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If there was one good thing to come out of this God forsaken pandemic, it was that she now shared a bed with Cassie McKay.
Somehow, in the middle of isolation, chaos, and exhaustion, Dana had found someone who she could rely on to make everything more manageable and feel less alone.
“Everyone’s down stairs”, Dana murmured, breath uneven. Not entirely convincing Cassie to stop.
Cassie just adjusted her position between Dana’s legs and barely even acknowledged her. She just tightened her hold on Dana’s hips and continued, slow and deliberate, like she had all the time in the world.
“You worry too much”, she said, glancing up at her with a crooked confident smile.
“That's my job” Dana barely gasped out, her fingers twisting into the sheets.
“Not right now, it's not”.
There was just enough authority in her voice to make Dana’s head tip back against the mattress, a quiet, helpless sound slipping out before she could stop it.
“Cass…” Dana practically moaned.
Cassie knew what she was doing. That was the problem.
Every movement was intentional and dragged out just enough to make Dana feel it everywhere. Her grip tightened when Dana shifted, grounding her.
Dana’s hand found its way into Cassie’s hair, not to stop her, but to keep her there.
Dana was getting deliriously lost in the moment arching her back slightly off the bed. “Jeeeez McKay”. Dana practically whined.
Cassie huffed a quiet laugh, but she didn’t ease up. If anything it caused her to slow down even more, drawing out each movement causing Dana’s composure to crack and Dana to unravel.
Next thing they knew the door swung open.
“Dana we gotta ----- oh my God!”
Jack Abbot came to a full stop.
Dana snapped out of the haze, yanking up the sheet in an attempt to cover her body.
“Fucking Christ Abbot” Dana Hissed at him.
Cassie quickly removed herself from between Dana’s legs and crawled up the bed settling next to her but leaving a slight space.
Jack stood two steps in the doorway looking back and forth between the 2 women.
“ I'm… SOO sorry… i didn't know…. The door wasn’t locked”
Dana now had her head in her hands “You ever hear of knocking?”she shot back with venom in her voice
“We got an all-hands page from Robby….I thought you’d want to know… I didn’t realize you were….occupied.” Jack just kept rambling.
“Please just get out,” Dana said, her voice dropping low, trying her best to keep a controlled tone.
“I’m already leaving,” Jack said quickly, backing out. “The door's closing. Nothing happened.”
“JACK!”
Putting his hands up in surrender. “IM LEAVING… im sorry” he said covering his eyes as he finally shut the door
Silence flooded the room.
Cassie looked over at Dana with her head still in her hands, not entirely sure how to proceed. “Hey” Cassie said softly as she reached out and traced Dana’s arm with her finger. “You ok?”
Dana let out a sigh and was now looking over at Cassie “Gotta be honest….I was was doing A LOT better about 3 minutes ago.
“Yeah I gathered that” Cassie said with a teasing tone.
Dana groaned again, flopping back on the bed. “Cass, that was so embarrassing”
“If it is any consolation, Cassie added, “I think he is equally traumatized"
Despite herself, Dana laughed. “My GOD, I have never known that man to ramble. We broke him.”
They laid together in silence for a minute. Cassie looking at Dana trying to get a read on her.
Dana was staring at the ceiling. “You know, minus that embarrassing encounter, I don't regret this at all.”
Cassie’s expression shifted, slightly. “This?”
Dana turned her head, meeting her eyes.
“You,” she said simply. “Being here in this bed, having someone to come back to, to escape the chaos of the day. You know… someone who gets it. Someone I don't necessarily need to hold it together for.”
She gave a small, almost self-conscious shrug. “I just didn’t realize how much I needed that.”
Cassie didn’t say anything, she just looked at her, something soft and a little awed settling in her expression.
“You don’t have to hold it together with me.” she said softly.
Dana’s mouth found a slight curve, “I know.” And that was the point.
After another moment Dana let out another deep sigh. “I guess we should probably go see what this urgent situation is.”
Cassie slid out of the bed heading towards the bathroom in search of scrubs. Dana rolled onto her side and propped her head up on the arm admiring Cassie from the bed.
“You know, it is a real shame Jack came in when he did because I had some plans for you” Dana said in a low tone.
Cassie’s eyes flickered back to Dana’s immediately. “Oh?”
“A way to show my appreciation.” Dana continued.
Cassie smiled and started making her way back to the form on the bed. “Yeah? Care to fill me in?”
Dana looked at her nails nonchalantly and said “I don’t know. I think you will need to wait til later”.
“You tease,” Cassie said, leaning down on the bed to give her a gentle kiss.
“Gotta do something to keep you crawling back”.
“Believe me… thats not an issue”. Cassie said a little too quickly. Cassie looked at Dana scanning her face. “You sure you’re ok?”
Dana sighed. “This isn’t exactly how I planned anyone finding out about us”
Cassie still smirking, “You mean you didn’t intend to have your live-in coworkers walk in on me between your legs?” she said with feign shock.
