Chapter Text
May 13, 2020
“Hey, you’re probably working right now. There’s nothing wrong. I just, uh, I don't know. Work isn’t the same when your desk is empty. Miss you, partner.”
Jay Halstead looked out his window, watching the rain pour down as he drank his beer. It’s been 6 weeks since Hailey went to New York. 6 weeks since they worked on a case together. 6 weeks since Jay looked across his desk and saw his blue-eyed best friend. Sure, they still texted and had a few phone calls here and there, but their opposing schedules and work loads made it hard to talk as much as they normally would.
Unfortunately for the detective, working without his partner wasn't something new, he just thought it wouldn’t happen again. Specifically, he thought a partner going to the FBI wouldn’t happen again. When Erin Lindsay left, Jay expected it. He saw it coming from miles away. If she didn’t leave the comfy confines of the 21st on her own, she probably would have been fired, and we all know she or Voight wouldn't let that happen. But then Hailey Upton came along and did more than fill the hole Lindsay left. Did Jay love Erin? Hell yes. But with Hailey, it was different. They weren’t just partners, they were best friends who shared traumatic experiences over alcohol so they could get it out of their system and go to work the next day. So when Voight told him that Hailey would be gone for an unknown amount of weeks to work in New York, Jay would be lying if he said he didn’t get a little worried about his partner’s return.
“Don’t worry, she’ll be back. She’s one of Chicago’s finest, she just needed to get some priorities in check.” Voight assured Jay that Hailey would be back. But that was 6 weeks ago, and he missed his best friend.
‘hey, you up? i couldn’t answer your call earlier, sorry :( ‘
‘of course i’m still up.’
‘and don’t worry about it. it wasn't anything important. just bored haha’
‘how many beers do you have left?’
‘just bought a new pack. why?’
There was a knock on Jay’s door. He sat his phone and beer on the coffee table. He wasn’t expecting anyone, but it wasn’t uncommon for Adam to come over and have a few more drinks with him before officially going home. But when he opened his door, it wasn’t Ruzek. It was someone even better..
His partner.
“Hey, can I get one of those beers?”
“You know I would have picked you up from the airport.” Jay said as he shut the door behind Hailey. He motioned towards her bags, “Here, lemme take these.”
The blonde dropped her bags at his feet and hung her coat on a hook by the door. “I was told i’m coming home literally 10 hours ago. In my head, getting an uber and showing up was easier. I’m just glad you were home. Thank you, by the way.”
The blonde smiled as she watched him move her bags to the corner of the living room. She helped herself to a beer out of his fridge.
“Did you tell Vanessa you were back yet?” Jay grabbed his beer and sat next to Hailey on the couch.
“Nope, you’re the only person I’ve told.” Hailey took a long drink from the glass bottle. For some reason, beer didnt taste as good when it was coming from a barely working mini fridge in a cheap hotel. “It’s been a day. We wrapped a long case and they told me last minute i was coming back to Chicago. The flight had an insane amount of turbulence and I, I just needed to sit here and have some beers with you.”
Jay grinned, “I’ll drink to that.” They clinked their bottles before taking more drinks. “I almost forgot what you looked like in a fancy suit.”
“I would like to. I hate this thing.”
“I told Platt that, I knew it.” Jay laughed to himself, recalling a conversation he had with the desk sergeant weeks before.
Instead of questioning it, Hailey shook her head and finished off her beer. “I didn’t just come here because I wanted some beer, Jay. I wanted to talk to you about something.” She fiddled with the label on the bottle, not watching his reaction.
“Look, I know that it’s been a weird month and a half, but if you’re thinking about leaving Intelligence, I won’t let it happen.” Jay had a sense of seriousness in his voice as Hailey raised her head.
“What?” She chuckled at him, “No, i’m not leaving Intelligence. If anything, working with the Feds made me want to never leave Intelligence again.”
“Oh god, I’m so sorry. I-”
“You’re fine. You’re right though, it was a weird few weeks. I messed up and did some things I shouldn't have. Working with the FBI, it really set some things straight. Before, some of the lines faded and New York really helped make them solid again. But one of those lines was you, Jay, and I don’t know if i want to make it solid. If anything, I want it erased.”
“I don't really know what you're saying, Hailes.” Jay gave her all of his attention. He ignored the fact that now both of them had empty beers, and that his foot was falling asleep. He could see his phone light up with notifications every 2 seconds, but he even ignored that.
“I love us as partners, and like you said, it’s hard to find a good one. But New York made me realize that I don't want just a partnership. I want us. Sitting down and having some drinks every few days is great, but I can't help and think that we share something more. Maybe I spent too much time watching cheesy rom-coms in my hotel room, but I really think we can make something happen.”
Hailey didn't really know what kind of reaction Jay would have. Jay didn’t even know what kind of reaction he would have until his hand was bringing her face closer to his, pressing their lips together. As their mouths moved in unison, Jay cuffed his hands around her face as she gripped his biceps. It felt like they had been like that forever when Hailey pulled away, staring into Jay’s green eyes.
“So you understand now?”
Jay laughed, lowering one of his hands, “Yeah, I get it. I think-”
He was cut off by the sound of Hailey’s phone ringing in her pocket. Jay dropped his arm and checked his own phone - 16 texts from a group chat he wished Ruzek would have never added him in.
“It’s Vanessa. Somehow she knows I’m back in Chicago, so I should probably get an Uber back home.”
The two raised from the couch in unison. Hailey grabbed her bags and put her coat on, letting Jay help her put her arms through the sleeves.
“I can drive you. I haven't drank too much.” Jay tucked a piece of loose hair behind her ear.
“But you’ve drank. It’s fine, I don't live that far away. I’ll let you know when i get home.”
Jay leaned down and gently kissed Hailey one more time before opening the door for her.
“Be safe, and in case you didn't know, i'm really glad you're back home.”
Hailey smiled, “Me too, New York has nothing on this place.”
When the door shut, neither of them could really comprehend what happened, and neither of them really knew what it would lead to later on.