Work Text:
You should be working right now, doing charts, preparing for shift change.
I mean, you are but you’re a little distracted by the handsome night shift attending with grey curls currently talking to Frank and Dana.
To say you had a crush on Jack Abbot would be putting it lightly. It was a massive yearning.
You had started at the pitt as a day shift nurse several months ago. You worked closely with Dana and she had introduced you to everyone following a shift change.
Jack had been one of the first people to introduce himself with a wide smile and kind handshake.
——
‘You seem to have a good head on your shoulders. You'll do fine, kid. We’ve got your back.’
Those words of confidence stick with you every day and the fact that Jack said them made it even more memorable.
You had confided your feelings for Jack with Dana and Emma Nolan. They had overheard you talking to Trinity about it and also happened to know Jack had similar feelings. Both encourage you to make a move and ask him out.
Immediately the thought had you shaking your head.
‘No, no guys, he’s so…him. Do you really think he’d like me back?’
They were adamant that if you didn’t try then you may never know.
You mulled the thought over that day but decided to wait for the right moment to present itself.
——
You’re pulled from your thoughts as you hear a voice yell
“Hey! You!”
You turn towards the voice and see Dr. Robby stalking in your direction, finger pointed right at you.
Shit.
﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌
Jack is talking to Frank and Dana about some cases from earlier in the day.
He’s definitely not trying to avoid staring at you by the nurses station.
He peeks over there a few times and sees you lost in charting.
God she’s beautiful.
But you’re young.
You’re young, you’re intelligent, you’re gorgeous but above all you’re too good for him.
What he won’t give to be yours.
So he convinces himself it can never happen.
You can’t get stuck with the old, trauma-ridden, veteran doctor.
You deserve someone else.
Someone better.
So silently he decides he can’t let anything be more than friends.
As he begins to mentally join back in the conversation at hand he hears a yell across the e.r.
“Hey! You!”
Jack turns and sees Robby, his good friend, move quickly across the room.
Right at you.
He gets in your face, finger pointed and before he can hear Robby speak, he’s moving quickly in your direction.
﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌
You're frozen to your spot as Robby looks over you, face riddled with anger.
“Wanna explain to me why the labs I asked for HOURS ago are just NOW getting back to me?”
He spits the words out angrily, making you shrink back.
“I-I don’t know wha-“ you mumble before you’re cut off.
“Speak. UP!”
You feel tears start to build in your eyes.
Robby has never spoken to you like that, so demeaning.
You take a breath and speak more clearly this time.
“Robby, I did take the charts up and order the labs. They were having conflicts and it was delaying everything. They said to leave the lab orders and that they’d do it when they could.”
Robby leans closer to you.
“Then why didn’t you tell them this was urgent. My lab orders were urgent. Clearly you’re incapable. Incapable of advocating for me and my patients. Incapable of doing as I asked. Incapable of being a fucking good nurse.”
“Robby! Enough!”
Your body shakes with fear and shame but you manage to slowly look at the new voice.
You see Jack approaching.
Thank God.
“Brother, you know better than anyone that this isn’t the way you speak to colleagues. To anyone. Let alone cause a scene in the middle of the department floor.”
He slowly maneuvers himself between you and Robby, laying a hand on his shoulder.
“Take a walk and take a breath. Come back with a better attitude, please.”
Robby clenches his jaw and stares at you.
Without saying a word he sharply turns and walks out of the ambulance bay doors.
Your eyes follow him but your attention is quickly pulled to Jack as he lays a hand at your waist.
“Hey, c’mon. Let’s go somewhere without all the eyes.”
You nod, still in shock and follow him as he takes your hand and leads you down the hall to an empty room.
He sits you down on the bed and then sits facing you.
“You know that what Robby said wasn’t true right? You’re an incredible nurse. You’re competent, quick, thorough and kind. I’m sorry he said anything that would make you think otherwise.”
“But I didn't get things done. I know I couldn’t help it but it’s still my f-“
“No” he interrupts “he knows damn well that things can happen and delay labs. It was unfair for him to place the blame on you and cause a scene in front of everyone.”
You gently nod.
He lets out a sigh and pulls you into a comforting hug. His head leaned against yours.
“You’re great kid. I promise.”
Your heart raced as he held you. Maybe Dana and Emma were right. Maybe he did return the feelings you had.
﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌
Jack had stayed with you until your shift finished that day. Making sure you were mentally alright and safe to be driving home.
He had been exactly what you needed that day and it only felt right to thank him.
You felt you could hit two birds with one stone by asking him out to dinner as a thank you.
So after contemplating everything, you decided you’d ask him today.
You were sitting at the nurses station when you saw him come around the corner.
“Hey Jack! D’you got a minute?” you ask timidly
“ ‘Course sweetheart, what is it.”
You make sure no one else is around as he stands close in front of you.
“ I uh, just wanted to thank you for what you did yesterday. I know Robby's your friend and I probably put you in an uncomfortable situation but again, thank you.”
Jack smiles gently at you.
“It’s never a problem. He didn’t have to be rude like that. I got your back.”
Okay here it goes.
“So, as a thank you, would you like to go out to dinner this weekend? I just feel like we have a connec-“
“No.”
Your heart drops as he interrupts you with the one word.
“I-I’m sorry?”
He lets out a huff, almost as if he’s irritated or can’t believe you asked.
“You must be mistaken.”
Your eyebrows furrow in confusion .
