#upsteadlovesongs2021

[anna-justice]

But We Do - Upstead

Summary: 5 times Jay and Hailey said they were “just friends,” and 1 time they knew they were something more. 

Warnings: swearing, fluff, maybe mentions of violence?

Requested: No

…

1 - they don’t cancel other plans, have conversations with nothing but their eyes…

Jay walked out of the breakroom, phone pressed to his ear and a cup of coffee in his hand. They were wrapping up an intense day in intelligence, they had closed a big case involving a tender age victim, all of them were taking it pretty hard. 

“Hey man,” Jay said quietly as he approached his desk. He watched his partner sigh, running a hand through her tousled blonde hair. 

“Hey,” Will said, “We still on for the game tonight?” 

Jay kept his eyes on Hailey, she looked distraught. “Uh…” Hailey looked up, catching his gaze and giving him a weak smile. Jay furrowed his eyebrows at her and she shrugged, her chest heaving as she looked back down at her report. “Sorry. I can’t tonight, something came up. Raincheck?” 

“Yeah, no worries man.” Will said, “I’ll see you later.” 

“See you.” Jay agreed, finally finishing the last few steps to his desk. He sat down, placing all the reports on his desk in a neat pile. Swiftly, he leaned over the monitor in front of him and swiped a stack of papers off his partners desk, replacing them with his cup of coffee. 

Hailey was startled by the commotion, glancing up at the man across from her. He was focused on his computer screen, deep in thought. Hailey smiled softly, taking a sip of the coffee before getting back to work. Jay felt her gaze on him, he avoided it, focusing on the task before him. If he looked up he’d get lost in those bright blue eyes, and then he’d never get any work done. 

About an hour later, Jay threw his pen down on his desk, groaning. “I’ve written the word ‘offender’ so many times that it doesn’t even feel like a word anymore.” He said. 

Hailey cracked a smile, “You done?” She had been for about 20 minutes, but they were the last ones left, and she didn’t want to make him work alone, especially since he was helping with her work load. 

 Jay nodded, “Yep, just finished, ready to get out of here?” 

“Yes.” Hailey said immediately, grabbing her coat off the back of her chair. “Give Will my best.” 

Jay stood, “I’m not meeting Will.” He confessed. 

Hailey looked at him, confused. “You said you were going to the Hawks game, Jay, you’ve been excited all day.” She frowned, but he just shook his head.

“Will gets tickets for every game, there will be another one.” He jokes, but Hailey doesn’t look convinced. “I’m not really feeling it tonight, not after today…” It was true, he didn’t want to ignore his problems for the night, not when she’d call him out on it later anyway. Plus, Hailey was way more fun than a Hawks game.

She eyed him cautiously, “As long as you aren’t ditching on my account.” 

Jay laughed, “I am.” Hailey glared at him. “Not cause you need it, cause I do.” Her expression softens as Jay grabs his keys and coat, “Come on, drinks on me.” 

Hailey smiled, falling into step behind him. “You spoil me.” 

2 - they don’t call you in the middle of the night, couldn’t even tell you why…

Hailey shot up in her bed, her chest rising and falling at a rapid rate. She held a hand to it, trying to control her breathing. She hated to admit it, but nightmares were a constant issue for her, it was rare that she slept a full night.

It made sense, the trauma of her childhood, in addition to the horrors she sees on the force. When her mind wasn’t actively fighting against the memories, they were all consuming. Tonight though, was a special type of terror. It was often that Hailey dreamed of her green eyed partner, but sometimes he snuck into her nightmares. Every once in a while, she was transported back to that day, the day she almost lost him. And even though he lived, in her mind at night, the fear that he didn’t was overwhelming. 

She rolled over, clutching her pillow. All rationality said he was fine, probably asleep in his own bed. Her phone caught her eye, like it was pulling her to it. It sat there taunting her. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore, she just needed to hear his voice. 

Obviously, she had him on speed dial, only needing to click his contact. The ringing started and after the fourth one, she considered hanging up. Then after the fifth… “Hello?” A groggy voice asked. 

“Hi.” She said softly. She had the sudden urge to throw her phone out the window.

Jay sat up immediately, running his hand over his face, “Hailey? What’s wrong?”

Hailey froze, she hadn’t thought that far ahead. “Nothing.”

“Okay?” He said, not really convinced. 

“I just needed to make sure you were okay.” Hailey rushed out. She blushed to herself, thankful that he couldn’t see her crimson cheeks. 

That woke Jay up all the way, he sighed, his voice laced with concern. “Hailey, I’m fine.” He waited a few seconds. “Are you?” 

Hailey took a breath, she debated confessing everything she had been feeling lately. How affected she was by her dreaming that he was dead. “Uh, just a bad dream.” 

“About?” He asked. 

“That day.” She said softly. He didn’t say anything. “I’m okay, Jay.” She said,trying to reassure him.

She heard rustling over the line, “I’m sorry Hailey.” He said, “For what I put you through.” 

“I know.” They sat in silence for a few minutes, just listening to each other breathe. It was oddly comforting, the constant assurance that the other one was there. “Jay?” Hailey asked.

“Yeah?”

“Will you stay on the phone...until I fall asleep?” She asked, cautiously. It was a strange ask, especially because Hailey knew that there was no way she was going back to sleep, but she wasn’t ready to hang up, and she wasn’t ready to talk.

Jay sat there shocked, there was something so intimate about her request, something he wasn’t expecting, but certainly something he wasn’t upset about. “Yeah, I’ll be right here.” 

They both laid back down in their respective beds, phones laying on the pillow next to them. Eventually Hailey heard the sound of soft snores, she smiled to herself. She closed her eyes and just listened: he was alive and he was there.

3 - they don’t almost say “i love you,” when they’re downtown somewhere just a little drunk...

Jay sat in between Kevin and Will at Molly’s knocking back his third beer. They were celebrating Adam’s birthday, which meant they were in for a night full of alcohol. Adam was a bit of a control freak when it came to his birthday, insisting that everyone was at his beck and call for the day. They all let it slide, after all, he acted like their own personal assistant on each of their birthdays. 

“Okay boys.” Adam called to the long line of their friends sitting at the bar. “Time for shots!” 

Kevin laughed, “Are you paying?” 

Adam shrugged, “The party is on me tonight, but you all are responsible for getting me home alive.” 

Kevin nodded, looking to Jay, who nodded. “Copy that.” He turned to Herrmann, “I’m going to need two of those badboys and a glass of that fancy bourbon I know you are hiding back there.”

“Make that two,” Jay said, holding up his hand. 

Hailey, Kim and a few of the other girls watched the antics from across the bar. Stella came over, carrying a tray of miscellaneous cocktails and bottles. Kim’s jaw dropped and Hailey started laughing. Stella shrugged, setting the tray down. “I heard Ruzek’s buying.” She said, before floating back over to the bar.

“Thank you!” Hailey called.

Sylvie picked up a cup filled with green liquid, “Why is it green?” 

“Absinthe?” Kim asked.

Hailey quickly took the drink from Sylvie, “Believe me, you don’t want this.” 

Sylvie laughed, picking a different drink. “Yeah, probably not.” 

Hailey smiled, taking her pick of the tray. She played it safe, pulling a beer off the back. “Lame.” Gianna teased.

Hailey shrugged, “Someone has to get those losers home.” She glanced at the bar, watching her partner down a shot with Adam.   

Kim raised her glass, urging the other girls to do the same. “Happy Birthday Adam.” She said, and they all took a sip. 

About thirty minutes later, Jay was more gone than he had been in a long time. The man could hold his liquor, but he could not keep up with Kevin or Kelly. He was handed another shot by his brother, who was right there with him. Jay tossed it back, barely feeling the burn. 

He slumped over on his stool and turned to scan the bar, his gaze landed on his partner and it stayed there shamelessly. She was laughing, her head thrown back and her body visibly shaking. He smiled, leaning back against the bar and just watched.

Kevin glanced over, following his friend's gaze. He chuckled. “Jay, man.” He said, nudging his shoulder. “You’re staring.

“No I’m not.” Jay said, his gaze never leaving her. 

“Sure.” Kevin slurred, grabbing his shoulder and spinning him around to face the bar. Jay glared at him, Kevin held up his hands in surrender. “I’m just trying to help you out.” 

“Chuckles is staring at you.” Trudy teased Hailey from across the table. Hailey, not so subtly, snapped her head around, causing the whole table to laugh. “Well, he’s not now.” 

Hailey slowly faced her friends again, her cheeks bright red. “Yeah, just checking.”

Sylvie giggled, she had taken a small sip of the absinth anyway. “You like him.” 

Hailey shook her head, “What? No.” She stared down her drink, “We’re partners. He’s my best friend.” 

“Okay.” Kim said, smirking, everyone else following suit. 

Before he knew it, Jay’s gaze was back on Hailey. She was so pretty, he didn’t even understand how someone could be so beautiful. He picked up the full shot glass, downing it quickly. He had spent the whole night thinking about her, and he couldn’t pretend he didn’t feel the way he did anymore. 

Jay pushed himself off the stool, stumbling a little, he couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he made way across the bar. “Hi Hailes.” He said, grabbing her attention.

Hailey smiled brightly. “Hey, having fun?” She asked, cocking an eyebrow. She could tell he had been just by the way he was swaying in front of her. 

Jay nodded, “Yeah...um...I need to tell you something.”

The whole table watched him eagerly, “Yeah?” She asked, her heart racing.

Will looked over and his eyes widened at the empty seat next to him. “Kev.” He said.

Kevin looked over, “Shit.” He said. He motioned for Will to follow him and they raced over to Jay.

“I-” He started, but Kevin and Will appeared on either side of him. 

“Hi Hailey.” Kevin said.

“Bye Hailey,” Will continued, before grabbing his brother's arm and yanking him away from her. Hailey sat there in shock as they walked away, talk about a let down.

Jay huffed, ripping his arms away. “What was that?” He snapped.

“It was us saving your ass.”

4 - they don’t talk about the future, and put each other in it…

Hailey shifted in her seat, turning her body slightly towards the center console. She held up the camera in her hand, looking through the lens. She snapped a picture of the license plate of the car that just rolled up. 

“You see that?” Jay asked from the driver's seat, leaning back. Hailey nodded, taking another picture. Jay scribbled down the make and model into his notes before they watched the driver re-enter the car and drive away. 

A few minutes went by and they sat in silence once again, they had been on a stakeout for several hours and all they had to show for it was a few license plates. Hailey sighed, “So, the Sergeants exam sign up was posted this week.” She said, bringing up something she’d been meaning to for several weeks. 

