The next few minutes, on the way to Med, were a blur for Will and his brother alike. The oldest Halstead involuntarily sat in the back of a firetruck he wanted no presence in. All he thought about was the fact that Connor got to sit in that ambu with his brother and not him. The firefighters could see the gears turning in the doctor's head. They didn't want to bother him or upset him any further but they also knew it would be best if he didn't remain so deep in thought, especially when so emotionally compromised.

Herman was the first to break the silence. "Listen man, we know your brother's all bashed up and everything, but you gotta know he's gonna be alright." The others agreed.

"I should be treating him, right now. He's my brother, protocol and consequences be damned," Will crossed his arms before feeling gravity pull him to the side when the truck pulled up to Med. "Thanks for the lift." Will got out of the vehicle as fast as he could, rushing to find Baghdad. Nothing else mattered. Nothing else was registered. Not the other patients. Not the other doctors. Not the sounds of a wailing mother having just lost her child. Not the sounds of an alarm going off on someone's phone. Nothing. Nothing but Jay's well-being ran through his mind. His feet would have hurt, had he been in his right mind. But he wasn't.

He'd normally handle this better, Jay being hurt. It used to happen all the time. When he came back from the service when he'd do things… When he started out as a cop. Hell, there were times his baby brother ended up in the hospital and he didn't even bother to visit. At first, at least. But they'd gotten closer. A lot closer. Hell, Jay had been living with him ever since Lindsay left. Things had just been hard. The youngest Halstead would have his alone time when Will had stayed with Natalie on some nights, so it wasn't like they were spending too much time together.

But right now, he couldn't do it. This time was different. For some reason, this one was different. He finally got to the doorway of Baghdad. He'd stood there a million times, before, but this time it was just weighing heavily on him, squeezing his heart, making his chest hurt. "Dammit, Jay, you had to be a hero, didn't you?"

"'T's one of the things that makes him the great man he is, though, right?" Adam stepped in behind the doctor, crossing his arms, looking on into the room.

"Him being a good man shouldn't get him nearly killed as many times as it does"

"No argument, there. Guy's definitely not someone I'd say deserves it. He'll be okay. I promise," Adam gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder before heading to the waiting room with the rest of Intelligence and Firehouse Fifty-One.

Will watched the detective leave for a moment before looking back at the doors of that cursed room. "Everyone keeps saying that. Maybe if they say it enough, it'll be true."

:::::::

Connor moved his hands over Jay's body expertly and swiftly, reaching inside of his wound, fixing all he could. He tried to ignore the sounds of the detective crying out. "I'm almost done, Jay," He turned, looking a nurse in the eye. "Push more morphine, stat." She did as was told, rushing to execute the order.

"W-Will. Will? Adam. Ad-Adam." Jay's mumbling did nothing to ease Connor's mind of his friend's condition.

"They'll see you when you get better. When you're in your room," Connor started to sew Jay up. In his peripheral vision, he could see the detective relax a little bit as the morphine started to take hold on his system. His eyes rolled into the back of his head while his muscles relaxed and his pain melted away.

"Mm," The youngest Halstead shifted his position, allowing his fists to un-ball, if you will, uncurling his toes inside of his boots. "Willlllll." His words slurred as the drug overtook his mind, ravaging his senses.

"I'm done. Let's move him to a room, keep him on the drip with steady morphine until his stats are better," Connor pulled his gloves off, dropping them inside of the contamination bin, making his way outside to run into Will. "He asked for you, in there. A lot."

"You know what I'm gonna ask, Dr. Rhodes, just tell me."

"He's gonna be fine. His appendix only had a minor laceration. Less than we initially thought," Connor adjusted his stance, crossing his arms. "He's gonna be okay. We're sending him up to a room for recovery. His usual room was open, so they're sending him there. The cardiothoracic surgeon started for the waiting room to inform the awaiting loved ones.

Will turned around, repeating something to the man he'd said time and time before. "Thank you." Connor left it. Said nothing. He knew it was difficult for Will to swallow his pride like that, even if for his brother. He knew the doctor was happy to thank the man who continuously saved his brother's life. Even if they didn't get along sometimes.

:::::::

Everyone stood, stepping forward a little bit at the sight of Connor entering into the room. Adam stepped even closer than the rest, crossing his arms, heart racing. "How is he? Is he gonna be okay?"

"He's fine. The damage to his appendix was minor. I was able to fix it. He just needs some time to rest. Will's going to be with him for a little while, then you guys can go back and have visitation time," Connor looked around at the large group of people who were there to support the freckled detective.

