Jay was in a bit of a mood.  Not so bad that his guys were steering clear of him, but it was bad enough that he was getting looks like they expected him to go full-on Sergeant on them and make their lives miserable.  And that wasn't something he wanted them to think.  It wasn't anyone's fault that his alarm clock stopped working and he had nearly been late. Unless of course. someone had pulled a prank on him.  Then there would be hell to pay.  Not that he didn't mind a good prank, but messing with his alarm clock was off-limits, thank you very much.  Okay, he had to calm down.  Everything was fine.  He just had to work this off. And that was why he was heading for the gym right now: to work off the bad mood.  It was what was needed to make sure that he didn't snap at anyone.  Wonder if I should talk to Ashley, he thought to himself.  Ashley Kellerman---the woman he had started talking to after he and Mouse had survived an ambush on their convoy---always managed to put things in perspective for him.  But then again, he wasn't even sure why he was in a mood, other than not waking up at the normal time.

He gave himself a mental shake and did a few warm ups before going to one of the treadmills and putting it on the speed that he normally used.  With the way he was feeling, he was apt to pull something if he did anything else because he'd let himself get caught up in the reps or the speed of the machine.  So yeah, walking it off it was.  Look at him being all responsible-like.  Then again, no one could ever say that he was reckless when it came to his workouts.  At least...he hoped no one could...

Chloe is using the last couple of hours before her shift to get a work out in. She likes to use her time prior to shift to get her head in the right place before going into the often very busy ER, usually she would prefer a run outside but she just wasn’t feeling that today so the best available alternative was to get on the treadmill pop in her earbuds block out the rest of the world and run.

When she’d first come into the center she had been the only person there so she had her pick of equipment. She’s been running for about ten minutes when she notices someone getting on the treadmill next to her, their sudden appearance startles her a bit because she hadn’t heard anything. Honestly, she wasn’t really expecting anyone else to be in here at this hour; she’s found that nine times out of ten when she comes here at this time of day she never sees anyone else. She tries unsuccessfully to ignore her curiosity about the new person on the machine next to her, finally giving in she turns her head to see who is now working out next to her.

She sees a man messing with the controls and settings on the machine, and catches his eye and smiles before turning forward again to focus on her workout. Popping out her earbuds while still running she says, “Hi…I’m Chloe…you scared me a little, I didn’t hear you come in.”

He glanced at the woman next to him who introduced herself as Chloe and admitting that he had scared her as she hadn't heard him come in.
"Sorry about that. Didn't mean to scare you," he apologized. Guess I need to start wearing a bell on base, he thought to himself. Chloe wasn't the only one who had complained about not seeing him.  "I'm Jay," he introduced himself. Hey, might as well be polite, right? "Hope you don't mind me encroaching on your workout time. I usually come earlier but that didn't happen today," he stated. In fact, his whole schedule had been thrown off. But he was pretty sure that she didn't want to hear about all that. No, like him, she was probably here to just work stuff off. Not that he knew this for sure or that it was any of his business, mind you. Because it wasn't. And he wasn't going to press things. It just wasn't his way. No, he was more apt to leave things alone, unless somebody indicated that they wanted to talk, which this woman hadn't, so yeah, staying quiet.

The machine switched on and he started running.
"So, is this the usual time that you work out?" he asked and then nearly face palmed. Really? What the hell? How dorky could he sound? Oh well. Hopefully, she wouldn't care. And why should she? It wasn't like she actually knew him or vice-versa. And he really didn't know if she was one of those people who preferred absolute silence when working out. He, himself, it really depended on the day. Sometimes he did prefer silence when he was working out, and sometimes he didn't mind engaging in conversation, and today was one of the latter days even though he was in a bit of a mood. However, if Chloe wasn't in the mood to talk, he hoped that his question hadn't irritated her. Because, honestly, that was the last thing that he wanted.

“It’s all good, I probably wouldn’t have been able to hear you if you had been making noise…I was listening to music and admittedly not paying very much attention.” She smiles at him again as she points to her earbuds. “It’s nice to meet you Jay, and I don’t mind at all…sometimes a little company is nice.” She wondered what had happened to keep him from working out at his normal time, not that it was any of her business but it was part of her curious nature to wonder about these things. She wasn’t going to complain about it a bit though, there were days when she felt like she didn’t talk to anyone except the patients at work and her coworkers.

