Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

…

When his phone rang at 6:45, he already knew it wasn’t going to be good. He was finishing typing up his post-op notes and he would then shut down for the night, go downstairs to get Emma from the ED, she also finishing with her shift at seven, and drive them home. They didn’t really have plans tonight. Just home. He admitted to only himself that he was excited to just go home with Emma. No one needed to know that Brendon Park, feared Orthopedic Surgeon at PTMC, liked nothing more than sitting on the couch in his sweatpants, with his girlfriend, watching shitty reality tv after a long day.

(Emma got him hooked on Love Island and he told her he’d never forgive her for that.)

Her name was on the front lock screen along with her (their) picture. It was picture of the two of them that she had taken one afternoon when she had dragged him to some food festival and he grumbled about the overpriced finger food sized portions that the trucks were selling, but he bought her anything she wanted to try. Of course he bought her anything she wanted.

He was tempted to ignore the call, but in the end, he knew he couldn’t do that. Not to her.

“Hey,” he answered. He put her on speaker so he could keep typing.

“I’m sorry,” were her first words. They were rushed and she sounded breathless and he wondered how insane the ED had been for her that day.

“What’s going on?” He expected it to be the usual. Emma was too sweet, so when she was asked to work over her twelve hours, she almost always agreed and did so happily – even if she was exhausted and they had reservations somewhere or plans to do something.

More than once, Brendon had had to go down to the ED after two hours and tell her, firmly, that they were leaving. He’d gladly be a dick about it because he knew that Emma could never be.

“A sexual assault victim just came in. I have to help Dana,” Emma explained.

Well, fuck. He couldn’t be a dick about her working late now. Dana was a SANE and she was training Emma to get her certification so she could be another one for the ED. Emma took her training seriously and Brendon was proud of her for pursuing this addition to her already long list of skills. He thought she would be perfect as a SANE, and that wasn’t his opinion just because they were sleeping together. Emma had the perfect temperament needed when helping victims after going through such a traumatic ordeal. Gentle, sweet, and patient, she was exactly who was needed in those kinds of situations.

Brendon didn’t say any of that. He never did. Emma probably already knew his exact thoughts about her SANE training. She was the only one who could read him like that.

“Alright,” was all he said.

“I don’t know how long it’s going to take and you don’t have to wait for me. I know how tired you must be from your surgeries today. You can go home and I’ll just take an Uber when I’m done,” Emma said in a rush of words.

Brendon had been typing, but he stopped to frown down at the phone. “Don’t be stupid.”

He made sure that she could hear his frown from her end.

He didn’t say those words nearly as harshly as he said those exact words to residents and interns in his path, taking up both his space and time. He was aware this was a teaching hospital, and it was his responsibility to help mold the next wave of doctors and someday surgeons, but he was a man of little patience as everyone in the hospital already knew or were quick to find out.

Emma’s reaction to him saying those words to her wasn’t the same as others had. Wide-eyed and stuttering apologies or quickly looking away and trying to hide how nervous they were from him or spine straightening to show the Shark that they were smart and not afraid and could handle anything he threw at them.

No. Emma didn’t do any of that. Instead, she laughed. Good. She should laugh when her boyfriend said something like that to her. She once admitted, when they became official with one another, that she felt ridiculous calling him that. Boyfriend. Because, in her words, he was so far from a boy that a man could be.

“So, call me your manfriend,” Brendon had shrugged which just made her laugh. Emma found so many things to laugh about when she was with Brendon Park. No one ever believed her – nor would they – when she claimed that Park the Shark was funny.

“Emma.”

Brendon heard a voice – Dana’s – and then “Bye. I love you,” Emma said in a rush into the phone and then ended the call before he could even open his mouth to say anything.

He went back to doing what he planned. He finished typing his notes and charts and once everything was completed, he officially signed out and shut down for the night. There was no need to rush through anything. Something like this could take Emma hours. The surgeons had their own locker rooms and showers on every floor. He left his office to go there now. Usually, when they got home from the hospital, they liked to take a shower immediately to wash the “hospital” from them. Sometimes, together, usually separate. Tonight, Brendon would take a shower here so when they got home, Emma could take a shower for as long as she wanted without her worrying about needing to hurry so he could take a shower, too. She would definitely worry about something stupid like that even if he told her repeatedly not to worry about it.

He brought his clothes from his office with him so once out of the steaming shower, he toweled off and changed into his blue jeans and black tee-shirt. The gel from his hair was all washed out now, leaving his hair soft and fluffy (not what people would expect from him), but he didn’t put more in. Why would he? He (hopefully) would be going home soon, and he only gelled it back when he had surgeries scheduled. The first time Emma saw him without gel, she had just about lost her mind and her fingers kept running through it or gripping it for the rest of the night.

