untilmynextstory

fictional characters are ruining my life

[untilmynextstory]

Masterlist for all of my stories featuring Pope Cody x OFC Honey.

This is a multi-verse of different AUs of Honey & Pope.

sugar on the rim | stripper!honey summary: pope didn't really want to go to a strip club for his birthday, but maybe it's not so bad when he receives a private dance by the headliner, Honey.

if this world were mine | teacher!honey summary: pope didn't mean to form a crush on lena's teacher.

after hours | bartender!honey summary:  Honey can't believe she has formed a crush on her boss's brother. 

kiss with a fist | nurse!honey summary: Honey wonders what it means to know the smell of Andrew's blood more than her own. 

trapped between two lungs | starcrossedlover!honey (aka Trujillo!honey) summary: Pope finds an altar in Honey Trujillo.

loving leads to bleeding | babymama!honey summary:  Honey and Andrew have found a delicate balance in raising their family while navigating their family history and career choices. However, the lines become blurred when the exiled Julie asks Honey for help with her addiction and with her son, Joshua. And it all comes to a head during the weekly family dinner.

with one kiss, you inspired a fire of devotion | sister!honey (TBD) summary: Growing up in the shadow of her sister Catherine, Honey grew familiar with hand-me-downs and being second best. It didn’t surprise her that the one thing - person - she wanted preferred her sister.

divider credit

[lovergirlcinema]

Sugar and Spice, Daddy (Pt. II.)

sugar daddy!Jack Abbot x black!reader

Summary: Your agreement with Jack continues to grow into something deeper. However, after a misunderstanding, you fear that you may not be the only girl that Jack is spoiling. 

Part I.

Warning(s): SMUT (18+, MDNI), cockwarming, freaky Jack Abbot (but y’all knew that though), dirty talk, seductive pictures, freaky videos, angst, mean!Robby (Tbh he petty for no reason)

You twist another strand of Jack’s hair around your fingers before laying the curl down. Beneath Jack shifts, which causes your pussy to contract around him. A low whine leaves your lips, “Jackie, you gotta stay still or the curls won’t come out right.” 

Jack huffs out a laugh at your frustration, “I’m not doing anything, babydoll. Just adjusting myself.” 

He runs his hands up and down your thighs before looking back up at your face. Involuntarily, you catch yourself clenching around him again. Currently, it was Saturday, and coincidentally, it was one of the days that Jack was off. He’d made you a promise that the next time he was off work, he’d let you style his hair. You’d come over with all of your products and all pure intentions. Well…partial pure intentions. 

Any notion of being good went straight out the window when Jack opened the door, looking like pure sin. 

“Hey, baby,” He said, moving forward to press his lips against yours. You were practically weak in the knees, especially with how good his cologne smelled. 

Ushering you inside the house, Jack helps you get settled in the home. Ever since your first time being intimate with him, your visits to his house had become more frequent. The man had been putting you through the mattress religiously. If he wasn’t making you cum, then he was spending money on you. It was the perfect combination. 

“I washed my hair before you got here, so we’re good on that front,” Jack said, sitting in the chair. 

You run your fingers through his locks as he looks up at you, “What? Do I have something on my face?” 

“No, just wondering how an old guy like me got lucky with a pretty girl like you,” Jack responds, running a hand down your side. He pulls you gently to stand in front of him, “I wanna feel you.”

“Like sitting on your lap?”

Jack chuckles darkly, “No, babydoll, I want to feel you. I want your bare pussy on me right now.” Heat crawls up your neck and settles deep within your core. Jack had grown more open in expressing his desire for you, which you don’t think you’ll ever get used to. Sure, there was always the occasional guy that you were texting, who’d sent a freaky message or started to talk suggestively over the phone, but with them it wasn’t sexy.

It just sounded like child’s play.

With Jack, it actually felt like sensual foreplay. And you were addicted.

You were wearing an oversized t-shirt, along with biker shorts, but with Jack’s gaze on you, it made you feel naked. His eyes trail down to your legs, “Get rid of your shorts and the panties, then I’ll let you do my hair.” 

Pulling the pants down, you drop them unceremoniously on the floor. Your panties follow next, but Jack stops you before you can place them on the floor. He gestures for you to hand the panties over to him, which you do. Jack holds your panties up to the light and spots the wet stain, “You wet for me already, babydoll? I bet you’re dripping down your thighs right now.”

You clench your thighs together in response. 

Bunching your panties up in his hands, Jack brings the material to his nose and lets out a deep groan. Pulling the panties from his nose, he slides them into the pockets of his sweatpants. He looks down at the shirt as it covers you, “Lift your shirt. Let daddy see his pretty girl.” 

Is it even possible at this point to get wetter?

You grab the hem of the shirt and lift it higher and higher until your bare cunt is on display for Jack’s viewing. You watch as Jack swallows harshly before pulling your body into his lap. He leans up to connect his lips to yours and slides his tongue inside your mouth. You moan softly into his mouth, while grinding your core across Jack’s bulge. 

Jack lifts you as he slides his sweatpants down. You clock the lack of underwear as he kicks the sweatpants off. Jack guides his flared tip to your entrance as you sink down on his length. A whimper leaves you as Jack splits you open. Although you’d been intimate plenty of times, you don’t think you’ll ever fully get used to Jack’s cock. 

Your arms wrap around his shoulders as a pout settles over your lips. Jack smirks at the already glazed-over look in your eyes. He lightly taps your face, “You still need to do my hair, baby. This is just foreplay. You make me look pretty, and Daddy will give you whatever you want.”

You nod through the haze of pleasure. 

Which brings you to the current moment. Styling and defining Jack’s curls while you try not to cum. You’re pretty sure you’re the first person in your bloodline to even utter that sentence. 

“You free this Friday?” Jack asks, clearly unbothered by the whole situation.

A small ‘mhmm’ leaves your lips as you try to concentrate on Jack’s hair. He laughs, which causes you to clench as his tip brushes against your spot. You can feel yourself leaking down Jack, and you’re sure that when you get up, there’ll be a puddle in the seat. 

“I want to take you out. Didn’t you say there was that new Korean spot that you wanted to go to?”

Another nod from you. By this point, you know that Jack is doing this to rile you up. He’s practically salivating at seeing you struggle not to come apart. He wonders if you’ll be able to cum like this. He looks down to where you’re both connected and smiles in satisfaction. Truthfully, Jack enjoys being inside you much more than you know. 

Actually, he just enjoys being around you, period. 

You’re the only person besides Robby that he’s allowed to grow close to him. Each day when he wakes up, he reaches for his phone to send you a text message. Throughout the day, he constantly wonders about what you’re doing and if you’re doing okay. He even makes it a point to always send lunch to your job to make sure that you’re eating. He smiles when he sees the notifications pop up on his phone that let him know that you’ve purchased something. 

Jack really likes knowing that you’re spending his money. In fact, it’d become somewhat of a kink at this point. He got off on knowing that he was taking care of his pretty girl. 

You apply the last bit of cream to Jack’s hair before wiping your hands on the towel. 

“Okay, all finished. You look so cute already,” You gush. You wipe the remaining product from Jack’s face as he stares at you. 

“Now what happens?”

“Well, we just let your hair dry.”

“How long will that take?”

“About 30-45 minutes, I suppose,” You reply. 

Jack smiles, “Good, that’s enough time for me to make you cum."

The following weeks become a lot busier for Jack. He’s working more hours at the hospital, which includes showing up on the day shift like an absolute maniac. Despite this, he still manages to remember to take care of you. The last thing he wants is his pretty girl being stressed out when he’s not around.

Still, it’s killing him to not be around you. He’s getting by on conversations with you on his breaks and after work. Those AirPods really came in handy. He’s sitting in the break room when he gets a text from you.  

He opens the text and groans loudly.

Babydoll 💕 Wish you were here, daddy 🥺

In Jack’s mind, no woman has ever looked as good as you do now in your babydoll dress. He zooms in on the picture to get a closer view of your body and the sweet expression on your face. How was it possible for you to look so sexy, yet so innocent at the same time? Mentally, Jack thinks about all of the colors of the dress that he’s planning to buy you later. 

He wants you to model every piece for him. 

Jack 🦊♥️ God, you look gorgeous, baby. I hate that I can’t be there to see you in person. 

Babydoll 💕 I’ll model it for you–on and off.

Jack 🦊♥️ Sounds like a plan, babydoll.  Make sure you get more. I want to see you in every color that they have available.

Babydoll 💕 Okay Daddy☺️

The pictures from your end only increase. Each day of the week, you send Jack a new picture of you in new silk gowns and lingerie. He’s practically salivating in the breakroom with each glance at your pictures. Jack was so down bad that he’d save all of your pictures and had them all saved in a special album in his phone.

Babydoll 💕 I’m sad that you’re not here..☹️

Jack 🦊♥️ You’re killing me, baby😩 I promise I’ll make it up to you, Princess. Whatever you want, just name it & it’s all yours. 

Truthfully, it was killing Jack to not be close to you or to see you as frequently. He’s sitting in the breakroom when another message from you comes in. He opens it up and expects to see another picture of you there, but it’s an audio message. Since being with you, he has been more advanced in using his phone. That included sending little voice notes to you throughout the day and also receiving them.

He clicks play on the message, “Hi, daddy. I miss you so much, but it seems like you don’t miss me as much. So I just wanted to send you a little something to show you what you’re missing out on.” Jack catches the teasing lilt in your voice and listens in anticipation as you presumably move the phone. There’s quick rustling before he hears the distinct sounds of something wet and sticky.

Jack knows that sound.

He’s memorized it as well as his own schedule. His girl is playing with his other girl. He leans closer to the phone as if it’ll provide him with some kind of preview into what he’s missing. Your soft moan echoes through the AirPods, “Feels so good, but not as good as you feel.” 

Jack continues to listen to the wet sounds as you narrate your actions, “I just put two fingers in. You wanna hear how wet I am?” Jack feels like he could faint as the wet sloshing continues to sound in his ears. He can feel himself hardening in his scrub pants, and he desperately wishes it were the end of his shift. Just as he hopes to listen to more, the audio cuts off. 

He mourns the loss of hearing your sounds in his ears. He quickly presses “keep” and begins typing another message to you. Before he can send the message, three dots appear. He stops typing as your next message comes through. 

It’s a video. 

Jack looks around the empty breakroom and behind his shoulder before pressing play on the video. As the video plays, you’re sitting there in your pretty pink lingerie, and you flash the camera across the mesh cups. He can vaguely see your nipples through the material. 

You move the camera down to show your bare and wet center. He swallows roughly at the sight of your wet folds gripping your fingers. You pull your fingers back to show Jack the juices that are covering your digits. He feels parched at the idea of not having a taste of you. 

You point the camera back at your face with a very sweet, yet mischievous smile.

Then the video ends.

Jack concludes that at the end of his shift, he won’t be picking up any more day shifts, and he’s definitely making more time in his schedule for you.

Today’s one of those day that Jack and Robby love. 

A day off. 

Or as Dana likes to call it, “their old man day.” Jack closes the fridge as he brandishes two beers in his hand. He slides one to Robby as he takes his seat on the couch. Both men sit back with relaxed smiles on their faces as they take bites from their sandwiches and sip from their beers. 

Honestly, what could be better?

“Any plans for tonight, old man?” Robby asks, wiping the mayo from his mouth.

“Yeah, I’m taking my girl out tonight. We haven’t had a chance to spend as much time together as I’d like.”

Robby pauses, that familiar frown overtaking his face. He quickly replaces it by smiling tensely, “That’s still a thing?”

Jack frowns as he takes a sip from his beer, “Yes, it’s still a thing, Robby. Why?”

Robby shrugs, plopping another chip into his mouth, “Just curious, is all. And what app did you say you met her on again?”

“Just a regular app,” Jack responds, sipping from his beer. 

“Look, Jack, I’m not trying to be a dick. I’m just being protective. It’s been what…5 years since you and Joanna divorced? I’m just trying to look out for you, man. You know how these young girls can be.”

Jack’s head snaps over in Robby’s direction, “No, I actually don’t know how they are, Robby. Who don’t you tell me? Seeing as half of the women that you sleep with at the hospital are younger.”

Robby scoffs, “That’s not fair, and you know it. I mean, what do you even know about her? What conversations are you guys having? Are you sure that she’s not just after your money?”

It’s this statement that strikes a nerve in Jack’s chest. He thinks back to the origin of your relationship. The very grounds of your relationship started on financial terms. He’d take care of you, and in return, you’d spend time with him. Viewing the terms of your relationship in this way, in the way that Robby insinuates, makes the beer taste stale in his mouth.

Internally, he knows that you’re not like that. This is just about money to you. You actually care about him, and you actually like him. Jack thinks of all the moments that you spend together where he doesn’t buy you anything. Actually, Jack takes a step back and realizes that you rarely ask him for things. If anything, you’re content with just being around him, even if it means eating takeout food and watching Law and Order: SVU reruns. 

Which is why he quickly pushes any doubt out of his mind with his relationship with you.

“She’s not a gold digger. In fact, this is the happiest that I’ve been in a while, and to add on, I really don’t appreciate you insulting my girl like that. The age gap is fine between us. If you have a problem with it, then that’s your prerogative, man.” 

With that, Jack takes the moment to sip from his beer again as he turns his gaze to the game on the TV.

If there’s one thing that Robby hates, it’s having Jack be mad at him. Not that he’d ever openly reveal that information. 

“Listen, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to disrespect your relationship. I’m always looking out for your best interests, Jack. I’ll lay off,” Robby states, staring anxiously at the TV. 

Jack only nods and continues watching the game. He has a lot on his mind. 

You’re at a dinner party. Not just any party. 

Michael Robinavitch’s dinner party. Jack’s best friend. 

The same man who keeps giving you a questioning look across the table and smiles tensely at you whenever you’re involved in the conversation. You aren’t stupid. You can tell when someone doesn’t like you. It doesn’t take your background in psychology to put those facts together. 

Michael Robinavitch, or “Robby” as Jack so fondly calls him, has beef with you. 

Why?  

Maybe he was jealous. Maybe he’s been harboring some secret boner for Jack for the past twenty years of their lives, and he’s mad that you’re bouncing on Jack’s dick every night. 

Whatever the case may be, you try to take the high road and ignore the incessant nagging in your head whenever Robby shoots you a look. 

It also doesn’t help that no one else appears to notice the looks that he’s giving you. It makes you feel even more uncomfortable because you feel like you’d look like a total bitch if you brought it up to Jack. 

From beside you, Jack turns his head to look at you. He lowers his voice, “You good? You seem kind of tense.” 

“Just nerves,” you lie. However, it’s not a complete lie. You are a bit nervous, but you can’t be open about why you’re nervous. 

Jack presses a quick kiss to your temple, “You say the word, and we’ll leave.” 

It makes your heart clench, and you get that gooey feeling again. You’d been getting that gooey feeling a lot more throughout the course of your relationship with Jack. You definitely weren’t ready to acknowledge what those feelings meant. 

You shake your head, “No, it’s fine. I wouldn’t want you to have to leave early because of me.”

“Babydoll, your care and comfort matter to me. Whenever you’re ready, we can leave. Robby will understand.”

You smile tensely and quickly peck his lips. Unfortunately, you definitely don’t think that Robby would understand, especially with the dark look that he gives you as Jack kisses you again. 

“M’gonna go get another drink. Do you want one?” You ask. 

Jack nods, “Yeah. Thanks, honey.” He presses another kiss to your lips before you rise to enter the kitchen. You subtly tug at your dress as you walk into the kitchen. 

Grabbing the bottle of champagne, you tilt it to fill your cup. You navigate around the counter to start pouring Jack another glass of whiskey. 

“You having fun?”

You jump at the sound of Robby’s voice from behind you. You turn to look at the older man as he leans against the doorway. You’re not blind. Michael Robinavitch is an objectively attractive man, but to you, he doesn’t compare to Jack. 

You smile. It’s that same fake smile that you had worked on for years, especially when dealing with people who don’t like you. In a career like yours, you had to know the art of the fake smile.

“Yeah, thanks for inviting me, by the way,” you respond, trying to downplay the awkwardness.

Robby moves from the doorway to stand on the other side of the counter. “S’no problem at all. Especially with you being Jack’s girlfriend and all.”

He chuckles, “Or are we still using that in 2026? Girlfriend? Or do you prefer to be called Jack’s partner?”

It doesn’t occur to you that there isn’t a title on your relationship with Jack. Well, he’s your sugar daddy. You’re his girl, or his babydoll as he so affectionately likes to call you. 

You take a sip from your drink, “Girlfriend is fine.” 

Robby pulls the bottle of whiskey to himself, “You know, I’ve noticed a real change in Jack. He likes you a lot. I didn’t think that after his divorce, he’d ever date again. Figured they’d find their way back together again.”

You shrug, “None of my business. I can not focus on what Jack and I have now.”

“What is it that you and Jack have? Do you love him? What’s the long-term here?” Robby inquires, swirling the drink around. 

You swallow harshly. You hadn’t thought of the long-term. You and Jack had both agreed early on to keep things in the present and to enjoy it. Now your mind can’t help but go to the future. 

What would that look like? Would Jack just continue to be your sugar daddy forever? Did he want to keep this going long-term? 

Your thought filter back over to what Robby mentioned about Jack’s ex-wife? In his defense, he’s known Jack for years. Surely, he’d know Jack the best.

What if he did want to get back with his ex-wife? 

That bitter nagging crawls up from your belly and settles in your chest. You take another sip of champagne to quell the burn. 

Robby clocks your discomfort. 

“I didn’t mean to infer anything. I can see that question stumped you. You see, I just care about Jack because he is my best friend. I’d hate to see him get his heart broken. I’d also hate to see you get hurt, sweetheart. I mean, you’re a pretty girl, but Jack’s always been attracted to girls who need help. He’s a bit fickle that way. He likes girls who need to be saved. I’m just worried that he’ll leave you high and dry in the end,” Robby explains, locking eyes with you. 

He leans across the counter and beckons you forward, “Just between us. A lot of the Pitt had their money on him and Samira a few months ago. They were really close.”

Robby watches in satisfaction as your expression drops. You may have been good at hiding it at the table, but he knows what buttons to press with girls like you. 

Girls who are so eager to be saved. 

He lightly taps the counter as he grabs his drink, “Oh, before I forget, Jack likes two cubes of ice in his drink.” You look down at the drink where you’d only poured the whiskey. 

You didn’t even know what Jack liked. The thought sends another wave of insecurity through your body. 

Robby starts to exit the kitchen before calling your name. He gives you a fake smile of his own, “Thanks for coming.”

When you make it back into the living room with everyone else, laughter spills throughout the room. Your eyes go to Samira, who is sitting next to Jack. That bitter acid churns in your stomach. 

Robby catches your look. 

You walk over to Jack and sit on the other side of him. You hand him the drink with the added ice cubes. 

“Thank you, babydoll,” He states, pulling you into his side. He catches the look on your face and frowns.

“You okay?”

“Um..not really. I’m not really feeling good at the moment. Do you mind if we leave?”

“Course. You wanna stop by the pharmacy for a few things?”

“No, it’s just a little headache. I think I just need to lie down,” You reply. 

Jack nods, “Yeah. Let’s get you home.” 

You both stand from the couch, and you try not to shrink at all of the different gazes on you.

“You’re leaving already, Abbot?” Shen teases. 

“Yeah, my girl and I are heading home. No need to be jealous, Shen,” Jack fires back before blowing a kiss at the man. 

Shen laughs and pretends to catch it. He turns his gaze to you, “It was nice seeing you again! Be sure to keep him in line.”

For the first time tonight, you genuinely smile, “I definitely will. Someone has to keep this cowboy in line.” Shen laughs loudly. 

“Okay, come on before the two of you start to conspire against me,” Jack said, placing an arm around your waist. 

You both say your respective goodbyes to everyone. You try not to wince when Samira gets up to hug Jack. As you and Jack walk to the door, Robby follows you both out. 

“You two kids get home safely. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Robby calls out as he leans against the door. 

Jack scoffs, “That list must be mighty short, brother.” He pulls Robby into a hug before moving back to stand at your side. 

Robby’s eyes flicker to you, “Nice to see you again.” Before you can think about it, the older man pulls you into a hug. It’s the most awkward experience of your life. 

As Jack drives away from Robby’s house, you can’t help but notice the way that your thoughts race. Even when Jack reaches to intertwine your fingers with his and kisses your fingers, you still can’t ease your thoughts. 

He pulls into the front of your apartment. He’s about to get out to follow you inside when you turn to him, “Hey, is it okay if I sleep alone tonight? I know that we had different plans, but I’m just not really feeling good. I wouldn’t want to pass it to you.”

Jack frowns, “You sure you don’t want me to watch you? I mean, I’m a doctor and all.” He smiles at you at the end of the sentence.

You laugh softly, “No, it’s alright.” 

In the short period of time that Jack’s known you, he’s grown spectacularly well at reading you. He knows that something’s wrong, but he also knows not to press people before they’re ready to talk. 

“I’m fine with that, sweetheart. Just let me know if you need anything, okay?” 

“I will.”

You and Jack exit the truck as he walks you to the front door of your apartment. Before you can put the code in for your building, he pulls you closer. Jack looks to you for permission before pressing his lips against yours. 

He kisses you like he’s afraid of losing you. The thought makes your knees weak. 

“I’ll see you later, okay?” Jack asks, holding your fingers between his.

“Yeah, we still have to watch Love Island together,” you joke. 

Jack chuckles. You’d put him on Love Island, and he was gladly invested in the show just as much as you were.

“Course, we do. We can order takeout too. Goodnight, sweetheart.” He leans forward to press another kiss to your lips. You want so desperately to ask him to come up, but you can’t get Robby’s words out of your head. 

Jack watches you enter your apartment sorrowfully. He’s a lot more attached to you than he thought he was. 

“What a lame ass nigga!” Sasha yells as you finish recounting the events of the night at Robby’s house. 

“Sasha, he made me feel so cheap and like I meant absolutely nothing to Jack,” You comment.

Sasha’s gaze softens as she takes in your body language on the couch. She slides in next to you and pulls you into a hug. 

“I’m sorry he made you feel like that. Look, I’ve seen the way that you and Jack are around each other. That man is down bad for you, sis. I don’t think that this is just a game to him.” 

She pauses, “Did you mention any of this to Jack?”

“No, I thought about it, but then I just got scared. I mean, Robby’s his best friend. How exactly was I going to broach that subject?”

Frankly, you were scared to broach the subject because you were scared of the conversation. What if this all was just something casual to Jack, and he was still harboring feelings for his ex-wife? What if he were taking care of Samira in the same way that he was taking care of you? 

The thought makes your throat feel tight. 

“I can see you spiraling, but listen, Jack is a grown man. It’s best to go ahead and have the conversation with him now. Don’t let that sit and fester. It’ll only hurt you more,” Sasha said. 

You take a deep breath. She’s right. You’re grown now, so you have to get comfortable with having those uncomfortable conversations. 

“You’re right. I’ll talk to him tomorrow.”

The next evening, Jack comes over to watch Love Island. He places his bag in your bedroom and turns to you to connect his lips to yours. 

“I missed you,” Jack states, staring down at you. 

You cup his face in your hand, “I missed you too.” 

For a moment, you both just allow yourselves to stand in place as Jack pulls you into another kiss. His hands trail down to cup your backside in his hands. His lips move to your neck, where he starts sucking gently. 

You can feel the heat spreading throughout your body as you lean into Jack’s touch. You giggle at the scratch of his stubble, “Jack, we’re gonna miss Love Island.”

Jack continues kissing your neck, “Baby, the villa isn’t leaving us. Just let me appreciate my girl for a second.”

He ushers you to the couch and sits down with you on his lap. You both continue to tongue each other down as you grind along Jack’s lap. He slouched and let out a wince against your lips. 

You pull back, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just my leg is killing me after today,” He replies. 

You slide off his lap and move to kneel in front of him. Jack is about to protest until you shush him. He watches closely as you take off his prosthetic with perfect precision. You even take the initiative to go grab a warm towel to rub on the limb. 

Jack throws his head back and groans at the feeling of your fingers massaging his leg. 

You look up at him, “Is this okay?”

“Yeah, babydoll. You’re doing perfect.” 

He takes the time to admire the absolute care that you’re putting into taking care of him. He knows that this whole arrangement started with him taking care of you, but he notices that you also enjoy taking care of him as well. The fact that you had memorized the whole routine in removing his prosthetic means more to Jack than you know. 

When you finish, you move to cuddle back into his side. He presses a kiss to the side of your head, “Thank you, baby. That meant more than you could ever know.”

“Anytime, daddy.” 

Before you and Jack can fully lock into Love Island, you pass him his crutches as he goes to the bathroom. Before he leaves, he passes his phone to you, “Order us something, honey. Whatever you want.” 

“Okay,” You chirp back. 

You slide across the apps on Jack’s phone so that you can get to the DoorDash one. You stop in your tracks when you swipe across the screen and notice the “Sugar and Spice” app still on his phone. Why’d he still have the app on the phone if he was only supposed to be seeing you? Did this mean that he was seeing other people? 

Jack’s phone buzzes in your hand, and you honestly just want to break down and cry.

Samira Mohan

Thanks again for the other night. ♥️

to be continued….

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[lovergirlcinema]

Baby Rabbit Series

Jack Abbot x black!reader

Summary: You bring your daughter into the ER with an increased fever, and she manages to convince herself that Dr. Jack Abbot is her dada. Naturally, your connection with Jack grows as your daughter insists on having her "Dada" around at all times.

Chapter List: Chapter I: A Case of the Mistaken Daddy Chapter II: Maybe Child Leashes Aren't So Bad Chapter III: Goldfish and Gummy Bears Chapter IV: How’s The Family, Jack? Chapter V: Uncle Robby and the Fifty-Dollar Fiasco Chapter VI: Loading...

[untilmynextstory]

I promise, guys, I am working on the next Honey x Pope installment, slowly but surely. It just requires me to watch the show a lot more than the other pieces did.

[porchlightfairy]

My Love Mine All Mine

(Little Miracle Series pt.10 END)

jack abbot x ICUnurse!singlemom!reader

wc: 3.2k

a/n: thank you for reading the little miracle series this is the final part! there are some requests in my inbox but those will be under little miracle requests so the taglist ends with this one! thank you again for hyping up this story and reading it!

summary: while you are in labor, miracle is having the time of her life in the ER.

tags: fluff, inaccurate aspects of labor, miracle living it up in the ER, also miracle witnesses death in the ER (kinda) and in typical child like fashion asks about death and the afterlife. children are rather macabre.

little miracle masterlist

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4:00AM

"What about David?" Jack sits at the nurse's station in the ED. He holds a small notepad and pen.

"It's not bad." Ellis shrugs, "It's not good either but not bad."

"My former stepson was a David. He had behavioral issues." Lena says.

"So, no on David." He scratches the name out on the notepad.

A few months after you had gotten married, you had gotten pregnant. While at work you weren't feeling well. One second you were walking down the hall then the next you were on the floor surrounded by your colleagues. You had fainted.

You spent the next hour in the ER. Jack stayed by your side as you listed off your symptoms to Ellis. She looks between the two of you and sighs, "Alright, before we do a CT and such." She sets a sample cup on the bed next to you, "We gotta rule out pregnancy."

You make faces as you seem to have a conversation in your head about it. Then you turn to Jack, "That could be the case."

And it very much was. 6 weeks marked on the day of your dizzy spell.

Now you were well into your 3rd trimester. You had learned, you were having a little boy and put Jack to work thinking of names. You had your own in mine of course but you wanted hear what ideas he had. Miracle was excited to have a younger brother. She helped Jack decorate the spare bedroom and picked out some plushies for the baby.

Your doctor assured you there were no signs of preeclampsia and you were fine to continue working. You were happy to do so as you knew the movement would help with labor later on. It was safe to say that this pregnancy was smooth sailing.

"What name has the missus come up with?" Lena asks

"Hers are way better than mine." He grumbles, "De Angelo is one…"

"Damn that is better yours." Ellis blurts out.

"And the other one was Zeno." He glares at her.

"She's got you beat." Ellis shakes her head, "And you said she asked you to come up with names?"

"So we could compare." He throws the pad on the desk.

"And all you got was David?"

"She shot down my other ones before I left for work."

"Then maybe we should just pick from hers." Lena suggests.

"I vote DeAngelo." Ellis stands up and goes to a patient.

"I like Zeno. Not many Z names out there." Lena grins then walks away.

Abbot picks up his tablet with a sigh and goes to work on a few more patients.

5:00AM

Jack stares at the notepad again when he hears, "Daddy!"

Young Miracle runs over to the desk holding a stuffed duffel bag.

"Hey, what are you doing here? How did you get here?" He looks to the ambulance bay doors.

"The ambulance. Mommy is having… contractions?"

As if on cue, you come in being pushed by a paramedic in a wheelchair. "Hi." You wince, "I would have called but I needed to get everything.

"That's okay. How are you feeling right now?" He helps you transfer from the ambulance chair to the hospital one.

"I'm okay. The contractions were just getting frequent. Oh god." You whimper.

"Okay, that's fine. Let's go up to L & D. Miracle, are you okay staying down in here?"

"Yes!" She hands the duffel bag to him and his kisses her forehead. She runs back to the desk.

"She's in good hands, Abbot. Congratulations you two." Lena smiles as the two of you continue to the elevator.

In the elevator, you ask, "Nervous?"

"Not much."

"I can tell you are white knuckling the chair right now." You look over your shoulder.

He loosens his grip, "Okay, I might be a little nervous."

