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

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-One: Recollection

Twenty minutes after the call the Unit, accompanied by Will and Conor, descended on University Hospital.  Barry had persuaded the young Detective to take a rest until his team arrived.  Jay had been reluctant but the Doctor had pointed out he was going to need all his strength if he wanted to be discharged shortly.  The headache had not eased so Jay had agreed hoping by the time his friends arrived he would be feeling a bit better. Barry watched the group approach the Nurses Station from where he stood outside his patients' cubicle.  Deciding to be proactive he walked up to the men and made short work of introducing himself before guiding the visitors into a small waiting room.  Adam had bypassed the room after ascertaining where his friend was.  The others would fill him in.

"So Doc what happened?" Hank asked once the door closed behind Al.
"He was involved in a head on collision ...,"
"I knew it!" Will stated angrily.
"Let the man talk," Hank shot the older Halstead sibling a glare as the ever present Surgeon at his side placed a calming hand on his shoulder.
"A truck travelling in the opposite direction swerved into Detective Halsteads' lane," Barry glanced st the volatile redhead wondering why he was so angry, "it's amazing he wasn't more seriously injured."
"So it was an accident?" Antonio asked looking pointedly at Will.
"It appears it wasn't," Barry replied, "the driver of the truck fled from the scene.  The Police believe it was a deliberate act."
"Damn it," Conor shook his head, how much more could his young friend endure, "what injuries does he have?"
"Well according to him he hurt his left hand and his head," Barry explained ruefully, "what he really sustained are a broken left wrist and three broken fingers.  We have splinted the hand but decided against a cast in deference to the fingers."
"What else?" Antonio asked quietly.
"He needed fifteen stitches to his temple but there are no fractures and he escaped a concussion although he has a severe headache."
"That it?" Al asked hopefully.
"No. Unfortunately he was jarred around a lot in the impact.  His left side is badly bruised but luckily he didn't sustain any broken ribs.  His left hip is also bruised down to the bone," Barry looked around at the group before voicing another concern, "when he realized it was night time and he had been here all day he became very upset.  He said ye 'didn't need any more hassle from him'."
"Hell!" Kevin shook his head angrily.
"That Kid thinks of everyone but himself," Hank put in as he looked at the Doctor, "anything else we need to know?"
"Oh yeah," Barry hastily took out the piece of paper his patient had returned to him, "when he came in he kept saying this name over and over.  In fact he insisted I write it down.  I showed him the name but he said he can't remember why it was important. Given the impact it's not surprising he doesn't remember everything."
"Can he be discharged?" Hank growled upon reading the name before handing the paper to Antonio to pass around.
"Well I was hoping to keep him overnight ...,"
"He's under my care.  I'm a Surgeon at Gaffney," Conor spoke up, "I'll keep an eye on him. Whether he likes it or not."
"Well in that case I'll get his prescriptions sorted.  Just the usual, anti-inflammatories and painkillers."
"Thanks," Conor offered his hand to the Doctor.
"No problem," Barry headed out relieved his patient obviously had a good support system whatever about the redhead.

Down the corridor Adam watched his friend fight his way to the surface and gradually open his eyes in the dim lit room.  He had turned off the main light upon entering.

