"Is there something going on between you two?" Vanessa asks the next morning. The two girls are in the kitchen working their way through their first cup of coffee.

"No. We're just partners and friends," Hailey answers quickly, taking her eyes off of the sleeping detective.

"Is he okay? I mean, from what I heard, Jay's not exactly a heavy sleeper. Shouldn't he have woken up by now?" Hailey gives Vanessa a questioning look making her explain further. "Ruzek told me if Jay's sleeping to steer clear or he might accidentally attack me."

"He had a bad day yesterday add in some beer…" Hailey drifts off, letting Vanessa get an idea of what happened.

Jay starts to stir hearing two voices. Casper hears Jay moving around and leaves the kitchen to go to his human. Wanting Jay awake, Casper starts licking his face. Jay sleepily pushes the dog's face away from his own, "Casper, stop," he orders. "I'm awake." Jay sits up, rubbing his eyes, trying to remember why he is on his partner's couch and not in his own apartment.

"How are you feeling, Jay?" Hailey asks, concerned about his buzzed confession last night.

"Okay," Jay lies.

"Do you want breakfast? We have plenty," Vanessa offers, not knowing him well enough to know that he is lying to them.

"I can't. I need to take Casper home and feed him before I go in," Jay answers while looking for Casper's leash.

"Leash is in your jacket pocket," Hailey tells him before he is able to ask.

"Thanks, I'll see you guys in a little bit," Jay answers as he is clipping the leash on Casper being careful to keep the leash wrap out of Vanessa's view.

"Is he normally like that?" Vanessa asks after Jay shuts the door behind him; having little interaction with the former Army Ranger outside of work.

"Sometimes, he has his days," Hailey vaguely answers.

Hailey excuses herself to get ready for the day but actually wants to get away so she can hopefully have a chat with Will before either of them have to be in for work.

Calling the now very familiar number, Hailey is surprised when Will answers on only the second ring.

"Hailey? Don't tell me that my brother already did something stupid and got hurt in the process today," is the first thing she hears over the line.

"No, Will. Have some faith in your brother, or at least my ability to keep him out of trouble," Hailey answers back.

"This is a bit early for a social call, isn't it?"

"Not exactly social. Were you planning on showing up to Casper's training session tonight?" Hailey asks hoping the answer was yes.

"Yeah, why?"

"Jay and I had a talk last night," Hailey starts. "You really need to talk with him. Brother to brother. Just the two of you."

"Is this your way of saying that I'm on my own tonight because I don't know if I have this step of the task down?" Will asks.

"No, I'm still going to come. I was just thinking that I should let you guys talk, then one of you can text me when you guys are done and are ready to start training."

"Okay. Do I get a hint to what this is about?"

"Jay's hurting, he bottles everything up. I think there are some things that he needs to hear you tell him for yourself," Hailey answers, not wanting to lose Jay's trust if he found out the extent that the two of them talk about his well-being.

"Okay…" Will draws out.

"Everything okay?" Ethan asks when he notices his colleague lost in thought for the umpteenth time that day.

"Huh? Oh, yeah," Will answers, still a bit unfocused. Ethan doesn't believe him and gives Will a look letting him know. Will sighs, "I got a phone call from Hailey this morning… about Jay. She said that they talked last night and that I really need to talk with him. She won't tell me why though."

"She knows you can figure it out," Ethan states confidently.

"I just don't know if I can. Jay and I … we used to be close growing up, but we just drifted. I went to New York, he went overseas, our mom died, he came back and I wasn't there for him."

"Your past doesn't have to be your future. You're his brother- deep down, Jay knows he can open up to you. It just might take a while. He's a soldier- they're taught that emotions and vulnerability are weaknesses. You can't un-program that overnight, just show him that you're there for him."

"When did you get advice on-" Will starts to ask.

"I might not have a brother, but I am the older sibling," Ethan answers.

"Will have you heard from Hailey?" Jay asks as he opens the door for his brother.

"What do you mean?" Will asks confused.

"She's not here yet. What if something happened to her?" Jay asks panicked.

"She called me this morning. Said she was going to be late," Will answers wanting to calm his brother.

"Why did I do something wrong?" Jay asks fearful that last night was an empty promise.

"No, come on. Let's sit down," Will leads Jay to the couch with Casper at their heels.

