#jay Halstead

[a-little-bit-of-tradition]

It's okay. I got you 🤍

Jay Halstead & Hailey Upton - Chicago PD

[halsteadlover]

𝐔𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬

*Pics not mine credits to the owner*

• Pairing: Jay Halstead x Fem!Reader.

• Requested by @dandelionfairyyy: Where Jay and reader accidentally hook up, but happen to need to work together so he tries to talk with her about what happened, but she just wants to avoid and forget it. That turns out into a fight, until it bursts out of her like “I am terrified you’ll say it was a one time thing!” With lots of fluff in the end?

• Warnings: curse words, sex (there are just few scenes in the flashback but they are descriptive so READ ONLY IF YOU’RE 18+) and I don’t know what else honestly let me know if I missed any lol

• Word count: 3995.

• A/N: I don’t know what to think about this one to be fair 😭 I hope you’ll like it please give em your feedback if you want! I’m trying to get back to writing so I hope to post as many fics as possible. Love you all ❤️

The sun’s rays hit your eyes through the window’s cracks, making you blink several times.

You looked around.

The unfamiliar ceiling made your senses go on high alert, momentarily disoriented and confused about where you were. You sat up in bed, a single sheet covering your naked body and that was enough to bring back all the memories of last night like a raging river.

You froze, afraid to make any kind of movement or even to turn your gaze to the person lying on that bed next to you. But you didn’t need to see that figure lying with his back to you, also naked.

How the hell did that happen?

How did you end up in bed with Jay Halstead?

Memories after memories of the previous night continued to play over and over in your mind. It was a mess, a complete mess but it was the most beautiful night of your life.

You tried not to cry.

How could you go on after this? How could you work with him and pretend like nothing happened? Pretend you weren’t madly in love with your coworker who you happened to have sex with?

You turned to Jay, noticing with relief he was still asleep, since you weren’t able to face him especially at that moment.

A smile appeared on your lips even though you couldn’t see him as you tried to suppress the desire to get closer to him, to caress his hair, leave kisses on his face, to hug him like you always wanted.

For a moment, a single moment, you let yourself wander in the illusion you two were a couple. That he’d soon wake up and pull you into his arms, preventing you from moving and going anywhere, that eventually you’d get out of bed and make breakfast together, you only wearing one of his shirts, and then getting ready and go to work together.

You let out a sigh and got out of bed, still sore and trying to be as quiet as possible. You quickly got dressed and you casted one last glance at the man who had made you lose your mind so much before leaving, not knowing if you’d ever be able to have this sight again.

That night had changed everything.

You didn’t know how you’d manage to keep your feelings at bay from now on, especially since you two worked together and you couldn’t avoid him forever.

You always had feelings for Jay, ever since you had joined the team. You had established a deep relationship from the beginning and, given the nature of your work, you found yourselves working together very often and very close. This had led you to often confiding in each other, spending time together, to establish a friendship that inevitably on your part had transformed into something else.

You never had the courage to confess your love, not wanting to risk losing your beautiful friendship. It was important to you, he was one of the most important people of your life, so you did nothing but look at him from afar and imagine a future with him that would never happen.

You immediately dove into work as soon as you arrived at the Unit, trying to keep your mind occupied and not think about Jay and the amazing night you had.

“I want you so fucking much,” he whispered as his lips captured yours in a breathtaking kiss. His arms wrapped around your hips, pulling you as close to his body as possible while your hands were in his hair.

His tongue explored every inch of your mouth as your lips moved in sync, as if this was always meant to be. He pushed you against the wall as his hands roamed every inch of your body he could reach, hungry, longing to touch your skin.

“Oh my god Jay please…” you sighed with pleasure when his lips moved to your neck, making you arch your back as he started sucking and nibbling on a particular spot that was making you lose your mind.

“Yeah baby, I can’t wait to hear you scream for me…”

“Y/n!”.

Kim’s voice brought you back to reality, making you wake up from the memories of the previous night that were haunting your mind.

How could you move on from that? How could you work when everything reminded you of him?

“Huh? What?”.

“I asked you if you wanted coffee?” Kim asked again with an amused tone. “What has you so lost in your thoughts today?”

If only you knew, Kim.

You tried to keep your expression as neutral as possible, not wanting to give away any clues as to what had happened. The last thing you needed was for the rest of the team to find out you and Jay had sex, since they already didn’t give you a break.

“You two should be together, I don’t know what you’re waiting for.”

“You look so cute together such a beautiful couple!”

“How can you say there’s nothing between you and Jay? Have you seen the way that man looks at you? Or the way you look at him? C’mon.”

And this happened almost everyday. Single. Day. And imagine being in love with your coworker and hearing your other coworkers saying this. Let’s just say it wasn’t helpful at all.

You nodded, smiling. “Thanks.”

You got up and went to the break room with her, where you chatted for a bit waiting for the rest of the team to arrive.

When Jay arrived at the Intelligence, a look of disappointment crossed his features as he noticed your jacket hanging on your chair, meaning you were already there.

He couldn’t help but be disappointed and confused, not expecting to not find you the morning after you had sex. He couldn’t suppress the feeling of anxiety that gripped his stomach, having no idea how you’d react and what to expect.

Were you going to pretend nothing happened? Or tell him not to talk to you ever again?

The thought immediately broke his heart and made his insides tighten even more. He didn’t deny what had happened, it had been nothing short of the best night of his life.

He went to the break room, ignoring the way his heart skipped a beat as he saw you sipping your coffee and talking to Kim in the meantime. The air suddenly became heavier, almost suffocating as you both pretended the other didn’t exist if it wasn’t for the initial glance you had thrown at each other.

A tight feeling in your stomach made you almost drop the cup from your hands when your eyes fell on him. He was as beautiful as the sun, dressed all in black with a sweater that fit him perfectly and showed off his muscles and a pair of black jeans that fit perfectly around his hips and along his slender legs. Once again, the memory of all the moments spent with him the night before invaded your mind.

Kim was the first to speak to him. “Good morning Jay. There’s some coffee left if you want.”

You used every fiber of your body to divert your attention from him, taking a sip of coffee as you felt your cheeks heat up and get redder with every second that passed.

You were nervous.

You didn’t know how to act and you hated it, you hated not knowing what to do especially with Jay, with one of the closest people to you, the person you were secretly in love with.

But you were just afraid that after sex he’d end it, you were afraid of losing him and your friendship. Because as much as it hurt to just look at him from afar, you would’ve preferred a life of just friendship than not having him in your life at all.

“Oh yeah thanks, I need it after last night,” he replied in a calm tone and hid a smirk when he saw you cough as you choked on your coffee.

Asshole.

Kim chuckled, pouring some coffee into a clean cup and then handing it to Jay, who continued to look at you sideways waiting to get your attention.

“What happened last night?” she asked curiously.

Jay shrugged. “I just didn’t get much sleep,” he replied, skipping over the part where you’d spent most of the night fucking.

“I’m going to finish the case report from yesterday,” you said before putting your cup down and walking out of the break room, suddenly feeling suffocated by Jay’s presence. You knew Kim immediately understood something happened, you blatantly gave it away but you didn’t care, you just wanted to get away.

Your eyes met Jay’s for a second, just a fraction of a second, but it was enough to send shivers down your spine and make your stomach twist in a knot.

You let out a sigh and headed towards the bathroom in an attempt to calm yourself down.

As you placed your hands on the sink, you took a few deep breaths. You hadn’t even spoken to him and he’d left you in a whirlwind of emotions you didn’t know which one to listen to first.

The previous night kept replay in your mind over and over again, and you couldn’t help but think how much everything had changed in the span of not even 24 hours.

You couldn’t look at him like he meant nothing, you couldn’t pretend you weren’t crazy in love with him, that just seeing him didn’t make your knees weak and heart race.

You were sure of your feelings but you weren’t sure of his. What did he think? How did he feel?

You didn’t have a chance to talk and it was killing you. Not knowing. The truth, though, was that you were terrified of talking to him. You knew you had to but the possibility of hearing he didn’t feel anything for you besides physical attraction and what had happened between you was only sex, paralyzed you.

You rinsed your face with some cold water before drying yourself with a paper towel, throwing it in the trash. Your breath caught in your throat when you exited the bathroom and your eyes met those green ones you were so obsessed about.

He was looking at you so intensely as if he wanted to read your mind and soul.

“Why are you avoiding me Y/n?” His voice was a mix of amusement and resentment and your stomach dropped at least ten stories.

You looked down at your shoes for a moment before looking at him again. “I’m not, why should I?”

“Oh, I don’t know…” he began, taking a step toward you. You took one back in return. “Maybe because you ran away before I woke up or the fact you haven’t even looked at me since I got here. You didn’t even say good morning.”

“I’m sorry Jay, I’m just busy and Voight will have my head if I don’t finish those case reports in time.”

He took another step forward and you took another step back, until your back hit the wall and there was no way you could run away.

“I don’t give a fuck about those reports,” he spoke and despite his low voice his words ran through your body like a knife. And the way his scent hit you fully didn’t help either.

God, I want him so much.

Jay was so close to you, you had to slowly tilt your head back to look at him. Anyone passing by would’ve seen you but it didn’t seem to matter to him, his attention focused solely on you as his eyes scanned every inch of your face.

Your chest was rising and falling rapidly, you tried to control your breathing but it was no use, Jay’s presence was too much for you to even form a coherent thought.

“Jay, someone can see us.”

“Why did you leave?” He pressed on, completely ignoring your words. His gaze kept roaming over your face, occasionally lingering on your lips, and it was enough to make your knees weak.

“Why do you care?”

“Excuse me?” He furrowed his brows, looking at you as if you had said something blasphemous. “Why do I care? Are you serious? You’re the one avoiding me and you have the courage to ask me why do I care?”.

“Listen…” you took a deep breath and placed your hands on his chest to push him away, trying to ignore the fact that less than twenty-four hours ago your hands were on his bare chest as you rode him on his bed.

His hands palmed your breasts, squeezing them between, his fingers pinching your nipples as you kept riding his dick, letting him penetrate you so deeply, you could almost feel him in your stomach.

“Fuck you’re so beautiful, you drive me crazy,” he panted, his expression twisted with pleasure as he looked at you with such intensity it almost made you falter. Your hands were resting on his chest as they helped you gain leverage, your nails pressed hard into his perfect skin.

“Oh my God yes like that… You’re gonna make me come so hard Jay.”

He moved his hands down from your breasts to your ass, squeezing and slapping it so hard the force made you lean forward. His hips moved with yours and his mouth took over yours, in a kiss that left you completely breathless.

The thought alone made you blush and you prayed he wouldn’t notice but from the way he was smirking, you knew he caught you.

You immediately removed your hands, as if you were burned. “We have a job to do okay? We’ll talk later.” You continued before walking away and leaving him standing there, without giving him a chance to reply.

You knew you were being immature. A grown-up would’ve faced it, damn it everyone has sex, but you weren’t ready to hear Jay say it had been a mistake, that last night would never happen again.

The whole day went like this, you looking for any excuse to avoid Jay and him trying to push you at every possible moment. Luckily, a case had come up so you managed to keep yourself busy for most of the day and, above all, stayed away from him.

Despite this, however, he was always there. His eyes were always on you, you felt them whenever you were, trying to read inside you, you felt them on you every time you moved. His presence—even though he was far away from you—was overwhelming, filling every single space and inch of your mind.

You thought you had managed to avoid him for the day but when—shortly after you got home—you heard your doorbell ring, you immediately realized you’d claimed victory too soon.

Before you even looked through your peephole, you knew it was Jay and a pang gripped your stomach when you saw him through the peephole, still in his work clothes exactly like you, handsome and breathtaking as always.

You sighed deeply, knowing it’d be no use avoiding the inevitable. You had to be an adult and deal with what was coming your way.

You opened the door, trying to ignore the pounding of your heart that was so loud you could almost feel it leaping out of your chest. Jay’s eyes traveled down your body before landing on yours.

“Are you done avoiding me like the plague?” he asked sarcastically but with a less than happy expression.

“I wasn’t avoiding you,” you lied through your teeth and he snorted loudly before rolling his eyes and making his way into your house, not even waiting for your invitation.

I guess we really need to talk and he’s not leaving until we do.

“Y/n I’m getting tired of this game,” he snapped, the neutrality of his features now gone, giving way to anger. “You want to tell me what the hell is wrong with you?”

You sighed and closed the door behind you before walking towards the living room, him following you. “I’m sorry… It’s just…” You took a deep breath again, trying to gather all your thoughts.

“It’s just what? You regret it? You could’ve said that instead of acting like a child and avoiding me!” His voice slightly rose, his breathing quickening. “I’ve lost my mind all day trying to find an answer for your behavior! I—I thought we had a good time…”

“I did have a great time Jay oh my god… And of course I don’t regret it! How could I?! I just needed time to think!”

“Think about what? For fuck’s sake Y/n it’s me! I’m not a stranger you know you can talk to me about everything!”.

“I didn’t mean to leave you hanging, damn it!” You raised your voice too. “I was scared!”

“Speak up then! For fuck’s sake stop saying these half-assed sentences, you’re driving me crazy!” He went completely nuts, hands waving in the air as he let out all the frustration he was holding in. “Scared of what?! What the hell were you thinking about?!”

“Scared you’d tell me it was just a one time thing!”

Jay’s expression quickly changed to one of confusion and then pure shock.

“I didn’t want to face you because I was afraid it meant nothing to you… Shit, Jay… I wasn’t ready to hear you say it was just sex or… Or a mistake.”

At that point you were a raging river, uncontrollable. You couldn’t control your thoughts and the flow of words that were coming out of your mouth. “Because it wasn’t just sex for me. Fuck, I’m in love with you Jay, I’ve been for years, but I… I don’t want to get hurt and I know that would’ve happened if we had talked, that’s why I was avoiding you. I’m so sorry for how I acted but I… I’m just scared shitless of losing you and I’m not ready for—”

You suddenly stopped talking when he grabbed your face and pressed his lips to yours.

You froze for a moment, in disbelief of what was happening. You would’ve expected anything, shit you were already preparing yourself for the humiliation you’d feel hearing him say he didn’t feel the same for you, but this… This was beyond your imagination.

It was everything you hoped for, everything you desired.

You wrapped your arms around his chest, pressing your fingers into his back in an attempt to pull him closer. Your lips moved spontaneously against his, mimicking the same hunger, longing and frustration. It was messy, desperate, a kiss full of the words and unspoken feelings.

He slightly groaned against your mouth, as if he had been waiting for this moment all his life, deepening the kiss more and more. His slightly trembling fingers continued to cup your face, tilting your head for a better angle. There were no words to describe what you felt in that moment—that moment with him. Him, who tasted like coffee, like something warm and addictive, like the flavor that made you lose your mind and forget all sense of reason.

It was intoxicating. Him, the way he touched you, the way he kissed you, with so much passion and voracity as if he wanted to express what he had not been able to say with words.

When you finally pulled away, Jay rested his forehead on yours, close enough to brush your lips with his again. “Please don’t cry baby,” he whispered, pulling away from you just enough to wipe your tears with his thumbs. You were so emotional you hadn’t even realized it. “I can’t stand it, I don’t want to see you like this, especially because there’s no reason to.” He pressed another kiss to your lips, resting his forehead on yours again. “It wasn’t a mistake, I never thought that for a second,” he continued as his breath tickled your lips. “And it sure as hell wasn’t just a one time thing.”

You slightly pulled your head back, just enough to look into his eyes and you noticed the way his green irises almost obscured by his dilated pupils.

God, he was so breathtaking.

Your heart tightened in your chest. “But… But you—” you stammered like a complete idiot. “You never said anything.”

“Do I have to remind you you were the one avoiding me?” he replied sarcastically. “But to answer your unspoken question, I didn’t do it before because I was scared too. I had no idea how you felt and I was terrified of losing you. You mean everything to me, more than you realize. And the thought of messing this up, of ruining us—” He shook his head, letting out a small, breathless laugh. “I couldn’t risk it. I couldn’t risk you. But if I had known—if I had even guessed you felt the same way—I never would’ve wasted so much time baby.”

You opened your mouth to talk but nothing came out. Your brain was short circuiting, you weren’t able to form a single coherent thought.

Was this really happening? Or was it just a hallucination? It had to be the latter, you must’ve been hit your head.

He chuckled at your reaction before pressing a kiss to your forehead, lingering a few seconds longer than necessary, before kissing your nose. “You ruined me,” he whispered before kissing your lips again. He kissed you more slowly this time, with a gentleness that almost made your legs give out.

He kissed you as if it was his first breath of air after so much time underwater, as if you were his lifeline. He held you as if he was truly afraid you’d walk away, his lips moving against yours in a sensual dance that neither of you wanted to end.

His fingers tangled in your hair—while his other hand gripped your jaw—and he pulled your head slightly, tilting it just right and you almost fainted. God, the way that man made you lose your mind, how crazy he drove you, it was something you’ve never experienced in your life.

When you pulled away, you were both breathless, your lips still tingling and longing for his. He looked at you for a moment, with so much intensity and so much adoration you would’ve paid an organ to always see that look in his eyes.

