Case by Case Love

Chapter 21: The Visitor

Jay could hear the footsteps down the hall. That was one of the few things he could hear beyond the heart monitor he was hooked up to. He wished he could hear Erin's peaceful snores, but they were drowned out by both of the aforementioned things.

He had gotten used to the amount of traffic - knowing it was either nurses, doctors, patients, or visitors of their patients. It got quiet later in the day, as it was obvious visitor hours were closing. He could tell he was lucky in knowing Erin was still in his room that night, and would be allowed to stay. It didn't need to be said - Will and Connor had pulled some strings with Goodwin.

He could always tell when someone was entering his room, and most times figured who it was simply by the sound of their feet. Will was harder on his feet than Connor was. Both were harder on their feet than the nurses. Hank had his own special distinct sound, which Jay had gotten to hear twice throughout the day. The first was the notification of the situation, and the other was to check up on him.

He hated lying there doing nothing. He hated having no reason or purpose for the day ahead. But yet, he knew he didn't have the energy if he wanted to right now. They had taken him for the necessary tests that morning to check on how his lungs were doing. He had asked about being released, but the eyes before him from Connor answered that question before the words. The healing process had begun, but it was not going to happen overnight.

His mind was caught off-guard in hearing a series of footsteps. They didn't match the tone of the nurses. They didn't match the tone set by Will or Connor. They weren't even the same as the feet of Hank. Who else would be coming to see him? He didn't want to see Kevin or Adam unless they were coming to say one of the suspects, or both, were in custody. He wanted them to focus solely on finding Paul Downey and his partner.

He was still in the ICU. He was still set on limited visitors. He was supposed to have a guard posted at the door to stop anyone that was not allowed. The guard was to not leave his post. He better not be coming in to say something or check-in. Why didn't these new officers get the basics of their training?

The footsteps grew louder - sound of big boots, grounded by the weight of an object. It was obvious the person could not move fast, perhaps due to their own weight or the weight of something they were bringing along with them.

He turns his head slightly to the left, set to eye the individual in knowing the footsteps were growing closer. He feels his body freeze immediately as he looks into the piercing brown eyes with the touch of green. He didn't even allow himself to look at the smirk in knowing it was the same that had been plastered on this face upon setting the timer on the bomb he had disarmed. He didn't need to wonder about what was in his arms should he look away from the face in already knowing what it would be.

"Erin..." He states, trying to force himself to scream her name or for help. But yet he couldn't bring himself to do either. Her name just whispered out of his lips, almost easily lost in the other sounds of the room. How was he not louder than the monitor? Why did he feel like he was in a tunnel? Why couldn't he speak any louder? 

"Jay?" He hears his name asked with confusion laced behind it, not knowing the voice or direction it was coming from. It wasn't a female voice to match Erin's beside him. It wasn't the voice of the man that stood before him right now with those piercing eyes. He then felt someone put a hand on his left leg through the blankets - well, it felt like that, but yet there was no one there to be doing that notion. Why was he getting all these weird sensations?

"Your friends aren't going to save you," the man speaks before him as Jay does not allow himself to look or move away from the man. He had to watch his every move. He had to be able to plan what to do next. "You are not going to be able to save yourself this time. I have you right where I want you, Mr. Halstead. I hope you have your final affairs in order." 

"Help!" He finally manages to scream against everything that felt like was stopping in that moment. He wanted to defend himself. He wanted to do what was necessary. He was not going to let this man have the power. But yet how was he supposed to do that right now feeling so weak? 

"Jay, wake up!" Jay could hear Will practically screaming, but yet ignored it as there was no sign of his brother in the room. Why was Will telling him to wake up? Will should be taking charge of the situation. Didn't he care about him? Didn't he want to save him right now? 

"Maybe I should kill your precious brother first," the man states as the image seemingly becomes more clear with Will joining the man. Jay tried to take a series of deep breathes, but found it increasingly becoming difficult to keep calm in seeing a chain affixed to Will's hand, just like he had been himself in the building. Why wasn't Erin waking up? Why wasn't something being done?

"Jay!!" Why was Will yelling his name? What was Will expecting him to do? He was lying in the bed with a bruised lung and a concussion. He couldn't move his left arm. What was he supposed to do or say to stop this? Shouldn't Will be trying to get Erin awake? Why wasn't she waking up? Shouldn't they be getting the attention of someone else in the hallway? 

"You're having a bad dream, Jay...." Erin's voice comes through as he feels her tight grip on his right hand increase. Dream? No, this was a bloody nightmare! It was only going to get worse if Erin or Will didn't do anything! "You need to wake up for us, please. Open those eyes. Snap out of it. Whatever you're seeing or feeling is not happening. Wake up, Jay. Open your eyes."