DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM CLAIM OWNERSHIP OF ANY CHARACTERS, MUSIC, SONG LYRICS, or MUSICAL ARTISTS used in any of my writing. All rights belong to NBC, Dick Wolf Media, and any musical artist I might reference.
Author's note:
So here we are, waiting for the Chicago Med premier this fall. The finale left us with more questions than answers unfortunately. Let me preface this new story by what I hope is as exciting for you as it is for me. Some may remember that I changed my pen name a few months ago. I've decided to branch out onto social media in hopes of reaching new readers and that maybe one day, my writing will fall into the right hands. A girl can dream, right? Follow me on Twitter at TheCateDouglas1 for exclusive previews of upcoming chapters, random musings, quotes...anything is possible. Now that's out of the way, let me present you with a SEQUEL to the Manstead story Always. It picks up approximately 3 weeks from the ending of Always.
In slow motion, the blast is beautiful
(I could do most anything to you)
Doors slam shut, doors slam shut
(I could do most anything to you)
A clock is ticking, but it's hidden far away
(I could do most anything to you)
Safe and sound, safe and sound...
~Snow Patrol~ Somewhere A Clock is Ticking~
" Good morning beautiful."
" Good morning yourself," replied Natali, rolling over in bed to face Will.
" Do we have to go back to work today?" he lamented, propping himself up on his elbow so he could look directly at Natalie.
" You've been off work for almost five weeks. I don't know how you've managed not to die of boredom."
" I can think of a few ways," Will suggested, his eyes glowing seductively.
" I wish we had time for that, but if we don't get ready for work now, we'll be late. I'm sure people are already suspicious after I took this past weekend off."
" Who cares? They'll all find out sooner than later," Will pointed out, giving Natalie a quick kiss in attempts to lure her back into bed.
" If you don't stop wasting your time sweet talking me, I'm going to wind up having to shower all by myself," she teased. The allure of showering with Natalie led to Will nearly jumping out of bed, following close behind her to the en suite bathroom.
A familiar, welcome sense of adrenaline flowed through Will's veins as he and Natalie entered the ED at Gaffney nearly an hour later, hand in hand.
" Man I missed this," commented Will, taking in the scene around him. The ED was suprisingly quiet.
" Will!" The pair turned to find April heading towards them.
Great to have you back. We missed you," she declared, giving him a hug.
" Thanks," he responded as she fell in line beside the two doctors.
" So how was your weekend?" April asked Natalie.
" Too short," Will quipped.
" It was nice having time to relax with each other," Natalie interjected.
" I'm sure it was," April replied suggestively as the trio approached Maggie at the nurse's station.
" Big Red! How are you doing?"
" I'm glad to be back at work," Will simply stated.
" How was your and Ben's honeymoon?" asked Natalie.
" Heavenly. I would have stayed on the beach until it was summer time, but duty calls. Speaking of, how was your weekend? What sort of trouble did you two get into?" Maggie joked. Natalie laughed nervously, blushing as she looked over at Will.
" Go ahead," Will said, avoiding the nurses' glances. Maggie and April's jaws nearly hit the floor as Natalie extended her left hand, her ring finger adorned with the engagement ring that had belonged to Will's mother and a wedding band.
" William Halstead! What in the world did you do?" gasped Maggie.
" We eloped at City Hall then spent the weekend in an amazing cabin in the
woods."
" You could have told us," lamented the newly married nurse.
You know we would have come."
" We kept things small...and secret. Just Helen, Jay, and Owen," reasoned Natalie.
" I'm going to kill your brother. I've seen him twice since Thursday and he didn't say a thing!" Maggie exclaimed in disbelief.
" He was sworn to secrecy," Will divulged.
" You must have damn good blackmail on him," muttered Maggie.
" Can we at least throw you guys a huge reception?" begged April.
" Of course. Who would turn down a good excuse for a party?" replied Natalie as Crockett approached them.
" Did I hear someone mention a party?"
" We're planning a huge reception for Will and Natalie. Are you in Dr. Marcel?" asked April.
" Sure," Marcel answered hesitatingly.
What sort of reception are we talking though? Aren't receptions usually held after a wedding?"
" We may or may not have eloped this weekend," Will offered casually.
" Then congratulations are in order," he said, embracing each of them.
" Thanks," replied Natalie as Crockett's name was called over the loudspeaker, paging him to the ICU.