The surgeons also had their own lounges and Brendon headed there next. The whole floor was completely opposite of the chaos of the ED. At this hour, lights were low in both the hallways and patient rooms. Steady beeps of machines came from each passing room as well as the white noise of patients not yet asleep and watching television. Nurses moved efficiently from room to room, checking on patients and doing what they needed to do. It was calm and quiet. This was how a hospital should be – not like the ED which seemed to run on hope, prayer and anarchy.

There was another orthopedic surgeon – Dr. Crooks – in the lounge, on duty for the night. He stood at the microwave, heating food up, and the two men exchanged polite head nods when they saw one another. Brendon dropped himself into one of the armchairs that faced the television. Someone had left on an episode of Columbo before they got called away and Brendon admitted to getting sucked into it. When his phone rang, it actually startled him enough to make him jump slightly. Thankfully, Dr. Crooks had left by this time, and he was alone so no one else had seen.

It was Emma and it wasn’t even nine o’clock.

“Hey,” he answered and then cleared his throat because his voice sounded too rough.

“Hey,” her voice was warm as it filled his ear. “If you want to start heading down here, you can. I just have to finish typing this up and then I can get out of here.”

Brendon was already rising to his feet before she finished her sentence. “That was quick,” he noted and that was his only comment about it.

“She was ready to do it,” was all Emma said in reply and that’s all she would say about it.

“See you in a few,” he said before ending the call and leaving the lounge, leaving on the next episode of Columbo that was playing for the next person.

As expected, the ED was loud, crowded and too bright. People everyone – doctors, nurses, aides, and patients – all crammed together, weaving in and out, and Brendon didn’t know how anyone kept track of anything down here. “TAKE THE FUCKING THING OUT!” A man was screaming from one of the trauma rooms at Dr. Shen, referring to the knife stuck in his thigh. And in the middle of it all, Emma stood at the main desk, talking and laughing about something with another nurse. Brendon didn’t know the nurse’s name. It wasn’t important.

He had heard others talking. They could always feel his presence when he was around. Apparently, things felt a little morse tense and the air dropped a couple of degrees. Brendon loved the reputation he had. Emma always seemed to know when he was nearby, and he had asked her once if she felt the same things that everyone else apparently felt.

“Nope,” she smiled and shook her head. Her arms had slid around his waist, and she tilted her chin to look up at him. His own hands began to gently rub up and down her back as he looked into her eyes and she pressed herself a little tighter against him. “I always feel warmer. That’s how I know you’re around.”

He walked to her now, not even noticing as everyone seemed to part ways for him so not to run the risk of being the one to get in Park the Shark’s way. And just as he knew she would, Emma turned her head and smiled the instant she saw him.

“Ready to go?” He asked. He didn’t look or speak to anyone else. He didn’t have to.

“Ready to go,” she confirmed with a nod, still smiling. “Good night, Olive. Good luck,” she said to the nurse and came around from behind the desk.

“Thanks so much,” Olive said, trying not to smile. She cast a single curious glance towards the couple before heading off in another direction.

Brendon didn’t smile even if he wanted to when Emma came up to him and her hand instantly slipped into his. Everyone knew they were together – a year later and no one still knew how the Hell it happened because it still made zero sense – but if they watched for even a crumb of something, Brendon wouldn’t give it to them. He and Emma kept everything out of the hospital and holding hands was just about the only thing anyone had ever seen them do together.

They stopped at her locker in the hallway, and she got her pink backpack, and Brendon was the one to reach for her hand this time as they headed for the hallway that would lead them to the elevators that would take them to the parking garage. Emma was telling him all about her day and what patients she had seen that day, and Brendon listened to every word. She would ask him about his own day once they were on the way home. She had learned that he always wanted to hear about hers first. They were the only two in the elevator, but even then, they didn’t kiss. Not yet. They were still in the hospital. Emma did take her arm and wind it around his waist, leaning into his side, and Brendon dropped his arm around her shoulders, hugging her and holding her. He couldn’t see her face, but he felt her smile against his shirt.

“Tired?” He guessed.

“Exhausted.” She tilted her head up to look at his face. “You?” He nodded. “I’m glad we’re just going home tonight.”

He felt warm at her words. When he asked her to move in together four months earlier, for the first time in his life, Brendon had been unsure of what the outcome would be. Either Emma would say yes or she would say no. She had absolute power in that moment, and Brendon hated putting himself out there and having no idea how it could end. A near forty-year-old man who struck fear into the hearts of everyone in the hospital terrified of this slip of a twenty-three year old woman who had burrowed herself so deep inside of him, he still didn’t know how it happened. 