“Hey, I don't need you getting a reputation”, Dana threw back at her. “I didn't necessarily expect an audience. This was our thing and I don't like it being out of our control.” Dana said honestly.
She exhaled then pushed herself up off the bed. “Come on. Let’s go before he spirals.”
--
When Dana entered the kitchen Jack was busying himself meal prepping WAaaAy too many sandwiches for the rest of the pod to take to work.
Emma had been watching him.“Not that I'm not grateful”, she said eyeing the pile, “but how many sandwiches do you think we need?”
“We don't need to eat them all today” Jack said almost grumpily, not looking up from the cutting board.
“OhhhKaayyy then” Emma said, raising an eyebrow looking over at Dana.
Eyes still focused on the counter, Jack asked Dana “Do you want turkey or ham?”
Dana paused for a beat trying to get a read on Jack. “Turkey,” Dana said evenly.
Jack nodded, continuing to aggressively make sandwiches in silence. “Do we have a problem?” Dana asked, sounding slightly offended.
“No, just ….still processing.”
The words hung there. Dana gets it.
Dana inhaled slowly and shifted into Charge Nurse mode, reigning it in trying to keep composure for the both of them. “Right. Well, you gotta snap out of it soon. The ED is drowning in call-outs, and we gotta deal with Robby on top of that.”
She adjusted her watch, grounding herself. “Abbott, you and I can head over now.”
Emma chimed in. “I can go with you guys i just need….”
“No,” Dana and Jack said at the same time.
Emma blinked between them.“ You guys ok? You’re acting weird”
“Just let us try to defuse the Robby bomb before all of you guys get there,” Dana added quickly.
Jack didn’t argue. Just grabbed the keys, shoved the sandwiches into a bag and headed for the door.
--
Dana and Jack sat in an uncomfortable silence for the first part of the drive.
“Listen Jack.” -
“Dana, I do not care that you’re hooking up with a woman,” he blurted out at the same time.
Dana blinked, arms crossed. I didn't say you did.
“It was just ……surprising to see you in that situation.”
“and we're not just hooking up” Dana, added almost shyly.
They sat in silence
"Im sorry, D I honestly didn't mean it like that"
There was another stretch of silence.
“I won't tell anyone… I mean if you..” Jack started. Not really sure what to say.
“Thank you”, Dana said gently, letting the conversation die there.
There was another beat. “So uh, how long has THAT been going on?” Jack pushed, his curiosity getting the better of him. “You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to.” he added quickly.
She mentally prepared herself for this conversation, but she was still being careful on what to say. She knew she didn't owe Jack any answers, but they were friends. They had been through many of the highs and lows in life. The divorces, the deaths, the children being born. Most of all she trusted him.
“About a week after you moved in." Dana said looking out the window.
“Damn”, He took his eyes off the road to glance at her. “So you're saying I never had a shot? He added in an amusing tone.
Dana rolled her eyes, happy that the tension was starting to chip away. “Oh Jack, you should know you’re too much man for me.”
He let out a laugh.
There was a brief moment of comfortable silence.
“Is she any good?” Jack pushed on keeping his eyes on the road.
“JESUS, Jack.” Dana said, swatting at him.
“What??! I ask uncomfortable questions when I get nervous”. Jack said, trying to avoid her swinging hand.
“You are a PERV”. Dana said with a smirk.
Still dancing around the topic and looking for the right words “I just want to make sure you’re…. being taken care of.” looking over at her again only half joking this time.
Dana couldn't help but let her guard back down a little. “I am,” Dana said.
Then, she took a beat because she couldn’t help herself “And she is.”
Jack started grinning like an idiot and let out a low whistle “Well, damn.”
The silence in the car was a little warmer now.
“Do we like her?” Jack asked a little quieter now. “Well, I mean it's Cassie. We like her but do we LIKE her?”
What are we in middle school? Dana asked, turning her head to him.
“You know what I'm saying.”
“It’s still pretty new,” she said carefully.
Jack nodded, but wasn't ready to drop it. “That’s not what I asked Evans.”
A light blush started to creep up Dana’s neck.
“Do my eyes deceive me? Jack grinned. “Is Dana Evans smitten?”
Dana tried to fight it but was failing miserably.
“She might be.” Dana replied with a goofy smile.
"It looks good on you." he said honestly.
As much as she hated the teasing, it was better than not being able to look Jack in the eye. And It felt good to be able to share her little secret with someone.
“I'm really happy for you,” Jack said sincerely. “You deserve someone that make you happy."
Dana glanced at him, then back at the road. “You gonna be able to act like a normal person?”
Jack scoffed. “Absolutely not. You still traumatized me Evans.”
That earned him a real laugh.
“But,” he added, “I will be knocking before entering any room. Forever.”
Dana smirked despite herself.“Good policy.”