“God…” he whispered as his fingers caressed your face. “I love you.”

Your heart stopped beating for a moment.

You looked up at him with wide eyes, completely in shock. “Huh? What?”

He laughed, and he was so unbelievably and unfairly beautiful it hurt. His thumb continued to caress the side of your jaw, firm but gentle at the same time. “I love you, I’m in love with you. Quite for a while now.”

Something inside you bursts—a relief so overwhelming you could cry. Instead, you laughed—bright, breathless, disbelieving. “I—You… Holy shit… You love me? You?” You pointed your finger at his chest. “Love me?”

“Yeah, sweetheart,” he chuckled, grinning from ear to ear. “I love you. And, man, it’s such a relief to finally say it.”

You barely gave him time to breathe before you threw yourself at him, wrapping your arms around his neck and kissing him again, like your life depended on it. He stumbled back with a startled laugh but caught you easily, holding you tight against him as if he’d never meant to let you go.

When you broke apart, you pressed your forehead to his, making him smile so softly it made your chest ache.

“So,” he murmured, brushing his nose against yours, “Can we finally stop this avoiding crap? We have a lot of time to make up for.”

You giggled, eyes shining from tears as you nodded your head. “Yeah. Yeah, we do.”

Jay smiled, then kissed you again and again—slow, sweet, like you had all the time in the world.

And for once, you let yourself believe in happy endings.

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[passionwillow]

Smutty One-Liners Part III

Jay Halstead for #1 and #14

Please 😊

"Am I wrong?"

The question hung in the air as you looked up at Jay, his hands in his pockets as you studied you.

You were standing in his apartment, back against his kitchen counter as you faced on another. The tension between you both had reached an unbearable level. You had come over set in your decision to tell him it couldn't happen, it would complicate everything too much working in intelligence together.

But the minute he'd opened the door, his eyes glued to yours, your resolve crumbled.

"You want me. You want us. Am I wrong?" He asked again with more persistence, stepping closer and shrinking the gap between you both. "Because your eyes are saying yes. I just need to hear you say it."

"No," you finally cracked, rubbing your eyes and sighing before finally looking up at him. "No. I want you, Jay, I just-"

He cut you off with a hard kiss, hands cupping your cheeks as his body pressed into yours. The minute you felt his lips you cracked, hands fisting his shirt and tugging him further into you.

He hummed in appreciation at your eagerness, hand holding your throat briefly as his tongue brushed yours before picking you up with ease. Arms around his neck, legs around his waist, he carried you with ease through the kitchen.

"I'm gonna kill you, Jay Halstead," you mumbled against his lips. You felt his smile against his lips before they attached to your neck, teeth grazing your skin. "That a threat or a promise, baby?"

"A promise." You tried to add some venom to your voice, but your voice falter as he marked your skin, moving blindly down the hallway and into his room.

"Whatever you say, sweetheart."

[ladysharmaa]

Heat

Jay Halstead x pregnant!reader

Summary: When Chicago is in a heat wave, Y/n feels unwell while pregnant, worrying Jay

It was definitely the hottest day of the year. Chicago was going through a heat wave and Y/n had never felt more miserable. It also didn't help that she was seven months pregnant with her husband's baby, Jay Halstead. She could feel the beads of sweat falling from her forehead and her face heating up so much that she must have looked like a walking tomato.

Jay warned her to stay at home and protect herself from the heat, but when the air conditioning broke, Y/n decided to go out to buy a fan. But she didn't know it would be so difficult to walk and even breathe on this hellish day. It seemed like with every breath she took, the air burned her lungs. She walked slowly, one hand on her stomach protectively, trying to at least get to the store that was a few blocks away.

Y/n knew Jay would be so upset if he knew she left the house in this weather. Since she became pregnant, the man has become even more protective than before. However, she knew he was having a busy day and couldn't leave work just because Y/n was hot — although he would do that if Y/n called him and asked to buy a fan.

But everything got worse when Y/n's vision became blurry and a feeling of nausea appeared. Jay's wife leaned against the wall next to her, trying to get some shade to compose herself. She brought a hand to her mouth, trying to breathe slowly to calm her heart that was beating rapidly against her chest.

"Miss! Miss, are you okay?" a man appeared in front of her, with a worried look. "Do you need me to call an ambulance?"

"No, it's okay." she managed to whisper. "Could you help me get to Fire Station 51? It's just a two-minute walk." the man, already advanced in age, seemed friendly enough for Y/n to trust him. And the truth was that she had no other option, as it seemed like her legs were going to give out at any moment.

"Sure thing, ma'am. Here, lean on my arm." he agreed with a gentle smile, offering her his arm to help her walk. "In this heat, no one should be walking around. It could be dangerous, especially in your condition."

"I know." Y/n sighed, knowing that beyond this lecture, she was going to hear worse from Jay when he found out. "But I wanted to buy a fan. It wasn't even a five-minute walk."

The man patted her hand in understanding. "I don't judge you, dear. My wife has already had three children, and in all of them, she was very stubborn. I understand that you don't want to be dependent on us, poor husbands, but we just want you to be well."

The woman didn't respond, now feeling even more guilty for not calling Jay to ask for this favor. She didn't want to bother him, but the plan didn't go as expected. The rest of the short walk was done in silence, Y/n's cheeks becoming more flushed, and having difficulty breathing in the hot air.

When they finally saw the fire station, Jay's wife couldn't be more relieved. Gabby and Brett, who were getting out of the ambulance, having just arrived from a call, noticed Y/n's tired form and immediately took hurried steps towards her, helping to carry her and him into the shade.

"Y/n? What happened? Are you feeling okay?" Gabby asked worriedly, helping her into the back of the ambulance. Y/n sat down, one hand on her stomach and the other on her back, closing her eyes as she started to feel dizzy.

"I'll call Jay." she managed to hear Brett say, but she was more focused on not throwing up than responding to the paramedics.

Thankfully, the man who helped her took charge of explaining what had happened. Y/n had the strength to open her eyes and thank him deeply for his help, asking if she could do anything to repay him, but he just shook his head and smiled. Then he left, as Y/n was now with people who could help her medically.

"What are your symptoms, Y/n?"

"I don't feel well, Gabby." her voice shook, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. "I'm sick, dizzy, and a headache is forming."

After leaving the phone call, Brett began taking her vitals, while Gabby applied a cold compress to her forehead. "You're most likely dehydrated, we have to go to the hospital to put you on an IV and check the baby."

"But he's fine, right?" Y/n sobbed scared, clutching her belly as she looked at her friends with a frown.

"Yes, he seems fine. But just to be sure." Gabby comforted, starting to help Y/n lay down on the stretcher.

"What did Jay say?"

"Well, he—" the blonde paramedic started to say, but was interrupted by the sirens of a police car, getting closer and closer. "I guess that's your answer."

"How did he get here so fast?" Y/n thought out loud as he watched the police officer get out of the still moving car. He immediately looked around for his wife. When he saw them, he quickly broke into a run, his eyes wide in panic. Hailey got out of the driver's seat, right behind Jay.

"I'm really sorry."

"What, baby? You don't have to apologize." Jay knelt down next to Y/n, gently cupping her face with his hands so he could assess her condition. Unconsciously, his hand slid down to her round belly, finally managing to take a deep breath when he felt a light kick against his touch. "I shouldn't have left you alone in this weather. You're okay, baby."

When Brett called him to explain the situation, he felt a sense of fear like he had never felt before. Not even when he had been shot at, kidnapped or beaten. The most important people in his life being in danger was his worst nightmare.

Luckily, they were in the neighborhood and managed to get to the fire station in record time thanks to Hailey's driving. Over time, Y/n and the blonde had become very close, often ganging up together against Jay. Not that he minded, since hearing his wife's giggles and knowing she was more relaxed when Jay was working as she trusted his partner to protect him.

"We need to get them to the hospital. Y/n is showing signs of dehydration and the baby needs to be checked." Jay's head turned unusually quickly to Gabby in concern. She hurried to add, "They both seem to be fine, but I want to make sure."

"I'll go back to the police station and let Voight know you won't be working anymore this week." Hailey offered. "I hope you're okay, Y/n. I'll stop at the hospital to check on you."

"Thank you, Hails." Y/n smiled weakly.

"Let's go." The man nodded, kissing Y/n's forehead comfortingly. He climbed into the back of the ambulance with her and held her hand the whole way while Gabby got into the driver's seat and Brett checked some vital signs.

The ride was relatively calm, but Y/n was getting paler and sicker by the minute. Jay mumbled words in an attempt to calm her down, but inside, he felt like he couldn't breathe. They should have called two ambulances because he was close to passing out.

Finally, they arrived at the hospital where Maggie and Will were waiting for them at the entrance. In no time, she was already settled in and several doctors were checking everything they could. Jay stayed by her side the whole time, answering some questions from the doctors when necessary.

The fluorescent lights of the hospital were harsh against Y/n’s already sensitive eyes as she waited for someone to tell her what was going on. Jay never let go of her hand, his grip firm but gentle, his thumb softly brushing against her knuckles in a silent attempt to comfort her. Her heart was pounding, but the cool sheets of the hospital bed and his touch gave her some relief.

Will Halstead, dressed in his white coat and looking every bit the composed doctor he was, entered the room, clipboard in hand. His face softened the moment he saw Y/n and Jay.

"Hey," Will greeted, his tone warm yet professional. "How are we doing here?"

"Not great, Will," Y/n admitted, her voice weak as she tried to give him a small smile. "I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck."

Jay immediately turned to his brother. "What’s going on? Is she okay? Is the baby okay?" His words came out in a rush, and it was clear he was doing everything he could to keep his composure.

Will raised a hand to calm his younger brother. "Take a breath, Jay," he said, flipping through the chart. "We ran some tests and monitored Y/n’s vitals. She’s severely dehydrated, which is why she felt dizzy and nauseous. Her blood pressure dropped, but thankfully, the baby is doing great. The ultrasound shows a strong heartbeat."

Y/n let out a shaky breath of relief, her free hand instinctively moving to her belly. Jay visibly relaxed beside her, the tension in his shoulders easing.

"So, she’s okay? The baby’s okay?" Jay asked again, needing to hear it one more time to truly believe it.

"Yes," Will assured them with a kind smile. "We’re giving her IV fluids to rehydrate her, and she should start feeling better soon. I do want her to stay overnight for observation, just to be safe, but I’m confident she and the baby will be fine."

"Thank you, Will," Y/n said, her voice cracking slightly as tears of relief welled in her eyes.

Will reached out to pat her head. "No need to thank me, Y/n. Just promise me you’ll stay out of this heat, okay?"

She nodded, feeling a mix of guilt and gratitude. "I’ll try," she murmured, glancing at Jay.

Jay turned to Will. "Thanks, man."

"Anything for my sister-and-law and nephew." He winked at her before stepping back. "I’ll check on you in a bit, but for now, just rest."

As Will left, the room fell quiet, except for the soft beep of the monitors and the rhythmic drip of the IV. Jay pulled a chair close to the bed, sinking into it as he brought Y/n’s hand to his lips, pressing a lingering kiss to her fingers.

"You scared me today," he said softly, his eyes glistening as they locked onto hers. "Don’t ever do that again, Y/n. Please."

"I’m sorry," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I didn’t mean to worry you. I just... I didn’t want to bother you at work."

Jay let out a soft, incredulous laugh, shaking his head. "Bother me? Y/n, you and this baby are the most important things in my life. I’d drop everything in a heartbeat if you needed me."

Her lips trembled, and tears spilled down her cheeks. "I didn’t think it would be such a big deal. It was just a fan."

He leaned forward, cupping her face with both hands, his thumbs gently wiping away her tears. "Listen to me," he said, his voice steady but filled with emotion. "Nothing is ‘just’ when it comes to you or our family. You’re my world. Promise me, no more trying to do everything on your own. I’m here for you. Always. Ask me to buy you a fan, food, a house, I don't care, I'll do it in a heartbeat."

She nodded, fresh tears streaming down her face. "I promise," she whispered, her voice breaking.

Jay leaned in, pressing a kiss to her forehead before resting his against hers. For a moment, they stayed like that, their breaths mingling as the world outside the hospital room faded away.

"I love you," she said softly, her hand finding its way to his cheek.

"I love you more," he replied, his voice low and full of sincerity. He placed a hand on her belly, feeling the soft flutter of movement beneath his palm. "And I love you, little one. But you’ve gotta cut your mom some slack, okay? No more giving her a hard time."

Y/n laughed weakly, the sound light and sweet. "Hear that?" she said, looking down at her bump. "You are already giving Daddy white hairs."

As the IV continued to drip and the monitors beeped steadily, the weight of the day began to lift. They were together and okay. That was all that they needed.

[manhandlememando]

reading warnings on fanfics sometimes has me like:

[equallyshaw]

invisible string. | jay halsted x marine + detective.

word count: 12k warnings: ptsd, trauma, some making out + decade long pining. lol

this story takes over a course of about 10 years, snippets from each meeting. enjoy!

also, im in my pd era rn lol | masterlist.

Some people call it fate. Others call it timing.

Whatever it was, it had pulled Jay Halstead and Pearl Delmar together like a tether. A near-invisible thread — stretched across time zones, sleepless nights, and unspoken scars. They met not in peace, but in aftermath. Not in calm, but in chaos. Him — the Army sniper turned detective. Her — the Marine turned K-9 handler turned detective with a temper like fire and eyes that never stayed still for long.

They were mismatched. Water and oil. Sand and stone. And yet… they fit.

She made coffee too strong. He left his boots in her hallway. They never talked about what it was — this thing between them — because they didn’t have to. It lived in the space between their shoulders on stakeouts, in the way they moved in sync on raids, in the quiet comfort of her leaning on him when sleep wouldn't come.

They stitched each other back together. One scar, one laugh, one storm at a time.

There were moments that felt like forever. Like maybe this was it. That they'd finally outrun the war inside them.

But not all threads hold forever.

She left. No goodbye. No warning. Just vanished into the sun-scorched sand of the Middle East — again.

Only a single letter for him, left in her wake.

-

Pearl had seen hell— Hell on Earth, overseas. Her worst deployment yet, and when she finally got a chance to leave, she took it.

This round left more than scars. It left a wound she'd carry for the rest of her life.

She was always running from it, and somehow, it always caught up.

She landed in Chicago—Midway Airport—at 6 a.m. A cold, steel sky greeted her, but it was home.

Her brother, Elliot, and his wife, Jana, stood waiting with flowers and a sign that read: Welcome home.

Pearl’s combat uniform stood out like a sore thumb among the tank tops and flip-flops that dotted the terminal.

Jana beamed, pulling Pearl into a crushing hug, the kind only sisters could give. “You’re really here,” she whispered, kissing Pearl on the temple before stepping aside for Elliot.

He grinned, eyes crinkling, and lifted her clean off the ground in a bear hug. “You’re not carrying that,” he said as he took her bag despite her protests.

Together, they walked to the car.

“We’re celebrating your birthday today!” Jana announced cheerfully.

Pearl sighed. “My birthday was three weeks ago.”

“Big age. Thirty-six,” Elliot muttered, nudging her with a smile.

Jana opened the passenger door with a smirk. “Don’t care. No protests.”

As Elliot pulled onto the expressway, he handed her a sealed envelope.

“CPD left this at the door for you.”

Pearl’s brows furrowed as she opened it. She skimmed the letter: The department was offering her the option to return. Discretionary. No pressure.

She folded the letter, pressed it flat on the dash, and looked out the window.

“Can we stop at the precinct?” she asked softly.

Elliot nodded.

“You talk to anyone since you left?” Jana asked from the back seat.

Pearl sighed. “Kept in touch with one of them. Letters, mostly. Then… they stopped.”

The last letter still lived inside her leather-bound journal. No hint it’d be the final one.

And then, Geneva. A few nights on furlough, spent with her former K-9 unit commander. Old fire rekindled. Quiet. Complicated. And, as always, when they returned to base— Nothing changed.

The precinct hadn’t changed either. Brick walls still held the weight of Prohibition. Same creaky steps. Same ghosts.

“I can drop you off another day, P,” Elliot offered.

She shook her head. “Only way I’ll adjust is by getting back into it. I need normal again.”

“Ten minutes,” she said, stepping out.

Her Apple Watch vibrated. Heart rate: Elevated.

She clutched her green cap, her boots tapping softly across the pavement.

Officers nodded at her as she passed, respectful and curious.

Up the steps—precise, practiced. Marine-like.

As she entered, her eyes landed on Trudy Platt behind the desk. Trudy froze mid-conversation and scoffed.

“Well, I’ll be damned. Look what the wind blew in.”

Pearl smirked. “Five Hail Marys for that language, Sergeant Platt.”

The patrolmen stepped aside to let her through.

“Furlough?”

She shook her head. “No. I took a leave of absence for a while.”

Trudy noticed everything—the dark circles, the twitch in her hand, the constant fidgeting. She could see it. Pearl didn’t know how to be a civilian.

Her body knew war. Now, this—this was the new battlefield.

Trudy remembered Pearl’s first day's like it was yesterday. The outburst on the floor. Screaming at her partner. The move upstairs to Intelligence.