"It's gonna be okay." You pat his hand, "He's okay, I'm okay. We are okay." You groan a little at the last comment.

"How's the pain?" He asks.

"Just uncomfortable right now." You take a few breaths like you were drinking through a straw.

You arrive to the Labor and Delivery floor and are greeted by one of the nurses. "Good morning! We've been expecting you, Nurse Abbot." She beams. "How are you doing?"

"Good. Contractions are just close together." You take a breath.

"Great, lets get you in a room and comfortable so we can check you out."

Downstairs, Miracle draws at the nurse's stations. "You excited to be a big sister, Miracle?" Lena asks.

"Yes!" She smiles.

"You're not going to get jealous, are you?" Ellis asks.

"No. Mommy told me babies need a lot of attention but that doesn't me they love me less." She recalls the conversation.

You weren't far along, only 3 months when you spoke to her about it. You sat with her on the couch watching TV as you played with her hair. "Do you think it's a boy or a girl?" You ask her.

"A girl!" She turns to rub your belly.

"But you're okay if it's not a girl too, right?"

"Mhm. As long as the baby is happy and healthy."

"Did Daddy speak to you about that?"

She nods.

"Well, I have something to say too." You scoot her closer so you're belly to belly. "Babies are hard work and need a lot of attention when they're small."

"Was I hard work?"

"Yes you were. You needed a lot of attention because you were so little. So, there will be times when Mommy and Daddy won't give you attention because the baby is crying. They can't tell us what's wrong like you and I can. When a baby is hungry they cry. When they're tired they cry. And when they poop they…"

"Cry!" She says. "I won't be a green monster."

"Good. Mommy needs a little helper instead. Could you do that for me?"

"Yes! I can."

"Such a good little girl." You kiss her forehead, "I want you to know that I love you so much and nothing will change that. You won't get less love from me, instead Mommy's heart gets bigger for more room."

"Like when you married Daddy. My heart grew bigger for him."

"That's right." You hug her.

"I love you . And you too little baby."

6:00AM

"I hate you." You swallow a breath, "I hate what you've done to me."

"I know, I'm sorry." Jack dabs the sweat from your forehead. Within the hour you started to sweat profusely and with every position you put yourself in you felt worse.

You were now in active labor and hating every minute of it. It wasn't like this for Miracle. One second you were round and laying on your back and the next you were in a different room and your baby was missing. You didn't feel a thing. This was new for you and you hated every minute of it.

"Can't they just like yank him out right now?" You whine.

"You're not there yet. You're cervix is only dilated a few centimeters. Doing that would hurt you and the baby."

"I know that." You whimper, "I need you to not be in doctor mode right now and comfort me."

"I know, I'm sorry." He caresses your face, "They're getting you drugs right now, if that makes you feel better."

"Drug?"

"Mhm, the epidural is on its way." He smiles

"Yay," You let out an exasperated sigh and clench your eyes shut, "I need them to hurry."

7:00AM

"Okay Ima say DeAngelo at 8:45" Donnie holds out $20 to Ahmad.

"Zeno at 8:45," Ahmad adds his own.

The day shift had now arrived to work and received word of your admission to L&D. The baby pool has started among them.

"Jesus, you two amateurs?" Dana walks up with $10, "Put me down for DeAngelo at 10:15."

"Zeno, 10:56." Robby holds $40.

"You're cheating, you were at there house almost everyday. You know the baby's name already."

"I do not. She has been very indecisive." He shrugs, "I know nothing."

The whiteboard fills up with colored sticky notes with the two names DeAngelo and Zeno. "Keep in mind, party people, half the pool goes to a baby gift for the couple on behalf of the emergency department." Dana announces.

"Can I guess too?" Miracle holds up a $5 bill.

"Sure, what name do you think they're going to pick?" Ahmad squats to her eye level.

"DeAngelo."

"And what time?"

"11:25." She smiles.

"Alright, now we'll just wait and see." He takes her bill and puts her note on the board.

She skips back to the nurse's station. "Hey Little Miss, just because your out of school doesn't mean it's your day off." Dana puts her hands on her hips, "Let's get to work, c'mon."

"Yes, Miss Dana." Miracle follows Dana to be put to work.

8:00AM

The epidural has kicked and you had calmed down. A lot. "Man, what was I complaining about? That wasn't so bad." You smile.

"Nothing has happened yet." Jack chuckles.

"Oh. I feel like he just fell out."

"Nope. Do you feel the urge to push?"

"Not yet. I don't feel anything."

"That is a completely normal reaction to the epidural. You'll feel slight discomfort when your contractions come but it shouldn't be like before."

"Okay, yeah this feels like when it first started." You take a breath, "Sorry for saying I hate you. I don't hate you."

"I know, just breathe, Baby."

"I love you." You hold his face.

"I love you too." He kisses you gently.

"I wonder what Miracle is doing." You munch on some ice chips.

"Not getting into trouble down there, I hope. The older she gets the more worried I feel with her down here." Jack shudders.

"She's not that big of a troublemaker now. She's smarter."

"Exactly."

9:00AM

Miracle sits in the cab of an ambulance as paramedics show her the ins and outs of the truck. "Wow!" She hits the lights and sirens startling a few of the medics outside. A paramedic cuts it off as they laugh and helps her out of the cab.

"Having fun, Miracle?" Whitaker and Langdon come jogging out in gloves, smocks and glasses.

"So much fun! I think I like day time more than night time here." She jumps around, "What are you wearing?"

"This is to keep up from getting dirty." Langdon explains, "Hey, I think Dana has breakfast for you in the break room. Why don't you head inside?"

"Okay." She skips inside but slows down once inside. A couple seconds later, they enter with a man on a gurney. They're saying things, Miracle can't quite understand. They enter the big window room. It reminds her of the first time she came during the day.

She wanted a closer look but she knew Dana was waiting for her in the break room. She turns back in the opposite direction and heads there where Dana sits with a small container of cereal for her.

"Are you excited for the new baby?" Dana asks.

"I can't wait to see him," Miracle starts to eat.

"You'll be a good big sister, I know it." Dana pinches her cheek.

"I hope so." She slows down her chewing and fiddles with her fingers.

"Nervous?"

"A happy scared. Last time my mommy was pregnant it was scary for her."

"That was with you, right?"

"Mhm, She was really scared." Miracle recalls the story in her mind, "It's how I got my name."

"Really? I don't think I've heard how you got your name. Could you tell me?

"I can! When my mommy was pregnant with me, she was very sick with preeclampsia…"

10:00AM

"Alright, hun, on your next contraction we need you to push." The nurse stands beside with Jack on the other side. When you feel the contraction come, you do your best to push.

"Is he out?" You pant.

"Not yet, you're doing good." Jack holds your hand.

You throw your head back in defeat.

"It's okay, Mama." The nurse assures you, "Just rest, try not to tire yourself out okay. Your contractions have slowed for these kinds of breaks but you're doing fine."

You sigh, "I just want it to be over already."

"Think positive." Jack kisses your forehead.

"Think positive…" You smile, "I want you to barbecue when I'm discharged."

"Oh." Jack chuckles,

"You grill, Dr. Abbot?" The nurse tilts her head.

"Just a little."

"He's the best! Everyone loves it."

"Mm, you'll have to send some our way for a taste."

"Absolutely, it's the best." You look at him, with tired eyes and a sheen of sweat on your face, "He's the best."

"Alright, Honey, That's positive enough." He wipes your face and neck, "You look so pretty."

"Liar." You turn away as you feel another contraction coming.

11:00AM

Miracle sits at the nurse's station practicing her writing when out from the Trauma Room, she sees the residents looking defeated. In her mind, She knew something was wrong but she didn't know what. As they all exit and are distracted, Miracle gets up and sneaks into the room.

Inside, is a person on a gurney under a white sheet. It must have been the man they brought in from before. She can see blood seeping through the sheet. She steps closer to the gurney and grabs the sheet to look underneath.

"Miracle!" Robby's harsh tone startles her away. She clasps her hands behind her back. "What are you doing in here?"

"Is he dead?" Her attention is still on the body.

Robby looks to the gurney then back at Miracle, "Uh, yes, he didn't make it." He turns her to face him, "We did everything we could."

"But doctors help people get better."

"We do but sometimes people are too sick to help. We try our hardest to make them better but sometimes they get too sick quickly and we can't do much to help."

Miracle looks to the gurney, "What happens now?"

"Well, we will check to see if he has any family and call them so they can come and see him." Robby takes her hand and leads her out of the room, "The nurses will clean him up and take him to a quiet room so his family can be with him in peace."

"Where will he go?"

"It's a small room just by the—"

"No, when we die, where do we go?"

Robby sucks in a breath, "I don't think we should think about that. Your little brother is being born today."

"Were me and Mommy like that when she was sick," Her mind still on the topic, "Could we have died?"

"Okay, Miracle." He picks her up and sits her on a chair then grabs another to sit. "Being sick like that was very scary for you and your mommy. But the doctors and nurses, your mommy and you fought really hard so you could live."

"Even me?"

"Especially you. It's how you got your name right. You're your mommy's Little Miracle."

She nods, "I am."

"I can't answer where we go when we die but I will say you won't be alone. You'll be with your mommy and your daddy, and now your little brother."

"And you?"

"And me?! You want me there too?" He kisses her cheek, "I'll be there if you want me and anybody else you want. We are beside you always, Miracle."

Just then, a L&D nurse comes to the station, "I'm looking for Dr. Robby and Miracle Abbot?"

"Right here," He smiles.

"Hello little one, your mommy has been asking for you. You want to see your little brother?" The nurse smiles at Miracle.

"How'd it go?" Dana comes over.

"A healthy baby boy, 7 pounds 8 ounces. The labor was just tiresome for mama."

"Can we get the name and time?" Ahmad comes over.

"Dr. Abbot said you guys might ask. Baby DeAngelo—" Half the room whoops in excitement "—was born at 11:25 on the dot."

"Who won?" Someone asks.

"Miracle did." Ahmad looks at the board. "She just won $500."

"Wow, Panda you won!" Robby looks at her impressed.

"I did?! I did!" She throws her hands up.

"Alright, let's go up to see Mommy and the new baby." Robby takes her to the elevator up to Labor and Delivery.

In your room, you hold baby DeAngelo swaddled tight. Jack looks at the two of you. You look up at him, "He's beautiful. He looks like Miracle when she was born." You graze a finger over the baby's lips.

Just then Miracle comes into the room, "Hi, Mommy." She whispers. "Hi Daddy." She runs over to Jack and hugs his side. He picks her up.

"Hi Princess, look who it is." He points to the baby.

"He's so little." She whispers.

"Just imagine, when you were born you were even smaller." You smile at her.

"I was?"

"Mhm, My Little Miracle." You boop her nose.

"Did you have a fun day in The Pitt?" Jack asks.

"Mhm." She lays on his shoulder, "It's a lot of hard work.

"It is. You must be tired, you've been up early." He sets her down on the couch.

"She basically worked an 8 hour shift." You laugh, "Do you want to hold DeAngelo?"

"Yes!"

Jack takes him from you and sits down beside Miracle. "Hold your hands out like you're holding a big pizza." She holds her hands like he says and he guides DeAngelo into her arms. He helps her hold him as the baby fusses. Her eyes widen as she watches him and a smile grows on her face.

"I love him, mommy."

"He love you too."

After a bit, there's a knock on the door. "Hey there, Beautiful." Robby comes in with a bouquet of flowers.

"Oh thank you, Robby," You smile at the flowers.

"Anything for you before the attention is on the baby." He kisses your cheek, "Now, where's the little guy?"

He looks over to find Jack holding him with Miracle asleep beside him. "Look at him. Never in my life would I imagine this. Hopefully he gets his looks from his mom, eh?"

"She begs to differ," Jack shoots back.

"Just a little." You say.

Robby chuckles, "Oh by the way your daughter won you guys $500 in the baby pool."

"What?" You blink.

"She guessed the name and time exactly." He explains, "The only person to do that."

"She's just special like that." You look at your little family as they sit. If it weren't for her sneaking away, you wouldn't have any of this. You would have never met Jack. You'd still be hiding away from the world out of fear. You had hoped to give her a happier life and she gave you one in return. A husband devoted to you, friends who love and care for you, and a family you were happy to come home to.

Jack looks at you and smiles. As if he knew what you were thinking he says, "I love you." You smile in return. As the earlier events catch up to you, you feel your lids grow heavy, "Just relax, we'll be here." He gets up and kisses your forehead, "We aren't going anywhere."

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tags: @cosmicneptune @ilocuras24 @lacy1986 @stardustworlds @a-true-janian-reply @amacphet @darknessofhell666-blog-blog @princess76179 @nyxmoretti @kidd3ath @lovehadlovelost @emmy626 @leeshy12 @evergreen9083 @flyinglama @heyyimmisunderstood @secretlyurfemmwife @sliverspringss @xxohsnapitspatxx @urgirl-jijiiii @sabrinathewitchh982 @luminaxs @1dhoe93 @melissa66orion @otteryougladimback @iloveeveryoneyoureamazing @1-800-bobcut @generation-zero @jas241 @swiftwerewolfknight @beebeechaos @imaginecrushes @gf4lwt @tlc3802 @blackirisesinthesunlight @plan3tch1ld @untilmynextstory @hista-girl @xh444 @closelyinsanewave @chattyotter14 @vivi-xne @uncertainblissss @teaspacebar @midnightalbatross @of-converse-books-and-chocolate @marcysbear

[porchlightfairy]

I just know in my heart that in the future when Miracle participates in a father's day presentation in her little School, Jack is gonna be in the audience crying his eyes out lol.

Like Father Like Daughter

(Little Miracle Series request)

jack abbot x nurse!singlemom!reader (ICU)

little miracle series masterlist

a/n: this takes place in daycare instead of at school for father's day bc school is usually out before the day and i can't recall i time i ever did a father's day thing the last week of school lol. this request was so cute! my heart couldn't contain it. shout out to all the fathers that stepped up that includes the single mothers, grandparents and even siblings that were put into those positions.

wc: 500

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You had a surprise for Jack. During the day there was a presentation in one of the small lecture rooms. You had Robby play along, making it seem like it was mandatory for him to be in attendance. He is reluctant. Robby is usually the one to go to these type of events. What raises his suspicions is when he sees you come in and sit down beside him, "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see the look on your face." You take out your phone and take a picture of his confused face. He then notices that it is not only doctors there but more nurses, lab techs, cafeteria staff and more different staff members in the room.

Then in comes the daycare staff followed by a large group of children around Miracle's age. All the kids are wearing a wide array of uniforms from around the hospital. Miracle is among the group and she's wearing black scrubs. She's wearing black scrubs… his scrubs not the dark blue that ICU wears, what you wear. He looks at you in surprise, "What is this?"

"Shhh. It's starting."

We'd like to thank you all for coming. We're going to have the kiddos come up and tell us who they are, who they are dressed as, and what that person does in the hospital."

They go down the line one by one stating their names and who they are dress as. As it gets closer to Miracle's turn, Jack feels a lump in his throat. You pull out your phone again to take another picture and record her turn.

When it's her turn Miracle steps to the center of the room, "My name is Miracle and I am dressed like my daddy, Dr. Jack Abbot." She smiles when she sees you two in the crowd. "My daddy works in the emergency room and he does a lot of things in there."

"Can you give us an example, Miracle?"

"He helps with tummy aches, broken bones, and colds. He takes care of everyone like little babies to really old people." The crowd laughs, "And after he does that he comes home and takes care of me too."

You pout as you watch a tear roll down his cheek. You wipe it away as everyone claps. The show ends and the children are dismissed for the day. "You did so good, Miracle." You kiss her forehead.

"Daddy was crying, I saw." She hugs his legs.

"I was surprised. I had no idea you picked me." He rubs her back.

"You're my daddy now. I wanted to."

He picks her up and peppers her face in kisses, "I love you princess."

"I love you too."

"Hey, let me get a picture of you two matching." You take a picture of them posed together, smiling, "You two are so cute."

Jack nudges you, "Not jealous?"

"She dressed as me last year. She was a little more shy so I didn't get the cool speech like you but you get a pass. But don't let it get to your head. She's gonna be a nurse." You take her out of his arms and walk away.

"What if she picks neither? What then?!" He follows after you.

[porchlightfairy]

Ritual Union

(Little Miracle Series pt.9)

jack abbot x ICUnurse!singlemom!reader

wc: 2.1k

summary: the day of your wedding and Miracle goes missing (again!) and more goes wrong but you and jack try to have a beautiful day.

tags: what's in the box? oh more fluff!

little miracle masterlist

˖⋆࿐໋₊ ☆

"What if we just ran away and got married at the courthouse?" You bite your finger nails as you pace your bedroom. Jack sits on his computer with his readers on.

"We can do that, but wasn't it your idea for a ceremony too?" He purses his lips.

"I know but now it just seems like alot. The invitations, a venue, a caterer, an open bar, a photographer, the flowers, the dress, hair and make up a dress for miracle. A cake! I forgot about a cake!" You flop onto the bed and groan.

"Okay, then let's simplify."

"Well, we need invitations so that won't be so bad. We can do with a small venue because it's less then fifty. We need a caterer so people can eat so they can drink. Nobody wants to take time off work to spend money on a cash bar so we need the open bar. I don't really need to be holding any flowers and my dress can be a simple one, and Miracle can pick what she wants."

"Okay, I can sense a bit of a pattern there." He closes his laptop, "Do this for yourself. It's a small wedding sure but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do all the things you want for it. Money is not an issue. We've got time to plan it. Come here." He pulls you up to the pillows.

"It'll be okay?" You pout.

"It will be a beautiful day. You will be beautiful. And Miracle will be beautiful." He kisses you after every sentence.

-

On the day of your wedding, you tried to think positively. It was raining. It had stormed all week and the outdoor space you had booked was unusable. It was muddy and you're sure a few of your guests slipped walking inside.

The venue you had chosen was just an hour or so from Pittsburgh. It was a historical victorian mansion with a large property. The photos were gorgeous and you imagined how lovely it would look to take your vows on the property.

What was supposed to a beautiful garden style wedding was forced inside a small glass atrium. It was still visually appealing and could fit everyone but it was so humid so everyone stripped their outerwear including shawls and suit jackets.

You were nervous all through hair and make up. The photographer kept having to remind you to smile at times because she was taking pictures. Nana, one of your bridesmaids, comes up beside you. "You look so beautiful. This day is going to be perfect. We promise." She rubs yours shoulders.

"How's Miracle?" You ask.

"Good! She is putting on her shoes in the hall right now." Nana turns on her heels and walks out the door. Therese runs up to her.

"Any sign of her?"

"I feel like I searched for her every where! Where could that little girl go in here?"

"We are so screwed if we don't find her."

Nana rushes to the men's dressing room and knocks on the door rapidly. "Hey, where's the fire?" Robby opens the door.

"We lost Miracle," She whispers, "Please, please tell me you've seen her."

"I can't say I have." He shakes his head. "Let me help." He heads into the hall to join the search.

Having heard everything, Jack takes a deep breath. He grabs the door to join the search as well when he notices in the mirror in the corner of the room, Miracle peeking from under the bed.

"Miracle, come on out, please." Jack sits on the bed beside where the little girl was underneath.

"No." She whines.

"Why not, Princess?"

"I don't feel good," She murmurs.

"Can Daddy do a check up?"

"No."

"Princess, I want to help."

"I don't want to mess up the wedding." She pouts.

"That's not possible." He says, "Your mommy will understand. I think she'd be okay if we cancelled—"

"No! I want you to get married." Her demeanor changes to frustration for a split second.

"Miracle. Your mommy will not marry me if you are not at the ceremony." He holds out his hand for her. "Will you tell me what's wrong?"

"I don't know what's wrong."

"Is it your head? Your chest? Your tummy?"

"My tummy."

"Was it something you ate, maybe?"

"No it doesn't hurt."

"Oh I see," He lowers himself to the floor, "You've got butterflies in your tummy."

"Butterflies?"

"Is it like you're not scared but you've got a scary feeling like you are?"

"Yeah." She peeks her head out.

"It's because you're nervous. It's kinda like being scared and excited. People get it sometimes when something really special is going to happen." He looks at her.

"I want you and Mommy to get married but I'm sad too." She pouts

"Like a happy-sad. That's okay too. I'm feeling that too. I am just so happy I could cry."

"Me too." She says.

"It'll be okay. Nobody will be upset that you're crying."

"Not Mommy."

"Not—"

There is a rapid knock on the door. Jack gets back on his feet and opens the door. You barge into the room, "Miracle is lost. I can't believe it. One thing I'm going to do is lose my daughter…"

"Wow, you look—"

"This is not how I wanted first looks to go. My mind is on Miracle right now…"

While you are preoccupied by your panic, Miracle slinks back under the bed. "Honey…" Jack tries to interrupt.

"What if she is in one of the hundred closets in this place? Or outside in the rain? Getting sick?! We'll have to go look for her…"

"Baby…"

"I knew the rain was a bad omen. I'm going to go to the guests and just call the whole thing off. I can't believe I lost her on my wedding day—"

"Baby!" He grabs your shoulders, "She's not lost. She's under the bed."

"Under…the…bed?" You walk over to the bed and squat down. You peer under the bed and catch sight of Miracle. She gives you a small wave.

"Hi, Mommy." She says softly.

"Oh thank god." You let go of the breath you're holding, "Hi, My Little Miracle. Why are you hiding?"

"Miracle was just telling me it was because she was nervous and didn't want to cry and ruin the wedding."

"Oh My Love, you would never ruin this day. Never ever ever." You smile, "I can't imagine this day without you."

"What if I cry?"

"If you cry, what do think I'll be feeling like?" You pretend to sob hysterically, wailing loudly to make her laugh.

"We'll all be crying together." Jack says, "There will be people in the crowd crying."

"Yeah?"

"Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure Robby will be crying the hardest."

"That's silly." She giggles.

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't believe it." He assures.

"Are you feeling better now?" You ask.

"Can we stay here together a bit longer?"

"Just a bit." You reach under the bed and she holds your hand.

Jack gets back on the floor and gazes at you as you comfort your little girl. He drinks it all in. You look radiant in your dress. Your make up accentuated your features well. He couldn't look away. He's trying not to get emotional now as he looks at you. "You look beautiful." He whispers.

You look back at him and smile. With your other hand you rake your hand through the side of his hair, "You do too."

A few minutes pass, when Robby throws open the door, "Oh thank god. We thought we lost you too. We are still looking—"

"She's under the bed." You sigh.

"Hi Uncle Robby." Her little hand waves at the door.

"Hi Panda." He claps his hands together, "Great that is everyone accounted for now. Are we ready to get this show on the road?"

"What do we think, Miracle?" You ask.

She crawls out from under the bed, "Yes."

You help Jack up and he takes Miracle into the hall.

"Ready?" Robby sticks out his elbow and you place your hand in the crease.

"As I'll ever be." You beam.

The ceremony begins, Jack holds Miracle's hand as they walk down the aisle together. She stands beside him at the altar. Then the bridal march begins. Robby walks you down the aisle.

Jack feels his throat tighten as he watches you smile walking down the aisle. Miracle takes his hand and gives it a squeeze. Tears are flowing from her eyes. When you arrive at the altar, Jack lifts your veil. "So beautiful." He whispers, "I love you."

"I love you too." You whisper back.

Although the ceremony was delayed and nothing went your way initially, the ceremony was lovely. After you exchange your vows and kiss passionately. You and Jack are then led to a grand office to sign your marriage license. "Oh, your wedding gift is in here too."

"What?" He blinks in surprise.

"It's more papers to sign if that's okay." The officiant pulls out the papers for you.

You hold them out to Jack. "What are these?" He takes them and scans over the words.

"Adoption papers. Making you legally Miracle's guardian."

Jack looks at the papers with a smile. He flips through the pages and signs all the marked spaces and fills out his information. Then he gets to the final page. It was a different document; a legal decree changing Miracle's last name to Abbot.

"Now you've got a Mrs. Abbot and a Little Miss Abbot all in one day!" You grin.

"I can't believe you did this." He holds your waist and kisses you intensely, "I couldn't ask for a better wedding gift."

"Great, now let's go I am starving." You take his hand and lead him back to the reception.

You have a live band playing at the reception for your first dance. As you and Jack sway to the music, you rest your head on his shoulder, "This feels all surreal." You mutter.

"It does." He holds the small of your back as you move across the small dance floor.

"Like I'll wake up because it's a dream." You raise your head and look at him.

"You look like a dream." He kisses you gently. You smile bashfully and caress his face. He then moves down and kisses your neck.

"Keep it PG, Dr. Abbot." You warn.

"Of course, Mrs. Abbot. I'll save it for later." He whispers in your ear.

"Mm, I like the way that sounds, 'Mrs. Abbot.'" You bite your lip, "Save that for later too."

The night continues on, Miracle and Jack share a dance before the dance floor opens to everyone. You, Jack, and Miracle sneak away as everyone enjoys the music.

Back in the atrium, you sit in some chairs with Miracle in Jack's lap. "Did you have fun, Princess?" Jack rubs her back. She nods as she fights sleep. It was way past her bedtime now.

"Remember how I told you, Daddy and I are going on vacation. That starts tomorrow."

"Okay? Where will I be staying?"

"Well, Uncle Robby is house sitting for us so… Do you want to stay at home with him?"

"Yes!" She smiles.

"He'll drop you off at school, and you might spend some time at the hospital again."

"In the ER?!"

"Maybe?!" You pinch her cheeks, "That is up to Robby."

"Alright, we love you little Miracle." Jack kisses her head

"I love you too." She hugs him in return. Miracle then goes home with Nana to spend the night at her house with her kids.

It was still raining at the end of the night. Your send-off had to be inside the foyer instead of outside. Before you walk through the crowd, Jack whispers to you, "I have a wedding gift for you."

"You do?" You cock an eyebrow, "What is it?"

"It's outside." He pulls you through the crowd as they throw petals into the air for you. More people are outside with their umbrellas cheering for you. And in front of you is a brand new hatch back.

"Jack… No! You didn't!"

"I know yours was in pounded and it smelled like B.O. and liquor so what was the point of getting it back. So here is your something new." He smiles

You jump in his arms and squeal, "I can't believe you! This is— Wow! I am speechless!"

"I still think the gift you gave me is better." He kisses you lovingly. He helps you into the passenger seat and he runs over to the drivers side.

"With this, Dr. Abbot, I'll have to show my gratitude." You kiss him more intensely.

"Then we better get going." He starts the car and you drive off into the night, all the way home.

˖⋆࿐໋₊ ☆

tags:@cosmicneptune @ilocuras24 @lacy1986 @stardustworlds @a-true-janian-reply @amacphet @darknessofhell666-blog-blog @princess76179 @nyxmoretti @kidd3ath @lovehadlovelost @emmy626 @leeshy12 @evergreen9083 @flyinglama @heyyimmisunderstood @secretlyurfemmwife @sliverspringss @xxohsnapitspatxx @urgirl-jijiiii @sabrinathewitchh982 @luminaxs @1dhoe93 @melissa66orion @otteryougladimback @iloveeveryoneyoureamazing @1-800-bobcut @generation-zero @jas241 @swiftwerewolfknight @beebeechaos @imaginecrushes @gf4lwt @tlc3802 @blackirisesinthesunlight @plan3tch1ld @untilmynextstory @hista-girl @xh444 @closelyinsanewave @chattyotter14 @vivi-xne @uncertainblissss @teaspacebar @midnightalbatross @of-converse-books-and-chocolate @marcysbear

[porchlightfairy]

Under Pressure

(Little Miracle Series pt.8)

jack abbot x ICUnurse!singlemom!reader

wc: 1.8k

summary: jack is kinda anxious about proposing to you.

tags: fluff on fluff on fluff!

little miracle masterlist

˖⋆࿐໋₊ ☆

By late summer you were back to work and Miracle was back at the daycare center. It would be her last summer at the hospital as she would be entering elementary school in the fall. If you asked her she would say she was excited but you knew that she'd miss the hospital.

You can't believe a year has gone by since you've started dating Jack. Now he was a part of your life and you a part of his. He would do anything for you and for Miracle and throughout your relationship he has proven it tenfold.

Just the week before your returned to work it was Miracle's birthday. She wanted a hospital themed birthday party. The two of you tried to talk her into a different theme but she was adamant about it.

It was easy to decorate, you both just stole supplies from your departments. Gloves for balloons, blank prescription bottles for goodies, and face masks for the hell of it. Everyone seemed to have a fun time. Especially Miracle. She received an abundance of gifts from her friends.

Robby was the last to give his gift, "You can be whatever you want to be when you grow up, but just know there is always a place for you in The Pitt."

Miracle opens the box and inside is a stethoscope. "Thank you, Uncle Robby!" She immediately puts it on and presses it to his chest. "It's real! I can hear your heart beat."

"Do you like?"

"I love it!" She jumps into his lap for a hug.

When the party is over and all the guests are gone, Miracle goes to her room to play while you two clean up. "This is the first party in this house." Jack mentions

"Oh nice, a christening. Hopefully we can plan for more." You smile.

"Would you like to host more parties?" He asks

"I've never had a lot of friends to do it." You shrug, "I think it's nice to share big moments like birthdays with other people."

He nods as he continues to wash dishes.

"You want to host a party, and propose to her at said party?" At work, Robby tilts his head as Jack explains to him the plan.

"Everyone will know it's an engagement party, except her. She likes surprises. It'll be okay, right?"

"What if she says no in front of all those people?" Santos interjects.

