Jess

Three days. That’s how long you have to prepare. 

You’d met with HR the following morning, signed the requisite paperwork, and as soon as you’d hit the Pitt Robby had pulled you aside again to tell you that Dr. Carter was set to start the next day.

Livvie.

You hated the way that hearing her name made your teeth and your fists clench, like your body was physically trying to stave off an onslaught of emotion. 

“Take tomorrow off. Try to adjust your sleep schedule,” he’d said, placing a firm hand on your shoulder with a squeeze. “You’re gonna kill it, kid. I know you will.”

“Kid?” 

“Sorry, sorry,” he half-smiled, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “Force of habit. Most of the residents are babies.”

He paused for a moment, realized the implication of what he’d said,

“Not that you’re old,” he finished lamely, rubbing the back of his neck. “Shit.”

“Now who’s a walking HR violation?” you’d chuckled, and then Dana was calling for both of you, and your day was off and running. 

There had always been a friendly rivalry between day and night shift and your upcoming transfer rocked that boat hard, so Jack had immediately seized the opportunity to give the team shit about the fact that he’d lured you to the dark side. 

“Listen up, everyone,” Jack had called when he arrived that night, and staff from both shifts slowly moved to congregate near the central desk where he was standing, yourself included. 

“I have an important announcement to make.” 

He cleared his throat dramatically and everyone fell silent. 

“Night shift has once again proven superior to its counterpart. We have a new staff member joining us tomorrow, and I’d like to take this opportunity to both welcome her, and to say to everyone on the day shift, from the bottom of my heart..” Jack trailed off and then stage-whispered, “…suck it.”

“This was literally my idea,” Robby grumbled.

“I am so sorry you guys,” you’d groaned, throwing a death glare at Jack. He just grinned like the Cheshire Cat in response. 

“The only thing I miss about days is… nothing,” Dr. Shen, who’d transferred from day shift years ago, shrugged with a slurp of his iced coffee.

“At least we don’t have to mainline overpriced coffee to survive,” Whitaker said, rolling his eyes.

Dr. Parker Ellis, another resident on the night shift, grinned at you. “Welcome to the party. It might take some time to get used to making a decision without a resident, a fellow, and an attending in the room, but don’t sweat it. We’ll help you through it.”

“Aw, Ellis, is the sun too bright for you to do a thorough exam?”  Dr. Cassie McKay from day shift simpered with a pout.

“I hope it’s quiet tonight,” Trinity smirked. 

Silence hit, quick and still.

“How dare you,” Jack whispered.

“Too far,” Jesse, one of the day shift nurses, added with a shake of his head.

“Okay, okay, I take it back,” Trinity had tried to backpedal. 

“Too late,” Lena, the night shift charge nurse, sighed as she set down the receiver of her desk phone. “Three ambos incoming. Building fire.”

Robby turned to the group. “Whitaker, Santos, McKay, let’s hang back and see if they need any help. The rest of day shift, get out of here, I’ll see you in the morning.”

The staff lounge was quiet, so when you gathered your things and turned, hefting your bag over your shoulder, Jack’s sudden appearance scared the hell out of you.

“Jesus,” you jumped, clutching a hand to your chest. 

“Sorry, sorry,” he apologized with a placating smile. “Didn’t mean to scare you. I just thought it might help if I gave you some ideas on how to transition to night shift.”

“Please. I’m normally in bed by 10pm, so I need all the help I can get.”

“Stay up later tonight, as late as you can, and then two hours later than that tomorrow night. Then take a nap before your first shift. Pick up some blackout curtains for your bedroom, I swear by them. And when all else fails - caffeine.”

“That won’t be a problem. I might as well own stock in Alani Nu.”

“I’m more of a Celsius guy myself.” He turned to pull a set of disposable gloves from the dispenser on the wall and tucked them into the pocket of his scrubs, hesitating for a moment with one hand on the door.

“I’m really looking forward to working with you,” he added.

Quietly. Softly. A little unsure. 

The complete opposite of everything you knew about Jack Abbot. 

“Me too, Thunder,” you smiled in an effort to put him at ease.

Jack’s brow furrowed. “Thunder?”

“Thunder,” you pointed at him, then at yourself, “and Lightning. Just trying it out.”

He shook his head, but he was smiling. “We’ll workshop it. See you in a few days, hotshot.”

After a quick Target run to procure blackout curtains and some other essentials, you headed home and spent the next day alternating between sleeping as much as you could and bingeing old episodes of The Office, but unfortunately your favorite comfort show did little to distract you from the fact that it wouldn’t be long until you’d have to meet Jack’s girlfriend.

Love you, Livvie.

At least the Pitt was filled with skilled - and mostly discreet - gossip kings and queens, so you’d been able to confirm semi-reliably that Jack had been single when you’d slept together. 

You were grateful you’d only have to face her, face them together, for short periods of time, but your heart was already aching at the reality of the situation, because once you met her, you wouldn’t be able to hope anymore. The loss of that hope felt daunting, a chasm you weren’t sure how to climb across after so many months of hoping that Jack might be the bridge. 

A strange mix of anticipation and trepidation settles in your stomach, cold and heavy, as you make your way through Chairs the night of your first shift. Ahmad, the night shift security guard, is already there, and he greets you with a smile. 

“Hey, doc. Good to see you on the right side of the law.”

“Hi, Ahmad. Remind me of that at 4am, okay?” 

“You’ll be alright. We won’t let you crash.” 

You scan your badge and smile at him gratefully as he holds the door open for you so you can make your way in. 

“Hey, sunshine,” Dana calls from behind the central desk, waving you over. You cross the department, setting your travel mug and water bottle behind the counter of the desk.

“Hey, Dana, how was your shift?” 

“She’s nice,” Dana says quietly, apologetically, answering the real question you were asking without you having to ask it. 

“I’m glad,” you tell her, and you are, because Jack deserves someone nice, even if that someone isn’t you. 

Dana raises an eyebrow at you, a silent inquiry.

“I’m fine,” you sigh. “I’ll be back.”

You quickly deposit your things in your locker and make your way back to the central desk. Lena and Dr. Ellis are there now, too, glancing up at the patient board. 

“Looks like you saved the good patients for us,” Ellis sighs. 

“Always do,” Dana grins and lifts her glasses, settling them on top of her head. 

“Lena, can you grab Jack and Dr. Carter so we can round?” Dr. Robby appears, Santos and Whitaker trailing closely behind, and they both smile at you in greeting. “I need to get out of here on time tonight.”

“He joined a kickball league,” Dana whispers conspiratorially. 

“Yes, Dana, I joined a kickball league. I am allowed to have a life outside of this hospital,” Robby sighs, peeling off his gloves and tossing them in a nearby trash can. 

“But you don’t,” Dana persists. 

“Remind me not to tell you things,” Robby responds dryly. Dana just chuckles in response.

“I’d know anyway,” she replies before disappearing around the corner, presumably to find Jack. 

You hear a loud slurp from behind you and you don’t even have to turn around to know who it is. 

“Jesus, Shen, how do you not have diabetes?” Dr. McKay calls from across the room.

“Good genes,” he calls back, then nudges you with his elbow. “I brought one for you. Welcome to the team.”

“Thanks, Shen,” you smile gratefully and take a sip of the proffered coffee. It’s laced with caramel and syrupy sweet, much sweeter than you normally take it, but you’re grateful for the gesture. 

“Nice of you to join us, Abbot,” you hear Robby say, and then you see her.

Livvie.

She’s beautiful, of course she is, her dark brown hair swept up into a perfect messy bun, gentle features, and soft smile, looking fresher and far less disheveled than you’d ever looked at the end of one of your shifts. 

“Night shift,” Jack calls. “Meet Dr. Olivia Carter.”

“I’m so happy to be here. Jack raves about all of you,” she smiles warmly.

You hang back, watching as everyone greets and welcomes her; watching the way Jack’s eyes follow her, the way he hovers, the way he places his hand on her lower back possessively as they make their way across the Pitt. He spots you and smiles, and you force yourself to plaster a smile on your face in response.

“Livvie, meet our newest senior resident-to-be,” he says by way of introduction. 

She shoots him a look that you can’t quite read and reaches out a hand to shake yours. 

“It’s so nice to meet you,” she tells you kindly. “You’re in good hands with Jack, and from what I’ve heard, he’s lucky to have you on his team.”

Jack smiles broadly at you. “Damn right I am. Top of her class at UPenn and John’s Hopkins, and 15 years of nursing under her belt. She’s practically a unicorn.”

Your heart feels like it’s going to beat out of your chest. 

“Nice to meet you too, Dr. Carter. Welcome to the team,” you offer, trying not to notice the admiration in Jack’s eyes when he looks at her. “Thanks for covering my shift.”

“Oh, Livvie, please. And I’ve been hoping to cover here for a while, see Jack at work as a civilian,” she grins up at him. “I’m the one who should be thanking you.” 

“Don’t get too excited,” he shrugs casually. “Once a soldier, always a soldier.”

Is Jack Abbot blushing?

“Hooah,” Livvie laughs, light and melodic and infectious, and pokes him playfully in the side. Jack catches her finger and pulls her into a half-hug. 

“Alright kids, let’s round,” Dr. Robby calls, and in that moment you are insanely grateful for his new social calendar. 

“Go easy on her tonight, Jack,” Livvie whispers to him, then reaches over to squeeze your hand gently and says, “Jack’s told me so much about you. I hope we can get to know each other better.”

Before you can respond, Livvie ducks out from under Jack’s arm with a wink and grabs a tablet from the central desk, following behind Robby as he heads towards one of the exam rooms. Jack watches her go, smiling softly to himself, and you see the way his shoulders loosen when he looks at her, the sharp edges and constant state of alert replaced by something softer, something kinder, and how can you begrudge him that kind of comfort? 

After rounds, Dana pulls you aside. “I have some good news.”

“Great. I could use some,” you tell her.

“The doctor in Peds? Hunter Lawson? He’s definitely interested. I gave him your number.”

“Fuck, I forgot about that,” you groan, rubbing a hand across your face. “Dana, I-“

“Just give it a chance,” Dana cuts you off. “You deserve happiness, too, and I love you, kid, but you’re not going to find it pining after Abbot.”

Her words cut deep, loosing something ugly and angry and hot inside of your chest. 

“You think I don’t know that?” you hiss. “You think I want to feel like this? I’m so tired, Dana. I’m so fucking tired of thinking and hoping and wondering and honestly? Livvie is a fucking blessing because she’s kind and beautiful and Jack is clearly happy so I don’t have to do that anymore, but goddamnit, it hurts.”

And then you’re crying the tears you’ve been holding back for months, and Dana tugs you into one of the trauma bays before anyone can see you.

“It fucking hurts,” you repeat softly, and she reaches out to pull you into a gentle hug.

“I know it does, kid. But I also know you’re strong, and you’re beautiful, and you’re going to get through this. You’re going to be okay.”

“I know. I just wish it would happen faster,” you whisper.

The door opens suddenly and Jack steps into the room. 

“Hey, I’ve been looking for you…” he trails off when he sees your face and his demeanor shifts instantly from relaxed to anxious. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing. She’s fine,” Dana pats your shoulder comfortingly as you frantically wipe at the tears on your face and clear your throat.

“I’m good, Jack,” you tell him.

“You’re very clearly not good. Who do I have to kill?” The sharp edge to his voice leads you to believe he actually might mean it.

“No one.” You offer him a small smile. “Just a rough day, that’s all.”

Jack squints at you, debating his next move, and, thankfully, decides to let it go. “Okay, but the offer stands.”

“You good?” Dana raises an eyebrow at you questioningly, and you nod.

“Yep. Get out of here. I’ll see you in the morning.” 

She nods at Jack, gives you a quick squeeze,  and steps out of the room, leaving you and Jack alone. He watches you for a moment, the look in his eyes imperceptible, before he finally says, “Joke or work? Dealer’s choice.”

“Work,” you exhale, relieved that he’s not going to press.

“Okay,” he nods decisively. “Dr. Collins is out unexpectedly tonight. I’d planned to have you observe, adjust to the cadence of the night shift, but we’re going to need you to step in.”

You take a deep breath and wipe again at your face. “I can do that.”

He turns to rummage in one of the drawers of the nearby cart, procuring a disposable ice pack that he cracks, massaging it briefly. 

“Here.” He moves toward you and slowly, delicately lowers it to one of your cheeks, holding it there for a moment before moving it to the other. “This will help with some of the swelling.”

“Thanks,” you murmur, taking it from his hand. 

“Take a minute. New interns started tonight and I want to introduce you to them when you’re ready.”

“I’m ready,” you insist, lowering the ice pack from your face, but his hand gently catches your wrist and moves it back into place.

“I said, take a minute.” His voice is gruff and low and insistent and his face is too close to yours and he smells clean, like soap and cedarwood, and you hate the way your body responds to all of it, the way it starts to coil tightly again around his invisible hold.

When his eyes meet yours, he drops his hand quickly and steps back, shoving his hands into his pockets. 

“The offer stands,” he repeats quietly. 

A beat passes, then another. Jack’s staring at the floor like it’s the most interesting thing he’s seen all day.

“Batman and Robin?” you finally say to break the silence. 

“Only if you’re Robin,” he rolls his eyes, his face finally shifting into a smile you recognize. 

You don’t know what to make of any of it.

You meet the interns - Joy and Ogilve - and lead them around the department, showing them the ropes. They’re both whip smart, but they know it, a dangerous combination in emergency medicine. Luckily, the rhythm of night shift is slower, smoother, giving you ample time to teach and correct, though that night it’s mostly the latter. 

You realize quickly that Dr. Robby was right - teaching instead of doing is a muscle you have to exercise, one that’s lain dormant for too long in the demand of the day shift. It proves more difficult not to step in throughout the night than you thought it would be.

Around 2:30am you’re walking them through the possible causes of your most recent patient’s symptoms, and their bickering is causing a headache to bloom at the base of your skull.

“Polyuria, polydipsia, tachycardic at 120bpm. It’s obviously DKA,” Ogilve rolls his eyes at Joy, and her eyes narrow in response.

“HHS, AKA, Lactic Acidosis, kidney failure,” she lists off. “We haven’t even checked her glucose or ketones.”

“If it looks like a dog and barks like a dog…” Ogilve argues.

“Enough,” your voice comes out sharper than you intend. You turn to the patient.

“Mrs. Hernandez, please give us a few minutes,” you smile at her and gesture for the interns to follow you out of the room. After shutting the door behind you, you take a deep breath before turning to face them.

“First of all, ‘if it looks like a dog and barks like a dog’? Really? That’s your philosophy for practicing medicine?” You cross your arms across your chest, glaring pointedly at Ogilve, and though you’re not sure he’s capable of contrition, he at least has the intelligence to keep his mouth shut. 

“Second, the hubris from both of you is exhausting. Don’t forget why we’re here. You may have worked your asses off to get here, but this is not about you anymore. This is about them,” you hiss, pointing at the patient board over the central desk. 

A beat passes as you allow your words to sink in.

“Got it,” Joy nods. “I apologize.”

