Another Life

2

I spent the rest of the morning convincing Jay I felt fine and that I would be more than okay to go to work - but it wasn't until his brother showed up at the door to watch Macie for the afternoon that he gave in, believing the words I kept telling him.

We said our goodbyes to Mae as we walked out the door, Jay keeping a few steps ahead of me on the way down to the truck parked out front. I wasn't sure if I had annoyed him by repetitively arguing with him how I was feeling when from his point of view I was sick, and I understand why he would be annoyed at that, he was just making sure I didn't push myself when I was feeling rough.

The drive to the district was quiet, I didn't want to say anything that might tick him off more whilst he was driving and it was only after we pulled into the parking lot across from the district that we spoke words between each other.

I was the first to speak, letting the words out as I shut the passenger side door to the truck. "Jay, I get it, you're looking out for me, but I promise I got it all out of my system, I feel fine." I lied, only feeling more sick than I did this morning after the somewhat bumpy trek here - how they get away with so many potholes in the road will forever annoy me.

Jay nods, looking to me very briefly but for the most part he keeps his gaze locked in front of him as we walk closer to the front door. He doesn't say anything in response, which makes me put my head down slightly, just focusing on walking into work without any further issues.

We can barely make it up the stairs into the opening before Platt is calling for us loudly behind the desk. "Blondie, Chuckles, get over here." She says, bending her finger as if pulling us toward her desk.

We walk over quickly, the desk sergeant barely pulling her eyes up over her glasses and from the papers in her hand as she speaks to us, beginning before we can reach the very front of the desk. "Voight told me to tell you both when you graced us with your presence that you both need to head over to 1430 South Emerald Avenue, you've caught another lead in your case."

Both Jay and I nod, taking off back outside the district, not bothering to put our bags upstairs first knowing we could do that when we got back later.

The drive there was quick, my stomach turning in disagreement though every time the wheels jumped over yet another pothole in the road. It wasn't a long drive and when we turned on to the avenue we could see the swarm of blue officers lining the street around the house, yellow and red tape blocking off different areas of the street, restricting access into the house.

Jay showed off his badge to allow us inside and immediately we're both hit with the stench from whatever made us come here in the first place, the strong odor making my stomach flip in all the wrong ways, the nauseous feeling only getting worse with every step further into the house we got. Whatever it was it had been here a few days at least.

I just about managed to make it to the kitchen, keeping down what wanted so badly to come up, finding our main suspect of our case lying on the dining table, very much dead.

Voight's voice is what brought my eyes up from the table, bringing my focus away from keeping contents down, which turned out to be a very big mistake. "Mateo Flynn, leader of the cartel. M.E. says he's been dead seventy-two hours, maybe more."

At this point I couldn't hold it back anymore, excusing myself quickly and pushing past all the officers littered in the house and just about making it around the side of the house with as little public attention as possible before I doubled-over.

I'm not sure how long I was there for, but just as I was able to stand up straight again I can feel Jay's hand pressed against my back, rubbing slow circles between my shoulder blades. I lean my back against the brick wall and Jay moves his hand, running it up and down my arm at the same slow pace.