Jay Halstead was an anxious guy, when he came home from war he seemed to get worse, becoming a shell of the man everyone remembered him as. He didn't leave the house unless really necessary, he would do everything over the phone, food shopping had to be done by his brother.
Will was worried about his younger brother, and when Trudy Platt mentioned that a job was going at the 21st District for an IT Tech he put his brither forward without telling the anxious man himself. Telling Jay had caused the man to have the biggest meltdown the older Halstead had seen, it had ended with the younger man being hospitalised needing oxygen.
Jay had been distraught at the hospital, but Will decided that in order for his little brother to be the old Jay again, he needed a job. He called Hank and asked him to meet the man there, and it had been a connection from the first moment, the two men chatting like old friends.
Jay had now been working with the Intelligence Unit for 6 years, had found his soulmate in the unit who brought the best out of him. Hailey Upton knew that her husband's anxiety was something that they'd need to deal with for the rest of their lives together.
It didn't bother her at all; she had learnt what triggered his bad days, how to make his bad days into good, but also how to handle the good days as even they could turn into a bad one. The pair lived in a small house beside the district, and were settled in with some lovely neighbours.
"Jay, come on baby, we need to get to work" Hailey mumbled, rubbing her sleeping husbands bare back
"No, stay here" Jay mumbled back, his voice quiet
"Come on babe, we have to go in" Hailey sighed, watching as her husband curled into himself and pulled the covers higher above his head
"No, please" Jay whimpered
"Jay, is your tummy hurting?" Hailey asked softly, running her hands through Jay's hair
"Yea" was all she got as a reply
"Ok, how about we do half a day at work, see how you feel at lunch time?" Hailey bargained, she didn't want her husband to miss another day off work
"You promise we can go home at lunch?" Jay mumbled as he rolled over, eyes searching Haileys
"Yea babe, I promise" Hailey smiled
Jay slowly sat up, and leaned against Hailey while trying to calm his breathing to keep his shaking body at ease. Hailey let the man take his time, whispering sweet encouragement to him, smiling at him when Jay opened his eyes.
Jay got out of bed at a snails pace, shuffling to the cupboard and grabbing his usual, jeans and a soft tshirt but also grabbing a fleece. He was feeling the cold today, and all he wanted was to stay in bed where the world was quieter.
Hailey watched her husband shuffle quietly around the bedroom, his posture making him look small and vulnerable. She knew it was going to be a bad day, especially since he had woken up with bad cramps in his belly which always happened when he was having an overly anxious time.
"Hailey" Jay whimpered from the bathroom
"I'm coming sweet" Hailey said, walking into the bathroom to find her husband shaking as he tried to brush his teeth
"Can you get my medicine?" Jay asked quietly, eyes staying down to look at his shaking hands
"Of course, let me help you brush your teeth first though" Hailey soothed, taking the toothbrush out of Jay's hand and helping him get it done
The morning routine was soon completed, slower than usual but it was done. Hailey guided her husband into the kitchen, handing him the pills that he took to keep his anxiety at a more manageable level. Hailey knew today it would be useless but Jay was adamant to take them daily to keep the routine up.
Getting Jay into the car caused another meltdown, large tears falling down his face as he sobbed and held his cramping belly in pain. His mind was so loud and Hailey could only reach and hold his hand trying to give him some comfort.
"Do you want a few minutes alone?" Hailey asked as they pulled into the district parking lot
"Can Trudy come down?" Jay asked, fumbling with his hands
"I'll get her for you, just breathe babe, you're ok" Hailey soothed, pressing a gentle kiss to Jays kips as she shut the door and walked into the district towards Trudy Platt
"Where's chuckles today?" Trudy asked, not hsed to seeing just one half of the Halstead clan
"He's in the car, can you go see him please?" Hailey asked
"Of course" Trudy said, making her way quickly to where the man was sat shaking in the car
She gently tapped on the window, smiling softly at the man who looked at her in relief, he opened the door and threw himself at the woman. Trudy held her godson tightly as he cried, she could feel
his whole body trembling as he hugged her tight.
"Sunshine, I need you to breathe" Trudy whispered, shifting so the man was standing between her legs while she sat on the passenger side
"I just want it to be quiet, why can't it be quiet" Jay cried, head hidden in Trudys neck
"Buddy, I know but you're doing so well with your medication and you've got myself and Hailey supporting you all the way" Trudy whispered, hugging her son close
"I want my dad" Jay suddenly cried and it broke Trudys heart
The Halsteads dad had died almost twenty years ago, but she knew he wasn't asking for him, no he was asking for Alvin Oliensky who had adopted botb boys just after their 17th birthday. The man had died two years prior, and it had been the root of the increased anxiety in the smaller Halstead.
"I know sunshine, I know" Trudy soothed, wishing she could give the boy one more day with his dad
"I miss him so much" Jay sobbed, starting to hiccup as he brought himself into a panic attack
"Sunshine, breathe, you're ok, how about we go see Hank" Trudy questioned, knowing the boys godfather always knew how to calm him down
Getting Jay upstairs was a task, he wanted to stay away from people as he was embarrassed by his meltdown but as soon as he was able to see his Godfather he unlatched himself from Trudy, throwing his smaller body at Hank and hugging him close.
Hailey watched with soft eyes as her husband hugged his godfather close, the trembling had decreased massively. Half an hour later and she found herself walking into the office where Hank was sat on the sofa with Jay leaning on his shoulder, fast asleep.
"He'll be ok Hailey, just got to take one day at a time" Hank sighed
"I just wish he didn't have to deal with this, it kills me to see him so upset" Hailey sighed, sitting opposite Hank
"We're always here for him, and for you too, you're family" Hank smiled
