🗣 Rodri: "I'd like to mention one person who is very important to this group, someone who's very special to me. He's perhaps a player who's been unfairly criticized on multiple occasions, but today he represents the history of Spanish football. Let's chant all together: FERRAN! FERRAN! FERRAN!"
summary: after six years of avoiding it, you're finally forced to make your way back home. things should feel easier as you make the transition back to something familiar, but it only fills you with dread to think about finishing your years as a med student at the pitt, working under your father.
warnings/tags: yo... holy daddy issues, angst, michael robinavitch is his own warning, platonic/father-daughter relationship, robby is not really being a great dad rn... he is not the girl dad you people think he is
wc: 10.9k
"For a minute the world seemed so simple"
Your first time back in the PTMC since moving home was more anxiety-inducing than it should've been. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that you weren't just there as an attending's kid; you were now there as a med student.
You walked in, hair styled out of your face but in a way that made you feel confident, brand-new top worn under your scrubs. You knew better than anyone that this look wouldn't last, but it was something to boost your morale and help ease the soul-crushing anxiety that had been weighing on your chest since you went out to dinner with your father and now- coworkers, over a week ago.
"There she is!" the thick, charming Pittsburgh accent you'd always been comforted by, doing just that as you attempted to maintain confidence. Your perfect posture dropped momentarily as the tension released from your spine, a natural grin of relief finding its way upon your lips.
"Well, hello, Charge Nurse Dana Evans." you mocked a professional greeting, causing Dana's already present smile to brighten as she set down her chart and swung around the nurses' station to greet you.
"Dr. Y/n L/n-" She slung an arm over your shoulder before leaning in to mumble in your ear, "Or are you going back to Robinavitch?"
You tensed slightly, giving her a dramatic grimace, "definitely not- for so many reasons, Dana"
You chuckled as she pulled you into a full hug, "Excited to have you back with us, sweetheart... you're gonna do great."
You squeezed her in return, your breath hitting her collarbone as your face fell into the slope of her shoulder. You wished you could stay there, but you reminded yourself you had people to prove wrong (your father), and that wasn't going to be achieved by staying in Dana Evans's arms for the entirety of your first shift.
"Feel the rush of my blood, I'm seventeen again"
a few moments passed- you greeted Princess and Perlah in casual Tagalog, to which they excitedly greeted back and joked about how you'd been practicing. You caught up with them and told them all about your extensive language studies throughout college and how they inspired you to give Tagalog a try.
The next interaction came from none other than Jack Abbot- a carefree arm tossed around your shoulder, causing you to jump before realizing who it was, "Try not to give your old man a hard time today, okay?"
He said with a teasing smirk, but it landed sourly, leaving a slight burn in your stomach. You didn't react physically, giving an easy, semi-shy smile as you leaned into him.
The warmth and comfort of your found family slipped away as your father approached, chatting with a guy with blonde curly hair and a girl with a dark ponytail. You felt Abbot's arm tighten around your shoulder in a brief reassuring squeeze before it fell back to his side.
Robby finally made eye contact with you, seemingly halting in his conversation long enough for the two trailing behind him to notice. They looked in your direction as well, but before either could say anything, Robby resumed, leading them to the center of the ED and calling out to gather everyone to join them.
Robby waited until the crowd had gathered before clearing his throat.
"Alright. Quick rundown before everybody scatters." The room quieted as you shifted your weight anxiously. Same ED. Same people. Different role. You tried to remind yourself that while you may not have been here, you still have experience, and knowing many of these people will only make the blend easier
Robby launched into his usual briefing, discussing staffing assignments, patient volume, bed shortages, and all the things that made emergency medicine feel like controlled chaos.
You tried focusing on his words, but all you could think about was the fact that every single person standing around you already knew who you were- and not as a doctor, or even just a med student, but as Dr. Robby's kid.
"And one more thing." Your stomach dropped. Robby glanced down at his clipboard.
"We have a new medical student starting with us today." You tried to resist the visceral reaction your nerves were sending to your brain when Robby looked directly at you.
"Most of you already know Y/n." Several people smiled, a few waved, others looked reasonably lost, as you forced a professional smile in return.
"She's rotating with us for emergency medicine." You thought it was going to end there- it probably should've ended there...
"Obviously there's a potential conflict of interest." Your smile vanished as the room got quieter.
"So for everyone's sake, including hers, I'm going to be very clear-" you could see Dana and Abbot tense from where they stood slightly off your father's shoulder.
"She won't be receiving any special treatment." Your jaw tightened. You tried to keep your gaze locked on him, to seem as unbothered as you should be, but you could see Samira wince silently out of the corner of your eye, already knowing this wasn't going to go over well.
"Nobody needs to cut her any slack because she's my daughter." Heat crawled up your neck.
"Matter of fact-" Robby continued, somehow making it worse, "if anything, I'd encourage people to hold her to a higher standard."
A few awkward chuckles sounded. Fuck, you wanted to disappear all over again. Robby didn't notice- or maybe this was one of those times where he did notice and didn't know how to stop.
"She's smart, but she's also stubborn." Jack immediately ran a hand down his face, shifting in his stance.
"And she has a tendency to think she knows more than she does." Dana let out a deep sigh, her hands clasped in front of her as she dropped her head momentarily, shaking it in disappointment.
And suddenly there it was- that familiar burn you'd been carrying since you were fifteen, settled right into your chest. You bit the inside of your cheek, hard enough to taste the metallic flavor of blood, while the room remained quiet for a beat too long.
"She's capable," he continued, almost as if he was trying to convince everyone else of your skills rather than himself.
"Just don't let her talk you into thinking she knows more than she does." A few scattered laughs followed. Your face felt hot as you stared at a spot somewhere behind him. You could feel Dana looking at you, and could feel Abbott looking at Robby. You refused to look at either of them.
The worst part was that none of it sounded particularly cruel if someone didn't know better. To everyone else, it probably sounded like harmless teasing, father-daughter banter. Ya know, the kind of thing families did!
But Dana knew. Jack knew. Frank knew. Samira knew. And judging by the uncomfortable expression on Princess's face, fuck, she probably knew something wasn't sitting right either.
Your jaw tightened- you forced yourself to relax it... then tightened it again.
Robby finally looked up from his clipboard. "Anyway."
A pause. His eyes met yours as he seemingly held his breath for a second before diverting his attention elsewhere to wrap up his speech. "We have a busy shift ahead of us. Questions?"
Nobody spoke as he looked around, eyes not even stopping on you as he surveyed the crowd.
"Good." He clapped his hands once. "Let's get to work."
Conversations resumed as the group immediately began breaking apart, people scattering toward their assignments. You stayed exactly where you were, still, silent, biting the inside of your cheek raw.
