Again, involves violence (gun violence, shooting) and injury. Again, idea is shared with ImsoDunwithyou
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"I'm sorry, there is nothing we can do to help you. It's incurable and there is no treatment." Amelia explained to the teen, who looked less than impressed at the news. In fact, he seemed angry about it. Amelia was right though; there was nothing they could do. For once, Grey-Sloan Memorial would be unable to treat someone. The risk was not worth it. Either way, this kid was dying.
"But you're meant to be the best!" He exclaimed, his brows knitting together in anger as he glanced between the small team surrounding him. "You're just going to all let me die?!"
Karev let out a short sigh as he turned to the kid. "We tried everything we could. The surgery is just too risky and chemo will not be enough to get rid of it. Removing the tumor will kill you. It's rare that this ever happens but honestly, it's keeping you alive somehow."
The kid just gave him this disgusted look, almost silently telling him to piss off. Amelia and Alex shared a look between them. Amelia had tried everything at this point. Nothing would work. "I'm so sorry."
"Fine," The kid spat, standing up from the chair he had been sat in, grabbing his bag and slinging it over his shoulder. "But if I'm dying, I'm taking you all with me."
With that, he pushed straight past Amelia, making sure to knock her with some force. She stumbled a little and her hand raised to grasp her shoulder as she took a deep breath, as not to finally lose it. Alex turned to her with a harsh sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose out of frustration.
"What an ass," Alex scoffed, shaking his head at the kid as he watched him walk over to where his parents were sat in the waiting room. "Even for a 15-year-old. Won't even let his parent's in the room."
"Karev," The tone was warning. "Don't speak about him like that. He is only 15 and he's just found out he has an incurable brain tumor. He has every right to be pissed off!"
"That's still no excuse to be an asshole. Are you okay?" Amelia let out a sigh at Alex's question, removing her hand from her shoulder, letting it drop back to her side. She nodded in response before they both left the room, heading over to the nurse's station.
The two spent a moment together as they checked over the boy's charts, both in their own world. They felt terrible; they were doctors and yet, they were unable to save a kid's life. It was extremely rare that this ever happened but today just happened to be one of those days.
"Dr. Karev!" A chirpy, familiar voice caught Alex's attention. He turned to his right to see who it was. "I've been told I'm on your service today!"
"Schmitt, thought I'd never see you." Alex almost scolded him. Levi wasn't often late but today things had just gone a little out of plan.
"Sorry, I got caught up." He dipped his head a little as he awkwardly laughed it off, rubbing the back of his neck. Alex raised a brow at the intern, putting two-and-two together. That wasn't his business and he seriously did not want to get into detail about it.
"Keep that stuff at home, Schmitt." Alex screwed his face up at the intern, before the two of them made their way to the next patient. A toddler who had decided that it would be interesting to shove something directly in their ear, which was now lodged there. The mother had tried to remove it but only feared she would hurt her son even more.
They made their way to the bay in which the two were waiting, Levi following directly behind Alex. There were a few times he almost stood on the back of Karev's shoe, he was following that close. Karev had learned to get used to it by now. Levi was so eager to learn that there was no point in trying to tell him to stop.
They eventually found their patient, who was busy watching videos on his mother's phone. Levi loved working with toddlers; they were often difficult to work with, but he loved a challenge every now and then.
"How's little Connor doing?" Alex grinned brightly as he approached the two. The mother turned to face him, smiling when she realized it was a doctor finally coming to see her. In fact, it wasn't the first time Connor had been in the ER- just last week, he came in for swallowing something he shouldn't have.
"Fussy," The mother scoffed, rolling her eyes. Levi stood back just a little, letting Karev take the lead. He didn't want to get in the way of him. "He shoved something in his ear and I can't get it out at all. I tried but I didn't want to hurt him even more."
"It was smart of you to bring him here. We'll get it out and check for any potential damage as well. How was he when he left last week?" Alex asked, opening a drawer to the left of him to get a pair of rubber gloves to put on.
"Alright, he was fine. He can be a real handful. He wants to eat everything he shouldn't and tries to shove things where they shouldn't be." She tried to take her phone back from the toddler, only for him to scream in protest. Levi glanced over his shoulder as he waited for instructions, watching the people and staff intertwine as they went about their day.
Levi had a strange feeling that today was going to turn sour. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he felt extremely uneasy. Perhaps he had just eaten something funny; perhaps it was more than that.
-
The feeling Levi had still hadn't passed after a few hours. It lingered, distracting him from what he should be doing. There was just something nagging him that something bad was going to happen and when Levi had these feelings, they weren't often wrong.
He let out a long sigh as he dropped yet another chart off at the nurse's station, taking a moment to just step back and breathe. It felt like his stomach was twisting in all sorts of funny directions. It almost made him feel nauseous, it was that bad.