"You think she'll say no?" Jack turns to her worriedly.

"There's always that chance, You can't be too sure." She shrugs.

"No way she says no. She loves you." Javadi counters.

"But she did have her doubts before." Jack's gaze goes distant. Was this a bad idea?

"Yes that was before. Before her abusive ex was sent to prison and she saw help to not negative emotions delegate her life. She's doing things now she's never done before living with a partner, hosting parties, going out with friends! She doesn't live in fear anymore." Robby holds his shoulders.

"But there's still a chance she could say no." Jack huffs.

"This is the most worried I've ever seen him." Ellis watches beside Mel as the attendings talk.

"I'm like this… all the time." Mel says.

"I don't even have a ring yet so nothing is set in stone. Miracle is starting kindergarten soon and she just started back to work. A lot is going on right now." He takes a breath and looks around seeing the swarm of residents surround the desk listening to his panic, "Don't you people have work to do?" The crowd quickly disperses, shuffling to find something to do.

Later in the night when it gets quiet, Jack goes to the ICU. You're sitting at one of the desks typing on a chart. You brighten when you see him, "Hey, what are you doing up here?"

"I just wanted to check on you." He smiles, "You doing okay?"

"I'm fine. You know, you could've just texted me,: You look at him, knowingly.

"It's nothing. I wanted to see you."

Some nurses giggle as they walk past the desk. "Hi Dr. Abbot." They chime.

"Thank you, I'm fine." You stand up and hold his shoulders, "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes."

"Are you for sure for sure? C'mere." You take his hand and lead him to one of the supply closets. "What's going on? Tell me."

"It's no big deal."

"Liar, you won't look me in the eye." You hold his face.

He takes a breath, "Do you want to get married?"

"Like in general or to you specifically?" He wilts. "I'm kidding! Of course I want to marry you. Is that what you are worried about?"

"I was getting in my head about it. A lot has been going on. I don't even have a ring. Miracle is starting school at the end of the month—"

You put a finger to his lips, "We're not automatically jumping to a huge ceremony the day you propose. Relax." You rest your hand on his chest, "You can relax knowing, when you get a ring, I will say yes. I promise" You kiss him to seal the promise.

"You promise." He rests his forehead against yours.

"Mhm. Now, when you do it should I act like an automatic yes where I nod my head fast and jump around or should I hold the suspense so people think there's a split second chance I might say no so it makes it more exciting."

He rolls his eyes, "The less anxious option please."

You giggle as he presses his lips against yours. You squeal as he moves down your neck.

"New patient in 10 from— Hello Nurse!" Your friend, Nana, walks in through the other door.

The two of you separate, "What were you saying?"

"Huh? Oh new patient in 10 from surgery. He's all yours." She grabs some items from the shelf, "Hi, Dr. Abbot."

"Hi, Nana." He looks at his shoes.

Once she leaves, you turn back to him, "Feel better?"

"Yes."

"Good. I'll text you my ring size and some reference photos so you can get looking." You give him another peck on the lips then push him out of the door.

A warm night in September, when you both have a day off together, you invite a few friends over for a nice dinner party. Jack lets you handle the details, he follows your lead. You invite Robby, Dana, Lena, and your friends in the ICU Nana and Therese. And of course your guest of honor, Miracle.

You pour drinks for everyone and laugh with them as Jack brings out the food. You go into the kitchen to help, "Are we having dessert?"

"It's a surprise." He smirks.

"Thank goodness I practiced my surprise face." You take more plates and kiss his cheeks.

After dinner, Miracle gets sleepy and crawls into your lap as the adults continue talking and laughing telling stories. You sway side to side as you listen. You look over at Jack. You take in every detail of his face as he smiles and laughs. You think to yourself, yes you could spend the rest of your life with him. You were each other's second chance. You both deserve this chance at happiness. Your love has shown to be boundless and right now you couldn't be happier.

"I'm not very good at this but we gathered you all here today because we all have been a big part of our lives. And that is all due to the biggest part of our lives, our little girl." Jack pinches her side causing her to squirm in your arms. "Now I can't imagine my life without her and her mom." His eyes move from her to you, "I love you more than anything. I hope I've proven that I'd do anything for you. You have my heart and I want us together until the very end. Will you marry me?" He pulls out a small velvet box and opens it setting it on the table. A dainty silver band with a diamond rests in the cushion of the box. Miracle gasps jumping out of your lap when she sees the ring and the room falls silent.

"Jack…" Your eyebrows knit together.

He gulps nervously as you pause. Everyone's eyes widen as they wait. You can't hold the suspense much longer, "I will. I would love to marry you." Everyone cheers and clinks their glasses together.

"You said you wouldn't do that." He takes the ring out of the box and places it on your ring finger.

"Sorry I had to see you squirm a little." You kiss him.

"My mommy and daddy are getting married." Miracle squeals.

"Just like the movies, Lovely. Are you happy?"

"Yes!" She holds Jack's neck for a hug and he kisses her cheek, "Now Daddy will really be my daddy."

After another round of congratulations, your friends bid you farewell and go home. You tuck Miracle into bed. "You know, Mommy will need a flower girl."

"I will do it!" She raises her hand.

"You will?! Oh thank goodness. I love you, My Little Miracle." You kiss her nose.

"I love you too, Mommy."

"Goodnight, Miracle," Jack kisses her forehead.

"Goodnight, love you."

"Love you too, Princess." He turns out the light and you scurry off to bed with him.

When you close your bedroom door, you jump into his arms and pepper his face in kisses., "You are not nice." He mutters between the kisses. You push him on to the bed.

"C'mon I couldn't make it that easy for you. When have I ever done that for you?" You shimmy out of your clothes, "Just one last time, I promise."

Jack removes his prosthesis and takes his shirt and pants. "You promised last time." He pulls you close by the waist.

"Ugh but you should have seen your face." You straddle his lap, "I could never say no to you and yet you still looked scared."

"There's always the chance."

"There's never the chance." You hold his face, "I couldn't get you out of my head when we met. Remember the very last time I went to ED? I said Miracle wanted to see her friend."

"Yeah?"

"I lied." You kiss his neck.

"You did?"

"Well, sort of. She did miss you but she would have been okay. The daycare didn't call me, I snuck out to talk to you."

"Mm, like mother like daughter." He chuckles and kisses your chest, "It was coincidence that the one time you take the elevator down you bump into me at the same time I try to sneak away."

"It was meant to be. No matter how hard I resisted, I was always going to yours." You both scoot deeper on the bed. "I love you, Jack. I was always going to say yes to you." You begin to kiss down his chest, "Always."

His breath hitches then he grabs your hand and pushes you over so you're on your back. "I love you too but tonight is your night." He kisses down your stomach.

The two of you have a quiet and restless night as the future Dr. and Mrs. Abbot.

˖⋆࿐໋₊ ☆

tags: @cosmicneptune @ilocuras24 @lacy1986 @stardustworlds @a-true-janian-reply @amacphet @darknessofhell666-blog-blog @princess76179 @nyxmoretti @kidd3ath @lovehadlovelost @emmy626 @leeshy12 @evergreen9083 @flyinglama @heyyimmisunderstood @secretlyurfemmwife @sliverspringss @xxohsnapitspatxx @urgirl-jijiiii @sabrinathewitchh982 @luminaxs @1dhoe93 @melissa66orion @otteryougladimback @iloveeveryoneyoureamazing @1-800-bobcut @generation-zero @jas241 @swiftwerewolfknight @beebeechaos @imaginecrushes @gf4lwt @tlc3802 @blackirisesinthesunlight @plan3tch1ld @untilmynextstory @hista-girl @xh444 @closelyinsanewave @chattyotter14 @vivi-xne @uncertainblissss @teaspacebar @midnightalbatross @of-converse-books-and-chocolate @marcysbear

[porchlightfairy]

Cannock Chase

(Little Miracle Series pt.7)

jack abbot x ICUnurse!singlemom!reader

wc: 2.2k

summary: the few months following your recovery as you and Miracle live with Jack.

tags: jack kicks your ex' ass. fantasy justice system everyone is kinda okay with jack beating up your abuser including miracle. all abusers must die.

little miracle masterlist

˖⋆࿐໋₊ ☆

A week after your attack, you are discharged from the hospital. You move into Jack;s house while you recover and your apartment is still in disrepair. Jack got Miracle a new bed and recovered most of her toy's and clothes. He also recovered some of your stuff with your friends' help and you via Face Time.

Miracle got decorate her new room at his house. She put up butterfly decals and a sign on the door with her name on it. She enjoyed the week of moving and spending time with Jack, her dad. Him waking her up everyday. He makes her breakfast every morning. They visit you afterward for a couple of hours. The go down to the ED to visit Robby and friends then go back home again.

When you come home, you're in a wheelchair still. Your arm and leg in a cast leaves you in the care of Jack. In the living room, Miracle holds a sign with Robby that says, "Welcome Home." Miracle tells you all about your week then leads you and Jack to show you her bedroom.

Jack helps you up the stairs and holds your waist so you don't bear weight on your cast. When you look into the room, you smile, "It's so pretty in here, Lovely."

"Daddy let me pick everything." She holds his leg.

"And in here is our room." He helps you across the hall and shows you his room. You look inside then turn him with a poignant look on your face.

His sheets were usually plain, a solid color with a dark gray comforter. In their place were floral patterned sheets similar to the ones from your own bed room and a matching comforter. A new night light sits on the end table shining its star patten on the walls.

"I know it's not the same but I wanted to make it similar enough." He explains.

"I can't believe it." You say.

"If you're not comfortable, we can change it."

"I love it." You kiss him, "You didn't have to do this."

"I wanted your first night here in recovery to be comfortable. Miracle picked the sheets."

"Thank you, My Love." You pinch her cheek.

In the evening, you four have dinner together. "I never got the chance to say, thank you, Robby, for taking care of me in the ER."

"It was my pleasure. I'd go the extra mile for you and Miracle. What happened to you is… indescribable. You didn't deserve that." Robby takes your hand and gives it a squeeze, "If you need anything, you can always ask, I'm more than happy to volunteer my staff to help with cleaning up your apartment."

"I appreciate it. The crime scene unit recommended some cleanup teams too." You sigh, "All my hard work, my home… gone just like that."

"It's okay." Jack rests his hand on yours.

"Have the police given you guys any updates?"

"He may still be in Pittsburgh. This neighborhood and the area around the hospital are being patrolled." Jack says.

"But we're safe here." You wipe Miracle's cheek to comfort her.

Soon after dinner, Robby leaves and you get Miracle ready for bed. You tuck her under the covers and kiss her forehead. "Have you been sleeping okay?"

She nods, "Daddy got me a night light." She points to a crown that glows on the wall.

"That's good. No nightmares? Or anything?"

"No. Daddy would stay with me until I fell asleep every night."

"Good. I love you, Little Miracle."

"I love you too, Mommy."

Jack comes in beside you and kisses Miracle on the forehead. "Goodnight, Princess."

"Goodnight, Daddy."

You get up and Jack helps you to the bedroom. "I got you some new clothes while you were recovering."

"Shopping for me too? You sure were busy."

"It's just some elastic gym shorts to get your leg through. Do you want to bathe tonight?"

"Are you going to help?"

"I can."

"Then of course, I would love to bathe tonight." He helps you to the shower and puts you in his shower chair. Together, you wrap your casts in plastic to prevent water from getting to them.

Jack turns the shower on checking the temperature and waits for it to get warm. "How are you doing?" He asks.

"Fine, I've got a boyfriend who has been nothing but kind and I don't know what to do with myself."

"Then I'll figure it out." He mutters as he brings the shower head to your body, letting the water trickle over your body.

"Oh my god." You point to the shower shelf, "Is that my body wash?"

"I got you all new bathroom stuff. He made a mess of it in your bathroom."

He grabs it and squirts some on a loofah. Gently, he lathers the soap on your body. As he moves from one side to the other, he notices your watery eyes.

"Does it hurt?" He looks at you concerned.

You shake your head and hold his face, "What did I do to deserve you?" You sniffle.

"You didn't have to anything." He kisses your hand gingerly. "You were just you and I love that."

The next couple of weeks, Jack takes care of you and Miracle. During the day he is at your beck and call. At night, he goes to work. He was reluctant to go but you insisted. You and Miracle would both be sleeping all night anyways and he could arm the alarm for just in case. On his days off, him, Robby, and some others help clean out your apartment.

Your arm comes out of its cast first. You were still unable to carry Miracle but you were happy to be unconfined.

One night, you lay beside Jack spooning him. "Hey are you awake?" He turns over, his eyes still closed, and holds your waist. You trace over his nose and he peeks one eye open.

"Something wrong?" He mumbles.

"What was it about me? That made you want to stay? To Love?"

He's fully awake now, opening both of his eyes. "Why are you asking so late?" He caresses your cheek.

"I'm afraid you'll regret meeting me. One day, he'll get you and it'll be all my fault." Your voice cracks, "You'll be going to work and he'll be waiting for you and he'll hurt you—"

"Hey, hey, don't think like that." He pulls you closer. "It's not your fault what he does. What was it about you? I saw your beautiful smile. You came flying down the stairs for Miracle and I couldn't take my eyes off of you. I wanted to make you smile that all the time. You know, I prayed after every time Miracle appeared in the ER that she would do it again. Just so I could see you again." He kisses you, "I fell in love with you, instantly. I wanted you to know me through and through and in return I'd take all of you."

"God, why are you better than me in every way?" You whine against his lips.

"I don't know. I think it has something to do with me being old and wise beyond my years." He deepens the kiss.

"Shut up." You giggle.

You start to feel better mentally when you go to therapy at PTMC. Jack takes you in the morning. Then Him and Miracle sit in a coffee shop near the hospital or get lunch while they wait.

One day, after dropping you off, Jack stops by a nearby gas station. He enters the store holding Miracle's hand. She picks out a piece of candy while he digs in his pocket for his wallet, "Hey, can I get 60 on…" The store bell chimes and the time seems to slow down. In comes him, you ex-boyfriend. He walks in unaware seemingly unaware of Jack and Miracle, heading down the first aisle by the door and straight to the back where the liquor was.

His ears are burning. He can hear his heartbeat in his chest. His face is growing hot as he stares in the man's general direction. He needed to do something.

"Which pump, sir?"

"Uh, 7." Jack feels Miracle's hand squeeze his. He looks down at the girl to see her staring back at him. For a second, he swears she nods at him. Confirming him. He needed to do something.

"Alright, you're good to go." The clerk says.

Miracle pulls on his hand, "I want some chocolate milk too."

"Uh, sure, Princess. It's right there. I need to get something too." He smiles awkwardly to the clerk then walks back where the man was.

As your ex-boyfriend grabs out his drink of choice, Jack slams the door. He already reeks of booze but he seems to sober up when he sees Jack. He looks towards the door then at Jack. He throws the glass bottle and runs for the door.

Jack tackles him to the floor. Your ex gets on hit on Jack and Jack retaliates. He straddles the man and smashes his fist into his face. He hits him a few more times before standing up. The clerk looks at him in shock, "What the hell, man?!"

"Do me a favor, call the cops." Jack pants.

"You nearly killed that guy." The clerk dials 911.

"He nearly killed her mom." He goes over to find Miracle sitting with her candy behind the shelf.

"Hi, Daddy."

"Hi, Sweetheart."

While your ex is being arrested, Jack holds Miracle as he makes his statement to the police. His hand aches but he ignores it for now. "You were like a superhero, Daddy." Miracle whispers.

Jack kisses her cheek, "Don't do what Daddy did, that was not okay. Next time you see a bad guy you call the police."

After the gas station, Jack heads to PTMC so he can get his hand checked. He holds Miracle's hand as he enters through the ambulance bay. He sees your ex was also being treated in Behavior Room 1.

"Abbot, Jesus, what happened?" Dana approaches him, "I saw him at a gas station nearby. He was acting like nothing happened. He swung at me and I just…" He looks down at Miracle, "I had to protect them."

"I get it." She says, "Let's go to a curtain to examine your hand."

"My daddy was a hero." Miracle beams.

"Yes he was honey." Dana smiles at the girl. As they wait for the x-ray, you come down from your appointment.

"He's here?" You sit down beside him placing your crutches down on the floor.

"In Behavior 1." He mutters as he flexes his hand.

"You put him there." You at him seriously.

"I was just going to hold him until the cops came. Then he hit me and I got upset. I just saw flashes of what he did to Miracle, your house, you; It all flashed in my mind."

You pull him into a hug.

"You're not mad at me." He blinks in surprise.

"I'm glad you're okay." You hold his face, "We are not vindictive people and violence is not the answer but…" You lean in, "I wish I was there to have seen it."

You look out into the hall to see Miracle playing a patty cake game with Javadi. "Did she see?"

"No, she— I don't know— It's like she know something was going to happen and she hid away. She looked at me and nodded."

"Are you implying that she gave you permission to do it?"

"I don't know what I'm implying. Maybe my rage filled delirium made it up." He sighs.

"Good news, Rambo!" Robby enters the curtain, "No broken bones, just broken skin."

"How is he?" Abbot asks.

"Nice try, I can't tell you exactly." Robby wags his finger, "Dana?"

"Mhm."

"How is the patient in Behavior 1?"

"Broken nose, facial laceration, and an orbital contusion." She looks solely at Robby then looks to the two of you, "Oh sorry didn't see you were with a patient." And she walks away.

"He's going to be just fine. He'll spend a few hours here in case he has a concussion and develops symptoms later. Then one way ticket to the clink."

"Thanks, brother." Jack sighs in relief.

"All you. You're looking better already." Robby taps under your chin.

"It's not every day someone fights your abuser." You lean on Jack's arm. He kisses the top of your head.

"Alright lovebirds. Don't stick around too much longer." Robby stands up, "No more looking over your shoulder."

"Thank you." You get back on your crutches, "I'm ready to go home."

"Home." Jack walks with you then grabs Miracle.

"Yeah, home." You all walk through the ambulance bay. "What's wrong?"

"You just haven't called it that. All this time, you've only referred to it as my house."

"My therapist says I don't let myself enjoy what I have because I think I don't deserve it." You smile at him, "I know now that I deserve a place with you and can call it home. I'd like to move in with you officially."

"Great!" He jostles Miracle in his arm, "You hear that? We'll be living together forever."

"Forever and ever?" She smiles in surprised.

"Forever" He kisses her cheek, "You'll always have a home with me. The both of you."

˖⋆࿐໋₊ ☆

tags: @cosmicneptune @ilocuras24 @lacy1986 @stardustworlds @a-true-janian-reply @amacphet @darknessofhell666-blog-blog @princess76179 @nyxmoretti @kidd3ath @lovehadlovelost @emmy626 @leeshy12 @evergreen9083 @flyinglama @heyyimmisunderstood @secretlyurfemmwife @sliverspringss @xxohsnapitspatxx @urgirl-jijiiii @sabrinathewitchh982 @luminaxs @1dhoe93 @melissa66orion @otteryougladimback @iloveeveryoneyoureamazing @1-800-bobcut @generation-zero @jas241 @swiftwerewolfknight @beebeechaos @imaginecrushes @gf4lwt @tlc3802 @blackirisesinthesunlight @plan3tch1ld @untilmynextstory @hista-girl @xh444 @closelyinsanewave @chattyotter14 @vivi-xne @uncertainblissss @teaspacebar @midnightalbatross @of-converse-books-and-chocolate @marcysbear

[porchlightfairy]

i would LOVEEE to see more of miracle and dana in your little miracle series, dana just gives such motherly and loving vibes

i’m loving this series btw!🤍

Cutie Patootie

(Little Miracle Series request)

jack abbot x nurse!singlemom!reader (ICU)

little miracle series masterlist

a/n: this takes place before your ex attacks you.

summary: you have another day shift but instead of a jail break jack leaves miracle in the ER for a moment while he goes to a meeting. dana puts the little girl to work

tags: sugary sweet tooth rotting fluff

wc: 1.1k

˖⋆࿐໋₊ ☆

You had another day shift to cover and this time Jack was watching Miracle. However, just because he was watching her doesn't mean Miracle wouldn't somehow end up in the ER. Abbot was called in by admin and had to go upstairs. He knew Miracle would have more fun in the basement then a polished waiting room with him.

Miracle sits on the computer pretending to type away on the keyboard. "How is my little worker bee doing?" Dana smiles at her.

"Good, Miss Dana." Miracle smiles.

"You all done? Cause I have a big girl job for you. Can you handle it?" She leans on the desk.

"Yes!" Miracle jumps off the chair excitedly.

"We need to go to the rooms and get the patients something to eat because it's lunchtime." Dana takes the little girl's hand and leads her to the food cart.

"We'll go room to room and ask if they want turkey, ham, or cheese. The we'll ask them what they want to drink. Got it?"

Miracle nods. Dana opens the first curtain, "Excuse me, we're just serving lunch right now." She looks to Miracle.

"Turkey, ham, or cheese?" Miracle stands by Dana shyly.

"What a cutie!" The woman smiles, "I think I'll take the turkey please."

"Miracle, ask if she wants a drink. Apple juice, orange juice, or water."

"Do you want apple juice, orange juice, or water?" Miracle gets a little more confident.

"I'll just have a water."

"Perfect. Alright, here is that, can you reach the table." Dana gives Miracle the food to put on the table.

"Uh huh." Miracle stands on her tiptoes and puts the sandwich and juice on the table.

"Good job!" Dana leads her to the next person. "Next time, say 'would you like' instead of 'do you want' It's nicer to say."

"When have you ever said 'would you like?'" McKay snarks as she exits the room Dana stands in front of.

"She has to learn to be nice before the world makes her cruel." Dana mumbles. She then smiles at Miracle to ask for the meal order.

They are almost done when Miracle enters a central room. Her confidence now high enough to enter on her own and speak, "Excuse me?"

"What? What is it? What do you want?" An old man grumbles.

"Mr. Olsen, we were just serving lunch. Would you like anything to eat?"

"I don't want nothing you're serving. I've been here damn near 5 hours."

"We're sorry about that but we urge you to eat something while you wait."

"Well, I don't want anything you're giving." He huffs.

"Alright Mr. Olsen." Dana ushers Miracle out of the room and back to the hub.

"He wasn't very nice." Miracle whispers as they walk.

"Yeah, the hospital isn't fun for most people." Dana explains then her dispatch phone begins to ring, "Why don't you finish your coloring pages at the desk."

"Yes, Miss Dana." Miracle skips back to the desk and digs through her backpack. As Miracle draws, Robby walks over to the desk.

"Hey, Panda. Where's Miss Dana?"

"She's on the phone." Miracle points.

"Hungry? Here, a little cutie for a cutie." He boops her nose.

"Robby," Dana approaches him, "MVA 5 minutes out. 2 major 4 minor and possible head injury. It sounds like a mess."

"Alright, Miracle can you head to the break room with your snack?" Robby asks. She nods and takes her little tangerine down the North hall. Dana watches her go before rounding up and delegating her nurses.

Miracle walks past the station and stops when she sees Mr. Olsen in his room. She looks around then enters the room. "Who is it? What do you want?"

"My name is Miracle." She whispers.

"Mr. Olsen grumbles, "The little lunch lady. I said I don't want anything."

"My mommy says if you don't eat for a long time, you'll get sick."

"I'm already sick," He frowns.

"Then you shouldn't get sicker." She sets her little fruit on the bedside table, "Oranges are good for you." She smiles.

Mr. Olsen can't help but smile in return as she walks away. Miracle then goes to the break room to wait.

After a half hour or so, Dana goes to check on Miracle, "You okay, little cutie."

Miracle nods, "I'm hungry

"That little orange didn't tie you over?" Miracle shakes her head. "Alright, I think there's some goldfish crackers up in this cabinet." She opens the cabinet and takes out a package for her. Miracle opens it as soon as it's in her hands. They then head back to the hub, "I've got to go check on Mr. Olsen, okay? Head back to the desk."

Dana heads back to Mr. Olsen's room and upon entering notices the fresh scent of oranges. She looks at the side table to orange peels, "Oh, so, you've decided to eat something." She checks his vitals on the monitor, "Who gave you the orange?"

"The little lunch lady. She was worried about me not eating." He chuckles, "She's a true nurse, eh?"

"Gotta start'em young." Dana chuckles, "I'll have a doctor check on you soon, Mr. Olsen. Get you outta here as soon as possible." She walks back to the hub.

Miracle hangs on Robby's hip and puts up her coloring page she had been coloring on the pillar. Dana smiles and stands beside them, "Robby, could you or one of your residents please check on Mr. Olsen."

"Uh sure, let's see who that is." He looks at the status board.

"I'll take Miracle." She opens her arms. They trade off and Robby goes to the room. "Miracle, Mr. Olsen told me you looked after him."

"He didn't eat." Miracle fiddles with her fingers.

"I know, I just wanted to say that was really nice of you to give your snack to him."

"Mommy says, nurses always give. And the don't stop trying." She smiles.

"Smart girl." She pats her back.

Abbot returns from admin and smiles at the sight. "Hi Sweetheart."

"Hi," She smiles. Dana hands her off to Abbot.

"How was she?" Abbot asks.

"She's a nurse, alright. When she's older I expect her to be working down here."

"Oh, no if she's down here it's because she's doing her clinical rotation for med school." Abbot objects.

"That's for her to decide but let me just say, your odds are not looking too good." She teases then tickles Miracle's side, "Bye, My Cutie."

"Bye bye Miss Dana." Miracle waves.

"I'll let Robby know you left. We'll see you tonight."

"Miracle waves to the rest of the staff as they head out of the ambulance bay. Dana turns around and looks at the coloring page on the pillar. Her heart swells when she gets a closer look. Miracle had colored the two nurses holding hands to look like herself and Dana. Both of them wearing the nurse's grey scrubs with rainbow belts.

"She's gonna be great nurse."

˖⋆࿐໋₊ ☆

tags: @cosmicneptune @ilocuras24 @lacy1986 @stardustworlds @a-true-janian-reply @amacphet @darknessofhell666-blog-blog @princess76179 @nyxmoretti @kidd3ath @lovehadlovelost @emmy626 @leeshy12 @evergreen9083 @flyinglama @heyyimmisunderstood @secretlyurfemmwife @sliverspringss @xxohsnapitspatxx @urgirl-jijiiii @sabrinathewitchh982 @luminaxs @1dhoe93 @melissa66orion @otteryougladimback @iloveeveryoneyoureamazing @1-800-bobcut @generation-zero @jas241 @swiftwerewolfknight @beebeechaos @imaginecrushes @gf4lwt @tlc3802 @blackirisesinthesunlight @plan3tch1ld @untilmynextstory @hista-girl @xh444 @closelyinsanewave @chattyotter14 @vivi-xne @uncertainblissss @teaspacebar @midnightalbatross @of-converse-books-and-chocolate @marcysbear

[porchlightfairy]

Youth

(Little Miracle Series Pt. 6)

jack abbot x nurse!singlemom!reader (ICU)

little miracle series masterlist

a/n: this is is a very heavy heavy chapter. if you need to, you may skip it. i know it was fun until this point so i hope you stick around. i know in the comments ppl wanted a confrontation but in my mind, i couldn't imagine anything being worth saying to a character who would do something like this. please take emotional inventory before proceeding. thank you.

summary: you open up about your past even more to Jack. you make him Miracle's 2nd emergency contact. you don't show up to work but Miracle is found in the parking garage hurt.

tags: PLEASE READ domestic violence, physical abuse, emotional abuse, physical assault, kidnapping, degradation and urination, child abuse, police involvement, hospitalisation, graphic description of the assault multiple times. viewer discretion is advised!

wc: 4.0k

˖⋆࿐໋₊ ☆

You sit in your living room at night. You and Jack had a day off together and he spent the day with you and Miracle. She had already gone to bed so the two of you were sharing a bottle of wine before bed. The TV was on but you weren't really paying attention. Something was distracting you. "I want to tell you something."

"Okay, what is it?" He sets down his cup and looks at you.

"It's important. I should have told you sooner but I'd chicken out." You take a breath, "It's about Miracle's dad."

"Okay." He turns to you, with his full attention.

"We were together since high school. His family knew my family and we were inseparable. I thought we were going to be the perfect couple. High school sweethearts. Everyone thought that too. But… um.. he'd get mad a lot. The little things like talking to another guy, or not calling him or texting him. He was very controlling, picking me up from my high school job and making me go places with him. I thought it was fine because he wasn't hitting me. Then one day he did. Then he did it again. Hit me, kick me, slap me, push me, wrestle me like I was his size." You let out a shaky breath.

"Every incident had me running to my parents. They'd let me stay the night and the next morning they'd call him to come get me. They made me feel like it was my fault." Jack's nostrils flare. His brows furrowed as he listens, "The physical abuse stopped when I was pregnant with Miracle but that didn't stop him from throwing things, destroying my stuff, and yelling at me. I was at my limit and had to go to the hospital. I was only 6 months." A tear drops from your eye. "I was so scared, I thought I was going to die. I prayed for it… I prayed that if I live he'll kill me, so just kill me on the table. But then I saw Miracle. She was so little. If she got the chance then I would live for her. I stayed with my parents until Miracle was two. I worked on getting my associate's in Nursing. I knew that if I wanted to live and give Miracle a good life I had to leave everything behind. For those two years it was calm. I didn't want to raise any suspicion. I started looking for jobs out of state."

"You found PTMC."

"Mhm, it fell right in my lap. My teacher told me they were looking for nurses so I applied to all the departments. The daycare made it worth my while. With my teacher's good word I got the ICU position and I left like a thief in the night."

