Dr. Jack Abbot x (female) reader | Dr. Jack Abbot x you
Summary: Jack doesn't forget. And he doesn't let things slide.
(AKA Jack channels his inner Pope lol)
A/N: I'm no longer updating the taglist because Tumblr has been glitching way too much lately. If you don't want to miss any updates, feel free to turn on notifications for my posts! <3
Link to "You stole my cart" master list (1)
Link to "You stole my cart" master list (2)
Previous chapter: Interlude: Did anyone fucking ask?
--- --- ---
A week later Jack found himself back in the Pitt. Just another night shift, nothing special about it. Lizzie was feeling much better now, still on antibiotics and still on a tight leash - and refusing to sleep in her own bed again. Jack hadn’t complained about it because he was just too happy that his baby girl was recovering so nicely.
He just finished handover with Dr. Al-Hashimi when Dana glanced over to him. “MVC, ETA in 2 minutes.”
Baran looked over to Jack. “I can stay if you want to.”
“Nah.” He waved her off. “But it could be a good teaching case for a student or an intern if anyone is interested?”
A student stepped forward, already reaching for gloves. “I’d be happy to assist, Dr. Abbot.”
Jack looked up. It was student doctor Morrigan. He narrowed his eyes slightly. “You’re observing today.”
“But Sir, I-”
“I don’t need a running commentary on this patient’s appearance tonight and I heard that’s where you shine. “He glanced toward the other people standing there, staring at him.”Nazely, Whitaker - you up for that?”
Dennis stared at him, then nodded quickly. “Yeah, sure. I’m happy to stay and help out.”
Nazely glanced at Morrigan then snapped on gloves. “Okay.”
“Kim, you free?” Jack called toward the nurse.
She nodded. “Sure. I’ll be right there.”
“Great. Good team.”
The trauma bay doors burst open and medics rolled the gurney in. As soon as they spotted Jack they started handover. “Twenty-two-year-old male, MVC, restrained driver, hypotensive en route.”
“Trauma One is open. Come on, let’s move, guys.” Jack was already moving, voice calm and sharp while he listened to the rest of the rapport. “Okay, transfer on my count. Nazely you’re on the head. One, two - three.”
The team shifted the patient onto the trauma bed and got to work. Clothes were cut off, blood pressure cuff, EKG leads, another peripheral line.
“BP?”
“Eighty over forty.”
“Pulse?”
“One hundred twenty-one.”
“Okay, let’s get blood ready - two units of uncrossmatched O-neg in here now, two more on standby. Two large-bore lines. FAST exam.”
Jack glanced around. The med student stood against the wall, gloves on despite only being there to observe, looking at Jack with hopeful eyes. Jack’s gaze drifted to Nazely.
“Nazely, you’re on the FAST exam.”
She nodded and stepped closer.
Kim was busy drawing blood but glanced up nevertheless. “Observation is also part of medical education, you know?” she said with a smile that looked friendly but wasn’t.
Morrigan blushed and pulled the gloves off slowly.
When the patient was stable and wheeled off to the OR the trauma bay emptied. Whitaker clocked off and the others scrambled into different rooms or went to finish their charting. Jack walked over to the nurses’ station to take a sip of his coffee when he noticed Morrigan lingering nearby, despite his shift having officially ended an hour ago.
Jack fought a moment with himself, then took a deep breath. “Hey, Morrigan.”
The med student looked up, getting pale. “Um - yes, Dr. Abbot?”
“Walk with me, would you?”
They moved a little down the hallway, away from the busy desk. Then Jack turned around to face him. Morrigan looked actually miserable. “Dr. Abbot, I-”
Jack raised a hand slightly. “Let me start.”
Silence stretched between them. The med student shifted uncomfortably but didn’t dare to speak again.
“Do you have any idea why I didn’t want you to assist me on that case?”
He swallowed hard. “Because… I acted unprofessional with your wife.” The answer came with no hesitation.
Jack nodded slowly. “Yeah. Well, that was the starting position.”
He blinked. “Um. Okay?”
“And then I started to ask people about you. People working here. I didn’t go and sniff around your personal life, no worry.” Jack let out a short laugh that should probably be comforting but only led to Morrigan to break out in cold sweat. “And everyone says the same about you.”
Jack paused very deliberately here. “You’re good in what you do. You know stuff. You learn fast. And that’s good.” A small nod. “But as a human being? Your colleagues seem to think you’re arrogant, dismissive and snarky. On top of that you’re incredibly unfunny as you demonstrated when you tried to joke about my wife.”
Morrigan looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him whole. “About that-”
“No.” Jack shook his head. “We’re way past apologizing. And I guess that’s what you wanted to do here. Just don’t, okay? Don’t try to bullshit a bullshitter, kid.” He watched him for a moment. “Don’t you think I’ve been twenty-three once? Being the world’s most arrogant, cocky asshole who thought being good at placing central lines makes him the king of the god damn hospital?” He let out a humorless laugh. “Of course I was. I was unbearable.”
The med student looked up, his eyebrow furrowed.
“But there’s one thing I never did - I never, ever humiliated another human being just for a laugh. Or put someone down to make myself feel better. Nope, never done that.”
Morrigan blushed again.
“If you can’t put yourself in someone else’s shoes… if you clearly don’t see what was so uncalled for about your comment… you’re going to have a very short career in this profession. And even a shorter one in this hospital. Because knowledge can be taught. I guess I could train a monkey to place a central line.” He shrugged. “But character is harder. And that’s where you should keep your focus for the foreseeable future.”
The med student nodded quickly. “Understood.”
Jack stared at him for another moment, then - “Good.” He nodded and looked back down the hallway. “And if I hear you talking about my wife one more time” he added with a smile. “I won’t be so forgiving. You know I’ve been in the military, yeah? Just as a friendly reminder to never ever fuck with my family.”
Jack kept smiling. “Now get out of here. You’ve had a long shift and I guess you need new underwear by now.”
The student moved immediately. Jack watched him go, then turned back toward the department.
--- --- ---
You wanna keep reading? - Next part is coming soon, I promise.
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.
"Y/N."
You looked up.
"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."
*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.
*Dr. Jealous?*
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."
You raised an eyebrow.
"I'm not a fan of it."
"Why?"
"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.
"You ready?"
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.
"Respiratory?"
"On their way."
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.
"Transfer on three."
"One—two—three."
The patient slid across.
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.
"Seventy-six systolic."
"FAST exam."
"Negative."
"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.
"Better."
"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."
Before you could answer
"Keith." Abbott's voice cut cleanly across the room.
No raised volume. No anger. Just enough.
Keith looked over. "Yes, Doctor?"
"Eyes on the blood."
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 did."
"You think I passed?"
You smiled. "I think you kept up."
"I had a good teacher."
"You had a good team."
He leaned against the counter. "I still think the teacher deserves some credit."
"You lay it on pretty thick, don't you?"
He laughed. "Too much?"
"A little."
"I'll dial it back."
"You probably should."
He smiled. "But you smiled."
"I smile at everyone."
"I don't believe you."
"Oh?"
"I think mine are special."
You opened your mouth to answer...
"Y/N."
Abbott. Again. You turned. He stood in the doorway with his gloves pulled off, expression unreadable.
"Can I see you?"
Keith glanced between the two of you. "I'll finish cleaning."
"You don't have to—"
"I've got it." He smiled. "Go."
---
You stepped into the hallway. Abbott waited until the trauma room doors swung shut behind you.
"What did you need?"
He crossed his arms. "How's he doing?"
"The patient?"
"The new nurse."
"Oh." You blinked.
"He's...actually pretty good."
"I noticed."
"He stayed calm."
"He did."
"He listens."
"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?"
"No."
"It sounds like it."
"I'm evaluating a new nurse."
"You are."
"I am."
"You just happened to evaluate how often he looks at me?"
His jaw tightened ever so slightly. "I observe everything in my department."
"Mhm."
"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."
"It does."
"It shouldn't."
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?"
"So no one's bleeding for at least thirty seconds."
Despite himself...He smiled.
"You're impossible."
"I've been told."
"I was trying to finish what I was saying before."
"About Keith?"
He nodded once. "I don't think he understands professional boundaries."
"And?"
"And I don't like the way he talks to you."
You tilted your head. "Because he's distracting?"
"Yes."
"And?"
His eyes met yours. "And because he flirts with you every chance he gets."
The silence stretched.
You couldn't help yourself. "So?"
He stared at you. "You really want me to answer that?"
"I kind of do."
Another beat.
"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."
"Mhm."
"You disagree?"
"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."
"I've got charm."
"So you've said."
He grinned. "I've demonstrated it."
"You've demonstrated persistence."
"I'll take that."
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.
"Trauma Three."
Everyone moved.
"Y/N, you're with me." You nodded.
"Keith, stay on Y/N."
"Got it."
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.
"Transfer on three."
"One...two...three."
The room erupted.
"Large-bore IV."
"Already in."
"Pressure's dropping."
"Massive transfusion protocol."
Keith was right beside you, handing you supplies before you even asked.
"Pressure bag."
"In your hand."
"Flush."
"Here."
For a second, everything clicked.
You smiled. "Nice."
"Told you I'd keep up."
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.
"Fifty-eight systolic."
"Damn it." Abbot's voice stayed level.
"More blood."
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!"
Everyone froze.
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.
"I asked for blood."
"I'm sorry—"
"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 hesitated.
"Now."
Keith immediately backed away.
"You are done in this trauma."
"I'm sorry."
"I said out."
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?"
"No."
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."
"You don't know that."
"He made a mistake."
"I know."
"He could've killed someone."
"I know."
"But you didn't have to throw him out."
Abbot stared at you. "I absolutely did."
"He was embarrassed enough."
"He needed to leave."
"He was trying."
"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."
"But you thought it."
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 know."
"I can't have someone second-guessing themselves in this room."
"I know."
"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.
Finally...
"No." A simple answer. Honest.
"I don't."
You couldn't help the small smile tugging at your lips.
"You know..."
He looked at you.
"...those are two completely separate conversations."
"They are."
"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."
"I know."
"So let me go tell him that."
He nodded once. Then, just before you walked away-
"Y/N."
You looked back.
His voice was much gentler this time. "...Tell him I expect him back."
You smiled. "I will."
"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.
"Y/N?"
You laughed. "What now?"
A faint smile finally appeared on Abbott's face. "...And if he flirts with you while you're explaining it..."
You raised an eyebrow.
"...I'm still not going to like it."
You couldn't stop yourself from laughing. "There he is."
"There who is?"
"Dr. Jealous."
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."
He looked up. "Oh."
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."
"You got overwhelmed."
"I hung saline instead of blood. You caught it before it became a bigger problem."
"Dr. Abbott caught it."
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?"
You laughed. "Oh, definitely me."
"What'd you do?"
"I almost contaminated a central line setup my second month here."
Keith looked surprised. "You?"
"I was mortified."
"What happened?"
"Abbot corrected me."
He winced. "I'm guessing... not gently."
You smiled to yourself. "No."
"He wasn't mean."
"He was..." You searched for the right word. “...very direct."
Keith chuckled. "Sounds familiar."
"He expects a lot."
"Yeah."
"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 know you are."
"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?"
He groaned.
"I was hoping you'd say yes."
"I don't think that's how memory works."
He smiled. "No?"
"No."
He sighed dramatically. "Worth a shot."
You stood, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Come on."
He looked up.
"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?"
"Can you blame me?"
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 migraine.
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?"
"You'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?"
The patient did.
"Sensation?"
"Yeah."
"Pulse is intact."
You stayed beside him, letting him work through the assessment on his own. Every now and then, he glanced toward you.
"Am I missing anything?"
"What else could be injured?"
He paused. "...Clavicle?"
"Good."
He checked it carefully.
"No tenderness."
"What about below the shoulder?"
His eyes widened. "The elbow."
"There you go."
He smiled. "You have that face."
"What 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.
"There it is."
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."
"It did."
"You trusted me again."
"I never stopped."
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."
"You don't have to."
"I know." He smiled.
"I want to."
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?"
"Shoot."
"When you came looking for me after the trauma..."
You looked over. "...yeah?"
"Did you do that because you had to?"
Your hands paused. "No."
His smile grew. "I didn't think so."
"I did it because you looked like you needed someone."
"I needed you."
You smiled sympathetically. "I think anybody would've checked on you."
"I don't."
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."
"I know."
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."
"Probably a good idea."
"But then you came after me."
"I would've done that for anyone."
"I don't believe you."
"You should."
He shook his head. "No."
You sighed quietly. "Keith..."
"I'm serious."
"So am I."
His smile softened. "I think you're amazing."
You looked away. "I appreciate that."
"I don't think you know how beautiful you are."
You blinked. "Okay..."
"I mean it." He stepped closer.
"You've got this way of making people feel better just by talking to them."
"Keith."
"I can't stop thinking about you."
You set the supply tray down. "I really think we should keep this professional."
"We can."
"And?"
"We can get dinner after work."
You smiled politely. "I'm not interested."
"You haven't even thought about it."
"I have."
"So that's a maybe."
"No."
"A coffee?"
"No."
"One date."
"No."
He laughed. "I'll wear you down eventually."
Your expression became serious. "No, you won't."
He searched your face. "You mean that."
"I do."
There was a long silence. Then-
"I just think if you gave me a chance—"
"She answered you."
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.
"Y/N."
You turned.
Abbott stood a few feet away. His backpack was already on. He looked exhausted. But there was something else there too.
Concern.
"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."
You sighed. "Okay."
A small smile tugged at his mouth. "There it is."
"What?"
"The actual answer."
You leaned against the wall. "I'm okay."
A pause.
"Keith apologized."
Abbott nodded. "I'm glad."
"He seemed embarrassed."
"He should be."
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."
"I don't."
"You hesitated."
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."
You laughed. "Jack."
"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."
"I know."
"And?"
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."
"You don't."
"I know." The quickness of his answer surprised you.
"I know I don't."
The hallway became quiet.
"I think that's why it bothered me."
You waited.
"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 make it difficult."
"I do?"
"You do." A faint smile appeared. "You walk into a room and somehow everyone notices."
"That's not true."
"It is."
"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."
Your breath caught.
"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?"
A long silence. Then-
"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."
Another pause.
"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."
"By me."
"Mostly by you."
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 should."
You started walking away. Then stopped. "Jack?"
He looked over.
"Thank you."
His expression softened. "For what?"
"For looking out for me."
A quiet smile. "Always."
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."
"I crossed a line."
You nodded. "You did."
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."
You laughed. "What?"
She looked toward the parking lot. "You and Abbott."
Your stomach immediately tightened. "What about us?"
She gave you a knowing look. "See?"
"What?"
"You didn't ask who I meant."
You rolled your eyes. "Lena."
"I'm just saying."
She took a pull from her cigarette. "I've worked with that man a long time."
You stayed quiet.
"And I have never seen him look at someone the way he looks at you."
You looked down. "He can't."
"I know."
The answer was immediate.
"Lena..."
"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."
"He won't."
"He could."
"He could." She nodded.
"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?"
You waited.
"Say fuck it."
You laughed. "Lena."
"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 walk away."
"What if it is?"
"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 do."
"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.
"No," Lena replied.
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
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?"
Before you could answer-
"Y/N."
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?"
"Yeah."
His eyes flickered toward them. Then back to you. "I just need some air."
You knew that look. Something was weighing on him.
You nodded. "Okay."
---
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 was concerned."
"Mhm."
"You don't believe me."
"I believe concern was involved."
"And the jealousy?"
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?"
"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."
"I imagine you did."
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 know."
"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."
Your heart squeezed.
"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.
"You do?"
"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 know?"
"You have a habit."
"I do?"
"You always look toward the ambulance bay whenever you hear me laugh."
He blinked. "...I do."
"You do." He shook his head, smiling despite himself.
"I wasn't aware anyone had noticed."
"I notice everything."
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.
"You really do."
"So do you."
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.
"What?"
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 don't."
"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.
"Is this okay?"
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."
"I know."
"You knew?"
"I was hoping."
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.
Dr. Jack Abbot x (female) reader | Dr. Jack Abbot x you
Summary: An overnight stay in the Pitt... and Jack almost commits homicide over one careless comment.
A/N: I'm no longer updating the taglist because Tumblr has been glitching way too much lately. If you don't want to miss any updates, feel free to turn on notifications for my posts! <3
Link to "You stole my cart" master list (1)
Link to "You stole my cart" master list (2)
Previous chapter: Interlude: Congratulations on successfully keeping a very boring secret
--- --- ---
It was a quiet evening which alone felt weird. Jack had just left for nightshift and you were still sitting at the kitchen table, watching Lizzie eat dinner.
Or more - watching her push pieces of pasta around her plate before dropping her fork with a small sigh. Lizzie had inherited Jack’s appetite and normally treated every meal like she had been starving for several days so… that was suspicious.
You looked her over. “Do you want any more, Bean?”
She shook her head and rubbed both hands over her eyes. You looked at the clock. It was barely past seven.
“Are you already tired, baby?”
She nodded slowly and immediately stretched her arms toward you. “Mommy.”
You lifted her out of her chair and settled her against your hip. Her head dropped onto your shoulder almost immediately.
“Wow, baby huh?” you whispered, pressing a kiss to her hair. “Someone really is tired.”
She felt warm. Not alarmingly hot but warmer than usual. And heavier somehow as if she wasn’t helping hold herself up against your shoulder.
You carried her into the bathroom, somehow managed to brush her teeth (despite her barely opening her mouth) and changed her diaper before putting her into pajamas. She didn’t protest once.
No attempts to run away without pants. No argument about brushing her teeth. No dramatic collapse onto the bathroom floor because you wouldn’t let her take her toothbrush to bed.
That was even more concerning than the warmth of her skin.
“Let’s check your temperature, hm, Lizzie Bear?” you murmered.
100.8°F.
Not too bad. She had probably just caught another daycare virus. Daycares were breeding ground for germs so… not surprising she had caught something.
You gave her some children’s Tylenol, made sure she drank a little water and lifted her onto her hip again. “You want to sleep in Mommy’s bed?”
For the past few weeks the answer had always been yes. Usually accompanied by tears, screaming and her clinging to your neck like she was made of velcro.
Tonight… she shook her head. “Izzie bed.”
You stopped, blinking. “You want to sleep in your own bed?”
She nodded sleepily.
That should have felt like progress. Instead something uncomfortable settled in your stomach.
You carefully placed her in her bed, expecting her to immediately sit up again and demand to come with you.
She didn’t.
She rolled onto her side, hugged her stuffed giraffe against her chest, put her thumb into her mouth and closed her eyes. Within a minute she was asleep.
You stood beside her bed, watching her.
It felt… wrong.
You placed your hand against her forehead again - she was still warm but not too hot. She would feel better once the Tylenol kicked in.
“Sleep well, baby” you whispered and kissed her hair.
When you left the room you left the door open. Just in case.
Jack:
Shift is crazy.
Just sneaked to the bathroom to text you.
How are my girls?
You:
Lizzie barely ate and went to sleep in her own bed.
Jack:
Maybe the peek-a-boo worked?
You:
She also feels a little warm.
Jack:
You can give her Tylenol if she’s running a fever. Probably just daycare germs. Keep an eye on her and make sure she drinks.
You:
Yes, Dr. Abbot.
Jack:
I’d love some sexting but need to run again. I love you.
You:
Love you too
You cleaned the kitchen, then the living room. When you glanced at the clock it was barely nine. You sat down, staring at nothing in particular. You had almost forgotten how it was when you didn’t have a clingy toddler stuck to your hip - you really got shit done.
And still… it felt wrong.
You took a shower and washed your hair. You didn’t bother to blow-dry it - you didn’t want to wake up Lizzie and you would take care of them in the morning anyway. After checking on Lizzie again you went to bed, shortly after ten.
You were exhausted. After the last few weeks you should have fallen asleep the second your head touched the pillow - but you couldn’t.
The bed suddenly was too… empty. Jack wasn’t there because he was working. And Lizzie wasn’t there either. It just felt… wrong. It was too quiet.
You turned onto your side and closed your eyes but sleep wouldn’t come. You tried breathing exercises - nothing. You tried counting sheep - nothing. You tried to remember what Jack had told you about that incredibly boring medical article - nothing.
At eleven thirty you went into Lizzie’s room again and placed your hand against her forehead. She was still warm. When you took her temperature it was 102.1°F.
You sat beside her for a while, watching her breathe. You frowned a little. Maybe you were imagining it but she was breathing a little faster than usual. But then… you were tired and probably saw ghosts.
You almost reached for your phone to record a video for Jack, then immediately felt ridiculous. He had told you what to do. Keep an eye on her. Make sure she drinks water. You had given her Tylenol. And in the end… she probably just needed to sleep it off.
You stayed in the rocking chair and closed your eyes.
At some point you must have drifted off because when you opened your eyes again and glanced at your watch it was 2:02 a.m.
You blinked confused then when you heard strange sounds coming from her bed. You reached over and switched on the small lamp, then stood.
“Lizzie?”
She didn't answer. She was lying on her back now, her head turned strangely to one side. And you could hear her breath - fast, shallow… just so terribly wrong.
“Baby?”
Her cheeks were bright red and damp curls stuck to her forehead. You touched her face and immediately pulled your hand back. “Fuck, you’re burning up.”
You lifted her carefully into your arms. “Hey baby. Wake up for Mommy, huh? Can you please wake up for Mommy?”
She opened her eyes but she didn’t seem to look at you. Her gaze was unfocused, glassy. “Mama” she mumbled.
“I’m here, baby. I’m here.”
“No… daddy… Amber… cado…” Her words ran together.
You grabbed the thermometer.
104.2°F.
“Oh fuck.” Your heart started pounding. “Okay, okay. It’s okay. We’re taking care of that. Don’t worry, baby. Mommy’s taking care of you.”
Lizzie just whimpered. That’s when you noticed that her chest moved too quickly. The skin beneath her ribs pulled inward with every breath.
“Oh, fuck, what am I supposed to do?” You glanced down at your daughter, swallowing hard. Then you reached for your phone and called Jack.
It rang.
And rang.
No answer.
You called again.
Still nothing.
Lizzie started coughing against your shoulder. It was deep and wet and afterwards she started crying weakly. Your stomach tightened with fear.
You opened the chat with him - and noticed he didn’t even read the last message you sent him hours ago.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
You called Robby - and it rang until his voicemail picked up.
“FUCK.”
You looked at the bottle of Tylenol on the table.
When had you given it to her? Seven? Half past seven? Could she have more? And if so - how much? Would it make it worse? Could it harm her?
You tried to read the label but suddenly none of the words made any sense.
Lizzie made another strange sound - something between a cough and a cry, too wet, too weak, too wrong.
You looked down. Her eyes were half closed.
“Bean?”
She didn’t answer.
“Lizzie?”
Still no answer.
“Fuck.”
That was enough.
You called 911.
The emergency department was busy. A little more chaotic than usual - nothing catastrophic, but enough to prevent anyone from taking a bathroom break and to keep Jack from catching his breath between cases.
Jack stood inside a trauma bay, watching one of the interns, Nazely, attempt to insert a central venous catheter in the internal jugular vein.
“A little farther lateral” he said, nodding along.
She adjusted the probe, sweat building on her forehead. “Like that?”
“Yeah. There. Slow down now. You know the steps. Take a deep breath. What will make you stop?”
Her eyes returned to the ultrasound screen. “If I lose sight of the needle.”
“Exactly. You don’t advance blindly. If the anatomy stops making sense, stop and reassess. There’s no prize for being fast.”
She nodded.
“And don’t just stare at the screen. Pay attention to the patient, too.”
Across the department Lena answered the incoming ambulance call. “PTMC emergency.”
She listened, her eyes darting around the room. “Got it.” Then she looked up, finding John leaning in the doorway of the trauma bay Jack was in. “Hey John - seventeen month old female, high fever, altered mental status. Increased work of breathing, possible pneumonia. Mother accompanying.”
John looked up from the tablet in his hand, slurping another sip of his iced coffee. “Got it.”
“ETA four minutes.”
Jack glanced up. “Need help?”
“Nah” John replied. “Stay here. Just try and don’t terrify Nazely, hm?”
“I’m not terrifying anyone. You’re doing great” Jack added, giving her a smile.
John laughed and walked over to the nurses’ counter, placing his drink on the counter and grabbing a pair of gloves.
A few minutes later the ambulance door opened and paramedics entered, wheeling a gurney. “Seventeen-month-old female. Fever started this evening. Mom found her difficult to wake around two. Temperature one-oh-four point two at home. Increased respiratory effort. Oxygen saturation ninety-one on room air, improved to ninety-five on six liters via face mask.”
John looked up - and stopped dead when he saw you.
Your hair was tied into a messy bun and you were wearing an old jacket over mismatched pajamas. Your eyes were red and you looked exhausted and terrified.
Then he looked at the child on the gurney. “Oh, fuck.”
“John” you said, voice trembling, tears already filling your eyes again.
He moved immediately. “Okay, I’ve got her. Central seven is open.”
Mateo joined them. “Hey Lizzie.”
John looked up at you. “You’re in the right place. We’ve got her.”
They wheeled her into the room. Lizzie barely reacted when they transferred her onto the hospital bed. They got to work with the effortless coordination of people who’d done this together countless times.
“Okay, Lizzie, let's get you feeling better” Mateo gave you a reassuring smile.
You stood beside her, not exactly knowing what to do, feeling partly helpless and partly relieved that she was finally getting help.”Where’s Jack?”
John glanced toward the department, while already hovering with his stethoscope over Lizzie’s chest. “He’s somewhere around here.”
“I tried to call him” you whispered. “Twice. He didn’t answer.”
“Yeah, it’s a bit chaotic tonight.”
Lena put a hand on your shoulder, squeezing lightly. “I’ll get him, sweetheart. Don’t worry. Focus on Lizzie.”
Jack was still with Nazely when Lena approached him, Parker in tow. “Jack.”
“Mhm?” He glanced up. “Give me a second. We just need to stitch it in now.”
“Jack.” Something in her voice let him look up properly.
“Yeah?”
“I need you to hand this over to Parker.”
“What? Why?”
“Your daughter’s here.”
He stared at her, stopping mid-movement. He looked like his brain needed a minute to process it - and failed spectacularly. Nazely looked up, her eyes widened, then glanced over to the attending.
“She came in by ambulance” Lena continued.
The color drained from his face. “Why?”
“High fever. Breathing problems. John has her. Central 7”
Jack wasn’t even listening anymore. He was already walking out, yanking off his gloves and tearing off his protective gown.
He entered the room only a couple of minutes later. “Okay, fill me in.” Then his gaze dropped down at Lizzie and he stopped completely. She looked tiny on the gurney. Her face was flushed and barely visible beneath the oxygen mask. EKG leads and the blood pressure cuff attached her to the monitor while Mateo was busy putting a line into her arm. She barely flinched when the needle punctured her skin.
John was listening to her lungs.
“Bean.” His voice cracked. He moved to the bed and touched her hair with shaking hands. “Hey, baby. Don’t worry. Daddy’s here.”
She opened her eyes for a moment, then closed them again.
Then he turned to you. “What happened?”
You took a shaky breath. “I… I told you. She barely ate. She was tired and had a little fever, so I gave her Tylenol. And then I checked on her and she was burning up and babbling and breathing weirdly and I called you, but you didn’t answer and then I called Robby, but he didn’t answer either and then I panicked and I called 911 and-”
“Hey.” He reached for you and pulled you into a tight hug. “Breathe, sweetheart. Breathe. Take a nice deep breath for me, okay?”
You hiccuped and pressed yourself closer to him. You tried to calm down - you really tried - but it was nearly impossible. “I didn’t know what the right thing was” you whispered.
“You called 911, honey. That was the right thing, okay?”
You barely nodded. He stroked your hair for another moment, then pressed a kiss to your forehead and turned around to John, who put the stethoscope around his neck again.
“What do her lungs sound like?”
John glanced over to him, then held out a finger. “Give me a second, Jack.” He turned to Mateo. “Let’s get a CBC and CMP while you’re in there. Blood cultures. Send a respiratory panel and give her another dose of Tylenol - Mom gave the last one around seven thirty. Start a ten-mil-per-kilo saline bolus. Keep her on six liters oxygen and continuous pulse ox. I’ll order a portable chest X-ray asap.”
Mateo nodded. “Got it, boss.”
John watched the monitor for a moment, then turned back to Jack. “I’m hearing crackles on the right and her right lower lung sounds diminished.”
“So-”
“I suspect pneumonia.” He thought about it for a moment, then turned back to Mateo. “Once you’ve drawn the cultures start five hundred milligrams of ampicillin IV. She doesn’t have any allergies, right?” he asked you.
You shook your head. “No.”
“Five hundred?” Jack raised his eyebrows.
“Mom said she’s around twenty-two pounds” John said, crossing his arms.
“Twenty-one point seven.”
“That’s practically twenty-two pounds, Jack. And five hundred is the appropriate dose.”
Jack’s jaw tightened. “Okay.” Then he scanned her vitals. “What do you need me to do?”
“Abbot” John interrupted gently. “I’ve got her medically. Right now, I need you to be her dad, okay?”
Jack looked down at Lizzie and nodded eventually. “Okay. But-”
“No buts. If you see me making a mistake, you tell me. A mistake” he repeated, emphasizing every word. “Not a suggestion. Not something you would’ve done differently. A mistake. You understand?”
Jack swallowed hard and looked sideways. Eventually he nodded.
“Good.” John nodded. “But I think I’ve got this. We’re waiting for the imaging and then we adjust the therapy, okay?”
You squeezed Jack’s hand. He let out a sigh. “Okay.”
Mateo crouched beside the gurney. “Hey Lizzie Bear” he said softly. “Remember me?”
She barely opened her eyes. “Teo” she mumbled, barely audible behind the oxygen mask.
Mateo smiled. “Yeah. It’s Teo. I’m gonna help making you feel better, okay?”
She had already closed her eyes again.
He began working with quiet confidence - drawing blood, swabbing her for the respiratory panel (she barely flinched which alone was enough to nearly break your heart) and administering another dose of Tylenol via the IV and then starting the saline bolus.
John typed in the orders then gave the room another look around. “Okay, that’s it for the moment. Jack - you can stay here, okay? I’ll fetch you if things go south outside.”
Jack nodded. “Thanks, man.”
John waved his hand. “Sure.” Then he left.
Mateo took the blood samples and gave you a look. “Is there anything I can get for you, mom? Water? Coffee? A blanket?”
You shook your head. “No. Thank you.”
“Okay. Just tell me, if there’s anything I can get you, okay?” Mateo smiled at you again.
“Thanks.” Your voice was quiet.
“Sure thing.” He nodded and left the room, leaving you and Jack alone with Lizzie.
Jack glanced at the monitor. “It’s getting a little better” he said quietly.
You blinked. “Yeah?”
He nodded, then pulled you closer, pressing another kiss onto your hair. “Yeah.”
The chest X-ray showed pneumonia. It wasn’t John who delivered the news. Jack had checked Lizzie’s chart about an hour later and seen the chest X-ray himself.
You glanced at him from your place on the fold-out chair beside her bed. “Are you even supposed to do that?”
“Do what, honey?” Jack asked absent-mindedly while scrolling through her lab results.
“Check her chart.”
He turned his head. “Honey, you know, I’m a doctor here, right?”
“Yeah, but still - you’re her relative.” You shrugged. “I don’t know. It feels kind of wrong?”
“Not to me.” He kept scrolling, then glanced toward the door.
When he saw John approaching, his iced coffee a constant companion, he logged himself out quickly and sat down next to you.
Lizzie was still sleeping but looking better. Her cheeks weren’t as flushed as before and her breathing had become a little calmer.
John knocked and entered the room. “Everything’s okay in here?”
You looked up and nodded. “Yeah, thanks John.”
Jack deliberately didn’t look at him. “Are her results in?”
A brief silence followed. Then - “Jack. Don’t try to bullshit me.”
Jack blinked and turned his head slightly. “What do you mean?”
“You know I can see all the people accessing my patient’s charts when I’m accessing them at the same time, right? And I was not surprised to see the name abbotja come up when I was checking her results five minutes ago.”
Jack cleared his throat. His ears had turned pink and he was trying hard to look innocent. “Well, you know how often our IT system glitches” he said with a shrug. “Happens all the time.”
“Yeah, sure. Whatever man.” John walked over, glancing at the monitor. “Her vitals are looking good. We’re switching to oxygen via nasal cannula and reducing supplementary oxygen to two liters to see if she can hold her oxygen levels with that. Her last temperature was-”
“101.1°F” Jack shot back without missing a beat. “I checked it like ten minutes ago.”
“Okay, boss.” John shook his head. “So, I’d like to keep her for a few more hours. Lets see how it’s going with the reduced oxygen and give her the next ampicillin dose at nine. If she’s doing well off oxygen by then I guess we can send her home.”
Jack nodded quickly. He reached over and squeezed your hand. “Sounds good.”
“Yeah. I’ll be surprised if you didn’t already put all these orders in” John said, rolling his eyes. “So, lets switch her to the nasal cannula and-”
Jack was already standing. “I’ll do it.”
“Whatever.” John glanced at you. “And well, we’ve got a MVC, a code stroke and a MI en route. I could really use another attending out there.”
Jack swallowed hard and glanced at you. You nodded. “Yeah, it’s your job. Go. I’ll watch her.”
He nodded. “Okay, I’ll be right there.”
John gave him a thumbs up. “Great. Thanks.” Then turned toward you. “Do you want anything? Coffee?”
You stifled a yawn. “No, thanks. I think I’ll actually try to get some sleep.”
John smiled. “Good plan. But I can almost guarantee you it won’t work. But never hurts to try.”
“That’s a great pep talk, thanks.”
John smiled, already at the door. “Always happy to help.”
By morning Lizzie’s fever had come down. Her breathing was still faster than normal but she no longer needed a lot of oxygen. Right now it was only one liter and John had decided to remove it completely after shift change. She was still sleeping, her hand wrapped around your finger.
You on the other hand hadn’t slept much exactly as John predicted. Your hair had mostly escaped your bun. Your eyes burned. You could smell yourself - and were painfully aware that you were still wearing the mismatched pajamas.
Jack came into the room after shift change - still in scrubs and looking almost as tired as you felt. “Okay, handover is done. I’m free.” He yawned then checked her monitor. “Robby should be in shortly to take her off the oxygen. If she’s fine without it at ten, then we can take her home.”
You smiled. “Sounds good.”
He then sat beside you and pressed a kiss to your temple. You made a face. “Don’t. I smell horrible and I didn’t even brush my teeth.”
Jack rolled his eyes. “Trust me, that’s the last of my concerns.” He stroked Lizzie’s hand and she stirred, letting go of your finger and grabbing his wrist. She opened her eyes briefly. “Daddy.”
He swallowed hard. “Hey, Bean.”
She smiled a little, then closed her eyes again. You took the opportunity to free yourself and stood. “Okay, I need to pee.”
Jack chuckled. “Romantic.”
“I’ve been holding it for an hour because she wouldn’t let go of my hand and I didn’t want to wake her up.”
“I’m just teasing you.” He looked up at you and smiled. “Go, I’ve got her. You can also ask Dana if we have some toiletries. We usually keep some stuff like toothbrushes, brushes and deodorant here.”
You started to smile, then leaned down and kissed his cheek. “That’s the best idea you ever had, Dr. Abbot.” You stretched and yawned, scratching your side. “Okay, I just go freshen up and then I’ll be right back.”
You stepped into the hallway, passing the nurses’ station on your way to the restrooms. Robby saw you, then walked past a group of med students huddled near the nurses’ station, just a couple of feet away, and stepped into the room, leaving the door open.
“How is she?” he asked, glancing at the monitor.
“Better” Jack said. “Waiting for her repeat labs to come back. But I think we can take her home later.”
Robby stepped to the computer, held his badge to login and started scrolling through her chart. Jack glanced at Lizzie, who was still sleeping, then stood and joined Robby.
The room fell silent.
That’s when they could hear the med students talking outside.
“That’s Dr. Abbot’s wife by the way.”
“That’s her?”
“Yeah.”
“Huh.” There was a pause. “I thought an attending’s wife would be way hotter.”
Jack slowly lifted his head and went terribly quiet. Robby had gone still too. He immediately looked over at Jack. “No.”
Jack turned his head and stared toward the open door. Robby’s eyebrow raised and he logged off the computer, turning a little.
Jack’s jaw tightened and the look in his eyes was murderous. “Who was that?”
“One of the med students” Robby said in a low, calm voice.
Jack stared at him. “What’s his name?”
“No, absolutely not.”
Jack straightened, sticking out his chest in an attempt to look more intimidating. “Michael, I asked you what his name is.”
“And I’m not telling you” Robby replied, stepping between him and the door. “Sit down.”
“No fucking way. I’m going to talk to him.”
“No, you’re not.”
“I just want to have a conversation.” Jack was still terrifyingly calm.
“No.”
Jack’s jaw tightened even more and he narrowed his eyes, staring at Robby like he wanted to murder him instead. “What do you mean - no? Why not?”
“Because I’m not letting you go out there and create a Code Hula Hoop.”
“I’m not going to assault him.” Still that calm voice.
“Wonderful. An inspiringly low standard” Robby said with no hint of amusement.
“Michael.” Jack lifted his chin. His eyes were sparkling with rage. “He insulted my wife.”
“I heard what that little douche said.”
“He insulted my wife who just spent the entire night sitting beside our sick daughter. My wife who was terrified and sick with worry - and that little asshole thinks this is the right time to judge whether she’s hot enough for me?”
“He was completely out of line for that, I agree” Robby replied.
“Then get out of my way so I can deal with that little shit” Jack snapped.
“No.”
“Michael.”
“No.”
Jack took a step to the side - Robby followed him. He tried to take a step forward - Robby blocked him.
For several seconds, neither of them moved. They were just standing very close together, glaring at each other without blinking. Jack had to hold himself back not to just push Robby to the side.
“Are you seriously blocking the fucking door?” He swallowed hard, his hands curled into fists. His voice was no longer calm but angry.
“Yes.”
“Move.”
“No.”
“Michael, I’m a fucking attending here.”
“And I’m the fucking head of this fucking department. And as your boss I’m telling you to sit down and take care of your daughter.”
Jack instantly looked toward Lizzie. She was still asleep, still looking too tiny for the bed she was lying in. His face softened for a moment. When he looked back toward the hallway where he could still hear the med students talking his face went hard again. “That asshole doesn’t get to talk about her like that. And I’ll teach him that lesson.”
“You’re right. He’s not supposed to talk about her like that. For the matter he’s not supposed to talk about any woman like that.” Robby paused for a moment. “And I’m going to make sure of that.”
Jack stared at him, narrowing his eyes. “You’re going to deal with him?”
“Yeah.”
“Properly?”
Robby raised an eyebrow. “What do you think?”
Jack stared at him for another moment, then exhaled slowly and looked to the side. Robby used that moment to place a hand against his shoulder and gently pushed him backwards until he reached the chair. “Sit.”
Jack, this time, followed this order.
Robby nodded and straightened. “I’ve got this, brother. Trust me.”
Jack nodded slowly. “‘kay.”
Robby rolled his shoulders, then cracked the knuckles on both hands. After he took a deep breath he stepped into the hallway. He looked over to the counter, smiling pleasantly. “Student doctor Morrigan.”
The student looked over. “Yes, Dr. Robinavitch?”
“Come on.”
He blinked. “I’m sorry?”
“We’re going to walk a little.”
“Um… why?” The med student was clearly uncomfortable by that suggestion.
His other students exchanged a look.
Robby didn’t answer immediately, instead glanced back through the open door where Jack was staring directly at them. “Because initially Dr. Abbot wanted to speak to you. Alone. About what you just said about his wife.”
The student went pale and glanced toward Jack with wide eyes.
“And I convinced him that would be a terrible idea. For him and you.” He paused. “So… you get the pleasure of having a nice little chat with me instead.”
“Um…” The student swallowed hard.
“Just to be clear - that wasn’t a suggestion” Robby raised an eyebrow and nodded toward the hallway. “So, let’s go.”
“Um, yes.” The student glanced at his pals, clearly looking for someone to rescue him - and when no one intervened, he walked over to Robby, stiffly, horrified.
Robby placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing lightly. “So, let’s have a conversation about your view of women, shall we?”
They disappeared down the hallway.
Jack watched them leave, then turned his head and stared at the remaining students. They suddenly found excuses to leave. Within seconds the space where they had huddled was empty.
Jack exhaled loudly through his nose, then returned to Lizzie.
When you came back - your hair in an actual ponytail, your teeth brushed, smelling slightly better thanks to some body wash and a washcloth and wearing a pair of scrubs, carrying your pajamas in a plastic bag - Jack was already sitting beside Lizzie’s bed again.
He looked up. “Why are you wearing scrubs?”
“Dana gave them to me. You have to return them but she said she can’t have me run around in that outfit” you replied smiling.
Lizzie was awake, sitting upright in her bed and slowly drinking apple juice from a sippy cup. When she saw you, she began to smile. “Mommy!”
You swallowed hard, already teary-eyed again. You put the plastic bag down, then sat on her bed, pulling her close, kissing her head. “Hey baby. How are you?”
“Izzie dwink.”
“Yeah, baby, I can see you’re drinking. Juice, hm? Did Mateo bring this to you?”
“No, it was Daddy” Jack said with a huff. “And I honestly thought she tried to say twink and I was already wondering to whom she was referring to.”
You chuckled, pressing another kiss onto Lizzie's head.
Jack watched you for a moment. You watched his Adam’s apple bob while he tried to compose himself - and for the first time you realized that this had been very stressful for him too. Even when he had dealt with thousands of patients with pneumonia before… it was the first time with his daughter.
He looked up and gave a crooked smile. Then, with a groan, he climbed onto the bed as well, settling on Lizzie’s other side. He slung his arm around your shoulder, pulled you closer and kissed you gently.
