#hailey upton platonic

[uptondixon]

Upstead Foster Daughter

Did you ever wonder how Upstead would be as foster parents for a teenage girl? Like Hank and Erin, Hailey and Jay welcomed Olivia to their home when she was 16. Olivia holds a lot of grudges and is full of mischief, but she is also incredibly sweet and has a tremendous need to feel like she belongs. To her surprise, Hailey and Jay will give her exactly that.

Masterlist

[Chapter I] "If I was dying on my knees you would be the one to rescue me"

Jay is shot and help comes from an unexpected source.

Blood was no stranger to Jay Halstead. Nor is being in the aim of a gun. But actually being shot, bleeding out? This is something you never get used to. 

Jay had been lying on the cold concrete floor for about two minutes now, unaware that minutes had passed. Everything happened so fast. The bullet missed his bulletproof vest and hit his side, invading him with pain and knocking him to the ground.

Jay made an effort but failed to reach for his radio that he dropped when he fell. Being alone, bleeding out from a hole in your belly, is enough to send anyone into a panic. But not him, because Jay knew that was not how he would die, chasing a stupid drug dealer who shot him down an alley in the middle of the day. He wasn't even supposed to be there alone in the first place. 

His team would find him. Hailey would find him.

Half a minute later, Jay hears footsteps coming from the other side of the alley. His hands loosened the hold on his side where he was stanching the bleeding with a piece of his plaid shirt. They got to him, he could relax now. 

The footsteps were soft, they were probably from Hailey or Kim, even Hank coming-

“Jesus Christ! Sir, what happened?” Jay's head moved in the direction of the voice so fast that he felt pain shooting through his entire body. 

His vision was getting blurry, be he could make out a teenage girl who could not be older than fifteen. She was staring at him from 10 steps away and the strain his neck was doing to look at her was making him even more uncomfortable. He resumed his previous position with a loud groan, pressing the piece of fabric tighter against his side again. 

The action calls the girl's attention to the wound, the amount of blood making her gasp and kneel on the ground beside the man. Although she had never seen a gunshot wound before, she knew it was one. She noticed his vest, his gun, and his radio on the ground. He was a cop and he was bleeding out on the pavement right in front of her. She had to do something.

Her hands flew to the wound, joining his bigger ones in stopping the bleeding. She took out her coat, pressing it to the wound. 

“My belt” Jay said, reaching out to it. He had attempted to remove it earlier, but his hands were shaking excessively and he lacked the strength to do so. Just like he couldn't reach for his radio to call for help.

She got the message and took his belt. His badge and gunholder coming off in the process. The girl knew she had to do a tourniquet, so she wrapped the belt around his side, finding some difficulty in doing so, but still managed to succeed. More grunts of pain left Jay as she tightened the belt. 

Her hands and clothes were covered in blood, and her face had some splashes from when she tried to get her hair out of the way.

What to do now? She couldn't carry him, she couldn't leave him here alone to die either. 

“The radio, take my radio” Jay's voice was weaker now, he was using all his strength to not pass out. 

She looked back and stood up to retrieve the radio. She came back and kneeled beside him again, waiting for more instructions. It was crazy how he could still think rationally in these conditions. She felt so powerless because he was the one dying, but he was still managing to tell her what to do. She knew, however, that he was probably trained for moments like this.

“What's your name?” Jay said after a moment trying to catch his breath.

“Olivia” She answered, her voice shaking.

The girl glanced down at the name carved on his vest “Halstead, Intelligence” she read out loud. 

“Yeah, yeah, you-” he coughed. “You pull this switch and press this button” his blood-soaked hand showed her how to do it.

“Call for help, tell them the address” were Jay’s last words before he started to feel his consciousness fading away.

He turned his head to the side, feeling the cold on his cheek. His vision went completely black but he could still hear Olivia's voice in the background.

Jay could not make out what she was saying but the last thing he heard before passing out was Hank's voice through the radio “Who the hell are you?!”

You all recognize the lyrics from the title, right? Thank you for reading and let me know what you think! It's my first time attempting to write a story with multiple chapters so any form of encouragement is much appreciated ♡

[kitweewoos]

“Is that my sweater?” + Moustead 💜

mouse's sweater

Summary:

Jay is sick, and Mouse is there to take care of him.

Relationships:

Greg "Mouse" Gerwitz/Jay Halstead

Jay Halstead & Hailey Upton

Characters:

Jay Halstead

Hailey Upton

Greg "Mouse" Gerwitz

Additional Tags:

Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence

Established Relationship

Platonic Jay Halstead & Hailey Upton

Sickfic

Sick Character

Sick Jay Halstead

Comfort

Domestic Fluff

[lcvesjj]

Who I write for

Please read my request rules before sending in an request!

masterlist

song fics masterlist

request rules

requests are currently : OPEN

S.W.A.T. (2017)

- Deacon Kay

- Chris Alonso

- Jim Street

- Hondo Harrelson

- Dominique Luca

- Jessica Cortez

- Victor Tan

Chicago PD

- Erin Lindsay

- Jay Halstead

- Hailey Upton

Chicago Fire

- Kelly Severide

- Leslie Shay

Criminal Minds

- Derek Morgan

- Jennifer 'JJ' Jareau

- Emily Prentiss

- Aaron Hotchner

- BAU (platonic)

[samrsgyi]

My master list

One Chicago:

Chicago fire:

Kelly severide

Stella kidd

Sylvie Brett

Violet Mikami

Evan Hawkins

Blake gallo

Ritter

Cruz

Casey

Herrman

Mouch(platonic)

Otis

Leslie

Gabby

Chicago PD:

Jay Halstead

Erin Lindsay

Kim burgess

Adam Ruzek

Kevin Atwater

Hank voight

Hailey Upton

Chicago Med:

Connor

Ava

Natalie

April

Robin

Hannah

Will

Sarah

Maggie

Denise

Cloverfield:

Rob

Jason

Beth

Lily

Marlena

Hud

10 Cloverfield lane:

Emmett

Michelle

(No frank that bitch is disgusting)

Cloverfield Paradox:

Ava Hamilton

Mina Jensen

Ernst Schmidt

Life (2017)

David

Miranda

Hugh

Sho

Kat

9-1-1:

Buck

Hen

Karen

Bobby

Eddie

Chim

Maddie

Josh

Athena

May

Albert

Lena

9-1-1 Lone star:

Owen

Marjan

Paul

Nancy

Mateo

Judd

Grace

TK( Male!Reader or GN!Reader, he's gay people)

Carlos(Male!Reader or GN!Reader)

Tommy

Michelle

Station 19:

Jack

Andy

Vic

Travis

Demon slayer:

Tanjiro

Nezuko

Zenitsu

Inosuke

Kanao

Genya

Uzui

Shinobu

Mitsuri

Obanai

Rengoku

Gyomei

Muichiro(Platonic)

Sanemi

Aoi

Naho(platonic)

Sumi(Platonic)

Kiyo(Platonic)

A/n- FORGOT TO MENTION!!!!! For Chicago fire I will do Stellaride x reader any gender. It's gonna be poly remember I am taking requests. I could also do brettsey x reader. On Cloverfield poly relationship I could do Beth x Rob x reader. Jason x lily x reader

Hud x reader x Marlena. For demon slayer! (This one is not really poly but I'll give it a shot) Uzui x his wives and reader. Tankana x reader. ZenNezu x reader. AoIno x reader. I can make all these poly platonic or affectionate if only you guys want.

