Jealous Jack Abbot x Nurse Reader
Synopsis: Y/N thought she understood what working in the emergency department meant, long shifts, impossible cases, and relying on the people beside her to get through the chaos. But somewhere between late-night traumas, quiet moments in supply rooms, and shared glances across the ED, her relationship with Dr. Abbott becomes something neither of them can ignore.
As Y/N trains a new nurse, Keith, she finds herself caught between his obvious attention and Abbot’s quiet, undeniable care. Abbott tries to keep his distance, but watching someone else flirt with Y/N tests the restraint he's spent months building. When Keith crosses professional boundaries, Abbott steps in, not because Y/N can't handle herself, but because he refuses to let someone disregard her comfort.
Between emergency calls, unspoken feelings, and the boundaries they can't cross, Y/N and Abbott must navigate the line between professionalism and something much deeper.
Contains: Slow-burn romance • Workplace tension • Medical drama • Emergency department setting • Mutual pining • Jealousy • Emotional intimacy • Protective instincts • Flirting • Professional boundaries • Found family • Long shifts & late-night conversations • Forbidden feelings
Note: Honestly, there isn't much to say other than... I love me a jealous man. There is just something about watching a character who is normally calm, collected, and professional slowly lose his composure that gets me every time.
Now, from a reader's perspective? I hate slow burns. I want the confession. I want the kiss. I want the drama immediately. But as a writer? Oh, I loveeeee them. The irony is not lost on me.
I know some of you are probably sitting there thinking, "Please just let them admit they like each other already," and I hear you. I really do. But I also love the little moments—the lingering looks, the almost-confessions, the tiny gestures that mean way more than they should, and the absolute emotional chaos of two people who clearly have feelings but refuse to say it out loud.
So if you're mad at me for dragging this out... I'm sorry (but also, not really). I genuinely think the slow build makes the payoff so much better. The tension, the frustration, the "are they going to do something or just stare at each other forever?" moments are what make the story fun.
So grab a snack, settle in, and enjoy this long-ass story because we are apparently taking the scenic route. Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy the emotional rollercoaster as much as I enjoy putting these two through it.
You walked through the ED doors with a smile, immediately spotting Dana and Lena discussing the handful of patients still left over from day shift.
You wished you got to work with Dana more often, but Lena had quickly become your work mom, and you wouldn't have it any other way.
"How have you been?" Dana asked, smiling as you approached.
"I've been good. Can't complain much."
You headed toward the lockers, fishing through your bag for your stethoscope as you opened your locker. Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed a tall man standing at the end of the hallway, finishing up a phone call. Is he on the morning crew?
Before you had a chance to think much more about it, he slipped his phone into his pocket and walked over.
"Hi, I'm Keith." He extended his hand with an easy smile.
You shook it, immediately noticing how much larger his hand was than yours.
"Hi, I'm Y/N. Are you part of the morning shift?" you asked.
He chuckled. "Actually, this is my first night shift. I've been a nurse for about a year. I moved to Pittsburgh not too long ago, and this was the first hospital that responded to my application."
You smiled as you shut your locker. "So I guess that means you'll be with me tonight."
He nodded. "I hope I won't be too much of a bother."
You laughed. "I think we'll survive."
Gesturing for him to follow, you started toward the nurses' station. Halfway there, you felt it. That familiar sensation of someone watching you. You looked up. Sure enough, Abbot stood beside Lena, backpack still slung over one shoulder. Whatever Lena had been saying no longer held his attention. His eyes were fixed on you.
Or more specifically......the fact that Keith was walking awfully close beside you.
"So..." Keith glanced toward Lena. "I'm guessing the redheaded lady is our charge nurse?"
You hadn't realized until then just how close he was standing. Your shoulders nearly brushed as the two of you walked.
You cleared your throat. "Yes. That lovely ginger is our charge nurse for the next twelve hours."
Lena immediately looked over, smiling as she walked toward the two of you. "Well, I see you've met our new night-shift nurse."
She turned toward the rest of the station. "Everyone, this is Keith. He'll be shadowing Y/N tonight, so if anyone needs a hand, I'm sure he'd be happy to help."
Keith gave an awkward little wave as every head turned in his direction.
You smiled sympathetically before spotting Princess and Perlah across the station. Perfect.
You wandered over. "Why, hello, ladies. Any hot gossip from day shift?"
Princess and Perlah exchanged mischievous smiles before immediately launching into stories involving Langdon, Santos, and Mel. You laughed, hanging onto every ridiculous detail. Keith stood quietly beside you the entire time. Well...Mostly quietly.
