Chapter Text
Disclaimer: I own nothing related to these characters. No Beta. All errors are mine and mine alone. First time writing this ship so hopefully at least a B for effort. :-)
Through the clear automated doors of the baggage claim area Hailey easily picked out his familiar form as Jay stood against the black pick up idling outside. Police parking has its privileges
“Jay?!” she called out, stepping through the doorway and out in to the late Chicago afternoon. “What are you doing here?!” The grin on her face was natural and wide as she walked toward him at full force. Hailey stopped just short of him with a tilt of her head and a happy yet quizzical smile.
“Eh, y’know… " Jay replied, leaning forward off of the truck, reaching for the handle of the rolling suitcase behind her. "Ubers are such a bitch at the airport---”
“Mm hmm” she nodded, then shook her head, a small snort of laughter escaping.
“And what with all the budget issues,…? Well, getting reimbursed is just not gonna happen.And airport parking is expensive!” He smirked and nodded toward the front of his ride.
Chuckling, Hailey hopped in the cab and buckled up while Jay swung around behind, threw her bag in the back, and then took his own seat behind the wheel.
“Better hope your gift wasn’t breakable” she deadpanned as her eyes swung from where the bag had landed back to Jay.
“You brought me a gift?” he asked, while pulling the car out in to traffic. Their easy back and forth picking up as if she’d never left, and her heart was warm at the thought.
“Yeah. Figured maybe I might need to buy my way back in to your good graces after leaving like---that.” She demurred easily, turning her head to watch the passing scenery.
“What is it? What’d you get me?”
“Are you even serious right now?” she scoffed, smiling at him.
“Bigger than a breadbox? Do I have to feed it?”
Hailey sighed and rolled her eyes good naturedly “And here I was thinking how much I’d missed this.”
Jay didn’t respond right away. Just as the silence was about to become uncomfortable, he spoke. “I definitely missed this.”
Hailey was quiet, watching him, and caught his eye when he took his briefly from the road to look at her. Neither of them spoke for a moment as Hayley tried to process what he said and then what he meant.
He broke the silence. “Heard you kicked ass out there”
“Well—“ she began, and cleared her throat, happy that whatever that moment had been was done. “I don’t know about that….”
“Rumor is,Voight got a call yesterday asking if you were happy in Chicago….” His voice trailed off as he waggled his eyebrows at her.
Hailey met his eyes and locked on for a moment, before he looked back to the road. A beat passed. “Hm” she murmured and then turned to look out her window with a wistful smile. “I am. New York was loud and dark and busy and thrilling. But this is home. I’m not going anywhere. And besides--their pizza sucks.”
Jay snorted and smiled to himself as he reached for his sunglasses, putting them on against the glare of the sunset.
“I still wanna know what you got me.”
Hailey rolled her eyes, laughing hard. The Chicago skyline came in to view ahead of them. Yeah. She was very happy to be here. To be home.