“Don’t apologize,” you sigh tiredly. “Do better. Now go order labs for the patient and call me when they’re back. Oh and also? Primum Non Nocere? That applies to your senior resident, too.”

Both interns head back into the room; you make your way towards the central desk, collapsing into one of the chairs with a groan.

“I’m not cut out for this shit, Lena.”

“What, night life, or the wonder twins?” she asks, peering over her glasses at you with a smirk.

You snort-laugh at that and bring your hands up to massage your temples. “Neither. Both? I don’t even know anymore.”

“This might help.” You hear Jack’s voice from behind you, turning just as he sets an Alani Nu energy drink on the desk in front of you.

“Is this real or am I so tired I’m hallucinating?” You eagerly grab for the can and pop it open to take a long sip. Jack and Lena watch you with amusement, and it isn’t until you’ve set it back down on the desk that the thought jumps into your mind:

He remembered.

That’s Jack, though, you countered yourself. Always taking care of everyone else.

It was one of the things you admired most about him. Other than his biceps. 

“I wasn’t sure what flavor you liked. Hope that one’s okay,” he says, low and quiet.

“Juice Peach is my favorite, actually." You smile gratefully. “All I need is some ibuprofen and I’ll be a new woman. Thanks, Jack.”

“Here,” he holds out his hand, dropping two tablets into your palm, and your head cocks to the side in confusion.

“How did you…”

“Rule number one on the night shift: never underestimate the sheer number of helpful things that Jack carries around in his pockets,” Lena informs you before picking up the incoming phone call. Jack joins the two of you behind the desk, taking a seat at the computer next to you before badging in to scroll through some of the patient charts.

“Admonishing and quoting Latin at the interns in the same breath? I’m impressed,” he says casually.

“Yeah, well,” you grumble and take another sip of your drink. “I’m tired and they’re cocky.” 

“Oh, they fully deserved it. I’ve been waiting for you to lose it on them all night.” He turns his head to the side to glance over at you, then brings a hand up to his mouth and whispers behind it, “They’re the worst.”

“Thank you. Is that like, a night shift intern thing?”

“It’s just an intern thing.” He shrugs. “We’ve all been them at once point in our careers. Luckily most of us grow out of it.”

“Most of us?”

Jack nods, locks his computer, and stands up, grabbing a tablet from the charger. “I wouldn’t bet on Ogilve.”

You snort-laugh again, and Jack cocks his head at you.

“That’s kind of adorable, you know that?”

“What is?” you ask, confused.

“Your laugh,” he says simply, then glances up at the patient board. “Can you check if the CT is back on the abdominal pain in four? I’ll take the hand lac in seven.”

He walks away without waiting for a response, leaving you flustered.

Around 6am, you’re catching up on charts when your phone dings, alerting you to an incoming text message from a unknown number. Curious, you tap it open.

Hey, this is Hunter Lawson from up in Peds. Dana gave me your number, I hope it’s okay that I’m reaching out. How was your first night shift?

Hey Hunter - it was good, but long. Really looking forward to seeing my bed again.

You cringe as you read it back and pray he doesn’t interpret that as an invitation.

I’d offer to bring you coffee this morning but it probably won’t help you sleep. I can offer dinner though, on your next night off, if you’re interested?

You chew on your lip for a moment, pondering your response, when you hear a familiar musical laugh coming from the door that leads to Chairs. 

“Good morning,” Livvie calls melodically.

“Hey Livvie,” Shen says as he exits triage, closing the door behind him. “You’re early. God bless you.”

“I couldn’t sleep, so I decided to come help. It’s so much quieter here than it is in New York City.”

“Please tell me those are for us,” Ellis appears, eyeing the boxes of bagels in Livvie’s hands. 

“Thought you guys could use some carbs,” she grins. 

“Is that Livvie?” Jack calls, poking his head out of the trauma bay where he’s been restocking one of the crash carts. His face lights up when he sees her.

“Yep, and don’t worry, I brought your favorite.” She waves a smaller bag towards him. 

“Have I told you lately that I love you?”

She chuckles indulgently. “Only all the time. I’ll put these in the staff lounge.”

As she passes you, you offer her a small smile, and she nudges you gently with her elbow. “Did he behave himself last night?”

You glance over at Jack briefly to find that he’s very obviously watching the two of you while trying, and failing, to pretend that he isn’t.

“Of course. Other than making me deal with the interns all night.” 

“They’re the worst,” she whispers, and you can’t help but laugh. 

“Jack and I had that same discussion last night.”

She hums in response. “Come get some breakfast.”

“Yeah, thanks, that’s really sweet of you. Give me a minute to finish up this chart and I’ll meet you in there.”

You watch her head into the staff lounge with Jack following quickly behind, then turn your attention back to your phone. Taking a deep breath, you type:

I’d love to. How does Friday night sound?

It doesn’t even take him a full minute to respond.

It’s a date. 

__

Taglist:

*Crack* The sound was jarring. *Crack* The back of your head was repeatedly being slammed into the laminate floor. *Crack* You couldn’t breathe. Your lungs felt like they had been set alight, burning with a deep desire to take in oxygen. 

“Get away from me!” The man yelled as he released one of the hands he had tightly gripped around your neck, only to draw it behind his head and lay a full fist of force against your nose. 

“SECURITY!” You heard Dana shout as she caught sight of the assault happening across the way. She couldn’t tell who it was under the man who’d gone rogue. But it felt too late now…

Everything was a blur. You couldn’t breathe as blood trickled down your throat. The swelling had already begun to take effect. You coughed and rolled onto your side as the man was removed from you in a flurry of blurs. You couldn’t hear the commotion going on around on, but you could see the shadows behind swollen eyes and broken skin. 

“Y/n!?” Robby was the first voice that managed to break through the perpetual ringing. He was just a shadow, mixing with the fluorescent light beaming down on you. “You’re not okay, but you’re gonna be.” You could barely make out what he was saying. If you could, you would’ve panicked at the sheer heaviness in his tone of voice. The worry, the panic that his best friend’s wife had just been attacked. 

“Someone get me Dr. Abbott!” Robbys voice echoed across the entire expanse of the Emergency Room department. Everyone heard the urgent desperation in his voice. Everyone besides Jack…who was someone across the department, elbow deep in saving some guys bowel from needing to be removed. “Tell him it’s his wife!”

Whittaker was the one who dropped what he was doing, albeit not as important as finding Dr. Abbott, but nevertheless, he knew whatever it was that it was bad. Jack hadn’t anticipated one of the new kids to come charging in like it was life or death the way he did. 

“Dr. Abbot! Something happened, you need to come and–” 

“Someone better be dying for you to be taking any of my time away from this man, Whittaker, what is it!?” Jack didn’t shout, nor was it laced with anger. It was a response of pure and total control over the situation. Jack was as calm as they come under crisis. It was just who he was. He saw the solutions in chaos like a puzzle he could put back together. 

“Your wife–” Dennis choked on his own words like he was afraid to deliver bad news. Ironic that delivering bad news to loved ones of patients was a part of the job. “She uh–” 

“She what, Whitaker? My wife, what?” Jack never faltered. He never looked up from where he was working magic. Blood-stained gloves halted to a standstill, however, when the words that left Whittaker’s mouth next knocked the wind right out of Jack’s lungs. 

“She was just attacked, Robby has her in trauma two now, it’s bad, like real bad, sir.”

The air grew thin, the walls began to cave in. Jack Abbot was, on a regular day, as calm as they come under pressure. 

He saved his breakdowns for the roof in the early hours of the morning. He’d spend a few minutes watching as the sun kissed the horizon with a warmth that could only be rivalled by your own. 

He’d hedge his bets, cut his losses and accept what reality had dealt and delivered. All the while continuing all the reasons why he couldn’t take that leap. Always circling back to the most important of all. 

You. 

But when that guiding light is challenged, Jack's body language alters. His normally rigid, ex-military stance softened for a brief moment. 

Jack's heart was breaking. He could feel it being ripped apart inside his chest cavity. The thud of his heart was nearly loud enough to echo off the walls.

“What?” No one had seen Jack Abbot so flustered before. His eyes softened in a moment of what must have looked like weakness. But to Jack, it was love. Pure, that’s my best friend, love. The kind of love that’s deep in your bones, love. The kind of love that haunts you, love. “My, my wife?” 

It was a softness only reserved for you, a side to Jack Abbot that was hidden away behind the safety and security of his own perfectly designed Volt system. His expert ability to compartmentalise only ever falters around you. 

He can’t control it. Jack Abbot had a weakness, an affinity of affection. An addiction to the release of Oxytocin he received whenever you paid him any mind. It had always been like that, a little catch and release. Cat and mouse. Jack loved to watch you walk away because he knew you were always coming back. 

But now…you were hurt. You were hurt, and he was stuck in his own head thinking about the first time he saw you. How you lit up the entire night sky and hung every star just for him to feel comfort in the darkness. 

Your laugh, how it’s the only therapy he’d ever need. The deep cackle that’s not cute, but infectious. You’re like a shot of espresso, keeping Jack on his toes and never allowing him to fall completely off the deep end into permanent geriatric grumpiness. No matter how far he teetered over the edge.

Jack Abbot was just lucky enough to be living in general, but to be living in your world was just the luck of the Anglo-Irish. He wasn’t sure if he could live in a world without you in it. 

The thought consumed his entire being. A world without you. A life without you. What if he never got to hear your voice again? Or tell you how much he fucking loved you. The contrast between the heat of Jack's skin and the coolness of his wedding band resting upon his heart couldn’t have been more stark. 

“Is she—“ Before Jack could ask if you were okay, he was cut off. 

“Go,” Dr. Ellis damn near ordered. “I got this, go.” She reaffirmed as Jack felt her shove him over, there was no extra time that could be wasted. It was all Jack needed to find his centre of gravity again and get a hold of himself. 

His composure.

“Who attacked her?” But as the surge of panic softened, a wave of uncontrollable rage began to boil deep within Jack. His eyes scanned the utter chaos that was the emergency department, searching for whoever it was that had hurt you. “Where are they now?” 

No one gets to hurt Jack Abbots wife and gets to continue breathing. 

“Uhhh—“ Whitaker stammered, unsure of whether he should disclose that information or not. “He’s with security now, behavioural health two.”

It was a deep-rooted, all-consuming need to hook it left and make a B line directly for behavioural health two. Who did this guy think he was? Huh? Attacking people, no…attacking his wife like this? It wouldn’t be without consequence. 

“Dr. Abbot.” 

“This the guy?” Jack asked one of the security guards with a look of rage behind his exhausted eyes. “I need to speak with him?” 

“The cops and McKay are in there with him now.” 

“It wasn’t a request.” Jack snarled as he tried to make his way into the room that held the man who attacked you.

“JACK!” It was Robby who had yelled. “NOW!” You were in a rough way, Jack would tell by the tone in his friend’s voice. 

“Y/n,” Jack whispered to himself as he looked over at trauma two. “Oh, oh no no no no no.” It was a mumble only to himself, but everyone could feel the heaviness that followed Jack Abbot across and through the emergency department chaos. 

Change. We don’t like it, we fear it. But we can’t stop it from coming. We either adapt to change…

Or we get left behind. 

“She needs to be intubated, get her up for a head CT, we’re looking at some major blunt force trauma here, needs–needs burr holls to relieve the intracranial pressure.” 

“Y/n!” Jack barreled in like a hurricane-force wind. “What the actual fuck happened here, man?” 

“She was with a patient, Y/n? Can you hear me? It’s Robinovich here, don’t you make this difficult for me,” Robby spoke through panicked words as he worked on you as fast as he could. “Guy freaked, psychotic episode, probably a bleed on the brain–”

“Ja–” You barely mumbled as blood spilled from your mouth. Jack heard you, though. He heard you loud and clear as he made his way to your side. His hand was immediately in yours as he made sure to be aware of his spatial awareness as his colleagues worked on you. 

“I’m right here,” Jack cooed as he took in the sight of your face. Beaten, bloodied and bruised. “You’re okay, I’m right here, just hang on for me, sweetheart, I’ve got you.” 

“I, love–” You were in and out of consciousness, fighting against the pull of whatever it was threatening to pull you away from the surface. 

“Pulse is thready, she’s crashing,” someone announced as all the bells and whistles sounded off at once. You were indeed crashing, right in front of Jack. 

“Sweetheat? You stay with us, you hear me?” Jack was feeling the panic creep up his spine again. “Are you shitting me? What the hell do you think you’re doing being alone with a patient like that?” Jack knew if you were listening, you would have jabbed him back. Of all people to be giving you a lecture on hospital protocol, it shouldn’t have been him. 

You called him a Cowboy for a reason.

“If you die on me, i’m gonna be so fucking screwed here Y/n, get your shit together,” It was Jacks love language. “Robby, get her back!” 

He kept searching for some sort of eye contact, that deep-rooted ability of his that you at times often regarded as his superpower. That intense gaze, the one able to break through anything and reach your very soul. 

But Jack couldn’t see you through you, he couldn’t see anything but the blood that covered your beautiful face. The face he dreamed of at night, when all was said and done, and there was nothing left to do. 

“Working on it, someone get me neuro, NOW!” 

“O.R. is prepped and ready upstairs.” 

“Okay, let’s get her stable and on the move.” 

“I’m coming.” 

“Like fuck you are, brother,” Robby sighed, never missing a beat as he continued to stabilise his best friends wife. The love of his life.”You can watch from observation, but you can’t be in the O.R., hospital policy we—“

“Don’t work on family, I’m not, I’m telling you I’m—“

“If we can’t get her back, you’ll be in there, let me get her back, I’ve got her.” It was a promise Robby shouldn’t have made. But he knew you and he knew you well enough to know that this was not your exit music moment. 

Jack simply held his lips into a tight line of silent panic. He never let go of your hand, opting to walk you all the way to surgery. 

“Wait,” He begged right before the double doors automatically opened on your arrival. Everyone stopped moving as Jack leaned in to whisper something in your ear. “If you die on me so help me god, I’m walking right up to that roof for the last time and you damn well know it, don’t do this to us,” Jack begged. “I love you with all that I am and have.” He said one final time before letting go of your hand. Grazing across your wedding band as he let you go. 

“Let’s move people!” Someone beside your side yelled as all Jack could do was stand still, as you were wheeled away from him. 

“Oh god,” It was immediate, the sudden feeling of sickness. The wave of nausea hit him like a freight train. The nearest fake plant was the best course of action. With one hand on the wall in front of him, Jack emptied the contents of his stomach. It wasn’t much, mainly stomach bile, but the sentiment remained the same. “Fuckk-.” 

The thought of losing you made Jack Abbot's stomach churn. 

It hurts to adapt to change; anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. It’s utter bullshit. But change is inevitable, good or bad. It haunts us like ghosts of our former past. It can taunt us like a small child who thinks you’re having the time of your life. 

But when change is brought about, it’s better to adapt than deny that it's happening in the first place. 

—----------------------

There’s a reason surgeons learn to wield scalpels. They liked to pretend that their hard, cold scientists. They like to pretend that they’re fearless. But the truth is, people become surgeons because somewhere, deep down, they think they can cut away that of which haunts them. 

Weakness, frailty…death. 

