#roads to recovery

[the-nsr-family]

Zimeliu knows he's not "pretending" at being a person.

But he does quietly think he's been pretending at being a Human. And there's a line there. There's a line that he's honestly to afford to touch in conversation with his dad or siblings (he could send Eloni into a bad spiral and haym would be so upset. Purl would hide away again like when that one interviewer tried insisting purls light sensitivity was fake. And rin would just.... add it to the stress on his shoulders of being the oldest)

And God forbid he mentions it to sayu, who only so recently became properly aware and her own person. He'd rather crush his mother board then have her face this spiral.

But..... his life is infinite. He's not Mortal and someday in the future.... someone could just..

Wipe his programed personality away and leave him an endless blank canvas to remodel in their own whims.

Would that count as a death for him? Or would it only count for when his numerous back ups have been destroyed?

HB

I like to think Mayday is the one he confides in, but it comes out suddenly when she gets him riled up on accident and he just. Yells at her. It comes out before he can stop himself and all Mayday can say in response is "Holy shit, dude. How long have you been keeping that in?"

#nsr #no straight roads #nsr au #no straight roads au #my au #roads to recovery

[timikaschambers]

Good Morning to you!

Your thoughts can lead you down dead ends, detours, or freeways full of self-expression.

You have a mind of your own and don't have to believe everything said or do everything done.

#life #lifestyle #health #healing #mentalhealth #mindset #consciousness #consciousplanet

#spiritualawakening #spiritualjourney #peace #joy #freedom #resilience #hearthealth #diseaseprevention

#cancerprevention #darknesstolight #lawofattraction #transcendence #empower #lifeworkbalance

#memoir #parenting #breakthecycle #louisehay #jamesallen #waynedyer #mayaangelou #mylesmonroe @FulfillYourDivinePurpose

Make this lifetime great because you still can!

Timika

#life #purpose #empower #lifestyle #health #leader #mindset #journey #coach #mission #food for thought #mentalhealth #roads to recovery

[probablyhuntersmom]

The healing and lasting love of a mom

#for Mother's Day 2023 #camila noceda #hunter noceda #toh hunter #older hunter #toh waffles #the owl house #toh edits #loz's edits #loz's art #he's her lil' wolf cub forever #in the last pic he's fetching her to go for dinner at Dell and Gwen's house #like listen: she would've played a huge role in his recovery. after the Collector Palace scene he would've sunk into the darkest depression #in the weeks and many months to follow #she'd check his therapy progress. accompany him to therapy at times and fetch him from therapy too #he needed her warmth and guiding light as foundational building blocks. to be who he was after the timeskip #they'd both always remember that night where he drowned and she pulled him out of the water #she'd make sure he had the best possible Grom Night #and he'd be eternally grateful. they'd also work together throughout the years to follow since her expertise and his can overlap nicely #he keeps visiting the Human Realm now and then. to have movie nights..dinners..road trips etc with her and Luz and Vee #1k #2k #3k #4k #5k #8k #9k #10k #15k #20k

[justc2world]

I'm about to cry at work. I can't see him like this.

#so proud of him 🥺❤️ #carlos sainz jr #carlos sainz #pierluigi della bona #scuderia ferrari #f1 #formula 1 #road to recovery

[metalomagnetic]

WIP Snip Monday

let's pretend it's Monday, and not Wednesday.

Thank you so much for the tag @mundrakan

Here is a snippet from "It runs" (This chapter is so stubborn! I promise I am working hard on it, but it's complicated and real life is Hell, so please, bear with me).

----

“Come back to me, yes, there you go. Breathe," his mother's voice soothes him, drags him back to reality. "Everything will be alright.”

“I-”

Sirius doesn’t understand what happened to him, how seamlessly his mind slipped away, one moment in his home, the next in Azkaban, and now his mother is there, and he's confused-

“It’s alright. I’m here. I know I wasn’t always, but I am here. My Sirius, my brightest star. You’re home, you’re safe. Your brother is safe. That monster is dead. No one will ever hurt you again. I won’t allow it, yes? Breathe.”

He rests his head on her shoulder, tries to breathe normally. He shivers, cold and miserable, but one of her frail arms wraps around his back, draws him closer.

“You will heal,” she tells him. “You will have the best Healers in the world, the best potions, and you will heal. You weren’t there that long, the damage is reversible still, I asked, I asked many experts. You will heal from this.” It sounds like an order.

