Quiet Sorrow and Secret Nightmares

The Video

 A/ N   Italics are either Jay's memories or what is happening in the jail cell.

X

They all gathered around the monitors and watched from the beginning - Jay's arrival in the cell.

X

Knowing the drill, Jay turns and puts his hands to the opening in the bars so they can uncuff him. He scowls at the officer then takes a seat away from his cellmates.

X

Trudy was beside herself, "Oh my God!"

Hailey hit pause and glared daggers at the Sergeant.

"Jesus Christ!" had quietly escaped his lips when he saw the state of Halstead but it was drowned out by the detective's partner.

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

He shook his head taking in the roughed up detective, scraped chin and forehead, cut above his left eye, clotted now but the left side of his face was smeared with blood and a long bruise at his hairline that he would bet $50 was from his head 'accidentally' hitting the door jamb when Parker put him into the car.

"Dammit! Parker's never been an issue, a couple of minor dings on his record, that's it, nothing like today." He gestures to the monitor, "...nothing like this."

Seeing this though made him wonder what the asshole had been getting away with.

"I'll make sure there is a full investigation."

Trudy butted in, "I'll make sure there is a full investigation."

He nodded. Probably better that way.

Hailey was just about to start the video again when Trudy released more anger, "...and I want that Brandon kid transferred to the 21st by the end of the day."

There was no way in hell she was going to let the kid stay at the 15th. He looked like he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. She would assign Brooks as his TO. If the kid was a rotten egg, Brooks was the one to crack him, if he wasn't, Brook's would turn him into one of Chicago's finest.

Starting the video again, Hailey moved closer to the screen. Three men, all a little roughed up from the brawl, were talking amongst themselves where two benches came together in the back corner. Jay sat near the door, kitty corner to them...

...elbows on his knees, hands dangling, head down.

"Jesus kid..."

"Oh Jay..."

"No situational awareness...what the hell is going on with him, Hank?"

Voight rubbed his face while keeping his eyes glued to the screen. "He's had a rough couple of weeks...kid's exhausted..."

X

He chastises himself for his stupidity - getting himself thrown in jail. Now he just has to avoid being recognized as a cop and so far he is ignored by the three guys in the cell with him. He closes his eyes and tunes them out while they talk and laugh about the brawl.

Leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees, he hangs his head and wonders how long he'll be stuck there and checks his watch...a mistake...a painful fucking mistake that transports him to another time and leaves him there to suffer through it all over again.

XXXXXXX

15 years ago he stood ramrod straight in a small room off the entrance of the funeral home, a garment bag in one hand and a shoe box under his arm. The owner, whom he'd known all his life, standing in front of him.