“Oh, wow, what’s this for?” you asked with a smile, leaning your head onto his.
“Nothing. It’s just… I love you.”
You smiled. “I love you too.”
“No.” He pulled back a little to look at you. “I mean - I really love you, okay?”
“Um. Okay.”
“And I’m proud of you. You handled this like a champ.”
You blushed a little and shrugged, your eyes starting to burn. “I was terrified.”
“And you did exactly the right thing. You tried to call me and when you couldn’t reach me you called 911. You’re nailing this motherhood shit, honey.”
You let out a teary laugh. “Thanks.”
“No, I really mean it. You’re such a tough and independent woman.” He smiled, cuddling against you again. “And you’re also beautiful and hot and incredibly competent.”
Lizzie tipped her head back to look at Jack’s face. “Daddy!”
He pulled her towards him with his free arm. She squealed delighted.
“Watch out, Lizzie” you mumbled, smiling happily. “Daddy talks so much stuff that I’m wondering if he’s the one with fever now.”
She let out another squeal.
“Jesus” Jack muttered. “I think her oxygen level is fine again.”
--- --- ---
You wanna keep reading? - Next part is coming soon, I promise.
in which jack abbot is the first to notice the wallflower resident of the ER.
summary; reader has always been used to being left behind, and eventually stopped trying to make space for themselves. she doesn't think anyone notices her, until jack abbot starts paying attention.
warnings; fem!reader. use of y/n, use of she/her, probably medical inaccuracies bc all my medical knowledge comes from shows lol, also NO AI used !!! i use em dashes sometimes but i PROMISE this is strictly a no-ai account!! also reader has a cat bc i said so
i might make a part two of this tbh but i wont label it as a series bc then my brain will start procastinating and i'll lose all motivation to write it LOL
The noise of the ER buzzed around you. The muscles in your neck ached, begging to be stretched and massaged. One of your hands came up to gently rub on your neck, the other slowly typing out the chart of your latest patient.
Some of the interns were huddled together, giggling to each other about something. It had become a habit of yours to listen in on them— on whatever gossip they had going on this time. Sometimes, you liked to pretend that you were part of it. That you got to gossip with friends just like they do.
That'd never been the case for you. In your intern year, you were the only one. Already feeling alienated, you struggled to find your place in the ER. Everyone seemed to already know who they were, aside from you.
For a while, you tried. You tried to include yourself. You joined the others when they went for a beer after a heavy shift. But as time went on, you didn't feel any closer to belonging. It didn't feel like anyone was making room for you either. So, you stopped showing up. And no one said anything.
Now, you just worked. You took all the patients no one else wanted. You stayed a little later to make sure another coworker could get home on time. You helped in traumas, then slipped away as soon as it was done.
This routine worked. It'd been your routine for years now. It wasn't that you were a bad doctor, no. You just didn't fit in.
A small wince covered your features as you rubbed your neck again. You truly couldn't wait to get off shift, and go home. You know your cat must already be sitting on the kitchen counter, waiting for the sight of you walking through the door.
"Nice catch, earlier." You heard a gruff voice behind you— one you recognized as your attending, Jack Abbot. Being the eavesdropper you are, you waited to hear the response of the person he was complimenting. You wondered if they'd be humble or gleeful. You know that if you were complimented like that, you'd be over the moon.
The light of the monitor made your eyes burn a little, but you just had to push through this last chart.
Then, you felt a hand tap your shoulder.
"Kid?" Dr. Abbot hummed, looking down at you, the corner of his lips quirking into a small smile. "Did'ya hear me?"
Your eyes go wide, and you swear you can feel your heart jumping up into your throat, making your breath hitch. He was talking to you. No one ever bothered talking to you, not if it wasn't necessary.
"I— er- sorry, what did you say, Dr. Abbot?" You cleared your throat, trying to get your heart to return to a normal pace, the chart all forgotten now.
He watched you for a moment, his gaze softening from playful to a more gentle one. "I said..." His hands gripped both ends of his stethoscope, the one he always had around his neck, "Good catch earlier. With the silent heart attack patient. Not many of us could've caught that."
The apples of your cheeks shifted into a deep red color, your eyes darting from him to your keyboard, then to your water bottle, the floor, keyboard, him...
"Oh- um, yeah, thank you, sir." You nodded in response, already mentally degrading yourself for being so awkward. This is your attending, for gods sake. You should be professional.
But that easy grin rested on his face, and he nodded. "Oh, sure, kid. You're one hell of a doctor. Keep it up." He gently squeezed your shoulder, and walked off. And that was that. He complimented you like it was nothing.
That simple compliment swam in your head the entire day. It made you smile as you prepared your lunch for work at home that evening. It made you hum with content as you settled into bed, curtains drawn shut to hide the rising sun.
Good catch earlier.
It started happening more and more. Abbot would pull you into traumas with him, let you take the lead on them, and then give you a small compliment, and one of those warm smiles. He'd linger when you charted, always trying to spark up small talk.
You never came out of your shell, though. It was driving him insane. He tried everything. But you always shut it down and got back to work. For a while, he thought you might just dislike him. But he could see the small smiles you gave him, and the pink tint in your cheeks at his compliments.
So, he tried asking the other residents about you. Imagine his shock when no one knew anything about you. Everyone just responded off-handedly.
'Oh, Y/N? Yeah, she's a quiet one. Dunno much about her.'
'Y/N? Great doctor. Haven't talked to her much.'
'Saw her a few times in her first year of residency. Then she stopped coming out.'
No one knew anything. That's what made Jack perk up a little more. He tried to subtly keep notes on you throughout the day. See who you spoke to. If maybe you left with someone. Maybe discussed patients. But he got nothing.
You were all alone.
The last straw was when he spotted you slipping into the abandoned wing of the hospital, settling yourself on the dusty staircase, and opening your lunchbox. You even hid away to eat.
He had to fix that.
So, he became a little more persistent. He'd ask you to eat lunch with him, and before you had a chance to decline, he'd already led you into the breakroom, making you sit down with one pinned stare.
He could tell you were a little anxious. So he always made the first move. He'd ask questions that required more than a nod for an answer, just to get you talking. And he would listen. Full attention, eyes glued to you the entire time you spoke.
No dismissive nods, no hums of acknowledgement in a way to just make you feel heard, no. He made sure you knew he was listening. When you mentioned your cat, he asked for its name. He asked to see pictures. When you made an offhanded complaint about the hospital coffee, he asked what your favorite coffee place was.
The next day, a coffee from said place was waiting for you.
Description- Some bullies never grow up, as Jack Abbot learns at his girlfriend's 15th high school reunion
CW- shitty high school bullies, mentions of mental health concerns and substance abuse (not reader's), age gap (20ish years), bully had a very inappropriate and illegal relationship as a teen
AN- I gave this a mega fluff ending because I wanted to and it just happened. I've also had to face the harsh truth that I can't spell reunion right on the first try
“Are you sure this is what you want? You know, I would understand if you want to go alone, or bring a friend, someone-”
“I swear to god, if you say someone younger, I’ll take back every nice thought I was having about how you look in that suit.”
Jack smiled at that, his hands stilling on the white collar of his dress shirt where he’d been adjusting his tie, his gaze finding yours behind him in the mirror's reflection. The tie was a dark green that you’d picked out over a year ago, saying it made the green specks in his hazel eyes look even more beautiful than usual. He made it a point to wear it on every anniversary, every special occasion, which apparently now extended to keeping you company around the people who had tortured you in high school.
“Just nice thoughts?” he asked far too innocently, eyes crinkling mischievously at the corners.
You met his eyes where he stared at you in the reflection of the dresser mirror.
“Nice. And dirty.” You finished securing the strap of your high heeled shoe, standing up from the ottoman at the foot of the bed to walk closer. “Certainly nothing you’d have any complaints about,” you all but whispered, holding his gaze in the reflection as you pressed a slow kiss behind his ear.
“But,” you added, back to your normal volume as you stepped back, guiding him to turn and face you, still giving you that self satisfied smile as your hands ran over his broad shoulders, smoothing wrinkles in his suit jacket that weren’t there, “if you try to bail on me and send me to this thing alone…” You clicked your tongue derisively. “Well, I might just never talk to you again.”
Jack laughed, a full chest laugh that made you smile, his hands resting on your hips like they belonged there.
“Never again?” he repeated, only grinning, eyes creased at the corner, when you gave him a solemn nod. “Three years just gone like that? You’d move out tonight if I don’t go drink warm punch with people you spent a few years with as a teenager?”
You nodded without hesitation. “Definitely. And I would miss you so so dearly, especially with how handsome you look right now. So pretty please come with me so I can still come home with you.” You batted your eyelashes at him dramatically, giving him a sweet smile while he chuckled. It was never a real question and you both knew it. Jack would fly with you to New Zealand that night if you truly asked him to. He would drop everything for you, and would never miss an opportunity to make you happy. Even if it meant wearing a suit and standing around with people almost 20 years his junior, pretending it didn’t make his skin crawl to see them look between the two of you and do the math.
“Well, when you put it like that…” he drawled, his smirk giving way to a fond smile as you tugged him down by his shirt collar to kiss him sweetly. He gave you a softer smile when you parted, lingering in each other's space.
“Why do you even want to go to this thing anyway?”
You exhaled something between a scoff and a laugh, taking a step back and turning from him to focus on putting on the earrings Jack had gifted you for your birthday a year before he’d finally asked you out. In hindsight, you could understand why Ahmad and Donnie had started betting on when one of you would buck up the nerve and make a move. They needed the levity after watching you inch closer and closer for so long, all the while starkly refusing to admit your feelings. You could still remember the looks your coworkers would give you when they got stuck in a room with you, ranging from intrigued to downright uncomfortable as you danced around the obvious truth.
“Want might be a strong word for it.”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “That does nothing to answer my question.”
You paused, still holding one earring in hand as you turned towards him.
“Because,” you said, quieter than you’d been since you’d first told him about the invitation weeks before. “No one in high school ever thought I’d turn out to be much. They made my life hell, spreading rumours behind my back, pouring stuff on my lunch so I couldn’t eat it.” You waved your hand dismissingly, letting out a small sigh. “All sorts of stupid stuff. Apparently one of them even started telling people I died a few years back.”
Jack’s mouth dropped open into a small oh, dark eyebrows raising. It took a lot to surprise him between his time abroad and the hours he spent undoing some of the dumbest and most tragic accidents Pittsburgh could offer, but the pedantry of teenagers was something he never got used to. Even if the evening marked fifteen years since your graduation, it made him wonder what you might be walking into. Some people never grew up. He knew that better than most, spending his nights regularly tending to the wounds of so many people who swore they had a great idea in the moment, just to sober up in the ED full of regret.
You nodded, a tight lipped smile doing its best to hold back your frustration.
“How did you die?” Jack asked it so carefully, like your fake death was a tender subject, that you couldn’t help but laugh. He looked so somber when you glanced up at him that your laughter only grew, until he was frowning at you and acting crosser than he was.
“I have a right to know,” he chastised, still acting stern. “I think I’ve earned that after three years. To think you went and died and didn’t even do me the decency of telling me. It’s rude, that’s what it is.”
Your laughter quelled, leaving only a breathy smile full of love for the goofy man before you.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” you promised cheekily. “Next time I’ll make sure you’re the first one to know.”
Jack’s frown deepened at that, and he shook his head. “Next time? Oh no, you’re not dying again anytime soon.” He stepped closer, arm wrapping around your back and leaning down to press a firm kiss to the side of your head as you secured your second earring.
“What kind of doctor would I be if I lost you?” he murmured, speaking close enough to your ear to send goosebumps down your arms.
You hummed, trying to stay focused and not get lost in his charm.
“Still a pretty damn good one, baby.”
He made a discontent sound, ducking and pressing one more kiss to your cheek before retreating to a wall of your shared bedroom, leaning back against it with his hands in the pockets of his dress pants. The sight just about drove you wild.
“C’mon, then,” he prompted, head tilted back so he was looking down the bridge of his nose. “How’d you die?” The corner of his mouth twitched, adding on “So I can be more prepared for next time.”
You twisted a ring on your finger. Your hands felt fidgety, and you knew he noticed, his calm, level gaze dropping to your hand for a moment before returning to your face. “They said I was in a car accident.” You rolled your eyes, taking a deep breath before trying to get the next words out. “They said I was drunk and hit a stop sign, or a building, or a school bus full of children, whatever. The story varies at that point from what I know.”
“Jesus. How’d you find out about this?”
You smile wryly. That was the best part of the story. “Someone sent my mom a condolence message on Facebook.”
Jack barked out a laugh.
“Right?” you exclaimed, laughing despite yourself. It was all so ridiculous. “And they didn’t even know me! I think we just had biology together or something and tracked her down.”
Jack blew out a deep breath of air. His burly arms crossed over his chest, not sure how to file away this new information about your fake death. Despite his mixed feelings about the idiocy of youth, he gave you a crooked smile, almost looking impressed as he exhaled a soft laugh. “You sure know how to keep things interesting, sweetheart.”
You grinned, struck just again by how much you loved him. Most people would be disturbed to hear about your teenage years, and you couldn’t exactly fault them. But to Jack, it was just another thing to take in stride, only mattering if it mattered to you. He would listen, and learn, making sure he knew how to support you without judgement. Nothing was ever too much for him, not even close. Not when it was you.
“Thank you, I try,” you joked, giving a small curtsy and almost tripping when the fabric of your dress clung to you. Jack’s hands were on your arms before you had a chance to fully stumble, stabilizing you and giving you a fond squeeze before letting one hand slide down to hold your own.
“Anyone tries any of that shit tonight, you tell me,” he said sincerely, all signs of teasing gone. “You’re not a teenager anymore. They can’t get you.”
You breathed out a short laugh.
“Damn right they can’t.” You smiled up at him, a determined set to your jaw. Those people had taken enough from you, and you were done letting them. You took his hand in your own, raising it to your lips and pressing a soft kiss to his calloused palm, your heart fluttering at the soft look in his beautiful hazel eyes as you pressed it to your cheek. His thumb ran over your cheekbone.
“Besides,” you continued, giving him a teasing smirk, “anyone who tries anything next to my certified hunk of a boyfriend who could probably deadlift anyone we meet tonight is just asking for trouble.”
Jack laughed hard, his shoulders shaking and a few silvery curls slipping down to rest on his forehead. You brushed them back, returning the easy smile he gave you, full of love and joy.
“Maybe ten years ago,” he conceded, cupping your cheek in his hand, his smile widening as you leaned into his touch. “But now your hunk of a boyfriend would rather just carry you around. Preferably home.”
You pouted, toying with the collar of his dress shirt. “But you look so handsome.”
His eyebrow raised. “And I’ll stop being handsome when we come home?”
You scowled at him, almost breaking your fake annoyance when he looked so happy with himself, a small crooked smile pulling at the corner of his lips, his eyes crinkling with amusement.
“Unfortunately for me and my productivity, you’ll always be handsome, Jack.”
He dragged a hand over his scruff, palming at his cheek where more and more hair grew in white instead of the dark gingery-brown it was when you first met him. He didn’t care usually about the change, and you went above and behind to make sure he never forgot how desirable he was, but public appearances still made him nervous sometimes.
“Stop fussing with it,” you chided softly, cupping your hand over his against his cheek. “It looks good, baby. Stop worrying, please.”
His eyes dropped from yours with a heavy sigh, shoulders deflating slightly.
“People might talk.” His voice came out softly, the same even tone he almost always had. Straight to the facts, even when they were inconvenient. You knew him well enough to hear what he was saying behind the words. People might see you together and make snap judgements on who he was, who you were. They might discredit your relationship before even knowing him, seeing just the creases on his face and the tinge of silver that crept into more and more of his dark curls by the year.
You refused to give them the satisfaction of caring.
“So?”
Jack’s eyebrow raised, chin tilting down so he could give you an odd look.
“So, people might think less of you,” he explained, calm enough that it hurt your heart. “Or they might go after you again. Why give them any more ammunition? Things were hard enough for you back then.”
You stepped closer, smoothing your hands over his shoulders.
“Because I’m happy now.” Jack blinked, but some of the tension eased from his shoulders. “I’m not scared of them anymore, Jack, and I want to do this for myself, to prove that I can face them. You don’t have to come with me if you don’t want to-”
“I’m coming,” he cut in, certain and looking at you like you were crazy to even offer. “As long as you want me to, I’m there. You’re not alone this time.”
“I know,” you promised, holding his eye contact easily. “I’d never be alone, even if you weren’t there with me. And I do want you there, the same way I want you to go grocery shopping with me or to run to the post office with me. You make things more fun.” A small smile flickered onto your face, ducking your head slightly. “I might also have a small evil ulterior motive,” you confessed, slightly sheepish.
Jack hummed inquisitively, the beginnings of a smirk playing on his lips. Usually when you referenced being evil it entailed him and a state of undress.
“And what would that be?” he asked smoothly, voice just a touch lower than usual. You could feel heat creep up your cheeks at the small difference, your body responding before your mind had the chance.
“Maybe I want to show off my sexy boyfriend.” He grinned, a faint pink creaking up to stain his ears and the corners of his eyes crinkling in a way that made your heart do somersaults. “My sexy doctor boyfriend,” you corrected, nuzzling into his neck and peppering his pink skin with kisses and the occasional nip of teeth. You pulled back just enough to kiss him once, firm and passionate, smiling breathlessly as he chased after you when you pulled away.
“That okay?” you checked, heart hammering at the sight of him so breathless and flustered, dark eyes hooded and hungry.
He nodded, grinning crookedly.
“No complaints here, sweetheart.” He held your chin, pressing one more slow kiss to your lips, only pulling back when your lungs screamed for air. “But we might want to get a move on,” he murmured, voice low and rough as he smirked against your lips. “‘Cause I can only see you dressed up for so long before I need to take this dress off, stunning as it is.”
Walking into the high school felt all too familiar. The harsh fluorescent lighting was the same as you’d left it, eerily similar poster boards lining the hallways painted in your school colors. It was as if no time had passed at all, the Spirit Board frozen in time, only the faces in the photographs changed.
And yet everything was different. The halls felt wider, no teenagers shouldering past each other, clustering up along the walls or locking lips against the lockers to the chagrin of their neighbors. You could practically hear the idle chatter, the squeak of sneakers and distant sounds of metal lockers slamming shut.
You didn’t duck your head as you walked down the hall now, scurrying from class to class and stepping out of people’s way like you did as a teenager. You moved through the thin crowd of people easily, faces familiar but aged slowly recognizing each other as they found their names prepared on adhesive nametags on a table pushed along the wall.
Jack followed you as you moved, trailing half a step behind you, his hand in yours anchoring him to you, as if you would get swept away if he didn’t watch you closely. He picked up your name tag for you, smoothing it over the material of your dress and joking that he wasn’t important enough to earn a nametag. You quipped back that he could have brought his hospital ID badge from home if he was really worried about it, and he chuckled, pressing a quick kiss to your temple before following you as you led him through the school to find the gym, where the actual reunion was being held.
You were barely ten feet into the large room when a familiar voice stopped you, calling out your name from a few feet away. You turned, an apprehensive frown already on your lips as you pivoted to face the woman. Your heart thudded in your chest, and you took a steadying breath, reminding yourself that things were different now. Who knew? Maybe she was different now. Maybe she had grown a heart. Nothing was impossible.
“Oh my god,” the woman said, eyes dragging up and down your body with wide eyes, her jaw dropped open as she stared incredulously. “Look at you, all dressed up!” She giggled softly, a manicured hand coming up to tuck a shining lock of hair behind her ear. She was still bleaching her hair, you could see. Frustratingly, it looked amazing, flawless waves falling down around her shoulders. “God, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in heels before,” she commented, head dropping to the side as she spoke in a chipper tone. She was overly enthusiastic in the way only people who wanted something were, her smile blown larger than life and movements overdone just slightly.
Jack cleared his throat beside you, his warm steadying hand pressed against the small of your back, and you glanced up at him. His brows pinched for just a moment, the hard line of his mouth set as he silently asked you if you were alright. You gave a weak smile back, shifting slightly closer to him, and his jaw set, his focus shifting back to the woman before him.
“Hannah!” you chirped, plastering on a fake smile. You glanced down at your dress, hands smoothing over the material, suddenly hyperaware of the cling of the fabric against your skin and how different it was from your jeans and hoodie you’d stuck to in high school.
“Yeah, I’ve kind of branched out more since graduating,” you joked. “Guess my experimental era came a little later than most.”
Hannah chuckled, eyes sliding past you again to sweep over Jack. You swallowed thickly, forcing yourself to stay calm. You’d expected the way her eyes swept over him, her smile, while pretty, not quite reaching her eyes. Hannah had always had a sharp quality to her that was hard to place, hidden under sweet tones and veiled compliments.
“Wow. You are…not what I expected when I heard our little valedictorian was bringing a date.” Her head tipped slightly to the side as she appraised him, eyes continuing to slither over his sharp suit, one hand (with nails painted to match her shoes, of course) holding her plastic cup while the other folded across her chest, one hip popped out. She hummed, ignoring the way Jack shifted slightly under her gaze, his eyes flicking to meet yours though he refused to cede any ground to her.
You could feel a familiar prickling under your skin, her gaze feeling like X-ray vision that could see right through you, just to poke and prod at the perfect spot to make you fall apart.
Jack shifted closer, an arm coming up to casually wrap around you, one warm hand resting on your hip as he pressed you against his side. He didn’t look away from Hannah, but the familiar weight of him provided a comforting feeling, keeping you grounded while unease churned in your stomach.
“Well, I’m as surprised as you are,” Jack joked, only the edge of his mouth tipped upward as he teased. “She could have anyone, but she keeps me around anyway.” He turned to look down at you, his smile coming easier when he saw the way your face warmed and you couldn’t quite meet his gaze. “Still, if that’s her only lapse in judgement, I don’t think we can fault her too much.”
He turned back to Hannah, offering her a small nod instead of a handshake.
“Jack Abbot,” he said, offering a tightly-lipped smile.
Hannah beamed, her nails tapping against the side of her plastic cup as she looked him over. “Hannah Sampson,” she replied, standing just a bit taller. Her gaze moved to you, barely turning her face towards you, staying firmly planted with her spotless heels facing Jack.
“And of course, you know me,” she added with a small chuckle. “Or at least you did. Who’s to say after all this time if that really counts anymore, right?”
You laughed weakly. You had the feeling you knew her better than you would ever want to.
“So how’ve you been?” Her voice was overly sweet, patronizing like she was talking to a small child who wouldn’t understand her if she used a normal tone.
You glanced at Jack, your hesitant smile growing into something more sincere as you found his soft hazel eyes.
“Things have been good,” you said, still facing him. The corner of his mouth twitched, and your chest warmed. “Really good,” you added, fully grinning as you turned back to Hannah, ignoring the skeptical squint of her eyes. “I did what I said I would, went off to school and got my degree. Met this wonderful man and somehow got him to agree to a date-”
Jack looked offended. “I asked you out,” he corrected. You only smirked, shrugging as you leaned against him, your shoulder pressing back into his chest.
“Excuse you, I clearly remember us hanging out on the roof talking until the sun came up.”
He rolled his eyes, a sly smile tugging at his lips.
“During our shift,” he drawled. “Don’t think an HR violation classifies as a date.”
You grinned, snaking an arm behind his back, between his dress shirt and blazer, relishing his warmth as you pressed more firmly against his side.
“You sure have a way of putting a damper on things,” you teased, leaning up to give his scruffy cheek a kiss. He bit his lip to keep from smiling, only humming in response, and you turned back to Hannah, giving her an apologetic smile.
“Anyway,” you chuckled, satisfaction pooling low in your gut at the disbelieving look on her face, like she was sorting out a puzzle only she could see. “Yeah, things are going great. We’re even talking about getting a cat together.”
Jack chuckled, the warm sound vibrating through his chest and into you.
“Oh, we’re going to,” he confirmed, as if the decision was already made. For him, it was, and who were you to deny your love another creature that would love him as much as you did.
“Aw, how cute,” Hannah chimed in, lip jutting out in a pout. “I’ve always been more a dog person myself, but I’m sure a kitty will love you.” Her gaze moved over you, one lazy pass that felt more like an appraisal than true sight. “Should have pegged you as a cat lady.”
Her words should have stung, and maybe on a different day, they would have. But not here, not now, with Jack’s steady hand on your hip and the idea of the two of you curled up in bed with a little furball purring on his lap.
You shrugged. “Probably, yeah. But Jackie here is the true cat dad.” You looked up at him, already able to picture him fawning over a little kitten tumbling over itself, or a senior cat who curled up beside him as he read his novels, glasses sitting low on the bridge of his nose and that adorable crease between his eyes as he got lost in the words.
“I’m a lover of all animals,” he countered, but you clicked your tongue.
“You know you’re a cat person, baby. You can love lots of animals, but you know what you are at heart.” You tapped his chest with your palm, right over his heart, your grin widening at the way he squinted fondly down at you, smiling despite himself.
“You’re lucky I love you.”
His eyes were soft as he looked down at you, and your chest warmed. He always looked at you like that, and it took you a long time to learn to accept it, to accept him and the steady, gentle love he offered like second nature, correcting you softly when you even thought of brushing off the myriad of wonders he saw in you.
“Don’t I know it,” you teased back, pressing closer to him and giving his jaw a chaste kiss.
You managed to muddle through a couple more minutes of conversation with Hannah without tripping over your words too much. You were pleasantly surprised to find your confidence only grew the longer you talked. She asked about your career and how you were handling the high stress of emergency medicine, giving a tight smile and a clipped congratulations when Jack jumped in for you, insisting that you took to the chaos like a fish in water, always knowing where to be just in the knick of time. She asked if you still managed to see your family, managing to drag up your siblings’ past issues with anger management and substance abuse. You didn’t miss the fierce gleam in her eye, hiding behind her honeyed tone as she tutted about how sad it was to see them washed up so young, and how her heart had just broken for you in high school to come from such a background. Jack’s grip on your hip had tightened slightly, but he let you fight your own battle with your head held high. Her smug smile slowly curled into something closer to a snarl as you told her that, actually, you saw your family often. That one sibling had sought treatment for their mental illness that had gone undiscovered, and that while another still struggled, you’d learned to set healthy boundaries and only help when asked, no longer offering more than you had to give.
You’d laced your fingers through Jack’s, never feeling more loved than you did when he looked at you with such pride.
“My parents are actually coming to visit us in a few months. They say they’re coming to see me, but I have half a mind to think they just want to see Jack.” You chuckled, not caring about the pinched expression Hannah wore when Jack laughed beside you. “Don’t even try to deny it,” you warned him playfully. “You’re their favorite in-law and we haven’t even made it official yet.”
Jack’s smile only grew, something in him softening at the promise of a forever together, of being an official family.
“Yeah, we’ve gotta get on that.”
He grinned as your face warmed, pressing your face into his shoulder to hide as your heart almost burst out of your chest just to get closer to him. You needed some air if you were going to make it through the night without dragging him off to a broom closet and kissing him stupid.
You regretfully separated from him, hating every inch of air between you, even as your cheeks burned and your head swam with dizzyingly happy thoughts.
“If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go grab some punch.” You flashed Jack a teasingly shy smile. “For some reason, it’s feeling warm over here.”
He hummed, looking very pleased with himself. He gave your hand one final squeeze before dropping it.
“Can you grab me some too?”
You grinned. “I was already going to.”
You weren’t gone for long before Hannah followed you. You could hear the quiet click of her heels on the linoleum flooring drawing nearer as she slid up next to you while you surveyed the small banquet someone had put together. Pre-packaged cheese spreads, hummus that was already room temperature, and cookies from the local bulk supply store. Not bad for whatever pittance of a budget the student council was working with.
“So, how old is Jack?” Hannah smiled sweetly when you glanced up at her, acting like she was just making polite conversation and not prodding at your relationship like she hoped to topple it like a house of cards.
You shrugged, head turned back down as you considered grabbing a snack while you were by the table. You eyed the brittle looking cookies on display before deciding against it. The fruity scent of the punch drifted through the air, and you were craving sugar to soothe your nerves, more than any number of mass-produced cookies could provide. You wanted to kiss whoever thought to bring an ice bowl to set the punch over. It was the only thing that stayed cool in the gym that always had a way of running humid. You grabbed two cups from a stack at one end of the table, having to tear through their plastic sleeve to free them when they caught.
“Does it matter?”
Hannah shifted slightly on her heels, a small hum coming from the back of her throat.
“It’s just…Well…Isn’t he a little old for you?”
The hair prickled at the base of your skull, a hot wave of anger flooding through you. There it was. The criticism hiding behind the guise of girlfriendly concern.
“That’s rich coming from you,” you muttered, head downturned as you ladled punch into your two red solo cups.
Hannah let out a surprised laugh, a haughty high-pitched noise that got stuck in the back of her throat.
“Excuse me?”
You grimaced, collecting your cups and looking up to see her giving you a scandalized look.
“And what exactly does that mean?” she demanded, the obnoxious charms on her bracelet jingling as she put her hand on her hip. You wondered absently how much the whole thing cost. Five hundred dollars? A thousand? Two? Who even cared. It was all the same to her, just another jewel in her crown to flaunt around, a subtle flash of silver and diamonds to remind everyone who she was and what she had.
“It means,” you said, louder and sharper than you’d intended, “that I remember you getting awfully close to your piano teacher back in the day. Which was funny, given how much you bombed at Jennifer Chase’s birthday party. How old was he anyway? Thirty? And I know he was married, because my cousin was friends with his wife.”
A slight pink rose to Hannah’s cheeks, matching the tone of her dress perfectly, though you’d never admit it.
“I was drunk at that party,” she stammered out.
You nodded. “Oh yeah, you were plastered. But not before your boyfriend showed up with the keg, remember? Which was after you snuck off when you realized maybe your instructor exaggerated a bit when he told you how naturally gifted you were.”
Hannah shifted on her heels, tossing her head to the side to flick a stray strand of long hair out of her face. Her lips were pursed, eyes icy, her nice girl mask gone, just it had been all those years ago.
You could still remember her cheerily wishing you have a good weekend as you spilled out of class, just to corner you on the bleachers during lunch, her sweet smile gone as she sneered at you and your second hand backpack covered in pins and patches you’d sewn.
She wore the same expression now, sneering at you from her three-inch heels, but this time, you looked back, refusing to flinch.
“I’m not the one who brought my sugar daddy.”
You froze, everything stilling around you as a storm churned within you.
She really just said that. And what’s worse, she said it with absolute, snide conviction, convinced she’d dealt the final blow, as if it was glaring obvious there would only be one reason you could be interested in Jack.
“You know what I think?” You weren’t sure where your calmness came from, but your voice came out cool and collected, only your blazing eyes showing your fury. You didn’t wait for an answer. “I think you’re miserable. I think you poke and prod at other people and try to tear them down because you feel small, and you think no one can hurt you if you’re the one doing all the hurting. But you couldn’t be more wrong about Jack. You could never hurt him, and you can’t hurt me either, because I have him on my side.”
You stepped closer without realizing it, everything you’d held onto for all these years finally flowing out of you in one moment.
“Jack is a good person, better than me and damn better than you. He’s smart, and kind, and empathetic, and you know that he’s attractive. I don’t need to tell you that, you can see it yourself, and we both know you’ve been checking him out since we walked in.” You couldn’t stop, finally seeing her frozen in place for a change, her pretty eyes blown wide in shock. “You just can’t stand that someone like him loves me because you think that you’re better than me. But the truth is, you’re not. You never were. And Jack does love me, more than anyone ever has. So you’re going to shut your fucking trap about my man, because just because he took an oath to help people doesn’t mean that I won’t knock your teeth out if you say one more mean thing about him.” You scoffed, suddenly realizing she didn’t even know he was one of Pittsburgh's best doctors.
“Oh, yeah, and he’s a doctor, by the way,” you added, just to rub salt in the wound. “So I’m gonna go join my hot, successful, wealthy, and kind as fuck boyfriend and tell him for the hundredth time today how much I love him. Feel free to feel bad for me as much as you want. I’ll see you in five years if I don’t let Jack convince me to stay home next time. And he can be very persuasive when he wants to be.”
You clicked your tongue as you picked up your two cups of punch, giving her a fake sympathetic look before striding across the room, head held high and heart hammering in your chest.
Jack’s eyes brightened when he saw you approaching, a small smile tugging at his lips without realizing it. He accepted the cup you held out to him, and had it raised halfway to his lips when you nudged his arm aside, stepping into his space and placing a needy, hungry kiss on his lips. He grunted in surprise, brow furrowing at the sudden act, but kissed you back, his free arm wrapping around you and supporting your lower back.
“What was that for?” he asked breathlessly when you pulled apart, lungs screaming for air. His voice was low and gentle, soft eyes probing you for answers.
You only sighed, taking his free hand in yours and taking a small sip of your punch. It was overly sweet, enough to feel it in your teeth.
“More than I could ever say. You regret coming with me yet?”
He raised an eyebrow, expression staying level and flat.
“Sweetheart, this is nothing. In fact, go ahead and RSVP me as a plus one for the 20th reunion.”
You scoffed out a laugh. “Ooh, you planning on sticking around for another five years?” you teased. You knew the answer, you could see it written on his face every time he looked at you, like you were the only thing worth truly seeing.
“I’m not that old, sweetheart.”
You laughed. You took another sip of your punch before setting it on a nearby table. Your hands found his, and you gently tugged him, giving him just enough time to set down his own drink before you were dragging him with you towards the dance floor. The music played quietly over the speakers, a mix of music that was popular during your high school days mixed with whatever hits played on the radio.
“Come on, Jack, dance with me.”
Jack grimaced for a moment, stilling before you could fully pull him over.
“I’m not much of a dancer, honey.”
You quirked a brow at him. You stepped closer, settling against his chest with your arms slung around his neck while his hands settled on your hips.
“You’ve done much more difficult things than awkwardly dancing with me.”
Jack frowned, handsome features distorting as his brow furrowed.
“You know you don’t have to,” you added, turning serious. “Talk to me, Jack. What’s going on in that beautiful mind of yours?”
He looked away, jaw working once as he gathered his thoughts.
“I’m not exactly graceful.” He said it quietly, voice coming out low and rough, like it pained him to say no to you. “Don’t want to step on your toes.”
You laughed softly. Your hand found his cheek, gently turning him to meet the eyes you wanted to look into for the rest of your life.
“You think I care about grace? Jack, this is a high school reunion, not Dancing with the Stars. And who cares, trample me if you want. I just want to dance with the man I love. God knows I’d probably step on your toes too.”
Jack hummed a small laugh, the corner of his mouth twitching.
“Less of a risk of it hurting me,” he supplied easily. “Less toes.”
Your head dropped to his shoulder when you laughed, resting against him like it was second nature. You barely even noticed when he started to gently sway from side to side, moving you along with him until you were dancing.
“Thank you,” you whispered against his neck, turning to press your cheek against his shoulder. “For everything tonight. And all of the last three years and however many we have together. I love you Jack, so much.”
He dipped his head until his nose grazed your hair. He pressed a soft kiss to your hairline, his warm breath tickling your scalp.
“I love you too, sweetheart.”
You raised your head just enough to catch him in a kiss, slow and sweet.
“Will you dance with me again someday?”
Jack hummed softly, eyes soft and steady as he looked down at you.
“One day.”
“It’ll be good practice,” you pointed out softly. “We’ll have to dance together again at some point, and as much as I’ll always love our clumsy kitchen dancing, we might want something else for the scrapbook.” You smiled sweetly, unable to help the happy chuckle that bubbled out of your chest.
Jack smirked down at you, hazel eyes glimmering with fondness.
“You saying I can’t do the chicken dance at our wedding?” he drawled.
You laughed again. “You can do whatever you want at our wedding,” you retorted, “but I’d prefer if our first dance was a little more put together than that.”
“So save it for the second dance then.”
You grinned, nodding happily as his grin finally cracked. “Honestly, I can’t think of anything more fitting for us.”
Jack laughed through his nose, and the smile he gave you was so soft, so open and caring and him that it made you want to propose right there in your old high school gym, even without a ring to offer.
“I’ll learn how to dance for you,” he said after a moment, voice low and rough, sincere to the point of not caring how he sounded, as long as you were in his arms, swaying with him to the bad pop song playing. “I’ll get a better suit.”
“But this tie,” you requested, toying with the knot he had tied at his throat.
His smile only grew, breathing out a short laugh. “Of course, sweetheart. Your tie.”
He rested his forehead against yours, drawing you closer and letting out a soft sigh as your fingers carded through his hair.
“I’ve been waiting to hear back from the jeweler,” he admitted softly. “Would have asked you by now if I could have. He had some family emergency, had to push back the date.” He frowned, big brown eyes looking so apologetic it broke your heart and made it beat faster all at the same time. “Wanted to ask you on our anniversary. Had a whole plan, but he wasn’t ready. Didn’t want to rush him when we have time, but…I wish it could have happened sooner,” he finished quietly.
You knew it was coming. You had known for a long time that Jack was your one and only, the man you wanted to grow old with, and he made his thoughts about you just as clear. When he’d started taking closer notice of your jewelry a few months before, noting if you preferred silver more than gold, or wore sleeker pieces rather than showier ones, you knew it was fast approaching. Even your anniversary plans had clued you in, and you were surprised when the night ended curled up together without new titles for each other. You hadn’t had it in you to feel disappointed though, not when he was still your Jack, and you would be able to wake up to him in the morning. He was always going to be your husband someday. Just on a different timeline.
“The ring isn’t the important thing,” you reminded him softly. “You are. Just us, working as a team. I’d marry you with sharpie drawn on my hand, and I’d still be the happiest woman alive.”
Jack hummed his laugh, giving you a slight nod and a crooked smile that was as teasing as it was adoring.
“Maybe we don’t wait then. Maybe…the end of the month.”
You could only smile up at him, giggling when ducked his head to press a kiss to your cheek, his stubble tickling your sensitive skin.
“You’ve gotta at least act surprised when I ask though,” he murmured against your skin, pressing kiss after kiss across your face until you were pulling away to get him to stop. He grinned easily, settling back against you like he belonged there, voice hushed so no one else could overhear him. “Can’t have your parents thinking I have no manners.”
You smiled softly, lost in the soft and steady love written on his face. Things always felt so easy with him, even during your darkest moments. Even when you were exhausted and stressed, one small annoyance away from losing your minds, you were able to calm each other down, to be a safe place to let yourselves break and know that you wouldn’t have to patch yourself together again alone.
“Believe me, Jack, I’ll be as surprised as I was three years ago when I first asked you out.”
“I asked you out,” he laughed.
You only chuckled. “Whatever you say. Happy wife, happy life.”
Interlude: Congratulations on successfully keeping a very boring secret
Dr. Jack Abbot x (female) reader | Dr. Jack Abbot x you
Summary: Jack has a moral dilemma over brunch. Robby has scrambled eggs and absolutely no interest in indulging it.
A/N: I'm no longer updating the taglist because Tumblr has been glitching way too much lately. If you don't want to miss any updates, feel free to turn on notifications for my posts! <3
Link to "You stole my cart" master list (1)
Link to "You stole my cart" master list (2)
Previous chapter: Interlude: Your husband is very well connected within the PTMC
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The diner was quite busy which wasn’t unusual for a Sunday morning. The usual crowd. Families, friends laughing over a couple of cheeky mimosas and couples either arguing over coffee or holding hands while looking deeply smug.
Jack sat in their usual booth by the window, one hand wrapped around a mug of coffee while he stared at the stack of pancakes in front of him. Across from him Robby was eating scrambled eggs with the appetite of a man who saw his food as a challenge, not a suggestion.
For several minutes neither of them spoke, which also wasn’t unusual. After all they had known each other long enough that silence didn’t need to be filled. And they saw each other frequently enough - at work and outside of it - so there was no great need to catch up.
But today the silence felt heavier, loaded - different. Different enough that even Robby noticed.
He glanced up suspiciously. “Okay. What’s up?”
“Nothing.”
“Mhm. Yeah, okay, sure.”
Robby waited. Jack stayed quiet.
“You know” Robby continued. “Most people come to brunch because they enjoy talking to each other. Or at least enjoy spending time together.”
“I enjoy spending time with you.”
“Well, okay, maybe I’d believe you if you didn’t look like your dog had just died when you said it.”
Jack rolled his eyes, taking a sip of his coffee, still quiet.
“So.” Robby tilted his head. “Spill it. What did you do?”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“Okay - what are you thinking about doing?”
Jack stared at him.
Robby smiled slowly. “Knew it.”
Jack exhaled and leaned back against the booth.
For a moment he watched someone outside walk past the diner with a dog wearing blinking Christmas antlers.
Then he looked back at Robby. “I haven’t told her.”
Robby frowned. “Told who what?”
“My wife. About the job.”
“What about the job?”
“I haven’t told her that that stupid text you sent her was my idea.”
Robby paused, then shrugged. “Okay.”
Jack narrowed his eyes. “Okay? That’s all you have to say?”
“What do you want me to say?” Robby looked visibly confused now.
“I don’t know. Something useful for a change?”
“Okay.” Robby took another bite of his eggs. “Congratulations on successfully keeping a very boring secret.”
Jack just stared at him.
“What?” Robby asked. “Seriously - it worked out.”
“That’s not the point.”
“Oh, come on, you have to be kidding me.” Robby put the cutlery down and stared at him, stunned. “She got a job in her own field. She’s happy. She’s excited. Her new department is going to be very happy to have her. Everybody wins.”
Jack shook his head and crossed his arms. “She thinks you found the opening and thought of her.”
“I did think of her” Robby shot back.
“After I told you to send it to her.”
“That still counts.”
“No, Michael. It doesn’t.” Jack let out a frustrated sigh. “I feel like I’m lying to her.”
