Jay was woken up by a pillow being tossed at his head. He grumbled, meeting the eyes of the person who threw it.

"Well good morning to you too, Jay," Hailey said cheekily, her smile brighter than yesterday.

"Hey Hailey," he said softly, stretching to wake himself up a little from the tiny couch he camped out on last night. "How're you feeling?"

"Like I wanna get the hell out of here," she joked, until she saw the more serious look in his eye. Her smile vanished, a neural expression replacing it. "I'm alright, really. But I also really wanna go home."

Jay nodded as he sat up and placed his feet flat on the floor. He had his elbows on his knees as he wiped the sleep from his eyes. He could understand wanting to get the hell out of dodge when it came to hospitals. He knew Hailey knew that, but he hadn't really known her to be as squeamish as he usually was. Course, he hadn't known her to go through something quite this traumatic either. He wasn't entirely sure what to do in this situation, and he hated feeling that sense of helplessness, especially for the person he cared for most.

"Earth to Jay…." Hailey tried, before speaking up a little more. "Hey! Halstead!" She was tempted to toss another pillow at him, but she noticed his head snapping up to look at her after the rise in her voice.

"Sorry," he said quietly, correcting his posture so he sat up straighter, more attentive, she supposed. "What were you saying?"

"I was just going to ask if you were planning on getting any coffee this morning? And if so, if you wouldn't mind grabbing me one while I sign my discharge form. According to the lovely white board, your brother is supposed to be by in like 15 minutes to bring that to me."

Jay nodded again, and was actually grateful for something to do. His mind was racing a mile a minute, and he needed to calm down. Maybe he could pace while the coffee was made, he thought momentarily, before his brain so aptly reminded him that the hospital coffee was instant. So much for that idea, he thought to himself, shaking his head as he rounded the corner to the coffee station.

He poured two black coffees, grabbing a creamer for Hailey's coffee. She'd have to make do without her almond milk, as all that was at the station was 2%. He knew she wasn't too hard to please though; definitely not fussy. He walked back to the room with the coffees, his mind still a million miles away.

He was so spaced out that he didn't realize Hailey's door had been drawn to close, and he walked in without considering a reason why that was. She was tugging on a cropped University of Chicago t-shirt when he came in. She had put in on, the fabric was just falling down her stomach when he was face-to-face with her.

"Oh–" he managed to mumble out, his brain not really registering the correct words to say. He didn't want to admit that he had seen the last two numbers of the godawful tattoo, but he had. And the raw, red, skin surrounding the onyx ink made him angry. Angry that someone had the audacity to that, let alone to a woman. An innocent, defenseless woman. "Sorry," he sputtered out a second later.

She didn't make eye contact with him, but the immediate grab of the hemline made it clear to Jay that she hadn't expected him to come in, nor see the branding she had been given. "It's okay," she whispered, but they both knew it was far from the truth.

For once, they were both thankful Will came knocking. "Hailey? You all set?"

"Yeah Will, you can come in," she called from the edge of her bed. She slipped into her shoes, as she already had on the high-rise leggings that Vanessa had brought over earlier (along with the other clothing items to wear home).

"I have your papers to sign," he said, setting them down on the rollaway table by her bed. He nodded at Jay, who returned the gesture. Hailey shook her head. Sometimes she didn't understand those two brothers and their quote-un-quote communication. Or lack thereof, she mused.

"Thanks," she replied, grabbing the pen and reading over the couple sheets. She signed her name, and off Will went with her discharge paperwork.

That left she and Jay, once again. While she could usually handle that, for whatever reason, she was nervous to ride home with him. She was nervous for all the feelings it could bring up. She knew it wasn't just about the potential romantic ones, either. She knew he had to be feeling guilty – because she was. And she knew they both felt things deeply, perhaps deeper than most. That's why they worked so well together, why they were able to talk to each other after a tough case or a long day.

But this? This was different.

It was different because this time, Hailey was the victim of a crime, instead of the one solving it. This time, Jay was the…dare she say, loved one, that was affected by the incident. He wasn't just her partner right now. And they both knew the weight of that right now. Maybe that's what they were both trying to balance. Balance it so it didn't slip, or teeter to one side, leaving one of them drowning in all these difficult emotions.

You didn't always need water to feel like you were going under.

That fact, Hailey knew all too well. But this time? This time it hit different.

