Work Text:
Be Safe
No one thought it would ever happen, that they would finally admit their feelings. The final brick in the wall was torn down when Hailey was offered a job in New York. When Jay first heard the news, he couldn’t believe he was losing one of the most important people in his life to the FBI, again. Jay finally admitted how he felt about Hailey, which was reciprocated whole heartedly. They had found their happiness in one another, and a year and half later, neither one of them were taking it for granted. In the time they had been together, Jay moved into Hailey’s townhouse with her, where they have built a home, falling more in love every day.
It had been a few years since Hailey had been given an undercover assignment. She was excited when Voight first came to her with this last week, but as she learned more about the operation, the more uneasy she started to become. Intelligence obtained information about a prostitution ring on the outskirts of Chicago that they believed was taking part in human trafficking. Hailey was going to be posing as a sex worker to get information from the inside, in hopes that they would be able to bring everything to light and take them down.
It was the night before Haley had to start her two weeks in this new world. Two weeks doesn’t sound like a long time to most, but when working undercover, it feels like a lifetime. Jay and Hailey laid in their bed, limbs intertwined as they took in the sounds of the city around them.
“How are you feeling about tomorrow?” Jay asked Hailey, as he gently stroked the hair behind her ear.
Hailey leans forward and kisses him gently, slowly rolling him to hover over her. Jay melts into her, getting lost in the moment. Pulling himself back to the darkness of the room, Jay lifts his head slowly, again tucking Hailey’s hair behind her ear. Jay watches Hailey for a few moments in silence, taking the beauty of her features in as the shadows of the night hit her face from the window.
“You’re avoiding the question.” Jay says, settling back down into his side of the bed. Hailey rolls over to face him, looking down avoiding eye contact. Jay reaches over, using his fingertips to move slow trails of calm across Hailey’s arm. Since being together, he has come to know that this usually helps Hailey relax when her anxiety starts to consume her. “Hailey. It’s me.Talk to me.”
Ever since she was young, Hailey has struggled to open up. When you grow up in a home where you never know what the day may bring, whether you will have to keep silent or hide in order to keep you and your family safe, you learn to keep things to yourself and to not draw attention.
Hailey’s been working on being open more, especially since starting this wonderful adventure with Jay. They went from partners, to best friends, to soul mates, and she continues to be pulled from her comfort zone in the most amazing way possible. Jay challenges her, pushing her to open up more, which Hailey has grown to be thankful for. She’s still a work in progress though.
“I’m nervous.” She says calmly. Silence fills the room
“But this is my job and that’s what I’ll do. My job.” She responds, closing her eyes and lowering her head into her pillow with the last word.
“I wouldn’t expect anything less.” he says softly. “What’s got you nervous?”
Hailey opens her eyes, shifting her face up to look Jay in the eye. Hailey pauses, noting a hint of sadness coming from his face. He already knows her answer.
“The last two times I was undercover it didn’t go as planned. That’s always a risk, obviously, but I can’t help but think about it.” Hailey holds her gaze as Jay brings up his hand to cup her face. Hailey didn’t talk about her experience with Ronald Booth. He assaulted Hailey during both operations, experiences she will always carry with her. Hailey is one of the strongest people Jay has ever met, but he knows this is a pain she carries with her every day.
“The first sign of things going bad, you find a way to get in touch with me. No matter the hour, you call me, and I will make whatever calls I need to, to pull you out of there.” Jay says softly but sternly, rubbing his thumb against Hailey’s cheek.
“Thank you.” She says, lifting her head to meet his lips for a quick exchange. Hailey lowers her head back down, shifting to face the ceiling.
Hailey let’s out a shaky sigh, “You know it’s going to be a risk trying to do that if I need to.” When Hailey was given the case, she was told that she would not have access to a phone for most of the operation. She would be relying on a camera that was planted one week earlier by a CI and one undercover officer, Samuel. Samuel has been working undercover on the case for a month and will be Hailey’s point person.
Jay reaches up to wrap his fingers in hers, resting his hand on her stomach. “If there is anyone who can find their way out of a bad situation, it’s you, Hailey. You do whatever you need to do to get out. You call me and I will be wherever you need me to be.”
Hailey tilts her head to the side to look at Jay, giving him a sweet smile. Hailey picks up Jays hand with hers, raising his knuckles to her lips. Rolling over, Hailey wraps Jay’s arms around her waste pushing her back into his chest. Jay wraps his arms around Hailey, pulling her closer to him. Hailey kisses Jay’s knuckles once more before closing her eyes, falling into the familiarity of Jay’s protective hold.