“But you’re not lying to her.” Robby stared at him.
“I’m kind of withholding information. That’s lying. In a way.” Jack swallowed hard.
Robby closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath. “You went to therapy again, right? That therapist is clearly messing with your head, man.” Robby shook his head. “You don’t have to be a hundred percent perfect all the time, you know that, right?”
Jack shrugged. “I’m not gonna lie to my wife.”
“My man, you’re seriously considering rocking the boat even though it all worked out in the end?”
“It’s not rocking the boat” Jack mumbled. “It’s just… I don’t feel comfortable right now. And no, I didn’t even talk about that in therapy. I came to that conclusion all by myself.”
“Boy, okay, that explains it. Maybe run this by your therapist first then, huh?”
“You just said she’s messing with my head” Jack shot back.
“Yeah, but that was before I knew that this idea of yours was born in a very strange corner of your brain.”
Jack let out a sigh. “I’m gonna tell her.”
“And what do you expect to happen?” Robby rubbed his temple. “Honestly? What’s the outcome you’re hoping for?”
“I don’t know.”
“Okay, yeah, how can I not be supportive of such an excellent, well-thought-out plan?” Robby replied, dryly.
Jack looked bewildered. “I’m not expecting anything. I just… want her to know.”
Robby watched him. “Why?”
“Because she thanked you.”
“What now?”
“She kept saying how thoughtful you were. How nice it was that you remembered she was looking for work.” Jack rubbed his thumb over the edge of the table. “And I sat there knowing you only sent it because I asked you to.”
Robby paused. “Okay, so now you’re throwing me under the bus as well?”
Jack groaned. “No!”
“Doesn’t sound reassuring.”
“...I don’t know.”
“Well… okay, I’m making a cultural reference now and you’re not allowed to ask how I’d know about this, okay?” Robby looked at him seriously.
Jack tilted his head. “Um. Okay.”
“Okay, so… when Carrie cheated on Aidan with Big she didn’t keep quiet about it. No, she tells Aidan. And he says to her “I just wish I didn’t know about this.” And then they break up. So… what if telling your wife about this makes you the Carrie here? There’s no need to confess.”
Jack stared at Robby for a long time. “I… um… you know I didn’t cheat on her, right?”
Robby rolled his eyes. “I know. My point still stands.”
“Um.” Jack took a tiny sip of coffee. “I’m honestly a little thrown off track now with you quoting Sex and the City.”
He shrugged. “It was Janey’s favorite show. I watched a ton of it.”
“Mhm.” Jack stared into his mug. “I mean - I get what you’re saying but still… um… no, it’s not the same. I’m gonna tell her.”
“Fine.” Robby groaned. “You’re going to tell her. I’ve clearly got no chance of talking you out of it.”
Jack shook his head. “Nope.”
“Great” Robby muttered into his own mug. “Can’t wait.” He picked up his fork again. “But please, one condition.”
Jack groaned. “I think I’ve agreed to enough of your conditions lately.”
“Good thing I don’t care.” He glanced at Jack. “If you’re going to tell her, tell her before Christmas or after Christmas. I’m not sitting through another Abbot Family Christmas wondering whether you two are about to implode.”
“Since when you are sitting through our Christmas?” Jack raised an eyebrow.
“Um. You remember that you and your wife invited me over on Christmas Day to watch Lizzie open her presents, right?”
“Oh. Yeah.” Jack nodded, pulling the plate with pancakes a little closer. “I mean I have to check with my wife again but yeah, I think that’s still on the table.”
Robby rolled his eyes. “You’re really getting off on that whole wife thing, right?”
“Yep.”
“Great.” Robby threw a napkin at him. “Here, you may need it to clean yourself up if you say wife a few more times.”
Jack caught the napkin, flipped him off, then started eating.
They both ate in silence for a minute.
Then Robby lifted his head. “So… Christmas is going to be completely different this year, huh?”
Jack looked up. “What’s that even supposed to mean?”
“Last year you were one step away from blowing up your relationship because you made a unilateral decision without talking to your wife first.” He shrugged. “This year you’re actually taking time off. You chose to be there. That’s already a hell of an improvement.”
“The bar is on the floor” Jack muttered, then added a little louder: “I’m still keeping something from her.”
Robby sighed. “Yeah, a stupid little white lie that’s eating you alive because you actually give a damn. That’s not the same thing.”
Jack shrugged this time, still not fully convinced.
Robby picked his fork up again. “So this year it’ll only be presents, pancakes and peaceful family time.”
Jack’s eyes narrowed. “You’re counting yourself as part of our family right?”
“Hell yes.” Robby smiled. “Lizzie is my goddaughter.”
“How could I forget?” Jack rolled his eyes. “And I know you’re making fun of me but joke all you want - I learned my lesson last year.”
“You’re currently asking me whether you should tell your wife about something you deliberately didn’t tell her.”
Jack stared at him. “That’s different.”
“Yeah. Sure.”
“I’m going to tell her beforehand.”
“Okay.”
Jack took a bite of his pancakes. “It’s gonna be the perfect Christmas this year.”
“Mhm.”
“Really” Jack added, a little quieter.
“Repeat it a couple of times more and you’ve got me convinced” Robby muttered into his mug.
--- --- ---
You wanna keep reading? - Next part is coming soon, I promise.
Summary - Jack Abbot made his decision without ever asking for yours, so you make one of your own. As the distance between you grows, he’s forced to confront feelings he’d spent weeks trying to convince himself didn’t exist.
Warnings - Large age gap (Jack in his late 40's, reader in her late 20's), miscommunication, workplace tension, hurt/comfort, angst, pet names (no use of y/n), HAPPY ENDING!!
Word count - 8187
Notes - Here’s the second and final part of this fic!! Tysm for all the love and support, I hope you all enjoy :)
The words followed you long after you’d walked away from the exam room.
It has to stay just sex… or nothing.
I think I’m going to end it.
You’d heard enough, more than enough.
The chart still sat clutched tightly against your chest as you stepped back into the organised chaos of the emergency department, the familiar sounds rushing back all at once. Monitor alarms. Overhead pages. Phones ringing. Someone laughing somewhere behind the nurses’ station.
The world hadn’t stopped, so it felt strange that yours had.
You inhaled slowly, then exhaled. Your shoulders relaxed and your face settled into something calm, professional. By the time another nurse called your name, there wasn’t a trace of emotion left for anyone else to see.
“Doctor?”
You looked over immediately, brushing away any hurt and anger you were feeling.
“Yep.”
“Can you give me a hand in Bed Nine?”
“Of course.”
And just like that, you buried yourself in work.
The final thirty minutes of the shift passed in a blur, blood requests, discharge paperwork, a confused elderly gentleman convinced he was in a train station, a medication chart needing signed—anything and everything as long as it kept your hands busy. As long as it stopped your mind from wandering back to the conversation outside Exam Four.
Across the department, Jack did exactly the same. He slipped straight back into attending mode, moving from patient to patient with the same steady confidence he’d carried throughout the night. If anything, he seemed lighter.
The conversation with Robby hadn’t solved anything. But saying it aloud had made the decision feel… necessary. Painful but necessary. He’d deal with it, just not today. Not while there were still patients depending on him.
Robby had disappeared into preparations for the incoming day shift, leaving Jack to finish the last of the overnight documentation. Every now and then his eyes searched for you without really thinking about it. Each time, he found you—charting, talking to nurses, helping transport, checking on patients.
He smiled faintly to himself.
At 6:58, the familiar wave of fresh faces began filtering through the department, the unmistakable energy of people who’d actually slept. Night shift collectively looked about ready to collapse.
Jack rubbed a tired hand across his jaw before spotting you at the medication station.
“There you are.” He sighed, fingers scratching at the stubble stretching over his skin.
You looked up with indifference written all over your face.
“Doctor Abbot?”
He paused for a fraction of a second. Normally, it was Jack. Sometimes accompanied by a sarcastic comment about his age. Or a joke, or a smile.
He brushed the thought aside, thinking that it had probably just been a long night, that you were exhausted.
“Wanna help with handover?”
“Of course.” You nodded once. There was no teasing, no stupid grin on your face. Just pure professionalism.
Jack frowned ever so slightly before leading you towards the cluster of day-shift residents and attendings gathering around the central desk.
The handover began exactly as every other morning did—bed by bed, patient by patient.
Jack spoke first, assessing each diagnosis while you filled in the gaps. Together, you’d always fallen into an easy rhythm.
“You saw Mrs Peterson this morning?” One of the incoming residents asked.
You answered before Jack could, already nodding to wards the patients bed.
“She’s awaiting repeat troponins. First set was negative, second is due in twenty minutes. Cardiology are aware.”
The resident nodded, scribbling notes.
Jack glanced sideways, giving you an easy nod of approval even if his jaw was clenched tighter than it should have been. You simply nodded back at him with no smile, no quiet “thanks.” Just your attention returning to the next patient list.
A few minutes later, Jack shifted slightly to make room as another consultant joined the circle. Usually, without thinking, you would’ve stepped in closer. You always stood close enough for his shoulder to brush yours, to feel the heat from him through your scrubs. You never did it because anyone had asked you to, it just always happened.
Today though, you stayed exactly where you were. A comfortable professional distance away. Your arms folded loosely around your clipboard, eyes fixed on the patient board rather than him.
Jack noticed only for a second. Something had to be wrong right? Maybe you just wanted some soace after a heavy shift.
“…And Bed Twelve?”
The question pulled him back immediately but before he could even think about speaking, you answered smoothly.
He nodded in agreement, the only thing he could really do. His mind was elsewhere completely, the brief feeling of relief after his conversation with Robby had dissipated now.
The handover continued. Every answer you gave was clear and confident, exactly what he’d expect from an R-3. You didn’t stumble once, didn’t ask for reassurance, didn’t even look towards him to silently check you’d reached the right conclusion. You simply knew.
He should’ve been pleased, should have felt some sense of pride knowing you had become more confident in your ability. Instead, something felt different. Wrong in a way he couldn’t describe. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
The thoughts from before circled back again. Maybe you were just tired, it had been a long night. You’d barely slept before coming straight back in, having gone back to his place and stayed up with him. Anyone would be quieter after that.
He glanced at you again as another patient was discussed. You were already making notes for the incoming resident, expression neutral—focused and professional.
He smiled to himself, somehow convincing himself that it was just exhaustion making you quiet. That was all. He’d catch you later, make sure you actually went home, probably remind you to eat something before collapsing into bed. Maybe even convince you to come over after the next shift.
The thought came so naturally that he didn’t even question it. He had no idea that the invitation he’d already planned in his head was about to be the first time you’d tell him no.
The handover dissolved into a dozen smaller conversations as the incoming day shift scattered across the department. You didn’t linger. Normally, you’d wait for Jack. The two of you would walk out together before splitting off towards your separate cars, stealing another ten minutes together before heading home to sleep through the day.
Today you slipped away before anyone noticed.
The locker room was almost empty, the last of the night shift filtering through in tired silence. You unlocked your locker, mechanically shoving your stethoscope into your backpack before reaching for the oversized grey hoodie folded on the shelf above.
The second you pulled it over your head, you froze. It smelled like him—laundry detergent, coffee, the faintest trace of the aftershave he’d been wearing for as long as you’d known him. You closed your eyes and for one awful second, all you wanted was to turn around, walk back inside and let him wrap his arms around you the way he always did after a difficult shift. To let him brush your hair back. To hear him ask if you’d eaten. To pretend you hadn’t heard a single word outside Exam Four.
Your throat tightened as you yanked your backpack onto one shoulder. You couldn’t do that to yourself.
The morning air was cool against your face as you stepped out of the hospital. Your car sat exactly where you’d left it twelve hours earlier. You dug through your bag for your keys.
“Hey.”
You closed your eyes for half a second before turning around. You knew that voice all too well.
Jack was walking towards you across the parking lot, his own backpack slung lazily over one shoulder. His expression softened when he reached you, something reserved just for you.
“There you are.”
“Doctor Abbot.” You offered a polite smile.
Again with the Doctor Abbot. He tried not to think about how strange it sounded coming from you. He lived the way you said his name, loved the sweet way it rolled off your tongue.
“How’re you doing?”
“I’m alright, thank you.”
“You look exhausted.”
“It was a busy shift.”
“It was.”
He studied your face for a moment and there it was again, that distance. Not obvious enough that anyone else would notice. But enough that it felt wrong. “You sure you’re okay?” He had to ask, had to make sure he wasn’t seeing things, that this coldness wasn’t just a figment of his imagination.
“I’m fine.” You nodded once, unable to let your gaze linger on him for too long. All it did was bring back the pain in your chest.
“Get some sleep when you get home.” He smiled gently, dismissing his confusion as overthinking.
“I will.”
“And…” He hesitated only briefly. “Make sure you eat something first.”
“Okay.”
Your fingers tightened around your car keys and for one cruel moment, Jack thought you might crumple into his arms the way that had become so natural for you.
But you didnt. You straightened up instead and started walking away without waiting for him to speak again.
“I’ll be home if you wanted to—” The words died in his throat.
You’d stopped walking. Ever so slowly, you turned back to face him. There wasn’t any anger on your face, that would’ve been easier, to deal with. Instead you looked almost painfully composed.
“You don’t need to concern yourself with what I do outside of the hospital.” The words slipped from your lips before you could soften them.
“What?” Jack blinked.
“You don’t have to remind me to eat.” Your voice remained calm, measured, professional. “Or ask where I’m going.” Gone was the warmth that wrapped around him when the two of you would speak.
He frowned, lips pulling down in the same way they did when he was stressing over a patient.
“I was only—”
“I know.” You nodded once, leaving no room for excuses. “But you’re my attending, Jack. You don’t need to worry about me once I leave this place.”
The words landed harder than you intended. For one awful moment you both stood in silence. Jack stared at you and the colour seemed to drain from his face.
“I…” For the first time all night, the ever-confident attending genuinely looked lost. “I didn’t mean to overstep.”
“You didn’t.” You forced another polite smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Doctor Abbot.”
Doctor Abbot. Not Jack, not anymore. The title echoed in his ears and he swallowed, hard.
“I’m sorry.”
You nodded once, then climbed into your car. The door shut with a muted thud and you rested both hands against the steering wheel. Your vision blurred almost instantly, but you refused to cry. Not here. You squeezed your eyes shut, fighting back the burn in them.
You wanted this. No—he wanted this. You just gave it to him.
Your hand instinctively reached for the door handle. For one ridiculous second you almost climbed back out. Almost walked across the parking lot. Almost wrapped your arms around him and told him none of this mattered. That you’d rather fight through the complications together than lose him completely.
“I think I’m going to end it.”
“It has to stay just sex… or nothing.”
Your hand fell away as though the handle had burned skin and you started the engine instead.
Jack never moved. He stood exactly where you’d left him, watching your car reverse out of its space, watching it disappear towards the hospital exit. His chest felt strangely hollow. He’d spent the last hour convincing himself he needed distance, needed boundaries, needed to stop letting things become so personal. So why did it feel so damn awful the second you actually gave him those boundaries?
He looked down at the empty parking space where your car had been only moments before and his jaw tightened.
‘It’s for the best.’ The thought came automatically. Like a script he’d been repeating to himself all morning. ‘She’ll be better off. She deserves someone who isn’t her attending. Someone who doesn’t carry thirty years of baggage.’
He repeated it again and again, trying desperately to believe it. It didn’t stop the sinking feeling in his chest. Or the awful suspicion that, somehow he’d just watched the best thing in his life drive away.
Your drive home passed in complete silence—no music, no podcasts, not even the familiar hum of the radio. You simply drove one set of lights after another, one turn after another. The journey that normally took twenty minutes somehow felt like five and you couldn’t remember a single part of it. Your body had gone through the motions while your mind remained somewhere outside Exam Four.
“Do you want it to be something more?” “No.”
You swallowed hard, wishing away the words refused to leave you alone.
By the time you pulled up, your apartment greeted you with the same quiet it always did. You locked the front door behind you, kicked your shoes off somewhere near the hallway and dropped your bag onto the kitchen counter without a second thought.
Usually, you’d start a shower, maybe make breakfast before crawling into bed. Today you didn’t have the energy. You wandered into the living room almost aimlessly before letting yourself fall onto the sofa. Just… collapsed.
The cushions dipped beneath your weight as you stared blankly at the ceiling. For a long while, you didn’t move. You just listened to the sound of your own breathing. The apartment suddenly felt much bigger than it had yesterday, much emptier.
You hugged one of the cushions against your chest, resting your forehead against the fabric as a humourless laugh escaped you.
“You absolute idiot.”
The words were barely louder than a whisper. You’d gone and done the one thing you promised yourself you wouldn’t. You’d fallen for him. It wasn’t a silly little crush, wasn’t infatuation. It was love—real, terrifying love. You loved the way he absentmindedly rubbed the bridge of his nose when he was reading scans. The way he quietly hummed to himself while making coffee. How every frightened child somehow ended up laughing within five minutes of meeting him. How he never made you feel stupid. How he’d celebrate every tiny success as though you’d personally discovered a cure for cancer. How he’d always remembered to ask if you’d eaten. How he’d tucked spare scrubs into one of his drawers because he knew, sooner or later, you’d forget another set.
You loved him. And apparently, he’d already decided to walk away.
“I really am an idiot.”
Your chest tightened painfully and your eyes burned. You blinked rapidly, forcing the tears back for what felt like the tenth time. You weren’t going to cry over someone who had already made his choice. You refused.
The vibration of your phone against the coffee table made you jump. You frowned as you read the contact name.
Jack. Of course it was Jack.
For one awful, hopeful second your heart leapt into your throat. Maybe… Maybe he’d changed his mind. Maybe he’d realised he needed you the way you did him.
You snatched the phone up before you could stop yourself.
Jack ❤️
Sweetheart. You alright? You get home okay?
You seemed quiet after shift. Just checking in.
You stared at the screen then let out a short, disbelieving scoff.
“…Seriously?”
You read it again and again until your eyes went dry and burned. Your stomach twisted each time. He still called you sweetheart, still checked in, still wanted to make sure you got home safely. All while simultaneously planning to end whatever this was.
Your thumb hovered over the keyboard and for a split second, you almost typed back.
I’m not okay.
Can we talk?
Why didn’t you just talk to me? Not Robby.
Instead you locked the screen, set the phone face down on the coffee table, and leaned back into the sofa.
“He made his decision.” The words sounded strange spoken aloud. “He was very clear. He doesn’t want this to become anything more.”
Your throat tightened impossibly and you let out another shaky breath.
“So… Have some dignity.”
It hurt to say. It hurt even more because you knew exactly what you had to do. No more staying late to chat. No more coffee after shifts. No more nights at his apartment. No more letting him brush your hair behind your ear or call you sweetheart like it meant something. If he wanted boundaries, you’d give him boundaries. If he wanted distance, you’d give him distance. If he wanted it to be over, you weren’t going to make him say it twice.
You swallowed hard and reached for the throw blanket draped over the arm of the sofa, pulling it around yourself despite the warmth of the apartment. It didn’t help, you’d never felt colder in your life.
Over the next five night shifts, the emergency department carried on exactly as it always had. Patients came and went in an endless stream. Ambulance sirens echoed through the bay at all hours of the night. Trauma calls interrupted half-finished coffees, nurses chased beds that didn’t exist, and the waiting room somehow never seemed to get any quieter.
On the surface nothing had changed. You still arrived ten minutes early. Still worked yourself to exhaustion. Still stayed calm under pressure. You laughed with Parker over badly brewed coffee and listened to Shen’s ridiculous stories when you passed him. You celebrated good outcomes, comforted frightened families and spent far too long trying to convince children that stitches weren’t nearly as scary as they sounded.
You were still exactly the doctor everyone expected you to be.
Except around Jack, everything had changed. The easy smiles disappeared. The playful teasing stopped. You no longer found reasons to wander over to him just to steal a bite of his lunch or complain about tour aching feet for five minutes. You didn’t linger after handovers. You didn’t wait for him before heading home. You stopped calling him Jack, it was always Doctor Abbot.
Nothing more, nothing less. Exactly the way every other resident addressed their attending.
You’d decided that if he wanted professional boundaries, you would give him every single one.
On day one, Jack noticed it almost immediately. It wasn’t enough to worry him. Just enough for him to notice. He found you outside Trauma Two, carefully reviewing a CT report while balancing a coffee in your free hand.
“Morning, sweetheart.”
You looked up and your eyes met his, except they were missing your usual cheeky sparkle.
“Oh—morning, Dr Abbot.”
“You surviving?” He smiled, trying to break the ice wall that had somehow surrounded you.
“I’m alright, thank you.”
“Good.” He nodded once with his hands clasped behind his back, unsure of how to carry on the conversation.
Before he could say anything else, you smiled politely then excused yourself to review another patient.
Jack watched you disappear around the corner. Long shift, he decided again. You were probably just tired.
On day two the department was overflowing, every room full, stretchers lining the halls.
“There you are.” Jack spotted you across the nurses’ station, relief evident in his voice.
“Doctor Abbot.” You looked over, still only giving him half of your attention.
“I was looking for you.”
“I’ve just been asked to review Bed Six.”
“I’ll walk over with—”
“I’ve got it.” You offered a brief smile before disappearing through the curtain.
Jack frowned slightly. Normally, you would’ve waited, asked about his patients, told him about yours. Instead, you’d barely looked at him.
On day three, the opportunity to talk presented itself twice. And both times you quietly avoided it.
The first was after a trauma call. You finished writing your notes before noticing Jack making his way towards you. Before he reached the desk, you abruptly stood, gave a quick “Shen asked me to review a patient.” And walked away.
The second came later that night. The two of you reached the break room at almost exactly the same time. You stopped and gestured politely towards the doorway.
“You go ahead.”
“Come on.” He grinned, the usual easygoing smirk pulling at his lips. “Grab a quick coffee with me.”
“No, it’s alright. I’ve got another patient waiting.”
By the time he’d frowned and stepped inside, you were already halfway across the nurses station. He stood there for a moment, confused, hands flexing against the stethoscope around his neck.
On day four, it happened during handover. Halfway through discussing a patient, Jack made one of his usual sarcastic comments about Shen somehow managing to consume all of Dunkin’s coffee supply.
Normally you would’ve laughed first, probably rolled your eyes, maybe even joined in. Instead you gave him nothing. You simply continued reading from your notes—professional, composed, detached.
Jack looked at you for a second longer than necessary, then realised something that made his stomach sink. He couldn’t remember the last time you’d smiled at him, not a real one. Not in days.
Day five, the shift itself passed uneventfully. Busy and exhausting. Just before seven in the morning, Jack finally caught you while you were packing away your stethoscope.
“There you are.”
You looked up from your locker as he stopped beside you, hands clasped behind his back in a way that made his beefy chest bulge against his scrub top
“Dr Abbot.” You forced the observation away, snapping your gaze literally anywhere else. It had been five days since you had touched him, your hand itched to rest against the firmness of his bicep.
“You heading home?” He smiled, desperately trying to ignore the title.
“Yes.”
He hesitated, then decided to stop overthinking it.
“I’ll be home.”
You looked at him in confusion for a moment before he spoke again.
“If you wanted to come round.”
He was met with silence, just for a second. And then you huffed out a breath that almost sounded like a laugh. His hopes skyrocketed. And then you opened your mouth.
“No thanks, Dr Abbot.”
Your voice wasn’t cold, it wasn’t angry. It was carefully neutral. You adjusted your backpack onto your shoulder and gave him one last polite smile.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Then you walked away.
Jack didn’t move. He simply watched you disappear through the locker room door. The reaction he had gotten from you echoed around his head. He hadn’t heard his name from you in the last five days, not once. For the first time all week, he stopped telling himself you were just tired. Stopped blaming long shifts. Stopped convincing himself he’d imagined it.
This wasn’t exhaustion or stress. It wasn’t a long week. You were avoiding him, deliberately. And whatever had happened, It had happened the morning after he’d spoken to Robby. A cold knot settled heavily in his stomach. For the first time since that conversation, Jack wondered if somehow, without even realising it, he’d already started losing you.
By the time Jack pulled into the parking space outside his apartment, the morning rush had already begun. People hurried in and out of the neighbouring buildings, coffees clutched between tired hands, briefcases swinging at their sides as another workday started.
For everyone else the day was just beginning, for him it was over.
He switched the engine off and sat there for a moment. Normally, his phone would’ve buzzed by now with a text from you. Telling him you’d made it home. Or maybe a picture of whatever sad excuse for breakfast you’d managed to throw together before collapsing into bed. It would have been something, anything.
Today, just like every day since things began crumbling, he got nothing.
Jack sighed quietly before climbing out of the truck. His apartment greeted him with silence which wasn’t unusual for the most part. But this silence felt different. He locked the front door behind him before dropping his keys into the ceramic bowl beside it. They clinked loudly, too loudly. The noise kept ringing in his ears.
He shrugged off his backpack, kicked his shoe off and limped the familiar path towards his bedroom. Everything happened on autopilot, the same routine he’d followed thousands of times before. Only now every room reminded him of you. The spare mug sitting beside the coffee machine. The oat milk in the fridge. A spare toothbrush still tucked into the holder beside his own. One of your hair ties abandoned around the handle of the bathroom cabinet.
His chest tightened. He should’ve thrown those things away. If he was serious about ending whatever this was, he should’ve done it. Instead he’d left every single one exactly where you’d put it.
Jack sat carefully on the edge of the bed. His hands automatically reached for the fastening securing his prosthetic. The familiar clicks echoed softly through the room as he loosened the straps. After all these years, removing it had become second nature. One movement after another.
He leaned it carefully against the bedside table before rubbing absentmindedly at the skin beneath the liner. It ached, long shifts always made it ache.
Normally, this was about the point you’d wander into the bedroom. Hair damp from your shower. One of his t-shirts hanging far too big on your frame. You’d stand in the doorway watching him, never making a fuss. Just present. Sometimes you’d grab a clean wet towel and wipe at the stump below his knee before he even asked. Sometimes you’d quietly disappear into the kitchen to start the coffee. Sometimes you’d simply sit beside him, talking about absolutely nothing while he finished massaging the skin around the stump.
He’d never realised how comforting that had become until it wasn’t there anymore.
The shower he ended up taking was hotter than usual. Steam quickly filled the room as water pounded steadily against sore muscles. Jack rested one hand against the tiled wall, closing his eyes. For the first time all week, he let himself think—really think.
He replayed every interaction, every conversation, every strange look, every clipped response.
“Morning, Dr Abbot.”
“No thanks, Dr Abbot.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Dr Abbot.”
His jaw tightened so hard he may as well have chipped a tooth. You hadn’t called him Jack once, not once in five days. He frowned, wracking his brain for every detail he had missed.
What had changed? No, that wasn’t the right question. When had it changed?
His mind immediately went back. Five days, exactly five days. That morning immediately after his conversation with Robby. His stomach dropped as a sudden unsettling sensation washed over him and he sat perfectly still beneath the water. He wasn’t stupid, he had lived long enough to be able to piece two and two together. But surely not. You hadn’t—You couldn’t have heard him.
His breathing slowed and his heart began sinking further with every piece clicking into place—your sudden need to keep your distance, the polite professionalism in your voice, the way you hadn’t leaned into him once.
“Oh, Christ…”
The words left him before he could stop them. Had you heard? And if so, how much? All of it? Just the end? His mind raced faster that it ever had. If you’d heard him say the things he said…
Jack squeezed his eyes shut at the thought of your reaction. How hurt were you? Did you cry? God, he never wanted to make you cry.
He’d never even spoken to you, never asked how you felt, never explained. He’d simply decided for both of you.
His stomach twisted violently when another thought hit him. If you had only heard the end—if you hadn’t heard the beginning—you hadn’t heard him admit he looked forward to seeing you, that he loved being around you, that you’d become part of his life before he’d even realised it. You’d only have heard the rejection.
From your perspective, he’d been planning to throw you away, without warning, without a conversation.
Jack let out a slow, shaky breath. He understood now. The distance, the professionalism, the avoidance. You weren’t punishing him, you were protecting yourself. Exactly the same way he’d been trying to protect himself.
He reached up, dragging both hands down his face. Everything he’d done over the past week suddenly looked ridiculous. Checking if you’d eaten, calling you sweetheart, inviting you back to his apartment.
While you’d been quietly mourning a relationship you thought he’d decided to end, he’d expected you to keep acting like nothing had happened.
How unfair was that?
Jack switched the shower off and the apartment fell silent again. This time the silence felt suffocating. He got out and dressed slowly, pulling on an old T-shirt and a pair of sweats before making himself a coffee he had absolutely no intention of drinking.
He wandered into the living room with his crutches tucked under his arms, sat down, and immediately stood up again. He was restless. His eyes drifted towards the empty space on the couch, the one you’d usually occupy curled beneath the blanket while he read through journal articles or half-watched whatever documentary happened to be on television.
He’d told himself ending things would make life simpler. And yet he’d never felt more unsettled.
His phone sat on the small table beside the couch, no new notifications making it vibrate. He picked it up and with shaky hands, opened your messages.
He typed and deleted, typed again and deleted that too. He needed to make things right, to show you how much you meant to him. He switched the phone off with a shake of his head, damp curls dripping down his neck. This wasn’t a conversation for text, not after everything. Not after the hurt he’d caused. He owed you more than that. He owed you the chance he’d never given you in the first place.
Jack slipped his phone back into his pocket and made up his mind. Tomorrow night, neither of you were working, no shifts, no patients, no excuses. He was going to your apartment, and if he had to stand outside your front door for an hour until you agreed to speak to him… Then that’s exactly what he was going to do. Because Jack Abbott wasn’t trying to figure out how to end whatever this was. He was trying to figure out whether there was still enough left to save.

The following evening passed far quieter than the five before it. No trauma calls, no fluorescent lights buzzing above your head. Just the soft murmur of an audiobook drifting from the speaker in your kitchen and the occasional turn of a page.
You’d claimed your usual spot on the kitchen counter, one leg swinging lazily over the edge while the other was tucked comfortably beneath you. An open paperback rested in your lap, its spine already beginning to soften from how many times you’d read it, and an apple sat in one hand. You’d barely made it through another chapter before lifting the fruit to your mouth for another bite.
Silence settled around the apartment again. For the first time in nearly a week, you felt almost peaceful. Not happy, you weren’t anywhere near happy. But the ache in your chest had dulled enough that you could finally sit still without replaying the conversation outside Exam Four over and over again.
You turned another page, eyes glued to the words when three firm knocks echoed through the apartment. Your brows knitted together. You weren’t expecting anyone, Parker usually texted first, your neighbour never knocked, delivery drivers always buzzed. Setting your bookmark between the pages, you slipped from the counter and padded barefoot across the wooden floor.
The knocks came again and you sighed at the impatience.
“I’m coming, Jesus.” You unlocked the deadbolt before pulling the door open and freezing, apple still clutched in one hand.
Jack Abbot stood on the other side in dark jeans and his usual black t-shirt, hands shoved awkwardly into his pockets. For once, he looked like he had absolutely no idea what to say.
You blinked then glanced down at the half-eaten apple still sitting in your hand and a dry laugh escaped you before you could stop it.
“I thought an apple a day kept the doctor away.”
For a split second Jack just stared at you. Then the corner of his mouth twitched, he looked dangerously close to laughing. At the same time, his eyes betrayed him, flickering over you before he could stop them. Not in a way that made you uncomfortable. More familiar. You were wearing the little satin pyjama set he’d always quietly loved—the pale blue shorts with the matching camisole you’d worn countless times at his apartment between shifts.
He’d always thought you looked impossibly comfortable in it, like home. That and you looked sexy as hell.
“Hi.” He dragged his gaze back to your face almost immediately, blush inching its way up his neck.
He was met with silence. The most awkward silence. Neither of you moved until you sighed and folded your arms over your chest.
“What are you doing here?”
“I…” Jack rubbed the back of his neck. “Can we talk?”
“I don’t think there’s much left to talk about.” Your expression didn’t change even if your heart was currently doing backflips in your chest
“There is.”
“No.” You tightened your grip on the door. “I think you’ve said everything you wanted to say.”
“You heard.” Jack’s face fell at the confirmation of his theory. It wasn’t really a question.
“Heard enough.” You smiled, but there wasn’t any warmth behind it. Your stomach twisted at the memory, at the way he so easily said he didn’t want to be with you, that he was going to end it.
“I’m not doing this on the doorstep.”
“Neither am I.” He took a small step forward. “That’s why I came.”
“I don’t really have anything else to say, Jack.” You shook your head, lips pulling into a tight line.
For the first time in days you’d called him Jack and it hurt more than either of you expected. It didn’t give him that warm feeling he had been missing in his chest. It didn’t make his stomach flutter in excitement. It grabbed at his lungs and squeezed so hard it hurt to breathe.
You started to close the door, already done with the conversation. Before it reached the frame, Jack’s boot slipped gently into the gap. The door stopped with a soft thud against the sole of his shoe.
You looked down then back up at him and shook your head.
“Jack.”
“I know.” His voice was quiet. “I know that’s probably the last thing you want.”
“You’d be right.”
“I deserve that.”
“You do.”
He nodded once, accepting it without argument. “But please…” There was something almost painfully sincere in his expression now. No teasing, no attending, no carefully composed doctor. Just Jack. “Please let me explain.”
You looked at him for a long moment. He looked exhausted, both physically and emotionally. Like he’d spent the last five days carrying something far heavier than a twelve-hour shift.
Your grip on the door tightened and you tried to stand your ground, tried not to give in the the voice in your head screaming at you to let him in.
“You made your decision.”
“I thought I had.”
“And now?”
“Now I know I made it without talking to the one person who deserved to be part of it.”
Jack swallowed hard, jaw tensing as his lips twisted into that silly little pout he did when he didn’t know what to say. Silence settled between you again, heavy and thick.
“I’ve been an idiot.” He let out a quiet, self-deprecating breath as his eyes searched yours. “A spectacular one. I’m not asking you to forgive me. I’m not asking you to agree with me. I’m just asking for ten minutes. So I can tell you what you didn’t hear.”
The apartment remained quiet behind you. The hallway equally still in front of you. For the first time since opening the door, you hesitated. The brave girl act you had been hiding behind was cracking and you didn’t know if you were strong enough to keep it together.
Finally, you stepped back from the doorway, inviting him in with a nod of your head. Relief flickered across his face. It disappeared almost as quickly when you held up a hand before he’d made it more than two steps into the apartment.
“No.” Your voice was steady, confident in the same way he had always admired. “I’m talking first.”
Jack nodded immediately, hands up in surrender.
“Okay.”
“You don’t interrupt.”
“I won’t.”
“You don’t get to explain until I’m done.”
“I promise.”
You closed the front door behind him, turning the lock more out of habit than anything else before walking back towards the living room. You couldn’t sit. You tried for about three seconds, then you were pacing—three steps towards the window, three steps back towards the sofa. Your bare foot tapped anxiously against the hardwood floor every time you stopped, your leg bouncing so hard it was almost impossible to keep still.
Jack noticed every single movement. He knew your tells, he’d spent months learning them without even realising he had. The pacing, the bouncing leg, the way your fingers twisted nervously around themselves. You only ever did that when something was really wrong.
His stomach twisted hard enough to make him sick. This wasn’t anger, this was hurt—deep, genuine hurt.
You finally stopped walking, folding your arms tightly across your chest as though trying to hold yourself together.
“I heard enough.”
“I know.” Jack lowered his head.
“I heard Robby ask if you wanted this to become something more. I heard you say no.” Every word you spoke sounded calmer than you felt. “I heard you say it had to stay just sex…” Your voice caught despite yourself. “…or nothing.”
Jack closed his eyes briefly, heart aching at the utter pain in your voice.
“I heard you say you were going to end it. So…” you shrugged helplessly. “That was nice. I spent months thinking…” You swallowed hard. “Thinking maybe I wasn’t imagining it. You bought oat milk because I liked it. You kept spare scrubs for me. You made coffee every morning after shift. You’d text me to make sure I’d eaten. You’d hold me all afternoon while we slept.”
Your eyes finally met his, wet with the unshed tears you’d been holding back.
“And I thought…” You laughed again, wiping angrily at your cheek before a tear could properly fall. “I thought maybe it meant something.”
“It did.” Jack looked devastated.
“You don’t get to say that.” The words came much sharper than you’d intended. “You don’t get to say that now.”
Another tear escaped despite your best efforts and you brushed it away impatiently.
“I was already falling for you. So hearing you decide…” You gestured vaguely between the two of you. “…all of this, without even asking me…”
Your chin trembled with the effort of keeping your jaw clenched.
“…it really hurt, Jack.”
Jack took one instinctive step towards you. You didn’t step back, but you didn’t step forward either. You just stood there looking at him, trying so desperately not to cry.
“You made the decision for both of us.” Another tear rolled down your cheek. “You never even asked what I wanted.”
Jack’s own eyes had begun to shine, a little red around the edges.
“I know.”
“I would’ve liked the chance to make that decision too.” Your breathing hitched and a small gasp caught in your throat. “I deserved that.”
“You did.” The admission came immediately, without hesitation. “You absolutely did.”
Your shoulders finally sagged, body too tired to keep itself standing tall.
“I loved what we had.” The words were barely above a whisper now. I loved sleeping beside you, I loved making coffee with you, I loved working with you. I loved…”
You stopped yourself too late, eyes widening a fraction as you brought your fingers up over your lips. Jack had heard it, heard what was about to leave your mouth. He took another slow step.
“So when you stood there and said it was just sex? It made me feel…” You shook your head, brows furrowed as you tried to put together the right words. “So unbelievably stupid.”
Jack couldn’t take it anymore, he could feel pieces of his heart chipping away with every word you spoke.
“Sweetheart…” His voice broke.
You glared at him through blurred vision, not wanting to accept the way that stupid name falling from his mouth made you melt.
“You hurt me.”
“I know.”
“You really hurt me.”
“I know, honey.”
This time when he moved closer, you let him. Not because you weren’t still angry. Because some part of you was simply too tired to move away. Jack lifted one hand slowly, giving you every opportunity to stop him. When you didn’t, his thumb caught the salty tear halfway down your cheek. The touch was impossibly soft.
“I’m so sorry.”
You squeezed your eyes shut, shaking your head as you kept your mouth firmly shut.
“I know saying that doesn’t fix it.” His other hand came up carefully, cupping the opposite side of your face. “And I’m not apologising because you heard what I said, I’m apologising because I was wrong.”
You looked back at him, his expression being one of complete heartbreak.
“I thought…” He laughed bitterly at himself. “I genuinely thought I was protecting you.”
“You don’t get to decide what protects me.”
“I know, Sweetheart. I know that now.” His thumbs continued wiping away the tears you couldn’t seem to stop. “I’ve spent five days replaying that conversation over and over. I was so damn convinced I was doing the right thing.”
“For who?”
The question landed quietly and Jack’s eyes dropped. He knew the answer to this question, knew it would make him seem like more of a dick.
“I told myself…” His voice cracked. “…it was for you. But if I’m honest? It was for me.
You frowned, blinking through more tears as you tried to make sense of what he was trying to say.
“I was terrified.” He finally admitted it aloud. “I’m your attending. I’m almost fifteen years older than you. If anyone found out…”
He laughed shakily, moving just that tiny bit closer. Close enough that you could feel his breath on your face every time he exhaled.
“I kept imagining your career ending because of me. I kept imagining everyone saying I’d taken advantage of you. I couldn’t…” His jaw tightened. “I couldn’t bear the idea of being the reason you lost everything you’ve worked for.”
Your anger softened, only slightly. You were still hurt that he had convinced himself that his decision was for you, when in reality he was clearing his own guilty conscience. But you also know Jack wasn’t a bad man. Sure he could do with some healthy communication tips, but he wasn’t selfish, wasn’t heartless or evil.
“So instead…” Your voice wavered. “…you decided to lose me before anyone else could make it happen.”
Jack looked like you’d physically winded him. “Yeah.” The single word came out broken. “I did.”
Another tear escaped you and he caught it with his thumb before it reached your jaw.
“I’m so sorry, honey.” He rested his forehead lightly against yours. “I’ve never wanted to hurt you.”
“I know.” Your answer surprised both of you. “I know you didn’t. But you still did, and that’s not okay.”
“I know.” Jack nodded, his hands never leaving your face. “And if you’ll let me…” He searched your eyes desperately. “I’d like the chance to spend the rest of my life making up for it.”
Your forehead rested still against his. The apartment felt impossibly still, save for the occasional shaky breath you couldn’t quite steady. Jack’s thumbs continued brushing beneath your eyes, wiping away tears almost as quickly as they fell. You let him. For the first time in almost a week, you let him.
After another long silence, you finally spoke.
“If we do this. If we try again…”
“I’m listening.” Jack looked at you immediately and nodded once.
You took a slow breath, trying to compose yourself.
“I have conditions.”
“Okay.” A tiny smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“No.” You spotted it instantly and shook your head, lips pulling into a frustrated pout. “I mean it.”
“So do I.” He squeezed your hand gently. “What are they?”
You looked down at the floor for a moment before finding the courage to meet his eyes again. “I don’t want to be…” You swallowed. “A secret hookup anymore.”
His smile disappeared.
“I don’t want to feel like the person you hide.” Another tear ran down your cheek. “I don’t want to sneak into your apartment after every shift and pretend I don’t exist once we walk through the hospital doors.”
Jack listened without saying a word.
“I want…” Your voice grew smaller. “I want dates.” You laughed quietly through your tears, embarrassed by how vulnerable it sounded. “I want you to actually ask me out. I want flowers every now and then. I want stupid little dinners where we complain about work. I want someone to know I’m the reason you’ve got that ridiculous smile on your face.”
You wiped at your cheek again.
“I want to be loved loudly.”
The apartment fell silent and you searched his face nervously, suddenly unsure of everything you had just asked for.
