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"Hide me," McKay hisses, but before Victoria can ask why exactly McKay needs to be hidden or press the panic button, Jack Abbot pops up at the corner of the nurses’ station, startling the both of them.
"Good morning to a few of my favorite team players!"
McKay whirls around and steps in front of Victoria like she's about to take a bullet for her. She peeks over McKay's shoulder, trying to once again figure out the schedule for the attendings in the ED. She’s kind of convinced they all show up when they want and stay for far too long.
"Don't you have patients to see?" McKay asks Jack, who is holding a clipboard that is decidedly not hospital-issued.
Or at least, if it had been at some point in its lifetime, it certainly isn't recognizable as one anymore. The clipboard is covered in stickers, holographic and cartoony, all different versions of--
"It's baseball season!" He declares with far too much excitement for anyone this early in the morning.
"There was snow on the ground last week," she fires back.
"And yesterday, I wore shorts on my evening jog. Don't worry, it's warm enough out so people can stare at my leg and so we can play again," he assures her. McKay does not look convinced but even she can't hide a grin at his joke.
"Baseball?" Victoria takes an informed guess judging by the many stickers on the clipboard.
"Slow-pitch," Jack and McKay correct her at the same time and then look absolutely disgusted with each other.
"Then I can put you down for center field," he says, already scribbling when McKay plucks the pen out of his hand.
"Oh, shucks. You know, I don't think the field is in my range.” McKay uses the pen to point to her ankle monitor with a smug grin on her face. “I am so sorry."
"I do not appreciate the sarcastic tone."
"Too bad, that's the only way the tone comes."
“I’ve noticed,” Jack mutters. "You know, you could have easily put Fineview Fields on your list of approved places."
"And yet I didn't." She smirks at him and if he didn't have a roster to fill, Jack could argue with her all day.
"When you're out of that thing"—
"I will still be conveniently busy every slow-pitch gameday. Doctor Collins and I have a standing appointment to be far, far away from that specific park."
"You're both dead to me," Jack says before turning his attention onto Victoria. "What about you, Javadi? We're playing surgery first. How do you feel about taking on your mom on the field?"
"Yes, please," Victoria answers to agree to play almost as quickly as McKay did to shoot him down.
“Center field it is!” Jack says triumphantly as he scribbles her name down on the roster. As the clipboard moves, so does the little holographic baseball sticker that takes up a good portion of the bottom of the board. The largest one, a smiley anthropomorphic baseball with stick legs and little cleats, dances as if it’s also pleased that Jack secured a center fielder in Victoria.
"Come on, you're better than this,” McKay argues.
"I'm really not,” she tells her.
Before Jack can follow McKay down the hall and potentially be the cause of a second ankle monitor for her, Robby intercepts him. He takes the clipboard out of Jack’s hands for no other reason than to stop him in his tracks.
Jack makes a half-hearted grab for it, but Robby just tucks it behind his back. Sighing, Jack waits for the lecture.
Robby leans in and tells him, “You know, I didn't agree to swap with you so you'd take all my remaining employees to the field.”
"I thought you'd call out too,” Jack pushes, pretending it’s a foregone conclusion.
"Some of us have to work." Robby’s stern tone loses all its power as he grins through it, charmed by just how matter-of-fact Jack is acting. Like Robby playing hooky to watch the ED softball game is a foregone conclusion. Robby supposes he's just lucky that attending the slow-pitch games wasn't in their vows.
"Call out,” Jack tries, smile on his face matching Robby’s, fully know that he’s getting nowhere. Arguing with Robby is one of his top three favorite hobbies.
"You want me to just close the ED? Have Dana print a sign on the door that says, 'Sorry, we can't see patients today because we're all playing slow-pitch over at Fineview Fields.”
"Yes," Jack encourages him. “See, now you're getting it."
"I will try to be there for an inning or two," Robby promises. He hands the clipboard back to Jack who snatches it and eyes the roster like Robby somehow changed it while it was hidden behind his back.
He only looks up when he feels Robby take a step closer. Robby reaches out and tugs on the top button of Jack’s henley that's hanging loose.
"Is this mine?"
"Does it matter?"
Robby narrows his eyes, letting go of the shirt. He taps of Jack’s clipboard.
“I want a good showing, Abbot. I can’t handle another season of taunts from Cardiology.”
“You got it, boss.” Jack gives him a thumbs up and then adds, “That means I’m stealing more of the kids!”
Before Robby can argue with him, Jack speeds down the hall, towards where Robby last saw some of his interns and medical students.
