Author's Note: So this is going to be a slightly different type of story than what I normally write. It's twisted...and not all done up with a perfect Manstead bow. I'm officially mourning Manstead and going through withdrawals. They WILL get back together. Anyways...so this chapter is the longest chapter I've ever posted. I almost split it into two, but when it came down to it, I couldn't. (I wish they would have named the character something different than Crockett...that name is just awful! There's no abbreviating it unless you're downing bottles of wine when you watch Chicago Med and christian him with a friend as Davey. Davey Crockett. With that being said, I hope you enjoy this intense, chaotic, literal breath taking chapter of my latest Manstead fic
Why would you tear my world apart?
Always, always, always, always...
I see the blood all over your hands
Does it make you feel more like a man?
Was it all just a part of your plan?
The pistol's shakin' in my hands
and all I hear is the sound...
~Saliva~ Always
" I'm going to guess that your conversation with Natalie didn't go as planned," Crockett Marcel declared as Will re-entered the lounge, looking extremely defeated. The red headed doctor said nothing, instead walking to Marcel's locker and grabbing the bottle of whiskey the doctor had hidden.
" The bastard denied lying to her about the ring and the engagement. Thankfully she had enough sense to trust her gut and leave him any way."
" I'm going to guess you expected her to run back to you then?" asked Crockett, watching as Will filled his abandoned cup.
" I don't know what I expected honestly. Our history...so much has happened. We've been through so much."
" I get it man," he declared, watching Will toss back his cup, finishing its contents in one long swig. Will felt the burning in his throat descend into his stomach. He let it settle, his brain feeling somewhat foggy as he poured a second refill.
" Whoah. Slow down there man. Leave me some."
" I'll replace it," promised Will, tossing back his third cup.
" How are you not puking?" questioned an impressed Crockett.
" I'm Irish. This is nothing," he challenged, going for a fourth cup.
" It might be nothing right now, but if my memory serves me right, you're due back here at 7:00 a.m." said Crockett, walking to his locker to pull out a change of clothes.
" Your point being?"
" Hey now. How drunk you decide to get is none of my business," he said, heading into the next room. When he emerged with his dirty scrubs, he found Will holding the empty bottle.
" Did you finish that?"
" Guess I did. I think we're gonna need a refill," slurred Will, hopelessly failing as he tossed his cup in the general direction of the trash can.
" Give me that," suggested Crockett, taking the empty bottle and stashing it in his bag.
" I should get going," Will insisted as he tried to stand, instantly falling back into the couch.
" Easy there. Irish or not, you my friend managed to get wasted in less than 30 minutes. That beats my own personal best. You stay here. I'll be right back." Will smiled wryly, sinking back into the couch cushions.
" Yessir Davey."
" Let's go," Marcel ordered, returning to the lounge less than five minutes later.
" Where are we going?"
" I'm driving your drunk ass home," he declared, grabbing Will's keys from his locker.
" What's in there?" Will asked curiously," glancing at a bag in Crockett's left hand.
" The Crockett Marcel hangover cure."
" I have no clue what that is, but it sounds amazing."
" You'll thank me in the morning. Now let's go. Up and at em Halstead!" He grasped onto Will's hands, pulling him into a standing position. Once Will was upright, his body was hit with an awful spinning sensation, leaving him no option but to fall into Crockett.
" Whoah man," said Crockett, wrapping his free arm around Will's shoulders to steady him as they walked out into the ED.
" What's the bucket for?"
" I just got my car detailed and I'll be damned if you vomit all over it."
Fifteen minutes later, Crockett pulled his Mercedes into a spot directly behind
Jay's work truck. Beside him sat a green-ish looking Will who was hugging the bucket he had brought along for dear life.
" Which apartment?"
" 317," Will groaned, feeling extremely nauseous as he climbed out of the car. Before Crockett could reach him, Will had stumbled over to a row of bushes and vomited all over them.
" That's what the bucket is supposed to be for," quipped Marcel, steadying Will as they entered the building.
