Archive of Our Own

Jake almost went with Leah. He could have gone with Leah. He was going to ask Robby if he could go with Leah. It would have been so cool – he had only been dating her for a couple months at this point, but she would have been so impressed with him, being able to get passes to one of Pittsburgh’s hottest events of the year. He didn’t know how Robby had done it – it wasn’t like PittFest was San Diego Comic Con levels of insane but it was still kind of expensive and tended to sell out super quickly. But the how’s and why’s didn’t matter: when Robby had told him he’d secured two passes, he had been psyched.

Going with Leah would have been awesome, and he knew that if he asked Robby, the man would give up his pass in a heartbeat. So yeah, Jake almost asked. He wanted to impress his girlfriend. But then his mom mentioned how nice it was that Robby had an excuse to take that day off work, and it would be good for him to go out and have some fun.

And then Jake remembered. Robby’s friend Doctor Adamson. He mostly remembered the man’s smile and the way he always slipped Jake a fun sized candy bar whenever he visited the hospital. He didn’t quite hang on to the actual death date, but he did remember it being around this time of year.

So he didn’t ask. He’d get Leah a t-shirt and text her throughout the day, but this was for him and Robby. Robby who’d give up his pass in a heartbeat and go into work instead, on the anniversary of the death of a man who had meant so much to him, and pretend that everything was fine and that of course Jake should take his girlfriend instead, why would he even want to go with the old man when that was an option?

And it was still awesome. The bands were so cool, he was enjoying hanging out with Robby, Leah was super excited for him and responded quickly to every text and picture he sent…

And then the bullets started flying.

XXX

Robby was enjoying himself. The last few years he had always made some flimsy excuse and took himself off the schedule on this day, but it was nice to have an actual reason for once. And Jake was having a blast. He knew the kid was texting his new girlfriend for most of the day, but he was still present and engaged. Robby was happy he was able to do this for the kid. Passes weren’t exactly easy to come by, but being a doctor as long as he had been meant Robby had managed to accrue quite a large bank of favors –  including one from a grateful band manager who had received excellent care at PTMC (no matter what Gloria had to say about his patient satisfaction scores, they knew what they were doing when it counted), who had even promised a meet and greet when the band was done with their set. Robby was excited to spring that one on Jake, he knew the kid loved that particular band.

The crowds were intense, and Robby had already helped three people to a first aid station when they nearly passed out from dehydration, and pulled in another kid with what he was pretty sure was a drug overdose. You can take the doctor out of the ER…

When the bullets started flying, Robby didn’t notice at first. The loud pops sounded like fireworks – pyrotechnics had been going off all day.

But then a man in front of him dropped in a spray of blood and a loud gurgle, and Robby’s entire nervous system shuddered. Suddenly people around him were screaming.

Robby barely had time to think any further before something heavy punched his right shoulder and he turned and threw himself on top of Jake. Something else slammed into his left leg as he and his pseudo stepson went down in a tangle of limbs.

“What…?” Jake gasped under him, but Robby didn’t move.

“Stay down!” he shouted over the screams.

Jake could hear the chaos, but still had no idea what was going on. There was a burning feeling in his leg, and Robby was six foot one inch of heavy muscle lying on top of him.

“My leg,” Jake groaned, trying to look around even as Robby held him in place.

That got the doctor’s attention, and he immediately started assessing. Jake had blood on his pants, upper right thigh. It didn’t look too bad, but Robby knew it would need pressure soon. People were still running and screaming, there were bodies down around them – dead? Injured? Playing possum? – and the most important thing right now was to find safety.

Or whatever could pass for it in a nearly open field.

There was a booth nearby, so Robby grabbed Jake under his arms and started pulling. His leg screamed and his shoulder was on fire, but Robby didn’t stop until they were behind the flimsy fabric and at least out of the open. Once that was done, he turned his attention back to Jake’s leg.

The loud ripping sound pulled Jake out of his fog and he looked over to see Robby had removed his sweatshirt and was wrapping what looked like one of the sleeves around Jake’s thigh. The resulting pressure didn’t feel good, but Jake knew it was important. He watched in silence as Robby then took the remaining sleeve and did the same thing to his own leg. A matching set. It looked like the bullet had gone through Robby and hit Jake?

Once that was done, Robby looked back up. “Does anywhere else hurt?” he asked urgently, eyes already assessing.

Jake tried to take stock, but everything was kind of tingly.

“Jake!”

He looked up again, to see Robby watching him worriedly, hands ghosting lightly over his torso and arms.

He shook his head quickly. “I don’t think so,” he gasped. “Just…”

Robby nodded grimly. “I think the bullets are slowing down.” The loud cracks had been coming less frequently, and in the distance he could hear sirens. It would still be a while before any emergency responders got to them. He recalled the event map, mentally placing the first aid stations in his mind. There was one on the far side of the field, one near the stage, one by the entrance…

That was their best bet, so Robby steeled himself and looked back at Jake. “We need to move,” he said quietly. “We’re not that far from the entrance, they’ll be setting up triage at the first aid tent there. Can you walk?” There weren’t nearly enough ambulances in the city to handle all the casualties Robby knew would be coming in. People would be heading to the hospital by car, four or five passengers deep. Ambulances would take the worst, two or three patients at a time. PTMC was the nearest trauma center.

Jake grimaced but nodded readily. Saying no wasn’t really an option here. He had a feeling if he did, Robby would just pick him up and carry him, and he wasn’t sure if Robby’s leg could support that. Blood was already starting to seep through the doctor’s makeshift bandage, but Jake didn’t say anything. He shifted to his knees, and then heaved himself up.

Robby followed, and grasped Jake’s shoulder and arm, taking more weight than Jake would like, but damn that hurt.

The bullets were done now, and people were starting to pick themselves up and run towards the exit. Robby grimaced as more than one person jostled them on their way. He stopped a couple of times to check several bodies that hadn’t moved, but they didn’t have a pulse.

There were many more that were groaning and writhing in pain, and Robby wanted to help but Jake was his first priority. He did pause once to grab a discarded sweatshirt and press it to one girl’s leg. “Hold onto that,” he told her quickly. “Keep the pressure as tight as you can, first responders will be coming out soon.”

Then he kept moving. He bypassed the first aid tent for now. It was packed with people, and he could see paramedics inside doing their best, but Jake didn’t need immediate medical attention. He just needed to get to the hospital and they’d take care of him. Yellow, he thought vaguely, already cataloging the triage the kid would receive. On the edge, could possibly even be a green, the fabric isn’t saturated yet, so not too much bleeding. A few stitches, some antibiotics, and he’ll be good as new.

There were cars lined up, people pulling anyone they could into whatever open seats they had. A plumber’s van was peeling out as they limped up to the curb, and Robby pushed Jake into the last seat of a sedan. He nodded at the driver, who returned the gesture, and motioned for him to close the door. He looked at Jake, who seemed to want to protest that there wasn’t a seat for Robby, but the doctor just smiled thinly. “I’m going to stay and help. You’ll be fine, Jake, it’s a superficial wound. I’ll see you later.”

He slammed the door shut and turned quickly, nearly overbalancing as a wave of dizziness passed over him. Shit. First stop, medical tent.

Robby shoved his way passed the crowd, and grabbed the arm of the first person in a blue uniform he could reach.

The woman turned quickly and pulled away. “If you need medical attention, move to that wall,” she indicated the far tent wall. “We’ll be with you as soon as we can.” Her gaze was already being drawn back to the crowds around them.

Robby vaguely recognized her as a medic he’d seen dropping patients off at the hospital. Elena? Eleanor? “I just need a bandage,” he replied quickly. “I can help.”

The medic frowned, her eyes snapping back to the man in front of her. “Doctor Robby?” she asked uncertainly.

Robby shrugged with the shoulder that wasn’t on fire. “Bad day to take a day off.”

Elena grimaced, but let the morbid humor slide. “You’re injured?” She ran a professional eye over him: he was wearing a dark gray t-shirt, but she thought she could see a wet spot around his shoulder. He slipped his right arm out of the t-shirt sleeve and Elena’s eyes widened at seeing the mess that appeared. “You should get to the hospital,” she urged.

Robby shook his head determinedly. “It’s a through and through, pretty sure nothing vital was hit. Just apply a pressure bandage and I can keep going for at least another hour.”

Elena frowned, but then reached over and grabbed the box with the bandages. “I’m only doing this because we are so far in over our heads we’re practically in China.”

Robby’s lips twitched in an attempt at a smile and let her apply the gauze. He did his best not to flinch or pull away as he felt something shift under the pressure.

When she was done, he slipped his arm back into his shirt. Elena looked at him sternly. “If you start to feel dizzy or lightheaded, make your way back here immediately. I mean it Doctor Robby.”

Robby nodded, already grabbing a spare med bag and rushing away, back to where the majority of bodies were lying. With a frown, Elena noticed what looked like a sweatshirt sleeve wrapped around his left leg and that for all he was hurrying, there was a very distinct limp to his gait. She made a mental note to keep track of him – she glanced around at the packed tent and sighed internally. As well as she could, at least.

XXX

Doctor John Shen would not admit to the overwhelming wave of relief that Ellis had answered the MCI call and come in early. He had taken charge of triage by virtue of just happening to be around and catching up on some charting an hour before his actual shift was supposed to start, and was already seriously regretting all his life choices that had led to becoming a doctor. He had been a resident until three months ago! How the hell was he now in charge of all this?

