Chapter Text
Jay and the problems will never end.
People always said like a trouble-magnetic issue.
After one problem is solved, a new issue will appear.
But, that is his duty to take care of the universal society.
Especially in the matter of safety and honor of the community.
Just leaving the restaurant after eating lunch makes all the eyes go numb. But the work 'is a must' to continue for the sake of survival.
"Thanks for lunch, Kim. Hailey can't accept the fact that New York pizza sucks. Poor girl," said Kevin as he finished his food.
"Well, yesterday's case is still unfinished. I hope Hailey can take care of herself in New York. Soon, she will miss Chicago. Trust me," Kim said, raising her eyebrows at Jay. Yeah, the man was a bit tense after Hailey's absence. Everyone knew that he liked that woman. He was the only one who didn't want to be honest.
"What?" Jay just rolled his eyes as he drank his coffee.
"When do you plan to be honest with Hailey, huh? Don't you realize your biggest weakness is that you're not good at lying, man," teased Adam knowing that the man was timid or in some other language that was 'not very good at attracting women' state.
"Does it seem very obvious?" Jay asked, and they burst out laughing.
"Ha-ha of course, buddy! You're the only one who doesn't know how to pretend to be cold," said Kim as he laughed at the confused man.
At the end of their lunch, they were accompanied by laughter that almost made their stomachs burst. The intelligence team returned to the bullpen to complete the child abduction case, which was nearly finished. The 3-year-old boy was found abandoned next to an isolated restaurant. At the same time, the suspect is still in the process of hunting. It's not over yet, even though it's almost over.
Jay's ringing phone interrupted their conversation.
"Yeah, Johny... Ugh, shit. How are you then, buddy?.... yeah, sure... later, I'll ask someone to send your motorbike to the workshop. Take care, pal," said Jay in his conversation.
All their eyes were focused on him as if waiting for 1001 explanations. It sounds like a little anxious.
"What's up, man?" asked Adam.
"Well, my CI was involved in an accident. I came in a little late and told Voight. I need to call someone to ask him to send his motorbike to the workshop. It's pretty bad," explained Jay while dialing his friend's number.
"Johny? Is he alright?" A nod from the man only accompanied the answer to Kim's question.
"You go see him; I'll tell Serge later. Come on, everyone," Adam patted Jay on the shoulder, and they all walked away, leaving Jay on the side of the road.
While he was thinking, Jay continued to walk across a small lake. He walked to the parking lot to get his truck and immediately stopped after a girl bumped into him.
"Hey, kid... you-" Jay didn't have time to finish his sentence; the poor girl tripped and was thrown into the lake where there was no safety to prevent it.
"SHIT!" Without thinking, Jay jumped into the lake to save the girl.
For the explanation of Jay's brain, he did not think that the weather at that time was freezing, considering that they were in winter.
Jay continued to swim to save the girl. Where are this girl's parents? Walking without parental supervision is very dangerous, and this is what ended up happening. If Jay weren't there, many possibilities would have transpired.
After 3 minutes of 'living' in the lake at a shallow temperature, Jay shivered and managed to save the poor child.
"Russy! Oh my god! RUSSY!"
Someone screams. Jay thinks it might be the mother of this girl.
"...call... an... ambos.... she... she... needs treatment..." Jay raised his cold body while continuing to give CPR. The girl's lips were already pale due to a lack of oxygen.
"Oh, my baby! RUSSY! What happened?" The girl's father helped Jay stand up after his daughter choked on some lake water.
"Ambos 2 minutes from here. Keep pumping her chest to get rid of the water she choked on," said a man who approached them.
"Sh-She... urm... she fell after tripping from... my feet. Sh-she ran fr-from that... that waayyyy..." Jay's body trembled after he explained what had happened.
"Thank you very much, young man! You saved my girl!" said the mother while hugging her baby.
Just listening to the sound of the ambulance that Jay hated most, he continued to move away from the situation with their question mark. After a few minutes of handling the chest compressions, the girl finally woke up and vomited all the water she had choked on.
