A/N Okey guys this chapter is a little bit short, but it's all Linstead and it's the first time they meet. i have to admit it was very difficult to write this chapter because of the of mind Jay is in, so i apologize if it's not the best thing in the world.
I don't own the Chicago franchise nor the characters
Chicago
January 2012
A loud noise coming from the living room startled me awake, my first reaction was to grab the gun that Hank demented i keep close to me and headed carefully towards the noise, you can imagine my surprise when i realized that the reason for the noise was no other than my drunk as a skunk husband. I lowered the gun and stepped into the living room, the sight in front of me was as you may guess was pitiful.
- Oh, Kelly - i whispered crouching next to him. His leather jacket was tossed aside, one shoe on, one off, his shirt was misbuttoned, his hair was curly mess, i could smell the booze and cheap perfume from the other door. I looked at him for a long moment slipping my fingers in his hair and wondered what had happened to the man I married. Ever since Lesley Shay's dead Kelly was different, he would skip work, drink until he had no idea on what earth he was, sleeping with random women, barely even look at me, I had tried to help him, but he was freezing me out.
- Come on, lets get you to bed - i said helping him up and dragging him to our bedroom, the moment we got there he dropped on the bed and was out, i got him undressed and under the covers and returned to the kitchen. When i got there started the coffee machine, in the meantime i got a glass of water and few aspirins and took them into the bedroom, putting them on the nightstand next to Kelly. I knew that there was no way i could go back to sleep, so after i made sure my gun was locked in the security box, i took a shower, got into my blue jeans and a black shirt, tight my hair into a high twist, returned to the kitchen and prepared myself a cup of coffee. When i looked at the clock on the stove i was shocked to see that it was only five thirty in the morning that was enough to tell me that today was going to be one very long day. And after spending the next hour checking my email, the weather channel and the news i decided that it was time to head out.
I walked down the street towards the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, where i was volunteering for the past two years, and on my way i passed the bar where Kelly and i met and a small, sad smile spread across my lips. It was so difficult i wished i could blame Kelly for the issues in our marriage but at the same time remembering myself and the things i did after Justin's dead i couldn't say i didn't understand him. Shay's death hit Kelly hard, and he was acting out, without thinking about the consequences of his actions, he was doing anything in his power to forget, unfortunately our marriage was the collateral damage.
When i got to the institute it was almost eight o'clock, everybody was in the cafeteria getting breakfast which gave me a few minutes to put my name tag and to look through the medical charts that had my name on it. For some reason the the staff usually assign me the difficult once. maybe because of my experience, or maybe because of my character but they believed that i can made a difference with those soldiers and if we count the patients i've help i would say they were right.
When I was done reading the charts I headed towards the room of one of the patients, I knocked on the door and walked in
- Good morning Staff Sergeant, my name - I started and looked at the man sitting in the wheelchair
- I don't care - he interrupted me, without even looking at me, now I got why they gave him to me
- Grumpy much? - I asked walking deeper into the room; I was used to behavior like his, not to mention that my husband was acting the same way, so the coldness didn't surprise me
- You ready for some exercise? - I asked standing right in front of him forcing him to look at me.
- Look I know ...- I started with the calmest voice I could manage, although the husk in my voice makes it difficult
- No, you don't! You don't know shit! Get OUT! - the young man in front of me started yelling; his green eyes got darker then a stormy ocean, his freckled face was cringed in rage.
