25 Days of Ficmas 2023

Day Eight: Group Therapy (Lawrence Gordon)

Dr. Lawrence Gordon x Fem!Reader

Warnings ⚠️: SA Survivor, Franchise typical violence and gore, Trauma, Traps, Games, Angst, Fights, Arguments, Hurt/Comfort, Shared Experineces.

Summary: After his divorce, caused by his new cynical outlook on life following surviving the bathroom game, Doctor Gordon finally allows himself to make a connection with a fellow survivor. The December meeting offered him the perfect opportunity to gift her something he had been putting a lot of thought into.

Lawrence Gordon never really participated in the Saw Survivors Support Group in the year and a half he had been attending the monthly meetings inside the fellowship hall of the Emmanuel Episcopal church or Jersey.

He technically wasn't there to participate, John having assigned him the task of keeping an eye on past survivors to look for signs that they might reoffend. With his health at its weakest, Kramer wanted to be a hundred percent sure that his methods were sound prior to meeting his maker.

Doctor Gordon's silent role was forever changed when he saw the aftermath of a trap he knew for sure wasn't one John would have subjected someone to. But one he was being blamed for nonetheless.

For almost a year, Lawrence tried to get the reserved woman who had survived the faux jigsaw trap to at least tell him her name. Since John hadn't been at all responsible, it was almost impossible for Hoffman to look up the woman's history without a name to put into the system. And, since everyone but John was unaware of where Lawrence's loyalties lied, it wasn't like he could give Hoffman a physical description himself.

Although she merely sat quietly at the support group, as was normal for most members until they got comfortable enough, Lawrence was easily able to pick up on quite a few clues that he himself used to make educated guesses about her past. For example, She was always the first person, other than Lawrence, to show up at the meetings, using her early arrival to shift the chair she wanted to sit in away from the formed circle just enough so that no matter who sat down she wouldn't have to touch knees with them.

And, when it was time for refreshments after, She was quick to make an escape, not wanting to be around for that part of the meetings. Whenever any man in the group looked her way, she would avoid eye contact like she was afraid. The one time Lawrence accidently leaned into her space after someone else in the group accidently kicked his good leg out from under him, She visibly flinched when he got a little too close.

It was this final point that was the most telling. Despite being an oncologist by profession, He had to do quite a few gynecologic and trauma cycles. And he has seen more than his fair share of sexual violence victims and survivors. And the woman fit the bill almost perfectly. That must have explained why she was so against sharing her story, afraid her past would paint her in an unsavory light.

Instead of trying to get the still-reserved survivor to open up in front of the entire group, Doctor Gordon opted instead to try and talk with her when they were the only two at the meeting.

"Hey there." Gordon started when he first saw her making her way into the large open room. "I'm Larry Gordon. I've seen you at these meetings for like a year now. Just wanted to introduce myself." "Y/N" the woman offered, but didn't say much else. He'll, that's at least a start. He was at least closer to an answer that he had previously been.

That simple interaction not only acted as Y/N opening up, but Lawrence as well. From that point on they confided in one another about anything and everything, taking full advantage of having a single listener before both clamming up for the entirety of the group therapy sessions.

Y/N still speed-walked out if the meetings before stopping for any refreshments. The only difference now was that Doctor Gordon was t far behind. The spiked of his cane striking the floor behind her had Y/N smiling every time.