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Before being accepted into the military, Jack had to pass a mandatory, psychological evaluation. It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, just a few questions to determine if he was fit enough to carry a loaded weapon and not crush under the immense pressure soldiers had to face every day.
The questions themselves weren’t difficult to answer, but a particular one stuck with him for quite some time. “What is your best quality?”
Jack came up with a few quite quickly. He was fit, brave, fierce, determined, but the answer that left the 20 year old’s mouth was different. “I’m helpful.” And 24 years later, the description was still accurate.
Jack was lingering in the ambulance bay, checking the app for the camera, he had set just two weeks prior. Rocky was lying on the couch, his favourite spot since his adoption almost a month ago. The corners of his mouth twitched as the dog started to kick his back legs, deep in his sleep.
He would join him soon, Robby should be here any minute. At least that was his plan before Shen stormed out of the hospital cursing out his phone. The moving company had canceled at the absolute last minute, leaving him scrambling to find a replacement truck.
Without hesitation, Jack offered up his Jeep Wrangler. It was spacious enough, not a moving truck, but it was something. The flaw in his plan, however, was a massive underestimation of just how many boxes Shen had packed for his new “attending apartment”. It took the better part of the day, and countless cramped trips, to move the cargo to the opposite side of Pittsburgh.
So Jack entered his house at 6:47 p.m. absolutely drained. His leg was hurting, stomach growling and the corner of his vision was a little bit blurred. The quiet hum of the microwave heating up the leftovers from the previous day, almost made him fall asleep standing.
Jack felt the thick, soft fur of a german shepherd pressed against the back of his calf, keeping him steady on his feet. Rocky looked at him with a sense of understanding, offering a bit of support. The dog kept proving to him that Jack isn’t the only savior here.
Lasagna was tasteless, he didn’t even bother to clean up. After scratching Rocky’s head one more time, Jack made his way towards the shower. His curls were still wet when his head hit the pillow.
It felt like somebody flicked a switch. Despite his earlier inability to even stand straight, Jack couldn’t force himself to relax his body enough to sleep. He tossed and turned, covering himself with a blanket when a cold shiver spread through his body, then taking off his shirt when it felt like lying in the oven.
No matter how hard he tried, Jack’s eyes stayed open, his gaze drifting toward the clock on his bedside table every few minutes. 8:32, 9:05, 9:56, 10:29.
He didn’t know why sleep was suddenly out of reach. Pittsburgh outside was quiet, no honking, no barking dogs, no people arguing on the streets. He had been up and running for the past 27 hours. According to logic, he should be soundly sleeping.
But logic wasn’t something that Jack often took under consideration. Defeated, he turned on the police scanner, hoping that a quiet noise would help him unwind. His hand reached for his readers and a stack of papers lying on the bedside table.
The lamp attached to the headboard was glowing with a warm light. Jack couldn’t help himself but smile seeing the colorful comments left on the margins. It was a new case study that Samira Mohan kindly gave him during hand off two shifts ago. She gave him a small smile, a soft “Let me know what you think” left her mouth.
Jack had almost finished reading the whole thing, a few pages left. He scribbled in a black pen his own reflections, right next to her handwriting. He couldn’t wait to give it back to her, to be able to talk through the whole paper in these rare moments when they were working together.
A quiet vibration interrupted him. A little bit annoyed, Jack looked at the clock again, 11:1. He begged silently that the message wasn’t coming from the PTMC.
The brightness of the screen blinded him for a second, forcing him to squint to be able to read the notification. The phone kept buzzing with each new message.
Dr. Mohan [11:11]:
- hey doctorr Rabbit
- abbit
- fuck
- abbot
Jack watched in confusion as three dots kept appearing and disappearing on the bottom of the screen. A message this late on a Saturday evening from Samira Mohan wasn’t an unusual occasion. She had trouble with sleeping, which drove him crazy, because well, he wanted her to be well rested before her shift.