“If that’s too much then just tell me now.”
“It isn’t.”
“If you can’t—”
“It isn’t.” His answer came so softly it almost stole the breath from your lungs. “It isn’t too much.” He stepped closer again, smiling through eyes that were suspiciously glassy themselves. “It’s exactly what you deserve.”
You inhaled sharply as your jaw wobbled, a whimper threatening to leave your lips.
“I spent so long convincing myself loving you would ruin your life.” He laughed quietly at himself. “I never stopped to ask whether loving you properly might actually make it better. I’ll take you on dates.” His hand found yours again. “I’ll bring you flowers. I’ll hold your hand in public. I’ll tell people how proud I am of you. If you’re comfortable with it, I’ll never make you feel like something I have to hide again.”
Your eyes filled all over again, shoulders shaking from the effort of not letting out a sound.
“Oh, sweetheart…” Jack smiled sadly. “You’re crying harder.”
“I know.”
“You’ve got to stop breaking my heart.”
“I’m trying.” You laughed through a sob.
“I know you are.”
His arms opened without another word and this time you didn’t hesitate, you practically fell into them. The second his arms wrapped around you, every ounce of strength you’d been clinging to finally disappeared. You buried your face against the side of his neck, your fingers clutching desperately at the back of his T-shirt.
Jack held you like he’d been afraid you wouldn’t let him ever again. One hand settled securely between your shoulder blades, the other slipped gently into your hair. His fingertips scratched lightly against your scalp in slow, comforting circles. He knew how much you loved it.
“There she is,” His voice was barely above a whisper, muffled against the side of your head. “My pretty thing. My sweet baby.”
You let out a shaky breath against his neck and he smiled to himself, holding you even tighter against him.
“There you are. My pretty crybaby.”
A muffled, offended little sound escaped you and Jack laughed quietly.
“I know.” He kissed the top of your head, his fingers never stopping moving. “I know. So beautiful. So brave. So stubborn. And somehow…” He pressed another lingering kiss against your hairline. “still willing to give this old man another chance.”
“I suppose I am.” You huffed a watery laugh.
“I’ll spend every day earning it.”
You stayed like that for another minute, just breathing, just existing in each others arms. Eventually, you pulled back enough to look at him. Your cheeks were flushed, eyes still glossy, hair thoroughly messed up from his fingers.
“What?” Jack muttered as he brushed another stray tear away with his thumb.
You searched his face carefully.
“You called me” Your voice came out almost timid. “your pretty crybaby.”
“I did.”
“I’m yours?” Your brows knitted together.
The question was so small, so hopeful, so raw. Jack felt his heart melt. He cupped your face once more, smiling in that quiet, impossibly gentle way that had made you fall in love with him in the first place. He leaned forward until his forehead rested against yours again.
“If you’ll have me,” he whispered, pressing another kiss to your forehead. “You’re my girl. And I’m very, very lucky that you’ll let me be your man.”
summary: the three times jack abbot compared you to someone else vs. the one time you were exactly who he wanted but couldn't have anymore.
tags: jack abbot x reader, angst, deep insecurities, jack compares you to samira, robby, and his late-wife (I named her alice), a few scene changes but it's for the plot, trying out [name] but if I don't like it, it's back to y/n for all of you, jack is lowkey an asshole on accident (thinks he's meaning well by complimenting others, but tears you apart in the process), medical inaccuracies, hurt/no comfort (at least for jack), eventual breakup, special end scene guest star, age gape (28-32/50), heavily inspired by lacy by olivia rodrigo (which I suggest listening to while you read) and all the feels that come with that, 18+ MDNI
notes: this hurt to write, and this better hurt y'all in the best angsty way possible! just a reminder that my requests for the hatosyverse are open, and that I'm doing smutty blurbs to build my writing abilities, enjoy!
word count: 7.4k
You didn't understand how you'd been able to score Jack Abbot.
Somehow, the universe decided that you'd be his match, the one he chose to go home to at the end of a bad shift, the one who'd been able to give him the most comfort during his darkest days. You knew what you'd be getting into: the PTSD, the depression, shifts where he felt more like your boss than your partner. But you believed you could get through it; Jack was older, and you liked to think you were mature enough to handle anything thrown your way.
For almost a year, your relationship bloomed in stolen glances across the Pitt, hidden moments in supply closets, and late-night baths spent at his house trying to bury yourself next to his heart. Jack was it for you, and you let yourself dream about a future, ring on your finger, possible children running around the house you shared. The two of you rarely fought, often choosing to apologize for anything under the sun before arguments grew too large for your feelings.
Never once did Jack make you feel inadequate, even if you had voiced early on that you truly didn't understand why he picked you. Compared to his gorgeous salt-and-pepper curls and freckled skin and large stature, you felt plain. Your hair was always pulled into a slick ponytail, makeup caused acne breakouts after 12-hour shifts, and what little time you had to yourself, you spent it at home, reading a book, instead of going out with friends and colleagues. People looked at you without so much as a second glance. Jack, on the other hand, made heads turn and nurses blush if they somehow caught his attention long enough for him to send a look their way. You couldn't remember the last time you went through a shift where a female (or sometimes male) patient failed to make a comment about the sexy, silver fox doctor.
You never made it more than it was: harmless flirting from people Jack would never think about again once they got discharged.
After, you and he had gone through the HR meetings, the contract signings, and the swearing that your relationship wouldn't get in the way of saving lives or have Jack start playing favorites. To further this, around the 9-month mark of being Jack's, they plucked you from the safety of the nightshift and dropped you right into Robby's hands. But this was how it was going to be from now on; there was no point in arguing as long as you got to keep Jack.
For three months, you persevered. Finding a groove with an already well-oiled shift proved to be harder than it looked. People talked. Nurses gossiped. Doctors speculated. You, through it all, kept your chin high. Their words didn't get to dictate your relationship. During handoffs, Jack still swept you into his arms and kissed you like a man coming back from war. He still told you that dinner was in the fridge once you got home and napped. He still continued to send updates during his shift, text messages from the separate night-shift group chat made after your departure chiming loudly while you ate. And most important of all, he still loved you.
However, nothing could have prepared you for the three times you felt the most unloved.
I care, I care, I care, like perfume that you wear, I linger all the time, watchin', hidden in plain sight, ooh, I try, I try, I try, but it takes over my life, I see you everywhere, the sweetest torture one could bear
"Hey, Dana," you called out while swimming through the chaos only brought on by a 4th of July shift.
At her name, Dana looked up over the thin frames of her glasses, pausing momentarily to look your way before going back to her board. "Please don't tell me that the 36 hot dog guy is back."
You shook your head, hands coming to rest on top of the vinyl counter. "Not that I'm aware of."
"Thank heavens. What can I do for ya, hun?"
Leaning in, you did a quick glance around the department. "I heard Jack was here early?"
Her eyebrows almost rose to her hairline. "Yeah; he came in with one of his SWAT buddies. GSW to the man's neck, but it looks like he's going to be okay." She reached over and grabbed a tablet. "Actually, can you find Jack for me? He wanted an update ASAP."
Your fingers drummed against the counter anxiously before you took the tablet from her. "I was just about to ask if you'd seen him."
Dana glanced over your shoulder and stuck out her chin in the same direction. "Saw him duck into Room 15. Might be taking a breather; Lord knows he needs one after that raid." She gave you a knowing look, eyes twinkling with mischief. "Maybe you're exactly what he needs."
A rush of heat flooded your face, eyes darting away from hers. "I'll see if I can find him."
You turned away before she could say anything more, hands desperately holding the tablet to your chest. Your shoes squeaked against the tile floor, steps bringing you closer to the room Jack was supposedly in. Once at the door, you raised a hand to draw the curtain away, but the sound of voices—plural—had you stopping. Saliva pooled between your teeth as you listened closely.
"—is the hospital going to pay for it?"
There was a pause before Jack clearly grumbled, "I'll pay for it."
You slowly moved to the side next to the wall where the curtain didn't completely cut the room off. Through the slot, your eyes widened at the sight of a Jack, shirt off, pale chest, wound-care swab twirling in his fingers with Samira sitting in one of the chairs. In the next beat, she stood and walked right past the curtain slot, completely oblivious that you were right behind it. She stopped near the wall and grabbed a pair of gloves before snapping them on.
His brows furrowed. "What are you doing?"
She smiled before rounding to stand behind him. "What you clearly can't."
Begrudgingly, he handed over the swab.
"Did you make a chart?" she asked while dipping the cotton end into a wound cream.
Jack crossed his arms, and his shoulders rolled and dipped. "No. This can stay off the books. Don't need the paperwork from the hospital or police department."
Samira paused. "Would you rather me go get Dr. [Name]? I'm sure she could do this much better than I could."
"No," Jack responded, shaking his head. "She'd just panic about this. There's no need to throw her off her game."
Your stomach flipped. He thought you'd panic? Sure, you'd be worried, but it wasn't like you hadn't seem him hurt before. Whatever wound he had on his back wouldn't be the worst thing he'd come home with after a SWAT shift.
"Isn't she your girlfriend?" She began dabbing at his back, the swab coming back bloodied.
"Yeah, but it's different with you. I don't have to worry about you taking your time or being indifferent about this." He winced at a deeper brush into the graze. "She's not like you, Dr. Mohan. She wears everything on her sleeve. Really, she could learn how to be more level headed like you, Dr. Mohan. I've seen the way you handle traumas. We wouldn't be so in the low if we had about 10 more of you."
He ended with a chuckle like what he just said didn't feel like a knives to your stomach.
Is that what he really thought about you? That you should be more like Samira and her ability to stay cool through anything thrown at her? With a blink, your eyes glossed over.
Jack turned his head, neck twisting to he could meet Samira's eyes. "You won't tell her about this, right? Our little secret?"
You didn't stay to hear what she said, choosing to turn around before you could watch any longer. It was incredible that you were able to stay for so long, submitting yourself to a new kind of torture. Walking back to the nurses station, your steps slowed as if molasses coated the floor, its stickiness clinging to your shoes.
At your oncoming presence, Dana looked over. "Did you find him, hun?"
You forced yourself to not look back at the closed curtain. "Yeah, but he's in the middle of something right now. I'll just catch up with him later."
The tablet gave a small thud as you placed it back into the holder, and you desperately tried to find another patient to busy yourself with, specifically one furthest from Room 15. However, before you could grab one, a hand wrapped around your elbow and tugged.
"Hey, I need you for the incoming trauma," Langdon said as he dragged you with him. "Twenty-year-old female, unconscious for an unknown matter of time."
You nodded silently, allowing him to keep walking you like a dog on a leash until he stopped in front of the ambulance bay sliding doors. Your lungs expanded in a deep, wavering breath.
Now was not the time to panic. You could do this. You could be like Samira. You could show Jack that you could handle a trauma.
During your internal pep talk, the doors slid open, giving way for the gurney and two paramedics.
"BP is 140-over-92 and climbing. No relevant medical history. She woke up once on the way over and vomited before passing out again."
You quickly followed Langdon into the first trauma room and helped transfer her over onto the bed. Immediately, numbers started being shouted while you started your initial exam.
When nothing seemed to blare any red flags, Langdon started impatient as the woman kept deteriorating. Through it all, you willed your hands to stay steady, your mind calm while you mentally went through what could be the matter. You took a step forward, body positioning near her head so you could look at her pupils one more time, and that's when you smelled it: the acrid, fruity smell puffing out of her mouth as she struggled to breath.
You jerked back quickly. "Dr. Langdon, is there a history of diabetes or hyperglycemia? Her breath smells like rotting fruit."
Langdon looked over at you before leaning toward her face. He hissed a curse before barking for a blood sugar test. Your eyes widened when the screen flashed a 450 mg/dL.
"She's experiencing diabetic ketoacidosis," you breathed.
"Let's get her on an insulin drip, now," Langdon hissed, face pinched until he looked over at you with a softer expression. "Great job catching that and staying calm." He chuckled slightly. "Never seen you like this but keep it up."
You knew his words were meant to be encouraging, but all they did was send bile up your throat. Without saying anything more, you tore off the gloves and shoved them deep into a biohazard bin. You wanted to cry, wanted to find the nearest restroom and tug at your hair.
But that's not what Samira would do your mind provided; the thought ugly and green. She'd shrug it all off and keep working like nothing was the matter.
Your teeth ground together, shoulders squaring in tandem. If everyone would rather have you calm, you'd be calm. You'd tuck your heart away rather than show it to the patients who needed someone that wore it on their sleeve. You picked up another tablet at the nurses station and got back to work.
The rest of the fourth went by in a tornado. Systems went down after a cyberattack; fireworks boomed off in the distance; you stayed busy. Each of your patients were in and out at a lightning speed, and by the start of the night shift, you were ready to go home and cry your heart out into a pillow.
You'd seen Samira every so often in between patients and a small lunch break. Like always, she smiled at you and waved and chatted when she could, but her actions made you want to wither up like a dead flower. You couldn't help but stare at her, thinking that you should be more like the woman in front of you, mind comparing your features to hers at a rapid speed you couldn't stop. She somehow looked like an angel in the middle of a place jokingly nicknamed one of the seven layers of hell, skin clear and hair somehow perfectly put in a bun. You tried your best to match her enthusiasm, but the poison had already been drank.
On the contrary, the only time you really saw Jack was at the start of handoffs. He had helped with one trauma before going to the on-call room for a needed nap, and you hadn't wanted to talk to him then, scared of how he'd act around you.
"There you are, sweetheart," you heard him say as you finished up converting with Lena about the man in Room 5. "I've been looking for you. Thought you might have left without saying goodbye."
You winced slightly. "No; I've just been busy."
Jack hummed and smiled warmly at you, but the expression was tainted by his words earlier. "I heard. Langdon's been nothing but praising you for earlier. I'm proud of you."
"Sure you are," you muttered too lowly for him to catch. Your lips thinly stretched into a smile that didn't meet your tired eyes. "Thank you, Jack," you settled on instead.
His hazel eyes scanned over your face, and his smile slightly dropped. "Are you okay, though? You look a little down."
"I'm fine," you shot out. "Today's just been long, and I'm ready to get home."
Jack nodded. "I left food in the fridge for you, so make sure you eat it after you sleep for a bit."
"Got it."
He looked at you expectantly before rolling his eyes. "Come here."
Like it had been etched into your DNA, you listened and fell into his open arms, face tucking into his chest. He squeezed you tightly before placing a kiss to your temple.
"Proud of you," he said. "You do such a good job. We need so many doctors like you, my perfect girl."
Perfect felt like a twist of the knife, because if you were so perfect, why had he told Samira that he wished you were more like her?
I feel your compliments like bullets on skin. Dazzling starlet, Bardot reincarnate, well, aren't you the greatest thing to ever exist?
As the weeks went on, Jack's words never left your soul, the damage irreparable in everything that you did.
Second guessing yourself had been a struggle you'd dealt with since an earlier age. Normally, Jack would be able to quiet all those thoughts; he had chosen you; he loved you. But now, as you second guessed everything you did, you also second guessed everything Jack said. You picked apart every encouragement, every compliment, every sweet promise he whispered in your ear.
What he said now couldn't be taken at face value, and you wondered if that feeling would ever go away. You'd asked him about the bullet graze a few days after the 4th, acting completely oblivious to what you knew. Like you thought, Jack assured you that he got it handled and for you to not worry about it, like that did anything to settle the rolling feelings in your stomach.
You tried your best to move on, knowing you'd only bring yourself down more if you dwelled too long about really how much Jack's words had affected you while he never said anything directly to your face. The idea that he wanted you to be like someone else made your heart clench tightly to the point you often wanted to call off work, hoping that you could just wallow in self pity for hours and hours.
But the Pitt did not care for you like that; it demanded twelve hour shifts and grueling doubles. So every day, you rolled out of bed before Jack got home and pulled up your big girl pants.
You worked through it. You'd learned how to stay calm, how to not panic under duress, and it killed you to admit that you'd become a better doctor because of it. You hardly ever hiccuped during a trauma, gaining compliments from the surgeons and Robby for your techniques that were close to flawless. For the smallest second, you would preen under their words before the ugly, repulsive reminder that they might not be real swallowed you down in a nasty gulp.
"Dr. [Name] follow me please," Robby called as he brushed past the nurses station where you were currently typing away at a chart, hands clutching a chart out in front of him to read. "Quickly."
You pushed up from the desk, chair rolling far behind you from the force of your legs. Not wanting to lose him, you rounded the counter and jumped into his long stride.
"Yes, Dr. Robby?" you asked.
As far as you knew, there weren't any incoming traumas and it was too late in the day for him to have questions about your patients that were currently waiting for a room.
Robby paused in front of an empty trauma room. "Jack just let me know that he found a man in need of medical attention and is bringing him in before handoffs, and I thought you could help him out." He handed you the tablet, already ready to go with updated information.
You took a quick glance over this. "Um, Dr. Robby, it looks like he'll need a pericardiocentesis."
"It's good that you know exactly what he'll need. What's the issue?"
Your eyes looked from the screen to his brown eyes. "I've never done one before."
He simply smiled at you and patted your shoulder. "That's why Jack's going to lead you through it. I would stay, but since he's coming in early, I'm going to head out."
You tried to quirk a smile. "Got a hot date waiting for you?"
A low chuckle shook his shoulders. "You got jokes. My bike needs some repairs, and today's the only day I can get it into the shop. But I know you'll be just fine. Your improvement in traumas will only grow if you step out of your comfort zone."
The automatic sliding doors slid open, and Jack plus a nurse wheeled a man through on a gurney. Jack's eyes lit up at the sight of you, but his brows pinched when he noticed Robby's bag slung over the taller man's shoulder.
"You leaving early, brother?" Jack questioned as he stepped past the two of you.
Robby's hand gently rested on your shoulder. "Yeah, but you two will have this handled."
You inhaled deeply, the weight of his hand and words pushing down on your chest.
Robby was counting on you. Don't fuck this up. Don't panic.
With the tablet tucked under your arm, you walked into the trauma room before pulling on a pair of gloves. Jack had already cut through the man's shirt.
"I need two 18-gage needles, one 9cm and one 15cm, a guidewire, dilator, and 8Fr pigtail catheter." He looked up toward Jesse. "Let's give him 10ml lignocaine 1%."
You quickly gather what he needed and placed him on the dressing that covered the side tray.
"Okay, Dr. [Name]," Jack said, lips twitching upwards at using your official name, "I need you to place an ECG electrode on the pericardiocentesis needle with a crocodile clip and insert. Once the tip touches the myocardium, the trace should show immediate ST elevation. Once that comes up, insert the wire to aspirate the fluid."
His words tumbled through your mind much too fast to the point that you wondered if he didn't know you'd never done this before. You pursed your lips as you tried to remember everything. In the grand scheme of things, your training provided everything that needed to be done.
Yet, there was a big difference between studying and actually doing the procedure.
You kept your breath steady as you readied the needle, clamping on a clip before turning the pointed end toward the man's chest. The first part went smoothly, and the needle went right through. However, instead of the consistent beeping that should have followed if the needle was in properly, an onslaught of alarms sounded through your ears.
You had missed something.
Jack whipped his head toward you and sneered. "You went too deep. I told you that the needle needed to touch the myocardium not go all the way through. Give it here."
He didn't even wait for you to transfer the needle over, hands already grabbing at it. His head bent down so he could see what was happening. With a practiced ease, he maneuvered the needle exactly where it should have been.
"Fuck," he whispered, "Robby wouldn't have done that. I don't know why he handed this off to you if he knew the patient would need a pericardiocentesis for tamponade."
You thickly swallowed pooling saliva to clear your throat. "Sorry."
"Just—" He closed his eyes and sucked in a breath. "I'll finish up here. You go home."
You jolted just a bit. Go home?
"Jack, I can still assist. You're going to need—"
"We have it covered. Catheter is in place, and you'd just be standing around. You're good."
Suddenly, a wave of anguish flowed through your body. It was happening again. Jack had just added fuel to the ever growing fire of jealousy and self-loathing. The feeling sized your chest, and you stepped back from the bed, shaky hands ripping off the nitrile gloves.
You couldn't help the stressed wheeze that pushed from your lungs.
Don't panic. Don't panic. He didn't mean it. He was just stressed. He didn't know that you'd never done that before.
Numbly, you walked back to the nurses station and sat back down in front of the computer, but your hands didn't raise to the keyboard. Your mind had already taken over, spewing rotten things about yourself that you could fix.
Be like Samira. Be like Robby. Jack won't keep wanting you if you aren't like them.
Your tongue ran across your dry lips in an attempt to wet them, but even your mouth had gone parched.
"Is charting really that bad?" you heard Dennis ask you as she sat down at a computer to your left. "You look like someone just told you they flushed your fish down the drain."
In a jerky motion, you turned towards him and did your best to compose yourself. "Oh no. I, uh, I didn't do well on a procedure with Dr. Abbot, and he asked me to leave."
Dennis at least had the decency to look sorry for you. "I bet you didn't do too bad. What was the procedure?"
"A pericardiocentesis," you said shyly.
He nodded slowly. " Shit, that's like one of the first things Robby let us do." He turned towards his own chart. "I could probably do them in my sleep by now."
Because he wasn't looking at you, Dennis missed the way your shoulders dropped and tears welled in your lash line. Jack's comment had been bad, but he just completely shattered any confidence you had left for the day.
"Right," you muttered. "Of course it'd be that easy if Robby taught you."
And you'd be right. On the night shift, patients like that rarely if not ever needed such a complex procedure. You could only think to one time that a woman came through almost needing one before they were able to use a different method to get her stable enough to be transferred to the OR.
With keys clacking loudly, you quickly finished up the chart before turning the whole thing off. You didn't even try to find Jack before you left, choosing to slip out before he even noticed you'd left without saying goodbye.
Once you were home, you stormed past the fridge and went straight to yours and Jack's shared room. Your scrubs hit the floor, and you didn't even bother to put on pajamas. The bed dipped under your weight as you pulled the duvet up over your body in a sad attempt at being comforted by its weight.
Sleep came quickly, only being interrupted by the door opening, a signal that Jack had gotten home. Blearily, you listened to him walk around the room before his edge of the bed sunk after he sat. The familiar hiss and pop of his prosthesis preceded him turning to lie down. You kept still as he scooted closer before wrapping an arm around your middle and molding your back to his chest.
"Sorry if I woke you up," he muttered sleepily. "Tried to find you before you left, but I guess I missed you. Wanted to say good job for that trauma. You helped so much."
You clamped your eyes shut, squeezing a fresh round of tears that dripped down your cheeks to puddle on your pillowcase.
After Samira, you had done your best to convince yourself it had been a slip of his tongue. But now after Robby, you weren't too sure that Jack would keep you around for much longer before finding someone better. Because there was no way you could ever amount to someone like Robby.
It was impossible.
I care, I care, I care, like ribbons in your hair, my stomach's all in knots, you got the one thing that I want. Ooh, I try, I try, I try, try to rationalize people are people, but it's like you're made of angel dust.
You were trying but failing to pretend Jack's words and comparisons hadn't left a giant, bleeding gap in your heart. Before everything happened, you never ever wondered if Jack loved you. Except now, you waited with bated breath for him to just drop the bucket and break up with you. You walked on eggshells around him.
Don't panic. Be put together. Keep your heart to yourself. Be calm like Samira. Don't fuck up. Know how to do your job. Be confident like Robby.
Those thought became your mantra and lifeline. No one seemed to think twice about your recent personality change. They loved the way they could count on you, the way you had an answer ready for everything. To the day and night shift, you were the epitome of composure. But behind closed doors, you were falling apart and into a pit you didn't think you'd be able to climb out of.
Jack didn't help with that either. You guessed he didn't even know what he had done to you, going on with his life like he hadn't given yours so many potholes that you couldn't continue on without falling behind. Everything you did was carefully thought out, every patient you talked to met a version of you that didn't reflect what you felt inside or outside.
You avoided mirrors the most, their reflections showing you exactly what you weren't. You weren't Samira with her lovely thick hair and clear skin. And you weren't Robby who carried years of trauma like it was apart of his body.
You were you, and you loathed it entirely.
You hated the glances you caught between Jack and Samira across the department. You hated the way they looked like they knew what the other was thinking before they spoke. You hated how you felt like on onlooker to a relationship that wasn't even happening.
You also hated the way Robby changed from a mentor to an idol. He had soon morphed into someone you wanted to so desperately be to the point you lost yourself in ambition.
And the worst part? You held nothing against them personally.
They didn't know what Jack had said. They didn't know that you were dying on the inside every time they raised you up during shifts. Bits of you crumbled away while they continued to glow.
Every morning you woke up, you wondered if the day would provide the straw that broke the camel's back with the way you felt like a stretched out rubber band waiting to fly.
A soft, savory aroma wafted through your kitchen. You absentmindedly stirred the spatula through the sauce, eyes glancing back and forth from the pan to the recipe. The instructions were written in beautiful, slanted cursive with curled letters that danced together. You'd found the card mixed in with a bunch of recipes Jack kept in his drawer. With a quick read told you that the owner of this one was his late wife, and the heart next to the title had you guessing if this was a favorite for the two of them.
Without thinking, you plucked it from the drawer and started working. After a week of back to back cases that ended in more loss than wins, a homemade meal was exactly what you and Jack needed after a day off. He was currently out getting his truck washed, and you wanted to be finished by the time he came home.
Quickly, the separate parts of the recipe—the chicken and veggies basting in the oven, the sauce on the stove top, and the wine chilling in the fridge—all came together right as Jack walked through the door.
"Hi, baby!" you called out as you pulled the pan from the oven. "Dinner's almost ready!"
You picked up on Jack's slightly clompy gate as he got farther into the house.
"Smells good," he said, walking over to stand behind you. "What did you make?"
Suddenly, you got nervous. What if it didn't taste correct? What if Jack didn't want you to make something so special between him and his wife. What if you ruined everything.
You didn't meet his eyes and poured the sauce over the top of the chicken. "Uh, a recipe from the drawer. It looked good, and we already had the ingredients."
He grabbed the card and held it up to his face, and you held your breath. When he didn't seem to get angry or sad, you counted it at a win.
"There's a bottle of white in the fridge if you want to get it out," you offered.
Jack stayed quiet. You didn't dare look even as the sound of a cork popping echoed in the room. While his immediate lack of response didn't cause concern to rise, your stomach still churned. To mirror him, you also didn't speak while you set the table.
He sat down, and so did you, your chairs facing the other like you'd done so many times in the past. Your heart pounded against your sternum as he took the first bite.
Loudly, he smacked his lips, setting his fork down at he chewed. The noise felt like nails on a chalkboard in the silence.
After a minute, he finally spoke. "Did you change anything in this?"
Your racing heart plummeted to your feet. "No. I kept it just like the card had it."
His brows furrowed. "Really? It tastes different than how I remembered it last."
You dug your nails into the fabric of the table running. "Does it not taste good?"
Jack looked up from his plate with wide, hazel eyes. "No, no, it's just different."
"But not good," you scoffed.
"I'm just trying to say that maybe you missed something. I know Alice's handwriting isn't the easiest to read."
"I know how to read cursive, Jack," you spat lowly. "I followed every single instruction on the card. It's the exact same recipe."
"It's not that big of a deal, sweetheart," he tried. "Maybe if you had a bit more practice like her, it might have come out the same. You're a good cook, don't get me wrong, but—"
Your hands slammed on the table in frustration, causing Jack's eyebrows to pinch as his words died in his mouth. He went to keep talking but stopped when he noticed the frustrated tears fall from your eyes.
"I'm done," you breathed, eyes darting around the room.
"Done?" Jack echoed. "What are you done with?"
"Everything," you hissed. "I'm done with this—" You gestured to the food with a wave of your hand. "I'm done with-with you. I'm done with it all."
You pushed up from the table and walked away, leaving Jack to scramble out of his chair and follow you.
"Sweetheart, what's going on?" he loudly asked, but you ignored him.
By the time he made it into the bedroom, you had already ripped out a suitcase from the closet and were pushing clothes into it without making them neat.
"Hey," Jack said gently. "Look, I'm sorry for saying that. I didn't think it'd upset you this much, but you don't have to leave."
You paused in a mid-throw of your shirts and spun to face him. A disbelieving laugh bubbled wetly through your throat. "That's the problem," you muttered, "you don't think."
He crossed his arms, biceps resting against his chest. A need to defend himself bloomed in his stomach. "What's that supposed to fucking mean."
You threw your arms up with an exasperated scoff. "Oh, so now you're concerned for what I'm saying. Maybe you should be concerned more with your words." You sucked in a deep breath. "Just go on and say it."
Jack took a step forward. "Say what?"
"That you'd rather me be someone else!" you screamed. "That-that I'm not enough by myself for you anymore." Pants heaved in your chest. "I'm sick and tired of standing here stuck listening to you compare me and wish that I'd be like or act like someone else."
Your words stole the breath from Jack's lungs as confusion and dread washed over him. "What?"
You closed your eyes and dropped your shoulders. "I heard you; I keep hearing you."
In another step forward, Jack was within two feet of you. He swallowed thickly, but you beat him to more words.
"On the fourth," you began to explain through tears, "I saw Samira patch you up, and I heard the way you told her that I could learn how to be more level headed like her."
A chill crept up Jack's spine. "Sweetheart—"
"Don't," you ordered. "Don't do that where you try to make it all better. I heard you loud and clear, Jack. And that's fine. I knew I could be more calm during traumas, so that's exactly what I did, but apparently—" You chocked out a laugh. "That wasn't enough for you."
He shook his head, hazel eyes swimming with guilt already.
"And I really thought that if I could be anything like Samira, your words wouldn't hurt as much. But then you had to go and tell me that you wished Robby had been there instead of me to do a pericardiocentesis." Your breath shuddered in the next exhale. "Did you even know that was the first time I'd ever been asked to do one? And instead of teaching at a teaching hospital, you threw me to the side saying Robby—the fucking chief attending—could have done the job. No fucking duh, Jack."
You threw a hand in the direction of the kitchen. "And now this? I thought that maybe I could be like Samira or study enough to be like Robby, but h-how am I supposed to compare to the woman who had your love first." You turned back toward the bed and haphazardly packed suitcase. "That's unfair to me. So, like I said, I'm done."
A pleading sound ripped from Jack's throat at the sound of your suitcase zipper closing.
"No, sweetheart, please. Let me fix this; tell me how to fix this," he begged.
"That's just it, Jack. I don't think this can be fixed. I've spent weeks with your words in my head wondering how I can be the perfect person for you. And I don't know if I can keep going on pretending."
Jack's body shook under a small sob as everything came crashing down. He absolutely had no clue what he had done to you, but thinking back, he understood that his careless words wracked irreparable damage to you and your personality.
"I'm sorry," he managed, voice breaking in a whisper.
"I know you are,' you responded, "and somehow that makes it hurt worse. Because while you were trying to compliment everyone else, you made me feel inadequate in every aspect of my life." Your fingers wrapped around the suitcase handle and tugged it off the bed. "I can't stay with someone who keeps hoping I'll be a conglomeration of all the best parts of others; that's not me. And I'll be honest, I don't even really know who me is anymore."
He inhaled sharply, eyes tearing from your face to look down at the floor. "So this is it? You're leaving?"
Another round of tears spilled down your cheeks as you choked on a sob of your own. "I don't want to, but I need to."
"But I love you," he croaked, eyes coming back up to meet yours.
"You love the best parts of me, Jack," you said, already moving to walk past him. "And that's never going to be enough to make me stay."
Your shoulder lightly brushed by his as you walked out of the room and all the way out the front door, leaving Jack behind in a house he realized he didn't want empty.
You poison every little thing that I do, Lacy, oh, Lacy, I just loathe you lately, and I despise my jealous eyes and how hard they fell for you, yeah, I despise my rotten mind and how much it worships you
Jack didn't truly realize what he'd done until almost six months after you left him crying in his bedroom.
Your absence in his life gave him a lot to think about, and the only conclusion he could come up with was that you were absolutely right. It didn't matter if he'd compared you to others unconsciously; he made you feel like that: worthless, in need of self change, inadequate; the list went on.
He'd seen the small changes too late.
The next shift he worked with you, Jack tracked every minuscule thing you did, and it felt like one big punch to the gut. He saw the way you constantly checked your hair, ponytail pulled tight enough to give you a headache, skin, and scrubs and the way you straightened your stethoscope so it rested perfectly across your collarbones.
His stomach dropped when he watched you pause before a trauma and gulp down air before heading inside like someone who needed to take control before it could get out of hand. Before him, you weren't like that. Yes, you could be nervous to mess up, but you didn't act like you had to be the smartest person in the room.
He did that to you. He made you feel the need to change. And it killed him. It killed him once he learned you transferred over to a specialty in orthopedics, and his mind made him think you did it just to get away from him.
He was slightly correct, but not entirely.
You needed a fresh start, somewhere where you knew no on had any high expectation of you. And somehow, orthopedics gave you just that. And you thrived in the environment, only coming down to the Pitt when they needed a transfer or second opinion. Sure, you had to accompany Park the Shark more than you'd liked to, but through your time there, the old you was coming back, the one who worked through her panic instead of shutting it down, the one who only got frazzled when she cared about patients and their needs.
It was never weakness you showed, and you had to learn that all over again.
Someone helped you see that along the way as well.
"What do got here?" Park asked while snapping on a pair of gloves, eyes predatory as he walked into Trauma Room 1.
Jack looked up with pinched brows when he realized that you didn't walk in behind the larger man. "Where's Dr. [Name]?"
Park didn't even acknowledge his question. "For fucks sake man, you didn't even pack this right."
"You should know how to put a detached leg together even if I missed the pressure of the wrapping by an inch," Jack shot back.
"Abbot, you should know that I can't fucking put your patient back together after you decided to play Barbies. It's not as easy as popping a joint back in place."
"Dr. [Name] could do it."
Except for the monitors, everyone went quiet. Jack tore his eyes away from Park and looked back down at his blood soaked gloves. Reality crashed down on him as he realized he just did to Park what he'd done to you. Even if he knew he probably didn't hurt Park's feelings at all, it sucked to know that he was still so quit to throw out words like that.
Park's shoulders rose in a shrug. "She could, but she isn't here right now. She switched shifts and won't be in until 7." He smirked. "Think she said she had plans with someone."
An ugly roar of jealousy clawed at Jack's insides, nails sinking deep in his gut.
You were with someone?
He went through the motions of his shift, mind still on the fact that you weren't on call because someone had taken your time and attention away from the hospital. His knuckles turned white around the tablet he held while going through handoffs. He didn't know if his body was still trained to look for you, forever waiting for your soft lips against his, but Jack couldn't help but keep his head on a swivel and ears open to catch the sound of your voice.
Like a laugh in his face from the universe, your laugh fluttered through the ER, and his head whipped hard enough that his neck hurt in order to find you. When he finally saw you walking in, his heart dropped to his feet, because there you were, smiling brighter than he'd seen in a long while, hand enclasped with a man's.
Jack swallowed thickly. He instantly hated the way his blood boiled at the sight. He looked back down at the tablet after your voice seemed to draw closer to where he was standing.
"Andy," you sighed wistfully, "you didn't have to walk me all the way in here. I know you're weary of the germs."
"I know," the man—Andy (you gave him a fucking nickname?)—muttered back, wide, hazel eyes looking down at you like you hung the moon. "But I wanted to."
You pouted playfully. "You're so sweet. Am I going to see you tomorrow morning, or are you working again?"
He hummed. "My morning's yours if you want it."
"You know I always do."
Jack watched the corner of the man's mouth twitch into an almost-there smile, and he had to look away when his head started leaning in toward yours.
The small smack of your lips on his made bile gurgle in Jack's stomach.
"Okay, you gotta go save lives."
You giggled again. "I just put people back together, and technically, Park's the one doing all the procedures. You know my hands start shaking."
From the corner of his eye, Jack watched him lift your hands to his lips and kiss the tops of your knuckles.
"Just breathe and know that you alone can do this. You were the one to get into the program, so they want you, shaky hands and all."
Jack's heart clenched to the point of a physical reaction to the pain. He should have been the one saying that to you, standing in your corner and building you up one compliment at a time.
But now, he had to stand on the sideline and watch a man (someone who scarily looked a bit like him) give you all the praise and love you deserved. And while Jack could do everything in his power to let people know how good of a doctor you were, it wouldn't ever be the same, forever stuck loathing the moment he lost you without knowing.
Interlude: Your husband is very well connected within the PTMC
Dr. Jack Abbot x (female) reader | Dr. Jack Abbot x you
Summary: News that changes everything - and one exhausted husband who needs a minute to catch up.
A/N: I'm no longer updating the taglist because Tumblr has been glitching way too much lately. If you don't want to miss any updates, feel free to turn on notifications for my posts! <3
Link to "You stole my cart" master list (1)
Link to "You stole my cart" master list (2)
Previous chapter: Part 135: So, let's drop the charade, okay?
--- --- ---
You were sitting at the kitchen table, the remains of lunch with Lizzie lunch still scattered around you but you were actually too lazy to clean it up right now. You still had the whole afternoon - or at least another hour before Lizzie would wake up from her nap, demanding some fun activities. You had actually planned to go to the shopping center with her, so she could see the pretty Christmas decorations they had put up and maybe see the Santa Claus the store had hired. A picture of the two of them would be the cutest - and maybe a good Christmas gift for Jack.
You were nursing a cup of coffee and scrolling through your phone when it buzzed with an incoming email.
You could only read the subject line - and your stomach dropped:
Regarding Your Application - Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center
You closed your eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, bracing yourself for the rejection that was almost inevitable hiding behind that line. You already felt disappointment creeping in - you had thought you had done really, really well in the interview with the director of Facilities and Campus Planning. You had also learned that you went to the same university, just a couple of years later than him. It had felt less like an interview and more like a chat with a new friend.
It had been too good to be true.
You almost deleted it without reading it - but you knew you would regret it. Maybe they had included an explanation, something you could do better next time.
So you opened the email.
Dear Mrs. Abbot
We’re pleased to offer you the position of Facilities and Campus Planning Coordinator, starting on January 1st…
Your hand flew to your mouth and you let out a scream. Not even a muffled one. A loud, surprised scream that was probably heard by your neighbors. You didn’t care one bit. You jumped off your chair and threw both arms into the air like some sort of victory pose. You probably looked ridiculous but it just felt so damn right.
“Fuck, yes, yes, yes!” You started giggling uncontrollably while you read the email again. “Fuck.”
You bit your lip, trying to compose yourself - and failed tremendously. You looked around - and nearly jumped when you saw Jack’s disheveled figure in the doorframe, holding on his crutches. A rare sight - he usually took the time to strap on his prosthetic leg before getting up. He leaned against the doorframe and ran a hand through his hair, trying to balance. “Babe, you alright?”
“YES!” Another giggle.
“I heard you scream” he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. “I thought maybe something happened.”
“No.” You giggled again, then crossed the room and pulled your arms around him. “I got it!”
“You got what?” he replied, one arm slung around your waist while he kept the other hand on one of his crutches to help him balance.
“THE JOB!”
Jack blinked. His tiredness was instantly forgotten. “What?”
“I GOT THE JOB!”
His face changed immediately. A wide grin spread across his face. “You did?”
You nodded so hard your ponytail bounced. “Yes, I did.”
“Oh, baby.” He hugged you tightly. “That’s amazing! I knew you would.”
“I can’t believe it” you whispered against his shoulder, smiling so hard it almost hurt.
“I can.” He kissed your temple. “Because you’re amazing and talented and you deserve this. And hey - now my wife is also working at the Pitt.”
You laughed. “Well, at least at the PTMC.”
“You’ll be in the department three mornings a week. We could have coffee together, catch up for a couple of minutes.” He smiled, pressing his cheek against your hair. “That’ll be a lovely end to my night shifts.”
“Um.” You pulled away slightly. “Not exactly.”
Jack blinked. “What do you mean?”
“I know I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to jinx anything but… they offered me a different position.”
“A clerk position in a different department?” he asked, brows furrowed.
“No.”
“Babe, help me out, I’m exhausted and confused and this doesn’t make any sense to me.” You could hear that he was trying to be patient.
“I’ll be the new Facilities and Campus Planning Coordinator” you replied giddily, already giggling again.
“You are what now?”
“The HR woman thought I wasn’t the perfect fit for the ward-clerk position and they happened to have that opening in Facilities and Campus Planning. So she forwarded my resume after the interview and well… I got it.”
Jack’s eyebrows slowly rose as his brain caught up. “Wait. That sounds a lot like some kind of urban planning job?”
You smiled. “Yes.”
“In a hospital?” He paused briefly. “What are you going to do?”
“Well, they’re apparently planning a new outpatient building and several renovation projects.”
Jack stared at you. “Honey, that’s-” He paused again. “That’s your actual field.”
You nodded, lips pressed together to hide another excited giggle. Jack pulled you flush against him again. “Oh my God, honey, I’m so fucking proud of you.”
You couldn’t hide it anymore. You snuggled yourself closer to him, giggling helplessly against his shoulder. “Thanks.”
“When do you start?”
“January first” you whispered. There was no need to whisper - just the superstition that the happy little bubble was about to burst if you said it out loud.
You could feel Jack shift. “The hospital is making you work on New Year’s Day?”
“No, silly.” You huffed a laugh. “You really have no clue about working outside of the emergency department, huh? That’s just the official start date. The date on the contract. My first actual day is January second.”
He nodded slowly. “Good. I was already preparing a strongly worded email.”
“To whom exactly?” You looked up, amused.
“I don’t know? HR? Your boss? Whoever that is I’d have found out - I’ve got connections, you know?” He puffed his chest. “Your husband is very well connected within the PTMC.”
“Okay, good to know, Mr. Mafia Boss” you replied dryly. “But please don’t contact my new employer.”
You squealed giddily. You actually had a new employer. After more than two years of unemployment you finally had a job again.
