From the shortest chapter to the longest. This pivotal chapter has been a struggle to write as I contemplated each and every line to ensure the story was done justice and told properly. No, this isn't the end...so much more to come! Thank you for the reviews and I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.
" Nat. Wake up." Natalie stirred, reluctant to awaken from her deep sleep. She slowly opened her eyes to find Connor standing over her.
" What time is it?" she asked as she sat up and stretched.
" A little after 7p. I was just heading home, but wanted to stop in before I left. It's a good thing I did."
" What are you talking about?" Natalie questioned, her brain still foggy from sleep.
" His BP has been steadily rising since the last time I checked in on him. In fact, it's remained stable for the past few hours." Natalie found herself speechless as she took the tablet and saw the changes in Will's vitals.
" Are you staying tonight?" asked Connor.
" Just until Jay gets back in a few hours."
" Call me if there are any changes. I just put in an order to start weaning the sedation meds. We'll see how he's doing in the morning, but it appears as if he's turned a corner. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a date with my king size bed."
" See you in the morning."
Jay stifled a yawn as he glanced at the clock in Will's room. 4:17 a.m. He had gotten about 2 hours of sleep in the past 36 hours. That was nothing in comparison to the long stretches of time he spent awake when he had been overseas. He took a long drink of coffee that contained three extra shots of espresso. While the added caffeine was keeping him awake, it was also making Jay feel listless. He had no patience when it came to sitting still. Jay could feel the anxiety building as he sat up in his chair, feeling the sudden urge to do something, anything.
" I know you're in there somewhere. You can't give up this easily. You're a Halstead- we're fighters. I need this to be okay. I need you to be here. Natalie and Owen need you. I know we aren't nearly as close as we used to be. I feel so stupid right now. I was so pissed at you after Mom passed. The truth is, I felt abandoned. You went off to New York and I was left here by myself. We sure as hell know Michael wasn't around. I missed you. I missed my brother, my partner in crime. You weren't there to call me an asshole when I screwed up. You weren't there to give me advice or just to talk. It's taken me all of these years to realize you weren't ignoring me. You were coping the best you knew how to. Instead of bottling it up like I did and still do, you channeled Michael. You drank too much, partied all night, and lord knows what else. I know I'm rambling...I've never been good with words. I…" Jay stopped mid-sentence as he felt something brush against his arm.
" I've had too much caffeine," he muttered. As Jay leaned back in towards Will's bedside, he felt it again.
" Great. I'm losing my mind now," Jay said as he looked around, trying to find a logical source for what he was feeling. He nearly fell off his chair when his eyes laid upon Will's hand twitching as he reached for his brother again. Jay found himself fumbling with his cellphone as he selected Connor's number from his contact list and hit send. After half a dozen rings, Jay was sent to voicemail.
" You've reached the voicemail of Dr. Connor Rhodes…"
" Damn it Rhodes!" exclaimed Jay as he hung up and immediately redialed the number. After repeating this process three separate times, Jay breathed a sigh of relief as Connor picked up on the other end.
" Hello?" he mumbled sleepily.
" It's Jay. Natalie told me you said to call if there were any changes," he said hurriedly.
" Slow down. What's going on?" Connor asked.
" He's moving his hands."
" When?"
" Just now. Three times in a row."
" I'll be there in fifteen minutes," Connor instructed as he hung up.
Twenty-five minutes later Connor stumbled into the ICU wearing grey sweatpants and a navy blue hoodie.
" I thought you said 15 minutes," Jay said as Connor entered the room.
" About that. You're going to be getting a phone call from an Officer Swanson," replied Connor.
" How fast did he clock you at?" asked Jay with a smirk.
" 60 in a 35," answered Connor as he turned towards Will.
" Will, it's Connor. Jay is here with me too." The room was nearly silent as they stood, waiting in hopes for some sort of reaction. Neither of them expected though to see Will's eyes slowly opening, squinting as he adjusted to the light in the room.
" Show off," mumbled Jay. Connor couldn't help but crack a smile as Will mustered up the strength to raise his middle finger in Jay's direction.
" Your lungs are sounding better," stated Connor as he placed his stethoscope back around his neck.
I know you're not going to be very happy with me, but I want to wait to extubate you until I can get a few tests ordered and get a new series of chest x-rays to determine the status of the hemopneumothorax." Will was too exhausted to 'argue' with Connor. Instead he closed his eyes knowing sleep would come soon. Connor and Jay quietly exited into the hallway.
" This is all good news, right?" Jay asked anxiously.
