Hey guys, thank you for your awesome response to the last chapter. It really got me inspired, which is why I was able to post the next chapter early.
Now I know the medical situation is unrealistic and possibly not even possible (and probably a little Grey's Anatomy) but I had to cause a little drama so I apologise in advance if the medical element sucks.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy.
Oh, and please be kind and review what you read (it does work...I was definitely inspired to write faster lol). Thanks!
Chapter 24
Jay's eyes focused on Erin, lying on the ground, blood seeping out of the wound just below her shoulder. He could hear the gun fire around him. He could hear Burgess and Roman returning fire. He momentarily froze for a few seconds; the seconds feeling like minutes before he refocused, took aim and fired at the shooter, taking him out with a bullet to the knee.
He heard the shooter's groan of pain, before he heard him drop his gun but Jay didn't care; he knew Roman would move in and secure the suspect; he was only focused on getting to his partner. He could already hear Burgess reporting that an officer had been shot so he knew help was coming.
He rushed out to her and dropped to his knees beside her. "Erin!" He called, checking for a response. There was none. He could feel tears building in his eyes. "Oh God Erin! Please...you have to be okay. This wasn't how it was meant to end." He took Erin's hand in his.
He could feel Spencer drop to her knees beside him, with her medical bag, completely forgetting about the original victim. He could hear her say "We got a pulse...she's breathing."
Spencer's eyes briefly met his; he could tell she was worried before she rolled Erin's body over to look at her back. "Shit!" She muttered. "It's lodged, it's not a through and through."
He watched as she reached into her medical bag and pull out a little flashlight. "She's bleeding out Spence...stop it!" He demanded, feeling her blood soaking through his jeans.
"Shit!" Spencer muttered, reaching into her bag for a needle and filling the syringe with some sort of clear liquid.
"What? What is it?" Jay barked, glancing over quickly at Spencer.
"The bullet is fragmented...if a piece gets into her blood stream..." She trailed off, well aware that Jay was already panicked enough, he didn't need to hear it could travel to her heart and kill her; he already knew that.
"Oh God! Erin!"Jay cried, his free hand beginning to stroke Erin's pale, cold cheek. He could see Spencer take out a scalpel. "What...what do you think you're doing?"
"Jay, the bullet fragments need to come out." Spencer stated.
"You...you can't do this in the middle of the street!" Jay argued, glaring at Spencer.
Spencer swallowed hard. She knew that look in his eyes; this wasn't just panic and concern for his partner, it was love. "Jay, it's not ideal but there is no other choice." She reasoned. "Now, are you going to help me or..."
Jay hesitated. It was too long for Spencer. He felt her free hand push him away from Erin. He stumbled back, in surprise. He could hear Spencer request Burgess's assistance and Kim quickly filled the space he vacated, following Spencer's instructions.
All he could do was watch; his eyes briefly meeting Burgess's eyes as she gave him a small smile, trying to reassure him, just as the sirens of the approaching ambulance filled the air.
###############
Will stood at the ambulance bay of Chicago Med's E.R., well aware that the intelligence unit were standing through those doors, awaiting the arrival of their colleague, the victim and the shooter. He took a few calming deep breaths as the ambulance finally arrived.
The ambulance doors popped open. Brent and Chilli quickly unloaded the trolley containing Erin. Jay and Spencer jumped out of the ambulance behind the trolley; both their clothes and hands soaked in blood.
"G.S.W. below the shoulder blade, bullet fragmented, fragments removed at scene." Chilli began to list.
Will nodded, his eyes studying both Spencer and Jay. He too could see the look of fear and love in Jay's eyes. "Dr. Matthews is in the trauma room waiting." Will replied, directing them into the hospital as the second ambulance arrived with the victim and shooter.
Jay was solely focused on Erin, he didn't even acknowledge his brother, he just followed the trolley into the hospital as Spencer held back.
Will could see the tears building in Spencer's eyes, the shock of what had just happened beginning to hit her. He knew she needed his attention but right now, he had to deal with the ambulance unloading in front of him.
He directed both and the victim and the shooter into the awaiting E.R. and turned to face Spencer, just as her body began to convulse, under the heavy sobs she could no longer fight. He ran over to her and let her collapse into his arms; her head burying into his neck.
He knew she saw what he had seen; there was no denying the look in Jay's eyes; Jay was still in love with Erin. So he did the only thing he could; he held her and let her cry; his eyes momentarily catching Burgess as she stepped out of the second ambulance, having to travel with shooter.
Burgess nodded knowingly to him; well aware of Spencer's pain, just as Adam Ruzek rushed out and scooped her into her own hug; a sign of his own relief that she hadn't been injured in the shoot out. Burgess pulled away, reassuring Ruzek that she was okay before guiding him back into the hospital to give Spencer and Will their privacy.