Ellis had been at PTMC for several years now, and her steady presence was reassuring. The next car to pull up was a sedan, and he hurried to pull out four passengers. The driver waved him off when he gave him a cursory glance. “Just transport!” the guy yelled.

Shen nodded and rushed to help Ellis with the triage.

“Jesus Christ, Jake!” Shen looked up and Ellis glanced at him. “Doctor Robby’s stepson,” she muttered, and Shen nodded grimly.

Jake looked dazed, but turned at the sound of his name, and let the doctor help him get out with a grimace. “I think the bullet just grazed me.”

Shen frowned and kneeled down to peel back the fabric covering his upper thigh. The material was wet but not saturated. He glanced up and nodded at Ellis, before slapping a yellow wristband on Jake and sending him to a wheelchair to be pushed inside.

Jake had done enough Google searching to know that yellow was pretty good, all things considered. He had been working up to telling Robby that he was planning to apply pre-med when he started his college applications this fall. His late night distracted phone scrolling had involved a lot of rabbit hole searches on various medical topics while he wondered if his mom would be proud or mad that he was following the path of a man who technically wasn’t even family.

Yellow meant he wasn’t actively dying, but the doctors would need to keep an eye out and make sure the bleeding didn’t get worse.

He stayed quiet and let the nurse (another one he didn’t recognize, maybe someone who worked the night shift?) set him up along the wall, and looked around at the organized chaos. He didn’t recognize any of the doctors out here. They all looked kind of young – new residents, maybe. Interns, student doctors. Nothing left to do but wait.

XXX

Jack Abbot had barely let himself take a breath in several hours. Robby had been so excited to take Jake to PittFest. He had sworn Jack to secrecy before telling him about getting Jake in to meet one of his favorite bands after the show.

He had tried calling Robby half a dozen times as soon as the MCI call had come in, with no answer. Jake hadn’t picked up either. Jack had shared a look with Dana and her head shake told him she hadn’t been successful either. But neither one could afford to let it distract them, so they just buckled down and kept working.

Jack did notice when the patients started coming in with information. A ‘T’ with a time written in black sharpie on their forehead and a tourniquet to clamp off bleeding to a lower leg. A+. B-. A-. A-. Blood types, all written on their forehead. Some unconscious, others barely on the cusp, but they must have been alert and talking recently. Shorthand notes pointing to the injury, written on foreheads and arms. Sometimes an indication that some medication had been delivered, and the time. Battlefield medicine. Jack could kiss whoever had gotten these people’s blood type before sending them along. Their supplies of O positive and negative were rapidly diminishing. They were replenishing with volunteers and donations from other hospitals and blood banks flying it in, but they were still rationing, so being able to use the actual blood type would save their universal supply for the ones who needed it most.

Dana pulled up next to him. “Looks like we got ourselves a battlefield medic out there,” she murmured softly, hands steady as she assisted.

Or a doctor, Jack thought hopefully. He knew in a crowd of thousands, there was likely more than one person with medical training at the festival, but you never knew. Army and a couple decades working in the ER had driven most of the optimism out of Jack, but he needed to cling to whatever he could right now.

Damn it Robby, where the fuck are you?!

Another patient came wheeling in, what looked to be an uninjured girlfriend next to him. “Family goes to the cafeteria,” Abbot growled as he got to work.

The girl looked tearful. “He said to tell you he popped the clavicle back in. It was pressing on his trachea?”

Jack took another precious second to look at the girl. “Who told you?”

She sniffed. “I think he was a doctor. He was checking injuries and helping get people to the exit. Aaron was gasping like he was having trouble breathing. The guy pulled a knife out and made a big cut,” she gestured helplessly towards her shoulder, “and then reached in with his fingers and just –“ she shuddered. “It made a huge crack, but then Aaron could breathe again. He said to tell the doctors that it was a…” she frowned in concentration, “a posterior SC joint dislocation.”

Abbot almost grinned. Even when not at the hospital, Robby was still working. You can take the doctor out of the ER…

XXX

Cassie McKay was taking a lap through yellow to check on the med students when she caught sight of a familiar mop of curly black hair. “Jake?” she asked incredulously, rushing to the wheelchair and kneeling down.

Jake glanced up and almost wilted at finally seeing someone he recognized. “Doctor McKay,” he attempted a smile that fell far short. No surprise there.

Cassie frowned, taking in the red splattered bandage around his upper thigh. Some bleeding but not too bad. If this was his first bandage he was probably right on the edge of green and yellow. Walking wounded. “I didn’t know you were going to PittFest,” she said quietly, reaching over to check the bandage.

Jake grimaced. “Robby got the passes, it was just supposed to be like a fun ‘welcome to senior year let’s play hooky before the work begins’ day off. I don’t…”

Cassie nodded, before what the teenager said filtered in. Nearby, Javadi hurried over to lend a hand. Cassie let her take over the wound check, while she focused back on Jake’s face. “Wait, Robby was with you?”

Jake’s grimace deepened. “He sent me off in a car and went back to help.”

Cassie’s eyes widened. She knew Robby had taken the day off, but hadn’t realized what he had had planned. And why would she? She was just a second year resident, it’s not like Robby had any reason to share his plans with her. She glanced at Javadi. “Jake, Javadi is one of our new student doctors, today’s her first day. Javadi, this is Jake, Doctor Robinavitch’s stepson.” She looked back at Jake. “I figured there must be a reason Robby didn’t show up when the MCI call went out, but I had no idea…”                                                                                 

“Doctor Robinavitch?” Victoria looked startled. She must have heard about Doctor Robby a hundred times today. It was her first day on this rotation, and she knew Doctor Robinavitch was the head of the Department of Emergency Medicine. She had been told he was off today but they would all meet him tomorrow. With the number of stories she had heard about the man, she figured they were either setting her up for a serious case of hero worship or disappointment. The way some of the staff around here talked about him, he either hung the moon or was actually a god.

Jake and Cassie looked at her, and she blushed. “Sorry,” she muttered, and got back to her assessment. “Wound doesn’t look too bad,” she looked at Cassie. “Ragged edges, will need stitches, and antibiotics?”

Cassie glanced over and nodded. “Let’s start with 500 milligrams of cefazolin and cover it back up.” She looked back at Jake. “Bullets can be pretty dirty, no telling what it might have touched. We need to get you on some antibiotics to clean out anything that might have made it into your system. The stitches will have to wait until things calm down, but it’s superficial. The bandage should help control the bleeding until someone’s free.”

Jake inclined his head. “That’s what Robby said.” He inhaled sharply. “I lost my phone when everything happened. I haven’t called my mom yet. Is there –“

Cassie quickly pulled out her own cell phone and handed it over. “Phone lines have been jammed for a while, but let’s see if we can get you on the hospital’s Wi-Fi to make a call. At the very least you could probably send her an email, ok?”

Jake took the offered device gratefully. “Thanks.”

Cassie smiled back. “Any time. Javadi will get you set up with the antibiotics, and if you need anything or start to feel worse, flag someone down.” She waited for him to confirm that he understood, and disappeared back into the crowd.

XXX

Shen took what felt like his first breath in hours, and looked around at the ambulance bay. The ambulance bay that was empty for the first time since… he had no idea, he had lost track of everything beyond assess, triage, move on somewhere around two hours ago. Definitely regretting life choices. Three months as a ‘real doctor’, but most of the time he still felt like a resident. He wondered how long it took other doctors around here to remember that they were supposed to be asking the questions now instead of answering them.

He exhaled slowly. Finally, some quiet. He was just about to check with Ellis on taking a much needed bathroom break (should not have had that iced coffee three…? hours ago) now that they were no longer swimming in blood and gore, when another ambulance screamed into the bay.

Damn it, can’t even think it in my head! He growled and rushed to the back door to see what they were dealing with now.

He vaguely recognized the paramedic back there as she glanced up at the bright bay lights that poured in when the doors opened, but his attention was quickly drawn to the patient. “Is that…?” he looked over as Ellis joined him with a gurney.

She inhaled sharply as she too recognized the man currently getting chest compressions. “Doctor Robby?!”

The medic – whatever her name was – didn’t waste time. “Male, 50’s, through and through gunshot wounds to the right shoulder and left thigh. Collapsed from blood loss on scene. Lost pulse two minutes ago. I didn't have time to intubate.”

Shen gripped the backboard quickly and helped Ellis pull it out onto the gurney as the medic climbed out after. Ellis looked pale but trying to get herself under control.

Shen figured it made sense. He had come to PTMC after completing his residency in DC. He had only known Doctor ‘call me Robby’ Robinavitch for three months, and he mostly worked the night shift. Of course he knew of Robby, he’d interviewed for the job with the man who headed up the whole ED and countless stories from those who had been around much longer than him had painted a picture of a well-liked boss who took care of his own, but he also generally worked days which meant John had only really worked a handful of shifts with him – a few times when Robby had covered overnight and twice when John had covered days. Mostly he knew Robby from when the man came in early or stayed late, usually to annoy Doctor Abbot.

But Parker was in her final year of residency which meant she had been at PTMC for over three years, and John knew she had only transferred to nights six months ago, which meant she was much more familiar with their boss.

