Forbidden (JAY HALSTEAD)

Hope is a dangerous thing

Jay

Jay takes in the aroma of the Cuban roast. The Keurig machine makes a funny whirring sound before the coffee spills out and fills into the mug.

The sun washes over the white marbled countertop. A center piece of tulips sat in the center of the counter. Jay smiles to himself. Tulips must be her favorite flowers, he thinks to himself.

Jay grabs the two mugs of coffee and makes his way to her bedroom. Her door is slightly ajar. Quietly, he slips in and stops at the doorway. Ayla looked peaceful in her sleep. So peaceful that Jay didn't want to wake her.

She was beautiful. But Jay knew he should keep his distance or else he will hear it from Voight. He knows Ayla isn't just a regular detective Voight decided to bring into the team for no reason. Ayla was extraordinary. She holds talent that you don't see in many. And she is also someone dear to Voight. Although he won't show it because showing emotions was not a strong suit of Voights but Jay knows. It would be the same as how it was with Erin.

Erin hadn't crossed his mind until now. But what if it wasn't like that? He had this feeling in the pit of his stomach that Ayla is different. No matter how much he knew that the best thing to do was ignore it, he only found himself wanting to do the opposite. He felt a pull to her and he didn't want to fight it.

Jay sighs and slowly walks over to the side of the bed. Ayla's hair was covering half her face and Jay had the sudden urge to move it out of the way for her.

"Ayla" he whispers, "wake up, sunshine."

Ayla shakes her head and groans. Her eyes flutter open and she looks at Jay with confusion. She looks around her room, stretching her arms.

"What time is it?" She murmurs in her half asleep voice.

"Time for coffee" Jay sets the mug of coffee on her nightstand and sits on the edge of the bed.

"How are you feeling?" He asks her, watching her sit up in her bed. Ayla's mouth opens wide as she yawns. She rubs her eyes and glances over to her nightstand. The corner of her mouth twists up.

"I'll feel better after I have some coffee" Ayla reaches for the mug and brings it up to her nose. She inhales, her shoulders rising a bit as she lets out a satisfied sigh.

"The smell of fresh coffee is my favorite" she takes a cautious sip careful not to burn her tongue. Ayla sets the mug back down on her nightstand.

"I'm going to shower real quick. Help yourself to anything in my fridge" Ayla rises from her bed, stretching out her arms once again. Jay watches her unable to look away. Her hair was still sticking out in a few places but she didn't seem to worried about it. And she didn't need to. Ayla didn't have to try to look perfect. Naturally, she already was.

"What?" Ayla asks with a smile on her face. Jay must've been staring too hard.

"Nothing" He chuckles and looks away from her. "Uh, I'm gonna be in the living room" he says to her as he walks towards her door. She nods in response and heads to her bathroom.

Jay closes her bedroom door behind him. In his mind he is cursing at himself for staring at her. She probably thinks I'm a creep, Jay thinks to himself.

He knew if he didn't try to stay away from her he'd be in trouble. The problem was that Jay likes trouble. It excites him. He only hopes he can avoid it for as long as he can.

But hope is a dangerous thing.