Sirius always disobeyed her, even if he didn't want to, didn't set out to hurt her. He always ended up disappointing her. He doesn't want to do it again, but that word- 'heal'- it sounds foreign, impossible. It sounds like she's setting him up for failure again, because how can Sirius accomplish it?

“And what potions will heal me from finding my best friend dead? From knowing I had a part in his death?” he whispers, terrified that he has to live with that, forever. That he'll have to find a way to accept it.

How can he? How? It's impossible.

“His son will heal you,” she says, determined, her fingers combing through his hair. “Little by little. You’ll see. You’ll have a piece of him with you. The best piece. Trust me when I say, our children are the best parts of us. What survived of Potter, is the purest part of him, the brightest. And you’ll raise him, do right by him, won’t you? That boy needs you stable, needs your love and care, and he’ll love you back, as only children can love.”

Harry. Yes. That’s true. Sirius will see him soon, will hold him. Tomorrow.

“He killed Voldemort,” Sirius whispers, finally voicing it. It doesn't sound real. “Harry.”

His mother snorts, but she keeps her fingers so gentle in his hair. It makes Sirius remember he once felt safe in her arms. Long ago. So very long ago.

He was sick with dragonpox, so sick, and scared, but she never moved from his bed. She stayed with him, wiped his brow with cold cloths, sang to him, held water to his lips. She hugged him when he shivered.

“Mama, will I die?” he asked, because he’d never felt as sick in his life, and he leaned people can die from feeling sick.

“My brightest star, how do you think I’d let you die? Who would dare take you from my arms? Death? I’d destroy it if it even glances your way.”

Sirius looks into her fierce eyes, and for a moment he thinks his mother is just as strong as his father, perhaps even more, because she seems capable of anything, of scaring death away.

“I may not be the most learned woman in the word, I didn’t go to any Institute, but I have lived for some dozens of years now, Sirius, and I have traveled far and wide, read many books, met many people, heard many things. A baby cannot kill a grown wizard."

Sirius knows. He does. And yet-

“He died," he says, and he shivers savagely. His mother's arm clings harder to him. "I found him there. Dead. In front of Harry’s crib.”

He sees it, all over again. Voldemort's body, his empty eyes, the wand between his fingers.

No, no, no. Stop. Sirius can't, he can't think of it. He bites his tongue, hard, he leans even more into his mother, inhales, and her perfume brings him back from the memory.

“Good riddance," she spits, venomous.

All over Britain, people celebrated Voldemort's death, Sirius knows. 'Good riddance'.

'The monster is gone'.

'Let him rot.'

It's fair, Sirius knows it's fair, that Voldemort caused so much pain, to everyone, his enemies or allies alike.

But it hurts. It hurts so much. He was always alone, that beautiful boy from the picture, the angelic child Sirius imagines, in some muggle orphanage, the fiercest dark lord in the world that cooked for Sirius, that held him in his arms at night. It hurts. It's beyond painful.

“I loved him,” Sirius confesses, and his mother goes still, stiffens all over. “I slept with him. Ate with him. Lived in our- in his home. Will you abandon me, too, now?”

She should leave him. Sirius doesn't deserve anything. He doesn't understand why he still has his family, his sanctuary, when James is dead, when Voldemort is gone, alone and terrified somewhere.

Sirius deserves to be alone, too. They should have left him to rot in Azkaban. It's what he deserves.

She takes a long time to answer. First, she resumes petting his hair, and eventually she rests her chin on his head. She sighs.

Just from that, Sirius can imagine how broken and pitiful he looks, exactly how he feels. He is in such a deplorable state, that she doesn't spit on him, doesn't call him a deviant, a disgrace, a stain on her family name.

“That takes longer to heal from,” she whispers. “Loving a hard, cold man isn’t easy. Even when they are heartless, even when they betray you, over and over again, it still hurts when they die.”

“How long?” Sirius asks. “How long does it take to heal from that?”

She hums. “I will tell you when I have an answer,” she says. “I’m still waiting. You can wait with me.”

