Wes pays the bill, off his insistence, and they make their way outside to see their driver already waiting. They give him a nod and wave, signaling they'll be back soon and start making the short walk to the beach. It's quiet, aside from the ruffling waves, and the moon illuminates the whole area, making it look like a painting from a poem. They walk side by side in silence, occasionally bumping into the other in their drunken state, or that's what they'd blame it on anyway. Some unconscious level probably has them purposely doing it. They take a moment and stare out at the water before it's time to head back. Hailey breathes in deeply, feeling a sense of peace that she hasn't in a really long time.
"It's so beautiful!" She whispers.
"Yeah, it is." He concurs, but out of her peripheral vision she can see he's looking at her and not the water. She feels her cheeks start to burn and the butterflies she's been trying to squelch while around him again like this return.
He can sense she's experiencing a lot in this moment, so he gives her the out. "Come on, let's head back."
The ride back to the hotel is nearly the same, their bodies pressed tightly together, only this time there's no excuse since the shuttle is empty with plenty of seats to go around. Wes is feeling bold under all the alcohol so he tentatively reaches out for her hand that she in turn takes, and as they clasp them together she leans her head on his shoulder. Both watching the scenery out the window again, but enjoying being in the other's presence more. When they reach the hotel and in the elevator on the ride up to their floor, Hailey realizes she's not ready for the night to end. Even if it's a mistake, she doesn't care right now, she just wants to spend more time with her person. The one she's missed more than anything the past three years.
"Want to come in for another drink?" She asks as they reach her door.
He swallows hard. Wanting nothing more than to spend more time with her, but only if she's certain she wants the same.
"You sure?" He asks her tentatively, the question fully loaded and meaning so many things at once.
"Yeah. It's not terribly late and we didn't book our return flight until the afternoon anyway. It's the thing that works between us, remember?"
He smiles. "How can I forget?"
They enter her room and he locks the door behind him, bolting it for extra measure. Always in law enforcement mode in some form. They walk over to the mini bar and she grabs out two little bottles and pours them into the glasses on the counter. They sip quietly, letting the weight of the night simmer between them. They lean against the desk together and feel their hands touch. They both immediately feel the spark and the pull that was always between them. He softly rubs his pinky over hers and hears her quiet inhale. He turns his head and catches a tear running down her cheek.
"Hailey?" He turns into her immediately and encloses her loosely between his arms resting on the desk.
She lifts her head and stares up at him. "I wish you didn't leave…" she whispers.
He doesn't need an explanation to know she's referring to when they were married. To Bolivia. To regrettably walking away from the best thing in his life.
He opens his mouth to speak, but then quickly closes it. Knowing there's no other words he can say to apologize more for and make her realize how badly he wishes he could fix it all and take it back. He thinks he finally has to show her. Prove she's still, all these years later, the only love of his life. So he acts.
He leans down and kisses her gently. Just a small touching of their lips, showing her that he's here now, and to stay if she'd let him. She gasps softly when he pulls back a little, not expecting to bethisclose to him again. But she's tired of thinking and stewing, she just wants tofeelagain. So she grabs his neck and pulls his lips back to hers, kissing him hard and surprising him this time. He catches on quickly though and leans into her more as the kiss becomes a dual battle for dominance. He grabs her ass and swiftly lifts her onto the desk and she wastes no time wrapping her legs around him and pulling him in even kiss consumes them, thousands of miles away from the place they spent most of their lives, and yet it's the most at home either has felt since being with each other last. The kiss turns desperate; their lower halves starting to grind into the other, their breath hot and heavy. Hailey pulls back to quickly tug off his shirt and he wastes no time doing the same to hers. She brings his mouth back to hers as she runs her fingers through his hair and he unclasps her bra, still as effortlessly as if he had just done it yesterday, knowing exactly the kind of clasp she wears. He runs his lips down her neck and chest, drawing a moan from her that he quickly silences with his tongue. She has his belt off and pants down within seconds, and then he's lifting her again and shimmying them to the bed. He lightly throws her on it and yanks down her pants and panties and then crawls on top of her. They make out for a while longer until she pushes him off and flips them. Her now straddling him as he leans up to kiss her some more, not wanting to be separated for too long, too scared to wake up if this is all a dream. The desperation reminding them both of their wedding night. Only even more amplified because this time instead of going a few weeks without the other, it's been a few years. She feels him pulsing against her entrance, and she tries to choke back the emotional moan feeling him this way again, but fails.
