Chapter Text
Robby rubbed at his eyes, the words on the computer screen slowly came into focus. He settled his reading glasses on his nose and continued typing. At this rate, he’d be here well into the night shift.
Cassie approached his desk, her brow furrowed, and that familiar glint in her eyes.
“Before you start, whatever it is, no.” Robby called out without glancing up from his work.
“I have sort of a weird case-“ Cassie laid her tablet on the countertop, “What do you mean no?”
“Dr. McKay, I appreciate your heightened empathy and compassion, but as I have reminded you many times, this is an emergency room. You will end up shorting your own education if you spend so much time-“
“Robby, please.” She was met with a deep sigh. He had been uncharacteristically short and snippy these recent months. Regardless, she moved forward with presenting her case.
“Okay, 49-year-old, Andrew Cody, with painful urination. Urinalysis and culture were normal. The gonorrhea and chlamydia tests were negative. No fever, body aches, or chills.” She reported.
“Did you CT scan him for kidney stones?” Robby continued to click away at his computers.
“Well, that’s the thing. The entire exam, his mother wouldn’t leave the room. Even during the physical exam, she said ‘it’s nothing I haven’t seen before.’ And she’s answering questions on his behalf, won’t let him out of her sight-“
“Wait a minute, you’re keeping one of our coveted rooms full for an adult male with mommy issues?”
Her eyes narrowed and she bit her tongue. “No, I’m concerned about abuse.”
“He’s an adult-“
“Who deserves a little respect.” Cassie crossed her arms and bent down a little to make eye contact with Robby. “He’s completely shut down, I figured maybe you could talk to him while I pull mom away.”
“Fine, I will go talk to them. Put in the CT order.” He stood up straight, felt his pocket for his stethoscope and walked to Central 9. He observed momentarily through the glass door.
The male was sitting on the bed, his feet dangling just barely touching the floor. His mother was standing beside him, closely, and running her hands through his scalp. If her goal was to soothe him, it wasn’t working. His hands were trembling, his breathing was fast, and his eyes were downcast.
Robby knocked against the door frame and then pushed it open.
“I am Dr. Robinavitch, I’m a senior attending here at PTMC.” He introduced. He noticed the patient didn’t look up.
“Did Dr. McKay get pulled away?” The woman’s eyes were cruel. She had an ever present smirk and her nails never stopped their sharp movements on her son’s head.
“I oversee all the residents, just to be thorough. She filled me in a little bit. Is there a reason why you don’t want the CT scan?” Robby moved to pull on a pair of gloves.
“Andrew?” Robby tried but got no response.
“Baby, the doctor is talking to you.” His mom used her fingers to grasp his chin and force his head up. His stare was intense when it locked with Robby’s.
“I don’t like doctor’s offices.”
“That is fair,” Robby slowly approached the bed. He moved his hands at a pace that would let Andrew pull away if he wanted to. “I’m not a big fan of hospitals either.”
He didn’t laugh but a flicker of joy flashed in his eyes.
Robby let his hands drop to Andrew’s stomach. He slowly pushed and prodded, feeling for any abnormalities.
“Do you prefer Andrew?” He asked. His mother inched closer. “Drew? Andy?”
“My friends call me Pope.” He answered bashfully.
“That is not one I’ve heard before.” Robby replied easily. “Can I call you Pope?”
“Sure.”
“Dr. Robinavitch asked about a CT scan, Pope.” She pulled at his hand, interlocking their fingers.
“I don’t think I should get one.” He answered dutifully.
“Tell me about your concerns, maybe I can answer some questions for you.” Robby pulled out his stethoscope from his pocket and used it to listen to Pope’s belly. He swung it back around his neck.
“Pope, baby, do you remember the time you tried to strangle that doctor with his stethoscope? Was that back in Oceanside or were we in Mexico that time?” His mother laughed like it was funny.
Pope’s entire face flushed, it ran down his neck and to the tips of his ears. “I-I-I, that was a long time ago, but I-“ Pope forced out.
“It’s okay,” Robby placated. It took enormous effort to not instinctively back up. “How about you get that CT scan for me? Then maybe you can go home?”
Pope looked at his mother.
“Don’t look at her, look at me.” Robby directed. He ignored her scoff and eye-roll and kept his eyes on Pope.
“Okay.” Pope agreed.
♡
“Dr. Robinavitch, do you have a second?” Dr. Nick Barker stood with a stack of papers in his hand.
“In person wet read? That can’t be good.” Robby stood and indicated his head to the family room. He closed the door behind him and turned to face Nick.
“I got the CT scan results back for Andrew Cody? Painful urination patient?” He read off the top cover sheet. “I have some concerns.”
Robby grabbed the papers himself and scanned the impressions. He flipped through the pages, hurriedly but thoroughly.
“Thanks, Dr. Barker.” He turned sharply and shoved the door open.
“Wait, Robby hold on, is this abus-“ Robby had already turned down the hallway. Nick followed close on his heels, still trying to get a word in. “-because we need to report-“
“McKay!” Robby pulled his head out of the room. “Where did Andrew go?”
“He was just in there,” she stood quickly and took a look in the empty room. She locked eyes with Nick, “What did you find?”
Robby shoved past them as they whispered to each other. He ran through the ambulance doors and saw Pope following his mother toward the parking lot.