“You good?” he asked quietly, as he did an assessment and thanked whatever god might be out there that this wasn’t two hours ago when they were slammed and a patient coming in with no pulse would have more than likely been tagged black and white and move on.

Parker swallowed harshly and nodded. “Pulse check?”

The medic stopped, and Ellis pressed two fingers to Robby's neck. They all grimaced when she shook her head.

Shen gestured to the bed. “Get up there, you’re riding shotgun.”

Ellis didn’t hesitate. She jumped on the gurney and straddled Robby’s waist, immediately beginning compressions. Her world focused solely on the steady pump. One, two, three, four.

Shen gripped one side of the gurney, the medic the other, and they rushed through the open doors.

“Coming in hot!” Shen yelled, drawing attention from several doctors and nurses. “Abbot!”

Probably not the best idea to call the man’s best friend over to take charge, but John knew he’d catch shit for it if he didn’t let the vet know immediately.

Jack was already rushing towards the gurney, but his steps faltered when he caught sight of who was in front of him. “Fuck,” he cursed.

“Is that Doctor Robby?” he heard a nurse behind him. Princess maybe.

Around them, the ER seemed to grind to a halt as people realized their boss had finally arrived.

Ellis hopped down as soon as the gurney stopped moving, but kept going with the compressions as the medic backed up and left them to do their work. The space was immediately filled with doctors and nurses.

“Down three minutes, two GSWs, right shoulder and left thigh. Both through and through,” Shen rattled off. “Hypovolemic shock from massive blood loss, medic said he collapsed in the field.”

Abbot nodded grimly and started assessing as other hands began hooking up various machines they had left by the wayside during the MCI, but things had slowed down enough and this was Robby. “Collins, intubate. Hang a unit of A positive!” he called out, knowing Robby’s blood type well enough by now. Hell, he was the man’s medical proxy this probably violated all kinds of medical rules and he really shouldn’t be doing this right now for Christ’s sake.

Dana was next to him in a flash, hanging the first unit of blood as Collins was already working the laryngoscope (thank god they’d gotten that restock of supplies from Presbyterian), and then Langdon was taking over for Ellis with the compressions while Perlah grasped the bag and focused on the task like her life depended on it. Like Robby’s life depended on it.

“What’s going on?” a quiet voice murmured from the side, and Santos glanced over, looking at the two med students she had started the morning with. She would admit, if only to herself (totally not only to herself) that she had felt miles ahead of them this morning – she was a first year resident, an intern, they were still one or two years away from graduating – but the last few hours had completely leveled the playing field. Nothing like a little baptism by fire.

In front of them, they watched as Abbot and Collins worked to clamp off the cause of the blood loss while Langdon kept going with the compressions. Santos answered Whitaker’s question, “They just brought Doctor Robinavitch in. I guess he was at PittFest today?”

“He took his stepson,” Javadi replied, voice just as quiet. “I treated him in yellow a while ago.” Santos raised an eyebrow, and Javadi hurried to continue, “He’s fine. Graze on his leg will need stitches and I gave him cefazolin.”

“Clear!” Abbot’s voice drew all their attention back to the main show, and they watched as everyone stepped back before the body on the gurney jerked and they all held their breath.

"Still in v-fib," Collins said, doing an admirable job at hiding her fear. She'd freak out later.

Abbot was back to chest compression within half a second. “Michael David Robinavitch you are not allowed to leave me here alone,” he growled. “One of epi, and get ready to shock again!”

Dana was already taking care of the second task, while Collins pushed the drugs into the IO port.

They all waited in silence for two minutes until, “Pulse check?” Dana asked quietly. Abbot glanced at her helplessly, and nodded, pulling back.

She moved in quickly, but on her head shake Abbot looked at Langdon. “Charge again, 200!”

Jack gave a few more compressions before Langdon called out, “Charged 200, clear!” and he stepped back.

The monitor stuttered, and then started beeping regularly again. Everyone let out a breath.

“BP’s coming up,” Langdon sounded relieved and terrified at the same time. “75 over 55.”

“Too low,” Abbot muttered. “Get another unit ready and someone tell me there’s an open OR!” He looked up. “Where’s Walsh?”

“Got one ready when you are,” the woman in question appeared as if summoned by her name. “How bad?”

Abbot grimaced. “Major blood loss, broken scapula. Check for fragments, it’s shattered.”

Someone inhaled sharply, and Santos immediately ran through the long term damage that could come from loose fragments. Thankfully the shoulder area was mostly contained so bone traveling to cause organ damage or other internal bleeding would be rare, but he could end up with severely limited mobility if they couldn’t get all of it.

Abbot continued, “leg wound is secondary, clean through and through, double check to be certain but it looks like it missed bone and arteries.”

Walsh nodded and gripped the gurney railing. “I’ve got him, Jack,” she whispered, and Jack knew he had to let go.

Everyone stepped aside and let Walsh and her team disappear with their boss and friend.

Cassie waited until the gurney had disappeared into the elevator before sighing. “I should tell Jake,” she murmured.

Langdon snapped his head up at that, and Dana glanced over.

“Jake’s here?” the senior resident demanded. Cassie almost took a step back at the intensity of his tone.

She nodded quickly. “Nothing major, he was put in yellow to monitor but it’s a minor graze that’ll need stitches when things calm down. Javadi got him on antibiotics and I was able to connect to the Wi-Fi on my phone so he could call his mom. She’ll be in as soon as she can, but it’s probably gridlocked out there so it could be a while.”

Langdon didn’t seem to be much happier on hearing that, but Dana relaxed slightly. “Thanks hon,” she smiled. Grateful that someone had been looking out for the kid, and glad that it had been Cassie – the second year resident had a calm demeanor about her that could really set patients at ease. Plus, of all the doctors and nurses that Jake had regular contact with, she and Dana herself were the only two with kids approaching Jake’s age (even if Harrison was six years younger). Jesse had a fifteen year old daughter, but he had been in red all evening, and though he’d been on staff for five years now Jake didn’t really know him all that well.

Dana gripped Abbot’s upper arm lightly, offering comfort and reassurance. “I’ll go,” she murmured, and felt more than saw him release a whole body shudder before he nodded.

Shen waited for a beat to see what would happen next. Abbot should be in charge right now, but the man looked pale as fuck and probably needed a minute or two. He was right as a moment later, Abbot muttered something under his breath and then walked as quickly as he could without running and disappeared through the doors towards the stairs. Shen grimaced and glanced at the clock. “Day shift should probably start handing off cases and get out of here?” He looked at Collins and Langdon. They were still residents, but were also the most senior day shift doctors currently in the red zone. The residents turned to him and he shrugged. “Ambulance bay is empty, rush is over. Your shift ended hours ago, seriously. All of you get out of here.”

Collins drew in a long slow breath, and then nodded. She looked at Langdon, and then turned to the nurse’s station where the newbies were all huddled. She noticed Samira had joined them at some point too, and looked entirely too pale for someone of her complexion. “Doctor Shen’s right,” she told them gently, “hand off your cases to night shift and get out of here.” She glanced around the room, and then back at Langdon. “I’ll talk to Dana and Abbot about setting up a phone tree for updates on Robby.” Langdon nodded shortly but didn’t say anything.

“Should someone wait for his wife?” Whitaker asked timidly, and Collins glanced back at him, raising an eyebrow. Whitaker nearly wilted under the scrutiny. “Sorry. Doctor McKay said his stepson’s mom was coming in, so should someone wait for her?”

“They were never married,” Langdon was quick to reply. “Robby and Janey dated for a while when Jake was a kid. Three to… ten, I think? Eleven?” He had started his residency mid COVID, coming in way passed when the couple had broken up, but he had met Jake within the first week, a bright eyed just-barely-a-teenager who looked at Robby like he held all the secrets of the universe.

It took about two weeks for Frank to understand why Jake looked at Robby like that, and to follow him into hero-worship.

“Jake’s bio dad was never in the picture, and they stayed friends after the breakup,” Langdon continued. “I’m sure she’ll be worried about Robby, but they’re not married.” It felt kind of awkward to be talking about Robby’s love life with kids who didn’t even know him, but he figured he should probably stop them from unintentionally causing a HIPAA violation if they started discussing anything medical with Janey when she arrived. And if there was a situation where medical decisions needed to be made, that's what Abbot was for - Frank had discovered Robby's medical proxy by accident a couple years ago, when Jack had only semi-jokingly claimed that it gave him the right to kick Robby out of the ER and go home when the man had tried to power through working with a bad cold (that had ended up actually being the flu, much to Jack's annoyance).

Collins kept her expression blank as she ordered the residents and med students once again to hand off their cases and get the hell out of dodge, before turning back to the workstation in front of her to start updating charts now that the mad rush was over.

XXX

The ER settled into a low hum of activity after that. Dana returned at some point, pushing a wheelchair-bound Jake whom she parked behind the nurse’s station with a stern order to stay put and she wouldn’t make him go back to yellow. He looked pale and hadn’t said much since Dana had told him Robby was in surgery, but the IV bag with the antibiotics had been removed, and he’d been given some painkillers to help with the throbbing in his leg. Dana had promised someone would get to stitching it up, but it would have to wait until the more serious injuries were taken care of. Jake understood. All things considered, he had gotten off really lightly. He had a feeling the only reason they had put him in yellow instead of green was because of who his basically dad was. Looking around him at the blood stained floors and walls, he knew it could have been so much worse for him.