“Can we find a new place? Not your apartment or my apartment, but something that is ours?” She had asked and Brendon exhaled a held breath at her question. Fuck yes. 

“Me, too,” he now nodded. He loved going back to their home at the end of a long shift. “What do you want for dinner? I’ll order it when you’re in the shower.” He already knew what she wanted, but he asked anyway just in case, for whatever reason, she had changed. Anytime she had SANE training with a patient like tonight, she always wanted a cheese pizza. It was her comfort food. That or her mom’s accras, but Brendon could only do so much in a pinch.

“The cheesiest, biggest cheese pizza you can get me,” Emma answered with a smile just like he knew she would.

He smiled, too, and squeezed his arm around her.

The elevator doors opened to the roof of the parking garage where staff always parked. Once inside Brendon’s car with the doors shut and locked, there was silence. The sounds of the city were blocked out momentarily. Brendon exhaled a tired sigh and Emma yawned. They looked at each other and smiled.

“Fucking finally,” he said and she let out a quiet laugh.

At the same time, they leaned over in their seats and their lips met. One of his hands lifted to the side of her face as one of her hands rested on the side of his neck, her thumb brushing along his jaw. The kiss was kept soft and short. Their first kiss after their shift, in the car just like this, was always like that. The other kisses that followed once they were home were always far more. When they got home, he would devour her.

“Are you ready for Love Island?” Emma asked as Brendon turned the car on.

He shook his head and shifted into reverse. “I don’t know what the fuck you’ve done to me, Nolan,” he grumbled and he meant that in more than one way.

And again, she laughed because she knew what he meant.

…

Chapter Text

…

“Let me see.”

Emma was still catching her breath. Her heart was racing and the last lingering quakes vibrated throughout her body. Brendon was panting against her neck and pressing kisses against her skin. But his trembling words reached her. Her arms were around his neck and she slowly unwound them and brought them back towards her so her hands could grasp his shoulders. Slowly, on still shaky knees, Emma lifted herself up.

Brendon looked down as his softening cock slipped from her and with it came a slow stream of his cum. “Oh, fuck,” he released a shuddering breath. Emma whimpered at the sensation. “That is so fucking beautiful.” He lifted his eyes to Emma’s face. “You’re beautiful. And you ride my cock so fucking good.”

Emma promptly felt a blush across her already flushed cheeks. She still got embarrassed when he said things like that to her. She had never had dirty talk in bed before Brendon. She leaned back into him, her fingers sliding through his hair, and she pressed her lips to his. Her mouth opened and he opened his mouth in response, the kiss deepening. His hands moved around to firmly cup the cheeks of her ass and hold her body flush to his. Emma moaned into his mouth before she slowly pulled her head back. She blinked her eyes open and smiled at him. Brendon smiled, too.

“I have to go to the bathroom,” she said.

Brendon wanted to argue, but he knew she had to. He leaned in and placed a smacking kiss to her sternum that had her laughing. She slowly pulled herself from his lap and he naturally watched her as she crossed the bedroom, keeping herself naked. He remained sitting up in the bed, leaning back against the headboard.

“Stop looking at my butt,” Emma said without turning around to know he was doing exactly that.

“Never,” he didn’t skip a beat. She laughed just like he knew she would.

In the bathroom, Emma turned on the light and disappeared for a moment before appearing in the doorway again. “Brendon.” She tossed him a hand towel and he caught it.

“Thanks, babe.”

Emma disappeared into the bathroom once more and Brendon used the towel to clean himself. They stopped using condoms four months earlier when they officially moved in together. They were both tested (though they had already been exclusively together for months) and Emma got herself on birth control. They were in a committed relationship and not using condoms was always a sign of absolute trust between them. The first time they didn’t use a condom, there were still moving boxes in their bedroom and Emma had been the one to suggest it.

“I love you,” Brendon had breathed after making sure that she was sure. A next step like this was definitely all her decision and he would do whatever she wanted. He was practically shaking at the mere idea of being inside of Emma and feeling her without anything between them. He had a feeling he was going to embarrass himself at how quickly he’d be finished.

Emma laughed. “You can’t tell me that while we’re having sex.”

“Why not? I definitely love you during sex.”

She came out of the bathroom a minute later, smelling like the blueberry hand soap she had bought. She wanted sweet scents when she and Brendon were home, washing their hands, instead of having anything that smelled remotely like the hospital soap.

“Oh, fuck you!” Brendon suddenly exclaimed and Emma jumped, startled, with wide eyes.