- Do you feel better now? - I asked and got a hold of his wheelchair and started pushing when he grabbed my hand
- What the hell you think you're doing? - he asked staring at me with such anger, but that didn't stop me, I've seen the kind of depression soldiers like him go through especially when injured, being the one to protect and turning into the one that needs protection and help is something that many people can't handle
- Taking you to the gym, or you thought that the little scene would give you a free pass? - I asked raising my eyebrow at him
- Let me go! I'm not going anywhere get out and live me alone! - He demanded to put his hands on the wheels, preventing me from being able to push him further. I looked at him for a long moment and then stepped in front of him with serious expression
- Let me get this straight; you are so pissed off that you prefer spending the rest of your life in this wheelchair instead of sucking up your pride and ego and do what the doctors and I say and walk out of here in few weeks? You are right I don't get it! - I stated and turned my back on him heading towards the door; I couldn't help him until he was ready to be helped. I had made just a few steps before he stopped me
- You are a nightmare; you know that? - he asked looking straight into my eyes that only made me smile
- No Staff Sergeant I'm way worse - was my simple answer, after winking at him I went back to him and started pushing the chair out of the room. We didn't say another word until we got to the gym, the physiotherapist was waiting patiently on the staff sergeant. I helped him to get stationed and introduced him to the therapist and headed towards the door
- Where do you think you are going nightmare? - He asked and if look could kill I probably would be dead right about now. The look of disapproval and disappointment on his face was priceless; he was like a little kid that was just denied an ice cream.
- Other people need help to Staff Sergeant; you are in good hands - I said and nodded towards the therapist who was waiting next to him, starting his exercises, although the Sergeant was too focused on me to notice anyone else in the gym.
- No, you made me come here, you are staying here nightmare! - he demanded, and the anger returned to his face, I had to admit he was hot when he was angry, but I had to push those thoughts away, it wasn't professional, nor moral because I was married.
- Elisabeth, I was looking for you, we need you at the lobby - one of the nurses called from the doorsteps of the gym, I still didn't understand why the people here preferred to call me Elisabeth instead of Erin or Lindsay or even Severide. However, i got used to being called Elisabeth, and I started to like it
- I'm sorry Staff Sergeant, duty calls. But how about that if you let the trainer do his job, then I would consider helping you out - I said with a wink and turned around, I was almost at the door when he stopped me again, but this time his demeanor was different, even his voice was different, and that surprised me.
- Hey, nightmare it's Jayson Halstead. But you can call me Jay - he said, and when I turned around there was a smile on his face, for the first time since we met he was smiling, his emerald green eyes had a spark that was so mesmerizing, that it made my knees feel weak.
- Erin Lindsay - I said, and walked away. I couldn't explain what just happened but there was something different about that boy, and it wasn't the fact that he was a soldier, or that he was wounded or the fact that he was a complete pain in the butt. But there was something in his eyes, in the way he looked at me, something was pulling me towards him, and I couldn't seem to make it stop.
The next few days weren't any different, Jay would either be stubborn as a mule, or he would give me those smiles of his, the once that would reach his eyes and make then sparkle like an ocean under the sunlight. It was about a week after we met, when his exercises started to pay off and he was able to take first steps on his own, without support, or people holding him, he was so proud of himself, the look of triumph on his face was the most amazing thing i've ever seen.
I was walking down the hallway one day when i heard quiet guitar melody coming from one of the rooms, it took me a moment before i realized that it was coming from Jay's room. I knocked on the door and walked in, the window was wide open, the curtains were pushed aside, and he was sitting on the windowsill with an acoustic guitar. His eyes were focused in something in the distance, his head was laid back resting on the window and his fingers were following the strings of the guitar mindlessly. I was surprised when i realized that i knew the melody he was playing it was an old one, but a good one - Bryan Adams - Please Forgive Me.
- I didn't know you were fan of old classics, or that you can play the guitar - i said quietly hoping that i wouldn't startle him into jumping of the open window
- There are a lot of things that you don't know about me Ellie - it was hilarious how my nickname from Nightmare turned into Ellie, to be honest, no one had ever called me that, but it was charming especially coming from him.
- I guess you are right - i said shrugging my shoulders and sat on the couch next to him, i looked outside trying to follow his gaze, good old Chicago, so beautiful, so peaceful it was like a dream, although it was freezing cold.
- Are you trying to catch pneumonia? You just got out of the wheelchair - i said raising my eyebrow, at him, which only made him laugh at me but never the less he got up and closed the window and sat dawn, picking his guitar again, and started playing a random melody. We sat there for a long time just him, me and his acoustic guitar. And it was nice, there were no yelling, no drinking, no smell of cheap perfume, or cigars, it was refreshing, different in a good way.