That's it. My hands hurt so bad.

[torreshalstead]

You make the miles worth it - Chapter 13

Summary - The Chicago Marathon had always been a dream for Hailey. And when she meets a stranger in pink running shoes whilst training, she realises maybe she had been dreaming for more.

Chapter - 14/21

Chapter Summary - Jay gets discharged from Med and Hailey takes care of him when he returns home

Notes - this is pretty much all fluff! Hope you enjoy! Thanks as always for the continued support with this story! AO3 Link

‘Jay, put that bag down. I said I’d come back and get it when you’re inside,’ Hailey said loudly when she noticed that he had picked up one of the carrier bags with the takeout food in from the footwell of the passenger seat.

‘I’m not an invalid Hailey,’ Jay scoffed.

‘Right now, that’s exactly what you are!’ she said and grabbed the bag out of his hand, ignoring his protests. ‘Come on before I call Will, and get him to bring that wheelchair to get you upstairs’.

‘Don’t even think about it’ he said through gritted teeth as he walked slowly behind her. The pain meds they had given him at the ED had started to wear off so any sudden movement was sending jolts of pain through his body.

Sensing Jay was in pain trying to follow at her pace, Hailey slowed her walk down slightly until she could feel him behind her and offered him her arm. He shot her a look of disgust but when she returned it with a smile, he reluctantly threaded his arm through hers.

‘You alright?’ she asked as the pair headed towards the elevator to take them up to Jay’s apartment.

He nodded in response but Hailey could feel him lean a bit more of his weight against her which she was happy to support.

—————————————————————————

‘No V, I won’t be home tonight’. Hailey was on the phone in the kitchen whilst Jay was attempting to make himself comfortable on the couch.

‘He’s alright but Will wants me to make sure he has no concussion symptoms’.

‘I’ll be fine. I’ll see you on shift tomorrow?’

‘Okay, I’ll tell him. Love ya girl.’ And with that she hung up and finished putting the takeout on a couple of plates she had found, remembering where they were from her previous visit.

‘Vanessa alright?’ Jay asked when Hailey walked back over to the couch, food in hand.

‘Yeah she’s fine, she says get better soon. She offered to bring me some clothes over but figured I could just steal a shirt of yours to sleep in and get changed at work. I keep a change of clothes in my locker’.

Jay almost choked on his spring roll at the mental image of Hailey dressed in nothing but his t-shirt.

‘You okay?’ Hailey said worriedly as she put down her own food and rubbed his back. This contact did nothing to help Jay’s predicament so he nodded quickly.

‘Just went down the wrong way’, he spluttered and gratefully accepted the glass of water Hailey passed him. ‘You’re welcome to a shirt but you really don’t need to stay. I can tell Will where to shove it’.

Hailey laughed and returned to eating her dinner, ‘I’m staying. That’s final’. Jay smiled at her stubbornness but he felt a warmth spread through his chest at her insistence to look after him.

‘Okay Nurse Upton, if you insist,’ he winked at her.

‘After dinner I’m going to grab a shower, I can help if you want to have one after?’

Dropping his chopsticks onto his plate with a loud clang, Hailey turned her head at the noise to see Jay shaking his head.

‘I’m not being funny Hailey but I don’t think I could cope if the first time you saw me completely naked was when you were attempting to help me shower in a completely platonic way’, Hailey’s cheeks reddened when she realised what she had offered. ‘Unless you mean it in a non-platonic way?’ he added quickly with a smirk.

‘Don’t push your luck Halstead’ she countered quickly.

‘If you’re sure?’

‘Positive. Now eat up, so I can make sure you don’t choke on the rest of your dinner’. Jay chuckled and returned to eating his dinner but didn’t fail to notice Hailey scoot slightly closer to him.

——————————————————————————

As Hailey was showering, Jay pulled himself gingerly off the coach and walked into his room. He may be the one needing to be looked after but he was still going to do his bit to make sure Hailey was comfortable in his space.

Pulling open the top drawer of his dresser he pulled out one of his t-shirts, the dark material was slightly old with faded lettering reading RANGER across the chest, but it was large and soft so should fit Hailey fine.

He tried to reach the bottom drawer where he kept his sweatpants, but bending over caused him to yelp in pain. He heard the water shut off from the en-suite and a second later, Hailey appeared. Wearing nothing but a towel held tightly across her chest that barely skimmed the tops of her thighs, the water still glistening on her skin. Jay felt his jaw drop.

‘Jay, what happened?’ she asked worriedly, hurrying over to him.

‘I’m fine’, he said dejectedly, ‘I just wanted to get you some clothes to wear so you’d be comfy’.

Hailey’s features relaxed and she smiled. ‘I could have done that’, she said softly.

‘I know you could’ he said slowly, ‘I just wanted to do it for you’. Hailey reached over and rested her hand on his arm.

‘You do a lot for me Jay. But right now this is about what I can do for you. Head back out to the couch and I’ll get dressed and be out to join you soon’, she squeezed his arm and waited for him to nod before she let go.

‘I got you out a t-shirt’ he gestured to the shirt he had put on the bed, ‘but the pants are in the bottom drawer and I couldn’t get them’ he added quietly.

‘Okay, I can get a pair,’ she said softly, ‘thank you’. Jay smiled and walked out the door, leaving Hailey alone in his bedroom.

—————————————————————————-

‘Yes Will. I’m sat on the couch. I promise I’m fine’, Hailey could hear Jay on the phone as she returned to the living room now dressed in Jay’s clothes. When he noticed her he smiled, ‘Hailey’s back now so I’ve got to go. Okay fine, I’ll call you tomorrow’. Jay hung up with a huff.

‘He checking in on you?’ Hailey asked as she took a seat on the other side of the couch, tucking her legs up underneath her.

‘Checking up on me more like,’ Jay huffed as he leant back and closed his eyes. ‘I love my brother don’t get me wrong but sometimes I could do with a break’.

‘You’re lucky to have him’ Hailey said quietly, facing towards the black TV screen.

‘Hails, I didn’t-’ Jay started.

