Chicago PD spoilers: Do Jay and Hailey get engaged in the season 9 premiere?

Chicago PD had a lot to answer for after the devastating season 8 finale. There was the possibility that Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati) would die as a result of her gunshot wounds, and of course, the promise that Jay Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer) and Hailey Upton (Tracy Spiridakos) would throw caution to the wind and get engaged.

The Burgess subplot took precedent during the season 9 premiere, but the Jay and Hailey romance bookended the episode, providing a nice counterbalance to the criminal investigation.

Caution: There are spoilers from the Chicago PD season 9 premiere in this post.

As the anticipation for Jay and Hailey’s engagement grew between seasons, fans wondered whether the Chicago PD showrunners would deliver during the premiere or merely tease it and extend it throughout season 9. Not only did the showrunners deliver, but they had the couple get engaged twice!

The episode, titled, opens with Hailey bearing her soul to a concerned Jay. She’s still reeling from aftermath of Burgess’s shooting, and she tells Jay that she wants to start a new chapter (“a better chapter”) of their lives together. She proposes to Jay, and while the latter is visibly touched, there’s a hesitance in his voice that doesn’t get resolved until the end of episode.

Will Halstead and Upton get married on Chicago PD?

Hailey’s disillusionment has been an underlying theme since she joined the force, but watching Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) torture a suspect in the season 8 finale seemingly pushed her over the edge. It shook her confidence in the veteran cop, and seemingly sped up her decision to propose to Jay and start a family.

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This theme comes back around in the final scene, where Jay asks why Hailey proposed, and she points to her desire for stability and normalcy. Hailey admits that Burgess’s shooting (and Voight’s actions) influenced her, but asserts that maybe it took a tragedy for her to work up the courage to say how she really felt. The moment of transparency bonds the couple, and they embrace.

In a nice moment of levity, Jay gets on his knees and proposes a second time. When Hailey reminds him that she already did so, Jay asserts that he’s “old fashioned” and asks her to accept his proposal in return. She naturally does, and the season 9 premiere goes out on a quietly triumphant note.

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