Our Scars

Your Girl

17

Your Girl (Title by Basia Bulat)

Intelligence caught a new case over the weekend and Jay had been on shift for pretty much 72 hours straight and more.

Still welcoming every distraction he could get he was also glad that he had to take care of Hailey for a change and not the other way around. Her long time criminal informant Cameron had gotten shot right before her eyes during an operation where Intelligence tried to get a load of Carfentanyl off the streets.

Hailey had a hard time with it, feeling responsible for Cameron's death, because she had brought him in on the case. Even though she had known that he had the tendency to get way more invested in solving cases than was good for him. It too was a bitter pill to swallow for her that Voight did not act like she wanted him to and decided to still further use his CI Darius Walker, although Hailey suspected him to having killed her guy. Or at least having ordered the hit.

Jay was worried. Not just because she started to do her own thing and tried to be tougher than she was repeatedly.

It was also for the reason that their usual thing, which was talking it out over tequila or ouzo wether the other wanted to or not, did not really work like it used to. He had the feeling he couldn't reach her. Maybe it was because he too hadn't let her in over the last weeks.

Nevertheless he took Hailey out for drinks at Molly's after they had closed the case Thursday. Even if she didn't want him to, he wanted to show her in his heart he was still her partner and right by her side if she needed him.

Rianne wasn't working, although she had texted him she would be. The upside was that like this he could fully concentrate on cheering up Hailey, or just sit in silence with her, drinking. They had that kind of connection where even this was never uncomfortable.

Jay couldn't resist to check his phone from time to time though to see if Rianne had called or texted why she wasn't coming in, but there was radio-silence on her end. Somehow he felt a little nervous about that.

Finally Hermann came over to their place at the bar, when they ordered another round and gave Jay a message:

"Casey called and said to tell you that Rianne wanted you to know she might not make it tonight. Her phone died and she's at a fire-call with 51, involving a bad domestic. She has to sort that out first, take care of the kids involved. She will at least be late."

Jay was contemplating this, his forehead in wrinkles as usual when he didn't like something, but thanked Hermann for passing this on.

Of course Hailey picked up on that, frowning at him:

"Maybe you should try dating someone way out of our orbit. Like a nice girl from a bakery or something like that."

"What makes you say that?"

He wasn't sure if she was serious or kidding with him. It had sounded a little snarky.

"So at least one of you is the reliable one with the steady work-schedule and you don't have to worry about the other person having a strenuous and maybe even dangerous job as well..."

"Great advice coming from someone that has been sneaking around and canoodling with Ruzek for months. Very steady reliable choice I'd say!" Jay answered a little irritated.

"Woah, nice one Jay! I didn't know that's how you felt about that."

"I don't."

"Then why'd you bring it up?" Hailey was seriously offended.

"Because you seem to have a lot to say about my choices when I never even said anything about yours concerning the dating-matter!"

"I did not. I just..."