‘No I know’, she said as she shook her head and smiled at him gently.

‘If you ever want to tell me about him, Michael, I mean. I’m a good listener,’ he said softly.

‘I know Jay. Thank you’, she reached out and took his hand squeezing lightly as she laced her fingers through his. ‘Now, before we put a movie on, let’s talk sleeping arrangements’ she said.

‘Sleeping arrangements?’ he looked puzzled at her, he hadn't really thought about where they’d both sleep in his one-bed apartment.

‘Well I know you’ll try and be the gentleman and take the couch but you are also the one who got shot today. So I’m going to sleep out here and that way you get the comfortable bed and can rest those ribs’.

‘Hailey-’

‘Jay. You are not sleeping on this thing, don’t make me call Will.’ He laughed.

‘That wasn’t what I was going to say’ he said softly, squeezing her hand. ‘My bed is big enough, we can share’. Sensing she was about to disagree, ‘purely platonically, I promise,’ he smiled again. ‘But if it makes you uncomfortable-’

‘I’m not uncomfortable’ she said quietly, glancing up at him through her lashes. ‘If you’re sure?’

‘I’m sure Hailey, neither of us would win the argument over sleeping on the couch so at least this way both of us can get a good night's sleep and you can keep an eye on me,’ he winked which was answered with a laugh.

‘Okay then, now that’s sorted, another Marvel movie?’ Jay nodded and handed her over the remote.

As she scrolled through the movies, giving a commentary on the options, he just watched her. Seeing her feel comfortable in his space and seeing her dressed in his clothes was really doing something to him. She was beautiful.

‘Jay? You with me?’ he heard Hailey say.

‘Yep yep, I’m here. Whichever one you want is fine, I’m good.’ He smiled as she shot him a questioning glance.

‘Okay’ she said as she selected the first Avengers movie. Pulling the blanket off the back of the couch Jay threw it over his lap and lifted up the side, glancing over at Hailey. ‘I don’t want to hurt you’ she said tentatively.

‘This is my good side,’ he answered with a smirk. Scooting over, she settled in next to Jay, the closest they had been in a while. ‘Comfy?’ he asked as he tucked the blanket around them. She nodded and when he put his arm around her, she hummed contently and rested her head against his shoulder. ‘Good’ he whispered as the pair focused their attention on the screen.

————————————————————————-

As the movie came to its conclusion, Hailey pulled away from Jay and stretched her arms above her head.

‘Bedtime for the patient,’ she grinned as she stood up from the couch and folded up the blanket.

‘I think so,’ Jay agreed and carefully raised himself into a standing position. Hailey had gotten him some more meds midway through the film but he was still feeling a bit stiff having been sat in the same position for a couple of hours.

‘Need a hand?’ Hailey asked, noting the awkwardness with which Jay had begun to move towards his room.

‘If you’re offering’ he winked and she shook her head with a laugh, but still wrapped her arm around his back and let him put some of his weight across her shoulders. The pair ambled slowly into Jay’s room.

‘Can you get changed alright?’ Hailey asked as she walked Jay over to the bed. He sat down slowly and nodded.

‘I’ll be alright. Umm, are you alright with me just sleeping in my boxers?’ he asked, not meaning to make her feel awkward but he usually slept in his birthday suit so this was a step up.

‘It’s your bed Jay, you do what you want’ she smiled. ‘I’ll just sleep in your shirt, if that’s okay?’.

He nodded with a smile, ‘of course’.

There was a moment's silence until Hailey excused herself to the bathroom allowing Jay to take his clothes off in peace. Once he was stripped down to his boxers, he climbed into bed attempting to get comfortable without putting any additional pressure on his ribs.

In the bathroom, Hailey was tugging on the hem of Jay’s shirt. It did completely cover her butt but it still was pretty short. It wasn’t like she was particularly self-conscious, she ran a lot so her legs were nicely toned but this was a step-forward for her and Jay. Taking a deep breath, she shut off the bathroom light and walked back into the bedroom.

Jay was already tucked up into bed and although he could see Hailey dressed only in his shirt out the corner of his eye, he kept his eyes focused on his phone as she crossed the room to get the lights and then approached the bed. As she climbed into the opposite side, he heard her whisper ‘thank you’. He didn’t need to ask what the thank you was for.

He was aware they were crossing lines here but this was going to be at Hailey’s pace and he wasn’t going to push her anywhere she didn’t want to go. If it was up to him, he’d have her wrapped in his arms, her head against his chest, their legs tangled together. But Hailey stayed on her side of the bed.

‘Goodnight Jay’ she said softly as she turned on her pillow to look at him. ‘Wake me if you need to okay? I’m here to help,’ she smiled.

Jay switched his phone off, placing it on his bedside table and turning over to face her. ‘Goodnight Hailey’, he reached over and brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face, ‘sleep well’ he whispered as she closed her eyes at the contact.

Removing his hand, he pulled the covers up over his shoulder and nestled his head into the pillow with a smile. It might not be how he would have hoped but Hailey was in his bed and seemed comfortable to be there. Just when he thought he’d be spending all night on his side of the bed alone, a hand reached across and rested against his chest. He smiled to himself in the dark and brought his hand up to hold her small hand in his, keeping them joined and resting on his chest. He heard Hailey let out a deep breath as if she hadn’t been sure the contact would be welcome, he squeezed her hand gently to let her know it had been. Most welcome indeed.

[cpd-55055]

we need more burgstead in season 10 🙏🏻

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I am not in urgent need for Burgstead. Maybe it's just me, but we already have a platonic male and female friendship with Burgwater. I would much rather see more of that friendship than develop a brand new one.

Burgstead is not a priority for me. If it happens, cool. If it doesn't, cool as well.

What I do want to see is more Bupton. How is it possible that the only two female Intelligence members never interact? Hailey and Kim could be such an interesting dynamic, and it would be an excellent way to showcase the badass females of CPD. It's a shame the writers have never tried to develop it. 😞

[xofeno]

#upstead being platonic 

[study-coffee-chicago]

For the car ride 😉: I've wanted to ask you this for a litte while nowww...... What do you think the crossover would be or what do you want to see more of.....for example, Platonic relationships between the three shows or 2 characters that NEED some screen time or something elsee?? I'm curious 🙃✨

I LOVE THIS ASK

I'm going to answer this in terms of platonic friendships because I really haven't thought much into a crossover for next season. Without further ado, I give you three friendships I need in the One Chicago universe. (Also, leaving this under the cut because this is long.)