" Ugh," he responded, puking into the bucket as the elevator started moving. Somehow Crockett managed to get Will down the hallway, but felt him suddenly slump against the wall outside of Jay's apartment.
" Imma sleep here tonight…" he slurred.
" Nope. Time to get up," replied Crockett, attempting to pull Will back to a standing position. Eventually the struggle between the two men caused the apartment door to open.
" What the hell is going on out here?"
" Nothing we can't handle man."
" Bullshit. I've seen you at Med. It's Marcel, right?"
" Crockett Marcel. Trauma surgeon. Who the hell are you?"
" Jay Halstead. Detective Jay Halstead. What the fuck did you do to my brother Marcel?"
" He did it to himself Detective. Drank almost all of my bourbon by himself. I can explain it all once we get him inside."
" You better," threatened Jay, easily pulling Will onto his feet.
" Jay. How'd you'd get here?"
" I live here. So do you. Christ Marcel. I can smell it on his breath. This better be good," Jay declared, helping Will towards the spare bedroom he had been staying in. Will instantly flopped onto the bed, his head bouncing off the pillows." I shouldn't have done that," he muttered, leaning over to vomit once again.
" Hang in there man. I'll have you feeling like a million bucks here in just a few minutes," announced Crockett, placing his bag on the ground. Jay stood back and watched as he pulled out an IV kit, an IV bag, a syringe, and a vial of some medication. In record time Crockett snapped on a pair of gloves and opened the IV kit, pulling out a turniquet. Will, who was barely conscious at this point didn't even flinch as the IV needle penetrated his skin. Without missing a beat, Crockett connected a "banana bag" of electrolytes to the tubing and pinned the bag to a corkboard behind the bed.
" What's that for?" Jay asked curiously, watching Marcel draw up liquid into a syringe.
" A hefty dose of anti-nausea medicine so he'll stop throwing up what's left of his stomach contents."
" You're amazing," Will mumbled, his eyes half closed.
" If I had a dollar for every time someone told me that," he joked, placing the capped syringe back in his bag.
Get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning." Crockett threw his bag back over his shoulder and followed Jay out into the hallway.
" So why is my baby brother so drunk?"
" You don't waste any time man."
" I try not to," replied Jay, leading Marcel out into the living room.
" Will confronted Phillip Davis and Natalie earlier tonight."
" About what?"
" Phillip has been lying to her. About their supposed engagement and relationship."
" How in the world do you know this? Last I heard, you were the type of guy that knew more about when closing time was at the local pub down the street." Crockett ignored Jay's diss, instead sinking into the sofa behind him.
" I was one of Natalie's doctors the night of the accident. When my back was turned, Phillip slipped the engagement ring onto an unconscious Natalie's hand." Jay sat wide eyed, staring at Crockett in disbelief.
Phillip took advantage of Natalie's compromised mental status, convincing her that she had been in Will's car to announce their engagement."
" I knew that man was a piece of shit," declared an angry Jay.
" Anyways, Will and I had a tough case today. After we were off duty, I busted out my stash of bourbon and we started talking. The minute Will realized that Phillip was playing mindgames with Natalie he bolted out of the lounge."
" He and Natalie have a complicated history...but despite it all, he's still madly in love with her," Jay confessed as Crockett stood.
" I've got to get going. I'm supposed to be meeting a pretty young lady at a bar near my apartment," he confessed, walking to the door.
" How in the world are you here early? You were hardcore passed out when I left last night," Crockett stated as Will entered the ED lounge the next morning.
" Jay threatened to taze me if I didn't get out of bed."
" That's ruthless. I like it."
" You would. Thanks for the extra fluids."
" The Crockett Cocktail? Don't mention it. By the way you owe me $30."
" That's some expensive bourbon," Will remarked, handing Crockett the money as they re-entered the ED.
" Only the best man."
" Have you seen Natalie yet?" Will asked.
" You're a glutton for punishment Halstead."
" Heads up boys," Maggie said, approaching the pair.
