A Family Affair

21

Epilogue/Bonus Chapter

Molly's wasn't as packed as it usually was on a Thursday night, them finding the bar basically empty compared to normal. Hailey, Kim and Macie made their way to their usual booth in the back corner of the building whilst Jay and Adam went up to the bar to order the drinks.

After the bartender nods and scurries off to fulfill their order, Jay turns to look at Adam, shooting him a knowing glance. "You know you guys aren't as secretive as you may think."

Adam's face drops, over-forcing the confused look. "What are you talking about?" He asks.

"You and Kim," Jay replies, making the confused stare plastered on the other cop's face disappear, "How long has that been going on?"

There's a pause before Adam realizes it's best not to push it off and rather come clean to his boss, sighing his exhale before responding. "A few months, but it's been a bit rocky," he says, cutting in again before Jay could speak, "How do you get it to work like that, man?"

Jay's eyebrows crease. "Like what?"

Adam sends a subtle point to the booth behind them, a slight beat to his voice. "You and Hailey. What's it been? Thirteen years?"

Jay takes a moment, confirming the amount of time in his head before shrugging his shoulders. "Yeah, but it was rocky at the start. We had to figure out when the professionalism started and when it ended, that we weren't letting our personal feelings get in the way of our jobs as well as a hundred different things and it took time, years, and it took us multiple attempts to get it right and still now there will be times where we'll let our relationship get in the way or one of us will overstep. It takes time, but when you know you're with the right person, you're willing to do anything to hold on to them, even if it does mean putting them in danger," he says before taking a small breather and tilting his head to one side, "That's how you get it to work."

Just then the bartender returns, placing the tray of drinks on the bar for them to collect, Adam arguing with Jay for a moment on who would take it to the table, the younger one eventually snatching it from Jay's hands, almost tipping one of the bottles over in the process.

Once they got to the booth, Adam sends a smile to the three people already sat there, placing the drinks in front of where each person was already or would be. "Four beers, and an orange juice for the special little lady." He says, making Macie grin up at him before he returns the tray to the bar.

When he gets back and seated Hailey grabs the top of her bottle, holding it up slightly. "May I make a toast?" She asks, gaining a nod from everyone sat around her.

She lifts the glass a little higher, giving everyone a small smile. "What a crazy two weeks this has been, and I just want to say I'm proud of everyone sat here with how they handled every obstacle thrown their way. We had a jackass of a boss and today was one of the best days I have ever had with him officially gone. And to Kim and Adam who have remarkably tried their very best to hide their relationship but have failed at it miserably because we've all known since day one, and finally to Jay, who for the last nine years has been trying to fix things with Olivia after he really screwed up and yesterday he got to hear the three words he has been waiting almost a decade to hear, that she forgave him, and I'm so happy for you." She finishes, giving Jay a smile and gaining one back from him.

Everyone cheered, two of the members still in slight shocked at having been outed by their coworker, and clinked their bottles and glass together.

"You guys celebrating without me?" Someone says just off the edge of the table, making four of the members looks up from one another, their faces dropping with shock.

Nobody says anything so the person speaks up again, sending Macie a wide grin. "And tell me, is that the once very little Macie Vanessa Halstead sat in the middle right there?"

"Uncle Kevin!" Macie shouts, jumping down from her seat and running into the man stood there and he caught her with open arms.

Kevin looks down to her in forced shock. "When did you get so big?" He asks but before Mae could reply, Kim speaks out from the table, her mouth still dropped open agape.

"When did you get back?" Kim questions.

Kevin pulls away from Macie's tight hug and slides his hands in his front jean pockets. "Earlier today, Will told me you might all be here."

One by one everyone else stood from the table and walked over to him, hugging their arms around him and forming a giant group hug in a circle around Kevin, staying there until the hug naturally died out. Once everyone pulled away, Jay furrowed his eyebrows toward the taller one, sending him a quizzical look and pointing his thumb away from the table.

"Kev, can I talk to you quickly?"

Kevin nods, parting from the group and following Jay out of ear shot from everyone else.

Immediately Jay shoots the younger one an apologetic sigh. "Kev, I'm really sorry, I know I said it would only be six months-"

Kevin blows it off, shaking his head quickly. "Jay, don't worry about it."

Jay leans in a little closer, mumbling the words a little. "That was almost four years."

"Sarge, I promise, it's fine."

"Yeah?"

The taller one nods, sending his sergeant a smile. "It was the best opportunity you could have given me, we got everyone on our list and shut down the product shipment from Europe for half of the suppliers in major cities, we got so much product off the streets. I mean Maine was colder than Chicago but I got to go places I never thought I would."

Jay returns the smile, bringing Kevin in for another hug. "I'm glad you're home though, Intelligence has missed you."

They stay like that for a beat before they both naturally part away, a second passing before Kevin speaks up again, patting Jay's shoulders.

"And I heard what Hailey said about you and Olivia, about how you two are back to normal again," he says, "I know how much you wanted that, that's great man, congrats."

Jay nods. "Thank you," he grins before pointing his hand in the direction of the bar, "Now go grab a drink and join us, there is a lot you need to catch up on."

and there we have it. i really like this ending, i hope you do too. it's crazy for me to think this story is over, it's been one of my favourites to write but i'm really excited about the next story i have planned for you all - i'm already on the third chapter (because i haven't been able to put it down since like last thursday) but i want to complete a few more before i post it :)

thank you all so much for reading this story through till the end, i love you all x