1. Kelly and Jay

We got a bit of this in Fire 7x02 and PD 6x02 when Kelly helped Jay find the guy who killed his dad in the arson fire because Voight threw Jay off the case. But, I need to see them doing bro things together, like taking the boat out and going fishing (and hopefully the boat still works and they don't have to be rescued like in that Fire episode when Kelly and Stella went on a date in the boat). Also, I want to see them riding motorcycles together because Jay has a motorcycle, we saw it in Fire 7x02 and never saw it again AND I NEED IT BACK. Finally, Kelly's basically an honorary detective himself because of how good he is at investigating arsons, so I need him to work a case with Intelligence and get paired up with Jay and Hailey.

2. Hailey and Stella

What can I say about these two? They're both total badasses, so imagine them TOGETHER??? Holy shit, they'd make a kick ass duo! Also, I need a scene of Stella saving a kid in a fire, and Hailey and Jay being on scene, and Stella and Hailey comforting the kid...because that'd be fluffy and cute af. (Also, because I want more Kelly and Jay moments and more Hailey and Stella moments, I propose an upstead and stellaride double date.)

3. Kelly and April

We know that Kelly moved in with April for a summer because his parents were having problems, but we don't know much about it, so I'd love more backstory on that and their high school years. (AS I'M WRITING THIS I REMEMBERED YAYA IS LEAVING. FUCK. SO THIS IS JUST THINGS I WANT TO HAPPEN AND NOW THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN BC SHE'S GONE.) I also want him to talk to April about how in love he is with Stella, maybe he asks April's parents to make frito pie for like a side or something for the stellaride wedding (I'm pretty sure it was frito pie that he asked if they still made when he went back to April's childhood home to see her parents in some episode. I forgot the episode though and can't find the scene on google for shit. So, don't come at me if I'm wrong).

Anyway, there's my three duos I'd like to see more of...even though I know we won't see any Kelly and April because Yaya's not coming back to Med 😥

(PS. There needs to be more Will and Jay scenes because we ALWAYS need more of them together!)

[hart-kinsella]

Those Upzek scenes were something else 🥺🥰💙

[otter-love-asl]

Man's Best Friend Chapter 33

Fandom: Chicago PD

Summary: When Jay's PTSD starts to get out of control, what will Hailey do to help her partner? Does her plan work as planned or does it stray some? Upstead friendship. Halstead Brothers. Halstead with a puppy.

Characters: Jay Halstead, Hailey Upton, Will Halstead, Kim Burgess, Adam Ruzek, Kevin Atwater, Vanessa Rojas, Casper & Kohl

Relationships: Will Halstead & Jay Halstead, Hailey Upton/Jay Halstead, Jay Halstead & Intelligence Unit, Jay Halstead & Original Male Dog

Chapter Title: It’s Not All Fun and Games

Chapter Summary: Jay's first day home and the unit get back to business. Then later, they have a game/movie night.

Read on Fanfiction.Net and AO3

Miss a Chapter? Find the rest Here

[uptondixon]

Upstead Foster Daughter

Did you ever wonder how Upstead would be as foster parents for a teenage girl? Like Hank and Erin, Hailey and Jay welcomed Olivia to their home when she was 16. Olivia holds a lot of grudges and is full of mischief, but she is also incredibly sweet and has a tremendous need to feel like she belongs. To her surprise, Hailey and Jay will give her exactly that.

Masterlist

[Chapter II] “You’re on your own, kid, you always have been”

No one expected to hear a stranger's voice through their radio, let alone saying that Jay was bleeding out on the pavement.

“Who the hell are you?” Voight’s surprised voice came through the radio.

“My name is Olivia Rivera, I'm with your officer Halstead and he's been shot! I'm sorry I couldn't call an ambulance but I don't have my phone with me,” Olivia said everything so fast they almost couldn't understand it.

“Shot? What the hell?” said Hailey in exasperation. She was driving with Voight after Jay left by himself.

The whole team was checking the crime scene from their current case when Jay got a call from a CI. Hailey was busy interrogating a witness when he got the call. She told him to wait for her but he was so eager for whatever information his CI had to give that he decided to go by himself. Turns out it was a trap. Hailey did not know the details yet, but she couldn’t help but think that this would have not happened if she had been with him.

“Wh-where are you?” Hailey asked, already feeling her heart start to beat out of her chest.

Olivia told her the address as slowly as possible in her state; after that, Hailey started bombarding her with questions she did not know how to answer.

While they talked, Voight rushed in passing the address to dispatch requesting an ambulance and some patrol cars. The rest of the team followed behind.

“Is he conscious?” Hailey asked.

Silence followed her question, leaving them both tense.

“Olivia! Is he conscious?” Hailey repeated.

“I- He- He was until now when I called you.”

“Does he still have a pulse, Olivia?” Hailey guided her to check.

“Yes, he does!”

“Okay, okay, keep putting pressure on the wound.”

“What's the ambulance ETA?” Voight's rough voice questioned dispatch.

“We're close, hang tight Olivia,” Hailey said, trying to calm the girl and herself down. He would make it, he always made it. This was not his first time being shot, but she surely hoped it was his last. She couldn't do this last time and she especially can't do it now.

“He'll be fine, Hailey,” Voight's voice invaded her thoughts. “Halstead’s strong, he'll get through this.”

Olivia didn't like hospitals. She felt trapped, unsafe, and overwhelmed. Probably because of the amount of people coming and going, the voices overlapping each other. There was too much going on and she shouldn't even be there in the first place.

After Jay's co-workers got to them everything happened in a blur. The ambulance got there seconds later, along with the other members of the team.

When Hailey and Voight arrived, Hailey came running in Jay and Olivia’s direction. She stared at the teenager with a mix of desperation and gratitude. Olivia stepped away as Hailey took her place. As others approached, Olivia stepped more and more away from the scene, ending up a little far away from it all.

She watched the scene unfold before her eyes in a trance. Jay was put into an ambulance and taken to the hospital, with several police cars following behind. Should she leave? She wants to know if he is going to be alright, of course. On the other hand, she feels like she was not supposed to be there.

“Hey! Olivia, isn't it?” a tall man appeared in her field of vision, his eyes were gentle and his voice calm.

“Yes,” Olivia answered.

“Name’s Kevin, Kevin Atwater. This is my friend, Kim Burgess,” he pointed to the woman beside him, and she smiled softly. Both officers looked shaken but they masked well, Olivia thought. Of course, this was not easy for them. Seeing a colleague hurt like that, almost lifeless.

“There's someone we can call for you? Your mom or dad?” Kim asked.

The girl didn’t answer. Kevin and Kim exchanged a look.

“Well, just come to the hospital with us then, okay?”

Voight watched them from afar, getting ready to enter the car and head to Med. Jay was the priority now, but they all were grateful for the girl, she saved Jay’s life after all. He made a mental note to thank her personally later.

Olivia debated for a moment. She decided it was better if she went with them and found a way to leave later without them noticing.

She nodded and followed them to the car.