Voight loved her fire. Her switch—off until danger was near.

Jay had been frozen. Lindsay had grinned, smacked his arm, and said, "Take notes, Halstead."

Pearl was a handler in every sense—read behavior like a book, thanks to years of training with military psychologists. A tracker. A tactician. Tactical Queen, Lindsay once called her. It stuck.

Pearl had become the unit’s unofficial mom. Always keeping everyone alive. Barely.

Now, she stood here—a shell of that woman. But Trudy knew, deep down, that Pearl belonged back on the force.

“Hank’s upstairs,” Trudy said gently. “I’ll buzz you in.”

She paused. “Still like glazed?”

Pearl nodded.

Trudy winked. “Got a box in the back.”

Pearl climbed the stairs. The soft buzz of the door felt like a defibrillator to her soul.

She paused at the landing—just out of sight.

Cracked her knuckles. Straightened up. Marine mode: activated.

Below, the unit worked like any other day. Paperwork. Phones. No one expected her.

Antonio Dawson looked up first. He saw the boots.

“Sweet Jesus,” he muttered, standing slowly.

Ruzek noticed next. His grin split wide. “The queen has returned!” he shouted.

Heads turned. Hailey squealed. Kim shrieked. Kevin laughed.

Jay Halstead didn’t move. He just stared.

Antonio pulled her into a hug. She hesitated, then melted into it.

Hailey hugged her hard, shaking her like a snow globe.

Ruzek kissed her cheek like always. Kim followed with a quick embrace.

Then:

“Delmar,” came the gravelly voice from the office. Hank Voight.

She met his gaze, eyes wide, unsure.

“Alright, alright, let her breathe,” he said. “Come here.”

As she walked toward him, she passed Jay. Their eyes met—soft and stunned.

In Voight’s office, she jumped slightly as the door clicked shut.

He noticed. Of course, he did.

“You want your old job back?” he asked.

She shrugged.

“You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t.”

She sighed. “It’s like last time. I need something—anything—to help me adjust.”

“To find normal,” he finished.

“Exactly. I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t ready, sir.”

He studied her, then stood and extended a hand.

“Alright. See you tomorrow. Eight a.m.”

7 am, Jay thought. Just like before.

-

She’d been back six months. Six months of readjusting—months that felt like hell on earth. She believed death would be more welcoming, easier, less painful.

Her PTSD was constant, creeping in at the worst moments. There were times she thought she wouldn’t become conscious again—cognizant enough to know right from wrong, left from right.

No one understood. No one truly understood the turmoil, the feeling of being trapped inside your own mind with no escape.

Except Jay.

She and Jay had bonded over PTSD, war stories, and basic training tales when she first arrived on the steps of Chicago.

She’d call late at night, and he’d come running. He’d stop her after work, as they were leaving, asking if she wanted to grab dinner—she’d always say yes. For four years, they became partners in the most platonic way possible.

Sure, at work they were partners, but outside the precinct, within each other's apartment walls—they were comrades, veterans together, the best of kin. They understood each other on a level no one else in the force could. Both knew what it was like to have their minds replay the worst moments of their lives—retraumatizing themselves with death, pain, and anger.

Death of their platoons. Pain of their wounds, both mental and physical. Anger at the war, the daily struggles, and the guilt of not saving their brothers and sisters.

They had met by destiny, by chance.

There was a bond—a love no one could touch. Silent, yet deafeningly loud.

But despite the good, it became poisoned.

Pearl left mid-episode, playing the part of cognizant Pearl, to say goodbye to Hank.

She’d left Jay’s apartment that morning after his nightmare kept him up most of the night. Somehow, she was sucked into her own walking nightmare the minute he finished explaining. She’d left Jay that day softly snoozing, in a rare state of tranquility.

And yet, waking up to an empty bed, cold and folded over—would be forever etched on his mind.

Pearl didn’t show up to work that day—the 24-degree mid-January morning.

She’d been back six months now, trying her goddamn hardest to readjust. But this time, it was different.

She found out why Jay had stopped writing her—he’d found someone.

Natalia. A Chicago-born gal who worked at Chicago Med.

The unit had been at Molly’s when she met Natalia for the first time, and Pearl had to bite back her usual snarky, radioactive remarks—more out of respect for Jay than anything else. Stella pulled her into the firehouse group that night, distracting her from the detective.

Pearl no longer called Jay, suffering in silence, trapped in her own mind. Most nights, she just lay there, staring up at the ceiling.

Then, when the alarm rang, she’d put on the perfect smile and head out for the day.

Despite running on no sleep for at least 48 hours. Running on caffeine and prayers.

-

But she didn’t show up this morning. The unit was worried. No calls, no texts, no emails—nothing.

Kim mentioned something about her brother and sister-in-law, and people assumed emergency—they’d just found out she was pregnant.

No one knew the purgatory playing out inside Pearl’s Lincoln Park condo.

Glass shattered on the floor. Her mind was hazy. She couldn’t think straight or see clearly.

Her episodes had gotten worse recently—she’d lose her sight for minutes at a time. Thankfully, never on shift. She couldn’t afford to.

She sat against the wall, back to the hallway. The empty red wine bottle lay on the floor beside her. Her hands were cut and dried with blood from the shattered glass. She stared up at the ceiling, silently sobbing, asking why the universe had to bestow such anguish—a badge of dishonor, a mark that would stain her forever.

Pearl opened the Uber app on her phone, needing more drinks. Anything to knock her out for the night. To end this torment.

She stood up, dazed and swaying. Ignoring the dried blood on her feet, she slipped on her Doc Martens over faded blue jeans and threw on an oversized winter coat.

The Uber driver didn’t ask questions, dropping her off at Molly’s.

She stumbled stepping out of the mid-size SUV, slamming the door shut. Her body winced at the sound.

Carefully, she walked inside the bar, making sure she didn’t fall over her own feet.

She didn’t recognize the familiar faces. Didn’t look around. Made a beeline to the bar.

“Hey Delmar, want the usual?” Hermann asked, placing a soft hand on her shoulder as a greeting.

She pulled away, nearly falling off the stool.

“You okay?” Hermann’s voice softened, concern thick in his gaze.

“I just don’t know you—that’s all. But can I get a whiskey? Neat. Double,” she said, tapping her hands on the wooden bar with a slight demanding edge.

Hermann’s eyes flickered to the intelligence unit watching her from behind, concern mirrored there.

Stella noticed too, making her way over.

“Hey Pearl, how are you?! We’ve missed you around here,” Stella said, flashing her famous warm, inviting smile as she sat beside her.

Pearl’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Huh?” she stuttered.

“Are you feeling okay, P?” Stella asked softly, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t touch me!” Pearl screamed, pushing away and nearly slipping off the stool—if Stella hadn’t caught her.

Jay knew what this was.

He bolted without a word, grabbing her gently within a few steps.

“Hey—hey—hey, P,” he said softly, turning her toward him so their eyes met.

Pearl’s eyebrows creased in confusion.

“It’s me. It’s me, Jay,” he said softly—and that’s when the dam broke.

Her mouth opened slightly before a trembling hand covered it, anxiety and embarrassment flooding her.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered like a mantra, a prayer.

“It’s okay,” he said softly. “Let’s go.” He slipped an arm around her and led her out the front door.

Jay took her back to his apartment, not trusting that she was of sound mind to go home.

There, he noticed the dried blood on her hands. He grabbed his first aid kit quickly, sitting her down at the kitchen counter.

“First aid Jay—my heart—how could I ever repay you?” she teased weakly.

He chuckled softly.

If she was the mother of the group, he was always first aid Jay—coming in as backup once she confirmed everyone was alive.

They didn’t talk much. She kept apologizing, but he wouldn’t hear it.

He was just grateful she was alive and sitting in front of him.

Then came the sobs, as she came down from her warped sense of reality.

Jay wrapped his arms around her as if no time had passed, just like before.

They fell asleep on his couch, wrapped in each other’s arms.

Yet, when the sun broke through the windows, she was gone.

Only the ghost of her perfume and the faint scent of alcohol wipes were left in her wake.

-

Six months later.

She’d been with the unit a year now- and a year out of the Marines. For now, at least.

She and Jay passed each other like ghosts of who they used to be. Who they were together. Who they were apart.

Pearl was still falling apart, it seemed. The descent felt endless. And she was terrified that it would be endless.

The unit did their best to comfort her, to offer company, keep her focused and sharp. Some days, that was harder than others.

Today, Pearl sat at her desk, one leg tapping rhythmically beneath her. A grounding trick. Her eyes scanned the file—front and back, twice—when Adam’s voice rang out:

“Oh my god, a puppy!”

Everyone looked up. Everyone except Pearl. She was underlining something when Hank spoke.

“Did someone adopt a mascot and forget to tell me?”

His gruff voice cracked through the air. That’s when Pearl finally looked up.

And her heart dropped. Then soared.

Echo.

Two weeks ago, she’d gotten an email from her old Sergeant—the one she spent too much time with in Geneva. The message was brief: Her partner, Echo, was up for retirement.

She’d trained him from day one of K-9. He’d been with her on every deployment. A piece of her soul.

And now… she could take him home. Maybe, just maybe, she wouldn’t have to keep carrying a missing piece of herself everywhere she went.

“Echo,” she whispered, tears immediately welling.

Echo cried out too—eager, electric, tail thudding against the tile as he waited for the go-ahead.

One nod.

That’s all it took.

He barreled toward her, and Pearl dropped to her knees just in time to catch him.

His tongue found her cheeks immediately—one year of separation and sorrow swept away in licks and laughter.

“Guter Junge,” she whispered in German through giggles. “Good boy.”

Everyone in the bullpen was smiling. Jay’s eyes shone with unshed tears.

Echo finally stepped back, sitting without command. Loyal to the bone.

Pearl stood, placing one last kiss on his head, and walked to her former sergeant—her once-lover. She extended her hand.

“Thank you, Sergeant.”

He took it with a kind smile.

“Don’t be a stranger now, Delmar.”

Jay watched the way the man looked at her. Soft. Familiar. Something once intimate still flickering behind his eyes. Jay knew. They all did.

Echo, still alert, locked eyes with Hank. The older man stared back expressionless.

“More of a cat person, Marine,” Hank muttered.

Jay snorted quietly.

Voight cleared his throat.

“How about a little furlough today, Delmar?”

Pearl’s eyes widened. She glanced between Echo and Voight.

“Are you sure?” she asked, hesitantly.

Voight nodded, taking a sip of his coffee.

“You two deserve it. We’ve got it covered.”

Pearl exhaled her gratitude, gathered her things, and clipped Echo’s leather leash with practiced ease. She moved quickly, walking out of the bullpen like she had a mission again.

Jay watched her go.

And he hoped—God, he prayed— that this was the start of her next chapter.

-

One month later, she had her worst PTSD episode yet—at work, at least.

They were moving on a warehouse on the Southside when it hit—a bang of metal clanging sharp and sudden through the air.

She was going in with Voight, a few steps behind him, when it happened. They passed right outside a door when her breathing quickened, her mind shifting to automatic like a trigger pulled without thought. There was no going back, not for a while. Her mind blanked, her hearing dulled, and her vision vanished—gone for the moment.

She cried out, sobbing instantly, bracing herself against the cold brick wall. Voight was mid-sentence, barking orders when she started to go down. He caught her just in time, lowering her to the ground.

“Go in, go in! I’m staying back,” Voight ordered.

“Stay with me, Delmar.” His voice was firm as he held her, slapping her face—not hard, but enough to shock her back.

Her eyes flickered uncontrollably, tears streaming down.

“I can’t see! I can’t see, Voight!” she sobbed. He stopped, his hands steadying her face.

“Officer down. I repeat, officer down. Need an ambo at 3211 South Belmont Avenue, now!” Voight barked into his radio.

Jay, across the building, took off running. He ignored Antonio screaming after him.

He knew what was happening.

He was all gut. She was all pattern.

“Stay back, Halstead!” Voight yelled into the radio, but Jay was already in sight.

Pearl clutched Voight’s arms like a lifeline—something to anchor her to this world.

“My eyes!” she shrieked as Jay closed in.

Voight’s face betrayed his terror. Big, bad Hank Voight, shaken to his core.

“I said stay back!” he yelled at Jay.

But Jay didn’t answer. His hands found her cheeks, steadying her.

“Pearl!” His voice cracked with panic.

“I told you to stay back, goddammit!” Voight yelled again.

Jay locked eyes with him. “I’m not leaving her. You can’t ask me to do that.” he snapped.

Voight was stunned, silenced.

Unfortunately, Jay’s radio was on. Everyone heard it as the ambulance rolled up.

Pearl curled into Jay’s side. His demeanor softened; he whispered to her, promising it would be okay.

Then she was ripped from his arms, Brett and Mikami pulling her onto the gurney with Voight’s help.

When Jay pushed to go with her, Voight held him back.

“We have a job to finish,” Voight said. Jay stayed behind.

That moment would be a mark on their relationship from then on.

Because the last look on her face would forever be stitched into Jay’s soul.

Standing there, helpless, without the freedom to act—feeling like he was back in uniform, thousands of miles away across the ocean.

Forever trapped in that torment.

Unable to save the girl he’d loved for far too long.

Unable to protect her from the mind that threatened to consume her—once and for all.

-

He never saw her again after that—well, not for a few years.

The last image he carried, one that haunted his nightmares in every variation imaginable, was of her in pain. Mental anguish. Being ripped from his arms, her mind spiraling, while he was ordered to stand down and stay back.

In that moment, he felt like he was back in the Army—taking orders from a sergeant and forced to obey. He’d forgotten what that helplessness felt like.

Depleting. Deafening. And, honestly, it broke him.

Pearl was sent back to San Diego three days later, to her childhood home on Mission Beach. Her parents took her in. She quit the force, passing word through Trudy once she was lucid enough to form the words. She called her brother and sister-in-law to pack her a couple of bags and bring Echo to the hospital. Pearl was leaving Chicago—for good, she hoped. It had always been a stopover, never the final destination. Whatever that destination was.

That first night home, Pearl finally slept. Soundly. For the first time in months.

Echo curled beside her, breathing easier as he recognized her once-familiar rhythm. The waves outside her window sang her to sleep, and she didn’t wake for 14 hours.

Without much thought, she slipped on her gym shoes, grabbed her headphones, and walked Echo down to the beach. The sun kissed her skin, warm and soft, like a quiet baptism. She smiled up at the sky and let herself be washed in its gold.

Later, she sat in the sand, pulling Echo close for a quick photo. Her sleeves were rolled up on a white flannel shirt, worn over blue jean shorts that looked like they’d seen better days. Her well-loved California rainbow sandals peeked out at the bottom of the frame. And her smile—genuine and wide—was something she hadn’t worn in a long time.

A week later, she pulled out her tried-and-true blank stationery cards.

Dear Jay, There will never be enough words to explain how sorry I am for leaving again—without saying goodbye. I just want you to know: I’m okay. I’m safe. I’m well-rested. And I finally got my açaí bowl... and my Spanish coffee.

She smiled at the memory—Jay showing up at random hours, hands full with bowls packed with oats, cocoa nibs, granola, fruit, and cinnamon. She always muttered “Bless your heart” under her breath as a joke. He’d roll his eyes, then show up later with coffee mid-shift to make sure she was caffeinated enough to fight back the exhaustion eating at her soul.

Please know that I’m alright, and I’ll write again soon.— Pearl

P.S. Here’s a shell—I picked it up on my first walk with Echo. My dad used to say seashells are the way to someone’s soul. That if you hold one close, it remembers something for you. A feeling. A person. A moment. I thought maybe this one could remember something for you too. Maybe peace. Maybe hope. Or maybe just the sound of the sea when things get too loud.

She also slipped in the photo from her first day back—the smile he hadn’t seen since before. Before deployment. Before the weight of the world took hold.

Before everything changed.

-

Jay and Pearl wrote to each other for the next two years, filling each other in on civilian life. The good, the bad, the ugly — you name it, they shared it all.

Jay confessed that even after more than ten years out of the Army, he still struggled. He wrestled with adjusting to civilian life, haunted by the fact that some of his platoon hadn’t been so lucky to make it home.

They talked about the state of the world, politics, the TV shows they binge-watched to distract themselves from nightmares, how she was settling into her new role at the Marine base as a K-9 trainer, how the intelligence unit was doing, and, of course, the everyday mundane things.

Their letters spanned pages, arriving weekly or bi-weekly. Both eagerly anticipated mail time, never knowing if a new letter had come in.

Trudy always wore a knowing smirk when Jay stopped by the front desk, patiently waiting to ask if the mail had arrived that day. She once joked that he should get a job at the post office — to make her life easier.

They shared the heavy realities of the guilt they carried daily, the difficult decisions not to return to active duty. They couldn’t shake the feeling of guilt—knowing they had the rare choice to stay out, a choice most active members never had or would have again.

_

Another year had passed when Jay told her he was leaving Chicago.

He was reenlisting.

She hadn’t seen it coming.

Pearl had truly believed that after everything—after the trauma, the bloodshed, the rebuilding—Jay Halstead wouldn’t set foot on a base again. Wouldn’t wear the uniform. Wouldn’t walk back into the storm.

