Writing & Rambles

Dana snorted and Robby’s lips twitched. They lasted about thirty seconds before you were all laughing. “Gifting Goblins?”

“Eh,” you said with a shrug. “Why not?” Noting you’d drawn the attention of several people around the hub you took the opportunity to make an announcement. “As you know Gloria said no Secret Santa this year.” You ignored the boos that went up from various staff members. “So you all get to be Gifting Goblins. You know the drill. Draw a name, make sure it’s not yours, then cross yourself off the list and take a sheet. First gift due by the second. If you do not get a gift by the second, please let me know. Don’t be an asshole and flake. Final gifts by New Year’s Eve this year.”

You placed everything on the counter and stepped away to let them have at it. The Pitt gift exchange was simple. Just do nice things for your fellow staff member throughout the month. A minimum of four little gifts though most usually did more, even if it was bringing a coffee in or whatever. The goal was to keep your identity a secret until the final gift. You set up a mailbox in the lounge where gifts could be left if so desired.

You pretended not to see Perlah and Princess exchanging names. You were supposed to keep the name you drew but people were always switching.

“Uh, question,” Trinity Santos said rocking on her feet in front of you.

“What’s up?”

She showed you the paper with Garcia’s name on it. “I thought it was for the emergency department only.”

You nodded. “With a couple of exceptions. Namely Garcia and Walsh. Did you want to trade with someone? Technically you’re not—”

“No,” she said quickly cutting you off. “This is fine. Really.”

“Good.” You gave her a small smile and patted her shoulder when she turned to go with a bounce in her step.

“Matchmaking again?” Robby asked, voice tinged with humor.

“And just how am I supposed to have manipulated what names people draw out of a bag, Robinavitch?”

He shrugged. “If anyone could it would be you.”

You crossed your arms over your chest and narrowed your eyes at him in annoyance. He just smiled at you. Idiot.

“What did you do now, Robby?” Jack Abbot’s question announced his presence.

You couldn’t stop the smile that crossed your face at the sight of one of your favorite people. “He’s accusing me of being able to control who picks what name.”

Jack looked affronted on your behalf. “You take that back. She would never.”

Robby just made a sound of half-hearted agreement and wandered off to check on a patient.

“Brat,” you muttered under your breath.

Jack chuckled and you turned to find him scanning one of the info sheets for the gift exchange. “Gifting Goblins?”

“I wasn’t about to let Gloria kill our favorite tradition around here.”

“Good for you, sweetheart.”

It was an hour into the night shift when Shen approached Jack. “Abbot, I want New Year’s Eve off.”

Jack glanced up from the chart he was looking  at. “Take it up with Robby. He’s in charge of the scheduling, you know that.”

Shen rocked back on his heels. “I thought you might like to cover for me.”

Jack fully turned his attention to the other man. “And why would I want to do that?”

“Because I thought you might want to trade names,” Shen said and held up the piece of paper he’d drawn with your name on it. “She’s also covering for Lena that night.”

“Done,” Jack said, snatching the paper before handing over his own with Robby’s name on it.

“Awesome.” John smiled wide, gave Jack a nod and moved on to his next patient.

On December 1, Jack trudged into the ED at 18:45. Winter had arrived in Pittsburgh with a vengeance and his right leg was aching from the cold. He nodded greetings to those he passed on his way to store his bag then he headed for the breakroom. Coffee first, then handoff to see what fresh hell awaited him tonight.

The room was mercifully empty and Jack made a beeline for the coffee pot. It appeared to have been freshly brewed and he smiled a little as he poured himself a mug. His gaze drifted over to the mailboxes you had set up and his smile widened at seeing items in several of them. You tried so hard to make this a success every year and it always made you happy to see how into it people got.

Then he realized that his own box had something in it. Coffee temporarily forgotten he moved over to see what he’d gotten. A plain brown sack sat inside, his name written on the outside in block letters. He lifted it out and after confirming he was still alone, peeked inside.

Inside sat a dozen individual packets of trail mix, the expensive kind that were more nuts than filler. It was the blend he liked that had three different kinds of nuts, pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries. Lots of Omega 3 and protein. And tucked beneath them were half a dozen of his favorite protein bars. Not the brand he typically bought because they were cheaper and easier to find, but the ones he had to get from that one store across town.

Jack stood frozen, staring at the contents. It was such a simple gift but so specifically tailored to him that someone must have been paying attention to him. Very close attention.

“Well played, goblin,” he muttered to himself, feeling an unexpected warmth spread through his chest. He tucked one protein bar into his pocket for later and took the rest to his locker to stash away from greedy hands. The night shift hadn’t even started and it was already shaping up better than expected.

You arrived for your shift on the second with a bit of a bounce in your step. Everyone should receive their first gift by the end of the day. You hadn’t received anything yet, but that wasn’t unusual. When you arrived, you checked the list you’d left by the mailbox for everyone to check off that they’d received their first gift. Usually, you didn’t have to worry about anyone flaking after the first one.

There were a couple of names still to be marked off but a quick glance showed items for them in the mailboxes. But nothing in yours. You shrugged, there were hours left on your shift yet.

You didn’t think much more of it until you entered the breakroom at the end of your shift and still found nothing.

Oh.

It wasn’t like you could be your own Secret Santa Gifting Goblin. You sucked in a breath and straightened your shoulders. That was okay. Most of the fun for you was watching everyone else get doted on. And buying for your own recipient.

One of the benefits of running the exchange was you were in charge of making the name slips for everyone that signed up. And if Jack’s name happened to find it’s way into your pocket in the process, well, that was your business.

It wasn’t like you’d been planning your gifts since summer or anything. October maybe, but not before then. That would be pathetic.

You slid the strap of your bag further up your shoulder and headed toward the doors. You ran into Jack on your way out.

He stopped to greet you. “Hey. How was your shift?”

“The usual,” you said with a shrug. “No surprises waiting for you.”

“Good, good.” He nodded. “Get your first gift from your goblin?”

You did your best to maintain a neutral expression. “Oh yeah, a couple of days ago, already took it home.”

Jack frowned, his brow furrowing.

Before he could say anything, you gestured toward the door. “I should go. I need to run by the store tonight.”

“Yeah, sure. Be careful,” he said stepping aside.

“See you tomorrow,” you called over your shoulder and breathed a sigh of relief as the door closed behind you.

Jack watched you retreat, his frown deepening. Then he spun on his heel and headed straight for the hub where Robby was chatting with Dana.

“Hey,” he interrupted, “were any flowers delivered here today?”

Robby and Dana exchanged a glance.

“Flowers?” Dana repeated. “Not that I saw.”

“Definitely no flowers,” Robby confirmed. “Why? You expecting some?”

Jack swore under his breath and pulled out his phone. “They were supposed to be delivered at noon. I confirmed it twice yesterday.” He scrolled to find the florist’s number, punching it with more force than necessary.

“This is Jack Abbot,” he said as soon as someone answered. He was lucky they were open late. “I placed an order yesterday for delivery to Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center emergency department. Winter arrangement with red and white roses. It was supposed to arrive at noon today.” He paused. “Yes, that’s the recipient and the message for the card. No, it absolutely did not arrive. No, I don’t want a refund, I want the flowers delivered as promised. She starts work at seven tomorrow morning. As soon after that as you can, the earlier the better. Yes, I’ll hold.”

As Jack waited, Robby’s face split into a wide grin. “Flowers, huh?”

Jack glared at the pain in the ass he called a best friend. “Shut up, Rob.”

“Roses, too. Pretty elaborate for a gift exchange,” Robby continued undeterred. “Most people just go with candy or coffee. Maybe a gift card.”

“I said shut up.” Jack turned slightly away as the florist came back on the line. “Yes, I’m still here. First thing tomorrow, and I expect a substantial apology note attached. Yes. Fine.” He hung up and shoved the phone back in his pocket.

“So,” Dana drawled, “whose name did you say you drew?”

Jack gave her a flat look. “I didn’t.” He turned to Robby. “Let’s do handoff so you can get out of here.”

The next morning, a delivery person came through the main doors of the ED carrying a large arrangement of red and white roses exploding from a frosted glass vase, interspersed with pine branches, silver painted twigs and enough sparkly accents to make a showgirl jealous. A large note card dangled from the front with your name on it above, Sincere apologies from Allegheny Flower Shop.

“You can set those here,” Dana told him, clearing a spot on the counter for the flowers before calling your name over her shoulder. “Should have known he had her as soon as he said flowers,” she muttered to herself.

You appeared from around a curtain, eyes going wide. “Are those for me?”

Dana hummed in agreement and handed you the card. You opened it to find an apology from the flower shop along with a message that said: from one goblin to another.

You grinned then turned the vase so you could take in the entire arrangement. “They’re so pretty,” you said softly, your eyes getting suspiciously moist.

“Is something wrong?” Cassie asked as she came to stand beside you and smell the flowers.

You shook your head quickly. “No. It’s just…no one’s ever bought me flowers before. Not like this.”

“Never?”

“Nope.” You ran a finger over one of the rose petals. “One boyfriend said, and I quote ‘it wouldn’t have occurred to him’. Another didn’t see the point because they just die anyway. You get the idea.”

“You have shit taste in men,” Cassie observed.

You snorted a laugh. “Look who’s talking.” You buried your nose in the arrangement, inhaling deeply, eyes closed in pleasure. “These smell amazing.”

Across the room, Robby casually lifted his phone and snapped a photo of the moment, you surrounded by flowers, your happiness evident in the wide smile on your face. His thumbs moved quickly across the screen as he sent it to Jack.

Mission accomplished. She loves them.

Over the following days, Jack continued to find small, thoughtful gifts in his mailbox. One day was his favorite candy, another was a printout of a journal article about advances in prosthetic technology he’d been meaning to read but hadn’t found the time for. Then he’d gotten a vinyl Penguins decal for his new truck.

The next morning found him meeting a delivery driver at the bay doors to get the coffee he’d ordered for you. He sat the cup on the counter as he dug around in the drawer for a marker to write your name on it.

Finally locating a Sharpie, he reached for the cup only to find it missing. He looked up fully to see Robby taking a sip, his face immediately contorting into a grimace.

“This is not your usual order,” Robby said, staring accusingly at the cup.

Jack stared at him. “That’s because it was a gift, Robinavitch.”

Robby’s eyes widened in realization. “Oh. Oh shit.” He looked sheepishly at the cup then back to Jack. “Sorry, man. I only took one drink of it.”

Jack shook his head. “I am not giving her your backwash coffee, Rob.”

“It was barely a sip. And it’s still hot. She’ll never know,” he protested.

“I’ll know,” Jack replied flatly, taking the cup from Robby’s hand and dropping it in the trash with perhaps more force than necessary.

“That’s like eight bucks you just wasted.”

“Worth every penny to not be the guy who gives backwash coffee as a gift,” Jack retorted. He glanced at his watch. Not enough time to get another one delivered.

Robby rocked back on his heels. “So…Gifting Goblin duties not going as planned, huh?”

Jack gave him a look that would have silenced most people. Unfortunately, Robby was not most people.

“I’m just saying if you simplified things a bit, you probably wouldn’t have as many issues,” he continued cheerfully.

“Don’t you have somewhere else to be?” Jack asked.

Before he could respond, you appeared. You spotted Jack and your face brightened. “Hey! How was your shift?”

Jack sighed, giving you a tired smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “It was fine. No problems at all.” He shot a warning glance at Robby who looked suspiciously close to smirking.

“Well, don’t let me keep you,” you said. “I’m sure you want to get home.”

“Yeah,” Jack said, grabbing his bag. “Have a good shift.”

You smiled and disappeared down the hall.

“Better luck next time, Romeo.” Robby patted his shoulder.

Jack briefly considered whether punching a colleague would get him fired, decided it probably would, and settled for accidentally stepping on Robby’s foot instead.

A couple of days later, Jack’s eyes trailed you as you walked into the ED to begin your shift. He waited until you ducked into the breakroom for your morning cup of coffee and followed you. Your back was turned to the door as you checked your mailbox. He stepped over to the counter to pour himself a cup of coffee he wouldn’t drink.

“No way,” you said excited.

Jack glanced over his shoulder to see you smiling wide as you held the three books he’d given you to your chest. “Well, someone seems happy,” he said, turning to lean against the counter.

You turned to him with an expression of pure delight. “These have all been on my wish list for ages. And there’s a gift card to my favorite coffee shop.” You ran your fingers over the cover of the top book. “This is too much. The flowers were already—”

‘The point is to enjoy it,” Jack said, surprised by the softness in his own voice. He cleared his throat. “I mean, someone obviously thinks you deserve it. Don’t fret so much.”

You nodded, still looking slightly dazed. “Yeah, you’re right.” You grinned at him. “I guess me and one of these books have a date at my coffee shop on my next day off.”

Jack felt a wave of satisfaction. He’d gotten it right. You were happy and he’d made that happen. He watched as you headed out to start your shift, a new bounce in your step. He waited until you were out of sight before allowing a small, satisfied smile to cross his face.

Twelve hours later, after completing handoff with Robby, Jack headed into the breakroom to get his coffee and check his box. A colorful bag was stuffed into his box and he veered over to check it. It was much heavier than he expected when he pulled it out, colorful tissue paper exploded from the top.

He glanced inside and his eyes went wide. His hand closed around the neck of a bottle and he pulled it out. A fifth of a high-end spiced rum, the kind he’d mentioned was his favorite once during a staff outing. Beside it was something soft and fuzzy. Jack reached in again and emerged with a stuffed parrot. It was bright blue and yellow with an elastic band on one foot, clearly designed to perch on someone’s shoulder.

Frowning now, he reached into the bag one more time and extracted a black eye patch. Jack stared at the items on the table in front of him. Rum. Eye patch. Parrot. The joke landed a second later and he completely lost it.

A bark of laughter escaped him, followed by another and suddenly he was collapsing on a break room chair, shoulders shaking with mirth. He’d just received a complete pirate kit to go with his ‘peg’ leg.

It was terrible. It was brilliant. It was exactly the kind of humor he appreciated but most people were too afraid to direct at him.

“Jack? Are you okay in here?” Robby’s voice preceded him into the breakroom. He stopped short at the sight of Jack wheezing with laughter, tears forming at the corner of his eyes.

“What is so funny?” Robby asked, then noticed the items on the table. “Is that…is your goblin calling you a pirate?”

Jack, still unable to form words, simply nodded and pushed the items toward Robby who ran a hand down his face in exasperation.

“Isn’t this a little insensitive?”

