Chapter Text
Catch Me When I Fall – Chapter 4 (I Know You)
“What am I supposed to tell him?” Otis asked.
“I wish I had an answer for you, Brian,” Connor told him.
Otis ran a hand through his hair. It wasn’t as curly as it used to be. But he had been growing it out some. “So… Jay did this!? Why?!”
Connor shook his head, “I’m sorry. I don’t have the answers for you. There are probably only two people that would. One that I guarantee will not tell you. And the other…”
“Can’t even remember…” Otis mumbled.
Connor looked towards Will’s room. “I only know it was something about their dad. Argument… maybe. Dr. Abrams said that he was braindead. That it was contributed to the bypass that he had recently.”
Otis stared at the door. Memories were playing in his mind. All back at the apartment fire. There had been so many victims and he had remembered seeing Jay there. Desperate to have his dad saved. But it wasn’t the haunting image that kept him awake at night. It was that mother he had warned to stay off the elevator. To open those doors and see them burned alive. Her and her baby…
He couldn’t even talk to Will about it. To him… he was just another firefighter. The rest of them were worried about Stella and if she would still be a firefighter. And now this... His mind was all on Will.
The memories of them were gone.
They had always been each other’s strength. As there were always people they lost. There were going to be people that would haunt their thoughts and mind. It was part of the job.
There was building anger for what Jay had done. He had not been there and couldn’t say what had been running through the detective’s mind. Was he even sorry for what he had done?
He tried to imagine being in his place. If this had been his own dad in a hospital. Holding his hand and begging for him to get better. Would he have pushed his nephew or older brother? To allow that anger to flow out of him at the first person he was in contact with.
Even in that state of grief, he could not see him reaching that level. So why did Jay? He knew that the relationship between the two brothers could be rocky at best. That Will still held some anger towards his older brother.
And now he had to walk into that room and greet a husband that didn’t remember him. How do you tell the man that you love, the love of your life, who you are to them because they no longer remember?
He knew he was going to win back his heart. Doctor Rhodes knew about them. But to others, they were always private about their lives. Firefighter and doctor. Two separate lives that occasionally crossed paths. It was actually a surprise to know that Connor was in the know. Every one knew the two doctors did not get along.
For him, he knew that the guys would rib him all they could. Always the gullible one. Hadn’t been the first time he had fallen for the words the other guys have told him.
So, he never said a word to them of being married. Not even to his own Lieutenant. It was in his HR file for the purpose of address and taxes but that was all confidential.
Not that it mattered anymore, especially since Lieutenant Severide noticed Dr. Rhodes asking for him. He did not know what side of Will he was going to see. Though he couldn’t make him blush as often as he used to. There was hope that the redhead would allow him to be there every step of the way. He was familiar to him. He could work with that.
Entering back into Will’s room had Brian noticing a few things. For one, Will was glowering. He knew from experience that doctors made the worst patients. It was better than the panic at being told he lost seven years of memories.
“He giving you a hard time?” Otis asked April.
“Last time I checked. I can still hear,” Will grumbled.
"I know you can, babe." The endearment slipped out without thinking. He almost didn’t catch himself the last time. A hard thing for him to remember given the years they had been together. "But you have to admit that you're a terrible patient."
"Babe? I do know you, then?" Will's attention was focused on Brian.
Brian was at a loss for words. He didn’t know what to say to that. How could he muster up the words to tell someone they were married when they had no idea. To put that on them and try to force those memories to appear. What other explanation was there besides the truth?
"Like more than just work?" Will clarified. "I always see you with Herrmann."
That was when he made a decision. He would not hide it. For one, Will would be furious when he found out. And there was no way to off play calling Will, babe.
"More than know." Brian held up his hand showing off his wedding ring. He knew he was throwing chance to the wind. Could even chase away Will. But he never forgot how much he hated information being hidden from him. His brother and father did it all of his life. Brian refused to do the same.
“You married me."
"What!? I came out?" Will’s jaw fell open. He knew his sexual orientation of liking men. But his relationships had always failed. He knew that he would be one of those that was doomed to have a single life. Nobody wanted to tolerate the hours he had as a doctor. So… knowing that he was married shocked him.
It was up to that moment that Will noticed that something heavy was lying on his own ring finger. More specifically on his left hand. So, he looked down and stared at the silver ring that adorned his finger. It told him the truth of what this firefighter was telling him.
"I get we only know each other as colleagues in your mind. But a lot has changed that you don't remember. You never told any of your coworkers. You never said why and I respected your decision. I never told any of the Firehouse because they tend to rib you for anything. And I didn't want my marriage to be one of those. I am not going to hide anything from you. Will you always like the answer that I give you? I guarantee that you won't a lot of the time. That includes my dislike for your older brother. I know you and Jay have had some rough patches. Some that you have told me about and others I had to figure out without you telling me."
"I can see why I liked you." Will sighed. "I can't hate an honest man and it certainly helps that you're pretty."
“I can see they've got you on the good stuff." Brian teased as he approached the bed. "You usually wouldn't call me pretty outside of the bedroom."
Will's cheeks flushed as if it dawned on him that he spoke his thoughts out loud.
Brian grinned, "you know... it matches your hair when you blush."
He made sure that Will could feel his breath on his ears so only he could hear him. Leaning back to see how his words affected his husband. He missed having such an affect on Will. He could still make him blush from their kisses but not to this extent.
When Brian looked back, they were alone. He looked back at Will and with one hand, cupped his cheek and looking into his eyes.
“May I kiss you?”
Brian waited until permission was given before leaning in. He did not dare to press for more. As their kisses tended to get heated, especially in the bedroom. It was kept chaste as his thumb brushed the doctor’s cheek. He heard the whine when he drew back. It almost broke his restraint to lean forward to seal their lips together with another kiss. But he held back.
He wanted Will to come to him. He would even sleep in another bed if he had to. Will had been a nervous wreck when they first started dating. Unsure of how to show affection. Brian stayed every step of the way with him. Not everyday had been perfect and they had their fights. Will had always been stubborn.
Jay had never known about them. As Will never had the courage to tell his older brother. It had been a previous bad reaction, that much he knew for sure. And Brian only knew Jay as a Detective for Chicago PD. He never knew him as Will’s sibling.
Had there been a fight that he was not aware about? Was they forced to try to get along for the sake of Pat Halstead. He knew that Pat would call Will when Jay wouldn’t. He had been in the same room when his dad would call. He didn’t understand half of what Will would say because it was in that doctor jargon of his. But it was worth seeing Will lose his train of thought when he kissed him.
It was those days that Otis understood what it meant to be in love with someone. To be driven mad by one single person. To understand what Herrmann meant of having someone you love and care about. To have a family.
He doubted that Herrmann would understand the feeling of that being taken away from you. He had a lot of respect for the older firefighter. But it was not a question he would ever ask him.
So, he started talking about Molly’s, the business venture he had joined in with Herrmann and Gabby. Before she had left everyone and took over her shares of the business.
That was when his phone rang and it was his Lieutenant, Matthew Casey.