"He doesn't like me," Ruby morosely stated and picked a chocolate out of the box she'd brought. Curled on the couch without her usual shield of make up she looked younger, more vulnerable than normal. Her jean-clad legs were tucked under her and her hair was pulled back into a messy bun to be out of her face. It was as close to shambles as Ruby Lucas would let anyone see her.

"He does like you, Rubes." The upside of their professions were unusual hours and this left them both free in the middle of a Wednesday afternoon. Sun was streaming into Percy's apartment through the floor to ceiling windows and the low rumble of Boston traffic growled under the soft music playing on the stereo.

"I was at his apartment all evening yesterday, he didn't put a move on me once."

"Archie doesn't put moves on someone. He's shy and he doesn't believe someone like you could be into him."

"Someone like me?"

"Young, attractive. I don't think he gets a lot of attention from women." Percy leaned back in his chair and tried to hide a smile at his friend's immediate response.

"Why wouldn't he? He's so cute. And sexy. And sweet. And he…Oh god, listen to me, I'm a goner. It's horrible."

"It's sweet. I think he would be perfect for you. Maybe you just have to give it a bit more time than usual. Old fashioned romance, taking it slow."

Ruby sighed.

"I was afraid you'd say that. I'm just not good with waiting. I want to kiss his brains out and drag him down on the closest flat surface."

Whale laughed and plucked a chocolate for himself from the box.

"I know you do, but Archie is different. I don't think he does casual."

Ruby's eyes grew a bit dreamy.

"I suppose he wouldn't. That doesn't mean I don't want to just…"

"Be careful, Ruby. Archie's not the type to just dust himself off and carry on if he gets hurt."

"I know. I'll be good." She curled her legs tighter under her and sighed. "If he weren't so damn adorable I wouldn't be letting him try my patience like this."

"I bet you it will be worth it."

When Ruby had left Whale put the now empty box of chocolates in the recycling bin and sighed. He couldn't help feeling a little hypocritical as he was pretty much in the same boat as Ruby, sitting around and waiting for a man to make a definitive move. It would have been so much simpler if he knew what Jefferson wanted from him. Since the first phone call there had been two more and each time Percy couldn't help but feel that Jeff was somehow…prodding, gauging something without actually voicing what. The sensation of being weighed and measured did not sit well with him and it was uncharacteristic of the Madden heir to be so…cautious. It made Whale nervous. What on earth was Jeff getting at?

Thinking of the devil, Percy almost didn't pick up when his phone rang and he saw "Jefferson Madden" flash on the display. But part of him couldn't wait to hear the deep voice on the other end so he clicked answer.

"Jefferson."

"Percy!" The two syllables were enough for Whale to realize something was wrong. Seriously wrong.

"Jeff, what's wrong?"

"It's Grace." Percy's heart froze and he stilled, breath stuck in his lungs and his free hand curling into a fist. "She…She fell." The short word was broken, like Jeff had trouble uttering it. "They called from the school and I went to pick her up and now… we're waiting for the ambulance." The familiarity of the statement, the ambulance on its way woke him and he switched the phone to clench it between shoulder and ear while he rifled through the pockets of his jacket to find his keys. Jefferson's voice was tight with fear and soothingly Whale aimed to calm him.

"I'll go down to the hospital, I'll meet you in the ER. It's not far from her school. It'll be over in minutes, Jeff." He thought. He knew which school Grace went to but not where it was.

"I can't just sit here and wait, Percy. She's so pale and…and…" He heard Jeff's breathing quicken and closed the door behind him while still pulling on his jacket.

"Is she conscious?" He heard the other man draw a few steadying breaths.

"Yes, but she's not…I don't know, she's all glassy eyed and doesn't seem…she doesn't seem to know I'm here."

"How is she hurt?"

"She's cradling her arm, it's at a funny angle. I think it's broken." Percy jogged down the stairs and kept his voice at the low, professional pitch he used at work.

"It sounds like it. Does her skin feel cold when you touch it?"

"Yes, it is." Some shuffling informed Percy Jefferson was putting his jacket around his daughter. Swearing mentally, Whale hailed a cab and gave his destination.

"She's in shock, Jeff, it's normal after trauma." Which didn't make it any less dangerous. "Keep her warm and try to talk to her, calm her. Don't leave, wait for the ambulance, they'll have to raise her blood pressure with meds."

"Percy…"

"She'll be fine, Jefferson. Just keep her warm and I'll see you in ten minutes. You can do this. Everything's going to be fine." Hanging up he swallowed a lump in his throat. Without seeing Grace there was no way he could promise she would be all right. A fall, he'd said. That could mean internal injuries. The shock could worsen before the paramedics could get there. Her blood pressure would plummet and her heart would strain to keep her blood oxygenated, which could ultimately…

No. No, there was no reason to picture the worst yet, not even as her doctor. Reaching the hospital he tossed some bills to the driver without counting before he rushed inside.