“You can get cleaned up there,” Kim said after getting in the car.

Kevin started the drive to Med. Olivia didn’t answer the officer, suddenly feeling hyper-aware of all the blood on her. The adrenaline was wearing down.

“Are you okay, Olivia?” Kim asked softly.

“Yeah, sorry… I'm fine.”

“It’s okay, we will get to the hospital soon.”

Sitting in the doctors' room in Chicago Med a couple of hours later, Olivia was clean and waiting for a chance to leave. The really nice nurse called April who helped her clean up and gave her some food came by minutes ago and told her Jay would be alright. She left again when another nurse called for her so now was the perfect time for Olivia to leave.

She did not need to be discharged since she was neither a patient nor a suspect, right? Olivia got up and left the room, bringing some of the snacks the nurse gave her.

“Don’t worry Hails, we’re getting the bastard who shot Jay,” Kevin said firmly, looking at a very distressed-looking Hailey. Olivia got to the hospital’s lounge and saw Jay’s team reunited talking. They had their backs to the door she entered and could not see her.

They started to talk about the man who shot Jay and what they were doing to find him, most of which Olivia did not understand or did not care to try to understand. She stopped paying attention and started to plan how she would get out of there. There was only one way out and she could not leave without them seeing her.

Olivia was scared. She knew she wasn’t in trouble or anything but they were still police so she might as well be in trouble if they got to know more about her. Hell, they might as well already know.

“Stay with your husband Hailey, we’ll get him,” Voight's words drew Olivia's attention. Husband? That explained why Hailey was the most distressed of them all. The look on her face when she saw him lying on the pavement.

“Oh! Olivia, there you are,” said April, the nurse who helped Olivia earlier. Olivia's name caught the group's attention and five heads turned to look in her direction.

“Olivia!” Voight said, approaching the girl. “How are you? I need to properly thank you for helping my detective, I don’t know what could have happened if you weren’t there.”

“I… well, he was…” Olivia did not know what to say, so she came with a simple “You’re welcome” and a shy smile. She didn't expect to talk with anyone, let alone have all the attention on her.

“Well, I’m Sergeant Hank Voight and this is my team,” he went on introducing each of them. “You met Officer Kim Burgess and Officer Kevin Atwater. Detective Hailey Upton was the one you spoke with on the radio. And that is Officer Adam Ruzek.” he pointed to each one and they gave her a nod or a small smile.

After the introduction, he turned to look at her again. He spoke in a more serious tone, “We’re going to need your statement.”

Shit. That is exactly what she was trying to avoid. “I can’t!” was the first thing that came out of her mouth.

“It’s okay Olivia, we checked your file and we’re going to call your foster family on the way to the station,” Hank said.

So they know about her foster family, but they did not know she had run away yet. That was why she was in that alley, in that part of town, by herself.

Olivia thought about running but she could never get far with this many cops around. On their way to the district, she thought about jumping from the moving car but that was too stupid even for her. She laughed at the thought. Sitting in the car with Kim and Kevin again, she accepted her fate.

All her effort running away was for nothing. She was back to square one.

Slow, I know, but this is me trying guys. I love this OC so I hope I can keep writing her story even though I'm slow af. Thank you so much for the likes and reblogs on chapter one! ♡

[kitweewoos]

not fair (like we hoped)

Summary:

After his divorce, Jay is having a rough time, and Mouse is there to help him.

Ship: Greg "Mouse" Gerwitz & Jay Halstead, Past Jay Halstead/Hailey Upton, Greg "Mouse" Gerwitz/Jay Halstead

Rating: Teen Audiences & Up

Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Words: 2,956

Chapters: 1/1

Additional Tags:

Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence

Post-Divorce

Pre-Slash

Bisexual Jay Halstead

Coming Out

Talking

Late Night Conversations

Can be read platonic or romantic

up to you

[read it now on ao3]

[redhairedwolfwitch]

Chicago PD Masterlist

Vanessa Rojas

Winter Festivities Comatose They Don't Know About Us - x Voight!Daughter!Reader Undercover Alias First Meetings + Coffee Dates and Job Offers - Ruzek!Sister!Reader

Erin Lindsay

Just Pretending, Right? So Screwed (Part 1) Double Screwed (Part 2) - x Upton!Sister!Reader Treat You Right All I Want Boat Girl - Adoptive!Sister!Reader Furniture Assembly Secret Half Sister - Lindsay!Reader Consent Back To You Making Her Jealous Midnight Drive Reason to Stay Kiss and Tell Sisters - Teen Wolf crossover I Still Love You Reunion - Platonic

Hailey Upton

What Happened To You? Body Artwork Sometimes You Just Need A Hug Awake and Alive? - x Wife!Reader Lunch Can Wait, Cuddles First I Got You Hold On Rocking Her Hoodie Let Me Protect You This Time My Heart Beats For You Taken Hostage - x Halstead!Sister!Reader Cases That Hurt The Most Jurassic Park Old Secrets - x Halstead!Sister!Reader Bad Childhood Emergency - x Wife!Reader Airports, Dinners and Secrets - x Platt!Goddaughter!Reader Worthy - Casey!Sister!Reader Dancer Turned Firefighter - x Halstead!Sister!Reader (E)x-mas Arguing Scrappers - x Halstead!Sister!Reader Stages of Grief Undercover How Do You Want Me To Act? Kidnapped - x Fem!Lindsay!Reader

Kim Burgess

Broken Promise

[missallie93]

Post relationship Upzek friendship is my fav

I was never a fan of upzek but somehow, their break-up scene always make me emotional.

🤷‍♀️

I have said it before, I will say it again. As much as I hate romantic upzek they both desperately needed that relationship. And I’ll die on this hill.

Hailey needed to know she could have those feelings. She needed to know what a good relationship was like where her feelings were listened to and where she was an equal partner. She needed to know that she wasn’t broken.

And Adam needed to know he could love someone who isn’t Kim. He said it when they were playing pool and Hailey asked him - he loves Kim. He needed a different relationship, he needed one where he could communicate and be forced to talk things out.

But I honestly think he loved Hailey. And I think she loved him as much as she was capable of loving someone and opening up at the time. They were never going to have a great love like Kim and Adam or Jay and Hailey. But if they’d made it work, I think they could have been happy together.

The thing was they both knew they had feelings for other people, and knew they wanted someone else. And at the end of the day it wasn’t enough. Which is sad when a relationship both want to make work can’t work.

They still love each other, but it’s platonic now. They may as well be siblings, and they’ll do nearly anything for each other. That friendship is so gorgeous, and I love that they make it work.

[perpetually-sad-but-its-fine]

masterlist

fandoms that i’ve written for so far: chicago pd, chicago fire, chicago med, marvel, harry potter.