When you glanced over, you found him watching you instead of listening to the conversation. His chin rested casually in his hand, and he looked perfectly content simply watching you laugh. Your smile faltered for half a second before you politely excused yourself.
"I'll catch you two later."
After saying goodbye to Princess and Perlah, you headed back toward Lena, who was organizing assignments for the night. Keith followed. Again. You glanced around for Abbott but couldn't find him.
Probably talking with Robby, you assumed.
Why the hell was he following you around like a lost puppy? Abbot couldn't help the irritation bubbling beneath the surface. Keith had been there less than forty minutes, and somehow he'd managed to spend every second within arm's reach of you.
The guy wasn't just shadowing you. He was orbiting you. Abbott walked past room Three just as he heard your laugh drift into the hallway. Without really thinking about it, he slowed his pace. Inside, the two of you were restocking supplies.
"Okay," you said, opening a drawer. "Bandages go in the second drawer and..."
You glanced over your shoulder. "...did you grab extra saline?"
"Yeah." Keith held up two bottles. "I figured we'd need it. You already had your hands full, so I wanted to save you another trip to the supply room. I can put it back if it's too much."
You smiled. "Actually... thank you. I appreciate that. Just stick it in the fourth drawer."
Keith slid the saline into place before looking back at you. "What can I say?" he grinned. "A pretty lady like you can't do everything herself."
You smiled to yourself, unsure how to respond. Before you could say anything…
"Are we working," Abbott's voice cut through the room, "or are we trying to flatter my nursing staff?"
Keith immediately straightened. "I'm a great multitasker, sir."
You had to turn away and busy yourself with organizing syringes just to hide your smile. Abbott looked thoroughly unimpressed.
"When you're finished, meet me at the nurses' station." His gaze shifted to Keith. "And you..."
There was the briefest pause. "...find somewhere else to linger so I can speak with my nurse."
Your cheeks instantly warmed. You could definitely get used to hearing that. Abbot disappeared into the hallway without another word. Keith watched him leave before turning back to you.
"He's not mean," you said with a small laugh. "I promise. Just... stern."
Keith chuckled. "Well, I'll go put the extra supplies in the next room so I don't interrupt you and Dr. Jealous." He punctuated the sentence with a wink before disappearing through the doorway.
You couldn't help smiling.
Was Abbott......jealous? There was only one way to find out. You stepped out into the hallway and found Abbott leaning casually against the nurses' station, scrolling through something on his iPad.
"So..." you said, unable to hide the small smirk on your face. "What was that about, Dr. Abbott?"
He sighed, finally looking over at you. For just a second, he seemed to simply study your face before answering.
"From what I've seen, and it's only been forty-five minutes since this shift started…he's done nothing but follow you around and flirt with you."
"It's distracting." He hesitated. "...It's unprofessional." He looked like he wanted to keep talking. Instead, Lena's voice interrupted from behind the desk.
"I'm glad you two are enjoying your gossip session, but we've got an incoming trauma." She held the phone against her ear while listening to the report. "ETA three minutes."
The atmosphere shifted instantly. The teasing disappeared. Work mode. Without another word, you turned and headed toward Trauma Four, where Keith was finishing stocking gloves.
"Hey," you called. "We've got a trauma coming in. Two minutes."
Keith turned with an eager smile.
He shrugged. "If I'm with you, I'm sure I'll be fine."
You rolled your eyes with a laugh. "What a flirt."
Shaking your head, you headed toward the trauma bay.
Keith followed close behind.
The overhead speakers crackled.
**"Level One Trauma. ETA one minute. Trauma Bay Three."**
The department shifted instantly. Conversations stopped. Computers were abandoned. Everyone moved.
Mateo was already pulling gloves on.
"Twenty-four-year-old male, MVC. High-speed rollover. Hypotensive in the field, decreased breath sounds on the left, GCS twelve."
"Blood cooler?" Abbot called.
"Already here," Mateo answered.
You glanced toward Keith. "Stay with me. Watch where everyone positions themselves. Don't get tunnel vision."
He nodded immediately. "Got it."
The ambulance doors burst open.
"Twenty-four-year-old male!" the paramedic shouted while steering the stretcher into the bay. "Restrained driver. Prolonged extrication. BP eighty over forty. Needle decompression was performed in route with minimal improvement."
The room exploded into organized chaos.
Abbott was already at the head of the bed. "Airway. Y/N, IV access."
"Keith," you said quickly. "Pressure bag. Prime another liter."
"I'm on it." He moved surprisingly fast.
Not bad, you thought. The monitor screamed. Heart rate 148. Pressure falling.
"Breath sounds absent left."
Abbot's eyes never left the patient. "We're losing him."
He looked toward you. "Chest tray."
You already had it. "Here."
