His Forever Flame

3. Confronting Jay

It'd been two weeks since Lauren had met Jay in that little café. Two long weeks. She'd tried calling, texting and emailing him every day, and every day she never got a response. She'd gone out with Kelly on his days off. They'd hang out with their friends, do things around the city he knew she loved doing, or stay in and watch movies. Hell, she'd even had a girls' night with Shay and Gabby, but the light never reached her eyes.

She was happy, no doubt, because she was always happy anytime she was in Chicago with Kelly, but she wasn't truly happy. Finally, Kelly had seen enough of her just waiting around. She'd been doing that for five years, and it was five years too long in his opinion. Oh sure, he understood Halstead's side of it, but this was his little sister and she deserved the chance to explain to him what he thought he saw every time he'd visit without telling her. So Kelly offered her the only suggestion he knew to help her.

"Why don't you go see him at the station? At least then you'd get a response." Lauren shrugged.

"Yeah I guess I could, but what is he says no, Kel? What if he doesn't want to hear me out?"

"Then you pick yourself back up and move on. I know you say Wes is just a friend, but I've seen the way he looks at you Sis. That guy loves you." Again, Lauren just shrugged. Kelly might think that, but her feelings went no further than really good/best friends. "Just think about it, Sis. All he can say is no, and if he does then he's a bigger idiot than I thought and he doesn't deserve you."

"I'll think about it," was her response. And she did. She thought about it all day until she decided Kelly was right. She was tired of waiting for him to answer her calls, text, and emails. She would just go get the answer straight from the horse's mouth as her Memaw would say.

The next day, Jay was working on paperwork from the case they had just closed, when he looked up to see Platt standing in front of his desk. "Yes?" he asked tentatively.

"You have a visitor downstairs. Said she needs to see you." Jay racked his brain, but drew a blank as to who it could be since he wasn't expecting anyone. "I'll be right down," he said as Platt turned to leave. He ignored the questioning look Erin sent him, and bounded down the steps.

He was a little surprised to find Lauren standing there when he reached the bottom. She looked nervous as hell. Usually she was confident and sure of herself even if on the inside she didn't feel it, but standing there waiting for him, she appeared jittery, nervous and a little scared. He figured when he ignored her endless calls, texts, and emails that she would have given up. But no, not her; she never gave up until she got what she wanted, and he loved that about her. 'Ok so not going there' he thought as he continued closer to her.

"Hey," he said. She nearly jumped ten feet in the air when he spoke so close to her. He reached out to reassure her, and she seemed to settle just a little. "Hey," she said back. "What are you doing here, Lauren?"

"I... uh... I... um... I came here to see you. You've ignored all my calls, texts, and emails, so I figured the only way to get you to talk to me would be to catch you here." Jay shrugged. "Look, Jay, I don't want to have this conversation here," she said as she looked at the cops trying to appear un-interested in their conversation. "It's not the time or the place. We both owe each other explanations for the last five years, and I want you to hear me out, and vice versa. So please, just, give me the chance." She was practically begging, and Lauren rarely begged, unless he was in the middle of driving her crazy, and then she begged. 'Right, not going there,' Jay silently reminded himself.

Looking at the pleading look on her face had the walls around his heart starting to crack. He couldn't say no to her; he'd never been able to before, and it didn't look like he was going to be able to now. "Fine. But I pick the day, time, and place." If he was going to have to endure this conversation, it was going to be on his terms. "Fine," she said.

"How about Friday night? We're supposed to work only half a day."

"Friday is good with me."

"Okay, I'll uh.... I guess I can pick you up. You'll be . . . ?" He started to ask if she would staying with Kelly, but honestly he had no idea where she stayed when she would come to the city.

"I'll be at Kelly's, like always, when I'm in the city." Jay blew out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. Lauren was far from a city girl, and he hated the idea of her staying in a hotel, so her answer calmed him. He knew Kelly would always look out for his little sister.

"Right," he finally said. "Um... say six? And dress... well.... Hell just dress nice. I have no idea where we're going yet, but dress nice to be safe." He was entertaining the idea of taking her to her favorite restaurant, but he wasn't sure if he could handle that yet or not.

"Okay," she said, and before anything else could be said, Erin came up behind him. "Let's go," she practically growled. Jay figured she didn't elaborate because to her, he was just talking to a civilian so he nodded at her as she continued out the door.

"I'll... uh... call if anything changes," he said. Lauren nodded as Jay turned and ran out the door after his partner.

Lauren returned to Kelly's with a smile on her face and a spring in her step. It wasn't much progress, but at least he'd agreed to hear her out. Even if it ended up going horribly wrong, at least she could spend one evening with him for old time's sake. She had three days to play out every possible scenario all the while praying it worked out for the better.

Kelly and Shay were both at work. They'd gone in at midnight last night, and wouldn't be off until midnight tonight. She text him anyways letting him know she'd be going out Friday. He hadn't responded, so he was either sleeping or out on a call. Either way he would respond when he got the chance, and she hoped he was happy for her.

Lauren curled up on the couch and decided to watch her favorite movie, Sweet Home Alabama. She didn't realize how exhausted she felt until the movie started. About halfway through, she drifted off to sleep. Her dreams were of happier times with Jay and subconsciously, she was hoping Friday resulted in getting her man back.