(check tags to see who i’ve written for specifically)

i also have a wattpad: @/mehblahblahmah

others

reviews of one chicago and others

chicago fire

gabby dawson

motorcycle rides

girlfriend!gabby dawson. general fluffiness.

wasn’t enough

angst. angst. angst. gabby dawson x halstead!sister!reader

matt casey

y’know what’s funny?

pre-relationship!matt casey but ends with r and matt together. fluff, humor, light angst.

chicago pd

erin lindsay

like a b*tch in heat

smut with literally no plot. mean!dom!reader x sub!erin

hailey upton

mornings

domestic!hailey upton. tooth-rotting fluff and humor. that's it.

a thing for blondes

mutual pining. fluff and humor. first kiss and flirting.

jay halstead

distractions, distractions

needy!jay halstead. fluff and humor. feel good stuff.

payback

boyfriend!jay halstead. fluff and humor. slightly suggestive.

wasn’t enough

angst. angst. angst. gabby dawson x halstead!sister!reader

random decisions

soulmate!jay halstead x reader. fluff and cutesy things

kim burgess

it worked!

short one shot/drabble with wife!kim burgess. tooth-rotting fluff. general happiness.

vanessa rojas

fruit loops

short one shot/drabble with girlfriend!vanessa. hurt/comfort. minimal angst. cutesiness.

chicago med

will halstead

wasn’t enough

angst. angst. angst. gabby dawson x halstead!sister!reader

harry potter

draco malfoy

a fun reunion

porn with absolutely no plot. kinda!mean!top!draco x whiny!bottom!hermione x kinda!mean!top!r

hermione granger

a fun reunion

porn with absolutely no plot. kinda!mean!top!draco x whiny!bottom!hermione x kinda!mean!top!r

marvel

bucky barnes

bucky x natasha x reader drabble

smut drabble with no plot. top!bucky x bottom!natasha x top!reader

to keep the monster alive

hurt/comfort one shots w/ platonic!bucky x reader. brother-sister relationship.

carol danvers

carol x natasha x reader drabble

smut drabble with no plot. top!carol x top!reader x bottom!natasha.

daisy johnson 

disobeyed orders

girlfriend!daisy johnson. smut w/ plot. kinky filth. grab the holy water.

layla el-faouly

more than you know

angsty. unrequited feelings. tears.

marc spector

language barriers

desi!tamil!r x marc spector. fluff, humor, tiniest bit of angst. slightly suggestive, little bit spicy at the end.

natasha romanoff

carol x natasha x reader drabble

smut drabble with no plot. top!carol x top!reader x bottom!natasha.

bucky x natasha x reader drabble

smut drabble with no plot. top!bucky x bottom!natasha x top!reader bottom!natasha x top!reader

[justmypartner]

Still Breathing: Chapter 4

Summary: AU | When a case goes sideways, Hailey wakes up in the hospital with a revelation that leaves her evaluating her life. While she recovers at Med, she meets Jay, an aloof, yet intriguing patient that catches her by surprise. The two get to know one another as they take on the task of rediscovering what it’s like to truly live, and eventually learn their lives intersect in more ways than one.

Writer’s Note: Hello all! I hope you are enjoying this story so far! I don't have much to say other than I so appreciate the kind comments I've gotten thus far! I really enjoy the feedback and discord after posting a chapter, so keep it coming - I love to hear your thoughts. Enjoy!!

Read on AO3 or below

A glow of sunlight filtering in through her curtains pulled Hailey out of a deep sleep the next morning. As her eyes fluttered open, part of her was waiting for the other shoe to drop. For it to be just another dream that would morph into a nightmare and leave her waking with tacky, sweat-covered skin and an irregular pulse. It took her a moment, but she eventually realized it wasn’t another dream. She was awake, and she had just slept fully through the night, unobstructed by her haunting memories. A naive thought credited it to Jay’s text from the night before, but the cynic in her figured it was just her many nights of restlessness finally catching up with her. Whatever it was, she was glad for that one night of freedom. It wasn’t enough to convince her the nightmares were gone completely, but she was willing to take what she could get. 

When she checked the clock on her bedside table, it read 15 minutes before her alarm was due to go off. She climbed out of bed then, figuring she could use the extra time with how much longer getting ready took with one arm still out of commission. Showering was a hassle, doing her hair was nearly impossible, and getting dressed required a specific strategy she hadn’t quite perfected yet. By the time she had gathered the last of her things to stuff into her duffle, it was time to go.  

The final thing she did was pull her sidearm from the safe in her bedroom and secure it in the side of the bag. She found it strange to wear her star without her weapon. It left a misplaced feeling in the back of her mind like she was forgetting something, but it was a feeling she knew she’d have to get used to over the next few weeks. 

As unexciting as desk duty sounded, she was glad in a way that she’d be able to ease back into things. She wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but after everything that happened, the thought of going into the field was unsettling. Physically she was feeling 100%, with exception of her arm still being in a sling, but mentally she wasn’t prepared for the field again. She was more than ready to be back at work. She hated being out, leaving the team short-handed after only two weeks of joining them to solve just that, so she was eager to get back to them. She was just glad that the shooting’s effects on her body provided a reason to disguise the mental ones that left her hesitant to get back on the streets. 

When she finally made it to work, she took a deep breath before climbing the steps into the district. She wasn’t sure what to expect. She warned the team against any sort of welcome back. At her old district, it was a tradition to greet cops who were injured on the job with a grand welcoming, but she always hated the idea of it. The attention was bad enough, but she always thought it was strange to celebrate someone almost dying for simply doing their job. Immediately as she reached the top of the steps, her shoulders relaxed to see the lobby empty. Not even the ever so illustrious desk sergeant was at her post, so she took the opportunity to sneak upstairs. 

She was surprised to be greeted with a vacant bullpen. She wasn’t sure who she was expecting, but she imagined at least someone would have beaten her there. As she moved through the space towards the locker room, a low wince behind the desks stopped her in her tracks. She then heard what sounded like someone falling over, followed by a murmur of suppressed laughter. 

“Okay, what the hell is going on?” she finally questioned, both amused and muddled by the unsourced noises. 

“This is officially the last time I include Ruz in a surprise,” Kim said, shaking her head with an enlivened grin as she and the other two Intelligence members climbed out from behind the desks.

“You stepped on my foot, what’d you expect me to do?” Adam bridled, causing Hailey and the others to let out stifled snickers. 

God, did she miss those idiots.

“Sorry, Upton. This was supposed to be a fun little welcome back, but I guess it’s a bit anticlimactic now so uh, here,” Kevin said, extending the cup of coffee in his hand out to her. “Welcome back,” he smiled, his contagious smile enough to get her grinning from ear to ear. 

“Thanks, guys,” she said quietly. “You didn’t have to do anything, but I appreciate it, and I’m just glad to be back.”