Jack woke with a stark jolt. He was sweating, running a fever. The darkness was all-consuming as he tried to gain his bearings. He was in bed. The bed he shared with you.

“Christ,” Jack sighed to himself as he laid on his back in the middle of the night. A hand ran down his face as he collected his thoughts. That had been one of the most intense nightmares, one of the most realistic ones, he’d ever had. 

“Something tells me he had you on do not disturb.” Jack heard you mumble from beside him, wrapped up in a mess of covers and sheets. “Probably, don’t think that guys ever paid much mind to me, has he, sweetheart?”

When you didn’t respond, Jack frowned. You were just talking. Were you talking in your sleep? But you were talking directly to him.

“Y/n, you awake?” It was a question laced with hope. Jack hoped you were. He couldn’t stop thinking about your bloodied face in his nightmare. The way you lay there, lifeless, not breathing. “Hey, c’mere for a minute.” Jack nearly begged as he slowly but surely moved closer to where you were in the bed you shared together. 

With a gentle kiss to your exposed shoulder, Jack maneuvered you from where you were lying on your side to your back. It was then he realised he was still in a living hell. 

“Remember?” Was all you said as blood spilled out of your mouth and down your chin. A bloodied smile was permanently seared into Jack's memory as pure horror washed over him. “You couldn’t protect me, you couldn’t save me. What’s the point of being married to a doctor if you can’t save my life?” 

“No, no this isn’t real,” Jack tried to reason with his mind as he hovered over your now lifeless body in the bed you shared. “Stay with me, sweetheart, stay with me!!” 

But you didn’t move, you were lifeless and cold. So fucking cold. 

“Jack?” He heard through a whisper, a mumbled distance away, “Jack?” There it was again. This time, though, a hand on his shoulder accompanied the male voice, coaxing him back to reality. “Jack, wake up, bother.” 

With a jolt, Jack was waking from where he’d fallen asleep. Right beside you with his head on the spot beside your hand. His in yours. His back ached like no tomorrow, but his hips hurt the worst. 

“I must’ve fallen asleep.” Jack sighed as he tried to regain his composure. The thought of you dead beside him in bed had rocked him to his very core. But it was always the same dream ever since you were attacked. 

I could hear you screaming from the second I stepped out of the elevator,” Robby sighed as he checked your vitals. All the signs pointed to good news. “Have you spoken to your therapist about all this yet?” he asked with a frown of concern from above his glasses. 

“Nope,” Jack explained as he let out a sigh and stretched out in the chair he was sitting on. “Can’t bear to bring it up, might jinx her.” 

“Well, the swelling is mostly stable, she’s regaining strength, and her pulse ox is great, the only thing keeping her under right now is, well, her,” Robby shrugged as he crossed his arms over his chest. “She’s gonna wake up, man.”

Jack didn’t respond right away. He let the silence linger in the air. He watched your steady heartbeat on the monitor. He eyed off your vitals, the way your chest rose and fell with every breath you took unassisted. He was still on edge, but was able to talk himself through it. 

He’d watched you recover over the last week since the attack. Jack hadnt left the hospital once. He’d become what he hated most. A border. But he couldn't bring himself to leave even just for a few minutes. Not when you were here. 

It took a village. Dana had organised someone to collect all the essentials Jack and yourself might need during your stay. The house was probably a mess and the content of the fridge was well past used by, but that wasn't important right now. 

He’d stay here beside you watching you heal. Watching you get stronger. Watching you slowly come back to him like Robby had promised. But no one had any idea how you would react when you finally woke up. There was worry of mental deficits from the head trauma. But Jack knew you well enough to know you were a real fighter. 

He finally knew what it was like for you when he’d lost his leg. A part of him he’d never get back. Jack wondered if you'd feel the same way after, if a part of you died that day. He was anticipating it really. The onset of depression post traumatic events. The PTSD that would haunt you like a ghost. The sleepless nights. The recklessness. The suicidal tendencies. All of it, he knew about it and was prepared for it. 

Only difference is you weren’t. But boy were you a fast learner. And oh boy did Jack understand the other side of it now. How it felt to watch the person you love suffer so much. 

“Here,” Again Robby's voice broke Jack out of his trance-like thinking state. “Drink this, eat this, don’t argue,” A juice box lands in Jack's lap, so did a half eaten sandwich. He looks up at his friend, perplexed…but already knows the answer. “I ate the other half in the elevator.” Robby still explains. 

“Thanks.” Is all Jack has left in him to say. He’s exhausted, but won't say that out loud. Won't admit it to anyone but himself. Robby can see it written in the lines on Jack's face. He can see it in the growth of his facial hair, the bags under his eyes. 

“Have a shower before she starts to stir,” It's one of the last thing Robby says before he leaves. “You look and smell like shit, she’s probably not waking up just to be polite you know.” He doesn't wait for an answer, but as he leaves and heads down the corridor back to the elevator, he knows Jack is smiling behind him. Shaking his head. 

“You would do that, wouldn't you?” Jack sighed, popping the straw into the small juice box. The sugar is a much needed relief for the man running on empty. 

It isn't just surgeons, the truth is, Jack didn't know anyone who wasn't haunted by something…or someone. And whether we try to slice the pain away with a scalpel or shove it in the back of a closet…

Our efforts usually fail. 

—-------------------------------------

Jack Abbot went into medicine because he wanted to save lives. He went into medicine because he wanted to do good. He went into medicine for the rush…for the high…for the ride. 

But what he tends to remember at the end of most days are the losses. What he lies awake at night, replaying is the pain he caused or failed to cure. The lives he ruined or failed to save. So the experience of practising medicine, for Jack Abbot, that is, rarely resembles the goal. 

The experience is, too often, ass-backwards and upside down. 

“One slight gust and you’d be done for, you know?” Jack knew it was you the second he heard the approaching footsteps. 

“What are you doing up here?” Jack replied, all the while he still had his hands tucked away in his pockets. 

“Oh, I dunno,” You sighed as you ducked under the railing. Coming to stand close to but not close enough to where your husband stood. “Heard some lunatic was up on the roof, didn’t take much for me to realise that the lunatic in question was probably my repeat offender.” You rubbed your hands over your face like you’d had enough of today. Coaxing your husband off the ledge of the roof was not something you had on your bingo card for today. “What are you doing up here, Abbot?” 

It was a loaded question, but a question that deserved a genuine response nevertheless. Jack shrugged, unable to look his wife in the eye for once. Something he was really fucking good at doing. 

“Guy lost his leg in a car accident.” You didn’t need much more than that, but Jack continued. You didn’t interrupt. “My call to amputate, we weren’t gonna be able to save it.” You could feel the heaviness weighing on your husband’s heart as he explained what led him to the roof. “Pains been unbearable ever since.” 

You didn’t speak, you didn’t respond, but you sure knew what you had to do. There was a deeper meaning behind the reason Jack made you carry a pocket knife with you. One that wasn’t permitted by the hospital. You casually reached into your back pocket to reveal the small pocket knife. 

“You know, a wise man once told me that you find comfort in darkness,” You said as you knelt down carefully and knew back your arm with just enough force that the blade of your knife would pierce the titanium foot of your husband’s prosthetic leg. “There, should start to feel some slight relief soon.” 

Jack sighed. It never worked when he did it himself. Nor did it work if he knew it was coming. It had to be spontaneous, quick and off guard. You did just that 

“I needed that more than you know.” It was another way of saying ‘I love you’ But you already knew that. 

“Oh trust me, I knew, otherwise we wouldn't be up here standing on the edge of a building.” Jack knew you were right. You knew him better than he knew himself most days. 

That’s why you were his wife. His life partner. His better half. 

Jack let a moment of silence pass the two of you by as you moved to stand beside him once again, both watching the sun gently kiss the horizon. He raised an arm up and over your shoulders. Drawing you close to his side as he left a gentle, but meaningful, kiss to your temple. 

He adored you, far more than you would ever know. Jack was thankful for the way you left the knife in his foot. The more he looked down at it sticking out of his prosthetic, the more the pain alleviated. The more the tendencies subsided.

“You’re pretty good at this comfort thing, you know.” He prayed the roles were never reversed, was there a version of Jack that could offer the same kind of comfort, strength and grace that could. 

“Comes with the territory,” Was all you said as you let your head against Jack's shoulder. “But seriously, we should totally get down before you spiral again.”  You bumped Jack's hip with your own. He smirked.

“There’s always tomorrow,” Jack teased as he kissed your temple once more. Choosing to leave with you via the stairs rather than over the edge. 

As the warmth of the water cascaded down Jack's exposed body, he stood leaning against the wall. Prosthetic leaning against the doorframe. He needed a moment. 

The scent of your body wash adorned him, using the toiletries you hadn’t had a chance to use yourself yet. Sure, Jack had kept you as clean as you could be during your stay, but wet wipes weren’t the same as your black plum and vanilla scented everything. 

Your wedding ring hung around his dog tags, right next to his. Robby had taken it off before surgery. It had become Jack's comfort blanket. To thumb at the circular silver ring. 

But as the steam threatened to allow Jack's muscles to relax, he heard it…the warning alerts. 

“No,” He gasped. Panic rose inside his chest as he fumbled to switch the water off and wrap the towel around his midsection. Fuck a shirt, this was a hospital and everyone knew basic anatomy. “No, this cannot be happening—not now.“ 

The sight that Jack saw when he stepped out of the bathroom was nothing short of horrific. There you were, surrounded by doctors and nurses alike. Some Jack knew, some he didn't. But they all shared a common goal… 

Avoiding the experience that is, too often, ass-backwards and upside down.

***~***~***~***~***~***~

Of course, the others had given you endless shit about it, Frank being the loudest. The second morning after your accident, Jack had waited for you outside your tent as you changed, his deep, brown eyes surveying the jungle stoically. He had wordlessly scooped you up in his arms as you hobbled towards the entrance, carrying you effortlessly to where the others were already gathered for breakfast. Victoria had raised an eyebrow in question, but said nothing. Whitaker was too busy going over something with Robby to pay you much mind, the same to be said for the others and their own research. Frank had walked over from his tent at the same time and let out a loud snort at the sight of you.

“Is this going to be a regular thing now?” He had snickered, gesturing to where you clung to Jack. “Is he a taxi service now?”

“I’ve already tried explaining to him that I don’t need him to carry me everywhere,” you scowled at the botanist. Jack placed you gently on the bench before plopping down right next to you, Frank taking up the space on your other side. “He’s just insistent upon doing it, is all.”

“If I didn’t know any better,” he drawled as Mel placed a plate of eggs in front of you, “I’d think you like him carrying you around everywhere.”

You cast him a sideways glance as you shoveled a fork full of egg into your mouth, brow pinched together in indignation.

“I don’t.”

“Sure,” Frank hummed, giving you a knowing look before bumping your shoulder with his. “And jungle man over there also doesn’t get a hard on every time he looks at you.”

“Frank!” You exclaimed, cheeks warming as Trinity cackled and Dana cleared her throat, her own cheeks growing a nice shade of pink at the turn in the conversation along with Victoria and Mel’s. Whitaker and Robby looked over at the two of you, matching shocked expressions on their faces.

“Don’t be crass,” you hissed at the man, swatting at his arm. He rolled his eyes, accepting the plate Mel handed him with a quiet thanks.

“Is it really being crass if I’m telling the truth?”

“Yes,” you snapped, cognizant of the fact Jack had been inching closer to you as each moment passed. Frank rolled his eyes at you, but said nothing more.

The next couple of days had you struggling to figure out how to do various chores around the camp. Cooking was easy enough until you needed to get up and grab something.

The first time you had stood up, Jack’s head had shot up from where he was flipping through one of the sketchbooks Robby had laying about. His honey-colored eyes watched you intently as a frown tugged on his lips, standing when you made to move.

“No,” he said, pushing down on your shoulders gently.

“Jack, I have to-”

“No,” he said again, more firmly this time, eyes intense and brows pinched. “Hurt.”

“I’m not so hurt that I can’t walk the three feet to grab a spoon,” you scowled at him. He raised an eyebrow at you, turning and walking the few, short steps across the eating area to pluck a spoon out of the container and bringing it to you. You accepted it with a huff, not missing the satisfied smirk that appeared on his face at the small victory.

Laundry was done down by the river, an ever watchful Jack sitting on one of the stones beside you as you scrubbed the various articles of clothing. He watched you carefully, an unreadable expression on his face as you worked through your task.

After the first half hour, you began to grow increasingly self conscious once you realized he hadn’t taken his eyes off of you for more than a couple of seconds at a time the entire time you two had sat there.

“Aren’t you bored?” You asked him, wrinkling your nose. “I mean, it can’t be fun to just sit here and watch me do all this. Wouldn’t you prefer to help Dana or Robby or someone else? I’m sure they’re having much more fun than we are.”

Jack’s gaze hardened in confusion. Shaking his head, he shifted slightly, leaning closer towards you.

“Like being with you,” he murmured, the hint of a smile on his lips as he looked at you. The heat on your cheeks had nothing to do with the sweltering jungle heat, and you quickly averted your gaze, pretending to inspect a stain on one of Whitaker’s shirts. Your eyes darted up when Jack crept towards you, and for a moment, you were reminded that this man was raised by apes, not humans. His leg stretched out to rest beside you, the rest of him slinking after until he crouched right in front of you, his nose almost brushing yours. Your eyes wandered down the length of one of his legs, taking in the sight of the various nasty looking scars scattered on his right leg in particular.

Your breath caught in your throat, and you swallowed thickly as he reached a hand up to brush his fingers across your cheek. His eyes darted down, lingering on your lips as they parted. A shiver ran up your spine as his fingers trailed down, running over your bottom lip, and the intense look in his eye became hungry as you let out a quiet gasp. He let his fingers linger for a second before pulling them away and towards a strand of hair that hung in your face. Slowly, he pushed it back behind your ear, letting his palm cradle your jaw as the two of you sat silently watching each other.

The sound of jungle leaves rustling broke the two of you out of your trance, and Jack let out a growl as he positioned himself in front of you, glaring intensely at the spot where the noise was coming from.

“Hey, you two!” Robby called, coming into view with a smile. Jack immediately relaxed back into his spot beside you, but the frown remained. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think he was annoyed. You cleared your throat, your head still clouded from the intensity of the prior moment.

“Hey, Robby,” you greeted, attempting a smile that you were sure came out as more of a grimace. “What brings you by?”

“Oh nothing,” he grinned. “Just wanted to see if you needed any help with the laundry. It’s very kind of you to offer to do it while you heal up. I know it’s not the greatest chore.”

“I want to feel useful,” you offered, shrugging.

“Well, nevertheless, it’s appreciated,” Robby smiled. “Do you need any help carrying everything back?”

“No,” Jack snapped, leveling Robby with a glare. The researcher looked a little taken aback by the ferocity of Jack’s answer, but recovered quickly, shooting you a brief, knowing look.

“I see,” he hummed, trying and failing to hide his smirk. “Well, if the two of you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

And with that, he turned on his heel and headed back towards the camp. Once he was out of sight, Jack huffed, turning back to look at you.