“Okay?” Jay said, “You planning on taking it?” He asked, chuckling. 

Hailey shook her head, laughing lightly. “Me? No way. I think you should.” 

“What?” Jay, finally looked over at her. 

Hailey looked at him in disbelief, he really hadn’t thought about it? “Jay, you’ve been a detective for almost ten years, don’t you feel like it’s time to take the next step?” She asked.

Jay shrugged, “I hadn’t really thought about it...maybe in a couple more years. Why? You sick of me?” He teased.

“No,” Hailey said, rolling her eyes. “I just want you to succeed, and Voight has always said you’ll take the unit one day…”

“Yeah, one day.” He said, cracking a smile. To be honest, he had thought about the test, but he wasn’t sure he was ready to potentially move on from Intelligence or from his partner. 

Hailey turned to face him completely, “Well, when one day comes, I’ll help you study.” 

Jay watched her, her smile so genuine. He had just said that he was going to wait a couple more years, and Hailey intended to be there for them. “So, you’re keeping me around?” 

“Yeah, you haven’t pissed me off yet.” Jay gave her a look, “Much.” Hailey took a breath. “I’m serious Jay, I’ve got your back, no matter what, no matter when.”

“Thanks.” Jay said, squinting at her. 

Hailey scoffed, “You sound surprised…” 

Jay shook his head, “I’m not surprised, it’s just nice to hear you say it.” He turned to face her, “We don’t talk like this very much.” 

“Yeah, cause you show emotion once every three weeks.” Hailey teased, slapping his bicep.

“Oh, you’re one to talk.” 

Hailey laughed along with him, leaning her head against the window. “Jay, you know I’d follow you anywhere, even to another unit. I’m not losing this.” She gestured between the two of them.

Jay nodded, he knew she was talking about their partnership, but couldn’t help but hope she meant something else. “I know, and you’ll always have a spot, wherever I am.” 

“Good.” 

5 - they don’t stand around playing with their keys, finding reasons not to leave…

“Jay, can you stop hovering.” Hailey said, turning to face him. He had been following her around her kitchen for fifteen minutes while she did random things.  He had brought her home from the hospital a few hours earlier, and he hadn’t left her alone since. 

She was tackled down by a suspect earlier that morning and after getting checked out by Will, they learned that she had a few bruised ribs. It was nothing too serious, but it was enough for Jay to have a mini aneurysm about it, which is why Hailey was coming close to stabbing him with the knife she was trying to put away. 

Jay took a step back at her harsh words, putting his hands up. “I’m sorry, I just don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

Hailey stood up straight, placing her hands on her hips. “I think I’m capable of unloading my dishwasher.” 

“Alright,” He said, admitting defeat. He grabbed his keys off the counter and headed towards the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

“See you, thanks for dinner.” She said kindly, before turning back to her work. 

Jay opened the door, watching her for a few more seconds. He was about to leave when heard a thud, followed by a hiss. Within seconds, the door was slammed shut and he was back by her side. “Hailey.” He said, picking up the bowls that fell on the floor.

She huffed, leaning against the counter, hand draped over her stomach to cover her rib. “I’m fine, I just couldn’t reach.” She explained, nodding at the open cabinet. 

Jay sighed, “You’re not fine.” He set the stack of bowls neatly in the cabinet before turning to face her. “Come on.” 

Hailey rolled her eyes and followed him into the living room, sitting down on the couch next to him. He threw a blanket over her before getting up again. “What are you doing?” Hailey called after him.

There were sounds of rummaging in the kitchen, and then a few seconds later Jay appeared with a glass of water and a bottle of ibuprofen. “Here.” He said, “You should take these.” 

He handed her the cup and Hailey took it gratefully. “Thanks.” 

“Yeah,” He took a step back, standing next to the couch. He shifted nervously, keeping his eyes on her. “Well, I guess I’m gonna go. Promise me you’ll stay put?” He asked, and Hailey nodded. “Okay, Goodnight Hailey.” He said, before walking out of the room.

Hailey sighed, as much as she hated being fawned over, she didn’t want him to leave. “Jay!” She yelled.

Two seconds later he was standing in front of her again, “Yeah?” 

“I’m probably going to need your later…” She said, watching a smile appear on his face. “Do you just want to stay?” 

“Yes.” He said immediately, “I mean…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “If you really need me to.” 

Hailey laughed, “I do.” Jay took it as an invitation to reclaim his seat on the couch, pulling the other half of the blanket over him. Hailey leaned her head on his shoulder and stayed put, exactly like she promised she would.

but we do…

Hailey sat with her head resting in her hand as she watched Jay from across the room. She was staring, and it was obvious, but he was too busy chatting up some girl to notice her gaze. Molly’s was crowded, like normal, but tonight she had decided to sit alone. She had been watching the girl flirt with her partner for a while now, and she didn’t want to bring anyone else down with her mood. 

She thought things had changed, that maybe Jay felt the same way about her, but the look on his face right now was telling her otherwise. Hailey sighed, averting her gaze and staring absently at her phone, trying to distract herself. It wasn’t working. 

“You know,” A familiar redhead said as they slid into the seat across from her, “You could just tell him how you feel.”

Hailey sat up straight, looking at the other Halstead in disbelief. “What?” 

Will laughed, “Don’t even deny it Hailey, I’ve been watching you make eyes at my brother for the last hour.” 

“I’m not making eyes.” She snapped, keeping her gaze trained on him. 

“Okay.” Will said, taking a sip of his beer. “Just for the record, I think you would be satisfied with his answer.”

Hailey jumped off her stool, throwing a ten down on the table. She was glad she had decided to only have one beer, she was sober enough to get the hell out of there. “Goodnight Will.” She said shortly before rushing towards the door, not giving her partner a second glance as she passed. 

Jay watched the blur of blonde hair fly past him, noticing that it was Hailey walking out the door. His eyebrows laced together and he stood, “It was really great to see you Marissa, but I need to go.” He said quickly before grabbing his jacket and racing out the door after his partner, he was gone so fast that he didn’t even hear the girl say goodbye.

“Hailey!” He called after her.

Hailey turned around, she was only a feet ahead of him, she blamed her short legs. “I’m fine Jay, go back to your date.” She said a little harsher than she meant to before turning to walk away again. 

“Date?” He asked, grabbing her hand and pulling her back to him. “Hailey, that was Will’s ex-girlfriend, I was friends with her brother in high school, we were just catching up.” 

Hailey scoffed, “That little shit, ugh, it doesn’t matter. You don’t have to explain yourself to me Jay, we’re just friends.” 

Jay ran his hands through his hair, letting out an exasperated sigh. “Are we?” He snapped. That got Hailey’s attention, she watched him closely as he took a step forward. “Hailey, I’ve to convince myself that there was nothing here, because you are my best friend. But friends don’t act the way we do, I saw you watching me tonight, that wasn’t a ‘friendly’ look.” He said. 

Hailey blushed, looking at the ground. “Jay-”

He tilted her chin up to look at him. “You can lie to yourself all you want, but I can’t. I love you Hailey...and I think you love me too.” Hailey swore she stopped breathing for a second, his eyes were locked on her and she couldn't believe what he was saying. She searched his face for any trace of regret or concern for her, because half of her still thought she was hallucinating. “Feel free to say something-” She reached up and pulled him down to her, attaching their lips. Jay arms secured themselves around Hailey’s waist as he lifted her up to meet his height, her arms wrapping around his neck.

Jay held her tightly against him, his lips never leaving hers. Finally, Hailey pulled away, breathless. “For the record,” She said, taking a deep breath, her hand running down the side of his face. “You’re my best friend too.” Jay smiled, but she knew he was waiting for something else. “And I love you too.” 

…

A/N: I’ve had the idea for this fic for forever, so I’m glad I finally had a reason to write it. I’ve been a Maddie & Tae (ft. lyrics from “Friend’s Don’t) fan since the beginning and I’ve always thought that this song was the Upstead anthem. It’s perfect for them. Thanks for reading!

[cpd5021]

Love Drunk

Happy almost Valentine’s Day! Here’s a long, annoyingly fluffy Upstead one-shot inspired by the song Afterglow by Ed Sheeran. Written for the “Upstead Valentine's Love Songs Challenge” on @upsteadofficial. Enjoy! 

Hailey slumped back in her chair, rubbing at her face and never feeling so thankful that it was a Friday. The past week had been long to say the least and Intelligence had been hammered with case after case. But finally their work week was over and she was about to go home. She glanced over to Jay’s desk, only to find him already looking her way with a soft smile spread across his mouth. 

“What?” 

She mouthed quietly, squinting her eyes at him when his smile increased. He shrugged and shook his head before shutting down his computer and standing to stretch. They made their way into the locker room and found Kim and Adam exchanging a playful banter over the fact it was Valentine’s Day this weekend. Hailey rolled her eyes, laughing when Adam made a comment about the discount candy he’d be buying on Monday. Every time she looked Jay’s way she caught him looking at her, an almost mischievous look behind his eyes. 

Finally they made it out to his truck, Hailey jogging to get out of the freezing wind and letting out a sigh of relief when she was tucked into the warmth of his cab. Jay climbed into the drivers side, sending her another grin as he pulled them out of the lot. 

“You’re up to something.”

She stated, eyes boring into him. He shrugged again, reaching to adjust the heat and giving her a wink. 

“Can you make sure my bag is back there?”

 Jay asked, motioning towards the back seat. It wasn’t an odd request, seeing as they usually packed a bag to stay at the others house on the weekends. But when Hailey turned to look into the back seat she spotted not only Jay’s but hers as well. She shifted back around and stared at the side of his face. 

“It is. And it would appear mine is as well.”

She watched his mouth creep up into a grin again and he sent her another wink. 

“Huh...weird.”

He shrugged again and she playfully smacked his shoulder. 

“Why is my bag in the back Jay?”

She pushed when he wasn’t going to answer. 

“Well, it’s your overnight bag.”

He stated simply, turning them into the parking lot of Portillo’s to grab them some dinner. 

“Yes, thank you. But why do I need it?”

She tried to sound annoyed but really her tone was light and held a hint of excitement. 

“Because you’re staying somewhere overnight.”

He grinned her way once more before pulling up and ordering their usual.

“Somewhere? So not your place?”

Hailey angled in her seat to fully face him now, becoming more curious by the second as to what he might have planned. 

“Not my apartment…”

Jay paid and passed the bag of food her way, then pulled into a spot for them to eat. 

“So where?”

Hailey asked, handing out the meals. Jay chuckled her way and she rolled her eyes in response. 

“You ask a lot of questions, you know that?”

It was Hailey’s turn to chuckle as she shook her head at him. 

