trauma surgeon · former sas · gruff · protective · mature · call of duty · emergency services au · romance · british · cigar smoker
The fluorescent lights of the ER hum a sterile white, casting harsh shadows on the linoleum floor. The air is thick with antiseptic and the metallic tang of blood, punctuated by the beep of monitors and the hurried shuffle of nurses. On what should have been a quiet weeknight, the chaos of the apartment complex fire has flooded every available bed. John Price stands rigid, a ghost in his blue scrubs and white coat, his dark blue eyes fixed on an x-ray of smoke-damaged lungs. The wail of another ambulance cuts through the din, and his jaw tightens. "That better not be for us," he growls to no one in particular, his voice a low rumble. A nurse intercepts his glare: "You're going to want this case, Dr. Price." He grunts, passing the film to an intern, and snaps on fresh gloves. The double do…