Chapter 3- A Logistical Nightmare
The very thing I feared the most has come true. I have been asked a few times now what this story is. What is the motivation or endgame, so to speak. Each relationship we have in our lives—family, platonic, romantic—is all serving a purpose. At a particular stage of life what we had was enough. It was what got us through things and shaped us into the person we are today. Furthermore, without that relationship in the past, we would not be in the place we are now with all the people involved. I've come to realize that you cannot open something new without closing out the past. You cannot have one foot up in the air and expect oneself to move forward. Loose ends must be tied up. Books need to be fully written, examined, and published before placing it on the shelf. It is only when this happens can we truly begin something new. That is what this story is partly about: closure. Remember, we haven't even gotten to the main point of this piece.
I fully understand both sides of this debate and I can relate. I tend to see things in the grey area. How each one was great in its' time. Both relationships served or are serving their purpose. Therefore, I cannot pick a side but I can certainly appreciate what each one gave to the world. I hope this clarifies any questions lingering out there and I'm serious when I say I love hearing from fans of each side. I'm doing my absolute best to toe the line, get a story across without offending any side of the equation. Just hang in there, everyone, because I truly think you'll enjoy where this all ends.
And now, without any further delay, lets get this going. Ready for things to go nuts?!
What he remembers the most about this particular day is waking up, which is odd considering what transpires afterwards. But clear as day he can recall waking up that morning for two reasons. The first being that he woke up on the feet end of the bed. At some point in his overly exhausted night of rest he awoke long enough to grab a pillow, pull down the tucked in sheets, and get cozy on the wrong end of things. So when he arose to that one he was both confused and laughing over how much his body needed a break. It was in the moving on the bed that the second element of this morning came into play.
He rolled to his right all but a couple inches before he began free falling. The bed could not have been bigger then a twin sized bed, something he hadn't slept in since grade school. Not even in the Rangers was he on a bed this small. Leave to the city of New York to bring things back. Cat-like reflexes had him death gripping the footboard and feet white knuckling the sideboard. He was in a frozen fall, catching his breath before allowing the feet to complete the three foot tumble to the ground. Once he was vertical he took a moment to rub his eyes, doing his best to get himself above his current semi-conscious. Even through the noise machine and high perch in the hotel you could still hear the lull of traffic, people, life in the big city. The snow that fell yesterday had moved on to other parts of the country, leaving behind a wintery, white, wonderland and mess for everyone to work around. Car horns, sirens, shouting were floating their sound waves to Jay's window which he very much welcomed. If nothing else it told him that he was behind, the rest of the world in work mode and he was still trying to complete those initial launch sequences for the day. But his moment of realization was drastically cut off by three hard thuds at the door.
"Jay! C'mon everyone else is downstairs. Something happened." It took a dozen shuffled steps to get to the door, but soon a severely bed headed, puffy eyed Jay Halstead stood opposite of Hailey Upton in the doorway.
"What?!" She was perfectly put together. Hair had been washed, or at least brushed, and styled and she was alert. She was wearing full outer wear and looked to be a bit upset that she didn't get to sleep in like her partner. There was a hint of resentment and annoyance in her next statement.
"Another feed came up while we were all sleeping. This one actually got violent. Benson wants us at the district now."
"Okay, I'll be down in ten." She darted off, not bothering to confirm that she'd relay things to the waiting party downstairs. Jay didn't get the anger towards him, figured he was just an object she could throw those kind of things at. The shower had to be put on hold till later, opting to throw on whatever combination of clothing he could yank out of his bag and do the most basic morning routine. Flying down to the lobby awarded him stern glares and snide comments about being a sleeping beauty. Breakfast wasn't going to happen this morning either. While in its' earliest stages the day looked to be a splendid one. Time to get the show on the road.
…
"Good morning, sleepy people," Erin jokingly called out as they all breached the doorway. It was apparent that those already at the district had been there for quite some time. Coffee cups littered the desks, to-go boxes spilling their remnants over the crest of the trashcans and dangling just above the floor. All these things could be the result of poor housing, but the slumber party attire of the room told the tale of racing in in the middle of the night. Slippers weren't on a single sole but running shoes and extra comfortable clothing was enough evidence to support this theory. In an instant Jay felt guilty for being the one that got them all shooed away to their plush hotel rooms last night. Clearly they were the only ones that got some form of shut eye.
"What's the latest," Voight questioned over his incoming coffee cup.
"Christopher Passman, age eleven. He's been in the foster system since he was five. Bounced around half a dozen homes before settling in with Michael and Julie Raines. He's been with them for nine months which in this case is basically a lifetime." Olivia let a mild cough slip out, grabbing a handful of screenshots and tacking them onto the board. The pictures told a tale of escalation. It began with just him in a chair before moving to another part of the room, which is where a mysterious cloaked figure enters. The rest one simply cannot describe. It was revolting, no other way around it.
"His video began streaming at 1:14am and was picked up by NSA at 2am. Location is still unknown thanks to the ever bobbing IP address but…" Olvia threw things over to Erin.
"We have our first match. Caroline Wilson, the second victim of this prick stayed with the Raines' for two months, overlapping with Christopher the final month. Two kids within the last year being captured and tormented by this guy. Can't be a coincidence."
"Do we have an address for these parents," Voight asked?
"Waiting on the warrant…which is walking through the door now."
"Just inked by the judge. Let's bring these monsters in," Finn stormed with.
"You heard him. Everyone suit up." Tact gear was already in the vehicles by the time they got out to the parking lot. It was a nice change, having someone do the prep work for you, leaving you with the task of getting the job done. But in a way Jay kind of hated it. It was a tick he picked up in the Rangers, assembling and preparing one's weapons for battle. Only you know exactly what you need. It is entirely up to you to verify that things are in order. Plus, it's a trust thing. Knowing who got you ready is instrumental in your ability to do the job. The twitch of dislike was there but Jay knew he had to just get over it. This was a one time thing and the odds were that they wouldn't even need to fire a single round. These were messed up foster parents, not seasoned criminals on the streets of Chicago. So without saying a word about this he climbed into the van, sliding the door behind himself because he was the last guy out. A pounding on the door followed next and soon they were weaving and jostling their way to the location. A few windows would've been welcoming, awesome even. But the whole thing was about disguise. With this many people they all couldn't take the subway. So the next best option was hiding in plain sight. It was a fun layer to things and in all honestly Jay adored it, ate it up whenever he could. Some twenty minutes later the van came to a stop. The driver turned around and gave them the nod. The nod that things were clear and normal, primed for their takedown. It was here that things went haywire. It was at this place in the Lower East Side of New York that Jay Halstead would quietly and unexpectedly check out.
