No. 21 FAMOUS LAST WORDS
@whumptober
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Coughing up Blood | “You’re safe now.” | “Take me instead.”
It was an absolutely hellish Saturday night. The ED was busy, full of drunk people and fights and general chaos. Fao had been down there more times than he could count, and it didn’t help that the junior doctor he had on call with him was more of a hindrance than a help. The bleeps he was getting seemed endless, everyone needing something from him.
Luckily Hars and Finn were on shift, which made life a little easier - he knew the information he’d get from them was good, with appropriate referrals, but not everyone was like that. Finn was still learning, too, he wasn’t always perfect. He’d sent his junior down to see a couple of the patients, but after the third phonecall to ask a question, Fao chose to just head down himself.
He met him down there, reaching for the notes. “What can you tell me about this patient, then?”
“Uh, male, 23 years old, presented with abdominal pain, initially central but progressed to severe lower right quadrant pain, tender on examination with rebound pain. Has had nausea and vomiting, temperature of 38.4. Bloods show elevated white cells and inflammation markers, CT shows inflammatory changes of the appendix and-”
“Hang on, you’ve called me down here with an open and shut appendicitis case? Admit him, consent for an appy, find a space on the list and you can scrub in. How stable are his obs?”
“Uh, stable, but, uh, it’s not that. I’ve tried to do all of that, but…”
“But what?” Fao’s patience was wearing thin.
“It’s the family. They won’t listen at all, I’ve tried explaining but they’re convinced I’m a liar… They’ve pushed me twice, keep shouting at me. They demanded to see my boss, and, well…”
Fao softened. “Alright. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, a little shaken and all but…”
“Go and get a cup of tea. Let me deal with this one. And I’ll hold your bleep for a bit, give you some peace.” Fao said, checking over the notes.
“Thanks, Dr Blackwood.” His trainee murmured, handing over his bleep.
“Don’t worry about it. Nobody deserves to be verbally or physically abused whilst treating a patient.” He said, and once he was happy, headed to the bay.
“Hello, Mr and Mrs Stevens, is it? I’m Dr. Blackwood, consultant general surgeon. I hear you’re unhappy with the care my colleague was providing for your son?”
“It’s disgusting, the care you get here!” The man snapped.
“I’m sorry to hear that, is there something I can clarify?”
“You’re trying to admit our son! He’s fine, he doesn’t need to stay in hospital.” The wife said sharply. Fao noticed the patient himself had curled up, facing away from them, and was quiet.
“Well, I’m afraid your son does need admitting to the hospital. His test results are highly indicative of appendicitis, which is where his appendix has become inflamed and infected, which is what’s causing his pain. It’s very common, unfortunately, but it’s very treatable. We plan to admit him to a ward as soon as possible, for him to receive fluids and antibiotics through a vein, before he has an operation to remove his appendix. It’s a very simple procedure, doesn’t take long at all, and he’ll be able to go home soon after.”
“You’re lying!”
Fao sucked in a deep breath. “I promise, I’m not lying. I have no reason to lie, all I want to do is treat your son, I can see he’s in considerable pain.” Fao knew that pain all too well. “I appreciate this is a stressful time, no parent wants to see their child in pain. Let us help him?”
“No! Your chemicals and medications will just make him sicker.”
Fao had to wonder why they’d even come to the ED if they were convinced medicine was going to make their son sicker, but he wasn’t going to start that argument.
“I can assure you, everything we’re doing is in your son’s best interests. And to be completely frank with you, the decision lies with your son, not you. He’s over 18, he’s free to make his own decisions regarding his health and medical treatment.”
“How dare you!” The father spat, standing up. He was taller than Fao, and certainly a large man.
“Sir, please, if you could sit down for me.”
“Fuck you!” He shouted, pushing Fao away.
Fao stumbled, but kept his balance. “Sir, please don’t push me like that, I’m here to help your son.”
“Clearly you’re not!”
“If you could just step out a minute I can speak to your son privately, I want to understand what kind of treatment he wants. That, or I’m afraid I’m going to have to call security.”
Fao expected the man to kick off, truthfully. But he hadn’t expected him to become more physical to him. Whilst Fao wasn’t tall, he was intimidating enough when he wanted to be.
“My fucking tax goes on this and all you do is treat us like shit! We’ve been sat here hours and now you come and tell us he needs all of this treatment! It’s all bullshit, none of you know how to do your jobs! Disgusting.”
