You Know Her (Part II)
pairing: Jay Halstead x Female Reader
requested: sort of!
word count: 1K+
warnings: kidnapping, hostage situation, mild violence, suspense
summary: Jay receives a call from the kidnappers with the reader and twins on the line. The CPD team prepares to rescue Halstead's family, but the operation goes wrong before it goes right.
One of the men crouches in front of you, holding a phone.
“It’s time for daddy to hear how this ends.”
Your stomach drops.
“No,” you say immediately. Controlled and firm. “You don’t need to…”
He presses the phone to your ear.
It rings once, twice. It doesn’t even get to a third ring.
“Talk to me.”
Jay’s voice.
Steady, too steady.
Your eyes close for half a second.
“I’m here.”
You hear movement on his end; a keyboard tapping, voices low in the background; He’s at the district.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
A lie. Your wrists are raw, your shoulder aches from where they slammed you into the van, but your voice is clear.
“The boys?”
You turn your head slightly.
“Henry and Liam are right here. They’re being brave.”
Liam sniffles. “Daddy?”
Jay’s breath catches, barely.
“I’m here, buddy. I’m right here.”
The kidnapper smirks and snatches the phone back, putting it on speaker.
“You listening, Detective?”
“I am.”
“We want immunity.”
“That’s not how this works.”
“Then maybe one of them doesn’t make it home.”
The room goes very still.
You don’t look at Jay’s threat; you look at the boys.
“Hey,” you say softly to them, ignoring the men completely. “Remember what we practiced?”
The twins nod shakily.
“What do we do when we’re scared?”
“Breathe,” Henry whispers.
“And?”
“Stay together.”
“That’s right.”
Jay hears every word.
The kidnapper leans closer to you. “You think he can save you?”
You look straight ahead.
“I know he will.”
The man laughs and hangs up.
-
The second the line goes dead, the bullpen explodes.
Voight slams his hand on the desk. “We’ve got a triangulation. Industrial yard near Halsted.”
Ruzek grabs his vest. “Let’s move.”
Jay doesn’t move at first.
He’s staring at nothing.
Then he nods once.
“Load up.”
His voice is ice.
-
The team surrounds the building.
Dark warehouse, metal doors, with two entry points.
Voight whispers into comms. “On my go.”
Jay stands at the secondary entrance.
Gun up, breathing measured.
Inside, you hear the crash.
The bang of the door.
The men shout.
“CPD!”
Gunfire erupts.
The twins scream.
You twist your body, shielding them as much as you can.
“Down!” one of the kidnappers shouts, yanking you upright and dragging you in front of him.
A gun presses to your temple.
The boys are crying now.
“Mommy!”
And then,
Jay steps through the smoke.
Gun raised; locked, focused.
He sees everything at once:
You on your knees. Gun to your head. Twins zip-tied ten feet away. Two other suspects down.
Time slows.
“Drop it!” Ruzek yells from the side.
The kidnapper presses the barrel harder into your skin.
“Back up!”
Jay doesn’t shout, doesn’t threaten.
He lowers his weapon slowly.
The team freezes.
“Jay,” Voight warns quietly.
Jay doesn’t look at him. He’s looking at you.
Your eyes are wide, not panicked but worried for him.
He gently sets his gun on the concrete. Then, with deliberate calm, he nudges it forward with his boot.
It slides out of reach.
“What are you doing?” you breathe.
Jay lifts his hands, palms open.
“I’m here.”
The kidnapper scoffs.
Jay takes one slow step forward.
“You don’t want this to end with more bodies.”
“Stop!” the man snaps.
Jay stops instantly.
“Okay.”
His eyes flick to the twins for half a second.
“They’re four,” he says evenly. “This isn’t their fight.”
“Shut up!”
Jay’s voice never rises.
“You’re cornered. You know that. My team has every exit covered.”
The man’s grip shifts.
You feel it and Jay sees it.
“You shoot her,” Jay continues quietly, “you don’t walk out of here.”
Your voice shakes despite yourself. “Jay…”
His eyes snap back to yours and soften; it’s subtle but you see it.
“I’ve got you,” he says.
Just to you.
The kidnapper jerks you backward.
“On your knees!”
Jay obeys immediately.
The entire team stiffens.
Ruzek looks like he’s about to disobey orders.
Voight gives him the smallest shake of his head.
Jay lowers to his knees.
Hands still raised.
“You don’t have leverage,” Jay says calmly. “You are afraid.”
“Shut up!”
“You’re scared. Admit it.”
The man falters.
“You didn’t think it would go this far.” Jay continues.
Your heart is pounding so hard it feels like it might burst but you keep your voice steady.
“Jay.”
He looks at you again.
“I’m okay,” you say softly. Even with a gun to your head. “The boys are okay.”
His jaw flexes.
“I know.”
And he does because you’re still sitting upright, still breathing evenly, still shielding the twins with your body as much as you can.
Jay shifts slightly on his knees.
“Let her go,” he says quietly. “Take me.”
The entire room tenses.
“Jay…” you whisper, fear breaking through.
He doesn’t look away from the gunman.
“You want leverage?” Jay says. “I’m your leverage.”
The man hesitates.
“You’re the cop.”
“Yes.”
“You’re the one who put my brother away.”
“Yes.”
“So why would I trade?”
Jay’s voice lowers even further.
“Because I’m the only one in this room who’s talking to you like you’re still human.”
Silence.
The man’s breathing grows uneven.
You see his hand trembling.
Jay sees it too.
“You let her go,” Jay continues, steady as stone, “and I will walk wherever you tell me to walk.”
Your voice cracks now. “Don’t.”
He glances at you again and there’s something in his expression.
Not fear, not recklessness but certainty.
“I’m not losing you,” he says quietly.
The kidnapper shifts his aim and that’s the mistake.
Just enough space between barrel and skin.
A single shot rings out from the side; Atwater.
The kidnapper drops.
You gasp as you’re pulled down hard.
Jay is up instantly, crossing the floor in three strides.
He grabs you, pulling you into him.
“Are you hit?” he demands, hands checking your face, your neck, your shoulders.
“I’m okay, I’m okay.”
He drops to the twins immediately, ripping the ties off with shaking fingers.
“You’re okay,” he tells them, voice breaking now. “You’re okay. I’ve got you.”
Liam clings to his vest and Henry throws himself at you.
The room is chaos, but Jay presses his forehead to yours for half a second.
“You stayed with me,” he whispers.
You cup his face.
“You put your gun down.”
His breath trembles for the first time.
“I knew you’d stay strong.”
You swallow.
“I was terrified.”
He nods.
“Me too.”
But he never let it show.