#sirius/voldemort #lord voldemort #sirius black #walburga black #PTSD #long road to recovery #Walburga saves the day

[popsicle-stick]

What do you imagine the Drac Attack Pack look like a year or two afterwards when they a permanently changed but no longer Going Through It (and may have just possibly changed out of funerary garb)?

circa 1900

i actually can't decide if jon's hair grows back brown or stays grey/white! i think a lot of ppl like the latter, but i do like the symbolism of both.

but yeah! quincey the younger is on the way and all being said they're very happy!!!! and they look it. i think they (especially mina) take pains to make sure they, uh, come across as Normal as possible.

#dracula daily #dracula #i didn't get time to do everyone sadly! some of them might be ...interesting....based on my own post canon hcs #i think a possible hc for jack is maybe TOO horrible and dark (i love misery) #w/ him it's like i have two parallel ideas. one is a road to self recovery and allowing people into his life & changing medical fields #and the other is a miserable spiral of vampire hunting and self hatred <3 #i DO like to imagine that jon and mina engage in some vampire hunting after canon - but i think it might take them some time to recover #from the events of the book so yeah 1900 fits! now i want to design vampire hunting getups LMAO #lottieart

[spread-the-influence]

Post-Influence Rags not only being afraid of touch cause she's paranoid and scared she's still infected, but also convinced that Pomni hates her.

// honestly ? she'll be convinced that Everyone hates her as much as they try to convince her otherwise . it would be easier for her to work through the guilt if she was Completely unaware of what she's doing - which isn't the case .

. i realized this is possibly her worst nightmare - just having hurt everyone she cares for , being a selfish bitch during it , and being completely vulnerable by the end of it . yeah . no . she's staying in her room for weeks thank you //

#[ ooc ] #me omw to make the most tormented ragatha ever #someone has to make rags whump i guess sorry dolly #i prommy post influence ragatha is gonna do miles better she just has the rockiest road of recovery #[ info ]

[hampop]

What makes Outlast a special horror game is that it very easily could have been just another story about “scary crazy mental patients!!” but it takes the time to explain that these patients are victims of exploitation by the megacorp that bought the asylum. Like the true horror is corporate greed and warfare and Outlast hammers that home.

#the fact that the majority of the patients you come across were on the road to recovery #before Big Company swooped in and started running their tests #is so heartbreaking. #outlast #outlast whistleblower

[rollerman1]

#ford #f series #4x4 #tow truck #wrecker #off road recovery

[m0tiv8me]

Great news today!! No more physical therapy appointments for this guy! Dr has cleared me to finish out my rehab from home. Shoulder is feeling really good and I’ve gained full mobility and range of motion lifting from my side outward and about 95% raising my arm forward. Still a little more to gain reaching behind my back but overall greatly improved.

My therapist was also impressed how much strength I’ve already gained back in all push and pull motions that incorporate my shoulder. I was warned not to push it and take it easy on overhead pressing or pulling motions. But overall cleared to start easing into some heavier weight training again so long as there is no pain or discomfort. Man it feels like it’s taken forever to get to this point but it feels so good to finally feel like I can start to function normally again. Cheer’s to getting over the hump!

#recovery #rehabilitation #shoulder injury #road to recovery #mental toughness #progress #me #m0tiv8me #fitblr #fitness #fitspo #humpday #weightlifting #exercise #physical therapy

[the-nsr-family]

But like the 1010 thing is so harsh right? The boys Are people. But they are not Mortal. One day, a day that Will come all too soon for them, they're going to loose this family they have, Rin will loose zuke. They will loose their dads. And they'll face a constantly evolving world alone save for themselves... and how much longer after their loved ones passing will they be considered people? How long do they have of person hood before someone strips that away from them?

-HB

emerges from my cave purely to answer an ask from HB

I think they'd all be so busy enjoying existence for a while, and Zimelu is the first one to really just. Sit down and think. Wow hey hold on we're not people like we've been pretending we are.

It wouldn't be an issue seeing as how a majority of Vinyl City's residents aren't really "human" either (Have you SEEN the dj?), but it comes with the fact that they're robots. Machines that can be reuploaded and rebuilt and their consciousness can be stored and transmitted. And there's no real clear cut line as to what makes you human other than having a human body and...well that just ain't something these boys have! They're metal all the way through.

Its not something anyone wants to think about, so none of them do. But one day unprompted the thought comes to Zimelu and he starts to hate the fact that he was given the ability to think to such a degree because it's not the easiest thing to stomach.

