I can't believe I'm 20 chapters into this story! Thank you so much for your continued support - it really means a lot.
Jay had spent another night with barely any sleep. He'd done another deep dive into the depths of the internet, desperately seeking out advice on what to do next. There were a lot of tips out there, but there was no play book on how to deal with a rebellious sister moving in with her older, previously distant, brother after he found their father was possibly physically abusing her. There was no webpage for that.
He knew something had to change, but he didn't know where to start. As he got ready that morning, he put it out in the world that he would take any sign it would give him at this point, because he was at a complete loss.
At the precinct, the Intelligence Unit had caught another case and were knee deep in some investigative work. The others had headed out to follow up on a lead, and Antonio had volunteered that he and Jay would stay back to look into some records research. Jay had been surprised by the suggestion, but he didn't fight it and Voight accepted, knowing that Antonio must have had a reason.
Antonio had noticed how distracted Jay had been the last few days. While it hadn't interfered with his detective work, Antonio was starting to worry that soon it would. He'd brought Jay into this unit and had the opportunity to watch him grow - and he was damn proud. As Jay took on this new responsibility, Antonio wanted to find a way to support him.
Once the others had left and they'd reached a point where they could pause for a minute, Antonio casually approached Jay at his desk. "Everything okay? You seem off today."
Jay hesitated for a moment. Normally, he'd brush it off and assure everyone he was okay. But this was different - this whole responsibility of his sister was weighing on him and while Jay wasn't one to ask for help or advice regularly, maybe this was the opening that he needed. He looked up to Antonio, and he was raising two kids himself, so if Antonio was opening the door for a conversation, Jay decided to embrace it this time.
Jay exhaled, rubbing his temples. "It's Alex. Ever since I started making her come in after school, things have been... tense. I don't know how to get through to her."
Antonio clapped a hand on Jay's shoulder. "Teenagers are tough. Eva's gone through pretty rough patches, but she always comes out on the other side. And given everything Alex has been through...just give it time."
Jay nodded, taking in his advice but it was hard to swallow. Time felt like a luxury Jay didn't have. Every passing day, he was scared that she'd go off the deep end into something dangerous, and he was well aware that as the days passed, the rift between them seemed to grow, leaving him feeling more and more helpless.
Antonio chuckled as he saw the hesitation on Jay's face. "I know it's the opposite of our day to day, huh? We're always working against time to get answers, to fix problems. But this is different - remind yourself of that. It's not a case you have to solve today."
Jay truly soaked in the words and let them process. Cases needed to be solved as fast as they could...but his sister…she needed time to adjust, to get her footing. And it just fucking sucked. "You're right, man. It's just…hard," he confessed, silently thankful that nobody else was around. "I feel like she resents me for it all."
"Adjusting to a new life, a new guardian? It's a lot for anyone, much less a teen. From what you said, she was basically on her own with your dad, right? No rules, total freedom, and now all that's changed. I'm sure you can relate on some level, you know?" Jay's brows furrowed, not sure where he was going with this, but Antonio continued, "Going from civilian life to basic training had to be a big shift in rules and structure for you back then, I bet."
"Are you saying that living with me is like being with a drill sergeant 24/7?" The pull at Jay's lips clearly showed he was joking, even though Antonio had a very valid point.
Antonio chuckled with his hands up. "Hey, all I'm saying is that she's testing boundaries. And after everything she's faced, trust doesn't come easy. You have to show her that you're there for her, no matter how much she pushes."
"But how?" Jay asked before he could stop himself. He wasn't ever one to go around asking for advice, but Antonio's conversation had brought out his most vulnerable side, the part that was desperate for help.
"If you want my two cents, it's important to be consistent, especially with your boundaries," he replied. "Show her that no matter how much she fights or argues, you're not going anywhere. She'll eventually come around to realize you're in this for the long haul with her best interests at heart. I'm not saying it'll happen tomorrow, bro, but consistency and constantly showing up are key."
Halstead looked at him with appreciative eyes, thankful for the advice and reminder. He grabbed Antonio's hand and gave him a quick bro hug before Antonio walked back to his desk to dig into the case again.
That afternoon felt like an identical repeat of the last two days - the sarcasm, the reluctance, the disinterest - it was all on full blast when Alex arrived at the district. Like the first day, she continued to barricade herself in the break room behind closed doors and blinds.
Later that night, Jay stared at the ceiling while he couldn't sleep yet again. The conversation with Antonio was replaying over and over, his brain really trying to process through it and determine what it meant for their situation. After much thought, he decided that enough was enough, and he was going to start to set some firm boundaries on his expectations. He wasn't going to turn her world upside down even more, but he'd start with some basic respect. The kid had a lot of bad habits she had to unlearn, and he was going to be there to guide her without causing more harm or resentment – at least that would always be his intention.
The next day, her fourth time at the district, there had been the standard door slam and blinds closing when Alex marched herself into the break room after school. However, this time Jay stood up and took a subtle deep breath, readying himself for the confrontation. Erin gave him an encouraging nod, knowing what he was doing and supporting his efforts to try something new.
Jay marched into the break room, leaving the door wide open behind him. Alex was surprised at his sudden appearance but tried to maintain her disinterested look as she pulled out her laptop and notebook on the table.
The brother took a seat and very calmly explained, "Alex, you have two choices. One: you can open the blinds and keep the door open, and I'll let you stay in here. Or two: you can keep them both shut and you'll no longer be able to stay in here and you'll have to sit with me at my desk."
His firm look let Alex know he was being serious. Obviously, her gut said to just tell him to fuck off and leave her alone. Who was he to keep putting down these ridiculous rules? Wasn't it enough that she was banished to this god forsaken place to begin with? It felt like he was suffocating her. But thankfully Jay spoke again before Alex could voice any of her true thoughts.
"You better think long and hard before you reply, because if I have to take you out to sit at my desk, I swear to god I'll do it even if you're kicking and screaming," he added, showing that he wasn't messing around. "If the army taught me anything, it's how to throw someone over my shoulder to get them where they need to be."
Something about his look, tone, and demeanor made Alex realize that he wouldn't hesitate for a moment to carry out what he was saying. The thought of being visibly scolded like a little kid in front of a room full of people she didn't know was enough to make her truly consider her options. Their gazes locked for a solid ten seconds of silence.
When Jay didn't budge or blink, Alex finally relented. "Fine," she spat through clenched teeth as she stood up and stomped over to the blinds, opening them up to reveal a bunch of curious eyes that quickly diverted their glances. She cursed under her breath at the embarrassment, but returned to her seat. "Happy?"
"Yes, thank you," he replied genuinely. He was both thrilled and surprised that she'd made a great choice and so quickly. Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all. "Now your phone," he stated, holding out his hand. It'd become the routine for her to fork over her cell while she was doing homework.
With an eye roll and sigh, she handed it over. "Can you go now?" she asked with annoyed eyes.
Not wanting to risk ruining the small win, he stood up. "I'll come grab you when it's time to get dinner."
And it wouldn't be a classic conversion with a teenager if it didn't end with the same word. "Whatever."
As Jay made his way back into the bullpen, Antonio gave him a reassuring nod, happy to see that it went well for him. Jay took a seat at his desk and felt his shoulders finally relax. He looked over at Alex in the break room out of the side of his eye. Despite the scowl plastered on her face as usual, he couldn't help but celebrate the small win. It gave him hope that this relationship could one day be repaired.