"Hey... Russy!... Welcome back, baby! Get that all out in you... it's okay..." said the mom, who is now calm a bit after she freaked out after what just happened to her girl.
"Hey! Young man! The ambulance is almost here. You also need to be checked," called the man there.
"N-Naahhh... I'm okkkaaay..." Huh, it's okay.
Jay continued walking to his truck and headed towards his workplace, which was nearby. When he's wet like that, he's guaranteed to be scolded by his colleagues and not to forget about the cold and flu that might be coming and haunting him. Jay just thought about changing his clothes in the car and continued to meet with his workshop partner to help his CI before going to the bullpen.
---
He had to blind everyone's eyes when he only planned to change his wet clothes in the car. 'To not cause them trouble, he had better do something good,' he thought.
"Hey, Jay. You're all wet... where are you from?" reprimanded Anthony, looking at his best friend's condition.
"Ugh, there's a... little thing... just now. CC-Caann, you help Johny... pick up the motorbike? I'll send you the address...." Jay tried his best not to speak while shaking.
"Yeah, yeah, sure. You said that earlier. Okay, I'll move first. Are you sure you're okay? Shivering just like I see?" Jay just nodded his rather heavy head and continued to approach his bullpen.
"DON'T FORGET TO CHANGE YOUR SOGGY SHIRT, DUDE! Well... That stubborn man," said Anthony as he went out and walked away.
Jay went upstairs with what he thought was eye movement from Trudy, who must have been thinking of something.
"Hey, chuckles... is there no water near the office until you have to shower outside?" Trudy teased, and Jay just smiled palely.
He went upstairs and sat in his chair. Woah, why did he think that this cold weather happened? His reverie stopped when Voight continued to look at him questioningly.
"Hey, Halstead. Where did you come from? Don't tell me you can't stand in Chicago winter month, kid," asked his serge, and Jay couldn't answer.
"Uhm... no... I'm-ma... go-ood-dd," Jay just answered indifferently.
"The heater has reached its final limit. Do you want to have the sauna room, buddy? What happened to Johny?" The joke from Adam only gave Jay a headache.
"HH-He... uhm... okay... yeah... fine," answered Jay, and they were a bit worried about Jay being so shivered.
"Where are you from, kid? Be honest with us," Alvin scolded as he flipped the heater for Jay.
"I met my CI... yeah..." replied Jay, and he continued his work. There is no power to give a long answer to that question. He just wanted today to go by quickly so he could go back and sleep.
A very long and miserable day for Jay. He didn't think such a trivial thing would happen. Before Jay moved home, Voight, who had seen Jay earlier as if he were a living corpse, approached.
"Jay, listen here. It doesn't even hurt if you are being honest. And your guard won't be down. I know something's up. You were fine this morning, but this afternoon it's like you've lost your life. What you have gotten into?" said Voight looking at Jay's slightly worsening condition when he didn't stop shaking. Moreover, there are plenty of tissues on his desk.
"Well... I'm fine... just a little cold..." No, no. Jay won't tell what happened. Let what happens, be happen.
"It's already time for home. You better go back now and rest. You'll be sick later, and it would impact one part of Intelligence to a difficult," his boss ridiculed, knowing that if Jay weren't well, almost everyone would have to calm him down.
"Don't worry... I'm still... okay," said the stubborn one before leaving his boss there.
Jay almost hit the road barrier. Other than that, he managed to get home without changing the appearance of his truck. The increasingly aching head and body made him unable to focus well, and he almost kissed the road divider.
Jay laid his head on the pillow as soon as he got home, without doing anything and involuntarily lazing around. But, before he had time to go into the wild dream, Jay chose the couch where he collapsed.
RRiinnggggg~~~
Don't scream.
Don't scream, Jay.
Don't...
"SHIT!"
Jay shouted.
He picked up the call from Will.
He almost forgot that he had promised Will to meet at Molly's tonight. It wasn't even half an hour before Jay fell asleep; his damn brother bothered his sleep.
"Hello, bro! So tonight at Molly's?" asked Will.
"UGHHHHH... S'rr'yyy... I'm tired..." It sounded true that his little brother had just woken up when Jay answered with a grunt.