Dana appeared at your side almost instantly, her shoulder gently bumping yours. You glanced over as she raised an eyebrow. You offered a smile- a fake one, of course- but a smile nonetheless. The same one you'd been giving adults since you were thirteen years old, that said "please don't make a thing out of this".
Dana's expression softened, an understanding nod bobbing her head, "alright..."
Before she could say anything else, a familiar voice called your name, "Hey, troublemaker."
You looked up just in time for Frank Langdon to throw an arm around your shoulders, the tension in your chest loosening immediately.
"Frank." You rolled your eyes, sarcasm and annoyance dripping from your voice, but the soft smile on your face betrayed your true feelings.
"There she is." He gave your shoulder a squeeze, shaking you around a bit. "Took you long enough!"
You rolled your eyes, "I literally just got here."
"Yeah, six years late." That earned a genuine laugh from you. Samira appeared beside him, smiling warmly, "We've been waiting."
Your expression softened as you escaped Langdon's hold to throw your arms around Mohan's shoulders, burying your face in her neck. "I missed you guys. So much..."
"We know," Frank said cockily, hands behind his head. "The department's morale has been terrible without you."
"You are so full of shit."
"Language." You barked out a laugh, the familiar rhythm of the interaction settling your nerves almost instantly.
Samira glanced between you and the dispersing crowd. "You okay?"
The question was gentle, dangerously so. You immediately looked away. "Yep."
Both of them stared, neither believing you. Frank opened his mouth, hesitated, then closed it, deciding against whatever he was about to say. Instead, he hooked a thumb toward the hallway. "Well, lucky for you, you don't have to deal with me today."
"Oh?"
"Robby's got you working with Whitaker and Javadi." Your smile froze, not quite dropping, just wavering slightly in confusion, "Oh."
Frank laughed, "Oh, don't sound so excited."
To be honest, you really weren't. Not anymore, at least. All of your excitement to get to know people vanished the second Robby let everyone know you were related. You were kind of hoping to just follow Langdon or Mohan around for the day and occasionally hop in with someone else when you found your rhythm.
"I just don't know who those people are."
"You will."
"That's usually how meeting people works, Frank."
"Good point." Samira shook her head fondly, placing a hand on your shoulder and giving you a small, pained smile, "Good luck."
You frowned, "That didn't feel very reassuring..."
"It wasn't really supposed to be." Before you could respond, two figures approached from the opposite side of the nurses' station.
The blonde guy from earlier and a shorter girl wearing a purple zip up, both looking equally as awkward. They both hovered slightly, looking at each other to see who would speak first. They looked helplessly back at you as you raised a brow.
The girl offered her hand first, "Victoria Javadi. I'm also a student doctor- second year here!"
You smiled politely and shook it, "Y/n L/n."
A small smile tugged at her lips, the rest of her starting to relax now that she's seen you smile, "Nice to officially meet you."
The blonde stepped forward next, "Dennis Whitaker. First year resident"
You shook his hand as well. "Nice to meet you."
Whitaker opened his mouth to say something, then halted. He glanced over toward where Robby had disappeared, then back at you, seemingly processing his observations in front of you. "I didn't know Dr. Robby had a daughter."
"Huh... no kidding," you snarked, crossing your arms. Whitaker immediately felt like it was the wrong conversation starter after seeing you close yourself off again.
"Uh... so... are you Jake's sister?" You scoffed and chuckled humorlessly. "No. Love that kid- but no..."
More awkward tension hung in the air for a moment or two before you elaborated.
"Dr. Robby is my biological father, which is unfortunately why I am as fucked as I am." You deliver it with a dryness that Dennis isn't really sure whether or not it's okay to laugh.
A short, awkward silence followed. Whitaker glanced at Javadi- she glanced back at him- neither of them seemed entirely sure how to respond to that.
Finally, Dennis let out a small laugh through his nose, "Well... at least you're self-aware."
"Years of therapy." That got a slightly bigger laugh out of both of them, the tension easing a little, even though they were both still a little unsure of whether you were joking or not.
You exhaled deeply and began heading in the opposite direction "Sooooo... Trauma three?"
"Uh yeah-" Javadi nodded, glancing quickly to the doctor beside her, still a little nervous to interact with you. "Yes. Your dad just put us on the same patient."
"right..."
Your first patient went smoothly, and the day picked up after that.
Patients blurred together, labs were drawn, consults were called. You spent most of your shift trying not to think about your father's introduction and focusing instead on proving that you actually belonged there.
A few hours in, while waiting for updated imaging on one of your patients, you found yourself staring up at the tracking board.
"Man..." the intimidating girl with the dark hair stationed herself next to you with her hands in her pockets, "I knew Dr. Robby was a misogynist, but I didn't think he'd be an asshole to his own daughter."
She tried to joke, staring at your side profile until you slowly turned your gaze to catch her with an unimpressed brow raise and a slightly irritated quirk of your lip
"Yeah... he's... he's something." You didn't give her much, going back to looking up at the patient board. She stood beside you for a moment, then shifted to face you, leaning against the wall.
"Trinity Santos." She extended her hand straight out, looking effortlessly cool with one leg propped on the wall behind her. You couldn't help the tiny amused smirk that peeked out as you shook her hand.
"Y/n."
"So I've heard." You rolled your eyes.
"Yeah, well, apparently you're the first," Santos snorted.
"Honestly, kinda hard not to know about you when half the department practically raised you." That caught you slightly off guard, her casualness and lack of pity or awkward sympathy something you weren't necessarily used to.
"You're the first person who's said that without making me feel weird about it."
"Well I mean- it is weird." You barked out a laugh, and Santos grinned, letting your laughter hang for a brief moment before continuing
"I mean, seriously. I've worked here for two years, and every third person I meet has some story about you."
"Oh God, they do not-" you crossed your arms over your chest, rolling your eyes slightly, the small smile still on your face
"'Y/n used to sit at the nurses' station and do homework.'" You groaned at her first impression of some other staff member
"'Y/n used to sneak extra pudding cups from the patient fridge.'"
"I was eight-"
"'Y/n got suspended for punching a kid who made fun of Dana.'"
"Okay, that one was justified."
Santos pointed at you immediately. "See? That's exactly what Dana said."
You laughed despite yourself, the tension in your shoulders easing for the first time all day. Trinity noticed, and her expression softened slightly.
"Can I be honest?" You hesitated, already preparing to pull up another wall, even though she never really broke through the first one. "Depends."
She hummed, "Fair."
A beat passed.
"That introduction this morning was kind of fucked." Your eyes immediately flicked toward her. You waited for the usual follow-up- some sort of excuse or justification- but the "he means well" never came.
Santos just shrugged. "Maybe that's not my business."
"No..." you said slowly. "I mean, it kinda is now."
She nodded. "Then yeah. It was weird."
