Jordan- 12
Her head was splitting. She couldn't stop coughing, she felt super nauseous. She was burning up. Jordan was sick. At the moment she was at school, she was coughing but tried to hide it she could barely keep her eyes open. The preteen was in her second class of the day but it felt like it was taking forever to finish, she was ready to give up and go to the nurse but she couldn't let her father find out.
Ever since she was hospitalized when she was younger from being sick as she got older if she had the flu, a cold, anything, Hank would watch her like a hawk. If she coughed or let out a sneeze he'd almost panic, he wanted to make sure that she didn't end up back in the hospital again for being ill. Jordan hadn't said anything because she didn't want her father to worry but she also knew sooner or later she would get caught.
The school day was finally over, Jordan slowly made her way to the bathroom as a wave of nausea washed over her she made it to the stall she got inside and locked the door before she could blink she was hunched over the toilet and threw up. Her throat hurt and it was on fire. After she was finished she wiped her mouth and threw the tissue in the toilet and flushed it the twelve-year-old left the bathroom and rinsed her mouth out in the sink and headed outside.
Antonio was outside waiting for Jordan, he offered to pick her up while Hank was doing an interrogation. When he saw the young girl slowly taking her time coming out he got concerned he then quickly went to her.
"Jo hey you alright sweetheart?" Antonio asked concerned.
"I'm...fine". Jordan replied weakly.
He felt her forehead and she was burning up. "Jo you're burning up".
"It's nothing, I'm fine".
"Let's get back to the District and tell you're dad".
Jordan looked wide-eyed at the Detective, as weak as she felt she had enough strength to do and say this. "No way! My dad can't know".
The Detective looked down at the twelve-year-old as if she lost her mind. "Jordan he has to know you're sick there's nothing wrong with being sick".
"I don't want him to worry that's all".
"Jo it's a parent's job to worry all the time with just about anything. I do, you're dad does, Alvin does. It's part of being a parent".
Jordan then lets out a harsh cough and the detective gently patted her back, after a moment she looked to him.
"Please don't tell him".
"Jo he's going to find out regardless, you of all people should know he finds out everything".
"Antonio please don't say anything".
"You realize you're gonna get us both in trouble right".
"I'll take the heat just don't tell him".
"Why don't you want him to know Jo?"
"When I was younger I was sick and I passed out, I remember waking up at the hospital. Now, whenever I get sick he worries a lot more and watches me like a hawk. If I were sick and I cough or even sneeze he tends to overreact a bit".
Antonio chuckled. "Jo almost every parent has done that at least once, it's also normal for them to overreact. It's parent's job to do all that and more".
"I just don't want him to worry, I'm sure it'll pass in a couple days".
"Normally I'd tell your dad right away but if this gets worse either you tell him or I will".
"I will".
"Jordan I mean it, you tell him or I will". His voice got serious.
"I will. I promise".
"Let's get you out of here".
Jordan ended up letting out a harsher cough and the entire time it was getting Antonio more worried, he shouldn't keep something like this from Hank. if he kept this from the older man he'd be super pissed. The detective knew that if he wasn't told that one of his kids were sick he'd probably lose his mind.
The ride back to the District was occasionally quiet, Jordan sneezed a couple of times and kept coughing really bad. Antonio knew he had to tell Hank but at the moment they were working a high profile case if he told his boss that Jordan was sick he wouldn't be focused, he'd be distracted the entire time.
On one hand, this is Hank's child who is sick and needs his attention. On the other hand, the case they are working is a high profile case, the guy that their after is a drug and human trafficker and he had kidnapped about six other people. He didn't know what to do. Stopping at a red light he glanced over to see Jordan dozing off she'd whimper and whine in pain.
"You'll feel better in a couple days Jo". Antonio gave the young girl some comfort.
Jordan wanted her father but she couldn't let him find out especially since the case they were on. After 10 minutes the two arrived at the District the twelve-year-old put her sunglasses on so no one can see how sick she is, she was in front of Antonio as the two walked in he held a protective hand on her shoulder as he kept his guard up. Once inside Trudy saw the Detective with her goddaughter.
"Dawson, I got her you go". Trudy said.
Antonio knew that Hank wasn't about to allow his daughter to be in the squad with a case like this going on, he then looked down to the young girl.
"You think you'll be ok Jo?" He asked her.
"I'll be fine". Jordan assured the detective.
The twelve-year-old headed over to her godmother and sat down next to her, she took the sunglasses off so nobody suspects anything and Antonio had headed upstairs. Trudy was giving orders to her patrol officers and as she was talking Jordan was hiding her coughing.
