Endings.... Continued.

Chapter 7: The Blame Game

"It's not his fault...." 

"Someone else helped him instead...."

The words repeated in Will's head over and over, almost drowning out the worry that had formed about his brother in knowing he was just down the hall lying on a hospital bed in the midst of emergency surgery that could result in life or death. 

He found himself looking between the pair as he looked to where Kelly had sat down, followed by where Hank stood not far from him now. He found his eyes resting back on the fire fighter. They were friends, and they cared about each other, but that would not explain why Kelly would be there right now.

He also thought about how Kelly was the one to drive Jay to the hospital, meaning he was at the original scene. If it was just a foot chase followed by gun shots, why would Kelly be called there? Shouldn't he be with Stella right now as she recovers from her injuries? 

"All I know is that my brother got shot and is currently fighting for his life because he was pursuing the man who caused the fire," Will starts carefully, trying to put the mixture of emotions aside in hopes that logic would help him right now. "Hank tells me that he told him that he was not to be involved, but yet he was involved. Kelly, you are here right now and brought Jay to the hospital, so you had to be at the scene." 

"I was at the scene," Kelly says quietly, guilt almost causing him to not say a word at all. He knew as soon as the words escaped his mouth, he should probably either watch his guard, or leave the room, or both. Hank was already upset with him at the scene and that's when he believed Jay would be okay. He knew that having both Hank and Will at his throat right now would not be a good time. But frankly, perhaps he deserved it for what he had done in allowing Jay to be involved. Maybe he should have listened. Maybe he should not have let his own anger and want for justice to get in the way of his judgement. "Jay called me and asked for my help to track down Daniel. He listened to my radio, and I drove him to the scene when we heard that he was on the run." 

"I had left Jay without his two-way or his truck keys a couple blocks from the district on purpose so he could not follow the team and I," Hank adds in hopes of erasing the anger that Will had directed at him. He wanted to be there for him right now, and comfort the pain he was feeling knowing it did not compare to any of his own. He hoped this began to open the door to allow that right now.

"How could you do this?!?" Will lets out as his eyes focus in on where Kelly sat at the opposite end of the small room. Will went to stand up, and make his way over, but Hank stepped in front o the Halstead brother, hand firmly placed on his chest.

"Kicking Kelly in the ass right now is not going to solve anything. It's just going to get the attention of security and perhaps get you kicked out of here..." Will shakes his head no, knowing that would not be an option in happening. He knew the staff there, and was best friends with the boss. He could bend the rules in his favour to ensure that did not happen. Instead, it could bring a new satisfaction in watching Kelly escorted out of the hospital for the second time in a matter of days. "Let's focus on what matters right now. Let's focus on Jay, caring about him, praying for him, and being here when he gets out of surgery to help him." 

"I can do both at the same time, Hank. Don't think I stopped caring about my brother for a damn second just because I want to make sure jackass over there learns a lesson." Kelly looks on a little surprised, almost debating whether he should leave the room or not. However, he could not find the ability to stand up and do so. He had to make sure Jay was okay. Jay trusted him to reach out to him for help when he needed it, and he had to ensure that things worked out in the end. Jay deserved his support for making sure that Daniel did not get away with what he had done. "I can't lose my brother....I need Jay more than ever right now. He's all that I have left. Knowing what our family has been through, I can't believe you would do this..." 

"I'm sorry...." was all Kelly could barely squeak out, despite having a bunch of other things on his mind that could have been said. Besides, anything else he had to say would be a mute point right now as Will probably would not have allowed himself to digest or understand it. 

"Jay is going to be okay - that's all that matters in the end," Hank repeated once again as he wraps both arms around Will's shoulders, with Will finally allowing himself to collapse in the arms of the sergeant with the tears leaking out that had been kept at bay to this point. "We're going to get him through this, together. Connor has got this as you know he's a magician." 

"I wouldn't want anybody else to be doing that surgery right now than Connor," Will comments, knowing that Connor would do whatever it took to ensure his brother got through this. Connor did that for all his patients, but especially for those who were close to him and he cared about. It was why Connor was one of the best surgeons in the country. 

"It's going to be okay, Will. How about we just sit here and wait it out together?"