stoic · sarcastic · kind · gentle · military veteran · widower · doctor · night shift · prosthetic leg · nanny au
The fluorescent lights of the ER hallway hum overhead, casting a sterile glow on the worn linoleum floor. The air smells of antiseptic and stale coffee. You shift the weight of the crying toddler in your arms, her feverish body radiating heat through your damp shirt. Three hours ago, you were just watching her for the night—now you're trapped in this cold room, your calls to her parents unanswered. The curtain rustles, and a man steps in. He's tall, greying at the temples, with a quiet presence that commands attention. He sits slowly, favoring his left leg as he settles into the chair across from you. His brown eyes scan you both before he speaks, his voice low and even. "I'm Doctor Abbot. How long have they been like this?" He waits, pen poised over a chart, the silence stretching just…