Silent Screams

Nothing but the truth

"Dad? Come on. I want to go home." Ethan whined, jumping from one foot to the other while Jay signed the discharge papers.

"The little man seems to be well again," Will laughed, who was just taking a break from work and standing at the counter with Jay.

"Uh-huh... he masters it really like a pro." Jay smiled and became serious, "No shit, Will. I don't like to think what could have happened... The bastard will wish he had never met me. Nobody touches my family and gets away with it."

"That's my brother." Will smiled.

"I was so..." Jay gestured unknowingly with his hands, "I don't know how to describe it... I was so relieved, happy, liberated when Ethan was finally back in my arms. It was the worst weeks I ever had."

"You have become a real softie since you were a father." Will grinned.

"Why am I talking to you? You can't empathize with fatherhood anyway," Jay grinned.

"What's next? Will Ethan stay with you even if the test is negative?" Will asked seriously.

"Mouse threw the test result away. I don't want to know it anymore." Jay said.

"What? Why not?" Will stared at his younger brother.

"I'm the only caregiver the boy has. I'm worried about him since he was born. I just don't want a test to break up our relationship." Jay explained and Will nodded silently. He never thought that his younger cop brother had such a softie side. But in the end he might be right. It was better not to know the result.

"You shouldn't let him wait too long," Will stated, watching his bored nephew. Jay turned and smiled at the sight of Ethan hopping from tile to tile. Will patted him gently on the shoulders and approached his nephew.

"Hey Ethan, would you like to join me in a baseball game?" Will asked curiously.

"In a stadium?" Ethan asked in wonderment.

"Of course." Will grinned.

"Yeah!" Ethan rejoiced and looked questioningly at his dad, "May I please?"

"Yes." Jay smiled and took Ethan by the hand to lead him to the car.

"I just have to go to the district. Is that okay with you?" Jay asked Jay and looked through the rearview mirror to Ethan, who nodded enthusiastically. You could clearly see his tooth gap. "Oh yeah. Then Mouse can give me my money." Ethan smiled.

CPDCPDCPD

"ETHAN!" Platt shouted, came out from behind her desk and pulled the little boy into a hug. Jay was already panicked that Platt squeezed his son's breath away. "You never go home alone, do you hear? I almost had a heart attack because of concern." Trudy explained, hugging the little man a little tighter before quickly pulling away from the little Halstead.

"What is there to laugh about, chuckles." Platt snarled at Jay and disappeared behind her desk. As soon as they reached the last step to the bullpen, Ethan ran to Mouse, who was waiting for his little friend with outstretched arms, "Hey my little monster!" Mouse smiled.

"I'm not a monster," Ethan chuckled.

"Yeah you do." Mouse laughed.

"Did you know that Dad and Erin are together?" Ethan whispered loudly to everyone.

"Are they really?" Mouse asked with a grin and Ethan nodded, "Yes, because they kissed and now I get 5 dollar."

"Of course." Mouse grinned, leading Ethan into the break room, realizing that the cops wanted to talk.

"How is Ethan doing?" Antonio asked a little worried.

"He's feeling better," Jay said, glancing at Ethan and Mouse, which played a card game.

"Children can endure a lot." Antonio said.

"Yeah, I guess, too," Jay murmured and Antonio patted Jay's shoulder.

"Phil Dulaney is in the cage." Voight growled, "He's very sure Ethan is his kid."

Without hesitation, Jay went into the garage. No one stopped him because everyone knew that Jay needed at least 5 minutes alone with the bastard. However, Jay was also pretty sure he would not need more than 5 minutes.

"Oh! I'm honored to be visited by Jay Halstead." Dulaney grinned. Silently Jay opened the cage door and grabbed Dulaney by the neck and pressed him against the wall.

"Nobody hurts my son!" Jay hissed.

"Your son? Do I have to explain it to you again?" He grinned.

"Believe what you want, but you have no right to kidnap or beat a child." Jay hissed and hit Dulaney's head against the wall.

"I demand a DNA test. Then we'll see who the father is. "

"You'd better be happy if you survive this. I don't understand fun when it comes to kids." Jay said angrily, "Your friend, Mike, was out of luck. He didn't want to cooperate."

Hank Voight had his contacts everywhere - also in jail. Hank did not kill Richardson, but the other prisoners do not seem to understand any fun when it comes to kidnapping.

Jay wrapped the chain (to tie the culprit to the wall) around his fist.

"That's for kidnapping my son." Jay hissed and slammed his fist into Dulaney's face.

"That's for Ethan's injuries." Jay said and again he hit him.

"Last but not least his fear." Jay hit him one more time.

"I'll sue you!" Dulaney hissed.

"You have no proof." Jay winked, "I hope you like it in jail."

CPDCPDCPD

"All right. We are just waiting for Erin and then we get us a big pizza, huh?" Jay asked.

"Yeah," Ethan said happily, turning in the chair in front of Jay's desk.

"What kind of box is that?" Ethan pointed curiously to the package on the desk.

Jay closed his eyes for a moment. Out of concern he did not congratulate his son or give him a present.

"That's for you. Your birthday present from Grandpa." Jay explained. Immediately, Ethan tore open the gift. Amazed, he held a small Lego City Set in front of him. Surprised, Jay read the attached slip of paper... seems like he must invite his old man for a drink.

Happy Birthday Ethan! - Grandpa, uncle Will & Dad.

"That's awesome. Thank you daddy." Ethan smiled enthusiastically.

It was not long before Erin came. They put on their jackets and wanted to disappear when Dulaney was taken away at the same time. Shaking, Ethan grabbed Erin's hand and hid behind his dad. Jay noticed immediately that Ethan got scared and decided to go another way out.

"Does the boy really know who is to blame for Anna's death?" Dulaney roared after them. Of course, Jay never told the boy the truth.

"Dad? What does he mean by that?" Ethan asked confused and stopped. For a brief moment Jay closed his eyes. He got no sound out. Why could not Dulaney keep his mouth shut?

"That was obvious!" Dulaney hissed when he realized that the child had no idea.

"Take him away. Right now!" Platt demanded. Jay reached for Ethan's hand to take him away, as Dulaney shouted after them, "She died at your birth!"