Jack reaches over and wipes the tears from your eyes, "Thank you for telling me."

You kiss him so gently, "You make me feel so safe. I feel like I'm really building a family here with you. Robby and Lena helping me too. I couldn't ask for anything better. I trust you. And I've been thinking, would you be okay being Miracle's second emergency contact?"

"Yes! Of course, of course. I'd love that." He kisses you eagerly, "I could be yours too."

"Yeah? You'd do that?"

"I'll be whatever you want me to be." He holds your face in his hands, "I love you." He deepens the next kiss, taking you to the couch cushions.

A week later, Jack is starting his rounds with Robby. As they walk, his personal phone rings and he sees it's the daycare center. He steps to the side to take the call as the residents continue. "Hello?"

"Hi, Dr. Abbot. This is the PTMC daycare center. We are just checking in. Miracle nor her mother have arrived for drop off. She would usually call if they were out sick but she's not answering her phone. Is everything okay?"

"Uh, they might be running late? I don't know, last I checked she was on her way. You said she isn't answering her phone?"

"Correct, we tried her personal and the ICU says she hasn't clocked in yet."

"Okay. I'll try calling her, thank you." He hangs up and goes to your contact to call. Robby sees the distressed look on Jack's face.

"Everything okay?" He comes over concerned.

"Damn it, voicemail. Miracle wasn't dropped off at daycare and she hasn't clocked into work." Jack chews his bottom lip, "Lena, do we have any MVAs en route."

"None that I know of, why?"

Something I hope I'm not too worried about." He tries your phone again to no avail. As he thinks of what to do next, he hears an all too familiar cry, one he's only heard a few times in his life. He follows the sound to a security guard coming through triage. A child sits in his arms as he comes towards the nurses station.

"Miracle!" Jack rushes over when he sees the girl. She turns in the guard's arms, "Daddy!" She cries out. She practically jumps into his arms. He looks over her mortified as he sees blood spill from a cut on her forehead. Jack takes her to an open bed. Dirt covers her clothes and the palms of her hands.

"I found her wandering the parking structure. She was crying out for her mother, lost. I calmed her down by telling her I was bringing her here." The guard explains. Perlah connects some leads to Miracle for her sats then does a manual BP check.

"Any sign of her mom?" Jack asks.

"My buddy is checking the scene now but there wasn't anything I could see."

Miracle starts to cry again as Jack checks her wound, "I know, Princess, I know it hurts."

"Breath sounds are normal." Perlah says as she uses her stethoscope on Miracle's back. "And her BP is normal. Pulse/Ox is stable. It looks to be just the head lac."

"Miracle, take a deep breath, baby. You're okay now, I promise. Can you tell me what happened?"

Miracle sniffles, still making whimpering noises. Jack takes some saline soaked gauze and dabs the blood off her face. "He… He hit me."

Jack stops, "Who did?"

"Mommy was getting me out of the car." She sniffles, "A man came up and pushed her down. I went to help and he hit me too. It hurt a lot." Tears fall from her eyes again.

"Did you hit your head when you fell? Did you get sleepy?"

She shakes her head. "Mommy stood up and fought back. She told me to run away. Then I got lost." Her lip trembles.

"It's okay, that's all, Miracle. Thank you." Jack turns to the guard, "Are there cameras in the garage?"

"Yeah, we can pull 'em up from the office down here." They rush there. Perlah stays to continue cleaning Miracle's face and hands and check for any other scrapes.

"It had to be be between 6:30 and 7:30 that it happened." Jack states.

The guard sits at the desk and pulls up the garage cameras. "She drives an old tan Toyota. Usually comes in through the East entrance."

"It's going to take a few minutes to sift through this." The guard flips through the cameras as he scrubs through the video footage.

Jack's ears are burning and his heart is racing a mile a minute. Someone hurt Miracle. He hurt you, and possibly took you. You could be anywhere. His mind flips through all the possibilities. "Abbot, why don't you sit with Miracle. She's still shaken up." Robby gently rests his hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah, I should go. Let me know when they find something." Jack speeds back to Miracle's bed side.

Perlah finishes taping her wound. "It wasn't a deep cut. She's going to be okay."

"Thank you, Perlah." Jack sits on the bed and pulls Miracle into his lap, "We're going to find your mommy. She's going to be okay." He rocks her in his arms. It was more for himself than for her.

Minutes later, Robby comes over to the room, "Jack, security found something on the CCTV. Let me take Miracle while you go and look."

Jack hands her over. His heart is still thumping against his rib cage as he approaches the security office. The guard has him look at a still image of a man towering over you. "This is the clearest image we could get of the guy's face. He forces her back into the car and drives off as the little girl runs away. We've already called the police. Do you recognize him?"

"Y-yeah. It's her ex-boyfriend and Miracle's dad." Jack clenches his jaw. He had crossed state lines to find you. He knew where you worked so he must know where you live too. "What exit do they leave?"

"East." The guard looks at him.

"He must have taken her to her apartment. I have to go." Jack rushes to his bag grabbing his keys.

"Abbot, you should wait for the police." Robby comes out of the room.

"No, we're wasting time. We both know it'll take too long to wait around. Please keep an eye on Miracle."

"Of course— Abbot, what if he's still with her."

"Then I'm going to give him a taste of his own medicine." Jack rushes out of the ambulance bay to his car.

The entire time he is driving, he's fearing the worst. He should have been with you. You had just told him about all the terrible things that man had done to you. He should have drove you to work. Did he tell you he loved you on the phone before you left for work? What was going to happen if you weren't— He shakes the thoughts from his mind.

He arrives to your apartment and sees the door ajar. He pushes it open wider and sees the absolute state of your home. He calls out to you as he enters. "Are you in there?! Call out!" He heart sinks, your beautiful home was destroyed. All the picture frames were knocked off your wall. Smashed on the floor covered in broken glass. Your couch cushions were slashed and the TV had been thrown across the room. Food was all over your kitchen. On the walls and floor. Along with shattered plates and glass. All the cupboards were open and empty. Jack calls out to you again.

He moves to the hall and glances into Miracle's room. It's completely decimated. Her mattress slashed and flipped and her wooden bed frame was splintered. Her toys are scattered on the floor and all her clothes were dumped out of the dresser, the drawers flipped upside down on top of everything.

He turns your room, "Call out, Baby! Where are you?!" He opens your door and finds it in the same condition as Miracle's. Mattress slashed, bed frame broken. Your clothes and scrubs were everywhere. There was this awful potent smell of urine in the room as well.

His eyes scan the room until they fall on your bloody feet behind the mattress. "Oh god!" He moves the mattress aside and finds you badly beaten. Your face is bloody. One eye already swollen and the other closed. There was blood all over your body. Beside your head was your nightlight, broken. "C'mon, Baby." He kneels down beside you and checks your pulse, "C'mon, wake up. Please be okay. Please, can you hear me? Say something please."

"Jack…" You say meekly.

"Good, good stay awake okay? I'm gonna get some help. Help is on the way." He pulls out his phone and dials 911.

"…Miracle…"

"She's okay. Miracle is okay. She found her way to the ER again. You'll see her soon, just hold on. Can you squeeze my hands? As hard as you can." He puts his hands in yours. Your left is strong but your right is much weaker.

"It hurts."

"Yeah, it might be broken. What else hurts, can you tell me?"

"My… leg… head… it's hard to breathe."

"I know, I know." He sniffles.

"9 1 1 what's you emergency?" A voice comes from his phone.

Jack explains to the operator the situation. He tells them about the assault and requests an ambulance. Your arm was broken and you most likely had more broken bones elsewhere. He wanted to hold you but he couldn't tell the severity of your injuries. You whimper as the longer you're awake the more you began to feel the pain.

Paramedics arrive shortly after the phone call. Jack is unable to get in with you and follows behind in his car. You arrive to The Pitt and are rushed to Trauma One. Everyone looks on in horror as the doctors get to work treating you. Jack comes in shortly behind you but is stopped by police. "Abbot, we need to ask you a couple questions since you were on scene."

"Can you ask later?" His eyes are trained on the trauma room.

"It's better to ask them now since it's fresh on your mind." The officer looks at him sympathetically. He's still watching as his residents, his friend, try to save you.

"Fine, let's just hurry and get this over with." He leads them to the stairwell for privacy.

After the interview, He returns to the hub. "How is she?" He asks Lena.

"A tib fracture, radial head fracture, possible skull fracture… Multiple contusions and lacerations. This is one of the worst cases I've ever seen… Abbot, he could have killed her." She holds his shoulder.

When the bed starts to move to the elevators, he enters the room. Everyone passes by with different levels of shell shock on their face. "Robby, how is she?"

"She's stable heading up to the OR now. She had a small skull fracture their going to check on and get ortho for her leg and arm." Robby pulls him into a hug, "She's a tough cookie. She held on pretty tight until she was on the morphine. She's gonna be okay."

"Good. Where's Miracle?"

"In Pedes. McKay offered to stay behind and look after her." They walk over to the room, "Did you get anything from the cops?"

"Not much. They're heading to her apartment now. Apparently, based on the footage of the garage from the past few weeks he had been stalking her. Watching her come and go from home and work." He sniffs and clenches his jaw, "They are stopping by my house to see if he's going to go there. Fucker stole her car too, if that wasn't a cherry on top of this shit pie."

Jack takes a breath to calm down before going inside the room. It was dark. Miracle lays in the bed as McKay pats and rubs her back. She smiles when she sees the two attendings, "Psych stopped by while you were gone. She calmed down a lot more when we moved to this room."

"She likes the animals on the walls." Jacks switches places with McKay sitting beside the bed.

"She's just so darling. She said she likes her back rubbed before bed. It makes her feel better when she doesn't feel good."

"That's right." He smiles at the sleeping girl, "Thank, Dr. McKay. You have a good night."

"You too. I hope everything turns out okay." She leaves.

When it's just the two older men alone, Abbot sniffles, "You should have seen the state of the place. He tore it to shreds. They can't go back there. It's all ruined. It's like he made sure every inch of the house was destroyed. Miracle doesn't even have a bed anymore."

"I can only imagine." Robby sighs, "I can cover for you tonight. I'll call Shen to take the day. You should wait upstairs."

"Thanks. If the cops come back, let me know." Jack slowly picks Miracle up and lets her rest on his shoulder as she continues to sleep.

"I will. Try to stay calm too. She wants to wake up to see you smiling not mortified." Robby says. Jack nods and takes Miracle to the surgery waiting room. The night seems to drone on. The silence starts to irritate him. With Miracle's weight he's not able to move too much. She almost works as a weighted blanket keeping him calm and warm.

Soon, a surgeon comes in, "Dr. Abbot, we are happy to let you know the surgery was a success. She suffered a small linear fracture and a concussion. Her leg is now in a cast as well as her arm. Her rib fractures pose no threat to her organs, so they'll just need icing and some NSAIDs we can prescribe. She has a long road to recovery."

"Thank you, we'll get through it together. Can we see her soon?"

"Yes, a nurse will come get you. They're currently finishing cleaning her up…She was… urinated on." The surgeon goes to leave then turns back, "I hope they get that sick son of a bitch."

"Me too." He sits back down.

Moments later, a nurse, leads him to the ICU wing. All your coworkers look at him sympathetically. Your room was private, the farthest down the hall. "We brought a cot for Miracle, so she can sleep beside her mom." She smiles.

"Thank you." Jack sets her down on the bed and tucks her in.

"She never spoke about him. What he did to her back in her old town. But she always said you were like her perfect match. She loves you. She let us all know that."

"I needed to hear that. Thank you." He smiles at her.

"Of course. If you need anything you let us know." She then leaves the room.

Jack moves to the other side of the bed where a hospital recliner sits. He sits beside be and takes your hand in his. His heart aches as images pop into his minds. That man hitting you, kidnapping you, tearing up your home and beating you to near death. He closes his eyes and let the tears fall until he grows weary and falls asleep.

You wake up an hour later, Jack is on one side of the bed and Miracle on the other both of them still sleeping. One of your coworkers, Therese, comes in, "Hello, sleeping beauty."

"Not so beauty," You croak.

"Always a beauty. It's not too bad. How are you feeling?"

"Morphine is wearing off. It's not too bad though."

"That's usual for after surgery."

"I know."

"Well, then should I let you finish the evaluation?" She laughs, "You seem better already."

"Then discharge me, I've got to finish my shift." You laugh with her.

"I think your lover boy would have something say about that. He's been here all night."

"I see that. Nobody tried to send him home?"

"We tried. He begged to stay. He can give you the details on that later." She sits on a stool next to the computer, "Now, what do you remember?"

"My ex, he ambushed me in the parking lot. He slapped Miracle. I grappled him and told her to run."

When he hears you speaking, Jack creeps his eyes open. He listens to you as you tell the story. "He threw me down and took my keys. Then he shoved me back into the car and drove me home."

"Was he saying anything?"

"F this and F that. Calling me whore and slut. Yelled about me running away, yelled at me for taking Miracle. Not talking to my family. Whoring myself out to Jack." You take a deep breath, "He'd smack me to see if I was still listening. Held a knife to me the whole way so I wouldn't dare try to jump out."

"Then?"

"He trashed my house. He destroyed everything just because I was happy without him." Your voice wobbles, "With every room he just got angrier. He went ballistic when he saw a photo of Jack and I. He cracked my head with my light projector, kicked me a few times. I could barely see but I felt it. The hot piss as he relieved himself on me…" A tear rolls down Jack's cheek as he listens. "Then when it got quiet, when I thought I was going to die, I heard him. Jack telling me to hold on."

"Your knight in black scrubs." She bounces her eyebrows.

You smile, "Yeah, him and Miracle saved my life. She had found herself back in the ER once again."

"Love like that is boundless. You are very lucky to have it. Especially when you need it the most."

You look over at Jack, noticing the tears roll down his cheeks, "I'm very lucky."

When Therese leaves, you speak, "Are you going to keep pretending?"

Jack sits ups with his eyes open, "Feeling better?"

"Yes. C'mere." You hold out your uninjured hand to his face and wipe his watery eyes.

"They're going to get him for this. I'm not going to let him get the chance again."

"Jack—"

"I want you to move in with me."

"What?"

"Move in with me. It's closer to the hospital than your apartment. I have enough rooms that you could even have a room to yourself. I don't want you living in fear anymore."

"Are you sure that's not what this is?" You ask.

"No. I've been thinking about this since the holidays. I bought my house thinking I would have a family in it. This is me doing that. I want to keep you and Miracle safe. I failed but this way I can do better. We would be in the same place, go to work together, come home together. Go to bed together. Wake up together. A place for us all together. You, me, and Miracle."

"I… I don't know what to say."

"Just think about it." He takes your hand and squeezes it, "When you get discharged you can think about it like a trial period. Until you're back on your feet and and we fix up your apartment. We can get you new stuff and it can go in your apartment or it can move in to our house."

"Our house… You can't even wait."

"Sorry. No pressure. Take all the time you need."

"Daddy…" Miracles rises from her sleep.

"Yes, Princess." He gets up and picks her up.

"Where are we?" She mumbles.

"We're in Mommy's hospital room. Look, she's right there."

Miracle smiles, "Hi, Mommy."

"Hi, Lovely." You smile, "I look a little scary but I'm okay."

"You're covered in boo-boos."

"I know. The doctors made me better."

"When can we go home?"

"Not for a bit. Mommy is still hurting and our house is very messy." You pout, "We are going to stay at Daddy's house until then."

"I like his house." She smiles.

"Good, me too." You smile. "I wish I could hold you. Could you give me a kiss to make me feel better."

Jack holds her over you and she kisses her cheek. "I love you, Mommy."

"I love you too, My Little Miracle." You smile, "I think Nana is here, I bet she'd love to get you a treat from the nurse's room. Maybe ice cream?"

"Yes please!" Jack sets her down and watches her run to the nurse's station. The nurses all squeal in surprise as they all chime Miracle's name.

"Daddy, huh?" You grin.

"It didn't even register to me the first time she said it." He chuckles.

Your smile fades, "When did she say it first?"

"Earlier when she first came into the ED. She cried for me." He sits back down beside you. "I felt relief but then I saw the cut on her head and went to a panic. Then I got worried about you. I couldn't ruminate."

"Well, how does it feel?" You grab his hand.

"I love it. I love that she looks at me and sees her dad and when she saw him she had no idea who he was." He moves touches the side of your face.

"That makes me happy too." You kiss the palm of his hand. "I look at you and see what she sees. Someone kind and considerate. Someone who loves her so much and would never think to lay his hands on her. Someone that makes all her dreams come true."

"Let me make your dreams come true too." He kisses you on the lips.

˖⋆࿐໋₊ ☆

tags: @cosmicneptune @ilocuras24 @lacy1986 @stardustworlds @a-true-janian-reply @amacphet @darknessofhell666-blog-blog @princess76179 @nyxmoretti @kidd3ath @lovehadlovelost @emmy626 @leeshy12 @evergreen9083 @flyinglama @heyyimmisunderstood @secretlyurfemmwife @sliverspringss @xxohsnapitspatxx @urgirl-jijiiii @sabrinathewitchh982 @luminaxs @1dhoe93 @melissa66orion @otteryougladimback @iloveeveryoneyoureamazing @1-800-bobcut @generation-zero @jas241 @swiftwerewolfknight @beebeechaos @imaginecrushes @gf4lwt @tlc3802 @blackirisesinthesunlight @plan3tch1ld @untilmynextstory @hista-girl @xh444 @closelyinsanewave @chattyotter14 @vivi-xne @uncertainblissss @teaspacebar @midnightalbatross @of-converse-books-and-chocolate @marcysbear

[porchlightfairy]

Good Habits (and Bad)

(Little Miracle Series Pt. 5)

jack abbot x nurse!singlemom!reader (ICU)

little miracle series masterlist

a/n: i hope you enjoy the day shift jailbreak. you might be getting another part later tonight if i finish it in time!

summary: you have been floated to day shift for the day in the ICU. Miracle escapes the daycare: dayshift edition.

tags: once again unrealistic response from the daycare center. that place should be shut down.

wc: 3.1k

˖⋆࿐໋₊ ☆

Once in a blue moon, you would cover a day shift in the ICU. By seniority you were the most likely to be asked because you were the most recent RN. You weren't complaining, you could use the money but it threw you and Miracle off schedule. You would only accept you had a day off the following day. Your nurse manager knew that. So she would corner you and leave you no choice but to say yes. Jack was unable to babysit due to prior obligations so Miracle had to go to daycare.

In the afternoon, the daycare takes a trip to the park across from the hospital for a nice day out. However as they are just about to cross the street, Miracle recognizes the entrance to the ER. She slips through the crowd of kids when another group of kindergartners passes them. She follows them into the waiting room as they wait.

It was a busy day with standing room only. Miracle watches the doors open and close and as it opens again she slips through with a woman with other children. As they head towards the animal room, she walks in the other direction to the the central hub.

But it's not Lena that is there but instead a thinner woman with blonde hair and a more serious face. Miracle feels an uneasy feeling in her stomach and looks around for Jack. Nobody looks familiar to her. She panics and rushes to the elevator but gets knocked down by someone stepping out of one of the big rooms. Tears well up in her eyes as fear and confusion take over her mind.

"Woah, hey there sweetheart. Are you okay? You took a big spill." A young man in black scrubs kneels down.

"I'm… I'm lost." Miracle sniffles.

"It's okay. Let's go somewhere a little quiet. Just to make sure you are alright." He picks up the little girl and brings her back to around to the hub, "Dana? Is there a room free?"

"North 5, Langdon." The blonde thing woman speaks. He takes her to the curtained room.

"My name is Dr. Langdon. What's your name?"

Miracle still hurting and scared doesn't say a word.

"It's alright. You don't have to talk. I have kids your age. I know strangers can be a little scary." He looks down at her shirt to see her ID badge. He only sees her name, "Miracle, that's a really pretty name." Miracle clams up even more pulling her knees into her chest on the bed. "Alright, honey," Langdon stands up, "I'll be back, okay? I am going to get someone who might be able to help us find your people. Don't move, okay?" She nods slowly. "Great."

He leaves her and heads back to Dana, "Hey, my patient in 5, her name is Miracle. She's a little shaken up, says she's lost. She's got a daycare tag but I couldn't see more than her name. She won't say more or let me touch her."

"Miracle?" Dana narrows her eyes in thought, "Lena told me about a little girl running around months ago. It could be the same girl."

"Maybe. Could I get a nurse to check on her? I've got another patient's labs back."

"I got it." Nurse Jesse pats his shoulder and heads to the room. Langdon then heads West.

A couple minutes later, Jesse returns, "Um, there's no kid in 5."

Miracle slinks down the hall and walks past the coffee maker. She rushes past the computers to the wall then past the bathrooms. She tiptoes past the big windowed rooms when, "Excuse me, young lady!" Dana catches sight of her.

Miracle jumps and makes a dash through the Trauma room. Loud beeping and shouting disorients her. A person lays on the gurney surrounded by doctors and nurses in blue gowns, masks, and goggles. "Woah, is it take your kid to work day or something?" Someone says, the first to notice Miracle in the room.

Dana grabs the little girls hand, "Sorry we've got an eloper from daycare."

"Panda?" A person's head peers over the gurney and takes off his mask.

"Uncle Robby!" Miracle cries.

"Everyone keep working." He excuses himself, "I'll be back."

He yanks off the rest of his gear and he swiftly picks her up and takes her out of the room. "What on Earth are you doing here, Panda Bear?"He wipes her tears, "No more tears, okay? You're alright. You're okay."

"I-I wanted to see Jack." She sniffles.

"Oh Panda, remember he works night time. It won't be for some time that he will be here."

"I forgot." She mumbles.

"That's okay, I forget too sometimes. Let's call your mommy and let her know you're okay." He sets her on the counter and calls the ICU.

As he does, Dana walks up and holds out a small lollipop with a smirk. Miracle takes it with a smile. "You such a cutie, you know that."

The girl nods.

"Are you Lena's Little Lamb?"

She nods again.

"I figured. She said you were a little troublemaker." She pinches her cheeks, "You can get a lot of people down here to do what you want?"

"Yeah."

"That's one step close to doing what I do." Dana boops the little girl's nose.

"Alright Miracle, it's a bit busy on Mommy's floor. She'll come down as soon as she can." Robby gets off the phone with a sigh.

Langdon rushes back in a panic, "Oh thank god. I thought I lost Miracle."

"Here she is, crisis averted." Dana says.

"Yes, she is a friend not a patient so we can clear her from the board. And if we could minimize her exposure to traumas that would be great. Jack would kill me."

"So, you're Jack's heart stealer too. I get it now. Jack is going to have to pry her away from me." Dana picks up the little girl holding her tightly. Robby chuckles.

"Who's the kid?" Santos arrives to the hub along with Whitaker.

"This is Miracle, Jack's mini me."

"Aren't they supposed to look alike to be a mini me?"

"Jack is dating her mom." Dana explains, "Miracle was the one that got them to meet. She liked to sneak down here when he worked."

"So why is she here in the middle of the day?"

"Her mom is probably covering a shift. ICU has been asking for floaters."

"You know I think I've got some stickers in backpack from my pediatric rotation." Whitaker chimes in.

"Stickers?" Miracle perks up at the word.

-

An hour and some past you come down to the ED to find multiple staff members with stickers on their arms, face, and scrubs. You feel a wave of calm when you see Miracle placing a stick on Robby's face.

"Hey Robby." You smile, "Thank you for looking after her."

"Of course. No stress, no drama." He leans over to whisper, "No gore."

"Good." You pick her up, "Ready to go? Say bye Uncle Robby."

"Bye Uncle Robby." The little girl waves as you head back upstairs.

"Bye Panda." He waves in return.

Dana sidles up beside him with a knowing smile on her face, "Uncle Robby? She said that in the trauma room too."

"Yeah, during the holiday months we spent a lot of time together. We had Thanksgiving together. We exchanged gifts for Christmas and even spent New Year's together. Like a family, you know? It was really nice." Robby shrugs, "Miracle got to asking questions of who Jack and I were. Were we friends? Were we family? What all that stuff meant. Her mom told her it's for her to choose. We'd love and support her no matter what name she chose for us."

"How sweet." Dana grins, "And she chose Uncle Robby."

"God no. I was grandpa for like a month." He huffs, "It took her multiple candy bribes to pick something else."

Back upstairs, you head to the daycare center and stop short when you look inside to see it's dark. A note is placed on the door saying they were out for the day. "Damn it." You mutter.

"That's a bad word, Mommy."

"I know, My Love, I'm sorry. Let me call Jack really quick." You set the girl down and pull out your phone. You smile at Jack's caller ID. A picture of him and Miracle. He was asleep and Miracle had a toy stethoscope on listening to his 'heart beat.' You hit the call button. After a few rings he answers.

"Hello?"

"Hi, are you still busy? The daycare is on a field trip and Miracle snuck away. I have no where to take her right now." You sigh.

"I'm free now. I can take her until my shift." He says.

"Great! You are such a life saver." You smile, "I will make this up to you I promise. I'll keep her in the ICU until then." You turn to tell Miracle the good news but she's no where in sight. "Oh shit. Oh Shit! Shit! I lost her."

"Lost her?"

"She was standing right beside me! Shit! Shit!" You panic as you look down the hall and see the elevator going down then you look down to the other elevator and see it's going up, "You've got to be kidding. She could be anywhere!"

"Okay, take a deep breath. She could just be in the ER. We both know she likes it there."

"I just got her from there! Oh my god. I'll call you back when I find her."

"I'm on my way. Calm down and keep looking." You rush back down the stairs.

-

Miracle had heard you on the phone. But she couldn't leave without her backpack, she didn't have it when you picked her up. It must have been back downstairs. She had to get that before she left so, she took the elevator down.

The elevator doors open and Miracle is immediately caught by Javadi. "Oh, hello. You are Miracle right?" She smiles, "I remember from earlier. I'm Victoria. Should you be down here?"

"I lost my backpack." Miracle mutters meekly.

"Hm, then we should go find it. What does it look like?"

"It's pink with hello kitty on it."

"I love hello kitty." Javadi takes her hand as they walk down the hall to retrace her steps.

You arrive to the ED from the stairwell out of breath. "You're back." Dana looks over her glasses in surprise.

"I lost Miracle again. Jack is coming to pick her up and I think she got too excited. Have you seen her?"

"Can't say I have."

"Oh god," You feel tears well up in your eyes. You cover your face face in embarrassment.

"It's okay hun but the ED is not that big. I'll have all my nurses looking with you." Dana holds your shoulders to comfort you. "I lost my kids at Niagara Falls and thought they were halfway across Canada before we found them. It's going to be okay."

"Thank you." You wipe your face and move to start looking when your hospital phone starts working, "This day can't possibly get worse. Fuck!"

"Go ahead. It won't be the end of the world if you aren't here lookin'. She ain't getting far."

"Everyone down here is a saving grace. Call me if you find her!" You rush back up the stairs to your floor.

Javadi and Miracle search the waiting room. With no luck, Javadi walks Miracle through the North side rooms. "Who put you on babysitting duty? You don't look that much older than her." Santos snarks.

"Than you must be old. You look close to Robby." Miracle snarks back. Javadi laughs out loud.

"You just got roasted by a child. I think you've met your match."

Santos scoffs, "Her mom came down in a panic. You're in trouble, little lady."

"Trouble?" Miracle feels the uneasy feeling in her stomach like before. She fiddles with her fingers, "I…I want my mommy."

"Way to go Santos, you're going to make her cry." Javadi kneels down to comfort the little girl. Tears well up in her eyes as she starts to get nervous.

"Panda Bear? There you are." Robby comes up to her and picks her up. "What's the matter?"

"I…I left my backpack. I came back to find it. Then this mean old lady said I was in trouble." Robby turns to Santos with pursed lips as he tries not to laugh.

"I was just kidding. Her mom seemed pretty upset.:

"It's okay. Your mom is worried not mad. A poor choice of words from mean old Dr. Santos." He chuckles, "Let's go sit with Ms. Dana and wait for your mom."

Back at the hub, Miracle sits under the desk as a trauma comes in. She is left in Dana's care. They continue search for the lost backpack. "Is my mommy gonna be mad?"

"I don't think so, Sweetie. I think she's going to be happy you're safe."

"Look what I found." Langdon appears with a hello kitty pack in hand.

"You found it!" Miracle takes the bag from him.

"I t was hidden away. Someone must have found it earlier and forgot." He smiles.

"Feel a little better?" Dana asks.

"Uh huh." Miracle nods.

"Good, let's sit in the break room for a bit. Get a snack or something." Dana takes the girl's hand and leads her there.

A few minutes later, Abbot rushes through the ambulance bay, "Is Miracle down here?" He says out of breath.

"She's in the break room with Dana." Princess points.

He nods and heads there. He smiles when he sees Miracle facing away from the door eating while taking to Dana. He overhears a bit of there conversation.

"They are like the princess movies."

"Yeah? Do you think they'll get married like the princess movies?"

"Mhm. I want Jack to be my daddy."

Jack does a flip in his chest. She wants him to be her dad. He wants to be her dad; Your husband. You must have talked to her about it from over the holidays and that family conversation. "I'm sure he'd like that." Dana looks right at him when she says that.

He smiles and walks into the room, "Hi, Miracle."

"Jack!" She jumps from her seat and rushes into his arms.

"You've been giving everyone the around around, today."

"I didn't mean to." She says bashfully.

"It's alright. I think everyone had fun with you."

"Even Mommy?"

"Mm, we'll have to ask her." He wipes at her dried tears.

