Rangers; Jay Halstead (3)

thirty seven

"You ready?" Jay asked Spencer as she stood up and she shrugged: "I guess so."

"Safe flight guys." Becca smiled, waving as Jay dragged the two suitcases out of the front door.

Spencer was silent the whole way to the airport, an empty look on her face as she stared out the passenger seat window. Every now and then Jay would comfortingly reach over and touch her leg, just to reel her back in.

She never spoke any words and her face was quiet, but it didn't take a psychologist to see the pain in her eyes. Her head was spinning a million miles an hour. She'd no idea how she was going to be able to do this. Even with Jay by her side.

"We're here." Jay said as he parked the truck in the car park outside O'Hare airport. Spencer turned her head around, snapping back to reality. She silently nodded, opening her seatbelt and getting out of the truck.

"It's okay, I can take one." Spencer smiled, seeing Jay trying to manage both suitcases. Jay gave her one of the suitcases and she held his free hand in hers, holding his hand tightly as they walked into the bustling airport.

———

They were in the segregated security clearance area considering they had weapons with them. They didn't feel good about leaving the guns at home with the kids for fear the safe would end up open.

"Walk through." The TSA lady said, gesturing for Spencer to walk through the scanner, she walked through with no issue and then stood aside while Jay walked through. It beeped and Spencer sighed, impatiently tapping her foot.

"Step aside please. Arms out, legs apart." The woman demanded, looking to Jay. "Do you have anything metal on you?" The woman asked Jay who shook his head, gesturing to his belt, boots, watch and badge and gun which were in the tray that had gotten scanned.

"So, where are you headed?" The lady asked Jay, in a different tone. "Uh.. New York." Jay replied briefly as she started patting him down, starting at his ankles.

"Oh yeah? How come? Pleasure, business?" She asked as she worked her way up his legs. "Work." He replied, lying because it doesn't really go down well with people to answer by saying "no I'm going to take my wife's ex fiancé off life support. "

"Okay, you're all good." The woman concluded as she patted jays torso. Which in Spencers opinion was unnecessary. "We're cops, do they think we're smuggling H or something?" Spencer scoffed as jay walked up beside her.

"Sense of humours intact I see." Jay chuckled and she rolled her eyes. He draped his arm over her shoulders, pulling her close to his side and kissing the top of her head.

———

Trying to pass some time, Spencer and Jay decided to crash in a coffee shop. "I think I'm gonna get a coffee, want one?" Jay offered, putting his hand on the back of Spencer's neck as he stood up.

"Yeah, whatever you're having." Spencer replied and Jay nodded, grabbing his wallet. Watching him go up and join the queue, Spencer pulled her hands inside the sleeve of his hoodie, sinking into it.

"Anything else?" The barista asked Jay as he ordered the coffees. "No, thank you." He smiled, taking some cash out of his wallet. "That'll be $7.42." The barista smiled and Jay handed her the money.