"Jay…" she whispers out.
"Yeah, baby…" he replies, just as emotional, both of their eyes welling with tears.
It's almost too much for her, so she shifts and draws him in her, just wanting to feel now. No more thinking of lost time or things that could have been. Just focusing on the here and the now, and what could be… Every thrust and kiss seeming to heal the years of brokenness and pain they had without the other. And when morning came and arose a new day hours later and with limited sleeping, it also arose a new feeling of hope and promise. They were no longer the Jay and Hailey from their wedding night, but they could be better, matured versions of themselves. Even if one of them was going by a different name now. Maybe this was their gift of a second chance after all.
After they got back to Budapest days past, and then a week, and then a couple more before they knew it. They were the utmost professionals in front of the rest of the Fly Team still. They maintained Wes' cover and their cover story and didn't seem to draw any more attention to themselves. But when they were alone, they were still balancing out this new (old) thing between them. They still had a lot to sort through, and weren't certain where'd they'd go once this case was over, but they were enjoying getting to know each other again and spending time with the other.
While Smitty was briefing the rest of the team on something, Wes leaned into Hailey's ear. "You're coming over later right? I bought the ingredients to try to make that goulash we had in the restaurant last week."
She tries to hide her grin and remain neutral as she responds, "Yes."
"You know, if you wanted to save the U.S. government some money, you could just stay at mine and check out of the hotel…" he smirks as he sees her ears turning red, trying not to react.
"Wes!" she tries to reprimand. "I don't know, I kind of like having a pool on hand, not sure your place can top that!" she grins.
He's about to quip back when Smitty addresses him directly and he knows he has to hop back into boss mode, making a mental note to continue this conversation later tonight. Because while they have yet to catch Csonka, he can feel they're getting closer, and he'll be damned if the ending of this case becomes the end of them again. No, he's going to fight for Hailey with everything he has this time around.
His suspicions turned out to be correct because a week later the team gets their biggest lead yet on Csonka since the Portugal incident. They learned that Czonka was planning to strike a small warehouse the next night on the outskirts of the city to retrieve a shipment of stolen goods, using the teenagers he had manipulated. They knew it could be a trap to bait Wes and the team and ambush them, but this was still likely one of their best and only chances to get him. The team worked for hours on end hanging late in the office to formulate their best plan. When they were finally satisfied and too tired to go anymore, Wes sent them all home for a good morning's sleep by the time they wrapped. Hailey and Wes waited for everyone else to leave before they both got in his car to head back to his apartment. Both too tired and emotional to even keep up the façade of leaving separately at the moment if any of the team returned and caught them.
Wes made them coffee when they got back. He sat at the kitchen table sipping, his eyes tired, a little mentally drained. Hailey stood by the balcony window, staring out at the darkened city in the early morning hours, lost in thought. She hadn't said much since they returned, her fingers lightly tracing the rim of her mug as if hoping it would steady the storm in her mind.
"So, Tomorrow," Wes finally broke the silence, his voice quiet but firm, "we go in, it ends." Hoping just meaning the troubles with Csonka and not this resurrection between them.
Hailey nodded, but there was a heaviness in her expression that he caught instantly. She turned slightly, meeting his gaze across the room. The weight of it all- the case, the danger, the fragile thread holding them together, that brought them back to the other.
"Yeah," she said softly. "Tomorrow… But what about after?"
Wes' brows furrowed as he leaned back in his chair, his fingers absentmindedly tapping the edge of his cup patiently waiting for her to continue, praying she doesn't break his heart and say it's all over.