He barely had to ask. The chest tube went in. A rush of air escaped. The patient's oxygen saturation immediately began climbing.
"Pressure's eighty-eight."
The room collectively breathed just a little easier.
Keith leaned toward you while hanging blood. "You make this look easy."
You didn't even glance up from securing the tubing. "It definitely isn't."
"No," he said with a grin. "But you still make it look that way."
"Keith." Abbott's voice cut cleanly across the room.
No raised volume. No anger. Just enough.
Keith looked over. "Yes, Doctor?"
Keith immediately checked the transfusion. "Right."
Abbott returned his attention to the patient.
"Good catch on the pressure bag."
"...Thanks." You bit the inside of your cheek.
Twenty minutes later the patient was stable enough for CT. As the transport team rolled him out, the room finally exhaled. Everyone began cleaning. Wrappers. Used gauze. Empty syringes. The controlled mess that followed every trauma.
Keith tossed bloody packaging into the trash. "I survived."
You smiled. "I think you kept up."
He leaned against the counter. "I still think the teacher deserves some credit."
"You lay it on pretty thick, don't you?"
He smiled. "But you smiled."
"I think mine are special."
You opened your mouth to answer...
Abbott. Again. You turned. He stood in the doorway with his gloves pulled off, expression unreadable.
Keith glanced between the two of you. "I'll finish cleaning."
"I've got it." He smiled. "Go."
You stepped into the hallway. Abbott waited until the trauma room doors swung shut behind you.
He crossed his arms. "How's he doing?"
"He's...actually pretty good."
"When he's paying attention."
You looked at him carefully. "What does that mean?"
Abbott held your gaze. "It means he spends more time looking at you than the patient."
You laughed softly. "That's what this is about?"
"I'm evaluating a new nurse."
"You just happened to evaluate how often he looks at me?"
His jaw tightened ever so slightly. "I observe everything in my department."
"And right now," he continued evenly, "I'm observing someone who's supposed to be learning but seems significantly more interested in impressing his preceptor."
You folded your arms. "I can handle myself."
"I know you can." His answer came immediately.
"I've never questioned that."
"Then why does this bother you?"
For a moment...He didn't answer. Instead, he looked toward Trauma Three where Keith was laughing with Mateo while throwing away packaging. Then back to you.
"Because..." He stopped himself.
The words visibly caught somewhere behind professionalism.
He sighed. "It doesn't matter."
There it was again. That careful line he always walked.
You stepped a little closer without really thinking. "We're off the trauma now."
"So no one's bleeding for at least thirty seconds."
Despite himself...He smiled.
"I was trying to finish what I was saying before."
He nodded once. "I don't think he understands professional boundaries."
"And I don't like the way he talks to you."
You tilted your head. "Because he's distracting?"
His eyes met yours. "And because he flirts with you every chance he gets."
You couldn't help yourself. "So?"
He stared at you. "You really want me to answer that?"
"I don't enjoy watching it."
Your heartbeat sped up. "You've noticed every time?"
"I've noticed every time."
You smiled despite yourself. "You sound jealous."
His expression stayed completely neutral. "I sound observant."
"I think..." you said, trying very hard not to grin, "...those aren't mutually exclusive."
Before he could respond, Keith's voice echoed from the trauma room. "Y/N! Where do these extra chest tube kits go?"
You glanced over your shoulder. "I'll be right there!"
When you looked back...Abbot was already taking a step away. Professional again. Mask back in place.
"Go teach your new nurse."
There was something in the way he said *your* that made your stomach flutter.
You smiled. "Will do, Doctor."
He turned to leave. Then paused.
Without looking back, he said quietly, "...Try not to let him flatter you too much."
You couldn't resist. "Why?"
Now he looked over his shoulder. For just a second.
"Because..." The corner of his mouth twitched. "...I prefer being the one who makes you blush."
And before you could think of a response, he walked away, leaving you standing in the hallway with cheeks that had, in fact, turned bright pink.
You stood there for another second, watching Abbott disappear around the corner.
‘I preferred being the one who made you blush.’ Your cheeks were still burning.
"Oh, you're in trouble," you muttered to yourself with a smile.
"You talking to yourself already?" Keith asked as he came jogging up beside you.
You jumped. "You have a habit of sneaking up on people."
"I figured I'd have to if I'm going to keep up with you."
You rolled your eyes. "You've got jokes."
He grinned. "I've demonstrated it."
"You've demonstrated persistence."
Before you could answer, the overhead speakers crackled.
"Level One Trauma. ETA four minutes. Motorcycle collision."
The department shifted again. Lena was already pulling up the EMS report.
