I suppose that I should say this has some spoilers since this is set after the most recent season 4 finale.

So if you're not up to date you may want to consider catching up before continuing.

Please review.

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Hello from the other side

Jay sighed as the phone clicked to voicemail, "Hey, Erin, it's Jay, call me back." He jammed the red phone icon a little harder than necessary, hanging up in frustration as he sat in his car outside the mall. He knew Erin was in New York, but he could really use a woman's touch right now.

To be honest, without even considering sizes, the problem that was really nagging at him was that he didn't know what Lucy liked anymore.

"She's lived in a POW camp the last four years of her life Jay, I doubt she's going to care what she wears home." Jay recalled Will saying. He knew his brother was trying to be helpful, but he never went to war. He didn't know what it was like, to have bombs exploding all around you while bullets whizzed past the side of your head. He didn't know what it was like to experience a raid and wake up to enemy soldiers stealing all your supplies and abducting the women on your team. He didn't know what it was like to see people being killed for no reason, or to have friends die in your arms.

Jay shook his head trying to escape the memories of terror burned in his mind. Will didn't understand that because Lucy had lived in a POW camp, that everything had to go perfect today.

Before Lucy had arrived in Afghanistan she had been a bit of a tomboy. She actually kind of reminded him of Erin. She liked to be stylish but practical, comfortable of course. Comfortable was key in this care, considering Lucy's injuries. He tried to think about where Erin would shop, and despite not wanting to her wondered that maybe if she would answer one of his calls, maybe this would be a little easier. His utter devastation over Erin leaving for New York had been usurped by the discovery that his little sister was alive after all this time, but that didn't mean that it didn't still hurt.

Erin had left him a voicemail explaining what happened. She said she wanted to talk but had to leave right away, which of course, crushed him. Erin was still the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with and taking a break from their relationship was one of the biggest mistakes he had ever made, but God damn it, he needed her right now and she was avoiding him, or the situation or something. He knew she was probably equally crushed, which broke his heart all over again and he sighed, realize that this was the first time he had thought about Erin since Lucy arrived. She was coming home today and she needed something to wear, so Erin or no Erin, Jay had to do what he had to do.

After two hours and seven stores, Jay had managed to put together five outfits, a pair of pajamas, undergarments, socks, and new shoes. He figured this was enough to get by until he could take Lucy shopping to pick out some things on her own. She was walking better now and the outing would be good for her.

Jay threw the bags in the backseat of his truck and jumped behind the wheel, heading in the direction of his old neighborhood. Despite not wanting to see his father, there were a few things he wanted to pick up for Lucy from their childhood home.

Pulling into the driveway Jay felt himself tense. This house held more painful memories than happy ones, but with Lucy back and his father ill, he had found himself back here more times in the last two months than in the last few years.

Jay sat in the truck a beat longer than he needed to, drumming his thumbs on the steering wheel in an attempt to compose himself. His father could be challenging at the best of times, but Jay had never had any tolerance for it when it came to Lucy. Bracing himself, he rapped a couple times on the door, waiting for his father to answer. A moment later, an older man in his mid sixties yanked open the door wearing grey slacks and a wife beater.

"What are you doing here?" he grumbled glaring at his oldest son.

"I need to pick up a few things from the basement. Can I come in?" Jay gestured inside.

"I guess," the man replied grumpily as he held open the door and Jay stepped inside.

"I'll just be a minute." Jay replied before disappearing down the hallway toward the stairs to the basement.

When he returned a few minutes later, he was carrying a box filled with a photo album, a couple stuffed animals, and a small wooden box.

"Thanks," Jay replied hoping to get out of the house without a fight.

"Spoke to Will." The older man grunted.

Jay tensed in the doorway, "Right," he replied, not giving any indication of wanting to continue this conversation.

"So it's true," he went on, "she's back."

Jay paused a moment before nodding, "She's back, yeah."

The older man just blinked and for a moment, Jay thought that maybe he hadn't heard him until her spoke, "Maybe you and her and Will can come by sometime," he suggested gruffly.

Jay eyed him, he wanted to tell him that there was no fucking way that would happen if he had anything to say about it, but it wasn't just about him, and Will was right, his father was sick so instead he nodded again choosing to avoid the inevitable fight at least for now, "Yeah, maybe, we'll see." The man didn't respond and Jay took that as his cue to leave, letting the screen door slam shut with a clatter behind him.

Jay arrived at the hospital exactly 20 minutes before Lucy was supposed to be released, to make sure there was no outstanding paperwork to be filled out.

"Hi," Jay greeted the receptionist, "I'm here to pick up my sister, Lucy Halstead, I have some clothes." He held up the duffle bag, "and I just wanted to see if there was any additional paperwork so that we can get going."

"Let me confirm with Dr. Halstead." The receptionist replied, "I'll take the clothes so she can get changed."

"Thanks," Jay replied, shoving his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket as he rocket back and forth on the heals of his feet, he pulled his phone from his pocket and checked his phone to see if Erin had called. He sighed when there were no new messages.

"Hey," Will's voice pulled Jay out of his thoughts.

"Hey," Jay replied, "How's Luc?"

"As good as can be expected I think." Will replied, he looked tired, "She's just finishing her session with Dr. Charles then she's all yours," Will handed Jay a slip of paper, "Can you pick up her prescriptions?"

