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Imogen Halstead (age 22)
Word count: 2639
Tw: hospitals, violence, gore.
Imogen's POV
Working in the same district as my older brother is crazy, I mean... sure it's cool, but I rarely see him do his work. I would love for nothing more than to just drop into one of their cases and watch him work. After all, he is the reason I inspired to become a police officer. Maybe one day I'll get to join the intelligence unit too...
"Halstead" Platt announces as I walk up the steps. I look up, sighing heavily, "what's gotten into your brother this morning?" She stands with her hands on her hips. I sigh, "believe it or not he lost a bet with Ruzek, something about jay buying all rounds at mollys for a month" I scoff a laugh. Platt raises an eyebrow, "hmm, might have to take advantage of that" she shrugs, "anyways, Kemps waiting for you in the locker room" she changes subject. I smile, tapping the desk with a curt nod before retreating to the locker room.
Dylan Kemp, my patrol partner. He's alright... I guess. He does what he wants, let's say. I admire his love for the job, but he's a little careless. Everything he does is for himself, no one else. He looks up at me as I shove my clothes into my locker, now fully kitted up, "I need to run a personal, you can stay in the car" he informs me. I pull a face, "okay?" I nod, following him out of the precinct. I've worked with him for a year now, and not once has he ever pulled this stunt... but he's the senior officer... so, I have no say.
He says nothing to me the whole drive to a very sketchy looking neighbourhood, but he seems slightly on edge, as if he isn't his usual self. We slowly roll to a stop and I expectantly look at him, "wait here" he storms off. I scoff, "what if you need backup?" I open the door and stand up, closing the car door behind me. He ignores me, storming into a small bungalow.
I look around, standing in front of the squad car, completely on guard. A few people are sitting in front of their houses, watching me, and I can't help but feel exposed. Being a female cop, all alone, in a neighbourhood as such... it's not ideal. Kemp knows that...
...
Ten minutes seem to pass by painfully slowly, and I can't help but notice how extremely quiet the neighbourhood has fallen. Not so long ago there were kids playing with a soccer ball across the street, and the people who were sat outside their gates have vanished into their homes. A shiver runs down my back as I lay eyes upon the house my partner is in.
A low whistle draws my attention to the alleyway behind me, and I freeze. Four very large men, wearing black ski masks and gloves, approach me rather quickly.
They stop behind the squad car, one of them giving the back tire a firm press with his boot cladded foot. The laughter escaping their lips leaves me frozen, something is going to happen... I can feel it. I can see it.
"How can we help you, officer?" One man taunts, the tone of his voice giving me goosebumps. Another man runs around the front of the squad car, smacking it with his fist, and although I try my hardest not flinch I can't help but acknowledge the presence of fear in the pit of my stomach. They move to surround me, "I'm just waiting for my partner, he shouldn't be long. If you'll excuse me..." I begin, only to find one man with his hand shoved in his pocket, fumbling around with something.
"I don't like cops coming round our block, too much... trouble" the man pulls a face through the mesh mask. Typically, I know, cops are meant to be feared... but right now I'm the one scared for my life, "well I can assure you, gentlemen... we're not here to cause trouble, just doing our standard welfare checks" I smile weakly, trying to mask my fear. One of the smaller men scoffs, "you shouldn't be out here alone" he moves to stand in front of me. I shrug, "like I said, my partner will be here any minute..." I'm cut off by a sudden blow to the back of my knees, knocking me to all fours.
The blows don't stop. My ribs, my back, my face... the immense pain shoots throughout my body like I'm being dunked in hot coal. A loud pop rings out... and again, although I can't exactly tell where they came from... was I shot? The blows suddenly stop, and I can't help but let out a pained yet broken sob.
Bang! From where I'm laying in the middle of the road, I look over to my right to see the squad car suddenly up in flames... yet, the men are nowhere to be seen. My hands reach down to a dull ache in my lower abdomen, and when I bring my hand back up to my face I see nothing but red crimson coating my skin. Oh, oh... I was shot. It was me...