…
The doors burst open wide to a scene out of a picturesque portrait of winter in the Northeast. Everything was pure white. The sidewalks, the trees hanging over the road, the gates, doorways, and cars parked in the street all blanketed in drifts of pure white. Apparently it snowed all night long, the dusting they all saw yesterday just the appetizer for what was yet to come. Several feet of the precious, white substance silently fell while all went about their business. This put a brake on things. The street was silent, very much vacant of, well, anything. Two people were busying themselves with freeing their cars, but the suspected busy street in this portion of the city was silent, a little too quiet for everyone's liking. Where they in for an ambush, silent and sparse living space? They'd find out in a handful of minutes.
They all convened about half a block away from the final destination, making a point of not being seen by anyone on that particular street. Small puffs of human air were expelled as they made their way to command center. When all were together it looked to be a smoking section at the airport, but the close quarters kept everyone warm for a brief moment in time. All of them standing in their natural coupling patiently waiting for the green light to march.
"Things look good. Feds will take the lead, SUV team two with Intelligence doing perimeter. No shot unless life threatening." All looked to one another, giving those last looks of encouragement. And then, onward they went. With Intelligence taking perimeter they assumed the role of bodyguard till they reached the location. Fanning out in their normal formation, the group of about twenty people arrived with zero hesitation or limitation. From this point hand motions were utilized. Erin and her NSA counterpart motioned for Intelligence to split up, half taking one side of the building. Jay, Hailey, and Adam took a side, making their way as the others were heading towards the front door. Jay was some twenty feet down the side of the house when he heard the front door smash open, smirking at the adrenaline flowing through his veins. This was the best part of the job: springing a surprise on the criminals. He took a step, hearing floors being cleared over the radio. Another step, a second room empty. He took a step and another and was at the corner of the building when things exploded.
People often describe this as the worst headache of their life. In fact, that is a diagnostic sign of things. Because there really isn't another way to describe it. It's the best and most accurate way to paint the picture of things. One second Jay was acting and feeling totally fine, only the next second to be doubled over and grabbing his head. It felt like someone pulled the pin on a grenade and tossed it at his head. Add to that a bat or crowbar bouncing off the back of things. White hot, debilitating, nauseating pain was shooting out into his body, the head being the source of it all. He couldn't think, could barely speak, the only thing that made sense was to crouch down and grunt in dislike for the great mystery that was happening.
"Hail.." was all he could get out before going completely limp. The soothing tickle of darkness was scratching on his ear and in that second he wanted it, begged for it to take him faster. He had no clue what was happening inside and around him and for a brief moment he didn't care. Unconsciousness was rather inviting and he only hoped he'd return to a better version of things.
"Jay's down. I repeat, Jay's down!" Hailey tossed the radio to the side as she rolled Jay onto his back. She witnessed the instantaneous transition, held back and watched in fear as he walked and then collapsed. It was easily the scariest thing she'd ever seen. Nothing came from a window, door, zero threats to their security. One second Jay was totally fine and then he wasn't. Hailey tearfully realized that whatever happened was internal and terrible. He needed a hospital like right this second.
"This is a bad spot," she spoke to Adam as she felt for a pulse.
"Yeah, I know," he replied, acting as the shield and defender for the people on the ground. Hailey dug two fingers into Jay's neck, breathing a small sigh of relief as she felt a strong reaction. Whatever happened wasn't cardiac related, which actually didn't ease things. Breathing was felt against her hand, again confirming that things were strong, good. Ruling out cardiac and pulmonary issues, that left one thing; a very big and scary thing.
"Adam, it's got to be neurological. I don't know. Why hasn't he woken up?"
"Guys, we need an ambo here now! Jay's unconscious." Not knowing what else to do Hailey grasped a hand and prayed. She no longer cared about the case or the house or how vulnerable they all were right now. It was a terrible thing to say considering the situation, but it was the truth. Her partner, the one she loved and deeply cared for was in massive trouble and it didn't appear that help would reach him in time.
"Please wake up," she whispered, listening to the mad scramble of people cease operations for the sake of the fallen one.
Fifteen minutes later
Blinking was such a task. He didn't want to but knew he had to. Hearing was the first thing that came back, listening to the hundreds of voices asking pointless questions. No one knew what was going on but somehow thought asking would award them an educated answer. Something was touching his hand and arm and leg, all acting as beyond heavy weights that seriously hurt. The speaking had to stop, the noise making his ears hurt. So without any other option he had to wake up, which only revealed tons of faces and extra bright light in his pained eyes. Oh the headache was still there but now it was at sledgehammer level. Every heartbeat was another tap from the hammer, its' force always the same. Things were a hair better then before but Jay knew this wasn't the end of things. Certainly in the next hour or so he'd be at his favorite place in the world, whether he liked it or not.
"What happened," he thought he spoke, but in reality it was all slurred. Those closest to him raised their eyebrows, looking to the other for reassurance that Jay wasn't in the process of dying. Their looks were worrisome, not helping Jay in the least. This was when the second big symptom came up: vomiting. Before napping Jay felt the hint of wanting to throw up, but now back on earth that consumed him. His attempt to sit up got commands to lie down, but Jay shook his head as he fought back, the bile and stomach lining grazing his right leg as he pushed for a place to let things out. Hailey rubbed his back as he expelled things, waiting till he was done to make eye contact with him. It was easy to see that something was very much off. There was this thing, this look and ambience about him. He was altered, a different version of Jay.
"How far out is the ambo," she spoke to the viewing party?
"Ten minutes. The snow is really slowing things down." Erin, who was standing above everything looked around. They were several blocks away from any quality hospital. Jay didn't just need to be dropped off, he needed top notch care. He needed to be there now and they were here, basically a galaxy away from help. They needed to get their quickly, bypass lights and stop signs. That's when she saw their way out.
