The Other Halstead

Chapter 18- Stronger this way.

"Hey what are you doing here Addie?" Antonio said walking up to her and placing a hand on her shoulder. He didn't need to say anymore as she knew what he meant. She had just recently had the shock of losing her Father so he wasn't expecting her in the gym first thing the next morning.

"Please don't tell me to go home Antonio, I can't, I need some time to think, I can't breath at home please." She explains to Antonio who has a small look of sympathy on his face as though he was attempting not to patronise her by being overly sympathetic.

"Ok." Was all he said and squeezed her shoulder. "I'll be in the side room if you need me." Antonio said pointing to the small room connected to the gym.

"Thanks Antonio." Addison said in response and walked over to a punch bag on the other side of the gym. She put her duffel bag down away from the bag and put her wraps on.

After a few minutes Antonio started to think that she was punching a little too hard and preferred to be there to check on her in case she hurt herself.

"Alright, we're going a couple of rounds let's go." He called leaning out of his small side office.

Addison hesitated but then began walking towards the ring. It was something Antonio did when she got mad sometimes, took her off of the bag and put her in the ring. She knew it wasn't worth arguing about and she knew deep down that it helped.

After a few seconds Antonio came out of his office with the sparring pads and gloves and walked towards the ring.

He threw the gloves and pads into the ring and held the side of the ring up for her to climb in.

"Thanks." She said and climbed in.

Once Antonio had gotten into the ring himself he put the pads on his hands and Addison put her hands up ready to spar.

"Uh uh, no way you're sparring with just the wraps on today kiddo. You're brothers will kill me if you break your hands." Antonio said.

"I don't care." Addison said casually.

"Well I care, everyone at the 21st and 51 and med they care. Your brothers they care...gloves." Antonio said more seriously.

"Yes sir." Addison said respectfully and with no energy to continue the argument. She picked up the gloves and put them on.

They tapped gloves and pads. "Alright let's go." Antonio said and Addison starting punching the pads Antonio was holding.

These punches got harder and harder when she had recalled the events over the last few months. Her Dad going mad and being an aggressive alcoholic after her Mom died, her moving into Jay and Will's and fighting at school, her losing her Father and then freaking out in her room.

Antonio began to feel how hard she was punching. "Hey, hey calm down kid, calm down your gonna do yourself some damage." He said and on the next punch pushed her arm down and gently held her face with his padded hands to get her attention.

"Addison." Antonio said in a gentle but firm tone trying to get her to focus on what he was saying. "Everythings gonna be ok." He said reassuringly.

When Antonio saw how hard she was punching and the state she was in honestly his heart broke for the kid.

"You don't know that. Everything's gone wrong, everything! Everything I touch just turns out bad in the end!" She yelled and started balling with tears rolling down her face.

"I can promise you that we're going to do everything we can to make things better for you." Antonio said putting his hand on the back of her neck comfortingly. "Addie? Addison?"

Breathing became harder again and she was soon dizzy and disoriented. She heard Antonio speaking but it felt like she was under water or in some sort of tunnel his voice muffled and almost echoing. She fell to the floor collapsing distraught and exhausted.

"I gotcha, I gotcha. It's ok, everything's going to be alright." Antonio said as he raced to grab the falling girl who was clearly exhausted from breaking down after her ordeal. He held her for a little while as she regained consciousness and then walked her over to the ring side and sat her down as he sat beside her. The gym was practically empty except one or two people who minded their own business and continued what they were doing without taking notice.

"Give me your hands." Antonio said taking the gloves off of her hands and beginning to unwrap her left one.

"Addison you've gotta take it easy alright? I don't wanna patronise you, but..." Antonio said as they sat on the edge of the ring.

"Then don't. I can't stand this Antonio, you don't understand, no one understands I don't even understand myself. He treated me like dirt over the last few months why am I upset that he's gone? I don't get it, please tell me. Help me understand." Addison said with tears running down her face. Antonio finished unwrapping her second hand.

"Addie look at me." He said wiping a tear off of her cheek and then moving the same hand onto her shoulder. "Hope is a powerful thing, most of the time it's good, but occasionally it has a tendency to stab you in the back. You were led to believe that your Father was getting better and he was improving, but that only made it hurt more when he died so that's why. And it's ok to get upset, because it's sad Addie. Alright?"

Addison nods and holds her head down cry a little as Antonio pulls her into a side hug. "What about Jay and Will?" She asks as in between quiet sobs.

"They'll be fine too. I promise, but it will take them longer to be if they're worried about you passing out in the gym like you just did." Antonio said getting up to get her some water from the machine. He passed her the cup and then sat back beside her.

"Please don't tell them Antonio. Like you said they have enough to worry about as it is." Addie replied and then took a small drink of the water.

"Addie, I can't keep this from them you know that." Antonio said.

"But..." Addie attempted to protest but then saw the look on Antonio's face and gave up protesting. "Ok."

"Alright." Antonio said.

Hope you enjoyed reading this chapter more to come soon :)