When the ambulance reached them he'd just had time to clean up, change to scrubs and pull on his white coat. Wheeling Grace inside the paramedics rattled off her age, weight, blood pressure and circumstances that he took in automatically, his attention was on Jefferson. He was walking next to the stretcher, his hand over his daughter's, his face drawn in worry and quite a few shades paler than what was healthy. Forcing his eyes off him Whale leaned over Grace.

Breathing a sigh of relief he heard the paramedics had managed to get her blood pressure up to almost normal and she smiled weakly when she spotted him. A bit woozy from painkillers but not the blank stare of shock, he didn't think. The arm was indeed broken as well, he could tell from just a cursory glance. Ordering some more tests to check for internal injuries, he shook his head when the nurses attempted to herd Jeff off to the waiting room, instead leading them to a private examination room.

"It's all right, he can come too." Sniffing slightly the two nurses shrugged and Jeff sent him a grateful glance. Percy tore his eyes from it and began ticking boxes in Grace's chart instead. After a moment to recover he looked up and laid a hand on Jeff's arm to get his attention.

"I can't see anything immediately threatening, Jefferson. Her blood pressure is within acceptable parameters and she's not in pain. We're going to run some tests to make sure there's no internal damage and then set the bone in her arm. We'll do an X-ray first but it looks like a simple radius fracture." He hung the chart over the edge of the bed and pulled a chair over for Jeff.

"I have to go and get the results for the tests now but I'll be back as soon as I can."

Once he was out of the room he found the closest supply closet, closed and locked the door and sank down with his back to it. Rubbing his hands over his face he noticed absently they were shaking. Cold fear had squeezed him since Jeff had called and he let out a shuddering breath. He couldn't see anything wrong with Grace but he knew that didn't mean she was fine yet. He couldn't tell. He had to wait for the tests, same as Jefferson and it was torture. Pinching the bridge of his nose he drew two calming breaths before standing up again.

When he exited the supply closet he looked no different than usual, businesslike and collected, but his feet were heavy as he steered for the phone to order the tests.

Three hours later Whale felt as if he had been put through a wringer. He had ordered every single test he deemed even remotely useful and neatly ruled out injury after injury. As the shift changed around him he made his way back to the examination room with good news.

Opening the door he found Jefferson sitting, his face hidden by his hands as he leaned his elbows on his knees. His coat covered Grace on top of the hospital blankets and he had pulled off the cravat at some point. The waistcoat hung open and the first two buttons in his shirt were undone. Hearing him enter Jeff looked up and stood, worry creasing his brow as he crossed the room.

Knowing he was enduring what had to be ten times worse than what Percy had gone through he wasted no time and smiled widely.
"She's fine, Jeff. A broken arm, that's all. She'll be as good as new in a few weeks."

Jefferson's shoulders sagged and he blinked.

"Thank god." He pushed two hands through his hair. "Thank god." A shaky smile lit his face. "And thank you."

Percy held up his hands in a gesture that looked almost defensive.

"I did nothing. She's a tough little thing."

"You did more than you can ever know. Thank you." Jefferson closed the distance between them and wrapped him in a hard hug. Shocked, Percy could only gape and before he had time to react the other man had patted his shoulder and turned back to get back to Grace. Shaking his head Whale moved backwards out through the room.

o.O.o

Percy slept in the bed at the hospital he used when he was on call. Or tried to sleep in any case. The look on Jeff's face when he entered the hospital, the tone of his voice when he had called in panic, all kept rolling in his head. Over and over like a broken record. Grace's pale cheeks and her small frame in the large hospital bed, her fair hair tangled – all replayed until sleep was impossible.

In the morning he showered in the changing rooms and put on clothes he kept stashed in his office. Heading to the room he'd arranged for Grace in the paediatric ward he found Jefferson and his daughter laughing about something when he entered. A bulky cast already adorned with stickers covered her left arm and bright pen marks. Of course Jeff would head to the gift store and pick up kitten stickers and glitter pens first thing. Smiling, Percy knocked on the doorpost and the two Maddens looked up.

"Morning. Grace, how do you feel?"

The little girl grinned widely.

"Fine. The kids at school are going to think this," she held up the arm in its cast, "is awesome."

"Awesome or not, I prefer it when you're whole, thank you very much." Jefferson drilled a finger into her ribs and she laughed.

"Won't be long. About a month and it should be all fixed. Unless you plan on going rope climbing without a teacher around again?" He raised an eyebrow and Grace looked a bit sheepish when she shook her head.

"Good. That means I get to discharge you after lunch."