"Yeah sure." Jay responded.

Jay watched as Will fidgeted with the note pad in his hand, "I was going to have a nurse bring her down in the wheelchair but she's insisting on walking," his voice seemed far away and Jay could tell his brother was worried, "I've got most of her things put together. Anyways, I've got a patient I have to get to," he made to leave.

"Will, you good man?" Jay asked of his younger brother. Lucy was his priority right now, but Will hadn't exactly been himself either since her return.

"I'm good," Will replied a little too confidently, "See ya at home."

"Right," Jay replied, suppressing a sigh, pushing away the thought that something was wrong as he watched his brother head away before heading down the hall towards his sisters room.

As he approached he noticed Dr. Charles slipping from Lucy's room, "Hey Doc," he greeted softly. Dr. Charles gave Jay a soft smile, "How's she doing Jay asked?"

"She's a strong young woman," Dr. Charles admitted with a slight cock of his head, "but she's going to need a lot of support."

Jay nodded slowly, "I understand."

"I'm optimistic though," Dr. Charles offered, seeing the worry in Jay's eyes, as he seemed to drift away.

After a moment Jay nodded again, "Thank you."

Dr. Charles smiled, "Of course. Good luck and I'll see you soon."

Jay watched him leave before softly knocking at the door, he walked in to see his sister clad in light blue boyfriend jeans with rips in the knees and rolled at the ankles and a worn, over sized NYU sweatshirt. Jay couldn't help but smile seeing her there, arms wrapped around herself as she glanced up at him looking touched.

"I wanted it to be perfect," Jay told her as he stepped further into the room and proceeded to collect her belongings and place them into a duffle bag he had brought.

There wasn't much, a couple sweaters, a teddy bear, and some flowers from the district. "What do you want to do with these?" Jay asked picking up the bear and indicating at the flowers.

Lucy looked between them, "Maybe we could drop them off at the nurses station," she offered gently, "might brighten someone's day."

Her tone was so soft and genuine that Jay was in awe of her, "Sure," he smiled, taking her in for a moment.

She smiled at him, holding his gaze for just a minute before looking down at the sweater tugging at the long sleeves.

"Alright," Jay swung the duffle bag over his shoulder as he scooped up the flowers, "Shall we?"

After dropping the flowers and driving back to their apartment, Jay threw the car into park, "Home sweet home," he announced quietly, pulling up in front of a small brick apartment building.

Lucy looked at the house through the window, seemingly lost in her thoughts.

"Do you want to check it out?" he asked softly as to not startle her.

Jay waited patiently for her, and after a few minutes she nodded, indicating she was ready to go inside. He hopped from the driver's side of the truck, making his way to the passenger side to help his sister out of the truck.

He opened the door and Lucy was staring at her hands, clasped together, shaking. This was her first time outside the hospital, her first time back in the world since being home, "Hey," Jay's voice was calm, "Luc," he said softly, "can you look at me?" he asked, waiting for her to find his eyes. "I got you, okay?" he told her, "Were gonna go inside, and I'm going to make us spaghetti and meat balls for dinner and we're gonna watch all of our favorite movies and eat popcorn. You're safe with me. I promise."

Lucy swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded, taking her brothers hand as she slid down out of the seat of the truck. Her feat connected with the pavement but she wasn't sure if she could stand and for a moment, she felt her legs give our from underneath her until a strong arm wrapped around her side, "Just lean on me," Jay told her, "see that door," he indicated to the building, "that's where we're going."

Lucy nodded and Jay opted to come back for the duffle bag later as he led his sister towards the front door of the apartment, praying that a neighborhood car didn't backfire. Lucy had wrapped an arm around him and seemed to have curled into him as they shuffled forward. "You're doing great," he coaxed, "Almost there." He said as they reached the door way and he used his free hand to grab his keys out of his pocket.

Once inside, Lucy seemed to relax a little as they made their way towards the elevator, neither the elevator or stairs seemed like a good option.

Lucy's fingernails dug into Jay's back as they stepped onto the elevator and she buried her face into him. She seemed uncertain of the small confined space and Jay wrapped his strong arms around her, shielding her from the confines of the elevator.

The elevator jerked to a stop and Jay carefully guided his sister to his apartment door, holding her close as he unlocked the door. Lucy stepped inside, immediately feeling a sense of relief as Jay closed the door behind them, "Well this is it," he said as he released her for the first time since he helped her from the car.

Lucy looked around, taking in granite counter tops of the kitchen and stainless steel appliances. Three barstools lined the counter and behind that was an impressive oak table that seated six. Three lights dangled from the ceiling over the tabletop and Lucy couldn't help but be a little impressed.

She glanced over to the living room with the white leather furniture and a smaller wooden coffee table that matched the one in the kitchen was set up. Below the big screen TV that hung on the wall was an antique fireplace that looked as though it was only for aesthetics now.

"So what do you think?" Jay asked, sounding a little nervous.

Lucy turned to him and gave him a small smile and a nod, indicating her approval, but still shaking a little from the experience outside. Thankfully, she was with the one person who she knew would understand both that she needed time and space, and wanted to crawl into her brothers arms all at once.