Thank you so much for the follows and kind reviews. They are really motivating me to keep writing! I have a new story over at Chicago Fire, so feel free to let me know what you think of that one. :)

Jenmm31- I wasn't sure I was actually going to show Jay seeing Jess right after her first shift, but you said you were excited, so this chapter is for you. :)

Chapter 26

She had made it. Jess shoved her uniform into her bag.

"Hey, Halstead, good first shift."

Jess glanced at Casey. She tried to hide her smile at his praise. "Thanks, Captain," she said. Again, she fought the urge to salute.

"Yeah, we're all happy to have you on board. You know, now that you showed us what you can do," Hermann said. "After those knuckleheads headquarters kept sticking Brett with, you were a relief."

The rest of the crew muttered their agreement.

"I'm happy to be here," Jess said, losing her battle with her smile. She closed her locker and slung her bag over her shoulder, ready to walk out with Brett.

"You any relation to Halstead who works Intelligence?" Cruz asked, falling in step with them.

Her smile instantly fell. "Yeah," Jess said shortly.

Casey spoke. "Halstead's a good cop."

"He is," Jess agreed, tightening her grip on her bag.

"So, uh, let's all welcome this Halstead aboard 51 tonight at Molly's," Hermann said, breaking the loaded silence. "All tap beers 15% off."

"And…?" Stella said, raising her eyebrows and tilting her head meaningfully toward Jess.

"And Jess' drinks are half off," Hermann said.

"Her drinks are how much off?" Stella asked. "I must have heard that wrong, Hermann."

"Her drinks are on the house tonight," Hermann grumbled. "Welcome to 51, kid."

"Hey, that's more like it," Stella cheered, linking her arm through Jess'. "So you'll be there?"

Jess hesitated, wondering if her brothers were going to be at Molly's tonight after their shifts. But she looked at Hermann's welcoming smile, in spite of his reluctant offer, Brett's friendly, open smile, and Stella's arm linked with hers and found herself letting out a small smile again. "I'll see you there."

"Alright, that's the spirit," Cruz said, patting her on the shoulder as he walked past to open the door to the morning sun. "See you tonight, Halstead."

"See you." Jess blinked at the bright sunlight and reached into her coat pocket for transit pass.

"Jess!" The call drew her attention to the curb and her smile broadened. She gave Adam a small wave with her free hand.

"And what is this?" Stella asked, openly admiring Adam's muscular form leaning against his car. "Intelligence sends you a driver?"

Jess felt her cheeks warm. "No, Adam is…he and I…"

"Ahhhh," Brett said. "Nice, Halstead."

"Mmm, girl," Stella said. "Hot cop waiting for you after shift? We should all be so lucky."

Severide was right behind them. "Hey," he said, jerking Stella's attention back to him.

Stella unlinked her arm from Jess'. She slipped in alongside Severide and he draped his arm around her. "I, however, get to go home with a hot fireman. So I am feeling plenty lucky."

With promises to see everyone later at Molly's, Jess separated from the group and went up to Adam.

He took her bag from her and leaned down to claim her lips in a kiss. "You look like it went well."

Jess looked after the rest of the shift, getting into their own cars. "I think it did." Now that the shift was over, uncertainty started to roll over her. "We had some tough calls, but I think I held my own."

"And they invited you to Molly's?"

"Yeah. Do they do that for everyone, though?" Jess asked. She could feel her brows knit and looked after the group, some cars already pulling away from the curb.

"Is Hermann giving you a discount?" Adam asked.

"He said I drink free tonight." Jess looked at Adam, wondering what he thought of that.

A grin split his face. "Darlin', if Hermann is giving you a discount, he likes you. If you're drinking for free, they all like you. You must have impressed them."

"You think so?" Jess asked, hating that she couldn't trust herself to read the situation. She had enough trouble keeping her head in the game for her first shift. She hadn't had anything left to try to read her coworker's expressions or comments.

"Trust me, you're in good with them."

Relief, at being done with her first shift, at earning her coworkers' respect, at finally succeeding at something, had her standing on her tiptoes to press a long kiss to Adam's lips.

When she pulled away, Adam looked down at her. "You're going to make it really hard for me to go into work."

Jess laughed. "I'm exhausted. I'll make sure you go to work so I can sleep."

Adam opened the car door for her and Jess slipped inside, already relaxing into the comfort of the leather seats. Adam got in and gave her one more kiss and a smile before putting the car in gear.

Jess almost dozed off, cocooned in the warmth of the car with Adam beside her. She was lulled almost to sleep when Adam turned onto the block where her dad lived and let out a curse under his breath.

Jess opened her eyes and sat up straighter, looking to see what Adam saw.

Jay.

Her brother sat on the front porch step of their father's house. He watched Adam's car pull up and didn't move to stand.

"Stay here," Adam said shortly. He opened his door and strode up the walk, slamming the chain link gate behind him.

Jess fumbled with her buckle and pulled at the door handle, hurrying to catch up to Adam.