" I've got to be honest with you," started Connor as he grabbed a tablet.
I wasn't sure if he was going to survive the surgery. Will was in bad shape. Worse shape than I let on. At this point, barring any complications, I think he's on his way to making a full recovery."
" Thanks man," Jay said as Connor finished ordering the needed tests and scans.
" Dr. Rhodes, Dr. Halstead's results just got sent over from Hematology," spoke a nurse as Connor stepped out from the locker room about thirty minutes later. He had traded his sweats for a fresh pair of scrubs, his dark hair still wet from the shower he had just taken.
" Thanks Grace," replied Connor as he took the tablet from her, carefully examining the results as he walked towards the ICU. He quietly slipped into Will's room and placed the tablet he was holding on a nearby counter. Connor turned around to find Will's eyes wide open once again.
" Your blood gas is showing increased oxygenation and the left lung looks stable. I want to leave the chest tube in a little while longer, but what do you say to losing the respirator?" Will slowly nodded his head yes, anxious to have the tube taken out.
" You know the drill," Connor said as he tugged on a pair of gloves then proceeded to disconnect the respirator from the tube snaking from Will's mouth.
1...2...3." Will's throat felt as if it were on fire as Connor slid the tube out. Once it was removed, Will found himself coughing uncontrollably.
" You did good," stated Connor as he listened to Will's lungs before placing him on oxygen.
" Who?" croaked Will.
" Who tubed you? Choi."
" Stick him...on...third...shift," responded Will as he began coughing once again, his throat extremely raw and irritated.
" Try not to talk. You're going to be pretty sore for quite awhile,"
" Nat." The name came out a mere whisper.
" I'm actually getting ready to head down to the ER now. I'll see if I can find her." Will smiled appreciatively.
" I'll check back in later."
Just a few minutes later, Connor stepped off the elevator into a seemingly calm ER. Knowing that could change in an instant, he headed towards the nurse's station where Maggie sat typing at a computer.
" Hey Maggie, have you seen Natalie?"
" I think she's in the lounge," responded the nurse without looking up from her computer. Connor took off walking in the direction of the lounge. He walked in to find Natalie preparing to pour a cup of coffee.
" Hey Nat. Are you busy?"
" What's going on?" she asked worriedly, putting down an empty coffee cup.
" I need you to come upstairs with me," Connor replied solemnly as he led Natalie into the hallway.
" Is Will okay? Did something happen?" Connor remained silent as they stepped onto the elevator. Natalie paced back and forth in the small, enclosed space as they rode up to the ICU.
" Damn it Connor! Tell me what's going on!" Natalie demanded as they exited the elevator. Without a word, he led her towards Will's room. As they reached the room, Connor held his arm out to stop Natalie.
" I want you to prepare yourself," he said quietly as he avoided eye contact.
" What do you mean, 'prepare myself'?" she asked before stepping around Connor.
" Just…" started Connor before Natalie ripped the curtain open to reveal a sleeping Will.
" He's…" Natalie found herself speechless as tears of happiness began rolling down her cheeks. She slid into a chair beside Will's bed and let the tears flow, feeling so happy, so relieved that he was alive.
" Hey." The sound of Will's raspy voice left Natalie smiling as she looked up at him and did her best to wipe away her tears.
" You don't know how good it is to hear your voice," she managed to say, her voice heavy with emotion. Despite her best efforts to stop the tears from flowing, Natalie felt her cheeks dampen as she reached for Will's hand. Will weakly raised his other hand and ran it over her face, wiping away the tears as they continued to fall.
" I thought...I thought I had lost you too."
" You'll...never...lose me," Will said hoarsely, causing Natalie to cry harder.
" When we found you...when Connor told us he didn't know...that first night. I didn't sleep. I sat beside you, watching your chest rise and fall with one eye as the other watched your vitals. I realized that night just how much you mean to me. How much you mean to Owen. How much you love him. How much you love me. I realized that night too just how much I love you," Natalie stated passionately as she locked eyes with Will before leaning in and kissing him.
You need to rest. I'll come back later in between patients."
" Love you," Will murmured tiredly as he close his eyes.
" Love you too."
I'll never stop trying
I'll never stop watching as you leave
I'll never stop losing my breath
Every time I see you looking back at me
I'll never stop holding your hand
I'll never stop opening your door
I'll never stop choosing you babe
I'll never get used to you...
And with this love song to you
It's not a momentary phase
You are my life, I don't deserve you
But you love me just the same...
~Safety Suit~ Never Stop