“What’s got you so grumpy?” you asked him, chuckling slightly. Jack didn’t answer, instead, reaching out to twirl a strand of your hair in between his fingers, bringing it up to his nose and taking a long, deep inhale before giving you another heavy look. Your cheeks heated up once more before you ducked your head down to start the process of scrubbing the laundry once again. You tried not to think about how Jack’s muscles had bulged when he was crouched in front of you or how his intense look made your thighs clench together.

You were sitting in one of the research tents a week later, transcribing some notes for Dr. Robby the following week, having begged the older man for ways to be of use given you were slowly losing your mind doing all of the mundane chores. Jack was perched in a chair next to you, flipping through the rough sketches Whitaker had made of some of the baboons and wrinkling his nose.

“What’s that face for?” You giggled, glancing over at him. Jack huffed and shook his head, giving you a solemn look.

“Baboons are annoying.”

You burst into a fit of giggles, resting your chin on the palm of your hand as you looked at him fully. Jack’s gaze softened as he listened to you laugh, a tinge of pink coating his cheeks.

“Yeah?” You asked him. “How so?”

Jack straightened up in his seat, rolling his eyes as he thought back to the countless run-ins he’s had with the creatures.

“They scream a lot,” he scowled, lips pursed as he gives you a serious look. “And they steal my food sometimes. It’s hard to catch them because they climb the trees so fast.”

You had quickly grown used to how articulate Jack actually was over the course of the last week and a half. You supposed it was no surprise considering he’d had twenty years of practice, but even Robby had seemed surprised when he walked in on Jack telling you a story one day, the wild man animatedly telling you a story about a trick he played on one of the younger members of the gorilla troop he lived with. Now you wondered if the older researchers even knew if Jack could string together more than a couple of short sentences.

His sentences could still be choppy at times and his answers short and direct, sure, but the more you showed interest in what he had to say, the more he found himself opening up and saying more. Jack found that he liked the way you reacted to what he had to say, and he tried to practice at night once he knew you were asleep. He found himself visiting with Dana and Robby more, asking them questions about different words for different feelings and ideas. He wasn’t sure why, but he wanted you to know him, to know what he thought about things and how he felt about the world. Maybe it was because he wanted to know those things about you too and to talk about them with you.

“They are pretty fast, huh?” You asked, leaning forward a little more, unknowingly pushing your breasts together and exaggerating your cleavage. Jack’s eyes flickered down, and he felt a familiar stirring in his groin. He found that this feeling also happened quite frequently around you, and it was often the simplest of things that set it off. It happened when he watched you bend over and dry your hair after a bath one day. It happened when you stretched after sitting hunched over too long, your back arching as you raised your arms over your head. It happened sometimes when you looked at him through your lashes, your bottom lip captured between your teeth.

He shifted in his seat, unable to tear his eyes away from your chest. He felt an overwhelming need to touch them, to touch you. He often found himself thinking of you. How good you smelled. How soft you were. He wanted to touch you, to mark you as his.

The troop leader, Mutubo Robby had named him, had several offspring, so Jack wasn’t unfamiliar with the concept of mating, or sex as Robby and Dana called it. However, he wasn’t so sure that his family experienced what he was feeling, at least to this extent. Without thinking, Jack reached out, running his fingertips over the exposed area, his shorts growing tighter as he felt the soft, warm skin.

You sucked in a breath, your cheeks heating and eyes going wide as Jack caressed you. His gaze was intense as he touched you, and you felt a shiver run up your spine when his brown eyes darted up to meet your own. The brown was practically swallowed by black, and you had to muster all of your self control to not throw yourself at him then and there.

“I should, um,” you stuttered after a second, “I should go see if Dana has started dinner yet.”

You stood abruptly, Jack following suit. He moved to pick you up, but you took a step back, shaking your head.

“No, I,” you sucked in a breath, “it’s not that far. I think I’ll try walking there.”

Jack frowned at you, but before he could argue, you beelined out of the tent and into the open air. It was unprofessional to be acting this way, especially with someone who didn’t understand the intricacies of human relationships.

The end of the week brought movie night, and you were giddy when you remembered that it was your turn to pick. Frank and Trinity groaned loudly when they saw your choice. You ignored them, taking a seat on one of the couches Dana and Robby had managed to snag while in the city not too terribly long ago. Jack immediately sat next to you, his thigh pressed against yours, filling you with an odd sense of comfort.

“What are we watching?” Mel asked as he entered the tent.

“The Princess Bride,” you grinned as Frank plopped down on your other side.

“You couldn’t have picked anything with explosions?” He asked, wrinkling his nose at you in mock disgust. You rolled your eyes, shoving him lightly.

“The Princess Bride is a classic,” you argued. “Don’t be such a guy.”

“I think the Princess Bride is great,” Mel offered, earning dual eye rolls from both Trinity and Frank.

“You would,” Frank threw back at the bespectacled woman with a grin.

“Explosions and gun fights does not a movie make,” Victoria scowled. “It’s good to mix it up every now and then.”

“Exactly!” You exclaimed. “I had to sit through so many hours of Fast and Furious of all things. The least you can do is sit quietly through my movie.”

“Hey, do not knock the Fast and the Furious,” Whitaker warned, raising his pointer finger at you with a serious look. You rolled your eyes once more but let out a giggle.

“I’ll stop knocking the Fast and the Furious when the movies start being good,” you grinned.

“So, never,” Victoria snorted, earning scowls from the others. Before the argument could continue, both Dana and Robby strolled into the tent.

“Oh, The Princess Bride,” Dana grinned, plopping down onto the other couch, Robby not too far behind. “One of my favorites!”

Once everyone was settled, you started the movie, absentmindedly curling into Jack’s side more and more as the minutes stretched on. Jack’s fingers came up to play with the strands of your hair, unknowingly lulling you into a deep sleep.

Jack knew the second you fell asleep, and he smiled softly as he listened to your breathing even out as you relaxed against him. He liked this. He liked how safe you felt with him and how at ease you made him feel. Jack was somewhat paying attention to scenes in front of him, lost in thought as he tried to understand what was going on. There was one thing that stood out to him, though. A word, actually. He had heard Dana and Robby say it to each other on rare occasions, but Jack had never given it much thought before he met you. But, when he saw the two characters on the screen look at each other and say that word, he felt that it might be important. That maybe he should ask them what it meant. You stirred against him, and Jack felt an ache in his chest as he looked down at your sleeping form. His curiosity could wait for now, he thought. He’d make sure to ask Robby and Dana what it meant later. For now, he just wanted to stay by your side.

A/N: I'm going to see Thunderbolts tonight by myself before going with friends tomorrow. Then we're having movie night at my place on Saturday. What are y'all doing this weekend?

“What’s wrong?” You asked, a little out of breath from your run. “What happened?”

“Well,” Whitaker started, glancing over at Frank as the brunet ran a hand through his hair.

“Wild man left a goddamn fish in my bed,” he snapped, glaring disdainfully into the tent.

“He what?” You questioned, pushing past them to look in through the opening. Sure enough, a large, bloody fish sat atop the usually pristine sheets. You grimaced, backing up to stand with the others. “What kind of fish is that?”

“What?” Frank hollered, looking at you incredulously. “Who gives a shit? There’s a fish in my bed, Boots!”

“Do you think he’s threatening you?” Mel asked thoughtfully, stroking the length of her jaw as he eyed the fish. Frank turned to look at her, a surprised look on his face as if the thought only just crossed his mind. He looked back at the fish with pursed lips.

“Jack isn’t like that,” Whitaker assured, placing a gentle hand on Frank’s shoulder. “I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding.”

“There’s a fish in my bed,” Frank gritted out, waving wildly towards the tent. You rolled your eyes, crossing your arms in front of your chest.

“Quit being such a baby about your gift,” you scowled. Frank began to splutter, face going red as he fought to form a coherent thought. At that same moment Robby and Dana came walking up from where they had been fixing dinner.

“What’s going on?” Dana asked, glancing around at your little group. Frank pointed a finger into the tent, taking deep breaths in through his nose and out through his mouth as he pinched the bridge of his nose. The two older researchers pushed past you and Trinity to peer into the tent, their eyebrows shooting up their foreheads at the sight.

“Huh,” Dana laughed out. “He must have seen you working with the plants this past week.”

Frank stared at him for a second, blinking slowly as he processed what the brunette just said.

“Pardon?”

“He sees me growing some of the food here,” Dana explained, gesturing towards the small patch of land she had set aside to grow some vegetables for the camp. “I use fish from the river to help fertilize the crops. He helps me with it sometimes, in fact. He must have thought you’d want some fish to help with your research.”

“Oh, that’s so sweet,” you sighed. Frank stared at you, an unreadable expression that slowly morphed into one of distraught.

“But,” he murmured, waving uselessly back at the fish, “my bed? Why?”

“Now that is a bit of a mystery, I’ll admit,” Dana hummed, staring confusedly at the bed. Robby rolled his eyes.

“Is it though?” He muttered, giving you a knowing look. You shifted uncomfortably. Surely he wasn’t implying…

“Boots, we’re going to have to take a raincheck on going down to the waterfall,” Frank sighed, looking at you now.

“What?” You frowned. “No way! It won’t take you that long to clean up! We can just go after!”

“This is going to take me forever to clean up,” he argued, shaking his head. “No, we’ll just go tomorrow or something.”

“Frank, if I have to spend one more day in this godforsaken camp, I’m going to lose my mind,” you scowled. “I’ll just go on ahead and you can meet me when you’re finished. How does that sound?”

“It sounds like a terrible idea,” he frowned. “The jungle is dangerous, Boots. God only knows what’s out there waiting to snatch you up.”

“You’re being ridiculous,” you snapped, glaring at him. “I’m just as capable as the rest of you. I can take care of myself. Mel, tell him.”

Mel sucked in a breath, eyes darting between the two of you as you waited for her to say something.

“I don’t know if I feel comfortable getting in the middle-”

“Fine, whatever,” you hissed, turning back to Frank. “Frank Langdon, I am a capable woman who can take care of herself. I’ve done this plenty of times before when you aren’t here to infantilize me.”

He mulled over your words, but it was Trinity who spoke up first.

“I mean,” she started, crossing her arms, “all of us go off all the time. She should be fine on her own, right?”

Frank gave her a hard look before huffing.

“Fine,” he relented, “but don’t go too far, okay? I’ll join you when I’m finished with this. Hopefully, it won’t take me too long.”

You smiled in victory, turning to head back to your tent and get ready. It didn’t take you long, just changing into a fresh set of clothes and filling up your canteen with water before grabbing your backpack. You were just about to leave camp and head towards the falls when Dana stopped you.

“I packed you some lunch,” she said, handing you an old container. You took it from her, smiling gratefully as you shoved it into your backpack.

“I’m guessing there’s something else you wanted to say to me?” You asked, earning a chuckle.

“Just,” she hesitated, shoving her hands in her pockets as she gazed into the jungle, “be careful. I didn’t want to say anything in front of Frank, but Victoria and I spotted a leopard by the river not too long ago. It’s possible it’s moved out of the area, but I wanted to let you know just in case. Just stay vigilant.”

“Yeah, I will,” you smiled, readjusting the strap on your shoulder.

“I’m sure Jack will be keeping an eye on you too,” she added. “You should be fine.”

“Thanks, Dana,” you nodded, turning and heading into the jungle before you.

The sun shone brightly, some of the rays penetrating through the canopy above. It was strange being out in the wilderness by yourself, the strange new noises keeping you slightly on edge as you continued to trek through the leaves. You took another swig from your canteen, the cool liquid easing the unsettling warmness that surrounded you. You tried in vain to wipe away the sweat accumulating on your forehead, letting out a frustrated sigh and grunt of disgust when you just ended up smearing more sweat onto your face. You shoved the canteen back into your pack, stopping when you heard a chattering sound coming from up above.

You looked skyward, seeing a couple of baboons racing along the trees. You grabbed blindly for your notebook, eager to jot down some notes and sketches of the creatures for Robby and Whitaker to go over when you returned. You trotted after them, now digging in your bag for a pen as you continued after them. The baboons noticed you, chattering at each other loudly as they took you in. Seeming to taunt you, they waved their arms at you, tilting their heads as if to say “can’t catch me.” You huffed out a chuckle, twisting and turning through the trees as you chased them. You were so caught up in trying to jot down some notes that you didn’t notice the dip in the ground or the tree root that arched out of the dirt beneath you. You fell with a panicked yelp, hitting your head on another one of the large roots, the world going dark around you.

You weren’t sure how long you had been out, probably not too long since the sun still beat down through the canopy. You touched the sore spot on your head, wincing at the slight sting, but sighing with relief when you checked your fingers and found no blood.

The baboons were still shrieking and chattering above you, almost as if they were laughing at your unfortunate predicament, and you cast an errant glare upwards at them. Damn monkeys.

An ache rippled up your leg from your ankle, and you bit your lip as you shuffled back to lean against one of the trees, hoping against all odds that you hadn’t done anything too bad to it.

Your head pounded, a wave of dizziness running through you that was most certainly not helped by the intense humidity and heat of the jungle. You let out a groan as you experimentally moved your ankle, hissing when a jolt of pain ran up your leg. Yeah, definitely sprained. You huffed out a sigh, leaning your head against the trunk of the tree.

The cacophony of noises did little to ease your aching head, and you wished you had waited for Frank to finish cleaning his bed like he had insisted. Now you were stuck out in the jungle, hoping and praying someone would find you before something else did.

You groaned at the thought of what Frank would say if he could see you now. That smarmy look he’d give you as he looked you over. The “I told you so” that would follow. You would never hear the end of it, but a chilling thought ran through you. The group had to find you before Frank could be his insufferable self, and as far as they knew, you would be down by the waterfall. How far away were you? You scolded yourself for straying away from the trail markers that had been laid out. How was anyone supposed to find you now? You sniffled, biting back the tears that threatened to spill over.

You checked your canteen, grimacing at the sound of the half empty container. Setting it down with a thud you gazed at the canopy above, wiping the sweat from your brow. It could be hours before someone realized you were missing. You hoped sooner.

Another wave of emotion rushed over you, and this time you allowed yourself to let a few tears slip down your cheeks. How could you be so foolish?

The sound of rustling foliage drew your attention across the small clearing, your heart rate picking up at the sound. Your thoughts raced back to what Dana had told you before you left the camp. Victoria and I spotted a leopard by the river not too long ago. Inwardly groaning, you lamented about your situation, hoping that whatever was hiding in the foliage wasn’t a giant cat. You stayed as still as possible, praying for whatever it was to continue on. From the sounds of it, whatever it was, was huge, and it was getting closer.

You gripped your canteen in your hand, ready to throw it at whatever came out of the dense leaves. It wouldn’t do any lasting damage, but perhaps it would daze the creature long enough for you to scramble away and towards help. Surely Jake was done by now? How long had you been out here?

You bit back a shriek as the leaves parted to reveal...a man?

He so unfairly handsome. Tanned skin stretched across bulging muscles, greying, brown hair curling at the top of his head. It was his eyes though, that captured your attention. Deep, mesmerizing honey-colored eyes that stared at you intensely, as if trying to make sense of you.