#nsr #no straight roads #nsr au #no straight roads au #roads to recovery #my au #haiii I haven't stopped thinking abt this btw <3 so glad you're hanging around again HB I missed you #sorry about the trains (just kidding im not sorry I love the trains)

[mando-abs]

Din Djarin is a big spoon with little spoon energy

“But Abs, that doesn’t make sense,” you say. I’ll explain.

Din’s favorite sleeping position is where he gets to be the big spoon (or when you’re facing each other, he’s not picky). But!!! It’s not because he has this unconscious desire to protect you. He does that at every other point of the day. When he wants to unwind, he reaches out for you. He needs to hug someone to ground him so he doesn’t drift too far. A reminder.

When his night terrors get overwhelming, that’s when he relinquishes his big spoon powers over to you, letting the weight of you envelope his back to soothe him back down. And after getting the hang of sleeping together, it has become easier for Din to let you make him comfortable. Because of this, Din has gotten better sleep (emphasis on better, it still needs work). Your favorite rare mornings are when you’re the one waiting for him to wake up and hearing his soft snores underneath his helmet.

#source: when he brings grogu closer to him while he’s napping in the starfighter in the season 3 teaser #din is on the road of recovery into getting the best sleep of his life #din djarin #the mandalorian #the mandalorian season 3 #din djarin x reader #din thoughts #sigh #I miss my man #come home soon #Star Wars #mandalorian #my writing

[herrmannhalsteadproduction]

Fine is a Four-Letter Word (Chapter Three)

Summary: This is Part Twenty-Two of my series A Herrmann/Halstead Production. It is an AU where Christopher Herrmann's mom had an affair with Pat Halstead resulting in a baby. The series follows this OC character (Rebecca "Bex" Herrmann) as she grows up and gets to know her brothers and the various Chicago teams. It is very much an AU, just to underscore that. It doesn't follow the same timeline and characters will follow different paths.

Click here for the Series Rundown where you can find the links to read all of the previous installments (which I highly recommend you do so that this one makes sense.)

Rating: Mature

Relationships: Christopher Herrmann & Original Female Character, Jay Halstead & Original Female Character, Will Halstead & Original Female Character, Jay Halstead & Will Halstead, Greg 'Mouse' Gerwitz/Original Female Character, Will Halstead/Connor Rhodes, Assorted OC Couples

Warnings: Injury Recovery, Trauma Recovery, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Protective Siblings, Family Feels, Team as Family, Road Trip, Kissing, Romance, Mild Sexual Content, Swearing, Eventual Happy Ending

Chapter One Chapter Two

Chapter Three

You have ONE new message.

“Hey, man, it’s Ed. Sorry for the early call, just wanted to check in. I know you had your hands full getting Bex settled back in at home last night and you couldn’t make it out to the meeting, but we haven’t had a chance to talk really since everything, well…since everything. I know it’s been rough and you’re focused on Bex—and rightfully so, I get it. I just—listen, don’t forget yourself in all of this. It’s a lot to be dealing with and me and Chuck and everybody, we’re here for you, okay, Mouse? If you need to talk or have a break or whatever…we’re here…Okay. That’s all I got. Talk to you soon, bud. Count on it.”

To delete this message, press SEVEN. To save it, press NINE.

To delete this message, press SEVEN. To save it, press NINE.

Are you still there?

To delete this message, press SEVEN. To save it, press—

Message saved.

***

Mouse

“Let’s negotiate, shall we?”

Mouse could’ve almost bought Bex’s cocky offer if she wasn’t currently relying on the wall to keep herself upright. And the fact that she was turning an alarming shade of gray just from trying to walk to the elevator.

This was not going to end well.

Jay, like he’d heard Mouse’s thought and accepted it as a personal challenge, went on the offense as he shouldered past to get to Bex. “Negotiate? No, uh-uh,” he said, thrusting a hand out towards her. “Gimme your keys and we’re getting you back inside to rest.”

“Jay—”

“Quit arguing. You look like you’re about to pass out.”

“Will you please just listen to me for one second,” Bex yelled, pressing a hand to her forehead as she closed her eyes. She took a shaky breath before opening them again. “I can’t stay here knowing that Will’s having a hard time and that Emery is—that they’re waking her up soon.”

Jay sighed. “You going there won’t help—”

“Stop! I know! Okay? I know I can’t actually do anything for Will and that Connor has him covered, but Emery—” Bex’s eyes filled with tears and Mouse found himself moving before he had a chance to second guess himself.  

