Note: This story is written like it happened in the past.
It's about 2007 and Mouse and Halstead are Rangers in Afghanistan...
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„Come on, Jay. Hang on. Don't give up on me, buddy."
Desperate sobbs escaped from Greg Gerwitzs mouth, when he carried his comerade through the rather endless desert.
He knew that he had to keep him awake. Becoming unconscious could mean Jay would never wake up again.
Heavily crying Mouse turned his head to look what kind of distance he already passed and twitched when he realised that a blood trail revealed their way.
It was the blood of his best friend, who now was fighting for his life, while being held in Gregs arms . There was only one aim: Getting him to the next hospital as fast as he could.
„Come on, Halstead. Stay with me!", Mouse hit Jays cheeks, avoiding that he passed out.
But his voice was barely audible.
„Go. Just leave me alone", Jay whispered weakly. He was unable to form clear sentences or to walk on his own.
„I won't let you die in the dirt. Hang on", Mouse answered fastly breathing, when he recognized something at the horizon. With one hand he rubbed his eyes, making sure that he was not dreaming.
Did he already suffer from hallucination? Was it a fata morgana?
„Jay, they've found us. See? We're gonna be save. It's gonna be alright", Mouse yelled, pointing at the skyline, before his view jumped to his nearly dying partner.
„Fuck", he yelled when he recognizing that his buddy wasn't awake anymore. Unmoving Jays head remained on Mouse chest.
„JAY HALSTEAD! LOOK AT ME! RIGHT NOW!", Mouse screamed as loud as he never did before, feeling that some comrades of his troop getting nearer to the scene. Accepting, that he wouldn't be able to wake him up, Greg gently placed his friend on the ground, weaving with his hand.
„Help! He's gonna dying! Please, help me!"
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-January 2007-
-Army hospital in Afghanistan-
He had been there when he needed him the most.
Mouse watched his buddy who finally fell asleep, after the nightmares had stopped and the IV worked, to supply Halsteads body with pain killers.
After he already tiptoed to Jays bed, to sit down on a chair in front of him, he now watched his comerade in shock and disbelief.
Instinctly he touched his own stomach when the pain came back, to fulfill his whole body.
Nervously Greg squeezed his hands until the feeling was gone.
Obviously Jay got morphine or better pain killers than him. Even if they weren't able to delete the memories in his head.
„Mr. Gerwitz? What are you doing? You should rest", a nurse shouted, looking into the room. As an answer Mouse shrugged his shoulders and looked at her in surprise.
„Well…sorry…I just wanted to…I just want to look if he's gonna be okay. If he's gonna live and…"
Gerwitz wasn't able to asnwer. His eyes started to fill with tears. The nurse sighed, looked at him concerned
„Okay, ten minutes and then I want to see you right in your bed. I hope we understand each other."
„Yes Ma'am", Mouse whispered when he whiped his tears away in embarassement after the nurse left.
Woken up by the loud noises, Jay started to toss and turn around on his mattress.
He finally opened his eyes and looked at Greg in shock before he remembered what happened before.
„It's okay. We made it to the hospital."
Jay did a bad job to fight the upcoming tears. There was no reason to be happy after they were the only survivors of their regiment.
Mouse remained in silence. Not a single word left his mouth.
Recognizing that Jay was crying, he gently took his hand and squeezed it.
Instead of getting calmer, Jays sobs got louder. For a short moment it was right in front of his eyes. Suddenly he remembered everything. Burned bodies, the smell of burning human flesh , seperated arms and legs and finally the screams of his dying comerades . The scene repeated over and over.
Mouse didn't know what to do. He just stared at his buddy, still overwhelmed by emotions. Jay started to speak disconnected words, that didn't make any sense at all.
Without a further answer, Mouse finally managed to get up to pull him in a hug.
Both crying, they just layed in each others arms, still unable to realize that the current day would change their whole lifes forever…
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1 year later…
„Jay?"
Suddenly a front door was opened and a cheesy looking man appeared behind.
„Mouse?"
Nervously Jay walked a few steps, pointing at the inside of Gregs appartement.
„Are you okay?"
Mouse face was white as a wall, his eyes reddened. It wasn't easy to say if it was a result from crying or staying awake for too long.
„May I come in? I just have a couple of questions to ask."
Mouse looked at Jay in confusion.
„Couple of questions?", he repeated, when Jay pointed at his badge, getting even more confused views from Gregs side.
„You're police? Are you kidding me?"
„Can I come in, or not?"
Mouse nodded his head, making a meaningful gesture to get him entering the room.
„It's a long story", Halstead explained, taking a deep breath before sitting down on Gregs old couch.
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„We've got a problem over here."
Jay grabbed a file, which included copys of an investigation at work and pointed at his friends direction.
„Since you've saved my life, I feel responsible for not letting you race into this."
„I don't understand", Mouse answered in a voice which was similar to a boy who lost his way.
Regarding his view, he had no idea, what his best friend was talking about.
Jay quietly pulled out some copys and handeld them to Mouse.
„You know what I'm talking about?"
„Not really."
„ You're a suspect in hacking the server of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on the 3rd of May 2007."
Mouse face got an even more pale.
He started to stammer in confusion.
„That can't be true. It must be a mistake."
„Since you're name is still Greg Gerwitz and our IT professional located the upcoming IP adress as yours, I don't believe in a wonder."
Mouse glanced at his laptop, then stared at Jay with wide eyes.
„Listen, I'm here as your friend, not as a cop. My boss suggested a deal and if you're in, none of us know what happened before."
„What kind of a deal?"
Jay closed his eyes, before he looked at his comrade in a worried way.
„We need some information on a case. You're probably able to offer further details."
„Okay, go ahead", Greg answered, before he grabbed his laptop and sat down.
He got a lot of work to do…