๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ฅ๐บ ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ ๐๐ด๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐๐ฐ ๐๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ธ - frank langdon x reader
warnings: 18+, mdni, medical gore, some violence, swearing, sex.
In which (reader) is Dr. Langdonโs ex-girlfriend. After graduating from her master's program, a year after their relationship ended, she visits Pittsburgh to search for apartments, considering moving back home. Not long into her trip, she is injured in an incident downtown and rushed to the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center, barely hanging on to her life.
(ch. 6) After the shooting, y'n gets patched up under the care of Dr. Langdon.
Cสแดแดแดแดส Sษชx : 2:00 P.M
Langdon approached the nursesโ station, leaning over the counter. โSo.. do we know anything about the shooting?โ
Dana chuckled, her accent coming through a little heavier than usual, โkid, youโre not gonna believe this. Mr. Columbo woke up a little while ago and has been telling anyone whoโll listen about the young lady. Apparently, she was visiting Mr. Columboโs store- and some idiot with a gun came in and tried to rob the place! As he was going through the register.. He shot him, and started threatening his grandson, whoโd been hiding in the backroom. y/n heard the little boyโs voice- and from wherever she was hiding, pushed some kind of vending machine on him!โ Recounting the story, the charge nurse couldnโt help but laugh a little, before her voice turned somber again. โPoor thing was hit after she pushed the machine over.โ
โJesus Christ.โ Langdon breathed, looking towards the room where the man was sitting upright in his hospital bed, talking loudly to Whittaker, waving his uninjured arm as if to dramatize the story. Whittaker was nodding along, trying to take another round of vitals.
Dana sighed, picking up a folder of patient paperwork and turning back to the computer to continue her work assigning patient rooms. โRobbie just checked on her a few minutes ago. Sheโs stable now, breathing independently- ready to get that shrapnel out if youโre up to it.โ
โGood- yeah, Iโll take care of it-โ he said, taking a deep breath, trying to hide the anxiety in his face, quickly pivoting away from the nursesโ station.
โIf you want Robbie to take over, just let me know!โ Dana called after him- but he only responded with a dismissive wave.
Langdon entered the exam room quietly, closing the door behind him. Heโd gone over it in his head a few times, but still felt the sweat balming the back of his neck. The pain medications had taken effect, and she was quiet, looking around the hospital room, watching her own heartbeat on the monitor.
โOkay-โ He started, clearing his throat as he set down equipment on a steel cart beside the hospital bed. โHow are you feeling? Are you comfortable?โ
โIโm alright..โ y/n started, trying to take stock of herself, looking down at all of the different wires and tubes connected to her body. She was cold and felt somehow sticky and dry- the remnants of her bloody clothes stuck to her skin, some soda still in her hair from where sheโd fallen on the bodega floor. Y/n looked up at Langdon, slowly- taking a deep breath, watching the way he crossed his arms, holding himself stiffly as he clenched his jaw anxiously.
โThe pain is mostly gone, and I donโt feel nauseous..which is sort of surprising.. Usually pain meds-โ before she could say โmake me sick-โ
โI took care of that.โ He blurted out, before clearing his throat to break the silence. โUh, yeah.. I figured youโd be more comfortable if I gave you some Zofran.โ He looked down at the tools on the steel table, avoiding her gaze.
โThank you-โ She said softly. Her head was aching, and she felt the weight of everything unsaid. โHey.. I-โ
Langdon looked down, cutting her off before she could say something she couldnโt take back.
โy/n, Iโm sorry about this- is it okay if I bring a resident doctor in to help? Itโs okay to say no if youโre not comfortable.โ
โOh- of courseโฆ yeah- thatโs totally fine.โ She said with a nod. โI understand.โ
Langdon took a deep breath, looking back towards the door for a moment before sitting on a stool beside the bed. โOkay.. weโre going to have to remove whatโs left of your shirt to clean up the injury- I can have a nurse help you put on a gown- Do you want a different physician to treat you?โ He blurted out. โIf youโd be more comfortable, I can request that another doctor-โ
โItโs okay, Dr. Langdon- donโt worry.โ She said, trying to diffuse the tension in the air- already regretting not just calling him Frank. โI just.. Thank you.โ This time, she was the one to cut him off. She took a heavy sigh, weighing it all in her mind. It was simultaneously the easier decision, but she felt the shame weigh on her chest.. the dried blood on her back- โItโs okay, Frank. Just hand me the gown.โ
Langdon nodded, a quiet kindness. He didnโt want to make this any harder for her than it already was. He wouldnโt point out that sheโd been wearing the coat he gave her- he wouldnโt point out that this wouldnโt be the first time heโd helped her out of her clothesโฆ โYou should thank yourself- however you kept pressure on your leg wound kept you alive long enough to get here.โ He sat down on a small stool beside her leg, and clicked the guardrail down.