You let out a breath that almost sounded like a laugh. "Thank you."
Santos frowned, brows furrowing. "For what?"
"For not immediately defending him." That seemed to genuinely surprise her.
"Why would I do that?" You stared at her, she stared back, and suddenly you realized how ridiculous the statement sounded outside the context of your life.
Santos shook her head, "Look, Robby's a good doctor."
You immediately braced yourself, "But being a good doctor doesn't automatically make someone a good parent."
Your eyebrows shot up. The woman beside you shrugged. "What?"
"No, it's just..." you laughed softly. "Most people here don't say stuff like that."
"Yeah? Well, they should." You laughed again- a real, tickled laugh, leaving Santos smiling slightly, pleased with herself. The two of you stood there for a moment, looking up at the patient board.
"Wanna hit 14 with me?" she asked as she started to back away. The small smile still on your lips as you replied, "Sure."
The silence wasn't awkward anymore as the two of you began heading toward the patient. In fact, it was surprisingly comfortable.
"You know," Santos said eventually, "I actually thought you were gonna be terrifying."
You glanced over, eyes wide and eyebrows raised, "Me?"
"Yeah."
"Why?" She deadpanned.
"Because you're Robby's daughter and Langdon talks about you like you're some mythical creature."
You burst out laughing, "Oh my God!"
"'The legendary Y/n, resident golden child, is coming back.'" you rolled your eyes, grinning because that is definitely something he'd say
"Well, for starters i was never a golden child-" Santos cut you off with a raise of her brow
"Not in the eyes of Frank Langdon- 'You guys are gonna love Y/n.'"
You laughed as she continued to imitate him, making her voice a little deeper and raspier and moving her hands around rapidly to mock his excitement
"'Y/n's gonna fix this place!'" That one got you a little bit. You knew that one was likely very true because it's the same thing Frank and Samira would tell you when you were having a hard time in school. They didn't even necessarily mean the Pitt itself, but wherever you ended up, you were bound to make it a better place.
You ran a hand over your face as you shook your head, "Frank is such a loser."
"He really is." You shook your head, still laughing, and for the first time all day, you found yourself genuinely glad you'd come back.
"I am not scared of death, I've got dreams again"
The patient wasn't supposed to be complicated, at least that's what you thought when Trinity dragged you into the room.
The woman was somewhere in her forties, complaining of abdominal pain and nausea- nothing immediately alarming. She was talking, laughing with you, even. Her vitals weren't perfect, but they weren't horrible either. It should've been straightforward.
You and Trinity introduced yourselves, asked your questions, and did your exam as usual. The patient answered easily enough, but something about it made your stomach twist. A gut feeling, a nagging little voice, the same one that had followed you throughout school whenever something didn't fit quite right.
You glanced toward Trinity, "Can you pull up her labs again?"
Trinity raised a brow but complied. You looked through them once, rescanned them again, and then even a third time.
"What?" Trinity asked, and could only give her a frown before mumbling, "I don't know yet."
You obviously hated that answer as much as she did. You wanted something concrete, but more so, you wanted to be wrong. However, the feeling persisted, so you dug deeper. You asked more questions, pulled up older records, looked through previous visits, and slowly the picture started coming together.
It wasn't enough to diagnose anything, but enough to know that something wasn't right. Enough to know she needed more attention than she'd been getting, and enough to make you seek out an attending. Unfortunately, that attending happened to be your father...
You found him halfway through charting. "Dad-"
Robby looked up immediately before you even had time to cringe at yourself, "Dr. Robinavitch."
His expression shifted slightly. "What've you got?"
You launched into your presentation- professional, organized, concise. You explained your findings and concerns, along with your reasoning, never once pausing or shifting your tone to look for reassurance. You didn't try to convince him you were right, you were simply presenting a patient, the way you'd done hundreds of times before and would continue to do
And Robby just stared. He couldn't help it because, for a moment, he forgot to listen. Not completely- he didn't entirely shut you out and ignore the case you were presenting- he still followed and understood what you were saying, but part of his brain got stuck somewhere else.
You sounded different. Not like the angry teenager who used to scream at him across the kitchen. Not like the little girl who followed him around the hospital asking a million questions. Not like the daughter he'd spent years failing to understand.
You sounded like a doctor- not even a med student, but an experienced doctor. Confident. Capable. Comfortable... like you belonged there.
It shouldn't have shocked him. Obviously, he knew you were in medical school, and it was only natural for you to feel comfortable in this environment since you were already pretty familiar.
He knew you'd excelled in school and that you'd worked your ass off to get there... but knowing something and seeing it were two entirely different things.
You wrapped up your presentation of the patient's case, and Robby just blinked, then nodded, "Alright. Let's take another look."
You exhaled, shoulders dropping slightly as the tension released, and followed him back to the room. The concern ended up being justified- she wasn't crashing over dying, but she was significantly sicker than everyone initially believed.
And as you spoke to the patient with the confidence of a seasoned professional and the kindness of a rookie, Robby couldn't stop watching you.
He was completely enamored by how clearly you'd explained things, answered every single question she had with ease, and even made her laugh once despite the circumstances.
And suddenly he wasn't looking at a student anymore- he wasn't even looking at a doctor- he was looking at his daughter.
His daughter.
The little girl who used to sit at Dana's desk, coloring while he finished charts. The little girl who made him drawings for his office. The little girl who begged him to come to softball games and school events and college visits. The little girl he'd spent years disappointing.
And somehow... somehow you still became this. This kind, brilliant, resilient young woman. Everything he'd ever wanted for you. Everything you were able to accomplish without him.
The realization hit so hard it nearly knocked the air from his lungs, because when had this happened? When had you grown up? When had you become someone he admired? When had he stopped being the center of your world?
The answer was pretty obvious...
Years ago, while he was busy working, grieving, making excuses. Busy missing everything revolving around you. All while you were busy with the same things, and he didn't even stop to think how badly you needed him. Robby felt his throat tighten.
You turned slightly, asking Trinity something about the patient's imaging. Your movements were so familiar. Your expression, the way you pushed your hair behind your ear. For one impossible second, he saw both versions of you at once- the child and the doctor- and it nearly brought him to tears.
Holy shit. That's my little girl... and she's incredible!
The patient ended up being transferred upstairs about an hour later, stable, monitored, and taken seriously, which was all anyone could really ask for.
"There is meaning on Earth, I am happy"
You finished documenting your portion of the consult while Trinity wrapped up the last few loose ends. The two of you made your way out into the hallway, exhaustion already beginning to settle into your shoulders.
"See?" Trinity nudged your arm lightly. "You didn't kill anybody on your first day."
"This shift is far from over Dr. Santos" she chuckled, hands holding onto the stethoscope around her neck "Good point."
