Runnin’ to the Altar [Upstead]
just a little fluffy, cute Upstead piece based around Stellaride’s wedding. we need some cute vibes after the trauma of 9x04 am i right
Read on AO3!!!
“So when are you and Halstead tying the knot?”
Hailey smiled into the salted rim of her margarita glass, cheeks flushed not just from the drinks but from the image of her handsome fiancé that appeared in her mind. As if she ever stopped thinking about him. “Let’s get you down the aisle first,” she said with a laugh, making Stella roll her eyes good naturedly, snorting when Hailey added with a teasing, “Stella Severide.”
“Oh-ho, no, I’m keeping Kidd, thank you very much,” Stella said after swallowing a sip of her drink. “I’m sure you can understand, Hailey Halstead.”
Hailey laughed at that. She would keep going by Detective Upton because two Detective Halsteads in one unit would be confusing, but outside of work, she was ready to introduce herself with her new married name. Kim hummed thoughtfully, “Pretty fateful, isn’t it, that your would-be married last names go so perfectly with your first names?”
Stella and Hailey grinned, clinking their glasses together. The universe worked in mysterious ways, but you wouldn’t find the two of them complaining.
The two of them, along with Kim, Sylvie, and Violet were at a more popular club in downtown Chicago, the music loud and the drinks constantly pouring. Stella hadn’t wanted to do anything too extravagant for her bachelorette, more inclined to have more fun at her wedding and reception than get too wild the night before. So the five of them had dinner at a more luxurious restaurant before hitting the club, scoring the VIP room thanks to a friend of Kelly’s, to drink to the upcoming nuptials.
Hailey wasn’t normally a margarita drinker, but they’d taken a few tequila shots and she figured it was safer to stick to that specific alcohol than venture out. Tomorrow was a big day, and as Stella’s Maid of Honor, she needed to have more than half of her wits about her. When the firefighter had asked Hailey to take on this role, she had been pleasantly surprised and honored. Her and Stella had grown close over the years, had known each other long before Hailey joined the 21st and Stella joined Firehouse 51, and so Hailey took on this role willingly and happily.
While Matt was appropriately the Best Man, Jay was one of the groomsmen, being a close friend of Kelly’s. In fact, Jay and Hailey often went on double dates with Kelly and Stella, finding it both amusing and a hand of fate that they got engaged around the same time. Safe to say, Hailey was excited for the wedding, had a lot of fun helping Stella plan it and, honestly it got her even more excited to eventually plan her own wedding with Jay, whenever that may be. The two of them weren’t in any particular rush; they just got a house and were enjoying being engaged. They were in it for the long haul, so figuring out a solid date for the wedding wasn’t something either of them felt pressured about.
For now, she was more than content to admire the diamond ring they’d finally gone out and got for her.
As she nursed her drinks, Hailey enjoyed the dance floor with her friends for a good while, before making her way back to their private section to give her feet a break. She didn’t often wear heels, so her feet weren’t exactly used to the stilettos she’d brought out from the back of her closet for the night. As she sat, her phone buzzed, a smile tugging at her lips as Jay’s name appeared on the screen.
Jay: Ruze is already eight drinks in. Why did I agree to this?
Hailey: Because Kelly’s your friend and you like to make your friends happy.
Jay: I guess. Right now I’m reconsidering my friendship with Adam.
Hailey: You can handle him for a few more hours. Then we can have fun at home.
Jay: Fun, huh?
Jay: Not exactly convincing me to stick this out, Hails.
Hailey: You will because I can’t leave yet, either. See you later :)
Jay: Fine, fine. Love you.
Hailey: Love you.
It wasn’t long after she texted Jay that the girls were calling it a night, drunk but aware that tomorrow was a big day and they all needed their rest. Despite wanting to get home to Jay, Hailey offered to be the last stop on their Uber, since she was the most sober out of them all and she wanted to make sure all the girls got back safely. Hailey noticed that the living room light was on as she approached the front door, smiling as she locked the door behind her and caught sight of Jay sitting on the couch, the TV playing an old re-run of The Office.
