'Well?' Travis asks, excited. Alicia keeps silent. 'C'mon! I wanna know!'
'I'm pregnant.' Alicia says quietly as she sinks down onto the sofa. Travis sits next to you.
'That's good news!' Travis grins. 'Isn't it?'
'I don't know.' Alicia shakes her head. 'Jack and I never discussed having kids. That's why we always used protec-' She suddenly stops. 'Holy shit.' She adds slowly.
'What?' Travis asks. Alicia positions herself so that her whole body is facing Travis.
'I might not be a couple of weeks pregnant, Trav.'
'Wait, what?' Travis questions.
'I might be a couple of months pregnant.'
'I thought you said that you and Jack always used protection.' Travis says confused.
'Remember the fundraiser Gala we were all invited to a couple of months ago?' Alicia asks him and he nods. 'Well afterwards, Jack and I booked a room and spent the night there, there wasn't much sleeping though.'
'TMI, Lecia.' Travis laughs.
'Anyway, we didn't use protection that night.' Alicia questions.
'We need to get you booked into for an ultrasound.' Travis tells her. 'We can go to the ED now and get you one!'
'Calm down.' Alicia laughs. 'I'll book one tomorrow, it's way too late to go for one now.'
'Not if I knock you out and carry you, unconscious, into the ED.' Travis smirks, jokingly going to punch her but Alicia stops him.
'Which will result in you getting arrested for assaulting firefighter.' She adds. 'And your ass getting kicked by my brothers and we don't want to ruin that beautiful face of yours, do we?'
'Fair point.' Travis nods, laughing. 'You've got to let me come with you to the ultrasound though.'
'Of course.' Alicia smiles. 'I'm not about to leave you out of all this.' Travis puts his arm around her shoulder and she rests her head against him whilst rubbing her hand over her belly. 'I've got a human growing inside of me.'
'That's how pregnancy works, Lecia.' Travis laughs.
'Shut up.' She playfully slaps him with her other hand. 'It's crazy.' It then hits her. She jolts up.
'What is it?' Travis questions, also sitting up.
'How am I going to tell Jack, I can hardly tell him that I'm carrying his child over the phone.' Alicia panics.
'Take a chill pill, Lecia. I'll book some plane tickets to Seattle for you when you're next off. You can stay with me and you can tell Jack in person.'
'That's why you're my best friend.' Alicia smiles.
.
The next day, Alicia and Travis walk onto the obstetrics and gynaecology floor. Alicia sighs in and they both sit down.
'Let's hope that we're in and out of here before Will sees us.' Alicia says.
'Why don't you want him to see us?' Travis queries.
'I'm just not ready to face him yet.' Alicia sighs. A technician then walks out to the waiting area.
'Miss Halstead?' He shouts. Both Alicia and Travis follow the technician through to a room. Alicia sits on the bed in the room whilst Travis sits on a chair at the foot of the bed. 'So, Miss Halstead, is this your partner?'
'No.' Alicia shakes her head, laughing. 'He's my best friend, Travis, I used to work with him in Seattle before I moved back here.'
'Ah. So you're from Chicago?' The technician questions.
'Cannaryville.' Alicia nods. 'My brother's an ER attending here, Will Halstead.'
'Oh.' The technician states. 'Well duh.' He adds, laughing. 'Anyway, lay down and we can get this ultrasound done.' Alicia lays down and lifts her top up slightly. The technician stands up and pulls over the ultrasound machine. He picks up the gel. 'This is going to be a bit cold.' He puts a drop of the gel on her abdomen, places it back and picks up the transducer. 'There's going to be a bit of pressure.' The technician places the transducer on the gel and spreads the gel around, applying pressure as he does. After a few minutes, he places the transducer down. He hands Alicia a tissue so she can wipe the gel off. Once the gel is gone, she puts her top back down and sits up.
'Well?' Alicia raises an eyebrow.
