Chapter Text
For the last few months, the air had felt charged. The way it felt before a good summer thunderstorm. Not forbidding or anything, just… kicked up. The way it had felt before they found each other. Jack Abbot and Michael Robinavich both felt it. It made them tense. And excited. And a half a dozen other emotions they could feel but couldn’t name, or were afraid to name.
But today? Walking into the ER something had shifted. Robby could feel his heart beating faster.
10:14am, the clock read.
And he heard Dana call out “Incoming 29 year old female vomited blood and passed out coworkers called an ambulance. Here in 3”
“Concsious?” Robby asked.
“And making jokes, apparently,” Dana said, taking a sip of her coffee.
“Alright,” Robby said rubbing the back of his neck, “Sounds like a blast.”
They’re coming.
The thought hit him like a train and he wished he had time to text Jack but he didn’t. He had students to organize and before he could fully grasp it- you were just… There. On a gurney and annoyed. “I don’t even know why I’m here really,” you complained after you waited for them to finish rattling off your vitals.
“Because,” Robby said steadily as they shifted you over, “According to the report you vomited blood and passed out.”
“Yeah but not like a lot,” you huff. “And I’ve done that since I was like 8.”
“Listen, ya stubborn pain in the ass,” the woman who came with you interjected. “Just because you keep doing it doesn’t mean-”
“What do you mean she keeps doing it?” Mel asked, fascinated.
You sigh, “If I hit a certain point of stressed out I puke blood. But like… not a lot. Usually about the time my migraines get worse-”
“And you’ve been eating excedrin like candy,” the other woman put in glaring at you. “Usually chasing that with Red Bull. In case that helps.”
“So really I don’t need to be here-”
“I disagree,” Robby said trying to keep his voice steady. Oh. My god. This is going to be like pouring gas on a house fire, he thought. “Some imaging at least to make sure-”
“It usually clears up on it’s own,” you try, “and I really don’t think-”
“Sounds great,” the other woman said. “If you need to sedate her do it.”
“I don’t think we’ll need to go that far,” Robby said smiling a little. “But we’ll start with some bloodwork and some IV fluids.”
You turn and glare at the other woman, “This is just rude. I can’t believe you called 911.”
“Just be glad Vincent didn’t let you hit the ground,” she scoffed. “You told him yesterday you don’t talk to people in polo shirts because they have the same energy as raisins.”
“Because he was wearing a polo shirt and it was just not the vibe. He looked like a flop sweaty used car salesman.”
“Please sedate her,” the other woman begged.
Robby grinned, “I’m just glad I don’t wear polo shirts.”
He turned to the rest of the team, “let me know when the results come back." His own heart wasn’t acting right and he felt light headed. Just being close to you felt like he was on some kind of high- and god only knew what it was doing to you. He’d felt this before with Jack. And you were about to meet them both. It probably felt like someone had shot adrenaline straight into your veins- on top of your nerves, stress, and caffeine. He wouldn’t be surprised if they saw you puke blood in real time here in the Pitt.As much as he hated to walk away from you, he had to. Just to give you space to breathe. Or they were going to have to sedate you- and he really wanted Jack to meet you awake.
In his pocket, he felt his phone ring and he all but sprinted to the ambulance bay, “Are they-”
“She’s here,” Robby said, “Got brought in as a patient.”
“What?” Jack snapped, and Robby can hear him already moving. “Coworker, I think probable friend? Came with her. She yakked blood and passed out. I guess the vomiting blood is a semi regular occurance when she gets stressed out. She lives on a steady diet of Excedrine migraine and caffeine,” he explained. “Friend seems pretty set on her staying. She seems pretty set on getting the fuck out.”
Jack made a thoughtful noise, “What’s her name?” “Y/N Y/L/N,” Robby answered. Your name felt like a caress after waiting so long to know and when Jack took a deep breath, and hissed an exhale the other man felt it too. He knew it. “No other medical history here. 29. Her work badge says ‘New Hope Youth Center’ on it.”
“So she’s on that social worker special with medical anxiety. Probably hasn’t seen a doctor in years,” Jack mused.
“Well,” Robby said, “That’s about to change, huh?”
“Damn right,” he huffed. “Love you.”
“Love you too. I’ll keep her until 7.” He hung up and walked back into the Pitt.
Trying not to hover. Trying not to stay too close but it’s hard. He wants to keep eyes on you.To know that you’re fine. It’s comforting to know you have a friend with you. Heather, he learns her name is. She keeps you mostly together and the two of you are quick favorites with the nurses. Polite and funny. You comply even if you don’t want to and wait patiently, taking it in stride.