##############
Jay sat in the corner of the waiting room; by himself; still wearing his blood soaked clothes. Ruzek and Kim sat a few chairs away, their fingers entwined as they waited for word of Erin's condition. Roman was back at the district, completing the day's paperwork and Nadia had gone to Erin's place to pick her up a few things.
Atwater and Dawson had been in the waiting room but had been given the all clear to interview the victim so they had left to do that. Voight and Olinsky were interrogating the shooter.
Hank was well aware that Erin was currently in surgery and he knew he'd have to wait a few hours to see her so he decided to use his time wisely and focus on ensuring the shooter would not get away with shooting his family. Olinsky had volunteered to join him, well aware he couldn't leave the suspect alone with Voight or the shooter could end up in the river.
Adam glanced over at Jay before looking back at Kim. "I don't know what to say to him." He whispered. "I mean, I don't even want to think how I'd feel if Al was shot. I just...I didn't think he'd take it this bad."
Kim looked at Ruzek, wondering how he could be so clueless at times. "Partnerships can be very complicated relationships." She softly stated, her own eyes drifting over to Jay.
"It's strange that Spencer isn't sitting with him." Adam said. "I mean, what was that with her and Will? Sometimes I think they're too close for their own good. You don't think there is something else going on?"
"Adam, you weren't at the scene." Kim tried to explain. "Spencer had a lot of pressure on her...saving her fiancé partner. She was so strong on the scene; keeping her focus...she had to make a tough call, doing something that could possibly call her medical license into question. Will was just being her friend."
"Really? You think she could lose her license?" Adam asked. "But she was just trying to save a life."
"By starting surgery in the street with a cop with minimal first aid training for assistance." Kim replied. "It wouldn't surprise me if she's in getting her wrists slapped now."
"Poor Spencer." Adam sighed. "She really didn't need this two days before her wedding."
"Yeah, the timing definitely sucks." Kim agreed, taking another glance at Jay, wondering if he even knew the pain and hurt he had caused his own fiancée by still loving another woman.
Suddenly, the swinging doors of the waiting room swung open, allowing Will and Garrett to enter, still dressed in their surgical scrubs. Kim, Adam and Jay jumped to their feet, their eyes questioning the surgeons.
"She's stable." Will said, carefully watching Jay as the relief washed over him. "She'll be out for a few hours yet so there is no point hanging around. We know who to call when she wakes up."
"And is there any lasting damage?" Jay asked.
"Nothing a few weeks of rest and physio can't fix." Will replied. "It could have been a lot worse."
"She was just lucky Spenny was there and ready to take extraordinary measures." Garrett replied, glaring at Jay. "If that bullet fragment had reached her heart..." He trailed off.
"Thanks." Kim stated, sensing the tension. Both Will and Garrett nodded in return before Garrett stepped back out through the swinging doors again.
"I better go phone the Sarge." Ruzek said and took off to make a phone call, leaving Will, Kim and Jay in the waiting room.
"I meant what I said; go home...she'll not be having any visitors until tomorrow." Will reiterated.
Kim delicately placed her hand on Will's shoulder and gave it a little squeeze, thanking him again before leaving in the same direction of Ruzek.
Will's eyes followed Jay as he leaned again the wall and slid down, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. Will knew his brother was relieved. "She'll be okay bro...just go home and get some rest." He stated. "You have a busy few days coming up."
Jay nodded and climbed to his feet before embracing his brother in a hug. "Thanks man!" He stated.
"It was your fiancée that did the hard part." Will replied, looking back at his brother.
Jay nodded knowingly as he watched his brother leave the waiting room.
################
Spencer, dressed in scrubs, stood at the end of Erin's bed, holding her chart in her hands, checking her vitals. She gently put the chart back down as she noticed Erin's eyelids beginning to flutter. She stepped towards Erin, adjusting her I.V. to stop Erin from getting tangled up.
"Hey, you need to stop moving and take it easy." She softly whispered, her fingers gently stroking Erin's arm to soothe her.
Erin winced in pain as she tried to make herself comfortable. "So it wasn't all a dream then. I really was shot." She joked, wincing again as she looked up at Spencer.
"Unfortunately for you, yes." Spencer replied.
"So the surgery in the street wasn't a dream either?" She checked.
"Erin, I'm sorry but it was the only way I could think to..." Spencer began to explain.
"Thank you." Erin interjected. "I know you probably took a risk..."
"It's fine, really." Spencer stated. "I just lost my surgical privileges at Chicago Med."
"But you saved my life." Erin protested. "Let me talk to the chief of surgery..."
"Erin, really it's fine." Spencer replied. "I knew the risks and I would do it all over again. I mean, I couldn't let you die. Jay never would have forgiven me." She joked.