“I still think that the nurses should all have their own team,” Princess tells Robby as they both watch Jack go. “But Dana says she organizes us enough around here.
“It just seems like a lot of work just to get a roster together," Dana pipes in. "I'd rather have Abbot running around. It's fun to watch."
“Even when he takes Donnie and Mateo with him?”
“Son of”— Dana whirls around on Princess who holds up her hands.
“Don’t shoot the messenger.”
"We're doing it,” Trinity tells Dennis who scoffs at her.
"Absolutely not."
This back-and-forth has been going on for a full minute and Jack gives the kid credit; he didn’t expect Whitaker to just flat out try and shut Santos down like that. Or stand his ground in the first place.
But Jack needs to finish this roster so if they could speed up their pissing match, he’d really appreciate it.
"Yes, we are! It'll be fun."
"No," Dennis says again, this time firmer and a little bit louder than he intended. He says it again, this time as if he has actual control over his volume. "I got pushed into every sport possible as a kid. I am an adult now and I never want to be on a field again."
Trinity actually looks proud, which Jack doesn’t have time to unpack. He just needs more players. Still, she beams at Dennis even as she signs up her name up on the roster under shortstop.
"Okay, Huckleberry." She lets it go, just like that and maybe Jack doesn’t really understand their friendship at all. Especially when Dennis gives her an honest-to-god smile in return.
"I will bring you orange slices though,” he offers and Trinity beams at him.
"Sold."
One more down. Jack takes back the clipboard and finds his next victim trying to slide by the three of them.
"Dr. King?"
He replaces her paperwork for his own and she gives a sigh that is almost Robby-worthy. He's been training these kids so well.
“I already heard your pitch, Dr. Abbot," Mel says seriously.
“And what did you think of it?” He asks back, matching her tone.
“Pretty compelling, but I have to pick up”—
Mel doesn’t even finish before Dennis honest-to-god raises his hand. He doesn’t even interrupt her, but Mel just stops talking and waits for Dennis to speak his part. They both seem a little surprised by that, but Dennis smiles and god, Jack maybe needs to ask Robby to give him an update about whatever is going on with the kids. He can't remember getting along with his own group as a trainee.
"If you think Becca would be okay with it, she could sit on the bleachers with me and watch,” Dennis offers and just like that, Mel matches his smile, with a soft, grateful one. "How does she feel about orange slices?"
"Thank you, Dennis. She will probably hate them because the juice will make her hands sticky,” she tells him, very matter-of-fact. “But she will like sitting with you, I’m sure.”
"Not a problem. I’ll be on orange slice and Becca duty.”
Jack spins around even as Mel still is writing her name down. He points to exactly who he was looking for and she’s already rolling her eyes at him, which doesn’t seem fair, but Jack is willing to put up with a lot for a full roster.
"Samira?" He asks, practically singing her name.
"Gloves in my locker,” she calls behind him as she heads into a patient’s room, “but I'm not done til two. I'm catching a ride over with Garcia and Walsh.”
Jack ignores the way Trinity perks up at Garcia's name because actually, maybe he doesn't want to know what the kids are up to. Ignorance is bliss and also less time in HR meetings once all hell breaks loose.
"With the enemy?"
"It's either a ride with the enemy or I don't show up. I know you think the field is close and that it's summer now but"—
"Enemy it is," Jack says quickly. "Thank you, left field!"
He looks down at his roster, full of cross-outs and barely legible sign-ups. But like with sudokus and crossword puzzles, he refuses to use a pencil. It's about the love of the game and the optimism of signing his colleagues up in pen.
Catcher- Mateo
Pitcher- JACK [and Shen]
First base- Shen Parker
Second base- Donnie
Third base- ▇▇▇▇
Short stop- Santos
Center field- McKay Javadi
Left field- Samira
Right field- Melissa King
Jack whispers, “This is our year.”
Dennis is huddled in a hoodie that Jack doesn't think is his, but he reminds himself again about HR meetings and puts the whole question out of his mind. Definitely not noticing at all at how Mateo seems pleased as punch to see Dennis and tugs on the strings.
He focuses instead of how there's an extra blanket laid out on top of the chilled metal bleacher for Dennis and Becca.
"Isn't it cold in Nebraska? You had winters there, right?" Trinity asks. She's in leggings and the team shirt that Jack gave out just moments ago.
Three-quarter length blue sleeves with a white body and the Pitt's logo with ED inscribed underneath it. A great use of the hospital's employee wellness budget, in Jack's opinion. Even if, all working in a hospital, each department had tried to claim the color red for themselves.
