fic: i want your midnights (an Upstead secret santa one shot)
A little New Year’s Eve Upstead fic for the @chicagopd-secretsanta Secret Santa exchange! I got to write for @bleedinghearthalstead who prompted “New Year’s Eve in the emergency room.” I hope this is what you were looking for, and I hope you’re having a wonderful holiday season!
Rated T | 3300 words | Title from New Year’s Day by Taylor Swift
“Hailey, I swear, this is a waste of time,” he groans. “I’m good.”
“Yeah, you look really good. Your knee is three times the size it’s supposed to be, Jay,” she says, gesturing to the ice pack barely covering his right knee.
“You don’t think I look good?” He lifts the corner of his mouth in a smirk, and she rolls her eyes.
“Shut up. Obviously, I think you look good, that’s why we’re in this situation.”
“Oh, I remember,” he grins, letting his eyes roam down her body and back up slowly. “But we’re gonna miss Kim’s New Year party.”
She nods. “She’ll have one next year. Maybe you’ll learn to keep your hands to yourself by then and we won’t end up sitting in the ER waiting for the ball to drop.”
“Excuse me, I'll learn to keep my hands to myself? Pretty sure you started it.”
She just rolls her eyes and adjusts the ice pack on his knee.
He watches her for a moment until she glances up and narrows her eyes at him. “What?”
He shakes his head, grinning. “You want to spend next New Year’s Eve with me,” he says, fighting to keep the laugh out of his voice.
“Shut up,” she says again, but there’s a tiny hint of a blush creeping across her cheeks. It’s the first New Year’s Eve they’ve spent together as a couple and he’d be lying if he said he hadn’t been looking forward to Kim’s annual party, where he’d spent the last few years ringing in midnight with Hailey beside him.
This year, though, wouldn’t find him awkwardly swigging his beer to keep from reaching over and kissing her as the clock struck midnight. He’s not one for tradition or resolutions, doesn’t believe things magically change because the calendar flips over again.
This year, though. Well, her cheeks are still a little pink, and he’s finally gonna kiss her at midnight, hospital room and bad lighting and knee pain aside.
He just grins, and of course, she rolls her eyes again. “Try not to get any more stupid injuries this next year, and we’ll see about spending another New Year together.”
He finally lets himself laugh. “I’m sorry,” he says, incredulous. “Stupid injuries? You were a willing, enthusiastic participant.”
“Don’t give yourself too much credit there, pal,” she mutters. “You can shower by yourself next New Year’s Eve.”
“I was trying to,” he laughs, cringing a little as he shifts, and his knee protests with sharp pain.
She frowns. “See, it does hurt.”
“I’m fine,” he insists, but he lets her reach behind him and adjust his pillow so he doesn’t have to shift back too far in the bed.
Jay watches her pace the small hospital room, her arms crossed over her chest. She’s worried, and it’s honestly pretty damn cute.
“I’m sure you are,” she says, but it sounds like she’s just placating him. “I’m just saying, you made a very weird noise when you fell.”
“Yeah,” he rolls his eyes. “That’s because I was about to--”
The automatic whir of the sliding door sounds and Will’s voice interrupts him.
“I’m all for a full medical history, but please, god, don’t finish that sentence,” he says, hugging a chart to his chest. He looks gleeful and Jay wants to punch him.
“Isn’t there some rule about not treating family members?” He asks, eyeing Will suspiciously.
Will rolls his eyes, and beside him, he watches Hailey try to hide a smirk.
“Hey, I don’t need you two ganging up on me right now. I’m injured here.” He’ll never admit it sounds like a whine.
“Sure,” Hailey says. “The doctor comes in and suddenly you’re injured. You were fine two seconds ago.”
“Don’t call him the doctor, please,” he groans. “He’s already gonna be insufferable.”
“They worry we might become too emotionally invested,” Will says, shrugging like it’s another rule he’s about to disregard. “Pretty sure that’s not gonna be a problem.” He grins, flipping open the chart.
“Any chance you can get us out of here by midnight?” Jay asks, watching Will’s smirk grow a little as he reads over the chart.
“Bro,” he groans, glancing back up. “I already pulled the only strings I have to get you back here without a long wait. No promises.”
“We’re good, Will,” Hailey says. “We can wait.” Her voice sounds pointed but her fingers on his shoulder are gentle.
“Thank you, Hailey,” Will says. “Seriously, Jay, the right knee. Again?”
He shrugs, but Hailey lets out a little choking noise next to him, and he turns to her.