“Hi,” she greeted, the heels of her shoes clicking against the hardwood floor as Jay looked up, left arm resting on top of the couch. “How was it?”
“Ruze and Kelly tried to outdrink each other, so, you can guess,” he said with a quiet chuckle.
Hailey shot him a look as she took off her heels, wiggling her toes once they could breathe. As Jay grabbed her ankles and rested her feet on his lap, Hailey asked, “Kelly gonna be able to stand at the altar tomorrow?”
He grinned, fingers tenderly massaging her sore feet as she leaned back against the armrest. “If he knows what’s good for him, yeah,” he answered. “What about Stella?”
“No doubt,” Hailey smiled, running her fingers through her hair, the curls she’d done earlier now fallen into loose waves. “Wild horses couldn’t keep her from making her way down that aisle.”
“Good, ’cause Kelly spent the entire night declaring his love for Stella to anyone who’d listen,” Jay said with an amused snort, fingers working their magic on her sore feet. “Never thought I’d see the day where Kelly Severide gets hitched.”
Hailey mirrored his grin, laughing gently. “Stella’s more or less the same. She kept saying how she never expected to get married again, but she’s excited to marry Kelly more than anything. It’s sweet.” Grin turning teasing, Hailey wiggled her toes pointedly, drawing Jay’s gaze back to her as she playfully asked, “What about you? Are you gonna wax poetry on your bachelor night about how our marriage is the one you’re gonna make stick?”
At that, Jay threw his head back with a groan, making the laugh bubble out of Hailey. “I never should’ve told you about Vegas,” he grumbled, giving the heel of her foot a pinch, causing her to jerk in response, shooting him a fake glare. “There will be no poetry on my bachelor night. I’ll save that for my vows.”
“Oh?” Hailey said with a raise of her eyebrows, her heart picking up its pace. It always seemed to do that, out of pure excitement and anticipation, whenever they discussed their impending wedding. Their engagement was a long one, basking in the glow of it and the excitement of forever, taking their time to plan their perfect, small wedding, but the date was finally set. In two months, they would be saying yes to forever in front of their loved ones, and Hailey couldn’t wait. “You planning on making me cry or something during our vows?”
His grin was teasing, playful, but the sincerity in his eyes coated his words as he responded, “Just a tear or two. Otherwise they would fail as vows.”
Chuckling, Hailey sat up, feet still in Jay’s lap, his hands still massaging her skin. “So long as you say you love me, and that you’re cool with being with me forever, I’ll consider your vows as successful.”
Jay laughed at her words before using his grip on her ankles to pull her closer. Her breath hitched as she easily slid across the couch until the back of her thighs were touching the side of his, as close to him as she could be with him sitting properly on the couch and her being sideways. Warmth spread across her chest as Jay’s startling green eyes dropped to her mouth for a moment before flickering up to meet her blue eyes, his own lips curling into a small smug, yet fond, smile.
“I’m more than cool with it,” he said, his voice gruff and low and making the butterflies in Hailey’s stomach go crazy. Jay leaned closer, lips brushing against Hailey’s, and she had to stop herself from pressing herself to him as he murmured, “Forever and a day with you still wouldn’t be enough.”
He closed his claim by finally slanting his lips over hers, and Hailey was immediately responsive, returning his kiss as her hands reached up, cupping his cheek, reveling in the feel of his scruff against her skin. They moved together as Hailey lowered herself until she was on her back, Jay hovering closely on top so as to not crush her under his weight—not that Hailey would’ve minded. The warmth of his solid form was always welcomed, one hand remaining on his cheek while her other arm slid around his neck, holding him close as his tongue trailed along the seam of her lips. She opened up for him instantly, the kiss deepening, an appreciative moan making its way up Hailey's throat as Jay’s hands traveled up the length of her bare thighs, sliding under the material of her dress.
And as much as Jay loved that dress on Hailey, it looked even better on the living room floor.
*****
Kelly and Stella, it seemed, were blessed with a rare beautiful day in Chicago—perfect for a wedding.
