Hi, so here is another Chicago PD story and I am so excited to bring you thins one, this one takes me to a world post Erin, to Season 5 and this is a new thing for me so I hope that you enjoy. Also this delves a little into the Al/Adam relationship that I have enjoyed so much and like the Jay/Hank relationship is often ignored.
This story takes place around the break that happened in Season 5 when Adam's duel role was discovered, I can confirm that Hank and Al are not the enemies in this story. I think we all know who the enemy in Season 5 was.
This story does deal with upsetting themes including murder, rape and child abuse and PTSD flashbacks. If this TRIGGERS YOU THEN PLEASE STOP NOW!.
Pairings are as follows, Kim/Adam, Hailey/Jay, Will/Conner (briefly) and Al/Meredith.
Just to confirm that Lexie is dead in this story as well.
Disclaimer-Nothing here but Vicky is mine.
This story is AU as well but does stretch over Season 5 and Season 5 alone.
Please Read and Review and I will update as soon as I can.
And on a side note, I like so many other Fanfiction Authors no longer receive notifications via email about reviews/PMs etc. So if you do send any it might be a while, if ever before I get back to you. Please keep that in mind for it is not intentional-If anyone has a fix please let me know.
I have also stopped taking any kind of personal messages, any questions please leave them in a review and I will get back to them in the next chapter note. This chapter should be about twenty-twenty five chapters.
AND TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR THIS CHAPTER AND DISCUSSION OF RAPE. PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND.
The Spirit That I Have Seen
Chapter 4-Clash Of Shadows
Adam is rushed to Chicago Med, Vicky won't leave Kevin's side and Intelligence has to start somewhere piecing together the puzzle. TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR THIS CHAPTER.
Will was waiting for them when they arrived. He took one look at Adam and pulled a face that Jay knew wasn't good.
"Shit" he muttered and then he turned to Connor who was there and the two of them took Adam into a room and started doing…well…whatever it was that they did.
"PD in the House!"
"Yes we know. Enough!" Hailey shouted and Maggie who had been in the process of doing…well…whatever it was that she was in the process of doing slinked away. Hailey levelled a glare at Doris and April who both huffed but ultimately followed her and she turned to Jay and shrugged.
"I don't like gossips" she deadpanned and Jay smiled at her even though there was nothing in this situation that was worth smiling about. He couldn't help it though. It was smile or cry and he was not going to cry here in the middle of the hospital hallway. Been there done that, got the T-shirt and so he waited, leaning against the counter and running a hand through his hair.
"That was close" he said lowly.
"Too close" came a voice and they turned to see Antonio stood there hands in his pockets looking exhausted.
"Where is—"
"Voight's gone to call it in, Al's with Kim whose throwing up outside and Kevin's with the girl who won't come out of the car. I think everything's just hit her and she's refusing to let anyone touch her whose not Kevin which wouldn't be a problem if Kevin had a medical licence. Manning's out there but I don't see her budging anytime soon and Trudy's going to let Adam's parents know that he is alive but considering the rather lacklustre response we got from them when he went missing…" he trailed off and Jay scoffed.
It wasn't that Bob Ruzek and his ex-wife and their daughter had not cared…Bob Ruzek had certainly been as active as he could be during the investigation but he had not been forthcoming. He had refused to concede that being up to his neck in debt might have had something to do with his son's disappearance, he had refused to concede the investigation to Voight and the complicated relationship between him, Voight and Al had made the thing so toxic it was hard even for Jay to remember that the man was probably just terrified. He had made more than once crack about Justin and Lexie and how Voight and Al were hardly the best people to keep other people's children alive and Antonio and Jay had nearly had another murder on their hands. That night they'd all had to go out drinking (mainly to stop Kevin, Al and Voight committing murder) and the next day they had found out that Bob Ruzek was no longer interested in co-operating with them but had instead wanted the Feds to take over which had been a whole back and forth in which Woods had eventually put the pause button on and then shut them down. Adam's Mom had only really been interested at rowing with Adam's Dad and Adam's sister had only been interested in passing off her son onto Hailey so she could get her nails done.