“Our employer, babe” Jack replied, then pulled slightly back. “Can’t wait to show you off to everyone at the annual summer party.”
You blinked. “You never go to the PTMC’s summer parties. You told me just a couple of months ago that you thought they were stupid and that you’d rather lose another leg than let your employer make you spend time with coworkers in your spare time.”
Jack lifted his hand from your hip and ran it through his hair. “That was in the past. You know that there are no plus-ones allowed at these events.”
“Yeah…?”
“Now you’re an employee too, we can go together. And I can show you off to everyone. And then we can have a slightly inappropriate but very hot make out session in one of the elevators at two in the morning.”
You started laughing. “Okay, that escalated very quickly. Let me start my job first, huh, before I do something that could possibly get me fired.”
He huffed. “Well, okay.”
“And you’re going back to bed now. Go get some more sleep. Tonight… we’re going out. Celebrating.”
Jack pulled you closer again, pressing another kiss to your hair. “Deal.” Another kiss followed. “I’m so fucking proud of you, kiddo. So fucking proud.”
--- --- ---
You wanna keep reading? - Next part is coming soon, I promise.
There are many things Scott has given you in a short period of time: migraines, high blood pressure, and a son you would do anything for. A son he doesn’t know exists. Cutting him off was hard enough — welcoming him home might be worse.
▸ PAIRING: Ex-FWB!Scott Miller x F!Reader
▸ WARNINGS: NSFW 18+, former situationship to baby daddy to lovers (all at the same time tbh), fingering, slight degradation and dumbification, oral (f!receiving), pussy pronouns, bickering is their foreplay, breeding kink, mean in bed!scott, grumpy scott in general, hurt/comfort, emotionally avoidant!reader, miscommunication (my favorite, of course)
▸ WORD COUNT: 14.1K
▸ A/N: wowowow this is the second and final part of this story!!!! thank you so much for all the love in the first one <3 i'm glad we're all hyperfixated on this man who has no screen time together. i wrote this over a month ago but i've been rereading it aggressively to make sure it's good to free into the world. one of my fave things i've written and i fucking love scott my angsty husband <33 i hope you enjoy. if you do, please comment and reblog, i'd love to hear your thoughts!!!!
↤ main masterlist | part one
“I extended my trip.”
It’s the first thing you hear when Scott shoulders past you in the evening. You’re still standing, shell-shocked by the door, trying to comprehend how this man is in your apartment hours past his supposed flight time. He comes in bearing paper bags with your local fancy grocery store stamped onto the front.
Scott has never grocery shopped a day in his life.
“Why?” You question slowly. Your eyes briefly fly to Ben who’s scribbling on the coffee table, he looks up curiously when he sees the familiar face.
“Uncle Scott,” he beams in greeting.
Scott matches that expression, the sweetest he’s ever looked, as he comes over and ruffles his hair. “Hey, big man, what’re you working on?”
“Me, mom, and dog.”
“Dog, huh?” he chuckles, “I’m sure we can arrange that.”
Ben brightens, hopeful eyes turning to you. You’re going to strangle this man. “Let’s talk about it after dinner, bud.” Your narrowed eyes switch over to Scott. “A word?”
He confidently strolls back over to you, disregarding your glare as he begins to pull out all sorts of things. Mushrooms, vegetables, packs and packs of meat. USDA Prime. Jesus Christ— “What are you doing?”
“Unpacking groceries.”
You pinch his side. He’s built like a brick wall, he doesn’t even flinch. “Scott.”
He says your name in response. A teasing lilt hanging to each letter.
“Why are you here? What is all this?”
“Groceries.”
“Don’t be an ass. Why did you extend your trip?”
“To spend time with you.” He begins to organize your fridge. Worst part? He knows exactly how you like your fridge arranged so he’s putting all the things in all the right places.
“I’m serious,” you hiss.
“What makes you think I’m not?”
You swallow, gaze flying to Ben again who’s back to drawing out his dream dog. It looks more like a deformed puppy but you get the gist of it. “We can’t—” you take a deep breath, “Listen, Ben is young. He’s going to latch onto you if you keep coming around.”
“Would that be so bad?”
The question infuriates you. You scowl, “Are you fucking kidding me? That would be a nightmare. What happens when you leave? He’s going to be asking around for Uncle Scott who will never come around again. There’s a reason why I don’t bring around just anyone to meet him.”
Scott’s eyes tighten almost imperceptibly, but you know him better than that. “You bring others around to meet him?”
“I— no, that’s not what I meant. Jenna’s really the only person who comes over other than my mom. The staff at the hospital know because he pops by time to time. I don’t— I’m careful about who I expose him to. I don’t want to have to answer questions about where someone went or pick up the pieces of a boy who shouldn’t have his heart broken because people disappear on him.”
He seems to mull over this for a moment. His next question sends a shock through your system.
“Who says I’m leaving again?”
Your heart slams against your ribs. Traitorous little thing is getting excited for nothing. “What’re you talking about?”
“Storm Par is set up and running. We have a good team down in Oklahoma always collecting data. I’ve been managing mostly strategy and investor relations.” He looks a little too pleased when he says, “I need to be closer to potential funders anyway, a lot of them are in the northeast.”
“You’re not—” Your breath hitches in your throat, “you’re not considering moving back, are you?”
A proud look settles on his face. “Just signed for a sublet for the next couple of months while I look for a more permanent apartment. How’s this neighborhood? I don’t remember it being particularly nice, but it seems good. How do you feel about moving?”
“Scott,” you snap. “That’s insane. You can’t just— that’s crazy. You were literally supposed to leave today. Suddenly, you’re deciding to stay here? On a whim? What’s wrong with you?”
“Not a whim, I’ve been thinking about it. I’ve… just decided it’s the right move.”
“In one night?”
“I don’t need more time than that.”
You give him a look. “That’s stupid.”
“It’s efficient decision-making.”
“Scott.”
“What’s for dinner? Does he have any allergies?”
“Scott.”
He takes a deep breath, sapphire eyes dulled out as he looks up at the ceiling, praying for some lord almighty to save him. “We can spend all night arguing about this but it’s a done deal. I like Boston, I’ve decided to come back. Is that so hard to believe?” Before you can say yes, absolutely, Scott continues, “I’ve thought about this for a while. Trust me when I say I am not doing this impulsively and I’m not just going to change my mind.”
The two of you are locked in a stare-down, neither budging. Two stupidly stubborn fools.
Scott’s eyes are jagged when they first land on yours, sharp in a way that could cut. But the longer he looks at you, the more they thaw, like ice melting in the changing of seasons. It’s a soft transition that warms your frozen heart.
However, then his gaze trails to your mouth, the way they’re parted, teeth peeking out in aggravation, tongue pressing against your teeth as your jaw is clenched. His eyes go molten, scorching as they sear into your skin, tracing your bare shoulders, the length of your neck, exposed collarbones.
“Should put more on you,” he mutters.
“What?” You jerk back, confused.
“Nothing. Dinner? I don’t know how to cook.”
“Then get your own damn dinner, I’m not cooking for you.”
He challenges you with a raise of his eyebrow. “But I bought groceries.”
“That I didn’t ask for.”
“I fuckin’ forgot how bull-headed you are sometimes. Arguing for the sake of arguing.” He huffs a laugh through his nose, hip leaning against your counter, eyes sparkling. “If you wanted to fuck, just say so.”
His voice is low, low enough that you know Ben doesn’t catch it over the sound of the television, but it still puts you on high alert. “Can you not say insane things when my son is around?”
“Always picked a fight when you wanted a fuck,” he smirks.
Your lips part, ready to tell him off, but he turns to the sink instead, beginning to wash his hands.
“Now, what do you need help with?”
Scott’s reappearance has thrown your life for a loop, adding this new, uncontrolled variable that you’re not sure how to handle. He drops you off and picks you up from work. The moment he heard that you’ve been taking the train an hour each way to work, he made that call with no room for argument. He refuses to even drop you off a block away from the hospital so you end up with your coworkers’ curious eyes on you when you’re pulling up every morning in Scott’s stupidly shiny car.
“Have a good day at work, honey,” he would call out obnoxiously through the open window.
The furious glare you throw his way does nothing to deter this behavior. Now, you’re bombarded with questions about him every time you have a moment to yourself, which means you no longer have a shred of peace at work.
He comes by nearly every evening; you say nearly because you had to cut him off, tell him that he cannot show up every single day.
“Why not?”
“Scott. You can’t just come here everyday, he’s going to get confused. You are not family.”
“Yet.”
“What?”
“Fine. Every other day, but full weekends.”
It’s a compromise that you tried to negotiate down, but he refuses to budge on.
The worst part is that Scott is terrific with Ben.
He’s smart and answers all of Ben’s questions with tact. The moment your son learns that Scott works with tornadoes, chasing after them and being smack dab in the middle of the action, he’s absolutely enthralled. You have to emphasize to Scott that you will murder him if Ben ever tells him that he wants to be a tornado chaser.
“I’ll protect him, don’t worry,” is all he says.
You still worry.
Beyond that, Ben seems to enjoy his company, has started asking when Uncle Scott would be coming around again so he could show him the progress he’s made on the massive Superman LEGO set that Scott had gotten him.
“You can’t spoil him too much,” you frown when he pops by on his assigned day, a gift box in hand. It’s the fourth in two weeks.
“He’s a kid. He likes toys.”
“You can’t spoil him,” you mutter.
Your worry is partially rooted in the fact that you can’t just give Ben whatever he wants, whenever he wants, but it also stems from your guilt for not being able to provide all this. It’s not as if you’re not making money; you save enough from your salary, but Boston is an expensive city.
Scott seems to understand this. He dials it back, but you know that he’s itching every time Ben mentions something new he’s curious about. He just picks and prioritizes what he gets him.
Otherwise, he’s good. Too good even. That seems to be a pattern when it comes to him.
You tell yourself it’s because he doesn’t know he’s the father. It’s less commitment, less pressure. He plays the role of a cool uncle who showers Ben with gifts and attention.
Scott has pressed again, of course — who’s the father, when did this happen, do I need to have a conversation, you could fight for child support — to which you answer no repeatedly. An easy denial to give him none of the answers he’s looking for. It never stops him from asking again; he thinks he’ll wear you down eventually.
Truth be told, you think that Scott will bore himself soon. He can’t possibly be serious about permanently moving back to Boston. You’re convinced that in the next couple of weeks, he’ll realize that this pretend domesticity isn’t the life he wants, and he’ll pack up his bags again and leave. When that day comes, you won’t be disappointed.
As long as he never finds out Ben is his son, you’ll be fine.
(Maybe if you repeat it enough times, you’ll actually believe your own words.)
However, you seem to have a knack for putting your foot in your mouth and speaking too soon, because your worst nightmare comes to fruition one day when you let your guard down. Usually, you do a pretty good job of keeping track of their conversations, making sure they stay on safe territory that gives away nothing. Ben has zero clue about his father anyway, so there’s nothing really to give away.
Or so you think.
You’re caught up trying to balance sending work emails and batting away your mother’s efforts to inquire more about Scott. She’s been badgering you nonstop to learn more about your history, prodding Scott whenever she’s here to share more, even going as far as to drop the most obvious hints.
“You know, she is very single. Incredibly single.”
“Mother!”
“I’m aware,” Scott smirks. “Refuses to let me change that.”
You don’t appreciate the way he’s looking at you now, how your body is tingling all over from the memories. The press of his fingers on your hip, how his mouth feels mapping out the curve of your breasts, the burn between your legs when he pushes himself in with a hungry groan.
Heat unfurls across your face and you’re quick to turn away, missing how your mother and Scott share knowing looks.
But now that she’s not here, she’s still torturing you with incessant, inane questions about him. The only thing you manage to catch in the midst of your stress is Scott saying, “Your birthday’s in Decem—”
You don’t think much of it. Not for a moment. Until it hits you.
By the time you look up, Scott’s already directing his eyes towards you. Your blood runs cold.
It’s not a question. He knows. He’s not a fool.
Born the December in the year that you graduated college, it’s not difficult to do the math on when Ben was conceived. If you retrace your steps, it’s not difficult to know who had done the conceiving.
The two of you don’t address it, not out loud. Not yet. Your brain is short-circuiting, trying to configure an excuse or a lie that would work in this instance. You’re running on empty, especially when your heart is beating straight out of your chest. Everything feels hot, your body can’t seem to handle this stress very well.
You have maybe an hour left before Ben’s due for bed and you’re half tempted to keep him awake because that means keeping Scott’s anger at bay. You can feel it roll off him in waves, crackling energy that zaps you even from this distance.
The minutes tick down much too quickly and, before you know it, Ben is yawning on cue and you’re getting him ready for bed. You spend a little longer than necessary tucking him in, reading him his story, all the while Scott is standing in the doorway watching the two of you.
He’s being considerate of Ben, maintaining his distance before he probably rips you a new one. You appreciate it, but you press an extra kiss or two onto your son’s face before you exit the room — for good luck.
When the two of you are back in the living room, Ben completely out cold to the world, Scott doesn’t ask. He simply states the irrefutable truth.
“He’s mine.”
You clear your throat. “Technically, he’s mine.”
“Don’t fucking act cute with me right now,” he snarls, jabbing his finger in the direction of the hallway both of you just left. “That’s my kid in there. Are you fucking kidding me?”
Wincing, you take a step away from him. “Can we not do this?”
“Like hell I’m letting this slide. You’ve got to be shittin’ me. That’s my kid. Ben is mine.”
The pulsing in your head only worsens the harder he glares, the more he seethes. “You’re the father. Doesn’t make him yours.”
You hear the sharp intake of breath. The confirmation landing firm in his chest. “Why the fuck wouldn’t you tell me?”
“Why does it matter?” You snap, throwing his irritated look right back at him.
“You’ve got to be on another fucking level of insane to think it doesn’t matter.”
“I was going to,” you begin, “tell you, I mean, but the timing never felt right.”
Scott looks at you, completely aghast. “Timing never felt right? You knew. You knew before I left, before we graduated. All those times you didn’t want to drink, didn’t want to eat sushi, this was why. You had all the fucking time in the world to tell me.”
“Would it have changed anything?”
“It would’ve changed everything!”
Your lungs feel devoid of oxygen as you look at Scott, his frustration palpable. Fury is carved into the lines of his face, eyes blazing with the sort of anger you’ve never seen on him. However, in between the twist of his lips and the fire in his gaze, you see a flicker of something warmer. Softer.
Hurt.
The kind of hurt that comes with a betrayal that you cannot take back.
Scott breathes out. “I would’ve been here for you.”
“I never asked you to.”
“You never asked,” he spits out, “you never let me make that decision for myself. Instead, you let me believe that I had fucked up something between us. You cut me off and I didn’t even know why.”
“It would’ve been selfish,” you argue.
“It would’ve been fair,” he insists. “You should’ve trusted me to make my own judgment call.”
Your fingers wring together in front of you. Is this it then? The point of no return. You can’t seem to find the words to say to remedy the situation.
“I didn’t want you to have to choose,” you murmur. “Between me and your dream.” The unsaid words being I didn’t want to watch you choose your dream over me.
Scott has always been larger than life. He is meant for greater things, to innovate and create. He has gone so far since you first met him. He’s become an even bigger person than you could’ve imagined.
What right did you have to hold him back from all that?
“Again, that’s not for you to decide,” he sighs, “Have you ever considered they’re one and the same?” Your gaze flies up to meet his weary one. “You’re an idiot,” Scott mutters. “So fuckin’ stupid.”
You press your lips together into a thin line. “Thanks a lot, asshole.”
“Does he know?”
With a shake of your head, you lean back. “No, he’s been… pretty good at not asking too many questions about who his dad is. It’s only a matter of time before that curiosity grows though, especially once he starts school and the other kids will undoubtedly ask him.”
“I can help you with all that, you know. I am his father after all.”
Wincing, you swallow thickly. “You don’t have to, Scott. It was my decision to go through with the pregnancy. You don’t have to feel like you have to participate.”
“Why do you keep saying it like that?” He lets out an exasperated sound. You frown in question. “Like I don’t want to be here. For him. For you.”
“I— I just don’t want you to feel pressured to—”
“Sweetheart,” he begins and your heart feels like it’s been dipped in syrup, “I don’t do anything I don’t want to do. I’ve been present, haven’t I? And that was before I even knew he was mine. What makes you think I’m going to change my mind?”
“It’s different! Being here to support me as a friend and being here as— as his dad! As a parent.”
Scott looks up to the ceiling again, inhaling deep through his nostrils. “Tell me how it’s different.”
“A fun uncle is not a co-parent.”
“So I want to co-parent.”
“You don’t know what that means.”
“It means being here for you, for him. It means having equal responsibility and stakes in raising him. It means you’re not doing this alone.”
A lump grows in your throat as you look at him. His determination is evident.
“So I’m going to need you to get it through that thick skull of yours that I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to piss you off, you’re going to piss me off, but we’ll make it work.”
You laugh, tears pricking the corner of your eye. “Maybe if we don’t kill each other first.”
His lips curve into a smirk. “You can’t kill me. I’m your baby daddy after all. Fucked you so hard that your birth control didn’t work.”
You almost choke on your own spit. “You’re such a piece of shit.”
He laughs. “Don’t forget the father of your child.”
Your fingers are itching to make contact with his cheek. He really can be such an asshole sometimes. He knows exactly which buttons to push. Repeating the fact that he’s Ben’s father, reminding you again that he knows your big secret now. The worst part is you know that he’s doing it intentionally; the more irritated he gets you, the better the sex. He likes it when you fight back, when you push him.
He likes it when he can put you in your place.
“Some friend you are,” you grunt.
Scott’s rising to his feet, moving towards you. With every step he takes forward, he backs you up until your lower spine lands against the kitchen counter.
“Let’s get one thing clear,” Scott says low, coming up to press you against the solid surface. With both hands planted on either side of you, he leans towards you. Your breath catches. “We’re not friends. We haven’t been for a while.”
“That’s… mean,” you whimper.
“The things I want to do with you — to you — they’re not things friends do.”
There’s a promise in his gaze that has your heart fluttering, your stomach curling with desire as heat builds between your legs.
It’s hard to breathe when he’s this close. Hard to even think. Your palm flattens against his firm, broad chest, applying pressure in a feeble attempt to put some distance. Except now you can’t help but feel the way his pecs feel underneath your fingers and you can picture yourself on top of him, sinking down on his cock while your hands are planted on his skin.
Heaven have mercy.
“Things are different now,” you gulp.
“You think I still can’t make you cum three times in a night?”
Your lips part. “That’s not—” Heat climbs up your throat. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
Scott chuckles. “I hope you know that this only makes me want you even more. You’re stupid if you think I’m ever letting you out of my sight again.”
“Just because you want to be here and be a father does not mean that it changes anything between us.”
His joy quickly morphs into irritation again. “Why not?”
“Because Ben will always come first and we can’t… just keep fucking.”
“Again, why not?”
Because I’m in love with you. Because I’m going to get my heart broken again.
“I want to maintain some boundaries. It’ll be better for us that way.”
Scott is quiet, thoughtful as he regards you, before he straightens. “Okay then. You do that. You maintain your boundaries.”
“Thank you.”
“Doesn’t mean I’ll be helpin’ you do that,” he laughs, bitter as he smiles at you. A threat laced into his expression. “Better prepare yourself, sweetheart. I’m not here to protect your walls. I’m here to break them down.”
“We should go out.”
Your gaze lifts from your laptop, eyes instinctively wandering down the hall to Ben’s room where he’s safe and sound asleep, then back to Scott who’s on his own laptop on the dining table. “Like to get groceries?”
“No, for dinner.”
You look over your shoulder, to the take-out menus stuck to the fridge with a mismatched set of magnets. “There’s a pizza place Ben likes down the street. We could go tomorrow.”
“Finally letting me in two days in a row?” Scott cocks an eyebrow.
A glare is all he gets in return.
“I meant us. Just the two of us.”
Your fingers stop, hovering over the keyboard. “Why?”
“So I can take you out.”
“Why?”
“To spend some time together. You know, outside of parenting.”
Parenting still sounds foreign on his tongue, at least to you. Scott seems to have settled in comfortably with the title, taking on the mantle even without the official acknowledgment. The two of you agreed to ease Ben into it; he seems to have taken a liking towards Scott so at least telling him may be easier than you initially anticipated.
However, considering the situation at hand, you can only ask, “Why?”
“How old are you?” Scott snaps.
“I don’t think we need to do anything together outside of parenting.”
“Why not?”
It’s your turn to give him a look. “We are two people who happen to be raising a child together. Somewhat.”
“But we’re friends first.”
“I think co-parenting supersedes the friend label now, which means I can’t be doing that with you. Not alone.”
He knows you’re being obstinate for the sake of it, pissing him off just because you can. However, he doesn’t take the bait.
“You know what, you’re right, sweetheart. Let me rethink this.”
Scott was never one to give up easily. On the contrary, when presented with a challenge, he rises to the occasion. He goes above and beyond.
It starts off innocuous enough, subtle that you nearly think that all of it is accidental. When he’s trying to help around the kitchen and he reaches across you, arm brushing your breasts. Your nipples perk up on instinct, seeking the familiar warmth of his touch like you’ve been trained. He doesn’t say a thing so you brush it off as inconsequential. His hand on your hip when he’s excusing himself behind you. His eyes on you when he licks his thumb clean off the brownie batter you’re making.
It doesn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter. These tiny touches, interactions that shouldn’t mean anything. You shouldn’t be reacting this way. You tell yourself it’s because it’s been a while since you got laid last — unfortunately, by none other than the source of your frustrations.
But then the touches become firmer, intentional in a way that you can’t miss. He’s slipping an arm around your waist when he picks you up at the hospital, head ducking to press a kiss to the side of your head, all the while you’re mid-conversation with a coworker who then scurries away under Scott’s glare. In the car, he’s sliding a possessive hand over your thigh, squeezing when he asks you about your day. He has a hand pressed against your lower back at all times, practically manhandling you when you move around different spaces.
And god do you fucking love it. Maybe it’s because you’ve been deprived of physical touch for so long, you haven’t had anyone in your corner reminding you that they’re there. But you also know yourself better than that and the only reason all of this works is because it’s Scott and you were in love with Scott.
You tell yourself it’s all in the past. This is the remnants of your feelings long forgotten from your more youthful self.
But then it all disappears. The touches. The fleeting glances. The flirty smiles. The difference is jarring and you can’t help but notice the extra space he puts between the two of you when you’re walking with Ben, keeping him in between you two. Or how he moves away from the kitchen when you enter it, and again when you move into the living room. Or how his question actually sounds polite when he asks you how work went.
How he doesn’t even blink twice when you tell him a colleague — that same one that he had scared away — had asked you out to dinner.
The frustration builds inside of you, like he’s crafting a wall with the distance brick by brick. You find yourself leaning towards him only for him to shift in his seat and away from you. The inches between you on the couch feel like they stretch for miles, his arm extended on the other side instead of behind your back.
You feel like an addict seeking a fix, constantly chasing after him — subtly, not enough for it to be obvious, but certainly enough for him to notice.
So, by the time he suggests it again, he’s Pavlov’d you to seek his attention. Fucker.
“Do you want to spend the day together?”
You grit your teeth. Somehow, Scott has conspired with your mother that she whisked Ben away early this morning for a trip to the zoo and you end up with this asshole at your front door with a smirk on his face, shoulders squared, chin tilted up like he’s done something good.
“You did this on purpose.”
“What did I do?”
He knows exactly what he did. “All of it.”
“Come on. Get dressed.”
“You haven’t even told me where we’re going,” you snap.
“Nowhere you need anything fancy,” he says before steering you by the elbow out the door.
You allow yourself to be pushed into the car, he even straps your seatbelt in for you, before he’s driving. Destination still unknown. You try to ask and Scott tells you to just relax, tells you that you’re wrung up too tight.
Then he stops and you look quizzically out the window.
“I got you a massage appointment.”
You nearly break your neck at the speed you whip around to look at him. “What? Why?”
“Thought it would be a nice thing to do. You used to gather knots like you were starting a collection and I had to press all of that out for you. Figured, with all the years of build up and I highly doubt you’ve been smoothing those out, a professional could do a better job.”
At a loss, you find yourself only staring at him. He looks cocky, so damn proud that he’s done something right — that he knew exactly what you needed.
“Now get going, they’re not gonna find another timeslot for you.”
With your mind in a blur, you exit the vehicle. The spa is nice, a mix of lavender and eucalyptus in the air that has you relaxing almost instantly. The experience is… divine to say the least. For once, you have not a single thought in your mind and you find yourself melting into the table during your two-hour long session.
By the time you step back outside, after the people inside tell you that it’s been paid for, Scott is waiting out front. In a daze, you slip back into the car.
“Good?” is all he asks.
You nod slowly.
“Good,” he smiles, “now, let’s get you ready for dinner.”
Scott tells you that he’s taking you somewhere casual, but nice. Nice enough that you end up spending a bit of time washing your hair, doing your makeup, even fixing your hair a little bit. When you spritz on perfume, you tell yourself that it’s for your sake.
But you can’t deny that when you see Scott drink you in — how his blue eyes go ten shades darker, how his lips part when he gets a whiff of the florals clinging onto your skin — that it might’ve been for him too.
You would think a man like Scott would take you somewhere nice, somewhere you’re going to be gawking at the prices all night, wondering if you should even be in a place like that. But when he pulls up to a quiet corner in Cambridge, an Italian restaurant that seems all too familiar, you find yourself caught off guard.
“What? You would’ve preferred steak and fries at Del Frisco’s?” He’s chuckling quietly to himself, knowing full well what your answer would be.
Before you can reach for your door, Scott’s rounding the car and pulling it open, even going as far as to offer a hand.
He’s a perfect gentleman the entire night. When you hesitate on ordering because of the prices, Scott — the condescending prick that he is — orders for you, except he orders right. You’ve been eyeing that dish but you couldn’t do the math fast enough to figure out your budget for the month. He orders a bottle of red, your favorite — it’s nothing fancy, but it had been a step up when you felt like splurging in college. The food is delicious, reminiscent of the old days when he would treat you to a meal to make you feel better, right after he fucked you seven ways to Sunday.
You’re warm, body buzzing with your fill of food and wine. For the first time in a while, you feel a little lighter, like the world isn’t weighing down on your shoulders. Scott drives you back home and he stops right in front of your apartment building.
You know what’s coming. A proposition — as always. You’re going to say yes — as always. He’s always been a snake charmer, saying and doing all the right things to get one into bed with him. It worked on you for months. It used to work on all the ladies before he stopped using it on them.
It still works on you, considering you’re feeling that warmth between your legs. That anticipation humming in your veins. You can practically taste his mouth on you, the tartness from the wine mixed with the gelato you ordered for dessert. You take a breath in eager hopefulness.
However, when he walks you to the apartment entrance, he only kisses the back of your hand. “Have a good night, sweetheart.” Then he’s slowly making his way down the steps, leaving you completely gobsmacked.
You find yourself saying, “Wait,” before you can even think twice.
Scott halts, turns, a knowing smile dancing on his lips.
You should have more self-restraint. But when he’s looking at you with those bright blue eyes and an expression that promises you a good time, you’re only human.
“What is it?”
You fidget with the handle of your purse. “Where are you going?”
“Home,” he drawls, tilting his head like he’s waiting to see your next move.
“You’re not gonna stay?”
Scott’s lips quirk up, shfiting into a look too cocky for your liking. “Do you want me to stay?”
“Don’t be a dick.”
“Doesn’t sound like you do,” he makes a face, raising his shoulders in a shrug as he pretends to slowly turn back around.
You should let him go. You hope he has fucking blue balls tonight. However, that also means you’ll be left alone with your thoughts in an empty apartment and your vibrator on a Saturday night, and that sounds a heck of a lot less fun than getting your brains scrambled by the one man who knows exactly how to do that.
“Do you want to come up?”
It’s comical how quickly he whirls around to say, “Don’t mind if I do.”
The ride up the elevator is weighed down by tense silence. Your heartbeat echoes in your ears in time with the numbers that climb, a beep in rhythm to each floor. Scott stands next to you, hands planted on the railing casually, but you hear the impatient tapping of his shoe. When the elevator finally dings, he lets you leave first and you feel the burn of his gaze on your back, trailing the length of you down to the curve of your ass where the silk of your dress rests.
Your fingers are barely functional as you clumsily dig through your purse to open the door. It’s one thing to have someone watching you, it’s another to have Scott staring at you. The hungry look in his eyes, the way you can practically feel the heat radiate off him.
You don’t even get a chance to properly set aside your bag before Scott is pressing you up against the wall. He drinks in your surprised little gasp, your instinct to move away from him only has him backing you up against your kitchen counter. With you half-seated on it, Scott’s hands slide around your neck, cupping your cheeks so he can lick into your mouth. He takes the chance to slip his tongue in between your little gasps, tasting that sugar on your tongue.
“Fuck, sweetheart, been waiting to do that all night,” he groans as his mouth travels towards your neck instead, sucking on the delicate skin until you feel the sting spark every nerve inside your body. He does it over again, like he’s zapping you with electricity every time he leaves a new mark on your body.
You’re no better, your hands immediately crawling up his chest to find his buttons and fumble with them, slipping them out one at a time until you can shove his shirt off his shoulders. God, how is it possible that he seems even broader than before? Your palms explore his biceps, feeling the way they flex beneath your fingertips, muscles tensing into a firm surface for you to hold onto.
“You got… bigger,” you note in a daze. It’s ridiculous how drunk you feel right now and it’s certainly not from the wine. It’s his scent — masculine and clean. Like rain on freshly mowed grass, earthy in a way that grounds you. You can’t help but breathe him in, making a mental note that he still uses the same shampoo.
“A lot of time lugging around equipment out there,” he mutters. As if to prove a point, he lifts you up to the counter and wraps your legs around his waist. “Always getting drenched in the storms.”
Fuck. Terrible visual. You imagine him in a white short-sleeve shirt, the fabric soaking up all that rain and clinging to every inch of his muscles and leaving nothing to the imagination. His dusky nipples poking through the fabric. Curly brunette hair with droplets, that one stray hair on his forehead whenever it gets too humid. You can practically see the light smattering of hair on his chest, a path leading down to his navel.
God forbid that the women in Oklahoma have seen him like that. That’s a visual you’d rather keep to yourself.
Scott distracts you again when he brings his face back to kiss you. He kisses like he’s inhaling you, stealing every hitched breath from your lungs. His mouth is ravenous as it moves against you, teeth grazing your bottom lip lightly in a tantalizing threat. He finally nips and you let out a little whine that he laughs lightly at as he kisses you harder. Firmer. Soft lips, only slightly chapped, as they relearn what it is exactly that makes you moan down his throat.
“Love kissing you,” he mutters, “missed doing this. I want to do this everyday.”
You’re about to tell him why that would be a bad idea but you sigh dreamily instead, tipping your head back when he begins trailing wet kisses along your jawline again.
His hands wander to your back, dragging the zipper down quietly until your dress pools on the floor. His thumb brushes over your nipples peaking through the lace. “Missed these pretty tits too. Couldn’t get enough of them last time.” He ducks his head and tugs one free from your bra, lips closing in around your nipple in a wet heat. His groan reverberates straight through you, tongue laving around your pert nipple like he’s trying to coax it out.
As he does so, his other hand reaches for the clasp of your bra until you hear the little sound before it slides down your shoulders.
“Hands on the counter.”
“Bossy,” you murmur, but do so anyway.
Scott looks mildly surprised at your obedience and you can’t even bring yourself to care. You lean back slightly and spread your legs wider to let him step in between them, his mouth warm and sweet on your tits. He mouths hungrily at your breasts, biting, squeezing, until you’re a moaning mess arching into his touch. One of his hand slides down to your lower spine to yank you closer to him, pressing your core against the thickness in his pants.
“I’ve been hard all night lookin’ at you in that pretty dress,” Scott growls, “knew exactly what you looked like underneath it, couldn’t wait to take it off you.”
You appear to have lost your entire vocabulary when he slips that hand from your back to the space between you, two fingers against the panties that’s quickly gathering moisture. The whine that is pulled from your lips is instinctual. Pure primal need.
“Imagining you stretched out on that massage bed, naked, slicked up in oil. Fuck, I had to drive around and keep myself busy for two hours so I didn’t go back and do the job myself,” he huffs a laugh as he begins rubbing your clit over the material, arousal easing the slick of his fingers even with one layer between the two of you.
A gasp is wrenched from your throat as you stare at him, wide-eyed. “That’s— that’s ridiculous.”
Scott hums, shaking his head, pressing harder, pulling out another needy sound. “Stop bein’ so tense. You’re undoing all of that woman’s hard work.” Your eyes light up briefly. “I wasn’t going to let some other man touch you. I’m not an idiot.”
“You’re such a possessive asshole,” you let out a breathless laugh, “it’s just a massage.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’m going to be the only one that gets to touch these pretty tits. Not to mention, this—” he slides his fingers under your panties, gathering up the arousal from you slick folds on his fingertips and listening to the lewd squelch as he dips his fingers in just a tad. “You’re so goddamn wet.”
Instead of clamping your legs shut, embarrassed like you always have been, you can’t help but let your thighs fall apart further, giving him room to give you the pleasure that you so badly needed.
“You’re so much easier when you’re not stressed.”
That snaps you awake. “Oh, fuck you.”
Scott pushes two fingers in, the slide is swift and wet. “Just like that,” he grins as he slowly drags his fingers out only to shove them back in. He’s rough and he’s messy, you can hear how wet you are as he watches you come undone, thumb against your clit like he has something to prove. “Shit, sweetheart, you’re dripping all over the counter. You’re so messy, pretty girl.”
“S-Scott,” you moan, fingers wrapping around his wrist. “I c-can’t, mmm, please.”
“I know, I know, still so tight, aren’t you? I don’t want to hurt you,” he says as he slowly sinks to his knees. You look down to find him with his starry eyes looking right up at you as he sticks his fingers in his mouth. You can see the moment his eyes flutter shut as he tastes you, tongue lecherously poking out to lick his fingers clean. “Better than dessert.”
“You’re so corny—” your words split off into a choked gasp when Scott dives in between your legs. His tongue drags all the way up to your clit until you’re bucking against his mouth. He licks and devours, the roughness of his tongue sliding up your slick folds, lips closing in around your core, your clit, to suck until you’re shuddering against him. “Fuck, Scott, wait, slow down.”
Scott leans away, giving you a brief moment of reprieve — except, when you look down at him, his bottom half is glistening in the moonlight that spills across your floors. His eyes return to your pussy, just beneath your stomach that’s rising and falling with your labored breaths.
His index and middle fingers rest on each of your lips as he slowly pries them apart, your pussy pulses and there’s no doubt that he catches that movement. The slight tensing, squeezing, inside of you. “Look at this pussy spreading so wet and easy for me. She’s droolin’, sweetheart.”
As if he can sense another argument on your lips, Scott leans forward again to press kisses onto your inner thigh, blooming warmth with every spot he touches. He kisses up and up until he’s back with his face between your legs, your thighs closing in around his head until he’s practically suffocating in your cunt.
It’s the way he likes it though. His hands on your ass to drag you forward so he can tongue-fuck you faster, knowing full well you’re enjoying it when you’re grinding against his face with tears leaking from your eyes and his name said in prayer.
That pleasure coils humiliatingly fast in your stomach. You can feel your climax, long abandoned, surfacing quickly. God, it feels so good, his mouth — it’s only gotten better. You hate to think if he fucked anyone else while he was away, because — of course he did, he was a hot young bachelor in bumfuck Oklahoma. He was probably the hottest shit down there.
Scott scowls up at you, “You’re tensing up again, what are you thinking about?”
“Nothing,” you blurt out, pressing your lips together.
He rises to his feet, fingers catching your chin. “Tell me.”
“There’s nothing to tell,” you snap irritably. Great, now you’re thinking about some cute girl in a cowboy hat he’s probably fucked the same way he did you.
“You just stiffened up again. Either you tell me, or I won’t fuck you.”
You roll your eyes, “Holding sex hostage? Real mature.” Well, two can play that game. “If you won’t fuck me, I’m sure I’ve got a few people on my dating apps that have been begging to.”
Scott’s eyes flash, your heart palpitates a little too aggressively. “Yeah? You wanna try that again with me?” Your mouth dries. “Sweetheart, you’re cute if you think I’m letting anyone else near this pretty pussy of yours. You think anyone can get you off?”
Your teeth sink into your bottom lip.
“You’re mine,” he breathes out, catching your lips again. You can taste yourself on him, his moan vibrating against your mouth.
But you can’t deny his words. Instead, you let him pick you up and carry you all the way to the bedroom. He doesn’t stop kissing you the entire way, stealing your breath every chance he gets. Your back lands on the mattress, Scott climbing over you and pressing your legs into your chest.
“Love fucking you just like this,” he murmurs, applying just a little more pressure. “Maybe I can put another baby in you.”
“Scott!” You gasp.
“Fuck, I wasn’t even around when you were pregnant. I’d do it right this time. Make sure you’re taken care of — however that may be. Heard the first trimester’s roughest, probably needed a cock to fill you up, hm? Fill you up and get you so stupidly cockdrunk you won’t have the mouth to talk back to me.”
Another protest sits on your tongue but then Scott’s unzipping his pants and his cock, thick and throbbing, is in his hands, tip sitting at your entrance. You can feel your pussy dripping onto him, a trail of slick that slides down the length of him.
“I could fuck you, cum in you as much as I want — not like I didn’t already,” he chuckles, “no more risk of getting you pregnant twice. God, I could do that to you, sweetheart. Want another kid with me?”
“You’re— fuck, you’re insane.”
Scott only grunts as he begins pushing into you. “So fuckin’ tight. I need to teach your pussy how to take me again. You were so sweet and loose for me back then, we fucked so much, your cunt was shaped to my cock. Can’t wait to do that again.”
The ache burns between your legs as Scott stretches you out, your pussy opening up painfully slowly for him. You hold your breath, tensing up as he whispers for you to relax, to just keep your legs open and let him take what he needs. Your eyes roll when he finally buries himself all the way, the head kissing the deepest parts of you.
“S-shit, fuck, that feels so good. You feel like heaven.”
“Please, please just move,” you whine.
“I know, baby, but I can’t fuck you too fast, gonna hurt you. My cock barely fits in this tight pussy of yours,” Scott coos, dragging back his hips and slowly coaxing you open with a push of his cock. “I gotta go easy on her. She’s not used to being filled up, is she?”
You call him an asshole in your head, because you don’t trust your voice not to break in the haze of your pleasure.
“Pretty girl hasn’t had anyone taking care of her in a while.”
“I can take care of myself just fine,” you defend with a snap.
“Yeah? What? Those vibrators I see you hiding? Doesn’t feel the same, does it? You needed someone to fuck you properly.” Scott smirks, “Maybe I should’ve given you a dildo shaped to my cock. That way you could fuck yourself on it whenever you missed me. I’d make you call me when you do that, wanna hear you beg for my cock while you push it inside you. Better yet, I want to see you while you ride it and realize it ain’t the same as the real thing.”
“You’re so fucking gross,” you hiss and, sure enough, it melts into a moan when Scott drives into you again, and again, and again.
“What does it say about you when I can feel you chokin’ out my cock at the thought of it?” He laughs, taunting. “You’re as fucked up as I am, sweetheart. How do you think we made a baby in the first place?”
Oh fuck, Scott feels you open up to him, mold around him. That pain dulls into a throb that only serves to weave desire between your legs. You clench around him, pussy pulsing with his every word, as he fucks deep inside of you. He pushes you back into this mating press, groaning when he feels himself reach deeper inside you.
“Shit, baby, this pussy is fucking unbelievable. I can’t believe I gave this up for years. Missed fucking this gorgeous cunt so bad,” he swallows. That vein on his neck goes taut as he tries to stop himself. “You still on the pill?”
You nod weakly, fingers digging into his biceps as he pounds into you, his hips jerking faster and harder.
Then he laughs and it sounds mean and your stomach twists. “Didn’t do us much good last time though, huh? It’s alright, sweetheart. If you get knocked up again, I’ll be here. I’ll be here to fuck all that stress out of you, give you all the massages that’ll end with my head between your legs. Get you all your cravings so you can show your appreciation with your mouth on my cock.”
It’s disgusting, The thought of returning favors when he’s the one who gets you pregnant, but something about it has you tightening, punched in the stomach with a level of arousal that you can’t seem to contain.
“Don’t need to use this pretty brain of yours, baby. Just gonna have you barefooted waddling around and you can let me take real good care of you,” he pants, sweat beading his forehead as he fucks into you faster, holding himself back harder. “Make sure you and our baby are good. Don’t you worry.”
“F-fuck you,” you stutter as he drives back into you.
The bed creaks under the pressure of his thrusts, you’re getting fucked into the mattress that you can feel your body imprinting onto the bed. “That’s right. Good girl. Gonna make you a mommy again, sweetheart. Gonna put another baby into you. You’re already so cockdrunk, you won’t even know. I’m not letting you out of here until it takes.”
That knocks all the oxygen from your chest. “Shit, Scott— hold on.”
“Can’t do that,” he grunts, “pussy feels too good. Can’t get enough of this hole. I’m going to fill you up, baby. You’re gonna be leakin’ my cum for days. Maybe I’ll send you to get another massage and they’ll see you dripping my cream.”
Scott pounds into you, each word filthier than the next. He’s driving himself and you into a frenzy as his thrusts get sloppier, wetter, squelching bouncing off your four walls.
“I’m gonna print my cock in your pussy so nobody else can touch you.”
“Breed this pussy so good, keep you plugged up with my cum for days.”
“This pussy was meant to be fucked, sweetheart. You don’t need princess treatment, just need to be fucked like you need another baby in you.”
It’s filthy. It’s demeaning. It’s a fucking turn-on.