"Who the hell are you?" You asked, voice tight as he crouched down, inching closer to you with slow moments. "Where did you come from?"

He didn't answer as he crept closer, his movements almost like that of the apes you observed during your travels. His hand reached towards you, his knuckles brushing against the tips of your fingers. You jerked your hand back, regarding him wearily.

"Human?" He asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Me?" You spluttered, feeling heat rise to your cheeks. "Of course I'm a human! What did you think I was?"

His eyes narrowed at you, his lips pressing into a thin line as he seemed to consider you.

“I see," he spoke, his English seemingly broken. "What kind?"

It took you a second to figure out what he was asking you.

"I'm a woman. A scientist like Robby and Dana and the others," you told him, a sense of unease filling you. Was this the man that Robby and Dana had told you about? What was his name again? Jack, right?

“Seen you at the camp,” he continued, watching you for a moment. “Smell good.”

Your cheeks warmed even further at the comment, and you cleared your throat before shifting where you sat, wincing as the movement jostled your ankle. Jack glanced down at the swollen appendage, frowning at the redness that seeped to the surface.

“Hurt?” He asked, leaning forward, his face so close to yours. You swallowed thickly, eyes roving over his face and hesitating on his lips. The scruff that grew on his face wasn’t a bad look on him, quite the contrary actually, and for a second you wondered what it would be like to feel it on the skin of your thighs as he-

You blinked rapidly, trying desperately to clear the depraved thoughts from your head. You chalked it up to the combination of the African heat and the fact you hadn’t been laid in God only knows how long. You cleared your throat and briefly met his gaze before looking away.

“Yes,” you answered him, cursing at the shakiness of your voice. “I think I hurt my ankle when I fell. Do you think you could go back to the camp and tell the others where I am?”

Jack frowned at you before shaking his head.

“Boots hurt,” he rumbled. “Can’t leave here.”

“Then how do you expect the others to—hey!”

You yelped when Jack slid one large hand under your knees, the other coming up to rest on your back as he lifted you off the ground. You scrambled to find purchase, finally wrapping your arms around his neck, eyes widening when he turned to look at you, face so close, your noses were practically touching. You tried desperately not to think of the hard curves of muscle you were being held against, willing yourself to think about anything else.

“This is,” you began, swallowing thickly as you stared into his eyes, “this is not the most practical way of doing this.”

He stared at you for a moment, blinking at you in confusion.

“Practical?”

“You know,” you mumbled, tearing your eyes away from him, “the best way to do this.”

He frowned at that, giving you a challenging look as his grip on you tightened. You gasped as he held you closer, a spark of mischief in his eyes.

“Can you walk?”

“What?” You blinked. He chuckled, bringing his face even closer to yours which was not helping you form a coherent sentence.

“Can you walk?” He repeated, the corners of his lips tugging up just a hair. You processed his question, scowling at him once you realized he was messing with you.

“No,” you huffed, meeting his gaze with a glare. He gave you a smirk as he turned and started walking through the jungle.

“You don’t have to be so smug, you know,” you grumbled, relaxing a little when you felt confident that he wouldn’t drop you. He hummed, the smirk still painted on his face as he continued on.

“So you know what smug means, but not practical?” You groused. Jack spared you a look before turning his attention back to where he was walking.

“Dana calls Robby smug,” he supplied. You hummed, but didn’t say anything else as the two of you carried on.

“Boots?” Whitaker asked as you and Jack appeared from the jungle. He was standing by the fire pit, a confused look on his face as if he couldn’t quite figure out what it was he was looking at. Frank and Mel glanced up at the sound of your name, the brunet scrambling to his feet when he saw you in the arms of the wild man.

“What happened?” He asked, crossing the distance to come stand beside you. Jack let out what could only be described as a growl as he swung you away, fixing Frank with a glare. Frank gaped at him, jaw slack. “What the hell-”

“Jack?”

All of you turned to see Robby and Dana walking up from the other side of the camp, looks of concern as they glanced between you and the man whose arms you were still currently in.

“I, uh,” you stammered, glancing around at everyone. “I fell.”

“You fell?” Frank asked accusingly, already eyeing your swollen ankle.

“I was following some baboons,” you admitted, refusing to meet his gaze. You could already feel the accusatory look he was giving you. “I was taking notes, and I tripped over some tree roots. Jack found me and brought me back here.”

“You were supposed to go straight to the river,” Frank accused.

“Yeah, I know.”

“You strayed off the path, didn’t you?”

“Frank-”

“Dammit, Boots,” he growled, running a hand over his face. “You could have been seriously hurt!”

“Speaking of,” Robby interrupted, moving forward to examine your ankle. “Let’s get you looked at. Jack, would you mind setting her over here?”

Jack looked over at the bench that Ice gestured to, pausing for a moment before walking over. He plopped down, situating you on his lap, his arms still wrapped around your middle. You let out an indignant squeak, glaring when Trinity, Frank, and Whitaker snickered, trying to cover them up with coughs.

“Looks like wild man is already attached,” Trinity quipped, earning another glare.

“Why don’t you come over here and say that,” you snapped, feeling the heat on your cheeks grow even warmer. Robby looked like he was struggling not to laugh as he crouched in front of you, and you just barely caught the smirk that Dana had on his face. You winced as Robby began his examination, biting your lip from the pain. You felt Jack’s arms tighten around you, and you gripped onto his arm a little tighter to keep from crying out at the red hot spike of pain that shot up from your ankle.

“Looks like you sprained it,” Robby finally announced. You let out a groan, leaning back into Jack as you rolled your eyes.

“Just my luck,” you grumbled. “How long am I stuck here for?”

“I’d say at least four weeks,” he surmised. “Maybe six if you don’t keep off of it.”

“Looks like wild man will just have to carry her around everywhere,” Trinity snickered, the others joining in with her.

“Would you be quiet?” You growled. “This is going to be a nightmare!”

“Serves you right,” Frank smirked, that smarmy look you hated already on his face. “You should have waited for me.”

“I hate you,” you mumbled, crossing your arms with a huff. Robby chuckled, moving to stand.

“Jack, would you mind bringing Boots to the medical tent for me? I should have a bandage for her to wear.”

You scrambled once again as Jack lifted you, clinging to his shoulders as he began to walk after Robby across the camp. The others were barely holding in their laughter as they watched you, breaking out into fits of giggles as you flipped them off.

Jack was none the wiser as he held you, his hold gentle as he took care to not jostle you too much. You supposed the next couple of weeks wouldn’t be so bad.

A/N: How are we feeling? Are we staying hydrated? Go drink some water ya silly goose.

Whitaker handed off the last of the luggage to Frank, leading the two of you towards the camp. Each tent seemed to house different equipment, and you could see the various scientific instruments as you passed by.

“We like to keep the work separate from the play,” Whitaker explained as the equipment tents gave way to what looked like living quarters. One of the tent flaps pulled back, revealing a pretty woman with glasses. Her eyes lit up at the sight of your little group, and a smile tugged on her lips.

“Oh, I guess they just invited anybody to come and work here, huh?” She joked, stepping out and walking up to you. You let out a laugh as you rolled your eyes playfully, quickly wrapping the woman up in your arms.

“It’s good to see you too, Mel,” you laughed, pulling away so that she could wrap Frank in a matching hug.

“It’s good to see you, Mel. How long’s it been?” Frank asked, clasping her on the shoulder as the two broke apart.

“Been at least a year this August. Mike’s wedding, remember?”

“That’s right! Man, remember when his best man-”

“If you two are finished,” you drawled, crossing your arms and giving them a pointed look. “I’d like to continue with the tour and find out which tent is mine.”

They both gave you sheepish looks before Whitaker gestured for you to follow. He led you to a smaller grouping of tents that surrounded a fire pit, various pots with pleasant aromas sitting atop the grill as they steamed and bubbled. You spotted two people sitting at one of the tables, and their heads perked up when they noticed you. One was all warmth, her bright, blonde hair pulled back into a bun and blue eyes sparkling as she rose to greet you. The other was more stoic, his own eyes holding a sense of curiosity as they took your group in.

“We weren’t expecting you so soon,” the woman greeted, shaking your hand before moving to Frank. “Dinner isn’t quite ready.”

“No worries,” Frank shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Boots and I had a late lunch.”

“Boots?” The man questioned, turning a bemused smile towards you. You rolled your eyes and shot Frank a glare before giving him your name.

“I’m the primatologist,” you explained, earning a knowing nod from the man. “It’s so nice to meet you Dr. Evans and Dr. Robinavitch.”

“You can just call me Robby,” the man said with a half smile as the woman grinned.

“Well, I’m not technically a doctor,” the woman laughed. “But I’m Dana Evans. You can just call me Dana.”

“Not technically a doctor?” Frank asked, an eyebrow raised as he regarded her.

“I think a lot of people just assume I’ve earned one since I follow Robby over here around everywhere,” Dana smiled, nodding her head over at Dr. Robby. “But I never completed a doctorate or anything. That’s all him.”

“We keep her around to fix the generators and various other gadgets,” Dr. Robby chuckled, moving to stand. His grip was firm as he shook your hand, and you got the sense that he was the more stern and grumpy of the two. “We won’t keep you though. Whitaker, why don’t you show Boots here to her tent and Mel can help Frank get situated. You two must be tired after all that traveling.”

“That would be great, actually,” you smiled, already following after Whitaker towards the opposite side of the clearing. Another large tent stood a little ways away from everything, but not too far to where it would be a problem if anything were to happen, which you certainly hoped it wouldn’t.

“It’s a little ways away from everyone else, but we can move it closer if you want. This one was serving as a makeshift storage area until we found out you were coming,” Whitaker explained when you gave him a questioning look, drawing back one of the tent flaps to step inside. You followed suit, gazing around at the open space. A simple twin bed was pushed against the far wall, just sturdy enough to be considered permanent, or at least serve as a long-term accommodation. A desk was pushed on the opposite side of the tent, a simple shelf standing next to it, and you could see the wires running out of the tent to connect with the generator that sat closer towards the rest of the camp.

“I know it’s not much,” Whitaker said, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked over at you, “but we tried to make it a little nicer for you.”

“It’s wonderful, Whitaker, really,” you smiled, moving further into the tent to put your luggage down. “It’s more than enough for me. I’m touched you all thought to go this far.”

“It was Dana’s idea, actually,” he admitted. You nodded, making a mental note to thank the older researcher.

“I’ll leave you to it, then,” he hummed, giving you a small wave as he exited the tent, securing the flap open behind him. You made quick work of rolling up the blinds to the makeshift windows of your tent, allowing for the natural lighting to filter in through the mesh screens. You found several tubs for you to place your things in, quickly unpacking and placing them under your bed.

A strange feeling overcame you, like eyes on the back of your neck, and you looked around to see if one of the others had crept up behind you while you weren’t paying attention. You frowned when you saw no one, stepping closer towards the exit as you peered into the jungle. You didn’t see anything, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t anything there. You quickly pulled the flap shut. Whatever was out there would at least have to try and get at you now.

The sun had set, the fire casting a warm glow of orange around the camp as the generators powered the various lamps surrounding the outskirts of the camp. Dana was dishing out what looked to be some kind of curry mixture onto different plates, handing you one as you joined everyone near the fire pit.

“It’s not much,” she started, “but I wouldn’t say I’m the worst cook.”

“Don’t let her fool you,” Trinity Santos smirked through her bite of food. “She’s a woman of many talents.”

“She really is,” Victoria Javadi nodded, the younger woman eagerly accepting a bowl from Dana. You watched as the other two women practically inhaled their bowls, and you took a tentative bite, an explosion of flavor bursting on your tongue as you chewed.

“This is really good, Dana!” You exclaimed, shoveling another spoonful into your mouth.

“And that’s the other reason we keep her around,” Robby joked from his spot at the table. You chuckled as Frank plopped down next to you, bumping your shoulder with his.

“How’s your tent?” He asked, a smirk on his face as he took a bite of his food, humming pleasantly at the taste.

“It’s fine,” you shrugged, taking a sip of the water Bob handed you before taking his own seat across the fire. “It’s cozy. What about yours?”

“I’m bunking with Robby and Whitaker,” he replied, casting you a sly grin. “But if you’re lookin’ for a roommate-”

“Absolutely not,” you snorted. Frank sighed, a look of fake hurt on his face as you rolled your eyes.

“You would really make all three of us sleep in the same tent while you get one all to yourself?” He asked you, mirth shining in his blue eyes.

You tapped your chin, pretending to think about your answer.

“Yes,” you nodded. “Yes, I would. Besides, you’d probably just stink up the place.”

Frank let out an indignant squawk as Whitaker, and Victoria laughed at him. Whitaker cast a look over at Dana who was placing the lid back on the pot.

“Are you going to leave any out for Jack?”

“Who’s Jack?” You asked, looking between the two. Dana sat down across from Robby, letting out a sigh as she relaxed into the chair.

“Jack,” Trinity grinned, waggling her eyebrows at you, “is the wild man who lives in the jungle.”

“Be serious,” you scoffed, scowling at her.

“It’s true!” She exclaimed, looking at Whitaker for assistance. “He comes by the camp sometimes! Think I’ve seen him maybe five times since being here?”

“He’s around a lot more than you think,” Robby smirked, eyes cast towards the foliage of the jungle. “Those are just the times he’s let you see him.”

“Is he dangerous?” You asked, shifting a little closer towards Frank, but everyone shook their heads.

“Nah,” Trinity sniffed. “He’s just a loner. Comes by when he wants food or needs stitched up.”

“Why doesn’t he just stay here?” Frank asked. Dana and Robby shared an uneasy look as a moment of silence passed over the camp.

“Because he doesn’t exactly feel comfortable around humans,” Robby offered, and you frowned.

“I don’t understand,” you said. “I thought he was a man?”

“He is,” Mel answered. “He just didn’t grow up around people.”

Robby sighed, running a hand through his hair. “About forty-eight years ago, Julie and George Abbot-”

“The famous primatologists?” You asked, your eyes lighting up in recognition at the names. The two had been trailblazers in the field, their focus being on gorilla social structures. Their deaths had hit the community hard, and their work had been largely abandoned until you picked up where they left off a couple of years ago. It was one of the reasons you had been invited to the camp.

“Yes,” Dana nodded, giving you a sad smile. “This was their camp originally. They lived and worked here for years, studying the local troops of gorillas. But, as I’m sure you know, poachers came after one of the troops, and the two died in the struggle.”

You had heard about the tragic story of their passing, the tale serving as a reminder of the danger of working in the field.

“What very few people knew, though,” Robby frowned, “was that they had a son. He was only a few months old when they died, and everyone thought that he had died with them.”

“That’s terrible,” you gasped, your hands covering your mouth in shock.

“It was,” Dana nodded. “But, he didn’t die with his parents like everyone thought.”

“What do you mean?” Frank questioned. “How does a baby survive out here on its own?”

“It doesn’t without help,” Robby stated, waiting for the two of you to catch on.

“Jack was taken in by the troop of gorillas,” Dana provided when the two of you cast confused looks at them. “They raised him as one of their own. We had no idea he was out here until we reopened the camp twenty years ago. We caught him going through one of the tents one day.”