“Hold up! Pope!” Robby raced up to them, swerving the oncoming ambulance. “Your CT scans came back-“
“We really need to go, Dr. Robinavitch.” Janine cut him off.
“I have some concerns about a density in the pelvic area, you really need to stay.” He was panting a little. He should really join a gym.
“A density?” Pope asked from behind his mother’s shoulder.
“Could be cancer,” Robby blurted out. He mentally cursed himself for lying and shoved the guilt aside.
“I have a history of cancer,” his mother said, her eyes widened. “Pope, baby, we need to check that out.” His mother acquiesced.
Robby led them back inside, he made eye contact with Cassie and Nick. “Mrs. Cody, I think the best thing would be to get a detailed history from you. Would you mind sitting with one of our nurses to go over it?”
Cassie quickly pulled Perlah up to Janine. “Perlah, maybe you can take Janine Cody here to South 15.” It was the furthest room she could think of. Even though Perlah wasn’t quite sure what was going on, she could sense everyone’s uneasiness.
”Sure, follow me.”
Janine kissed Pope on the lips, chastely, “Don’t tell them anything you don’t want to, baby.”
Robby turned to Cassie, “Put in some blood work for her too.” And directed Pope back to his room.
♡
Robby waited until she was out of sight before pulling Cassie behind him and entering the room. Pope was gnawing on his thumb cuticle, he stopped when he saw Robby standing there.
“I want to apologize Pope.” Robby pulled the stool out from under the computer station and lowered it so he and Pope were at the same level.
“Why?”
“I lied to you.” Robby watched Pope’s reaction. His hands twitched and he pulled his legs closer to his chest.
“About what?” He asked hesitantly.
“I got the report back from the radiologist. He said your scan shows ‘findings are consistent with chronic pelvic trauma, including extensive periurethral scarring and evidence of a poorly healed pelvic fracture.’” Robby paused. He gauged Pope for a reaction but was unsurprised to see no indication he had heard.
“These injuries could explain your symptoms.” Cassie offered gently.
Pope nodded loosely. “Okay.” He glanced up at the door but quickly back down to his feet. “So it’s not cancer?”
Robby ran his tongue over his bottom lip, his mouth felt dry. “No, it’s not.”
Robby thought if he wasn’t blocking the door, Pope would rush him.
“Can you tell us more about your injuries?” Cassie tried again from her corner of the room. “Everything you say is confidential-“
“Get out.” He said evenly. His eyes glared from underneath his brow bone. She waited a beat and then nodded in agreement, she pulled open the door.
Robby went to follow her, “You can stay.” He froze in his tracks and let Cassie close the door behind her.
Robby stood awkwardly in silence for a while. He watched as Pope opened and closed his mouth, never quite saying anything. His cuticles were starting to bleed from how aggressively he was picking at them.
“I can get a counselor if you feel like that would be easier.” Robby offered.
“My brother, when he was younger, he asked me to beat up this kid.” Pope looked up at Robby. “And I did.”
Robby didn’t quite understand where Pope was going with this but he remained quiet.
“I did it without asking why.” A shiver rippled through Pope’s body, down his spine. “My whole life, I’ve never asked why.”
A single tear ran down Pope’s face but he aggressively wiped it away. “If they wanted to touch me, I didn’t ask why. If they beat me, I didn’t ask why. All I’ve ever been is something to use.”
Robby felt his pulse beating in his throat.
“Pope, are you being abused?” Robby kept his voice quiet and low.
“What? No. That’s not what this is.” His eyes closed. “I never asked why, I never said no. That’s my point. Are you listening to me?” Pope’s hands found purchase in his hair.
“I am listening and that’s the issue. Pope, the behavior we have observed today is-“
“Is what?” Pope was looking through the glass window.
“Is unacceptable.” Robby finished.
Pope stood suddenly. Robby instinctively took a step backwards, his hands coming out in front of himself.
“I’m not going to hurt you.” Pope mumbled.
“I know, what do you need?”
“Why did you take my case?” Pope edged close to the door, he watched the nurses, medics, patients, and families moving through the hallway.
“What do you mean?” Robby slid his stethoscope off from around his neck, pocketing it.
“Why did you pick my case? There are people out there that are hurting. That guy looks like his leg got blown off.”
“Dr. McKay is my resident, I supervise her. If she has concerns, like she did, I come to evaluate myself.”
Pope turned and faced Robby, he shrugged his shoulders a little. “So what did she say?”
Robby felt his face getting a little warm. He paused for a moment too long. “She said you were refusing a CT scan… and that you seemed uncomfortable.”
“Uncomfortable,” Pope repeated. Robby nodded. “You see patients that are uncomfortable?”
“I thought that maybe she needed a second set of eyes… to confirm what she was thinking.”
“You didn’t believe her.” Pope crossed his arms.
“I didn’t know what to think, but-” Robby admitted. He was cut off by Pope stalking towards him, his stare made Robby’s stomach drop.
“I want to go home.” Pope got into Robby’s face, not quite threatening but uncomfortably so.
“I think-“
“You’ve been lying to me since the minute you walked in the room. You lied to me in the parking lot to keep me here! You cannot keep me here.” Pope’s voice cracked.
He took a deep breath and noticed Robby’s hand had come up between their chests. Pope searched for his other hand and it was against the wall, fingers wrapped around the emergency string pull.
Pope immediately took a step back.
“Watch your stethoscope, doc, it’s falling out of your pocket.” And with that Pope turned on his heel and left.