Antonio was back in the squad and seen the team working hard, they all were at their desk checking and running down all leads. Voight was in his office on the phone updating Perry, he then headed over to his boss's office and knocked on it. Hank looked up to see his detective there he hung up the phone and signed for him to come in.
"What's up". Hank said.
"I got Jo and she's downstairs". Antonio answered.
"She good?"
He thought about telling him the truth for a moment but decided not to. "All good".
"Thanks again".
"Anytime".
The team continued to work on their case, soon they had to go out in the field. While they got vested up Hank went downstairs to see his daughter he seen her working on her homework he then headed over to her.
"Hey, sweetheart". Hank greeted his little girl.
Jordan looked up to see her dad. "Hi, dad".
"How was school?"
"It was good".
She felt a cough coming on but hid it, she couldn't let it out in front of her father or he wouldn't be focused on his work.
"Jo we're gonna be in the field, I don't know how long we'll be out so I want you to be on your best behavior with Trudy".
"I will".
The young girl then hopped down from her chair and slowly made her way around and hugged her father, her cheek pressed against his shirt. "Please be careful out there".
He then kissed the top of her head. "I promise".
She headed back to her chair at a normal pace and the whole time Hank knew something was up with his daughter as he went back to the stairs he'd glance over to her and watch as she coughed in her arm. From that moment he knew that his little girl was sick but wondered why she didn't say anything, more importantly why Antonio hadn't told him the truth.
After he got vested up they all rolled out the entire time Hank had to get his mind back on track and focus on the case but the father part of him couldn't stop thinking about his sick little girl. As hard as he tried to push that from his mind he couldn't.
Back at the District, Jordan was still next to her godmother her eyes kept growing heavier and heavier but she kept jolting awake. Trudy looked at the young girl and knew something was wrong.
"Jo are you ok? You don't look so well". Trudy said.
Jordan thought about telling the truth but she still couldn't let her father know but she knew that she would get caught sooner or later.
"I'm ok Aunt Trudy, I promise". Jordan says.
Suddenly a wave of nausea had hit the young girl, she then looked up to her godmother.
"I'll be right back Aunt Trudy, I'm gonna use the bathroom".
"Ok sweetheart".
The twelve-year-old headed to the bathroom and she rushed into a stall locking it, she felt something lurch in her stomach and soon she was hunched over the toilet throwing up. After she stopped she wiped her mouth and flushed the toilet, Jordan whined and whimpered in pain at this point she didn't care if her father knew or not at this point all she wanted was her father. She headed back to the front desk and sat next to Trudy.
Meanwhile
In the field the Intelligence team had just finished their bust, they arrested their guy and found the six people. They all headed back to the District and the whole time Antonio wondered if Hank found out if Jordan is sick, he didn't know if he'd get in trouble for not telling the father or not.
They all headed back to the District and headed up to the squad to do their paperwork for the case. As Antonio was at his desk he felt his boss's eyes on him the whole time he'd look over to see Hank just looking at the squad.
"Antonio you got a sec". Hank says.
"Yeah". Antonio replied.
He headed to Hank's office and once inside the older Sergeant shut the door and headed over to his desk.
"What's up Sarge".
"You sure Jo's ok?"
"She said she was".
"It's just when I saw her before we rolled out, she didn't look well and wasn't acting like herself. Jo's also been known to hide things from me".
Sighing the Detective knew he had no choice right now but to tell him the truth.
"Jo she said she didn't want you to know that she's sick, she didn't want you to worry. Also something about her being in the hospital about it when she was younger".
Hank sighed sadly he remembers that day very well, Jordan was three she was sick Erin had offered to watch her while he went to work that day. When Perry had told him that Erin rushed his baby to the hospital he felt his heart drop into his stomach. He couldn't focus that day he broke almost every traffic law to get to Med to see his little girl.
"I was going to tell you I didn't know when with this case we needed everyone focused".
Hank knew that his Detective made a valid point, everyone did need to be focused for the case. He wasn't mad just disappointed.
"Next time just tell me it's all I ask".
"I will".
Antonio headed back to his desk while Hank sat at his desk. Jordan was downstairs she wanted to go home and snuggle up with her father eating his homemade chicken noodle soup.
"Aunt Trudy can you buzz me upstairs please". Jordan spoke weakly.
"Sure kiddo".
The young girl went over to the stairs and waited then Trudy buzzed her up, she opened the gate and closed it behind her. Slowly she went up the stairs to the squad once she got to the top she seen everyone working on their reports, she seen the door to her father's office open so she made her way over to the office. Getting to his door the young girl seen her father reading a case file.