You return to the ED with relief when you see Miracle and Jack as they round the corner at the same time. He smiles at you as you run him and hug both of them. "Thank god. Miracle, I am… happy you're okay, but you know better than to go off on your own."

"I forgot my backpack. I can't leave without my backpack." Miracle explains.

"We could have looked for it together." You sigh, "I am happy that you found it. Promise me you won't run from me again. Jack will not bail you out next time."

"I promise." Miracle smiles, holding him tighter.

You fix a bit of her hair and look at Jack, "What would I do without you?"

"I think it's kinda his fault. Had you never met him I think your daughter wouldn't have thought twice to come down here." Robby interjects, "So, I think you would be just fine."

"Thank you, Robby." You snicker, "I'll take that into account next time.

"We'll see you at home." Jack kisses your cheek.

"Bye Mommy."

"Bye My Little Miracle." You kiss her forehead. "I'll see you two at home." Then you return up the stairs to your floor.

"That was the sweetest thing. You could have opened a candy store next to the pharmacy." Dana smiles.

"I'll see you guys later." Jack bounces Miracle, "Have anything to say, Princess?"

"Bye everybody. Thank you." Miracle waves.

Everyone waves back in return.

The next morning when Jack returns from his shift, the two of you sit on the couch while Miracle sits on the floor watching a movie. Jack has his arm draped over you. He looks at your profile as you watch the TV. It was still dark in the house so the colors from the TV were bouncing off your skin. You turn your head to face him, "What's the matter?"

"I was just thinking. I heard Miracle talking to Dana yesterday. She wants to call me daddy."

"Yes, she's been talking about it for some time." You purse your lips, "I didn't want to scare you away. Uncle Robby that's easy to write off but 'Daddy,' that's serious. That's commitment."

"I'm committed. You can't scare me away with a word like that. Nothing you do will scare me away. I love you two." He lays his hands on your shoulders, "I look in your eyes and I see my future with you. Don't you?"

"I do. Of course, I do. I guess… I guess I'm the one who is scared." You let out a shaky breath, "I've never had something like this before. I'm afraid that one day you'll say you had enough. You're done playing house and up and leave. I can live with that, no problem, but Miracle, she loves you. I'll have to explain why you're gone, why you won't come around anymore. Why she can't see you. What happened to another 'Daddy.' This would be the longest relationship I've been in since…"

"Miracle's Dad." He holds your face, "I want to be here with you. I wouldn't have it any other way. You and Miracle have become my family. I hope you can consider me that too. You can have your reservations. They are valid, but please don't write me off that easy. I fell in love with you in a short time. I would not take it for granted like that."

You lean in to kiss him. "You are my family and I love you. I trust you with my daughter and I trust you with my life. I love you, Jack."

"I love you too." He pulls you in for another kiss, holding you as you fall into his chest to lay on the couch. After you break from the kiss, you lay on his chest and listen to his heartbeat. You smile as you listen. Your eyes watch Miracle as she mouths the words to the song in the movie. You feel a familiar wave of calm wash over you.

˖⋆࿐໋₊ ☆

likes comments and reblogs are always appreciated

tags: @cosmicneptune @ilocuras24 @lacy1986 @stardustworlds @a-true-janian-reply @amacphet @darknessofhell666-blog-blog @princess76179 @nyxmoretti @kidd3ath @lovehadlovelost @emmy626 @leeshy12 @evergreen9083 @flyinglama @heyyimmisunderstood @secretlyurfemmwife @sliverspringss @xxohsnapitspatxx @urgirl-jijiiii @sabrinathewitchh982 @luminaxs @1dhoe93 @melissa66orion @otteryougladimback @iloveeveryoneyoureamazing @1-800-bobcut @generation-zero @jas241 @swiftwerewolfknight @beebeechaos @imaginecrushes @gf4lwt @tlc3802 @blackirisesinthesunlight @plan3tch1ld @untilmynextstory @hista-girl @xh444 @closelyinsanewave @chattyotter14 @vivi-xne @uncertainblissss @teaspacebar @midnightalbatross @of-converse-books-and-chocolate @marcysbear

[porchlightfairy]

Upside Down

(Little Miracle Series pt. 4)

jack abbot x nurse!singlemom!reader (ICU)

little miracle series masterlist

a/n: I'm uber excited about this one! thank you for reading!

summary: Robby is a little jealous that Abbot isn't giving him attention anymore. He decides to tag a long and go to the zoo with Abbot and Miracle.

wc: 2.8k

˖⋆࿐໋₊ ☆

"You're cancelling basketball again?!" Robby frowns. Him and Abbot walk back to the hub after doing rounds with the residents.

"I'm not cancelling. You are free to still go. I just won't be there." Abbot shrugs.

"Why not?" Robby sighs, "Not to sound like a jealous wife but you've been spending a lot of time with them."

Jack smiles, "What do you want me to say to that? We love each other. It's her day off tomorrow and I want to give her a stress free day without Miracle. She's never had that before. I'm sorry it feel like I've been ditching you but I promised Miracle I'd take her to the zoo before it gets too cold."

Robby sighs again, "Then… I'll go with you."

"You? You want to go to the zoo and spend the day with a 4 year old?" Abbot chuckles.

"I do. I want to know who's been making you happy all this time."

Later in the night, you sit in bed with Jack. Miracle finally closed her eyes after talking about all the things she was planning to do at the zoo. "Are you excited for tomorrow? You'll be spending an entire day with Miracle by yourself."

"And Robby."

"And Robby?" You cock an eyebrow, "He didn't peg me as the zoo type. Or the type to enjoy the company of a 4 year old."

"He's a little upset that I've been skipping out on our plans to spend time with you."

"Oh I didn't know that. You should just spend the day with him instead. Miracle and I can go to the zoo."

"No, no he's just being whiny and needing something to complain about. He wants to come. We can meet after the zoo and you two can properly meet and we can all go to dinner."

"Wow, a proper meet. Not an awkward wave in the hall or a polite smile outside the ED." You laugh, "Miracle thinks he has a mean face, you know."

"I know. So this will be new for everyone but I have confidence that it will be a fun day." He pulls you into his arms under the covers.

"Does he know what he's getting into with her?" You giggle as you lay against his chest.

"I think it's for the best to leave it a surprise." He kisses your forehead.

-

It was a cool day with an autumn breeze. Jack drives as Robby sits in the front seat. Miracle was in her car seat, buzzing with excitement. "I can't wait to see all the animals."

"Which one is your favorite?" Jack asks.

"I like the red pandas!" She points to her hair, "That's why Mommy made my hair like their ears."

"They're my favorite too." He smiles. "Your mommy did a good job. You look so pretty today." He looks up to see Robby staring back in disbelief. "What?"

"Nothing, just, I didn't know you were so good with kids."

"I've always been good with kids." Jack scoffs.

"Yeah the rare cases that a kid shows up at 2 o'clock in the morning." Robby snorts.

Once they arrive to the zoo, Jack carries Miracle through the parking lot to the entrance. Miracle stares at Robby intensely the entire time. "What's up, kid?" He finally asks.

"You look tired." She states.

"That's what happens when you get old." Jack jokes.

"Then he must be really old."

Jack laughs as they walk to the gate and scan Jack and Miracle's pass. You had gone to the zoo with Jack and told him he might as well get one a pass. With how often Miracle liked to go it basically paid for itself.

"Do we have to bring this stupid wagon if you're just going to hold her." Robby sneers as he tugs a small wagon behind him.

"She might get tired later. I only carry her through the front where it's busy."

"He's kinda a meanie." Miracle whispers to Jack. Robby frowns, offended.

"He's not really. He's just mad we aren't doing what he wants. He's a little spoiled."

"Who's side are you on?"

"Miracle's obviously. You are a grown man."

As they continue through the crowd. Miracle turns to face Robby and sticks her tongue at him. He makes a similar face.

Once free from the crowd, Jack sets Miracle down. She takes his hand instantly, "Where to first, Sweetie?"

"First we get our Icee. Then the tigers!" Miracle jumps up an down.

"Are you sure she needs that sugar this early in the day."

"It's a tradition she does with her mom. They do it every time they're here. She'll burn all the energy within the first hour." Jack waves him away, "Alright, you want red or blue?"

"Mm, I want blue this time. You get red." She smiles up at him.

"Okay, why do don't you go stay with Robby while I get it. It's a little crowded and I won't have the hand to hold yours."

She nods and follows Robby to a nearby bench. She sits beside him and speaks, "Do you like my mommy?"

"Uh, it's too soon to tell, kid. I don't know her too well."

"You make mean faces at her and me."

"I'm sorry. They're not meant to be mean. I just worry about my friend. Jack is my best friend and I don't want to see him hurt."

"My mommy doesn't hurt people. She helps them. She's a nurse." Miracle says, "She loves him. And you don't hurt the people you love."

"You are right." He smiles, "You are a very smart girl, Miracle."

"Thank you. Jack says so too." She smiles in return.

Jack returns with two Icees, "Hey, you two are smiling. Ready to go?"

"Yes!" She jumps up and takes her cup from Jack and grabs his hand.

"Hang on, where's mine?" Robby frowns.

"I figured we could share." Jack holds the cup to him and sure enough inside are two straws.

They walk around the exhibits together. Miracle runs around excitedly. She interacts with all the displays. Follows the footprints on the path, flips the the flip books that are screwed on the wall. She listens to the ambiance playing as they walk and she squawks to the birds.

For the first time, outside of the hospital, Robby was experiencing life through the lens of a young child. Every so often she stops and turns to Jack. She touches him. His leg or his hand, and looks at him to talk about the animal facts. She'd ask for help on the big words and never stayed on his hip too long.

With Robby, she was gentle. If he was lagging behind too far, she would have them stop and she'd take his hand. She'd include him on her conversations as if he didn't know anything. She was kind to him even though she called him a meanie just a couple hours earlier.

They head to the aquarium where it was a little quieter. As Miracle watches the fish in the tank, Robby takes the opportunity to speak to Jack, "She's bright."

"Bright, cunning, sweet, and attentive. She wants to be a doctor when she grows up," Jack chuckles, "Her mom wasn't too happy as before that she want to be a nurse."

"You leave quite the impression." Robby smiles. "Sorry about before. How skeptical I was."

"It's okay, I understand. I've been avoiding the conversation we would be forced to have sooner or later."

"Jack!" Miracle comes bounding over.

"We don't have to have it now." Robby pats Jack on the shoulder.

They leave the aquarium and heads to the kids' jungle gym. "Stay where I can see you, be kind, and…"

"Keep my hands to myself." She completes the sentence.

Robby cocks an eyebrow, Jack sits back on the bench and sighs, "We had a situation last time."

After a moment, a woman with a stroller sits beside them, "Hello, hope you don't mind."

"Not at all. Free country." Jack nods his head.

"Which one is yours?" She asks

"The one with the bows in her hair." Jack points at Miracle going down the slide.

"How cute. Mine are the two boys pretending to be monkeys." She points to the boys jumping around the playground. "How old is she?"

"4 years old."

"Oh, have you looked at school yet? What a rollercoaster that was."

"I'm sure it is." Jack notices Miracle stuck going across the monkey bars, "'Scuse me— Hang on, Miracle!" He gets up from the bench and rushes to help her across.

The woman looks to Robby, "So how was she brought into your lives."

"Pardon." He furrows his brows in confusion.

"Was it adoption? Surrogacy?" She smiles as she watches Jack and her play together, "My guess was surrogacy. She looks a lot like your husband, it must have been his sperm."

"Oh! No ma'am." Robby bursts out laughing, "We're not a couple."

"Really? I've bumped into you two a few times. You are awfully close."

He laughs harder, "No, no. We are just good friends. That is his partner's daughter. Not mine."

"I am so sorry I assumed. The two of you drinking out of the same cup and the beautiful moment in the aquarium. I'm so flustered. I need to go, pardon me." She abruptly leaves.

"He's going to get a kick out of that." Robby wipes a tear from his eye.

Jack returns with Miracle and sits her on his lap, "What'd you do? You scared that lady away."

"She thought we were a couple and Miracle was our lovechild." He starts back up again, throwing his head back as he cackled.

"And you think that's hilarious." Jack rolls his eyes, "As long as she thought I was the one that did the donation."

"She did!" He wipes more tears.

-

The three have a late lunch at the center of the zoo. Robby still cracks himself up over the woman. He tries to grab Jack's hand and hold his waist. "Will you knock it off before I kick you ass?" Jack seethes.

"Okay honey, please don't put me in the doghouse tonight." Robby pouts.

As they wait in line to order, Robby notices Miracle growing weary on her feet. "Miracle, are you tired?" He asks.

She simply nods in return.

Jack turns to her, "Here—"

"May I?" Robby holds out his arms, "I'm taller than Jack so you'll see way more." Miracle grins at the enticing offer. She enters Robby;s hands and he picks her up and places her on his hip. "See? Look you can see the red panda's from here." Miracle giggles as she looks around.

When their food is ordered and served, they have a seat a table to eat. "Was it a good day today, Miracle?" Jack asks.

She nods as stuffs her mouth with french fries.

"Hear, hear." Robby concurs.

They continue to eat when Miracle shouts, "Mommy!"

Jack's head shoots up from his food and he scans the crowd, "Your mommy isn't here, Miracle."

"Yes she is I just saw her!" She points, "Right there!"

There you are, among the crowd. You hear Miracle shouting and wave with a smile on your face. You head to the table still grinning. "Gosh, she's pretty out of her scrubs." Robby mutters as he watches you approach.

"Watch it." Jack warns.

Once you arrive at the table you kiss the top of Miracle's head and kiss Jack on the lips. "Hello, hello." You turn to Robby, "Hello, Dr. Robby. Nice to finally meet outside of the dire circumstances that we usually do."

"Right back at you. Nice to not be in dingy scrubs"

You lean down and hug him with a friendly kiss on the cheek. "I hear that. It was only a matter time we would meet like this." You sit beside Robby and across from Miracle.

"What are you doing here?" Jack asks, "You're off the hook the whole day."

"I know. I got bored. It was nice in the beginning. I got my nails and toes done. Went shopping for myself. But then I started thinking about all the fun you guys were having without me." You smile then point to the wagon, "Miracle's backpack has an airtag in it."

"We had lots of fun." Miracle smiles.

"Good. What about you two? Still wish you were at the courts instead, Robby."

"I wouldn't trade this day for the world. Right, honey?" Robby reaches across the table trying to grab Jack's hand.

Jack quickly pushes Robby's hand off the table. "Get away from me."

"Uh oh, trouble in paradise?" You giggle.

"A woman thought we were a couple." Robby sounds like he's starting up again. Jack rolls his eyes. "And your daughter was ours."

"I can see the resemblance." You between the three. "You two make a lovely couple."

"Not you too." Jack groans.

"I'm just teasing," You laugh, "Miracle, do you want to walk around the gift shop before we go home?" She nods. "Alright, I'll give you two some privacy." You flash a wink and take Miracle over to the gift shop. The two men watch as you go.

"She's lovely." Robby speaks, "Funny… and young."

"I knew you'd bring that up." Jack sighs

"Nothing is wrong with that. I'm stating the obvious here. Like how happy she make you; that's obvious too. You lit up when you saw her in the crowd as she came to the table. I've never seen you smile like that before. It's clear to me that you two are great together. You love her, she loves you, and you love her daughter. When you first told me, I thought; no way is this going to last, she's a nurse and she's young. But here you are proving me wrong. You are devoted to this little family and I am proud of you."

"Thank you, Robby." Jack smiles, "Means a lot."

"I'm in your corner brother. So, by proxy, I'm also in their corner." They look over to the gift shop kiosk to see you and Miracle trying on different silly sunglasses.

When you return, you purse your lips and bite back a smile, "Do you want to give him your gift now?" Miracle giggles and nods rapidly, "She picked out something for you, Robby. To remind you of the day." Miracle hands holds out the gift bag to him.

Robby sits up and takes the bag, "You didn't have to do that, kid." He pulls out a red panda plush animal.

"Because I looked like one today. You'll have me in your house every day!" She smiles.

Robby looks at her adoringly, "Thanks, Miracle." He opens his arms and gives her a gently hug.

-

After lunch, Miracle was tuckered out and lays asleep in her wagon as you all walk out into the zoo parking lot. "I'm glad you guys had a nice time today."

"Yes, your daughter is great company. Dare I say better than you boyfriend?"

"You've been trying to get a rise out of me all day." Jack warns.

"You'd think he could take a joke by now." Robby chuckles, "I'd be more than happy to come along again on a family trip, wherever that may be. Even if it was just dinner at Jack's."

"I'm sure there will be that in the future." You nod, "Hopefully, we'll have a proper sit down with maybe some beers."

"The way to my heart." Robby feigns swooning.

-

You arrive to your car first and take Miracle out of the wagon, "You guys go ahead and enjoy the evening. I think walking around the zoo is enough torture." You put Miracle in her car seat and turn to Jack, "I'll see you later."

"I'll see you tonight." He holds your waist and kisses you, "I missed you today."

You bite back a smile, "I missed you too. I have to repay you for the mani-pedi."

"Alright, see you later." He mutters as he moves in for another kiss.

Robby clears his throat causing you two to finally break away. "Bye Robby, I'll see you around." You get in the driver's seat and start the car. He waves as you drive off.

As they walk back to Jack's car Robby chuckles, "You've got the biggest shit-eating grin I've ever seen."

"Shut up. There's still daylight, do you want to shoot or not?" Jack rolls his eyes.

"Oh yeah! I'm going to kick your ass and have you crawling home to your honey with your tail between your legs." Robby slaps his shoulder.

"At least I have a honey." Jack jabs back.

"Oof, low blow brother. Now, you're asking for it." They get into the car and go to play some basketball as promised. After an already long day, they don't last long, consequently quitting within the hour of playing and going home to lay down.

˖⋆࿐໋₊ ☆

tags: @cosmicneptune @ilocuras24 @lacy1986 @stardustworlds @a-true-janian-reply @amacphet @darknessofhell666-blog-blog @princess76179 @nyxmoretti @kidd3ath @lovehadlovelost @emmy626 @leeshy12 @evergreen9083 @flyinglama @heyyimmisunderstood @secretlyurfemmwife @sliverspringss @xxohsnapitspatxx @urgirl-jijiiii @sabrinathewitchh982 @luminaxs @1dhoe93 @melissa66orion @otteryougladimback @iloveeveryoneyoureamazing @1-800-bobcut @generation-zero @jas241 @swiftwerewolfknight @beebeechaos @imaginecrushes @gf4lwt @tlc3802 @blackirisesinthesunlight @plan3tch1ld @untilmynextstory @hista-girl @xh444 @closelyinsanewave @chattyotter14 @vivi-xne @uncertainblissss @teaspacebar @midnightalbatross @of-converse-books-and-chocolate @marcysbear

[porchlightfairy]

Blue

(Little Miracle Series pt. 3)

jack abbot x nurse!singlemom!reader (ICU)

little miracle series masterlist

a/n: this got such a positive reception! thank you to everyone who was interested! I hope you like this and look forward to more!

summary: it is flu season and miracle has got a fever. you are out of sick days to take care of her so jack offers to take some time off to take care of her. he comes over and makes sure miracle is well taken care of and she gets better.

wc: 2.6k

˖⋆࿐໋₊ ☆

It was officially flu season. Summer had come and past and as the temperature lowers, the respiratory viruses were on the rise. Abbot was grateful to not be working day shift, administering flu shots, dealing with snot nosed kids and their anti-vax parents. And the influx pneumonia.

In the ICU, flu season was not taken lightly. After a viral infection, came pneumonia and possibly sepsis. Immunocompromised patients were on high alert and your floor was filling up quickly and constantly. It was all hands on deck except for you.

One night you received a call from the daycare center. Miracle had a high fever, which meant she was not able to stay in the center until it broke. You had to stay home with her until it went down. You took a few days off and it was clear, Miracle had the flu.

"She's looking better today but she's having a hard time moving around, and she sounds like an 85 year old chain smoker." You are sitting on your couch watching TV while on the phone with Jack. You sigh, "I don't know what I'm going to do tomorrow. I am out of sick days and her fever is still around 100."

"I've got some sick days I should probably use before the end of the year. I can call off tomorrow and watch her while you're at work."

You've been going steady for a few months now. Jack is always willing to help with Miracle. However, this would be the first time he was offering to watch her, by himself. Take care of her for longer than the time she was in the ED. He is willing to call out sick for you and watch her. Be the support you need. You've never had that before. "Are you sure? You're okay with babysitting a sick child all by yourself."

"I'll be okay. I am a doctor after all. I can take care of Miracle and if anything she'll let me know if something's wrong. She's a smart girl."

You're silent on the line. He bites his lip as he waits for you to say something. Maybe he was being too forward. He's about to speak again when you speak, "Okay, I really appreciate it. I can't thank you enough."

The next evening, Jack arrives to your apartment before you leave for your shift. You're already in your scrubs, "Hey! Perfect timing." You pull him into the house, "She already ate but if she's hungry again there is some chicken soup in the fridge to heat up and there's some juice for her throat. She's already taken some medicine. She'll need another dose before bed that will tie her over until morning…" As you talk Jack looks around your apartment. It was the first time he has really lingered. He's only been a few times and he usually stayed by the door as you hurried to put Miracle's shoes on or your coat. You lead him down a short hall, "Down there is the bathroom, this door is to my room and in here is," You push open a door and inside is Little Miracle laying bed, "Look who it is, Baby!"

"Jack!" Her voice is hoarse as she speaks. It was only recently that she finally started calling him by his first name. You think it was because she liked the word doctor and didn't want to stop saying it.

"I'll be taking care of you while your mommy is away. We'll have some fun, won't we?" The girl simply nods. The lowest energy, he has seen from the girl since meeting her.

"She's already had a bath and is in her pajamas. Her bedtime is 9:30 sharp. I read her 3 stories, her choice. She's been in bed most of the day, she hasn't been in much of a playful mood but with you, who knows."

"Great. Anything else I need to know."

"She doesn't have any allergies, she doesn't wet the bed, and she's not secretly the antichrist. Oh, and if you get tired yourself, you can sleep in my bed."

"In your bed, how forward."

"Just being considerate. Thank you for doing this." You kiss him on the cheek, "If anything happens, I trust that you'll call me, right?"

"Right."

"Good." You kneel down to Miracle's side, "Alright, My Love, I'm going to work. You be good for Jack and if you need anything you can ask him, okay?"

"Okay." She coughs. You pout a little then kiss her forehead.

You head towards the door, "You'll call me if you need anything, right? Let me know if anything happens?"

"Yes ma'am. I promise, I've got this handled." He grabs your waist and kiss you for reassurance, "Have a good night and stay safe."

You take a breath to steel yourself before walking out of your apartment. This would be the first time since she was born that you would be miles away from Miracle. You were anxious but when you thought about Jack being with her, you feel a wave of calm.

Back at your apartment, Jack sits in Miracle's room on the edge of her bed. He looks around and see art work on the walls. Toys are strewn around a small toy box. It was very Miracle. "How are you feeling right now, Sweetheart?"

"My throat hurts." She mutters.

"Alright, let's get you some juice." He stands up, "How do feel about getting out of bed for a bit? It's a little stuffy in here."

She nods and sits up, she holds up her arms. He swiftly picks her up and carries her into the kitchen. He sets her down to open the fridge and grab the juice. She goes to take a seat at the dining room table. "Miracle, where are your cups?"

"In the cabinet there." She points to the cabinet next to the fridge.

"Smart girl." He smiles and grabs a small glittery cup with a bunch of princesses on it.

He places the cup in front of her on the table and pours some juice for her. He watches as she drinks from the cup. He then looks around the room. It was fairly clean in the kitchen with only a few dishes in the sink. Some more toys laid in a corner of the living room. Most of the pictures on the wall were of just you and Miracle or Miracle alone. From when she was just a baby to now.

"Is there anything you want to do?" Jack asks. The little girl shakes her head, "Really nothing? You must be really sick."

"The cough syrup makes me tired. Can we watch a movie?" She asks.

"Sure." He follows her to the couch in the living room. She grabs the remote and chooses a movie, Jack doesn't recognize. He wasn't too versed in kids entertainment but the movie she picked was compelling. "That guy is like you." Miracle points to the main character.

Jack focuses more on the movie not too sure why she would think that. However, he realizes in the end what her reasoning was. The character loses his foot, "I can see it now. He is like me."

Miracle sits close beside Jack, laying her head on his arm and turns on a different movie. By the time the movie marathon is over, she is in Jack's lap laying on his chest with her eyes closed. As the credits roll on another movie, Jack checks his clock, "Alright Miracle, it's time to get ready for bed." The little girl whines and turns her head away, "C'mon, Sweetie, let's go use the bathroom, take some more medicine, and brush our teeth."

She slips out of his lap and trudges to the bathroom. When she finishes, Jack comes in to help her take her medicine. She takes it like a champ and goes to brush her teeth. Jack helps her visualize doing the same mouth motions so she gets her front, side and back teeth. She then moves to her bedroom. "Alright, Mommy said 3 books. Take your pick." He sits on the edge of her bed as she stands by her bookshelf

"I just want one." Miracle mumbles.

"Are you sure?" His eyes soften, "I can do as many as you want."

"Just this one." She grabs out a flat green book, 'Goodnight Moon.'

"Okay—"

"But! I want you to stay with me."

"I'm not going anywhere. I'll just be in the living room working."

"Uh uh." She shakes her head, "You have to lay with me until mommy comes back."

All night in a toddler sized bed did not sound ideal to Jack. "Mm, how about we go and lay in mommy's room, instead."

Miracle smiles excitedly, "Yeah!" She grabs a stuffed animal from her bed and rushes to your room. Jack follows after her and looks inside. It was warm. Light colored blackout curtains, a queen sized bed with a plush duvet with a floral pattern and matching sheets. It was very you. Miracle climbs onto the bed and fidgets with a dome-shaped device on your night stand.

"What's that, Sweetie?" He sits down beside her.

"Mommy's nightlight. She doesn't like the dark." She turns it on and against her hand he can see the stars and moon. He gets up again and turns out the lights so it's only your bedside lamp on. The stars and moon shine around the room.

"Alright." He tucks her into the bed and opens the book, "In the great green room, there was a telephone and a red balloon…"

When he finishes the book, Miracle is fighting sleep. "Are you sure you don't want another story, Miracle?"

She shakes her head, "I don't want to move."

"Okay then, I'll just rub your back until you close your eyes." He turns out the light and crawls over to the middle of the bed.

"I like when mommy does that." She scoots closer to him.

"I liked it too when my mom did it to me." He whispers. As he rubs her back, he looks at the ceiling and watches the stars and moon spin along the ceiling and walls.

Soon the girl is sleeping, a soft snore falls from her lips. He was hoping to get some work done while she was babysitting. Now he was trapped with Miracle under his arm. He didn't want to wake her up not knowing what the ramifications of that was yet. So, he stayed in bed with her, subsequently falling asleep.

In the middle of the night, he feels her moving, "What the matter, Miracle?"

"My throat hurts."

"I'll get you some water." He grabs some room temperature water in a cup for her to drink. After a gulp or two she gives the cup back to him to set on the nightstand. They lay back down and Miracle curls up into a little ball beside him and rests her head on his chest. "Feeling better?"

"Mhm."

"Good." He closes his eyes.

"Jack?" His eyes slowly open again.

"Yes, Miracle?"

"Do you like my mommy?"

"I do."

"Like the people in the movies."

"The people that hug and kiss?"

"Uh huh."

"I do."

"You wouldn't hurt her?"

"Never, ever."

"Even when you were mad?"

"Nothing would make me mad enough to hurt her, or you." His brows furrow. He turns to his side to face the girl. "Has someone hurt your mommy?"

"I dunno. Mommy says she's been hurt before."

"I see." He rubs her cheek, "I promise you, Miracle, I will not hurt your mommy or you. I want you two to be safe." He kisses her forehead. "Let's go back to sleep okay."

His heart races as he thinks. Your past has been a touchy subject. You do not like to talk about it with him. But based on the little you have told him, it was not all happy memories. He rubs Miracle's back as he calms himself down. He falls back asleep.

The next morning, you come in to the apartment as quiet as possible. You notice Jack was not in the living room, so he must have taken your offer to sleep in your bedroom. You go take a peek in Miracle's room to see she isn't there. You frown but remain calm as you check your room.

Inside, you see Jack sleeping and Miracle beside him. Your nightlight is on, still spinning the lights around. You smile at the sight and go sneak into the bed on Jack's side.

He slightly jumps then smiles when he sees it's you. "Good morning." He mumbles.

"Good morning." You whisper back, "I assume the night was a success. How was she?"

"Fine. She got out of bed after you left. Her fever broke after we watched some movies. Her throat was still hurting later in the night but she did sound better."

"Good. Thank you." You kiss him, resting your hand on his scruff, "I really can't thank you enough."

"Of course anytime. And if you are coming down with something too, I'll take some days off." He pulls you closer, "I'd do anything for you and Miracle."

"It sounds like you are trying to confess something right now." You smirk.

"Maybe I am." He kisses you again.

Before you can say another word, Miracle rises like the dead, "Mommy?"

"Yes, Baby."

She crawls over Jack and squishes between the two of you. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Lovely. Were you nice to Jack?"

"Mhm. We watched movies."

"I heard. You sound better already, tell me all about it. What movies did you watch?"

As you two talk, Jack smiles. He wanted this every day. To wake up next to you. Miracle coming to lay between you two. Spending the morning in bed giggling. You peer over Miracles head and see Jack smiling at you, "Jack, breakfast?"