This only sent Jack into another fit of laughter. He wiped tears from his eyes, finally regaining enough composure to speak. “Who cares? That’s funny as fuck.”

Robby looked uncertain. “You’re not offended? You don’t even know who gave it to you.”

“Why would I be?” Jack picked up the parrot and patted it on the head. “This is the first time anyone at this hospital has made a joke about my leg without immediately looking like they wanted to die afterward.”

He attached the parrot to his shoulder and held up the rum. “This is good shit, too. Not some cheap garbage.”

Robby hummed in thought. “They seem to really get you.”

Jack nodded. “Yeah. They really do.”

The gift exchange continued with little trinkets. You discovered a handcrafted leather bookmark in your box embossed with your initials. Jack found a dark blue scarf made of the softest material he’d ever felt the day after he’d complained about losing his old one.

Each small token seemed more thoughtful than the last. A travel mug that kept coffee hot for hours appeared in your box after you’d spent a shift complaining yours was always cold by the time you got a chance to drink it. Jack received a small bottle of high-end curl oil that smelled like cedar and citrus.

Every gift was a message. I see you. I notice what matters to you. I’m paying attention.

One evening Jack limped slightly as he made his way into the hospital, the cold seeping into his joints and making his prosthesis feel like it was attached to a block of ice rather than his leg. Three straight nights of a winter cold snap had left him irritable and hurting more than he cared to admit.

He needed hot coffee desperately and headed toward the breakroom as soon as he took the handoff from Ketterman, the day shift attending. His box contained several items and Jack made his way over, looking forward to his evening brightening just a bit. He needed it tonight.

He pulled the items out one at a time. Two different types of unscented ultra-moisturizing lotion—the specialized kind meant for amputees that wouldn’t be greasy or leave any sort of residue. A small tube of nerve pain cream that he recognized as the medical grade variety. His fingers hovered over the items, a lump forming in his throat.

These hadn’t been grabbed from some drugstore display. These were specific products selected with knowledge and care. The kind of products he used but rarely discussed because he hated to acknowledge that vulnerability, that weakness.

Someone had noticed. Someone had seen him wince when the weather turned, maybe caught him massaging his residual limb during a quiet moment on shift and instead of politely ignoring it as most people did, they’d actually thought about what might help.

Jack swallowed hard, running his thumb over the label of the nerve cream. It was his preferred brand, the one that actually worked when phantom pain kept him awake at night. They had to have researched the best one because he knew for a fact he’d never mentioned that to anyone.

Something soft, folded into a square sat in the box behind where the lotions and cream had been. He lifted out what appeared to be a t-shirt. He shook it open and as the design came into view, his emotional moment shifted into unexpected laughter.

The shirt was white with a simple illustration. A cat was lying under a rainbow with text that read I’M FUCKING FINE. THE REST OF YOU NEED THERAPY.

It was perfect. Absolutely perfect. The dark, cynical humor he appreciated mixed with the surprisingly thoughtful leg care products. Whoever his goblin was they understood both parts of him. The part that hurt and the part that used humor to cope with it.

He stashed everything in his locker except the shirt which he put on under his scrub top. A smile played at his lips every time he remembered what was written across his chest as the night wore on.

The next morning, when Robby arrived to take over Jack was waiting at the hub.

“You look like you’re in a suspiciously good mood,” Robby commented, setting down his coffee. “Nothing major overnight?”

“Surprisingly quiet,” Jack confirmed with a shrug then grinned. “Want to see what my goblin left me?”

Robby raised his brows. “Sure, but if it’s an actual peg leg I’m calling HR.”

Jack glanced around to make sure no patients were nearby, then pulled up his scrub top to reveal the shirt underneath.

Robby leaned in to read it and then his face split into a grin. “Oh my god.”

“Right? It’s fucking perfect.”

“Your goblin is deranged,” Robby declared, shaking his head but still smiling.

“Isn’t it great?” Jack asked, letting his scrub top fall back into place.

“Suits you,” Robby admitted. “Though I’m pretty sure Gloria would have an aneurysm if she saw it.”

“Just another service I provide,” Jack replied, gathering his things to head home. His leg still ached, but somehow it bothered him less today.

You were pulled directly into a trauma when you arrived for your shift the next day and it took a couple of hours before you could even grab a coffee, never mind checking the boxes.

Inside yours was something rectangular wrapped in simple blue tissue paper. It was heavier than you expected as you pulled it out and laid it on the table. You unwrapped it carefully, then froze in disbelief. Inside was a set of charcoal gray Figs scrubs. Brand new in exactly your size.

“Oh no. That’s entirely too much,” you said aloud, running your fingers over the buttery-soft fabric.

Cassie entered the breakroom, peering at your gift and letting out a low whistle. “Holy shit. All I got was a McDonald’s gift card.”

You blinked, still staring at the scrubs and said absently, “You love McDonald’s”

Cassie grinned. “I know, but not more than Figs.” She reached out to feel the fabric, lifting the top to look underneath. She chuckled. “They got you the jacket, too. That’s a mint right there.”

Your stomach dropped. “I can’t keep these. That’s far too much.”

“You absolutely can,” Cassie argued. “You aren’t giving these back. I won’t let you.” She nudged your shoulder. “Just enjoy it. Someone obviously wanted you to have them and is using the exchange as an excuse.”

“But there’s a limit.”

“There is not. Not officially.” When you hesitated, she continued. “Look, if your goblin wants to spoil you, that’s their business. Don’t ruin their fun by being noble.”

Your fingers were still tracing the soft fabric. “They are really nice.”

“And they’re practical. It’s not like they got you diamond earrings or something. These are for work. You’ll wear them literally all the time.”

You considered this, a slow smile spreading across your face. “They are pretty amazing.”

“Exactly. Now try them on and tell me if I need to be more jealous than I already am.”

Two days later, you arrived for your shift in your new navy Figs. They fit perfectly, professional but flattering with just enough give to be comfortable during a twelve-hour shift. You felt good in them, and judging by Cassie’s exaggerated pout when she saw you, you looked good too.

“Not fair,” she grumbled. “But I did have a fantastic breakfast sandwich this morning.”

As you headed to the nurse’s station to check in, you passed Jack and Robby finishing up their handover. Jack’s sentence trailed off mid-report as he caught sight of you. His eyes tracked from your shoulders down to where the perfectly tailored pants met your shoes then back up again. A small, appreciative grin tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“Morning, gentlemen,” you said, heat flooding your cheeks at his obvious appraisal.

“Morning,” Jack replied, voice a touch lower than normal. “New scrubs?”

You nodded.

“They look…” Jack paused, choosing his words carefully. “Professional.”

Robby snorted. “That’s not what your face just said, but okay.”

Jack shot him a look then turned back to you. “They suit you.”

“Thank you,” you replied.

A moment of silence stretched between you until Robby cleared his throat dramatically. “And on that note, we have patients to see and Jack has a home to go to. Right, Jack?”

Jack nodded, still looking at you. “Right. Have a good shift.”

As he walked away you caught yourself watching his retreating form wondering if you were imagining the extra attention and really hoped you weren’t.

The ED on New Year’s Eve was always busy. Drunks with varying degrees of alcohol poisoning and injuries from falls, a steady stream of car accidents as the night progressed and the inevitable chest pains from people who overexerted themselves shoveling snow.

The department filled with the typical casualties but the staff maintained a festive atmosphere despite the chaos. Several people had brought in finger foods that were set up in the lounge and Jack had brought in several bottles of sparkling grape juice.

He kept watching the clock. Not because he was eager for the shift to end, but he wanted to make sure he gave you your gift before midnight. He couldn’t stand you thinking you’d been forgotten again.

At 23:45 during a brief lull, Jack found himself at the hub where you were updating a chart.

“Hey, got a minute?” he asked.

You looked up with a smile. “For you? Maybe even two minutes.”

The corner of his mouth twitched up in response. From his pocket he withdrew a simple white envelope. “It’s more an IOU than a gift,” he explained as he handed it to you.

“You were my goblin?” you asked.

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“You’ve already done too much, Jack. I don’t need anything else,” you argued.

“Just open it.”

You carefully opened the seal and pulled out a simple white card with snowflakes embossed on it. Inside were the words Dinner for two at Del Frisco’s.

For a moment you simply stared at it, then you looked up with wide eyes. “That’s really too much.”

He shook his head. “It’s not. But I’d like to be the one to take you.”

The statement hung in the air between you for a long moment.

“Like…” You trailed off as you searched his face.

“Like a date,” he confirmed, a quiet confidence in his tone that thankfully failed to betray the rapid beating of his heart. “You can say no of course, but I’d love it if you didn’t.”

A slow smile spread across your face, transforming your tired features into something that made Jack’s chest tighten. You reached into your scrub pocket and pulled out your own envelope, holding it out to him with a grin.

“What’s this?”

“Your final Gifting Goblin present, Dr. Abbot,” you replied, eyes dancing with mischief.

“You were my goblin?”

You nodded and warmth flooded him at the thought that it had been you that so perfectly captured him with your gifts.

He tore open his envelope with considerably less care than you’d shown yours. Inside were two tickets to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

“You remembered,” he said softly, looking at the tickets with genuine surprise. He’d mentioned that the museum was one place he hadn’t been that he really wanted to see in the city. Once. Months ago.

His eyes met yours, a pleased smile forming. “Two tickets, huh?”

You matched his smile as you echoed his earlier words. “Yeah. I’d like to be the one to take you. You can say no of course, but I’d love it if you didn’t.”

Jack’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “Sweetheart, that sounds like a date.”

“It is.”

From down the hall someone began counting down to the new year. Others quickly joined in.

TEN! NINE! EIGHT!

Jack moved around the counter placing one hand on the back of your chair, the other on the desk as he leaned into your space. “So, museum first, then dinner? Make a day of it?”

SEVEN! SIX! FIVE!

“That sounds perfect,” you replied, eyes locking onto his.

FOUR! THREE! TWO!

He traced the line of your face with the back of one finger before leaning closer as shouts of ONE went up.

“Happy New Year, baby,” he said, lips brushing yours before he closed the distance.

His brows snapped together as a furrow formed on his forehead. Daniel’s girlfriend. You. Here at his hospital at three in the morning.

“Daniel?” The name came out rougher than he’d intended. “Is he—”

Lena shook her head. “Just her. Nick says she’s upset.”

Jack nodded, processing this information while his mind raced through scenarios, none of them good. People didn’t show up at hospitals in the middle of the night with good news. Especially not to find their boyfriend’s father who they’d met exactly twice.

“Thanks. I’ll handle it.” His professional mask slid back into place even as concern churned in his gut.

As he walked toward the waiting area, Jack’s thoughts turned to Daniel, the son he hadn’t known existed until the boy was sixteen. The results of prom night with a high school girlfriend that had disappeared without a trace right after graduation. The memories came in fragments. The stunned disbelief of the first email. The awkward first meeting and the years of stilted interactions that followed. Daniel had his height, his eyes, but little else Jack recognized as himself.

The relationship remained strained even years later. Daniel carried a chip on his shoulder, though Jack couldn’t entirely blame him. Still, there was something about his character that bothered Jack. A selfish, casual cruelty Jack witnessed in small moments. The way Daniel spoke to servers at restaurants. How he looked at women when he thought no one was watching. The lies he’d use to cancel plans.

Jack tried anyway. Made an effort. Called on birthdays. Tried to make dinner plans when their schedules aligned. It was an obligation, yes, but also a need to rectify a wrong. He had missed his son’s childhood through no fault of his own, but that didn’t lessen the weight of his guilt.

And then there was you. Daniel’s girlfriend of a year and a half that had moved to Pittsburgh with him eight months ago. Jack has met you only twice. Once at a dinner that Daniel spent mostly on his phone and again briefly when he’d run into you both at the grocery store. Two encounters, less than three hours total, yet Jack found himself oddly drawn to your quick wit and genuine smile. You’d asked about his work with actual interest, laughed at his dry jokes and redirected the conversation when Daniel was being self absorbed.

Jack had liked you immediately, more than he probably should have considering you were his son’s girlfriend. There had been a moment, just a fleeting second, when your eyes had met his across the table and he’d felt something shift in the air between you. He’d dismissed it instantly. Inappropriate. Imagined. Impossible.

Yet here you were, seeking him out specifically.

Jack paused before opening the door to the waiting area, gathering himself. Whatever had brought you here couldn’t be good and he needed to be Dr. Abbot now. He couldn’t afford to be the man that had lain awake after that dinner, wondering what might have happened if he’d met you first, in another life.

He pushed open the door and froze. There you were, leaning against the wall, almost unrecognizable from the vibrant woman he’d met at dinner two months ago. Your body seemed to curl in on itself. An oversized hoodie swallowed your frame while your arms were wrapped protectively around your middle like you were holding yourself together by sheer force of will. Your head was down, but he could see the wet tracks glistening on your cheeks.

“Hey,” he said, your name following softly after.

Your head jerked up at the sound of his voice and Jack felt something dark and primal surge through his veins. A bruise was forming on your left cheekbone, the skin already darkening to an angry purple. Your eyes, wide and red rimmed locked onto his with a mix of relief and shame that made his chest tighten.

He crossed the room in four quick strides. “What the fuck happened to you?” The words came out rough with emotion he couldn’t fully contain.

The question seemed to break something in you as your face crumpled, shoulders shaking as fresh tears spilled over. Jack immediately regretted his bluntness, mentally cursing himself for not being more gentle with you.

“Hey, hey. It’s okay.” His voice softened. “It’s okay. Let’s get you back here so we can talk, okay?”

You nodded, swiping your tears with the sleeve of your hoodie. Jack hesitated only a fraction of a second before wrapping an arm around your shoulders, drawing you into his side. He could feel you trembling, your body heat seeping through the fabric between you.

“This way,” he murmured, guiding you through the doors that led into the heart of the ED. He kept his pace slow, matching your uneven steps, his arm a steady presence across your shoulders.

As you passed the hub, Parker Ellis looked up from her charting, eyes widening slightly at the sight of her attending with his arm around a crying woman. Her expression shifted to concern, a silent question in her raised eyebrow.

Jack gave her a small dismissive wave with his free hand. Not now. Not a medical emergency. I’ve got this. Years of working together let him communicate all this with the single gesture. Parker nodded once, returning to her work though Jack could feel her curious gaze following him down the hallway.

He steered you into a small exam room at the end of the corridor. It was one of the quieter rooms, away from the activity at the hub. He helped you settle on the exam bed, noting that you winced slightly as you sat, suggesting other injuries beyond the visible bruise on your face. His mind began cataloguing possibilities, the doctor in him running through assessments even as the man in him struggled to keep his emotions in check.