But if there was one thing she’d learned about Jay, it was this: he never walked away from a fight if someone still needed saving.

It was such a Jay Halstead thing to do, she supposed.

Still, it didn’t stop the ache in her chest when he said the words. It didn’t quiet the voice in her mind that screamed you could lose him.

Pearl was honest with him. Painfully so. But she was also supportive, because she understood. She understood how it felt to still need the mission, even when the mission had almost broken you.

It took everything in her to not beg him to stay. To not ask him to choose her over duty.

Because she remembered too well the long months where her own uniform had stayed neatly folded in a drawer, and how that reality had gnawed at her every day.

It ate her alive—this knowing she wasn’t on the field anymore, that she wasn’t out there making a difference. She carried guilt like armor.

But the only thing that had kept her grounded—kept her alive—was Jay.

So she let him go. With grace. With faith.

Before he left, she pressed her hands to his chest and promised she’d be praying to the stars for his safety. She told him she loved him. And that Echo would remind him, in his own stubborn way, to not do anything reckless.

A week later, she received a letter from him—short and simple.

"Scouts honor"

_

Jay’s letter had arrived twice that week—once on Monday, and again on Friday—just as Pearl was winding down after a long day of housework in her little Oceanside abode.

She furrowed her brows at the unexpected envelope, fingers pausing for only a beat before she carefully tore it open.

Her eyes scanned the words too fast, heart racing ahead of her mind. She had to read it again, slower this time, to make sure she hadn’t imagined it.

He was asking her to meet him in Buenos Aires.

If she could.

Jay knew she was working out of the base in San Diego County. He also knew just how much PTO she’d racked up over the last several months. He told her to bring Echo along, too—said the old boy deserved a trip just as much as they did.

Pearl smiled down at her most faithful companion, who was already watching her with expectant eyes.

“Guess we’re going on a trip, Bear,” she murmured, ruffling his ears with a soft laugh.

_

Two weeks later, she found herself walking through the cobbled paths of Plaza de Mayo, toward the meeting spot Jay had suggested. Her steps were steady, but her heart was anything but.

Her anxiety was a living thing in her chest — clawing, loud, insistent. What if it was a joke? What if he changed his mind?

Jay didn’t immediately recognize the woman standing in the distance — but he did recognize Echo.

She had her back to him, snapping photos of the square. Echo, ever the soldier at her side, stood tall and focused beside her, alert and loyal as ever.

Jay smiled, already hearing her voice in his head, and called out, “Was worried you wouldn’t show.”

She turned quickly — too quickly — and twisted herself into Echo’s leash.

Jay lunged forward instinctively, his hands gripping her arms as she stumbled, steadying her before she could hit the ground.

A startled laugh escaped her, breathless and slightly embarrassed. His eyes searched hers, scanning for injury — or maybe just confirmation that she was real.

She was. Real, and standing right in front of him.

His hands stayed on her forearms a second too long, reluctant to let go.

“I was worried you would flake on me,” she replied with a crooked grin, sarcasm laced in her tone, “but then I remembered that Army transportation is, what’s the word—ah, yes—notoriously slow and disorganized.”

Jay grinned, eyes crinkling. “Hi to you too, Delmar.” He dropped into a crouch beside Echo.

Echo didn’t hesitate — no sniff test, no hesitation. He leapt into Jay’s chest like he hadn’t seen him in years, tail wagging, tongue out, pure joy radiating from him.

Dogs always knew the good ones.

Jay stood, brushing fur off his jacket. “So. There’s a bar a few blocks that way — killer fish tacos, strong margaritas, and guac that might make you cry.” He nodded back toward the street.

She tilted her head, amused. “You remembered.”

“Of course I did. If I recall correctly, you dragged Dawson up to karaoke right after our last taco night. Gabby too. Severide and Casey had to physically remove you two from the stage so Antonio could finish singing ‘My Heart Will Go On.’”

She groaned, covering her face. “I had the worst hangover the next day. But that night? That was a good one.”

Jay smirked. “Second round tonight?”

She pointed a finger at him. “Don’t tempt me with a good time, Halstead.”

Three margaritas later — stomachs full of tacos, guac, and laughter — Jay walked her and Echo back toward her hotel.

There was something different about her now. A lightness to the way she carried herself. Like a stone had finally rolled off her chest.

“I haven’t had an episode in almost a year,” she shared, voice soft. “My psychiatrist thinks I’m turning a corner. I don’t know what ‘normal’ means anymore... if it ever existed. But this? Days like this? It feels like a start.”

Jay nodded, choosing his words carefully when she asked about his deployment. She didn’t need details. She knew. The weight, the reality of it all — still fresh, still heavy. But she also knew these moments — this sliver of peace — were sacred.

They paused at the steps of her hotel. Echo’s ears perked as a nearby band played, couples spinning in rhythm to a vibrant Mexican love song. She smiled softly, eyes drifting to Jay — who was already watching her.

“Uh—” “I—” They both stumbled, laughing like two idiots caught in something much bigger than them.

She took a breath. “Would you want to come up?”

His gaze flickered away, momentarily guarded. But when his eyes found hers again, something inside him ignited.

He nodded, silent but certain.

She reached out. He took her hand.

Upstairs, she unclipped Echo’s leash, letting him curl up by the window with a full belly and a sleepy huff. The room was quiet, save for the city sounds drifting through the cracked window.

She turned back—and Jay was already moving toward her.

Their kiss was magnetic. All the time, distance, and unspoken feelings pulled tight and finally snapping loose.

What once had been water and oil—now churned together like butter, warm and effortless.

His hands slid up the side of her waist, reverent, familiar, and she helped him peel off her black tank top. They stumbled slightly, laughing against each other’s lips before he scooped her into his arms and tossed her gently over his shoulder.

She shrieked in surprise, half-laughing, half-scolding. “Jay!”

He laid her down carefully on the bed, then hovered just long enough to take her in — every freckle, every scar.

God, she was beautiful.

And it wasn’t just the way she looked. It was the way she was. The way she had laughed earlier. The calm confidence that had slowly replaced the storm in her eyes.

He kissed her again. Slower this time.

They undressed each other without rush — no shame, no fear. Just need. History. Love.

His fingers traced stories written on her skin. Her mouth pressed gratitude into every inch of his.

“I swear to God, Halstead, if you—”

He shut her up with a kiss, hungry and soft.

She gripped his shirt, muttering, “Finally,” and pulled it off, exposing him in the amber glow of the bedside lamp.

He looked like strength personified — but she knew how much of him was stitched together with hope and heartbreak.

And in that moment, as she gazed up at him, something fragile and profound passed between them.

She faltered — just slightly — insecurity flashing in her expression.

Jay saw it. He leaned in, gently shifting her back, slowing them down.

He needed her to know: this wasn’t just sex. This wasn’t just a night.

This was them.

Clothes shed. Breath tangled. Hearts cracked open.

What they shared wasn’t frantic or hurried. It was deliberate. Healing. Sacred.

Their bodies collided with something soft and steady — the rare kind of intimacy born from shared pain and hard-won trust.

He looked at her like she was everything.

And she looked at him like he might be the only thing that ever made sense.

Because they both knew — without saying a word — this was more than they expected. More than they'd let themselves believe.

And that scared them.

Because no one knew what tomorrow held. And nothing in their lives had ever been guaranteed. But this? This moment was real. And for now, it was enough. If there ever was such a thing.

_

The image of her leaving and walking into the Mexican airport would be etched in his mind for some time. Though their four days together would overshadow that moment, always.

The two of them continued to correspond for the next nine months, when he sent a letter asking her if she would meet him in Rio in three months.

It has been one year since their last trip.

Her mind immediately replayed their last night together. It had been hot, heavy, and emotional.

All these years not confronting or speaking about thoughts or feelings, boiled over.

And yet, none of their letters had touched on any of it.

It was business as usual between them.

Yet, against her judgement, she wanted more.

But Jay was in no position. It wasn't fair for him, she thought, if she had said anything.

Besides, he was aware of her, but not in the way she wanted, she thought.

_

Rio.

Hot, humid, and full of good tequila.

Her shoulder-length brown hair held soft waves this time—different from her long, cowboy-copper strands of the past. The ash brown had crept back in over the last year, and she welcomed it. She felt like herself again. Finally at home in her own skin, her own story.

Jay stood at the gate, his eyes scanning the crowd, flicking from one traveler to another. His shoulders were tense, a hand resting on the strap of his duffel.

And then he saw her.

There she was—her weekend bag slung over one shoulder, her passport and phone clutched in one hand, a beat-up metal water bottle swinging casually in the other. No rush in her steps. No nerves. Just her.

But Echo was nowhere in sight.

His heart skipped a beat—not the good kind.

“Hi!” she called out with a wide grin, and his fears evaporated as they both moved toward each other, the hug happening naturally—like they hadn’t skipped a beat.

“Hey,” he murmured against her hair, breathing in the familiar scent of vanilla and sandalwood. Still her. Always her.

He pulled back slightly, brow quirking as he took in the new hair. “You changed it,” he commented with a small smile, and she giggled, brushing a piece behind her ear.

“It was time,” she replied with a shrug, her smile softening.

He looked over her shoulder. “Where’s Echo?” he asked, already reaching for her bag without needing to be told.

She exhaled, her smile dipping into something gentler. “He’s with my parents for the weekend,” she said, watching his face. “Everything’s okay,” she added quickly when concern flickered in his eyes. “He just... he prefers naps to airplanes these days. He’s earned that right.”

Jay nodded, a smirk curling on his lips. “I’m glad that’s all. He’s a good guy.”

“A very good guy,” she agreed, voice warm as they slid into the car he’d rented.

They drove along the Rio coast, windows down, the breeze tugging strands of hair from her face. The city buzzed around them, music drifting from open-air bars and beachside shacks. Brunch was vibrant—sugar-dusted pastries, eggs with too much chili, and mimosas poured too generously for someone running on adrenaline and not enough sleep.

They hadn’t planned on falling into bed that fast.

But plans were for people with better self-control.

Maybe it was the warmth of Rio. The way it clung to her skin, bringing color to her cheeks and light to her eyes. Maybe it was the way she laughed with her whole chest now, her guard down in a way he hadn’t seen since... before.

Maybe it was the mimosas. Maybe it was muscle memory.

Or maybe it was them.

Pearl hadn’t expected to feel it this intensely again—this magnetism, this fire. She was flirty, bold, unfiltered in a way she hadn’t let herself be in a long time. He responded in kind. One shared glance turned too long, one brush of his hand over hers too soft, too intentional.

The air between them crackled the whole ride back to the hotel.

By the time they reached the door, the tension had built into something that dared them to ignore it.

She fumbled with the keycard. He stood too close behind her.

"You remember which room we're in?" she asked without turning around, voice playful, breath already a little uneven.

He leaned in slightly, his breath warm against her neck. "Only if you're in it."

Her laugh was soft. Nervous. Hopeful.

Inside, the door clicked shut behind them, and—

_

They hadn’t meant to fall into bed. But the morning sun filtering through gauzy curtains didn’t seem to care.

Pearl stirred first, curled against his chest, the rhythm of his breathing slow and steady beneath her cheek. The sheets were tangled at their waists, the air thick with the scent of skin and last night’s hotel lavender.

She blinked slowly, taking in the curve of his jaw, the faint scar near his collarbone, the dog tag chain still around his neck. Familiar. Sacred. Still hers, in the quietest way. A part of her had always memorized him like this. Just in case.

Jay shifted beneath her, his voice gravel-soft. “You always this cuddly after mimosas?”

Pearl huffed a laugh, her fingertips tracing an idle line over his chest. “Only with people I’ve known in three lifetimes.”

He let that sit for a moment. Then: “I missed this.” His tone wasn’t teasing. “I missed you.”

Pearl’s breath caught, just a bit. “You could’ve said something. Before now.” Slightly teasing.

“I didn’t know how,” he said, eyes meeting hers. “And I guess I thought maybe you were better off. Without… this.”

Him being here. Her being home in San Diego, training puppies. While he was trying to make it home.

“Jay.” Her voice was soft. Too soft. “You were the only thing keeping me breathing some days.”

His hand slid along her spine, grounding them both. “I don’t know what we are anymore. But I never stopped feeling it.”

She nodded, eyes pricking. “Neither did I.”

A beat of silence stretched between them—full of possibility, hesitation, and everything that had gone unsaid.

Then, with a smirk that barely masked the way his voice cracked, he whispered: “So… breakfast?”

Pearl laughed, burying her face in his chest. “God, yes. But you're not getting out of this talk forever.”

“I’d never want to.”

And somehow, even though nothing had been declared… something had been spoken.

_

They never did, in fact, finish that conversation. But they did spend their afternoons barefoot on the beach, their evenings sipping tequila in hole-in-the-wall dives, and their nights tangled together in that narrow, borrowed bed.

She returned to the beaches of Oceanside unsure of where they stood.

The way he spoke—so openly, so unlike him—meant something. But he was still too unsure to voice what or how he felt. Just like she was.

So they continued as usual. Their correspondents. Their limbo.

Until the phone call came. She never got phone calls.

Jay. Tennessee. Outpatient rehab. Rubble from a bomb. Three to four months. He wanted her there. No—he needed her there.

That night, she had her first nightmare in over three years.

That night, her mind made up for all the slow and steady years lost. Years where nothing shifted. Years she spent trying to feel steady again.

She clutched her dog tags to her chest as Echo curled at her feet, offering what comfort he could. The cold steel kept her grounded—reminded her she was still standing, ten toes down, on this side of the veil.

Her tags meant she was still here. They were still here. They hadn’t been given to someone else.

By sunrise, she and Echo slipped into the airport for a red-eye. Alert. Exhausted. Awake. Coffee and croissants were her only lifeline that morning.

They landed outside of Nashville just after 8 a.m.

Jay was already there. Sling on his arm. Waiting, patient. Waiting for his lifeline. His compass.

His smile stretched wide when he spotted her—and she didn’t hesitate. She picked up her pace, Echo right at her side.

Without a word, they fell into each other’s arms like they’d been doing it for decades. Like it was second nature. Familiar. Home.

Echo sat patiently beside them, smart enough to wait his turn—and wise enough not to jostle the injured shoulder.

The three of them walked out the doors, hand in hand, and straight into the next few months.

Three long months.

The epitome of domestic bliss.

Fresh coffee every morning from a French press. Daily walks through the neighborhood. Fights over how Jay folded his laundry. Him judging her dish-loading skills.

And of course— The unspoken sweetness of sex. Soft, passionate, intoxicating sex.

But they kept pretending it was nothing. No big deal. Just two people… coping.

Except it was everything. It was the first thing on their minds when they woke, and the last thing pressing on them when their heads hit the pillow.

Everyone around them saw it. Something deeper. Something settled. Painfully domestic.

They played the part of partners too well. So well it terrified them.

Because they both knew what came next.

The unknown. War. Death. The possibility Jay wouldn’t escape it again. Wouldn’t outrun it this time.

She’d always said she could never be an armed forces wife. Because she couldn’t live with the thought of losing her partner to war. She had already lost enough of herself to one. She couldn’t imagine losing someone else—especially not the one she was meant to spend her life with.

That’s why there had been Nico McDowell.

Her other sergeant. The one she’d spent too many nights with in Geneva to ever make it anything more.

She always told herself it was just a distraction. A way to be close to someone—intimately, temporarily. Just enough to survive the long months. The endless days of dust, fear, and fire.

So even now, even in domestic bliss with Jay, it all struck a nerve.

Because no matter how good it felt… It reminded her of what could never truly be.

_

Their last day in Tennessee, Jay invited her to spend a few final days in Savannah, Georgia—his last three days of leave before shipping back out to South America.

They’d overheard a couple raving about it in a restaurant weeks earlier, and after a little digging, Jay had decided it was the place. Quiet, coastal, full of charm. He wanted one last escape before heading back into the chaos. But more than anything, he wanted to spend it with her. Only her.

Pearl had agreed with a smile on her face—the kind of smile she reserved for everyone else. The one that didn’t reach her eyes.

The two of them were a slow, aching unravel. This—whatever this was—was dying, and they were going down with the ship.

After a warm day of wandering through Savannah’s sunlit squares and draping moss-lined paths, they returned to their rented room, where the night was quiet, hushed, and calm. They held each other like they had the night before a mission—full of tenderness, full of fear. It was the calm before the storm.

The next morning, she slipped out early for a run with Echo. Her legs moved through the still streets, but her mind was loud—racing with everything she wouldn’t say.

Back in the kitchen, she made coffee and stirred together some oatmeal, her fingers absently holding her mini gold dog tag like a lifeline.

She couldn’t shake the feeling that she and Jay were a ticking time bomb, and that this—this fragile, beautiful thing between them—was one mortar blast away from being obliterated.

Jay padded in, greeting Echo with a gentle rub before the dog nestled beneath the breakfast nook. He stepped up behind Pearl, pressed a soft kiss to her cheek, and reached for a coffee mug beside her hand.

She felt her cheeks warm as his arm wrapped around her waist. She leaned into him slowly, gratefully, grounding herself in his warmth—while the cold press of her dog tag kept her steady.