"Twenty-eight-year-old male. Motorcycle versus SUV. Open femur fracture, suspected pelvic instability, hypotensive despite fluids."
Abbott appeared almost instantly.
"Y/N, you're with me." You nodded.
The ambulance doors burst open moments later.
"BP sixty-eight over forty!"
"Two units of blood running!"
"Pelvic binder applied in the field!"
The patient looked awful. Blood soaked through the sheets beneath him.
"Massive transfusion protocol."
Keith was right beside you, handing you supplies before you even asked.
For a second, everything clicked.
Across the bed, Abbot looked over briefly. His eyes landed on Keith. Then on you.
Then back to the patient. "Focus," he said sharply.
Both of you answered at once. "Yes, Doctor."
The orthopedic resident rushed in. "What've we got?"
"Unstable pelvis. Open femur. Probably heading upstairs if we can keep him alive."
The patient's pressure dipped again.
"Damn it." Abbot's voice stayed level.
Keith reached for the cooler. Instead of grabbing O-negative blood...His hand wrapped around a saline bag. He hung it.
You noticed half a second too late. "Keith-"
Abbot noticed immediately. "No!"
His voice cut through the room. "Stop!"
Abbot crossed the trauma bay in three quick strides. "What are you doing?"
Keith looked down. His face went pale. "I-I thought-"
"You thought wrong." Abbot yanked the saline free before it could infuse.
"This patient is exsanguinating."
Keith swallowed hard. "I know."
"No." Abbot's voice was low. "You don't."
The room had gone silent. Everyone could feel it. Abbot took one controlled breath. Then another.
"Step away from the bed."
Keith immediately backed away.
"You are done in this trauma."
Keith looked toward you. Then quietly left the room. The doors swung shut behind him. Nobody spoke. Abbot didn't either.
He simply held out his hand. "Blood."
You placed the unit into it without a word. The room moved again. Twenty-five minutes later...The bleeding was controlled. Orthopedics had accepted the patient. The transport team rolled the stretcher toward the elevator.
As soon as they disappeared...The adrenaline drained from the room.
You pulled off your gloves. "I'm gonna go check on Keith."
You had barely taken two steps.
"Y/N." Abbott. You stopped.
He was stripping off his gown, his expression unreadable. "I need a minute."
You frowned. "Can it wait?"
You glanced toward the hallway where Keith had disappeared. "I just want to make sure he's okay."
Abbot's jaw tightened. "He'll be fine."
"He could've killed someone."
"But you didn't have to throw him out."
Abbot stared at you. "I absolutely did."
"He was embarrassed enough."
"And trying isn't enough in a trauma bay."
Your voice softened. "Jack..."
His expression flickered. Only for a second. "I wasn't angry because he flirted with you."
You blinked. "I didn't say you were."
You didn't answer. Because you had. He sighed. "When that patient's pressure dropped..." His voice was quieter now.
"I wasn't thinking about Keith."
"I was thinking about a twenty-eight-year-old bleeding to death in front of us."
"I can't have someone second-guessing themselves in this room."
"And I can't have someone who isn't paying attention."
You nodded slowly. "I get that."
He studied your face. "But..."
You finished for him. "...you also don't like him flirting with me."
His silence answered before he did.
"No." A simple answer. Honest.
You couldn't help the small smile tugging at your lips.
"...those are two completely separate conversations."
"And right now..." You pointed toward the hallway. "...I have a brand-new nurse who probably thinks he just ended his career."
Abbot rubbed a tired hand across the back of his neck. "He didn't."
"So let me go tell him that."
He nodded once. Then, just before you walked away-
His voice was much gentler this time. "...Tell him I expect him back."
"And tell him..." He hesitated. "...next time he hears 'blood,' he doesn't touch anything until he's absolutely certain."
"I'll tell him." You started walking again.
A faint smile finally appeared on Abbott's face. "...And if he flirts with you while you're explaining it..."
"...I'm still not going to like it."
You couldn't stop yourself from laughing. "There he is."
Abbott let out a quiet huff of amusement, shook his head, and turned back toward the trauma bay before you could see the reluctant smile that had finally won.
Keith couldn't have gone far. You found him sitting alone in one of the empty charting alcoves near the staff lounge, elbows resting on his knees, his badge turning slowly between his fingers.
He didn't notice you until you stopped beside him. "Hey."
His voice was quieter than usual. "Hey."
You leaned against the counter across from him. "Mind if I sit?"
He shrugged. "I don't think I've earned the right to say no."
You pulled up the rolling stool beside him. For a moment, neither of you spoke.
Finally, you broke the silence. "You okay?"
Keith let out a humorless laugh. "I just got kicked out of my first trauma."