"What are you doing here, Halstead?" Adam demanded, striding up to the porch.

Jay stood. "I'm here to see my sister."

Adam was shaking his head. "No, not today. She's happy and you're not talking to her now." He moved toward Jay.

"This isn't any of your business, Ruzek."

Jess caught up to Adam. "Jay, please…" She stayed at Adam's side, letting him shield her from Jay.

"Will called me." Jay cut to the chase.

Jess stiffened, anger draining the last of her exhaustion. "Did he tell you I saved my patient from bleeding out in the back of the ambulance?'

"He told me what happened after that."

Adam cut his eyes to her. Jess didn't look at him. She didn't want to see the way he looked at her change.

"Nothing happened after that," Jess insisted quietly.

"Jess," Jay said, quieter. "This job isn't good for you. You're not ready—"

"Watch it," Adam said fiercely, taking a step forward.

"I mean it. This isn't any of your business." Jay's jaw was hard, his voice rough.

"Oh it's my business. Someone talks to my girl like that, and it's my business. I don't care if you're her brother."

"And what are you, Ruzek? She told you she loves you. Is she going to be another girl you string along, maybe propose to her, and then throw her aside? Like you did to Burgess? Like you did to two other fiancées?"

"What?" Jess looked to Adam, silently begging him to tell her Jay was wrong.

Adam looked down at Jess. His eyes implored her to listen. "That's not what happened."

Jess looked to Jay. Lines bracketed his mouth, but he didn't take back what he said. Looking back at Adam, she felt her breath catch in her throat. It was true. She wasn't special to Adam. She was just another girl to him.

"Jess, listen—"

Jess shook her head and took a step back. Adam reached a hand to brush her cheek and Jess jerked away.

"You should leave," Jay said, coming to stand between Jess and Adam.

"Jess," Adam tried again.

"Don't," Jess choked out. She backed up until she felt the steps against the back of her feet. She gave Adam one more look. "Just don't," she whispered in a ragged voice.

Jay started up the steps after her but Jess jerked away from him. She shook her head. "Leave me alone. Both of you." She got inside and pulled the door shut firmly behind her, turning the lock, then leaned back against it. She willed the tears not to come. But they came anyway, rolling down her cheeks, shaking her with silent sobs.

#

Adam pounded a fist on the door. "Jess! Open up. Let's talk about this."

Jay pushed Adam. "She doesn't need to talk to you now. You need to go."

Adam shoved Jay back. "Why would you tell her that?"

"She's my sister. I'm going to protect her," Jay said through gritted teeth.

"She doesn't need protecting from me."

Jay gave Adam a hard shove. "Get out of here."

Adam swung for Jay and caught him before Jay could move and clipped the edge of his jaw.

This time Kevin and Erin weren't there to break them apart. Grappling against the hold they had on each other, they fell to the porch floor, grunting every time one of them connected a fist. Jay managed to half stand, dragging Ruzek up with him. Ruzek pulled against him and they lost their footing, rolling down the three porch steps.

They continued to drag one another up, land a punch, fall to the ground. Taking another roll across the ground, they landed at booted feet.

"Get up." The raspy voice was low with barely contained rage.

Jay pulled away from Adam. Adam gave him a disgusted shove away to separate himself from him.

Voight stared them down, his dark eyes hard. Jay's chest heaved with exertion. Adam wiped at a trickle of blood from his nose with the back of his hand.

Adam registered Olinsky's car and Dawson's pulling up behind Voight's.

"You want to tell me why dispatch got a call about someone trying to pound down the door at Halstead's sister's house? And two men fighting on the porch? Platt called and diverted us over here."

"These are the two causing the disturbance?" Dawson asked.

Voight jerked his head toward the house. "Check on Halstead's sister." He gave Jay and Adam a measured look. "Get down to the district. You're both at your desks until I say different."

"Boss, that's not—" Adam started.

"You want to give me your badge instead, Ruzek?" Voight asked.

"No, sir."

Voight nodded. "That's what I thought."

He waited until they were in their cars and drove off before joining Antonio on the porch. "She in there?"

Antonio frowned. "She's not answering."

Voight took a turn knocking. "Jess," he called through the door. "It's Sargaent Voight. We just need to see you're alright."

The door opened a crack. Jess' tearstained face looked out at them.

"Jay and Ruzek are gone. Are you OK?"

Jess nodded, the look on her face saying otherwise.

"Do you need anything?"

Jess shook her head.

"Hm," Voight grunted under his breath, clearly not believing any of Jess' answers. He slipped a card from his pocket. "If either one of them comes back here, you call me. I can be convincing."

Jess took the card without looking at it. "Thank you," she said quietly. She closed the door. Voight and Dawson heard the deadbolt slip into place .

Voight tucked his hands in his pocket as he headed down the sidewalk. "I want you parked outside here when Halstead and Ruzek head out at the end of their shift. We'll cuff them and book them if we have to."

With a last look back at the house, he got into his SUV. He saw a light turn off upstairs, and shade get pulled shut. Jess shutting out the world.

#