[NYC] Unexpected turn of events

[notskywalker]

Who: Luke, Tab & Andrew (posting order)
Where: Mount Sinai Medical Centre, New York
When: Tuesday evening
Follows: THIS and THIS___________________________________________________

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[paramedically]

Andrew was watching the numbers illuminate above the elevator on the third floor as it made it's way down the hospital floors. He had just spent no less than two hours visiting Ali and Jamie, and had been surprised at how much they had a laugh together. She had told more repeatedly how appreciative she was to have his company and then much to Andrew's surprise, let him hold the baby girl while she indulgently hooked into the large bag of jelly beans he had brought her. He was stunned himself how much he enjoyed visting them and by the time he walked out of the Maternity ward, Ali made him promise they would have lunch together once she was discharged as her thanks to him. Needless to say, he was excited and really hoped he didn't go on to make a dick of himself once they were in a normal setting and she wasn't a helpless patient who just gave birth was gone.

He rocked up onto his toes and dropped back down again. The elevators in this place always seemed so fucking slow. He was tired and needed a shower, still in his paramedic overalls folded down to his waist with a tight white t-shirt that declared PARAMEDIC across his chest.

[notskywalker]

Luke kept his arm securely around Tab's shoulders. "In the blink of an eye," he agreed quietly. "And I know what you're thinking. You should find a moment of twin time, you know. Give him a hug or something to assure yourself he's okay. You would be knowing quite well how Aiden's feeling right now."

The elevator stopped half way and the doors opened to let someone in. Luke shifted a step closer to Tab so the person could join them in the cubicle, a polite smile ready to be proffered, but it was caught when his mouth dropped open in surprise. "Andy!" he gasped, knowing the face anywhere.

[asinthecity]

"I'd be freaked out by that mind reading thing you do if it didn't make me so relieved you know me that well," Tab replied as she squeezed his side. "I'll resist the urge to pinch him since that probably defeats the purpose of making sure he's okay. And yeah, I do. It's awful. We have to try and be there for him."

Tab's gaze shifted towards the man who had stepped in, and her own lips parted in surprise as she recognised a face she'd really only seen online. "Holy fuck! This is so spooky."

[paramedically]

Andrew gave a small laugh of disbelief and immediately stepped in to embrace his cousin. "Holy shit. It's damn good to see you, man. What the hell are you doing here?" he asked, patting Luke's back. "Fuck, what are you doing in a hospital?!"

[notskywalker]

Luke hugged his cousin back with a smile and then stepped back to analyse him. "A friend of ours has just been admitted to the Medical Ward. He was brought in earlier today, took a turn for the worst with his illness. He's one of Tab's brother's best friends," he explained. He stepped aside and tugged Tab's hand. "This is Tab, my girlfriend. Tab, this is my cousin, Andy. But I believe you two have met," he added, smirking.

[asinthecity]

Tab watched the two with a smile on her face, and stuck out her hand for Andrew to shake. "Andy, huh? Guess it suits the whole nice guy thing. And yeah, we have. But now we get to meet in the flesh. So how's the Mum-to-Be?" Tab asked him, her brown eyes holding a knowing glint.

[paramedically]

Andrew promptly blushed, though it was clearly for the latter comment rather than Luke having blatantly revealed his childhood nickname. Only those nearest and dearest to him called him Andy. "I... um..." he stammered and cleared his throat. "She's doing well. A little happier today..." He scratched his arm and in his embarrassment, offered a smile. "Your friend, was his name Pat by any chance? Long shot, maybe, but put it down to curiosity."

[notskywalker]

Luke glanced between them, oblivious. "Wait, what mum? Who's mum?" he asked, feeling like he'd missed an inside joke. "Andy's mum lives in Boston."

His eyebrows shot up. "Yeah, it's Pat. Did you bring him in? He has MS and slipped in the shower. We're just all back from Mexico, so it's a huge shock. He was fine, well seemingly, anyway."

[asinthecity]

Tab grinned at Andrew's clear nervousness, before she looked up at Luke. "Andrew's got a crush. She's a new mum he bought in who threatened to zap his balls. Definitely a keeper."

"I was just saying to Luke how quickly things can change. It was the same with Riley. I don't think I'm ever going to be comfortable being in a hospital again. Still, Pat needs us. Aiden sent up the Bat Signal and here we all are. That's so crazy that you were the one to pick him up. I'm going to have to start singing that song again."

[paramedically]

"No, no! It's not a crush! She's just... I wanted to make sure she was okay, and she was having a tough time. She said she appreciated the company..." Andrew trailed off, still blushing furiously. "I was just trying to cheer her up, so she's not alone."

He nodded. "Aiden. That's the one. Patrick's partner. He had a bit of a tough time in the ambulance. I was firing questions at him that he didn't know the answers to and I got a feeling he was taking it personally, so I went to see he was okay after my shift. I suspected right. The guy was totally beating himself up, but these things I was asking were just protocol. Less than eight weeks into a relationship, it's not uncommon that he wouldn't know the answers." He smirked a little. "It was my last shift for the day, too. Pretty cool coincidence. I didn't even put two and two together when Aiden mentioned he was just back from Mexico."