'You are most definitely pregnant.' The technician. 'You have a healthy, two month pregnancy. I'll get you booked in with obstetrics who will be in contact about booking future scans.'
'Thank you.' Alicia smiles. 'Oh, and as you're bound by confidentiality, don't tell Will that you saw me here.'
'Secret's safe with me.' The technician nods. 'We'll be in touch. Oh, and I apologise for not introducing myself, I'm Mark.' Alicia and Travis smile and leave. They both walk out of the hospital and down to Alicia's car. As they are about to get into the car, Alicia sees Will walking over to her.
'Crap.' She sighs as she opens her car door.
'Hey.' Will smiles once he reaches her.
'Hey.' Alicia sighs, leaning on her car door.
'What are you doing here?' Will asks.
'I had to sort out some paperwork.' Alicia lies.
'We should grab a drink and catch up.' Will tells her but she scoffs. 'What?'
'Me being here doesn't mean that we're automatically closer than ever.' She shakes her head. 'Just like that.' She adds, snapping her fingers. She then goes to get into her car.
'Alicia, wait.' Alicia sighs and stands upright. 'I really do want to try and reconnect.'
'You should have thought about that before you tried to get me kicked out of the fire department.' Alicia responds.
'I don't get it.' Will shakes his head. 'We've talked and you've never once mentioned how angry you are about it.'
'I talked to you because you're my brother and as for why I've never said how angry I am, I didnt want to scream at you down the phone.' Alicia explains. 'You could have lost YOUR job if your little plan had gone sideways. You're lucky I covered for you. You're lucky that I forgive you.' Will looks down. 'I've got to go so you might want to move before I change my ming and run you over.' She gets in the car with Travis, they put their seatbelts on and Alicia drives off.
.
As Alicia is driving, Travis sees that years are dropping from Alicia's eyes.
'Pull over, Lecia.' Travis states.
'I'm fine.' Alicia shakes her head.
'You won't be when your vision blurs and you crash the car.' Travis telle her. 'Pull over the car.' Alicia sighs and pulls over. 'I'll drive.'
'I'm fine.' Alicia says again but she breaks down crying. Travis puts his hand on her shoulder to console her. After a few minutes she wipes her tears. 'Do you remember we had to have a health check as part of the new Seatlle F.D?' She looks at Travis and he nods. 'Well, unknown to me, Will had added something to my chart about me having serious asthma when I was child, which isn't true, by the way.'
'Shouldn't he have lost his liscense?' Travis questions.
'Yeah, but I covered for him.' Alicia nods. 'I called a doctor that owed me a favour and he removed it from my chart. When he asked why it was there in the first place, I made up some lame excuse, he didn't think anything of it because he had the hots for me.'
'How'd you find out?' Travis queries.
'Andy was the one making sure all the paperwork was correct before sending it off.' Alicia responds. 'She told me.'
'Wow.' Travis widens his eyes. 'And we'll never talk about it ever again?'
'Bingo.' Alicia laughs.
.
It's been a few days. Travis has returned to Seattle and Alicia has had a meeting with Matt and the chiefs to discuss maternity leave and arrangements for when she is too far along to work on the ambulance or truck. Once they are finished with their meeting, Alicia and Matt decide to go for a coffee. They walk into the closest Starbucks, buy their drinks and sit at a table.
'The chiefs didn't look very happy.' Alicia sighs.
'Well you've just started with the CFD and you go to them with a pregnancy announcement.' Matt says. 'As much as they're probably happy for you, they're not going to be jumping for joy. They do have tons of paperwork to do now.'
'It's not like I'm leaving the CFD. I'll be transferring to arson when I'm five months pregnant.' Alicia adds. Matt looks at his watch.
'C'mon. Shift starts in just over half an hour.' Matt tells her. They both stand up, walk out of the coffee shop and starts the short walk to the firehouse.
.