โWho do you think taught me that?โ She couldnโt stop herself from laughing and pretended not to notice the small chuckle he let out.
โWell, I canโt argue with that.โ He said gently, trying to hide the humor in his tone. โCan you sit up for me?โ He asked, putting on a fresh pair of gloves and extending his hand for her to take if she needed it. Without taking his hand, she tried to pull herself up independently, but grunted with pain after turning her shoulder. She took his forearm and let him adjust her accordingly. Sitting directly behind her on the gurney, keeping his eyes trained on her back and her wound.. He carefully cut the shirt up to the collar- allowing her to slide it off with her free hand as he helped her maneuver around the IV and reattach her pulse monitor. He carefully slid her hair over her one shoulder, combing it aside with his fingers.He kept his eyes down and voice low, a rare moment of tenderness as he held the open gown out for her. She slipped her free hand into one sleeve, and crossed it over her chest to cover herself- leaving her injured shoulder and back exposed.
โIf you feel dizzy- tell me right away. Youโre going to need to sit up but Iโm going to make it as quick as I can- I just donโt want you to fall forward.โ
โOkay, I will..โ She said quietly, a warm breath filling her lungs as she felt the gentle fluttering of butterflies in her stomach.
โYour pulse just elevated slightly, are you feeling okay?โ
โDamn..โ she thought to herself, glad she was facing away from him for once. โYeah- yeah, Iโm fine.โ
Before Langdon could question her further, there was a knock on the exam room door and a pause before someone opened it slightly.
โCome in!โ y/n called, simultaneously grateful and disappointed by the interruption.
A young woman with blonde hair and a bright smile entered, holding a clipboard across her chest. Langdon looked at the woman with an appreciative look in his eyes, โThis is Dr. King. Sheโs one of our resident doctors and helped me stabilize youโ He said, holding his hand out as he introduced her.
y/n smiled back gently, โNice to meet you.โ
โWhatโs your name?โ Dr. King asked, taking a slight double take- watching the way y/n clutched the gown to her chest- and the way Langdon was looking at the blood on her back, lingering on it for a moment before reaching for a warm sterile cloth to wash it away.
โThatโs a very nice name,โ Dr. King smiled, sitting on a wheeled stool on the other side of the gurney, laying down her clipboard and putting on fresh gloves.
โJust to catch you upโฆโ Langdon started, looking at Mel and then back at y/n, gently explaining her condition. โDr. King and I managed to stop the bleeding.. and we have you on antibiotics to combat any kind of infection. Thereโs some remaining shrapnel in your leg.. as well as some debris in your shoulderโฆ. Youโre very lucky that you donโt need surgery- but, to avoid any infection or further tissue damage, we need to remove a few of the pieces of debris.โ
Dr. King lifted a glossy X-ray image off her clipboard; it was of y/nโs leg. It mustโve been taken while she was unconscious. โThese pieces specifically arenโt deep enough in the dermal layer to be left alone,โ Langdon said, pointing them out on the image. โDr. King?โ He turned to Mel, waiting for him to pick up where he left off.
โWell.. Usually with these types of injuries, shrapnel can be left in place and not cause further issues, and the risk of removing it can sometimes outweigh the reward.โ Mel said, taking care to look at y/n while she was talking to make her feel included.
โRight,โ Langdon said, turning back to y/n. He paused for a moment, studying her expression as she turned her head to look at him. โOkayโ He carefully pulled a scalpel and a small pair of medical pliers out of their sterile bags. He ran a gloved hand over her bare back, pointing out her injuries and some of the exposed debris to Dr. King. โAfter this is done, weโll have a nurse assist you with showering, and weโll have to keep you for observation for about two days. Before we start.. Iโm going to give you another dose of local anesthetic, okay?โ
โSounds about right..โ She breathed, feeling goosebumps rise on her bare skin as he gently brushed his hand along her back, distracting her as he prepped the needle.
โSo, what brings you back to Pittsburgh?โ He asked, catching her off guard at the exact moment the needle slid into the flesh around her wound.
โOw- fuckโฆ.โ y/n said, biting back a groan. โJust visiting for a few weeks-.โ She took deep breaths as the numb feeling spread over her shoulder and chest. She decided to keep her prospect of moving back home to herself for now. Dr. King raised her eyebrow, watching the muscles in y/nโs back flex and adjust as she acclimated to the medication.
โDo- do you two know each other?โ Mel asked, watching as Langdon used a small pen light to point out the shrapnel.
