Ok, thank you to LadyFalcon who helped me to realise that my last chapter update was total nonsense. Once I had shoved my ego out the way, I realised you were right, I thank you for your honesty. So I've gone back to the drawing board and changed my plans a little. Here is the new chapter nine. Fingers crossed this story is back on track. Thank you for reading if you're still with me.

Chapter Nine

Hailey and Will glanced at each other, aware that Voight hadn't been in a good place lately. Not visiting and working more hours than was humanly possible.

"You want Voight?" Will asked, a small nod given by Jay in response again. He didn't have enough air to try and explain everything more than once. It was essential Voight heard it first. "Hailey, can you message him?"

"Sure, no problem."

Hailey did as she was instructed, asking Voight to come to Med urgently, that Jay had woken up asking for him personally. She wasn't expecting a reply, especially as it was now the middle of the night.

"Ok, so we need to get you cleaned up..." Will stood, stretching. He began gathering things he would need for the job at hand.

Jay couldn't focus on anything around him, his mind staying heavily in the experience of the past few weeks. He felt like he was reliving it again. It didn't help that the heavy dose of pain relief the syringe driver had just delivered to his veins was now in full swing. The room swayed and suddenly went dark. It took him a few seconds to realise he'd closed his eyes. He heard his brother asking him a question but he sounded far away.

Will disconnected all the lines so he could remove Jay's gown. He shook his head at the number of tubes and cables attached to his brother. He held his breath for a moment at the impending argument they would have when Jay was awake enough to realise they were there. He took the gown from Jay, rolling it up to keep the vile contents inside.

"Jay? Are you ok for me to start?" Will repeated. "I think those pain meds are working nicely."

He forced his eyes open and tried really hard to focus on his brother. He gave a nod- hoping that was the answer Will was searching for, and closed them again at speed.

He felt the warmth of the cloth touching his face and gave a sigh of relief. It was weirdly quite a comforting sensation. For so many days he'd known nothing but agony and loneliness. The cloth disappeared and he tried to look where it had gone, but the darkness wouldn't budge, his eyes were no longer cooperating.

"Been a while since I helped you wash your face little brother." Will said, Jay didn't react. His eyes stayed firmly closed and his breathing had slowed considerably. "Think he might be asleep." Hailey nodded in reply.
"I'm not surprised; he must be exhausted."

Will looked down at his brother's battered body. The bruising now a rainbow of colours across his abdomen and shoulders. Some areas over his broken ribs were completely black, others areas a lighter shade of green where healing had started. He was shocked at how thin he looked. He wondered what they had been feeding him, if anything at all.

Jay was awoken suddenly from his sleep when Will's cloth touched the cuts and bruises on his chest. He took a sharp intake of breath and screwed up his face.

"Aghhh..." He managed to get out, the words stopped instantly when a violent coughing fit started. He gasped for air between coughs until it eventually slowed.

"Take it easy, try not to talk. I'll go more gently, but I need to do this."

"K..." He whispered.

"Why don't you press this?" Hailey said, holding up the button.

Jay felt so heavily drugged he couldn't even open his eyes. He really wanted to be conscious and with it when Voight arrived, but he had a feeling the pain was going to get worse as Will carried on. Will touched the other side of his chest and the lightening pain spreading made the decision for him. He nodded, and Hailey pushed the button.

"Sorry..." He whispered slowly, falling into a deep sleep again.

"Why is he sorry?" Will asked, puzzled.

Hailey shrugged her shoulders; she reached forward and kissed his forehead. "You don't have to be sorry. We've got you, just get some sleep. Your brother's gonna get you sorted."

Will continued to clean Jay, asking Hailey to help gently lift his arms, so he could wash around his sides. Will slid a fresh gown onto him and reconnected all the lines and monitoring.

"How long will it take him to put the weight back on? He looks like he's starving." Hailey asked.

"Well, they've been feeding him via the tube for a couple of days. Now he's awake, he can start on small meals. But his digestive system has taken a big hit, it's likely he's gonna have sickness and diarrhea for quite a while whilst it all sorts itself out. It's gonna be a rough ride."

Hailey didn't say anything, just felt incredibly sad for Jay. He was going to hate every bit of this recovery, she was certain. But the fact that he was here and alive was the most important thing, she just had to help Jay realise that.

As Jay slid into a deeper sleep, Will noticed his oxygen levels falling. Hailey startled as an alarm sounded. Will reached up to mute it, not wanting his brother to be disturbed.

"Is he ok?" Hailey asked, her eyes on Will trying to read his mind.

