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Dennis enters the breakroom in haste. He has a grand total of 30 seconds to grab some water and a bite before he needs to get back to his precious patient and see if his results confirm his idea. Then, there seemed to be a commotion into the trauma bay so maybe he can offer an extra pair of hands.

He doesn't see Dr Langdon at first, too in his own head to notice the man sitting on the sofa. Or the child huddled in front of him.

It is the smooth baritone of his voice, the recognizable teaching lilt, softened with a calming tonality he has heard him used on children before that attracts his attention.

He doesn't know who to give his attention to at first. The kid clutching a badly mangled bunny, his eyes riveted to Dr Langdon and his… sewing lesson?, not peeping a single word. Or the R4 who is busy threading a needle into a dark blue fabric, talking about techniques and invisible points and fabric scraps.

Dennis forgets what he came in for when Dr Langdon starts going on about the Revolution War, explaining the why and how of uniforms making, how to recognize which corps a soldier belonged to and why it was so important to have good boots. He never raises his voice or clearly looks at the kid, offering him the chance to choose for himself if he is comfortable with the space between them and the man talking to him.

“Would you like Bubba to have a uniform for himself?”

The child startles, throwing a quick glance at his stuffed bunny. He hesitates, cradling the plushy closer to himself. “He is hurt.”

It is but a whisper. A frail murmur and Dennis noticed the child is burrowing into the arm of the couch. He must be cold. But Dr Langdon doesn't try to approach him. Though he gives him an encouraging smile.

“That's ok. We can take care of him first. Would you like me to show you the surgical suture points? We’ve got special threads for that. Here…” For half a second, Dennis debates intervening, truly convinced, for some reason, that the R4 is going to use something from their stock. Until Dr Langdon gets a small box out, emblazoned with a comically oversized shark head and covered in stickers and glitter. He starts taking small coils out with a flourish, as if he was presenting the kid with some grand, pricey material.  

“We have grey or light brown to suit his fur, or we have gold if he feels like he is worth it.” And he winks at the kid, earning a giggle in return. “And you can even choose what kind of suture point you want. I am sure Dr Whitaker would be more than happy to make a few of them to show you.”

Dennis startles at being called out, blushing and stammering in embarrassment at being caught so clearly spying on them. 

He has hust started addressing the child when Dr Robby comes poking his head through the door to call him, unfortunately. The kid hunches into a tight ball, tucking his head behind his knees and watching him over intently. Their boss stops short, mouth opening and closing a time or two before he shakes his head in a rueful kind of way. 

Then, addressing Dr Langdon. “You're still here.”

The R4 gives him the equivalent of a done and judgemental look. The kind Dennis has only seen on Trinity before and he chokes a little at the similarities.

It is only then that he realises Dr Langdon is in civies, his backpack and a bag overflowing with fabrics on the side of the sofa.

“Family room is still packed?” It is more a certainty than a question, despite the framing and the senior resident doesn't wait for an answer. “How are the parents?”

Dr Robby sights and scrunches up his eyes. “Not well. We’ve had to separate three families. Ahmad and his team have been working some damn miracle let me tell you. We need a mediation team right now.”

Dr Langdon hums, obviously having expected this outcome. “Yeah. Not surprised there. Ex-neighbors” he adds for Dennis’ and Robby’s understanding, looking at the R2. “Let me tell you buddy, steer clear from soccer Moms and white collar Dads. They have no notion of what's important in life and will threaten a lawsuit on people who just saved their kids’ life.” A shake of the head and he is rolling his eyes, making the child giggle once again at his antics. Then he addresses their chief attending.

“B is on his way. You think Ahmad and his guys can handle them while they arrive?”

Dr Robby gives him a gobsmacked look before recoiling. “B?! HR is sending us Park’s mediation team?!”

“Of for God's sake Robby, stop being so surprised! B’s team has the best record of successful mediations.”

The attending snorts, somewhat uncharitably it seems and Dennis wishes he could be anywhere but here. He can feel the moment inching closer and closer to the personal territory by the seconds.

Thankfully he doesn't have to find out how ugly it could turn as he and Dr Robby are both called back to the floor when another scuffle breaks out, leaving Dr Langdon and the child on their own.

It takes an hour for the situation to cool down. For parents to stop screaming and throwing the responsibility at one another. For Park and his team to handle them and if they were not all so very much aware of the powder keg that this group is, Dennis is certain they would all be trying to take a peek.

Everyone wants to see the Shark in action. Especially in that context.

As it is the man manages to secure a cordial agreement between every parties involved not to become physical with one another on the hospital premises, and to not turn on the hospital and its practitioners when they’ve only been trying to do their job and save their children.

The kid Dr Langdon had been taking care of comes running toward one of the women as soon as they exit the Family Room, screaming at the top of his lungs. “Mama, Mama! Look!” And he throws his plushy under his mother’s nose, beaming. “Mr Langdon made him all new! And he made him a coat!”

