Jack rounds the corner into the ED men's room, eyes scanning over every surface in the space. He and Robby finished up their hand off about 20 minutes ago after a surprisingly q-word shift, but by the time he got to his car he realized his badge wasn't on his hip.

He already checked the break room and trauma rooms, so now he was on to the bathrooms and patient rooms.

He doesn't see it anywhere by the sinks or the urinal, but he can smell the strong scent of chemical cleaner so maybe Esme had already been in here and taken it to Lost & Found.

He sighs and turns to go, then notices the door of the ADA stall at the far end of the room is locked. He pauses.

He did have to unexpectedly stop in there earlier after Parker mixed up with his drink order (iced vanilla chai latte with whip) with Shen's (iced vanilla latte with whip), so it might be worth a look.

Jack hears shuffling behind the door and then the sink in the stall starts running, so he leans against the wall by the main sinks to wait.

Then, Jack hears a low voice. Barely audible above the water.

No, wait.

Voices. Plural.

Jack frowns, then leans down to look under the stall.

Beside the far wall, standing close and facing the same direction, he can see two pairs of legs.

Legs with very familiar shoes.

Robby's shoes shift slightly behind Whitaker's, edging forward until they're even closer together.

A little too close, Jack thinks.

He straightens up and is about to try to save Robby from himself before anything reportable happens when he hears Robby's voice over the sound of the water.

"Ah, ah, ah," Robby chides. "Slower. Don't wanna hurt yourself."

Whitaker huffs and says something Jack can't make out.

Jack's brow creases as he steps closer to the stall. He hears the soft swish of fabric and shoes shifting on the floor.

Robby chuckles, then hums. "Yeah, just like that."

Jack's brows shoot up. Was he too late? He listens as a few more sounds come from the stall and, this time, he swallows dryly. Even over the steady flow of the sink, he can hear what those sounds are.

Soft, small, wet smacks.

Jack sighs internally and pinches his brow. He thought Robby was done with all this risky shit after Collins. But then the fucking motorcycle, and now this, with an intern, at work-

"Yeah, that's it," Robby's voice encourages. “Just a little, not all the way-"

"Ah!" Whitaker yelps suddenly, but the sound is distorted. Like his mouth is wide open.

"That's okay," Robby chuckles. "It happens. Just keep going."

Jack swallows and glances at the exit. Maybe, if he leaves now, he can stand guard outside until-

"Here," Robby says gently. "Lemme show you."

More fabric swishing. Another wet sound.

"Feel that?" Robby asks.

"Mhmph."

"Feels better, huh?"

"Ah-huh."

Jack hears someone's feet shift.

"Good, yeah. Nice and slow."

The numerous wet sounds that follow have Jack inching towards the door, praying no one else walks in and hears-

"Yeah, that's it. Get the head right in there."

Jack's eyes go wide.

He bolts for the exit, then his eyes catch on the door's lock and he pauses. Maybe he should just lock it instead. Easier to keep people out that way, and far easier to explain than-

Robby suddenly groans. "Oh yeah, look at that." There's a few sharp smacking sounds, then, "Oh, you're a natural, kid."

Jack winces as another wet smack echoes through the room.

"Well, I had a great teacher," Whitaker says modestly.

Robby's answering chuckle echoes over the sound of the paper towel dispenser. "Okay, get cleaned up. Can't have you treating patients like that."

"Mmm, I dunno." Whitaker's tone is light. Teasing. "I've been covered in worse."

Robby laughs. "Touché."

Then Whitaker's voice again, softer this time. "Thanks, Dr. Robby."

There's a dull, thudy sound, then Jack can hear the smile in Robby's voice.

"Anytime, kid."

Jack's turns to go, plotting how he'll wait outside and drag Robby off to a storage room so he can smack some sense into him the second he leaves—

Then Robby suddenly exits the stall.

They both freeze in place.

"Jack?" Robby glances back at the stall, then to Jack. "What are you…"

Jack stares at him incredulously as he trails off. "What am I–?" He glances back at the exit door, then lowers his voice and steps closer. "Robby, what are you doing, man?" He taps Robby's chest.

Robby's brow furrows. "What?"

The sink in the stall turns off and Whitaker steps out, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Jack pales when he sees a watery white smear disappear behind his hand.

"Oh." Whitaker stops and looks between the two attendings. "Are you, uh–" he checks his watch, then frowns "–working a double, Dr. Abbot?"

"No," Jack says tersely, with a pointed look at Robby. Maybe this is better. He can let them both know how fucking stupid this was. He turns back to Whitaker. "No, I was on my way home, but then-"

Jack stops.

He stares at the items clutched in Whitaker's hands.

"Jack?" Robby ducks his head to look at him, half confused, half amused. “Doing alright there?"

Jack blinks, but doesn't answer.

Robby and Whitaker glance at each other.

"Jack?" Robby says again.

Jack shakes his head. "Uh, yeah. I–” His eyes keep drifting Whitaker's hands. "I gotta–" Jack gestures to the exit, then swiftly turns and walks out.

After the bathroom door closes behind him, he scrubs his hands down his face.

"How they doing in there?"

Jack jumps and turns around.

Dana smiles at his startled face, then raises her eyebrows and nods at the bathroom door.

"Oh, uh." Jack looks at the door, then puts his hands on his hips and nods awkwardly. "Good. Yeah. They're, uh, all wrapped up."

"Good." Dana nods. "I told 'em it better be a quickie. We got plenty of patients to serve." She smiles knowingly at Jack, then looks down and taps at her tablet. "Glad Robby got him squared away, though. I dunno how much longer we could all keep looking at that sad little scratched up mug of his." She tsks and shakes her head. "Kid must be using dollar razors."

Jack nods and looks down at his feet. The razor and shaving cream in Whitaker's hand looked like hospital issue, so close enough.

"Uh. Yeah," Jack says. "Must be." He runs a hand through his hair.

Dana looks up over her glasses. "Doing alright, Jack?"

He looks up quickly. "Yep.”

She raises a brow.

"Well-"

"Oh, here." Dana reaches in her shirt pocket. "Almost forgot." She holds out his badge for him. "Musta dropped it by the station."

"Oh." Jack takes it, then turns it over in his hands, staring. "Uh, yeah. Thanks." He holds it up and gives her a little half salute with it.

Dana smiles and pats his shoulder as she walks off. "Anytime, kid."

Anytime, kid.

Jack hears Robby's voice again in his head, just the way he said it after he and Whitaker had– after Jack thought he and Whitaker had–

Jack swallows as he turns to watch Dana leave, then turns and looks back at the bathroom. He stares at the door for a moment, then turns and walks as quickly to the exit as he can without raising suspicion.

It was gonna be a long drive home.

._._._._._._._._._.

thanks so much for reading!!