He ducked around Jay and stepped into Bex’s space, slowly, giving her a chance to wave him off. Instead, she let out a soft noise and swayed toward him, dropping her forehead to his chest.

Mouse carefully brought his arms up around her and she mumbled something. “Say that again?” he asked quietly.

“I need to be there.” Bex turned her head so they could hear her and whatever her face was doing had Jay’s falling. “What if it was one of you? Wouldn’t you want to be there? So that when they woke up, they’d know that they’re safe?”

Jay met his eyes over Bex’s head and Mouse knew they were both thinking of the same moment.

Of Jay on a cot in a tent in the middle of nowhere and Mouse pushing through medics so he could be by his side. He would have fought through anyone to be there.

Knew in his bones Jay would have done the same.

Jay cursed softly under his breath, shoulders dropping as he dragged a hand over his face. They waited as he fought whatever internal battle he had to get through before he shook his head and shrugged. “None of us can go anywhere without shoes and actual clothes.” He made a ‘gimme’ gesture at Bex’s bag. “Keys.”

She handed it over wordlessly and he dug through until he found them, moving to open the front door. “We’re gonna get in so much shit for this,” he grumbled. “No, Kol, back up. You’re in trouble too, mister. Chris is gonna ground every single friggin’ one of us.”

Mouse and Bex followed him into the apartment as he kept muttering to himself, heading back toward the bathroom. “No one’s allowed to try and escape again while I’m in here,” he called out before closing the door.

“Bossy,” Mouse mouthed at Bex, hoping it would make her smile. She granted him a small one before it faded away into a frown.

“I’m being stupid, aren’t I?” Bex looked up at him with wide, wet eyes. “I’m sor—”

“Hey, no, don’t do that,” Mouse said as he pulled her into another gentle hug. “You’re not being stupid—you were right. I’d be doing the exact same thing if I was in your shoes. Or socks I should say.” She shook with a muffled laugh and he counted that as a win. “Yeah, maybe trying to sneak out was not one of your better plans, but I get it, Bex. I do.”

He let her go and tugged on one of the strings of his hoodie hanging over her shoulders. “This your special escapee outfit?”

“It’s cozy,” she sniffed at him, mouth twitching up at the corners. “And it matches my socks.”

“In that case, you should probably keep it.”

That got him a real, true Bex smile. “I don’t remember offering to give it back.”

“What is this?” Jay came hustling out of the bathroom, fully dressed finally. “Still no shoes? You just standing out here making heart eyes at each other?” He huffed as he hopped around pulling on his own shoes. “Kol, I thought you were supposed to be in charge?”

Kol popped up from where he’d been lounging on the couch and let out a little howl. Jay held up his hands in apology. “You’re right, I’m sorry,” he said. “It’s more than a one-dog job.”

“You’re so ridiculous,” Bex said, laughing a bit as she stepped away from Mouse. “I’m getting them—oh—” Her eyelids fluttered as she tilted dangerously to the side.

“Whoa!” Jay leapt into action beside him. They both steadied her from either side and carefully maneuvered her over to sit on the couch, Kol whining as he wiggled back to make room. “I was just joking,” Jay said softly as he crouched down in front of her. “There’s no rush. We’ve got plenty of time.”

“No, I’m good, I’m fine.” Bex listed again as she tried to get up. “We can go right now.”

“Let’s take a minute anyway,” Mouse said. At this rate, they’d be taking her to the hospital to be readmitted. “I think maybe we need to get some more food and fluids into you?”

Bex grimaced, sinking back into the couch. “I would really like to not yak today.”

Mouse sent Jay a look that he hoped said ‘I’m here to help and be supportive and do what I can, but also, I’m the boyfriend and I refuse to be bad cop so that’s all you, dude.’

And then Jay sent him a look that clearly said ‘Fuck you, dude, but fine, whatever.’

Excellent communication. Go team.

Jay got to his feet with a groan, crossing his arms as he stared Bex down. “You’re going to have something else to eat, then another rest, and then we’ll go.” He held up a finger before she could open her mouth. “I already checked in with Connor and Kira while I was getting dressed. Will’s getting patched up again, but he’s going to be absolutely fine. They said this kind of thing happens and they caught it early so no one is worried. And Kira said the doctors don’t expect Emery to start waking up properly for at least another few hours. At least.”

