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"Jay, we can't call childhood services. If we do, it has consequences for all of us."
Will Halstead looked at his brother and shrugged his shoulders.
"I know, but we have to report Owen missing to alert all units. Only if we do, they gonna start searching", Jay replied.
Lindsay, who just arrived at the scene interrupted the discussion.
"What about calling Voight? Eventually he's able to pull some strings. So, it gives us the time to search for him on our own."
She pulled out her phone.
"Maybe we should think about familiar areas. Where is his mothers grave?"
Will denied by shaking his head.
"He wouldn't be able to walk that far. He still suffers from the aftermath of his operation."
"He got his appendix removed around one and a half weeks ago", Jay explained to his girlfriend, whose face got even more concerned.
"Did you inform your colleagues? Dr. Charles? Dr. Rhodes?"
"Daniel is on his way, but I couldn't get Connor on the phone. He went shopping with Zanetti, wanted to buy a grib for their unborn baby."
"Let's make a plan. We should seperate. You better stay at home, while we are swarming out. I keep contacting Voight, searching the whole area. If Owen walks on his own, he didn't get far", Lindsay informed both men.
„I'm looking out for him at playgrounds and going to drive to his school. Maybe someone knows more and is able to help", Jay agreed, while Lindsay looked at his brother.
Will sighed, still looking like hell. He was pale as a wall, tired and he seemed extremely nervous regarding the current situation.
"Hey, we get him. I promise you", Erin gave him a sympathetic smile before she walked to the car...
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Meanwhile Zanetti and Rhodes returned from their shopping trip.
Connor who drove the car, parked it in the garage,exhausted but happy about the stuff they just got.
He got out oft he car fastly and took some of the groceries. Sam, who just wanted to cut some flowers, stayed at the garden, while Rhodes managed to walk to the front door.
Recognizing a small shadow near the entry the expression on his face became more serious. He put the shopping bags to the ground, started running until he reached the front door of the house where Owen sat on the ground and stared at him.
"Hey. What happened?"
The little boy looked up, tears in his eyes. He started to cry heavier, when Connor pulled him in his arms. Owen placed his head on Rhodes chest.
"Where is Will?", Rhodes wispered but only received sobbs as answers.
Meanwhile Sam returned looking surprised, when she recognized Owen in her boyfriends arms.
"Don't be mad at me", he sniffled. Connor rubbed his back, rocked him in his arms, while changing glances with Zanetti.
Sam kneeled down next to both of them.
"Owen, how did you came here?", Sam wanted to know, finally getting him to tell the truth.
„I…I ran away. I wanted to see you. I don't like to stay with uncle Will."
Connor and Sam shared meaningul glances.
Helplessely Sam ruffled his hair, while Connor tightened his grip.
"Shhhh… It's okay. We gonna talk about it later", he tried to calm the child down, before he got up, took him on his arms and carried him inside the house…
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„Temp is about 102. Belly is soft", Connor took the thermometer and put it on the table. His eyes met with Zanettis, before he glanced at Owen who was lying in bed. Worried he stroked the little boys forehead.
"Any pain at all? Does your tummy hurt?"
Owen denied.
He seemed poweless and his eyes were red from crying.
Knowing that the psychological stress probably caused his symptoms Connor sat down on the edge of his bed.
"Do I have to go back to the hospital?", Owen wanted to know, looking at Rhodes with big eyes.
"Let's waite until tomorrow and if you still have a fever we gonna make a ct scan, right?"
Owen nodded to confirm his statement.
"Uncle Will is gonna be angry, isn't he?", the little boy asked, when Connor took Owens hand in his own.
"I think he just worried a lot about you."
The grade-schooler gave him a fearful glance.
"We gonna talk to him later but meanwhile, you have to close your eyes and get some sleep."
Owen stretched his little hands, touched Connors face with his little fingers.
Rhodes placed a good night kiss on the forehead.
"Sleep well", he murmured, when him and Zanetti already wanted to leave the room.
"Uncle Connor?"
Both looked back at the kid.
"Can you stay with me until I fall asleep?"
Rhodes sighed, but agreed.
"Okay."
"I'm downstairs", Sam told both, ruffling Owens hair before she walked out.
Connor grabbed the book on Owens night stand, but insisted and looked at him.
"Owen?"
"Yeah?"
"What happened at uncle Wills house? What made you run away like this? It's not all about uncle Will, isn't it? It's because of Stacie."
The grade-schooler shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't like her. She doesn't like me neither. It feels like she made him forgetting my mommy. It's alway like I bother them when she's there. Will hates me. I'm just a burden."
Connor seemed shocked by the news Owen told him.
"No, that's not true. What makes you thinking like that?"
"I don't know."
"You feel like she wants to replace your mom, right?"
Owen didn't answer, just staring at the wall.
"Since she started to visit us Will changed a lot. Sometimes I feel like I don't fit in at all. You gonna have a baby with aunt Sam and then you will forget me like Will does. Maybe I never should have been born."
Connor gazed at him with wide eyes.
"No, no, no. Hey, look at me. Don't do that to yourself."
Rhodes sighed, glanced at him sympathetically.
"Listen, we all love you like you're our own son. And this will always be your home and nothing gonna change that. We have to talk to Will. I promise you that, okay?"
Owen nodded sadly, snuggling on Connors shoulder.
"We gonna figure something out", he squeezed Owens hand.
Slowly Connor opened the book and started to read…