It was the wording that caught him off guard. They would message each other, quite frankly even. At first, the topics revolved around work, rare cases they worked on, interesting medical journals they found. Lately, it started to be more personal, Jack sent her pictures of Rocky, Samira complained about her landlord.
Yet, she never called him a… rabbit?
Dr. Mohan [11:13]:
- u up?
- you probably aree
- batman
- I know you arn’t on shift tyday
Heat spread across his cheeks reading the batman comment. Ellis and Shen would call him that sometimes, making fun how he found comfort in the darkness. He always brushed them off, but he never heard Samira use this description.
The fact that she knew he wasn’t on shift also was slightly surprising. Did he know her schedule? Yes, but that was a topic for another conversation.
More messages appeared on his screen, he wasn’t even able to type his response before the theme of the conversation changed.
Dr. Mohan [11:14]:
- I hope u not with SWAT today
- I ddon’t like it when u do that
What is going on? Jack asked himself. It felt like the beginning of an elaborate prank, something Ellis would come up with. Confuse an old man and win 10 dollars.
Mohan never said anything about his after work activities. She would sometimes joke that he would thrive more playing pickleball, but a clear statement like this never came out of her.
Plus he didn’t have any injuries since 4th of July, when she so kindly dressed his wound.
Deep inside he missed the way her fingers left a warm trail on his back.
The three dots indicating that she was still texting disappeared completely. Left without any explanation as to why Samira even texted him in the first place, Jack carefully wrote his own message.
You [11:17]:
- Hey Dr. Mohan.
- No, I’m not with SWAT today.
He took a deep breath before typing his next words, his thumb was hovering above the send button for a second longer.
You [11:18]:
- Is everything okay?
Silence. She didn’t answer. Not for the next 5, 10, 15 minutes. Jack stared at the phone in his hand like he could master a response from her just by the sheer force of his mind. The idea of sleeping was long forgotten, right now, Samira Mohan occupied his every thought.
Maybe she texted him by mistake, the message was intended for a different doctor Abbot. That worked nights. And spend his free time with SWAT.
Jack dragged his free hand across his face. Then, the phone buzzed again.
Dr. Mohan [11:36]:
- sorry
- had to get away fron him
His stomach dropped. Samira had to get away. Get away from who? Him, a man, some brainless man. Dangerous man? His response was a little chaotic.
You [11:36]:
- Are you okay?
- Safe?
- Do you need help?
Dr. Mohan [11:37]:
- no need to worry
- I’m a big girl
- oop, he’s back
You [11:37]:
- Mohan?
And just like that, he was left without any further explanation. Jack couldn’t stand laying in his bed anymore. Not only was he running a little bit too warm but he also felt trapped under the heavy blanket. Jack attached his leg and started to pace around his bedroom.
Never in four years that he had known Dr. Mohan, she managed to confuse him that much. She did surprise him on several occasions, mostly as a result of her incredible brain, quick thinking and effective treatment, but confused? It was the first time.
His phone was burning a hole in his hand. She stated that she didn’t need his help but there was clearly someone with her that made her feel uneasy. Was she in her apartment? By the way she was texting, Jack was almost certain that she had been drinking. Was she on a date?
He didn’t want to think about that possibility. What was he supposed to do? Should he call her? Just to check. He would never forgive himself if something happened to the future of medicine.
His phone started vibrating. But it wasn’t that familiar, single vibration, it was constant. Jack looked down. He didn’t hesitate before pressing the green button.
“Mohan? What’s going on?” - Jack closed his eyes, hearing himself. His voice was rough.
“Hello? Doctor Abbot? - it definitely wasn’t Samira’s voice, it made him even more worried. “It’s Santos, are you busy with anything right now?”
“Santos, where is Mohan?”
There was a brief moment of silence before she spoke again - “We’re at Donavan’s.”
Jesus.
“Listen, is there any possibility that you would come pick her up? She insists on taking an uber but we don’t want her to-”
“Don’t let her get into any car. I’ll be there in 10.” Jack couldn’t care less if his tone was a little bit too harsh.
