Bedside Manner (Law x Reader)

04. An Impossible Choice

When they said it was set to be one of the worst storms they had seen, they hadn't been exaggerating. You were working in water up to your hips, struggling against it as you raced to get everyone the care they desperately needed.

Waves crashed against the doors, pulling people down as it shoved others forward and sent them against the nearest surface. Everyone was in a panic and demanding that they or their loved ones be tended to. All the present providers were overwhelmed. Stretched thin and being forced to shove their own fears down.

Every phone and flashlight they could get their hands on were being put to good use. You could only hope the storm would end soon.

"Please!" A teen girl struggled to cry out over the roar of the storm, holding tight to the open doors leading out to the road. "My dad... I can't get him out! He's hurt."

Your fingers twitched as you took in the sight of her. Her long, windblown hair stuck to her skin, mingling with the blood that trailed down her temple and dripped from her chin. Even from where you had stood at the desk, you could pick out the tears in her shirt. 

You were reminded of another teen you had known. You didn't like to think about the accident, but it was hard not to be reminded of it while working in a hospital. The teen's hidden eyes and bloodied skin had haunted your dreams for the past ten years.

It had been an impossible choice to choose between them and their companion. They begged you to drag their friend out-- and you did. You convinced yourself there was enough time.

There wasn't.

"L/n-ya!" Trafalgar was moving towards the girl, a bag in hand. Without a word, you were following behind.

The man stopped before the girl, eyes scrutinizing the areas he could see for injury. You heard him ask her questions over the roar of the storm and watched as he, almost tenderly, moved her hair to reveal a deep cut.

"It's going to need stitches." The girl flinched away, hand flying up to shield her wound from further prodding. "Just get my dad!"

The dark haired doctor's eye twitched as he took in a deep breath through his nose.

"This needs to be taken care of immediately."

His jaw was tightly set and you didn't need to look yourself to know how bad the girl's gash truly was. Trafalgar's gaze was locked on the area hidden behind her hand. You reached out to set a hand on the teen's shoulder. She slowly turned her attention to you, hyperventilating and struggling to get words out.

"Where is your dad, sweetheart?" You asked. "I'll get him. I promise I will, but you need to let Dr. Trafalgar tend to you."

There was a hesitation in her eyes. Eyes you couldn't help but notice had a hard time focusing on your figure. "Red car..." She breathed. "by the road."

"Now go with him." You gave a nod in Trafalgar's direction.

As you stepped out of the hospital, the winds knocked you back into frame of the door. You hissed in pain at the shock that shot through your spine. You kept your eyes straight ahead where you knew the road to be, relying on the infrequent strikes of lightning to provide light.

Indistinct shouts followed you out, gradually fading the further out you waded. Your soaked clothes weighed you down, a chill seeping down to your bones. You felt the crunch of broken glass under your shoes, grimacing each time.

Your steps quickened when you spotted the roof of a red sedan. They only slowed again when you noticed the large branch impaled through the windshield.

I can't get him out.

Your heart lurched painfully in your chest. You already knew what you would find.

You steeled yourself, climbing in through the broken passenger side window. The man was barely conscious, his right shoulder pinned to the seat by the branch. His voice kept weakly calling out for who you assumed was his daughter.

"She's safe, but she's really worried about you." You adjusted to sit up on your knees, searching for something to the cut through the wood.

You cursed to yourself, feeling around blindly through his glove compartment and along the floor of his vehicle.

"Can you tell me your name? I need you to stay awake for me. Can you do that?"

He groaned. "John."

"You got something I can cut that tree with, John?"

-

Law ushered the girl over to the stairs. He guided her to sit about halfway up, out of the flooded department, before finding a heavy blanket to drape over her shoulders. It did nothing to still her trembling body.

"Do you think they're okay?" The teen asked quietly, her voice a mere whisper.

She didn't dare steal a glance at the doctor as he removed the large shard of glass from her skull. He'd have done her the courtesy of numbing the area, but she hadn't even flinched once as he worked.

He couldn't believe you had gone out into that storm-- and without any sort of supplies. Then again, he should have expected it. It was completely in character for you to disregard yourself and dive head first into any situation.

"L/n-ya is stubborn." He put the first few stitches in. "She won't stop until your dad is sitting next to you on these steps."

You had better return in one piece. He set the supplies aside and glanced towards the open doors. It was too dark and there was too much water. You could have been washed away or trapped underneath, fighting to break the surface for all he knew.

He was about to leave the girl now that she was stable. Whether he was going to see to another patient or go out into the storm after you, he wasn't sure. Then, the girl called out to his back.

"That woman... She's a good doctor, isn't she?"

Law glanced over his shoulder to see the teen clutching the blanket tighter around herself. Her expression was one of concern and doubt.

He looked back towards the last place he had seen you standing with a nod. You were more than good, but he would probably never tell you that to your face.

"Yeah, your dad's in capable hands."

It was as if their words had summoned you. You had suddenly appeared with a flash of lightning, leaning up against the entrance with a larger form leaning on you. Your sweater was tied around the man's shoulder, dyed a deep crimson.

Two men approached you, taking the injured man and guiding him to where another doctor instructed. Law followed them with his eyes as he made his way to you.

You had closed your eyes, taking deep breaths. When his hand came to rest on your upper arm, you flinched, but didn't stop him from pulling you further inside.

The skin he could see was littered in scratches and bruises from being battered around by the storm. Even the palms of your hands were scraped up.

"I got him out in time, right?"

He had a feeling you weren't talking about the man twice your size that you had just dragged in by some miracle, but he nodded none the less.

"Yeah, he's going to be just fine."

You hummed, too worn to care about how you gratefully leaned into his support.