“Sir, if you don’t stop shouting I’m going to have to call security.” Fao said, voice even.
And that’s when the man swung at him. Fao ducked the first punch easily enough, but he wasn’t expecting to get hit in the side, the man’s fist connecting hard with his ribs. He staggered back, trying desperately not to swear. He managed to stay upright, but the call bell was far too far away for him to reach. Typical.
Clutching the wall, he tried to catch his breath, pain spreading over his chest. That was quite enough of that. He drew the curtains back and stalked wordlessly out of the bay, looking for someone to call security in.
Harrison caught the tail end of it, Fao looking pissed - and in pain. "Wolfie?"
Frustrated, Fao tugged his scrub top down. “Fuckin-” He cut himself off before he said something worse. “Punched me. Needs security in there.”
"They what?" Harrison was fuming. "Get yourself seen to. I'll be two minutes."
“I’m fine.” Fao said breathlessly, leaning against the wall. “Don’t do anything stupid? Just call security.”
"I'm not doing anything stupid." He managed, the curtains already to the side. "Get the fuck out of here. I am not having you assault my staff."
“And what gives you the right to speak to me like that?”
"Don't even try me." Harrison growled through clenched teeth as he grabbed his arm. "I've told you to get the fuck out of my ED."
“Hey! Get your hands off of me!”
"Should have thought about that before, shouldn't you?"
“This is assault!”
"Yeah, uh huh. I don't give a shit."
Though he struggled, the man couldn’t get away from Harrison. He was helpless as he was dragged out of the ED, though he swore the entire time.
Harrison didn't give two shits about the looks, or the struggles of the father. He'd made his bed by assaulting Fao, and he wasn’t having it. His lip got split in the process, but that was nothing in comparison to how Fao had looked leaving the bay. He passed the man off to the security outside, chewed them off for their delayed response, and headed back in to find Fao.
Fao was leaning on the nurse’s station, feeling breathless and sore. He’d refused their help, saying he was fine and just winded. He definitely felt rough though, rattled from the confrontation.
"Don't be a dick, Fao. Come on." He clicked his fingers. "In this bay."
“I’m fine, jus’ winded.”
"Yeah, so was I. Move it."
“It’s not that bad.” He grumbled, but moved into the bay.
"Thank you."
“You’re so busy, though.” Fao complained, sitting on the edge of the bed. He turned his head away to cough, groaning as it jarred his ribs.
"Yeah, I thought that too." Harrison muttered, before calling to a nurse. "Can one of you book Fao in? I want a cxr, just in case."
Fao rolled his eyes. “I’m supposed to be bloody working.” He said, voice cracking.
"I didn't get to go home after my shift, Fao. I'm not having the same happen to you."
“I know, I’m sorry.” He said softly, coughing again.
"Don't apologise, just let us help."
“Just a couple of broken ribs I reckon.” Fao groaned.
"It looks a bit worse than that. I've seen you take a lot more and come out better than this."
“Yeah, well, I’m getting old.” Fao said, trying to clear his throat. It didn’t work, and he coughed again, tasting blood.
Harrison frowned at him, his eyes narrowed. "Right, top up, off if you can."
“’m flattered, but we’re both married.”
"Doesn't mean we can't look." Harrison shot back. "Come on, don't be an arse."
With a groan, Fao pulled his top over his head. “Ow.”
"I'll get one of my amazing nurses to come and get a cannula in in a little bit, yeah? I just want a quick listen."
“I don’t need a cannula, I’m fine.” Fao said. “But you can listen. Probably sounds like shit, I’ve been smoking more than usual the past week or so.”
"Of course you have." He rolled his eyes. "You need to cut back."
“I know, I know. I had done, I was really good.” He said, coughing again. “Fuck, that hurts.”
"Yeah, you're getting a cannula." He said, grabbing his steth. "It's a bit cold, sorry."
“Mm, it’s okay, I’ll live.”
"Yeah, you don't have a choice." He murmured, listening to his chest. "Deep breath, I know it’s sore."
He did his best. It was hard work, and it really was sore. He hated the breathless feeling, like he was still winded, even though the punch had been long enough ago now.
Harrison stepped back, clearing his throat. His brow furrowed, he sighed sharply, glancing over the observations.
"I think he's fucked your lung."
“Define ‘fucked’?” Fao said, rubbing over the scar on his chest.
