I love brotherly love - so more Will it is!

Watching his brother tend to an open wound on his partner's stomach wasn't something Jay ever wanted to see. Will had informed him that the sedative would be effective for just about a half hour, and he was making quick work of fixing Erin's stitches. He confirmed that she likely ripped one from vomiting so much, and the other few came from the panic attack.

Either way, Jay was spent. He sat beside his partner as she lay motionless on the bed while his brother stitched her up by hand. "So she had a really bad panic attack?" Will asked, methodically pulling the thread through Erin's bruised skin. Jay hadn't been able to take his eyes off his girl's incision despite how gruesome it appeared.

"Yeah," Jay swallowed, "I went to a meeting, that's why Voight's here. And uh, right after I came back, we were just in the kitchen and I heard this scream." He looked up and met his brother's concerned gaze. "I think she was having a nightmare or a flashback or something. I kept trying to pull her out but she thought I was someone else and I was shouting her name just trying to get her to wake up you know, and finally after she kinda came out of it, it was just like you saw a few minutes ago." He ran a hand over his cheek as he recalled the hour before his brother arrived. "She was gasping for air and man, I thought she was going to pass out because her lips were turning blue. Voight was there to grab her inhaler thank God."

He shuddered at the thought of what could have been. "She calmed down for a few minutes but then she saw the blood and lost it. And she's been so desperate to be close to me since she woke up which of course I'm so grateful for but it's killing me because I just feel so guilty that I wasn't right there when it first happened. And that she had to scream for me to hear her."

"You were taking care of yourself, man," Will ceased the stitches to focus on his brother who clearly needed him in the moment. "Erin needs you to do that. And yeah it sucks that she tore her stitches, but given the amount you said she was vomiting, she was going to pull them anyway. But now you're in a better place to deal with it and help her, rather than suffering yourself."

He turned back to the stitches as Jay processed his words. "This type of stuff is really hard. And you of all people know just how hard it is to get back to normal after trauma, but what I know Erin understands is that even though she's the one getting stitched up, you went through something too when she was missing. She's not going to blame you for taking care of yourself so you can take care of her. The fact that she trusts you enough to want you there through this whole thing is just proof of how important you are to her."

Will paused. "I-I never told you this, but after you had that whole ordeal with the drug dealer and literally being fucking tortured, you had really bad nightmares too."

Jay raised his eyebrows in surprise, haven't not expected his brother to mention that. He vaguely recalled the recovery period when Will was staying at his place, but he'd been so drugged up on pain killers that he didn't remember much. "You've seen a lot of shit, Jay, and I know I wasn't there for you when you came back from Afghanistan. But when you came home from the hospital and were all drugged up on pain meds, you just kept asking for Erin. And she was in a bad way too, but I'd put her on the phone and she'd talk you back to sleep."

"I-I didn't know that," Jay glanced down at his girlfriend's serene features, slack with relief from the sedative, "She never mentioned anything."

"She was taking care of herself by getting her head on straight," Will continued, "And even though you didn't say it out loud, you wanted her. But the thing is, what you needed more was for her to get better, so you guys could be partners again." He gave a knowing smile, "The two of you finding each other is exactly what both of you needed." Will returned to the stitches, "Don't look so shocked brother, I did go to medical school, I did a psych rotation and also whether you like it or not, I know you."

"Apparently," Jay mused, "Thank you. I-I really needed to hear that." He cleared his throat, "Since when did the little brother become the smart one?"

Will snorted, "I grew up. Like you told me to." He leaned back. "Alright, her stitches are almost done. I put in a few extra to hopefully keep everything intact, but she's gonna have to be careful."

"When is she going to wake up?" Jay asked, "Is she going to be in pain?"

"Soon and unfortunately probably, yeah." Will focused on the last few stitches, "The sedative was really just to get her to relax, kind of like a reset. It's not really supposed to help with pain."

"Shoot." He rubbed his forehead with one hand, "The painkillers are really making her sick. She's barely been able to keep anything down. And they're also contributing to the nightmares."

"I'm done here, so let me text her attending and see if we can get her on something else," Will shed his rubber gloves and pulled out his cell phone, "It's tricky since I know she's not thrilled about the narcotics, but there's gotta be something we can do."