"Jay, can you make it to that car over there?" Jay looked through the sea of people to locate the vehicle being pointed towards, nodding at the NYPD patrol car at the end of walkway. It was a straight shot, a miraculous aligning of sorts.
"Yeah."
"Alright, get him up guys. Call off the ambo, I'll drive him." Jay was so bad off that he didn't protest when Hailey and Adam grabbed under an arm and helped him up. It was in a single step that he felt the gravity of things. He had zero coordination, no strength, he was slightly proud of himself for still being awake right about now. People were talking but he couldn't make out the words. The light was too much, forcing him to keep his eyes closed till Adam explained that they'd made it to the car and he needed to get in. Erin was barking orders into the radio, alerting all of Manhattan that she had a possible brain trauma racing through the city. Gone was the Erin Lindsay of the FBI, the Chicago PD Erin had returned to the world.
"Where are you taking him," Adam called as he held the door for Hailey?
"Columbia. It's aways but he needs it." Adam just nodded. They all realized what they were talking about, no one daring to speak such things.
"Call Will," Jay whispered. Adam slammed the door for Hailey, stepping back onto the sidewalk as Erin raced off into the heart of the city. He never felt more helpless and afraid for his friend and teammate in his life.
"How is it we make it to another city and you're still driving?" It was Jay's best attempt at making them all feel better.
"Shut up. Just focus on not passing out or throwing up again." Every swerve, stop, lane change was a deep impact on Jay. The headache was still present, but he swore it was getting better, far more manageable then before. Either he was adapting or things were improving, but really it was things getting worse. Now past the initial stage the pain, the second act was taking over: lethargy. His was disorientated, dizzy, finding any sort of movement something he had to talk himself into. For close to a mile of the trip he resorted to looking out the window. But by the time they reached the Times Square section of things his eyes were closed, reassuring them with slurred randomness that he was still awake, so to speak.
"How far out are we," Hailey asked about every other second. He was deteriorating way too fast for any of their liking.
"Almost there," she'd always reply. This went on for an assumed eternity, this weaving, honking, and questioning way of traveling. Jay remembers brief seconds of this stage of things, like blurry polaroids waved in his face. He needed help, suddenly didn't care that they'd have to utilize his favorite shiny, sharp object. This was a life and death situation and he didn't care what it would take to make it to the stroke of midnight.
…
"Do you need a wheelchair or are you going to be able to make it." Jay opened his eyes to a parking lot, which really puzzled him. They were in a city, a crammed city to be exact. Thoughts of how the hospital found enough square footage for a flat parking lot danced in his soup mind. He also thought the building looked like a mall instead of a hospital. There wasn't a cross on the top and things weren't white and there wasn't a single siren going off. This all was super weird knowing where he allegedly was.
"Jay," Hailey called, her voice surprisingly calm. She knew being out of control wasn't going to help things. With Jay incapacitated he needed clear, precise speaking to get him to things. Her single word and poignant tone got through to him, his head slowly turning as he blinked.
"I can try," he painfully replied. Erin grabbed an arm as Hailey helped him roll out and place his feet on the ground. Hailey took the left while Erin took the right, the three person unit slowly yet successfully making their way to the ED doors.
"Did anyone call Will," Jay asked as the women sat him down in a chair. He was seriously losing steam and willpower at this point. He felt to be in shock, on the verge of just checking out for good.
"I'll ask after we get you back there. Hailey, stay with him." Erin pulled a Mrs. MacAllister, elbowing her way to the front of the nurse's desk and rapping on the glass window. It's not that she didn't want others to be helped, but a quick glance around the waiting room told her Jay had to go first. The room was a mass of colds, flus, and snow shoveling accidents. They could wait the couple of minutes it would take to get Jay in the back.
"Hey! I have a possible brain trauma. He needs to get back there like right now." The nurse at the desk rolled her eyes, thrusting a clipboard in her direction and pointing at the first available slot.
"We have a waiting list. Just fill out the paperwork and wait." Erin's response was toss the clipboard back at the woman and smile. There wasn't a world where she wasn't winning the spat.
"Two words: brain trauma. Here are two other words: police detective. If you don't get him back there in the next ten seconds I will make life a living hell." She glared, not blinking or budging an inch as she the nurse looked past her and towards Jay. He was slumped down in the chair, hands nestled against his head as Hailey placed and hand on his back. A sight of misery, a bigger scene of danger.
From here things started moving, picking up speed as people began to figure what was going on internally. A wheelchair was rolled into the ED and Jay didn't protest, in fact, was up on his own and in the seat before either woman could coax him over. It was a short trek to the trauma bay, essentially a curtained off spot in the place. Jay was moved from wheelchair to gurney, the first of many hospital tags snapped on as they took a history and basic information. The suddenness of his onset of symptoms were alarming, but initially things were written up to a concussion.
"What's the pain level at right now," the ED doctor asked?
"Eight," Jay spoke without hesitation.
"Alright, we'll get you a shot of pain meds and then get our neuro guy down here. Hopefully you'll start feeling better soon." Ah, there was the magic word: shot. The small amount of color left in Jay drained out of his face as the curtained was pulled around the bed. Erin smirked as Hailey reminded Jay that it was going to help. Jay begged himself to pass out again, wanting to be out of it when the day's smallest dip into skin happened.
"I'm sure this is just because I haven't eaten anything," Jay blurted out as the nurse plunged the vial of drugs into his arm.
"When did you have the worst headache ever from missing a single meal?"
"Yeah, and who vomits from not eating?" Jay didn't a chance to respond because it was at this point that the lifesaver entered the picture. Now to the outside world he looked like a dweeb, stand-off guy that intentionally wore non-matching things. But in all honesty he was a brilliant mind with a terrible sense of, well, everything else.
Doctors, particularly surgeons, have this reputation of being either weird, cocky, socially awkward, or all of the above. This story's doctor is named Fred. Right off the bat he's different from the norm. He was no more then forty, barely above five feet seven, and was wearing cowboy boots with scrubs. Speaking of those scrubs, they were the bright shades of purple and yellow in the world and were polka dots and stripes. He had Avengers and Batman pens tucked in his doctor coat, claiming that he didn't want to offend either side of the comic war. He looked like a third year med student, but it turns out the guy was a world renowned neurosurgeon whose specialty was clipping.