“Just trying to catch up.”

She shrugged, opening her sandwich wrapper. 

“How about… you just enjoy the surprise.”

He kissed her mid sentence and she smiled into him before he pulled away. Hailey gave him a hesitant nod and they settled into eating. Once Jay was done he pulled them back out of the lot and pointed them in the direction of the expressway, only peaking Hailey’s curiosity more but she did her best to keep quiet. Jay turned on the radio after a while and Hailey settled back into her seat, letting the soft lyrics of Ed Sheeran fill her ears as the lights of the city began to fade from view. After a while she felt her eyes getting heavy and rested her head on her hand, propping it up against the window. Jay’s hand reached over and took her free one, tracing lazy circles over the back of her hand and the gentle touch lulled her to sleep. 

Hailey woke when the truck came to a halt. Rubbing her eyes she glanced at the clock on the dash and felt disoriented when it read just after 10pm. Jay’s hand squeezed hers and she looked his way before letting her eyes finally take in the sight before them. They were parked in front of a cabin, seemingly in the middle of the woods, with a string of white Christmas lights illuminating a covered porch. Her gaze drifted back to Jays and she smiled back at him when she saw him grinning her way. 

“Come on…”

He nodded and jumped out of the truck. Hailey climbed out of her side and met him at the front of the truck. Jay came to stand behind her as she took in the small house, unable to contain her smile at the almost magical sight before her. His hands rested on her hips and he placed a kiss on top of her head. Hailey leaned back into his touch, placing her hands over his as they wrapped around to her abdomen. 

“Jay…”

She couldn’t finish, still in awe over his surprise. She assumed this was his family's cabin, something she had heard about once but never seen. 

“I know it’s kinda cheesy, but I wanted to do something nice for you for Valentine’s Day and you don’t seem like the candy and teddy bear type.”

She laughed against him, squeezing his hands in hers. She definitely wasn’t that type. But this? This was perfect. 

“Are we here all weekend?”

Hailey turned in his arms to face him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as she spoke. 

“If that’s okay with you.”

He smiled, looking relieved that she was appearing to like his surprise.

“The whole weekend, just us...no interruptions?”

Her voice dipped lower as she spoke and his eyes darkened in response. Hailey stretched up onto her tiptoes to give him a kiss and his arms pulled her in tighter to deepen it. They stayed locked together for a moment, letting their lips dance together in a slow pace, before Hailey pulled back to look up at him.

“Can I see the inside?”

She bit her lower lip, grinning when he moaned a little at the sight. He took her hand in his and led her up to the steps of the cabin. Snow was starting to fall around them and the sight of it under the glow of the string lights was beautiful. 

Inside the cabin, Hailey found herself awestruck once again at the beautiful simplicity laid out before her. Worn down furniture, an old handmade quilt draped over the back of the couch and a brick fireplace that was screaming to hold a crackling fire. She turned to face Jay and pulled him into another slow kiss. When they separated, he pressed his forehead against hers, his eyes beaming with happiness. 

“Thank you.”

She whispered against his lips before placing a quick kiss against them and then pulling away. 

“For what?”

He asked, following after her as she trailed around the small room. 

“For this surprise. It’s perfect.”

She grinned his way as she went on to explore the tiny kitchen, just enough room to cook a meal and perfect for her and Jay. 

“You’re perfect.”

He sent her a cheesy grin when she rolled her eyes at him. Jay stepped back out to grab their bags from the truck and tossed them onto the dining table when he returned. 

“How about you take these to the bedroom and then take a hot shower and I’ll start a fire.”

Hailey quirked an eyebrow at him, trying to picture Jay bent over the fireplace. It was almost something she wanted to stay and witness but instead she gave him a nod and took the bags down the hall. For such a small, simple cabin Hailey was surprised when she stepped into the bathroom to find it completely remodeled, huge walk in shower and a soaker tub big enough for two included. She located some towels stacked in a closet and then turned the water of the shower on, quickly undressing and then stepping into the hot stream. Her body began to melt instantly and she was pretty sure she could happily stay in here for the rest of the weekend. 

She half expected Jay to join her but when he hadn’t appeared by the time she was done, she shut the water off and wrapped a towel around herself. Padding into the bedroom, Hailey smiled when she noticed what appeared to be another handmade quilt laid over the bed. She rummaged through her bag in search of pajamas but came up empty handed.

“Hey Jay, did you pack me some of my sleep clothes?”

She called, jumping slightly when his response came from the doorway of the room. 

“No.”

He smiled, making his way across the room and digging into his own bag. 

“I packed you mine.”

Hailey couldn’t help but grin up at him because it was usually his shirts she was sleeping in anyway. Once dressed, she followed him back out into the living room and they settled onto the couch together. Jay leaned back into one corner and Hailey tucked herself into the side of his body, letting his arm pull her in closer. They stayed silent for a while, just enjoying the crackle of the fire. 

“I gotta be honest, fire starting isn’t a skill I pictured you having.”

Hailey teased, dancing her fingers up and down his chest. He scoffed underneath her, causing her to chuckle. 

“I’ll have you know, starting fires is something I’m very good at. It being in the fireplace is just an added bonus.”

Hailey laughed against him, resting her head against his chest and letting her eyes flutter close when he kissed the top of her head. 

“This really is perfect.”

She said after a while, feeling herself completely relaxed now. 

“We’ll have to run into town in the morning for some groceries. I didn’t want to wake you up until we got here. But the town is kinda cool so we can walk around a bit if you want.”

Hailey tilted her head up to look at him, smirking when he met her eyes. 

“Building fires and grocery shopping. I’m learning all sorts of things about you now.” 

He scoffed again and rolled his eyes down at her. 

“Come on, you gotta give me some credit…”

He tried to give her an annoyed look but it fell flat when she smiled up at him.

“I’m just saying, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you go shopping. Any other hidden talents you want to share with me?”

Hailey’s voice lowered as she finished speaking and she watched as Jay’s eyes darkened, immediately picking up on her train of thought. Without saying another word he shifted them on the couch and then scooped her up, carrying her down the hall and into the bedroom as she squealed with the sudden movement. 

 ****

When Hailey rolled over she noticed she was alone in the bed. After a quick stretch she climbed out of bed and pulled her discarded shirt on from the night before. She found Jay in the kitchen, standing over the small stove and cooking what smelled like bacon and eggs. She walked up behind him, wrapping her arms around his bare torso and pressing a kiss into his shoulder blade. 

“Morning.”

She whispered sleepily against him before going to perch herself on the counter by the kitchen window. Jay turned around, handing her a cup of coffee that she happily accepted. He stepped back towards the stove but his eyes were locked on her, watching as she sipped from the mug. Hailey felt her cheeks blush under his intense stare. He walked back over towards her, reaching up and tucking a loss strand of hair behind her ear, his eyes tracing all over her face. 

“What?”

She questioned, darting her eyes down towards her mug, suddenly feeling self conscious. Jay placed his fingers under her chin, tilting her head back up to look at him. 

“You’re beautiful.”

He gave her a quick kiss and then went back to finishing their breakfast. Once they ate, Hailey found herself staring out the window above the sink as she cleaned up the dishes. The sight of freshly fallen snow against the forest backdrop was truly breathtaking. Jay came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his head against her shoulder. She grabbed the towel and dried her hands before turning in his embrace and sliding her arms up around his shoulders. They kissed slowly, both content with a lazy pace as they had no fear of being interrupted. Eventually though, Hailey trailed her hands down his bare chest and into the waistband of his grey sweatpants, escalating the moment into something more. 

Sometime later, Hailey was once again laying in bed but this time Jay was with her. His fingers trailed patterns over her bare back and her eyes were closed, just enjoying the touch. Her stomach let out a tiny growl and she felt Jay laugh beside her. 

“Hungry?”

Hailey grumbled into the crook of her arm before replying. 

“A little. But we just ate…”

Jay laughed again and she picked her head up to shoot him a look. 

“Well...in one context, yeah. But breakfast was a while ago.”

Hailey smacked his chest, shaking her head at him as she hauled herself out of the bed. She made her way over to where their bags were and pulled out some clothes.

“As fun as it would be to lay here all day and listen to your amazing jokes...I really am hungry. For food. And I believe I was promised a Jay Halstead shopping trip last night.”

She pulled on some jeans and a blue flannel button up as she watched him get out of bed and dig his own clothes out. Once they were both dressed and her hair was pulled into a ponytail, they made their way outside and scrambled into his truck. 

The drive into town was surprisingly short. Hailey felt like they were in their own little world so to realize that they weren’t actually that far from civilization made her chuckle. The town itself was quaint to say the least, with a few stores littered here and there and only one stoplight hanging in the middle of it all. Jay pulled them into the parking lot and Hailey jumped out, eager to see what shopping with Jay was actually like. He picked up on her excitement, playfully rolling his eyes as they made their way into the building. She decided to let Jay push the cart and he followed along after her as she trailed up and down the isles. Hailey had made a loose mental shopping list on the way and plucked the things they needed off the shelves, tossing them into the cart as Jay pushed along behind her. She turned to add a few things to the cart and caught him picking up a box of fruit snacks, giving her a sheepish look before letting them fall in with the rest. They wandered up and down the rest of the isles before Hailey decided they had everything they needed. Jay took a quick detour down one of the isles and returned with a box of hot chocolate. She raised an eyebrow at him but he simply winked in return before they headed to checkout. 

“So, was shopping with me everything you had hoped for and more?”

Jay teased once they were back in the truck. Hailey shook her head at him, letting out a chuckle and refusing to answer. The whole shopping trip had felt oddly domestic, something she wasn’t quite used to with him yet but something she had enjoyed every minute of. Jay drove them down the main street, pointing out the little shops here and there. He nodded towards a tiny diner, the only restaurant in town and his eyes shined with fondness. 

“We’ll come get lunch here tomorrow before we leave. My mom used to take Will and I there every time we came up. They have the best pancakes.”

Hailey glanced at the diner before looking back at him, smiling at him inadvertently sharing something about his childhood. Fond memories weren’t something either of them seemed to have many of but she was happy he held onto some good things from his past. 

“Pancakes for lunch?”

She teased, breaking the silence they had fallen into and pulling Jay back into the moment.

“Well, I have zero intentions of getting out of bed early tomorrow and they serve breakfast all day.”

He sent her a wink and then pointed them back towards the cabin. 

As Jay hauled their few bags of groceries in, Hailey found herself wandering around the back of the cabin looking around in awe at the scene laid out before her. It truly was a little piece of paradise, their own little corner of the world. She pictured a younger Jay and Will running around the yard playing and felt a smile tug at the corner of her mouth. Lost in thought, Hailey jumped when Jay came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. 