Indeed, the bunny is now sporting a fetching dark blue coat, with little gold buttons along a lapel, sleeves lined up with a white undershirt and a tiny black belt. Underneath the coat, Dennis can see the gold suture the kid had chosen for Langdon to use when repairing the stuffed animal.

The woman coos at her son, eyes tracking as she is also processing how her other child is and where the ED is going to transfer him. 

“Dr Langdon!” Mel beams at the man, always so happy to see him, despite having worked with him the entirety of the day before. Dennis notices the way he holds onto the counter of the station to move right away, recognizing the first signs of pain. He can’t remember seeing a cane or a crutch with the man when he had stumbled upon him in the breakroom though.

“Hello Mel. I am afraid I will have to take more time for your coat. I’ve used up the last of my gold thread. And I might have cut the blue fabric into pieces. I am going to need to buy some more.”

Dennis blinks. What coat? Since when Dr Langdon can sew up an entire coat? In what world have they fallen?

He throws one look by his side, and is reassured to find Trinity with the same gobsmacked expression on her face. Mel, on the other hand, is very much at ease. “That’s alright! I’d much rather you make a nice little coat for that kid’s bunny anyway. I can wait. Are you… Err, are you alright?” She can’t help but ask, clearly also having spotted the man’s difficulties.

Just then, Park the Shark approaches them, curling what some would see as a possessive arm around his partner’s frame. Something that Dennis is starting to recognize as supportive instead, holding Dr Langdon’s slightly smaller stature to provide him with some support.

“No cane?”

The R4 snorts, his head coming to rest under the Shark’s chin. “In my car. At the bloody park. I didn’t exactly expect to have to climb into an ambulance with injured children and be driven all the way here when I decided for a sewing session outside. I have had to leave Prune behind! Don’t worry! I called Mrs Tran, she came to take her home.”

It takes far too long for Dennis to remember that the Langdon-Parks have a dog, and this must be the subject of that discussion. By then, the R4 has moved onto another subject.

“Think you can swing by Firecracker Fabric on your way home?”

Park sighs long-sufferingly, already on his way to say yes to his husband. “Let me guess, wool and linen?”

“Yes dear.” Dr Langdon mischievously mocks. “Blue. You know which one. And golden thread too.”

The Shark runs a hand through his cropped hair. “Sure. I’ll do that. You’re lucky I needed to replenish my stocks too.” And promptly turns to goo as his partner kisses him on the nose, a self-satisfied smile on his lips. “Thanks, luv’.”

“Wait! You sew too?!” 

Javadi’s exclamation has them all twisting their head towards her, making the poor girl stammer at the sudden attention, especially when faced with the Ortho’s everpresent scowl. The man is still as terrifying as ever, even with his arms encircling his partner.

“Sew, cut, assemble. Just like the OR. Ask and he’ll do it.” Their senior resident winks at her under his husband's long-suffering expression. A playful light starts burning in his baby blues and Dennis senses the mischief upcoming. 

Dr Langdon is all cat energy right now. “Actually-” 

“No.” The Shark’s sentence falls like a hatchet, clear-cut and cold. He cocks an eyebrow at his smiling husband, the message clear. Don’t you dare. 

“But darling, isn’t the point of making one to be seen?”

“No.”

Dr Langdon giggles, outright giggles! Equal parts fond and snarky. The one person in this place who could behave like that with the Shark and get away with it. “No?” The big man groans, one hand coming to mess up the Emergency physician’s hair, which doesn’t deter the man in the slightest.

“You know what I mean.” Dr Langdon’s entire body language screams Do I? Trinity breaks first, never having been one for patience or puzzles.

“What are you two talking about?”

This is the moment that cements Dr Langdon as a feline in Dennis’ mind. That moment. Right here. Right now. When the resident grins at them, Cheschire-like, as he ready himself to topple the metaphorical bottle.

“Well you see, my wonderful husband here ha-”

“Not one more word, Frank. I mean it. Or I will carry you to Ortho with me.”

Just as it seems Park has finally found a working argument, Mel comes crashing any chance of victory, excitedly blurting out. “Oh! Oh you’re talking about Dr Park’s channel!”

Silence falls over their group. Right until Javadi, the only one of them with a real understanding of social medias and looking at the pair with bulging eyes and an open mouth, ends up stuttering “A-a… a youtube channel?”

“Yes!” their R3 enthusiastically goes on, clearly appreciating the channel in question and seeing nothing wrong with talking about it. “It has so many things! Period tailoring, tricks and tips, tutos and steps-by-steps. There is even a Halloween special! It’s dead useful, and great quality!”

Something tells Dennis the only reason Park the Shark is not turning bright red is his incredible self-control because the tension in his frame sure makes it look like he is very close to combust. And he can understand why! He would be wishing for the Earth to swallow him too, if everyone was suddenly looking at him the way they are now staring at the surgeon.

Who would have thought he would one day have empathy for the terrifying man.

Terrifying man who turns a terrifying glare at his husband while Mel is still talking about how incredibly interesting his youtube channel is. “This is your fault.” He hisses, but Dr Langdon only shrugs, nonchalant. Dennis feels a surge of misplaced annoyance come and go, conscious of how ridiculous it is for him to get irritated on Dr Park’s behalf. “Eh, they would have known at some point anyway. Or do I have to remind you you lost your bet with Yoyo? It was only a matter of time.”