He pulled over a rolling stool and sat directly in front of you, your knees nearly touching. He needed to get you calmed down so he could find out what the hell happened. “Try to match my breathing,” Jack said, voice dropping into the steady measured tone he used with panicking patients. He inhaled deeply though his noise, held it for a count of three, then exhaled slowly through his lips. “Like this. In through the nose, out through the mouth.” He demonstrated again, watching as you struggled to follow his lead, your breath catching on a sob. “That’s it. Again. With me, sweetheart.”

The endearment slipped out without thought. Jack kept his eyes on yours as your breathing gradually synchronized with his. Your breathing had steadied somewhat though your hands still trembled in your lap where your fingers twisted together.

“Better?” he asked quietly.

You nodded, the small motion causing a tear to break free and trace a path down your cheek.

“I need you to tell me what happened so I can help. Can you do that for me?”

You looked up at him and then away. “I’m sorry, Jack. I shouldn’t have come here. I just…” Your voice broke, and you took a shuddering breath, shoulders hunching forward as if expecting a blow.

The posture sent another wave of cold fury through him. He placed his hand on your knee, his touch light but grounding as he moved his thumb in small, reassuring circles. “Yes, you absolutely should have,” he said firmly, leaving no room for argument. “Talk to me.”

You kept your eyes fixed on the hands in your lap. “Dan went out tonight with his work friends. He said it was a ‘no partners’ thing. Just the team letting off steam.” You cleared your throat. “Around midnight I got a text from the girlfriend of one of his coworkers, she sent me pictures of Dan sitting at the table with everyone, making out with some woman from his office. She said it had been going on for some time and she was sorry but she thought I should know.”

Jack’s hand tightened slightly on your knee when you paused. He forced himself to relax, a deliberate exercise in control. Your story confirmed what the bruise on your face had already told him, but he needed to hear the details. Not just as someone who cared about you, but as a doctor assessing potential injuries. The distinction was becoming harder to maintain with each passing minute.

“I texted Dan. Told him I knew and that I hoped she was worth throwing away eighteen months together. He didn’t respond.”

Jack nodded, encouraging without interrupting.

“When he came home, I was sitting on the couch waiting.” You swallowed hard. “He slammed the door so hard a picture fell off the wall. Started screaming about how I embarrassed him in front of his friends.

A dull throb started at Jack’s temple. The behavior wasn’t surprising, he’d witnessed his son’s quick temper before, but hearing the details made something cold settle in the pit of his stomach.

“I stood up to confront him. Told him that he embarrassed himself, he didn’t need my help to do it.”

“That when he hit you?” His voice cracked toward the end.

You nodded, fingers absently brushing the bruise on your skin.

“How?” Jack asked.

You looked up, confused. “What?”

“How did he hit you? Closed fist, slap?” he clarified. “I need to know the potential for injury.”

“Oh. He backhanded me.”

Jack’s teeth clenched, a muscle working in his jaw. “I have more questions, but I’ll ask them later. Finish your story.”

You drew a shaky breath. “After he hit me, I stumbled backward. He just…stood there for a second, looking surprised, like he couldn’t believe what he’d done.”

Jack could imagine the scene with painful clarity. You stunned and hurt. Daniel suddenly confronted with the reality of his actions. “Then what happened?”

Your eyes dropped to your lap again. “It was like something switched in him. He started talking in this cold, calm voice. Started stalking across the apartment toward me.”

He noted the word choice. Stalking. Predatory. His son was a predator and you were the prey. The image burned itself into his brain, impossible to dismiss.

“I backed up, trying to put space between us and he grabbed my wrist.” You extended your arm, revealing the reddened skin circling your wrist. “He jerked me around, hard enough that I felt something pop in my shoulder.”

Jack catalogued the new information. Possible rotator cuff injury, sprained wrist, soft tissue damage. His hand moved from your knee to gently take your arm, fingers probing the area with clinical precision despite the fury building in his chest.

“He kept hold of me…” Your voice wavered slightly. “He told me he’d been cheating for months. Said I was too stupid to notice, too trusting. Said I was boring in bed, that his coworker knew how to take care of a man better than I did.”

His exam paused for a fraction of a second while he processed the words. The calculated cruelty.

“Then he shoved me. Hard. I hit the wall. Not hard enough to really hurt, just enough to scare me.”

“Did you hit your head?”

“No,” you assured him. Something flashed in your gaze, a spark of fire beneath the hurt. “Then I kneed him in the groin.”

Jack couldn’t help the small smile that crossed his face. “Good for you.”

“I shoved past him while he was distracted and grabbed my bag. I just ran. Didn’t even take my phone. Left it charging on the counter.” Your hands twisted together. “I just needed to get out of there. I drove around for a while trying to figure out where to go. Found myself in the parking lot.”

The smile had vanished from Jack’s face, replaced by a frown. “I don’t mind you coming here, honey, but don’t you have any friends you could have gone to?”

You shook your head. “I don’t really know anyone except Dan’s friends and I couldn’t…”

“No of course not,” Jack agreed, cutting you off. Not only would they likely take his side, there was no guarantee they wouldn’t call Daniel to tell him you were there.

“I thought about a hotel but I don’t have that much money and I don’t want to start running up my cards until I have to…” You trailed off, looking embarrassed.

His frown deepened. “What do you mean you don’t have money? What about your job?” Last Jack knew you worked as a receptionist at a family care clinic.

“Oh, uh…” You scratched at the back of your neck. “Dan didn’t like me working there. Said he didn’t like the way the doctors looked at me.”

Jack felt another layer of anger stack on top of the existing foundation. Isolation. Financial dependence. Classic techniques of controlling partners. Whether Daniel had done it consciously or not, the result was the same. You were alone in a city with limited resources, dependent on the very person who had harmed you.

His fingers flexed, curling into a loose fist before he deliberately relaxed them. The fact that his own son would treat any woman this way was infuriating enough. That it was you, made something protective and possessive twist in his chest.

“You did the right thing coming here,” Jack said firmly as he stood to his feet. “Let me take a closer look at your injuries.”

You nodded, sitting straighter on the exam table as Jack shifted into full doctor mode. He examined your cheek first, fingers gentle as they probed the bruised flesh.

“Any difficulty seeing? Double vision? Ringing in your ears?”

“No. Nothing like that. It just hurts.”

“On a scale of one to ten?”

“Maybe a three? Four when I touch it?”

Jack nodded, moving to examine your wrist next. He rotated the joint carefully, watching your face for signs of pain.

“Was this the first time Daniel has been violent with you?” The question was delivered in the same matter of fact tone as the medical inquiries but the muscle working in his jaw betrayed his tension.

“Yes,” you said immediately then hesitated. “I mean, he’s thrown things before. Not at me. Just around when he’s angry. He punched a wall once. But he never hit me before tonight.”

Jack absorbed the information silently.

“I know you quit your job because he wanted you to. Has he isolated you in other ways? Controlled who you talk to, where you go?” He kept his tone neutral but his eyes were intent on your face.

“He doesn’t like my friends. Says they’re a bad influence.” You looked down, fingers twisting together. “He checks my phone sometimes. Says it’s just because he’s worried about me.”

Jack continued his examination, moving to check your shoulder. “And financially? Do you have your own accounts?”

You shook your head. “He said it was easier to have a joint account when we moved here. I closed my credit card and he added me to his account—Shit. He probably cancelled my card.” You winced at the thought. “I shouldn’t have confronted him. He’s just been stressed with the promotion and—”

“Stop,” Jack’s voice was sharp, his eyes flashing as they met yours. “Don’t make excuses for him.”

You fell silent, shoulders hunching in that defensive posture again. His chest tightened in anger.

“I’ve seen this more times than I can count, sweetheart,” Jack said, more gently. “This pattern. Controlling behavior that escalates to violence. I noticed things at dinner that night. I should have pressed then.”

“Things?” Your voice was small.

“The way he spoke over you, checked your reaction to things he or I said. The firm grip on your leg like he was keeping you in place.”

He saw the recognition in your eyes. You had noticed these things too, perhaps dismissed the wrongness in them.

“You are not stupid,” he said firmly. “You are not boring. And you sure as hell do not deserve to be cheated on or struck. None of this is your fault.”

A tear slipped down your cheek and you wiped it away quickly. “Thank you.”

He finished his exam and stepped back slightly. “Good news is you’re just bruised. Your wrist and shoulder should both be fine with ice, rest and anti-inflammatories.”

You nodded. “Thank you for checking.”

Jack crossed his arms over his chest. “Now. What’s your plan?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re not going back to him.” It was a statement not a question.

“I don’t want to but I don’t have—”

“This is what’s going to happen,” he cut you off before you could spiral over something you didn’t need to worry about. “I’m going to set you up here in the lounge. When I get off, you’ll come home with me. After I get some sleep, we will go to your apartment and get your things. Do you have any furniture or anything big to move?”

You shook your head, eyes wide, obviously a little stunned but what he was saying. “But where will I go?”

“I just told you, you’ll stay with me. I have a guest room. It’s not fancy, but it’s private and safe.” His tone left little room for argument.

“I can’t ask you to do that.”

“You’re not asking, I’m offering.” He stepped forward and placed his hands on your upper arms. “I promise it will be fine. Trust me.”

“But he’s your son.” Uncertainty colored your words. “I don’t want to put you in the position of having to take sides.”

His expression hardened, cold fury settling behind his eyes. “You’re not. Blood’s got nothing to do with loyalty. He had it but he lost it when he raised a hand to you. That shit doesn’t happen. Not on my watch.”

The edge to his voice seemed to startle you so he took a deep breath, reining in his anger. It wasn’t directed at you and he wouldn’t have you thinking otherwise.

“Look,” he said more quietly. “I have certain lines that don’t get crossed. Hitting your partner is one of them. I don’t care if he’s my son or not. That’s unforgivable. Full stop.”

You studied his face for a long moment. “I don’t know, Jack. It still feels like I’d be coming between the two of you.”

“Daniel did that all by himself.” His voice was firm but gentle. “This isn’t your burden to carry. You didn’t create this mess, he did. And now I’m making a choice about what kind of a man I am. What I stand for. That’s on me, not you.”

When you still hesitated, Jack placed his hand on the side of your neck, his thumb running gently along your jaw. The gesture was more intimate than he’d intended, but it felt necessary. “It will be okay. Let me do this for you. Let me show you that you can depend on me. Okay?”

“Yeah,” you said finally, your voice barely above a whisper. “Okay, Jack.”

“Thank you. I’ve been sitting on it for months waiting for the opportunity to use it.”

He placed a hand on your back and steered you into the department. Once your things were stowed away and handoff had been completed, he called for night shift to gather up.

“Alright, we’re going to try something new tonight. A little pep talk of sorts.” He crossed his arms and gave a nod of his head. “We are the night crawlers. We deal with the weirdest and wildest because we are the weirdest and wildest of them all. Hooah!”

Everyone just stared at him.

He threw his arms out. “Well come on. Hooah with me. Hooah!” The response was less than enthusiastic and Jack scowled. “Get to work.” Once they moved off, he turned to you. “They’ll get used to it.”

You just watched him with a blank face.

“What’s the matter?”

“You think I’m a worm.”

His brow furrowed. “What? Baby what—”

“Night crawlers are worms Jack. I saw you step on a worm just yesterday.” Your even tone never fluctuated.

“Baby, no. I love you. That’s not what I meant.”

You gave him one last disappointed expression and turned away to start checking on the residents. He started to follow and you glanced over your shoulder. “Get to work, Jack. Worms don’t need supervision.”

Jack backed off but muttered to himself. “Yes, they do. They get eaten all the time. They’re weak. Who’s going to protect her from a bird?

Lena just blinked at him over her glasses and shook her head.

The night continued in that vein until around 04:00 when you intercepted a coffee delivery in the ambulance bay. You carried the multiple drink carriers to the hub. “Where are my night crawlers at?” you called.

In no time at all, various staff members, who weren’t otherwise occupied, crowded around you at the hub. They thanked you as they took their drinks and wandered off. You sipped at your coffee as you turned and found Jack standing behind you, arms crossed, scowl on his face. “Yes, dear?”

“That’s my thing. You can’t just steal it.”

You took another sip of your coffee. “Steal what?”

“Night crawlers.” When you didn’t say anything, he continued. “You said it was stupid.”

You scoffed. “I did not. You said I was a worm. That’s rude.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “That…I didn’t…You know what? Fine. You’re a worm. I hope a bird eats you.”

You gasped. “Jack Hector Abbot, you take that back.”

He snatched the coffee from your hand (which was really his anyway) and walked away. “Nope. Be nice or I’ll use you to catch a fish.”

When Robby arrived in the morning, you and Jack were standing on opposite sides of the hub. He looked between you then to Dana and Lena. “What happened?”

“Jack said he hopes I die,” you answered.

“What?” Robby found that really hard to believe. Jack was crazy about you.

“I did not,” Jack protested.

“You did.”

“Not.”

“So.”

Robby held up his hands and sighed. “Okay. Enough.” He turned to look at you. “Mrs. You first.”

“He called me a worm and then said he hopes a bird eats me. Threatened to feed me to a fish.”

That…was not even on Robby’s long list of all the things he thought you might say. He turned to Jack. “Mr. You next.”

“I called her a night crawler as in one who dwells in the night. Not a worm. And of course, I don’t want her die. I’d love her even if she was a worm.”

Robby wondered, not for the first time, why he had to exist in the same space as the two of you.

“You would?” you asked. “Really?”

Jack nodded making his way around the hub toward you. “I’d get you a little terrarium and everything. You’d love it.”

You laid a hand on his chest and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. “I love you, too. Probably not if I was a worm though.”

“Why not? That’s—”

Robby held up a hand again. “Please don’t continue this conversation. I beg of you.”

Jack huffed in annoyance but you nodded. “Of course, Mike. I understand. Emotions make you uncomfortable.”

Robby tipped his head back with a groan. “Can we please just do handoff like regular doctors? You know like they do in literally every other hospital on the planet? Please? Just once.”

You patted his arm as you walked by him. “Sure. I’m sorry. We’ll behave.”

As you continued down the hall, Robby called after you. “Where are you going?”

“I need to speak with you,” she said, voice low. “Privately.”

Robby’s brow furrowed but he led her to a quiet hall. “If this is about patient satis—”

“This is about something far more important that patient satisfaction scores, Dr. Robinavitch.”

Robby’s brows shot up in surprise.