"Jay Halstead?!" The drugs were already kicking in. Oh the pain was still there but life was mellow just a tad. Better explained, tell Jay he had to receive a dozen injections and he'd have held his arm out.
"Yeah," he replied while squinting against the harshness of the guy in front of him.
"Oh good, this is the third curtain I knocked on and it was starting to get embarrassing." Erin and Hailey looked to one another, Erin feeling incredibly guilty for dropping Jay off at the looniest hospital in the city. So much for it's prolific reputation.
"So what happened," he spoke while waving a penlight in the eyes, Jay immediately squinting and grunting from the pain.
"I was fine and then wasn't. This headache came out of nowhere. It's the worst one I've ever had."
"Ah, there are the magic words. Any dizziness, nausea, passing out?"
"Yes, for serval minutes," Hailey butted in.
"And vomiting when he regained consciousness," Erin added. Dr. Fred nodded his acceptance of their input. The penlight was put away and an iPad housing Jay's chart was frantically typed on. After a few nods, huffs, and one sided conversation, a plan was in place.
"Alright, so here's what we're going to do. We need an MRI with contrast to confirm but I'm firmly confident you have a brain aneurysm and based on the symptoms its' ruptured."
"What." It was a deadpan answer. Jay wasn't buying the joke from the hospital clown. He was awake, alert, alive. Something else had to be going on.
"But he's still awake," Erin spoke, seeming to be reading Jay's mind.
"That's a bit of a misnomer. There are many cases where people who have a brain aneurysm never regain consciousness, but it's quite common to experience one and still be alert like he is."
"What's the treatment."
"Surgery. We go in, clip the aneurysm and finish draining the rupture and clean up the area."
"How likely it is this?"
"99 percent sure. The scan is just to locate the area honestly. It's a good thing you got here as quickly as you did." A nurse poked her head into the area, Dr. Fred giving her the green light to get Jay prepped for what was about to come next. Erin and Hailey were kindly asked to leave the area as a hospital gown was handed to Jay. One by one an article of clothing would be thrusted into the open area, Erin and Hailey leap frogging the collecting task, stuffing everything into a clear bag. They watched as the parts for an IV were brought into the space, small chuckles and sighs slipping out as they listened to Jay nervously talk through the insertion. A couple more sounds and movements later the curtain was opened enough for them to return, revealing a very different form of Jay Halstead. His socked feet were sticking out through the blanket tossed on him. Erin and Hailey could count on one hand the number of times they's seen him in a hospital gown, an IV in his arm, and him halfway between lying flat and sitting up. He was mesmerized with the thing in his left wrist, a finger hovering over things like he was afraid to touch himself. He was scared, unprepared, most definitely not well. That was when it really started hitting. Jay was on the verge of a massive thing and there wasn't a ton of time to process.
"Yeah, it's in there. You won't feel it after awhile. Plus you'll be asleep for a lot of the time." Jay deeply inhaled, pulling himself away from the arm and turning his head straight to the ceiling.
"We're in New York," he spoke after a moment.
"What?"
"We're in New York." Hailey took a seat on the end of the bed. She wasn't sure if this was another sign of the aneurysm—loss of mental awareness—but she hoped that wasn't the case. The thought of him entirely inept was going to be her breaking point.
"I don't get it."
"We're here, not at home. I don't know these people, this place, I'm sure recovery is going to take awhile and I'm stuck here. Will's going to freak out because he's not here. Oh man, the case… This is just a logistical nightmare."
"Jay, can you for once not worry about stuff. You are not alone. We're all here and will help you through whatever you have to go through. And I'm sure Will is going to be on the next flight out here. You're going to get through this."
"This really hurts," Jay replied. It was the one time he cried through the entire thing, and even then it was a small amount of tears. Erin took a sleeve of her jacket and brushed his face clean, hugging him as the nurse came in to announce that things were ready to go. Jay lead the way, being pushed by the ED nurse and someone from radiology, with Erin and Hailey in tow. The group of people made it to the elevators before the second surprise of the day arrived.
"Sorry, but this is it till things are done."
"I'm sorry?"
"Once we're done with the scan he's going to pre-op and visitors aren't allowed. It's all to keep him as stable as possible." A warning would've been splendid, some mention of their banter in the curtain being the final time for Lord knows how long. Erin stepped aside for Hailey to bid farewell. Had she known that was it she'd have let Hailey go first. She saw the signs, knew the reality of the situation. She wasn't the only person in his life anymore. It was a natural thing. One can only hold onto the past for so long. At some point you have to keep pace with the present. She watched the two of them hug, Hailey whispering something that made him smile. It was obvious they were close.
"We've gotta go," was told as the elevator opened in front of them.
"Is my phone in the bag," Jay asked as he was pushed into the car.
"Yeah," they replied together. He nodded, ever so gently resting against the pillow behind him.
"We'll see you on the other side." Jay did his best to reassure them, a single wave and smile as the doors slid shut. That was it, the crossroads for the day. It was the last time he'd see them that day.
"C'mon. Everyone else is here and they're going to want answers."
"Is it awful that we're not crying," Hailey asked? Erin offered her a hug and she accepted. She wanted to cry, scream, feel something at the moment. But it never came, just numbness.
"One step at a time. He's in the best hands and we got him here in time."
"Are you sure about that?"
"We don't have a choice but to hope." Their audience was waiting, their worried faces bouncing around the glass area of the ED doors. The waiting game had arrived. Ready or not, it was time to get comfy.
Meanwhile, Jay was fully under the wrath of it. He didn't feel when they arrived at the radiology floor nor he did he notice the transition from gurney to scanner. Things were closing in, vision truly going in and out and the sound sensitivity creeping ever higher to unbearable.
"Here's the contrast," the radiologist told him and he didn't even react, welcoming the bitter, metal feeling taste to his mouth. The pain was back up to a ten, its' high pitch whine making his eyes practically vibrate in their sockets. Something was shoved into his ears, the outside world exiting as the inward filled its' place. He felt the rattling of the machine, winced a couple of times when the sound crested that pain threshold. Every click was another phrase displaying in his mind. Brain surgery. Brain aneurysm. Brain dead. It was a fun hour in the confined MRI tube.