A compass. A lifeline.

Jay’s gaze dipped down to the delicate chain, brow creasing. “What’s that?” he asked.

Pearl glanced down, then up at him with a faint smile. “My parents had it made when I got back from my fourth tour in 2008,” she said, fingers brushing the tag. “It’s a smaller version of my dog tags. My parents still have the originals back home. I didn’t start wearing it again until this year.”

She turned slightly in his arms, her hands finding the counter’s edge behind her. His eyes held hers, as if searching for more—searching for the part she didn’t say.

He didn’t press her. Instead, he bent his head and kissed her forehead, slow and steady.

That was answer enough. Her silence said everything.

The storm was coming.

_

They sat on the balcony of the rental, tequila between them, the humid air thick with cicadas and silence.

"You know the Army wouldn’t last a day in a real Marine op," she said, smirking behind her glass.

Jay scoffed. “That’s rich, coming from someone who left her combat boots behind for a K9 training leash.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I still outrank you.”

“Only in sass.”

It started as banter. It always did. But then something shifted.

“They have more structure,” Jay added quietly. “Resources. Stability. Marines burn out by thirty. Army gives you something to come back to.”

“Sure,” she bit back, “if you make it back. Marines might burn out, but at least we don’t pretend we’re built for comfort.”

Jay stiffened. “Is that what you think I’m doing? Choosing comfort?”

She hesitated. “No. I think you’re choosing what's easier.”

"Funny," he said, voice quiet now. “Coming from someone who ran.”

Her breath caught. “I didn’t run.”

“Then what do you call it?”

A long pause. Then she shrugged, falsely casual. “Survival.”

He looked at her then — not angry, just tired. Tired and something else.

“You always do that,” he said. “You wrap the truth in uniforms and old arguments. Like this is about branches or brass. But we both know it’s not.”

She swallowed hard. “Then say what it is about.”

He looked away, down at his hands, the glass, the railing. Anywhere but her. “We wouldn’t survive it. Not really.”

“Because you won’t let us try.”

“Because you won’t stay.”

And just like that, it ended. They didn’t yell. They didn’t cry.

Just silence— The kind of silence that cracked something deep inside.

An hour later, they were tangled in the sheets again. Desperate. Wordless. Pretending it meant nothing.

But it did. God, it did.

She straddled him, both of them drowning in the heat—fueled by everything they wouldn’t say.

Her breath caught as his hand slid up, grazing her chest, not in lust—but searching.

Searching for it.

Her dog tag.

He clutched it, fingers curling around the cool metal like it was a lifeline. A compass. Maybe it was.

And as the morning crept in—sunlight slicing through half-closed blinds— it became exactly that.

A direction. A decision.

When Jay rolled over, reaching for her— she was gone.

No Pearl. No Echo.

Just her dog tag, resting silently on the nightstand.

Her final answer. Her own quiet goodbye.

She’d pulled down the one thing that had been hanging between them since the beginning—something neither of them ever named aloud.

Call it a situationship. But that word felt cheap, when you counted the scars, the sleepless nights, the way they bled into each other.

Whatever it was— it was over.

And her dog tag said what she never would.

Death.

And now, it would take its place next to the seashell and photo- of her and Echo, she had sent years ago.

_

Somehow, someway, she had made it back to the Windy City—a place she still considered a stopover on the way to her forever home. Wherever that was.

A year had passed.

Which meant she was now forty-six.

She felt old. Exhausted. Behind on life.

But moving back to Chicago offered a quiet kind of solace. She found purpose in helping raise her brother and sister-in-law’s two kids—children she absolutely adored. With the rest of the family back in San Diego, their little crew here felt even more sacred.

She and Jay hadn’t exchanged a single letter since that night in Savannah. She’d cut things off with finality, leaving behind her dog tag.

It was two-fold.

On one hand, it marked the literal death of whatever they were.

On the other, it meant he could still carry a piece of her wherever he went.

Just like she still carried his letters—and the trinkets he’d sent from South America.

But today, she stood tall in her dress blues, dog tags hanging from her neck. Echo by her side. They were being honored, along with over a hundred other service members. Former Marines—now.

After her final deployment, she’d left the door open. Just in case. Even though every return home meant battling a war in her own mind, she always thought—maybe—she’d go back. Back to hell on earth.

But after Jay… she chose something different. She chose retirement.

No longer an active Marine. No longer bound to the battlefield.

It was terrifying.

And yet—here she was, facing the thing that scared her most: letting go.

Sergeant Nico McDowell had just finished his speech. The words held layers, subtle nods only some would catch. Her family heard them. So did the select few friends invited.

When her name was called, she stood with Echo, walking across the stage, saluting McDowell before he pinned the Marine Commendation Medal to her chest.

Then, he handed her a shadow box—an American flag, Echo’s dog tag, and a coin etched with his name, unit, and recognition.

The crowd erupted for Echo—retiring as the only K-9 that day. And let’s face it: people loved dogs.

They turned to take a photo, and she felt it—that unmistakable touch. Nico’s hand on her lower back. Familiar. Habitual. History.

She led Echo off the stage, back to their seats.

An hour later, the hugs poured in—her parents, her brother, his wife, her best friend from basic training back in 2002.

“Oh! Did Elliot tell you?” Brianna asked.

Her brow furrowed.

She didn’t respond. Because that’s when they saw them.

Staff Sergeant Jay Halstead. Sergeant Hank Voight.

No longer Detective Halstead. He lost that title the night she left him.

Now, she acknowledged his rank in the Army. Out of formality.

“Hank?” she asked, just as Echo’s tail wagged furiously at the sight of Jay.

Two South American deployments and three long months in Tennessee had made her favorite guy miss her favorite man.

Well… used to be.

“Couldn’t miss my favorite kid retiring, now could I?” Voight said with a smirk.

She laughed, hugging him one-armed as Echo began to pull forward—eager.

Slightly irritated, she let go of his leash, confident he wouldn’t run.

She was wrong.

Apparently, retirement suited him well.

He bolted, only to stop suddenly—his paws pressing into the thick grass of Millennium Park.

She tilted her head, confused.

Echo stared directly at Nico—the man who brought out the brightest parts of her. He had laid her foundation. The one who made her feel something in the quiet of Geneva nights, in between croissants, espresso, and tangled sheets. He trained her. He built her.

Then Echo turned.

Jay.

He represented what could have been. At one point, maybe even her future. He symbolized all the things she tried to outrun: the military, her vulnerability, her post-war identity. But he also stood for a life after chaos. A life rich in meaning—though shadowed by trauma, PTSD, and anger. He gave her stability when she didn’t even recognize herself. Held her through the dark. Loved her in quiet, steady ways. His letters—his love language.

Her hands clenched at her sides.

Echo looked at her.

Just once.

As if to ask—

Which one do we become now?

_

It started the moment Jay fell asleep— the familiar, hated nightmare.

Pearl, bleeding out. Echo, nowhere in sight. And him—frozen—unable to reach her before they took her. The devils. The ghosts. Satan himself.

He jolted awake, chest heaving, sweat trickling down his temples and collarbone. The panic surged fast—sharp and suffocating.

His eyes locked on the nightstand. His phone lay next to her dog tag—the one she'd left behind like a ghost of goodbye. He reached for it, fingers curling around the cold metal before snatching up his phone with the other hand.

He called the one contact he thought might still come running.

Might.

After all this time?

Across the city, in Pearl’s apartment, an arm was draped over her waist— warm, familiar. Comfort in the dark.

She and Nico had just drifted off when the phone rang. Her body tensed on instinct.

Always a light sleeper, she blinked herself awake and answered quickly. “Hello?” she murmured, voice raspy from sleep.

On the other end—silence. Then breathing. Shaky. Unsteady. Just enough panic woven in to make her heart stop.

“Jay?” she whispered.

And that was when she knew—she had to go.

_

Pearl made her way upstairs fast, her boots hitting the stairwell with a heavy, steady rhythm—Marine-like.

Her training kicked in on instinct, like she was searching for a wounded company member. And in many ways… she was.

Her hand paused on the handle of his apartment door before twisting it open. She shook her head with a small grin.

Unlocked. Just like always.

Jay used to say—rarely, but meaningfully—that he liked playing with fire. He liked toying with death and danger. It made him feel comfortable, at home in twisted ways. Like he was back on the battlefield. And for some veterans… that’s the only way to feel at ease.

Her boots hit the wooden floor. She moved toward the bedroom but paused in the hallway. Soft sobs floated from the cracked door.

She shrugged off her jacket, revealing a well-worn knit cardigan, and kicked off her scuffed Doc Martens. His head turned slightly at the sound, his breathing catching for just a second.

She walked in slowly, her knit socks silent on the carpet.

Jay looked up. Their eyes met.

She saw how war-torn he truly was.

New scars—ones she hadn’t seen a year ago. The same man she’d fallen in love with, but worn down by war and violence, re-molded by grief. His eyes were the darkest shade of blue she’d ever seen on him. No light. No peace. Almost black.

"What are you doing here?" His voice was broken, shallow.

Her brows knit, arms crossing tightly over her chest. With a small scoff, she said, “After ten years… that’s what you ask me?”

Ten years of letters. Ten years of hookups. Ten years of circling the conversation they both refused to start.

To finally—once and for all—either come together… Or let it all die.

The thing that had kept them breathing. The thing that had kept them human.

Jay blinked slowly, her words sinking in. Ten years of her. Ten years of them. Flashing in and out like gunfire.

"You’d really think," she continued, voice cracking, "after ten years of me running toward you—toward the chaos, the war inside you—that I wouldn’t come tonight?” Her breath hitched, and tears welled. “You think I’d just sit back while you're in here drowning? You think I’m that cruel?"

“Hey—hey,” he whispered.

He pulled her toward him, between his knees, his hands wrapping around her hips. Her skin lit up like fire beneath the fabric.

She leaned in, her forehead pressing against his. They both exhaled.

Stillness.

His eyes were shut tight.

And in the silence, she felt it. The nightmare. Still playing in his mind. Her, bleeding out. Him, just out of reach.

She pushed him back softly, just a bit, before straddling him, her hands clasping both sides of his face.

His hands found the base of her back, his thumbs hooked around the front of her waist.

"Hey—hey, don’t leave me. Don’t disappear on me," she whispered, brushing her thumbs gently over his cheekbones.

His forehead pressed against her chest, and his arms wrapped around her like he needed her to stay upright. He breathed her in—vanilla and sandalwood—like it was oxygen.

"You’ve spent ten years running from me. I’m not giving up on you just yet, soldier,” she murmured.

He gave a quiet, broken chuckle. “I could say the same thing about you, marine.”

She smiled faintly, but the silence that followed curled at the edges.

Then his voice came, low and sharp. “He was at your place. Nico.”

Her body tensed under his touch.

Jay didn’t look at her. Just stared past her, jaw clenched. “Lucky guess.”

She pulled back just enough to meet his eyes. “And what, you thought I moved on? That I replaced you with a voice and a uniform?”

His eyes searched hers, torn between wanting to believe and not daring to hope.

“You don’t get to be angry,” she whispered. “Not when we haven’t spoken in a year. Not when you disappeared without a word.”

He swallowed hard, voice thick. “I wasn’t angry because it was him. I was angry because it wasn’t me.”

Her breath caught.

His gaze locked on hers. “I wanted it to be me who answered your calls. Who got to see you walk in wearing that dumb cardigan, still pretending it’s not cold outside. Who got to fight with you, make up with you, fall asleep beside you.”

His hands tightened around her waist. “I know you left that necklace to end things. But I didn’t see it that way. I kept it. I carried it with me—through every base, every rotation, every goddamn firefight. Like a piece of you was with me.”

She stared at him, eyes glassy.

“Jay…”

He stilled, "Because I wanted to tell you in Savannah. I wanted to ask you to wait for me. I was going to — I was ready to give you everything. But you left me. You left me with just your dog tag." he paused, biting the inside of his lip before looking back up at her.

“You said I liked playing with fire,” he murmured, “but you’re the one thing I kept. The only steady thing. Even if you burned me.”

She let out a shaky laugh, hands still on his face.

“You’re impossible.”

“And you’re the only place I ever wanted to land.”

Then, softer. “Has anyone told you lately that you’re dangerously unpredictable? Like some ghost of the Corps? Always quiet… always slipping through the cracks… always showing up right before I fall apart.”

Her nose scrunched in a quiet laugh through her tears.

“You’re such a liar.”

“Semper Fi,” always faithful, he whispered. “I meant it.”

She grinned, but it dropped quickly, her demeanor turning serious. Stoic.

"Why? Why did you run, Jay? Why did you string me along for so many years? Was I just a placeholder? For the time being? Until you-you, found someone who wasn't broken? Who wasn't running from the never-ending war, in my mind?" She asked softly, voice faltering.

His heart broke, because that was never it.

Jay shook his head, eyebrows furrowing, "Oh god no-never, I-I," He paused as his own voice gave out. He swallowed, taking his time to find the right words.

"You're not broken, Pearl, you've never been broken. I only ran because, I've always believed you deserve someone better- someone who isn't broken. Who doesn't wake up every night, clutching the pillow, afraid his heart is going to give out, who thinks he's never gonna be able to step back from the ledge." He said, his gaze flickering, pulling away, feeling ashamed.

She sniffled, "How about a truce, Mr. Man?," She teased, slight humor in her gaze.

He chuckled softly, "Truce, boss," He grinned.

Pearl smiled, her body sagging just a bit. Her eyes flickered down to his chest, and she saw a faint outline of a necklace or something beneath his grey shirt.

Her eyebrows creased, her gaze never flickering back up, as she slowly traced her hand up towards his neck, he breathed in nervously.

Her hands found the gold necklace, before pulling it through and freeing it.

Pearl gasped, tears brimmed her eyes, as she stared at it.

Her gold dog tag, that she'd left on that damn beside table in Savannah, Geargia.

She opened her mouth, but Jay beat her to it.

His voice was low—steady, but barely.

“I know you left it to end things. To walk away clean.”

He looked up at her then, eyes sharp but soft in a way only she ever saw.

“But I never saw it that way.”

He reached up, brushing his fingers over the tag, still resting against her fingers.

“You left it behind... but I carried it. Carried you. Everywhere I went.”

He swallowed, voice just above a whisper.

“It was never just metal to me, Pearl. It was a piece of you. And I couldn’t let go of that. I didn’t want to.”

She didn't respond; she didn't need to.

Her kiss said all the words she couldn't say or form.

Jay lifted her off him slowly, setting her down gently on her back, and her arm rested near her head, mirroring his other arm on the other side.

His gaze bored into hers before his lips kissed her—soft, slow, like a sacred prayer.

When he pulled back, just enough to breathe the same air, his voice dropped to a murmur.

"Has anyone told you that you're the most unpredictable, stubborn, pain-in-the-ass Marine I've ever loved?"

She laughed through her tears, and he smiled.

"You move like a ghost when you want to, sneak into my life like a mission no one sees coming… and every damn time, you leave me wrecked in the best and worst ways.”

He brushed a thumb under her eye.

"But you also show up. When it counts. Like now."

She grinned, pulling him down with such fierce force- their mouths colliding like an animal hunting their prey.

Shortly after, their bodies wrapped up in one another, savoring each other's warmth and presence.

Holding each other like they were heading off for battle tomorrow, but the only battle was their mind this time - and that, that was enough.

_

It was four months later, and the early sting of May heat poured down on the city. Pearl’s favorite time of year. What made living here worth it. What made the winters survivable.

Her back faced the world as she stared up at the courthouse.

Her blush-blue mid-length dress fluttered in the soft wind of the afternoon. Her cream-colored — pearl — heels shifted every few seconds, fingers clutching a bouquet of peonies and eucalyptus like it was life or death. One hand slipped instinctively to her chest, to the spot beneath the fabric where a small gold dog tag lay — Jay’s.

It steadied her.

"Didn’t think you’d show!" came the unmistakable sass of Jay.

She turned in a single twirl.

His breath caught in his throat as he took in the effortless beauty of his soon-to-be wife.

She smiled — a little nervous, a little self-conscious — before teasing with a sultry grin,

“What, and miss the chance to haunt your nightmares in white lace for the rest of your life?”

His breath caught again.

“Sweet mother of God,” he muttered, eyes refusing to meet hers — because if they did, they might not make it up the steps to get married.

"Besides, army transportation is notoriously slow, remember?" She quipped, and he shook his head with a chuckle.

“Come on, Detective.” She laced her fingers through his, tugging him toward the entrance. As they climbed the steps, he patted his chest — the place where the flower spot held her dog tag. Just double-checking. Again. As if he hadn’t already ten times today.

“You’re late—” Trudy began, pausing to inspect their outfits — or lack thereof. “You’re boring, Halstead.” Then, eyeing Pearl, she added,

“But you look nice.”

Pearl blinked. Trudy never complimented anyone. Jay was about to speak, but Pearl patted his chest with a smirk.

“Shh,” she whispered.

“Judge Ellis hooked me up — old friend. Let’s go,” Trudy grunted, motioning for them to follow.

Their hands stayed tightly locked.