“How do you know that it’s him?” Frank asked. “How do you know it’s Jack?”

“Because he’s the spitting image of his father,” Dana answered, earning a hum from Robby.

“I don’t know,” he drawled, scratching his chin. “Julie’s in there too somewhere.”

“So why didn’t he stay?” You questioned. “Why doesn’t he stay with you?”

“He never seemed all that interested,” Dana shrugged. “He’s curious about us, yes, but he doesn’t seem to want to leave the troop behind. He comes and goes as he pleases, and we let him.”

“We teach him what we can, of course,” Robby offered. “He’s a fairly quick learner, and he seems eager to learn when he is here. He shouldn’t give you any problems if he shows up.”

You turned to Dana. “You said that he’s around more often than we think?”

“I did,” he nodded. “Why do you ask?”

“Well, because,” you hesitated, “I thought I felt someone or something watching me earlier. I didn’t see anything, but the feeling was still there.”

“It was probably him,” Dana nodded, giving you a gentle smile. “The two of you are new, and he’s just gotten used to the others being around. It’s no wonder he might have been watching.”

“I suppose that’s fair,” you smiled.

“I’m sure he won’t take too long to make an appearance,” Dana continued. “I give it a week before he comes slinking out from behind one of those trees.”

A week had passed and still no sign of the wild man. All of you had developed a comfortable rhythm in the camp. Robby would disappear into one of the tents, Whitaker trailing after him as they started pouring over the notes on the group of baboons that took up residence nearby. Dana would go around camp fiddling with the different gadgets sitting around camp. Mel would set off first thing in the morning towards the colony of termites deep within the jungle, Trinity and Victoria not too far behind her, and Frank would hike out with them, bringing back plant samples by around midday. You, on the other hand, were stuck at the camp.

“It’s probably best you don’t go out searching for the gorillas by yourself,” Dana had said. “They’re a hard group to find, and Jack is very protective of them. He probably wouldn’t let you anywhere near them right now.”

So you were stuck at the camp, trying to find odd chores and jobs to keep you occupied so you felt at least somewhat useful. You had started with trying to help Dana with his tinkering, but that had quickly become a no as you had little to no understanding of mechanics. You weren’t much help to Robby and Whitaker, barely able to keep up with their conversations despite your extensive knowledge of primates. You despised the way the termites crawled all over you when Mel went out to observe them, same with Victoria and her ants. Trinity moved at a pace that despite your best efforts, was far too much for you, and Frank…well, Frank was Frank.

So you busied yourself with cooking meals and doing laundry, slowly acclimating to the heat and humidity of the jungle. You quickly exchanged your pants and shirts for shorts and tank tops, the combination giving you a slight reprieve from the oppressive combination that kept you constantly covered in a layer of sweat.

The feeling of being watched came and went, slowly becoming a near constant as the days went on.

It was the second day that you realized some of your belongings had been moved. You had set your laundry on your bed, folded into neat piles as you stepped out to go and check on the food for dinner. When you came back, the clothes were scattered on your bed, thrown haphazardly across the sheets.

The seventh day, you walked in to find your shampoo opened, a small puddle of the floral smelling liquid on your desk. You had pursed your lips, but cleaned it up wordlessly, making sure to tuck it securely back under your bed. Your cheeks had warmed the next morning, despite the heat, when you found a bundle of flowers placed neatly outside your tent. You had smiled, gingerly picking up the flowers and carrying them towards the camp where the others were already gathered.

“What are these?” Frank asked, coming up to inspect the flowers. You tugged them back when he reached out to grab one, a scowl on your face as you swatted at him.

“Hands off,” you snapped, skirting around him and towards the table.

“Where’d you get them?” He asked unperturbed, plopping down next to you on the bench.

“They were outside my tent this morning,” you replied, barely catching the look Robby and Dana gave one another. “Aren’t they pretty?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “They’re fire lilies.”

“You just found them outside your tent?” Dana asked, eyeing the flowers in your hand.

“Uh huh,” you chirped. “I think I’m going to keep them on my desk.”

“Jack seems to have taken a liking to you,” Robby said carefully. “He brought Mel a rhinoceros beetle when she first got here.”

“I didn’t know it was there until I crawled into bed and it bit me,” Mel frowned, shaking her head at the memory. You bit back a laugh, hiding your face in the palm of your hand.

“I’m still finding ants in our tent,” Trinity muttered, as she cast a wayward grimace over at Victoria.

“Wouldn’t it make more sense for me to get the flowers?” Frank asked with a frown. “I mean, I’m the one here who’s studying plants.”

“Are you jealous?” You teased, earning a scowl from the blond. “He probably brought them for me because of my shampoo.”

“What do you mean?” Whitaker asked.

“I came back to my tent yesterday to find my shampoo sitting on my desk. It looked like someone had squeezed some of it out,” you explained with a shrug. “It smells like flowers, so maybe he thought I would like the flowers.”

“Interesting,” Dana hummed, studying you. You shifted under her gaze, deciding to busy yourself with fixing a plate of food. Once you had settled back onto the bench, Frank turned to you.

“Do you wanna come with me to the waterfall tomorrow? I was going to go collect some samples of the algae growing there.”

You thought over his proposal. On one hand, you were bored to tears just sitting around the camp, waiting for any chance you could get to go try and catch a glimpse of the gorilla troop. On the other hand, you’d be stuck with Frank, and the man could be a tad controlling when in his element.

“Yeah, okay,” you nodded, deciding that dealing with a hyper-focused Frank was better than nothing. He grinned, tossing a piece of banana into his mouth.

“Great! We’ll leave bright and early!”

A/N: I gave in to peer pressure, so this is being posted today lol I’m working on other updates now too, so let me know what y’all want to read!

He was waiting at the edge of the hangar when you returned the first day, arms crossed, eyes hidden behind his balaclava. You could practically feel the tension bleeding off him like heat waves. The second your boots hit the ground, he was at your side, hand hovering on your lower back, before his lips brushed your temple in a rare moment of public affection.

Big softie

You laughed. "I didn't crash this time."

"Wasn't takin' any bets." He grunted.

You didn't tell him about the orders until a few days later. Sitting together at the kitchen table, you slid the paperwork across to him. He blinked down, scanning it quickly before his brow furrowed.

"Permanent?" He asked, voice low like he almost didn’t believe it.

You leaned forward, propping your chin on your hand with a stupid grin on your face. "Talked to my commander. Pulled some strings. Used the crash. Used the injury. Hell, I used everything I could think of." You shrugged. "I get to stay here now. No more transfers. No more bouncing around."

He lifted his head slowly, expression unreadable, but his hand reached across the table and settled heavily over yours.

"Y'did tha'... for me?"

You squeezed his fingers, smiling so wide his heart skipped several beats. "For us..." A rare grin formed on his lips before you giggled. "And for Danny, Gaz, Soap, and Price...... For all of it."

He playfully rolled his eyes at the last part, but was happy none-the-less. 

Speaking of Danny. . . . 

His recovery had been slower. His injuries still needing time to heal. But it wouldn be no time before he could officially fly again per the doctors. In the meantime, he was back into desk duty, barking orders and cracking jokes from the safety of an office chair—which he hated but tolerated for now.

******************************************************

The Shack was alive tonight. Even though you had just gotten back from a small mission, you were surprisingly upbeat and not tired. So you messaged everyone, asking to come to the usual spot for some drinks. 

You tucked yourself between Simon and Danny at the table near the back, beers scattered across the wood, the guys already half into a shouting match over who would win an arm-wrestling contest between Johnny and Price.

"You're all dreaming." Danny snorted, shaking his head. "Price would mop the fucking floor with him."

Johnny threw his hands up. "Oi! I've got technique!"

"You got bird bones." Gaz countered, grinning wide. "Price sneezes and you go flying, mate."

You laughed, the sound bubbling out before you could stop it. Simon, sitting so close his thigh brushed yours, leaned in just slightly, voice low against your ear.

"Missed hearin' tha'."

Your chest warmed at the simple truth in his tone. The mission itself had you flying somewhere no cell service for a week, so Simon wasn't lying when he said it. You briefly rested your hand against his leg under the table, a small, quiet anchor between you.

Price lifted his glass toward you then. "So, Lieutenant..." He drawled causing both of you to look at him. "You're really stuck with us for good now, huh?"

Before you could answer, Johnny cut in, smiling like an absolute devil. 

"Please. She's just staying for our dear old Ghost here." He said, bumping Simon’s shoulder. "Can’t bear to be away from him."

The table erupted into laughter, even Simon letting out a rare low chuckle. You rolled your eyes, shaking your head, but you raised your glass anyway.

"For all of you." You smiled. "You're stuck with me now, like it or not. You're family."

That silenced them for a second. Not heavy or awkward... just... real.

Johnny grinned even wider, raising his own beer to clink against yours. "Cheers to that, lass."

"Cheers." Everyone echoed, glasses clinking together.

******************************************************

Five years later

The helo sputtered a little as you cut the engines, the rotors spinning down with a high, whining sound that faded into blessed silence. The poor bird was in immediate need of maintenance, but that was a job for another day, and another version of you who wasn’t running on fumes. 

You exhaled, muscles tight from the long string of flights, and leaned back in your seat. The helmet that had been digging into your forehead was quickly discarded, resting now on your knee. Next to you, Danny gave a tired chuckled, rubbing a hand through his hair.

"Remind me why we thought this was a good idea again?" He joked, voice hoarse from yelling over the comms.

You giggled, voice just as wrecked. "Cause we're idiots."

He snorted and pushed himself up, joints popping loudly. "And here I thought retirement sounded boring."

You smiled as you leaned forward, fingertips brushing the worn metal of the dash one more time before standing. But the ache in your bones wasn’t just physical. It was the weight of time but even through it all, you were still here... still flying... still chasing the sky.

Danny hopped out of the helo first, boots thudding against the concrete. You followed, stretching your sore leg carefully as you climbed down, wincing a little at the familiar pull. Sometimes it still ached... sometimes it still whispered those awful, distant memories you didn’t talk much about anymore.

The hangar loomed ahead, the evening light spilling across it in brilliant golds and oranges. You barely took a full couple of steps before you saw him.

Simon.

Casually leaning against a humvee parked near the hangar doors, his frame relaxed but unmistakably alert, civilian clothes hanging loose over his broad, muscled frame. The familiar black surgical mask covered his mouth, along with dark shades hiding his eyes.

But that wasn’t what had your breath catching hard in your chest (like it did every single time). It wasn’t what had your feet picking up speed without thought. Tucked securely in his arms, head resting against his chest, was a little girl.

Your daughter.

Three years old. A little ball of fire and sweetness, with wild curls that refused to be tamed and big brown eyes that somehow managed to look exactly like both of you. She was fast asleep against him, one tiny hand fisting the fabric of his T-shirt like a lifeline, and the other clutching her battered old stuffed bear that went everywhere with her.

The world around you—the ache, the exhaustion, the buzz of everything—blurred into nothing.

Simon tilted his head slightly when he saw you, that silent, familiar greeting that you could read in your bones after all these years.

Missed you. Proud of you. Come home.

Danny followed your gaze and let out a low whistle, clapping a hand on your back. "Look at that. Your welcome party showed up."

You laughed under your breath, quickly blinking away the sudden burn in your eyes. You wiped your gloves on your pants, shaking off the exhaustion and picking up your pace despite the tired pull in your leg.

You barely registered it, already running on something deeper; something that hurt in a sweeter way.

When you reached them, Simon straightened, peeling his mask down with one hand just enough to press a kiss to the top of your daughter's head before he reached for your without hesitation, his thumb brushing the inside of your wrist.

"Hey sweetheart." He quietly said, voice low and soft in a way he reserved for the only two people in this world. "Missed you."

You whispered back. "Missed you more." 

You reached out, smoothing a stray curl away from your daughter's forehead. She blinked up at you sleepily, heavy-lidded and disoriented, but the second she recognized you, a slow, shy smile bloomed across her face.

"Mama." She mumbled, little hands stretching toward you instinctively.

Your heart shattered into a thousand pieces in the best way possible.

Simon shifted, carefully transferring her into your arms. You cradled her close, small body pressing against yours, and the presence of her—solid, warm, yours—banished the mission behind you. 

You kissed her soft cheek, taking her in—sunshine, soap, and the faint lingering trace of Simon’s cologne.

He rubbed the back of his neck, mouth tugging up in a sheepish, boyish smile. "Figured... we could meet ya. Thought she'd like to see her mum be a badass." He muttered, almost embarrassed.

Danny chuckled behind you, slinging his gear bag down with a heavy thud. "Hell of a welcome wagon, mate. Setting the bar high."

You laughed, the sound bubbling up unfiltered, before you rested your forehead against Simon’s for half a second. Just long enough to feel him soak you in. Long enough to remind him you were real.

"Always knew you were trouble." You softly teased.

He smirked, the faintest crinkle hidden at the corners of his eyes behind his shades... but even though you couldn't see them, you just knew.

"You're stuck with me forever, love." He replied, before leaning down and giving you a sweet, lingering peck on the lips.

The kind of kiss that said: I’d wait a thousand lifetimes for you.

You cradled your daughter closer, your free hand gently grabbing his shirt, anchoring yourself to him like you had all those years ago without even realizing it when you were just........ roommates.

Well... that's it for my little story about roommate reader lol! I hope you all enjoyed this as much as I wrote it! As always, please like, comment, repost, and give me feedback!

If you're new here and interested in seeing my other stories, please check out my masterlist link below!!!

The next story I will be finishing is "Before The Ghost"!

Love you all!!!!

-Daydreamer 🩵

Pt. 1; Pt. 2; Pt. 3; Pt. 4; Pt. 5; Pt. 6; Pt. 7; Pt. 8; Pt. 9; Pt. 10; Pt. 11 (Simon POV); Pt. 12; Pt. 13; Pt. 14; Pt. 15; Pt. 16

Masterlist

So, you worked hard, graduating high school with honors before moving on to study zoology in undergrad, and then skipping straight to your doctorate program after that. It had been a long, grueling road that left little time for much else, but it was your passion, and once you had been greeted with the title of “doctor,” you knew it had all been worth it.

That didn’t stop your bouts of loneliness though. While your friends all went out to party, you were usually found with your nose buried in a book. And it wasn’t like you wanted to go out partying, but it still hurt when your friends stopped asking.

And then there was Frank Langdon, your handsome best friend of several years who knew he looked good and never failed to own it. The two of you had met in the early days of undergrad, having been partnered up in a biology lab, and you had hit it off immediately. Jake wasn’t interested in primates, his focus turned towards botany of all things, but he loved to tease you about your love of great apes.

“A cute girl like you studying monkeys?” He had chuckled with a shake of his head, bright, blue eyes glimmering with mischief. “You must have had a wild fascination with Boots the monkey, huh?”

“First of all, peabrain,” you scowled at him, fighting back the smile that threatened to take over your face as his jaw dropped, “I study apes, not monkeys. Second of all, my fascination with Boots is none of your business.”

“Whatever you say, Boots.”

