The next morning, Kim Burgess strides into the bustling bullpen, her gaze scanning the familiar desks.
But Jay Halstead is conspicuously absent from his usual spot. She approaches the unit, her voice edged with concern. "Where's Jay?"
Ruzek glances up from his paperwork. "Dunno. Maybe he overslept."
Atwater nods. "Yeah, it happens."
Kim's frustration bubbles up. "No, you don't understand. Jay never sleeps past his alarm. Something's wrong."
She pulls out her phone, dialing Jay's number. Voicemail. Panic tightens her chest. "He's not answering."
Voight raises an eyebrow. "Burgess, calm down. He's probably fine."
But Kim can't shake the feeling that something's off. Jay Halstead, the guy who's always punctual, wouldn't just oversleep. She blurts out, "He never oversleeps. It's not like him."
Hailey grabs her jacket, her expression determined. "Let's find him, Kim."
Together, they head out of the bullpen, their footsteps echoing down the hallway.
Kim and Hailey rush to Jay's apartment building, their footsteps echoing in the hallway.
As they approach the elevator, Kim's heart races. She glances at Hailey, her expression a mix of concern and worry. The doors slide open, and they step inside, the tension palpable.
The ride up feels interminable. Kim's mind races with questions. Why hadn't Jay been at his desk? Was he okay? She clenches her fists, her resolve hardening. She won't rest until she knows he's safe.
Finally, they reach Jay's floor. Kim bolts out of the elevator, her eyes scanning the hallway. And there it is—Jay's truck parked in the driveway. Relief floods through her.
He's here. He's okay.
She rushes to his door, fumbling with the keys. Hailey follows close behind, her gaze steady.
The apartment is eerily empty and dark. Jay Halstead is nowhere to be seen. Kim Burgess and Hailey Upton, both on high alert, pull their guns out and methodically search the rooms. Hailey's smirk is barely concealed as she declares, "Clear, except for Jay's bedroom."
Kim shoots her a look. "Shut up, Upton."
They step into Jay's room, and there he is—fast asleep, his face pressed against the wall. Kim walks over, gently shaking him awake.
Jay stirs, letting out a painful sigh as he blinks up at Kim and Hailey. His brow furrows, confusion evident in his eyes. "Why are you both here?"
Kim crosses her arms, her expression stern. "You weren't at your desk this morning. We got worried."
Hailey smirks. "Yeah, Halstead, oversleeping isn't your style."
Jay winces, rubbing his temples. "I'm ill. Fever, headache—the works."
Kim steps closer, concern etching her features. "Let me check." She reaches out, feeling his forehead. "Definitely warm."
Kim gently lifts Jay's arms, helping him remove the overheating jumper. He groans in pain, his eyes fluttering open. "Kim," he whispers.
She shushes him, her touch soothing. "You can lie down in a second. Let's get you more comfortable."
Kim gently places the duvet back over Jay, tucking him in with care. She leans down and plants a soft kiss on his nose. Jay wrinkles it, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I can see you," he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper.
Kim smiles back, whispering,
"Rest now."
She straightens up and quietly leaves the room, closing the door behind her.
In the hallway, Hailey raises an eyebrow. "What was that all about?"
Kim sighs, a mix of emotions flickering across her face. "Just taking care of my partner."
Hailey smirks. "Sure, partner."
And as they walk back to the bullpen, Kim can't help but wonder if there's more to her feelings for Jay than she's willing to admit.
Kim balances the tray carefully as she heads back to Jay's room. Before she enters, she turns to Hailey. "I'll be down in a couple of hours. Just want to make sure he's okay."
Hailey smirks, leaning against the doorframe. "You two gonna snuggle?"
Kim rolls her eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Just taking care of my partner, Hailey."
Hailey chuckles. "Sure, Kim."
Kim shakes her head, pushing the door open and stepping inside. Jay looks up, his eyes tired but grateful. "What's all this?" he asks, eyeing the tray.
"Just a little something to help you feel better," Kim says, setting the tray down beside him. "Noodle soup, some chocolate, orange juice, and cheese."
Jay's smile is genuine. "Thanks, Kim."
She sits down beside him, her hand resting on his arm. "Get some rest. I'll be here if you need anything."
And as Jay drifts back to sleep, Kim can't help but feel a warmth in her chest.
Kim settles back into the chair beside Jay's bed, watching him sip the noodle soup. After a moment, she glances around the room, noticing a few clothes scattered about.
"Hey, Jay," she says softly, "do you have anything that needs washing? I can throw a load in for you."