"I hung saline instead of blood. You caught it before it became a bigger problem."
He rubbed a hand over his face. "I looked like an idiot."
"You looked like a brand-new trauma nurse."
He glanced over. "There's a difference?"
"There is." You smiled gently. "Every single person in this department has made a mistake they still think about."
You laughed. "Oh, definitely me."
"I almost contaminated a central line setup my second month here."
Keith looked surprised. "You?"
He winced. "I'm guessing... not gently."
You smiled to yourself. "No."
"He was..." You searched for the right word. “...very direct."
Keith chuckled. "Sounds familiar."
"But he expects it because these patients deserve it."
Keith nodded slowly. "I know."
Another quiet settled between you.
"I really am sorry," he said.
"I wanted to impress you tonight."
You looked at him. "You don't have to impress me."
"I kind of wanted to." A sheepish smile spread across his face.
"I think that much has been obvious." You laughed softly.
"Just a little." He bumped your shoulder lightly with his. "I thought maybe if I made you laugh enough...You'd forget I almost killed a trauma patient?"
"I was hoping you'd say yes."
"I don't think that's how memory works."
He sighed dramatically. "Worth a shot."
You stood, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Come on."
"Let's get back out there."
"You still think I can do this?"
"I wouldn't have come looking for you if I didn't."
Keith smiled for the first time since leaving the trauma bay. "See..."
He stood, grabbing his badge. "...that's exactly why I like you."
You raised an eyebrow. "Keith..."
"I'm serious." He smiled, a little more cautiously this time. "You're kind, you're patient, and somehow you're still talking to me after I embarrassed myself."
"If I wasn't already interested before..." He flashed another grin. "...I definitely am now."
You shook your head, unable to help smiling. "You really don't quit, do you?"
You laughed as the two of you walked down the hallway. "Let's just survive the rest of the shift first."
Keith nodded. "I'll settle for that."
As you disappeared back toward the nurses' station together, neither of you noticed the physician workroom door slowly swing shut. Inside, Abbott had just overheard the tail end of the conversation.
"...If I wasn't already interested before... I definitely am now." His jaw tightened.
He looked down at the chart in front of him. Read the same sentence three times. Then quietly closed the tablet. Something told him this conversation with Keith wasn't over.
The next couple of hours were surprisingly... quiet. At least, quiet by emergency department standards. The waiting room was still overflowing. Call lights blinked every few minutes, monitors continued their constant chorus of beeps, and Lena somehow managed to materialize anytime someone forgot to chart something.
But there were no traumas. No ambulance sirens. No frantic rushes through the bay doors. Instead, the department settled into the rhythm of overnight emergency medicine.
A toddler with a stubborn fever.
A college student convinced that three energy drinks had given him a heart attack.
"You'll live," Lena deadpanned as she discharged him.
She paused. "...Probably."
You hadn't seen much of Keith since your conversation outside the trauma bay. Abbot had reassigned him to Mateo for the remainder of that case, but once the patient reached the OR and the department settled again, Lena quietly sent him back your way.
"Fresh start," she'd said.
Keith looked grateful just to be standing beside you again. He'd also been noticeably quieter. Less eager to joke. Less eager to flirt. Mostly focused on learning. You were glad.
The mistake in the trauma bay had clearly shaken him. Just after midnight, the triage phone rang.
"Room Twelve," Lena called. "Twenty-six-year-old male. Shoulder dislocation after falling off an electric scooter."
You looked toward Keith. "Perfect teaching patient."
His eyebrows lifted. "Really?"
"You need your confidence back."
A genuine smile spread across his face. "I'll take the lead?"
The patient was sitting awkwardly on the stretcher, clutching his left shoulder.
"I swear," he groaned, "those scooters are trying to kill people."
You laughed. "I think they're just making us busier."
Keith introduced himself before beginning his assessment. "Can you wiggle your fingers for me?"
You stayed beside him, letting him work through the assessment on his own. Every now and then, he glanced toward you.
"What else could be injured?"
He paused. "...Clavicle?"
"What about below the shoulder?"
His eyes widened. "The elbow."
He smiled. "You have that face."
"The one where you're silently waiting for me to figure it out."
You laughed. "I don't have a face."
"You definitely have a face."
The patient looked between the two of you.
"You guys work together a lot?"
Keith answered before you could. "I'm hoping to."
You gave him a look. He only smiled sheepishly. The reduction went smoothly. Abbot supervised the sedation, guided the reduction, confirmed post-reduction films, and disappeared almost as quickly as he'd arrived.
The shoulder slid back into place.
The patient sighed dramatically. "Oh... that's so much better."
"I'd stay off the scooters for a while," you advised.
"I think I'm walking everywhere from now on."