The R2 does not hear the rest of that conversation, as Dr Robby falls upon them all like a particularly unhappy owl, asking what they all think they are doing, loitering around like they are! They scamper quickly after that, not suicidal enough to risk their attending’s wrath, earning themselves a disbelieving look from Dr Mohan.

And if Dennis and Trinity spend their next 3 evenings binging Park’s channel and failing spectacularly at following one of his tutorials, no one needs to know about it.

Xxxx

Robby arrives to the ED in a daze, his mind still reeling from the conversation he just had with Neil Parish, an old promotion buddy, and St Clair’s Head of Emergency Medicine Department.

He had crossed paths with the man on his way out of Starbuck and Neil, ever the jovial fellow, had immediately latched onto him, asking how he was, how is Department was running, if he was still driving that death trap he called a motorcycle, whether he truly was letting that brilliant resident of his leave for another establishment once his R4 was done and Robby’s brain had come to a crashing halt!

What did he mean by letting his resident go?!

Neil had stared at him with a dumbfounded look, blinking a few times, before telling him they had reached out to Langdon to offer him a job, since he would be done with his residency in a few months and St Clair’s ED was looking for a Trauma specialist, and the man had accepted.

Robby didn’t mean to do it, but he had been so horrifically surprised to learn this that he had blurted out “He is an addict!” before he could stop himself. As if Frank’s addiction was still the only thing of worth to him! As if it negated all his work and his good parts. He had been mortified by his reaction. It was awful, and unfair to boot! And yet, he had not been able to stop himself.

Neil had taken a step back, shock written clearly on his face, and a disbelief that told Robby he had disappointed the man. His next words had sent shame spearing through his belly.

“And I was an alcoholic. I don’t remember you acting like that with me. Or when Alice got herself tangled in her cocaine problems.”

Thick walls had come hurtling down between them then. Defenses he had not even known Neil possessed separating them, and Robby had cursed himself! What the fuck was wrong with him?! In his pained surprise, he had forgotten about Parish’s daughter. His darling Alice, who had died of an overdose.

HaShem yishmor! Neil was right! Neil was right, and Jack was right, and hell, Al-Hashimi was right! When had he become such a judgemental asshole? 

Had he ever made himself a safe person for Frank to come to?

The man’s next words had stopped his recriminations. “And as for your resident, I am aware. He has been very honest about his addiction and the PHP when we first approached him. As long as he is putting in the work, I do not see why I would deprive myself and my Department of such an element.”

The unspoken why would you? resonated between the two of them, both Heads of Department now caught in a staring contest as one re-evaluates what he thought he knew about his long-time peer and friend. 

For the first time, the Pitt’s chief attending had been met with the consequences of his callous behavior. The inhumanity of his treatment of Frank coming around to crash right back in his face. He and Neil had separated, rather awkwardly, neither truly knowing how to bridge the chasm that had suddenly opened between them.

So when he arrives at the Pitt and sees, first thing in the place, Frank finishing his charting after the double he’d just pulled, he can’t help himself. He puts his elbows on the countertop, leaning over the R4. “Soooo. I met Neil Parish on my way here this morning?”

To his credit, Langdon doesn’t look like the information bothers him. He stretches back in his chair, craning his neck a bit to meet the attending’s eyes, a curious lift to his eyebrow. “Yes?”

“Were you ever going to tell me you were offered a place at St Clair?” He tries to keep any animosity out of his tone. That’s not the point. That’s not what he wants his resident to take out of his question. Robby might not know exactly why this bothers him so much, why he feels so betrayed by the secrecy. But he knows he does not want Frank to feel cornered by his questions. Not this time.

The younger man tilts his head to the side in confusion. Not worried, but clearly uncertain as to why this is becoming a public subject. “Sure, I guess. If it became official, I’m sure I would have told you before leaving. But it’s not like anything is set in stone so far.”

“You’re leaving?!” Ellis and Dana scream, unable to believe their ears. Frank looks at them like they are the one being unreasonable.

“Well yes. Once I finished my R4.”

Dread churns in Robby’s stomach. Of course Frank is leaving. As far as he knows, Robby doesn’t want him there! As far as he knows, Al-Hashimi still snubs him! As far as he knows, Jack has taken a protective position about him but still steps aside more often than not to let his “brother” have his way.

Why the hell would Frank stay?

“But-but… What about your friends here?” Poor Javadi stumbles, a wild look in her eyes. The R4’s eyebrows shoot up into his hairline at the question and he bites onto a laugh.

“Okay, that’s really sweet but also really not accurate Dr J.” And Robby can’t believe the humor he is hearing coming from the man in front of him. From the resident tearing their hypocrisy and lies to shred and yet not looking like he minds the state of the place. 

Like he has come to terms with it long ago. 

