„What did you do to my parents? What happened 8 years ago?"

Trembling and fearfull Maddie stood in front of her uncle who held a gun to her head.

„You should have never come to this house. You made a big mistake."

Her nails touched the flesh of her arm to cope with the ongoing fear.

„Have you seen it? Did you witness how he stabbed them? Answer me."

The old men increased the grip around her neck.

Painfully the gun point digged into her forehead.

„You're the same scum like your mum. You look exactly like her."

Maddie started to cry in silence but tried her best to hide the tears.

„Shot me. I've got nothing to loose."

„Chicago PD. Put your gun down", a familiar voice screamed towards the man when Maddie recognized Erin who just appeared at the opposite side oft he room.

But her uncle didn't move.

During seconds his finger moved tot he trigger. But before he could even pull it, a loud bang disturbed the silence in the room.

Maddie was flung through the air because she couldn't resist the power of the shot.

Being in some kind of trance she recognized how Antonio kneeled down in front of her uncle to search fort he pulse, then she was pulled away by two strong hands.

„Chicago PD. Lincon 15-21. We need an ambo to 69th Park Avenue", she heard Erin speaking to her radio. That's when she realized that it was Jay who pulled her into a warm hug.

The whole adrenaline was kicking in while she heard her own crying which seemed miles away.

She wanted to fight him, thought about running away. But Jay kept her save in his arms.

Quietly she started crying in his bullet proofed vest, while he was rocking her gently, before the sirens mixed up with the noises from the street.

She couldn't take it anymore. But no one knew that it was only the beginning of a neverending nightmare…

CPDCPDCPDCPDCPDCPD

„Will? How is she?", Halstead asked his older brother when the whole team met in front of the ICU.

Will Halstead entered the visitors area and looked at them in surprise because nearly the whole station was sitting in the waiting area at the hospital, waiting for further news.

Even if Maddie got out with some scars and scretches, she broke down on the way to the hospital, leaving everyone concerned what else had happened before.

Will looked at his clipboard and nodded in satisfaction.

„She had a circulatory breakdown. It's a result of an extremely stressfull situation. Vasovagal syncope. As konsequence to a shocking experience. Her breathing stopped so her brain wasn't supplied with oxygen. That looks scary at first. But is finally just a harmless reaction. Her bruises should be cooled with ice and we supplied her with an intravenous drip to make sure that she doesn't collapse again. But I'm more worried for her psychological state. She looks paralyzed to me. I don't know what happened to her but if you ask me that isn't a good sign. Finally you should better speak to a psychologist about this."

„Can we see her?"

Will didn't seemed enthusiastic.

„Two at at time. Anyone else should waite until tomorrow. She will be released in a few hours. We just wanted to make that her blood pressure is fine."

„What about her uncle? The guy who was brought in 20 minutes ago?", Hank wanted to know.

Will Halstead shook his shoulders.

„Not ready for questioning. But he's probably gonna make it."

Voight glanced to Erin and Jay.

„Lindsay? Halstead? You're going. I'm gonna visit in the everning when everything cools down a bit", he tapped on Lindsays shoulder before he waved towards his own direction to make clear that the rest oft he team should follow him to the station.

CPDCPDCPDCPD

„Hey, attagirl", Jay greeted Maddie when he and Erin entered the room, scared how things would work out after the event.

Maddies view went to the wall.

Halstead pulled a chair to her bed, while Erin took place on her mattress.

Madeleine looked lost in the large hospital bed. The torture was visible. It wasn't possible to ignore the scratches and bruises on her face.

But when Erin tried to take her hand Maddie resisted, staring at the window.

„You knew everything about it and you didn't tell me. You lied to me for years, told me that my parents died at a car accident."

Her eyes started to fill with tears.

„Why?"

Jay took a deep breath.

With Erin being unable to speak, he tried to find words, which explained it.

„We wanted to protect you because sometimes it's better if you don't know the truth at once."

She looked at him with a sad and empty view.

„Why did he do that?"

Erins helplessly glanced at Jay.

„I wanted to know", Maddie begged her foster parents that remained in silence.

Finally Erin startet to speak.

„As far as you could read it happened like it's written down in your file. Your parent's didn't die at a car accident. You were 4 when your dad killed your mum and your sister. He had drug problems and there was violence around the house and at this day it escalated. You witnessed everything. That's what we know from your social worker. Furthermore you weren't able to classify time but they assume that it traumatized you. That your brain developed the strategy to displace everything."

Silent tears started running down her cheeks. Erin did a hard job to resist pulling Maddie in her arms.

Jay, obviously feeling the same, threw sad glances at Erin.

„Uncle Hank and uncle Alvin arrested your dad and he's gonna spend his life time in prison. He won't get out, Maddie."

Her tears hit the white bed sheets.

Jay seareched for a tissue and handled it to Maddie.

„Why didn't he kill me?"

Jay shook his head and bit his lips, to show Erin not to tell her the whole story.

„Sweetie, I don't know. We never found out. You were sleeping in different rooms and we think that you managed to hide yourself."

„I can't remember anything", she mentioned sadly.

Jay nodded in relief.

„Maybe it's better that way."

But in contrast she started to sob more heavy.

„No, it's not. He killed them and I don't know why", Maddie started to sob in her hands, making Erin to pull her in her arms.

Jay looked at them sympathetically, helplessly rubbing Maddies back to comfort her as good as he was able to..

Overwhelmed they watched how her foster child suffered from the pressure of the last hours, until she powerlessly felt asleep in Erins arms…