"What does that mean?"

"That you get to go home." Grace clapped her hands and winced as pain probably shot up through her broken arm. Lowering it again, she looked up with a look he recognized from her father.

"Would you sign my cast first? No one's written in purple, you can have that one."

He heard in her tone that being allowed to write in purple was an honor not everyone was afforded and assenting he accepted the glittery pen. The cast was already half covered in scrawled names and stickers.

"Here," Grace pointed and obediently he signed his name above Jefferson's looping writing - in a cheery sky blue.

Happily she surveyed the result and then reached for a pink pen. Her tongue stuck out in concentration she used her unharmed hand to draw a rather lopsided heart around their two names and Percy cleared his throat uncomfortably as Jefferson laughed and asked,

"What's that for?" He nodded to the heart and Grace smiled.

"Well, Doctor Whale made me feel better so he's my favorite. But you're my dad so you're always my favorite. So you both get to be in the heart."

Telling himself that it was ridiculous for a man his age to get worked up over a heart drawn around his name and his long time crush's he stepped back. Without realizing he put the purple glitter pen into the chest pocket of his white coat.

"Right, you seem to be doing well so I'll write a prescription for some painkillers that you can pick up at the pharmacy in the lobby."

"Do they come in strawberry?" Grace asked and he chuckled.

"I'm afraid not, but they're blue and even better, they give you superpowers."

"No?"

Grace's eyes widened.

"Yep. Different ones each time, too."

"Cool!"

"Now, I believe I spotted some visitors for you in the hallway, how about they come in and say hi?"

Opening the door he waved in the majority of Grace's class. Their teacher – who in a fantastic coincidence happened to be the woman he had described as Snow White to Grace at the Diner – ushered them all in. A boy with brown hair was first and he guessed this was Grace's best friend Henry. With a nod to Jeff and Ms. Blanchard he left them to it.

In the hall one of the dragon eyed nurses hailed him.

"Doctor, you know very well the visitor limit per patient is three." The type always made him wonder why one earth they worked on the children's ward. Aiming a disarming smile at her he replied,

"They're small, Nurse Conners. They'll fit, I'm sure. Besides, I allowed it, if anyone complains, just send them on to me."

With that he headed down the corridor.

o.O.o

Three hours later he was finishing filing Grace's discharge papers when there was a knock on his door.

"Come in."

Jeff entered, his cravat and waistcoat still discarded somewhere. Percy cursed inwardly. He looked much too appealing for what he found comfortable in just shirtsleeves. Closing the door behind him he stepped closer. In the small room it didn't take much to bring him close.

"Jefferson. Is everything all right? Is Grace okay?"

"She's fine. She's charming all the nurses into giving her extra jell-o."

Percy laughed and spun his chair to face Jeff. The night spent in a chair and the worry had left the other man slightly rumpled and something in his chest purred appreciatively. The restraint he always relied on around Jefferson was fraying at the edges after a wakeful night and nagging worry and he knew he had to get out of the other man's presence or succumb to something he wasn't ready to admit very soon. So he turned the chair back around again. Forcing his fingers to move he picked up his typing once more.

"I'm just finishing off Grace's discharge papers so you can go ahead and take her home now."

"I will." He heard expensive shoes tread over institution linoleum and then felt Jefferson's hand, heavy and warm, on his shoulder. "But first I wanted to thank you. Properly."

Whale tensed. He could feel the heat of Jefferson's body through his clothes and it was making him more than normally aware of how close he was standing, how far he'd bent down, almost whispering in his ear. Thinking Jefferson would move if he turned, Whale spun around in his desk chair again. But Jeff just stayed bent over, a hand on his shoulder, his face now close to his.

"You're always there for me. For us. It means a lot to know I can count on that and that Grace can. I want you to know I'm really grateful."

Attempting to swallow with his throat closed up Whale tried to find his words. Any words.

"Not at all. It's my job."

"No, it's more. It's so much more and it means…it means a lot. Really, Percy, thank you."

Whale's heart felt like a spinning top a child had just set off as Jefferson used his given name, his breath ghosting over his cheek. He could see flecks of blue in the grey of Jeff's eyes, like the sky behind summer rainclouds. Then in a sudden move Jeff pressed his lips to Percy's. The kiss was quick and hard and when Jeff pulled back he had something thoughtful in his eyes. Then he tilted his head and kissed him again, slower this time, his lips experimentally moving against his. Almost automatically Percy, stunned and wondering, responded. Then, before he could move Jefferson had straightened, smiled his slanted smile and walked out. Sitting dumbfounded in his chair Whale couldn't move for several minutes.

A/N: Thanks to all who read, favorited and my wee lil reviewer!

setterslsett: Thank you - I'm so glad to hear you're enjoying it! /S.