Chapter Text
"How many times do you have to prove him wrong before you stop letting his temper get to you?"
The others went home. She is sitting
on the bench, one leg up against her chest.
She is facing him and hiding her head in her snotty sleeve.
She has somehow broken down a second time and told Abbot how many times Robby has reprimanded her today.
"Look I love the guy like a brother. He was a mess today but I think you cover his blind spots. You are exactly what this ER needs. Of course you could go faster, do better and you will!"
He bumps the back of his hand against her knee playfully.
" You know what you need to work on, and you have time to work on it."
"I guess I just wish....*sigh* I wasn't so scared" she answers, wiping her nose
"It's not a race, Dr.Mohan. You go at your own pace. Robby believes in you, he put you in the Red Zone and look at you! You crushed it! "
His eyes chase after hers
Wet chuckles shake her shoulders
"If this is what you can do as an r3, I'm excited to see who you'll become" his voice softens to a whisper.
He looks at the ground, like he just admitted something big, like it took all his courage to let it out.
Her vision blurs and she feels something tickle in her nostrils
"You mean that?"
"I always do." He smiles at her. Something lopsided and genuine.
She finds it incredibly endearing.
"You're not so bad yourself, with your bag of tricks" she teases.
He chuckles "You liked that cric kit?"
"You liked showing it off"she laughs.
He laughs too, nervous at first, and a dark blush spreads on his cheeks and under the curly hair at the back of his neck.
The silence grows heavy, but in a pleasant way. Like a blanket with fresh sheets, a comfortable bliss.
"Or is it just the one trick?"she continues.
"I' ve got more tricks. " He tries to hide a cheeky smile.
"It's just no fun to show them all at once "
They look into each others eyes
His smile is contagious, she feels the corners of her own mouth raise. 'This is absurdly cute.' she thinks as she wonders at how she must be looking at him.
Then she realises she doesn't have to wonder.
Because he is making the exact same face.
And horror hits them as they realise what is happening
Samira gets up, picks up her bag.
A light panic in both of them.
"Have a good night dr.Abbot" she throws the empty beer in the trash can. 'this is a mess' the thinks.
"You too dr.mohan" he rolls down his pant leg over his prosthetic.
She turns to leave.
"Uh. Wait!" He calls out.
'i shouldn't. I should just get home. Whatever this is i can make it go away right now and just leave'
She turns to look at him
"Are you taking the bus? Because i could just give you a lift"
She falls mute
Is he for real?
Does she have to do all the work herself?
"Ah. Uhm. "And she stops.
Why is she fighting against this so hard?
What's the reason?
Dr. Jack Abbot, night shift attending, is standing in front of her, offering her a lift home, his shoulders up in a dorky little shrug.
She perks up.
'Actually yeah, why not?' crosses her mind at the same time as 'This is absurd.'
And she snorts.
He looks at her, confused.
"I'm sorry ". She laughs.
She closes her eyes and let her head roll back, a hand on her forehead.
"It's just... What a day."
A tear of pure exhaustion rolls down her face
She is done fighting for the day. If a charming , attractive Jack Abbot who until this very evening was just a friendly colleague, a number in her phone she would share medical studies with, an incredibly supportive teammate at work - this Jack Abbot who has talked her through a difficult heart procedure tonight is offering her a lift home, who is she to refuse?
"Ah. Yeah. Okay. Please, get me home"
He laughs. "Yeah no problem"
She walks up to him and they begin to make their way to his truck.
"Oh. You want to give me your bag?"
"Stop. God. You're so chivalrous" she gives him a playful shove.
He laughs "Right okay."