"Home sweet home," Jay attempted to lighten the mood as he pulled up to Hailey's apartment she shared with Vanessa.

The 15-minute ride back from Med was really weird. Neither of them said a word. And that was a first in a long time for the two.

"Hailey!" Vanessa yelled, bounding down the way to Jay's truck. "You're homeeee!" She squealed, rushing over to her side as she got out of the passenger side.

"Hey Vanessa," Hailey greeted, a small smile on her face. She was truly happy to see Rojas, but she still couldn't shake that weight on her chest. The one that meant she and Jay still had to talk. And she knew they needed to really talk. Not just say a bunch of words that they thought they were supposed to, but ones that actually meant something.

She was scared, if she was being honest. But, she also was desperate for the sinking feeling in her heart to subside. She knew it would be difficult, but she hoped it would be worth it.

She didn't even realize Vanessa had been speaking this whole time until she found herself on her sofa, with her roommate's wide brown eyes staring back at her expectantly.

"I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

Vanessa didn't miss a beat. "I was just asking if you were hungry. We could get pizza, or order from Greek Islands, or–"

She paused when she saw Hailey wasn't focused on her anymore, but she found her blonde friend looking to her sandy-brown haired partner. Ah, okay, Vanessa reasoned. She could take a hint.

"Orrrrr, I can leave you two alone," she quickly said, before jumping up and grabbing her jacket and keys. She was out the door in a flash, before Hailey could even so much as utter her name to come back.

"I'm sorry about that," she said bashfully to Jay as he took the unoccupied spot next to her on the sofa.

"It's alright," he shifted awkwardly, not wanting to sit in his usual way when he was with her, which was a little too close, but not close to where it was too much. He didn't know if she'd want him around her space in the same way anymore. He was just trying to respect that.

"Are you alright?" Hailey asked, pointing between the larger than normal gap between their positions on the sofa. She arched her brow, looking at him like she wanted an answer.

Jay sighed, resigning himself to providing one. "Yeah," he paused when her brow quirked, as if to say liar, before adding, "…No. I don't know. But I should be the one asking you that. You're the one that's been through a hell of an ordeal, Hailey."

"Jay," she said, running a hand through her messy waves. "You're the only one who doesn't treat me like I'm fragile…." She was unexpectedly hit with a big surge of sadness, her voice breaking as she spoke again. "…like I'm broken." She covered her mouth as she choked on a sob, the truth to those last trio of words hitting her like a ton of bricks. Like I'm broken. Like I am broken. I am. Broken.

She was blinking back tears as Jay carefully moved closer to her. His face still searched hers for permission to place his arms around her shoulders, but instead of nodding yes, she simply caved into his touch. She buried her head in his chest, crying the rest of her tears out, muffled apologies for wetting it coming brokenly from her lips.

He had one of his arms around her back, the other was up by her head, his hand tangled in her hair as he softly held her there against him. He was whispering both apologies and words of encouragement against her cheek, his breath caressing her skin just so.

She recognized those "I'm sorry's" and "I've got you's." She knew those. Those were the same words he said in the ambulance. Sniffling, she worked up the courage to ask him what he was sorry for.

"You…you weren't the one who kidnapped me, Jay. You were the one that saved me." She finally locked eyes with him, and saw that he had tears of his own welling up.

"But, I…Hailey, I was the one that pushed you towards Connor in the first place. I should've gone with you to Molly's. I should've actually told you how I was feeling up on that mountainside instead of brushing you off. I should've…"

"You should've what? Found me? Literally breathed life back into me? Stayed with me this whole entire time? You did, Jay. You did a good thing. This…what happened wasn't your fault." She paused, glancing down at her trembling hands. She had intended to bring them together, but Jay must've noticed, because he took them in his own instead.

"It wasn't mine either," she finished, looking at him, hoping to convey how true she knew that to be, even if she had to repeat it ten thousand times over. She knew, deep in her heart of hearts, that neither of them were at fault. The only one who was at fault was in prison, rotting away like the scum he is.

"I'm still sorry, Hailey." He whispered, his voice a little bit hoarse from the tears that had begun to slip down his cheeks. "I didn't know what I would've done if you had–"

"Hey, I'm right here. I'm right here because you found me."

"But–"

"God, Jay! No! No more of this…whatever the hell this is. I can't take it if you're going to blame yourself too. You're too good a guy for that…it'll kill me even more to see you tear yourself down like that…" she said, throwing her hands up as she decided to stand from the couch.