"What's going on?" Jay asks nervously.

"I don't know exactly. Jay is there something you want to tell me? Hailey called me this morning; said that you guys talked last night and that we needed to have a talk- brother to brother."

"What did she tell you?"

"Just that. Look, Jay, I don't know what to say. I want to help you, but you need to let me in," Will starts hoping to get some type of reaction from Jay. When he remains expressionless Will continues, "I want what's best for you- I just don't know what you need from me, but I can tell you one thing: I'm not leaving again," Will notices that Jay's eyebrows furrow in thought. "Is that what this is about? Do you want me to leave?"

"No," Jay whispers, not looking at Will, but scratching Casper behind his ear.

"Do you think I'm going to leave?" Will asked.

"It's only a matter of time. Everyone leaves"

"I promise, I'm not leaving again. I will tell you as many times as you need to hear it."

"Why?"

"'Why' what?"

"Why are you staying? Everybody leaves," Jay comments.

"Who's everybody?"

"Erin, Antonio, Al, Mouse, you, Mom," Jay lists, whispering the last name.

Will's heart sinks when he hears Jay list all these names, realizing just how right Hailey was about Jay hurting and keeping things to himself. Will gets up and moves next to Jay so that Casper is no longer in between them.

Will carefully puts his hand on the back of Jay's neck rubbing it with the pad of his thumb like Jay liked when they were growing up and he was upset. "Jay, I can't change the fact that I left before when you needed me. But I'm not going to leave again- I've settled in Chicago. We both have, we both have a support system and families here. Antonio and Mouse, they both had to get out of Chicago- if they didn't they could be dead. I never thought Erin was good enough for you. The way she left, she didn't deserve to be with you. And Olinsky, he didn't have a choice- he was murdered."

Will takes a moment to think of how he wants to approach the subject of their mom. "You know mom loved you, right?" Will asked.

Jay nods, still only looking at Casper.

"Mom loved you so much, you were her baby. She didn't want to leave you- she was so sick, but she fought to the end for you. It was like she knew you would be going through hell when you came home. She wanted so badly to be able to help you through it. I know you wouldn't want her to see you like that but she wouldn't care. That's what mom's do they support their kids. You know that Mom would be so proud of you and how far you've come, right?"

"I know. I just really miss her," Jay whispers.

"I know, I know. I do too," Will comforts his brother. Will pulls Jay into a one-armed hug and lets Jay rest his head on his shoulder. Jay's head rests on his brother and his dog rests his head on Jay's lap, the three staying like this for several minutes.

After a while, Will feels Jay's breathing become steady, "Hey, do you still want to do the training session tonight or do you want to skip it?" Will asks.

"I don't want to mess up Casper's schedule," Jay answers.

"That wasn't what I asked you. Do you feel up to it?"

"Not really," Jay mumbles.

"I'll let Hailey know. But do you feel better now that we talked?" Will asked. He can feel Jay nodding into his shoulder.

"Thanks," Jay whispers.

"For what?" Will asks confused.

"For being here, for helping me, for being my brother- you pick."

"You don't have to thank me for any of that," Will tells him before adding, "you know I love you, right?"

Jay nods again, "I know. I love you too."

Will pulls out his phone and calls Hailey, "Hey, how did it go?" she asks when she picks up.

"Was good. Would you mind if we didn't have Casper's training session today?" Will asks.

"No problem. Is Jay okay?"

"I think he's just emotionally done for the day."

"Okay, do you guys need anything?"

"No, we're good," Will answers with Jay's eyes on him. "I think Jay wants to talk to you," he says handing off the phone.

"Jay?" Hailey asks when she only hears his breathing.

"Are you mad?" Jay asks.

"At you? About the training session?" Hailey asks confused.

Jay nods his head before realizing she can't see him and then verbally answers.

"No, I'm not, Jay. Do you need me to bring you guys anything?"

"No."

"Okay, then just relax and spend some time with Will and Casper. You've had a rough couple of days. You deserve a day off from Casper's training."

"But it's not my training."

"It's just as much your training as his," Hailey tells him. "Now, I'm going to hang up and you are going to relax," Hailey tells him before hanging up the phone.

"I think she's mad."

"She's not. She might be a little worried about you, but she's not mad. You're overthinking things," Will reassures Jay, hoping that with time, Jay will be more trusting.