“Mel is my friend” the young woman glows at the recognition. “And maybe Cassie and Jesse are too. But that’s it. The rest of us… We are friendly, mostly, but we are not friends. We don’t do anything together out of work, no one cares about what the other has going on in his life at the moment. Hell, it’s a good day if someone asks a personal question and stays to actually listen to the answer. That’s not friendship.”

“That is a harsh assessment, Dr Langdon” Al-Hashimi’s calm voice intervenes, and Robby recognizes the underlying severity. The judgement he has put there, that first day. That sick feeling in the pitt of his stomach starts growing.

But it seems like Frank doesn’t mind it anymore. Like, by finally letting go of his love and hopes for this place and its people, he has found freedom and peace. His answer is immediate, and somewhat challenging. A touch of the old Frank. The one who would not have let Robby get away with his bullshit. 

“Doesn’t make it any less true.”

He doesn’t expand. Doesn’t point out Dana, who prides herself in being their mom but will only put in the work to show it when it suits her. Doesn’t point out Javadi who is all sweet but still very judgemental herself. Who behaves with Mel like the R3 is an alien. 

Or Whitaker who can’t look at a black man and treat him the way he treats his other charges. Santos who acts like half of her patients are a chore and she has better things to do than be there dealing with them. Who terrifies some of them to the point of requesting another physician because all she cares about is trying some big, impressive procedure rather than preserving their continued health.

Al-Hashimi herself, who has yet to act like a functional adult when he is in the room.

And in that moment, in that minute of clarity, Robby finally sees the full extent of his failures.

His staff, at odds with one another. The lack of communication. His favoritism, which has led not only to tensions and dog fights for the top spot but also to some residents getting preferential treatment even when they don’t have the necessary qualifications or training to back up what they are being asked to shoulder. His lies, that have allowed abuse to slither into the workplace. His disregard for his resident’s health.

It isn’t just about Langdon. Even if the man has had the dubious honor of going through the entire roster of his mistakes.

And it sure as hell isn’t just about himself.

Because making it all about himself is exactly what has brought them here in the first place.

Robby shouldn't be surprised that it is Frank who brings this revelation to him, however unwittingly he does it. 

After all, at the end of the day, Frank has always been the only one willing to confront him.

Xxxx

The arrival of two women, one Caucasian-looking and one Asian-looking, is not usually enough to attract the attention of his staff.

That is until the Asian-looking one breaks out into a flurry of Vietnamese at Langdon when the man tells them he can't be the one taking care of them and his resident answers in kind.

Suddenly every head turns in his direction in time to see him throw his hands in the air in the most unprofessional way to treat a patient and just… continue on like he is unaware of the attention they are garnering.

“Oh. My. God! Stop being dramatic! I am not abandoning you to the throes of western medicine and male culture just because I can't be on your case! Mama!” He turns towards the white woman, the one who is on their board as Andy Bô Ram and who looks way too amused at their antics for a patient, pleading with her. “Tell her! She is behaving worse than Uncle Yusuf!’

“Excuse me?! Ooh if we could still curse you ances-”

“What ancestors? You? ‘cause the rest of them are already dead in case you'd forgotten. Now, please, follow…” he pauses, hailing their mousy R2 “Whitaker! Take Mrs Bô Ram, please” not even looking if the young man follows through before turning back towards them.  “... Dr Whitaker to room 3, I’ll be right here. Not as your doctor. I am not allowed.”

“What even is the point of you being a doctor then.” She turns towards her partner. “We should have gone to Nicky.”

Frank gives her a mightily unimpressed look, arm crossing over his chest, shifting his weight onto one hip, completely blind to the shocked looks sent his way.

“Oh yes. Because Uncle Nicky would have interrupted his honeymoon in Malaysia to deal with Mama developing diabetes.”

“So you know what's wrong with her!”

“It doesn’t take a genius!” Then, turning to the white woman. “How often did I tell you to ease on the sweets?”

Mrs Bô Ram pouts like a fifty something woman has no business pouting and damn Robby wishes he could follow their conversation!

A small ‘ping’ resonates in the hushed ED and Park the Shark comes out of the elevator, directly heading for Frank. The two women break into a smile at his arrival and greet him warmly, never switching language. 

More than one jaw hits the floor when the Shark does the same, only stumbling a little over his words. He gathers Frank into his arms and Robby feels a familiar guilt bite into his belly at seeing the R4 sag a little against his partner. He should have been more vigilant! They are already on hour 8 of their shift and Frank has had to handle several traumas back to back. His crutch should already have come out, but truth to be told, the attending isn’t certain he even had the time for a bathroom break. 

Add that to the ever stressful situation of having family members come to the ER and he should really have stepped in to make sure Frank could have some time for himself.

Maybe that is what prompts him to come to the four of them, presenting himself and assuring Frank he would handle it, all the while giving a discreet nod to Whitaker so the young man can switch onto another case. Frank’s eyelashes flutter in quiet surprise and a tired kind of hurt bloom in Robby’s chest. 

He’s done this to himself, he knows. Made Frank afraid of his words. But regret is a bitter pill to swallow, and regaining his student’s trust is a long path to walk. 

