deserved in life, and she knew it because of Jay. He really was the perfect light in her life and everything she ever needed. All of this was because of her relationship with him, and she swore she was going to be grateful for it everyday of her life going forward.

Stella then stepped into the aisle and announced, "We have drinks and food inside for anyone interested. There's a special Halstead Whiskey Sour I created for our friends on their special day, so I'll get those going in a minute. Feel free to stay a while and celebrate!"

Hailey laughed and looked up at Jay. "Do we want to know what a Halstead Whiskey Sour is?"

"I know I want you to drink one," he chuckled. He kissed her forehead and asked, "Wanna go get one with me?"

She smiled and nodded, but before she could even think of answering, Trudy was at her side pushing the roses back in her hands and demanding pictures. Kim was right behind her agreeing and pointing out where to stand.

It all caused Hailey to laugh in disbelief: she'd had a big wedding without even planning for a big wedding. The reality, though, was that she loved it.

She had limited pictures, mostly selfies, of her first wedding day, and while those pictures were incredibly special and could never be replaced, she knew she was going to truly cherish these new pictures for a long time - even if Makayla was making faces in a couple of them or if Kevin somehow became impossible to find after five minutes or if Trudy insisted on multiple of Hailey alone. Standing in front of everyone, though, as she had her picture taken countless times, Hailey felt happy to be there. Her idea of a vow renewal evolved over the past few weeks, but it became everything she needed and more.

The Halstead Whiskey Sour Stella created included blackberry. Stella thought it would go along with the white chocolate raspberry cake Jay had picked out, and Hailey had to admit that she was right. She didn't drink too many, though, choosing to hold onto one for the better part of an hour as she sipped at it and talked to everyone who came to the party before grabbing another. She wanted to remember the entire night and had no intention of getting so drunk she couldn't walk straight.

Jay agreed, sticking to her side and catching up with all his friends he hadn't seen much since coming home. Hailey enjoyed listening to him talk and watching his eyes light up at the mention of his new job. He was excited for what was to come, and so was she, but they also had so much to do before any of that happened, and she knew in her gut that was a good thing. They deserved their second chance at a honeymoon, and it couldn't come soon enough.

Until then, though, Hailey kept her focus on everyone that was there in Molly's and did her best to soak it in. Everything from the music and the lights to the cake and the drinks to even what everyone was wearing needed to stick in her memory forever.

Perhaps her favorite moment came while she was talking to Joe Cruz's wife at the outdoor bar over a piece of cake. Within a few minutes, Jay returned to her side from going to the bathroom and placed a hand on her waist.

"Dance with me?" he whispered in her ear.

She smiled and nodded before excusing herself from Chloe. Taking Jay's hand, she let him lead her to the middle of the patio as a slow song began on the stereo.

They hadn't had a first dance at their wedding, and she hadn't cared at the time, but now in Jay's arms with their friends all around them, she realized how special the moment was. He swayed her in time with the music, brushing his thumb over her back as they moved together. With the patio lights and the moon shining down on them, she let everything else fade away and only focused on her husband – the way his eyes reflected those sparking lights, how his suit jacket felt beneath her arms, the way in which his hair had fallen against his forehead, and, mostly, his smile that lit up the second they found themselves dancing together to the music - a Beatles song they'd yet to dance to in their apartment together.

"This feels good," Jay said softly, "I guess I really did want a wedding."

She laughed and nodded, brushing her fingers over the back of his neck. "I think I did too, but I also think this was a much better way to do it. We needed to do it on our own the first time, and then we needed to lean on each other through everything. This time around, we needed our friends, and, because of that, we needed a wedding and a party."

Jay hummed at that and tightened his hold on her. Resting his head against hers, he murmured, "We learned that while we might be the most important people to each other, there are a lot more people that are also really important to us, and we can't keep them out. Not anymore."

Hailey nodded again and took a deep breath. Looking over at Trudy at the bar, who happened to also be watching her, she smiled and whispered, "This was for more than just us."

Jay kissed the side of her head and said, "Of course. But…Hailey?"

She hummed and closed her eyes as she rested her head to the middle of his chest.

"This made me really excited for us. I was honestly still nervous about the job and the rest of getting better and just everything, but after today and listening to everything you had to say both up there with Kevin and then throughout the rest of the party with our friends, it made me realize we have so much more to look forward to. We're more than just our past."

Hailey was glad her eyes were closed so she could easily hide the tears that had sprung to them at Jay's words. She buried her face further in Jay's chest and slowly breathed him in because he was right: there was so much to look forward to after tonight, it really was the start of a new chapter.

Everyone started leaving Molly's around midnight, and Hailey had no complaints. Jay wanted to leave their house by 10am so they could get to the house they were renting around lunchtime. She already knew that they'd probably be out of the apartment even earlier than that, so sleep felt necessary.

But then Jay helped her climb into his truck and his hands began to wander and sleep was the last thing on her mind.

When they walked hand-in-hand into their building's elevator, she couldn't help but let her eyes rake over Jay, his loosened tie, and free hand stuffed in his pocket. "Did you have fun?" she asked softly.

He chuckled and leaned against the wall, tugging her hips closer to his. "I did," he replied, "It was…an incredible night."