We've got patients getting ready to roll in from an MVC."
" No rest for the wicked," declared Marcel.
Shortly after Crockett had taken their patient to the OR, Will managed to catch a glimpse of Natalie. Before he got the chance to follow her to the lounge, Maggie appeared by his side, seemingly out of thin air.
" Halstead. You're going to Exam 3. Six year old male who got busted up trying to ride his older sister's hoverboard."
" I hate those things," Will declared, grabbing the tablet from Maggie.
Despite his best efforts, Will found himself slammed for the rest of his shift, not having a spare moment to talk with Natalie. It wasn't until Will was heading back to the lounge to change that he saw Marcel for the first time since he had gone upstairs.
" Halstead. Wait up!"
" How's the patient?" Will asked, pulling off his scrub top in favor of a clean t-shirt.
" She'll make a full recovery, but that's not what I wanted. Do you have plans tonight?"
" I think I've had more than enough alcohol in the past 24 hours."
" No man. I'm the one getting drunk and hopefully laid tonight and you're cheaper than Uber."
" What's in it for me?" Will challenged.
" You get to drive the Mercedes and I'll give you back your bourbon money."
" Fine," he agreed reluctantly.
" Think of it as a favor to yourself. If you go home alone you're libel to go track down Natalie and make a fool of yourself." Will stayed silent, instead grabbing Crockett's keys from his outstretched hand.
" I've got a few things to do before I'm ready. I'll meet you out front in ten."
" So what's her name?" Will asked as Crockett climbed into the car, now wearing a simple white dress shirt unbuttoned at the neck and a pair of jeans.
" Crystal."
" Christ. Is she a stripper or something?" joked Will.
" She's a lawyer," Crockett replied snidely, punching the address of the bar into his GPS.
Enough with the questions." The two rode in silence until Will pulled up near the bar a few minutes later and put the Mercedes into park.
" Which one is she?" Will asked, glancing through a small window from the sidewalk. Crockett pointed to a tall brunette sitting at the bar.
" Damn. At least you've got good taste. You go on in. I've got a quick call to make. When I'm done I'll go sit at that table in the far corner."
" Sounds perfect," replied Crockett, walking inside. Will unlocked his phone, resisting the urge to call Natalie. Instead he dialed Jay's number in attempts to return his phone call from earlier. The call went straight to voicemail. Will sighed, pocketing his phone. Before he could turn to go inside the bar, an arm came out of nowhere, putting him into a chokehold. Will instinctively swung at the person behind him." Stop fighting me damn it!" The voice. Even as he fought to stay conscious, Will knew he recognized THAT voice.
" Phillip?" he questioned, gasping for air as he was dragged into the alley beside the bar. Will's suspicions were confirmed as he was flipped around and violently shoved up against the bricks. His head cracked hard against the cement surface, instantly splitting the side of his head open.
" You just couldn't leave us alone, could you? Natalie was happy with me!" Phillip declared, pressing a gun to Will's forehead so he couldn't move.
" You delusional prick. She was going to leave you before I even spilled your dirty little secret."
" She would have stayed!" he insisted, pressing the gun into Will's flesh harder.
" You're fucking crazy man. What are you going to do? Kill me? Do you really think that would put you back in her good graces?" Phillip removed the gun and sunk his fist into Will's gut, knocking the wind out of him. Even though his brain struggled to make a coherent thought due to the lack of air, Will knew he wasn't about ready to let Phillip beat his ass in a dark alley. He took a deep breath and swung back, connecting with Phillip's jaw. He retaliated, grabbing Will by the shoulders and shoving him to the ground. Will winced in pain as Phillip's steel toed boots connected several times with his rib cage and then his stomach. Despite his injuries, Will attempted to stand, dead set on beating Phillip Davis to a bloody pulp. Phillip on the other hand obviously had different ideas. After getting a few more kicks in, he delivered a final punch of his own to Will's face, leaving the young doctor teetering on the edge of consciousness.
" Leave my fiance and I alone or the next time I see you, you'll be dead."