Grace & the Windy City (Chicago P.D)

Chapter 16- The Ending of Another Day

Grace kept her eyes closed shut as she lay in the fetal position, unable to move in the middle of the frozen lake. She saw the police all around who were trying to save her and heard Voight's unmistakable voice, but she also saw his face. And she couldn't get that, or all the things he said he'd do to her out of her head. Her breathing became irregular and staggered as she tried not to scream, which sounded like whining. Everything went quiet for a moment and then she heard the man shout something before she heard a gunshot...followed by two more, but they sounded different and farther away. Just as she was about to peak her head out, it felt like the earth moved beneath her. Then, a shock of cold water overtook Grace's body and everything went dark. Darker than it had been when he took her.

Adam knew something was wrong when he saw the figure in the middle of the lake disappear.

"Grace!" he screamed in disbelief, feeling like he was frozen in time.

Acting quick on his feet, Antonio placed his M4A1 down and carefully ran across the lake, past Walton's lifeless body to where Grace had been moments before.

The feeling of the icy water on Grace's skin felt like it was burning, tearing away at her flesh with each moment that passed by. The real shock was not when her head went under, but when Antonio pulled her out and the freezing winter temperatures caused icicles to form on her clothes, face, and hair. He pulled a knife out and cut through the tape and rope that was around her pale, purpling hands. She gasped for air and had trouble comprehending what had just happened. The paramedics who were waiting with area police nearby bolted after Antonio and placed Grace onto the gurney and back on land.

"You're safe now, you're ok." Antonio told her as he stepped on the rocky shore with the medics.

Grace couldn't tell what was going on because of the shock from the water, and it was only when she heard her name being called that she snapped back into consciousness. She looked above and saw a figure; it was Adam. Her teeth chattered while she tried to say his name. The flashing police car lights created shadows amongst the trees and reflected off the snowfall around her. Adam followed his sister into the ambulance that was waiting by the main road, while Voight was on his radio ordering Grace to be airlifted to Chicago Med.

"I...I...thought...," Grace tried to speak. "He...was...going to kill me." she stuttered, her voice sounding distorted.

It was around midnight at Chicago Med and Grace lay in a hospital bed under multiple blankets and on an IV of warming fluids. The heart rate monitor beeped steadily throughout the evening. In fact, Adam could attest to that since he didn't leave her side once. When she was first brought in, Adam had to stand out in the waiting room by himself before Voight, Erin, Jay, and Antonio arrived. When Olinsky got the call Grace was found and being airlifted to Med, he drove right over. Finally, Dr. Halstead updated Adam on Grace's condition. The worst of it was hypothermia and exposure from being in the basement of a cabin in the middle of the winter, and falling through the ice.

"She has some bumps, bruises, and cuts but luckily, there is no sign of assault of any kind." Dr. Halstead told him.

Adam breathed out a sigh of relief. Walton, after all was a man with a history of stalking and allegedly killing women. He looked at Grace through the glass hospital room door. She was sedated, in order for her body and mind to have time to rest.

Bob Ruzek sprung around the corner of the hospital to Grace's room. "Where is she?" he demanded, eyes wide. "Is she ok?"

"She'll be ok, she's sleeping right now and is on an IV cocktail and has warming blankets. Grace is going to be ok, pops."

Bob looked relieved but it was not the end of his inquiry, "That...man, Ray Walton," he choked out the name and spoke slowly, "what did he do to her? They're saying he's dead, is that true?" He looked to his son.

"The son of a bitch is dead, yeah. She didn't have any signs of assault—" Adam replied quietly with his arms crossed.

Bob brought his hands to his face, "—  Thank God."

The two took a moment and looked at Grace through the door. Adam never realized how slight his younger sister was until he saw her in the hospital bed, her chest rising and falling with each breath. She had such a strong and stubborn personality that when she was around, you'd overlook how short she was. Nothing crazy, but a height of 5'5 looked different on Grace.

"You know, she tried to fight him off, twice. We found her keys at your cabin with his blood all over them. And at Fox Lake she escaped his truck by shoving a screwdriver into his side," Adam described the scene.

Bob looked to the floor with watery eyes, shaking his dead. "Jesus Christ. She fought like hell. I wish I could have killed that monster myself...Does anyone know why he did it? Why her?" he stressed.

"I didn't have a chance to talk to her. She was in and out of consciousness the whole time. When she wakes up and can tell us more, we'll have a better idea. There were photos though, of other women..."

"Damnit, this is all my fault. I asked her to go up that day, to the cabin," he said under his breath while glancing around the unit, then asked, "Where's Colleen?"

Adam chewed his lip in disgust and his demeanor immediately changed. "She's not coming," he told his father.

"What are you talking about?"

"I tried to call her. Over and over and over. In the ambulance, after getting off the helicopter, in the waiting room...no answer. I called the hospital she works at, turns out she's not working tonight."

Bob looked to Adam. He continued, "So, out of pure anger I called McHenry P.D to her place and what do you know? There she is sitting in her living room too drunk and high to answer her Goddamn phone. I will never forgive her for this...And there's no way she's ever going to see Grace again."

    At the 21st District that night, Platt stood at her desk speaking with Attwater. At this time of night, it was common to see handfuls of drunk & disorderly's and DUI's getting processed but for whatever reason, it was dead quiet. Attwater spent the whole day doing an undercover gig with the Guns & Gangs unit and only recently heard about what happened to Grace, through other officers.

    "Ruzek is at the hospital with her now, and Voight should be rolling through any minute."

    Attwater sighed, "Damn. And it was completely random?"

    Platt nodded. "That's what I've heard...here they are now."

Voight, Erin, Jay, and Antonio strolled down the stairs through the district. They first arrived by the garage and went upstairs to pack up their things. It had been one of the longest days ever and they were all ready to go home. Platt called Voight and Antonio over, while Jay and Erin left together.

"It's been all over the news. Not just state-wide but the whole country. They're saying he was a serial killer." Platt said, her eyes wide. "Grace is the only surviving victim. Thank God her name was left out."

Voight was all about the facts and didn't want to speculate. "It could take weeks before the authorities in Wisconsin comb through both properties," he shared.

"Does Adam know the press and media are all over this? Someone is going to have to prepare him and Grace for what's to come. The media can be ruthless. How is she doing?"

    Voight and Antonio exchanged concerned glances. The two of them both knew the ordeal was far from over with a high profile case like this. Antonio took a deep breath and shook his head, not knowing what to say. "All I know is, the fear that I saw in her eyes...I'll never get that image out of my head."