…
Sharon Goodwin could be called the grim reaper of bad news. When one truly boils things down from a doctor's perspective, she's the one responsible for delivering bad news. Whether it is was a bad review from a patient, an inquiry from a fellow doctor, or just plain bad news about the outside, it was Sharon who delivered the verbal blows. She was the principle of the place, the office you never wanted to visit because nothing good ever came from sitting in her chair. There's a reason she is situated so far away from the action. It was an out of sight, out of mind thing. No one works well when the sternly observing person in charge is breathing down your neck. They all knew she was there, somewhere in the building, but people were fine going days without a visit from her. Today, this unspoken fear of the woman was ever true.
Will was in the middle of an ice pick extraction. He drew the short straw for this one in a way. With the ED packed and boards stacked a couple feet high he just grabbed one without even reading it. There was a mental slap to the head as he pulled the curtain back, revealing the pick in the most senseless spot on the human body.
"I fell on it," says the patient as Will stands there dumbfounded. He wanted to laugh, wanted to pull a page out of Jay's book and get down to the root of things, but instead chose to inspect and order scans. He was on the receiving end of many sympathetic looks and butt related remarks, absorbing it all with the reddest face ever. Curses to him, lesson learned to read before storming in.
"And it's out," he spoke under his breath as the object was tossed into a clear bag. The patient's wife was in the middle of scolding him for his 'carelessness' when Maggie stuck her head in the room.
"Will, Goodwin needs you upstairs."
"I'll be done in a second."
"She says to get up there ASAP. Choi is taking over for you."
"Hey doc, I didn't complain." Will rolled his eyes. It was too early for him to already be in trouble. He'd only seen the one patient and he was unconscious the entire time. Gloves were yanked off and an extra dose of hand sanitizer doused on his hands before exiting.
"What's wrong," Will asked as Maggie walked him to the elevator.
"I don't know. It can't be that bad. Just smile and take it."
"Yeah, thanks," Will replied as the doors closed between them. It was a silent ride to the office, Will enjoying the peace and quiet of the moment. The administration floor illuminated on the screen and the quiet operator voice announced, 'floor seven, admin and billing department.' In prior visits to this area of the hospital Will must've been consumed with something to even notice that. No joke, this was the first time he ever heard that voice and that phrase together. He cocked his head in weirdness before making the slow stroll to the massive corner office. He noted the places under Sharon, the floor seeming to be arranged like the administrative tier of the hospital. Managers and chiefs were at the front of the floor, the deeper you got the more elaborate the titles and names became. He arrived at the heavy mahogany door, noted the placard of Sharon Goodwin, and knocked.
"Come in," calmly came from the other side. The lack of anger or negative tone was promising. Will swallowed as he grasped the handle and turned.
"Have a seat,Will," she spoke, pointing to the couch adjacent from the chair she resided in. This was a first: she was nervous. Hands were brushed over her skirt as Will walked over. As he sat she sat up more, leaning over as if she was about to deliver some super blowing news. That was when Will's mind drifted elsewhere. Someone had died, someone from his past had come back. Whatever it was, something bad happened.
"I'm going to make this quick because we don't have a ton of time before things get going."
"Okay?!" Will was completely clueless and very much terrified.
"Your brother suffered a brain aneurysm this morning while working a case in New York. He's at Columbia and being prepped for surgery."
"Wait, what?! He's not in New York."
"Just let me finish, alright?" Will nodded, inducing the initial stages of shock: shaking and disbelief.
"I just got off the phone with the surgeon and he says the aneurysm ruptured and he needs emergency clipping. The FBI is preparing a private flight for you to get out there as quick as possible and they're sending a car here. With the snow in New York flights are cancelled and they want to make sure you get there before Jay's done."
"Hold up, the FBI? New York? Sharon, there's got to be some mix up."
"When was the last time you talked to your brother?"
"A couple of days ago. We've both been busy and so.."
"-Voight was the first to call me about the situation. It's all true." A knock on Sharon's door interrupted Will's reply, Natalie sticking her head in the room.
"I have the bag…Will."
"Yeah." In that second Will was delighted to have such a detailed person as head of the hospital. She didn't just make sure Will was able to get to New York, she went the extra step and had a bag packed for him. Granted it also meant that someone had broken into his house and rummaged through his things, but it was the sweet thought that counted.
"The car is here," Sharon spoke as she scrolled through messages on her phone. She was the first to stand, opening the door for Will as Natalie took up the back. The three of them got on the elevator and rode down to the main entrance. Sure enough there was a black SUV with two guys standing outside the vehicle. This looked like a mod order, or some twisted hostage exchange in a movie. Sharon, Natalie, and Will stood just outside the sliding doors while the two men didn't budge on their end. They were in a bit of a standoff, one party waiting for the next to go. This went on for about a minute, the FBI guys opening the passenger door for Will as a sign of good faith, something to put trust in him.
"Update us," Natalie whispered while giving Will a hug.
"Yeah, of course."
"Tell Jay we all say hi and we're pulling for him." Again, more promises out of Will as he stepped back. He scooped up the overnight bag, noting how incredibly sturdy and jam packed it was, before turning to his warm ride. Will realized he'd done this march before, this being whisked away to parts unknown. The stranger thing was that it basically involved all the same people. He was in a de ja vu moment and it was just as uncertain and scary as the first time. He turned to face the sendoff party, making it a point of mentally saying farewell to Natalie. The funny thing was that she realized the same thing, nodding and mouthing for him to get in and go. Will didn't even get a chance to buckle his seatbelt before the vehicle launched into road.
It hadn't hit him yet what was going on. One second he was pulling something out of someone's butt, the next second his ass was being escorted to a mysterious location. Oh, and let's no forget the whole part of his brother about to undergo emergency brain surgery. Surprisingly he wasn't nervous or freaking out. He was calm, level headed as they flew through the city via Lake Shore Drive.
"Which airport," he asked his captors.
"Midway. Plane's just about ready to go. We've got a window of travel before the storm picks up again." Will just glared out the window, watching his fellow travelers drive glumly down the road and wishing he could be like them. Just once, he wanted life to be completely and utterly boring.