And surgery snatched it up, Jack eyes their enemies across the field before getting distracted again by the kids.
"It's cold in a lot of places. Like Pittsburgh, right now," Dennis points out. “ Don’t act like you didn’t steal the extra blankets off of the couch last night."
"Thank you, again," Mel says, ignoring the standoff between Trinity and Dennis like it's part of her job. Jack thinks it might be.
"Not a problem," Dennis assures her. "Becca and I will be right here."
"Objectifying Mateo," Trinity mutters.
"Cheering you on," Dennis says, louder.
"Catchers thighs,” Trinity keeps going, like she didn’t even hear Dennis. “Unfair. Some guys have all the luck."
He tilts his head ever so slightly and in an innocent voice asks, "You don't think your shortstop thighs are gonna impress Garcia?"
"I think there's a reason Abbot didn't put me on a base,” Trinity huffs.
"Abbot is right here," Jack says regretfully, wondering if it’s too late to beg Shen to take over.
"He didn't want you to get distracted,” Dennis guesses.
“Shut up and give me an orange slice."
Trinity shoves the whole thing in her mouth at once and then smiles at Dennis and Becca, orange rind taking up most of her mouth. Becca delights in the joke even as Mel rolls her eyes.
Jack turns around to survey his kingdom, or at least, most of it.
Becca sitting with Dennis on the bleachers, waving to Mel in right field, who is chatting with Javadi, the two of them attempting to weave the early spring dandelions through their gloves.
Samira and Parker are still consorting with the enemy [aka the rest of the Surgery department team] instead of going out to their positions, but Garcia is mostly ignoring her colleagues conversation to watch Trinity in leggings.
HR meetings, Jack reminds himself.
Mateo at least, is in position, using their borrowed catcher's gear and stretching, even if he is mostly still shooting glances back towards Dennis.
Donnie, Jack's favorite get for second base, is chatting with their new player at third base, who...
"What is he doing here?" Trinity hisses. She gestures to third base, just in case Jack had missed the fact that Dr. Frank Langdon was in position, glove on his right hand, and looking extremely uncomfortable to be playing right next to Trinity.
"We needed a third baseman," Jack says without blinking. Easier said than done in the face of Trinity Santos.
"But"—
"He has completed his treatment and we thought this was a nice way to integrate him back with his colleagues before dropping him in the ED first," Jack tells her, repeating the words that he absolutely had not practiced multiple times.
"Who is the we in that sentence?" Trinity asks as the rest of the team arrives, giving Frank a range of welcomes from warm (Mel) to cool (Donnie).
Before Jack can repeat the same words, Frank decides to take it into his own hands, proving that a man can always dig a deeper hole if given the opportunity.
"I'm sorry. I was a piece of shit and I’m trying to be better and”—
"Can you maybe apologize to me after the game?" Trinity asks. She sounds more exasperated than mad, which Jack will take for the time being.
"Right. Yes. I can do that.”
“Perfect.”
Jack isn't entirely sure he believes her but for the first few innings, she keeps up her indifference. Though, it could just be because of the lackluster performance on both sides.
The trash talk is more impressive than the hitting and fielding with Walsh looking like she might end up in a knock-down-drag-out with Parker once she gets to first base. There's also the matter of Victoria trying to disappear into center field when her mother gets to second base, the surgical attending unfortunately having only gotten better at hitting since last season.
Jack isn't sure if he'd rather have the complete avoidance of the mother-daughter rivals or whatever complicated lesbian mating ritual is going on between Trinity and Garcia that is definitely giving the surgical department an advantage.
Thank god Trinity isn't fielding a base, but that doesn't stop the two of them from participating in charged heckling with each other when Garcia makes it to second and Trinity moves her position at shortstop to be a little closer to her.
It's also when Trinity misses a catch and in an attempt to overcompensate, throws far too hard and past Frank. When he jogs over the bleachers to grab the ball, Dennis says something to him that Jack can't hear and then waves to Trinity. Judging by the expression on Frank's face, he isn't sure he wants to know.
Trinity makes that decision for all of them though.
“What did Huckleberry say to you?” She demands and Frank looks confused at first, until she points to Dennis.
"Please don't punch me," Frank pleads, hands in the air. Trinity doesn't verbally agree to that but she does ask again, this time with no wiggle room.
"What did he say?"
Frank sighs and looks like he'd rather do another stint in rehab, but he answers anyway.