"I can't hear breath sounds at the base of your lung. Given your history, your observations, your presentation…I want to get you down for CT now. I'm pretty sure you've got a pneumothorax."
Fao groaned. “A CT, really? I’m fine, I need to go back to work, I’ve got an urgent list.”
"Did you listen to anything else I said?"
“Are you sure there’s nothing at the base?” Fao said. “How bad are my obs, honestly? I’m sure they’re fine.”
He held out his stethoscope. "Listen for yourself."
Fao set his jaw. “Fine, I trust you. You’re better at that than me, anyway. Isn’t CT going to take forever, though?”
"Not if we're coming from resus."
“Please don’t put me in resus. I’m hardly that urgent, and you lot are so busy.”
"Protocols, I can't do shit about the red tape."
“Come on, I’m stable enough.”
"Not with your history." He swallowed thickly. "Sorry, Fao, we haven't got a choice."
“My history is completely different to this, though.” He complained. “The last time was a pneumonia, and the time before that… Well, we both know that. I’m fine, honest, I can wait, I don’t need a resus bed.”
"I don't make the rules. It's Ely working?"
“No, she’s out with her mum and the twins.”
"Alright. I'll give her a call in a second, yeah? And I'll call Sheila."
“Can you call them later?”
"There's no hiding it from Finn, he'll call your mum straight away."
“You can tell Finn, but you need my consent to call my next of kin, and you don’t have it.”
"Unfortunately, your brother doesn't need consent to call your mum. I'll leave it to you two to argue it out."
“Look, I’ll do whatever you want me to do, just don’t call Sheila until it’s sorted?”
"I won't call her, but I can't promise about Finn." He softened, giving an apologetic shrug.
“Fine, I’ll sort Finn out.”
"I'll tell him not to call her."
“Sure. Oh, can I call my registrar before you cart me off to CT? I sent him off for a cuppa, and took his bleep so he got some damn peace.”
"Course you can. I need to go make sure you're booked in anyway."
“If you’re sending someone to cannulate, can you make sure they’re good? I don’t feel like being stabbed.”
"The best." He promised.
“Thank you.” Fao said softly.
Harrison asked his junior to make sure Fao was actually booked in, found his favourite nurse and asked them to cannulate him, and then headed off to find where Finn had disappeared off to. He hoped by talking to him first they'd avoid most of the shit he knew was coming. He'd promised Fao he'd not call Sheila, but Finn was something else.
Fao wasn’t overly impressed by the entire ordeal. He called his registrar to explain the situation, and told him to go and find one of the other consultants on shift to work alongside them whilst he pissed around in the ED. He hoped it was nothing, but he did feel pretty shit, and he was sure it was fairly similar to how he’d felt when he’d had his last pneumo. Not exactly reassuring. He was still bloody sore, each breath agony, and the cough just made it worse. He hopped down off of the bed to grab a tissue, feeling gross coughing into his elbow. After a particularly vicious and painful coughing fit, he noticed specks of scarlet on the tissue as he screwed it up to throw it away. That wasn’t ideal.
Finn was less than impressed at Fao's incident, but he couldn't change anything. He agreed to not call Sheila until he'd at least seen Fao, but wouldn't promise more than that.
Soon enough Fao’s cannula was in, and then he just had to wait for CT. He knew Finn would be there to chew him out soon, and he really didn’t have the energy.
"Fao?" Finn called, searching for his brother. He finally caught sight of him and sighed. "Fao."
“I’m not here.” Fao grumbled. “Went home.”
"I've tried that one before, it doesn't work." He said softly, moving to Fao's side and gripping his hand tight. "How are you, really?"
“It hurts and I can’t stop coughing, but it’s fine. Hars is overly worried because he’s triggered, but I’m alright. Just a stupid idiot assaulting a doctor. Rather me than my registrar.”
Finn was gentle, wrapping his arms around Fao as he swallowed thickly. Harrison was triggered, it was obvious to everyone, but he was still an excellent doctor - if he was worried, there was good reason.
“Oh, don’t be a sap.” Fao grumbled, clearing his throat. “I’ve had worse, I’ll be alright.”
"I know, but it's not nice."
“I’m just pissed he punched me. I expected him to go for my face - and dodged it - but not my fucking ribs.”
"Have security got him? Have the cops been called?"
“Hars got him.”
"What do you mean?"
“Hars went into that bay on the warpath and escorted him out.”
