A/n: It's not that Will doesn't want to take care of himself, it's just that there are only 24 hours in a day and sometimes after taking care of Jay, there just isn't enough time left
The days blurred together for Dr. Will Halstead, emergency room physician at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center. The pace of life in the ER was relentless, each shift bringing new challenges and urgent cases that demanded his full attention.
Will juggled patient care, consultations, and administrative responsibilities with the precision of a seasoned professional, but amidst the chaos, certain routine tasks sometimes slipped his mind.
It was mid-October when the hospital's employee health office sent out reminders for the mandatory flu shots. Will received the email, glanced at it briefly, and mentally noted to take care of it later. However, as days turned into weeks, his schedule only grew busier. There were complex cases to manage, never ending case notes to write and countless hours spent mentoring medical residents. The reminder about his flu shot gradually faded into the background amidst the urgent calls of the emergency room.
One evening, as Will reviewed patient charts at his desk, Maggie approached him with a concerned expression. "Dr. Halstead, have you gotten your flu shot yet?"
Will looked up, momentarily taken aback. "Oh, uh... No, I haven't had a chance to."
Maggie nodded sympathetically. "You know it's mandatory for all staff, including physicians right? Tomorrow's the last day of the staff clinic, think you can squeeze some time out then after shift?"
Will sighed, realizing his oversight. "Yeah, I'll make sure to do it tomorrow. Thanks for the reminder."
The next day at the 21st District, Detective Jay Halstead hurried through the bustling precinct dodging fellow officers and paperwork alike. His mind was consumed with the upcoming mandatory flu shot clinic, an event he dreaded more than most assignments.
Jay had a secret fear, one he kept hidden from all but his closest friends and family: needles. The sight of them made his palms sweat and his heart race. It hadn't always been this bad, as a kid he was never a big fan of needles and often needed to be bribed with lollipops or stickers to sit still for his shots, unlike his brother Will who willingly rolled up his sleeves and watched with fascination as vaccines were injected. But having to watch his mom go through rounds of chemotherapy with what felt like a million needle sticks a day had done nothing to dampen that fear.
He had done his best to avoid the shot, choosing to help his colleagues write warrants, willingly offering to do prison transport when their cases wrapped, anything he could do, so he wasn't around to be dragged off to the staff vaccination clinic. Which is why when Platt had called him out on it as he was rushing out of the district to their crime scene that day he had shrugged her off, promising to get to it without truly meaning it. Unfortunately for Jay, Sergeant Trudy Platt was not someone who admitted defeat easily, which explains why Dr Will Halstead got a call mid shift asking him to get his brother's ass to the clinic or else.
When he got back to his desk, Jay spotted Will leaning against his desk.
"Hey, Jay," Will greeted him with a warm smile, noticing the faint lines of tension on his brother's face. "Ready for your flu shot today?"
Jay sighed, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "Do I have to? Can't I just take extra Vitamin C or something?"
Will chuckled, knowing Jay's aversion all too well. "Sorry, bro. It's mandatory for all CPD this year. And you know I'm a stickler for preventive care."
Jay frowned but nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, yeah. I'll go."
Will, having grown up with Jay, was well attuned to Jay's platitudes and decided that he needed to see Jay get jabbed himself, to prevent Jay from skipping out on it. He clapped Jay on the shoulder. "That's the spirit. If it helps, I'll drive you there myself. We can grab dinner afterward."
Relieved at having his brother's support despite being slightly annoyed that his last chance of escape had just slipped away, Jay managed a small smile. "Thanks, Will. I appreciate it."
As the day wore on, Jay tried to focus on his casework, pushing thoughts of needles to the back of his mind. But as the clock ticked closer to the end of shift, his anxiety began to resurface.
"Ready to face your fears, Jay?" Will grinned as he bounded up the stairs to Intelligence.
Jay nodded grimly. "Let's get this over with."
The drive to Lakeshore was quieter than usual. Jay stared out the window, the rhythm of the city streets doing little to calm his nerves. Will glanced over at him occasionally, wanting to offer reassurance but knowing his brother needed to work through this on his own terms.
When they arrived at the hospital, Will led Jay to the vaccination clinic, a small office tucked away on the ground floor. The walls were adorned with posters advocating flu prevention, adding to Jay's unease. He checked in with the receptionist, who greeted Will warmly and handed Jay a clipboard with paperwork to fill out.
As Jay sat down to complete the forms, his mind raced with memories of past encounters with needles: childhood vaccinations, emergency room visits, even minor injuries on the job. Each memory was a reminder of his vulnerability, his fear amplified by the sterile environment of the clinic.
Will joined him moments later, offering a reassuring smile. "You're doing great, Jay. Just a few more minutes."
Jay nodded, his hands trembling slightly as he returned the clipboard to the receptionist. Soon, a nurse called his name, and Jay followed her into an examination room. She took his vitals with a gentle efficiency, noting his elevated heart rate with a sympathetic smile.
"Are you nervous about the shot?" she asked kindly, preparing the syringe and vial of vaccine.
Jay swallowed hard, forcing himself to meet her gaze. "Yeah, a little."
The nurse nodded understandingly. "It's okay to be nervous. Take a deep breath for me."
As Jay inhaled slowly, Will stood beside him, offering silent support. The nurse administered the flu shot quickly and skillfully, the sting less pronounced than Jay had feared. Within moments, it was over.
"You did great," the nurse praised him, placing a bandage over the injection site. "All done."