"Oh my god..." a familiar voice fills my ears. I let out a relived sigh but all I can notice is how welcoming the darkness is starting to feel. A hand almost pushes me through the ground, "no, no, no... stay with me" I hear Kemp instruct. But, I don't think I can... "Halstead, don't you dare...." Everything is silent.
...
Jays POV
"Halstead" Voight steps out of his office, his face slightly pale. I nod, "it's your sister, she's at med" his voice is grave. I shake my head, "what? What do you mean?" I stand up. Voight looks at everyone, "she was jumped, offenders shot her... that's all I got" he nods. I grab my jacket, storming out of the bullpen with one thing on my mind... Imogen.
Hailey insisted that she drove me to med. Possibly the best choice... since all I can think about is my sister leaving us. She's the baby of us all, she shouldn't even be in this position... hell, I didn't even want her to become a police officer in the first place. But she insisted...
I called Will on the way over here too, given that todays his day off... So here I stand in the waiting room, pacing back and forward as the rest of the unit stay seated, their sympathetic eyes boring into my skin.
"Jay? Jay?!" Will calls out, pushing through the busy waiting room. I look up, walking to meet him, "she's in surgery, that's all they said" my eyes are bloodshot. Will looks over my shoulder as he pulls away from the hug, "hang on" he storms into the ED, and even though I want to follow him... I know they'll only kick me out, again.
The toilet door slams open behind us, and I turn around to see the commotion. Voight stands up, "kemp, what the hell happened?" I shake my head. The younger officer looks up at us all, his hands shaking as the blood remains on his hands, "I went- she was... she was waiting for me, and then I heard gunshots..." kemp blurts out. Voight shoots me a confused glare, "waiting for you? Why?" He enquires. Kemp fights with himself, a struggle evident on his face, "I ran a personal, told her to wait outside. It was a gang infested neighbourhood, I shouldn't have left her..." the man continues and I lose it.
My fist collides with his nose and he stumbles backwards into the vending machine. Atwater is quick to pull me backwards, Kim helping the younger officer up as he clutches his bloody nose. Scum. I spit at him, "you knew the neighbourhood was active and you still left her alone?! For what? Huh?!" I shove him again, only for my boss to shove me backwards. Voight pulls a face, "enough" he warns in a low tone. I huff, looking around at the multiple people staring at me, "did you tell dispatch where you were?" He shakes his head.
Kemp looks down, "son of a bitch!" I yell, trying to get out of Kevin's grip. Hailey steps in front of me, "enough!" She yells, "take a walk" she warns me. I shrug Kevin's hands off me shoulders and huff, turning to walk down the hallways of the hospital. I don't know where I'm going, but I keep walking. I eventually end up in an empty hallway not too far from the waiting room, but it's empty and silent. I slide down the wall and bury my face in my hands, letting the tears fall down my cheeks.
I've tried to protect Imogen all my life, even at the age of six when she was born... I knew she was special, she has a heart of gold, and I couldn't bear to think of what could happen now.
Wills POV
"ICU?" My voice breaks, standing in front of Crockett. He nods, looking at Sharon Goodwin, "she suffered severe internal bleeding, a gunshot wound to the pancreas... we had to remove it. Not to mention the blunt force trauma to her head. She's in a coma, Will... when she's more stable I'd like to get a scan to confirm her brain activity" dr Marcel continues and I stand there frozen. My eyes gloss over, "you'll come get me after the scan?" I nod, knowing we can't see her until he's confident with his diagnosis. Sharon smiles, "go be with your brother" she nods. I sigh, rubbing my face as I turn on my heels.
"Where's jay?" I eventually reach the waiting room. Hailey points to the hallway to her right, the site of jay slumped against the wall breaking her heart, I can see it on her face. I nod, saying nothing more, as I quickly walk through the doors.
Jay looks up at me and I can see the tears on his cheeks, "how is she?" He struggles to his feet. I look down, swallowing the lump in my throat, "she's uh- she's in a coma" I manage to spit out, holding back my tears. Jays head ducks forward slightly, judging wether he regard me correctly or not, "what?" He shakes his head. I nod, "dr Marcel said she suffered severe internal bleeding, the gunshot penetrated her appendix so they removed it. He said the blunt force trauma to her head probably knocked her out for good, he wants to run some scans to... to monitor her brain activity" I look at jay as I glance between him and the floor.
