Halstead Sister One Shots

How It Started

Wills POV

Silence filled the apartment as the social worker left Gracie officially, and legally, in our care. It had taken a few hours to make our way through all of the different documents so Gracie had been in bed for a couple of hours by this point,

"Want one?" Jay asked as he held out a beer for me to take which I did so gratefully,

"Thanks" I smiled as I took it from his outstretched hand and joined him sitting on the sofa "you ok?" I asked after a couple of minutes of comfortable silence,

"I think so" he nodded "you?" He returned,

"I think so too" I agreed before taking a drink "it's Gracie I feel sorry for" I admitted "no kid should grow up without parents" I added and Jay nodded in agreement,

"That's why we're gonna have to do the best we can to fill in that gap for her" he replied and I lent forward on my knees with a nod,

"I did not think I would be raising a child this time last month" I admitted and Jay laughed lightly,

"Tell me about it" he replied "but it's not like we weren't the ones basically raising her anyway" he said "even with you in New York we where more parents to her than mom and dad" he finished,

"That's not their fault" I defended "mom was too sick and dad was drinking as much as possible to try and cope with that" I shrugged "maybe the car crash was putting them both out of their misery" I said soberly,

"At least they're together" Jay spoke "and thank god that Gracie wasn't in the car with them" he added and I nodded in agreement before the room filled with a reminiscent silence. "So" Jay finally spoke "are you going back to New York?" He asked me and I looked at him in surprise,

"Of course not" I assured "I'm gonna have to go back to get more of my stuff but after that, I'm here to stay" I said and a look of relief washed over my younger brothers face "but we can't stay here" I said obviously and he nodded knowingly,

"I'll start looking for a bigger place first thing tomorrow" he told me,

"I actually just got offered a place at Chicago Med" I said with a light smile "I was thinking about staying before any of this happened anyway" I said,

"That's great, I know a few people that work there and you'd fit right in" he commented and I smiled in appreciation,

"Thanks" I replied before letting out a big yawn "I'm gonna head home" I said,

"You sure, you can crash on the couch again?" Jay offered,

"Thanks but I don't think my back could take that" I admitted making him laugh "I'll head back home and come by in the morning?" I asked,

"As long as you bring breakfast" he bargained,

"Done" I agreed before putting my now empty beer bottle on the table in front of me and standing up to leave my brothers apartment,

"See you tomorrow" Jay said as we patted each other on the back,

"See you tomorrow" I replied before grabbing my jacket and heading home.

The next morning

Gracies POV (3 Years Old)

My eyes flickered open and I found myself lying in Jays much bigger bed in his apartment. But no Jay. I rubbed my eyes in a bid to get rid of any sleep before wriggling out of the bed and walking out to the kitchen,

"Good morning sleeping beauty" Jay said when he saw me from his place at the kitchen counter where he was stood drinking a mug of coffee,

"G'morning" I replied as I walked over to him and he brushed some of my messy hair away from my face,

"You've got a serious case of bed head this morning kiddo" he joked as I continued to rub the sleep from my eyes,

"Where's Will?" I asked, noticing the lack of my eldest brothers presence,

"He went home" he told me bringing tears to my eyes and making me let out a little whimper "what's the matter?" Jay asked, instantly putting his coffee down and picking me up,

"I want Will" I sobbed as Jay reached up and tried to wipe some of my ever falling tears from my, now red and puffy, eyes.

"He'll be here soon" Jay said in a soft, yet confused, tone,

"But you said he's gone home and Wills home is in New York" I sobbed and a look of realisation flashed over his face,

"No Gracie" he soothed "he's just gone back to his apartment here" he explained "he's not going back to New York" he said as I sniffled back some of my slowing tears.

Just then the sound of the front door opening and closing caught both of out attentions,

"Only me" Wills voice announce causing me to wriggle out of Jays arms and run over to my other brother "what's the matter?" Will asked confused as he crouched down to my level and allowed me to cry in to his neck,

"I though you had gone to New York" I sobbed,

"I told her you had gone home and she got confused thinking I meant back to New York" Jay explained,

"Oh, Gracie" Will sighed as he rubbed soothing circles on my back "I'm not going anywhere" he assured,

"Promise?" I asked with a sniffle making him smile lightly,

"Promise" he repeated as he locked his large pinky with my much smaller one "now no more tears" he said as he wiped my cheeks before poking my nose playfully,

"What's that?" I asked, referring to the bag that Will had put down.

"Breakfast" he said as he stood back up and carried the bag in to the kitchen,

"Ooooohhh, did you get me chocolate chip pancakes?" I asked hopefully as he pulled out a box of food,

"I absolutely did" he confirmed making me jump up and down in excitement "go sit down and I'll bring them over to you" he said.

I sat down at the small kitchen table and Will and Jay soon followed,

"So Gracie" Jay spoke "we need to talk to you about something" he said and I looked up at him with curious eyes,

"Is it about mommy and daddy being in heaven?" I asked making both of my brothers smile softly at my innocence,

"Kind of" Will nodded "do you remember the nice lady who's been coming round a lot?" He asked me and I nodded,

"I liked her" I commented "she helped me colour in a picture of a unicorn" I added,

"Well...after you went to bed last night she came over" Will began "and we signed some papers to say that you can stay with us" he explained,

"Forever?" I asked hopefully and he nodded "sooooo...you're now like my parents?" I asked,

"Exactly" Jay confirmed "Is that ok?" He asked and I thought about it for a few seconds before nodding,

"That's ok" I finally replied "but-" I cut myself off,

"But what?" Jay asked softly,

"It's just" I hesitated "what happens if both of you go away?" I asked "like if something bad happens to you like it did to mommy and daddy" I clarified,

"Hey, that's not gonna happen" Will assured as he gave my hand a gentle squeeze in reassurance,

"We're not going anywhere Gracie" Jay added "we're here for the long run" he assured "Will here has got himself a job at a hospital here in Chicago so we're gonna find a bigger apartment as soon as we can so we can all move in together" he explained,

"So you are really never going away?" I asked turning to Will, who smiled as he shook his head,

"Never" he swore causing me to jump off my chair and straight on to his lap,

"Good" I said definitely "your cuddles are better that Jays" I whispered in his ear making him laugh,

"I heard that missy" Jay said in mock offence,

"Heard what?" I asked innocently making both of them laugh,

"Go and eat the rest of your breakfast before it gets cold" Will said as he ushered me off his lap and I sat back down in my chair.