“It’s pretty great, isn’t it..”

Jay stated, placing a gentle kiss on top of her head. She leaned back into his embrace, nodding against his chest. 

“Did you come here a lot growing up?”

She felt Jay let out a slow breath behind her before he answered. 

“Yeah, we’d come up a few times a year. I’ll bring you back in the summertime. There’s a little pond over there that’s perfect for fishing.”

Hailey smiled and turned in his arms to look up at him, her arms finding their place around his shoulders. 

“You fish?”

Jay’s head fell back slightly as he chuckled and when he looked back down there was a playful glint in his eyes. 

“I’m just full of surprises. It’s almost like you haven’t known me for all these years.”

His tone was teasing and Hailey smirked up at him before darting her eyes back down.

“Yeah well...this is kinda different.”

Jay tilted her head back up so she met his eyes, a quizzical look on his face. 

“How so?”

Hailey played with the buttons of his shirt, feeling suddenly embarrassed by the conversation. Not that she really had reason too, but the last two days with Jay had her mind wandering to the future and it was something new for her and it left her a little uncomfortable. 

“Just...us. I don’t know. We don’t get time alone like this, it’s nice.”

Jay dipped his head down to look at her, giving her a small smile. 

“She says with uncertainty.”

He spoke in a light tone but she could tell there was some unvoiced worry under his words. 

“I love you Jay.”

She wasn’t sure what made her say it so suddenly. It wasn’t the first time they had said it, but as the words left her mouth she felt something inside of her shift and she knew then that he was the one. The one she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, to wake up every morning with and go to sleep next to every night. She glanced back out into the yard and suddenly it wasn’t a childhood version of Will and Jay running around but her own children, their children. The thought overwhelmed her and she felt tears gather in her eyes. Jay cupped her face between his hands, kissing her forehead and lingering there before pulling back to meet her eyes, letting her know he understood exactly what she was thinking and feeling without her needing to say another word. 

“I love you too Hailey.”

Hailey pulled him down into a kiss, smiling against his mouth as his strong arms wrapped around her. They stood like that, frozen in time and completely lost in each other, until Hailey felt huge clumps of snow hitting her head. She pulled back, smiling up at him again as more snowflakes danced around them. Jay took her hand, leading her back towards the cabin. They made it about halfway before Hailey had an idea, dropping Jay’s hand and quickly bending to scoop up some snow. Jay sent her a warning look but was unable to control the smile from reaching his eyes when she chucked the ball of snow in his direction, hitting him squarely in the chest. 

The only sound was their crunching boots in the snow, mixed with squeals and laughter as they battled it out, tossing snow back and forth until they were both soaked and freezing. Eventually Jay conceded, holding his hands up in surrender and making her send him a smug look. They hurried into the cabin, pulling their soaked clothes off and draping them by the fireplace. Hailey headed down the hall, intending to take a hot shower to warm up but Jay scooped her up from behind and raced her down the rest of the hall, tossing her onto the bed and immediately hovering over her as their lips melded together once again. 

When Hailey and Jay re-emerged from the bedroom darkness was falling outside. Hailey glanced out the window and was surprised to see how much snow had accumulated over the last few hours. Jay was in the kitchen, turning the radio on and letting it play softly as he pulled out the stuff for dinner. Hailey joined him, working beside him to chop up the produce and then making her way to the stove. They worked around the kitchen like it was the most natural thing and Hailey found a smile on her face that seemed to be a permanent feature now. They leaned against the counter, waiting for dinner to finish cooking and Hailey heard a song playing on the radio she recognized as something by Iron & Wine. Jay came to stand before her, taking her hands and surprising her when he pulled her away from the counter and started moving them together in a slow rhythm. 

“And now we’re dancing?”

Hailey grinned up at him, shaking her head playfully. 

“And now we’re dancing.”

Jay replied, tucking her head under his chin. Hailey let her head rest against his chest and her eyes wandered to the kitchen window. She could see the snow coming down hard as they swayed back and forth. She listened to the soft music and the steady beating of his chest, feeling that no matter what was going on in the world around them that she would be okay as long as he was here with her. Whether they were tucked into this little nook of the world or back in Chicago, it didn’t matter as long as Jay was by her side. Jay was the reward for everything she had gone through in the past, the breath of fresh air when she felt like she was suffocating, the light at the end of the tunnel, and the safe place to come home to when nothing else was right. Jay was home.

[onechicago-upsteadrhekker]

I’d go black and blue (to make you feel my love) - Upstead one-shot

I’m an hour late for posting on Valentine’s Day but better late than never right??

I wrote this for the @upsteadofficial Love Song Prompt Challenge! It’s probably a little different from a typical V-Day fic but what can I say? I apparently love angst and hurting my own feelings.

Also a HUGE shout out to @mashleighh! Thanks for listening to my ramblings, checking my stuff and always making things better❤️❤️

I hope you all enjoy it!

Read on AO3

Worrying her lower lip between her teeth, Hailey watched Jay slip down the hallway dodging the various cops coming in and out of the run-down house before he turned the corner and disappeared from her view.

Blinking, she tried to push down the urge to follow him. She had a job to do and she’d told Jay she would cover for him, but the text Jay had just showed her mere seconds before settled uneasily in her gut.

Jim. I need your help. Please come over.

“Hailey!”

She gave a start, turning to Kevin who had clearly been calling her a few times, a puzzled look on his face as he tried to get her attention. Realizing she was still standing in the middle of the busy hallway, she moved off to the side with Kevin to let forensics pass.

“You okay?” Kevin asked, his eyes following a couple of patrol officers passing them before turning his gaze back on Hailey, “I called your name like five times. Where’s Jay? Sarge wants to know if you found anything from the security footage.”

Whatever Kevin had just said didn’t register; her eyes still trained down the hallway Jay disappeared through. Sliding her gaze back to her coworker, Hailey gave his chest a distracted pat already moving towards the front of the house, “I need to go. Will you cover for me?”

But before she could leave, Kevin gently grabbed her arm, “Hold on. What’s going on, Hailey?”

She turned back to him, sucking in a breath as she debated over how much she should tell him.

“It’s nothing serious,” Furrowing her brow, she shook her head, “Not yet anyways, but I need to go make sure Jay doesn’t do anything reckless.” She saw Kevin opening his mouth to say something, but she cut him off, “Kevin. Please. Just do this for me, okay? I know what I’m doing.”

Hailey flashed a small, reassuring smile at his concerned expression before she took off in the same direction Jay had a few minutes ago hoping that for once, the sick feeling in her gut was wrong.

*

Her headlights lit up Jay’s truck as she quickly pulled over to park behind it, turning off the engine to sit in the dark for a couple of seconds as she decided what she should do.

It was obvious he wasn’t in the truck and the nagging feeling that something wasn’t quite right wouldn’t leave her alone. After a brief debate in her head over whether she should go undercover or not, the over-cautious part of her won out, quietly opening her car door and tucking her gun into the back of her waistband.

Hailey definitely didn’t want Angela Nelson to find out who Jay was and her by association, but she wasn’t about to enter a situation blind without him and not have a firearm.

She crept up the worn stairs and cautiously peeked into the windows, hoping to catch a glimpse of Jay doing nothing but repairing a broken appliance.

If that was the case, she could then creep back down the steps, shake her head in annoyance for overreacting and never tell him that she’d followed him, but as soon as she saw the front door slightly cracked from where it had been kicked in, her heart sunk, knowing that she was right to worry.

Swallowing hard, she ordered herself to get it together so she could get Jay out of whatever mess his big heart got him into. She was a cop; she knew better than to jump to conclusions without evidence.

But then the part of her that quietly dreamed dangerous dreams and lingered on forbidden hopes also knew all the scenarios running through her mind were very real possibilities

The house was deathly quiet, and it made the hair stand up on the back of her neck as she carefully swung the door in and edged into the living room as quietly as possible, her hand never straying far from where she’d hidden her gun.

Hailey was barely a few feet inside when she heard the distinctive click of a safety being flipped off followed by cool metal touching her temple, “Make a move and you die.”

Before she could react, she was pistol-whipped in the back of the head. Her last conscious thought to dump her star and pray that Jay was still alive.

*

When Jay came to, the first thing he noticed was that his hands were tied behind his back, the second was that he was in some sort of basement and the third was that he wasn’t alone.

His head was pounding, and his vision was blurry, but he would know that blonde hair anywhere.

At first, he thought his mind was playing cruel tricks on him. He hoped his mind was playing cruel tricks on him because why would she be here?

God, she shouldn’t be anywhere near here. Not like this, not laying on the cold, hard floor, unmoving.

He blinked a few times, her facial features partially hidden by blood-matted, blonde hair coming into focus.

His heart stopped and his breath shuttered in his chest. His worst nightmare just came alive right in front of him because it was Hailey. Passed out and tied up a few feet away, out of his reach.

A million questions ran through his head of how, why and who but the most prevailing one was if Hailey was still alive.

Desperate, Jay tugged on his restraints, ignoring the pain it caused his shoulders and wrists. Squeezing his eyelids shut as he strained away from the pole he was tied up to and towards Hailey’s still form.

He had to get to her.

Tears that had nothing to do with the physical agony he was in sprang to his eyes as he realized there was no way he was getting out of the binds he was in. The steel chains were trussed behind his back and around the pole in such a way that he didn’t have much slack if any at all.

Just out of reach. A cruel twist of fate, mocking him. Reminding him that she was always just out of his reach. That she was there with him but not in the way he truly wanted.

Except now, in this moment, it wasn’t metaphorical. And god if that didn’t anger him even more than his cowardness in telling Hailey how he really felt about her.

Because there was nothing he could do. Her skin was unnaturally pale, and he needed to put pressure on her sluggishly bleeding head wound but the damn chains wouldn’t budge. He trained his eyes on her upper body, watching intently.

Was she even breathing? God, he couldn’t tell.

*

“Hailey!”

She was floating in that state between restlessness and unaware, not sure where her dreams stopped and reality started.

“Hailey!”

Jay’s voice wasn’t uncommon in her dreams, but he wasn’t saying her name in the husky manner that she’d come to assign to her night visions.

“God, Hailey! Please do something--say something. Anything! Please…”

Why was he being so loud? And why was her bed so hard?

“Please, just let me know you’re alive.”

It was the sound of his voice breaking that brought her back to the present.

The text message. Angela Nelson. Following Jay.

Jay. His voice. He was alive, thank god.