"Of course he would...he loves you." Erin stated, her eyes glazing over with a few tears.
Spencer nodded knowingly and stared at the ground, chewing her lower lip. She could feel tears building up in her own eyes. She finally looked back at Erin. "He loves you too, you know." She retorted, her own voice shaking as she held back the tears.
Erin paused, taken aback by Spencer's honesty. She could see the pain in her eyes. She knew those words were hard to say; those feelings were hard to admit. She swallowed, her throat feeling raw. She smiled thankfully at Spencer as she held a cup of water with a straw to Erin's lips.
After taking a sip, Erin finally spoke. "Maybe, but he sees his future with you." Erin softly stated. "I know that."
Spencer replaced the cup and gave a soft laugh. "That's what I used to believe too but now I'm not so sure." She softly muttered. She paused. "You should rest. I know you'll have a lot of visitors tomorrow."
Erin nodded, not knowing what else to do. Spencer looked so broken. She watched as Spencer walked out of her room. "Spencer?"
Spencer paused at the door and turned to face Erin. "Yes?" She asked.
"He chose you...that's all you need to believe." Erin replied.
Spencer nodded and left the room, closing the door behind her.
##################
Erin's eyelids slowly fluttered open, adjusting to the few rays of sun shining through the blinds. She tried to sit up and then winced in pain as she finally remembered where she was and what had happened.
She could hear gentle footsteps and the creaking of a chair. "Erin, don't try to move." She heard Kim's familiar voice say before Kim finally came into her eye line.
"Hey." Erin croaked, realising how dry her mouth and throat was.
Kim poured her a glass of water, placed a straw in the glass and held it within Erin's reach to sip. "Nad will be back in a minute." Kim stated. "She just stepped out to check in with the unit."
"What time is it?" Erin managed to croak.
"A little after 10am." Kim replied, carefully sitting on the edge of the bed. "The whole unit wanted to be here but you're only allowed two visitors at a time so we're gonna pull shifts. Nadia and I had to fight Sergeant Voight for the morning shift. He wanted to be here for you waking up."
"How is he?" Erin asked. "I mean, the unit didn't leave him alone with the shooter, did they?" She knew how Voight felt about people who shot at the police, especially after what happened his own father. She didn't even want to contemplate how he reacted to her getting shot.
"Olinsky kept an eye on him." Kim replied. "Don't worry...no one ended up in the river."
Erin sighed with relief, if anyone could bring Hank back from the brink, it was Alvin.
"Sergeant Voight wasn't the only one desperate to be here." Kim said, pausing before continuing. "Halstead only left yesterday because Will forced him. He didn't want to leave you; you really had him worried."
"It's a partner thing." Erin replied with a small smile. "He even worries if I'm a few minutes late..."
"Erin, you didn't see his face...his eyes." Kim softly stated. "He wasn't worried about his partner...he was worried about the woman he loves."
Erin turned her head away from Kim and sighed, she really didn't need another person telling her that Jay loved her; especially when he couldn't or wouldn't tell her himself. "Kim...don't!" She sighed.
"Erin, I really think you need to tell him how you feel before it's too late." Kim pleaded.
Erin spun her head around to face her. "He's getting married! Tomorrow! It's already too late!" Erin exclaimed.
"The key word there is tomorrow." Kim retorted. "Erin..."
"She saved my life Kim!" Erin spat, her eyes filling with tears. "She risked her career to make sure I would live for another day and you want me to stamp all over her heart...the day before she gets married?"
"Erin..." Kim began to say.
"Maybe part of him still loves me." Erin cut off Kim. "But he loves Spencer too...he chose to have a future with her. I've accepted that, now you need to too."
"Fine...if that's what you want?" Kim reluctantly replied.
"It's what I need." Erin retorted.
###########
Erin sighed as used her free hand to flick through a magazine that Sergeant Platt had brought when she had visited. She was insanely bored. She wasn't the type of person to sit around and do nothing; she liked to be kept busy. She knew the next few weeks of her recovery would be a pain. She just hoped Voight would let her work, even if it was desk duty. She really couldn't sit at home.
She had a flurry of visitors earlier. After Kim and Nadia had left, Voight and Sergeant Platt were soon through the door, followed by a quick visit from Olinsky and Dawson. Later in the afternoon Atwater and Roman stopped by before Ruzek and Mouse popped in on their way to drop the ceremony booklets for tomorrow's wedding off at the church.
Jay however, had not appeared yet and Erin doubted he would as it was after dinner time and she was well aware he was getting married tomorrow. She sighed again and closed over the magazine, silently scolding herself for believing Kim's words that Jay had been worried about her. He wasn't too worried; he wasn't here now.