She giggles not at his question but the face he makes right after he asks, “Yes…when I don’t run outside, this is the time that I’m usually here. I try to do one or the other before I go in to work, and on my days off it’s nice to keep the routine. It’s really a good time to be here though, I usually have the place to myself…not that I mind the company today,” she adds not wanting him to think that he’s bothering her, “but there is no fighting for the machines and such.”

Deciding to be brave rather than the shy person she normally was she continues the conversation. “So I’d ask you the same question, but you already answered that. I hate that something happened to mess up your routine, but I can’t complain too much…if it hadn’t happened I’d still be in here running all by myself with nobody to talk to.”

Jay nodded as Chloe assured him that everything was okay and that she wouldn't have been able to hear him even if he had been making noise because she had been listening to music and not paying attention, pointing to her earbuds as she said this. Not really a good idea to work out that way. What if I had been a terrorist or insurgent? he thought to himself and then gave himself a mental shake. Wow. Way to be a jerk, Halstead. Just because he was on high alert twenty-four, seven, didn't mean that everyone else would be. He then smiled as she said it was nice to meet him and that some company would be nice.
"Awesome," he said. "What were you listening to?" he wondered. And yes, he was being nosy. Sue him. Actually, she probably shouldn't because she wouldn't get a damn thing as he didn't have that much.

He listened as she confirmed that she was usually in the gym at this hour when she wasn't running, explaining that she tried to do one or the other before work and that she came on her days off because it was nice to have a routine, and that she was usually alone, hastening to add that she didn't mind the company, explaining that when she was alone, there was no fighting over the machines.
'Makes sense," he stated. He didn't much like fighting over the equipment either. In his opinion, it ruined the whole experience and made people hate working out.

When she said that she hated that something had messed up his usual routine but couldn't complain too much because if it hadn't happened, she'd still be in the gym all day without anyone to talk to, he smiled.
"This is true. And honestly, it probably wasn't even that big of a deal, but..." he shrugged. Yeah, okay, maybe he had overreacted a bit, but he was a creature of habit and he liked routine. Was that so bad?

When Jay asks her what she was listening to Chloe full on blushed, no way was she going to admit to listening to that. “What I was listening to…really isn’t that important.” She sputters out and starts to ramble trying to cover her embarrassment “I realize now that it’s probably not that smart to listen to my music so loud that I don’t hear the door open but…if I can’t feel safe here… where can I feel safe…I mean really. Phew…it’s hot in here. They really need to turn those fans on.”

She feels a little relieved when he mentions that what happened probably wasn’t that big of a deal, she thinks he’s probably dropped his earlier question about her music choices. “It may not have been that big of a deal….but I’m guessing that it was enough to throw your day off a little…am I right? I’m also guessing that you’re the type that doesn’t like it when things don’t go a certain way?” She smiles at him. “No real shame in that though, because admittedly I’m the pretty much the same way…most of the time.”

Her phone starts ringing, recognizing the number being that of the hospital she says stopping the tread mill and stepping off. “Hang on…it’s work, I should probably take this….” She answers “Lieutenant Nunn. Yes…I’m scheduled to be in at nine….nine to nine….ok, well if you don’t need me today…sure I can pick up tomorrow…thanks, no it’s fine.”

Hanging up the phone she grumbles and starts the machine back up a little faster this time, “Great…just great…now I have nothing to do today and I have to reschedule my whole day tomorrow…Gah!” Turning back to Jay she says “Case in point…” she laughs, “I mean it’s not like I really have any plans that need to be rescheduled, but…it’s all just a little irritating, however it now appears I have the rest of the day off.”

Jay quirked an eyebrow as Chloe began stammering, saying that what she was listening to didn't matter. Why would she be embarrassed about the kind of music she's listening to? he wondered. It didn't make sense to him.
"What, was it a boy band or somethin'?" he asked. Not that it was any of his business, but the way she was acting, how could it be anything but? He then nodded as she went on to say that she realized how dangerous it was to to listen to music through headphones, though she defended herself by saying that she felt safe in the building, asking if it was hot in there. "Little bit. Then again, we've both been working," he pointed out.

He then grinned as she told him that there was no shame in liking things a certain way as she was the same way.
"Oh good. It's not just me," he stated. That actually made him feel a bit better. He didn't like the idea of being weird or a nuisance to people, and hopefully, he wasn't being either right now. He was about to say more when her phone rang and he fell silent as she talked for a bit and then hung up, immediately complaining that she had nothing to do and would have to reschedule things in the next day, adding that she didn't really have any plans but that it was irritating and that she apparently had the day off. "It's my day off too," he offered. Hey, at least she wasn't alone, which in his mind, was a plus. However, he had no idea how she felt about that sort of thing. For all he knew, she was wanting to work today, and from the sound of it, she did. But then again, it wasn't any of his business. No, he was just going to keep his mouth shut for the time being.

