Tolerance Book I (Chicago PD/Med FF) by Frances51163

Chapter Six: Wills' Dilemma

Hank and Al took a leisurely walk around the block in the cold night air after chatting with the two Officers in the hallway.

"You don't speak much about your time in the military," Hank broke the comfortable silence which had descended once they were out on the sidewalk.
"It was a long time ago."
"You still get nightmares about it?"
"Not for years," Al replied pulling the collar of his jacket up higher to shield his neck from the cool environment.
"You have a soft spot for the Kid since he was in the military? Hank wondered aloud.
"Guess you could say that. In some ways he reminds me of myself," Al explained "but in other ways he's different."
"Yeah, he's good looking," Hank ribbed his old friend.
"He's more self contained than I was at his age," Al ignored the jibe with an easy grin.
"You have any ideas about who beat him up?"
"It's bothering me that Hanson and the others described the man as 'familiar'."
"Yeah that's been bothering me too but obviously he wasn't in their Battalion."
"Maybe he belonged to another Unit?"
"Maybe."

Will waited for five minutes before knocking on the bathroom door. When he got no response he put out a hand to open it when Jay pulled the door in looking pale and weak. Vomiting with broken ribs was a nightmare and considering his brother only had milk in his system he knew the younger man would have graduated to empty reaching pretty quickly. He winced at the pained features.

"Best sit down before you fall down," Will instructed moving forward to put a hand around his siblings' waist carefully.
"Gee thanks for the idea," Jay grated out in sarcasm as he concentrated on making it to the couch.
"I picked up your prescription from the pharmacy," the taller man explained as they finally reached their destination and he helped the other man to ease down slowly.
"Took some pills earlier," Jay pointed out.
"What pills?" Will frowned as he crouched down in front of the injured Detective.
"Vicodin. Had some left over in the cabinet."
"Well by the time I make you something to eat you can take two more. The script Conor gave is for Vicodin also."
"Great I'll have a party," Jay grinned wickedly at his older brother.
"That will be the day," Will got up and headed into the kitchen, "do you want a sandwich or an omelette?"
"Al already made me an omelette," Jay tried to find a comfortable position on the couch but gave up and leaned back closing his eyes.
"Cheese sandwich then," Will began unloading the groceries he had brought.
"Thanks," Jay said with a sigh as he rubbed his aching temple.
"Here this might help," Will had retrieved a soft hand towel from a cupboard and held it out.
"Thanks," Jay smiled after forcing his eyes open and then accepted the item offered, "surprised you remembered," he stated after leaning back and placing the warm material over his temple and eyes.
"Hey you were my first patient," Will reminded with a grin thinking back to when they were kids and Jay would suffer from migraines.
"Glad to be of service Sir!" the younger man gave his usual response to the reminder as he savoured the warmth engulfing his head.
"Yeah well I had to improvise when you had no meds," Will commented as he headed back to the kitchen.
"Don't forget ....,"
"I know, I know," Will shook his head as he took the slices of cheese out of their packet, "plenty of ketchup."
"Yeah."

Ten minutes later the cheese sandwich had been half eaten when Jay placed the plate on the side table.
"You should eat more," Will fussed.
"Stuffed," Jay patted his stomach as he picked up the pill bottle his brother had brought, "you mind getting the old bottle? Might as well use those first in case they expire."
"Sure," Will made quick work of retrieving the meds and handed them over with a frown, "there's over half of these left."
"So?" Jay was non plussed as he accepted the bottle.
"You're meant to take them for pain not leave them in the medicine cabinet."
"I take them when I need to ," Jay raised an eyebrow, "don't want to take them unless it's really necessary."
"Jay they are called painkillers because they kill pain," Will was getting worked up.
"I know what they're for," Jay insisted as he swallowed two tablets and washed them down with a glass of water.
"Stubborn," Will huffed as he sat down on the armchair and then leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees, "just you and me here Jay. You want to tell me who did this?"
"I don't remember," Jay was glad he had closed his eyes again as he hated lying to his brother.
"If you tell me I won't tell Voight if you don't want me to."
"Just leave it okay?"
"Your buddies said he looked familiar," the older man kept his gaze on his younger sibling noting the tensing of his shoulders, "is it who I think it was?"
"Drop it," Jay opened his eyes and met his brothers' eyes, "I don't want anyone else knowing about Dad. Promise me?"
"But this ...,"
"Is something I will deal with."
"Why don't you want your Unit to know? It's obvious they care about you, even Hank," Will conceded.
"I'm going to lie down for a while," Jay ignored the question and manoeuvred his way off of the couch unable to hide the pain the task caused.
"You go to the toilet and I'll get your bed sorted," the Doctor ordered.
"The bed is fine," Jay spoke quietly concentrating on walking the short distance to the bathroom.
"Do your thing," Will opened the door and let his sweating brother pass inside, "you need any help?"
"Just shut the door I can manage," Jay forced himself to remain calm knowing his brother was genuinely trying to help.

