Oh well, hello there!
Thank you so much for all the feedback and reviews. It's absolutely a pleasure to write when you know that there are people enjoying it.
Just want to explain what I'm trying to do with this fic...well, as you will see at this chapter, I like to build things. So that's why I'm trying to show different perspectives of the same things. This way, I think it's possible to explore the characters of the show, showing their thoughts and feelings. Something that I miss in the show is that there are little to nothing of their personal lifes and their relationship with each other. Sometimes they just want us to buy some relationships, like Connor and Robin, without really giving us time or reason for it. I like building relationships. Bonding. Slowly but truly.
So, of course that there will be more focus on Rheese on the next chapters, but I would also like to explore Sarah's relationship with the rest of them , like Ethan (one of my personal favorites) for example.
And, as you might have noticed, English it's not my first language. So I'm really really sorry for the occasional mistakes. Please feel welcome to give me advices and let me know if you find anything wrong so I can fix it to you.
Also, let me know what you like or dislike about my writing or were I'm going with this story.
So enough is enough.
Good reading and hope you enjoy it.
love, always.
Will Halstead was having a calm night. Which he was absolutely grateful for.
The last couple of days had been tough on him and now that he could actually take a break, a calm night round would be extremely welcomed.
After leaving a pacient at Trauma 3, he asked April to get the right medicines and the discharge papers ready. Kid got carried away and drank too much in a party.
Nothing unusual.
He met Dr. Rhodes and Dr. Choi laughing with Maggie at the front desk. He smiled to himself. Maggie was always the heart and the soul of Med. She had something with her that would drawn everybody close.
She was unique.
"Can I be part of the joke?" He asked leaning on the counter and raising one eyebrow in her direction.
"Oh dear, I'm afraid you already are." She answered with a playful air. "I was just telling Dr. Choi and Dr. Rhodes that I have to play the boss and put this nurses in their place when the three of you are working down here at the same time." She completed while throwing a look around with prying eyes. She spoted a young blonde nurse looking at them and with a serious face signed her to go do her job.
"See? I'm not paid enough for this. Unbelievable."
Will didn't catch the meaning of her words and looked at the others for help but they seemed as lost as him.
"And why is that, Maggie?" Rhodes asked with a glint of amusement in his eyes.
"Oh? Have you looked yourself in the mirror? You three are like gods dressed in this white straps and even when you're covered with blood you still look hell attractive. And when you all are working together, I have to show these unloved ladys that they don't stand a chance." Maggie explained with an air of superiority. "Because you're all mine!" She concluded blinking an eye for the three of them.
Ethan gave her a playful suggestive smile, while Will laughed hard and Connor looked down a little bit abashed.
"Have you heard of the top three?" April said joining them and handing Dr. Halstead the discharge papers from the drunk kid.
"Top what?" He asked while checking and assigning the documents.
"Of which one of you is the best."
"Oh! Best doctor?" Ethan asked with delight.
"Amongst other things." April corrected with false innocent eyes.
"Ohooo, that's ease, I'm the best doctor!" Ethan said while proudly hitting on his chest.
"Hey, not so quickly Military Man!" It was time for Connor to argue. "I'm the best surgeon, there's no doubt in that. Right Maggie?" He asked her for help but she was too entertained with the display of masculinity to answer.
"No. Wait!" Will wasn't staying out of this. "I think you're all forgetting about the most important attribute here." He said while shaken his head a little bit.
"Which it is?" Rhodes asked falsely annoyed.
"Who has the best hair!" Will answered proudly, obviously waiting for the praise.
"Dr. Rhodes, off course." Came Maggie's answer.
Ethan laughed even more, April agreed while smiling and Connor kissed Maggie's hand throwing him a daring look.
But Will's argument was interrupted by Nicole, one of the nurses calling for him from across the desk telling that his brother was on the phone saying that it was urgent.
The energy around the room changed.
The playful banter was replaced by worried expressions.