(Hailey had very nicely made the boy a cup of hot chocolate and shown him how her gun worked and sent him into another room with a bag of crisps and an IPad before telling Adam's sister if she tried that shit again her nails would be pulled out one by one and then shoved up her…well…you get the point all while a terrified and impressed—and in Jay's case kind of aroused—squad looked on in silence.)
Suffice to say he was not holding out hope. God he hoped Adam wasn't either.
"So what do you think happened?" Antonio said quietly as the three of them stood there and watched Will and Connor move around Adam as if they were dancing at the ballet. "Cause it sounds like a right mess to me and I don't know what to make of it all"
"Looks like we were right about kidnapping cause there is no way Adam can inflict that amount of damage on himself"
Leave it to Hailey to put what they were thinking into words.
"Okay so he was kidnapped…that I can believe but where does the girl fit in?"
"Someone who took them together, perps kid?"
"What worries me" Jay said cutting into the conversation "Was that someone saw them, or at the very least someone saw her. Someone saw her speaking to us and they did what? Even if it wasn't the perp then it was someone. Why not help?"
"When you think about it it's nothing short of a miracle that they both aren't dead" Antonio said quietly. "Even before you get to the fact they were both half naked in December in Chicago"
"Not just that" Jay said and the three of them looked at each other and he knew that they had got what he didn't want to say. They had seen injuries like Adam's before. They had seen blood like Adam's before and it usually didn't end well. Will was going to have to do a rape kit as a standard and Jay was absolutely dreading what was going to come back. He was dreading what was going to happen next. And he was dreading the decisions that would have to be made once they found this guy because he knew what Voight and Al would want to do and he knew what he could live with and he knew that while he had managed to pull of a miracle with Pulpo and Antonio he also knew that he was not going to get a second one.
And he didn't know what that would make him or how comfortable he was with it but he knew enough to know that things were going to get a lot worse before they got better…if they got better at all and hey what was the chance of that?!
He turned away from Adam's room just as Kevin came through the door. Clearly he had managed to work his magic on Vicky who was plodding along beside him looking nothing short of terrified. Jay looked at her and he felt his heart break and yet at the same time his hands curl into fists against the pulse of rage that hit him just by looking at her. She was still in Kevin's coat and it made her look even smaller. Her eye was swollen shut and her other one was wide and shockingly blue in her white emancipated face. Her feet were dirty and the hair matted and there were clear signs that she had been held down because the skin was rubbed raw. Jay looked at her worked his jaw and tried to smile though he was utterly terrified that he was going to do something or say something that would cause this brave little thing to completely disintegrate.
Erin would know what to do.
Erin always knew what to do with cases like these.
But Erin wasn't here anymore. And she wasn't coming back. So what good did it do to even think about it?
"Vicky, these are my friends…Adam's friends, they came to help me find you, this is Hailey and Jay and Antonio"
Vicky looked at them but didn't smile.
"Where is Adam?"
"He's through there" Hailey said dropping to Vicky's height and pointing at the room. "The Doctor's are working on him right now. You did very well to get him to us"
"He didn't think you would come" Vicky said almost as if at random and Jay felt his eyes widen. He caught Kevin's eye who looked away as if he was trying to keep down his emotions until he could find a safe and private place and Jay thought that whatever had happened to Adam it must be very bad if he had thought that Intelligence wouldn't come for him. If he thought his family wouldn't come for him.
"Well we did" Hailey said clearly caught of guard by the sheer amount of honesty and the words attached to it. She smiled and then held out her hand and Vicky stared for a second before she shook it.
"Vicky we need to check that you are not hurt—"
"Told you I wasn't—"
Yeah, Jay thought looking at her, that was a lie and a half but he didn't say it.
"Vicky" Hailey said softly. "You heard of DNA?"
