UPSTEAD ONE SHOT(S)

Partners and PARTNER

After a day of rowing with each other, Hailey and Adam knew they needed to talk about their situation. Even though it was almost a year they were sleeping with each other, they never labeled what it was exactly. It was more than friends with benefits, but not a serious relationship. Complicated was probably the best title for it.
The two stood opposite each other in the garage, their hearts aching at the conversation that was about to be had. It was for the best though- for both of them.
"Listen, Adam, I care about you alot" Hailey started, easing into the conversation first. "Yeh, I care about you alot aswell" Adam reiterated, nodding slowly- his head facing the ground. After a few seconds of silence, Adam picked up the conversation again; commenting on how hard it was being together and working together.

"It's not just that though, is it?" Hailey said in a questioning tone, but it was more of a statement. Both sides knew that the relationship was a distraction for them both. Adam couldn't have Kim, Hailey couldn't have Jay, so they used each other to distract themselves. It was unhealthy and cruel on each other, but it worked a tiny bit. "Ugh...no. Not just that" Adam agreed, looking Hailey in the eye for the first time. "Maybe...maybe we should take a break" Adam suggested, and Hailey hummed quietly in agreement. They both knew it wasn't a break, but it was the lightest way to end it all. Adam and Hailey shared a sad smile, before he opened his arms and wrapped Hailey tightly in them for one last time. It was a hug they both needed so badly. "Thankyou, Adam" Hailey muttered into his chest. "What for?"
"For being so gentle with me the last year" Hailey answered, pulling out the hug. Adam knew what Hailey was getting, she'd told him a little about his past after a case a few months ago. "Yeh, ofcourse" Adam whispered. With that, the two parted; Adam watching the blond walk out the door with ease.

****
Three Weeks Later

After a rough day at work, Hailey parked her car in the car park and climbed the stair well that lead her to Jay's apartment. The case hit home for them both, and Hailey knew that Jay needed her company just as much as she needed his. The two partners always gravitated towards each other for comfort, even if during the case they'd butted heads. They were each others safety net.
Hailey only had to wait a couple seconds after knocking for Jay to open the door, and when he did, he got a suprise seeing it wad Hailey. After the day the two had, he was certain she would've been with Adam.
"Hey" Jay said, happy to see his partner. "Hey, thought you could do with this" Hailey raised her hand, presenting a bottle of whisky to Jay. It was their go-to thing after an extra rough day. "I'll get the glasses" Jay smiled, closing the door behind Hailey as she stepped inside.

Placing the glasses down on the coffee table and pouring the first round, Jay took a seat next to Hailey; watching her as she took a deep breath. "Rough day, hu" Hailey sighed, looking to Jay. "You could say that" Jay said, taking a sip of his drink. "How'd we let him hurt her so badly?" Jay asked, guilt ruining his insides after not interfering with a domestic when his instincts screamed for him too. "I don't know. I've asked myself that so many times" Hailey shook her head, tears beginning to pool in her eyes. "We shouldn't have listened to Voight. Claire was never going to admit that Clark hit her, she wasn't" Hailey spoke from personal experience. She knew her mum wouldn't have told the police what her dad done, if they were Clair and Clark; and she doesn't know why she thought Claire might have. "We were just doing what we were told by Miller more than we were Voight. We can't blame it on Voight, not this one" Jay defended Voight, even though he was still mad at Voight for not letting them bend the rules under the circumstance. "I guess. Thus system is messed up so badly" Hailey threw the last mouthful of whisky back quickly, hoping it would take the edge of her pain and guilt quicker. "Tell me about" Jay replied, mimicking Hailey's action.

After a little while of sitting in comfortable silence and downing a few more glasses of Whisky, Jay could resist the urge to ask Hailey why she wasn't with Jay. He thought after the way things hit home hard for Hailey particularly hard, that she'd want to be with Adam not him. "Isn't Adam worried about you? It's pretty late" Jay tested the water, watching closely from a reaction off Hailey. She shifted uncomfortably, unsure of how to brake it to Jay that her Adam were over three weeks ago.

"Hailey, what is it?" Jay questioned, his voice riddled with concern.

"Adam I were over three weeks ago, Jay" Hailey announced, shocking Jay once again. "I'm sorry, Hails" Jay gently spoke, placing a comforting hand on his partner's shoulder. "It's okay, it was for the best. I'm sorry I hid another thing from you again" Hailey hated hiding things from Jay. After their conversation in the view room after Jay finding out about her and Adam, Hailey promised to never lie to Jay again. She hated herself for lying again. "It's okay, Hails. Like I said before, you don't have to tell me anything" It hurt him that Hailey had some protective need to hide things from him, but he understood why. "But it's us, we tell each other practically everything. Even the not-so-good stuff. I guess I was embarrassed" Hailey opened up, admitting how she really felt about her and Adam.

"Embarrassed?"

"Yeh, of the way Adam and I got together. The reason of our...whatever it was" Hailey explained.

That only created more questions for Jay. He didn't know why or how the two officers actually ended up together, Adam and Hailey never appeared to be that close. "You don't have to answer, but how did you and him happen?" Jay questioned, treading carefully.
"You wouldn't believe it even if I told you" Hailey chuckled breathlessly. "Try me" Jay smirked, attempting to lighten the mood. "When you got shot last, when you went after your Dad's killer, I thought I lost you. I broke down, Adam was there and comforted me. Offered to buy me a drink. One drink lead to the other....and yeh. I think your old enough to guess what happened after that" Hailey choaked back tears, telling Jay the truth was like a weight being lifted off her shoulders.

Jay was speechless.

He didn't know what he was expecting her to say, however it for sure as heck it wasn't that. "Oh...I...I don't know what to say to that" Jay said, literally speechless for the first time in his life. "You asked" Hailey shot back, flashing Jay a told you so smirk. "I'm still glad you told me, though" Jay said, squeezing the top of Hailey's arm tightly; sending her a silent message. "Yeh" Hailey exhaled, understanding the message that Jay sent her.

A/N: This is a total mess, I'm so sorry ya'll😂