It was nearly half an hour later when a familiar voice had him jerking his head up. “Jake!”

“Mom!” Jake had barely managed to clear the wheelchair when his mom was there, reaching out desperately. It was obvious she was on the cusp of hyperventilating, or maybe those gasps he was hearing were actually coming from him.

“Oh Jake,” Janey murmured, gripping him tightly and hoping she wasn’t hurting him anywhere. “Baby, it’s ok.” She had been panicking for hours, ever since she had seen the news broadcast and immediately called Robby and Jake a dozen times in a row, shooting off twice as many texts. Nothing had been answered, and eventually her phone just stopped even trying to connect. The ‘call failed’ notice had blinked up at her enough times to consider actually throwing her phone out the window. When the call had come in from an unknown number, and she had heard Jake’s voice on the other end, she had nearly collapsed in relief.

“Mom,” Jake moaned.

Those around them gave mother and son a wide berth, allowing them the illusion of privacy.

“Mom,” Jake muttered again. “Robby…”

Janey pulled back slightly, but didn’t release her grip. Jake hadn’t mentioned anything about him when he’d called earlier, and she now felt guilty for not asking. “Is he here?” She looked around.

“He’s in surgery,” Jake grimaced. His breath started quickening again. Janey frowned. Her mind refused to come up with anything other than Robby wasn’t a surgeon... “I thought it was just his leg, but Dana said he was shot in the shoulder too.” Janey gasped and clutched her son tighter. Jake started crying in earnest, and out of the corner of her eye Janey could see a few tears escaping Dana’s eyes. “He pushed me down. I didn’t know what was going on at first but then everyone was screaming and Robby jumped in front of me and pushed me to the ground. I think the bullet went through his leg and hit me.” Jake finally pulled back. “That slowed the bullet down, right? It barely grazed me, it would have been a lot worse if it hadn’t been slowed down?” he glanced from Dana to Jack, who had just reappeared still looking too pale but slightly more together than he had been half an hour ago.

Abbot didn’t really want to answer that question, knowing the guilt that would follow, Jake thinking that Robby had gotten hurt trying to keep him safe.

Thankfully, Janey was already on it. “Of course he jumped in front of you, honey,” she smoothed his hair back gently. “That’s what parents do.”

Dana looked at Jack, and he glanced around, cataloguing what was open. “Why don’t we get Jake settled into a bed where you guys can wait until we hear anything?” He looked at Dana. “I can spare a few minutes, I’ll get Jake stitched up and I can give you guys some more detail… if you want,” he looked back at Janey, suddenly thinking maybe she wouldn’t want her seventeen year old to know all the gory details.

But Janey nodded shakily and offered up a small smile. “Thank you, Jack,” and she let the doctor lead them off to the side where an empty bed waited.

Jack helped Jake get settled before pulling out everything he’d need for the sutures. It had honestly been years since he’d done this himself, but muscle memory never failed. He set the tray down and started cutting Jake’s bandage back, while trying not to act too awkward around the woman across from him.

What do you say to the woman who had once blamed you for her break up? Logically Jack knew there were a lot of reasons that went into those two separating, but Robby had told him just after the end, half a bottle of tequila into a night they both were better off never speaking of again and before Janey had come back around to tell Robby that he was the only father figure Jake had ever known and even if they hadn’t worked out she didn’t want him to disappear from either of their lives, that Janey had screamed at him that she was tired of coming in second place to Jack and she couldn’t take losing out to a guy he wasn’t even fucking.

Very few people really understood the depths of the relationship he and Robby had. Not sexual, never sexual. They were the very definition of platonic bromance. He and Robby had met in undergrad, both choosing to complete the pre-med track though Jack had chosen biology as his major while Robby had gone with biochemistry. He had actually been the one to give Robby his nickname, at orientation freshman year when he had grinned and told the other kid that he’d need to come up with something shorter that patients wouldn’t struggle with. That teasing and easy camaraderie had set the stage for the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Robby had been the sole reason he had passed Organic Chemistry junior year and he had forced Robby to get out and actually have something close to a social life when he would have just chosen to live in the library for four years if he had had a choice.

They had followed each other to Hopkins for medical school before splitting when Robby started his residency in New Orleans and Jack decided to enlist in the Army as a combat medic (the high cost of student loans for school may have been a deciding factor there - Robby may have had a good chunk covered by scholarships, but Jack didn't consider himself to be nearly as smart). Their friendship had lasted through war zones, Robby doing a few years with MSF after residency that had actually had them crossing paths a couple of times out there in the desert and one horrifically terrifying afternoon that was seared into Jack’s brain when Robby’s team had been ambushed with multiple injuries before they had been pulled out by their accompanying Army unit and brought to Jack’s hospital for treatment. Robby would set off metal detectors for the rest of his life due to the rod supporting his right femur. He had quit the organization after that and relocated stateside, taking a job in Pittsburgh offered to him by Adamson – the PTMC ER chief had been on the tail end of a six month volunteer slot with MSF when Robby had joined the team, before he returned to his position at the hospital in Pittsburgh, but they had worked together for a little over a month and Adamson had told Robby that if he ever wanted to settle down, to give him a call.

Even after Robby left the Middle East, Jack made sure to keep him updated when he met the love of his life in a sandy dust pit halfway around the world, before the two hung up their fatigues together and he convinced her to follow him back to Pittsburgh where he had a job waiting for him – shoved lovingly at him by Robby as soon as he had told the man he was done with war. The amputated leg might have had something to do with it, but even before that, Jack had been working towards not re-upping when his latest tour was done. When he had been injured, Jack had thought his life was over, but Robby and Christine wouldn’t let him wallow in self-pity for too long. He got his head on straight, proposed to his girlfriend, and then called his best friend that same night to ask him to be best man.

Robby had been there for him five years later when he had gotten the news that a drunk driver had hit Chris on her way home from work. Died on impact, likely didn’t feel a thing. They had just been starting to discuss expanding their family, and then suddenly it was over.

Robby kept him from going over the edge of the roof more than once, to the point where he could stand up there and contemplate the act without actually thinking about doing it. Sometimes it was helpful to just stand at the edge and feel the wind pluck at his clothes.

Not tonight, Jack swore as he placed the first suture. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to stop from taking that final step if he went up there tonight.

With some effort, Jack pulled himself out of his morbid thoughts and focused on Janey, though he kept his eyes and attention on the stitches in front of him. “Jake’s right, the bullet probably went through Robby’s leg and grazed Jake. It didn’t look like it hit anything vital, the surgeon isn’t going to be focusing on it any more than as a potential for more blood loss. The bigger issue is the shoulder wound.” Janey inhaled quickly, and Jake’s eyes widened, though he was still watching what Jack was doing, slightly fascinated. Jack hid a smile. If the kid didn’t go pre-med in college, Jack would eat his stethoscope. “The bullet went through the front of his shoulder and exited his back.” Jack paused his movements for a moment and looked from Jake to Janey. “In a lot of ways, a through and through is actually good. If the bullet gets stuck inside, it can cause a lot of organ damage. If it gets into a vessel or artery it can travel anywhere and you waste a lot of time trying to find it before you even get to repairing anything. The main issue with a clean entry and exit is usually the blood loss, which is a good part of why Robby was so bad when he was brought in.”

Jack resumed placing the stitches. “There aren't any vital organs to worry about in the shoulder, but the bullet did hit his scapula before exiting – that’s the shoulder blade,” he explained, “so there might be some bone fragments that the surgeon will have to hunt for, because that can also cause some problems.”

Jake looked like he was about to start crying again. “If he had come in right away, would it have been better?” His voice shook slightly.

Jack sighed and tied off the last suture before cutting the thread. “Not gonna lie, the fact that Robby stayed out there for several hours with two bleeding gunshot wounds definitely made things worse.” Jake sniffed and Jack shook his head. “Robby wouldn’t have come in though, not if he could still help people out there.” He looked over at Janey. “From what the paramedic said, Robby passed out from the blood loss. He was the last one brought in.”

Janey grimaced and nodded. Of course Robby would just keep going until he dropped. He probably forgot about his injuries. He would have focused on the patients in front of him until he couldn’t anymore.

Jack bundled up the used suture kit and gauze, and stood up. “I’ll let you know when I hear anything from the OR,” he promised, and started backing up.

“Thanks Uncle Jack,” he heard Jake call out softly, and he threw a smile over his shoulder at the exhausted seventeen year old. Jake hadn’t called him uncle in a while.

XXX

Emery Walsh took a moment to center herself before stepping out of the elevator. She loved her job, but there was a reason doctors weren’t supposed to treat family members. Robby wasn’t actually family, but her time at PTMC had taught her that the lines tended to blur with this crew, more so than at the other hospitals she had rotated through during med school. She had done her own surgical residency here before taking an open attending position six years ago. While Robby hadn’t actually been her attending (hadn’t been head of the ED yet at that point either), he tended to keep an eye out for all the residents whose work would bring them into the ED, and had been doing that for years before he had ever had the department head position dumped on him. Robby was head of the ED at a busy trauma center in a busy city with residents and med students cycling in and out on the regular but he still made a point to keep track of everyone as much as he could. Team dad, her mind supplied, and she huffed out a snort. Robby was always so protective of his crew, teaching and guiding with a gentle but firm hand.