"No"
"Well DNA is tiny…it's tiny little bits of skin and hair and dirt that make up a person and the person that held you and Adam wherever you were being held might have left some on you. It would really help Adam if we could find some. I can stay in the room the entire time with you if you want and Kevin can too if that makes you feel more comfortable and then my friend Jay will come and let you know when you can see Adam"
The one blue eye that wasn't swollen shut focused on Jay with laser like intensity and he had to stop himself from shivering and or punching something.
"Promise"
"I swear"
She giggled then and he saw a flash of white teeth but then…
"You won't leave him will you? He really did think that you would leave him there. That you wouldn't come for him. He kept saying he deserved it. He spoke a lot though I don't think he remembers it. And he was crying pretty hard." She nodded her head up and down as if it had taken a lot out of her to remember this information and Jay felt his heart yank again only this time it was harder and it threatened to take him to his knees.
Adam was his friend, his teammate, his brother…there was no scenario where he didn't come for his teammate, his friend and his brother. None.
Vicky allowed herself to be taken into a side room Kevin still holding her hand and she allowed herself to be put on the bed her small legs dangling over them and Jay could see bruises all down her little knees as the coat was pulled off her. Hailey patted him on the arm once and the moved to enter the room staying a respectful distance though it was clear that Kevin was the one who Vicky wanted.
"Trauma bonding" Antonio said softly.
"What?"
"Rollins from SVU mentioned it to me once so I did some research. Trauma bonding is when a victim—"
"I know what it is"
"Just thank God it's Kevin"
"What the hell is going on" Jay muttered turning to look at Antonio. "What the hell…why the hell would he not think that we would come for him?"
"I don't know" Antonio said quietly. "But there is something here Jay…I just…I'm gonna head back to the scene and I'm gonna start processing it"
"Take Voight with you"
"Why?"
"Because he can put the fear of God into anyone right now and if Woods or Bob Ruzek turns up—"
"Got it"
And then Antonio was gone and Jay turned and then…
"Jesus Al your like the pop up book from hell"
"Sorry" Al said not sound sorry whatsoever. "What's going on have they said what's wrong with him?"
"Where's Burgess?"
"I'm here" Kim said appearing out of thin air next to Al like she was a little shadow.
"What's going on have they said what's wrong with him?" Al repeated and Kim turned to look at him her dark hair a mess over her shoulder.
"Kevin and Hailey are in with Vicky and Will's in with Adam. He and Connor are still working on him. I don't know how long they are going to be" Jay said on rote. "It doesn't look good" he added because he didn't know what else to say.
"What was the last bit?"
"What last bit Al?"
"The bit the kid said about Adam not believing we'd come for him?"
Jay shrugged.
"I don't get it" he said finally repeating what Vicky had told them.
"Neither do I" Kim said quietly. "There is no way that we wouldn't come for him he knows that he has to know that right I mean…" she trailed off looking positively devastated and Jay rubbed her arm in what he hoped was a comforting manner.
"I'm sure he does" he said soothingly. "Look this whole night has been a shit show and maybe the kid just got it wrong"
"We need to start interviewing her" Kim said and Jay nodded because yeah they did.
"Kevin's the best person to do that" he said softly "And when he has to step out Hailey can take over. We won't stop until we get this piece of crap."
"You think he was the guy who was watching them?"
"I don't know…I don't know how much of this is real and how much of it is the kid hallucinating. She's been in the cold all night and—"
"Vicky"
"What Al?"
"Her name is Vicky Jay. Least we can do is call her by her name after what she's done for us"
Jay took the rebuke on the chin and nodded.
There was a rustle of the curtain and there was Will.
"You want good news or bad news?"
Well…his brother had always been many things but a bullshitter was never one of them.
"Give it to us straight" Al said flatly in the same tone that he had used when he had come back to work after Lexie had died.
"He's been through hell"
"No shit"
Will frowned at him.
"No Jay he's…he's shattered his knee and he's going to need surgery to correct it, two fractured ribs, all the fingers in his left hand look dislocated and then put back in place and by someone who did not know what the hell they were doing, his back is covered in belt marks and that's just the stuff I can see. He's gonna need surgery because—"
Will cut himself off and Jay knew, he just knew where his brother was going with this. There was too much blood and too much of it in one place and Kim had one hand covering her mouth and Al's eyes were on the curtained room as if he could reach Adam just through the power of his eyes and Jay knew that he was going to have to be the one to ask this question and he knew that he was not going to like the answer to it.