Gloria took a breath to calm herself. “Why did no one inform me of the situation with the Mrs. Abbot?”

He gave a disbelieving laugh. “To be frank, Gloria, I didn’t think you’d care.”

She blinked at him. “Excuse me?”

“Well, you never gave a shit about things like that before. Don’t see why you’d start now,” Robby said, irritation heavy in his tone.

“I have never been so insulted in my life,” Gloria said. “Besides the fact it is just common courtesy to inform me, there are logistics to consider. We are going to have to start looking for someone to fill the position.”

“Fill the… Jesus, Gloria. Seriously? See this is why I didn’t say anything. I knew you would overreact.” Robby had his arms crossed in front of him, hands gripping his elbows.

“Overreact? I hardly think…” she trailed off as her eyes fell on you walking into the building, suitcase in tow.

Robby followed her gaze and grinned. “Hey! You’re back. I am so happy to see you. Jack’s been a pain in the ass.”

“Hey, Mike. Ms. Underhill.” You stopped and blinked before snapping your fingers and pointing at her. “No. That’s a hobbit. Underwood, that’s you.”

Robby choked on a laugh.

“Ms. Underwood, are you alright?” you asked and Robby turned back to the CMO with a frown.

“Mrs. Abbot—”

“Doctor,” you corrected immediately.

“Doctor Abbot, I was under the impression you were deceased.”

You and Robby looked at one another than back to her.

“I am not,” you said.

Robby’s face fell then his brows snapped together as he frowned. “What a minute. You thought she was dead and all you cared about was filling her spot? Of all the—”

You laid a hand on his arm and he snapped his mouth shut.

“I was on an extended leave due to a family emergency.”

When you said nothing else, Gloria straightened. “I am afraid I am going to need more information than that considering the circumstances.”

“Actually, per my contract I am not required to give you further information than that.”

“Yes. You and your husband certainly like to mention your contracts.”

You and Robby exchanged another look.

“What does Jack have to do with this?” Robby asked slowly.

“He emailed me directly to ask for bereavement leave due to his loss as you refused to give it to him. I see why now.” Gloria’s gaze flicked to you when she heard you stifle a laugh. Your lips were pressed tightly together.

“Sorry. It’s not funny,” you said.

“It most certainly is not.”

“It’s a little funny,” Robby said under his breath.

“My sister had a very difficult birth. Jack wanted to go with me when I flew out to take care of her. The ED couldn’t afford to be down two attendings on such short notice. I assume he was looking for a way around it,” you explained.

Gloria looked at Robby. “Does Dr. Abbot do this sort of thing often?”

Robby shook his head. “No. This is the first time she’s taken off for a family emergency.”

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Not Mrs. Abbot, the other Dr. Abbot.”

“If you’re going to call me Mrs. Abbot, he should really be Mr. Abbot.”

Robby nodded. “She’s right. It’s only fair.”

Her gaze moved between the two of you wondering what the hell went on down here when she wasn’t paying attention. “I will let you handle this, Dr. Robinavitch but I expect some sort of disciplinary action. And an evaluation with Dr. Jefferson for Jack Abbot.”

He nodded again. “Oh, sure. He could definitely use that.”

Their eyes trailed Gloria as she left the department. Robby glanced at you. “What are you doing here anyway?”

You shrugged. “Came straight from the airport. Figured I’d hit nightshift with Jack.”

Robby dropped a hand on your shoulder. “I am so glad you’re back.”

Before you could respond, Jack walked through the doors of the bay to start his shift. He smiled wide when he saw you. “Baby, you’re back!”

“Jack Eliot Abbot,” you yelled back as you headed in his direction.

His smile dropped immediately. “Oh no.”

Robby took a deep breath and crossed his arms as he pursed his lips. “Okay. We’ve hired a new attending. She will be primarily on nights, filling in as needed on day shift.”

Jack blinked once. Twice. Three times. “You don’t love me anymore? Is that it? I’ve lost your trust, haven’t I? What did I do?”

And there it was. Robby huffed out a breath. “I think you’ll like her if you give her a chance.”

Jack tossed his hands up in the air. “Why would I like the woman you’re replacing me with?”

“She not replacing you, Jack. She’s meant to help you.”

Jack shook his head. “I can’t believe the love is gone, just like that.”

“You cheating on me, Robinavitch?” a voice came from behind them and both men turned to find you walking toward them.

Robby smiled wide at the sight of you. He’d known you for years and when Gloria had agreed to hire a new attending, he’d immediately put your name forward. He gave you a warm hug in greeting before turning to introduce you to Jack.

Jack snapped his gaping mouth shut once the attention was on him. His gaze moved between you and Robby. “You haven’t heard the end of this,” he announced before walking away.

Robby rubbed a hand across the back of his neck. “I’m sorry about him. He—”

“Don’t sweat it, Mike. I’ve got this.”

He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t slightly concerned by the look in your eye.

You spent your first few shifts learning how Jack worked, how he ran his team. You were halfway through the third night when you turned to him with a lifted brow. “Jack, do you even work on anything but traumas?”

He looked up from the chart he was perusing. “I’m delegating. You’re doing great,” he said in a chipper voice and gave you two thumbs up.

You hummed in acknowledgment and moved off, a plan already formulating in your brain.

An hour later you slid up to Jack’s side, chart in hand. “Hey, Jack,” you said, voice saccharine sweet.

Jack side eyed you. “Yes?”

“Could you look at the patient in Eight? I just know you could handle it so much better than me.”

He straightened his stance, his chest puffing out a little. “Yeah, I suppose I could.”

“Oh good,” you said and hurried off before he could change his mind.

Or perhaps Robby would have introduced you sooner.

By the end of the week, you had convinced Jack Abbot that no one could handle the various cases that came through the doors quite like him. You sat at the hub charting, Lena glanced at Jack then over at you. “Stomach pain in Four needs looking over.”

You nodded once. “Oh, Jack. There’s a patient in Four with abdominal pain. Could you look at them? You’re just so good with those.”

Abbot nodded and hurried off. You just watched him go with a smirk.

Lena pinned you with her gaze. “What are you doing to that man?”

You gave a little shake of your head. “Gotta train them early, Lena, or they think they can get away with anything.”

Her bright laughter filled the air and you grinned as you stood to grab a chart. “I’ll check in on the kids then take a look at the shortness of breath in sixteen. Her scans are back.”

The next morning, you were going through handoff with the residents and students. Jack and Robby stood on the far side of the hub watching.

“Got an interesting text from Lena early this morning,” Robby said.

“What did it say?”

“That the new attending is bullying you.” Robby couldn’t keep the amusement from his voice.

Jack huffed. “She’s not bullying.”

Robby said nothing, waiting for Jack to continue as he knew he would.

A smile curved Jack’s lips. “She’s just calling me out on my shit.”

Robby’s answering grin was wide and genuine. “Told you that you’d like her.” He continued to smile as he sipped his coffee.

Jack waved a hand through the air and shook his head man. “No, man. I don’t like her. I’m in love. She’s perfect.”

Robby nearly spat out his coffee. “Excuse me?” he finally managed.

“I’m gonna marry her.” Jack nodded as he crossed his arms over his chest, rocking back on his heels.

“That is never going to happen,” Robby insisted.

“That’s rude,” Jack said with a frown. “You don’t think I can get her to marry me?”

Robby ran a hand down his face. “Jesus Christ,” he muttered under his breath.

“I’ll have a ring on her finger by this time next year,” Jack said, sounding certain.

“Don’t you think you should start with asking her out on a date before you propose marriage?” Robby was getting a headache and it wasn’t even 07:30 yet.

“Already asked. We’re getting breakfast after shift.”

Robby arched a brow, surprised Jack had actually asked. More surprised that you’d agreed. He gave you a one-armed hug when you stepped up beside them. Jack grinned goofily at you.

“Hey, ready to go?” you asked. “The others are waiting.”

Jack’s smile fell. “Others?”

“Yeah, I invited the rest of nightshift. Didn’t figure you’d mind since we’re just getting to know one another.”

His friend visibly deflated. “Yeah. Sure. Just let me get my stuff.”

The two of you watched him leave. “You knew he was asking you out on a date, didn’t you?”

“Of course I did,” you answered instantly. “Got to keep him on his toes, Robinavitch. As it turns out no one else was able to make it.”

Robby chuckled. “You are a cruel woman but you might just be perfect for him.”

You waved as you walked toward the doors, turning back to Robby before you got too far. “I promise I won’t torment him. Much.”

Robby waved you off. “Don’t worry about it. He likes it.”

“I don’t care, Jack. It’s not happening,” Robby said, not even turning to look at Abbot.

“My wife is gone, Robinavitch. She’s gone. And I’m entitled to bereavement leave in the event of a loss. It says so in my contract,” Abbot snapped.

Frank’s eyes went wide. He had met you once and genuinely liked you. Why hadn’t he heard about this? Surely everyone here should be devastated. From what he’d seen you were well liked. And he thought Robby was your friend?

“I don’t give a shit what your contract says. You can’t have the time. We’re short staffed as it is,” Robby said with a sigh before turning to face Jack, leaning on the counter.

“My wife is gone, Robby.”

“I know, Jack. That’s why we’re short staffed.” Robby sounded so…unbothered. Bored even.  

“The least you could do is give me the time I’m entitled to.” Abbot’s brows were furrowed as he glowered at the chief attending.

Frank wasn’t even pretending to chart anymore, his gaze moving between the two men.

Robby took a deep breath and ran a hand over his beard. “I know she’s gone. Trust me, Jack, we all know. We feel it deeply. The answer’s still no.”

With that Robby walked off. Abbot frowned after him for a moment before heading toward the lockers as he muttered to himself.

Frank leaned back in his chair. Jesus. He’d liked Robby, was excited to learn from him, but he had no idea the man was so…cold. Even if Robby wasn’t as close with you as Frank had thought, he knew Jack and Robby were close. Practically brothers, one of the nurses had said. And this was all the sympathy he could muster when a man’s wife died?

Dana came over to look something up on the computer next to him. “What’s going on, kid? There’s patients to see. What are you doing sitting on your ass?”

Frank looked toward the room where Robby had disappeared before turning to the charge nurse. “Can I ask you a question?”

She glanced at him over her glasses. “Sure.”

“I thought Abbot and Robby were friends.”

She blinked at him. “Still waiting on the question.”

“Is Robby…always so harsh?”

Now he had her full attention. “Spit it out, kid.”

“Abbot was asking Robby for bereavement leave because his wife died and Robby told him no. He didn’t even seem to care she was de—”

Dana cut him off with a cackle, head tipping back in her mirth. Frank just blinked at her until she finished. She swept her glasses off and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

“Kid, there is something you need to know about Jack Abbot. Never, and I mean never, believe anything that man says about his wife.”

“What?”

“The Mrs. is on a trip to visit her sister, that’s all. Abbot’s just dramatic. Worse when it comes to her. She’s just fine, trust me.”

Frank’s mouth dropped open. “So, he does this kind of thing all the time?”

Dana nodded and went back to typing. “Yep.”

“Doesn’t his wife get mad? Abby would kill me.”

“Oh, honey,” Dana said with a crooked smile. “She’s just as bad as he is.”

The elder man huffed out a breath through his nose. “Fine, but first, why didn’t you tell Shen about the admin meeting tomorrow? I touched base and he knew nothing about it.”

Jack crossed his arms over his chest. “Shen can’t be trusted not to tell everyone. He’s a snitch.”

Robby’s head dropped forward as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “It’s not a secret, Jack. It doesn’t matter if he tells everyone.”

“It does matter. That’s what I needed to talk to you about. I want to switch to days.”

His head snapped up. “What? Why?” His gaze shifted from Jack to you as you walked up behind your husband and you rolled your eyes.

“Because nightshift can’t be trusted. It’s full of traitors, Robby. I won’t stand for it,” Jack insisted.

“Oh, that’s a good idea,” you said with a nod. “Then I can be in charge of the nightshift.”

Jack startled slightly, not realizing you had come in. “What? No. I’m in charge of nightshift.”

You crossed your arms. “You just said you wanted to move to days. I think it would be great.”

Jack frowned and turned to face you. “You won’t miss me at all? We’ll never get to see each other.”

Robby’s gaze just moved between the two of you, wanting to stay the hell out of whatever this was.

“I mean, I’ll get the whole bed to myself. That might be worth it.”

Jack stared at you with a blank expression for several beats. “Why do you hate me?”

You just gave him a little smile and said nothing.

Finally, he snapped around to face Robby again. “I’m not moving to days. It was stupid of you to even suggest it.”

You and Robby watched your husband stomp off toward the lockers.

“I assume this has been going on for the last week?” Robby asked.

You hummed in agreement. “Maybe let me know if there’s information I should pass along to John or Parker for a few weeks.”

Robby nodded. “I don’t know. A week on days might be good for him. Waters is going on vacation. Give him a break from the traitors on nights.”

You patted him on the arm. “You’re such a good friend, Robby. I could really use the break."

“Wow, she sounds amazing. Is she still a doctor here?” Parker asked.

“That was my wife,” Jack offered. Not a lie.

John flashed him a grin behind Parker as she turned.

“Was?” she asked.

Jack hummed in agreement. “She’s no longer with us.” He waited for the look of horror or pity that usually accompanied the revelation.

Instead, the med student’s brows went up and her mouth dropped open in surprise. Then she smiled as her gaze softened. “Really? I lost my spouse, too. It’s always comforting to meet someone in the same situation. Maybe we could get together and talk about them sometime?”

Oh.

Oh no.

A nurse called for Parker and she disappeared to the other side of the department while Jack blinked after her. Shen slipped into the open spot beside him. “Abort. Abort, Abbot,” his voice was low and panicked. “Your wife is going to kill us.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Jack snapped. “Just…just don’t bring it up again. It’ll sort itself out. Go check on your patients.”

And Jack tried. He really did. But every time Parker was anywhere in the same vicinity as him, she had questions.

Questions about you.

His dead wife.

Jack was so fucked.

And then she’d tell him about her husband. How they met. Their wedding. Dates they went on. Jack processed none of it, brain spiraling through every conversation. He’d redirect her to another patient, another case. By the time shift change rolled around, he was practically praying for traumas to keep her distracted.

And Shen was no help. Every time he was in the area of a conversation, he’d make an excuse and disappear with a guilty look on his face. Traitor.

The moment you stepped into the Pitt the next morning hands full of coffee and a brown takeout bag, John made a beeline for you. Jack hurried after him. He needed to word this the right way if he was going to keep his ass intact.