But then she heard the cell phone ringing from the living room. Brendon stormed out of the bedroom to answer it and Emma went to the dresser. She slipped on a pair of fresh underwear and one of Brendon’s worn tee-shirts. She took the towel he had left on the bed to toss into the hamper in the bathroom before returning and straightening the bedsheets. She could hear Brendon talking in the living room, asking questions, pausing to hear the answers, but she wasn’t actively trying to listen to his conversation. He would tell her when she needed to know.

Brendon stormed back into the bedroom as Emma slipped into their bed. She took the book she was in the middle of reading from her nightstand and got herself comfortable. Seconds later, she heard the shower turn on.

(Normally, neither would take a shower right after sex, both liking to smell like the other for a bit afterwards. But she knew Brendon wouldn’t want to leave with their combined scent on his skin. Everyone knew they were together, obviously, but they didn’t need to know more than that.)

She wasn’t surprised when the Shark came out of the bathroom a few minutes later. The bedroom felt too small because when he was like this, his presence filled the space and still demanded more. His shower had been quick and he had slicked his hair back with gel. His aura was angry and impatient. He went to the dresser and tugged on a pair of fresh scrubs that he had laundered and folded in the drawer. He grabbed his shoes and socks and came around to sit on her side the bed. She rested the book on her stomach as he finished putting himself together. He then turned to her.

“I need to go in,” he stated the obvious.

She nodded. He wasn’t technically on call tonight, but if one of the other ortho surgeons at the hospital needed help with something, he would go.

She sat up and her fingers danced across the small mark that had bloomed across the side of his neck that she had given him from her enthusiastic mouth. “I’m sorry about that,” she said.

“I’m not,” he immediately shook his head and she smiled. He leaned in and kissed her. It was too hard and forceful, but he was the Shark right now and that was the only kiss he could give.  

“I love you,” Emma said as he left the bedroom. She could hear him get his things – keys, phone, hospital ID badge – from the kitchen counter where he left them and the front door opened.

And then, “Love you, too,” he called before the door closed behind him and he was gone.

Emma smiled to herself and settling back into her pillow once again, she picked up her book and began to read in the quietness of their apartment.

…

Emma Nolan meeting Brendon Park had been a complete accident. Of course it was. How else would an ED Nurse and an orthopedic surgeon with nearly twenty years between them meet if not by accident?

A young girl had been rushed into the ED who had been struck by a car speeding through a school zone. She had a broken leg, a broken arm and was absolutely terrified. They worked on getting her stabilized and sedated while a call up to Ortho was made for a surgeon to get their ass down here. Emma had been one of the nurses in the trauma room, all working at their quick speeds to help the girl on the table. The girl had made eye contact with Emma, her eyes wide and wet with tears, and Emma gave her kind smiles and gentle words, promising her that everything was going to be fine. The red phone on the wall rang and Garcia answered.

“Alright, let’s get her moved,” Garcia ordered everyone. “Shark’s not coming down. He’s already getting the OR prepped.”

At eight o’clock that evening, Emma had finally clocked out of her shift, but instead of going home, she took the elevator up to the fifth floor. The doors slid open and immediately, Emma saw the differences between up on one of these floors and the ED below. Actually, she heard the difference immediately. It was so quiet. And calm. It was almost unsettling in a way to come up from the constat movement of the Pitt to come up to a floor where nothing seemed to move.

She took a deep breath and approached the nurse’s desk. “Good evening,” she smiled warmly.

“Good evening,” the nurse – an older woman with dark red hair and glasses on top of her head – smiled in return. “May I help you?”

“Yes, I’m Emma Nolan, a RN down in the ED, and there was a young girl who came up here earlier. Broken arm and broken leg. I just wanted to check and see how she got through surgery.”

“Sure, honey,” the nurse smiled and then looked down to her computer, clacking away. “Emma McHenry. Room 512.”

A smile broke across Emma’s face. She almost laughed. “What a wonderful name,” she said and the nurse laughed, too. “Is she alright?”

“She is. Just resting now. Dr. Park was able to set her arm and leg and she’ll heal. You can poke your head in if you want. But you know the rules.”

“I won’t be long and I won’t disturb her,” Emma promised. “Thank you so much.”

She made her way down the quiet hallway and found the correct room. Through the glass, she saw the girl in the bed with both her arm and leg in casts. Her room already had balloons and flower bouquets. There was a man in scrubs, his back to the door, standing at the portable computer, his arms flexing as he typed. Emma hesitated. She shouldn’t intrude. But she looked at the girl – Emma – in the bed and she wasn’t talking so the man must not have been speaking. Slowly, Emma opened the door and knocked softly.