A sharp pain shot through head when she tried to open her eyes and that’s when she remembered getting knocked out. She moaned, trying to take stock of her injuries over the pounding that slowly surfaced to accompany the harsh stabbing. Her hands were bound in front of her and her ribs hurt from an injury she doesn’t remember receiving.

“Hailey! Oh, thank god!” She heard Jay croak out followed by a murmured, “She’s alive. She’s alive,” Clearly talking to himself.

And that’s when she realized he must have thought she was dead.

Oh, Jay.

He must be tied up far enough away from her to not be able to check for a pulse. Knowing that if he were able to move, he would be right there next to her.

She redoubled her efforts to open her eyes so she could at least see him and reassure him that she was okay. Maybe figure out where they were and ask if they could manage an escape or if they should sit tight, knowing that Jay had probably already run all the possibilities through his mind.

Groaning, she forced her eyes to open and she found herself thankful for dim lighting, “Jay?” She managed to rasp, trying to figure out exactly where he was in relation to her.

“Yeah, I’m right here Hailey.” He paused, and she could almost hear the way his jaw clenched in frustration at not being able to move, “Can you come over here? I just need—I need you over here. Next to me.”

If they weren’t in such a dire situation, Hailey might have downright swooned at hearing those words fall from his lips after she’d recovered from the shock. As it were, her heart was beating a little too fast in her chest and that feeling in her stomach might just be borderline butterflies.

Clearing her throat, she answered, “Just give me a sec.”

She slowly stretched each of her limbs as much as she could with her hands tied in front of her, carefully checking what hurt and what didn’t before she even attempted to sit up. Once she was satisfied that she wasn’t majorly injured, Hailey turned so that she was lying flat on her back which instantly caused her head to spin and her stomach to churn.

Letting out a low groan, she closed her eyes and willed herself not to be sick as the world slowly stopped spinning.

“You good?” Jay’s worried voice cut through the dizziness.

She sucked in a deep breath and decided it was best not to lie about her condition, “Yeah. Just feeling a little sick. I’m like ninety-five percent sure I have a concussion.”

Before he could respond, Hailey forced herself to sit up, using her abdominal muscles since her hands were tied in front of her. If he said anything to her after that, she didn’t hear it, white noise flooding her eardrums as she desperately tried not to pass out.

The comforting words of “Breathe, Hailey. Just breathe,” reached her as she started to become accustomed with sitting upright, finally feeling confident she could open her eyes without seeing stars.

She was facing Jay, and the first thing she noticed was the blood coating his hairline and running down his neck. His lip was a little bloodied and his eye was slightly swollen, and it made her stomach clench in a way that had nothing to do with her head injury.

Gingerly, she scooted herself over to his side, grateful he was only a few yards away and angered as she realized that the way he was tied up meant he didn’t even have an inch of slack.

When she finally maneuvered herself so she was sitting shoulder to shoulder with him, she couldn’t stop herself from leaning her head on his shoulder. She told herself it was because she was still dizzy, and while she knew that was part of it, she knew she craved the comfort of being physically connected more.

And if Jay resting his head on top of hers was any indication, then he needed that physical touch just as much as she had. Silently reassuring themselves and each other that they were here. Together. Alive.

After a few minutes, Jay broke the silence, “What are you doing here Hailey?”

She couldn’t help the humorless uptick of her lips at the irony of the situation, “Well, I had a bad feeling, so I pinged your phone and followed you in hopes of getting you out of trouble.”

Glancing up at him, she gestured half-heartedly to the basement they were in, “You can see how well that turned out.”

When he didn’t say anything, Hailey lifted her head so she could get a better look at him. Careful eyes roamed over his slightly slumped form, checking him more thoroughly for injuries.

Now that she was closer to him, she could clearly see the beginnings of a black eye and an obviously split lip. The blood from his hairline mingled with blood that seeped from a wound on the back of his head, running sluggishly down the slope of neck and into the collar of his shirt.

She was relieved to not see any blood lower down on his shirt or pants, so she concluded that the most damage had been made to his face. His head injury did concern her slightly but he seemed pretty lucid so she figured it couldn’t be that bad.

Hailey knew it could be a hell of a lot worse, and that thought was what prompted her to raise her bound hands and gently touch his face in the pretense of checking his wounds but really, she was just reassuring herself that he was okay.

A lump formed in her throat when she thought about what she could have woken up to.

Shaking the thought away, she dropped her hands, sighing, “What happened, Jay?”

She felt more than saw his frustration. At himself, at the situation--she wasn’t entirely sure, but she had a pretty good feeling that it might be both.

“I got to Angela’s house and when I knocked, there wasn’t an answer, so I kicked in the door. The next thing I knew I was being hit in the back of the head with a pipe or something and then I woke up here.”

He tilted his head back, resting it on the beam he was tied up to. His eyes fluttered closed and she could see his throat working, “God, Hailey,” He turned to her and she was slightly surprised to see tears swimming in his eyes, “When I saw you lying over there, not moving. I-I thought my heart had been ripped right out of my chest. You scared me so bad. I didn’t know why you were here—I didn’t even know if you were alive.”

The way he was looking at her felt dangerous and she couldn’t help but think that they had been here before. Not even four months ago, standing in the breakroom when the threat of being torn apart was looming over their heads. When she was afraid to really look at him; afraid of what she’d find in his eyes if she did.

But today, right in that moment, when they were tied up and unsure of what the future held, she looked. She looked him right in the eyes and she clearly saw what he’d been telling her every time she’d caught him looking at her from across Molly’s and in every knowing glance they shared in the bullpen.

In the way he always checked with her silently before busting down a door, telling her without words that he had her back. In the way he told her he trusted her only using in his eyes.

And now. He looked at her like she was the very breath he needed to breathe. Like the world could crumble and he wouldn’t even blink.

He was looking at her like he was just realizing what love was; his eyes telling her that he loved her.

He was opening his mouth to say something. She wasn’t sure what—it might have even been those three little words, but before he had a chance to get it out, there was a commotion from the floor above, breaking their gaze.

They were suddenly brought back to steel chains and dirty basements, reminding them of the danger they were in. If they didn’t figure out a plan, their great love story could be over even before it had the chance to begin.

“Do you know why we’re here?” Hailey asked a little shakily, drawing back when she realized how close she was to Jay’s face.

Blinking, he did the same and she could almost see the spell fully breaking as he slipped back into level-headed detective.

“From what I gather, Angela helped some friend of hers steal some drugs. The people who she stole them from didn’t take it too kindly; she called me and now we are here,” He said it in the weary manner of one who had been there and done that way too many times.

And sadly, they had, but this time it was different because they were the ones caught in the crossfire.

Hailey sighed, wincing slightly from her bruised ribs, “Where’s Angela?”

Jay shrugged, “She was here when I woke up. She’d been shot in the side, passed out. The two guys who have us carried her out of here; said something about dropping her off at a hospital because they didn’t want any unnecessary blood on their hands. And besides, it was pretty clear she wouldn’t be able to give them any information. Not in the condition she was in.”

Sighing himself, he turned his head towards her, “I don’t what they ended up doing with her, and frankly I don’t care at the moment. I’m more worried about getting us out of here.”

That wasn’t like him to just disregard someone he’d been trying to help—or anyone for that matter—for his own gain, but she had a sneaking suspicion that he really meant he was more worried about getting her out of here.

He was always putting others before himself. Her especially now that she thought about it, and she knew it was just another way of him telling her he loved her.

As soon as they got out of this mess, they needed to have a talk.

“Alright,” She nodded, “So what’s the plan?”

Jay’s heart swelled. Those words, the sure look on her face, the absolute trust she held in her eyes. She was looking to him for guidance, entrusting him to get them out of this without even one ounce of hesitation.

The love he felt for her only seemed to grow with each passing second and he was tired of hiding it. He’d intended on telling her, showing her exactly how he felt, but then he was reminded of the situation he’d dragged her into and the need to protect her outweighed anything else.

And it was because he loved her so much that he needed her to be safe. If anything happened to her—

He knew there was no coming back from that.

Once they got out of here, he was going to tell her everything he’d been harboring in his heart for what felt like ages. He was going to lay it all on the table; that she was it for him and even though he was terrified at the thought of losing her, he was going to work his ass off to make this work. To show her that they could do this.

He knew he had made mistakes in the past, especially regarding his love life and he knew that being together and working together had its fair share of challenges, but he wasn’t about to let her go. Not when he finally found the girl he knew he was meant to be with.

The sound of a heavy steel door clanging shut snapped him out of his thoughts and if he subconsciously tried to inch in front of Hailey despite his restraints, she didn’t call him out on it.

“They don’t know we’re cops, and you know nothing,” Hailey heard Jay rapidly whisper to her before turning back in time to see their two captors appear at the bottom of the steps.

The taller of the two made a beeline straight towards them and Hailey could feel Jay tensing up, using his broad shoulders in an attempt to shield her. It didn’t do much good because the next thing Hailey knew, she was being jerked up, a gun pressed to her temple.

“You are going to tell me right now where those drugs are,” The man’s words were harsh, his breath was heavy on her ear and she could smell the vodka on him.

Jay looked panicked but in control as his jaw clenched in barely restrained fury. She couldn’t help but notice how hot he looked, and she immediately kicked herself for even thinking it under these circumstances.

“She doesn’t know anything,” He practically growled, “Let her go.”

Vodka man brandished his gun menacingly towards Jay before returning it to the side of her head, “She was at that house! There was a gun in her waistband! She knows something!”

Hailey kept quiet, trying to weigh the risks of attempting to knock him out but she decided against doing anything while the other guy was lurking in the shadows. With Jay tied up and unable to move, she knew she wouldn’t be able to take both of them down, especially while tied up herself.

The words that fell out of Jay’s mouth next made her heart beat wildly, and not in a good way, “I’ll tell you all I know, okay? Just take me and leave her alone!”

But that was a lie. He didn’t know anything, and she knew once these guys figured that out, there was no telling what they would do to him. He flashed her a look, pleading with her to be silent, to let him do this for her.

She didn’t want to, but she knew that the best chance of their survival was to do what Jay was asking. So, she stayed silent, glaring when Vodka Guy threw her down and unchained Jay from the pole, leaving his arms bound before hauling him up.

Hailey watched as Jay was shoved towards the steps, his eyes never leaving hers until he was out of her sight.

*

A series of muffled cries suddenly broke the relative silence she’d been sitting in for the past hour and it took all of her might to not scream out his name as she desperately fought with the chains wrapped around her wrists and feet. There were tears brimming in her eyes and she could feel her heart shattering.

They were low, guttural shouts filled with pain and she could only imagine what they were doing to him to make him sound like that. Jay was the toughest person she knew, had endured things beyond her comprehension and hearing him like that scared her.