Chloe laughs as he accuses her of listening to a boy band, "That's it...you've discovered my deepest darkest secret, my workout playlist consists entirely of the backstreet boys. See why I have to use my headphones now? Nobody wants to listen to my music." she says sticking her tongue out at him.

"You don't talk much do you Jay?" She asks, before continuing "That's ok I talk enough for the both of us...or so I've been told a couple times."

Chloe hadn't really wanted to work today, but it was better than working tomorrow. She knew the people that she was supposed to be working with today, tomorrow was an entirely different shift. One that she hadn't ever worked with very much. "So how did you manage today off?" Chloe takes a long drink out of her bottled water. "This happens to me all the time, I guess it's because I'm one of the newest nurses...they always change up my schedule on me, and they never give me much notice. I guess I'm just as much to blame because I keep agreeing to it, so they call me first. Don't want to get the reputation of being hard to get along with or not willing to work with people, so I try to do what I can to make things work."

Chloe sets her water bottle back in the holder turning forwards again, "I'm sorry to talk your ear off...you're probably wishing you had come at your regular time after all." she laughs before remaining quiet for a couple minutes.

She doesn't know if Jay would rather she just keep quiet or if he's just not one to talk very much so she decides to tone down the conversation a little and let him talk if he wants to, or not...for now.

Jay grinned as she said that he had discovered her deepest, darkest secret, saying that her playlist consisted entirely of the Backstreet Boys, which was why she used headphones as no one wanted to listen to her music.
"Well, it's not my favorite, but it wouldn't bother me if you were listening to it," he responded. And it wouldn't. Not really. Like he said, it wasn't really his favorite type of music, but that didn't mean he wouldn't listen to it on occasion. When she noted that he didn't talk a lot, saying that it was okay because she had been told that she could talk for two people, he flashed her a smile. "Sorry. Little grumpy. My alarm didn't go off when it was supposed to which made me late and it put me in a bit of a mood. Didn't mean to take it out on you or be antisocial," he apologized. Great. Now she thinks I'm a jackass. Perfect, he thought to himself. That wasn't what he had intended to have happen.

When she said that they always changed the schedule on her without a lot of notice because she was one of the newer nurses and that some of it was on her as she didn't object to it as she didn't want to get a reputation for being hard to work, he frowned in concern.
"Just make sure they're not taking advantage of you," he cautioned. Okay, maybe he was being paranoid, but it sounded like they were, so maybe not. And yes, his protectiveness was coming out. Sue him.

His eyes then flickered as she apologized for talking his ear off, saying that he was probably wishing that he had come at his regular time and he shook his head.
"You're fine," he assured her, smiling at her. Truth was, it was kind of nice to have someone to talk to. "I swear, I'm usually more talkative," he promised. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel uncomfortable. "So tell me a little about yourself. What made you decide to choose nursing? I mean, if I'm not getting to personal," he stated. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable. He was just trying to get to know her.

“No, you don’t need to apologize,” She laughs, “You didn’t come here today planning on having to entertain me. You’ve done nothing that could even be considered taking it out on me, you’ve been nothing but nice. Just quiet, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Besides it’s perfectly normal to be a bit grumpy when your alarm doesn’t go off, I would be too…except if it was my day off I might look at it as a good thing.” She adds smiling at him. “Like I said when you woke up this morning you were just planning a workout, not having to entertain someone while doing it.”

She hears him mention not letting them take advantage of her, “Well yeah…I love my job and want to be as helpful as I can, but it looks to me like they might be taking advantage of my willingness to help. I probably won’t say anything about it though…I just started and I’m getting lots of experience. Besides I’m scared that if I say anything or make too big a fuss out of things they could make my life really difficult, I had to work really hard to get myself into the ER and I’m not real fond of the idea of being moved to any other department…I’d die of boredom.”

She’s silent for a few minutes thinking on how to answer his question, and shakes her head when he mentions getting too personal. “Why did I choose nursing? I guess it runs in the family and never really thought about anything else. My great grandma, grandma, and mom were all nurses. I just followed in the family footsteps, with a bit of a change. I could never see myself working in a nursing home or doctor’s office or basically anywhere other than in the helicopter or the ER. I’ve always enjoyed the excitement and adrenaline of it all. Of course helping people is really nice, I just prefer to help them in the more emergent situations.”