He doesn’t miss the three sets of eyes observing him with a sharp kind of attention, which has him taking refuge behind his professional mask, directing the two women into a room as Frank makes the introduction. He nearly trips over his own feet when the R4 refer to them both as his mothers, the sound of someone slamming into a gurney, a yelp of pain and muffled swears tells him he is not the only one to find the revelation mindblowing.

Mischief dances in the family members’ eyes.

He settles Mrs “Just call me Andy” Bô Ram in Central 3, pulling a stool out for Frank to sit down. The gesture doesn’t go unnoticed by anyone, but especially not by Park, who leaves the room with a mutter to his husband about going to get his crutch.

His initial consultation doesn’t take long. Andy gives clear-cut answers to all his questions and easily agrees to any blood test they might want to do. Donnie comes in to take the samples they need and Robby puts in a word to speed-run the basics they are looking for. By the time they are done, Park is back in the room, running a soothing thumb on the inside of Frank’s wrist.

Then Robby is out, exiting the room after having given 10 more minutes to his resident.

The next time he sees Frank is when he catches the young man after having received his mother’s results. The two of them make their way towards Central 3 together, joined by Park so seamlessly that Robby jumps a little at his apparition on his right.

And honestly, Robby should have seen the trap coming. He has been getting off easy since that one time just before his sabbatical, where Park tore him one hell of a new one. He should have expected a shoe to drop.

“Robby huh?” Just Andy snarks, iron coloring the tone of her voice. The chief attending swallows on a dry throat, feeling very much like a prey recognizing a predator. Her wife squeezes her shoulder in a gesture of unity. “I think we’ve heard about you. You're the reason our son still has to use a wheelchair at home, aren’t you?”

“Mama!” Robby doesn’t think he has ever heard such a fond aggravation in Frank’s voice. But what else is new? He has clearly been missing a lot of his resident’s life. 

His other mother addresses him sweetly, still in Vietnamese, and all Robby can do is hope she is not telling him they want him dead. Even though he does not actually believe Frank would let them do it. Not here at least, not on hospital grounds.

Park, on the other hand, might just indulge them.

They banter for a minute or two, the Shark dropping a word here and there despite having a harder time following the conversation, distinctly less fluent with the language than his partner but still able to follow well enough.

“Alright, alright. I am leaving you into Dr Robby’s capable hands. I’ll be back with your drink. Don’t eat him!”

Robby startles. No one said anything about Frank exiting the room! But he doesn’t even have the time to throw a look at his resident that the man is already out, his husband following him.

Then, it is only him and the two Mrs Bô Ram. He gulps, fidgeting with his pad before launching into an explanation of the results they’ve received and what that means for Mrs Bô R-Andy. For Andy. Their conversation doesn’t last more than 15 minutes, the two women asking sharp and practical questions and Robby laying out their options and what the future could look like for them. They don’t seem to be very worried if he is being honest, but neither do they look like they are not taking this seriously.

An awkward silence settles once he is done talking and he notices Andy is looking out of the room’s window. At Frank, who is hovering anxiously not too far from the room. At Park who is rubbing one big hand supportively on his lower back.

“He is the softest thing we've ever made.” Her eyes are tracking him through the window, never completely leaving him out of her sight and it takes Robby a moment before he realizes that her wife is doing the same. More discreetly, for certain, but also with a razor sharp focus on everything and everyone. A deadly kind of observation. 

A shudder runs along his spine. 

These are the women who raised Frank. And Robby doesn't think he has ever seen anything more terrifying.

Just as he is thinking that, Andy’s eyes come back to settle in him.

“He is the one soft thing we did not break. I hope you are handling him with care.”

There is nothing resembling hope in the way she says it, and nothing resembling warmth in her wife's smile. Robby is once again struck by the feeling of being stuck between a venomous snake and a lioness.

That is not hope. That is an order.

How grateful he is to Frank, for having kept his personal life so separated from his work life all these years! He’ll have to thank him for it, really thank him, not just a word thrown in between two patients. And apologize. He doesn’t think he could survive too many encounters with his mothers.

Mrs and Mrs Bô Ram leave the ED with a prescription, a nutrition plan, a diabetology consultation and the intense curiosity of the entire Department stalking their steps.

Xxxx

If there is one thing Robby knows, down to his core, with an absolute certainty, it's that Frank is not a violent man (his one and only frightened punch doesn't count. This was a reflex born out of immediate fear. Not violence).

Oh sure, his words can deal some nasty damage, and he is as prone to fits of temper as the next physician. But what he isn't is physically violent.

In the four, going on five, years he has known the man he has never, not once, seen him react to a situation with full on aggression. Even with Santos on her first day, and Robby himself when he, on the other hand, acted like he was going to hurt his resident! 

Even then, responding with physical violence had never been something to cross his mind.

The same way the R4 still favored conservative treatment over physically traumatic procedures, he favors talk over actions. 

