The Good and the Bad

Thirty Balloons

Chapter Twenty-Nine

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The sound of fists against punching bags filled the gym. The sound almost being music to Scout's ears as she threw punch after punch at her own bag. Ignoring the slight sting that spread through her knuckles, having already been at it for more than two hours. She had gotten to the gym even earlier than Antonio and the others that morning since Carly had insisted on having the boys stay the night the night before. The other woman assuring her that she'd get DJ to school on time and would drop Maclean off at the house where his sitter would be waiting.

"Okay, I think that's enough Rocky." Antonio advised his friend as he gently grabbed her shoulders to lead her away from the bag. Not having failed to notice the way she had started to favor her left hand for the last twenty minutes rather than her right.

"Worried I'm gonna bust your bag?" Scout joked as she let him guide her over to the bench.

"More worried about you busting your hand. Drink this," Antonio handed her a bottle of water before looking over at where Jay was taking out his own frustrations on a bag. "When we gonna spar?"

"I don't like that look in your eye," Jay chuckled as he shook his head.

"Please," Scout rolled her eyes between sips of water. "This guy's just a big old teddy bear. You'd have nothing to worry about in the ring."

"Says the woman who'd love to see me get my ass kicked," Jay scoffed as he kept landing blows on the bag. Scout didn't bother arguing with him; knowing it'd be a lie if she said she wouldn't get any pleasure out of seeing Antonio knock the Halstead man around a bit.

"Nah, you're doing great-- just keep dropping your left every time you throw your right cross, it'll be fun." Antonio assured the other guy as he started to undo the wrappings on Scout's hands. The corners of his lips falling slightly as the wrappings fell away to reveal the bright red skin underneath. The fabric that had been wrapped around her right hand was even lightly spotted with blood from where the skin around her knuckles had broken.

Jay eyed the pair for a moment before stepping away from his punching bag. Thinking over his next words very carefully as he took off his own gloves. Finally voicing the very question he'd had on his mind from the moment he stepped into Intelligence. Since the night he and Scout had had their own argument about Voight in her kitchen.

"Is Voight dirty?" Jay asked them point blank.

"It's not my department," Antonio shook his head while Scout remained quiet.

"So that's a yes," Jay read between the lines.

"I almost went down the tubes when I was in Vice, which was right around the time I stopped judging other cops." Antonio told the younger man as he finished with Scout's wrappings and moved on to his own.

"Everyone makes mistakes," Scout spoke up. Her words earned her looks from both of the men, though her own gaze was focused on Antonio. Making it clear that her words were more in reference to her friend than their boss. "And no one would've thought any less of you if you'd kicked Vikan's ass."

"I'm not looking for judgement, just a definition." Jay clarified for his colleagues, causing them both to look back at him. "Do I learn from him, or do I keep my distance?"

"Both," Antonio suggested.

"Jay," a sigh escaped Scout's lips as she met the man's gaze. "You know how I feel about Voight, so you know I wouldn't be on this team if I thought he was still completely bad."