As Emery made her way back into the now much less busy ER, she noticed that while the night shift was in full swing, many day shift workers were still shuffling around. They didn’t appear to actually be doing work, but it was pretty obvious that even if they had been told to go home, only a few had felt like obeying. The med students looked to have left, and she remembered an intern and a second year who had also started today who were nowhere to be found, but Collins and Langdon were still there. So was Mohan, and she saw Garcia milling about too. Walsh distinctly remembered telling Yolanda to leave hours ago, as she was prepping to start Robby’s surgery. Yolanda had wanted to help but they had enough hands and the woman was clearly exhausted.

Dana was still sitting at the nurse’s station though it was obvious she had passed control to the night shift charge nurse Lena. Abbot was sitting at a workstation across the hub. She also caught sight of a few day shift nurses milling about – Mateo, Princess. She knew there were many others who would probably also be waiting for news but likely had decided to go home and wait in the arms of family.

Everyone looked up when she walked in, but Emery focused on Abbot. “ICU,” she said, and several people immediately relaxed. It wasn’t completely better, but if he was in the ICU then he wasn’t in the morgue.

Abbot stood up and joined her at the desk, brow furrowed. Emery grimaced. “Had to hunt through his shoulder for a good while to find all the bone fragments, but I’m confident we got it. Coracoacromial ligament was nearly severed so we had to repair that too. Blood pressure’s still circling the gutter but that’s what happens when you lose nearly half your volume.” She rolled her eyes. Damn Rambo. Jack, she might expect this from. He was the Army vet who ran headfirst into danger like it was his job. Robby was just the stubborn son of a bitch who didn’t know how to take care of himself if there was someone else nearby who needed it more.

Emery sighed. “We patched him up and he’ll be on transfusions for a while longer, but I wouldn’t say he’s actively in danger anymore.”

Abbot swallowed. “He going to wake up anytime soon?”

Emery shook her head. “Keeping him under until tomorrow morning. Even without, chances of him waking up this soon would be slim, but I don’t want to risk it. He’s in for a lot of pain and months of rehab before he’s likely to regain full mobility.”

“Leg?” Abbot asked quietly.

Emery smiled softly, feeling the anxiety slowly leaving his body as he realized his best friend was really going to be all right. “You were right, nothing major was hit. We repaired the damage and stitched him up while in the OR, he’ll be limping for a while but I have a feeling he’s going to refuse the wheelchair as soon as he can and crutches aren’t going to work with the arm immobilized. He’s also got a couple cracked ribs from the CPR but those should heal on their own in the next few weeks.” She took a breath and leaned forward slightly. “Seriously Jack, he’s going to be fine. Get all these day shift guys out of here, and go take a break yourself.”

Jack didn’t respond, but he did turn around and level a truly impressive glare at Langdon and Collins. They didn’t argue and beat a hasty retreat.

The rest of the day shift also decided to scatter.

Jack turned back to Emery, and she winked lightly. “Room 602,” she muttered under her breath before heading back to the elevator.

Dana came up behind him, and rested a hand on his shoulder. “Take care of him.” She squeezed gently, and then started towards the lockers.

Jack nodded to nobody, and immediately headed towards the elevator.

XXX

Robby looked a lot smaller in a hospital bed.

The man was over six feet tall for Christ’s sake, how the hell could a fucking bed make him look so much smaller? Jack nudged the door closed behind him, and took a seat in the chair pushed up to the edge of the bed, tactfully ignoring the intubation tube and the IV bags pushing fluids. Walsh hadn’t mentioned he still had the damn tube in his throat, though logically Jack knew they wouldn’t have extubated yet. Tomorrow probably. As long as there were no complications.

His leg throbbed where stump met prosthetic, and Jack groaned. Fuck it. He reached down and took off the offending limb, rubbing the skin gently. He wasn’t going anywhere for a little while anyway. He had just removed the prosthetic when he remembered he had promised to tell Jake and Janey when Robby was out of surgery. He was contemplating how guilty he’d feel for breaking that promise and just never moving again, when a text vibrated the phone in his pocket and he pulled it out, reading a message from Dana that she had stopped by to give Jake and Janey the news before heading out. She also told him Lena had not so gently taken him off the roster for the night and if he moved from that chair before morning she’d make sure Gloria fired him. He shook his head but smiled as he put the phone down and turned his attention back to the man lying prone in front of him.

Jack figured he probably had until around five before he might expect to see some day shift popping in. That would be as long as some of them would last before they started heading in for their shifts via Robby’s ICU room.

Robby just had that effect on people. He made them want to care, want to take care of him, even if he wouldn’t let them actually do it. Most of the younger crowd were too in awe, but Jack knew there was a fine line, somewhere around year three of residency usually, where awe and hero worship changed to confidence and determination. Robby always counted that as his proudest day in each student’s training. He wasn’t there to be worshipped, he was there to teach. They were there to learn.

But it didn’t stop Robby from always lending a hand, being there for the family he had built around him, whether that was providing advice and feedback in the ER or being three residents deep at his house during a pandemic because he lived a fifteen minute walk from the hospital and had a spare room and a gigantic couch and no family members that could potentially catch a fatal virus.

Jack wouldn’t begrudge those residents the aid, even if it did mean he had to give up his room for a while (there were some periods where Jack was pretty sure he spent more time at Robby’s than he did his own home).

“Hey man,” it came out way more gravelly than he had intended, so Jack cleared his throat and tried again. “Robby. Michael.” Janey was the only one who ever really called him that anymore, Jack mostly only pulled it out when he was pissed. “I’m only being this vulnerable because you’re unconscious and can’t hear me, but you can’t do this to me again, man. If you go, I go. I thought we had an agreement.” Jack sighed and leaned back in the chair. “Not OK, Michael. And when you wake up we are going to have a very long talk about taking care of yourself first. Secure your own oxygen mask, remember? You give that speech to the new residents every year. I’ve heard it a dozen times. I know things were crazy out there and you wanted to help, but you had four fucking holes in you Robby. Two bullet wounds. A broken scapula. How the hell did you even manage to practice any medicine one arm down? I thought I was supposed to be the crazy Rambo character. I was the one in the Army dude, I get to do the crazy shit. You’re supposed to sit there and look pretty and lead us through hell because we know beyond any doubt that you won’t let us down.”

Jack sighed and shook his head. “Maybe that’s putting too much pressure on you. You’re allowed to fail sometimes. You can be human. Just… don’t do this to me again. My heart can’t take it.”

The chair was too comfortable. Jack closed his eyes for a second, and let himself drift off to the steady beeps of Robby’s beating heart and the rough feel of Robby’s hand in his.

XXX

A light squeeze of Jack’s hand was what eventually drew him back to the light. The doctor flinched and sat up slightly. “Wha-“ he muttered, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Then he looked down and saw Robby’s twitching hand.

Across the bed, Walsh smiled. “Started titrating down the meds about fifteen minutes ago,” she informed him.

Jack glanced up and frowned. “I thought you were working days this month,” he looked confused.

Emery raised an eyebrow. “It’s almost seven,” she said archly. “I came in a little early because I wanted to be the one to extubate.” She shrugged. As a surgeon, Emery's job was to treat them and leave them. She didn't stick around after they got off her operating table. But this was Robby. “Least I could do.”

“Shit,” Jack’s frown deepened. “I didn’t mean to sleep all night,” he grimaced. He was way too old to be sleeping in chairs, no matter how comfortable.

Emery shrugged. “It was a long evening. You needed to be here.” She looked back at Robby. “He’s starting to come around. Breathing’s stable and he meets the criteria for extubating. Ideally I’d like him to be conscious, since it’ll be a little easier on him if he can participate. Should be any minute now if the twitches are any indication.”

Jack nodded, and the two of them waited together as Robby’s brow furrowed, and then smoothed out.

“Robby?” Jack tried. “Can you hear me man?” Robby’s eye twitched. “Come on, brother, wakey wakey. Nap’s gone on way too long.”

A moment later, they were rewarded as Robby did prove he could actually follow orders sometimes. His eyes were slits and he didn’t look like he was really focusing on the ceiling, but they were open. Jack smiled. “You’re at PTMC.” He knew the most important things should be relayed first. Who, what, when, where, why. “You were shot yesterday, and like an idiot, went running around helping everyone else for a few hours until you collapsed from blood loss.” Robby’s gaze flickered over to Jack, and through the exhaustion he could also see a hint of annoyance and exasperation. Jack’s smile widened. “Jake’s fine, he and Janey are downstairs if they didn’t leave last night. I’ll let them know you’re awake soon. We're going to extubate now, sound good?"

Robby didn’t move, but his eyes offered acceptance, and Jack moved to help Walsh. She glanced at the floor. “Might want to put that back on first,” she commented, before he could actually stand up.

Jack looked down and saw his prosthetic lying next to the chair. He rolled his eyes and obliged.

Together the pair of them went through the motions of getting the tube out, and then Emery was doing some cognitive checks while Jack moved to get some water. “Small sips,” he reminded the man, moving in and holding the cup to Robby’s lips when Walsh stepped back.

As Robby sipped, Emery replaced the pen light in her pocket, and looked back up. “Everything looks good,” she assured them. “I’m sure you’ll want to review your own chart later, no matter what I tell you, but I’m not seeing any indication of long-term damage. You’ll need some heavy PT for your shoulder, but that’s a few weeks out most likely. For right now, just focus on resting.”