"Rough day?" Levi snapped out of his daze when a voice interrupted his thoughts. He nodded in response, sighing yet again.
"I have this horrible feeling which I can't budge," He complained, resting his arms on top of the station. "Like something bad is going to happen. It's been distracting me all day."
"Hmm," Nico hummed, shrugging his shoulders in response. "Maybe you're right."
"Don't say that," Levi whined, turning to face Nico, his bottom lip jutted out in a pout. The corner or Nico's lips twitched up into a grin as he looked at Levi, before he turned his attention back to the chart in his hands.
"You'll be fine, Levi. Nothing bad is going to happen, I guarantee you that. If it does, I'll come and find you, don't worry." The smug grin slapped across Nico's face was enough to cause Levi to let out a strained groan. Levi pushed himself off the nurse's station and brushed past Nico, ready to go find Alex to continue on with his work. Nico watched as Levi disappeared, truly fascinated by how he could get so overwhelmed by one feeling. Levi would often tell Nico that he had a weird, bad feeling. Most of the time, something did happen, but it was minor. Even so, Nico was still skeptical that it was anything other than perhaps a tiny bit of anxiety.
After a few moments, Nico headed back to go find Link, who he needed to find before they headed into surgery together. They had an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery for an ex-athlete, who had always overworked himself more than what was sensible. They had about an hour before they had to start the surgery.
Though Levi's words lingered in the back of his head; what if something was going to happen? What if it was his surgery that was going to go wrong? What if they messed up or found something which meant they had to stop? Nico shook himself out of the spiraling thoughts as he rounded the corner, eventually spotting Link. He was chatting away with Jo, about what, he had no idea. Link never let Nico into any of their conversations.
Link spotted Nico as he made his way over, excusing himself from Jo. The two of them then headed towards the OR together, where they could begin to prep for surgery. As they got ready, Nico mentioned to Link about how Levi had said that something bad was going to happen. They talked for a while about it, when link eventually admitted he'd been having the same feeling all day, especially after seeing someone who made him feel extremely uneasy. Either way, he brushed it off, as he had to get into the mood for surgery.
"Levi really has you wrapped around his finger, doesn't he?" Link teased as he and Nico were preparing to scrub in, Nico unable to keep the goofy smile from his face. Link was right in all ways possible.
"Yeah, he does. When I first started here, I never imagined I'd be swept off my feet by some intern." Nico laughed, glancing over at Link. The two made their way into the OR just a moment later, ready to start the surgery.
"Right, let's get this show on the road," Link stated, his tone full of enthusiasm as he turned to face the patient. This was one of Link's favorite surgeries to perform; it always had been. There was just something he found so interesting about it all. It was a speedy operation that was usually done in roughly an hour, so it wouldn't take up too much of their day. It wasn't long until an upbeat track was drifting through the OR, everyone in full swing.
-
Down in the ER, people were rushing about, doctors trying to sort patients out whilst the patients were waiting to get sorted. Alex and Levi were just finishing off another patient when a strange, loud boom echoed throughout the hospital. It sounded like it came from a floor above and everyone seemed to notice it. People were looking around, exchanging confused stairs. Then, it happened two more times. Alex gave Levi this concerned look as he fished his phone from his pocket, instantly unlocking it to call Jo to see if she knew what was happening.
Levi stayed with the patient as Alex disappeared to take the call, making sure that no one started to panic. The little child that was sat with her mother looked frightened, she could tell something wasn't right. As could Levi- that feeling from earlier was back and stronger than ever. The little girl whimpered and cowered into her mother's side, catching Levi's attention. He hated to see young kids so frightened. He turned his attention to her fully, leaning down a little to reach her level.
"Hey, Caterina," Levi spoke soft, his tone chirpy and cheerful. The little girl changed her gaze to look at the intern in front of her. "There is no need to be afraid, I bet it's just someone dropping something. Lots of doctors here are really clumsy!"
The little girl seemed to relax a little at his words, but she still seemed pretty tense. It didn't help that her mother was starting to freak out as well.
"That didn't sound like somebody dropped something," The mother started, glancing around at the other patients. Levi let out a short sigh, about to answer when she started speaking again, her tone more hushed and panicked this time around. "It sounded like gunshots."
"I don't think it was, but-" Levi was interrupted when a flood of people came rushing through the doors of the stairwell, trying to push past one another, the looks on their faces eventually putting the pieces together. Levi muttered something beneath his breath as he turned back to the patient, excusing himself before rushing off to find Alex.
He had to sprint past both staff and patient to eventually find Alex, almost tripping multiple times. He eventually found Karev in a room, pacing about with his phone held firmly against his ear. He let out a deep groan as his phone once again went to voicemail, unable to get ahold of his wife. Levi was out of breath by the time he reached Karev and had to rest against the frame of the door to ground himself. When Karev heard heavy breathing, he whipped around to face Schmitt.