And the nickname had stuck. It followed you through undergrad and all the way through to your now budding career as one of the leading researchers in gorilla social structures. Which is also how you found yourself invited to the North Island Research Camp in the Republic of the Congo.

The camp wasn’t some grand research center, but it was well respected amongst the scientific community for gathering the most up-to-date research and hands-on experiences between researchers and local fauna. The camp was run by Dr. Michael Robinavitch and Dana Evans, both legends within the field and rarely opening up their camp to other researchers. You had been thrilled to receive the invitation, and even more thrilled when you found out that Frank had also received an invitation to the camp to continue his research on tropical plants.

The two of you had made plans to fly out of New York at the same time, even choosing to stay at his place the night before your flight.

“The early bird gets the worm, Boots!” He chirped, loading up the trunk of the Uber with your luggage. How he was so cheerful at three in the morning was beyond you.

“I don’t even think the worms are awake,” you had muttered, earning a snicker.

The flight to your destination was uneventful, choosing to catch up on some of your reading as well as sleep for the majority of the flight. The two of you were greeted by a timid, young man once you departed the plane, his demeanor relaxed but his face shy as he helped you with your bags.

“I’m Dennis,” he said, loading the back of his jeep with your belongings. “You can just call me Whitaker, though. Everyone else does. I’m helping out Robby and Dana with their research. The other researchers are already at the camp. They got here about a month ago.”

“Robby?” You asked him, hopping into the front seat of the car as Frank clambered into the back.

“Yeah,” Whitaker nodded, already making his way through the city and towards the jungle. “Dr. Robinavitch prefers it if you call him that, actually. Says it saves time, though I don’t know if you can really waste time out here.”

“Who’re the other researchers?” Frank asked, eyes scanning the crowds of people as the jeep zoomed towards the edge of the city.

“Yeah, uh,” Whitaker stuttered, narrowly veering out of the way of a cart. “There’s, uh, Victoria Javadi. Her research focuses on ants and their effect on nutrient cycling and seed dispersal. Then you have Trinity Santos who’s doing research on the impact of big game hunters on the ecosystem. Then we have Melissa King and her research into termite colonies.”

“Mel’s gonna be there?” Frank asked, leaning forward with a grin. You rolled your eyes at him. Mel and Frank almost went as far back as you two did, having first met in a chemistry course his junior year and her freshman of college. While you and Frank had gone to the same university for your doctorate programs, Mel had ventured elsewhere, making a name for herself within the world of entomology. The two together were almost insufferable.

“You two better behave,” you groused, settling into your seat with a glare in his direction.

“Boots,” he gasped, placing a hand over his heart in faux hurt, “I am absolutely shocked that you think we would be anything other than complete professionals.”

“Don’t give me that crap,” you snapped, turning to face Bob who glanced at you two wearily. “Those two are going to be a nightmare, I’m just warning you now.”

“I’m almost afraid to ask,” he chuckled.

The three of you settled into a comfortable conversation as Whitaker continued to drive towards the camp, the jungle becoming denser the longer he went. Soon, the sun was hidden behind the canopy, and you got the sense that you were truly in the wild.

“Are you sure about this, Dana,” Robby hummed, hands clasped firmly in front of him as he eyed his fellow researcher. Dana spared him a smile, running a hand through her hair as she sat on the bench opposite her companion.

“He’s been on his own for decades, Robby,” Dana grimaced, glancing into the trees. “He deserves to know companionship beyond just us.”

“He has Whitaker.”

“He deserves more than just three other people in his life,” she amended, rolling her eyes. “We’re lucky we found him when we did, otherwise I’m not sure he would have survived much longer on his own. Besides, he’s growing more and more curious, and I think it’ll be good for him to meet new people. Let him learn about the world.”

Robby hummed at that. Of course, Dana had a point. They couldn’t keep the man isolated for forever. He was already butting heads more and more with the troop leader and spending more nights in the observation tower as a result. It also wasn’t like Robby wanted to keep him isolated for selfish reasons. No, quite the opposite in fact. The man had spent most of his life right there in the jungle, never having contact with another human being until the two researchers had opened up the research camp once more twenty five years before.

And that’s what had Robby so apprehensive. The man had little to no experience with humans, and what he did have was from the time spent with the two researchers who weren’t exactly the greatest of company at the best of times. How would he react to a camp full of people younger than him? Would it be too much?

“Jack is smart, Robby,” Dana continued, knocking her knuckles against the table. “He’s already been asking questions about the people in the movies and photos he sees. He wants to know about the outside world. Let’s let him have that chance.”

Robby didn’t answer. Instead, he sighed, leaning back in his chair. This would be good for Jack. It had to be.

A/N: posted this today as a treat for @baezen my beloved lol Let’s see if it’s as popular this time as it was with the TGM fandom…

"It's not like I have maternity lingerie," you murmured.

"It's not like you need it, Baby Girl. You look cute in my sweatpants. Or nothing." He walked into the room and glanced into your bag which contained just a few outfits, your boat shoes, and your toiletries. "Maybe you packed enough after all. Let's hit the road. I want Rosie to nap on the way."

Twenty minutes later, your daughter was already sound asleep in her car seat as your husband buckled you into the passenger seat of the red Bronco. You yawned as he pulled the seatbelt over your belly, and he bent to kiss his daughter as she squirmed against your bladder. You contemplated running back inside to use the bathroom again, but you were about to doze off just like Rose.

Bradley's lips brushed yours. "We'll be there in a few hours."

You nodded, thinking you'd wake up for part of the ride to enjoy Bradley's Motown playlist and his rich singing voice. But instead, you managed to sleep through several hundred miles and the sunset, only waking up in time to hear the tires crunching.

"There's snow!" you gasped, gaze catching on the evergreen trees covered in white in the dying light.

"Yeah," Bradley replied between songs on his playlist as he turned down a driveway. "Why do you sound so surprised?"

Your breath fogged the window as an opulent house three times the size of the Craftsman came into view. The windows were glowing orange; there was a porch the size of your entire driveway. "When you said mountains, you meant like whole-ass mountains! I packed my boat shoes!"

Bradley snorted as the Bronco came to a stop while you gawked at the mountains all around. "I added some of your cold weather clothes to my bag. Some of the stuff you used to wear when we went to Maryland for the holidays."

Tomorrow was Thanksgiving. One month until Christmas. It dawned on you that you and Bradley had no real reason to go back east now even though you both had roots there. "After Nugget Part Deux is born, we should take the girls to explore Virginia and Maryland. We can see your cousins. We can stop at the cemetery and visit your parents."

Bradley paused with the driver's side door open, cold air rushing into the Bronco's warm interior as his brown eyes studied yours. "What made you think about that?"

It was hard to put into words the way his parents would fill your mind with sadness and your heart with so much love it almost hurt. "I miss them."

"Me, too," he replied easily, never questioning the way you felt like Carole and Nick held a place in your family although you'd never met them. "Let's do that in the summer. And let's work on picking a name for Nugget Part Deux. It's getting to be a mouthful."

------------------------

You were laughing at the sight of Rose in her head-to-toe snow suit, but Bradley was busy making sure her exposed cheeks and nose weren't getting too much of the cold air. He kept picking her up from the snowy cabin steps to press his lips to her face.

"Feels okay," he whispered, letting her continue to play. She seemed to like the cold as she crawled toward the spot where you were sitting, compiling a small mound of snowballs as you casually tossed out one of the baby names that you claimed was on your short list.

"Nora?"

Bradley grunted in response. "It's okay." Personally, he had really liked some of the names that seemed to match better with Rose's. "What about Violet? Wasn't that on the list?" He watched Rose pat the snowballs and giggle as you scooped her up. Two cute little girls with pretty flower names just made sense.

"Yeah, I liked that one. And I liked Poppy."

"Me, too," he agreed, watching your smiling face as you put some of your snowballs into Rose's mittened hand and tried to launch them at him. When they fell short, you threw them directly at his chest instead.

"She's not cooperating!" you complained. "You're supposed to be on my team, Rosie. The girls team."

"Absolutely not." Bradley scooped up some of the powdery snow and sprinkled it over your head until you were rolling your eyes. "Rosie is on Team Daddy. Better luck with Poppy Violet, Sweetheart."

As he plucked the baby from your hands, you smiled up at him. "So it's settled then? She has a name? For real?"

Naming Rose after a song he'd played for you made sense, but this made sense, too. "Yeah. She officially has a name," Bradley said softly as his gaze settled on your belly. It was hard to tell you were pregnant with your winter coat zipped up and snug around your body, but his hands were so used to the way your hips and waist felt right now. Suddenly he couldn't wait to touch you. "Let's go inside. I don't want Rosie to get too cold, and the wind is starting to pick up now that it's getting dark."

"You just want to mess around," you replied, getting to your feet on the snowy steps.

"Of course I want to mess around. My wife is hot."

Your eye roll was accompanied by a little smirk. "Let me feed Rosie so she can take a nap, and then it can be your turn."

Bradley watched you settle into the overstuffed couch in front of the floor to ceiling windows overlooking the mountains. Fresh snow was beginning to fall as he poked at the logs in the fireplace, making sure the great room was warm enough for his girls. Then, as Rose curled against your round belly, he made himself useful in the adjoining kitching. He knew you'd be hungry for dinner after you were done feeding her, and Bradley was always hungry. The leftover turkey deli meat and stove top stuffing would make the most perfect sandwiches, so he lined everything up on the counter.

"It's so pretty here," you murmured, eyes fixed on the windows as he dimmed the lights so you could see the heavy snowfall that was moving in. "I wonder how much snow they'll have here by Christmas."

"We could find out next year," Bradley mused. "We can come back with your parents and the girls. There are four bedrooms, after all."

"Do I even want to know how much you spent on this?" you asked, turning to look at him.

Bradley deftfully dodged the question. "Just imagine a huge tree in the corner. Poppy's first Christmas. I'm sure your mom would make dinner, or we could just do sandwiches again. I'm kind of liking the sandwiches."

"I'm kind of liking all of this," you whispered, repositioning Rose to burp her, but Bradley loved that task. He settled on the couch beside you and took her in his big hands, patting her back. "You were right, Roo. We needed a little break as a family."

When you went to put your bra back on, he shook his head. "Don't bother with that. I'm going to be all over you in a minute. Rose always burps quickly for me, just like a good little Nugget."

His sentence was followed by a soft burp that made you laugh, which made your tits bounce, which made Bradley whimper as he stood to put the baby down for a nap so he could get his fill of you.

When he returned to the living room, you were naked, skin glowing in the firelight as you coaxed him closer to the couch. "Oh, you look so pretty, Baby Girl. We're definitely going to have to come back here."

You giggled as you unzipped his jeans and straddled his lap. "We can't fuck in front of the fireplace if my parents are here with us."

"Please, stop talking about them," he whispered, letting your heavy breasts fill his palms as you guided his erection to your pussy. Your body was perfect and welcoming as he filled you until you gasped. "That's a good girl."

Your head lulled back as he wrapped his lips around your nipple, and you kept his cock warm until it was time for him to fuck the absolute shit out of you.

----------------------------

As soon as you stirred in the California King sized bed that you and Bradley had spent the better part of last night defiling, you heard him rasp, "Happy Anniversary, Sweetheart."

You stretched, feeling the workout he'd given you throughout your entire body. You were sore, in a good way, but combined with your pregnancy exhaustion, you were hoping to sleep in a little longer. His smile more than made up for the early hour when you looked at him.

"Has it really only been two years? It feels a lot longer than that," you whispered, kissing along his unshaven cheek to his mustache.

"I'm not sure if that's a compliment, or..."

"It's a compliment," you promised, wrapping your arms around him. "Hey, remember that time you asked me out and I said no?"

"Hmm, vaguely." He squinted at the ceiling and chuckled as his hand came to rest on the side of your belly where Poppy was currently thumping around. "But that didn't last long. And look how far we've come, Baby Girl." He turned his head, dark eyes earnest as he asked, "Want to take a bath while I get breakfast ready? I brought the thermometer to test the water for you."

He had packed pretty much anything you or either of your daughters might possibly need. And a bath did sound good, especially after last night. But since you couldn't have the water as hot as you liked, you didn't linger very long, opting to join your husband istead. 

More snow had fallen overnight, but he had a fire warming the living room where he was walking around, holding Rose to his chest with one hand. He was singing a song from his Motown playlist, and you were shocked she was reaching for his mustache instead of crying to eat. But that changed as soon as she saw you.

"Not so fast, Nugget," he crooned. "Let Mommy take a bite of her breakfast first." That's when you noticed two slices of confetti cake and two flutes of pink champagne on the coffee table. "It's non-alcoholic, so have as much as you want. And I brought the cake from your favorite bakery back in San Diego."

Somehow it was perfect. Everything was perfect. Bradley in his ratty gym shorts and Rose fussing to eat. Cake for breakfast and couch snuggles for the entire day.

"I love you, Bradley," you promised, reaching for his hand and pulling him close until his lips found yours for probably the millionth time in just a few years. "I love you so much. You make everything perfect."

His lips curled against yours as he smiled. "I just want to spend the day with my girls."

-------------------------------

Let that man enjoy spending time with his girlies! He earned it! That's the end of the series, besties! This has been so fun for me! Thanks you so much for reading along and leaving so much love. I'd love to visit Roo and BG (and all these other wild and crazy kids) through asks, blurbs and one-shots, so please feel free to send them to me. Love love love you!

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"How do you know that?" Bradley asked, double checking to see if he'd missed a text from you while he was in his classroom all morning. But there was nothing.

"I was talking to her when her boss tracked her down. He looked flustered, telling her he needed her in his office."

Bradley's brow creased as he picked up just one burrito bowl instead of two. He eyed the green hot sauce you were obsessed with, but it wouldn't taste as good without you sitting next to him. "Did Bickel seem upset with her?" Bradley knew how much you loved working for your commanding officer, and that feeling seemed to go both ways.

Nat shrugged. "Less upset and more concerned. I'm sure she's fine."

Bradley settled in next to his best friend and across the table from Maria and Bob, but he barely got one bite of food in his mouth before Maverick was standing next to him.

"I'd eat that as quickly as possible. Cyclone wants to see us."

"Now?" he asked his godfather, wondering why his day kept getting more annoying since parting ways with you. Maybe he should just cancel his afternoon flight.

"I'll meet you there in fifteen minutes," Maverick said, leaving him to practically inhale his food while the others conversed. 

Apparently Bob and Maria were giving up their lease to move into a nicer one-bedroom place together. While that information wasn't surprising, it made Bradley a little sad. You'd been the one living in that apartment with Maria when Bradley fell in love with you. Your little bedroom was where he'd poured his heart out to you in the early days. It was where he made love to you for the first time.

"I'll help you move," Bradley immediately offered, getting a nod in return from Bob. He really wanted the opportunity to be in that sacred space one last time while he had the chance. And getting brownie points with one of your best friends was never a bad move.

"Thanks, Rooster," Bob replied as Bradley shoveled the last of his burrito bowl into his mouth and got up to leave again. Whatever Cyclone wanted, it was best not to keep the man waiting. But honestly, Bradley couldn't understand how his perfectly good morning was deteriorating so quickly. Waking up with his hand on your belly felt like days ago, and what if Admiral Simpson wanted him for something annoying? Fuck, what if he was about to get deployed even though he'd been promised those would become few and far between? What if he wasn't even home for your due date?