โFrom college-โ The two said at the same time. Mel chuckled a little to try and dissolve the tension.
He continued, using a small pair of pliers to methodically remove tiny pieces of glass and shrapnel on the surface area of her wound. Mel studied how he maneuvered them free, coaxing the pieces free while avoiding causing further injury. It was a rare occurrence that any kind of shrapnel was removed in the E.R so it was a teaching opportunity he couldnโt get his way out of.
โDoing anything interesting?โ He asked.
โI got some tickets to a music festival while Iโm here, I thought it would be more convenient to come early.โ
โYeah, who would want to miss this?โ He chuckled sarcastically.
โDo you remember what exactly happened to you, y/n?โ Mel asked politely, hoping to gain a clearer picture from her. โDo you know who shot you?โ
โWell, I never saw him, exactly... I was behind a soda machine, picking something up when he shattered the glass door, and I stayed hiding. I thought maybe heโd just grab the money and run away- but, then he started shootingโฆโ
โThat was a very brave thing you did. You should be proud.โ Mel smiled, setting her gloved hand over y/nโs.
โNo, no- Iโm just glad everyone made it out okay.. Dr. Robbie told me that the shop owner is okay and can leave today, and his grandson doesnโt have a scratch on him.โ
โ You mean Mr. Columbo?โ Mel started, โYes, heโs been.. very energetic. If you want- he can come visit you when youโre all patched up.โ
โMaybeโ y/n smiled, trying to keep her mind off Langdonโs breath on her neck as he worked. โDid I have my phone when they brought me in by any chance?โ
โNoโ Langdon said. โYou just had the clothes on your back.โ
โWell thatโs convienient.โ y/n chuckled sarcastically, looking at the tray where her shredded, bloodstained clothes lay.
Mel laughed a little too loud at her joke before saying โIs there anyone you want us to call? Someone who could get some things from home?โ
y/n sighed โIโm staying at a hotel by myself for the time being- all of my friends are busy with their own lives and I havenโt seen them in a year-โ
โIs there.. Someone else you want me to call? Family.. Partner?โ He said, putting a small emphasis on the last word as he pulled out a particularly tough piece of gravel.
โOw- Damn it-โ She groaned, before the relief washed over her like a wave. โNo, Iโm in town alone.. My family is on vacation and Iโd rather not ruin it-โ
โOh for the.. y/n- you were shot. twice.โ He chided, hiding the fluttering feeling that rose in his stomach when she deflected his question about a partner.
โGood thing youโre here then- isnโt it? You seem to be doing fine.โ y/n said, still looking forward. The last thing she needed was unnecessary drama and concern when she was trying to prove she was more than capable of doing things alone.
โItโs important to ask for help if you need it-โ Mel said, in a slightly gentler tone, โIโm sure your friends want you to be healthy and safe.โ
โThank you Dr. KingโฆDr. Robbie said Iโm in good hands here. As long as I can get this soda and blood out of my hair.. Iโll be fine.โ
Langdon sighed. โJust- If you need something- if we can make you more comfortable.. tell us. Itโs almost impossible to get a room upstairs recently and this isnโt exactly the most relaxing place to spend the night.โ He pushed down slightly on her shoulder with two fingers. โDo you feel any pain?โ
โNo.. itโs okay. Just pressureโ
โGood..โ He said, almost tenderly as he continued to work, pulling small pieces of gravel and glass out of the skin. Langdon was done in minutes, irrigating the wound and disinfecting it once more before beginning stitches; sewing her back together as if he was coaxing a rose back to a bud. He put ointment over the stitches, and padded it with gauze before wrapping it- the bandage crossing diagonally over her chest to stay in place. She was able to slip the gown on completely, and he tied the back for her in neat bows.
Mel took the debris and put them on a separate tray for disposal as Langdon opened a new set of sterile tools.
โSoโฆ how has your grad program been going?โ He asked, wheeling down to the end of the hospital bed to work on her leg.
โI just graduated a few weeks ago.โ She said with a small smile, already feeling relief from her freshly cleaned and wrapped shoulder.
โCongratulations.โ He took a deep breath, injecting her leg with local anesthetic.
โOw-โ y/n said with a groan, gripping the guardrail with her free hand.
Mel smiled sympathetically,โHere, let me help you get more comfortable.โ She puffed out her pillow and helped her lie back slowly on the hospital bed.
y/n looked down at Langdon, watching him as he worked on her leg- carefully debriding the wound. โHowโs senior residency?โ she asked softly.
โItโs.. good. Thereโs never a dull moment.โ
โGood.โ The room was quiet for a few minutes, spare the sound of gravel and metal plinking onto the tray beside the hospital bed as Langdon removed it.