She walks over to him, her movements slow. "When the case is over… When everything goes back to normal…"
His eyes meet hers as they always so easily did, and for a long moment, neither spoke. They had both been through so much together, yet here they were, standing on the edge of something new, something they were both afraid to name, and afraid it would end as quickly as it started again.
"You think we can ever go back to the "normal" of the past few years?" He asked.
"I don't know." Hailey's voice broke just a little. "I mean, we've spent the last few weeks pretending like we're not…" She trailed off, unsure of how to finish the thought.
"Not what?" Wes prompted gently.
"Not more than just… divorced partners thrown together again. Not more than just two people who were working a case together again." She sighed, a soft exhale of frustration. "But we both know it's been more, at least for me…"
Wes stood up slowly, his gaze never leaving hers, raw truth hanging between them. "For me, too! You know that."
Hailey's heart skipped at the words, but before she could say anything more, Wes reached out, his hand brushing against hers. The contact was small, but it felt like everything. A reminder of what they had, what they could continue to have again.
"You're scared." he confirms quietly.
"Yeah. I am." She looks up at him, her eyes a little too bright in the low light.
He stepped closer, his hand now cupping her cheek, and she let her eyes fall shut for a second, allowing herself to lean into his touch. "Hailey," he murmured, his voice thick with something unspoken. "The thing is… if we get through tomorrow, if we catch Csonka and it's over, maybe we get to choose. Maybe we get to decide what happens next, not the past…"
The air between them thickened with possibility. For a moment, the weight of everything fell away- the case, the danger, the fear of what would come after. It was just them, standing on the edge of something they both knew could change everything, again. Wes leaned in slowly, his lips meeting hers in a kiss that spoke of everything they had been through and everything they could still be.
When they pulled apart, Wes rested his forehead against hers, their breaths mingling.
"One step at a time, right? No matter what happens tomorrow." The first part reiterating their reunion conversation again.
"Right!" she whispers back.
They didn't know what later would bring, or how the case would end, but for tonight, it was enough to know that whatever came next they were still in it together!
Hours later the operation was charged with tension. Hailey stood with Wes at a command post, surrounded by his team and a few other agents, each one ready to move. Their plan was simple: they would surround the warehouse and wait for Czonka to arrive.
"You ready for this?" Wes asked, his voice low, his eyes locked onto hers.
"As much as can be!" she replied, adrenaline coursing through her veins. They exchanged a knowing glance, a silent promise that they would look out for one another like they always did, and will.
As the hours dragged on, anticipation hung heavy in the air. Finally, a convoy of cars pulled up, and Wes' heart raced. Czonka had arrived. The team moved swiftly, deploying strategically as they surrounded the warehouse.
"On my mark," Wes whispered, and Hailey nodded, her focus sharpening. His team copying in the comms.
"Three… two… one… go!"
Chaos erupted as agents burst into the building. Hailey followed Wes inside, her instincts still sharp as they navigated through the shadows. They split up, scanning the area for Czonka. The tension was palpable, the threat of violence looming.
Suddenly, they heard a commotion in the back. Wes gestured to Hailey and they moved swiftly towards the noise. They found Czonka and some of his team surrounded by Vo, Raines, and a couple other agents, his face contorted in rage as he tried to fight his way out.
As Czonka's eyes focused on Wes and then onto Hailey, Wes' senses went on full alert. The evil man smirked and gave a nod, then Csonka broke free from Raines' hold and yanked up his gun as another marksman appeared from the top deck ready to take fire as well.
"GET DOWN!" Wes screamed, to the room, but his priority on Hailey.
The room exploded in action as shots were fired, and Hailey ducked behind a crate as Wes took cover opposite her. Long seconds later in a quick lull, Wes took the opportunity to pop back out. Hailey could see Wes' figure moving in the chaos, his determination clear. With a deep breath, she sprung out too, ready to cover him, just as she was steadying her aim, the marksman from above reloaded and shot to her chest, slamming her vest, the blowback pushing her back to the ground. Everything sped up even further from there as Vo sprung free and took out the marksman, and Wes' seeing red trying to get back to his wife moved a couple more steps closer to Csonka, aimed, and shot him dead between the eyes before the man could even pull his gun back around again.