Robby has seen him diffuse more tense situations than he can count. It was certainly something he had missed during his ten months absence. Even if he still cannot swallow the truth of it. The idea that he needed Frank. That even on drugs he had done more for this Department than Robby is willing to admit.

He still can't look at their numbers, at how often Ahmad and his team have had to intervene during Frank's leave without wanting to throw himself out of the window. How dare Frank be that good and still a fucking addict?!

Jack would tell him to get himself to therapy if he heard his thoughts.

But yeah. The one thing Robby is certain of is that, at his core, Frank Langdon is not a violent man. 

Which has to be why he finds himself so atrociously surprised when a patient hurts Park and tries to take Mel hostage and the kindest, the least aggressive man he has ever known goes full on Bruce Lee on him!

He doesn't have the time to process what is happening.

One moment they are assessing a man brought to them for a potential pelvic fracture, the Shark already there because he was on his way to pick his husband up (and none too pleased at having to stop for one last consultation, let it be known!). The next a scalpel is ripped out of someone's hand and deep red splatters all over the place in a great arc! 

A pained hiss comes from behind clenched teeth and screams erupt around them as the man throws himself off the gurney and jumps towards their R3! 

Robby sees it in shorts, cut-offs, koda moments.

Mel backpedalling, tripping over her own feet as she tries to get away.

Whitaker's pale face now stained with someone else's blood.

Park surging forward, his arm drenched in red, his hand only just missing the patient.

Ahmad. Already rushing around the corner.

And a blur in black that abruptly slams into their aggressor’s chest, shoulder and flank first, with the violence of a battering ram! Not stopping once the impact has thrown the man off-balance but using the momentum to land a kick on his knee then snake one hand under his chin, open palm cradling the entirety of the man's jaw until he has him bending backward, finishing his move by sending him to the ground with a second kick that comes to swoop his leg off the floor!

The crash takes all the breath out of the man!

For one second Robby believes it has taken his too!

A shocked silence settles over the ER as they all absorb what just happened.

It's only then, that Robby realizes who just intervened. That he takes in the figure kneeling by their patient's side, one hand still firmly planted on his jaw, breathing hard, and recognizes Frank.

Frank! 

“Frank!”

He startles! Did he think it? Or did he say it?

From the corner of his eyes he sees Park hurtle towards his husband and… oh!... He is the one who screamed his R4’s name.

Then Ahmad is there too, throwing the resident an impressed look as he cuffs the man on the ground and hauls him away to another room where he will be kept under heavy watch until Robby deals with him. 

Because there is no way the chief attending is going to let anyone else within 500 meters from him after what just happened!

As it is, every eyes are fixated on the resident still kneeling in the middle of the ED. 

“Frank!” Park skids to a halt in front of his partner, taking his head into both hands, indifferent to the blood now running freely down his forearm or the spectacle they are making. “Are you alright? How’s your back? Gods, what took you?!”

But the resident is not listening. His gaze is trained onto the bloody appendage. “You’re hurt! Wha… Robby!” His call is a reflex that tears at the chief attending’s heart. Because even now, even after all his mistakes, all the times he wasn’t here for Frank, the younger man is still looking for him to make things better. He is off onto another worry before Robby has reached them. “ Mel! You’re okay?”

The young woman is standing a few feet away from him, transfixed. Her mouth opens and closes without a sound.

Then it’s Santos who adds her voice to the mess. “Holy shit! Where did you learn to do that?!” And Javadi is asking Whitaker if he is ok, Whitaker answering her that this is not his blood, which brings Frank’s attention back to his husband and Robby is right there! Getting down by his side to look the Shark over, and everyone is talking at the same time and the attending just catch Park mouthing “whistle” to the R4 before clamping both hands on his ears as Frank produces the high-pitched, terribly loud sound he has learnt he is able to make not so long ago.

Mel jumps a foot in the air and the rest of their pittlings all cover their ears.

“Thank you Frank” he comments dryly in the silence that follows, not seeing the resident jumps slightly at Robby addressing him with his given name. “Now, Mel are you alright?”

The R3 finally gives them a yes, assuring them she is good enough to go on and Robby loses no time. 

“Perfect. Then you won’t mind helping me take a look at Dr Park’s injury? Santos, check Whitaker. We’ll need to do an ABE* kit and forward it to Admin. Congratulations, you all just won yourself a free consultation with Dr Jefferson by the way. Mandatory so you can ask for a worker comp. So there’s no need to complain. Now shoo. Everyone to their task. Javadi, you can help Santos or go back to Triage to join Dr McKay if you feel well enough.”

By the time he is done giving his instructions, Mel has already taken the Shark into the now deserted consultation room, Frank following behind them. Robby brings up the rear, closing the door on his way, his mind going a mile a minute, not knowing where to stop. On Frank’s hidden martial abilities? On the half-dozen reports of assault on his staff he is going to have to write? On the worker compensation requests he will have to fight with HR so his people can be afforded the bare minimum after the trauma they’ve just been through?

On that bright glint in Santos’ eyes, right at the very end, as she looked at the R4, telling Robby he might just regret that the woman finally seemed to have found something she wants Frank to teach her?