"What the hell is going on?" Alex almost whispered, his brows furrowing as he looked at the intern. Levi eventually straightened up and coughed a little, trying to get his breathing under control. "Why isn't Jo answering my calls?"
Levi let out a hushed sigh as he glanced over his shoulder, shoving his hands deep in the pockets of his lab coat. "I uh, think we may have a problem. There are people rushing out of the hospital and they all look terrified."
Alex put two and two together, his face falling as he realized what Levi was hinting at. He was about to make his way out of the room when his phone vibrated in his hand, stopping him dead in his tracks. He answered it without hesitation, hoping that the call wasn't for something bad. Though deep down he knew that it wasn't going to be a good call.
"Tell me what's happening," Karev didn't wait to start asking questions. Levi waited with bated breath, unable to keep still as he kept glancing around, almost paranoid that something- or someone- was behind him. "Shit."
"What?" Levi snapped his attention back to Karev, only to have Karev hold up his finger, silently telling him to hush as he waited for more news. It seemed like ages until Karev hung up, making his way past Schmitt without a word. Levi followed suit behind him, trying to keep up with Karev's rushed pace. "Dr. Karev, whats-"
"Come with me, we need to get these people out of here. The cops have been called and the hospital is about to go on lockdown. Anyone who can walk needs to get out of here whilst they can. We have an active shooter in the hospital somewhere and I'm not about to let these people get murdered." Alex's tone was serious yet there was a strange hint of fear mixed in there. Levi almost stopped dead in his tracks at the revelation that there was a shooter in the hospital. Suddenly, he knew this feeling he'd been having all this time was right- and he hated himself for it.
-
"What the hell was that?" Link exclaimed, bewilderment coating his face. Nico shrugged, shaking his head lightly in response. "That didn't sound good."
"No, it didn't." Nico agreed, his phone buzzing in his pocket. He got it out with little thought and glanced down at it to see who was contacting him. It was a text from Levi, which simply read 'hospital on lockdown. please stay safe.'
"Who is it?" Link pondered, leaning over a little to try to catch a glimpse of Nico's phone. He didn't respond straight away, which concerned Link. He glanced up at his friend, only to see Nico frowning at his phone, almost in confusion.
"It's uh," Nico cleared his throat, rereading the text over and over. "Levi. He says the hospital is on lockdown, that I need to stay safe."
"Then those noises were exactly what I think they were." Link let out a deep sigh as Nico quickly texted back a response to Levi. There was no way they could get out of the hospital if it was on lockdown now. It was only when Link made his way over to the window and looked out to see the hospital surrounded that it really made the whole situation a reality.
Nico made his way over to Link and stood next to him, resting his hands on his hips as he watched the people below them. All he could think about in that very moment was Levi. he wanted to get to him to make sure that he was okay. Link could tell that Nico's mind was occupied, he could see it written all over his friends face.
"I need to find Levi." Nico suddenly announced, turning on the ball of his feet before Link could even respond. Nico's pace was swift as he made his way down the hospital halls, his heart thumping in his chest. He swore that if anything happened to Levi, he would deal with the shooter himself. If Levi ended up getting hurt today, he would never be able to forgive himself.
"Can you not rush off, please?" Link called out, having to jog a little to catch up with Nico. "We need to think about this rationally!"
Nico stopped dead in his tracks, Link almost running straight into him because of the abruptness of Nico's stop. "Link, if anything happens to Levi-"
"Which it won't."
Nico sighed. "If anything happens to Levi, I will never forgive myself. Especially if I'm not there when it happens."
"Levi will be fine, Nico. Even so, I'll help you find him. Is he still in the hospital?" Link questioned, to which Nico responded with a nod. That was all he needed to know before the two of them headed off to go and find Levi before anything happened to him. Deep down, Nico was absolutely shitting himself; he had never felt such fear and panic in his life.
There were still patients in the hospital, ones which could not be evacuated. There were still many staff trapped like flies, unable to escape the danger that loomed around them. No one had any clue where the shooter was at that moment. He could be around the corner, he could be on a complete other floor. It was like a game of cat and mouse and it toyed with everyone's mind.
Levi and Nico were practically on other sides of the hospital to one another. Karev and Levi had gone to find Amelia after they discovered that the shooter was the patient that they had treated that morning. The 15-year-old; his name was Tom Hilderoy. Alex was convinced that if he was going for anyone, it would be Amelia and him. He swore to himself that he would not allow Amelia to get hurt. This felt like some crazy, super realistic dream that no one was able to wake from. It felt like a simulation with no off button.
