can't change what you don't know

long shot

Back at the district the kids were taken straight up to the break room where they could be looked after while hank sent Ryan straight to lock up and took Cassie into an interrogation room where they could prove or deny her innocence. Jay was stood watching the kids through the door as they drank their hot chocolates and chatted amongst themselves, it was evident that the parents had made them turn on each other since they were getting along just fine now. Hank finally walked out and stood next to jay, "you wanna tell me why Cassie made a fuss back at the house?" He sighed. Jay sighed and ran his hand over his face, he nodded and signalled to Hanks office so the pair walked inside and shut the door.

                  Jay sat down on the chair and faced hank as the older man stood on the other side of his desk with his arms folded, "I told her to stop smack talking me and to start worrying instead, but she threw it back in my face, said I was the one who should be worrying" he furrowed his brows.  Hank shook his head, "and why's that?" He huffed, already knowing about his previous relationship with the woman over 10 years ago.  Jay paused before answering, "she said that tatums my kid..." he looked at his boss in worry.  Hank raised his eyebrows, "is she telling the truth?" He drew his lips into a thin line.  Jay shrugged, "I don't know, I mean, the kids 13 so it would make sense but I didn't know about her, like at all..." he huffed.  Hank nodded, "get med to run a dna test on her" he opposed.  Jay nodded, "already on it, she's using a mug now so I'll drop it off when they're done" he looked at the wall blankly.

                  Hank leant onto the metal shelf behind him, "jay look, whatever the outcome is, just know we're all gonna support your decision. But have you thought about it?" He nodded supportively.  Jay looked at his boss and smiled weakly, knowing exactly what he was meaning, "If she's mine then she's mine, I'll get custody over her, i just don't know what to do..." he shook his head.  Hank nodded, he knew jay would step up, "I'll help you with everything, but right now you just need to find out if she is yours, and if she is then we can go from there" he stood up as jay stood up too.  Jay nodded, "thanks Sarge..." he smiled weakly as hank squeezed his shoulder. 

                 Jay left hanks office and saw hailey watching the kids just like he was a few minutes ago, "we need to explain everything to them, you in?" She smiled sadly.  Jay nodded, "of course" he smiled.  He but back his fear and followed hailey into the break room, "hey, uhm, what's going on?" Aidan turned to look at them as the girls went quiet.  Jay and hailey sat down on two chairs in front of them but backwards, "we're gonna tell you everything now" hailey smiled and nodded.  Tatum flashed them both weak smiles and waited for whatever it was they needed to hear, but she couldn't help but notice jays discreet stares at her, as if he was observing her curiously.

                Jay took a deep breath, "Ryan's been involved in a very serious tax fraud scam, he's in lock up right now and we're still waiting to hear about his sentencing, but we can promise you that nothing bad will happen to you guys" he nodded sadly.  Brea didn't understand a word he just said, Tatum understood but didn't really care since she hates him and Aidan just shook his head in refusal, "lock up? He's going to jail...?" he looked at the pair in shock.  Hailey smiled sadly, "it's hard to come to terms with but you will still get to see your father, you'll get to visit him and talk to him every month" she nodded weakly.  Tatum continued to look around the break room, almost as a way to familiarise herself with the place but mainly because she was just feeling a little anxious since she didn't know where her mom was. 

                  Aidan slumped back on the couch as brea continued to fiddle with his chain that he gave her to keep her amused, "we can guarantee that you will all be placed into safe hands" hailey smiled sadly.  Tatum nodded weakly but she didn't want safe hands, she wants her real dads hands, maybe her mother's, but her dads for sure.  Jay smiled weakly at Tatum, he was now at peace with the fact that he might have a daughter.  He could see their familiarities, the green eyes, the freckles, the brown hair, but most of all the sarcastic personality.  Tatum smiled back at him when she noticed his stares, and there it was, the Halstead smile she didn't even know she had, but jay could recognise it, he knows his own smile when he sees it...

                   After a while of the pair clearing up any confusion Aidan mainly had, Tatum asked a few questions too but brea didn't seem too bothered by the whole ordeal, hailey stood up, "there's a nice lady waiting downstairs for you, she's gonna explain what happens next, c'mon" she smiled at them.  Aidan and brea stood up rather surely but Tatum stood up slowly, the two siblings walked out and followed Kevin down the stairs but Tatum stopped in the doorway of the break room and turned to face the pair.  She took a deep breath before smiling at them, "I know it's probably a long shot but can you guys find out who my real dad is?" She looked down slightly.  Hailey looked at jay as she saw his breath hitch a little, then decided to take over with the talking, "of course we can sweetie, and the second we know we'll let you know" she smiled and nodded.

                     Tatum smiled back, hope flashed over her face before she nodded, Kevin reappeared at the top of the stairs to collect her so she smiled one last time, "thank you" she nodded and ran off to go follow Kevin.  Hailey smiled as the detectives watched the kid run away and down the stairs, "do you think she'll hate me?" Jay spoke quietly, it was a kind of doubt she hadn't heard in him before.  She turned to face him, "not at all, she's made it clear her dads the one she wants to be with. She knows he isn't the bad guy her mom makes him out to be, and if he is you, then you'll make a great dad..." she placed a caring hand on his shoulder.  Jay smiled thankfully at her words, "I don't think I can do this alone..." he huffed and ran his hands over his face.  Hailey smiled and laughed slightly, "who said you're gonna be alone? I'm staying right by your side, wether she's yours or not" she shrugged.  Those words hit jay like a brick, he hasn't had anyone to care for him like hailey does, "thanks hails..." he nodded gratefully.

Jay sighed and turned to look at the mugs, "it was this one right?" He pointed to a grey cup on the table which as been drank out of by Tatum. Hailey smiled and nodded, "mmhmm, I'll come with you" she put her phone in her back pocket. Jay smiled as the pair walked out, hank had already given him permission to go find out if he had a daughter or not so they just walked out of the bullpen and made their way outside into haileys car since jay was too preoccupied to drive.  It didn't take them long to arrive at lee so hailey parked up her car and the pair got out before strolling their way into med and straight into the ED in hopes to find Will somewhere nearby.  It took a minute or two but Will managed to spot his brother and hailey stood looking rather clueless at the front desk.

~~~~~~~~~

                  "You guys needing something?" He walked over to them.  Jay nodded, "yeah, you actually. Can you get the lab to run a dna test on this? A kids been drinking out of it and we need to know who her real family is" he handed the mug, which was in a sealed bag, over to Will.  Will nodded, "sure, the results could take around 24 hours to come back though. I'll call you when they arrive back to me" he took the mug and put it on the lower part of the desk.  Jay smiled weakly, "yeah, thanks man" he nodded and turned to leave with his partner as Will went right back to work.  Hailey looked up to jay as they walked back over to her car, "are you not gonna tell him?" She raised an eyebrow.  Jay sighed, "no I will, I just wanna be 100% sure first" he nodded and smiled slightly.  Hailey smiled back and nodded as they got into the car, queue the beckoning wait...