Note: I'm from europe, so my english is probably not perfect. I'm aware of it, but I still hope my readers are able to follow the context. I could need a beta reader for this story too. So if you're interested, feel free to send me a message.
The story is about Owen and how the doctors at Gaffneys are able to raise the 7 year old and deal with the loss of Natalie Manning, who died at a car accident.
Rhodes, Zanetti, Halstead and Charles are sharing custody.
Feel free to critizise or comment on the story.
The story starts at Gaffneys...
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"Are you kidding me? You sent him to school with a fever?"
"Calm down, Connor. It's just a stomach pain."
Rhodes shook his head in disbelief. He glanced at his colleague, totally disappointed.
"We had a deal, Halstead. No school if he's sick."
"Who is sick?" Maggie entered the room, giving Rhodes a good chance to show his anger.
"He forced the kid to go to school, despite the fact that he's sick."
"Ohh, ohh." Maggie commented, before being called by April for getting back to her desk.
" Come, on. You treat him like he's already dead. Nearly all kids have episodes where they don't like to school, faking an illness. He's playing a game with us. If you have to watch him on Wednesday, you can leave him home."
Wills pager anounced an emergency.
"I gotta go." Will excused, receiving a nodd from Rhodes side.
"Unbelievable", Connor mouned, seconds later feeling a hand on his eyes, before some familiar lips touched his own.
"Are you talking to yourself?." Sam Zanetti whispered, taking Connors hand, directing it to her belly to give her boyfriend the chance to connect with their unborn daughter.
"How is my princess doing in there?" He pressed his ear against Sams belly, before he went back to his place.
"Father of the year, messed it up. Same as usual."
"What are you talking about?"
"Owen had to go to school. He wasn't feeling very well and Mr. Halstead thought the kid's just pretending to be sick."
Sam glanced at Connor, a worried expression on her face.
"You might be right. He looked a bit pale when we brought him to Halstead on Sunday."
"I should take a closer look at him. Especially when we pick him up from Will tomorrow. Possibly making a blood draw."
"Good idea."
Zanetti grabbed her bag.
"See, Connor I've still got to organize some special things for the baby shower. Since I don't have to work today I decided to go on a shopping trip with Amy. See you at home, right?"
"Hopefully soon." Rhodes joked and gave her another kiss, before she left the room.
Connor already wanted to made his way to the coffee mashine, when he heard a loud noise. Glas broke and an aggitated Maggie ran into the room.
"Connor, you've got to take a look at this."
Right in the same moment Rhodes alarm went on. Obviously it was about the same issue.
"What do we got?" He screamed, recognizing the small shadow of a kid, that was lying on a stretcher.
"7 year old boy with cramps, caused by stomach pain. Temp is 103. BP 160 to 90. His teacher called us", the medic informed him. Within seconds Connor realized that the little patient looked familiar to him.
"Waite, Owen?"
"You know him?" The paramedic asked.
"It's Owen Manning. The son of Dr. Manning, who died around a year ago" April informed him
"Go to treatment 5." Maggie directed him to the neighborhood room.
"Great. April? I need a second hand on this." Rhodes told her when he saw Will walking over the floor.
"Is that what a kid looks like, who's playing a game with you?" He yelled at his colleague. Will ran towards him. But Connor ignored it, already helping to roll the kid to the ER.
"What the hell happened?", Halstead asked, his stethoscope fell to the ground in shock.
"Better ask yourself." Rhodes hissed, already examining Owens stomach. The little boy kicked and cried in pain.
"Alright buddy. Just let me do some tests."
It didn't took him long. Since Owens stomach felt like a rock and he wasn't able to move his right leg and cried when Connor pushed his lower abdomen, hitting the MC Burney point, they got the diagnosis within minutes.
"He's got an appendicitis, which probably turned into a Peritonitis. I need to operate. His appendix needs to be removed. Now", he screamed, looking at the crying kid, who stared at him with wide eyes.
"It hurts", the seven year old sobbed, when Connor took his hand and Sexton tried to put him on an IV.
"I know, Owen. Look at me. I'm right here with you. Aunt April will put you asleep to take the pain away and when you wake up, it's not hurting anymore." Connor whispered to the kid, who started to cry heavier.
"I don't want to sleep. I…"
Eventually he couldn't finish. Maggie already put the masc on his face. A last cry and he blacked out.
Rhodes shook his head, sending reproachful glances to Halstead.
"What the hell were you thinking", he spoke under his mouthgard, already putting the ultrasound on the relevant position of Owens Abdomen, before he made his way to the OR…
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"Be lucky. He could have died", Connor hissed at Will, when they both cleaned their hands, after the operation.
April and Maggie, who witnessed the conversation, got quiet, finally left the room in silence.
"Why in hell did you ignore that? He had fever, stomach pain, diarrhea. All the typical symptoms that every textbook about medicine is filled with."
"Are you questioning my judgement?" Will screamed at him, receiving reproachful glances from Rhodes.
"No, I ask myself what kind of doctor you are?"
Will moaned, shook his head.
"Listen, Connor. You might be right. I made a really big mistake. But we both know how tricky an appendicitis can be. Until yesterday, it was nothing than a higher temperature and some tummy ache. In the morning it seemed to be gone and I left him the decision, if he wants to go to school or rather stay at home." Will told Connor, making him even more angry.
"Are you kidding me? We're talking about a 7 year old kid, you're responsible for. What is the next step? Are you asking him if he wants to take your car to get to school instead of walking? Just to your knowlwedge: You're the adult, while he is the kid. If he wants to survive, he has to relie on you. He won't question your decisions, because in opposite to him, you have life experience." Or at least you should have."
Will sighed, his eyes filling with tears.
"Remember what you promised to Natalie? You nearly kicked it today?"
Halstead took a deep breath, closed his eyes, to fight tears.
"Who do you think you are? You're treating me, like I murdered him. I love Owen like my own son. He is everything that is left from her." Will turned around, avoiding that Rhodes would see the tears glittering in his eyes. He needed a few seconds to cget calm.
"During the last month his teacher called me twice, because every Monday, when they had P.E Owen pretended to suffer from headaches, chest pain or tummy problems. I just thought he wanted to fool me." Halstead whispered quietly. Connor didn't reply, left the room instead. Nevertheless he didn't came far, because Daniel Charles, stopped him right on his way to the ICU.
"How's he doing? Dr. Choi told me what happened."
"His appendictiis turned into a peritonitis. We were able to stop the bleeding and to remove his appendix. He gets antibiotics and hopefully there will be a full recovery. But it was touch and go. We nearly lost him. Just a few minutes later and he would have been gone."
Dr. Charles nodded with a serious face.
"Listen, would you mind to sit with him in the morning? Dr. Parker treated shift with me, so I'm able to stay with him for the upcoming hours? My next shift starts at 6. Since he cried a lot when he put him to sleep, there is a big chance he would be waking up like this." Connor told Charles.
Daniel, already knowing what he meant moved his head in agreement.
"You're thinking about aftermath effects?"
Rhodes moved his head to confirm his question.
"Hospitalization syndrome."
"I'll be right there", Charles confirmed to stay with Owen.
Connor already wanted to continue his way, when Daniel held him back.
"What about Will?"
Rhodes shrugged his shoulders, raised his eyebrows.
"I've got a long story to tell you..."