"Sure, I can make some."

"We can make some together." You smile. "What you thinking, My Love?"

"Mm, blueberry waffles, eggs, and bacon!" She smiles.

"Alright, let's get to work." He sits up and you all jump out of bed.

You head to the kitchen and begin to prep. Miracle helps crack the eggs and take out the shells as well as make the waffle mix. When the stove is turned on, she goes to the table to set it with cups and plates.

You put the mix in the waffle maker beside the stove as Jack works on the bacon. "Is it too early to say I love you?"

You pause and look at him, "I don't know, do you mean it?"

"I do."

Then… I don't see an issue." You take out the cooked waffle and pour more mix. "I've trusted you enough to spend the night in my house alone with my daughter. The other nurses thought I was crazy, but I don't know… I felt it was okay. You've never made me doubt your intentions." You take out the another waffle and put one more in. "Maybe it's because I love you too."

Jack smiles at you. You return it and lean in, "The bacon is burning."

He takes it out of the pant quickly, "It's very distracting in the kitchen."

"Then I'll leave." You hip bump him and pour some juice for the table.

Soon all the food is ready and you sit together to eat. Jack helps with Miracles waffle. She asks him first this time instead of pushing her plate towards you, "I like the way he cuts my pancakes." She explains.

You smile at the sight. You thought you'd be this happy. Wrong, you never thought you could be happier. Jack made you feel a type of level you never felt before. You were afraid it would hurt you but he's never made you feel a single doubt.

You wanted this. Breakfast every morning sitting around the table. Cooking together and laughing. You wanted Jack to stay in your life.

˖⋆࿐໋₊ ☆

taglist: @cosmicneptune @ilocuras24 @lacy1986 @stardustworlds @a-true-janian-reply @amacphet @darknessofhell666-blog-blog @princess76179 @nyxmoretti @kidd3ath @lovehadlovelost @emmy626 @leeshy12 @evergreen9083 @flyinglama @heyyimmisunderstood @secretlyurfemmwife @sliverspringss @xxohsnapitspatxx @urgirl-jijiiii @sabrinathewitchh982 @luminaxs @1dhoe93 @melissa66orion @otteryougladimback @iloveeveryoneyoureamazing @1-800-bobcut @generation-zero @jas241 @swiftwerewolfknight @beebeechaos @imaginecrushes @gf4lwt @tlc3802 @blackirisesinthesunlight @plan3tch1ld @untilmynextstory @hista-girl @xh444 @closelyinsanewave @chattyotter14 @vivi-xne @uncertainblissss @teaspacebar @midnightalbatross @of-converse-books-and-chocolate @marcysbear

[fromsil]

──⋅✮ from the start

ㅤㅤ     ㅤ⭑ pairing. ex!jack abbot x reader

ㅤㅤ     ㅤ⭑ about. ending up at the pittsburgh trauma medical center should have been a delight—so many familiar faces and some of the best doctors you knew. but it was also the very hospital where your ex-husband worked. as you waited for results, time passed getting you closer to the night shift. the dread of seeing him pulled you down memory lane, and every step felt heavier than the last. (wc: 16.000)

ㅤㅤ     ㅤ.ᐟ warnings. angst. smut. age gap (twelve years difference). undertones of daddy issues. heavy on praises. soft dom jack. unprotected sex. undertones of eating disorders. unexperienced reader at first. chubby reader.

ㅤㅤ     ㅤᯓ masterlist.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Santos. I heard you took a fall," said the doctor as she stepped into the cubicle, parting the curtain gently. She was alone, which surprised you—this was a teaching hospital, and doctors were rarely alone for long.

You knew you weren’t a major case, but you’d still hoped someone else might come along. Someone more familiar.

Dr. Santos was pleasant enough. She checked your vitals, your reflexes, and ran through the usual assessments. When everything came back normal, she explained that she was waiting on your lab results before deciding whether you could go home or if more tests were needed. She offered a gentle smile before slipping back through the curtain.

You sighed heavily. You knew exactly what was wrong : a mountain of deficiencies, severe sleep deprivation, and the fact that you hadn’t eaten all day—maybe not even the day before. You had told all that to the paramedics but they had refused to let you go.

“Um, sorry,” Dr. Santos said, pausing before she left completely. She turned back with a curious look. At this look, you raised an eyebrow. “I couldn’t help but notice your name, Miss Abbot. Are you related to Dr. Abbot? Are you his daughter?”

You rolled your eyes. You couldn’t really blame her, she must have been new. You hadn’t seen her before. Still, it felt a little unprofessional, though you decided not to comment.

“I’m his ex-wife. Don’t call me Abbot,” you replied—a bit too sharply, but you couldn’t help it. The day had already been bad enough.

“Oh, okay,” she murmured, she’d made things awkward.

“Listen,” you called after her before she was out of earshot. “It’s nothing personal, but is Michael , uh, Dr. Robby, on shift?”

When she nodded quickly, you let out a relieved sigh. “Could you call him here for me? Or Dana?”

“Sure, of course,” she said softly, and disappeared through the curtain once more.

Further down the hall, Dr. Santos reached the nurses’ station, scanning the area for Dana or Robby. Finding neither, she winced, replaying the conversation in her head. She hadn’t worked with Dr. Abbot for long, and yes, she’d noticed the ring—but the woman she’d just seen seemed far too young to have been married to a man his age.

Checking your file again, she saw you were into your early thirties and cringed even harder. The information had been right there. She’d just missed the perfect chance to keep her mouth shut. In her defence, she thought you were not even over 30 yet.

“You need something?” Perlah asked from behind the counter, sitting next to Princess. Both nurses watched as Santos visibly spiralled into an internal breakdown.

Glancing around, Santos switched to Tagalog so the others wouldn’t understand.

“I fucked up,” she muttered. “I called Abbot’s wife his daughter.” She looked genuinely pained just admitting it out loud.

When Princess said your name as a question, she frowned in worry. Santos nodded miserably.

Princess immediately stood up, scanning the room. “She’s here?”

Santos handed over your chart, and the nurses quickly looked through it. Nothing unusual—just another fainting spell. You’d been having them for years, never really taking care of yourself, even though your husband was a doctor.

Still speaking in Tagalog, Perlah smirked. “You didn’t actually call her Abbot, did you?”

“She asked if she was his daughter, you didn't hear?” Princess said, laughing loudly at Santos’s despair.

“What’s going on?” a man’s voice said from behind Santos.

“Dr. Robby!” she exclaimed, jumping at the sudden sound. Quickly, she snatched the tablet out of the nurse’s hands. “I—uh, I have a patient who asked for you by name. Could you take a look at her?”

Frowning, Robby pulled his glasses from the pocket of his scrubs and gently took the tablet from his student’s grasp. Normally, he didn’t do favours—he didn’t examine patients just because they remembered him or he had been recommended. But when his eyes landed on the name at the top of the file, followed by a last name he knew all too well, his frown deepened.

It eased slightly when he saw the reason for your visit, the usual mess.

“Thank you, Santos. I’ll handle this one,” he said quietly, turning and heading toward your cubicle : South 12.

One second, you were walking down the street, rushing to catch the last bus of the night. It was late, and your shift at the restaurant had just ended. You were cold, exhausted, and craving the comfort of your own bed on that bitter winter night.

But God had other plans.

The next thing you registered was the ground beneath you—cold, hard—and a man’s voice cutting through the fog in your head. A bright light flickered across your eyes, then vanished, then returned again.

“Ma’am, can you hear me?” the man asked from above you.

Your head was resting on something that wasn’t soft but wasn’t uncomfortable either. The right side of your skull throbbed—a deep, rhythmic pain, as if your heartbeat had migrated behind your eye. Your vision was blurred, the world hazy and spinning. You could feel nausea rising like a wave.

“Can you hear me?” he repeated, more urgently this time.

All you managed was a faint hum. Speaking felt dangerous—like opening your mouth might unleash the sickness clawing at your throat.

“I’m Doctor Jack Abbot,” he said, his voice calm but alert. “Can you tell me your name?”

You whispered it, barely audible, before gagging again. “Gonna throw up,” you croaked—and then you did.

The doctor reacted instantly, rolling you onto your side and supporting your shoulders so you wouldn’t choke. The vomit splattered across his shoes and one strap of his backpack—the same one he’d been using as a makeshift pillow for your head.

When you finally looked up at him, your vision cleared just enough to see the mess, and tears of embarrassment burned your eyes.

“I’m so sorry,” you whispered between shallow, trembling breaths. You felt faint, hollow, desperate to just close your eyes and let it all fade.

“It’s alright, sweetheart,” he said softly, his tone steady and kind. “I’ve seen worse, I promise.”

He sat you up gently, guiding you upright so you wouldn’t accidentally rest your hand in your own vomit. Squatting in front of you, he pressed two fingers against your wrist—index and middle—checking your pulse, frowning a little.

He was handsome, in a quiet, rugged sort of way—older than you by at least a decade, if not a bit more. There was something about him that spoke of experience, of someone who had taken a beating from life and somehow come out the other side still standing. Though he couldn’t have been much over thirty-five, streaks of grey threaded through his hair that was still mostly brown, and faint crow’s feet deepened at the corners of his eyes. Freckles dusted his skin, and a light stubble shadowed his jaw.

“You hit your head pretty hard when you fell, ma'am,” he said gently, releasing your wrist and setting it softly on your thigh. “With the nausea, you’ll need a CT scan and some blood work, just to make sure we understand what’s going on.”

And just like that, he pulled out his phone, thumb hovering over the green dial button.

You stopped him before he could press it. You didn’t need a doctor—you’d seen plenty already. You already knew why this was happening.

“It’s anemia,” you whispered, voice thin and shaky. “And a fucking bunch of other deficiencies. Don’t need the ER.”

You pushed yourself up, first to your knees, then to your feet—unsteady, swaying like a newborn deer. The world tilted for a moment, and before you could fall, Jack was there, silent and steady, his hands firm on your shoulders to keep you upright.

He had risen with you without a sound, as if he’d been expecting it.

“Anemia or not, you still hit your head hard enough to cause blurry vision, disorientation and nausea,” he said flatly, not giving you room to argue. “You could have a concussion and if that’s left untreated, it can do some real damage.”

You sighed, watching as he pulled a random towel from his bag to wipe off his shoe and the strap of his backpack. The gesture made you cringe with guilt. Anyone else on this street would’ve taken advantage of you fainting—grabbed your bag, your wallet, maybe even your phone—but he hadn’t.

He didn’t know you. He could’ve just checked that you were breathing and left you there. But you guessed that kind of indifference went against whatever oath he’d taken when he became a doctor. It felt strange, almost disarming, to have this random—and admittedly very handsome—man caring about your health.

Most doctors you’d seen barely looked at you, dismissing your symptoms with a wave and a just eat more iron. They weren’t great, but they were the only ones you could afford.

Now he was picking up his phone again, thumb hovering over the dreaded green button, and panic clawed at your throat.

“I can’t afford the hospital,” you blurted, wincing at how pathetic you sounded. “It’ll ruin me.”

But really, what did he expect? You were a twenty-year-old almost-dropout, working late shifts at a crappy restaurant just to keep a roof over your head. Shitty clothes, shitty apartment, shitty food habits, shittier family—the whole package. You couldn’t just walk into the ER and walk out with a $10,000 debt. Your credit score could barely handle a phone plan.

He hesitated, thumb still suspended above the screen.

Exhaustion was washing over you now—heavy, sinking. You’d already fainted once, and all you wanted was your bed. Just to lie down for a few hours and forget the world existed until you'd have to go to school tomorrow.

No, fuck that. You weren’t going to class tomorrow either. Skipping another lecture meant inching closer to losing your scholarship, but right now, you couldn’t bring yourself to care.

He sighed and locked his phone, slipping it back into his pocket. His eyes stayed on you, watchful, conflicted. You could practically see the battle playing out behind them. The doctor in him wanted to act, no matter what you’d just said.

“No, fuck!” you blurted suddenly, your gaze snapping away from him.

Your stomach dropped as you watched, helpless, the last bus of the night drove past the two of you.

Tears stung your eyes, your throat tightening with frustration. This was your fault. You shouldn’t have stayed, shouldn’t have wasted time arguing with him. The moment you’d opened your eyes, you should’ve just run—disoriented or not—straight to that damn bus stop.

Missing that bus meant a forty–minute walk back to your flat. After the day you’d just had, you weren’t even sure you could manage that. In defeat, you opened the Uber app on your phone. A twelve–minute drive for twenty bucks—fucking expensive.

“I’ll drive you home,” the doctor said, grabbing his bag by the handle, not the strap. “If you don’t want to go to the ER, at least let me drive you home.”

And you did.

Even though every rational part of your brain screamed it was a terrible idea—dangerous, even—despair had a way of dulling your instincts. You let him. You let him drive you home. You let him give you his number in case you developed symptoms overnight. You let him hand you a small bottle of pills from his bag.

You let him take care of you.

Now, you were sitting in the passenger seat of his car, fidgeting with the pill bottle while he listed off all the possible concussion symptoms and there were a lot, and you listen carefully. When he finally finished, you glanced up at him, exhaustion heavy in your voice.

“Where’s your practice?” you asked, still studying the label on the bottle. You were trying to decide if you’d just stumbled into finding a decent doctor—or if he was one of those who worked on the fancy side of town, near the hospital.

He scoffed softly, a faint smirk curving his lips. “Don’t have one, sweetheart.”

What?

Your head snapped toward him so fast it almost gave you whiplash. Panic shot through your chest, your heart skipping a few beats. He wasn’t a doctor? He’d said he was a doctor. You looked down at the pills again—there was no way you were taking anything from that bottle. You’d throw them out the second you got inside.

Before you could come up with a polite excuse to thank him and bolt, you heard him laugh quietly from behind the wheel.

“I’m a medic,” he said, glancing at you with that same infuriating smirk. “In the army.”

As if to reassure you further, he reached into the back seat, rummaged for a moment, then dropped a military ID into your lap. There it was. Jack Abbot, his photo a few years younger but still undeniably him. All his information was printed neatly on the plastic card.

Oh. Yeah. He really was twelve years older than you.

Weirdly, that realization made you squeeze your thighs together just a little. Unconsciously.

At the top of the card, his rank was listed—or rather, it wasn’t. Just five bold, capital letters : MEDIC.

“Oh,” you breathed out, relieved. He could’ve mentioned that earlier, would’ve saved you the brief heart attack.

That realization hit you like a delayed punch : you’d just gotten into a stranger’s car and given him your real address. He didn’t seem like the type to show up unannounced, but still—he was a man, a soldier, the kind that get protected by the system. The thought sent a small shiver down your spine.

“Go home and sleep, kid,” he said when you stayed quiet. “And call me if anything feels off. I’m in town for another month before I’m off again.”

You nodded meekly, gathering your bag and placing his ID carefully on the dash. Looking back at him, you managed a small smile — a quiet thank you — before reaching for the door handle.

Before you could step out, a warm, steady hand closed gently around your wrist.

“I mean it,” he said, voice lower now, the tone leaving no room for doubt. “Anything. It’s already killing me to let you go without a CT scan, so… don’t die on me, okay?”

“Promise,” you said softly, meaning it. For once, you were genuinely grateful—grateful he hadn’t forced you into a hospital, and even more grateful that, just for a moment, someone had treated you like you mattered.

That night, you went to sleep convinced you’d never see him again—just another fleeting moment with a stranger who’d been kind. You didn’t know you’d end up calling him the very next day, after an hour spent throwing up.

You didn’t know that call would be the start of a thirteen–year relationship.

The curtain was yanked open, startling you as you sat on the bed, half-distracted by a game on your phone. Waiting,for what, exactly? You weren’t even sure anymore.

“Not gonna lie and say it’s a pleasure to see you,” Robby said as he stepped inside, giving you a quick once-over, his eyes scanning for any symptoms Dr. Santos might have missed. When he found none, his expression softened. He stepped closer and pulled you into a brief hug. “Never under these circumstances, but… it’s still good to see you.”

You sighed into his shoulder and hugged him back, just as quickly. It really was nice to see a familiar face.

“I told them to take me to West Penn,” you started, naming the other town hospital, “but the paramedics refused. Said it was your zone.”

The look he gave you was pure disbelief—unimpressed, knowing you were full of it.

“Okay,” you admitted with a small eye-roll. “I told them not to take me to a hospital, and after they said no, I asked for West Penn. I was married to a doctor for twelve years, Mike. I know what’s wrong with me.”

He didn’t look convinced, not that you expected him to. Doctors never liked that line. Neither did nurses.

“Clearly not, if you ended up here,” he said, sliding his glasses onto the bridge of his nose before glancing at your chart on the tablet. He sighed, no lab results yet. It was a busy day.

“How long has it been since you last passed out?” he asked, turning away to grab the blood pressure monitor.

“I don’t know… over a year, I think.” His back was still to you when you hesitated, debating whether to add the next part. “I didn’t eat today. That’s why I fainted,” you mumbled, already regretting it the second the words left your mouth.

Robby’s reaction was instant. He froze mid-step, then spun around to face you, eyes wide and a deep frown creasing between his brows.

“I felt under the weather this morning,” you rushed to explain, your tone softer—not because he was angry, but because you could feel the worry radiating off him. “It’s nothing like before, Mike. I promise.”

He sighed, whatever was running through his head, he kept it to himself. Silently, he wrapped the cuff around your arm and took your blood pressure. His brow furrowed when the numbers flashed slightly above average, though that could’ve meant anything—stress, exhaustion, or the sheer weariness written all over your face.

Someone called his name from outside, and he sighed again. Standing up, he reached out and placed a gentle hand on your head, a quiet, instinctive gesture of comfort. Almost paternal.

“Still waiting on your labs, but I’ll be back, okay?” he said, setting the monitor back in its place. “Try to rest a bit. I’ll have someone bring you food.”

You nodded, leaning back on the gurney. “Think you can find a blanket?” you asked with a small smirk, knowing full well he would.

He smiled at the question, rolling his eyes as he headed out, leaving you behind.

You closed your eyes, letting out a slow breath. It was comforting, being surrounded by people you knew—friends, even—but the comfort only went so far. What you really wanted was to be home.

Your gaze flicked to the clock on the wall. Two hours until 7 p.m. already. Anxiety curled tight in your stomach. You didn’t want to still be in this hospital when that hour came.

He was leaving in a few days. He’d told you the last time you saw him—casual, like it was nothing, though you’d felt something inside you tighten at the words. It had been a few weeks since you had passed out on the street.

It wasn’t as if you were sick all the time. You didn’t have a list of chronic conditions, just the quiet fallout of years spent ignoring your own needs—prescriptions left to expire, symptoms brushed off, fatigue you called normal. He’d seen through all of it in minutes, like reading a language only he could understand.

Every time you found yourself at the Military Hospital—where you had no real right to be—he was there. You weren’t military, but that was where he worked when he wasn’t deployed.

He’d lied once, called you family just to get you through the doors. The nurses had known, of course. They always did. Their glances lingered longer than necessary, curious but silent. No one ever said a word.

Each time you left, he handed you a prescription : vitamins, supplements, the bare minimum to keep you standing—and repeated the same thing, soft but firm: “Take care of yourself, kid.”

You never did. Not because you wanted an excuse to see him again—though sometimes that was part of it—but because life was too heavy, too fast. Eating properly, sleeping eight hours, keeping yourself whole… it all felt impossible.

And maybe, deep down, you knew he’d show up when things got bad enough.

Now, you were back in the hospital waiting room, the faint antiseptic smell clinging to your clothes. You’d texted him about the rash spreading across your skin, the burning, the itching that wouldn’t stop and some stomach pains, and he’d told you to meet him here.

You’d arrived before he did. The minutes dragged. You stared at the door every time it opened, pretending you weren’t waiting for him—even though you were.

When he stepped through the sliding doors, you sat up immediately. His eyes found you right away, a soft smile tugging at his lips. He didn’t come over—just gave a small tilt of his head before heading toward the office area, knowing you’d follow.

Inside, once the door closed behind you, he pulled on a pair of gloves and glanced over. His gaze lingered on your neck, where dozens of tiny red spots bloomed across your skin like a rash of needles.

“Take your clothes off please,” he said gently, already turning to the computer to pull up your chart.

You froze. You’d known it was coming, but the words still hit hard. You hated showing your body, hated the idea of anyone seeing it—even yourself most of the times. Two men had, in your entire life, and only once each. You tried to reason with yourself : he’s a doctor, he’s seen everything.

But the thought didn’t help. Your mind whispered that yours would be the worst one yet.

Still, your body moved on autopilot. You peeled off your leggings and sweater, left in a T-shirt and your underwear. That should be enough, you told yourself. Without realizing it, your arms wrapped tight around your middle, shoulders drawn in, stomach pulled flat.

When Jack turned back, his brow furrowed—first at the clothes you still wore, then at how small you were making yourself. He didn’t say anything. He just approached, the sound of the gloves faint as he flexed his fingers.

“Lie down,” he said quietly, nodding toward the exam bed. His voice was softer now, almost careful—like he was reminding you he wouldn't hurt you. He watched as you lay back on the exam bed, your hands still locked protectively over your stomach.

His gaze moved slowly, tracing the faint white spots scattered across your legs and arms. As gently as he could, he reached for your wrists, guiding your hands down to rest at your sides. At his touch, your eyes fluttered shut, and you took a long, shaky breath.

Then his hands moved to your abdomen, lifting your shirt just enough to press along your stomach and lower. His touch was steady, clinical, careful not to linger more than needed. When he was sure nothing hurt, he lifted the stethoscope to your chest, first listening to your heart, then your lungs. Everything sounded normal.

“You can get dressed,” he said softly, stepping back.

You sat up, your movements small and quiet, pulling your clothes back on. From his chair behind the desk, Jack’s eyes flicked toward you once more—catching the single tear that slipped down your cheek before you wiped it away. He didn’t comment, but he noticed everything. Years in the field had taught him that silence often hid pain deeper than any wound.

But you weren’t a soldier. You were just a young woman who looked exhausted and scared and so, so fragile—and something about that broke his heart a little.

“It’s nothing serious,” he said finally, eyes fixed on the computer screen so he wouldn’t make you more uncomfortable. “Looks like an allergic reaction. Probably to the supplements. Have you been eating?”

Your gaze shifted toward him as you tied your shoes. He still didn’t look up, his fingers moving across the keyboard—and that’s exactly when your stomach growled, loud and unapologetic in the quiet room. It wasn’t like you hadn’t been eating on purpose—but finals had been yesterday and today, stacked between two double shifts at the restaurant. By the time you got home, you’d been more exhausted than hungry.

This morning had been no different. You’d studied for hours before heading to campus, then straight to work. The only reason you were even here now was because your boss had taken one look at you and sent you home.

“Didn’t have time today,” you mumbled, not sure why it sounded like an apology.

At your words, Dr. Abbot frowned and glanced down at his watch. It was late, meaning you hadn’t eaten in at least twelve hours. You didn’t like that look on his face, the one that said he was quietly putting pieces together. The longer he stayed silent, the deeper your guilt dug in. You started biting the inside of your cheek, wishing he’d just say something instead of thinking.

“You’re off to work after?” he asked finally, eyes flicking between your face and the computer screen. His tone was neutral—like it was part of the exam—so you answered without question.

“No. They sent me home for the night,” you said with a weak laugh. “Thought I had chickenpox.”

He hummed softly, writing something on his tablet before looking back at you. This time, his gaze was steady, deliberate—a kind of quiet resolve behind it.

“Alright,” he said, standing as he stripped off his gloves and shut down the computer. “Here’s what we’re going to do.” You blinked, thrown off by the sudden shift in tone. “We’re going to pick up your prescriptions at the pharmacy—they’ll be under my name, so you won’t have to pay for them.”

You frowned immediately. That couldn’t be legal. But before you could even form the words, he kept going.

“Then,” he continued, slinging his bag over his shoulder, “we’re going to a little diner a few blocks from here. My treat.”

Your heart dropped straight to your stomach. He wanted to take you out to eat.

It was the first time a man had ever really asked you out—or maybe you’d just been too tangled in your own insecurities to notice when someone had tried before. But this felt different. Jack wasn’t giving you time to overthink it, he was leading, steady and certain, and all you had to do was follow.

Maybe you were just reading it wrong. Maybe it wasn’t kindness or interest, maybe it was pity. It had to be pity.

Jack had always had a big heart, and he’d proved it time and time again—treating you, checking in, never asking for a cent. This was probably just another act of compassion from a man who couldn’t help but take care of people who needed it.

“I—I, hum…” You tried to find your words, to come up with a reasonable excuse—any reason why you shouldn’t go, why this wasn’t a good idea.

But before you could say anything, he was already at the door, his bag slung over one shoulder. He looked back at you with that same calm smile, one corner of his mouth lifting as he tilted his head toward the hallway.

“Right. Perfect. Let’s go,” he said simply.

And somehow, you did—ending up with a paper bag full of new supplements in your purse and a seat on the cushioned side of a booth in a small diner. Jack sat across from you in the chair, one arm resting casually on the table.

Your eyes kept flicking between the menu, the man in front of you, and the plates of food passing by, steaming, heavy, full of things you’d never let yourself eat. But it was all so tempting. You wished your brain wasn't working the way it did.

Everything looked so rich, so caloric. That was why you hated eating out—especially with someone like Jack. Someone calm, handsome, and kind. You didn’t want him to think you ate too much. You didn’t want him to see you that way, greedy, weak, unable to control yourself.

You scanned the menu frantically, chasing numbers more than ingredients, until you found the lowest-calorie option: a simple Caesar salad. You didn’t even like it, but that didn’t matter. It was safe. It was cheap.

Not that Jack cared about price—he’d told you the moment you sat down to order whatever you wanted. “Doesn’t matter what it costs,” he’d said, smiling in that calm, unshakable way of his.

But it mattered to you. Everything always did.

He’d already done too much for you—the prescriptions, the appointments, the concern. You weren’t about to let him pay for an expensive meal on top of it. Even if the smell of the mac and cheese made your stomach twist with hunger every time a plate passed your table.

The waitress had mentioned it was their special, the house favourite. "Best one in the whole area," she had explained with a big smile. And it smelled incredible.

But your doubts were louder than your hunger. They always were. So while you stared at the menu, trying to look decisive, your thoughts tangled into shame and calculations — all while missing the way Jack’s eyes quietly followed you.

He noticed everything.

The way you bit your lip, lost in thought. The way your gaze lingered on every plate of mac and cheese that went by, the longing there, and the guilt that chased it.

So when the waitress came back, notepad ready, and asked if you’d decided, you opened your mouth to order.

“A Caesar—” “We’ll have two mac and cheeses, please.”

Jack’s voice cut through yours—calm, confident, louder, impossible to argue with. He handed both menus back to the waitress before you could react, a polite smile still on his lips.

“Excellent choice!” she said brightly, jotting it down before walking away.

You just stared at him, wide-eyed, too stunned to speak.

Across the table, Jack only smiled—those gentle eyes framed by faint crow’s feet, the kind that came from his older years. His gaze held yours, steady and unreadable, like he was daring you to argue.

“They said it’s the best around,” he said at last, the corners of his mouth curving into a soft smirk. “Might as well find out for ourselves, right?”

As the night went on, the conversation stayed a little awkward.

Jack talked about his work, asked about college, and you answered—but your words were always short, cautious, like you were afraid of saying the wrong thing. The more he talked, the more you realized how different the two of you were.

He spoke about his patients with a quiet kind of passion, about the army, about the places he’d seen and the people he’d helped. You found yourself fascinated by his calmness, by the certainty in his voice—but the feeling came with a weight in your chest.

Because while he spoke like a man who had built a life, you were still just trying to get through yours.

It had been years since you’d left home, and you still didn’t have things figured out. You were balancing classes and shifts, held together by caffeine and sheer panic. Your head was filled with doubts, worries and family issues. You were a mess. You weren’t living—not really. You were surviving.

And Jack? He was educated. Grounded. Kind. His life seemed steady, built on purpose and compassion—everything yours wasn’t.

Still, he never made you feel small. Never talked down to you, never made you feel like a child—apart from the small "kid" he sometimes called you. He listened when you spoke, asked questions, even smiled at the little things you said as if they mattered. As if he cared.

That night, he made sure you finished your plate, ordered dessert, and even watched as you took your supplements. He acted like someone who cared, really cared and it was messing with your head.

For the first time in your life, a man wasn’t asking for something from you. He was just making sure you were fed, comfortable, warm. He joked with you, dropped small compliments between sips of his coffee, and listened when you spoke.

It shouldn’t have felt as good as it did.

As the night went on, you could feel your body reacting to the attention—the way his eyes lingered when you spoke, the weight of his voice when he said your name. You pressed your thighs together beneath the table, trying to quiet the restless hum in your chest. It was too much.

So when you finally stepped outside and the cold night air hit your face, you breathed out a shaky kind of relief.

Of course, he drove you home. The ride was quiet, the low hum of a song filling the silence while Jack talked—gently but firmly—about what you needed to do when he was away. Take your supplements. Eat properly. Sleep.

When he parked in front of your building, he turned off the engine and looked at you. The car went still, the music fading into the background.

“You have to promise me, sweetheart,” he said softly, his gaze steady and warm.

You looked down at your hands in your lap, suddenly feeling small. It wasn’t scolding, not really—but he didn’t trust you to take care of yourself, and you couldn’t blame him. You’d proven him right before.

Still, something inside you wanted to change that. Wanted to make him proud. Wanted to hear him say you’d done well. The thought settled somewhere deep in you, stubborn and growing stronger every time you saw him.