"Hailey, I didn't do a damn thing! All I did was find you because you were smart enough to leave a clue behind. If it wasn't for that necklace you left on the ground, you'd have been dead in that barrel! Don't you get that? I didn't save you, Hails. You saved you!" He exclaimed as he too stood up from the couch.

"I'm not that smart, alright! I'm not! That was an act of desperation…if I was really intelligent, I would've seen right through Connor's façade from the get! I should've known better…it's not even the whole dip in the romance department that gets me, it's the fact that he used me with that lie…and then twisted it all up into this deranged plan…because sadists pick the vulnerable ones, you know? And that's what I was! Me! A cop! Vulnerable, and stupid…God, maybe I deserve to be marked with it…" she whispered faintly, so faint that Jay almost didn't hear it. Almost. But he didn't miss the way her eyes darted down towards her side, where her shirt had pulled itself up during her wilder gestures.

He also saw the way she bit the inside of her lip, trying not to fully break down in front of him. He hated to see her in this much pain. It absolutely gutted him inside. He just wanted to take it all away…but he knew he couldn't, no matter how much he wanted to, or how much he tried.

"Hailey," he spoke gently, wanting to convey a sense of security to her. Like she could break down if she really needed to. He wanted to be that safe space for her. God knows she'd seen him through some difficult and dark times in his life. Sure, he'd seen her through a few hardships, but this was a whole other level of pain and trust and vulnerability that neither party was used to.

"Look," he said, reaching for her hand, which she placed in his slowly. "We've all got scars. Some physical, some not so much. Me? I've had…5 broken ribs, broken fingers, a multitude of other bones, I'm sure. You've been there for two of the times I've been shot…" he paused, breaking his hold on her hand to lift up the sleeve of his tee. He showed his shoulder to her, where his first bullet wound had been. "There's the first."

He then decided he'd show something that only Will knew about, just to show how much he could trust her, and hopefully, convey how much she could trust him in return. There was a stitch on the side of his abs, while faded now, it was the first time he'd been injured in any type of duty work. It was from when he was a solider in Afghanistan, and a piece of shrapnel from an IED had caught him, he told her. He could see the immediate shock that crossed her features, before it softened as she timidly reached out her hand to him again.

He thought she was going to take his hand again, but she surprised him by gently tracing her fingers along the faint red line. She wasn't as close as they normally were, and yet, this felt more intimate than anything else before.

She didn't say anything, although he knew she didn't have to. Her soft eyes and trace of sadness on her lips said enough. Just as soon as her hand was on his skin, he felt the warmth recede, as she shrunk back a bit.

He didn't want her to do that though, not with him. She shouldn't have to bury herself away from anyone, but especially him. He gently pulled her to him, his hand ghosting over her neck, where the most obvious of her ordeal could be seen. His eyes didn't focus on that though. No, he focused on her, all of her.

The way he always had, and always would.

As much as he could try and try to keep it at bay or deny it, he knew her. He knew her better than he knew himself sometimes. There was no point in pushing that connection away anymore, not when it was screaming through the air and so palpable it felt all-consuming.

"I know you have been hurt too. I know, and as much as I wish I could take all the pain away, I can't. And I know I can't even imagine what it's been like for you–"

"No, you can't. You didn't have your day of death etched into your skin," she noted somberly.

"–But you didn't die. Hailey, you're here, and he's the one imprisoned. Look, I'm not telling you what to do with it," he nodded towards her side, where the tattoo sat. "Burn it off, keep it, whatever gives you peace. But don't you dare look at it as a reminder of weakness or failure. That's not what I see. I see it as proof that you're a survivor. And one of the strongest people I know. That is not your day of death, Hailey Upton. That is the first day of the rest of your life."

She grimaced, feeling more tears coming forward. She let a couple slip as she thanked him. She went to grab his free hand, only to see he had something in it already. Her brows knitted together until she saw the end of a black cord peeking out. Her black cord necklace.

She pursed her lips, hoping she could keep her tears at bay as she slipped her fingers in-between his and the necklace. He let it go, the black cord slipping into her hand instead. She pulled it into her free hand, so the one against his could remain there.

"I can't believe you kept it all this time," she whispered, looking up at him.