"You just woke up? Oh, sorry to disturb your sleep, boy," teased Will, and luckily Jay wasn't as cold as he was earlier.
"It's okay... sorry, I'm a little tired... we'll set next time," Jay answered as he yawned, and Will wished him goodnight.
Jay was no longer shivering but still felt like a muscle spasm. He felt cramps in his legs, and his head hurt. Now this is also mixed with a feeling of being unwell. He could feel the breath exhaled rather hotly. Enough of this torture; don't let other things come. Jay's body finally warmed up after successfully piling himself up with as many blankets as possible. He let the night of worms haunt him.
---
Spider sense, ever heard of? William's spider sense is tingling. His intuition tells him that something wrong or dangerous is happening or about to happen. Jay suddenly spoke as if a shaking sound in his voice. And he was very sure that he had heard. Come on; Will is a doctor. How could he not detect something strange in Jay because, growing up, he rarely complained 'tired' in his brother's ear?
As the trustee of Jay's house duplicate key, who is more handsome than his master, Will plans to hang out at his brother's house only since he can rest. His shift that had just finished after 16 hours was shitty.
From the hospital to Jay's house only took 10 minutes. As soon as he got to Jay's apartment door, he knocked. To walk in without asking permission is very rude.
"Jay? I'm here..." Will's call was unanswered.
"JAYYY?" Again, it's unanswered.
Will waited a moment. He didn't care, even though it was -10 F outside.
"Jay? Buddy? Open the door... it's me, Will?!" Yeah, still no signs of people moving. Instead of Will planning to freeze to death, he'd better go into Jay's house.
Will opened the door using the duplicate key and was surprised by the house's atmosphere. It was very dark, the lights weren't on, and he could smell something crapy. Will entered Jay's room and found the young man wrapped in a pile of blankets.
'Huh, what's going on?' Will wondered.
He approached Jay's body, which was submerged in the pile of blankets while shaking his brother's body. Just a moment ago, Jay almost had hypothermia, and what now?
"Jay... buddy... wake up, baby brother... you... sh-" Will was surprised when he felt the heat radiating on Jay's body.
"ugh.... uh.... 'ill... Will?" the man felt strange and confused. Is this fever dream? How is Will in his room anyway?
"Jay? Woah... you were burning up, champ!" Will went into the bathroom to get the thermometer. He doesn't know what illness will come if his brother is left like this.
Will took Jay's body temperature and ignored the tantrum from his 'not so boy' brother.
"...go... away..." Jay whined. He's in a state of horrible shaking.
"Why didn't you tell me you weren't feeling well, bud? See that. 103.2F huh? Come on, tell me what it is. The temperature kinda high," Will mumbled to himself as he massaged his brother's body to coax him to wake up.
"Whattt??? Wht...'re you doin'... here?" in that delirium state, Jay tried to ask.
"Are you kidding me, buddy? What's up? Where are you from? Have you eaten yet?" The barrage of questions only made the young man cringe.
"... pls... lemme sleep... don't disturb me... please..." Jay almost had an emotional breakdown.
"I'm not even mad at you, man. Come on, buddy. Tell me, what's hurting you?" Will also worries when he sees his younger brother's 'severe' condition.
"I... ugh... I had lunch, and a girl fell in the lake area... the restaurant. She bumped into me and fell... I'll save her... that's all..." Jay answered, trying to hold back tears. Not sad tears, but emotions when he is sick like this.
"Then, you feel bad? You like to tackle perps in the lake; why? Jay, you have to talk about this next time!" Will is not angry because of Jay's helpful behavior because that has been ingrained in him, but what Will is mad about is Jay's attitude that he does not want to tell if anything happens to him.
"nooo... gi'mme... my blankie...." whined Jay in his groggy state.
"come on, let's take a shower... I need to lower your fever, Champy... unless you need me to drag you to the Med," Will attempted to wake Jay up, but that ended because he started thrashing around.
"...m'ssryyy... please... just wanna sleep... ggo'wayyy" his patience was exhausted and yeahhhh.... Jay cried at last.
