Upstead comfort fics

The Virus (yes, THAT virus)

(Before y'all read this chapter: I got a request to do Hailey having covid pretty bad and Jay taking care of her. Just a little disclaimer before you read: I don't want any comments about different ways of treating covid, please. No comments about being for or nervous about the current vaccines. None of that please. I am basing this off how it was for my family when they got it (I dodged a bullet working at camp so I didn't get it) and what they had to do. I know everyone has different experiences and that it can be super mild for some and deadly for others. I've seen it all, I've had friends have it mild, a kid I nanny had it mild, my parents had it kinda bad and my dad almost had to go to the hospital, and a man who was like my grandpa got it last November and it killed him. I know it's different for everyone and if it has caused you any form of pain or a loss, I am so sorry. Please be respectful of everyone and everything about this virus, things are different for us all.)
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(This is set between season 7 and 8 or beginning of season 8, whenever Hailey would've come back from New York)
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Hailey was in New York when things started shutting down, and she had to admit, she was terrified. She wasn't necessarily terrified of getting it herself, though she hated getting sick and didn't want it, she was terrified about being trapped somewhere she wasn't familiar with. That alone had her barely sleeping for a few weeks and having severe anxiety.

One night, she'd called Voight in tears and begged him to get her back to Chicago. She didn't want to be stuck in New York during this, but she couldn't get on a flight, and she just wanted to go home. She knew if someone could make it happen, it would be Hank Voight.

Then the Intelligence unit got covid. They'd tried to keep from telling Hailey, but she figured out they were sick and Jay had finally told her it was the virus, but they'd all recovered just fine. Hailey didn't sleep much that night.

It was another 3 weeks before Voight was able to pull some strings and get her on a private plane back to Chicago. He had said someone owed him and she didn't question it, she was just happy to be going home. She was only supposed to be in New York for a few weeks, but it had been almost 3 months. When the plane landed, Hailey nearly cried tears of joy and thanked the pilot before she went and found Jay, who had said he'd come get her.

"Hailey!" Jay called and she ran to him and hughed him, then stepped back in embarrassment.

"No, c'mere," Jay hugged her again and she smiled. "I missed you, partner," he sighed before letting go.

"I missed you, too. And Chicago," she smiled behind the mask.

"Let's get you a pizza and go back to your place. I made sure everything was in order before coming to get you," he said as she grabbed her luggage and they walked to the parking garage.

"Has anyone heard from V since she got pulled under?" Hailey asked, sad she wouldn't be living with her friend anymore.

"Yeah, she's doing really good. She'll try and call you next week," Jay squeezed her arm before she got in the truck and pulled her mask off.

Jay pulled his off and smiled at her. "How was it before it shut down?" He asked.

"Good, I guess. It's different but the people were nice and it was kinda cool. But I don't want to wear a pants suit again for a while," she shuddered.

"It's good to have you back," Jay said and she smiled.

"It's good to be back. I was so scared I was gonna get stuck there for a long time," she sighed, looking at her hands.

Jay noticed how short her nails were and all the little scabs next to her nails. Hailey had a tendency to pick at her fingers when she was anxious, and it was obvious she'd been doing that a lot.