"HAILEY!" Wes screamed as he ran over to her on the ground, her watching the scene unfold clutching her vest and trying to catch her breathe. He started checking her for an entry wound and stroking her hair, in clear panic mode.
"I'm okay, I'm okay!" she assures him. "He just got the vest!"
"Are you sure?" his emotions running rampant.
"Yeah. Here, help me sit up." She tells him and he does, she leans forward towards her knees as he checks her back and neck, trying to double check everything. "Nice shot!" she grins at him, trying to ease his worry.
"It would have been better if I had made it before his guy clipped you!" Wes shakes his head.
"Hey, look at me, I'm good, alright?" she rubs her hand along his cheek, neither caring about their surroundings at the moment.
"Okay. But you're still getting checked out." He sighs with relief. "We still make a pretty great team, don't we?"
"Yeah. I told you we were good together, remember?" she smiles, feeling the warmth between them swell.
He smiles back and then the moment is over as quickly as it started as his team comes rushing forth, stating they had ambulances on the way, and that the agents were already arresting the portion of Csonka's team that survived.
Thirty minutes later, Hailey and Wes are sitting on the back of an ambulance bay, reminding them of the time he got shot in the vest while trying to avenge his father. And far too many other ambulance rides that they didn't wish to tally up. The paramedic told Hailey she had some bruised ribs, so on her's and Wes' assistance, they'd be taking Hailey to the hospital just to get more thoroughly checked out. Before they take off, Vo walks over to them.
"Hey Hailey, how you feeling?"
"Not too bad, thank you. Just a little sore."
"You gave boss man here quite the scare, huh?" she teases them as they both stare up at her, realizing maybe they weren't as good at hiding their history together all these weeks as they thought.
"You guys knew each other somehow before this case, didn't you?" she prompts, smiling at them.
"You could say that..." Wes responds hesitantly.
Vo stares them up and down as they look back and forth at each other. Deciding to give them an out and comprehending maybe it's best not to pry in their line of work. "It's classified, isn't it?"
"Definitely…" they both say and laugh.
"Fair enough. Well, it was good working with you, Hailey. Hope we can do it again sometime. Don't be a stranger… especially to Wes!" she winks at them both and walks away back to the scene.
"Busted!" Hailey jokes and Wes opens his mouth and closes it, kind of speechless.
He can't find it in himself to care though because Hailey is okay, and Csonka is dead, and he can't help but feel that they're going to work it all out too. He doesn't care if he has to move back to Chicago or Bolivia or wherever to do it, but he's going to figure out how to never lose her again.
"Come on, jokester, lets get you up inside this bay so we can get this hospital trip out of the way." He grabs her hand and the paramedic helps her get settled into the stretcher, while Wes stays by her side. He holds her hand the entire time, not willing to lose the contact.
When they get to the hospital, they do a bunch of tests, to Hailey's dismay, and they can't help but laugh knowing how he would be acting if their roles were reversed. They spend a couple hours when finally the doctor returns with a bunch of the results.
"Miss Upton?" the doctor confirms, and hearing the Miss is a bit awkward for both of them. But that is what she is again, and has been for years, even if these last couple months seemed to ease that reminder.
"Yes."
"Everything looks okay. You do have some slight bruising to your ribs, but nothing internally. That should heal with rest and icing after a few days. Otherwise, you'll likely be free to go today after one more check up. There was one finding in your blood work that I have to ask about because the nurse nor paramedics mentioned you mentioning it…"
Hailey and Wes look at each other, not able to gage the type of reaction the doctor was having and holding their breathe for her to continue.
"Did you know you were pregnant?" the doctor asks.
"What!?" Hailey gasps. And her and Wes' mouths both equally drop in shock.