“Yeah, you wanna cum, pretty girl? You wanna cum around my cock?”
You can only nod in your haze, desperate, eager.
“Cum around me, sweetheart. I wanna feel that cream coating my cock. I wanna feel that stickiness, feel what it’s like to have my girl feel so good because of me.”
Scott pounds into you faster, deeper as he fucks you harder into the mattress. He presses you further in this position, tilting your hips up until you’re climbing and climbing and falling apart around him with a loud whine. Your body trembles with the force of your orgasm, legs quaking around him as he drags out your climax with every thrust until he himself is spilling warmth inside you. You can feel the mess in your insides, feel it slosh around, feel it leak from where you two are joined.
“Fuck,” he groans, “cumming so much, sweetheart. Fillin’ her right up.”
Your heart slams against your chest as you feel exactly that.
Scott’s hips are still jerking with his cum spurting right into you. He refuses to budge, staying there until he’s sure everything’s out. Even then, he nudges his hips a little deeper, like he’s making sure his cum stays in there.
He eases out of you slowly, but he doesn’t let go of the pressure on your legs, keeping your hips up as he watches his cum ooze out of you. His brows pucker in annoyance as he uses two fingers to push it back into you.
You wince, pussy sensitive from the friction earlier. “Gross.”
“You like it.”
You do. It’s stupid but you do. Something about him staking his claim, leaving a part of him inside you, it’s just the kind of thing that has you squeezing around his fingers again.
Scott smirks. “Do you want me to clean you up?”
Your stupid, traitorous, dysfunctional brain says no. For some reason, you really like feeling his cum inside you. But you know that the correct answer is— “Yes.” It’s the only reason Scott asks – because he knows.
His eyes scan you for a moment, as if he’s trying to decide whether you’re telling the truth. Then he sighs and lets your legs down gently as he disappears, coming back only when he has a damp cloth in hand. It’s so strange for him to be so familiar with your place to know where things are.
At the same time — so right.
He wipes you clean, murmuring to himself about how pretty you look with his cum inside you. You try not to let your lips stretch too wide with the heat rolling across your face.
When he’s done, Scott slides himself in next to you, pulling you close.
That’s when you freeze because — what is this? What are you? The panic sinks in fast and you feel fear claw at your chest. You have a son. You can’t be doing — whatever the fuck this is — with his dad, who he doesn’t even know is his dad.
“Scott—”
“Sleep.”
“Go home.”
“No.”
“Are you shitting me?” You hiss, “You can’t be here when Ben comes home tomorrow morning.”
Scott exhales long and hard, like he’s had enough of your shit. “Why not? I get full weekends, don’t I? That includes mornings. Now sleep.”
“Sleep in your own home! You can come back tomorrow.”
Before you know it, you’re back on your back and Scott’s on top of you, pinning you down with a glare. “Sweetheart, it seems like I didn’t fuck you hard enough. If I did, then you wouldn’t be thinkin’ whatever the fuck is going through that big head of yours right now. So, I’m going to fuck you again, and I’m going to keep fucking you until you stop treatin’ me like I’m some shameful one-night stand. I’m the father of your child — our child. So take your pick — do you want me to fuck you again until your head’s too full of cock to argue, or do you want to sleep?”
You open your mouth. Sleep is on the tip of your tongue, but then you feel him and his gaze warm on you and your legs press together on instinct.
He chuckles, dipping his head to press a chaste kiss onto your lips. “Good answer.”
Sure enough, he keeps his promise and you only find yourself falling asleep when he gives you your third orgasm of the night.
There is no monumental shift. Scott acts the same way he always has — at least around Ben.
He tries to maintain some level of distance but you can tell that he’s getting a little antsy about his own son not knowing who he is. Every time he asks you, you have to shoot it down, mainly for Ben’s sake.
But you also know that you raised a good, smart kid, which means it’s not surprising when Ben asks, “Who’s Uncle Scott really?”
“He is—” you pause, “—a friend.”
“Boyfriend?”
Fuck.
“No, he’s just a friend — like the kind you’ll meet in school.”
Ben looks at the television where there’s an interview of Scott playing, the one from a local station talking about his startup. “You love him?”
Your heart slams against your ribs. Warmth creeps up on you and Ben must notice it because he’s smiling softly, patting your hand.
“I like him,” Ben gives his nod of approval before turning back to the LEGOs in front of him.
A four-year-old just reassured you that he likes his dad. His dad that he still doesn’t know about. You know it isn’t fair and you will tell him at some point, you’re just not sure how to have that conversation yet — not when Scott’s time here is uncertain, despite what he says.
Still, while Scott keeps things steady with Ben, he switches tactics with you. His hand is always touching you — your hip, your back, your shoulders. Subtle touches like a reminder that he’s here. It’s oddly comforting and you find yourself seeking his touch more than before.
Around your son, he still maintains some distance, even when you can tell he’s itching to get closer. The two of you are at the grocery store, you’re driving the cart while Ben runs ahead, giggling and pointing at everything he wants — which is really anything with at least twenty grams of added sugar.
Scott has an amused smile on his lips as he watches him.
“Think he could be a runner someday. Has the makings of an athlete. Maybe football,” he says, almost proudly with his chest puffed up.
You roll your eyes, “I’d rather avoid my son getting his head knocked around.”
“Or entrepreneur, he has a way with making you do things, you know. Smart. Manipulative.”
“Where do you think he got that from?”
Scott only smirks.
You’re scanning through your list when you realize, “Shit, I forgot to grab butter and it’s up the aisle.”
“I’ll grab it,” he says, squeezing your hip, “just get what you need here.”
Ben insists on getting chocolate milk, mainly because he’s convinced the chocolate cow on the box is real. You tell him that you could get the smaller version and that you’ll take him to a farm one day and realize that there are no cows that produce chocolate milk.
“With Uncle Scott? In Oka— Okla—” He struggles, frowning when he can’t remember.
Oh. “Oklahoma,” you add, “maybe. I’m sure there are closer farms.”
His mouth opens in a bright grin.
When you finally cave and put both the chocolate milk and the regular milk in the cart, you look back down the aisle to see Scott standing there.
Talking to a woman.
A woman who was very much his type before he met you.
Your chest pinches with an unfamiliar feeling. It’s understandable that Scott has seen and is probably still seeing other women. The two of you don’t have a label on things, nothing you can tape to his forehead that says off limits.
She looks young, sweet, dressed like she has a life. She’s smiling up at him, giggling at something he’s saying in a way where you know it’s not because he’s funny. She reaches up to touch his arm and he takes a step back, a polite smile in place, then he’s saying something and looking at you. And then she’s looking at you too, face souring.
Alright then.
You turn away again, continuing to push the cart as Ben sets his mind on cereal next. He’s been on a Lucky Charms kick and you desperately need to move him off it. It’s all sugar and food coloring.
Scott appears next to you, a hand on your lower back as he puts the butter box in the cart. He peeks at your list. “Cereal next?”
“Um, yeah,” you say, eyes going over your shoulder to catch another glimpse of that woman. “She was cute.”
“Yeah, she was.”
Your lips immediately curl and Scott catches it before you can school your expression. “Didn’t get her number?”
“Told her I’m with my wife and kid,” he smirks.
Wife and kid— you’re not even sure how to respond to that, so you resort to clearing your throat with a deadpan look. “Glad to hear we can be used to avoid women you don’t like.”
“Well, I was only half lying, wasn’t I?” He huffs as the two of you turn the corner, finding Ben already with a box of Lucky Charms in hand. You sigh as Scott mutters under his breath, “Not too late to make it all completely true though.”
You try to convince Ben that cornflakes are much more fun, which is the least convincing argument you can make, until Scott steps in and says that cornflakes make him super strong like the rooster on the cover. So Ben swaps out his pick for a box of Froot Loops and declares that he wants to be strong like this bird instead.
It isn’t until the two of you are unloading groceries into his car that it hits you, and the bag nearly slips from his fingers.
Make it all completely true. Wife and kid.
“Took you long enough,” Scott chuckles smugly. “Give it some thought. Maybe we can stop by the jewelers on the way back.”
Scott is relentless to say the least. He has increased the frequency of touching, has made it all the more obvious in front of everyone. Your coworkers all know him by name, chatting with him when you wrap up work late. Sometimes, he’s the one who picks Ben up from your mom’s and brings him to meet you at the hospital.
Your mom, of course, is over the moon. She can’t stop gushing over him, telling you how he helped her fix her leaky faucet, how he’s always on time to pick up Ben even when he’s still in the middle of work, and “Did you know he was featured in Forbes?”
He finally invites you and Ben over for dinner in his new apartment. It’s much more spacious, a two-bedroom that’s twice the size of yours — one of which he has set up for Ben. So Ben is also over the moon when he sees how massive his bedroom is. He asks if the two of you can stay and you only manage a tight-lipped smile before you redirect your glare towards Scott.
“Your place too,” Scott says casually, handing you an extra set of keys. “In case you ever need some more space.”
Later, he also shows you that he’s left most of the closet empty in the master bedroom. “In case you need to stay over.”
It’s sweet. It’s thoughtful.
It’s too much.
You don’t even know where you stand with him. He takes you out again and then another time; you tell yourself that this is just friends hanging out, but you know it’s different when you end up in his bed at the end of the evening. The first time you slept with him at his and tried to leave after, you realize that your shoes are nowhere to be found.
“Where are my shoes?”
“I knew you were going to pull some stupid shit like this. So I hid them.”
“What the fuck? Are you four?”
“No, but our son is. Now get your ass back into bed.” You cross your arms over your chest, planting your foot down in protest. Scott regards you coolly. “You either come here on your own accord or I’m throwing you over my shoulder.”
He doesn’t make threats lightly, so you stomp all the way back to his bedroom where Scott proceeds to fuck you over again and makes sure that you have no energy left to move.
Things are… good.
For the first time in years, you feel almost at peace. Ben’s a good kid, raised right, adored by all around him. He’ll start school next year with a stronger support system, what with Scott vowing to attend every parent-teacher conference and other events that require his presence. The two of you agree to tell Ben in a month — a month to prepare for the conversation.
You can’t even imagine what it’s like — living four years of your life never seeing your father and then suddenly dropping one in his lap. Well, you suppose it isn’t very sudden considering Scott’s been around more often than not. Part of you hopes that Ben is hopeful about Scott, it’ll make the conversation easier.
That being said, your work schedule has been atrocious which means you haven’t had the chance to really sit down with him and have a conversation on how to broach the topic with your son. The one time you finally manage to get off work early, you decide to swing by Scott’s; he works from home and you figured all three of you could do dinner together at that pizza place.
The key rests between your fingers, pinched tight as you stare at it.
You should just ring the doorbell. Right? It isn’t your home. But Scott gave you a key and what if he’s still in the middle of something? What if he has someone else in there? No, you shouldn’t use the key. Then again, he shouldn’t have given you a key if he would be doing anything he wouldn’t want you to see.
The internal debate persists until you decide fuck it and push the key into the lock. You open the door slowly, quietly, nothing like your own creaky one. Scott’s nowhere to be found in his giant living room with his giant television. You look at that giant screen with envy, thinking about how wonderful movie nights would be with that setup. Scott has already insisted on doing movie nights at his instead, stocking up on popcorn and sugar, and you’re tempted to agree.
Muffled voices carry down the hall. He’s probably in the bedroom so you silently make your way over in case he’s on a call.
“Yeah, I’ll be back next week, alright,” Scott says, sounding agitated. You get a peek through the bedroom door and find him pacing.
An open suitcase in front of him.
Your heart drops. The scene is all too familiar. It’s like you’re twenty-two again, left behind in this town while he goes off to chase his dreams — only this time, he had promised you he would stay. Only this time, it won’t only be your heart he’ll break.
“I know it’s takin’ me a while,” he grunts, scrounging his hand through his hair, “no, I still need to pick up my shit.”
You can’t hear the person on the other end of the line but it’s clear that he doesn’t seem very pleased. A sigh heaves from his chest as he looks out the window, a mournful expression painted onto his face.
“I have to tie up some loose ends.”
Loose ends? You swallow thickly. That’s— is he talking about you? About Ben? He’s supposed to be back in Oklahoma next week. No doubt whoever is on the other side is someone at work. But he had promised you he would stay — right? He had said that he would be sticking around. Why else would he get an apartment? Why would he set the bedroom up for Ben otherwise?
But your mind has spiraled beyond the point of reason. Your survival instincts kick in again; you never want to be the person left behind. Not again. Not after that first time. So you should leave first. It’ll make it easier for the both of you.
Scott won’t have to break the news and you — you can let that hope quietly slip away.
All you can do now is… leave.
So you do. You take one step back then another and another until you’re in his kitchen. You open one of the drawers and tuck the extra set of keys he gave you inside; after all, you won’t be needing those anymore. Then you’re out the door.
You’re functioning numb as you get home. Ben greets you with a big smile and so does your mom. You force yourself to smile too and ask if the two of them want pizza for dinner. Your mom looks at you with a silent question asking where Scott is. You only shake your head.
When Scott calls you as you’re getting ready to leave for the restaurant, you don’t pick up.
Not feeling so hot.
His face appears on your screen as your phone vibrates with the incoming call. You curse yourself for texting so quickly.
“Hey,” you try to rasp.
“What is it? A cold? A fever? I can grab medicine and dinner on the way there. Maybe that wonton noodle soup from—”
“No, don’t,” you blurt out, “I, uh, don’t want to get you sick.”
“I don’t give a shit about that.” You can practically imagine his annoyed scowl. He’s probably shrugging on his jacket, you can hear the jingle of his keys as he heads to the door. “What do you want to eat? You like that wonton soup right? It’s on the way to yours.”
“Scott, please.”
“Sweetheart,” he sighs.
“I’ll be fine,” you insist, “just give me a few days to recover and I’ll text you, okay.”
Silence on the other end means that he’s giving it actual thought. Then you hear the long exhale. “Fine. Call or text me if you need anything. Seriously.” He clears his throat, “You know, your mom could also take Ben for a few days. I’ll come take care of you.”
You bite your tongue, blinking away the tears as you stare up at the ceiling. You can’t get used to this, can’t get used to someone checking in on you, putting you first. This isn’t the kind of thing that lasts.
“No, I promise I’ll be okay.”
You call in sick for work, which shocks your entire team because you’re the type to drag yourself out of your deathbed to make sure you don’t miss a day. You’re not sure you like this reputation.
Jenna calls your bullshit out immediately. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing,” you mutter, picking on the lint on your pajama pants. You’re waiting for Ben to wake up so the two of you can spend the day together. He’s a little confused why you’re at home for a few days, but he certainly isn’t complaining.
“Does it have something to do with hottie Scottie?”
You wince, “That’s a gross nickname. Never say that again.”
“So it does, what did he do?”
It’s not what he did. It’s what he’s about to do. “It’s not a big deal. I just needed a break. Gonna spend some time with Ben.”
“Well, Ben loves her cool Aunt Jenna so I’ll swing by after with fried chicken?”
Your lips twitch. She always knows the right things to say. “Sounds good.”
On the other hand, you spend the rest of the week dodging Scott’s every attempt to come visit. You tell him that your cold has only gotten worse (you’re fresher than a spring chicken), that your mom is taking Ben for a few days (he’s sitting at the dining table), and that you are doing fine otherwise (your heart is splintering in your chest).
He sounds frustrated over the phone and, when he does visit, you pretend that you’re too sick to see him, refusing to let him through the door.
“This is fucking ridiculous. You have a cold. I’ll be fine,” he snaps through the front door. “Will you just let me in?”
Once again, you emphasize that that’s not good practice and colds are highly contagious. You can hear Scott’s feet shuffling outside, his annoyed grunts.
“Can you just let me in?” He breathes out deeply, “Please. I haven’t seen you in days and I really want to. I just want to make sure you’re good.”
Your forehead presses against the cool door. You tell yourself to stay strong. Don’t give in so easily. So again, you deny him entry and he finally leaves.
On Sunday, he calls and you at least pick that up. “I have to fly out to Oklahoma for a few days,” he mutters, “I’ll be back. Call me, text me, fucking email me if you need to — if you need anything at all, alright.”
“I’ll be fine,” you whisper.
You’re tying up those loose ends for him.
Scott goes radio silent for the first half of the week. You think this is finally it. He’s finally cutting you loose and maybe he’s simply going to fade into a distant memory. You’re back at work when he leaves Boston, your coworkers peppering you with questions about your absence. Jenna keeps the wolves at bay, telling all of them to give you some space.
“You need to talk to me at some point,” she gives you a look.
You lick your lips, mouth trembling as you finally say the words you’ve been too afraid to say. Because it’s one thing to think it, it’s another to admit it aloud. “Scott’s gone.”
“What?” She jerks back, “What do you mean he’s gone?”
Pushing around your peas, you sigh. “He’s in Oklahoma.”
“Temporarily right?”
You shrug. “Feel like it might be for good.”
“Did he tell you that?”
No, but you heard his conversation and it’s all about the words that are said behind your back that matter, right?
“Hon, listen to me. I’ve never seen a man more obsessed in my life. That guy’s in love with you.”
To that, you laugh, heart a little lighter for some odd reason. “He’s just being a good friend. He probably felt guilty after — you know — finding out that he knocked me up.”
She gives you a look. “If you seriously believe that, I’m going to have to take you up to neuro to get your head checked.”
On Thursday, you’re finally settling with the possibility that this really is it. You’ll be okay; you survived once without him, you can do it again. Instead, you focus strictly on work, drowning in the mountains of paperwork and unfinished studies. While you’re doing all that, your phone lights up with Scott’s name.
You don’t pick up. The last thing you need while you’re stressed out of your mind is to hear him apologize, hear him tell you that he’s changed in his mind. You can have your heart ripped out of your chest later.
Blissful ignorance is better than blatant rejection, that’s always been your motto.
You’re ready for a night of full decompression, which means you’re going to cuddle up with your baby and maybe fall asleep on the couch after a filling dinner of grease. “I’m home,” you call out.
The sight before you has you freezing. Scott’s on the couch — your couch — with Ben on his lap. They’re reading one of Ben’s favorite books and your son is giggling uncontrollably. Now, he is facing the front which means he can’t see Scott’s expression.
And that is a look that has your entire body stiffening in the doorway. You’re almost tempted to run again, but how could you abandon your son? So you try to ignore your buzzing nerves.
“Mom!”
“Hey, buddy,” you smile weakly, closing the door behind you. “Where’s, uh, my mom?”
“She left earlier, said I should spend some time with Ben and you,” he smiles. It’s sweet. It’s a sickeningly sweet smile, which means you know better than to trust it. “Ben here was just telling me about all the fun you had last week. All week in fact. Said you weren’t going to work so you two could spend all day together. Outside.”
Well.
“We watched a baseball game and then got ice cream!” Ben announces cheerily. Then he begins to list down everything you did last week — everything — and he is completely unaware that he’s digging a deeper grave for his own mother.
“That so?” Scott chuckles, patting his head. “Your mom’s a real miracle worker, isn’t she? Real healthy and spry to be doing all those things.”
The evening is tense, mostly for you. Your back is ramrod straight as Scott insists on cooking dinner and you have to keep a close eye to make sure he doesn’t add anything to your food. There are smarter ways to take you out, none of them ideal for you. Ben seems to sense the thickness of the air, eyes darting between the two of you.
Of course, neither of you show a thing but the anger that rolls off Scott is nothing short of obvious. So Ben then proceeds to declare that he wants to sleep early.
He never sleeps early. He’s just hit you with a second strike.
You busy yourself with getting him ready for bed, staying for as long as you can. You’re glued at the hip while he brushes his teeth, while he picks out his pajamas at an alarmingly fast speed. He doesn’t even want a bedtime story, telling you that he’s knackered from the long day.
And he goes straight to sleep. Traitor.
You were hoping Ben could buy you more time to come up with some sort of explanation for your behavior, or at least figure out a way to turn the conversation back to him because — what’s he doing back here? Isn’t he supposed to be in Oklahoma?
When you finally step out of Ben’s room, Scott looks noticeably ticked off.
His jaw is squared tight, dimples that are usually so endearing appearing more menacing in this light. “You wanna tell me why you lied about bein’ sick?”
You shift back on the heels of your feet. “I just needed some me time.”
“Bullshit,” he spits out, “you know I would’ve given you that if that’s what you wanted. Try again.”
While you’re usually better at thinking on your feet, the glare he’s pinned you with has your brain completely scrambled. You’re coming up with nothing. Zero. Zilch. Nothing even remotely close to being sufficient for your lie.
“Can’t think of anything, can you? Now that I’ve caught you.”
“Scott…”
“What was it?” He grunts, “What fucking spooked you?”
You press your lips together. “What are you talking about?”
“You’ve never been good at commitment, sweetheart. Been runnin’ since the day I met you. So tell me, what fucking scared you?”
A protest sits on the tip of your tongue, ready to fall from your lips. Defensive. But Scott’s looking at you wearily, a five o’clock shadow that’s rarely ever there dusted across his face.
“You were going to leave,” you murmur.
He frowns at that. “When the hell did I say I was gonna do that?”
“You didn’t have to tell me,” you sigh, “I heard you on the phone.”
His eyebrows jump, surprise coloring his expression. If that isn’t confirmation, you don’t know what is. “What’re you talking about?”
It’s your turn to look irritated. How is he going to play dumb when he’s been caught red-handed?
“I heard you — you were going to head back Oklahoma, that you needed to pack your stuff and—” the last part has your throat constricting, you’re blinking back tears as you look at him. “—that you needed to tie up loose ends.”
Scott looks far from appeased from your explanation. “Yeah, and?”
“Are you shitting me?” You hiss, “If you were going to leave again, were you ever going to tell me? Were you just going to disappear? Leave me here alone again.”
“That’s not fucking fair,” he snaps right back, “I reached out to you. Multiple times. I called and texted and you disappeared. So don’t turn this shit around on me like I intentionally left you.”
“How was I ever supposed to tell you, Scott? I’m pregnant, can you stay here with me instead?”
“Yes! Exactly like that,” he snarls, “it’s as simple as that. But instead, you stopped responding to me. You left me.” That shuts you up, your breath catching in your throat. “So don’t be a hypocrite.”
“It would’ve been selfish of me — to tell you,” you gulp, chest tight, “you would’ve stayed because that’s who you are. That stupid sense of responsibility despite you being irresponsible enough to go out there and chase goddamn tornadoes. I couldn’t do that to you.”
“I know, because that’s who you are,” he mutters, “you think you gotta do everything on your own. You think I don’t hear things? Your mom and Jenna told me plenty about how tough things were for you. How do you think that makes me feel? I’m the asshole that left you.”
“You didn’t know,” you breathe in shakily.
“Doesn’t change the circumstances, does it?” He snips. His face softens then, melting slightly as he sees you curling into yourself. “But I really need you to get your head checked. Something ain’t right up there if you think for a second I could really ever leave you again.”
You look up at him and he’s already taken a step towards you. His hand slides up your neck to cup your cheek, his warm blue eyes on you.
“I was wrapping things up in Oklahoma so I can move here for good. I needed to deal with some paperwork and all the transition for the fieldwork. We’re not short-handed but, you know how it is with leadership.” He pauses, searching your face for any reaction. “I couldn’t just leave my team hanging out to dry so I had to finalize everything before I officially moved here.”
Well. Your voice is quiet when you ask, “So you weren’t going back to Oklahoma for good?”
The aggravation returns to his face. “You’re shittin’ me right? Have I not been telling you for weeks that I’m here to stay?”
“I just thought you meant temporarily,” you sputter, “who picks up their entire life on a fucking whim?”
“It’s not a whim! I was planning to move back here, focus more on raising funds with investors. That was, if I managed to find you!” That has you jolting back in surprise. “I came here to look for you. Properly this time. Fuck, and I told myself that, if I found you, I wasn’t gonna get you walk away from me again.”
“You— really?”
He rolls his eyes, lips tugging up. “Yeah, really. Let go the love of my life once, ain’t doin’ that again.”
“Love of your life?” You squeak.
Scott looks up at the ceiling, praying to some almighty up there to lend him some patience. “Thought that was fuckin’ obvious,” he mutters, “for someone so fuckin’ smart, you can be real stupid.”
“That’s so rude,” you frown.
“Apparently, I have to be if I need you to get your head out of your ass.”
You lick your lips, face flushing with heat. “So, uh, love of your life? Can I get some clarity on that?”
“How can I be any clearer?” He snaps, “If you’re gonna ask me since when, you really think I’d keep fucking you back then if I wasn’t in love with you?” Your jaw practically drops. “You’re the idiot that didn’t want anything real.”
“You were fucking everything that moved!”
“Until I met you!” He shakes his head. “Jesus, you really— I don’t know how you got me wrapped around your finger all this time.”
You huff, “Are you gonna keep insulting me all night?”
“Are you not gonna tell me you love me?”
A laugh bubbles up your throat. “What makes you think I love you?”
“I don’t think, I know, sweetheart,” Scott grins, arm stretching to pull you towards him. He tucks you in close, your breasts against his chest as your palms land on his shoulders, fingers scratching the hair at the nape of his neck. He lets out a quiet little moan. “Come on, say it. I know you’ve been dyin’ to for years now.”
With a roll of your eyes, you puff out, “I love you.”
He grunts, leaning down to tease you. “Don’t think I heard you.”
“I love you, Scott Miller. Now will you shut up and kiss me?”
“Never could say no to you, sweetheart.”
+ sam: thank you so much if you've made it this far!!! you've finally seen the inner workings of my mind when i'm truly hyperfixating. please know that i appreciate every single piece of engagement but i especially love to hear what you think of the story, your fave parts, etc.!!! <3
Dr. Jack Abbot x (female) reader | Dr. Jack Abbot x you
Summary: A new job opportunity - and everyone around you is acting much weirder about it than the situation calls for.
A/N: I'm no longer updating the taglist because Tumblr has been glitching way too much lately. If you don't want to miss any updates, feel free to turn on notifications for my posts! <3
Link to "You stole my cart" master list (1)
Link to "You stole my cart" master list (2)
Previous chapter: Part 134: Do I look like a man who cares?
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“Jack.”
It was one of Jack’s rare nights off. It was around 9 p.m and you were both so knackered you were already lying in bed. He was reading something on his tablet, readers on, looking very focused while you were scrolling aimlessly through your phone. Lizzie was lying between you two - her legs draped over Jack, her head resting on your thigh. She was making cute little noises in her sleep. Less cute was that she was kicking every now and then like she was training for a kickbox-championship. Jack had already joked that he needed to wear his college jockstrap to bed.
“Hm?” He didn’t look up from his article.
“I’ve got a question.”
“Yeah, honey? What is it?”
“Um.” You put your phone down. “Well.”
He could feel the hesitation radiating from you and finally looked up. He tilted his head when he saw you clutching your hands nervously. “Sweetheart, you okay?”
“Yeah” you replied quickly, nodding. “It’s just… what would you think if I applied for a job at your workplace?”
Jack stared at you for a moment, then set his tablet down very carefully and took off his reading glasses. “Baby, is that a theoretical question like ‘Would you still love me if I were a worm?’ Because you promised to warn me beforehand if you wanted to ask questions like that.”
You huffed out a laugh. “No, it’s kind of serious.”
He looked at you. “Why would you ask that?”
“Well, you see - there’s this administrative position in the emergency department and Robby sent it to me.”
Jack blinked. “Robby sent you a job opening?”
“Yeah.”
“Like - he sent you a text?”
“Yeah.”
“He didn’t call to tell you about it? He just sent you a text?”
You tilted your head. “Um - yeah?”
“Huh.”
“Why are you acting so weird?”
“I’m not acting weird. I’m just surprised.” Jack scratched his head.
“Well… he thinks I would be a good fit and…” You paused. “I know it’s not my field and I never pictured myself working in an emergency department… or as a clerk. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I think ward clerks do amazing and really important work” you added hastily.
Jack smiled gently. “So… what are you trying to say here, honey?”
You hesitated, then let out a deep sigh. “It’s not my dream job. It’s not even in my top ten. But… I think it could work? It’s only a temporary position anyway - I think it’s just to cover that colleague’s maternity leave - and it’s only like three shifts per week, half a day. I mean it would work out with Lizzie’s daycare schedule.”
Jack watched you closely for a moment. “Honey. You don’t have to work right now. You know that, right? You can apply for jobs in your field until you get something that really works for you.”
You scrunched up your nose. “But I want to work, Jack. And yeah, that’s really not what I pictured but…” You shrugged. “It’s not like I have to work in the mines or something.”
“Well, we get a little bit more daylight” Jack said with a small laugh. “But honey, really, you don’t have to apply just because Robby sent you a text.”
You shrugged. “Yeah, but… I also don’t want to be rude.”
Jack’s facial expression was hard to read. “Okay, well - if this clerk position is something you want to do, then apply for it. If not, then don’t. And to answer your initial question - I don’t mind working with you. Not that this is really the point, right? The point is - what do you want?”
You shrugged, then looked down at your hands. “Um, yeah, I think I’d apply and see what happens. I mean - it’s kind of a good idea?”
Jack nodded slowly. “Mhm.”
“I mean - it’s actually kind of nice ofRobby to think about me, right?”
“Mhm.”
“Even if it’s not like… in my field. But I think it’s sweet that he wants to help me out. And he wouldn’t send me something like that if he wasn’t convinced I’d be good at it, right?”
“Mhm.”
“I know I often say he’s a jerk and a bastard, but… that’s really nice of him.”
“Mhm.”
“So, okay.” You smiled a little. “I’ll send the application first thing tomorrow morning after I drop Lizzie off at daycare.”
Jack reached for your hand. He took it and squeezed it gently. “No need to drop her off. That’s my duty tomorrow.”
Your eyebrow shot up instantly. “Um, but it’s your day off and-”
“And this is my daughter, so I should start contributing a bit more, right?” he interrupted you softly. “So, I’ve set my alarm and I’m the one dropping off this little anxiety monster tomorrow.”
You closed your mouth again and swallowed. “Okay.” Your voice came out quiet. “Yeah, that’s… yeah. Thank you.”
“Oh, no, please don’t thank me for that. That’s the baseline, right?” He leaned over carefully, trying not to wake Lizzie and kissed you. “And just for the record - I think you’d be the world’s best ward clerk.”
“Not a compliment I’ve ever expected to get, but I’ll take it.” You kissed him back and furrowed your brows. “How do you know it’s a clerk position?”
Jack’s eyes widened for a moment. “You mentioned that. It was one of the first things you said” he replied quickly, then glanced at the clock. “And since I have to take care of the little terror queen tomorrow, I really should try and get some sleep.”
He kissed you again. “Good night, Mrs. Abbot.”
You were still watching him. He was acting weird, but hell, he honestly was just a weird person sometimes. So you decided to let it slide. “Anyway. Good night, Mr. Abbot.”
--- --- ---
Jack:
Michael. You sent ONE text. ONE TEXT. That was it. I let you blackmail me for ONE FUCKING TEXT.
Michael Robinavitch:
Oh, wow, did you get up on your bitching foot first? What’s the problem? I did exactly what you asked me to do. And she just told me she’ll apply. So - it worked?
Jack:
You know exactly why I’m bitching.
Michael Robinavitch:
Yeah, I know.
It’s the vasectomy, right? You lost your balls and now you’re trying to overcompensate with “typical manly behavior”.
Jack:
I didn’t lose my balls. They’re still there and still looking good.
Michael Robinavitch:
Mhm. Yeah. Sure. Textbook overcompensation, brother.
Jack:
Don’t even know if I want her to get the job. She wasn’t overly excited, you know?
Michael Robinavitch:
Working in the Pitt is not exactly winning the lottery and living on the Bahamas, you know that, right? It’s fine to just be okay with a job.
Jack:
Mhm. Dunno.
Michael Robinavitch:
Are these mood swings connected to your vasectomy?
[Jack sent a picture]
Michael Robinavitch:
Can’t open that picture but I guess it was you laughing at my joke.
Jack:
Yeah sure, totally not me flipping you off.
Michael Robinavitch:
Love you too, brother.
--- --- ---
A week later, you were sitting in a small conference room at the PTMC, trying very hard to look professional and not too desperate for the job. You wore a nice blouse and dress pants, your hair pulled back into a ponytail and you hadn’t bothered with any jewellery except for your wedding ring.
The HR representative conducting the interview was pleasant enough. You had already answered several questions - and you were beginning to feel confident. And then, suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Before the interviewer could answer, the door opened - and Robby stepped inside. He was wearing dark scrubs and carried a folder under his arm, while his stethoscope dangled around his neck.
He nodded toward the interviewer then crossed the room in two long strides and held out his hand to you.
“Good morning” he said with a smile. “Dr. Michael Robinavitch, but you can call me Dr. Robby. It’s easier. I’m the head of the department and while I’m not directly involved in the hiring process, I like to make sure that potential new colleagues are a good fit for the department. So, if you don’t mind, I’d like to sit in for a while and maybe ask a question or two.”
You blinked, completely caught off guard and stared at him.
The woman from HR also stared at him. “Dr. Robinavitch, I’m not stupid.”
Robby, who had just sat down, blinked. “I didn’t imply that you were.”
“I know that you and Dr. Abbot have a personal relationship and that this is Dr. Abbot’s wife.” She gestured toward you. “So let’s drop the charade, okay?”
Robby was quiet for a moment. The corner of his mouth slowly lifted into a cheeky grin. “You’re Dr. Abbot’s wife? That explains why you looked familiar.”
The interviewer groaned. “Dr. Robinavitch, please.”
“Okay, okay.”
“You may sit in” she continued. “But you’re not conducting the interview, you’re not answering any questions on Mrs. Abbot’s behalf and you’re not telling me how wonderful she is every thirty seconds.”
“So, only every other minute. Got it.”
“Dr. Robinavitch.”
“Right.” He leaned back in his chair. “Completely impartial. You won’t even know I’m here.”
You blinked and cleared your throat. “Okay.”
The interviewer turned back to you. “As Dr. Robinavitch correctly stated he’s not directly involved in the hiring decision. Especially not in your case.”
“Yeah, apparently there’s a conflict of interest here because your offspring is my goddaughter” Robby chimed in, still smiling.
You let out a startled laugh. “That’s a fair point.”
“So, let’s move on with the interview.” She shot Robby another look, then glanced down at her notes. “Why are you looking outside your original field?”
You swallowed hard, then smiled. “The current job market in my field is difficult, especially for part-time positions. I’m still interested in urban planning but I also don’t want to put my life on hold while waiting for the perfect opportunity. And it’s never a bad thing to step outside your comfort zone, right?”
You deliberately avoided looking toward Robby and focused on the interviewer. “Good answer.” She smiled. “What administrative experience do you have?”
“Um, I haven’t worked in administration specifically, but I’d say my previous work experience has a lot of transferable skills. I’m used to coordinating multiple stakeholders, working with databases and various documentation systems, meeting deadlines and handling sensitive information.” You blinked and gave a small shrug. “Yeah, so that’s my experience in administration.”
The interviewer made a couple of notes, then looked up again. “How comfortable are you with learning new software? Working as a ward clerk you would need to learn how to use our EMS, which can be challenging for some people.”
Robby nearly choked while stifling a laugh.
“I’m pretty confident that this wouldn’t be an issue. And I’m willing to put in the extra work to make sure I’ll handle the system well.”
Another smile, another note. “The position you’re applying for involves frequent interruptions and changing priorities. How do you organize your work?”
“I’m used to managing several projects, deadlines and requests at once, so hopefully I’ll be able to juggle the various demands of this position in the same way. Also, I’m raising a child right now - being interrupted during tasks is my day-to-day business. And if you have ever spent a day with a toddler you know that adapting to changing priorities is something every mother does” you added with a smile.
This time you glanced over at Robby. He was smiling and winked at you, giving you a small nod. The interviewer leaned toward him.
“Dr. Robinavitch, since you insisted on joining us, do you have a question?”
Robby immediately sat a little straighter. “Actually, yeah.” He looked at you. “The emergency department can be loud, unpredictable and emotionally difficult. Why do you want to work in an environment like that?”
You tilted your head and thought about it for a moment. “Because I miss being part of a team” you said eventually. “And because I think doing something useful - even if it isn’t what I originally planned for my career - could be good for me.”
Robby nodded slowly. “Good answer, Mrs. Abbot.”
A small smile crept onto your lips. “Thanks.”
Before Robby could say anything else his beeper went off. He pulled it from his waistband and glanced at the display. “Okay I need to go. It was good talking to you, Mrs. Abbot.”
He stood, gave you a small nod and left the room.
The door closed behind him and for a moment the room was quiet. The interviewer was obviously trying very hard not to roll her eyes.
Then she looked down at her notes and your resume. “Mrs. Abbot, can I ask you something?”
“Yeah, of course.” Suddenly your palms were sweaty again. Something in her tone made you nervous.
“You have a Master’s degree in urban planning.”
You nodded, throat tight.
“And several years of experience in project coordination, stakeholder management and public-sector planning.”
“Um, yes?”
She leaned back slightly. “I appreciate your enthusiasm for the ward-clerk position. And based on this interview I have no doubt you could do the job.”
You tried a smile. “Thanks?”
“But I’m not going to recommend you for that position.”
Your face fell. “Um, why not? Is it because of Rob- Dr. Robinavitch? I swear I had no clue he’d show up. I didn’t set this up. This was-”
She held up a hand and you stopped instantly.
You could feel the disappointment crashing over you - you couldn’t even get a job when you apparently aced the interview. There had to be something seriously wrong with you.
You swallowed hard and reached for your purse. “Um, yeah, thanks for letting me know before I get my hopes up. I really appreciate that and-”
“Mrs. Abbot.” She was still smiling. “I’m not going to recommend you for that position. But not for the reason you think. Are you aware that we currently have an opening in Facilities and Campus Planning?”
You blinked and stopped, your arm still stretched out toward your purse. “Um… no?”
“It’s fairly new. The position was only approved a few days ago, so I’m not surprised you haven’t seen it.” She turned her laptop slightly and clicked through a few windows. “The role involves space utilization, accessibility, wayfinding and coordination between clinical departments. We’re also planning to build a new outpatient center.”
You stared at her. “That sounds…” You cleared your throat. “That sounds just like urban planning.”
She smiled. “That’s because it is.”
“I didn’t know hospitals hired urban planners” you said with a high-pitched voice, your heart suddenly beating very fast.
“Well, let’s look at it this way - large hospitals are essentially small cities. We have thousands of employees, patients and visitors moving through this campus every day. We deal with traffic, public transportation, pedestrian access, construction, zoning, accessibility and long-term development.” She glanced down at your resume again. “Your background is considerably closer to what we’re looking for there.”
You stared at her.
“So, would you be interested?”
“Yes.” The answer came out so quickly that you both laughed. “Yes, definitely.”
“Good.”
“But… well… I applied for the ward-clerk position. Would I need to submit another application?”
“Eventually, yes. But with your permission I’d like to forward you resume and my interview notes to the director of Facilities and Campus Planning.”
You blinked. “You can do that?”
“With your consent.”
“Then, yes. Absolutely. Please.”
She smiled. “I thought you might say that.”
You shifted in your seat, one last concern sitting heavily on your mind. “Is that position full-time?”
She glanced back at the laptop. “Yeah, it was originally advertised full-time but the department is open to discussing reduced hours for the right candidate.”
You swallowed hard. “So, I shouldn’t get my hopes up too high.”
“Mrs. Abbot.”
Something in her voice made you look up.
“Trust me - your experience may make you the right candidate. And the department already employs several people on reduced hours, including a few working mothers. And here at the PTMC we're very eager to help our employees find a way to balance their work and family life.” She smiled. “And you can trust me on that. I wouldn’t encourage you if I didn’t genuinely believe you had a very good chance.”
You couldn’t help but smile. “Okay.” You paused. “Oh no, now I’m really excited.”
She let out a small chuckle. “That’s usually a good sign, don’t you think?”
— — —
Michael Robinavitch:
You know I’m not saying this to be nice but your wife just nailed that job interview.
Jack:
How would you know?
Michael Robinavitch:
I’m the head of the department and I get to sit in on the interviews.
Jack:
You’re not telling me you’re sitting through every single interview for a ward clerk position.
Michael Robinavitch:
Not every interview, no. Just… specifically chosen ones.
Jack:
If you made her uncomfortable I’m going to kill you. Slowly. Painfully.
Michael Robinavitch:
You’re of little faith. I was her biggest cheerleader.
Jack:
If you perved on her while she was sitting through her interview I’m going to kill you even more.
--- --- ---
You wanna keep reading? - Next part is coming soon, I promise.
Dr. Jack Abbot x (female) reader | Dr. Jack Abbot x you
Summary: Jack tries to help his wife - and learns that favors from Robby always come with a price.
A/N: I'm no longer updating the taglist because Tumblr has been glitching way too much lately. If you don't want to miss any updates, feel free to turn on notifications for my posts! <3
Link to "You stole my cart" master list (1)
Link to "You stole my cart" master list (2)
Previous chapter: Interlude: Tell Me About It (The Jack Sessions - Part IX)
--- --- ---
Jack:
You free for coffee?
Michael Robinavitch:
Yeah, only covering half a shift today. Why?
Jack:
Wanna see my best friend.
Michael Robinavitch.
Try again.
Jack:
Need to ask you a favor.
Michael Robinavitch:
There he is.
They met in their usual diner, because neither of them wanted to try out a new spot. So they found themselves in their booth, sitting across from each other, sipping coffee.
“So, what’s the favor?” Robby glanced at him over the rim of his mug.
“Oh, wow, straight to the point?” Jack raised an eyebrow.
Robby shrugged. “Yeah. I mean - that’s the whole point of this meeting, right?”
“Oh my God, you’re pouting.”
“I’m not.” He took a sip of coffee.
“You are.” Jack leaned back in his seat. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”
Robby huffed. “You couldn’t even if you tried.”