Hearts pounding — hers, his — perfectly in sync. Like always.

“There she is!” Kim’s voice rang out. Pearl looked up to see her standing with Hailey and Voight, leaning casually against the marble wall.

“You guys look good!” Hailey grinned, rushing in for a hug.

Voight stayed back, a small smile playing on his lips — quiet approval.

“You kids clean up nice,” he offered, voice gruff in the way that still soothed them. “Nice suit,” he added to Jay, who flared with pride — maybe a little cocky now.

“And you — darling — as always,” he added to Pearl.

She nodded in thanks, eyes a little wet already.

Trudy huffed, pushing open the door to the small courtroom.

“Let’s go,” she barked, clearly irritated… but deeply invested.

Inside, no judge waited. Just Trudy — arms crossed, eyes expectant.

Jay and Pearl stood together at the front, hand in hand, her bouquet now in Hailey’s care.

Trudy glanced between them.

“You two have emotionally wrecked half the force — maybe a few civilians — but sure, let’s get you legally bound.”

The sarcasm was thick. The love was thicker.

“Marriage is a little like policing,” Trudy began. “You gotta show up every day — even when it’s raining — and remember why you signed up.” “These two? They’ve been showing up for each other for over ten years. This is just making it official.” A pause. “And thank God — I’m tired of watching Jay walk around like a kicked puppy.”

Laughter rippled through the room. Pearl beamed. Jay rolled his eyes — barely.

They giggled softly, holding each other’s gaze, as Trudy gestured for them to begin.

“First aid, Jay — you’re up,” she barked.

Pearl grinned, wide and toothy.

Jay chuckled, pulling his hand from hers and fishing into his jacket — right where her dog tag rested.

Her heart ached — full, full, full.

“I spent my whole life learning how to survive. War zones, alleys, backrooms… I got good at walking away. At shutting doors before anyone could get close enough to hurt me.”

He looked up at her, a soft flicker of a smile forming.

“But then there was you. And no matter how many miles we put between us… how many times I messed it up… Somehow, you always came back.”

A beat.

“You are the loudest silence I’ve ever known. The stillness I didn’t know I needed. You saw me — all of me — and you stayed.”

He took her hand, grounding himself.

“I know I’m stubborn. I know I don’t say things when I should. But this? This is me saying it. I love you. I want every version of life with you — the good, the bad, the bloody, the boring.”

“I vow to fight for you. To show up. Even on the days I forget how to breathe — I will remember you. I will choose you.”

He smirked. “And I promise to work on my clothes folding. Scout’s honor.”

Laughter again.

“But mostly… I promise to never let the fear of losing you stop me from loving you — fully, recklessly, every single day.”

His eyes glistened. “Because you are the only war I’ve ever wanted to surrender to.”

A single tear fell from Pearl’s eye. She sniffled, chest tight, heart thunderous.

Still, she stood steady.

“You once told me I was reckless. That I didn’t know when to stand down.”

She laughed softly.

“Yeah… guilty as charged. Because no matter how many times I tried to walk away, I always ran straight back into your fire.”

“Even when it burned. Even when I swore I wouldn’t do it again. Because somehow… the burn always felt better than the silence.”

She paused, breath shaky, voice cracking just a bit.

“I’ve made peace with a lot of ghosts in my life. But not you. Never you. Because what we have? It’s not something you bury. It’s something you carry. And I have — every step of the way.”

“You and me — we’ve been through war zones and worse. Not just the ones with bullets. The ones in our heads.”

“And yet here we are. Not because it was easy — But because it was real. Because we chose each other. Again and again… even when we didn’t say it out loud.”

She grinned, wiping away a stray tear.

“I know Echo would be over the moon we made it here. Probably wagging his tail with a bone in his mouth — wearing that bowtie he hated.”

Jay laughed, tear falling free. She pressed her palm softly to his chest.

“So this is me choosing you. Not because I have to. But because I want to — on the good days, the bad ones, and every impossible in-between.”

“You are my safe place in a world that never quite was. You are my ‘I made it home.’”

“And if this is the rest of the fight… Then I’m in. Always. Even when you’re being a stubborn, impossible, maddening soldier.”

She smiled. “Especially then.”

Trudy smirked and slowly stepped back out of frame.

Jay and Pearl blinked at her.

“Kiss, goddammit,” she muttered.

Laughter. Cheers. Flashbulbs.

Jay stepped forward, cupping her cheek with one hand, thumb brushing gently along her skin.

He pulled her into him.

The small group clapped and hollered as Jay tilted her back slightly, kissing her like he meant it — like they’d survived everything just to get to this moment.

She pecked him again, fast and smiling.

“I love you, Ranger.”

“And I, too, Marine,” he whispered, stealing one last kiss.

No more running. No more tiptoeing. No more ghosts. No more pretending they were just shadows of who they used to be.

Just them.

Partners — in every way that counts. And most of all: in love.

They were like an invisible string—their dog tags—pulling them together for over ten years. But now, that string was infinite.

[allywritesmanythings]

Jay Halstead Master List

All fun and Games 18+

Banished

Careful

Carmen Ann

Clothes

Comfort

Compliment

Connections

Cold

Cover

Didn't Let Him Down

Effect

End P1

Every Way Possible

Father Figure P1

Father Figure P2

Father Figure P3

Father Figure P4

Finally

First Kiss

Gone

He's Mine

Hit

How I Feel

I Don't Date Cops P1

I Don't Date Cops P2

Let's go home

Lifetime

Lilian Rose P1

Lilian Rose P2

Lilian Rose P3

Marry Me

Not Yours

Never Letting You Go

New Unit P1

New Unit P2

New Unit P3

Only One

Over-Protective

Rebound 18+

Safe

Secret Voight P1

Secret Voight P2

Secret Voight P3

Secret Voight P4

Secret Voight P5

Secret Voight P6

Secret Voight S2 P1

Secret Voight S2 P2

Secret Voight S2 P3

Secret Voight S2 P4

Secret Voight S2 P5

Secret Voight S2 P6

Secret Voight S2 P7

Secret Voight S2 P8

Secret Voight S2 P9

Secret Voight S3 P1

Secret Voight S3 P2

Secret Voight S3 P3

Start Over

Testify

Tip

That Damn Lip

That Truck

Trust

Ups and Downs

You Know

Will's going to kill me

Worship

You're Safe

[peachyhalstead]

married man | j. halstead

request:Can you do a Jay Halstead x Reader. They are both married and have a child together. The child just started pre-k or kindergarten and since the reader is heavily pregnant Jay has been dropping off and picking up their kid. And maybe like the single moms are flirting with Jay since they think he might be a single dad but they get surprised when the reader picks the kid one day after giving birth.

pairing: established (married) fem!reader x jay halstead

word count: 1.75k

warnings: none??

a/n: dad!jay dad!jay dad!jay !!!!! they have a little boy (his name is dylan) and a newborn girlie (what should her name be)

------

Grumbling as the alarm went off, you blindly reached over and whacked Jay on the chest. “Why’s it have to be so loud?”

Jay chuckled, silencing his phone’s alarm. “It’s not even that loud, babe.”

You glared at him through narrow eyes. “If I wasn’t about to pop right now I’d give you a piece of my mind.”

Letting out a hearty laugh, Jay got out of bed and folded his portion of the comforter back up, trapping the heat for you. “Only a few more weeks, babe. Then you’ll be able to move without having to pee every two seconds.”

You slowly followed Jay, yawning and rubbing the nine-month bump as you headed into the kitchen to package your son’s lunch.

He had recently started kindergarten, and loved telling you and Jay about all his escapades with his classmates as he learned different things.

“I could’ve done that, you didn’t have to get up.” Jay said, popping a capsule into the coffee machine and starting it.

Shrugging, you zipped the lunchbox closed and set it next to the matching blue backpack, one hand going to rub at the sore spot on your back. “I knew I wasn’t going to be able to fall back to sleep.”

Jay noticed, and his hands slowly made their way to the exact spot that bothered you in your first pregnancy. “Who do you thinks going to ask me out today, hm?”

Laughing softly, you clicked your tongue at Jay. “You really enjoy that, don’t you? Miss getting hit on?”

Jay shook his head. “Don’t miss it one bit. Just enjoy seeing those soccer moms think their whispers are quiet.”

A few weeks ago Jay had mentioned that some of the moms at drop-off had been talking about Jay, commenting on his lack of wedding band and no significant other ever at drop off or pick up.

“Momma, when will you go to school with me?” Dylan asked, your son finally making his appearance in his pajamas.

“Soon, little bug. Once Little Sister is here, I’ll drop you off with Daddy some days.”

Dylan frowned. “Can Sissy come now?”

You huffed, wanting nothing more than to deliver the weight that seemed to be constantly on your bladder. “I wish, but I think she needs a few more weeks.”

Jay smiled into his coffee cup, phone chiming with a text from Hailey. “Come on, Dyl. Let’s get dressed so you can show your friends your new shoes.”

Dylan beamed at the thought, and followed Jay back to his room, leaving you alone in the warm kitchen. The aroma of coffee lingered as you found a chair to rest in, hand absently tracing circles over your distended belly.

A sigh of contentment escaped you; this was your world, and despite the groggy mornings and occasional aggravations - like trying to convince Dylan to brush his teeth properly - you wouldn’t change it for anything else. That was the beauty of family - it wasn’t always perfect, but it was yours. And that made all the imperfections precious in their own odd way.

The sound of Jay's voice pulled you from your thoughts as he asked Dylan to choose between two shirts. You smiled, knowing how seriously your little boy took these morning decisions. Sipping on some water and slowly standing up, you decided to start breakfast.

The scent of eggs and bacon soon filled the room, joining the still lingering coffee aroma. Dylan would be excited; he loved his simple morning breakfasts. As you were flipping an egg, Jay returned with Dylan in tow. Their matching grins caught your eye.

“What are you two up to?” You questioned playfully, adjusting your hold on your bump.

“Nothing,” they both chimed in unison, their grins growing even wider.

“Okay,” you drew out the first syllable, grabbing a plate and moving the eggs for Dylan to eat, blowing on them as you cut them into pieces.

“Eat, then Daddy will bring you to school.” You smiled, cracking a few more eggs and grabbing a tortilla and the toppings you knew Jay liked, quickly making a breakfast wrap for him.

Wrapping it in foil, you smiled to yourself as you heard Jay helping Dylan put on his sneakers.

“Ok, we gotta go, Little Man! Go give Momma a kiss.”

Dylan skipped over to you, wrapping his little arms around your legs, promising you he’d come home with a drawing to put in the nursery.

Thanking him, you smiled at Jay as he grabbed the wrap and his badge, stopping to press a kiss to your forehead. “Take it easy today, babe.”

“I will. Go break hearts and catch perps, Jay.”

——

Jay hid his eye roll as he followed Dylan to the drop off location, ignoring the looks from the few single mothers nearby.

“I mean, who in their right mind wouldn’t grab that ass? He’s such a good dad, too.”

Jay overheard one of the mothers and shook his head, stifling a laugh. He still found it amusing and somewhat flattering to know that he was the topic of their little gossip circle. But he also knew firmly where his heart lay - at home with you and Dylan, and soon, your new little girl.

As Dylan scampered off towards his classroom, he turned to Jay with a big grin. "Daddy, do you think I can tell Mrs. Johnson about Sissy coming soon?"

Jay bent down to his level, ruffling his hair affectionately. "Of course, buddy. I'm sure she will be thrilled to hear it."

At that moment, a pair of giggling women walked by, shooting him suggestive glances over their shoulders. He merely smiled politely before turning away.

Arriving back at the car, Jay pulled out his phone and saw a text from you: Feeling better now that the house is empty. How did drop off go?

He quickly typed back: Smooth as always. He's telling all his teachers about his soon-to-be little sister.

Satisfied, he started the vehicle and headed towards the precinct. His phone chimed again with your response: That's my boy! Take care at work, Jay.

He chuckled as he imagined you grinning at your phone, feet kicked up on the coffee table even though you often chided him for doing the same thing.

——

The routine didn’t shift for the next few weeks, but the gossiping mothers were surprised when Dylan was dropped off by Will one day, Jay at the hospital where you were currently resting with the newest addition to the family.

“Uncle Will, can we see Momma and Sissy after school?” Dylan asked, tugging on his uncle’s hand.

"Of course, buddy," Will replied with a soft smile, watching as Dylan's face lit up with joy. "I bet they can't wait to see you."

Once Dylan scampered off towards his classroom, Will indulged in a moment of silence. He was used to the emergency room's relentless noise and bustle, so the unfamiliar hush of the school yard in the early morning was a welcome respite. A group of mothers were huddled together, shooting glances his way. Perhaps he was becoming part of their gossip routine now too - he silently hoped otherwise.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Jay could barely tear his gaze away from you sleeping peacefully, the tiny bundle in his arms a testament to your strength and love. His heart swelled in his chest at the sight; you looked more beautiful than ever, your face radiating an exhausted but blissful glow as your daughter, their daughter, clung onto his finger with her small hand.

Just then, she stirred awake and let out a soft whimper which turned into a loud wail. He quickly got up and started to gently rock her, not wanting her cries to disturb your much-needed rest.

“Hey there, little princess,” he cooed softly as he bounced her gently in his arms. “Let’s not wake Mommy up now.”

After a few minutes of gentle rocking and hushed lullabies - Jay trying his best to remember the ones you sung to Dylan when he was an infant, the baby quieted down, blue eyes peering up at her father.

“Hi, munchkin. You already have half of Chicago’s first responders wrapped around your finger.” He whispered, soft smile at his lips as he thought back to the replies from his team when he sent the photo of the baby in the group chat.

"The other half is itching to meet you. Just wait until Uncle Will gets a hold of you. You're going to be spoiled rotten." He laughed softly, mindlessly tracing a finger over his daughter's tiny forehead.

His phone buzzed where he had left it on the bedside table. It was a message from Will letting him know that Dylan had been dropped off at school and asking if they could come by after school to see the baby.

Jay's heart swelled, even more, knowing his son was equally excited about his little sister's arrival. Jay quickly typed a response, assuring Will they would be more than happy to have visitors later in the day.

——

The day passed in a flurry of nurses checking vitals and bringing meals, phone calls from family and friends, and quiet moments spent marveling over their newest addition. Dylan was bursting with energy when Will brought him by after school, his wide eyes taking in everything with an infectious excitement that had everyone in the room smiling.

"Momma, Sissy is really small!" Dylan whispered in awe as he approached the bed, carefully peering over the edge of the bassinet.

You chuckled at his innocent observation as Jay helped him climb up onto the bed to get a better look. "Yes, she is," you agreed with a fond smile. "You were that small, too, Little Man!”

Dylan looked at you with wide eyes, shaking his head. “Nuh-uh!”

“Mhmm!” You replied, fixing his shirt as he squirmed to get another look at his sister.

“When can you and Sissy come to school?” He asked, looking at you.

Jay laughed quietly, and you looked at your husband. “Soon, Dyl.”

——

Two weeks later, you consoled the crying baby as Jay helped Dylan put his backpack on. “Can Sissy come meet Mrs. Johnson?”

Shaking your head, you carefully strapped the little girl into her carrier, softly rubbing her cheek. “Not yet. Maybe during the spring concert, but she’s still too little.”

Jay stood up and grabbed his keys. “She can help Momma and Daddy drop you off, though. That sound good?”

Dylan’s face lit up at the thought. “Yeah! Everyone will get to see her!” He jumped excitedly before Jay guided him out the door.

Satisfied with your successful early morning, you carried the baby carrier to the car and buckled it in securely at the back seat. Moving around was still a little tough for you but you were slowly getting the hang of things. You climbed into the passenger side, glancing back at Dylan who was squirming in his seat with anticipation.

The drive to the school was filled with Dylan's non-stop chatter about what he was going to show his little sister. Jay had a soft smile on his face as he listened to his son, occasionally glancing at you in admiration and shared joy.

Once they arrived in front of the school, Dylan unbuckled himself and carefully opened your car door for you. “Be careful, Momma!” He cautioned, making Jay chuckle as he followed behind with his son’s backpack.

You smiled, letting Jay go ahead with Dylan so he wasn’t late, working to unstrap your daughter’s carrier so Dylan could see her one last time before he was in school.

“Jay, haven’t seen you the last few days. Is everything okay?” One of the mothers who had tried to hit on Jay asked, faux worry on her face.

Jay wore a smile as he turned to the woman, Dylan's hand tucked safely in his own as they made their way toward the school entrance. "Yeah, everything’s great, actually. My wife just gave birth to our second child," he responded casually, nodding his head towards the car where you were carefully lifting the baby carrier.

The woman blinked in surprise before offering a tight-lipped smile, "Oh, I didn’t know... congratulations."

"Thanks," Jay replied with a nod before turning his attention back to Dylan whose bundle of excitement was barely contained. As Jay opened the door for him to enter he looked into the bright eyes of his son and smiled reassuringly, "You ready?"

Dylan nodded eagerly, already tugging on his father's hand to drag him inside. Jay followed docilely, striding up the hallway towards Dylan's classroom.

