The Long Haul

Chapter 12

The truck pulled up near the hospital entrance as Jay mulled over his brother's comment. He didn't like it one bit that Will was minimizing his concerns, trying to find holes in his theories. Maybe it was best that they balanced each other out and the answer was somewhere in between it all.

"Yeah, maybe you're right," he said but truly didn't mean it.

"Let's give it time, Jay. She's safer living with you now, so that's the silver lining here. Let's deal with one family drama at a time, okay?"

Jay smiled briefly, soaking up the feedback that Will was practically praising his decision to have Alex move in. He nodded before replying, "Let me know if you hear anything." He had zero expectation that Alex would ever reach out to Will, much less about whatever it was that she was up to, but he had to say it for good measure.

Will opened the door and hopped out before turning back. "You know it. Thanks for the lift."

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Alex went over to Maddie's house with the gang after school today as was the usual plan on a Friday. The youngest Halstead had texted her brother to say she'd be with friends until her stupid curfew, so she was in the clear for the evening, even if she was still pissed that she'd have to duck out early.

They'd watched a movie and then decided to finish off the bottle of Grey Goose they'd opened yesterday, and they were all feeling great. About an hour later, Dustin has received an invite to an impromptu house party, mainly with kids from a neighboring private school. Never being one to turn down a good time, he quickly convinced everyone to join him, and Alex knew that she couldn't say no without risking her friends questioning her. She'd worked hard to fit in with this group of friends over the past year, and she wasn't about to risk all of that over some stupid rules, so she gladly went along with it. And the three shots she threw back surely influenced her decision as well.

The party was at a large house with fancy chandeliers and all. None of it fazed Alex anymore - she was used to being around people who had much nicer things than her family did. She enjoyed these moments when she got to live like the other half - and boy was she taking advantage of it today. Why not? Everything had been going quite well with Jay and she had another hour and a half to kill before she'd have to head home.

Currently, her arms were wrapped tightly around Dustin's neck as he hugged her waist. Their bodies moved in sync to the blaring music. Their lips had found one another's every now and then, getting caught up in the moment with no regrets. It wasn't the first time and definitely wouldn't be the last. They weren't dating or anything, but when they both had alcohol in them, they seemed to be each other's go to for some action. If friends with benefits were in the dictionary, their picture would be beside it.

Although Alex was truly enjoying the heated moment dancing with Dustin, there was a small part of her brain that was starting to sober up and she caught a glimpse of the clock on the wall. "Hey, I need to get going," she said into his ear so he could hear over the music.

"Aw, come on, Alex," he replied back with clear disappointment. He wasn't used to her having to cut out early on their fun. He pulled her in even closer until their bodies were molded together. "We're just getting started," he said seductively into her ear.

Alex bit her lip - her teenage lust was screaming to not pass up another opportunity at a good time. However, her brain was still functioning just enough to overpower the lust. That was until Dustin slid his hand tenderly up the back of her shirt and started playing with her bra clasp.

And then all rational thought went out the window as her lips found his and their legs moved in desperate search of an empty bedroom upstairs.

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Twenty minutes and a few shots later, Dustin and Alex were still riding the high of the moment. As Alex zipped up her jeans, she quickly glanced at her phone and was surprised to see a message from Emma had just arrived.

I'm geeking wick

She stared at the message blinking hard over and over - silently wondering if she was really that drunk or if Emma forgot how to text. She didn't have much time to figure out the answer before another message came in.

Outside. HELP.

Without another word, Alex kissed Dustin passionately, ran her hand along his bare chest affectionately, and disappeared out the door as per usual - no explanation needed because it was casual after all. But what she didn't see was the hints of disappointment when she'd left so suddenly.

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Rushing down the stairs on a mission, every sense heightened, Alex's mind swirled with anxiety at deciphering Emma's message. As she pushed through the dense crowd of party-goers, the muffled beats of the music made her head spin a little more than it already was with alcohol.

As she burst out the front door, the night's cold embrace did little to sober her up. She quickly located Emma on the sidewalk, her silhouette faintly illuminated by a nearby streetlight. Emma was shaking, looking disoriented.

"Emma!" Alex's voice was laced with panic. She darted over, wrapping her arms around her. "Hey, hey, look at me," she urged, trying to get a coherent response.

Emma's voice was barely above a whisper, her words slurred. "Alex... I don't know... something's not right." Emma's eyes were clearly glossed over from one too many shots and she was gripping her stomach as she stood doubled over in pain.

The realization was immediate, and dread filled Alex's heart. There was something more than booze taking control right now. While the alcohol had a rather large hold on her right now, she was still able to draw upon her voice of reason, and it told her to do one thing. "We need to get you to a hospital," she announced firmly.

The only response was the sound of Emma hurling the contents of her stomach onto the road. More panic settled in and luckily, a nearby cab had its light on. With some effort, Alex managed to get Emma into the back seat, telling the driver to take them to the nearest hospital.

The ride was a blur; her main focus was keeping Emma focused, and each minute felt agonizingly long. Alex didn't have time to process that the car was pulling up to Chicago Med's Emergency Department.

The glaring fluorescent lights of Chicago Med made the world sway a bit more for Alex as she staggered in, supporting Emma, who seemed to be in bad shape. The emergency entrance was a maze of hurried footsteps, clipped conversations, and the occasional wailing siren. Through her alcohol-fogged mind, Alex tried to articulate their need for help.

"Help! I need help here!" Alex shouted.