Finn managed a laugh. "Jesus Christ."
“Rumour has it he’s dead in the gutter now.” Fao said roughly, stifling a cough.
"He wouldn't be that obvious.”
“True.” Fao agreed with a smile.
"He'd still do anything for you."
“He would. I wish I hadn’t worried him so much.”
"Just him? Do I not matter?" Finn teased.
“Not what I meant.” He grumbled. “Pass me a tissue?” He was so fed up of coughing, it just made everything worse.
Finn stood up quickly, grabbing several sheets. "Here, sorry it's the shit ED ones."
“They’re ‘kay.” Fao said, turning away from his brother to cough into one, wrapping his arm over his chest to try and ease the pain.
Finn narrowed his eyes. "You really look like shit."
“Yeah, I’ve felt better.” He said eventually.
"Fao?"
“What?”
"Is that blood?"
“No.” He said quickly, screwing the tissue up.
"Fao." His voice was firm. "Don't lie to me."
“Maybe a little. A tiny speck.”
"Show me."
“I think I just bit my lip or something.” He lied, pocketing the tissue.
"You owe me more than lies." He said, arms folded and brows furrowed. "I'm telling Harrison."
“God, you’re turning into mum.”
"And you're lying to me."
“It’s barely anything.” Fao said, but handed Finn the crumpled tissue. “It doesn’t change the fact I’m still waiting for CT.”
"That's enough blood to be concerned about." He hissed, torn between frustration and concern.
“I probably just burst a blood vessel somewhere, all this stupid coughing.”
"Or, I don’t know - maybe it's the fucking collapsed lung?"
“It’s not that much blood.”
"It's enough!"
“Go and tell Hars, then. He’ll probably come in here and kill me.”
!
"That's kinda counterproductive."
“Would save him hassle.”
"Do you really believe that?"
“No, the fucker has half my liver, he’s not going to kill me. Just go and find him? Maybe it’ll speed up fucking CT so I can go home.” Fao said tiredly.
"I'll go find him. Can you call mum?"
“No.” Fao said. “Not until it’s fixed.”
"She'll worry even worse if you do that."
“No, because I can tell her everything is fine.”
"But it's not."
“It will be when it’s treated.”
"Have you always been such an arsehole?"
“Yeah.”
"Sounds about right." Finn grinned, giving Fao a gentle hug. "I'll be five minutes, max."
“It’s okay.”
"I love you."
“Love you too.” Fao said softly, feeling guilty as well as like shit.
Finn was quick to find Harrison, raising his concerns to the other man. He wasn't surprised, not really, but it wasn't what he'd hoped for. He thanked Finn, made some stern phonecalls, and finally got the space to rush Fao for CT. Resus space was made too, Harrison warning them to not fill it while they were at CT, and preparing the team for it to be Fao, and for him to be a terrible patient.
CT sucked, but at least it was quick, and then Fao was sat in resus, somewhat unimpressed. All he wanted was to go back to work and do his list, then go home. But he wasn’t allowed to do either, stuck in the purgatory that was resus, with both Harrison and his brother fuming at him.
"Are you sure I can't call mum? Even dad?"
“Dad will just tell Mum. It’s okay, just wait until it’s all sorted.”
"They have a right to know."
“And they will know. But let’s just wait until everything is under control.”
"Alright." He sighed, defeated. "Least you couldn't have a better doctor."
“Hars will see me right.”
"Already saved your stupid ass once. "
“I paid him back for that one.”
"The liver doesn't give you a free pass to do daft shit."
“No, but I still paid him back.”
"It's not tit for tat."
“Could be.”
"Is not though."
“It’s okay.”
The more Fao coughed, the more he was aware he wasn’t right. He hated it, hated that all of this had happened because of one selfish man who thought he knew best. The injury itself was a pain in of itself, but the situation just made it so much worse. He hated every second in resus, waiting for his CT to come back so Hars could bollock him about it before eventually doing something to fix it. He wasn’t looking forward to that either, but there was no getting out of it. At least it would get him home, eventually.
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Damian Wayne was like a duckling. A violent, stab-happy, danger-prone duckling, yes, but a duckling all the same. Which means when Danny almost got stabbed by a sleepy, instinct driven Damian, he was able to wave it off with a laugh. Damian, on the other hand, stared in horror at the butter knife firmly lodged in Danny’s arm.