"Thanks man," Jay nodded, "Really. I can't thank you enough for being here."

"Of course. Erin's great. I mean, way too good for you," he smirked and Jay rolled his eyes, "I think she's actually waking up now."

A low whimper escaped her lips as Erin came to. "Hi babe," Jay whispered, gently stroking her hair back, "It's just Will and I here. Will came over to redo your stitches."

Erin mumbled something incoherently and swiped her hand in the air. Jay cast a anxious look to his brother who immediately lifted Erin's still-raw wrist to check her pulse. "Hey Erin," Will said in what Jay quickly recognized to be his doctor voice, "Can you hear me? It's Will."

She let out a disgruntled moan. "Can you squeeze my fingers for me?" Will asked, placing his index and middle finger in Erin's palm and wrapping her hand around it.

"Is she okay?" Jay asked worriedly, glancing down at his partner's pinched features.

"Yep," Will confirmed, "Easy there tiger, you're going to break my fingers."

"You said squeeze," Erin slurred as Jay let out a sigh of relief, "So I squeezed."

Will chuckled. "I did, didn't I? Can you open your eyes for me?" He fished out a small flashlight from his breast pocket and quickly flashed it over her cracked eyelids.

"You tryin' to blind me?" she recoiled at the light. Jay let out another breath he didn't know he was holding. His girl was back.

"Good news is that your pupils are reactive. Bad news is that we had to redo your stitches, so you're going to have to take it easy for a few more days."

Erin grunted in response. "How are you feeling?" Jay gently ran his fingertips across his girlfriend's forehead in an attempt to relax her.

"Shitty," she replied honestly with a sigh. Erin paused and opened her eyes wider, "Wait, you had to redo my stitches?"

Will and Jay nodded in unison. "You ripped a few of them of them," Will said carefully, "That's why it looked like there was so much blood. Jay caught it quickly though, and you're going to be fine."

Erin gave an uncharacteristic whimper and tried to turn her head into the pillow. Jay furrowed his brow. "What's wrong Er? Are you in pain?"

"Yeah," she mumbled, "I-I-I'm really sorry. I can't believe I had such a big fucking panic attack that I ripped open my stomach."

"It's not your fault," he assured her, continuing to run his fingers through her hair, "Not at all. I'm just glad you're okay."

Tears welled in her eyes as she regarded her partner. Erin swallowed and reached a hand up to swipe a tear off her cheek. "I didn't wanna ask but I um, I think I need another dose of pain meds because," she let out a hiss, "My stomach really hurts."

"You're allowed to ask," Jay leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, "I know the meds upset your stomach but-"

"I don't care," she interrupted with a wince and let out a pained gasp, "I-I feel like I'm being stabbed."

Jay looked urgently to his brother again, thankful there was an actual doctor in the room. "I think there's a different type painkiller we can try that won't upset your stomach," Will started.

"Yes please," Erin interrupted again and let out a groan and a cough, "S-sorry."

"Only thing is, I can't get it until tomorrow." Will thought for a moment and furrowed his brow as Erin writhed in pain.

"So she'll take the old ones," Jay supplied, "Dude, she's in agony."

"She's right here," Erin gritted out with another cough, "And that's fine. I'll sleep in the bathroom."

"Sorry babe," Jay apologized quickly, "I didn't mean to talk about you like you're not here. I'm just worried about you, and I hate seeing you in pain."

"I'm worried that you'll rip your stitches if your stomach continues to be upset." Will paused. "I have a low dose of Stadol in my med kit," he said slowly, "It's injected, and it should help alleviate some of the pain until we can get you on a different medication first thing tomorrow. I know you expressed some concerns about the narcotics, but if we switch you to a non-opioid tomorrow, it might make your recovery easier. If anything, it'll reduce whatever you're feeling right now."

Erin nodded, grateful that Will was considering her desire to stay as far away from the opioids as possible. It helped that the low dose she was on was upsetting her stomach, but it didn't stop her from being worried that she'd slip down the slope again. "Thank you."

"It might make you a little loopy," Will warned with a wry smile, locating the dose from his medical kit, "But I'm sure Nurse Halstead will take good care of you."