She paused, and Robby licked his dry lips, trying to work his way up to words. “When… leave…?”

Emery glanced at Jack, and he shook his head. “Jesus Christ asshole, you literally just woke up and you’re already asking to leave? If all our patients can’t wait to get the hell out of here like you, it’s no wonder our patient satisfaction scores are in the toilet.”

Robby rolled his eyes, or at least tried to. He already looked to be fading. Emery hid her smile. “You’re stuck here for a while longer, and then you’ll need someone to be there full time for at least the first couple weeks, to help out.”

Robby’s eyes opened again, and Jack could see him mentally cataloguing who he’d have to ask to babysit him and if he knew enough people that he could ask multiple to avoid putting the burden on any one person. “No problem there,” Jack told Emery, before Robby could go too far down the spiral. Robby looked at him and he scoffed. “Did you really think I was going to let you so much as take a piss by yourself for the next month?”

Robby glared. “Ass…”

Jack grinned. “Love you too.”

Emery snorted. “I’ll leave you to it. I’ll come back later, Robby, and I’m sure others will stop by soon.” She turned back to Jack. “Night shift said a few people started coming up a little over an hour ago, but no one stayed when they saw you were asleep.”

Jack nodded. It figured. “Go back to sleep,” he ordered, turning back to Robby as Emery slipped out. “I’ll be here.”

He could tell Robby wanted to say more, but the draw of blissful oblivion was too much, and with a soft sigh, Robby’s eyes slipped shut again and didn’t open.

Jack let out a long breath and rubbed his eyes before leaning back and pulling out his phone. He shot off a few texts, to Janey, then Dana, Collins, and Langdon, letting everyone know that the tube was out and Robby had woken up briefly. He knew Dana would take care of letting everyone else know. He hoped Janey had taken Jake home last night – stitches didn’t require an overnight hospital stay – but he half expected Jake had insisted on sticking around anyway. He’d give it fifteen minutes before the kid showed up.

It took ten.

XXX

A hesitant knock drew Jack’s attention away from where he had been studying the age lines around Robby’s temple. Damn we’re getting old, he grimaced to himself, and then looked over and waved Jake and Janey inside. His cursory exam of the teenager noted that Jake was limping slightly, but didn’t have crutches.

Janey smiled thinly at Jack. “Thank you for the text,” she came to a halt just inside the door while Jake moved around to the bed on the same side as Jack, opposite Robby’s shoulder injury.

He looked at Jack. “Can I…?” he gestured to the bed.

Jack nodded. “You can take a seat,” he assured the teenager. “Just be careful, we don't want to disconnect anything.”

Even though the breathing tube was no longer there, Robby still had several IVs hooked up to his hand and both arms, as well as leads attached to his chest and a pulse ox on his index finger, keeping a constant measure of his blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen levels. Another unit of blood was taking up one arm, and Jack made a mental note to check the chart and see what his blood levels were at now. Other bags looked like they contained painkillers and antibiotics.

Jake tenderly sat down, and rested a hand lightly on top of Robby’s. “Hey.”

Robby didn’t move, and Jake looked at Jack, wide-eyed. Jack tried to smile reassuringly. “He’s going to be more out of it than in, for the first couple days,” he promised. “It doesn’t mean anything’s wrong, he just lost a shitload of blood –“ he cut himself off with a wince and glanced at Janey. “Sorry.”

She shrugged. She’d given up on trying to sensor any swearing a year ago. Jake was a teenager. He was getting it from all sides, and honestly if the worst she had to deal with was a seventeen year old with a dirty mouth, she was coming out ahead.

Jack still didn’t want to give her any more reasons to dislike him. He turned back to Jake. “He’s getting transfusions to help replace the blood, but really it just takes time. We replace that stuff naturally, transfusions are mostly to keep us from dying before that can happen. But until his levels are back to normal, he’s going to be pretty groggy. He’ll probably only be awake for a few minutes at a time for a while.” He hoped he wasn’t making things more scary. He really had no idea how to act around kids. Even if Jake was almost an adult.

Turns out Robby could also sense the distress. Jake looked down quickly as Robby’s fingers twitched, trying to grasp the hand lying on top of them. “Robby?!”

Robby’s eyes flicked open, and he smiled tiredly. “Hey bud.”

Jake’s eyes filled with tears and it looked like it was taking all he had not to fling himself across Robby’s torso. Probably a good idea all things considered. “Robby.” That time it sounded more like a prayer.

Robby’s eyes softened and he furrowed his brow in concentration. With jerky movements, he managed to extract his arm from Jake’s grip, and lifted it slightly, an invitation Jake didn’t waste any time in accepting. He nearly collapsed inward, folding at the waist and tucking himself under Robby’s arm, which obligingly folded itself over the teen’s shoulders, drawing him close.

Jack and Janey watched, soft smiles taking in the scene, though Jack could see the lines around Robby’s eyes deepen with discomfort at the movement. Robby’s gaze found his, with a clear warning not to intervene. So Jack let it go.

“’M OK,” Robby muttered in Jake’s ear, though no one was quite sure if Jake actually heard.

Jake sighed contentedly. Nowhere else he’d rather be.

Janey let them have a few minutes, and nodded a relieved greeting to Robby when he looked at her. Eventually though, she had to interrupt. “Jake, we should get going.” Jake pulled back, looking ready to protest, but Janey stood firm. “I know you wanted to stay until you could see Robby, but I’m sure the best thing for him now is to just sleep. We’ll come back later but I’d like you to be able to go home and get cleaned up, maybe sleep in a real bed for a little bit?”

Jake grimaced and looked down, realizing he was still wearing blood splattered clothes and a pair of jeans with a slit that just barely stopped short of his boxers. Jack did his best to hold in a snort, and Robby just looked amused.

Jake looked down at his pseudo father. “I’ll be back soon,” he promised.

Robby’s smile widened. “… be here,” he muttered, eyes already fluttering shut.

Jake tentatively leaned down one more time, offering up a final parting hug. “Love you, dad,” he whispered, just loud enough that Jack, sitting closest, heard, but Janey who was a few feet further away probably didn’t.

Jake blushed slightly, but obediently followed his mom out of the room.

XXX

ONE WEEK LATER

If Robby didn’t get out of here soon, he could not be held accountable for his actions.

It was a rare evening when he was alone in his room, no one playing babysitter pretending they weren’t actually keeping him from accomplishing a prison break.

The last week had been a revolving door of visitors. Dana first, then Langdon and Collins. They all came up at least once a shift, often more. McKay had stopped by a few times, and Mohan – she had looked awfully scared when she poked her head in, like she had just realized that someone she had previously thought untouchable had proved her wrong. Robby felt horrible for that, but on the other hand it was good for her to learn that anything could happen to anyone at any time.

Robby had even finally met the new med students, one intern, and a VA transfer currently in her second year of residency who had all started on his day off from hell a week ago. Santos, the intern, was a late start, a last minute drop out and some administrative delays meant she hadn't been able to join them in July. She had come up with Garcia, who had introduced her with what – for Garica – was actually a pretty glowing report: "Raw, but you’ll get her whipped into shape."

The students, Javadi and Whitaker, had come up with McKay on one of her visits, and she introduced them to ‘the man, the myth, the legend.’ Robby rolled his eyes, and focused on the students. Whitaker had farm boy written all over him, but there was a determined look in his eyes that told Robby the kid would apply himself to his ER rotation with everything he had.

“Javadi, any relation to Doctor Javadi in Endocrinology?” Robby had asked the young woman. Jesus, she couldn’t even be old enough to drink yet.

Victoria had done her best to hold in a grimace. “My dad,” she confirmed, wishing she didn’t have to.

Robby just nodded. That meant Doctor Shamsi in surgery was her mom. Damn, with a powerhouse set of parents like that, the amount of pressure this kid must be under… “I look forward to seeing what you two have to bring to the ER,” he smiled. “Hopefully we’ll actually get a chance to work together before your rotations are up.”

Probably not. Rotations tended to last one to two months, though sometimes they stretched to three depending on the specialty. Mostly in fourth year for some of the more advanced specialties. With his shoulder, he’d be lucky to be able to come in to do some paperwork before they were gone, off to their next rotation.

Still, they appreciated the attention, Victoria especially appreciating the lack of focus on her parentage and how he was more interested in making sure she was learning what she was supposed to and getting the most out of her Emergency Medicine rotation.

Mel was a breath of fresh air, following Langdon up like a lost puppy and filling the room with sunshine and daisies. Langdon’s report (‘she knows what she’s doing and what she doesn’t know she’ll learn quickly’) told him a whole lot.

Jake and Janey came by at least every other day, more often if Jake could manage it. He had brought his new girlfriend the day before, proudly showing off his hero stepdad who had been shot but still stayed behind to help. Leah was sweet, attentive, and clearly head over heels for Jake.

Even Gloria had stopped by once, a carefully constructed neutral expression that if Robby didn’t know better, seemed to show concern. She passed along the C-suite’s gratefulness for his continued health and hope for a speedy recovery, and then paused before her neutrality dropped briefly, and she told him she was really glad he was OK. She disappeared while Robby was still trying to process the idea that she might actually care about him.