"Hey... I said I'm not mad at you. Easy, Jay... easy... You can sleep... but I want you to take the fever reducer and change your shirt first. You got so wet on your sweat, huh? If you get hypo or sepsis, who will have a hard time?" at that time, Jay kept quiet and spent the rest of his tearful drama in silence, and Will had already stepped into the kitchen.
Two minutes later, Jay could finally sleep not so 'peacefully' after being forced to take medicine, and Will sighed.
Jay, who didn't want to say anything when he was sick, was a Jay that Will knew well enough. Just know that he is already like that. What's the problem with having a doctor, brother? It should be more accessible.
Come on, ladies and gentlemen, it's Jay Halstead. What is uncomplicated for him? Everything is difficult if it involves him.
---
Thank God Jay didn't wake up that night. He had a few nightmares while calling Will's name, and his brother successfully persuaded him. Throughout the night, Will also did tepid sponging on Jay with cold water to ease his body heat. Jay woke up in a slightly better condition than yesterday.
"Good morning to my dearest stubborn little brother," teased Will, and that received a sullen reaction from his brother.
"yeah, morning..." just a word from Jay. This explains that Jay still needs to rest and see a doctor. Yeah, even in front of his eyes is a 'doctor.'
"How do you feel today?" as Wll approached Jay and felt his forehead. Still warm and far from what he likes.
"I'm okay for a bit... I have to go to the bullpen; Kim needs me..." There is only Jay's way to avoid any medical attention.
"Uh-huh, Nah. Do you want to go to the office, or what is it? Listen here...You must be clear of any pain. Let me recall that last night you were shaking, with a high fever, howling in pain, almost throwing up on me... nearly hypo... now you told me you want to go to work?" It was not Will's intention to be angry like that. It's just that sometimes Jay's carefree attitude ends up eating him.
"You're so loud," said Jay without any more expression than a young boy.
"I need you to be clear. Proof me that you're FINE enough. It's two, Jay. Let me check you out and get a clear view from the clinic, or you come with me to the Med. Choose which one, and don't whine," Will chattered.
"Man?! I'm 33 years old incase you forbid that, you know! Why do you want to force me? I can make my own decisions!" Jay was outraged. Upset too.
"What's the decision? Let yourself be sick in bed; that's the decision? You don't really care about yourself or is this about punishing yourself?" Will still prepared breakfast for the two of them even though he was serving the hassle of his little brother angrily bouncing around.
"You're so damn cruel, man! Never underestimate me like that!" yeah, somehow, when the mocked things ended, it was close to a fight conversation.
"Easy, okay! Okay, my bad... but let me check on you..." Will just let Jay be in his world before anything further happens.
In the end, that made Jay silent. He has a headache and doesn't feel like arguing with his brother. If he fights, he will fall. So he just let Will check on him.
"Lay down on the couch. I'll take my medic bag. Next time, if you're sick, if you're dizzy, if you've jumped in the lake, tell me. Instead of dying, Jay, you ask me for help. I'm never judged or angry if you're sick or in pain. It's just the way you like to hide your pain that makes me worry. End up; I found you wrapped in shivers. Don't be stubborn, Jay...." his brother's advice only added to his upset feeling. The unhelpful overwhelmed was also present. He doesn't want anyone's sympathy.
"I'm.... sorry...." that's all from Jay. Yes, sometimes he wants to be alone.
Will and his 'mother-hen' will never leave Jay.
"Come on, head facing me; I must check your ears. Usually, that's the most annoying." yes, Jay is always right about ending up with an ear infection.
"Make it faster, please," Jay whined as the otoscope entered his ear.
"There you go..." Yup, an early sign of infection.
"It will go away on its own, right?" asked Jay after Will managed to check his ears.
"Who said? At the very least, you need antibiotics, Jay. You can't just let it go because, at that time, you were about to go to the ICU. Don't play around with that infection..." his brother said.
"Eghhhh... I don't want..." Jay knows what will happen now.
"Your chest also needs attention. How can you quickly jump into the lake to save people's lives? That's how I feel when I need to give you attention when you're sick like this," Jay didn't need a long explanation because he understood. He likes to find problems alone and doesn't want anyone to approach him and try to help him.