You both chuckled softly, easy grins remaining on your faces. The doors to the patient's room swung open behind you, and you stepped aside automatically to let staff pass, then froze as you realized it was your father.
Your stomach immediately tightened. Old habits. You waited for a correction, criticism of some sort- there had to be something you'd forgotten- something you'd done wrong.
Robby looked between you and Trinity before settling his gaze on you, keeping it neutral as he held eye contact for a moment, then he cleared his throat.
"Good catch." You blinked. "What?"
"The patient." His voice was casual, matter-of-fact, like it was the most normal thing in the world- and to any other doctor or med student in this place, it would've been normal.
"You picked up on something everybody else missed."
The hallway suddenly felt too warm, "Oh."
Robby nodded once, awkward tension pulling his lips into a straight line, before he took a deep breath, "You did a good job."
Your breath caught in your throat as your heart stopped. No dramatic speech. No hug. No grand gesture. Just five words- that's what nearly did you in.
You did a good job.
The phrase hit you so hard it was almost embarrassing. How your eyes immediately widened and began to water, the pressure and sting in your nose like you were about to burst into tears at any second.
Logically, it shouldn't matter this much. You were twenty-something years old, you'd survived college, most of medical school, board exams, cross-country moves, heartbreak, loss- you didn't need your father's approval...
You didn't.
So why did it feel like somebody had reached into your chest and squeezed your heart?
"Oh." Brilliant response. You swallowed, "Thanks."
Robby nodded again, like he'd completed the task he'd set out to do, then glanced toward Trinity. "You too."
Trinity immediately looked delighted, "Thank you, Dr. Robby."
"Don't let it go to your head."
"Oh, it already has." He shook his head, a small grin on his face as he started walking away. You watched him disappear around the corner as Trinity looked over. You were still staring after him, still trying to process what had just happened.
"You okay?" You blinked, not looking away from where your father had just disappeared. "Yeah."
Your voice came out softer than intended, but then you realized you were staring, and you cleared your throat, turning your attention to Trinity with a small, barely contained smile.
"Yeah. I'm good." Trinity studied you for a moment, then, mercifully, decided not to push.
"Cool." She bumped your shoulder. "C'mon, Doc"
The title made you laugh. You felt a little light-headed, the last hour and a half leaving you feeling lighter than you'd managed all day. As you followed her back toward the nurses' station, you found yourself smiling for no reason at all.
Trinity bumped your shoulder as the two of you approached the nurses' station. You were still trying not to think about what had just happened, but the words sat heavily in your chest.
Javadi looked up from the chart she was working on, her gaze flickering between you and Trinity, then narrowing slightly. "What happened?"
"What? Nothing," you answered immediately and Trinity snorted. "Something happened."
You shot her a look, but she just grinned. Javadi glanced between the two of you again, then her eyes widened.
"Oh my God." there was a pasuse as everyone waited to hear what she'd just figured out, "Did Dr. Robby compliment you??"
Your eyes widened as you visibly tensed, "Oh my God."
Trinity's smug grin only grew wider as she crossed her arms, "He did."
"He did not."
"He absolutely did." Trinity looked delighted as Dennis glanced up from the computer beside them. His attention drifted between the conversation for a moment before he quietly returned to whatever chart he was reviewing.
"He said I made a good catch- that's hardly a compliment."
The second the words left your mouth, you regretted them as you watched Javadi's jaw drop semi-dramatically, a small quirk of her lip making it appear a bit more teasing than serious
"You got a 'good catch'?" You groaned and buried your face in your hands, leaning against the counter. "Please stop."
"A good catch is huge." Whitaker chimed in from his spot behind the desk, eyes unmoving from the screen, but his bottom lip jutted out in acknowledgment as he nodded slightly
You groaned again, slumping further against the counter, face fully leaning on it now, as Trinity looked downright fascinated by your embarassment
Victoria's expression softened slightly. "I get it."
You peeked over your arms at her. "My mom's like that."
You immediately straightened. "Really?"
"Oh, yeah." She leaned back in her chair. "If she compliments me, I remember it for like- six months."
Trinity barked out a laugh and Javadi pointed her gaze at her, "I'm serious!"
"No, I believe you."
"Like, logically, I know she loves me." "Right."
"But hearing approval from someone who taught you everything you know is..." She shrugged. "Different."
Something about that settled the strange feeling in your chest. It was nice to know someone understood. Not completely- nobody could- but enough that you didn't feel ridiculous for caring.
"That's actually a really good way to put it." Javadi smiled softly and shrugged
"Would you look at that," The familiar voice pulled your attention away from the chart in front of you. Samira Mohan stood at the opposite side of the nurses' station, coffee in hand, her warm gaze drifting between you, Javadi, Whitaker, and Santos. "Glad to see you're making friends already, Tweety Bird."
You squeezed your eyes shut, alreayd knowing when you opened them that you "new friends" would be giving you looks
"'Tweety Bird'?" Santos questioned, a teasing grin on her face.
You sighed and peeked at her, "It's a long story"
Samira laughed and came closer to the group, joining you and Trinity in leaning against the station, "Obviously we all call Robby "Robby"- but when Y/n was little, she just didn't get it, so everyone started calling her "Robin" to make her feel included-"
Trinity, Victoria, and Dennis were locked in on the lore of their newest coworker, "which eventually became "Birdie", cuz ya know- Robin the bird, duh. And then one day she came in wearing this bright yellow sweater-"
"It was a dress." you cut in, correcting the minor details in her retelling
"Right, a bright yellow dress- so Jessie started calling her "Tweety", and now it just rotates between those." She finished off, and everyone had some sort of amused expression, while you were trying to bury your embarrassment
"That's... honestly, adorable." Victoria was the only one to speak up
"Okay." Mohan chuckled softly as she threw an arm over your shoulder
"You look significantly less terrified than you did this morning." You immediately groaned. "Oh my God."
"What??"
"You could tell?" Samira raised a brow. "Y/n."
Fair enough. You sighed dramatically. "Okay, yeah. I was a little terrified."
"A little?" You shifted in her hold to bump against her, "Shut up."
The corner of her mouth twitched as she glanced around the station, before tilting her head slightly to speak quieter directly to you, "You surviving?"
You thought about it- about Trinity sort of taking you in, Javadi being someone you could relate to, the "good catch" you had a little bit ago, the fact that you hadn't completely embarrassed yourself yet... "Yeah."
This time the answer came easily. Your bottom lip jutted out as you nodded, "Actually... yeah."
Samira nodded once, her natural smile warming your heart, her expression reading like that was exactly what she'd been hoping to hear.
"Good." And that was it. She took a sip of coffee and immediately pivoted back to work.
