Warning: mentions of child abuse.

After a few days in the hospital Jay had been released to go home, but he wouldn't be cleared for field duty for a little while. Jay hadn't been used to just sitting around doing nothing. For the moment Will or Jay hadn't brought up the subject about their father to Emmy yet.

The youngest Halstead was still nervous about talking about it with her brothers, afraid if she told them not only would she be in trouble but she would lose them as her family.

Every night since Jay had been taken Emmy had nightmares just about every night she fell asleep. She'd wake up screaming and crying, covered in cold sweat.

Late one night, Will had been at work stuck on a double shift and wouldn't be home till morning. Jay was in the living room unable to sleep, after tossing and turning for what seemed like forever he eventually got up. He checked in on his sister. For the moment Emmy was sound asleep laying in her bed, tucked in the way Jay left her. Her breathing was calm and even. After making sure she was still asleep he went down and turned the tv on flipping through the channels.

By 2 am Jay was not only restless he was bored. He couldn't get comfortable on the couch. He was in a lot of pain but ignored it. The detective began nodding off till he heard a loud scream coming from his sister's room, and as fast as he could he went up to her room.

Nightmares began plaguing Emmy's dreams, she began tossing and turning, fighting in her sleep. Soon she sat up and cried out, she was gasping for breath, her body shook and trembled. Jay rushed in and went to take a seat by his younger sister.

"Em, listen to my voice honey. I need you to take some deep breaths and calm down" Jay says gently.

"J…Jay.. Jay" She gasped out, trying to catch her breath.

"Just take some nice deep breaths sweetheart, I know you can"

Emmy had done what her brother instructed her to and began slowing her breathing down. Soon it was once again even and she leaned forward hugging her older brother as a new round of sobs came. Jay immediately wrapped his arms around his baby sister and just held her, he was in physical pain but Emmy was in emotional pain and had been the entire time she was under her father's thumb.

The detective didn't wanna begin to know what their father had put her through but he had a pretty good idea of it all. He held his sister rubbing soothing circles on her back doing his best to soothe her. It had taken her a good few minutes to calm down, she laid into her brother's chest seeking his comfort.

"Feel like some hot chocolate?" Jay asked softly.

She nodded, wiping her eyes. The detective took his sister downstairs to the kitchen and turned the light on. Emmy had gone and sat down at the table. Jay put some hot water on and poured the chocolate powder mix in a couple of mugs.

"I'm sorry Jay" Emmy muttered.

"What do you have to be sorry for?"

"I lied to you guys. I was scared to tell the truth, I was afraid if I told you guys. You wouldn't believe me and..and you wouldn't love me anymore"

"Hey" He started, his voice was gentle but firm. He went over to her sitting down and taking her hand. "No matter whatever happens, Will and I will always love you. And we will always believe you as long as you tell us the truth. We can't help you if we don't know the truth and the situation"

Her lip wobbled. "Dad he uh…he wasn't always this way he changed after I was 5"

"What happened when you were 5?"

"Him and my mom were always fighting. Then one day I stayed with a babysitter while mom and dad went out. Dad came home" Her voice choked up. "He… he said he and mom were in an accident and mom didn't make it. But I knew something was off about it. He didn't look hurt or anything. He wasn't sad, upset or anything. With a straight face he said my mom died in an accident. After the funeral it only got worse, he'd drink a lot and when he got angry" She paused taking a breath.

"Take your time. Don't rush"

She sniffed and wiped her eyes. "When he got angry, he would hit me. Hit me, spank me, he locked me in the basement a few times with no food or water. Other times he'd use me as a guinea pig. He got into drugs and stuff when I was 6. He'd always test the drugs on me before he used them to make sure they were as he said, "perfect quality" he didn't wanna use any bad drugs. Last time he got a bad batch, let's just say I couldn't walk for a couple days. He blamed it on me. That's when he made a rule, I wasn't to be seen or heard unless he wanted it. I caught him and his friends one night at the kitchen table messing with white powder. Dad saw me and dragged me upstairs and spanked me really hard. I only went down because I was hungry and thirsty, he hadn't let me eat that day. When I couldn't take it anymore I went through his stuff and found yours and Will's names, addresses, where you worked, I called the cops on him and when he found out I ran from him I got on my bike and tried to go track you or Will down. I must have been going too fast and I slid out and knocked into someone. Other people called 911 and I went to the hospital. You know the rest after that"

Jay nodded. "What happened when he contacted you?"

"I'd been with you and Will for a month, he called me from a payphone and said he knew what I did and he'd make me pay. Then you got kidnapped and well you know the rest" Her lip wobbled. "I'm sorry Jay. I'm so sorry"

She held her head down as tears began falling and Jay carefully bent down and hugged her. Wrapping her arms around his neck she buried her face in his neck. The detective rubbed soothing circles on her back.

"Em, sweetheart. I need you to listen to me" Jay pulled her back, he caught a tear falling from her eye and wiped it away with his thumb. "Nothing that happened was your fault. You're an innocent child, dad knew what he was doing he wanted to make you believe it was your fault when it wasn't. You were scared but you don't have to be scared anymore. Will and I are gonna protect you. And no matter what happens we will always love you"

She sniffed. "I love you Jay"

"I love you too kid"

She wrapped her pinky finger around his and Jay smiled slightly keeping his finger around hers. Emmy knew from that moment on she'd always have her brothers and they would do anything in their power to protect her. She would never have to fear anything ever again. Not even their bastard father.