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

Seventy-Five: Good News

The following morning on his return to the house Jay refused to go up to lie down for a while but opted instead to take up a seat by the fireplace in the living room as the gas fuelled flames leant warmth to the area.  Shivering, despite the black sweater and matching jumper he wore, he wondered if he would ever feel warm again.  Conor had explained that they didn't know how long he had been under the cold water before Adam found him.  Conor had also explained that his chest infection was likely to get worse again and with that in mind he had prescribed a stronger antibiotic.  Jay had listened but could not help wondering if the chill he felt in his body related more to the contents of the video rather than anything else.  Not that he had told Conor of how cold he felt. He was already feeling vulnerable that his brother and two friends knew he had hurt himself, albeit unintentionally.  The door opening caused him to turn slowly to see the new arrival.  He stifled a groan at the movement.  He hadn't been slow enough.   It turned out a concussion on top of a concussion was no fun at all.

"No need to check up on me every five minutes."
"I know that," Adam stated without rancour as he walked over and handed the bundle in his hands to the seated man, "thought this would help keep you warm."
"I'm not a damn invalid!" Jay pushed the blanket away angrily.
"I know that but you need to keep warm so you don't develop bronchitis," Adam held the blanket out again, "you wind up in hospital it's going to take longer to get this thing sorted."
"Kay," Jay took the blanket reluctantly in defeat and settled it over his body with his free hand, immediately enjoying the warmth, "sorry.  Didn't mean to get angry with you."
"You didn't," Adam scoffed as he sat down in the armchair across the way, "you forget I've been reemed out by Voight so many times anything else doesn't really register."
"Guess you are a bit of a trouble magnet," Jay chuckled but then started coughing and clutched his chest.
"Serves you right."
"What time is Voight due back?" Jay asked without levity when the coughing finally abated.
"About midday.  He'll ring as soon as he knows Jay."
"Can't believe people could see ......."
"If that happens you'll deal with it.  I know that because you're the strongest guy I know."
"Yeah right!"
"Damn right," Adam countered his friends' sarcasm, "I always knew you were a good guy Jay but now I have an idea of what you went through growing up I know you're amazing. To have grown up into the man you are is incredible."
"Okay let's just change the topic," the injured man blushed as he kept his gaze on the artificial flames.
"Sure just remember I don't exaggerate," Adam insisted, "now you want a lesson in poker or maybe a game of monopoly?"
"Still don't know who brought monopoly," Jay commented, "but I'd prefer poker."
"Poker it is," Adam stood up, "I'll get the deck.  You want to play for money?"
"Hell no," Jay smiled as he rubbed his aching temple, "I like jellybeans."
"Damn I thought with you having a double concussion I'd clean up."
"Nope and you have to use the orange ones!"
"You're confusing me with Will.  I always bet with orange first," Adam reminded before going out and closing the door behind him.

In the kitchen Conor, Will, Antonio and Kevin were standing and sitting around the island counter when Adam walked in.

"How is he doing?" Will checked.
"Okay. He has a headache but he didn't mention it.  He's agreed to a game of poker," Adam explained as we went over to a drawer and took out the box of cards, "think he needs something to keep him occupied until Voight calls."
"He should be in bed," Conor sighed, "but he's not going to relax until he finds out about the tapes."
"No he's not," Antonio agreed as he stood up and walked over to a cupboard taking down a large container half full of jellybeans then scolding, "if ye keep eating the chips we won't have any left."
"Hey I only eat the green ones," Conor objected.
"They all taste the same," Will shook his head in exasperation at the old argument.
"No they don't Doc," Kevin insisted as he moved away from the counter, "reckon I might play a hand or two."
"You're only saying that cause you reckon he's not well enough to beat you," Adam teased as Antonio led the way out of the kitchen.

