His Forever Flame

52. A Hard Decision

Everything had settled back into a routine now that Thanksgiving was behind them. Despite things going well, Mouse was restless. Jay could tell and he was afraid of what was happening with his friend.

They were headed out for a case on Monday after Thanksgiving -trying to prevent a gang war-, and Antonio was sending Mouse out in the van for surveillance, when Mouse stopped Jay. "I've been thinking about going back in."

"In where?" Jay asked confused.

"The Rangers.... They... they need a coms specialist right now."

"You're serious? Are you serious right now?!"

"I've just been thinking man... What am I gonna do? Join the academy? Be a rookie? Come on, Jay. Over there I've got stripes."

"Did you forget what it did to you? Depression, can't sleep at night?! Do you want that?! You want to be calling me at three in the morning because you can't sleep and are popping pills again in a place you don't remember how you got there?! No Mouse, just no. I can't do that again. I've got a family! You've got a niece and nephew that are gonna depend on you!"

"I'll learn to deal with it like you do. Remember you said you handle it just fine now?!"

"Goddammit Mouse! We're in a war here, in Chicago. You want a war, we're in the middle of one!"

"I'm just being honest man. Here there's.... There's too much noise. Who's right and who's wrong. At least over there, I know I'm the good guy and they're the bad."

"Halstead, where are you?" he heard Antonio ask over the radio.

"I'm coming," he said back trying to let his frustration roll off him.

"Before.... Before you make a decision we're gonna talk about this," Jay said storming off to the 300.

Mouse let out a sigh and jumped in the van. He'd already made a decision whether Jay liked it or not.

They closed the case on Thursday, and Friday they wrapped everything up, paperwork included. Jay had been frustrated and worried all week after Mouse's little announcement. They'd gotten into it a couple of times at work.

Antonio had even called Will on the second day of tension to come talk to Jay. He'd walked into the break room mid-argument. "Whoa guys enough!" he'd said catching both Jay and Mouse by surprise.

"Mouse give us a minute?"

"Yea, yea sure," he mumbled brushing past the brothers.

"What the hell Will?! I was getting through to him!"

"Were you really? Or were you just screaming at each other?"

"Doesn't matter. What are you doing here?" Jay asked taking a defensive posture.

"Antonio called me. Asked me to come talk to you because you and Mouse were having issues with him wanting to reenlist."

"Damn right I do! It's not the right move for him?"

"For him or for you? You went back a second time. I don't remember him fighting you on it. Pretty sure he gave his support."

"I was ordered! That's different. I didn't want to, but I had to! And yes he did, after he got over the fact he wasn't going."

"Ok. Well get over the fact you're not going and support your best friend! You don't want him to go, we get that. But fighting with him about it, isn't going to change anything. If it was you voluntarily wanting to go back you'd want his support."

"That's just it, I don't want to go back! I never did!"

"Fine I get that! But he wants to and you've gotta support him Jay, or he's gonna go knowing you're mad at him and that's the worst thing that can happen. Take a break and talk it out, but you gotta come around little brother."