Fanfiction Short Stories/ Ideas

Chicago Med - Will Halstead

Walking into Molly's I find the bar and order a mocktail. After being given my drink and paying for it I find a seat at a small table in the corner. Molly's is practically empty, but it is 1am.

Deeply sighing I lean back in my chair, the sights and sounds of the delivery room playing in my head. I look down at my hands, the cold wet feeling remaining on them. As I feel my eyes welling with tears I hear a mysterious voice. "Excuse me?"

I look up to find a tall, red-haired man standing in front of me. "Um... yes?" I smile lightly shaking my head out of my daze.

"I'm sorry," the man nervously chuckles. "I noticed you sitting here alone, and I wondered if you wanted any company?"

Shocked, I smile warmly at him "That's very sweet but I don't want to interrupt your night."

"You wouldn't be interrupting" he smiles reassuringly. "I just thought you looked lonely so I wanted to see if you were okay."

That's sweet. I must admit that I am feeling guarded about this man, but something about him looks familiar. Plus, I think talking about my thoughts or even just giving myself a distraction would really help me right now. And anyway, I'm not drinking, and I won't leave him with my drink at any point. I'll be safe. "That would actually be really nice." I push a chair towards him.

He sits down with his glass of what looks like whiskey, as he reaches his hand out to me. "I'm Will Halstead."

Shaking his hand, I smile "Tilly Dawson."

We sit in silence for a few minutes before he takes a sip of his drink and speaks. "Dawson... aren't you a nurse at Chicago Med?"

"Close" I laugh. "I'm a midwife. How'd you know?"

"I work in the ED."

Sitting forward I click my fingers. "That's it!" turning to him I realise that my sudden burst of energy shocked him. "I'm so sorry" I burst out laughing, "I knew I recognized you from somewhere, but I couldn't figure out where from."

"From work" he laughs sitting back in his seat.

"Exactly" I continue laughing, sitting back in my seat.

"Speaking of..." he begins, taking another sip of his drink. "I don't think I've ever seen you come here."

I take a big gulp of my drink really wishing that I had chosen some alcohol after all. "Yeah... I don't really drink and haven't managed to make any close friends at work so normally I just go home to decompress."

"That's understandable." He gently smiles. "If you don't mind me asking... What makes today different?"

I laugh, my tone cold and nervous. "Well," pausing I finish the rest of my drink, emptying the half glass. "You're gonna think it's really silly, because I've heard that you see bad stuff every day."

"That just means that I'm used to it. Plus, I really struggle when bad things happen with infant patients. I don't know how you do it... being in control of such a miracle of life."

He's so lovely when he speaks... I'm completely taken aback by his description of my job.

"So... if there's something you want to get off your chest it's completely valid, and important, no matter how different our jobs are."

Sighing I stand from my seat. Watching Will stand up I push his shoulder down. "Don't worry I just need another drink if I'm gonna get through this." I giggle walking towards the bar. Returning a few seconds later with another mocktail, I sit beside Will again breathing in deeply to prepare myself. "So... I just finished from a 14-hour shift-"

"14 hours?? Don't midwives normally only work a max of 12 hours?" he interrupts me, clear shock in his voice.

"That is true, but my shift ended while I was delivering a baby, so I just waited it out. But when it came out it wasn't breathing. That happens yes... but" I pause, my eyes brimming with tears. "I did everything we're trained to do... I did chest compressions, I used the breathing bag, but... the baby didn't make it."

There is silence for a few moments before Will breaks it. "I'm so sorry."

I feel the tears rolling down my cheeks and I'm glad that I decided to sit in the dark corner. "Don't be... I know it must sound silly to you cause you deal with death every day, but I've never had a patient die before... I officially became a midwife a year ago and I managed to save everyone... I was so desperate I even considered running the baby down to the ED." I begin to laugh, hoping that I can force my tears away.

Will lightly laughs before assuring me, "Well, we would have just done everything you did."

I smile sadly staring into the red abyss that is my virgin cosmopolitan... my mind still swimming with thoughts and sounds from today...

Will stares at Tilly, as if he can see the thoughts swimming in her mind. Sighing he speaks in a soft voice, "I know it's hard but... at the end of the day we have to remember that we're human... we can't do everything right all the time but what we can do is try our best and look after ourselves afterwards." He smiles placing a hand on her shoulder comfortingly.