Ten minutes later Jay was lying on freshly laundered sheets and covered with a sheet, three blankets and a thick quilt. Will knew that even as a child Jay had always felt the cold, particularly when lying down or when injured, so when he was changing the bedclothes he had added two extra blankets. Helping Jay get settled had taken more time than either would have liked but Will was glad that his brother was resting now. He had intended to talk to Jay about their father as he was getting ready to lie down but one look at the strained features changed his mind. Instead after pulling the covers up over the prone man he had reminded him to yell if he needed anything. He had left the door of the bedroom slightly open so he would hear a call. Waiting for Hank and Al to come back Will tried to come up with a way of telling them Jay had been attacked by his father without actually saying the words for he had to keep his promise. He scoffed rubbing his forehead. The whole situation was giving him a headache and he didn't even have a concussion or broken ribs to contend with.

-------------------------

When Hank and Al returned to the apartment Hank dismissed the Officers at the door and then waited for Will to let them in.

"Coffee is in the pot help yerselves," the Doctor greeted as he let them in and locked the door securely.
"Thanks Doc," Al headed into the kitchen rubbing his hands together to generate some warmth.
"I'll have one too," Hank stated as he took off his coat and went over to check outside the window.
"I see you've sent the Officers home," Will commented as he sat down.
"Well we're staying so nothing will happen."
"So Doc," Al spoke walking out of the kitchen with two steaming mugs and handing one over to his old friend before he sat down facing the Doctor, "you have any ideas who might want to hurt your brother so badly. Did he say anything about who did it?"
"No," Will shook his head wishing he could let them know without telling them.
"Well his friends said the guy looked familiar for some reason but they hadn't seen the guy before," Hank walked over and sat down, "thing is though they only saw one guy but we know he was attacked by two or more."
"Whoever did this was really trying to kill him Doc," Al pointed out softly then paused, "of course you know that already being a Doctor."

"Guys ye've worked with Jay long enough to know that he's a private guy," Will rose and walked over to a table and retrieved a photo album from a drawer and then sat down again flicking through the pages.
"We're just worried about him," Hank shared a look with Al.
"Jay in a million years would never say who the guy was that his friends saw," Will lowered his voice as he came to the page he was looking for then handed it across to Hank and waited.

The photo was of a young couples' wedding and Hank looked back up at Will before returning his scrutiny to the photo as Al joined him.
"That guy looks familiar .... ," Hank trailed off as he handed the album back.
"Your father .....?" Al barely managed to keep his voice low.
"Jay asked me to promise not to tell ye," Will sighed, "he can't know ye saw that."
"He won't and you didn't break your promise," Hank insisted, "put that away before he wakes up."
"I'm doing it now," Will explained.
"Your father do anything to you?" Al enquired.
"Not a damn thing. Jay however never could do right in his eyes. I tried to stop him a few times but Jay told me to stay out of it because it usually resulted in a worse beating for him and he was right."
"Your mother know?" Hank asked thoughtfully.
"No. Jay didn't want her to be upset. He warned me if I told her he would run away and I knew he meant it."
"Hell!" Hank cursed.
"So guys if Jay can sleep through the night he'll probably be thinking more clearly in the morning and he will insist that he doesn't need protection but ......,"
"What?" Al urged.
"But like you said the injuries could have killed him this time. He's real familiar with broken ribs but whoever stomped on him could have pushed a rib through a lung."
"Good thing ye found him quickly," Hank informed Will.
"Real lucky but thing is I assumed Jay had crawled under the pick up himself to get away but what if his attackers pushed him under there figuring it would be too late when he was found?"
"Attempted murder of a Cop either way," Hank growled, "we will find each and every one of his attackers I give you my word."

tbc