"He has been," Erin confirmed, squeezing Jay's hand tightly. He squeezed back and gave a smile.

"Alright, it's going to be a slight pinch, but you should have some relief in a few minutes," Will confirmed. He inserted the medication and gave an apologetic look to his brother as Erin squeaked and squeezed Jay's hand tightly. "Told you she could break a finger."

After two minutes, Erin's rigid posture relaxed into the mattress. "Feelin' better?" Will asked knowingly, offering a wide grin, "These meds work quickly."

"I feel like a peach," she mumbled, her eyelids drooping slightly as the medication allowed her to relax.

"A peach?" Jay raised his eyebrows and exchanged glances with his brother, who provided a shrug and mouthed 'meds'.

"All fuzzy on the outside," Erin continued, "And like super fragile. 'Cause if I do anything, I'll split." She gestured to her bandaged stomach and then let out a giggle.

"Oh man." A smile spread across Jay's lips at his partner's levity, "How's the pain?"

"Kinda like someone is poking me with a butter knife," she said thoughtfully, "I don't feel like I'm being stabbed anymore." She gave a lopsided grin, "I feel better."

"Well that is a definite upgrade," Will stood from his perch on the edge of the mattress, "I am going to leave you guys to it, but I'll be back tomorrow morning with the new pain meds. Call me if you need anything, okay?"

"Thanks man," Jay gave a nod and a smile, "Really appreciate you coming here so quickly."

"You're leaving?" Erin's face fell as she regarded the red headed Halstead with glassy eyes, "But-but you just got here."

"I've been here an hour now, but you were sleeping for most of it," Will grinned, "I'll be back tomorrow."

"But I'm awake now," Erin argued, propping herself up on her elbows, "I wanna hang out with my favorite brothers."

"It's getting late, babe," Jay chuckled at his partner's childlike innocence under the medication, "Will's gotta get home."

"But there's no one waiting for him there," Erin furrowed her brow, "And we're here." Her lower lip trembled, "I-I don't want you to go."

Jay's eyes softened and he tucked a tendril of Erin's hair behind her ear. "Maybe Will could stay for the end of the game? I think the Blackhawks are still playing."

"Please Will?" Erin looked up at her partner's brother, "Jay can show you his new stool."

"I can stay for the game," Will confirmed, "Hank's still out there too."

"Hank!" Erin exclaimed, "He stayed for me?"

At the sound of his name, Hank had quickly jumped up from the couch and hurried to the bedroom. "Everything okay?" he asked, looking at the two Halstead brothers and an unexpectedly chipper Erin.

"Gave her a low dose of Stadol so she wouldn't tear her stitches vomiting," Will explained, "Initial side effect is loopyness, but she'll be sleeping peacefully soon."

"Ah," Hank nodded and couldn't help but smile at his girl's changed demeanor, "You doing okay kiddo?"

"Better now that all my guys are here," she smiled sweetly, "Will's gonna stay to watch the game." Erin paused, "You're not leavin' right?"

Hank shook his head, "I'm here for as long as you need me."

Erin let out a throaty cough, and all three men collectively winced. "You're actually due for the cough medicine," Jay said, "But it does need to be taken with food. How about something to eat? Hank made some really outstanding chicken."

She wrinkled her nose thoughtfully. "Do we have any goldfish?"

Jay thought for a moment, "Maybe? One of us could also run out and grab some if that's what you're hungry for."

"I-I don't want you to go," she said immediately, her lower lip wobbling again, "I like you here."

"I know, I'm not going anywhere," Jay assured her, casting a glance to his brother and sergeant, "How about we find something for you to eat in the kitchen?"

"I want to come," she sniffed, attempting to hoist herself off the bed. "I don't wanna be alone."

"Woah, woah, woah, tiger," Will said quickly, holding his hands out to keep Erin from tumbling off the side of the bed, "You just had your stitches redone. You gotta be careful, okay? Can Jay help you?"

Erin narrowed her glassy eyes and coughed, "I can do things myself, Will-yam."

Jay snorted at his girlfriend's reply. "We know you can, kiddo," Hank gave a gentle smile, "But we're all just looking out for you, and we want you to be safe and keep you feeling better."

She sighed heavily and nodded. "Okay. I like havin' all my boys here."