"Hey man how are you feeling?"
"Like I got hit by a truck," Jay stated with an impish grin as he put a hand up to his head, wondering how it could still hurt so much after a rest.
"Normally we say that after a night on the town," Adam scoffed, "how did your break go?"
"Good.  It was ..... nice."
"You're still not going to tell me where you went?"
"Nope," Jay slowly sat up, pushing back the sheet which had been pulled over him revealing the burgeoning bruising on his left side.
"Ouch! Bet that hurts," Adam sympathised as he stood up to help the younger man get to his feet, knowing it would be futile to stop him, "where's your jumper?"
"Think they binned it," Jay sighed wearily, "and ideas?"
"Could get you a scrub top from one of the Nurses."
"No," Jay shivered as he looked around the cubicle.
"Well I wouldn't do this for just anyone," Adam explained as he quickly shrugged out of his blue jumper glad he had a warm shirt underneath, "this will do till you get home."
"Thanks," the injured man tried to stifle a groan as he raised his left arm to put on the garment.
"Hell it's too big on you," Adam noted as he helped pull the material down to cover the battered torso.
"Guess you should cut out those steaks you love," Jay chided feeling relieved that there had been no argument about leaving, "where is everyone?"
"Dr. Barry is just giving them a rundown of your injuries," Adam replied as he led the way out into the corridor and saw the others exiting the room by the Nurses Station.
"Ye told Will?" Jay stopped in his tracks.
"He was worried about you," Adam made sure none of his animosity towards the redhead crept into his voice, his friend did not need any extra hassle to deal with.
"Hell he's going to lecture me."
"No he's not," Adam assured, "I'll handle him."
"Thanks," Jay said hoarsely as he began moving again.

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

Two hours later the men sat around around Jays' apartment as the pale man sat in an armchair with his head back and his eyes closed.  It was obvious he was feeling terrible but he refused to lie down.  He had tried getting everyone to leave but much to his chagrin the whole unit proved intractable in their desire to stay with him, in addition to Will and Conor.  He had taken some painkillers half an hour earlier with half a cheese sandwich Adam had hastily made.  Now he sat waiting for the medication to carry at least some of the pain away.  His left hand throbbed where it lay across his chest, his right hand covering it protectively.  His side hurt any time he moved.  That was the worst thing he had learnt about pain growing up.  No matter how often one got injured you never actually got used to the resulting pain.  You knew what to expect, how long recovery would take but there was no way of blunting the pain without meds, which he hated taking but did when absolutely necessary, like now.

"Jay?"
"Yeah?" the pain riddled man squinted at the figure crouched in front of him with a frown.
"You need to lie down for a while," Conor stated gently as he took in the too pale features.
"Need to discuss this morning."
"It can wait," Hank put in from where he sat on the couch opposite his subordinate.
"No ..... please," Jay looked at his friends and brother, "want to do it now."
"Okay Jay," the Surgeon patted a jeaned knee and returned to his chair beside Will and Al.
"You kept repeating Williamsons' name when you were brought into ED," Antonio reminded wishing this could wait but knowing it was better to get it over with, "any idea why?"
"We already made sure he's still behind bars," Adam quickly offered assurance.
"I was driving .... to work.  It was about fifteen before seven," Jay rubbed his temple gingerly, mindful of the covered wound, "traffic was the same as usual.  I had no warning before a truck came into my lane.  It ..... it ....,"
"Take your time," Hank encouraged softly seeing the young man he looked on as a son struggling.
"There was something wrong ....... it didn't hit me head on," Jay opened his eyes as his memories began to return, "I ..... I hit the truck head on but ..... it was the passenger side I hit.  He pulled right across my path before ........ he .......,"
"Did he stop the truck before you crashed?" Antonio tried to help.
"Yeah," Jay squinted and yawned as the meds finally began working finally pushing the pain down, "it was like it was ...... planned.  I only saw the driver for a few seconds.  He looked like ..... Williamson but ....,"
"It wasn't Williamson," Al finished, "maybe a relative? A brother?"
"He has one brother," Mouse popped his head up from behind the laptop he had set up on the kitchen counter, "Martin, two years older.  Did three years for armed robbery five years ago. Been clean since then."
"Just because there's no record doesn't mean he's been clean," Hank voiced what all the Police Officers in the room knew then stood up and glanced across at the Surgeon before walking over to the blinking Detective, "okay Jay that's all we need for now.  It's time you got some rest."
"But ...,"
"We'll talk later Kid," Hank promised as Conor and himself each took an arm and guided the unsteady man to his bedroom.

tbc