โHey Fr- Dr. Langdon?โ
โIโm kind of cold.. Would it be okay if-โ
Before she could finish, Mel stood up โI can get you some warm blankets?โ Dr. King was grateful to watch Langdon work, but couldnโt help but feel like she was walking in on some complicated personal history.
โThank you so muchโ y/n smiled, leaning back into the pillows, glad to feel support from the hospital bed- and his hands.
โFrank.. Iโm feeling tired- is that, okay?โ
โYouโre okay, itโs just the adrenaline from earlier crashing. Antibiotics can also cause fatigue. You can watch the monitor if it makes you feel better.โ He said, removing the last piece of debris from her thigh- and irrigating the wound once more.
She nodded, gritting her teeth slightly as he brought out the needle to begin suturing.
โJust donโt look-โ he reassured. โ..Why donโt you tell me about what youโve been doing the past year?โ
โWell Iโve-โ she started, before leaning forward and looking down at her thigh, curiosity getting the best of her. โOh god..โ Dried blood was everywhere, her flesh and muscles ripped apart- a wave of nausea rose in her throat, stinging as her head pulsed, blood rushing in her ears. Sweat clammed up the back of her neck- a chill rising to the crown of her head.
โI told you not to look-โ He said, looking up at her. Suddenly, her monitor started to beep, her blood pressure dropping rapidly. He immediately set his tools down, standing so quickly the wheeled stool hit the wall of the exam room.
He quickly looked over her face; it had paled, and her eyes were unfocused. โHey, Hey- lay down-โ Langdon took her by her uninjured shoulder and the waist, carefully hinging her into the pillows.
โYou feel dizzy?โ He said gently, before turning towards the door and calling โI need some help in here!โ
โYeah..โ y/n said weakly, her vision darkening - blotchy with colors. Her mouth felt numb and her nerves prickled, time slowing down.
โItโs okay, stay with me...โ He said, immediately ripping his bloodstained glove off and throwing it aside, taking her free hand. Fuck this- she wasn't passing out on his watch, not a chance in hell.โSqueeze my hand, as hard as you can.โ He said clearly, holding her so tight it hurt, bruising her knuckles. She listened- tightening her shaky grip around his. Langdon leaned over the hospital bed, cupping her uninjured leg under her knee and elevating it. โThatโs it.. just keep squeezing. Eyes open- keep looking at me-โ
She started to take shallower breaths, forcing out a chuckle as she looked up at him, keeping eye contact as her lashes fluttered, butterflies mixing with the nausea. โLangdon.. I think this is making me more dizzy..โ she panted.
He chuckled, quickly lifting her leg higher, resting it on his shoulder to free up his hand. He gently rapped his knuckles on her sternum until she was able to keep her eyes open.
Princess, a trauma nurse opened the door- her eyes widening like plates at the scene. โJusuko-โ She said under her breath, immediately going to the patientโs side. Her heart rate had dropped significantly, and her blood pressure monitor was flashing red, dangerously low. Dr. Langdon was leaning sideways over the gurney- propping her leg up with his shoulder. The patientโs wound still open, and he was preforming thymus tapping, knocking on her collarbone and sternum to keep her alert. The patient was holding his hand, but her grip was faltering.
โShe needs another unit of blood- letโs get her on fludrocortisone-โ Langdon said, still holding her leg up as Princess took off out the door to get the blood bag and medication from the pharmacy.
From the nurseโs station, Dana noticed the way Princess ran out of the exam room, leaving the door wide open. The charge nurse heard the rapid beeping and immediately went inside.
โDr. Langdon? Need a hand?โ She said, taking stock of the scene- the way he was trying to multitask.
โSheโs having a vagal episode- I need cold water and gauze-โ He said, quickly turning back to y/n- trying to keep her attention.
Dana grabbed some gauze out of the cabinet, wetting it in the sink and maneuvering around Langdon, lying it over y/nโs forehead, cool water ran down her hairline and rinsed away the warm sweat on her hairline. Slowly beginning to feel more alert, y/n strained, tightening her grip on Langdonโs hand until his knuckles turned white. The pulse monitor began to beep at a normal rate, and her goosebumps started to fade. Princess arrived, with the blood bag and a bottle of pills. She quickly got to work attaching a fresh unit of blood to her IV. Dana took another wet piece of gauze and wrung it out over y/nโs head, cold water gently dripping down her scalp and onto the back of her neck.
โBetter?โ Langdon asked, not lowering her leg yet.
โYeah-โ She said, breathless for a different reason as her vision cleared up.
