"Erin, I would say give him some time. But since I know you probably won't do that, I'll tell you something else," Will started, "Ask Mouse. It could be the anniversary of a death of one of their friends or something. I'm not too sure, but I know that war was hard on him and it still is. He likes to pretend that everything is all good, but around certain times of the year, he gets like this."
"That's actually more helpful than you even know. Thanks." Erin said, keeping her voice low since Adam and Kevin just walked in.
"No problem. And let me know how he is later."
"Yeah, you got it."
Erin hung up her phone and looked at Adam and Kevin, who were watching her.
"What? Can't I take a phone call?" Erin asked.
"Sorry, not our business." Adam said, hands up in surrender.
"Damn right it isn't." Erin said with a slight smile to show she wasn't actually mad at them.
"Everything okay with Halstead? Our homie looks miserable." Kevin stated.
"I don't know. He's upset today, but I haven't figured out why. Yet." Erin said, walking out.
Erin entered the bullpen and saw that Jay was sitting at his desk with his head down. She'd never seen him this upset. Sure, she'd seen him broken down and upset before, but in the 4 years she'd known him, 3 of which she'd been dating him, he'd never been this sad.
She approached him and rubbed his back gently before leaning down and whispering in his ear, "What's wrong, babe? You know Voight would let you take a sick day, right?"
Jay sighed and sat up. "I'm not sick, just a little upset today, I guess. But I'm fine, really, I'm all good. Uh, I gotta go to the bathroom real quick."
Jay got up and made his getaway to the restroom, knowing Erin wouldn't follow him.
Erin shook her head and went into Hank's office.
"Something's up with Jay and I can't figure out what." She thought out loud.
Hank looked up from his paperwork. "Well, figure it out, Erin. Ask around with Will and Mouse, see if they know anything."
"I already talked to Will, he also suggested talking to Mouse. I'm just waiting for him to get here." Erin paused and took a deep breath, "I'm worried about him, Hank. I really am."
-/:-/:
Jay locked the bathroom door behind him and looked in the mirror, looking at the tiny scars near his hairline that he'd gone years without letting anybody notice, in addition to the scars that his hair now covered on his head.
He proceeded to let his thoughts and memories take control over his mind, losing all concept of time and reality.
Before he knew it, he was on the floor crying, the painful memories that he'd locked away for years flooding back into his mind.
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-/:-/:
"Adam, can you do me a favor?" Erin asked, looking at the time on her phone.
"Yeah, what?"
"It's been like 30 minutes since Jay went to the bathroom. Go check on him for me?"
"Maybe he just had to take a crap." Adam laughed.
"Shut up and go check for me." Erin said, rolling her eyes at her immature friend.
A couple minutes later, Adam walked back into the bullpen.
"Erin, you gotta come here." Adam said, leading her back to where Jay was.
When she walked in, Erin saw a sight she'd never seen before: Jay, on the ground, crying and in absolute hysterics.
