Jay Halstead's past

23- Father & Son

Voight's POV

I can see that Jay is not well after all his revelations and what Will told him. So I decide to follow him. Once no one can see us anymore, I stop him, and I look at him. While Jay avoids his look.

V: "Jay, look at me."

Jay raises his head and looks at me. It looks like he cried. His eyes are red and filled with tears.

V: Son, it's not his wounds that represent you, every injury is a moment in your life. You don't have to associate them with the worst moments of your life. You can tell yourself that these wounds show that you survived, that you fought to stay alive."

I take a break and I decide to tell him something.

V: Jay, look, I'm proud of you! I know I never told you, but to me you're like my son, and listen to me, you can also be proud of yourself for surviving. You've been able to survive all these years. I'm proud of you, Jay."

Once I say that, Jay hugs me big and starts crying.

H: Hank, I may have survived, but I couldn't save everyone. It will haunt me all my life that I came back alive and no other. And, you're like a father to me too."

V: "Jay, by surviving, your brothers-in-arms aren't totally dead. They still live inside the people they love."

And on that sentence, Jay's walls are completely collapsed, he starts crying more and more. To try to comfort him, I draw small circles with my hand behind his back. Once Jay has calmed down, he looks at me.

H: "What language do you speak?"

V: "I can speak French, English and a little bit of Italian and you?"

H: "Uh, I speak English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Pashto."

V: "Wow! You speak a lot of languages."

H: "Yeah, it was about survival."

When he said that, he was embarrassed.

H: "Can I ask you something?"

V: "Yes, go ahead."

H: "Will you mind if I call you papà?"

I was totally surprised by his request.

V: "You can call me whatever you want, Jay."

H: "Thank you papà."