He lowered his hand, the stern lines in his face softening. “I’m saying we’ve got time for you to take care of yourself, Bex,” he said. “Take a few hours so you can handle a proper visit, okay?”

“…fine,” Bex sighed.

“Awesome, I’ll get some of that soup reheated,” Jay said before turning to Kol. “Keep her on the couch, bud.”

Kol barked once before snuggling into Bex’s side.

“Ha ha, you’re all hilarious.” Bex immediately started giving Kol pets, even as she rolled her eyes.

“Okay, Jay’s got soup,” Mouse said, pressing a kiss to Bex’s head before straightening up. “I’ll get drinks and maybe some more toast.” He was good at toast.

Jay punched his arm on the way to the kitchen.

“Ah, hey, what was that for?”

“You know exactly what that was for.”

Fair.

***

Bex

Bex had almost forgotten how much of a Mama Chicken Jay could be. Like, rivaling Chris levels. Once she got over being annoyed, she’d probably be impressed.

After the food and fluids and the intense efforts at not puking and then the pretending to be resting, it was late afternoon by the time they finally made it to Med. According to Connor, Will was still sleeping so they went to Emery’s floor first.

Kira came out as soon as she saw them in the hall, a wide smile on her face. “Bex,” she whispered as she wrapped her up in a hug. “You’re here!” The smile dropped as she pulled away, looking between her and Mouse and Jay. “Why are you here? You’re supposed to be resting. And healing. And not rambling around the hospital.”

She shot a pointed look at Mouse and Jay who both held their hands up.

“Listen,” Jay began and Bex stepped in.

“I made them bring me,” she said, reaching out to grab Kira’s hand. “I had to—I needed to be here.” Bex took a deep breath. “How’s she doing?”

“Really well,” Kira said, squeezing her hand back. “Her stats keep improving and she’s already opened her eyes a couple of times. Had a bit of water. She falls back asleep like, immediately, so you haven’t missed much, but…it’s good, Bex. She’s good.”

And oh—that—

That had Bex choking back a sob as she peered over Kira’s shoulder into the room. “That’s really—”

“Good?” Kira offered with an equally watery grin.

“Yeah,” Bex nodded. “Can I—is it okay if I sit with her?”

“Why are you even asking? Come on.” Kira ushered her inside and got her set up in the chair beside Emery’s bed before leaving the room. She moved to sit in the lounge with Mouse and Jay—close enough to be there if they were needed, but still giving her some privacy.

Bex shuffled forward a bit in her chair and reached out to take Emery’s hand. “Hey,” she whispered. “It’s me again. I know—I can’t get enough of this place, right?”

The monitors beeped quietly around them. Bex focused on the rise and fall of Emery’s chest and the soft hiss of air as she breathed under the mask.

There was a hint of colour coming back into her cheeks.

That was good.

All of this is good, Bex reminded herself. It means she’s still alive. She’s healing.

“I’ve been back at the apartment,” she said, watching Emery’s face for any kind of movement. “Chris wanted me to go home to their place, but, uh—I’m—I’m at our place and Jay and Mouse are staying with me. They made this really…sort of unidentifiable, but also kind of delicious soup.” Bex laughed quietly. “I should freeze some so you can try it.”

Emery’s fingers twitched in hers.

“Em?” Bex’s breath caught in her throat. “Hey, I’m here. It’s Bex. I’m right here. Open your eyes, Emery. It’s okay.”

A soft groan made its way through the mask as Emery slowly blinked her eyes to halfway open. “Be—”

“Yes, hi, it’s me. It’s Bex.” She struggled her way out of the chair, ignoring the ripples of pain in her side so she could lean over Emery and be in her line of sight. “I’m right here, Emery.”

Emery reached up, patting at Bex’s cast. “You’re…hurt,” she whispered.

“Only a little,” Bex said. The tears filling her eyes started to spill over as pure relief flowed through her. Emery was awake. She was talking. She was here.

“Bex.” Emery gripped her hand, cheeks wet with her own tears. “Bex. Sorr—”

“Don’t you dare,” Bex said fiercely, leaning in close. “Don’t you dare apologize to me, Emery Hughes or I will—I don’t know, but it’ll be drastic. This is not your fault. It’s his and we’re not giving him any space in here right now, okay? Because we are here. We made it. We’re alive and we’re going to be okay. That’s what matters. Do you hear me?”