"Yeah... I expected this." He reached behind Jay's bed and grabbed an oxygen mask. He carefully pulled the nasal cannular out of his nose and gently placed the oxygen mask over his mouth and nose. He stood watching the numbers rise slowly. "It may have been a fraction early getting that tube out, but I know my brother- he'd have pulled the tube himself if we left it much longer!"

"Yeah, I think you might be right there."

"He's going to need more oxygen whilst he's asleep, hopefully the mask will do that."

"Hopefully?" Hailey said concerned.

"Yeah hopefully, otherwise he'll have to try non-invasive ventilation- up his nose. It forces the oxygen in."

"Ok, that doesn't sound like something he'll appreciate."

Will nodded. "Shall we turn him whilst he's out? He was trying to get off his back when I came in." Hailey agreed and slowly and carefully, they turned him onto his right side, his back now towards the door. Jay didn't wake and his oxygen levels improved with the move. Hailey noticed that the large wound on his lower back had seeped through the white dressing.

"Oh, that doesn't look good." Hailey said, getting Will's attention. Will peered over the top of his brother to look down.

"Oh yeah, that's gonna need changing. I'll sort it now."

He got a fresh dressing and tape from the drawer. He carefully peeled the heavily soaked dressing from Jay's body. His back and buttocks now on full display. The wound underneath looked and smelt unpleasant.
"How do you think that happened Will?"

"Looks like maybe a pressure sore, but he's got grazes around it too. I don't know..." He peered at it more closely and then placed the new dressing on and taped it down. "He's got grazes all over his back and butt, it's like he's come off a motorbike in thin clothes or something, you know? Sort of injury you see when someone gets dragged down the road surface at speed. Road rash they call it."

"Shit, it looks so painful." Hailey said sadly.

"Yeah, I reckon it is."

Will left Jay's hospital gown open at the back to allow air to his other wounds. He lightly covered him to his waist with a thin blanket. Jay remained asleep. They both sorted the room, and with Voight's lack of reply, they decided to get some sleep. It had been weeks since they'd slept properly and they were both reaching a new level of exhaustion. They reclined their chairs and were both out in seconds.

Pete managed to locate Jay's room with surprising ease. The cleaner's uniform and badge the boss had given him worked a treat. The baseball cap helped to reduce his face being caught on any cameras. No one even questioned him as he moved around freely where ever he needed. He'd even found an unattended broom, making his outfit complete. At Jason's suggestion, he had washed his hair and generally tidied himself up a bit. He couldn't actually remember ever looking so smart. Jason had also suggested he didn't use drugs before this visit, but what Jason didn't realise was that not using, was simply no longer an option for Pete. His addiction was intense, so he took the smallest amount possible to function. The kick felt good and he was ready to go.

He had chosen to come in very early in the morning, less staff around and most patients would be asleep. He knew once he was inside the room, that he wouldn't have very long before they were interrupted. He noticed two nurses at the desk, heads down, writing in notes. He walked on past. Getting past the cop on the door had been too easy. He felt a surge of excitement seeing the uniform, anticipating trouble. However, Pete realised that he was also in uniform and confidently pushed the door open. The guy didn't even glance up from his phone, brilliant.

He stood still for a second to gauge the reaction of the people inside. The cop was on his side, facing away from the door. He didn't move, Pete guessed he was deeply asleep. Some blonde was asleep on his right and another bloke who looked very similar to the cop was sound asleep on his left. Perfect. He gently placed his broom against the wall. Everything was ready, with time against him, it was time to wake the cop.

Pete excitedly reached up and muted the monitoring above Jay's bed, a bell icon with a line through it confirmed he had been successful. That had been Jason's idea in the planning stage- they didn't need a loud alarm summoning help too soon. He hoped the nurses at the desk were distracted enough with their paperwork to buy him the few seconds he needed in the room. He pulled a large blade from inside his trousers and placed it up next to Jay's neck. He ripped away the oxygen mask with force and clamped his hand down over Jay's mouth.

Jay woke with a start to find he couldn't breathe. His mouth completely covered with something. He wondered for a split second if he was having a nightmare, but realised it felt too real. The drugs were still heavy in his system and he tried weakly to lift his hands up to his face, the explosion of pain stopping him. He threw his head side to side but the hand stayed put. He tried to kick out with his legs but the pain stopped that too. He couldn't catch his breath and began panicking. A strong burst of adrenaline arrived and assisted him in throwing himself on to his back as he frantically drew air in through his nose. He forced his eyes open and felt his heart stop. Pete was grinning back at him with a knife to his throat.

Pete noticed the monitors around Jay flashing red, but no sound escaped them. Perfect. The moment the cop's eyes locked on to his was insanely exhilarating. He grinned wildly.