"I know..." a word from Jay.
Will understood Jay's attitude that he wanted to protest as long as he could. But if he is sick, he will end up with his crying drama. So, in the end, Jay had to give up after he was overcome with guilt for making everyone worry about him. The winter weather outside is enough to make him act like in the story of the Winter Sonata.
"Jay, come on, buddy. I don't want to force you to follow me, but I don't want you to go on like this. Come on, come on. I love you, and you need to listen to me..." Will started to pull Jay's arm to get him ready and go to the doctor's office.
"I'm starting to hate it when I start getting sick like this. Can't I be fine without taking medicine and being healthy? I don't have to deal with the doctor and all the freakin' nasty stuff?" Jay complained, and of course, Will had to do it.
"Yeah, I don't need to be a doctor anymore. Maybe I can work with you to kick in someone's door, right?" That statement managed to make Jay chuckle. Probably because he has started to accept that he is sick and needs treatment; if he weren't bad, he would never have set foot in his brother's hospital.
So Jay had to prepare even if he had to. Will will also drag him if he still stubbornly refuses to listen.
---
The trip to the clinic was only a few minutes long because Jay started whining and begging Will to return home. He was beginning to feel that agreeing to go to the doctor's office was a 'BIG-BIG MISTAKE' thing.
"Buddy, we've arrived. I promise you; it'll only take a few moments. If you're in the Med, it will probably take hours. Now, shall we?" Jay was still sulking and didn't want to leave the car.
"...Imma don't want to go out..." Jay remained stubborn.
"It's okay for you to sit in the car first. So I'll deal with the nurse first and fill out your form. I'd pick you up later," even though he knew Jay could drive the car straight back if he acted crazy.
"Will..." Jay whined.
"Yes, champs... it's okay; I'm here. You'll be fine, okay? Anyway, it would be best if you saw a doctor even though I'm a doctor. After this, you can go to work as usual,"
Jay stayed in the car while Will went into the clinic and checked him in. If antibiotics can be bought at a pharmacy, he doesn't have to worry about forcing his younger brother to go to the clinic. Will also took the car's censor key with him. So Jay had no reason to run away from the vehicle.
They walking into the clinic after Jay manages to throw up once in the car makes Will doubly worried. Jay's condition at that time could have started to become sluggish. Jay just nodded and shook his head as if he wanted to answer Will.
"So, Jay. I can see you're a bit hot from your physical strength. 103.2F. Besides the ear infection, what's bothering you? I wouldn't say I like your tight chest, either. I'll give you neb. Anything else?" asked the male doctor, who looked younger than Will but was about Jay's age. Speaking of Jay, he only wanted to talk a little from when he went to see the doctor until now.
"Sorry about that behavior. Suddenly, he threw up in the car, and his head started to hurt, and I think that's it," Will spoke on behalf of his younger brother.
"It's okay. I got you... So, look here. I'll give you neb gas to soothe your chest, and you still need to check at the hospital for the CT Scan. Afraid you might have a concussion. Now, it states in your medical file that you're due for the next flu shot. Do you want to take it now?" Woah, that's a question Jay won't answer.
"I don't... I DON'T think it's necessary... don wanna needle..." Jay trembled a bit in his seat.
"Well, I think he should take it here since it might be tough to convince him someday," said Will and Jay staring at him with burning anger.
"Will! You didn't even talk about this!" the young man's eyes were already filled with misery.
"We'll finish it quickly, and you'll be happier. Trust me," the '5-year-old boy's actions had already happened then.
"To get rid of your ear infection, I will give you an ear drop..." explained the doctor without thinking about Jay's whimpering.
"Isn't it okay if you give me a pill?" Jay asked blandly.
"Jay, even normal pain meds are hard for me to force you to take, let alone other meds," explained Will, and that only made Jay lazy to fight with his brother.
"It's okay. The medicine doesn't even hurt; it'll only ease the pain in your ear," said the young doctor.
Jay and medicine will always mix poorly.