Jay lets out a loud scoff, "you mean there's a chance that she's brain dead?" He frowns deeply. I slowly nod, "only a small chance" I reiterate. Jay sways slightly, the news knocking him for sick, and I reach out to pull him into a big hug... Imogen is precious, how did it come to this?
"He's her 'partner' he was supposed to have her back, but he left her outside while he ran a personal. It's all his fault" jay grits his teeth, clinging onto me for dear life. Son of a...
...
* three weeks later *
Jays POV
Sitting next to Imogens hospital bed with the wires running by my arm, I interlock my fingers with hers as I look at her pale hands. The scan confirmed that she still has normal brain function, she isn't brain dead. But the internal bleeding she suffered caused some recurring problems.
They had to re-operate on her left lung, some tissue had died and was causing some abnormal breathing patterns. Next was her hip, her sutures had re-opened and was posing as a risk for infection. It's safe to safe Imogen's had a tough round, but she's hanging in there.
I've been staying at the hospital since it happened. Will managed to hook us up with a family room meaning I have a pull out couch to sleep on. Will stays on his day shifts or days off, but fortunately for me I don't have to worry about juggling work... Voight benched me after I went haywire on kemp, said he'd keep me in the loop about the case, but I posed as a basket cause to the unit.
Turns out a nearby traffic can Voight the four offenders of footage, and facial recognition ID them as prior suspects in a murder case three years ago. They're in county jail, waiting for a trial date... and you bet I'll be there.
As childish as it sounds, yesterday I read her a book... not a kids one, just a thriller. Something I know she would enjoy. Today I have her favourite songs playing. The doctors told me they can't confirm nor deny wether or she can hear me, but I'm counting on it. She will wake up.
I look up when the sound of the door opening breaks the near silence, "hey, figured you'd be hungry" hailey smiles, holding out some Chinese food. I smile in return, "thank you, but you didn't have to" I nod. She pulls up a chair, "anything?" She sighs. I shake my head, "not yet" I smile in defeat. She nods, "she'll pull through" she squeezes my arm. I nod, "she has to" I sigh truthfully, "I don't know what I would do if she doesn't" I add. Hailey nods, smiling weakly, although she doesn't say anything. She doesn't need to. I know what she's thinking.
...
* one week later *
Wills POV
These shifts in the ED are getting harder and harder, knowing Imogen's in the ICU suffering through similar conditions. I stop by on every break I get, and stay over with jay when I'm on day shifts. But it's hard... it's been four weeks, and nothing has changed.
Crockett said her brain activity is at one hundred percent, so why she hasn't woken up yet... pfft, is beyond me. As a doctor, for once I have no answers. I tried to get onto her case yesterday, but Sharon said that I am far, far, far, too emotionally involved. Understandably...
My thoughts are broken up by my phone ringing in my pocket, and I pull it out to see jays name waltzing across the screen. With a frown, I answer his call, "is she okay?" I stiffen, dreading what he could possibly say. Jay laughs, a distant laugh, "She's awake, will... she's okay" he let's out a shaky breath and I freeze. I almost run out of the doctors lounge, "mags, cover me. Imogen woke up" I laugh, a genuine laugh. Maggies eyes light up, "go, go on..." she waves me out, equally as excited as I am.
"Jay? Immy?" I slowly walk into the room, still a little apprehensive. My heartbeat quickens when I see jay and hailey stood at the foot of her bed, "Will?" Imogen's voice reaches my ears, and it feels foreign. I let out a loud sigh of relief, saying nothing, I rush over to gently give her a hug. Slowly, I move to sit on the side of her bed, yet she says nothing, she only smiles. Jay squeezed her hand, "that wasn't fun" she mumbles, her throat raw and raspy.
I can only scoff a laugh, rolling my eyes, "don't scare us like this... ever again" jay shakes his head, and I nod in agreement. She stares at us for a few moments, "got it" she sighs, finally resting her eyes. Staring at jay I can only nod, sharing a moment of peace and gratitude. For better or for worse, it will always be us three...