"Did you miss me? Pete whispered, glancing at the two sleeping visitors. They didn't even flinch, exhausted from weeks of sleepless nights. "You say a word, I'll slit your throat, got it?"

Jay stared wide eyed at Pete, desperately trying to breathe through his nose and wishing his drug induced brain fog would clear. Spots began to dance in his vision, he needed more oxygen urgently. He couldn't cope without the oxygen mask. He felt the hand on his mouth lift away and he threw his mouth wide open, gasping hungrily at the air.

All Jay had to do was wake Hailey and Will and they would be all over this. Pete could be on the floor in seconds. Pete saw Jay's eyes flicker towards his sleeping brother and read his mind.

"Shhhhhh..." Pete said, bringing a nicotine-stained finger up in front of his mouth. "I told you, you wake them and you're dead."

Pete kept nervously glancing at the door, expecting a nurse at any moment. He put more pressure on the blade when he glanced away and Jay could feel the blade pushing into his skin. Jay's heart was thundering, and he briefly wondered if Pete would accidently kill him before he died of lack of oxygen. He turned back suddenly and pulled the knife back. "I have a message from the boss, you're running out of time. Here's a phone, we'll be in touch. You talk to anyone, you die." Pete pulled an old cell phone from his pocket and shoved it into Jay's hand.

Jay couldn't say anything, he couldn't even comprehend what Pete was saying to him as his hearing had become distorted. He was now feeling the harsh effects of lack of oxygen. He continued to gasp, feeling himself losing consciousness, he was disorientated and no longer knew where he was. Jay's eyes slipped closed.

Pete put the knife away and backed away from Jay, the door swung open and a nurse rushed in.

"Not sure he's very well..." Pete said to the nurse as he slipped out the room unnoticed, and disappeared down the corridor.

The nurse pulled the emergency bell and Will and Hailey woke immediately. Will demanded to know what was happening. The door swung open again and two other nurses came charging in to assist.

"He's unconscious and O2 levels are dangerously low!" She yelled. "His oxygen mask was off!"

"Jay, Jay... can you hear me?" Will frantically tried to wake his brother, but to no avail. "Oh Jesus. He's in respiratory arrest. Bag him! He's gonna have a cardiac arrest." Will said in despair, dragging his hands through his messy hair.

Jay was laid flat and a bag and mask placed over his mouth. The nurse began squeezing air into his lungs, breathing for him. Hailey stood, staring between Jay, the nurses and Will praying they would fix him. She rubbed at her shoulders and neck nervously.

"Why the fuck was his mask off?" Will shouted.

"I've no idea, it was on last time I came in. Could he have done it himself?" The nurse said, continuing to bag Jay, who remained completely unresponsive.

"No way, he doesn't have the strength. His monitoring is on mute too..." Will said looking at the machine flashing red, but not making any sound.

"Dr Halstead, look at his neck..." The nurse requested, noticing a thin red line of blood along the front of his throat.

"What the..." Will said looking closer at the new wound. "Hailey... that looks like it's from a knife!"

Hailey swallowed. Had someone been in the room whilst they were sleeping? Her heart pounding, she yanked the door open to speak to the uniformed officer on the door.

"Has someone been in here?"

"No Detective. Only you guys and hospital staff. I've been here all night."

Hailey stood thinking, trying to work out what was going on. A commotion from the bed dragged her from her thoughts. She looked back to see a now conscious Jay fighting on the bed and Will trying frantically to calm him down.

"Jay, take it easy brother! You're ok!"

The bag and mask had been replaced with a standard oxygen mask, which Jay was trying to rip off whilst gasping for air and coughing uncontrollably. His legs were thrashing and becoming tangled in the blanket covering him. Hailey realised he was trying to talk, but it was undecipherable and making the coughing worse. His hand frantically pointing at the door. She decided it was time to call Voight.

Voight woke with a start. Slowed by his aching neck, he lifted his heavy head from his desk. He could hear his cell phone ringing but couldn't locate it under all the paperwork. He glanced at the half-empty whiskey bottle on his desk and sighed, rubbing his face. He was exhausted and despite working until really late again, he was no closer to finding any answers. He stood slowly, stretching out his aching back whilst scrolling to see who had called him. Upton. He then read the message she had sent in the night.

Please come to Med. Jay asking for you. Upton.

"Shit." He replied out loud. He was grabbing his coat and another text came through.

Come now, Jay really distressed. Think someone has been here. Upton.

He sent a speedy reply to let her know he was on route and ran out to the truck, swung himself up inside the cab and fired the ignition. His mind full of concerned rage for Jay, he called the team on route to meet them at Med.