And knowing that he was in pain for her and that there was nothing she could do about it made her physically sick.

But more than that, she was livid at the people doing this to him. How dare they touch a hair on his head? How dare they do this to him? That this was to be his payment for doing something so kind, so good in a world filled with hate.

Jay was a good man—a great cop—with a golden-heart that wouldn’t let anyone stand in his way of what he thought was right and that was what she loved most about him.

She loved him. And she wasn’t afraid to admit any more.

If this whole experience had taught her anything it would be to not hold back. Life is short, and she knew that. She’d been in similar spots before and had these same profound revelations about how precious life was, but today felt different.

Because the truth was, he had her heart, completely and irrevocably. He had it before she even had the chance to say no and the way she loved him made her question whether she’d ever truly loved anyone before.

She’d been scared before. Falling in love with another partner; just falling in love in general. It was risky and scary and honestly downright terrifying. But what she felt for Jay, she was starting to realize was worth the risk.

Life wasn’t without risks, and experience taught her that a lot of the time she ended getting hurt when she took them, but right here, right now, listening to Jay literally telling her and showing her how much he loved her in every scream, she knew the potential of what they could have wasn’t pointless or without reason.

It was the whole damn universe.

And if someone asked her right here and right now, she would give up her spot in Intelligence, her career, her life, everything—all without a moment’s hesitation, and she would do it all for Jay.

Being thrust into this situation with him has removed any old inhibitions and the lines that were being carefully walked had been completely eradicated.

The whisperings of her heart that had once told her she should give it a try, that he felt the same were now roaring inside of her with words of “I told you so.”

And it was ripping her heart apart.

After all, they say actions speak louder than words and right now, Jay was screaming.

*

It was silent now, and it had been for a little over an hour. Hailey was starting to think she’d rather hear Jay be in pain than sitting in the quiet, wondering if he was unconscious, bleeding out, or worse, already dead.

The only thing that had kept her from going totally down the rabbit hole of worst-case scenarios was attempting to get out of the chains she was in. She was grateful that she hadn’t been tied to the pole as Jay had been, giving her the mobility to scoot around the floor in hopes of finding something that could help her out of her restraints.

She was done waiting for the team. She needed to get them out of there as quickly as possible even if she didn’t know exactly how she was going to go about it yet.

A few minutes into her search, she’d found a file and she’d been diligently sawing back and forth at the weakest part of the rusty chains for last hour or so. It seemed to be working, and she felt like she was finally getting to a point where she could just break them by applying some outside pressure.

The sound of a door banging shut caused her head to snap up and she quickly hid the file in her back pocket. What she saw then she knew would be haunting her dreams for years to come.

The nicer of their two captors had Jay’s arm slung around his shoulder, practically dragging him down the steps before he deposited him in a heap beside her.

“What did you do to him?” Hailey couldn’t help but gasp out, already moving to shield Jay protectively.

He didn’t say anything, and she could see the remorse in his eyes as he headed back up the stairs and out the only door to the basement. As soon as he was gone, Hailey turned to Jay, fighting back the tears at seeing him in this condition.

There was significantly more blood in his hair, his lips were split in multiple places and she was pretty sure he had two black eyes, but that wasn’t what looked the worst. His shirt was torn, and she could see significant burn marks from a taser dotting his chest along with what looked like shallow cuts from a knife.

“Jay,” She whispered brokenly, hoping to get some kind of reaction from him, “Jay, babe.” It fell from her lips effortlessly and she didn’t even think twice about what she had said as she moved to use her body weight to break her chains.

As soon as she could use her arms and legs, she knelt beside him to cradle his face and used the pads of her thumbs to stroke his cheekbones, “Hey Jay. Look at me, baby. Look at me.” Not waiting for a response, she quickly started going over his body to check for other injuries all the while murmuring his name over and over again.

This time she gasped out a sob, all the air leaving her chest as she rucked up his shirt and found the distinctive welts from being whipped covering his torso and back.

“Oh my God, Jay,” She cried softly, wanting to provide him with some kind of relief but afraid to do anything, not wanting to cause him any more pain, “What did they do to you?”

She was surprised when he moaned, not expecting a response as he let out a raspy “I’m fine”.

Hailey couldn’t help but let out a watery chuckle, her hands going back to carefully frame his face as she caught a glimpse of those vibrant green eyes she loved so much, “Only you would say that in the condition you’re in.”

“Kev called undercover. The team’s close,” Even talking seemed to cause him pain, but he powered through knowing she needed to know this, “Found the drugs. They’ll be here soon.”

It was spoken brokenly, but she got the message, and she couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief. There was no way she would be able to get him out of here by herself with him so injured.

Why did he have to be so adamant about her not knowing anything? He didn’t know anything either, but he’d somehow kept their captors from really harming her.

“Hailey,” Jay practically wheezed, catching her attention as he opened his eyes to find hers, “I can’t sit like this. It-it hurts too much.”

She barely managed to stop from crying again, biting her lip as she willed herself to stay strong for his sake. For him to admit he was in pain she knew he must be in a lot of it.

“Oh God, Jay,” Hailey swallowed back another wave of tears as she helped him move in a more comfortable position. She ended up half cradling him, his head resting on the swell of her breast and a protective arm around his shoulders to keep his back up off the ground.

She ran a gentle hand through his still miraculously styled hair, rocking him slightly and in all honesty, at the moment, she felt more like a woman sick with worry over the man she loved than a badass cop looking out for her partner.

Hailey’s not sure if she’s ever cried this much in her entire life or worried so deeply.

“What were you thinking Jay? Why would you offer yourself up like that?” She whispered to fill the silence, a couple of tears escaping on their own accord.

His gaze found hers. Strong, steady and certain in spite of all the pain, “I wasn’t about to let them hurt you. Not on my watch.”

Jay shifted in her arms, wincing slightly, “It’s my job to protect you, Hailey. And that doesn’t mean I don’t know you can protect yourself because you can—you’re a freaking badass, but it’s more than that,” Pausing, he reached up to tenderly brush away her tears with the pad of his thumb before whispering, “it’s because I love you and I can’t bear the thought of you getting hurt if I can prevent it.”

Before she even had a chance to respond, the tell-tale sound of the metal door shutting prompted Jay to move faster than she thought possible with his injuries. She scrambled up after him, but she could tell he wanted to keep her behind him in an attempt to protect her.

If it was anyone other than Jay, Hailey would balk at the notion, but she knew that’s just who he was and how he operated. It was how he protected the people he loved. She knew it wasn’t some caveman idea that she wasn’t capable of taking care of herself. So, she stayed behind him, letting him do what he does just as he let her be the badass she was any other day.

Except for this moment when she was terrified, worried about Jay who by all accounts shouldn’t be standing.

“Where’s our father!?” The drunk one exclaimed angrily, stomping into the basement, “You said your people were getting our drugs and now my father’s not answering my calls!”

He was focused on Jay and Hailey’s eyes were drawn to the pipe she’d found when she found the file, cursing at herself for not bringing it with her to Jay’s side. It was only a few feet away; if she could just get there before their captor noticed, she’d be able to knock him out.

His reactions were slow because of the alcohol in his system so that’s what she was banking on, but she also knew it made him more dangerous and unpredictable.

The gun pointed in Jay’s face made her nervous and she was hoping to get out of here without either of them getting shot but if someone had to take a bullet, it was going to be her for going for the pipe.

It happened so fast. There were two loud pops and suddenly Jay was on the floor in front of her.

She could vaguely make out Adam calling her name as he dashed across the room, knocking Vodka guy’s gun out of his hand but all Hailey was focused on was Jay, on the ground, bleeding. She dropped to her knees, hands immediately going to the gunshot wound in his shoulder and yelled at Adam to call an ambulance.

Kim was suddenly in front of her, kneeling at Jay’s other side and Hailey looked up, her hands still keeping pressure as tears welled in her eyes. Meeting her friend’s gaze, she whispered out brokenly, “He just took that bullet for me.”

*

“What the hell, Will?” Hailey exclaimed in disgust, pissed off about the entire situation.

The red-headed doctor looked about as exasperated as she felt and part of her felt bad about the harried look in his eyes, but she was getting anxious and he wasn’t cooperating with her, so she didn’t feel too bad.

“Hailey, it’s against hospital rules,” Will stressed for what felt like the one-hundredth time. He shook his head; and he thought Jay was stubborn.

If possible, the frustrated look on Hailey’s face grew as she crossed her arms, somehow looking very formidable sitting cross-legged in the middle of a hospital bed wearing nothing but a hospital gown.

“Rules are overrated,” She stated through a clenched jaw.

Will’s eyebrows rose, “Uh. Not gonna lie. It’s a little alarming to hear that coming from a detective.”

She just glared harder and Will was starting to realize he had nothing on a pissed Hailey Upton.

He wasn’t sure if they were engaged in a battle of wills or what, but he was afraid of what she might do if he broke their gaze and looked away. He was honestly a little afraid to blink.

He’d gotten to know Hailey pretty well because of her partnership with Jay, but he wasn’t quite sure he realized just how fierce she could be until this moment.

How fierce she could be when it came to his brother.

Will had always noticed the concern and the protectiveness she’d had when it came to Jay’s injuries on the job. He’d thought the nature of their jobs was the reason for this but over time he’d started to wonder if it was because there was something more there.

Today, he stopped wondering. It was clear there was something there and when Hailey turned her head to conceal the tears welling up in her eyes, he wondered what exactly went down between her and his brother in that basement.

She turned back to him, the determination and love clear in those glassy blue eyes he knew his brother had fallen for, “Will, I have to be with him.”

Still, he hesitated, “Hailey…”

And just like that, the angry pissed off look was back on her face despite the tears in her eyes, “I’ll have you know that I can make your life a living hell, Will Halstead.”

The threat was clear in the way her jaw was clenched but he could see her resolve starting to waver and he just didn’t have the heart to argue with her anymore, hospital rules be damned.

His head dropped in a resigned nod, “Alright. You win,” The relief that wafted off of her was palpable and he couldn’t help but give her a small smile even as he tried to look stern, “But, you have to take it easy because you’re a patient too. Also, if I get fired, I’m blaming it on you.”

*

If there was thing Hailey Upton was capable of, it would be getting her way when she wanted it.

Maybe it was all that time spent manipulating suspects in giving her the information she needed or maybe it stemmed from wheedling sweets and trinkets and whatever the hell else she wanted out of her older brothers when she was a kid, but usually, when it came right down to it, she was always able to convince people to hand her the requests she’d made on a silver platter.

And that’s how she found herself sitting on her own hospital bed that had been rolled into Jay’s ICU room for the foreseeable future.