"He'll still be able to be a cop?" Some would have thought Voight was just asking as his boss, but everyone knew he had Jay's thoughts and wishes in mind.

"Unless he decides otherwise… I don't see why not," Connor stood, waiting for more questions.

"There gonna be any permanent problems?" Atwater chimed in.

"Shouldn't be."

"How long until we can see him?" Haley stepped in.

"When Dr. Halstead says you can. Listen, I have more patients. Just go to room B731 and wait for Will to let you inside."

::::::

The cold Chicago night passed slowly. Aeons, it seemed. Will remained in the recliner next to Jay's bed ever since he'd been transferred into the room, only leaving his post to allow his team and friends inside. He only moved when he needed to move his legs to allow the nurses to check his vitals as if he couldn't do that, himself. He could write it down in his file. He could read the stats on the screen. He could do all of it, yet, he wasn't in the mindset to do so. All he wanted was for his brother to wake up.

He heard his baby brother huff in his sleep. He heard the mumbling and ramblings of the ravaging nightmares, a carnage poisoning his mind. He hated the sight of the flinching, the twisting and turning. Nearly everything he witnessed when it came to Jay, he hated. He hated the nightmares and the injuries. His distaste only grew when he would walk into his apartment to see the files Jay was observing for his case. The brutal murders of women and children alike. The things his brother allowed himself to see were horrible. After all he'd said, done, seen and experienced in the war, how could he possibly allow himself to see more? To be a cop like this? Why would he allow himself to be put in the hospital for something so avoidable as a bombing and a pole to the stomach? Why hadn't he had his appendix removed, yet? Geez, Jay, get a checkup every now and then!

He watched on as his brother's chest rose and fell in an even pattern. Though… sometimes it didn't when he got too afraid when his nightmares overtook him.

Hours went by. Far too many. Far, far too many.

Jay's eyes snapped open, his body quickly shooting to sit upright. His hyperventilation was a discordance in Will's ears. The doctor quickly stood, placing both hands on opposite shoulders, grounding his baby brother. "Jay! Jay, it's me. You're at Med." His efforts were futile as the soldier's eyes were wide, breaths quick and ragged. "Jay!"

The youngest Halstead met his brother's eyes, slowly evening out his breaths. "Will?" He exhaled. "Will." Inhale. "Will." He calmed, still in his bed.

"There you go," Will flopped back into the chair. "Three. Two. One." The nurses burst through the door, looking at Jay, eyes wide, full of concern. "He's okay."

"I'm okay."

The nurse nodded, slowly exiting the room as if she didn't believe the two. Then again, what good would it do for her to question either of them. Jay almost laughed at the expression on her face.

"Bottom line: You're going to be fine. I'd suggest you get your appendix taken out once you're all better. You're not going to have any permanent problems as long as you do."

"Sounds good. I need food. I'm friggin' starving."

"Jay, you almost died in there."

"Will-"

"No! Haven't you had enough? Enough close calls? Why did you go down there, Jay?"

"Adam and I heard a scream coming from inside the site. We didn't know it was a recording. When we got in there and found the device… we tried to run. Everything just came crashing down on us and when I woke up, I had a pole in my stomach and Ruzek was freakin' out."

"Hmm."

"Hmm?"

"Yeah. Hmm."

"You gotta need sleep, man, cus you're being a dick."

Will scoffed. "Right. I'm being the dick. You get hurt and I'm upset about it and I'm the one being a dick…"

"Aw you care?"

"Shut up."

The two kept silent.

"You were worried?" This time, sincere.

"Yeah, man. I was. Keep in mind, your little pole dancing act almost got you killed." The two kept their eyes to the ground, no words said. They didn't need to be said. The emotion filled the room like a thick fog, invasive and clouding the vision.

"Good. I'm uh… I'm only gonna say this once so I hope you listen real good cus. Yeah. Only once."

Will motioned for him to move along. To make his point.

Jay sharply exhaled through his nose. "I'm glad you care."

Will smiled.

"Okay goodnight." Jay maneuvered his body to lay on his side, closing his eyes.

"Goodnight, man." Will slouched down in the recliner, bringing his blanket up to his chest. A blanket Natalie had brought him as he slept, no doubt. His damn stubborn brother and his inability to ignore the bad in the world. Always had to help people. It was his greatest strength along with his greatest weakness. Complex man, he was. Always would be.

"And I would crush a pole dancing gig. My show would be called… Lethal Pole Dancing."

"That's it, I'm having them turn your morphine drip down."

"Come on, man, that's funny!"