“Again? This has happened before?”
He starts to shake his head, but Will cuts in. “Oh, yeah. What, you were 13 the first time? And then high school, and your first year on patrol?”
Hailey looks like she's going to lose her mind, and Jay tosses Will a look, silently begging him to shut up.
“Baseball, Hailey,” Jay tells her, trying not to laugh. “Rounding the bases the first time and sliding into home the second. And chasing an offender on patrol.”
She nods slowly. “Okay. That makes more sense.”
Jay watches Will glance between them and then down at the chart. “This just says you fell. What did it this time?”
He doesn't say anything, but he can see pink flares dance across Hailey's cheeks. His brother is an idiot, but he's not an idiot, and Jay watches him put the pieces together.
“Ah,” he nods, smirking, and Jay can hear the laughter trying to fight its way through. “Well, sounds like you were at least rounding the bases this time too.”
“Oh, my god,” Hailey whispers, running a hand down her face.
Will sets the chart down and lifts the ice pack on his knee, pressing lightly around the swelling. “One to ten?” He asks, glancing up as Jay tries and fails not to hiss.
“Two,” he says.
“And if your girlfriend wasn't two feet away?”
“I hate you,” he whispers. “Four. Maybe five,” he admits.
Will steps back, grinning. “You worship me. You're gonna be fine. Doesn't seem like anything's torn, but I want a scan to double-check.”
“You can't just--”
“No,” Will sighs. “I can't just wrap it or let you leave or whatever other malpractice you were about to suggest.”
Jay rolls his eyes, but nods. “Fine. But no--”
“No needles, we know,” Hailey and Will say together, and honestly, he's not sure when his idiot brother and his sarcastic girlfriend became BFFs, but he's not into it.
He grumbles out a thanks but smiles when Hailey's fingers tangle with his on the edge of the mattress.
“I'm gonna go order your scan. How's the pain, really? Need anything for it?” It's Will's concerned doctor voice, but it sounds a lot like his protective brother voice and something in him tugs with appreciation.
“I’m good, but thanks.”
Will smiles. “Okay. But don't be a hero, doofus,” he says, picking up the chart and heading for the door. “Someone will come to get you soon.”
He nods.
“Oh, and Jay?” Will’s caring brother voice is gone, and Jay steels himself.
“Next time, let the girl shower alone.” Jay shoots him a look because they hadn't said anything, but Will just grins.
“I see this way too often. Plus, both of you have wet hair and I'm pretty sure your shirt is on backward.”
“Jesus christ,” Hailey whispers.
“You good, Hailey? I don't see any visible injuries. Escaped unscathed?”
She nods, but Jay's pretty sure she might murder both of them if given the slightest chance.
Will laughs. “Good. Oh, to be young and stupid and in love.”
He rolls his eyes. “For the record, I was in the shower first. By myself. This is barely my fault,” he says, but Will just gives a sarcastic little wave as the door closes behind him.
The room quiets as Hailey's fingers tug at his collar, little sparks of heat lingering where she touches.
“He was right,” she groans. Her fingers trail down his arm and he smiles.
“Well, don't ever tell him that,” he says, leaning forward and reaching for his collar to tug the shirt over his head. He glances at her, her eyes tracking his movements as he's turning it around, and smirks.
“Yeah, you probably shouldn't look at me like that right now. That look is the reason we're sitting here,” he grins, pulling the shirt slowly back down his chest.
“Sorry,” she mumbles, smoothing back her ponytail. When she glances up, her smile doesn't reach her eyes.
“Hey,” he whispers. “I was joking.”
She nods. “I know.”
“C’mere,” he says, reaching out an arm for her and pulling her up onto the narrow mattress with him. “It was an accident, babe.”
She nods again, reaching up to thread their fingers together where his arm rests over her shoulder. “I am sorry, though.”
“I’m gonna need you to stop apologizing for surprising me in the shower,” he laughs, pressing his lips to the top of her head. “Not ever gonna be mad about that.”
She laughs against his chest, and things feel like they're righting themselves again. He barely feels his knee.
“I'm not apologizing for that. That was fun,” she says. “Just. You know, the part where you fell.”
“Yeah, that wasn't the ending I was hoping for, but I'll survive. And still, not your fault.”
“Still,” she says. “I feel bad.”
“Gonna need that to stop, too. And I'm gonna be really mad if this keeps you from joining me in the shower in the future, just so we're clear.”
She rolls her eyes. “We'll see. Let's give you some time to heal first.”