He grabbed a first shirt that was in his field of view, didn’t even bother to change his pants, the sweatpants were clean enough. Rocky didn’t bother to lift his head when Jack rushed past the couch and snatched his car keys from the coffee table.
Jack didn’t break any laws driving towards the bar, well he did go slightly over the speed limit on several occasions, but he wasn’t reckless. The traffic was minimal, 7 minutes later he was already parked on the side of the street, making his way towards the building.
The bar was quite crowded, as could be expected on a weekend night. People were brushing shoulders and elbows, a song was blasting through the speakers, something about a girl looking for her husband? Jack wasn’t sure.
He scanned the room, searching for a sign of familiar black curls or amber skin. It should be easy, Jack had a special ability to find her the moment he entered the same space. She wasn’t sitting at the bar counter, not dancing on the dance floor, thank god for that, nor was she standing in the line to the bathroom.
“Doctor Abbot?” - a voice got his attention. He looked to his left, meeting the eyes of a sad-looking resident. What was his name again? Daniel? Dante? “We’re sitting this way” - he said, pointing at the table near the back wall.
Jack trotted towards the group, bumping into a considerate amount of people. It wasn’t his fault they were standing in his way. He felt like a man with a mission, and right now, there was absolutely nothing that would be able to stop him.
With every step closer, the loud music was being muffled by the sound of his own heartbeat. He was nervous. Did Santos tell her that he was coming? Is she going to be okay with the fact that he will be the one to drive her home? Is she going to be happy to see him?
The fear left his body the moment his eyes laid on her. There she is.
Samira was sitting on a sticky couch, looking utterly ethereal.
Jack could state with the utmost certainty that Samira Mohan was stunning no matter what kind of clothes framed her body. She looked glorious in her scrubs, lovely in her everyday outfits, sharp during medical conferences. He couldn’t take his eyes off her even when she was covered in blood.
But Jack was never fortunate enough to see her looking like this. Her hair was let down, curls framing her face, glitter on her cheek bones was sparking in the dim lights, red lipstick emphasized her full lips.
A white dress with small pink flowers almost caused Jack’s body to have a physical reaction. Yet, the thing that took his breath away, was an absolute joy that brightened up her whole face.
He could only watch with a slightly opened mouth as she was singing the lyrics to Santos who was sitting on the opposite side of the table.
“Your husband is coming!” - Santos screamed, pointing her finger at Samira. The whole table erupted with laughter. Jack, snapped from his trance, looked around. He recognized Mel and Langdon, sitting maybe a bit too close to each other, Shamsi’s daughter and, wait? Was that Mateo? There were also a few unfamiliar faces, a particular one made him clench his fists.
A man, maybe in his 30s, with a ridiculously sharp jawline and messy blonde hair, had his arm wrapped around the back of the couch. Just above Samira’s back. Was that the guy she was trying to get away from? Or a different shithead with too much confidence for his own good?
Jack cleared his throat, causing heads to turn his way. He felt seriously out of place with so many eyes looking at him. But he couldn’t blame them, a 44 year old veteran wearing sweatpants, a washed out Bruce Springsteen shirt and an old Caharat jacket standing in a bar full of dressed up fun enthusiasts. He wasn’t exactly a match.
But by the way Samira looked at him, made Jack forget about any insecurities. She smiled ear to ear and jumped up from her seat. In a few wobbly steps she threw herself in his arms. He stood there, frozen, not knowing where to put his hands. Despite everything, he didn’t want to cross the line. Even if it felt like it was long forgotten.
Before he could settle on his next step, she pulled back, hands gripping tightly his biceps. “What are you doing here?” - her yelling might have been a little too extensive but the corners of Jack’s lips twitched, she was so endearing.
Santos surpassed him with an answer, she grabbed Samira’s purse and put it in Jack’s safe hands. “He’s taking you home” - her voice was stern, leaving no room for discussion.
But Mohan’s face dropped. “What? No, come Jack, let’s have a drink!” She was pulling him towards the table, one hand already reaching for the glass, unaware that she just called him by his first name in front of all his colleagues.
