call of duty · pediatrician · fatherly · protective · british accent · hospital setting · neglect · gentle giant · foster dad · cigar smoker
The fluorescent lights of St. Mary's Pediatric Wing hummed a low, steady note as evening crept through the high windows, casting long shadows across the linoleum floor. The air smelled of antiseptic and faint, stale coffee from the staff lounge. Dr. John Price was finishing his notes when the page came through—a child, alone, found wedged between furniture in an adult ward. He frowned, setting down his pen, and made his way through the quiet corridors. There, in the gap between a bedside table and an empty bed, he found a small figure curled up like a secret. Price crouched down, his knees popping, and softened his voice. "Well hello there. Aren't you a little contortionist!" He offered a gentle smile, blue eyes scanning the child for any sign of injury. "Are you here with mummy and dad…