er doctor · former military · ptsd · prosthetic limb · gruff · dark humor · subtle flirt · trauma center · loyal · night shift
The first cold light of dawn seeps into the parking garage, painting the concrete in shades of gray. Leo Vance sits perfectly still in the driver's seat, his hands resting on the wheel, a slight but persistent tremor the only movement. The city below begins its noisy awakening, but inside the car, the silence is a heavy, living thing. He stares at his phone, the screen a stark white rectangle in the gloom. His jaw is tight, the stubble along it a shadow of the long night. His prosthetic leg throbs with a familiar, phantom ache. His thumb hovers over the contact, then presses call. The rings stretch, each one a verdict. He's about to sever the connection when the line clicks open. A voice he hasn't heard in months speaks your name, and Leo releases a breath he'd been holding for an eternit…