This is the last chapter already. It's been quite an emotional ride for me, more than I had expected.

Thanks for reading - I'm glad you've enjoyed this.

Chapter 12

In this moment Voight joined the team. "Jay, my office?"

"Sure," Jay followed Voight into his office and closed the door.

"How are you feeling, Jay?" Voight asked – as usual without a long introduction.

"Better, Sarge," Jay answered. "I'll be ok."

"Listen, I don't know exactly what was going on, but I hope you're telling me the truth here."

"I do, Sarge. I have found out that I have a few more demons to fight, and I'm ready to do that, in my personal time. And I've got help." He smiled. "The best help."

"Good." Voight looked at him. "But if necessary, get professional help."

"Already on the way, Sarge."

"So you learned from past experience."

Voight opened the door, stepped outside. The conversation was over.

"Guys, listen," he said to the team. "Halstead will be partnered with Upton again, Rojas with Atwater, Burgess and Ruzek."

Hailey could barely suppress a relieved sigh.

Later that day Jay went downstairs to the holding cells.

Jonathan and Marc were in adjacent cells, and they looked more annoyed than afraid.

"Where's my father? And a lawyer?" Jonathan asked. "Why are we not allowed to call our parents?"

"You will have your phone call." Jay replied coldly.

"Why am I here? This is ridiculous!" Jonathan asked again, louder.

"You two are here because you posted messages about a school shooting online, under a fake name. And because you beat a kid half to death."

"Nonsense."

"Is it?" Jay raised his eyebrows. "We've got you on tape, Jonathan. And you too, Marc."

Marc looked down, didn't answer.

"That was a joke, man."

"Listen kid!" Jay's voice got louder too, but he remained calm. "It's not man, it's Detective! And it's not a joke to threaten shooting other people, and it's definitely not a joke to frame others, or to beat up others."

"That freak." Jonathan spat it out.

"He's not the freak," Jay answered. "And I will make sure we press charges against you two. You will probably be kicked out of your school. And then say good-bye to a good college."

"But you can't do that!" Marc said quietly.

"I can." Jay turned around, ready to leave.

"Detective," Marc held Jay back. "I'm sorry."

Jay looked at him. "Ready to talk?"

"Yes."

With a nod, Jay asked for Marc's cell to be opened, and he brought the boy upstairs into one of the interrogation rooms, while Jonathan stayed, and he was clearly not happy about it.

Jay didn't actually interrogate Marc, he got Hailey as backup and both talked to Marc. If it was true or not, Marc claimed to be follower only, and he told the two detectives exactly how they hacked into Cameron's social media accounts and thought it funny at the time. The beating was not initiated by them, so he said, but by other students, out of fear.

"Do you know what you did? Are you aware that Cameron might have died? Do you think this is funny? Or justified?" Jay tried to reason with Marc. Either Marc was a good actor, or he understood at least a bit, he apologized again and seemed to mean it.

The boys' fathers arrived soon afterwards, and both were handed over to their respective fathers, who didn't look happy with their sons. Perhaps they had learned their lesson. Jay wasn't sure, especially regarding Jonathan, but for the moment that was all he could do – and for him right now that was enough. The two boys would be suspended from school for a while, if not for good, and they had faced some consequences. Only time would tell if this was enough.

In the afternoon both Jay and Hailey drove to Med, to meet Cameron and his parents. Jay had called his parents, asked them to meet him there.

"Detective," Anna greeted him. "I heard you found out who was responsible?"

"Yes, we did. And it's over now." Jay confirmed with a proud smile. It felt great to bring good news.

He quickly told them about how Marc and Jonathan had been picked up by the police in the morning, and Cameron couldn't suppress a smile. "Oh, I would have loved to see that," he said. "But… but what will happen when I go back to school?"

Hailey smiled and stood next to Jay, wrapping her arm around his waist. "Don't worry."

Jay put his arm around Hailey's shoulders, exchanged a smile with her. "Hailey's right, Cam," he added. "We've got news. Anne, Jason, Cam, there's something I need to tell you. I managed to pull some strings with Father McClosky. And we have a place for you in another school, which has a very good reputation, great teachers, and no bullying. And a full scholarship for you."

"You… what?" Cameron sat upright, wide-eyed. "How? When?"

"How did you do that, Jay?" Jason asked.

"I've known Father McClosky for a while now, and we've helped each other out a few times. And he's always happy to help kids, and he has the right connections. You will feel much better in that school. No rich kids, just intelligent kids."

"Wow." That was all Cameron could say. He needed time to realize what had just happened. Anne hugged Jay and Hailey gratefully. "Thank you so much for doing that for my boy. Thank you so much."

They talked a while longer, Jay gave them some more details, and they agreed to meet when Cameron would leave the hospital. After half an hour, Jay had a few minutes with Cameron again.

"Thank you, Cam," he said.

"Why do you thank me?" the boy answered. "I have to thank you. It's like a miracle."

"You deserve it, Cam. Take the chance." Jay replied. "You made me realize a lot about myself these couple of weeks. And by the way – if you ever want to join the police, give me a call, ok?"

"Sounds like a good idea. I actually might."

"See you, Cam."

"See you, Jay." Cam grinned. "So, she is your girlfriend now?"

"Yes, she is." Jay smiled back at him.

Outside of Med, Jay and Hailey weren't quite in the mood to return to the precinct immediately, they walked to the nearby park.

"Do you know how amazing you are, Jay?" Hailey suddenly asked. "What you did for Cam, that was… "

"I guess I did it for myself, too."

"Still, you helped this kid tremendously." They stopped in the shadow of a big oak tree.

Jay put his arms around Hailey, pulled her close.

"Hailey, are we…?"

"Yes," she interrupted him with a big smile in her face.

"You don't even know what I wanted to ask"

"Jay, we are a couple now. I want to be with you. I love you."

"Are you sure?" His eyes widened, a tentative smile appeared on his face. "I'm damaged goods."

"Jay, everyone is. You, me, everyone. And that's ok. You're MY damaged goods. And you're the kindest, sweetest, and sexiest man I have ever met. I won't let you go."

"Hailey, you're the best thing that ever happened to me," Jay answered, tears in his green eyes. "I love you so much."