“Jack and I fucked up,” John said the moment he reached you.

Fuck.

You looked between the men. “What did you do?”

“Listen, it’s not as bad as he makes it sound,” Jack said.

Your gaze moved from him to the resident. “John?”

“We implied Jack was a widow. Apparently, the new med student actually is one. She kept trying to reminisce with him all night. I feel horrible and it will never happen again.” The words tumbled out in a rush.

You frowned. “I’m very disappointed in you, John. You should be making her feel welcome. I expected better from you.”

Shen’s shoulders hunched as he dropped his head.

Jack huffed in irritation. “That is welcoming her. You know that, baby. This is what we do.”

You arched a brow. “This is what you do. I hope you’ve learned something.”

John nodded but Jack crossed his arms over his chest as he scowled at you. Yeah, he’d learned his resident was a snitch. This wasn’t as big of a deal as you were making it. He just had to figure out how to smooth things over. He could do that.

His eyes trailed you as you passed him, shaking your head as you went. His brows snapped together as a thought occurred to him. “Wait, why are you here?”

You didn’t even look at him as you continued to Robby and Parker standing at the hub. “I owe Parker breakfast.”

Parker.

Jack pursed his lips and ran his tongue over his teeth. “You know the new med student?”

“Met her a couple of days ago at her intake with Robby.” You passed a sandwich and a coffee to her and to Robby as you talked. The three of you leaned with your backs against the hub while you looked at him and Shen. “Told her I’d buy her breakfast if she helped teach you a lesson.”

Jack blinked once. Twice. “A lesson?”

Parker nodded as she took a bite of her breakfast. “A lesson.” She smiled wide. “I have to admit, it didn’t take much convincing from Mrs. Abbot. Breakfast can be expensive for a med student.”

“Dr. Abbot,” Jack corrected automatically before looking at you with narrowed eyes. “She’s not a widow?”

You shook your head with a smile. Robby leaned beside you with a grin as he sipped his coffee.

“And I suppose you were in on this too?” he asked his traitorous best friend.

“Her idea but I endorsed it a hundred percent.”

His gaze moved back to Parker. “No husband?”

Her nose crinkled. “No. More likely to be a wife anyway.”

Jack threw his hands up in the air. “Unbelievable. You lied to me. You all lied to me. Is there no loyalty anymore?”

You rolled your eyes. “How dare we?” Your voice was flat, emotionless. “You deserved it, Abbot. Now do handoff so we can go out for breakfast.”

“I’m not taking you out. You don’t deserve it.”

You shrugged and took Robby’s sandwich from his hand, taking a bite before handing it back. He looked from you to the food and back again before shrugging as well and taking another bite.

“Don’t do that,” Jack snapped.

You arched a brow. “What?”

“You know.”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about, Abbot.”

“Don’t share food with him. That’s too intimate.”

You rolled your eyes again. “You’re an idiot.” You pushed yourself off the hub. “Hand. Off.” Your gaze moved to John. “And I expect that you will behave better than my husband from now on?”

“I’ll never be involved again. Promise,” the resident swore, crossing his chest over his heart.

Jack huffed in annoyance. “You’re a killjoy.”

“Breakfast, Abbot. I’m hungry,” you said and began to walk toward the bay doors. “I’ll be in the car.”

“Liars don’t get pancakes,” he called after you.

“Good thing I want waffles then,” you called back before disappearing out the door.

Robby covered his face with his hand and took a deep breath. “Don’t you think you’re being a bit dramatic?”

Abbot’s brows shot up. “Dramatic? Dramatic? We were back from our honeymoon for a week, Robinavitch. One week.”

The elder man huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. “Well, it’s done and you’re just going to have to get over it. You’re my best friend.”

“Get over it? I can’t believe you did that to me. To me! I fucking trusted you.” With that the man stormed down the hallway. John’s gaze following him as he went.

“Did you need something, John?” Robby asked, breaking into John’s thoughts.

“Uh…yeah…” he trailed off looking between his attending and the hallway where Abbot had disappeared. “Is everything okay with you and Dr. Abbot?”

Robby pursed his lips. “Don’t worry about it. Abbot will get over it. Now, what did you need?”

Eventually, John forgot about the spectacle he’d witnessed that morning as he worked alongside you, Robby or one of the senior residents. John had liked you immediately when he’d met you the day before. You were incredibly patient with students and patients alike. You also had a knack for dealing with difficult people. When John had commented on it, Robby had told him you’d ‘had a lot of practice’ whatever that meant.

It was just before shift change when Abbot reappeared in the ED, coffee in hand and a scowl on his face. You were standing at the hub with Robby going over a chart, your back to the bay doors. Abbot’s steps froze as he looked between the two of you and made his way over.

“What’s this? Coming up with new ways to betray me?” Abbot asked.

Robby sighed, his shoulders hunching forward.

You, however, arched one brow and turned slowly to look at the man behind you. “Excuse you?”

Abbot sipped his coffee with a nod. “You heard me.”

“You’re an idiot,” you said.

He stepped closer and suddenly his whole face softened. “It was the tattoos, wasn’t it? Be honest, baby. I can take it.”

Baby? You were Abbot’s wife? And you’d left him for Robby? What the hell kind of ED did John find himself in? This was so messy. He kind of loved it.

Finally, you sighed. “Yes, Jack. It was the tattoos. Plus, he’s thinking of buying a motorcycle. You know how I like to ride.”

Robby sputtered beside you, his face going crimson as Abbot’s mouth dropped open.

“You…You can’t just…” he gestured helplessly through the air. He turned his attention to Dana who was watching the whole thing with a bemused expression. “Can you believe her? She leaves me for another man and says shit like that. That’s cruel and unusual punishment, that’s what that is.”

You put your hands on your hips and glared. “I left you for the dayshift. For one week. Calm down you melodramatic asshole.”

Huh?

“But baby,” Abbot almost whines. “We only got to work together for two days before he put you on days. I was looking forward to working with my wife.”

You shook your head and grabbed a tablet. “Keep it up, Abbot and I really will leave you for Robby.”

“Don’t I get a say in this?” Robby asked from beside you, voice heavy with disbelief.

“No,” the two apparent Abbots said in unison before walking off to do handover.

Robby ran a hand down his face as he watched them walk away. He turned and noticed the med student standing there with a dumbfounded expression. He chuckled. “You’ll get used to it, kid.”

“Um, your ring? I didn’t know you were married.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Dr. Shen wince before backing out of the room. “I’m just gonna…yeah.”

Abbot turned to face her fully, looking her over with narrowed eyes. “I don’t really like to talk about it. Thanks for bringing it up.”

Victoria’s eyes went wide. “I’m…I’m sorry?”

“My wife is gone, Javadi. She is no longer among us. I wear the ring as a reminder.”

“Oh my god,” her voice was little more than a whisper. Then a little louder, “I am so sorry, Dr. Abbot. How long has she been gone if you don’t mind my asking?”

He sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. “It seems like just this morning we were having breakfast together.”

With that he left the room, leaving Victoria gaping behind him.

Abbot didn’t treat her any differently the rest of the night, but Victoria couldn’t keep from feeling she’d screwed up. As soon as Dr. Robby appeared for his shift the next morning, Victoria intercepted him.

“Dr. Robby,” she said, fingers twisting together in front of her. “I think I really messed up.”

Robby looked down at her, slipping his sunglasses into his pocket. “What happened?”

“Well, I asked Dr. Abbot about his wife.”

His response was not what Victoria expected. Robby tilted his head back and groaned, the sound deep and drawn out. Finally, he looked at her again with a huff. “And what precisely did Dr. Abbot say about the Mrs.?”

“Um, that she was gone and he didn’t like talking about it. It seemed really recent too.”

Robby looked more amused than anything now as he hummed in agreement. “Oh, it’s been years now.” He placed one large hand on her shoulder and squeezed slightly. “Don’t worry, Javadi. He won’t take it personally. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Relief flooded through her. “Thank you, Dr. Robby,” she said in a rush and hurried off down the hall.

Robby watched her go with a shake of his head before heading to the hub where you were standing beside Jack as you both sipped a coffee and shared a breakfast sandwich. He pursed his lips and dropped his voice before saying, “I hear you’re a widower, Jack. My condolences.”

You swallowed the bite you’d been chewing and turned to glare at Jack. “Who?”

He chuckled, the corner of his mouth lifting in a smirk. “Javadi.”

You sighed. “Will you please quit telling people that I am dead?”

“I didn’t,” he protested.

When you lifted a brow, he held up his hands in a gesture of innocence. “I didn’t. I simply said you were gone. She assumed.”

You rolled your eyes. “I’m on days for a week, not dead. You’re an idiot.”

“Hey,” he protested.

“No, she’s right. You are,” Robby said, clapping his friend on the back.

“You hush,” Jack snapped. “You don’t get to contribute to the conversation. I haven’t forgotten you tried to steal her from me.”

“For fuck’s sake, Jack,” you and Robby muttered almost in unison.

You leaned in so only they would hear you. “If you don’t quit tormenting people, I’m going to start going by Abbot so you can’t get away with it anymore.”

As you walked away, Jack called after you. “That is not nearly the threat you think it is!”

The house was empty without you and Jack. He’d spent nights curled up in the bed, clutching one of your pillows to his chest trying to catch the lingering scent of you. Some nights he stayed on the couch unable to face the empty bed at all. Even at work, he was simply going through the motions, operating on muscle memory and routine.

His phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out, fingers fumbling. His shoulders slumped when he saw it was just a notification for a sale from some store that you liked. Not Jack. Not you. He shoved it back into his pocket with a sigh.

The hospital doors slid open again. This time Jack emerged, face drawn with fatigue after his shift. He paused mid-step when he spotted Robby, body language instantly shifting from exhausted to wary. His jaw tightened as he resumed walking, each step slow and measured as if approaching something dangerous.

“What do you want, Mike?” Jack’s voice was flat, cold.

The tone had Robby shifting uneasily. “Can we talk? Please?” His voice cracked on the last word, desperate to be heard. He felt exposed under Jack’s unforgiving stare.

Jack didn’t respond immediately. His eyes traced over Robby’s disheveled appearance and something flickered in his expression.

“I’ve started seeing Dr. Gemmill again,” Robby added quickly, the words tumbling out before Jack could refuse. “Twice this week.”

Dr. Gemmill had been in charge of their couples therapy and had stayed as Robby’s therapist after. Until Robby decided he was ‘fixed’ and didn’t need the sessions anymore despite both Jack and his therapist’s protest. Going back had been an easy decision, a desperate attempt to understand why he’d reacted the way he had, why he’d been so quick to believe the worst.

Jack’s expression softened and he looked away for a moment, jaw working. When he looked back, some of the coldness had left his eyes.

“Yeah, okay. Get in.”

Relief flooded Robby. He rounded the truck to the passenger side, climbing in before Jack could change his mind.

Jack slid into the driver’s side, not looking at Robby as he pulled out his phone. His thumbs moved over the screen quickly. A text message. To you, most likely. Robby wanted to ask what he was saying, wanted to know if you’d mentioned him at all in the last week with anything but hatred. If you missed him even a fraction of the amount he missed you. But he kept quiet, not certain he wanted the answers.

The silence stretched as Jack started the engine. Robby stared out the window. Usually, the drive would be filled with conversation, but now the only sound was the low hum of the engine. Jack drove with both hands tight on the wheel while Robby searched for something to say, anything to break the suffocating silence.

“She’s okay,” Jack said suddenly, eyes fixed on the road ahead.

Robby’s head snapped toward him, heart racing. “She is?”

Jack nodded once. “As okay as she can be.”

Robby heard the unspoken ‘after what you did to her’ that should have finished the sentence. He swallowed hard, guilt smothering him.

They turned onto their street and his stomach clenched tighter with each house they passed, anxiety building. He had no idea what would happen once they were home. What Jack would say or do. Whether this conversation would end with Jack packing a bag to return to you or if it would be the first tentative steps toward forgiveness.

The truck pulled into the driveway and for a long moment, neither of them moved. Then Jack exhaled slowly and turned off the engine. “Let’s get inside.”

Robby followed, hope flaring faintly for the first time in days.

The house was quiet when they stepped inside. Robby’s eyes darted to the blanket and pillow laying haphazardly on the sofa showing where he’d attempted to sleep last night. He moved into the living room trying to put them in order, unable to remain still. Jack followed, arms crossed over his chest.

“I’m sorry,” Robby blurted. “I’m so fucking sorry, Jack. I was an idiot. I got in my head and—” He cut himself off, dragging a hand down his face. “That’s not an excuse. There’s no excuse for what I did.”

Jack remained silent, watching Robby pace with those eyes that seemed to see everything he was trying so desperately to hide.

“I saw that video and I just…” Robby’s voice cracked. “I panicked. I’ve been waiting for the other shoe to drop since day one. Waiting for her to realize that we’re not—that I’m not—” He gestured between them, struggling to articulate the thoughts that had been poisoning him from within.

“You’re not what?” Jack prompted, voice even but not cold.

“Enough.”

The word was barely audible. Robby stopped pacing, shoulders slumping in defeat. “I keep waiting for her to wake up and realize that she could do so much better than us. Than me.” His eyes filled with unshed tears. “What can we possibly offer her but money? She’s beautiful, kind, smart…and what are we? A couple of broken, middle-aged doctors with too much baggage and not enough time?”

Jack’s expression shifted to something softer. He took a step forward and uncrossed his arms. “Is that really what you think? That’s she’s only with us because we buy her things?”

Robby shook his head immediately. “No. Jesus…fuck. No. I know she’s not like that. She never asks for anything. But why else would she stay? What do we have to offer someone like her?”

Jack closed the distance, hands coming up to cup Robby’s face. The first touch he’d felt in days made his breath hitch.

“Michael, you’ve got to stop this.” Jack’s thumbs brushed gently across his cheeks. “I’ll have you know, I’m a catch and so are you. You’ve got to get out of your head, baby.”

The unexpected comment drew a startled laugh from Robby that sounded closer to a sob. “Dr. Gemmill said the same thing. Said I’ve been sabotaging myself. That I’ve been looking for evidence to confirm my fears instead of trusting what’s right in front of me.”

“Smart man.” Jack’s eyes studied Robby’s face. “You look like shit, by the way.”

“Feel like it, too.” Robby’s lips quirked in a half-smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“Have you been sleeping at all?”

“Not really.” He shrugged one shoulder. “The house is too quiet, too empty. I can’t function without you both around.”

Jack gave him a sad smile. “Yeah. I know what you mean.”