The hospital had never felt so maze-like. It felt like Nico was going around in circles as he tried to find Levi. Link had to make sure that he kept a clear mind, otherwise, things could go sour. As much as he cared for Levi, he knew that he would be okay by himself. Though he could see how much distress Nico was in knowing that something could potentially happen to Levi. Link had never seen Nico in such a state before.
Levi and Alex eventually found Amelia, who was trying to keep one of the patients calm. Alex had never been so relieved to see Amelia alive and well. Well, there had been a few other times, but this one was so much different from the rest.
"Amelia!" Karev exclaimed, rushing over to her and practically enveloping her in a firm hug. It was obvious she didn't expect that by the surprised noise that escaped her. Eventually, Karev put Amelia back on the ground, resting his hands on her shoulders and looking her dead in the eye. "We know who the shooter is."
"It's Tom, I know. I heard." Amelia still had this sort of surprised look about her. Levi was stood back, absent-mindedly fiddling with his fingers as he waited for something to do. He wasn't the best in stressful situations.
"I think he's coming to find you, or us, even," Alex mentioned, which immediately changed Amelia's whole state. The look of surprise melted away into something more confused.
"We have to stop him," Amelia announced, this sudden wave of confidence washing over her. Both Karev and Schmitt looked at each other like she was bat-shit crazy- it was a suicide mission to try to stop an emotional, unstable 15-year-old who had a terminal illness. It was only then that both Karev and Amelia realized that he had meant what he said earlier. He really planned on taking them with him.
Levi let out a sharp sigh as he pulled his phone from his pocket, checking it to see if Nico had replied to him. Only when he tried to check it, it didn't turn on. Levi silently cursed himself, remembering that he had forgotten to put it on charge last night. He'd been a bit too caught up with other things to even remember to do that. He knew that Nico would probably be freaking out that he wasn't replying to his texts. There was no way he could make sure that Nico was alright.
As he put his phone back his in his pocket, he heard his name being called. He whipped around to try and find who had called him, only to see no one. Perhaps he had just been hearing things. He wouldn't be surprised with how stressed he felt at that moment. When he turned back around, Alex and Amelia had disappeared. He saw them scurrying off around the corner and instantly took off after them, not really wanting to be left alone.
-
"Why isn't he answering his phone?!" Nico exhaled, brushing his fingers through his hair as he glanced around, trying to see if Levi was in the swarm of people all huddled together. Link rested a comforting hand on Nico's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze to calm his friend. Nico turned his attention back to his phone, where he proceeded to text Levi yet again.
"Maybe he just doesn't have his phone on him, or maybe it ran out of battery," Link was desperately trying to keep Nico calm. "There haven't been any more gunshots that we've heard of. He's probably fine."
"Still, I'm worried for him." Nico sighed deeply, putting his phone back in his pocket. He let his back rest against the wall as he took a few slow breaths, letting his mind calm and rest for the first time in what seemed like hours. All he wanted in that moment was to see Levi, to be able to hug him and just know that he was safe and well.
The hallway in which they were was practically empty. There was no staff, no patients- just them two, alone. It was the first time either of them had felt creeped out by being in a hospital. Hospitals were not meant to be empty. They were meant to be beaming with life and death and miracles and that was exactly what was not happening. It felt wrong.
That's when they heard footsteps- running footsteps. They both looked up at each other, silently debating whether they should move just in case it was the shooter. If it was, they had no chance- nothing to defend themselves with. For all they knew, it could be someone who genuinely needed help.
Nico stood back up straight as he pushed himself off the wall, his brows knitted together in concentration as he waited to see who the footsteps belonged to. Link was just as interested, standing directly behind Nico as they both waited. Eventually, a figure made it's way into the middle of the hall, looking both directions before doing a double take as they turned back to Nico and Link.
"Nico?" It was Levi. Nico felt as if the world has been lifted off his shoulders. Levi was okay. He really was okay. Link released the breath he had been holding as he saw Schmitt, feeling the tension leave his body.
"Oh my God," Nico muttered to himself. It wasn't long until he took off towards Levi, absolutely ecstatic to see him. Levi grinned widely as he met Nico in the middle, practically jumping into his arms. Nico had his arms firmly wrapped around Levi's waist, lifting him off the ground for a brief moment. Link watched on from a distance, arms folded across his chest, unable to stop himself from smiling. They truly were something; Link could practically see the love hearts floating around them. "You scared the crap out of me!"
"I'm sorry, my phone died," Levi chuckled a little as Nico put him firmly back on the ground, hands sliding round to rest on his waist. Nico couldn't keep back the grin as Levi's hands came to rest against his chest. "I'm fine. I'm glad you are too."