"Daddy". Jordan's voice was weak and broken.
Hank looked up to see his little girl at his door she then began coughing and he went over to her she down on the couch just as her father sat next to her. He felt her forehead and she was burning up.
"Sweetheart you're burning up".
"Could we go home? I just wanna rest right now".
"Yeah, how about my chicken noodle soup for dinner".
"Can we have a movie night too?"
"Whatever you want sweetheart".
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I didn't want you to worry and with the case being really important I didn't want to bother you".
"Jo I want you to listen very carefully, sweetheart".
"Ok".
"I know you don't want me to worry but sweetie it's my job to worry. It will always be my job as your dad to worry about you. And I don't how important a case is, if you're sick, upset, anything if you need me come to me. Cases aren't important to me, you and your brother are what's important to me and that will never change. Cases they come and go, you won't".
Jordan hugged her father and buried her face into his shirt. "I love you, daddy".
Hank hugged his little girl tightly. "I love you too baby".
The father and daughter got up Jordan waited for her father while he gathered his stuff up after Hank grabbed all the case files that he needed he left the squad without a word. Jordan still was coughing badly she went around Trudy's desk and grabbed her backpack then walked out with her father.
Once the two were outside Hank had his guard up the entire time even outside the District he wasn't taking any chances. Jordan was in the SUV first followed by Hank he started the car and steered off driving carefully onto the street.
Before he went home he stopped off at a CVS to get Jordan a few things, he had gotten her medicine, cough drops, and orange juice. After getting that the father and daughter headed home.
The two then arrived home and headed inside, Jordan went up to her room to change from her school clothes into some pajamas. She was changed into a gray long sleeve shirt and plaid pajama pants, after changing she moved slowly downstairs. Hank was in the kitchen making his chicken noodle soup, as he stirred the food in the pot he glanced to see his daughter was right there.
"Soup should be ready in 10 minutes". Hank says.
"Could we watch tv after it's finished?" Jordan asked.
"Of course sweetheart".
While the soup was cooking Hank took the medication from the plastic bag he read the dosage and poured the right amount in the small plastic cap and gave it to his daughter.
"Do I have to?"
"The quicker you take it the quicker it works and you'll feel better".
Jordan took the cap and drank the medicine she then drank some orange juice. Soon the soup was finished and Hank poured some in two bowls the father, and daughter headed to the living room and turned the tv on putting on a movie. Jordan put her empty bowl on the table and curled into her father's side as she covered up with a blanket, Hank looked down to see his little girl curled into his side he then put a protective arm around her pulling her close.
By the time the movie was over Jordan had fallen asleep in her father's side, Hank had cut the tv off and carefully lifted her up. The twelve-year-old stirred as she looked at her father blindly.
"Daddy?" Jordan says sleepily.
"Shh go back to sleep sweetheart". Hank spoke softly.
She curled into her father as he carried her up the stairs and to her room, the older father gently laid his little girl down on the bed and brushed some of her brown hair off her damp forehead.
"Sleep, tight princess".
He then kissed her head and left her room for the night. Hank headed downstairs so he can work on his reports and send them in.
It was now past midnight Hank had just finished his work and sent it in, he was tired he kept rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Jordan was tossing and turning the whole time, she felt something lurch in her stomach she got up and headed to the bathroom. She took her time so she wouldn't fall once she got to the bathroom she forgot to close the door and was hunched over the toilet throwing up once again.
As Hank was heading up to his room he heard something from the bathroom so he quickly headed there. Jordan was finished throwing up and flushed the toilet she got up and rinsed her mouth out. Looking in the mirror the young girl had seen her father she turned and hugged him.
"Make it stop daddy". Jordan whimpered.
"It'll pass in a couple days sweetheart I promise". Hank assured her.
He rested his chin on the top of her head. "Let's go watch some tv".
"But you have work tomorrow".
"No, I don't I'm staying with you. I'm sure they can handle a day without me there".
"You'd really miss work for me?"
Hank never missed a day of work before and since returning he still never missed a day for anything.
"Jo you are more important to me than any job".
Hank always meant what he said, his children are more important to him than any job. Job come and go all day long. His children were everything to him and there's nothing he wouldn't do for them.
The two headed downstairs and turned the tv back on, Jordan laid on the couch with a blanket covering her. Her head laid in her father's lap the whole time Hank ran his fingers through her long brown hair. She had fallen asleep after 15 minutes, the older father cut the tv off and the lamp as he threw a blanket over himself. It took him a few minutes before he finally fell asleep with a protective hand on his little girl.