#I have never dealt with a code for elopements tbh

[skyloftian-nutcase]

I sort of work in healthcare (not medically certified but I have a position in a nursing home) and idk what code this would be for a hospital (if there even is one) but how would the healthcare boys handle a code being called for a missing patient?

(@hermitdrabbles56)

Legend sighed, blowing some stray hair out of his face as he tapped his fingers on the desk. It was a fairly slow night in the ED, a pleasant surprise, though it made time practically crawl.

Legend had helped the tech restock all the supply carts in his pod, had reread all the notes in his patient’s charts, and still found himself with four hours of his shift left. He had two patients, one of whom was just waiting on lab results and the other was getting admitted and was waiting on a bed. He had absolutely nothing to do.

So when an alert popped up on the computer screen, he perked up with interest. He wondered if there was a fire alarm in a nearby building that has been activated. Instead, he saw security walking briskly, and he looked back at the screen with a little unease.

“Elopement?” He read out loud.

“Looks like,” Warriors commented as he came up beside him. “Came from 6 central, male in his twenties, brown hair, facial tattoos—”

Warriors stopped mid sentence, frowning. The realization dawned on him just as Legend jumped to his feet.

“That’s Twilight!”

The pair nearly tore out of the ED, asking a fellow nurse to watch their patients and making their way to the elevators. Legend was texting Twilight furiously while Wars updated everyone else who was at work.

Wild answered first. Wait the elopement is Twi?? Wth??? I’ll search the basement

“What is he thinking? It’s three in the damn morning!” Legend muttered to himself before yelping as he rounded a corner and slammed right into someone.

Twilight stumbled back unsteadily, throwing a hand out to catch himself. Warriors hastily jumped forward, catching their friend by the hand and guiding him to the floor. Legend reoriented and immmediately opened his mouth to snap at the tech-turned-patient when he got a good look at him.

Twilight was in a pair of pajama bottoms and his hospital gown, eyes glazed with confusion and bags sitting heavily underneath them. Legend knew his friend hadn’t been sleeping well during his hospital stay after his emergent appendectomy, but—

“Need to go home,” Twilight muttered.

“He’s freaking delirious,” the travel nurse groaned as Warriors put a steadying hand on Twi’s shoulder.

“We’ll help you, okay?” the war veteran said gently with a smile. “Let’s get up.”

As Warriors tried to help Twilight to stand, the tech jerked all of a sudden, landing a solid punch right to the nurse’s jaw. Warriors grunted, falling backwards as Legend yelled.

“What the hell Twi, calm down! It’s us!”

Twilight’s eyes were crazed now, and his breathing picked up exponentially before he stood and started to back away. Legend crouched by Warriors to check on him, and the latter waved him off with a groan.

“I’m okay,” he slurred as he rubbed his jaw. “Good grief he can throw a punch.”

“Twilight, you’re safe,” Legend tried to appease their friend as he hovered near Warriors protectively. “It’s us, Legend and Wars, your friends. You’re in the hospital.”

“Need to go home,” Twilight insisted.

“Twilight?”

Legend and Warriors looked behind their confused brother to see Time paused by the elevator.

“He’s delirious,” Warriors said before flinching.

“Shut your trap until I can get some ice on it,” Legend hushed him before continuing, “He’s confused and ran out of his unit and he hit Wars.”

Time stared at Twilight for a moment as the latter started to stumble in another direction, not noticing them anymore. The surgeon slipped easily into his path without touching him.

“Hey Link,” he greeted gently. “You want to go home?”

“Home,” Twilight insisted anxiously.

“Okay,” Time appeased. “Let’s take you home. Can you follow me home?”

When Legend rose to help, Time shook his head. “Look after Warriors.”

Warriors rolled his eyes. “He only punched me once. I’m fine.”

“How is it we get abused so much that we say stuff like that?” Legend moaned, rubbing his face in frustration. “I’ll take care of him, old man. Just don’t let Twi land a hit on you.”

As Legend helped Warriors stand, Time coaxed Twilight into an elevator. The young man paced the confined space uneasily, sometimes rounding on Time as if he had just noticed him. Time gave a reassuring smile and a gentle reminder each time. When they reached the sixth floor, the surgeon carefully guided the younger man down the hallway.

Twilight stopped just short of the doors. “I need to go home.”

“I’ll take you there,” Time reminded him for the eighth time. “It’s okay. You’re safe, Link.”

Twilight shifted uncomfortably before he looked at Time closely.

And then he randomly burst into tears, catching the surgeon off guard.

“Twilight—”

“Pa,” Twilight called pathetically, his voice shaking. “I—home—they said—where—”

Time stood there awkwardly for a moment, unsure what to do. He was nervous to get too close given what had happened to Warriors, and his interactions with patients was never when they were so delirious.

Maybe he should have let the nurses come along. They were better suited to handle this.

The surgeon shook his head. He could handle a delirious patient, especially Twilight.

Most especially because of the title he’d just called him.

Taking a breath and feeling his heart flutter with both warmth and anxiety, he stepped forward and held out a hand. “It’s okay, Link, I’m here.”

Twilight sniffled, stumbling into Time and disregarding his hand entirely. Time caught the boy with sharp reflexes and a surprised grunt before settling into a hug, whispering, “Shh, it’s okay. I’m here.”

They stood there together a moment, Time gently rocking them both as he spoke reassurances into his boy’s hair. Then, Twilight abruptly stumbled away, his tear stained face and puffy cheeks twisting in fright.

“There’s—he said to—someone’s in the corner—”

“Nobody’s in the corner, Link,” Time assured him. “It’s just you and me.”

After pointing out that no one else was nearby, and reminding him that they were going to bed at least twice, Time finally managed to convince Twilight to enter into the unit where his room was. His nurse immediately came forward alongside the charge nurse.

“I think he could use a sedative,” Time said with a smile.

“No kidding,” the frazzled looking nurse muttered. “LIP already put in for one. We’re working on getting a sitter but nobody’s available.”

Time shrugged as everyone coaxed Twilight back to bed. “I can stay with him.”

As the nurse brought him some supplies to keep himself occupied, he watched Twilight attempt to get out of bed again, setting off the bed’s alarm. He stood quickly as the nurse rushed in after having just left, and he coaxed the young man to settle once more.

After finally getting some ramelteon and seroquel, Time watched Twilight twist and turn in the bed and gently redirected his hands when he picked precariously at an IV.

Twilight glanced at him, and for a moment he looked like he recognized him. Then he reached out towards the surgeon, about to get up and set off the alarm again. Time stepped forward hastily, taking Twilight's outstretched hands in his own.

“You’re okay,” he said softly, stroking his boy’s fingers with his thumbs.

“W’nna go home,” Twilight whined sleepily.

Time watched him a moment longer and then sighed, bringing down the side rail of the bed so he could slip into it. Twilight moved over for a moment and then dazedly settled halfway on top of the surgeon, making him chuckle. After raising the railing once more, Time wrapped them both in blankets, holding Twilight close.

To think the kid could have gotten worse, to think his appendix could have burst, he could have gotten septic and died, all because he was too stubborn to come in until Wild called for help because he couldn’t carry him to a car.

Couldn’t carry him out of that hell hole the pair currently lived in.

“W’nna… home…” Twilight muttered sleepily, his breath tickling Time’s neck.

“Don’t worry,” Time soothed, rubbing his back. “I’ll take you home.”

To a real home, one without roaches, one without safety concerns, one with warm soft beds and food and animals that he loved so dearly. Twilight and Wild and their puppy were never going back to that motel.

“I’ll take you home,” he repeated as Twilight finally settled to sleep.