No one could ever say Jack Abbot was not festive. He had thrown on a shirt with a stupid Halloween pun and he even set out a bowl of candy for the trick or treaters! Sure, it was the bare minimum but he hadn’t felt the energy to go all out on a holiday for years.
When he got the text from Robby that a couple of people were going to The Monterey Pub for after work drinks, Jack figured it would be good to show his face before he started his shift.
Glancing at his closet, he double checked that he didn't have anything that could pass as a costume. With that confirmed he headed out to the bar.
It was crowded. He hates crowded bars, someone inevitably spills something on him and he ends up sticky and wet. Most everyone in the place is dressed up to some extent and it takes Jack a minute to find Robby in the crowd.
He claps him on the shoulder “Hey brother. What’re you dressed up as?” Robby snorts “A doctor.” “Oh very creative.” Jack rolls his eyes and looks around “Who’s here?”
Robby nods towards the bar, where Jack spots Whitaker and Santos taking shots at the bar. Trinity is wearing what looks like a giant fur coat and holding a long thin cigarette holder. Whitaker…is wearing dog ears?
Jack turns back to Robby, whose cheeks are a ruddy red color. “What are they supposed to be?” Robby coughs into his fist “101 Dalmatians. Santos is Cruella and the rest of that group is the dogs.”
Just as he says that, Jack watches as you stumble off the dance floor with Samira and Mel, all three dog ears a little lopsided, and you wearing a tight white dress with black spots highlighting, well, everything. “Jesus.” He mutters and Robby nods “Yeah, it's been rough.”
Laughing, Jack replies “Ha, rough.” The other man shoves his shoulder.
“You and her, uh, what’s up there?” Jack is not about to talk to Robby about his feelings for you, especially when he is less than clear about them himself. So instead he pivots and says over the music “I’m going to get a drink!”
Robby just rolls his eyes at him before waving him away. Jack sidles up to the bar, where he gets the unique opportunity to watch you take a white tea shot. Following the drink all the way down your throat.
“You’re gonna be feeling that in the morning.” You blink, as if caught by surprise at seeing him there. “Hi Jack, I didn’t- didn’t know you’d be here?” Your voice tilts up at the end in a question, and that's how he knows you are very drunk right now. Because if you were sober you wouldn’t be so unsure.
“Had to make sure you all were behaving.” He smiles at the flush across your face. “I like the costume by the way.” He gestures to the dog ears even as he is fighting very hard not to look past your neck, which now that he’s closer, he can see a red choker around it and fuck he really wants to bite-
Jack blinks out of his thoughts when you let out a groan, quickly pulling off the ears “I told Trinity it was a stupid costume!” Grabbing your wrist he sets the ears back on top of your head, ignoring your big eyes, pupils blown out in the dim light of the club looking up at him. “No, I didn’t mean it like that. It’s cute, I swear.”
You flush an even deeper pink and a well of satisfaction rises in Jack. Yeah, he’s still got it. His phone buzzes against his thigh and he fishes it out to see that sadly he had to head to the hospital.
Leaning down to look you fully in the eyes, Jack says “Do you have a plan to get home?” You nod emphatically “Langdon is picking us up at the beh- behest of Mel.” Of course he was, Frank Langdon would blow up the hospital if Dr. King asked him to do it.
Well, at least Jack knew you would be getting home safe.
“Ok. Shen won’t wait on me forever, I’m going to start my shift.” He steps back, holding a hand up in a soft wave “Bye Jack.” You whisper it, for some reason, but it’s oddly endearing to him so he whispers bye back.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
When he heads in for handoff the next day, he won’t lie and say he isn't excited to see how four doctors and one social worker are handling their hangovers. And it does not disappoint. He watches as Santos leans on Whitaker's shoulder, mumbling into his scrubs while Whitaker messages his head.
“Ah, to be young again.” Robby sidles up to him with an amused smile. It must’ve been a good day. “I thought you’d be all torn up seeing your puppy dog miserable.” That gets a hard shove from Robby “Dont call him that!”