On whether or not this has just aggravated his best resident’s back injury once more?

He takes in the situation before him, forcibly shoving all his questions down so he can focus on the task at hand. Only to find that Mel has everything under control, directing and taking care of both spouses with an ease that tells Robby just how much they trust the woman.

He stays for the duration of the exam, needing the reassurance himself. A tight knot of tension being released when Frank says his back feels as alright as it can be and their exams seem to corroborate his statement. Breathing a little easier as Park’s injury proves to be a simple flesh wound, and not something more dramatic.

All in all, they got very lucky. 

Xxxx

When Dana answers the ED’s phone, the last thing she expects is a police officer apologising for troubling them and asking her if they can talk to a Dr Langdon?

She eyes the phone like it has suddenly taken life and started writhing in her hand like an overgrown worm, then puts the man on hold while she searches for Frank. She finds him with Robby and Al-Hashimi, the two attending debating the best course of action for their patient like a divorced couple debating alimonies, none of them realizing their R4 has checked out minutes ago and is doing his thing on his own. 

She can’t help but snorts, at this rate Frank will have discharged the patient before they’re done snipping at each other.

It is with a little bit of regret that she makes herself known. She would have loved to see just how far the resident could take this. Instead, she approaches him, all half-smile and raised eyebrows. “Done anything to get the cops involved recently kid?”

Al-Hashimi and Robby both turn their heads towards them so fast her own neck hurts in sympathetic pain. Unaware of their lasered focus on him, Frank finishes reviewing the bloodwork he had requested, a thoughtful expression on his face as he truly searches his memory to answer her.

“Not that I know of, no. Unless you count B and I’s view on cops as fineable contempt. We do dabble in a little bit of outrage of officers at home. Kinda have to, you know? Goes with the territory. Be gay, do crime and all that.”

Robby and Al-Hashimi both snort at the thought, then proceed to scowl at one another like they’ve patented the concept and the other has just crossed a line! Dear God! These two are as hilarious as they are aggravating!

“Yeah, well I’ve got an officer on the line who wants to speak to you.”

That draws his attention away from the computer. “Me?” His confused frown and tilt of the head makes him look like a lost puppy. He falls into step with her. “Well, I guess I better take it then. Did they tell you why they were calling?”

“I wish! They didn’t even tell me why they were calling us, and not on your personal phone!”

From the corner of her eyes she spies the two attendings following them and she shakes her head. Nosy things, the two of them! And while they're doing this, no one is handling the patient they were working on!

Just as she thinks that, Frank catches Mel coming from Central to ask her if she could take the case over for him while he deals with this phone call. The young woman agrees without a hesitation, offering her support and a listening ear if he needs to talk about it later, to which her fellow History nerd grins easily.

It is only when she is gone that Dana notices her hair tie is made of the same fabric as the handbag Frank offered her for her last birthday. She can’t help but soften a bit at the sight. Damn but these two are adorable!

Then she is glaring at the two attendings. At least one person has their priorities straight here!

The resident takes the phone from her the moment she hands it to him, curiosity winning over worry for the moment. “Dr Langdon speaking?” 

Dana isn’t one to keep her head in the sand. She is well aware that every available pair of ears around the ED are trying to eavesdrop in that moment. And so is Frank if the mocking raise of his eyebrow and the mischievous glint in his eyes is anything to go by.

He twirls a pen around his fingers as the discussion goes on.

“Yes, it is me. Oh! Ah, sorry about that. I am afraid my phone died down. And my husband is more than likely operating at this time of the day. You would be hard-pressed to reach him.”

Curiosity peaks at the mention of Park.

“Yes, that would be my step-father. Why?”

Frank’s eyebrows suddenly draw nearer and he shakes his head, making the head nurse turn around to see who he is staring at. On the other side of the ED, Princess has her hand on another receiver, sheepishly bringing it down now that she has been caught trying to eavesdrop.

“Yes, sure. Go on.”

“I’m sorry, he did what?!” The incredulousness in his voice is unmistakable now. Not only that but he sounds on the verge of bursting out in peels of laughter, one fist coming to rest in front of his mouth to stop himself from giggling into the receiver.

“Yes. I’m sorry about the trouble officer. I will inform my husband. One of us will come to get him as soon as we’re available. Thank you for reaching out to us.”

He hands the phone back to Dana, looking slightly shell-shocked, and waits for her to hang up before bursting into the most raucous burst of laughter she has seen coming from him in forever! Tears of mirth form at the corners of his eyes. He hiccups in between bouts of hooting, unable to catch his breath.

Which, of course, is the exact moment his husband chooses to make an appearance. Park comes out of the elevator in a hurry and instantly zeroes in on his partner. “Frank, you wouldn’t happen to have received a call from the police department, my fath-”

The ED resident’s renewed laughter at the mention of the police cuts him short and he looks around for an explanation, finding only bewildered gazes and incomprehension from the people around.

“You-you-your fa-father..” Frank is struggling to speak, his breath catching on syllables, his diaphragm contracting painfully. His hilarity is enough for Park not to fret but he would still like to be told what this is all about, thank you!