In fact he knew that the answer was going to make him smash his fist into a wall glass and all that jazz that made Will frown at him in disapproval.
"Was he raped?"
Will looked at him and Jay steeled himself for what was coming. His hand found Kim's.
She was shaking.
"I've not ran a kit yet but yeah it looks like he's been raped"
Jay swallowed. Kim next to him tightened so hard she was like a spring ready to snap.
"And…and…and did you…are you running a DNA swab or?"
"I have Jay but if truth be told I don't think were gonna find DNA. I think whatever was used wasn't…I don't think it was…it looks like a piece of wood or something like that."
Kim's knees went out and Jay tightened his grip on her keeping her upright even as Al did the same. She took a heaving breath but stayed silent which was good because his eyes were on his brother and he didn't have time to deal with her fainting on top of everything else.
"Will…"
"Whatever's happened has caused a lot of damage to his bowl so I need to get him upstairs. Nat's in with the girl and I'll get her to give you an update but between this and the hypothermia…whoever left them there wanted them to die. Had he left it even a hour later before he called for help I don't think we'd have gotten him back in time."
"When can…when can we see him?"
That was Al and he spoke in that same devastated tone that he had used right after he had been forced to bury his child. Jay remembered. He remembered all of it.
Will looked at him for a second Jay saw it. It was a flicker of something but Jay was the one who saw it pass over his face, the unnamed, unknown emotion. He could read Will like a book and he knew that something had happened.
He just knew.
"After surgery" he said quietly. "But his heart's been to hell and back too and more strain on it won't help. You might have to go off her story for a bit. Jay can you give me his parents numbers?"
"Sure"
It was deflection pure and simple but he moved away from Al and Kim and he walked around the other side of the island.
"Go on" he said as Will passed him the post its and the two of them lowered their voices so that they could not be overheard.
"He's muttering, in and out but he's muttering"
"And?"
"Keeps saying he's sorry. Keeps apologising."
"Okay"
"To Voight and Al"
Jay snapped his gaze up and stared. Will nodded jaw tight.
"Just keeps saying he's sorry over and over again, that he didn't mean too and that he's sorry and that he didn't have a choice. Begged a couple of times for them to stop."
"Stop what?"
"I don't know Jay…I…it could be a reflex I mean he's so out of it but…"
"But it could be something else?"
"I don't know. I don't know what's been going on but…but I have to warn you his heart rate is not good. If he gets out of surgery and that is a big if…Voight and Al they shouldn't go near him. Not right now. You have to keep them away from him."
Jay nodded moving more on auto pilot.
"Thanks bro"
"Nah he's my friend too believe me I'm just glad he's alive…the girl…I don't know what's going on with the girl but Nat's got that look on her face so I don't think it's good but I'll get her out to see you as soon as I can. I can call his parents…"
"Yeah but be warned…"
"Jay I was the one who drove you and Kevin and Antonio home that night remember? I am aware about Adam's Mom, Dad and sister"
Jay nodded. He patted Will on the arm and turned around to walk back hoping his face was sanguine and not as confused as he felt.
"All okay?" Al asked him and Jay nodded even though it was not okay and he didn't think it was ever going to be okay again.
"Yep" he said his smile fake. Al watched him for a second and then nodded.
Jay knew that he hadn't bought it but he didn't care.
Something else was going on here. Something else was brewing below the surface…there were too many jagged pieces of the puzzle and Jay knew he was missing something.
Something big.
And he was damn well going to find out.
For Adam. For Vicky. For Kim. For Intelligence.
And God help anyone who got in his way.
So yeah, this was a lot, but I hope you enjoy this chapter and the next one will be coming soon.
Next Chapter-Vicky drifts and dreams and remembers or at least tries to, Adam is in surgery. Kim takes a moment to panic and receives support from an unlikely source.