โTake deep, full breaths-โ He said. โSlowerโฆโ
y/n yielded, letting herself be held- just for a moment, taking long pulls of air, exhaling slow as he watched her carefully. Once he was satisfied with her breathing, he leaned his shoulder down, to pick her leg back up- carefully lowering it back onto the hospital bed.
โYou doing okay hon, still with us?โ Dana asked as langdon took his hand off her sternum, using a penlight to flash in her eyes, checking her pupillary reaction. โPupils are equal, round- reactive to light..โ He muttered as he worked.
โYeah.. Iโm okay.โ y/n said, looking up at Dana.
โSorry..โ She said, letting her head fully sink into the pillows, letting go of his hand.
"I told you not to look-" Langdon chuckled, the fear slowly starting to loosen it's grip on him.
โIt happens to the best of us-โ Dana said softly, shooting a sharp glance at Dr. Langdon. โTake it easy. If you need anything, just say the word.โ The charge nurse said, walking back to the nurse's station beside Princess- closing the door behind them.
โThereโs nothing to be sorry for. Iโm just glad youโre okay.โ He said after they'd left, turning away from her to retrieve the stool from where it had hit the wall. With his back turned, he tossed the idea around in his mind. A year ago heโd been full of regret, frustration- heโd been agitated at work.. Now, though- he was just happy her eyes were open, looking up at him again. He wouldnโt make this any harder for her than it had to be. Quickly breaking the silence he cleared his throat, โfainting can be serious, especially after blood loss. What just happened is called a vasovagal reaction- your heart rate and blood pressure dropped suddenly, and when that happens, gravity pulls the blood down from your brain, which causes you to pass out. Elevating the legs and tightening your muscles helps push the blood back to your brain.. It keeps you from fainting. I couldnโt move your left leg so I pushed the right one up higher.โ
โMm..โ y/n hummed, trying to will the heat and blush off her face. โThat makes senseโ
โIโm going to get you cleaned up and then you can sleep all you wantโฆโ He took a closer look at her โYouโve got some color back- good. You need to keep your electrolytes up too, how much water have you been drinking?โ He opened the pill bottle Princess had brought in, and pulled out a single pill- giving it to her to take with a small cup of water.
โSome things never change. Weโll get you a gatorade or somethingโ He sighed, with a tinge of playfulness on his voice as he sat back down beside her, watching her face to make sure she was looking away. โJust, count the ceiling tiles. Iโll be done before you finish.โ
She looked up, her eyes adjusting in the glare of the hospital lights, โsure-โ she said, unconvinced- but she started anyway- row by row counting each white tile.
He worked efficiently, irrigating the wound with sterile saline once more, and working on her stitches.
โDone.โ He placed non-stick gauze over the wound, and wrapped her thigh with an ace bandage- the pressure soothing any lingering discomfort.
She sighed. โI only got to 23.โ
โDamn-โ He chuckled. โThereโs 28. You were close.โ
y/n couldnโt help but smile a little, but before she could speak- there was a knock. โCome in!โ she called.
Mel entered the room, holding two warm blankets. โIโm so sorry, one of the nurses needed my help with a 3rd degree burn and I got held up.โ She said apologetically, laying one of the warm blankets over y/nโs lap- and the other on her chest.
โItโs okay, youโre just doing your job.โ y/n said with an encouraging smile. โYou just missed the stitches- I made the mistake of looking before everything was cleaned up.โ She chuckled.
Langdon stood, โShe had a vasovagal reaction- thankfully she didnโt pass out, but sheโs still fatigued-
She should stay lying down for the next few hours, itโs okay for her to eat if she doesnโt feel nauseous.โ
Mel nodded. โThatโs good news.โ She turned to y/n. โWould you like a sandwich? Our cafeteria isnโt too bad.โ
โThat sounds nice-โ y/n nodded.
Langdon stood, adjusting his stethoscope around his neck. โOne of us will be back periodically to check on you.. But you can just press the call button if you need anything, okay?โ
โThank you.โ y/n nodded to him as he held the door open for Dr. King. Turning back to y/n, Langdon dimmed the lights. โCall me if you need anything.โ He repeated, before closing the door behind him.
y/n took a heavy, shaky breath after the door clicked shut- trying to process everything, the weight of the day starting to sink into her bones, warmth swirling in her chest where heโd preformed sternum taps.
๐ด๐ข๐กโ๐๐'๐ ๐๐๐ก๐: ๐โ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐ ๐ ๐๐ข๐โ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐! ๐ผ โ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐. ๐ผ'๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ก๐ โ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ ๐กโ๐๐ข๐โ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ค, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข'๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐กโ๐๐ ๐โ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ !