A/N: And I'm back! I've really wanted to do something with a focus on "Ghosts" (5x18: the Hailey-centric episode of PD), but then I got to thinking...what if I went back further, and made Jay the person from Hailey's past, as opposed to Garrett. So that's how this story came to be. This first chapter though, is sort of a prologue, I guess. It's the night Hailey first met Jay. They're both undercover, but neither knows the other is a cop. See how that goes over below. Hope you guys like this!

I really should've worn better shoes.

That was apparently the first thought that crossed Detective Hailey Upton's mind as she leaned against the bar top of Chatham Lounge. She'd never been to this particular establishment, course she hadn't really gone out on the bar scene in ages. Her unit in Robbery-Homicide wasn't too keen on socializing outside of work. Not that she minded. She was very work-focused herself, but sometimes, she just needed to cut loose. She supposed that's why they invented 6-packs and ESPN reruns.

She shifted on her feet for the umpteenth time, really wishing her partner, Cara Rafferty, hadn't talked her into wearing red high heels. Course, Hailey wasn't much of a fashion snob either, preferring her leather jackets and Converse to high heels and fitted jeans, like the ones she was currently in. "They work well together," Cara had insisted, referring to Hailey's red bodysuit (which acted as her top), skinny jeans, and matching heels. Cara even lent Hailey her red lipstick, which she felt utterly ridiculous in, but at least she could still wear her hair down in its usual messy wave pattern.

She glanced at the other end of the bar, where Cara was chatting up some guy, Hailey hoped it was a friend of their triggerman, Daniel Jacobs - but he was facing away from her, so she didn't know for sure. Daniel Jacobs was currently working the bar Hailey was idling, hence why she stayed put. The fourth dead girl in two weeks all had one thing in common: the last place they were seen alive was Chatham Lounge. Her boss, Sergeant Max Anderson, hadn't really given Daniel much thought on the suspect list, but that all changed once Hailey found the nexus. Apart from bartending and apparently murdering young women, Daniel also dealt on the side for extra cash. Each girl was found with an overdose of cocaine, as well as alcohol in their bloodstreams. His signature cocktail, apparently.

"Hey," she said, so sweetly it bordered on sugarcoating, batting her eyelashes in Daniel's direction. "I'm still waiting on that amazing Chicago cocktail you promised me."

Daniel locked eyes with her, a devilish grin taking over his face. "One more minute, sweetheart. Just gotta get this guy his beer," Daniel said, topping off a draft with foam and sending it down a few feet from where Hailey was.

"Thank you, sir." She matched the voice to a face when she locked eyes with the mystery beer drinker.

The man, maybe only a few years older than herself, was dressed in blue jeans, a blue Henley, and a zip-up puffer jacket. He was sporting some scruff, but not a full-on beard, and had one hand lazily by his side. That's not what first caught her attention though. No, that would be his green eyes, which, even from a few feet away, were just about the greenest Hailey had ever seen.

The guy raised his beer in a good faith effort, and Hailey gave him a nod, really wishing she had her own drink. Not a moment too soon though, Jacobs' famous cocktail was placed in front of her. She raised her eyebrows, meeting Daniel's glance. There was something unnerving about his gaze, but Hailey knew that's what she wanted. For him to be off his game, just a little. Or at least distracted enough to give her what she needed.

"Well," Daniel asked, eyeing the drink. "Aren't you dying to try it?"

Hailey looked from him to the drink. She didn't see anything inherently wrong with it, and given the fact that Cara had already downed a few shots and was fine made her think he wouldn't be so idiotic as to try and drug a cop. So, she took a sip. That was her first mistake.

It would be easier to get Daniel to do a deal with me if he wasn't so busy chatting up every woman at the bar.

Although, Detective Jay Halstead tried to rationalize, that wasn't entirely true. Daniel's attention was inherently focused on one girl in particular. Not that she was easy to miss, Jay countered, that was for sure. He had attempted to flag Daniel down with that beer call, but then his attention went to the woman that interrupted his plan. Jay watched as she chatted him up for a minute, and he figured he'd lost his chance.

He thought he could get something from another girl down the way...Cara, he thinks her name was — but she seemed too keen on asking him questions instead of answering the ones he attempted to ask. The conversation just wasn't flowing naturally, so he cut it off. That's when he turned and noticed Daniel drawn to the blonde.

He had to figure out a way to get Daniel away from the girl, or to get closer to her, as she was obviously getting closer to Daniel. He slid his beer down to his partner, Adam Ruzek, who, not that Jay was surprised anymore, downed it in a snap. He had already had one, and he knew he needed to focus a little more than most, since it was his idea for Intelligence to take the lead on this case. They were aware of the latest two victims, but he knew there had to be more as far as Daniel Jacobs was concerned. Jay knew the scumbag had to lure the girls away, then maybe try to have his way, and if he didn't get it, they'd wind up dead. Who knew exactly what transpired, but Jay was determined to make sure it didn't happen again.

"Dude, as much as I love getting free beer, will you please just make the deal happen already?" Adam asked him.

Jay gave him a look that said, 'Don't even start,' to which Adam raised his hands defensively, sighing.

"Hey man," Jay yelled to Daniel, who acted like it was the worst thing in the world to be pulled away from the blonde he was so vehemently attached to. "Sorry, but could we get another round?" When Daniel moved closer, as if he couldn't hear, that's when Jay made his move.

