Present Day
Things were… good.
After years of swinging between chaotic and mediocre, at best, it felt strange to be genuinely pleased with where his life was, especially because it wasn't just going well in one area but on all fronts. Jay had never felt more fulfilled in his personal life than he did having Tess home, and not just in the way he was used to where she was home for a bit and would leave again but because she was home for good. And in addition to getting closer with her she was also helping him get closer with his team, and hers, and his brother and 51 and the ED staff. Even with Carol; they'd had more skype dates in the last ten months than in the last five years, something his aunt was not and would likely never let him live down. And in the three months Tess had been working with his team his professional life had also never been better. That wasn't to say things had been quiet, there were always crazy cases, not to mention the times where one of them got more attached than they should but their communication had increased tenfold and as a result so had their cohesion. Something that had come in particularly useful when Tess had found out Deputy Superintendent Miller's son had been trying to rescue, on his own, a group of girls involved in an underage sex trafficking ring. Which he'd discovered through selling drugs.
Even though they no longer had anyone in the brass actively targeting them, part in thanks to their new boss they were all still getting used to having someone in the Ivory Tower on their side so when the news came out to say things had gotten tense would be an understatement. Miller was firm on policing according to her convictions, which didn't change with her son and which was something he admired, it just made it difficult when what she thought was right collided with what Voight did. But as she'd been doing since she'd arrived Tess had helped bridge that divide, saving the girls and Miller's son without any police having to cross any lines. Or her own, something he'd been firm on.
Things were good.
Tess was good.
There were a few things that still made her worry, like getting along with the department and adjusting to working with the triad, and now the bratva, no longer just on their turf but her own. Because she had declared Chicago hers. But while he still found himself running his fingers over the brand on her arm, which she'd decided the night she'd gotten it would one day be tattooed over with a prism, he knew that as tricky as those relationship could be to navigate everyone involved understood the importance of doing so. Her, and therefore his chief concern was that the Army dentist who'd told Selim about the attack on Hutchins had at last been found. Dead. What was even more troubling was that she still hadn't been able to find anything on how he'd gotten that information or what had possessed him to pass it along but while he was worried about that… Whatever was going to come would come. What he cared about was building their life so the foundation was so strong nothing could shake them from it. And about giving everyone as many reasons as possible to fight for it.
His computer monitor going black pulled him out of his head, and into fight mode, his gut tightening not just at the words on the screen but because a quick glance around the bullpen showed the others had gotten it too.
Andrew Clark. Threat Level Yellow.
The screen then switched to show the man in question walking into the precinct and being greeted by Platt, who by her especially fierce glare looked like she had gotten the same message. His body stood on it's own, sharing looks with Voight, and Hailey and Kevin since the others were out chasing a lead on their current murder case but his mind was racing with memories of the last time he'd seen the man. Ten years ago, almost eleven now, when he'd tried to smuggle a fake imperial seal of China into the Chicago Oriental Institute. He hadn't liked them then and he was sure he didn't now.
Which regardless of the status Cas had given him made Jay nervous for whatever he was doing here.
He shot a quick text off to Tess telling her they had it handled, in response to hers saying she was on her way then shared another look with Hailey when she flipped the white board; it didn't seem likely Clark was here for anything regarding their case but there was no harm in being cautious. Or in coming off strong, each of his team giving the middle man hard looks when Platt finally escorted him upstairs.
"At ease." Clark said mockingly, looking Voight, Hailey and Kevin over with annoyed interest before turning to him with what he swore was a flicker of fear, before it was covered by a sneer. "Should I expect to be shoved into another closet this time?"
"Depends on what you want. And how you ask for it."
"I'd like to talk to her."
"About what?" He and Voight asked at the same time but Clark just snorted and shook his head at his Sergeant.
"I wouldn't expect anyone to tell you anything."
"Then you can talk to me."
"Not a chance." The other man said with a harsh laugh but again he got that sense of fear, not just of Tess but of him too, a confusion his next sneer told Jay he'd caught. "I learned the hard way what happens when people talk about you."
A slow wave of understanding washed over him when Clark pulled down the neck of his shirt, showing off the unmistakable raised ridges of a scar in the hollow of his throat. Small, pointed, but not lethal.
A warning.
And an act of mercy.
"That's what happens you threaten someone she loves." He said quietly and even though he knew everyone caught the sudden hoarseness in his voice he ignored it to level a steady stare at him.
But Clark just scoffed, not exactly hatred in his eyes but a lot of anger. "I didn't threaten you. I merely suggested that others might. But that was enough to be on the wrong side of her blade. And to make it my responsibility to try to dissuade others from making the same mistake."
My being gone didn't stop you from being targeted but it-
How many?
Twice.
Two times someone had actively targeted him, such a small number when he considered that she currently had three hundred and twenty-five active threats against her. How many had she had then? How much of his safety did he owe to Clark, and to whoever else she'd used like him?
How much did he care?
Jay took a second to think about it, not really, then walked past Voight into the breakroom to grab a chair he placed between his and Kevin's desks. Then angled it so Hailey had a clear shot. With a roll of his eyes Clark made for it but once he got close he gave it a little thump, just enough to have the other man's eyes snapping to him in wary surprise.
"If whatever you're doing here hurts her, even accidentally, I'm going to do worse." Clark held his stare for a long minute, flipping from concern, displeasure to begrudging respect before he inclined his head so Jay let him sit, sharing a look with Kevin as he did the same.
"You know it won't be me." Clark drawled, bringing their attention back to him though he only looked at him. "But someone is going to test you on that. And personally, I don't think you have the stomach for torture."
"I do."
They blinked at each other before turning to Voight, his Sergeant's conviction, and comfort, crystal clear. But as much as he appreciated his bosses backing he didn't need it.
"That's because all you know is the cop. You got no idea what the soldier is capable of." Jay said quietly, letting Clark see what he knew his friend's could hear.
That there wasn't anything he wouldn't do to protect Tess.