Throughout it all, Jack was a steady presence at his side (when he wasn’t downstairs filling in with a Rota of other attendings while their Chief was out of commission). Once Robby had been able to move to recovery, Jack had made sure there was a couch in the room and brought his go bag up the first night, dropping down with a thin blanket and a ‘you better not snore,’ as if they hadn’t shared a bed before (completely platonic, there had been some dark nights after Chris’ death where Robby hadn’t wanted to let Jack out of his sight).

But he was still here a week later, and Robby was climbing the walls. Metaphorically speaking of course, he had only had one good arm and had only been out of bed for brief periods, mostly to use the bathroom and take short walks around the room to try and improve his stamina (‘I’m supposed to, Jack, it’s how I heal!’ as if Jack wasn’t well aware of this but seemed to have forgotten if the heavy glare was any indication).

If Jack had his way, Robby would never leave the bed again.

“You’re on the seventh floor, don’t even think about it.”

Speak of the devil. Robby turned from where he had been contemplating the window. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he retorted.

Jack snorted. “Of course you don’t.” he dropped down onto the couch. “Besides, those windows don’t open all the way, remember? You’d never be able to squeeze your freakishly tall frame out, let alone scale down seven floors even if you could use both arms.” Robby’s shoulder had been strapped in an immobilizing cast since the day he’d woken up. Physical therapy had started a couple days ago, simple stretches of his wrist and elbow, but it would be at least another couple weeks of the sling before they’d start with formal shoulder exercises. Jack would be hard pressed to keep Robby from trying to jump the clock.

Robby glared. “I could always leave through the door.”

Jack smiled blandly. “If you can make it to the elevator without needing support or having to stop and rest, I’ll be happy to drive you home.”

Robby held his glare for another moment, and then wilted. He knew that wouldn’t happen. Didn’t mean he had to acknowledge Jack when he was being an asshole.

Jack let the smile fade. He knew Robby was going stir crazy. “Soon,” he promised.

The glare was back full force. “There was a time you would have been my lookout helping me sneak out,” he growled.

Jack rolled his eyes and pulled out his phone, casually scrolling Facebook. “When we were in college and you were up studying for two days straight before passing out and braining yourself on the library cubby when you stood up too fast. Two GSWs and losing forty percent of your blood volume is slightly different.”

Robby groaned. “You just love to bring that story up.”

Jack looked up and grinned cheekily. “Only when it cock blocks you.” Robby shook his head, and Jack’s smile widened. “Of course, the last person I told it to was Collins, and it seemed to have the opposite effect if I remember correctly.”

Robby was the one to roll his eyes this time. “We’ve been over for years.”

Jack shrugged. “Still fun to tease.” Robby didn’t answer, and Jack knew he’d gone far enough. He wanted to entertain and get his mind off the forced hospital stay and the fact that he still couldn’t do two laps around the room without needing to stop to catch his breath. He wasn’t looking to tip the scales to actually angry. “What do you think about Thai tonight? Something other than hospital gray mush?”

Robby didn’t even look at him. Yeah, definitely went too far.

“You can eat whatever the hell you want. Preferably in the comfort of your own home.”

Jack frowned and sat forward. “Robby…”

Robby shook his head. “Seriously Jack, go home. You don’t have to live here just because I’m stuck in this room until they decide to release me.”

Jack sighed. “I’m choosing to be here brother. No one’s forcing me.”

Robby grimaced but didn’t reply.

Jack shifted slightly. “We’re a package deal, man.” He paused for a moment, and then continued, quieter, “You scared the shit out of me.”

Robby finally looked up. His eyes were understanding, even if his posture was still combative.

Jack pursed his lips. “Secure your own oxygen mask before helping others.” Robby closed his eyes briefly. “You give that speech to the new residents every year. You can’t help anyone if you don’t take care of yourself.”

Robby sighed. “I figured I had an hour before it would get serious.”

Jack glared. “You were out there for over three hours before that medic saw you collapse. Thank god she did, or you wouldn’t have even made it to the hospital.”

Robby blanched. He knew how lucky he had been. “I lost track of time,” he whispered. “There were so many injured.”

Jack nodded. He knew Robby got it, he didn’t need to keep hammering it over his head. “I know. What you must have seen and experienced…” Jack could imagine, hell he’d lived through several firefights and had the amputated leg to show for it. But that was in Iraq. You weren’t supposed to take your kid to a music festival and have to dodge bullets. “I just can’t lose you.”

Robby’s lips twitched. “You go, I go.”

Jack clenched his teeth at the reminder of that pact, made years ago on a rooftop a few stories above their head. “How about neither of us go.”

Robby’s piercing gaze studied Jack’s face for a long moment, searching for something. He must have found it because he nodded, just once. “Deal.”

XXX

THREE MONTHS LATER

Robby glanced around the ED as he placed his stethoscope around his neck and grasped it at both ends. He had been popping in for short bursts for the last month, but this was his first full shift back on active duty. He had tried to help a few times but been strong-armed by Dana, Langdon, and Collins to observe and guide only. Teaching was OK. Doing, not so much.

But he had finally been fully cleared by his doctor, and he was ready to jump back into it. The last three months had been a true test of patience, both for him and for Jack, who had only promised to not leave him alone for the first month but still had yet to vacate Robby’s spare room – not that Robby was trying too hard to push him out the door. He knew he had really terrified the man. Nothing like being forced to perform CPR and shock your best friend back to life.

Jack had been tag teaming Chief duties with a few other attendings for the last few months as well, and he had not let Robby forget it. “I swore I would never get into management solely to avoid the paperwork, I don’t know how you manage to get through each week without your brain bleeding out of your ears and if you ever make me do this again we are through.”

Robby had never wanted to have to put the management burden on Jack or anyone else, but he was grateful for the support (and partly amused that apparently it took three people to keep up with all his paperwork, maybe he should use this as evidence for Gloria when she complained about him being behind) and had started taking over as much of the logistics side as he could when he was able – typing with one hand slowed everything down of course, and writing was out of the question for a while considering he was right handed.

Regaining full dexterity had been a long and painful process, and the physical therapist had made sure to tell him many times that he shouldn’t be surprised if it took six months or longer to be considered fully healed.

Not a fucking chance in hell, Robby had thought to that. No way would he let himself be out of his job for half a year.

And here he was, three long months later, finally given the approval to resume all previous physical activity. Collins had actually relegated him to cleaning and disinfecting last week. Langdon had asked him to splint a sprained wrist!

He knew they cared and didn’t want him to injure himself further, and he was pretty sure Jack had threatened them with the schedule if they didn’t comply, giving them all the worst shifts for as long as he could. Robby shook his head at that. They were his residents, they should in no way be more afraid of Jack than they were of him!

But Jack had no more excuses to hold him back anymore. His PT was done, he was cleared, and Jack could go screw himself.

“You gonna pick one, or just stand there looking pretty?”

Robby looked down from the board he had been contemplating, and grinned at Dana. “You think I’m pretty?”

Dana rolled her eyes. “You’ve been sitting on your ass too long if you’re this excited to deal with twelve hours of blood and gore.”

Robby shrugged, and was secretly thrilled that he could do that without even the smallest twinge of pain. “Bored out of my skull actually.” He took the tablet she offered him. “I know Jack means well, but he really didn’t have to threaten my residents to stop them from letting me do anything remotely fun.”

Dana snorted. “Wouldn’t have been quite so fun if you rotated wrong and set yourself back another month.” She nodded at the tablet. “Labs from Mrs. Wilman in North Four. Santos’ case.”

Robby inclined his head and started a cursory review. He was looking forward to getting a full shift in with the new residents. He had managed a few shortened shifts of paperwork a couple of times before the two med students had left to their next rotation – Whitaker up to orthopedics, and Javadi over to Dermatology at Allegheny General, if he remembered correctly. He had a feeling Whitaker might be back next year though. As an MS4, the young man would be starting to think about residency placements, and had let Robby know on one of his visits before the rotation wrapped that he had chosen Emergency Medicine as his specialty and he was planning to rank PTMC first. Robby hoped it would work out for him and would keep an eye out for his application for residency when it came through the system in a couple months: the kid was raw and needed a confidence boost at times, but the reports he had gotten from the senior residents and other attendings showed him to be smart and thoughtful, and he clearly cared about his patients.

So the students were gone, but Santos and King would be permanent fixtures for the foreseeable future. It was too early to tell, but from what he had managed to observe from the few hours here and there he had been able to spend in the ED he was hopeful. Santos could jump the gun a little, and her bedside manner needed a lot of work, but he could also see the concern and sensitivity she was trying so hard to hide. She wanted to do right by her patients, she just didn’t want anyone to see beneath the armor of sarcasm and cockiness.

And Mel was just as bright and sunny now as she had been in that first meeting in his hospital room. She could definitely miss some of the subtext at times, but she was brilliant and dedicated and Robby was looking forward to having her with them for the next few years.

“Are you supposed to be doing that?”

Robby looked up at the query, and glared at Langdon. “Fully cleared for duty and even if I wasn’t, I am literally just holding a tablet.”

Langdon’s whole face brightened. “So you’re back in it? Completely?”

Robby nodded. “Could have happened sooner if you weren’t so scared of my sub.”

Langdon shuddered. “Yeah, no way, that man has threats. Especially when it comes to you. Are you sure you’re not sleeping together?”