“Hello,” she poked her head into the room with a smile.

The girl, Emma, turned her head slowly on the pillow. She was under pain medications and seemed half asleep. But a smile appeared on her face as soon as she saw Emma in the doorway. The man instantly turned, too, and Emma cast only a quick glance at him before back to the girl. He was tall and broad with his hair slicked back from his sharp face. Emma had never met him, but she had heard of him. Dr. Park.

“I knew you’d find me,” Emma, in bed, said quietly.

“Of course I did,” Emma smiled and stepped fully into the room. She came to the bed and slid her hand into Emma’s free hand.

“My mom and dad just left. I wanted you to meet them,” the girl said.

“I will,” Emma promised.

“And you’ll sign my casts?”

“I would love to!” Emma beamed and Emma smiled from her bed. “I’ll come up tomorrow after my shift so I can really take my time and draw you something fantastic. But you need your rest tonight.”

She then looked to the man, still standing at the computer. He had gone back to looking at the screen, typing. Emma had been worried that the doctor would tell her to get out and stop bothering his patient. The man’s reputation certainly proceeded him and she had heard tons of stories whenever he did come down to the ED. Dennis Whitaker was both terrified of the man while simultaneously hating him for how the surgeon talked to him.

“Dr. Park, this is Nurse Emma,” Emma told the doctor.

Dr. Park stopped typing and turned his head. He gave the girl a small smile and then looked to Emma. He nodded his head to her, just barely. “I’ve heard about you,” he said.

“I’ve heard about you, too,” Emma smiled, teasing him. Understatement, she thought. She didn’t know where the bravery came from to tease this man, but she did.

And Park the Shark knew that she was teasing him because he gave her a smirk while still keeping his eyes on hers. And Emma knew it was a problem when her stomach clenched.

…

Three days later, Brendon Park found her.

Emma was able to slip into the break room after six to scarf down a cup of protein yogurt. Not exactly a filling dinner, but it was all she had time for and hopefully, she wouldn’t be staying here too late and would be able to go home for something much more filling. She sat at the table, the first time off her feet in a few hours, and she exhaled a relieved sigh. She hoped nothing too insane happened in the last hour of her shift. She was tired. Exhausted. Wiped. She wanted her shower, her kitchen and then her bed.

When the door to the break room opened, she looked to see who it was and she scrambled to her feet when he stepped in. The small room seemed to shrink in size even more as he stood there.

“Dr. Park.” She said his name and then realized she had nothing else in her mind to say next.

“I have this for you,” he cut right to it.

She noticed he was holding something in his hand and he held it out for her. It was a piece of purple construction paper folded in half. Emma took it and smiled widely as soon as she saw that it was a card from Emma McHenry, thanking her favorite nurse in the whole world with the best name. Emma already knew this was going right on her refrigerator as soon as she got home.

“Thank you, Dr. Park,” Emma lifted her eyes to him. He was looking right at her and she felt her stomach clench again.

She didn’t exactly understand the reaction she was having towards him. He was a man. She was still young enough where she considered the opposite sex as boys. She dated boys. Cute or hot boys. But Dr. Park was definitely not a boy. He was a handsome man. Handsome in a way that wasn’t there at first glance, but his mere existence demanded a second look. And when Emma kept looking at him, she saw it. She saw how good looking he was and her stomach clenched. She could see why people in the hospital were afraid of him. He was intimidating just standing there. But she wanted to keep looking at him. And she hoped no one else would come into the break room for another few minutes.

“Couldn’t you have sent a resident or intern to deliver this?” Emma asked.

Dr. Park shook his head. “I promised Emma that I would deliver it personally.”

“Well… thank you,” she said softer now. They were still looking at one another and didn’t say anything else, but neither made a move to leave.

“Is that your dinner?” He asked suddenly. He saw the cup of yogurt on the table next to her.

Emma felt her cheeks warm as if she had been caught doing something wrong, but she managed a shrug and a smile. “You eat what you can, when you can while down here,” she said.

Dr. Park shook his head at that as if he had never heard anything more ridiculous. He paused for a moment and she could tell that he was thinking of something. “Your shift ends at seven?”

“In theory,” she said with a slight laugh.

He paused again. When he spoke, he looked directly into her eyes. “Do you want to get something to eat tonight when we both get out of here?”

Emma’s first reaction was to ask if he was serious. Was Dr. Park seriously asking her out for dinner? Did he consider it as asking her out on a date? Of course it would be a date, Emma, she scolded herself. What else could it be?

But her stomach clenched as she looked at him and a smile took over her face. “I would love to get something to eat with you, Dr. Park.”

…