" I'll take care of the alcohol," announced Crockett, heading for the elevators.
" No bourbon!" Will shouted after him.
I don't think my liver will ever forget that night."
" So I'd say you two certainly worked things out," Crockett said as he approached Will at the coffee cart outside the hospital later on.
" You could say that."
" You two went from her not speaking to you and pondering a move to Washington to getting married in not quite three weeks. Guess that was some amazing make up sex you two had at the wedding," quipped Marcel, handing Will a cup of coffee.
" Wouldn't you like to know?" Will shot back, shooting his friend a wry smile after taking a drink of coffee.
" Seriously though. Congratulations man," said the surgeon as they re-entered the ED.
" Thanks," he replied as Sharon Goodwin approached the two.
" Good. I caught you both together. Dr. Halstead, HR is blocking your return until Dr. Marcel signs off on all of the necessary clearances," she said, handing Crockett a tablet.
" There you go ma'am," replied Crockett, quickly handing the tablet back to Sharon who raised her eyebrows at him.
" You've completed the mandatory physical examination?"
" Trust me. Dr. Halstead is as healthy as a horse and more than ready to be back at work."
" That's good to hear. I hear congratulations are in order as well Dr. Halstead. I understand you and Dr. Manning were married this weekend."
" We eloped at City Hall. April, Maggie, and Dr. Marcel are determined to throw us a reception since we didn't have a large ceremony."
" Sounds like a plan. I have plenty of work waiting for me, I'll see you later. Good to have you back," she said.
" Thanks Ms. Goodwin," replied Will, watching as she walked away.
You better hope that she doesn't find out you're lying about that physical."
" Trust me. I have no doubt that you're healing just fine. Between that romp in Dr. Manning's backseat and the fact I happen to be the amazing surgeon that put you back together, it's all good," declared Crockett.
" That second part is questionable," Will joked, wincing as Crockett elbowed him.
Christ. For being such a brilliant surgeon, try not to elbow your former patient in the side with the ribs you plated."
" Shit. I'm sorry. Are you okay?"
" I'm fine. I'm just messing with you," he said, pulling his phone out of his pocket.
I've got to take this. It's Jay. He's supposed to be helping me move the rest of my stuff into Natalie's...our townhouse."
" What did Will have to say?" asked Hailey Upton as Jay hung up his cell.
" Natalie is going to drop him off at the station after their shift. We're grabbing a pizza before we finish the rest of his stuff out."
" I still can't believe they eloped after all of this," commented Hailey.
" Neither can I, but it's Will. He's always done things in his own way," remarked Jay as they pulled into a gas station.
" Do you mind going in to grab me a coffee before we head back to work? I need to gas this bad boy up," Hailey said, pulling her car up beside a pump.
" Straight black in the biggest size they carry?"
" Yes sir," she replied as Jay got out of the car. She watched him walk towards the store before turning back towards the car and pulling out her PD issued credit card, inserting it into the pump before lifting the nozzle. Hailey watched the price slowly ticking upwards before stopping. She hung up the nozzle and replaced the gas cap before staring at the convenience store. What was taking Jay so long? Before Hailey could make her way from the car to the store, a sickening sound she knew all too well filled the air. Multiple gunshots echoed, reverberating against what seemed like a silent street. Hailey instinctively ducked for cover, grabbing for her weapon as she leaned into her car for her radio.
" This is Detective Hailey Upton with the Intelligence Unit of the 21st District. Shots fired at 1726 Lillith Street. I repeat, shots fired at 1726 Lillith Street. My partner is inside."
Will had just exited an exam room when Dr. Charles and Ms. Goodwin appeared seemingly out of nowhere.
" You guys don't have to keep checking up on me like this. I've already told you. I feel fine."
" Dr. Halstead. That's not why we're here," Sharon said softly.
" Why don't we go over here and have a talk," suggested Dr. Charles. Will found himself filled with an odd sense of panic, sensing the calm, yet serious tone of his colleagues' voices.
" What's wrong?"
" I think it's best if we go somewhere a little more private," suggested Sharon. Will stopped walking and looked them both in the eye.
" WHAT. IS. GOING. ON?" he demanded loudly. Sharon sighed, looking to Daniel for guidance.
" We just received a phone call from Sergeant Voight. Ambo 61 is en route with Jay. He's been shot."