AN: thanks for the feedback on my other stories. Hope you'll like this one as well. I feel like I'm repeating myself:-)

Jay was out of surgery; Marcel had just left after giving Will an update on his condition. Lights in Jay's room were dimmed, his brother sleeping, the only thing disturbing the image was the medical equipment surrounding him and the tube still helping him breathe. A nurse was there, watching over Jay, as they were going to let him wake up and extubate him as soon as possible, the sedation had been lifted.

Will walked closer to the bed, leaning against the rail he got a better look at his brother. Bruises stark against pale skin. Jay was still low on blood, he would be for a while, even if they'd transfused him up during surgery. But his skin was surprisingly warm against his touch when he picked up Jay's hand to hold in his.

The room was as silent as it could get, the ventilator making its whooshing sound with each breath, the telemetry beeping with Jay's heart beats. Will just watched and marveled in the fact that despite getting shot, bleeding profusely Jay was still there with them. He hadn't informed Jay's unit yet, he needed this quiet moment alone with Jay, undisturbed to understand that he was alive.

"He's coming around," Will said as he could feel Jay's hand move in his.

"I'll get dr. Marcel back in here," she said moving to the open door, having someone page Marcel for her.

Jay's eyes were roaming under closed lids, he was growing restless. Will hoped they'd be able to pull the tube before he came to completely, knowing how uncomfortable waking up with a tracheal tube could be.

"You're okay, Jay, just relax." Will put his other hand on Jay's chest to soothe him as he triggered the vent with each breath. Jay was breathing on his own but starting to hyperventilate as he became more aware.

Marcel entered soon after, assessing the numbers on the vent and the monitor beside the bed.

"He's ready, lets extubate," Marcel smiled at Will as his gloved hands got to work.

Will was glad Jay would be able to wake up without the tube, less stressful for his already stressed out body.

The nurse assisted Marcel and soon Jay was tube free, he only gagged a few times and glimpsed up at Marcel before he was out like a light, sleeping deeply, not noticing the oxygen mask placed over his nose and mouth to help him.

"He's doing great Will!" Marcel said, slapping Will's back as they both looked down at Jay's sleeping form.

"Yeah, he's okay," Will whispered, relieved and feeling the weight of hours of worry leave him. Blurry vision was what clued him in on the tears rolling down his cheeks. He wiped them away and pulled a chair close by so he could watch Jay sleep some more, before he had to update Hailey about Jay's condition.

CPD***CPD

Hailey followed Will along the corridors, anxious to see Jay for herself, not just imagine what he looked like from Will's professional descriptions.

She was exhausted but hearing about how Jay was doing good had infused her with new energy. She kept up with Will's long legs, and entered the ICU right on his heels, but she stopped just short of entering Jay's room as she found him with her eyes.

Will beckoned her inside. "Come in, he's still mostly sleeping, he got some pain meds about 20 minutes ago." Explaining why Jay was deeply asleep, resting with his back slightly raised.

Jay was pale, his eyelashes dark against his skin. He had a cannula delivering oxygen under his nose, mouth slightly open, he looked like he was drugged out, body completely lax.

"He looks drugged," Hailey said as she came closer to the bed, leaning in the bedrail studying Jay, relief flooding her body, after hours of tense waiting.

"Yeah, he's going to need pain management for a while, and we need to keep him down, or he'll probably make an escape attempt." Will smiled as he affectionately pushed his hand trough Jay's hair.

"I'll keep an eye on him," Hailey smiled back at Will, both knowing how much Jay hated hospitals and not to mention needles.

Will pulled up a chair for Hailey to sit in beside the bed. As he excused himself and left Hailey and Jay to themselves.

Hailey managed to slumber for a while, until she heard rustling of blankets. Opening her eyes she found Jay moving around on the bed, his hands pulling on the blanket, his head moving restlessly.

"Jay?" She got up to stand beside the bed, watching her partner as he was waking up.

He opened his eyes a grimace on his face as it looked like he was trying to get his bearings.

Hailey let him have some time to reorient himself as a nurse entered an alarm sounding as Jay's heart rate had speed up upon waking.

"Detective Halstead…Hi," she said as Jay looked up at her, "do you remember where you are?" It was obvious they'd had a similar conversation before as Jay nodded his head yes, not using his voice. "Good, Will had to go back to the ED. How's the pain?" She busied herself with raising the back of the bed a bit more so Jay could have a sip of water.

"I'm okay, just sore" Jay answered after having a sip of water, his voice gravelly and sore. "Good, let me know if you need anything okay, I'm right outside, just hit the call button." She smiled at Hailey as she left them alone.

"Hey, how you feel?" Hailey asked as Jay seemed to manage to stay awake.

"Like I was asleep for a year," Jay looked up at her, and she couldn't help telling him how he'd needed some rest.

When he asked her to help him get out of there, she knew he was back to himself. She refused of course, knowing he was trying to joke to cover up and divert attention from the gravity of what had happened.

She couldn't stop smiling at him, relieved he was still there, a close call, but he was going to be fine eventually.

Voight came by shortly after, and Hailey could tell but Jay's demeanor that he still felt guilty by how he pleaded for Voight to do something to help Angela. The woman who had tried to kill him. It dampened the mood, and when she caught a last glimpse of Jay as she left to follow Voight, he looked exhausted and miserable.

Hailey realized they still had some ways to go before Jay would be alright both physically and mentally.

AN2: Anyone want to read more of Jay's recovery? I could do some more if there's interest. There is so much to explore that we'll never see on the show.