Jack didn’t mind, he loved the way she said his name, even if it happened so rarely.
He opened his mouth, prepared to gently persuade her into going home. Except before he could get a word out, Prince Charming cut him off. “Yeah, clearly Samira isn’t finished yet.”
“More like you’re not finished with her” - a low voice snickered somewhere from the back of the group.
The Boy Wonder didn’t deny it, but the smug smirk that spread across his perfect white teeth confirmed he had heard it. God, Jack wanted to knock those teeth down the man’s throat. Unaware of the blood boiling just beneath Jack’s skin, the man pressed on - “Come on Samira. Send grandpa home and finish your drink.”
The temperature at the table dropped. Mateo and Langdon stood up but Jack didn’t move. He lowered his head without saying a single word, eyes set on the man. The shithead shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Jack had no intent to make a scene, he had only one purpose here.
However Samira didn’t feel the same way. She turned towards him in one rapid move. Jack had to grab her elbow to keep her steady. “You think you’re funny Jason?” Her eyes were fierce, speech slightly blurred. She didn’t wait for an answer, her hand grabbed the closest glass and in one swift motion, she splashed Jason with the liquid.
Santos laughed in shock, Mateo high-fived Langdon with wide eyes, and Jack, Jack could only watch. Seeing her get this fiercely defensive of him sent a dark, twisted rush of satisfaction through his chest.
His hand moved slowly. He wrapped his fingers around her wrist and pulled her closer. “Let’s go” - he said softly. She didn’t argue this time. Shooting one last angry look at Jason, she headed towards the exit.
Jack trailed after her into the cooler night, his mind scrambling for the right words. Samira stopped on the sidewalk, he started to lift his arm to show her the way, when a train of words left her mouth.
“He was such a dick! I knew there was something wrong with him the moment he was rude to the bartender,” - her voice was chaotic, fast, clearly influenced by the alcohol in her blood stream, she was gesturing rapidly with her hands - “And you know what? He just wouldn’t leave us alone, he was hovering like-, like-, like a fly around a shit!”
He tried really hard not to smile. There was something so carefree in drunk Samira, saying whatever came to her mind. Jack was nodding seriously to her rumbling, at the same time he took off his jacket, trying to figure out a way to put it on her.
Samira didn’t notice at first how he grabbed her right arm first to pull the sleeve, then her left, she was still in her own world. Jack put his hand on her lower back, gently pushing her towards his car.
Halfway there she finally noticed an additional piece of clothing, she stopped talking for a moment, trying to remember how it got there, after looking at Jack for a solid 30 seconds, Samira attempted to take the jacket off, arguing that he would catch a cold.
But Jack simply laughed, his own health was the least of his concerns.
He helped her get into the car, her hand felt so soft in comparison to his own. The moment he started the car, Samira had her eyes closed, head pressed to the cold window. Jack shook his head with a smile before leaning across to put her seatbelt on. A faint smell of vanilla hit his nostrils. Get your shit together Jack.
Jack knew the directions to her house. He drove her there once after a particularly hard shift and the address just stuck in his mind. He was halfway there, waiting at the red light when she shifted in her seat.
With her eyes still closed, she asked - “Where are we?”
Jack was taken by her soft tone. “Just ten more minutes and you’ll be home” - he murmured quietly. He absolutely could make it in 6, but Jack was a selfish man when it came to Samira. He wasn’t hurting anybody by driving below the speed limit just to be in her presence a little bit longer.
“I can’t go home.”
Jack looked at her, surprised. “Why not?”
“I left my keys at Trinity’s apartment.” She hugged his jacket closer, no care in the world. But Jack was left with a dilemma. What was he supposed to do now? He definitely wasn’t about to drop her at the curb, left drunk to fend for herself. Going back to the bar to get Santos was also out of reach. He wasn’t even sure they were still there.