As luck would have it, Hank had included goldfish in the bag he brought to the apartment. Jay helped Erin to the couch and settled her against the pillows while Hank went about cleaning the kitchen and Will assembled her medication. "Do I need to take 'em?" Erin whined, glancing at the multitude of pills Will approached her with, along with the bowl of goldfish, "I really don't wanna."

"I know you don't, but we gotta get rid of that cough of yours," Will perched on the other side of the ailing detective.

She grunted and held out her palm petulantly, waiting for him to drop the pills into her hand. "How about some goldfish first?" Jay suggested gently and gestured to the bowl in his brother's hand, "Hank brought them for you."

Her eyes softened, "Hank knows I love goldfish. Camille used to buy 'em for me."

"That's right," Hank gave a smile from the kitchen, "We had to hide them from Justin too, because he'd eat all of them before you got home from school."

Erin smiled wistfully and accepted the bowl of crackers. Jay exhaled as she started eating and leaned back against the cushions. "Oh man, looks like the Blackhawks are up by one."

The relief in the room was palpable as Erin's pain faded into the back of her mind with the assistance of the drugs Will had administered. Things felt lighter than they had in days as Erin munched on her favorite snack, crooked smile on her face as a commercial featuring a skateboarding dog played. "How come we don't have a dog, Jay?"

"Because we work crazy hours. And we don't have a yard," Jay replied, wrapping his arm around her shoulders, "And dogs get up early. I have a suspicion you wouldn't appreciate being woken up before seven on your days off just to let the dog outside."

"You could get up," she suggested, "It would be so fun to have a great big dog." She paused, "Or a cat."

"Not a cat," Hank and Jay said in the same breath.

"Why?" Erin looked to her partner and then to her father figure, "They're cute."

"They shed," Jay replied, "And aren't you allergic to cats?"

"So?" She wrinkled her nose, "They're cute, with their tiny little noses."

"You'd be coughing and sneezing all the time," he said, "Plus, cats still get up early."

"Hmph." Erin leaned back against the cushions dejectedly, "Hank, can you get a dog?"

"Afraid not, kiddo," Hank wiped down the counter and pulled three beers from the fridge, "As cute as they are, I don't think now's the right time."

"When we move to a house, can we get a dog?" Erin looked up at Jay, "If we get a yard?"

"Oh, so we're moving now?" Jay asked playfully, "Since when?"

Erin shrugged and coughed again, "I dunno. I like to think about stuff like that. A house. A dog." Her eyes widened, "Maybe two dogs."

"We can think about that, but let's focus on getting you better, sound good?" Jay handed her a cup of water and gestured for Will to pass her the pills.

"I thought I liked this medicine," Erin murmured into Jay's chest as she snuggled against him on the couch with the Blackhawks going into overtime in the background, "But I don't."

"You're feeling sick?" Jay glanced to Will and Hank, both of who had honored their promise to stay, "Are you hurting?"

"I don't feel anything really," she said slowly, "I thought it was good to be numb to it. Kinda like how I used to." Erin swallowed, "But I don't like it. I don't want that. I-I don't want the pain but I don't like bein' numb."

"That's good," he said after a second, leaning down to kiss the crown of her head, "I'm glad you're not hurting, but I'm also glad that you don't like being numb."

"I'm so glad you and Hank pulled me out," Erin continued and stifled a cough, widening her eyes slightly to meet her father figure's gaze, "And you always keep me from goin' back."

"You did it yourself, kiddo," Hank said, "You're a hell of a fighter."

"Yeah," Erin mused thoughtfully, settling back into Jay's embrace, "I gotta good team though. And the best partner." She turned her head and gestured to Will, "And this guy stitched me up!"

"He did," Jay chuckled, "You must be getting tired though and it's getting late. You wanna get back into bed?"

Erin shook her head. "No, I wanna wash my hair," she informed him, "Smells like vomit and it's makin' me nauseous."

"You don't smell," Jay replied gently, "And we gotta keep your stitches dry."

"You must be nose blind," Erin retorted, earning a snort from Will, "I can sink shower. Please Jay?"

"Okay," he sighed. He really couldn't say no to her. "How about we let Will and Hank head home, and then we can wash your hair?"