An hour later, the room was cleaned, and the patient discharged.
Keith tossed the last wrapper into the trash. "I think..." He smiled. "...that went a little better."
He looked at you for a second longer than necessary. "Thanks."
There was something different in his expression. Less embarrassment. More admiration. You didn't think much of it. You carried the empty supply tray toward the supply closet.
Keith reached for the other handle. "I've got it."
The supply closet was empty. You started replacing supplies while Keith organized the tray beside you.
After a minute, he broke the silence. "Can I ask you something?"
"When you came looking for me after the trauma..."
You looked over. "...yeah?"
"Did you do that because you had to?"
His smile grew. "I didn't think so."
"I did it because you looked like you needed someone."
You smiled sympathetically. "I think anybody would've checked on you."
You returned to stocking gauze. "I think you're giving me too much credit."
"I don't think I am." He leaned against the wall. "I've never had someone do that for me."
"I was just trying to help."
He looked at you. "...It's one of the reasons I like you."
Your smile faltered. "Keith..."
"I know." He laughed softly.
"I told myself I wasn't going to bring it up again."
"But then you came after me."
"I would've done that for anyone."
You sighed quietly. "Keith..."
His smile softened. "I think you're amazing."
You looked away. "I appreciate that."
"I don't think you know how beautiful you are."
"I mean it." He stepped closer.
"You've got this way of making people feel better just by talking to them."
"I can't stop thinking about you."
You set the supply tray down. "I really think we should keep this professional."
"We can get dinner after work."
You smiled politely. "I'm not interested."
"You haven't even thought about it."
He laughed. "I'll wear you down eventually."
Your expression became serious. "No, you won't."
He searched your face. "You mean that."
There was a long silence. Then-
"I just think if you gave me a chance—"
The deep voice from the doorway cut cleanly through the room. You turned. Abbot stood just outside the supply closet. Hands in his pockets. Expression unreadable.
Keith immediately straightened. "Doctor."
Abbot's eyes never left him. "She answered you."
The rest of the shift passed in a blur. Not because the department was busy. For once, it was almost manageable. But because every time you looked up, you were aware of Abbot. And every time Abbot looked up...
You wondered if he was thinking about the same thing. Keith finished the remainder of his shift with Mateo. He was quieter afterward, more careful, and noticeably less confident than he had been when the night started. You felt bad for him.
But you also knew Abbott was right. You had said no. More than once. And that should have been enough.
By six forty-five, the familiar signs of morning shift started appearing. Fresh coffee. New faces. Day shift nurses walking in with their bags over their shoulders and expressions that said they had no idea what they were walking into.
Lena was giving report while Mateo was already complaining about needing sleep.
"You're dramatic," Lena told him.
"I've been awake for twelve hours."
"You chose emergency medicine."
"I was young and foolish."
You smiled as you finished your last chart. The department was changing hands. Night was finally ending. You grabbed your bag from the locker room, ready to leave, when you heard your name.
Abbott stood a few feet away. His backpack was already on. He looked exhausted. But there was something else there too.
"Can I talk to you for a minute?"
Your stomach tightened. "Sure."
He nodded toward the empty hallway near the physician’s workroom. Not hidden. Not secret. Just quieter.
When you stopped, he crossed his arms. "Are you okay?"
The question caught you off guard. "I'm fine."
He gave you a look. "You don't have to say that automatically."
A small smile tugged at his mouth. "There it is."
You leaned against the wall. "I'm okay."
Abbott nodded. "I'm glad."
You looked at him. "Jack."
His expression softened slightly. "Y/N."
You both smiled at the familiar exchange.
Then he sighed. "I don't want you thinking I stepped in because I don't trust you to handle yourself."
You looked away. "Maybe a little."
He nodded. "I know you're capable."
His voice lowered. "I know you can take care of yourself better than almost anyone I've ever worked with."
That made you look back at him. "Then why did it bother you so much?"
The question sat between you. For a moment, he didn't answer.
Then he exhaled. "Because I watched it happen all night."
You raised an eyebrow. "Keith?"
"Yes." A small, almost amused frustration crossed his face. "He followed you everywhere."
You tried not to smile. "He was learning."
"He was learning your coffee order."
"No, I'm serious." Now he was smiling too. "He knew how you liked your coffee before he knew where the trauma supplies were."
You covered your mouth, trying not to laugh. "He was being nice."
He looked at you. "And it annoyed me."
There it was. The honesty.
You tilted your head. "Why?"
He looked away for a second. "Because I know what it's like to make you laugh."
Your smile faded slightly. "Jack..."
"I know." He ran a hand over his face. "I'm not saying this because I think I have some claim on you."