Robby stared. Langdon suddenly seemed to realize what he had said, and felt his cheeks turn red. “Sorry, that was completely out of line. Just… he’s really protective of you.”

Robby rolled his eyes and turned back to the labs on the tablet in his hands. “He’s been like that since undergrad,” he muttered. “Such a mother hen. I swear, you pass out one time after forgetting to eat for two days…”

“It was the concussion you got from hitting the desk on your way down,” Jack joined the conversation, handing his own tablet off to Dana, who put it back on its charger with a snort and a look of fond exasperation at their fearless leader.

Langdon grinned. “I haven’t heard this one yet,” he looked at Jack. “Please tell me more.”

“There’s nothing more to tell,” Robby cut in. “I was twenty-one and failing that test could have derailed my chances of getting into medical school. I was a little stressed."

Jack shook his head exasperatedly. "You had a 4.0, two and a half years of research lab experience and internships, and hadn't scored less than a 520 on any of the five practice MCAT tests you made me grade. You would have been fine."

Robby wasn't deterred. "Jack was also the one who helped me escape the hospital later that day and caught a whole lot of shit for it when his mother found out.”

Jack shuddered. “Yeah, you don’t want to make my mom angry.” He looked at Robby. “I don’t get it. You were the one who was stupid but she just smothered you with hugs and dropped off a bakery’s worth of cookies while I get read the riot act.”

Robby shrugged. “She likes me better.”

Frank glanced at Dana. “They’re really not sleeping together?” he whispered.

Robby gave the resident a light shove, and turned back to Jack. “It was nice though. My Bubbe was like that when I was a kid. Thought cookies were the cure for everything.”

Jack smiled. “Catholics and Jews have a lot in common. That reminds me though, if you don’t call my mom back she’s going to decide to visit, and I’m not dealing with the trouble that would cause.”

Robby winced. Marilyn Abbot had been calling every three days like clockwork since Jack had told her he’d been shot. Demanding regular updates and offering everything from cookies to driving up to help care for him while he was an invalid. She lived in an assisted living facility in Virginia and wasn’t actually allowed to drive anymore, but had offered to hotwire the old people van and make a run for it (direct quote). Robby had politely declined and assured her that her son was doing a fine job of making sure he never had to lift a finger (and then promptly proved that statement wrong as he casually flipped Jack off).

“I’ll call her this evening,” he promised. “You should hand off your cases and get out of here.”

Jack pursed his lips and ran a casual gaze over his friend’s muscular frame. He knew the physical therapist had cleared Robby at his appointment yesterday, but he wasn’t completely convinced.

Robby let the man do it, knowing he was weighing the pro’s and con’s of pulling a double just to make sure he was around in case Robby needed it, but he was really fine. Truly, for the first time in three months, he finally felt nearly back to one hundred percent. He’d see how it felt after twelve hours of work, but his shoulder felt great, his leg was steady, and he wanted to dive right back into the thick of it.

Jack must have found what he was looking for, because he nodded slightly and his posture relaxed.

Robby couldn’t help but roll his eyes again. “You didn’t even hover this much when I had to learn how to walk again after a shattered femur.”

“What?!”

Langdon’s yelp reminded them both that they had company. Robby glanced over and saw that Collins had joined them at some point as well, along with Santos. He passed the tablet over to her so she could review her patient’s labs. She took the device willingly but her eyebrow raise definitely indicated she wanted more details.

Jack shook his head. “I didn’t really get a chance, you were medevacked to Germany as soon as you were stable.” He looked over at the residents. “He never told you why he sets off metal detectors?”

Collins frowned, remembering a few times when they had arrived at the same time (usually Robby was the first one in on day shift, so it didn’t happen often), and she did recall the detector going off briefly, but security usually reset it within a second or two.

Langdon glanced down at Robby’s legs, and the ED Chief shrugged. “MSF team was ambushed in Iraq, 2003. Humvee flipped. Grade three concussion and a rod in my leg, zero out of ten do not recommend.”

“And now you’ve got a hole in the other leg,” Jack commented, thankfully cutting off any attempt by the residents to respond. “Were you feeling unbalanced?”

Robby moved over to his workstation and scanned his card to log in. “Hole’s not there anymore though. Walsh does good work. Get the hell out of here, man. Go home, sleep, we’ll be fine without you.” He looked up and met Jack’s gaze steadily. I’ll be fine. Jack was about to acquiesce, when Robby suddenly grinned cheekily. “You can even sleep in my bed if it’ll make you feel better.”

Santos looked up from the tablet and blinked, startled.

Jack glared and threw a pen at him. “Asshole.” Maybe he’d do it. Robby’s sheets were more comfortable than those on his guest bed.

Robby shrugged and looked back at the computer. “Or you could go back to your own house. You know, just for a change.”

Santos shuffled closer to Dana. “Are they always like this?” she asked quietly, watching the two men bicker.

Dana looked back at the intern and rolled her eyes. “Oh hon, it can get so much worse.”

Collins glanced over and sighed. “Come on Santos, let’s go talk to Mrs. Wilman and I’ll give you the Robby-Abbot run down. Let’s just say it’s a good thing they usually work opposite shifts.”

Santos glanced back over her shoulder as she let Collins lead her down the hall. Robby was typing away and ignoring Abbot who was now sitting in one of the chairs behind the nurse’s station and pelting him with what looked like crumpled up pieces of paper. It was very different from the serious man she had first met in the middle of the shift from hell and who had been filling in for Robby most of the last three months.

Collins looked back as well, and shook her head exasperatedly. “Glad things are going back to normal.” Santos looked at her, confused, and she elaborated, “Abbot’s great, don’t get me wrong, but he’s not usually so… serious. Filling in for Robby involves a lot more paperwork and administrative stuff and Abbot once swore we’d know if the aliens had taken over if he ever made indications of wanting to advance any further into leadership. He hates being in charge like that.” She shrugged. “Not sure Robby really loves it most of the time either, but they kind of thrust the position on him when Adamson died five years ago, and honestly, there probably would have been a mutiny if they hadn’t given it to him.” She looked a little sad. “Adamson got COVID, right at the height of the pandemic. Robby took over immediately and kept things going as smoothly as they could, considering the circumstances. He had support from all the staff, the board would have been crazy to try and give someone else the Chief position but I know Robby didn’t really expect to have to take on all those duties at that time. Especially taking over in the middle of all the craziness. Nothing can prepare you for that, even if his time with MSF probably did help prepare him for the pandemic better than many of us.” She shuddered. She had been in medical school when the pandemic started, and had had a couple rotations that ended up extending passed the usual timeframe just because the hospital staff were stretched so thin. She had met Robby during that time, doing a three month ER rotation instead of two, and then volunteering to stay a month longer to keep helping as she decided the ER was it for her, even among the chaos.

She had been there when Adamson had died, and though she’d only actually known him for a little over a month before he got sick, she still mourned his passing and regretted the effect it had had on his successor. They had been circling each other for a couple weeks before that, but when Robby was suddenly in charge he had immediately pulled back. She had respected that, and waited until she clocked out for her last shift on the ER rotation before cornering him in a secluded hallway and kissing him like her life depended on it. They had dated until shortly after she had Matched with PTMC for her residency, before breaking up when she realized how much she and Robby would be risking if it came out that he was involved with his resident. He had at least been partially aware of the optics because he had pulled Abbot in to conduct her interview when she had applied for the program, but hadn't quite been willing to do what was necessary until she was standing there with the envelope in hand.

“Anyway,” Heather drew her thoughts out of the past, “Jack’s usually a lot more like that,” she gestured vaguely behind them. “His goal in life is to annoy Robby. Robby lets him because it’s how Jack decompresses.”

Santos nodded slowly, hiding her grin. She had a feeling she was really going to enjoy the next four years. Trinity made a note to herself to Google Doctor Robby as she followed Collins into Mrs. Wilman’s room. She'd bet his professional career would make for fascinating reading.

XXX

“If you keep destroying my notepad I’m going to make Gloria take it out of your paycheck,” Robby said idly, gaze still focused on the computer screen.

Jack rolled his eyes. “I’ll give you the five bucks.”

Robby threw a look over his shoulder. “If you keep littering in Dana’s ER she might castrate you.”

“Without morphine,” Dana threw in, not looking up from her own computer.

Jack set the notepad down and straightened. “I think I’m going to head out now. Still trying to get used to being back on nights regularly.”

“You could always join us on days,” Robby offered, ignoring Dana when she glared at him. He could practically hear the absolutely not I refuse to deal with both of you at the same time any more than I have to.

Jack shook his head. “My therapist says I find comfort in the darkness.”

Robby snorted. “Deep.”

Jack flicked one more ball of paper his way. “I could give you his number if you need a referral.”

It wasn’t the first time Jack had suggested therapy. Not even the first time this week. Robby knew he could probably use it, but he just didn’t have the time right now. “Go home,” he said instead of answering.

Jack shrugged, and heaved himself onto his feet with a sigh as Robby logged out and stood up as well. “Langdon’s still with the patient in Thirteen?” he asked Dana, and on her nod, started heading in that direction.

“I’ll keep the sheets warm for you,” Jack called out to his retreating back, causing several nurses, along with Santos, Mel, Collins, and McKay to turn incredulously in their direction.

Robby’s only response was to throw up a middle finger over his shoulder. With his back to all of them, no one could see the fond smile on his face. It was good to be back.