"Wait for it," Will looked at Conor conspiratorily.
"What?"
"Just wait."
"You want to tell me ....." Conor paused as a shout came from the living room.
"What did you do?"
"Me?" Will asked innocently as they heard the living room door opening and closing then fast footsteps approaching.
"Doc you got to the count of ten to return them," Adam stood in front of the two men with arms folded.
"And if I don't?"
"Put it this way Jay said to remind you how good he is at payback."
"Guy can't take a joke," Will stood up in mock chagrin and walked over to an under the counter cupboard as he was talking and retrieved a medium sized plastic container filled with orange jellybeans.
"You better hope he decides to let you off the hook," Adam accepted the container with a wink and headed out of the kitchen.
"Some Detective you are!  You didn't even notice them missing! " Will shouted after the retreating figure.
"Just how bad could his payback be?" Conor asked curiously.
"Bad," Will admitted with a groan, "he was mad at me before over something and he got me back ....... "
"Don't stop there.  Tell me!"
"He put a personal ad in the paper for me.  Spent weeks dealing with callers looking for Willow Halstead."
"What did it say?" the Surgeon asked.
"The first part of the ad noted that one W. Halstead was single and looking for fun, outdoor types into sport," Will shook his head at the memory before continuing, "when they phoned they asked for W. Halstead. At the end of the ad he referred to Willow but said W. was preferred. I had some mighty interesting conversations with all types of guys."
"Ha," Conor grinned, "so why risk more revenge?"
"Figured he could use a laugh and if he's planning payback for a while it might take his mind off the tapes being aired."
"You're a good brother ...... Willow," Conor ducked out of reach of the incoming punch.

Jay had fallen asleep after five hands of poker so the Detectives continued playing quietly until Will and Conor walked in with broad smiles.

"What's going on?" Antonio put down his hand, the game forgotten.
"Voight phoned," Will explained happily, "he persuaded everyone to give back the tapes. Nothing is going to be aired.  He promised me it's sorted."
"Thank God," Adam stood up after abandoning his cards not even curious as to why Will had received the call and not one of the team, "would ye mind if I tell Jay?"
"Sure," Antonio agreed readily as himself and Kevin nodded and stood up.
"That okay with you Will?" Conor asked when his friend made no move to leave, knowing that the decision to leave Adam deal with Jay when the latter was vulnerable was one the redhead had only accepted as a necessity.
"Okay," the older sibling reluctantly agreed knowing it would be better not to have a lot of people around.
"No Doc," Adam shook his head looking from Conor to Will and back again, "I think Will should stay."
"Sure," Conor said in relief and walked over to the door, "yell when he's ready to go upstairs."
"Will do. Thanks."

Alone with the sleeping man Will turned to the Detective.

"You sure you want me here?"
"I'm sure," Adam confirmed quietly, "he needs his friends but he also needs his big brother.  Not that he'd ever admit either."
"I know," Will helped to move the small round card table out of the way and crouched down in front of his younger sibling, seeing the bruised eyes and pale skin knowing they were only some of the signs telling what he was going through, "hey Jay time to wake up."
"Jay you going to sleep all day?" Adam stood at the side of the armchair and placed a gentle hand on his friends' neck.
"What ......," Jay opened his eyes slowly and tried to focus on the two men.
"About time you woke up," Will patted a blanketed knee, "you with us?"
"Yeah," Jay sat up straighter as his vision cleared, "what's going on?"
"It's going to be okay," Will grinned, "they're not going to air the tape."
"Are you serious?"
"Positive.  Spoke to Voight myself.  He said he'd persuaded them all to hand over the tapes. You can talk to him yourself when he gets here later on okay?"
"I ......," Jay felt the overwhelming fear, which had been a constant companion since learning of the tapes' existence, begin to recede as his head began throbbing in earnest but his gut was warning him something bad was still going to happen, "I need to ..... lie down for a while okay?"
"Sure," Will and Adam helped the pained man to his feet after removing the blanket.

Helping the unsteady man up the stairs carefully a few minutes later as Conor led the way Adam shared a look with the redhead.  Both had expected a bigger reaction but they also knew this was Jay they were dealing with and even in normal circumstances he was never vocal in his emotions.

tbc