Chapter Text
A huge storm had come down on New York city for the last two days, The rain refused to let up, the already cold city was even more frigid and between the rain, hail and snow, life in the city had all but come to a halt.
Most flights were grounded and the ones still taking off were less than pleasant but there she was at the boarding gate waiting for her plane hoping to make it to Chicago.
She was sitting on the last chair in the row shuffling through the pile of papers sprawled across her lap and the chair next to her.
The faint sound of the rain in background and the bright lights of the airport and runway were oddly calming but the constant taping against the metal of chair in front of her was getting on her nerves.
“Do you mind?” she looked up from her mess and said to the man sitting across her, her tone much harsher than she intended.
He was caught off guard, not realizing what she meant. “My bad” he said as he moved his hand off the handle.
Feeling guilty she responded “No, that’s all right , I just have to get through these before we board so…”she trailed off bringing the cup of coffee she had placed by her chair to her mouth and gulping its contents.
“Its almost midnight !!” he said, she shrugged at the statement finishing her cup and just before she could come up with a witty reply the announcement rang that boarding was beginning and everyone should make their way over. “That’s our cue.” He said standing up.
He stepped towards her extending an arm “Halstead…um… Jay.”
“Hailey Upton” she retorted as she stood to shake his hand .
“Do you need a hand with that ?” he asked pointing to the mess of paper across the chairs.
“No, I’m good” she said as she shook he head, he flashed her a smile and moved to the gate.
She disposed her cup and collected her papers and stuffed them into her now overflowing bag, throwing it across her shoulder.
Moving through the gate and across the short walk to the plane she noticed the lightning in the sky and the intensity of the rain. The plane was relatively empty, understandable so.
She was trying, well failing to stuff her bag into the overhead compartment when a hand grabbed her bag ….. “I got it.” He said just as she whipped around to see the familiar face.
He closed the compartment and moved pass Hailey to sit on the seat by the window. “Thanks” she said, appreciative of the gesture, maybe it wouldn’t be such an unpleasant flight after all.
She was wrong about that though because once they received the safety demonstration and the plane moved onto the runway the pilot announced that they would be grounded for a while until the weather let up !
“Perfect” Jay muttered under his breath making her laugh “Well that’s what I get for trying to get home in a storm” he looked over and said.
“Home ? You live in Chicago” she asked. “Oh Yeah ! I couldn’t live in a city that calls a cracker, pizza !!” he retorted with a smirk.
She rolled her eyes at the statement but her smile gave her away, he paused for a bit and added “I was visiting my brother over the weekend, before everything went to hell but I gotta go to work in the morning so red eye it is !”
“Wow that’s dedication”.
“Not really a choice in my line of work but I must say it’s cute coming from the person who just chugged a large cup of coffee at midnight while using an airport chair as their personal desk !”
“Hmm…. Let me guess cop or the service ?” she asked angling in her seat to face him a bit. He did the same and hesitated a bit before answering.
“Wow you’re good ! Both actually served in another life but I’m a detective now. What gave me away?”
“Halstead”
She said simply as if he would know what it meant, but looking at his expression she added “Halstead, you introduced yourself with your last name, force of habit right ! You learn to notice the little things, I can tell a cop a mile away you guys keep it real original” she said gesturing to his attire. He brought a hand to his chest feigning offence.
“Well my turn, based on how fast you made me, I’m gonna say lawyer or criminal and based of this….he said looking her over….. “the coffee and papers, I’d say you’re a lawyer, so what’s the verdict your honor ?” he finished flashing her a dopey smile. She laughed, a bit too loud for the quiet dim lit plane.
“Guilty as Charged…..she added smiling at the choice of words……Prosecutor for the AUSA’s office in New York well Chicago now !”
“Nice, must be hard though, new city !”
“Not really, grew up in Greek town. Haven’t been back in years but guess I’m going home too in a way, if you can call it that.” she slipped, carried away by the ease of the conversation. Jay smiled sensing her hesitation not wanting to press further.
Before he could speak further, he was interrupted by the attendant and a large trolley asking them if they wanted something to drink.
Hailey took a juice while Jay took a whiskey neat. The attendant informed them that they would be taking off shortly.
She saw Jay’s smile falter for a second and raised her glass of juice up, he met her half way as she began to speak… “To…To good work ethics” she said proudly making Jay laugh as he clinged their plastic cups and he downed the brown liquid.
Soon after, the plane began to move. Jay moved back firmly into his seat his hands holding onto the handle with a death grip.
“Bad experience ?” she asked looking at his stiff pale demeanor in reference to his previous comment on serving. “Yeah! Something like that” he said not wanting to elaborate further.
