The Soldier and The Spy: Jay Halstead- Episode 3

Chapter 7

Present Day

This was nice.

Really fucking nice.

Now granted what wasn't was how thankful he was that Hailey wasn't here, yet, but given the way things had been between them and her complete unwillingness to even have a conversation with him Jay was going to let himself be okay with that. Because seeing Tess with the rest of his team? Seeing her with Kevin and Adam and Kim and all those big ass smiles they kept giving her?

That was fucking great.

That made all the other crap worth it.

"To Tess."

"To Tess!"

He threw back his shot but even as he savoured the warm burn of the alcohol as it slid down his throat one eye stayed trained on the woman beside him, watching as she shot hers; Tess was grinning just as broadly as the others, and gave zero reaction to the tequila she had requested, there was a reason Vivienne had dubbed her the Tequila Queen, but he knew her well enough to know she was uncomfortable with all the attention. Praise was something she was used to, hell she'd been getting it since the first time she'd built a computer by herself, when she was seven, but it had always unsettled her, something about the spotlight that she both feared and secretly desired. But Jay had the inkling it was about more than that this time- it was about who was praising her. And considering the last five years had been spent keeping her identity a secret from the very people celebrating her now that was understandable. But she was handling it, with the same grace she handled everything with.

But that didn't mean he wouldn't lend a hand when he could.

"I gotta say, I don't think we've ever wrapped a case up this quickly- if you're looking for a new job, I think we've got a spot."

"You're just saying that because you don't want to take the tech course at the academy for a third time." Jay said with a smirk as Adams' mouth dropped open, his friend shooting a quick glare at Kevin who did absolutely nothing to hide his laughter before turning it on him.

"I'm saying it because it wouldn't matter how many times I took that course, I'd never be able to do what she did."

"That's true." Tess chimed in with an impish smile, which only made Kevin and Kim laugh harder, the latter nudging her on again off again, currently seeming to be on again boyfriend until he grumbled and waved them all off.

Honestly, they probably wouldn't make fun of him so much if he didn't make it so easy.

Probably.

"My point is, if we need her, she will be there. But for now we are enjoying being retired."

"We?" Kim asked with a raised brow, sharing a look with Tess who merely smiled while he gave a little shrug.

"She helps me relax."

"Well that's good, cause you're pretty uptight."

Kevin let out another crow of laughter as Adam grinned and even though Jay rolled his eyes he knew it was a fair comeback- he could be pretty rigid, though it wasn't exactly like they'd had a lot of time to all let loose lately. They could definitely use it. The conversation moved on, easier than it ever had, or maybe that was just him, but his attention kept drifting to the woman on his left, something she used to say to echoing through his mind, a lesson she'd worked hard to get through his thick skull. With mixed results. We get through life because of our bonds with others, not despite them. Tess had always made things better for him, made him better, but lately he'd been wondering how much easier his life would be if she wasn't the only one he'd allowed himself to bond with. What things would be like if he'd opened up to his team about her years ago, about all the dozens of things he could have.