Whilst Truck, Squad and Engine are out on a call, Sylvie and Alicia sit in the common room, talking. As they're talking, Alicia's phone keeps ringing. Alicia takes it out of her pocket and turns it on silent. Sylvie catches sight of the caller ID.
'Who's Jack?' Sylvie asks.
'Someone I used to work with in Seattle.' Alicia replies, smiling.
'He wasn't-?' Sylvie starts but the stops.
'My lieutenant?' Alicia finishes. 'Yeah.' She nods.
'Why are you avoiding him?' Sylvie questions. 'You go red every time you mention him.' Alicia looks down. 'Wait, you're not- you're not pregnant are you?' Alicia looks up and smiles. 'Oh my God! That's amazing! How far along are you?'
'About two months. I only found out the other day.' Alicia tells her.
'And does Jay know?' Sylvie queries.
'Does Jay know what?' Jay asks, walking in.
'I'll give you some space.' Sylvie says to Alicia. She gets up and walks out of the common room. Alicia stands up and walks up to Jay.
'What are you doing here?' Alicia inquiries.
'I'm looking for Casey.' Jay answers. 'Is he around?'
'They're out on a call.' Alicia shakes her head. 'It's a structure fire so they might be a while. I'll get Casey to give you a call when they're back.'
'Right. Thanks.' Jay smiles, nodding. 'Now, what are you hiding from me?'
'This isn't how I was planning on telling you.' Alicia sighs.
'Telling me what?' Jay asks.
'I'm pregnant.' Alicia smiles. Jay just stares at her. 'Jay?' He slowly smiles and brings her in for a hug.
'I am so happy for you!' He grins as they part. 'And it's definitely Jack's?' Alicia punches him on the arm. 'Ow!' He exclaims, rubbing his arm. 'You're stronger than I remember.'
'Of course it's Jack's!' Alicia says. 'I'm going to go over to Seattle and tell him when I'm next off work.'
'That's what we have phones for.'
'Sure! I'll just tell my ex-fiancé, who is now one of my best friends, that I am carrying his son or daughter, over the phone.' Alicia says, sarcastically.
'Ha-ha, very funny.' Jay raises an eyebrow. 'Have you told Will?'
'No.' Alicia shakes her head. 'I'll tell him in my own time so don't say anything.'
'Dont worry. I won't.' Jay assures her. 'Anyway, when Casey gets back can you tell him to give me a call?'
'Sure.' Alicia nods.
'Thanks.' Jay smiles. They both hug before Jay leaves. Once Jay has left, Sylvie walks back up to Alicia.
'What'd he want?' Sylvie queries.
'No idea.' Alicia shakes his head. 'He was looking for Casey.'
'Are you going to tell Will?'
'I saw him after the scan at the hospital. Knowing him, he probably accessed my medical records and he would have seen for himself.' Alicia shrugs. 'So there's no point. Not really.'
An hour goes by, Alicia and Sylvie are sitting at the table in the common room playing chess when everyone returns. When Matt walks in, Alicia speaks up.
'Casey, Jay came by about an hour ago looking for you. He didn't say what it was about.' Alicia informs him.
'I know what it's about.' Matt nods. 'Thanks, Halstead.' He then walks off to his quarters. Otis then sits next to Alicia.
'Slow day for you guys then?' Otis questions, smiling.
'Did he just say that?' Sylvie asks. Alicia looks at Sylvie then at Otis.
'You did not just say that.' Alicia shakes her head.
Ambulance 61, juvenile in distress, Funky Monkey Children's Play Area, Newman Avenue
'Ugh, you jinxed it!' Alicia groans. Both Alicia and Sylvie jump out of their seats and rush off.
.
A couple of hours later, two paramedics rush into Chicago Med.
'Alicia Halstead, thirty years old.' One of the paramedics announces.
...
Chapter three is here! What do you think of the book so far?
What do you think happened to Alicia? Leave your thoughts in the comments!
Much love
Chloe
XoXo