The next morning, the unit was back at their shared apartment, the excitement of the previous day's events still lingering in the air. The apartment was filled with the sounds of breakfast being made and light-hearted chatter.

Jay grabbed his jacket, preparing to head out. As he moved towards the door, the unit couldn't help but comment.

"Where are you off to so early?" Atwater asked, raising an eyebrow.

Jay shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. "Just need to clear my head a bit. I'll be back soon."

Voight smirked. "Don't get lost again, Halstead."

Upton chuckled. "Yeah, we don't want another Tokyo subway incident."

Jay laughed, shaking his head. "I'll be fine. See you guys later."

As he stepped out, Erin watched him go, a thoughtful expression on her face. Kim noticed and nudged her gently. "He'll be back soon. Don't worry."

Erin nodded, smiling. "I know. Just making sure he's okay."

Later that morning, Kim and Erin were chatting in the living room when they noticed Ashley sitting alone on the balcony, nursing a beer. Concerned, they exchanged glances and decided to check on her.

They walked over and joined Ashley, who looked up with a faint smile. "Hey, guys."

"Hey, Ashley," Kim said gently. "Everything okay?"

Ashley sighed, taking a sip of her beer. "Not really. Jay didn't talk to me this morning. He just left without saying anything."

Erin frowned, sitting down beside her. "That doesn't sound like Jay. Did something happen?"

Ashley shook her head. "No, everything was fine last night. I just… I don't know. Maybe he's having second thoughts."

Kim placed a reassuring hand on Ashley's shoulder. "I'm sure that's not it. Jay probably just needed some time to think. Yesterday was a big day for both of you."

Erin nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Jay's not the type to just walk away. He'll come back and explain. Just give him some time."

Ashley looked at them, her eyes filled with uncertainty. "I hope you're right. I just want to understand what's going on."

Kim smiled warmly. "We'll figure it out together. You're not alone in this."

The three women sat together, offering support and comfort to Ashley as they waited for Jay to return and clear the air.

Five hours later, Jay returned to the apartment. He walked in, looking a bit worn out, and headed straight for the couch. He sat down heavily, pulling his shirt out to get more comfortable, and grabbed a beer from the coffee table.

The unit, scattered around the living room, watched him with curiosity and concern.

"Long walk, Jay?" Atwater asked, raising an eyebrow.

Voight leaned back in his chair. "You look like you've been through the wringer."

Lindsay added, "Everything okay?"

Jay took a long sip of his beer, then looked around at everyone. "What? I'm fine."

Kim, standing near the kitchen, exchanged a glance with Erin. "You sure? You were gone for a while."

Jay sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, just needed some time to think. It's been a lot to process."

Erin walked over and sat beside him. "We're here for you, Jay. You don't have to go through this alone."

Jay nodded, appreciating the support. "Thanks, Erin. I just needed to clear my head. I'll talk to Ashley in a bit."

Ashley, who had been quietly watching from the balcony, stepped inside. "Jay, can we talk?"

Jay looked up at her, his expression softening. "Yeah, let's talk."

The unit gave them some space, knowing that they needed to sort things out.

As Jay and Ashley talked in a quieter corner, the rest of the unit gathered in the living room, trying to figure out why Jay had been gone for so long.

Atwater leaned back on the couch, arms crossed. "So, any theories on why Jay took off for five hours?"

Voight shrugged. "Maybe he needed some space after everything that happened yesterday. Proposals can be a lot to process."

Lindsay nodded. "Yeah, but he could have at least told Ashley. She was really worried."

Kim, who had been listening quietly, spoke up. "Jay's always been the type to think things through on his own. Remember when we were kids? He'd disappear for hours, just to clear his head."

Erin, sitting nearby, added, "He probably just needed time to wrap his head around everything. Yesterday was a big day for him and Ashley."

Adam chimed in, "I get that, but he should have talked to her. Communication is key, especially now that they're engaged."

The unit nodded in agreement, understanding the importance of Jay and Ashley working through this together.

Just then, Jay and Ashley rejoined the group, looking more at ease. Jay took a seat on the couch, grabbing his beer and taking a long sip.

Atwater couldn't resist. "So, Jay, care to share why you were gone for so long?"

Jay looked around at his friends, then shrugged. "I just needed some time to think. Yesterday was a lot to take in."

Voight smirked. "You could have told us. We were starting to think you got lost again."

Jay chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm fine, really. Just needed to clear my head."

Kim smiled, understandingly. "Well, we're glad you're back. Just remember, we're all here for you."

Jay nodded, appreciating the support. "Thanks, guys. I won't disappear like that again."