Because it was Detective Jay Halstead on the phone. At half past one in the morning. With urgent matters.
Will didn't waste time getting the phone from the nurse, but took a deep breath before answering his brother.
"What happened?"
The others noticed with concern how Halstead face turned white.
Maggie stepped closer waiting to know what was going on.
Ethan and Connor exchanged worried looks.
"Wait, you mean Reese?"
They all froze.
His expression turned angry.
"You're bringing...? Jay, what happened to Sarah?"
April knees almost gave up.
Maggie stepped back with surprise.
Ethan hesitated.
Connor's heart skipped a beat.
Because Sarah Reese...
Their coworker.
Their friend.
Their family.
Was coming in with three shots in her chest.
And they needed to save her.
-IDWTJ-
Sarah had to suppress the persistent feeling of being watched and followed through the whole way from Chicago Med to her small but comfy apartment that night.
She had to stop two times on her way to throw a look behind herself, searching for something different or out of place that could justify the way she was feeling.
But she found nothing. Both times.
She lived in a peaceful (sometimes to the point of boring) neighborhood 20 minutes by train from Chicago Med.
Her building was just across the street from the station. Which was great because that meant she could sleep a couple of minutes more and still be ready and in time to go to work.
Security wasn't really a priority during her routine because even if Chicago wasn't known for being one of the safest citys in the country (but thanks god for the CPD), she believed that the most terrible thing that had happened on her street in the 2 and a half years since se had bought her apartment was when Mrs. Spencer's fat cat was hit by a car early on a Saturday morning and the woman had made a scandal, waking up the whole neighborhood to see the commotion of his death.
After that, the old lady had brought 5 more cats home. And Sarah was always getting their visit. Even got a dead bird on the carpet at her front door once.
Sweet.
This time when she got into her apartment there were no dead birds, or dead anything, on her front door carpet though. Taking off her heavy winter clothes after closing and locking the door, she went directly to her small kitchen, opened her fridge in search for something to eat. The coffee she had before leaving the hospital just helped make her even more hungry.
She sighed when she realized that there was nothing too good in there (actually there wasn't anything at all), because she didn't go grocery shop in like, forever.
So friday night called for pizza.
She quickly dialed her favorite place, ordered her pizza (and a desert, of course) before going into her bedroom to take a shower and change her clothes. The only thought that made her leave her comfy bathtub was the fact that her meal could arrive at any moment.
So she changed into her favorite yoga pants and an old T-shirt and went back to her living room.
Sarah stopped for a moment went she felt a rush of cold air passing through her. Looking at the small balcony at the end of her bedroom hall and saw that it was totally opened, the curtains flying all around along with the hard wind.
She stared conflicted at it.
Was it open before?
Had she forgotten to close it before leaving her apartment that morning? No. That was almost impossible because she always closed.
Always.
So why was it open now?
The creepy feeling sundely returned to her again.
She quickly went to close it but a voice stopped her in the middle of the way.
"Dr. Reese."
She didn't scream. Didn't even turn.
She just froze.
Because she remembered that voice.
It belonged to Peter. Peter Gomez. A 37 years old man, addicted to drugs, alcohol and God knows what more. The man she had been treating, or trying to, since he was admitted to the ED with clear symptoms of overdoses.
But what had really stuck with her about him, was the fact that he had showed a special interest in her right on the first time they had met. He would be asking for her all day. He would only talk to her. Only take medicines given by her. Only follow her instructions.
Dr. Charles had considered taking her out of the case but she had dismissed his worries saying that she was fine, he just needed help and maybe she could be the only one to do so.
But now he was at her apartment.
Sarah's mind started working hard with options as she turned to face him.
He was sitting on her couch, looking down at the gun in his hands. Taking a second look Sarah noticed that he was sweating a lot and looked restless.
He could be on drugs again.
Or he could be without then.
What could be even worse.