“I hate this,” he hears you tell Heather.
“I know,” she said simply. “But I didn’t bring you out here for you to die on me so-”
“I’m not gonna-”
“Let’s not keep tempting fate,” she said, the silence leaving room for a look he couldn’t see. One that was doing a lot of heavy lifting.
“Besides what about-”
“I can’t even think about that right now, Heather. What if-”
“If you 'what if' me one more time I’m going to tell the girls you don’t hate mayo anymore.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“Fucking try me.”
Robby took the opportunity to knock on the door and slipped in, “Your heart rate is still elevated,” he said, crossing the floor as he glanced at the monitor.
He was causing it. He knew it. His heart was mirroring the same thing. “Tightness in your chest?” he asked, “Trouble breathing?”
“I- no-”
“Y/N,” Heather said warningly.
“What?” you sigh, “I have anxiety. On a normal day I’m pouring red bull on a hydroxyzine.”
“Seems counter intuitive,” Robby hummed, taking a second to listen to your heart and your lungs for himself, nodding. Your heart was still too fast but. Everything was clear. You just- You needed to slow down. “Walk me through a normal day-”
Heather’s phone rang and she picked it up, “I have to take this,” she said to Robby. “Behave,” she said pointing at you, “Don’t lie to get out of shit you don’t want to do or I’ll give the girls glitter.”
“That’s low, even for her,” you grouse, watching her go.
“Walk me through it,” Robby prompted, eyes crinkling.
“Work starts at 8,” you tell him. “Alarm goes of at 6:45am. Shower. Dress, coffee, out the door.”
“Okay,” he said, lips pressed together. “How much coffee?”:
“One cup getting ready. One to go cup. Once I get to work I fill the water bottle. Paper work and admin shit while the kids eat and do morning classes.” You pause and take a sip of water not looking at Robby. “They break for lunch and I bolt to get a can of liquid crack and a snack. They I help with after noon classes and we start the evening schedule and… Well it just depends. Hold the line until 8.”
Robby blinked. “Not terribly helpful.”
“It- depends on the day. Somedays we chill and I teach them how to make paper stars other days they’re climbing trees and cops show up because some fidgety rookie told 911 someone had a weapon when someone swung a yard stick at us because they couldn’t have a home pass.”
“That really is true,” Heather said stepping back in before she looked at you, “A bunch of the kids think you actually died.”
“Okay but… can we let them think that or-”
“If we were still 23 and working that first program, god. I’d probably let you,” she sighed. “But no. No you cannot haunt the cottages.”
“Damn it.”
“The girls are trying to figure out who gets to stand up and yell, “She didn’t even like you!” when Courtney talks at your funeral, according to Vincent.” Heather added glancing up from her text.
“Let Jay do it,” you laugh. “She’s the quietest and most likely to throw hands if she keeps trying.”
Heather rolled her eyes fondly and looked at Robby, “What did the imaging say, Doctor?”
Robby took at deep breath and exhaled slowly, “Well. There is a small amount of bleeding. And it does seem like it will clear up in time,” he said carefully. “But I still have concerns-”
“As her doctor or her soulmate?” Heather asked.
“What?”
Your head snapped in Heather’s direction so fast that your neck cracked making Robby wince and Heather patted your hand. “Breathe, babe,” she soothed. “He’s been trying really hard to not make this weird.”
“But- wait- I-” You blink for just a second, groping for words and Robby froze, not sure what to do.
“Give her a second to buffer,” Heather said sympathetically. “I’m gonna call Vincent and let him know she’s probably not gonna drop dead… He’d miss having someone to bicker with.”
He heard the words but didn’t register them, not really. “Y/N I didn’t mean to-”
“This is not- I really didn’t want to be in my work clothes,” you mutter.
“The color looks good on you,” he said, lips twitching. “I- uh. Part of why you feel like this is that your other soulmate is-”
That makes you look up and he can’t help it, he cradles your cheek in his hand for a moment. “His name is Jack. Jack Abbot.”
The name hits you and he can hear your heart rate spike and he can see your pupils dilate. Poor kid, he thought. We’re gonna have to take this slow. You were already overwhelmed. Blindsided. And probably a little scared.
“Jack is worried about you,” Robby said. “He’s probably going to be here-” He breaks off when you cock your head confused and brushes his thumb along your cheek. “We both work here. Attendings. Days and nights.”
“Oh,” you murmur.
“Just means there’ll always be someone home with you,” Robby said dropping his hand. “And from the sounds of it, you need it.”