Jack turned at the nearest parking. After stopping the car he looked at Samira again. She looked so peaceful. “Hey, wake up” - he whispered, gently shaking her shoulder. She blinked, her eyes hadn’t quite focused yet.
“Listen, I have a spare bedroom, I can take you there” - he stopped and swallowed hard before speaking again - “but I need your agreement.”
Samira stayed silent, squinting to look at him. She closed her eyes again “Yeah, it’s okay.”
Jack nodded, even if she couldn’t see him anymore. The drive back to his house was peaceful, quiet. Somewhere along the way, “I’m on fire” started playing, Jack felt like he had to turn the radio off.
He parked on the drive way, Samira was still soundly asleep. He made his way towards the passenger seat and opened the door. He didn’t want to wake her but leaving her in the car also wasn’t an option. He hunched over to unbuckle her, hoping that the movement would bring her back to the world of the living.
And it did, but then she did something that made him freeze. Her arms wrapped around his neck, she pulled him closer. Jack stayed in this position, not sure what his next move should be.
Did she want him to carry her? Did she simply want a hug? She buried her nose in the side of his neck. Fuck it.
Jack wrapped his arm around her back and pulled her out of the vehicle. He expected her to wrap around him but the moment Jack straightened up, Samira loosened her grip and slowly lowered herself towards the ground.
Jack mourned the feeling of her heat on his body. After making sure she was able to stand straight, he led her to the front door.
He couldn’t explain why he felt so nervous twisting the key.
After moving here from the suburbs 9 years ago, it took him some time to make this house a home. It was hard, living without Kathy, he spent the first 6 months sleeping on the floor with nothing more than a blanket.
But then, slowly, with the help from his friends, more furniture started to appear, the kitchen filled with new pots and bowls, picture frames hung on the walls. Jack was proud of the work he had done.
Still, his heart was beating rapidly when Samira walked through the door. He watched as she studied the hallway, her walk still a little wobbly, even without the heels.
It was clear that she was looking for something, then she found it. Samira dropped to the floor when Rocky walked to the hallway, he was wagging his tail happily. Jack wasn’t sure if the dog ever looked this happy at sight of his owner.
The pair met before, Jack was taking him for a walk when they stumbled upon Samira on the stairs to the market. She won him over very quickly. Jack had to win him over with treats so that he would get away from her. The dog looked sad when Samira waved them goodbye.
“Hey handsome” - she giggled, scratching Rocky behind his ear. Jack smiled seeing their interaction.
“I’ll get you some water while you two are catching up.”
She didn’t even acknowledge him, still focused on the dog. Jack simply shook his head with a smile.
He quickly walked towards the kitchen.
The red numbers on the oven clock shone in the darkness of the room. 1:19, Jack had to be at work in 17 hours. He could make it work. He just had to show Samira the guest bedroom, pop some pills to help him fall asleep and he would be like new in the morning. Easy. Piece of cake.
Jack walked back to the hallway with a glass filled to the brim with water, he also grabbed a box of ibuprofen in case of any hangover headaches. The only trace that Samira had ever been there was the pair of heels placed in between his own shoes. He scanned the room in confusion. Where did she go?
His first instinct was to check the bathroom but the lights were turned off. She definitely didn’t go upstairs, the first two steps always squeaked, even under the weight of his 5 year old niece and he hadn’t heard anything.
In the corner of his eyes, Jack saw Rocky’s tail dangling from the side of the couch. He walked towards the room as quietly as possible.
Samira was sitting on the floor, in a rather uncomfortable position. Her knees were tucked, her side was leaning against the bottom of the couch and her head was buried in Rocky’s fur. The dog looked too happy as her personal pillow. Can’t blame you buddy.
Jack put the glass on the coffee table and just stared at her. Not a creepy stare but, well, he didn’t know what to do. She looked so peaceful, he didn’t want to disturb her. At the same time he was very much aware that sleeping in that position will definitely leave a strain on her back and neck.
