In My Head (Agent Severide Book 2)

Chapter 8

Zoey & Kelly's Apartment, Bucktown Chicago 

Zoey spent the last 3 weeks of her mandatory leave sleeping and resting as the doctor had recommended to her. Jay was working today and Kelly was on shift at the firehouse leaving the entire apartment to the blonde who lay in bed in her dark room. A loud knock came from the front door in the other room, Zoey pushed herself out of bed walking out of her room trying to ignore how her head hurt from the light poring in through the windows and the blondes visions started blurring as she approached the door checking through the peephole in the door before she pulled open the door to reveal Morgan, Reid, JJ, Prentiss, Hotch and Rossi standing there. 

Confusion crossed her face as she stood in the doorway looking at her team. Zoey used the wall to steady herself for a moment as her vision stopped pinning. "Come in," she said softly letting them into her apartment instantly their eyes wandered around the room. "You decorated!" Reid said sounding surprised, "Kelly got tired of looking at half the boxes so he unpacked most of the photos and everything," Zoey said as she took a seat on the couch. 

"So how are you feeling?" Morgan asked her, "Like I've been hibernating" the blonde replied, "Did you know that when animals hibernate they don't really sleep. When the weather gets too cold and their food supply disappears they basically put themself in an inactive state to the point their heart rate, breathing and temperature will decrease so they can conserve energy," Reid said with a huge smile causing Zoey to smile at him. "So where's lover boy?" Morgan asked, "He's at work," she replied sending her partner a small smile as her stomach turned and she bolted for the bathroom. 

Zoey makes it just in time for her to throw up the contents of her stomach into the toilet. The blonde let out a groan as a small knock sounded from the door. "Severide, you okay?" it was JJ's voice. "Y-ea" Zoey choked out as her body tried to continue to throw up nothing but bile. "Can I come in?" Jj asked from the door as Zoey reached up to open the door slightly as she flushed the toilet and sat back on the floor taking deep breaths. 

Jj appeared through the door along with Prentiss who both wore the same worried looks. "You okay?" Prentiss asked as Zoey nodded pulling herself to her feet before rinsing her mouth with mouthwash. "Yea, just this concussion still has me a little sick," the agent said before walking out of the bathroom followed by her colleagues. "Most Mild concussions don't cause vomiting, especially after the 3rd week of healing," Reid said while looking over a shelf of books. 

Zoey just shrugged not sure what to tell them, "So not I don't love to see your faces but what brings you here? And how'd you find me? I still haven't had the chance to change addresses in the system." Zoey said slightly confused "Garcia tracked your phone," Morgan said causing the agent to nod her head. "We had a case in Rockwell and figured we'd stop in to check on you," JJ said with a smile. "Well, I appreciate that, I'm doing good," Zoey said smiling at the team. "So are you ready to come back soon?" Hotch asked looking at her. "I feel alright, I have an appointment at Med tomorrow to see if I'm cleared for work again," the blonde replied. "Well we're spending the night at the Hilton and we're flying back to the Office tomorrow. Depending on what the doctor says I'm hoping you'll be joining us," Hotch said

Zoey nods in agreeing, "I am honestly looking forward to coming back to work. I'm not sure how many more episodes of Murder, Mystery Makeup Monday I can watch," she replied. "Wait with Bailey Sarian?" JJ asked smiling as Zoey nodded. "Is that what you ladies do on your time off? Watch shows about cold cases?" Rossi asked. "Like we don't see enough at work," Morgan adds. "What it's interesting, some of the cases are pretty bizarre too," Severide said. "So I'm taking everyone to dinner tonight, You joining us Severide?" Rossi asked looking at the agent who nods. "Where are we meeting?" the blonde asks him as he mentioned some extremely fancy restaurant Zoey couldn't pronounce is she tried. "You bringing lover boy?" Morgan asked nudging her shoulder as the blonde fought a smile. "Yea, I'd love to get to know the detective that has the agent Severide all hung up," Prentiss said. "I don't know he's working and- C'mon Severide just invite him, the more the merrier," Rossi said. "I'll ask but no guarantees" the blonde spoke. 

"Alright well, we're gonna get going, dinner is at 6 pm sharp. Don't be late" Rossi said as the team made their way to the door of the apartment giving her hugs and small goodbyes as they left. Zoey sat down on the couch again before letting out a sigh as she pulled out her device noticing it was almost 2 pm. The blonde pushed herself up walking into her room getting dressed in a pair of black leggings and a black Ramones T-shirt. 

Zoey grabbed her phone and keys making her way out of the apartment after locking up. The blonde walked down the street for a solid half hour with one headphone in listening to music as she walked towards the 21st district. 

21st District Police Department, Chicago Illinois

It didn't take long before the old red brick building came into view and Zoey walked up the familiar steps entering the police station. The blonde started to walk over to the sergeant's desk when she heard a familiar voice. "Oh my gosh is that Agent Severide? In normal street clothes?!" Antonio said more than asked causing her to smile and let out a light laugh. "Weird shit huh? I'm not a fan" Zoey said smiling at the detective that walked over to her. "So what are you doing here?" he asked her. "I was actually here to see Halstead," the blonde said earing a brow raise and a smirk from Antonio as he nodded up the stairs not saying a word as he unlocked the gate leading her upstairs to the Intelligence bullpen. 

"So you and Halstead?" Antonio says more than asks glancing at her with a smirk as the two walked into the office where everyone was sitting at their desks. "Halstead," Antonio said pulling the muscular brunette detective from his work. A smile formed on his face when he saw Zoey who smiled walking over as he stood up. "Zoey, what are you doing here?" Jay asked slightly confused by her appearance along with the rest of the team including Voight who appeared in the doorway to his office now looking at her. "I stopped by to talk to you about something, do you have a minute?" she asked looking at the detective who nodded leading her into the break room. 

Jay closed the door when they walked in standing in front of her with his arms crossed over his chest. He seemed nervous and guarded. "What's up?" he asks looking at the blonde, "Look I have a work dinner I gotta go to tonight with my team and I was wondering... If you weren't busy... If you um maybe wanted to go... with me?" Zoey finally asked more awkwardly than she had intended. She could interrogate serial killers but this one detective had her falling head over heals for him. 

Jay smirked at her words, "A work dinner with your team? of profilers?" the detective said more than asked her. "Sounds serious," the brunette replies. "Not really, they just came to check in on me. I think they're worried I'd love the time off so much I wouldn't go back," Zoey said letting out a light chuckle. "Plus I have my appointment at med tomorrow to see if I'm able to go back to work; so they're waiting to see what your brother says," the blonde adds as Jay nods his head. "Dinner sounds great," he finally said with a smile. 

Zoey smiled at his words leaning over and pressing her lips to his softly before breaking the kiss and walking over to the door. "Okay Rossi got reservations at some really fancy restaurant downtown at 6 pm I won't bother trying to pronounce, wear a suit if you have one," the blonde said as she opened the door. "I have nice suits," Jay said in protest following the blonde out of the room. "I don't doubt that, I've never seen you in one though" she replies sending the detective a devilish smirk and ignoring the looks they were getting from his unit.

"Nice seeing you all again," Zoey said with a smile and small wave as she walked down the stairs only getting halfway down before she could hear his team bombarding him with questions.