Emery stared up at her, a whole battle clearly raging in her own head, but it wasn’t time for that. Not yet.

“We’re here,” Bex repeated, willing the words into Emery’s heart. “We’re alive. And we’re gonna be okay.”

“Okay,” Emery finally whispered.

“Exactly.” Bex smiled, moving back carefully to sit down again, but still close.

“Wait.” Emery frowned and Bex froze.

“What’s wrong? Should I get a nurse?”

“Mouse,” Emery said, somehow managing to raise an eyebrow through her still mostly out of it state. “…moved in?”

“That’s the part you heard?” Bex groaned out a laugh.

“Details.” Emery whispered.

“Yeah, yeah,” Bex said, squeezing Emery’s hand gently. “I’ll tell you the whole not-actually exciting story when you wake up.”

Because Bex would still be there.

She didn’t think she could leave until it really sunk in.

Emery was here. She was alive.

And she was going to be okay.

“Promise?” Emery mumbled, already mostly back asleep.

“Yeah, Em,” Bex said. “I promise.”

***

Jay

Jay sat beside Mouse in the lounge, keeping a clear view of Bex sitting with Emery in the ICU. He still wasn’t sure if bringing her here was the best idea. Bex looked like a light breeze could knock her over and Emery probably wasn’t even going to remember this visit.

But Bex would.

And if it helped her settle and let her focus more on her own recovery, then wasn’t that a good thing?

That was the argument he was going to offer Chris anyway when he inevitably found out about this and tore a strip off of him. In the very kind and yet gut-wrenching way that only Chris seemed to manage.

Mouse elbowed him suddenly and Jay looked up to see Dr. Abrams striding toward them.

Oh.

Crap.

“Gentlemen,” Dr. Abrams said, arms folded as he stared down at them in a way that almost had Jay shrinking back into his seat. “I’m only going to ask this question once. Why do I see Ms. Herrmann sitting in the ICU when she is supposed to be at home? Resting. Which was doctor’s orders, I believe.”

Jay shot a look at Mouse who was giving him that same ‘not it’ look from the living room which was even less helpful now than it was then.

“Okay, um,” Jay began. “I can explain…”

“Oh, good,” Chris said, popping up out of freaking nowhere with that very distinct look on his face that Jay had been picturing since Bex tried to make a break for it and it was exactly as awful as he thought it would be. “Because, I gotta say, Jay, I would also love to hear how this happened.”

“First of all,” Jay said, stalling, trying to figure out where to start, maybe panicking a little bit. “It’s also Mouse’s fault.”

“Dude.”

Click here to read Fine is a Four-Letter Word on ao3:

And here is the tag list (let me know if you wish to be added or removed):

@sorry-i-spaced, @thegirlwhowishedeveryonelived, @thewannabewriter, @lexhalstead3

@foxes-and-cats, @sensitivemallysix, @emme-looou, @thebejeweledwatercat, @lookingfortherainbow85

#a herrmann/halstead production #one chicago #chicago fire #chicago pd #chicago med #rebecca 'bex' herrmann #jay halstead #oc character #will halstead #christopher herrmann #greg “mouse” gerwitz x original female character #greg “mouse” gerwitz #greg gerwitz #hurt/comfort #trauma #emotional hurt/comfort #injury recovery #trauma recovery #family feels #team as family #halstead brothers #halstead sister #herrmann family #fluff #humor #romance #road trip

[theborzoiarebackintown]

It looks like a blue sun hat. This boy out here making medical equipment look like fashion, amazing

#dogblr #petblr #dog #borzoi #sighthound #charlie #he’s doing great! #eating like a champ #he’s even been running around the yard a little #the wound is tapering off draining #but still looking nice and fresh and alive #we continue on the road to recovery!!!

[infpisme]

#trauma #ptsd #cptsd #traumatic events #life struggles #fighting battles #overcoming trauma #road to recovery

[kumapillow]

I’m happy for and proud of Momose, he now has someone to confide in and to support him 🥹😭

#the road to recovery may be long but you’ve already made your step towards it 🥹 #my new boss is goofy #atarashii joushi wa do tennen #atarashii joushi wa dotennen #do tennen #anime #episode 7 #momose kentarou #shirosaki yuusei