"Right, you two, we better get going," Link disrupted the two, giving them a look which told them to stop being so sappy over one another. The swiftly separated from one another and started making their way over to Link, who was waiting eagerly for them. Once they reached Link, the three of them began making their way down another empty hallway, ready to make their way back to the main section of the hospital.
That was the plan, at least, until they rounded a corner. As the rounded it, a small figure came into view. Link instantly put his hand out to stop the other two, silently letting them know to stop. The both stopped abruptly, causing Levi to stumble just a bit. As he stumbled, his shoe dragged along the floors, causing a high-pitched squeaking noise. The figure at the other end of the hall turned rashly at the noise.
It was Tom Hilderoy, the shooter. He looked terrified; his hands were shaking as they hung by his sides, a gun gripped firmly in one of them. His eyes were wide with fear and panic as he stared at the small group. None of them knew what to do. They just stared at each other.
The silence that surrounded them was thin and uncomfortable; it felt like any sudden noise could kill them, there and then without any consideration. It wasn't for another few moments before someone finally moved. It just so happened to be Levi. He took a cautious step forward, his hands slowly rising, open wide to show that he had nothing on him that could harm the boy. Nico was quick to grasp the back of Levi's lab coat to try and yank him backward, but that wasn't enough to stop Levi. He shrugged the coat off, letting it fall into Nico's grip. Again he tried to reach out, only for Link to stop him from doing so.
Levi continued making his way forward, each step more cautious than the last. He only stopped when Tom eventually reacted, holding the gun up in front of him, pointed straight at Levi. Nico tried to wrestle out of Link's grip on his arm as Tom threatened Levi, but he refused to let him go.
"Hey, Tom, right?" Levi began, keeping his voice low and subtle. He kept his hands up, almost surrendering to the teen. Tom nodded rapidly in response, taking a few quick breaths as he waited for Levi to continue speaking. "I'm Levi, can we talk?"
What on earth was he doing? This was suicide! Both Link and Nico watched on, fear and anxiety pulsing through their veins. They were both terrified of what might happen to Levi. Why now did he have to decide to be a hero?!
"No!" Tom exclaimed, his voice breaking as he yelled. Levi took a deep breath and nodded in understanding. "No, I don't want to talk to you!"
"Okay," His heart was thumping in his chest. He knew what he was doing was dumb. "Okay, then who do you want to talk to?"
"I want to talk to the doctors who refuse to treat me!" Tom glanced behind Levi at Nico and Link, and he could see the fear on their faces. It made him feel oddly powerful- he had their lives in his hands.
"We can find them, as long as you promise to put down the gun." Levi began to lower his hands back down to his sides as he took another step forward. Tom let out a choked sob as he turned his head to wipe his tears using his shoulder. Levi glanced back over his shoulder at Nico and Link behind him, forcing himself to give them a reassuring smile. Nico looked at him, brows furrowed together in complete doubt, trying to silently convince him to stop.
Tom went to lower the gun, his breathing becoming so erratic that he could hardly take a breath. Levi took the chance to once again step forward, only to have Tom raise the weapon at him once more. "I want them gone! You take me to them!"
"I can't do that, Tom. They stay with me. You can trust them." Levi tried to explain but Tom was too much of an emotional wreck to think straight right now. Levi let out a sigh as he looked at Tom, not knowing what he should do next. If he tried to leave, he'd be shot. If he tried to advance, he'd be shot. Either way, he wasn't getting out of this unscathed.
"No, no, no!" Tom spoke through gritted teeth, tears blurring his vision. Levi swallowed his fear down, standing his ground.
"Tom, you can trust me! I'm not going to-"
"Shut up!" Tom bellowed, his anger and frustration getting the better of him. "Just go!"
Tom went to move his hand as he spoke, only to accidentally pull the trigger on the gun. The gunshot echoed through the hall as the bullet fired from the chamber, the sound bouncing off each and every surface in sight. Nico and Link both instinctively ducked as the gunshot sounded, their arms coming up to cover their heads. Once the sound stopped echoing, they could hear the sound of gross sobbing coming from the team. Link was the first to look up and his heart just dropped in his stomach. Tom was staring down at Levi, who was collapsed on the hospital floor.
"I-I didn't mean to! I swear I didn't!" Tom pleaded, shaking his head violently as he the reality of what he had just done settled in. That was when Nico finally looked up, his breath hitching in his chest as he stared at Levi, who was on the floor, completely still.
The sound of footsteps echoed down the other end of the hall to reveal Karev and Amelia. They bluntly stopped as they realized the scene in front of them. The sound of others arriving only spooked Tom more and he whipped around, instantly holding up his gun and firing yet again. A pained scream sounded from the other end of the hall as Amelia grasped at her shoulder, fresh blood painting her hand and clothes crimson.
