Outside the cold night air infiltrating his lungs caused Jay to have a coughing fit which had Will trying to get him to return inside.

"Come on Jay. It's too cold out here for chatting."
"I'm okay," the younger man insisted as the coughing finally abated and he straightened up.
"Well at least put the jacket on properly," Will took the garment without preamble and carefully helped his sibling ease into it after he undid the sling.
"We need to talk," Jay took the sling from his brother stopping him placing it on his arm again and began walking, right now he had other priorities as he looked at the ground, "you know we found tapes in Mancinis' house that ........,"
"I know what was on the tapes," Will readily supplied as he stepped in front before he reached out and pulled up the zipper of his brothers' jacket, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do for a grown man, "so what do you need to tell me?"
"Someone .......... sent a copy of a tape we didn't find to the News Stations."
"What?"
"Luckily most have agreed not to broadcast it," Jay continued, moving his gaze to the starry night sky as he shivered, "but it looks like one or more will show it."
"Do you know what's on it?" Will asked gently as he looked at his younger sibling with concern.
"Same as on the other tapes."
"Damn."
"I'm telling you so you can be prepared. You know at work and stuff."
"What do you mean?"
"People are bound to say it to you," Jay shrugged his good shoulder trying to give the impression the thought of that didn't worry him.
"Hang on a second," Will turned to look at his brother fully with a frown as he realized why the young man was acting so uncomfortable, "you're worried about what people will say to me?"
"It will make things awkward for you."
"Are you insane?!" Will winced as his shouted question caused his companion to flinch.
"I just ......,"
"Dammit Jay you don't have to worry about me okay? If it does get aired I know for a fact there's nothing that reflects badly on you so if anyone says anything to me it won't upset me okay?"
"You don't know what's on the ......., " Jay began quietly only to be interrupted.
"I don't need to because I know you and you could never do anything that would upset me."
"Sorry about this Will. You don't need the hassle."
"No hassle, you're my kid brother and it's about time I started acting like your big brother. Let's face it I didn't look after you like I should have when we were younger but like I told you before I'm here for you now and I always will be."
"Feel like I stepped into an episode of The Waltons," Jay teased, around a cough.
"Come on we'd better go back in or they'll think we got lost and I can't wait for you to tell Voight."
"Tell Voight what?" Jay paused as they headed back to the house.
"You think he's Daddy John Walton."
"I never said that!" Jay defended, grateful for the banter.
"Sure you did," Will winked as he opened the door.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Five hours later Jay retreated to his room claiming fatigue although it was obvious to the other men he was suffering from another headache. After losing his stack of jellybeans, amid stealing several orange treats from the other piles around the table, he had gone to the kitchen and filled a glass with milk after retrieving a chocolate bar from what had become known as the sweet drawer. Anyone would think there were kids in the house with the amount of sweets, chocolate bars and potato chips that had accumulated since their arrival. Upstairs he swallowed three painkillers and made quick work of demolishing the bar and drinking half of the milk before deciding on a quick shower. It was under the falling hot droplets that memories of the afternoons' viewing began to replay in his mind. He leant his head forward against the black tiles, absently banging it, and tried to will the hurtful images to fade away. After a while his vision became tinged in red.

Downstairs the men sat around the large living room and discussed the days' events. Ethan had arrived after Jay had retired for the evening and was quickly brought up to speed.

"Damn. Just when you think things can't get any worse for Jay they do."
"Yeah," Adam ran a hand through his hair, "that tape today was the worst one. I mentioned it must have contained most or all of the assaults but he didn't confirm or deny it and I didn't press the issue. Don't know how he got through it to be honest."
"Still wish he would let me see them," Will spoke softly, "do ye know why he wanted to talk to me outside after dinner?"
"To tell you about the copied tapes sent to the stations," Kevin stated.
"Well yes and no. He told me about the stations and the likelihood that one of the stations will air the tape but the real reason he was telling me was ........," Wills' voice caught as he thought of his brothers' selfless nature, ".... he wanted to warn me .... in case anyone said anything to me about it at work. He was worried about me not himself."
"Doesn't surprise me," Hank spoke with clear admiration in his voice, "that Kid is amazing."
"You're preaching to the choir," Antonio commented from his armchair beside the blazing fire.
"Will if they decide to air the footage it won't be the full tape. It was four hours long," Al tried to offer some comfort to the elder Halstead sibling.
"Any way at all to stop it being aired?" Ethan double checked.
"Most agreed not to use it but the truth is once one station uses it the damage will be done. We all know how fast things go viral in this day and age," Hank elaborated seriously, "I have a couple of meetings arranged for the morning to try to stop the footage being used but right now it's not looking good."
"Why can't ye get a Search Warrant for the tapes?" Conor frowned.
"We tried," Al explained, "Judge wouldn't grant it because technically the tapes have nothing to do with our active investigation."
"That doesn't make sense."
"Welcome to our world," Hank said with obvious disdain, "the problem is we've brought charges against the old man for the murders and the abductions but we aren't pursuing any charges for child abuse and the tapes relate to that not the other crimes."
"He should press charges," Will referred to his brothers' refusal to have charges filed against their father over the abuse he suffered growing up.
"As we discussed it's his choice. We have to let him deal with the matter his way."
"I know you're right. I even agreed but ....,"
"Doc you know it's Jays' decision and we have to respect that."
"Would be different if there was someone else involved," Will looked at the others, "he'd press charges then. Just wish he would talk to me about the tapes. It must seem like his worst nightmares have come to life."
"Jay does things in his own time," Adam reminded, "he'll talk to you when he's ready. You just have to be patient."
"So everyone keeps telling me. Why don't ye ask me to do something I can actually do?" Will scoffed rhetorically.

tbc

Authors' Note

To readers not familiar with a lot of American TV series The Waltons was a show about the lives of a large family during the American Depression (circa 1930s) based on a mountain in Virginia, USA. Although it began production in the early 1970s and ran for several years it has had many airings in the following decades since.

Frances