“PENNYWORTH!” Danny jerked back at Damian’s scream. “RICHARD! FATHER!”
God damn, the kid had a pair of lungs on him. Danny’s wince was interpreted as pain to Damian, who gently grabbed his injured arm and started to pull him towards the kitchen’s marble island.
Danny blinked, non plussed as his hearing picked up a thundering of feet as the present family members scrambled towards Damian’s distress call.
“Wait, Damian, I’m fine. It’s-”
“You have been impaled, you imbecile! Had it been any of the other simpletons, they would have-!”
“Ouch.” Danny put his other hand in mock hurt over his slow-beating heart. He literally doesn’t care about the butter knife. He’s just impressed there was enough force in there to impale him. “Are you calling me names now? After- gasp- stabbing me?”
Before Damian could reply, the beginnings of regret, remorse, and guilt on his face, Alfred, Dick, and Bruce burst into the kitchen.
“What happened?!”
“My word, master Danny!”
“What is it?!”
“I’m fine. It’s like a small stab. Not even a big stab. I’m good.”
Dick paled, seeing Danny’s arm clutched in Damian’s hand.
“That’s- that’s a knife. In your arm. How is that ‘fine’?!”
“What happened.” Bruce asked Damian, gently removing Danny’s arm from Damian’s death clutch.
“I- I did not mean to,” Damian starts, guilt coloring his voice.
“He didn’t,” Danny cuts in. “I startled him and got stabbed for being dumb. I won’t fault him for having a defense mechanism like that, ancient knows what I might do if you guys startled me.”
The awkward silence that settled at his words made Danny twitch awkwardly.
“Uh, so, can I add this knife to my collection? Even if I didn’t get mugged?”
“Danny.”
“Bruce.” Danny stared stubbornly back. With his uninsured hand, he patted Damian on the head. He was going to enjoy the fluffiness before Damian’s guilt was no longer enough to hold him back from snapping at Danny’s hand like a grumpy alligator. Bruce loses, obviously. He’s a teenager who was also an ex-vigilante. Batman’s got nothing on a determined halfa.
“Master Danny, I must insist you refrain from getting stabbed. There is only so much gauze and antiseptic cream in the house.” Alfred returned- huh, when did he leave?- with a med kit.
Danny called bullshit because he knows there’s a whole ass medical bay beneath the manor.
“Sorry.”
“No need to apologize.” Alfred said, promptly beginning the extraction of the butter knife.
“Are you okay?” Dick asked, hovering worriedly. “He- are you…?”
Damian was allowing Danny to ruffle his hair, so…
“Yep, I’m good. This isn’t even on my top thirty most painful stabbings,” and it really wasn’t. That honor was given to the GIW and that one time Jazz accidentally stabbed him with her earrings. “That was pretty impressive, actually. It’s like, a butter knife. The other ones had pointy ends.”
“Do not clump me with those pathetic wastes of spaces. I am naturally superior and would… would never harm you on purpose.” Damian said, getting quiet at the end like he was trying to plead to Danny to believe him.
“Of course not. But- if you want help me keep the knife, you can hit me with a mug, it would technically be a mugging.”
The pun got the desired effect. Damian leaned away with a disgruntled look and Dick stopped hovering as close in order to let out a small cackle.
“Done.”
“You should go get changed, kiddo. We’re going to see Tim’s photography at the Gotham Gallery today.”
“Oh, for real?” Danny patted Damian’s fluffy hair one last time, pushing away from the counter. “Oh, I’ll clean up here first and-”
“That will not be necessary,” Alfred scolded, a mop somehow already in his hands. “Please see to it you are prepared for the day.”
“Thanks, Alfred. Can I keep the knife.”
“Very well.”
“Sweet. See you guys later?” Danny pranced off after seeing the nods.
——
“He’s… he got stabbed a lot. Before us, I mean.” Dick tapped a furious rhythm onto the counter. “Not that we’ve stabbed him until now but even once is concerning for a civilian.”
“He was used to it.” Bruce replied.
“Perhaps we should join Todd in his endeavor and ensure that his worthless tormentors are permanently out of the picture.”
“God, he said top thirty. He was counting.”
Damian silently withdrew a kitchen knife.
“No murder with my quality chef’s knives, Master Damian.”
“Tt.”
“Master Jason follows the same rules. Now, out of the kitchen. I may be old, but I remember the last time master Bruce and master Dick stepped foot in here and I will not have a repeat.”
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