“We’re glad you’re back,” Kim said, the two guys nodding in agreement. Hailey smiled, dipping her head sheepishly before cutting the sudden silence with a sigh.

“Well, I still need to hit the locker room, but I fully expect a rundown of what I’ve missed while I was gone when I come back,” she told them before turning on her heels and heading down the hall. 

As she was putting the last of her things into her locker, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She sat on the bench behind her as she retrieved the phone, tapping the screen to read the message that had just come in. Her face instantly lit up when she saw who it was from.

Happy first day back! Kick ass!

Her fingers tapped out a response quickly. 

Kinda hard to do that from a desk, but I’m sure I’ll find a way lol

She settled on it before pocketing the phone and making her way back into the bullpen. The team caught her up on what she’d missed, and she told them about how uneventful her recovery was, leaving out the part where she met a new friend. They dished out all of their details, work-related and non-work-related until Voight eventually showed. He took only a brief moment to check up on Hailey and welcome her back before they dove into the day’s case.

Hailey spent the rest of the day combing through pod footage, making phone calls, and digging up any other information she could to relay back to the team. It wasn’t the most glamorous part of the job, but it kept her busy and it helped her to find her groove again. 

By the end of the day, they were unofficially able to close up the case. They still had batches of paperwork to fill out, but other than that it was pretty cut and dry, so Voight sent them home.

As they exited the district, her three fellow officers expressed how happy they were to have her back for the last time that day. It gave her the warmest feeling as she realized she got to work with some of the best people she’d ever met, but it also made her happy to have been so clearly missed by them. Walking out with them she took in every smile and every laugh. It was such a trivial moment, but it was the kind of memory her new outlook on life made her want to cherish.

When she pulled up outside of her place, a car she’d never seen along her street before caught her eye. It was a baby blue, vintage, convertible of some sort. She wasn’t much of a car person, but it was just one of those cars no person could refuse to appreciate. After one last glance at it, she hopped out of her own car and made her way up to her front door. She froze when she saw a friendly figure perched on her small stoop. A confused smile crept across her face as Jay stood, shoving his hands in his pockets as he sauntered towards her. 

“Hi?” She greeted, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. 

“Hey, how was your day? Did you kick ass?” he asked casually, now standing only but a few feet in front of her. 

“Good, and I guess as best as I could behind a desk… what are you doing here?” she asked, her eyes darting around in confusion. 

“In honor of your first day back, we are going to cross something off my list,” he told her. His words coming out slowly, and she noted the way they came out as a statement rather than a question. 

“It better not be the one where you jump in the Chicago River,” she challenged, pointing a finger out with her words. He let out a chuckle, his mouth twisting into a sinister smile. 

“No…” she muttered, a sudden bout of fear rising in her. 

“I’m kidding, come on,” he instructed, brushing past her as he nonchalantly headed out toward the street. 

It was only when he stopped at the driver’s side of the car that she realized the connection.

“Wait, that’s yours?” she questioned, a look of disbelief on her face. 

“Don’t look so surprised,” he replied, the rise in his voice’s pitch revealing to her that he was bluffing. All it took was one raised brow, and he immediately caved. 

“Okay fine, it’s a loaner. I’ve got a lot of friends in high places,” he shrugged, steadying a hand against the top of the door as he jumped over it and into the driver’s seat. 

Since they’d met, she’d tried to keep her thoughts about him purely platonic. For the most part, she’d been fairly successful, but there was something about the way he jumped into that seat so smoothly that was so damn hot. That, the green beanie he wore that brought out the forest color of his eyes, and the way he looked so confident in that car had her questioning her feelings for a moment. She stood on the sidewalk looking over at him, slightly lost in a lingering gaze as butterflies danced about in her stomach. It was only when he cleared his throat that she was snapped out of it. 

“So, you coming or what?”

“Coming where?”

“It’s item number seven on my list, rent a convertible and drive down Lake Shore late at night,” he smirked, one arm propped against the headrest of the passenger seat and the other draped over the steering wheel. 

“Okay, that actually does sound pretty fun. Let me put my bag up,” she told him, lightly jogging to her front door before haphazardly tossing the bag into the dark space and locking up again. As she approached the car, he leaned over and pushed the door open for her, and she slipped into the passenger seat. 

“Ready?” he asked, and she confirmed the question with a nod. 

When he started the car, the roar of the engine was loud enough to send a judder through her bones. When he sped off down the street, she found herself instinctively clutching at the sides of the car for stability. She was filled with equal parts fear and exhilaration as they raced up and down half-empty streets. 

By the time they reached Lake Shore, the sun had already set, but twilight brought out a deep blue tinge that stood out against the city lights. It was like she was seeing the city for the first time. Like she was falling in love with it all over again. That view, with the roar of the engine, wind blowing through her hair, and the 70s roadtrip music he’d put on playing through the old stereo made her feel like she was in a movie. He drove the road until they reached just about the outskirts of the city. He pulled the car off somewhere near Montrose beach and got out, quickly running over to her side to open her door. 

“And they say chivalry’s dead,” she teased, masking the way the simple act had her stomach doing flips. He rolled his eyes at her, a slightly embarrassed smile on his face as she stepped out and he pushed the door shut behind her. 

“So what are we doing here?” she questioned as he led them closer to the shore of the lake. 

“I don’t know. We ran out of road, the lake’s pretty in the moonlight, and after a boring day of desk duty, I feel like it’s not a half-bad way to end the night,” he said simply, sitting down on the ledge by the lake. 

As she sat down with him, she quickly realized how much colder it was by the water. The brisk wind brushing against her skin through the open top of the car was one thing, but the coolness of the lakefront breeze was almost intolerable. She suddenly wished she’d thought to grab her jacket from her duffle before they left. As she settled down beside him, she clutched her arms tightly against her chest as shivers jumped through her body. Before she knew it, as if he had read her mind, he shimmied off his jacket and held it out to her. She thanked him, a tone of gratitude and hesitation in her voice as she pulled it on over her shoulders. When she did, she noticed him glancing over at her badge still displayed on her hip. His eyes lingered there before he realized she’d caught him looking and he quickly diverted his eyes, holding back whatever question the object had generated. 

“What?” she asked in an attempt to pull it out of him. 

“Hm? Nothing,” he shrugged off. She knew it wasn’t nothing, but she decided against pressing him for whatever it was. She knew the job was a touchy subject, and she figured it was best to leave it alone.

“So I’ve been meaning to tell you, and I may sound crazy for this, but part of me feels like your text last night actually worked,” she informed him, fidgeting with a loose pebble she found on the ground beside her. 

“What text?” his face contorted as he seemed to comb through his memory from the night before. “Oh wait… no nightmares?”

She shook her head.