The acknowledgement that Jack had missed him too broke something in Robby. He surged forward, hands gripping Jack’s shoulders as he pressed their lips together in a desperate kiss. Jack stiffened for a fraction of a second before responding, his hands sliding from Robby’s face to the back of his neck, pulling him closer.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Robby mumbled against Jack’s mouth.

Jack swallowed the words with another kiss, deeper this time, tongue sweeping into Robby’s mouth. Robby melted against him, hands clutching at Jack’s back, fingers digging into muscle through the fabric of his shirt. Hoping if he just held on tightly enough, he could keep the man he loved here with him forever. That he wouldn’t disappear as soon as they took a breath and stepped back from one another. The kiss tasted of Jack’s coffee mixed with the salt of Robby’s tears.

Jack pulled back just far enough to speak. “I know. I know you are.”

“I fucked everything up. I don’t know how to fix it.” Robby pressed his forehead against Jack’s.

Jack’s hands moved to frame his face again, tilting it up so their eyes met. “We’ll figure it out. But right now, I just need to be with you.”

A shiver traced Robby’s spine. He nodded unable to speak past the lump in his throat. Jack took his hand and led him toward the bedroom. Robby couldn’t take his eyes off their joined hands, the touch grounding him in a way nothing else could. “I missed you,” he said as they stepped into the bedroom. “So much.”

Jack backed Robby against the wall beside the door. His hands found Robby’s wrists, pinning them against the wall above his head as he leaned in to trace the line of Robby’s jaw with his lips. “I missed you, too. Even when I wanted to punch you.”

A broken laugh escaped Robby. “I’d have let you.”

“I know.” Jack’s teeth scraped the delicate skin below Robby’s ear, drawing a shuddering gasp. “That’s why I didn’t.”

Robby turned his head, seeking Jack’s mouth again. “I’m sorry,” he whispered between kisses. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m—”

Jack silenced him with another kiss, releasing his wrists to slip hands under his shirt, palms flat against his skin. “Enough apologies. I’m here now.”

Robby nodded, letting his head fall back against the wall as Jack’s hands explored his torso. When his fingers found the waistband of Robby’s jeans, his breath caught. Jack’s eyes met his, a question in their depths.

“Please,” Robby whispered.

Jack stepped back just enough to grab the hem of Robby’s shirt and tug it upward. Robby lifted his arms, allowing Jack to pull the garment off and toss it aside. Then Jack was kissing him again, walking him backward toward the bed as his hands worked on Robby’s belt.

They fell onto the mattress together in a tangle of limbs. Jack’s weight on top of him felt like coming home. Robby clung to him, still whispering apologies against his lips, unable to stop the words from spilling out.

Jack pulled back. “Stop apologizing. Just be here with me now. Let me take care of you.”

Robby nodded, swallowing hard as Jack’s hands resumed their work, undoing his jeans and sliding them down his legs. Robby lifted his hips to help Jack drag his jeans down, then reached to help Jack with his cargos. The familiarity of it, made Robby’s chest ache with relief. The rest of their clothing disappeared in a rush of hands and hitched breaths. Jack sat on the edge of the bed to remove his prosthesis while Robby watched, propped up on his elbows.

Jack flexed his leg, massaging the end of it briefly before turning back to Robby with dark eyes.

Robby reached for him. “Come here.”

Jack moved with practiced ease, settling his weight between Robby’s thighs, skin against skin, heat against heat. Robby’s hands traced the familiar planes of Jack’s back, feeling the shift of muscle beneath his skin.

“I missed this. Missed you.” Jack’s lips brushed against Robby’s collarbone as he spoke.

Robby’s throat tightened at the admission. “Me, too.”

Jack reached toward the nightstand, pulling open the drawer to retrieve the bottle of lube they kept there. Robby watched his face and was struck by how much he loved this man, how close he’d come to losing him forever.

“You with me?” Jack asked as he noticed the distraction.

Robby nodded. “Always.”

Jack warmed the lube between his fingers before reaching down, his movements careful and deliberate as he began to prepare Robby. The familiar intrusion made Robby’s breath catch, his back arching slightly off the mattress.

“Okay?”

“Yeah,” Robby breathed, eyes fluttering closed as Jack pressed deeper, finding the spot that made sparks dance behind his eyelids. “Fuck, yes.”

Jack worked him open slowly, adding a second finger with the same careful attention, his eyes never leaving Robby’s face. Robby’s hands fisted in the sheets as Jack continued, pleasure building slowly.

When Jack finally withdrew his fingers, Robby opened his eyes to find Jack watching him with an intensity that made his breath catch. Jack shifted, moving down the bed until his face was level with Robby’s cock.

“Jack, you don’t have to—”

The words died in his throat as Jack swallowed him down, the wet heat making Robby gasp. Jack maintained eye contact as he worked, his gaze burning with an emotion Robby couldn’t name. The sight of Jack like this was almost too much to bear. His hands gripped Robby’s thighs, holding him steady while he sucked, tongue working in patterns that drove Robby wild. One hand slipped between Robby’s legs, fingers returning to press inside, matching the rhythm of his mouth.

“Stop,” Robby managed to gasp out. “I’m gonna cum.”

Jack pulled back, lips wet and slightly swollen. “That’s the idea, baby.”

Robby shook his head. “No. Want you inside. Please.”

Jack studied him for a minute before nodding and reaching for the lube again. He slicked himself with efficient strokes then positioned himself between Robby’s thighs. The blunt pressure against Robby’s hole had him tensing involuntarily.

“Relax,” Jack murmured, leaning down to brush his lips against Robby’s. “I’ve got you.”

Robby forced himself to breathe, to relax, as Jack pushed forward slowly, giving him time to adjust to the intrusion. When Jack was fully seated inside him, he held still, foreheads pressed together, sharing breath.

“Jesus. Fuck,” Jack breathed out, eyes tightly closed.

Robby wrapped his arms around Jack’s back, pulling him closer, needing the weight and heat of him. “Move. Please.”

Jack opened his eyes, gaze locking with Robby’s as he began to move in slow deliberate thrusts. The angle was perfect, hitting that spot inside Robby that made his vision blur at the edges. Each thrust drove the breath from his lungs in soft gasps that Jack swallowed with kisses.

The pleasure built, coiling tight at the base of Robby’s spine, but it was more than physical. Suddenly, it was too much. The pleasure, the tenderness, the overwhelming relief at being back in Jack’s arms. Tears spilled from the corners of Robby’s eyes, dripping into his hairline as a sob caught in his throat.

Jack froze immediately, brow furrowed in concern. “Shit. Did I hurt you?” He started to pull out, his movements careful and quick.

“No. No, I need you.” Robby’s hands gripped Jack’s arms, holding him in place with desperate strength. “Please don’t stop. Please.”

Jack studied his face. “Are you sure?”

Robby nodded, unable to explain how full he felt after being empty for days. Relief, gratitude, love all so intense it physically hurt. “Yes, I’m sure. I’m fine. Promise.”

“Okay, baby. Okay.” Jack brushed tears from Robby’s cheeks before resuming his movements, slower now. He reached between them, wrapping a hand around Robby’s cock, stroking in time with his thrusts.

The dual sensations pushed Robby closer to the edge, pleasure spiraling until it peaked. He came with Jack’s name on his lips, back arching off the bed, muscles clenching around Jack’s length. Jack followed moments later, his rhythm faltering as he buried himself deep, a groan tearing from his throat.

They stayed connected as their breathing slowed. Eventually, Jack eased out carefully and shifted to lie beside him, pulling Robby against his chest. He tucked his face against Jack’s neck, breathing in the familiar scent of him. “I love you so much.”

Jack’s hand came up to stroke through Robby’s hair. “I love you, too. Even when you’re being an idiot.”

A weak laugh escaped Robby. They lay in comfortable silence for a while, Robby listening to the thud of Jack’s heart beneath his ear.

“How do I fix this?” Robby asked finally, voice small, quiet.

Jack pressed a kiss to the top of his head, lips lingering. “I don’t know, but we’ll figure it out. Together.”

Robby’s head snapped in that direction as he frowned. Shen wasn’t on last night. And there was no sign of Jack. Robby swallowed hard. “What are you doing here?”

Shen shrugged. “Jack called in the middle of the night. Asked me to cover the ret of his shift. Said there was some sort of personal emergency. Figured you already knew about it.”

Personal emergency. Saliva pooled in Robby’s mouth as nausea rose. He swallowed it down. Jack had left mid-shift to go to you. Robby was thrilled that you weren’t alone but he was terrified of what Jack’s absence now said about their relationship.

“Right,” Robby said, voice flat. Hollow. “Let’s get handover started then.”

Shen ran through the cases and Robby managed to capture most of the major details but the minor ones slipped through his grasp. He’d just have to study the charts. All he could think of was you walking out the door, tears running down your face. The memory kept intruding, kept taking his attention when he should be listening to Shen tell him about the patient in Four with suspected appendicitis.

“Hey, Robby,” Dana called out. “Got scans back on Nine.”

She only called him like that if there was something he needed to see. He moved over and took the tablet from her, numbers swimming before his eyes.

“Robby?” Dana asked. “You good?”

He made a sound of agreement and forced himself to focus. “Get Santos on it. Tell her to call ortho for a consult.”

She paused for a minute looking him over. “Yeah, sure. I got it.”

“Thanks.” He turned away and found a semi secluded spot to pull out his phone. No messages. No missed calls. His thumb hovered over your name. He’d already left three voicemails and sent a dozen texts. What could one more hurt?

The call went straight to voicemail. Again.

He whispered your name after the beep. “Baby, please. I’m begging you to let me explain. I made a terrible mistake. Please call me back.” He paused, throat tight. “I love you.”

He tried Jack next. Straight to voicemail.

“Jack, I’m sorry, okay. At least let me know you’re both okay. Please.”

Dana called out an incoming trauma, yanking him back to the present. He shoved his phone in his pocket and rushed into the thick of it. For the next two hours he forced himself to focus only on his patients, a teenage girl and her father from an MVC. The father made it to surgery. The daughter did not, having been unrestrained and thrown from the car.

As soon as he could step away from the trauma bays, as soon as he had a second to breathe, he checked his phone again. Nothing.

“You look like shit,” Jesse said, appearing beside him. “You okay?”

Robby nodded as he put his phone away then shook it with a hollow laugh. “Not really.”

Jesse studied him. “Relationship troubles?”

“That obvious?”

The younger man shook his head. “I know you, Robby. We all do.” He paused then added, “Besides, rumor mill says Jack looked ready to blow when he left.”

“Yeah, well. I fucked up. Maybe beyond repair.” Robby bit back the other words he wanted to say, the truths he wanted to reveal.

Jesse looked like he wanted to ask more questions, but something in Robby’s expression evidently warned him off. “You’ll find a way to fix it. You care too much about them to just let them go.”

And it was the truth. He did care too much. He loved you both but he wasn’t sure you’d ever forgive him. And he was even less sure he’d deserve it if you did.

The rest of the shift passed in a blur of patients and charts. He moved through it all mechanically, relying on the residents to keep things running. He just went through the motions while his brain kept returning to the night before. The video, his anger, your tears. The door closing so quietly behind you when it should have slammed. When it should have announced that you were finished with him and his accusations and insecurities.

He handed off as quickly as possible when Shen showed up, grabbed his bag and headed out the door. He’d formulated a plan while he’d worked. He’d go to your apartment, beg for forgiveness. Odds were Jack would be there and he could beg the both of you to accept his apology. Or maybe the both of you were gone, somewhere away from him. There was only one way to find out.

Exhaustion pressed down on him as he slid behind the wheel of the car. He knew he shouldn’t be driving but he honestly wasn’t sure he could make it to your apartment on his own two feet. He was so fucking tired. So fucking broken. He took a deep breath, shoving down the dread rising in his chest.

He checked his phone one more time before starting the car.

Still nothing.

The hallway outside your apartment stretched, seeming twice as long as normal. He pulled out his keys out of habit before pausing. You were unlikely to welcome the intrusion after what he’d done. He placed them back in his pocket and knocked twice, the motion feeling foreign after all this time. His heart hammered against his ribs as he wondered if anyone would answer at all. Perhaps you’d just leave him here to contemplate his own stupidity.

He’d nearly convinced himself no one was home when he heard footsteps approaching from the other side of the door. The lock turned with a soft click and the door swung open, Jack standing in the frame. His neutral expression shifted to anger in a blink. The warmth that normally shone in his eyes when he looked at Robby had been replaced by something cold and distant. He regarded Robby with a hardness Robby hadn’t seen directed at himself in a long time.

“Jack.” Robby’s voice cracked.

Jack said nothing, jaw clenched, muscle twitching beneath the skin. He stepped into the hallway, pulling the door nearly closed behind him, but leaving it cracked. A clear message that Robby wasn’t welcome inside.

“How is she?” he asked, trying to peer past Jack into the sliver of apartment still visible.

“How do you think?” Jack’s voice was low and sharp enough to make Robby flinch.

Robby ran a hand down his face, fingers dragging through his beard. “I’ve been trying to reach both of you all day.”

“I know. We’ve been ignoring you.”

“I need to see her, Jack. I have to explain—”

“Explain what? How quickly you were willing to believe the worst about her? How easily you discarded everything she meant to us, everything she’s done?” Jack snapped, crossing his arms over his chest, his body a barrier between Robby and the apartment. Between Robby and you.

“What was I supposed to think, Jack? You saw the video.” The words tumbled out, desperate and defensive. A plea to give him a chance, to give him grace he didn’t deserve.

Jack’s eyes narrowed. “I did. And I knew instantly it wasn’t her.” He leaned forward slightly, voice dropping lower. “You know what I think? I think you wanted it to be her.”

Robby sucked in a breath, eyes wide with confusion and pain. “What? That’s stupid. Why would I want that?” His voice cracked with emotion.

“I don’t know, Michael. Why don’t you tell me?” Jack said, stepping closer. “You were so ready to believe what that bitch at the party said, too. Even if I thought it was her, I would have talked to her about it before I called her a fucking whore.”

The word echoed in the narrow hall making Robby flinch. He hadn’t called you that precisely, hadn’t said the word, but he’d insinuated heavily enough. Shame washed over him, hot and suffocating.

“I didn’t call her that,” he protested weakly, though the denial sounded hollow even to his own ears.

“You called her a fucking bitch who was only with us for our money,” Jack countered, eyes flashing. “You accused her of fucking us for our money. You asked her what that made her. Don’t split hairs with me, Michael.”