Jay let out a shaky breath, relief washing over him. He glanced at Will, gratitude shining in his eyes. "Thanks, Will. I couldn't have done it without you."
Will smiled warmly, squeezing his brother's shoulder. "Anytime, Jay. Now, how about we grab that dinner? You've earned it."
Over dinner at Molly's, a popular bar frequented by Chicago's finest, Jay and Will reflected on the day's events. The atmosphere was relaxed, a stark contrast to the tension of the clinic. They sat at a quiet corner booth, savoring burgers and catching up on each other's lives.
The whole time, Will had this prickly feeling at the back of his brain like he had forgotten something, but try as he could he just couldn't figure out what he was missing so he ignored that feeling and focused instead on his burger and little brother.
Days turned into weeks, and the flu season began to take its toll on the city. Cases of influenza filled the ER, stretching resources and testing the endurance of the medical staff. Will worked tirelessly, treating patients and providing guidance to his team, all while suppressing a persistent cough that had developed over the past few days.
One evening, as Will reviewed charts at his desk, he coughed violently, the sound echoing in the quiet of the ER. A concerned nurse, Maggie, approached him with a bottle of water and a worried expression.
"Dr. Halstead, are you feeling okay?" she asked gently, noting the fatigue etched on his face.
Will rubbed his temples wearily. "Just a cold, I think. Been going around."
Maggie raised an eyebrow. "Hmm. Hey, I've been meaning to ask, did you ever end up getting your flu shot? I can't seem to find your paperwork anywhere."
Will looked up at Maggie wide eyed, that was what he forgot! Looking down sheepishly he admitted, "No, I... I missed it. I was supposed to go that day after shift but ended up taking Jay and completely forgetting to get mine."
Maggie shook her head with a sympathetic smile. "You do realise it's probably too late now."
Will shook his head, coughing again, "I'm sure it's fine. I'm fine"
"Mm hmm", mumbled Maggie as Will walked away looking for his next patient.
Meanwhile, at the 21st District, Detective Jay Halstead was reviewing a case file when Officer Kim Burgess strolled in with a cup of coffee.
"Hey, did you guys hear? Looks like the flu's hitting Gaffney hard this year," Burgess remarked casually.
Jay looked up, a flicker of concern crossing his features. "Really? I hope everyone's okay over there."
Ruzek nodded. "Yeah, I was over there getting witness statements earlier, normally I'd prefer not to be in a hospital anyway but today, I could not wait to get the hell out of there."
Atwater piped up "Speaking of which, we bumped into Will earlier, he was looking a little green. Heard him tell Maggie he forgot his flu shot."
Jay's brow furrowed as he processed the information. Will, his brother and a physician who had always emphasized the importance of preventive care, had neglected to get his flu shot and was now suffering the consequences. The irony of the situation wasn't lost on Jay. He couldn't help but feel a mixture of concern and frustration.
Later that evening, after wrapping up his shift, Jay decided to swing by Gaffney Chicago Medical Center to check on Will. He knew his brother's stubborn streak when it came to work and suspected Will might be downplaying how he felt.
Entering the bustling ER, Jay approached the nursing station and asked about Will's whereabouts. A nurse pointed him toward the doctor's lounge, where she said Will had gone to take a short break.
Jay found Will sitting at a table, flipping through patient charts with a tired expression. His brother looked up as Jay entered, attempting a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Hey, Jay. What brings you here?" Will asked, his voice hoarse and strained.
Jay took a seat across from him, concern etched on his face. "I heard you're not feeling well. Trying to tough it out?"
Will shrugged nonchalantly, though the effort seemed to drain him. "Just a little under the weather. It's busy here, and we're short-staffed."
Jay nodded, his gaze searching Will's face. "You know, you should really take care of yourself. Get some rest. Maybe even get that flu shot you've been reminding everyone else about."
Will chuckled weakly, a touch of irony in his tone. "Yeah, I know. Hypocritical, right? I was going to, guess it just slipped my mind"
At that moment, Connor sauntered in to the doctor's lounge. "Will, you look like crap." He said half jokingly as he walked over to the coffee pot. "Didn't they extend the Med staff clinic till the 29th last month? How did you miss that?"
29th, that date sounded familiar to Jay. His eyes filled with realization as he turned to face Will "29th. Isn't that the day you drove me over to Lakeshore for my…"
Will shrugged and turned away quickly sneezing into a used tissue he pulled from his scrubs "Yeah," looking towards the ground so he wouldn't have to make eye contact with Jay "I may or may not have forgotten that I had my own flu shot booked that evening."
"Will" Jay rolled his eyes exasperatedly, but softened his gaze as he watched Will convulse in another flurry of sneezes. Placing a hand on Will's shoulder he acquiesced "Come on, I'm taking you home."
Will looked like he was about to protest but ended up dissolving into a fit of coughs that hurt both Connor's and Jay's chests to listen to.
"Go home Halstead," Connor encouraged "You've got 30 minutes left of your shift, we'll manage without you."
Despite his initial reluctance, Will eventually admitted that he needed to take better care of himself. He allowed Jay to take him home and even took a few days off, allowing his body time to recover from the flu and the relentless pace of the ER.
As Will rested, he reflected on the events of the past weeks—the missed flu shot, his determination to keep working despite his illness, and Jay's unwavering support. He realized that he needed to prioritize his own health more, not just for his sake but for the sake of his patients and colleagues who depended on him.