The young man was successfully attached with a gas nebulizer after he whined at Will for not wanting to take the flu shot. Will couldn't say anything because he didn't want Jay to yell anymore. The young man hated the trip to the hospital, and because of that, he was sometimes willing to keep it a secret from his brother. From being forced to go to the doctor to needing to fill the flu shot dose suddenly. Does this all make sense? That was why he didn't want to tell his brother. Let him have to die of infection, though. After only 15 minutes of neb therapy, his chest is clear. Just enough to satisfy the two doctors. Now, the hardest part is 'Jay and the needle.'
"Jay, come on. It's only a moment. It's not the same as an IV needle," persuaded Will when Jay started to pull his hand back exactly like a child.
".. don't want!.... I don't want!" Jay kicked the chair in front of him.
"We're ready whenever you're ready, Jay... It's okay, I'll be quick..." coaxed the doctor.
"Will... please... I... I... ugh..." The mountain of burden that Jay had been holding for a long time finally fell when Will approached him and hugged him while rubbing his younger brother's back while carrying his 'not so baby but heavy' brother into the exam table.
"Don't... don't fuckin... hold me!" yeah, almost hitting his hyperventilate state, but Jay maintains stubbornness.
"Hey! Easy... easy, buddy..." Will tried not to get angry but still pinned him down. Ugh, that's the most painful thing with Jay on him.
"This... isn't funny... anymore... please, Will. I wanna go 'ome... please!" On the verge of tears, Jay's close to his tantrum role.
"Here we go again, bud... come on, I'll hold you like this and promise not to move. Close your eyes if you don't believe the needle is coming...", Finally, the persuasion was successful when Jay hid his face in his brother's chest and a little whimper when the needle managed to slip into his arm.
"Ow!" Will frantically rubbed Jay's back to comfort him when he freaked out.
"Alright, man. One down, and the last one to go. You did a good job, buddy," the doctor approached him.
The second shot met a slightly extreme ending when Jay pulled his arm due to a yank. Will, who saw that, kept pinning him from moving, and the drug managed to enter his body successfully. It ended with tears. Before leaving the clinic to get into the car, Will had time to brush Jay's face to stop his crying and persuade him to calm down for a moment when Jay suddenly said he needed to puke, he felt light-headed.. How luck Will are? He must deal with Jay's hard time being a small child regarding the 'needle thingy.'
Small talk is sometimes essential to cheer Jay up instead of keeping pushing him with a lollipop and ice cream treat. After being shot with two needles, we can say Jay is unhappy.
"Still hurt? I'm sorry... I want you to have good health, baby boy..." teased Will, and Jay rolled his eyes while massaging his injection site.
"...s'tll... hurt... I'm not a baby, man..." he's exhausted.
"Uh-huh? 'cause last time I check with you that I'm dealing with a '5 years old boy'. I think you need a girl. You know, girlfriend? You kinda need it," Will joked.
"Shut up. I have you enough to complicate me and my life, moron..." greeted Jay.
"Well, that girl at least can take care of you when you're sick. Can spoil you, can be with you... you know that kind of?" said Will to cheer Jay up again.
"Are you saying you're bored with me?" Jay said with a glare.
"Oh, my baby Jay. No, I am not. Just thinking, yeah... with you acting like a two years old kid whenever you need to take a flu shot, I'm done with that, men." asked Will while he quickly knew Jay hated to deal with 'mother-henned.'
"Jesus... Do you wanna say I'm a problem? I'm a mess? You don't want to do this anymore? I hate you, man!" said Jay with his wry smile.
"Hey! It's not what I mean. No, seriously, man. What do you think? Don't you want to bring a girl so she will help you face this little thing? I hear there's a girl that you are looking forward to on your team?" His brother knows that well.
"Words spread contagiously," yeah, truth to be untold. Jay seems acceptable to be around Hailey, his partner.
"Ha-ha! See, gotcha! Bring her to me, buddy. She kinda suits you well," said Will, and then he saw the smile comes from Jay with a second glimpse.
"Yeah, one day, man. One day..." cleared Jay to satisfy his brother.
Every situation in life is temporary. The purpose of human life is to serve and to show compassion and the will to help others.