"He said to tell you that you were a useless lesbian and to get your head in the game."
Jack tries to stop himself from laughing, but Trinity doesn't bother, barking out a loud laugh of her own all while giving Dennis the finger, making sure he can see it from the bleachers.
"Well, at least he's honest."
Frank snorts at that and covers his mouth with his glove, like he hadn’t expected it.
Trinity gives him a look that makes Jack think that maybe she can put up with him. At least on the field. In the Pitt is a whole other situation and he's not going to think about that just yet. Neither of them are his kids, anyway. Step-kids, maybe.
Eileen Shamsi steps up to bat again and as she takes a few practice swings, Jack gestures for Javadi to come closer. She does a surprisingly quick jog into the infield even if she looks like she wants to be anywhere but there.
Jack beckons Victoria closer and brings his glove up to block anyone from snooping on their conversation.
"What's your mom's weakness?" He asks in a whisper.
Victoria just blinks at him and looks at her mother, who is over at home plate, calling her shot like she's Babe Ruth reincarnated as a surgical attending.
"She's allergic to bees?" Victoria tries hopefully.
"I'm not trying to kill her, Javadi. I just want to strike her out!"
"Oh yeah, that'll never happen. Good luck though." Victoria practically sprints back to center field and Jack isn't entirely sure what he did to deserve no one taking him seriously.
Unfortunately, she's right. But even as the Eileen hits one of his pitches ball towards right field, Jack feels his heart beating hard against his chest.
He’s frozen just watching the ball come down—
Right into Melissa King’s glove to end the game.
She looks as shocked as everyone else, staring at the ball in her glove as her teammates jog over to congratulate her.
Eileen comes out to the mound to shake Jack’s head.
“Not a bad first game. We’ll get you next time.”
“I don’t know, your kid is kind of a ringer. Might be our secret weapon this year.”
Eileen only narrows her eyes at him, but Jack can see a hint of a smile. She loves him, he’s sure.
Maybe.
He joins the rest of his team as they gather around the bleachers.
"Mel! You caught the ball!"
"Don't sound so surprised there, Becca," Mel teases her sister and hands over the softball. Becca squeals and it drops, bouncing its way down the bleachers to lie in the grass where Parker kicks it back so no one trips over it.
Dennis opens the portable cooler that Trinity had dumpster-picked months ago and offers it to both teams, waving over the surgical department.
“Seriously?”
"Orange slices are for everyone. Not just people who did a good job,” Dennis tells Trinity, like he’s scolding a toddler.
"Do you have beer in that cooler?" Jack asks hopefully.
"Only water and Capri-Sun," Dennis tells him.
"Capri-Sun, please,” he requests with a sigh. Becca happily hands one over to him, letting him know that if he needs help getting the straw in the pouch, she’s very good at it.
“It’s true. She puts all mine in,” Mel says and Jack hands the Capri-Sun back over to a beaming Becca, who proudly stabs the juice pouch before giving it back.
"Farm boy,” Trinity says with a sigh, poking fun at Dennis. “These orange slices are cut so perfectly.”
"Spoken like someone who doesn't want buttermilk biscuits next time I make them,” Dennis says, refusing to look Trinity in the eye as he hands a Capri-Sun to Samira.
Mateo perks up. "Buttermilk biscuits?"
"They're great. You should come over sometime and try them," Trinity says without missing a beat.
Dennis tries to murder her with his eyes as the rest of the team looks on, not even hiding their interest.
Before someone on either roster can commit murder, Jack spots Robby further down the bleachers. He kindly requests another Capri-Sun pouch and after Becca stabs this one too, he makes his way over.
"Did you win?" Robby asks as Jack drops next to him.
Jack hands over the Capri-Sun and looks on almost too fondly as Robby takes an obnoxiously loud sip.
“I’m pretty sure, yes."
“After all that, you don’t know?” Robby genuinely seems surprised and Jack huffs, leaning against him. Robby immediately straightens up to take some of his weight, just like Jack expected.
“Give me a break. It’s been a long day.”
"Did you have fun?"
Jack has to think about it.
"Yes," he says decisively. "And Santos didn't murder Langdon, so you're welcome."
"That's what really counts."
Jack snorts and shifts his head just so he can take a sip of Robby's Capri-Sun. Robby grimaces but doesn't stop him.
"Okay, champ. Let's get you home."
"In a minute."
"Sure," Robby agrees easily, holding up his Capri-Sun so Jack can take another sip. “Take all the time you want.”