*Based from 10x3, will contain spoilers*
*This is my version of 10x3*
Jay had felt himself losing it for a while and he knew it. Everyone saw it around him. He tried to hide it but it was becoming much more obvious. Nobody could get him to talk or open up. Not Hank. Not Hailey. Not Will. Hell not even Jordan.
Then it finally happened. Jay snapped. The current case had hit him hard. An Army officer, Lenny, had been shot and badly injured in what looked to be a robbery at a pharmacy. During the investigation it had been known that Lenny had been a part of the robbery for the money.
Lenny was dying and he hadn't wanted to put his family through that. When Jay and Hailey went to question him again with desperate pleas he begged them not to tell his family or involve them, Jay had understood where Lenny was coming from. Jay wanted to give Lenny some peace of mind and not have him and his family worry about a thing. Not even as he and Hailey got down stairs Lenny died from his injuries.
When they finally got back to the district and everyone saw the looks on their faces, nothing had to be said. Lenny died. Jordan saw how much more deeper Jay was going into his spiral.
She had chased after him when she saw him going outside for a moment. "Jay! Jay stop"
He had stopped and turned to the young Voight. Jay would never lose his temper or patience with her.
"I'm fine Jordy" He told her, his voice sounded robotic. As if he was trying to convince them both.
"You're not fine. You told me once before, it's ok not to be ok. Jay you're far from that. Please let us help you. Talk to me. Talk to Will. My dad. Hailey. Someone. Lean on someone. Anyone"
Jay had been letting her words sink in. He knew she was right. He was beyond ok. He'd been so much more angry, aggressive as of late and this case had only been adding to it.
"Please Jay, I can't lose another brother. I don't have it in me to lose another one of you guys"
After Alvin had died it had nearly killed Jordan not to fall apart. Just as she had picked herself up from losing her beloved godfather, Antonio had left altogether. After his drug use, murdering the bastard who had raped his daughter and Adam taking the fall for it, he couldn't take it. He had resigned from the force and moved down to Puerto Rico. Then not even after that Jay was shot and left for dead but had managed to survive.
Jay had simply just hugged her. Jordan held tightly to him she was terrified to lose him, she didn't know if she could handle losing another person she loved and cared for. It seemed as if every time she was fixed and happy life had to kick her in the gut with something.
"Jay please, please. Be careful and be safe" Jordan choked out.
The detective didn't say a word he just held her and softly kissed her head. He knew deep down he hadn't been alright in some time and this case made him snap. Any case involving Military made him feel some kind of way afterwards for a while. He let her go and walked away. Jordan knew he needed some kind of help but didn't know how, she had never seen Jay this far gone. All she could do was hope he would get the help he needs.
The case had been solved and over with, Jay had managed to make sure Lenny's involvements were hidden so his family could keep his support. And he made a decision that would not only change his life but the lives of everyone in his life. He had resigned from the Chicago PD and had taken a spot on the Army task force and had been being deployed down to Bolivia. He was a solider, it was what he needed. It was who he was. He hoped it would help him find himself again.
After dropping the bomb to Hailey and leaving her in the apartment in tears, he left going to see his brother. His brother was always there for him and supported him, he just hoped he'd do it again. He went to his brother's place and knocked on the door, his duffle bag hanging on his shoulder. Tears burning heavy in his eyes.
Will opened his door to see his brother, just by the looks of it he knew something was wrong. "Jay, what's going on? You going somewhere?"
The now former detective felt himself choking up. "I am actually. I resigned from the department, I got offered a position on a task force in the Army. I'm going down to Bolivia for 8 months. I'm not me man, something has been wrong with me and I need to get my bearings back. I feel this is something I need to do, it's who I am. It's who I've always been since I enlisted" Tears were falling from his already blood red eyes.
As he talked Will had silent tears falling from his eyes, just like he had them when Jay first told him he was enlisting. He understood his brother's words, he couldn't stop his brother from being who and what he is. He was a solider. He couldn't take that from him.
"I understand Jay, just promise me when you're down there, please take care of yourself. Come home in one piece. Don't make me come down there and kick anyone's ass, I'll be on the first plane straight there if anything happens to you"
For the first time in a while Jay chuckled a bit. "I promise, I will"
Dropping his bag he went and hugged his brother, the two brothers shared a hug as they held one another as tears left both their eyes. Jay drowned everything out and let himself be held by his brother. His only brother. His best friend.
"I love you Will" Jay choked out.
The redhead swallowed the lump in his throat. "I love you too little brother. Please take care of yourself"
"I promise"
Once the brothers pulled apart Jay reached into his pocket for something and put it in his brother's hand. Will opened it to see small round beads and what looked like some kind of tag.
"Jay wha.." Will trailed off.
