Calm Before The Storm

Offer

The next day Jay was impatiently waiting to be taken off the monitors and for his release papers. His fever was gone, and his pain had decreased significantly. Hailey was on her way to pick him up. He was surprised when Deputy Superintendent Miller knocked on the door.

"Deputy Superintendent Miller. I'm sorry I'm underdressed for a visit." He smiled slightly nervously at her.

"Please, call me Sam outside the office. I wanted to stop in and check on you. I also wanted to thank you for saving my life yesterday." Miller stepped up beside his bed.

"It was really nothing. Just doing my job, ma'am. Sorry, Sam." Jay gave her a crooked smile.

"That's the thing. When I left yesterday I pulled your file. You are consistently going far beyond what the job would expect of you at your own personal cost. I read your injured on duty record, you've sacrificed your body far more than would ever be required of an officer. Not to discount all the emotional trauma you have been through because of some of the cases you have worked on top of your time in service." Sam tilted her head to watch his reaction to the acknowledgement. She was unsurprised when he ducked his head and wouldn't meet her eyes.

"I wouldn't trade it for the world. I love this job. I love working in the intelligence department and feeling like what I do makes a difference." Jay kept his eyes on his hands on his lap as he spoke fearing somewhat that she might decide he needed to move to a desk job. A death sentence in his mind.

"What would you think if I offered you a promotion to Sergeant? Take the lead of your own team, your own cases?" Sam probed and leaned in to look him in the eyes.

"That is a goal of mine down the road but I'm not ready for that yet. I have learned so much from intelligence and from Voight. I still have a lot to learn before I would be ready for a team of my own. I'm not ready to take the step back from the front lines yet." Jay shook his head and met her inquisitive gaze.

"Fair enough. It's actually exactly what I expected you to say. You saved my life yesterday, if you weren't on the front line that may have ended very differently. I would like to start sending you for leadership training and work with Voight in a mentorship role. I will need someone ready to step into lead intelligence someday when Voight retires or even if he needs time off. I'd like that to be you, to be his second in command if he's willing to teach you." Sam suggested and Jay bit his lip in thought.

"If Voight is willing , I could do that. I could take some courses although I'll admit, school was never my thing. I'm not really great at sitting around too long." Jay smiled as a knock came from the door.

"I'm sorry, I can come back later if I'm interrupting?" Hailey started to turn away.

"No, we're done for now. I'm sure Jay wants to get out of here as soon as possible." Sam smiled and raised an eyebrow at him. Voight had made a comment about how much Jay hated hospitals when they were waiting for the doctor yesterday. "I will talk to you both later I'm sure."

Miller left the room and Hailey came up beside his bed. She raised her eyebrows and looked at him questioningly. "So are you going to tell me what that was all about?"

"I'll give you the whole play by play on the way to work if you help me find my clothes. Will took them so I wouldn't escape." Jay said as he threw the blanket off and slowly swung his legs over the side of the bed. Hailey laughed and set down a bag she had brought with clean clothes.

"Sounds good but you are going home, not to work. You need to rest, trouble." Hailey winked.