“I-I-” A knock on the door made you freeze and without looking, Robby knew it was Jack.Yourheart rate had shot up again, making you look dazed and a little sweaty.
“Hand her that,” Robby said pointing at an emesis bag as he turned to click the heart rate monitor off and put his stethoscope against your chest.
Jack winced and rushed forward, just barely making it before you vomited blood into your lap.
“Goddamn it,” you pant around dry heaves. “Of all the shit to inherit-”
“Inherit?” Jack snipped, “You can’t-”
“Her grandma used to do it to,” Heather said, slipping back into the room against the wall, “Swear to god. The woman put herself in the hospital because they were doing roadwork in front of her house.”
“She couldn’t get to her mailbox,” you explain, breaking off to gag. “It’s stressful when you’re 85 and watch dateline all day.”
“Christ,” Jack said glancing at Robby, “what-”
“This is the first she’s done it since she’s been here,” he said, wincing when you spat out blood. Though less than the last time.
“Admit her?” Jack said watching, jaw ticking.
“It clears up,” you cough out.
“Shut up the fuck up,” Heather sighed without any real heat. “If you AMA yourself I’ll beat you until they have a reason to admit you again. Then dip you in mayo.”
Robby watches you flip Heather the bird between dry heaves and watches Jack looking on. Trying not to snap at the other woman.
“There’s no blood in her belly,” Robby said thoughtfully.
Jack blinked for a second. “So… she pukes so hard she makes tears in her esophagus. Stops puking and the bleeding stops.”
The two men share a look and feel ridiculous for a moment. Robby had spent most of the day ordering blood tests and scans and the whole time you’d been patiently letting it happen while impatiently telling them it would clear up. Because it did. Even if you didn’t know why.
You turn and look at Heather, wiping sweat off your forehead with the back of your hand and sigh, “Can you stop trying to leave me here now?”
“Sweetheart,” Heather said grabbing your face in her hands, “Platonic love of my life. They. Are Your. Fucking. Soulmates.”
“And? I literally don’t know them.”
Heather let go of your face and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I’m going to go call Vincent and tell him what’s happening. If you sedate her I know nothing.”
She left the room and left Robby and Jack standing there at a loss. You were tense now. And beside him, Robby could feel Jack trying not to stand at attention. To relax. So he forced himself to do the same. This isn't what they imagined. It wasn’t what it was like for them. There was a sense of peace. Of being seen. Of being understood. Not having to fight anymore. And you were resisting with everything you had. You’d let Robby touch you but you hadn’t let him… in. Jack reached for your hand slowly and you jerked back, folding your hands together.
“Honey,” he tried, softly.
“Don’t call me that.” Your voice is very firm. It’s not teasing. And you don’t look up.
“Okay,” Jack said nodding slowly.
You’re scared. Scared. And confused. They glance at each other and they’re both wondering the same thing. Who did this to you? It shouldn’t be like this. “We can take this slowly,” Jack said.
“Starting with your discharge papers,” Robby added. “I’m gonna go get those started.”
You nod and they file out. Giving you a little bit of space to just… be. Robby nods at Jack and goes to tell someone to discharge you. Jack leans against the wall for a second and spots Heather.
Making his way over to her, she greets him with a wary smile, “You have questions, huh?”
“Only one,” he snorted.
“Is it what the fuck or why the fuck?”
“Okay,” Jack huffed, “two questions.”
Heather shook her head, “Listen. Y/N is… my best friend. I’ve known her for 10 years. We’ve been through some shit. She’s the reason I met MY soulmate. I know shit no one else knows. And even I don’t know everything.”
He nodded slowly, unconsciously rubbing the center of his chest. It hurt not being close to you. Not being able to do anything when you were hurting. “Is it always like this?”
“No,” she said, smiling a little. “She’s not a hard ass. You just gotta give her some time. She’s- well. No. You guys gotta do your own dirty work. Just give her some time. Maybe feed her some really fucking good food. Your girl lives on snacks. I don’t think she’s eaten a real meal in like three days.”
Jack raises his eyebrows, “You let-”
“I’m not her zoo keeper. She doesn’t live with me,” Heather pointed out, “I just know her. She stresses, she starves. Stress level goes up and she replaces food with water and coffee.”
He frowned but nodded making a mental note to tell Robby. They’d have to watch that. And get food into you soon. Real food.
“She’s not picky,” Heather said starting to walk away. “Tell her Vincent said Joey had a fever and he wouldn’t stop crying- you’re welcome.”
“Thanks,” Jack said blinking, lips twitching. I need to find Robby, he thought. We have a date to plan.