He shrugs. “Not necessary.”
“Right, I forgot, you're fine,” she says. “I'll get you one of those shower chairs, maybe a handrail installed?
He wrinkles his nose slightly, shaking his head as he leans in to kiss her. “I mean, you can get me a shower chair if you're planning to--”
A knock sounds on the glass and he groans slightly when she pulls away as the door opens and a transporter with a wheelchair comes in.
“You must know someone,” he says. “Dr. Halstead had me skip you to the front of the line.”
“Aww,” Hailey says. “That’s a good brother.”
Jay laughs, shifting himself off the mattress and into the chair quickly. “That’s an annoyed brother,” he tells her. “He wants me out of here before I remind him how much I hate hospitals.”
She shifts so she’s more comfortable on the mattress where he was stretched out. “Yeah, I want you out of here too, I’m gonna stretch out for a bit.”
“What, too much exercise earlier?” He smirks as he’s wheeled out of the room.
“Bye, Jay,” she calls, and he watches her until she’s out of sight.
——————————
By the time he’s wheeled back in the room, it’s a little after 11PM, and Hailey is stretched out on the mattress on her phone.
“Go okay?” She asks, sitting up as he slides onto the mattress beside her, shifting to put his knee back up.
“‘Bout as good as anything in a hospital can,” he says, leaning over to press a kiss to her shoulder. “Think we’ll be out of here by midnight?”
She bites her lip. “I saw Will and April run by for a trauma a little while ago, so…”
“Probably not,” he fills in. “Oh well, good company at least,” he says, knocking his shoulder with hers.
“Mhmm,” she murmurs.
“You gonna make it to midnight, pal?” He asks quietly, watching her yawn.
She nods. “‘Course. I just didn't plan on being in bed before midnight. Got a little too relaxed.”
He winks. “I didn't plan on it either. Or, at least, not a hospital bed,” he grins, leaning over to press his lips to her cheek.
She lifts her lips in a small, easy smile and reaches for her phone when it lights up a moment later.
“Kim says hi,” she says. “And also, that you're an idiot.”
“Ouch,” he laughs. “Does she… know why I'm an idiot?”
She gives him a please look, raising her eyebrows. “Does anybody?”
“You're mean in the hospital,” he teases. “I like shower Hailey better, injuries and all.”
She rolls her eyes, holding out her phone to show him a picture of Kim, Kevin, and Adam, a ridiculously large box of fireworks in the frame.
“Oh, they are very drunk, that's a horrible idea,” he laughs. “Might wanna warn Will to look out for them later.”
“Warn Will about who?” Will asks, sneaking in through the still-open door.
“Our very drunk coworkers,” Hailey says. “Everything going okay out there?”
Will glances over his shoulder and Jay watches him closely as he turns back. It's not, he can see it on his face. But Will just smiles.
“It's New Year’s Eve, and it's still early, really. But look,” he sighs. “Radiology is backed up, it's gonna be a while before I can see your scans. Sorry, man.”
He shrugs. “I figured. Could be worse.”
Will nods, glancing at his watch. “Hey, we have a little tradition here at midnight. Give me like, half an hour and I'll come to get you.”
Jay nods. “Okay,” he says, a little unsure.
“Trust me, bro. And in the meantime, don't do anything stupid to injure yourself further. Hospital sex isn't that cool.”
“Okay, that's my limit of hearing the wrong Halstead brother discuss my sex life,” Hailey sighs.
Will points to himself, cocky grin in place, and Jay prepares to have to leverage himself up onto his bad knee to punch him.
“Wrong Halstead? I'm the right Halstead. Best Halstead,” he says, grinning.
“You know what, you both suck,” she says, and Will laughs as he leaves the room, which feels like a little bit of a win.
Jay leans into her when they're alone again, his chin on her shoulder. “I'm the best Halstead, right?”
“Ehhh,” she says, shrugging.
“Mean,” he whispers. She laughs, her shoulders shaking under his chin.
“Fine,” she laughs. “You’re the best Halstead for me.”
He presses his lips to her jaw slowly. “That feels like a cop-out, but I’m gonna take it.”
“Good,” she says. Her phone vibrates next to them again and she picks it up, stifling a laugh as she swipes it open.
“Five bucks one of them is missing an eyebrow on Monday,” she says, showing him a video Kim sent, fireworks blasting in the background, and a voice that sounds suspiciously like Adam yelling over the music.
“If by one of them you mean Adam, that's a sucker's bet.”