"I know." The quickness of his answer surprised you.
The hallway became quiet.
"I think that's why it bothered me."
"Because watching someone else try to get your attention reminded me that I have been trying very hard not to want yours."
Your heartbeat picked up. He looked at you. Really looked at you.
"You do." A faint smile appeared. "You walk into a room and somehow everyone notices."
"You notice." The words slipped out.
And immediately, you both went quiet. Because you both knew exactly what you meant. Abbot looked down.
Then back at you. "I do."
"I notice everything about you."
The air changed. Not because either of you moved. Because neither of you did. For a second, it felt exactly like the supply room again.
The almost. The impossible. The thing neither of you could stop feeling. Then Abbot stepped back. Just slightly. Enough to remind both of you where you were.
"You deserve someone who can give you their full attention."
Your eyes stayed on his. "You mean someone who isn't my attending."
His expression softened. "Yes."
The honesty hurt more than you expected.
"You think that person, isn't you?"
"I think..." He swallowed. "...that if things were different, I wouldn't hesitate."
Your heart squeezed. "Jack."
"I mean that." His voice was quiet. "I know exactly what I want."
"But wanting something doesn't mean you take it."
That was the thing about him. The thing that made it harder. He always chose the right thing. Even when it clearly cost him.
You smiled sadly. "You make being responsible very annoying."
He laughed softly. "I've been told."
The two of you stood there for another moment. Close. Too close emotionally. Not physically.
Then Lena's voice echoed from the nurses' station. "Y/N, are you leaving, or did you move in?"
You both laughed. The moment broke.
You grabbed your bag. "I should go."
You started walking away. Then stopped. "Jack?"
His expression softened. "For what?"
"For looking out for me."
You held his gaze for one more second. Then you left. And even though nothing happened... Even though neither of you crossed the line... It somehow felt like everything had changed.
The next few shifts were different. Not because the emergency department changed. It never did. There were still endless call lights, impossible patients, and moments where everyone survived purely because caffeine existed.
But something between you and Abbot had shifted. Not in a way anyone else could see. Not in a way that could be documented or explained. Just in the small moments. The way he always looked for you when he walked into the department.
The way you somehow always ended up beside him during the more complicated cases. The way neither of you ever acknowledged the tension hanging between you.
Keith, thankfully, became much less of a presence. After your conversation with Lena, she moved him to work alongside Mateo for the remainder of his orientation.
She didn't make a big deal out of it. She didn't need to. Lena had a way of handling situations without making people feel like they were being punished.
Keith apologized one more time before the switch happened.
"I really am sorry," he said quietly.
You believed him. "I know."
He looked down. "I appreciate you being honest with me."
"Thank you for listening."
And that was the end of it. No drama. No awkwardness. Just a boundary finally respected.
A few nights later, you found Lena outside the employee entrance smoking a cigarette. The weather was cold enough that you could see your breath.
Lena leaned against the brick wall, cigarette in hand. "You know..."
You glanced over. "Whenever you start a sentence like that, I get nervous."
She smiled. "Good instinct."
She looked toward the parking lot. "You and Abbott."
Your stomach immediately tightened. "What about us?"
She gave you a knowing look. "See?"
"You didn't ask who I meant."
You rolled your eyes. "Lena."
She took a pull from her cigarette. "I've worked with that man a long time."
"And I have never seen him look at someone the way he looks at you."
You looked down. "He can't."
The answer was immediate.
"I know." Her expression softened.
"And I also know that knowing something is wrong doesn't magically make feelings disappear."
You sighed. "I don't want him to get in trouble."
"But that doesn't mean you have to spend your entire life pretending something isn't there."
You looked at her. "What am I supposed to do?"
Lena shrugged. "Honestly?"
"No, I'm serious." She pointed her cigarette at you.
"Not recklessly. Not while ignoring consequences. But stop letting fear make every decision for you."
You looked toward the hospital doors. "What if it's not worth it?"
"Then you figure out how to make it work." Her voice softened. "But don't spend years wondering what would've happened because you were too scared to find out."
You smiled slightly. "You always have the most questionable advice."
"That's why you love me."
"I know." She bumped your shoulder.
"Now go inside before Lena the charge nurse has to yell at Lena the friend for being outside too long."
A few weeks later, after one of the longest shifts imaginable, night shift decided enough was enough.
"We are going out," Mateo announced.
You laughed. "Mateo, you do realize you're arguing with the person who makes the schedule, right?"
"Exactly. I'm taking a risk."
Somehow, everyone ended up agreeing. One drink became two. Two became everyone staying longer than planned. The bar was loud, warm, and a completely different world from the ED.
No monitors. No trauma calls. No pressure.