"And maybe, if it's not too much trouble, a moment of your time to chat about the other products you push around here?" When he watched Daniel's brows furrow, he backtracked. "Hey, dude, trust me, I got a lot of angsty Pilsen boys looking to take the edge off. They'd be prime time customers for you...besides, Vita gave you rave reviews. Said you were her go-to." Jay smiled, hoping it would sell the lie.

Truth was, Vita Ford was their most recent victim. Intelligence knew of her, and Willa Harris; two girls whose families deserved justice and closure. That's why Jay wanted to nail this SOB.

"Ah, Vita, she's good people. How'd you meet her..." he drew out the last bit of his question, hoping Jay would fill in his name.

"Ryan. And Vita and I went to high school together. Indiana."

"Oh yeah, man she told me 'bout how all you miserable farm kids used to cut loose…" Daniel paused, taking a beat to study Jay. "Alright, yeah, we'll talk. But not here." He scribbled down something on a napkin, folding it up and discreetly handing it to Jay.

It read:

Midnight. Midway Dock just north of here.

Jay looked at it, before signaling Adam under the table. He caught Ruzek's eye for a quick second, indicating he understood, before glancing back to Daniel.

"Cool, cool." He hoped he sounded smoother than he felt.

He noticed Adam had gotten up, announcing his bathroom break. Jay heard the transmission he relayed to Voight over their ears though. "Boss, we got a meet. Midnight, Midway Dock."

"Alright. Good, that's good. Keep an eye out though. This is his hunting ground. Head on a swivel." Voight's gravel tone echoed in Jay's earpiece. He shifted his head, almost forgetting for a moment that Daniel still stood in front of him.

"So, we'll talk later, man, alright. Right now, though, I've got prettier eye candy to catch, you know what I mean?" He gave Jay a look like douchebag bros would do, and then not so subtly flicked his gaze down the bar.

Jay followed his line of sight, landing on the mysterious blonde and her friend, or who Jay assumed was her friend since they were chatting. He realized he should give him some indication he understood what he meant.

"Dude, they're hot. Have fun."

Daniel raised his eyebrows suggestively. "Oh, trust me, I intend to."

Jay didn't immediately understand what he meant, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out. He didn't let his partner or his superior in on his suspicions though. That was his first mistake.

"Woah, you sure you're alright?"

Hailey could hear Cara's voice, but she couldn't tell why it sounded so far away. Wasn't she standing right next to her?

"Yeah," her voice sounded muffled, like her throat was coated in molasses or something. "Just one hell of a drink."

But Hailey knew she wasn't alright. Far from it, as she could feel the edges of her vision get fuzzy. Shit, what an idiot she was. How could you have been so stupid? She was too busy berating herself, she didn't hear Cara's question.

"What're you doing?!"

Her voice again sounded distant, but this time it was, as Hailey found herself wandering away from the bar. She was in desperate need of cold water, and she didn't dare ask the roofie bartender for some.

She had almost made it to the back door, where she assumed the bathrooms were located, when she felt someone else's presence by her side. A rough hand was getting dangerously close to her backside, and she tried to shrug them off, figuring it was another drunken idiot.

"Hey, where you goin' sweetheart?"

She blinked a few times, trying to clear the haze that was starting to cloud her eyes. She knew that voice. She knew that if she looked up, she'd be looking at Daniel Jacobs' face. She scrunched her face up, hating this situation the longer she was in it. She found her voice, albeit scratchy.

"You need– you need t'leave me alone."

Where was her gun when she needed it?

She felt beer-laden breath by her ear. "I don't know, you seem pretty out of it. Why don't you take a seat?"

Hailey wriggled out of his grasp, but faltered on her feet. Before she could so much as knee him where it hurt, she found herself on a worn-out sofa in the back corner of the bar.

She felt the white-hot panic take over her body, but her limbs were still like jello. She still tried to push him off of her, but it felt like her arms were going to break if she moved them anymore.

Okay, Cara. Now would be a really good time to notice me being gone…

As if on cue, Daniel Jacobs was pulled up and off of her. She was about to tell Cara to collar his ass for assault, but then she witnessed Daniel being knocked down with a right hook to his jaw, and an uppercut hit to the chest.

She knew Cara, but she knew her partner couldn't fight like that even if she wanted to. So, then who the hell just saved her life?

Jay knew it was stupid. Maybe it was the hero complex in him, he didn't really know. But, regardless, he found himself right in the middle of a hazardous situation.

He had watched the girl pull away from the bar, and since he knew the bathrooms were located in the direction she was headed, he figured she was fine. But when she didn't emerge after a couple minutes, and he noticed Daniel was nowhere to be found, he sprang into action.

"I'll be back," he had told Adam. Ruzek threw up an "OK" signal as Jay went on his way. His suspicions were right when he saw Daniel on top of the semi-conscious blonde. Dammit.

He'd do a lot for an investigation, but he couldn't live with himself if he knew the next victim was right in his crosshairs. He couldn't just sit there and do nothing. So, he reacted. His combat training from his Ranger days served him well, as he took Daniel down with only two hits.

Which led him to the here and now, as he moved over to the girl to make sure she was okay. "Hey, are you okay?"

She was still splayed out on the sofa, but turned her head to look at him. When she finally opened her eyes, Jay got lost in the sea of blue. Ice blue, really, but he figured now wasn't the time for technicalities.

He watched her blink a couple times, before she attempted to prop herself up on her elbows. "Woah, okay.." he whispered, hooking his hand into the crook of her arm. He was surprised she didn't flinch at his touch.

He helped her sit up, and was about to call for an ambulance when it hit him: he just fucked up his whole investigation. And he didn't even know this girl's first name.