“I didn’t say it was a him.” Jack grins at the man, who is now huffing and puffing like he’s going to blow the damn house down. “You missed karaoke." Robby mutters. Jack's gaze snaps up “They sang karaoke?” “I thought you would’ve gotten the videos in the group chat.”
Jack fishes out his phone “I muted that shit when you made it.” “That’s comforting.” Just as he’s about to pull up the videos sent in the ‘Official PTMC Group Chat’ your voice snags his attention.
“Jesus, has it always been so bright in here?” You come out of a patient's room, squinting against the offensive fluorescent lights. Immediately, he steps towards you. Some type of pull demanding he check on you, just like when you were sick.
As he reaches your desk, you have already put your head in your arms. Trying to get away from the light of the ER he assumes. “Hey kid. You doing ok?” At the question, you blink up at him and he is suddenly reminded of the night before. Wide glossy eyes staring into his.
“Feel like shit.” You grumble, burying your head back into your arms. Jack clicks his tongue in sympathy. “You were going a little hard last night.” There's a delay, then a muffled reply “I forgot you were there.” “Oh yes. And trust me, I will never forget that.”
“Has anyone told you how mean you can be?” Jack laughs at that, memorizing the way your hair falls and replies “Trust me, I can be much meaner. This is me nice.” You finally lift your head up “I doubt that.” “You don’t trust me?” He clutches his chest as you shake your head with a light laugh.
“Thought you would’ve worked off the hangover by now.” “I think you’ve forgotten how hangovers work.” He laughs at the reply and sighs “Perhaps. I don’t think I’d be able to keep up with you or those cute ears you had on any day of the week.”
Santos makes a gagging noise from behind you and he can see the way you tense up.
“Dr. Abbot, Al-Hashimi wants to see you for hand-off. You know, your job?” Santos snarks, and Jack rolls his eyes but heads towards the attending. When he looks back at you, you’re whispering furiously with Santos, who looks very smug. Huh.
“Dr. Al-Hashimi, what can I do ya for?” The doctor in question glances up at him from the chart she was pulling up. “I was just explaining to Mr. Theodore here that he experienced diabetic hypoglycemia and was wondering if you could walk him through care while I chart?”
He nods, pulling up a stool to sit beside the nervous looking man and starts running through the standard procedure for patients like this. It was a relatively easy case and soon Mr. Theodore is left to be monitored carefully but without the fear of something going wrong.
Dr. Al-Hashimi smiles at him, eyes warm. “Good work back there.” Jack nods a little “Thanks you too.” “It’s nice to be able to sit and talk with patients.” She says, and Jack concurs, sharp memories of combat zone smoke and screams slipping through his careful control. “You’re telling me.”
“I never did get to ask you about your time in Kabul.” “Well you never did text me back about that drink.” He rubs the back of his head sheepishly “Would you believe me that it’s because I work nights?” She rolls her eyes good naturedly “I’ll let you make it up to me tomorrow. You have a night off right?”
“Should I be worried you knew that?” Al-Hashimi shrugs, her hair falling gracefully over her shoulders “I don’t know. Should you?” She steps closer to him, squeezing his bicep slightly “Tomorrow night?” He asks and she hums an affirmative.
“And how about this time, I text you?” She breezes past him before glancing over her shoulder “Have a good shift!”
Lena snorts softly from where she took over Dana’s post. “What’s that look for?” Jack asks, reading over the board to see where he’s needed. “Nothing, I just think you might not want to flirt with other people in front of your girl.”
“What are you talking about?” He huffs, god he’s starting to sound like Robby. Lena nods a little, gesturing her head towards one of the desks. Jack looks to find you and Mel standing in conversation. Well, Mel is speaking while you stare at Jack with an expression of…Surprise? Annoyance? Hurt?
Shit. You had heard the conversation. Jack wants to do something, but he’s frozen as you quickly say your goodbyes to Mel. You stop in front of him, shoving a warm paper cup into his hand “Have a good shift, Dr. Abbot.” The words are sharp and you don’t look at him while you say it.
Jack opens his mouth to reply but you’re gone before he can get any words out. Fuck.
fem! sam is my little baby daughter shes so cute in my head i love her so my thats my baby i birthed her oh my god dont let ur pervy big brother molest u please awe little baby