Whilst Tom was turned, Link was swift to make his way to Levi's side, immediately checking his pulse. Thankfully, Levi was still very much alive and his pulse was strong. Link carefully turned him onto his back, to which he heard Levi groan at. He never thought he'd be glad to Levi groan in pain, but it meant that he was alive and conscious. The floor where Levi had been laying had a thin layer of blood coating it, his scrubs having absorbed most of the liquid.
"Levi, are you with me?" Link asked frantically, moving himself to kneel by Levi's side, hitching up the shirt of his scrubs so he could get a better look at the injury which he had obtained. It didn't look too bad from what Link could see- even so, he needed help. Link changed his gaze to Nico, who looked pissed. He was so angered that this guy had hurt Levi; Link feared he may do something stupid and irrational.
He needed something he could use to compress Levi's wound with to stop the bleeding. He glanced around, his eyes eventually landing on Levi's lab coat that he'd taken off just moments earlier. For a brief second, he left Levi's side to grab it.
"Link, how is he?" Nico asked, trying to keep his voice as low as possible. Link just looked at him, not giving him a certain answer. Nico understood what he meant by that.
On the opposite end of the hall, Alex had Amelia in his arms as she pressed her hand firmly against her shoulder, her face screwed up in agonizing pain. The bullet was lodged in there, she could feel it. Karev made sure to keep her calm and keep her shoulder as still as he could, as any movement could possibly worsen the wound.
"You're okay, Amelia," Alex reassured her, to which she just scoffed. Even when she was in pain, she still kept her sense of humor.
"Yeah, tell that to my shoulder," Amelia groaned through gritted teeth, her fingers screwed up tightly as she continued to apply pressure to her wound. Two doctors were down and needed immediate help, which was unavailable to them.
Nico wasn't about to let anyone else get shot whilst he was there. So he decided to take matters into his own hands. he moved from where he had been standing, making his way towards Tom, making sure to stay calm and collected. Tom turned to face Nico once he heard footsteps behind him. It was obvious Tom was in a state in which he was not okay- his whole body was shaking and he was struggling breath as tears just continued to fall from his eyes. There was no chance in hell that he would be able to calm himself down and he was a danger that needed to be stopped. His mindset was in a dark place; all he wanted was revenge. This kid just wanted a chance to live.
"Tom, please. Drop the gun, do not cause any more harm to anyone around you." Nico pleaded, keeping his hands stretched out in front of him, just as Levi had. Tom's hands hung low by his side, gun still gripped there.
"I don't want to die." Tom croaked, hiccuping in between words. Nico nodded and listened to Tom, still carefully making his way towards the teen.
"I know, buddy. It's scary but there is no need to hurt people because of it," This seemed like a dumb idea. "It's going to be okay. Things can change."
"No, they can't. They," Tom paused and turned his head to nod at Amelia and Karev, who were down the hall. "They couldn't help me."
"Sometimes illnesses can't be treated, Tom. Sometimes life is cruel that way. Even the best of us doctors can't cure everyone, even though we'd like to." Nico could not stress to Tom enough that hurting others because they hurt you was wrong. However, he seemed to be getting through to the unstable teen in front of him.
"I just wanted to be able to live. I didn't mean to hurt anyone." Tom sniffed harshly, turning his attention back to Nico. Nico took the chance to give Tom a reassuring smile, even if it was somewhat forced. It took a moment but Nico finally reached Tom's side and he was able to remove the gun from the teen. He knelt down and placed it on the floor, using his foot to nudge it to the side, away from him and Tom.
Nico rested his hand in the middle of Tom's shoulder blades as the teen just broke, letting out everything he'd been holding in. He tried to sooth Tom by rubbing gentle circles into his back, his heartbreaking for the boy. For a second, he seemed to understand why Tom did what he did. He wanted to show people how much he was hurting. He wanted people to know how he felt.
The two eventually sat on the floor, Tom's harsh and anguish filled cries filling the silence. Link had his hands firmly pressed against the wound on Levi's stomach, watching on in awe as Nico had managed to stop the teen boy from potentially killing someone- or even himself.
"Is- Is it bad?" Levi hissed as he tried to move to see his wound, pain searing through the laceration from the bullet. Link turned his attention back to the wounded intern beneath him, shaking his head to let Levi know the wound was only a minor one. "Where's Nico? I- Shit!"
"Sorry," Link apologized. "He's fine, he's completely fine. He's got Tom. It's over."
Levi let out a deep breath at Link's words. Finally.
"Link, I've messaged Jo to let her know where we are. There are people coming to help us now!" Alex shouted from the other end of the hall, alerting Link that help was on the way and the two injured doctors could finally be seen to.