You nodded, your voice barely above a whisper. “I promise.”

When you opened the door two months later and saw Jack standing there, a sharp gasp escaped your lips.

His hair was shorter now more neat and strict—missing the soft curls you’d grown used to running your fingers through in your imagination. He’d filled out a little too, the new muscle was subtle, but you noticed.

His smile was gentle but tired, the kind that hinted at long nights and too many miles. His eyes, though as warm and steady as you remembered them—found yours as if no time had passed at all.

You didn’t know what took over you. Maybe it was the way he was looking at you, or the simple fact that he was here, barely back and already standing at your door. Maybe it was the months of silence pressing against your chest. The months of imagining what could be if you had a bit more confidence, if you were more.

Before you could think, you closed the space between you and kissed him.

For a second, he froze, surprise flickering across his features. Then his arms wrapped around your waist, firm and certain, pulling you closer until your body moulded to his. His low hum vibrated between you—deep and satisfied—when he felt the soft weight of your stomach against him.

You’d listened to him. You’d eaten.

He could see it right away, the colour back in your cheeks, the light in your eyes no longer dimmed by exhaustion. You looked alive, and that alone eased something tight in his chest.

When you kissed him, he didn’t hesitate for long. In a heartbeat, he took the lead, his hands finding your hips as he guided you gently inside. The door swung shut behind him with a quiet thud, sealing the two of you off from the world.

His palms lingered at your waist, warm and steady, thumbs tracing the soft curve of your skin as though memorizing it. He could fell fat on the bone, more than when he had left. A small, satisfied smile ghosted over his lips against yours.

“You listened, didn’t you, sweetheart?” he murmured when he finally pulled back, his breath still brushing your mouth. You hummed, nodding faintly. That earned you a wider smile—one that reached his tired eyes. “Good girl.”

With those words, a small—and, if you were honest, pathetic—whine slipped from your throat. No one had ever praised you for something so small. No one had ever praised you at all. Growing up, that kind of affirmation had been foreign to you, and now here he was, saying it so easily it made your head spin.

Your legs brushed the edge of your bed. It wasn’t hard to reach—your bedroom was also your living room, and your kitchen. The second the back of your knees hit the mattress, you sank down, your lips breaking away from his as you caught your breath.

Jack’s pupils were blown, his gaze locked on you with a kind of focus that made your chest tighten. You watched as he dropped his bag to the floor, toeing off his shoes and shrugging out of his coat, letting both fall in a careless heap. When the cold air of your apartment met his bare forearms, goosebumps rose instantly along his skin. It was still winter, and the chill in the room didn’t go unnoticed.

His eyes moved back to you, trailing over your worn-in comfort clothes—thick socks, matching sweats, and an long-sleeved T-shirt peeking out beneath the sweatshirt. The blanket and two comforters thrown over your bed told him everything he needed to know about the cold.

"You don’t turn the heater on?" he asked carefully, peeking around as if trying to find one.

"Doesn’t work," you mumbled. But even if it did, it was too expensive to run. The windows—even tightly shut—let so much wind through that it would only be a waste of energy and money.

He scoffed not mocking you, but angry at the building. This wasn’t a normal temperature, and with how many deficiencies you had, the cold wouldn’t help. It would be easy for you to catch something with your immune system running lower than average.

You could see the doctor in him getting angry for reasons you didn’t quite understand. When he finally shook his head, his eyes softened again, filling with something warm—desire, maybe. Kneeling before you, he made your breath catch in your throat. This was starting to feel too real.

Kissing had felt nice—safe, even—especially because you were still fully dressed. So when his hand reached your sock-clad feet, nerves fluttered in your chest. His hands moved slowly upward, gliding over your legs but staying on top of your clothes. His eyes never left you, watching, analysing every breath you took, every flicker of anxiety that made your gaze dart away.

"Gonna let me take care of you?" he cooed, his calloused fingers rubbing slow, comforting circles into your calves. "You earned it, being so good for me," he murmured, his hands travelling up to your thighs, kneading the soft skin like a cat making biscuits.

Hesitation crossed your mind. It was that never-dying thought you’d carried for years : he’s going to think you’re disgusting.

That little voice had always been there the one that made you so inexperienced, that kept you away from men who showed interest. Every time, you convinced yourself it was a joke, a bet, maybe even a challenge they’d set for themselves.

"Sweetheart?" Jack’s voice pulled you out of your thoughts, his fingers now resting on your hips. They’d stopped moving when you didn’t respond. His eyes were still soft, but there was a flicker of doubt in them—you could see it. "You can say no."

And somehow, those words reassured you. It was strange being given a choice, not that your other partners hadn’t—but they hadn’t been so concerned with you. You wanted him to continue, but expressing it was harder than you thought.

"Yes," you said, your big eyes locked on his, filled with an innocence he couldn’t miss.

"Yes, what?" he asked softly, an eyebrow rising as he tried to suppress the smirk threatening to appear. He knew exactly what you meant, but he needed you to say it clearly.

Looking away from his probing gaze, your fingers fumbled nervously while your teeth bit your lips. It was hard to voice what you wanted—especially with a gorgeous man looking at you the way Jack did, as if you were his entire world. Confusing, since you’d only known each other for a couple of months.

"Yes, I—huh, I want…" you stumbled over your words, more nervous than you had ever been. "I want you to do it," you finally whispered, barely audible. Even in your head, it was still hard to ask him to take care of you.

But Jack didn’t tease. He didn’t mock. He only smiled and nodded, letting his fingers drift upward until they rested on your cheeks, gently tilting your face so your eyes met his. Pushing on his feet, he pulled you into a gentle kiss, so soft it almost made you tear up.

"Take your sweatshirt off, sweetheart," he murmured against your lips. It wasn’t a question, nor an order but something in his tone made you do it.

Once it was done, he asked you to lie back on your pillows. And you did. You didn’t know why it was so easy with Jack. You still hated the way your stomach pressed against your shirt, the way your hips filled your sweatpants completely, and how your thighs rubbing together had worn out the fabric a bit.

Yet, you didn’t feel the need to hide. Not right now. Not with Jack.

Crawling onto the bed next to you, Jack’s fingers lingered at the rim of your sweatpants, his eyes asking questions without words. Without giving yourself time to hesitate, you nodded quickly. If you thought about it too much, that little voice in your head would return. Closing your eyes, you didn’t want to see his landing on your body.

When the cold wind of the room brushed your bare legs, you tried to calm your beating heart with a shaky breath but it didn’t really work.

"So beautiful," he whispered against your skin. Jack didn’t push you to open your eyes or to speak—he wanted you to do it your way. Still, his lips traced gentle kisses across your bare stomach as he nudged your shirt slightly upward. They moved from hip to hip, leaving soft kisses and tiny nips.

"You hide all that from me, sweetheart? Didn’t want me to go crazy too soon?" he teased lightly. You could hear the smirk in his voice. You desperately wanted to see it, but you couldn’t open your eyes—not yet.

A shaky, breathy laugh left your lips as you peeked a little at the scene. The sight only made you whine, and you felt your panties dampen slightly. His lips were still pressing against your stomach and hips, sometimes brushing close to your mound—but his eyes, his eyes, were locked on your face. He watched like a hawk, memorizing you and your small expressions.

When your eyes met, his lips didn’t stop—no, they got braver. This time, they moved closer and closer to between your legs, wetting the cotton of your panties. A dreadful feeling made your eyes widen.

You felt his lips press against your pubes. It was so sudden, being here with him like this, that you hadn’t had time to take care of yourself down there—or anywhere, for that matter. In seconds, you noticed how prickly your legs felt with hair, the way his lips pressed against the untrimmed pubes, and how itchy your armpits had become.

"I haven’t—huh, I…" you stammered, hands shooting to his head, trying to push him away. In response, he let you move his head away from your body, though his hands remained firmly on your hips.

"What, sweetheart? You haven’t had someone between your legs?" he asked, genuine concern and care in his voice. It wasn’t judgment, nor misplaced curiosity—it was true interest in your pleasure.

That realization hit you: this was another thing you had to tell him. No one had been between your legs—not with their head, not with fingers. "No, I mean… yeah, that too, but…" you mumbled, trying to catch your breath. "I didn’t shave."

"Okay," he said immediately. His eyes were calculating, boring into yours as he tried to understand what you meant. "Does it bother you?" he asked, frowning slightly, searching for an answer.

In his head, he didn’t understand why you would let that stop him. He had felt the hair beneath his lips—it didn’t bother him at all.

"Shouldn’t it bother you?" you asked, confused.

That made his eyebrow rise so high it almost made him look mad. Although he wasn’t, you could see in his eyes—there wasn’t a trace of anger. "Why would I be bothered, kid?" he asked, wanting to hear your thoughts on the matter.

Frowning in confusion, you looked away from his eyes, your gaze locking on the ceiling. Your fingers were still threaded through his hair, and you noticed just then how soft it felt. "I don’t know… just a common thing," you murmured.

No sooner had the words left your lips than his face was right above yours. "Guess that makes me uncommon then, ‘cause I really don’t care. Now… does it bother you to the point you want me to stop, sweetheart?"

Seeing only truth and genuine care in his eyes, you shook your head no, letting him know you wanted him to keep going. With a happy smirk, he kissed your nose before disappearing back between your legs.

He didn’t wait this time, sliding your panties off and leaving you bare from the waist down. Your eyes stayed locked on the ceiling, open this time but not ready to look down. You felt movement on the mattress and imagined he had settled in comfortably. For what? You didn’t know.

He pressed his body between your legs, opening them little by little until your thighs rested on either side of his head—the warm weight of his shoulders grounding you. One of his arms cradled your thighs, while his hand rested lightly on your mound, playing softly with your pubes without a care in the world.

"Nobody ever took good care of this pretty pussy then?" he asked, not waiting for an answer. He knew he was pushing with his words, but it was his way of helping you relax. "A shame," he added, planting a small kiss on your clit that made your hips jump. "She’s too pretty to be ignored, sweetheart."

His words were crude, filthy, but you’d be lying if they didn’t warm your entire body. If they didn’t send chills down your spine at the sound of his low, commanding voice. No one had ever taken their time with you like this, and combined with his gentle praises, it was getting to you—way faster than you had anticipated.

Casually, he rested his head on your thigh as he worked his fingers gently. They started like ghosts, barely lingering over your clit and pussy lips. It wasn’t teasing—it was getting you used to the feeling. His eyes shifted from his fingers to your face as you closed your eyes again. He watched as your chest rose quickly with the shallow breaths you were trying to control.

A small laugh escaped his lips at the sight; you were so exquisite, and you had no idea. It was hard to suppress the urge to ravish you but he wouldn’t do that. That would scare you off, and he definitely wanted you to stay.

Barely turning his face toward your inner thigh, he left a soft kiss there before settling into his work. His fingers now traced controlled circles on your clit, while the thumb of his other hand exposed the little bean of your hood. He chuckled softly—this felt almost clinical. It wasn’t, but he had to teach you how to feel, and he would.

It didn’t matter how long it took. It would take as long as you body needed, he wasn't in any hurry.

You were trying to control your breathing, especially as his fingers moved so heavenly against your clit. It was a completely new sensation, something you had never felt before. The two times you’d had sex, it hadn’t felt like this at all. He wasn’t rushing—his fingers took their time. Small circles rubbed your clit, then wandered lower to your wetness, only to return again to your clit.

It was fascinating how wet you were. Even when you had tried on your own, it had never been like this. This man and his words were doing unfamiliar, impossible things to you.

His lips returned to your clit in soft, fleeting pecks that still made your hips lift off the mattress. The feeling was strange—almost overwhelming—and you weren’t sure if you liked it. The voice in your head tried to whisper doubts, but the moment his tongue flicked gently against your clit, that voice vanished, leaving only pleasure in its wake.

He kept at it, patient and attentive, while your eyes stayed shut tight. His tongue grew bolder with every gasp and whine that escaped your lips—small kitten licks turned into slow, deliberate strokes, and sometimes he even sucked gently on the sensitive little bud. Each time he did, your thighs instinctively tightened around his head. He didn’t seem to mind, though you tried to hold yourself back.

“Don’t,” he murmured between breaths, his voice rough but calm. “Don’t try to control it. Just let yourself feel, yeah? You’re not hurting me.”

As his lips left you for only a moment, his tongue was replaced by his fingers, skilled, sure, and patient. Then he combined them. His fingers moved in slow, deliberate circles over your clit while his lips wandered—kissing your mound, your lower lips, your inner thighs. He was everywhere at once, and it felt delirious.

After a few minutes of this careful buildup, you finally opened your eyes. At first, you kept them on the ceiling, afraid to look down. Your breathing quickened as your thoughts started to spiral but when you did lower your gaze, the sight stole every bit of air from your lungs.

He was looking right at you. His head rested against your thigh, eyes locked on yours, steady, unhurried, full of patience. He looked like he could stay there forever.

“Ever had something inside, baby?” he asked softly, voice low and coaxing, careful not to startle you.

Still keeping eye contact, you nodded your head. Normally, a question like that from a man like him would have made you shrink with discomfort—but with Jack, it felt different. His tone was so gentle, so matter-of-fact, it didn’t awaken the voice in your head. It didn’t make you question yourself. It didn’t bring the anxiety back.

In answer, he gave you a soft smile and a raised eyebrow—then pressed another kiss to your thigh, right before laying a deeper one on your clit, replacing the fingers that now drifted toward your soaked opening.

When his middle finger slipped inside you, a long breath escaped your lips. It wasn’t entirely comfortable, but it didn’t hurt either. At first, it felt no different from when you’d tried it yourself : numb and strange. But then he moved—slowly, steadily—in and out, while his lips stayed on your clit.

Maybe it was the double stimulation, or maybe it was just the way he knew how to move his finger, but something started to change. A deep, unfamiliar tension began to coil low in your belly, pulling your muscles tight and making you want to squeeze your thighs together to chase that feeling, to make it stronger.

A few minutes later—though it could’ve been hours for all you knew—Jack added a second finger. Your eyes flew open, meeting his immediately. The sight of him, focused so intently on you, almost undid you completely. It was too much—his gaze, his touch, the way pleasure kept blooming faster than you could catch it.

It was ridiculous, almost shameful, how little it took. Just a few minutes of his fingers thrusting in and out, curling inside to find that small, special spot in you before pulling back and doing it all over again. His lips closed around your clit in soft suctions, alternating with gentle licks and whispered sweet nothings.

It was all dizzying, and before you knew it, the tight coil that had been growing in your lower belly since he started snapped. Your back arched off the bed as your hands landed on his head, your fingers tangling in his short hair. Instinctively, your thighs tried to clamp down around him, but the hand that wasn’t busy held them apart, letting him savour the fruits of his effort even more.

Had you opened your eyes, you would have seen him, dreadful in a way, caught between your legs, watching and admiring the way your body reacted to him. But you were lost in your own little world of pleasure, something you had never experienced before. It was surreal. You had never believed your friends when they talked about sex—the few times you had tried it yourself had always felt dull.

“Fucking perfect,” you heard him murmur as you came back to yourself, your back landing on the mattress and your legs going lax over his shoulders.

You felt his fingers slip out softly, just as he pressed one last kiss to your clit. Looking down at the same time, you saw him put his fingers in his own mouth, eyes locked on you again. Heat rose to your cheeks and neck, and your hands flew up to hide your face reflexively. Everything he did was just so hot, it was almost overwhelming.

“Felt good, right, sweetheart?” his voice cooed in your ear as he crawled over your body, pressing kisses to the hands still covering your face.

Even with the dread creeping in, you felt the need to answer. So you simply nodded—fast and firm—wanting him to know it had felt good. More than good, in fact. He let out a soft laugh before pressing two more kisses to your hands. “Good. That’s what I wanted to hear.”

And then he was gone. Completely gone from the bed.

His disappearance made your hands drop from your face as a shiver of shame ran through you. You had given yourself so easily—and he was already going? Maybe this was just how it worked. Maybe he only wanted to release some tension before leaving. Sitting up on your elbow, you scanned the room, expecting to see him putting on his shoes—but he wasn’t going anywhere.

Jack was approaching the bed again, a towel in hand. His own hands were slightly damp, probably from washing. He smiled at you, a cocky smirk tugging at his lips, as he knelt beside you. Without a word, still holding your gaze, he pressed the warm towel gently between your legs, making your hips jerk instinctively.

“Shhh, I know, I know,” he cooed, his other hand brushing your hair off your forehead. His touch—so careful, so attentive—almost made you want to cry. But you didn’t. Instead, you took a deep, shaky breath and let yourself fall back onto the mattress.

With still-gentle hands, he helped you pull your panties back on while coaxing you into bed. It was still early—not even midnight—but you obeyed anyway. With wide, doe eyes, you watched him slip back into the bathroom, only to pause in front of the bed for a few seconds.

“You don’t want to…?” The words caught in your throat, but you knew he would understand the meaning behind them.

With a careful smile, he shook his head. “That’d be a bit too much for you, wouldn’t it?”

You returned a tight smile, grateful he wouldn’t push you into anything. You would have said yes, ready to please him just as he had pleased you, even though you had been overwhelmed by just his fingers. So, with sad eyes, you watched him as you lay in bed, growing sleepier with each passing minute.

But he didn’t leave. He simply took off his pants and socks, then slid in beside you, pulling the blankets over both of you. It was still cold in your flat, and the warmth of him next to you made you exhale a breath you hadn’t realized you’d been holding—relieved. Relieved that maybe he liked you as much as you liked him, at least enough to stay the night.

Curling around him, you pressed your face to his chest, inhaling his scent in a deep, calming breath. He felt so comfortable, so familiar—it made no sense. But in that moment, you told yourself you never wanted him out of your life.

If only you had known how many sleepless, tear-filled nights that thought would one day bring.

Almost all of the day-shift students were gathered around the nurses’ desks, whispering questions and theories about you to Princess, in hope she answered their questions.

“She looks so young… didn’t take Abbot to have a younger wife!” Santos said, surrounded by Whitaker, Javani, and Princess. Santos had been the only one of them to actually see you—even if Princess had known you from your years married to Abbot, she hadn't seen you today.

“Like, young young?” Whitaker asked, confused and a little taken aback.

Princess just rolled her eyes, laughing softly. She had always loved gossip, and your ending up in the ER was creating the juiciest stories.

“She’s legal, Huckleberry,” Santos shook his head at his own dumb question. “She’s 33, but I’m telling you, she looks way younger.”

At that moment, McKay chose to join the conversation, clearly enjoying the gossip too. “They’ve been married 12 years,” she informed the group, leaning on the high desk her eyes still on her patient chart on the iPad.

The three students immediately turned toward her. Javani’s eyes were so wide it looked like they might pop out of her head.

“She married at 21?” Victoria asked, trying to wrap her head around how someone only a year older than her could marry a man 12 years her senior.

“Hum hum,” McKay confirmed, laughing at their faces. Meeting Princess’s eyes, they both continued chuckling.

“A year into dating,” Princess added, her eyes still on the patient chart she was filling out.

“Okay, now you’re fucking with us,” Santos replied, rolling his eyes and getting ready to leave the group behind. But McKay wasn’t finished.

“She has a lot of chronic deficiencies and other small things that kept coming up,” McKay began, locking her tablet and glancing back at the students. “They got married so she could have his army insurance and all the other benefits while he was away. It was before his… hum… accident.”

Both Whitaker and Javani were about to ask more questions, while Santos remained deep in thought. The way McKay and Princess had briefly talked about your marriage had made it seem sweet, if a little rushed. How could it go from that to you almost snapping at her for calling you Mrs. Abbot?

“Don’t you all have things to do instead of spreading things you shouldn’t?” Dana’s voice cut through the small group, scattering around the ER at his voice, in search of something to occupy themselves.

Her sharp eyes landed on Princess, still at her desk charting, a smug smile tugging at her lips. The smile only widened when she met Dana’s gaze, shaking her head with a small laugh.

“You know better, Princess,” Dana said, but the lingering chuckle in her tone made it clear that Princess wasn’t in any real trouble.

“It’s not like it’s ever not the main topic for a few days whenever she visits,” Princess shrugged as she stood, checking on a patient. “Gossip runs fast, it’s not my fault.”

Dana was left alone at the main desk, laughing softly at what her nurse had said. It was true—whenever you visited your ex-husband, everyone gossiped about it for days. How young you looked, how beautiful you were, how the hell Abbot had managed to land someone like you.

Dana liked you, a lot. She had always thought you were a good thing for Jack, with your sweet, confident nature. From what you had told her, you hadn’t always been this way. Abbot had taught you how to be yourself, how to carry yourself with confidence. Years with him had shaped you into the person you were now, and you always spoke of Jack with love and adoration.

And then, one day, Jack had arrived with your ring around his neck.

Dana hadn’t had time to see you today. Robby had said you were sleeping and had asked for food to be delivered. Dana had overseen the delivery, but she had been so swamped with work she hadn’t even had a chance to check in. Locking her tablet, she finally glanced at your chart.

The lab results were back. Her eyes scanned the page until they froze on one line.

“Fuck.” Her voice was sharp as her eyes darted around frantically for Robby.

They landed on the time: 6:37 p.m. Jack would be here soon, and he always looked at the patient list first, sorting alphabetically. Your name would be at the top. Everything was about to be a complete mess.

Her eyes finally found Robby as he walked toward the desk, talking with Mel. Dana felt a flutter of nervousness as he approached, even though she knew she shouldn’t—this was her job.

“Robby,” she called, gaining his attention. When he saw the serious look in her eyes, the soft smile he’d been carrying vanished. He frowned, leaving Mel behind with a gentle pat on her shoulder.

He nodded toward her, silently prompting her to continue.

“These are Abbot’s lab results,” Dana said, her voice tight.

Robby took the iPad from her hands and perched his glasses on the bridge of his nose. Dana’s gaze stayed fixed on his face, waiting for him to reach the line that had made her curse under her breath. Her foot tapped anxiously against the floor.

“Fuck,” Robby muttered. “You went to see her?” he asked, taking off his glasses and slipping them into his pocket.

“This just arrived,” she explained, shaking her head.

The doctor took a deep breath, rubbing his eyes with his fingers. At that moment, he wished he had called Jack the minute you had stumbled into his ER, but that would have angered you enough to refuse tests and treatment. So he hadn’t. And now, he certainly regretted it.

“I’ll tell her,” Dana said, watching Robby’s expression fall.

“No, I’ll do it. It’s not your job,” Robby said softly. He wasn’t undermining her, he just needed to take responsibility.

“Tell me how it goes,” Dana said before heading back to chart for the waiting patients. She was also behind on her nurses rotations so she needed to do so much before she could say hello to you.

Before the nurse was out of earshot, Robby muttered under his breath, “The only fucking day he had to get here on time.” That made Dana giggle, as Abbott usually arrived at 6 p.m. sharp. Maybe the divorce was finally making him realize there was a life outside the hospital.

Robby let out a heavy sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose. This was not news he wanted to deliver—it wasn’t even his place—but today, he was your doctor. The name on the top of your chart.

The curtain opening startled you out of your half-conscious state, your heart racing at the sudden fright. You sat up quickly, looking around the room, disoriented, until your heart settled at the sight of Robby entering, an apologetic smile on his face. You knew the ER didn’t move slowly—doctors rarely had time to be quiet.

“So… your labs are back,” Robby said, glancing down at the tablet in his hand as he perched on the stool beside your bed.

“What’s my sentence, Mike? Iron?” you joked, already guessing the most likely culprit.

It was always iron. Ever since you and Jack had separated, you hadn’t kept up with your yearly iron supplements. You had blamed work and moving, but the truth was you didn’t want to see another doctor. Robby had been your doctor for the past thirteen years; it felt too strange to go elsewhere.

“Well… yes,” Robby replied with a small smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. Your teasing smile faded instantly. “But that’s not all,” he added, letting out a heavy sigh.

“Oh God,” you whispered, eyes widening in fear. Michael looked utterly devastated, and your mind immediately jumped to the worst possible conclusion. “Is it… cancer?”

Robby’s eyes went wide as he looked up at you, noticing the small tears gathering in your eyes. Of course, why did he have to be so mysterious?

“No, no, no, it’s good news,” he started, rolling the stool closer and taking your hands in his. “Or… a bad one, depending on how you take it. But it’s not life-threatening.”

“What?” you whispered, frowning deeply at his confusing explanation.

“Oh God,” Robby breathed, shaking his head as he stared at his feet. He had done this for years, telling parents their child had died, handling far worse situations. Yet here he was, confusing

He just wanted to go home.

“You’re… pregnant,” he finally said, looking up into your eyes.

“Fuck,” you whispered, eyes going wide.

Hot water ran down your tired body, soothing tense muscles and washing away the fatigue of a long day at work. It was all worth it, tonight, your husband finally had a night off.

You had debated going out but had settled on a cosy, warm dinner and a quiet night in with Jack. It didn’t matter what you did, all that mattered was being with him—just the two of you.

It had been nearly two months since he’d truly had a whole evening off. You understood how important his work was, especially after his accident, but you always thought you mattered too. He had never given you reason to doubt it—not in the thirteen years you’d been together—but lately, small doubts had started creeping in.

Looking down at your left hand, your fingers brushed over your wedding ring. Simple, with a small diamond on top, it wasn’t much—but you cherished it. Deeply. Inside, it was engraved with the date you married, twelve years ago.

Turning off the water, you quickly dried yourself and slipped into comfortable, silky pyjamas. The soft fabric clung to your skin, making your nipples peak and giving you a thrill as you caught your reflection in the mirror. The clothes hugged your hips and thighs just a little too tightly, but it didn’t matter. You loved your body now—it had taken years of learning how—but there was no longer any shame in it. Probably slightly less than Jack loved it.

Smiling at the thought of his hands on you, you stepped out of the bathroom, greeted by the delicious aroma of the meal he had prepared. Jack was such a good cook—a fact that had surprised you at first. How could a manly, military man love to cook and be so damn good at it? Nothing about him was fair.

You went down the stairs, smiling, ready to call his name—then froze. Your smile dropped faster than you could speak as your eyes landed on him in the entryway. Your husband. In scrubs. Putting on his shoes.

“Sweetheart,” he said with a sigh as your eyes met his.

“You’re fucking kidding me?” you exclaimed, your voice louder than you intended.

You couldn’t believe it. He had promised. He had said nothing would make him leave tonight, but apparently, that had been a lie. Tears gathered in your eyes, but you refused to let them fall. This was all the confirmation you needed : his work was, without a doubt, more important than you.

“There’s been a bus accident,” Jack tried to explain, taking a careful step closer. “Walsh called, they’re getting overwhelmed.”

His hand rose to catch yours, but you slapped it away—hard. The sound echoed in the quiet room, and he looked up at you, frowning. Neither of you were violent. When you fought, it had always been with conversation, listening to each other, trying to understand, not shouting or slapping away comfort.

But Jack could tell this was going to be different.

“Of course, yeah,” you spat, your voice sharp with mockery. “And that night you had the helicopter accident, all alone, with no back up showing up? What did you do? You did it all alone because that’s what you’re fucking trained to do. Why do they always need you?”

You knew it was unfair. He had sworn an oath to protect and heal—but your anger didn’t care. You pressed on. “And where are they when you need them? It’s like you’re their god and they can’t function without you. But what about me, Jack?”

Your words were harsh, cutting deep, and you could see the effect on him. His eyes darkened, sorrowful with every syllable you spoke.

“It’s like I don’t matter to you anymore,” you whispered, pushing past him toward the kitchen.

The sight made tears spring to your eyes again. He had set the table beautifully, lit candles, and a fresh bouquet of flowers sat in a vase nearby. The meal was simmering on the stove—you turned it off immediately.

You weren’t hungry anymore. You certainly didn’t want to eat something so perfect alone. This wasn’t how the night was supposed to go. Once again, his work had ruined it all. You could hear him following you, so you kept talking.

“All I asked for was one night, one single night of peace and quiet with my husband,” you continued, carefully putting the pot into a Tupperware, planning to store it in the fridge once it cooled. You could feel Jack’s eyes on your movements, probably ready to tell you to eat—but it was better if he didn’t say anything.

“Baby,” he tried again, keeping his distance this time. “That’s not fair.”

“You’re right, it’s not fair,” you shot back, heat rising from the anger and rage blooming inside you. “It’s not fair that I’m married to your work against my will. It’s not fair that they always get to take you away from me. You have a fucking life outside that goddamn hospital, Jack. It’s time you start remembering it.”

Turning toward him, you couldn’t keep your eyes on him for more than a few seconds. The guilt and pain in his expression were too familiar. They were always there, every time he left you alone after promising he wouldn’t.

That was when your elderly cat—Pope—chose to let out a loud, demanding meow from in front of his bowl. The same cat Jack had adopted for you right after your wedding, so you wouldn’t feel lonely while he was deployed. His deployment hadn’t lasted long—he’d lost his foot barely a year in—but the cat had still helped, especially now that Jack worked nights.

He looked rough these days, his fur a little thin and his movements slow, but he was still the healthiest cat you’d ever known. His perpetually grumpy face made him look like a cranky old man—which, in many ways, he was. Especially when his dinner was late.

Right now, he didn’t care about the fight. He just wanted to be fed.

Sighing, you opened the cupboard and pulled out a can of wet food. It wasn’t supposed to be his wet food day, but you didn’t care. You wanted him happy—so you’d have someone soft and warm to cuddle when Jack left.

“It’s really not like that, sweetheart. You are important to me, but this is special,” Jack tried again, his voice calm, almost pleading. He watched you as you bent down to pet the old cat, your fingers gentle in his fur while he ate greedily.

