DISCLAIMER: I do not own Chicago Med or any of the characters. Sorry for the long gap, my computer broke and still is in the shop, resorted to typing on my phone. Starting to wind the story down, hope you enjoy and please review! (That season finale Chicago Med episode killed me)
Rhodes woke up in a flurry, eyes flashing with images of Allison Grace, his friends, and ending with Halstead yelling at him before everything went black. Then he began to panic. He couldn't breathe. Well he could, but it wasn't him. Something was stretching down his throat, his lungs working with a mind of their own, and it definitely did not feel right.
As soon as Halstead heard the screaming of Rhodes' heart monitor and the commotion coming from his room, he ran from the nurses station in the direction of the noise. Upon arriving, he saw a wide eyed Rhodes, struggling with the intubation tube lodged in his throat and trying to yank it out.
"Rhodes!" Halstead shouted, trying to divert his friend's attention from the thing that was helping him breathe. Connor wasn't supposed to be awake yet, not for the next couple of hours for sure. His condition was not improving either, Rhodes' eyes bloodshot and skin pale, looking like he had lost a few pounds too.
"Rhodes listen to me!" Will attempted once more, Manning running into the room, "It's an intubation tube, Connor! It's helping you breathe!"
Rhodes somehow registered the words, barely being able to calm himself enough to listen to what else Will had to say. He was dimly aware of Natalie in the room, a worried expression on her face, and her inform Will, "He isn't supposed to be up for another few hours."
"You don't think I know that?" he snapped at her sharply, immediately regretting doing so. Halstead was fired up from watching his friend and colleague dying in the bed in front of him and not being able to do anything. He had a doctorate's degree for god's sake.
Manning showed no anger, knowing he only lashed out in the spur of the moment and walked up to Rhodes' bed. "Hey Connor, I know the tube isn't the most comfortable thing but your airway was collapsing. The respiratory specialist's going to come by in a few hours and see if we can take it out, okay?" she said in a motherly tone, "until then, we want you to know we're doing everything we can to fix you up."
Connor tried to show composure, not used to others helping him since he always seemed alright, but Will and Natalie both knew he was struggling. The meds so far had no effect and his condition continued to deteriorate, the virus and infections taking their toll.
"Look, we got everyone on the job looking for a cure and so far we're doing pretty good," Will encouraged, "so hang in there a little longer, alright?" Trust Halstead to put it in perspective.
His eyes began to shut but he didn't want to go. He wasn't tired, actually the opposite, but his body protested. He hadn't noticed Manning slip a sedative in his IV so he could rest, succumbing to blackness once more.
..
Reese hated libraries. She had sat in the Gaffney Medical Center's Library and Archives for 6 hours now, scanning infectious disease related books cover to cover looking for a cure. Her eyes hurt and she was sure as hell frustrated. But she thought once more about who she was reading these books for and how little time they had left. News about Allison Grace's death spread throughout the hospital like small pox, all except Rhodes, and if they didn't work fast- Rhodes would be next.
She let out a both sigh, blowing away some of the curls in her face, and continued to read. She sat on the floor of the library for almost an hour and a half longer, eyes beginning to close, when she suddenly perked up. Sarah brought the 23rd medical journal she was reading closer to her face and scanned the pages multiple times to be sure. Reese looked up and gasped, throwing the book on top of the stack, and ran out the door.
...
Maggie sat at the nurses station in the ED, her 8th hour on shift, and sighed. Natalie had informed her about a half hour before Connor had woken up, but no change in his condition. They decided to continue to treat the infections in his lungs and stomach, which was barely making progress, until they found a new course of treatment. Paramedics dragging a gurney through the ED doors broke her thoughts, when they looked at her expectantly, she only responded, blandly, "Treatment 1."
She looked down at her remote to mark that the treatment was being occupied and glanced up to see Dr. Choi walked by, "Dr. Choi! Patient in treatment 1."
He gave her a weak smile, Rhodes obviously on his mind as well, and ducked into Treatment 1. As Maggie filled out a report, Sarah Reese sped up to the desk, eyes wide and anxious. Maggie only glowered up, not in the best of moods, and said, "What's up with you?"
"I think I found it," Reese whispered.
Maggie started to become interested, "Found what?"
Dr. Charles, looking at a patient's chart while walking through the ER, saw the expressions on Maggie and Ms. Reese's faces and curiously walked up.
"Everything okay here?" he asked innocently, adjusting his glasses.
"I think I found it," Sarah repeated, turning to face Dr. Charles, "I think I found a way to save Rhodes."
...
When Halstead finally got the split second to run to the restroom and grab a cup of water, his pager goes haywire. He looked down and the message from Maggie read: URGENT. Abandoning his half full cup of water, he ran out the door and to the elevators.
Natalie, Choi, Maggie, Goodwin, Charles, and Sarah were already all seated in the lounge as Halstead entered, they all were looking expectant.
"What's wrong?" he immediately demanded as he walked into the room, expecting bad news about Rhodes, "what's happened?"
"It seems here," Dr. Charles responded, a slight smug smile on his face, "our own Ms. Reese just saved Rhodes' life."
Sarah looked to the floor, not wanting to be the center of attention, and held a thick medical journal to her chest. The expressions on the room ranged from pride to joy to hope, relieved smiles all around.
"Well what are we all waiting for?" Halstead said, sitting down and the hints of a relieved laugh in his tone, "Let's get to it."
"Well," Reese finally began, "While researching, I found this crazy article about this woman a decade before who had viral meningitis. Just like Rhodes' case, nothing was working so the doctor tried this drug called Foscavir as a last resort. In less than a week, the patient was discharged and back with her kids and at work in less than two."
Dr. Charles' smug smile grew even bigger, wanting Reese to relish in the moment a little.
"I've never heard of that drug before," Natalie chimed in.
"That's because we don't have it here at Gaffney," Sharon answered, "We get very few meningitis cases in Chicago, let alone just this one hospital in all of Chicago."
"Well, where can we get the drug?" Choi asked.
"I'll make a few calls, talk to the CDC and the board," Sharon continued, "this may be our last chance."
The room oddly became silent.
Suddenly, the door burst open, April panting as she delivered the worst news.
"Rhodes' coding!"