A couple of minutes later and the police arrived, taking Tom from Nico. As soon as he had been escorted away and the weapon was contained, Nico rushed over to Levi's side. Link gave him a sorrowful look as he continued to apply pressure, rolling his shoulders just a little to release the tension that was building up in them. With a sharp sigh, Nico reached for Levi's hand, taking it in his own and giving it a comforting squeeze. Levi squeezed back, weakly at that. It was obvious to them both that the blood loss was starting to get to Levi- they both knew what he was like around his own blood. They had heard of the story behind the nickname 'Bloodbank'.
"Hey, I'm here Levi. I'm here," Nico hushed, using his free hand to brush the hair from Levi's forehead. Link's heart broke at the tone of Nico's voice. He had never heard anyone sound so pained, so desperate- Nico was not the emotional type. "You're going to be okay. Help is coming."
Levi squeezed Nico's hand again, suddenly feeling too sleepy to verbally respond. Nico let himself sigh as he continued to brush the hair from Levi's forehead, keeping Levi distracted from the pain as best as he could. It was only moments later that a flurry of doctors and nurses rounded the corners, swiftly helping sort Levi and Amelia out, whisking them away to get them thoroughly checked for more serious injuries. Nico felt helpless as he watched Levi get taken away. It felt as if his world was burning and crashing around him. Deep down, he knew Levi would be okay. He knew Levi was lucky.
But he still feared for the worst.
-
After pacing relentlessly back and forth for what seemed like hours, Nico was finally allowed to go and see Levi. He'd had surgery to remove the bullet that was lodged in his stomach. Thankfully, everything vital had been missed. No organs had been damaged, nothing had been ruptured or torn. Levi was an extremely lucky guy. The bullet had mostly just grazed the surface, which would leave Levi with an impressive scar one he was fully healed.
Amelia was also extremely lucky. She too was fine, nothing major had been done. They put it down to sheer luck that they were both completely fine. Some put it down to the fact the shooter was inexperienced and couldn't aim correctly. Either way, they were both alive and healthy. that was all that mattered anymore. Everyone hoped for a speedy recovery for them both.
Nico stayed by Levi's side in the hospital room, refusing to let go of his hand. His grip was firm as he sat and waited for Levi to wake up from his surgery. Link was there too; he decided it would be best to give Nico some support. He couldn't even begin to think about how Nico could be feeling. Vulnerable, scared, hopeless perhaps.
It was strange seeing Levi so silent. It was strange to see him hooked up to all these machines, to see him laying in a hospital bed. It was strange to see him being in the hospital which he usually worked at.
"How you feeling?" Link asked, moving his hand to rest on Nico's shoulder.
"I don't know," He breathed. "I honestly don't know. I can't just pinpoint one emotion right now. It's all so overwhelming."
"I understand. He's okay though, you know that. Levi is strong, he will fight. It's all over, he's no longer in pain and he's been all fixed up." Link grinned reassuringly, sitting himself in the chair next to Nico, removing his hand from his shoulder. With a sigh he leaned forward, resting his hands in his lap.
"I've never felt what I feel for Levi for anyone else. I've never been so scared to lose someone in my entire life. He truly means the world to me." Nico admitted, the corners of his lips twitching up into a slight grin. The tone of his voice was somewhat pained as he spoke, though Link could hear the passion as he spoke about Levi. He could hear how much Levi truly meant to Nico.
"I can see it in the way you look at him. You're in love, Nico." Link's sly smile was enough to get Nico to chuckle a little as he turned his head to look at his friend. It was cheesy but Link was completely right about the matter. Levi had Nico completely and madly in love.
"I think I am. No, I know I am. I love Levi, I truly do. I really plan on staying with him for the long run. He's special- he makes me feel so... So incredible. I know we've only known each other for a few months but I've never been so happy." Fondness dripped from Nico's tone as he talked about Levi, absolutely smitten with the man that was laying in the hospital bed.
It was silent for a moment as Nico turned his attention back to Levi, letting out a muted sigh. He gave Levi's hand a squeeze, hoping that he would wake up soon. He wanted so desperately to talk to him, to tell him how much he adored him, how much he hated him for scaring the absolute crap out of him. The constant drone of the heart monitor in the back was somewhat infuriating.
After a few moments of silence, Link decided he would leave the two alone, go check on Amelia and see how she was doing. He promised to come back later when Levi was awake so he could talk to him too, but for now, he had other things which he needed to do. Nico gave him a solemn smile as Link walked out of the room, the door closing with a soft click. The room was so silent, it made Nico feel incredibly uneasy.
"You scared me today," Nico whispered, bringing Levi's hand up to meet his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to the back of it. He let his lips linger for just a moment, before he let out a hefty sigh. "You were so brave to do that, but please, never put yourself in the face of danger again. I don't want to lose you."
