Forbidden (JAY HALSTEAD)

We're going to L.A

The smell of coffee had me out of bed at 6a.m sharp. Jay was in front of the stove working up some eggs and bacon on a skillet. I watched as his back muscles moved with every movement.

"Early bird gets the worm" I mumble. Jay turns to me with a startled look on his face.

"Shit, you scared me!" 

"Oh come on, I don't look all that bad in the morning. At least I don't think I do."

Jay chuckled as prepared me a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon and pancakes. Wow. A man who had breakfast down this early... 

"You look good for it being this early" he says, his eyes stay on me as he walks over to the coffee pot and pours some into a mug. "How do you like your coffee?"

I shrug off the way his eyes lingered on me after telling me I look good. It's just a compliment. "With some creamer, please" I say to him.

"Right away."

"Thank you for letting me stay here AND for making breakfast. I'd say you have been a pretty decent host."

Jay leans across the counter while taking a bite from his own plate as he smiles at me. "Five star rating kind of host?" he winks, sliding me the mug of coffee he made for me. 

"Don't get too ahead of yourself."  We both laugh and continue scarfing down our breakfast. My phone starts buzzing with an incoming call. When I look up at Jay, he's already looking at me meaning he took a glance at my phone and saw who's calling. I cleared my throat before picking up.

"You're up early" I try to sound normal.

"I want you to look into something for me." Straight to the point, as usual.

"Good morning to you too."

"Sorry, I've been up all night tracking Leo. A friend of mine called me yesterday asking for help but I got too much on my plate right now. That's why I'm calling you to see if you wouldn't mind doing me this favor..."

Hank needs a favor from me? Never thought the day would come. "Yeah? What do you need me to do?"

The line went quiet for a moment. I almost thought he might have found himself rethinking his decision on calling me for a favor. It's not like I owe him my whole life for being there for me countless of times. "This friend of mine lives in Los Angeles. There has been two murders now and they have nothing so far. He believes this person might be after someone he cares about next."

"I would leave and handle it myself but with everything going on over here, I can't, so. I figured for now maybe you could head over to Los Angeles while I figure out this whole Leo situation, get you out of Chicago for a bit."

"Hank, I don't need to leave Chicago right now just because this son of a bitch decided to-"

"Ayla just do me this favor, okay?" He didn't sound like he was up for an argument from me right now.

I rubbed at my forehead as I considered what to say. I barely made it to Chicago and now Hank wants me to take a mini vacation while he handles my own situation? 

"Um fine but Hank. When you say handle this situation, maybe not handle it in the way y-"

"I will handle the situation. Am I on speaker phone?"

"No?"

"Put me on speaker phone." Jay must have heard because he went still the second Hank said it. I put my phone down and put Hank on speaker like he asked. I should have known better when it comes to him. "Good morning, Jay."

"Morning, Sarge." Jay shook his head. We both should have known better than to know nothing gets past Voight. I didn't even bother asking how he knew because it would be pointless.

"Listen, I need you to go with Ayla to Los Angeles. I don't want her going alone"

"I can handle it myself" I say with the most annoyed tone possible.

"I never said you could. If anyone can handle themselves its you kid but I. don't. want. you. going. alone. So, since you and Halstead are such good partners, you both can do me this favor and see what the hell is going on over there for me. Your flight leaves tonight, I'll send over all the details."

The line went dead before either one of us could get another word out. Damn this man. Calling for a favor but already having flight and hotel taken care of. Classic Hank Voight move, he knew we wouldn't say no. Jay and I just looked at each other for a second. 

"So..." Jay says.

"Soooo. Looks like we're going to L.A"