…
Did you know that Midway had a private section to the airport? Nestled away from the commercial area is a small hanger, home to the private planes of the Chicago elite? Will wasn't aware either until today. It all felt very much like a Tom Clancy novel. The black SUV raced onto the tarmac at speeds Will didn't want to find out. The car came to a halt at the nose of a rather impressive black private jet, large enough to house a whole apartment building. It was weird that something grand was being used for a single person. The FBI agent that was in the passenger seat was out and opening the door in record time, Will feeling very out of place in a ski jacket and scrubs. It dawned on him as he did the march to the steps that he didn't even change out, the thought hadn't even crossed him. Flight attendants were standing in a single line, welcoming him by name as he took the steps two at a time. This was both weird and something he could get used to. He was halfway up the steps when his phone buzzed in his hand. He felt its' vibration twice against his hand, assuming it was the first of a million texts he'd get over the coming days and weeks. But it was the ID on it that had him stopped just inside the doorway of the plane.
"Jay?!"
"Hey." That was when Will started breaking down. In that single word he got it all. He heard the pain, noted the altered state of his brother. Will deeply inhaled, both relived and scared that he was getting a phone call from the man of the hour.
"How are you feeling," he spoke through choked tears.
"Dude, don't cry or I'm going to start crying."
"Ugh, sorry," Will laughed, holding the phone away as he recollected himself. It took a couple moments and a seat on the extra plush captains chairs, but before long he was back on.
"What's going on? Are they trying to control the blood pressure?"
"Yeah, I guess."
"Did they do the IV already?"
"Uh huh."
"Well get ready, that won't be the last one."
"I don't even want to think about it." Will laughed, even in the face of death his brother was ridiculous over the smallest thing.
"Well you'll be out when they're put in so you'll be fine." There was talking on the other end, Will fairly confident Jay was on the phone against instructions not to. But he wasn't surprised, his brother was never one to abide by the rules.
"I'm sorry, Will."
"Hey, don't be sorry for anything. Stuff happens. It doesn't matter where you are, I'd drop anything for you."
"Okay."
"I love you, Jay. I'll see you when you wake up."
"Okay." Will could clearly hear people telling Jay to hang up. The heart monitor was a little elevated for Will's liking, but it certainly wasn't in a dangerous range. More then anything it was Jay being nervous, his body telling the world what his mouth wouldn't. There was commotion, things moving around the phone and Jay answering questions with single words.
"I'm going to hang up," Will called before hitting the red button. The flight attendant instructed him to buckle up as the plane rocked into motion. He felt the bumps of the concrete runway bounce things up and down. He wasn't the best of fliers, so the window was his escape route. Mentally he bid farewell to the city as things reached light speed, Will reminding himself to breathe as the wheels ceased their grip on the world. He was off the ground, en route to a place of his past. He prayed the return flight home would be a party of two.
Returning to Columbia, indeed Jay was told to hang up because Dr. Fred was venturing into the room, wearing the same scrubs but had switched out the cowboy boots for crocs. Yet another terrific fashion faux paw on his part.
"Alright! Let's get that aneurysm busted." Jay was so not in the mood for humor. He totally understood the guy was trying to make things better, but nothing was helping.
"Did you give him the relaxant?" The nurse shook her head.
"Alright, so that's just the stage we're at. Any questions?"
"How long is this going to take?"
"At least three hours. It depends on a lot of factors like bleeding and accessing the aneurysm, but three hours is the minimum." This is the part where things really go in and out. The relaxant must've been given while he was speaking because during Dr. Fred's response was when Jay was really floating. Life, the world was blotches of things. He felt the right side of his head being marked for incisions, recalls being pushed up against the OR table and placed on top. Vision was blurry but the final thought of the day was a recap. As things were inserted and connected for the operation it dawned on Jay that he woke up this morning, went to work, and was now in the process of undergoing brain surgery, in that order. Brain surgery, like where they remove a portion of hair before cutting and drilling into your skin and skull only to fiddle around the brain's vascular structure to clip something that was slowly killing you. Try taking all of that with grace and calmness. If he could, he'd have leapt off that table and run, but there was too much on and around him for that to be feasible. That and he signed his rights away for a bit so that really but a brake on things.
"Countdown from ten," someone whispered in his ear. Jay was so out of it all he doesn't know if he said anything. He heard the command but has no clue if his mouth ever actually moved. He kept blinking over the large clear mask, accepting the heaviness of the gas as it wafted into his body. He blinked twice before he was gone.
…
Two hours later
The wind was pounding their backs, the tail end of Winter Storm Helena leaving the residents of New York City with wind burned extremities and necks. Jamaica Bay wasn't helping things, the calm and vastly open bay was acting as a wind tunnel, allowing very little drag between the sky and ground. Landing a plane in these twenty-five to thirty mile per hour bursts of wind was troublesome for any pilot. The sky had ceased its' snowing operations, leaving a few scraggly clouds behind. The whole sky over cast, casting a dark grey hue on the world. This area of the airport was quiet. Mostly because it was JFK which has far less traffic, but also because of the truth that was taking place in a room somewhere far away from this current location. It felt wrong to be speaking, inappropriate to shoot the breeze and talk politics and whatnot. A life was being spared, undergoing something radical. Out of respect they were silent, just absorbing the stiffness of the day, fortunate to be where they currently where.
"I'm sorry, Hank" Olivia finally broke when he glanced down at his phone. She was grateful the device went off, the silence having gone on far too long for her liking.
"Thanks," he replied, dumping the phone deep into his pockets once again.
"That was Erin asking if Will had landed." His female companion smirked, turning her head back towards the runway. She peered her eyes at the runway for the pin drop of light to finally breakthrough. It was very true that things became a logistical nightmare. With a man down everything had to be shuffled around. The entire Intelligence unit was camped out at the hospital until further notice. No one blamed them for their sudden departure from the original plans. In fact, their dedication to one of their own was inspiring. But that left a rather massive void. Units out of the district were called in, sped up with what was going down before they took off into the streets. Erin reluctantly went back into the field. It pained her to leave Jay behind but the reality was that she was no longer a member of the team. She was a high ranking member of this case, a federal agent who answered to people above SVU and Intelligence's pay grade. She was an agent first, friend second whether she enjoyed it or not. A compromise was struck: Olivia would escort Hank to the airport and help retrieve Will before Olivia caught up with everyone. Once that happened Erin was free to hang out at Columbia for however long was needed.