Frank takes a deep breath, chest still contracting unevenly. Then another, and another. Tears of glee glistening at the corner of his eyes. When he has calmed down enough, he picks up where he left off.

“Your father and h-his cousin got themselves arrested. F-f-for trying t-to st-teal trees!”

The Shark blinks. And blinks, and blinks and blinks while his husband dissolves into a new bout of hilarity. Amusement starts gaining everyone around them at the idea.

Still half-sprawled on the counter, Frank is trying to explain the craziness of the discussion he’s just had with the officer in charge of his step-father’s offense. “... and he-here they are, driving around and wh-what do they see? Mr Park se-s-senior, drunk as a skunk, tr-tr-trying to dig a fi-ficus out of the ground!” More laughter ensues.

The Shark looks like a cross between mortified and amusingly fond of his old man.

Not for the first time, Dana wonders what their family life must look like. Their closest relatives certainly all seem to be some flavor of flamboyant.

Xxxx 

The next PTMC event takes place at the same time the Penguins are disputing their championship title and it surprises absolutely no one that the Langdon-Park are nowhere to be seen.

Not only do they abhor these kinds of things (and always find themselves having to face extremely disrespectful and invasive questions) but they are also both Penguins fans.

The entire ED knows how much Frank Langdon loves the Penguins. They've all been subjected to hockey stats more often than they can count. To the point that sending the newbies with the R4 on a big tournament day had become some sort of endurance test to see if an employee could handle rambling patients.

Frank has the cap, and the thermos and the hoodie, and his mothers still take him to matches every now and then when they want some alone time with their little boy.

They've also learnt, a bit more recently, from a grandma who had come in for a broken hip and happened to have been the Bô Ram’s neighbor, that Frank has been a fan of the Penguins since he was wee-hight and his… uncles? Cousins? She had not been very clear about it… Anyway! Since they had first taken him to a match behind his mothers’ back! 

Robby had shivered at the idea. He could not imagine a worse idea than crossing these two women.

So yes. Expecting Frank to come to a social event he despises on a down time when there is a Penguins match happening was really not knowing the man!

As for Park… They might have thought he was mostly indulging his dorky husband with all his dorky knowledge when he would listen to him sprout hockey facts with a besotted smile on his face but they had quickly been proven wrong.

The Shark was just as invested in their city team as his husband!

Just as quick to take a day off and travel to watch a final in person. Just as prompt to fits of indignation at a perceived wrong decision of the referee. Just as elated at a well-placed move or a particularly good game.

His passion for the sport is no secret amongst his fellow surgeons and Ortho’s residents, in particular, know better than to bother him in the middle of a game for anything less than a life-threatening need when he has been put on-call during the last quarter of the season. 

Something they mostly try to avoid as a rule of thumb.

The only persons not in the know have to be HR because these idiots have been asking around about Dr Park and “Robby's ex-star pupil” for the past 15 minutes, making the ED chief cringe in shame and embarrassment every time he has to be reminded of the status his own behavior has stamped onto Frank's back.

One had even called him his “failed attempt” to his fucking face, smiling smarmily at Whitaker at the same time and Robby had seen red. They are now one HR idiot less as the man had to make a quick exit to hide the wine staining his face and clothes and Robby’s record is steadily descending into the abyss of hell. He has half a mind to take a second sabbatical just to avoid the mess that will befall him Monday morning.

At least Jack will be by his side for their next dressing down as the man had decked the asshole on his way out.

(Maybe he should offer some tickets for the next match to Frank? That would be an acceptable olive branch, wouldn't it?)

Not even an hour into the event they lose Mel, which prompts a panicked search as members of the ED tend to stick together and Ortho has been giving them the stink eye for months now. Robby does not wonder why.

Then they cross paths with Javadi, who just escaped her parents and tells them McKay found the R3. She had simply been on her phone, sitting outside the whole time!

They all share a collective sigh of relief, coming to the woman's side to find her watching the game! Apparently, Frank had promised to entertain her through the stuffy event and kept his word by setting a small tripod between his and Park’s seat to livestream directly into a private channel he shares with Mel!

Too many of them end up glued onto the small screen rather than going back inside. Relishing in the cooler air of the evening and more invested in a game of hockey than they have ever been! Certainly more invested in it than the stuffy event they're supposed to be at.

Robby's heart does a somersault when he recognizes the Bô Ram’s faces briskly appearing in the frame and quickly disappearing as the Langdon-Park kids shoot in front of the phone, squabbling loudly over the device and for a few minutes they only see blurry movements and hear Frank's laughing voice over the chaos of the supporters as he wrangles his children into some form of behaving.

They hear Mel grumbles for the first, as her focus refuses to shift even for a few seconds and she bemoans the loss of the game. 

Somewhere behind Robby, someone sniggers. 

Then it is back with the program and that's exactly how they finish the evening. Bent over a small phone, following a Penguins’ match in full gala outfit, drinking beers that Jack somehow spirited away from the fridges and screaming at bad passes or fouls.