castaways

~23~

*5 months later*

Chicago was beyond chilly and it's only November, hazel was already dreading how cold it would be next month. She was stood in the freezing cold, her breath visibly making clouds in front of her, when she heard the familiar sound of jays truck rolling up beside her, "get in the car, frosty" he rolled the window down, chuckling through his words.  She smiled and made her way over to his vehicle before climbing into the passenger seat, "we're working late tonight so it's looks like you're stuck with team for a few hours" he began driving away. Hazel smiled, "fine with me" she shrugged, she loves the unit, they're her family. Jay smiled to himself as she made herself comfortable and put her music on, he likes how relaxed she is now.

A few hours later, hazel was asleep, completely dead to the world with her head on haileys desk. The team had left to chase a lead, but undoubtedly left hazel to boredom, therefore a nap was the only answer to cure her need for distraction.  Kevin let out a small chuckle as he saw the teenager sat at his teammates desk, "someone's been demoted to no chair" he looked over his shoulder to see hailey on her phone.  Thankfully the lead was successful, the case is over...

                 "Hm?" The blonde looked up in confusion. She soon smiled when she saw long brunette waves scattered across her desk, and as she approached she saw hazel sat on her desk chair with her legs cross and her arms bracing her head. Jay smiled, "I'm fighting the urge to tickle her right now" he walked past his girlfriend and chuckled. Hailey smiled, "fire away, but you're the one who's gotta deal with the consequences" she raised her hands in defence and backed away. Jay smiled but thought about it, huh, what consequences? Oh right... another case of the giggles.

                   He slowly approached his favourite brunette who was quietly snoring away, and without warning, tickled her sides.  Hazel shot up and let out a loud squeal, only to realise that this tickle monster wasn't going to back down.  She sat back and tried pushing his hands away but failed miserably, laughing through the bellyache was the only escape at this point.  She shook her head as the unit watched with smiles on their faces, her laughter filling the room.  So much so that even hank was stood in the doorway of his office smiling at the sight.  He's never seen Halstead and Upton look so happy, but when they're around hazel they can't keep a smile off their face.  It's heartwarming to say the least. 

                "No, stopppp. You're killing me..." she squealed, still trying to flee his grip.  Jay smiled, "stop... please, stop it, dad..." she laughed.  And within that second, the room fell silent.  Very silent. She stopped laughing after realising what just left her mouth, her eyes scanning the room for everyone's reactions, "I'm sorry..." she stood up, as jay watched in confusion. He shook his head and gently grabbed her hand as she tried walking past him, "it's okay, haz..." he spoke quietly. She shook her head, "I didn't mean it..." she pulled her arm away, and continued walking out of the bullpen with her head down. She strolled down the hall and entered an empty interrogation room so she could have some alone time.

                 Jay immediately went to follow her when hailey stopped him as the unit stopped staring at them both, "just leave her for now, and talk to her at home" she placed her hand on his chest.  Jay frowned, he doesn't mind hazel calling him 'dad', he's told her this before.  Why's she so scared of facing that fact? He sighed heavily before nodding and returning back to his desk, that's the first time she's ever said that...

A few minutes later, jay couldn't bare the silence anymore, so he got up and followed the small foot marks down the hall. He found the room hazel was hiding in and entered the viewing room, he didn't try speaking to her, he just watched as she laid down on the bench with her arms crossed, looking up at the ceiling. He sighed and rubbed his face, it's painful seeing things like this happen...

Later that evening, hazel sat idly on her own, in her windowsill. She's been avoiding jay ever since she accidentally called him dad, and she's been cautious around hailey in case she accidentally called her 'mom' too. She wiped her tears away as the sound of her bedroom door creaking open filled the room, "you gotta eat something" she heard jay set a plate down onto her desk.  She paused before answering, "thanks" she spoke quietly, purely thankful for the curtain covering her.  She was soon saddened by the cold air as jay pulled the curtains away from the window, "we need to talk, alright?" He sat down on the edge of her bed.  She sniffled and nodded as she looked over to him. 

                "From the first day I read the case file with your name on it, I knew you'd be a tough cookie. And when I met you, I knew I was right. You are a tough cookie, and I know you trust me just as much as I trust you. Alright? So whatever you're regretting from that moment in the bullpen, you don't need to feel that way okay? I've told you a million times that I don't mind what you call me, you can call me dad if you want to call me dad, just as much as you can call hailey mom. We don't have a problem with that, but if you feel like somethings bothering you then you gotta tell us haz..." he spoke softly, holding the eye contact so she knows he really means it.

                Hazel looked back out of the window as a few stray tears found their way down her cheek, she paused and gathered her thoughts together before responding, "it's not that I don't wanna call you guys mom and dad, it's just..." she wiped her eyes, which were now full of tears, "I just don't wanna associate you with my real parents, you guys aren't them and you never will be. It's unfair to you both..." she shook her head.  Jay frowned as he moved closer, placing a reassuring hand on her shin since it was the closest thing to him, "what your parents were, mean nothing now. You don't have to hold onto those memories, you'll feel so much better without remembering them, okay? Calling us mom and dad won't affect our relationship with you, got it?" He nodded.

                Hazel nodded but stayed silent, "so if you wanna call us mom and dad, just know we won't treat you any different" he smiled sadly.  Hazel nodded as a tear dropped onto the floor, "okay..." she sniffled.  He smiled and nodded, "just take your time, we're always gonna be here" he rubbed her arm as he sat down next to her in the windowsill, good job it was big enough for the pair of them.  Hazel smiled and rested her head on his shoulder, "you and hailey are the best thing that's ever happened to me" she whispered.   Jays hearted throbbed at the sound of that sentence, "you're the best thing in our lives too" he closed his eyes as he held her close.  She smiled to herself, "better than ice cream?" She snickered slightly, "way better than ice cream" he nodded with a small smile.  This kid is too pure for this world.

                At around 2:30am, Hazel looked over to see the clock on her nightstand lighting up her room slightly.  She sighed at how slowly the time was moving, it sure is lonely in here.  She rolled onto her back and let out a small yawn before sitting up, as a strong urge took over her whole body, she let it happen without any care.  Mindlessly, her legs guided her towards the cosy bedroom down the hall with her pillow in her hand.  She slowly opened the door and entered silently before closing it behind her.  She scanned the room for a second as her eyes adjusted to the complete darkness, before she gently climbed up onto the end of jay and haileys bed.  She feels at home when she's near them, maybe they'll help her sleep? She closed her eyes as she curled up by her real parents feet, or at least that's how she sees them...

                   Beep, beep, beep.  The sound of jays alarm broke him out of his beauty sleep as he groaned whilst sitting up.  He looked down in shock to see hazel curled up with her back facing both him and hailey, when the hell did she get in here?  He smiled softly at the sight before looking over at hailey, gosh, he thought to himself.  He really is lucky to have the two best girls in his life, present right now.  He smiled and shook his head in content before gently getting out of bed to shower, letting his girls get the rest they deserve.