"A minute from home but I feel so far from it"
Robby didn't get much time to think during a shift- that's one of the things he liked most about emergency medicine. There was no room for overthinking and hyperfixating, not when patients kept coming and nurses needed orders signed.
Thinking was dangerous and led to regrets if you spent too much time doing so... and Robby had enough of those already.
And yet, his eyes kept finding you- across the department, at the nurses' station, walking down hallways, laughing at something Trinity Santos had said. He told himself it was just his fatherly subconscious making sure you were alright.
Every time he looked, you seemed a little more comfortable- more settled- like you were starting to accept that you belonged here
The realization should've made him happy. Instead, it mostly made his chest hurt. "You look constipated."
Robby didn't bother looking up, "Good afternoon, Jack. Back so soon?"
Abbott slid into the chair beside him. "Seriously. What's wrong with you?"
Robby gave him a look, but said nothing, resuming looking over the chart he was about to hand off to another med student. Jack nodded, "Right."
Robby continued charting. Abbott continued existing- an unfortunately persistent habit, from Robby's perspective
"You know Dana almost threw a stapler at you this morning."
"She threatens that weekly."
"This time she meant it." That finally earned a reluctant snort, causing Abbott's expression to soften slightly. "You know you really embarrassed her."
There it was. Robby's slight smile disappeared completely, and his jaw tightened. "I introduced her."
For a moment, he genuinely seemed to be waiting for more, as if perhaps Robby would hear himself and realize how ridiculous that sounded.
When nothing came, Jack sighed, "You embarrassed her."
"I was trying to be professional." The defense sounded weak and dismissive, even to his own ears.
Abbott's brows shot up. "You told the entire department she thinks she knows everything."
Robby instinctively straightened his posture, walls visibly growing higher in his attempt to defend. "I said she was smart."
"Then immediately followed it up with an insult."
Robby sighed, rubbing his hands down his face, "Jesus Christ."
"I'm serious."
"So am I." Abbott leaned back in his chair, and for a moment neither spoke. Across the department, Y/n was talking with Javadi. Something made her laugh, and the sound carried farther than it should've.
Robby looked away first. Abbott noticed, as he always did and took a deep breath before leaning in and mumbling to his best friend, "I mean, c'mon man."
Robby closed the chart, already regretting where this conversation was headed." When was the last time you even talked to her before she got back?"
"Oh, fuck off." The response came out sharper than intended. Robby immediately sat back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "...I talk to my goddamn daughter."
"Okay." Jack held up both hands in surrender; the gesture would've been a lot more convincing if his expression hadn't remained completely unchanged. Neither man looked away as the silence stretched between them, long enough to become uncomfortable.
Then Jack leaned forward, resting his forearms against his knees. "So when was the last time you saw her?"
The question landed harder than the last one. Robby's eyes flicked away instinctively, toward the nurses' station, then back toward the chart in front of him.
"'Cause most college kids come home for Thanksgiving." Robby's jaw flexed.
"Or winter break." His fingers tightened around the edge of his chair.
"Or the three months between school years for the summer." Abbott's voice remained calm and soft, nothing accusatory about it, which made Robby feel so much worse than if Jack had just yelled at him and called him an asshole.
"Why didn't she?" Robby immediately opened his mouth, ready this time with an explanation- An excuse. A defense. He always had one... But it didn't matter, because Abbott cut him off before he could get a word out.
"No, seriously." The teasing was entirely gone now. "Why haven't any of us seen her in six years?"
Robby felt something unpleasant twist in his stomach. Across the department, somebody called for a nurse, a monitor alarm chimed. The hospital kept running and neither acknowledged it in the moment
"The kid's studying her ass off to become a fucking doctor-" Jack shook his head. "And you're telling me she hasn't talked to any of us?"
The emphasis on us wasn't accidental; Robby knew that. "She was practically raised here, Michael."
The use of his first name made him finally look up to see that Abbott was watching him carefully now. Not angry, not even a little bit, just concerned. Which was always harder to stomach.
"You think we don't know her?" A painful silence hung for what felt like forever
"You think we don't know you?" The silence after that felt suffocating. Robby was once again the one to look away first. His hand dragged slowly over his face, the stubble scratched against his palm.
"I went to her graduation." The second the words left his mouth, he knew how weak they sounded. Abbott stared at him like he was waiting for the punchline.
"Robby." His voice was almost disbelieving. "Are you serious right now?"
"Yes," The answer came quicker than intended, immediate and defensive. "I'm being serious."
"That was over two years ago." Robby looked down, and Abbott sat back in his chair. The disappointment on his face somehow hurt worse than the frustration.
"You're telling me you haven't taken the time to check in on her in person?"
"She's in med school." Robby's voice rose slightly, more frustrated now than angry; more embarrassed than frustrated.
"That girl doesn't have any time for me." Abbott blinked slowly, mouth slightly agape as he furrowed his brows, like he'd just heard the dumbest thing imaginable.
"You don't think she'd make time?" The question lingered as neither of them spoke again. It was a bit strained, and Robby could tell Jack was using all his willpower not to bitch him out right then and there. The accusation sat plainly between them. Unavoidable.
"Or are you just assuming that because you wouldn't make time?"
Robby stood so abruptly that his chair rolled backward. "Alright."
He began heading down a decently empty hallway, and obviously, Jack followed, so he kept going,
"I've had enough of you talking to me like I'm some shitty father." Abbott immediately shook his head.
"No." His voice softened. He wasn't backing down, but he could see exactly where this was coming from. "You're not a shitty father, man."
Robby laughed bitterly, "Really?"
"You're not." Jack held his gaze. "But you're not there for her."
The words hit harder than anything else he'd said. It wasn't an insult, just an observation, a very painful one.
"How would you know?" Robby snapped, his voice echoing louder than intended.
"How do you know anything about my kid?" The question hung between them, and for a long moment, Abbott said nothing. Robby watched him inhale slowly and choose his words carefully. Deliberately, like a man trying not to make an injury worse.
"Because your kid spent a good chunk of her childhood hoping somebody would show up for her." Robby physically flinched, face scrunching up
"And because she's an adult now." Jack's voice remained calm, steady.
"A grown-ass adult who reaches out when she's struggling."
Abbot paused and then finished, "Clearly didn't get that from you."
Robby turned away immediately, hands still planted on his hips as he paced a small circle, eyes fixed on the ceiling, jaw working, trying to find an argument- something- anything.
But all he could think about was the fact that, of course, you still talked to Jack. Why wouldn't you? At some point over the last six years, Abbott had stopped being one of the people who helped raise you and become one of the people who actually knew you.
The realization hurt more than Robby cared to admit.
"The death of my dog, the stretch of my skin"
The high didn't last forever. You knew it wouldn't, but it was nice to ignore the potential of things getting bad again so soon.