The ceremony had been beautiful, with Kelly dressed to the nines in the nicest suit money could buy, and Stella absolutely stunning in a silk, sweetheart neckline gown that fit her perfectly. The morning had been a blur of time passing by, with Hailey and the girls in the bridal suite, getting their hair and makeup done before it finally being time for them to head to the church for the ceremony. Hailey had walked down the aisle with Matt, given their status as Maid of Honor and Best Man, but her gaze had remained on Jay, already standing by the altar with Boden, Cruz and Kelly, having walked down with Sylvie.
Hailey couldn’t lie—walking down the aisle and seeing Jay at the end of it, she was already envisioning their wedding day. Her heart jumped excitedly in her chest once she stood, waiting for Stella to appear. She couldn’t wait for the day that it was her and Jay up there.
The vows were beautiful and sweet, not a dry eye in sight until it was time for the reception, the music blasting as the DJ announced Kelly and Stella’s entrance. And as the newly wedded couple had their first dance, the arm around Hailey’s waist was a comforting presence, Jay’s lips brushing along her ear as he whispered, “Did I tell you, you look beautiful?”
A smile curled on Hailey’s pink lips, gaze dropping to the deep purple colored gown she wore. A princess V-neck with spaghetti straps and a slit up her left leg, the dress fit her perfectly, the gold jewlery she accented it with complementing it well. “You haven’t in the last half hour, no,” Hailey responded with a coy smile, sipping her flute of champagne as her eyes flickered up to meet his gaze.
Jay mirrored her smile, full of boyish charm a guy his age was still capable of possessing. He brushed his lips against her temple. “You look beautiful.”
Her cheeks warmed pleasantly, leaning into him, watching Kelly and Stella dancing, the music and soft murmur of the crowd deafening them to their whispered conversation. Running a hand down Jay’s back, she said quietly, “You don’t look too bad yourself.”
Jay chuckled lowly. “That’s what every guy wants to hear,” he replied, making Hailey laugh.
Eventually, it was time to eat and afterwards, through all of the eating and speeches and drinking and picture taking and mingling, Jay’s hand found Hailey’s and he pulled her towards the dance floor as a slow ballad came on. He walked backwards, a lazy grin directed at her as he asked, “Dance with me?”
She answered with a grin, the two of them finding a spot amongst the swaying couples. Jay held her close, her heels giving her short stature only a couple more inches of height, but they were nowhere near eye level. His hand gripped hers, her other on his shoulder while his other resting on her hip. She spotted other couples around them; Cruz and Chloe, Hermann and Cindy, Mouch and Trudy, Kim and Adam, and others lost in the crowd.
“So, how does it feel knowing you helped pull all of this off?” Jay asked as they moved to the music.
Hailey snorted. “Barely any of it was my doing. I just made sure Stella didn’t lose her head through all of it.”
Jay shot her a look, one that told her he didn’t buy any of it. Not that he was that far off. She had been pretty involved in planning the wedding with Stella, whenever neither of them weren’t on shift and had the time to figure out the details. It was good practice, Hailey figured when they had begun, for when she needed to plan her and Jay’s wedding. And she’d been right. Through all of the politics of vendors and dealing with people, Hailey found the proper wedding planning etiquette and was able to apply it when her wedding planning had begun.
“Are you excited?” Hailey asked then, tipping her head back to meet his gaze. “For when it’s our turn?”
There was a glimmer in Jay’s green eyes, and that was answer enough. His fingers, threaded through hers, gave her hand a squeeze. “More than anything.” He leaned close, lips to her ear, voice dropping low. “And then I get to take you away and have you to myself for a whole week.”
Hailey’s grin widened, stomach flipping at the thought of their honeymoon. They’d both agreed on somewhere warm, and Bali was perfect this time of year. They would be flying out the morning after their wedding, early, and Hailey couldn’t wait. Being out of Chicago, even if it was only for a week, with no one but Jay sounded like a dream.
A week in Bali. A forever with Jay. She wanted nothing more.
“I can’t wait,” Hailey breathed out, smiling into the kiss Jay leaned in for.