“Yeah. Sure.”
“Whatever.” Robby rolled his eyes. “What’s the favor?”
Jack let out a sigh. “Yeah, okay. Um - you still looking for a ward clerk?”
Robby grinned. “Why? You finally realized medicine isn’t for you?”
That earned him a laugh, followed by “For my wife, you absolute asshole.”
“Huh.” Robby tilted his head. “Um, that’s interesting.”
“Why?” Jack looked at him, suddenly agitated.
“I thought she had a Master’s in… some kind of city planning?”
“Urban planning, yeah.”
“You do realize that being a ward clerk and being an urban planner isn’t exactly the same, right?” Robby asked, watching him closely.
Jack shrugged. “I know, but… she wants to work and is having a hard time finding something in her field.”
“So, you want her to be the Pitt’s nepo baby?”
“She wouldn’t be a nepo baby” Jack shot back without missing a beat.
“Yeah, true, you’re not her dad. So… nepo wife?” Robby stared at him, mischief in his eyes.
Jack’s jaw tightened. “Fuck you, Michael. I’m just trying to help here.”
“You want me to give your wife a job she’s clearly overqualified for? Besides - she has no medical training, no previous experience in administration and has never worked in a hospital before. So… you really think that’s a good idea?”
“She’s also hardworking, ridiculously organized and a fast learner” Jack replied. “We can teach her the other things.”
Robby leaned back in his chair, watching him for a moment, thinking. “I can’t just give her a job. You know that, right? There’s a whole application process behind that.”
Jack nodded. “Yeah, I know. I just want you to… tell her about it.”
“Me?” Now it was Robby’s turn to stare at him with wide eyes. “Why me?”
“Why not?” Jack shrugged. “You’re the head of the department. It would mean something if you told her about it.”
“Okay, so let me get this straight. You want me to tell your wife there’s a job opening at the Pitt and tell her I want her to apply. Right?”
Jack nodded. “Yeah, sounds about right.”
When Robby hesitated, Jack shot him a look. “What’s wrong? Do you not want to work with her or what?”
“That’s not it.” Robby turned the coffee mug in his hands. “It’s just… I don’t want her to work with you. I’ve got a strict rule against hiring spouses in the workplace because… it always brings trouble.”
“Oh wow, that’s rich coming from you” Jack replied, his eyebrows raised. “I mean - we’re married. It’s not like it’s a fling. It’s permanent, you know that right? And you’re the one boning half the hospital.”
Robby rolled his eyes. “God forbid a man has a hobby” he muttered.
“Besides - she wouldn’t work with me. I’m still on nights, right - and I have no intention of changing that. And her shift would be from seven to twelve. No overlap. Or just brief overlapping. I’ll keep my distance from her at work if it helps you sleep better at night.”
Robby nodded slowly, then let out a sigh. “Okay. I’ll tell her about it.”
“Under one condition” Robby added, raising a hand, smiling innocently.
Jack’s face fell. “What?”
“I want something in return for that favor” Robby said, still smiling.
“What do you want?”
“Information.”
“Huh?” Jack glanced at him. “Okay? What kind of information?”
Robby leaned back again. “What kind of appointment did you have the other day? I met your wife in the cafeteria, waiting for you and she didn’t tell me.”
“Oh, fuck you Michael” Jack whispered, his ears suddenly burning. “I’m not going to tell you.”
“Okay, fair.” Robby took another sip of coffee. “Then have fun telling your wife about the job opening. Can’t wait to see how that unfolds.”
“You’re an asshole.”
Robby took another sip of coffee. “Yeah, I’ve been called worse.”
Jack huffed. “Fine. I mean that’s blackmail and generally frowned upon but…”
“Do I look like a man who cares?” Robby replied.
Jack rolled his eyes. “I got a vasectomy.”
Robby nearly choked on another sip of coffee. Coughing, he set the mug down and reached for a napkin. “What?!”
Jack shrugged. “Yeah.”
“You’re fucking kidding me.”
“Nope.” Jack fidgeted with the menu, looking down.
“You got snipped?”
“Yes. And please, keep your voice down a little, huh?” Jack glanced around.
“You got neutered and you didn’t talk to me first?”
When Jack looked up he was surprised to see Robby actually looking bewildered. “Um. No. Why would I?”
“I’m your best and oldest friend!”
“Yeah… and?”
“Friends talk about something like… that.” Robby gestured toward his crotch.
Jack blushed a little. “Michael, people are already talking about us acting like a married couple. I’m not fueling the fire by making you part of the decision whether I want to have any more children or not.”
Robby stared at him. “But-”
“No buts.” Jack tried to stifle a laugh now. “That’s a decision between my wife and me.”
Robby huffed, still looking at him in disbelief. “So, that’s it? You two had Lizzie and that’s it? No more children?”
Jack couldn’t hold it in anymore - he started laughing. “Yes, that’s it.”
Robby wrinkled his nose. “I think she would benefit from having another sibling.”
“That’s way too late now, Robby. Not that you have a say, but even if you did - that train has left the station.”
“No, the train is still there. You’ve just dismantled the tracks” Robby muttered under his breath.
Jack laughed harder. “Anyway. That was my appointment. That’s why I needed a week off. That shit hurt more than advertised.”
Robby shrugged. “Serves you right for not telling me.”
“Okay, wow, petty much, huh?” Jack took another sip of coffee. “So - that’s it? We’ve got a deal?”
“Mhm.” Robby still looked shocked, but at least he nodded. “Yeah, we’ve got a deal.”
“Thanks, Michael. I owe you.” Jack actually looked relieved now.
Robby leaned over. “Well… in that case - you know you can reverse a vasectomy? Why not do that and give me another godchild?”
Jack shook his head. “Fuck you and your weird involvement in my sex life, Robinavitch.”
Robby made a face. “You know cats get more relaxed after getting neutered.”
Jack flipped him off without even looking at him.
Robby:
Hey, mother of my favorite godchild. Just came across this job opening at the Pitt. You should think about it. You’d be good at it.
If you have any questions, ask me. Not that husband of yours. He has no clue about anything.
https://www.ptmc.com/career/jobs/open_positions/ward_clerk_d13c-42d3-a248-bcc02de88a99
--- --- ---
You wanna keep reading? - Next part is coming soon, I promise.
Pairing - Jealous!possessive?Jack Abbot x f!reader
Summary - Jack broke his situationship with you, no strings attached, you end up with Brendan Park which sparks up some jealousy in Jack
Warnings - SMUT, unprotected p in v, oral (f receiving), brief handjob, mentions of creampies
Notes - none, enjoyy 🫶
———————
No strings attached — it’s what Jack wanted, your “situationship” had only lasted 4 months, unfortunately for you, you had developed feelings for Jack, he had a way of caring for you, making your situationship with him feel more like a relationship.
Spending the night at each others place, the way he’d drift off into his sleep after spending hours buried into you, dumping his cum into you as he whispered the sweetest words into you, calling you a good girl as you took his cock, moaning into his ear when he’d pile-drive into you as if you hadn’t been fucked in months.
When he came to you about ending things, it shattered you, all the time you spent together, not to mention your feelings for him that you never brought up to him, with the fear that this exact thing would happen.
Just a month later, you caught someone else’s attention, Brendan Parks attention. What started off as friendly conversations turned into a first date with sex for dessert.
Jack watched as you and Brendan slowly got affectionate at work, drive by kisses to your cheek, checking up on you, ‘boyfriend-y’ things. What got Jack jealous was eavesdropping on one of your conversations.
Brendan decided to ask a question, one that not even Jack ever dared to ask you because of how bold it was, “What if I put a baby in you ? I can already imagine you all round and full, a baby Park by chance ?” Brendan said with a smile. You laughed nervously, your little ‘thing’ with him had only been going on for a month, but it got him hard just thinking about it. Dumping his cum into you, you showing him a positive pregnancy test within a month of that.
You loved the idea of it, but your sex with both of them was completely different. You and Jack never used condoms, or you’d at least forget about them 95% of the time, constant creampies with him, never forgetting to tell him that you wanted him to finish inside of you, how much you loved being filled with his cum, walking around with it staining your panties as it ran down your legs. With Brendan however, you were so diligent about using protection. So was it Brendan’s baby you wanted to have ? Or Jacks ?
You’d get asked how the sex was with Brendan, it was great, fantastic even. Unfortunately for you, half of your orgasms were faked, that was until you found yourself imagining Jack on top of you instead of Brendan, it helped you finish when Brendan’s cock wasn’t doing it for you. You had gone 2 weeks with having to fake them, then your first orgasm with ‘Jack’ had you biting down on Brendan’s shoulder, the way your body convulsed under his, unbeknownst to him that you were having sex with Jack in your head. The way that Jack would fuck you through your orgasms while Brendan would stop once your orgasm snapped. How Jack would whisper “oh fuck, that’s my good girl” as soon as he felt you tightening around him, your body’s way of telling him that you were close.
If Jack wanted to make you moan a certain way, or have you gasping in his ear, he knew how and where to touch you, he knew how to draw those shuddered moans out of you, how to make you cum within 5 minutes, he knew how to have you clinging onto him, like your life depended on it.
One night however, everyone went out for drinks. You and Brendan went together, you wore Jack’s favorite dress, hoping he’d be there, not entirely sure why you were hoping he would be.
You stood with the girls, gossiping about anything and anyone from work. Your eyes scanned the bar, Brendan was talking with his orthopedic surgery group, a drink in his hand, you looked away before your eyes met Jack’s familiar figure as he walked up to your little group.
You greeted each other, despite your little relationship with Brendan, you and Jack managed to be cordial with one another, after all, your situationship ended in a mutual agreement.
“Sooo…how’s the sex ?”, Jack asked, taking a sip of his drink.
“Excuse me ?” You said almost spitting your drink out.
You stared at each other, Jack leaned in, whispering in your ear, “does he talk you through it ? Does he fuck you through your orgasms ? Is it me who you imagine being on top of you when he’s inside you ?”
He hit the nail right on the head. You hated to admit that he left that mark on you, that while the sex with Brendan was fantastic, it wasn’t Jack, it wasn’t Brendan giving you multiple rounds in one night like Jack would, soaking the bedsheets even more then what they already were, it wasn’t Brendan, but Jack telling you “one more” after each orgasm.
“Let me give you what you want. A relationship, a ring, a baby or two, with the person you actually want it with”, that last bit of the sentence hit you hard.
“You were the one who wanted to end what we had because you didn’t want what Brendan and I have now, ‘no strings attached’”, you watched as Jack stayed silent. Hoping you had forgotten about that.
“Maybe seeing you with someone else changed my mind”, he admitted. He always thought he wasn’t the jealous type, at least not with Brendan, turns out, he was.
“Come on, be honest with yourself, do you really think you want to be pregnant with his child ?”, you thought about of his words carefully.
He could see the want, the need for him in your eyes. The way you looked at him with hunger. How your pussy pulsated, clenched around nothing but the thought of Jack inside of you, fulfilling your needs in ways that Brendan couldn’t. Jack didn’t need verbal confirmation from you to know that you were coming home with him, instead, he grabbed your hand and bag from behind you as he looked back at Brendan who was too busy talking to his friends to notice you.
The drive home was quiet. Jacks hand laid still on the inside of your thigh, his thumb caressed your skin, you’d look over to him, accidentally making eye contact with him before rolling your eyes and looking away.
You finally reached his place again, watching as he got out of the car and walked to your side of the car, opening your door and holding his hand out for yours, walking you both up to his door, his place was untouched. Everything appeared the same as when you were both still together all those months back.
He stood behind you as you stared down the hall, his hand moving your hair out of the way before his lips met your neck, leaving a trail of warm wet kisses, drawing quiet moans out of you. His hands traveled down your body, fingers teasing at your waistline before lifting your dress up, your back flushed to the wall, you watched as Jack got on his knees, his eyes stayed on you, admiring you as he pulled your panties down. He brought his face closer to your center, leaving gentle kisses along your thigh crease, your moans shuddered as he kissed along your thigh before hooking your leg over his shoulder.
“Oh fuck, Jack-“, your head making a thudding sound as it hit the wall, his wet tongue lapped at your soaking pussy. Your fingers threaded through his curls, pulling him in, wanting more.
“Please, need you in me” you pleaded, watching as he stood up. His hands on your thighs, tapping the back of your thigh, signaling you to jump up, you grabbed his neck, securing yourself as he walked you both over to the couch.
You felt his hardened cock through his pants as he sat down, he unbuckled his pants, pulling his boxers down as his cock sprung free. Pumping him for a minute, you teased your entrance to lubricate him with your arousal before you lined him up with your wet hole, you sank down on his cock, the familiar stretch that still made your back arch.
“Wearing my favorite dress—expect me not to bury myself in you ?”, he said teasingly, fucking you relentlessly as he played with the straps of your dress, pulling them down as he sucked on your nipples.
“Fuck, Jack, I’m gonna-“ before you could finish, you felt his arms squeeze you tightly against him, like he was afraid of losing you, like you’d vanish into thin air.
Jack let out a breathy laugh, maintaining his bruising pace. “oh fuck, that’s my good girl” He whispered, feeling you squeeze his cock.
You squeezed your eyes shut as your orgasm came crashing. Your body went limp, draping your arms around his shoulders. He grunted as his thrusts faltered at the feeling of your pulsing walls, grunting as he came undone, your hips still moving against his as you felt his cum fill you up.
He slouched against the couch, staring at you, chest’s heaving as you both came down from your highs. “I’m not done with you yet, just the first of many tonight” he said, lifting you up with him as he carried you both to his room, still laid out the same as when you both together.
Jack carefully laid you down, still hard inside you, cradling his head in your shoulder, “so, does he fuck you round after round like I do ?” slowly pulling out of you, sitting up, waiting for you to answer, “answer me”, he said sternly.
You shook your head, “no, Jack, he doesn’t, he’s nothing like you”, you bucked your hips towards him, trying to fuck yourself onto him. Instead, he grabbed one of your hips and pulled you down until your thighs were flush with his.
He placed his hand just beside your face, his body hovered over yours as he caressed your cheek with the other, “I’m gonna fuck a baby into you until you come to me with 2 pink lines, give you a ring and a wedding before you give birth”, his tone was promising.
“Whatever you say, Jack”, you responded, leaning in to kiss him as he shoved his cock back into you, causing you to gasp, “ohhh—fuckk, Jack”, your pussy still sensitive from your previous orgasm.
He continued to assault your pussy, your body clinging onto his, filling the room with “oh fuckk’s”, the sound of skin slapping against each other.
Jack watched as his cock disappeared inside of you, the slight belly bulge that appeared on your lower abdomen, he looked you, peppering kisses all over your face, “god I missed you, missed this pretty little pussy of yours, missed all of you, can never let someone else fuck you the wrong way again”.
His sweet little words getting you closer to the edge, he felt you tighten around him again, “Jack, Jack, oohhh fuckk—“, tears pricking down your eyes, your orgasm hitting a little harder the second time.
His thrusts never faltered, “let go, sweetheart, I’ve got you” he said sweetly, his movements slowing down but never coming to a stop, he grabbed your thigh as he hooked it over his waist and caressed it, finally stopping to give you a moment to breathe again, “god you’re beautiful”.
Jack was true to his words and actions. Giving you multiple rounds that night, claiming you as his again, never failing to pull an orgasm after every round regardless of how sensitive you were after each one, making sure you ended up pregnant with his child sooner or later.
warnings: infidelity, probably spelling errors bc this isn’t proofread loll, female reader, afab, unprotected p in v, angst, incorrect medical terms, I think that’s it if not, let me know please, enjoy! <3
summary: when jack spots the new shiny ring on your finger after a year of letting you go, he freaks out and realizes he made the biggest mistake of his life.
He knew you were seeing someone, of course he knew. As much as he didn’t seem like it he’d been watching you closer than he let on. But what Jack didn’t expect was to see you walking in the ER tonight, smiling and glowing with a fucking rock decorating your left ring finger.
Of course you’re always stunningly beautiful but tonight you just have a different type of glow to you. He thinks it may be the God he stopped talking to a while ago mocking him for leaving you. You’re prancing around ER, smiling and laughing with your patients sweetly and most importantly, avoiding him. Every time he walks to the nurses desk when you’re thanking them for helping out, you shoot them a smile and turn on your heel.
He doesn’t blame you, he never has. He knows he fucked up last year through your tears and his raised voice. You weren’t together officially and it was a stupid argument over when things were going to move forward, you’d felt like with being a fourth year resident, and in a almost seventh month long situationship with your superior that you’re life was on standstill.
Maybe that’s why you’d been so accepting of your proposal that happened in just ten months of dating, maybe you’d felt like you’re life was finally catching up to you from the past months it’s been still. But you knew seeing Jack tonight would’ve been hard, you knew it because when your now fiancée got down on one knee, a picture of Jack flashed in your eyes. You'd shook it out with closed eyes and a nod of your head, extending your hand down to him.
Jacks standing at the nurses counter, leaning on his elbows as his gaze is locked on you across the room, talking to a patient with a soft rubbing hand on her back, ring catching the light, making Jack clench his jaw when Robby approaches him. He leans next to him, following his gaze straight over to you before Robbys ducking his head and sighing, looking back to Jack. "Listen man-" he starts, putting a hand on Jacks back but as soon as its there its gone, Jacks shrugging him off and walking into a trauma room.
It's been a pretty slow shift, well, considering what's normal anyways. You actually get a chance to slip into the break room and grab a granola bar to eat. Sitting in the chair you sigh and lean back, letting your eyes rest for just a second before you hear the door click open, along with your eyes. You're met with the sight of a deer in headlights Jack frozen in the door, you can feel your breath catch in your throat.
"Sorry I wasn't aware you were in here.." he nods awkwardly, moving to leave. "No-" you speak up, "I mean, it's fine, come in" you nod softly, unwrapping the granola bar and taking a bite, eyes trained on your fingers that work it. He's nodding slowly and almost cautiously walking in, heading to the coffee machine with a clearing of his throat. With his back to you, you finally have the chance to take him in. He's in his usual black scrubs, hair curled and a little damp, probably from the shower he took before work.
When he moves to sit down across from you at the round table you can smell his familiar cologne, making your eyes flutter shut as you take a bite. He sighs a little as he sits, looking over to you. Your eyes finally meet across the table as you swallow. It's silent for a minute before you see his eyes flicker down to your hand and you subconsciously pull it back to your lap, under the table. "So...proposal huh?" he asks, nervous eyes meeting yours. You nod quickly, smiling politely "Yeah, yeah he um- asked me yesterday actually." you say fidgeting with the ring on your finger that rests in your lap.
Jack nods, pushing his tongue to the inside of his cheek before taking a gulp of his coffee and raising an eyebrow. You cock your head a little at it "What was that?" you speak, examining his face. "Hm?" he says through his cup before setting it down. "You did a look." you cross your arms softly. "I didn't do a look." he shakes his head, eyebrows furrowing. "Jack," the name sounds foreign coming from your mouth in so long and it makes his tense up. "you did a look." you swallow. He sighs and shifts in his seat. "I just..think it was a little quick, that's all" he shrugs looking at you.
Your face scrunches up, a rough scoff coming from your mouth. "You don't know anything about us." you say starting to stand up and Jack sighs, "Okay, okay I'm sorry, listen I'm sorry-" he raises his hands in mock surrender as you turn to him, leaning down to eye level with a sitting him. "Do not talk to me about how to pace my relationship, you've done that enough in the past." you say before turning and storming out of the break room. Jack can smell your shampoo and perfume in the air as you turn and storm off. He lets himself close his eyes and inhale through his nose deeply as the door shuts, leaving him alone in the room.
His gaze falls across the table to your half eaten granola bar and before he knows it his hand snakes across and grabs it, his thumb running where your lips just were before he bites into it. He finishes the bar before tossing it in the trash and leaving the break room. The shift drags on, the sun eventually rising outside the hospital as he trails to the desk to finish his charting and clock out. You're behind him in the chair doing the same when Santos approaches you, "Wifey" she sings teasingly as she leans on the counter looking at you. You chuckle and roll your eyes, typing quickly. Jacks ears perk up, but his body stays facing forward, not typing.
"Let me see that thing again," Santos demands, reaching over to gently grab your left hand. You let her, a small, polite smile playing on your lips, but your ears stay open and you swear you can almost hear Jacks breath hitch. She whistles as she stares at it, chuckling to herself and shaking her head. "Well, if things go south" she drops your hand "you know I'm always devoted to you" she dramatically grabs at her heart and blows you a kiss, making you giggle softly and wave her off.
Finishing your charting you log out, stand and walk to your locker. While you’re gathering your things you feel him behind you. You know it’s him, he’s always had a way of announcing his presence without words. You hear him inhale deeply from behind you. If you were to turn around right now you’d see him with his eyes closed, inhaling the scent of you completely. When you do finally close your locker and turn he’s backed up, sorry eyes staring at you.
“I’m sorry. I was out of place earlier-“ he starts but you hold your hand up, cutting him off. “We don’t have to do this, Jack.” You say, shaking your head and closing your eyes momentarily. “We’re adults, I can be civil with you in my place of work but I don’t have to speak to you after.” You look up at him, eyes meeting his. He stops talking, his mouth shutting and a sad expression falling over his face. Clearing his throat he shakes his head. “Yeah, of course.” He nods firmly before he’s gone, walking away.
The next couple weeks aren’t anything special, a couple lingering glances here and there from both of you but no non patient related conversations.
But this night, this one specific shift nearly did in your entire medical career. It really didn’t start as anything more than a rash on the kid. You’d taken the case nearing the end of your shift, just thinking it’d be an easy one to end the night. Maybe you’d just have to prescribe a cream and some anti inflammatory meds and send her on her way. You sit in her room, tonight was one of those rare ones where all your other patients had gotten discharged and she was all you had left. You talked about everything, her school, your wedding, the newly warm spring weather.
Things went south quickly. You had stepped out for a moment to tell Ellis about her for handoff when suddenly everyone was rushing to her room. Through the sounds of beeping monitors and clinking metal medical tools you couldn’t hear yourself think. Your body moved on instinct, instantly starting compressions while everyone rushed around you, doing everything they can. Between then and now, everyone had taken a step back and were giving you pitiful looks as sweat beads rolled down your face, body moving as you continued your compressions.
You feel a gentle, weary hand on your waist pulling you back into them, your ears are ringing and you can’t hear anything but the flatline of the monitor and Robby mumbling the time of death. You’re frozen in place, mouth open and eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
“I was just, ta-I was just talking to her?” You whisper into the silence, not at anyone but yourself, and maybe God. You feel yourself being pulled away but your eyes stay glued confusedly on the girl. When you’re finally pulled out of the room the bright lights and sounds hit you at once. You look down to the heavy hand that’s still wrapped around your waist and thumbing it softly. You recognize it immediately but don’t have any fight in you to pry it off.
You let Jack lead you to your locker, He punches in your code and you make a mental note to get it changed since he still remembers it. He gathers your things as you stand behind him in shock and confusion. Throwing your backpack over his shoulders he takes your hand lightly and leads you to the parking garage. When you notice you’re outside, that fresh morning spring air hitting your face you freeze. The action makes your hand slip out of Jacks, he turns instantly at the loss of you, eyes falling all over your face.
Your eyes are straight ahead and empty. “I, I should’ve caught it.” You whisper. The only sounds that can be heard is the soft sirens of the city, the wind in the trees, and your whisper. “It was simple, it’s a simple routine check. A full body exams for new patients.” Your eyes are still forward, not looking at anything in particular. You talk like you’re confused at yourself. Jack steps closer to you, making your eyes finally snap up to meet his. When they do you can’t hold back anymore. You feel yourself break. Hot tears spilling from your eyes, a sob escaping your lips as you step forward, wrapping your arms around his neck, burying your face in his neck and sobbing.
Jack stills for a minute, hands hovering over your back, not sure of what exactly to do before falling over it softly. Rubbing up and down he cups the back of your head, shushing you gently. His own eyes flickering shut for a second. He knows it’s selfish to let himself miss how you use to feel in his arms right now, especially given the circumstances. But he closes his eyes and feels the warmth of your body against his and feels one of his own warm tears fall down his cheek.
You pull back once you’ve come too. Wiping your face with shaky hands and shaking your head. “I’m sorry” you whisper, swallowing thickly. Jack shakes his head, ducking it to follow your gaze. He lifts his hand to brush some hair out of your face gently.
“Don’t apologize,” Jack said, his voice dropping into a rough, quiet register you hadn’t heard from him in over a year. His hand hovered by your face for a second longer, his thumb brushing a final stray tear from your cheekbone before he slowly let it drop. You stepped back, your sneakers scraping against the concrete as you deliberately put distance between you. Jack’s eyes followed the movement. His jaw clenched, a small muscle pulsing in his cheek as he forced his gaze up, looking past you at the city skyline rather than look at the ring. He shifted your backpack on his shoulder, his knuckles turning white around the strap.
“You couldn’t have caught it,” he said, his voice soft, gentle, almost like talking to a scared cat. "whatever the medical examiner finds, it wasn’t a failure of a routine exam. You did everything right. It just moved faster than anyone could've kept up with.” You shook your head, a hollow, breathless laugh escaping your lips. “I was talking to her about her middle school graduation, Jack. She was laughing. Ten minutes later, I'm cracking her ribs. Don't tell me I did everything right.” you start, voice angry and unsteady.
“Hey.” Jack stepped right back into your space, ignoring the distance you’d just tried to create. He didn't touch you, but he was close enough that you could smell the sharp, familiar scent of his cologne cutting through the sterile hospital air. “Look at me.” Slowly, you raised your eyes. “It hurts because you’re a good doctor,” he whispered, his eyes searching yours with a softness. “Don’t let a freak anomaly make you doubt that. You’re the smartest resident this department has. And I’m not just saying that to make you feel better.”
The weight of his validation threatened to break you all over again. You swallowed the lump in your throat, shaking your head weakly as you reached out to take your backpack from his shoulder. Your fingers brushed against his collarbone as you grabbed the strap. “Thank you,” you breathed, pulling the bag over your shoulder, suddenly desperate to break the gravitational pull he still had over you. “For pulling me out of there. For...this.” you sigh softly, feeling that deep exhaustion that creeps in and settles deep in your bones.
Jack cleared his throat, shoving his hands deep into his black scrub pockets as he took a step back, finally giving you room to breathe. “Yeah. Of course. Go home. Get out of these scrubs.” He paused, his tongue pushing against the inside of his cheek in that frustrating, familiar habit before he added, “Let... let him take care of you today. Don't carry it by yourself.” The mention of your fiancé, even without using his name, hung like lead in the air. You look down instantly and bite your bottom lip, trying not to cry again in front of him. He sighed defeatedly, eyes dropping to his shoes.
You gave a tight, mute nod, turning around and walking toward your car. As you unlocked the door and climbed inside, you looked in the rearview mirror. Jack was still standing under the flickering garage light, hands in his pockets, watching your car back out of the space. He didn't move an inch until you cleared the exit ramp. When you finally unlocked your apartment door, the quiet space felt like a completely different universe. Your fiancé was still asleep, the soft, rhythmic sound of his breathing drifting from the bedroom.
You dropped your bag by the door, completely drained, and sat on the edge of the living room couch. You stared down at the ring on your finger. It was beautiful. It was a promise of a stable, happy future with a man who loved you. But as you leaned your head back against the cushions and closed your heavy eyes, the image that flashed behind your eyelids wasn't the man in the next room. It was Jack, standing in the parking garage, his eyes filled with a desperate, crushing regret that had come exactly one year too late.
A couple days later, sometime around seven you find Jack on the rooftop, looking out at the city. This time, it had been him who'd had a shift from hell. You'd gotten word of what happened to one of his regular patients and knew where to find him, nodding and heading for the staircase. Now, you were standing at the doorway, his back to you about twenty feet away. He knew you were there, because Jack has a weird way of always knowing when your near.
"I was scared." he speaks gently, not turning his head to look at you, eyes trained on the skyline. You tilt your head in confusion, wind blowing softly in your hair. "I was scared because, you're young. You deserve someone who can give you a lifetime together, someone with no baggage." You start towards him, whispering his name. When you come side by side to him he finally turns to you. Eyes and nose red as he takes you in. "But with Cole, tonight-" he sighs, rubbing his temples roughly and looking back out to the city.
“He told me about his wife.” He said plainly. “Told me how she was married before him. They were best friends since childhood.” He bite his lip to hold back tears. “And when she got here, and he was in the viewing room..” he looks over, meeting your concerned eyes. “You wanna know what she said?, ‘we wasted so much time’” he swallows thickly. “And then she let me wheel him out.” He shakes his head, dropping it to his hands.
“Jack-“ you whisper, he cuts you off. “I thought of us.” He says sternly. “I thought about if something happens to me, I wouldn’t be able to call you, to call you my wife, and tell my doctor about how much I love you.” Your breath catches in your throat, eyes starting to sting. “Don’t waste our time.” He whispers.
“Don’t marry him.”
Your breathing stops, a tear slips from your eye as you shake your head. “You can’t ask me that” you whisper, voice breaking. He nods, taking a step towards you. “I know” his voice breaks now too. “But I can beg you, and I can show you how much I love you.” He shakes his head, “and I can pray to a god I don’t believe in for you.” He whispers.
You swallow thickly, pushing your tongue into your cheek to try to stop the tears. “I’m sorry about Cole.” You whisper back, the sound of soft sirens filling the area. “But I have to go.” You shake your head, Jack try’s to reach for your hand, whimpering your name gently but you’re halfway across the roof already.
You know you were both off for the next three days so when you’re fiancée tells you he has a family emergency and has to fly into New York tonight and will be there for the next week you nod softly, kissing him goodbye and shutting the door with a click the silence settles heavy. Alone with your thoughts for two days doesn’t seem like a lot, but with your situation, it was practically two years time for you.
The first day you spent alone you cleaned. You cleaned every fucking inch of your shared apartment in order to keep your mind busy, then you showered and slept. The second day was harder. All your thoughts were Jack. You felt like your head was splitting as you thought of his words. As you thought about Cole and his wife. About how he was there for you when you lost that girl, and your fiancé just frowned and cuddled against you.
By nine you couldn’t take it anymore. Before you can think about what you’re doing you’re grabbing your keys and rushing to your car. The route is familiar, something you could drive with your eyes closed by the amount of times you had in the past. You’re running up the stairs, down the apartment hall and finally pounding on the door.
When Jack answers he’s met by the sight of you, out of breath, hair wind blown, chest heaving and you shaking your head. “I’m here.” You breathe out with a shrug. “I’m here Jack.” Your eyes brim with tears.
On the other side, Jack looks confused, rightfully so. He’s taking you in fully, looking at your body that was obviously rushed out of the house. He’s whispering your name, but is quickly cut off and stumbling back by the feeling of your lips smashing against his. Your hands are cradling his face as you feel him closely desperately.
He’s sighing into it, kissing you back just as desperately. His hands fly to your waist, cradling it softly and he holds you. “I love you” you whisper into his mouth making him groan softly into yours and smile. He’s pulling back first and you’re chasing his lips but he’s holding his hands out, stopping you. “Where, why? Where is he?” He’s whispering, both of you panting and catching your breath. “New York” you whisper back, pushing your lips into his again. He’s pushing you off again. “Why are you here?” You pull back confused. “I don’t want to waste time.” You whisper.
Jack swears he can feel his heart stop right there in his chest. “I’m not marrying him.” You say sternly. Shaking your head and looking at him. Jacks eyes flicker down to the ring on your finger and you’re instantly moving to pull it off, letting it drop on his floor somewhere. His eyes move to yours again and he lunges for you. He’s lifting you up by the back of your thighs, your legs are wrapping around his waist as he kisses you deeply.
The impact of your weight against him sends the apartment door swinging shut, clicking locked behind you as Jack carries you blindly down the short hallway. He doesn’t take his lips off yours for a single second, his mouth moving over yours with a starved desperation that tells you everything about the year he spent empty handed.
Your back hits the wall of his bedroom with a blunt, solid thud, but the impact is cushioned by his hands instantly sliding up from your thighs to cradle the back of your head. He’s pressing into you, chest to chest, his breath hot and ragged against your skin as he shifts his kisses from your mouth down to the sensitive line of your jaw, then lower, burying his face into the crook of your neck. You let out a breathless, broken gasp, your fingers tangling tightly into his damp, curled hair, pulling him closer until there is absolutely no space left between you.
"Tell me this is real," Jack groans against your skin, his voice deep and completely wrecked. His hands move down to your waist, his thumbs digging into your hips through your shirt, gripping you so tightly it's almost bruising. "Tell me I'm not dreaming this. Please." "It's real," you whisper, your voice shaking as you press your forehead against his. You look down at him, your hands framing his face, feeling the familiar prickle of his jaw and the heat radiating from his skin. "I’m here, Jack. I'm not going anywhere, I promise."
He lets out a long, shuddering exhale that trembles against your lips before he hooks his arms under your knees again, tossing you gently onto the mattress. The bed is exactly how you remembered it the same charcoal sheets, the same faint, comforting scent of his laundry detergent mixed with that sharp cologne that had haunted your drive over. Before you can even settle into the pillows, Jack is over you, his knees framing your hips, his eyes dark and wide as he looks down at you.
For a second, he just stares. His gaze traces the pink on your cheeks, the frantic pulse beating against your throat, and the bare, empty space on your left ring finger. A muscle in his jaw twitches, a sudden wave of possessiveness washing over his features. "You're mine," he roughly whispers, "You're always going to be mine." "I am," you breathe, reaching up to tug at the hem of his t-shirt.
He sheds his clothes with a frantic, clumsy urgency that is so unlike the cool, collected Dr. Abbot you see in the trauma bays. When he slides back down against you, skin to skin, the sheer warmth of him makes your eyes flutter shut. Every touch feels magnified, every press of his fingers against your bare skin a slow rewriting of the past twelve months. He moves over you with an agonizing slowness now, as if he's trying to memorize the texture of your skin all over again, making up for every day he had to watch you from across the nurses station.
He starts to kiss down your body but you whine in objection, pulling his face back up to yours, "Please, just need my Jackie, please" you whimper. When he finally pushes into you, it’s a deep, breathless fullness that makes you arch your back, a soft sob escaping your lips straight into his mouth. Jack catches the sound, drinking it in, his movements steady and heavy, driving you both into a rhythm. His eyes stay locked on yours the entire time.
You can hear the sound of his skin slapping with yours as he pumps into you. He's groaning into your neck as your gummy walls spasm around his cock. He feels you clench around him after a while and nods, "Yeah? Gonna come for me?" you're nodding while he whispers repeatedly how much he loves you, clenching and coming around him. Jack collapses down into your neck, his chest heaving, his heart hammering violently against your ribs as he holds you so tightly you can barely breathe.
The room gradually cools, the silence of the night settling back over the apartment. Jack shifts, rolling onto his side but keeping you securely anchored against his chest, one heavy leg draped over yours. His hand rests flat against your stomach, his thumb tracing slow, soothing circles into your skin.
You lie there in the dark, staring up at the shadows on the ceiling, the adrenaline finally beginning to drain from your system. The crushing weight of exhaustion from the last few days settles deep into your bones, but for the first time in a year, your chest doesn't feel tight.
Jack shifts beside you, lifting himself up on one elbow to look down at your face. He reaches out, his fingers gently pushing a few stray, damp strands of hair away from your forehead. His eyes are incredibly soft, the fierce desperation from earlier replaced by a quiet, protective stillness. "You're exhausted," he murmurs, his rough voice vibrating in the quiet room. He presses a soft, lingering kiss to your temple, his hand moving up to cup your jaw. "Sleep. I've got you."
You swallow thickly, nodding against his hand as your eyelids grow too heavy to keep open. As you drift off, sinking into the familiar warmth of his embrace, there are no images flashing behind your eyes to scare you. You're exactly where you belong.
warnings: angst, relationship distress, dynamic neglect, severe public panic, physical injury (head trauma, bleeding, concussion), and mild themes of endangerment/near death experience.
notes: i was gonna add more but it wouldve been wayyyyyy to long.. so pt3 when?! also slightly proofread!!
wc: 1.9k
𓂃₊ ⊹ part 1
the elevator doors slid shut cutting off the desperate echoes of clark’s voice.
the moment the steel walls enclosed you, your composure completely broke.
you collapsed against the mirrored wall of the elevator, sliding down until you hit the cold floor.
a breathless sob tore out of your throat, so loud it echoed.
you wrapped your arms tightly around yourself, your wet coat soaking through to your skin, but you didn't care.
your chest was heaving so violently you couldn't catch your breath.
It’s just easier....
the words repeated in your head, a cruel mantra that pulsed in time with your frantic heartbeat.
he had lied.. he had left you alone in the dark with cold food and lit candles so he could drink wine in his sweatpants on his ex girlfriend's couch.
by the time the elevator hit the lobby, you scrambled to your feet, wiping furiously at your face.
you didn't just walk out of the building, you broke into a run, rushing past the startled doorman and straight back into the storm, desperate to let the freezing rain wash away the humiliation burning on your skin.
when you finally threw open the door to your own apartment, the silence inside was suffocating.
the candles had burned down to stubs, leaving behind the faint smell of vanilla and melted wax.
the two plates of dinner still sat on the counter, perfectly arranged and cold.
"easier," you choked out, your voice shaking.
you walked over to the table and with a sweep of your arm, knocked both plates off the surface.
they shattered against the hardwood floor, ceramic exploding into a dozen pieces, pasta and sauce splattering across the room.
you didn't stop there.. you lunged toward the dining table, grabbing the vase of flowers you’d bought fresh that morning and hurled it against the wall.
the glass shattered, water and crushed petals raining down onto the floor.
you tore the cushions off the couch, threw the decorative pillows across the room, and grabbed a framed photo of you and Clark from the bookshelf, a photo taken at a park where he was looking at you with what you thought was love and threw it face down onto the floor, the glass cracking down the center.
you trashed the place until your lungs burned and your hands were shaking from the adrenaline.
you stood in the center of the room, panting, looking at the mess you had created.
it was the first time the apartment actually matched how you felt on the inside... completely broken.
you exhaled before moving, you dragged your large suitcase to the bedroom.
you didn't pack everything, just your clothes, your laptop, and the absolute essentials.
your phone buzzed on the counter.
lois: please answer me. i am so, so sorry. it’s not what it looks like, i swear to you. let me come over. let me explain. please don't hate him.
you stared at the screen but didn't reply.
it's not what it looks like... please don't hate him.
you scoffed and instead, you blocked her number and then, you blocked his.
wrapping your now dry coat tighter around yourself, you grabbed your suitcase, stepped over the broken glass, and let the door click shut behind you.
𓂃₊ ⊹
you'd rather be anywhere but here, you've avoided the office for as long as you could but today perry said he needed you here.
a week had passed since you've spoken to either of them.
the silence between you and clark shifted from uncomfortable to deafening.
you kept your eyes glued to your monitor, your fingers flying across the keyboard with a rhythmic click clack.
you could feel clark's eyes on you from across the room, but you didn’t look at him.
not when he drops a file on your desk or when he clears his throat.
every time he builds up the courage to speak, you conveniently pick up your desk phone or rush off to the copy room.
you're making yourself unreachable, and it's driving him out of his mind.
you can hear clark's footsteps before he actually reaches your desk, so you keep your eyes locked onto your computer screen.
he stops right at the edge of your desk and out of the corner of your eye, you can see him shifting his weight from one foot to the other, nervously adjusting his glasses.
he looks entirely drained, the guilt weighing down his broad shoulder, the bags under his eyes are dark.
"hey," he starts, his voice quiet and hesitant. "you've been typing for three hours straight... you uh you need to take a break. let me get you something from the cafeteria? a snack, or... or some tea?"
you don't blink or pause, you just hit the backspace key a few times and keep typing.
clark lets out a small, ragged breath, leaning in slightly closer so his words don't carry across the busy bullpen.
"honey, i know you're furious with me and you have every right to be. what you saw at lois's apartment"
you snapped your head toward him, tilting it slightly as if analyzing a stranger. your eyes narrowed, drilling into his.
clark froze, the words dying in his throat as his eyes locked onto your face taking in every feature like it'd be the last he'd ever see them again before he spoke quietly.
he reached out, lightly brushing your hair from your face before caressing the side of your face. "... i know how it looked... and i know how much i hurt you by lying about where i was. i just want a chance to explain it properly."
he drops his hand, waiting, hanging on the hope that you’ll at least respond but when you turn your head to stare back at the screen.
a look of quiet desperation crosses his face and he swallows hard.
"i'm not going to force you to talk to me here," he says softly. "but please, just give me a chance to make it up to you. let me take you to dinner tonight.. we can just sit down, and i will tell you everything. no secrets. i promise."
you remain still, your expression blank as you scroll down a spreadsheet.
realizing he isn't going to get a verbal answer, he reluctantly pulls a small pad of bright yellow sticky notes toward himself.
he grabs a pen from your desk organizer, his hand trembling just a fraction as he quickly scribbles down the name of a quiet restaurant downtown, along with a time.
he peels the sticky note and gently presses it onto the corner of your desk, right next to your keyboard where you can't possibly miss it.
"eight o'clock," clark whispers, his blue eyes searching your face one last time, practically begging for another glance. "i'll be waiting for you at our favorite table by the window. i really hope you come."
eight o'clock.
by the time 7:30 PM rolls around, the office has emptied out and you sit alone, staring at the note.
every logical instinct tells you to go back to your hotel room and let him sit there.
he lied to you, used his job.. the very thing that constantly tears him away from you as a shield to cover up the fact that he was with his ex girlfriend.
the humiliation in lois’s apartment hadn't faded.. if anything, sitting in the quiet of the office had only made it feel worse.
you feel like an afterthought and yet, your heart betrays your pride.
you want him to fix it, to give you a piece of truth so undeniable that the knot in your chest finally unspools.
so, you grab your coat, pull the sticky note from the desk, and leave.
