The Meaning of Family

Work Buddy

(Not me almost forgetting it's Sunday even though I literally went to church this morning 🤪)

During Ava's 6th week of school, the intelligence unit got hit with their biggest case since Ava had started school. There were drug dealers as well as a shooting and several kidnappings all involved with one case, so it was all hands on deck starting at about 2:00 one morning in mid October. So, by that afternoon when they still weren't getting very far, Jay ended up having to go get Ava to bring her back to the district.

He went inside and got her from her teacher, then carried her to the truck. "Go home and see Haiwey?" Ava asked, tired from the day.

"We're not going to be able to go right home today, kiddo. I have to go back to work, and you get to come with me!" Jay said with a smile, trying to make it sound exciting. Ava merely nodded and held her elephant and bunny.

"Haiwey be thewe?" She asked, relieved when Jay said she would be there. They eventually got to the district and Jay led Ava upstairs to the bullpen, smiling a little when she grabbed his leg and hid behind it when everyone looked at her.

"There's my girl!" Hailey exclaimed, stepping around Kevin and crouching down, opening her arms for Ava to run into them, which she did.

"Haiwey!" Ava cheered, basically climbing into Hailey's arms and settling there. She'd missed her while she was at school.

"Did you have a good day?" Hailey asked, pushing Ava's messy hair out of her face. Ava nodded.

"Missed you," Ava mumbled, hiding against Hailey as the older blonde stood up, holding the little girl.

"I missed you too, baby. We got pizza for dinner, do you want some?" Ava nodded and Hailey went and got her set up with some food and a show on the iPad so they could get back to work.

It wasn't until 9:00 that Hailey was able to leave with a very tired and grumpy Ava, and she knew the next morning would be hard, which it was. Ava ended up napping at school twice because she needed it. They did it though, and solved the case that afternoon and were able to get Ava early and get her home to rest.
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A few weeks later, Hailey was out on a lead when her phone started ringing nonstop, so she checked it and was alarmed when she saw it was Ava's teacher.

H: what happened?
A: hey, Hailey. I'm so sorry to ask this, but could you or Jay come get Ava? She had an accident and then had a panic attack, she's not panicking anymore but she's very upset and I've been trying to calm her down for over 30 minutes. She just wants you, she's scared we're going to hurt her.
H: i'll be right there. Did she get changed?
A: I managed to get her cleaned up but afterwards the real panic set in. She's hiding right now.
H: poor baby, I'm on my way, I'm so sorry.
A: it's okay, I swear. I just think it's better for her to be with her safe people when she's so worked up. She won't even let Faith or Joey near her right now. I've had my assistant go outside early with the rest of the class and another assistant is with me.
H: please let her know I'm coming, I'll see you soon.
A: I will.

Hailey hung up and called Voight to let him know what was going on and promptly raced to Ava's school and ran in, once she scanned in with her code. She could hear Ava's cries down the hall, breaking her heart.

"Ava, look honey, Hailey's here!" Allison said, and Ava darted out from her hiding place and ran to Hailey, sobbing and saying she was sorry and she didn't wanna be hurt over and over.

Hailey lifted her little one up and just held her, swaying side to side. "I'm here, baby. I'm here, you're safe, no one is going to hurt you. It was just an accident, no one is mad. Let's go see Jay, okay?" Ava nodded as she continued to cry, thumb in her mouth as she tried to self-soothe, her bunny and elephant clutched in her arms.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Ava!" Allison smiled sympathetically at the little girl and handed Hailey her bag once she was signed out.

"Thank you so much," Hailey said before leaving with Ava, the little girl crying the whole drive to the district. She was sad and scared and tired.

"Baby, what can I do?" Hailey asked when she parked and went around to get Ava from the car.

"Howd pease!" Ava sobbed, reaching for Hailey.

"Okay, I'll hold. We're gonna go inside and get ready for a nap, eat a little lunch, and I'll hold you," Hailey reassured her and Ava nodded and let herself be carried inside and changed into a pullup for her nap.

Only Voight was there, so Hailey sat with Ava at her desk and got her to eat a little bit while she worked on her computer, then Ava curled up on Hailey's front and fell asleep before everyone got back. Voight saw this and sent a text out to the team, asking them to be quiet when they came up because Ava was asleep.

Ava was their little work buddy once she woke up. She grabbed things for them and colored pictures in the break room, bringing them out to various members from time to time, and she hung out with Platt at the frint for a little while and didn't have a meltdown, which was progress, especially after she'd had such a rough morning.