Smiling over at him she decides to go ahead and ask him, the worst he can do is not answer. “So what about you Jay? What is it that you do around here?”

Jay smiled as Chloe assured him that he didn't need to apologize, saying that he hadn't come to the gym expecting to have to entertain her, assuring him that he hadn't taken anything out on her and had been perfectly nice, adding that it was perfectly normal to be grumpy when your alarm didn't go off, saying she would've felt the same way if she didn't have the day off, repeating her statement that he hadn't expected to have to entertain her while doing his workout.
"I don't mind. I actually should probably be socializing a bit more, to be honest," he responded. "Well, according to my therapist anyway," he continued with a shrug. Hopefully, he hadn't just scared her off with the revelation that he was in therapy. She didn't seem to be that type, but then again, he didn't really know her.

He then listened as he listened to her explanation of why she was being so agreeable, saying that she was new and didn't want to cause problems, even though she had a feeling that the staff was in fact taking advantage of her agreeableness.
"It's not my business, so go ahead and tell me to shove off if I'm overstepping, but if it continues and they're giving you more work than they're supposed to, maybe you should take it up with the board or someone else," he said. And great. He was being pushy. He needed to learn to keep his mouth shut. But to be honest, he was a little worried about the fact that she seemed to be working even crazier hours than was normal for nurses. Don't like it, he thought to himself. Yes, he was aware that he didn't know all that much about medical school---that had always been more of Will's thing---but he knew that what he was hearing didn't sound right. Or maybe that was just his overprotectiveness kicking in again. Yeah, that sounded like him.

Chloe smiles at Jay when he mentions that his therapist says he needs to socialize more, "Well then I guess I'm just what the Doctor ordered. Or therapist...same thing." Chloe's curious as to what has Jay in therapy but figures if and when he's ever ready to talk about it, he'll bring it up on his own. She may be curious but she's not pushy.

When he tells her that it's none of his business and to tell him to shove off if he's overstepping she smiles at him again and shakes her head and says, "I've made it your business by discussing it with you, silly. Be kind of rude for me to complain to you about something and then fuss at you when you offer suggestions."

She hears the tiniest bit of protectiveness in his voice as he tells her to take it up with the board or someone else, and she likes it. It's been awhile since anyone has been protective of her, she's had to take care of herself for awhile now. Shaking her head to indicate that she won't be going to the board anytime soon she continues, "Nah, it's nothing serious enough to go to the board with yet. But thanks, it's nice to hear the fact that it sounds like they're taking advantage of me from someone other than myself; I've got nobody else to talk to about it. When I call my parents, they listen but then all I get back is...'you knew what you were signing up for when you ran off and joined the Navy, so don't call us complaining about it'...They're still a little upset, and haven't gotten over the fact that their only child went off and abandoned them...even after all these years I still have to hear about it from the whole family anytime I go back home. So I try not to go back very often."

Slowing her machine a little to start her cool down, and gathering all of her courage she asks "So Jay, since we both have the day off...and you have orders to socialize some more, what do you say we meet up somewhere later for lunch? Give me time to shower and change and do something with this," She says gesturing to her face, "and I have all afternoon to socialize." She smiles before adding quickly "Unless you have other plans, of course."

Jay smiled back as Chloe said that she was just what the doctor---or the therapist in this case----had ordered, calling it the same thing.
"Exactly," he agreed. Both could be pushy. But then again, sometimes he needed that. And yes, he could readily admit that sometimes his stubbornness could cause friction with others. He just didn't like asking for help. He was weird that way. He then nodded as she reminded him that she had made her problems his business by discussing them with him, saying it would be rude to complain about things and then make a fuss when he offered up suggestions. "Well I have a habit of developing open mouth insert food syndrome, so..." he said, trailing off with a shrug.

He then nodded, keeping in time with the treadmill as she shook her head and said the situation wasn't serious enough to take it to the board, though it was nice to know she wasn't alone in her thoughts of being taken advantage of, saying that she didn't have anyone else to talk to, saying that when she tried talking to her parents about it, they just told her that she knew what she was getting into when she had signed up, explaining that they were still upset that she had in essence abandoned them, something they mentioned whenever she went home, so she tried not to go back very often.
"That sucks," he said. At least Dad wasn't like that with him. Was he disappointed that he hadn't followed in his footsteps? Absolutely, but he was proud of him, that he knew.