“Well I don’t like flying either but you know listening to a song you like is just distracting enough” she said sincerely. He frowned and pulled out his phone from his pocket to show her the dark screen as he pressed the power button.
She smiled raising a finger up and stuffing her hand into her puffy blue jacket and pulled out a portable charger and ear phones. Handing him the charger she connected the earphones to her phone and handed him a earpiece.
“You Sure ?” he asked.
She nudged it towards him and he accepted gratefully putting it into his ear as she did the same scrolling through her phone while he plugged in his phone to the charger.
The plane had begun to pick up speed now and he returned his grip to the handle as David Bowie’s Starman played into his ear. He smiled at the choice, closing his eyes and letting himself bob to the tune.
After the ascent he looked over his seat, a genuine smile across his face “Hailey” he said softly as she turned to look him in the eye “Thank You” he added. She smiled back at him shrugging her shoulder and then continued humming.
They fell into a comfortable silence humming to the music. Jay even tapping his foot to the rhythm of the songs looking over at each other every now and then.
Until Hailey’s head made its way onto his shoulder. He didn’t mind she looked tired, the coffee must be wearing off he though.
He kept his eyes on the window, the thick band of clouds and the occasional bolts of lightning just then the captain announced they would be facing some turbulence, he tightened his seat belt, they’d be landing soon anyways and he did not have the heart to wake her up.
The plane shuffled a bit and Hailey dug further into his shoulder and stretched her arm around Jay.
He was pleasantly surprised at how oddly calm he was considering the circumstances and what happened after the last time he was in an albeit smaller aircraft as it shook like this but there was something about the way the sun had started to peak through the clouds, the rhythm of the music and the weight of Hailey’s head and now arm around him that put him at ease.
Just then the plane suddenly jolted and he threw his arm over Hailey, between the jump and the arm she stirred awake. Pulling her hand back from around him to rub her eyes.
“Morning !” he said casually looking down smirking at her, his arm still around her.
Realizing her predicament, she pulled back moving back further into her seat, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink “Sorry, I didn’t….”
“Don’t worry about it” he cut her off “Quid pro quo, were going to be landing soon” he said pulling the earpiece of his ear handing it to her along with the charger.
And he was right time had passed by quickly almost too quickly for either of their liking as they soon began the descent.
Jay gripped the seat again and Hailey moved her hand to his, he flinched at the sudden contact and she withdrew it as fast as she had placed it.
Still keeping in mind his apprehension to flying she made quick conversation with him, asking questions about his funniest arrest or patrol days. It had not gone unnoticed to Jay what she was doing but he didn’t mind, he was grateful even.
He told he about his dislike for wearing a monkey suit as he called it to court. Causing Hailey to roll her eyes and the one time he arrested a guy robbing a bank who locked himself into the safe by accident. They spoke about the best food spots and the best deep dish in the city and how peperoni was the only appropriate toping.
Both of them laughing as they landed, he couldn’t remember the last time he had such easy conversation with someone but with Hailey it came almost naturally.
She moved out of her seat and stood in the aisle as he undid his seat belt. “Jay, would you?” she said looking at the overhead cabinet causing him to chuckle “Sure”.
He moved out and pulled her bag down handing it to her. They fell into step as they made their way out neither wanting the easy company to end.
It was almost 5 now and the sun had started to come up they collected their bags and had almost made it to the exit. Just as she was about to walk away when.
“Would you watch my bag for a minute?” he said not waiting for an answer he bolted away coming back with 2 coffee cups in hand as she smiled.
He gave one to her. “Didn’t know how you like it but I figured you can’t go wrong Black two sugars” he said bringing his own cup to his mouth.
“Just right! I should be the one getting you coffee after using you as a pillow” she blurted out the tinge of pink making another appearance, “Thanks, but you really didn’t have though.”.
“Well you didn’t either !” he said softly both understanding what he was referring too.
She smiled, “Have a nice day Jay” it was sincere and sweet and he though he could stand there forever just looking at it. She began lugging, the bag with one hand and holding the coffee in the other.
Jay feeling bold placed his cup near his bag and quickly caught up to her “Hailey” he called out making her turn, he fished something out of his back pocket and extended it to her.
: Detective Jay Halstead Intelligent Unit 21th District : it read with his number printed below.
“Despite the weather, Chicago is a warm city, the people here are some of the best but If you ever need a friend or ….” he trailed of smiling as she accepted the card. She smiled as she put the card in her pocket and walked out the doors.
The Cold Chicago wind hitting her face, she hailed a cab and sat in looking out the rolled down window she found herself smiling as she clutched the warm cup between her hands. Maybe he was right, it would be different this time.