Case by Case Love

Chapter 37: Cleared for Duty

Jay walks into Intelligence, glancing at his fellow team members as their desks going over the variety of files that sat there. He knew nothing had changed in the past three hours since the last text message from Erin as he made his way over to his own desk.

It had been a couple weeks since the dinner and honor was handed out, and things had gone smoothly for him since then. He had continued the physical healing as he was supposed to with the marks on his arms disappearing, and the internal scans coming back clean. He had also attended a couple appointments with Dr. Charles to discuss things as they were. 

"Why is it that I get cleared for full duty and I have to deal with paperwork all day?" He questions as he sits down, looking to the left. His stack was smaller than his teammates, with just a few files remaining. 

With not being cleared for full duty while healing, he had spent the unfortunate time working through everything that was sitting there. Certain C.Is were either updated in the database, or added if they were missing before with their latest strings of attachment. Other paperwork had been cleared up, including time stamps in confirming vehicle and equipment sign-outs to be handed in back to Trudy Platt so she understood why they were using stuff. 

He had a hand in a couple cases, running background checks and looking through surveillance footage. But yet most of his time was focused on what he had sitting alongside him. So now when it came to a standard office paperwork as we await a case day, he did not have the amount of his peers.

"Cleared for full duty?" Hank questions as he emerges from his office standing in the doorway. Jay hands up a copy of the medical clearance form he was given from Connor yesterday afternoon. He had visited the surgeon, with a full physical, ECT and chest x-ray being performed. Everything came back to show the chest wound had healed completely. Although advised a repeat performance would do him no favors due to past injuries, the form was placed in his hand. "Hmm..." 

Jay knew where the lack of response from his boss was coming from in already knowing what was on Hank's mind. It was reflected back to the conversation they had just two weeks prior at his and Erin's condo about his feelings. He wanted to know where his detective was at mentally. Could he handle what was to come in being emersed in the middle of the action? Could he handle possible triggers being thrown at his face? Would there be more flashbacks? Was he getting enough sleep at night? What about those nightmares he spoke of? 

"I told you I would be okay," Jay repeats the final words he told Hank that night as they sat at the counter together over the pair of glasses. They never spoke of the mental side in front of the others. Hank knew that would be too much for him. Hank knew Jay would never speak of what he went through behind the scenes with anybody else outside of Hank, Erin, Hailey, and Will - oh, and Dr. Charles now. That was why the simple repetition of that comment was hoped to be enough for now. 

"Hmmm..." Hank lets out his classic response as he keeps his eyes locked on Jay. He wanted to ask all the questions he had asked that night to see if the response would be different. But he did not want to single him out. He did not want that addressed in front of everybody and taken the wrong way. He did not want to call him into his office and have the others wonder as to the discussion. "Light duty for the beginning, please..." 

"We both know that is not an option in this unit." Hank lets out a sigh as it was very true. When Intelligence caught cases, they were never easy ones to handle. That was why they were the top unit in Chicago and always given the worst cases to solve - with the best rate of doing so of any unit in the state of Illinois. Perhaps he was pushing the buttons a little much with Jay, more so than he needed to.

"Kidnapping, to being shot, to a being part of a bomb explosion since returning to the unit is not the best look on your record." Jay nods his head, as it had certainly been quite the welcome back to Chicago since coming back from Bolivia. The icing on the cake was a signed set of divorce papers that were filed.

"Hey, at least we are close to a matching set," Erin comments as she tries to break the tension that seemingly forming between the pair. She knew Hank was only doing this because of how much he cared about Jay. It was the same way Hank was with her sometimes. She honestly appreciated it, as she loved the bond the pair had formed. It just showed her another reason why Jay was so special and why she was not about to let him go again. "I returned, got involved in a case, kidnapped, and almost shot so I didn't let up much either." 

"You both realize you don't need to follow the mantra that couples which get blown up together, stay together, right?" Adam teases as he makes his way to the break room for a cup of coffee. Truth be told, he was ready to find any reason to not do any paperwork in hopes any type of call would come across the radio. Did criminals really take time off from doing bad things? 

"Once upon a time, I said I would not allow any couples to date within my unit," Hank starts, earning everyone's attention. The eyes are traded around the room in realizing that certainly had not been followed. Kim was engaged to Adam with a daughter, Makayla. Adam and Hailey had dated previously. Hailey married, and now subsequently divorced Jay. Jay and Erin were now back together. "I hope I don't turn out to regret my decision."