Tears welled in Robby’s eyes, blurring his vision. “I was angry. I wasn’t thinking—”

“That’s your problem. You weren’t thinking.” Jack’s voice trembled with his anger. “You saw something that looked bad and jumped straight to the worst conclusion without even giving her a chance to explain. Do you have any idea what that did to her? How broken she was when I got here?”

Each word only drove the knife deeper into Robby’s heart. He had only thought of making you hurt as badly as he was at the time. He’d been too consumed by his own pain to temper himself.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, tears streaming down his face. “I’m so sorry. Please.”

Jack remained rigid, unyielding. “I’ll forgive you, Robby, but right now I can’t even fucking look at you.”

Robby reached out, hand falling through air as Jack stepped back out of his reach. “Please just let me see her. Let me apologize.”

“She’s not ready to see you. And frankly, I don’t think you’re ready to see her either. Not until you figure out why you were so quick to assume the worst.”

“I made a mistake,” Robby pleaded, voice breaking. “A terrible, terrible mistake. I’ll do anything to fix it. Please.”

Jack shook his head. “This isn’t something you can fix with a simple apology. You shattered every ounce of trust she had in you. She trusted you to not hurt her and you destroyed her instead.”

“I love you. I love you both so much.” The words were barely legible through Robby’s sobs.

For a moment, something flickered in Jack’s gaze, something softer, but it disappeared as quickly as it had come. “That makes it worse. You hurt someone you claim to love because you couldn’t trust her enough to ask her about it.”

Robby stood there, tears soaking his beard, feeling like the ground was crumbling beneath his feet. Everything was falling apart and he had no one to blame but himself. He swallowed hard. “What do I do?”

Jack’s face remained impassive. “Give her space. Give me space. And take a long, hard look at yourself, because something is broken inside of you if you could think those things about her, and until you fix it, you’re going to keep hurting everyone around you.”

Robby nodded, gaze fixed to the floor.

Jack sighed. “Look, I know you’re hurting too, but you need to understand what you did.”

Robby wiped at the tears with the back of his hand. “I do understand. I accused her of—”

“No,” Jack interrupted and Robby’s head snapped up to look at him. “You don’t understand. Not really. When I got here, she was packing up everything we’d ever given her.”

“What?”

“Everything. All of it in neat little piles. She was going to fucking mail it back to us because she didn’t think we’d want to see her.” His voice grew quieter. “She kept saying she didn’t want anything that might make us think she was using us.”

Robby closed his eyes briefly against the image in his mind. He could picture you moving through the apartment, gathering your belongs, preparing to send them back because you didn’t understand what you’d done wrong.

“She showed me her grandfather’s fucking obituary because for some reason she thought I wouldn’t believer her about where she was.”

“Jesus Christ. Fuck.” The words escaped as a choked sound.

“Yeah. She felt she needed to prove to me that her grandfather actually died.” Jack ran a hand through his hair, tugging at his curls in agitation. “Do you know how much that killed me? That she thought she needed to prove herself to me after everything?”

Robby couldn’t speak, the lump in his throat too large to force words past.

“She doesn’t ask for anything. Never has. It took months for her to quit fighting us on everything we tried to do for her.”

The truth of that statement couldn’t be denied. How many times had you protested their gifts? How often had you insisted you had your own funds, that you didn’t need them to take care of you. The memory of your face when Robby accused you of being with them for money made him physically ill now.

“She still took it.” The words slipped out before he could stop them.

Anger flashed through Jack’s eyes, his body tensing. “See, this right fucking here is what I’m talking about. Get your head out of your ass. Until you do, I’m staying right here with her.

Jack wasn’t coming home. He was choosing to stay with you, to be your comfort and protector rather than standing with Robby. The realization cut deep, but he knew he deserved it.

Robby nodded, shoulders slumping in defeat. There was nothing more to say. No argument he could make. He turned to leave, each step away from your door feeling like he was trudging through quicksand.

“Robby.”

The sound of his name made him turn back, hope flickering briefly across his tear-stained face. Maybe Jack had reconsidered. Maybe you had. Maybe he could beg for forgiveness sooner than he thought.

Instead, Jack extended his hand. “Give me the key for the apartment.”

Robby stared at Jack’s outstretched hand, the finality of the gesture impossible to misinterpret. The keys had been a gesture of trust, of welcome.

Now Jack was taking it back.

With trembling fingers, Robby pulled the keys from his pocket and fumbled with the ring until yours was separated from the rest. The small key felt impossibly heavy as he placed it in Jack’s palm, his fingers lingering for a reluctant moment.

Jack’s fingers closed around the key, withdrawing it from Robby’s grasp. He said nothing more, just turned and disappeared back into the apartment, the door closing behind him with a soft, devastating click.

Robby stood frozen for a long moment, staring at the closed door wondering if he’d just lost the two people he loved most in the world. Then he walked away without another word, leaving his heart shredded in that empty hallway.

In the elevator, he leaned against the wall, eyes closed as he tried to process everything. Jack’s words echoed in his mind, especially the accusation that had struck the deepest. You wanted it to be her.

Had he? Had some part of him been waiting for confirmation that you couldn’t possibly love him the way he loved you? That someone like you would inevitably tire of him and Jack?

When that video appeared offering confirmation of his worst fears, he’d seized upon it without question. Without giving you a chance to explain. Without trusting in the love you’d shown them every day.

Outside, the evening air had turned cooler. He stood on the sidewalk, uncertain where to go. The thought of returning to the empty house was unbearable. He pulled out his phone and stared at the screen. No messages. No calls.

His thumb hovered over your name. What could he possibly say that would make any difference? That he hadn’t already said?

He pocketed the phone without calling. Jack was right. You needed space. He needed to examine himself, to understand why he’d acted the way he had.

The drive home was a blur, his mind consumed with grief and regret. When he finally reached the house, he sat in the driveway, just staring at the darkened windows.

Jack closed the door, Robby’s key clutched tight in his hand. He hated this. Hated seeing Robby broken, hated knowing you were hurting, hated being caught in the middle while still knowing exactly where he needed to stand. When he turned around, he found you sitting on the floor near the door, knees pulled up to your chest, fresh tear tracks staining your cheeks. The realization you’d heard everything made his heart sink further.

“Hey,” he said softly, moving toward you with careful steps.

You didn’t respond, just watched him with those sad eyes that had barely stopped crying since he’d arrived in the early hours of morning. Jack lowered himself onto the floor beside you with a groan. The movement wasn’t graceful, but he managed. “You’ll have to help me up, sweetheart.” The corner of his mouth lifted in sad smile.

You leaned into his side almost immediately, head falling onto his shoulder. Jack slipped his arm around you and pressed a kiss to the side of your head, breathing in the scent of you. For a long moment, neither of you spoke.

“I never wanted to come between you,” you finally said, voice barely audible. “That was the last thing I wanted to do. He must hate me.”

“Hey,” he said, but you didn’t look up. He repeated it more firmly and this time you raised your eyes to meet his. “He doesn’t hate you. He loves you.”

A disbelieving scoff escaped you.

“He does,” Jack insisted, his fingers tracing patterns on your side. “He’s just…Robby has issues with emotional intimacy.”

Your lips quirked up slightly, the closest thing he’d seen to a smile all day. “You sound like a shrink.”

He couldn’t help but return the almost smile. “That’s where I got it. Robby and I had a rough patch. We went to couple counseling.”

That seemed to surprise you. Jack hadn’t meant to share that particular detail, but now that it was out, he was glad. Maybe it would help you understand what happened wasn’t about you, not really. Robby’s reaction came from his own deep-seated issues.

You pulled away slightly. “You should go home.”

The words were soft but firm, an attempt to release him from whatever obligation he felt toward you. Jack wasn’t having it.

“I don’t want to go home,” he responded immediately, tone leaving no room for argument. “You can kick me out if you want, but I’ll just go to a hotel.” He offered you the key still clutched in his hand. “Here’s his key, by the way.”

You nodded and took it, turning the small piece of metal between your fingers before slipping it into your pocket. Then you curled back into Jack’s side, your hands holding onto his arm as if you were using him to anchor yourself. The simple show of trust made his throat tighten.

Jack had meant every word he’d said to Robby. He was furious with his partner for what he’d done to you, for the cruel words he’d tossed at you without thought. But beneath that anger was a deep sadness. He loved you both, and see you torn apart like this was tearing him apart, too.

“Can you send me the video?” you asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

Jack tensed, surprised by the request. “What? Why would you want to see that shit?”

“I need it. Please, Jack.”

He studied your face, noting the shift in your expression. The tears had dried, replaced by something harder, more determined.

“What are you up to, sweet girl?” he asked.

Your eyes narrowed slightly, a flash of that fire he so loved showing through your grief. “I’m going to figure out who’s fucking with my life. And I’m going to make them pay for it.”

But someone wanted them to believe it was. What the fuck was going on? Why would anyone want to hurt you? You were one of the sweetest people he knew. He needed to call Robby, make sure he was taking care of you and hadn’t done anything stupid like tell you about the video. It was something they all needed to discuss together when they could help you process this.

He pressed Robby’s contact and waited for him to answer.

“Hello?” his voice came, rougher than expected. The two of you must have already gone to bed.

“Did you see this shit?” Jack asked in lieu of a greeting, anger coloring his words. “Like we would ever believe that was our girl.”

“I—” Robby started but Jack cut him off, his irritation making him impatient.

“It is so obviously fake. Some cheap attempt to cause trouble. Whoever sent it must think we’re complete idiots.”

“I bought her that dress on our first date. The bracelet too.” Robby’s words were low, broken.

Jack froze, a sick feeling rising in his stomach. Please tell me he didn’t fuck this up. “Don’t tell me you believed that shit, Mike.” His words were tight, angry at his partner now instead of some unnamed asshole. “There is no anklet on whoever that bitch is and we’d see part of the tattoo on her shoulder. You know, the one she got for us.” He took a deep breath to calm as his volume started to rise. “Never mind the fact, that is not her ass and that is simply not how she gives head.”

“Oh shit,” Robby stammered. “Shit, shit, shit. Fuck.”

Jack swallowed hard. “What did you do?”

“I thought it was her.”

Fuck. Robby lashed out when he was hurt, wanting whoever he was angry with to hurt as much as he was. “That is not what I asked you, Michael.”

Robby’s breath came fast and frantic over the phone. “I confronted her. I said…Jesus, Jack. I said terrible things.”

“Where is she?” Jack clenched his teeth together as he waited for an answer, a muscle working in his jaw.

“She left. I don’t know where she went.”

So whatever Robby had said to you had hurt you badly enough that you left rather than fight. Fucking shit. He needed to get to you as soon as possible.

“Jack, I—”

“Don’t,” Jack snapped and ended the call.

Jack was standing outside your apartment within half an hour, calling Shen to come in and cover for him. He knocked softly but you didn’t answer. He knew you were home because all of your lights were on. When you didn’t answer a second knock, he pulled out his key and unlocked the door.

He stepped inside and closed the door quietly behind him. His eyes immediately found you as you moved around the living room, tears evident on your face. “Sweetheart?” he asked, voice quiet.

You froze, shoulders going back. You didn’t look at him. “Are you here to yell at me too?”

“No, baby, I’m not going to yell at you.” You nodded once and went back to what you were doing. Jack stepped forward slowly as if approaching a wild animal. “What are you doing?”

“I’m getting everything together.” It was then Jack noticed the piles around the room. Stacks of things they’d paid for, gifts they’d given you. “I was going to mail it to you so you wouldn’t have to see me but since you’re here you can just take it with you.” Your voice broke on the last word and you sucked in a shaky breath.

Jack stepped in front of you, halting your frantic movements. You still wouldn’t look at him. He took both of your hands in his. “Stop, baby. Breathe for me.” He exaggerated his breathing and tension flowed from him as you mimicked. Once you’d calmed a little he said, “Now, why would you think we wanted everything back, hmm? These are your things. We bought them for you because we love you.”

That pulled a small sob from you. “Mich—Sorry, I’m not supposed to call him that anymore. Robby said that I was only with you for the things you bought me.”

A fury unlike any Jack had felt since he woke up without a leg flooded through him. “That prick actually said you weren’t allowed to call him Michael anymore?”

You huffed a laugh and nodded your head.

“What else did he say?” Jack was absolutely certain he did not want to know, but knew he needed to.

You shook your head frantically. “Okay, okay,” Jack soothed and led you over to sit on the couch after he’d shoved some clothes out of the way. He pulled you into his side, running a comforting hand up and down your arm. “It’s okay, baby. I’m here.” He kissed the top of your head. “We don’t have to talk about anything you don’t want to.”

Several minutes passed before you sucked in a broken breath. “He um…He called me a fucking bitch. Said the only thing you ever wanted was my loyalty but two dicks wasn’t enough for me. He made it sound like I was fucking around when I was with Pops.” Your head snapped up then, eyes bright with tears. “I can show you the obituary if you want? I prom—”

He grasped your chin in his hand. “Stop. You don’t need to prove anything. Not to me.” He waited for you to nod in affirmation. “Was that all?”

Your eyes darted away from his and you swallowed. “He said I didn’t love you. That I only fucked you for your money. Said, ‘guess what that makes you?’.”

Jack closed his eyes in pain and anger. Jesus fucking Christ, Mike. He’d said that he’d said ‘terrible things’ to you. That was the understatement of the fucking century. Jack was furious at just the thought it had been said to you. He couldn’t imagine looking you in the face and being able to actually say them, mean them.

And Jack had no doubt Robby had meant them in the moment. He was a master of inflicting pain to try to lessen his own. He should know by now it didn’t work.

Jack pulled you back into his arms, wrapping both tightly around you. “Listen to me, baby. None of that is true. I don’t believe even the smallest bit of that. And neither does he really. You don’t have to ever forgive him for it if you don’t want to, but I know he already feels like shit.”

You shook your head against his chest. “I just don’t understand what happened. Why did he suddenly say all of that?”

Jack went very still. “He didn’t tell you?”

You pushed yourself upright and wiped at your cheeks. “Tell me what?”

He ran a hand down his face. “There was a video.”

“Popular this morning,” he commented, aiming for casual but ending up somewhere closer to concerned.

You gave him a tight smile. “Aren’t I though?”

You didn’t elaborate further.

The phone vibrated again and you ignored it, focusing on the novel you’d been attempting to read amidst the distractions. Jack walked into the room, freshly showered and dressed for his shift even though there were a couple of hours before he needed to leave. His steps came to a halt as he picked up on the tension in the room. His gaze moved from you to meet Robby’s eyes as he still looked at you over the top of his glasses. Jack arched a brow.