Meanwhile, you were still out by the car, struggling slightly with the baby carrier that seemed to weigh even more than your now two-week-old daughter. A few mothers noticed and stepped forward to help you, their faces lighting up at the sight of the infant bundled up against the cold.

"Oh she's absolutely adorable!" One woman cooed, and you recognized her from when Jay was telling you how one of them started to wear low-cut tops after he started doing drop off duty.

You walked with them to the doors, smile brightening when you saw Jay and Dylan at the door, the young boy wanting to say goodbye to his sister.

“Bye, Sissy! Bye, Momma!” Dylan smiled, giving his sister a kiss and hugging your legs, unaware that his farewells caused the mothers who had walked with you to gasp lightly.

Jay’s smile widened at Dylan's display of affection, ruffling his son's hair gently, "Alright, champ. We’ll pick you up later. Have a great day at school."

Dylan nodded eagerly before disappearing into the bustling school building with his teacher. The remaining mothers turned to you, their surprised expressions replaced by warm, slender smiles as they admired your little girl.

Back in the car, you laughed as Jay started the ignition. “Think I felt the daggers from some of the moms when they found out you’re married.”

Jay snorted, turning back to the road to your house. “Well, that or when they found out we have great sex. Either way, watch your back, babe.”

You gawked at Jay’s remark, hitting him in the chest. “Jay! Your daughter is listening!”

“Oh, she’ll hear worse when Ruz babysits her." ------ a/n: send requests if you wanna!!

[aceofwhump]

@whumpgifathon | Day 11: "Sling"

Chicago P.D., 7x10 and 7x11, Jay Halstead

[topguncortez]

Set Up For Failure - J. Halstead

whumptober masterlist || previous day

prompt: "I Warned You"

synopsis: Life with Jay had never been easy, and you knew that being with a police officer wasn't going to be easy. But when a newly released criminal starts repeating the same patterns that got him put behind bars, Jay starts to worry about your safety.

warnings: cursing, robbery gone wrong, attempted murder, mentions of large amounts of blood, crime scenes, pregnancy, kidnapping, mentions of a non-consensual c-section.

word count: 2.9k

Being married to a cop wasn’t easy. Being married to a detective that belonged to Hank Voight’s Intelligence department wasn’t easy either. When you first met Jay, he did everything he possibly could to shield you from the life that he lived. In fact, you didn’t even know his name was Jay until about six months into your relationship. It was by accident that you had figured out his name, who he was and what he did for work. 

At first, you were pissed, you didn’t talk to him for about two months, completely cutting him off. How could you be with someone who had lied to you so easily? Who didn’t think you were worthy or trustful enough to tell you what he did every single day? Jay had groveled, showing up at your apartment every day with a bouquet of flowers, begging for you to talk to him. You had got so annoyed that you left a note on the door telling him to take the flowers and donate them to the nursing home. But after the third month of him waiting outside your door, you finally decided to hear him out. 

“I have an explanation,” He started. You crossed your arms over your chest, “Everyone who has been close to me ends up getting hurt or worse. I couldn’t let that happen. Not to you. I have been living in this darkness for so long, and you come and. . . you brought the light back,” Jay shook his head, “I was terrified of what would happen if the light went away.” 

“No more lying,” You said, pointing at him. 

“None, I swear,” Jay said, putting his hands, “Does this mean I am forgiven?” 

“This means you are on probation.” 

Four years later, you were now Mrs. Halstead, and in your final month of pregnancy. Life with Jay had been everything you dreamed of and more. He was attentive and caring, always calling you on his way home from the station, or texting you if it was going to be a late night. He did everything he possibly could to provide for you, buying a small fixer upper house near Hank’s place. Will had accepted you as his sister-in-law almost instantly, loving to have someone on his side during petty arguments with Jay. The whole squad had basically adopted you as one of their own, even though you didn’t have a single thing to do with the police force. You had been a teacher until you got pregnant, and decided to spend the first year of your baby’s life at home. 

"There's been a series of break-ins in the Sunset Hills neighborhood, which has residents on alert. Channel 10 news is-"

The TV had clicked off from behind you, causing you to gasp and look over your shoulder at your husband. You smiled sheepishly before turning back to the pile of baby clothes that you were folding. 

“You’re home early,” You said. 

“Mhm,” Jay answered, crossing his arms over his chest, “What are you doing?” 

“Oh, you know,” You lifted up a pile of folded onesies, “Kid has more clothes than me.” Jay’s eyebrow raised, “And I was just catching up on the local happenings. . . have I told you how much I love you?”

Jay huffed, shaking his head, “I told you to quit reading into that. There’s nothing to worry about.” 

You sighed looking down at the pile of clothes, you had been caught yet again. Ever since the first break-in in the neighborhood, you had been on high alert, even though both Jay and Hank assured you that it was nothing to worry about, but you still felt uneasy every time you were in the house alone, which happened to be a lot. Hank told you that the thieves weren’t hurting anyone or going to houses where they knew people were home. The only thing they were guilty of was breaking in and stealing thousands worth in property. 

“I have the right to know what’s going on,” You crossed your arms over your chest, “I need to know what is going on in case-“ 

“Nothing is going to happen,” Jay walked over towards where you sat on the couch and kneeled down in front of you, “Nothing is going to happen to you. We have the best security system money can buy. We are blocks away from the station, uniforms are doing patrols up and down this street, hell, Hank lives right next door,” You chuckled at that. Jay’s large warm hands landed on your belly, gently rubbing over the stretched skin, “You are safe, I promise. I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” He placed a kiss on your forehead, “To both of you.” He then placed a kiss on your belly, earning him a kick in response, “Chill out in there, rambo.” 

“She gets excited when you’re around,” You smiled, “She can hear you.” 

Watching Jay become a father has been your favorite thing in life. From the moment you stood in the door of your shared bedroom, tears running down your face as you told him, you knew he was going to be the best dad ever. The next day he went out and bought as many books as he could on parenting. You had to basically force him to keep his mouth shut from telling the squad, as he wanted to shout from the rooftops he was going to be a dad. Now it was count down mode until his little girl could be in his arms. 

— — — 

“It’s going to be a late night,” Jay huffed out from the other end. You could hear the faint sound of a radio, and knew he was probably sitting in his patrol truck, Hailey next to him, waiting for some movement or clue. 

“This past week have all been late nights,” You sighed, letting the warmth of your bath water seep into your bones. In the past week, it seemed as though your baby was getting ready to make their move to come into this world. Your last appointment your doctor pointed out that your belly had started to drop a bit, which sent Jay into a full on panic. Your back had been killing you, and the only place that seemed to help ease the pain, was the clawfoot bathtub you made Jay put in the bathroom. 

“I know, baby,” Jay sighed. He hated the late nights just as much as you did, especially being so close to your due date. He knew that Natalie and Will were right down the street, and would be over in a flash if you ever needed anything, but Jay hated the fact that he couldn’t be right there. His paternity leave wasn’t set to start until after the baby was born. 

“Just tell me, you’re going to catch whatever bad guy you are after,” Although you still disliked some aspects of Jay’s job, you loved that he was part of keeping the beautiful city safe. 

“Always, baby,” Jay smiled on the other side of the receiver, “I promise I’ll be home as soon as Hank cuts us loose. Tell Rambo she can’t make her appearance tonight.” 

You rolled your eyes, “Quit calling her Rambo.” 

Jay’s smooth laugh filled the air, and you couldn’t help but smile at the sound, “I love you, Y/N. I’ll be home soon.” 

You spent probably another half hour, until the bath water had run cold and the candles burnt out before you climbed out of the bath. You grabbed a pair of Jay’s boxers and one of his Chicago PD shirts, which seemed to be all that fit you at this point, and some of the only things that felt comfortable enough to wear. You propped the pillows up behind your back as you climbed into bed. Most nights you would fall asleep in the recliner, sitting up nearly straight felt better than laying in a bed. But for some reason, you felt safer lying in your shared bed than being out in the living room. 

Sleep didn’t come easy to you. Being almost 40 weeks pregnant, moving around trying to get comfortable wasn’t something new to you. But it wasn’t the feeling of your daughter kicking your ribs that kept you awake. You couldn’t turn your mind off, every slight howl of the wind or the creek of the old house had you jumping slightly, and looking around your dark bedroom. At some point you had drifted off to a light, fitful sleep, but were awoken by the sound of smashing glass. 

You gasped, looking around the room, your hand on your pounding heart. You sat still in your bed, straining your ears to hear if maybe it was Jay. But the sound of a groan, had you climbing out of bed, going straight to the safe in the closet. You punched in the code quickly, grabbing the gun and the magazine that Jay kept in there. You had only ever loaded a gun a handful of times, and prayed that you had done it right, as you grabbed your phone, and locked the bedroom door. You dialed 9-1-1 with shaky hands as you heard footsteps and a male grumbling. 

“I’m armed and calling 9-1-1!” You yelled out, hoping to scare off whoever was in your house. The trill of the line seemed to go on forever, until you were met with the sound of a dispatcher. 

“9-1-1, what’s your emergency?” 

“I think someone broke into my house,” You said, trying your best to keep your voice steady, “I-I’m Detective Halstead’s wife.” 

“Alright Mrs. Halstead,” The operator said, “Can you tell me where you are at?” 

“I’m in my bedroom. I locked the door and hid in the closet.” 

“Are you armed?” 

You looked down at the black gun on the bedroom floor, tears filling your eyes, “Y-Yes. But please hurry, I think-” 

The sound of the bedroom door banging opened caused you to gasp. You clamped a hand over your mouth as the footsteps grew closer to you, and prayed to anyone listening that you were going to make it through this. 

— — — 

Jay felt like he was about ready to fall asleep. The unit had been tasked with trying to find out who was behind a series of break-ins. It wasn’t their normal gig, break-ins were unfortunately common in their district, but the last two break-ins resulted in two homicides. Hank was going to right off the two homicides, saying that they still didn’t catch the eye of the intelligence unit, but the last two crime scenes had similar patterns to a case that Jay had worked several years ago. 

“Have you guys settled on a name?” Hailey asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence. 

Jay shook his head with a smile, “She’s still set on Ophelia. But I think Sammy is better.” 

“Sammy?” Hailey asked, already guessing what Jay’s answer was going to be. 

“For Sammy Sosa!” 

Hailey shook her head, “Yeah, I agree with Y/N on this one.” Jay scoffed, and the silence stretched back across the cab of the truck, “Why do you think this is a revenge thing?” 

“I don’t know if it is a revenge thing, but I have a feeling it is,” Jay sighed, “The pattern just fits. 13 plain home invasions, then two homicides. The writings in blood on the walls of the crime scene? That wasn’t public knowledge.” 

“But why would Roger Sterling wait this long? What has it been, six years?” 

Jay nodded his head. It was one of his first cases in the intelligence units, and Hank was right when he said the first one sticks with you. Jay thought he had the facts right out in front of him. Roger Sterling checked all of the boxes for the home invader turned murderer, except one. The night of the third homicide, Roger had a solid alibi that was backed by his wife. But not having an alibi for two out of three murders was good enough for the jury to convict, and sent Roger to prison for two years. That was, until the conviction was overturned on the grounds of ‘not enough solid evidence’. Roger was let go, but he held a vengeance for Jay. 

“I don’t know,” Jay ran a hand down his face, “I’m guessing he was probably stewing in his anger. He was proven innocent of all the crimes, but that still doesn’t give him a clean bill. He’s probably been angry for years and is now acting out.” 

“It just doesn’t make-” 

“All Units, All Units, we have an active call for a home invasion and the sound of gun fire.” 

Jay cursed, grabbing his radio, “This is 5021 George, what’s the address we’re in route.” 

“Address is three-twelve south Cleveland street.” 

Jay felt like his heart had stopped in his chest, as his radio fell from his hand. The only sound in his ears was the sound of his blood, roaring in his body. Everything had frozen, his hands began to shake and his vision went black. He couldn’t even hear or feel Hailey shaking him out of his trance, trying to get his attention. It was like Jay’s body moved on autopilot, as he pulled the truck out of park and sped towards his house. 

His house. 

The house his wife and child were home alone in. 

The house where there were gunshots fired. 

Jay barely put the truck in park as he arrived on scene, and didn’t even bother to shut the door as he jumped out and ran up the yellow police tape. The bright lights and sounds of sirens were making his head pound as he tried to push his way through to his house. He was brought out of his trance when he felt a hand on his chest, stopping him from approaching. Jay looked down, anger coursing through his bones. 

“Let me fucking go,” He sneered at Hank. 

“I can’t let you do that,” Hank’s gravelly voice sounded out. 

“That’s my wife!” 

“And this is a crime scene,” Hank barked back, “My crime scene.” Jay felt like he was going to throw up, as his knees gave out. Hank quickly wrapped an arm around him, helping him down to the curb. 

“Is she-” 

“She’s alive,” Hank responded, “But barely. They took her straight to Med, I called ahead and told Will to meet her there.” 

Jay felt like he could breathe a little bit better, knowing that his baby brother was going to be in charge of his wife’s care. It was as if Jay’s mind went blank, a factory reset as he looked at the members of his unit jump right into working the scene. 

“I need to see it,” Jay said, his voice lacking any emotion. Hailey, who stood behind him, gave Hank a look, but the older man knew Jay well enough. 

“C’mon,” Hank turned and walked towards the house, Jay hot on his heels. The two of them pushed through the yellow police tape, and Jay felt his heart tick again. 

The perfect house that Y/N had spent so much time on, was destroyed. Pieces of glass from the windows littered the floor, pictures on the wall had been skewed, bloody footprints left on the hardwood floors that took Jay way too long to fix up. 

Jay clenched his jaw, “Where was she?” 

“Perp came in through the back,” Adam explained, pointing to the open back door, “Looted around down here for a little bit, from what we can tell, nothing was taken.” Jay couldn’t even focus on seeing if anything was missing, he was more concerned on how Y/N ended up the victim. “Then he went upstairs,” Adam nodded his head towards the bloody footprints. 

Hank then led him up the stairs, where more uniforms stood around taking pictures, and putting numbered yellow place cards on the blood splatters. Normally, the coppery scent of blood didn’t bother Jay, but this had him feeling sick as he approached his bedroom. 

“The 9-1-1 call was dialed from in here,” Hank said, “Her phone was found in the closet along with a nine mil.” Jay felt some sense of pride that Y/N knew to get the gun from the safe. He could remember the day he had first brought it home and how much she had protested having a weapon in the house. But Jay promised it would be the only weapon they had and it was going to be under lock and key at all times. 

“Did she fire it?” Jay asked, his voice barely above a whisper. 

Hank nodded, “Bullet embedded in the wall.” 

“She missed,” Jay shook his head, his blue eyes looking down at the huge blood spot on the bedroom floor. “Is th-that her. . .” Hank nodded his head again. Jay let out a shuddering breath as he sat on the edge of the bed. It was as if time had finally stopped, and Jay came to a sickening realization about the blood on the floor, “The baby. . .” His eyes widened as he looked at Hank, who had a grime expression on his face, “Where is my baby?” 

Hank looked at Adam, who stood in the doorway, “We have an amber alert-” 

Jay stood up from the bed immediately, but Hank put a hand on his chest, “Get your fucking hand off of me.” 

“We found this next to her,” Hank handed Jay a note. 

Jay took the yellow piece of notebook paper, which was folded in half and a polaroid picture was in the middle. The picture was of Y/N, and it looked to be taken not that long ago, her round pregnant belly protruding out as she stood in front of the large bay window of the living room. Written in what Jay prayed was red ink were the words: 

“I warned you.”

[acecroft]

CHICAGO P.D. 1.13

[shadowbriar]

is One Chicago fandom still alive? I've been rewatching PD and Fire and been itching to write for these characters, but I'm unsure if there'll be anyone reading..

[onechicagolife]

buzzkill

summary: prompts 8, 69, and 94—in which you decompress at molly's

requested? yes by @hajrakhan

word count: 1077

warnings: none

want to be tagged? link in bio <3

The familiar hum of the bullpen settles around you like a well-worn soundtrack—keyboards clacking, papers shuffling, and the occasional dry sarcasm tossed across desks. For once, the day isn't ending in sirens and chaos. The case is closed, the reports are filed, and no one's bleeding.

You perch on Adam’s desk, legs swinging idly as you grin at the memory playing back in your mind. “I swear to God, this guy actually thought he could outrun me.”

Adam looks up from his computer, already half-laughing. “What, the dude with the weed?”

You nod, hands animated, “Panicked and tried running full speed in Crocs. Took two steps and ate it.”

“He deserves time just for that decision,” he says, chuckling.

Kevin leans back in his chair, a grin spreading across his face. “Wait—were they in sport mode, though?”

“Nope,” you snort at the image of the young guy face-planting.

Antonio lets out a low whistle. “Rookie mistake. But still doesn’t beat fence guy last summer. Got his pants caught mid-jump, boxers and all on display. High school girls can be brutal.”

“That was legendary,” Adam laughs. “I still think about that poor bastard whenever I pass a chain link.”

You’re mid-laugh, the kind that warms your whole chest, when it hits—that prickling sensation on the back of your neck. Not danger. Not discomfort. Just… noticed. You glance across the bullpen and catch him instantly.