Her eyes were drawn to the door of her room as she heard a gentle tap before the door slowly opened. She tried to sit up a little more on the bed, wincing in pain as she did. Her eyes widened as they fell on Jay's face, popping through the gap of the door, looking sheepish.
"Hey, is it okay if I..." He trailed off.
"Yeah, of course." Erin softly muttered with a half smile.
Jay slipped into the room and stood at the end of her bed; his hands fixed in his pockets, looking at her. He did not say anything.
Erin squirmed under his gaze, feeling uncomfortable. Finally, she spoke. "So I guess I can't attend your wedding." She joked. "I mean I'm not Mariah Carey; I can't rock a bedazzled sling, even if I had one."
"Trust me Erin...the last thing I'm worried about is whether or not you are going to make my wedding." Jay quickly retorted.
"Oh right, you're probably worried about your actual wedding." Erin stated, feeling the need to keep it light. "Don't worry Jay, all you have to do is say 'I do'."
"You had me so worried." He simply stated, his eyes glazing over. "You could have...if you...I could have lost you."
"Like Spencer would let that happen." Erin teased. "You know, I'm finally seeing a benefit to my partner marrying a doctor...although I would have appreciated being made aware of how being shot in the shoulder hurts like hell. You never told me that it hurts like..."
"For God sake Erin!" He exclaimed, cutting her off, taking her by surprise. A tear escaped from his eyes. "This is really not the time to joke...you...it was so close..." He edged up the side of her bed, towards her.
"Jay, I'm going to be okay." Erin tried to reassure him. "I'll be back in the field by the time you return from your honeymoon."
"Erin, seeing you...it made me realise..." Jay began to say.
"Jay don't!" She hissed, her own eyes filling with tears. "The last few days have been pretty heavy; don't let your cold feet make you say something you're gonna regret."
"But what if I don't regret it Erin..." Jay replied, perching himself on her bed. "What if my biggest regret is walking away..." He reached out to take Erin's hand; stopping mid-sentence as his mind was filled with flashes.
Jay felt Erin pull back from him; his head slightly lifting off the pillow as their lips broke apart. She was straddling him; still in her bra and panties. She was panting heavily; her eyes filled with lust. He looked up at her, wondering how he could ever forget her beauty and how good she made him feel.
His hand reached up and cupped her breast through her bra, before travelling up to grasp her neck. He pulled himself up and crashed his lips against hers, biting her lower lip, smiling at her moans of pain and pleasure.
In one swift motion, he grabbed her body and flipped her over so he was now on top, straddling her. He felt her fingers run up and down his torso as she looked at him, nervously giggling, anticipating his next move.
He grinned, reaching down, removing her fingers from his torso and pinning her hands above her head before burrowing his mouth into the crook of her neck; their bodies moving together as one.
Jay quickly dropped Erin's hand as he stumbled back, covering his face with his hands. "We...I...my bachelor party..." He stuttered. "Oh God, I'm a cheater..."
"Jay, it was a mistake." Erin tried to rationalise, her mind panicked. "No one needs to know. It meant nothing...I mean you didn't even remember..."
"Why?...How could you not tell me?" He stuttered as he paced up and down alongside her bed.
"Because you didn't remember it the morning after and well...it wasn't exactly my proudest moment." Erin stated, watching him.
"I knew it...I just...I just..." He muttered, beginning to calm down; his pacing slowing before coming to a stop. He looked over at Erin and ran his hand through his hair. "I need to tell Spencer."
"No you don't!" Erin quickly interjected.
"Erin!" Jay scoffed.
"Jay, you were drunk and I...I honestly don't know what I was thinking." Erin stated. "It was our goodbye."
"Erin, how can I even contemplate getting married when..." Jay began to rant.
"Because it is the right thing to do!" Erin insisted, cutting him off. "And we all know Jay Halstead is about doing the right thing."
"Erin..." Jay began to say.
"Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't love her Jay." Erin cut in. "Tell me!"
Jay sighed and stared at the ground. Erin gave a small laugh as a few tears escaped her eyes. "You see." She stated. "You can't because you love her."
Jay finally looked at Erin. "Erin I..." He trailed off.
"You have cold feet Jay, that's all this was." Erin stated. "You watched your partner get shot, it made you think you were feeling something but in reality, you weren't because you love Spencer so just forget about us...that night...it never happened."
"Erin..." Jay sighed.
"Do the right thing Jay." Erin stated. "Get married tomorrow."
Jay looked at Erin and sighed. He really hadn't expected this response from her. He thought she'd understand; that she would be able to tell that yes he loved Spencer but he loved her too. Maybe she did but she didn't care; maybe she didn't feel the same. He exhaled. "I guess I'm getting married tomorrow then." He reluctantly stated.
To be continued...