[notskywalker]

Luke couldn't help but grin mischievously at his cousin. "Oh? A crush, huh? You don't do things in halves, do you, mate? Like a bit of dominatrix, do you? Is that why you're here but obviously not on duty? Visiting her?" He knew Andrew well enough to read him. "Shit, you're interested in her, at the very least."

"Jesus. That probably wouldn't have gone down too well. Aiden's already been feeling like he's not going to be good enough for Pat. This is just going to compound everything," he predicted and kissed Tab's head. "Tab's twin brother, Riley only recently found out he's Postive. A needlestick injury. It's been... really hard." He squeezed her reassuringly. "You can trust Andy with all this shit. I promise."

The elevator dinged and signalled they had reached the ground floor. "We're getting a coffee. Come join us?"

[asinthecity]

"I told him he should find out her favourite breakfast." Tab's eyes went wide and she leaned forward to whack Andrew in the arm. It wasn't hard enough to bruise, but it was clear she was used to dealing with her brother and boys in general. "Did you?! Tell me you did. I also told him that there is nothing wrong with just being nice and friendly and keeping her company. He's laying groundwork."

Tab nodded slowly, agreeing with everything that got said about Aiden. "I swear he's going to give himself an ulcer, or something. The poor guy stresses so much. He really can't be blamed for not knowing everything. I've known Riley our whole lives and I'm still not sure how good I'd be having questions thrown at me in the back of an ambulance." Tab took comfort from Luke and continued to lean against him. He'd been there since Riley's diagnosis, so it wasn't hard for her to let him take care of her. "Hard's a nice way to put it. Luke met me pretty much just before the shit hit the fan. I don't know what I'd have done without him. Being back here though just has me remembering everything that came before the diagnosis and after the diagnosis. When Riley was stabbed he caught a stomach bug of the fucker as well. Like HIV wasn't enough."

"Yeah, come join us. It's not beer but it's still a drink."

[paramedically]

Andrew rubbed his arm where she belted him, not exactly sure why he got the slap, but typically just laughing softly at it. "We didn't talk about breakfast. I don't want her thinking I'm some sort of perve! We just mostly talked about work and Australia. The father of her baby is Australian. Then we talked about the baby. The baby's uncle was killed near Sydney, apparently. It was... nice."

He reached and touched Tab's arm softly. "I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry. I know how fearful medical staff are about needlestick, but to actually suffer it, I can't even begin to imagine. It's no wonder things were so tough for you. He's probably still struggling with it, perhaps always will," he said. "My offer still stands. If you need anything, just give me a shout. I'm glad you're here, though. Patrick's other half really looked like he could use a shoulder or two."

He glanced at his watch. He'd been here for hours now, but so what? He hadn't seen his cousin in months and they definitely needed to catch up. "Sure, why not?" he said, smiling. "Lead the way."

[notskywalker]

Luke raised an eyebrow and looked at Andrew over the top of Tab's head. "Are you sure you want to get too involved with a new mother? Where's the baby's father? The uncle was killed? Mate, this sounds messy."

"Riley's not been himself since. He can't shake the fear he's going to infect someone close to him, his girlfriend especially. It's been a difficult situation to know how to handle on any level. Shit like this doesn't come with an instruction manual, you know? Plus, him being in Princeton and us here in the City doesn't help."

[asinthecity]

"Says you," Tab commented softly as she bumped her hip against Luke's. "That's why he needs to go slow. I still say you need to find out her favourite breakfast. You'll be set for life if this is what you want."

"Still better than him being back in Scotland." Tab stepped off the elevator with her hand gripping Luke's as she lead the way to the cafeteria. She remembered it from when she'd been here after her minor car accident. She still had a scar on her palm from the deep cut she'd got. "I just want my brother to be happy but it seems to come in fleeting moments. It's never really sustained. I know it has to be hard to be Positive, but he's still alive. He's still got a chance at life."

[paramedically]

Andrew shot Luke a Look. "I'm just making sure she's okay. Seriously, man. Her best friend was murdered three weeks ago. Her other best friend who had been dating him fucked off out of the country when she couldn't cope. Then the baby's father, the other guy's brother, went back home to Oz because they didn't want to stay in the country in their grief. She fell pregnant to him after a drunken one night stand, but couldn't face a termination. Yeah, it's messy but if you stop and think, she's having a really bad time of things and if I can help by taking her mind of all the shit briefly, even if I never see her again, then all the better. Kid or no kid, she's a sweet person, albeit extremely scary. And believe it or not, I actually like the kid, too."

He pressed his lips together in thought. "Sure, but a risky life, a restricted life. It will take transition. He'll wake up one day and realise his new normal. He just needs to find his feet. He should think about wearing a MedicAlert bracelet. A friend of mine got Hepatitis. She found wearing the alert relaxed her a little because people would know from a glance at the bracelet to take extra care, whether they knew what was wrong or not."