They were at the reception for hours and once it was over they all, somehow, ended up at Molly’s to continue the party. The bar was full of wedding goers as Hailey sat leaning against Jay. He’d gotten rid of his tux jacket, tie gone and the top few buttons of his dress shirt undone and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Disarmingly handsome as he nursed a beer.
Stella and Kelly were long gone, getting started on their wedding night right away, while the rest of Firehouse 51, Intelligence, and some folks from Med enjoyed the familiarity of Molly’s. Jay sat with his back to the wall, and Hailey was leaning against him, her back pressed to his chest, his arm loosely draped around her waist. They were never really so touchy in public, preferring to keep their hands on each other in the privacy of their home, but everyone was more or less drunk and on a high from the wedding of two of their loved ones, so neither Hailey nor Jay cared for keeping their hands to themselves, at least for tonight.
As Hailey listened to the chatter of everyone, music playing lightly in the background, she found herself murmuring, “I’m glad we decided to have a small wedding.”
The first thing they had gotten out of the way was the guest list. It would be a small affair, mostly people that were already there at Molly’s, some from Hailey’s family, a couple distant relatives of Jay’s, and some army buddies he’d gotten in contact with over the last few months. Less than a hundred people, which was exactly what they were striving for. Neither needed a big, lavish party. All they needed, really, was each other.
Jay chuckled softly, the sound vibrating across his chest and against Hailey’s back. “We can still do the city hall thing.”
Hailey scoffed, reaching for her own beer. “After all that planning? No way.” She took a sip of her drink, adding after, “Plus, we can’t get the security deposit on the venue back.”
He hummed as Hailey rested her back against his collarbones, watching in mild amusement as Will, Adam, Kevin, Gallo, and Tony took a round of shots. Behind her, Jay muttered, “I’m just really excited to eat our cake.”
Hailey choked out a laugh, leaning away from him enough to turn and meet his gaze, raising her eyebrows. His eyes glimmered playfully as Hailey said, “Eat the cake? Really? How about the part where we get married?”
Jay shrugged, that adorable half smile playing on his laps. “Yeah, I guess I’m excited about that part, too.”
The way she was sitting, the slit of Hailey’s dress allowed for the fabric to fall on either side of her left leg, exposing the length of her leg, making it so easy for Jay’s hand to land high on her thigh under the table. Her heart jumped at the contact, his touch warm as always as his hand slid up before meeting hers where it rested on her lap. Jay’s gaze dropped as he took his hand in hers, and Hailey’s did, too, as she watched Jay’s thumb brush across the diamond ring she wore.
They’d gotten in a few weeks after their mutual proposal, a beautiful and simple halo-style oval shaped diamond ring set in elegant and ornate details on the silver band. It was the perfect ring; she was never one for jewelry, but this was one Hailey had fallen in love with almost instantly, a symbol of her and Jay’s love and bond. She wore it all of the time—except when they were out on the field, of course. It was a piece of Jay she kept with herself at all times, never wanting to part from it—from him.
“Who am I kidding?” Jay said quietly with a low chuckle, meeting her gaze. “I can’t wait to marry you. I’d marry you tonight if I could.”
Hailey grinned, dimples popping, leaning close as she raised her right hand and delicately held Jay’s scruffy chin between her fingers. His nose gently bumped against hers, the rest of the world falling away. “Call me selfish, but I don’t wanna share our anniversary with the newly wedded Severides.” At that, Jay let out another laugh, widening Hailey’s grin before it softened. Sometimes. . . Sometimes her heart ached with how much she loved Jay. A good kind of ache—one that Hailey never thought she would be able to feel. But it was there, every time she looked at him. She loved the feeling almost as much as she loved him. She leaned closer. “I can’t wait to marry you, too.”
She sealed her promise with a soft kiss, one Jay returned in earnest, squeezing her hand. They didn’t care that they were at Molly’s, out in public for anyone to see their rare display of affection. Maybe it was the wedding vibes of today, of the talk of their own upcoming day. But Hailey loved Jay, and everyone knew it. So what if they saw them kiss?
It was just a preview for their wedding day.