Jay looks up, a bit surprised. "You don't have to do that, Kim."
She smiles, shaking her head. "I know I don't have to. I want to. Besides, it'll give me something to do while you rest."
He nods, appreciating the gesture. "Thanks. There's a basket in the closet. Just some shirts and stuff."
Kim stands up, heading to the closet.
Kim carefully carries the laundry basket downstairs, her mind still on Jay and how she can make him more comfortable. As she reaches the bottom of the stairs, Hailey is there, leaning casually against the wall with a knowing smirk on her face.
"Doing laundry now, Kim?" Hailey teases, raising an eyebrow.
Kim rolls her eyes but can't help the small smile that forms. "Just trying to help out. Jay needs to rest, and this gives me something to do."
Hailey chuckles, shaking her head. "You're really going all out for him, huh?"
Kim shrugs, trying to play it off. "He's my partner. It's what we do for each other."
Hailey's smirk widens. "Sure, partner."
Kim sighs, but there's a warmth in her eyes. "You know, Hailey, sometimes it's just about being there for someone."
Hailey nods, her expression softening slightly. "I get it. Just don't forget to take care of yourself too, okay?"
Kim smiles, appreciating the concern. "I won't. Thanks, Hailey."
As Kim heads to the laundry room, she can't help but think about Hailey's words.
Kim finishes loading the laundry and sets the machine to start. She takes a deep breath, feeling a sense of satisfaction from helping out. As she walks back to the main area, she sees Hailey still lounging around, scrolling through her phone.
"All done?" Hailey asks, looking up with a grin.
"Yeah, just waiting for it to finish," Kim replies, joining her.
Just then, they hear footsteps on the stairs. Both women look up to see Jay slowly making his way down, clutching a duvet around him. Kim's eyes widen in surprise.
"Jay, what are you doing down here?" she asks, concern lacing her voice.
Jay pouts slightly, looking a bit sheepish. "I was feeling a bit lonely up there. Thought I'd come down and join you guys."
Kim shakes her head, a fond smile on her face. "You should be resting. Come on, let's get you back to bed."
Jay sighs but doesn't resist as Kim gently guides him back upstairs. Hailey watches them go, a soft smile playing on her lips. "You two are something else," she mutters to herself, shaking her head.
Back in Jay's room, Kim helps him settle back into bed, tucking the duvet around him. "There, comfortable?" she asks.
Jay nods, his eyes already starting to droop. "Yeah, thanks, Kim."
She sits beside him, her hand resting on his arm. "Get some rest. I'll be here if you need anything."
As Jay drifts off to sleep, Kim can't help but feel that warmth in her chest again. Maybe Hailey was right.
Later in the evening, the house is quiet. Kim is upstairs with Jay, who has finally fallen into a deep, restful sleep. She sits beside him on the bed, gently holding him in her arms, feeling a sense of peace and contentment.
Unbeknownst to them, Hailey has quietly made her way upstairs. She peeks into the room and sees the tender moment between Kim and Jay. A mischievous smile spreads across her face as she pulls out her phone and snaps a quick photo.
Hailey quickly sends the photo to the unit's group chat with a playful caption: "Caught in the act! 😏 #PartnersInCrime"
Almost immediately, replies start flooding in:
Adam: "Aww, that's adorable! 😍
Kevin: "Finally! We've all been waiting for this. 😂"
Trudy: "About time they admitted it. 😉"
Hailey chuckles softly to herself, pleased with the reactions. She quietly steps back, leaving Kim and Jay to their moment.
As Kim and Jay snuggle up, enjoying the quiet moment together, their phones suddenly start buzzing incessantly. Kim reaches over to grab her phone, curiosity piqued. She unlocks it and sees a flood of messages from their unit's group chat.
"What's going on?" Jay asks, his voice still groggy from sleep.
Kim chuckles, showing him the screen. "Looks like Hailey couldn't resist sharing a little moment."
Jay's eyes widen as he sees the photo of them snuggling, along with all the playful comments from their colleagues. "Oh, great," he mutters, though there's a hint of a smile on his face.
Kim laughs, scrolling through the messages:
Adam: "Aww, that's adorable! 😍
Kevin: "Finally! We've all been waiting for this. 😂"
Trudy: "About time they admitted it. 😉"
Jay shakes his head, a smile tugging at his lips. "Well, I guess the secret's out."
Kim leans in, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. "I guess it is. But maybe it's not such a bad thing."
Jay wraps his arms around her, pulling her closer. "Yeah, maybe not."
As they settle back into their cozy embrace, the buzzing of their phones fades into the background.