After a while, he slowed the treadmill to a cool down and listened as she asked him if he wanted to go somewhere for lunch, mentioning the fact that they both had the day off and that he had been ordered to socialize, saying that she just needed to shower and change, before saying that they didn't have to if he already had plans.
"No, no plans. Lunch sounds perfect," he answered. "I actually need a shower myself, so we can meet outside the locker rooms after we're both done?" I can't believe I'm doing this. But hey, gotta do it sometime, right? Right. Everything would be fine.

She swallows the last of the water out of her water bottle, and smiles when he mentions that he has a habit of sticking his foot in his mouth, when he shrugs off the rest of whatever he was going to say she laughs and says, "Well don't worry about that, It won't upset me...however I will probably get a good laugh out of it, and call you on it. If I had to guess though, it doesn't happen near as often as you think it does." Chloe is intrigued by Jay, and decides that she definitely wants to get to know him better.

She's shocked not only that she had actually found the courage to ask him to lunch but that when she does, he actually agrees. She's not sure how to take him, and can't decide if he's speaking to her and agreeing to this lunch because he actually wants to...or if it's to get her to shut up. "Well ok then, let me head to the showers...I have a feeling it probably takes me a bit longer than it does you and I don't want you to have to stand around outside the locker rooms waiting for me for too long. So give me about fifteen minutes head start...if you don't mind." She says grabbing all of her stuff hopping off the treadmill and looking back at him sensing what she thinks might be reluctance on his part. Causing her own insecurities starting to kick in, "You know, you don't have to do this right? I didn't mean to make you feel like you do...so if you change your mind, I won't hold it against you." With that she turns and heads to the locker room.

Once she's in the showers she replays the whole conversation over and over in her head, and has pretty much convinced herself that he's not going to be waiting for her when she gets out. She rinses out her strawberry scented conditioner right before she steps out of the shower drying off quickly and dresses in a pair of jeans, a red long sleeved shirt, and her tennis shoes. She pulls her wet hair up into a pony tail knowing that if she doesn't do something with it, it'll be a complete tangled mess when it dries. Looking in the mirror she shakes her head and decides to simply apply a bit of mascara thankful that this is going to be a casual lunch.

With one last look in the mirror and a deep breath she heads out of the locker room and into the hallway.

Jay smiled as Chloe told him not worry about putting his foot in his mouth as it wouldn't upset her, but would probably have a good laugh at his expense and call him out on it.
"Fair enough," he said. Hey, that was honest at least and he couldn't blame her for wanting to make sure he stayed honest. It was a little refreshing, to be honest. He liked a girl with spunk and Chloe seemed to have plenty of that. So glad I came even though it wasn't my regular time, he thought to himself. If he hadn't, he wouldn't have met Chloe. Not that he was going to say this out loud as he didn't want to scare the poor girl, which he was sure to do if he did say anything. So yeah, keeping quiet on that front. Okay, now he was overthinking things again. He really needed to stop doing that. He just couldn't help it sometimes. Call it part of being an Army Sergeant who had to come up with battle strategies on a few occasions. And yes, he could readily admit that sometimes his military training bled into his personal life.,

His eyes then flickered as she said that she was going to head to the showers, asking him to wait fora bout fifteen minutes before starting his as he probably wouldn't need as much time as she did, quickly adding that if he didn't actually want to go to lunch with her, he could still bow out.
"No, I'd love to go. I'm glad you asked," he assured her. Like Ashley had stated, he needed to get out and socialize more and what better way to do that than to go to a lunch with her? Besides, he had no doubt that it'd be fun for both of them. Plus, they had to eat, so this was a win-win for the both of them.

After the allotted time, Jay went into the men's locker room, where he stripped and turned on the water, letting its warmth enveloping him as the darts of water worked out some of the kinks in his neck and shoulders. Mmmm...feels good, he thought to himself. He had been pretty tense lately and to be perfectly honest, the warm water actually felt a bit relaxing, almost as if it was washing away the tension. Which it probably was. Well, at least for the time being. A few moments later, he used the soap and then rinsed it off before turning the shower off and then stepping out to dry himself with a towel and change into a new pair of clothes before going outside to wait for her, smiling when he saw her a few minutes later. Wow. She looks good, he thought to himself. Not that he would say this out loud as he had a feeling that it would be a little too forward to say to someone he had just met.
"Where do you want to eat?" he asked.