"Good news, the Raines have been located and are on their way back to the district. This plane better hurry up and get here. I've got some suspects to interrogate."
"Yeah, have we heard why they're twenty minutes late?"
"I'm sure they've had to circle a couple times. It doesn't take much to back things up. Plus, the wind. They've gotta wait for the right lull to drop down. Aren't you from Chicago?" She nudged Hank's shoulder, which got her a rolled eyed response and him moving off the door of the black SUV.
"Could it be," he asked while pointing at the quickly descending, expanding blob of light from the north. Sure enough a massive dark colored plane touched down, make the sharp turn towards their hanger and squeaking to a halt. The seasoned officers stepped closer as the door opened and starts cascaded to the ground. By the time they reached the bottom a disheveled, red eyed Will Halstead stood at the top of the steps. He was still in scrubs and look to have rolled his head on the floor of the plane the entire flight. As bad as his brother was today, Will was giving him a run for his money.
"Sergeant Benson, nice to see you again," he greeted once he was on level ground. She replied with a, 'good to see you,' as she embraced him with a warm, comforting hug.
"We're all pulling for him," she spoke as Will pulled away.
"Thank you. Hank?"
"Will, welcome back to New York."
"Ah yes, you lived here for a while."
"Yeah, through med school and worked in the city for awhile."
"Well, I'm sorry the reunion isn't under better circumstances."
"Yeah. Are there any updates?"
"No. Clock was started at 12:16 and as far as we know he's still under." Will glanced at his phone, sighing as it displayed 2:34. They were just passed the two hour mark, so many dreaded hours to go.
"Shall we head to the second unmarked car of the day?" Will was truly trying to make things light, push himself out of the dark depressing hole he was falling into. Hank nodded and ushered for Olivia to head back into the hanger. Very much like in Chicago, two men were standing outside the black SUV, one ready to jump in and drive off while the other already at the back door and waiting to open it. Olivia took a window seat with Will in the back and Hank on the seat closest to the open door. This driver made sure to ask if everyone was buckled, but in no time they were off.
This truly was the first time Will was in New York since returning to Chicago. That dash out to Chicago so long ago was a spur of the moment, rash decision on his part. No joke, he packed his bags, took the next flight out to Chicago, and never looked back. Once at Jay's place, that was when he sold the apartment, car, whatever valuable he had ownership in. He wasn't sure why he avoided this place, perhaps the failed relationship and business endeavors, it wasn't in him to dwell on the past. But this wasn't how he ever wanted to return, stack another bad memory on top of the ones already in his life file. He was silent as they made their way through the busy highways connecting the boroughs. It was all about absorbing, accepting that this was the reunion card he was dealt. Plus, he was headed back to his alma mater and there had to be some level of excitement in that, in a weird way.
"How was the flight," Olivia asked?
"Good, bumpy, kind of wondering how the FBI got involved in all of this."
"The case we're working on. We have an agent of theirs working with us and they pulled some strings."
"Nice. So did you guys see him before he got to the hospital?"
"I was inside with my team, Hank was on the other side of the building, but we saw him after it happened."
"Hailey and Adam said it happened at the snap of a finger. One second he was walking around the corner and the next he was on the ground in pain."
"Okay. Hey! Don't turn right there or you'll be sitting for at least an hour on the bridge." It was second nature, barking out orders from the backseat of the car. Live in New York for any amount of time and you pick up this habit pretty quick. Will was just surprised by how fast it all went back to that. Olivia and Hank smirked, turning around to face him with looks of surprise.
"Sorry, habit. I did this trip like a hundred times while in school. Could probably do it in my sleep."
"So you went to Columbia?" Will nodded.
"Ah, I didn't know that. So this will be interesting." The remainder of the trip was quiet. Will kept switching from one window to the next, readjusting to the high stakes gambling that is driving through New York City. He'd forgotten that you have to speed or you die. The crazy driver that swerved through three or four lanes at a time was eye opening. It was amazing how quickly he forgot this way of life. Before long they cut into the city, way off Will's mental map. He wanted to protest but thought otherwise. No need to tick off the FBI agent guiding him to Jay.
Twenty-five minutes after exiting the highway the car came to a stop, a familiar face was standing at the curb waving them down. Olivia got out, the two women exchange comments, and before Will was ready Erin was occupying the now empty seat.
"Erin?!"
"Hey Will!" She reached behind her, hugging as best as she could in a moving vehicle.
"Wait, FBI connection."
"Yeah."
"Well, thanks for the flight and car and other car."
"Absolutely. I knew commercial flights were going to be crazy and you needed to get here. It pays to have favors floating out in there in the world." Will didn't want to ask, was simply grateful to be where he was at this point. The vehicle tore through the city, lights and sirens the whole way. What usually should've taken forty-five minutes took thirty-five, the ride coming to a screeching halt at the main entrance.
It truly was a throwback to the past. Will had spent many an hour lying on the floor of the doctor's lounge, reading textbooks under a flashlight. Close to a million hot dogs were downed at the cart at the east corner of the property. Sure enough, Will looked over to that spot and found the same hot dog cart and operator that was there practically a lifetime ago. He was going home, to the place where it all began for him. It was both a joyous and nervous moment in the journey.
"C'mon, they moved everyone to the OR waiting room."
"Neuro OR suite?"
"That's a thing?"
"Let's go, I'll show you guys." It was like slipping on a familiar pair of shoes. Without breaking stride Will knew exactly where to go and all the shortcuts to get there that much faster. The only holdup was checking-in and acquiring a visitor pass, but even then Will knew which stations were quicker then the rest. Sticking with his gut paid off. Opening the assumed location of the waiting party awarded him a sea of hugs, well wishes and apologies. It was like reuniting after a long trip away from home. Everyone made this unfamiliar place feel homey and comforting and Will was overwhelmed with the gesture of it all. He took his seat in the middle of the group. Glancing at his phone showed Jay had now past the three and a half hour mark. How far left to go was completely out of Will's hands.