“True,” she laughs. “How's the knee feel?”
He shifts back on the mattress, guiding his arm around her waist and bringing her back with him. “Once you've been shot, everything else is like an annoying paper cut,” he downplays, and her look tells him she knows he's full of it.
But she doesn't say anything, just settles in against him, yawning again.
“Sorry we're spending our first New Year’s Eve at the ER,” he whispers.
She shrugs. “Best New Year’s Eve I've spent in the ER.”
Something inside him clenches because it probably should have occurred to him. It's been years, but he knows she still carries the Booth stuff around with her, and he can still picture her face from that whole week so clearly, the anger and fear and determination.
He presses his lips to her temple and breathes slowly against her, in and out. He searches for something to say that won't be pointless or trite, but by the time he thinks he's found the words, her breathing has evened out against him and a quick glance down tells him she's dozed off.
His good knee is cramping a little where her thigh is resting over his, but he just smiles and lets her doze, letting her relaxed features ease him too.
——————————
He distracts himself with his phone and Hailey's quiet breathing in and out against him until a light knock sounds on the glass and Will sticks his head in the door.
“You annoy her to death finally?”
He rolls his eyes, but Will just smirks.
“Wanna wake her up?”
He pauses for a moment, considering. She looks relaxed and comfortable, and really, that's all he ever wants for her on the nights when sleep is hard to find.
And he wants to kiss her at midnight more than he'll admit, in the cheesiest way he can imagine, fireworks between them if not in the sky. But he knows he can kiss her whenever, and it'll be just as good then.
But a loud crash sounds in the hallway before he can make up his mind, and as Will turns to check on it, Hailey shifts against him, waking up.
“Hey,” he whispers quietly.
“Hey.” She runs a hand across her eyes, stretching her back slowly. “I didn't mean to fall asleep.”
“You're good. Wanna get up and go with Will?”
She nods as Will turns back to them.
“And she's alive,” he says. “Maybe you're less annoying than I thought, Jay.”
“Doubtful,” Hailey says, sitting up. “Where are we going?”
“That's a surprise,” Will says, turning to wheel in a wheelchair.
“Dude, come on. At least get me some crutches.”
“Nope,” he says, Hailey's voice echoing right behind his. “Come on.”
——————————
“The roof, bro? This isn't gonna be like when I was seven and you tried to push me off, right?”
Will rolls his eyes, easing the wheelchair to a stop near the edge of the roof. “For the thousandth time, you slipped, Jay. Plus, Hailey would probably stop me.”
“Depends on the day.” Her voice is quiet and her fingers are pinpoints of heat against the back of his neck in the cold. “This is really nice, Will.”
And it is. There are lights strung and it's as quiet as the city gets on a night like this, traffic down below painting the night in red and gold moving lights.
“Figured if you have to be here, you may as well get the good view. Usually, there’s a little crowd, so you lucked out.”
They chat for a couple of minutes until Will's pager goes off and he groans quietly, glancing down at it.
Jay glances at his watch. 11:57.
“Gotta run. I'll call you when I see your scans,” he says, clapping Jay on the shoulder, shaking him a little. “Don't freeze to death up here please.”
“Happy New Year, man.”
Will grins, leaning in to give Hailey a quick hug. “You guys too. Seriously, though, no dying, this is probably against all kinds of rules. I don’t need that hassle.”
“Go, dude,” Jay says, laughing.
Will waves and heads back toward the roof access door and Hailey turns to him.
“I dunno, your brother might be my favorite Halstead right now.”
Jay just shakes his head. “Absolutely unacceptable,” he says, holding out his hand to bring her closer, pulling her down to sit on his good knee.
“Okay?” She asks quietly, settling in.
“Think I'll survive,” he whispers, his hands coming to rest on her waist. “You know, they say how you ring in the new year is how you spend the rest of the year.”
She bites her lip. “So, on a hospital roof, injured? Gotta say, not all that promising.”
He rolls his eyes. “Or, you know, together with me could work too. Maybe minus the injuries.”
She scrunches up her nose but grins. “That might be okay.”
He glances at his watch behind her back. “Yeah?”
“Could be better, probably,” she whispers, already leaning in.
His lips meet hers and he kisses her slowly, mentally counting down until he hears fireworks and cars honking below on the street.
When she pulls back, she’s smiling, and yeah, he could definitely spend the year exactly like this.
He thinks about pulling away, looking for fireworks in the night sky, but she leans back in and he closes his eyes, and he doesn’t need to look anywhere else to find them.