“It’s always special,” you scoffed, straightening up to look at him. “Always something you can’t say no to. Can’t they call Mike?” The question came out desperate, like maybe, just maybe, this time there’d be another option.

“He already did the day shift, baby,” Jack sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, as if that somehow justified everything.

You let out a short, humourless laugh. “Oh, right, because Robby’s never done a double shift before.” You shook your head, heat rising in your chest. No, there’s something else. Something he never told you, but one of the new nurses did, a long time ago.

His brows furrowed, but you didn’t let him speak.

“Or is it because you told them to?” you pressed, voice rising. “Because you made sure they’d call you if they needed backup? Because you wanted to be the one they relied on?”

Jack’s mouth opened slightly, his voice catching. “How—”

“Does it really matter?” you cut him off, stepping closer, your finger pressing against his chest—not hard, but enough to make him look down at you. “Maybe what matters, Jack, is that you’re always so willing to leave this house. To leave me behind.”

He was about to answer you when his phone rang again. He didn’t want to pick it up—not now, not when you were standing there, spilling every fear and insecurity that had been quietly eating at your marriage. But the name Walsh flashing across the screen was a cruel reminder of why you were fighting in the first place.

“We’ll talk about it when I come back, sweetheart,” he said at last, exhaling the words like they hurt. He wasn’t even angry—just tired. So damn tired. And guilt was eating him alive.

He turned toward the front door. You didn’t try to stop him, and he didn’t look back until he heard you mumble something, your voice so low it almost blended into the sound of the cat licking his bowl.

“I might not be here when you come back.”

He froze for a moment. He didn’t know if you meant for him to hear it—but he did. And it broke something deep in his chest. When he finally opened the door, he turned halfway back, his voice soft but clear.

“I love you.” And then he left.

The rest of the night was spent debating your life and your marriage. You sat on the couch with only one dim lamp lit, the room bathed in soft amber light. Pope was curled in your lap, his old bones rising and falling with every sleepy breath. He would let out a grumpy meow whenever you stopped petting him, a gentle reminder that he still ran this house.

Your mind kept drifting back through the years with Jack. From the first time you met on that lonely street, to your rushed wedding, born out of love, and maybe a little fear for your health. To the day he lost his foot, when everything you thought you knew about life shifted. You had stayed. You had cared for him, endured his anger and frustration, helped him heal.

And after the storm, you had peace. Real happiness. You moved to Pittsburgh for him when he got the offer at the hospital, and you’d fallen in love with the city. You left your broken family behind, found work you actually liked, made new friends. Jack did too. For a while, it was perfect.

It only began to unravel when he started the night shift.

At first, it was supposed to bring you closer : he’d work while you slept, and you’d share the daylight together. He was used to running on almost no sleep. But little by little, the calls came more often. The just one more hour turned into entire mornings, and then whole weekends. He was one of the best, they said. The hospital couldn’t function without him.

You hadn’t realized you were crying until a tear hit the back of your hand. You wiped it away quickly. You’d cried too many nights over a man who wouldn’t change, no matter how much you begged him to remember the life waiting for him at home.

And then there had been that one of too many lonely afternoon, when you’d finally called an attorney. The divorce papers were still tucked neatly in the drawer Jack never opened.

It had broken your heart to ask for them, but you’d told yourself it was necessary. You still had most of your life ahead of you and it hurt to think of spending it with someone who didn’t have time to live it with you.

You still loved him. You would always love him. But maybe, you thought, as Pope purred softly against your legs, maybe it was time to love him from afar.

Before you could turn this moment into another sobbing mess, you made yourself get up and go to bed. A cold bed. An empty bed. Still, that felt better than making any rash decisions at almost midnight.

You told yourself he’d probably be home soon—that maybe, if it was just a quick in-and-out at the ER, you could talk things through once you’d both calmed down. But of course, the clock hit midnight, and then one, and he still hadn’t come home.

You must have fallen asleep at some point, because the next thing you knew, the bed dipped behind you. Pope’s small weight had disappeared, he must’ve gone to greet Jack when he came in. You sighed softly and shut your eyes again, too tired to start anything. You weren’t angry anymore—just sad, heavy, and numb.

Jack’s body slid in behind yours, warm and familiar. His arm snaked around your waist, pulling you gently back against him. You felt the brush of his lips against your shoulder, then the nape of your neck, and finally near your ear.

“You know you’re important to me,” he murmured, voice rough with exhaustion. “I love you.”

It was the same thing he’d said hours ago, right before walking out the door. But this time, it came out softer, quieter, real.

You never doubted his love. You never had. What you doubted was whether this marriage meant the same thing to him as it did to you. Maybe you just saw it differently—had different definitions of what it meant to show up. You had barely talked about that before getting married, and for a long time, it hadn’t mattered. Somehow, it had always worked.

Until it didn’t.

"I know it's hard for you, but—" he was cut short when you turned around and kissed him. Hard.

In that moment, you didn’t want him to talk. You didn’t want to hear his voice — the same voice that spun promises he’d barely keep until the next call from Walsh, or Robby, or Dana. Whoever it was, he’d always answer. And he’d always leave you behind.

"Baby," he murmured, trying to push you off gently, clearly wanting to talk.

"Please don’t make me talk right now," you said, your breath trembling, warning him that tears weren’t far. "I don’t wanna talk. I wanna feel."

You wanted to feel his love, his body—him. Nothing else. No explanations. No excuses. No promises. Just the two of you, the way it was supposed to be tonight.

He didn’t say anything. Just sighed softly before kissing you again. His hands slid into your hair, pulling you closer as his tongue met yours. It had been so long since you’d felt him this close. His work was unpredictable—most nights you were already asleep when he got home, or getting ready to leave for work.

You pushed him onto his back, straddling his hips. In a rush, you tore off his shirt, then yours. You didn’t want delicacy, didn’t need tenderness—only his warmth, his touch, his presence.

Pulling away for just a moment, you slipped off your pants and panties, then pushed his sweatpants down his thighs.

"Sweetheart," he tried to soothe you, to slow your movements, but you couldn’t hear him. What your mind translated instead was that your husband didn’t want you.

"You don’t want me?" you asked, your voice trembling as tears welled in your eyes. Was that why he kept staying late at the hospital?

"Of course I do," he said softly. He took your hand and guided it gently to where he was already hard against his stomach. "I just don’t want you to do something you don’t want to."

You were on your knees, naked in front of him, desperate to undress him completely—and somehow, Jack thought you were forcing yourself.

"I want you," you said, stopping yourself before the rest could slip out.

One last time.

I want you one last time.

But you didn’t say it. Instead, you aligned yourself with him, letting him stay on his back. Even in your sadness and anger, you knew how much a full day and night on his feet strained his leg and back—you didn’t want to make it worse.

When you sank down onto him fully, a heavy whine escaped your throat. It felt good, achingly so, yet so foreign. It had been so long since you’d touched each other that you hadn’t realized how much you’d missed it.

You felt his hands grip your hips in a tight squeeze, as if he were trying to ground both of you in the moment. When your hips began to move—slow, gentle thrusts at first—his grip only tightened. You let out a soft moan at the thought that he might leave bruises behind. Like he used to.

Used to.

That was what this moment felt like, what you used to be. A couple in love, tangled up in each other every chance you got. You clung to that thought, moving your hips faster, rising a little higher each time. His breathing grew heavier, matching yours, and when you placed a hand on his chest, you felt how hard his heart was pounding.

Behind your closed eyelids, all you could see was his younger, happier face, the one from your wedding night. You’d ended up in the same position back then too, only that night you’d been full of joy instead of ache. Your mind replayed flashes of laughter, of dancing, of promises whispered under the soft lights—each memory making the ache of longing grow sharper.

When you opened your eyes, hoping to pull yourself back into the present, you almost wished you hadn’t. Jack was watching you, the same way he always did. That look in his eyes hadn’t changed since your very first night together. He looked at you like you hung the moon. Like you were his everything.

He looked at you that way, but he still didn't stayed. The thought cracked something open, and tears finally spilled over your lashes. You moved harder, faster, chasing something—release, escape, anything that might quiet your thoughts.

"I love you," Jack gasped between moans, his eyes still locked on yours.

At those words, a sob tore from your chest. But your body didn’t stop. Through the blur of tears, you kept moving, grinding down for more friction. His body met yours perfectly—every thrust hitting deep, every movement both too much and not enough.

Desperate to feel more, to lose yourself in him completely, you grabbed his hands, pressing one against your breast, guiding the other between your thighs until his fingers brushed your clit.

He got the message, and his fingers began to move in rhythm. His eyes never left your face—not even when you threw your head back with a sharp moan as he found the right pace against you. Your hips grew erratic, chasing release, and he could see the tears slipping down your cheeks, catching the soft light of the moon.

He didn’t say anything. There would be time for words tomorrow.

And just like that, after a few more tear-filled thrusts, you came—moments before he did. It wasn’t the kind of release that left you breathless and laughing. It was small, quiet, full of hurt and longing and love and sorrow. When your mind whispered again that this was the last time, you collapsed onto his chest, sobbing.

The tears didn’t stop for a long while. Not when Jack pulled out, not when he gently cleaned you up, murmuring soft words to soothe you. Not when he drew you close and wrapped his arms around you in bed. They only stopped when sleep finally took you—worn out from the day, from the ache, from everything.

Jack lay awake for hours afterwards, holding you against him. His chest was still damp from your tears, and he knew this time was different. He had messed up, and no apology could fix it easily. As he finally drifted to sleep, anxiety settled deep in his stomach, heavy with the thought of the conversation waiting for both of you tomorrow.

Except the talk never came.

When Jack woke up, he was alone in bed. He glanced at the clock and sighed—he had overslept, and you were already gone. On the coffee machine was a small post-it, your handwriting scrawled across it.

I’ll be back late. See you tomorrow.

No heart. No I love you. Just facts. He sighed again, understanding that maybe you needed space. He wouldn’t push you—he never had, and he wasn’t about to start now.

But maybe he should have.

Because when he returned the next morning, after his night shift, he was met with a cold, silent house. Something felt off immediately. Most of Pope’s things were gone—his toys, his two bowls. Your favourite coats were no longer hanging from the rack. He called your name, and the only response was silence.

As he passed the kitchen doorway, his heart sank.

On the table lay two things.

Divorce papers. And your ring.

As Jack passed through the ER doors, he felt a strange weight in the air. A lot of eyes seemed to settle on him. True, he was a bit early—by ten minutes—but that wasn’t unusual. Well maybe it was since he usually got here earlier than that. He glanced down at his pants, checked that his leg was properly covered. It was. So why the hell were people staring?

Looking around, he searched for Robby, hoping for a quick rundown of how the day had been, who the important patients were, what he needed to know. No sign of him. Dana? Same result.

Making his way to the nurse’s office, he swiped his card— ready to scan the patient list, bypassing the reasons for everyone’s visits just to gauge how his night would go. He offered gentle hellos and smiles to a few colleagues, returning their greetings.

Then his heart dropped.

The first name on the patient list: ABBOT.

You were here. In the ER. And no one had called him. The divorce wasn’t even finalized—he hadn’t signed the papers yet. He knew that wasn’t the point, delaying it didn’t matter. But why hadn’t anyone called him? He couldn’t make sense of it. Had you asked them not to call or did the nurses chose not to on their own?

Without a second thought, he ignored everything else. He focused only on the details in your chart. Passed out in the street. Brought in by paramedics. South 12.

On the other side of the ER, you were trying to process what Robby had just told you. Pregnant. Of course. The only time you had missed your pills, thinking it didn’t matter since you weren’t having sex anyway… and of course, you had. And now this.

The timing couldn’t have been worse. Even more so considering that a couple of years ago, you had tried—and it had never worked. You’d done all the tests, everything had come back perfect. No fertility issues. Jack had just shrugged it off, saying it simply wasn’t the right time yet. So you’d gone back on the pills, your periods too painful to stop.

But then you had forgotten a few doses and now, here was the result.

Tears had gathered in your eyes when Mike had told you. You clenched his hands tightly, smiling through the joy and frowning through the panic. What were you going to do?

"You know we tried for months," you said, laughing softly. You barely registered your own emotions — not the tears, not the laughter. "It never took. We tried everything. And now… now it chooses this time." Your voice dropped to a whisper as one hand left his, resting over your stomach.

"It’s going to be okay," he said, forcing a tight smile. From what you’d told him, he assumed the baby was Jack’s, which meant you might still have a few weeks to decide what you wanted to do. "We can do an ultrasound first, just to know—"

His words were cut short as the curtain was pulled back harshly. Robby leapt up reflexively, scanning for any threat to the patient, but there was none.

Jack.

It was the first time you’d seen him since that night—since you’d left your house. He looked the same, though a bit more tired, more worn out. This was the moment you had dreaded : the night shift, face-to-face with him.

"Oh," Robby said softly, stepping in for a gentle hug. He was glad to see Abbot—it meant he could finally leave—but also relieved that this wasn’t his case to handle anymore. Robby cared about you like a sister, but this was something only Jack should hear.

He left the room quietly, closing the curtain behind him, offering a soft smile and mouthing, You got this.

Once he was gone, heavy silence settled between you. You didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know if you even wanted to talk about it yet. He had your chart open on the iPad in his hands, surely having already reviewed the results. He knew.

"Are you okay?" was the first thing he said.

You only nodded as you watched him sit on the same stool Robby had just vacated. The air felt heavy and tense. How had things come to this? You had once been so in love. Your eyes flicked down to your hand resting on your stomach.

"Is it mine?" he asked quietly, not looking at you.

A strangled gasp escaped you, and small tears slipped from your eyes. You brushed them away harshly, rubbing your cheeks and turning your face to the wall. You couldn’t believe he had even asked.

"Who else do you think it could be?" you spat, your voice sharp, still facing away.

He didn’t answer, but you could feel the weight of his gaze on you. You knew it was only a legitimate question—you had left him without explanation. He had no way of knowing whether you had moved on in the two months apart. Still, it stung.

"Did Robby do the ultrasound?" he asked gently this time.

Shaking your head, you looked back at him. His eyes met yours—the same way they always had, like you hung the moon. Just like the last time he had looked at you, it made your chest ache.

"I’ll be right back," he said, standing.

Ten minutes later, here you were. You were still lying on the bed, he sat onto the same stool beside you. Both of you stared at the ultrasound machine as Jack searched the screen, finally letting out a shaky breath and tilting it toward you.

"Here they are," he said, a small smile tugging at his lips, pointing at a tiny, clear dot on the screen. "Still so small," he murmured, taking measurements, while you stared at your baby—or more accurately, what would become your baby.

You had created this together. It was bad timing, yes, but it was also a blessing. You had always wanted to be a mother—mostly because your own had been so shitty, leaving you with so much love to give. With Jack, it had been easy to daydream about a family. And now, it was real.

"By the size of our little bean, it’s eight weeks," he said, looking at you gently.

Our little bean. The words made your heart ache.

"Told you," you tried to joke, your voice weak, laughter mingling with tears. Right now, you had nothing left to fight. With another heavy breath, you asked the question that had been burning inside you. "What now?"

"We do whatever you want," Jack answered without hesitation.

You let out a small, relieved sigh. You noticed he was still wearing his wedding ring and the new chain around his neck. You’d bet your entire bank account that your ring was nestled there. And he still hadn’t signed the papers.

He was still attached—to your marriage, to the love you shared, to you. And you were still attached to him, but you couldn’t endure the pain of him being gone most of the time, especially now that you were pregnant.

"I want to do this," you whispered, your voice breaking. "I want to do this with you, but I can’t… if you don’t change."

This time, the tears ran freely down your cheeks. If he wasn’t willing to change, this would be the hardest decision of your life. You knew he would be a good father, and you could do joint custody, but you didn’t want him here just to be absent.

He was either committed—or you were gone.

"I’ll ask for the day shift," he said without a second thought, his eyes fixed on the tears sliding down your face. His own eyes were wet now, a few tears escaping. "I’ll do it. They won’t refuse, not with your pregnancy. I’ll be there."

He took your hands in his, holding them tight, his gaze locked on yours. You could feel his sincerity, his understanding, his willingness to change — to be present, to truly be there for you.

"You’re everything to me," he whispered, tears finally falling freely. "I can’t keep going if you’re not by my side."

When you didn’t say anything, he misinterpreted the silence, gently pulling his hand from yours. He leaned back slightly, eyes returning to the ultrasound screen.

"Can we redo it from the start?" you asked after a few seconds, your eyes full of hope and love.

He didn’t answer at first. Instead, he cupped your cheeks in both hands and kissed you. It was a kiss full of apology, sorrow, guilt… but also overflowing with love. You kissed him back with equal enthusiasm, pouring into him all the feelings you hadn’t been able to express over the past two months.

It went on for a few minutes. There was so much to catch up on, yet it felt right—still him, still your home.

When your lips finally parted, leaving you both breathless, you shared a gentle smile. He pecked your lips once more before turning back to the screen and clicking the print button, producing the first-ever picture of your baby.

As you watched the photo emerge, you silently hoped he truly meant it this time. You were willing to try again—one last time—because you loved him. This was his final chance, and somehow, deep down, you believed he wouldn’t mess it up.

Hands resting on your stomach, you leaned back on the bed, looking at him with hopeful eyes. Everything was going to be okay, you told yourself—and your baby.

"How’s Pope doing?" Jack asked, breaking the silence. You laughed, the sound light and genuine.

Yeah. Everything was going to be more than okay.

©fromsil.

a.n : this man had taken over my entire life. you can only thank @arabellasfvv for this, they forced me into watching the pitt...kinda. and yes im sorry, but i feel like jack would actually be those kind of husbands that are married to their work.

[porchlightfairy]

Cupid's Chokehold

(Little Miracle Series Pt. 2)

jack abbot x nurse!singlemom!reader (ICU)

little miracle series masterlist

a/n: this got such a positive reception! thank you to everyone who was interested! I hope you like this and look forward to more!

summary: your breakfast date with Abbot. (and Miracle)

tags: pregnancy complications that lead to premature birth, NICU, near death experience, jack abbot's dead wife, fluff with a side of angst, subtle mentions of each other's dark pasts

wc: 2.2k

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Jack could feel himself grow nervous as he pulls into the parking lot. He looks into the sun visor mirror and fixes his hair. He takes a deep breath and exits the car adjusting his shirt. You had texted him earlier to go ahead and get a table and that you would be running a bit behind. Miracle wanted to find something perfect to wear. He enters the diner and smiles at the host. She looks at him and returns the smile, "How many are we serving today?"

"Uh, three." He clears his throat.

"Booth or table?"

"Booth please."

"And do we need any kid's menus?"

"Yes, one." He smiles.

The host grabs two plastic menus and a smaller paper one with crayons. "Follow me this way, Sugar." She leads him to a booth in the window and sets down the two menus and the kid's menu beside him. "Can I get you anything while you wait?"

"Coffee, black." He picks up the menu to look over the food.

"You got it." She walks behind the counter and pours him coffee from the drip. She serves it and goes to tend to other customers.

Jack rubs his hands together and looks out the window as he waits when he notices you walking with Miracle through the parking lot. He didn't think you could get prettier. It was a warm day so you were wearing a tank top and some denim shorts with sandals. Everything fit your silhouette, hugging every part of your perfectly. He takes a sip of his coffee to wet his dry throat.

Miracle jumps up on the sidewalk excitedly. You had put her hair in pigtails all over her head with rainbow rubber bands. She was wearing a frill white shirt with overalls on. She was like your little baby doll.

You see him through the window and wave with smile before you head towards the door. When you enter the diner, Miracle notices him too. "Dr. Abbot!" She runs over and leaps onto the booth seat beside him.

You stay standing next to the opposite booth seat, "Miracle, come sit beside me."

"I want to sit next to Dr. Abbot." She crosses her arms and pouts.

"Well, Dr. Abbot prefers the window seat, see." You point, "And you like that seat too. You won't be able to see through the window if you sit next to Abbot."

Miracle taps her chin then slides out of the booth and sits opposite of Abbot. You smile in triumph and sit next to her blocking her into the booth. Abbot gives you props with a subtle nod.

The waitress comes back over, "Hi, what can I get you ladies?"

"Coffee, with room and a kid's apple juice." You smile at the waitress.

She leaves and returns with your coffee and the juice in a kid's cup. "I'll give you guys a few minutes."

As you look over the menu, Miracle pats your arm, "Mommy… Mommy!"

"Yes, my love?" You set the menu down.

"Can I make your coffee how you like it?"

"Sure, do you remember what I like? It's—"

"Two white creams, and one blue sugar." She grabs the items and pulls your mug towards her.

"That's right, good job." You look back at the menu. You then look up at Jack, "Sorry, she is just super excited to be here."

"I am too." He rests his arms on the table, "So tell me, when did you move to Pittsburgh."

"Uh, Miracle was just two years old. I crossed several state lines by myself to get here. All for the PTMC job and 24 hour care. The endeavor of seeking a better life for the both of us." You lean back in your seat, "What about you? I assume the military wasn't all that it was cracked up to be."

He chuckles, "It definitely wasn't. A few tours in the middle east, lost my leg, discharged and bouncing hospital to hospital until I landed in The Pitt. An endeavor of seeking a happier life. I uh, I have to let you know— I would like for you to know— I was married once before."

"You had a wife?!" Miracle stands up on the booth seat.

"Miracle." You hiss. She sits back down quickly.

"I was but uh, she got sick." He purses his lips distracted by the wood grain on the table. He looks up and sees your soft eyes looking back at him in understanding.

"Thank you for telling me— us" You smile. You open your mouth to speak again before the waitress comes back around.

"Are we ready to order?"

"Yes, I'll just have bacon and eggs, sunny side up, and some white toast." You look at Miracle's menu, "What do you want, Baby?"

"I want the chocolate chip pancakes with bacon." She whispers to you.

"She'll have the chocolate chip pancakes with bacon and a cup of fruit."

"No Mommy just the bacon."

"Just eat some of them. Do it for me, please?"

She huffs, folding her arms over her chest and pouts out the window. You give an awkward smile and hand over your menu.

"And I'll have the omelette supreme." Jack hands back his menu.

"I'll have that out as soon as I can." The waitress takes the menus and leaves you alone.

"Supreme? What does that mean?" Miracle cocks an eyebrow.

"It usually means really big." Jack stretches his arms out.

"Really? You're gonna eat that all by yourself."

"I have to eat that much so I can get big and strong." He flexes his arms.

You and Miracle's eyes widen at the action. You avert your gaze feeling a bit flustered. Jack notices and bites back a smile of his own.

"I want my pancakes to be supreme!" She stands up again.

"Miracle, Baby, sit down." You pull her down.

"But Mommy!" She whines.

"Well, they say adding fruit and veggies is what makes it supreme too." Abbot leans forward like it's a secret

"Yeah?" Miracle leans forward.

He nods, "There are a bunch of veggies in the omelette I'm getting."

"Then I'm going to eat all my fruit!" She exclaims.

You stare in awe as he makes this up on the fly. "Are you sure you don't have any secret kids too?"

He shakes his head, "It was something I always wanted though. This is uh, my first date in a long time."

Right. This was a regular date. He was attracted to you, truly. This wasn't a play date with friends and their kids. He was in front of you talking because he wanted to be with you.

"Mommy," Miracle shakes you out of your thoughts, "When is our food going to get here?"

"We just ordered, Baby. It's going to take time to cook."

"But I want it now." She whines.

"Okay, how about while we wait, you tell Abbot the story of how you got your name?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" She practically vibrates with excitement. "Do you want to hear the story?"

"I'm all ears, Sweetie." Abbot leans back, getting comfortable.

"Go ahead." You sit back as well. She crawls into your lap and faces Abbot then clears her throat.

"When Mommy was pregnant with me, she was very sick with— what is it called?"

"I had preeclampsia." You say.

"Yeah that, and I had to be born early but I was still so small. I only weighed one pound."

"One pound five ounces."

"And I was put in a big box to help me breathe and I couldn't go home. The doctor said I might not be able to go home at all but Mommy never gave up, right Mommy?"

"That's right. I stayed with you all day and all night."

"But she didn't give me a name yet."

"I couldn't think of one that I liked. I was more worried about you getting better. Every time I would think about it my mind would just go blank."

"After months and months and months—"

"Just 3 months, Baby." You squeeze her cheeks.

"I got better! And one of the nurses called me a miracle!" She looks up at you giggling.

"That's right! And it was like a light bulb went off above my head. That nurse was right, you were a miracle. But not just any miracle."

"Your Miracle!" She smiles hard and spins in your lap to give you a hug.

You squeeze her tight and pepper her face in kisses. "My little Miracle."

Abbot can't help but smile at the end of the story. Tears welled up in his eyes as he listened. Miracle grabs the sides of your face and kisses you back then moves back into her seat. You notice Abbot and give a sympathetic smile, "It's her favorite story. She asks for me to tell it all the time. She'll know it by heart before a Dr. Seuss book."

"It's a beautiful story." He smiles in return, "Thank you for telling me, Miracle."

Soon your food arrives. First, you tend to Miracle's plate cutting her stack of pancakes and pouring syrup on it. You then focus on your own food and start to eat but after a few bites you notice Miracle is almost half way done with the cut stack.

Abbot seems to notice too. "Here, let me." He takes Miracle's fork and knife and cuts the rest of the stack. Your heart swells as you watch them. Both of them hyper focused on the plate as he cuts. "Is this how you look during emergency surgery?"

He looks up and chuckles, "This is a very serious situation. It needs my full attention." He takes the knife and hands Miracle her fork back.

"Thank you." You say as you continue to eat.

After you all finish, Miracle occupies herself with finishing the activities on her menu. Your plates are cleared and you sit and wait for the bill. "So, is this what you imagined for the first date?"

"I think it was a positive." He tilts his head, "Unless you thought otherwise."

You shake your head, "You have her mark of approval."

"What about yours?" He licks his lips.

"It's kinda hard not to lower my guard with you. You've been doing the same so it would only be fair."

"It wasn't just her was it?" He holds a serious tone.

You nod, "It was touch and go, after she was delivered, but we both pulled through. It was my wake up call. Get my life in order. I prayed to whoever would listen," You play with one of her pigtails, "if she got to come home with me, I would do everything in my power to keep her safe."

Jack feels his jaw tighten. You had the same distant gaze he had earlier. He reaches over the table and grabs your other hand. You snap out of it and squeeze his hand in response to the feeling of his palm on yours. He gives you a reassuring smile, "I hope I can do the same for you, if you let me."

Soon, the waitress comes over with the bill. You fish for you wallet in your purse but Jack puts his hand up to stop you. You pick up Miracle and all three of you head to the main counter to check out and leave.

Once outside, Abbot walks you to your car. It was an old beat-em-up Corolla. Old reliable for you. You put Miracle in her car seat and move to the back of the car to speak. "I had a nice time, Jack."

His heart squeezes at the sound of his name. "Me too. This won't be the last time, I hope."

"As long as you are okay with it being a play date again." You look into the back window to see your daughter playing with her doll she had left behind.

"Always. I acknowledge that you are a package deal." He nods, "Just as long as you know I prefer playing more so than the adult talk."

You swat his arm playfully, "I should have known. You were the one that was sabotaging the bathrooms and letting her sneak into your department."

"Yes, your theory was correct. It was all a part of the plan." He chuckles, "In all seriousness, I don't care what we do. Just let me see you again, not at work."

"Okay." You grab his hand, "I'm off on Saturday. If you'd like you come over for breakfast and cartoons?"

"Is breakfast the only meal we can have together?" He teases, "How about dinner, Saturday? How about pizza?"

"I love pizza!" Miracle shouts from her window.

"2 out of 3, I think that means a yes."

"Alright then, Saturday night." You hold one side of his face and kiss him gingerly. You lips feel plush against his. He makes a satisfying noise and holds your waist keeping you close.

Although it was only meant to be a courtesy, you didn't want to stop kissing. You move your hands as he deepens the kiss. You separate for air and bite your lip, "We'll, uh, we'll see you Saturday."

Abbot heads back to his car as he watches you drive off. He gets in and he can't smiling. The kiss replays in his mind over and over. He touches his finger to his lips before taking a breath to calm down. It doesn't work as he sits in the parking lot for a couple more minutes before driving off.

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tags: @cosmicneptune @ilocuras24 @lacy1986 @stardustworlds @a-true-janian-reply @amacphet @darknessofhell666-blog-blog @princess76179 @nyxmoretti @kidd3ath @lovehadlovelost @emmy626 @leeshy12 @evergreen9083 @flyinglama @heyyimmisunderstood @secretlyurfemmwife @sliverspringss @xxohsnapitspatxx @urgirl-jijiiii @sabrinathewitchh982 @luminaxs @1dhoe93 @melissa66orion @otteryougladimback @iloveeveryoneyoureamazing @1-800-bobcut @generation-zero @jas241 @swiftwerewolfknight @beebeechaos @imaginecrushes @gf4lwt @tlc3802 @blackirisesinthesunlight @plan3tch1ld @untilmynextstory @hista-girl @xh444 @closelyinsanewave @chattyotter14 @vivi-xne @uncertainblissss @teaspacebar @midnightalbatross @of-converse-books-and-chocolate @marcysbear

(please let me know if you want to be tagged, or you'd like to be removed. its all nbd, i don't bite)

[slytherclaw1978]

obsessing over the thought of baby daddy jack abbot

yes, he’s older than me. yes, we’re not together. yes, our kid looks and acts just like his bad ass. yes, he wants his family back. yes i still let him hit.