8:05 PM
the sign of the restaurant shines through the rain streaked window of the cab.
you step out, the door of the restaurant chiming as you walk inside.
the inside is intimate, warm and lit by candles.
you scan the room, bracing yourself to see his broad shoulders slumped over the table, nervously checking his watch.
but the table by the window is completely empty.
a familiar knot forms in your stomach and you pull out your phone... 8:07 PM.
he's seven minutes late.
no, you tell yourself, biting the inside of your cheek as you sit down at the empty table.
he said he’d be waiting and he wouldn’t do this tonight.. not after everything.
you tell yourself he's just caught in traffic or that perry threw a last minute rewrite at him.
you make excuses for him, even now, because what could be the truth hurts too much to face.
9:00 PM
an hour crawls by.
the hostess brings you a glass of water, offering a polite smile that feels entirely pitying.
the bustling dinner crowd begins to thin out, the laughter of happy couples surrounding you sounds like a mockery.
every single time the front door chimes, your head snaps up, your heart doing a pathetic, hopeful leap only to sink lower when it’s a stranger stepping in from the cold.
9:30 PM
half an hour later.
you stare at your phone and there's nothing.. no texts or missed calls and you had unblocked him before you stepped through the door.
the anger thats been in you this past week starts to form into a sickening ache...
is he back at lois’s?
10:00 PM
the restaurant is dead and the staff are quietly sweeping the floors and stacking chairs in the back corner, their hushed voices a subtle hint that you’re overstaying your welcome.
a realization sinks into your chest..
he stood you up.
to explain away a lie, he gave you another promise, and then he broke that one too.
you pull your coat over your shoulders, your body tense with humiliation and exhaustion.
standing up from the table, you slide a generous stack of bills out of your purse, far more than enough to cover the untouched glass of water and the time you took up occupying their best table by the window.
as you walk toward the front entrance, you stop by the hostess stand where a tired looking server is wiping down menus.
"i'm so sorry for keeping you all late," you say, your voice tight as you force a small, apologetic smile. "thank you for letting me stay so long."
the server looks up, her eyes softening with a wave of pure sympathy that almost makes your composure crumble on the spot. "don't worry about it, sweetie. have a safe night, okay? it's really coming down out there."
you nod quickly, unable to speak past the lump in your throat, and push open the heavy glass doors.
you walk blindly, your head ducked against the harsh wind as you begin to walk down the cracked sidewalk of the downtown district.
the towering office buildings shut out what little light the night sky has left
your mind is trapped in a loop of humiliation.
he promised, with his hand trembling, and swore there would be no more secrets.
and you, desperate to believe him, sat in an empty restaurant for two hours like a fool.
a sudden, earth shattering boom rips through the air, vibrating so violently that you stumble.
you freeze, it wasn't thunder and before you can even process it, there's a wave of police cars speeding down the street, one siren echoing after the other.
you shrug it off and keep walking but then the corner of the intersection half a block ahead erupts.
a wave of people come screaming around the brick building, bodies fleeing the main strip.
it starts with a handful of late night commuters, but within seconds, it grows into a desperate flood of dozens of people.
umbrellas are abandoned on the flooded ground, crushed by feet as everyone sprints for their lives.
"he's killing them! he's picking up the cars!" a man screams, his voice hoarse with terror as he sprints past you, his tie flying over his shoulder, his eyes wide.
a woman trips on the slick curb just a few feet away, her heels skidding out from under her.
she hits the wet concrete hard, crying out as the crowd blindly swerves around her, too consumed by panic to stop.
you instinctively step forward to help, but the momentum of the crowd hits you.
a rushing shoulder slams into yours, forcing you forward, your head slamming against the concrete with a sickening crack.
everything goes white, your head is ringing and the noise around you is deafening, slaps of wet shoes, the ragged, breathless screams of children being dragged by their arms, and the blare of police sirens in the distances.
a throbbing ache is at the base of your skull, and when you blink, hot rain washes over your face except it’s too thick and warm.
you reach up with a trembling hand, your fingers brushing your forehead, and they come away stained a dark crimson.. you're bleeding.
you try to push yourself up onto your elbows, but your limbs feel like lead and the stampede of people don't care that you're down.
heavy boots and soaking sneakers splash violently into the puddles just inches from your head.
a heel catches the fabric of your coat, dragging you a few inches, while another foot just slightly misses stomping directly onto your hand.
you are completely invisible to them and if you stay flat on your stomach, you’re going to get trampled to death.
adrenaline forces your body to move despite the dizziness.
you push yourself up trembling hands and knees and the ground sways beneath you, while you gasp for breath, you begin to crawl, dragging your heavy, soaked coat through the water.
you lose your sense of direction entirely.
instead of reaching the shelter of the storefront doorway, you accidentally crawl off the lip of the curb and slide directly into the open, empty street.
the stampede remains confined to the relative safety of the sidewalk but you are completely exposed.
the massive, armored villain stands in the center of the intersection, his eyes fixed on the remaining police line.
with a guttural snarl, he digs his heavy fingers deep into a crumpled, overturned sedan.
he lifts the multi ton vehicle over his head with sickening ease and launches it forward.
but it’s not aimed at the cops, the trajectory is completely off.
it's hurling through the air directly toward you.
time seems to slow as you stare up from the wet street, paralyzed by the sheer horror of what’s coming.
the massive underbelly of the car blocks out the flashing emergency lights, casting a large shadow over you as it tumbles end over end through the heavy rain.
your completely frozen, it feels impossible to move, impossible to run.
you can feel the rush of wind pressing down on you as the falling metal begins its final, crushing descent.
you close your eyes and brace for the impact but the crushing weight of the falling car never comes.
instead,the sound off concrete shattering rips through the air directly infront you, so powerful it blows the rain away in a wide, circular shockwave.
the deafening screech of tearing metal explodes right over your head as the shadow stills.
trembling, you force your eyes open through the blood and rain falling down your face.
standing over you, his feet planted firmly into the now dented concrete, is superman.
"are you okay ma'am?!" his voice clear and steady through the rain.
he's holding the entire crumpled sedan above his head with one hand, his jaw clenched as he effortlessly hurls the massive piece of steel away, sending it crashing into an empty, abandoned building down the block where it can’t hurt anyone.
the savior of metropolis is standing right in front of you.
his red cape snaps in the rough winds, and the streetlights catch the bright 'S' across his chest.
he looks completely invincible.
but as he turns his head to look down at you, the confident aura of superman completely fractures.
he freezes.
through your dizzy, blurred vision, you can see his face perfectly.
superman is staring at you with a look of absolute horror. his chest heaves, his breath catching in his throat so sharply it looks like he’s the one who just took a physical blow.
his eyes track the dark crimson blood dripping down your forehead, your soaked, shivering clothes, and the way you are helplessly sprawled on the wet pavement.
he drops to his knees, sinking straight into the deep puddle without a care for the mud or the freezing water soaking into his suit.
before you can even gasp through the pain, his massive hands are framing your face.
his palms are calloused and warm, completely covering your cheeks, but they are shaking violently against your skin.
he cradles your head with tender care, his thumbs brushing frantically across your cheekbones to wipe away the rain and the dark blood that won’t stop leaking from your hairline.
"hey, hey....look at me, you're okay, hmm," he begs, his voice cracking.
"it's okay.." words tumble out of him in a breathless, frantic rush.
the resonant voice that superman uses when he addresses crowds or speaks on the news is completely gone.
in its place is a soft, broken whisper filled with terror.. a voice that hits your concussed, foggy brain with a wave of familiarity.
It's a voice you know intimately, stripped of all its usual calm.
he leans down so close his face is basically against yours, using his broad shoulders and the heavy fabric of his cape like a makeshift tent to block out the biting wind and the downpour.
his eyes are wide and wild with guilt as they track the injuries on your face again, the way you are shivering uncontrollably, and how close that car actually came to ending everything. a ragged, choked sob catches in his throat.
"i've got you, baby, i've got you. you're okay, i promise you're okay," he murmurs against your wet hair, entirely forgetting the rest of the city, the damage echoing down the avenue, and the fact that he is wearing a symbol meant for millions.
in the middle of the dark street, the hero has completely evaporated.
the mask has slipped without him even realizing it, leaving only a terrified man holding onto his entire world.
he presses his forehead gently against yours, his breath warm and uneven against your lips as he closes his eyes.
"i'm so sorry. oh God, my love, i'm so, so sorry. i shouldn't have been late. i'm right here."
you look past the bright 'S' on his chest, past the heavy red cape, and look straight into his wide, terrified eyes.
through the static of your concussion, the familiar slope of his jaw and the specific, frantic cadence of his breath finally cut through the illusion.
the impossibility of it settles into your chest, an unsure realization.
"clark...?" you breathe out.
it’s barely a whisper, more like a faint, breathless question easily swallowed by the howling wind, but his entire body goes completely rigid at the sound.
his chest stops heaving and his thumbs freeze against your wet cheeks, eyes widening in shock as it hits him that you've seen past the suit.
but you don't have the strength to wait for an answer.
the pulsing concussion has you passed out, your head lolls back against his arm, your eyelids fluttering shut as your body goes completely limp in his embrace.
"no, no, no.. hey! sweetheart, wake up! look at me!"
𓂃₊ ⊹
the first thing that returns to you is the smell.
that sterile scent of rubbing alcohol and heavy bleached linens.
then comes the sound, there's a rhythmic, electronic beep that echoes in the quiet room, a steady, comforting pulse that keeps time with the throbbing ache at the base of your skull.
you force your eyelids open, but the harsh light above makes you wince, a low groan escaping your dry throat.
the ceiling is made of those familiar, white acoustic tiles... a hospital.
"honey?!... hey, take it easy. don't try to sit up just yet."
the voice is soft but cautious, and instantly draws your eyes to the right side of the bed.
clark is sitting in a cramped hospital chair pushed right up against your mattress.
he looks completely exhausted, his flannel shirt is wrinkled, his heavy winter coat draped over the back of the chair, his glasses sitting squarely on his nose, and his blue eyes are bloodshot.
the moment he sees you looking at him, his shoulders drop in a massive, visible wave of relief.
he reaches out, his large, warm hand carefully enveloping yours where it rests on the stiff hospital sheets.
his fingers are trembling slightly, his thumb gently tracing the back of your knuckles.
"the doctor said you have a concussion, and they had to put a few stitches on your forehead and the gash on your cheek," clark says softly, his voice raspy as he leans a bit closer.
he looks down at your hand. "but you're going to be okay. they're just keeping you for observation."
you look at his hand wrapped around yours, and a spike of hurt flares in your chest.
with a tight frown, you pull your hand completely away from his grasp, tucking your fingers beneath the stiff hospital blanket.
the sudden movement makes your head throb but you ignore it, keeping your eyes fixed on him.
clark’s thumb freezes, he looks down at his open palm for a fraction of a second, his expression fracturing with a look of hurt before he slowly lets his arm drop back to his lap.
"where were you?" you ask, your voice raspy, the exhaustion making the words sound heavier than you intended.
you stare at his wrinkled flannel shirt, "i waited for hours, clark. you didn't text. you didn't call. i was sitting there by myself like an idiot, and then the whole city went to hell while i was trying to get home."
clark looks completely devastated.
he flinches slightly at your words, his jaw tightening as he stares at the white blanket between you.
he opens his mouth to say something, to give the usual clumsy excuse about a deadline, a lost phone, or getting caught in transit but the words seem to catch in his throat.
he looks up at you through his thick glasses.
the silence stretches between you, you turn your face away from him, staring fixedly at the blank white wall opposite the bed.
the sight of his slumped shoulders and his guilty, exhausted face is just too much to handle on top of the throbbing ache in your skull.
"just go home, clark," you say quietly.
your voice is flat, stripped of all its anger, leaving only exhausted exhaustion.
beside the bed, Clark goes still. "darling, please... let me stay. just let me make sure you're okay..."
"i am okay," you interrupt, still refusing to look at him.
you pull the rough hospital blanket higher up around your shoulders, physically shielding yourself from him. "the doctors are watching me. i don't need you here. just... go home. go back to the daily planet, or wherever it was that was more important than meeting me."
out of the corner of your eye, you see him open his mouth to plead, to give you some kind of explanation, but he stops himself.
a ragged exhale escapes his lips.
slowly, the vinyl chair groans as he stands up. he towers over the bed, he goes to walk but stops.
he leans down into your space and presses a soft, lingering kiss to your forehead.
"I am so, so sorry," he whispers against your skin, his voice filled with regret.
"i'll... i'll go," he whispers, "but i'm leaving my phone on. if you need anything.. anything at all.. just call me. please."
you don't answer, you just close your eyes.
he pulls back slowly, as if pulling away from you physically pains him, before turning and making a quiet, reluctant exit from the room.
the soft click of the latch signaling that you are finally alone.
your eyes stay closes, your chest aching with something that has nothing to do with your injuries.
you expect to feel a sense of relief now that he’s gone, now that you don't have to look at his guilty face or listen to the excuses you were sure he was going to make.
but instead, the anger and hurt begins to drain away, leaving behind a feeling of loneliness.
you shift slightly on the stiff mattress, and a sudden vivid image flashes behind your closed eyes.
not the empty restaurant table or clark in his wrinkled flannel.
you see a cape blowing in the wind, a blue and red figure kneeling in a flooded street, unbothered by the storm.
you feel the ghost of massive, trembling hands framing your face with terror, and a voice deeper, stronger, but carrying that exact same, frantic cadence whispering sweetheart and my love into your wet hair.
your heart rate spikes, the monitor beside you accelerating slightly.
hands that could crush steel, yet held you as if you were made of glass.
the monitor beeps faster, its frantic rhythm filling the quiet room as your heart begins to hammer against your ribs.
the voice, the breathless, cracked panic of the city's hero as he knelt in the mud, crying over you, calling you darling, calling you my love.
it wasn't the booming voice Superman used on the news, it was a voice you knew personally, a voice that felt like home.
“clark...?”
the breathless question you had whispered right before passing out echoes perfectly as you repeat it out loud.
Dr. Jack Abbot x (female) reader | Dr. Jack Abbot x you
Summary: Between difficult daycare drop-offs and endless job rejections... everything becomes a little too much.
A/N: I'm no longer updating the taglist because Tumblr has been glitching way too much lately. If you don't want to miss any updates, feel free to turn on notifications for my posts! <3
Link to "You stole my cart" master list (1)
Link to "You stole my cart" master list (2)
Previous chapter: Part 132: Yeah, I'm a doctor. I give medical advice.I don't follow it.
--- --- ---
The morning had been rough. When you woke up, you felt like you’d spent the whole night wrestling a bear - which wasn’t entirely inaccurate because Lizzie had recently decided that sleeping in her own bed was clearly a violation of the Geneva Convention. She had screamed for hours when you tried to settle her in her own bed - she only calmed down once you’d brought her into your bed. With Jack on nightshift there was supposed to be enough place for both of you to sleep… well, but Lizzie clung to you like a little koala.
A little, very active, kicking koala.
So when your alarm went off at six thirty you were not feeling exactly refreshed. You tried to wrestle yourself free from Lizzie’s hug - which led to more tears and you carrying her into the kitchen with you, while she fell back asleep. You made coffee and breakfast one-handed, making everything ten times more complicated and taking a lot longer. But Lizzie wouldn’t let go.
You had to bribe her with your tablet and cartoons so you could get ready afterwards. And even then she sat on the bathroom floor, watching you closely while you showered and put on makeup.
You had finally gotten her ready - clean clothes, daycare bag packed, her stuffed giraffe for emotional support in one hand, her in the other - when Jack came home.
He looked wrecked - stubble, dark circles under his eyes, messy hair. But when he saw you both he started smiling, immediately lifting Lizzie onto his hip and gave her a kiss.
“Hey, my favorite girl. Ready for daycare?”
Lizzie’s lower lip started wobbling immediately. “No, daddy, no, no, no.”
He looked over at you, brows furrowed. “Is she okay?”
You let out a sigh, pulling your laptop bag more over your shoulder. “Yeah, I think so. She’s just a little clingy lately.”
He gave Lizzie another kiss. “Poor baby. But you’ll have fun, okay? And Mommy’s gonna pick you up at noon, in time for lunch, yeah?”
She started crying again.
You closed your eyes for a second, then stretched out your arms. “We need to get going, otherwise we’ll be late for drop-off.”
Jack looked back down at his daughter, still crying big toddler tears. Then he handed her over to you. “Be good today, hm, Bean? Try to have fun” he mumbled, stroking her hair, pressing another kiss against her hair.
“NO NO NO NO NO!”
You let out another sigh. “Well, that’ll be a fun walk.” You leaned over and kissed Jack. “Sleep well, husband. I’ll pick her up at one and take her to the playground for a bit, but she really needs a nap by 2. So… try to get as much rest as possible until then.”
He smiled, cupping your chin for a moment. “Don’t worry about me, darling.”
“I always worry about you, Abbot” you replied with a shrug.
“I’m as good as new after… recovering from that ordeal I had to go through” he said with a grin. “But we still need to test the theory whether everything’s still working.”
You let out a laugh. “Yeah, not seeing that in the foreseeable future with her being so clingy.”
Jack’s face fell a little which made you laugh. “Anyway, need to run. See you later.”
You hurried out the door with a still sobbing Lizzie on your hip.
Dropoff was another kind of hell. Lizzie clung to your neck and no amount of talking convinced her to let go of you. It took her favorite teacher - Abigail - to fetch Amber before Lizzie finally loosened her grip. Amber held out her hand, smiling - and Lizzie took it. Together they walked back into the classroom, Lizzie still sniffing and rubbing her eye with her free hand.
You stood there, watching her go and let out a deep breath. “My God, that’s hard.”
Abigail smiled. “Yeah, it can be tough. I’m not sure if it helps you but it’s completely normal. Every child goes through that phase.”
You smiled weakly. “Good to know we’re normal.”
“Completely.” She touched your arm. “I need to go but let’s talk a little when you pick her up, yeah?”
You nodded, your throat immediately tightening. She smiled and walked into the classroom, closing the door. You stood there, your mind racing. You pulled out your phone.
You:
Abigail wants to talk to me when I pick Lizzie up again. Not sure if that’s a good sign…
Jack:
Relax, honey. Probably just a normal progress report or something.
You made a face. It was easy for him to say that - he wasn’t the one who felt like he’d just been called to the principals office. You put the phone back into your jacket, then turned around.
A while later you found yourself in a coffee shop down the street. You wanted to spend a couple of hours away from the apartment so Jack could get some uninterrupted sleep. You’d actually thought about going to the gym but the thought alone made you feel exhausted after your sleepless night. And so you’d ordered a large latte with oat milk, found a nice corner, pulled out your laptop and now you were checking your mails.
But you weren’t quite focused. Your thoughts drifted back to Lizzie - her little face scrunched up while she wailed. You could practically still hear her scream “No Mommy, no no, Izzie no, no, no, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!” It still felt like your heart was ripped out of your body.
You checked the daycare app - no new notifications. But then again, she’d only been there for half an hour.
Half an hour of crying.
Half an hour wondering where Mommy was.
You shook your head, took a sip of coffee and forced yourself back to your emails.
We appreciate the time you took to apply. After carefully reviewing your application, we have decided to move forward with candidates whose experience more closely aligns with our current needs…
Click. Next email.
After careful consideration, we have decided not to move forward with your application at this time…
Click. Next email.
While your qualifications are impressive, we have selected another candidate whose background more closely matches the requirements of this position…
Click. Next email.
We truly appreciate the time and effort you invested in the application process, but we have decided to move forward with another candidate…
Click.
You let out a deep sigh before burying your head in your hands.
Fuck, this was exhausting.
Why did you even bother spending hours polishing your resume, tailoring cover letters and researching companies when every single email sounded exactly the same. Sure, they all had different logos from different companies but the rejection still felt the same.
You closed your inbox and took a deep breath.
You allowed yourself five minutes - five minutes to feel disappointed, to feel completely inadequate and like the worst failure in corporate history.
Then you took another sip of your now lukewarm coffee, opened a job search website and typed urban planner into the search bar.
31 results matched your search
Your shoulders lifted a little and you were already smiling again. That didn’t sound too bad. Maybe there was still some hope.
You started scrolling.
Full-time.
Click.
Full-time.
Click.
Required availability Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m, occasional weekends.
Click.
One hour and thirty minutes commute. Each way.
Click.
Planning Assistant. Entry-level. Bachelor’s degree required. $39.000 per year.
Click.
You blinked. You knew you couldn’t really be choosing in your current position but you had a fucking Master’s degree. You’d spent years studying, years working, years building experience - and somehow this was what the algorithm thought was a good match.
You clicked it away.
Full-time.
Click.
Required relocation.
Click.
Flexible part-time position (forty hours preferred)
Click.
You leaned back in your chair, rubbing your eyes. The smile on your face had been replaced by a slightly sarcastic frown.
It really wasn’t that you thought you were too good for those jobs. It was just… who was supposed to pick Lizzie up from daycare? Who stayed home when daycare called because she had a fever? Who covered the mornings when Jack was still at the hospital after working night shift?
Every listing seemed to assume there was either no kid present or another adult at home with a predictable schedule.
Jack had many wonderful qualities and he had a great job but predictable was neither of them.
You refreshed the page but only the same jobs appeared again. You stared at the screen for a long moment before quietly closing your laptop.
You really, really tried to hold it together - but something inside you finally cracked.
It wasn’t the rejection letters - at least, not really. And it wasn’t Lizzie’s tears. Or the sleepless nights. Or Jack working what felt like every shift the hospital could possibly throw at him.
It was all of it.
Every little thing had been manageable on its own. Together, they suddenly felt crushing.
You had spent years building a career you genuinely loved, believing that one day all that experience would open doors. Instead, it had taken just one idiot in the White House to slash funding left and right - and suddenly it felt like your career choice had backed you into a corner. Every position that matched your qualifications wanted someone full-time, endlessly flexible, willing to travel or relocate. Every job that fit your family life paid so little it barely seemed worth leaving the house for.
Somehow you had managed to be simultaneously overqualified and underqualified.
And then there was Lizzie. Sweet, funny, adorable Lizzie, who suddenly couldn’t bear being apart from you without completely falling apart. Every daycare drop-off felt like you were abandoning her. Every cry echoed in your head long after you’d left the building. And on top of feeling guilty twenty-four seven, now her teacher wanted to talk to you.
And well… Jack. Jack was trying. God, he was trying to be supportive and present. But after three weeks away on your honeymoon and another week recovering from his vasectomy, he’d been picking up extra shifts whenever he could. By the time he came home he looked as exhausted as you felt.
You had barely seen each other these past two weeks, except in passing between daycare drop-offs, night shifts and playground dates. You knew this was just a phase. It would be better sooner or later.
But God, today it felt like too much.
Your vision blurred.
You blinked once. Twice. And then, before you could stop yourself, the first tear rolled down your cheek. Then another one. And another. Before you could stop yourself, you started sobbing. Quietly at first, but soon the sobs ripped through you with a force you didn’t know was in you. You put your arms on the table and buried your head there, shoulders twitching while your tears soaked your shirt.
You had no idea how long you were sitting there, bent over like that, when you suddenly felt a hand on your shoulder. You jolted up, your head snapping up.
A barista stood in front of you, looking at you with sympathy. She smiled. “Hard day, huh?”
You quickly wiped the tears from your face, already embarrassed by your sudden outburst. You looked away. “Yeah” you said with a shrug that was supposed to come across as casual but came out pathetic at best.
“What’s wrong?”
You shrugged again, taking a long shaky breath before looking up at her again. “My daughter started daycare” you whispered. It was only half the truth but there was no need to put all your misery onto this nice woman.
She smiled. “Oh dear, yeah, that’s tough. I was an emotional wreck when my baby started daycare. I feel you.”
She squeezed your arm. “And your coffee is cold. I’ll get you another one, okay?” When you wanted to say something she shot you a look. “No arguing, please. Our first rule here is that our customers are our priority and we want them to leave with a happy face. And that’s-” She looked you over. “- not a happy face right now. So let’s fix this, okay?”
You swallowed hard, then nodded. “Okay.” Your voice was still small. “Thank you.”
She waved it off. “Sure thing, sweetheart. It’s hard to be a mom. But coffee helps. Every time.”
By the time you walked back into the daycare you felt a little better. Or at least - less guilty than before. You were still anxious about the talk with Abigail.
You saw her standing a couple of feet away in the hallway, outside the classroom, talking to another parent. When she saw you, she smiled. “Hey! Just give me a minute, yeah?”
You nodded, your palms suddenly clammy. You already slowly gathered Lizzie’s jacket and her backpack, checking if everything was inside.
“Okay, Mrs. Abbot - let’s just sit down for a minute, okay?”
Your stomach tightened while you followed her into the small kitchen. She offered you something to drink, which you politely declined. You were just too nervous.
You sat down on the edge of the seat, looking at her.
“I noticed Lizzie has a hard time being away from you lately.” She was still smiling.
You nodded. “Yeah, it started… um… maybe two weeks ago. She won’t sleep alone in her room. And she always wants to be carried.”
“Like I said this morning - separation anxiety is a completely normal thing every child goes through. Toddlers are starting to realize they’re separate from their parents. They become more aware of their surroundings. And that can feel terrifying for them. So it’s just natural that they tend to get more clingy and emotional when their parents leave.”
She was still smiling which left you a little unsettled. You were still waiting for the lecture.
You nodded. “That… sounds logical” you said quietly.
“You see - separation anxiety is usually a good sign. It just shows how well you have bonded with your child. And it seems like Lizzie has bonded very well with you.”
You tilted your head, surprised. “Really? I mean - I should be grateful for her being so… so… emotional?”
Now Abigail was laughing. “Well, we tend not to judge the emotions of our children here. She’s just overwhelmed and tries to handle it in a way she can. But yeah, in a way you should be grateful for that.”
You swallowed hard. “Um, okay.”
“But it seems you’re having a harder time dealing with it” she went on, studying your face carefully. “So, I wanted to give you some practical advice on how to handle this.”
You blinked. “Um, yeah, sure, I’d love to hear that. But - um… just to be sure… she’s not in any trouble, right? I didn’t do anything wrong?”
“Oh - no, no, nothing like that.” She looked at you. “Did you worry about that? I’m so sorry, that wasn’t my intention.”
You blushed a little. “No, no - not really. No.”
“You know - when parents cry after drop-off they usually think they’re the only ones.”
You looked up.
“You’re not. I promise.”
You swallowed hard. Suddenly there were tears in your eyes again. “That’s really good to hear” you mumbled.
“So I don’t think Lizzie needs less of you. I think she just needs to learn that you always come back” she continued in a soft voice.
You swallowed. “Okay. But… how?”
You:
Abigail said we should play peek-a-boo with Lizzie to show her that we always come back.
Jack:
Sounds good.
Do you want to play peek-a-boo with my penis so he knows you always come back?
You:
Ugh.
How can you be so gross?
She also said we should make goodbye a positive time. Like smiling and waving goodbye.
Jack:
So - I should lie to her?
You:
Um, I don’t know if that’s lying? Maybe kind of a white lie?
Jack:
Hm. I don’t like it but yeah, okay, if it helps - sure, let’s try.
Do you know what always is a positive time?
You:
I swear to God, when you’re referencing anything sexual right now, I’ll kill you.
Jack:
…
You:
She also said we should tell her what we’ll do later when we drop her off. Like “When Mommy picks you up later, we’ll go to the playground.”
Jack:
I like that.
You:
Me too. I think I could handle that.
Jack:
So, when you come back later and Lizzie is in bed… you wanna know what I’ll do to you then?
You:
Okay, that’s it. I’m ending this conversation here. Go back to sleep. You’ve got another hours before we’re back and then you can deal with an overtired, completely exhausted toddler while I’m taking a shower.
Jack:
Honestly? That doesn’t sound like a positive time.
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You wanna keep reading? - Next part is coming soon, I promise.
Dr. Jack Abbot x (female) reader | Dr. Jack Abbot x you
Summary: Between difficult daycare drop-offs and endless job rejections... everything becomes a little too much.
A/N: I'm no longer updating the taglist because Tumblr has been glitching way too much lately. If you don't want to miss any updates, feel free to turn on notifications for my posts! <3
Link to "You stole my cart" master list (1)
Link to "You stole my cart" master list (2)
Previous chapter: Part 132: Yeah, I'm a doctor. I give medical advice.I don't follow it.
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The morning had been rough. When you woke up, you felt like you’d spent the whole night wrestling a bear - which wasn’t entirely inaccurate because Lizzie had recently decided that sleeping in her own bed was clearly a violation of the Geneva Convention. She had screamed for hours when you tried to settle her in her own bed - she only calmed down once you’d brought her into your bed. With Jack on nightshift there was supposed to be enough place for both of you to sleep… well, but Lizzie clung to you like a little koala.
A little, very active, kicking koala.
So when your alarm went off at six thirty you were not feeling exactly refreshed. You tried to wrestle yourself free from Lizzie’s hug - which led to more tears and you carrying her into the kitchen with you, while she fell back asleep. You made coffee and breakfast one-handed, making everything ten times more complicated and taking a lot longer. But Lizzie wouldn’t let go.
You had to bribe her with your tablet and cartoons so you could get ready afterwards. And even then she sat on the bathroom floor, watching you closely while you showered and put on makeup.
You had finally gotten her ready - clean clothes, daycare bag packed, her stuffed giraffe for emotional support in one hand, her in the other - when Jack came home.
He looked wrecked - stubble, dark circles under his eyes, messy hair. But when he saw you both he started smiling, immediately lifting Lizzie onto his hip and gave her a kiss.
“Hey, my favorite girl. Ready for daycare?”
Lizzie’s lower lip started wobbling immediately. “No, daddy, no, no, no.”
He looked over at you, brows furrowed. “Is she okay?”
You let out a sigh, pulling your laptop bag more over your shoulder. “Yeah, I think so. She’s just a little clingy lately.”
He gave Lizzie another kiss. “Poor baby. But you’ll have fun, okay? And Mommy’s gonna pick you up at noon, in time for lunch, yeah?”
She started crying again.
You closed your eyes for a second, then stretched out your arms. “We need to get going, otherwise we’ll be late for drop-off.”
Jack looked back down at his daughter, still crying big toddler tears. Then he handed her over to you. “Be good today, hm, Bean? Try to have fun” he mumbled, stroking her hair, pressing another kiss against her hair.
“NO NO NO NO NO!”
You let out another sigh. “Well, that’ll be a fun walk.” You leaned over and kissed Jack. “Sleep well, husband. I’ll pick her up at one and take her to the playground for a bit, but she really needs a nap by 2. So… try to get as much rest as possible until then.”
He smiled, cupping your chin for a moment. “Don’t worry about me, darling.”
“I always worry about you, Abbot” you replied with a shrug.
“I’m as good as new after… recovering from that ordeal I had to go through” he said with a grin. “But we still need to test the theory whether everything’s still working.”
You let out a laugh. “Yeah, not seeing that in the foreseeable future with her being so clingy.”
Jack’s face fell a little which made you laugh. “Anyway, need to run. See you later.”
You hurried out the door with a still sobbing Lizzie on your hip.
Dropoff was another kind of hell. Lizzie clung to your neck and no amount of talking convinced her to let go of you. It took her favorite teacher - Abigail - to fetch Amber before Lizzie finally loosened her grip. Amber held out her hand, smiling - and Lizzie took it. Together they walked back into the classroom, Lizzie still sniffing and rubbing her eye with her free hand.
You stood there, watching her go and let out a deep breath. “My God, that’s hard.”
Abigail smiled. “Yeah, it can be tough. I’m not sure if it helps you but it’s completely normal. Every child goes through that phase.”
You smiled weakly. “Good to know we’re normal.”
“Completely.” She touched your arm. “I need to go but let’s talk a little when you pick her up, yeah?”
You nodded, your throat immediately tightening. She smiled and walked into the classroom, closing the door. You stood there, your mind racing. You pulled out your phone.
You:
Abigail wants to talk to me when I pick Lizzie up again. Not sure if that’s a good sign…
Jack:
Relax, honey. Probably just a normal progress report or something.
You made a face. It was easy for him to say that - he wasn’t the one who felt like he’d just been called to the principals office. You put the phone back into your jacket, then turned around.
A while later you found yourself in a coffee shop down the street. You wanted to spend a couple of hours away from the apartment so Jack could get some uninterrupted sleep. You’d actually thought about going to the gym but the thought alone made you feel exhausted after your sleepless night. And so you’d ordered a large latte with oat milk, found a nice corner, pulled out your laptop and now you were checking your mails.
But you weren’t quite focused. Your thoughts drifted back to Lizzie - her little face scrunched up while she wailed. You could practically still hear her scream “No Mommy, no no, Izzie no, no, no, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!” It still felt like your heart was ripped out of your body.
You checked the daycare app - no new notifications. But then again, she’d only been there for half an hour.
Half an hour of crying.
Half an hour wondering where Mommy was.
You shook your head, took a sip of coffee and forced yourself back to your emails.
We appreciate the time you took to apply. After carefully reviewing your application, we have decided to move forward with candidates whose experience more closely aligns with our current needs…
Click. Next email.
After careful consideration, we have decided not to move forward with your application at this time…
Click. Next email.
While your qualifications are impressive, we have selected another candidate whose background more closely matches the requirements of this position…
Click. Next email.
We truly appreciate the time and effort you invested in the application process, but we have decided to move forward with another candidate…
Click.
You let out a deep sigh before burying your head in your hands.
Fuck, this was exhausting.
Why did you even bother spending hours polishing your resume, tailoring cover letters and researching companies when every single email sounded exactly the same. Sure, they all had different logos from different companies but the rejection still felt the same.
You closed your inbox and took a deep breath.
You allowed yourself five minutes - five minutes to feel disappointed, to feel completely inadequate and like the worst failure in corporate history.
Then you took another sip of your now lukewarm coffee, opened a job search website and typed urban planner into the search bar.
31 results matched your search
Your shoulders lifted a little and you were already smiling again. That didn’t sound too bad. Maybe there was still some hope.
You started scrolling.
Full-time.
Click.
Full-time.
Click.
Required availability Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m, occasional weekends.
Click.
One hour and thirty minutes commute. Each way.
Click.
Planning Assistant. Entry-level. Bachelor’s degree required. $39.000 per year.
Click.
You blinked. You knew you couldn’t really be choosing in your current position but you had a fucking Master’s degree. You’d spent years studying, years working, years building experience - and somehow this was what the algorithm thought was a good match.
You clicked it away.
Full-time.
Click.
Required relocation.
Click.
Flexible part-time position (forty hours preferred)
Click.
You leaned back in your chair, rubbing your eyes. The smile on your face had been replaced by a slightly sarcastic frown.
It really wasn’t that you thought you were too good for those jobs. It was just… who was supposed to pick Lizzie up from daycare? Who stayed home when daycare called because she had a fever? Who covered the mornings when Jack was still at the hospital after working night shift?
Every listing seemed to assume there was either no kid present or another adult at home with a predictable schedule.
Jack had many wonderful qualities and he had a great job but predictable was neither of them.
You refreshed the page but only the same jobs appeared again. You stared at the screen for a long moment before quietly closing your laptop.
You really, really tried to hold it together - but something inside you finally cracked.
It wasn’t the rejection letters - at least, not really. And it wasn’t Lizzie’s tears. Or the sleepless nights. Or Jack working what felt like every shift the hospital could possibly throw at him.
It was all of it.
Every little thing had been manageable on its own. Together, they suddenly felt crushing.
You had spent years building a career you genuinely loved, believing that one day all that experience would open doors. Instead, it had taken just one idiot in the White House to slash funding left and right - and suddenly it felt like your career choice had backed you into a corner. Every position that matched your qualifications wanted someone full-time, endlessly flexible, willing to travel or relocate. Every job that fit your family life paid so little it barely seemed worth leaving the house for.
Somehow you had managed to be simultaneously overqualified and underqualified.
And then there was Lizzie. Sweet, funny, adorable Lizzie, who suddenly couldn’t bear being apart from you without completely falling apart. Every daycare drop-off felt like you were abandoning her. Every cry echoed in your head long after you’d left the building. And on top of feeling guilty twenty-four seven, now her teacher wanted to talk to you.
And well… Jack. Jack was trying. God, he was trying to be supportive and present. But after three weeks away on your honeymoon and another week recovering from his vasectomy, he’d been picking up extra shifts whenever he could. By the time he came home he looked as exhausted as you felt.
You had barely seen each other these past two weeks, except in passing between daycare drop-offs, night shifts and playground dates. You knew this was just a phase. It would be better sooner or later.
But God, today it felt like too much.
Your vision blurred.
You blinked once. Twice. And then, before you could stop yourself, the first tear rolled down your cheek. Then another one. And another. Before you could stop yourself, you started sobbing. Quietly at first, but soon the sobs ripped through you with a force you didn’t know was in you. You put your arms on the table and buried your head there, shoulders twitching while your tears soaked your shirt.
You had no idea how long you were sitting there, bent over like that, when you suddenly felt a hand on your shoulder. You jolted up, your head snapping up.
A barista stood in front of you, looking at you with sympathy. She smiled. “Hard day, huh?”
You quickly wiped the tears from your face, already embarrassed by your sudden outburst. You looked away. “Yeah” you said with a shrug that was supposed to come across as casual but came out pathetic at best.
“What’s wrong?”
You shrugged again, taking a long shaky breath before looking up at her again. “My daughter started daycare” you whispered. It was only half the truth but there was no need to put all your misery onto this nice woman.
She smiled. “Oh dear, yeah, that’s tough. I was an emotional wreck when my baby started daycare. I feel you.”
She squeezed your arm. “And your coffee is cold. I’ll get you another one, okay?” When you wanted to say something she shot you a look. “No arguing, please. Our first rule here is that our customers are our priority and we want them to leave with a happy face. And that’s-” She looked you over. “- not a happy face right now. So let’s fix this, okay?”
You swallowed hard, then nodded. “Okay.” Your voice was still small. “Thank you.”
She waved it off. “Sure thing, sweetheart. It’s hard to be a mom. But coffee helps. Every time.”
By the time you walked back into the daycare you felt a little better. Or at least - less guilty than before. You were still anxious about the talk with Abigail.
You saw her standing a couple of feet away in the hallway, outside the classroom, talking to another parent. When she saw you, she smiled. “Hey! Just give me a minute, yeah?”
You nodded, your palms suddenly clammy. You already slowly gathered Lizzie’s jacket and her backpack, checking if everything was inside.
“Okay, Mrs. Abbot - let’s just sit down for a minute, okay?”
Your stomach tightened while you followed her into the small kitchen. She offered you something to drink, which you politely declined. You were just too nervous.
You sat down on the edge of the seat, looking at her.
“I noticed Lizzie has a hard time being away from you lately.” She was still smiling.
You nodded. “Yeah, it started… um… maybe two weeks ago. She won’t sleep alone in her room. And she always wants to be carried.”
“Like I said this morning - separation anxiety is a completely normal thing every child goes through. Toddlers are starting to realize they’re separate from their parents. They become more aware of their surroundings. And that can feel terrifying for them. So it’s just natural that they tend to get more clingy and emotional when their parents leave.”
She was still smiling which left you a little unsettled. You were still waiting for the lecture.
You nodded. “That… sounds logical” you said quietly.
“You see - separation anxiety is usually a good sign. It just shows how well you have bonded with your child. And it seems like Lizzie has bonded very well with you.”
You tilted your head, surprised. “Really? I mean - I should be grateful for her being so… so… emotional?”
Now Abigail was laughing. “Well, we tend not to judge the emotions of our children here. She’s just overwhelmed and tries to handle it in a way she can. But yeah, in a way you should be grateful for that.”
You swallowed hard. “Um, okay.”
“But it seems you’re having a harder time dealing with it” she went on, studying your face carefully. “So, I wanted to give you some practical advice on how to handle this.”
You blinked. “Um, yeah, sure, I’d love to hear that. But - um… just to be sure… she’s not in any trouble, right? I didn’t do anything wrong?”
“Oh - no, no, nothing like that.” She looked at you. “Did you worry about that? I’m so sorry, that wasn’t my intention.”
You blushed a little. “No, no - not really. No.”
“You know - when parents cry after drop-off they usually think they’re the only ones.”
You looked up.
“You’re not. I promise.”
You swallowed hard. Suddenly there were tears in your eyes again. “That’s really good to hear” you mumbled.
“So I don’t think Lizzie needs less of you. I think she just needs to learn that you always come back” she continued in a soft voice.
You swallowed. “Okay. But… how?”
You:
Abigail said we should play peek-a-boo with Lizzie to show her that we always come back.
Jack:
Sounds good.
Do you want to play peek-a-boo with my penis so he knows you always come back?
You:
Ugh.
How can you be so gross?
She also said we should make goodbye a positive time. Like smiling and waving goodbye.
Jack:
So - I should lie to her?
You:
Um, I don’t know if that’s lying? Maybe kind of a white lie?
Jack:
Hm. I don’t like it but yeah, okay, if it helps - sure, let’s try.
Do you know what always is a positive time?
You:
I swear to God, when you’re referencing anything sexual right now, I’ll kill you.
Jack:
…
You:
She also said we should tell her what we’ll do later when we drop her off. Like “When Mommy picks you up later, we’ll go to the playground.”
Jack:
I like that.
You:
Me too. I think I could handle that.
Jack:
So, when you come back later and Lizzie is in bed… you wanna know what I’ll do to you then?
You:
Okay, that’s it. I’m ending this conversation here. Go back to sleep. You’ve got another hours before we’re back and then you can deal with an overtired, completely exhausted toddler while I’m taking a shower.
Jack:
Honestly? That doesn’t sound like a positive time.
--- --- ---
You wanna keep reading? - Next part is coming soon, I promise.