Chicago Love ✔️

Chapter 56: Hank's Office

Hailey keeps her eyes focused on the boss, arms crossing across her chest as she watches him closely. She still hadn't figured out the possible direction of the conversation to come, whether it was the boss coming out or the person that cared about her deeply.

"We both heard the words that Adam uttered," Hank comments as he does not let his eyes sway away from Hailey in asking this question. 

It was not the first time he had concerned himself with a detective's personal life, feeling worry for the direction they were headed. Oddly enough, one of those was Hailey's ex Jay. He saw all the signs when he went down the rabbit hole with Carmela, even when he denied to Hank's face they were together. He couldn't help but bring himself to have these conversations, though. These were not just workers for his unit. This had become his family and he cared about each of them. 

"I couldn't be surprised by the resemblance either," Hank continues, which was a lie. There was a resemblance he had noticed about Jay and Alex when he sent Jay down to North Carolina to stay with Alex. Maybe that was part of the motivation as to why he did that. Or maybe it was because it was the perfect light way to welcome Jay back to work then. "You also started seeing him right after a particular case that neither of us are about to let go anytime soon. Your mind is reeling from the case. You are still coming to grips with Jay's divorce and him falling right back into Erin's arms. Your heart is looking for some comfort and you want an escape from everything you are dealing with. That just happens to come in the form of a nice young man where everything comes easy. Coping mechanism is what some would call it. Survival technique maybe. Rebound relationship is what I've heard used - oh wait, you used that card on Carmela and Ja-"

"That had bad news written all over it from the beginning!" Hailey cuts him off, still frustrated in how that situation was handled. She never wanted Jay to go undercover with Luis in knowing he was dealing with emotions from Erin leaving. She never wanted the case to escalate in having seen the signs at the office of a lack of sleep and other triggers bothering him. It was only confirmed more when Adam commented about finding Jay on the couch early in the office.  It only escalated from there, with her trying to do whatever she could to pull Jay out of it. 

"Yeah, you're right. You had good intuition about him at that time..." She nods her head, both of them taking a deep breath. It was yet another reminder as to why everything that happened over the past five years left wounds, pain, and pieces to pick up slowly. There was no need to go back over Hailey's panic attacks at the office, the arguments between Jay and Hank, or his decision to leave for Bolivia. 

"You're not wrong that it bothers me and it hurts to go through a divorce to him. You saw first hand how much him leaving affected me and how much it drove me crazy to be away from him. I cannot deny the feelings that I had for him. I cannot deny that Jay will always be an important piece of my life. But Hank, I can promise you that he has nothing to do with why Alex and I got together." Hank kicks back in the chair a bit, as he tries to read through everything she was saying. Was she being perfectly truthful? Or did it affect her a little?

"You wouldn't had met Alex for the first time if it wasn't for the case. You wouldn't had gotten to spend time with Alex for a bit if it wasn't for traveling with Jay, Erin and Will to a race." Hailey nods her head, but neither of those moments mattered in her mind. There was only one night that mattered when it came to Alex.

"I never got close to him through that case as it was only Jay that became friends with him then. I also did not stay with him that long at all that weekend, leaving to return to Chicago the next morning...." She then takes a deep breath, remembering the conversation with Jay. She remembered his confession, and his sweet kiss with Erin that she saw. It had turned her stomach so much that she could not bother to be within the same four walls as him for a moment longer. "I went out to Molly's after the case in question. Alex was there that night looking for a drink after a rough day at the track. We both got talking and found that we could easily understand, confide each other more than anyone else in our lives. There's something about him where the conversation and feelings just come easier. I am able to talk to him about things that I could never talk to you, or even Jay ever about. There's something special about the way he is there for me. There's something special in each moment that we spend together." 

"Since the day you walked into the unit, I saw something in you that stood out - which is why I offered you a position in Intelligence immediately. I have always cared about you and wanted the best for you. I am glad that you are happy, Hailey. I am glad that you have someone special. It warms my heart for you to tell me why you and Alex are so great together. I could see the smile on your face as you walked up those stairs with him." Hailey nods her head as it was obvious the simple sight of him had made her day turn around right away. There was nothing now that could wipe the happiness of her face, or the anticipation of what to come once she was able to clock out for the day.

"He's special, Hank. I never thought the day we talked at Molly's or after the night we spent together, he would mean this much to me. Nobody has ever captured my heart and wanted to make me drop everything like this. I love him so much, Hank."