"I'll take that as a no…" the doctor laughs. "Judging by you not realizing, and that you don't seem to be exhibiting any signs of showing yet, I'm going to guess it's rather early on. But I'd like to get an ultrasound to get an exact timeframe and to make sure everything is okay with the baby too. If it is, you'll be free to go."
"Umm, yeah, okay. Thank you." Hailey replies, still in shock.
"Of course. The tech will be in with the machine shortly. And, congrats!" the doctor responds and walks out of the room, leaving them alone again.
They both stare at each other, still processing. Neither knowing what to say, but definitely not expecting this.
"A baby?" Wes questions out loud, more to himself than anything else.
"Yeah…" Hailey whispers, her thoughts running a mile a minute.
They don't have very long to process it all until the technician with the ultrasound comes in. She gets the machine set up, confirms that Wes can stay in the room for it, rubs the jelly on Hailey's belly, and starts moving the wand around. It takes a few seconds, but soon enough she points out to them the noise of a steady heartbeat. She circles the wand a little more to show them a mark about the size of a peanut, nestled in Hailey's womb. Her and Wes stare at the monitor, tears welling in their eyes as they look at this tiny little thing that's a product of the two of them.
"Everything looks and sounds good. Heartbeat is very strong. We can't give you a precise date of conception, but I'd say you're almost a month along. Congratulations!"
They stare at the other, both realizing that it was likely conceived that first night again in Portugal. It was like fate was telling them they were destined to stay intertwined no matter what happened with this case.
Seeing how emotional they are, the tech packs up to leave. "I'll give you two some time alone. The doctor should be back in a few. Good luck!"
They barely realized she's left as they continue to stare at the other, tears falling down their faces, and hands rubbing over the others.
Finally, Hailey manages to speak. "We're having a baby!" she exclaims, emotional but happy.
Wes grins, leaning down to kiss her excitedly, still too emotional for words. He pulls back after a long minute. Only to lean down and peck her lips again, not being able to get enough.
"You still make me the happiest man ever! I swear to you, I'll love you and this baby forever if you'll let me. I don't want to be without you again. Not as Jay, not as Wes. I don't care where we go or end up, I just need you!"
"I don't want to be without you anymore either. I know we didn't plan this, that this isn't anything I would have even thought was possible months ago, but I want this, us, again. After all we've been through, we deserve to be happy. You deserve to be happy! I want to stay here with you, I want to start this new life together!" she states to him rubbing his cheek as he leans into her touch.
He turns to her eyes again, his shining bright with hope. "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely. I'm ready for whatever comes next, as long as it's with you, Wes Mitchell, Jay Halstead, it doesn't much matter. We'll figure it out…"
He leans in to kiss her again, the warmth of their love enveloping them. As the sun rises over Budapest, they know they were stepping into a new chapter together, one filled with happiness, challenges, and a future they could build side by side, as it always should have been. Their bond and love were too strong to be anything less. This next phase would be bright and eternal, just like their love for the other…
Three months later Wes flew back to D.C. with Hailey so she could pack up her apartment and get officially ready for the cross-world move. While there, they stopped inside a fateful courthouse once again and became Mr. and Mrs. for the second time. Resurrecting their black infinity bands that they had never wanted to take off in the first place.
Five months later, in that same Budapest hospital where the found out they were pregnant, Hailey gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, Ander 'Jay' Mitchell, a perfect combination of defining their "second chance" in Ander, while commemorating the past that had brought them together in the first place and still meant so much to them in Jay. Their future was indeed bright, and they were forever grateful for the forces that be bringing them back together, the loves of each other's lives!
[A/N: Tada! The end! Sorry for the wait, life hit and took me longer to finish editing and wrapping up then I thought. But I hope it was worth it… let me know what you think & thanks for reading! Rationally, I know Upstead is over. But in the depths of my heart, I truly believe that Hailey and Jay will find their way back to each other in some television universe. I don't know how, I don't know when, but I still believe in Upsteadforever one day! :) ]