She tried to remember some way to deal with the situation in all her studies but came up with nothing. Because there was nothing in the books about how act when someone breaks into your apartment.
She was on her own.
"Peter? What are you doing here?" Reese asked hesitantly while looking around for some object or way out to protect herself in case he turned violent.
"I need help, Dr. Reese." He said looking at her for the first time. He looked anxious.
And on the edge.
"You need to help me! You're the only one who can help me Dr. Reese, can't you see?" He started moving his hands in hers and his direction while talking. All that Sarah could focus on was the gun at his hands. "I need more drugs. I need them but I don't want them anymore you know? I wanna stop but I can't, it's too late now. I need help! You have to help me!" He stood up and stepped forward this time.
Sarah stepped back.
"Ok. Listen to me Peter, I can help you ok?" She tried to hide her fear but couldn't help the way her voice shook. "I can help you. But you need to let go of the gun okay? Drop the gun and we will go back to the hospital..."
But that seemed to be the wrong thing to say.
Peter lost control and knocked down the small center table on her living room. Sarah startled with the sound but thought that maybe that was good because her neighbors could probably hear it.
Peter directed his angry to her.
"I DON'T NEED A HOSPITAL." He shouted. "I'm not going back! I'M NOT! You're going to help me! Here! You need to help me here, we're not..."
"Ok. No hospitals Peter, but you need to tell me how can I help you okay?" Sarah needed to gain some control back.
She could do this.
She had to.
"You have to make the pain go away." He said pointing the gun between them again. "The pain won't go away so make it go away, I can't take it anymore, you have to..."
"Just breathe for a moment okay? Peter look at me. To make the pain go away first you need to calm down right?" She waved her hands in her couch direction. "Why don't you sit down for minute so we can talk ok? Let go of the gun and sit..."
But again, she said the wrong thing.
Because this time he lost totally control.
Peter's range led him to destruction.
He overturned her only armchair. Ripped off her soft curtains. Knocked down all her ornaments and pictures on the bookcase. Smashed her table glass to pieces.
For a moment all that Sarah could do was watch terrified while her home was destroyed. The noise was loud enough to deaf her for a couple of seconds.
But then she jumped into action.
Because that could be her only opportunity to scape.
So she ran and took her keys from the entrance hall and tried to open her door with her shaking hands but he was faster than her.
He pressed her to the wall.
She screamed. Tried to turn. To kick. To do something.
But he was too strong.
Too strong.
She didn't gave up though and that seemed to make him even more crazy. Because he threw her to the floor of her kitchen and pinned her down with both his legs.
Sarah fought back and with a rush of adrenaline was able to spin him and crawl away.
She wouldn't give in.
She was relaying on the only hope that she had. That somebody had heard the noise and called the police. She just had to make it until they got there.
So she tried to talk some sense into him.
Again.
"No! Peter! Look at me! You're hurting me so stop and let me help you..." but she watched terrified how he had a blank expression and didn't listened to her.
Sarah would be lying if she said that she remembered everything that happened after that.
She heard the police at her door. She heard Peter questioning her in his delirium if she had called then. She heard her only scream when she saw him pointing the gun in her direction. She heard only the first shot.
But then she just felt the pain.
So much pain.
She tried to move, to breathe, to respond, but she couldn't.
She heard somebody talking to her and felt pressure on her chest. She knew that voice. It was a woman. But she couldn't think of who it was.
She saw a glimpse of red and blue lights blinding her while hearing different types of noise at the same time.
She felt the pain increase and had the sensation off being in movement.
Again she heard somebody, a different voice this time, speaking to her. She thought she also knew that voice somehow.
She tried to answer but found out she couldn't even move.
She tried to fight but she was sundely too tired.
The pain was taking her to point of oblivion.
The only thing she recognized was the ED red sign.
Then a pair of eyes looking down at her with concern.
The last thing she thought before loosing all her senses was that those eyes were beautiful.
So full of light.
But then darkness took her.
And Sarah just welcomed it.