Breathing

- First Date -

"Is that what you're planning on wearing tonight?"

"I mean, no, it's probably fine – if you think it's fancy enough for the corner table at Alinea?"

It had only been a light-hearted joke but when she walked out of the hospital to meet him that night, wrapped up in that stunning blue dress, he could not take his eyes off her. Nor could he string a sentence together.

"Fancy enough?" Nat smirked, arms raised in question.

"Wow, uh, yeah," Will cleared his throat. "More than fancy enough – you're gorgeous Natalie." He reached out for her hand, pulling her in for a slow, lingering kiss.

"You look pretty good yourself, Dr Halstead." Natalie stepped back to admire him, keeping his left hand firmly in her right. "Definitely fancy enough for the corner table at Alinea."

"Well thank you," Will laughed as they began their walk towards the waiting cab. "About that, there was just one thing I wanted to do first." Natalie looked at him questioningly as he held the car door open for her. "A quick detour, it'll be worth it."

"You're in charge." She smiled, shuffling across the backseat as he hopped in beside her.

"Navy Pier, please." He instructed the driver, sliding his arms around Natalie and giving her a brief kiss to dispel her confused expression. "Relax, we're gonna have fun."

"Hey, you're not gonna let fear win, are you?"

"Yes. Yes I am."

"Come on, just one ride ….. I'm gonna be next to you the whole time. Trust me."

She could not believe he'd managed to talk her onto a ferris wheel. Especially one that took them almost 200 feet into the sky. It's like he'd heard her talk about being scared of ferris wheels and rollercoasters and taken it as a personal challenge.

But she couldn't bring herself to be annoyed with him, or even upset – because he just looked so happy with one arm pulling her flush against his side and his other hand held tightly in hers. As their pod reached the top of the first circle and they got a gorgeous view of Chicago, she could feel her heart thundering in her rib cage. She knew her hands were clammy but Will didn't pull his away. Instead he pressed a kiss against the side of her head.

"You don't have to be afraid, Nat." His arm tightened around her. "I won't let anything happen to you – you're perfectly safe."

"Thank you." Natalie smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. "You know, I know it's irrational to be scared of stuff like this but –"

"That's not what you're actually scared of." Will finished.

"Yeah, it's a bit more complicated than a fear of heights." She sighed.

"Well, about that." Will rubbed started rubbing circles on her shoulder with his thumb. "When you left the hospital after having Owen, I told you to call me if you needed anything – what I'm trying to say is, I already care about your son, I've adored that kid since he was born. Hell, before that. I've had these feelings for you for the longest time but you going on sabbatical made me think about what this, us, would mean, and listening to you speak to that woman today just reminded me of that. I want you in my life Natalie, which means I want Owen too." He shook his head. "I guess, that the reason I took you on this ferris wheel was to tell you that you don't have to be scared because I'll be right here, through everything." Will stopped and cleared his throat almost nervously. "If you'll have me."

For the longest time Natalie just stared at him, as the wheel kept turning them round, finally on their last turn.

"Sorry that was a little intense –"

Natalie cut him off with a kiss. "No, it wasn't, it was perfect. Thank you."

Will kissed her back, soft and slow, one hand tangled in her hair. "I just, thought you should know that I've considered everything."

And it meant the world to her, she just didn't have the words to tell him. Knowing that he had thought about what a long-term relationship would look like and thought about her son and where he fit into all of this was a huge relief. It meant that it was something she wouldn't have to worry about bringing up over dinner one night. Although, given everything they'd been through as friends she surely knew that he cared about Owen – after all, who came over to hang a mobile after a 14-hour shift if they didn't care?