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

Chapter Thirty-Six: Disapproval

Having won his argument Jay walked over to stand beside the large open shuttered window as Hank ushered the Unit and the others out leaving Will and Conor alone with the pale Detective.

"This is insane!" Will erupted as soon as the heavy oak door closed.
"Jay you really should take it easy for another while," Conor suggested calmly, glaring at the elder Halstead as he slowly approached the man staring out the window, "your ribs are still healing."
"Know that," Jay was nonplussed as he maintained his gaze on the gray outside world as raindrops collided with the window pane.
"You hurt yourself tackling Mouse and Lance?" Conor asked softly as he leant against the wall on the other side of the window and looked at his young friend.
"Nope."
"Can I check them to make sure?"
"Nope."
"Jay would you just let him check you out? I'll leave if you want while he examines you," Will spoke as he took a few steps towards his pain in the ass sibling.
"Guys," Jay slowly tore his attention from the droplets blurring the garden view and looked first at Conor then to Will and back again, "I know all about broken bones. I can handle them.  What I'm not going to handle anymore however is the old man pulling my strings.  It's time I took control back.  This needs to be ended once and for all."
"Jay it would be dangerous even if we had some clue of what he is up to but with you injured as well it's asking for trouble," Will forced himself to hide his frustration.
"Think you and Conor missed the memo," Jay grinned, "it's already been decided."
"But ...,"
"Will," Jay lost any sign of mirth, "I ...... I need you to back me on this."
"Think I'll leave ye to it," Conor winked at Jay and patted Wills' shoulder as he headed out of the room.
"Sit down," Jay instructed his big brother as he walked over and took a seat at the table, "come on."
"You keep forgetting I'm the older brother," Will pointed out as he took the seat beside his brother, turning it to face him, "I should be giving you orders."
"You pouting?" Jay arched an eyebrow.
"No! Now quit messing around and tell me you'll stop this foolishness."
"You said ...... before .....," Jay hesitated as he focussed on the table, "that you would be there for me from now on.  I need you in my corner."
"I am."
"Not if you're going to argue with me about this every step of the way."
"I'm just worried about you Kid."
"I know and I appreciate it but all of the things that have happened since the attack are ..... making me feel like .......,"
"Like what?" Will urged frowning as his sibling ducked his head.
"Like I'm a kid again and he's the one with the power.  I can't go back there," Jay angrily brushed a stray tear aside, "I won't."
"Jay I just don't want to see you hurt."
"Well then help me by standing behind me on this.  Will I can handle physical pain if I get hurt. I promise you."
"I know that Kid.  Just wish you didn't have to learn lessons on tolerance when you were growing up."
"I can't undo the past but I will make my future my own."
"No," Will shook his head firmly, placing an arm around the hunched shoulders, "you won't but we will."

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Antonio and Kevin moved around the kitchen counters and two islands preparing an early lunch as the men discussed the mornings' events. As they couldn't survive on takeout all the time the men had agreed upon a second rota for preparing meals.

"This your idea Ruzek?" Hank checked as he sipped his coffee leaning against one of the refrigerators.
"Sarge?"
"Don't make me ask again."
"Yes and no," Adam came clean as he threw away the remainder of his apple, "Jay is ready to take off whether or not he has us with him.  This way we can keep an eye on him."
"That whole thing was a set up?" Antonio paused chopping tomatoes and looked from Mouse to Lance.
"Only partly," Lance decided to take some of the heat as Voight couldn't do anything to him, he hoped, "we told Jay we would side with him if he could handle us."
"So ye weren't pretending to be overcome by him?" Kevin checked as he placed slices of cooked chicken on the plates before him.
"No," Lance rubbed his neck ruefully, "just damn glad he wasn't really mad at us."
"Yeah," Mouse agreed, "Lieutenant Halstead isn't someone you want going against you."
"Obviously," Antonio rolled his eyes, "he could just have asked."
"He has," Hank reminded them, "we knew this was going to happen sooner or later."
"You think he's ready?" Antonio wiped his hands on a dish cloth.
"Physically no."
"So why agree now?"
"Because like Ruzek said he'll take off by himself if I don't and at the end of the day this is his life we're talking about."
"He's not worried about that," Jack sat down on a stool, "he's thinking of everyone but himself."
"True but he also needs to be in control," Mark pointed out as he unknowingly repeated the conversation taking place in the dining room as he took out some cutlery to set the expansive round glass kitchen table at the end of the kitchen, "this whole mess must make him feel like he did when he was a child.  His old man having all the power."
"He definitely doesn't need to go back to that place," Kevin shook his head as he seasoned the bowl of salad Antonio passed to him.

"How are things in here?" Conor asked as he entered.
"Think the real question Doc is how are things in the dining room?" Al looked over at the Surgeon.
"Will isn't happy."
"Now there's a surprise," Antonio scoffed, "they need a referee in there?"
"Nah," Conor shook his head unconcerned as he headed over to the half full coffee pot, "I'd have stayed if they did."
"How is Jay doing?" Mark checked.
"He hurt himself with that little stunt ye pulled but he won't admit it and he wouldn't let me examine him."
"You knew it was a stunt?" Mouse thought they had been pretty convincing, especially considering the fact that he would up flat out on the floor.
"Not straight away."
"Will figure it out?" Antonio looked up from the table as he put out salt and pepper shakers.
"Nope.  He was seeing red for a while there."
"We noticed," Adam confessed guiltily, he didn't like seeing friction between the two brothers.
"Well Halstead better get on board quickly," Hank stated with his usual blunt honesty, "the Kid needs him now more than ever."
"I know," Conor concurred, "and deep down Will knows too."
"Jay will convince him," Kevin spoke with complete confidence.
"Why are you so sure?" Lance wondered.
"Because Jay has Will wrapped around his little finger.  Not that he knows it.  He would never intentionally use Will but for all their arguing it's obvious Will would do anything for his baby brother."
"Whoa," Adam choked on the sip of water he had just taken then coughed and wiped his jumper, "did you just call Jay 'baby brother'?"
"Yeah.  Well he is isn't he?" Kevin frowned at the looks he was getting from the other men.
"He is but take it from me don't say that to Jay," Adam grinned, "until all this is over anyway."
"Well I had no intention of saying it to him," Kevin sighed aggrievedly
"Shouldn't say something about a man unless you're willing to say it to his face," Al observed solemnly.
"Hey I didn't say anything wrong!" Kevin defended as they heard two pairs of footsteps approaching.
"You can say it to him when this is over then," Hank put in with a smirk.
"Damn!"

tbc