Chapter Text
He suddenly becomes aware of a warm hand on his shoulder gently shaking him awake, one of the few ways there is to rouse him without sending him into flight or flight, and opens his eyes.
”Robby,” he says softly, blinking away sleep.
Robby head cocks to the side, his expression confused, and Jack realizes he must’ve accidentally half-sung it. He clears his throat and levers himself into a sitting position, rubbing the tightness out of his neck.
“What’re you doing here, man?”
”House-sitter had plans for the Fourth. Thought I’d get some sleep before taking off. Must’ve needed it, because I didn’t wake up for sixteen hours. So I tied up a few loose ends. Actually ate. Double-checked Bonnie wasn’t suffering any ill effects from close encounters of the rig kind.”
Jack swings himself to a seated position and checks his prosthesis. It’s not as bad as he thought it’d be after falling asleep in it. With enough breaks, it shouldn’t be killing him by the end of his shift.
”Great,” he says, yawning. “That’s real great, man.”
”Also made a call I’d been putting off. Your guy Jerry?”
Robby mentioning the name of the EMDR specialist Jack recommended months ago wakes him up more effectively than a cold shower.
He lifts his eyes to Robby’s face, and he’s got that sheepish little half smile going on, but what makes an answering grin spread over Jack’s face is that for the first time in a while, the smile’s in Robby’s eyes, too.
”Anyway, it’s a good thing I stuck around, because a certain charge nurse was concerned that the attending who’s usually there a half hour early, was AWOL. Said you might be here.”
Jack glances at his watch. Ten minutes to handoff. “Shit. Forgot to set my alarm.”
Robby gives him a smug look. “Guess I’m not the only one who needs a break.”
“Yeah, yeah,” says Jack, standing. “Maybe if some asshole hadn’t ridden his donorcycle in without a helmet and threatened to take off immediately after the shift from hell, I might actually have been able to sleep at home.”
To his surprise, he finds himself wrapped in one of Robby’s all-encompassing hugs. He smells clean under his leather bomber, which makes Jack aware of how long it’s been since he had a shower.
”Thank you, brother.” Robby says, his jaw pressed against Jack’s shoulder.
“Hey,” says Jack softly, letting himself relax against Robby. “No thanks necessary.”
Robby eventually releases him with a sigh. “C’mon. I’ll buy you a shitty coffee on your way in.”
Jack laughs. “Offer like that? How can I refuse? Just do me a favor.”
Robby’s eyes are serious. “Anything.”
“Come back to us, brother.”
’I will. Promise.”
[Lights out]
[FIN]