He tried to remember every teenage movie that his nieces made him watch. All those cheesy comedies with impossible plots, Jack felt like one of the main characters now. Unfortunately none of them prepared him what to do when a beautiful woman, that was your very platonic friend, fell asleep on your dog.
Jack looked at Rocky, hoping that he would miraculously give him an answer but the dog just huffed and closed his eyes. Jack carefully thought through every possibility. He could carry her to the guest room upstairs, but what if she freaks out, somehow wiggles out of his grip and falls down the flight of stairs? Maybe he should kick Rocky off the couch and just lift her up into a more snug position? God dammit that dress, despite looking astonishing on her, it seemed like the least comfortable piece of clothing to sleep in. Or, he could simply wake her up.
Okay Jack, you’ve got this.
In the most quiet way possible, Jack headed to his bedroom. He didn’t think much before grabbing a shirt and old basketball shorts from his closet. Something that could work as makeshift pyjamas. On his way down, Jack deliberately stepped on the last two steps of the stairs, hoping that it would wake her up and spare him the guilt of waking her up.
But Samira hadn’t moved an inch. Jack lowered himself to her level and gently shook her shoulder. “Samira? Samira, wake up.”
She murmured something under her breath and pressed her cheek even further into Rocky’s side. Jack smiled, she was making all of this really difficult.
After two more attempts, she finally opened her eyes. Jack looked into the deep brown and for a moment forgot what he was supposed to do.
He cleared his throat. “Hey, I’ve got some clothes for you to change” - Jack said softly and pointed at the door on the hallway - “the bathroom is right there. If you want to take a shower, the towels are in the cabinet.”
Finally gaining some conscience, Samira took neatly folded clothes from his hand. She stood up, now looking down at Jack. “Thank you.”
Jack just nodded. “I’ll show you the guest room after you come back” - his voice was barely a whisper. Samira gave him a small smile in response and walked towards the bathroom.
He plopped down on the couch after hearing the water running. Jack pressed the back of his palms to his eyes. What was he doing? It felt like the world he carefully created in his head was slowly falling apart.
Jack tried really hard to keep his feelings hidden but Jesus, sometimes it was just so hard. How could he stay silent when she was absolutely rocking in the ER, having the highest patient satisfaction score ever recorded at PTMC, successfully performing complicated procedures. The compliments were leaving his mouth before he could even think about it.
Incredible work doctor Mohan. You caught that really fast. You got this, it’s easy work for you.
After today, a dangerous thought settled in his mind. Jack didn’t even know when his eyes closed, all he could think about was how fiercely she defended him at the bar.
—
The first thing he noticed after the initial haze of waking up passed, was the excruciating pain in his neck. The familiar weight of Rocky’s head on his thigh helped him calm down. Without opening his eyes, Jack reached down to stroke the fur of furry friend.
Rocky’s new diet must have been working really well, his fur felt so incredibly soft. Maybe a little too long, was it the time to take him to the groomer?
And then, he felt a wet lick on his other hand. Jack’s eyes bolted open, head snapped so fast, the pain in his neck amplified.
He watched in horror as his fingers wrapped around Samira’s silky curls. She was laying on her side, arms wrapped around her. His shirt looked like a dress on her, sleeves were too wide, almost reaching her elbows, the collar shifted into a position where her collarbones were visible.
Her head was resting on his thigh, like a makeshift pillow and her hair, still let loose, stuck out in every direction. Rocky was sitting on the floor to his right, tongue sticking out. Why do you look so happy - Jack accused the dog in his head.
He tried really hard to untangle his fingers from her hair. She was still asleep, she wouldn’t know how absolutely disgusting he was behaving. Jack felt like a predator.
Just when he thought that his attempt turned out to be successful, a quiet murmur coming from her stopped him in his tracks.
“Mmm, don’t stop”. If Jack wasn’t so painfully aware of everything that included her, he might as well have missed it.
His movement stopped but Samira’s did not. Her own hand moved from the place on her stomach to his knee. At first, it was just a brush, light as a feather but the moment her grip tightened, Jack felt like everything around them froze.