"I was just waiting for the right time to give it back to you," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "You saved yourself, Hailey. I wouldn't have found you without this. And if you ever need a reminder of how amazing you are, just look at that. Or, just look at me, and I'll tell you every single chance I get."

She felt her lips curve up into a goofy half smile. She darted her eyes to the side so she didn't roll them back at his cheesiness. He was being all too sweet, and while she appreciated it, she didn't know if he was doing that as a partner, or as more than that. She was leaning towards the latter as she felt his hand that was by her neck find a home on the nape underneath her hair.

She felt oddly calm, and it wasn't until she took a breath inward that she noticed why. That nagging weight she'd been battling all this time? Gone. That was the last little push she needed to tell him something he should hear every chance she got. And this was her first chance. She didn't want to waste it. Not after all they'd been through.

"Jay?" She spoke up quietly. She watched as he perked up, his eyes set on hers like they always were.

His name always sounded the best when spoken from her lips. He couldn't help but feel a whole rush of emotion through his body when she said it. Especially now. Now felt…now felt right.

"There's something you should know too. Something you should hear every chance you get," she added, her face scrunching up in an adorable way, the way it did when she was toying with a joyful grin.

He couldn't help the equally as goofy smile that plastered itself on his face as she continued, a slightly grave tone edging its way into her voice. "I uh, while I was down there…in the barrel, I mean…I don't know if you know or not, but there was camera–"

He swallowed, unsure he liked the direction this was going. "Yeah, I saw it," and when he saw her face grow pale, he backpedaled. "Well, part of it. Not, everything. I had to stop when you were thanking people, err…saying goodbye," he tried, hating his voice for being the one to break this time.

She squeezed her eyes shut, pushing back the tears, biting her lip more harshly than previous times. Instead of fear, or anger, or whatever emotion she thought she would feel, she felt relieved. Because she didn't want the first time she told him she loved him to have been through that video. Not when she was given a second chance to do it the right way. Right now.

"That wasn't all I said," she began again, taking another breath in to steady her nerves.

"Okay," he prompted, in that same way he did all those weeks ago at the hospital. Damn him. She noticed he was looking at her in that very same way too. She forced herself to look deeply into his eyes, and thought to herself, here goes nothing, because honestly – what else did she have to lose?

"I love you, Jay. I'm in love with you. That's what I said on that tape, and that's what I was going to tell you in the hospital all those weeks ago. That's what I should've told you a long time ago. But, I'm telling you now because you deserve to know how I feel. And I needed to tell you, because I've already wasted so much time not telling you, and I'm sorry for that, and if you–"

He finally did what she had hoped he would. He closed the short distance between them with a kiss. Soft, hesitant at first, as his hands gently cupped her face. She deepened it slightly as arms threw themselves around his neck, pulling him down to her.

When they finally did pull apart for air, he breathlessly replied with the same three words. Well, seven if you count his extra charm when he said: "I love you too, Hailey Anne Upton."

She giggled at his use of her middle name, ready with the witty reply of his middle name, when she realized she didn't actually know what that was. "Jay…you know I don't actually know what your middle name is. If I did, it'd be a hell of a lot easier to sass you back."

He wrapped his arms lazily around her waist and scoffed. "Oh please, like that's ever stopped you before."

She smirked, tucking her head against his shoulder. "And you're avoiding the question…"

He narrowed his eyes at her, but gave in when she gave him her signature thousand-watt smile. "Benjamin," he mumbled, as he wasn't the hugest fan of his middle name.

"I'm sorry, what? What was that?" Hailey teased, chuckling when he rolled his eyes. "Kidding, kidding!"

"You're lucky I love you, Hailey Anne," Jay quipped, earning him an eye roll from her.

"Love you more, Jay Benjamin."

"Feeling's mutual," he said, and they agreed on it with another kiss, because neither could ever tire of that again. They honestly had no idea how they went almost 3 years without it.

A/N: Putting the author's note down here, as this is the final chapter of this story. Hope you guys liked the ending! All credit for the one exact line of dialogue (and the paraphrased ones) go to the writers on The Rookie, obviously. I wish I could write that! But, I tried to make the rest of the heartfelt dialogue true to Jay & Hailey...at least what I'd hoped they'd tell each other during this time. Thanks for all the nice comments, & I honestly am crossing my fingers for a confession of some sort in season 8 for Upstead haha. :)