Robby pursed his lips and shook his head once. “I put the coffee on when you got in the shower.”

Jack grinned. “Thanks, baby.” He kissed both of you on the top of your heads before moving into the kitchen. He was back a moment later, just as your phone lit up with a call.

You scowled at the screen and scoffed as you declined. “Like I want to talk to you, asshole.”

“Everything okay?” Jack asked after a beat.

“Oh sure. Just my uncle. Don’t worry about it.”

The men exchanged a long glance. As rocky as your relationship was with your family, you rarely spoke poorly of them. Choosing instead to not speak at all. A text came through immediately after and your gaze turned cold. Your fingers flew over the screen before you set the phone aside once more.

You looked up to find them both watching you and took a breath. “There’s something we should discuss the next time you’re both off. It may take a bit to explain.”

“I can call off,” Jack offered.

“Absolutely not,” you responded immediately. “It’s nothing bad and nothing that won’t wait. I don’t really want to talk about it right now anyway.”

Robby studied you a beat longer before nodding once. “Fair enough.”

Three more notifications came through in rapid succession, the phone buzzing angrily. You held up a finger as you scrolled through the texts. “Let me just block them and send a quick message to someone, then I’ll be done with the drama for the day.”

“You’re blocking your uncle?” Jack said, eyebrows raised.

“And his wife. And my mother. And my father. That should cover it until they figure out what I’ve done and recruit everyone else to crawl up my ass.”

“So you’re blocking your entire family?” Robby asked.

You nodded as you sent the text you’d mentioned and sat the phone aside.

“And that’s not something we need to discuss today?” He didn’t like you keeping secrets. Especially ones that seemed to be so large.

“I don’t see why we’d need to,” you said as you shrugged one shoulder.

Jack shot Robby a look over your head, equal parts concerned and amused. Whatever was happening with your family, it was serious enough that you felt the need to cut contact completely, but you seemed genuinely relieved, almost happy now that you’d done it.

“Feel better at least?” Jack asked.

“Much.” You stood to head into the kitchen. “Sorry for the drama.”

“No need to be sorry,” he said, gaze trailing you as you left the room. “Should we be worried?” he asked in a low voice once he was certain you wouldn’t hear him.

“No point until we know the reason,” Robby said. “You know their dynamics are off anyway.”

Jack nodded in agreement but still looked troubled as he took a drink of his coffee.

Two hours after Jack left for his shift, Robby slouched on the sofa, feet up on the table. You were putting away the last of the laundry you’d insisted on doing, despite his offer to help. He scrolled through his phone absently while he waited for you to return so you could watch a movie.

You were humming a tune he couldn’t place as you moved around and he smiled at the sound. He loved having you here, having you in his life, in their lives. He’d started to forget what it was like before you, when the house was empty of another soul more often than it wasn’t, him and Jack passing in the halls of the hospital and returning home alone.

His phone pinged with an incoming message, breaking his train of thought. Unknown number. Probably spam. He almost swiped it away without looking but something made him pause. The preview showed Thought you should see this followed by a video attachment.

Curiosity won out and he opened the message, thumb hovering over the video for a moment. The thumbnail showed nothing distinct, just shadowy figures. Probably meant for another number, for someone other than him.

He pressed play anyway.

The video quality was decent, despite the dim lighting. People gathered at a party or something, drinks in hand, shouting encouragements. He frowned as the camera panned to focus on a woman from behind, her face not visible as she knelt before a man in a chair. He was leaned back, posture making it more than evident what was going on. Robby almost closed the video, uncomfortable at witnessing an intimate moment between strangers that may not have even known they were being filmed.

Then he saw it. Noticed the distinctive floral pattern of the dress. Recognition flooded him, chilling his veins. That dress. The dress he’d bought for you on your first date. You’d worn it many times since then, almost always with the crystal bracelet he’d bought on the same day. The bracelet that shone on the wrist of the woman in the video.

“No.” The word fell from his lips soft and broken.

His fingers felt numb as he back to the beginning of the the video and played it again. He looked more carefully. The woman wore a jacket that fell low off her shoulders exposing part of her back. Your back. Because who else could it be? Why else would it be sent to him?

He swallowed hard as his eyes caught the timestamp in the corner. Two weeks ago. While you were away. Supposedly grieving your grandfather’s impending death. While you were texting them daily to tell them how much you missed them. His chest was tight, each breath shallow and insufficient. His hands began to shake, the phone trembling in his grip as the video continued. You taking the man into your mouth in an intimacy Robby had foolishly believed belonged only to him and Jack.

A lie. All of it was lie.

The words from the party echoed in his mind. She’s been fucking Brent too. Chelsea saw them together at a party. It looked like everyone had seen you. It’s not like you were being discrete. Did you just assume it would never get back to them? What could it hurt if they didn’t know, right?

His jaw clenched so tight his teeth hurt. The betrayal sunk deep in his bones. All those nights you’d called, voice thick with what he’d thought was grief for your dying grandfather, had you been with someone else? Had you been laughing at them behind their backs, the two old fucks too besotted to see what was right in front of them?

The video ended and Robby stared at the screen, images seared into his memory. The text had come from an unknown number, but it could have been anyone at that party. Someone who thought he deserved better, deserved to know the truth about the woman he was with.

His chest was hollow, only filled with a desperate ache where his heart had been. Everything you’d shared, every moment, was now tainted, suspect. Had any of it been real? Or had you just been playing a role, seeing what you could get from them?

The money. It had to be about the money. The expensive dinners, the gifts. They’d both showered you with whatever you wanted, whatever you needed, though you never explicitly asked for anything. And what a great cover that was. Never asking, but taking just the same. Always saying they didn’t need to, that you didn’t need their money.

It was all an act. An award worthy performance.

And they’d bought it completely. Had opened their home to you. Had talked about marrying you, for fuck’s sake. Not that they’d broached that topic of conversation with you yet. Thank fuck for small mercies.

Bile rose in Robby’s throat followed by a white-hot fury that burned through his shock. His fingers tightened around the phone until his knuckles went white. He’d been right to question your loyalty, right to worry you weren’t entirely theirs. The insecurity that had plagued him since the party two days ago hadn’t been paranoia, it had been instinct.

Now he had proof. Undeniable, gut-wrenching proof that even Jack would have to believe.

Robby heard the padding of your sock feet against the hardwood as you came back to the room. The woman who had betrayed them both. The woman he had foolishly, stupidly loved.

You stepped into the living room with the easy smile that usually brought an answering one to his face. Tonight, it made his stomach turn. The rage he’d been containing broke free, flooding his system so potently he could taste it on his tongue.

Your smile faltered as you registered his expression. “What’s wrong?”

The practiced tenderness in your voice was too much. The phone felt heavy in this hand, the evidence of your betrayal still on the screen. He stood, his movements stiff, controlled though he felt anything but.

“You fucking bitch,” he spat, the words so thick with venom he barely recognized his own voice.

You recoiled as if he’d struck you, eyes widening in shock. “What? Michael, what the fuck is going on?”

His name on your lips made something ugly burn within him. “You don’t get to call me that. Not anymore.”

He began to pace, unable to remain still. The pain vibrating under his skin made him sharper, crueler. “I knew, I fucking knew, you were only in this for the money. The shit we do for you. I knew it and Jack told me I was an idiot. We invited you in. We asked for nothing from you except your fucking loyalty and you can’t even give us that.”

Your eyes were locked on him with an expression he couldn’t quite read. Shock certainly, but something else too. Something that looked like dawning horror.

“What? Two dicks not enough for you?” he continued, words tumbling out. “Had to go find someone else while you were away? Someone younger? Guess I know now why you didn’t want Jack or me with you. Wouldn’t want to put a damper on your extracurriculars, would we?”

Tears welled in your eyes, spilling silently down your cheeks. You stood frozen, making no move to wipe them away. The sight should have moved him, should have broken through his rage. Instead, he interpreted your silence as guilt, your tears as confirmation, regret that you’d been caught.

“Just tell me one thing,” he demanded. “Was any of it real? Or were we just convenient targets? Two doctors with good salaries willing to spend it all on you?” He snapped when you just continued to stare at him with wet eyes. “Nothing to say for yourself?”

 “Since I have no idea what you’re accusing me of, no. I have told you repeatedly that I do not want or need your money. You two insist on spending it on me.” Your voice was quiet, steady despite your tears. “I love you, Mi—” You caught yourself, swallowing hard. “Robby. I’m not sure how to make you believe that.”

The correction, the use of Robby instead of Michael, registered somewhere deep beneath his rage, but it wasn’t enough to curb his fury. Not when the image of you pleasuring another man was so fresh in his mind.

“You don’t love us.” He scoffed, the sound cruel and dismissive. “You fuck us for our money. Guess what that makes you, sweetheart?”

The accusation was ugly, cruel, and your expression changed as the light in your eyes dimmed to nothing. You nodded once, a simple acknowledgement of his words and the finality they represented.

The silence stretched, heavy and oppressive.

Robby waited for you to fight back, to demand an explanation, to defend yourself with the fire he’d come to expect from you. But you did none of those things. Instead, you turned away from him, gathering your bag and keys as you slipped into your shoes.

Your hands trembled visibly and for just a moment, doubt flickered in Robby’s mind. Then he remembered the video, the dress, the bracelet. The doubt extinguished as quickly as it had flared.

You grabbed your coat from the hook by the door and slid tit on.

“Nothing to say?” he pressed, needing something to fill the silence.

You paused with your hand on the door, back to him. For a second he thought you might turn around, might engage with him. Instead, you took a deep breath and opened the door.

“Wait,” he said, the word escaping before he could stop it.

You half-turned toward him, the tear tracks glistening on your cheeks.

He cleared his throat, suddenly uncertain when faced with your departure. The fury that had fueled him had burnt out, leaving him hollow. “Where are you going?”

A small, sad smile curved your lips. “Away. That’s what you want, isn’t it?”

Before he could respond, you stepped through the doorway, closing it behind you with a soft click that somehow sounded more final that a slam would have.

Robby stood motionless staring at the closed door. The silence of the house pressed in on him from all sides. A flicker of uncertainly broke through the lingering fog of his rage.

What if he was wrong?

The thought came unbidden, unwelcome. He pushed it away. The evidence of your betrayal was clear. It had to be true.

Didn’t it?

He sank onto the couch, suddenly exhausted. The empty house seemed to echo with memories of you. The space you’d filled now felt barren.

What had he done?

The silence engulfed him in a cold embrace as his shoulders hunched. Something broke inside him and the first sob tore from his chest with such force it caused physical pain deep within. He doubled over, arms wrapping around his middle as if trying to hold himself together. Hot and relentless tears blurred his vision and soaked his beard. His entire body shook with the force of his grief.

He buried his face in his hands, shoulders heaving as he mourned the loss of you. The cruel words he’d spat at you echoed in his mind. Each one filling him with regret.

Fucking bitch.

Had he really called you that? The woman who had held him through the aftermath of one of the worst days of his life, who had washed him with gentle hands when he couldn’t bear to touch his own skin? The woman who took care of him and Jack without a single complaint, without asking for anything in return?

The sobbing intensified, raw and brutal. He tried to justify his actions to himself. The evidence was so clear, undeniable. And yet, he found himself doubting. Why had he been so quick to believe without asking for explanation? Had it been his own insecurities? That part of him that always feared you would leave them for someone younger, not broken?

Hours passed, though he couldn’t have said how many. He remained on the couch, unable to summon the strength to do anything but breathe through the crushing weight of his grief and regret.

His phone rang, startling him from his stupor. Jack’s name flashed on the screen. Robby reached for it with a trembling hand, dreading the conversation to come but knowing he couldn’t avoid it.

“Hello?” His voice was hoarse, broken.

“Did you see this shit?” Jack asked immediately, anger heavy in his tone.

Robby felt a moment of relief. Jack saw. He knew what you’d done. He was just as angry as Robby had been.

“Like we would ever believe that was our girl.”

Robby’s stomach dropped. “I—”

“It is so obviously fake,” Jack continued without waiting for a response. “Some cheap attempt to cause trouble. Whoever sent it must think we’re complete idiots.”

The words stuck in Robby’s throat until he forced them out. “I bought her that dress on our first date. The bracelet, too.”

Silence stretched. “Don’t tell me you believed that shit, Mike.” Jack’s voice had gone dangerously low, all warmth drained from it. “There is no anklet on whoever that bitch is and we’d see part of the tattoo on her shoulder. You know, the one she got for us.” His voice had gotten louder and he took a breath before continuing. “Never mind the fact that is not her ass and that is simply not how she gives head.”

The world tilted on its axis as Jack’s words sunk in. The anklet. The tattoo. Details that should have been obvious in their absence, that were such a fundamental part of you. Details he’d somehow overlooked completely in his rush to judgment.

“Oh shit,” Robby stammered, horror washing over him. “Shit, shit, shit. Fuck!”

“What did you do?” Jack’s words were ice, each word precisely enunciated.

Robby’s grip tightened on the phone. “I thought it was her.”

“That is not what I asked you, Michael.” His full name spoken with such cold anger sent a shiver down Robby’s spine.

“I confronted her,” he admitted. “I said…Jesus, Jack, I said terrible things.”

“Where is she now?”

“She left. I don’t know where she went.”

The silence that followed was more devastating than any shouting could have been.

“Jack, I—”

“Don’t.” The word cut through whatever excuse or plea Robby might have offered.

The line went dead, leaving Robby staring blankly into the darkness. The magnitude of his mistake driving the air from his lungs. He had accused you of the worst sort of betrayal without giving you a chance to explain, had hurled the cruelest insults he could think of at the person who had shown him nothing but love and support.

And now Jack was furious with him, too. He had rarely heard the cold fury in Jack’s tone and never had it been directed at him. Robby set the phone down with shaking hands. He had potentially lost both of you in a single moment of blind rage.

The memory of your face as he’d called you those names, the tears tracking down your cheeks, played in his mind on a tortuous loop. You hadn’t defended yourself. Hadn’t fought back. Had simply taken his verbal assault and walked away.

How had he gotten everything so wrong?

Because he’d been looking for confirmation of his own insecurities and the video had given him that in spades. He didn’t think to question it because some part of him had always been waiting for you to leave, to decide that they weren’t worth your time or effort.

He buried his face in his hands again, fresh tears burning his eyelids. He had taken the trust and love you offered and thrown it back in your face in the cruelest way possible. If you never forgave him, he would understand. If Jack couldn’t move past this, Robby wouldn’t blame him.

He had no one to blame but himself.