But the bubble bursted as fast as it even came into reality. Samira straightened in a second, her eyes were wide, she looked like a deer caught in headlights, a panicked expression on her face, her mouth opening and closing.
Jack, feeling guilty again, had his arms up in the air, hoping to show her that he didn’t mean to scare her.
Words left their mouths at the exact same moment.
“I’m sorry!”
“I’m so sorry!”
Then again.
“Why are you sorry?”
“You have nothing to be sorry for!”
Jack blinked, his own panic was blunted by the confusion. Why was she apologizing?
Then a train of words left her mouth - “I am so, so sorry! I- I- I didn’t mean to-, jesus, I-. You just looked so peaceful, I didn’t want to wake you, and I didn’t know where the spare bedroom was, and I didn’t want to snoop, I don’t even know how my head ended up on you, I” - she was scrambling, her hands moving so fast.
Samira clutched the fabric of the shorts, trying to calm down. Words were spilling out of her mouth at an unreal speed. “I ruined everything, didn’t I? Jesus, I was completely out of my mind!”
“What? Samira, breath. What are you talking about? You did nothing wrong!” Jack was unable to process the direction she was pulling them in.
“But I did! I- I- I took advantage of you, I just forced myself into your own space. You had to pick me up from some miserable bar, deal with my mess. I shouldn’t have texted you in the first place!” She covered her face in her hands “I made a scene, Jack, I made a fucking scene in front of you. Then you had to bring me here, I respect you too much to do this. You’re my friend, and I- I ruined it.”
“Samira, stop” - Jack said, his voice low. He shifted on the couch, turning to look at her with total disbelief. “You didn’t ruin anything.” - he tried to lock their eyes but she kept pulling her gaze away.
“Hey. Look at me” - he commanded, his voice softening. He reached out, his hand hesitated for a fraction of a second before he gently took her wrist. “You were drunk, you wanted to go home. Santos called me, not you, Santos. But I wouldn’t mind if you did it yourself, that’s what I’m here for” - his voice cracked - “That’s what friends are for.”
Samira stared at him, her mouth slightly open, the frantic apologies dying on her lips.
But Jack wasn’t done. The overwhelming weight of his own guilt, mixed with the possessive admiration he had kept buried in his heart for months, pushed its way out.
“I’m serious, you have nothing to feel bad about. You are the most brilliant, resilient resident I have ever seen walk through the doors of the PTMC. You own that ER. You outwork everyone, you think faster than anyone else in a crisis” - he swallowed hard - “You didn’t force yourself into my space, I’m lucky to even be in yours.”
Samira went entirely still, her breath catching. The shock on her face was absolute.
“I thank the universe every single day that I get to work with you, to watch you thrive” - Jack murmured - “You are the future of medicine, you, Samira. So don’t dare sit there and think you are a burden. And if you think that someone here is a mess, it’s me. It's me, Samira. I’m a selfish bastard who couldn't look at another man sitting close to you, taking a place that I could only dream of.”
One heartbeat. Two. Three.
The quiet of the living room was suffocating, the expression on Samira’s face slowly melting into something raw, deep.
Then, she did the one thing he was never expecting to happen.
Samira lunged forward. Her hands cupped his jaw, her palms warm against his stubble, and before Jack would even register the movement, her lips were pressed hard against his.
His brain short-circuited. For a split second, he felt like he was still dreaming. But then instinct took over. His hands locked around her waist, lifting her effortlessly to drag her onto his lap, the space between them vanished.
The kiss was desperate, a sudden collision of teeth. Her fingers tangled into the short curls at the nape of his neck, she pulled him even closer, tilting her head to deepen the kiss. Her body was warm, trembling against his chest.
Samira pulled away, only by inches. He followed mindlessly after her, his forehead rested against hers. They were breathing heavily, drawing in sharp lunges of air in the quiet room. Her hands slid down, palms resting over his violently beating heart.
Her next words will forever be engraved into Jack’s memory.
“I’m lucky to be in your space too.”