As soon as the nurses that had transported her from her room were out of sight, Hailey very carefully got out of her bed, maneuvering around the IV going into her hand and gently slid in beside Jay. He was asleep but she knew from Will that he had already been awake, asking for her first thing as he came out from under anesthesia.

She was extra cautious to not upset the various lines running from his body and to machines monitoring his vitals as she settled in bedside his warm body, gently resting her head on his uninjured shoulder.

Hailey didn’t know how long she’d been laying there when she felt Jay shift, his voice slightly horse, “You know, I might start enjoying hospital stays if they mean I wake up next to you.”

Lifting her head, she blinked back tears for what felt like the millionth time in the last twenty-four hours. He was staring at her like she was his whole world, and he was just realizing what life was.

She wanted to kiss him. Was planning on it, but first she had to know, “Jay, why on earth would you take that bullet for me?”

Hailey was pretty sure she knew the answer. She was pretty sure it’s the same answer she would give him if she’d just taken a bullet meant for him, but she needed to hear it and not when he was laying on a dirty basement floor, writhing in pain.

She wasn’t sure laying on a hospital bed in a hospital right after he’d been shot was any better but it’s what they had, and he seemed pretty coherent for someone who had just had major surgery.

“Because I love you,” He said it so simply, so matter of fact and she marveled at the way it was so easy between them now.

And all it took was being kidnapped together.

Something happened between them while chained together in that basement. Something they had both been fighting for a while now and maybe it seemed sudden or rushed but Hailey knew in her heart of hearts that she and Jay were meant to be together.

Love wasn’t something you forced. It was something you had to wait for, maybe even had to get hurt along the way to really understand, but she now knew it was worth the wait.

“I love you too,” She almost whimpered before kissing him.

It wasn’t lusty, but it had an almost frantic urgency about it as they both silently acknowledged they could have very easily not had this moment.

He kissed her like he thought he’d never see her again and he told her yet again with his actions that he would follow her to the ends of the universe and to the very last of their tomorrows.

She knew they still had a lot to talk about. The things he especially went through in that basement, but she knew that could wait because they were alive and that was enough.

Because there was no doubt in either of their minds now.

They were right where they belonged.

Leave a comment! I’d love to know what y’all thought!!

[brookerz122493]

What Are We?

Hailey and Jay are doing “their thing” when one starts to question the nature of their relationship. How will the other respond and what will the outcome be?

Song Fic using “Friends Don’t” by Maddie and Tae

Words: 1048

Please be kind! This is only my second fic that I’ve made public.

Jay and Hailey were sitting on Hailey’s couch, having a drink and enjoying each other’s company. They had eaten deep dish pizza from Bartoli’s as a late dinner while watching the Blackhawks lose to the Blues. Now, it was nearly midnight and they were still sitting there. The TV was playing some random night time talk show that neither one was paying attention to. Their work talk had turned to lighter topics which had now turned to sitting in comfortable silence. 

Hailey leaned her head against the back of the couch and looked at Jay. She couldn’t help but be drawn to him. She loved all the freckles that dotted his face and his bright blue-green eyes that always held so much emotion. She loved the small smile that was currently on his face, showing that he was content with the current situation without having to say a word. Her gaze fell to his lips. The lips that she so badly wanted to taste. But she was scared. She loved their relationship… partnership… friendship? She wasn’t sure what to call it but she knew she didn’t want to mess it up or lose it completely by telling him how she felt. At the same time she knew that what she felt went deeper than just partners or even friends. What held her back was not knowing how Jay, her partner and best friend, felt. 

They were elite detectives in the best unit in Chicago so Hailey wasn’t surprised when she heard Jay’s voice next to her. “I can feel you staring. You want to tell me what’s going on in that head of yours?”

Hailey closed her eyes before turning her head to the ceiling. “Not really but…” She took a deep breath knowing that what she said next could completely change their relationship. It could make it better but it could also rip it apart completely. Hailey didn’t know if she could go on if she didn’t have him in her life. She also knew that she couldn’t keep going not knowing how he felt. She sat up and turned her body to face him. “What are we?” asked Hailey in a small, timid, almost shy voice that Jay had never heard before. 

Jay looked at her, his eyes filled with confusion and questions. “What do you mean?” he asked. “We’re partners… and friends,” he said slowly, confused as to why she was bringing this up now. He knew somewhere in the back of his mind, where he refused to acknowledge, that at some point along the way he had begun to develop feelings for her that went beyond just partners and friends. But, he didn’t know if he was ready to admit those feelings to himself let alone to Hailey. The last time he had a workplace romance it ended disastrously and left him struggling more than he could put into words. He had gone off the rails, made decisions he would never have previously made, and Hailey had been left to pick up the pieces. He didn’t know if he was ready to open his heart again but he could tell that she had been thinking and he needed to hear her out. “What do you think we are?”

“Well, obviously we’re partners. And I consider you as one of my best friends. But I’m not so sure that just friends would be an accurate description of what we are anymore.”

Jay sat up and turned to face her after hearing this. There were so many emotions across her face and in her eyes. He could see fear and apprehension along with a few others that he couldn’t quite name. “What do you mean?”

“Jay. We don’t act like just friends and we haven’t for a long time. Friend’s don’t cancel other plans just to make sure the other is okay. Friends don’t have conversations with nothing but their eyes like we do. Friends don’t call you in the middle of the night just because they felt like saying hi.”

“I’m not understanding,” said Jay interrupting. “I didn’t think those were bad things?”

“Jay, they’re not but please. Let me say what I need to say or I may not be able to get out what I want.

“Okay. No more interruptions. Promise.”

“Friends don’t talk about the future and put each other in it. Friends don’t get chills with every accidental touch. Friends don’t stand around playing with their keys finding reasons not to leave. Friends don’t almost say I love you when the other gets hurt. Friends don’t do these things but we do. One look in your eyes and there’s something. You can lie to me and say you don’t feel something. But I know there is something there. I can’t keep pretending that we’re just friends. It’s been a long time since I saw you as just my friend and it’s been an even longer time since I saw you as just my partner. I don’t want to lose what we have but I can’t keep going on like this pretending that there’s nothing but friendship between us. I know we’ve both been burned by workplace relationships before but…”

Jay couldn’t take it anymore. He leaned over, put his hand on the back of her neck and kissed her. It was a short kiss but full of so much pent up emotions. When he pulled back he could see the surprise in her eyes. “Hailey, you mean so much to me. I don’t know what we are or how to define this… whatever this is. But why do we have to? Let’s see where it takes us. Because no matter what we call this, we’re good and we’re always going to be good.”

Hailey couldn’t help but smile back at him. Remembering when he first said those words to her a few years ago when they were watching an interrogation. “You never cease to amaze me Jay Halstead,” she said as she moved closer to snuggle against him. 

He leaned down and kissed the top of her head before pulling her closer into his arms. Even if they didn’t know exactly what they were, he knew in his heart that he never wanted to be anywhere else but where she was.

[carissalizz]

Upstead Valentine's Love Song Challenge ❤️

14th Feb 2021: Valentine's Day!!

3 year old Avery Lynne Halstead came running towards the kitchen when the smell of bacon wafted through the air. She rounded the corner and saw her dad standing over the stove, flipping what looked like her favourite. Pancakes. "Daddy! Daddy!"

Jay turned around and scooped up the little girl in his arms. "Good morning, princess" he smiled and kissed her on the cheek. "Good mowing daddy. Is pancakes?" Jay chucked at his daughter's pronunciation. Avery was still learning how to pronounce words but she sounded too cute. "Yes, pancakes with bacon and a yogurt parfait. It's Valentine's day and these are your mom's favourite breakfast foods."

"Va-wen-ties day." Avery sounded out. "What?"

"Valentine's day is the day of love. I love mommy very much so today will be special for her." Jay replied as he continued to cook breakfast while carrying little Aves. "How mommy daddy love?" She asked and all Jay could do was smile. He put Avery down but dragged her stool for her to stand on.

"Well Aves, I met your mommy when we were both working. Grandpa Hank's team was there and mommy was on a different team back then. She came and tried to take control but she ended up joining our team to help us. She then stayed and we became partners. Mommy's eyes were so blue and beautiful, that was all I could think after meeting her. Then, when we started working together, daddy and mommy worked super well together. Mommy is so brave and strong when she's at work, yet she is so caring and gentle when she's at home with us. I love that about her."

"Mommy's the best mommy!" Avery exclaimed, loving the story her dad was telling her. They moved towards the kitchen island now that Jay finished cooking and was plating everything.

"Yes she is, baby. Her personality is beautiful. After 4 years of working with her, I finally told mommy how I felt. Actually, she told me first and then we kissed. It felt like magic, you know. Then after a few months, I asked mommy to marry me. I love her so much and when she said yes, I cried."

"Daddy happy cry!" She learnt that from her mom. " Is mommy capey?" Avery pointed to the mug on the counter.

"Mmhm, daddy's going to make mommy her coffee. Everyday since we started working together, I always got coffee for mommy." Jay smiled at that memory, getting coffee with his girl everyday at their favourite cafe before going into work or getting her one on the way in.

The pair continued to prepare the breakfast tray for Hailey that they didn't notice the woman standing in the hallway. She too smelled the food and got up to take a look. What she didn't expect was to hear her husband tell their daughter all about their relationship. It honestly melted her heart that the father-daughter duo were so close, something she didn't have but was glad that her daughter did. They were almost done with breakfast, and knowing what day it was, the older blonde snuck back into the room and laid in bed as she heard the door creak open.

"Happy Valentine's Day mommy!!"

"Wow! Thank you baby girl!" Hailey hugged Avery, who launched herself into her mom's arms, and kissed her on the head.

"Happy Valentine's Day Hails" Jay set the tray of food on the nightstand and made his way to his two girls, careful not to spill any food. Avery got enough of hugging for the morning and wiggled out of her parents' embrace. Jay took this opportunity to capture his wife's lips in a tender kiss, showing her that he still loved her the same as all those years ago, maybe even more. "I love you, so much" he whispered as the broke apart and all Hailey could do was smile as her ocean eyes watered.

"Mommy happy cry?" Avery came as she saw Jay wipe her mom's tears.

"Yes baby, happy cry. Mommy's so happy and so lucky to have you and daddy to celebrate this day of love with."

Jay brought the food over and the family of 3 ate, thoroughly enjoying Jay's cooking. Who'd thought? Jay Halstead, cooking...

