The team was gathered around, teasing each other about their latest cases. Ruzek was laughing at Atwater's attempt to flirt with a witness, while Burgess playfully mocked Ruzek's new haircut.
"Come on, Kev, you should've seen your face when she turned you down!" Ruzek chuckled.
Atwater shot back, "Yeah, well, at least I don't look like I got my haircut from a lawnmower."
Everyone burst into laughter just as Platt walked in with a child services worker and a young boy, about ten years old, standing beside her. The boy looked nervous, clutching a small backpack.
"Alright, listen up! We've got some important visitors here," Platt announced, and the room quieted down.
"This is Ms. Johnson from Child Services, and this young man here is Tommy. Ms. Johnson, you were looking for Halstead and Upton?"
Ms. Johnson nodded and pointed towards Halstead and Upton, who were standing near their desks.
"I saw you two are foster parents. Is that right?"
Halstead and Upton exchanged a glance and nodded.
"Yeah, that's right," Halstead confirmed.
"What can we do for you?" Upton asked.
"Tommy here needs a foster home. He's ten years old and has been through a lot. He has ADHD and is on the autism spectrum. We were hoping you could help," Ms. Johnson explained.
Halstead and Upton knelt down to Tommy's level, giving him reassuring smiles. "Hey, Tommy. I'm Jay, and this is Hailey. We're really glad to meet you," Halstead said warmly.
"Yeah, Tommy. We have a room ready for you, and we can't wait to get to know you better," Upton added.
Tommy looked up at them, a small smile forming on his face.
"Thank you," he said softly.
The team watched the interaction, their teasing forgotten as they saw the new addition to their family. One by one, they stepped forward to introduce themselves.
"Hey, Tommy. I'm Adam. If you ever need someone to show you around or just hang out, I'm your guy," Ruzek offered.
"What's up, Tommy? I'm Kevin. If you like sports, we can shoot some hoops together," Atwater said.
"Hi, Tommy. I'm Kim. I have a daughter around your age. Maybe you two can be friends," Burgess suggested.
Voight stepped forward with a warm smile. "I'm Hank. Welcome to the family, Tommy. You're in good hands here."
"And I'm Trudy. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask. We're all here for you," Platt added.
Tommy looked around at the friendly faces, feeling a bit more at ease. "Nice to meet you all," he said.
Halstead and Upton stood up, placing reassuring hands on Tommy's shoulders.
"Alright, buddy. Let's get you settled in," Halstead said.
Halstead and Upton arrived at their apartment with Tommy in tow. As they opened the door and stepped inside, they guided Tommy into the cozy living room, which was filled with comfortable furniture and bathed in warm lighting.
"Welcome to your new home, Tommy," Halstead said with a smile.
Tommy looked around, taking in the inviting atmosphere. Upton then led him down a hallway to a bright, cheerful room. Inside, there was a bed with colorful bedding, a desk stocked with art supplies, and a shelf brimming with books and toys.
"We hope you like it. We tried to make it as welcoming as possible," Upton said warmly.
Tommy's eyes widened as he took in the room. He walked over to the desk and picked up a set of colored pencils.
"I love drawing," he said.
"That's great! You can draw as much as you want here," Halstead encouraged.
Tommy sat on the bed, looking more relaxed. "If you need anything, just let us know. We're here for you," Upton added.
Tommy nodded, feeling a sense of comfort and safety.
"Thank you. This is really nice."
"We're glad you like it. How about we order some pizza for dinner? What's your favorite kind?" Halstead asked.
"Pepperoni!" Tommy exclaimed.
"Pepperoni it is. Let's get settled in and then we'll have a pizza party," Upton said with a grin.
The doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of the pizza. Jay went to answer it while Hailey stayed with Tommy in his room.
"Pizza's here!" Halstead called out as he brought the pizza boxes into the living room and set them on the coffee table. Hailey called out to Tommy,
"Tommy, pizza's ready! Come on out and join us."
Tommy hesitated for a moment, then slowly made his way to the living room. As he approached, Upton reached out to gently guide him by the shoulder, but Tommy flinched and pulled away, his breathing quickening.
"No! Don't touch me!" Tommy exclaimed, his voice filled with panic.
Upton immediately stepped back, her expression concerned. "I'm sorry, Tommy. I didn't mean to upset you."
Tommy started to pace, his hands flapping slightly as he tried to calm himself down. Halstead stepped in, speaking softly,
"It's okay, Tommy. You're safe here. We won't touch you if you don't want us to."
Upton knelt down to Tommy's level, keeping a respectful distance. "I'm really sorry, Tommy. I should have asked first. Can we try again? You can come to the table when you're ready."
Tommy nodded, taking a few deep breaths. After a moment, he slowly walked over to the table and sat down. Jay opened the pizza boxes, the delicious smell filling the room.
"We've got pepperoni, just like you wanted," Halstead said with a smile.
Tommy's eyes lit up a bit at the sight of the pizza. He took a slice and started to eat, the tension gradually easing from his body.
"If there's anything else we can do to make you more comfortable, just let us know, okay?" Upton added gently.
Tommy nodded again, "Okay. Thank you."
As the day wore on, it was time to go to bed.
"Alright, Boys! Time for bed!" Hailey smiled.
Jay and Tommy pouted, and looked at her.
"Five more minutes!" They both said.
Hailey laughed softly, and shook her head.
"I tell you what, if you both go to bed? I'll give you both back rubs?"
Tommy and Jay got up and ran upstairs.
"Boys these days…" Hailey murmured.
Hailey walked upstairs, and went to join the boys.
After a few hours, Tommy and Jay were both asleep.
"Night, my sweet babies." Hailey cooed.
She kissed both they're heads and got into bed.
Stay tuned for more parts!
Lots of Love!
Chlo x 😊