He was counting how many weeks were left in your pregnancy while he knocked on the office door. If he had to spend the anniversary weekend he'd planned at the cabin telling you he was leaving, you would be so upset. You and he needed a break together.

"Lieutenant Commander Bradshaw. Have a seat." Bradley met Cyclone's eyes where he stood next to his desk with Maverick. He hated to be the only one in the room sitting, but he was left with little choice. Bradley sank into the chair while Cyclone cleared his throat. "I wanted to take a few minutes to wrap up your complaints against Lieutenant Jeffries."

Bradley cringed, and Maverick crossed his arms over his chest like he was fighting to stand still. "Yes, Sir," Bradley agreed with a nod, hoping he wouldn't have to rehash anything that had already happened.

"I was notified of her separation this morning. An admiral in Texas called me first thing." Bradley sat up straighter in his chair as Cyclone said, "Lieutenant Jeffries has been formally discharged."

Now Bradley had to fight a smile as he replied. "Thank you for letting me know, Sir."

It was obvious Maverick had something to add. "Bradley. Uh, Rooster," he corrected quickly. "During some of our discussions, you voiced concerns about staying in your current role." Bradley swore his heart stopped as Mav added, "Do you still feel that way?"

Bradley stayed silent. For weeks and months he'd been wondering if he was in the right place. Wondering if he was effective as a teacher rather than just another body in another Super Hornet in the air making decisions without considering the consequences. But the main reason he had been second guessing himself was Indigo. He'd keep his head on a swivel from now on. He'd never let something like that happen again. It was easy to reconsider things without her on base. His classes were fun again. He enjoyed teaching. He loved watching his students take what they learned to the air.

But the best part was being at home with you every night. At home with Rosie. At home enjoying the countdown to the arrival of his second daughter.

"No, I don't feel that way now," Bradley rasped as he shook his head. "I'm where I belong."

--------------------------

When you realized you'd inadvertently bailed on your husband, you felt bad, but that feeling didn't last for long. When you got to Bickel's office at the same time as Cat, you and she shared a brief look before he ushered you inside. Once you were all seated, your boss broke out into a smile.

"I don't know how you manage to do it, but you two always surpass my expectations."

You pressed your lips together to keep yourself quiet, because you had no idea what he could be talking about. The baby was squirming around and thumping on your ribs as you tried to remain chill without looking at Cat. You adjusted your maternity tent and let your boss continue.

"The quick work you put in to test the new software updates ahead of schedule was so successful, your efforts are being recognized."

Now you were shaking from holding back your laughter, and Cat cleared her throat awkwardly three times. "Thank you, Sir," she said calmly with a smirk. "We try our best."

The look on her face made you start coughing. Was she hoping to make you pee your pants? You thought you might as you took a deep breath and listened to Bickel lay out an upcoming timeline for the continued software testing. It wasn't like you didn't know the updates would be successful; you and Cat worked too hard for anything otherwise. But Indigo was the reason you wanted to ground an aircraft ahead of schedule.

When you were finally dismissed, you rushed toward the bathroom with Cat on your heels. "Are you still nauseous?" she asked as you headed for the first stall. "You're awfully late in your pregnancy to still be so nauseous."

"No! I have to pee! I don't know how you stayed so calm throughout that meeting. I thought I was going to explode with laughter."

She was still smirking when you washed your hands. "Remember all those promises you made about watching Jer for me if I was willing to finish the code in a hurry?"

"I do," you replied easily. "Want to drop him off at my house after work one day this week so you and Jake can get into some nasty shit for a few hours?"

Cat's laughter echoed throughout the space as she doubled over, cackling. "I guess that depends upon your definition of nasty.... we're trying to figure out which day we can go apply for our marriage license." You screamed before she clapped her hand over your mouth. "Shh! Are you out of your mind?"

"Marriage license!" you screeched when she freed you. "Jake is such a fuckboy, and you're so in love with him!"

"You're the one who told me he's a good guy in the first place!"

"He is!" you insisted, beaming at her. "And he'll be the best dad for Jer."

Instead of returning to your office or the lab, you dashed toward the elevators and went downstairs. As soon as the November sun hit your face, you felt like this day couldn't get any better. The walk to the tower was filled with the distant sound of jet wash and a breeze that gave you goosebumps. When you reached the aviator's lounge, the first person you saw when you opened the door was your husband holding a disposable coffee cup and chatting with Natasha, but you rushed past them.

"Hi, Roo," you offered, patting him quickly on his flat belly as you headed for Jake who was sweaty and unzipping the top of his flight suit. You flung your arms around him, and he held you awkwardly with your bump pressed against him.

"Whoa, Angel. What's got you throwing yourself at me?" he asked with a laugh. "Not that I mind..." he added, winking at Bradley as you pulled away.

"You didn't tell me you're getting married," you hissed quietly so the others couldn't hear over their conversation. "I can't believe you didn't tell me!"

Jake's cheeks paled as he wrapped his fingers gently around your bicep, guiding you toward the window. "Damn, Cat can't keep her mouth shut," he muttered, glancing outside. "We don't actually have anything planned yet, but I convinced her to get the marriage license. That'll give us ninety days to make it happen." He turned his green eyes your way and added, "My lawyer said Jeremiah's biological father stands less of a chance of locating him if I adopt him. Make him a Seresin," he grunted softly. "It's just Cat's name listed on Jer's birth certificate, and I'd really like to change that as soon as possible."

"Jake," you gasped, tears filling your eyes. "You're so in love with them."

He nodded. "I am. And I told Cat she'd have a spectacular wedding in ninety days or less if she promised to get the marriage license now. She told me she doesn't want to spend any money. Claims I've spent enough to help her get free from her ex. But I want her to have whatever she wants-"

"She wants you. You're already Jer's dad. Just marry her. Keep it simple."

"Are you ever going to give me a hug?" Bradley called from across the room. "It's been like two minutes, Sweetheart."

Jake smirked and nudged your shoulder with his bicep. "Get over there so he stops whining."

"I'm not whining," Bradley whined. "I just want a hug from my wife and daughter." He tossed his empty cup into the trash when you slotted yourself into his arms. "That's better," he murmured, lips meeting your forehead as you let your cheek rest against his chest.

"He whined when you missed lunch, too," Natasha said casually as you laughed.

Bradley huffed. "Is it really such a bad thing that I like being around my family?"

"Not at all." You glanced up at him. "And I think it's kind of cute when you whine about it." He rolled his eyes, but he was smiling as his fingers crept around to your hip, holding you tight. "Guess what Bickel told me earlier."

"That you're the best officer he's ever worked with and he wants you to take over his lab when he retires?"

Your heart fluttered at your husband's words; he was your biggest fan. "Not quite. But Cat and I are being recognized for our work on the Super Hornet comms. And I kind of have Indigo to thank for it in a very twisted way."

"Oh! She's out of the Navy, Baby Girl."

You blinked up at him. "She is?" you whispered, mind swirling with the image of Indigo storming away from you in a rage the last time you saw her.

"Yeah, she's toast," he replied, lips meeting your forehead again as Natasha and Jake headed out. "I had a meeting with Mav and Cyclone."

"When were you going to tell me?"

Bradley's lips curled into a smile as he took your hand and kissed along your knuckles. "I'd have remembered later at some point, but Indigo is the farthest thing from my mind now. I'm more intersted in going home and packing for our trip and fucking you."

You glanced around to make sure everyone else had cleared out. "Okay, that does sound fun, but we have to babysit Jeremiah one evening this week."

"Can't it wait until next week after we get back from the mountains?" he whispered. "I'm in family mode, looking forward to our anniversary."

"Nope. We absolutely have to watch Jer for them. It's a necessity, Roo."

-----------------------------

"Jesus," Bradley groaned, kicking your maternity uniform across the bedroom floor before it could trip him up. Dinner was in the oven, Rose was napping, and you were easing yourself back on the bed, nearly naked. He watched you pull your sensible underwear down until he could see your rooster tattoo, and then he pounced.

"Roo!" you squealed, wrapping your leg around his hip as he held himself over your body, his hands planted on either side of your head. "You have to make it quick. And you're never quick."

"I know," he grunted, biting his lip as you rubbed yourself against the fly of his khakis. All he wanted at the moment was to take his time licking that bead of milk from your nipple before treating his mouth to your entire body. But there wasn't time. Jake Seresin would be here shortly to ruin his fun.

Your hand on his zipper prompted him to savor that bit of your milk as you pulled him free of his pants. Then you guided him right where he belonged, and he sank inch by inch into your pussy until you moaned his name.

"That's fucking beautiful." He kissed away all the little sounds you made as he fucked you slowly; they could just wait out on the porch with Jeremiah until Bradley was done with you for all he cared.

But something about having you naked and beneath him while he was still fully clothed in his uniform made Bradley realize he wasn't going to last too long. The bounce of your tits as your fingers dug into his hair. The scrape of your nails along his scalp as your pupils grew wide. The way your growing belly took up more space than usual. It was all designed to make him insane. He knew it. He wasn't going to fight it. You'd win every time anyway.

"How do you do this to me?" murmured against your neck, inhaling your scent with a gasping breath as your pussy pulsed around him. "How do you fuck me up like this?"

Your answer was your lips on his jaw as Bradley swallowed hard, fucking you as his body tensed above yours. "Roo," you gasped, lips parting, rolling your hips. He couldn't hang on when it was this good. When your voice was in his ear, coaxing him along. 

"God, Roo. Daddy!"

That did it. His thrusts grew shorter as he came, pushing himself deep, filling you with his cum until he let his weight settle halfway on top of you. He was never done until you got what you deserved, but as soon as he dragged his fingers along your tattoo and let them settle on your clit, Tramp started barking.

"They're here," you moaned, starting to sit up with Bradley's cock still buried deep.

"But I'm not done with you," he whispered, keeping you in place while Tramp howled. But it was useless. "Fuck!" He pulled himself free, forfeiting the opportunity to watch his cum leak out of you as he stood. Bradley tucked himself back into his pants and did up the zipper, scowling. "Hangman ruins everything, I swear to god." He pulled one of his old undershirts and some gym shorts from his drawer as you laughed and stood. "I'll finish you off later," he promised with a kiss, pressing his clothing into your hand.

"I know you will."

Bradley was in no mood for company, but when he opened the front door, Jer clapped his hands with a big smile on his face. "Hey, Buddy," he said, smiling reluctantly as Jeremiah climbed from Cat's arms into his. "Tramp is so excited to play with you."

"Tramp!" Jeremiah reached down trying to pet the dog while he went wild.

"Thanks for babysitting," Jake said as he strolled in from the porch earning an eye roll from Bradley.

"It's no big deal," Bradley replied through clenched teeth, trying not to glare. It wasn't like Jake and Cat had any idea what they'd interrupted. Or at least they didn't until you came rushing down the hallway into the living room with Bradley's undershirt on backward. Cat didn't seem to notice, but Jake stifled his laughter behind his hand.

"Hi, Jeremiah!" you crooned, running your fingers along his cheek. "We're going to have so much fun. Rose will be awake soon, and we can go out back to the playset."

"Sorry about the timing," Jake muttered.

"No, you're not," Bradley whispered. "Now get out of here."

Jake laced his fingers with Cat's as she said, "We'll be back in less than two hours."

"Take your time," you said, waving her off. "We'll have so much fun while you're gone." You took Jeremiah's hand and led him to the couch where you'd left a stack of Rose's books, ready for the occasion. 

When Bradley closed the front door, he heard his daughter's cries coming from the nursery. He rushed in to scoop her up, kissing her fuzzy hair and changing her diaper before carrying her to the living room where you were reading Jeremiah the silly goose book.

"Whoa, Baby Girl. You need to start over. Rosie and I love this book."

"Love!" Jer cheered as Bradley settled down on the couch next to him. The little boy suddenly seemed more interested in Rose than in the book, but you obliged everyone by starting the story at the beginning.

--------------------------

The sun was setting after dinner as you nursed Rose on the patio wearing Bradley's clothes and your boat shoes. You hadn't taken the time to turn his shirt the other way, too busy bustling around with the two, well, three kids.

"Higher?" Bradley asked.

"Higher!" Jeremiah replied, and you watched your husband push his swing harder. Peels of laugher filled the backyard, and now Rose was crying for a different reason. She seemed to want to join in the fun as Tramp ran around the playset in circles.

"Jake needs to get this kid a puppy," Bradley eventually said as Jeremiah reached for the dog again. Really, the only thing that seemed more interesting to him was Rose, and he shifted his focus as you walked their way, Tramp immediately forgotten.

"Can you say Rose?" you asked Jeremiah as his swing came to a stop in front of Bradley. "Rose."

He tried his best but struggled with the R sound as Rose reached for his hair. "Be nice, Rosie," Bradley scolded, scooping up Jeremiah at the same time he took Rose from your arms. The sight of him holding both kids was almost too much, and you reached for one of the wooden playset posts to keep yourself standing. He kissed your daughter's cheek and said, "It's getting dark out here. How about a snack and one more round of the silly goose book?"

"We could do that," you whispered, letting your hand rest on your belly. For the briefest second, you started rethinking your threat about the vasectomy.

"You have to read it again," Bradley murmured, leading the way to the sliding glass door with his arms full. "The kids love your voice, and so do I."

By the time you finished the book, Rose was falling asleep and Jeremiah was yawning. But Bradley looked attentive, eyes calculating. At the sound of a knock on the door, he was up from the couch with Jeremiah in his arms. "Well, it's been fun, little man, but it's time for you to leave."

"I didn't even get to say goodbye!" you complained, holding Rose. 

Bradley turned around so you could kiss Jeremiah on the cheek, and then he thrust the child into Cat's arms and closed the door as soon as she said thank you.

"That wasn't very nice," you said with a laugh.

"I disagree, Sweetheart," he told you as he reached for Rose. "I thought that was pretty fucking nice considering what they interrupted earlier. Now say goodnight to your daughter and go get undressed."

"Stop swearing in front of the baby," you scolded half-heartedly before he kissed your lips. God, he was doing numbers on you right now. He was in his demanding 'dad' mode while still wearing his uniform, and you moaned out loud. "Okay, fine. I'll go get undressed."

Everything felt so good tonight. You could hear Bradley singing to Rose as you went to the bathroom and did your bedtime routine. You didn't have to wait long after you tugged his undershirt over your head before he appeared in the bedroom doorway. His brown eyes were playful, but his gaze was glued to your body. "Now, where were we?"

You trailed your hand down your side, along your swollen belly, and let your fingertips graze your tattoo. "Right about here, Roo."

He nodded in agreement, closing the distance with three long strides before kneeling in front of you. His hands wrapped around your thighs as his lips and mustache met your rooster tattoo before skimming along your belly. "Yeah. Right about here."

--------------------------

Well, I was wrong... there will be one more part after this! Stay tuned for an anniversary trip. And don't forget to send me your thoughts about hcs and blurbs! Thanks for reading!

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