The Arrangement | Jay Halstead

Chapter 32 | New York

Part 32

"Olivia, Elliot got something" Anna called out, Olivia nodded and smiled before getting up from her desk. Anna zoned out when Elliot updated the team on the case, Anna watched the board and the facts and her mind subconsciously noted everything Elliot said.

But Anna's head was trying to prepare, the news she got this morning. "We're transferring you back to Intelligence. Jay got his head straight and I think you have too" Hank's words didn't make her happy.

She chose to go to New York and help SVU and right now, she didn't want to go back.

-

"Sarge, did she respond?" Hailey called out, the team was on the edge, with Jay trying to earn the team's trust and with the team not knowing if Anna was coming back. It had been a month.

"I'll let you know when she does. I know just as much as you do" Hank said without looking at Hailey and walked straight to his office.

Hailey shook her head in Jay's direction, blaming him for Anna's missing presence. "If she doesn't answer Voight today, I'm going over there to drag her ass home" Kim retorted.

"I'm with you" Hailey said in agreement and crossed her arms. Jay looked down in shame and bit his lip.

"What if she doesn't want to come back?" Kevin asked, trying to see the bigger picture and accepting that maybe Anna didn't want to return to Chicago.

Hailey watched as Hank picked up his phone when it rang. Hailey held her breath to get a sign of who was on the phone.

"Okay, I'll let the team know" Hailey made out when she read his lips. "Fuck..." Hailey cursed under her breath. It was bad news.

When Hank hung up the phone even Jay turned around, waiting for him to open the door. As the minutes passed Jay grew anxious and stood up and opened Hank's door.

He closed it behind him and kept standing. "Is she coming back?" Jay asked. "No, there, uh– actually let's take this out in the bullpen" Hank said with a weird look on his face.

Jay followed him back out and waited like everyone else. "I just got word from Olivia Benson. Anna was just offered a permanent position in the SVU department" Hank said.

"What? Is she gonna take it?" Hailey asked. "Time will tell" Was all Hank said, but it was obvious that he knew something and wasn't telling them everything.

"Sarge...–""—Get back to work" Hank interrupted Jay and everyone got back to their desks. The thought of Anna's presence not being in the bullpen felt wrong, each and every one of them had this nagging feeling, when they thought about having to adjust to her not being there.

It felt wrong.

Anna's contagious laughter, her fierceness, her bravery, her skills, her mind, her eyes, her presence in general. It wasn't Intelligence without Anna in it.

"That's it. I'm going over there and I'm dragging her ass back here" Kim said, the team knew that Kim meant it. Eventually Hank let Kim go to visit her.

-

"Hi stranger" Kim said when she had entered the building Anna was working in now, the new office. Anna smiled and stood up immediately and ran to hug her friend.

"What are you doing here, Kim?" Anna asked when they pulled away. "I'm here to drag your ass back to Chicago" Kim said in a joking tone, but she meant it and Anna knew it.

"Let's go out and grab dinner" Anna said and clocked out. "I don't know if Chicago is right for me anymore, Kim" Anna admitted as they drove to a nearby restaurant.