jack and robbie got together a few years after mrs abbot's passing. there was always a tension present between the two of them that they never acted on. mainly because jack was married. and he was happily married at that. after the death of his wife, jack believed that he would never fall in love again. so he threw himself into his work, shutting himself from the world. but robbie was not about to lose his best friend.
on days off, they would have dinner. then a couple of beers. one night, after one too many, they got a lot more physical than normal. both assured the other that it was just a one time thing. but then it happened again. and again. and again. what started off as late nights together and private kisses during shift changes became romantic gestures in front of their crews. damn gloria and whatever hr violation she might throw at them.
the two worked well together. like sun and moon they depended on the other. understood each other in ways no one else could. and they thought that it would just be the two of them forever. until you came around. the young and beautiful resident who recently transferred to the ptmc.
you worked on the night shift, much to robbie's dismay. jack was thrilled, though. he liked watching you work. he was able to witness first hand how gentle and patient you were with everyone who came in. even the ones who were unruly.
"i like her. she's a good addition to my team," jack says to robbie one night.
"bet you she would be even better on mine. lord knows i need a calming presence on the day shift," robbie retorts. jack just chuckles, clapping robbie on the back. "yeah, not a chance brother. i'd like to keep her on my crew for more than a couple weeks." but there's more to it. robbie sees it. "you like her, don't you?"
"i mean, yeah. i don't think there's a single person on the night shift who doesn't-"
"that's not what i meant, jack, you know it. you like her," robbie interrupts.
jack shrugs, a man usually so wise, now unsure of what to say. "what's not to like? she's smart. and kind. and so fucking beautiful, man. you've seen her. i don't think i've seen anyone as breathtaking as her since..." since my wife, he doesn't say.
"you liking her more than me?" robbie teases, but jack can hear the underlying worry beneath his tone.
"no, man, i'm not. i promise. but if you're willing, i think i want her in this. i want her with us. nobody else."
the two men later come to the conclusion that they're gonna take their time with you. rather than just throwing the idea in your face, they do little things to sort of soft launch it. like jack bringing you the specialty coffee that you love, but can't justify buying because it's overpriced and out of your way to work. or robbie gifting you the next book in the series that you mentioned in passing a month ago, but remembered the way your eyes lit up when you talked about it with mel.
then there was the time when it was raining all night and your car was in the shop and the bus stop was over a mile away. you insisted that jack didn't have to drive you, that you didn't mind walking, but he wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. and then robbie got involved. "better listen to him, sweetheart. last thing we need is our resident getting sick because she was too stubborn to listen." not jack's resident. our resident.
after months of this, lack of a better term, situationship they had with you, they finally believed that they were ready to come clean with what they wanted with you. something real and long term. but then this couple came into the emergency room. the man was older, in his late 40s, just like them. and his wife was with him. a woman around your age. he had a pre-existing heart condition that had only gotten worse over the years. medication wasn't helping and surgery was too risky. he came in because of a heart attack. died that same day because of another one. pulling a double, jack witnessed it with robbie.
robbie was the one who had to break the news. while jack was the one who had to hold the woman before she broke down. literally. he gently held her all the way down until her knees hit the ground, quietly hissing when his prosthetic dug into his skin. she cried for what felt like hours. neither one wanted to leave her in this state, but the emergency room never sleeps.
shift now over, while walking to jack's car, robbie mutters, "i only saw her when talking to the wife." jack nods. "yeah, me too."
"i don't think i can do this," the brunette admits. he then realizes how his words sounded so he corrects himself. "i didn't mean us. that's not what i meant. i meant... i don't think i can soundly involve her with us knowing the risks."
"me too," jack repeats.
the conclusion they come to is heartbreaking, but necessary for the both of them. for you. they wouldn't be able to sleep at night knowing that one day you would inevitably have to live in world that didn't have them in it. so they choose to love each other and have a piece of themselves missing, while loving you from afar and in silence.
a/n: lowk shit so pls don't tell me if it is also not proofread ao there might be some mistakes