"This is one of my dogtags. It's for you to wear to remember me by"
"I.. I can't take this"
"Yes you can" He took it from his brother's hand and opened it then laid it around his brother's neck gently. "There ya go, now I'll be with you everywhere you go"
Will grabbed it and held it tightly in his hand. "I'll always cherish it, I'll never take it off"
"I would hope not. I gotta go before I miss my plane. Take care of yourself Will, no more getting in trouble please"
"Me? In trouble? I would never"
He gave his brother a deadpan look. "You know what I mean"
The brothers shared one last hug and Jay gathered his bag and left for the airport. Will held his brother's tag as tightly as his hand would let him as he watched his brother disappear from his view for the last time. And it would be a very long 8 months before he returns.
Jay drove silently to the airport and made his way there, he was at the door before he saw two other people coming. Hank and Jordan. As Jay expected Jordan was in tears and Hank was trying to keep his daughter from falling apart.
He looked to Hank before saying goodbye to Jordan he had something he wanted to give her. "I thought you hated long goodbyes"
"You could have any job you wanted in that department, I'd tell you I'd make sure of it but you don't need me. We passed that. You don't wanna be me"
"No it's worse than that, I do. I do wanna be you. Are you sure that this is it? Are you okay with this?"
"I told you ten years ago that this would someday be your unit. It's time now. We had our ups and downs, but you were the closest thing to a son for me since Justin passed"
"I love you man" He shook Hank's hand firmly.
Jordan stood there holding her head down as more tears came, finally the former detective looked at her. Hank stood back giving them a moment.
"Hey, you know I don't like seeing my little sister cry. No more water works Jordy" He tells her softly.
She looked at him as tears ran down from her eyes, he wiped them away. "I'm gonna be counting down the days till when you come back" She sniffed.
"I know you will be. Jordan, I'm so proud of you and everything you've accomplished. I remember you being this 12 year-old little girl having a small crush on me to becoming my little sister. I will always be glad and grateful for having you in my life. You went from a playful kid to a strong, tough, young woman that's going to take the world by storm one day. You keep going and reach your dreams, you make something of yourself" he reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple of things. "I saved these for you, I want you to have them" He placed the first item in her hand that looked liked some type of coin. "That's my sobriety chip, it's yours now. You worked hard to keep yourself clean and sober, I know you continue to fight to keep it that way and this is something to wear so I'll always be with you" He took the same beaded necklace with his other dog tag and placed it gently around her neck.
"Jay..are.. Are you sure?"
"I haven't been more sure about anything before"
She sniffed and wiped her eyes. "Just make sure you're back in time to meet your niece or nephew"
Jay went wide eyed. What had she said? Hank even stepped forward for that. Jordan looked between the two.
"Theo and I are expecting our first baby"
"Jordy, congratulations kid" He engulfed her in a hug. "You tell Theo, I'm only a plane ride away if he tries any funny business"
She chuckled wiping her eyes. "I think dad and the others has that part covered"
"You're going to be a great mother Jo, I have complete faith in you. If it's a girl, she won't be dating till she's at least 30"
She chuckled. "Between dad, Theo, and the others if it's a girl the boy won't stand a chance"
"Hey! We ain't got all day, move it Halstead!" Yelled out a loud voice, one very familiar. Too familiar.
The others looked to where the voice was coming from and Jordan's eyes went wide, a hand clamped over her mouth. "Mouse?! Oh my god is that you?"
There stood Greg Gerwitz aka Mouse. He had cut his hair and was clean shaved, he looked good and smiling. Jordan ran over to their former tech and grabbed him in a hug, the former tech hugged her.
"Damn kid. You grew up, not that same little kid anymore" Mouse told her.
"My dad will sure enough agree with you. And this kid is having a kid of her own"
"Who's the guy I gotta look into?"
"Not you to!" She laughed. "My dad and the guys have it covered believe me"
"What's his name?"
"Theo"
"Theo? As in your best friend?"
"Yes that one, he's the only one I know"
"I might have to look into him on the trip"
She shook her head as Jay walked over. Looking over the younger Voight hugged Jay one last time and slipped something in his hand from her pocket.
"I love you Jay. You're one of the best older brothers a girl could have" She muttered.
"I love you too Jordy" He felt something cool and metal in his hand.
"Don't argue with me, just take it as a reminder" Jordan told him.
Hank pulled his daughter away so Jay and Mouse could leave through the doors. Greg looked at him. "What is that?"
Opening his palm it was a silver Mickey Mouse necklace he quickly put it on and hid it under his shirt. "Just a reminder"
Hank and Jordan watched as the two disappeared into the crowd. Jay and Greg found where they were boarding their plane and quickly boarded. They sat in their seats. Jay looked out the window as the plane began for take off and the scenery was now flying past him.
He may have been leaving but he would come back. He always did. Chicago was where he had the best amazing friends a person could ask for. He had a family. It was his home. No where else felt like home to him except Chicago and nothing would ever change that.