"No!" Erin yelped and pulled back from Jay's chest, "I-I don't want them to go."

"It's getting late," Jay tried, but Erin shook her head adamantly.

"I feel safe with my boys here," she whispered, tears welling in her eyes, "I-I don't want anyone to go."

Jay exchanged glances again with Will and Hank, silently asking them if they'd stay a bit longer. "We're not going anywhere, kiddo," Hank promised, "We'll be right out here."

Erin exhaled in relief as Jay gave thank you smiles to both his sergeant and his brother. If Erin needed them to feel safe, he was going to do everything he could to make her feel okay. "You still want to wash your hair?"

"Please," Erin said, "But I need you to help me."

"Of course," Jay replied, "Will and Hank will be right out here, sound good? Can I give you a hand?"

"My legs are like jelly," she informed him, "Only way I'm getting back to the bedroom is if you carry me, Halstead."

Jay ignored the glimmer in Hank's eye, knowing that no matter how much he loved his partner, his sergeant would always be protective of his daughter. "I'll help you change the sheets," Will rose from his spot on the other end of the couch, "I think I left my phone in there anyway."

"You're still gonna be here, right Hank?" Erin looked expectantly at her father, "You're gonna stay?"

"Of course," Hank swallowed and gave a small smile, "I'll be right here."

Attempting to wash Erin's hair in sink proved to be an incredibly difficult challenge. Their sink just wasn't large enough, and it didn't help that it was lined with various products that kept getting knocked over. "You alright in there?" Will poked his head into the bathroom and covered his mouth with his hand to stifle the laughter.

Erin was seated on the toilet seat, leaning back into the sink. Jay had barely gotten her hair wet, but was somehow soaked. "What the hell did you do?" Will laughed, "You are not good at this."

"We need a better angle," Jay grumbled, "And less products around the sink."

"Dude, I can tell from here that most of those products are yours," Will chuckled. "I can help, if you want."

"Please," Erin turned to the doctor Halstead, "I really wanna wash my hair."

"Okay, okay." Will glanced around the bathroom and spotted the tub. "I have an idea. It's going to take a certain muscular policeman."

"Should we call Atwater?" Erin asked, attempting to keep a straight face.

"Um, ouch?" Jay put a hand over his heart, "That hurt, babe."

"You're a detective, Jay. Will said a policeman." Erin gave a crooked smile as Jay huffed. "Don't be mad at me." Her face fell when Jay didn't smile back immediately. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"Oh no, I'm not mad," Jay shook his head, immediately recognizing that in her drug-induced loopyness his girl could dish it out but definitely couldn't take it, "I'm kidding too, Er."

"Good," she exhaled, "Now listen to your brother, he's got an idea to get me clean."

Jay ended up balancing Erin on a bended knee and holding her back with the other hand so her head was draped over the side of the tub. Will methodically ran the warm water over her scalp and gently massaged the shampoo. "You should have been a hair stylist," Jay told him. Erin's eyes were closed as she relaxed into Will's gentle ministrations.

"Surgeon fingers. Priceless." Will wiggled his fingers before using the removable showerhead to rinse Erin's hair. She let out a soft moan of appreciation.

"You boys are so gentle," she mused, her voice barely audible over the sound of the running showerhead, "Such good boys."

"Sleepy now, babe?" Jay asked as Will carefully toweled off Erin's wet hair, "Your hair is all clean."

Erin nodded and leaned forward against Jay's chest, her wet hair soaking through his second shirt of the evening. "I wish I coulda met your mom," she whispered, "I wanna thank her. For giving me you. And for raising you guys." She sniffed and pulled back to look up at her partner. "I-I never had a real family til Hank and Camille. And now I got you guys too."

"She would have loved you," Jay mused, swallowing the lump in his throat. Will nodded in agreement. "She'd have never believed you'd go for me though."

"Also true," Will nodded, perching himself on the edge of the bathtub. "She's the best thing to ever happen to you, you know." He gestured toward Erin and gave Jay a knowing smile.

"Oh I know," Jay stood with Erin in his arms, "I think about it every minute of every day."

Thank you for the suggestions! I've already started incorporating them into the next few chapters. If you think of anything else, I'm having a great time writing them and would love more