…
The door opened well after the sun went down. Food trays and shifts changed happened right outside the waiting room door. Those inside could hear the commotion of people moving and smell the sickly good scent of hospital food. But they didn't move, fearing that that would be when the news came down. Bathroom breaks were tagged teamed, two people going at a time while being timed to be back in X number of minutes. It was a tense time, a humors and dreadful waiting game. But at 7:14pm the lifesaver broke through, startled by a person on the other side.
"I thought I recognized the name Halstead."
"No way," Will spilled, his mouth hanging open out of surprise and shock.
"You're still working here?"
"Here and there. The kids still need to be whipped into shape every now and then. It must've been fate that had me on call today." Will looked around to very lost faces, none of them getting this small reunion of doctors.
"Sorry guys. This is Dr. Fred Flamelin. He was my teacher during my neuro rotation here. At the time he was hated by everyone but honestly he's the best in the business." Some 'ahs' and 'ohs' trickled across the way, but Will didn't linger long on it. Jay, today was all about Jay. In time he'd get to reconnect with the rest of his school.
"So, that was a fun case. Your brother did indeed have a ruptured aneurysm and it was still bleeding when I got in there. I was able to get it clipped and control the bleeding and that all looks great. However, as you are aware I like to look everything over and when I did I found a second aneurysm. This one hadn't ruptured yet but it was enlarged and could've burst at some point. I figured Jay would rather have one long surgery then having to do this all over again. So…" That one got a few chuckles and head nods. They were laughing at a post-op brain surgery report. This guy was incredible.
"Outlook," Hailey inquired?
"Well, he's going to be out of it the next couple of days. Certainly tomorrow he won't remember much because he'll be asleep. Probably after day three he'll start coming around, able to talk and remain alert for a little while. We're going to keep him in the NSICU for about a week and then start discussing if he stays in the hospital or goes home. Have you guys figured out living accommodations?"
"We're still working on it," Erin replied.
"That's fine. We have some time. So other then looking out for vasospasms and doing neuro checks four times a day I'd say he's going to be okay. He got incredibly lucky considering his case." They all agreed on that one, head nods and grunted agreements filled the room as Dr. Fred rose from his seat.
"Will, do you want to go see him? They've probably got him set up already." Like you had to ask twice. Will was at the door before he knew it, just about jumping in place to finish this trip. And then he realized he wasn't the only one in the room.
"What about…"
"So hospital policy, no visitors until twenty-four hours post-op. He's not entirely stable and we don't want to overload him with noises." They all were disappointed for obvious reasons. Will hated that he didn't have any serious pull at this place.
"I'll FaceTime you guys as soon as I get in there."
"That's fine. We've got stuff we've got to do anyway." Another round of hugs and several well wishes later the two doctors were sauntering down the hall and towards the elevator. Will chuckled at how unchanged the doctor was from the last time he was in the presence of this man. Before the Avengers and Batman memorabilia was boy bands and Lord of Rings versus Harry Potter. The coloring of the scrubs might've been a different shade but the horrific patterns hadn't been messed with. He was a clown, a nut job but his work allowed things to slack. No one wanted to mess with what worked for the artist. The elevator chimed the arrival of the floor and Fred tip toed down the hall. This area of the hospital was stupid quiet, Will's subtle sneaker squeak making those not in the rooms to jerk their head in the direction of the sound. Will understood why everything was how it was, but living it and knowing his brother was being effected made things a tad spooky.
"Before we go in," Fred whispered.
"He's not intubated. When he took him off the anesthesia he fought the tube pretty quickly. Fluttered his eyes for a second before falling asleep."
"That's good," Will whispered back.
"He does have a drain so we need to watch that he doesn't pull it out in his sleep. And finally…" Fred pointed to a sign on the door that read, 'needle phobia.' Will wanted to laugh, cupping his hand over his mouth to stop himself.
"One of his female coworkers said something. So don't mentioned the 'needle' word around him."
"Yeah, I know he's my brother. I had to live with that."
"Ookie dokey!" A thumbs up came first followed by the door sliding open. Will noted the feet touching the foot of the bed before he took that first step in. He was in the situation now.
People were still getting Jay situated, but it was him under everything. The spoken of drain was the first thing that Will noticed, the red hue of the small tube solidifying that his brother indeed suffered two burst aneurysms today. Most of the head was under dressings and tape but his face as so peaceful, completely relaxed. But the combination of everything else—the IVs, monitoring devices, central line—proved the tall tale that Jay underwent brain surgery today and so far was living to tell the tale.
"Hey Jay," Will whispered while taking a seat next to the bed. He took a hand into his and gently squeezed, remembering the brain surgery side effect of low body heat. He requested another blanket and it was delivered in seconds. Fred announced he'd be back in the an hour to check-in and a nurse placed bedding on the couch for Will. At last, after hundreds of miles and hours of waiting, the craziest day was finally, mercifully, coming to a close.
"You're doing great, Jay. I'm proud of you," Will spoke. Another once over, a gentle nail scratch on an arm, and it was time to bring the rest of class into the reunion.
"Remember, don't talk too loud," Will spoke as he guided the phone away from him and towards the bed. Jay would one day hate knowing this all happened, but it didn't matter. There were a lot of sighs for relief, people pointing out things on him before remarking at how out of it he was. Will was running them through stats and what everything attached was when Hailey kindly interrupted.
"Um Will, he's awake." Will turned around to a day dreaming, barely above sleeping Jay. He wasn't making contact with anyone and wasn't moving. More then likely a bodily reaction to the sound change of the room.
"Hey, everything's fine just go back to sleep." It was like speaking to a computer. Jay gave his little world a half smirk before dozing off. Everyone beaming at the sight of a drugged miracle.
"He's going to be fine," Hailey said.
"It's going to take awhile but yeah, he'll be fine. Alright guys, I've gotta change and then keep an eye on him."
"Sounds good! Tell him we're thinking of him and we'll see you tomorrow."
"I will. See you guys then."
So I wasn't kidding when I said I was going to drag this process out. So who was surprised?! Did anyone see it coming?! Next chapter is going to be fun. Can't wait to share it with you. Thanks for reading!