Jay. Leaning against his desk, arms folded across his chest, that signature calm intensity written all over his face. His eyes are on you—have been, apparently—and he doesn’t look away when you meet his gaze. There’s something behind it. Something steady. Something that makes the room, for a heartbeat, feel quieter than it actually is.

Your smile softens. You slide off the desk, feet landing lightly on the tile, and cross the room toward him. “Why are you looking at me like that?” you ask, your voice low enough to keep the moment just between the two of you.

Jay blinks once, like he hadn’t realized he was staring. Then the corner of his mouth lifts, slow and easy, and he shrugs a lazy shoulder. “No reason.”

You raise a brow, skeptical. “Uh huh.”

Before you can call him on it—on whatever that look was—Adam claps his hands, cutting through the mood quickly. “Alright, enough case talk. Molly’s?”

A round of agreement sweeps through the room like muscle memory. Jackets are shrugged on, phones are pocketed, and the familiar post-case ritual clicks into place.

Jay steps up beside you as the group heads out, his shoulder brushing yours in that unintentional-but-not-really kind of way. He doesn’t say anything. But that look?

Yeah, it never really leaves.

Molly’s is buzzing with the end-of-shift crowd. The scent of beer and fried food clings to the air, the low murmur of conversation rising and falling like waves around you. Laughter bursts from a table near the bar, and someone cues up a familiar song on the jukebox.

You’re tucked into a high-top with Hailey and Kim, the three of you leaning in close, drinks in hand, laughter flowing a little too easily. There’s a comfortable burn in your chest, a fuzzy warmth curling through your limbs.

Hailey narrows her eyes at you, grinning. “Alright, be honest—how many drinks have you had?”

You squint, holding up fingers that don’t want to stay still no matter how hard you focus. "Three?”

“More like five,” Kim snorts.

You gasp, clutching your chest dramatically. “Rude. I am offended by your lack of faith in my ability to pace myself.”

“Yeah, no,” Hailey bites back a laugh. “You’re drunk.” When Kim laughs and points an accusatory finger, Hailey arches an eyebrow at her. “So are you.”

You wave her off, giggling with Kim, and reach for your drink again—but a shadow falls over the table before you can take another sip.

“Alright, that’s enough.”

You glance up, already grinning. Jay’s there, arms crossed, amusement tugging at the corners of his mouth. He looks like he’s been watching for a while.

Kim leans in, stage-whispering, “Buzzkill incoming.”

“Jay,” you say sweetly, dragging out his name as you rest your chin in your palm. Your eyebrows draw together, face scrunching in mock-anger, “You’re always so serious.”

He sighs, dramatic in his own right, but he is fighting back a smile. “You’re about one drink away from me carrying you out of here.”

You roll your eyes. “That’s a little dramatic.”

“Is it?” he counters, eyebrow raised in that classic, skeptical Halstead way.

You open your mouth to argue, but as soon as you shift in your seat, the room gives a gentle spin. You blink slowly. Huh. Okay… maybe he has a point. “Fine,” you grumble, pushing your drink away.

Jay smirks, victorious. “That’s what I thought.”

You slide off the stool, swaying slightly. Before you even register it, his hand finds your arm, firm and grounding. His touch makes your heart trip in a different kind of way. You glance up at him, vision a little fuzzy around the edges, but his expression is clear as day. Focused. Amused. Warm. He helps you slip on your jacket, tries not to laugh as you struggle to put your arms through one at a time. You pout, lips pushed forward in mock betrayal. “Why do you hate me?”

Jay chuckles, “Actually, I love you.”

You frown like that makes less sense than the spinning bar, and when you stumble, he catches you with an easy laugh, his arms strong around your waist.

“In fact,” he says softly, green eyes sparkling down at you, “I don’t think I could love you any more than I already do.”

Your breath catches, heart pounding against your ribs. It shouldn’t still make you feel like this. He says he loves you all the time. But it does still feel like this—like it’s the first time. And it’s the best feeling in the world. A lopsided smile pulls at your lips, and you lift a hand, grabbing his chin. “You’re the best,” you gush, voice featherlight.

Jay exhales a quiet laugh, shaking his head. “Come on,” he grins, pulling you gently into his side. “Let’s get you home.” His hand settles against your lower back, warm and sure, guiding you toward the door as the night wraps around you both.

[ladysharmaa]

Break in

Jay Halstead x reader

summary: when Jay's girlfriend is home alone while he's at Molly's, someone tries to break into their house

Y/n was looking disinterestedly through the fridge, closing it with a sigh when she couldn't find anything to eat that she felt like. It was a slow night, her workday had been quiet at the hospital, with only a few patients showing up.

Her boyfriend, Jay, had invited her to join him and the rest of the police department at Molly's. However, she refused, wanting him to spend quality time with his friends, feeling that she had already stolen him from them long enough after he took a few days to take care of her after she fell ill.

Detective Chuckles: Is everything okay out there? The guys miss you! Wish you could be here with me :(

The ringing of her cell phone snapped her out of her thoughts, a small chuckle escaping her lips as she read Jay's message. But she couldn't deny the butterflies that invaded her stomach knowing he was thinking about her. Their relationship was relatively recent, but they had never felt stronger love.

Jay once revealed to her that he realized she was the most important person to him when he was called on an undercover mission. They had only been dating for about 2 months. When he returned, after all the time they hadn't been together, he was shocked to see her waiting for him. He thought she had abandoned him, realizing that she couldn't live with his job, but he was wrong. He ran to her, picking her up and spinning her around a little, her laughter echoing through the room.

After answering his text, Y/n lay down on the couch, watching a movie while waiting for her boyfriend to come home. She didn't even notice when, halfway through the movie, her eyes started to get heavy, and she gave in to sleep.

She woke up again when she heard the lock on the front door click, almost as if someone was trying to get in. Too lazy to get up, thinking it was Jay trying to get in, Y/n tried to call him to remind him he had a key, in case he was already a little tipsy.

At the end of the second ring, the cop answered, but something made Y/n freeze in place, glancing at the door in alarm. She could hear the noise coming from the other people at the bar, meaning he wasn't the one at the door.

"Baby, you there? Is everything okay?" Jay's voice brought her back to reality.

"Jay, aren't you the one trying to get in by any chance?" her voice shook, still standing in the same spot on the edge of the sofa, now raised.

"What? Guys, shut up, I can't hear Y/n. Baby, I told you I'm at the bar with the rest of the group." his voice immediately became serious. "Why? What's happening?"

"Jay, I think someone is trying to get in." Y/n muttered, holding the phone tighter to stop it from falling due to the shaking of her hands. Her wide, frightened eyes were fixed on the door.

As soon as those words left her mouth, Y/n heard a noise on the other side — Jay was shouting something to Severide. Then, there was silence until the sound of Jay's jeep engine was heard.

"Y/n, I need you to listen to me very carefully. You go to our room and lock the door. Then you go to the bathroom and stay in the bathtub until I come and get you. No one else, just me. Do you think you can do that?"

From Jay's voice, Y/n noticed that he went into police mode, speaking calmly but with authority. In fact, this was just so he wouldn't lose control and be able to help his girlfriend, despite the fear that was spreading throughout his body.

"I need verbal responses, baby. Do you understand?"

"I understand." her voice shook.

"Good girl. Everything's going to be okay." Jay tried to comfort her, breaking all the traffic rules and having the sirens on to get home faster.

His heart was tightening in his chest, almost stopping him from breathing. He blamed himself, he knew he should have stayed at home with Y/n, and now she was in danger, and he couldn't protect her.

Behind him, Severide followed him in his vehicle on a 911 call.

"I'm scared, Jay." Y/n's scared voice caught the police officer's attention.

"I know, baby, I know. But I need you to be brave until I arrive. I won't let anything happen to you. I just need you to hold on and then we'll finally go to bed and cuddle. Does that sound good?"

"Yeah." She felt tears coming to her eyes but tried not to let them fall. Just like Jay said, she had to be brave until he came to save her.

Y/n then started to go to her room until she stopped halfway up the stairs when the front door handle stopped turning. For a moment, she thought she was exaggerating and it was just someone who made a mistake in the house. But the panic returned when the automatic rear light came on, indicating that someone had passed by.

Jay only heard the gasp she let out. "What? What's happening?! You need to talk to me, Y/N."

"I think they're trying to get in through the back. I don't know if I locked that door!" She stopped her speech suddenly. "Oh god, I just remembered I left Missy sleeping in the kitchen."

"Y/n, do not go in there just because of the fucking cat!"

Jay didn't even like the little furball who seemed to hate him from the moment Y/n started dating him. However, he knew that his girlfriend would never forgive herself if something happened to the cat.

"Don't scream at me! I would be such a bad owner if I didn't come back to get my cat."

"I don't care about the damn cat when you're in danger!" Jay argued, but he knew Y/n was already heading downstairs to get Missy.

When Y/n arrived, she quickly found the animal on the dining table, looking super calm, an emotion quite contrary to what Y/n was feeling. Picking her up and quickly kissing her head, the girl thought about what her next step in the plan would be: go back up the stairs or find another place to hide.

However, the intruders finally opened the door, and the choice became obvious. Y/n quickly ducked and hid behind the kitchen counter so she wouldn't be seen. On all fours and with Missy under her arm, she grabbed a knife and tried, as silently as possible, to head towards the pantry.

"Y/n, don't go silent on me. Tell me what's going on. I'm three minutes away."

"They're here, Jay. I'm in the pantry with a knife." Her breaths were ragged and shuddering. She had to put her hand over her mouth to stop herself from crying. "I was so stupid. Why didn't I do what you said? I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. God, don't apologize, sweetheart." Jay muttered with a heavy heart, running his hand over his face in despair, never having felt greater helplessness.

"They're getting closer." Y/n whispered, closing her eyes and holding her hand in front of her mouth so you wouldn't hear her heavy breathing. Jay slammed his hands on the steering wheel, clenching his jaw and thinking about what he could say to his girlfriend. "I love you, Jay. So much."

"Don't say that like it's goodbye, Y/n. I can't take it." He shook his head, using all his strength not to break down and burst into tears. "I'm almost there. One minute."

But Y/n was no longer able to respond. That's because a man, dressed all in black, entered the kitchen and looked around. She was peeking through the pantry bars, hoping he wouldn't be able to hear her and that Missy kept quiet.

She just had to hold on for one minute. Jay would be there on time. Either way, she held the knife in front of her, ready to attack. But deep down, she knew she had no chance against the muscular man. Very easily he would be able to throw her down and take the knife from her. But she wouldn't go down without a fight.

She knew that if it came to that, she would have to try to scratch him to get his DNA under her nails. That way Jay and his team would have a better chance of catching this man.

The man got closer and closer to the pantry. Y/n's hands were shaking uncontrollably. She just wanted to close her eyes and discover that it was all a nightmare. But as much as she wanted to, this was reality and the fact that she could die that day became more and more real and scary.

She didn't want to die without kissing Jay one last time. Without calling her parents to tell them she loved them. Without telling her best friend she should take the first step and text the boy she liked. She wanted to be a mother. She wanted to marry Jay and experience an eternity with him.

But just as she was ready to run out with the knife pointed at him as soon as he opened the pantry door, the man was pulled aside. She heard a moan of pain followed by things falling to the floor. Y/n wanted to go out and see what was happening, but Jay's words echoed in her head: stay hidden until he came to get her.

And then came immense relief. She heard sirens. Before she could process everything that was happening, the pantry door opened. Y/n, in a moment of panic, got up and tried to attack, the person easily dodging and putting his hands up in defense. It was only then that she realized that the person in front of her was Jay, and the intruder was on the ground, bruised, and being arrested by another police officer.

Missy, with all the commotion, quickly ran up the stairs, probably hiding in the guest room until things calmed down. In turn, Y/n dropped the knife on the floor, her face contorting and her lips trembling. She began to cry, finally releasing all the panic and fear she felt. She was pulled into Jay's arms and into his chest.

With his arms around her, feeling his warmth and the movements of his chest, Y/n finally felt safe. Jay kissed her head, saying words of comfort in hopes that she would calm down.

"Jay…" she cried, grabbing his shirt with a very tight grip.

"I'm here, baby. I'm not going anywhere. It's okay. You're safe. Shh…"

Jay then just pushed her away slightly, holding her face with both of his hands. "Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm okay. I was so scared."

"I know, baby. But you were so brave, I'm so proud of you. And I'll never let this happen again, I promise." he gave her a small kiss on the lips, pulling her back to him. She would never disappear from his sight again.

"Hey, sweetheart." Gabby's voice broke the moment between her and Jay. Y/n she turned her head to look at the woman she adored so much, only now realizing that Severide and Brett were watching the scene from afar. However, she continued to grab Jay's shirt, ensuring he stayed close to her. "Do you mind if we go to the ambulance just to make sure everything is okay?"

A moment of hesitation. Brett, realizing the problem, stepped forward and with a gentle smile said, "Jay can come too."

So, Y/n nodded in permission, following the paramedics to the ambulance. Outside, there were two more police cars and neighbors were in front of their houses in their pajamas to see what was going on. Always under Jay's arm, Y/n waited for Dawson and Brett to do their assessment, ensuring that everything was really okay.

After ensuring that there was no need to go to the hospital, despite a lot of resistance on Jay's part, Y/n won the argument with the condition that the next day, Will would stop by to check on her. But at that moment, Y/n just wanted to sleep with Jay next to her.

Once in bed, the man had one arm over her protectively, making sure there was no space between them. "I will protect you until the end of my life. I love you."

"I love you too." she looked at him with just love in her eyes. Finding a more comfortable position, Y/n closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

But Jay stayed up all night. The most important thing is that Y/n recovers after that traumatizing night. And if she had any nightmares, he would be there to protect her.

[witchygagirlwrites]

How Dare You-Masterlist

Jay Halstead x Reader (nicknamed Deuce/ Surname of Barlowe but no first name used)

{Header by @desimarie12 consists of the fed team left to right is Marcel, Samantha, Val & Travis}

Warnings: PLEASE read warnings on each part!!!! Some have HEAVY subjects!!!

You were with Jay for so long. You were head over heels but never quite good enough for him to commit fully to. You learned that the hard way after you visit your family in Chicago and bump into him. You tuck tail back to the other side of the world. Months later your team is detailed to work with an army squad, taking on cartels. You never would’ve guessed the leader of the squad assigned to you would be none other than the man who ripped your heart to shreds one too many times. Can things ever work between the two of you? {Finished}

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Part 10

Part 11

Part 12

Part 13

Part 14*

Part 15

Part 16*

[sevasey51]

Chicago Med🚑🩺

Connor Rhodes x Halstead!reader featuring appearances from the Halstead Brothers, Med characters and Fire characters.

In sickness and health

When fear takes over

Pushing limits

A weekend of love

One step at a time

When the world stops

Care beyond the shift

A day at home: love, care, and family dinners

Too much in a day

The perfect proposal

Calm in the storm

The weight of worry

Though thick and thin

A night out with peace of mind

Protected

The spark she found

Winter nights in Chicago

Training Charlie: The Puppy Chronicles

In her element

Charlie’s first snow day

The weight of the world

Stealing glances

A fresh look

Slow mornings and little rituals

When strength gives way

A night to remember

A day of sisterhood and shopping

A helping hand

A weekend of peace and paws

Always there

A tough day in flu season

Unseen connections

Crossing the line

When it gets too much

Realisations and revelations

Meant to be

A blast from the past

A day shopping with Connor

An ordinary day full of love

Feisty and Fierce

Worth the wait

Out of place

The first time it happened

Surprise tickets and sweet moments

Comfort in the small things

A honeymoon in Santorini: a dream come true

A scrub cap surprise

When Connor finds out

A moment of peace

One year down, forever to go

A glimpse of the future

Rumours and reckonings

Unfiltered

The push he needed

Weight of the past

Heartbeats of Love

A little gift, a big smile

Home at last

Small gestures, big love

An evening of quiet

The right push

When the body says stop

The moment they kissed

Charlie’s first market adventure

Passing moments

A rare day off

A day with Charlie

Iced coffee in the winter?

In every way that matters

Falling Together

Family Bonds and New Friendships

Held Together by Love

Though the Panic

The One Place She Knew He’d Find Her

Fresh Air and Soft Smiles

The Crash That Stopped Time

When Love Feels Like This

Unwinding After the Chaos

A Moment away from The Lights

The Unexpected Connection

Before the Diagnosis

Steady Though the Storm

When Everything Spirals

Still Me

Charlie’s Cue

In Safe Hands

Taking Care of You

Second Glance

A Medical Getaway

The Perfect Balance

The CT Lounge Collapse (Ava Bekker)

A Cosy Rainy Day

Face masks and Voicemails

Chicago Med Masterlist Pt2 🚑

Find the link to the headcannons of Connor and Y/N Here!

Will & Jay Halstead x Sister!reader

A rough day at med

Though the pain

Jay Halstead x Sister! Reader

A Quiet Moment (Jay & Hailey)

Headcannons

How Will and Jay would be with sister! Reader

Extras in the universe:

Under the Watchful Eyes of Family (Matt and Kelly x Halstead! Sister)