The department had settled into a steady rhythm by late afternoon- busy enough that nobody was standing still, quiet enough that you could hear when someone was irritated.
You were reviewing labs when a familiar voice cut across the nurses' station. It wasn't super loud, not at first, but sharp enough to make you look up.
Samira stood at one of the computers, and your father stood across from her, his shoulders rigid, jaw set. You recognized the expression immediately, the one that usually meant somebody was about to have a very bad day.
Samira was speaking, trying to explain something. A patient. You caught bits and pieces. A consult. Delayed response. Change in status.
"No." The word landed hard enough that several people glanced over, including you.
Samira stopped talking, and you felt your own stomach tighten. "Dr. Robby-"
"No." His voice was louder now. Not yelling- not yet- but close. "That is the third time I've asked you the same question."
The entire workstation seemed to go still. Samira blinked once, "You asked-"
"I asked why nobody called me." The interruption came instantly. Ruthless, like he wasn't even listening.
Mohan took a slight breath before responding evenly, "I did call."
"No." Robby stepped forward. "You left a message."
Samira's jaw tightened. "You didn't answer."
"And somehow that translated into 'problem solved'?" The sarcasm dripped from every word. A few nurses exchanged looks, but nobody said anything. Nobody ever said anything. "You know better than that."
Samira opened her mouth, closed it, then tried again. "The patient was stable at the time."
"Until they weren't." His voice echoed louder than intended, several heads turned this time. The entire nurses' station suddenly became fascinated with their work. "You've been doing this long enough to know better."
Your chest tightened. You'd heard that sentence plenty of times before, word for word. Different context. Same Tone. Same disappointment disguised as anger.
Samira looked down briefly, collecting herself, the way people did when they were trying very hard not to react, then she nodded. "I understand."
"No." Robby laughed humorlessly, the sound making your stomach drop even more. "I don't think you do."
Silence. Heavy. Uncomfortable. Silence. The kind that settles over a room when everyone is pretending not to witness something.
Finally, Samira nodded again, a little stiffer this time. "Understood."
Robby stared at her for another second, then turned, already moving toward his next patient. Already done with the conversation, like he hadn't just ripped somebody apart in front of half the department.
The moment he disappeared around the corner, the tension lingered. But you didn't. You were up and moving before Trinity could even try to stop you.
You passed the nurse's station and heard Dana call out to you, a warning tone flooding her voice as she recognized the look on your face and that you were heading in the direction of your father.
You ignored her but spared Mohan a glance, seeing her stare silently at a computer screen while pretending she wasn't affected. You suddenly wondered how many other people had learned to absorb his anger the same way you had.
Which only made you walk faster toward your unassuming father.
"It's all washin' over me, I'm angry again"
You found him reviewing a chart outside one of the trauma bays, calm and focused, completely unbothered. The sight alone made your blood boil.
"Dr. Robinavitch." Robby looked up immediately. The tone of your voice had done its job, because for half a second, genuine concern flashed across his face.
"What's wrong?" You swallowed hard.
"Can I speak with you for a moment?" His eyes immediately scanned you, checking for panic, urgency, for some sort of sign that something had gone wrong with a patient. You gave him nothing and the silence stretched.
Then he nodded, taking a deep breath, "Yeah."
He handed the chart to a passing resident. "Let's go."
The walk to the call room was painfully quiet, every second giving you another opportunity to reconsider and back down.
Robby turned as soon as the door shut behind you, "What happened?"
The concern was still there, still expecting a medical problem or maybe even a patient gone rogue and something had happened to you, but he definitely wasn't expecting anything like this.
You folded your arms. "Why did you talk to Dr. Mohan like that?"
The concern vanished instantly as an almost eerie silence filled the room. Robby stared at you, and seeing as you were never one to back down, you stared back.
Slowly, his expression hardened. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me." he let out a dry, humorless laugh, letting you know this conversation was going to be as productive as any other confrontation with him as ever been
"That's what this is about?" The disbelief in his voice only made you angrier, but you took a deep breath, knowing better at this point than to match his energy- especially not right off the bat.
"Yeah," You nodded. "That's what this is about."
Robby scoffed and looked away, like he couldn't believe he was having this conversation.
"We are in the middle of a shift." Your jaw tightened.
"Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"Act like the problem is me bringing something up instead of what actually happened." Robby laughed, short and humorless, once again. The same exact laugh that had made your stomach drop when he was standing over Samira.
"You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about." The words landed exactly the way he intended them to- dismissive, belittling, familiar. As if he was aiming to tranquilize you and end the conversation there.
Realistically, it should've ended there. You agreed with him slightly in that, yes, you were at work, and there were other things to focus on, but if he had time to publicly humiliate a doctor, he had time to be scorned for such.
You'd spent the last six years healing and growing out of your old habits, including reacting immediately and outrageously to someone who was clearly trying to get that emotion out of you. Your father was really the only person who did that, but you still managed to learn some patience for that sort of attitude, even while you were away from him
Your pulse quickened, and you took another deep breath to ensure that your voice would come out even and professional. "You absolutely berated Dr. Mohan just now."
"I corrected a resident."
"You humiliated her." Robby knew you were right, as you so often were. You sounded so much like Jack right now... This conversation was the second one he'd had today where he was being told off for being shitty toward people who were looking to him for guidance.
"No." His voice sharpened immediately. "I didn't."
"Half the department was staring at her-"
"Good." The answer came so quickly it stunned you. Robby stepped closer, not aggressively, but with the same intensity he used when teaching, or rather, making a point.
"Maybe next time she'll remember."
Your mouth fell open, the last of your newfound maturity and restraints slipping away, "Oh my God."
"What?" he spit out
"You think that's okay?"
"You think patient care is a joke?" The question hit like a slap. Suddenly, the conversation wasn't about Samira anymore- it was about competence. Or was it responsibility? Or maybe it was just another thing of authority. All things Robby could always weaponize when cornered.
You closed your eyes and took the deepest breath you could imagine, knowing this would be the last one if this conversation didn't end here and now. "No one said that."
"Then stop acting like I screamed at her for fun." You took a step forward, finally starting to match his irritation and intensity, "You really think that's what I'm saying?"
"Honestly?" Robby threw his hands up with a slight shrug. "Yeah."
The word echoed in the tiny room. "You walked in here because you saw thirty seconds of an interaction, and suddenly you're an expert on how I treat my staff."
You laughed, the sound holding no humor whatsoever, finally catching up to your father in mood. "An expert? Seriously?"
"You don't know the patient." Robby shook his head, glaring down at the floor.
"You don't know the context." He glanced up at you as he began stalking toward you, keeping his chin lowered but his gaze holding yours. It was a familiar intimidation tactic that you'd grown immune to
"You don't know what happened." His voice grew sharper with every sentence. And even though you knew better than to let him get to you, suddenly you were sixteen again, standing in a kitchen trying desperately to be heard.