“First night without them after more than three straight. Maybe you’ve got some sort of magic touch,” she half-joked, her tight-lipped grin growing across her face.

“I don’t know if I can take credit for that, but that’s good. You deserve that peace,” his voice was soft and low, and she didn’t miss the way his cheek dimpled slightly when he flashed her a small smile.

“So what’d you get into today?” she asked him, tucking one of her legs in and twisting so that she could face him.

“Um let’s see, I had a doctor’s appointment this morning, went to the grocery store, had a therapy session this afternoon, you know, all very exciting things,” he said, counting out each activity on his fingers.

“You go to therapy?” she asked, instantly regretful of the almost judgmental tone she carried as the words left her mouth. She just couldn’t help but be surprised that someone like him, a cop, a veteran, a man would be so open about it. She realized the thought only played into the toxic mentalities surrounding mental health and masculinity that she despised so much, but part of her also wondered if it was her own reluctance to start therapy that made her so staggered by the idea. 

“Yeah, for a few years now. Based on your reaction, I’m going to assume you don’t?”

“I’ve done the mandatory sessions with the department shrink after shootings before, but never anything consistent. How’d you get started?” she wasn’t even sure if it was an appropriate question to ask, but she was so intent on knowing more that she didn’t take time to second guess it. Though, she was relieved when his face read an expression of musing rather than one of annoyance. 

“There’s a bad take we often absorb as cops — as people really, but even more so as cops. We get injured on the job, we do whatever we need to do to heal, and we jump through whatever hoops we gotta jump through just to get back out there. The problem is there’s such a focus on our physical healing that we neglect what needs to be addressed mentally. I went through my whole life doing that. You get to a point where after so many times of telling people you’re fine, you start to convince yourself that you are,” he inhaled deeply, staring out at the lake briefly before he brought his eyes back to her and continued.

“Thing is, you do that for too long and you start to lose sight of what’s real. I was so against getting help, so against the idea that there was anything wrong with me that I began to just accept the fact that I was suffering. Then one day, that sense of reality I’d lost came back and bit me… hard. After that, I started going to therapy, very reluctantly at first, but eventually, I realized it was saving me. Helping me get to a place where I was healing instead of dealing, and I haven’t turned back from it since,” he finished, tightening his lips together as he peered into her eyes with a look of confidence. Like he knew everything he’d said was exactly what she needed to hear. 

“Damn,” she whispered, blankly staring out at the lake as she processed his words. She blinked rapidly to recede the tears that had emerged. She’d spent her entire life, best put in his words, dealing rather than healing. She was no stranger to trauma, in fact, she was far from it, but she was a stranger to properly addressing it. She wasn’t against therapy, she just figured she didn’t need it. That she was doing fine on her own, but that one conversation with him was making her think otherwise. 

“Well, maybe I should add therapy to my still breathing list,” she quipped, her best attempt at lightening the mood. 

“Not a bad thing to add,” he smirked, his face softening as he propped an arm behind him to lean back against. 

“Well, my first thing was kinda lame, so I figure it can only go up from here,” she joked, a mischievous grin spouting across her face. He scoffed, clutching at his chest as he feigned hurt by her words.

They talked for maybe longer than they should’ve, falling into an easy rhythm back and forth as they talked about anything and everything that came to mind. Hailey was the type of person who could talk to any and everyone if she had to, but there was something about talking to him that felt like a routine. Like one that she’d memorized by heart and never wanted to go without. After a while, she realized the time, realized she still hadn’t eaten, and that she had work early the next morning.

“God I didn’t realize how late it was, we should probably head back,” she told him, pushing herself up to stand. He nodded, standing with her as he fumbled in his pocket for the keys.

“Now… I know this was for my list but do you wanna drive back?” he asked, rising to stand with her. He dangled the keys in front of her. Her face brightened immediately, and he couldn’t hold in the puff of laughter that came with it.

“I thought you were never going to ask,” she joked, pulling his jacket tight across her body with her free hand before snatching the keys and making her way over to the driver’s side. As he climbed into the passenger seat, she crossed her good arm around the steering wheel to turn the key, and the engine started with a roar. She revved it a few times, looking over at Jay whose fearful expression had laughter escaping her lips.

“Am I going to regret this?” he asked, but instead of answering she just swiveled the steering wheel to pull off the shoulder, gunning the engine down the presently empty street. 

Before long they were back at her place, and she shifted the gear into park before turning off the engine. Driving with one arm was harder than she thought it would be, mainly for the fact that the ignition and gear shift were on the right side and her right arm was still in a sling. Yet, it didn’t stop her from having the time of her life driving such a car. She climbed out after she handed him back the keys, making her way around to lean against the back bumper.

“That was incredible,” she told him, digging in her pocket for her own keys.

“Anyone ever tell you that you drive like a maniac?” he jabbed, causing her to lightly kick at his leg.

“So what else is on that list of yours?” she inquired, noting the way he shadowed over her.

“Hm, I don’t know. I kind of liked surprising you tonight. If I tell you, it may take the fun away when we get around to the next one,” he admitted, a childlike softness in his voice that made it hard for her to be mad at his obscurity. She cut her eyes at him, and she noticed the way his brow furrowed back innocently.

“Are you always this aloof?” 

“Only with you.”

She rolled her eyes at him dramatically, shaking her head at his goading. 

“Well, thanks for tonight,” she said, pulling the jacket from her shoulders and offering it back to him. 

“Next time we’ll do something from your list,” he told her as she pushed herself from the car and made her way up to her front door. 

“Sounds like a plan,” she twirled around to tell him, her lips curling up at the thought of another night like that one. 

“And Hailey,” he called out, just as she reached the top of the steps. 

“Sleep well. No bad dreams,” he uttered, a small smile creeping across his face as his hands found way to his pockets.

It was the last time that night an action of his had caused an unexpected flutter in her stomach. She was embarrassed and somewhat fearful of the way those simple words had her feeling so dippy. Maybe it was the sentiment behind them, the way he’d said it, or the stupid smile on his face when he said it, but she wondered if the feeling that he’d erupted was more than just a fleeting one. She quickly pushed that thought down, dipping her head before hesitantly meeting his eyes once more. 

“Goodnight, Jay,” she told him before making her way inside, shutting the door and locking it behind her as if it would somehow protect her from what had just happened. 

She had to blame it on her exhaustion and the slight adrenaline rush she got from the night’s events. She’d also never had a friend like him. Someone who always had the perfect thing to say, whose company felt so natural and necessary, who seemed to relate so much to everything she was feeling. It was admiration more than anything, she told herself. He was just her friend, and he’d stay that way. Yet, as much as she tried to convince herself that all of those times that night that suggested differently were just flukes, she ended the night with a looming thought that wondered otherwise.