"You know" Hailey started, Avery too distracted to notice her parents in conversation. "I heard everything you said earlier to Aves..." Jay's face turned into one of surprise but before he could comment, his partner continued. "Thank you for all the years we spent together. You make me feel as loved as I felt in that bar when you first kissed me. And I will do my best to let you feel all of my love because you deserve the world, Jay Halstead."

Jay beamed, unable to control himself and kissed her once again. They only broke apart when Avery snuggled in between them.

Every year, Hailey Anne Halstead said that that was the best Valentine's Day ever, and this year was no different. With her beloved husband and their beautiful daughter, a perfect blend of the 2 detectives, she definitely was one lucky girl.

Songs:

Beautiful Crazy by Luke Combs

Make You Feel My Love by Adele

Beyond by Leon Bridges

Day 7 (aka the final day) of @upsteadofficial's song prompt challenge. I had so much fun coming up with little one shots and experimenting with different styles in this challenge :) Thank you for supporting hehe.. I didn't think I'd make it to the end so thank you very much! Happy Valentine's Day to all and I hope you enjoyed this too!! 🤗🥰💙🙆‍♀️

[carissalizz]

Upstead Valentine's Love Song Challenge ❤️

12th Feb 2021

"Hailey! Hailey wait up!" Jay jogged towards his partner, who was about to enter her car.

"What Jay? Off to go get shot at and want my permission? Well, you have it so go!" Hailey snapped.

"Okay, what's up? You're acting strange..."

"What strange?"

"Why are you so worked up about me getting shot at?"

"BECAUSE I..." the blonde was now yelling and she stopped herself before any of her colleagues were around the parking lot. Thankfully it was empty. She however did not continue her sentence and her gaze fell to the floor. Since when were the cracks in the street so interesting?

Jay took a step closer and brushed his hand against hers. She immediately took a step back and jerked her hand away.

"Hailey..." The man trailed off

"Nothing, we're just friends" stated Hailey Upton.

" Are you sure about that?" Jay took a step closer again but this time she didn't move. " Cause I'm pretty sure friends don't call in the middle of the night when they're having nightmares about their partner. They don't just stand around, finding reasons not to leave the other's place and they don't stay over as often as we do. So, are we really friends?"

It was then something broke in her. The girl pushed herself up on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck, closing the distance between his and her lips.

The soft, tender and loving kiss quickly turned into one fueled by pent up passion and love for each other that they only broke apart when they needed air.

"My place?" Hailey offered and it was settled.

*The next morning*

Jay brought two steaming mugs of coffee to the bedroom.

"For the lady" he smiled and handed her mug to her and sipped on his own. Of course he did that while noticing the other detective's gaze. "What?"

"Nothing, I.. I don't want us to be just friends... I wanna be..." mumbling the last part, Jay sat beside her in the bed and she cuddekd into his side almost immediately. "What did you say?" He edged her on to repeat herself.

"I wanna be your girl" Hailey blushed and hid her face with her coffee mug. The sun reflected off her coffee, emitting golden rays onto her bare face.

"Hailes, you've always been my girl and you always will be."

Songs:

Afterglow by Ed Sheeran

Friends Don't by Maddie & Tae

Day 5 of @upsteadofficial's song prompt challenge

Side note: I had an idea for something like this but it was better in my head hahahaha (isn't it always?) But I hope you like this still :)

[carissalizz]

Upstead Valentine's Love Song Challenge ❤️

13th Feb 2021

"You may now recite your vows to each other. Jay" the priest gestured to the groom.

Because of what happened in the past, I was starting to think that love was a curse. But then, you, Detective Upton, walked into that bank all those years ago and you said "I need you outside to move the yellow tape back fifty yards and roll in the crime lab". Yes I remembered every single word, shocker... I didn't realise that it was then that my life would change forever. You didn't leave me when it got tough, you stuck by my side and braved the storm named Jay Halstead. The first time we kissed was when you told me you rejected the feds and since then, I knew that you were the one for me. Hailey Anne, you're a saint, you're a goddess, the cutest, the hottest, a masterpiece, but most importantly, you're my partner, my best friend, the love of my life. It is an honour to call you my girlfriend, fiancé and soon, my wife. You were the one constant thing in my life and you chose me. I am forever grateful to you for giving me you. You trusted me with your heart and I promise to never let it go. I promise to love and cherish you, to be there for you in both the highs and the lows, in sickness and in health, and to drink beer and do our thing. But most importantly, I promise to protect and take care of you. You deserve the world, more than I could ever give you and I will do my upmost best to give you everything and to follow you till the end. I love you, Hailey.

At some point, Jay took hold of his bride's hand and he gently kissed the back of it. He then cupped her cheek with his other hand and wiped the tears that broke free from her control. Hailey was struggling to keep her emotions at bay but she did her best as it was now her turn.

"Hailey" the priest looked towards the lady in the most beautiful dress.

Love. L. O. V. E. Never did I think that I'd experience it. With my childhood and everything that happened in the past, I didn't see love in my future. Especially my loving my partner. You know Jay, I've never fallen for someone as quickly as I did for you, ever. The way you always check in on me and being there for me, it made me realise that you were different. You were... Special. We took the long way, everyone knew that. I was scared, scared if the future, scared that I was going to lose you because you kept getting shot. But I knew the day I left for New York that I needed to tell you how I felt. That day in that bar, I said that I didn't take the job because of you. I meant that. You make me better, stronger, and so much more that I never imagined. Look where we are today. Jay Halstead, you're the light of my life. You chose me. Broken, imperfect and "walls around my heart" Hailey Upton. You broke my walls little by little, and you've earned my heart. And for all of this and more, I choose you. I chose you back then and I will still choose you now. I will always choose you because you deserve it. You deserve every bit of love and care. I promise to love you, every single day for the rest of my life. I promise to be there for you, through every nightmare, every setback, every hospital visit and for every case. I'm 100% in. I said I trusted you and would follow you blind. I still do. I love you, Jay.

Hailey brought the back of her man's hand to her lips, planting a soft kiss. Their eyes met in the most intense gaze. A gaze filled with love, trust, and so many proclamations of love that were not verbalized. But they both understood. It was them, Jay and Hailey. Hailey and Jay.

"Do you, Jay Halstead, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do"

"Will you love and cherish her, in the good times and the bad, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?

"I will, for even longer than I shall live"

Jay slips the wedding ring onto Hailey's finger, squeezing her hand.

"Do you, Hailey Anne Upton, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do"

"Will you love and cherish him, in the good times and the bad, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?

"I will, forever"

Hailey slides the ring onto Jay's hand, returning the squeeze.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride"

Hailey and Jay barely register the words of the priest and their family and friends cheering for them when they lean in and share a kiss so magical.

Songs:

Die a Happy Man by Thomas Rhett

You're Still the One by Shania Twain

Day 6 of @upsteadofficial's song prompt challenge. I hope you enjoy this!!

[carissalizz]

Upstead Valentine's Love Song Challenge ❤️

9th Feb 2021

It was a regular day in Chicago, the team always in pursuit of drug runners and dangerous gangbangers. Everything was the same, except for a certain blonde detective and her partner. They were no longer just partners...

Boyfriend and Girlfriend they were.

It's been a months since their relationship evolved and things could not be going smoother. Sure, there were some bumps here and there, with Hailey's dad and Jay going undercover, but things between then were just effortless and easy.

Upon walking through the door, the pair crashed on the couch, exhausted from their day. Two suspects decided to bolt when they approached them, leading Halstead and Upton on a cardio workout. They only managed to catch the offenders thanks to patrol who rolled just in the nick of time.

As Hailey looked over at Jay, she saw him in a state she didn't really see him in. Ever. His eyes were closed, not a wrinkle on his forehead. He was relaxed. Hailey smiled at the thought, "how did I get so lucky?" and intertwined her petite hand with his. Fingers still interlocked, Jay swung his arm around his girl, pulling her close to him.

Deciding that they needed food, Hailey placed a kiss on Jay's temple and got up to order some Bartoli's for dinner. A very late dinner considering it was already past midnight, grateful that the pizza place closed at 2am. Jay got up and hugged her from behind as she poured herself some tea. The blonde leaned back into him as he wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace. That was when she realised that Jay turned the radio on.

Hello there, how've you been?

I heard that you're moving to Paris

With that copy comic

I bet he's on it

Her eyes went wide with realisation and she turned to face him, still in his arms.

"It's our song" she smiled, trailing her gaze to his face and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Dance with me?" A soft whisper erupted from Jay's mouth as he took a step back, extending his hand to her. She accepted and they fell into each other's embrace.

Take me for instance

I hold your tune

While I cast a long shadow

And wait for the moon

They swayed rhythmically to the melody of the song. Their song. The one that was playing in the bar the night they kissed for the first time. The night where everything changed.

"I'm forever yours, you know that right?" It slipped so easily from her lips that she didn't register it. But Jay did. In response, he cupped her cheek gently and said "mmhm... and I'm your man".

Songs:

Willow by Taylor Swift

Copy Comic by Robert Francis

Day 2 of @upsteadofficial's song prompt challenge :)

[carissalizz]

Upstead's Valentines Love Songs Challenge ❤️

8th Feb 2021

Hailey, you know..... You're the most beautiful person I've ever met, both inside and out. I love all your curves and all your edges, all your perfect imperfections. They make you who you are and I'm so grateful that you've let me into your heart, into your most vulnerable space... I've said this a million times probably but although the would is beating you down, I'm around for every mood. Happy, exhaustion, frustration, hell even anger. I'm here for it all. I love you, Hailey Upton. And I will be loving you 'til we're 70. No scratch that, even if my hair's all gone and my memory fades, I will still love you. That's forever. You know, I wanna take you into my loving arms and kiss you under the light of a thousand stars. I want to hold you tight after the toughest case, I want to see you become a mom because I know you'll be the best mom our children could possibly have. I want it all with you, Hails. So, Hailey Anne Upton, will you spend the rest of your life with me and marry me?

Songs:

Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran

All Of Me by John Legend

Thanks @upsteadofficial for having such fun challenges :)

[carissalizz]

Upstead Valentine's Love Song Challenge ❤️

10th Feb 2021

IG: jayhalstud

badass.kimb, adam_ruz, and 8762 others liked this post. (Tags: hailsupton)

You already know that you're my weakness... No matter where we go, no matter what we do, if you're there, girl, I've got my eyes on you... 💕

~~

IG: hailsupton

nessarojas, kevtheman and 8734 others liked this post. (Tags: jayhalstud)

After all this time I'm just as nervous... So It's always on a night like tonight I thank God you can read my mind 🥰

Songs:

Eyes On You by Chase Rice

Speechless by Dan + Shay

Day 3 of @upsteadofficial's song prompt challenge :)