Jay Halstead stands in the breakroom, pouring himself a cup of steaming hot black coffee from the pot. The bitter scent of caffeine fills the air as the dark liquid pours into his mug. He takes a moment to savor the aroma, bringing the cup to his lips for a small sip. He closes his eyes for a moment, appreciating the rich taste, before setting the mug down on the counter.
Erin walks into the breakroom just as Jay is finishing his sip of coffee. She looks at him and starts speaking, "Did you know that 64% of Americans drink coffee daily?"
Jay raises an eyebrow and replies, "Really? That's a lot." He takes another sip of his coffee, still enjoying the taste.
Voight sticks his head into the breakroom and sees Erin and Jay having a conversation. "Halstead, Lindsay, I need you. There's been a break-in at a nearby electronics store. Go check it out."
Jay nods and sets his mug down, ready to get to work. Erin takes a last sip from her own mug and follows Jay out of the breakroom.
They jog downstairs and buzz themselves out of the electronic gate. As Erin gets into the passenger seat, she grumbles, "Why do I always have to ride shotgun? I'm not down with this."
Jat runs round to the driver's side and gets behind the wheel and starts the car. He smirks at her and replies, "What, you don't enjoy my company?"
The ignition turns off and hisses. Erin rolls her eyes and scoffs, "Not when I'm stuck in the passenger seat. You drive like a madman."
Jay chuckles and starts driving towards the electronics store. "Don't worry, I'll get us there in one piece."
As they drive, Erin turns to Jay. "What's the deal with you and Voight? You two have some kind of special bond or something?"
"Not the time, Er."
Erin doesn't back down. "Come on, Jay. We're stuck in this car together for at least 20 minutes. Spill."
Jay parks the car near the electronics store and turns to Erin with a smirk. "Alright, this stays between us, but if you tell anyone I'll deny it."
"Course!"
Jay takes a deep breath before continuing. "Voight and I... We went to prom together."
Erin realizes that Jay is messing with her. She groans loudly and smacks him on the shoulder. "You had me going there for a second! I can't believe I fell for that."
Jay laughs and shrugs. "Hey, you asked for the truth, I just thought I'd throw in a bit of fun." Erin shakes her head but can't help but chuckle.
They approach the door, and suddenly a gunshot rings through the air. Antonio, who was closest to the door, stumbles backwards, clutching his neck. The team looks on in shock. Jay immediately kneels down beside him, while the rest of them rush forward to secure the scene.
"Hey, hey. Don't try to move." Jay whispered, pulling off his sweater.
Jay presses his sweater onto Antonio's wound, trying to stem the bleeding.
Voight, in a hushed tone, barks out orders. "We need paramedics here, now. And someone secure that damn apartment."
As the paramedics arrive with the stretcher, Jay helps them lift Antonio onto it, his hands supporting his legs as they carefully place him on the stretcher.
They nod at Jay, and close the car doors, and the ambulance takes off towards the hospital with Jay, Antonio, and the medics inside.
Back at the bullpen, the team is still reeling from the shock of the incident. Voight stands in the middle, visibly shaken and angry. He's on the phone, yelling into the receiver.
"I want every surveillance video within a five-block radius of that apartment. I want every traffic cam, every security camera, EVERYTHING."
Voight spins around to see Jay standing there. He quickly ends the phone call and approaches Jay, his face etched with concern. "Halstead, what are you doing here? You should be with Antonio."
Jay shook his head, walking over. "He...umm...he didn't make it..." he continues, "They did everything they could...but Antonio... We lost him."
Voight closes and reopens his eyes "I... I need to make some calls. You all go home. We'll pick this up tomorrow at the funeral."
Hours had passed. Jay stands in front of Antonio's wife's door, taking a moment to gather himself before knocking gently. He waits a few moments before a voice calls out from inside.
"Who is it?"
Jay swallows hard, clearing his throat before answering, "Mrs. Dawson... it's Jay. Can I come in? I need to speak with you."
The door swings open, revealing Antonio's wife, Laura. She looks at Jay, her eyes red and swollen from crying.
"Jay... come in."
Jay looks up at Laura, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry, Laura..."
Laura looks back at him, tears streaming down her face. "How...? I mean...why?" Her voice breaks as her knees seem to give out.
"Laura...Antonio, he...he was shot. It happened during a case. We were chasing down a suspect...and things went wrong." he closes his eyes. "We were so close...but he...he didn't make it." Jay's voice catches in his throat, his words sticking in his throat. He can barely get the words out.
Laura just sits there, her face buried in her hands. Sobs shake her body as the reality of what she's just heard sinks in. Jay just sits there beside her, his heart aching.
It's late in the evening, the bullpen mostly empty and quiet. Jay walks up to Voight's office and knocks on the door gently. He waits for a moment before Voight calls out.
"Come in."
Voight looks up from his paperwork, taking in the sight of Jay. He senses that something is bothering the younger man. He sets down his pen and leans back in his chair.
"What's on your mind, Jay?"
Jay sinks down into the chair, resting his head in his hands, his shoulders shaking with quiet sobs.
Voight watches as Jay breaks down, his heart aching for the young man. He rises from his desk and walks around to the other side, kneeling down in front of Jay. He places a hand on Jay's shoulder, his voice gentle.
"Hey, hey. It's alright. Let it out."
Voight pulls Jay into his arms, holding him tight. He feels Jay's body trembling with sobs. He just holds him, letting him get it all out.
"I got you, boy," Voight murmurs. "I got you."
Jay could barely get the words out. "He-He had a six-week-old baby boy, Hank." Voight's heart sinks at the mention of Antonio's newborn son.
"I know, kiddo. I know."