“I’m not? I really like you and I also just wanted to thank you for yesterday.”
Jack scoffs with an attitude.
“I only did it so you wouldn’t cry because your feelings got hurt and leave the shift. Nothing less, nothing more. So the answer is no. Got it?!
You hold back tears and nod fast.
Who is this guy?
“Y-Yeah I got it.”
He shakes his head as he looks to the side.
You take that moment to quietly slip away, passing Dana and Emma on your way out of the doors without a goodbye.
﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌
Jack’s a mess on the inside.
He feels terrible for how he responded to you earlier in the shift.
Head over heels for you and because of his insecurities he took it out on you.
He might’ve just ruined any chance with you.
The feelings eat away at him as the day shift passes. He rubs his face as he leans against a counter.
I’ve gotta make this shit right.
But there’s no sign of you. He figures you’re probably avoiding him. He deserves that.
He doesn’t see you at shift change so he plans to come back at the end of night shift and hopefully catch you and talk.
——
At 6:45 am he’s waiting for you to appear at the nurses station. You always do so you can talk to Dana before the shift starts.
He sees Dana and figures he can ask her. When he gets to her he asks if she’s seen you.
She doesn’t even look up at him “Not yet. Why?”
Truth is she saw you about 30 minutes ago and got the rundown.
Jack runs his hands through his hair.
“I fucked up, god I really fucked up.”
It’s silent for a brief moment before Dana looks up.
“How long have you liked her?
Huh?
Jack looks at her “What?”
She scoffs out a laugh “Cmon abbot. It’s painfully obvious. If it makes you feel better, she feels the same, more honestly.
“So she really likes me?” He leans closer “Like for real?”
He’s met with a deadpanned look.
“Yes Dr. Dumbass but I don’t know for how much longer after how you spoke to her yesterday.”
“You saw that?
“Nope.” She says with emphasis “She told me when she came in today.”
He starts pacing
“Shit. Wait… didn’t you say you hadn’t seen her yet?”
“Oh, did I?” she shrugs
Jack walks around the counter and puts his hands on his knees, getting level with her.
“Dana please, where is she?”
She sighs as she turns to face him.
“She headed up to the ortho floor about 30 minutes ago.”
“Oh, okay thank god” he nods in relief “Thanks D.”
She grins a little as she looks up at him again.
“But you better hurry Abbot.”
Jack’s head turns to her quickly “Wait why?”
“She’s up there because she put in a transfer to be a nurse up in ortho.”
No no no, she can't go.
“No no, s-she can’t Dana. She can't go.”
“Better hurry then,” she claps her hands together “The Shark and Garcia love her and would take her in a heartbeat.”
Jack doesn’t waste another second and runs past the elevators to the staircase, opting for a quicker route.
He skids around the corner of the ortho floor and almost passes Park’s office, which is where he finds you seated.
You turn to face him, hurt crossing your face.
“Sw-sweetheart, can I please talk to you. Five minutes. Please…” he manages between breaths
You hesitate but then nod as you slowly rise from the chair and make your way into the hallway.
“What is it Jack?” you murmur
“I am so so sorry for yesterday. I was a complete dick to you and you didn't deserve it. Not only had Robby just been an ass to you, I added onto it and made it worse. It’s gonna sound dumb of me but it's the truth. I acted the way I did becuase I really fucking like you.”
Your face scrunches up in confusion.
There’s no way.
“Huh? You like me? Like you're not trying to make me feel better or anything right?”
He shakes his head.
“No. I genuinely have liked you for a while but I let my insecurities convince me that you were too good for me. It’s no excuse but It’s the reason I acted so awful to you. Again, I’m so fucking sorry.”
“ And this time,” he comes close and brings a hand to the side of your face “its me who would like to take you out. Can I do that?”
You stare into his eyes for a brief moment. His words are sincere and you can feel how genuine he is about the whole ordeal.
“Yeah, I'd like that” you smile at him
His smile at your answer is butterfly inducing.
“Can I kiss you sweetheart?”
You don't even answer as you press your lips against his.
You both smile into it and his other hand pulls you in closer by the waist.
He pulls away slightly to lean his forehead against yours.
“Please don't leave the pitt for ortho.”
Now it's your turn to pull back slightly.
“Leave the pitt for ortho? Who said that?”
“What? But Dana… of course. Nevermind.” he kisses your forehead “Let me walk you down to the pitt.”
Before you guys can even turn to head to the elevators, a voice stops you.
“Sunshine.”
You look behind you to see Park coming.
“Yeah Brendon?”
He stalks closer with a kind smile to you, laying a firm hand on Jack’s shoulder.
“Abbot will meet you at the elevator. Gotta talk to him real quick.”
You nod with a smile and wave at the gruff attending.
“Bye Shark!
Jack watches you go down the hall and then back to Park. as soon as you round the corner, the smile drops to a frown as he directs his gaze to him.
“That’s my favorite nurse. Ball of sunshine, way too smiley for such a dreary place but the nicest person in the whole damn hospital. If I ever see her cry again, you’ll end up as my next patient. So I suggest you don’t let it happen again.”
Jack swallows hard “Yup, understood”
Park stares at him intensely for a minute and then turns to stalk back to his office. Jack lets out a breath and quickly makes his way to the elevators where you're waiting.
“Everything okay?” you ask as he hits the down button.
He grabs your hand and walks you into the elevator as it opens.
“Yeah,” he pulls you into his chest and kisses the side of your head “All good sweetheart.”