“9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”
“Yes, hello. Umm, you know the crazy knife-wielding guy that’s been all over the news?”
“Yes, Sir? Do you have information for us?”
“Uh… yeah. Last seen about a block away from the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. He’s about 5’11, wearing all black clothes, but his hoodie has a red circle in the middle, kinda smells like moldy cheese, and his weapon is actually a six-inch serrated knife.”
The dispatcher on the other line paused. “Sir.” She said gently, her words soft and slow. “How do you know this? Are you okay?”
Dennis pauses and takes a moment to answer. “Oh… he got me.”
“He… got you?” Furious typing on her end. “Sir, does that mean you’ve been stabbed?”
Dennis nodded before remembering this was a phone call, and she couldn’t see him. “Yup. Twice cause I wouldn’t go down after the first one. No biggie. Ha.” He immediately regrets trying to make a joke and laugh, his side burning in a way he’s never felt before.
As he shuffles through the alleyway, his foot accidentally hits a metal trash can, causing a loud bang that reverberates painfully through his skull.
“A-are you moving? Please try to stay in place if you’re in a safe area! And-“
“Put pressure on the wound, I know, I’m a doctor.” Whitaker interrupted, wincing slightly from not only the debilitating pain but from how egotistical that sentence sounded.
“Don’t worry, I actually work in the ER, so I’m just gonna walk myself over there.” Dennis tries to reassure the lady, taking a moment to pause and lean against the side of a building. All the movement he was doing was really increasing the burn; it didn't help that he had to put himself in more pain by putting pressure on the wounds.
“It’s funny cause I just got out of work and the only reason I’m walking is cause my roommate has a date and couldn’t drive me. My roommate also works with me, by the way… I don’t know why I’m telling you this.”
“Sir, please wait until I call an ambulance for you-“
“Oh no, thank you!” Dennis quickly said. “I can barely afford new clothes, an ambulance would put me under way faster than my stab wounds.”
That was kinda funny, even if it was the truth.
“Okay… I can see the ER, so I’m gonna hang up now. Umm, thank you for…” Dennis grunted, his words slurred slightly. He was too tired to continue speaking, his vision starting to blur around the edges, and his entire body was buzzing unnaturally.
He hung up his phone, his ears ringing too loudly to understand what the dispatcher was shouting from the other side, and stumbled through the ambulance bay.
It was an honest miracle that Dennis managed to stumble his way to the Hub, a trail of blood following his every stumbling step. His side no longer hurt, but his hand was getting numb from trying to press on two separate stab wounds.
Oh, looks like Robby was still doing the handoff to Jack. His boyfriends' looked so cute talking to each other, even if he couldn’t really make out their faces, and their bodies looked wiggly. And Dana was also there? It was getting hard to tell the different-sized blobs apart.
It looked like the day shift was still there, which made sense. Dennis did make sure to leave a little earlier for his walk home.
Suddenly, a blob that suspiciously sounded like Trinity but was underwater rushed toward him just as his body was giving out.
“Sorry… got… stabbed.” Dennis groaned, blood suddenly bubbling up past his lips. Shit, an injury to his lung. That was not ideal in the slightest.
“Hey, Whit, stay with me, man.” Dennis blinked, surprised by the sudden appearance of Langdon right before him. He could’ve sworn it was only Trinity around him. Now there are so many familiar blobs.
Mel, Mohan, Donnie, McKay, and even Victoria happened to be there. Which was weird cause he was only 23% sure night shift would have already started. Or maybe not. Time was slipping away from him.
He blinked again, and suddenly Dana was holding his hand, gently cupping his cheek and looking down at him with a strained smile. He could feel his body moving, so he must’ve been on a gurney.
Robby and Jack never looked good when they worried; it was his least favorite expression from them. He gurgled, wanting to reach out to them, but his body wasn’t responding.
“Shh, baby.” Jack turns and immediately comes to his side, Robby following seconds later. “You’re gonna be okay. Everyone’s gonna take great care of you. You've got some pretty hefty damage going on.”
“We’re gonna have to intubate you, love.” Robby’s voice sounded rough, as if he were doing the best he could to stop himself from crying. “You’re gonna be okay, you’re our fighter, Den.”
“I’m so sorry, Dennis.” Oh. Trinity was also there. Why was she crying? She hates crying.
“I-I should’ve just driven you. Fuck-! I’m so sorry. You better fucking wake up after this, you hear me? I’ll never fucking forgive myself if you don’t.” Dennis could feel light pressure on his hand; maybe Trinity was squeezing it, and he did his best to squeeze back.
Trinity let out a soft, wet laugh, feeling the light flutter of his hand trying to reciprocate, before looking up at the two attendings and nodding.
Dennis felt a small prick before exhaustion took over. Anesthesia before intubation. He was going under. He was getting put on oxygen because one of his stab wounds, or maybe both, pierced his lung and caused damage. He was going to have intensive surgery.
Fuck, he really hoped he would wake up.
He had just found a place where he was starting to feel like he belonged. He couldn’t lose it already. He just couldn’t.