In a small whisper, “Thank you.” she exhales.
****
Neither one of them slept that night, but they didn’t once move from one another’s embrace. Hailey got up from bed first, showering and packing a few more things that she was allowed to bring with her. She tried to eat something, but she could barely stomach a piece of toast. Hailey has always felt nervous before going undercover, but not like this. The last two times, Hailey had someone by her side.
She first had Garrett. If it weren’t for him, Hailey may not have made it out. Hailey asks herself regularly what would have happened if he didn’t stop Booth from raping her. She knows the different path that day could have taken. She owed Garrett her life and then she lost him.
Then she had Jay. Jay kept her from stepping off the ledge. She wonders what she would have done if Jay wasn’t there to be her voice of reason, pulling her back before making a decision she couldn’t take back. He was there for her after too, helping her overcome the ghosts that were raised.
This time was different. She was going in solo. Hailey paced the floor of the kitchen, trying to shake off some of her nervous energy. Hailey put her bag by the door, waiting for the call from Kim. Voight told Hailey that Kim would be driving her to motel where she would be staying. Hailey was okay with because she didn’t want Jay to have to be the one to leave her there. Hailey grabbed her cup of water from the counter, taking a long sip, but no matter how much water she drank, she couldn’t swallow the lump in her throat. Hailey pulled herself up to sit on the countertop of the kitchen island, running her hands over her face and through her hair.
Hailey let out a loud sigh as Jay walked from the living room with his phone to his ear.
“Thanks, Serg, I’ll let her know.” He says as he walks towards Hailey. He tosses his phone around nervously in his hand, using his free one to rub the back of his neck.
“Voight said Kim left the station about ten minutes ago. She should be here soon.” He says giving her a sad grin. “You know what you need to do when you get there, right?”
“Yup. Find Samuel and ‘check in.’” She says raising her fingers to put quotation marks around the word.
Jay meets Hailey at the counter top, placing his hands on her knees. Hailey snakes her hands behind Jay’s neck, separating her legs so she could pull his body to hers. Hailey and Jay looked in one another’s eyes, both seeing the sadness in the other’s. Hailey lowers her head to let out a breath, whispering, “It’s only two weeks.”
“Yeah.” Jay says quietly, not wanting Hailey to hear the worry in his voce. She was the one going into a dangerous situation, once again putting her safety on the line to keep other people safe. He couldn’t let her see him struggling.
Hailey lifted her head, meeting Jay’s eyes. She smiled at him, leaning in to bring her lips to his. They wanted to remember this moment in case it was the last one they had together. Both of them were burdened with this thought ever since Hailey was given the assignment, but neither one of them wanted to say it out loud. They shared the worry silently. The kiss grew more passionate, brining a heat to both of them. Jay wrapped his hands in Hailey’s hair, taking her all in before he had to watch her walk out the door. Jay and Hailey would have stayed there forever, lost in the taste of one another, if it weren’t for the buzzing of Hailey’s phone that brought them back to reality. Hailey looked at her phone to see a text message from Kim letting her know that she had just pulled up outside. It was time for Hailey to go.
“Kim’s here.” Hailey says sadly.
Jay sucks in a sharp breath, realizing in that moment that he wasn’t ready to say goodbye. Hailey wraps her hands tighter around his neck, pulling his forehead to hers.
“It’s only two weeks,” she says again in an attempt to ease both of their anxiety, “I’ll be back before you know it.”
“I know.” Jay responds, starting to feel a sting in the back of his eyes. Working in intelligence, you always know there is chance you may not come home, especially when going undercover. Jay had been trying his hardest not to let his mind wander there, but in this moment it was hard not to. “Two weeks.” He said giving her a forced grin.
Hailey and Jay’s lips met again, taking in the taste and scent of one another, one they would hold with them until they were back in each other’s embrace.
“I’ve gotta go.” She says sadly against his lips.
“I know.” Jay says, moving his lips across her cheek, to the crook of her neck, pulling her into a strong hug. He breathed her in one last time before whispering in her ear, “Be safe, Hailey. Please.” Hailey heard a pleading in his voice, one that sent a shiver through her body. Jay pulled himself away from Hailey, feeling the weight of the moment as she dropped from counter. Haley placed her hand on Jay’s chest, looking up to meet his gaze,“I love you, Jay.”
“I love you too, Hailey.” He said as she moved her hand from his chest. Haley walked to the door, picking her bag up from the floor as her hand met the handle. Hailey paused, turning to Jay once more, pushing a smile to her face as she disappeared into the Chicago morning.