"You cannot just walk in here and talk to me however you like." The volume finally rose, not quite yelling yet, but getting close to it.
"I know you think you got away with that shit when you were younger, but that is absolutely NOT going to fly here." You tried to keep your face neutral, knowing the fire in your eyes was already giving too much away, but you couldn't hold back the flinch as he barked his denial at you.
This wasn't Dr. Robby talking to a medical student. Not an attending talking to a colleague. It was a father talking to a child.
You felt even more infuriated as your vision blurred with anger, humiliated that he still had this effect on you, but even more so that you thought he might've changed. I mean, you had- so what was stopping him from doing the same? What was stopping him from becoming better?
"Wow." You breathed out. Robby crossed his arms with a roll of his eyes. "Oh, spare me."
"No." You shook your head, hands coming up in defense, disbelief racking your heart. "No, that's actually insane."
"What is? That I won't let you-" You cut him off before he could accuse you of something else
"No- That you still do... this." You gestured wildly between the two of you. His brow furrowed. "Do what?"
"That... thing where you decide nobody else could possibly know what they're talking about. That I couldn't possibly understand anything you do or why you do it." Robby rolled his eyes, the motion making your blood pressure spike.
"You think I'm shitting on you for fun?" The words burst out before you could stop them. "You absolutely berated Dr. Mohan just now! And for what? Huh??"
Robby opened his mouth, but you didn't let him. "She was trying to explain herself!"
And just like he carried on before, you followed suit "She was giving you an answer."
Your tone rose, but never your volume. You'd learned that being loud doesn't mean being right very early on. "She was talking to you like a professional, and you talked over her every single chance you got!"
The room fell silent, both of you breathing harder now, neither willing to back down, neither willing to leave. Somewhere beneath the anger, beneath the frustration, beneath the years of resentment, you realized this stopped being about Samira a long time ago.
"You think I'm the bad guy here?" Robby asked incredulously. You stared at him, neither answering nor looking away. He shook his head, "You've been here one day."
He had one hand on his hip, the other lifting a finger to be in your face, a gesture so familiar it made your stomach turn.
"One day." The emphasis hit exactly where he intended.
"You don't know these people.- you don't know how this department works." You felt your jaw tighten. Strike two.
"You. Don't. Know. What. You. Are. Talking. About." There it was, the final blow. He punctuated every single word, spelling it like for you like were stupid.
The silence stretched between you, and something in your expression changed. Robby saw it immediately- the anger disappeared, replaced by something colder. You looked tired
You nodded once, slowly, "Okay..."
The single word caught him off guard. Your arms dropped from where they'd been crossed over your chest, the fight leaving your posture entirely, "Okay."
"Y/n-"
"Nope." You shook your head, not even angry anymore. You took a step backward toward the door. "Forget it."
Robby frowned as he watched you reach for the door handle.
"Have a good shift, Dr. Robby."
The title hit harder than it should have. You pulled the door open, and this time, when you walked away, you didn't look back.
"The things that I lost here, the people I knew, they got me surrounded for a mile or two"
By the time you made it back to the rest of the department, the anger had settled into something heavier. Something sat deep in your chest and followed you around until something else could occupy your mind.
Like anyone else in this place, you threw yourself back into work because that's all you could do, Patient after patient. Chart after chart. Anything to keep your brain occupied.
It worked for the most part- at least until Dana appeared beside you. You didn't notice her appearance, only the coffee she set down next to your workstation. You glanced up, but she didn't look at you. She didn't ask any questions. Didn't make a scene. She simply slid into the empty chair beside you. The two of you sat in silence for a few seconds.
"You know-" Dana clicked through a chart, "I almost let Jack follow you."
A humorless huff of air escaped through your nose before you could stop it. "That would've been a disaster."
"That's what I said." The corner of her mouth twitched before you looked back down at the computer. The brief moment of amusement disappeared as quickly as it came. Dana finally glanced over and watched you for a second.
You could tell she was staring, trying to gauge whether or not you were going to react poorly to her checking in on you. You rarely did, but sometimes your father's habits showed through you as well, and you got a bit of an attitude.
"You don't need to hover, ya know." Dana quirked an eyebrow and tilted her chin slightly at that, not that you saw it. "I'm an adult. And not only that, I am also a professional, and I don't need you making sure my life is perfectly in shape any time I have a less-than-pleasant moment."
Her jaw dropped slightly, a bit taken aback by your avoidance and attempt at putting distance between you. She let out an exasperated laugh and shook her head. The audacity this kid has... just like her father... Dana looked back at her screen, the amused quirk of her lip still lingering as she allowed a few moments of silence to pass.
"How bad was it?" The question was gentle, carefully and particularly delivered, knowing exactly how to talk to you after years of trying to get you to trust her... you were too similar to your father in so many ways.
You swallowed, "Not bad enough to be memorable."
Dana hummed, the sound alone telling you she didn't believe that for a second.
You stared at your computer, then glanced over at the patient board. It was too far away to read the names clearly, but you needed to look at something that wouldn't leave her in your line of sight. Eventually you sighed.
"He hasn't changed." The words felt stupid the second they left your mouth. Childish, even, and you knew that. Dana's expression softened immediately, which only made you feel worse
You rubbed at your eyes, frustrated and embarrassed, angry at yourself for caring. "I don't know."
You laughed quietly. "I think that's the part that's bothering me."
Dana stayed silent, letting you find your own words. "I spent so much time away... so much time working on myself..."
You shook your head, the admission coming easier than expected. Your brows furrowed as you bit your cheek. "I worked my ass off."
Dana nodded once, because she knew- everyone knew.
"I learned how to communicate better..." You stared at the floor. "How to let things go, how to stop picking fights-"
Another bitter laugh escaped. "At least most of the time."
That finally earned a small smile from Dana, only for it to disappear a second later as you continued, "And I think..."
You paused, trying to organize the feeling, to make it make sense of it. "I think some stupid part of me thought he'd have done the same thing."
The painfully honest words hung between you. Dana's face fell, knowing exactly where you were coming from. She shrugged, the understanding tone seeping through her voice, "You wanted him to grow, too."
You nodded, the movement was barely noticeable. "Yeah..."
You hated how your voice cracked slightly- even acknowledging it within yourself made your nose sting with emotion. "Yeah."
Dana reached over and squeezed your shoulder, firm and grounding. The same way she had when you were fifteen. The same way she had when you were twenty-one. The same way she always would.
"Sweetheart." The nickname nearly broke you. You had to close your eyes and take a deep breath, unable to meet her eyes, or else it would be the end of your well held compuser.
"You can't do somebody else's growing for them." You lowered your head immediately, jaw clenching. Dana squeezed your shoulder again. "You hear me?"
