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

Chapter One Hundred and Five: Confusion

Fear was the first thing Jay felt when he woke up in the dark cubicle.   He was oblivious to the heart monitor tracking his pounding heart rate.   He closed his eyes trying to get his bearings.   Nothing made sense.   Gradually he felt the presence of a hand on his shoulder and quickly put up a hand to shove it off as he squinted at his surroundings.

"Whoa Jay you're okay," Adam looked down at his friend worriedly as he kept his hand in place, "just listen to me.  You're okay, you're safe."
"Adam?" the ill mans' incredulous tone betrayed his confusion.
"Yeah man, it's me.   You're in Memorial," Adam explained quietly catching sight of Will and Conor outside the cubicle with O'Sullivan, "you've been out if it for a while.   Can you remember what happened?"
"No .. I ......," Jay willed the memories to come back but drew a blank and raised a hand to his throbbing temple, "did I mess up?"
"No you didn't.   You remember being undercover?" Adam continued with the questions they had agreed should be asked.
"Yeah."
"Well you were found in an alley several blocks away from Petrocellis' house and ...,"
"Where is he?"
"He's gone to ground Jay," Adam replied as he caught Wills' look of impatience, "but for now you need to take it easy.   You were given a dose of Bright Glow so you've been out of it for a while."
"We need to find him," Jay insisted with a frown as he tried to recall how he wound up in an alley, "how long was I out of it?"
"Today is your ......... tenth day here."
"What?!" Jay half roared in shock, his distress clear.
"Took the Docs a while to work out what drug was in your system," Adam offered before giving a small smile, "if you had been healthy you'd have had less of a reaction.   Will and Conor were very concerned so ...,"
"Tell them I'm fine," Jay instructed automatically then continued knowing the Unit would be staying close, "how about you get O'Sullivan and get me loose before Voight gets here again."
"I was just going to tell you Will and Conor are ......,"
"I don't have time to talk about them," Jay went to sit up but found his shoulders pushed back against the bed, "what the hell Adam?!"
"It's been ten days Jay, a lot has happened," Adam motioned the Doctors forward, "Will and Conor flew in yesterday."

The shaken man looked at his brother and friend in disbelief.  This was like a nightmare.  The duo had no part in his job, they shouldn't be there.  Glancing at O'Sullivan Adam informed his friend he would be back shortly and followed the local Doctor out closing the cubicle doors behind them.

Voight had only agreed to Will and Conor flying out yesterday when it became clear they would have to return home soon.  Petrocelli, Jimmy and Paul remained untraceable.     The investigation had come to an abrupt end to all intents and purposes, one which concerned everyone.  There were too many questions which needed answering.   All the surveillance tapes had been gone over thoroughly looking for some clue as to how Jays' cover had been blown.  Nothing was found.  Voight had been leaving one of the team in the room with the drugged man to ensure he was met with a friendly face when he did come back to them.  For ten days his system fought the dangerous chemical in his system as his friends watched at his side wishing there was something tangible to do.    O'Sullivan had explained to the group that the young man had been given a  dose of Bright Glow but due to his weak immune system it had taken more of a toll on his body than it should have, hence they had trouble stabilising him.  The Sergeant walked along the hospital hallway with Al noting Adam talking to the LA Doctor.

"How is he?" Al demanded with a rare impatience as they reached the duo.
"He's pretty confused," Adam replied quietly, "doesn't remember anything and as the Docs told us I didn't push him."
"So how soon can we bring him home?" Hank ignored the frowns from his men.
"I'll examine him once Will has spoken to him," O'Sullivan offered, "if he's still improving tomorrow I'll agree to his discharge but only because he will be under medical supervision."
"He'll love that," Adam sighed unhappily wondering, not for the first time, how quickly things had become unravelled.
"Well I'll be around if ye need me," the Doctor gave a final look at his patient through the glass before heading off.
"So who gave him him up?" Al asked once they were alone.
"We've cleared Morettis' team," Adam reminded as he scrubbed a hand down his face betraying the exhaustion they all felt.
"I've been thinking about it," Hank commented, "what if Petrocelli  just decided not to kill Jay because of his dead son?"
"But whether that's right or not he knew Jay was a Cop," Al put in, "the note he left proves it."
"Look I'm as much in the dark as ye are and I don't like it either," the gruff Sergeant conceded, "but our priority now is to get Jay home.  If  Petrocelli resurfaces we'll hear about it."
"Doubt if he will considering he gave up most of his dealers," Al referred to the information gleaned from the box of files left with Jay, "think he was making a clean break."

Inside the cubicle Jay was still trying to get his bearings as his brother sat on the side of the bed and went to put a hand on his forehead.

"You shouldn't be here," the ill man pushed the approaching hand away weakly, looking at the ceiling.
"Look Jay I know you're confused but your job is finished," Conor moved closer to the bed not happy with the state of his patient, "you just need to take it easy.  You had us really worried for a while."
"Sorry ...,"
"No one is blaming you Jay," Conor shared a look with the anxious redhead, "Voight knows you didn't do anything wrong."
"Yeah right!"
"Damn right Kid!" a growl insisted as the aforementioned Sergeant walked in and motioned the two Doctors back.
"Sarge?" the pale Detective tore his gaze from the ceiling in surprise.
"Yeah Kid, it's me," the older man stood at the head of the bed seeing the guilt, confusion and fear his subordinate was trying to hide, "he knew you were a Cop." 
"He did?"
"Yeah he did.  We're heading back home tomorrow so for now do as you're told and rest."
"I'm sorry Sarge.  I don't know what happened .. but ....... my idea of him handing over the reigns was totally off."
"Well in a way you were right," Hank looked back at the two listening men, "we think he has shut up shop.  He gave us the means to close down his distribution operation."
"How?"
"He left a box with you which held records for Chicago, LA and Miami but that's all you need to know for now," Hank decided firmly, "we'll talk more tomorrow."
"I want to know what's going on now."
"Tomorrow Kid," Hank repeated, shaking his head in fond exasperation at his Detectives' stubbornness, "you get a good nights' sleep and you'll be able to remember what I tell you."
"Okay," Jay gave in reluctantly knowing he had no choice for his eyes were already feeling heavy.

Outside in the hallway Adam and Al had been joined by Antonio.  Will, Conor and Hank stepped out of the cubicle quietly.

"He okay?" Antonio checked.
"As okay as he can be," Will observed, "he didn't have to say anything but it's obvious he's blaming himself for the investigation going south."
"Well when he's feeling better we'll make sure he knows he didn't do anything wrong," Al confirmed automatically, no way was he going to let his young friend shoulder unnecessary guilt.
"Besides it didn't go wrong did it?" Will double checked.
"Yes and no," Hank looked at his Detectives' sibling debating how much to reveal, "it went wrong in that our target got away but it turned out better than we could expect in the circumstances in that we are closing down his distribution operation here, in Chicago and in Miami."
"But we don't know how he knew Jay was undercover," Adam added the most worrying detail knowing that until they fully debriefed their ill friend they would not have a full picture of what went down, that was if their friend remembered!

tbc