Nico paused as he stared at Levi, silently willing him to wake up. even though he knew Levi was completely fine, the dark thoughts lingered at the back of his mind, convincing him that Levi wasn't going to wake up. If that was ever the case- he didn't know what he'd do. He already massively blamed himself for Levi getting injured in the first place. He should have tried harder to stop Levi but he failed to do so.
"I don't actually know what I'd do if I lost you. When I first started here, I never expected to be falling madly for an intern. I never expected to meet someone like you. I expected to come here and just work. Just work until I could work no more. That wasn't the case at all. You complete switched up my plan but I wouldn't change it for the world." Nico admitted, almost laughing at himself as he finished. Nico had never been the sappy type until he'd met Levi.
Then, out of the blue, he felt his hand being squeezed. It almost made him jump, as he hadn't expected it. Nico held his breath in anticipation as he waited, practically sat on the edge of his chair. A few moments after Levi had squeezed Nico's hand, his eyes fluttered open, squinting slightly at the sudden brightness of the room. Nico finally let himself breath, a grin beginning to tug at the corners of his lips.
"It's so bright," Levi coughed, bringing up his free hand to rub at his eyes. Nico let out a breathy laugh at his words, shaking his head in disbelief. "Why is it so bright?"
Nico had never felt so much joy in his life. "Maybe because the lights are on?"
"Oh," Levi spoke, eventually turning his head to the side to look at Nico, who was wearing the fondest of grins. "Hi."
"Hi," Nico beamed, briefly standing from his seat so he could lean forward to press his lips against Levi's forehead in a sweet kiss. Levi closed his eyes and managed a sleepy grin as Nico kissed his forehead, a tiny, barely audible giggling sounding from him.
"Have you been here long?" Levi asked, his voice low and thick with sleep. Nico hummed in response and nodded, absent-mindedly fiddling with Levi's fingers as he held his hand.
"Been here since you got out of surgery. You're very lucky, you know?" Nico spoke, having to tear his gaze away from Levi to avoid getting emotional again. He didn't want Levi to see him like that; not when he was laying in a hospital bed.
"I am. I survived a gunshot wound. I have you. I'm extremely lucky." Levi's words made Nico feel so warm and so loved, he didn't think it was possible to feel such a way. Even though Nico felt like the luckiest man alive at that moment, there was a lingering feeling of guilt. It festered deep inside him. Part of him was sure it was his fault that Levi had been shot, part of him knew that wasn't right. Levi could tell that something was bothering Nico; it was etched into his face and very present in his body language.
"I'm just so glad you're alive. I thought you were dead." Nico admitted, a lump forming in his throat as he spoke, his voice cracking ever so slightly. Still, Levi picked up on it, frowning as he studied Nico's features. Levi let out a deep sigh as he pulled his hand from Nico's grip, pushing himself up where he sat and scootching to the side, just enough so Nico could join him. Nico raised a brow as he watched Levi, until Levi patted the empty space next to him. Without hesitation, Nico joined Levi on the bed, shuffling up next to him as best he could. He was cautious as he moved, as he didn't want to potentially harm Levi more than he already was.
Nico shuffled down a little, just enough so he could rest his head on Levi's chest, listening to his heartbeat. It was comforting to hear, to know he was still alive and with him. "I'm sorry for making you worry. You shouldn't need to worry about me."
"Of course I'm going to worry about you. I always worry about those I love." Nico stopped, realizing what he'd just said. It wasn't until he felt Levi chuckle that he eventually snapped back to reality. Levi's hand came up to brush through Nico's hair, his heart full.
Nico relaxed into Levi a little more, sighing contently, the sensation of Levi's fingers running through his hair almost lulling him to sleep. After all, he was exhausted. Today had been a long day to say the very least.
"Well, I love you too, Nico. I really do." Levi mumbled, just loud enough for Nico to pick up on. The smile that spread across his face was bright, stretching from ear to ear, a slight blush dusting his cheeks.
"Now you're the one who's being cheesy," Nico commented, moving himself so he could look up at Levi. His hand came up to rest just underneath Levi's chin as Nico leaned up, just enough to close the gap between them. Their lips ghosted against each other for a brief moment before they kissed, Nico being overly gentle with Levi. It was sweet and short, as Nico was unable to stop himself from smiling. He just couldn't contain himself.
They spent the rest of the evening snuggled together in the bed, chatting away until Nico eventually had to leave. He promised Levi he'd be back as soon as he could the next morning, and Levi knew he'd keep that promise. What made him smile like an idiot is the fact that around half an hour after Nico had left, he received a facetime call from him. Nico missed him too much- the bed felt too empty without him there. It was another two hours before Nico eventually fell asleep during the middle of the facetime. Levi couldn't believe how in love he was with Nico. It didn't seem possible. Nico had him smitten.
Completely, madly, truly, deeply in love.