Chapter Text
A 6am start kills anyone, in winter the sun hasn’t even risen, and in summer the runners are out, running early to avoid the heat.
Having a 6am start means skipping breakfast at home to get more sleep. It’s not unheard of in the medical field, it’s actually considered normal. You’ll always catch doctors and nurses on rotation at this time snacking on whatever was in the break room. Or if they were lucky, something they’d bought on the way.
But if you were running late, you’d just have to tough it out till lunch.
Some hospital staff have a bad habit of getting distracted by work and not eating lunch.
But they’d get reminded.
Dana always made sure to have snacks on her person and in the break room.
She always says “A hungry doctor is a bad doctor.”
She was like a hawk, noticed every small thing about everyone.
Nothing got past her.
Well that’s what she wants everyone to believe.
If people think they’ll get caught, they won’t even try to hide it. Reverse psychology.
But what if something slips past her.
“Good morning Dana.”
The rough sound of a familiar voice called out from behind her, she quickly flicked her eyes up to see Whitaker smiling wide at her with the same grin he had every early morning.
“Got a raspy voice kid, catching a cold?” She averted her eyes back down to computer to finish off hand overs as quickly as she could.
Whitaker quickly cleared his throat “Sorry..”
Dana chuckled “No need to be sorry kid, add a dollop of honey to your coffee it’ll help. Top right cabinet in the break room.”
”Right… thank you. Do you want a cup?”
“I’ve already got one.” She responded tapping the rim of her cup with a pen she had in hand.
Whitaker nodded as he tapped the counter with his hands before pivoting on his heels and heading towards the break room.
”Whitaker!” Dana called out behind him
He turned his head and made eye contact with Dana
“Have you eaten breakfast yet?”
He hesitated. Something compelled him to say yes but what was the point of lying, he was going to eat. So why did he feel like he needed to hide the fact that he hadn’t?
“No… not yet.”
”Hm. Make sure you do, can’t have you collapsing when we’re already short staffed.”
Whitaker chuckled before quickening his pace towards the break room, something about that comment unsettled him.
The door to the break room had broken, the overhead door closer had become loose so to prevent it falling and possibly injuring someone, they took it off. The door now wasn’t slow closing or as heavy, meaning it would slam shut if it wasn’t closed manually. Another problem was staff had gotten used to the heavy door, putting extra force on it to open it, but now that wasn’t a problem. So the extra force they would use causes the door to swing open and slam into the wall making dents.
Staff were too distracted and sleep deprived to remember any of the changes. This ment there was constant slamming throughout the er, some got used to it, some got annoyed by it. The dents didn’t matter to them, they were only there to work. Taking care of the building was not their priority.
Whitaker was part of the group who kept forgetting about the change. So when he pushed open the door with his usual force, it swung open but instead of hitting the wall and making another dent, it hit someone.
“Oh my God! I’m so sorry, I keep forgetting that-“
”It’s fine Whitaker” Robby chuckled. “I did it to someone earlier this morning as well. Worst part is… they had a coffee. It went all over the floor, and them.”
Whitaker slightly laughed “Yikes, great way to start a shift.”
”wasn’t someone from day shift…”
”Someone from night shift!?”
”Yep.. Also, he wasn’t in his scrubs, got the coffee all over his clothes.” Robby dragged a hand over his face “I feel horrible.”
Whitaker crossed the room and started brewing some more coffee, Robby sat at the table before continuing the story.
”I tried to make it up to him by offering my stash of breakfast snacks, but he wasn’t having it.. Stormed out.”
”Poor guy…” Whitaker responded as he started to blow on his coffee.
”Im glad he didn’t take the snacks when I offered, I love these ones… Here” Robby took a small bar out of his pocket and held it out to Whitaker “Have one”
”Oh no, I couldn’t. You probably don’t have many-“
”I have loads, now take it.”
“I… I already had breakfast, I’m not hungry.” Whitaker spun around and poured the rest of his coffee down the sink “Thank you for the offer Dr Robby.”
”No worries, Whitaker. You can have one anytime, just ask.” Robby responded as his eyes followed Whitaker towards the door
”Well… see you around Dr Robby.” Whitaker grabbed the door handle and pulled it. Forgetting that it was broken, the door slammed into the wall.
It made both Whitaker and Robby jump.
”See you, Whitaker.” Robby responded too late as he was already out the door.
Robby sat in the chair for a moment to long, anyone who laid eyes on him would instantly know that he’s deep in thought.
He sifted through his thoughts before finally standing from the chair. He made his way towards the broken door, leaving behind the snack he had offered Whitaker just seconds before.
Robby didn’t care if anyone took it because it wasn’t his. He didn’t have a stash of snacks and he didn’t offer any to a night shift worker as a sorry for spilling coffee on them. Because the story was fake.
Remembering that the door is broken, Robby pulled it open gently and slowly shut up behind him.
He made his way directly to the nurses station.
As he approached he saw the top of Dana’s head. She was still sat in the same chair and still working on the hand overs.
But she immediately stopped as she saw Robby approaching.
”What did the kid say to you.” Dana voiced quietly, only once Robby was close enough.
”Told me he’d eaten breakfast already so he wasn’t hungry. Didn’t even take the snack.” He leaned onto his forearms
Dana Sighed.
”What? What did he say to you?”
”He said to me he hadn’t eaten yet… and when he came out just now, he told me he had a few small snacks.”
“Shit…”
”Robby.” The firm pronouncement of his name caused him to perk his head up from his hands. He stayed silent waiting for her to carry on. “What if we’re looking too much into it. I mean Santos lives with him for Christ sake, wouldn’t she have said something?”
”He just lied to you.”
”I know but… you know Whitaker. He’s a people pleaser, probably just said it to make me happy.”
Both of them stayed silent as they were both deep in thought.
”He did refuse it at first because he thought it was one of my only ones left.” Robby grumbled out, feeling guilt creep up his back for always assuming the worst.
”See. A people pleaser.” Dana responded before turning back to her computer screen.
”But I never see him eat. Ever. And he’s just so skinny, it freaks me out a bit.”
Dana sighed “Realistically, how often do you see the kid during a shift.”
”… Only a couple times-“
”Exactly. So just because the few times you see him, he isn’t eating. Doesn’t mean he doesn’t eat. And he’s always been skinny, you probably have only just noticed it because you’ve been keeping an eye on him recently.”
”Who has Dr Robby been eyeing up?” Santos joked as she stood next to Robby looking down at her clipboard.
”Did you have breakfast yet?” Robby asked almost immediately after
Santos looked up confused, her eyebrows were furrowed. “No… why- is this an attempt to avoid my question, because you know I was only joking. But now I wonder, who have you actually been eyeing up. A little work place romance I see.”
”I wasn’t avoiding your question because I haven’t been eyeing up anyone. I just wanted to know if you had breakfast. So have you?” Robby responded firmly
“Uh yeah… we had jam on toast and some coffee… why are you asking?”
“We?” Dana quoted her
”Yeah. Me and huckleberry, who else.”
”Did you eat together?” Robby stood
”Yes. What is this about?” Santos spat, the questions were annoying her. Especially since she didn’t know why they were asking such random questions.
”Nothing. Get back to work Dr Santos.” Robby turned away from her to face Dana.
Santos rolled her eyes before walking away.
Dana and Robby stood staring at each other, both know thing what the other is thinking with no words.