You nodded. Neither of you said anything for a moment. Across the department, someone laughed, a monitor alarm sounded, a stretcher rolled past. Life kept moving. The emergency department always did.
Her chair squeaked as Dana finally stood. "You done being sad?"
A surprised laugh escaped you. "What?"
"You get five more minutes- go take a lap." Dana pointed at the clock. "Then I need my favorite med student back."
You rolled your eyes, a smile threatening despite yourself. "Favorite?"
"Don't tell Javadi." That earned a real laugh. The first bit of relaxation you've felt since you'd walked out of that call room. Dana smiled, satisfied with herself, then headed back toward the nurses' station, leaving you with your coffee and your thoughts. You let your head fall to rest on your folded arms, giving yourself a moment to actually breathe and shut your brain off.
"You look like shit." You glanced up. Frank stood beside the workstation, hands shoved into the pockets of his scrub jacket. The sight of him alone made something in your chest loosen.
"Wow."
"You do." He pulled the empty chair beside you closer and sat down. "Dana said you disappeared."
You looked back at your coffee. "Dana needs a hobby."
Frank hummed, the sound telling you he wasn't buying it, not even a little. Neither of you spoke for a moment until Frank finally nudged your shoulder.
"Hey." You looked over. "We're happy you're back, y'know."
The words caught you off guard. Frank shrugged like it was the most obvious thing in the world before adding on, "All of us."
"Yeah." Your voice came out quieter than intended as you lowered your gaze to the paperwork in front of you. Frank's expression softened slightly.
"One bad conversation doesn't change that." You swallowed, looking down at your hands. "Especially with Robby."
"I know." Frank let the silence sit. He'd always been good at that, never rushing you, never forcing you to talk before you were ready. Eventually, he stood with an exhaled breath.
"Good." He reached over and squeezed your shoulder once as he passed behind you. "Now quit sulking."
A tired laugh escaped you despite yourself. "Thanks, Frankie."
"Anytime, kid." And just like that, he was gone again, back to work, leaving you feeling a little less alone than you had five minutes ago.
"The car's in reverse, I'm grippin' the wheel"
Across the ED, Robby watched you, his daughter, laugh at something Langdon had said. The sight should've been reassuring, but he was sure you hadn't been made aware of Langdon's leave of absence a bit ago and how it had put a strain on their relationship for a while. Or maybe you had known- maybe Frank confided in you in the way you seemed to do so with him during dark times. Things were better now, for the most part, but it shouldn't have mattered.
Instead, the sight made Robby's stomach twist. You looked at him that same way once, years ago. Before every conversation, somehow became an argument. Before phone calls became shorter. Before holidays became excuses. Before six years passed without him realizing just how much more of her life he'd missed.
Jack had been standing beside him for several minutes before either of them spoke, neither particularly eager to revisit the conversation from earlier. Unfortunately for Robby, it was impossible not to. Every time he caught sight of you across the department, he remembered the look on your face when you walked out of that call room.
"You know," Abbott finally spoke, arms crossed over his chest as he watched you disappear around a corner with Javadi and Santos, "for a doctor who's kinda known for being so observant, you are terrible at reading your own kid."
Robby scoffed, but there wasn't much conviction behind it.
"I know." The admission came quieter than intended. Jack glanced over and Robby was already looking away, back toward the floor.
The truth was, he didn't know what the hell he was supposed to do now. An apology felt inadequate- embarrassingly so. Like trying to patch a bullet hole with a bandaid.
Years didn't disappear because you said sorry. Trust didn't magically come back because you finally realized you'd screwed up. And Robby had spent most of the afternoon realizing exactly how badly he'd screwed up.
Robby dropped his head into his hands, staying there for a moment with his eyes closed. He took a deep breath before lifting his gaze back up to take in the chaos of the ED. Then released it, shaking his head with a huff.
"God..." His fingers rubbed across his forehead. "She's just like her mother."
Abbott immediately let out a noise somewhere between amusement and disbelief. "Oh, bullshit."
Robby glanced over, and Jack was already grinning. He pointed toward where you'd disappeared. "She may look exactly like her mom, but that is your daughter, Michael."
The grin widened. "To a fucking T, man."
Despite himself, Robby laughed, short and tired, moderately defeated. He hated how right Abbot was, and that realization didn't actually solve anything.
"I'm back between villages and everything's still"
By the end of the shift, you were hurting in most ways possible- your feet hurt, your back hurt, your brain hurt, and more dramatically, your heart hurt.
You'd spent the better part of twelve hours running around the emergency department, trying to learn names, remember protocols, impress attendings, and avoid thinking too hard about the argument that had nearly derailed your entire day. And for the most part, you'd succeeded.
The department had begun its nightly transition- day shift filtering out, patients still arriving, monitors still chiming. You stood at one of the workstations, finishing your final note on your chart, as the cursor blinked lazily on the screen. You stared at it for several seconds before finally signing off.
A strange mix of relief and disappointment settled in your chest- your first shift was over. You leaned back in your chair and glanced around the department. Dana was arguing with Jack about something (probably the fact that he's been here way longer than any mentally stable person would be). Princess was laughing with Mateo. Perlah was giving a report. Langdon was halfway through telling Mel some sort of story as they'd begun to head toward the lockers.
Everything looked normal, like today hadn't changed anything, and maybe it hadn't.
A familiar figure caught your attention across the department- your father, reviewing a chart, the same way he had been all day. For a moment, your eyes lingered, and as if sensing it, Robby looked up.
The distance between you wasn't very far, twenty feet, maybe less, but after six years and your interactions throughout the day, it might as well have been an ocean.
Neither of you smiled nor waved, you didn't move a muscle. The memory of the call room still sat heavily between you, and eventually, Robby looked away first, returning his attention to the chart in front of him. You swallowed, then looked away too.
The shift was over. But the conversation wasn't, and you knew this was about to be a lot harder than any other rotation you'd been on up until this point.
You gathered your things quietly, dropping your stethoscope into your bag and slipping on your jacket, trying not to dwell on the ache in your chest.
"See you tomorrow, hon." You looked up. Dana stood beside you, already smiling. It's like she could read your mind (at this point, you wouldn't be surprised if she actually could) and tell you were irrationally contemplating moving back.
Tomorrow.
You'd be back tomorrow. Back with Dana. Back with Frank. Back with Samira. Back with Santos. Back with Javadi. Back with patients. All of it... Including him.
The realization was simultaneously comforting and terrifying. A small smile tugged at your lips. "Yeah. See you tomorrow."
You slung your bag over your shoulder, then you headed toward the exit. The automatic doors slid open, and the cool evening air met your skin immediately. The doors slid shut behind you, and somewhere inside the emergency department, life carried on.
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