Chapter 53

Jay parks the car after a while and a smile forms on Emma's face as she looks out the window and realizes where they are. Without a second thought, she gets out of the car and lets the gentle breeze hit her face. Jay copies her movements and after getting out of the car approaches her, smiling sweetly when he sees her admiring the view. 

"So was it a good or a bad surprise?" he asks as soon as he stands next to her and Emma turns to look at him. 

"Definitely a good surprise," she replies, pointing to Illinois Beach State Park. 

"I'm glad you like it. So, shall we?" he asks her, raising his hand, and Emma nods, resting her own hand at Jay's, tangling their fingers. 

"We haven't been here in a while," she observes and Jay nods. 

"Yeah, our occupations when we haven't been working lately are confined to the bed," he teases her, and Emma hits him on the arm making him laugh. 

"You forgot the shower and the couch," she finally says, and Jay looks at her with a smirk. 

"You're right. But I think if we have to remember all the places then it's a shame to leave out the kitchen counter," he says, and they both laugh lightly as they remember very well what he's talking about. 

"Do you remember the first time we came here?" she asks him, smiling with the memory, and Jay nods. 

How could he forget? It was the day of his dad's funeral, another day that Emma hadn't left him alone. It was the day she shared this place with him and revealed to him that she used to come here with Herrmann. And the importance of this place to Emma was also why he made him choose this place to ask her to take the next step in their relationship. 

"Look! The Ursa Major," Emma says excitedly as she observes the constellation in the sky and Jay smiles proudly as he remembers the effort he had made to teach her the stars the first time they were here. 

"And what's that?" he asks her, pointing a little further and Emma's reaction as she doesn't remember makes him laugh.

After a while, they walk silently looking at the water and the few passers-by who walk beside them without ever leaving each other's hands. Unconsciously, Jay with his free hand plays with the little black box in his pocket and tries to put his thoughts in order so he can talk. The speech he had prepared during the week is now gone and his heart is about to come out of his chest. 

"Is everything okay?" Emma's worried voice makes him turn his head and look at her. 

Her sweet smile is all he needs to find the courage to talk, and after he lets go of her hand, he stands right in front of her. She frowns watching him stop walking, but remains quiet waiting to see what's going on. 

"I've been thinking a lot the last few days," he starts telling her nervously, and he's sure Emma can hear his heart beating. 

"From that day at Navy Pier when the lady thought Kenny was our son I keep thinking, and I can't get out of my head how I felt at that moment Emma," he reveals looking her in the eye and Emma tries to figure out what he wants to tell her. She thought they had said what they had to say about it that night. She nods, making him realize he can keep going, and Jay does open his mouth again. 

"I told you I liked it, Emma. And I can't help but think how much I want that. How much I want a family with you. How much I want a complete future with you and every tomorrow I have to be with you by my side," he admits, and the wheels on Emma's head are turning like crazy listening to his words. Her heart starts to beat faster, faster than ever before, and a huge smile forms on her face. 

"From the first moment I met you, you believed in me and pushed me to be better. And every moment I spend with you makes me happier than I ever thought I could be," Jay continues, and his voice now trembles a little, while the tears in his eyes are like the ones Emma has in her eyes. 

"And if you let me, I promise that I will spend the rest of my life trying to make you feel the same way. Because Emms, you deserve the whole world" a tear rolls from his eyes as he kneels and Emma looks at him with her mouth open. 

"Emma Spencer, will you marry me?" he asks her sweetly, and the moment he opens the box revealing the ring inside, Emma kneels in front of him and kisses him. 

Their kiss is unlike any of what they've had so far. It is sweet, full of love and tenderness, but also salty at the same time because of the tears that escape from their eyes. They split up after a while and after touching their foreheads, Jay speaks first. 

"You know I'm going to need a verbal confirmation, right?" he asks her, and they both chuckle. 

"If that's the case, can you repeat your question?" Emma asks, and wiping her eyes goes a little further back so she can look at him better. Jay smiles sweetly and bringing the box back in front of her again he asks his question. 

"Emma Spencer, will you marry me?" 

"Yes, Jay Halstead, a thousand times yes," she replies smiling broadly, and so does Jay. 

He takes the ring out of the box and with gentle movements he places it on her finger. Without taking his eyes off her, he brings her hand in his mouth and leaves a gentle kiss on her knuckles. 

"You know you're stuck with me now forever, right?" Emma jokes, and this time Jay rests his hand on her cheek, gently stroking her with his thumb. 

"There's no other place I'd rather be," 

"Good... I love you, my fiancé," she says, and Jay smiles broadly as soon as he hears the name she uses to address him. 

"And I love you, my fiancée," he replies sweetly and bends down to kiss her again.