Hailey hummed and nodded before pushing up to kiss him. "It's not done, though, right?"

Jay laughed against her lips and murmured, "No, not at all."

Hailey trailed her hands down Jay's chest, slowly unbuttoning his shirt as she went. "Feeling okay?"

Jay pulled back slightly to raise an eyebrow and say, "You're really going to dampen the mood with that question?"

Hailey huffed slightly and slid her hand up to the back of his hair. "Yes; I just want to make sure you're okay before-"

The door made a ding as it opened, and they both glanced toward it.

A smirk spread across Jay's face, and he moved his hands to her thighs. "Before this?" he asked as he gripped onto her and lifted her into his arms.

Hailey gasped softly and said, "Jay, only if you're sure."

"I'm very sure," he breathed before kissing her.

She moaned and wrapped her legs around his waist, her fingers threading through his hair as his own tightened against her thighs.

"There's an extra benefit to the slit in the dress," Jay chuckled into the kiss while carrying her out of the elevator and down the hall.

"Shut up," she murmured.

Jay laughed harder, tightening his hold on her as he brought her down to their apartment. "I love you so much."

She smiled and tilted her head back to get a better look at him. "Forever?"

"Always," he replied. He kissed her again before quickening his pace and reaching their door.

As he tried balancing her against his chest, she shook her head and placed a hand on the side of his face. "Let me," she said softly.

She knew that there would be no issues with Jay holding her in one arm the year before, but now he wasn't really even supposed to be lifting anything too heavy, and she didn't want to push their luck, so she slipped her hand down into his suit jacket and pulled the keys out of his pocket. She half-expected Jay to argue and say he could get it, but, instead, he nodded and rubbed his thumbs along her dress as he stepped to the side and let her lean over to unlock the door.

Hailey smiled wide when she pushed the door open to reveal their apartment. "Welcome home, Mr. Halstead."

Jay laughed and carried her to the bedroom. "Are we playing that game?" he asked, "Are we a Mr. and Mrs. tonight?"

Hailey laughed softly and kissed him before he could drop her onto the mattress. "You want me to be a Mrs. Halstead?"

Jay hummed and crawled on top of her. He began kissing down her jaw and whispered in her ear, "I want you to do whatever you want to do, remember?"

Hailey let out a breathy laugh and tipped her head back. Wrapping her legs around him again, she said, "I remember, but do you remember that I want you? I choose you."

"How could I forget?" Jay asked. He placed a kiss to the base of her throat and added, "Was one of the best days of my life."

Hailey smiled and fluttered her eyes close at the feeling of Jay's hands slipping beneath the edge of her dress. The white material pooled around her as he worked to pull her matching underwear down as well. She let her head fall to the side and breathed, "Let's make this one of the best days ever too."

Jay chuckled against her warm skin and said, "Oh, it already has been, but I'm one hundred percent planning on kicking it up to that number one spot."

Hailey moaned softly and lifted her hips off the mattress. "I love you."

Jay squeezed her hips and sucked a mark beneath her ear. "I love you too."

Late in the night or early in the morning, depending on the way Hailey looked at it, she found herself laying on her back atop the blankets as Jay slowly traced his pointer finger along every birthmark, scar, and freckle that graced her skin. She hazily smiled up at him as warmth radiated off of her, still feeling every spot he had placed his lips on her skin. The heat of his breath still danced over her, leaving echoes of the words he'd murmured against her throughout the night. She could have fallen asleep at the slow, gentle movements had her eyes not been so drawn to his above her.

"Can I tell you a secret?" he eventually whispered.

Hailey hummed and shakily reached up with her left hand to cup his cheek in her hold.

Jay turned his head to press a kiss to her palm then murmured, "I came up with that ring metaphor about ten minutes before you walked down the aisle, but I don't know if I could have said anything more perfect."

Hailey's smile widened, and she pulled her hand back slightly to get a better look at the gold ring reflecting the soft light off of it. "I loved it," she said softly, "It was thoughtful and…and I believed you. I felt beautiful tonight when standing across from you. Actually, I feel beautiful now too."

Jay smiled back at her and leaned down to press a long kiss to her forehead. He flattened his palm to her belly and said, "I can never decide when I think you look the most beautiful, but now is a really strong contender. You look so vulnerable and at peace, and I'm the only person who gets to see you like this. It's special."

"It is special," Hailey replied. She reached back up to brush the backs of her fingers to his cheek. Her eyes flickered down his scarred chest, and she took a deep breath. "We trust each other, and we love each other, and that is…Jay, that's everything I've ever wanted in life. Thank you for giving it to me."

He nodded slowly then tilted his head down to catch her lips in his.

As he climbed back on top of her, Hailey couldn't care whether she thought she needed sleep or if her body still buzzed with the excitement of the night. She'd finally reached everything she'd ever wanted in life: she'd found someone who loved her unconditionally as she was. He didn't want to change her and supported everything she did while also being the best man he could be.

That was what marriage needed to be, and that was the marriage that she had found: the marriage and the love that she deserved.

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed! I've actually never written an Upstead wedding before, so it was fun to give it a shot :)

This is also the last update this fic will be getting for a while as I take some time off from writing and posting. I hope to be back, refreshed and better than before, before you know it :)