Just your coworkers laughing about everything that had gone wrong that week. You were sitting at the bar when two men approached.
"Can we buy you a drink?"
You smiled politely. "I'm okay, thank you."
The first one grinned. "Come on. We're just being friendly."
"I appreciate it, but I'm good."
The second one leaned against the bar. "You always this serious?"
You turned. Abbott. Your heart immediately betrayed you.
He stood a few feet away, jacket on, hands in his pockets. "I need to talk to you for a second."
You looked between him and the two men. "Everything okay?"
His eyes flickered toward them. Then back to you. "I just need some air."
You knew that look. Something was weighing on him.
Outside, the noise of the bar disappeared the moment the door swung shut behind you. The cool night air wrapped around both of you, a welcome contrast to the warmth and chatter inside. For a long moment, neither of you spoke.
You smiled first. "Were you rescuing me?"
Abbott huffed out a quiet laugh. "No." A beat. "...Maybe."
You folded your arms against the chill. "You were jealous."
"I believe concern was involved."
You watched him carefully. He rubbed the back of his neck before letting out a slow breath. "...Also involved."
You couldn't stop yourself from smiling. "I knew it."
"I've spent weeks convincing myself I wasn't."
"And then I watched three different men try to flirt with you tonight." His jaw tightened just enough for you to notice. "I didn't enjoy that."
Your smile softened. "I noticed."
Silence settled again. Comfortable. Dangerous.
He looked down at the sidewalk before meeting your eyes again. "I've been trying very hard to do the right thing."
"I keep telling myself that if I ignore this long enough..." His voice trailed off. "...it'll go away."
You already knew the answer. "It hasn't."
"No." The word was barely audible. "If anything..." He gave a small, almost helpless smile. "...it's gotten worse."
"You make me look forward to coming to work." He laughed quietly to himself. "Which is a ridiculous thing for an attending physician to admit."
"I don't think it's ridiculous."
"You don't?" You shook your head. "I look for you too."
His expression changed. Not surprise. Hope. The kind that had been buried for a long time.
"Every shift." You smiled to yourself. "If I don't see you when I walk into the department, I notice."
His eyes never left yours. "If you're off helping another patient, I catch myself listening for your voice."
You laughed softly. "I know."
"You always look toward the ambulance bay whenever you hear me laugh."
"You do." He shook his head, smiling despite himself.
"I wasn't aware anyone had noticed."
The words settled between you. He took one slow step closer. Not enough to crowd you. Just enough that you could see every fleck of color in his eyes.
Another step. Close enough now that your voices naturally dropped. The sounds from inside the bar faded until they were little more than muffled music behind the brick wall.
"I've wanted..." he began quietly before stopping himself.
He searched your face. Then admitted, almost reluctantly- "...to be this close to you for a long time."
Your pulse quickened. Neither of you moved. Neither of you seemed capable of it.
His eyes searched yours carefully. "I don't ever want you to feel pressured."
"I need to hear you say it."
You nodded once. "I know."
Another long pause. He lifted one hand slowly. Not touching you. Just close enough that you could feel the warmth radiating from his fingertips.
Your answer wasn't immediate. Not because you were unsure. Because you'd imagined this moment too many times. Instead of speaking, you closed the last few inches between you. Your fingers curled gently around the front of his jacket as you leaned into him.
For a heartbeat, he simply stood there, almost as though he couldn't quite believe you were real. Then his hand settled lightly against your waist. Tentative. Giving you every opportunity to step away.
When you didn't, his thumb traced the smallest circle against your side. "You sure?" he whispered.
You looked up at him, smiling. "I've never been more sure."
The distance between you disappeared. The kiss was gentle at first. Almost hesitant. A question more than an answer. Months of restrained glances, unfinished conversations, and almost-moments finally finding somewhere to go.
When you kissed him back, you felt him smile against your lips. A quiet, disbelieving smile. His hand remained at your waist, steady and warm, while your fingers slid up to rest against his shoulder. You lingered there together, neither of you in any hurry to pull away.
When you finally did, your foreheads rested together. Both of you smiling. Both of you slightly breathless.
"I've wanted to do that," he admitted with a soft laugh, "for longer than I'd care to admit."
He closed his eyes for a brief second, smiling. "So was I."
For another long moment, neither of you spoke. You simply stood together beneath the glow of the parking lot lights, the noise of the city fading into the background. Then, from inside the bar, Lena's voice carried through the cracked-open door.
"If you two are out there solving world peace, I'm adding another round to your tab!"
You both laughed. Abbott looked at you, his smile lingering.
"I suppose we should go back."
You nodded. "In a minute."
"In a minute," he agreed.
