Jay Halstead - Overnight Dad
not my gif
Chapter 6
You had fallen asleep due to being exhausted. This was probably the worst reaction you had ever had. Jay unbeknown to you hadn’t left your side since arriving. He sat there watching as you slept holding your hand internally beating himself up. Hailey and Will watched from outside knowing that he needed to do this alone.
“Y’know it’s not his fault right?” Will asked Hailey but in more of a statement, “He needs to realise this and stop beating himself up,”
Hailey scoffed, “That’s like talking to a brick wall. He’ll over analyse this for the next month,” She knew he meant well. But he could be over critical on himself.
Hailey was distracted by the buzz of her phone. A message from Kelly asking how you were. He took off shortly after Jay and Hailey arrived as it had been scary for Katie. She replied telling him you were sleeping it off.
You could hear noises around you, but it took you a minute to remember where you were. The hospital. You’re eyes began to flicker open and a groan escaped your lips. You felt a hand in yours which you presumed to be your dads.
“Hey kiddo,” The voice brought you to reality as he gave your hand a gentle squeeze. “Good sleep?” He asked as he watched you begin to take in your surroundings. You nodded and tried to sit up in the bed which he instantly helped you with. By this point Hailey, Will and Natalie had entered the room. Natalie was the doctor who was actually treating you.
You gave them all a little smile, still too exhausted to speak. Natalie went through some questions and checks but gave you the all clear to go home. After twenty minutes you were set to head home still feeling exhausted. You hadn’t really spoken which wasn’t completely abnormal for you as you were a really shy kid. Jay held onto your hand as you had refused a wheelchair but you were a bit wobbly on your feet, jays instincts were telling him to just carry you but that was still un chartered territory. So when you stopped and looked up at him he was surprised when those words came out your mouth. “Can you carry me please?” Hailey was shocked too but a smile crept across her face.
He cleared his throat, “yeah of course,” he smiled before bending and lifting you up, positioning you to his side slightly and you wrapped your legs around his waist, arms around his neck and rested your head on his shoulder. It felt odd, but in a nice way, jay felt the same. Hailey by this point was walking behind and snuck her phone out to get a picture as she knew this was a moment worth remembering. By the time you had all gotten to Jay’s truck you had fallen asleep and become a bit of a dead weight, not that Jay minded.
“Hails, can you get the door please? She’s asleep,” he whispered in an attempt to not wake you.
“She looks like you when she sleeps,” Hailey held the door open and they both stood for a second to take in the tiny human (to them anyways) that had rocked their world. Smiling Jay closed the door quietly.
The journey home lasted twenty minutes and you had slept through all of it absolutely exhausted from today. Jay unbuckled your seat belt and carefully lifted you again into his arms, cursing himself as he heard you begin to stir.
“Shh, we’re home, go back to sleep” he whispered before kissing your head. You lay with your head resting on his shoulder as your eyes adjusted to the surroundings of the hallway to your apartment.
Hailey had gone ahead and opened up the doors to make it easier for Jay. He headed straight for your bed room as you lay quietly holding onto your dad, him not aware that you had started to wake up.
He pulled the covers back and gently placed you down taking surprise when he noticed that you weren’t sleeping.
“Hey, kiddo.” He spoke softly whilst tucking you in. “I’ll let you sleep for a bit and then we can think about food. Sound okay?” He asked before standing up.
You nodded your head, feeling the tiredness deep over you again. Jay turned on his heels and went to walk out the door before stopping with surprise when he heard you speak.
“Dad?” His head turned as he tried to wipe the shock off his face, “yeah kiddo?”
“Can you stay?” You asked, moving to create some space for your dad to sit. His face softened as he realised what you were asking. He nodded and took his jacket off, laying it on your desk before sitting on the side of your queen size bed. He felt a little uncomfortable as once again this was something completely new to him but he leaned back against the head board and lifted his feet up to get comfy. You instantly closed the gap, cuddling into his side with half eyed Ted before crashing out again. As he put his arm around you, he couldn’t help the giant grin that crept along his face. It no longer felt uncomfortable, instead it felt comfortably normal.
This, he could get used too.
